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THE

WORKS

GEORGE FOX,

Vol. III.

THE
OF THE
GREAT WHORE
UNFOLDED; AND
ANTICHRIST'S KINGDOM
REVEALED UNTO DESTRUCTION.
In answer to many false doctrines and principles which Babylon's
merchants have traded with, being held forth by the professed minis
ters, and teachers, and professors in England, Ireland, and Scotland,
taken under their own hands, and from their own mouths, sent forth
by them from time>to time, against the despised people of the Lord,
called Quakers, who are of the seed of that woman who hath been
long fled into the wilderness. ALSO,
An invasion upon the great city Babylon, with the spoiling of her golden cup,
and delicate merchandise, whereby she hath deceived the world and nations}
and herein is declared the spoiling of her prey, in this answer to the multitude
of doctrines held forth by the many false sects, which have lost the key of
knowledge, and been on foot since the apostles' days, called Anabaptists,
Independents, Presbyters, Ranters, and many others; who out of their own
mouths have manifested themselves not to be of a true descent from the true
christian churches; but it is discovered that they have been all made drunk
with the wine of fornication received from ihe whore which hath sitlen upon
the beast, after whom the world hath wondered.

BY GEORGE FOX.

" And the merchants ofthe earth shall weep and mourn over her,' for no man buyeth their merchandise any
more."— fieo. xviii. 18. . .
" And they cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, what city is like unto this great cilyl
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, alas, alas, that great city, wherein
were made rich all that bad ships in the sea, by reason of her costliness, for in one hour is she made desolate."—
Rev. xviii. 18, 19.

LONDON, FEINTED 1659.

PHILADELPHIA.-
MARCUS T. C. GOULD, No. 6, NORTH EIGHTH STREET.
NEW YORK-
ISAAC T. HOPPER, NO. 420, PEARL STREET.
J. HARDING, PRINTER.
1831

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.

To all the world to whom this may come to be read, that they read
with a good understanding, and hereby they may come to the perfect
knowledge of the ground of difference between the priests, and pro
fessors, and all sects in these nations, and us who are in scorn called
Quakers; showing that the controversy on our part is just and equal
against them all, and that we have sufficient cause to cry against them,
and to denytheir ministry, their church, their worship, and their whole
religion, as being not in the power, and by the spirit of the living God,
as commanded of him, or ever practised by his saints: but this declareth
the ground, and foundation thereof to be another thing, than that
on which the true church, and ministry, and practice, and wor
ship, and true religion were built in the days of the apostles. And
also, this is an invitation to all sects and professions of people, to come
forth and try if what they hold and profess be according to the scrip
tures of truth; and to do this by evident and sound arguments, and by
the best spiritual weapons they have, and to lay aside all this persecu
tion and unrighteous dealing, and stocking, and whipping, and im
prisoning of us for speaking against their religion; and that they come
forth in fair dispute, to contend in the spirit of meekness, for what they
profess and practice, and to prove, according to the scriptures, their
ministry, church, and whole religion, that it is in, and by the spirit
and power of God, or otherwise to renounce and deny all their reli
gion, and the profession and practices thereof, that every man may be
satisfied who they are that are in the true and right way, and of the
true worship, and true religion, and who are not; and this is desired by
us who are called Quakers. And here also is a true account of our first
beginning and coming forth in the world; and of the great sufferings we
have sustained, and how we have been carried on and preserved to this
day. The Lord God everlasting, who is true and faithful, hath fulfilled
his promise in us, and unto us, and we are gathered from the mouths
of all dumb shepherds, and out of the mouths of all hirelings, who have
made a prey upon us, and fed themselves with the fat, and devoured
souls for dishonest gain. And we are come to the fold of eternal rest,
where Christ Jesus is the chief shepherd, and he is the shepherd and
Vol. III. 1

6
bighop of our souls, that feedeth his flock with living bread that nour
isheth us unto life eternal. He hath called us by his name, and put us
forth, and he feedeth us in green pastures, and we are are fed with hid
den manna, and lie down at noon with his gathered flock. And out of
nations, kindreds, multitudes, and peoples are we redeemed to God,
and are come out of the world, and out of great Babylon, and out of
spiritual Sodom and Egypt, where the Lord Christ was and is cruci
fied, and lieth slain to this day. And atop of the world hath the Lord
set us, on the mountain of his own house and dwelling; where we be
hold and feel the life, and glory, and crown of the world that hath no
end; and the world that hath an end is seen over, and its crown and
glory are his footstool that reigns among us. And as for all that which
this perishing world brings forth, which men seek after only, it is
reckoned our temptation, though all the sons of Adam are seeking its
glory, its riches, its crowns, its contentments. But of that birth are
we which hath no crown, no glory, nor rest under the sun: a birth is
brought forth amongst us which is heir of another kingdom, and pos
sessor of another crown, whose glorying is in the Lord all the day long;
and he is our refuge, our rock, and our fortress against all our enemies.
And what though the wicked arm themselves, and the ungodly bend
their bow? — what though all sorts of people, from the prince upon his
throne to the beggar upon the dung-hill, exalt themselves against the
despised people of the Lord's inheritance, who, for his name's sake,
are killed all the day long? — what though the wise men bring forth
their arguments, and the rulers bring forth unrighteous judgments
against the seed that God hath blessed ? — what though the revilers and
scorners open their mouths, and reproachers and revilers cast out their
bitter words as a flood against the remnant of the woman's seed, that
hath long been fled into the wilderness? — and what if the teachers, the
prophets, and the elders, and the heads, and wise men of the world set
themselves to pray, and preach, and print against the chosen seed of
Jacob? — Notwithstanding all this, though this is come to pass, and hell
open her mouth, and her floods break forth to overflow, and be much
more increased ; yet shall the King of righteousness rule among his
people, and his presence will not forsake his chosen ones. The Lord
is with us, a mighty, and a terrible one, and the shout of a king is
amongst us, and the dread of the Almighty covereth us, and it goeth
before us, and compasseth us about; and the Lord is working a work
in the earth, mighty and wonderful! He is gathering the scattered,
and binding up the broken hearted, and his people shall dwell in safety,
and none shall make them afraid, and no weapon that is formed against
them shall prosper, nor any hand that is lifted up shall prevail. For
Sion shall arise out of the dust, her beautiful garments shall be put on,

and mourning and sorrow shall flee away; and her light is risen that
is everlasting, and the sun shall never go down, but his day shall re
main for ever, and the night shall not again cover her brightness, nor
the sun set upon her habitations. The city that hath long lain waste,
shall again be builded, and the dwelling that hath long been without
inhabitant, shall be replenished; for the numberless seed of Jacob is
coming out of Egypt, that will replenish the whole earth, and the seed
of Esau shall become bondmen. And wherefore are you gathered
together? and to what purpose have the wicked spent their strength to
oppose what the Lord is bringing to pass? Shall not all our enemies be
broken to pieces, and will not Ihe Lord grind them to powder? Wil!
he not mar their beauty, and stain their pride? Will he not bring
down their crowns, and corrupt their glory, and stain it with his fire
of wrath, and make them ashamed of their ways and doctrines? Hear
this ye priests, and howl, and lament for the misery that is coming upon
you! the Lord hath laid you naked, and made you bare, and you are
seen as you are, and the elect is risen amongst us which ye cannot
deceive. But, alas ! wo is me ! how have you caused the people to
err, and how have you led the blind out of the way, and how is truth
fallen in your streets! And you have daubed falsely with untempered
mortar, and have cried peace to the wicked, and condemned the righte
ous, and all this hath vexed the righteous soul, and the Lord will now
arise, and is risen, and you shall not resist, and escape the stroke of his
hand, which will come upon you, and bruise you as a millstone; for you
have caused the wicked to rejoice, and the righteous to mourn, and
you have made sad hi? heart whom God hath not made sad. Have not
you fed yourselves with the fat, and clothed with the wool ? and hath
not the people's souls been starved, and leanness been upon them all?
Your plants are dry, barren trees that bring forth no good fruit; and
your people are like a wilderness that is untilled, and unploughed, and
undressed; and your flocks are like wild asses upon the mountains that
are untamed, as rude as the horse and mule, that know no bridle. And
now it is seen what the end of your ministry is, and what fruit it hath
brought forth. The Lord hath taken notice, and beheld how you have
loitered and lain idle, and the nations lie yet like fallow ground that
bears no fruit; and men's hearts are untouched with absence of God's
word, and there is no sound, true, and perfect sense amongst your peo
ple of the dealings of the Lord, nor of the operation of his spirit, but
they remain in great blindness and ignorance, void of the knowledge of
God. For ye have not caused them to hear his word, but you have told
your dreams, and your false visions, and you have spoken imaginations
of your hearts, and not from the mouth of the Lord; neither have you
stood in his counsel, nor hearkened to his voice, and therefore people

remain unprofited. What they and you know, it is naturally, and not
by the spirit ofthe Father; but as dry trees you are, not taught of the
Father, and as rough goats, in the nature of swine that are polluted in
the filth of the world, and in the nature of dogs, and lions, devouring
one another, and biting one another, and killing one another; which
things were not in the churches of Christ. And we have a great con
troversy with you, and that from the Lord. We have tried you,
searched you, and discovered your foundation, and it is not sound, nor
will stand in the trial. We have fetched your line from the first origi
nal, and we have found out your beginning, and we find yours of that
race, which Christ prophesied of that should come, who should deceive
many, having the sheep's clothing, but inwardly ravening; and who
John saw were come, and went out from the apostles and true churches,
went from the truth, and went into the world, and had the form of
godliness without the power: here began the race in the apostacy of the
churches. And when they apostatized from the true faith, then came
your original up, and the world went after them, and all that dwelt upon
the earth worshipped the beast, that hath reigned through all this time
of apostacy, which hath been since the days of the apostles. And we
find your original goes no further than to the false brethren, and false
apostles, who went out from the true apostles, and run for gifts and
rewards, and preached for filthy lucre, and through covetousness made
merchandise of souls, seeking money and gain to themselves. I say,
we find your original begins there, and your line goes no further, and
never came your first rise so far as the true apostles; you were not, in
your beginning* of their life nor birth, nor can be reckoned from their
original, for you succeed not them; but you truly succeed the false
apostles, and false brethren, which Christ prophesied should come after
his days, and John saw were come and coming in his days. And we
find you of this stock and generation, and now you are discovered to
be contrary to the true apostles, and agreeing with the false apostles, in
call, in practice, in maintenance, and in all things; and the line of true
judgment is laid upon you all, and you are measured, and found too
short, and weighed, and found too light. And we will deal truly with
you in judgment: first, we do hold controversy with you as concerning
your call, your ministry, it agreeth not with, but is contrary to what
the apostles' call was; they were called by power from on high, and
were made ministers by the gift of the holy spirit received from God,
and their ministry was an absolute gift from God, and not to be bought
and sold for money; and they were anointed of the Father, by his spi
rit of promise, to preach the gospel. But your call is at schools and
colleges, in such and such Orders, which are attained through natural
industry, such and such arts and sciences, and degrees, having been so

many years brought up in studying natural arts and natural languages;
this is your ordination and your call, having no respect to receive or to
wait for the gift of the holy spirit, to be made ministers thereby; and
this is different from the apostles and true ministers, and equal and ac
cording to the false prophets and deceivers.
Secondly. Again you are not according, but contrary to the true
ministry and ministers of Christ in practice; for they were led by the
spirit ofthe Father which dwelt in them, and they preached the gospel
by the spirit, and spake as the spirit gave them utterance, and went up
and down the world through nations, converting people to the know
ledge of the truth; and what they had handled, tasted, seen, and felt of
the word of life in them, that they declared to others, and preached
the gospel, which they had not received from man, nor by man, but by
the revelation of Jesus Christ in them. But your practice is not such,
but contrary, for the spirit of this world leads you, and it you follow
in all your works, in your preaching, praying, and in your whole wor
ship, in form and tradition; what you have studied out of books and old
authors, you preach to people, and what ye have noted in a book, that
you preach by an hour glass, and not as the spirit of God gives you
utterance. And you seek out and inquire after great benefits, and
much money by the year, and where there are much tithes and glebe
lands, and such like; thither and to such a place, you go, and seek to be
ministers there, and there you remain twenty or forty years, more or
fewer as you can agree with the people, and while they will give you
so much as will content you, and maintain you, your wives and fami
lies, as you say, and regard not whether any be converted to God by
your preaching, but people remain always in blindness and ignorance
generally, and without the knowledge of God. For you preach other
men's words, and what you have collected in your imaginations from
the saints' words, an hour by a glass, leaning upon a soft cushion, and
for money and hire preaching to the people, and this is your manner
of practice, and ministry in these nations. But thus did not the
apostles, nor Christ's ministers; but the contrary. And by your fruits
and works it appears that you are not followers of that spirit that Christ
and his ministers were guided by, neither are lawful successors of the
apostles; but by your fruits and practice you manifest that the Lord
never sent you, and Christ never called you into his service to be his
ministers; for in all your practices and in your whole performances of
worship you differ, and do not agree with, but are contrary to what
the practice and worship of Christ's ministers and churches were in the
days of the apostles. This I charge upon you, in the name, and by the
authority of the Lord God, and am able to prove it against you, face to
face, or otherwise to show that you are not of the same spirit, but con-

10
tgary to the saints and apostles of old, and so not true successors of
them, nor lawful ministers of Christ; as to all people it is, and shall be
made manifest.
Thirdly. You disagree with and are contrary altogether to the true
ministry, and to the apostles, in respect of your maintenance and
wages; for the wages which Christ allowed his ministers, was, into
whatsoever house they entered, that was worthy, they might eat such
things as were set before them, for the workman (saith he) is worthy
of his hire. And the apostles eat only of the fruit of the vineyard
that they had planted, and of the milk of the flock which they kept, by
a free gift of the people, whom they had begotten to the faith; and to
whom they sowed spiritual things, it was but as a small matter if they
reaped their carnal things; and though as a free gift they would do it, yet
the apostle said he would not make the gospel of Christ chargeable. And
in this manner were Christ's ministers and ministry in wages and gifts,
upheld and maintained outwardly in the world.
But your practice and maintenance are not such, but contrary, as is
fully made manifest; for you will have so much by the year promised
to you in tithes, money, or glebe lands, or stipends; and of drunkards,
and swearers, and profane worldly people, who are not sheep of Christ's
flock, nor plants of his vineyard, you will have so much of each of
them, and of every man in such a compass as you call your parish.
And if any, either out of covetousness or good conscience, cannot pay
you, you sue them at law, and cast them into prison, for wages, and
spoil their goods, and take treble, nay sometimes five-fold damage.
And through violence, and injustice, and cruelty are you maintained in
such a manner, and not as the true ministers and apostles of Christ
were, but in a way and manner quite contrary, as it is manifest; and so
herein it is proved, that you are not lawful successors of the apostles
and ministers of Christ.
Fourthly. Again, you follow not the apostles and true ministers of
Christ, but are contrary to them in doctrine, as this following volume
will clearly manifest, which for this very end is collected from your
own mouths and pens, that all men may see what you are, and what
you hold and profess; and being truly laid down and answered, let
yourselves, and all sober men, compare your doctrines and sayings with
the doctrines of the apostles, and they may see you agree not with
them, but are contrary to them. And now, friends, to all you that
profess yourselves to be ministers of the gospel, I do hereby declare
unto you, in the name and authority of the Lord, that we have contro
versy with you, and a great charge against you in all these things, in
your call, in your practice, in your maintenance, and in your doc
trines; and our mouths hath the Lord opened, and they cannot be shut

11
from declaring and crying against you, as such whom the Lord never
sent, but are contrary to Christ, his prophets, and apostles, in all your
ways and practices; and the hand ofthe Lord is certainly against you,
and his power and dread will come over you, and lie upon your con
sciences. Now, reader, whosoever thou art that readest this following volume,
if thy mind be sober, and thy heart right towards God, thou may come
to a good understanding of the ground and cause of this great contro
versy, between the priests and the professors of this nation, and us wha
are in scorn called Quakers, for it is not unknown to nations. Of this
great debate and battle, now for some years of continuance in this na
tion, no man can be ignorant. What putting in prisons, and what per
secuting, and what preaching and printing against us, and what reports
and fame have been through this nation for some years past! And the
Quakers, so called, have written, and spoken, and printed against the
priests, and their worships, and Ways, and doctrines, and declared
against them, as deceivers and false prophets, and such as never were
sent of God. And on the other hand^ thus have the priests, and more
abundantly, cried out against, and printed against the Quakers, as here
tics, and deceivers, and witches, and all that they could say that was evil.
And these things being not unknown, but publicly brought to pass, it
will be good to discover unto every man, the first ground and cause of
this great strife, and the matter of it, and its beginning, so that all may
know the certainty of these things, and know they are not without
good ground and sufficient reason on our part, to wit, that we have
just cause to do, and strive against that generation of priests and teach
ers, and that we do nothing rashly, and without sufficient reason.
It is now about seven years since the Lord raised us up in the north
of England, and opened our mouths in this his spirit; and what we
were before in our religion, profession, and practices is well known to
that part of the country; that generally we were men of the strictest
sect, and of the greatest zeal in the performance of outward righteous
ness, and went through and tried all sorts of teachers, and run from
mountain to mountain, and from man to man, and from one form to
another, as do many to this very day, who yet remain ungathered to
the Lord. And such we were, (to say no more of us*) that sought the
Lord, and desired the knowledge of his ways more than any thing
beside,, and for one I may speak, who, from a child, even a few years
old, set my face to seek and find the saviour, and, more than life and
treasure or any mortal crown, sought with all my heart the one thing
that is needful, to wit, the knowledge of God.
And after our long seeking the Lord appeared to us, and revealed
his glory in us, and gave us of his spirit from heaven, and poured it

12
upon us, and gave us of his wisdom to guide us, whereby we saw all
the world, and the true state of things, and the true condition of the
church in her present estate. First the Lord brought us by his power
and wisdom, and the word by which all things were made, to know
and understand, and see perfectly, that God had given to us, every one
of us in particular, a light from himself shining in our hearts and con
sciences; which light, Christ his son, the saviour of the world, had
lighted every man withal; which light in us we found sufficient to re
prove us, and convince us of. every evil deed, word, and thought, and
by it, in us, we came to know good. from evil, right from wrong, and
whatsoever is of God, and according to him, from what is of the devil,
and what was contrary to God in motion, word, and works. And this
light gave us to discern between truth and error, between every false
and right way, and it perfectly discovered to us the true state of all
things; and we thereby came to know man, what he was in his crea
tion before transgression, and how he was deceived and overcome by
the devil, and his estate in transgression, and in disobedience^md how
he is driven and banished from the presence of the Lord, and the sor
row and anguish which he is in and to undergo. And also by the light
in us, we perfectly came to know the way of restoration, and the means
by which to be restored, and the state of man when come out of trans
gression and restored. These things to us were revealed by the light
within us, which Christ had given us, and lighted us withal; what man
was before transgression, and what he is in transgression, and what he
is being redeemed out of transgression. And also as our minds be
came turned, and our hearts inclined to the light which shined in every
one of us, the perfect estate of the church we came to know; her estate
before the apostles' days, and in the apostles' days, and since the days
of the apostles. And her present estate we found to be as a woman
who had once been clqthed with the sun, and the moon under her feet,
who brought forth him that was to rule the nations; but she was fled
into the wilderness, and there sitting desolate, in her place that was
prepared of God for such a season, in the very end of which season,
when" the time of her sojourning was towards a full end, then were we
brought forth. If any have an ear they may hear. So that all these
things concerning man, and concerning the times and seasons, and the
changing and renewing of times, and all things that pertain to salvation,
and redemption, and eternal life, needful for man to know, all these
were revealed, discovered, and made known to us, by the light which
was in us, which Christ had lighted us withal.
And we found this light to be a sufficient teacher, to lead us to
Christ, from whence this" light came, and thereby it gave us to receive
Christ, and to witness him to dwell in us; and through it the new co-

13
venant we came to enter info, to be made heirs of life and salvation.
And in all things we found the light which we were enlightened withal,
(which is Christ,) to be alone and only sufficient to bring to life and
eternal salvation ; .and that all who did own the light in them which
Christ hath enlightened every man withal, they needed no man to teach
them, but the Lord was their teacher, by his light in their own con
sciences, and they received the holy anointing.
And so we ceased from the teachings of all men, and their words,
and their worships, and their temples, and all their baptisms and
churches; and we ceased from our own words, and professions, and
practices in religion, in times before zealously performed by us, through
divers forms, and we became fools for Christ's sake, that we might
become truly wise. And by this light of Christ in us were we led out
of all false ways, and false preachings, and from false ministers, and we
met together often, and waited upon the Lord in pure silence from our
own words, and all men's words, and hearkened to the voice of the
Lord, and felt his word in our hearts, to burn up and beat down all
that was contrary to God; and we obeyed the light of Christ in us, and
followed the motions of the Lord's pure spirit, and took up the cross to
all earthly glories, crowns, and ways, and denied ourselves, our relations,
and all that stood in the way betwixt us and the Lord; and we chose
to suffer with and for the name of Christ, rather than enjoy all the
pleasures upon earth, or all our former zealous professions and prac
tices in religion without the power and spirit of God, which the world
yet lives in. And while waiting upon the Lord in silence, as often we
did for many hours together, with our minds and hearts toward him,
being staid in the light of Christ within us, from all thoughts, fleshly
motions, and desires, in our diligent waiting and fear of his name, and
hearkening to his word, we received often the pouring down of the
spirit upon us, and the gift of God's holy eternal spirit as in the days
of old, and our hearts were made glad, and our tongues loosed, and our
mouths opened, and we spake with new tongues, as the Lord gave us
utterance, and as his spirit led us, which was poured down upon us, on
sons and daughters. And to us hereby were the deep things of God
revealed, and things unutterable were known and made manifest; and
the glory of the Father was revealed, and then began we to sing praises '
to the Lord God Almighty, and to the Lamb for ever, who had re
deemed us to God, and brought us out of the captivity and bondage of
the world, and put an end to sin and death; and all this was by and
through, and in the light of Christ within us. And much more might
be declared hereof, that which could not be believed if it were spoken,
ofthe several and- particular operations and manifestations of the ever
lasting spirit that was given us, and revealed in tis. But this is the
Vol. III. 2

14
sum: life and immortality were brought to light, power from on high
and wisdom were made manifest, and the day everlasting appeared
unto us, and the joyful sun of righteousness did arise and shine forth
unto us and in us; and the holy anointing, the everlasting comforter,
we received; and the babe of glory was born, and the heir of the pro
mise brought forth to reign over the earth, and over hell and death,
whereby we entered into everlasting union, and fellowship, and cove
nant with the Lord God, whose mercies are sure and infinite, and his
promise never fails. We were raised from death to life, and changed
from satan's power to God, and gathered from all the dumb shepherds,
and off all the barren mountains, into the fold of eternal peace and rest,
and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us, and
by us, by his own outstretched arm.
And thus we became followers ofthe Lamb whithersoever he goes;
and he hath called us to make war in righteousness for'his name's sake
against hell and death, and all the powers of darkness, and against the
beast and false prophet, which have deceived the nations. And we are
of the royal seed elect, chosen and faithful, and we war in truth and
jtist judgment; not with weapons that are carnal, but by the sword that
goes out of his mouth, which shall slay the wicked, and cut them to
pieces. And after this manner was our birth or bringing forth, and
thus hath the Lord chosen us and made us an army dreadful and terri
ble, before whom the wicked do fear and tremble; and our standard is
truth, justice, righteousness, and equity; and all that come unto us, must
cleave thereunto, and fight under that banner without fear, and with
out doubting, and they shall never be ashamed nor put to flight,
neither shall they ever be conquered by hell or death, or by the pow
ers of darkness; but the Lord shall be their armour, weapon, and de
fence for evermore. And they that follow the Lamb shall overcome,
and get the victory over the beast, and over the dragon, and over the
gates of hell; for the Lord is with us, and who shall be able to make
us afraid ?
Then having thus armed us with power, strength, and wisdom, and
dominion, according to his mind, and we having learned of him, and
being taught of him in all things, and he having chosen us into his
work, and put his sword into our hand, and given us perfect commis
sion to go forth in his name and authority, having the word from his
mouth what to cut down and what to preserve* and having the ever
lasting gospel to preach to the inhabitants of the earth, and being com
manded in spirit to leave all, and follow him, and go forth in his work,
yea an absolute necessity was laid upon us, and wo unto us if we
preached not the gospel. For when we looked abroad and beheld the
world, behold it was altogether darkness, and even as a wilderness,

15
and desolate, and barren of good fruit; and death reigned over men,
and no good fruit was brought fouth to God, but leaves we beheld upon
every soul. And all men and peoples were made drunk with the wine
of whoredoms, and the whore's cup they had drunk, and were com
mitting fornication with the great whore, and she reigned over the
kings and peoples of the earth. And the antichrist was set up in the
temple of God, ruling over all, having brought nations under his
power, and set up his government over all for many ages; even since
the days of the apostles and true churches hath he reigned, while the
woman hath been fled into the wilderness, and the man child caught
up to God. Christ said antichrist should come, and put on the sheep's
clothing, and be inwardly a ravening wolf; and John saw that anti
christ was come in his days, and he went forth then from the true
church, and went into the world, and deceived the world; and ever
since, his kingdom hath reigned over nations; for then he began to
exalt himself, and it is sixteen hundred years since, all which time anti
christ hath had the sheep's clothing, but inwardly a ravener, and hath
ruled and reigned. And this we saw, in the very time of our birth and
bringing forth; and we beheld nations as a wilderness untilled, and
men's hearts as the fallow ground, unbroken up, and not ploughed nor
sown with the good seed of God's kingdom. So that we saw all. states
and orders of men corrupted and degenerated from what they ought to-
be, and from what God had once ordained them. As for the ministry,
first, we looking upon it with a single eye, in the light of the spirit of
God which had anointed us, we beheld it clearly (which we had
been stumbling at, and much doubting that it was not the perfect
ministry of Christ, for many years before) not to be of Christ, nor sent
of him, nor having the commission, power, and authority of Christ, as
his ministry had in the days of the true churches; but in all things, as
in call, practice, maintenance, and in every thing else, in fruits and
effects we found it to disagree, and be wholly contrary to the true minis
try of Christ in the days of the apostles. And likewise, we truly be
held it to be in call, practice, and maintenance, and all things, the very
same in fruits and effects with the false ministry, and false prophets,
and false apostles, and deceivers of old. And this I do testify, and am
able to prove in the spirit and authority of the Lord, that the public
ministry as now it stands generally, is wholly degenerated from what
the true ministry of Christ once was, and differeth, and is contrary in
all things to what Christ's ministers were, and agreeth, and is equal in
all things with what the false prophets and deceivers were throughout
all ages. And this I charge upon it* in the face and view of all men tp
whom this may come; for this we saw concerning it, in the beginning,
and our first assurance. And as for other places and orders of men and

16
callings, we saw them also corrupted and degenerated, and evil and ini
quity abounding among all sorts of people; and blindness and darkness
covered the face ofthe earth and ofthe world; and all people .were in
their transgressions, and making void the law of God; and that it was
time for the Lord to work, and to arise to ease himself of his adver
saries. And as for all churches (so called) and professions and gath
erings of people, we beheld you as all in the apostacy and degeneration
from the true church, not being gathered by the spirit of the Lord, nor
anointed thereby, as the true members of Christ ever were, but to be
in a form, and in forms of righteousness without the power, and in imi
tations without life and perfect knowledge. So that all the practices
of religion we beheld without power and life, though some had a sin
cerity in them, and a zeal and a desire towards the Lord; yet all people
erred in judgment, and none were guided in judgment by the eter
nal spirit; and the error in judgment made their zeal blind, and
their performances of righteousness not accepted, though acted, in
some sincerity and zeal ; because they were not guided in practice, and
led in judgment by the spirit of the Lord, which only leads into all
truth, and none are in the truth but who are led only thereby. So that
we beheld all profession to be but as coverings with fig leaves, while
the nature of transgression stood uncondemned and not crucified. We
then also saw not only that the performance and practice in church
state, and in religious orders were corrupted, but also government, and
magistracy, and all things in civil state were not aright in the sight of
the Lord, nor as the Lord required, neither as he had ordained in the
beginning; for government, we know, as ordained of God, is to punish,
and limit, and terrify all evil doers, and to preserve and defend all that
do well; and that men's consciences are to be left free, to be ruled by
the Lord alone, and guided by his spirit; and that outward power and
civil magistrates and laws, (so called,) ought not to be Lord or ruler in
men's consciences, nor over them. But we beheld how unrighteous
ness and iniquity, and sin and wickedness were strengthened and en
couraged in the government, and by such as were in authority; and
how the exercise of a good conscience in the fear of God was abused;
so that it was turned backward from what it ought to be; them that did
well were punished, and limited as transgressors, and the evil doers
were set free, and not made afraid : so that we could truly cry, truth
was fallen in the streets, and justice and true judgment turned back
ward, and equity had no place to enter, and the innocent were de
voured through want of true and just judgment, and the needy were
spoiled and made a prey. For no sooner had we opened our mouths,
but the magistrates began to put us in prison, and execute great injus
tice upon us, and became oppressors of the innocent, and laid unjust

17
burdens upon us, grievous to be borne, and true justice and judg
ment were neglected, and wrong judgment brought forth, and good
government abused, and men in authority not ruled by the Lord,
neither ruling for the Lord among men: and thus it came to pass upon
us, through the corruption and degeneration in government and magis^
trates, which we saw to be, as it was fulfilled by them, to wit, not as
the Lord required, nor as he in the beginning ordained it, but quite
the contrary. And this we saw in the beginning, when the spirit of
the Lord was poured down upon us, and power from on high was re
vealed to declare against all the abominations of the earth, and to make
war against-all corruption, in all orders, and places, and men.
Then being prepared of the Lord, and having received power from
on high, we went forth as commanded of the Lord, leaving all rela
tions and all things of the world behind us, that we might fulfil the
work of the Lord into which he called us. We consulted not with
flesh and blood, nor any creature, nor took counsel of men, but of the
Lord alone, who lifted up our heads above the world, and all fears and
doubtings; and was with us in power and dominion, over all that which
opposed us, which was great and mighty; and gave us power over it
all, and to bind kings in chains, and nobles in fetters of iron; and this
is the saints' honour. And the word of the Lord we sounded, and did
not spare, and caused the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and the heart
that was hardened to be awakened; and the dread of the Lord went
before us, and behind us, and terror took hold upon our enemies. And
first of all, our mouths were opened, and our spirits filled with indigna
tion against the priests and teachers, and with them and against them
first we began to war, as being the causers of the people to err; the
blind leaders that carried the blind into the ditch; the fountain of all
wickedness abounding in the nations, and the issue of profaneness: for
from them hath profaneness gone forth in all nations: and against them
we cried aloud, being redeemed from their mouths who had made a
prey upon us, as they do upon all that follow their ways. And in
steeple-houses we visited them often, and in markets and other places,
as the Lord moved and made way for us, showing unto them and all
their people, that they were not lawful ministers of Christ, sent of him,
but were deceivers and antichrists, and such whom the Lord never sent.
And we spared not publicly, and at all seasons, to utter forth the judg
ments of the Lord against them and their ways, and against their
churches, and worships, and practices, as not being of God,' nor com
manded by him, but by which they deceived the world. And this was
our first work which we entered upon, to thresh down the deceivers,
and lay them open, that all people might see their shame, and come to
turn from them, and receive the knowledge of the truth, that they

18
might be saved. And this we did with no small opposition nor danger,
yea, often times we were in danger of our lives, through beating,
abusing, punishing, haling, casting over walls, striking with staves and
cudgels, and knocking down to the ground; besides reproaching, scorn
ing, revilings and hootings at, scoffings and slanderings, and all abuses
that could be thought or acted by evilhands and tongues. And often were
we carried before magistrates, with grievous threats, and sometimes put
in the stocks, and whipped, and often imprisoned, and many hard deal
ings against us, the worst that tongues or hands could execute, sparing
life. Of this all the north countries may witness; and all these things
are sustained and suffered from people and rulers, because of our faith
fulness to the Lord, and for declaring against the deceivers. For
nothing, save only the hand of the Lord, and his power, could have
preserved us, and carried us through all this. Neither for any outward
reward, or advantage to ourselves whatsoever, would we have exposed
ourselves to that violence, and those sufferings, and dangers, which befel
us daily. But the Lord was our exceeding great reward through all
these things, and kept us in the hollow of his hand, and under the sha
dow of his wings, and gave us dominion in spirit over all our enemies,
and subdued them before us. And though rulers and people were
combined against us, and executed their injustice and violence upon
us, yet the Lord made us to prosper, and grow exceedingly in strength,
wisdom, and number, and the hearts of the people inclined unto us, and
the witness of God in many stirred for us, for to that in all consciences
in our words and sufferings, and ways, we did commend ourselves to
be known and approved.
And in the beginning we were but few in number, only a few that
thus were carried on and dealt with, and that had received the power
from on high in such a measure, and for such a work. And no sooner
did the Lord appear to us, and with us, but the devil and his power
rose up against us to destroy us; and it wrought in rulers, priests, and
people, and all the ways and means invented by the devil that could be
executed by his servants, were brought forth to quench the work ofthe
Lord, and to stop our passage in what we were called to. Did ye but
perfectly know, as we perfectly found, the craftiness, and policy, and
wickedness of the devil, how to overcome this new born babe, and how
to root out for ever this plant that was newly sprung forth, it would
make you admire and wonder! All the priests and rulers were in an
uproar. The priests petitioned to the magistrates, and run up and
down from one session and judiciatory to another, and took wicked
oaths, and slandered the just with lies and reproaches, on purpose to
incense all people against us. And the magistrates gave forth warrants
fqr the apprehending of some, and gave orders to break our meetings,

19
and that we should not meet in the night season, and such men might
not pass abroad; and such stir and opposition were made against us, as
can hardly be expressed or declared. There were uproars in steeple-
houses, and uproars in markets, and often haling before magistrates,
and we were abused, and threatened, and slandered,and all manner of evil
done and spoken against us; and great injustice, cruelty and oppression
were acted towards us, wherever we came, and all by means ofthe priests,
who spared not to enact and conceive mischief against us, and sought
daily to tho magistrates for persecution, preaching in their pulpits, and
praying against us, and setting days apart to seek their God against us,
crying without ceasing, in public and private, heresy, error and
blasphemy, and that we were deceivers, witches, and seducers, and such
like, the worst they could say and imagine, to stir up the hearts of
people against us, running often to the assize and sessions, and courts,
to complain, and inform upon false oaths against us; and through them
were the whole countries in a rage and madness, rulers and people often
imprisoning, and abusing, and resisting us with violence, banishing us
out of towns, and putting of us out of our inns, and often threatening to
burn the houses over our heads; the whole company of rude pepple in
a town, often gathering and besetting a house or inn about where we
were entered to lodge, in our travels. We were often exposed to diffi
cult and hard travels and journeys, giving ourselves to the cross, to
take it up against all that was earthly; often drinking water and lying
in straw in barns, after a hard day's journey; and yet for all these things,
the power and presence of the Lord were with us, and we were carried
on in much boldness and faithfulness in courage, and without fear or
doubtings, through the often hazard of our lives many ways, in uproars,
by evil men, and in markets, and steeple-houses, and also in travels by
robbers, and in every way were we exposed to dangers and perils, but
through all and all over all were we carried, and are preserved to this day.
And after this manner it came to pass concerning us; and much more
might be said, but this is in short declared how we were entreated and
dealt with by priests, rulers,and people, through all the northern counties
of England, in our first going forth; through which counties we first
journied out of Westmoreland, , through Cumberland, Northumber
land, and into some parts of Scotland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lancashire,
Cheshire, #c. And in all these counties much opposition we had, and
exceeding sufferings, and cruel dealings from men of all sorts. Every
jail may witness, in every county, how any of them seldom were with
out some of us, or our friends, imprisoned in them these six years ; and
scarce one steeple-house or market in all these counties, but may wit
ness what beating, what bruisings, strikings, and haling, and abusings,
and perils we have suffered and sustained. And not one priest in all

20
those counties can clear himself from hatred and malice, and from envy
ing us, and doing mischief in words and works, or thoughts, or desires
against us; nor scarce one justice, nor any officer of the peace, can be
excused in all those counties from plotting and acting injustice upon us,
and threatening and enacting cruelty against us. And I call heaven^
and earth to record, and the light in every man's conscience, and
do appeal to that in all sorts of people, that by all sorts we suffered
evil, and unjust words and actions from them. • And let the witness
of God in all men's consciences in all the north, give testimony
what dealings and cruelty we suffered, and how we have been dealt
with, and also of our patience and innocency under all that they have
done to us.
But notwithstanding all that was acted against us, and spoken, many
hundreds of the honest and sober people owned us, and also many rude
and ungodly persons were converted to the truth; I say, many hundreds
in all these counties, in two years time, were brought to the knowledge
of the Lord and to own us. All which time we laboured, and travelled
in patience, giving up ourselves to live or to die, and to all manner of
sufferings and reproaches* and hard trials, that we might fulfil faithfully
what we were called unto. Sufferings without, from open enemies and
from our own kindred and relations, and sufferings within, for the seed's
sake — all these made us well acquainted with griefs; yet in our trials and
afflictions, the Lord never forsook us, but his wisdom, love, and life,
and presence increased in us and with us.
Then in the year 1654, as moved ofthe Lord, we spread ourselves
southward, and entered into these south parts, and came the first of us
into this city of London, in the Fifth-month that year, and laboured in
the work of the gospel, in continual sufferings and oppressions divers
ways, and were Oppressed and gainsayed by the wise men, and by the
learned, and had in reproach and contempt by all the high and lofty
and proud professors, and we were set at nought and rejected by the
fat beasts of the south. And it is well known to thousands in this city
and south country, what opposition we have had from all sorts of peo
ple; opposed in our own meetings, and scorned, and slandered by envious
and reproachful tongues; publicly and privately encountered with by-
all the wisest of the city and country, challenged, invited, and engaged
to disputes by the high priests and church members, (so called,) and
written against, and printed against, by the chiefest of men accounted
wise and religious. Which of any sect, and of all the wisest in profes
sion, and the most zealous in practices of religion, (so called,) have not
at some time or other beset us, and encountered with us in high disputes
and controversy, opposing us to our faces, and gainsaying our doctrines
and practices, and denying us, and resisting us wholly, and crying

21
against us to be deceivers, deluders, heretics, and blasphemers, and
such like, and that our doctrines were deceivable, and error, and fac
tious, and what not ; and that our practices were destructive to men,
laws, and government? These things in the worst nature have been
spoken against us without ceasing, by the wisest, and men of greatest
parts and most religious, (falsely so accounted,), for these certain years,
in the south, as well as in the north. Besides, what loss have we sus
tained other ways in the south, by beatings, and strikings, and abuses,
and slanders, and false reproaches, and haling before magistrates, and
imprisoning, and all the like dealing from priests, rulers, and people, yea,
the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suf
fered, and do daily, as we did in the north. Insomuch that we are now
accustomed to the yoke, and well acquainted with sorrows and griefs
from all sorts of people. And were not the Lord on our side, our ene
mies would swallow us up quick, and we had been long since devoured
by the teeth ofthe ungodly. So that I may now call to witness all the
jails and prisons in the south, as in the north, and all the magistrates,
and judges, and rulers, and all officers of the law, what sufferings we
have sustained, and what cruel and hard dealing we have undergone,
and what injustice, and unequal and false judgment have been executed
upon us in these five years time. Which of the jails may appear free,
where some of us have not suffered the loss of our liberties unjustly?
And who of any justice of the peace, or any other officer/ from
the judge to the constable, can clear themselves from guilt in this
matter, and have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings ? To the
witness of God in all people of all sorts, through this whole nation
and some others, do I appeal concerning this matter, how we have bee'n
dealt withal, and what we have sustained in our persons and in our
names, and how many acts and words of cruelty and injustice we have
borne and suffered. And these priests have been as the fountain and
cause of all this, and the foremost in all this iniquity and injustice by
all that they could do to incense the rulers and people against us, by
preaching, and praying, and writing, and printing for the space of these
seven years. Notwithstanding all this the mighty power and presence
of the Lord have been with us, and preserved us from dangers great and
many, and carried us through trials, and perplexities, and sufferings;
and not only so, but he hath increased us in number, so that thousands
and ten thousands have and may own us, and the truth which we give
witness of, and live therein? For the eyes of all people are beginning
to be opened, and the deaf ear is unstopped, and the way of life eternal
is made manifest, and the Lord.is gathering his flock, which hath been
scattered in the cloudy and dark day, whilst these false idle shepherds,
(these priests and teachers I mean,) have fed themselves with the fat,
Vol. III. 3

22
and clothed themselves with the wool, and laid down in slumber, and
not gathered the flock, nor fed them, but scattered them and driven
them away ; and with force and with cruelty have they ruled over the
heritage of the Lord. Wo, wo, unto these shepherds, saith the Lord
God, they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually, and they
shall be broken down and never builded any more, and the Lord will
pluck them up by the roots, and they shall never again be planted.
And besides all their petitioning the magistrates against us, and preach
ing and praying against us, and all the eyil and wickedness, in work,
word, and desire brought forth agaihst us from time to time; here sober
reader thou hast a catalogue and whole number of books printed and
written against us, and abundance of their doctrines uttered against us, and
in opposition to us, gathered up in this volume in a sum, with our an
swers to them; and if thy heart and mind be single, thou mayst hereby
understand, in measure, the difference in doctrine between them and us,
and compare each of them with the scriptures,and see whether their doc
trines and principles laid down as the subject of their books, or our
doctrines and principles laid down in answer to theirs, agree with
the scriptures. And if thou be impartial in this business, and single in
this search and judgment, I doubt not, but thou wilt in a great measure
satisfy thyself, and be resolved concerning the priests and professors of
England, and us who are called Quakers. And when thou hast thus
done, own and deny them or us, as the Lord shall persuade thee ; for
thou mayst fully perceive we differ in doctrines and principles, and the
one thou must justify, and the other thou must condemn, as being one
clean contrary to the other in principles. And I wish also thou wouldst
measure us, and compare us in life and conversation, and truly judge,
whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his apostles in prac
tice and conversation. And in all things lay us and them to the line of
true judgment, and with an upright heart judge accordingly; for know
this, there is not any principle we hold, nor any work which we practice
in our religion and worship, but we are willing, and fully desire may
be brought to the bar of true justice, and in every particular of princi
ple and practice, examined and tried to the full, and each of us judged
in truth and equity, whether it be they or we that are of the true reli
gion, and true faith and true worship of God that the apostles were in ;
and which of us it is that is in a wrong way, and in a false religion,
and false faith and worship. And in this we will join issue with them,
in the sight of the whole nation, if they will come forth to trial; if what
already is brought forth by them against us, and by us against them,
for these seven years, in disputes, and in printing, and otherwise, be
not sufficient for all people to try us, and judge us by, whether they or
we be in the right.

23
And now I do appeal to that of God in the consciences of all people
in the nation, to judge between the priests and professors, and all the
sects, and us. Ye have heard their doctrines, and ye have heard some
thing of ours; ye have seen their conversation, and ye have seen some
thing of ours ; ye have heard them long, andsomething of us ye have
heard for a little season, and now give your evidence, is it not with them
as we have said ? Are not your priests in the steps ofthe false prophets
and of the deceivers, and do not they seek for their gain from their
quarter, as they did that Isaiah cried against. Do not they preach for
hire and divine for money, as they did which Micah cried against?
Are not they such by whom you have not been profited, as Jeremiah
cried against? Let that of God in you answer to these things. And
are they not proud men, and covetous men, and envious men, and heady
high-minded men, and given to filthy lucre? And are they not such as
through covetousness make merchandise of souls, and that by good words
and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple, such as Paul and
Peter declare against? And are they not such as the true prophets, Christ,
and his apostles cried against ? And do they not bring forth the same
fruits as did the false prophets, and false apostles ? I leave it to your
consciences to be the judge : compare them, and lay them to the line of
true judgment; if you shut not your eyes, you may see it is thus. And
have we charged them falsely, or have we not spoken the truth con
cerning them ? We have said they are false ministers and deceivers, and
not true ministers of Christ; and is it not so ? Let the light in your
consciences answer. We have said they have run, and never were sent,
and that they have not not profited the people at all; and is it not so?
To the witness of God in you I do appeal, and let that testify that we
have spoken nothing but the truth. Examine and try in all things that
we have charged them with, and are they not guilty in all things
that we have charged upon them? Let the witness of God in you tes
tify to this.
And what do you judge of them, are they not of that stock which
Christ said should come, and should be wolves in sheep's clothing,
and should deceive many, and which John saw were come in his
days, and which the whole world went after? Are not they in
the nature of wolves, devouring and tearing the lambs of Christ?
And do not they tear people by causing their bodies to be impri
soned and their goods to be spoiled? And do they not deceive many?
And yet they have the sheep's clothing, the saints' words and their
practices, but inwardly are they not ravening? And doth not the world
go after them, and hath not the world run after them for many ages;
and is it not, thus with them? And have they received the gift of the
holy ghost, or are they not made ministers by the will of man, and not

24 *
by the will of God? Do they not differ in call, in practice, in main
tenance, and in fruits and effects from the true ministers and true
apostles? And do they not agree with the false prophets, false minis
ters, and deceivers, in their call, practice, maintenance, fruits, and
effects? Search the scriptures, and lay them to that line, and then let
the witness in your consciences judge and answer. And do not they
prepare war against such as put not into their mouths? And do not they
feed with the fat, and clothe with the wool? Do not they oppress the
nation and the creation? And are not they such whose call, and prac
tices, and maintenance, and whole ministry, have a dependence upon
Popery? doth it not all savour of Popery, and in the main and principal
parts thereof, ordained by the pope? This may be fully made manifest.
And are not all professors, and sects of people, such as have the form
but are without the power of godliness? Are not people still covetous,
and earthly minded, and given to the world, and proud and vain, even
such as profess religion, and to be a separated people? Are not profes
sors as covetous and proud as such as do not profess? And are not they
given to the world, and doth it not show that they are not changed nor
translated,but death reigns among them? And is it not manifest thatthey
have taken up the form of the apostles' and Christ's words and prac
tices, and are without the life, and not guided by the spirit of Christ and
the apostles in their praying and preaching? And are not your souls
lean and starved? To the witness of God in you all I speak; which may
testify that many people have a show of religion without life, and there
fore have not we spoken the truth of them, in what we have said? In
the day of judgment you shall answer it.
And as concerning the Quakers, what do you say of them ? You have
seen their conversation; few towns but some of them have been and
are amongst you. Do not they fear God? and do not they walk justly
and truly among their neighbours, and speak the truth, and do the
truth in all things, doing to all no otherwise than they would be done
unto? And are they not meek, and humble, and sober? And do not
they take much wrong, rather than give wrong to any ? And are they
not such as delight in the ways of the Lord? And do not they deny
the world and its pleasures, and forsake all iniquity more than your
selves? And do not they take up the daily cross of Christ to all its ways
and earthly glories? And do not they preach in the power of God, and
reach to your consciences, when you hear them? And doth not the
light in you answer that they speak the truth? And are not their call,
and practice, and maintenance the same as was the apostles' and faith
ful ministers'? Compare them with the scripture, and then judge in
your consciences. And do not they suffer many hard and cruel things,
even all manner of evil spoken and done against them falsely for the

25
name of Christ? Are you ignorant of their great sufferings through
this nation? And what do you think! is their suffering for evil doing,
or is it not for righteousness' sake ? What harm do they to any, by
work or word? Why are they reproached, and mocked, and scorned?
And why are they put in prisons, and whipped, and thus sorely abused ?
Is it for any evil doing, or is it not because they are the servants of the
Lord? Compare their fruits with the priests' fruits, their conversation
with the priests' conversation, and see which be- most like the apostles.
These things I leave with you, that you may come to consider and
judge justly of all things; for the Lord God is risen, and his light in
people's consciences is shining forth, and it shall answer to what I say,
in this world or in the day of judgment, when we, and all mankind,
shall appear and come forth to trial, and every man's work shall be
tried, and all shall receive according to their deeds.
And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the world, that if
after the reading of this book, any be unsatisfied still in this matter;
and if any, especially of the heads and rulers, have doubts or jealous
ies raised in them concerning us and the priests, and would be further
satisfied and resolved; for that end let any wise men propound, for full
satisfaction of all sorts of people, that we (with the consent of the chief
in authority that have power in this nation, who may preserve peace
and safety among people, and thereby to stop all jealousies) may freely
and cheerfully, foi:r, ten, twenty, thirty, more or fewer Pf us, give as
many of the wisest and ablest of the priests and professors a meeting for
dispute, at any place in England* at what time, ahd for what continu
ance they shall consent unto and fix, to dispute and controvert betwixt
us and them any such thing, and every such particular as shall or may
be objected by any ofthe heads and rulers, or other grave understand
ing men, wherein they are doubtful betwixt us, and would thereof be
satisfied; that by such dispute and opening of such causes objected, full,
and real, and total satisfaction may be given to the whole nation, and
every particular man and member therein.
Otherwise, let the priests, or professors, or any of them* object what
they can against us, in our principles, profession, faith, and practice,
and our whole religion. And if they shall affirm and allege any one
or more things against us, that any principle we hold, or practice. we
are found in throughout all our religion, are false principles and false
practices, and not according to truth nor the scriptures, but shall af
firm that our religion is not the true religion, nor we of the true church
of Christ, they shall have free liberty, to give their best proof and rea
son for what they affirm and allege. Yet by the strength of Christ, and
in the power and authority of God, and according to the scriptures,
we shall confute all their proofs and strongest reasons; and on the con-.

26
trary we shall join our principles, doctrines, and practices, and all our
religion, and every part and particular thereof, to be the very truth,
and agreeing with the scriptures, and, according to that, shall maintain
by lawful arguments and plea, that our religion and worship, and all
that we profess and practice, are according to the mind of the Lord, and
justified of him, and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us
upon that account is utterly false, and to be condemned. And upon
this we will engage with them, and with any of our enemies, of what
sect or profession soever, to the intent only that truth may be manifest
and embraced, and deceit and error discovered and denied.
And also, upon such an engagement, we should agree to have the
liberty, freely and soberly to pbject against the priests, concerning
their ministry, their call, their practice, their maintenance, and their
fruits and effects; and concerning their church, and principles, and wor
ship, and whole religion; and shall hear patiently all that can be said in
defence thereof by any or all of them, and shall prove by the spirit of
the Lord, and according to the scriptures, that their ministry is not the
true ministry of Christ, nor they true and lawful ministers of the gos
pel; but shall manifest by evident arguments, that their call, practice,
maintenance, fruits and effects, are not according, but contrary to what
the true ministry was, and its call, practice, maintenance, fruits and
effects were in the true apostles, and among the true churches. And
furthermore, by the grace of God, we shall prove their church, their
worship, and their whole religion, in all parts thereof, to be degene
rated from what the true church was, and the true worship, and true re
ligion were, in the days of the apostles and true churches of old. And
these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound arguments
according to the scriptures, that all the earth may know, and all people
perceive who is in the truth, and of the true worship and religion, and
who are in the contrary, and whether the priests, and that which they
profess and practice for religion, or the Quakers, and that which they
profess, and practice for religion, be of God, and according to him, and
which are contrary; that the end of this long travel, and war and con
troversy may be decided and justly ended between us, and all people
may be, resolved and satisfied concerning us, and them that do op
pose us.
And let all the priests and professors lay aside and give over their
houses of correction, and imprisoning people, and whipping them, and
stocking us, and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty, as for
years past they have done in defence of their religion, and resisting of
ours. And let them lay aside their carnal weapons, and fighting against
our persons, and imprisoning us about our religion, and let them come
forth in sound arguments* the best they have, and let us see what spi-.

27
ritual weapons they have to resist us, and defend themselves; and let
us try whether their spiritual weapons or ours be the strongest, and
the most powerful and mighty; and let theirs that are so prevail against
the other, be it ours or theirs. And this is the way to try the truth,
and to make all things manifest, and to decide and end the whole
controversy between us and them, which hath been great these
many years. And let the truth be set up and exalted, wherever it is,
and all deceit thrown down to the ground; and let us war with the
weapons of the spirit, , against error and false religion one in the other,
but let us not hurt nor imprison persons, nor stock and whip, and make
them to suffer. But let us thresh deceit, and whip and beat that, and
all false opinions, let us throw them down where they are found,
whether in them or in us, and let us fight with the weapons of the
spirit, that are spiritual, and let them fight no longer with such cruel
carnal weapons. And then let such as get the victory, and overcome,
appear to be in the truth of the church, and such as fall and are over
come, be manifest to be in the error, and of the false church and reli
gion. And let us love one another's persons, and let them act no
otherwise towards our persons, than we do upon theirs, and towards
them; and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons, as
we deal with them and their persons, and no otherwise.
And let such, whether they or we, that cannot prove ourselves to
be the true church of Christ, nor of the true worship, and true religion,
nor in the truth, but are found to be in the error, and out of the truth, —
let such deny their worship and church, and renounce all their religion,
and confess to all the world, under their hands, that they are and have
been deceived, and for ever hereafter stop their mouths, and never
profess nor practice any more what they have done in such religion.
Freely upon these issues and conditions we will join trial with them.
Let them appoint time, place, and proffer terms at their own pleasure,
and then to all the world it shall be manifest, and to all people disco
vered, whether we have not good ground and sufficient reason, to war
against these priests; and it may perfectly appear that what we have
said and written against them, these divers years, has been upon a good
foundation, and we have had sufficient cause to speak and write against
them as we have done; and none thenceforth shall have cause to say,
or doubt, that what we have spoken and written against them hath
been out of malice or envy, and without cause or good reason; but on
the contrary, all shall know the ground of quarrel is sufficient, and full
of equity on our part.
And upon these or any equal terms and conditions, would we, and
are we willing to engage with these priests, and all or any one of these
sects, in a lawful trial, in disputes or writings, for the trial and search-

28
ing out of the truth, and the true religion. And were it not equal and
reasonable, that we had the same liberty among all these priests, and
in their churches or assemblies freely to declare our minds, and to
let forth ourselves in what we hold and profess, without being violently
haled, and beat, and whipped, and sent to prison as we have been these
many years ? Which liberty we do freely grant and allow among us to
all, to query, or declare what is upon them, without such violent deal
ing, or whipping, or sending them to prisons and houses of correction;
and the same freedom and no other do we desire of others, in this par
ticular, to declare the truth and what we hold, than what we do and
would allow to others; and that no weapon be used by them against us,
nor dealing towards us, but the weapons of the spirit, the best they
have or can bring forth against us. And let them let creatures alone,
and not hurt nor do violence to them, and no other weapons shall we
use against them, nor deal with them by any other thing, but the wea
pons ofthe spirit of God, which is powerful, and will bring down strong
holds; and as for creatures, we shall not hurt, nor do violence, nor im
prison them. And whose weapons are the strongest, let such overcome.
And such as are overcome, are not the true church; for the true
church of Christ, which is builded upon the rock, the gates of hell can
not prevail against. And who do overcome, let it be manifest that
God of a truth is with them. And let them all cease to defend their
church, and ministry, and religion, with prisons, and whips, and houses
of correction; for by such things was never the true church, ministry,
and religion defended, but only the power and authority of God pre
served them, and resisted all their enemies; and so it is at this day.
And let all cease to cry deceivers, and being afraid they will be de
ceived; for if they be the true church, all, or any one of these sects
and professions of religion, then if we be deceivers, and come among
them, they cannot be deceived, if they be in the election; for neither
deceivers, nor the gates of hell can prevail against the true church of
Christ, nor against them that are elect, which the devil hath nothing
in. And if we be the true church of Christ, and in the election, then if
all the deceivers upon earth come among us, they cannot prevail against
us, nor deceive us; for the elect cannot be deceived. And upon these
terms we may engage with any people and sect upon earth: therefore
come to this, and join with us; take you the liberty to declare in so
berness what you own and profess, and you shall not be persecuted,
nor your bodies nor persons harmed by violence; and let us have
that liberty to declare in meekness and soberness, and in God's autho
rity, amongst you what we hold and profess, and let us not be perse
cuted, and dealt violently withal; and then let it appear whether we
or our enemies have a greater testimony, and more powerful in the

29
hearts of people. And were not this a way full of equity for the trial
of all things ? But doing Contrary, as you have done these many years
against us, by violence, and whipping, and persecuting, it shows you
have not the spiritual weapons, nor the authority of God with you, nor
among you; and that is the cause of running to magistrates, and putting
in jails, and whippings, and all violence, because the authority of God's
spirit is wanting amongst you, which all the false sects and false
churches, since the days of the apostles, have wanted, to defend them
selves and resist their enemies. And so all sects have been fighting
one with another, and killing persons, and have defended themselves
by prisons, and inquisitions, and destroying of lives; and all these
have been out of the power of God, and in the power of the dragon,
and of the beast, who hath caused all to worship, and them that would
not, he hath had power to kill, and hath killed them, by fires, and tor
tures, and cruel deaths. And all these have lost ihe spiritual weapons,
and been without the power and spirit of God. And what a church is
this of yours, which hath need to be defended by jails, and prisons, and
whips, and stocks, and violent dealing! This church is not the church
of Christ, for the power and spirit of God defends her always, and not
inquisitions, and prisons, and whips. These are Cain's weapons, and
not the weapons of the spirit of God, whereby his true church was ever
defended. For because Cain's sacrifice was not accepted, therefore he
slew his brother, and persecuted him; and thus you that are of Cain's
seed do the same,upon the same ground, because your works are rejected,
and theirs accepted with whom you deal thus in this violent way of
persecution and wickedness.
And this is the Protestant church, so called, and her ministers, with
whom I am now dealing, which seems to be the true church, and more
than the church of Rome. For you Protestant ministers do deny and
cry against the church of Rome as a false church, and her ministers, to
be deceivers, which in itself is very true, yet your hypocrisy in this
doth appear, and your double mindedness; for let me tell you, while
you cry against the church of Rome as a false idolater, and a persecutor
of the true church, and against her ministers as deceivers, and contrary
to the apostles, your spirits are the same, and your works the same
in nature, and in particular, though not in measure. This work of
yours to imprison people, and whip them, and put them in the stocks,
and beat them, and abuse their persons, who do but speak against you
and j*our religion; is not this work of the very same nature as the work
ofthe Romish church ? She to defend herself hath inquisitions, and ban
ishment, and many cruel tortures, and with these things she defends her
self, killing and afflicting the bodies of people that oppose her, and deny
her religion; and you have stocks, and whips, and houses of correction,
Vol. III. 4

80
and put great fines and tasks upon people, and banish them out of
towns, and spoil their goods, and cast them into prison who oppose
your church and deny your religion. And is not this equal and
justly according in nature to the persecution that is in the Romish
church ? And what difference between the defence of the church of
Rome and your church of Protestants? They have their inquisitions, and
you have your houses of correction; they have their slavery in the
gallies, and you have whips and stocks; they have their divers tor
ments, and cruel dealings towards persons that oppose them, in
one manner, and you have your torments and cruel dealings towards
us in another manner; though not in the same measure, yet in the
same nature: what difference between you and them? And herein doth
the hypocrisy of the Protestant church and their ministers appear, in
that they cry against and deny the church of Rome and their perse
cution and cruelty acted against others, and yet in nature and manner
practice the very same upon us, as in England this day is witnessed.
And not only in this particular may the church and ministers of the
Protestants be condemned for hypocrisy, but also in many other things,
even the most of their practices in their worship are ofthe same nature,
and by the same spirit, which the practices of the church of Rome are
acted by and in. And not only so, but it may be truly proved and
made manifest, that many of your church practices have proceeded
from the church and pope of Rome who did ordain and institute
many of your practices, and a great part of your worship, which is
performed in the church and by the ministry of the Protestants, so
called ; and this in its time and season I may make fully appear, and
discover to the nations; and I may show in the particulars, what
particulars of the worship and practice in the Protestant church
had their rise and original in the church of Rome. Though they
are minced with diminishings and addings, according as their imagina
tions have guided them, they still retain the strongest taste and
savour of the church of Rome, and had their beginning and original
there. And though in the performing thereof, they may be altered and
changed in appearance and form, they are perfectly the same in ground
and nature, as springing from the church of Rome, and she is the
mother of the Protestant church, and of the most of her practices and
performances in worship. And this may be proved, as, God willing,
upon occasion, as the Lord moves, I may show that though the
church of the Protestants have deserted the church of Rome, yet their
ministry, its call, and ordination, and its practice and maintenance,
have a dependency upon the church of Rome, as being the original of
that which is by them therein practised, though in some things deviat
ed from the perfect form and practice thereof. And also the whole

31
worship, all the particulars in relation to the Protestant church, and
ministry, and worship, have a dependence upon the church of Rome,
as being the first original thereof. And though they cry against her
and her ministers, and have denied her, yet is she the mother from
whomproceeded the Protestant church, ministry ,worship, and practices;
and this may be manifest at full that the Protestant's church, ministry,
and worship, chiefly taste and savour of the church and worship .
of Rome, and had their original out of her. And also further may be
showed, that the Protestant church, and worship, and ministry, are not
another in nature and being, than the Romish church, ministry, and
worship, but are sprung therefrom as branches out of the same root,
the ground being one and the same though differing in appearance. For
in her beginning and first dissenting from the Romish church, she did
not deny her in ground and being, as not being at all the church of
Christ, but only in some particulars dissented, always, then and to this
day, retaining divers of their practices in worship and church govern
ment; which shows that the Protestant church is not perfectly an
other, nor her ministry, government, and worship another; but the
same in ground and being, only digressed and deviated in particulars.
And this may be fully manifest in season, that the Protestant church,
and worship, and ministry, are sprung of the Romish church, as a branch
out of her, not contrary to her, nor against her; and all these things is
the Lord discovering and laying open, that nations and peoples may
come to behold the mother of harlots, that mystery of iniquity, and all
her children, and may see the state and turning of times and things,
ever since the days of the apostles and true churches; and that all these
divers sects, and all these churches, falsely so called, are risen up one
out of another, from one seed and womb, and though diverse in appear
ances, and sundry in practices and professions, yet are they all one in
the ground and nature, sprung from the mother of harlots all of them,
and are her children. And she hath corrupted the earth with her
fornications and whoredoms, and made nations and kingdoms drunk
with her cup of idolatry ; but the Lord God is risen and will plead with
her, and.give her double,and the holy prophets and apostles shall rejoice
over her: and this is coming to pass, and this I have seen from the Lord,.
and received it from him, and thus it came upon me to write.
The waters have I seen dried up, the seat of that great whore,
Who hath made all nations drunk, through her enticing power;
And caused the whole earth she hath, her fornication cup to take,
Whereby nations have long time err'd, on whom she long hath sat ;
But peoples many are and shall, and multitudes all may,
And nations be converted all, unto another way;

32
And tongues they are confounded now, and kindreds they must mourn,
And when this all is finished, her whole seat then is torn ;
For these all be the great waters, on whom her seat hath been,
And over whom she governed hath, like as a stately queen;
For ages many by-past gone, she hath her whoredoms play'd,
And kingdoms hath bewitched, which have her power obey'd,
But now her miseries are seen, her witchcrafts are discover'd,
And she no more shall men deceive; for day light is appeared:
And the bed woful I have seen, of torments great prepar'd,
Whereon she must be cast, and plagues must not to her be spared,
But wo to her! the cup of wrath, is fill'd her to receive,
And as to others she hath done, the same she now shall have:
And drink she must of that full cup of God's fierce indignation,
And then shall all her lovers mourn, and make great lamentation,
And I have seen that city great, once populous* rich, and fair,
Laid waste, and all destroyed, and her merchants in despair,
Who through her have gotten gain, themselves for to exalt,
And from afar to traffic come; but now they must lament,
For fire in her is kindled, which must her all consume,
Behold, her smoke ascendeth, day and night, up to heaven.
The antichrist who hath put on, and cover'd with sheep's clothing,
And long rul'd king, on nations, inwardly ravening;
Who hath devour'd God's heritage, and had a kingdom great,
I have seen him made war against, and truth give him defeat.
Behold, the whore! her flesh is burnt, her beauty doth now fall,
She that is all harlots' great mother, whose daughters are whores all,
Behold the city great, who once made nations rich and high,
She's fallen to the ground and burnt, and none more profit her by,
Behold the antichrist once great, his kingdom is subduing,
The Lord alone for ever will rule, his son's kingdom is coming ;
And the woman that long hath fled, into that place of mourning,
And rested in the wilderness, she is again returning,
And her seed is again springing, and shall replenish nations,
And the man-child must come to rule, forever through generations;
And when this all is come to pass, Oh! then rejoice and sing,
Ye prophets and apostles all, and heavenly children,
When God hath you avenged, upon your enemies all,
Then is the day of praises, for saints both great and small.
By a servant of Christ,
Edward Burrough.
London, the Ninth-mo. 1658.

Here are the principles of priests, and professors, and pastors in
the apostacy, who have got up since the days of the apostles, that
in this day are risen against the Iamb, and against the saints. For since

33
the days of the apostles, the beast hath had power, the false prophet,
and mother of harlots, which inwardly ravened from the spirit of God,
which have had the sheep's clothing, and by that means have deceived
the nations, and got in the kings of the earth, and clothed them with
the outside, whereby the kings of the earth, and the beast, and false
prophet, dragon, devil, mother of harlots, and the great whore have
joined together in one against the saints, overcome them, and cast them
into prison, and drunk the blood ofthe saints, and prophets, and mar
tyrs. But now shall the saints and the lamb have the victory, whp kills
and slays with the sword, which are the words ofhis mouth. Agreeably
to the apostle's doctrine, 'who wrestle not with flesh and blood.' Now
the beast, false prophet, and mother of harlots, devil, and antichrist, that
have drunk the blood ofthe saints, that have the sheep's clothing, these
are the killers with the sword, the slayers with the sword, the impri-
soners and persecutors; which was not the work of the true apostles,
true ministers, that kept the faith and patience of Jesus. The martyrs,
the saints, and the prophets suffered. Now these were in the spirit
that gave forth the scriptures, but the others got the scriptures: anti
christs, false prophets, mother of harlots, the devil, the beast, and all
his names, which killed and slew with the sword; these are inwardly
ravening from the spirit of God, the spirit of the lamb, the spirit of the
apostle, who killed and slew with the sword, ' which are the words of
his mouth.' So all these names, in the whole Christendom amongst all
that are called christians, are got up amongst them since the days of
the apostles, which are gone out of the life, and faith, and spirit they
were in, which they had unity in, which was the bond of peace. These
have had the words, but ravened from the life, and so are all on heaps
about the words, and giving one another names. So look in whole
Christendom and see what abundance of names there are, which should
be one family; and all these names, horns, and crowns, and building
up and throwing down, are all a mark among them that have had
the words but were out of the life, which life now is risen, which the
apostles lived in, which they since the days of the apostles have been
out of, in many names and heaps, in the apostacy. Now with the life
is all this fathomed and comprehended, in which is the unity, which
life brings people to know God, and unity with him, and with scrip
tures, and one with another; and all are one here, if there be ten thou
sand times ten thousand. And ye who read over this book may read
and see things which you never read nor saw printed. Did ever the
lambs worry the wolves? And did not the wolves get the sheep's cloth
ing, and raven after the sheep and lambs, that they might get among
them? Pride, and wildness, and pleasure have swallowed up people,
teachers, and ministers, that if any be sober and still, presently he is
a Quaker! and thus modestly is eaten up.

An answer to many principles held forth by some of those called
ministers, teachers, and prof essors in England; taken out of their
several books, with their names to them. And also several other
sayings and writings of the priests and professors of this na
tion, gathered together and answered.
Samuel Eaton, (who calls himself a teacher ofthe church of Christ, at Stockport in
Cheshire,) in his book called, ' The Quakers Confuted,' sent to the Parliament,
Saith in his epistle to the parliament, then sitting at Westminster,
' That they are not to judge of saintship, according to the large charity
of some who are truly good,' &c
Answer. So here is another doctrine than Christ's was, who said, 'The
tree is known by its fruits;' and ' by their fruits ye shall know them.'
And the fruits of the spirit are known from the fruits of the flesh.
Again, in the conclusion of his aforesaid epistle he begs pardon of
the parliament, for the thoughts of his heart that he hath spread before
them, and so puts them in the pope's place.
Likewise, in his epistle to the reader, because Richard Waller wit-
nesseth his teacher within, and bids others to mind the light within
them; and that he was come off from all other teachers, &c. he judgeth
this to be delusion: contrary to John the apostle, who saith, 'Ye
need no man to teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you,
which is truth, and is no lie.' John ii. 27. And again, in Heb. viii.
'Ye shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, know the Lord, for they shall all know him from the
least to the greatest: for the Lord will write his law in their hearts, and
put his spirit within them,' &c.
Principle. He saith, 'he doth not believe that there is any substan
tial, essential, or personal union betwixt the eternal spirit and believers.'
Answer. Although the scripture saith, the spirit dwells iri the saints,
1 Cor. 6. and, ' He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.' 1 John 1.
As though the saints had not union with God, which the scripture saith
they have.
P. He saith, ' it is palpably false, and blasphemy, to say, that the
saints know all things, and have power to work miracles to the glory
of God.'
A. Contrary to the minister of Christ, John, who saith, 'But ye
have an anointing from the Holy One, and know all things.' 1 John ii.

20. And Christ said, ' Greater things than these shall ye do that believe
in me.'
P. He saith, ' Though we believe that the spirit of Christ dwells in
the saints, yet we assert the spirit of Christ to be distinct from the
saints,' &c.
A. How are they led by the spirit? how are they led into all truth?
and how are they sanctified by the spirit, and their unity in the spirit?
By which spirit they have unity with God; by which spirit the saints
worship him. And ' He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit; he
that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his.' And so they are dis
tinct from it; but they are not so that have it, and are in unity with it,
and one with another.
P. He saith, ' Although there be the same spirit in all the saints that
gave forth the scriptures, yet all saints have not the same inspiration of
the spirit that the prophets and apostles had, so as that they should be
able to give forth infallible truths, and immediately discover the pure
and clear will of God, as the prophets and apostles did.'
A. In this he hath showed his ignorance of the spirit, and of the
holy ghost. And himself is the false spirit gone out into the world.
For the spirit of truth shall lead into all truth, and Bring to memory
Christ's words, and doth inspire into them the things of God, and doth
reveal to every one according to his measure.
P. ' The spirit doth not communicate according to the capacity in the
creature.' A. Then there is none can divide the word aright. God gives
to every man as he will, and reproves the world, and leads the saints
into all truth.
P. He saith, ' They had not known the signification of the words of
Christ, but by the evangelists,' &c.
A. I say, neither he, nor any one knows the signification of Christ's
words by the evangelists' words, but by the evangelists' spirit, and
by the same inspiration which thou sayst thou looks not for.
P. He saith, 'The scriptures do give their own sense, and are a
standing rule,' &e. And yet thou said a little before, in page 4,
' They are dark, and are left to you to give a sense.'
A. Here then thou confoundest thyself; the spirit of God is the
standing rule which leads them to speak forth scripture, and not others-
words; and the prophets and apostles' words, did not lead to speak forth
scripture, but the spirit.
P. He saith, ' They that had tlie anointing within them, had not an
infallible judgment,' &c.
A. John said, 'They know all things;' and bid them, ' try the
spirits,' whether they were of God. And said, they had the spirit of

36
God, which spirit is infallible, and gives an infallible judgment; which
spirit was to try the false prophets that were gone out into the world.
P. In some places thou said, ' the scriptures were dark, and hard to
be understood.'
A. And here thou sayst, ' It is plain, and easily to be understood,'
page 8. Mark thy confusion; for the scripture is not understood with
out the spirit.
P. He saith, ' There is an infallible judgment, which may be made
from the scriptures without the spirit,5 page 9.
A. Who can judge infallibly without the spirit? Christ told the Pha
risees (who had the scriptures) ' they were of the devil,' and judgment
they had neglected, and he did not own their judgment to be infallible.
And the apostle saith, what they knew who were separate from the
spirit, they knew naturally as brute beasts, Jude 10 and 19. though
they spoke high words in hypocrisy. And there art thou with thy
infallible judgment (as thou saidst) without the spirit, (which is proved
fallible.) There is no infallible judgment to be given that stands
without the spirit; they that judge without the spirit, will judge amiss,
and not infallibly, as the Jews did of Christ, and as the natural brute
beasts did which Jude speaks of; there art thou.
P. And he further saith in the same page, ' that the scripture is to
be judge of the spirit, and a light sufficient to judge of doctrine and
manners,' &c.
A. The Jews had not an infallible judgment that had scripture, but
stood against Christ the light, and judged him to be a devil. That judg
ment was not infallible, and their doctrine and manners were not right,
which stood against Christ the light.
P. He saith, 'The conclusion is, that the scriptures is the foundation
of an infallible judgment concerning things contained in them, and not
the spirit,' page 10.
A. So he hath thrown out God and Christ, and the spiritual man,
who was before the scripture was, who was the cause of the giving
them forth, and the inspiring them through the saints, which the scrip
ture saith, ' shall judge the world, yea angels.' And he may say upon
this conclusion, that the world and the devil have the judge, for they
will get scripture.
P. He saith, ' He that can bridle his tongue is not a perfect man.'
A. Which is contrary to the apostle James, who saith he is, and so
thou art out of James' doctrine.
P. ' But the saints have not Christ in the flesh,' page 12.
A. Contrary to Christ and the apostle's doctrine, who said, they were
of his flesh and of his bone, and should eat his flesh, and they that eat
his flesh have it in them.

37
P. He saith, 'Christ within sufficient for all things to teach them,
and to make them perfect as he is, and as God is. Now,' saith he,
' such a having of Christ as this is, we assume not, nor dare assume.
And we declare against it as a satanical delusion, and the Quakers are
the poor creatures that confess this in them,' page 13.
A. And you that are not made perfect by Christ the truth, you re
main out of truth, in the delusion, and so you are out of the apostles'
doctrine. P. The pastor saith, ' that such a voice as comes immediately from
God we have not heard, and such an immediate inspiration as this from
God we have not received, nor do we wait for it,' page 13.
A. So showing himself to be of them that God never sent. So you
are as the Jews that could say, ' Moses heard the voice of God,' and the
prophets heard the Lord's voice. But their own ears were stopped to
the voice. For Christ said, ' Ye have not heard the voice of God at any
time.' And ye say ye look not for it. And you that deny immediate
inspiration, have denied the power of the spirit, for that is immediate,
and the ministers of Christ witness it.
P. ' All that pray by the spirit, and speak by the spirit, and do not
show a miracle, are impostors,' page 14.
A. Many prayed by the spirit, and spake by the spirit, that did not
show miracles at the tempter's command, though among believers there
are miracles in the spirit, which are signs and wonders to the world, as
Isaiah saith. But these are the impostors that pray, and speak, but not
by the spirit of God.
P. Because the Quakers say, that such as preach and speak, but not
by the spirit of God, are the false prophets which the Lord never sent,
this the priest saith ' is an evil design, wherein lie venom and poison.''
A. They were and are in the evil design, that spoke not, nor preach
ed not from the spirit of God, and lie in the venom and poison.
P. He saith, ' though Christ was then in heaven, and spake not,' page
15. A. Contrary to the apostle, who said he had spoken to him, and hath
spoken to us by his son, as Acts and Hebrews.
P. He saith, ' All that are brought to the faith of Christ, are not built
upon an immediate voice that comes from God to themselves, nor to
any others who are their teachers.' See page 15.
A. Who shows he never received faith from God, which from him is
given, which faith is immediate: through which faith they have access
to God who is immediate. And he goes about to overthrow all teach
ers made by the will of God, and by Christ, and the revelation of Jesus;
for how can they be ministers, if they have not the ministry revealed
to them? So, he that denies revelation, doth not know the son nor the
Vol. III. 5

38
Father; and denies himself to be any true minister, (but by man's will,
which is not immediate,) who minister of the spirit, and are immediate
in the spirit, which thou art not,
P. He saith, ' that there may be much fallacy and delusion in reve
lation.' ' That God did not intend immediate teaching, nor to give out
an immediate voice in after ages, which should direct and guide men in
the ways of salvation,' page 16.
A. Which is contrary to the scripture, which saith, 'All the children
of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord;' and, ' He that is of God hear
eth God's word;' and that is immediate, and lives and endures for ever.
And there is no fallacy nor delusion in the revelation of God, but all
fallacy and delusion are out of it.
P. And he saith, ' Timothy had not his knowledge immediately, and
yet he was in the faith.' And he saith- again, 'The faith which was
once delivered immediately from heaven to the saints, cuts off all from
having any faith more delivered from heaven, and of all other immediate
voices from thence.'
A. So he hath shut out Christ who is the author of every man's faith,
to whom every one is to look, who was before scripture was. That
which was once delivered to the saints, and given to the saints, the
saints now must know, they must know their giver and deliverer, and
must know from whence the faith comes in this age, as well as in the
other age. For if they have but words that speak of the saint's faith,
how they had their faith delivered from God; if the saints now have not
their faith delivered to them from God, as those in ages past, they have
but words, as the devil had, who stood against the author of the faith,
Christ the light and the truth, and as the Jews had, but were out of the
saint's faith, and stood against them that were in it. And Timothy had
immediate teaching, for he had the testimony ofthe Lord, 1 Tim. and
thou sayst he had not immediate teaching.
P. He saith, ' There must not be waiting for an immediate word,
but that word which hath been already to the prophets and apostles;
none have the word spoken as it was to the prophets and apostles, they
must have it mediately,' &c. page 17.
A. The word that was spoken to Isaiah, the apostle felt immediatelv,
which the pastor saith he did not; for there was no scripture but came
by immediate inspiration. And the word is immediate, and all the
ministers of Christ preach the immediate word, and wait for it, and the
outward written words with ink and paper are mediate.
P. He saith, ' But an overcoming of the body of sin, such as delivers
from all sin in this world, is expressly against the scriptures,' #c. page 18.
A. Contrary to Rom. vi.; contrary to the apostle to the Colossians,

39
where he had put off the body of sin; and contrary to Christ, who saves
and cleanses from all sin by his blood, and blots out all sin. And 'ii
Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin,'
P. He saith, that Christ is in heaven in his humanity, therefore not
to be seen, not to be heard, not to be handled by us or any others that
live upon earth, and they cannot give their own assurance,' &c. page 19.
A. So shows that they were never made ministers by him, who never
saw him, nor heard him, so never handled the word of lifefromthe Father
nor the son, nor saw it, nor heard it, so are the pastors that spoil the
flock. And he is the earthly Adam and humanity, but Christ the se
cond Adam is the Lord from heaven.
P. He saith, 'that Timothy was commanded to preach,.and yet had
not heard, nor seen, nor handled any thing of Christ,' &c. page 20.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who bid him to stir up the gift in him,
and told Timothy he was in the faith, and he was to be strong in the
grace of Christ. And whosoever hath faith, knows Christ to be the
author of it, and knows something from Christ; and so thou hast confuted
thyself. P. He saith, 'that the saints do not see Christ, for the heavens con
tain him,' page 20.
A. The apostle saith, they sat ' with Christ in heavenly places;' so
he is contrary to the apostle. And Christ was in them, and walked in
them, and God dwelt in them, and ' Christ is in you, except ye be re
probates.' P. He saith, ' The whole mind and will of Christ and God is left them
in letters,' page 21.
A. The apostle saith, it is past finding out; the unsearchable wisdom,
and the secret things belong to God, and are revealed by the spirit, and
no man knows them but by the spirit.
P. And he saith, ' The gospel is the letter,' &c.
A. The apostle saith, it is the power of God; and the letter kills, and
many may have the form, and deny the power, and so stand against
the gospel, which is the power of God.
P. And he saith, 'The devil shows his spite and spleen in them who
say they have the word, as it was in the beginning, against the scrip
tures,' &c. page 22.
A. That is not so; for they that have the word that was in the begin
ning, own the scriptures, and are not against them, but are in that
which fulfils them.
P. He saith, ' that all the saints receive the spirit of Christ, yet
never heard his voice.'
A. This is confusion, for the sheep of Christ know his voice.
P. He saith, 'They are uncovered,' when commonly they have two

40
caps on their heads: ' and the people are covered when they have hats
on their heads,' &c. page 29.
A. This is according to thy deceitful teaching and learning.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures is the voice, of Christ to them,' &c.
A. And Christ said to the Pharisees that had the scriptures, they
never heard the voice of God at any time. John v. For they were not
put forth amongst the sheep. But the sheep heard the voice that gave
forth the scripture, and came to the life, and Christ the end of them.
P. And he saith, ' There is an immediate voice which speaks within,
which we have never heard, nor do we know it within ourselves ex
perimentally, and we believe and hope that we never shall know it,'
&c. page 30.
A. And so shows, that they never knew the spirit of the Father
speaking within them, but follow their own dreams and spirits, and
stop their ears against that of God in them; and that immediate voice
within, which is the spirit of inspiration, and the word of God in their
hearts, which men should obey, they call the voice of the devil, and
pray to be delivered from.
P. And he'saith, ' To say Christ is within them, doing all immediately
and infallibly within them, and so say it is Christ and the spirit within
them, and not they.'
A. Now this he calls a spirit of delusion. But the apostle saith, ' I
live, yet not I, but Christ in me.' And, 'He works all in us, and for us,
after his own good pleasure.' And this was not a spirit of delusion in
them. And this thou art reprobated from, and found in thy own works.
P. And he said, ' that which was within them, was not eternal and
infallible,' when the Quakers asked him, whether it was or not. He
said, 'Nay; that which judged in them was not eternal and infallible;'
and saith, 'they assert no such thing as that concerning themselves.'
And he saith, ' Though all the saints have the spirit of Christ dwelling
in them, which is eternal and infallible; yet that this spirit should do
all that saints do, and should say all that saints say, and should judge
for them both of persons and of things after an infallible manner; and
that they should neither say, nor do, nor judge any thing by any un
derstanding pf their own, but the spirit, all this we deny.' These are
his words, page 31.
A. Which is contrary to the apostle, who saith, ' As many as are the
sons of God, are led by the spirit of God.' And Christ acts all in them,
and for them ; and ' the fruits of the spirit,' &c. and ' the spiritual man
judgeth all things.' And that is it which leads the saints to divide and
discern all things, both temporal and spiritual, the spiritual wisdom of
God which gives them a spiritual understanding, which men must rule
withal, but not with their own, that comes to nought. And you that

41
have not that which is infallible to judge in you, know not the spirit of
Christ, neither can you judge of persons or things that have not the
infallible judgment, nor the spiritual man. Neither have you the word
of God in your hearts, nor Christ which is eternal and infallible, all
which the Quakers have, to judge persons and things.
P. He saith, ' that children are of the seed as to the church privileges,
and external ordinances of a spiritual nature.'
A. (Mark his confusion.) But Christ saith, ' Ye must be born again,
or ye, cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven,' and such be of the
ehurch. P. He saith, ' If they can but destroy all forms, the power will fall
with it; for the form preserves the power,' page 37.
A. Contrary to the apostle; many 'have the form, but deny the
power.' The power preserves the form, sees the end of forms, and
destroys them, and brings to see before forms were, where forms are
not. For the apostles who lived in the power, denied the Jews' forms,
and Gentiles' both, as we do now deny .the Popish forms, and yours
which you have invented and set up.
P. ' And an immediate teaching (he saith) of the spirit, and to wait
for secret inspiration of God, is to subject men to satanical delusions,'
&c. page 40.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who said, ' Holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the holy ghost;' and they were to wait for its re
velation, as in Peter; and all are in the satanical delusion that are not in
the immediate teachings from the spirit; and every one that hath this
spirit, and the leading of the spirit, hath that which is immediate.
P. He saith, ' The prophets and apostles drew people to an outward
word,' &c.
A. Now, is that which lives and endures for ever, outward? And did
not they bring them to Christ the power of God, which is the end of
words, which is immediate?
P. He saith, ' Is not the gospel an external way,' &c.
A. No ; the gospel is a living way, which is revealed within, and is
the 'power of God to salvation.'
P. ' Are not they seduced (saith he) who are drawn off from the
external means, by which the spirit is given and faith wrought, to wait
for the receiving ofthe spirit without any word to convey it to them ?
which spirit, when they have it, is not the spirit of truth, but of delusion,'
&c. page 41.
A. The spirit and faith are not conveyed to any man without the
word, and they are seduced that rest in the external from the eternal;
and the spirit is not given by external means, neither is faith so wrought.
P. And he saith, ' They need not any man's teaching them, but as

12
the spirit in the scriptures teaches, and they need not that any; teachings
of man should be added.'
A. And so by this he hath thrown out himself from being a pastor,
and all other such pastors and teachers. The spirit is not in the scrip
tures, but was in them that gave them forth. And the spirit which
gave forth the scriptures, and which was in the saints, opens the scrip
tures again, and leads into all truth.
P. And he saith, ' There is an excess in that scripture which saith,
"Ye need no man to teach you, but as the anointing teacheth you.'"
A. And here he speaks as if John did not mean as he spoke, and
would make John, who spoke truth, as false as himself.
P. And the apostles' saying to the saints, ' And ye know all things,'
he calls 'an excessive speech, for no one knows all things but God,'
page 42.
A. So contrary to John, the minister of God, and would make him
a liar. So he is in the false spirit gone out into the world. Contrary
to 1 John ii. ' who know all things.'
P. He saith, ' Outward teaching is the way and the means whereby
the deep, and profound, and necessary truths of scripture come to be
understood, but not immediate,' page 44.
A. So he hath denied the spirit to open the scriptures, immediate
inspiration by the spirit, and it teaching ; and set up an outward in the
room of it. Here his spirit is tried again, gone out into the world.
For salvation is immediate, and the means that bring to it, and none
know the scriptures by outward teaching, but immediately by the Lord
God. P. And he saith, 'Ministerial gifts are not now to be found in the
world, such as the ministersof the gospel had in the primitive time.'
A. Therefore no such ministerial work now as was then, nor any
such officers as pastors, teachers, &c. as were then! He hath proved
himself to be one of the false spirits which went forth from the apostles
into the world: and yet he saith, 'Christ is with them to the end of
the world.' And yet saith there is no hearing of his voice, nor seeing
him, nor handling him; so he hath confounded himself, and showed to
all that he hath quenched the spirit.
P. He saith, 'that the apostle was silent in that point, that men
must be endued with extraordinary gifts. '
A. The apostle's epistles prove to the contrary, Who saith, ' With
out faith ye cannot please God;' which is a gift, and an extraordinary
gift; and saith, ' He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his,'
which is an extraordinary gift. So you are another ministry, and other
pastors and teachers; and that which is another gift than the apostle's,
is not the gift of God.
P. He saith, 'How comes the apostle to raise up a living to sonic

43
persons for preaching, when he saith, that "they that preach the gos
pel, must live of the gospel," ' &c. page 48.
A. It was contrary to the apostle, to preach to raise up a living for
preaching; for he saith, they were not to preach ' for filthy lucre's sake.'
But 'they that preach the gospel, live of the gospel;' that is not as you
raising livings, who make a trade ofthe form, denying the power, which
is the gospel.
P. Here he cries out against gifted men's preaching, and saith,
' Paul prophesied against them,' page 49. and names them to be 'such
as have itching ears.'
A. As he is gone out from the apostles, so he cries up his ima
gined gifts, and disowns those gifts which the apostles did not cry
against, but said, every one must minister that had received a gift; and
thou art one of the itching ears gone out from the apostles.
P. He saith, ' that their synagogues (commonly called churches)
were not ordained for any spiritual uses, as for serving God in them,'
&c. page 51.
A. Which is contrary to all the professed teachers in the nations,
who say they are ordained for the use and service of God, and call
them churches: but to this I believe he will call his words back again.
P, And Pharisee-like, he teaches to break Christ's command, ' Be
not of men called master,' and calleth it ' a civil honour.'
A.»And here he hath proved himself not to be a guide of the way,
and the governor of a man's life, for that title, master, belongs to Christ,
and not to any man. These are his words, and the signification which
he gives of that title there; (see page 52.) And yet he dare presump
tuously take it, and plead for it, (which Christ denied in the Pharisees,)
and so impudently break Christ's command; and so hath showed that
he walks out of his doctrine, and is a transgressor, and no minister, but
an antichrist.
P. He saith, ' The apostle never bred up any that they needed no
man to teach them,' page 53.
A. And so giveth John the lie, who saith, ' Ye need no man to teach
you, but as the same anointing teacheth you.' And the prophet, who
saith, ' Ye need not say every man to his neighbour, know the Lord,.'
&c. and denies the effectual work of the new covenant. But ' all shall
know him from the least to the greatest.'
P. He saith, ' Paul denies perfection to himself.'
A. Paul did not deny perfection to himself nor others; but his work
was to the perfecting of the saints, but your work is to keep men from
perfection, and that hath been the ministers' work since they aposta
tized frpm the apostles. And yet Paul judgeth him again, and saith,
' As many as are perfect are thus minded.'

44
P. He saith, ' There is a contradiction in the letter,' speaking of the
scripture, page 60.
A. Showing that he doth not know to what condition it was spoken,
for there is no contradiction in it: but in them that are out ofthe spirit
that gave it forth, is the contradiction.
P. And he saith, ' There is a perfection that respects justification
and not sanctification.' See page 61.
A. Now, there is no perfection but where there is sanctification.
P. And he perverteth the scripture of John, that saith, ' If we say
we have no sin,' &c. And he saith, ' Whosoever saith he hath no sin,
deceives himself.' See page 62.
A. So he wrongs John's words, and puts he for we, and is charging
sin upon the elect, and so himself is found a liar. For there is a time
for men to see they have sinned, and a time to confess and forsake sin,
and a time to witness the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin; and
' he that is born of God doth not commit sin. And here the children
of God are manifest from the children of the devil.'
And, Eaton, hast thou been preaching and praying all this while, and
never yet heard the voice of God? The night is upon thee, thou hast
no answer from God.
And as for the rest of Eaton's lies, we let them rest upon his own head,
not being worth mentioning; the witness of God in his conscience shall
answer in the day of his judgment.

John Bunyan, Richard Spenceley, John Burton, and John Childe,
in their book that they call, ' A vindication of a book called some
Gospel Truth's Opened,' are these following principles.
And as for Bunyan's lies and slanders, they will come upon himself; they are
his own garments. And for the scriptures which he quotes, they are owned, but
not to cover the wolf withal.
In his epistle to the reader he saith, ' The Quakers will own that
salvation was obtained by Christ,' (' this is truth,' saith he,) and but a
little before, he saith, ' They deny that salvation that was obtained by
him,' &c. And thus he hath shamed his father of confusion that taught
him, the father of lies, who says and unsays; for salvation is owned by
Christ and God, and no other.
P. Again, in the same epistle, he denies ' that salvation is obtained by
Christ within,' and saith, ' The scriptures do not prove it,' and calls it
' fighting against the truth,' &c.
A. The apostle saith, 'Work out your salvation with fear and

15
trembling,' and that is within. And ' the ingrafted word is able to
save souls,' and that is within. And the apostle saith, ' If Christ be
not in you, ye are reprobates.' And that is not opposite to Christ with
out them, nor contrary to the scriptures. And none know salvation,
but who know this ' Christ in you,' who is the salvation, and where
he is within there is salvation. And so thou art one of the reprobates,
that can talk of Christ without, and denies him the salvation within.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers own Christ Jesus revealed tq them in
spirit,' and calls it ' delusion.'
A. And yet he saith, others are carried away with error for not re
ceiving Christ revealed in the spirit; and this is his patched up- stuff,
comprehended with the spirit, and with it is judged, who finds fault with
them that have it, and is against them that have it not.
P. He tells people of the history of the word; and saith, 'Some
have no other witness nor knowledge but the history ofthe word, and
the relation of others,' &c.
A. And yet he is against the revelation of the spirit in the Quakers.
But he is one of the beast's officers to fight against the Lamb; but it is
to no purpose, who thus builds up and throws down.
Again, Bunyan is railing against the priests, and runs up into the
¦pulpit himself. And so the wolf hath got the sheep's clothing, and
they can speak of Christ without, who are reprobates, who have him
not within.
P. He saith, ' The Lord Jesus Christ is afar off in his bodily pre
sence.' A. And yet he saith, ' The Lord is at hand!' And the apostle said,
' he was in them.' And Christ said, he would ' dwell with them.'
P. He saith, ' They were sealed by Christ's death, at his offering
upon Ihe cross.'
A. And yet Christ must come to save them at the last day! And the
saints witnessed their salvation while they were upon earth, and said
Christ was ' in them, except they were reprobates.' And the son of
God was come, and gave them an understanding.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers witness the teaching within,' but saith,
' The apostle witnesseth the contrary,' &c. page 4.
A. Why dost thou wrong' the apostle, and put thy lies abroad, when
the apostle said, and Christ said, the spirit of the Father spoke in them.
And the apostle said, the law and the covenant of God were in their
hearts, and the anointing was within them, to teach them. But why
lightest thou against the apostle's teaching, the apostle's doctrine, and
Christ's doctrine? Dost thou not see thy weapon now fails thee? Thou
hast cast thyself without, and have not the apostle and Christ corrected
thee here?
Vol. III. - 6

4t>
P. And to prove ' that the blood of Christ was shed before the world
was,' he brings a scripture, which saith, 'The Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world,' &c.
A. Here all may see, whether this be a fit man to teach, or whether
he be not one of the novices, I leave it to all to judge, who have
a just measure; for the scripture saith, ' since the world,' and thou
sayst, 'before the world was.'
P. He saith, ' that the son of Mary, God-man, is absent from his
church.' A. Contrary to Christ's words, 'I in them, and they in me:' and,
' 1 will be with you to the end.' So one of the blind prophets, contrary
to John, who saith, ' We are in him that is true;' and thou sayst he is
absent from his church. And the apostle said he was the ' head of the
church.' But of your church we believe he is not the head, but will
grind you to powder. And thy words and thy doctrine are corrected
by Christ and the scriptures. And Christ said, ' Where two or three
meet together in my name, I will be amongst them,' and the saints were
' flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone.'
P. He saith,- ' To be justified by Christ, is not to be justified by the
spirit within,' and that 'Christ within doth not work out justification
for the soul, but we must look out for salvation unto that man, that is-
now absent from his saints on earth;' these are his words.
A. Corrected by the apostle, who saith, ' He works all in us, and for
us;' and yet thou sayst that Christ is absent from his saints on earth,
who art corrected again by the apostle, who saith, ' Christ is in you,'
and contrary to Christ, who is the saviour of the soul. And men are
justified through faith, and that is within, in the heart, which is held in
a pure conscience. And Christ is in the saints, who is their justifica
tion; and the apostle preached Christ in them, and where he is, there
is justification;; and they who have his light and receive him not,
there is condemnation.
—- P. And he saith, 'The Quakers are deceived, because they say, Christ
is within them, kept down by something within them.'
A. Corrected by the apostle, who saith to the saints, ' Christ in you
the hope of glory;' and he was pressed down ' as a cart with sheaves.'
And Christ was in prison, and they visited him not; and hungry, and
ye fed him not; and thou never knew Christ formed in thee, nor the
reigning of the seed, which is the heir of the promise of God. How was
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, but among such as
thou art? And reprobates may talk of justification, in whom Christ is
not; ye who witness him not within, he is not your justification.
P. And his principle is, ' that the place where Christ shall come to
judgment, is at the mount of Olives, on the east side of Jerusalem.'
A. Thou hast put him far enough off from thee, and hast not yet

17
judged thyself, (and Christ is come to judgment,) and so art one ofthe
false prophets, who bid people look for him beyond the sea, ' Lo here,
lo there:' but who are come to Christ, the light, the life, they need not
go forth; they who abide here are sealed by the spirit, and put not off
the good and evil day.
P. He saith, ' It is a delusion of the devil, and a dangerous doctrine,
to bid people follow the light within them.'
A. They are in the dangerous doctrine, and the delusions of the devil,
that draw people from the light within. And thus he opposes the foun
dation of God, the 'light which lighteth every man that cometh'into
the world,' and the doctrine of the apostle, who saith, ' the light that
shines in their hearts' must ' give them the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Jesus.' So he is one of the devil's ministers, oppos
ing the foundation of God, drawing people from that the apostles drew
them to ; for no one comes to the kingdom, but who comes to the light
within them.
' P. He saith, ' that every man hath not the spirit of Christ within
him.' A. But John said, 'Every man that cometh into the world is en
lightened.' And Christ said, 'I will send you the comforter, the spirit
of truth, which shall lead you into all truth; and he shall take of mine,
and give it unto you; and he shall reprove the world of sin;' the spirit
shall. Mark! ' eyery man;' here are saints, disciples, and the world. Get
from under this if thou canst, for under reproof thou art come, and that
which doth reprpve the world is manifest to them; and the wicked
quench the spirit, but the saints are led by it; and here are all men.
P. And again thou sayst, ' that it is a filthy error to say, that that
light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, will lead
man to the kingdom of righteousness and peace.'
A. Thus he is splitting himself against the rock, and striking against
the foundation; for every man that cometh into the world is enlightened,
that through the light he might believe, and believing in it, he might
not abide in darkness ; and this /he makes insufficient, when he that
doth not believe in the light is condemned. And thus the spiritual <
Sodomite and Egyptian is blind, raging about the door. And no man
comes to the kingdom of righteousness and peace, but by the light within:
and so he is in the filthy error himself, denying the light, and hating it.
P. Thou sayst, 'Christ is the light of the world, and yet not in every
one that cometh into the world.'
A. Corrected by John, who saith, 'he doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world.' And 'the light shines in darkness,' and the
darkness cannot 'comprehend' it; and 'he that hates the, light' is en
lightened, and ' will not come to it because it will reprove him.' That

48
which doth manifest to man an understanding of reproof, is within him,
and hating it, that condemns him. And the saints believed in the light,
and they. abode not in darkness, which unbelievers do, and stumble,
which the others do not.
P. And he saith, ' Christ was not in his disciples when he said, I am
the light of the world.'
A. And so is corrected by Christ, who saith, 'I "in you, and you in
me.' P. He saith, ' They that will come to justification, must go to Christ's
grave without, and to mount Calvary,' page 9.
A. The scripture saith, ye need not go up to heaven, nor say, ' who
shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us that we-.may hear it,
and do it; but the word is nigh, in thy heart.' Deut. xxx. So corrected
by the scriptures. And the angel said unto them that went to the grave
without, 'Why seek ye the living among the dead, he is risen;' and
the saints 'sit with him in the heavenly places,' and need not go to
mount Calvary for him.
P. He saith, ' The light- wherewith Christ doth enlighten every one
that cometh into the world, is but a creature, and is not a Spirit,' page 10.
A. John saith, 'All things were made by him, (made by the light,)
in him was life, and the life was the light of men:1 and this shines in
darkness, and the darkness cannot comprehend it. The foundation of
God, which was before any creature was made, is the power of God,
Christ Jesus the light; and the prophets' and John's doctrine they
stumble at, who say, the light by which all things were made and
created is a creature, and so thou art corrected by the scripture.
P. He calls the light 'conscience,' and 'apoor dunghill creature that
will convince of sin.'
A. Which light was before conscience was, or creature was, or
created or made light was. He made the sun, the moon, &c. and the
light which was before these were made; and he is life and spirit too.
For that which convinceth of sin is above the creature ; checks him, and
reproves him, and lets him see when he goeth astray from the Creator,
and that is the light of Christ, with which all men' see their salvation,
with that which lets them see their sin.
P. He saith, ' The law doth not lead men to Christ, but under the
curse,' page 17.
*"A. That is to them that transgress it. Solomon said, ' the law was
light.' And David said, ' the law was a light unto his feet, and a lamp
unto his paths,' and so led him, and will lead them that do it, from the
curse, and redeems from under it, of which law Christ is the end.
P. He saith, ' It is not the faith and works together that justifies in
the sight of God, but it is faith and good works that justifies in the

49
sight of men only ;' and saith, 'Works will not justify in the sight of
God.' And he saith, that ' works are only to justify so far as to show
their faith to be true before men.'
A. Abraham was not justified to men only by his obedience, but to
God, and where there is faith there is justification, which faith works
by love. And the saints' faith and works were not only to justify them
in the sight of men, for the work of God is to do what he saith, and
his will ; which they who do not are not justified, but to be beaten with
stripes. And they who seek to be justified by their faith and works in
the sight of men, are dead, faith and works both.
P. He saith, ' They are no christians that do not hold Christ absent
from his church; but antichrists.'
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, which say, they are ' flesh
ofhis flesh, and bone of his bone,' and they are as nigh together as hus
band and wife. And thus he is ignorant of the great mystery, Christ
and the church, which Christ is the head of.
P. He saith, ' that the light wherewith Christ (as he is God) hath
enlightened every man that cometh into the world, is not the spirit of
Christ,' page 19.
A. And so makes that which comes from God and Christ, not spirit,
(as he is God,) and thus the man is beating the air. He saith, 'Christ
was God that lighteth every man,' &c. ' And yet (saith he) not with
the spirit!' How then come men to be condemned for not believing it?
So thou hast reproved thyself, and art blind, and fallen into the ditch.
P. And again thou sayst, ' Though Christ, as he is God, doth give
every man a light, (which is conscience,) otherwise called nature!'
A. And so thou hast given those new names to the light of Christ,
contrary to the apostles, as thou mayst read, John i. 2. John doth not
tell us, that it is conscience or natural light, as thou dost; and the light
which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened withal,
was before all things, and by it all things were made. So it was before
any naturals were, and is that which gives all men the wisdom of God
to order the naturals; so by the scriptures thou art reproved,
P. And he saith, ' Christ will not give his spirit to the world.'
A. But Christ said, he would send his spirit to reprove the world,
and that is sent to them; and that which doth reprove them is mani
fest to them in the world, to their own understanding, and in them,
which spirit leads the saints into all truth. There is no man reproved,
but it is within him, manifest to his understanding. And if he quench
the spirit that reproveth him, he is not lead by it, and that is the con
demnation of the world, ' that light is come into the. world, and men
love darkness,' &c. And this thou calls not spirit. Now this is the
condemnation of them whose consciences are seared, and of them who

50
have the created and natural lights, the sun, the moon, and stars; which
light was before they were.
P. And thou sayst, ' The scripture plainly denies that conscience can
justify, though it may condemn.' See page 23.
A. Which is contrary to plain scripture, where the apostle saith,
Rom. ii. 15. 'Their consciences either accusing or excusing.' And
again saith he, ' Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a con
science void of offence towards God and towards men.' And the light
condemns, which you call conscience.
P. He saith, ' that the gospel is called the ministration of life, but
not of condemnation.' Same page.
A. But they are condemned that obey not the gospel of Christ. And
the scripture speaks of a savour of death unto death, and a savour of
life unto life, and the gospel is so, the power of God. '
P. He denies ' that Paul bid the saints listen within,' &c. See
page 25.
A. Whereas Paul said, ' that the light shined in their hearts, to give
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' And
it was the treasure ' in the earthen vessel;' and Christ was ' within
them.' And ' the ingrafted word,' was able to save their souls : and
the ' hidden man of the heart.' And he had ' revealed his son in them,'
and many other scriptures. And he saith, he ' served the law of God
with his mind.' And yet thou sayst, ' He did not bid any listen with
in.' And he said, ' the word was in their hearts to obey it, and in
their mouths :' and can they obey that, and not listen ' within,' and do
that, and not have their minds staid upon the Lord?
P. He saith, ' The light doth not shine in the consciences of them
that he lost.' See page 26.
A. But John saith, the light shines in darkness, but darkness cannot
comprehend it, and there is that of God in the children of disobedience,
and reprobates, as in Rom. i. and ii. chap.
P. And he denies ' that every man hath the light.'
A. Contrary to Johp, who saith, ' That is the true light which en
lighteneth every man that comes into the world.' John 1.
P. He saith, ' It is a counterfeiting of the new birth, for men to fol
low the light wherewith men coming into the world are enlightened,'
&c. A. None come to the new birth, but they who come to the light
which every man that comes into the world is lighted withal; which
believing in, they are children of the light. Believing and receiving
it, they receive power to become the sons of God.
P. He saith, ' To say that Christ is risen within, there is no scrip
ture to p*rove it.' See page 28.

51
A. Doth not the apostle say, ' Christ formed in you ?' And ' Christ
in you the hope of glory?' which hope purifies as God is pure. And
Christ being within, doth he not arise there before all waves be still?
and shall he not arise with healing under his wings? How ignorant of
the letter are the priests grown, and much more of the mystery? Gal.
iv. and Malachi.
P. And whereas thou sayst, thou art ' confident, that while some
would persuade others that they have no sin, their consciences will tell
them they lie.' See page 41.
A. The apostle told the Romans that they were made free from sin;
and the Romans did not tell the apostle, that their consciences told
them he lied, as thou sayst.
P. He saith, ' The body of Christ is out of the sight of all his saints,'
&c. See page 47.
A. The apostle saith, ' they sat with Christ in heavenly places:' and
the saints are ' flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone,' and the, church
which he is head of, is his body. And every one that eats his flesh, knows
his body given for the life of- the world; and the body of Christ is not
out of the sight of the saints that are in the church. Therefore you
ministers and teachers, that say Christ's body is out of your sight, are
not saints; neither are you of his church, which is his body; neither
have you eaten his flesh, nor known that which is given for the life
of the world, but are out of the sight of the church which is his body.
P. And thou sayst, ' They shall have a greater judgment without
them, than they shall have within them,' &c. See page 48.
A. The scripture saith, ' If ye judge yourselves, ye shall not be
judged ofthe Lord.'
P. And that place in Jude he brings, to proye ' that all men have
not the spirit,' &c. See page 49. Where he saith, ' They walk after
their own ungodly lusts; these be they who separate themselves, being
sensual, and have not the spirit, who went in Balaam's way.'
A. Jude shows that they went forth from the spirit, and turned the
grace of God into wantonness. And this doth not make for thee or to
thy purpose, but rather against tfyee; and the same spirit that reproves
the world leads the saints into all truth.
P. He saith, ' that God did not give the law that people should live
in it, &c. See page 49.
A. And the scripture saith, that they that did the law had life, and
were justified by it: for ' Do this and live,' saith God to Moses; and
therefore thou wouldst make God a liar, who cannot lie; who sayst,
that God did not give forth his law that men should have life, Are
not the curse and the death in the transgression of it? Christ is the end
of the righteous law, who is the light that doth ' enlighten every man

52
that cometh into the world,' which believing in, he comes to be a child
of light: which light thou blasphemously calls conscience, or natural,
which light is Christ, the foundation of God, which doth enlighten
every man that comes into the world, that with the light they might
see Christ who hath enlightened them, the foundation of God, from
whom light comes. And the apostle saith, ' the law* is spiritual, and
just, and good;' and so thou art carnal, not yet come to the law which
is spiritual.P. Pie saith, ' He that will but observe the motions of that light
which every man hath within him, (say they,) so as to obey and close
in with it, to follow it, shall undoubtedly save himself from the wrath,
to come: now this is clearly a great error,' thou sayst. See page .50.
A. Contrary to John's doctrine, and Christ's, who saith, ' The light
j. that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, is the true
light, that men through the light might believe.' Therefore they are
enlightened; and he that believes in the light shall not abide in dark
ness, nor in error, nor in condemnation, but shall have the light of life.
Saith Christ, 'I am the light of the world;' and he saith moreover,
'Believe in the light,' before they be children; ' Believe in the light, that
ye may be children ofthe light.' So every man, is enlightened with a
light before they are children, with the true light. He that believes in
the light is a child of the light: he that doth not believe in the light, the
light condemns him.
P. And whereas thou sayst, ' The law gives not life, nor justifies.'
See page 50.
A. It is false, thou art mistaken in the scriptures, and rebuked by
them. The law gives life to him that obeys it, and lives in it : and he
that doth it lives, and is justified; the doer ofthe law is justified, and
not the hearer only ; and the law is righteous, and just, and good. But
Christ Jesus, the law and the spirit of life, which is the end of God's
righteous law, is the justification to life ; God's righteousness, who is the
end of the other law. And the apostle Paul saith, ' The law of the
spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and
death.' P. And thou wouldst make it an error to say, ' the saints are saviours
of the world.' See page 50.
A. The apostle said, when he wrote to the saints, he should save him
self and others, and this was by the power of Christ. And Jude saith
'others saving with fear,' but 'hating the garments spotted with the flesh.'
Now thou art a deceiver, and not a saviour both of thyself and others,
and ignorant of the power and the spirit.
P. He saith, there is no such scripture as faith, ' the light within
the conscience.' See page 52.

53
A. Contrary to the apostle, who saith, the light shines in their hearts,
and is not there the conscience? 2 Cor. iv. And Christ saith, ' They
will not come to the light, lest their deeds should be by it manifested,
and they by it be reproved, and this is not conscience, nor nature. And
the apostle Paul saith, ' Our rejoicing is the testimony of our conscience,
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but
in the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.'
P. * The new covenant which God promised to write in their hearts,'
he calls ' the law by nature.' See page 52.
A. And thus he is stumbling at the corner stone; and errs in his judg
ment ; for that which orders nature is above nature, and all naturalists,
and transgressors call it natural.

Doctor Glisson's paper concerning James ParneVs death in prison,
the lies that are in which are not worth mentioning, but will fall
upon themselves; but here is one of their lying slanders taken off.
They who strike at the rock, split themselves; and the blood of
that innocent, lies upon their heads.
P. In the preface he saith, ' that the most knowing part of these
Quakers have received their principles from Rome,' &c.
A. It is false, for the instructions which they have received are from
Christ, who was 'glorified with the Father before the world began,' and
before Rome was, or revilers either, which makes the world to rage.
The corner stone, the light, ' which lightens every man that comes into
the world,' and was before it was ; which makes the beast, and the false
prophet, and the pope, and you to arm yourselves against the lamb and
his light, which he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world
withal. And the priests' instructions have been from Rome, to set up
their schools to make ministers, and temples east and west, with a cross
at the end of them ; and the tenth, which they imprison men to death for,
and their preaching by the hour glass, and naming their colleges and
mass houses by the saints' names: your instructions have been from
Rome to do these things ; but the Lamb shall have the victory. Glory
to the Lord in the highest for ever.

Vol. III.

54

George Emmot, who calls himself a spiritual Quaker converted.
Who is turned with the dog to the vomit, and gone in the way of
Core, exalting himself, and gainsaying truth, and gone in the
way of Cain, into his first birth, and turned against the second.
Did God smite thee for thy pride? Did God let thee see the false
worships in the steeple-houses in the sheep's clothing? Did God let
thee see the deceit of the tithes in the priests ? Did God let thee see
the vanity of respecting of persons, and honouring of the creatures ?
Wast thou turning from these things, as thou confessest, and art thou
now turned to them again ? By whom the way of truth comes to be evil
spoken of. Is not thy latter end worse than the beginning ? Will not
all thy words be thy burden, and fall heavy upon thee ? Thy time is
not past, George Emmot.
And as for all the revilings, scoffings, and mockings in thy book,
they are not worth mentioning among sober people, and raking in the
dust for. Hast thou turned the grace of God into wantonness, which
had taught thee to deny the ungodly lusts of the world, and would have
brought thee to salvation, and so forsaken the covenant ofthe Lord God,
the law in thy mind, and in thy heart, whereby thou might have been
taught to know the Lord ? But now thou art run out to teachers that
may be removed into a corner, that will poison thee, and that do put
some into corners and prisons, because they will not give them mainte
nance. Jff-
That which brought thee to leave off thy ribands, and vanities, and
lusts ofthe world, was the grace of God which thou hast turned into
wantonness, and published it to the nation. (See page 6.) And thou
art turned to that which, the grace taught thee to deny.
P. He saith, ' The steeple-house is a holy place, more holy than a
house,' see page 8.
A- The pope hath taught thee this, and his teachers and thou are
gotten into the holy place like the Pharisees, and, as says the apostle,
have defiled it: and thus your and the pope's doctrine is got up since
you have apostatized from the apostles, which apostles brought the Jews
Off the holy places thou speaks of; and while you and they have been
in these holy places, you have been in the unholiness.

55

Henoch Howet's book, entitled, ' The Quaking Principles, dashed
to pieces by the standing and unshaken Truth.'
He hath dashed himself to pieces upon the rock, as his torn language in his book dis
covers. And his principles are here as followeth: a great part of which book of
his is not worth mentioning, but turned back upon himself, who must bear his own
burthen in the day that burns as an oven; that his works are tried, he shall remem
ber; to the witness in him I speak.
P. He makes ' the scripture to be the only weapon whereby Christ
overthrew the devil.' See page 3.
A. Who bruiseth his head, and was before scripture was. Yet the
scripture is for correction and doctrine, furnishing the man of God in
his place, and Christ the seed was before scripture was. And all them
that have scripture and not Christ, cannot overcome the devil, you and
the Papists doing his work; for they that overcome him, it is with the
power, and those have the scriptures of truth, which the devil is out of.
P. He saith, 'The scriptures is the hope.' See page 4.
A. Which is contrary to the scripture, which saith, ' Christ is the
hope;' and they that had the scripture, stood against the hope, Christ.
P. He saith, 'There is nothing in man to be spoken to, but man.'
See page 5.
A. How then ministered the apostle to the spirit? And Christ spake
to ' the spirits in prison;' and Timothy was to stir up the gift that was
in him: and the spirit of the Father speaks within them, and the light
shines 'in the heart,' which God hath 'commanded. to shine out of
darkness.' And the son of God is revealed ' in me,' saith the apostle.
Here the scriptures are for correction of thee, and reproof of thee, who
said, ' There is nothing to speak to in man, but man ;' for the appstle
saith, ' That which may be known of God is manifest in man, for God
hath showed it unto them.' Rom. i. And the apostle was manifest to
every one's conscience in- the sight of God, and that was of God which
the children disobeyed.
P. He calls that ' a dark delusive light.'
A. John calls Christ the light, ' that lighteth every man that cometh
into the world,' which we speak of, so he is fighting against the foun
dation of God that stands sure. And thus the man is striking at the
rock, and splitting himself; and is not come to John, but is as dark as
the Pharisees and heathen, whose darkness cannot comprehend the
light that John saith, ' lighteth every man that cometh into the world;'
that shineth in the darkness, that is the true light. John i. chap. So
you that deny the light which Christ hath enlightened every man that

56
cometh into the world withal, are the enemies of Christ, that would
not that he should reign over you, who are by him to be slain; and so
that scripture which he mentions there in page 10. stands for himself,
who gets his words, and calls him Lord, but dpth not do as he saith.
And ye all that are in the darkness stumble at the scriptures, who see
not the ' light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.'
P. He saith, 'They that deny the honour of men, are witches and
wizards,' page 14.
A. Wilt thou say that Mordeeai was a wizard, and had a familiar
spirit, that would not bow to Haman? And the apostle found fault
with them that worshipped the creature more than the Creator, who is
God blessed for ever. And all the familiar spirits and wizards fell
down and worshipped Nebuchadnezzar's image, while Daniel could
not bend to their image nor inventions.
P. And again thou saith, ' They that love God, and love Christ, keep
his commandments.' See page 14.
A. And thou art bringing many scriptures to oppose the commands
of Christ, who saith, 'Be ye not of men called master.' So thou art seen
not to be of the spirit of Christ, but the spirit that is gone out into the
world, that is, antichrist, and opposeth his doctrine who is the end of
the prophets, and was before Abraham was; and so hast given judg
ment of thyself, that thou neither lovest God nor Christ.
P. And he here accuseth Paul, and saith, ' Paul saith, he is not per
fect.' A. When Paul saith, 'As many of us as are perfect, are thus minded,'
and brings himself in the number; and speaks ' wisdom among them
that are perfect,' page 15.

John Timpson's book, called, ' The Quakers' Apostacy from the
perfect rule of the Scriptures discovered.'
A true title is this, to his book, of his own condition, as his book doth
witness himself in the apostacy, whose work is to oppose the light
which doth ' enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' that
John bore witness of. So opposing the covenant of God, of life, and
peace, and the foundation of God which stands sure, Christ Jesus, he
may as well say nothing, or do nothing. But the stone is set upon
his head, and the foundation of God is laid, witnessed by the prophets,
Christ, and the apostles; and the scriptures are owned by them in scorn
-called Quakers, and the light they speak of, who are come out ofthe apos
tacy, and so from among the apostates. And as for the lies and slan-

57
ders in his book, they are not worth mentioning, but they shall turn
upon his own head, whose immodesty hath discovered them.
P. In his preface to the reader, he saith, ' It is an expression of a
dark, deluded mind, to say that God is not distinguished from the saints.'
A. But God and Christ are in the saints, and dwell in them, and
walk in them; and he in whom Christ is not is a reprobate, and out of
the apostle's doctrine.
P. He saith, ' we have broken the everlasting covenant of God.'
A. Because we own the teaching of God by his spirit, and the light
which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, which is
the covenant of God.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures is the rule of life.' See page 4.
A. Contrary to Christ, who said, ' the spirit should lead them into
all truth.' And they that are the sons of God, ' are led by the spirit of
God.' And the churches were to hear what the spirit saith, for the
spirit led them to speak forth scripture.
P. He saith, ' It is a contradiction, and a confused senseless thing,
to preach the word of faith in the mouth, and in the heart.' See page
6. Again he saith, 'Most senseless is this profession of Christ in the
mouth, and believing in him with the heart, God that made all things.'
These are his words, page 8.
A. It is not a senseless profession to preach the word of faith in the
heart, and in the mouth; and to say, 'God will dwell in you,' and ' the
word is in the heart, and in the mouth.' The word is God; and thou
art senseless and fallen into confusion, in the contradiction, out of the
apostle's doctrine; for the apostle saith, ' Christ in you,' and 'with the
mouth confession is made to salvation.'
P. And he calls it ' a notion, to say that Christ lighteth all, and
that therefore the light is Christ. '
A. So here he is kicking and spurning against the light, Christ,
' that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' which is the
rock, the foundation of God, the corner stone, which is fallen upon thy
head, and all are in the notion that are out of it.
P. He scoffs at the Quakers, because they say, ' they have the word
of God in them.'
A. Christ's ' name is called the word of God.'
P. He saith, ' God blessing or blasting his own word to some, ac
cording to the different ends intended by himself.' See page 9.
A. Now the word of God is not blasted: God never blasts his own
word, but it is they that disobey the word that are blasted. For the
word of God doth its service, and accomplisheth the end which it goeth
forth for, and doth not return in vain. And it is the sword of the
spirit; and that is not blasted. It is a ' hammer and a fire,' and it lives

58
and endures for ever. So thou art blasted, who sayst, ' God blasts his
own word,' and art to be cut down by the word of God for thy blas
phemy. Pi He saith, ' The Quakers are deceivers,' because we say ' that
Christ is not in outward observations and forms.' And John Bunyan
saith, 'that he is distinct from the saints,' and would have him in the
forms, &c. See page 13.
A. We say he hath triumphed over the ordinances, and blotted
them out, and they are not to be touched; and the saints have Christ in
them, who is the end of outward forms, and thou art deceived, who
thinks to find the living among the dead; and Bunyan is deceived, who
said, ' He is distinct [separate] from the saints;' and so you are a com
pany of pitiful teachers.
P. He saith, 'Every true christian doth believe that the holy scrip
tures alone are to be the object of faith,' &c. page IT.
A. So he hath thrown out God the giver of them, and Christ the
author of them; for many have the scriptures, and deny Christ the
author and object of faith.
P. He asketh, ' Did you ever read of law and testimony in the heart ?'
&c. See page 18.
A. Yea, God saith, ' I will write my law in their hearts.' The law
was in David's heart; the law was in the apostle's heart. ' The tes
timony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,' and that is in the heart.
See Heb. viii. Rev. xix. 10.
P. He saith, ' The covenant of God is not to all in the church of
Christ.' See page 19.
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, for where the church is,
there is the covenant, the head Christ Jesus. And God saith, ' I will
give him for a covenant to the Gentiles;' those are the heathen. And ' I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house
of Judah;' and these are called the people of God. And therefore thou
art in the fall, in ignorance, and a man without understanding, and af
firms thou dost not know what; and silence would become thee better
than to publish thy shame in print, for they are not in the church of
God, that are not in the covenant of God.
P. And he saith, ' The scripture is the sure and perfect rule.' See
page 20.
A. The scripture saith, Christ is the bishop of the soul; and God
hath all souls in his hand. And many have scriptures, but the bishop
of their souls they know not, but they remain in death, and the life
they want that gave them forth, and so are all on heaps about the scrip
ture one with another, and calling them the rule; but the spirit of God
that led them to speak forth the scriptures, was the rule to the saints

59
and holy men of God: and they that are in the tfansgression will kill
one another about their words, but the spirit leads to see them again,
and brings into unity with them and God.
P. He saith, ' It is blasphemy to say, that Christ is in them as God
and man,' &c. See page 23.
A. Doth not the scripture say, ' Christ in you,' and ' God will dwell
in you, and walk in you?' And are not the saints of his flesh and of his
bone? And are they not partakers ofthe divine nature?
P. He saith, ' It is a fancy to say, the eternal word of God is in
them.' See page 26.
A. Thou art in the fancy in whom the eternal word is not wit
nessed; and under the fire, and sword, and hammer, to be hammered
down. And so art corrected by the apostle, who saith, ' Let the word
of God dwell in you richly,' the ' ingrafted word which is able to save
your souls,' and the ' immortal word.'
P. He saith, 'The scripture is the only rule of knowing God,' &c.
See page 26.
A. Christ saith, - None knoweth the Father but the son,' who spoke
among them that had the scripture; and so he hath excluded the son,
as the rule of knowing the Father, who reveals him. For many had
scriptures who knew not the Father, nor knew the son, nor heard his
voice, as. in John v.
P. He saith ' All those that are without the scriptures, are without
all comfort, and hope, and God.' See page 26.
A. Here then is thy doctrine, that none have comfort, none hope,
none have God, but who have scriptures. Abraham will tell thee
otherwise, and Enoch; for those knew God, and walked with him, and
knew hope and comfort: and Joseph and Jacob, God was with them
before the scriptures were written. And Christ was promised before
the scriptures were written ; and many have the scriptures and not
the comfort, nor the hope, but stand against Christ as the Jews did.
And many may have the comfort, that have not read the scriptures.
P. He saith, * The only judge of all error is the scriptures,' &e. See
page 37.
A. So he hath excluded Christ, and the. spirit, and the spiritual man,
and the saints, and God the judge of all, who was the author of the
scripture. !¦
P. He saith, ' The apostle doth not say that God in these last days
doth speak, or will speak unto us by his son; but God hath already in
time past spoken by his son, and that speaking is to these last days,
and we are not to look for any other speaking, or revelation,' &c. See
page 39.
A. And so by this thou hast denied the scriptures, and the authority
of them, which is Christ Jesus, and denied the apostles' doctrine, and

60
the new covenant, where the law is written in the heart and mind, and
all are taught of God. Thou hast thrown down and laid waste Christ's
commands, who saith, ' Learn of me.' And the command of God, who
saith, ' This is my beloved son, hear ye him.' And so art ignorant of
the scriptures and the power of God.
P. He saith, ' It is abhorred dotage they are bewitched with, to say,
they witness forgiveness within,' &c. See page 41.
A. Thou shows thou never knew a saint's life, and that which cleans
eth from all sin, and the testimony within of forgiveness of sin; for
where it is forgiven it is forgiven within. The apostle saith, ' If Christ
be in you, the body is dead because of sin.' And many may speak of
Christ without them, and the body of sin not dead. And so the wolf
may get the form of godliness, and the devil may confess the son of
God in words.
P. He saith, ' It matters not much if the sense be in the scriptures,
whether the words be there or not.' See page 47.
A. And yet he saith, the scripture is the rule and the word; and so
by that means have all men run into their senses, into confusion from
the words of the scripture, which is not to be added to, nor taken from,
nor can it be broken, nor is it of any private interpretation; and the
scriptures are the words of God, and Christ is the word, and in him
they end, and the spirit is the rule.
P. He saith, 'Doth not Christ approve of the Jews' opinion, in
thinking that in the scripture they should have eternal life ?' And he
saith, 'Christ refers them to the scriptures to find life.' See page 48.
A. Whereas Christ said, ' They would not come unto him that they
might have life;' and bid them believe in him whom God had sent,
who was the end of the scriptures. And Christ did not approve of
them that thought to have eternal life in the scriptures.
P. He saith, to say that the light of Christ is not received from the
scriptures, ' it is an abominable thing to be asserted.'
A. But the light is received from Christ; and many had the scrip
tures, as the Jews, but stood against the light as you do now, and did
not receive it, that had the scriptures which testified of it. And the
light cannot be blotted out, but it doth condemn, and it leads to the
knowledge of God, and to eternal life.
P. He calls it ' a fancy of an idle brain, to witness the law of God
written in the heart, that is different from the moral law,' &c. See
page 61.
A. The scripture saith, ' I will write my law in their hearts, and put
it in their inward parts, and I will make a new covenant with the house
of Israel, not according to the old.' And this is the covenant with
Israel, not according to the old; and so they are in the fancy, and idle

61
brain that are out of the new covenant of light, Christ, both Jews' and
Gentiles, and all false christians.
P. He saith, ' This I do deny, that the perfection of the whole law
of God is written in man's heart, so as to know it and do it, as it is writ
ten in the prophets and apostles,' &c. See page 64.
A. Here thou hast discovered thyself to be in the unbelief, and
limitest the Holy One, as if God is not the same, and Christ the same
yesterday, to-day, and for ever. And "none know the prophets and
apostles, but who have the same covenant as they had, and the same
law and spirit. And whereas thou art opposing those that say the word
is within them, and the light is within them, and the spirit is within.
And because they say those are in unity, and are one, which makes
thee appear as one offended, who must be ignorant still. He that is ig
norant, let him be ignorant still; but the light in thee shall see they
are one.
P. He saith, ' That none have ever had such attainments, of Christ
a redeemer, without the help of the scriptures;' &c. See page 65.
A. Now Abraham, and Enoch, and Noah, and Adam had the pro
mise of Christ before scripture was written. And the gospel is the
power of God; and many may have the form and not the power, and
eternal life is not in them, nor the power of God. For Christ is the
power of God, who saith, ' Ye will not come to me, that ye may have
life;' who was before scripture was, and all the attainments the scrip
ture speaks of are in him, and he is not attained to without life.
P. He saith, ' Where did ever any say, that they went through the
law to Christ?' This he judgeth and saith, ' They be strangers to the
life of God that say so,' &c. See page 71.
A. Contrary to the apostle who saith, 'I through the law am dead
to the law, but alive unto God.' And 'the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us to Christ.' And again he saith, 'The righteousness ofthe
law is fulfilled in us.'
P.' He saith, 'All notional light is from Christ whatsoever,' &c. See
page 72.
A. Now notion is imagination,, and that is not properly called light,
and therefore thou mistakest, for light is not notion, but is the thing itself
that is from Christ.
P. Again he denies, 'that Christ hath enlightened every man that
cometh into the world, with light sufficient, if they obey it, to lead them
to eternal life,' &c. See page 73.
A. Yet thou sayst, every one hath so much light as shall leave all men
without excuse before the great tribunal of Jesus Christ. And yet sayst,
that which leaves them without excuse is pot sufficient, and so would
make God unjust and unrighteous. But the light which doth enlighten
Vol. III. 8

62
every man in the world, is sufficient to lead them to eternal life, be
lieving in it and receiving it; and, not believing in it, is sufficient to
condemn them. But all who believe in it shall see and receive their sal
vation. P. He saith, 'Itis a contradiction in itself, and a speaking lies in hypo
crisy, to deny swearing, and calling of men master, and to witness the
teaching of the Lord, and the spirit to guide into all truth, and to say
the spirit is the rule.'
A. They are in the lies and hypocrisy, and transgressors of Christ's
commands, that are swearers, and ' called of men masters;' and the spirit
of truth which leads into all truth, is the rule and guide of men into
truth, as Matt. v. and xxiii. chap. And these are the antichrists, contrary
to Christ, that swear, and are called of men masters; for Christ saith,
' swear not at all,' nor be called of men master.
P. He saith, ' Christ was in the world, and the world was made by
him, and yet Christ was not in all parts ofthe world,' &c. See page 76.
A. He is the light to the Gentiles and Jews, and salvation to the
ends ofthe earth: and yet he saith, that Christ is not in all parts of the
world !
P. The light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that
cometh into the world, he calls ' a little spark of reason, subject to error
and vanity.'
A. Christ is the light, the foundation of God which stands sure, that
which makes manifest all error, and his flesh saw no corruption. The
greater part of his work in his book, is to strike at the rock and foundation
of God. There is no error in the light, which enlighteneth every man
lhat comes into the world, neither is it subject to it, but condemns it,
and thee that saith it.
P. He saith, page 79. ' All the light is to be understood in words,
and an outward dispensation,' &c.
A. The Jews had outward words and a dispensation, and yet knew
not the light Christ* by the words without life: neither did they
understand the dispensation of God.
P. He speaks of 'an external ministry,' &c. See page 80.
A. That which led them to minister was not external, and the external
reaches no further than the external, and that is of men, and by men;
but the eternal reaches to the eternal, which reacheth beyond external.
P. John saith, ' This is the true light that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world;' and he saith, 'This is to be understood with
limitation:' and saith, 'Christ was not in all ages and places of the
world:' See page 81.
A. How was he the lamb slain from the foundation ofthe world? And
how did he minister to the spirits in prison ? And how speaks he in the

(33
law ? And how is he the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever ? And
that is the devil in thee that would have a hold for thee to dwell in,
that would limit Christ the light not to be in every man. That which
darkens every man is the devil, and that which lightens every man is
Christ, without limitation, and he limits that which would limit him,
and that understanding.
P. He saith, ' he knows not what the true light is, and eternal life,
nor the eternal word, the everlasting gospel, the light which gave
forth the scriptures, and the judge of the world, and the kingdom of
heaven within, and the law of the new covenant, and Christ within,'
these he saith, he knows not, &c.
A. We do believe thee. And yet he goes about to oppose them,
and knows not what they are, and so he fights like a blind man, who
knows not the eternal word within, nor the light, nor the everlasting
gospel, which the saints did, and do know within.
P. He saith, ' that infants and fools, and such as are born blind, were
never enlightened with the light of Christ,' which he calls, ' the light
of nature,' &c. See page 85.
A. Which is contrary to John?s words, 1 John 9. ' who came for a
witness, to bear witness of the light, the true light which lighteth every
man that cometh into the world,' which light is above nature; and con
trary to Isaiah, who said, 'Fools shall not err in the way.' And
blind men and infants are enlightened with the light of Christ, for that is
the light in the blind man that reproves his thoughts and words that
are evil; which believing in, he shall not be condemned, but hath the
light of life, and becomes a child of light. And in Christ is light, and
that is the life of men; and where there is life in an infant, there is light.
P. He calls it ' a fancy and a pernicious error, to say Christ hath en
lightened every man that cometh into the world,' &c. See page 88.
A. And thus he opposeth John's doctrine. They are in the pernicious
error that deny that light that lighteth every man, according to Jphn's
doctrine, John 1. who saith, ' this is the true light that enlighteneth
every man that cometh into the world;' and the Pharisees stumbled as
much at this true light as you do now; though it shined in their and
your darkness, yet your darkness cannot comprehend it, but it shall
be all your condemnation that hate it.
P. He saith, ' The commands of Christ within (Christ and the light)
are inconsistent with the scriptures,' &c. See page 89.
• A. The light within owns the scripture without: and yet he said it
was ' the gift of God,' and the gift of God owns the scriptures in their
place as they were spoken; and none know the commands, and scrip
tures, but with the light within; and they are in unity, and the light
within gives the knowledge; of them. 2 Cor. iv.

64
P. He saith, ' It is a fancy to say the covenant of God is to all men
in the world, and the grace of God hath appeared unto all men,' &c.
See page 89.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who saith, 'The grace of God which brings
salvation hath appeared unto all men.' And contrary to the prophet,
who saith, 'I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles, a light unto
the people, salvation to the ends of the earth, and a new covenant to
the house of Israel and Judah.' And they that do not believe this are
condemned. P. He saith, ' It is most desperate and diabolical to talk of a sufficient
light and grace in all to be saved,' &c.
A. And yet thou sayst, in page 73 of thy book, that ' every man hath
so much light that shall leave men without excuse before the great tri
bunal of Jesus Christ, and men shall only be condemned for not doing
things which they had power and light to do.' And so thou confound-
est thyself; these are thy words. And here thou sayst, 'he hath not
light sufficient to save.' Thou calls this ' a fancy, and prodigious blas
phemy,' page 92. And no man cometh to salvation but who owneth
the light, which doth ' enlighten every man that cometh into the world,'
Christ Jesus the saviour. No man owneth his own Salvation, but who
owneth ' the grace of God that brings salvation' to all, if they will re
ceive it, to teach them to live soberly, righteously, and godly, and deny
the contrary. And this grace and light is sufficient, for it brings salva
tion; for that which brings salvation is sufficient, and thou art in the
diabolical doctrine that art out of this, and contrary to what the apostle
saith. And Christ who enlightens all men, says, ' Believe in the
light, and ye shall not abide in darkness, but have the light of life, and
become children of light,' and so it is sufficient; if not, how are they
condemned by it ?
P. He saith of the light of Christ, we 'have made it the corrupt spark
of reason.' See page 92.
A. But it is he that calleth it ' the corrupt spark of reason,' contrary
to John, who saith, ' it is the true light which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world.' And we do not make it the corrupt spark of
reason; for there is no corruption in it, but it leads to true reason, and
there is no true reason but in it; and thy corrupt spark of reason is out
of it, and to be condemned with it. '
P. He calls it ' an intoxicated notion, and bewitching, to say that
Christ hath enlightened every one that cometh into the world imme
diately,' &c. See page 93.
A. So he would make the light which John bore witness of to the
chief priests and Levites, which doth enlighten every man, &c. not
immediate, and gives these ill-favoured names to them that bear their

65
testimony to it. But let him split himself against the rock. Thou art
in the intoxicated notions, and in the witchcraft, that dost not own the
light that ' enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world,' and
art not a witness of Christ, but contrary to the prophets, and John, who
said, ' This was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world;' to which light the apostle bore witness to Jews and
Gentiles, which thou, a reprobate, bears witness against.
P. And to bring all people to the light wherewith Christ hath en
lightened them, he calls ' seducing, and sending men to hell, and damna
ble heresies.'
A. They bring men to hell, and are the seducers, and in the damna
ble heresy, and corrupt the reason, that do not bring men to the light
that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, and so to
Christ, but deny it, and such deny life and salvation.
P. He saith, ' that none can be saved by following the light of Christ
Jesus,' which he calls 'corrupt.'
A. The light of Christ Jesus is not corrupt, who enlighteneth every
man that cometh into the world; that light which they are enlightened
withal doth not corrbpt, but lets all men see their corruptions, which
light they are condemned for not believing in, and believing in which
they are saved. And no man sees salvation, or hath salvation, but with
the light which comes from Christ Jesus, the salvation. And all that
hate the light are corrupt in their doctrines and principles, ways and
words, and such are the antichrists.

Joseph Kellet, John Pomroy, Paul Glisson, Christopher Feak, John
Simpson, George Cocken, and Lawrence Wise; their principles
in a book put forth by them, called, ' A faithful Discovery of a
Treacherous design of Mystical Antichrist, displaying Christ's
banners' are here laid open. •
P. Ye say, ' God who commanded light to shine out of darkness,'
&c. page 1.
A. But ye do not say that the light hath shined ' in your hearts, to
give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.'
And those were the false apostles, and devil's ministers, and mes
sengers of satan, transforming himself into an angel of light, that drew
people from the light within, which gave them the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ, from whom it came. It was the
work of the true apostles to bring people to the light within, that shined
in their hearts, to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory

66
God in the face of Christ Jesus; and they told them, there was the
' treasure in the earthen vessel.' So with the false spirits that are gone
out into the world are ye reproved, ye seven priests.
P. They call it ' wine mingled with Water,' to say ' the light doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' which is Christ, which
brings men off from their teachers, and makes sin manifest. This ye
say ' makes the scriptures unnecessary.'
A. None know the use and value of the scriptures but with light,
nor salvation, nor wine from water.
P. And they say, ' Doth not the light bring men off the glorious
mystery of the scriptures,' &c. page 3.
A. We say nay, it brings them to it, to the mystery of Christ Jesus,
from whom light comes; it brings men off from the heathen to God.
P. And they say, 'that the light brings men off the foundation of
the prophets and apostles,' &c. page 4.
A. Which light is Christ, who is the promise to the Gentiles, the
foundation of the prophets and apostles, which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world. And none come to the foundation,
but such as come to the light, Christ, that hath enlightened them.
P. They say, ' They are all alienated, and enemies unto God until
faith,' &c. See page 4.
A. So they have denied their schoolmaster, which is until faith,
which will keep them out ofthe alienation, which is the law.
P. And ye call the light, Christ, who hath enlightened every man
that cometh into the world, ' a natural light,' &c. See page 5.
A. Contrary to John, who saith, it is Christ, by whom all things were
made, before naturals were, sun, moon, or stars.
P. To hold forth Christ the light, who lighteth every man that com
eth into the world, they say, is ' to hinder the gospel, pervert the
faith, and at once destroy all good that ever was done,' &c. See
page 6.
A. It is unlikely that it should do so, since Christ is the covenant of
God, who came to save, which light doth lighten every one that com
eth into the world, in which believing they are saved, not believing
are damned. And none come to God nor to the gospel, but who come
to the light, and all men's works acted without the light, are to be con
demned and destroyed.
P. 'T» bring people to the light, Christ, which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the word, is to bring them from the mediator,
and to draw men from eyeing his death, resurrection, and interces
sion, &c. See page 7.
A. Here they are corrected* for none know these things but who
come to the light, Christ, who hath enlightened them; for with the

67
light they see their mediator, and see his death and resurrection., And
they that come not to the light which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world, may speak of these things but cannot know them; as
the witness in the conscience shall answer in all men; for the light
that shines in the heart gives them the knowledge of them, of the me
diator, death, and resurrection of Christ. And they say, ' not every
man in the world is enlightened,' and John saith, 'every man is,' and
so here their spirits are corrected again. And, ' I will give- him for a
covenant to the Gentiles, and for a new covenant to the house of Israel,
and to the house of Judah.' And they bring these words, 'Christ in
you the hope of glory,' to oppose John's words.
P. You say ' none come to God but by Christ,' and yet do not own
him that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world.
A. And so are not like ever to come to him, though you may talk of
him in words, as the Pharisees and the devils did, and as all the apostate
christians do now; yet not owning his light, with it you are all to be
condemned as ministers of satan, which are out ofthe light.
P. And you say, 'far be it from you to say that Christ is equally
God,' &c. See page 8.
A. The scriptures say, he is ' the everlasting Father,' and his name
is called the ' Emmanuel, God with us:' and his name is called the
word, which is God. John i.
P. And ye say, ' Whereby man sees the godhead of God, but no
thing ofthe mystery of the Father, and Christ as mediator.' See page 9.
A. Can any man see the godhead of God, and nothing of the mys
tery of the Father, and Christ the mediator? Doth not he that knows
the son know the Father also? And hath not he that hath seen God,
seen the son? Is not the son in the Father? Here your spirits are cor
rected: for the light that enlightens every man lhat comes into the
world, lets see the one, and lets see the other.
P. You say, 'For a man to say, the light Christ which enlightens
every man that comes into the world, is pure, and justifies them that
obey it, he justifies that which God condemns,' &c. See page 9.
A. As you say who are with it condemned; for the light is that
which both condemns and justifies, and God doth not condemn it,
for it brings into unity and peace with him, and all are condemned
that are out of it, and none are justified but those that are in it, Christ,
that enlightens every man that cometh into the world, which is the
justification of life to every one that believeth in it; and every man re
ceiving the light, receives his justification, and hating it, receives his
condemnation to death.
P. Again, ye conclude ' the light of Christ is not pure before faith.'
See page 9.

68
A. So have concluded that you seven, Joseph Kellet, John Pomroy,
Paul Glisson, Christopher Feak, John Simpson, George Cocken, Law
rence Wise, never knew law nor gospel, nor faith from Christ, nor God:
for ' the law is light,' saith Solomon, Prov. vi. and that is the school
master until faith. And the law of God is pure, and the law is just,
holy, good, and perfect; and what is just, holy, and good, is pure.
And this ye seven have concluded hot pure, the light in the conscience,
before faith. And the law is the light and schoolmaster until faith.
And the light is given to every man to believe, and ' while ye have
the light believe in it.' And so men have this light before they be
lieve in it, and are children. And this ye Conclude is not pure, so go about
to take away that which men should believe in: they having the light
are then afterwards to believe in it; and with it they see the author of
their faith, Christ Jesus, from whom it comes. So you would destroy
the foundation of God, of the prophets and apostles, which standeth
sure; and so are ye found in the spirit of error, and corrected, know
ing neither law nor faith.
P. Again they say ' the light, (which is Christ) with which every man
is enlightened that cometh into the world, doth not discover the sin
of unbelief.' See page 10.
A. And did not Christ marvel at their unbelief, and see and disco
ver the unbelief of the Jews, of whose spirit are ye. And doth not
Christ the light, which doth enlighten every man, discover unbelief?
And do not the unbelievers hate the light, because they know, the light
that manifests their sin will reprove them, which they should believe
in? And yet you say, it doth not discover unbelief, which is their con
demnation that do not believe in it, but hate it because their deeds are
evil. P. And further ye say, ' that the light that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world bringeth in a legal righteousness,' &c.
A. Doth not the ligh^that enlightens every man that cometh into
the world, bring in the righteousness of God? and is it not the righte
ousness of God? So it corrects you that are in the legal righteousness,
and out of Christ, 'which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the
world.' P. Again you say, ' The righteousness performed by the grace of
Christ, the gospel teacheth to deny it.' See page 10.
A. Now is there any righteousness wrought by the grace of Christ,
but what is by Christ, who is the covenant of grace and the power of
God, which is the gospel, which lighteth every man that cometh into
the world?
P. They call it ' conscience, or a natural light,' &c. page 11.
A. Which light was before the word conscience was, or a natural
light, the sun, moon, and stars, either; for all things that were made,

69
were made by it. The natural light, or made lights, are created lights.
He made the sun, the moon, and the stars, they were made. And here
are the natural lights to the natural eye. And the light that every man
is enlightened with that cometh into the world, was before these were
made, ' glorified with the Father before the world began,' and before
the name conscience was, or things were made, and named. And the
light doth exercise the conscience towards God and towards man ; which
light cometh from Christ the author of faith, which is held ill the pure
conscience, who before the world began was glorified with the Father.
P. Again, the light which cometh from Christ, which enlightens
every man that cometh into the world, which discovers the evil, which
will give power against it, man walking in it, and brings to the rest, to
the Father, this they call 'free will,' &c. See page 12. ,
A. Which light brings out ofthe will of inan,into the will of God, from
whom it comes, to him that is not born by the will of man,in which light
men dohis will,andknow his doctrine. So here they are corrected again;
for the free-will and will-worship, are out of the light which is Christ,
which John speaks of. And they that hate the light are out of Christ, and
are not made free from the wrath to come; but they that are in the light
are made free from the wrath to come, in covenant with God. So you
that would set up another light than Christ, are antichrist, in your own
wills; for all will-worship, and feigned humility, are out of the light, in
the transgression.
P. They say, 'That God made a difference where there was none.'
See page 13.
A. And the apostle said, they were 'all gone astray.' And God
puts a difference between the precious and the vile, judgeth righteously,
and respects no man's person, and makes a difference in judgment. And
they say, 'God checks and chides the wanderings of his people;' and
yet say, 'God makes a difference where there is none,' and you are to
be checked and chidden.
P. Again they say, 'The children of God are all their life time
found groaning under sin,' &c. page 14.
A. The apostle tells you plainly, ' He that is born of God doth not
commit sin, neither can he, because the seed of God remains in him:
and he keepeth himself, that the wicked one toucheth him not; and
these are made free from sin. And here the apostle corrects you again;
for those are not groaning under sin, when the wicked one toucheth
them not, but these reign over it.
P. They say, who put men to the light of the eternal word with
which they are enlightened, put men beside the way of life, and put
men beside the way of salvation. ' See page 16.
A. None know salvation but by the light which comes from the
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70
eternal word, nor the way of life, which is Christ, which every man
that cometh into the world is enlightened withal, and so the salvation
'to the ends ofthe earth.'
P. Again they say, ' that the light that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world, shuts up the kingdom of heaven against men,
and takes away the ministration of the gospel, and destroys the mi
nistry of man,' &c. See page 17.
A. None come into the kingdom of heaven, but who come into the
light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world; it
opens the kingdom of heaven, but it destroys man's ministration, and
brings in the ministration of God and the gospel. And this light ye
call 'law,' or 'works,' that enlighteneth every man that cometh into
the world, which he that believeth in hath ceased from his own works,
as God did from his, and eomes to the end of the law.
P. Again they say, ' The scriptures are the means of faith.'
A. And so have thrown out Christ the author of it, and God the
giver; and the scripture is but the declaration of the saints' faith, and
it saith men had faith before scripture was, as for instance, Abraham
and Enoch.
P. Again they say, ' As for the expected dictating the scriptures by
the spirit to us as to the writers, thereof it is groundless,' &c. See p. 18.
A. So showing of what spirit you are, who with the true spirit are
corrected, that have the scriptures dictated to you, but not by the same
spirit the prophets and apostles had.
P. They say, 'Instruction in the scriptures is the way of sowing the
seed in children,' &c-
A. And the scripture saith, ' The seed is the word,' and Christ is
the seeds-man, who was before scripture was ; and yet 'it doth no good
except they eat the book,' and so they confute themselves. And many
had the scriptures, who stood against the seeds-man as you do now,
and the devil out of the truth makes a cloak of those things, who will
not feed upon the word.
P. So the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,
which we say is the covenant of God, they say, 'That is to break down
the enclosed garden.' See page 20.
A. This is that which confounds Babylon the great, and brings it
into remembrance with God,and brings the great whore into judgment.
The light, which is the way into the garden of God, breaks down their
enclosed garden, that have apostatized from the apostles.
P. They say, ' that the power to justle out the form is an error,'
&c. See page 24.
A. It was the apostles' work to bring from the form into the power,
the substance Christ, which was not an error. But you being in the

71
error, keep people in forms out of the power, and so not in the apostles'
work. P. Again they here say, ' It is blasphemy to say God is in all,' &c.
See page 30.
A. And the apostle saith, ' God over all, through all, and in you all,
blessed for ever.' Ephes. iv.
P. They say, ' It is not a transgression if men pray not, nor preach
for many days, weeks, and months together, though necessity is laid
upon them,' &c. See page 32.
A. Contrary to Christ's command, who bid them ' watch and pray.'
And contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who said, ' Wo be unto him if
he did not preach the gospel.' Where there comes a wo there is
transgression: so likewise where Christ's doctrine is denied. And the
apostle said, ' Pray always,' but ' without wrath and doubtings;' and
' lifting up holy hands,' and • pray for enemies,' But you pray in the
wrath, and hands full of blood, and persecute Friends, as your jails may
( witness; so, as pastor Eaton saith, ' you never heard the voice of God.'
And Micah said, ' Night is upon priest and prophets, that divine for
money, and preach peace to the people, if they put into their mouths,
if not, they prepare war against them.' Such have no answer from
God. P, They say, 'that apparel is for distinction of qualities of persons,'
&c. See page 36.
A. That is but in the world; for that which distinguisheth persons
is the word, the person of Christ from the persons of Adam in the fall,
and who are in the transgression, and who are out of it, and who are
vessels of honour and dishonour; and your wearing of gold and costly
apparel, distinguisheth you from the apostles' doctrine. And the holy
women of old who were honourable, it was not the apparel that made
them so, but the hidden man of the heart, which was of great price
with the Lord; these were brought to do the commands of God.
That honour which is in the world for clothes and respect, God will
stain, which stands in the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, and
the lust of the flesh, and there stands the world's honour, in transgres
sion. P. They say, ' It is most true, the Jew inward desires not the praise
of men,' &o. See page 38.
A. Then all that desire the praise of men, and respect to persons,
are not the Jews inward by their own conclusion, but the Jew outward.
And so, priests, judge your work and fruit, how many Jews outward
you have begotten; for that which begets the Jew outward, which hath
the praise of men and respecting of persons, is the outward Jew; and
that which begets the inward Jew, is the Jew within, who hath his

72
praise of God; and Christ who was the king of the Jews, was not a
respecter of persons.
P. Again they say, ' It was not Christ's command to give your coats
to the next beggar that asketh them.' Seepage 42.
A. The scriptures say, ' He that hath two coats, let him give to him
that hath none;' and the rich will give to the rich, and thus they af
front the scriptures. God gives wisdom how to distribute, and to whom
to distribute, and how to honour the Lord with the substance; and so
you show yourselves ignorant of Christ's doctrine, in letting so many
poor beg at your doors and in the streets, and yet you will have boot-
hose-tops, and double cuffs,' and ribands about you, who are more like
stage-players than ministers, and are not like to give your coat to the
next beggar; which double cuffs, and boot-hose-tops, and ribands, you
have got for tithes of poor people that have hardly a coat to put on;
but they that obey Christ's command, that have two coats give to him
that hath none.
P. Again they say, ' The son of man is not come; and these are false
prophets and false Christs who say he is come.' See page 43.
A. And so they call John a false prophet, who tells that the son of
God was come. 1 John v. ' For we know that the son of God is
come, and hath given us an understanding.' And you are the false
prophets and antichrists in the world, that deny Christ come in the
flesh. Again we say, you are them that come not in by the door, who draw
people from the teachings of God, from the ' light that doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world.'
P. And you tell them < it is natural.' See page 43.
A. The light is the door, ' which doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world;' but ye blind Sodomites are groping for the
door, but cannot find it, raging without, and would kill the just who
are inthe light, which is the door. And all are blind, though they say
they see, that do not see the light ' which lighteneth every man that
cometh into the world,' by whom the world was made.
P. Ye say, ' The apostles went out of their own nation without
money or two coats, without a bag either,' &c. See page 44.
A. Which of all of you in your own nation goes without your sti
pend, or augmentations, tithes, or glebe lands? which of you all will go
into your own nation without this ? So not going, have ye not all judged
yourselves by the apostles' practice which ye speak of? and with vour
own words ?
P. And ye say, ' That the greatest part of the persecution in the
nation is ceased,' &c.
A. Ye say so that to persecution are turned, whose persecuting
fruits have been seen more within these late years, than for several

73
scores, nay these hundred years past; and you are turned the persecu
tors of them that will not put into your mouths that you do no work
for, and for speaking to you, as your jails bears witness.
P. Again they say, ' To be called of men master,' (and so transgress
Christ's command,) ' is but a civil respect to their public employment'
A. Pharisee-like have they showed that they condemn Christ's com
mands, and unlike ministers of him, but antichrists, that condemn
Christ's command, and call it ' a civil respect in their employments.'
For you do not read of Mr. Paul, and Mr. Peter, &c.
P. Again they say, ' That is it which makes many ears to tingle,
and is a desolation, to say God is coming to teach his people himself,
and to redeem them from all their teachers,' &c. See page 47.
A. Now are the prophets fulfilling, ' They shall not need every man
to teach his neighbour' or his brother. Now are people coming to hear
the son, who is the salvation to the ends of the earth, God's covenant.
Now is that coming which shall make your ears tingle;, and now are
pe6ple come to the anointing, that they ' need not any man to teach
them.' Now are people ceasing from men whose breath is in their
nostrils, and looking to Christ the Lord, the salvation to the ends of
the earth.
P. Again they say, ' that satan, transformed into an angel of light,
is helping on good motions and fair" compliances with rules of right, to
an ill end.' See page 49.
A. That is like your doctrine, that satan should make use of good
motions, and fair compliances with rules of right! The rule of right
and the good are out of his power.
P. Again they say, ' Why may not satan help on mortification,' &c.
See page 53.
A. Nay, that Which mortifies is out ofthe power of satan; that goes
against his power, and brings down to the death of Christ and his re
surrection, which they that are out of mortification know not.
P. And the persecutors, when they have persecuted the children of
light, which ' light enlightens every man that comes into the world,'
say, ' they expose themselves to suffering.'
A. And this light is it which torments them. So striking at the
light, they strike at the foundation, as we find these seven men's work
is to strike at the light, the foundation, Christ Jesus, so are satan's
ministers. And abundance of lies is their book stuffed with, which
are not worth mentioning, which will turn upon themselves; in the
day of fire and judgments they shall feel their works: in their con
science the witness shall answer. They that prison the just in them
selves, turn against them that are in the covenant of light, where the
prisoner shows himself forth; for there is no persecution in the general,

74

but men have first stopped their ears against that of God within them,
and gone from the truth in their own particulars, then they turn against
them that are in it; and such were always said to be of the devil, doing
his work, out of the truth. •

Richard Baxter's book, called,'' The Quaker's Catechism.' His
principles follow,
And his works, which are to be condemned to the fire.^ And as for his lies, and rail
ings, and brawlings, and revilings, we turn them back to himself; for which his own
sorrow will be the greatest.
P. He saith, at the beginning ofhis book, in a letter to a friend, &c. 'To
say that any are perfect, and without sin, is the devil speaking in man,'
&c. A. Contrary to the language of the apostle/and Christ, who bid them
' be perfect,' and the apostle spoke ' wisdom among them that are per
fect,' and said, they were made 'free from sin.' And it is the devil
speaking in man that speaks for sin while men are upon earth; for the
devil holds up him who makes men not perfect, but truth makes men
free again from the devil, and speaks in man, and says, 'Be perfect.'
P. He saith, ' Christ doth not condemn men for being called of men
master, and it is not the title, but,' &c.
A. Contrary to Christ's words, who saith, 'Be ye not called of men
master, for ye have a master in heaven, even Christ, and ye are all
brethren.' And thus he tramples upon the commands, and makes the
commands of Christ of none effect, which is one ofthe marks that Christ
gave to the multitudes to know the hypocrites by; and so he not only
denies Christ's commands, but teaches men to break them: so crucifies
Christ, and says they are his ministers; but that is the antichrist that
abides not in his doctrine, as in 2 John.
P. And he saith, ' People are tossed up and down like a bundle of
feathers, and novices,' &c.
A. How should they be otherwise than tossed up and down by you,
when ye deny perfection, and call it the voice ofthe devil speaking, that
speaks of perfection and overcoming sin ? How should you but be the
men that toss people up and down with every slight, being blown up
and down with ypur windy doctrine that is not perfect, and so make
the nations and people like waters ? For all the imperfection is out of
Christ, in the first Adam, in sin and transgression, and in the devil
which is out ofthe truth; and all the perfection is in Christ the second

75 ,
Adam, the covenant of God, out of sin and transgression; and so they
who are in Christ are new creatures, and old things pass away, and all
things become new. And so in the second Adam, in the Lord from
heaven, above the earthly the first man, in the perfection, out of the
tossing. Your imitated church, got up since the days of the apostles,
is not the true church.
P. He saith, ' A true church is guilty of injury,' &c. See page 4.
A. Contrary to the scriptures, where the apostle saith, the church is
the pillar and ground of truth, without spot or wrinkle, or blemish, or
any such thing.
P. He saith, ' God hath commanded a sufficient maintenance in general,
for ministers, and left it to human prudence to judge what is sufficient,'
&c. See page 7.
A. By this he hath forsaken the spirit as judge, and the wisdom of
God, and run into earthly human prudence. Therefore is there so much
oppression for tithes and maintenance for ministers, and so much making
havoc, and prisoning, and persecuting for the same: and the power is
denied which the apostles had, to eat and to drink, which Christ gave
them. And so you run into the lust for money which you do not work
for, and the earth; and whilst they coveted after that, they lost the faith;
and that is the cause that people have lost the unity' and run all upon
heaps, through coveting and love of money. Their teachers have lost the
faith in which they should have had unity with God, and one with an-
other,and have pleased him, and had access to him,and which wpuld have
given .them victory over the world, the devil, enmity, and corruption.
P. He saith, ' All that come into the world are lighted with the light
of nature.' See page 7.
A. For so he calls the light, which John calls the true light (which
is Christ) that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; so is ig
norant of John's doctrine, and the scriptures, a man not fit to teach,
but is gotten up by an usurped authority, and is not able to divide the
word aright. But with the scriptures thou art corrected, and the light
that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; by it the natural
lights were made, the sun and moon, and so forth. And men that are
born blind, are enlightened with that light which was before the sun
was, before all things were made, which came a light into the world to
enlighten every man, that all men through it might believe. Now all
men may see how men are mad against Christ, and the apostles? doc
trine* that bore witness to the true light, and Christ bid believe in it.
P. He talks of, and preaches up « an external word.' See page 8.
A. Which the scripture speaks nothing of, nor the prophets, nor
Christ, but saith, 'the word that lives, abides, and endures for ever:'
and the scriptures of truth cannot be broken. And God's words, and

76
Christ's words, are not external. This is not agreeable to sound words
that cannot be condemned, but is like his doctrine that knows not the
eternal. The ministers of Christ did not tell people of an external
word, but an eternal word ; but you being. made by the will of man,
speak to the people of an external.
P. He saith, ' he hath not seen God in glory, nor any man,' &c.
See page 9.
A. We do believe thee, and the priests have not seen him: but the
saints saw him, and Job saw him, and Isaiah saw him, the Lord of hosts,
and Stephen saw him, and Abraham saw his glory; and the apostle saw
him and beheld his glory, the glory of God. And you are as the Phari
sees, that stand against Christ, that enlighteneth every man that cometh
into the world, that Christ said never saw the shape of God.
P. He saith, ' The word infallible, is the pillar ofthe Popish kingdom,
and the master point of new religion,' &c. See page 9.
A. Now thou that calls infallibility a Popish point, a new religion, thy
religion thou hast manifested, and thy points that are not infallible; con
trary to the apostle who had many infallible proofs ofthe spirit of Jesus
Christ, and they who have not are none of his. And who have the
spirit of Christ, have that which is infallible, and lets them see infallible
proofs, as thou mayst read in scripture. And who have the spirit of
God, have that which is infallible. And the religion which is out of
the infallibility, and out of the spirit of God, is vain, and there is thine
and the popes, as your fruits have declared, got up since the days ofthe
apostles, in the apostacy, fallible ; but that which is in the spirit of God
is infallible. P. And thou sayst, ' thou hast no such revelation as the apostles had
as thou knowest of,' and ' the apostles were brought, to speak infallibly
to the church by an infallible spirit, and neither thou nor the pope hath
any such infallibility as the apostles had,' &c. See page 10.
A. We do believe you, for you are the falsg*<dpirits (you and the
pope) that went forth from the apostles into the world, that Christ said
should come; that inwardly ravened from the spirit, and went forth
from the apostles, and only have had the sheep's clothing; and so are
the spirits which the apostles 'bid the saints try (which went forth
into the world) that had the true spirit, the record, the spirit of
God. And they that have found the record, the spirit of God, try all
your spirits, and find you fallible, ravened from the spirit of God in
wardly, only having the sheep's clothing that hath covered the wolf in
you all, the devourer. And so we do believe, neither the pope nor you
have the infallible spirit, being the false spirits that went forth into the
world, and led the world after you. Nations are come to be likewaters,
you are all so broken into heaps, and sects, and want the infallible spirit

77
in which you should have unity. And so have not the son of God re
vealed among you, who have not revelation as the apostles had, which
we witness, who are come to that the apostles were in, and so the son
of God reigns.
P. He saith, ' The holy scriptures are the temporal word,' &c. See
page 11.
A. Now see if this be not an undervaluing the scriptures of truth, and
the words of God and Christ, and of the prophets and apostles, which
cannot be broken; he calls them a ' temporal word;' the scripture teach
eth no such doctrine, but thy lying spirit.
' P. He saith, ' The gospel or word, is the external light flowing out
unto us from the son,' &c. See page 12.
A. Contrary to the scripture, which saith, ' The gospel is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believes,' so not temporal, not
a temporal light. And the light which cometh from the son of God,
that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, that shines in
people's hearts, that 'gives the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face
of Christ Jesus,' is not temporal; thou that sayst so art in the delusion.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures are able to make men wise unto salva
tion, without any more additions, and there are no more to be expected,'
&c. Seepage 12.
A. Contrary to the scripture itself, and the apostle's doctrine, who
saith, ' Through faith they are able to make wise unto salvation.' So
there is an addition which the apostles adds, and all the saints and true
believers; which is the faith that thou art reprobated from, and so no
minister of Christ, not in the victory, so in the world's lusts.
P. He saith, ' The soul of man is a spiritual substance,' &c. And
Magnus Byne saith, ' The soul is not infinite in itself, but it is a crea
ture.' And Richard Baxter saith, ' it is a spiritual substance,' &c. See
page 13.
A. Now consider what a condition these called ministers are in:
they say, that which is a spiritual substance, is not infinite in itself,
but a creature. That which came out from the Creator, is the hand
of the Creator, in. which the soul is, which brings it up to the Creator
that is infinity itself; which hand goes against him that does evil, in
which hand the soul is, which hand is immortal and infinite; the hand
is infinite which brings it up to God who is infinite.
P. He saith, 'Do not they blasphemously make Christ an idol, that
call our temples, idols' temples?' &c. See page 15.
A. Christ's body was and is the temple of God; who ended all out
ward temples made with hands, and so that is no idol, but others are
idols, held up by you and the pope, Jews and Gentiles, that prison the
seed of God in yourselves. And Stephen was stoned to death for de-
Vol. III. 10

78
nying the temple, and for witnessing the substance: so have you almost
stoned many to death for denying your idols' temples.
P. He calls that ' most ignorant and sottish dealing, to own Christ's
commands that bid, be not called of men master,' &c. page 18.
A. And thus he shows his ignorance and sottishness; he doth not
read Mr. Paul and Mr. Peter; and they that do so transgress the doc
trine of Christ. And he hath not the spirit of Christ, but is gone out
into the world, where all the false spirits are opposing Christ's com
mands, and the spirit's commands, and so no minister of Christ.
P. He saith, 'All the ministers since the days of the apostles, were to
be ordained and called, which the apostles were not,' &c. See page 21.
A. Doth not the apostle speak of them that usurped the authority?
Yes, we say that all of you, and the pope, since the days ofthe apostles,
are called by men, and made by men, who are the false spirits that
went forth into the world, that ravened from the true, so have not
heard the voice of God at any time. So he hath not sent you, but you
have usurped the authority, being made by man. And as no prophecy
of scripture came by the will of man, therefore all that get the scrip
ture in their own wills, out ofthe holy ghost, are made by man; such
are out of unity with God, with the scriptures, with one another, and
all on heaps about words;' and such men make and set up.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures is God's law, and a sufficient rule for
doctrine and worship itself,' &c. See page 22.
A. Now many may have the scriptures, yet if they have not the
spirit that gave them forth, they do not worship God in the spirit; and
they that have the scriptures, and do not the will of Christ, know not
his doctrine. And ' the law is light.'
P. He saith, ' But I must tell you, that our bells are not carnal, if
they were, they would scarce sound so well, or last so long,' &c. See
page 23.
A. If they be not carnal, then they are spiritual, and in that all
the world will judge thee, that they are things seen, and so they
are temporal and carnal; and what is temporal is not eternal, nor spirit.
The apostle speaks of ' carnal weapons,' 2 Cor. x. 4. and ' carnal ordi
nances,' Heb. ix. 10.
And whereas thou speakest of ' baptizing your bells,' &c. have not
many bells in England been baptized? And was not the pope the first
author of it? And we do say that they are carnal and not spiritual, let
them sound never so well, and last'never so long. Though in many
towns you have made them to tune psalms, yet we cannot say that
these are spiritual that can tune psalms, neither dare we, but do judge
them that say they are so. For the scripture calls those ordinances,
which were ordinances of God once, 'worldly and carnal,' and the

79
sanctuary is called 'a worldly sanctuary' when the substance was come.
And so we see, and say, all your sorts of bells, though they may be
tunes of psalms, yet they are carnal, and not spiritual; though indeed
poor people, being ignorant, may well think so, when such as thou
say, ' They are not carnal;' when they are, and stir up the fleshly nature
in people.
P. He saith, 'To say a man is freed from the body of sin while on
earth, is part of the Papists' dung, which they have taught you to feed
upon,' &c. page 24.
A. Contrary to the scriptures and the apostle's words, who saith,
' they were made free from sin,' which was before you or the Papists
were. And contrary to John, who bids them ' try the spirits,' — who
saith, 'false spirits are gone out into the world,' which are you and the
Papists. He saith, 'He that is born of God doth not commit sin, neither
can he, because the seed of God remaineth in him.' 1 John. And you
are in the Papists' dung spoken of, who plead for sin; and thou art con
trary to the apostles and Christ, who preached perfection and freedom
from sin.
P. Again he saith, 'Christ's kingdom is a hospital, and hath no
subjects in it but diseased ones,' &c. See page 24.
A We read of no such thing irt scripture, that ' Christ's kingdom is
a hospital, and his subjects are diseased ones.' But they that follow
the Lamb, in their mouth is no guile, nor spot, nor fault before the
throne of God, and are the elect which God lays no sin to; and they
are the faithful, and called, and chosen, that overcome the world. And
his kingdom stands in power, and in righteousness, and joy in the holy
ghost, and is not a hospital, nor his subjects diseased ones, for he heals
them, and converts them, and washes them ; and therefore thou art
a liar, and a man that dost not divide the word aright. The diseased,
or such as come unto Christ to be healed, he heals them of what infir
mity soever it be, and cures them, and clothes them in the right mind.
Therefore thou art corrected, and worthy of correction; and all the
diseased ones are in your kingdom, ye physicians of no value.
P. ' What can keep the soul from the enjoyment of God but sin,' &c.
See page 25.
A. It is the unbelief in Christ the light, and the offering, and in his
blood, that keeps from the enjoyment of God, who is the way to God,
which the light gives to see.

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The author of the book called, ' The Quaking Mountebank,' fyc.
His principles follow.
His words are seen in the light, and are condemned for the fire. The day is coming
that thou (whosoever thou art) wilt suffer, and the witness in thy conscience shall
answer. P. He saith, 'the Quakers are no conjurers,' and yet he calls them
' mountebanks,' in his libel called ' The Quaking Mountebank,' &c.
See page 5.
A. They have discovered his works and fruits, and the fire is over his
head, and he proves that he hath the language of a mountebank, by his
revilings and railings, which, among sober people, are not worth men
tioning. And the Quakers' mountain is the house of the Lord, esta
blished upon the top of all the mountains in the earth: and their rock
is Christ, which will split all mountebanks, that make war against him,
in pieces. And now is seen what is risen against the Lamb and the
saints; and the mouths of the false prophets are opened, and the in
habitants of the earth are drunk, and the beast makes war against the
Lamb and the saints, but the Lamb and the saints shall have the vic
tory. And Quakers are not mountebanks, but the Lord's children.
P. And this mountebank calls the Quakers ' beasts, that have the
spirit of God in them, feeling it,' &c. See page 7.
A. So that it hath discovered his spirit whither he is gone; and his
words shall be his burthen, and the Lord will find him out, though he
has not put forth his name. And those that know the mind of Christ,
such he calls beasts, and so hath discovered himself that he knows it
not; but the saints know the mind of Christ, and spirit of Christ, and
are the sons and daughters of God.
P. He maketh the steeple-house ' the ark,' and calls it ' the house of
God,' &c. See page 9.
A. A place which Papists set up for mass; so he shows his igno
rance and profaneness against the saints whose bodies are the temples
of God.
P. And the mountebank saith, that ' the Quakers are not akin to the
Egyptians,' but yet he saith, ' they love darkness rather than light,'
&c. See page 12.
A. And thus his spirit is rebuked, they that be in Egypt love not
the light.
P. Again he saith, ' that learning is the prime ornament of the soul.'
See page 13.
A. And so hath thrown away the power, and Christ the bishop of

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the soul, who is its ornament, in which it hath its joy. And men with
their learning prisqn the soul which is immortal.
P. And he saith, ' The Quakers are no Pharisees,' &c. See page 16.
A. And the priests of Newcastle call them Pharisees. Here is Gog
and Magog in battle together against the Lamb, and the royal seed
called Quakers, who witness that which cannot be shaken, and the
royal seed is atop of their head.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers scorn to creep into houses,' &c. See
page 19.
A. Which doth not agree with the rest of his company, who say they
do creep into houses. The Quakers are in the power of God, and in
the authority of the Lamb, above all houses, and into houses creep not,
but are upon the throne: but you that are in the form and deny the
power, creep into houses.

Ellis Brddshaw's book, called ' The Quakers' Whitest Devil.' His
principles as follow.
He hath unveiled himself in what spirit he is, and that he hath gone from the pro
phets, and Christ, and the apostles, fighting against the rock. But the stone is
fallen upon his head, which will grind him to powder, whose words shall be his
burthen. P. He saith, ' We do utterly deny all their ways and doctrines who
exclude all teachings of men.' See page 5.
A. Contrary to the prophets, who bid people to cease from men
whose breath was in their nostrils; therefore there is a teaching beyond
it. And who comes to that, shall come to hear the son. And the
apostles went to bring people to the end of the prophets, and off
from the priests, and off the ordinances which the prophets had esta
blished in their place; and the Lord is come to teach his people him
self, where they need not say, 'know the Lord,' in the new covenant.
P. He saith, 'The Quakers' spirit doth teach them to honour no
man,' &c. See page 6.
A. That is a lie, for it teacheth them to have all men in esteem, and
to honour all men in the Lord. Yet they are convinced by the law to
be transgressors, if they respect men's persons; and they are not to hold
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons as you do.
P. And whereas thou sayst, ' The spirit of God doth not teach to judge
before the time,' &c. See page 6. And others say, ' The saints shall
not judge while they are upon the earth.'
A. But the spirit did teach the apostle to judge, and his time was

82
come. And he tells some, ' that they were of old ordained for con
demnation, and their damnation slumbered not,' and they went on to
' eternal judgment,' and it is high time now to judge.
P. And this he calls ' a mistake, to deny all those that say they have
faith in Christ, and yet their righteousness is not perfect as the righte
ousness of Christ is perfect.'
A. Who hath faith in Christ is in the perfect righteousness, and so
you are in the mistake, that have a faith and a righteousness that is
not perfect; for righteousness and faith which are the gift of God are
perfect. P. To say, ' that he that saith he hath hope in himself, and yet is
not purified even as he is pure, is the hope of the hypocrite,' &c. this
he calls ' a mistake.' See page 8.
A. And here he is corrected, and his spirit is corrected, as being in
the world, for the hope purifies as God is pure, but the hope of the hy
pocrite doth not.
P. He calls it ' a subtle delusion that owns not the law without, in
tables and books, to try the spirits within,' &c. See page 8.
A. The spirit of Christ within is the end of the tables, law, and
works, and books. Therefore in this is discovered his own ' white
devil,' and he corrected by the spirit he speaks of. The law is now in
the heart, the new covenant is witnessed. The Pharisees had the law
in tables, as thou hast scriptures, and stood against the life, and in the
subtle delusion as thou dost, who brings the external to try the eter
nal, whereas it is the eternal that trieth the external, as Christ did the
Pharisees, who told them when they wronged it. And so are you the
wrongers of it, who have not the eternal to try with, so are as the devil,
fallen out of the power. And it was the eternal that led the saints to
speak forth scripture, and with that they are tried and seen who
wrong them, and wrest them to their own destruction. And Peter
was one of those triers, who was in the spirit of God, and could not
read letters ; and the Pharisees had the letter without the life, and
could not try.

Francis Blake's book called, • Choice collections of scriptures, against
the practice of the Quakers,' fyc His principles follow.
P. He saith, ' Repent and become sinners,' because the Quakers say
' they are made free from sin by Christ.' See page 6.
A. Contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who said, ' repent, and forsake

83
sin, that they might receive the remission of sins,' &c. And contrary
to the apostle's doctrine to Simon Magus.
P. Francis Blake hath printed a letter, which shows, ' that those
that are in scorn called Quakers own the blood of Christ.' And John
Bunyan saith, ' they deny it.'
A. And thus they are in confusion. But the blood of Jesus Christ the
son of God we own, but their lies we disown; and we witness the re
pentance which cannot be repented of; but we say to you, ' repent and
turn from your sins.' And they that bid people repent and become
sinners, are satan's messengers.

Luke Fawnes, Samuel Gellibrand, Joshua Kirton, John Rothwell,
Thomas Underhill, and Nathaniel Webbs, in a book called, ' The
Second Beacon Fired,'
Sent to the protector. Their thirst is after blood and persecution: over all such spirits
we see; there is that in them shall answer it.
P. They say, ' The Quakers principles are blasphemous, Paganish,
antichristian, antiscriptural.'
A. Because we hold forth the foundation of God, Christ Jesus, who
doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world.
P. He calls this ' loathsome, poisonous, and blasphemous error,' &c.
See page 3.
A. You are poisoning the people, and are of the whore's stock, who
would have blood to drink, which drank ofthe blood of prophets, and mar
tyrs, and saints, and so by lies provoke the zeal of the magistrate against
them, as the Pharisees and priests did in past ages. But that was the
blind zeal that persecuted, in all ages; and they are antiscriptural, anti
christian, and antiministerial that deny the ' light that lighteth every
man that cometh into the world,' which is the end and substance ofthe
scriptures; and who are in that, own the scriptures, and are not against
them, and are the true ministers and christians; and so you are the
Pagans and heathens that deny the light that all men are enlightened
with. P. They say that 'the Quakers are in an error, to say, that none are
the ministers of God, and called of him, who are sent forth by the au
thority of man,' &c. page 7.
A. So show their ignorance of the apostle's doctrine and words;
' Not of man nor by man' he saith he had received it, ' but by the reve
lation of Jesus Christ;' and so you who are made by men deny this.

84
P. They say, ' That is another error of the Quakers, to say, he who
is not infallible in his judgment, when he gives counsel and adyice, is no
minister of Christ.' See page 7.
A. Now he that is not infallible in his counsel, and judgment, and
advice, is not he in error ? And are not the ministers of Christ the
ministers ofthe spirit ? And is not that out ofthe error, and infallible
in counsel and judgment ? And are they ministers of Christ that are
fallible ? and is not the power, the gospel, infallible ? You may well
creep and go to the magistrates for help, who deny infallibility, and so
as natural men know not the things of God with the earthly spirit of
the world. I say, that is infallible which must order all the creation
to the glory of God, by which they were made and created.
P. You say again, ' you are laying and spreading their errors and
blasphemies before the magistrates, that they may stop their mouths.'
See page 9.
A. Now you show that you have not the spirit of Stephen nor ofthe
apostles, (whom their enemifes could not resist,) but the spirit of them
that are against Stephen, &c. persuading the magistrate; and so your
weapons you show are carnal, not the mighty weapons to pluck down
the strong holds and spiritual wickednesses, which weapons are spiritual.
Ye are fain to fly to the mountains to cover you, to hide you from- the
presence of the lamb which is now risen. And where did ever the
apostles go to the magistrates for help, and complain against errors and
blasphemy? And such as did so, judged truth to be blasphemy, running
to the magistrates as you do now, who are apostatized from the apostles.
But many of the magistrates are come to see you, and will not be your
pack-horses nor executioners any longer. And your whole intent is to
brand the light of Christ Jesus, with the same expressions of 'error and
blasphemy' as the Jews did in ages past, who are running to the ma
gistrates with petitions, provoking and stirring up the blind zeal where
it is, against Christ where he is in his saints, such as keep his testimony;
whose thirst is after blood and persecution, who would stop the press
that truth should not be published to the nation: thus showing ye have
not the spirit that is. able to gainsay or contradict the spirit that is in
the Quakers. Therefore do you beg, with your petitions and feigned
humility, for the powers of the earth to stop them. But where the
spirit of wisdom, and of God, and of a sound mind is ruling, the intents
of your minds are seen, such as were in all ages, that brought upon heaps,
and stirred up tumults, and made insurrections among people, cast
ing mists before magistrates' eyes, whereby they might be blinded and
turned against the just. For which cause God's judgments have been
brought upon such as you, and magistrates also, and he hath ' rebuked
kings for his anointed's sake.'

85

John Toldervey's book called, < The foot out of the snare.'
His principles: and these whose names were subscribed to the book, viz. Thomas
Brooks, Thomas Jacomb, George Cockayn, William Adderley, John Goodwin,
John Tombes, William Jenkins, and Matthew Poole, priests.
Whose intent, and that of the priests, is, to fatherthe work of the ima
gination that was in John Toldervey, upon the spirit of the living God
and of Christ, that is in the Quakers. But all their work and imagina
tions are with the light and the spirit of truth judged, and him and his
priests, and all of them, their feet are fast in the snare. And all that is-
in this book which is contrary to the truth, and the scriptures, is judged;
but all that is truth, is owned. And here are some of their principles
as followeth. John Toldervey, and the rest, in the book entitled ' The
foot out of the snare,' would lay all his actions upon the light, but they
split themselves against the rock; and he himself hath split himself upon
the rock, which made him recant, and deny all his foolish actions, and
so these great high priests come off with shame.
P. He saith, ' The declaring against all sin is nothing of the mystery
of the gospel of Christ.' See page 3.
A. Ignorant are you; for that which makes manifest sin, is the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ the mystery. All his will-worships,
and his will-actings, his self-righteousness, and obediences, and motions,
and fancies which he followed, the priests would lay upon the covenant
in the heart, and Christ within, and do not clear the covenant and
Christ within from all those actions which were destructive to the
creature; which Christ, the covenant, preserves, and the creation, and
brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God: and here your
madness and blindness appear without distinction.
P. He saith, 'Not to call any one master, nor to pull off the hat to
any one ; not to you any one, but to use the word thee and thou to
a single person ; not to use any compliments or greetings to any; not
to bow to any man, to honour the creature; not drinking to any; and
to pull off the points and ribands from his knees, band-strings, and hat
band, and buttons that were unnecessary on his coat, and other things,
and burned divers books,' &c. the putting off all these things which
were unnecessary, they call ' seduced persuasions,' &c. See page 15.
A. Now all these that have borne record with thee, under the life
are ye come, and judged, which abides and remains, and for ever
with it are judged: for, as for not calling men master, that is the
command of Christ. As for the not fashioning yourselves according
to the world in your former lusts of ignorance, that is the command of
Vol. III. 11

S6
the apostle. And as for the forsaking of gorgeous apparel, naughtiness,
and superfluity, they are corrected by the scriptures, and judged by
the spirit. And as for, ' drinking to one another,' and tempting one
another with beer, and bowing the hat, and respecting and honouring
the creature, these are earthly Adam's honour in the fall, which Christ
receiveth not, the second Adam. And as for respecting of persons,
they that do so, 'commit sin, and are convinced of the law as trans--
gressors.' And now see where thou wast, and all the priests, in your
seduced persuasions, and judged good evil, and evil good. And thou
and the priests may see that all this that thou didst from thy own per
suasions, is thy own will. But that which led thee from sin, and from
the world, to righteousness, was owned ; that shall be recorded for ever
against thee and all the. priests, and stand a witness against you, though
now thou art in the flower of thy age. And it will be hard for thee,
John, and the priests, to get in that which ye have spread abroad; and
the weight of the burthen of all thy words, and your words, ye are not
yet come to feel: but when the fire and the heat enter into your flesh,
that ye are scorched with the vehement heat, then remember, every
word that ye have given forth, will come upon you as a burthen. From
a lover of your souls, and a cherisher of truth.
And, John, for all the actions which were done in thy will, and set
forth in the same to the. view of the world by the priests, which abused
the power, and that which was rising in thee of God, to the sight of the
world, crucifying afresh the son of God, and so put him to open shame,
thou wilt suffer, and the priests ; and that which was done in thy pre
sumption, which abused the power of the Lord God, that was never
accepted ofthe Lord God, nor owned by the men of God. But there
area thousand, I do believe, in the nation, that can see and do see what
thou and the priests have recorded to the world, and are able to judge,
when the power moved thee, and when there were imaginations ; and
they see that the priests took thy part, and are one with that nature in
thee which betrayed the just, even Judas-like. And mind and take notice
those that Judas betrayed Christ to, as thou betrayed the just also; see
what friends they were to Judas, after Judas had done, and what
friends they will be to thee after thou hast done! Now come to the
just principle in thee, John; thy flight was in the winter.
And as for the word ' thee' and ' thou' spoken to a particular, they
show they have forgotten the Latin books, that which they call their
learning; for is it right to call one many, or many one? Is that a sound
speech which cannot be condemned?
And all the people upon the earth that have run out in their imagi
nations, whereby truth comes to be hurt, if they have done it willingly,
the greater shall be their punishment; they shall be whipped, however.
But all you that have bent your wills, and given your strength to the

87
adversary of God, whereby the way of truth cometh to be reproached,
you are such as turn his grace into wantonness, as cause the way of
truth to be evil spoken of, and such shall have a reward according to
their works, thou and you all.
P] They say, ' The fashions of the world, and the compliments, it is
not sin to use them,' &c. See page 45.
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, since to use even the cere
monies commanded of God, after the substance was come, was sin, much
more the fashions and customs of the world. Yea, but say they, this
brings in our living, and by the other we lose our livelihood; so ye
may see what mind is up in choosing. And all the zeal is in the will
which runs out before the light, the guide; and that is that which the
priests catch at to make their defence with, against the truth. But the
Lord will reward them according to their works, who hath showed
mercy to Toldervey, and made him confess, in another book, that which
formerly the priests and he had set forth, and vilified the truth with,
and so it is published to the nation, as the answer to this book called,
' The foot out of the snare.'
Such as deny the fashions of the world, which the priests are in,
points and ribands, double cuffs, and boot-hose-tops, artd the honour of
men, which God will stain, and are called of men master; such things as
these eight great priests justify, and ensnare people under them; and if
any forsake them, they will say they are snared and deluded. And it
is manifest who is their master, and who they serve, since the keeping
Christ's command is a snare to them. And because we cannot call them
master, and keep Christ's commands, therefore they rage, who transgress
his command, and then say they arehis ministers. But your fruits and
works are seen, praised be the Lord; your eight priests have discovered
yourselves, who are the false spirits gone out into the world from the
apostles, and out of Christ's command. Matt, xxiii. ( Where do you read
Mr. Paul, Mr. Peter ? &c. And where do you read that Paul and the
messengers of Christ were hung about with points and double cuffs,
and boot-hose-tops, and ribands, and made such a stir about doffing of
hats, and thee and thou, as the novice teachers do npw, that are found
in the lusts and fashions of the world, which the apostle declares
against, and instructed them to use sound words which could not be
condemned, and to obey the doctrine of Christ, not to be called of men
master? But you are the transgressors that abide not in Christ's doc
trine, but are the antichrists (2 John) which the apostle speaks of, that
have reigned from their days, but are now discovered by the spirit;
praised be the Lord God. And they know in their Latin original, it
is not proper to say 'you' to a single person, and they know that to be
' called of men master,' is against the command of Christ, and in the
transgression, and so usurping that authority which Christ forbids.

88

Thomas Collier's book called, ' The Looking Glass for Quakers.'
His principles follow.
And as for all his lies, they will be heaped upon his own head, and to his own sorrow.
P. He calls James Nayler a liar, because he said, ' That by which
the just lives, is that by which the creature is justified.' See page 2.
And he saith, ' it is another righteousness,' because we witness the
righteousness of faith which is in the heart, which God is the author of,
&c. page 3.
A. Now that which we say God and Christ is not the author of, (but
gathered from the letter,) is a dead faith and righteousness; and there
is your justification, that stands in the unbelieving state and is condemn
ed; only speaking of the letter as the Jews did, of a Christ that is
come, as they did of a Christ that was to come; and have not heard his
voice, nor received faith from him, who is the author of it, through
which men are justified and come to have peace with God; and this
faith is in their hearts.
P. He calls it ' a hearkening to the voice of satan, to hearken to the
voice within,' and saith, ' They cry, the light within, the voice of
Christ, the true word, which (he saith) is but their own lying fancies at
the best,-' &c. See page 4.
A. Now to call the light within, the word within, Christ within, the
word of faith within, which is to be obeyed and done, ' lying fancies
at the best;' here thou may see, Collier, that thou divides the word not
aright, and art ignorant of the scriptures. And Christ saith, ' the spi
rit of the Father speaks in you.' Is not this all scripture ? and if they
hearken to this, do they not hearken to scripture? and is not the scrip
ture fulfilled in this? And is thy voice all without thee, only in the
letter? And thou judgest all delusion that hath any speaking within
them, and so hast judged thyself, from the holy men of God, to be one
of the dumb prophets, and so, contrary to the true prophets and apos
tles. P. He saith, 'If the very Christ of God be within those that are
called Quakers, he cannot come down from heaven,' &c. See same
page. A. Here he stands against the promise of Christ, that ' he shall come
and dwell in you and walk in you.' ' I will come again unto you.'
And he hath ' revealed his son in me,' saith the apostle. And thus
thou, Thomas Collier, and John Bunyan, are jgnorant of plain scrip
ture; the scripture declares it, and the apostle said, ' Know ye not that
Christ is in you except ye be reprobates,' and ' the spirit of the Father

89.
speaks in you.' See how contrary thou art to the prophets, Christ,
and the apostles'.
P. He saith, ' The heavenly bodies spoken of in Cor. xv. are the
sun, moon, and stars,' &c. See page 6
A. Let all people read the scripture and see if it hold forth that.
P. Again he saith, ' They abuse the scriptures, because they say he
that is born of God doth not commit sin,' &c. See page 6.
A. The scripture is witnessed, as it relates and speaks. And he
abuseth it, when he gives private interpretations to it, and owns it not
as it speaks.
P. Again he saith, ' He that saith he hath no sin deceiveth himself,'
&c. See page 6.
A. But the scripture saith, ' If we say we have no sin,' &c. So he
perverts the scripture, for it is not 'he;' if he say ' he,' he may put it
upon Christ, who is without sin: and upon this principle, he may
charge "the elect, to whom God lays'na sin, and sees no ' iniquity in
Jacob, nor transgression in Israel.' And it is Collier's wicked eye
that sees sin in the elect, they that are born of God. Thus he abuseth
the scriptures, and is not able to divide the word aright; and therefore
such spirits are to be kept out of scriptures, with the spirit that gave
forth scripture: for he that is born of God doth not commit sin.' And
there is a time for men to see they have sin, and have sinned, and a
time to confess it and forsake it; and there is a time to witness the
blood of Christ cleansing from all sin, and then a time to witness the
birth born of God which doth not commit sin. 1 John iv. chap.
P. He saith, ' Here is a strange conceit of a person that fills heaven
and earth with his presence, and dwells in the saints, — blindness with a
witness,' &c. See page 8.
A. Here thy ignorance hath appeared again: for all power in heaven
and earth is given to him, Christ Jesus, who is in them, at the right
hand of God, who is dwelling in the saints, and doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world; but this to thee is a strange conceit,
and blindness with a witness. Thy witness is blinded with thy con
ceit, which shows thy ignorance of scripture, and thy unskilfulness
in the word and doctrine; since all things are upheld by his word, and
his power: and there is no creature but is manifest in his sight: for all
things that were made, were made by him, that he might have a name
above every name; and that to his name should every knee bow, and
every tongue confess to the glory of God. And God will dwell in man,
and it is he that seeth the heart.
P. He saith, ' Sin is in the saints,' &c. See page 10.
A. Sin is not in the sanctified, but in the unsanctified. And he that
saith sin is in the saints, is blinded, he is of the serpent, and he and

.90
they are in the pollution themselves, which the saints have escaped,
and are washed and cleansed; and so far as any one is sanctified, it is
from sin.
P. He saith, ' that we will not enter into the kingdom by the blood
of the covenant, that hath been often proved,' &c. See page 10.
A. And Francis Blake published it in print, that the Quakers wit
nessed the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin; and so thou prints
against us, and he prints for us; thou prints that we deny the blood of
Jesus, and he prints that we own the blood of Jesus; and so ye are
devouring the innocent betwixt you. The blood of the seed we own,
which cleanseth from all sin, which you do not own, who say sin must
be in the saints, but make his blood,. which cleanseth from all sin, pf
none effect.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures shall be our judge one day, which we
call the letter,' &c. See page 11.
A. And the scripture saith, ' A*ll judgment is committed to the son,'
and ' God will judge the world,' and the saints and the spiritual man
judge all things; and thus thou art ignorant of the letter, and this shall
judge thee at the last.
P. He saith, ' That the kingdom is not come, nor refreshing from
the presence of the Lord,' &c.
A. Which shows they are like the Pharisees, unconverted, gazing
here and there; but Christ told them the kingdom was in them. And
they are not turned to the light which comes from Christ the re
fresher, whereby refreshing might come; so are not yet come to re
pentance. P. He saith, ' They that say they have no sin, make God a liar.' See
page 12.
A. The scripture saith no such thing, but saith on the contrary,
many were made free from sin. 'And if Christ be in you the body is
dead because of sin;' and ' they that are Christ's have crucified the
lusts,' and 'all things are become new:' and they that sin and lie are
not in Christ the truth.
P. He saith, ' All that have been, are, or shall be converted since
the gospel ministration, are converted by the apostles' words,' &c. See
page 13,
A. So he hath thrown out the spirit that doth regenerate, and Christ
the way to the Father, the word that sanctifieth, and Christ ' the power
of God to salvation ;' who said they would not come to him that they
might be converted; so if they get all the apostles' words and come
not to Christ, they are not converted; and none are converted by the
apostles' words, but they who come to the life that the words came
from.

91
P. And he opposeth and saith, ' It will be the Quakers' fall, because
they say there |s no other way to bring people to God, but by the light
in them,' &c. See page 14.
A. Which is Christ, the way to God from whom it comes, not be
lieving in which is man's condemnation, and so a saving light. For
saith God, ' I will give him for a covenant, for a light to the Gentiles,
that he may be my salvation to the ends of the earth;' to wit, the light
shall: and all that are not in the light are in the fall, out of the cove
nant, in the unsaved state, and know not their salvation, as the scrip
ture declareth; so there is death and destruction, talking of the fame
of wisdom, and keeping people out of the light.
P. And he saith, ' That Christ is not so the light of the world, as he
is the light of believers.' See page 14.
A.Christ is the light to the world, as to believers, and he that be
lieveth in it shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of life,
He that follows the light and believes in it, shall have the light of life,
and shall not abide in darkness. He that follows not the light, but
hates it, he abides in the darkness and the light condemns him, which
the believer walks in, and believes in, and hath the light of life ; which
light is one and the .same, which enlightens every man that comes into
the world, believers and unbelievers.
P. He saith, ' That the scriptures are the rule of the saints;' and he
saith, 'the spirit is the guide to that rule,' &c. See page 15.
A. And so would have the scripture to go before the spirit,/ Now
the spirit was the saints' rule, that led them to speak forth scriptures,
and to let them see to what condition they were spoken, and so by that
they came to the law of faith; and they were not ministers of the letter,
but of the spirit. So in this ye have proved yourselves not to be minis
ters ofthe spirit, but of the letter, but the spirit was before the letter
was. P. He saith, ' That the time of perfection will be when Christ comes
from heaven, and not before; till then the saints must be warring, waiting,
groaning, and mourning,' &c. See page 20.
A. And David said, he had ' seen an end of all perfection,' (contrary
to Collier,) and the apostle said, they should ' hunger nP more, nor
thirst anymore.' And Christ saith, 'he that eateth his flesh, and
drinketh his blood, shall hunger no more, and thirst no more.' He
that believeth is entered into his rest, and shall hunger no more, and
thirst no more. And the apostles and saints witnessed Christ in them,
and the kingdom, while they were upon earth, and the end of groaning
and growling which thou art in, that art out of this,, and keeps people
who are apostatized from the apostle, from the light which is the truth.

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John Deacon's book, called, ' A public discovery of a secret deceit.'
His principles follow.
And as for the rest ofhis lies and slanders in his book, with which it is filled, they
will fall upon his own head, and be his sorrow. And all Jiars upon the earth, that
are given up to believe- and tell lies, are comprehended with the innocency and
truth, by which innocency is preserved, and men shall heap to themselves sorrow
by their own lies and inventions.
Nevertheless the scriptures of truth are owned in their place, to the condition that
they were spoken to.
P. He saith, ' that the light wherewith every one that cometh into
the world is enlightened, is the light of nature, and reason, and sense,'
&c. See page 5.
A. Which is contrary to John (i. 9.) who saith, 'it was the true light
by which all things were made;' which as many as received, he gave
them ' power to become the sons of God,' which is beyond natural
sense and reason.
P. He saith, ' that the work of faith, and the growth of faith, is by
the natural use of ordinances, and calls* it deceitful sophistry which
denies it,' &c. page 7.
A. Faith is the gift of God, and Christ is the author of it. It cometh
not by the natural use of ordinances: 'the natural man receiveth not
the things that be of God,' but faith is the gift of God. And thou
art in the sophistry, and in the poison, that sayst, the work and growth
of faith, are by the natural use of Ordinances.
P. And he speaks of ' a temporal expressive word of God,' &c. See
page 8.
A. But the scripture tells us of no such thing as a temporal word,
but speaks of the* word of God that ' lives and endures for ever;' and so
the other is but his own imagination.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers go about to pick forth the right eye of
Christianity.' A. Because they hold forth the light that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world, Christ Jesus the covenant of God, which makes
all the apostate christians blind. And your right eye must be plucked
out that offends ; and this the christians shall witness when their eyes
are open to see the light, ' which enlighteneth every man that cometh
into the world,' the covenant of God.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers were never heard of till of late years,'
&c. See page 12.
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, in which they are spoken of

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before Moses, by Moses, by the prophets and by the apostles; and the
apostle bids them to ' work out their salvation with fear and trembling.'
Andnow the great earthquake John speaks of, is coming amongst you false
prophets, antichrists, harlots, and apostates from the apostles, compellers
to your worship. And now are you comprehended,. and with the spirit
of God are you judged, who are ignorant of the salvation wrought out
with fear and tremblin g.
P. He calls them ' subtle deceivers and heretics, that question the
word trinity,' and says 'it came from Rome,' &c. See page 13.
A. Which he is justifying, and so he is turning to his teacher the
pope, (and the common-prayer-book,) of whom he hath learned it ; for
the scriptures have not taught it him. And the son and the Father are
in unity, and this we own that are called Quakers, and deny you and
your pope, and your common-prayer-book, and your false teachers, got
up since the days of the apostles.
P. Again he saith, '0 incomparable hypocritical liars! Is not this
the character Paul gives of a false prophet, to speak lies in hypocrisy?'
because we preach perfection, &c. See page 16.
A. It is agreeable to scripture, Christ's doctrine, and the apostles'
doctrine, and the life of Christ. ' We are made free from sin,' saith
the apostle. And again, 'As he is, so are we in this present World.'
And, ' As many as are perfect are thus minded,' &c. But this thou calls
hypocrisy and lies; and thus thou art out of the apostles' and Christ's
doctrine and life, and like a madman ragest against them that, are in it,
and hast denied thy own work, the work of the ministry, which was
' for the perfecting,' and so art a physician of no value.
P. He saith, ' The enjoyment of immortality is not till they have
put off the body,' &c. See page 17.
A. Contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who saith, ' immortality was
broughtto lightthrough thegospel.' This was when they were upon earth,
and the word of God was in them, and Christ was in them, which was
immortal. P. Again he saith, ' They shall not have power over death and the
grave until the natural death,' &c. See page 17.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who saith, '0 death! where is thy sting?
0 grave! where is thy victory ?' And they were ' passed from death to
life;' and ' he that believes shall never die,' and such have power over
. death and the grave. They that believe shall never die, they have
passed from death to life.
P. He calls them 'secret deceivers, to grant perfect purity and per
fection,' &c. Seepage 18.
A. Which is contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who brought people
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94
to perfection, and purity, and holiness, 'without which none shall see
the Lord.' And they were to stir up their pure minds.
P. He saith, ' To witness perfect purity is an alluding to an enjoy
ment of heaven upon earth,' and saith, ' This is as the world,' &c. See
page 19.
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, which witness the kingdom
of heaven to be in the saints, and their conversation in heaven; and
thou that bringest to the contrary art a deceiver.
P. He saith, 'He dare boldly assert, that the gospel is not first
made known by the seeing within, but by hearing tidings without,' &c.
A. Contrary to that which they call their original, which saith, ' the
gospel is preached in every creature.' And none come to hear and seethe
gospel, but with the eye within, that which is oppressed. For the Jews
that heard not, and saw not within, stood against the gospel: and Christ
said, 'their ears were stopped, and their eyes were closed;' and so
they heard words, but the gospel, the power of God, they could not
hear, but stood against Christ; and so none hear but they that hear
within; and he only is a preacher of the gospel, which is the power of
God, that preacheth to the inward eye.
P. He confesseth, ' that none of the saints had ever a particular com
mand;' and then again he confesseth they had, and so he is in confusion,
page 26, He saith, ' It is a lie to preach the kingdom of heaven within
unbelievers.' A. Contrary to Christ's words, who told the Pharisees, ' the king
dom of God was within them.' Luke xvii. So in confusion, in Babylon;
the smoke of the bottomless pit hath blinded his eye, who is got up
since the days of the apostles. The foundation hath been lost among
these inwardly raveners, which is the light, Christ Jesus, which enlight
eneth every man that cometh into the world, the rock of ages.
P. He saith again, 'It is a lie to say that any come to the know
ledge of the light of God by the light that shines in their hearts,' &c.
See page 28.
A. Contrary to the apostle, 2 Cor. iv. who said, ' the light that
shined in their hearts should give them the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus;' and so he is a messenger
of satan, the devil's minister, one that draws from the light that must
give people the knowledge: the witness in thy conscience shall answer.
P. And again he saith, ' It isv a notorious lie, to say that Christ preach
ed the kingdom of heaven in unbelievers.'
A. Contrary to Christ, and contrary to Luke xvii. who said, the
kingdom of heaven was in the Pharisees, and so thou art an unlikely
man to be a minister of Christ, who art of the letter ignorant, that knows
not the kingdom in thyself,that knows itnotin theunbelievingPharisees.
P. He saith, ' The greatest of the apostles were never exempted

95
from the remnants of sin, and the saints' pilgrimage is a continual war
fare to heaven, while they be on this side, the grave,' &c.
A. Which is contrary to the apostle, who said, they were ' made
free from sin;' and said, 'how could they live any longer therein?'
And said, ' their conversation was in heaven, and they sat in heavenly
places,? and they witnessed the kingdom wherein was 'joy in the holy
ghost.' So this was the end of their pilgrimage then; and thus he
shows he is ignorant of the scriptures, and of the apostles' doctrine.
And it is not a strange thing that the teachers of the world should cry
up imperfection and the body of sin, who are ravened inwardly from
the spirit of God by which it is put it off, and gone forth from the apos
tles' and Christ's doctrine. But those who are come to the spirit of God,
which they are ravened from, put off the body of imperfection and sin.
And so you have corrupted the earth with your windy doctrine; for
what good hath their doctrine done, that teach people they must be in
imperfection and in sin while they are upon earth? they can but be so
if they never come to teach them. And they are apostatized from the
ministers of Christ, whose work was to the perfecting of the saints,
' until they came to the perfect man,' the possibility of which these apos
tates' work is to deny.
P. He is judging the apostle, and saying, 'The prick in the flesh
which the apostle received, was neither through the want or disability
of faith,' &c. See page 34.
A. Why then did the apostle cry out ? answer me that. And the
Lord said, 'His grace should be sufficient for him; and his strength
should be made perfect in his weakness,' and is not weakness disability5
P. He'saith, ' That no man by that native light inherent in him', had
power to believe,' &c. See page 26.
A. The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, he calls ' native,' and ' inherent.' He gives these names to it,
which is the light which doth enlighten every man, &c. there is power
given in the light to believe. But he that hateth the light, hateth the
power, and so the light is his condemnation. The names he gives, as
' native' and ' inherent,' are his own, out of the truth.
P. He saith, ' The scripture doth not set forth a certain allowance
for ministers, but it is left to human prudence,' &c. See page 12.
A. So he is flown from Christ's words and the apostles,' who with
the wisdom of God set down the ministers' allowance, and did not leave
it to human policy in after ages for maintenance for ministers: for hu
man policy will feed the false prophets, such as the prophets, and Christ,
and the apostles declare of in scripture, whose spirits are seen with the
spirit that gave forth scripture, gone out into the earth, who were co
vetous, and so idolaters, ordering with the policy which is human and
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96
P. He saith, ' Abraham's obedience was not an act of the body,' &c.
A. Which any may read the scripture and see, and judge thee whose
body is out ofthe action of God, serving him who is not of God.
P. He saith, ' God doth not work immediately now,' &c. See page 43.
A. So all the works of God are mediate now by his principle; then
by his conclusion, none have the spirit of Christ which is immediate,
and works immediately. So then none hear God's voice, and none
are sent from God, and Christ is with none of them! For they who
are sent from God hear his voice ; and they who have Christ in them,
have that which is immediate.
P. He saith, ' He utterly declares (as others have done) against not
praying or preaching, &c. unless the spirit move,' &c. See page 44.
A. So here then, thou prayest and the spirit moves not, and preachest,
and the spirit moves not: so the spirit of error is it that moves thee.
And thou art contrary to all them that gave forth the scriptures, the
prophets and ministers of God, who ' spoke as they were moved by
the holy ghost.' And thou art never likely to read the scripture, but
by the same that gave them forth, nor know them, nor is any one upon
the earth ; nor to know God of whom they learned that gave them forth,
and were taught of him; and so thou art no minister of the spirit.
P. He saith, 'Not to preach, nor to pray but as the spirit moves;
in a sort is to shut up the kingdom of God from the sons of men; and
brings men to neglect their duty, and is the gap where the delusion of
satan comes in, and draws men to sluggishness. And how can glad
tidings be known, unless they be told,' &c.
A. Now they are all in the sluggishness, shutting up the kingdom of
heaven against men, under the delusion of satan, and none can bring
the glad tidings, but as the spirit moves them. And they who go when
the spirit doth not move them, are they that run and the Lord
never sent them ; and they who pray or speak without the moving of
the spirit, are out of the path of all the holy men of God.
P. He saith, ' It is the privilege of the Bereans to try an apostle,' &c.
Again he saith, 'They are to put up their supplications when the spirit
doth not move them,' &c. See page 45.
A. Now see if God ever accepted that which was not moved from
the spirit: God who is a spirit never accepted that; and that which tries
apostles is the light, and it gives the Bereans to believe the scriptures
which the apostle speaks of.
P. And he saith, ' Far be it from me to imagine that the spirit of
God moved the apostles to preach when they did only, and not at
other times, and that they always waited in silence till then,' &c. See
same page.
A. So he would make out that the apostles preached when the spirit

97
moved them not, and run without the moving of the spirit, and so
would make them like himself. Peter said, they ' spake as they were
moved by the holy ghost.' And they that are the sons of God are led
by the spirit of God. And ' the spirit shall lead them into all truth.'
And the spirit should ' tell them what they should speak, and show
them things to come;' and that was their guide and rule. And thou
who speakest, and not as the spirit moves thee, art no minister of the
spirit; and sayst, ' far be it from thee to imagine the apostles. preached
only when they were moved,' and so with thy imaginations, dost not
own the apostles were the ministers of the spirit.
P. And the singing of the saints in the spirit and grace, is not like
the ungodly singing without the spirit.'
A. And saying, ' the grace of God hath not appeared unto all men,'
and that ' all have not the spirit;' which is contrary to scripture. It
saith, ' the grace hath appeared unto all men;' and ' I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh.' And the spirit that reproves the world is the
saints' leader; and you that sing David's quakings and prayers, are not
in the understanding nor grace, but distinct from the saints; whose
singing must be turned into howling. How then can ye give them
the psalms to sing that have no grace ?
P. And the priests of Scotland say, ' Cursed is he that says, grace is
free.' These are the Scottish principles, &c.
A. Ye give the psalms to all to sing, and yet say all have not grace,
and all have not the spirit of God, and then can they sing in the grace,
and sing in the spirit? Is there any prudent reason or good understand
ing without the spirit?
P. He saith, we ' deny the scripture to be the word of God.'
A. The scriptures are the words of God, and Christ is the word, in
which the words end.
P. And he speaks these detestable words, and says, ' Is not our
tongues oiled with a spirit of confused delusion,' which is his own, &c.
See page 5. ,
A. Because we say, such as pray, or preach, it must be by the
moving of the spirit of God; which they are not in, that are in the spi
rit of delusion.
P. And he is opposing the commands of Christ, who said, ' Be not
of men called master, for ye have one master, even Christ,' (who con
quers death and hell.) And he saith, ' Why may they not be called
master?' A. It is his master that teacheth him to be called of men master,
that is gone out of the truth; but Christ said, 'Be not of men called
master;' and wo be to them that are. Matt, xxiii. And you are they that
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98

George Willington's book, called ' The Gadding Tribe ReprovedJ*
A right title to his own condition is his book, who, like a wild beast, is gadding up
and down ; but the Lord rebuke such spirits. His principles follow.
P. He himself falls to judging others, and then cries, '0 man!
who art thou that judgest another,' &c. See page 9.
A. And doth not see the work that he is doing himself. But bids
others not judge, and falls to judging himself, which is like all the rest
of his gadding tribe; and how they run with their horns at the righte
ous, and push at the upright in heart! But the Lamb is above them
all, and the wrath of the Lamb is kindled; therefore the beast rages,
who makes war against the Lamb. And where judgment is come
through into victory, he may judge; and the hidden things' of darkness
are brought to light, and the counsel of the heart made manifest; and
the Lord is come, and ' the spiritual man judgeth all things.' But he
shows that the counsel of his heart is not made manifest, nor his hidden
things of darkness brought to light, and the Lord is not come to him,
and so cannot judge. And George Willington hath judged before his
time, with which he is charging others, therefore his words shall be
his burthen.
P. And his principle is, ' that he is justified by faith alone without
good works,' &c. See page 10.
A. What! without the faith that works by love? Hast thou con
cluded those works to be the works of Popery, which are the works of
faith that works by love, that gives the victory? How dost thou gad
now? whither art thou gadding now? Know, faith that works by love
is owned, and he that believes has ceased from his works, as God did
from his, and hath entered into his rest. And faith gives victory
over all the Popish murdering spirits, and thine also, and your works;
which gives to have access to God, and the works of such are wrought
in him.
P. He saith, 'Whilst the upstart sect of Quakers look after the
light within, we have a more sure word of prophecy,' &c. and so
would make the sure word of prophecy not the light within. See
page 12.
A. His spirit he hath made manifest, where it is, amongst them that
are gone from the apostles, who stand against the light within. For
they that draw from the anointing within are the seducers, and they
went forth from the apostles that went from the anointing within. Art
not thou and you and the world all gadded from the anointing within
you, and so seducing one another? Therefore have you so many heaps

99
of teachers, arming yourselves, and making lies your refuge against
them that are come to the anointing, which you are all gadded from,
giving judgment against yourselves, who will not have people to own
the light Christ Jesus, ' who doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world.' And none own the anointing within, who own not
the light, which you who have apostatized from the apostles deny. And
the Quakers are risen up in the night of apostacy, and discover you all
what you are in, and what you went from, and what hath been lost
since the days of the apostles. And an earthquake is coming upon you
that hath not been since the foundation of the world, out of which
earthquake we are come, into that which cannot be shaken. The
Quakers are not the gadding tribe, they have the anointing in them,
and as it shall teach them, they shall abide in the son of God and in the
Father. But it is manifest that thou and the whole world are gadded from
the anointing within you which should teach you, and so are turned
against the saints and the Lamb. And have been the harlots, and the
mouths of the false prophet, blaspheming God in his tabernacle, and
have drunk the blood of the saints, and martyrs, and prophets, and
made war against the saints to overcome them, and have overcome
them; but'the Lamb and the saints shall get the victory.
P. And thou tells us of ' a creed and Catholic faith, commonly called
the apostles' creed, which creed and Catholic faith, except a man be
lieve, he eannot be saved,' &c. See page 16.
A. Who taught thee all this language? Where did the apostles teach
thee any such thing as the Catholic creed?' The apostle teacheth us
no such thing as a Catholic creed. Didst thou not learn this of the
pope who apostatized from the apostles ?
And the twelve apostles taught thee no such doctrine as the Catho
lic creed, and thou sayst, they signed it. Nay, the pope signs thee that
creed, and the sacraments; thou hast the pope's signature. But we are
come to the foundation of God, which was before the pope was, and
we gad not. Thpu shouldst not tell lies, and say they gad that come
unto God, the elect of God; God's elect, Christ the light, was the sal
vation before thou and the pope were.
P. And thou sayst, ' Doth any forsake the ministry to follow a new
light,' &c. See page 17.
A. That ministry that deny the light that enlightens every man that
cometh into the world, (as this gadding tribe of ministers, and profes
sors, have done an.d do since the days of the apostle,) deny the founda
tion of God. The light we own which every man that cometh into
the world is enlightened withal, which is the foundation of God ; and
deny them to be any ministers of Christ, that deny the light that en-

100
lighteneth every man that cometh into the world, and his ministers we
own. P. And thou sayst, 'Do not forsake the temple and truth of God, to
follow the bleating of Jeroboam's calves in Dan and Bethel,' &c.
A. Now whither art thou gadded? Art thou not gadded in this from
the apostles' doctrine, to the temple which the apostles brought the
people off from ? where is thy light now ? How ownest thou Christ,
who keepest people to the temple? and tellest them of Jeroboam's calves
in Dan and Bethel? Where is there any people gadding thither ? Hast
thou lost thy reason and sobriety, to publish thy madness to the nation ?
And did not Christ say the temple should be thrown down ? Matt. xxiv.
And Stephen witnessed against it, and was stoned to death: and thou
art calling people to it; and your Popish mass-house, which you call
your temple, and which you have set up since the days of the apostles,
is like unto the idol set up at Dan and Bethel.
P. And he saith ' your ancient divines are them that have entered in
at the door,' &c. See page 20.
A. How can you and your ancient divines enter in at the door, when
you deny the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world,
which is Christ the door ? Therefore it makes you to gad up and down
without light, in the dark. Now is the stone fallen upon you, and the
rock you are splitting yourselves against. Now shall the saints know
the song of the lamb, rejoicing over the beast and the false prophets.
P. He saith, ' The written word the ingrafted is able to save the
soul,' &c. See page 21.
A. The ingrafted word is able to save the soul, but the letter, the
written words, are not. The Pharisees had the written words, but
stood against the saviour of the soul. And how art thou gadded here
in thy judgment ? How art thou like to own the word that saves the
soul, when thou denies the light?
P. He is stirring up the magistrate to persecute, his own mouth con
demns him, who pretends ' love,' &c.
A. And thou that gads abroad in thy mind to stir up the magistrate
to prosecute, art not in the life of the apostles, nor Christ, but in the
spirit of the false prophets, and antichrists, and one in that which all
persecutors come from, out of the truth.
P. Again thou sayst, ' we ought not to judge,' &c. See page 23.
A. Let all people that read thy gadding tribe, see if thou dost not
judge, and so comest under judgment, by thy own words. And the
time was come to the apostles when they went on to the 'eternal judg
ment,' which we own. But this is not for such as are crying up tem
ples and persecutors, nor stumbling at the light: your measures are all

101
too short for this, your whole gadding tribe that are out of the light that
every man is enlightened with that comes into the world.
P. Again thou sayst, 'The apostles were to call the ministers of Christ
immediately, and the immediate call from God is not enough,' &c. See
page 24.
A. So thou hast set up the mediate before the immediate, and judgest
the immediate not sufficient. But thou art corrected by the scriptures,
and the apostle corrects thee, who saith, ' I received it not of man, nor
by man;' and bade others look at Jesus the author of their faith. And
the apostle does not say that they were to call men mediately, he doth not
teach such doctrine as that their ministers were called mediately, nor
did he send them forth so, but it is thou that art gadded from the counsel
of God. And the apostle confutes thee, who said he was ' an apostle not
of men nor by men,' and all the apostles went forth by the immediate
power of God, and the church of God was gathered by the same power.
But you are the mediate, fallen from the apostles, and made by the
will of men ; but now with the immediate you are all comprehended.
P. And thou brings many scriptures to oppose Christ's commands,
and the apostles' doctrine, which say, ' Be ye not of men called master,'
&c. See page 2S. For thou sayst, Christ doth not mean as he speaks:
for thou sayst 'the meaning is not, that is unlawful to be called master.'
A. Here thou showest whither thou art gadded: one that teaches to
break Christ's commands. But the wo that is denounced in the same
chapter where the command is, belongs to thee. So an antichrist that
teacheth to deny Christ's commands, and despiseth his authority; and
one that calls bim Lord, and doth not the thing thathe commands. But
it is not such that enter into the kingdom: and this thou shalt witness at
last when thy words fall heavy upon thee.

Joshua Miller's book called, 'Antichrist in man the greatest idol.'
-Which is a fit title for himself; who calls that antichrist, and mystery Babylon, that
justifies within; contrary to the apostle's doctrine who saith, ' we are justified by
faith in Christ Jesus,' which is in the heart. As for the rest of his slanders and
lies in his book, they are not worth mentioning, but these'that follow.
P. He calls them ' devout men' that denied the light that hath en
lightened every man that cometh into the world,' &c.
He saith, ' The Quakers are the saddest and most deplorable spec
tacles of revolted professors that ever I heard or read of, since my
knowledge of them,' &c. See page 2.
A. The Quakers have revolted from you apostates that are inwardly
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102
ravened, as the converted Jews did that were turned to Christ; for the
Jews revolted from the temple and the priests, and turned to Christ,
from the other Jews, and owned the light which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world, which you revolters deny, that have reigned since
the days ofthe apostles, and so are ignorant what we are come to, and the
apostles were in, and that which was before you and they were.
P. He saith, ' The angels of light, which are holy and without sin,
may be devils,' &c. See page 3.
A. The devil fell from the light, from the holiness, and so he cannot
transform into that. And all holiness which is not in the light, is such
as the Pharisees were in, and the whole world, and is condemned with
the light.
P. He saith, ' Salvation by the light within is cursed,' &c. See
page 6.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who saith, ' the light that shineth in the
heart gives the light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of
Christ Jesus.' And contrary to John, who saith, 'every man that
cometh into the world is enlightened;' 'and as many as received him,
to them he gave power to become the sons of God.' And the power of
God is the gospel of salvation to every one that believes in the light;
and he that believeth in the light hath the witness in himself. And
the apostle turned them from the darkness to the light. And the word
of faith that saves the soul, was in their hearts ; and there were the glad
tidings, the gospel. And priest Shaw saith, ' The gospel is the four books
of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.' But the apostle saith it is the
power of God ; and saith, many have the form, but ' deny the power.'
So now here himself he hath cursed; so this same man is a curser, as the
Papists are. Both he and they are found out of the doctrine of Christ
and the apostles, who say, ' Bless and curse not.' And the Scotch
priests likewise are cursers, as in the ' Scotch principles' ye may see; and
no one knows salvation but by the light within, which doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world, which is the salvation to the
ends of the earth.
P. And he calls his steeple-house ' St. Andrews.' See page 7.
A. Never did prophets nor apostles give such names to houses^ but
the pope, who is his teacher.
P. He saith, ' It is an error to say, that the light which every one
hath that cometh into the world, is sufficient to salvation, without the
help of any other means or discovery,' &c. See page 9.
A. Contrary to Christ, who brought the Jews off from all other
helps to himself, and said, ' Believe in the light while ye have the
light;' and, that they that believed in the light should not abide in dark
ness.' And 'no man cometh tp the Father but by me,' saith Christ.

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For he was the way, the truth, the light in men, and the life, and there
is no salvation by any other name but by him. And none know the
blood of Christ which cleanseth, and the offering for the sins of the
whole world, but with the light which cometh from Christ Jesus, who
is sufficient, who is the salvation to the ends ofthe earth; so he is the
only means without any other help. And as the anointing in people
doth teach people, they shall continue in Christ: and as they 'walk in
the light as he is in the light, they shall have fellowship with the Fa
ther,' from whence all helps come; and Christ will dwell in man, and
walk in man, and what need have they any more helps ?
P. He saith, ' It is an error to say, we are justified by that which
Christ doth in us,' &c. See page 9.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who saith, ' We are justified by faith in
his blood;' and the faith is in the heart, and the blood is in the heart lhat
purifies it, and held in a pure conscience. And the word of faith is
within. Rom. x. And faith gives victory over the world, and that
which gives victory, justifies. And Christ is within, who is justifica
tion, and sanctification, and condemnation; each of these is found
within; and thou art in the error, and not fit to talk of these things,
which thou understandest not.
P. Again he saith, ' It is an error (if not damnable) to say Christ is
the means, and that there is no other means of salvation,' &c. See
page 13.
A. And Christ saith, 'No man- cometh unto the Father but by me;'
and he is able to save to the utmost. And 'he shall be my salvation
to the ends ofthe earth,' saith the Lord. And saith the apostle, ' God
is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.' And 'he that hath
the son of God hath life,' and the Father and the son are one, and there
is no salvation in any other.
P. He saith, ' That Christ gives light to no man under that name but
believers,' &c. See page 13.
A. Contrary to John, who saith, he doth enlighten 'every man that
comes into the world,' that all might believe through the light. And
contrary to Christ's own words, who bid them believe in the light
while they had it; and he that did not believe was condemned already;
and he that did believe, had the witness in himself.
P. He saith, 'It flatly contradicts the whole scripture, to say, that
the light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every man, &c. will save,'
&c. See page 14.
A. God saith, ' I will give him for a covenant, for a light to the Gen
tiles, and new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah; and he shall
be my salvation to the ends of the earth ;' and such believing in it are
saved, and not believing are condemned.
P. The wise heathen philosophers had a greater measure of light in

104
them (which is the first Adam) than I can think any men have now,'
&c. See page 15.
A. Which shows that he knows nothing of Christ the second Adam,
the quickening spirit. And he knows nothing of a new creature; for
they 'who are in Christ are new creatures. Nor of Christ the covenant
of God, of light, of life, of peace, who was glorified with the Father be
fore the world began, whichis beyond the first Adam, and he hath set
forth himself not to be as high as his heathen philosophers. But many
witness Christ in them in this age, as in the days of the apostles, which
is above the heathen philosophers.
P. The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlight
ened withal, Christ, he saith, 'This is the light of nature and of reason.'
And saith, ' It is a damnable doctrine to deny all external means of-sal-
vation," &c. See page 16.
A. The apostle saith, ' We look not at things which are seen, but at
things which are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporal,
but the things that are not seen are eternal;' and that which is to sal
vation is eternal, and is not external.
P. He saith, ' What word did Paul and Barnabas preach in the syna
gogues, but the prophets?' &c. See page 19.
A. Nay, they preached Christ the end of the prophets.
P. He calls that 'a monstrous opinion, to compare them to the hea
then, who had not known there had been a God but by the scriptures,
and have no more knowledge but by it,' &c. page 20.
A. The Pharisees had scriptures (and heathen men may get
scriptures) but knew not the true God; for none know the true God
but by the spirit of God, (and the son of God reveals the Father,)
though they may have all the scriptures: and the light that shines in
the heart gives the knowledge of him. And this the apostle spoke to
them that had the scriptures. And who are of faith, are of Abraham,
and in the knowledge of him that knew God before the scripture was
written. P. And he saith, ' That the law and the testimony, are Moses and
the prophets,' &c. See page 21.
A. Contrary to the rest of the priests, who say, they are ' the Old
and New Testament; and he and the rest of the priests are contrary to
the apostle, who saith, the law and testimony are the light, and spirit
of prophecy. Many may have the Old and New Testament, yet deny
the light and spirit of prophecy, as priests and professors do now, who
say prophecy is ceased. Here they deny the practice of the church,
where edification, learning, and comforting are, 'prophesying all one
by one/ Such they prison and persecute; and they are not like to own
prophecy, when they deny the light, which doth enlighten every man

105
that comes into the world, which is the end of prophecy. And none
own Christ, who own not prophecy. A prophet is a seer, and they
that deny prophets are all blind, and in the dark, and are such as have
ravened from the spirit of God, and have killed the prophets.
P. He saith, ' The prophets are more certain than any other revela-
lation.' See page 21.
A. Was not the son of God revealed, the end of the prophets ? Did
not God reveal him which came ' in the volume of the book, to do the
will of God ?' And so they that had the prophets, and the law, and
types, and shadows, knew not the son of God that was revealed, that
was their end, spoken of in the prophets and epistles, and who is now
revealed. P. He saith, ' The patriarchs and prophets were justified by conceiv
ing Christ without,' &c. See page 24.
A. Now the patriarchs and prophets had the spirit that gave them
an evidence of him, and by faith they saw him, which is beyond a
conceiving, by which they were justified.
P. He saith, ' Justification by works, and inherent grace we call
Christ,' &c. See page 25.
A. We say Christ is the end, the substance, and who believes in him
hath ceased from his own works; he is the end of gifts and graces, and
man's own inheriting; and no one knows justification, but who receives
the grace that brings salvation.
P. He saith, ' This justification by a righteousness within us, is man's
-grand idol, and Christ's arch-enemy,' &c. See page 25.
A. ' We are justified by faith in Christ Jesus,' and that is in us, in
the heart. This he calls an idol, and Christ's enemy, which he is the
author of. So the doctrine this man teacheth is contrary to the apostle,
in the error from the apostles; and faith it is that purifies the heart, by
which we are justified, and not by works, which throws down all idols,
and the enemies of Christ, which thou art one; and none own justifica
tion but who witness justification within, faith in the heart; and Christ
being within, there is justification.
P. He saith, ' We miserably wrest the scripture,' because we say,.
' he that respecteth persons commits sin,' &c.
A. Now let all read that in James the apostle, how that he that re
spects persons commits sin, and is convinced by the law as a trans
gressor; so he teaches men to transgress the commands of God, contrary
to the apostles, who taught men to keep them.
P. He saith, ' Popery and vain philosophy are the foundation of the
Quakers' religion,' &c. See page 30.
¦ A. Their foundation is the light of Christ, ' which lighteth every
man that cometh into the world,' which was before Popery or philoso-

106
phy was, which you are in, as your books, naming of days, and col
leges, and steeple-houses, make it appear.
P. He saith, ' And to believe, or think our justification is by some
thing wrought in us, is that antichrist whose name is mystery, Baby
lon the great, the mother of harlots,' &e. See page 32.
A. The apostle saith, ' We are justified by the faith of Christ Jesus.'
Gal. 2. And faith purifies the heart, and is a ' mystery held in a pure
conscience.' This justification is by the faith of Christ within, and
this thou calls antichrist, and mystery Babylon, who art there thyself,
that art out of this' faith that purifies the heart: for all the holy men
of God were justified by their faith, and the faith is in the heart. And
thy belief that is without thee, and faith in Christ, is like unto the
Jews', who stood against him when he was come. True faith gives
victory over mystical Babylon and the world, in which faith men
please God, in which is unity.

Ralph Hall's book, called ' The Quakers' Principles Quaking.'
His principles in it follow, and are turned upon himself, whose works are for the fire,
and to be burned.
P. He saith, ' It is delusion to give up to the light within to be the
judge, &c. and calls it ' an obscure kind of chymistry,' &C.
A. The apostle commands to judge themselves; which they cannot
do but with the light, by which they may see themselves.
P. He saith, ' Doth the light of nature (as he calls it) give liberty to
women to teach ?' and calls it ' gross and palpable darkness,' &c.
A. Contrary, to the apostles' doctrine, and the mind of God, and the
prophets, who said, God would ' pour out his spirit upon all flesh: and
his sons and daughters should prophesy.' So he is in the darkness, a
limiter of the Holy One, and a quencher of the spirit, and this is above
the light of nature.
P. He saith ' The Quakers blame every thing ; and convince of no
thing,' &c.
A. Are ye not all, you hirelings, convinced of your covetousness? of
your respecting men's persons for advantage? of your teaching for filthy
lucre, and for your gain from your quarters? and of your love of
money? Are not ye all convinced? Have not the Quakers convinced
you all bf those things, and of your pride, and ambition? And have
you not been corrected by, and reproved for this by Quakers and
scripture?

107
P. He saith, ' The spirit of light will be judged by the scripture,
keeping to the scriptures,' &c.
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, and the apostles' doctrine.
But he is like the Jews, who had the scriptures, yet judged the
spirit of light. But the spirit of light owns scriptures, and the scrip
ture doth not judge spiritual light, and they are not one against the
other, but are in unity.
P. And whereas he saith, '.Noah's ark was a true figure of the church
of God, so Noah's dove is a clear emblem of such as through affection
of new and unknown paths, stray from the church of God,' &c. See
page 1.
A. Now you having strayed from the church of God, are the false
prophets which Christ said should come, Matt. 24. and John saw were
come; and the whole world are gone after you. And ye have brought
the nation to be water, and your tongues are waters, and your multi
tudes waters, and your peoples waters; on this account are the doves
flying abroad; and the Quakers found no rest for the soles of their feet
amongst you. For there is nothing but waters among you, the doves
find you all waters, not to set the soles of their feet upon. But ac
cording to the eternal counsel and promise of God, that the waters
should be abated and dried up, they have found the ark of the testi
mony, and the opening of the seals, and the tabernacle in heaven, and
the people of God begin to inhabit; and the kings of the earth shall not
pass: and that which you call your church hath been waters.
P. And whereas he brings the sayings of scripture, that speak of
prophets, and pastors, &c. and names places of scripture to oppose
Christ's command, which saith, ' Be ye not of men called master,' &c.
See page 7.
A. Which is to no purpose but to manifest himself a transgressor
that abides not in the doctrine of Christ, that hath not the Father and
the son.
P. And he saith the prophecy of Malachi is upon us, who saith,
' Cursed be the deceiver, who doth not bring in his tithes and offerings,'
&c. See page 9.
A. We say the priesthood is changed, and the offerings are denied,
and he that holdeth them up is under the curse.
P. He saith, ' To take the scriptures as ye speak, brings in all ab
surdity, as when the apostle saith the priesthood is changed, the com
mandment is disannulled that took tithes.' Then he saith, ' he would
prove that none had faith, to take the scripture as it is spoken: for if
they had it' (saith he) ' as a grain of mustard seed, then they should
remove mountains, and heal the sick,' &c. See page 10.
A. Now by this he hath showed his ignorance; for Christ's words

108
and the prophets,' are true as they speak, and the things they speak of;
the fruits of the faith that they speak of are known, and the fulfilling
of the promise. And that which the apostle speaks of, Heb. 7. is that
the priesthood is changed, and the law disannulled also, and that another
priesthood is come in, not after the order of Aaron, but after the order
of Melchisedeck; without father, without mother, without beginning of
days, or end of life. You run into all absurdities, that give your
meaning to scriptures, and by private interpretations have brought the
world on heaps about the scriptures. And who are in the faith, are in
the healing of the sick, and removing mountains, and you who are out
of the faith have brought whole nations into sickness, mountains, and
rough places.
P. He saith, ' The priest's work is changed in point of administra
tion only; but in respect of the order, the priesthood is not changed,'
&c. See page 11.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who said Christ came after another Ol
der, and not after the order of Aaron; but came after the order of Mel
chisedeck. So the order, and all things pertaining to it, fall, which
Ralph Hall saith do not.
P. He saith, ' The matter is not changed in any one of the ceremo
nies, only the manner of administration,' &c. See page 11.
A. The first covenant could make nothing perfect, saith the apostle.
The .matter and the manner of all that pertained to the first priesthood
changed : the matter and the manner fell down when the life came in,
the second covenant, through which the new and living way was felt,
whereby we enter in unto God, by the blood and life of Jesus Christ,
and the offering; and not by the first priesthood, first covenant, tithes,
offerings, and sacrifices. So matter and manner all fell; and Christ
came out of another tribe, that is, of Judah. And not after the order
of Aaron, but after the order of Melchisedeck, and so after another
matter. P. And thou brings that concerning ' Jacob's paying a tenth to the
service ofthe house of God: and why may not ye have tenths for the
maintenance of the house of God,' to wit the steeple-house, which was
the Papist's mass-house. Now see what a suitable measure thou hast,
&c. See page 16.
A. There was a time when the ark was maintained, and the taber
nacle, and the temple, and the storehouse, and tithes; and there is a
time when all these things are utterly denied. So thou art a man that
dost not divide thy work aright, but a workman that may be ashamed of
thy work. Look on thy book, who art. crying up tithes and priests.
And thou sayst the order of Aaron is not changed in the substance, con
trary to the apostle, and yet pleads the order of Melchisedeck, and so

109
art in confusion. And as for the order of Melchisedeck, ye are as Short
of that, as of Christ in whom Melchisedeck ends.
P. He saith, ' The best of God's people have sin enough to be re
pented of, and to be humbled for,' &c. See page 19.
A. Contrary to John who saith, ' He that is born of God doth not
commit sin: neither can he, because the seed of God remaineth in him;
and he keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not' And they
were not to 'lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works.'
And saith the apostle, ' How can we that are dead unto sin, live any
longer therein ?' So thou art ignorant of the saints' state; for sin exalts
and doth not humble, for that which brings down sin humbles.
P. He saith, ' he knows not one in the nation that sues at the law
those that will not put into their mouths,' &c. And again he saith, ' if
they should not sue at the' law such as do not give them maintenance,
they would sin in doing so: for it were to uphold covetous minds,' &c.
See page 1 9.
A. Now this proves your covetous desires. And the courts through-
outthe nation will witness against thee; for most of the suits that are in
the nation for one particular thing, are those of the priests against the
parishioners, because for conscience sake they cannot put in their
mouths. Therefore are they worrying of them like wolves, and de
stroying them for their dishonest gain* which they do no work for.
And did not the ministers of God, the apostles, rebuke such as went to
law before the unjust, one among another? And they bid them set up
the least in the church to judge such things, and told them they should
'judge the world, yea angels;' and not to go to law one with another
about such things. Then Where art thou and thy generation, that say
it is a sin if they do not go to law? if the ministers do not sue for out
ward things? Let the least in the church judge thee and them. How
unlike the apostles you are, who kept the gospel without charge, and
coveted no man's silver or gold, who preached the gospel, the. end. of
the law, and brought people from under it. And you bring people into
your inventions* but the day is come that you are seen, and the night
is past to many, and you can deceive none but those who are in the
night; the judgment is gone over your heads, the judge of the world is
come. P. He saith, 'Abraham's faith was imputed to him for righteous
ness: and doubtless Job was a perfect man in God's account, and Christ's
righteousness is imputed to us,' &c.
A. Yet thou sayst, 'none do good, no not one,' and bringest that scrip
ture in Rom. comparing them that were in the faith, with them that
were gone astray both Jews and Gentiles. See page 21. Now let all try
and judge thee here, and see thy false measure. Art thou a man fit to
Vol. III. 14

110
speak of the saints and their faith, who puttest them that be astray, Jews
and Gentiles, among them that believe, making no difference between
the precious and the vile ? so thou art npt a man capable of true reason.
P. He saith, ' God's furnace is the grave, where all the remainder of
corruption shall be consumed,' &c. See page 22.
A. Now what differs this from the Papists who hold a purgatory ?
And the saints witnessed, and said, * now they were washed, now they
were cleansed,' &c. while they were upon earth. And they were sanc
tified through the obedience ofthe spirit, and they were justified, and sat
in heavenly places, on this side the grave, while they were upon earth,
and were made free from sin, and were perfect.
P. He saith, ' that Paul disclaimed perfection in himself,' &c. page
23. A. Paul said, 'As many of us as are perfect be thus minded.' (He
wrongs Paul's words.) And again he saith, ' We speak wisdom among
them that'are perfect.'
P. He saith, ' If a man were free from sin, he would be free from
temporal punishment and afflictions,' &C. See page 23.
A. Christ was free from sin, and the saints, and yet he and they were
not free from temporal punishment and affliction. And so here he doth
not divide the word aright.
P. He saith, ' If we attain to perfection here, we should attain to a
rest here,' and brings the apostle's, words, 'doubtless there remains a
rest to the people of God,' &c. See page 24.
A. The apostle saith there, ' He that doth believe hath entered into
his rest.' And so he doth not divide the word aright, to know what
state and condition it was spoken to. And the apostle said, they (the
ministers of Christ) were perfect, and ' he hath perfected for ever them
that are sanctified.' And so thou art not a sanctified one, and hast de
nied the offering that hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,
and so hast denied the covenant that blots out sin and transgression;
and 'the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.'
P. But he saith, ' That doth not follow, that he that is dead to sin,
is freed from sin.' See page 24.
A. Thus he is contrary to the apostle, who saith, ' He that is dead
to sin is freed from sin, and can live no longer therein.'
P. -He saith, ' The law of God is a standing rule to the world's end,'
&c. And thou that sayst the law is a standing rule, hast denied Christ
the end of it. See page 25.
A. But the scripture and Christ say, the law must be fulfilled. Christ
is the everlasting covenant in the heart and in the mind, the end of the
law; who was before the scripture was written, glorified with the Father
before the world began. Many have the scriptures, and yet are from

Ill
the law of God written in the heart, and neglect that which brings into.
covenant with God, by which the scriptures are fulfilled. So here
again thou dost not divide the word aright, and bringest not people into
that which doth fulfil scripture.
P. He saith, ' Because this light doth not lead us to close with God's
ordinances, the sacraments, he looks upon it as a delusion of satan,'
page 26.
A. The scriptures mention no such word; and the light was before
your invented sacraments were, and cannot join with them, but con
demns them, but it owns the scripture and the ordinances Pf God.

Richard Baxter's book called, ' A second sheet to the ministry, jus
tifying our call against the Quakers' fyc. His principles follow.
Because the children of God cannot satisfy his ungodly lusts, therefore he is com
plaining to the magistrates. So he is one ofthe complainers and murmurers.
P. He saith, ' that Timothy was not to hold fast that which he had
immediately received from God, but that which he had received from
Paul,' &c. See page 5.
A. In this thou art contrary to the apostle, who bid ' stir up the gift
that was in him, and keep the faith,' (which Christ was the author of,)
and that would not contradict the apostle's words who was in the faith:
and that which Timothy received from God, he was to hold fast, in
which he had unity with the apostle.
P. He saith,. ' The holy ghost is to help us in keeping that which is
committed to us, and not to reveal more.' See page 4.
A- Timothy could hot know doctrine but by revelation, and doing
the will of Christ. How art thou exalted, that wouldstput lies upon
the apostle, and limit the Holy One, and set bounds to the just, and be
a teacher of the holy ghost, what it must not reveal! how art thou
exalted in this above all that is called God, and blasphemously sittest in
the temple of God ! Thou wouldst be a teacher of the holy ghost, who
must be the teacher, and tell what it must reveal, and what it must not
reveal! Thou must be stopped for thy presumption. If ye have nothing
but what the holy ghost hath given forth, the form of words, the
church of Rome hath the same, and all the false prophets upon earth ;
and antichrists, seducers, and devils get the scriptures given forth
from the holy ghost, and hold these words in the unrighteousness, and
resist the holy ghost, and say it must reveal no more. These come
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112
But the spirit, the holy ghost ' leadeth into all truth,' and doth reveal;
and the apostle bids the saints wait for the revelation of Jesus. And
the grace was brought by the revelation of Jesus, and the secrets are
revealed to them that fear God, and the ' spirit reveals the things of
God,' but thou sayst it reveals no more; which shows thou dost not
know the scriptures, nor God, nor the spirit.
P. Whereas thou sayst, ' ye have the scriptures of the prophets and
apostles, and Christ's words, and so are not to look for new prophets,
and that would be a question to the church, and that would show muta
bility in Christ.' See page 6.
A. In this thou hast showed thyself of what generation thou art;
for there hath been the mother of harldts, that hath drunk the blood
of the prophets, martyrs, and saints. And such as drink the blood
have the form, and get the sheep's clothing, but cry 'prophecy is
ceased, and revelation from heaven is ceased,' only they have a stand
ing rule, the scriptures without ; and so here they have their clothing,
the sheep's clothing, but ravened from the spirit, and so have denied
the church in which there is prophecy, and the spirit of God ; for where
that is, there is prophecy amongst sons and daughters, but not amongst
you apostates.
P. He finds ' fault with a man that will not believe except he see, as
instance, a man will not believe they are ministers of Christ, except
they work miracles, &c. And will not believe there is a parliament,
or Holland, or France, or Spain, except he have been in them,' &c.
See page 6 and 7.
A. Thou and thy wits are compassed, for revelations and prophe
cies are now spoken forth and witnessed, and thou canst not believe,
because thou dost not see; and thou art finding fault with others that
do not believe because they do not see. Thou art seen and disapproved,
and so now in that thou judgest others, thou art judged thyself, who art
blind and out of the life. And many may see there is a, Holland* and
other countries, though they have not seen them with an outward eye,
And we believe the ministers of Christ, though they do not work mira
cles; but that you-are apostatized from them we do believe and see.
P. He saith, 'The saints were not to forsake the assembling pf
themselves together, as the manner of some was,' &c. See page 8.
A. That was in the time of the apostles, before the apostacy. But
since the apostacy, the beast, false prophets, and murderers of the
saints are got up, and assemble themselves together, and deceive the
nations, and are breaking the saints' meetings, that keep the testimony i
of Jesus and the spirit of prophecy, and overcome by the blood of the
Lamb and the testimony of Jesus. Christ is the rock, and his church
doth continue: but they that Christ said should come are come, the
false prophets that should get the sheep's clothing. And John saw

113
they were come, who went forth from them, and made war against the
saints and the Lamb; but the saints and the Lamb shall get Ihe vic
tory. And we are come to the assembly, of the saints, to that which
was before you were apostatized; for your assemblies have forsaken
the saints, your fruits declare it. .
P. He. saith, 'Because they have the people's' consent, an<i the
magistrates' allowance, therefore that is true ordination,' &c. See
page 11.
" A. Balaam had the people's consent, and the heathenish magistrates'
allowance, when he should have cursed the children of Israel, and so
this is no proof of ordination. And the chief priests had the people's
consent; and many of the magistrates turned against Christ. So this
is no ordination for ministers of Christ. And the beast and the false
prophet shall rise against the Lamb and the saints, and yet they shall
have sheep's clothing; this is no proof of their ordination from God,
but all this proves it from man. But they who have their ordination
from God, are not owned either by people or magistrates, in their
wills; but by those who fear God, and are come to the spirit of God,
they are owned by that to which they minister; and they never went
to the magistrates for their allowance. And here again you are apos
tates from the apostles, and in the steps of the false prophets, whose
ordination is by the consent of the people, and your allowance from
the magistrates, who are from the allowance of Christ that he gives to
his ministers, and the ordination of the apostles, that was not from
man, nor by man.
P. Thou bids us ' mark the canon of the holy ghost in Timothy.'
See page 11.
A. There is no such word as canon in Timothy; and thou tells us
of a Catholic church, and we cannot Ad any such word in scripture;
but we perceive of whom thou, hast learned these words, and what
centre and stock thou comest of, the pope, and not the apostles. ,
P. He saith, ' they have an uninterrupted succession drawn from
the apostles,' &c. See page 1 3.
A. Your succession is from the pope, apostatized from the apostles,
for ye are out of the. apostles' doctrine, and in all your whole worship
corrected and, reproved by scripture. Did the apostles set up a temple?
set up tithes? set up your schools and colleges? Is not the pope
the author of all these? Are not ye his successors?
P. Thou sayst, ' ye are the ministers of Christ, because ye have
the scriptures and books,' and such like, ' and that you are not usurp
ers ofthe authority,' &c. See page 16.
A. Now there is not one of you all, that ever durst say, ye have
heard God's voice immediately from heaven, or Christ's voice, or have

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the same spirit the prophets, and apostles, and Christ had, or immedi
ate revelations from heaven as they had. So then you are in another
ordination than they were in, and usurpers into the ministry, and
intruders into those things you never saw. And cannot any one be as
good a pastor or minister as you, seeing all your teaching is but from
books and other men's writings? Why may not others learn the same
books and writings, and so come to be teachers and pastors as well as
you, seeing you have nothing but from books and writings, and old
authors ? Why may not all that read those be pastors and teachers,
and so then where would be the hearers? And so with the life are you
all judged, the spirit of God which gave forth scriptures, which was
before your old books and authors were.

Thomas Higginson' 's book, called, ' The Testimony ofthe true Jesus.'
His principles follow.
P. He saith, ' The word is not righteousness without the flesh,' &c.
See page 3.
A. The word is righteous itself, and the flesh righteous as it be^
came. P. He saith, ' Men are presented perfect to God, and without spot,
before any work done, or good whatsoever,' &c. page 3,
A. There is none doth the work of God but who believes ; and he
that believes overcomes the world, and his works are wrought in God,
and he hath the word of reconciliation in him. And by this doctrine
of thine all the world is presented perfect to God ; for he is the offering
for, the whole world. But those that believe are partakers, and those
that do not believe are condemned. Yet I say, the Lord helps the
unbelief of many, ' who is the saviour of all men, especially of them
that believe ;' and men are not presented to God while they do evil, and
before they are sanctified and holy.
P. He saith, ' The invisible things of God, and the eternal power and
glory of God, may be known by that of God in every man, hut not his
good pleasure or purpose of grace,' &c. See page 4.
A. Is the glory seen and known, the godhead known, the invisible
things of God, and the eternal power, and not the good pleasure of God*
nor his purpose of grace ? Doth not the godhead dwell in Christ, and
his fulness, bodily? And is not Christ the power of God ? And doth
not he that knows God, and his glory, and his eternal power and god:

115
head, know the son ? Consider that; ' For he that hath known the
son, hath known the Father also,' and grace, and the purpose of God.
P. He saith, 'Man may know God, and his eternal power, and god
head, and glory, and yet know nothing of the mystery of Christ, nor
can that (which thou sayst shows these things) lead unto the mystery
of the knowledge of Christ,' &c. See page 4.
A. Where the eternal power and godhead is known, his power, his
glory, and the invisible things of God, there, is something of Christ
known, the mystery. For 'there is none knows the Father but the
son, and he to whom the' son reveals him.' And he that knows the Fa
ther knows the son.
P. He saith, ' To say that Christ is within man, is to worship angels,
and not to hold the head Christ,' &c. See page 5.
A. None come to witness Christ the head, but who witness him in
them, that the angels must worship, that died and suffered at Jerusalem;
and they that worship him in them, worship not the angels; and they
that are not worshipping him in them, are worshipping men, devils, or
angels. P. He saith, ' It is a bewitching of the mind, to preach Christ within
the saints,' &c.
A. Did not the same apostle that «poke to the Colossians, of ' wor
shipping of angels, not holding the head,' preach Christ in them ? And
he told them of ' intruding into things they never saw.' Did not he
say, ' Christ in you the hppe of glory, whom we preach, warning every
man, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus ?' How
contrary to the apostles and Christ Jesus dost thou divide the word,
that callest this doctrine bewitching? And thou that preachest another
doctrine contrary to his, art accurst.
P. He saith, 'To say the light in every one (wherewith Christ Jesus
hath enlightened them that come into the world) is the way to Christ
and the Father, and is the sure word of prophecy which people are to
take heed unto, this is to deny the person of Christ, as the object of
faith, and the scriptures as the rule of faith, and faith itself,' &c. See
page 8.
A. In this thou hast showed thy ignorance; for none know the per
son of Christ but with the light that comes from him: none know the
mediator, none know the author of their faith, but with the light that
comes from Christ: and none know the scriptures of truth but with
the light. And Christ is the rule of faith, and author of it, and the
giver; and many may have the scriptures and not faith. So in this
thou dividest not the word aright, but art incapable of dividing the
word. And that is the sure word of prophecy that shines in a dark

116
place, which people are to take heed unto, ' till the day dawn and the
day star arise in their hearts.'
P. He saith, ' To say that redemption and righteousness are wrought
within, is to bring Christ down from above out of heaven, or raise him
from the dead, and to make the blood of Christ as another man's,' &c<
See page 9.
A. Now Christ is not known to be the justification, but as he is
known within, and redemption out of Adam's state in the fall. For
'he that believes hath the witness in himself,' and ' ceaseth from his
own works, as God did from his, and enters into his rest.' The world
may profess Christ without them; but if he be not within them, they
are reprobates, and shall fall short of justification and redemption. And
if they have not the son of God, they have not life; and many will
say, Lord, but do not the thing that he commands. And one of thy
generation of professors that wrote against the Quakers, said, ' that the
blood of Christ was corruptible,' (and so it was like the blood of an
other man,) and thou sayst it is not. Now we say, that blood which
cleanseth from all sin is incorruptible; and they that witness Christ in
them, and justification and redemption, need not say, 'Who shall raise
Christ from the dead, or fetch him from above,' as thou sayst.
P. He Saith, ' Obedience to the spirit within, and Christ a worker
and a lawgiver in their conscience, and a worker of it in their persons,
but not as a saviour: and what of God is felt or wrought in them, that
they believe. While the unspeakable righteousness, operation of life
in Christ reserved, with faith, liberty, joy and peace, &c. are hid from
their eyes,' &c. See page 10.
A. Now can any be obedient to the spirit within, and to Christ a
worker, and a lawgiver, and feel the work of God in themselves, and
yet the unspeakable righteousness, and the operation of life hid in
Christ, and faith, and liberty, joy and peace be hid from their eyes?"
Can a man know all these things* and yet not know Christ to be a
saviour? Here thou art judged, and thy knowledge; for he that knows
these things, knows a saviour; and let the rightepus, whose eyes are
open, judge how thou divides the word.
P. He saith, 'Faith holds things as true in Christ, though hid from
sense and feeling,' &c. See page 11.
A. How cometh the just to live then, if there be not a feeling in his
faith ? And how then cometh he to have the victory over the world ?
And how doth faith purify, if there be not a feeling ? And how is it
held in a pure conscience, if there be not a feeling ? And how cometh
he to have access to God through faith ? And doth not the scripture
speak of them that were in. the faith, felt and handled the word of life ?

117
And was this without the faith of God's elect, or of sense? Therefore
in this thou mayst see how incapable thou art to divide the word.
P. He saith, ' They that put spiritual working for the grace of Christ,
destroy Christ Jesus.' See page 11.
A. They do not destroy Christ Jesus, that put spiritual working for
the grace of Christ, for the works of the spirit do not destroy Christ;
for where the works of the spirit are, there is the grace of Christ
Jesus; and none own Christ, but who are in the works of the spirit,
and his graces; and they destroy Christ, and deny him, that are out of
the works of the spirit, and his graces are spiritual workings.
P. He saith, ' The sight of the Godhead without faith in Christ, is
the foundation of all false worships,' &c. See same page.
A. Can any have a sight of the Godhead, and not see Christ and
have faith in Christ? And who have faith in Christ, do they not see
that the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him ? And were not their
minds turned from that of God in them (which declared the in
visible things of him from the creation, even his eternal power and
godhead) whom the apostle found fault with? Let all examine and
judge, and read the scripture, Rom. i. and try.
P. He saith, 'Obedience to Christ within is a sentence of the law,
not of grace, and denying Christ, overwhelming the afflicted in sorrow
without hope, and turning the feet of the lame out of the way.' And
bids beware of such doctrine, &c. See page 12.
A. If so, people must beware of the doctrine of the apostle who told
them to whom he preached, ' Christ was in them except they were
reprobates.' And Christ was within them ' the hope of glory.' They
turn people out of the way who keep them reprobates, without hope,
and it is a denying of Christ, not to preach Christ within, and a keep
ing people under the law, which Christ is the end of. And where
Christ within is, there is obedience, which is the end of the law, and
there is grace.
P. He saith, ' The justification and redemption by obeying the light
within, appears to his understanding to be a mystery of iniquity,' &c.
See page 13.
A. Thy understanding must come to nought, for he that believeth
is justified from all things, and comes not into condemnation, and he
hath the witness in himself. And that lets him see his redeemer, his
mediator, and saviour, the light, which, walking in, he is cleansed
from all sin, and so no mystery of iniquity, for the mystery of iniquity
is out of the light: none sees justification and redemption but with the
light within, which comes from Christ who hath enlightened him,
P. He saith, ' The ministration of grace cannot be known by the
Vol. III. 15

118
light which Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the
world withal,' &c. See page 14.
A. Contrary to John, who saith, ' As many as receiveth him, to them
he gives power to become the sons of God;' and no one knows the
ministration of grace, but by the light which comes from Christ the
covenant of grace.
P. He saith, ' None can know the mystery of God in Christ with
the light in them,' &c. See page 14.
A. Which is contrary to scripture, ' I will give him for a covenant,
for a light to the Gentiles, he shall be my salvation to the ends of the
earth,' saith the Lord. So as this was the salvation, it gives the know
ledge of the mystery of salvation; the light that shines in the heart
gives ' the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ Jesus,' who is the mystery that shines in the heart of them that
believe in it; and them that do not, are condemned with the light. And
so they are reproved with the spirit of truth, which leads the disciples
into all truth, which spirit the world cannot receive, for they do not
receive the light, and so are not like to receive the spirit of truth.
P. He saith, ' The light of Christ (In natural man) knows nothing
of the spirit,' &c. And ' the scripture was the image of Christ with
out,' &c. See page 14.
A. Scriptures without are writings, and endure not for ever, but the
power, Christ the power of God, endures for ever. And whoever is
in the light, cometh to know Christ in the spirit, him who is the life.
And it leads the natural man from his natural state, that believes in it;
for all by nature are the children of wrath: those who believe in it, it
leads from the nature, and from the wrath, and these are made free
from the wrath to come; and they that believe not in the light are re
proved by the spirit; and that which reproves them is manifest to them,
and so they know it.
P. He saith, ' To affirm the light in the conscience (which we
say is the light of Christ) to be the way or guide to Christ, whereto
only we should attend, is a darksome, fleshly, and most legal princi
ple,' and calls it ' the grave wherein Christ is buried,' &c. See page 15.
A. This is contrary to Christ's doctrine, who saith, ' He that be
lieves in the light shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.'
And he that does believe in the light, hath entered into his rest and
come to the sabbath, out of the grave, out of the legal, and out of the
fleshly, and out of condemnation. And none come to the son Christ,
but they who come to the light which comes from him, who hath
enlightened them with it.
P. And again he saith, ' To say the light in every man is Christ the
redeemer, is a two-fold error,' &c. See same page.

119
A. Contrary to John, who saith, ' This is the true light which doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world.' And 'he was in
the world, and the world knew him not.' So he shows himself to be
one of the stock of the world, that know not him that was and is in
them, the light of the world. He that believeth in the light hath the
light of life, and he that receiveth the light, receiveth Christ the re
deemer. And he that receiveth Christ, receiveth his spirit. And he
that receiveth not the light that he is enlightened withal, receiveth not
his redeemer, but hates him: it is his condemnation, and he is in the
error. P. He saith, 'The light within was not given for righteousness,
neither could it reveal or give life,' &c. See page 16.
A. Contrary to Christ, who saith, ' He that believes in the light
shall have the light of life.' So thou art unskilful in the word and
doctrine of Christ; and Christ within is given for righteousness; who
reveals the Father and gives life, and they that have not Christ the
light within, are reprobates.
P. He saith, * The light within knows nothing of the precious gospel
mystery.' See page 16.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who said the light that shined in their
hearts should ' give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ Jesus;' and the light within comes from the mystery, and is of
the mystery itself, and lets see the precious mystery which none
knows but with the light within. And so the God of the world hath
blinded thy mind, and thou hast showed thyself that thou art of them
that hate the light, and come not to it; for he that comes to it, comes
to the mystery, for the least light of Christ in man is of the mystery,
and comes from the mystery.
P. He saith, ' It is an error to say Christ came to redeem Israel
from the law without, to establish the work within and law in the
conscience, in obedience unto which men come to be redeemed,' &c.
See page 16.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who preached the redemption, and esta
blished the law in the heart; and Christ is within, who redeems men
from' under the law, who is the end of it; and the word of faith is in the
heart; and they that have not this are in the error, though they may
talk of Christ.
P. He saith, 'It is the divinity of sophisters, and a blotting out of
the glory of the grace of Christ, to set forth Christ as a lawgiver, and
worker in us,' &c. See page 17.
A. But I say, none know him as a mediator and a lawgiver, nor
an offering, nor his blood that cleanseth them, but as Ihey know him

120
working in them, and their divinity is in the sophistry that know not
the glory of the grace of Christ working in them.
P. He saith, ' A man shall not see himself dead and buried with
Christ, and raised up with Christ, by any work or obedience to Christ
within,' &c. See page 18.
A. 'He that believes hath the witness in himself;' and there is the
work within, and that is the work of God: and faith is wrought within.
And this is contrary to self, for it gives victory over it, and teacheth
to deny self. So see how thou confounds thyself; and ' he that believes is
past from death to life,' and ' they that are dead with Christ seek those
things that are from above.'
P. He saith again, ' The light within is the spirit of the world,' &c.
See page 18.
A. Contrary to John's doctrine, who saith, ' he was in the world,
and the world knew him not;' neither do your worldly spirits know
him now, as the world's spirit knew him not then; and the world hates
the light, and darkness cannot comprehend it, though it shines in
darkness. And here thou art meddling with things that are too heavy
for thee, and the corner-stone falls atop of thee, and the light that en
lighteneth every one that cometh into the world, was before the spirit
of the world was.
P. He saith, ' That they that affirm the light in every man that
condemns for sin, to be Christ the redeemer, have set up an idol,' &c.
See page 19.
A. Doth not Christ say, ' I am the light of the world,' which is ' the
true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' who is
the redeemer and the salvation to the ends of the earth ? And he that
receiveth it receiveth Christ. And is not this it that brings off from
all idols ? And are not they setting up idols, that are from the light?
And doth not Christ the light come to condemn sin in the flesh? And
is that the idol? How dare thou say so! He was manifest in the flesh,
to condemn sin in the flesh ; and he saith, ' I am the light,' and that is
not an idol.
P. He saith, ' Christ comes not down in spirit into our persons to
redeem, but to manifest the redemption;' and saith, 'he cometh the
second time without sin unto salvation,' &c. See page 21.
A. The apostle bids them ' work out their salvation with fear and
trembling.' And Christ brings not peace on earth, but a sword, and
judgment, and comes to make blind, who is the redemption, and makes
it manifest by his spirit, and whose light doth condemn him that
hates it, because he will not have that which manifests salvation. And
whosoever knoweth redemption, knoweth it to be manifest in him from
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121
P. He saith, ' They who had the light within, and pierced into the
invisible things, and eternal power and godhead, had but the wisdom
of this world,' &c. page 23.
A. And so he would make the light of Christ the wisdom of this
world; which light cometh from Christ the wisdom of God. The wis
dom of the world, cannot pierce into the eternal power and godhead.
P. He saith, ' The light within denies all things that God hath done
for us in Christ, which hath no glory, but spreads a veil over,' &c.
page 25.
A. None know what God hath done for us, nor see the glory in
Christ, but by the light which comes from him, 'who worksallboth in
us and for us, according to his good will and pleasure,' and brings not to
deny what God worketh in us. And they nullify it that are against
his light, and are against his glorious person; for the light that is within
lets see his glory.
P. He saith, ' Obedience to the light within is another atonement,
and a denying the atonement of Christ,' and calls it ' a mystery of ini
quity.' See page 2S.
A. None know the atonement of Christ but by the light within, and
all are in the mystery of iniquity that are out ofthe light which cometh
from Christ, the covenant of God to Jews and Gentiles; and that 'gives
them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ Jesus.' Mark! he saith, the light is that which gives the know
ledge; and the light within. doth not set up another atonement; but they
that deny the light within set up another atonement than Christ.
P. He saith, ' To obey the law within,' (which we say is the law of
the spirit of life, which makes free from sin and death,) in this, he
saith, ' we agree with the Papists and Pagans.' See page 30.
A. Now in this thou mayst see where thou art, out of the apostles'
doctrine. And neither thou, nor the Papists, nor Pagans own us in
this, that we should be made free from the law of sin and death while
we are upon the earth. And here the blood of Jesus is witnessed, and
the atonement, and the Father and the son; and this is all seen with
the light within.
, P. He saith, 'he began by faith to behold the love, joy, and re
demption prepared for him, before any evil or good was done by him,'
&c. page 37.
A. Dost not thou say, thou beheld it by faith ? And now is not the
work good to behold by faith ? And doth not that give victory over the
evil ? And doth not that do good that beholds by faith ? And so what
is not of faith is sin.
P. He saith, 'He is in heavenly places, and yet in the shadow of
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122
A. He that is in heavenly places is in Christ Jesus, is a new crea
ture: and ' he that believeth in the light, shall not abide in darkness;'
so comes out of shadows. And he that believeth, abideth not in con
demnation, and so comes out of the shadow of death, though they have
sat in the shadow of death before belief, and comes out of the earth.
So thou hast proved thyself not a true believer, who comes out of the
shadow and death.
P. He saith, 'To purify the members, as reckoning it our redemption,
our righteousness, all such purity is sin, blindness, and idolatry,'
page 40.
A. The apostle calls Christ our redemption, and our sanctification,
and our righteousness; and so we can truly say ' Christ is ours,' and are
no idolaters. And they that cannot say Christ is their sanctification,
redemption, righteousness, and mortification, are in idolatry and sin.
P. He saith, ' The way to attain the spirit of Christ, is not by waiting
on the light within,' &c. See page 52.
A. Christ saith, 'Believe in the light, that ye may be children of
the light;' and he that is a child of the light cometh to the birth born
ofthe spirit. And Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into
the world; and 'as many as received him,. he gave them power to be
come the sons of God.' And none hear faith, but who hear the light
within, which is, Christ within, who is the author of it, by which the
spirit is received.
P. He saith, 'That doctrine or spirit that calls to the light within,
doth but build up the worship ofthe world,' &c. page 53.
A. Contrary to the apostle, who said, the light that ' shined in their
hearts' would give them ' the light of the knowledge of God in the
face of Christ Jesus.' And Christ saith, 'they that worship God, must
worship him in truth.' And he is the light, and he is the truth, that
enlighteth every man that comes into the world, and this throws down
all the worship ofthe world. And I say, none come out of the worships
ofthe world, and the doctrines of the world, but who come to the light
wherewith Christ hath enlightened every man, &c. lhat shines in the
darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not.
P. He saith, ' To believe in God as the light within men, redeeming
from sin, is to deny the witness of the son, and have neither son nor
Father,' &c. page 54.
A. I say, none own the witness of the s/n, but who own the light
which comes from the son, with which they are enlightened ; nor none
know the Father nor the son, nor receive them, but who receive the
light which Christ the son hath enlightened them withal, nor know
God to be a saviour but by the light within.
P. He saith, ' They that seek for righteousness by obedience to the

123
light within, differ nothing from the Jews, but only iri the copies of
the law,' &c. See page 56.
A. None see the obedience of Christ the second Adam, the end of
the law, and copies of it, but with the light within, which comes from
Christ Jesus, that brings in righteousness, and ends sin and transgression,
who is the end of the righteous law, with which light man sees the
weakness and unprofitableness of it, and the types and the shadows of
it, which Christ is known in the light within, who ends it.
P. He saith, ' To rest in hope that I am saved from sin and wrath by
the blood of Christ the head, and while conscience condemns for sin,
this is to hope against hope,' &c. See page 57.
A. Such as are saved from the wrath by Christ the head, and his
blood, they are saved from their sins. And then they that are saved
from their sins, how can conscience condemn, and the wrath come
upon them for sin; and they that are saved from the wrath, are saved
from their sins. But where conscience doth condemn for sin, there is
wrath; and such cannot witness a cleansing, nor salvation wrought out,
nor a being saved from sin, but are in the false hope, and not in the
true hope which goes against hope, for the true hope is Christ within.
P. Thou speaks of ' Christ's working and giving an example,' &c.
page 67.
A. Yet thou and the rest are offended at those people that are called
Quakers, who say Christ was their example. And so ye can allow
what ye speak yourselves; but if another speak the same words, it is an
offence to you.
P. He saith, ' Such as preach redemption by the light in every man,
are not of God,' &c. See page 70.
A. The redemption is of Christ the light, that doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world; and every man that cometh into the
world that seeth his redemption, it is by the light, which he that doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world hath enlightened him
with, which is Christ the redeemer, the saviour* the second Adam, the
way to the Father, who shall make every tongue to confess him to the
glory of God; but thou that hatest the light art condemned.
P. He saith, ' Not the light in every man, but the words of the pro
phets and apostles, is that which leads to the Lord Jesus,' &c. See
page 82.
A. Many may have the words of the prophets and apostles, but
none come to that which leads to the Lord Jesus, but who come into
the light and life that the prophets and apostles were in, which Christ
Jesus is the end of, ' who doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world,' Therefore every man that cometh into the world must
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124
come to the end of the prophets, and the apostles, Christ Jesus, the
Lord of life arid glory.
P. He saith, 'The scriptures are the image of Christ; and he that
seeks for God out of the humanity of Christ, he shall lose both God
and himself,' &c. See page S2.
A. The scriptures are writings, and the writings will not endure for
ever; and the image of Christ is the image of God. And all who are
in the life that gave forth scriptures, are in the image of Christ, which
was before scripture was; and all that have the scriptures out of the
life that gave them forth, they have not the image. And he that is out
ofthe truth may have the scriptures; but all are out ofthe image, who
are out of the truth ; but who are in the truth, are in the image. And
' God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.' And ' who
knows the son, knows the Father.' And he that hath found the son,
hath found the Father also. Arid he that seeks after God out of Christ,
shall never find him.
And as for the rest of thy lies and slanders in thy book, and unsa
voury expressions, which are not worthy of mentioning* upon thy own
head they will come one day, and thy words shall be thy burthen.

Jeremiah Ives' book, called ' Innocency above Impudency, or the
strength of Righteousness exalted above the Quakers' weakness
and wickedness.' His principles follow.
P. He saith, ' It is a rare thing to see any of the seed of the devil
grown up to that degree of impudence, to charge a man, that he hath
done that which he never did do,' &c.
A. The seed of the devil always said that which was not true, so
not a rare thing to find them; for the devil and his seed are out of the
truth, and when he speaks a lie, he speaks of himself, and so speaks a
thing that is not, and there thou art.
P. He saith, ' The apostle in his catalogue ofthe evils of the times,'
&c. Page 1.
A. Is it not better to call the scripture a declaration, (as they call
themselves,) than to call them a catalogue? And some of you will say
it is a history, and some a catalogue; and again ye will say, it is the
word of God, whereas the scriptures of truth are words, and God is the
word; and thou art in the evil time, out of the good, and thy time and
day are evil.
P- He saith, ' The Quakers give that name (as quaking,) to them-

125
selves, and others do not give it them as a nick name,' &c. See
page 2.
A. The first that ever I heard them called Quakers, and that name
given to them, was by one Gervase Bennet in Darby, a persecutor'
called a justice of peace: though many years before the power of the
Lord was witnessed, yet I never heard them have that name of
Quakers given, before that corrupt justice gave it them, and misnamed
them so, and in scorn called them so, and thou art one of his scholars.
But quaking and trembling we own, though they in scorn call us so;
and the salvation wrought out with fear and trembling we witness.
P. He saith, ' The devil speaks truth sometimes,' &c. Page Z.
A. Christ saith, ' He was a liar from the beginning; and when he
speaks a lie, he speaks of himself,' and hath no truth in him; and so
he cannot speak truth as it is in him. And the greatest professors upon
the earth are in the situation of the devil that speaketh the words of
truth, but not as being in it, as Christ said to the Jews, ' they were of
their father the devil,' they spoke of themselves. So they that speak
the scriptures but not by the spirit that they did that spake them
forth, they speak of themselves, as the devil doth that abode not in the
truth, ' but was a liar from the beginning.' And thus the truth com
prehended it. For it is one thing to speak the truth in the truth, and
to be in it, (for he speaks not of himself, but the truth in him ;) but it is
another thing to speak of themselves, and there thou art.
P. He chargeth us, ' whether ever any gave worse words to us than
we did to others,' &c. page 9.
A. To speak truth is not to give bad words, to tell a Cain, he is a
Cain, an Esau, he is an Esau, an Ishmael, he is an Ishmael, or a wolf,
he is a wolf; and to tell evil beasts they are evil beasts, that are worse
than the common beasts. And to say, the greedy dogs that can never
have enough, are worse than the common dogs that are biting and tear
ing; and are worse than the common beasts that feed in peace, and eat
their meat in peace. Now to speak such words and names as these to
tHem that are not so, is to give bad names, and wrong names. But the
spirit that gave forth the scriptures, gave such names to such as were
found in those steps. It gives to see now, and the whole nation may
witness, that Friends may answer to his challenge; the jails and courts
show the greediness of such, and their persecution, and their malice
against the lambs; and so the saints in the spirit give them their pro
per names, according to their properties, among which names thou art
found. P. He saith, ' Much of the scriptures may be understood without the
spirit,' &e, page 12.
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126
A. The scriptures were given forth from the spirit of God, and they
are the things of God, and the words of God, and they are not known
nor understood, but by the spirit of God, for there is a spiritual under
standing. Neither can they understand any of the scripture of truth
which cannot be broken, but by the spirit of God within that gave
them forth, which is of God of whom they were learned.
P. He saith, ' Christ was not a minister of the circumcision,' &c.
See page 14.
A. The apostle said, they were ' circumcised with a circumcision
made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh;'
they were circumcised with the spirit. But who was the minister of
this circumcision? For the apostle saith, it was the circumcision of
Christ. Col. ii. 11. And again the apostle said, 'We are the cir
cumcision, that worship God in spirit, and have no confidence in the
flesh.' P._He saith, 'What man in his right wits would say a wilderness
was a city,' &c. page 14„
A. When the people have transgressed the law of God, they are
erred from his ways, they are become a wilderness, and bear the fruit
of brambles and briars, not seeing any way to get out, till the Lord's
mercy be manifested to them; which is further than the law'of justice.
And thou hast not seen thy wits' end yet, nor seen the wilderness in
thy heart fenced, though a city; and the children of Israel were called
a wilderness, in transgression, though in cities.
P. He saith, ' he can tell things to come without the spirit of God.'
And that ' the Pharisees could tell by. the skies what shPttld be the
weather, and what the days should bring forth, and this without the
spirit of God,' &c. page 15.
A. That which gives to understand the creation, and the altering
and changing ofthe creation, either in weather or days, is the wisdom of
God; and his spirit, by which all things were made, knows these things
in the truth; Who counts the stars, and numbers them in their kind;
who 'sets the sun to rule the day, and the moon to rule the night.'
Now who understands these things aright, it is by the spirit of wisr
dom; and there may be a wilful rejecting, and a having these things
in the form, yet not a knowing them in truth, and so Christ calls
these hypocrites. And a man may know things by the spirit, and
go into error from the spirit, and then hold them in his memory.
P. He saith, ' Every man that cometh into the world hath not the
light of Christ in him,' &c. page 16.
A. ' This is the true light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world;' and it ' shines in the darkness, and the darkness com-

127
prehends it not.' Now this light reproves where it is come to; where
men hate it because their deeds are evil, it is, their condemnation. And
so, is not that which reproves them, in them; which makes manifest
the heart ? and are not those that quench the spirit, the wicked ? and
those that are led by the spirit, are not those the good ? And are not
here both good and bad ? Thou art that darkness that John speaks of,
that cannot comprehend the light which shines in darkness, like the
Pharisees. P. He saith, ' There may be a light to convince people of sin, and
yet hot within them.'
A. There is no people convinced of sin, but they are convinced
within themselves, and with the light within them; and it is the light
that makes manifest to a man when he is convinced: it answers to
something, and reaches lo something in their particulars, though the
words be spoken without them from the light.
P. ' That every man in the world should- not have his sins pardoned,'
&c. page 1 7. *<
A. Christ gave himself, his body, for the life of the world;' he was
the offering for the sins of the whole world, ahd paid- the debt, and
made satisfaction, and doth 'enlighten every man that comes into the
world, that all through him might believe;' and he that doth not be^
lieve in the offering is condemned already.
P. He saith, ' It is an error to say that every man hath a light within
him, to teach him to worship God,' &c. page 18.
A. Every man that cometh into the world has a light from Christ
Jesus the truth; being in the light which Christ Jesus the truth hath
enlightened him withal, and walking in it, he shall worship God aright
in the truth, and come into that the devil is out of, and worship God in
the spirit. But none worship God aright but they who are in the light
which Christ hath enlightened every man with that cometh into the
world ;. for who is in the light, is in the truth, for it is truth ; and all
other worships out of the light are as the devil is, and there thou art,
condemned with the light.
P.. He saith, ' that the error he chargeth us with, is, to say that
the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
is within every man,' &c. page 19.
A. In which he shows his ignorance of the scriptures: 'I will give
him for a covenant of light to the Gentiles,' a leader unto them; 'and
a. new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah,' and this covenant
was written in their hearts. And as I said before, the light shines in
darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not: and where the light
shines out of darkness, it shines in the heart. He that hates the light

128
is enlightened, and he that loves it; and it reproves the evil deeds of
him that hates it.
P. He saith, ' It is miserable darkness to direct people to the light
within them,' &c. page 26.
A. Which was the apostle's doctrine; he was sent to turn people
from the darkness to the light. And he told people, that the light
that shined in their hearts would ' give them the light of the know
ledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus!' And Christ bade
them 'walk in the light, and believe in it:' and they are in miserable
darkness that do not.
P. He saith, ' It is a known error, to say, that a man was in hell, and
in heaven,' &c. See page 21.
A. In this he shows his ignorance of scripture; for it gives testimony
of men that witnessed that they had been in hell, in the nethermost
hell; and witnessed again they were in heaven, and 'sat in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus;' and such were in heaven as are spoken of in
the Revelations.
P. ' It is an error to say they have perfection, and they themselves
not perfect, &c. And to say they have communion with the body and
blood of Christ at the Gentiles' table,' &c. page 23.
A. There are many of the servants and children of God, whose meat
and drink are the body and blood of Christ, who come among the
Gentiles and their tables, to witness against them ; yet nevertheless
they have communion with the body and blood of Christ. And many
may witness Christ the perfection, in words, though they are not in it,
as the whole world do; yet who are in Christ, are in the spirit, and
are perfect. So that it is one thing to be in the thing, and another
thing to have sight of the thing, and another thing to profess the thing
without the sight. Yet I say, the sight that seeth Christ is perfect, and
sees perfection ; and the faith is perfect, whereby he cometh to the
knowledge ofthe son of God, and to the measure of the stature of the
fulness of Christ.
P. He saith, ' The writings of the scriptures may be burned, but the
word of God contained in them cannot be burned,' &c. page 34.
A. If he had said, the word that it speaks of, or testifies of, he had
spoken properly, like scripture: but to say the word is contained in the
writing, while the writing saith it testifies of Christ the word, is not to
speak properly. And here is a proof to thee, that the Quakers are sent
of God, who speak to thee of the scriptures rightly, as they are.
P. He saith, 'It is a lie, to say every man hath the light of Christ,'
&c. page 44.
A. Contrary to John, who saith, ' Every man that cometh into the
world is enlightened.' And ' as many as receiveth him, to them he

129
gives power to become the sons of God? And 'he that believes in
the light, shall not abide in darkness, hut shall have the light of life,'
and so it is sufficient. And < he that doth not believe, is condemned
already;' and he hath itto believe in, or to condemn him.
P. He saith, ' Thousands stumble because they have no light in
them,' &c. page 44.
A. They are such as hate it, and do not receive it which hath en
lightened them, and not walking in it, it is their condemnation ; a;
it shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not: a:
so they are in darkness, and here is the unregenerate state.
P. He saith, ' The Pharisees were far enough from having the king.
dom of heaven within,' &c. page 45. !
A. Contrary to Clirist's words, who said, it was within them.
P. He saith, ' It is a notion to say, the light of Christ is in every!
one,' &c. page 47.
A. Whiclos contrary to John's doctrine. It is not a strange thing to
the saints for these priests and teachers to question the light that doth/
enlighten every man that cometh into the world ; for the Jews, priests/
and Levites stumbled at it in the days of John, and it set them all in ar.
uproar as it does you ; and they examined and questioned John, arid
he said, 'This is the true light that lighteth every man that cometn
into the world, that all men through him might believe.' \
P. He saith, ' None were ever baptized intd the name of the Father)
son, and holy ghost, that were not baptized with water,' &c. Seeij
page 52.
A. Where was Matthew, or Mark, or Luke, or John baptized? and
many more whom the apostle said, he thanked God he had not bap
tized, &c. although he had begotten many? Baptizing is making dis
ciples to the Lord Jesus, and baptizing them into his name, thai is, his
power. And he told the saints they were baptized with one spirit
into one bpdy, and said that he thanked God he had baptized but a few
[viz. with water.] But he told of the spirit's baptism, and brought
the saints off from things thatwere seen; and water is seen and its bap
tism. And as for all thy rabble from thy contentious spirit, and thy
railings, and unsavoury expressions, they will turn home upon thyself;
and thy own words will be thy burthen; and the witness in thy con
science will answer in the day of thy judgment. .

130

Francis Harris' book, called ' Queries to the Quakers,' fyc. His
principles follow.
P. Thou sayst, ' Do not these people that pretend to the light,
Stumble at noon day as in the night, and there is no gospel light, we
mean of the revealed and written gospel light, in them ?' &c. See
page 9.
A. The gospel light is -that which doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world: and they who hate it neglect the gospel light,
and receive not the power from God which is the gospel; for the gos
pel light is Christ Jesus, that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world. And they that walk in this light stumble not; they
stumble that are out of the light, which light is the way to the Father.
And many may have the written words, yet be out of the gospel light,
and the power of God which is the gospel, (as Rom. i.) Which brings
people where the sheep lie down at noon day.
P. He saith, ' What did Christ mean when he bid people search the
scriptures, or Peter when he called the scriptures the sure word of
prophecy, the light shining in the dark place? And yet scripture with
out is a dead letter,' &c. See page 12.
A. And yet they call it the light, and the word, which is ' a dead
letter.' Christ bids the professors of scripture to search it, that thought
to have had life in it, not that they should find life in it, but that they
should search it, and see how it testified of him who was the life; that
was his end. And those that were come to Christ the life, were come
to him the scriptures testified of, as John i. : ' We have found him of
whom Moses and the prophets wrote.' And those were they that were
come from John; the others were they that stuck in John, and came
not to the life, but went to the scriptures to have had. life in the scrip
tures, and came not to him the scriptures testified of, but persecuted
him. And Peter means as he speaks; he tells them of the sure word
of prophecy,' and bids them take heed to it, ' as unto a light that
shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in their
hearts.' He doth not say, ' this is the scriptures without;' which thou
sayst, are ' a dead letter.' How can that which is dead, shine ?
P. He saith, 'Doth not this draw people to gross idolatry; to bid
people take heed to the light in you, which you call the pure 'light
of God; not the light of nature? And whether you do not delude peo
ple, by saying there is a pure light of God and Christ in every man and
woman by nature,' &c. See page 14. 17.
A. The light which enlightens every man, &c. leads from all idolatry:
for all that are out of the light, that enlightens every man that comes

131
into the world, are in the idolatry. And every man that comes into
the light which he is enlightened with, is in that which was before
any natural lights were: and the natural lights are the sun, the moon,
and the stars. And they delude and deceive people that say, the light
which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world is a natural
light, and they keep people in idolatry; and so shut up the kingdom
against men, and go not in themselves, nor suffer others; for all idolatry
is out of the light.
P. He saith, ' To be carried up to the power, and to the spirit
which resembles fire, whether this be not antichrist like a Lamb; to
call fire from heaven to come down in the sight of men ? And whether
the power be from God or from satan, that brings people into a trem
bling and shaking like Belshazzar,' &c. See page 20, 21.
A. That power was not of satan that broke down the head of gold
and the breasts of silver, neither was that power of satan that made
Belshazzar to shake and quake: and that power all must know, before
the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men. And to be carried up
by the power and spirit of God, is not antichrist, nor is as the beast
which, with his lying wonders, caused fire to come down from heaven,
for the power, the spirit of God fathoms all such things; and saw those
were the spirits that were erred from the apostles, and the life they
lived in, that did so.
P. He saith, « The most righteous man falls seven times a day, the
scripture tells us.' See page 22.
A. The scripture doth not speak any such thing as ' seven times a
day,' but it saith, ' the just man falleth seven times, and riseth again,
but the wicked fall into mischief.'
P. He saith, ' such as have fasted till their neighbours who lived
nigh them have not known them ; they have been as though they had
been come out of the jaws of death: whether this be not as the Phari
sees, and an occasion to satan ?' &c. See page 24.
A. What would ye have said to David in his days, when he fasted
till he might number his bones, and was a stranger to all his acquaint
ance? was this as hypocrites fast? And because some now, by the
same power, are moved of the Lord so to do, is this like the Pharisees
that appear to do so? Have not all ministers and teachers showed their
ignorance of the scriptures, and the life- that gaye them forth, and to
be such as cannot divide the word aright, nor speak a word in season ?
But they are rather such as burthen and oppress the just, whereby the
poor groan and cry; not distinguishing between the fasting of the ser
vants of God, arid those that appeared to fast. So in this you show that
you put no difference between the precious and the vile, and are not
able to judge of things that differ; so are judged with that which doth

132

put a difference in things that differ. And David was a wonder to his
neighbours.

Francis Higginson' s book, called ' A Brief Relation of the Reli
gion ofthe Northern Quakers' His principles follow.
P. He saith in his epistle, ' The great number that are fallen away
from the word of God.'
A. The falling away from the word of God was before the apostles'
decease, and the world is since gone after you and them that are fallen
away; and so you put the letter for the word, the scriptures which are
words, and so run into all opinions and sects. But now are people
coming to the light, and so to the word Christ Jesus, him by whom
the world was made; from you apostates, to the word and the apostles,
are we come.
P. Again he saith, « I do not detest PPpery itself more heartily than
I do your religion, Quakers,' &c.
A. I do believe thee, for Popery itself is thy stock: the tithes, the
universities, the steeple-houses, mass-houses. So I know thou must
be a friend to Popery, and detest us before thou canst Popery; the
kingdom would otherwise be divided against itself, and then it were not
like to stand. But Popery and you have come up in the apostacy
since the days of the apostles, and so with the power of God ye are
denied. P. He again saith, 'Beware of false prophets; for there shall arise
false prophets, and false Christs, and if it were possible, they should
deceive the very elect.' Matt. vii. and Matt. xxiv.
A. . Christ said they should come, and that they should be ' inwardly
ravening Wolves,' but would be clothed with the sheep's clothing; he told
his disciples this, and before the disciples' decease they saw that they
were come, the false prophets and the antichrists, as in 1 John ii. 4.
which went from them. And in the Revelations he saith, 'all the world
went after them:' all ' the world wandered after the beast,' and the
false prophets. And the beast had power over all nations, and kindreds,
and tongues, and peoples. And the beast and false prophet made war
against the saints, and overcame them. And so you false prophets and
antichrists have had the sheep's clothing, but have been the wolves,
ravening and devouring the lambs. Ye could not have deceived, if ye
had not had the sheep's clothing upon you: and so the beast hath his
names, which hath had power over all nations, kindreds, and tongues.
So the beast and Whore have been upon your tongues, (which makes

133
you orthodox men,) which John calls waters: here have been the beast
and his names, who have had power over all nations. And all na
tions have drunk of the cup of the mother of harlots, the great whore;
the inhabitants of the earth are drunk with the wine of her fornication;
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her; and
she sits upon the waters, and the waters are peoples, and tongues, and
nations, and multitudes. You have told the poor people long, that
the false prophets are but now come, and the antichrists are but now
come, and bid them come to Matt. vii. and Matt. xxiv. and so have
showed your ignorance of the scriptures, which say they were before
the apostles' decease, as in the first epistle of John; they went forth
from the apostles; these were the false prophets, antichrists, and false
spirits, which Christ said should come, and the world since has gone
after them. Npw doth your ignorance of the scriptures appear, and that
your are not men able to divide the word aright. The discerning now is
risen among people, that they begin to see and know who divides the
word aright. Arid to bid people go to Matt, vii. and Matt. xxiv. and
say false prophets should come, all this hath been but for pretence.
Now we see you to be one with those John spoke of when he said,
' they were come, and all that dwelt upon the earth went after them.'
Ye have had the form of godliness, but the power hath been denied;
and so you have burst into names, and heaps, and sects. But now are
the vials, and thunders, and plagues, and trumpets sounding and going
forth, and the seven woes going out: and now are the kings of the earth,
and false prophets, and antichrists, and the mother of harlots, and the
beast, and his names and horns, gathering together, with the old de
ceiver the devil, to battle against the Lamb, and the saints of the
Lamb. But the Lamb and the saints have got the victory, and the
rivers of living waters are opening to all that thirst. Sing and rejoice,
let us give glory to God, for now is the marriage of the Lamb come.
P. Again thou makes a great pudder, ' that any one should witness
he is equal with God,' &c. page 2.
A. In acatechism ofthe assembly ofthe priests (called divines) which
they put forth to. the nation, they have laid down, (for young children,
and old men ahd all to learn,) ' that the holy ghost and the son are equal
in power and glory with the Father.' Yet if any come to witness the
son revealed in them, or come to witness the holy ghost in ihem, as they
that gave forth scriptures; or witness the mind of Christ, and witness
that which is equal with the Father, that equality which you speak of,
you priests destroy that which you have put forth to the nation, and
cry out ' horrid blasphemy.' And thus ye confound that which you
have set up, and kill that which ye have begotten.
P. He saith, 'I shall mention their errors, 1. They hold their
Vol. III. 17

134
speakings are a declaration of the word Christ in them. 2. That the
letter of scripture is carnal. 3. That Jesus Christ is come in their flesh,
that he is in them as man. 4. And that the scriptures are not the
written word of God. 5. That the soul is a part of God, or a divine
essence. 6. That they enjoy God here, and Christ here. 7. And
attain to a state of perfection. 8. That sprinkling of infants is a mark
ofthe beast. 9. And our church, and worship, and temple, are idols'
temples, and beast-houses. 10. And not to be called of men master.
11. And the not speaking to a single person in the plural number,' &c.
These he calls errors.
A. AH your temples set up (imitating the temple SolomPn built) since
the days ofthe apostles, are idols, for God never commanded them. And
have not the Papists had them ? And have they notbeen mass-houses,
and beast-houses, and are they not such ? Is God worshipped in temples
made with hands ? Is not he worshipped in the spirit and in the truth ?
And the scriptures are wordsof the prophets, and apostles, andChrist; they
are words, and so calledin the scripture; they are not called the written
word, but words, and Christ, the word, cometh to fulfil them. And all you
that do not speak from Christ the word in you, if your declaration be not
from it, you are the spirits gone put into the world, apostatized from the
spirit that was in the prophets,Christ,and the apostles. The letter is writ
ten in paper and ink. Now paper and ink are not spiritual, but that which
it speaks of is spiritual. And 'thou' to one, and 'you' toone,makes it appear
that neither thou nor you ever learned your accidence yet, neither are
perfect in the bible: for neither the bible nor accidence teacheth to speak
any such language as ' you' to a particular. Therefore, ye are pitiful
men to go to instruct the nations, and cannot endure sound, righteous
words, nor simplicity of speech, but stumble at it. And again, ' God
will dwell in you, and walk in you,' and 'your bodies are temples of
the holy ghost.' And 'Christ is in you except you be reprobates,' saith
the apostle. And again, 'God breathed into man the breath of life, and
he became a living soul.' For that which came out from God was
the cause that man became alive, a living soul, and is not this of
God ? And God hath all souls in his hand, and Christ is the bishop of
the soul; and is not that of God which cOmes out from God ?;; Is not that
ofhis being (who hath the soul in his hand) and so divine ? And is
not Christ in man ? And doth not Christ say they must eat his flesh ?
And how can any eat Christ's flesh, if his flesh be not in them. And doth
not the scripture say, that he was manifest in the apostles' flesh ? And
how can ye call him Christ in man, without the man be there? And as
for sprinkling infants, it is a thing which the scripture doth not hold
forth, but has been got up since the days of the apostles, it is not wit
nessed by scripture* but is a tradition of men, an invention of men; and

135
then all may see if it be not a mark of that beastly spirit that is erred
from the apostles, and out ofthe power! And Christ saith, 'Be not ye
called of men master; for ye have one master, even Christ, and ye are all
brethren.' So thou and you that oppose the commands of Christ, and
teach men to practice the contrary, are antichrists, and show yourselves
in the spirit of error, from Christ's spirit. Now let all read and see
if this man divides the word aright to people ?
P. He saith, ' They have an unction, need not that any man teach
them, and wait for the spirit lo come down upon them, by inspiration,
and give them utterance.' And saith, ' they sit silent, and not a whisper.
among them. And they do not own David's psalms to be sung.' See
. page 12, 13, these are errors, saith he.
A. Is it nqt the apostle's doctrine, that they need no man to teach
them but as the same anointing teacheth them that abide in it ? And
were not they seducers that drew people from it ? 1 John ii. And did
not the apostles wait for the receiving the holy ghost, the comforter,
the spirit of truth ? And did not the holy men of God speak as they
were moved by the holy ghost ? and so the gospel and the things of
God, were revealed to them. What they had heard, and seen, and had
revealed to them, they spoke as the spirit gave them utterance; and
prayed for a door of utterance; and others were to pray that they might
have a door of utterance given to them, when they were to preach. And
to sing David's psalms without David's spirit, is not to sing with the
understanding. Now, in all these things, have ye not showed and made
manifest that your spirits are the false spirits gone out into the world,
from the apostles' spirit, and the holy men's spirit that spoke forth the
scriptures as they were moved, and waited for the spirit, which led them
into all truth, and revealed to them the things of God? So you that are
out of this revelation, and preach against this, you have preached up
your spirits, out from the apostles; and declared your folly to all the
nation. And then because they ' wait in silence, and not a whisper
among them ;' is not that agreeable to the apostles' doctrine, and the
prophets' ? Is there not a ' learning in silence ?' And was not whisper
ing forbidden by the apostle? A°d do such things as these offend thee ?
Thou hast showed thy spirit.
P. He saith, ' They meet in the night, and make the object of their
teaching, ministers and tithes; and the pure light that is in every man
that cometh into the world. And for any man to know what is in
another, by looking at him, or upon him, or discern his soul,' this he
suspects 'to be an evil eye.' And 'that the learned men, and minis
ters, and physicians are in the power of satan,' &c. pages 16, 17, IS.
A. Here again ye have made manifest your power, who are .gone
forth from the apostles, into the mystery of iniquity, which hath long

I3('
wrought since their days. But now is the power of God made mani
fest, which breaks down the mystery of iniquity, and raiseth up the
mystery of godliness ; and of this power, neither the learned men,
physicians, nor ministers, are able to judge, but as they own Christ the
power of God. As the learned Rabbies judged of Christ, so do they
judge of the power now; so it is not strange to us. And 'the saints
met in the night, yea till midnight.' And we deny the ministry
that takes tithes, and say the priesthood is changed, and the law is
changed by which it was made; and the commandment disannuled that
gave tithes. Heb. 7. And we say Christ is come a priest after the
order of Melchisedeck, the similitude and likeness, who ends the simi
litude and likeness. In Christ is the end of similitudes and likenesses,
and of wars, in whom is peace. So no tithes are to be paid to the
similitude and likeness. But all are to come to the son, and to hear
the son, and honour the son. 'I will give him for a covenant of light
unto the Gentiles, and a new covenant to the house of Israel and the
house of Judah.' Christ told the Jews to whom he was promised, that
he was the light ofthe world; and the prophet said God would give him,
' for a covenant of light unto the Gentiles.' And Christ bid them ' be
lieve in the light,' and they should have the light of life* and should
not walk in darkness. And John saith, 'if ye walk in the light, then
haye ye fellowship one with another, and the blood of the son of God
cleanseth you from all sin.' So none come out of the darkness, and
out of the stumbling, and have peace with God, but who come to the
light. And art thou offended at this, object? Dost thou stumble at
this light? at the door, the rock, the corner-stone, splitting thyself
against it ? But it is fallen upon thy head.
Again, the spiritual man discerns and judgeth all things. And as
face answers face, so doth the spirit of the Lord in man. And man
may discern by the spirit of the Lord God, where the seed is in the
death, and where the seed is not, and where the soul is living, (in
which the Lord hath pleasure,) and where it is in the death, as the
scriptures of truth testify. The holy men of God, discern it, and ye
being ignorant of this, manifest that ye have neither salt, nor savour,
nor handling, nor tasting, nor seeing* nor feeling. But what ye know,
ye know naturally as brute beasts ; and so there is tfaa evil eye, not
having spirits of discerning and savouring. How should ye minister
unto people, to their states and conditions," if ye cannot discern the
spirits which are in them? 'How are ye ministers of the spirit? The
natural man, though he have all the natural tongues, doth not receive
the things of God, yet the natural man may get the letter: and if he
have not the spirit that gave it forth, he is not a minister of the spirit,

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but of the letter, and is erred from the spirit that the apostles were in,
as you are, who have made yourselves manifest.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers will have no tools taken out of the shops
of human learning to work withal.' See page 26. Again, ' They call
our ministers state's ministers, or priests; and some of the Quakers go
naked through the streets,' &c. ,"
A. How ignorant art thou here of scripture ! will not all people here
judge thy ignorance, and your ignorance? for the scripture shows that
the Lord made his prophet Isaiah to put off hisclothes? and go naked
among the Egyptians and Ethiopeans, for a sign to them, a figure of
their nakedness: and if the Lord has made some as figures among you*
or to go naked, as a figure of your nakedness, who are of the spiritual
Egypt, and of their root, and stock; and of those false spirits that
went out into the world from the apostles : if the Lord make some as
signs among yeu of your nakedness, how you have ravened from the
spirit of God, and want the clothing of it; look upon'your own shame
that that may be covered. Are they not innocent people that go naked
among you, and that are an offence unto you, who see not your shame?
And are not ye state's ministers, made by men, and schools, and col
leges set up by the state, are not your maintenance, your tithes
from the state? And ye say ' ye never heard the voice of God, nor
Christ's voice immediately from heaven?' Whose ministers are ye
then, but state's ministers? And ye deny immediate revelation, and
inspiration. How can we say ye are ministers made' by the will of
God, when ye tell us ye never heard his voice? Or how can we say
you are ministers of Christ, while ye deny revelation and inspiration,
and immediate voice from heaven, and so know not the son and the
spirit that reveals ? As for your ' tools that come out of your shops of
human learning,' the Quakers deny your shops of tools that come
out of the human learning. ' And the scripture gives no such expres
sions as a ' shop of tools,' nor do we find that ever the prophets or
apostles had a shop of tools of human learning. But your shops of
tools of human learning have come up in the apostacy since the days
of the apostles, and these are your tools that you work with in the
apostacy. And so ye workmen will fall out with one another's work,
and with your' tools strike at one another. Ye have had a shop, that
inwardly ravened, that went forth" from the apostles, the false spirits
that went out into the world; ye have had a shop of tools with which
ye have worked, and lived in your old authors, and books, and studies,
and fathers; and so burst into many heads and heaps, one destroying
the other about his work ! All your tools ye have wrought with since
the apostacy, have been taken out of the shops of human learning,
which are earthly ; this proves ye are apostates, and the spirits that

138
are gone out into the world. And Luke saith the tongues of Hebrew,
Greek, and Latin, were set up over Christ by Pilate who crucified
him. And John saith the beast had power over all tongues, and that
the whore sits upon the tongues, and that the tongues are waters.
What! hath the beast sat upon our tongues? upon our orthodox
men, our schools, and colleges?- and doth the whore sit on our
tongues, upon the original, and upon our tools and shops? and are these
set above Christ? It is not unlike but that the beast may have
power over all these. The earth was of one language before they built
Babel, and when they imagined to build Babel, God confounded them
into many languages. 'But the life is risen, Christ Jesus, which was
before Babel was, and before Pilate was ' that set the many languages
upon him; the life is risen over them and you all, which life, Christ,
breaks to pieces both your shops and tools of human learning: and so
your glory is marred, and your pride is stained. The life is risen,
Christ the life is- risen over you. ' The merchants and the tradesmen
rage, who have long had your shops. Sing and rejoice over them, ye
saints! P. He saith, 'The apostle said, the last times would be perilous,
there should be false accusers, and fierce despisers of them that are
good.' Again he saith, 'a Turk or an Indian will deny the light with
in him.' Again, ' Christ is in heaven vvith his carnal body.' Seepage
43. 45. 48. ,
A. Christ's body is a glorified body, and the scripture nowhere says,
that Christ's body is a carnal body in heaven.
Again, the perilous times came before the apostles" decease, they
saw them that were 'false accusers, and fierce despisers of them that
were good;' they that 'had the form of godliness, but denied the
power,' that were 'lovers of themselves and covetous,' and these were
crept in before the apostles' decease; and Since the days of the apostles
the world has gone after them. So that covetous, heady, and fierce
despisers have ruled; they have been like Jannes and Jambres, who
withstood Moses, when the children of Israel were to come out of
Egypt. And so do you' withstand the truth, who are covetous and
high-minded, heady* 'fierce despisers of them that are good, having a
form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,' which are to be
turned away from; so you keep people in spiritual Egypt and Sodom.
Are ye not all covetous, and lovers of yourselves? And do not you
all deny the light ' that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,'
' Christ the power of God,' and so keep people under your teaching
all their life time, laden with their sin and divers lusts while they are
upon the earth, telling them that there is no perfection here ? That
ministry that tosseth people up and down with your slights, and wiles,

139
and windy doctrine, never makes them able to come to the knowledge of
the truth; which truth is the light that doth 'enlighten every man that
cometh into the world.' Are not ye ' fierce despisers of them that are
good ?' Hath not all the blood of the martyrs and saints, which hath
been shed since the days of the apostles, been by the stock that you
are in, who are the false spirits, erred from the true spirit that the pro
phets and apostles were in, and gone out into the world from them?
And ye confess ye have not the same infallible spirit that the pro
phets, Christ, and the apostles had: this Eaton the pastor admits. But
neither the Indians nor Turks will deny the light, that convinceth
them of sin; for to the Turks and Indians was the covenant promised,
as well as to the Jews, for they are heathen. And thus your ignorance
appears, both of the scriptures of truth and ministers of God, and with
them you are judged.
P. Priest Coale saith, ' The light which he is justified by is a created
light,' page 56.
A. Neither the scriptures of truth which the saints declared, nor
Christ, ever held forth a created light as justifying; for the saints are
justified by Christ the light, by whom all- things were created. That
light was not created, that was the saints' justification.
P. He saith, ' Who are washed from their sins by the blood of Christ,
and made priests unto God; and in this sense, if they themselves do
not once become priests, they will become companions of devils for
ever.' See page 56.
A. They that become priests to God, and are washed by the blood
of Jesus Christ, are come out of the devil's power and overcome him
by the blood of the Lamb, and own the light to be their justification,
which thou denies.
P. He tells us of ' Paul's mediate call, and that his extraordinary call
of itself had not been sufficient.'
A. The scripture tells us no such thing as Paul's mediate call; and
Paul declares himself a minister ' not of man, nor by man, hut by the
will of God,' and that was sufficient ; which call you are out of since
his days, who are called by men.
P. He saith, 'Christ doth not forbid simply to be called of men mas
ter,' &c. page 62.
A. It was Christ's command plainly to his disciples, ' Be not ye of
men called master, for ye have one master, even Christ' And thus
thou stands against Christ's doctrine and commands, and so art a trans
gressor, and an antichrist.
P. He saith, 'Christ's human nature,' &c.
A. Where doth the scripture speak of human ? where is the word
human written ? telhus that we may search for it. Now, we do not
deny that Christ, according to the flesh, was of Abraham, but deny the

140
word human. Christ's nature is not human, which is earthly, for that
is the first Adam.
P. Priest Coale saith, ' his justification is not done within him,
but without him in the court of heaven.'
A. Reprobates may talk of justification. Did not Christ work justifi
cation without them upon the earth for mankind, and brought righte
ousness ? And where Christ is made manifest within, is not their jus
tification wrought there from heaven, within? Where faith is witnessed
within, doth not that justify ? And none know justification in truth,
but where jt is wrought within. See pages 77, 78.
P. Again priest Coale saith, ' the life that he lives is a created life.'
A. So thou hast showed thyself a natural, not a spiritual man, nor a
son of God led by the spirit of God, nor in the faith; and dost not live
by faith, nor in the spirit, so hast manifested vain glory.
P. He calls ' trembling and quaking the shaking of the soul.'
A. The power of the Lord God cometh to shake down that nature
which prisons the soul, and set it free. And as for all thy other com
plaints, revilings, railings, and lies, they will turn upon thyself, and
will be hard for thee to bear: and thou shalt cry out with Cain, when
thou feelest the burthen; who are out of Christ's steps, who is 'the
light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' As in the
day of thy judgment thou shalt witness, and the witness in thy con
science shall answer.

Francis Fullwood's book, called, ' A True Relation of a Dispute.'
His principles follow-
P. He saith, 'The scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation.'
Again, ' the son in whom eternal life is, is only found in scripture, and
they are they that testify of him, and therefore eternal life is found in
scripture.' A. Many had the scriptures, but stood against the son of God.
Scriptures signify writings. The son of God is not writings. And
many may have the scriptures, and not have the son of God, and so
not eternal life. For the devil hath scripture, but hath not eternal life;
' For he that envyeth his brother, hath not eternal life abiding in him.'
So who have eternal life, they have that which the scripture speaks of,
it testifies of Christ the life, of the spirit ; they are the words given
forth by the spirit of God, and so are to be fulfilled by the same spirit
again. And the scriptures 'are able to make wise unto salvation

141
through faith in Christ Jesus.' For they were not wise unto salvation,
who had the scripture without the faith.
P. He saith, 'We attain our gospel another way than Paul did.'
And ' it is blasphemy to tell us that what ye deliver is by revelation
from heaven,' &c.
A. You, who are apostates from the apostles, have received your
gospel another way than Paul did, I do believe. And is it not blas
phemy for you to speak and preach that which ye have not received
from heaven? and so you have brought yourselves under, the curse,
and showed yourselves ministers of another gospel. For whosoever
receiveth the gospel, which is called 'the power of God,' it is imme
diate, and by immediate revelation from God. And so your gospel
which is of men and after men, is another, not the power of God re
ceived from God; for whosoever receiveth the gospel, the power of
God, must receive it immediately, for the power of God is immediate;
and that is the glad tidings to poor souls, that sets the soul free.
P. He saith, ' We claim tithes not by the law of God, but by the law
of the land, and tithes, seem to be Christ's wages, and Melchisedeck
stilj liveth to receive tithes in Christ,' &c.
A. Christ is come, and the everlasting priesthood; he ends the com
mandment that gave tithes, and the priests that took them; they end in
him who is after the order of Melchisedeck that received tithes of
Abraham, of whom Christ came according to the flesh. And Christ
doth not any where give his disciples an order to set up another law in
the nations, to give them tithes, the tithes of men's estates; so you are
none ofthe order of Melchisedeck, but are ofthe order of them which
Christ said should come, who are inwardly ravened, which John saw
were come, and went forth from them, the false spirits that went forth
into the world, into the earth; and so ye have set up tithes, temples,
schools, and priests by the pope's authority. Had ye not your ' spi
ritual courts' not long since? And was not the pope the first author of
your tithes? And are not you of that order, and far off from that spirit
that leads after the order of Melchisedeck? For none come to the
priesthood after the order of Melchisedeck, but who come to the spirit
of Christ, and these are 'kings and priests to God for ever.' So ye
have received your tithes after the order of that spirit that went forth
from the apostles into the world, into the earth, that has had the
sheep's clothing, but ravened and devoured the lambs, and worried the
sheep, the ministers, prophets, and saints. So all that are of the
royal priesthood, after the order of Melchisedeck, will see your order
to be come of the pope's stock; for the apostles and Christ did not set up
tithes.^ P. He saith, ' Baptism comes in, in the room of circumcision, and it
Vol. III. 18

142
is called the circumcision of Christ.' Again he saith, 'that thee and
thou is a custom. So if any man be contentious, we have no such
custom in the church of God.'
A. Circumcision is no where said to be a type of sprinkling infants;
and sprinkling infants is no where said to be the circumcision of Christ.
But the circumcision without, was a type of the circumcision within;
and that the apostle witnessed the fulfilling of in the spirit, and so de
nies the outward. And the baptism of John was a type of that within.
And ' you' to a particular, is your custom, and the scripture doth not
declare to us, that that custom was in the church of God. But the
apostle bid them ' keep to the form of sound words, that could not be
condemned.' Now ' you' to a particular is not a sound word, as they
can tell that have read but the bible or accidence. And no heathenish
customs come into the church of God, that will spot or wrinkle it, nor
does any thing come into it (that is the pillar and ground of truth) that
will be condemned.
P. And he tells us of a word trinity: and saith, ' The only ordinary
way to know Jesus Christ, is outward revelation; and to attain to the
knowledge of Christ is, by the scriptures; and that he may be a minis
ter of Christ, though he be partly out of Christ's doctrine, and though
he be called of men master.' He saith, ' The scripture tells us plainly,
that baptism is a christian's circumcision.' Again, ' He that saith, that
light which is in every man is sufficient to discover and lead men to
Christ, is under the darkness of his own fancy, having so far left the
true light, the word of God.'
A. The light in every man, which Christ hath enlightened him
withal, loving it and walking in it, is sufficient to discover Christ and
salvation; and they that are out of that, are in the darkness and fancy.
And as for the word trinity, that comes from the old stock, the pope ;
the scripture teacheth us no such word. And none can know Christ
by the scriptures; they testify of him, but none can know Christ bqt
by revelation. Flesh and blood had not revealed it to Peter: and the
son was revealed in the apostle. And none that deny revelation can
preach Christ in truth; and they that are ministers of Christ, are in his
doctrine. For when they are out of his doctrine and his commands,
then they are wrong ministers; for they minister not for Christ, but
preach themselves, and are antichrists and transgressors. And the
scripture nowhere says, that ' baptism is a christian's circumcision,'
as sprinkling infants ; but circumcision in the spirit, and baptism in the
spirit are all one, in which the outward ends.
And as for all thy other silly expressions published to the nation, it
had been better thou hadst kept silent, and all of you, than to have pub
lished your shame to the nation. But your folly you must bring forth,

143
to make it manifest to all men, whose eyes are opening. Are not you
in the devil's snare, who are out of the discerning? For you cannot
tell what to bring people into. Alack for you! who are hung about
with rags, and are not covered with the spirit of the Lord, but are all
from that which we are in, and so have kept people in darkness, and
not turned them to the light, being all ravened from it, and so think
there is life in the scriptures, which testify of the life! So, I say, search
them, and see if they do not testify of the life. And all your words
that ye have spoken that have not been from the life, shall be your
burthen ; the witness in thee shall answer it.

Thomas Weld, Richard Prideaux, Samuel Hammond, William
Coale, and William Durant, ministers in Newcastle. Their
book, called ' The Perfect Pharisee.' Their principles follow.
P. They say, ' if they shall say that every man hath the knowledge
of Christ by special revelation, and that immediate by the spirit, they
say that which is quite contrary to the common knowledge of thou
sands.' ,"A. All that ever come to know Christ, (you and all the people upon
the earth,) it must be by revelation ; for no man knows Christ but by
revelation. An'^ aU that ever own Christ, they must own ' the light
that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world' to be the
covenant of God; which light men are to believe in; which not believ
ing in, they are reprobated, i And I do believe you, that neither you
nor thousands apd thousands who have had the sheep's clothing upon
their backs, and so have covered the wolf with it, ever knew ' the reve
lation of the son df God;' and as none know the son of God until he be
revealed, so they have not the knowledge of him. The scriptures tes
tify of him, but they that had the scriptures knew him not* only those
who were in the light, and in the covenant. So ye have all discovered
yourselves to be in the apostacy from the apostles' spirit; and all to be
the false spirits gone out into the world, for means, for maintenance,
and are all puffed up in your pride. And that makes all your doctrine
to be so dry and so barren, there being no revelation among you, nor
any immediate speaking from God and Christ, but feeding people with
the husk, with the outside. You have here proved yourselves to be
but the wolf in the sheep's clothing, inwardly ravened from the spirit:
(but with it ye are, comprehended:) if it had not been so, you would
never have published your folly to the nation. But the spirit pf love,

144
and humility, and meekness, (which bears all things,) comes to be known
by the spirit.
P. 'For people to be led with a light within, this is to make the
scriptures useless.'
A. No; this lets all see the scriptures in their place, and the fulfil
ling of them; which were given forth lo be believed, practised, read,
and fulfilled, not for men to make a trade of them, and call people
from the light within, with which they should see the scriptures. And
none come into covenant with God, with their hearts and minds, that
they need say one to another, ' know the Lord,' that they may be al
ways living under man's teaching.
P. ' How clear (say they) the scripture is, that faith cometh by hear
ing, and not by minding the light within.'
A. Doth any man know Christ but by the light within ? And is not
Christ the word ? Can any see without the light, the word ? Doth it
not make manifest? Nay, doth it not give ' the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus?' (read 2 Cor. iv. 1.)
from whom faith comes; and so faith comes by minding the light
within, Christ, the author of it, and brings to look at him, and hear
him. P. 'And multitudes were converted by those fair epistles written by
the spirit.'
A. None are converted but who are in the spirit that gave forth
those epistles, though they may have all the epistles: for that baptizeth,
and circumciseth, and in that is the fellowship -and unity. Your con
vertings, and the Papists, have been by the epistles, out of the life,
since the days of the apostles, and so made proselytes, Pharisee-like.
People, as I said before, may get the sheep's clothirig, that ye have long
been covered with, but inwardly have been ravening Wolves, as your
fruits have declared, and the northern part ofthe nation may manifest
The witness in all your consciences shall answer for me, and let you
see that your own words are your burden; and a heavy cry will come
upon you when ye feel it, who now are fat, and full; but a day of
reckoning is coming, and inquisition is made for the blood that hath
been shed, of all the prophets, martyrs, and saints since the days of
the apostles, and the prisoning, and the persecuting by you and your
offspring got up since the days of the apostles, the false spirits that
went out into the world, that are now standing against the 'light which
doth enlighten every man that, cometh into the world.' A mark that
you are inwardly ravened, and that you are the antichrists and false
prophets! You are not like to own the light in every man, who are
ravened from it, and are turned against them that walk in the light,
and keep the testimony of Jesus. Here is the beast and the false pro-

145
phet that make war against the saints, and overcome them for a time;
but the lamb and the saints must have the victory. And you about
Newcastle, ministers and teachers, are like a heap or dunghill, sogged
and mudded; but come to the witness, else eternally you will be con
demned. P. They say, ' Blessed are they that hear the word, and keep it;
which is a word spoken and written, not the eternal word. It is a
notion of the word of God, to call the word of God a declaration. And
the holy scriptures are able to make men wise unto salvation. To the
law and testimony.'
A. To the law and to the testimony. ' The law is light,' saith Solo
mon: and 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' And
many may have the old and new testament, and yet be out of the light,
and out of the testimony, as you are, and so out of the spirit of pro
phecy. For Isaiah had the testimony, before Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John, and the revelations were written, and bid them come to the
law and to the testimony; and you that do not speak according to that
rule, it is because you hate the light in you. And Luke calls the scrip
tures a declaration, who was a minister ofthe word; and the scriptures
are the words of God, and the words of Christ, and so not the word, but
the worqls which the word Christ fulfils. So ye are men not able to
divide the word aright, nor to speak a word in season to the wearied,
but lead the halt, and lame, and blind out of the way; who for so
doing must find misery.
Again, they that hear the word of God, hear that which lives and en
dures for ever; and this word is eternal, which lives and endures for ever,
which they have within them ; and with that they see that the words,
and letters, and writings, or outward tables may be broken, but still
the word remains. Who would think that the ministers of Newcas
tle should say, ' that the scriptures are able to make men wise unto sal
vation,' and leave out ' faith !' You are no more made wise than the
Pharisees were with the scriptures without faith. They were not
made wise unto salvation by the scriptures without, the faith, neither
are you. But who are in the faith, they are made wise to salvation
through the scriptures, and come to Christ the end of them ; for, it
gives to see the scriptures, and in it (in the faith) is the unity, which
scribes, and Pharisees, and apostates are out of.
P. ' That since the time of the apostles the call is mediate, and that
the officers and elders of the church are to be ordained by a mediate
way; the power without the person, government without governor, is
a. mere fancy.' ,
A. Christ said, false spirits should come, that inwardly ravened ;
they went forth from the apostles, into the world, and the world hath
run after them. They can speak no otherwise but of a mediate call,

146
and their elders and members are made mediately ; and so have all
erred from the power and spirit of God, and this is since the days of
the apostles. For all elders and officers of the church of God, are made
immediately by the spirit; for the church is spiritual; else how should
they see the things that are immediate, or behave themselves in the
church of the living God, which is the pillar and ground of truth, the
church which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ? The
power of God rules and orders people when there is no outward
government. Nay, it ..strikes down the government of men? and
governors, as in the days of Daniel and Pharaoh, and in many other
places of scripture is mentioned ; the power of God strikes down
government and governors who are out of it, and this is the power that
is honoured, which strikes down false governors and government, and
this is not a fancy, as you ignorantly say.
P. And ye say, ' Christ doth not forbid to be called of men master
in the expression of civil honour; and we will warrant a pulpit from
the scripture — Ezra's example.' And ye say, 'they that stand pray
ing in the synagogues are reproached as antichrist,' &c.
A. They that pray for money, and preach for money, and get up a
pulpit, and plead Ezra's example, they might have pleaded that the
Pharisees* had the chiefest seat! They are ignorant of Christ, the
light, the life, and the power; who came to put an end to Ezra, and
the pulpit both; who preached up and down the mountains and wil
derness, and denied the Pharisees' praying, and all that are got up
there without the power. And that is antichrist that is got up in the
long robe, and praying for money, and pleads Ezra's pulpit; and saith
' it is a civil honour to be called of men master,' and so slights and
transgresses Christ's commands, and calls it civil respect: these, I say,
are they that have gotten, the sheep's clothing upon their backs, but
are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God, and deceive the world.
But now their hypocrisy cannot be hid, but must come to light, and
be published upon the house top; and the light must be given to the
whole house, and not put under the bushel ; and the children of light
shall shine, that men shall come to glorify their Father which is in
heaven. Aud you antichrists in the apostacy have got up in Ezra's
pulpit, which comes to an end.
P. They say, ' It is a civil respect to say " you" to one.' Again,
' Christ laid down the very reason why his disciples should take neither
gold nor scrip, but wholly depend upon the means due unto them for
preaching,' &c.
A. When saw we the Newcastle priests go out in this manner,
without gold or scrip, and wholly depending on the preaching of the
gospel? Or when saw we any of them called ministers of England do

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s0? — go without a scrip, depending only upon preaching the gospel ?-
Nay, are not their petitions for maintenance, flying up and down the
nation to the magistrates, enough to shame both magistrates, and church,
and themselves too, if they had any shame ! (for it seems that their
flock and vineyards will not maintain them !) enough to shame all
the people that ever they have preached to, and make them turn their
backs on them. For they cannot say that they have lived upon the
gospel, but they have lived upon the state, and what they have got by
ravening. He that lives upon the gospel gets a flock and gets a vine
yard, but ye are found in the pope's maintenance, . tithes and offerings
from men, and not in the maintenance which Christ allowed to his disci
ples, whom he is with to the end of the world. Now these are state's
ministers made by man ; and so have their allowance put in and taken
out by men. So being out of the allowance of Christ, which he gives
to his disciples, you may see ye are out of their steps ; and will appear
to all sober people to be in the apostacy, ravened from the spirit of the
living God, and the power the apostles were in. Paul said, ' Have not
I power to eat and to drink ;' not great sums of money, stipends, and
glebelands, and tithes, set forth by the magistrates. And the apostles
often would not use their power to eat, though they had power. And
never did any of the prophets or apostles preach to people by an hour
glass, nor had they, when any spoke within the term of their hour
glass, a law to prison them ; that is the beast that doth so, that quench
eth the spirit, and is not the ministry of Christ. And do not many of
you shake the glass, and think the time long ? And you could not
tell when to give over, and would run all into confusion but for a
glass. And is not this carnal glass your limit ? See how ye can
preach without it, and tell well when ye have done without a sickness
in your spirits, which must have a carnal glass to limit them: which
shows man hath not power over his own spirit. The power of God
knows when to speak, and when to keep silent. And so all your
preaching is by the glass, which is a limit of your earthly spirits, who
have gone from the spirit the apostles were in, and preached by; but
that which ye study out of old authors, the sheep's clothing, ye sell
yearly by the glass. Is that your measure ? The priest's measure that
he measures out to people ! Look in any steeple-house almost and^see
if the priest have not a measure, or it may be, measures a day. Do not
call this the weakness of the people; for many people are ashamed of
these things, that you should-give them but two glasses a week. Now
would it not be more honourable so lay by your glass, and come into
the spirit, and preach by the spirit, and to speak as it moves and gives'
utterance, and quench it not in any ? that so all may learn, and all may
be comforted in your church. And ' you' to one* is not a form of

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sound words ; so not civil, but to be condemned, and shows you have
not learned your accidence nor grammar.
P. ' Such as tremble at the word of God, and work out their salvation
with fear and trembling, are judged to be notorious, bringing back to
the covenant of works.'
A. Nay the power of God, that works out salvation with fear and
trembling, brings off from the covenant of works, and brings above all
the powers of wickedness; and so that is what brings the people of
God to be persecuted, and hated, living in the power and seed of God.
And no one knows salvation but who knows fear and trembling.
P. ' It is a delusion for one to witness an immediate call, and others
to witness with them that they are so called.'
A. Were not the apostles and saints written in one another's hearts,
and one another's epistles there ? and were they not called immediately,
and did they not witness one another as it is now?
P. And ye say, ' Some of them go naked. And another came and
said, he had a call immediately from heaven to take away the priest's
hour glass.' And speak of ' their mean apparel.' And ' the forsaking
the world, though they neglect their families. And they run up and
down in places and streets, or steeple-houses to vent their doctrine,' &c.
A. These are the marks they give to us, and to prove us according
to the title of their book, 'perfect Pharisees.' The apostles preached
as they went up and down, in towns, markets, and synagogues ; and
they were not Pharisees, but those were that held up synagogues, and
tithes, and temple, and priests; so ye have the mark of ' the perfect
Pharisee.' The name is entered into your bowels, and hearts. And as
for any being moved of the Lord to take away your glass from you, by
the eternal power it is owned : and to take away your limit, your
carnal limit to your earthly spirits, that are gone out into the world
from the apostles, from the spirit. And if any have been moved of the
Lord, to put off their clothes, it has been as a sign among you, to show
you you are naked and' want the covering of the spirit. And as for
any going in mean apparel, and forsaking the world, and coming off
from costly attire; was not this the apostles' doctrine ? Are ye like
the apostles, the messengers of Christ, or the messengers of satan,
crying up the world, and its glory, and costly attire ? And who are
come to forsake the world, are come out of the sinful neglect of their
families, into the wisdom of God that preserves the creation, and is not
destructive. And as ye are speaking of perfection, so far as men are
perfect, they are perfect in glory, and ' changed from glory to glory,'
and witness perfection upon earth, and see an end of it, as David did,
who had outstripped all his teachers. But among all yours, that are kept
under your teaching, there is no talk of perfection, so you fall short

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of coming to see the end of it. And the one offering, and the blood
of Christ, and the new covenant, perfect, blot out, and cleanse from
all sin.
And as for all the rest of your unsavoury and hard expressions in
your book, judgments and sorrow ye will feel for them ; and in the
day you are judged the witness in you shall answer.

Thomas Pollard, a member of the church about Litchfield, in his
book which he calls, ' The Holy Scripture clearing itself from
Scandals' His principles follow.
P. He saith, ' It is a cavil to say " thee" and " thou" to a single
person.' A. Which shows that he never learned accidence nor bible; it is
the language that the saints spoke one to another.
P. He saith, ' It is wickedness to call the letter of the scripture, and
what is gotten from the scripture, brain knowledge,' page 4.
A. The letter is paper and ink, and the letters are carnal, and what
is gotten from it without the spirit, is brain knowledge. But the scrip
ture, the thing it speaks of, is spiritual, the word is spirit, &c.
P. He saith, ' The Lord never said to you as he said to David, that
you are " after his heart," or any of your way, or that ever went in
your way; and do not destroy all by your doctrine,' page 7.
A. No; David had outstripped all his teachers; so have we, many
of us, who have trembled as David did, witnessing the new covenant,-
Christ Jesus, in which we need not say ' Know the Lord.' And who
witnesseth this, witnesseth the tabernacle of David built. Again, our
doctrine destroys but men's transgressions, and doth not destroy ' the
smoking flax, and bruised reed ;' and we can say we are after his heart,
and God hath said we are after his heart.
P. He saith,.' And that people may find rest to their souls, take the
law and testimony.' See page 9.
A. Many that have the scriptures, deny the light that doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world, and say, prophecy is ceased; so
then they may say the spirit is ceased, it is all one: for 'the law is
light,' saith Solomon, and ' the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of pro
phecy.' Now the world cries, the law and testimony are the Old and
New Testament; but many may have these, and yet deny the law and
testimony, which is the light and spirit of prophecy; for the law and
testimony were in the days of Isaiah, before Matthew, Mark, Luke,
Vol. III. 19

150
and John, and the epistles and revelations were written. And so they
that are not according to the law and the testimony, are out of the light
and spirit, in -the darkness, though they have all the scriptures, which
the law and testimony own in their places. And many may have the
scriptures given forth from the spirit of God, and yet cannot have the
comfort and rest to their souls, till they come to Christ that the scrip
tures testify of.
P. He saith, ' Try the spirits whether they be of God, for many
false prophets are gone out into the world,' page 11. . And 'satan
transforming himself into an angel of light; and false apostles and
ministers of unrighteousness transforming themselves as the ministers
of righteousness.' And he saith, ' If they bring another gospel and
doctrine than what is preached, receive them not into your houses, nor
bid them God speed.'
A. That which ye now tell people is the gospel, which ye preach,
are the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, &c. As instance
priest Shaw of Aldingham in Lancashire who said so; contrary to the
scripture, which saith, 'the gospel is the power of God.' And many.
may have the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, &c. the
form, but deny the power, and so deny the gospel, which is the power
of God. And so they that deny the power have put the four books for
it; and they that have not the Father and the son are not to be received
into their houses, as saith the apostle John ; for they come in the form,
and deny the light, as you do: but he that hath the son and the Father,
he is in the power, the substance of the form.
Again, the devil ' transformed himself as an angel of light' before the
apostles' decease, and false apostles, devil's messengers, and ministers
of unrighteousness were got up before the apostles' decease. I And the
' false prophets' were ' gone out into the world,' and the false spirits,
before the apostles' decease, as in John; and since the days of the
apostles they have led the world after them, have been received intfa
houses, and corrupted the whole earth, of whom you have been. There
fore the apostles brought the saints then to the 'anointing within them*'
and to the ' light that shined in their hearts,' which would give them
' the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ
Jesus,' which light you bring from. And now since the days of the
apostles have ye been carried away, swallowed up by such as have not
the Father and the son; and are the false spirits that wentforth into the
world, and the false prophets, and satan, who hath ' transformed , him
self as an angel of light,' and the ministers of unrighteousness, and false
apostles, who confess they have not the same spirit as the prophets,
Christ, and apostles had, so are erred from them, and are the false spirits,
false prophets, and false apostles; who have, been destroying since the

151
days of the apostles. For the false aposlles, satan's ministers, ' trans
forming themselves as angels of light,' these went all out from the
spirit that the prophets, Christ, and the apostles were in. So these
were the spirits that were to be tried by them that had the anointing
in them ; you, who now are tried by them that are come to the anoint
ing in them, are seen to be gone out from the apostles.
P. He saith, ' You put out the eyes of poor souls by bidding them to
hearken to the light within,' &c. page 14.
A. The eye that sees the soul is the light which cometh from Christ
the bishop of it; and no one knows the eye of the soul, but who comes
to the light within that opens it, which cometh from Christ the saviour
of it, which gives him ' the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Christ,' 2 Cor. iv. and lets him see his saviour.
P. He saith, ' I affirm that no man can have salvation by virtue ofhis
obedience,' &c. page 17.
A. He that believes is saved; he hath salvation; he that doth not ' is
condemned already.' And no man hath salvation but by believing, and
where believing is, there is obedjence to the gospel. They that obey
it not are condemned, and neglect their salvation.
P. He saith, ' They lay in wait to deceive, who call the breaking of
bread carnal,' page 18.
A. We cannot say that the outward bread is spiritual, the bread
which perisheth is carnal ; and we say Christ is the bread which is
spiritual, and they deceive people who say outward bread is spiritual,
and not carnal.
P. He saith, 'How should we have known sin, to be sin; and righte
ousness to be righteousness, and a Christ that died at Jerusalem, but
by the scriptures ? and saith, ' nay we could not have known these
things,' page 21.
A. That which makes sin manifest is light: and they that had scrip
tures knew not Christ that died at Jerusalem, but crucified him. And
David and Joshua saw his sufferings, and saw that Judas should betray
him. And they that had scriptures knew not sin from righteousness, they
knew not the sin of unbelief; they knew not Christ's righteousness, and
knew not the way to the Father, but turned against the light, the truth,
which makes manifest sin as you do, and as the Pharisees did.
P. To say, ' The officers ofthe church are invisible, is plainly of the
Father the devil,' page 24.
A. The holy ghost made the officers of the church overseers, and
that made the officers, the overseers, to be invisible: for they saw with
an invisible eye; and so they were in the spirit, which is invisible, and
not in the flesh, else they could not be overseers in the church of God;
and you are the visible, apostatized from them.

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P. He saith, 'That which is contained in the Bible is spirit and life,'
page 25.
A. That which the Bible declares of, is spirit and life, which is Christ,
which you are ignorant of that have the letter and deny the light, arid
so say life is contained in the letter.
P. He saith, ' The scripture is able to make men wise unto salvation,'
&c. page 25.
A. Through faith it is: for the Pharisees and chief priests had scrip
tures, yet were not wise unto salvation, neither are you who deny the
light of Christ. Arid the seducers and evil men that the apostles saw
coming in, who should wax worse and worse, and have overgrown the
world with hardness, prejudice, and wickedness, have had the scriptures,
but have not been made wise unto salvation. They have had the
scriptures without the faith in Christ Jesus, and so out of unity.
P. He saith, 'Paul spoke of some men that should be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and his glory,
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.' See page 36.
A. Who obey the gospel obey the power of God, and come to the
substance, the end of all the scriptures; and obey the light which Christ
hath enlightened them withal. And such as disobey the power, disobey
the gospel ; and so you have brought judgment upon yourselves who get
all the form, and put the form for the gospel. From the presence ofthe
glorious God and his power, doth the power punish them who dis
obey it, which power is the gospel. And those were coming up be-
.fore the apostles' decease whb have led into disobedience since the
apostles' decease; but now are by the power of the Lord made mani
fest. P. He saith, ' Christ left us an example, who is our example,' &c.
page 32.
A. And yet ye are offended at others who say he is their example,
and would have none to own his light: so he is not your example that
deny the light Christ, but he that is out of the light is your example.
P. He saith, ' For a perfection in glory to be attained to, on this side
the grave, I utterly disown,' page 43.
A. Where glory is in the least degree, it is in perfection, and who have
not glory, and do not attain to glory on this side the grave, are in a
sad condition; for the saints rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of
glory, and they witnessed the hope of glory within them while they
were upon earth, and of that hope they were to give a reason that was
in them, and they saw the glory of God, and the Father, and so came
to be changed from glory to glory, till they were come into the image
of God. And the apostle saw, before his decease, such as would not
endure sound doctrine; such as were given to fables, and had the itch-

153
ing ears, and heaped to themselves teachers, and those forsook the faith.
Such have reigned and now reign since the days of the apostles: where
fore none among them come to see the glory of God, and to ' need no
man to teach them;' and that they need not say 'know the Lord. None
come into the everlasting covenant, into the power out ofthe form, and
none come to know all things by the anointing in them; but they are
all on heaps about their heaps of teachers, and itching ears, and so can
not endure the sound doctrine, that any should come into the covenant
of God; that they need not say 'know the Lord.' That is the sound
doctrine, to come into the covenant of God, Christ Jesus, the substance
of all the prophets, glorified before the world began; to learn of him
who is the way to the Father, the truth, and the life. And the heaps
of teachers are all erred from him and the apostles, and so from the true
teacher Christ Jesus, who saith ' learn of me.' And here people would
destroy one another about their teachers, but Christ teaches otherwise,
to love their enemies: and so men are following their imaginations, and
not the Lord, reprobates concerning the faith in which is the unity,
and there you are.
P. He saith, ' Paul did not commit the church to the light within
them: for he told them, deceiyers should come,' &c. See page 39.
A. When deceivers and false prophets were come among the church
of the Corinthians, Paul told the Corinthians that the light that shined
in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Christ Jesus; and so here thou showest thy igno
rance of the scriptures, and of the church, and of Paul's doctrine, whose
work was to bring them to the light within them, when the deceivers
were got up, and so committed the church to the light within them,
and told them that that would give them the knowledge, &c. So they
that drew people from the light within, are the false spirits that the
apostle speaks of, that went out into the world before the apostles' de
cease, who led the world after them, by whom the way of truth came
to be evil spoken of. For the apostle told them, that the light that
shined in their hearts would give them the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Christ Jesus, and not their teachers without them, as
you do, who bring them from the light within them, and so act con
trary to the apostles.
P. He saith, ' To bring people to the light within, is despising the
• word.' Again, ' The light that is in a man, is not able to lead him to
happiness,' &c. See page 50.
A. No man cometh to happiness but who cometh to the light with
in, which cometh from Christ, the happiness of all mankind, the re
deemer, the restorer of mankind out of the fall, out of the first Adam's
state to God, into the second Adam's state, who is the covenant of

154
God with men, in which they have peace. So in this light stands
every man's happiness, and he that hath the happiness, hath Christ the
light within him, and the peace with God. And the light within, which
cometh from Christ the word, is not against the word, nor scriptures,
which are the words, but it owns them, and with them hath unity; and
no one sees the word but with the light within. And as for all the
rest of thy unsavoury expressions, and childish speeches, they are not
worth mentioning. And thou hadst better have let silence cover thee,
than to have published thy nakedness to the nation: for thy words
will be thy burthen; in the time of thy necessity, the witness shall
answer in thee.

Ralph Farmer's book, called ' Satan Enthroned in his Chair,' fyc.
His principles follow.
Which is a title suitable to himself, who is discovered by the children of the day
to be satan's seeds-man, as to the nation he hath declared. But them that are in
the truth, love, and peace, he doth not touch.
P. He saith, ' We do not pretend to infallibility as you do, which is
lying, and hypocritical,' &c.
A. We do believe you, that in the infallible spirit of God you are
not, but in the false fallible spirit gone out into the world, that went
forth from the apostles, who. had the spirit of Christ. And so how can
you be ministers of the spirit, and not of the letter, if ye be not infal
lible? for who are in the spirit, are in that which is infallible. This I
say, none are ministers of the spirit, nor in the spirit, nor have the
spirit of Christ, nor the holy ghost, nor the spirit of the Father speak
ing in them, but who have that which is infallible, and are in that which
is infallible. And they are in the lying spirit and hypocrisy that are
out of it, as are all the false spirits that are gone out into the world. So
ye do well to confess that ye have not the infallible spirit; ye are not
infallible, and so no ministers of the spirit. And how can they but
delude people that are not infallible, and are none of Christ's, which
have not the spirit which is infallible, and are not ministers of the gos
pel, which is the power of God, which is infallible'?
P. He saith,. ' We are foretold, that false teachers that shall bring
upon themselves swift destruction, and evil men and seducers which
wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, should come.
And there should come false Christs and seducing spirits, and the doc-

155
trine of devils, seeking lies in hypocrisy, such as deceive the hearts of
the simple with their feigned speeches,' &c. See pages 39, 40.
A. Hast not thou here brought forth thy ignorance of the scriptures,
which say the seducers, and the false Christs, and the false apostles,
the doctrine of devils, and the feigned words, and fair speeches, which
deceived the hearts of people, came up before the apostles' decease ?
And dost not thou in this show thy spirit to be that spirit that went out
into the world, not able to divide the word aright? But art telling peo
ple they are now come, when the apostles saw they were come before
their decease; among whom, since the days of the apostles, all the con
fusion hath been; and you that deny the light are in distraction. And
yet ye that be not infallible, in the infallible spirit, but fallible, are cry
ing to. people, they are come but now, and so grow worse and worse.
And thou and the priests of Newcastle, and many of the rest of you,
are crying against such as say ' Christ is their example:' and yet many
of you have published to the nation in print, that ' Christ is an exam
ple,' and the men are respected who speak them and not the words
simply as they are in themselves; and that is partiality and respecting
of persons, not the truth itself.
P. He saith, ' If we will but acknowledge their ministry and church
according to Christ, he will write a recantation.' See page 53.
A. Your church and your ministry have made themselves manifest
not to be agreeable to the prophets, Christ, and the apostles ; for you
say you are not infallible, and have not the infallible spirit; and you
say you never heard the voice of God immediately from heaven, which
the prophets, Christ, and the apostles did. And how can you be minis
ters of the spirit, who are not in the infallible spirit, but the false spi
rit gone out into the world? You are such as are ravened from the spi
rit of God, and only have the sheep's clothing, and so cannot gather to
the church in God, but make the nations like waters. And you must
recant before ever you come into the ministry of God, which the pro
phets, Christ, and the apostles were in, and to their church, and to
own ' the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the
world.' P. He saith, ' The wise men ofthe east came to Christ by a star,' &c.
page 64.
A. You say, ' The scriptures bring to Christ:' but the Jews had the
scriptures, and came not to him, nor knew him, who were out of the
spirit that gave them forth; and so are you by your confession, and so
not come to him.
P. He saith, ' A man is not justified by that which is within him,'
&c. page 65.
A. We are justified by faith, which is a mystery held in a pure con-

156
science, that purifies the heart, and this is within. And here again thou
hast showed thy spirit to be that that went into the world, which was
reprobated concerning the faith held in a pure conscience, without
which men are not justified. And so ye are broke into heaps, into sects,
and opinions, who are out of this faith which is a mystery held in a
pure conscience, by which people have access unto God, through which
faith they are justified, in which is unity ; and it gives victory over sin,
which you plead for while you be upon the earth.
As for all the rest of thy stuff in thy book, it will be thy own gar
ment, and a heavy load and a burthen thou wilt feel it, whose naked
ness might have been covered by thy silence, but thy spirit must be
tried. I say, the Lord forgive thee, for a heavy charge is come upon
thee, and you: for instead of seeking the peace of all men, you have
made yourselves manifest to be neither ministers, nor fathers, nor
elders, nor sober christians, but wolves, that tear and rend to pieces.
Indeed, the ragged righteousness of men, the world's clothing which
hangs on your back, ye may have ; but the elect, and the saints, and
the Lamb's clothing, the righteousness of the saints, ye cannot touch,
but the lambs are lain down in the fold.

Magnus Byne's book, called, ' The Scornful Quakers Answered'
His principles follow.
P. He saith, ' Beware of false prophets that come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits whether they be of God, because many false spirits
are gone out into the world.'
A. Must thou show thy ignorance of the letter ? so much a man
unlike to divide the word aright? For Christ saith, false prophets
should come, and antichrists, that should be inwardly ravening wolves,
that had the sheep's clothing; these John saw were come before the
apostles' decease ; which went forth from them, and all the world went
after them. And they could not have deceived the world, if the wolf
had not had the sheep's clothing upon him. You may read in the Re
velations, how they ravened and devoured, and drunk the blood of the
martyrs, saints, and prophets; and so you that are crying to the world,
' they are come but now,' are the deceiver's of the world, as you may read
Matt. vii. and 1 John ii. 4. Revel, chap. xiii. xiv. xvii. xviii. and are not
dividing the word aright. For now are people come from them, and
coming to Christ the rock, the foundation of God, and to that spirit
which you have ravened from ; which stands sure, before the world

157
was made, out of the waters. For the nations are as waters, and the
false spirits^ the false prophets, and the mother of harlots have ruled,
and with the sheep's clothing have deceived the nations ; but now the
Lamb and the saints shall rule: for ye have confessed that ye have not
the infallible spirit, as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles had: so
we say you are ravened from it, and only have the sheep's clothing.
The prophets, Christ, and the apostles, had an infallible spirit, out of
which the false prophets, antichrists, devils, and deceivers always were;
and the mother of harlots, and Babylon, though they might get the
sheep's clothing.
P. He saith, ' It is filthy blasphemy to say, the spirit of Christ that
dwells in the son, dwells in man, and he must be infallible, and he
must be perfect, and sinless:' and saith, ' Let them alone to their father
the devil,' &c. See his epistle to the reader.
A. ' He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his;' and who
hath the spirit of Christ hath that which is infallible, and this is out of
the spirit the devil is in. And they that were not in the spirit, and
are not in the spirit that dwells in the son, though they have all the
scriptures, are in the spirit of blasphemy, that will blaspheme against
the son: and there thou art. And the false spirits that are in the world
are on heaps about the son's, the prophets', and apostles' words, out of
the infallible spirit of those that gave them forth, who were perfect and
sinless, as in Rom. vi. they 'were made free from sin.' The apostle
said they were perfect, and he 'spoke wisdom among them that were
perfect.' And this you deny who are ravened from the spirit of God,
and the one offering which 'perfects for ever them that are sanctified;'
and so are the unsanctified.
P. He saith, ' There are many ways to Sion.'
A. There is but one way to God, out of the fall* into the paradise, to
the tree of life, out of the condemnation, and that is Christ the light,
the covenant of God. Now with the light the way to the Father is
seen. In the first Adam are many ways, fighting about their ways, and
destroying one another about their ways; but Christ the light, the way to
the Father, teacheth otherwise, to loVe enemies and to do good to them,
and to overcome evil with good,' and ' heap coals of fire upon their
heads ;' which way is but one, which you who deny the light are out
of, in the many ways, and names, horns, and heads, and images, which
is the beast's number, ravened from the spirit of God, and from the one
way, Christ the light, in which is unity.
P. He saith, 'The scripture may be understood by the help of
tongues,' page 12.
A. All scripture was given forth by inspiration; and so without the-
same inspiration it is not understood again. Pilate had the tongues, and
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yet did not understand the scripture, nor Christ the substance of it. And
these your tongues, you have set up since the apostacy, ye raveners
from the spirit.
P. He saith, 'Tithes is not his infirmity, the Lord hath given him
tithes: and he doth take them as the Lord giving him maintenance,
and it is his liberty.'
A. Tithes to the first priesthood were allotted by God,; but Christ,
the second priesthood, ended that priesthood and tithes, and the priests
that took them, made by God's law, and disannuled the commandment
.that gave them. And Christ' is come, the everlasting priesthood, not
after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchisedeck, the simi
litude, in whom the similitude ends, Christ the end, the substance, the
end of war. So thou that takest tithes art (out ofthe substance of Melchi
sedeck and the first priesthood that took tithes) in the transgression, and
in the imitation, and the veil is over thy heart, and thy liberty is bon
dage, in the unsanctified , state. But the sanctification is in the son of
God, who ends types and similitudes. And he it is that sanctifies, and
who preacheth the gospel, lives of the gospel. And the pope hath
given thee thy tithes by his command, and not by the command of the
J^ord, for Christ and his apostles established them not.
P. He saith, ' that the scriptures are the sure word of God: and
that the scriptures are a precious light,' page 17. Again he saith, 'The
son of God is the first principle of the pure religion.'
v A. The fulness of the godhead dwells in the son, and he is in the
Father, and he is the author of the first principle, and the end of the
law, for he is all and in all; for many have something from him, yet
cannot say he is come; but he that hath him, hath life eternal, hath the
substance, the end of things. And the scripture declares and testifies
of the light, which is Christ; but many may have the scriptures, and stand
against the light, ' for they are they that testify of me,' the light. So
Christ is the precious light, and the scriptures are the words of God;
but Christ the word was before they were given forth, the word in
whom these words of God end. So thou mayst see thy ignorance.
P. He saith, 'While we stay in Sodom, we crucify the Lord of
glory. And Christ is buried in us,' &c.
A. And John Bunyan, a teacher there, fights against him; and thus
they are not only against the truth, but one against another. But he
must know the suffering of Christ in the spiritual Sodom in him, and
see the seed that suffers there, before it reign, and he reign with Christ
in glory.
P. He saith, ' It comprehends our suffering in the flesh after his
example.' Page 21.
A. At this do the priests of Newcastle, and John Bunyan, and many

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others of the teachers of the nation, rage; and here you are one against
another; but Christ said, 'why persecutest thou'me?' And he was in
prison, and it is your work to put him in prison.
P. He saith, 'he hath the tithes of two parishes; and it is the old
man that minds the earthly things,' page 23. Again he saith, 'And
those that take tithes are not antichrist. And the scripture is a choice
vessel of the Lord's sanctuary/ and ' it is the letter and the history,'
&c. page 25.
A. Well may people be all in confusion, when ye say the scripture is
a history, a declaration, the letter, a vessel, the choice vessel of the
Lord's sanctuary, alight, and yet the word of God! Now is not this
to break people to pieces? The scriptures of truth are the words of
God, and they are called a declaration, and a treatise. And the choice
vessels were those, that gave them forth, vessels of mercy, and of
honour. And they that take tithes, and pay them, are out ofthe sub
stance, Christ, who is the end of tithes; for he is the sum of tithes,
and all other figures that pertained to the first priesthood, first cove
nant, and of all similitudes. So thou taking tithes of two parishes,
hast the mark ofthe old man. For the apostles preached up and down
in many synagogues where the priest were, yet they did not seek for
the tithes that belonged to them that pertained lo the first priesthood.
They preached the gospel, and lived ofthe gospel, and said, 'they were
evil beasts, that minded earthly things;' of whose spirit ye are found,
judged by the word, which is Christ.
P. He saith, ' He is called of men master through man's courtesy,'
and calls them, ' blind and sinful, and in error, that speak against it.'
Again, ' it is not oppression in him to take tithes of two parishes,' &c.
page 28. 30.
A. Here under the wo of Christ art thou come; who said, ' Wo unto.
them that were called of men master;' and said to his disciples, ' It
shall not be so among you, for ye have all one master, which is Christ,'
and they abode in his doctrine. And we do not read of Mr. Paul, Mr.
Peter, Timothy, or Titus, or Mr. James or John ; but among you, the
apostates, we read of such titles. And you set up that which Christ, (him
by whom the world was made, before'it was made,) came to fulfil and
end? in the world, which typed him forth, Christ the way to the
Father out of the world. And tithes in the first priesthood are not the
way, they are oppressors that cry them up, and builders up of that
which Christ ended, so transgressors; not having the son nor the
Father. And they bring not the glad tidings, for the jails may witness
in the nation, that glad tidings are not brought; and the courts, and the
oppressed parishes, in which ye take treble damages of many people

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that ye do not work for, and cast into prison; and so this is not the
gospel, this is not the glad tidings. -
P. He saith, ' I find not this power of binding kings with chains,
and nobles with fetters of iron, which is the honour of the saints; this
scripture I find not fulfilled,' &c. page 35. Again he saith, ' A saint
may be found in that which is sinful, though this man (the Quaker)
will not allow of sin.' Again, ' The people of God are more than con
querors in the Lord, which gives them rest and peace in the midst of
their wars.' Again, ' Hope keeps the soul groaning and waiting all the
while in the earthly tabernacle,' &c.
A. I know the power, and spirit, and sword of the saints that exe
cutes the judgments, to bind, and chain, and fetter kings and nobles ;
thou art out of it, but it is now among the saints ; and that scripture
is fulfilled, yea in England, among the saints. And such as are more
than conquerors, see the end of wars, and that which causeth wars.
He that is a conqueror may be in the war ; but he that is, more than a
conqueror, is in that which takes away the occasion of wars, and is
come to that which was before wars were. And he that hath this hope,
(which is Christ,) hath that which purifies himself, even as he is pure,
and comes to witness the kingdom of God that stands in joy, peace,
and righteousness, and so is not always groaning in the earth, under
the earthly tabernacle, while he is upon the earth, but comes to know
the body of sin put off, and a being made free from the body of sin.
And a saint is not sinful, neither do the saints ever allow or approve
of sin ; he that allows and approves of that is out of the sanctified state.
P. ' Notwithstanding thy passing the first and second resurrection,
(as thou sayst,) there remains a torment for thee at the last day, and
wo,' page 42.
A. They are blessed that have part in the first resurrection, the
second death hath no power over them; but are made free from wrath
that is to come, and are passed from death to life, and are translated into
the kingdom of the son of God, and are in unity with the son of God
and the Father bpth; and so thou utterest forth lies.
P. He saith, ' To declare against such as are called of men master,
is a matter of his faith.'
A. They had not faith that were called of men master, whom Christ
cried wo against; nor the Jews ; neither have you Who break his
commands. P. He saith, ' The spirit that declares in the letter, keeps me from
vanity, frees me from the law df sin and condemnation.'
A. The spirit that was in the saints that gave forth the letter, freed
them from the law of sin and condemnation, and kept them from
vanity. The spirit is not in the letter, for many may have that, and

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not the spirit: and all are in sin and vanity, and are not freed, from
the law of condemnation, but who are in the spirit.
P. He saith, ' They are to feed the people, who are ordained over
a particular place, over which the holy ghost hath made them over
seers; and they are covetous wretches and worldings that keep back
their tithes. And no more wages he receives than what the gospel
allows. And he is a thief that keeps back the hire from the labourer,
and the Lord gives man tithes as a portion in the earth,' &c. See pages
57, 58, 59, 60.
A. The holy ghost made the apostles and ftlders overseers of the
church. Butyouhavebeen made overseers by men, by the pope, by ypur
schools and colleges. So thus you deceive the people, by telling them
the holy ghost made you overseers. For ye say ye have not the same
infallible spirit as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles had, as wit
ness Samuel Eaton in his book, and divers others. Tithes were allotted
by God to the priests and Levites, and people in the first covenant and
priesthood, and they were robbers that kept them back; but Christ is
come, the everlasting covenant, who ends the first covenant, tithes, and
priesthood, and blots out the ordinances. Therefore they that are covet
ous* will take them by violence from the people. But they that are
come to the gospel allowance, 'freely ye have received, freely give,'
what they set before them, of that they are to eat, preach the gospel,
and live ofthe gospel. These triumph and trample upon the first priest
hood, types, figures, and shadows; see that the priesthood is changed,
the ordinances blotted out, the commandment disannuled that gave
them; witness the one offering for the sin ofthe whole world, and are
of the royal priesthood. Such as these cannot pay tithes ; covetous
persons and worldlings may take them, that are apostatized from the
apostles, by whom the true seed is oppressed; who went forth from the
apostles by a usurpedauthority, under whom you are sheltered for your
tithes, which were setup by the pope's authority. But now you are seen
and judged by them who are come to the apostles that you went from.
P. He saith, ' The Lord hath given tithes for the maintenance of the
ministry of this nation.' Again he saith, ' This light within is turned
into utter darkness,' pages 62. 65.
A. It has been the Pope and the apostates from the apostles that have
given tithes; from the spirit that the apostles were in they are ravened
that take them, for the apostles took none. Their fruits in the nation
declare it; if they will not give the priests tithes, how they cast them
into prisons,and dungeons, until death! Christ's maintenance the apostles
witnessed; freely they had received, and they gave again freely; and he
that 'preached the gospel lived of the gospel,' and coveted no man's
silver, goods, nor apparel. But do not ye covet men's silver and goods,

162
when ye take treble damages of them, and cast them into prison ? Is
not this the work of the ministry of the nation? Is not the overflowing
scourge of the Almighty gone over you ? and the rod and the lash come
upon you all?
Again, the light within hath led to the light of life, and leads to the
light of life, out of utter darkness, in which those and thy generation
are seen that stand against the light. So all you apostates are whelmed
under in the apostacy since the days of the apostles, who are out of
the allowance of Christ, his wages and maintenance, the giving freely,
which shows they have not received of God, but buy and sell, yea and
after great .rates too ; and so are the merchants that John speaks of in
the Revelations: and this cumbers the creation, yea, nations; ye bring
not the glad tidings to them, but burthen them: ye are seen and felt.
P. He saith, ' away with your bodily, fleshly, literal trembling and
quivering.' See page 70.
A. Habakkuk's lips quivered, David's flesh trembled, Daniel trem
bled, Paul trembled, David's bones quaked; and that man the Lord re
gards who trembles at his word, though cast out by thee and thy gene
ration in this age, as in the days of Isaiah. So thou and thy generation,
who say 'away with trembling of the flesh and body,' say, away
with the power of God that throws down that which defiles the flesh.
Before sin is condemned in the flesh, and the powers of darkness
wrought out of it, you must know trembling ; thou and all thy gene
ration, before the devil^e dispossessed of your earthly tabernacles, you
must know trembling; and thou and thy generation have showed your
ignorance of the mighty power of God, the ' salvation that is wrought
out with fear and trembling.' And of that power that in all ages threw
down the nature that captivated the seed of God, and defiled the flesh,
and darkened the understanding, the sense, and reason, and warred
against the soul, ye have showed your ignorance of that power whereby
the body, soul, and spirit come to be sanctified. And before this be
so, ye must know a bodily trembling and shaking; but he cries, ' away
with it' before ever he came to it, lest he should be tormented before
his time; who is one of them who ever were against the holy men of
God. But the power of the Lord God has overtaken thee, and with that
are ye comprehended, and ye are in the press, and your cluster is full,
and the sickle is gone out.
P. He saith, ' The priesthood is changed, but not the tithes abolished
by the coming of any substance; and he that keeps back the tithes
of God, hath preferred his mammon before his God, and is guilty ofthe
sin of Ananias: and denying to pay tithes is weakening the bands ofthe
ministers: and God ip -wisdom hath provided by an outward law* in the
absence of the inward, for the maintenance of the ministry by tithes or
other maintenance, and so they own a tribute unto God ; arid so they

163
must pay tribute, and custom to whom custom is due.' Again he saith,
' custom, tribute, tithes, &c. love will teach these things are due, there
fore covet not another's portion.'
A. When the apostle had spoken of tithes, before the law, to Melchi
sedeck like unto the son of God; and spoken of tithes to the priesthood
made by a law that had a command to take them; he said the priesthood
was changed, the law was changed, the command was disannuled that
gave tithes, the son of God was come, the end of the similitude and
likeness before the law. ' Now,' saith he, ' of the things (tithes were
things before the law and in the law) which we have spoken, this is the
sum: Christ a minister ofthe sanctuary, and ofthe true tabernacle which
God hath pitched and not man.' So there is the sum of the things,
and the substance; and the'plenteous redemption, that leads men out of
the earth, that brings them to lay down all at the feet of the apostles,
Which is beyond tenths which were due to the service of the Lord.
Here the earth comes to be known to be the Lord's, is given up, and
man redeemed out of it. Of this glorious gospel are ye all ignorant.
And so tithes are not to be compared with Ananias, and not to be
viewed as a tribute, but as a custom which has got up since the days of
the apostles, in the apostacy, the nations having drunk the whore's cup,
and kings and queens, that had gone out of the power of Christ which
the apostles were in, into the beast's power, have made schools to make
their ministers, and have made laws to set up tenths. So this cus
tom of the sin hath taken away the sense of it, that people have been
so hardened that they have torn people, spoiled their goods, and . cast
them into prison, and taken treble damages, and kept them in prison,
and haled them before courts and sessions, assizes, and benches. Which
is not like the ministers of Christ; for the law is changed of God that
gave tenths, and since that was changed the law is in the heart, and a
new covenant. . And since the apostacy men have got the sheep's cloth
ing, ravened from the spirit, wolves, whose fruits declare it; who
have deceived nations, and the world, and have got up a law from man,
and a command from man, the pope being the author. The law and
command of God are changed that gave tithes, and they have got up
the law and command of man to take them, and the law of God and
his command are denied, as spoken by the apostle, Heb. vii. But
all that are in the wisdom of God see over these things, and feel
over them, and judge you all, • and execute judgment, and are in the
power and authority to execute judgment, and convince all, and are in
the honour of saints. So your ministry, if tithes fall, is weakened; but
the ministry of Christ came in when tithes fell, and that ministry fell
that held up tithes', and that priesthood during which the priests' lips
were tp preserve the people's knowledge. So by'the fall of that minis-

164
try that took tithesj the ministry of Christ came in. The rise of this
ministry is since the days of the apostles in the apostacy, that.is made by
kings, bishops, popes, schools, and colleges. Tithes falling, the hands
of this ministry that takes tithes, thou sayst, is weakened; it is not,
therefore, the power of God that strengthens the hand, but the earthly.
Nowl Say,inthefallof the maintenance, which weakens this ministry,
ye have showed what ye are covered withal, and in the fall of this is the
rise of the Lamb and his ministry, the preaching of the everlasting
gospel; and the everlasting gospel shall be preached to them that dwell
on the earth, Which is the power of God: and though the devil, and the
beast, and the false prophets, and the kings of the earth dp make war
against the saints and the Lamb, yet the saints and the Lamb shall get
the victory.
P. He saith, 'Christ without the church doth not comprehend all the
elect; and we are not elected^ though we receive Christ, because we are
elected in him,' &c. page 80.
A. Thou art meddling with things too weighty for thee, Christ is the
elect whom God upholds, and the election obtains it, (the victory,) and
Christ knows his, and said he had other sheep, and he1 knew all the
elect. And he is the wisdom of the Father, the light, the life, and the
power of God, the offering, the sacrifice for the whole world, the re
demption of mankind. And who receive him, and are in him, are
the elect, and out of their own works, and have possessed him, and his
image and glory ; are come to the throne of grace; he is in all and over
all, the salvation to the ends of the earth, and they who are elected re
ceive Christ, and are in him.
P. He, saith, 'Thy denial of sin, and satan,. and antichrist, to be
where they are in power and part, is the old trick of the evil one,' &c.
page 83.
A. They who are come into the Lamb's power, are come out of the
power of the beast, sin, and satan; into the city,- the paradise of God,
where no unclean thing enters, but the tree of life is the food; and they
are atop of sin, satan, and antichrist, and all thy tricks; and witness
against all sin.
P. He saith, 'When the dissolutiPn comes, he bids farewell to all
the saints of God,' page 94. Again, ' If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us: if we say we have not
sinned, we make him a liar,' page 89.
A. The saints are in Christ and God ; and at the dissolving of the
earthly, or sin, they do not bid all the saints farewell; for then they
come into unity with them, with the elect. And John shows there
was a time to see they had sinned, and a time to see they had sin, arid
a time to confess it and forsake it, and a time to witness the blood of

165
Jesus Christ to cleanse from all sin, a time to witness the birth of God
born, which doth not commit sin, and the seed of God remaining in
them, that the wicked one could not touch them.
P. He saith, ' The saints are neither in the fulness of the godhead,
nor part: away with this blasphemy that saith this,' &c. page 92.
A. The work of the ministry was to bring people to the knowledge
of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the unity of the faith, to the
measure and stature of the fulness of Christ, and Christ will dwell in
the saints, and God will dwell in them. And thou sayst they have no
part ofthe fulness of the godhead; but John saith, 'Of his fulness have
we all received;' in whom dwells the godhead bodily. And ye are all
in the blasphemy that are out of this part of the fulness.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers know a man whether he be a saint or
a devil, as soon as they see him, or hear him speak, or act, and they
are beyond all our forefathers. And the apostle saith, " What man
knoweth the things of a man, saving the spirit of a man that is in him,"
so ye are not as Christ in this respect' And thou sayst ' thou art as
Christ in this present world: and no man can be without sin in this
house of clay.' And sayst, ' I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin my
mother conceived me; and my flesh is sin's freehold,' &c. pages 94,95.
A. Here thou hast showed that the Quakers have a spirit given to
them beyond all the forefathers (which we do witness) since the days
of the apostles, in the apostacy. And they that are in the power and
the life of truth, can discern who are saints, who are devils, and who
are apostates, without ever speaking a word. And the natural man
knows not the things that are in another man; but with the spirit with
in him may know what is in himself: but the spiritual man searcheth
all things, yea the deep things of God. Here thou hast made no dis
tinction betwixt the spiritual and natural. And as Christ 'is, so are
we in this present world;' and where Christ is manifest, he destroys
sin in the flesh ; here they come to be as he is, they come to be above
clay and mortal, and fading, and so the flesh, which thou calls sin's
freehold, comes to be put off, and the body of it, and they come to be
made free from the law by the body of Christ. And the creature comes
into the liberty of the sons of God. And this the saints witnessed
while they were on earth. And as thou wast born in iniquity, thou
showest thou wast born in the unregeneration; there were some sanc
tified from the womb, there are some children clean, who are believers.
He that can receive it, let him. So thou art an ignorant man, not able
to divide the word aright, nor canst minister unto the people, not
knowing the condition they are in, unless they tell thee, and so art
apostatized from the apostles, and not one of the ministers of the spirit,
that minister to the spirit; for could not the apostles preach and speak
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lf>6
to the Jews and Gentiles, unless they came and told them what condi
tion they were in? or did all the Jews and Gentiles come and tell the
apostles what condition they were in before they preached to them ?
P. He saith, 'The light in man is imperfect, a weak, faint light,'
page 97. Again, 'The light in the Gentiles is called a natural light,'
page 88.
A. The light that every man hath that cometh into the world, is not
an imperfect light, a weak, nor faint light, nor a natural light; but they
who are weak, go from it, and faint, and hate it, and despise it, as
Esau, and run into the earth. But those who believe it, have the light of
life ; and who receive it, become the sons of God. And the light in the
Gentiles, which brought them to do the law, was spiritual, not natural;
whom the apostle sets up to be the circumcision, and the Jew inward;
and throws out the Jew outward, and circumcision both. And this
brings to have 'praise of God,' which the Jews had not in the outward,
and makes the Jew no Jew, and their circumcision no circumcision,
and judges them, and all professors upon the earth that are from
that that doth the law in their heart, and the Jew inward. And you
are from that, who stand against the light of Christ that doth enlighten,
&c. P. He saith, ' if any hypocrite reign, his power is of God: and saints
are to yield to the power, and it must be honoured, and have obedience
from the saints,' page 101. 'And so they that call them corrupt ma
gistrates, are the filthy dreamers that Jude speaks of,' page 102.
A. Such as are turned into corruption, and are hypocrites, are gone
from the higher power, which the soul should be subject to, and it is
gone over them; and so for the Lord's sake the saints cannot be sub
ject to that power, but to the power that brings down the hypocrisy,
and the corruptions in magistrates; and as they come to be clothed
with the power of God, they are able to put a difference betwixt the
precious and the vile; and that the saints own; those are a praise to
them that do well. The Jews of old time, that feared God, that
lived in the law of God, could not obey the heathen magistrates, bow
to their gods, nor to their commands, nor their power or authority. Nor
could the apostles bow to the authority of the Jews, to their ordinances
which Christ came to put an end to, nor the power that held them up,
nor that among the Gentiles, held up by the magistrates. For Christ was
come to reign, who had all power in heaven and earth given to him. And
since the days of the apostles the saints cannot bow to that which the
pope, and kings, and queens set up in the apostacy, though they call it a
supreme power that commands the things. But who are in the power
of God, it destroys that which defiles the flesh, and the evil speaker,
and that is the dignity which the saints own and live in, and speak not

167
evil of, but they who do so transgress the spirit of God, and go from
it, and are such as Jude speaks of. ' Therefore have the martyrs, saints,
and prophets suffered, since the days ofthe apostles, by the beast, the
false prophets, and the great whore, which have been in the power of
the devil that went out of truth: and that the saints Were not subject
to. But now Christ is come to reign, and the Lamb and the saints
shall have the victory; and the higher power is owned, that is higher
than all the transgressors upon earth, that reaches to the soul, and the
transgressed principle of God in everyman uponthe earth; for thebeast's
power hath set up your tithes, temples, and colleges, and compelled
men to worship it, which the saints could not do, and therefore have
suffered by it, who have worshipped God in the spirit and truth, that
the devil is out of; and such were in the higher power.
P. He saith, 'There is a kind of infiniteness in the soul ; and it can
not be infiniteness in itself,' page 103.
A. Is not the soul without beginning, coming from God, returning
into God again, who hath it in his hand, which hand goes against him
that does evil, which throws down that which wars against it? And
Christ the power of God, the bishop of the soul, which brings it up
into God, and which came out from him, hath this a beginning or end
ing? And is not this infinite in itself, arid more than all the world?
P. He saith, 'The soul is a creature; and yet it is a noble power,
and an essence, and is the appetite, fancy,' &c. Again he saith, ' he
knows that the soul is a spiritual thing, and cannot be divided into
parts and powers, as being one single entire essence,' page 1 07.
A. The soul is in the death in transgression, so man's spirit is not
sanctified while the soul is in death. And fancy, appetite, anger, plea
sure, &c. which thou sayst 'are taken for the soui usually, and called
the soul,' are they that war against it: thus thou divides the soul, which
is one, into parts, and art ignorant of it, and yet thou hast said it can
not be divided! So thou art in confusion in Babylon. The soul
being living, and the spirit sanctified, that diligent hearkening is come
to where the counsel of God is stood in, his voice heard, his hand felt,
that the soul comes up into, that comes from God; that is living and
immortal, and gives a creature its feeling, and sensibleness to divine
things: and so the covenant of God comes to be received wherein the
soul lives to the bishop of it, which is immortal, and then that birth of
the new creature is known, whereby the spirit of man is sanctified, and
the God of the spirits of all flesh is known. Now where the power
and life guides up to God the Father of life, that works down and di
rects the mind up to God, the immortal to the immortal, whereby light
springs, Christ is known, and the soul praiseth God the saviour, who,
in its low estate, hath regarded and reached down to it. Now where

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the light is hated, and that of God within transgressed, (that doth per
tain to the righteous law of God, and answers it,) the spirit of man is
not sanctified; and man's understanding being darkened, the higher
power is denied, the soul comes into death, transgressing of the law
is known, the witness is buried which should guide the mind, whereby
the soul should live in the diligent hearkening. Hereby man comes to
be defiled, and his spirit, and body, and mind, whereby he glorifies not
God in his body, and soul, and spirit, and glorifies not the God of the
spirits of all flesh. Hereby he comes to be an alien and a stranger to
the life of God, and his ways and covenant. And thou Sayst ' The soul
is a spiritual thing, and yet a creature, an appetite, and fancy.' Every
man that cometh into the world, though they be in the first Adam,
have a light from Christ the second Adam, the bishop of their souls.
So every one being turned to the light which Christ the second Adam
hath enlightened them withal, they shall see the bishop of their souls,
Christ the power of God, which is immortal, and brings the immortal
soul into the immortal God. Christ is their sanctification, who sanctifies
their spirits, and bodies, and brings the soul up into God, from whom
it came, whereby they come to be one soul. For in the lusts of the
world, and the affections of it, is the war against it, and there are the
powers of wickedness. The soul must be in the higher power, higher
than the flesh, which stains the man, spirit and body, and the powers
of wickedness. So the light being turned to, man receiveth the spirit
of God, which sanctifies him, the spirit of sanctification in Christ Jesus
the sanctification and redemption. So every man that cometh into the
world has a light from Christ Jesus, the way out of the fall, the second
Adam, and receiving the light he receives his redemption and sanctifi
cation, whereby his spirit, body, and soul are sanctified.
P. He saith, ' The binding of satan shall not be by a personal reign
of Chrht in a body.' He saith, 'The Quaker denies the light written
in Scripture:' and saith, ' When ye pretend most love to Christ within,
and light within, ye deny the Lord that bought you; and the high talk
of a light within, goes out for ever into utter darkness.'
A. Who own the 'light within,' and 'Christ within,' and are come
into it, own the Lord that bought them, Christ, and no other; and they
that receive not this within, are reprobates, without him, yet talk of
him as the devils, false prophets, and deceivers. And they that go
from the light within, go into utter darkness, and stumble, and do not
know whither they go, and want the garments, the Lamb's clothing.
And so, ' he that believes in the light within, hath the witness in him
self,' abides not in the darkness, nor in the condemnation, but hath the
light of life. And the light within that ' shines in the heart, gives the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.'

169
And who know satan bound, and the false prophet, antichrist, beast,
and mother of harlots taken and cast into the fire, know Christ to reign,
and know his bodily presence; they know his flesh, and are of his flesh
and of his bone, and his spirit, and mind, and power, who hath all
power in heaven and earth given to him; they are over the devil, over
the antichrists, false prophets, beast, and mother of harlots, reign above
their power, triumph, and tread upon their power; and this is known
by the light within. And now doth Christ reign in his saints, and the
paradise of God is known, and Eden, where all things are sanctified,
and blessed, and good; where there is no curse, but blessing. And he
that went out of this, earthly Adam, transgressed and disobeyed, which
brought the death upon all his posterity. But who are come in through
the obedience of another, the second Adam, Christ Jesus, who became
the curse, and took away the curse, who is the sanctification, and brings
the blessing and redemption, (by and through whom are many entered
into the paradise of God,) have the right to the tree of life. And they
are not come into this who are yet in the disobedience. The unbeliev
er, liar, reviler, whoremonger, and adulterer, hate the light, in the dis
obedience, and cannot touch the tree of life, for the sword turns every
way upon them.
And as for all thy hard expressions and revilings in thy book, they
come from the disobedience, over which the sword is that keeps it in
awe, over whom goes the higher power, and that cannot touch nor
taste of the tree of life in the paradise of God, in the Ancient of days.
Thou shalt feel my words to be truth.

Robert Simpson, Robert Parnell, John Andrews, Thomas Ewen,
Bryan Hanson, and Richard Moon, hi their book called, ' The
Church of Christ in Bristol recovering her veil.' Their princi
ples follow.
It is a true word to you : you are recovering the veil more than the life and sub
stance, that takes away all veils, as your principles in your book make manifest.
P. You say, 'Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils. And also of your own selves shall men arise
speaking perverse things, and draw many disciples after them. And
they went out from us: it is manifest they are not of us.' 1 John ii,&c.
A. You have brought these words to show your ignorance; for the
apostles saw such as should 'depart from the faith,' and the false pro-

170
phets and antichrists, that Christ said should come, John saw were come,
and went forth from them before the apostles' decease. They went
forth from the church, and departed from the faith, in which faith the
church had unity, and this they apostatized from; they have had
the sheep's clothing, and so got up an imagined church with a veil on
it, in the apostacy. And these were they that drew disciples after
them, who caused ' the way of truth to be evil spoken of;' and the
'seducing spirits, and the doctrine of devils,' have been up since the
days of the apostles, which they saw come in before their decease;
and such 'went from the faith, in which is the unity.' And thus they
are in the enmity, destroying, persecuting, and prisoning one another
about religion, church, doctrine, and scriptures, and Christ's, the
prophets', and apostles' words; which shows they are out of unity
with God, and with the scriptures, and there you are; and out of the
faith that ' works by love,' by which they should heap coals of fire on
the heads of all the adversaries. And so this is the dawning of the
day, the ending of the night of apostacy; you who are of the skirts
of the great whore are seen, as you have manifested yourselves by
the tale you have told to, the world in your book, who style your
selves, 'the Church of Christ,' which is made up by the letter. How
want ye the life the saints lived in, that gave forth the scriptures! Oh !
ye want the covering of the spirit of the Lord God. And now being
departed from the faith, ye are the false spirits and false prophets that
Christ said should come, 'that would get the sheep's clothing, but be
inwardly ravening wolves, whose fruits should declare them;' which
John saw were come, which went forth from them, which led the
world after them ; and the false apostles, and satan's ministers and mes
sengers, which the apostle saw come up before his decease. These,
since the days of the apostles, have been the guides and leaders of the
world, and teachers, and gatherers of people into names, into heads,
into horns, whereby one hath been against another; they have gathered
people out of peoples, and brought people to a head, and not to Christ,
and yet all have professed themselves Christians. So they have had
the sheep's clothing, but inwardly ravened from the spirit of God,
and so have been wolves, tearing the lambs to pieces, yea, and many
goats and beasts too sometimes, whose fruits have sufficiently declared
them since the days of the apostles, and in this nation. And these
have deceived the world, and have been the wrestlers against flesh and
blood, strikers at the creature; such as have ' departed from the faith,'
ravened from the spirit, gone forth from the apostles, had the sheep's
clothing, have' been the teachers and gatherers into sects, and names,
and heaps; and every one will cry, ' his church,' ' his church,' and all
against the light which comes from Christ, in which the church stands.

171
But now he is redeeming and recovering that which hath been lost,
since the days of the apostles, in this night of the apostacy. The light
is come, the night is gone, the Lamb and the saints are going on con
quering, and to conquer. The throne of the Lamb is set up; and all
those false prophets, beasts, antichrists, mother of harlots, great whore,
and kings of the earth, and the devil, are making war against the
Lamb and the saints.
Now are all the antichrists appearing, and are in arms, and rising
against Christ and his light. The Lamb is on the white horse, who
slays with his sword, ' which are the words of his mouth, and the Lamb
and. the saints shall have the victory.' Glory in the highest ! and re
joice, ye holy prophets, over her.
P. They say, ' The mystical body may sometimes be subject to dis
tempers, and humours, and wants.' See page 1.
A. Are you judges ? Can you judge of the mystical body which the
saints are baptized into? Are the humours, wants, and distempers in
the body which the saints are baptized into? Are they not in your
body? Do you in this divide the word aright? distinguish things in
the ground, and speak aright of things? And yet ye would not be
judged, and say, 'Judge not.' And is not mystical, spiritual?
P. You say, ' The scriptures are the word of God.'
A. The scripture itself saith, ' The word is God.' Christ's ' name
is called the word of God,' and the scriptures are words, the words of
God, the words of Christ, the declaration which the ministers of the
word set forth; which words end in Christ the word, who fulfils them.
And they are called the scriptures of truth which cannot be broken;
and so ye do not speak as the church did that gave forth scripture.
And the spirit of God was the rule in speaking forth the scriptures,
which brings to know the right use of them again.
P. They say, ' To call that light in every man Christ, is to slight
Christ's glorious person in heaven, and to nullify it'
A. Have you not in this showed your ignorance? and to be those
that went forth from the apostles, and so are hardened from the spirit
they were in; who said, ' Christ is all in all,' which ' doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world?' And none see the person of
Christ in heaven, but who are in the light that he hath enlightened
them withal; yea, the covenant of light to the Gentiles and heathens
as well as Jews, and so God is not a respecter of persons. And all
that are from this light, are now making war against the Lamb and
the saints, and the accuser of the brethren is cast out, and the light
which enlightens every man who comes into the world, is Christ.
P. They say, ' It is a delusion for them that are in the light to see
what men's inward states are before God.' See page 29.

172
A. Have ye given yourselves the name ' church of Christ,' and is
there not a spirit of discerning among you? Have ye not manifested
here that ye are harlotted from the church of Christ the apostles were
of? And how can ye minister, or teach people, if ye do not discern
their states, how they stand before God? How can you commend your
selves to every man's conscience in God's sight? How can ye present
the souls of men to God, and see not how their states are in his sight ?
How come ye to have fellowship in the spirit? How can you, or any,
minister to the state and condition that people are in, and see where
they are, and not know how they stand in God's sight? , In this how
have you showed your ignorance of the scriptures, and the epistles
written to the saints, which speak to the state and conditions the saints
were in! Ye have a name, but how have ye declared yourselves dead
from the life! How have ye stained your own glory, and marred your
own beauty, and set yourselves out of the steps and paths of the church
of Christ !
P. Simpson saith, ' If my heart deceive me not, I could wish that
God would recover you out of the devil's snare.1 See page 40. And
ye speak of ' breaking of bread, and ordinances, and the Lord's supper,
and baptism.' See page 35.
A. The prayers of the faithful that are in the spirit, are acceptable;
but he that doubts, knows not his own heart, and prays without dis
cerning, being out of that which purifies it. And for baptism, and or
dinances, and the Lord's supper, and the bread that the saints broke,
ye have all been ignorant of them in this night of apostacy since the
days of the apostles. Paul told the Corinthians, ' what he had received
of the Lord, he delivered unto them;' and 'as oft as they did eat that
bread, and drink that cup, they did show forth the Lord's death till
he came,' and they were to do it in remembrance of him. And after
wards the apostles wrote again to the said Corinthians, and told them,
' the light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus;' and said,
' while we look not at things that are seen, but at things that are not
seen: for the things that are seen are temporal, (bread, wine, and water
are seen,) but the things that are not seen are eternal.' And bids
them examine themselves, and prove their own selves, and said,
' Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you, except you be reprobates?'
P. He saith, ' He hath been a preacher ofthe gospel at Bristol and
Wells, and he hath not need to seek a proof of any man.' See page
43. And he saith, 'I am no preacher, to bid every man turn to the
light within him, neither did I ever read or hear, that any of the apos
tles or holy men of God preached such a gospel.' And they said of

173 .
Sarah Latchet, who had beeii one of them, and was excommunicated,
'it was fittest to send her to Bridewell.'
A. This was not the work of the ministers of the gospel, to wrestle
with flesh and blood, which is yours. And they in the sight of God
had witnesses; and they could seek them; which thou sayst thou needs
not. And they turned people from the darkness to the light; and
Christ bid them ' believe in the light while they had it, that they might
become the children Of the light.' And the apostle's doctrine was,
' that the light that shined in their hearts, would give them the light of
the knowledge of the ghpry of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' and this
thou never heardest of, as thou sayst. And thy gospel that is not this,
and agrees riot to the apostles,' is another, and so accursed. And the
saints were one another's epistles written in one another's hearts, read
and seen of all men, And thou hast been a bad preacher at Wells and
Bristol, that knoWestnot the light.
P. They say, ' A man may be, a christian, a believer, a converted
soul, he maybe in Christ, and yet not have received the spirit of seal
ing and establishing,' page 53.
A. This is like the rest of their doctrine, who, being out of it them
selves, are not able to3 judge of the state of babes, believers, and con
verted souls who are in Christ. For they that are in Christ have the
spirit ; and they that are converted, are converted by the spirit. And
he that believeth, cometh to be sealed with the spirit of promise.
P. They say, ' The light in every man is a notion,' and yet say
'they seek'God'by prayer, solemnly.' And ' they shut up the king
dom of heaven against men, that bid all men turn to the light with
in them, and from the believing on the person of Jesus Christ,' page
60. A. None open the kingdom of heaven to all men, but who turn peo
ple to the light ' which Christ Jesus hath enlightened every man with
that cometh into the world.' And none believe in Christ, but who
believe in the light which Christ, tlie light, 'hath enlightened them
with;' and such have the witness in themselves, and can set to their
seals that God is true ; and they see their sanctification, justification,
and redemption. And none ever pray the acceptable prayer of the
Lord, but who are in the light that cometh from Christ ; and such
call not the light 'a notion,' for all notions are among such as are out
of the light, •' with which Christ doth enlighten every man that coiheth
into the world.' They are from the rock, the foundation, and sanctifi--
cation, and see n«t Christ. And this.is riot to deny Christ, but receive'
him, and believe in him. And all upon the earth are antichrists, that
deny the light 'that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world,' and are from it.
Vol. III. 22

. 174
Pv And as for your speaking of judging, and ' not to judge before
the time, until the Lord do come,' &c.
A. That was Spoken to the Corinthians, and the apostle adds, 'who
will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest
the counsels of the heart.' Now the same apostle said to the same
Corinthians, ' that God would dwell in them, and Walk in them,', and
they were not to judge before the tithe until that he did come. And
he, told 'them ' the saints should judge the world,' and the world should
be judged by them. Now where the Lord is come, such as have the
son, and the Father, and. bring th\s doctrine, they are to be received;
and they know where sin and transgression are finished, and where
it is, standing. So if any man have an ear to hear this, and can receive
it, let him.
And as for the rest of the things jnyourr book, ,your silence might
have covered your shame, 'for every man's words shall be his burden.'
Therefore, he that hath the word of God; speaks that which shall be so,
which now comes to be richly knoWn, arid is known among the saints
and believers, the true church which is come out of the apostacy, since
the days of the apostles, to that the apostles were in.

Jonathan Clapham,, ' a labourer of the gospel,' as he saith, and
William Jenkin : their book to the protector, called ' A discovery
of the Quakers' doctrine.' Their principles, fyc.
P. He saith, ' I dare not say that I am infallible, as the pope and the
Quakers.' And ' the magistrate in this external politic kingdom is a
mediator, though he is no officer nor magistrate in the spiritual king
dom ofhis church. And if this be received by magistrates, that they
have nothing to do with the worship of God, Christ is little beholding
to them. Then they may protect the worship of Mahomet, as well as
Christ's.' And yet ye say, ' That the magistrate is the officer of Christ.'
See his epistle to the protector.
A.- How is it, then, if the magistrate be no officer of the church, that
you make use of magistrates to prison, to persecute, to give you tithes,
and to quench the spirit when any thing is revealed to ' another that sits
by?' Were not the magistrates in all ages stirred up by the blind
priests, prophets, and teachers, to persecute and prison Such as they
judged to be blasphemers? And so, did not all the'«saints in all ages
suffer, not as for truth, but as for blasphemy; yea, by them that had
the form, coyered with the sheep's clothing?
Now the magistrate that is in the power of Christ, is beyond an

175
external kingdom, and sees oyer the kingdoms of the world; and as he
is a help-governor for Christ, he is a member ofthe church, and knows
who worship God, arid who worship idols. And who worship God
are in the power of God, in that which sees over all external king
doms; that is the higher power which the soul must be subject to, and
that is the true magistrate. And thou not being infallible, art not in the
spirit, and so art not a minister, and art not able to judge of powers,
nor magistrates, nor kingdoms, hor churches. For who is in the infal
lible, is in the spirit that Christ was in, and the apostles and prophets
that gave forth scriptures. But we, say, that thou, nor the pope, thy
elder brother, (in the apostacy from the apostles,) are either of you
infallible, nor in the infallible spirit that the apostles were in; but ye
are both erred from it in the apostacy, as your fruits declare.
P. They say, ' The magistrates are to protect the church from the
ravenous wolves; for ye are to stop the freedom ofthe Quakers in your
dominions, and their license, and the Lord blesfs your highness.' See
his epistle to the protector.
A. Before, thou saidst they were not officers in the spiritual church*
and now wouldst thou have thehv to limit and quench the spirit? and to
be your executioners, by telling them the Quakers seduce people? Ye
have manifested your own spirits, that ye have not the spirit to resist
their spirits, but are crying.' to the magistrates. And did John bid the
saints call to the magistrates; to the outward powers of the earth, to
try seducers, or did the saints so? And have hot you manifested your
selves to be them that cry, 'help men!' against Christ and the saints?
and cry to the mountains to cover you; crying 'to the magistrates,
' Help men of Israel! these are the men that will turn the world upside
down,' and so go to the arm of flesh?' Have hot ye here showed your
spirits to be them that should come, who* were inwardly ravened,
who' John saw were come, and to be the wolves in sheepiVclothing,
and the blasphemers; such as you cannot tear, yourselves, you. would
have, the magistrates to tear. But the Lord hath opened an under
standing among many of them that; they see you.
P. He siith,\'We dure not contest with the Quakers, they teach
men, by minding the light in the conscience, to attain a moral righte
ousness,, that is the highest; .and as if they had accomplished it wholly
now, and not to be fulfilled in another World.' See epistle to the pro
tector, y '
A.. We do believe that you are notable to resist the Quakers,. who
have appeared in that that cannot be shaken., .Therefore, is it. not a
shame tp you to say you are a.ehurch and ministers, and to say the
magistrate is no officer in the spiritual church; and yet fly to the
magistrate, and tell him you dare not contest with the Quakers, and

176
bless him if he will but stop them! Think ye not the magistrates will
see you in these things? And the light which Christ, the righteousness
of God, ' hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world,
withal,' leads man to the end of the righteousness of the law, that
comes to be fulfilled in all its righteousness whatsoever. And so the
light is too heavy for thee, and too hard for thee; arid it is the precious
stone thou stumblest at. And things fulfilled in another world, the
prophecies, the parables, the types, the figures, the shadows, the gifts,
the revelations, the dispensations, these things were in this world mani
fested. And who comes to Christ, who is the end of all, comes into
the power of. the world that hath no end. What is there to fulfil
there, in the world that hath no pnd. Things are to be fulfilled in
this world, that hath an end. And thus thou hast showed thy igno
rance. P. He saith, ' The scripture is the word of God.' And saith, 'Christ
is not properly the word, but figuratively/ page 3. ' And the scrip
ture is in more proper sense, without figure, called the word of God.?
He saith, ' Without the scripture we do not know how to Worship God
aright, and serve him, and therein attain to eternal life.'
Again they say, 'God is not pleased to use this way of immediate
revelation now: neither indeed is it the work of God's holy spirit to
discover things unto us now immediately,' page 5.
A. Christ's name is ealled 'the word of God' properly, and not
figuratively, and more properly than, the scripture, as in the Revela
tions. And the scriptures are the words of God, and words which Christ
the word fulfils. So it is proper to call the scriptures the words of God,
and proper to call Christ's name the word of God, and 'the word that be
came flesh,' thatis proper scripture. And they that had not the scriptures,
worshipped God, before the scriptures were written, as Abraham and
Enoch, and others; and they attained to eternal life* And if people
have all the scriptures, and not the spirit which was before they were
given forth, they want the standing rule; they cannot know the scrip
tures; they cannot worship God aright; they cannot find eternal life;
they have not unity with God ; neither do any worship God aright, but
they who are in the spirit that gave them forth. And we dp believe
you, that immediate revelations now by the holy spirit of God reveal
ing things to you immediately, ye have not; and you say it is not the
work of God's spirit now, nor the way of God now, &c. You that
have ravened from the spirit of God inwardly, have been the wolves
whieh Christ said should come, which John saw were come, after whom
the world hath gone, and ye have burst into names, and heads, and
horns, and sects. And the power was given to the beast, and the false
prophets; arid the great whore hath corrupted the earth, All nations

177
have drunk her cup of fornication, and the kings of the earth. So they
have fled to the kings for help against the saints, and against the Lamb,
but the Lamb and the saints shall have the victory. And so when you
have been ravened from the spirit of God, it hath not been likely ye
should attain to immediate revelation by the spirit of God. But now
who are come to the Lamb, are come to that ye have ravened from,
they witness immediate revelation. They are come to that the apostles
were in, the spirit of Christ, the spirit, of God; they witness imme
diate revelation. Who are eome into, the fear of God* the things of
God are revealed unto them; who are come into the spirit of God, it
reveals to them the deep things of God. So you that deny immediate
revelation by God's holy spirit now,and discovering things to you im
mediately, you have showed your spirits to be the false spirits, unclean
spirits that be in the earth, like the frogs that go out of the mouth of
the beast and the false prophet, which was discovered by John, and re
vealed to John, discovered and made manifest; and now with the
same holy spirit of God are all ypu apostates revealed and discovered
to the children of the light, to the lambs and the saints, who witness
the spirit of Gpd which reveals. the things of God to them, and imme
diate revelation. The false prophets, false appstles, false teachers, in
their false prophecies. and teachings, who had gotten the form, ever
denied the power,, and immediate revelation by God's holy spirit.
And was it not they that cried to the powers of the earth for help
against the saints in all ages, which were discovered and judged by the
spirit of God, and must go into the fire. '-,
P. He saith, ' The Scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation,
and they are a more sure word of prophecy than any voice we can
hear from heaven,' page 6. 'And we will call them the word of God,
whether the Quakers will or not, and we are to go to the law and testi
mony,' page 7.
A. And in this ye are contrary to the ministers of the word, who
call the scriptures the words of God, and Christ the wordj and call
the scriptures a declaration and a treatise, which Christ the word
came to fulfil. And the law and testimony, which you say is the
Old and New Testament, many may have, and yet stand against
1 the law' which ' is light,' as saith Solomon ; and stand against
< the testimony of Jesus whieh is the spirit of prophecy,' and cru
cify them "that are in the- law and testimony, as witness the raven
ing wolves that have had the sheep's clothing, but inwardly ravened
from the spirit; Which Christ said should come, and John saw were
come, went out from the apostles, whom the world have since gone
after. And many may have the scripture, and stand against the
yoice from heaven, as the Jews did against him that spoke from

178
heaven, who was more, sure; he that spoke from heaven, was the
end of the scriptures, and comes to fulfil them, And the scriptures are
not able 'to make wise unto salvation,' as you say, who leave put the
faith; but through faith they are.
, P., 'Let the Quakers show wherever Christ or the apostles bid
people look tp the light within them. And the Quakers say they Write
from the spirit of the Lord, and speak from God immediately and in
fallibly, as did the apostles, and doth not this bring them under the
curse in the revelations?' page 8. 'And say the letter is a dead and
killing letter,' these he calls ' wicked errors.' And ' to say the light
within is sufficient, is an old Popish argument.'
A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is en
lightened with, is the salvation to the ends of thq earth, and sufficient;
for he that believes in it shall have the light of life, and come to wit
ness the laW of God in his mind and in his heart; and the new cove
nant, in which he shall not need to say, ,' Know the Lord.' And the
letter of scripture, paper and ink, is a dead letter: and thou and you
all that speak, and write, and not from God immediately and infallibly,
as the aposlles did, and' prophets, and Christ, but only have gotten the
words, you are all under the curse, in another spirit, ravened from the
spirit that was in the apostles, only have had the sheep's clothing, in
wardly ravening wolves; so deceived the world and the nations, and
have been held up by the powers of the world, the powers ofthe earth.
And the kings of the earth have drunk the cup of fornication, and they
were like to maintain that which they have drunk. And so power
hath been given to the beast over all kindreds, tongues, and nations,
and they should make war against the Lamb and the saints, and con
tinue' it till the words of God were fulfilled. And the apostles told the
Corinthians, 'that light that shined in their hearts would give them
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ
Jesus. ' And sp all people upon the earth that have gotten a knowledge, if
thelight that has shined in their hearts hath riot given it them, what they
knpw, thtey know naturally; in these things they corrupt themselves.
And so thou and you that are ignorant of the apostles' doctrine, ^he
light that gives pepple the knowledge, and the immediate infallible
spirit that the apostles were in, and that the scriptures were given forth
from, are* together with the pope, in another spirit than the apostles were
in, comprehended by the spirit that gave forth scriptures.
P. 'And what a dreadful judgment is upon them that leave the scrip
tures to look, to the light Within them,' page 9. ' And many deceivers
should come into the world that confess not Christ come in the flesh,
receive them not into your houses.' And ' the man Christ is testified
against by the light,' page 13. And he saith, ' They publicly deny

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the resurrection of the dead body.' And saith, 'The sufferings of
Christ in the flesh were but an example and a figure.
A. Christ ended all figures in suffering, and examples, and patterns;
yet he is the saints' pattern and example, as the scripture witnesses, and
there is no other example nor pattern to be heeded but Christ alone,
which they are to learn of. But to say he is nothing but a figure, for
that thou, and you all, will be judged: for he ended all figures and is
the resurrection, and the life both. 'And thy dead body shall live
with my dead body,' this is scripture. And they that said the resur
rection was past in the days of the apostles, overthrew the faith of
some. That which overthrew the faith, denying the resurrection,
kept the seed in death, where it hath been in you all since the days
of the apostles; for who are of faith, are of Abraham, of Christ ac
cording to the flesh ; and so if the dead arise not, their preaching is
vain, and their faith is vain. So I say, mortal must put on immortality,
and corruption must put on incorruption. ' The first man was made
a living soul, the second was made a quickening spirit ; there are
earthly bodies, and heavenly bodies,' and there is a resurrection of the
just and unjust, the one to eternal life, the other to condemnationi
And the judge is ' the man Christ Jesus,' to judge the quick and the
dead, who both died and rose again, that he might be God of the dead
and the living. And the light which every man hath that cometh
into the world, doth not testify against Christ; and the light doth not
bring to deny the scriptures, but to own them. And none own them
aright, nor Christ, but who are in , the light which cometh from him.
And all that deny the light that doth enlighten every man, &c. are the
welves, and the false prophets, and antichrists, that have gotten the
sheep's clothing ; and such cannot be received into the houses of the
saints, that are from the light which every man is enlightened withal.
And none confess Christ come in the flesh, but who are in the light
which Christ hath enlightened them with. And so now all profes
sors, and teachers upon the earth, and kings pf the earth, are raVened
inwardly from the light which Christ enlightened them all with; stand
ing against the light, and the Lamb, and the saints, that are in it ; and
are not to be received into the houses of the saints, neither to bid them
God speed; for they are out from God that are out of the light which
Christ the son hath enlightened them with.
P. And he saith, ' Christ hath a human reasonable soul.' Again,
' Christ, the eternal son of God, distinct from the Father eternally; be
fore he was made flesh, his spirit was distinguished from the Father,
and was the son from eternity; and not only when he was manifested by
descending on Christ in the likeness of a dove, or by falling upon the
apostles like cloven tongues,' &c. See page 17.

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A. Christ saith he is in the Father, and the Father is in him, and he
will send them the spirit of truth, the comforter, that proceeds from
the Father and the son; and Christ saith, he was glorified, with the
Father before the world began; and yet ye say, the son is distinguished
from the Father from eternity. And the son saith he is in the Father*
and the Father is in him. And you say the spirit is distinguished from
the Father and the son from eternity, and Christ saith it proceeds from
him and the Father, and he is the God and father of the spirits of all
flesh, and the substance of all things. And is not a human soul earthly?
for you say that Christ had a human soul, and is not human earthly?
and hath a human body, and is not a human body an earthly body? Is
not his body ofthe seed of Abraham according to the flesh? and is not
his body a glorified body? Was not the first man ofthe earth, earthly,
and had a human body, the second man the Lord from heaven? And
is not the soul immortal, which cometh out from God who is immor
tal, and goes into God again? and is not human, or earthly, mortal?
And are there not three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the
word, and the spirit, and are not they all one? How then are they
distinct? And there are three that bear record in earth, the spirit,
the water* and the blood, which agree in one. And Christ saith, ' 1
and my Father, are one;' and ' I in the Father, and the Father in me,'
and he is in the saints, and so not distinct.
P. He saith, ' It is irhpudency in the Quakers to deny the word 'ri-
nity, and three persons. And the church ever denied such as deny ihe
doctrine ofthe trinity.' See pages 18, 19.
A. As for the word trinity, and three persons, we have not read it
in the Bible, but in the common-prayer-book, or mass-book, which the
pope was the author of. But as for unity we own it, and Christ being
the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his
substance (of the Father) we own; that which agrees with the scrip
tures, and for that which the scripture speaks not, which men speak
and teach for doctrine, their own words, that the Scriptures speak not
nor teach, such the scriptures shut out, and we deny.
P. He saith, ' That is the weak, ignorant, dark, and the wicked seet
of the devil, that maintain an equality with God; the soul to be one
being with God, or part of God.' And saith, ' The Quakers say, there
is no scripture speaks of a human soul, and the soul is taken up into
God, and God is all in all.'
A. The assembly, or synod of priests, put forth a catechism, and
say that the holy ghost and the son are equal with the Father in power
and glory: and this they put forth that people should learn it: then, if
any come to witness the holy ghost, they come to witness that which
is equal in power and glory with the Father ? if any come to witness

181
the son of God revealed in them, (which he that hath not, hath not life,)
do they not come to witness him who is equal in power and glory with
the Father? This is your own catechism. And is it blasphemy to
confess your own words, that ye have given people to learn ? God
breathed into man the,breath of life, and he became a living soul; God,
who hath all souls in his hand. And is not this [breath of life] that
cometh out from God, which is in God's hand, part of God, of God,
and from God, and goes to God again? which soul Christ is the bishop
of. And dost not thou speak of a human soul, an earthly soul, and
is earthly, immortal? cannot it die nor be killed ? And is not that which
came out from God, which God hath in his hand, taken up into God
again, which Christ the power of God is the bishop of, is not this of
God's being?* And doth not the scripture say, ' God is all and in all ?'
And how dost thou here divide the word of God aright, who showest
so much ignorance ofthe lefter of scripture? <
P. He saith, ' It is a wretched doctrine to say men have not a hu
man soul in them, and to say that the soul is a part of the divine
essence.' A. Is not that of God that came out from him ? and is not the earthly
and human ofthe ground? and is not that mortal? and is that which is
immortal human? And doSt thou say it is human, and is not that
earthly? And where doth the scripture ofthe prophets, Christ or the
apostles, tell people of a human soul; and of Christ having a human
body in heaven ? And doth not the apostle speak of his glorified body?
P. He saith, ' That God should dwell in his saints, and Christ in
habit in believers; how can this be ? the-heaven of heavens cannot con
tain him, how much- less shall the strait heart of man?'
A. The scripture saith God will dwell in men, and walk in men, and
Christ that fills heaven and earth 'is in you, except ye be reprobates;'
and so, in this thou hast showed thyself one not able to divide the
word aright. And the bodies of the saints are the temples of God, and
God will dwell in them, and walk in them, and he will be their God,.
and they shall be his people.
P. He saith, 'Nor is it an essential indwelling of the divine nature
in God's people,' &c.
A. Doth not the apostle say, the saints were made partakers of the
divine nature? and that God dwells in the saints, and Christ is in
* " George Fox says: 'God breathed into man the breath of life, and he-became a
living soul; and is not this of God, of his being,. &c. And is not this, that comes out
from God, part of God?' G. F. intends that divine life, power, and virtue, by which
Adam in soul and body came to live to God: not 'that the soul of man, as a mere
creature, created capacity, is of God's own being and substance.' "
" ' [Wm. Penn's. Works, vol. 2. pp. 521, 522.
Vol. III. 23

182
them, except they be reprobates? And do not the saints come to eat
the flesh of Christ? And if they eat his flesh, is it not within them?
P. He saith, ' God dwells not in the saints as a personal union,' &c.
See page 22.
A. How come the saints then to eat pf his flesh, and to be of his flesh
and bone ? and to know God dwelling in them ? and to have unity with
the son and the Father ? and to be of his body, which is the church, of
which Christ is the head?
P. To say a man is justified and made righteous by God's putting
righteousness into us, and by righteousness wrought in the creature,
confounds justification and sanctification/ &c. See page 25.
A. The apostle brought people to the faith that was in their hearts,
by which they were justified, for with the heart man believes unto
righteousness, &c. And they were to believe in the light, that was,
Christ. And the light that shined in their hearts gave the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus their saviour.
Now justification by the works of the law, was, ' do this and live.'
They were to circumcise the children; if they did not, they were to be
cut off: and they were to keep the law. But the faith of Christ ended
the works of the law: for it took away the nature that the law went
upon. Now the Papists, and priests, are out of the works of the law,
and the works of faith that works by love; for they are slaying one
another about religion, though they pretend works, and this was ever
out of the faith of Christ Jesus, to kill one another about religion. Now
the apostles were in the works of faith,, who neither prisbned nor per
secuted any that were contrary minded, nor wrestled against flesh and
blood, but against the power that captivated creatures. And so all this
work about works ddth show you and the Papists both to be out of the
faith that works by love, where love should overcome all things, and
hear all things. I dp not measure priests and professors, nor Papists,
by the works of the law which the apostle speaks of, which the false
teachers were bringing people to in the days of the apostles. Neither
do I compare or measure Papists, or priests, with the works of ' faith
that works by love,' that becomes all to all, for the winning some of
them. Papists, and' priests, and professors will kill one another about
their faith, which is not the faith that works by love; but contrary, to
the apostles' and Quakers' faith.
P. He saith, ' Our warfare cannot be expected to be over as long as
we are in the body: and the best of saints do not live free from sin,'
page 27.
A. The apostles said they were made free from sin, and that the blood
of Jesus Christ the son of God cleanseth us from all sin ; and, such as
witnessed the everlasting covenant of God, that blotted out their sins

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and transgressions. And they witnessed the one offering that perfected
for ever them that are sanctified. And the saints witnessed the kingdom
of God, which stands in righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy ghost,
and were new creatures, the old man being put off, and they were more
than conquerors. So thou art ignorant of the scriptures, and it is the
doctrine of devils to preach (flat men shall have sin, and be in a warfare
so long as they are on earth; that is not the doctrine of Christ which
brings people to the faith, which gives the victory, in which they have
unity one with another, and please God. .
P. He saith, 'To witness heaven within and hell within, and the re
surrection, is the mystery of iniquity,' page 31*.
A. Which shows thou never knew heaven in thyself, nor hell there,
nor Christ the resurrection and the life, which they are blessed that are
made partakers of the first resurrection, on them the second death
shall have no power. And the scriptures do witness heaven within.
And if Christ that was offered up, the resurrection and the life, be not
within thee, thou art a reprobate.
P. He saith, 'We shall have incorruptible, powerful, glorious, and
spiritual bodies;' and yet they say ' Christ is in heaven with a human
body,' (which is earthly,) see page 34. Again ^the spirit can enter
into heaven, while the body is upon the earth,' &c. And he saith, ' the
fourth commandment commandeth the keeping of a seventh day: and he
that breaketh the least commandment and teacheth men so lo do, is
least in the kingdom of heaven,' page 41.
A. Have not all the priests and teachers in England denied the Jews'
sabbath, the seventh day ? and do not you work on it ? and do not you
meet together on the first day of the week ? and do not you all teach
men to break the commandment there ? And you keep markets and
fairs on the seventh day, the Jews' sabbath; ye meet together on the
first day ofthe week, which is the eighth day, and so not one in seven.
And if the saints satin heavenly places with Christ Jesus; and if the saints
in heaven must have a glorious body, and Christ a human body, (which I
say is earthly,) how doth this agree with scripture, that says Christ's is
a glorious body ? And is it an earthly body the saints eat, when they
eat the flesh of Christ ? And are, not people in their first state, in the
earthly, before they come to witness a spiritual body like unto his glo
rious body ? How do you divide the word aright ? And they that have
the spirit of Christ, their spirits are in heaven, and they have unity with
the Father.
P. 'We have no such immediate converse with God now, as to see
him face to face,' page 42.
A. We do believe you have not, who are gone from the spirit that

184
the prophets and apostles were in, ravened from it since the days of the
apostles in the apostacy, and so are not in the counsel of God; and are
out of his teaching and instruction, and So far from having fellowship
with God; for who have fellowship with him come to see him. And
you are not of Abraham's seed who saw God face to face, but are ofthe
Pharisees' stock, who never saw his shap1!, John v.
P. And you say, ' In the last days false prophets should arise, and
show signs and wonders; and if it were possible they should deceive
the elect. And the coming ofthe man of sin is after the working of
satan, with, all power, and signs, and lying wonders,' &c. page 44.
A. Christ said, the false prophets and antichrists should come, which
John saw were come; yea, many antichrists were gone out into the world.
And the apostle Paul saw the man of sin before his decease, the coming
of him with the lying signs and wonders; which man of sin since the
days ofthe apostles, in this night of apostaey,has ruled and reigned, with
his lying signs and wonders; and these are not the true signs, but lying.
And when they were ravened from the spirit of God they got the
sheep's clothing while inwardly ravening wolves, 'which if it were
possible, would deceive the very elect ;', which went forth frpm the
apostles in the apostacy; and since they have deceived the nations,
the wolves, the inwardly raveners, though covered with the sheep's
clothing. And here these things have been among you in the apostacy:
and the apostates have reigned and ruled, and have had the dominion
since the days ofthe apostles. But now with that which ye all have
ravened from, are ye made manifest and comprehended. So this man
of sin, with his lying signs and wonders, who ravened from the spirit
of God, as the devil did, who went from the truth, is he that compels
all his members to plead for the body of sin while they be upon earth,
and so to keep them out of the faith of God's elect, that.gives the victory
over the world. And such he cannot deceive, nor any of his members,
that are ravened from the spirit(of God.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers' despising the fashions of the world, con
temning the honours and pleasures thereof, and their sober carriage and
deportment among men, and willingness to suffer;' all these he calls
' wickedriess.' See pages 49, 50.
A. But it seemeth this practice of denying the fashions of the world,
and contemning the honours and pleasures thereof, and their sober
carriage, offends him and the world, and the rest of the priests and pro
fessors, arid the denying- the lusts which they are in.
P. He saith, ' The devil is not an adulterer,' page 51 . .
A. Did the devil abide in the truth ? Did not he go out of it? And
are not all that go out of the truth with him, adulterers, who begets
his own image, and is the foundation of adultery ?

185
P. He saith, ' The light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world, is a natural light, or law,' page 56:
A. Which light, Christ Jesus, is the end of the law, before any natu
ral light was made or created;. for all things that were made were made
by him, and he doth ' enlighten every man that cometh into the world.'
P. He saith, ' the light will not bring men to salvation,' page 56.
A. The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, is Christ, the ' salvation to the ends of the earth.'
P. He saith again, 'The light is not sufficient to lead men to salva
tion,' page 60. . 'And to witness sanctification within, and justification
there, is to confound justification and sanctification. And grace and
justification is a created thing, and the light within is mere darkness,
which the Quakers speak of.' See page 61.
A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is en
lightened with, comprehends all darkness/ and leads out of it, and there
is no occasion of stumbling in it; for, 'as many as receive him, to
them he gives power to become the sons of God.' And the light is
not darkness; but he that saith the light is darkness, is out of the light,
in the darkness. And justification and sanctification being within, doth
not confound it without, but it is the same that is within that is with
out. And grace is, the gift of God, and sanctification both, Christ
Jesus, who was before any creature Was created, and the grace comes
from the throne.
P. He saith, ' They are the unestablished people that are running
after every way of error, that own the Quakers in these nations,'
page 62.
A. In that the nation will witness against thee; for they that own
the Quakers are known to have been the most knowing, seeking people
that have been in the nations, and the most sincere people; and none
come out of error,: but who come to the Quakers' light which they fol
low, which is Christ.
P. He saith, ' That Christ hatlr a human created soul.' See page 63.
Again, 'And. the light in the conscience to be Christ is a false doctrine.
And the Quakers seek to bring people from all other teaching but the
light within them;' page 65.
A. The soul of Christ is witnessed: but to say it is human, earthly,
and created, (when the scripture doth not teach us that doctrine,) we
cannot believe nor own your words, but deny them.* And Christ is
the light in the conscience, which doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world, who was before any creature was; which he
that receiveth comes to him to be his teacher, and feels him reign. And
all men must come to the light which Christ hath enlightened them
withal, who is the covenant of God, to feel the law written in their

186
hearts, and in their minds, to bring them off all other teachers, where
by they need not teach one another, nor say, ' know the Lord.'
P. He saith, 'Men may be called of men master, and it is but a
cavil to deny it. And they may deny to be called father, as well as
master,' &c. See page 68,
A. Thou hast in this denied the doctrine of Christ, and slightest it,
who saith, 'Be not ye of men called master; for ye have all one master,
which is Christ, and ye are all brethren.' And thou hast showed thy
self out of the brotherhood; and there is a birth to be born, which ean
call no man father upon earth, which thou art ignorant of.
P. He saith, 'There is lawful respect of persons, and it, is said God
himself is the respecter of persons: and the Quakers overthrow all
authority, because they do not respect persons,' page 71.
A. ' God is not a respecter of persons,' as saith the apostle, for his
covenant he gives, to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. And the
faith of God's elect is held without respect of persons; and he that
respects persons commits sin, andtransgresseth the law. And so thou
dividest not the word aright.
P. He saith, ' False prophets shall arise, and damnable heresies, and
many shall follow their pernicious ways, by which the way of truth
shall be evil spoken of.'
A. The apostles saw, them coihe up, the false prophets that brought
in the damnable heresies, that were covetous, &c. and many followed
their ways. And the false prophets go from the light that Christ hath
enlightened them with, and raven from the spirit, and get the sheep's
clothing, and through their covetouSness, make a trade of that: and you
are such as cause the truth to be evil spoken of, who are come up since
the days pf the apostles.
P. 'And the Quakers are not to be received into their houses, nor
bidden God speed, and such as creep into houses, lead silly women
captive, laden with sin, and led away with divers lusts.'
A. The apostle saw such as crept into houses, and such as transgress
ed the doctrine of Christ, that were not to be received into houses; and
saw the deceivers that walked after their ungodly lusts, before the
apostles' decease ; and such as kept people always learning, and never
able to come to the knowledge of the truth, as is manifest now in the
world ; they are learning 40,, 50, or 60 years, and yet there is a cry
among them that they must have the body of sin, and live in their sins
while they be upon the earth, and that none can be without it; and
this is the height your doctrine leads to, which is now in the mouths of
all people that are under your teaching that teach that doctrine. And
yet you will say, the work of the ministry is for the perfecting of the
saints, to the edifying of the body of Christ, till all come into the unity

187
of the faith unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the ful
ness of Christ! And this work ye have denied yourselves to be in ; but
how should it be otherwise with such that are as JanneS and Jambres?
that have ravened from the spirit of God inwardly, that went forth from
the apostles, that are covetous, that keep people 'always learning, and
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.' So you are they that
keep people from the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world, and keep them in spiritual Egypt, Sodom, and Gomor
rah, where they are always learning, having the form of godliness, and
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and this to you all
will be a sad cup at last. -
And as for all thy lies and slanders in thy book* which are not worth
mentioning, they will come sadly upon thyself one day for the grievous
lies thou hast uttered in it unto the nation; but thousands in the nation,
that are not under the name of Quakers, know and see the contrary of
what thou hast published; they will fall upon thy own self, and be thy
own burthen. And then thou «halt say, when thou feelest thy own
works burn, thou hadst better have been silent, and not have published
forth thy folly, and made thy name to stink, and brought thy name
upon record, who hath made lies thy refuge; but the hail is come, and
coming, that will sweep them away.

William Thomas, called Minister of the Gospel of XJbley, his book
called 'A Vindication of the Scriptures and Ministers.' His
principles follow.
P. He saith, ' Christ directs to look for life in the scriptures, because
they testify bf him; and that the scriptures are the ground of faith,
and the saints' rule.' And again, 'We are justified by Christ without
uS, and not within us.' See his epistle.
A. Many had the scriptures, and searched them, arid found not life
in them, for Christ is the life; and if men have all the scriptures, and
have not Christ, they have not life. And so Christ did not say they
should have life in the scriptures; but he saith, they thought to have
life there, and that they testified of him, 'and they would not come
to him that they might have life.' How ignorant art thou of the scrip
tures, and of Christ's words, to divide them in this manner! And
Christ is the author of the faith. And many have scriptures, and have
not the ground of faith, until they have Christ the author of it, and
God the giver of it; 'which are able to make wise unto salvation,'
through the faith which Christ is the author of. For Enoch, arid Abel,&c.

188
had faith before the scriptures were written; and so before thy ground
was. And the saints had a rule before the scriptures were written; for
the spirit was their rule that led them into all truth, and to speak forth
scriptures; that is the rule that mortifies, circumciseth, baptizeth, and
leads into all truth. The word of God, that fulfils scriptures, leads into
all truth; that is the truth that leads into all truth. Now the scriptures
cannot lead into all truth, but they testify of that that doth. And if Christ
be not within people, they are reprobates. And is a reprobate justified ?
And if Christ be within,is hot the justification there, andredemption and
sanctification witnessed, ' Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever.' P. He saith, 'We consider how- few there are in the church that
belongs to God.' See his epistle.
A. This is your own church, which is not the pillar and ground of
truth. For who are in the church of Christ, the pillar and ground of
truth, (where there is not a spot, or wrinkle, or. blemish, nor any such
thing,) they are those that belong to Q'od ; , they are living stones, built
up together a spiritual household ; but from this thou art afar off.
P. He saith, ' We willingly acknowledge we are fallible men, that
may be deceived; and to find infallible teachers is against experience.
None pretend infallibility but the pope.' See page 9. He saith,
' The scriptures are the well and living fountain, from whence living
waters have been drawn this hundred or thousand years,' page 8.
A. If every one that hath the scriptures hath the fountain, hath the
devil the fountain? for he can bring scriptures; hath he the fountain
and well of living waters? Nay, we say, Gpd and Christ is the foun
tain of all good. And saith David, ' all the springs are in him.' And
so, many may have the scriptures, and yet want the waters, want the
fountain; who have had them since the days of the apostles, who
have had them this many hundreds of years in the apostacy, the
sheep's clothing, and have known no other fountain, but them, nor any
other well. So all the leanness of souls hath been among people,
because they have not known the fountain of whom they learned
that gave forth scriptures. And we do believe you, that ye are fallible
men, that say ' the scriptures are the well and fountain of living waters,'
and you are not infallible. And it is contrary to your experience to
be infallible. And we say the pope is not infallible neither, though
he be your father, the ancient. Yet we say, he and you are apostatized
from the infallible spirit that the apostles were in, to which we are
come, with which ye are seen and judged, not to have the spirit of
Christ Jesus, not to have the spirit of the prophets and apostles, not to.
be led by ' the spirit of truth into all truth,' not to be in the spir.it not
to speak as ye ' are moved of the holy ghost;' but to ^be such as are
ravened from the spirit of God inwardly, and have gotten the sheep's

189
clothing, ye and the pope, and so have devoured nations for this
many hundred years, so have all been like ravening wolves, For
who witness these conditions that they were in that gave forth the
scriptures, they witness infallibility, an infallible spirit, which is now
possessed and witnessed among those called Quakers: ' glory to the
highest for ever,' that your folly now should be made manifest; the
morning is springing in, the night of apostacy is going. So I say, the
devil, false prophets, antichrists, deceivers, beast, mother of harlots,
none of these can witness an infallible spirit, nor the well nor fountain,
but the letter; though they may get all the sheep's clothing, and come
in likeness of a lamb or a sheep to deceive people. But being out
of the spirit that Christ, the prophets and apostles were in, that gave
forth scriptures, they are not infallible as they were, but, with that
they are all judged out; which will answer' that which they are all
gone from, where the key is known, and the well was and is, in be
lievers. P. 'And the scriptures is the rule; and the Quakers dream of the
light tp be their rule to walk by,' page 14.
A. The word of God which lives and endures for ever, (which came
to the saints of old, which caused them to give forth scriptures, and
to write them.) which fulfils all the words again, is the rule: which
word was spoken to the saints before scripture was written: which
lets all people see that declaration, and fulfils that declaration to them,
Christ the leader of the people* the covenant of God, who is the light;
and they are in the dreams that deny it.
P. He saith, ' But Christ, by his magistrates, hath appointed tithes
a maintenance for his ministers,' page 21.
A. Since the days of the apostles the pope gave tithes; and other
magistrates that followed him : and he hath had the tenths, the tithes,
since this night of apostacy, and the reprobation hath been from the
apostles' doctrine. And many have had the sheep's clothing, but
have been raveners from the life that they lived in that gave it forth:
so have not seen to what state and condition the seriptures were spoken;
being out of the life they were in that gave them forth; and see
not the substance, Christ Jesus, who came to end the first priesthood,
and the ministers that took tithes, tolerated by the first covenant,
(which the apostle witnessed the end of,) and to bring in an everlast
ing covenant, and another ministry, and another maintenance to them.
Since the days of the apostles, such as are ravened from the spirit of
God, have lost the maintenance the apostles and Christ gave; and so
have set up tithes, and another, ministry, which is neither agreeable to
Jews, nor Gentiles; nor" Christ's, but more dark. But the night of
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190
apostacy is going over, the true light shines, and the light of the living
is springing in.
P. He saith, ' The immediate spirit excludes the word to be the rule,'
page 38. 'And the word, and the spirit,' he saith, 'are different
things. And the Pharisees thought right, that eternal life was laid up
in the scriptures,' page 39.
A. Christ told the Pharisees they would not come to him that they
might have life: and he was the life, and he was the way, and no one
cometh to the Father but by him. He doth not say he was scripture,
but he bids them search it, for it testified of him : and none have life
but who are in him. . And the word and the spirit are one: and the
spirit doth not exclude the Word nor the scriptures, for they were
given forth from it, and it owns them again; with it are they seen,
given forth in time, fulfilled in time, and they cannot be broken, and
the saints' life is hid in Christ who ends them.
P. He'saith, ' Men are saved, but not by Christ within us,' page 42.
A. How is man's salvation wrought out, but by the power of Christ
within? How is the old man destroyed, but by Christ within? How
is the justification felt, but by Christ within? And where the seed
Christ that suffered without,' is made manifest within, there is redemp
tion, and life. ' He that hath the son of God, hath life;' redemption
to God out of the first Adam. And who feels Christ within feels salva
tion ; and who doth not is a reprobate though he may talk of him.
* P. He saith, ' If is a fond sign to depend upon an unwritten word
immediately, within themselves: and say, fromthat word is the life
manifested within,' page 43. ' And Christ is not come to them in the
flesh.' And he saith, ' Timothy had the gift of God freely; and elders
are palled ordinarily, and not immediately. This call ordinary is
common to all ministers, to continue to all ages in the church,' page
47. A. All they that have not the unwritten word in their hearts, which
is immediate, know not the word of faith, know not the word of
reconciliation; know not the ingrafted word that, is able to save their
souls, know not that which lives and abides and endures for ever; know
not eternal life, neither have they it who have not the word, the
immediate word within them ; and know not the immortal seed. And
such are in the fondness, that have the scripture and put that for the
word, which is words. .And since the days of the apostles, in your
churches,' your ministers, your elders, your makers of your ministers,
have been all mediate, and so it is 'ordinary,' as ye call it. But before
the apostacy, in the days of the apostles, we say, neither elders nor
ministers were mediate. But that which made the elders, was the
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191
immediate, and so they were ministers of the spirit. And all elders
made by the mediate, are carnal, earthly, and their weapons are earth
ly, and their rule which they oversee with is earthly. Therefore hath
your church broken into so many pieces, and they divide (and cannot
hold together) like earth, because ye are not in an immediate spirit.
And so we do see it is so since the days of the apostles; neither your
elders nor your teachers are called immediately, but only have the
sheep's clothing, ravened from the spirit of God. And so are the
wolves, tearing one another to pieces about the letter, and your appre
hensions of it. And Timothy, many of you say had not an immediate
call, and yet thou sayst, he had the gift of God. Doth not that which
God gives to men, bring to do his will? And that which is given
from God to man, is not that immediate, and perfect? And we do
believe you, ye do not witness that ye are ' of his flesh and of his
bone,' ye have not eaten his flesh, nor drunk his blood: therefore do
you say the scriptures are the fountain of life, and have been these
hundreds of years ; which scriptures the Pharisees had in, their age, and
had not life. Ye have had the scriptures, which ye call the ' well and
fountain of life,' many hundreds of years; yet though you and the
Pharisees have all scriptures, ' except ye do eat the flesh of Christ, and
drink his blood, ye have no life in you,' neither you nor the Pharisees;
which flesh is our food, and blood is our drink. But we do believe
you, that these many hundreds of years ye have not eaten his flesh, nor
drunk his blood: and so are not 'of his flesh, nor of his bone;' there
fore cry ye so much against immediate, and infallibility.
P. He saith, ' The holiest man that is, is not able to give an infallible
character of another man,' page 49. 'We do grant, that our ministers
came from antichrist, and passed through him.' And he chargeth
people 'for leaving their callings,' and says, 'that the Quakers are like
to them that flee from the wrath to come.'
A. We do believe that your ministers came from antichrist, and
through antichrist, for he was the channel; but the Quakers are neither
of you, nor of antichrist, nor of the pope : but they are of the apostles'
stock, and pf. Abraham, and of Christ, before the pope was, antichrist
was, or you were, and so, with the spirit of God and the apostles you
are fathomed. And the Quakers do witness they are made free from
the wrath to come, which the Pharisees that fled to John did not, And
there thy measure is too short; "all may see it that are in the light, and
thy ignorance ofthe scriptures thbu hast discovered and shown. - And
thou sayst, that 'the holiest man is not able to give an infallible cha
racter of another man:' hast not thou in this discovered thyself to be
no minister of Christ or ofthe spirit? If thou canst not give an infalli
ble character of another man, how canst thou minister to his condition?

192
how canst thou see where he is? how canst thou see them that be
turned from the darkness, and that be in the darkness? and distinguish
the one from the other, and a holy man, from an unholy man, that
canst not give an infallible character of any man's state? How canst
thou know when men are in the spirit; and that they ate epistles writ
ten in one another's hearts, not with paper and ink, but with the spirit
ofthe living God? Oh! a divider of the word aright hath been want
ing among you dark ones! Thou mayst say right enough, your ministers
came from antichrist, and through antichrist. And did not the saints
leave their callings?
P. He saith, ' It is a fancy to witness the righteousness of Christ
within us*' page 61. And to maintain persecution/he brings ' Ah'ab's
slaying the false prophets,' and for the laying on of hands, he brings
' the practice ef the apostles.' And to stop the liberty of conscience,
he saith, 'Must Saul be permitted to do what he will against Jesus of
Nazareth?' A. False prophets are enemies, yet they are not to slay them. The
apostles did not wrestle against flesh and blood with the false pro
phets, as you ministers do now; though Saul did, before he Was Paul,
and showed himself of your nature, unconverted. And whoever are not
in that stats to witness Christ in them manifest in their flesh, and there
condemning sin in the flesh, that they may through him become the
righteousness of God, are in their fancies; and Christ destroys the
ground of all fancy, and brings to see where there is no shadow nor
changing, and brings their conscience into liberty, and washeth
and sprinkleth it, where the mystery of faith is held in it. And your
laying on of hands, (since the apostacy from the apostles,) is not as the
apostles, who have not an infallible spirit, nor are infallible, nor called
immediately, as they were; none of those you lay your hands on can
receive the holy ghost, when you, yourselves are not in the immediate
spirit, nor infallible, nor called immediately. So you all being in the
apostacy from the apostles' hands and calling, your folly is made mani
fest, the light hath discovered you, at which ye are stumbling; and
every one is, wrestling against the Lamb and the saints, that is wrest
ling against the light : and such are antichrists, that shall be slain with
the sword, the Words ofhis mouth: and the Lamb and the saints shall
have the victory.
P. He saith, 'Human learning helps to understand heavenly-
things,' page 70., Again, ' Christ enlightens men ,no more ways but
one, to wit, by a natural light,' page 71. ' And the righteousness with
in is not that which justifies, and we are not freely justified, and saved,
and redeemed (that is) through that redemption and righteousness that

193
is within us,' pages 74, 75. He saith, < We are justified freely, but not
by the grace wrought in us.'
A. ' By grace ye are saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of
God;' and this is manifested in the heart, before it be known and pos
sessed.' And every one that knows justification, redemption, righte
ousness, and salvation, these are all known within us, else people are
in the first Adam, driven from God, not come to the second Adam, not
knowing salvation in the ground, justification in the ground, redemp
tion in the ground. If Christ, the righteousness of God, redemption,
justification, and salvation, be not felt within people, and found within,
they are reprobates. And the reprobates may talk of it without; but
where that is, there is salvation, righteousness, redemption, justifica
tion, &c. And Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, him by whom the world was made, before it was made ; which
light people are to believe in, which is not natural : which gives to
see over, nature, before natural was. For the natural lights are the
sun, moon, and stars, which may be seen with a visible eye : but Christ
the light, the covenant of light to Jews and Gentiles, the salvation to
the ends of the earth, doth enlighten every one that cometh into the I
world, that all men through him might believe. Here God is no
respecter of persons; he that believeth in the light, shall be saved, and)
he that doth not, is condemned. And he comes to be a child of light,
who believes in the light : and now shall the world be reproved for
not believing in the light. And human learning is that which is earthly
and natural ; that doth not open the heavenly : that which reveals the
things of God, is the spirit of God, beyond all the world's wisdom. Foj
that you call human learning, and human soul, and human body, ij
earthly, not heavenly, nor understands them- The earth is below, si
they that are below measure by the earthly wisdom, but they that arj
from above speak of the things above, and so that which gives to undeti
stand the heavenly things, is the spirit of God, and the spiritual wis
dom, which is not of man, nor from man; for saith the apostle, ' Nei
ther knows any man the things of God, but the spirit of God.'
P. ' And the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified (h»
saith) is not within us.' Again, 'The Lord will pour out his spirit upoij
all flesh; but that is not meant that all should have the spirit, for somq
have not the spirit, as in Jude.' Page 79. He saith, ' he desires Goij
to lighten with a better light than that which lightens every man, &c,
and to lead them out of these gross delusions.' See page SO,
A. You that are hot justified by that Christ that suffered without,
manifested within you, shall never know justification ; if the justificar
tion be not within, you are reprobates. And the Lord hath fulfilled
his promise, by pouring out hits spirit upon all flesh, sons and daugh-

194
ters, handmaids and old men, though they quench it. And that in Jude
proves they had the spirit, who went in Balaam's, Cores', and Cain's way,
buthad erred from it ; where you are, in the sensual state,in thesects,and
not seeing the fulfilment of the promise of the Father, that he would pour
out of the spirit upon all flesh. Apostatized from the life the apostles
were in, and the prophets, you manifest yourselves to the whole
world. And so you own not the light,Christ Jesus, that God sent into the
world, and gave his only begotten son into the world, which doth en
lighten every man that cometh into the world, that all through .him
might believe ; but thou that desirest better light of God than he, (to
wit, Christ,) showest thy tempting, and blasphemy. For there is no
other way to the Father but by Christ the light of the world, that doth
enlighten every one, &c. and he that doth not believe in that light is
condemned. P. He saith, 'And Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world, that is meant the church.' See postscript. 'Paul and Peter
: were instructed by immediate Revelation, which we are not so presump
tuous as to expect.' And saith, ' Reproaches are cast upon the minis
ters, because they are not infallible, and preach not by immediate in
spiration as the apostles did.' Postscript.
A. You that do not instruct andpreach by the same immediate infalli
ble spirit the prophets and apostles were in, are all in an usurped authori
ty, out of the spirit, have run, and were not sent from God: for whom
God sends, he sends immediately; and whom he teacheth, he teacheth
immediately, and they know his infallible spirit. And none know the
scriptures of truth but who are in the infallible spirit, and immediate,
which the prophets and apostles were in, from which you are gone
forth, and it is presumption in you to teach without it. And so nei
ther you nor the pope are reproached, that are the false prophets
and antichrists that Christ said should come, and the apostle John saw
were come, that inwardly ravened, and have gotten the sheep's clothing,
have the form but deny the power.' You who deny infallibility, and
he immediate call, and the immediate ministry, have denied the power
if God, and so keep people 'always learning, and never able to come
,o the knowledge of the truth,' in the usurped authority which the
apostles stopped and rebuked before their decease. And so you do not
see the ' light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world.'
Christ saith, ' I am the light ofthe world,' not of saints only. And saith
the prophet, ' I will give him for a covenant to the Gentiles,' not fa new
covenant to the house of Israel' only; and there he was prophesied of
before John came, the greatest prophet who was born of a woman, who
said, ' This is the true light that doth enlighten every man,' &c. And
when Christ was come he said he was the light of the world: and who-

195
soever did believe in him should not abide in darkness, but should have
the light of life. And so, since ye ravened from the spirit of God, and
have only had the sheep's clothing, ye have brought people into heaps
and sects: and they that are not in that which is infallible, are they that
reproach; for they are in the reproachful spirit, but the spirit of God
never did reproach, which was immediate and infallible, which the
prophets, Christ, and the apostles were in, which always judged the
reproachers who were strayed from the infallible spirit.
P. And thou sayst, ' To the law, and to the testimony,' and that 'he
gave some apostles for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying ofthe body, till all come into the unity of
the faith, to the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the
measure of the stature and fulness of Christ.'
A. Thou, and you all that have denied infallibility, and immediate
inspiration and teaching, have shut yourselves out of the law and testi
mony, and the work of the ministry, which is ' for the perfecting of
the body,' and bringing them to the unity of the faith, to the know
ledge of the son of God,' &c. For ' the law is light ;' that is infallible
and immediate. 'The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy;'
that is infallible and immediate. And ye may have the Old and New
Testament, and say that is the law and testimony; but the law and testi
mony was before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the Acts, the Epis
tles, and the Revelations were written, even in the days of Isaiah: see
Isa. viii. chap. And that which perfects the saints is infallible ; that
gift which was given to the ministry is infallible and immediate; that
which edifies the body of Christ is infallible and immediate ; that
which brings ' to the1 knowledge of the son of God,' is infallible, per
fect, and immediate; that which brings to 'a perfect man, to the unity
of faith,' is infallible and immediate, and perfect; that which brings 'to
the measure ofthe stature of the fulness of Christ,' is perfect, and in
fallible, and immediate. And the infallible and immediate you having
denied, ye have shut yourselves out ofthe work of the ministry, in the
apostacy. As for the rest ofthe lies and slanders in thy book, they will be thy
own burden, who utterest forth thy own folly, and they touch not
the saints, but fall off like dust; they are of no weight. And the day-
is come that tries men's works infallibly, what is for the fire, and what
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196

Jeremy Ives' book, called 'The Quakers Quaking.' His principles
follow.
P. He saith, ' Have a care of slighting your watchmen, lest the Lord
remove them into corners.'
A. Christ the teacher is witnessed, who is the end of Moses and the
prophets, the covenant of God with his people, in which people would
know God if all their teachers were removed into corners. And they
that have their teachers in corners, their houses are left desolate, from
the covenant of God they are strangers. So in this thy ignorance ap
pears of that teacher that cannot be removed into a corner, who is the
'salvation to the ends of the earth.'
P. He saith, 'It is an error to.say, the light within is equal with
scripture, apd God's word.'
A. Christ within is the light, and he is above scripture, and is God's
word, which was before scripture was given forth.
P. He saith, 'Is it any more a nickname to call a man a Quaker,
' because he quakes by thp power of God ?' page 3.
A. Yes, if the power of God doth make him to quake and tremble.
And he must quake before salvation be wrought out, and man come out
of the fall, out of Adam's state in the transgression, in the earth and
darkness, corruption, pollution, and death; he must know the power
of God that shakes that which is to be shaken, before he knows that
raised up that cannot be shaken ; which the world is ignorant of, though
they have the form of it. And the first nicknamer ofthe Quakers that
ever I heard, was a corrupt justice in the year 1650, whose name was
Gervase Bennet, in Darby. He, was the first that ever named the
people of God Quakers, though the mighty power of the Lord God
had been known years before.
P. He saith, 'It is an error in those men that will allow nothing to
be called God's word but Christ,' page 6.
A. Christ's name is called ' the word of God;' his name is above every
name, and over all things, words, and names, he must have the pre-emi
nence. Yet I say, the scriptures of truth, given forth from the spirit
of truth, are the words of God: God's words which Christ the word
fulfilled, in whom they end, who was before the words were spoken
forth. P. He saith, 'It is an error to say they are immediately sent of God,
and to have an immediate call from God to go out of their countries
to preach the gospel,' &c. page 9.
A. Thou, and all you that speak, or preach, or go to people, but not
by the immediate spirit, and a call from God, are they that run and

197
the Lord never sent you ; and you profit not the people at all, as all
your fruits in the nation declare upon the house top. Therefore are
ye wrangling and envying such as are immediately sent from God, and
have left their callings as the saints and prophets did: I say none upon
the earth can preach the gospel, but who are in the immediate call ; for
the gospel is the power of God, and that is immediate. The prophets,
Christ, and the apostles who gave forth the scriptures, all spoke by the
immediate spirit of God: and all that are not in that, are not able to
know the scriptures; as that unsavoury Percival saith, 'he hath not the
infallible spirit;' yet he will bawl of the scriptures that were given forth
from the infallible spirit. The devil that compasseth the earth, wan
dered from the truth; the Pharisees compass sea and land; the false
prophets and antichrists have gone over nations: now all these may get
scriptures, but are out of the life of them. Such make proselytes, devils,
disciples, and messengers: but such as are in the power of God, and the
life that gave forth scriptures, that comprehends and fathoms the world,
they are in that which the devils, antichrists, false prophets, mother of
harlots, and all their proselytes that have scriptures out of the life, are
out of. Such are the Quakers, therefore doth all the world rage
against them, who witness that which cannot be shaken.
P. He saith, ' It is an error to say that every man hath a light with
in him, that will teach him to worship God aright,' page 18.
A. Christ the truth, who hath pre-eminence, ' doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world,' who shall make every tongue to con
fess him to the glory of God. If they love the light which cometh
from Christ the truth, Who is the life, it will teach and direct every
man to worship God in the truth, in that which untruth is out of.
So every man has a light sufficient to salvation, for it cometh from the
salvation ; ' Christ the power of God,' the ' salvation to the ends of
the earth.' And this light will let every one see the son of God,
beyond all external means, wisdom, or knowledge, whatsoever. It is
that which darkness cannot comprehend, which John bears witness of,
' the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,'
which the Jews and Levites stumbled at, which set all Jerusalem
in an uproar, as it doth the wisest priests and professors in this age.
And no one upon the earth shall ever know Christ but by the light
which he hath enlightened him with. If he have all the scriptures
that speak of him come already, as the Pharisees had those that spoke
of him as to come; yet if they hate the light they shall all be snared,
and stumble, and fall, and split themselves upon the rock. And such
as are now stumbling at the light which every man that cometh into
the world is lighted with, are the builders with the words, who say,
'Christ is come,' as the Pharisees did with the words, that said, 'he
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198
was to come.' And so both these builders reject the cornerstone, and
stumble at the elect stone laid in Sion ; and none see God but with the
light they are enlightened with. And the substance of all the preaching
ofthe apostles, was to bring people to the covenant of light, both Jews
and Gentiles, to whom he was promised. And all upon the earth that
are from this light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, are in the error, out of the covenant of God, and strangers from
the covenant of promise.
P. He saith, ' It is an error to say, the letter of scripture is carnal,'
page 22.
A. We cannot say the letter of scripture (paper and ink) is spiritual;
but that which it speaks of is spiritual.
P. He saith, 'It is an error to say they are perfect, and without sin,'
page 23. 'And another error to say, that none can come to God and
Christ, but they that come to perfection.'
A. Whoever comes to Christ and God, comes in the one offering
which 'hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,' and whoever
comes to Christ, comes to him that is perfect; and ' without holiness
none can see him.' And they that pretend coming to God and Christ
out of perfection, are in the error, and all sin is error, and they who
are in it are in the error; but the apostle said they were made free
from sin, and had put off the body of sin, and by the blood of Christ
were cleansed from all sin ; and that by one offering he had perfected
for ever them that are sanctified. And so they that say men must have
sin while they are upon the earth, and that plead for it, are not
the friends of Christ. For they who are the friends of Christ are in
his power, atop of the power of sin, and trample it under foot.
P. He saith, 'that the scripture is the word. And though Christ
be the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world,
yet that light in every man doth not direct a man into the worship and
service of God, though it be the true light of Christ,' page 35.
A. Nothing can direct men into the worship and service of God but
the true light; for the light is that which doth make manifest, which
every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with ; which, he
hating it, and not coming to it 'because his deeds be evil,' will be his
condemnation. And thou shalt feel it heavy at the last, though now
thou mayst roar and rage for a time, yet the bond is gone over thee,
the chain is set, and the sentence is given.
P. He saith, 'It is an error of such as leave water baptism, and
breaking of bread,' &c. page 38.
A. Doth not the apostle bring people off those things that are seen ?
And are not outward water and outward bread the things that are seen?
And are not these things temporal, though in their places and service

199
they are owned. But they who come into the baptism of the spirit,
come into that in which the other ends, the greater. For many came
to John; but when they should have come to receive Christ the light,
which doth enlighten every man, &c. they stood against him, as you do
now. And Christ, told them they received ' honour one of another,' as
you do now, (a mark of the unbeliever,) and the love of God was not
in them, and the word of God was not abiding in them; and they had
never heard the voice of God, nor seen his shape at any time. And
there are you, like the Jews, whose table is a trap, sticking in the out
ward things, standing against the light that doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world, and so stumbling at the corner stone, elect
and precious. But it is fallen upon your heads; and will grind you to
powder; fight, bustle, and do all that you can, it is upon you, and all
your compliments will do you no good. And none seek the honour
that comes from above, but who are in the light that doth enlighten
every man, &c. And none honour the son, but who are in the light
that comes from him, though they have all the scriptures, as the Phari
sees had in their age.
P. He saith, 'Error in life doth not prove error in judgment,' page
46. A. They who err in the life, err in the judgment: for all that err in
the judgment, are erred from the life. And all the Pharisees had
scriptures; yet being erred from the life, they all erred in their judg
ment, and knew not Christ the substance of scriptures. So all you
that are in error in life, err in your judgment, you all stumble at
the light with which Christ doth enlighten every man, &c. And none
are out of the error of life, and out of the error of conversation, but
who are in the light which ' doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world.'
P. He saith, ' that the Quakers foam at the mouth,' &c.
A. It is a shame that ever men should lose their soberness, and come
to lose all modesty; that so many that do call themselves teachers in
this nation, should publish such odious lies and untruths to the nation.
And 'that the Quakers have hung ribands upon one another, and given
ribands to one another, as instance, G. F. should have from M. F.'
Oh! that ever modesty should be so lost, and shamefacedness quite
gone, which should have been a garment to have covered impudency:
that ever men, and teachers of people, and professors, should' make
lies their refuge! But I say, the Lord forgive you, for all these things
shall be your own burthen;, and a heavy burthen is come upon you,
and coming upon you all in the nation, that trust in lies. But what if
you should see every man with his hand on his thigh, in pain to be de
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P. He saith, 'The prophet that shall presume to speak a word in
my name, and I have not commanded him to speak, he shall die.' See
page 26.
A. Here thou hast brought thyself, and all of you, under thy own
judgment, and given sentence upon yourselves, and all the rest of the
teachers, that say 'they never heard the voice of God immediately
from heaven, nor immediate inspiration nor revelation.' So ye ail
want the spirit of God, and are out of it that the prophets and apostles
were in, and with it are all judged. Though ye may run in pretence
of his name, (with the form,) and say ye never heard his voice; but
'that prophet shall die,' thou sayst. So thou hast judged yourselves,
and there are all you teachers, in the apostacy, since the days of the
apostles. P. 'And Christ said, many deceivers should come in his name, and
deceive many: and such as serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their
own bellies. And with good words, and fair speeches deceive the
hearts of the simple.' See title page.
A. Christ said in Matt. xxiv. and in Matt. vii. that false prophets
should come, and antichrists, which before the apostles' decease they
saw come; and such as ' served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own
bellies;' which went forth from the apostles, which, in the Revelation,
John saw the whole world gone after; and those got the sheep's cloth
ing, and so with the good words and fair speeches deceive; who were
inwardly ravened from the light which doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world; and such have good words and fair speeches,
but deceive the hearts of the simple, and gather people into forms, and
heaps, and sects, and ways, and opinions one against another, which are
nothing but the beast and his names, and all against the light that doth
enlighten every man, &c. and so are making war against the saints of
the Lamb. But the Lamb and the saints shall have the victory, who
will slay with his sword, the words ofhis mouth. And judgment is
come through unto victory, and set in the earth. And so the deceivers
and antichrists are telling people, 'Now is the last time, now are they
come,' and bidding them corneto Matt. vii. and Matt. xxiv. Which in
deed Christ did say they should come; but John said they were come,
whereby they knew it was the last time: and in the Revelations he
saith, that all nations have drunk the whore's cup, and the kings of the
earth have committed fornication with her, and the inhabitants of the
earth are drunk with the wine of her fornication, and the earth is cor
rupted; as ye make it appear, your fruits declare it. And this is that
which hath brought the nations to be as waters, and peoples as waters,
and tongues as waters, and multitudes as waters, ravened inwardly
from the spirit of God, yet have gotten the sheep's clothing to deceive

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the nations. Such as drunk the blood of the saints, the prophets and
martyrs, did make war against the saints, and overcame them. But
now the saints and the Lamb have the victory; glory to the highest.
And to that which they ravened from, are people come now.

William Dell's book, called, ' A Stumbling Stone.' His principles
follow.
P. He saith, 'The carnal church is a great enemy to Christ's church.'
And 'they are offended at Christ, because in him there was no human
nor earthly thing,' page 13. 'It is the greatest error that reigns under
antichrist's kingdom, to affirm that the universities are the foundation
of ministers. And Peter undoubtedly taxeth the universities, with
such men to be false doctors, false prophets, out of which proceed all
the teachers in the world, in their towns and cities, under the whole
kingdom of antichrist, which have such doctors and teachers in the
university for the whole world,' page 27.
A. The rest of the priests and teachers which are come from the
universities, and such as have set up themselves to be teachers, (as in
this book ye may see,) say that Christ in heaven hath a human body,
and others say that he hath a human soul, and thou sayst, there is no
human or earthly thing in him". And forasmuch as thy saying ' it is
the greatest error under antichrist's kingdom, to say the universities
are the fountains of ministers.' That is a true word; it will be well
for thee if thou be not caught in this fountain among these errors, main
taining of them; for such are they that quench the spirit, and speak
the scriptures in that spirit which they came not by. And these are
they that have deceived the whole world. And all such as make mi
nisters in their wills, quench the spirit, limit the Holy One, despise
prophesying, make a trade of scriptures which came not by the will
of man, for the satisfying of their own wills. And happy would Dell
have been, if he had lived in what he spoke.

Gyles Fermin, called pastor of the church at Shalfor in Essex,
his book called, ' Stablishing against Shaking.' His principles
follow. P. He saith, 'Take away learning, and England becomes a dung
hill.'

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A. Peter and John were unlearned men, yet were no dunghill.
P. He saith, ' True teachers plead hard for their people's ears. The
Quakers say we are not ministers, because we preach for hire; and are
covetous and divine for money; and the apostles took wages and main
tenance,' and saith, 'they eat, and drank,' &c. and he saith, 'The
Lord did ever beteem his ministers honourable wages,' page 5. And
' the labourer is worthy of his hire,' page 6.
A. When the apostle speaks of taking wages, of eating and drink
ing, to them that examined him, he speaks this among the saints, ga
thered out of the world, from among Jews and Gentiles. This was not
spoken to such as held up temples, tithes, and priests, but a gathered,
separated people frpm them. And the gospel they preached, the power
of God, opened the hearts of the people to give unto them, and not by
an outward law. And the great work of the apostles was not to wrangle
about their maintenance, as is the great work of the man-made minis
ters now in our age, such as divine for money, and prophesy for
money. And hire was ever looked upon to be the false prophets wages,
who are without the spirit of God that gave forth the scriptures; for
the spirit of God would never value, equal, or measure his gift with the
earthly things. And when the apostle speaketh of the labourer being
worthy of his hire, he saith, ' Who goes a warfare at his own charge ?'
and they that were taught, were to communicate every good thing to
them. This still was spoken among the saints, this was not spoken in
temples, and synagogues, and„ to them that took tithes ; for those
were warred against by them that were in the substance: and the war
fare was to bring people to the substance; out of the first Adam to
the second; and out ofthe shadows. And that whereby the ministers
had the double honour, was the life and the power: such measured
not a gift with earthly things ; which brought them to lay down all
their estates at the apostles' feet; which was more than tithes. But
this gospel we see not among you, nor this power, the power of God;
neither preachers nor hearers. And the apostles did not bid the Gen
tiles, nor the Jews that were in their forms and inventions, and tradi
tions, that had elders among them ; they did not bid them obey them
that had rule over them; but they brought them from under those
rulers, from those elders to Christ the substance, the elder brother:
and so who was grown more than another in the life, was the elder, and
watched over the weak. And it is manifest that you never received
the gift of God, whose work is thus to jangle for outward things. For
the gift of God which is perfect, would break through the imperfect,
and raise up the witness to give freely.
P. He saith, ' No man can be a good text man unless he have attain
ed to the languages which hath cost us so much ; and he cannot know

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the errors but by learning.' And saith, ' he may thus speak for the
necessity of arts, without which men cannot be sufficientjninisters.'
A. None are made ministers of Christ by arts, nor by languages;
let them get all the languages upon the earth, they are still but natu
ralists, and men learning other men's natural language; he who hath
learned but that which is natural, knows but that which is natural, what
another natural man can speak; and all their arts are there. Now that
which makes a minister of Christ is beyond the natural: yea, all the
natural languages upon the earth; and seeth before they were. Let it
cost them never so much, yea gold and silver, a wedge of gold, and the
most precious things upon the earth, cannot purchase, nor make a
minister of Christ; that which makes them is the spirit of God, and
none know the scriptures given forth from the spirit of God, but with
the spirit of God. Nor do any know the errors but by the spirit of
God. Now if all men upon the earth have scriptures, in every one of
their natural languages; yet none of these know the errors, nor the
scriptures without the spirit of God from which they were given forth.
P. He saith, ' If the magistrates could find out any other way for
maintenance for ministers, they would part with tithes, which have
been these many hundreds of years.' See page 9. And ' there are many
ministers will not take their tithes, but they compound with the people
for their tithes.' And ' we dare not trust the people for maintenance.
But we see care hath been taken for us many hundred years before
we were born,' &c. See page 10. ' And why do not the Quakers
charge us with idleness, as well as with taking wages.'
A. Are ye not all a company of idle fellows, bred up at schools in
the pride and filthiness of the earth ? And when ye come out ye raven
after great benefices, and trouble parishes, and stir up the people to
envy against one another, like a company of madmen, and sue, and
hale people up and down to courts for maintenance. Are not these the
works of belly-gods ? And is the magistrate the lord of the vineyard,
that he must allot a maintenance to the labourers ? Hath not Christ al
ready told his ministers what they must have ? and were not the apos
tles to go forth without any thing, and to trust the Lord, and the people,
which you dare not trust? And ye dare riot trust the gospel to maintain
you ; but you have a set benefice, or augmentation, or a magistrate's
power to give you maintenance before you go out to a parish. Oh !
how are ye biting and devouring one another for such things as were
not accounted of, or esteemed among the saints, who suffered joyfully
the spoiling of their goods, by such devourers as you are ! And is that
your deceit, to compound with people for their tithes ? and is that your
cloak then, to say you do not take tithes? And since the days of the
apostles, in the apostacy, since the power of God, the gospel, hath been

204
lost, which men should have preached and lived on, have tithes been set
up. So you that have had the form of godliness, denied the power,
(the gospel,) and have ravened from the life of God, your gospel will
not maintain you ; and ye cry, ' help magistrate, help law, cast into
prison, summon up to courts,' and this hath been your work for many
hundred years for maintenance. And so all sober men that stand and
look on are ashamed of you. Thus the poor people are deceived with
your false covers, and wolfish spirits. You have gotten the sheep's
clothing upon your backs; but now are the vials, and hail storms fallen
upon your heads, which make many of you gnaw your tongues; and
now are the thunders coming out, and the plagues, which make many
of you fret yourselves.
P. He saith, ' False apostles and deceitful workers, and satan trans
forming himself into an angel of light,' &c. See page 11.
A. Christ said false prophets, and antichrists, the inwardly raveners
in the sheep's clothing, should come; the apostles saw they were come
before their decease, who were devouring, as most of the epistles de
clare of them; the apostles saw them before their decease; that made a
prey upon the saints; that served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their
own bellies. Now since the days of the apostles hath the world run
after them ; and they have devoured the world, and they have gotten
the sheep's clothing upon their backs: therefore have ye deceived the
world. Now, you have been the skirts, and the suburbs of this great
city; the day hath declared you, your city is besieged, and the Lamb
and the saints have conquered it: by whom the saints have been slain,
and their blood drunk. In which city hath a trumpet sounded, and the
piping hath been, and the mourners have gone about the city. But
now are come to her lamentation, desolation, and wo, and to all her mer
chandise, that hath builded up and thrown down, whereby the world
was brought into confusion; the faith, and truth,^and life, and love being
reprobated from, and that the saints were in, that gave forth the
scriptures. That which the apostles saw coming in before their de
cease, which Christ said should come, hath ruled and reigned, since
their decease, until this day that Christ hath come and made it mani
fest. P. He saith, ' The devil could not do mischief in the church where
the candle is burning, and light shining : but he gets on his garb : and
the weakest of children are carried about with every wind of doctrine.'
See page 17. He saith, ' The prince of darkness is transformed into
an angel of light, he walketh in the churches.' Seepage 18.
A. The church of Christ is the pillar and ground of truth, which
truth the devil is out of, and abode not in it: he walks on the outside,
and is not in the church, and so, children thou knowest not, that are

205
heirs of the kingdom of Christ, and are of his church, the pillar and
ground of truth. And the devil, and false prophets, and mother of
harlots, though they have all the sheep's clothing, they cannot get into
the church where the candle is, and the burning shining light: not the
devil with all his ' garb,' as thou callest it. Let the whore who hath
ravened from the spirit of God, be arrayed never so gorgeously, that is
the church, the pillar and ground of truth, that is in the spirit of God,
where the candle is burning and light shining; this the whore, devil,
wolves, false prophets, antichrists, and beast, are out of, raging on the
outside, in the earth? So the church of Christ is the pillar and ground
of truth, and here the elect is known that cannot be deceived. And
the devil, the prince of darkness, tRough he transform himself into an
angel of light, he doth not walk in the church, for the church is in
God, the pillar and ground of truth, and out of that he is, and all his
apostles, and his messengers, and truth is atop 0I him, and them all, and
with it they are shut out.
P. He saith, ' Honour is the expressing of the inward respect that
we bear to persons,' and many scriptures he brings for bowing and for
master, page 23. and so stumbles at thee and thou.
A. Which shows he never learned his accidence, nor Bible, and is a
transgressor of Christ's commands, who saith, ' Be not of men called
master; for ye have one master even Christ, and ye are all brethren;'
and a transgressor of the law, for ' they that respect persons commit
sin,' and are convinced of the law as transgressors, and reprobate con
cerning the faith, which is held without the respect of persons. And
though they bowed in the old time: several bowed before the angels:
yet Christ is come by whom all things were made, the salvation to the
ends of the earth; to whom powers, principalities, thrones, and do
minions must be subject: to whom angels, and thrones must bow; yea
things in heaven, and things in earth, and every tongue confess him to
the glory of God, and ' every knee bow :' and there people come into
the unity, and there they hold the head.
P. He saith, 'The Quakers' light teacheth to forsake the scriptures;
and set up a spirit in man, Which will not be examined by scriptures.'
See page 26.
A. He is out of the truth who speaks it : fdr the Quakers have not
received the spirit of the world, but the spirit of God; by which they
know the things which are freely given of God, and know the scrip
tures given forth from the spirit of God: and with the same spirit the
scriptures are owned again.
P. He saith, « Paul swore, after Christ, and the angels swore,' page
27. And saith, 'I wonder Paul should so forget himself, and sin so
Vol. III. 26

206
fearfully in swearing,' &c. ' So the Quakers' light that denies swearing,
is of satan, and not the light of Christ,' page 28.
A. Christ the light, (which satan is out of,) who is the oath of God,
ends all oaths sworn by prophets or angels whatsoever. .And who
swear are fallen into the condemnation of the devil ; and it is no where
said that the apostle swore ; but such as thou art, matter not what they
speak. So that spirit that preaches for swearing is not the spirit of
Christ, but is the spirit of antichrist, preaching up that which Christ
and the apostles preached down, who preached condemnation to them
that did swear.
P. He saith, ' The light in the conscience that takes them from the
law of God, is the light of satan.' •
A. The light, Christ, in the conscience is the end of the law for
righteousness' sake. And that which keeps men from that which doth
end the law, is not the doctrine of the true apostles, but the false.
And the light ' which doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world,' which is the substance, leads men off from all types, and
figures, and signs: who come to enjoy him, enjoy the end; who come
off from all outward elements, as bread and wine, and such things, to
the substance itself, to look at things that are not seen. ' For things
that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal.'
P. He speaks of ' a new creature distinct from Christ,' and saith
' while we live sin lives.' And saith, ' I deny that the righteousness
of Christ, whereby a believer is justified, doth dwell in him,' page 36.
A. Is not the new creature in Christ? ' He that is in Christ is a
new creature,' and is not distinct from him; and how hast thou divided
the word here ? And Christ is justification, sanctification, wisdom, and
righteousness; and if he be not within you, ye are reprobates. And
where Christ is, he is not without righteousness. Therefore they are
not without righteousness, and wisdom, justification, and sanctification,
if Christ be within; for, where he is, that is not wanting. And the
apostle said they were ' made free from sin.' And ' let not sin have
dominion over your mortal bodies;' mind, 'mortal bodies,' which sin
was not to have dominion over. And 'old things pass away, and all
things become new.' Sin is an old thing, from the old deceiver. So
while any sin is standing, all things are not made new, and sin hath its
dominion. P. He saith, ' he hath not read where a believer dwells in Christ's
righteousness,' page 37.
A. Every true believer is born of God; and 'he that is born of
God doth not commit sin.' And he that dwells in Christ, dwells in
righteousness and truth, in that which sin and the devil are out of,

207
which blots out sin and transgression, where the body of it comes to
be put off.
P. ' And the light which teacheth men to say they have no sin, is
of satan.' And saith, 'The Quakers' light teacheth them to deny
prayer.' A. The apostles' light taught them to say, they were made free
from sin, they had put off the body of sin, and their sin and transgres
sion were blotted out. The sins ofthe ' little children' were forgiven,
they that walked in the light, ' the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed them
from all sin,' taught them to know the faith that gave them yictory
over the world, that purified their hearts, held in a pure conscience.
And this is the Quakers' light, which teacheth them the path of the
apostles; and it teacheth men to be holy, as God is holy, and perfect,
as he is perfect. This was the light of Christ, and the apostles bid them
to be as Christ is, and said, ' as he is, so are we in this present world.'
And the light that guides the Quakers doth not teach them to deny
prayer, but brings them to pray aright, with the spirit and with the
understanding; without which all prayers are in the hypocrisy.
P. He saith, 'We acknowledge there is a thousand perfect men in
England, as perfect as children, tossed to and fro,' page 40. But he
saith, ' I deny that any man hath that perfect knowledge of Christ in
this life,' &c.
A. ' Christ is in you except ye be reprobates. ' And the scripture
speaks of such as had both the son and the Father. And all those
children that are tossed to and fro, are carried about with the windy
doctrine, which hath got up in the apostacy since the days of the
apostles, among them that are ravened from the spirit of God. Such
their doctrines are windy, and do not settle, nor perfect, nor ' bring into
the unity of the faith, nor the knowledge of the son of God, the faith
that gives the victory ;' nor to a perfect man, nor ' to the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ,' which was the work of the true
ministry which was before the apostacy. None come to the know
ledge of Christ but by the light.
P. He saith, ' The church teacheth to pray without ceasing; but you
bid, stay till the spirit moves us,' &c.
A. The church, which is the pillar and ground of truth, prays not
without the spirit. And such as pray without the spirit, pray without
understanding. And they that pray as the spirit doth move them,
know what they ought to pray for. So 'every man that cometh into
the world,' being in the 'light that lighteth every map,' it will direct
him to pray, and to' pray aright, and to ask in the name of Christ,
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208
P. He saith, 'The children of God never assumed to themselves an
infallible spirit'
A. Did not the apostles say, ' they that had not the spirit of Christ
were none of his?' and was not that infallible? And were not all the
scriptures given forth from the spirit of God, and is not that infalli
ble? P. 'The spirit of Christ is a spirit of wisdom, and a rational spirit.
The light that brags of an infallible spirit, and cannot speak sense nor
reason, is the spirit of satan,' page 46.
A. The spirit of Christ that was in the apostles, which led them
to speak to the world, who were in their own wisdom, knowledge,
and understanding, was always judged foolishness by that wisdom,
knowledge, and understanding ; for they ministered to the spirits in
prison. And Christ the, covenant of God, who was promised to
come, and who should say to the prisoners, ' show yourselves forth,'
was accounted as a madman by the wise; Jews; and the apostles and
prophets likewise were accounted as fools. Were not the saints ever
judged, by the sense and reason of the world, to be madmen, and fools?
Christ, a madman? the prophets, fools? and the apostles mad, and
babblers? They who are in the spirit of the prophets, of Christ, and
the apostles, by this generation are judged the same. So is the spirit
of the Quakers tried and know of all men ; the witness in all men's
consciences shall answer them.
P. ' Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out
the corn. And they that plough in hope, and thresh in hope, are made
partakers of their hope. And we are denied our corn, and are fain to
go to the magistrates, our nursing fathers. And so we thresh half a
year, and can get no wages, then are we fain to go to the magistrate,'
page 47.
A. How can you thresh or plough, and have not the infallible spirit?
Can any get out the corn, Pr the wheat, that have not the infal]ihle
spirit? Now we say, they that have not the infallible spirit cannot get out
the corn ; they may beat the air, they may get the sheep's clothing upon
their backs, and go out, and beat the air; and so when their gospel will
not maintain them, then they are fain to fly to the magistrate; and to
the hills, that must be beaten as chaff, because they cannot live of the
gospel they preach; which doth not open the hearts of people, doth
not get out the seed of God. ,
P. He saith, ' The Quakers' light condemns such as the light of
Christ approves.' And saith, ' Tell us what it is to walk holily, as the
holy men of God did,' &c. page 49.
A. Who walk holily, walk in the spirit that the holy men walked
in, that gave forth the scriptures, which spirit is infallible. . And none

209
walk holily, but who are led by that, out of the self righteousness. And
the light which the Quakers are in, is the light with which Christ doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world, which cometh from
Christ, and is one with him. And no one upon the earth owns Christ
but who owns the ' light which doth enlighten every man that com
eth into the world,' which the Quakers are in, which thou calls a light
from satan. And they must all come to the Quakers, if ever they own
the light, and if ever they own Christ the way to the Father, and
come into the power of godliness.
P. He saith, 'It is wretchedness to say that Christ hath redeemed
them perfectly, and now lives in them the Lord of all things, by which
they are the sons of God,' page 50.
A. The scripture saith, he is ' in all and through all, who is God
blessed for ever.' And are not they who are redeemed, redeemed into
perfection, into Christ? are not they redeemed perfectly? are not they
redeemed out of imperfection? And doth not Christ, who is Lord of
all, say, he will dwell in the saints? And are not all they in the wretched
state, that will not have him to reign over them ?
P. He saith, 'The ministers of Christ received the gospel not by
man, nor were taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, but we
own no such revelation as this,' page 51.
A. We do believe "you, who are apostatized and ravened from the
spirit of God, having only the sheep's clothing, and are the wolves
gone abroad in the world, who, if it were possible, would deceive the
very elect: but the elect are kept in the arm of Christ, ye cannot pluck
one of them out ofhis hands: his Father and he ' is greater than all.
And none know the gospel, but who know immediate revelation; for
the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and this is immediate.
And so all you in the apostacy, since the days of the apostles, are gone
from the foundation, Christ Jesus, that doth enlighten every man that
cometh in the world, with it you are all seen and fathomed, over the
world doth the light reach, answered, with that of God in every one,
the salvation to the ends of the earth; which light cometh to fulfil
scriptures. The apostles were judged deceivers; who came to bring
the people to the substance the scriptures spoke of; so they were judged
deceivers. P. 'If the Quakers say that the ministers have not the spirit that the
prophets and apostles had, then positively we say we have not. And if
the Quakers say they have it so, then I say the prophets and apostles
had 'it not,' page 53.
A. We do believe you, that ye have not the same spirit that 'the
prophets, and apostles, and Christ had: this is made manifest in that ye

210
are all on heaps about their words, and are fain to run to schools and
colleges to be made ministers by men, and not by the spirit. But the
Quakers witness the spirit that the prophets, and apostles, and Christ
had, with which they own their words ; with which spirit they see you
who have gotten their words, and make a trade of them, and are all on
heaps about them, and fall out about church and ministers.
P. He saith, ' The infallible spirit did not guide Isaac when he
blessed Jacob, for he missed the person,' page 53.
A. God with his eternal spirit did direct Isaac what to do, for that
stood in his counsel, though of that spirit thou hast shown thy ig
norance, and thy fallibility, and thyself to be one of them in whom
the devil is transformed into an angel of light; Which Christ said should
come, the false prophets, and deceivers, and false apostles; which the
apostles saw were come, which, since their days, have had the reign
over the world. But now to that which they ravened from, and into
the truth, (in which the devil abode not,) are the saints come; and the
Lamb reigns that is the substance of the scriptures, the end of the
scriptures, that hath dominion. Glory in the highest for ever.
And as for all the revilings, lies, slanders, vilifying, hard expres
sions in thy book, they will fall upon thyself, and to thee they will be
sad, and thou shalt feel that every one of thy own words shall be thy
burthen, and they shall come home unto thee; in the day of thy judg
ment the witness in thee shall answer. All along thou hast showed
thy ignorance ofthe infallible spirit, that is poured upon all flesh; for
whosoever prays, or hath a humility, or sings, and not by the infallible
spirit, they sing" not with the understanding, nor pray with the under
standing. And under the judgment of God thou hast brought thyself,
and all thy generation.

Thomas Collier's book? called, ' A Dialogue between a Minister of
the gospel, and an Inquiring Christian.' His principles follow.
P. He saith, ' that the scriptures are the absolute rule of saints, that
are endued with the spirit and faith,' page 7.
A. Such as were endued with the spirit and faith, had a rule before
the written scripture was, and they knew the seed, and they knew the
promises, and they knew Christ more than the Pharisees that had the
scriptures: nay more than the apostates since the days of the apostles
that have the scriptures, and the Epistles, and Revelations. For by faith
they saw the glory, they were in the foundation, they say Christ the
everlasting covenant, and that is the foundation still, Christ Jesus, him

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by whom the world was made; and all that have the scriptures, and
have not him, they can do nothing. And that which ruled the saints
before the scriptures were written, is the saints' rule after the scrip
tures are written, to know what is written, and to know God of whom
they learned that gave it forth, or wrote it: with that they know to
what state and condition it was spoken. And the spirit is the record, and
he that hath all the scriptures, and wants the true record, which is the
spirit, he cannot know all things.
P. ' And the scripture of the New Testament is the saints' rule, and
the rule of judgment,' page 10.
A, The scriptures being given forth from the spirit of God, people
know not to what state they were spoken, but as they come into the
spirit that gave them forth. And besides, the epistles were written to
the saints in several conditions, according to their growth: and some
of them grew higher than others, for in the hearts of some of them the
day-star was not risen, and some of them were children of the day.
So that still was the rule that led them to give forth the epistles, and
revealed to them the states and conditions of the saints, and to ages,
and to generations, and to nations, and the condition the world was in,
and should come upon it, that was the rule, and is the rule by which
all these words are seen again : and there is the record of the spirit of
God. And he that hath found the true record, the spirit of God, with
this he shall know all the scriptures; and is come within the book
where all things are written, and which writes all things forth, the
spirit. P. He saith, ' The scriptures are that word which makes the devils
to stand in awe and tremble. The written wprd for after generations,
by which men's souls are brought to Christ,' pages 14, 15. Again,
' the scriptures are the sword ofthe spirit,' page 16.
A. The Pharisees had the scriptures, which Christ said were of the
devil, and were swallowed up in his power ; and they stood against
Christ, the life, the substance. The devil came with scriptures (who
is out of the truth) to tempt Christ the word: but the word, the sub
stance of scriptures, hammered down the devil, and the Pharisees that
had got the scriptures, but were out of the life that gave them forth.
And they have the sword that have the word of God, which was be
fore the scriptures were given forth, and they are in that the devils'are
out of. So if the devil, and wicked men, bring scriptures, they ham
mer them under, and redeemthe scriptures out of their ungodly mouths.
And the written word brings no soul , to Christ the life, but who comes
to, the life that the written words speak of: and so it testifies of him,
the life, that brings Ihem to Christ that gave it forth.
P. God is willing that all should be saved; but he worketh not all

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into a saving condition.' See page 21. He saith, ' It is true, there is
a spirit and life in the scriptures.' Seepage 22.
A. The spirit and life are not in the scriptures, but the spirit and
life the scriptures testify of; and the light, Christ JesUs, (the salvation
to the ends of the earth,) doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world with a saving light. And the light which every man hath
that cometh into the world is saving : but many hating the light which
hath enlightened them, and npt coming to it, neglect and slight their
salvation, and not believing in it, they walk in darkness, and come not
to the light of life. But they that believe in it, come to the light of
life, and abide not in the darkness. And ' the grace of God which
brings salvation hath appeared to all men.' Such as turn it into wan
tonness, and walk despitefully against the spirit of grace, own it not for
their teacher, but set up teachers according to their own lusts; so turn
against that which brings their salvation, and walk despitefully against
it, and follow their own lusts, and trample upon the covenant of grace,
and the blood of the new covenant. And all that see the bishop of
their souls, Christ Jesus the saviour of their souls, it is with the light
that cometh from him; and God wills that all men should be saved.
P. He saith, ' To use Christ's name to catch souls, when indeed it
is but juggling, and to stab him, and crucify him afresh.' See page 42.
' If Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, &c.
if this were truth, then Christ died in vain, and in vain hath Christ
spoke of himself, saying, I am the way, the truth, the life, the light,'
&c. See page 45.
A. Such as do not believe that Christ doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world, such as mention his name, and are haters of the
light that cometh from him, are in the juggling state, arid deceivers of
the souls of people. And none see Christ the one offering, but with
the light that cometh from him : nor do any know the saviour Christ
Jesus, but with the light that cometh from him: and that lets them see
the body prepared, Christ who was the seed of Abraham, according
to the flesh, the one offering/that erids all offerings; and his blood that
is the atonement,, is the saints' drink, which, who drinks, shall live,
with which their consciences are purged from dead works, to serve the
living God. And no one knows the foundation of God that standeth
sure, nor feels it, nor sees it, but with the light which cometh from
Christ the foundation, which breaks down all other foundations; which
light that every man is enlightened withal, gives him the knowledge
of the foundation of God.
P. He saith, ' I do believe that there was never a saint perfectly free
from sin here ; but they shall have the body of sin and death, which
will be their burthen to keep them humble.' See page 52. ' And it

213
doth not appear that they attain purification, or perfection, before the
change of body.'
A. That which is the true humiliation bears the sin and iniquity,
and is Christ; such as are not brought down with the judgments for
their sinful actings, never knew the seed that puts off the body, (from
which all the roots proceed,) in that is the true humility, and the righte
ousness of Christ, and the glory, revealed. And the saints witnessed
the body of sin and death put off, while they were upon the earth; and
such as were in Christ were new creatures, all things had become new.
And the apostles spoke wisdom among Ihem that were perfect; and
that was before the change of the body, ye speak of. And the work
of the ministry was ' for the perfecting of the saints, until they all came
into the unity of the faith, (that gives victory,) and to the knowledge
of the son of God; unto a perfect man unto the measure; and stature
of the fulness of Christ:' This was the ministers' work. Not as chil
dren tossed up and down with every slight, and windy doctrine of men,
who lie. in wait to deceive. So ye have tried the work of your minis
try, and brought it to the light.
P. He saith, ' Such a trembling as a way to perfection, is to set it in
the room of Christ, beside the truth, and slight and undervalue the
word of God: and let all men beware of this trembling.' See page 78.
A. All who ovvn the word of God', that reconciles to the Father, and
hammers down, and brings out of the fall, and cuts down and burns
up, must know their salvation wrought out with fear and trembling.
And these own the word of God, and the words of God, the scriptures:
and these own this trembling: there is a cloud of witnesses in- the scrip
tures. And none will deny this trembling that own the salvation
wrought out, or to be wrought _out: but such as are out of the truth;
and they that get scriptures, (being out of the truth,) and deny the
power of God, are with it judged. Those that have the form, but deny
the power, deny the trembling, so they deny the salvation tP be
wrought out with fear and trembling, and none know the salvation but
they that know trembling.. And such may say, (that are the devil's
messengers,) beware of this ppwer that makes to tremble.
P. He saith, ' The scripture is truly the ministry of the spirit to us.'
See page, 67.
A. Those were the ministers of the spirit that gave forth the scrip
tures: and those are the ministers ofthe letter, that are out of the spi
rit that gave forth the scriptures, and that cannot minister the spirit.
B. He saith, ' The scriptures do not speak of a general redemption
of all, from the state of sin, and freedom from sin.' See page 75.
A. There is a general state and redemption of all, and freedom from
Vol. III. 27

214
sin, by believing in the one offering, the blood of Jesus Christ; and un
belief shuts out.
P. He saith, ' Mystical Babylon shall fall by the kings of the earth.
And many precious saints shall destroy Babylon with the sword.' See
page 84. And he saith, ' I cannot apprehend that the saints shall have
the government of the world.' See page 86. ' And the beast when
he ariseth shall give a mark in the right hand,' &<J.
A. Christ hath all power in heaven and earth given to him; they who
believe in him, and are in his power, who hath all power in heaven and
earth given to him, have the government, and are in the government,
the Lamb's government: but the unbelievers are out of it. And that
which slays mystical Babylon is not the kings of the earth, and the
saints that are on the earth slay npt with the carnal sword: for ' they
that kill with the sword, must perish with the sword.' ' Here is the
faith, and patience of the saints :' their ' weapons are not earnal, but spi
ritual, mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.' And
the Lamb slays and kills with the sword, and takes the beast, and the
false prophet, and the devil, and casts them alive into the lake of fire,
where they shall he tormented for ever, that burns with brimstone,
who ' kills and slays with the sword, which is the words of his mouth.'
And the beast hath been long up, his marks, and his heads and horns,
with his names, but the Lamb and the saints are trampling him to
pieces under, and getting the victory over him. And the everlasting
gospel is preaching : and the witnesses you are ignorant of; but are
those that have been the slayers of them.
P. He saith, ' I do not profess myself infallible, but I shall freely
give my apprehensions.' See page 1 10. ' To contend earnestly for the
faith which is the first unto justification and services of faith.' See page-
Ill. He saith, ' False Christs, and false prophets shall come.' And ' to
the law, and to the testimony,' &c.
A. The law is light,' and ' the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy;' and men may have all the scriptures of the Old and New
Testament, yet being from the light, .the spirit of prophecy, they
know not the law and testimony. And we do believe thee, that thou
art not infallible, but art only in the apprehensions; and before thou
comest to contend for the faith, and to know that by which the saints
are justified, thou must come into the ' light that doth enlighten every
man,' &c. which lets see Christ the author of the faith. And Christ
said false prophets and antichrists should come, which should get the
sheep's clothing, and say, 'Lo, Christ is here, and lo he is thene!
These, Christ said to the apostles should come, who before their de
cease did come; who, since their decease, the world hath gone after.
So every man that cometh into the world being enlightened, and hav-

215
ing a light from Christ the saviour of the soul, every man being in the
light Christ hath enlightened him withal, with tho light which cometh
from Christ, he shall see a saviour, Christ Jesus, from whom it comes;
and shall see the light shining from the east to the west, and the com
ing of the son of man, and receive Christ, and so come to the rock.
And so people having been from the ' light which every man is en
lightened withal that cometh into the world,' they have been all brought
on heaps. But now they are coming to the rock. And thy Words,
Thomas Collier, shall be thy own burthen, and for them thou shalt
receive judgment. And this is the word of the Lord God to thee, and
thy time is not yet past.

John Billingsley, Who calls himself 'Master of Arts, Minister ofthe
Gospel, and Pastor of the Church at Chesterfield,' in his book
called, 'Strong Comforts for Weak Christians.' His principles
follow. P. He saith, ' He would have the mayor and aldermen of Chester
field to show themselves to be really affected to the cause of Christ and
his blessed sabbaths,' &c.
.A. In this thou hast shown thou art one of those that keep people
in darkness, and not a minister of the gospel of Christ, and the new
covenant, but ofthe law, and in the signs and shadows. For the apos
tles did bring people off from the sabbaths, and they met together on
the first day of the week, and denied the Jews' sabbath; and still it is
your practice, and yet thou criesf up ' to show themselves for the cause
of the blessed sabbath.' What blind and dark stuff is this? For never
did pastor or minister of Christ preach up such a doctrine, as to stir up
aldermen and -mayors, arid great men, to show themselves zealous for
the sabbath. And thus thou hast showed thyself to bo one of them
the apostle was afraid ofj that observed the days, which he brought the
people off from, to the substance; they met together on the first day
of the week, which Christ rose on, and so was a cross to the Jews, who
met together on the seventh day. And circumcision was on the eighth
day, on that day Christ rose.
P. He saith, 'The scripture and the spirit are inseparable, (which
he calls the word, page 7,") and that the spirit is always in the scrip
tures.' Again, ' He is in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity,
who calls the spirit a dead letter,' page 9.
A. Every one that hath the. scriptures cannot say he hath the spirit
that gave them forth; for the devil may have scripture, who is out of

216
the spirit. And the apostle who said the letter killed, and was old,
was not in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity. The spirit
was in them that gave forth the scriptures: and the scriptures are the
words of God, which end in Christ the word, who fulfils them.
P. He saith, 'Prize the holy scriptures, through which are all our
hopes of eternal life communicated to us. And I wonder what any
soul hath to show for eternal life but the scriptures. So I call it God's
warrant,' page 13. And 'in the midst of thoughts prize the covenant
of free grace. And if ye would have substantial comforts from the
covenant, do but lay hold of covenant comforts,' page 12.
A. Thou canst not speak a word to the wearied, who art in the pre
sumption thyself, and to be brought down, who art applying the pro
mises to the wrong nature. Many may have the scriptures, and rhany
have the scriptures, and all Ignorant of eternal life, until they come
into the life that they were in that gave forth the scriptures. For the
scripture communicates not the life, but God, of whom they learned
that gave forth scripture ; it is the life that testifies of eternal life. Arid
the soul's comfort is Christ, which the scripture speaks of.
P. He saith, ' The apostle to the Philippians speaks of saints as citi
zens, our trading is in 'heaven. Now citizens' great trading is1 in mer
chandise, as ships go from London to India, &c. So thousands of souls
go towards heaven worth nothing, a poor empty creature.' See page 15.
A. The merchandise is in the earth, in Babylon, and there thou and
you all are. The soul is worth more than all the world; if, it goes to
heaven, it goes richly, full of all attire and fruitfulness, and not empty.
Is. not an empty creature that into which God breathed the breath of
life, whereby it became a living soul? And he hath all souls in his
hand, and Christ is the bishop of it, the power of God, and therefore
it is not empty; for the saints had the heavenly treasure in earthen

P. He saith, ' The sacrament and baptism is a most refreshing cup,
for we walk by faith, and not by sight,' page I8i ' I can say frequent
mention is made of salvation by Christ, without mentioning any act of
faith in us,' &c. page 19. '
A. Sacraments, and sprinkling infants, called baptism, who Walk
after them, walk by sight, not by faith, for these things are seen; and
they follow their own traditions, and npt, the scriptures for either;
sprinkling infants or sacrament. And who walk by faith, and not by
sight, come off the things that are seen. '"For the things that are seen
are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal,' sajth the
apostle. And. 'he that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth
not shall be condemned,' (this is the doctrine of Christ to the apostles,)
they are condemned already. And where the belief is, there are faith

217
and salvation seen and known; but where belief is not, there is con
demnation, there salvation is not known, and every one that is saved,
believes. P. ' I do not say that there is perfect victory against every corrup
tion; but that grace will be eating out, and curbing sin in the heart,'
page 21. ' And there is no peace nor comfort that is maintained without
warring and constant combatting, &c. Yea, peace, and war against sin,
are always inseparable companions,' page 22. 'All true comfort hath its
foundation from the written word; they are fancies and flashes, rather
than comforts, from pretended immediate revelations,' page 23.
A. None know true comfort but who come to immediate revelation,
that is, to the spirit that reveals the things of God. If men have all the
scriptures, the written words, and not the word in which they end, they
have not comfort, neither can they do anything without Christ, neither
have the wearied rest, neither is the bishop of the soul known, neither
is the burthen and the old yoke gone off, though they have all the scrip
tures. But as every one comes to the life that gave forth the scriptures,
with which they see Christ the end, the substance of them, him by
whom the world was made before it was made, these have comfort of
the words. And the scriptures are words, not the word; and such as
are here come to know_ peace and the end of war, and the occasion of
war taken away. And- sin and corruption are separated from the pre
cious, and contrary to the just. There is no unity between them. And
there is no true peace until they come into the kingdom which stands in
joy, in peace, in righteousness. Now where the body is standing, and
the root of sin in the heart, there is not a perfect victory ; the circum
cision is not known that puts off the body, and the victory is not known
while the body stands. The apostle witnessed the body of sin put off
by the circumcision of the spirit which was in the inward man, and he
thanked God through Christ who had given him the victory, who was
manifested in his flesh to condemn sin in his flesh* that he through him
became the righteousness of God. And the life that he lived was by
the faith of the son of God. And such as are made free from sin, and
dead to it, and cannot live any longer therein, these have peace. And
such have not peace where the body of sin is standing, and sin in the
heart; there is the war. But such as stand in the faith which purifies
the heart, and come to witness the circumcision of the heart, come to
have the heart purified, and the victory over the'body, as the apostle
declares. P. He saith, 'James Naylor deserved to be hanged,' page 5. And
saith, ' I telling people they cannot be free from sin, a perfect freedom
from the being of corruption in them while they are on this side heaven,'
page 9. 'And your speaking against ministers, and speaking in markets

218
is as bad or worse as to bait a bull,' page 8. And he saith, 'the steeple-
house is the church.'
A. The ministers of Christ and the prophets of the Lord, who spoke
his word, spoke in synagogues and in markets, in highways, and under
the hedges, and upon the mountains, which disturbed the world, and all
professors upon the earth that had the words of truth, but were out of
the life; and they disturbed the heathen that knew not God. And all
such ministers of the letter, that have it and not the spirit that gave it
forth, are disturbed (by the ministers that are in the spirit, that preach
and speak forth the substance of the scriptures. And we know you,
and do believe you (who say, 'your people shall not be made free from
their corruption;' and tell them, ' the steeple-house is the church;' and
say the creature 'deserved to be hanged') to be such as inwardly ra
vened, which Christ said should come, John saw were come, and the
whole world went after; you are wrestlers against flesh and blood, and
strike at creatures, instead of striking at the power that captivates
creatures, and so have kept people under the bondage of corruption,
'always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,'
and have kept them in spiritual Egypt, Sodom, and Gomorrah, and in
filthiness, telling them the steeple-house is the church. Was it not a
place for the mass, set up for the mass, with a cross at the end of it ?
Look! is it not on yet ? And is the mass-house become thy church?
thou mayst thank the Papists for that. Were not the pope and, the Papists
the setters up of all your mass-houses, and colleges, which have gotten
up since-the days of the apostles, among you inwardly raveners from
the church which is in God ? So you have got up the mass-house for
your church, and there ye tell people they must have corruptions while
they be upon the earth | So ye are. ministers of corruption, which is
contrary to the apostles, who said they 'satin heavenly places,' and
had escaped the pollutions of the world; and they were children ofthe
day, and not of the night, and the true light shined. So you that are
ravened from the spirit of God, have got up the mass-house, got people
thither, and tell them they must have their corruptions, and they must
have sin, and, they must not be perfect while they are on this side hea
ven. Now they can but have sin, and can be but imperfect, if they
never came to you, nor to your mass-houses. Are not you the devil's
messengers and ministers that preach up sin, and corruption, and
imperfection, that people must be in, and have sin while they be
upon the earth ? The ministers of Christ preached up perfection
and an overcoming of sin, and a being made free from sin; and 'the
blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin;' and they had faith, which
gave them victory, and the circumcision that puts off the body of sin,
and the new covenant that blotted out sin and transgression. And

219
such ministers as you, that make a trade of scriptures, the scripture itself,
the prophets, apostles, and Christ, manifest your fruits to be contrary to
them that gave forth scriptures. So by the scripture are you disap
proved and judged, and by the life that gave it forth.
P. He saith, ' And it seems to me to be no more siri to bait a bull,
than any other recreation.' And saith, ' The Quakers came in to the
steeple-house, and bid people to look to the light within them, and told
him that he was an antichrist and blind guide.' And saith, 'I had rather
be a hireling, such as Christ hath hired in his vineyard, and receive a
penny, than some ofthe Quakers that go naked in the markets.'
A. The Quakers who are in the power of the Lord God, havebeen
moved of the Lord God to go into the world among apostates, who
are ravened from the spirit of God, and are the wolves that tear and
rend, and are ravening up and down for your benefices, and would eat one
another out if you could, and swallow One another, like fishes in the sea.
Are you contented every one with your penny from Christ ? Are not you
allfighting, and striking, and smiting, and casting into prison for means,
for tithes, which ye do no work for? Is not Christ come, and hath found
you smiting and striking your fellow servants; eating and drinking, like
Sodom ; and living in pleasure, like the old world ; some having two hun
dred, some three hundred pounds,some less, some more? is this equal? 'is
this to eacha pehny?' Are ye like Christ's vineyard dressers,his husband
men in the vineyard? Blush, andbe ashamed ! The stones are thrown now
atBabylon, and dash her children to pieces. And Sion is building, and the
tabernacle of David is rearing up. Come up ye saints, and prophets ! the
lamb and the saints have the victory. And you and all upon*the earth are
the blind guides and antichrists, who guide not people to the light with
in,' and you who bid them not look at that, but lead, them from the
light within, ye lead them, in the darkness, and you are from the light
in your own particulars, and so the blind guides, for the fleece for the
earth, out of the apostles' doctrine, and Christ's, who brought people to
the light, and bid them believe in it; who told them, ' the light that
shined in their hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.'
P. ' The priests bear rule by their means; this is the means of the
false prophets,' saith he. 'If paying tithes be a burthen, lay it upon
God and the magistrates, and7 not upon me, the pastor.'
A. Tithes were given to the similitude, Melchisedeck, and to the
priesthood made by -the law of God; but Christ is come, the end of the
similitude, the end of the priesthood, and has disannuled the command
ment that gave tithes: and all his ministers, pastors, and teachers preach
ed down tithes, and preached up the substance, and preached down
the priests that took them, and- the law that gave them, and the authority

220
and the magistrates that held them up. And so you that have got
ten tithes since the days of the apostles, the root and ground of which
are from the Papists in the apostacy, are such that burthen the creation,
and a grief to all true christians that are in the life, power, and spirit
that the apostles were in before the apostacy.
Now if thou wert a true minister of Christ, if the magistrates would
give thee tithes, thou wouldst not take "them; which are got up since
the apostles came in, among them that have got the sheep's clothing,
but are ravened from the spirit of God; And dost not thou think if the
priests that were obedient to the faith, had turned again to the Jews'
magistrates, they would have giveri them tithes ? And dost thou think
that any of them that were obedient to the faith, took tithes after they
were converted to .Christ and his faith, the substance ? And dost thou
think that any that are out ofthe apostacy now, will take tithes ofthe
magistrates if they would give them ? which were set up since the
days ofthe apostles in the, apostacy ? I will warrant thee they will die
before they will lose their glory and their crown, 'they that preach the
gospel, shall live of the gospel.' And 'the prophets prophesy falsely
and the priests bear rule by their means.' What ! doth the priest receive
his gift by the false prophet's means ? Do not the people love to have
it so ? And are not you all found fallen into this ditch, that are inwardly
ravened from the spirit of God ? You are the false spirits gone into the
earth for money, and for tithes, for lucre, for means, for gifts, ' admir
ing men's persons because of advantage;' yet covering yourselves with
the sheep's clothing. You have crept into a. mass-house and call it a
church; and tell people, ' while they be upon the earth, they must have
corruptions, and the body of sin,' and this is the work of your ministry:
so you are among the liars, whoremongers, sorcerers* adulterers, out of
the kingdom ye are, found.
And as for all the rest of thy rabble, and unsavoury expressions in thy
book, they are not worth mentioning. But in the day of thy judgment
thou shalt feel thy pwn words thy burthen ; in the trial of the fire thy
works will burn.

Immanuel Bourne, who calls himself pastor of a church in
Ashover, in his book called ' A defence of the Scriptures, and the
holy spirit speaking in them,' are these principles fpllowing.
And priest Gifford of Bedford his principle.
P. He saith, ' Christ hipiself sent his hearers to the scriptures, as the
chief judge of controversy, and of faith.'

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A. Christ did not put the scriptures above himself; he said, 'all
judgment was committed to the son, and for judgment he was come
into the world.' And the Pharisees that had the scriptures could not
judge of faith, nor of controversy, nor knew Christ the author of the
faith ; nor can any judge but whn are in the spirit that gave forth the
scriptures. And the scriptures were given forth from them that were in
the faith of truth; but such as are not in the faith, know not the scrip
tures, neither is it able 'to make them wise unto salvation' without
the faith. For the Pharisees and chief priests were not made so, though
they had scripture; but they that had' scriptures Without the life*
judged and condemned the author of faith ; and so do all that are out
of the life still, that have the scriptures, judge the author of the faith,
Christ Jesus, ' who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world.' And the holy spirit spake in them that gave forth the scrip
tures, and so they spake it forth.
Now they that are from the spirit of God in their own particulars
and know it not speaking there, know not the spirit that spoke in them
that spoke them forth ; but such are they that say, ' The spirit speaks
in the scriptures.' Such are ministers of the letter, and not of the
spirit that gave it forth; And the spirit that gave forth the scripture
is that which judged of all coriditions, which gave the spiritual under
standing. For people. have not the spiritual understanding to judge,
and to discern, if they have all the scriptures, unless they be in the spi
rit that gave them forth. And so the scripture itself without the spirit
that gave it forth, cannot be the judge of controversy, nor of faith, but
is a dead letter in itself; but the spirit is it that gave forth scriptures.
P. He saith, 'Christ within is inherent holiness.' And 'George Fox
professed equality with God,' page 20.
A. Christ within is beyond all men's righteousness or holiness, for
he is the righteousness itself. And the assembly of divines gave forth
a catechism, presented fo the parliament, for people to learn ; wherein
they say, 'that the holy ghost is equal in power and glory with the
Father.' Now all that come to witness the son of God, and the holy
ghost that gave forth the scriptures, by your account they witness that
which is equal in power and glory 'with God. And do not the
assembly give forth this in their catechism, that people should learn it?
And is it blasphemy to come to witness this which you have given
forth, and the mind which was in Christ? Yet nevertheless George's
words were not spoken as ye preach them; for his words were spoken
beyond all creatures, and out of all" creatures, and he did not say
' George Fox. '
P. He saith, ' No natural riian; lhat is darkness, is bound to look, ta
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222
the light within him to direct him to salvation; for it is in vain tp look
for light in darkness,' page 22. •
A. The light, which every man that cometh into the world is
enlightened with, is the salvation to the ends of the earth; no man
cometh out of darkness, out of his natural state, but who doth believe
in the light. This was Christ's doctrine, ' Believe in the light, that ye
may be the children of the light:' and ' he that believeth in it shall not
abide in darkness.' And so they come to see the spending of the night,
and the light shining out of darkness, giving them 'the light of the:
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus;' and the
light shining in the darkness, which darkness cannot comprehend
it. And no one upon earth ever* sees his salvation, but with the light
which cometh from Christ his saviour, who doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world, that all men through the light might
believe: he that doth not believe in the light, is condemned. And so
he that follows the light shall not walk in darkness; and he that fol
lows not the light walks in darkness. So with the light thou are com
prehended to be a minister of darkness, in the apostacy, keeping peo
ple from the light ; and one of the false prophets ravened from the
spirit, which Christ said should come, John saw were come, and the
world goes after you, who tell people the letter is the word, and the
spirit is in the scriptures; which is contrary to scripture, and them that
spoke it forth, who said the spirit of God was within them. And the
scriptures are words of God: and Christ the word, comes to fulfil the
words; who is the word that was before the words were given forth;
in whom the words end.
P. 'The kingdom of heaven is within you, not as Christ is in
every one, but the kingdom of heaven is within you, or among you,'
page 29.
A. Christ is within except ye be reprobates ; yea, I say, within all
professors is Christ, in Christendom, Christ is within them all, except
they be reprobates. And if Christ be not within them all, they are all
reprobates, but if Christ be within them all, the body is dead; and
where this is so, there is Christ's reign, and his kingdom, and no Baby
lon, nor antichrist. And 'the kingdom of heaven is within you,'
said Christ; yea, in the Pharisees: and that is the kingdom in man
that never consents to sin; like a grain of mustard seed, like unto
leaven, that leavens the new lump. And he that cometh to know
that little kingdom, and receiveth that little kingdom as a -little child,
it makes the kingdoms of the world become the son of God's king
dom : and know, that no unrighteousness", nor ungodliness must enter
into it.
P. ' And Christ spake to the multitude, when he said, " Be not ye

223
of men called master," and "Call no man father upon earth;" and did
not bid the apostles not to be called of men master.'
A. He spoke this to the multitude, and to the disciples both, and
said, the scribes and Pharisees were called of men master, who had
scriptures; whom he cried wo against. And he said, 'Be not you of
men called master; for ye have all one master, even Christ, and, ye
are all brethren.' This was Christ's command. But all ye pastors, and
ministers, Bourne, and the rest, who are apostatized from the apostles'
doctrine, and Christ's doctrine, ye trample upon the commands of
Christ, it manifests that ye have the form of godliness, but deny the
power ; and are not brethren past from death to life, but are all on
heaps about the scriptures, Christ's, prophets', and apostles' words; and
making a trade of them for your own self-ends in the apostacy; such
as Christ said should come, who John saw were come, who should
inwardly raven, and the world is gone after. But now with that
Which ye have all ravened from, are ye all comprehended. And Christ
said, 'Call no man father upon earth.' Where Christ is witnessed, the
seed of God raised up, no earthly man is his father, and cannot call any
man father upon the earth, according to the command of Christ. He
that is heir of the promise of the world that hath no end, of the second
Adam, is born not by the will of man: but he that is of the first Adam
is in another state, and stands against Christ's doctrine, and is the son
of Adam in the fall.
P. He saith, 'Such as pretend Christ within, deny the blood of
Christ, his righteousness for justification.'
A. They who witness Christ withiq»«re not reprobates; justification
and sanctification. are possessed, the thing that was imputed to the be-
. lie vers.
P. ' And giving honour to men,' &c.
A. Christ the second Adam, receives not honour of men, neither
doth he respect men's persons; his enemies could say so. They that
received honour one of another, were the Pharisees, the great profes
sors, which was a mark of their unbelief. But Christ would not re
ceive their honour; the second -Adam, who doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the World, will not receive the honour of men. Now
he that receiveth the honour is out of the light, in the first Adam; is
out of the power. And where humility is, which goes before honour,
there is no want of honour ; for he cometh into the power lhat maketh
him honourable in the hearts of all- people, answering the humble prin
ciple in every one ; a terror to the evil doer. And here magistrates
that fear God, attain the honour that is without the respect of persons,
in the humility answering with the higher power the just principle in
every man : so come they to be honoured in the hearts of all people,

224
in the sight of God, and a praise of them that do well ; but he that re
spects persons, transgresseth the law, and commits sin, and is con
vinced of the law as a transgressor. He that respects persons is out of
the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, which purifies the heart, which is
held in the pure conscience, and gives victory over the world ; and who
are of faith are of Abraham.
And so for all thy lies, and slanders, and revilings, and unsavoury
and bad expressions, they are loathsome before all sober people, and
stink; who hast published thy shame to the nation in print, it shall
cover thyself, and be thy own garment; and every word be thy own
burthen, and lay a weight upon thee in the day of thy misery, and ca
lamity, and in the day of thy judgment when thy works are tried in
the fire; the witness in thy conscience shall answer me.
P. Gifford, who is chief priest at Bedford, said openly, ' That faith
was not perfect,' &c.
A. Faith is holy, and the gift of God, and purifies, and justifies, and
is a mystery, in which is the unity, by which God is pleased; and this
is perfect, being the gift of God; and from this he hath showed his re
probation, and his ignorance.

Thomas Moore in his book, called ' A Defence against the Poison
of Satan's Design.' These are his principles.
P. He saith, 'Christ Jesus* ^s personally absent from a believer.
And Christ is in and to our hearts the hope, but not the possession, nor
do we possess the glory.' Again he saith, ' The grace of God which
brings salvation to all men, instructs them not to look into themselves
or to any light or spirit in them.' See page 5.
A. ' Christ in you the hope of glory,' saith the apostle. And if the
saints sat with him in heavenly places, they are not absent from him.
And if he say, ' I in them, and they in me,' he is not absent from
them. And the son of God was revealed in the saints. And ' he that
hath not the son of God hath not life:' Such may say they are absent
from him ; but such as have him revealed, have life, and he is not ab
sent. And such as are absent from him have not eaten his flesh, nor
drunk his blood; and so are not of his flesh, nor of his bone. And they
may talk of him, and say he is Come, as the Jews did that he was to
come, and he not in them, and so reprobales. And ' the grace of
God that brings salvation,' which ' hath appeared unto all men,' which
is the saints' teacher, whose hearts are established with grace, this is
within them, which brings them to know the hidden man of the heart,

225
and a strength in the inward. And these come to look at the light
within them, agreeably to the apostle's doctrine, who said ' the light
that shined in their hearts, would give them the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.' And such as have
Christ in them, have the possession, have the substance, have ,the glory
which was with the Father before the world began.,
P. He saith, ' There are none here have yet ceased from their own
works, as God did from his.' See page 9. And ' the apostles received
the last revelation to be given forth immediately. And such, as slight
the word, and ca)l it a dead letter, and bring people to the light within
them, a spirit within them, this is a strange doctrine. And if there
be not something to be added, and given forth by men, and another
manner of preaching than by the apostles, what need is there of print
ing?' &c. See page 15.
A. He that believes hath entered into his rest, arid ceased from his
own works as God did from his. And since the days of the apostles
there hath got up another ministry by man and of man, made by man,
(which is not as the apostles, who received it not of man, nor by man,)
and these stand against the light within, and the spirit of God within,
without which none know true teaching, nor true instruction, nor
opening of the scriptures, but as they come every one to the spirit of
God in them, that was in them that gave forth scriptures. And who
are here, have the thing within them, as they had that gave, forth the
scriptures; enjoying and possessing it. And these fathom those who
are apostates, out of the apostles' doctrine; and witness the preaching
that the apostles were in, which all they since the days of the apostle's,
that have ravened from the spirit of God, are out of. And these do
not deny the scriptures, but see them all in their place, and to what
condition they were spoken. - And the letter is a dead letter of itself,
and gives not life to any,, but those who come to the, spirit of God in
their own particulars, that was in them that gaye it forth. For the
Jews had not life, though they had scriptures, until they came tp
Christ, which the scripture testified of.
P. He saith, ' Christ is not natural.'
A. Yet some of you say, he is human. And as for thy speaking of
his mortality, ye speak, ye do not know what; Christ is the same to
day, yesterday* and for ever.
P. He saith, ' It is the apostle's sense of them that served thejr bel
lies, they pretended to an inward light; and this is the apostle's sense
of belly; who did cause divisions contrary to the doctrine they had
learned, and here their belly may be understood their mind, heart, and
spirit, or also their experience of these inward, &c. To rejoice in any

226
thing under the sun, is opposite to the apostles who had their conver
sation in heaven.' See page 42.
A. None come to witness their conversation in heaven, but who are
come to witness Christ within them, the substance, the second Adam,
who redeems out of the earth. And the apostle brought the saints to
the light that shined in their hearts, &c. and walking in this light was
not a serving of bellies. That light shining in them, and belieying in
the light Christ, ' out of their belly flowed rivers of living waters;' and
such made not divisions, but were in unity in the light, and in fellow
ship. But those were they that made the divisions that inwardly ra
vened, and went from the light, which Christ had enlightened them
Withal ; and such went from that which should give them the know
ledge, and enjoyed the earthly things, and served not the Lord Jesus
Christ, but their own bellies. And they act contrary to the apostles'
doctrine; and rejoice in things under the sun, which who do, serve
their own bellies.
P. He saith, ' Yea, when enlightened by that heavenly light, even
from Jesus, yet they are of themselves deceitful,' Sec. See page 44.
And ' the light is something else besides the light ofthe knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.' See page 45.
A. The light which every man is enlightened with, &c. is not
deceitful, but leads men out of all deceit. And it is of God, that gives
them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, &c. and it is one
and the same that lets see to the beginning and ending ; which comes
from the beginning.
P. He saith, ' That none may. expect to receive the word imme
diately from Christ as the apostles ; but mediately,' page 46.
A. Such as receive not the word of God immediately from Christ
as the apostles did; are not preachers ofthe living word that lives and
abides for ever. And we dp believe you, that" since the days of the
apostles, ye have not received the word immediately from Christ as
the apostles did, but are only ministers Of the letter. And such were
they in all ages that closed their eyes, and stopped their ears, and inwardly
ravened from the spirit, that marred the face of Christ above all men;
who were in the spiritual Sodom and Egypt where Christ is crucified.
These got scriptures, but were from the spirit of God within, that gave
them forth, and such were the hypocrites that judged always the spirit
of God that, gave forth the scriptures, and. shut out of the kingdom, in
which spirit now ye are found in these last days.
P. He saith, ' that Christ ascended without material blood, and the
apostle did not preach both the word and faith in the heart,' page 50.
And 'that the new Jerusalem is not come down from heaven,' page

227
51. And, < A brief discovery of the wolves in sheep's skins,' &c,
page 57.
A. The blood of Chr ist which satisfies the Father, which the saintsdrink,
and hisflesh which they eat, which in so doing they havelife,is that which
the world stumble at; which who drinks, lives for ever. And the apos
tle preached the word of faith in their hearts, and in their mouths, and
the word reconciles to the Father, and hammers down, and cuts down,
and burns up that which separates from the Father; and over it gives
victory. And as for the word material, the apostle doth not call it so, but
precious, and Jerusalem is come down from heaven and witnessed
among the saints, heavenly Jerusalem, and the babes know their mo
ther. And who are in Christ, and Christ in them, see it and possess it.
But all such as are against the light within, which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world, are the antichrists, the false prophets,
the wolves which have gotten the sheep's clothing, (which may deceive
the world, but not the elect,) as thy book hath declared thee. And
such Christ said should come, and John saw were come: and since the
days of the apostles the world hath gone after them. And they in
wardly ravened from the light: and so have got the kingdoms of the
earth into a profession and form, who are now standing against the
light within, and gathering against the Lamb, and the saints that are in
the light, and the light which they ravened from, making war against
them; but the Lamb and the saints shall get the victory.
P. He saith, 'And the righteousness of God wrought by Christ for
us, need not be wrought over again in us,' page 58. And 'that
Christ our justification should be in us, that died,' and suffered, that
ascended,' this he calls ' a fancy, to fancy him in a particular person,'
page 59.
A. Whosoever hath not Christ within, is a reprobate, and whosoever
hath Christ within, hath the righteousness. -Now Christ that suffered,
Christ that was offered up, is manifest within, and the saints are of
his flesh, and of his bone, and eat his flesh, and drink his blood, and
not another. The Christ that ended the priesthood, ended the offering,
ended the temple, ended the law, and the first covenant, the seed of
God, Christ Jesus, this is manifest, within; he that hath him;, hath life,
justification, sanctification, and redemption. And so Christ, the same
to-day, -yesterday, and for ever, who is the hope, and the author of
their faith:. And so all are in the fancy that are out of the state of wit
nessing Christ (that suffered) withiri them, and risen again: and who
are in this, are out of the fancy and shadows; and come to see where
thero is no, changing, but possess righteousness, glory, substance, the
end of their faith, and Christ their hope, that remains arid abides.

228
P. He saith, ' There is something of God in man that will render
the light which the Quakers speak of, natural,' page 67.
A. That which is of Qod in man captivated, viz. life and immortality,
who is not come to the light, will not render the light (when he
cometh to it through the gospel) natural, which the darkness now
cannot comprehend, though it shines in it, and that of God in man will
not call Christ (the light) natural, which the Quakers speak of.
P. He saith, ' Ye may remember, in the last times false Christs and
false prophets shall arise, and shall bring in damnable heresies, &c. and
will show signs and wonders, and if it were possible, they would de
ceive the very elect. And such as follow strong delusions, and believe
lies, and be damned, who obey not the truth, nor receive it in the love
of it,' page 68.
A. Christ said false prophets and antichrists should come with signs
and wonders, which the apostles saw were come, which inwardly raven
ed and went forth from them; which since the days of the apostles have
got the sheep's clothing, and the world are gone after them, whom they
have deceived by their lying signs and wonders, and have brought
them to be all on heaps about religion. Andfor the damnable heresy, and
the lying signs and wonders, and strange delusions; ye may look into
the whole Christendom, among yourselves, and your own stock of Pa
pists: for none obey the truth, but who own the ' light that doth en
lighten every man that cometh into the world,' which cometh from
Christ the truth; and all false prophets are from that, and all antichrists
are from that, who have reigned since the days of the apostles* in the
apostacy; and inwardly ravening, they have gotten' the sheep's cloth
ing; have made war against the saints, and overcome them; but now
to that which they ravened from, are the saints come. And the woman
hath been in the wilderness, and the man-child is brought forth to rule
the nations with a rod of iron. And all such now that are inwardly ra
vened from the light, are standing up against the Lamb and the saints.
But the Lamb and the saints have the victory, and the rejoicing over
the beast and false prophet is come, the Lamb who kills and slays
with the sword, which is the words of his mouth. And the saints which
are with him, their weapons are spiritual. And none lift up the son of
God, as the serpent was lifted Up in the wilderness, but as every one
is in the light that the son of God hath enlightened him withal, and
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229

Thomas Moor, in his book called, ' An Antidote,' fyc. are these
principles following.
P. He saith, 'God doth not give the revelation of these things now
immediately as he did by the first apostles, nor in such manner as he
did to the prophets of old.' See his epistle.
A. All that have the scriptures, and are ministers, and not by the
same power and spirit that the apostles were in, know not the scrip
tures; and all who are in it, are in the immediate, and in that which
reveals, and in that which fathoms all the ministers of the letter, who
say, ' God doth not give forth now immediately as he did to the pro
phets and apostles.' Since the days of the apostles, in the apostacy,
such as have ravened inwardly from the spirit of God, the time of anti
christ, beast, and false prophet's reign, and the mother of harlots, who
have had the sheep's clothing, such immediate revelation hath been
hid from them ; and such should continue until the words of God were
fulfilled, and the fulfilling of the prophets. But now is the fulfilling
of the words of God, and that come into, which the prophets and
apostles were in, with which that is seen and known, and him ' that
hath been slain from the foundation of the world.'
P. He saith, ' To look to the light within, is in opposition to look
ing at Jesus.' That ' the light in every man is natural. And if ye turn
your eye inward, ye shall presently see their mover and teacher:' and
this he calls 'foolish and antichristian.' And saith, ' that no man hath
in him, as of him, that light, spirit, and wisdpm in the inward parts.'
See his epistle.
A. All upon the earth that Over come to the knowledge of the glory
of God, come to the light in them, ' which doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the World,' which light was before any natural lights
were made or created; whichlight gives 'thelightof the knowledge ofthe
glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus;' and this is of him and from him.
And all that are from this are in the foolishness, and are in the drunken
spirit making drunk. And all that ever come into covenant with God, to
have God's law written in their hearts, must come into the light which
Christ Jesus hath enlightened them withal, which brihgs them into him
who is the life, and into knowledge of Christ; and there they shall find
their teacher within them.
P. And he saith, < To the law and to the testimony.'
A- Many may have the Old and New Testament, yet stand against the
law and the testimony, and put the Old and New Testament for it: for
' the law is light,' saith Solomon. And ' the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy,' And many may have the scriptures, and stand
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230
aga:nst the light, and say prophecy is ceased, as the world doth now,
who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God ; and despise prophecy,
and so quench the spirit. And the light within doth not deny Jesus: none
know him nor own him, but with the light that comes from him. And
the Pharisees and the Jews were opposite to Christ that doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world; and were from that of God in
their own particulars, their eyes closed, and their ears stopped, as you
are now.
P. He saith, ' Take away the word of the Lord as declared by the
pen, and then what wisdpm is in them.' Epist. He saith, 'If a believer
should turn his eye into himself to look for counsel and direction, he
may be led to walk in the flesh as other Gentiles in the vanities of their
minds, and follow their abominations.'
A. None upon the earth hear the counsel of God, or Christ's teaching,
but they who are come to the spirit of God within, and to the light
within: and all people upon the earth, that are led from the vanities of
their minds, and from walking in the flesh, are come to the spirit within,
and led with it; which all the Jews and Gentiles were astray from, while
they 'walked after the vanities of their minds,' and then crucified the
just. And none hear the counsel of God, nor come into the faith of
Jesus, nor ' the grace of God that brings their salvation,' but they come
to feel it within, the grace in their hearts, and the word in their hearts,
and the faith in their hearts; there is that which purifies. And all that
be from the light and spirit of God within them are in the vanity of
pf their own minds, in the flesh, out of the counsel of God, and the
wisdom of God, which the saints had and were in before the scripture
was penned or printed. And the wisdom of God is Christ Jesus. They
that had the scriptures stood against ' the light that doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world,' as all you do now, and never come
into it; but as ye come into it, that doth enlighten every man, &c. ye
come into the wisdom of God ; and none come out of sin and evil, but
who come into that: and that is not opposite to the scriptures without,
but owns them given forth from the life in the wisdom of God.
P. He calls perfection ' a devilish doctrine.' ' That the scripture is
the absolute rule and medium of our faith,' page 2. And ' Timothy
did not receive his furniture and service of the gospel immediately from
the person of Christ' And he saith, ' If I had seen Christ as Paul did,
I might have received the word in the same manner, immediately from
the person of Christ.'
A. Timothy had faith and, the gift of God, and Christ is the author
of faith, and so that is received immediately, whereby he was ' made
wise unto salvation through faith,' with which he knew scripture, and
so by that he was furnished. And we do believe thee, and you all, that

231
ye have not seen Christ, as Paul and the apostles did: so ye are out of
the faith, and show he is not in you, neither do ye sit with him in
heavenly places. Whoever receives faith from Christ, or knows Christ
the power, knows immediately; wherefore thou hast shown thyself a
reprobate from God, and under the judgment of it thou art come. And
the apostle preached perfection; and Christ bid them 'be perfect, as
their heavenly Father is perfect;' and the saints were to grow to per
fection: and the work of the ministry was 'for the perfecting of the
saints, till they all came unto a perfect man, to the measure of the sta
ture of the fulness of Christ' And thou in this hast denied the work
of the ministry, that callest the doctrine of perfection 'a devilish
doctrine.' And the scripture is not the author, nor the means of it,
nor the rule, but Christ who gives' it, and he increaseth it; and faith was
before scripture was given forth. And all they that gave forth scrip
ture had faith from God, and ' they are able to make wise unto salva
tion through the faith Which is in Christ Jesus.' But those that have
the scripture, and deny the light that doth enlighten every man, &c.
and hate it, have not faith, as the Pharisees had not; and so are such as
the apostle spoke of who were 'reprobate concerning the faith,' before
his decease, that had got 'the form of godliness,' as those that say, 'the
scripture is the medium of faith, and absolute rule;' but that which rules
it, and increaseth it, is Christ.
P. He saith, ' Christ's grace brings salvation, but not by any such
light or poWer dwelling in them,' page 6.
A. The grace of God which brings salvation, that teacheth the saints,
is in the heart, and stablisheth it. That which brings salvation and
is their teacher, dwells within them; which brings them to say, 'this is
the Lord whom I have waited for,' where the everlasting life runs, and
flows. P. He saith, ' Such as cause divisions are to be marked, that serve
not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, their lust, Will, or light
within them,' page 12.
A. The light which doth enlighten every man, &c. Christ Jesus the
second Adam, leadeth men from their lusts and wills, and from serving
their own bellies, to serve the Lord Jesus Christ from whence it comes,
for such as serve their own bellies are out of the light, in transgression,
in the first Adam, in their own lusts and wills, Where thou art, among
the apostates in the deceivableness, the mystery of iniquity, which the
apostle saw was coming in, which since the days of the apostles hath
reigned; but now with the light is discovered and made manifest. And
such as have served their bellies, and serve their bellies, Which the
apostles saw coming in before their decease, are now manifest to be* such
as deny the light 'that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the

232
world,' which is ' the salvation to the ends of the earth.' Are they
not for 'their own bellies,' casting into prisons, and haling before
courts such as will not put into their mouths, that they do no work for?
And these cause divisions among all people. Do not these serve their bel
lies ? and are not people come to mark them, what a division they have
set among people ? yea, persecuting and prisoning for tithes and main
tenance, and haling before judges and justices, by writs into courts, and
at assizes and sessions ? Do not these that make all this division, serve
their bellies, and not Christ ? They deny the light which doth enlight
en every man, &c. and so ' deny Christ, the Lord that bought them.'
But the light that every man hath that cometh into the world, the light
that shines in the heart, ' gives the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' and brings all off from serving their
bellies, and leads out of the lusts in the fall, which came by Adam in
the transgression.
P. He saith, ' To speak of the word of God immediately, and that
which I speak I speak it immediately. I am strengthened against that,
and admonished by God to hold fast the form of sound words. And
that which is able to make men wise unto salvation through faith. And
Timothy was to stir up the gift of God that was in him mediately, by
the putting on of the hands, and not neglect the gift that was in him.
And God hath published his last dispensation, and nothing more to be
added or altered,' page 15.
A. If thou art strengthened by God against speaking his word imme
diately; or if thou speaks not immediately, thou being strengthened
by God against this, (as thou sayst,) in this thou shows thou never
knew him. Whoever is strengthened of God, it is by his power, and
that is immediate; whoever speaks his word that lives and endures
for ever, it is immediate. In this thou, and you all, have showed
yourselves to be ministers of the letter, and not of the word of God,
which is immediate, which lives, and abides, and endures for ever,
' and is immortal and fades not away;' and this thou and you speak
not immediately, and therefore have ye indeed put the letter for it,
that are strayed from the word of God in your hearts, not born again
of the immortal seed, the word of God. And whosoever stirs up, the
gift of God in him, it is immediate, and by the immediate. And who
ever holds fast the form of sound words, the scriptures, is made
wise unto salvation by them through the faith, he is in the imme
diate gift of God. And the gift which brought Timothy, by laying on
of the hands of the presbytery, to see and divide the word aright, and
kept him out of partiality, was immediate, and it was the immediate
word of God that he was to preach in season and out of season. And,
since the days of the apostles, from this have you all been apostatized,

233
and asleep in the night of apostacy in the great city; though there
have been pipers among you, and sounding of the trumpets, and
the voice of the bride, and the grinding of mills, and the light of
candles. And the time is coming that Babylon shall fall, and become
the habitation of devils, and the saints shall rejoice and sing over her,
&c.
P. He saith, ' It is not properly and absolutely, in a full sense, that
God is manifest, or glorified in the flesh of his saints,' page 29.
A. The saints are the temples of God, and God dwells in them, and
walks in them; and they come to witness the flesh of Christ, and they
glorify him in their souls and bodies, and the Lord is glorified in their
bringing forth much fruit. And they witness the seed, the one offer
ing for sin and transgression, to be manifest within; and such are not
reprobates, that witness the one offering Christ Jesus; but they that
have him not within, are reprobates.
P. He saith, ' The body is dead because of sin, yea, it is in itself
but a wretched vile body,' page 30. ' And Christ is in, or among
believers the hope of glory. And that person Christ, is personally
absent from the believers. And we do not possess the glory of this
glory Christ in us,' page 32.
A. I do believe you, that are not come to the light that ' doth enlight
en every man that cometh into the world ;' ye do not possess the hope
of glory in you, ye are absent from Christ, and do not feel him. But
the saints in the light receive Christ the hope of glory, and so he is
not absent from them; for- they have unity with him and the Father,
and know a change in them from glory to glory, and witness Christ in
them as believers in the light, who walk not in darkness, but have
the light of life. And where the body of sin is destroyed and put off,
they glorify God in their souls, and bodies, and spirits which are the
Lords, and those are not wretched.
P. He saith, 'Christ is absent from us while we are in the mortal
body.' A. Contrary to the apostle who said, ' the life of Christ is manifest in
their mortal flesh.'
P. He saith, ' Christ is in heaven with a spiritual body.'
A. And priest Higginson said, he is in heaven with a carnal body.
And thus ye are confused, and discerned, who are from the light, and
can speak ofthe body of Christ by the letter, and tell where he rose by
the letter, as the priests of old could tell Herod where he should be
born; but Christ's body is glorified.
P. He saith, ' The first resurrection we ' desire not to account our
selves to have apprehended,' page 44. ' Such as magnify their belly
to be some internal operation, making it with all deceivableness of un-

234
righteousness in them that perish, glorying in their shame, minding
sensual earthly things. All since the apostles have not the ministry of
the gospel immediately, but mediately from the person of Christ, iri
their believing through their word,' page 46. ' And the text saith
not, the word of faith in the heart.'
A. The word of faith which they preached was in their mouth, and
in their heart, ' nigh them even in their hearts.' Rom. x. And we do
believe you have not received the word immediately from Christ, as
the apostles did, who have erred and apostatized from them. (So
none are preachers of the word in the truth, but who are preachers
of it immediately.) And such are all false apostles, and such as
serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, who mind
earthly things sensually, and are in the deceivableness of unrighte
ousness, deceiving the people with good words* forcing and taking
maintenance of people they do no work for, keeping them all from
the immediate teaching of God, they themselves being out of it, and
conclude all in their own dominion, and all agree in one against the
immediate teaching. And they that are out of the immediate teach
ing, are under the power of the beast, and antichrist, and the great
whore, the mother of harlots. And so they served their bellies, when
they went from the immediate teaching into the strong delusion, as
since the days of the apostles it hath appeared. How are people all
on heaps, out of the life, and spirit, and power of God ? And so
all that perish in the deceivableness of unrighteousness* are from
the light which 'Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world withal;' for none perish who are in the light. And the
saints witnessed they were ' risen with Christ;' and they that were
risen ' sought the things that were above, and not the things upon the
earth.' And they that know the first resurrection, and are in it, aptj*j
blessed, ' the second death hath no power over them,' and they are atop
of Adam, and they are in Christ the resurrection and the life. And
such as are in the first Adam, driven from God, and love to live in
the fall, look not after the first resurrection, neither desired to come
into it.
P. He saith, ' The glorious bringing down of the kingdom and glory
is yet to be waited for, even by the disciples, all the time of this mor
tality,' page 54. ' All believers are personally from Christ in their
mortal bodies: and none of the fathers saw the day of Christ as actually
revealed, accomplished in their time.'
A. He that believes is born of God, and overcomes the world, and
abides in the doctrine of Christ, and hath the son and the Father, andthe
spirit of Christ,the life of Christ in the mortal flesh, *And the kingdom of
heaven Christ said was in the Pharisees, and the saints come to and pos-

235
sess the kingdom. And the kingdom of heaven is within them, and con
sists in righteousness, in peace, in joy in the holy ghost, and in power.
And they were changed from glory to glory; and they rejoiced with joy
unspeakable and full of glory; and that was in the kingdom, and this
was while they were upon the earth. And Enoch and Abraham saw
the day of Christ, and David saw the betrayer, and whose feet should
be snared, whose eyes should be blinded, and whose back should bow
down; and he saw Judas tnat betrayed Christ. And Isaiah saw the
suffering of Christ, and how God laid the iniquity upon him. And
Isaiah saw his name, and how his soul was made an offeringfor sin. And
Daniel said, the Messiah should be cut off, but not for himself, which
the apostles witnessed fulfilled.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures is the power of God unto salvation,'
page 59.
A. Many may have the form, but deny the power of God, which is
the gospel. And the letter doth not give life, neither is it the power
of Gpd unto salvation.
P. He saith, 'That Christ is distinct from every one of us, and with
out us in our particular persons,' page 61.
A. The appstle said, ' Christ was in them except they were repro
bates;' and they were of his flesh, and of his bone ; and they eat his
flesh, apd drank his blood ; then it was within them ; and he is dis
tinct from none but reprobates, who hate the light.
P, ' Npr are we to wait for a further revelation to us to be given
forth, than ,the scriptures. For the word of God came not first to the
Gentiles immediately, but to the appstles,' page 77.
A. The appstles that preached the word of God, it was immediate to
whomsoever they preached it, for they had received it immediately. For
the word itself is immediate, for 'it is the savour of death to the
death, and of life tp the life.' And none know the seriptures but by
the. spirit .that doth reveal them. So all that witness the spirit of God
witness the revelation, and the revealing of the scriptures to them by
it. And the things of God, which are laid up for them that love Ged,
the eye hath not seen; but the eye may see the scriptures outwardly.
And ' none know the son of God, neither knows any man the Father
but the son, and he to whom the son reveals him.' And so people
may have the scriptures, but not the revelation of the son of God by
them. For the Pharisees had the scriptures, but not the thing they
testified of.
P. He saith, 'The scriptures are the word of God, and the key of
knowledge,' page 79, 'and the opening of all things contained in the
scriptures.' A. The scriptures are the words of God, and that is his word who

236
fulfils them, Christ Jesus, whose name is called ' the word of God. '
And that which opens the scriptures is the spirit that gave them forth,
that is the key of David, who in the light saw more light. For the
Pharisees who crucified Christ, had that which testified of Christ, the
scriptures. And you that are in the apostacy since the days of the
apostles, want the key, and have taken away the key of knowledge.
And all that dwell upon the earth, that stop their ears, and close their
eyes against that of God in them, that deny the light that doth en
lighten every man that cometh into the world, want the key of know
ledge. P. He saith, ' He gives gifts unto men for the work of the ministry,
some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the
perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until
all come into the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the son of
God unto a perfect man,' page 81.
A. And yet he said before, perfection was a devilish doctrine, and
a fancy: so out of this work and ministry thou hast thrown thyself.
For this work and ministry have been lost since the days of the apos
tles, in the apostacy; but now is appearing in the end of Babylon, the
knowledge of the son of God people are coming to, and to the unity
of the faith, from among the apostates who have had the sheep's cloth
ing, but all on heaps about it, being ravened from the spirit of God
inwardly. Among whom the proclamation hath been in the steeple-
houses, and pulpits, in markets, towns, disputes: 'No perfection, no
overcoming of sin; perfection is a doctrine of devils, a devilish doc
trine, and a fancy,' &c. And this hath been proclaimed among *the
apostates in the apostacy since the days of the apostles, by the beast's
authority, under satan's power, the deceiver of the nations, where the
mother of harlots is. But God will reward her double, and shall take
the devil, and with him the beast and false prophet, and cast them alive
into the fire. ' Rejoice, ye holy prophets and saints, over her, who are
come into the unity of the faith, and to a perfect man, and to the
knowledge of the son of God. " And the everlasting gospel shall be
preached to them that dwell upon the earth, and God shall be feared,
and glory given to him. And none come to the knowledge of the
son of God, the salvation to the ends of the earth, the covenant of
Jews and Gentiles, until they come into the light which, Christ doth
enlighten every one withal that cometh into the world, that gives him
the knowledge of the son of God, of the author of his faith, and the
taste of his fulness, and to become a perfect man.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures are the means whereby the righteous
ness is revealed from faith to faith,' page 82.
I A. The Pharisees had the scriptures read every sabbath, and had

237
the form of godliness, but denied thp power, and were reprobate con
cerning the faith and the righteousness of Christ Jesus. And God it
is that reveals the faith, and gives the faith, and the righteousness; and
many have the words, and yet not it;' they who have it have the word
in their hearts, and the spirit that gave forth the scriptures, and see
God the original of all good. The scriptures cannot reveal it, but
they testify of it; and all must come into the spirit, before they know
revelation, or know the scriptures either.
P. He saith, ' New Jerusalem is not come down from heaven*' and
'he will make all things new, not hath made,' page 33. He saith, 'The
body is dead because of sin, yet there is a remainder of the old man in
the members,' page S4.
A. Where the body is dead because of sin, and that put off by the
circumcision of the spirit, if the root be holy the branches are holy
also; and such come to glorify the Lord in their bodies and souls which
are the Lord's, who hath redeemed them out of sin. So 'they that
are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts,' and
all things are become new. And the New Jerusalem is witnessed
come down from heaven among the saints; for who witness Christ and
know Christ, know the tabernacle of God, and know the New Jerusa
lem, and know the place where there is no curse. And many know
their mother now, and that which had led captive is gone, and going
into captivity. >
P. He saith, 'The apostles gave the last and full revelation of the
gospel to all nations. And Timothy learned doctrine mediately; and
since, none may expect to receive so immediately as Paul did, but all
mediately,' pages 8S, S9. Again, 'God now gives, and teacheth me
diately, and spiritually by the testimony of him mediately,' page 90.
'It is a little necessary to show the vanity of their pretence of imme
diate revelation from God's spirit,' page 91.
A. All those are in a pretence, and in vanity, that are from the im
mediate revelation of the spirit of God. And though people have all
Paul's declarations, if they have it not immediately revealed to them
by the spirit of God, as Paul had, they have not the comfort of Paul's
words, neither have they the comfort of the revelations. And John
saith, the everlasting gospel must be preached to them that dwell upon
the earth, since the apostacy from the apostles, (mark that.) And that
which Timothy preached, who was in the faith, the gift of God, and
spoke his word, and divided ft aright, it was immediate.; But since the
days of the apostles hath the immediate been lost, and I know ye can
not expect it in the state ye all stand in, inwardly ravened from the
spirit of God and truth. But now are the saints come to that which ye
have ravened from, and the apostles were in, who witnessed the imme-
Vol. 'III. 30

238
diate teachings of God; and God's teaching is immediate, and the testi
mony of Jesus is immediate, which is the spirit of prophecy. But
many have that which testifies of him, and are from the immediate
spirit that was in them that gave forth the scriptures. And all upon
the earth that are from the immediate, spirit of God, that was in them
that gave forth scriptures, their ministry is but mediate, and they are
but in the mediate ; they are all ministers only pf the letter, made by
man, and what they have it is but from man, and not from God imme
diately. Such have nothing but the sheep's clothing, being inwardly
ravened from the spirit of God in them. And here is Babylon the
mother of harlots, and the beast, and his names: but over all have they
victory that are in the immediate, in that which the apostles were in, and
answer that in them all which they ravened. from.
P. He saith, 'Even now, in the days of their adversity, while the
person of the Lord, the fountain of their teaching, for whom they wait,
is personally absent from them,' page 92.
A. All they that hate the light, see not Christ the fountain of teach
ing, and these are they that have inwardly ravened. Such have their
teachers in corners, and are in the days of adversity, and eat not the
flesh of Christ, nor drink his blood, and are not of his flesh and bone,
and receive not his spirit. But all who wait in the light with which
Jesus Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world,
their eyes shall see their teacher, that cannot be removed into a corner.
Salvation they shall see, and days of adversity shall end, and his
guiding they shall know, and come to be in unity with Christ, and eat
his flesh, and drink his blood, and be of his flesh and bone. And
thousands do witness this, and the prophet raised up, the end of the
prophets; and they that hear him not are to be cut off. And none lift
up the son of God but who are in the light ' which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world,' and that brings him to understand the
scriptures, and the substance of them.
P. He saith, ' The grace of God that brings salvation, it is a fancy
to say it is stirred up in them; but it is a thing wrought in another for
them. And to say the word of the Lord is within, and the spirit within,
is men's following their own brain, and visions of their own hearts.'
And he saith, ' Whereas they imagine of a light within them, all that
know God, show the light in them to be darkness itself.' See post
script. A. All that know God, own the light within them, 'to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,1
which light shines in their hearts ; and all that know God, own the light
that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, Christ Jesus,
and believe in the light, and have the witness in themselves. And all

23k
that are from the light within them, are in the darkness, and stumble,
which have been in this night of the apostacy from the apostles' doc
trine. And all, Gog and Magog, and the beast, and false prophets, and
the kings ofthe earth, are making war against the light ' that doth en
lighten every man,' &c. but the Light shall get the victory. And all
that are from the word of God within, in their hearts and in their
mouths, though they speak of the scriptures without, yet they use their
tongues, and follow their own dreams, and visions of their own hearts
and brains, and are from the word of God, that lives, and abides, and
endures for ever. And all that ever witness ' the grace of God that
brings salvation,' feel it in their hearts, stablishing them, and season
ing their words, and know the throne of grace from which it cometh.
And this doth not deny what Christ hath done, but owns him all along
from the foundation of the world; and what he wrought, and what he
did, and what he said for us. And all upon the earth that have the
scriptures, and are out of the spirit that gave them forth, are all in a
confusion here, and on heaps about words. And the word of God within,
and spirit within, leads people from following their own dreams, and
following fancies of their own.brains, which all have done many hun
dreds of years past, in the apostacy since the days of the apostles.
And as for all thy lies and confusion in thy books, they will be thy
own burthen, and the witness in thy conscience will answer in the day
of thy judgment; thou shalt feel a smart work thou hast to go through,
who art now in the pack and body of confusion, buried under the body
of iniquity. But thy folly is discovered sufficiently to the nation, and
thy spirit is now tried, who art one of the heads risen up against the
Lamb in his day, and against his light; but it is thy condemnation.

Matthew Caffin, in his book called, ' The Deceiving Quaker disco
vered.' His principles follow.
P. He saith, 'Nothing will cure the soul but the knowledge of sal
vation, which is made known by outward means, because the will of
the Lord in order to the soul's peace and rest was discovered by out
ward means,' page 4.
A. The Pharisees had outward means, reading, praying, and ex
pounding, and yet knew not the soul's comfort and peace: for Christ
bid them come unto him, that their souls might have rest, all that were
weary and heavy laden. So if people have all the scriptures upon
the earth, hearing and praying, and all the outward means, and are not

240
in the power, which is the gospel, which is immediate, not outward ;
and if they be not in the life that gave forth the scriptures, they have
not their soul's comfort and rest; for the soul is in the hand of God,
and Christ is the bishop of it ; and the minister of the spirit watcheth
for it. And they that hearkened to what the spirit said, their souls
lived, and this was not outward. But when men stop their ears, and
close their eyes to that of God in them, as the Jews did, and all the in
wardly raveners, false prophets, and antichrists in the apostacy, since
the days of the apostles, such hearken not diligently, arid their souls.
live not. And all such as deny the light which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world, see not Christ the bishop of their
souls, nor their salvation.
P. And he saith, 'The Quakers cry, wait upon the light within you,'
and 'this is another report than that ofthe scriptures.' And he saith,
' I do not find where it is spoken that God spoke in this people,' page
5. ' And the apostle who was to go to preach to all nations, did not
turn the people to a teacher within them, to teach them all things.
And the apostle affirms that they were to give them the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God, &c. and not their teacher within them,'
page 8.
A. It was the Lord that spoke in his prophets, by their mouths, and
in his son, and they were the mouth of the Lord: and where God
dwells in his people, he speaks. And the apostles were to go into all
nations to preach the gospel, and preaehed the covenant of God; they
who came into the thing they preached, the law written in their hearts,
needed not any man to teach them, nor needed to teach one another,
saying, 'Know the Lord,' as it had been in the first covenant, people
had been taught to know the Lord, and the priests' lips were to pre
serve the people's knowledge. But they who are come into the cove
nant of God, Christ Jesus, the second covenant, are come into the
treasury of wisdom and knowledge. And the apostles told the saints,
that ' the light which shined in their hearts, would give them the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus;' and
this is not another report than the scriptures, but this is the scripture
report. And John told the saints, 'that the anointing which abide in
in them would teach them all things,' and the ' word was in their
hearts and in their mouths, to obey it, and do it,' and this was the mi
nisters' work; and to direct the hearing of faith, which Christ is the
author of, whereby they receive the spirit. And the apostle brought
the people to their teacher within them, which is the light, and turned
people ' from the darkness to the light, and from the power of satan
unto God;' which light shining in their hearts, gives them 'the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God,' &c. See 2 Cor. iv- chap.

241
Now light shines in the darkness, and they being turned from the dark
ness to the light, it gives knowledge. So such come from under the
power of satan unto God; for while they are in the darkness, they are
under the power of satan. And nothing gives nor makes manifest the
knowledge of the saviour, but the light which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world, which shines in the darkness; and
they being turned from the darkness, and from the power of satan, such
the God of the world cannot blind. But they in whom this light shines,
who are in the darkness, the god of the world blinds, and the light of
the glorious gospel they do not know.
P. 'Saith antichrist, if you will believe in the light within you, it
will lead you to Christ. To wait upon the teacher within, there will be
such an internal light that will make known all things,' page 9. 'And
the Quakers exhort all ignorant people in the world to depend upon a
light within them. Wherefore be counselled not to be carried away
with strange doctrines,' page 11.
A. The 'light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world,' is not a strange doctrine; the light to the Gentiles, the
teacher of the Gentiles, the ' salvation to the ends of the earth,' the
new covenant to the house of Israel and Judah. Arid this doctrine was
strange to the Jews and to the Gentijes, though tathem it had been pro
mised. So this light shines in the darkness, and the darkness not
comprehending it, such are ungodly wicked men, and they must be
turned from the darkness to the light, before they come to retain God
in their knowledge, or come to that which must give them 'the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.' And
all that come to witness their teacher Within, Christ, are possessors of
the prophet raised up, Christ Jesus, the teacher of his people accord
ing to the promise. And they are antichrist and the false apostles, who
keep people from the light, for that was the true Christ, and the true
apostles bid people believe in the light, and walk in the light, and
brought them to the light within; and the true prophet and prophets
said, that God would give him a covenant tp .the Gentiles; and this is
' the true light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world,' and all that deny this are antichrists and deceivers.
P. He saith, ' How beautiful are they that preach the gospel, &c. not
by the light within. And the word of faith cannot be said to be in
men's hearts and mouths.' See page 14. And the sure word of
prophecy spoken of in Peter, are the scriptures, which people must
take heed unto, as unto a light shining in a dark place. And ' the saints
received the words of the apostles riot as the words of men, &c.
whereas the Quakers suppose that God himself is their teacher, and so
err, not knowing the scriptures.' See page 17.

242
A. They that preach the gospel, which is the power of God, which
gives relief to that which was captivated in every creature, they are in
the light in their own particulars, with which they know the glorious
gospel, and answer the light in every man that shines in the darkness,
and life and immortality there comes to light, through the power,
which is the gospel; and this is that which is beautiful. And the word
of faith the apostle preached, was in the heart, and in the mouth, and is
so understood by all the regenerate. But all they that have only the
form, and are inwardly gone from the spirit, know it not, but are of
this ignorant; they cry, ' How should this be so ?' as the Jews said,
' How is it that thou makest us to doubt?' Yea, the word was it that
made them doubt. And the sure word of prophecy, which people do
well to take heed unto, as unto a light shining in a dark place, (mark,
in the dark place,) ' until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in their
hearts;' this was it that let them see that ' no prophecy of scripture came
by-the will of man:' and this let them see that such as went in Cain's,
Core's, and Balaam's way, which were preachers of the form but wanted
the power, had lost the holy ghost; and such 'admired men's persons
because of advantage,' and came to be dead, twice plucked up by the
roots; which dead have long lain upon the earth, whose carcasses
stink, since the days.of the apostles in the apostacy. So many may
have the scriptures, and quench the spirit of prophecy.
P. He saith, ' Christ is not yet so the word, but he himself testifies
the scriptures are the word of God.' See page 21.
A. Christ's name is called ' the word of God;' and the scriptures are
the words of God, which Christ the word of God fulfils, in whom the
words all end; and such in whom the light shines in the darkness, and
the darkness comprehends it not, are not like to see the spirit until
they be turned to the light.
P. He saith, ' They err, not knowing the scripture, when they af
firm that the only means of faith is the immediate teaching of Christ,
dwelling in them.' See page 23.
A. Could the apostle ,preach Christ until he was revealed in him,
who is the author of every man's faith ? And the doers of the law are
justified; and not the hearers only.
P. ' The Quakers will not own the scriptures to be the touchstone to
try the spirits withal.' See page 28. < And say the scriptures are not
the rule: Oh shameful, deceit! And George Fox said, that he knew
Christ come in him.' See page 29. ' And this is the deceiving of
many; and this cannot be till first the true faith of his coming be made
void, which these men endeavour to do.' See page 29.
A. The holy men of God before the scriptures were had a rule, and
a touchstone ; and the Pharisees had scriptures, but were out of the life
that the holy men were in that gave them forth, and wanted the rule,

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and the touchstone ; but the apostles that were in the life, and the sub
stance Of what they spoke, had the rule, and touchstone. And all in
the apostacy since the days of the apostles, that are ravened from the
spirit of God, have had only the sheep's clothing ; but have lost the
touchstone, and so have destroyed one another about scriptures, the
saints' words, which was not the work of the spirit that gave them
forth. And ' Christ is in you, except you be reprobates.' So reprobates
witness it not; therefore they stand against it, and therefore are against
them that witness it. And all the false Christs, and the destroyers of
the faith of people, are such as draw people from the ' light that doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' and keep them from
witnessing and receiving Christ in them, the substance and the author
of their faith ; and such never know him come in the flesh, nor the spi
rit. And such as witness Christ within them, receive the author of
their faith, and destroy the faith of none. And the spirit was the rule
of the saints that led them to give forth scriptures ; and it let them see,
in all ages, who got the form of godliness, who used their tongues, who
lived in the spirit, who erred from the spirit, who run when the Lord
had never sent them, to whom the Lord had never spoken: and this
was the rule, and this was the spirit of discerning, and this was the
touchstone to try with.
P. ' And they say, they own Christ that suffered, meaning the spirit
within.' See page 36.
A. None know Christ nor his suffering, but with the spirit of God
within ; for with the spirit of God in the prophets, and holy men, they
knew Christ that was to come to suffer; With the spirit of God in the
apostles, they knew that was the Christ that did suffer; with the same
spirit of God within people, they now come to see him, and enjoy
him, and receive him, the same that did suffer, which none do that are
out of the spirit. And the Pharisees that had scriptures knew him not,
who were gone astray from the spirit, nor the Gentiles, though they
had scriptures. Neither do the apostates, who are inwardly ravened
from the spirit of God, though they have all the sheep's clothing, know
the ' light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world/
though they be for multitude, 'as the sands on the sea shore;' nor do
any know it, and receive it, but who come to that which they ravened
from. P. He saith, ' that Christ is a distinct being from the Father.' See
page 40. ' They that hold that they are now in the possession of the
kingdom of Christ, and that they have eternal life now in possession,
pervert the right way of the Lord,' See page 42.
A. Christ is not distinct from the Father, ' for he and the Father are
"one; the Father is in him, and he is in the Father,' and the Father and

244
the son dwell in the saints who are out of the transgression of his doc
trine; and ' he that hath not the son of God, hath not life:' and ' he
that hath the son of God, hath life eternal,' really in possession, and
such ' pervert not the right way of the Lord;' but such as have not the
son of God, they are all in the first Adam, in the crooked ways, and
crooked by-paths in the world, not witnessing life, but standing against
the light which shineth in the darkness, which their darkness cannot
comprehend; which are all the inwardly raveners since the days of the
apostles, among whom hath been the apostacy and. the apostates, from
whom the light of life hath been hid. But he that followeth the light,
cometh to have the light of life: and he that receiveth the light, re
ceiveth life eternal, and receives the son of Gpd: and he that receiveth
the son of God, hath eternal life in substance and possession.
P. He saith, ' Death which hath passed over ail men, is not a spi
ritual death.' See page 51.
A. Thou and all you shall feel it as a spiritual death, before ye know
life and immortality come to light, and the spiritual wickedness
wrestled against, ' whose weapons are spiritual, and not carnal, that
wrestles not against flesh and blood, but spiritual wickedness in high
places.' And that is it which causeth the life of all creatures to groan,.
and oppresseth it, whereby life and immortality is hid from the eyes,
and the power transgressed, whereby the spirit and soul of man must
be sanctified before he witness thorough purification, before he come
from under the death and spiritual wickedness. For sin brings death,
and that is the spiritual wickedness that is to be wrestled against;
transgressing the pure law of God, the commands of God, brings death.
And as he entertains the spiritual wickedness, this brings death upon
his life, so comes oppression on his body, and on his spirit, and his
soul is burthened and wearied, and unsanctified, and polluted, which
Christ gives rest to, who is the sanctification, and redemption, and jus
tification. The law goes upon man, agreeable to that of God in him:
but Christ's body makes free from the law, and redeems from under it.
So as the power of God, the gospel is known, and Christ known, the
creature comes from under the bondage of corruption, and life and im
mortality comes to the light through the gospel, whereby the death is
known, which who believes shall never die, and the life is known
which shall never die.
P. ' The Quakers deny water baptism, and slight it, and call it a car
nal thing.'
'A. Outward water is not spiritual, but is a carnal thing as it is in
itself; and it is the spirit alone that baptizeth into the body, which
brings off from things that are seen, which, are temporal, as the apostle

245
said, ' while we look not at things that are seen; for the things that
are seen, are temporal,' &c. and water is seen.
P. He saith, ' False prophets and antichrists should come in sheep's
clothing.' A. Christ said to his apostles, these should come; and before the
apostles' decease, they saw they were come. And the apostles saw
before their decease 'the devil transform himself into an angel of
light,' and satan's messengers and ministers come up, such as had a
feigned humility, and had got up a will-worship, and the abstaining
from meats, neglecting the body; and such as Jannes and Jambres,
and that crept into houses, who had the sheep's clothing, the form of
godliness. And such were the seducing spirits, who ran into the
strange delusions, bringing in the damnable heresies and the doctrine
of devils; who went in Cain's, Core's, and Balaam's way. And they saw
the coming of the man of sin; and the apostles all saw by the spirit of
God, before their decease, those who Christ said should come, who
inwardly ravened, after whom, since the days ofthe apostles, the world
hath gone. All these Christ said should come, and the apostles saw
were come and coming, before the coming of the Just One. But the
Just One now is come, who hath revealed it, ' the light which doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world.' Cain, Core,
Balaam, false prophets, antichrists, such as go into strong delusions,
and bring in the damnable heresies, and forbidding the eating of meats,
and marriage; these all inwardly ravened, and these all have been up
since the days of the apostles, and these have been covered with the
sheep's clothing. And the false prophets and antichrists, inwardly
ravened, and the devil, the man of sin, went out of the truth, and abode
not in it. He and all they that have the sheep's clothing, can get
scriptures, but being inwardly ravened and gone from the spirit of
truth in their own particulars, such are the destroyers of the creatures,
and of the creation. But with that which they all have ravened from,
are they manifest and discovered, and to that are people now come,
and coming. These inwardly raveners have had the sheep's clothing,
who have been the beast, and false prophets, devil's messengers and
ministers out of the truth, who have reigned since the days of the
apostles, and have long deceived the nations. But now the devil,
beast, antichrist, and false prophets are all discovered with the light,
and life, and the truth, which they all went from. And the place is
seen where there is no curse ; and the beast, and the false prophet are
taken, and are cast into the, lake of fire, that they shall deceive the
nations no longer, under whose dominion thou art, whose words shall
be thy burden.
P. He saith, ' Let us mind the law and testimony,'
Vol. III. 31

246
A. Then ye must all mind the light; for ' the law is light,' said
Solomon; then ye must all mind the spirit, for ' the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy. ' Many may have the Old and New Testa
ment, yet be from the law and testimony; for the law and testimony
were before Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts, Epistles, and Reve
lations were written, as in Isaiah viii. which the prophet minded.
And they that say the Old and New Testament, are the law and testi
mony, show themselves to be ignorant of the spirit, and ignorant of
the law and testimony. And the law and testimony doth not deny
the scriptures, but owns them in their place, and sees the fulfilling of
them with the testimony of Jesus; they see Jesus who was before
scripture was, and comes to fulfil it. *

William Jefferies' book, called ' Antichrist made known.' In which
are these principles following.
P. He saith, 'Men are mistaken in saying, the Romish whore of
Babylon, is antichrist. And the chief city of this great whore, the
mother of harlots, is the city of Rome, the pope, cardinals, bishops, and
clergy. The spirit of antichrist denies Christ come in the flesh, and
says the light within is Christ, when at the best it is but the light of
nature. And this is the spirit of error and darkness, and their light is
become darkness.' See pages 63, 64. 68.
A. The light which ' doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world,' is Christ, and none can confess him in truth, nor see him,
nor lift him up, as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness,
but who are in the light which cometh from him. And by this thou
hast overthrown thyself; for they that confess the light in them to be
Christ, (which Christ saith he is,) these do not deny Christ come in
the flesh. . And the devil may confess the son of God, and the Jews
may confess he is to come, as the apostates confess he is come. But
none of all these know him in the flesh, confess him ' come in the flesh,'
or know his flesh, or the flesh of the son of man, but who are in the
light that comes from him that 'doth enlighten every man,' &c. which
light was before any natural created lights were made, ' glorified with
the Father before the world began.' And walking in the light, it leads
into the day, where there is no night, which light is Christ the cove
nant of God; and such come to know the darkness past. Now I say,
neither apostates nor Jews, whose ears are stopped, and eyes closed to
that of God in them; nor that are inwardly ravened, having sheep's
clothing, who are Babylon, who are the harlot, who is the mother of

¦J47
them all, who are ravened inwardly from the spirit of God: none of
all these can l confess Christ come in the flesh,' but only from the let
ter ; for these know not his flesh. The devil is out of the truth, and
truth is atop of him. The Jews' eyes must be opened, and their ears
unstopped before they know his flesh. The apostates must come all
to that which they have ravened from inwardly, before they come to
know Christ's flesh, and are of his flesh, and eat his flesh, and ' confess
that Christ is come in the flesh,' who is the offering, and the sacrifice
of the whole world that makes the peace between God and man, and
'perfects forever them that are sanctified.' The top-stone laid atop
of all sin, and transgression, death, hell, and grave, bruised the ser
pent's head. Here is no Babylon, here is no antichrist, and this the
Quakers confess with the light within them. And all upon the earth
are antichrists, and know not Christ, not Christ come in the flesh, that
are from the light ' that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world,' and own not that, but deny it. And all sects, bishops, mother
of harlots, antichrists, popes, cardinals, and clergy, Babylon, Romish
whore, who are gotten up since the days of the apostles, inwardly
ravened, having had the sheep's clothing; they are not likely, any of
these that are ravened, to own the light that doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world. And to Babylon, and so harlots, and so
waters, and so from the rock.
P. And he saith, ' The whore will confess Christ come in the flesh.
Satan transforming himself into an angel of light, he maketh the foun
tain of waters bitter; the sweet promises, the water of life, which
makes glad the city of God, he makes like wormwood, and changeth
the taste of them,' pages 72. 74.
A. Antichrist, the mother of harlots, false prophets, which went
forth from the apostles, as in John's epistle; these will confess Christ
come in the flesh as ye do, and all sects upon the earth; else without
the sheep's clothing ye could not deceive the nations. So ye have
brought the nations, tongues, people,, languages, and multitudes, to be
like waters. But these are the waters which now begin to grow bitter;
for neither the devil, nor antichrist, nor false prophets, nor mother of
harlots, who are gone from the truth, and are inwardly ravened, though
they may have the sheep's clothing, can touch the waters of life, nor
the fountain, to make the waters bitter that make glad the city of God.
For ye that are inwardly ravened, who have got the sheep's clothing,
as the devil who went out of the truth, you get scriptures, and your
confession of Christ is as his. The inward raveners, who, since the
days of the apostles, the world hath been after, have gotten the scrip
tures; and being out of the truth with the devil, are the deceivers of
the- nations. And there are (out of the truth) the beast, false prophet,

248
antichrist, mother of harlots, deceiyers, man of sin, devil's messengers
and ministers, and the damnable heresies; their tongues are waters, their
peoples are waters, their nations waters, and multitudes waters: all on
neaps about scriptures, destroying one another about the prophets,'
apostles,' and Christ's words, and ministers' maintenance. Now the
devil, the beast, false prophets, and antichrist, are taken, and the
mother of harlots, and cast in the lake of fire, and Babylon is confound
ed, and the everlasting gospel shall be preached to every nation, kin
dred, tongue, and people.
And as for all the rest of the stuff in thy book, thy pack of confu
sion, Babylon's children, it will fall, heavy upon thyself, and be thy
own burthen, and press thee under, which in the day of thy judgment
thou shalt remember that I am a friend to all souls. Their is neither
Jew that professeth a Christ was to come, nor Christian that professeth
a Christ is come; nor any one upon the earth (though ye have all the
scriptures) knows the flesh of Christ, but who owns the light which
doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world. For the Jews
knew not the flesh of Christ, though they had scriptures, (but cruci
fied him,) whose ears were stopped and eyes closed to that of God in
them. The Gentiles knew not the flesh of Christ, who were astray
from the life of God; neither do those called Christians know the flesh
of Christ, who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God in them,
though they have gotten all the sheep's clothing, and talk Christ is
come, and died at Jerusalem, as the Jews could say- of him to come,
and to be born at Bethlehem; yet they could not confess him come in
the flesh, nor did know his flesh ; no more do these Christians know
his flesh, though they have all the form of godliness. But who come
to the seed, Christ himself, they know it in them; then they shall know
the one offering (atop of all the world's sects) for the sins of the whole
world; for none know the flesh of Christ, nor Christ, nor as God was in
Christ, but as they come to the light with which they are enlightened,
which who hate know him not, but it is your condemnation, and that
ye shall all feel at last. ¦ So the one offering, which is. Christ, is set over
the whole world, and his flesh the world knows not, nor the princes of
the world; but where the seed is come out of the grave, it knows him,
the seed knows him; and these are of his flesh and of his bone, it is
their meat and drink. And Christ is now come, who treads the wine
press alone without the city. Though all the beasts, and false prophets,
and antichrists upon the earth rise against him, yet the Lamb and the
saints shall have the victory, and the nations shall be ruled with a rod
of iron; and he that was dead, is alive again; he by whom the world
was made is manifest, and he rules in his saints, and the tabernacle of
God is with men.

249

P. And whereas thou, sayst 'that antichrist will be a single person.'
A. Which is contrary to the apostle, 1 John i. lS.'who saith, ' Even
now there are many antichrists, whereby we know it is the last time;'
and ' they went out from us, but they were not of us;' the antichrists
are they who are against Christ.

The agreement of Divers Ministers of Christ, so called, in the
County of Worcester and parts adjacent, which are fifty-eight
in number. Some of their principles follow.
P. They say, ' they have sought God's direction out of the scrip
tures, which they call his holy word, and what is the greatness of their
work, and edification, and salvation of souls,' &c. And ' do humbly
bewail our too great neglect, who have not frequently and earnestly
laboured in so great a work: and especially that we have done no more
in catechising, and personally instructing,' &c. page 3.
A. It was the ministers' work', before the apostacy, to go from house
to house, and warn all both small and great, yea, with tears; this was
the work of the ministry in the spirit. And they were in the spirit
that gave forth scriptures; and so brought people into the life that gave
them forth, with which they were able to instruct one another, and to stir
up the pure in one another. And the work of the apostles, the minis
ters of the gospel, and Christ, was to bring people into the life that
gave forth scriptures, and into the substance, Christ Jesus, that the
scriptures testified of. But you who are fain to seek in the letter for
it,, in the scripture for it, and have it not from within, as they had that
gave forth the scripture and received it of God, are never like to beget
to God. And when truth comes, as it did among the Pharisees, which
came to end their forms, and their shadows, the builders stood up, and
rejected it in their forms. And now, since the days of the apostles,
such as have had the scriptures, but inwardly ravened from the spirit
of God, are standing against the light, Christ Jesus, that doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world, And so ye get people into a
form, and cover them with sheep's clothing; but now Christ is come,
reigns and rules, and his saints with him, all rise up in arms against
him, kings of the earth, beast, and false prophets, the dragon and his
angels. But the Lamb and the saints shall have the victory; glory to
the Highest. And so that is but the blind zeal that is stirred up in the
apostates, against Christ in this age, as it was in the Jews against Christ
in their age. But Jews must come to that which they closed their
eyes and stopped their ears against, and the apostates must come to

250
that which they have ravened from, before they be stirred up in the
pure zeal.
P. And you say, ' Aged men are commonly more ignorant than the
younger sort, and dur unskilfulness and others' unfitness for the work,'
&c. page 7.
A. Your unskilfulness, and the ignorance of your old men, is be
cause ye have been ignorant of the work of God; therefore is there so
much ignorance among you and the old men; and this you may publish
to the nation to your shame. And who will be catechised by unskil
ful men, and ignorant men ? But this is it, that your folly might ap
pear, and that ye might publish it forth, and set it upon the house tops,
that all that run might read you fifty-eight pastors and teachers, and
your young men as your old men.
P. You say, 'We receive the public maintenance to this end, that
we may be enabled to lay out our endeavours for the good of the
whole parish from whence we receive it. And we are further obliged
in justice to do our best for their salvation.'
A. How can men that are ignorant, and unskilful, (and the old men
are yet foolish,) and of your unfitness, do good for the salvation of men,
when the old men are so ignorant, yea, more than the young ? But it
is the public maintenance that enables you, which did not enable the
apostles ; and that is the thing which you in the apostacy have looked
at; for take away that from you, and pluck down your schools and col
leges, and we should have but few ministers in England among you ;
but few instructers. So these are all made by men, since the days of
the apostles, in the apostacy, and teach for filthy lucre, and the love of
money, which is disapproved of by Paul and Timothy. And takeaway
but your public maintenance, and few of you would be able to preach
the gospel freely ; if this trial was made, to prove you, it would be found
that your God was your belly, and him it was ye served ; and him it is
that helps and enables. But Christ and God was ever the enabler of his
ministers, and prophets, and apostles; whose the earth was, and they
trusted in him; in Christ by whom all things were made, that were
made and created.
P. ' It astonished us many times (ye say) when we have talked with
some of our hearers, that they knew so little of our doctrine, which we
have taught to Ihem many years. It is sad to us to hear many men that
can talk so about matters of the world understandingly, that can scarce
speak a word of sense about the matters of their salvation, or scarce give
a reasonable answer to a question of the fundamentals of Christianity,'
page 19.
A. Thus you have spoken to your shame, and it is manifest that here is,
'like people, like priest.' This shows ye have not profited them at all; and

251
it shows that the apostles' words are fulfilled among you, ' the doctrines
and commandments of men, perish in the using.' And who are greater
in the world in striving for the earth, for maintenance, for tithes, casting
into prison, haling before courts and sessions, than you that have called
yourselves pastors, and ministers of the gospel, who have declared
your fruits to all the nation? And as unlike the ministers of Christ, as
your hearers are unlike christians, (by your own relation,) without re
proving one another. The. apostle reproved them that taught for filthy
lucre. Christ reproved them that were called of men master, and re
proved them that taught for money, and for means, and those that
minded earthly things. But how can ye reprove these things and
live in the things yourselves ? how can one reprove another, and be.in
the same thing himself? This will stink among all sober men,and set you
all on heaps among one another, as ye are. So how can ye or your peo
ple either, know any thing of the fundamentals of religion, or salvation,
that deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world ? Christ Jesus, the foundation of God, the wisdom of God, the
end of the prophets, and of the law, types, figures, and shadows ? Ye
have denied the very key that opens to it. Therefore ye all come
short of the glory of God; and teachers and people are all fallen into
ignorance, since the days of the apostles in the apostacy. But now
Christ is come, and coming to reign.
P. They say, ' Upon the sad experience of men's ignorance, we have
been brought to consideration of our neglect, &c. And our hearts have
been brought low, to. think how we have wronged Christ, lest God
should require your blood at our hands,' page 19.
A. Repent, repent! for ye have long deceived the people, and their
blood will lie upon you, and the blood of many, that hath been shed in
the nation, who have died in prison, and been whipped, stocked, and
beat through your means: their blood lies upon you all. Repent! the
judgment of the great whore is come. The magistrates begin to see
you, and you shall not ride upon them. And of your ignorance and
that of all your hearers, you may well cry out. Repent, and come to
the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened every one withal that
comes into the world, to give you ' the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' out of the ignorance. And
none come to the lij^it of the knowledge of the glory of God, &e. but
who-come to the light that shines in their hearts, (yea in darkness,) which
Christ hath enlightened them withal. Where it.shineth out of dark
ness, it gives them the light ofthe knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Christ Jesus. And all are ignorant who are from the light, and
wrong Christ, and you have all wronged him that have denied the light
that dothenlighten every man that comethinto the World, whoareinward-

252
ly ravened from it, and have had the sheep's clothing: and so have kept
people in ignorance, blindness, and darkness. But now the true light
shines; the day of glory is dawning; Christ and the saints are reigning
and have the kingdom. Glory to the Lord for ever, i
P. They say, ' Alas! that any reasonable soul should be so brutish!
most of their lives are spent in ignorance, and worldliness, living in the
flesh,' &c. page 24. .
A. Here are the fruits of your ministry. Are not ye ashamed to
manifest your fruits thus to the whole nation ? Is this like a vineyard,
that your people that you have taken maintenance of, and the magis
trates, should give you maintenance all this time, and your people spend
most of their lives, in ignorance, worldliness, and the flesh? Is this
like the fruits of the ministers of Christ, or the fruits of the false pro
phets, that have not profited the people at all ? Did not the apostles keep
them from those that bewitched them, and would have brought them
into the flesh. And they ministered to the spirit, and got out the wheat
and the corn. And are not you fifty-eight ministers ashamed to publish
such a thing to the nation, as to say a reasonable soul should be so brutish ?
can that which is reasonable be brutish ? That which is brutish wars
against the soul. But this is but to discover your ministry, and what
ye minister to, and that of the soul ye are ignorant.
P. They say, ' Is it not a pity that God should have any reasonable
creature that knows not his maker, or his laws, or his own happiness ?
Is it not a pity, that after all that Christ hath done, and suffered for the
world, any that calls themselves disciples, should so little know him and
the salvation, and should set so light by him,' page 26.
A.. In this all you pastors and teachers have shown your work.
What! do not the creatures yet know their maker ? what! are they
heathen yet? what! do not the creatures yet know God's laws? What!
worse than the Jews, and heathens! they that call themselves the dis
ciples of Christ, and christians, so little know him, after Christ hath
suffered for them 1 What hath been your work all this while ? what
have ye been doing ? what have ye had wages for, that they so little
know him that hath suffered for them, and their salvation, and should
set so light by him ? How can they prize him, or see any light from
Christ, when ye keep them from the light that doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world? without which none see salvation;
and none see Christ that suffered, but with it and by it: and none come
to see and know Christ's end, and the end of God's law, and prize him,
and set much by him, but by the light. And do not reasonable
creatures know the law of God ? Are not reasonable creatures in the
faith ? are not the unreasonable out of the faith now, that know not
their maker, nor his law, and little of the suffering of Christ, or their

253
own happiness, and know little of their salvation, and set light by
Christ ? Are not all these your fruits ? Are not all these your hearers,
that ye complain of to the nation ? Have not ye now discovered your
selves in this to be those that have the form of godliness, but deny the
power ? that keep people always learning, but never able to come to
the knowledge of the truth ? But are such as are led away with divers
lusts, and laden with sins. And now are ye complaining that your
people serve the lust of the flesh, and the earth, not knowing their
Maker, nor his laws, nor their salvation, and setting light by Christ:
this ye may complain of with shame, who are such as crept into houses
before the apostles' decease, and since ye have gone over the world. But
now ye are discovered with that which gives to see the end of the apos
tacy and apostates; which gives to see before the world was made.
P. They say, ' If the gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost;
whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that be
lieve not, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto them;
who is the image of God. And the people perish, when visions fail,'
&c. page 28.
A. Who believe not in the light which ' doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world,' the God of the world blinds their minds,
Every one that cometh into the world is enlightened, that through the
light they might believe. And every one that believeth in the light,
hath the witness in himself, and abides not in the darkness, but hath
the light of life. And you that keep people from the light ' that doth
enlighten every one,' &c. are the messengers of satan, out of the truth;
and the God of the world blinds the minds of such as do not believe in
the light that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened
withal, that all through it might believe. And who believes in it 'that
doth enlighten every man,' &c. the light of the glorious gospel shines
in them, which is the image of God.
P. And you say, ' Visions are ceased, and revelations, and immediate
inspirations.' A. But I say, - Repent, every one of you, and come to the light;'
for the burthensome stone is fallen upon you, and all that stand
against the light 'that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world,' shall split yourselves against the rock, and be ground to
powder. And every one 'that cometh into the world,' teachers and
professors whatsoever, must come unto the light which Christ Jesus
the salvation, that saveth the soul, hath enlightened them with, before
they come to life, or know the light of the glorious gospel shining in
their hearts, or come to the end of the law, or end of the prophets, or
end of the revelation, or out of the apostacy, or out of the Jews' state,
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whose ears were stopped, and eyes blinded, out of the Gentiles' state
that go astray after the vanities of their mind. So all you, and all
upon the earth, Jews, Gentiles, and Christians of what sort soever,
must come to the light 'which every one of you is enlightened with,'
before every particular comes to see his salvation or satisfaction ; yea,
' the salvation to. the ends of the earth,' the glory of Israel, the light
ofthe Gentiles. The apostate Christians have ravened from the spirit
of God within them, have got the form, but stand against the light
' that doth enlighten every man,' &c. such have caused the Way of
truth to be evil spoken of, yea among other nations of the heathens.
They have been hot, and broiled in their lusts, ' having had the form
of godliness, and sheep's clothing;' but all standing against 'the light
that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' smiting,
and striking their fellow servants. Such must have their portion with
the hypocrites. But now the Lamb is come, and the saints reign with
him, who to every one will give a reward according to their works.
And the Lamb, and the saints shall have victory, him by whom the
world was made before it was made, ' glorified with the Father before
the world began.' Now is the seed Christ come to reign, and the just
have pre-eminence. And I say to you all, the subscribers to all these
books, priests, professors, teachers whatsoever, your patience would
have better covered your shame and folly, than your heat, extremes,
and rashness. But your folly must come forth, that to all men it
might appear.
Abundance more of stuff is in it, which is not worth mentioning,
whose words shall be your own burthen; the witness in all your con
sciences in the day of your judgment, when your works are all tried with
fire, shall answer. I am a friend of your souls, and your eternal good,
but judge your fruits, words, and actions; for the day of the Lord is
come that will try every man's work.

John Stalham, who calls himself ' a servant of the great bishop
of souls, who watcheth over a flock at Terling in Essex,' in
his book called ' The reviler rebuked.' These are some of his
principles. P. He saith, ' Immediate raptures and revelations seduce simple
people's minds,' &c. And 'the perverse principles of their self-adorn
ing light.' And 'the Quakers deny all external worship of divine
authority, as not to be found among us.' And ' let learning be
advanced among pious men, for God hath his witty and learned ones.'

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And the life of their religion ' is the rule of the holy scriptures, the
glory of the blessed trinity.' See his epistle to the protector.
A. The life of religion is the spirit that gave forth scriptures ; for all
that have the scriptures, and are out of that, are in the feigned religion.
And the scripture no where speaks of a trinity, but the Papists, who
are apostatized from the life of the scripture. It speaks of Father,
son, and holy ghost, and the water, spirit, and blood; and the learned
ones upon earth never know Christ with all their natural learning.
And if one get all the naturals upon the earth, and the scriptures in all
the natural languages, and one supreme power of a nation tolerate all
these languages to be the original, and they have the scriptures in all
these languages, these are ' witty ones;' but these know not God nor
Christ by all this, though they have all the scriptures, while they are
from the spirit of God that gave forth scriptures. For that which
brings to know God, is the revelation of the spirit of God, the light
which doth not deceive the mind; but their minds are deceived that
are from the light. And all worship that is in the truth, and in the
spirit that gave forth the scriptures called the Old and New Testa
ment, we own, and is owned among the Quakers. For God who is a
spirit, led his servants, and prophets, and son, by his spirit to speak
forth the scriptures, which Christ the son is come to fulfil, who saith,
' they that worship God, must worship him in spirit and in truth,' and
that among the Quakers is owned. And the light which cometh from
Christ leadeth from perverse principles, and from adorning self, for it
leads out of its righteousness. But perverse men ever stood against
it in all ages, and so spurned at the foundation, and overthrow them
selves. P. He saith, < The spirit speaking in the scriptures.' And 'them
that say they have no sin, a gracious heart will slight and despise.' He
saith, ' The kingdom of God is not within them.' Luke iv. And saith,
'The soul prepares itself for death.' See epistle to the church.
A. Such as had gracious hearts, never despised him that had no sin,
but the ungracious did. As for example, all the Pharisees against
Christ, and against the apostles, and saints. And the apostle told the
Romans, they were ' made free from sin;' and ' they that were dead to
sin, how could they live any longer therein?' he slighted them not,
but encouraged them. So we find thee not to be a minister of Christ,
and have proved and tried, thy spirit to be of such as ' say they are apos
tles, and are not.' And the spirit spoke in them that gave forth the
scriptures, so they were declared forth. And men may have the scrip
tures, and not know the spirit that spoke in them that gave forth
scriptures. That is the cause that all people are on heaps about the

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words, and saying, ' the spirit speaks in the scriptures,' which spoke
in the holy men of God that spoke them forth, and learned of God the
Father of spirits. So who have not the spirit, have but letters, and
are ministers of the letter, and not of the spirit. And ' the kingdom
of heaven is within you,' said Christ, in Luke xvii. to the Pharisees;
and thou sayst ' with, or among them.' And I say, that is the king
dom within them which never consented to sin, and in you all, which
one day ye shall witness; which the eye and ear of the gazer, and
observer abroad, is closed and stopped to, which he must come to,
before he be as a little child, and know the leaven ' that leavens up the
new lump;' and know the kingdom, 'which is like unto a grain of
mustard seed ;' and where the diligent waiting is, the soul comes to
live, and the everlasting covenant is felt. And thou that brings souls
to be prepared for death, thou art more like to do that, than to present
them to God; a slayer and executioner, so not a servant to the bishop
of souls, where the soul liveth, and rejoiceth, and comes out of death,
and magnifies God the saviour. And so the work of all the ministers
of Christ, is to prepare souls out of death, for life.
P. He saith, ' The Bible is the soul's physic: and people must de
pend upon the spirit's speaking in the scriptures.' He saith, ' the per
son of Christ is not his manhood: and the natural light the Quakers call
Christ within, and nature grace.' And saith, ' The body of sin is in
the believer till he lay down the body.' Epistle.
A. The soul's refreshment is Christ, and its physician Christ; many
have the Bible, and do not know it, and the scriptures, as the Pharisees
had; the soul's physician is that which the scriptures speak of: many
may have the words, the Bible, and yet have not the thing it speaks
of; and they that have the thing it speaks of, have both. And many
holy men had their soul's physician before the scriptures were written
and printed: and they that had the spirit that gave forth scriptures,
had the soul's physic; and they knew all the springs were in God, and
the soul was in the Lord's hand. And such as are in the spirit they
depend upon that, and they come to see the scriptures by the spirit
from which they were given forth; and such come into the unity of the
spirit. And the light, which is Christ within, by which all things
were made and created, was before the natural lights were, and before
nature: for all the naturals that were made, were made by the light,
Christ Jesus, who is the wisdom of God, by which all things were
made, with which wisdom we see over the natural lights, and over
nature. And the grace (that comes from the throne) that brings salva
tion, which is the saints' teacher, teacheth not to call ' nature grace.'
And ' he that believeth is born of God,' and he ' overcometh the world,'
and entereth into his rest, and shall never die. And he that believeth

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hath victory, yea while he is upon the earth; he cometh to witness the
circumcision that puts off the body of sin, and makes free from it,
which the synagogue of satan cannot witness.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures are the word of God,' page 4. And
1 the spirit is given by the letter.' And he saith, ' the spirit proceeds
from that which is put within the book or Bible,' page 5. And 'I
judge them that pretend the spirit without the scriptures. And the
scripture is a more sure rule than visions and revelations,' page 7. And
' God that gave the letter, gives the spirit with it, and by it,' page 9.
A. God gave the spirit before he gave forth scriptures. The devil
and wicked men may get scriptures, but they have not the spirit, and
none have it, but as they come to feel it given from God, as it was given
to them that gave forth scriptures. And so people are to find the spirit
of the Father speaking in them, as it did in them that gave forth scrip
tures; then the spirit answers to the spirit that gave forth scriptures;
then there is an unity with the words, and with God of whom they
learned; but many may have the Bible, and not know the spirit that
spoke it forth, but be erred from it. And the scriptures are the words
of God, the words of truth: 'God spake all these words,' 'He that
adds to these words,' ' The words of God are pure.' Christ is the word,
'his name is called the word of God,' who was before the Words were
spoken forth, who comes ' in the volume of the book,' to fulfil the
words. And the spirit was before the scripture was given forth; for
it led them to speak it all forth, the words of God, as they had learned
of God: so the spirit comes not by the letter, but the letter comes forth
from the spirit. And many had the scriptures, and knew not the re
velation, and judged the revelation, of the son of God, and judged Christ
who was come, the end of the vision which was for an appointed time.
So therein thou hast concluded thyself to be among them that have the
scriptures, and set them up beyond the revelation of the son of God,
which is the end of scriptures; and ' none know the Father but the son,
and he to whom the son reveals him,' though they may have all the
scriptures. And the things of God are revealed by the spirit of God.
P. And he saith, ' The scriptures are the rule and the guide of
saints.' And saith, ' the old administration of the covenant of grace
is abolished,' page 13. 'He that understands, Matt. xi. 2. 27. of imme
diate revelation only, shuts out all mediate revelation by the scriptures,
and falsely accuseth the Lord of the scripture,' page 14. 'And the
apostle saith not that the spirit reveals the deep things of God. If we
should deny the scriptures to be the rule, we should deny the scrip
tures of God,' page 18.
A. The saints' rule was the spirit that gave forth the scriptures, and
the word of God which fulfils the scriptures; without him they can do

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nothing, if they have all scriptures. And ' the spirit of truth shall lead
into all truth.' And none know the scriptures, nor God, nor can be a
minister of the spirit by a mediate revelation, but a minister of the
letter; for who are ministers of the spirit are immediate, and are in the
immediate revelation of the scriptures to them by the spirit that gave
them forth; and these minister to the spirit, and bring people to God the
father of spirits, that they may know what to reveal to others they
minister to. And all they that have the scriptures, and not the spirit
that gave them forth, are on heaps about words and want the rule.
And the covenant of grace, which is the end of the old covenant, is wit
nessed and established, and cannot be abolished, which ends the decay
ing covenant. And as for abolishing the covenant of grace, thou dost
not know what thou speaks of. And the apostle said, ' The deep
things of God were revealed by the spirit of God,' and no one knows
the scriptures and the things of God, but as God doth reveal them by
his spirit. In this thou hast shown thy ignorance of that spirit which
guided the saints to God the father of spirits, which revealed unto them
the deep things of God, with which spirit again the scriptures are
known; and which spirit always ruled the saints, and guided them up
to God, and to speak forth the scriptures. They did not deny the
saints' words spoken before, but were in unity with them in the spirit,
and so came ' to the spirits of just men,' which none do but those who
are come into the saints' rule that gave forth scriptures. And so people
have had the scriptures, but have been inwardly ravened from the
spirit, thou and the rest of thy fellows, and have been all on heaps
about words, and so void of the revelation that, they were in that gave
forth scriptures. For all are unlearned upon the earth that are not in
the immediate inspiration as they were that gave forth the scriptures,
and in the tongue of the unlearned, like the Egyptian Sea.
P. He saith, ' Printing was a rare invention, and it was the gift of
God,' page 21. And 'only God's servants preached by the written
copies, and since by the printed volume,' page 22.
A. That which men have invented, is not the gift of God. And
men only preaching from the copies written, and since by the volumes
printed; in this hast thou shown that you have had only the sheep's
clothing, and that hath been it which hath made you ministers. For
they that were the ministers of the spirit, their preaching was not from
copies and volumes, that did not make them ministers, but ' what they
had received from the Lord, that they declared,' and were not minis
ters of copies and writings only. But had you the copy and writings
ofthe scripture, in the life that gave them forth, you would have ga
thered people into the unity, but being ravened from it, you bring them
all upon heaps.
P. The letter or writing of the spirit of God is the law* and touch-

259
stone,' page 23. He saith, ' the scriptures are the spiritual sword,'
page 26. 'And the scriptures are the ground of all saints' actions.
And have not I written unto thee excellent things in counsel and know
ledge ?' page 32.
A. The Pharisees had scriptures, and had not the spirit that gave
them forth; so they wanted the word of God, the sword of the spirit,
and stood against the substance of the scriptures. They had scriptures,
but they were out of the saints' actings; for they turned against the
just: and so do all upon the earth that have the scriptures, but are out
of the spirit that gave them forth ; they are out of the ground of the
saints' actions. And none know the excellent things written of know
ledge nor counsel, but who are in the spirit that gave forth scriptures.
Though they have the scriptures in their own knowledge and wisdom,
yet they understand not the excellent things written, but as they come
into the spirit that gave them forth. So thou art a man not dividing
the word aright. And many may have the scriptures, yea, the whole
world may have the scriptures, and not being in the spirit that gave
them forth, they break into sects among one another. And the devil
may come with scriptures, but hath not the spirit to fight withal, who
is out of the truth.
P. He saith, ' Women are excluded from speaking, though endued
with more than ordinary gifts, and they are not allowed to teach.' See
page 34. And ' the canon of the apostles is the key to open the scrip
tures. And the sure word of prophecy is the scriptures.' See page
38, ' which is a more sure word than an immediate voice from heaven.'
He saith, ' The word which the apostle speaks of to the Romans, in
the mouth and in the heart, is the gospel promises without. Deut.
xxx. And the scriptures, books, and chapters, is the light that shines
in man's heart, and the new creature is too narrow for a rule.' See
page 44.
A. The new creature is subject to the law of God, for he is in Christ
who is the end of law, types, figures, shadows, and parables; and there
is rule, direction, counsel, wisdom. And the old man cometh to be
subjected, which is not subject to the law of God; and here comes the
blessing and the peace of the Israel of God, who walk according to the
rule of the new creature ; for he walks in the life that gave forth scrip
ture, which the old man walks out of. And he may say, ' The scrip
ture is his rule,' but if he is not subject to the witness of God in him
self; nor owns the ' light which Jesus Christ hath enlightened him
withal, but doth the evil, and loves the darkness, the light is his con
demnation. And 'the law is light,' and ' the testimony of Jesus is
the spirit of prophecy.' And many have had the old and new testa
ment, and stand against the light, the spirit of prophecy within. And

260
many may have the scriptures, books, and chapters, and stand against
the light, Christ Jesus, that doth enlighten every one that cometh into
the world. And so put the letter for the light, and walk from the light
in their own particulars, which should lead them into a new life: Such
come not to know the new life, nor the blessing of the Israel of God.
And the woman (the Evah) must be silent, for she was first deceived;
and the woman Jezebel, that calls herself a prophetess, that must not
be suffered to teach, or to usurp authority; but Christ in the male, and
Christ in the female, is beyond the first Adam, or Evah, or she that
calls herself a prophetess, or the great whore that reigns over the kings
of the earth. There are all their languages under; Christ in the fe
males shall comprehend this as well as in the males, and give judg
ment, and the daughters shall prophesy as well as the sons. And
such as limit or quench the spirit in the males or females, are they that
are apostatized and ravened inwardly from the spirit of God, and
despise prophecy, only have the sheep's clothing, (such as thou and
you,) and know not the spirit, but are ravened from it, the spirit of
God that hath power over all flesh, and so make yourselves ignorant of
it, and are such as quench it in others. And the spirit of God in the
apostles being witnessed, it opens the scriptures, is the key, lets to see
what hath been since the days of the apostles, and has ruled and reign
ed, and had the dominion, the wolf in the sheep's clothing, which has
deceived the nations; and such as have led the world, and brought them
all upon heaps, and have never heard the voice of God, (as they have
published in the nation in print,) nor the voice of Christ, and have not
the same infallible spirit the apostles had, and no immediate revelation
nor inspiration as they had: so these have taken away the key of
knowledge from among people since the days of the apostles; and as
for the word canon, ye may go to the Papists for that. The apostles
showed the fulfilling of the scriptures, that Christ was come, and the
apostles saw what Christ said should come, those who inwardly ra
vened, went forth from them, whom the world hath gone after ; we
now, with the same spirit the apostles were in, which you all are
ravened from, do see you, and what hath reigned since the days of the
apostles. Now is the fulfilling of the prophets. And the word was in
the apostles, and in the saints, yea, the word of faith, and this comes to
fulfil the scripture, this word of faith which was preached in the heart
and in the mouth ; and which was promised before. And the light that
shined was in the apostles' hearts, and the sure word of prophecy that
did let see, and foresee, was in the hearts of people, which led them to
give forth scriptures. And that which fulfils the scriptures, the pro
phecy, is of Christ, who ends it ; and the spirit that led them to speak it
forth, was the spirit of prophecy: many may haye the scriptures, and

261
not have the more sure word of prophecy. And many may have the
scriptures as the Pharisees had, and stand against the revelation of the
son of God from heaven, which is surer, for he was before scripture
was, who ends the scriptures: for many may have scriptures and be
out of the life, and not know the revelation of the son of God, as the
Jews did not, and so say the scriptures are more sure than revelation
from heaven, so more sure than the son of God, who is greater than
all. The scripture was given forth by revelation, and none know it but
by revelation.
P. He saith, ' Christ doth not give to every man the light that
leadeth to the Father, arid there is not in every man that redeeming
light, which leadeth to the Father. And it is false to say, the light
which John speaks of, is a salvation light;' he saith, ' The light in every
man is but the candle light of natural understanding,' page 56. And
' the light which every man hath, is a low common benefit, and no
drop of this immortal seed,' pages 57, 58. ' Nor is the light which
every man hath, his mediation.' And ' I call the light which every
man hath, natural,' page 59. And ' the light which every man hath,-
teaeheth nothing of the way, truth, and life of Jesus Christ,' page 60.
And ' the light which is in every man is opposite to scriptures,' page
61. ' This is the light which is in every man's conscience, which is but
natural. And the apostle saith he warneth every man, and teacheth
every man, that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus.' But
he saith, ' The apostle did not warn every man: he did not level the
saints' light, with every man's,' page 62. ' It is not meant that every
man is enlightened, but the church.' See page 63.
A. ' I am the light of the world,' that doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world, saith Christ the life. So the light which every
man that cometh into the world is enlightened with, will let them see
the life which it cometh from, will let them see their salvation, Christ
Jesus, will let them see their mediator, will let them see the truth, for
the light is truth, which cometh from Christ the truth. And the light
is Christ, the way, the truth, the life, that enlighteneth every man that
cometh into the world. ' In him was life, and the life was the light bf
men,' in him by whom the world was made, which light was before
any natural lights were; the sun, moon and stars are natural lights, and
these were made by Christ the light, who doth enlighten every man,'
&c. Men having a light from him by whom the world was made, by
whom all things were created, who was before any thing was created,
this lets them see before any created light, or natural light; this gives
every one the knowledge of life; lets every one see the salvation to
the ends of the earth; and lets every one see the covenant of God.
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They that love it and believe in it, come to the life Christ, him from
whom the light cometh. The light is of the immortal seed, of
Christ Jesus, one with the saints' light; the saints believe in that the
world hates, and receive that which the world hates; so it is the world's
condemnation: it is the condemnation of them that hate it. And so
was he promised a covenant to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews, and
so doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, according to
John's testimony to the priests and Levites who came from Jerusalem
to examine him. So the priests and professors now examine us in this
age respecting the light which the Quakers are witnesses of, and bear
testimony to, which Paul warned every man, and taught every man, that
he might present them perfect inChrist the light. So the light is one with
the saints' light, that condemns the unbelievers, And the light every
man that cometh into the world is enlightened with, that through it he
might believe; and who believe in it, and receive it, have the light of
life, and they become the sons of God; and who hate it, it is their con
demnation: and they are against scriptures, but the light is not against
scriptures, but owns them. And so the light is not so low as ye es
teem it, for it was before any thing was made or created. As for the
word trinity, there is no scripture for it; ye find it in the common-
prayer-book. And the light in the converted shines out of darkness in
their hearts, and gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God, &c. And the light in the unconverted shines in the darkness,
and the darkness comprehends it not.
P. He saith, 'that the light without the scriptures is no light,' page
64. And ' To call the light that doth enlighten every man the word of
God, is contradiction.' And ' There was no light before the scrip
tures, which is now revealed in scripture,' page 64. ' God is light,
not the light in every man's conscience,' page 6S. And ' the best light
that every man hath, is but created. Not one man in the world knows
God till he find him in scripture,' page 69. 'The Lord Christ, the
eternal son, the essential word of the Father, is more in scripture than
in every man, or any man,' page 70. ' They that speak from the
scripture, rightly understood, speak more from Christ, than they that
speak from the light within them.'
A. The light was before scripture was given forth : the light was
before the created lights were, and makes manifest all created lights:
for all created lights were created by it. And all that ever had the scrip
tures are not in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world. He knows neither the word of God, nor Father, nor
son, nor Christ, nor the Lord, nor scripture. And the word, and the
Father, and the son, and Christ, these are to be found in man; the
Lord searcheth the heart, and is not to be found in the letter, but it

263
testifies of these things. And they that speak so much of Christ from
the letter, which gives not life because it speaks of him, and are from
the light within them, which cometh from Christ, which doth enlighten
every man, &c. they speak as the devil doth. And the Pharisees preach
ed a Christ is come, as they did he was to come; and stood against
the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world.
And they sent their priests and Levites to examine John, as they do
now who are professors and priests. And many may have the scrip
tures, and yet be from the light, and deny the light; the devil, who is
out of the light, may bring scripture, and he hath not the light. And
that is light, and that is the word, which doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world. So he is all, and in all, and through all,
God over all, blessed for ever, who shall make every tongue to confess,
and all to stand guilty before him that hate it, and say he is righteous.
And Christ is called the word of God, who doth enlighten every one
that cometh into the world. And many may have the scriptures, and
yet never know God, till they come to the light which comes from the
son, who reveals him.
P. He saith, ' Christ saveth by the declaration, or by scripture; and
makes the declaration saving.'
A. Christ is the saviour, and that the scripture declares of and speaks
of; and many may have the scriptures, and declaration, and reject
Christ, as the Jews did, and all do, that deny the light that doth en
lighten every man that cometh into the world, the light that cometh
from their saviour, which is not scripture.
P. And to say, ' The light in every man gave forth scripture, and
will open scripture to us, is palpable darkness, and contradiction to
scripture,' page 74.
A. All are in the utter darkness, and know not the scripture, until
they come to the light that every man was in that gave forth scriptures,
for the light lets them see to what they were spoken, and Christ the
end of them.
P. 'And to say every man's light is the sure word of prophecy, is
an old fable,' page 75. ' No man shall be able to spell out a syllable of
the gospel, by all that is written in man's heart.' And ' the universal
light lays waste the free grace of God, so never was it every man's
light, or free gift.' And ' the light in every man's conscience is a bill
of condemnation, discovers no salvation,' page 76. ' And that which
Adam had before the fall was imperfect.'
A. The light that every man is enlightened with, is Christ Jesus,
the gift of God, the covenant of God, the way to the Father; that all
through the light might believe in him who is the way to the Father,
out of the state in the fall, the first, Adam, who fell from that which

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was perfect, and so became imperfect. And the light which every man
that cometh into the world is enlightened with, which shineth in the
darkness, will be his condemnation if he hate it, and a sure word of
prophecy to him he shall find it, and will condemn him for all. his
faults; and it was found in their heart that gave forth scripture, which
brought them to know God. He goes unto fables who goes from the
light: and all ye and the world are in fables. And the light which
every man is enlightened with that cometh into -the world, doth not
lay waste the grace of God: but he that is in the light,, seeth the cove
nant of grace, and receives it. And all that deny the light trample
the new covenant under their feet. And the light which every man is
enlightened withal, is the light of the gospel; which all men shall be
judged according to, and it is it that discovers the saviour, which doth
condemn. P. He saith, ' The light is an imperfect light, and it is mixed with
darkness. And if the saints should say they have no sin, no darkness,
they are more dark and sinful,' page 78. And 'Every man is in
Christ while he hath sin in him,' page 79. 'And the light in every
man is none ofthe six principles in the Hebrews,' page 81.
A. The saints witnessed that the darkness was past, and the true
light shined; they were not in the night: and the saints were made
free from sin; and the night was over, and they were children of the
day, not of the night. And the light is perfect which doth enlighten
every man, &c. And all lights that were made, were made by the
light Christ Jesus, that was before any thing Was made; this is it that
discovers them, and shows them, and this is perfect. And all are in
ignorance that are out of it. And who is in Christ, doth not commit
sin, is a new creature; old things pass away, the old man and his deeds.
And in the light which every man is enlightened with, all the princi
ples in the law, in the prophets, in the Hebrews, end: for it was before
any words were spoken forth, glorified with the Father before the
world began.
P. He saith, 'No man will ever be saved by his best obedience to
the light which doth enlighten,' &c. page 85. 'Christ hath satisfied,
and merited for a certain number of sinners their deliverance,' page 87.
A. No man is saved, or doth witness salvation, but who is in the
light Christ Jesus doth enlighten him with. And they who are in the
light, are in obedience of faith, and neglect not the gospel, nor the
hearing the voice that speaks from heaven. But they who hate the
light, neglect the gospel, and him that speaks from heaven, and do not
come into the obedience of faith, but are in their own works, in the
dark, without light. Christ is the offering for the sin of the whole
world, not for the sins of a people, but the seed Christ, the second

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Adam, overthrows all sins, is the offering for all the sins that were
brought in by the first Adam, and reconciles to the Father, and is the
restorer; and nothing shuts out, but unbelief in the light, for Christ
saith, ' Believe in the light.' And so Christ is the offering for the sins
of the whole world, and not for some only.
P. He saith, ' Christ the surety pays the elect's debt,' page 103.
A. Christ is the surety for all that dwell on the earth, that believe in
him as he doth enlighten every man. And God lays no charge of sin
to the elect, for it is not possible that they should be deceived. And
the cause of all bringings into sects, is, that people are out of the light,
and so out of unity, and see not the saviour, the redeemer, the sub
stance of all types, figures, parables, the end of the law, that goes upon
the man of strife. And so being out of the light, they are out of the
unity, out of the covenant with God; in the light is the covenant of
God. P. He saith, ' The whole soul and body of saints, and every faculty
of the soul, and member of the body, there is some presence of sin in
them all their days,' page 113.
A. The saints are sanctified, and washed, and cleansed, body, soul,
and spirit, and they are made free from sin, and then can live no longer
therein; and the body of sin is put off. And they witnessed the dark
ness was past : so then the works of the true light shined, and the day
was come, and they were of one soul. And they witnessed that as he
was, so were they in this present world. And he thatis in Christ is a
new creature. And where Christ is within, the body is dead because
of sin. And he that is born of God doth not commit sin. And the
saints were upon the earth when they were made free from sin, and
not sin in them all their days, as thou speaks.
P. He saith, ' Sin dwells in the saints; if any saint think otherwise,
he knows not himself: and if he be one really sanctified, he is under a
strong delusion, and drowsy dream,' page 119.
A. He that is sanctified is sanctified- from sin, and washed, and
cleansed; and he that is out of this sanctification is in the drowsy dream;
for they who are in sanctification, are in Christ the righteousness of
God, and are awakened to righteousness, out of the fall, in the second
Adam, and drowsiness, and dreams, and delusions that come in the
first Adam. And sin, and drowsy dreams, and delusions dwell in them
that pretend they are sanctified ones, and are not really.
P. He saith, 'It is a Popish tenet that sanctification is wrought
within men, and justification, or a believer's beingjustified from sin, and
ungodliness, and not in it; but the mystery of iniquity lies in this
qualification,' page 120. And 'they that are justified by their sancti-

266
fication, it is a falsehood.' And ' that none are justified but saints per
fect in holiness, is a notorious contradiction,' page 121.
A. He that is the sanctification, is the justification, and so by their
sanctification are they justified ; it is one and the same, that which sanc
tifies, justifies. And every man that cometh into the world has a light
that cometh from Christ the sanctification, redemption, justification:
but they that are not in the light, are with it condemned. And such
as are in the light come into perfect holiness, and their sins are not
imputed to them; but they that do not believe in the light, the spirit
of truth that leads the believer into all truth, reproves them for their
unbelief, and their righteousness, and their judgment, and so doth not
justify, but reproves them. And the justification within, roots out all
Popery, and all contradiction. But to speak of justification and sanc
tification without, and not manifest within, ye are yet in the first Adam,
(in the Popery where ye must have a purgatory to cleanse,) and not in
the righteousness of Christ, and sanctification and justification. So
such are reproved that can talk of it without, sanctification without:
there is the old Adam, in the sin and transgression. And all falsehood
is among them that can talk of justification without them, and not wit
ness it within them. For they who witness Christ within them, witness
justification there, and sanctification; for 'Abraham believed, and it
was imputed to him for righteousness;' and his belief was within, and
he saw Christ's glory. And such as believe come to witness the im
putation; but such as come again to witness that, are nearer than when
they did believe; and to witness that they have received Christ within,
is the end of their belief. There they witness the righteousness itself
without imputation, which is the substance, that which the promise
ends in, and all the fathers hoped for, who stood in the imputation, and
all the believers in him. Christ being come, the end of man's belief,
the righteousness itself, here is a justification alone, without the impu
tation, Christ the righteousness of God: blessing and glory for ever!
And a believer that is justified is a new creature, is past from the death
which came by sin, and comes to enter into his rest, where sin is
not. And all the falsehood and contradiction are without the possession
of justification and sanctification, which reprobates and unbelievers talk
of in the mystery of iniquity, who have the sheep's clothing, the out
side, the clothing of the saints, yet are ravened from the spirit inwardly.
These have not been like to own justification within, or sanctification
there, that were inwardly ravened from the spirit pf God: and all must
come to that which they ravened from, and they themselves, before they
feel the justification, sanctification, Christ within them, and have receiv
ed the substance, the thing the scripture speaks of. Not believing in the
light, and going from it, though they get all the sheep's clothing, all

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the good words, and the form of godliness, and obey not the gospel,
the power of God, yet are they not thereby justified ; for none obey
the gospel, but who obey the light within. And who are justified it
is by the faith of Christ Jesus, and without faith they cannot please
him. And who are in the faith, are the believers in the light, and so
justification and faith do change from the old nature and mind.
P. He saith, ' They are not justified because they are new born, nor
for their believing,' page 122. And 'I can say I am crucified with
Christ, and yet I have a corrupt, rotten heart, and an old lying heart,
(as before he saith,) and Christ lives in him, and there is a body of sin
and death dwells in him: and the life that he now lives in the flesh, is
by the faith of the son of God,' page 124.
A. Where Christ is within, 'the body is dead because of sin;' and
where the faith of the son of God is lived in, it gives victory over sin.
And the life of Christ is out of Adam in the fall, in sin and transgression.
And the circumcision comes to be witnessed that puts off the body of sin.
And where the life of Christ is lived in, the new covenant is there, the
new heart, and the rotten, corrupt, and lying is put off, the old man
and his deeds, with his deceitful lusts. And 'he that believes is born of
God,' is justified, and he comes into the faith by which he pleaseth God;
and he that doth not believe is out of the faith, and it is impossible
he should please God, and is out of that which should justify him.
P. He saith, ' Christ's' works in us are not to be joined with our faith
in Christ's works, for that brings into the wilderness,' page 131. And
' to say that men are justified no farther than they are sanctified, is to
deny Protestant doctrine,' &c.
A. Men are justified by the believing, and in the faith and by the
faith, and in believing they overcome, and have victory; and there are
mortification, and sanctification, and redemption, and justification, all
possessed together in the one, which is Christ, and this to the par
ticular satisfaction. And all Protestants, or whatsoever, that have a
justification or sanctification, and they in the unmortified state, unsanc-
tified, they are out of the faith that purifies, out of the belief of him
that is born of God, who hath ' passed from death to life,' and so are
out of the substance that justifies, and are without Christ, and so are
reprobates ; but where Christ is within, there is justification, sanctifi
cation, and redemption. And they are they that blaspheme the taber
nacle of God, and them that dwell in heaven, that 'call good evil, and
evil good,' and lead into snares, and into the wilderness, that go about
to confound the justification ; but they split themselves upon the rock
that deny the light. And Christ is the offering for the ' sin of the
whole world,' who doth ' enlighten every man that cometh into the
world,' that all men might believe in him, the offering; and they are

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justified in him from all things which the law could not do. And
here is the covenant of God to the Jews and Gentiles, the light of the
Gentiles, the glory of Israel, the new covenant to the Jews, the law
in the heart and in the mind, by which people should not need to say,
'Know the Lord; for all should know him from the least to the great
est,' the ' salvation to the ends of the earth;' where the way of redemp
tion is the way for 'the ransomed to walk in; in which the fools shall
not err;' in which way there is no wilderness, nor slippery places; but
the path of life, the way of the just, and of holiness, and the way of
sanctification, and the way of redemption and justification.
P. He saith, 'Christ was a sinner by imputation,' page 132.
A. The scripture doth not speak such kind of words; but that he
'knew no sin, no guile was found in his mouth:' a lamb without spot
or blemish, though it pleased the Father to lay the iniquity upon him,
'by his stripes we are healed.' And by the one offering, he perfected
for ever them that are sanctified, made himself an offering for the sins
of the whole world; who breaks down the partition wall between Jews
and Gentiles, slays the enmity among men, reconciles in one unto the
Father by his body, his death upon the cross. Of his body are all the
professors, Protestants and Papists upon the earth, ignorant, of this seed
that breaks the enmity; therefore are all in the enmity one among
another, having sheep's clothing, but the sheep in you is not put forth;
but the wolf is ravening abroad against the sheep, ^tearing them where
the seed is risen.
P. ' He that throws off imputed righteousness, may go shift for his
justification where he can get it: and Christ shall profit him nothing,
though he be in faith or love, and self-denial,' page 133. And 'it is not
the work of Christ in us that justifies and reconciles our persons. I can
detect this for an error, that Christ's works in us, is that which justifies
our persons before God,' page 134.
A. Christ works in us faith, and is the author of it, and by faith is
every onejustified in the blood'of the seed, the flesh of Christ, the Lord
from heaven, shed for the sins of the whole world* And this faith is in
the blood of the seed, not of the first Adam, nor the beasts, but the blood
of the seed Christ, the precious blood which is the life of saints, and his
flesh which is the food of saints, which whosoever eats and drinks, hath
life in the son of God, and lives in him as he lives in the Father. And
this is wrought within, and no one knows it, but as it is wrought within
by the faith in the blood ofthe 'Lamb slain from the foundation ofthe
world,' the great ' sacrifice for the sin of the whole world,' that over
threw death and hell, bruised the serpent's head, devil, and sin, the sa
crifice for the whole world, the blood shed upon the cross for the sins of
the whole world. The blood of the seed, which is the life that cleanseth,

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and this blood is felt within, for it purgeth the conscience from dead
works to serve the living God. And here is the great mystery of God,
and the wisdom of God, which covers all the wisdom of the earth, the
knowledge and wisdom of the understanding ones of the earth. The
seed and the blood of ' the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,'
which sacrificed and offered up the body prepared, who fulfilled all
types, figures, offerings, ends them and all other bloods, whom death and
the grave could not hold, dead, raised again, set, at the right hand of
God, manifest in the saints, and in the midst of his church singing
praise, ' was dead, and is alive, and lives for evermore,' manifest in the
saints. And he that hath him hath life, and he that hath not him, hath
not life. And they who witness Christ vvithin, witness the end of
imputation, they witness the thing itself, the end of their belief, and
they possess the sanctification, and such come to know faith and love.
And such as may have all the scriptures, and preach of justification and
sanctification without them, and not within them, are as the Jews, are
as the witches and reprobates. They are reprobate that witness not
Christ within them, nor sanctification there, nor justification there, and
so witness not faith, and love, nor the faith that works by love; and
they are in the error and shifts thou talks of, and Babylonish; and none
come to witness the reconciliation, but who witness Christ within. So
these are out of justification and sanctification. If he be not within, they
cannot witness reconciliation: if they are not believers in the light of
Christ, they cannot witness justification, but condemnation. But in the
light, in Christ, Christ received in them, justification, sanctification, and
reconciliation are received, Christ Jesus the light, that which reconciles
to the Father.
P. He saith, ' The body of sin is the natural body, consisting of
'flesh, and blood, and bones, and the living soul is immortal,' page 140.
And ' sin will dwell in the house, until the house be plucked down
over its head, which is the natural body. And there is not one saint
that is absolutely free from the in-dwelling and working power of sin,'
page 140. ' To plead for perfection, is inherent holiness, and to serve
under antichrist's colours, and to make void the suffering of Christ. He
that holds the saints perfectly fulfilling all the law, in all degrees of
obedience and conformity" to it, in this. life before death, hath drunk an
tichrist's cup,' page 144.
A. The saints after they witnessed the body of sin put off, and a
being made free, from sin, glorified God in their bodies, souls, and
spirits. And so the body of sin is not the creature, for that causeth the
creature to groan, before itcometh into the liberty of the sons of God, that
causeth the body of sin, the clothing that comes upon the creature, the
old man, which cometh by transgression, the first, Adam, the light that
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270
leads out of transgression, brings the creature ' into the liberty of the
sons of God,' and so, ' who is in Christ is a new creature;' and ' old
things pass away,' and the body is the temple of God, a holy temple.
And the living soul is immortal; yet many of thy generation say it is
human, that is, earthly, yea, that Christ's soul was human, as ye may
see in this book, in the principles of them that call themselves teachers
and pastors, whose souls are in death, and in whom life and immortality
are not come to light, through the power of God, which is the gos
pel. So you have showed your ignorance of the soul. And they who
witness the perfect holiness, and preach up that, come from under anti
christ's kingdom. They that preach up imperfection, wear antichrist's
livery, and his colours, and sound the trumpet of antichrist; and who
are in the righteousness, are in the perfection itself, without a thing
merited by man in his will. And who loves God, keeps his command
ments, and to him they are not grievous. And this was the seed, that
kept the commandments of God, that antichrist, beast, mother of harlots,
and false prophets made war against, as you may read in the Revela
tions. But this seed are a burthensOme stone unto you all, that keep
the commands of God, that love God; and ' they that are born of God
do not commit sin.' And the natural body, which is flesh, blood, and
bone, is not the body of sin; it was never read so in the scripture, that
that was the body which was to be put off; for the saints had bodies
after they witnessed the body of sin put off, and were made free from sin.
P. He saith, 'That R. F. is against the doctrine of sin continuing in
the godly till death,' page 148.
A. That doctrine of sin was never preached up by the apostle, that
it should continue in the godly till death. I say, it continues not in the
godly, for the godly are like God, out of sin; it continues in the un
godly that are not like God. And he that is in Christ, is at the end of
the law, and the precepts, and the statutes, and the ordinances, and the
commandments, and is iri the substance, God's righteousness.
P. He, saith, ' The letter is no dead letter, and it hath life in itself.
And if there be but this letter or ministry, it is Christ's two-edged
sword,' pages 153. 155. 'It serves unto his design of searching hearts.'
And 'the apostle would take people off from the conceit of per
fect attainments,' page 162. And 'may not filthy hearts transform
themselves in the fancy of perfection, as the devil into an angel of
light?' '
A. The devil transforming himself into an angel of light, or into a
similitude, is like unto all the filthy hearts who fancy perfection with
out them, not within them, and sjieak of Christ without them, not with
in them, as the devil did. But it was the doctrine ofthe apostle, who
preached Christ the covenant of God, to bring people frorii that

271
which made nothing perfect, to that which was perfect, and bid them
be perfect, and of one mind; and he ' spoke wisdom among them that
were perfect;' so he did not bring the people from it, but to it. And
the letter itself is dead, as it is of paper and ink: And all ministers
of letters and books written in paper and ink, and who speak from let
ters of paper and ink, and have not received from God what they preach,
areministersof the letter, and they are the ministers of death, though they
minister all the letters written in the scripture, and have but th*e sheep's
clothing, and beget not to God; but only make proselytes as such minis
ters did in old time, among the Jews. But they that were ministers of
the spirit that gave forth the scriptures, had ' the sword of the spirit,'
which the Jews, the ministers of the letter, had not. They that are out
of the spirit, though they have all the scriptures given forth from it,
are out ofthe spiritual weapons. And that which searcheth the heart,
is that which gave forth the scriptures, which led all the holy men of
God to speak them forth, who is the Lord, the searcher of the hearts.
Which spirit owns all the words of the scriptures of truth declared
forth from the spirit; but the spirit was beforethe scripture was given
forth. P. He saith, 'Men that are redeemed from all earthly worships, per
fectly justified before God, sincere in their sanctification, yet they are
in concupiscence, and blemishes, and conflicts,' page 166. And 'the
word of God doth not abide in them that say they have no sin,' page
179. A. They who are redeemed out of all earthly worships, and sancti
fied, are redeemed from blemishes, from conflicts, from concupiscence,
and by their redemption they come to witness the kingdom of God
that ' stands in righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy ghost,' out of
conflicts; and they who are in the spirit, are in that which mortifies
sin. And the word of God makes clean where it dwells ; they are
sanctified by the word, and made clean. It comes, and finds the sin,
and takes it away, and makes clean, and hammers it down; cuts it
down, burns it up, ' reconciles to the Father,' whom sin and iniquity
separated from.
P. He saith, ' Sacramental water, and sprinkling baptism and water,
&c. shows our being ingrafted into the body mystical,' pages 176. 178.
'which consists of a sign of a thing signified.'
A. Sprinkling infants is a sign of your own making, and sacramen
tal water the scripture doth not hold forth, but it is a thing presumed
above what is written. And that sign, a tradition, doth not bring into
the body mystical, but leads from it ; neither doth any elementary
thing. But that which baptizeth into the body is the spirit, whereby
all come to be one. And that baptizeth not into an elementary body,

272
but into a glorious body, the spiritual body. For there are lying signs
come since the days of the apostles, which are out of the apostles'
practice. You can show nothing for your sprinkling with your sacra
mental water. But the baptism that the scripture declares of, is owned
in its place, and that of the spirit.
P. He saith, 'Bread and wine are spiritual institutions, and are not
carnal in a sense as set in opposition to spiritual institution: and that is
not mere carnal bread and wine after Christ's institution to be used,
nor an ordinary bread and wine.' And he saith, ' In the Lord's sup
per is Christ's body, and it is his blood,' page 1S8. And 'this is
my body and blood, the word of a command is, do this,' page 191.
And ' Christ fed not the souls with wheat bread, and red wine,' &c.
A. By all this what differ ye from the Papists? have not ye laid
their foundation, and laid their ground? Bread and wine, are but
bread and wine, temporal things, things seen, and may turn to ashes;
but the body and blood of Christ will not do so. And bread is not
spiritual, and wine is not spiritual, but are things seen and visible.
And who eats the flesh of Christ, and drinks his blood, 'hungers no
more, and thirsts no more;' but who eats temporal bread and wine,
' hungers more, and thirsts more.' And Christ did say, 'as often as
ye do eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lord's death till
he come.' And that which the apostle had received of the Lord, he
delivered to the Corinthians. 'As often as they ate that, and drank
that, they were to do it in remembrance of him, showing the Lord's
death till he come.' But then saith the same apostle to the same Co
rinthians, in his last epistle, ' Examine yourselves. Know you not that
Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates ?' And said, ' while we look
not at the things which are seen ; for the things that are seen are tem
poral.' So bread and wine are things that are seen, are things tempo
ral, 'but the things that are not seen, are eternal.' Now bread and
wine, are but bread and wine, not spiritual after consecration; it is but
the same bread that it was before, and is no nearer the body of Christ
after they have consecrated it, than it was before. Who is in the life
and power of God, that gives every creature its being, and causeth
every creature to come forth, is in the life and virtue of all creatures,
and the being of all creatures, and the wisdom of all the creation, that
is spiritual. He that giveth every creature its being, and causeth every
creature to come forth, and gives the sense and feeling of all creatures,
is spiritual. And here the soul comes to be known, and the seed
Christ, and his body, and his blood.
P. He saith, ' The worship of God in the spirit stands out of man's
will, and they must wait in the light to feel the spirit; but let all lost

273
souls beware of this counsel. And to bring people to the commands of
the spirit is opposite to the scripture letter,' page 204.
A. All true worshippers of God that he seeks to worship him, are in.
the spirit, and in the truth, that which the devil is out of, which man's
will is out of; and in the spirit that gave forth the scriptures, all poor
souls come to worship God aright, and"' magnify God, and glorify
God, and to pray in the spirit, and to stand in the counsel of God. For
' no prophecy of the scriptures came by the will of man.' That which
led them to speak forth scriptures, was beyond man's will. So
men's will getting the scriptures, which no prophecy of it came by,
they cannot worship God in the truth, nor in the spirit, but in their
own wills. But who are in the spirit and truth, that led them to speak
forth the scriptures, that learned of God the Father of spirits, and God
of all truth, this is not will-worship. Now, will-worship is among
them that have the scriptures given forth by the spirit of God in their
own wills, which no prophecy of it came by: and can sing, pray,
preach, and read in their own wills, and are out of the spirit that gave
it forth; they are in a will-worship, out of the worship of God in the-
spirit. And such are opposite to the scriptures, and cannot agree with
the letter of the scriptures, that are fighting about words, falling into
sects and heaps about the words. But the worship of God is in the
spirit that gave forth scriptures, and they who have learned of God
the Father of spirits, own all the scriptures in their place, and are not
opposite to them.
P. He saith, ' Never were psalms sung as they ought to be, but they
had some musical tune or poetry,' page 205.V And 'The holy ghost
made overseers and elders over the church, but that was not immedi
ate,' page 207. ' That no man can read out of scripture that Paul was
free from covetousness,' &c.
A. Paul saith, ' Let not covetousness be once named among you, as
becometh saints.' And that no covetous one should enter into the
kingdom ; and he saith, ' it is idolatry,' And the apostle lived the life
of the son of God through faith, witnessed he was made free from
the body of sin, and had victory over it, and thanks God, that ' there
was no condemnation to them that were in Christ Jesus.' Paul was in
Christ, where there was no condemnation, which covetousness is out
of. And the holy ghost is immediate that makes the officers in the
church. It is the same that-was in them that spoke forth scriptures.
And as the holy ghost, that leads men to speak forth the scriptures,
makes elders and overseers in the church, these are not made by men,
but these see the fulfilling of the scriptures, and come into that which
fulfils it, and are in it. And for your singing your psalms, and your
poetry, and setting them in frame and a musical way, these are come

274
up since the pope, as tunes and organs; since men have ravened from
the spirit, and gone from that, they have got up this poetry, and turn
ed David's conditions into a metre, and given them to people who
are ignorant of David's conditions. And psalms are spiritual songs, of
which all are ignorant when they are from the spirit of God that led
the holy men of God to speak forth the scripture; with which spirit of
God, all the psalms, and spiritual songs, and hymns are seen, which
from it were given forth, and all the scriptures, and in that is the sing
ing in the spirit. And for the ministers' maintenance, the appstle
said, ' Have not I power to eat, and power to drink?' (And Christ
said, 'Freely ye have received, freely give.') This was not spoken to
the heathen, nor Jews, nor Gentiles, who were unconverted, but was
spoken among the saints who were a vineyard, and to whom spiritual
things had been sown, and to such whose hope they were made par
takers of. But hirelings and those that teach for filthy lucre, ' that
mind earthly things,' that seek for their gain from their quarter, that
' bear rule by their means,' are all out from this, and were judged by
the prophets, Christ, and the apostles, to be such spirits as had got
the form, and taught for the earth, and made the earth a wilderness.
And such got not out the wheat, and ploughed but in vain, which is
the ploughing of the wicked, which is sin. So there is a great dif
ference between these and those that preached the gospel, the glad
tidings, to all nations, which relieved the oppressed: for the oppressed
being relieved, life and immortality came to light through the gospel:
the wheat was gotten out, the spiritual things sown, the vineyard plant
ed, the flock was known, the milk was known, the corn gotten out :
among such some used their power to eat, some did not, (mark,) that
power that did not oppress, that did not hurt. But all you that preach
for tithes, and will take money of them that ye do no work for, by a
law, and cast into prison if they will not give it, and take treble dam
ages; you bring not the glad tidings to the nations, you are the oppres
sors of the nations, of the just; and are not helpers and relievers of the
oppressed: and so have made manifest your apostacy; and that you are
apostates, out of the apostles' doctrine, and out of the gospel, the power
of God, which the apostles were in. But now shall the gospel be
preached that gives liberty to the oppressed, and strikes down all the
oppressors. P. He saith, ' God sends either mediately or immediately ; and he
sends by man's ministry mediately,' page 211. And saith, 'they
pretend to no such call of an apostle, an officer in every church as Paul,'
&c. page 213. And ' Some are converted mediately by those sent by
man, with their mediate call,' page 214.
A. All who are converted, are converted with the immediate: there

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are none converted upon the earth, but it is with the immediate spirit
of God that mortifies. And all ministry that is sent of God, and from
God, and called of God, where that speaks to them it is immediate,
for whosoever hears his voice, it is immediate and powerful. And all
ministry of man, sent out by man, (which is mediate,) never converts
any souls to God, for the soul is immediate, and mediate reacheth not
to the immortal soul; but the immediate ministry reacheth to the im
mediate immortal soul, and so preacheth the immediate gospel to it, the
power of God. And all ministers that are sent forth in the power of
God, who are moved of God to speak to- any by the power of God, the
eternal spirit of God, the holy ghost, that is immediate, and not of
man, and that begets unto God, and converts them; that is immediate,
not mediate, and they do as the power of God moves them, which is
immediate, and that is for God in that place. And they shall feel the
spirit of God in them witnessing with that power, and the spirit of
God in another, that speaks to them. And the power of God is eternal,
where it moves it is one; and the spirit of the prophets is subject to
the prophets. And all you since the days of the apostles, that do not
pretend to such a call as the apostles had, and to have such officers as
the apostles in every church, (which we do believe you have not,) you
have shown that the holy ghost hath not made you overseers; and you
have declared yourselves to the world to be such as inwardly ravened
from the spirit of God : and all to be but ministers of the letter, not of
the spirit, and so only have the sheep's clothing. So ye are such as
have brought people and nations to be all on heaps, and like waters:
not made overseers, as the apostles were, not having the call as the
apostles had; so not by the holy ghost, not by the immediate power of
God, not preachers of the gospel, as the apostles were, who were im
mediate. Therefore these things have been wanting, the holy ghost to
make you overseers, and the spirit the apostles were in, which would
cool and quiet all the spirits of the people. For want of this ye are
all on heaps about scripture. But the holy ghost opens it again to
overseers. And so ye that have ravened from the spirit of God in
wardly, there is no talk among you to. have the call as the apostles had,
and to be overseers, as they were; that we do believe, your fruits de
clare it. But the spirit is witnessed which the apostles were in, which
hath discovered you and your church. Glory be to the Lord God for
ever! P. He saith, ' Immediate teaching in the least degree of God imme
diately, is contrary to Daniel ix. and Timothy.' And saith, ' I am yet
to learn the promise of immediate teaching of God,' page 216. And
'Women are excluded from this kind of prophecy,' 218. He saith,
' Ministers, pastors, teachers, having the grace of God, gift of prophecy,

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called out among brethren to office, to oversee a flock, as bishops, of
the Lord's institution: these are not so taught immediately,' page 220.
A. All bishops, overseers, and officers, that are of God, are taught
immediately, by the same spirit and power that the apostles were in,
and owned and allowed by them: for the holy ghost is immediate
that gives them to oversee; and all who feel the grace of God, and
turn it not into wantonness, feel that which is immediate. And such
as have turned the grace of God into wantonness, and walk despitefully
against the spirit of grace, and set up a heap of teachers after their own
lusts, are gone from the immediate grace of God that brings salvation.
And all the teaching of God, in the least degree, is immediate, which
brings them to open parables, speak forth parables to the nature that is
atop of the witness, that spirit is immediate; though they take a me
diate parable or comparison, yet the spirit is immediate that gives them
to understand the parable aright. And the gift that was in Timothy,
that he was not to neglect, was immediate, whereby he came to discern
on whom he was to lay his hands, and on whom he was not, and not
suddenly to lay them upon any man. And that which brought Daniel
to understand by writings in books, was immediate; and that which
brings to understand the scriptures is immediate. ' I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy,'
and that is immediate, and prophecy is not to be quenched in the
daughter no more than in the son; it is one in the male and the female.
And we do believe thee, and you all, who are apostatized from the
apostles' doctrine, in the apostacy, ravened inwardly from the spirit of
God, that ye are yet to learn the immediate teaching. So are the an
tichrists standing against the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened
every one withal that cometh into the world, the covenant of God in
the heart, with which all people shall come to know the Lord, and be
taught of God, that they need not say, 'Know the Lord.'
P. He saith, ' I conclude that immediate teaching did not only fur
nish men for a teacher/s or minister's function, but mediate ways also,'
page 211. And ' The Quakers think it a lie against God to say, the
spirit is in the letter and scripture, and is given by it, and make a
jangling about immediate teaching,' page 222.
' A. No one is furnished for the work of the ministry of God, but
who is in the immediate spirit of God, which is to minister to the
spirit. And there is no one made a minister of God by the mediate,
but by the immediate. For who hath the spirit of God, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, to sing in the spirit, or pray in the spirit,
it is immediate. And all that are out of that are in the earthly, sensual,
and devilish perishing knowledge, and that understanding must come
to nought, and that wisdom must be confounded. And as for the word

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function, it is thy own, and must come to nought. And the spirit is
immediate that led the saints to give forth scripture. The spirit is
not in ihe letter, but it was in them that gave it forth. And they that
have not the spirit in them, that was in those that gave it forth, and are
disobedient to that, are they that say the spirit is in the letter. And
such say that immediate teaching is jangling, who are from the spirit
that is immediate, ravened from it in their own particulars; such are
never like to beget'to God, but are the ministers of the letter, not of
the spirit; and by that which the devil and they are out of, are they
comprehended, who are in the jangling and in the lie.
P. He saith, ' Christ took up a Bible, and preached on a text. And
as for uses, points, trials, and motives, you must go to Titus iii. 16.'
A. Christ who came to fulfil, took the book, and read, and said it was
fulfilled. He did not take a text, as you do, and lay half a year in it,
as some of you, and have ten shillings a day, more or less, for your
pains; but he said it was fulfilled. And for that place in Titus, there is
not a word of motives, nor points, nor trials, nor uses, as you pretend;
though he who was in the faith did study to divide the word aright, in
whom was the gift of God which was perfect. This is not like your
divination of your brain, for money, which ye sell weekly; nor your
taking a text, and laying half a year in it. And thou hast shown thyself
and them to be novices.
P. He saith, ' Though the righteousness be wrought in us by the
strength of Christ, and be found in us that are sanctified; yet as to
justification of a person, Paul would not be found in it for a world.'
See page 229.
A. ' The righteousness of Christ fulfilled in us,' and to be found in
the righteousness of Christ, that was the thing the apostle strove after,
in that which ended the law, not in his own righteousness. And that
righteousness which is wrought in us by the strength of Christ, is
Christ's, where sanctification is witnessed; this is Christ's, who is the
end of the law, and in this was the apostle found, and this he stood for,
which was out of the world.
P. ' And honour all men.' And the fifth commandment he brings
' for bowing the knee,' and saith, ' Putting off the hat is but a token of
respect. ' See page 2 34.
A. ' Honour all men,' that is, to have all men in esteem ; all men are
had in esteem, for Christ ' hath enlightened every man that cometh into
the world,' that they might all through this light believe, and he that
doth not is condemned. And that will bring all men that love it to
seek the honour that comes from above ; but if they hate the light, they
seek the honour that is below, that is of the first Adam in the trans
gression, and that "is the hat. But Christ, the light, that doth enlighten
Vol. III. 35

278
every man, &c. receives not honour of men ; and the light of Christ
which every man hath, &c. will not receive honour of men. Now he
that receives the honour of men, is of the first Adam, from the light, in
the transgression. Earthly Adam looks for honour of the earth; these
are the marks of an unbeliever. And the fifth commandment doth not
speak of bowing the knee. And for Jacob's bowing, and David's bow
ing to Saul, &c. there is a time the elder must serve the younger. And
for Joseph and Abraham's bowing before the heathen, and the rest of
bowings, which thou speaks of, in the scriptures of the Old Testament;
Christ is come, to whom ' every knee must bow, and tongue confess to
the glory of God;' and not the angels bowed down to, nor worshipped.
So ye have shown whose ministers ye are that are crying up bending
and bowing the knee; is not this like kissing of Baal, and bowing the
knee to Baal? Now Christ is come, to whom every knee must bow.
And as for master, ye have thrown yourselves into that transgression,
and excluded yourselves from among the brethren; for Christ saith,
' Be not ye of men called master, for ye have one master, even Christ,
and ye are all brethren.'
P. He saith, ' Swearing is a part of God's worship,' page 235.
And ' Christ was far from overthrowing the worship of God.' And
' it was the formal part of an oath, when the apostle Paul said, God was
his witness.' See page 238.
A. Christ, who said God was a spirit, and would be worshipped in spi
rit, and in the truth, said, ' Swear not at all,' who was the oath of God
that ended oaths ; but said, in all your communication, ' let your yea
be yea, and nay, nay, for whatsoever is more cometh of evil.' And the
apostle, who abode in the doctrine of Christ, was so far from swearing,
that he saith, ' Above all things, my brethren, swear not at all, neither
by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath. ' Neither did any
of the apostles; though men that were in strife swore, and their oath
ended the strife among them. And they swore by the greater, that is
the true oath ; but Christ, in whom is the peace, the covenant of peace,
where souls come to be one, and hearts one, who are the true burthen
in him, are in the oath of God, the end of all oaths. For God, when
he could not find a greater, swore by himself that did not change, con
cerning his covenant with men that doth not change, ' in which men
come to have peace with God.' And so men swear by the greater,
whose oaths end their strife and controversy. But God, who could not
find a greater, swore by himself concerning his son, the covenant of
God, which ends the strife among men, and between God and man,
and is the ' peace on earth, and good will towards men.' Now the
swearing of the angels, the swearing of the priests; the swearing of
Jacob, and Joseph, and David, and Solomon, Christ is the end of all

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these, the oath of God, in whom their faith stood; and to whom all the
angels must bend and bow, to him that saith, ' Swear not at all.' But
your swearing now is not like to the Jews, for they swore by the Lord,
not by the book of the prophets' writings ; neither did they swear by
the tables in which the law was written. Neither did the apostles nor
the saints swear by the epistles, nor Christ's words, after they were
written and recorded. Now this is worse than the Jews, for they were
to swear by the Lord, from whom the law came ; they were to swear
by the Lord of whom the prophets learned, and not by the tables, nor
by the prophets' words. The heathens were to swear by Moloch, and
to swear by Baal, and kissed Baal ; and the children of Israel were to
swear by the Lord, not by any writings or declarations of the prophets,
or Moses. Neither do we read that the saints swore by the Epistles, or
the Revelations, or Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, and kissed the book.
For the true christians that witnessed Christ, the end of the prophets,
the end of Moses, a greater than Solomon, him by whom the world
was made before it was made, before Abraham was, who reigns over
the house of Joseph, and Jacob, to whom the angels must bow, saith,
' Swear not at all.' ' This is my beloved son,' saith God, ' hear ye
him.' P. He saith, ' A believer hath both the rise and furtherance of his
faith and evidence from what is written. And if the scripture be a
dead letter, and the word in the heart be one with the scripture, then
that in the heart is dead,' page 246. ' Let them tell the world
how the scripture is the declaration without contradiction, and yet the
word in the heart.' See page 247.
A. The scripture as it lies, and is in itself, is a dead letter; but as
the word is felt in the heart that gave it forth, then it is its own words.
Now to them that are from the word within, to the dead mind, the dead
letter. And so the words themselves give not life, but as the words are
raised up within, as they were in them that gave them forth : and that
is it which gives life, and that sees the scriptures, and the fulfilling of
them ; and then that knows the scriptures that cannot be broken, and
in that, the word Christ, the words end. And that is it that gives life
to all people, and saves the soul, which the letter doth not, as it is in
itself, without that which gave it forth, and that is not dead. And the
author of a believer's faith is Christ, and he is the giver of it. And if
he have all that is written, and be not in the light Christ, who is the
author of his faith, he wants the foundation of God that stands sure,
Christ Jesus, that all the fathers and holy men of God rested in, who
were in the faith before any scripture was written; in him stood their
faith, the foundation of God, Israel's glory, the light of the Gentiles;
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And the ministers of the word took in hand to set forth in order a de
claration of the things wrought among them, who had a perfect under
standing from the very first, ' of what Christ both said and did.' And
so this declaration was given forth to be read, believed, fulfilled, and
people to enjoy the thing it speaks of, that which the apostles preached
to Jews and Gentiles, the new covenant, the one offering, the blood of
Jesus Christ, him the end of the first priesthood, that Abraham and
David saw, Moses had the type of, and the prophets wrote of. Now,
they who enjoy him that these all spoke of, saw, and preached, have
the end, the comfort of the scriptures. And here is the declaration
seen and known,' and here is the substance possessed, and here are the
words of God, and here is the word of God that fulfils the words, which
word was before the words, in which word the words end, and are all
summed up in.
P. ' For to say Christ and faith are not to be found in scriptures,' he
saith, ' I hope no humble saint, will pin his faith upon this,' &c. And
' they crying up thee and thou to a particular,' &c. See page 247.
A. Christ was before the scripture was written; and Christ is life,
(not found in a dead letter,) and he is the end of the scriptures, and the
substance of them: many had the scriptures, and could not find faith in
them, nor Christ, nor life. And Christ told the Pharisees he was the
life, the scripture testified of him, ' but they would not come to him
that they might have life,' who is the end and substance of the scrip
tures, ' by whom the world was made.' And as for the, words thee
and thou, they who are stumbling at them, show they have never learned
their accidence nor Bible. So, short of the language of the spirit, that
teacheth to speak sound words that cannot be condemned, who are
ignorant of the literal knowledge.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures were breathed forth by the spirit of
God; but we receive the spirit another way than they did that gave
forth the scriptures. And the scriptures were given forth immediately:
but thus the scriptures come not to us, nor the understanding of them.
We have books, and canons, and printed translations in the mother
tongue,' page 248..
A. Notwithstanding all your books, and canons, and if ye have all
the scriptures printed in all the languages of the world, and have not
the same immediate inspiration that gave them forth, ye understand not
the scriptures. And we do believe you, that ye have not an imme
diate inspiration as they had, nor receive the spirit as they did that
gave forth the scriptures, who are ravened from it. But whoever
knows the scriptures of truth, it is by the same spirit that gave them
forth : with and by this are the scriptures of truth, the excellent words,
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P. He saith, 'The spirit is in the letter, or the whole scripture,'
page 254. And ' They that wrote forth the scriptures were imperfectly
holy; but God's word was holy. To conclude, the spirit is in the letter,
and given by it, daily experience demonstrates it. And they that own
not the spirit's dwelling in the letter, have lost their faith of the spirit's
presence, and run to other gospels and doctrines; the spirit of error is
in all men's doctrines, that have not the spirit in them,' page 255.
A. They were holy men of God that gave forth the scriptures, as
they were moved by the holy ghost; the apostle said they were holy,
and we shall believe him before we believe any of you apostate teach
ers, who say they were not holy. 'And the spirit that was in them that
gave forth the scriptures, was received of God the Father of spirits,
and dwells in God. And they that are from the spirit of God within,
which gave forth the scriptures, are such as follow their own spirits,
and use their tongues, and get the good words, the sheep's clothing,
deceive the hearts ofthe simple, and tell them 'the spirit is in the let
ter,' which never did any of the experienced saints say; but did con-
elude the spirit dwelt in their hearts, the faith in their hearts, the light
in their hearts, the word in their hearts, the anointing within them,
God dwelt within them, Christ within them, the law in their hearts,
the witness within them, 'the ingrafted word that saved their souls,'
the gift within, the hidden man in the heart, strength in the inward
man; the holy ghost moved them, the spirit of the Father spoke in
them; this led them to speak forth scriptures. These never said the
spirit was in the letter, as all the filthy dreamers say, who are in the
sensual separation from the spirit of God, and in Cain's, Core's, and
Balaam's way, 'turning the grace of God into wantonness,' ravened
from the spirit of God inwardly, only wolves in sheep's clothing.
These are such as have got the good words, but deceive the hearts of
the simple, make a trade of them, tell people the spirit is in the let
ter. These haveravened from the spirit of God in their own particu
lars, and so they deceive people, and keep them from the spirit of God
in their particulars. But the spirit that gave forth scriptures is wit
nessed, by which they are known; they cannot deceive any longer:
who are 'reprobates concerning the faith,' who crept into houses be
fore the apostles' decease, who have kept people 'always learning, but
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,' ' led away with
divers lusts.' So have kept people -in spiritual Egypt, Sodom, and
Gomorrah, and have been guarded with magistrates, and powers of the
earth, all over the world. But now is the light breaking forth and
shining, that ye are all discovered. And so they have set up other
gospels, and lost the faith, that tell people ' the spirit is in the letter,'

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when the spirit and the faith were in them that gave it forth, and are
to be in all them that know it again, and know God the giver of it.
P. He saith, ' He that is born of the spirit, is born of the holy
word written,' page 257.
A. He that is born of the spirit, is born of that which gave forth the
scriptures, the word which was before the scriptures were given
forth, which lets him see the end of the words: so cometh to dwell in
God, of whom they learned that gave forth scriptures.
P. He saith, ' If setting the scripture in the heart of every man, be
nothing else but telling people they have a light of conscience within
them, and stirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into
the world, they delude poor people, who never heard that light called
scripture before,' page 257.
A. They that never heard the scripture outwardly, being turned to
the light that every man hath that cometh into the world, with that
they will see Christ, with that they will know scripture, with that they
will be led out of all delusion, and come into covenant with God ; with
which they will come to worship God in the spirit, and serve him, and
that is more than conscience.
P. He saith, ' The light which John speaks of, which doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world, is a dim light; and it is a piece
of the mystery of iniquity, as subtle as any antichrist, to say that the
light shines in the darkness, and shineth out of darkness, the light of
Christ for salvation,' pages 261, 262. He saith, ' Christ in you, the
light in every man, is a poor, base, beggarly scrap,' page 264.
A. The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, is Christ the substance, the righteousness of God, and not beg
garly; but all the beggarly are out of the light, and it is not dim, but
all are in the dim that are out of him the light, that with which he
hath enlightened them. And all are in the mystery of iniquity, and
are antichrists, that see not the light that doth enlighten every one that
cometh into the world, where it shines, and where it shineth out of the
darkness. These are the true ministers who are in the spirit that gave
forth the scriptures, ministers of Christ within, witnessed and seen. And
John was not antichrist, nor Paul, who said, 'light shined in dark
ness;? and who said, 'light shined out of darkness;' and who said,
'This was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the
world.' Now ye are all ignorant of the prophets before John, who
said, 'I will give him for a covenant, for a light unto the Gentiles, and
a new covenant to the house of Israel, and to the house of Judah;'
mark, here was ' every man.' And John, the greatest prophet born of
a woman, saith, ' This is the true light that lighteth every one,' &c.
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'in whom is life, and the life was the light of men: and the light
shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.'
P. ' The law written in every man's heartdoth not condemn all sin,
nor the branches of it, nor original sin, nor unbelief,' page 266. He
saith, ' To say that every man in his first state is natural, and every
man in his first state is as a beast, is a contradiction. And I every
where deny the natural light of every man; but I deny the highest
degree of light to be here attainable. And the saints' light is not to
be seen while we are under the sun.' And he saith ' he knows he is
more brutish than a man, and hath not the knowledge of the holy,'
page 272. And the light that shineth in the scriptures, that I profess
myself to know nothing of; ' the least degree of it is above the highest
degree of the light that every one that cometh into the world is en
lightened withal,' page 273.
A. The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlight
ened withal, was before degrees, and ends degrees, and is not natural;
for it was before the natural was made or created; and this bears not
witness against the natural, the sun, moon, and stars, but owns them in
their places. And the light which every one that cometh into the
world is enlightened with, which comes from Christ the son, they not
believing in it, it is their condemnation. And that which doth make
manifest and reprove sin, is light; yea, all sin, branches, and roots, and
original, and unbelief, that which doth make it manifest is light; and
where this light is that makes all this manifest, there is the law in the
heart, and new covenant written, the law and the spirit of life that
makes free from the law of sin and death. And believing and receive
ing the light which every man is enlightened with, they come into co
venant with God, they come to know the law of God in their hearts ;
for that is the law of God in their hearts, ' the light which doth en
lighten every man,' &c. And every man is in his first state, in the
transgression; many are worse than beasts, and brutish; and 'what
they know they know naturally, as brute beasts.' And thou, and all of
you, who are ravened from the spirit of God inwardly, what ye have
known, it hath been naturally, as brute beasts ; for ye are gone from
the spirit that should give you to know and understand, and so that is
no contradiction. And we do believe thee that thou art brutish, who
lookest for the light in the letter of scripture, and sayst the light of
scripture is higher in the least degree, than the ' light which doth en
lighten every man that cometh into the world.' Alack for thee! the
light which doth enlighten every man, &c. was before scripture was
given forth. And the saints that receive the light that doth enlighten
every one, &c. receive Christ the perfect light, and receive God, and
Christ the substance, the end of degrees. And thou shalt never see the

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saints' light, while thou art looking at the letter, and art from the life
which was in them that gave it forth ; and the lighf shined in the
hearts pf them that gave forth the scriptures.
P. He saith, 'The scripture light, that is a standing rule for our
faith, and there is present light in it to guide men to salvation, and so
are not immediate revelations and teachings. And the knowledge of
Christ and eternal life is given forth in the letter,' page 283.
A. They that had scriptures knew not salvation, and they knew not
the rule, being erred from the spirit of God. And none know salvation,.
but by the immediate teaching and revelation of Christ Jesus the son of
God, the salvation. And if men have all the scriptures given forth from
God, they themselves are not able to make men wise unto salvation
without faith, which Christ is the author of, who is the substance of
what the scripture speaks of, and so they are not able of themselves ' to
guide men to salvation.' Neither are they a rule of faith, but Christ is
the author of faith, and the spirit the rule that gave them forth; and
all that have them, and are not in the immediate, know them not, neither
the gospel. And none know eternal life, nor Christ (who is the author
of life and faith, who was before scripture was) by the scriptures, but
as they come into the life that they were in that gave them forth. And
there is the life found, Christ found, Christ seen, him by whom the
world was made before it was made; for the life was in them that gave
forth the scriptures, by which they knew God and eternal life, and
Christ the saviour, Abraham, the prophets, and Moses; so the life must
be in all now, before they know scriptures, or Christ, or God.
P. He saith, ' If the letter declares of Christ's fulfilling, then we
should need to know no more of Christ than what for substance is in
the scriptures; then there is no need of immediate teachings,' page 284.
He saith, ' new apostles and doctrine discovered, of a righteousness
within them, that is their justification. And this is as the ring
leaders ofthe Jews among the Galatians,' page 286. And ' the salva
tion which is to be wrought out with fear and trembling is not the
same as made Moses and David, Habakkuk and Paul tremble,' page
287. A. The power of God is one, which threw down Paul, shook Ha
bakkuk, and Moses, and David, whereby these all came to know Christ;
which power, who cometh into it, and into the infiniteness of it, which
raiseth up the seed, which is Christ, whereby the salvation is known,
and wrought out with fear and trembling. And when ye all come to
know this power that works out the salvation with fear and trem
bling, your reproaches will be laid aside, for reproaching of such
whose salvation is wrought out with fear and trembling. And righte
ousness within, and sanctification within, is a new doctrine to you

285
that are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God since the days of the
apostles, and so from the spirit of faith, from the hearing of faith;
as they that drew the people to the circumcision without, went from
the hearing of faith within, by which they should be justified. So they
that are come to the hearing of faith, are come to the justification and
sanctification within, and look not to the circumcision and baptism
without. So this is an old doctrine, and not new but to you apostates.
And though the scriptures declare of Christ's fulness, if people have all
the scriptures, that speak and declare of his fulness, (and you say you
need know no more of Christ than what for substance is in the scriptures,
and so have no need of immediate teachings, we believe you,) none know
the fulness of Christ but they who come into the immediate teachings.
Your mouths may be full of scripture, and you may use your tongues
about the saints' words, and run up and down, and the Lord never sent
you, saying, ' thus saith the Lord, in chap, and verse, and it is suffi
cient that the scripture speaks of his fulness ;' yet I say, neither you,
nor any upon the earth, can ever know his fulness, but as ye come to
the light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you, in every one of your
own particulars, though ye may have all the scriptures. For they that
knew the fulness of Christ, and they that gave forth the scriptures,
had the spirit of God in them: so must every one that knows it and
them again.
P. He saith, ' If the scriptures be a rule for thee and thou, then it is
a rule for respect to superiors: and keeping on the hat shows the pride
of the heart, and a lying spirit.' He saith, ' they have not a growth of
perfection in this life, but a pressing on,' page 290. And he saith,
'the prophets took texts, and raised motives.' And he saith, 'he that
believes not our points from scripture, shall be damned; that he must
tell him from Christ,' page 299.
A. They who are standing up against thee and thou, and the hat,
show the pride of their hearts, and are out of the humility, looking for
an earthly honour; but before the honour is the humility. Nay, the
scripture is not a rule for respecting persons, neither is the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ; they that respect persons are out of the faith, and
are convinced by the law to be transgressors, and committers of sin,
and so out of the law, and faith. And David saw the end of all that
perfection, so he was past the growth of it, when he saw its end. And
the scriptures, and Christ, you know not, who are not come into the
immediate teachings, and have no need of it; who say, the scripture it
is sufficient that declares of Christ. And the prophets did not take
texts, and raise motives, and uses, and reasons, and lay in them half a
year together, and sell them for money, as ye do now since the days of
the apostles in the apostacy. But now I am come to reckon with you,
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and you shall have a portion, a reward according to your works: and I
will slay you with the sword, the words of my mouth, saith the Lamb.
And your points, and reasons, and imaginations which ye fetch out of
scripture, are but to lead people under condemnation, and keep them
from the immediate teaching, and the light which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world. And James Parnell's blood, who
died in prison, that righteous man, his blood lies upon you, and it
shall lie upon your heads sparkling, and from under it ye shall never
come, but ye shall own it. And the spirit of God levels down all the
proud and lofty hearts of men, by which people are brought into unity
with God, and one with another.
And the first day in the week which ye call the sabbath, ye never
read it in the scriptures as a strict command among the apostles.
P. ' And the magistrate is not to level the laws with the light in
every man's conscience.' Again, ' If the magistrate be in the light,
and discern into the mind of Christ, and understand his law ; is he to
compel all the nation, and commonwealth, to come to the practice of
his light ?' page 308.
A. The magistrate of Christ, the help government for him, is in the
light and power of Christ, and he is to subject all under the" power of
Christ, into his light, else he is not a faithful magistrate. And his laws
here are agreeable and answerable to that of God in every man; when
men act contrary to it, they do evil: so he is a terror to the evil doers,
discerns the precious and just from the vile, and this is a praise to them
that do well.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures are the more sure word of prophecy,
that shines in the dark heart until enlightened by the law. And every
man's light, &c. is the glimmerings of the law, and not of the gospel
light: and it is the voice of the spirit of unbelief that saith, the spirit
and the power are not in the declaration.' See his appendix.
A. The spirit and power were in them that gave forth the declara
tion, but many have the declaration, and want the spirit, and want the
power, as the Pharisees did; as all you apostates, inwardly ravened
from the spirit of God, have had the declaration, but not found the
power in it, nor spirit in it, and so are in the unbelief, and all on
heaps about it. For if ye had found the power and the spirit in it, ye
had been all one, and quiet before now about religion; yea, whole
Christendom would have been in power, and in the spirit, and in the
bond of peace, and in fellowship one with another, and the scriptures,
and the spirit, and God. And the light ' which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world,' every man being in the light which
hath enlightened him, he shall feel the word of prophecy; he shall

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feel the light shining in his heart; he shall feel the day-star arise there
in his heart ; he shall see that no prophecy of the scriptures came by
the will of man, but holy men of God spoke them forth. He shall
see that many may have the scriptures, yet quench the spirit and de
spise prophesying ; he shall see the scripture is but the letter declared
forth from the spirit of prophecy, by the prophets, and the spirit of
God in the son, and in the rest of the apostles. And the ' light which
doth enlighten every one,' &c. is the end of the law, and of all
glimmering lights, and is the light of the gospel. And none know
the gospel, the power of God, Christ Jesus, but with the light that
cometh from him. Here every man comes into his particular com
fort. And that is the voice of the unbeliever, that, like the Phari
sees, thinks to have life in the letter, and will not come to Christ
the life, the substance of scriptures, but stops his ear to the light of God
in him.
P. He saith, ' Let all know, that the work within is not the ground
and "purchase of true peace. And that God is more pleased with that
which Christ works without for them, than that which he worketh
within them.' And ' those that Peter speaks of, that had escaped the
pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ, yea, clean,
and yet are in the natural state, first and last.' See appendix.
A. They that have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of Jesus Christ, and are clean, are out of the natural state,
for they have escaped out of that state which they were in first. And
such as witness their sanctification and justification wrought within
them, witness in this they please God, by the faith in the blood of the
son of God. Now they feel not the comfort, nor the benefit, but by
the faith of Christ Jesus, the one offering, in which God is pleased,
which is acceptable, which is Christ's offering; his sacrifice, his flesh,
his blood, his life, his mind must lje manifest and received within,
before they come to justification, sanctification, and redemption, and
the serving of God in the new life. And herein is God glorified, to
'believe in the only begotten son of God;' and here they honour the
son in believing in him 'whom the Father hath sent.' And so they
that feel not Christ in them, are reprobates.
And as for all the rest of thy lies and slanders, and strife and confu
sions, who would set one against another; all cool, quiet, and sober
spirits will see thy confusion, and so thy words shall be thy own
burthen, and thy lies turn upon thy own self. 'And no man shall esta
blish Sion, nor lay a stone there, as he is in himself; but the elect
make up Sion, and the living stones, where the elect and precious
stone is in the midst, (which is Christ,) laid in Sion. And all thy
Babylonish ways, actings, and doings, and all the rest of thy brethren,

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and who are begotten with the same spirit of the great whore, that in
wardly, ravened from the spirit of God, who long have had the sheep's
clothing upon your backs, who all come from one Popish stock, are
comprehended now by the spirit of God which ye have all ravened
from inwardly ; with it are ye all fathomed. And the whore hath been
arrayed with the sheep's clothing, and hath had power over kindreds,
tongues, and peoples, and nations, and multitudes, and brought nations
into waters, and peoples, tongues, and multitudes like waters; which
have drunk the blood of the prophets, and the saints, and the martyrs.
And so thou art flattering the authorities of the earth, and crouching
under them, out of whose mouth goes the unclean spirits. But that is
stirred and stirring, and rising in people, which ye are all ravened
from, and gone from, with which ye are all comprehended.
And the judgment of the great whore is come, and her garments
shall be plucked off, and that which ye all have ravened from, high
and low, shall answer the judgment, and it is set atop of you all.
For such as ravened from the spirit of God inwardly, got the sheep's
clothing, but turned against the saints, and the woman fled into the
wilderness; but now the Lamb and the saints shall get the victory.
Though now the beast, and false prophets, and mother of harlots, and
the devil, and the kings of the earth make war against him. He that
' was dead is alive, and lives for evermore.' The ' Lamb slain from the
foundation ofthe world,' who rides on conquering, and to conquer, who
slays and kills with the sword, which is the words of his mouth. Now
wo to the dragon, and false prophets, beast, and mother of harlots,
and them that worship the beast, the unclean spirits! Woes, vials,
thunders, plagues, and earthquakes are come, and coming upon you!
And he is manifest and come, that treads the wine press alone without
the city; who is the Wonderful, Counsellor, the Prince of peace, whose
name is called 'the word of God.' With him are the saints singing
victory over the beast, and over the false prophets, great whore,
mother of harlots, Babylon, and antichrists. ' Babylon is fallen!' the
Lamb and the saints shall have the victory. In the body of witchcraft
thou art found, as all that read thy book, that are in the spirit of dis
cerning, may see ; whose body is redeemed, and reigns over thine in
the glory and victory.

Ralph Farmer's book, called ' The great mystery of godliness, and
ungodliness.' In which are these principles following.
P. He saith, ' The soul is of an immortal and spiritual nature. And

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God hath made man to serve him in an outward and visible way of
worship.' A. Christ saith, ' God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must
worship him in spirit, and in truth;' and is the spirit without, and visi
ble? In the spirit, that makes all that is contrary to bend, is God wor
shipped. And others that say they are teachers, (as ye may see in
this book,) say 'that the soul is human,' yea, the soul of Christ, and
thou sayst, the soul of man is immortal, and a spiritual nature. Now
the soul that gives the sense and feeling of all things, is spiritual and
immortal, as it comes out from God, which is in God's hand, whom
Christ is the bishop of; the noble principle that guides it, is the light
and life. '
P. He saith, ' The eternal word enlighteneth all men with the com
mon light of nature.'
A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is
enlightened with, is not natural. For the light was before any thing
was made, and all things that were made, were made by it; which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world, though he be in the
first Adam, in the sin and transgression: which light to him doth make
it manifest, which cometh from Christ, the second Adam, the way to
the Father, who was glorified with the Father before the world began:.
to restore that which the first lost; and this is the obedient son, and
the other the disobedient one, which brings the death upon him, and
all his posterity and all his house. So the sons of Adam in the trans
gression may say, and do say, that the light which Christ (the second
Adam, the redeemer, and restorer, the salvation to the ends of the
earth,) doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world with, is
natural. And so that is to deceive people, to keep them from the light,
with which they might all see their salvation, and come to receive
Christ, by which they might have power to become the sons of God.
P. ' The measure and degree it must be without thee. And it is a
cheating to tell people of God within, and Christ within, and a word
within, and they are without,' which he calls ' a mystery of mere con
fusion, and emptiness,' page 27.
A. The degrees and measures were in the saints who spoke forth scrip
tures, and knew the scriptures; but those that have the scriptures, and are
from theirdegree and measure inthemselves,they are without them. And
Jesus Christ is within except ye be reprobates. And where Jesus Christ
is within, the word is there, and God is there. And this is the great
mystery of godliness. And where the power of God is set, the cross of
Christ is felt: for the cross is the power of God. And if it be not the
same Christ that did ascend, it is antichrist, it is against him, and false:
but now many hundreds and thousands do witness Christ within, him

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the apostles preached; who have their joy and reward; who do possess
that which they long looked for. And all that stand against Christ
within, and God within, and the word within, and the cross within, the
power of God, are reprobates, and in the mystery of confusion.
P. 'The apostle bid Timothy to preach the word in season, and out
of season, &c. not immediate revelation,' page 32. And 'the time will
come, they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts
they will heap up to themselves teachers, having itching ears, turning
to fables, immediate revelations,' page 35.
A. None can preach the word of truth, but they who preach it im
mediately and by the immediate spirit, and know immediate revela
tions. Arid all that are in the faith, as Timothy was, are in the imme
diate revelations, the gift of God. But the apostle saw that such as
would not endure sound doctrine, but would get up teachers after their
own lusts, would be such as were covetous, and minded earthly things,
and evil beasts, that serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own
bellies. Such the apostle bid Timothy and Titus examine before they
ministered, prove them, and lay hands on no man suddenly, and keep
himself clear, not preferring one before another. And such as went
into their own lusts, got up heaps of teachers, lost immediate revelation,
and the immediate word of God, and erred from the faith that purifies
the heart and gives victory ; in which people have unity. And such
now as are got into the lusts, that cannot endure sound doctrine,
who have lost revelation and speaking the word immediately, have
ruled and reigned : of whose generation thou, Farmer, art. And people
have heaped to themselves teachers after their own lusts ; and that is
the cause of all the strife and wars amongst them. And by denying
immediate revelation, and the preaching the word of God immediately,
you teachers have declared yourselves openly to the nation, to be the
false prophets that never heard the voice of God, nor Christ's voice ;
nor the voice of the spirit, nor had the ministry of the spirit, which all
speak immediately. And the apostle saw them come up before his
decease. Therefore he chargeth Timothy to preach the word in season,
and out of season, which word is immediate. And so since the days
of the apostles, and of Timothy and Titus, ye have reigned, and trans
formed yourselves as apostles, as the ministers of Christ, and gotten
the form, the sheep's clothing, the outside, but no immediate revelation:
we do really believe you it is so. So you are all ministers of the letter
in your own lusts, for the word of God is immediate. And ye are
ignorant of the grace of God which is brought at the revelation of
Jesus; and ignorant of the son of God who reveals the Father; and
ignorant of the spirit of God, which reveals the deep things of God to
the ministers of the spirit. But revelation is ceased, say you, and the

291
rest of your generation do discover it. And thou sayst they went
after the fables, itching ears, ' immediate revelation.' Nay, they that
went from the immediate revelation and turned unto fables, had itching
ears, as all whole Christendom may witness. How are the itching
ears abroad, their ears are without, and cannot endure sound doctrine;
and all inwardly ravened from the light which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world, with which every man might see the
author of his faith, in which is the unity. And how have you broken
into sects, and heaps, and into fables, and heaps of teachers after your,
own lusts, and are burning after them, and have broken wedlock with
Christ: and ready to burn, and prison one another about churches and
ministers' maintenance, as whole Christendom discovers. But I say it
is better to marry than to burn.
P. He saith, ' that this God who is the creator, is eternally distinct
from all creatures,' page 53. 'That Christ being God only in one
man's person, remains a distinct person from all creatures and angels,'
page 55.
A. This is contrary to scripture. The saints' bodies are the temples
of God,' and he will dwell in them, and walk in them, and he will be
their God, and they shall be his people; and this is to them that wit
ness the new covenant, and 'Christ in you the hope of glory;' and he
is within you except ye be reprobates. And they that eat not his flesh,
and drink not his blood, have no life in them: and they that eat his
flesh, have his flesh in them. And the saints are not distinct from him,
for they sit with him in heavenly places, and he is in them, and they
in him. And ' Christ in you the mystery,' ' the hope of glory,' and,
'he is the head of the church,' and so not distinct.
< P. He saith, ' God is distinct in his being and blessedness from all
creatures;' and 'that God who is the creator is eternally distinct from
all creatures,' page 62.
A. God is a spirit, and he dwells in his saints, and the heaven of
heavens cannot contain him ; in him we live, and move, and have our
being, who is ' in all, and through all, and over all, God blessed for
ever.' And the spirit of th& Father speaks in the saints, and he makes
his abode with them. And the saints have fellowship with the Father,
and the son, so not distinct [separate;] so these keep people from
unity with God, and out of his knowledge, which knowledge of God
shall come to cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. And while
any are separated from the Lord it is their misery ; and if distinct
from him, they are from the spirit of God in their own particulars, and
are not saints ; but such as come to walk in the spirit, have fellowship
with him, and live in his presence, and see his face, and behold his
glory, and stand in his counsel, and hear instruction, and they are one;

292
' He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one.' And
so God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, though sin
and iniquity had separated ; who breaks down iniquity's bonds, and
bririgs light, life, and immortality to the light, through the power
which is the gospel, whereby fellowship and unity with God come,
and his blessing and blessedness are felt; and so not distinct, for they
that have unity with God, have unity with his blessing, and they that
have fellowship with God, know his blessedness. /
P. He saith, ' If any man that cometh into the world have a suffi
cient light within him to lead him to salvation, then there is no abso
lute need of a saviour, and this is to offer violence to Christ,' pages
73, 74.
A. Every man has a light from Christ the saviour of the soul, him
by whom the world was made before it was made ; and none see the
saviour but with the light which comes from him. And none see the
offering, and the blood of the offering, but with the light which cometh
from him, and the blood of the second Adam, the Lord from heaven.
And all that deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world, know not Christ nor salvation. But being from the
light, and out of the light which Christ hath enlightened them withal,
they are out of the truth, as the devil is. And so he can confess Christ
without as they do, not within: none see salvation, nor the saviour
Christ Jesus, but with the light which he hath enlightened them withal,
and that is within.
P. ' That the holy scriptures are the rule of knowing God.'
A. The Pharisees had the scriptures, but knew not God, knew not
Christ, nor do any but who are in the life that they were in that gave
forth scriptures, with which they learned of God the Father of life,
and stood in his counsel.
P. He saith, 'Christian, wouldst thou have another righteousness
than that of Christ wrought in thee ? I know thou wouldst, and must
have, if ever thou be saved; thou must have the righteousness of Christ
wrought within thee for thy sanctification, but rely upon another righte
ousness for thy justification, the righteousness of Christ without thee.'
See page 70. And it is a blasphemous opinion and filthy puddle, to say,
the righteousness of Christ within.' And ' I had rather to be a Papist
than a Quaker.'
A. The righteousness within and sanctification within have been lost
since the days of the apostles, in the apostacy, amongst you and the
Papists; and they that witness a righteousness within, sanctification
within, are not in the blasphemous opinion, raking in a puddle. And
I know, thou hadst rather turn to the Papists than to the Quakers: for
they were your root which ye came from (the Papists) who first erred

293
from the faith, and so lost the righteousness within, and justification
and sanctification. And I say, none come to witness salvation, and
to be saved, but who witness Christ within, their sanctification, and
justification, and redemption, and the others are reprobates. And all
upon the earth that can talk of a righteousness without them, and sanc
tification and justification without them, and a Christ without them, and
not within them, they are reprobates; for Christ is the righteousness of
God, and the sanctification, and the justification of man from the law
and its works, who stands between God and man. So he is the re
demption, who redeems man out ofthe fall, which he fell into: and he
doth sanctify him, and he doth justify him; and this is all found within:
and this not being found within, he is reprobate. And so none are
saved but who witness this within. They have the letter, (the wolves,)
the sheep's clothing, the raveners inwardly from the spirit of God, and
those are they that deny it within.
P. He saith, ' The spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences
seared as with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and abstaining from
divers meats.' See page 73.
A. Before the apostle's decease he saw these things come, up: and
the spirit speaks this; mark ! it ' speaks expressly.' Now since the
apostle's decease the things have been fulfilled; the faith hath been de
parted from, the unity among all Christians hath been lost, in all Chris
tendom; on heaps have they all run, destroying one another about the
scriptures, churches, ministry, yea, for maintenance; from the spirit ye
have departed in speaking, so out of the unity of it, which is the bond
of peace, which would have kept peace in all Christendom; it would
have kept all the professors of Christ in peace, and in it is the unity.
From that ye have ravened, you and the Papists, and all sects upon the
earth. So some are forbidding meats, and forbidding to marry, whose
consciences are seared as with a hot iron: the devil's doctrine: speak
ing lies in hypocrisy, and giving heed to seducing spirits. You are the
spirits that are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God, that deny im
mediate revelation, and hearing the voice of God immediately; these
are the seducing spirits, and keep all people in the burning and heat
ing lusts, from the marriage of the Lamb; all the seducing spirits do
this that deny revelation, immediate inspiration, and hearing the voice
of God immediately from heaven now as ever. And therefore their
fruits declare they are burning one against another, destroying one
another about their religion and ministry, their consciences seared as
with a hot iron, tenderness lost and gone, destroying people, and cast
ing into prison for their bellies, for maintenance, for tithes. So ye have
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got up your church, which was a mass-house, and tithes, and sprink
ling infants, who have had the time of compelling others to worship.
But the day is breaking, the light is springing, life is rising, and
glory is appearing, your torment is coming, and you can be no longer
hid. P. He saith, ' Beware of false prophets; there shall be false prophets
among the people, who shall bring in damnable heresies, denying the
Lord that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction,
and many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of. As Jannes and Jambres with
stood Moses, so do these resist the truth: but they shall proceed no
further; for their folly shall be made manifest to all men, as theirs
was.' A. Christ said to his apostles that antichrist should come, and false
prophets should arise, and before their decease they saw they were
come already, as Peter and John declare, whereby they knew it was
the last time. And they went forth from them, (the apostles,) and in
the Revelations it is said the whole world went after them, that the na-
tions-came to be like waters, and the peoples waters, and their tongues
waters, and multitudes waters ; so many followed their pernicious ways,
by whom the way of truth hath been evil spoken of, by you and them
both. And they brought up the damnable heresy: and are as Jannes
and Jambres, being men of corrupt minds, and reprobates concerning
the faith. But they shall proceed no further, for now is their folly
made manifest, and shall be made manifest to all men. Doth not the
very heathens cry out against Christendom, of the hardness of their
hearts, and of their unrighteous dealings and actions ? And you that are
called christians have caused the way of truth to be evil spoken of. Is
not the damnable heresy among you ? Are not you run into all heathen
ish ways, who have set up temples, and tithes, and priests, and schools,
and colleges, and never heard the voice of God, as ye confess, as may be
seen in this book ? Is not all this trumpery and trash, and these fables
come up among the Papists and you, since the days of the apostles ?
And do not you deny the light that doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world? the grace of God which brings salvation, which
hath appeared unto all men, to bring every man to a teacher ? And doth
any one know the Lord that bought him, but who owns the light that
doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world? Do not all deny
the Lord that bought them that deny the light? Do any see the Lord,
and his blood that bought them, and purchased them, but with the light
that cometh from him ? And are not you all as Jannes and Jambres
that withstood Moses to have kept the people in Egypt? Are not you
all denying the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into

295
the world? And were not all they that inwardly ravened, who got the
sheep's clothing, who Christ said should come, and the apostles saw
were come, who went forth from them, and whom the whole world
went after; were not all these in the witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment,
necromancy? Are not they wizards, familiar spirits, and witches that
deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the
world? Have not Babylon, the mother of harlots, beast, false prophet,
unclean spirits, dragon, antichrists, and all deceivers been up since the
days of the apostles? And hath not this been the mystery of iniquity,
which hath ruled since the days of the apostles, that cries, ' prophecy
is ceased,' and slays the prophets, and makes war against them that
keep the commands of God, and calls the scriptures 'the law and the tes
timony,' and makes war against them that have the law in their hearts,
and the spirit of prophecy? And hast not thou manifested thyself to be
of this number, and of the stock of the great whore, that hath drunk the
blood ofthe saints, and martyrs, and prophets?
P. Art not thou crying to magistrates, ' Help; stop the mouths of
blasphemers?? in page 23. And stirring up the zeal of the magistrates,
and showing them the zeal of the Jews' magistrates; ' how they did tear
their clothes off at blasphemers,* in thy 31st page; and sayst, 'thou
eould rejoice that they would breathe such an air throughout all the
English quarters, and wouldst not that the Quakers should have coun
tenance from the magistrates.'
A. Now thou hast made thyself manifest, that thou hast not the
spiritual weapons; and thou mayst well deny immediate revelations.
Was it not in all ages such as pretended to be ministers, and had not the
life that gave forth scriptures, that called to the magistrates, to stop the
mouths of blasphemers? Was not the mouth of the priests against
Christ to the rulers at the council? and against the apostles, and against
the prophets ? and it is your mouth now to your magistrates in the apos
tacy since the days ofthe apostles. But do you think that the magistrates
will let you get atop of their backs, and gallop upon them, to be their
executioners ? If ye be ministers that have the spirit of God, stop the
mouths of the gainsayers, for never did the apostles nor the church
wrestle against flesh and blood ; but they struck at the power that cap
tivated the creatures, to the intent that the creatures might come into
the liberty of the sons of God. But thy fruits have stunk about, thee,
and your fruits. How barbarously have the saints and true christians in
the spirit, been used among you! And so they that make war against the
saints, are such as have inwardly ravened from the spirit, and so got
the sheep's clothing, and turned against them that had the spirit of God:
ravened from the spirit of God inwardly, lost the spiritual weapons, and
had only the sheep's clothing, and that would not carry them out in

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the time of need, and so were fain to fly to magistrates, to carnal wea
pons. And so by this means, in all ages, the righteous have been slain
by them that had the scriptures, but were from the spirit that gave them
forth; and all the saints upon the earth have been slain by them that have
been from that of God in their own particulars; which now is awakened,
by which men come to be turned unto God. And so you now, that
deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world,
that preach, men should have sin while they be upon earth, and the body
of it, and imperfection, are such as have led people captive all their life
time, with the form of godliness without the power; and have kept
people in spiritual Egypt, Sodom, and Gomorrah, in filthiness and dark
ness, where Christ was crucified by them whose ears were stopped to
that of God in them, and that was spiritual Egypt. And so, all you that
are inwardly ravened from the spirit of God in your own particulars, that
have a form of godliness, but deny the power, that are ravened in
wardly from that of God; ye are likely to be reprobated concerning the
faith ; ye are not likely to lead people to the knowledge of the truth,
but to keep them in the divers lusts, laden with their sins, and 'always
learning, never able to come to the knowledge of truth.' There are all
the witchcraft, and sorcery, and enchantments, and familiar spirits;
among such as deny the light which doth enlighten every one that
cometh into the world.
And as for thy lies, and all thy slanders, and revilings, they will be
thy own clothing, and wear thy own garments thou must; and they
will cover thee in darkness in the day of thy judgment, when thy works
are tried with fire; the witness in thy conscience shall answer, I am a
friend to thy soul. And thy shame, and folly, and wickedness thou hast
published to the nation. All sober people see thy folly; and thy silence
had been better to have preached thee a sober man. But novices and
fools must utter their folly. And the truth is gone over you, and thou
shalt feel it one day when thou and thy works are tried with the fire.
And eternally shalt thou witness, they are judged and condemned.

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Edward Boules, who calls himself a teacher ofthe gospel at Yerk,
in his book he calls, ' The duty and danger of swearing, opened,
(as he saith) in a sermon preached at York, the day of swearing
the Lord Mayor.'
This is the title of his book, which he directs to Stephen Watson, lord mayor, the
aldermen, and common council of that city; whose work throughout his book, that
he calls a sermon, is to teach them to break the commands of Christ.
P. First, he says, ' Christ brought down the righteousness of the
scribes and Pharisees,' and ' the Pharisees wrested the scriptures, or
made the scriptures to bend to their own righteousness.'
A. This is your own condition, and the Papists', who cannot own
the scriptures as they speak; but you will make the scriptures bend to
your own wills, and wrest them as the Pharisees did, and as you and the
Papists do Christ's words, who says, ' Swear not at all,' and you say,
'swear.' How now, Edward Boules! who makes the scriptures bend
now ? Thou teachest men should swear, and Christ said, ye shall not
swear at all, and so art an antichrist, and against the doctrine of Christ,
and teachest thy own tradition for doctrine, and makest the command
ment of Christ pf none effect. He that is against the doctrine of Christ,
is an antichrist, and so the Papists, and Protestants, and Pharisees all
are found swearers, out of Christ's doctrine, who says, 'swear not at all;'
and yet in your pride you will make a trade of his words, and a talking
of his words to get money by.
P. Thou sayst,'Christ came not to destroythe law: and it hath deceiv
ed some to say, "Swear not at all." The scripture must not be taken in
general terms; for Paul said, he became all things to all men: and Christ
our saviour, his intent is this, that we should not swear as we were
wont to do, " not at all" must be interpreted : so that you see it is the
scope and circumstance of this place, that this "swear not at all" be
interpreted, vain and unnecessary customs, and abuse'of swearing among
the Jews: and it is not unlawful to swear, but to all men not only a
liberty, but in just cases a duty, and part of divine worship, not cere
monial or mutable, there is no shadow or type in it. An oath is for
confirmation, and the end of strife, it gives the last peal to all dif
ferences, and gives a great honour to God, and is the proper end of wor
ship, and consequently a great honour.'
A. They are deceived that break Christ's commands; for when he
says, ' swear not at all,' he says in all your communication ' let your
yea be yea, and your nay, nay, for whatsoever is more is evil.' So he
layeth down no other doctrine that men should practise, than ' not to

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swear at all,' but ' yea, yea, and nay, nay;' they that go any further, go
into the evil, ' whatsoever is more is evil.' So mind these three things ;
and though the apostle became all things to all men, yet not without
the law of Christ, (mark! the law of Christ,) which was, 'swear not at
all.' So still that is agreeable to Christ's words; the scripture is to be
taken as general, and Christ said, ' It hath been said to them of old
time, thou shalt perform the oath of the Lord.' Christ said so that
comprehended time, that was the end of that old time in which had
been the swearing: ' But I say unto you' now, ' swear not at all ;' and
so it was not the frivolous oaths that were among the Jews that swore,
but it was true oaths that Christ brought them off from, the oath that
was to be performed to the Lord, which Christ the oath of God ended,
who comprehends time, and told them the danger, if they went any
farther than yea and nay. And so your interpreting the scripture, who
are the private interpreters, is but to wrest them to your own earthly
wills ; and that which opposeth the commands and doctrine of Christ,
brings not honour to God, is not a part of his worship, nor is divine,
but in that which is out of truth, (for none worship God but who are in
Christ, who says, ' swear not at all,' who is the end of the law and the
prophets, and oaths,) and is but one of your dark consequences. And
so it is not men's duty in any case to swear; for the duty of man is to
keep the commands of Christ, and there are none that are just that will
swear, who obey the commands of Christ; but such swear who are un
just, and who are out of that which gives the last peal, and ends all
differences, which ends all oaths, arid all strife, and all controversy,
which is Christ Jesus the covenant of God. For strifes, controversies,
and differences are without the covenant of light and life, Christ Jesus,
the oath of God ; and so thou art not a minister of Christ, that brings
people back to the law, and tells them it is lawful to swear. Here the
Papists and thee are one, both opposing the commands of Christ, who
would makepeople believe, they were the frivolous oathsamongtheJews,
that Christ brought them off from, and not the true oaths, and say the
oath was not a shadow. I say, yes, it made peace, and ended the strife
amongst men; the oath of God that was sworn by the Lord; but Christ
the oath of God ends the strife, and ends those oaths that men were to
swear by the Lord. So it was typical and ceremonial, and was to change,
and was mutable; for Christ that comprehends time, says, ' in the old
time the oath must be performed to the Lord ; but I say unto you now,
swear not at all.' So that was to be changed, and it did type forth some
thing. There you may see the substance of it, Christ the oath of God,
in which men have peace, who ends the strife between men and God,
who makes all things new: and so they that bring men to the swearing,
bring men into the evil ; and they that bring men to the law and pro-

299
phets that speak of swearing, bring men from Christ, who is the end of
the law and prophets, into the old time.
P. 'The ground and occasion of oaths yet remain, and so a useful
ness of oaths for the ending of controversies, which must be established
by oaths for the end of human societies. The apostates take for granted
that the christian religion did forbid all oaths; it is false and ridiculous;
for the prophet said "every tongue shall swear," and " thou shalt swear
by my name." Deut. And "men verily swear by the greater." And
men and angels have made use of oaths to confirm the truth, and
avenge falsehood. I see not how swearing by any creature can be ex
empted from idolatry. He that sweareth must do it righteously in a
lawful, just matter. Those that swear falsely are highly guilty of of
fence against the God of truth. Can a blackamoor change his skin, or
a leopard his spots?'
A. Christ, who hath ended oaths, ends controversies amongst men,
and brings them to peace one with another, and with God, and ends the
law, and fulfils it, and doth not break it; and ends the prophets who
swear, and 'Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes.'
And your human societies, which are of the earth, from the ground,
amongst whom are the oaths, the swearing, are out of the doctrine of
Christ, and know not the end of the law and the prophets; and they
are the apostates, and false, and ridiculous, apostatized from Christ and
the apostles' doctrine, that swear, and teach men so, and are not the
true Christians: and so you that will swear, will forswear, who are out
of the truth; for the truth, Christ, saith, ' Swear not at all.' And the
apostle says, 'Above all things, my brethren, swear not at all.' So you
are the false brethren, apostatized from the truth, and are come to be as
black as the Ethiopians and the blackamoors, and your custom of the
sin of swearing doth take away the sense of it.
And as for men and angels swearing, and the swearing by the great
er: and ' to the Lord every tongue shall swear, and perform their
oaths to him;' and they were to swear by the name of the Lord. Now
Christ is he to whom the angels must bow; and as the people had
sworn by Baal, so the prophet brought them to swear by the Lord, to
change their form; to swear by the Lord, as a true oath, and perform
it to him. But Christ is the end ofthe prophets and the law, as I said
before, and of the true oath; for saith he, ' It hath been said to them
of old time, thou shalt perform thy oath to the Lord;' that was a true
oath, not a false oath; let all take notice of that! 'but I say unto you,
swear not at all.' So he came to end the true oath, Christ, the oath of
God. And so, though the angels, or men in strife, or prophets, or
Moses, or the law, said swear; yet Christ, who comprehends time be
fore the world was made, who came to end that old time, says, 'Swear

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not at all, but let your communications be yea and nay, for whatsoever
is more than these cometh of evil.' And many men are undone by
these false oaths, and by swearing. And you that call yourselves
ministers of the gospel, and teach men to swear, when Christ says
'swear not at all,' have brought another doctrine, and so are to be ac
cursed. And again, do not you swear by the Bible, by the prophets, and
Moses, and Christ's, and the apostles' words, and by the evangelists?
and Christ says, 'Swear not at all!' What a perverse generation of
men are ye professors, and teachers, and people! What an unchristian
spirit have you ! And see, have you not brought the judgment upon
yourselves to be the idolaters? For the true oath was by the Lord,
among the Jews, and you swear by the evangelists, and the bible that
tells you you should not swear! Did ever the prophets swear by
Moses' words? or Moses by Enoch's? or the apostles by the prophets',
or Christ's words? Now is not this a frivolous oath to swear by the
bible* which says, 'Swear not at all?' And worse than the Jews that
swore by the temple, who were to swear by the Lord, and to perform
the oath to him? Which oath Christ ended, and brought men out of
strife, and the earth, into peace with God, to the beginning, to ' the
glory which was with the Father before the world was begun,' who
brings the ' peace on earth, and good will towards men.' And do not
you that swear by the bible, swear by all that is contained in it, as the
Jews swore by the temple? And so hath not the bible judged you?
Here are Christ's words and the apostles', that tell you ye should not
swear, and yet you swear ! And if ye say, the prophets, and Moses,
and Abraham, and Jacob, and Joseph, and the angels swore, and men
of strife swore; do not Christ and the apostle tell you he is the end of
the prophets, a greater than Solomon? David called him Lord, before
Abraham was; he reigns over the house of Jacob and Joseph; to him
the angels bow, and he says, ' Swear not at all.' 'This is my beloved
son, hear him,' is the end of the law and the prophets to him that be
lieves, who hears him. But it seems you that are the swearers and
forswearers will not hear him. And the apostle brings that concerning
an oath's being the end of controversy among men of strife; and that
men sVvear by the greater, and that they swear by the Lord; he brings
these examples, not that men should swear, but to show how God, that
could not find a greater, sware by himself concerning his son, who is
the oath of God, the end of oaths. And as to the true oath that men
swore, that ended the strife; he brought peace on earth, and good will
towards men, that ended that oath, and brought men to unity with God
and one another, out of the earth to the beginning.
P. ' That oaths are to be performed if the scriptures were silent: the

301
law of nature and nations would speak loud in this point, because of
the particular miscarriages in human societies. Therefore, says the
Lord, mine oaths ye despised, and my covenant ye have broken. It
would be a great dishonour to the nature of an oath, if it should tie
any man to disobey the commands of God. Governors are ready to
think it their great security to establish themselves by oaths.'
A. Let the law, as ye call it, of nature and nations, who establish
themselves by sin and transgression in the earthly human societies, cry
never so loud for swearing, the commands of Christ forbid swearing.
And I know that the law of nations, and the national laws, have sanc
tioned swearing by several heathen gods and idols, as the Jews swore
by the temple, and you by the evangelists; but ' swear not at all' Christ
says, and his apostle. And there is a great outcry for oaths, but here is
a cry from the Lord Christ, which says, ' Swear not at all.' And
oaths were in the covenant which was to change, (mark that!) oaths
despised, and covenant broken. This was the first covenant, in which
were the oaths, that was to change and decay; and Christ came to
end both covenant and oaths, and bid them ' swear not at all,' and
took away the first covenant, that he might establish the second. And
as the Jews brake the first covenant, and despised the Lord's oath,
which was, to swear by himself, who is the greater, and to perform it
to him; so you that are teaching men to swear, despise his covenant,
his son, the everlasting covenant, that ends oaths and the first covenant.
And so there is swearing, and forswearing, and lamentable work, as
you may see in your courts, how they will swear a man hath so much,
when he hath not half so much, as the writs and indictments, and all
their bad stuff declare. And so you that swear do break the com
mands of Christ; though it was the command of God in the old time
to swear, yet it is the command of Christ, who makes all things new,
' Swear not at all.'
And the governors that are established by oaths are out of the doctrine
of Christ, that establish themselves by that which Christ denies, and
so establish themselves out of his power, command, and authority, and
do not hear the son, and are not the true christians, but are apostatized
from the true church, have only his name, but are dead to the life.
Now Christ, that takes away oaths, and showed the danger of those
that went into oaths, more than yea and nay in all their communica
tions, bid them ' swear not at all,' and that they went into the evil that
did, he established a way; 'by two or three witnesses every word is
established.' So they that would have any more than yea and nay,
may take the order of Christ, mind the order of Christ, ' two or three
witnesses,' that ye may establish every word. And this is a way for
all tradesmen, and magistrates, and all whatsoever, that they may follow
Vol. III. 38

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and practise the commands of Christ, yea and nay in all their commu
nications; and if they will have any more, 'two or three witnesses, that
every word may be established.' And such are the true christians, the
true brethren, that abide in the doctrine of Christ, they are not trans
gressors, but have the son and the Father, which the others have not;
and that is a practice for all true christians, cities, countries, and magis
trates upon the earth.
P. Thou sayst, ' Those that be engaged take oaths, and they must
be circumspect in taking of it,' and this is the word thou adds: ' And
you, my lord mayor and sheriffs, under the bond of an oath shall execute
your office.'
A. The command of Christ and the doctrine of the apostles, engage
men not to swear, and do not engage any to swear, and Christ is the
end of the law and the prophets ; but you ministers of unrighteousness,
and false apostles, teach men to disobey and transgress the commands
of Christ, who are the false prophets and antichrists which Christ said
should come, John saw were come, which went forth from the apostles,
and since the world is gone after you; and so you have taught the world
to swear, and men to swear, and Christ and his apostles teach them not
to swear. And so here is the land mourning because of oaths; among
boys and girls they are become common in your streets, courts, and
houses: swearing, forswearing, and profane swearing, and that which
is out of the command of Christ is profane; for they bewitch people,
that draw people from the command of God. The apostle instances
circumcision which Christ ended; and what are they that draw people
to those things which Christ forbids, but such as would not have him
tp reign, but antichrists, which have been from the apostles. And so
you and the Papists are one here, doing what you do by an oath ; and
the apostle (whom you are apostatized from,) saith, 'Above all things,
swear not at all, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by any other
oath;' mark, this was to the brethren, true christians, true believers,
such as obeyed Christ's doctrine ; for he tells them the danger, ' lest ye
fall into condemnation.' 'Let all your communications be yea, yea, and
nay, nay; whatsoever is more, is evil:' 'Not by heaven, nor by earth,
nor by any other oath.' Now true, and false, and profane, and all
swearing whatsoever, was comprehended in these words, ' not by
any;' but keep to 'yea and nay in all your communications.' Now
tell the apostle he doth not mean as he speaks, give him the lie, per
vert his words, and Christ's words, who says, ' swear not at all,' and
say he means profane oaths. Christ brought the people off the true
oath which was in the old time, that was performed to the Lord; a pro
fane oath was not performed to the Lord ; that, therefore, was not meant,
but such as were sworn by him. Christ says now, 'swear not at all;'

303
and so they that break the oath, break the covenant, the true oath ; so
they that swear now, do not own the new covenant, which ends the
true oath and covenant in the old time. The profane oaths were judged
by them that lived in the first covenant, and they did not type out any
thing, but a true oath did, which ended controversies among men;
which the oath Christ ends, who is the peace between God and men,
and reconciles them to God and one another. These are true brethren,
true christians, that are come to yea and nay in their communications,
and cannot swear ' by heaven, nor by earth, nor by any other oath,' lest
they come into the evil; but keep to yea and nay in all their commu
nications, lest they come into condemnation. So you that teach men
to swear have brought them into evil, and under condemnation, and a
great outcry you have raised to break the commands of Christ. Ye
that teach them to] swear any oath whatsoever, cast behind your
backs the commands of Christ, and doctrine of the apostles: and the
apostle, that bid the saints keep to yea and nay in all their communica
tions, and ' swear not at all,' said, if ye will have any more, take two
or three witnesses.
And for all thy other confusion, and thy perverting and wresting of
scriptures, to bring people into the condemnation and evil of swear
ing, is not worthy the mentioning, and will but come upon thyself in
the day of thy condemnation and judgment; thou and all upon the
earth that are departed from the apostles shall witness how ye that have
transgressed the commands of Christ, and teach people to transgress
them, and to sin, have brought them into the evil and condemnation.
So repent, and while ye have time prize it.

Samuel Hammond, in his book, called ' The Quakers' house built
on the Sands' A very fit title for himself and the rest of his
priests. These are some of his principles.
P. 'Young men and women having some convictions and awaken
ings of the law, have followed the light of an awakened conscience,
and sit down before they have closed with Christ ; and they make not
a distinction between the righteousness imputed, upon the account of
the blood of Christ, and the righteousness inherent, wrought in us by
his spirit: and this inherent righteousness, the attainments brought
forth by the light in every man, they confound with the other, not
being able to distinguish the workings of satan.'
A. Inherent righteousness is a word of thy own and the Papists'

304
inventing, and thou art a man that canst not distinguish between the
workings of Christ and the workings of satan. For the light which every
one that cometh into the world is enlightened with, which brings men
and women to know the law, and the convictions of it, brings them to
the end ofthe law, Christ, and to see that appear that cannot be shaken,
and the righteousness imputed to a believer that is felt within: 'For
he that believes hath the witness in himself,' and feels it there ; and
the blood of Christ is felt within, justifying and cleansing the con
science from dead works. And the righteousness of faith is found
within, and that righteousness which is wrought within, is found with
in, and no man sees this but with the light which Christ hath enlight
ened every man that cometh into the world withal; and this light is that
which confounds all thy attainments, for Christ's righteousness ; and his
blood and spirit are all one, which justifies and sanctifies.
P. ' They dream of a perfection by obeying the light within, and
this is delusion; they are not able to distinguish, between "justified
freely by grace," which is the favour of God upon the account of
Christ's satisfaction, and the grace that is wrought by Christ's spirit in
the soul:, that natural light within, being improved, they .call grace.
The work of God upon the soul, leads into the covenant of works;
then it is no other than to tread in the Papists' steps : so this is delu
sion, artd the ground of their delusion is their not distinguishing
between saving light given forth by Christ in conversion, and the
light of conscience that every man hath.'
A. None come to the perfection, out of the delusion, but they who
come to the light within, and follow that; it gives him the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. That
which was wrought without is within in the soul, for ' Christ in you,'
&c. and he is the covenant of grace, of light, of life, and of peace: and
none know him without, nor justification by grace, but who know it
in the heart, and it is one and the same thing, it is not another grace,
nor another covenant, nor another Christ, but the same 'Christ in
you.' The saints are in his spirit, and in his mind, and are of his flesh,
and of his bone. And thou who art so full of thy delusions, art out
of this, and thou always hast been in the dreams, and never wilt know
perfection, till thou come to the light within. And God's work in the
soul leads to the end of the covenant of works, who ' works all in us,
and for us,' as says the apostle; who works faith and grace, com
mands the light to shine out of darkness, and shines in the heart to give
the knowledge of the son. And so thou art in the delusion and the
Papists' doctrine, that knows not this within, but calls it the covenant
of works : dost not thou tread in their steps, and hast crept up in their
great mass-houses? And the light given forth by Christ in conversion,

305
and the light in the conscience, are one, and it is not natural, it was
before natural was; it exerciseth the conscience towards God and
towards man in them that love it ; but they that hate it, are not con
verted, but live in the many ways out of the one way to God; for he
that is the covenant of light is the covenant of grace. And thus thou
art blinding people with many things.
P. ' The owning not the imputation of Christ as the matter and
formal cause of justification, is damnable doctrine: to make our recon
ciliation to God to be wrought by our improving the light within, and
renewing the image of God in us, is damnable doctrine; to take men off
from going to the fulness of Christ at the right hand of God, and send
them to look to a light within, which they say is in every man, is a
damnable doctrine; this is to forsake the fountain of living waters and
dig to themselves broken cisterns: a dangerous principle is that of per
fection by improvement of the light within.'
A. The imputation to a believer is owned, and this imputation is
within; for he that believes is born of God, and hath the witness in
himself. Now Abraham believed, and the Romans, and to such the
imputation was spoken in the belief; and Abraham saw his glory, who
is Christ Jesus the righteousness itself. And the apostle says, ye are
now nearer than when, ye believed ; and again he says, ' Christ is in
you, and God will dwell in you, and walk in you.' So such as have
Christ in them, have the righteousness itself, without imputation, the
end of imputation, the righteousness of God itself, Christ. Jesus. No
man knows the reconciliation, and his reconciliation made with God,
but by hearing and doing the word of God, that is in the heart and
mouth, which divides thy bad words, (Hammond,) and thy bad
thoughts, and cuts them down, and hammers them down, and burns
them up; that is the word that sanctifies and reconciles to God, and
makes clean. And the word is Christ, called ' the word of God,' and
Christ is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, and that is it that renews man into the image of God. For the
light that comes from Christ is the image of God, ' the light of the
glorious gospel which is the image of God,' and so this is within, and
thou that knowest not this within, and feelest it not, thy lips are pol
luted, and thou art in the damnable doctrine, and the light that shines
in the darkness, thou canst not comprehend. And indeed, thou art
too proud, high, and lofty, and must be brought down ; the Lord God
will abase thee. And no man comes into the image of God, and is
renewed, and hath reconciliation with God, but who comes to the, light
which Christ the word hath enlightened him withal, and that is with
in, and they that believe in it have the witness in themselves, and they
that do not, the light condemns them. And the light that every man

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that comes into the world is enlightened with, doth not take them
from Christ's fulness at the right hand of God ; but the light lets them
see him lifted up, and no one upon the earth comes to Christ at the right
hand of God, to receive of his fulness, but who comes to the light with
which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world:
that is the eye, the light, with which he sees Christ, and in that he
receives him, and comes to be ingrafted in him, in the vine Christ
Jesus. And so thou that drawest men from the light within, which
Christ hath enlightened every man that comes into the world with,
thou drawest them from Christ at the right hand of God, that they
cannot receive this his fulness, and so thou takest away the key of
knowledge from people, who art in the doctrine that is damnable,
and to be condemned, that is from the light. And none come to the
fountain of living mercies, but are all broken cisterns, that are from
the light within them, which comes from Christ the fountain of living
mercies, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
that with it all might come to see the fountain, and believe in it, and
they that do not are condemned. And no one knows perfection, nor
comes into the perfection of Christ, but is in the dangerous estate,
where thou art, who doth not come into the light which enlightens
every man that comes into the world; for the imperfection comes by
the first Adam and Eve, and the devil going out from the truth; the
perfection comes again by Christ, who destroys the devil, death, and his
works, and sanctifies man, and reconciles man again to God, who doth
enlighten every man that comes into the world, that in the light all
men might see the perfection of God, Christ Jesus; which none do but *
such as come to him, the light.
P. ' That there is so much light in every man that will reveal Christ,
and save them that believe in it: and that an Indian hath it: and to
direct to this to lead to perfection, and to neglect the fountain of wis
dom at the right hand of God, is a soul destroying principle.'
A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is
enlightened with, is saving to them that believe in it, they that do not
are condemned; and this light leads to perfection, to the fountain of
wisdom, Christ Jesus the light of the world, to know the bishop of
their souls; and all that are not come to the light in their own particu
lars, which comes from him that doth enlighten every man that comes
into the world, their principles are destroying, which thine are that
standest against the light, thou art antichrist, kicking against the light
with which Christ hath enlightened thee. No man knows a saviour,
nor sees salvation, but as he comes to the light; with the same light he
comes to see Christ the light and saviour, to save him from his sins.
And that light is sufficient; ' I will give him for a covenant of light

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to the Gentiles ;' and ' I will make a covenant with the house of Israel
and Judah,' them that had the old, (and here is all the world,) ' and
he shall be my salvation to the ends of the earth.' And the Gentiles
were heathen, call them Indian or what thou wilt;) 'I will give him for
a covenant to the Gentiles, a leader of the people,' and many Gentiles
have found their leader, the covenant of light; and in this light, Jew
and Gentile are one, and in unity. ' If ye walk in the light as he is
in the light, then have ye fellowship one with another,' and this breaks
all your sects, the covenant of light between Jew and Gentile, and
brings them to one in believing in the light.
P. ' That light that is in every man is the relics of the first cove
nant of works which cannot reveal Christ as mediator.'
A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is en
lightened with, which is Christ, by whom the world was made, ends the
covenant of works; the creation was made by him, and he was before
it was made, so he is not a created light, but that by which all things
were created. And thou art in thy works, the covenant of works, and
the created lights, that callest the light that enlightens every man that
cometh into the world (Christ Jesus) a covenant of works, or that a
natural light, which was before the covenant of works was, or a natu
ral light was created; which ends the covenant of works. And thou art
to be judged for thy words. And with that light every man sees the
mediator, believing in it; if not, it condemns him.
P. ' That all the light they have is but the light of a natural con
science, and that is a blurred one too. Nay, how comes it to pass that
in old England we see so many hundreds, that manifest no other
but a natural conscience? and in New England, that have conversed
with the Indians, and never saw the least breaking forth of the light.'
A. The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, by whom the world was made, was before natural conscience
was, or natural light either, or the blurred light, as thou callest it. And
many of the Indians do show forth more of the light in their conver
sations than you do. And as for old England, what have you been
doing all this while, if you see so many hundreds manifesting no other
light but a natural conscience? But how should they manifest it, when
you keep them from it? Your work is to keep them from the light
within. But now there are thousands that are manifesting the light on
the house-top, that by which the world was made, which doth ' en
lighten every man that cometh into the world.' And you ministers of
satan, out of the light and truth, are those that stand against it; for the
devil that went out of the light and truth, who sowed his seed in the
hearts of people, would not have them to own the light in them, he
would confess a God without him; and so he teaches them in whom he

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sows his seed, not to have the light within them, the seed Christ, the
tree of righteousness, the root of God.
P. ' I charge the Quakers to show one scripture that bids look to the
light within, the old trick of error. The righteousness of faith doth
not direct people to look for a Christ within ; the scripture bids weary
laden souls, go to Christ; is this to the light within them ? I am amazed
at their ignorance.'
A. The righteousness of faith brings people to look at Christ within;
and what abundance of ignorance hast thou shown, who hast been
a teacher of the people these many years, yet showest how contrary
thou art to Christ and the apostles in doctrine, for in 2 Cor. iv. the
apostle tells the Corinthians, ' the light shined in their'hearts, to give
them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ Jesus.' This was the work of the true apostles, when the false
apostles, and devil's ministers and messengers, were got among them:
for the devil is out of truth, and so [are his messengers, and they will
draw people from the light within, and blind their minds that they
should not come to the light within, to see the glory of God in the face
of Christ, from whom it comes. So thou concludest thyself among the
devil's ministers, and false apostles and messengers. And no wearied
soul that is burdened, comes to Christ'who is the soul's rest, but that first
comes to the light within, which comes from Christ who is the soul's
bishop, with which light they see him ; he shines in their hearts, which
gives them the knowledge of him, and the glory of God in the face of
Christ JeSus. And thou that leadest them from the light within, lead-*
est them from Christ and the glory of God, who should save them from
their sins, and give them ease, rest, and peace.
P. ' I said, looking to the light, and living upon the light within,
will lead men to hell ; and is going to, and living upon, a muddy puddle
of natural light. That Christ is the light in all in a saving manner, I
deny; for Christ to be the righteousness of men in justification, differs
from this; and to send a man to live upon a light within, is not to send
him to Christ ; and if he live upon it, upon the light as it is justification,
it is a plain covenant of works.'
A. There is no man hath life but in the light which comes from
Christ, the light by whom the world was made, in whom was light,
and this light is the life of men; and this light and life are manifest in
us; for he that hath the son of God, hath light and life: he that receives
not this but hates it, though he be enlightened, hath not life, but hates
it. Such as lead people from it, go from it in their own particulars ; they
lead people into hell, into its gates, which prevail against them; but
they who are in the light, the gates of hell cannot prevail against them ;
and they that believe in it are not condemned. And so they live in the
muddy puddle, and go into the natural light, that deny the light within,

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which Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world
withal; they live not upon the life, but in the muddy puddle of dark
ness, and are antichrist, out of the light, and are against it in their own
particulars, and against them that walk in it; and such are unlike the
ministers of Christ. Every man that cometh into the world is enlight
ened with the saving light, and he that believes in it is saved, he that
doth not is condemned. No one comes out of the covenant of works,
but by the light within, which Christ, the covenant of God, hath en
lightened him withal. And no one lives out of the covenant of works,
but who lives in the light; and who lives in the light, lives in Christ,
and Christ in him : ' I in you, and you in me ;' and they who hate this
light, live not in Christ, it condemns them, for they are in their own
covenant of works. Who believes in the light, hath entered into the
rest, and ceased from his own work as God did from his. And righte
ousness and justification are one; where Christ is known and felt in
man, they are both felt in one. For Christ is the righteousness of Qod,
and the justification, and Christ is in you; and see if thou canst read
this, who sayst, they differ.
P. ' What warrant have you to go out to the Quakers? Shall a man
go to hear the Jews and Popish mass, because Paul bid try all things?
No, no.'
A. Paul bids ' quench not the spirit :' and where the spirit is not
quenched, they may try Papists, Jews, and Protestants; but they who
quench the spirit, and draw people from the light within, draw from
•that they should see with; then ye stuff them up with old authors, and
lying stories, as you print abroad.
P. ' Christ's revealed will is the word of reconciliation.'
S A. The scriptures are not the word of reconciliation ; but Christ is
the word of reconciliation, who reconciles man to God, and satisfies the
Father, and gives men peace with God ; and this the scripture declares.
And as for the ministers of Newcastle, who have persecuted the people
of God because they met there, and banished them out of their town,
this doth not show the spirit of Christ, nor the love of God among you,
but the works of the Pharisees and Cain. And thou never knew the
gospel that denies the light of Christ, that hath enlightened every man
that cometh into the world, but art found among the monkish-holiness
thou speaks of, and the Pharisees and the Papists; for the Pharisees, the
Papists, and you, do not own the' light, Christ Jesus, that enlightens
every man that cometh into the world. So with the light you are all
comprehended and condemned in one body, not to be true believers;
for they believe in the true Christ the light, and bid people believe in
the ' light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World,
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that all men through him might believe ;' that is the end ; that he that
doth might be saved, and that he that doth not might be condemned.
P. Thou sayst, ' The saints laid down their estates at the apostles''
feet.' A. You priests say you are ministers of Christ and the gospel, and
you are fain to cast men into prisons, because they will not put into
your mouths. Now all people may see that you have a contrary power
to the apostles; for when did a people, your hearers, lay down all at your
feet? Nay, you are fain to cast into prisons, hale before courts, a hun
dred or two hundred miles, and take treble damages. Now do you
not think that most people begin to see that you are apostatized from
the apostles, and from the power they were in, with which you are
fathomed, and with the life the apostles were in are you judged.
And whereas thou speakest of circumcision, and tellest people that
they that are circumcised cannot be saved; the Quakers bring no people
to circumcision, but that of the spirit, which puts off the body of sin,
which you say they must have while they are upon the earth, and so>
have ravened from the spirit of circumcision; and such keep people in
the covenant of works, from the spirit within that puts off the body of
sin. And as for all the rest of thy torn, confused stuff, which is given
forth from thy vain thoughts, it is not worth mentioning; but in the
day of thy judgment, the witness in thy conscience shall answer itr
and all thy works are fuel for the fire.

Priest Bennet' s ' Looking-glass.' These are some of his principles
following.
P. ' James asks the question, Can one fountain send forth sweet
water and bitter?' He says, ' It is a new fancy to say there is a light
in every man which will guide him to salvation.' And says, ' There is
a fancy of perfection.'
A. One fountain cannot send forth sweet water and bitter, and yet
it is bitter to them that are in the transgression; for the righteousness
of God revealed to the wicked, is a terror to him; but the righteous
ness of God revealed to the saints, is their joy, as is the truth: but
speaking truth to him who is in the deceit, is bitter to him, but to the
just it is not. And the ' light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world,' is Christ Jesus, 'the salvation to the ends of the earth.'
Thou art in the fancy that stumbles at this corner stone: and this 'light
that enlighteneth every man,' is the perfection of beauty, and they

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that are out of this, are in the fancy of a perfection, where thou mayst
see thyself. And the Pharisees stood against Christ the light, the cove
nant of God promised to Jews and Gentiles, though they had the scrip
tures ; them thou art like, that art now stumbling at the light as they
did. So thou hast the mark of an unbeliever, one ' that hath the form,
but denies the power,' and art not a preacher of that which people should
believe in, that is the light.
P. 'The scriptures are the lanterns of Israel. The scriptures are the
wisdom of the cross.'
A. The word of God is the lantern of Israel, as says David; and
Christ Jesus is the wisdom of the cross; Christ the wisdom of God; and
the cross of Christ is the power of God. And Abraham had a lantern,
and Enoch and Abel, before the scriptures were written.
P. Thou sayst, ' The corruptions of the damned in hell shall never
be destroyed; and it would be good news if the Quakers should go and
preach to the spirits in hell.' And thou sayst, ' David would open
his mouth in dark sayings of old.'
A. The scriptures, and David's words, to thee that art in darkness, are
dark, but not to them that are in the light. And the Quakers have been
among the prisoners that are in hell, and ministered to them, and the
corruptions shall go into the fire that hath no end; and they that do wick
edly, and forget God, shall go into hell, and death and hell shall go into
the lake of fire, and there is yet more in these words than thou canst re
ceive. For ' God is the salvation of all men, but especially of them
that believe.' But I must tell thee, thou and thy flesh are for the fire
thou art speaking of; and when thou art burning in it, remember thy
judgment in thy lifetime, and what thou didst. And the end of Ezekiel
is known, and the prophets, and Moses, Christ Jesus, the saviour and
redeemer of the world.
P. ' That a natural man may preach the gospel in the history.' And
thou brings Judas for an example. Thou sayst, 'Christ said, destroy
ye this temple, and I will build another.'
A. That which led Judas to minister was not natural, for the same
condemned him when he went from Christ. And a natural man can
not preach the history of the gospel truly, for he cannot receive it; but
natural men are giving other meanings to it, and this brings all the con
fusion that is in the world about the scriptures; for Judas was made
partaker of the ministry, and when he went to the priests from Christ,
then he was condemned. And Christ did not say, 'Destroy ye this
temple,' thou pervertest his words. Neither did he say he would
raise up another of Hme, and stone, and wood, which you dark priests
of the world, blind people's eyes with; but he meant the temple of his
body, in which God dwelt, which the outward temple was a figure of.

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P. ' That it is an absurdity to say the light is in every man to teach
him.' A. The 'light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world,' which is Christ Jesus, is the teacher: and he that believes in it,
receives Christ, and it teaches him that hates it to see his evil deeds,
to see his evil ways, and he hates it because it reproves him, because
his deeds are evil, and so hates Christ, and hates his teacher, and sets
up teachers without him, and doth not come to receive the anointing
within him, and so that light is his condemnation, and so he sees not
Christ the head.
P. Thou sayst, ' The ministers may receive a courtesy,' and the
scripture thou brings for it is, ' the earth shall help the woman.'
A. The courtesy the saints received from them whose hearts were
opened, that the Lord had opened by his power, is not condemned,
but your faking tithes from people you do not work for, and casting
into prison till death, for not giving it you. How are you like the
apostles, or like the ministers of Christ, or like the woman thou speaks
of, the church that was persecuted? Now you persecute, she was per
secuted; and you persecute for means, and hale up and down in courts
and sessions, and will take treble damages, treble tithes of them you
do not work for, and so you will not stand to the courtesy of people,
nor wait for the power to open their hearts; but are in a power that
will take it by compulsion, and by violence, away from people. So
you have given judgment against yourselves, and are not of the number
of them the Lord opened their hearts that ministered to their necessi
ties, and so unlike the ministers of Christ that received the courtesies
of the people, whose hearts the Lord opened.
P. Thou sayst, 'When people have no guide but what is within,
and that this principle be rooted, it will turn all into Babel.' And thou
questions, 'whether it be not a principle of sedition fo say, that every
man hath a light within him.'
A. All people in the world run into Babel and Babylon, and are
building up and throwing down, and so go into confusion about law
and gospel, prophets, Christ, and the apostles' words, when they are
from the spirit of truth within, 'to lead them into all truth,' and up to
God, the Father of truth, of whom they learned that gave them forth,
and with that spirit are they seen; in which spirit is 'unity, which
is the bond of peace.' And the 'light which doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world,' leads all men out of sedition; and
they are in the sedition that deny it, and say to the contrary, and in
darkness, and cannot comprehend it, as John says; who says, ' This is
the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world.'
And Christ says, ' Believe in the light.' And the prophets said, ' God

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gave him for a covenant of light to the Gentiles, and a new covenant
to the Jews,' and he shall be the leader of the people, and salvation to
the ends of the earth; and every man that comes into the world is en
lightened. ' He that believes is saved/and he that believes not is con
demned already.'
P. Thou queries, 'when the act of commission for the ministry
was repealed, since Christ said he would be with them to the end of
the world ?' And thou sayst, ' It is not said simply, they shall teach
no more every man his neighbour; but it is added, " Know the Lord." '
Thou sayst, 'that every man is enlightened only with a natural reason,
and the elect are enlightened with a saving knowledge.' Thou sayst,
I bring John iv. 23. ' to overthrow all outward worship.' Thou sayst,
'you can praise God with your bodies and spirits.'
A. In Matt. vii. and Matt. xxiv. Christ said false prophets should
come, and should be inwardly ravening wolves, having sheep's clothing ;
and John said they were come, chap. ii. and chap. iv. And in Rev. ' all
that dwelt upon the earth went after them,' and such killed the saints.
When they had gotten a head, they killed the saints and the true mi
nisters, and they that were of the false, killed the true; and since
those days the false have reigned, who have wrestled with flesh and
blood, imprisoning, killing the creatures, and warring against them,
and not with the principalities, and spiritual wickedness, and powers
of darkness. And such have been out of the power, the gospel the apos
tles were in, and have killed them that kept the testimony of Jesus,
which is the spirit of prophecy. And it is said plainly, Heb. viii.
' They shall not teach every man his neighbour, nor every man his
brother, saying, know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the
greatest to the least, saith the Lord.' And so thou perverts the scrip
tures, and art judged by them for it, that belies them.
And the light 'that doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world, is the same light that the elect live in ; and the world not
believing in the light, Christ Jesus, the elect, the covenant of light, and
life, and peace, promised to the world, they are condemned already ;
but he that believes in the light, is saved ; so that saving is sufficient.
And Christ says, 'they that worship the Father, must worship him
in spirit and in truth:' not at Jerusalem, not at Samaria, nor at the
mountain. So say I, not at your mass-houses, with a cross at the end
of them, which the popes and you set up, since the days of the apos
tles. So ' they that worship God, must worship him in spirit and in
truth.' Truth does not change, neither does the spirit, and these are
they the Father seeks to worship him, and hath found many: and
Christ overthrows the outward worship at Samaria and Jerusalem, and
the mountain, and so do we at your Papists' mass-houses, and tell you

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God is worshipped in spirit and in truth; and those are the true wor
shippers that God seeks to. worship him, and that will stand when
mass-houses, Samaria, and Jerusalem are down, the spirit and the truth
will remain.
'In the mouth ofthe wicked, praise is not comely;' and as you are
singing David's conditions, or the saints' conditions given forth from
the spirit, when you confess you are not in the spirit, as they were
that gave them forth : so then you are judged by it to be such in whose
mouths praises are not comely, but are in another state than they were
that gave forth scriptures.
And Adam's state before the fall thou knowest not, but art found in
the steps of the Pharisees and Papists. As the Pharisees got the words
of the true prophets and Moses, out of the life, so the Papists and you
have got the words of Christ and the apostles, and are out of the life,
and persecuting them that are in the life, as the Pharisees did, and
killing the just, the just being imprisoned in your own particulars, as
it was in the Pharisees. And you, with your dark eyes, have looked
upon the scriptures ever since the apostacy, and ravened from the spirit
of God and the pure eye, and so with that you are comprehended, felt
over, and seen over, and with that shall the principle of God in you
all be answered, that you are apostatized from the apostles in life, and
power, and doctrine, and so are in heaps about their words, out from
that which is the ground of communion, the bond of peace.
And all thy confusion in thy book, is thy own garment, who with it
art for the fire; the witness in thy conscience in the day of thy con
demnation shall witness it.

Thomas Tillam's book called, ' The Seventh-day Sabbath.' His
principles answered as followeth.
P. ' All sacrifices did type out Christ, but the sabbath did never
type out Christ, and therefore never to be abolished nor changed.'
A. Ezekiel saith, 'The sabbath should be for a sign,' which is spoken
of among the statutes, chap. xx. And the apostle says, ' Let no man
judge you in meats or in drinks; or in respect of any holy day, or of
the new moon, or of the sabbath day, which are all shadows [mark]
of good things to come, but the body is Christ.' Col.ii.16,17. Now they
are called shadows here, the sabbath is called a shadow, but the body is
Christ. And Ezekiel calls them signs. And suchas rest in those things, in
theshadow, may 'beguile people in avoluntary humility, and worshipping
of angels, intruding themselves into those things that they never saw,

315
not holding the head, and neglecting the body to the satisfying of the
flesh ;' who would live in the signs and the shadows. For inthe begin
ning it was not a command to men to keep the sabbath, as to Adam and
Eve; you do not read it was a command given to them: but in the trans
gression and fall, when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, then
to them the Lord gave the sabbath as a sign. 'The Lord said unto Moses,
speak to the children of Israel, and say, nevertheless keep ye my sab
bath for a sign between me and you, in all your generations.' Now
in all the generations of the Jews, in the first covenant, here was a
sign between them and the Lord, and he that defiled it was to die the
death. Now the body is Christ, Christ the sanctification, the end of
the sign and the shadow ; so he that goes from Christ, goes from the
rest, from the sanctification, and he dies, for he that hath not him
hath not life, and shall die the death, and shall be cut off from the peo
ple. So when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, then was the
sabbath given to them as a sign, not commanded to Adam and Eve,
the scripture doth not declare it before the fall, but it was given to the
children of Israel after they came out of Egypt, who received the law,
added ' because of transgression' upon the transgressors ; to such was
given the sabbath as a sign amongst them that had the offerings ; and
such were to keep it, and to sanctify it. But before the fall, when the
law and power were in man,— before the transgression, there was no
mention of a sabbath to keep it. Now Christ came who was the end of
these offerings, and of these sabbaths, which are the shadows, for the
apostle says (except any will dare tell him he lies) 'the body is Christ.'
And they are not judged concerning such things, in respect of sabbaths,
and meats, and drinks, who are come to the body, Christ, who ends
all those things, and was before those things were — to him by whom
all things were created and made, Christ the sanctification. And they
who are come to him in whom there is rest, as the Jews were to rest
upon the seventh day, are come into Christ the body, the head, the
substance; they are come into the rest, the sanctification and the glori
fication ; who was glorified with the Father before the world began ;
where no changing nor shadow nor variableness is. -And these need
not have a shadow, nor a sign, nor ehange, who are come to the body,
Christ the substance. Now, thou sayst, Christ was a sign : yes, but he
ends the sign and shadows ; to the unbelievers he was a sign, as the
people of God were signs formerly to such as stood in outward things.
So Christ is the body, the end of the shadow, the head known and felt,
he that is the Lord of the sabbath, Christ, which is a mystery ; so they
that are out of him are out ofthe life, and die as they died that went
from the sabbath ; so do they that turn from Christ, the soul's rest, and
peace, and life. And this sabbath was to be observed in the Jews' gene-

316
ration by an everlasting covenant, and he that did any work upon the
sabbath day was to die the death. Now this covenant which stood in
shadows and types, Christ came to take away, who is the end ; and he
that believes in Christ 'hath entered into his rest, and ceased from his
own works, as God did from his.' And the apostle said, the first cove
nant was to decay, as in Heb.
P. Thou sayst, ' Such as obstruct the gospel privilege of God's sab
bath, rectified by the son, and observed by the saints.'
A. But did ever Christ or the apostles, give a command to the Jews
that they should observe it strictly, as it had been in the law before
the substance was come, the body, which was Christ? Nay, you read
no where that among them the apostles preached the gospel to, they
laid any command upon the saints that they should keep the Jews'
sabbath days, but told them they were shadows, and the body was
Christ, and said, ' Let no man judge another in such things.' Now
are you not come under the judgment of such things? And so the Lord
of the sabbath ends the types in him, and in the saints,, who are come
to him who is the substance, the body and head, Christ Jesus. Read
Col. ii.
And whereas thou speakest of changing laws or sabbaths, this thou
mightest have charged on the apostles, who told the saints no where of
keeping the sabbath days, but told them they were shadows, and that
such as were there, were in their will-worships, neglecting the body;
for the body and substance was Christ. And such were intruders, and
so thou art comprehended to be one of the intruders into those things
thou never saw, who art puffed up in thy fleshly mind, not holding
the head and the Lord of the sabbath. The son of man is come, and
the saints go not about to blot out the name of the sabbath; for the
pure sabbath, the sanctified day was a sign and a figure of the pure
Christ, the sanctification, by whom the day was made, and on which
day the people and the beasts were to rest, and which was to be sancti
fied. And Christ, who was before the day, was the sanctification in
which all the Lord's people have rest, who is Lord of the sabbath, and
who was before the day was made, who fulfils the type, the shadow,
the sign ; the body is Christ, and the head is held. So you that are
running to observe days and times, are they that the apostle speaks of,
that he was afraid of, and that his labours he had bestowed in vain,
and so are gone from the body into the shadow and the sign. Neither
do you keep it as you ought to do who profess a sabbath; your horses
and your cattle are doing work, drawing you to your worships; you
are making fires through your congregations, you are bearing burthens,
you are gathering your meat on that day that you call your sabbath.
Now to all people you are dissemblers to what you profess, and pre-

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tenders to a thing to which you are not faithful; and so by the law
according to your own judgment, to be cut off, and to die as sabbath-
breakers ; for they were not to make a fire, gather any meat, bear any
burthen, ox or ass, man-servant or maid-servant, or stranger, but were
to keep holy the sabbath of the Lord ; if they did, the law took hold
of them; for six days they were to labour, and do all they had to do.
Now the law was received by the disposition of angels. So now the
law, the first covenant, the shadows, types, and figures, ye may run
into those things from the body, and so neglect the head, and neglect
the body, and go into the signs, and so come into the will-worship, and
the worshipping of angels, intruding yourselves into the things you
never saw, neglecting the body to satisfy the flesh, by which your vain
minds are puffed up. Now the enemies of the sabbath are such as
neglect the body, the substance, and him that is Lord of the sabbath.
P. And whereas thou sayst, ' They had eaten the bread of Christ,
and they had turned the heel against Christ.' And thou sayst, ' The
Quakers, some notionists, and others, are against it.'
A. Our rest is in Christ the body, that ends the shadow, that ends
the signs, who is the substance of the shadows and signs, and those
notionists are such as thyself, and so the saints' rest is in the substance
Christ, the end of the signs and shadows, who was before the sign
was, the day was, in him is rest. Here all men rest from their
wbrks, ' and every soul that believes hath entered into his rest,' and
hath come from shadows, signs, and types into the body, Christ, that
ends them, and holds the head, and is out of the will-worship, wor
shipping of angels, and satisfying the flesh; for such as do these things
are blinded as concerning the body, and come to be judged about the
days, and they hold not the head, as they do who are come to the body
and head, Christ Jesus, to whom all angels bow. For they that rieglect
the body will satisfy the flesh, and live in signs, and shadows, and
will-worship, and worshipping bf angels, and intrude into those things
they never saw, who come to be judged in respect of days, which are
but shadows. And such as are in those things satisfy the flesh, and keep
themselves from the body, Christ, and hold not the head; and they that
will rest in a shadow after the substance, the son of man, the Lord of
the sabbath, is come, will rest in that which decays, and it is a false
rest. P. And whereas thou sayst, ' A filthy shift of God's sabbath, to say
Christ is the sabbath.'
A. This sabbath was for rest, and they were to rest on that day, and
it was given as a sign and shadow, and in the first covenant. But Christ
the second covenant, the perpetual and everlasting rest, the soul's rest
of his people, says, 'Come unto me and ye shall have rest;' and so
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318
he is the end, the substance of the sign, and the shadow, who was, as
I said before, before the day was, in whom is a rest for the people of
God; for the sabbath being given as a sign, wherein all strangers, ser
vants, beasts, horses, oxen, asses, and all cattle whatsoever might rest,
it was given forth, and sanctified. For the whole creation was burthen-
ed, both horse, man, cattle, and servants; and mankind were oppressed
by transgression. So the sabbath was a sign of rest, yea, to the
stranger, to all that were within the gates, a figure of the restoration,
and of the sanctifier, Christ Jesus, who destroys death, and the power
of death, and the devil and his works, who is the cause and the author
of the burthen of the whole creation, and of mankind. So the sabbath
was a sign, of rest from their labours, of Christ the restorer, and re
deemer, and deliverer of the whole creation, who brings it to unity
and reconciliation again to God, who is the rest both to man and beast;
and the stranger should rest within the gates of the sabbath, within
Christ. And much more is to be said of these things, of which this
is but a touch, that which is further in the words, which might be de
clared. Now as for the ten commandments, amongst which the sabbath is
spoken, he that covets, he that steals, he that commits adultery and
kills, he that sets up graven images, he that covets his neighbour's
house, wife, or goods, or any thing that is his, or commits adultery, is
departed from that principle of God in his own self; so the law was
added upon him. He that is led by the spirit doth not transgress, nor
doth oppress, nor covet, nor steal, nor bear false witness, and so love
fulfils the law, and its commandments. And he that believes comes
to Christ, the rest, before the day was, by whom it was made: and so
Christ telling them what was done in the old time, for following the
oath to the Lord, he brings them now ' not to swear,' into himself, the
covenant of God ; he brings them to the covenant of God, the oath of
God, and so into himself, who is the restorer, before days were, as I
said before. And the apostle likewise brought them off from circum
cision without, which was an everlasting covenant, -as well as the
sabbath was a sign, he brings them off from that to the circumcision
within* and so to that that answers the power, the life of God which
hath been transgressed, where love is felt in the heart, that remains,
and so the thing comes inward; for as it is said, ' he that believes hath
entered into his rest.' And so Christ came not to break the law, but to
fulfil it every tittle, who is the rest of his people, yea, and gives rest to
the creation, destroys the oppressor of it, and the foundation of the
oppressor; and so he was the Lord of the sabbath that fulfils it, for the
sabbath was in the law, and ' Christ is the end of the law to every one
that believes ;' and he that is in Christ, who was before days were, pro-

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fanes no day, is in his rest, and will give rest to his creatures, will
not oppress any thing at all, and comes into the wisdom of God by
which they were created, to order and use them to God's glory.
And whereas thou sayst, * that Adam being in honour, did not abide
a night,' and brings Psalms for it, which doth not mention Adam, nor
night nor day; and as I said before, thou who art in the shadow, art in
truding into the things thou never saw; for thou never saw where
Adam was before he fell, and therefore art corrected and judged.
P. And thou sayst'and cohfessest, ' The Jews' sabbath was given to
the Jews for a sign.'
A. The apostle will tell thee that the body is Christ: if the sabbath
be a sign to the children of Israel, it was a sign of something to them ;
for the other signs given were signs of something, and so something
those signs did signify, which thing did end them. Sabbath signifyeth
rest ; for the earth shall enjoy her sabbaths.
P. And thou sayst, ' that the inventions of men's hearts have blot
ted out the remembrance of the sabbath day, they first cast it out of
paradise, and shut it out till Moses' time.' And thou sayst, ' the sab
bath was not all a type, or ceremonial.'
A. What is a shadow is a type, and a shadow and type are cere
monial ; when the substance comes it ends, and in him is no shadow,
as in James the first; who is the body, before the days were. And thou
never read that the sabbath was spoken of from paradise until Moses,
and then it was given unto him for a sigh through the generations ofthe
congregations of the children of Israel, not to gather meat, make a fire,
nor bear burthens: so they who come to Christ, the body, the end of
signs, the rest, who was before days were, bear no burthens, gather not
their meat, make not a fire.
P. Thou sayst, fit is an absurd conclusion, that we must offer sacri
fices if we will keep a sabbath.'
A. ' Thou shalt offer sacrifices made by fire, of a sweet sacrifice unto
the Lord, on a sabbath day.' Numb, xxviii. Now offerings were a
shadow of Christ, the offering, and the sabbath was a shadow, and so if
ye will observe one, ye must observe the other, and so deny the body,
the substance Christ, the one offering, and so that is ceremonial.
And thou sayst, the law justified the disciples for plucking the ears
of corn upon the sabbath day, and bringest Deut. xxxiii. which speaks no-
thingto the thing, and doth not mention the sabrbath day : and so Christ
the end of the law, who comes to fulfil it, is the Lord of the sabbath.
And the disciples who followed him, in whom they had rest, saw over
the day and the shadow, to Christ the substahce, who forbade them
not gathering meat on that day, the sabbath, the shadow, that was the
law ; but Christ the end of the law and shadows, the substance, the dis-

320
ciples that were in him, plucked the ears of corn on that day. And so
Christ did not break the sabbath, but came to fulfil the shadow, and was
the substance, who was the end of it, the lord of it, and therefore might
do what he would, being the Lord of the sabbath; what had any to do
to question him ?
P. And whereas thou sayst, ' The cripple carried his bed on the sab
bath day, which the hypocrites speak against our saviour for.'
A. The law says, 'Thou shalt not bear a burthen on the sabbath day.'
Now Christ the end of the law, and the end of the shadow, that fulfils it,
and is rest, often gives rest upon that day: yet he is not a breaker ofthe
sabbath, but a fulfiller, and convinces the gainsayers, with this: ' Which
of you haying an ox or ass fallen into a ditch, would not pluck him out
on that day.' And the circumcision was to be on the eighth day, on
which Christ rose, and on which the saints met in the circumcision, of
the spirit, in the spirit which circumcises, which puts off the body of
sin, which hath laden them; in which spirit they have rest and are led
withal up to God the father of spirits, and so come to know the, first
day, and him who was before it was made.
P. And thou sayst, and bringest the apostle's words, 'one man esteem
ing one day above another, and another esteeming every day alike.'
A. Now the apostle here did not lay any burthen upon the saints, or
tell the saints of the sabbath day, nor burthen them concerning it ; that
if they did not keep it, they should die, as the law says, but that every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind, and not to judge one another
in such cases, but that every man stand or fall to his own master..
Now these words were spoken among saints by the apostle, who was
leading from meats and drinks, and days, to the truth, to the body
Christ; and so he judged that judgment that was judging one another
about the days, but brought every one to the truth in his own particular,
wherewith he should stand or fall to his own master. For until they
come to see clearly about shadows ^nd signs, there is the weakness of
the meats, of the days, before they come to see him who was before the
days were, the Lord of the sabbath, and the everlasting offering, where
ends the judgment, in whom they have peace.
P. Thou sayst ' the apostle says, ye observe meats, and drinks, and
days, and months, and years.' And thou sayst, ' will any be so bold
as to say he doth reproach the sabbath ?' ,
A. The apostle does not tell the Galatians who were running into
circumcision and days, that they were to keep the outward sabbath; for
circumcision was an everlasting covenant, as well as thesabbath, to the
Jews, throughout all their generations: so they that draw people td cir
cumcision without, and to days, draw them from the body, (mark his

321
judgment!) and the apostle was not a reproacher, and was out of the na
ture of a reproacher.
P. Thou sayst, 'Let no man judge you in meats and drinks, and in
respect of any feast, new moons or sabbaths, which are shadows of
things to come, but the body is Christ; but in this bold absurdity some
will cast off the sabbath, the seventh day.'
A. The apostle says, ' the body was Christ,' and the sabbath was a
sign and a shadow of good things to come: so then this fulfils Moses'
words. The body is Christ, the sabbath is a sign: so the good things
being come, Christ, the substance, ends the shadow, the sign; and
Christ rose on the first day, on which the saints met, and the apostle
doth not call that a sabbath, nor doth establish the other sabbath among
the christians, nor bid them keep it, that ye read of any where. For if
that day had been observed as it was in the law time, the seventh,
which signifies perfection, the apostle would have spoken of it some
where; for those things that were observable were often spoken of in
law and gospel, but this is no where spoken of„ nor to the saints that
they should keep the seventh day as a sabbath, for offerings were on
that day. But the offerings being changed, the law also changed, and
the offering, Christ Jesus, being come, the law came to be within, and
the circumcision within: and Christ the rest is the Lord of the sabbath,
and the rest for the people of God. Apd he that holds up sabbaths and
offerings, holds up circumcision and works, and so keeps people from
the body and the head, in the signs and shadows, and so in the works
of the law, which the law commands.
P. And thou sayst, ' Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy
works of sin, but the sabbath day thou shalt not sin, thou nor thy
son, thy daughter, thy cattle, and stranger within thy gates.'
' To keep thy son, daughter, and stranger from sin ; as for the poor
cattle they are nor capable of such a rest.'
A. In the six days thou wast to do that which was just, that which
the law commanded, which was justice, and to do to all men as thou
wouldst be done to. Not to covet, steal, bear false witness, nor kill ;
the seventh day was the rest, that signified Christ Jesus, the end of the
law, the rest. If any man can receive this, let him.
And the sabbath day, that all servants, strangers, cattle, son and
daughter might rest upon the seventh day, the sign, the shadow,
which Christ the body ends, was a figure, a sign, and a shadow of
the restoration of the creation to the rest, whereby the gospel might
again be preached to every creature under heaven. This is a touch of
the thing,, more might be said of it.
The sabbath was everlasting to the state wherein it was, and circum
cision was everlasting to the state wherein it wasr through their gene-

322
rations, and it was in the first covenant of shadows, types, and figures;
but the body is Christ, that came to do the will of God, which ends
them all, and sanctifies man, and brings him to rest and peace with
God, before days were.
P. And thou sayst, ' J. E. was instructed in the Old Testament,
which is able to make wise unto salvation through faith ; therefore be
instant in season and out of season. Now the only moral season the
scriptures enjoin us is the Seventh-day sabbath, never changed till the
little horn arose. And the holy spirit in the apostles highly approves
us in our fulfilling the royaMaw, which, as to the season of worship,
is none other than the Seventh-day sabbath.'
A. They who are made able and wise to salvation, know the scrip
tures through the faith, they see the substance of them, Christ Jesus ;
and they see while Moses was read, the veil was upon their hearts;
for the sabbath was a sign and type, and so was circumcision, and this
was in Moses, and this was the sign read, the shadow was read, the
type was read, and the figure read, the veil being over the heart. Now
as the seed, Christ, the body, comes to be known, the sign, the sha
dow, the type is ended, the body is known that doth the will of God,
that brings people to the rest. So they who know the ' scripture that
is able to make wise unto salvation,' (mark that word,) through the
faith that is in Christ Jesus, have salvation, which are able to make wise
unto salvation that testifies of it; and so Christ, the seed, the body, that
ends the types,figures,and shadows, takes off the veil from men's hearts.
And such as come to know the fulfilling of the royal law according to
scriptures, come to the body, Christ, in Which the law ends to every
one that believes ; and. so they that are in days and sabbaths which
Moses says were a sign, and which Ezekiel and the apostle said were a
shadow, are not yet come to the body Which is Christ, who was before
any days were, who is the sanctification and rest of his people, and who
are in him that is the truth, worship God in the truth and in the spi
rit, which never change. But shadows and signs of a thing-are not the
things signified; for signs and shadows will change, but the spirit and
truth do not change, in that is God worshipped.
P. And thou sayst, ' It cannot be that horn, except he change your
times also, arid that he had no time to change but the Seventh-day sab
bath, and the sabbath is perpetual, a rule of righteousness.'
A. Christ made all things new; he ends the law, and brings it in the
heart; he ends the covenant, and changes things that were in the old
time, changing circumcision, offerings, priests, and ends the sabbath,
which was perpetual to the Jews in that generation, among the types,
as the covenant was, and eircumcision, and the law was a rule of righte
ousness for them ; but Christ, who is the end of the law, comes to re-

323
deem them that are under the law, and ends their covenant, and ends
their shadows, and changes those times; he by whom time was made.
And sb thou that knowest not the time in his hands, showest thou art
not in the time that is in his hands, and so not of the body, of Christ.
P. And whereas thou sayst, ' No other time but simply the seventh
part, must, from week to week, be devoted to God's worship; for
whensoever the seventh part of time is altered, the morality must be
destroyed.' A. They worshipped God, that said the body was Christ, and the
sabbath day was a shadow of good things to come; and so they that
worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth, and in that which
doth end all figures, and shadows, and signs* in the spirit and truth be
fore they were, and not one day in seven, a signification of rest, of
sanctification, the Lord's sign which he gave to the people in trans
gression. Before transgression, ye do not read it was given to men
as a command to the first Adam, but of the earth, earthly; but who
comes to the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, he by whom the
world was made, comes into that that ends all types, figures, and sha
dows, and so doth destroy nothing of the law, but comes to that which
ends it.
P. And thou sayst, ' It is a great stumbling block as to believers in
Christ, because christians violated the Sabbath.'
A. Christ is the body, that ends the shadows and the signs, and ful
fils the law; he who was before the world was made, in him are the
christians, the body that ends the shadows and the signs, in whom the
veil is come off their hearts; and so Christ did not break the law, but
fulfilled it, and in him that fulfils it, the saints met, who met together
in him, and gather together in him, who is the body; they are the
members, he is the head, who are the church, whom he is in the
midst of. .
P. And thou sayst, ' So that to produce the world of wonder, mani
fest it is that night was the beginning of time.'
A. That is false; the beginning of time was God and Christ, and
times and seasons are in his hands, and God is light ; read that who can.
P. And thou sayst, ' Thou supposest it will not be questioned in
Moses' time.' >
A. This was while Moses was read, while the body was not come,
Christ Jesus, that ends the sign, the shadow, the. type, and blots out the
ordinances and commandments thatheld them up, from which veil the
apostle brought the people, to the body, Christ Jesus, Where no shadow
was, nor changing. Now days are changing, but Christ doth not change
who is the body. And you that hold up the sign, the shadow, the
type, the figure, you hold up the dead, and come not to Christ the life,

324
the body, the sanctification itself, before days were, by whom they were
made. P. And thou sayst, ' The unthankful christian ought to sanctify the
sabbath.' A. Here thou bringest them into days, from the body which is Christ,
and so bringest them into days, and shadows, and, types, where the veil
is over their hearts. And the false christian may run into signs and
days who is out of Christ's life, and the apostles'; but who are in the
life of Christ and the apostles, that are in the body, out of the signs
and shadows, and offer up spiritual sacrifices, such are in the rest, and
have the high priest, the everlasting priest, Christ.
Now if ye have the sabbath, ye must have the offerings, ajffl the
priest to offer, and your altars, and ye must offer upon that day; but the
christians witnessed the body, Christ Jesus, the one offering, who comes
as it is written in the volume Pf the book, to do the will of God, who
is the substance that the shadow, and signs, and figures gave forth, who
ends them all, and brings people to see to the end of the shadow, to
perfection, to Christ Jesus.
P. Thou sayst, ' We should not grudge to give God every First-day
as an addition to God's Seventh-day sabbath.'
A- The priests call it a sabbath, and you call it a First-day, and you
would have a sabbath besides. Now this is your cover, but the life
takes away all your shadows. It is true, the saints did meet together
every first day of the week ; and the saints do so, though they do not
say it was a command. And so the apostles brought people off from
observing days and times, and told them the body was Christ, and the
sabbath was a shadow of good things to come. Thou mayst say, the
apostle was the little horn that changed times ; we find no where he
commands the saints to observe it, but brings people, as you may read
in the Romans, from the law, being justified by the law ; for if they
kept the sabbath they were justified ; if not, they were condemned.
So Christ the body, the end of types, figures? signs, and shadows, is the
justification without the works of the law, and the sanctification itself,
and sanctifies man to God. And so the christians no where, as you may
read through the epistles, did observe the days, the shadows, who were
believers in Christ, who owned the body.
P. Thou sayst, ' Since the blessed Creator celebrated the seventh
day, man thinks to be wiser than his Maker, in altering and disobey
ing, pretending spiritual observances; poor worm, dust, and ashes.
Christ, in expounding his own law, sums up all in this: be ye therefore
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, that is in quality, not in
quantity.' A. He that is perfect^ as his heavenly Father is perfect, is perfect as

325
he is perfect. If thou or any have an ear tp hear, let them hear; and
lay away thy qualities and quantities, and take the words as they
are. And all that are come into Christ, are come into life, from the dust
and ashes, and are spiritual men. ' But they that talk of celebrating
days, and sabbaths, who are celebrating signs and shadows, are in their
own Works, from the body of Christ, and keeping others there. Such,
if they do not all the works contained in the law, are accursed.
P. And thou sayst, 'Christ confirms the Seventh-day sabbath, and
assures us it shall continue, every jot and tittle, and Paul says he esta
blished the law, which cannot be ceremonial: therefore let such as
slight the Seventh-day sabbath, take warniqg, and make sure work that
it be not broken, in no point of the law, of which every jot and tittle
is established by Christ and his apostles; wheri the Lord of the sab
bath, and the saints, endeavoured to observe every jot and tittle of it
to the end of the world, and our Redeemer particularly owns the sab
bath, above all other days, by his works, and miracles, and great won
ders pn that day. And God forbid that saints should side with evil se
ducers, and reproach our saviour for putting on his glory on that day,
but rather let that sabbath be celebrated.
A. Christ came not to break the law; the apostle said the law was
good in its place, and he established it ; yet the apostle says that the
sabbath was a shadow, but the body was Christ, and he brings them to
the law in the heart, in the mind, and there he established it. And
Christ did not come to break one jot or tittle of it, but (mark) to fulfil
it; and he said, 'not one jot or tittle of the law should be broken
until fulfilled.' And Christ, who is the rest to the Jew, who had the
sabbath day, a sign of rest, gave the people rest on that day often, that
were bound, burthened, or wearied, on that day; and Christ, who did
give them rest on that day, and the apostle, who establishes the law,
which was good in its place, neither of them doth bid keep the sabbath
day. Christ doth not say, the sabbath day must be kept ; and after him,
the apostle nowhere commands it, but says it was a shadow, and the
body, was Christ. And so they that came to the body, Christ, in the
days ofthe apostles, were come to the end ofthe shadows, in that age,
in their day ; and for example, thou may see it, for some did observe a
day, and some did not, and they were not to judge one another about
those things^ And Christ giving rest on that day which the people were
to rest on, was a figure of the everlasting rest, and of the restoration;
who did the work Of God on that day, and gave rest to the burthened
on that day, that signifies an inward rest; for Christ was the rest, "md
Lbrd of the sabbath, the rest to the people of God. And they that
celebrate the sabbath day, must celebrate a sign, and live in the shadow
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326
that keeps them from the, body, and so from the church, which Christ
is the head of. And who are celebrating sabbaths must also bring their
offerings, and then they must have the first priesthood to offer, and so
deny the body that doth the will of God, the everlasting priesthood,
and the one offering, and hold with the first covenant that must decay,
in which those things stood; and deny the everlasting covenant, and
him that blotted out ordinances, and ended types and shadows. And so
Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes, in every jot,
andiittle, and print of it; and the signs and shadows that were held up
by the law, Christ is the end of; yet the life of the law, the power, re
mains, though the outward changing shadows and things, end, the body
is that which ends them all.
P. Thou sayst, ' The sabbath was honoured with the conversion of
souls on this day, and the day before did they break bread together.'
A. Was that the sabbath day that Christ and his disciples brake
bread together on? Did the apostles and the saints establish the sab
bath day, when they said, it was but a shadow, and brought them to
the body, which is Christ?
P. Thou sayst, ' The sabbath is mentioned With new moons, and
sacrifices ; that the actions, baptism, and breaking of bread, are the
signs of a Christian sabbath; it is high presumption to alter the word
of God, in calling every day the Lord's sabbath, and honouring any
other day as the sabbath. So if we be followers of God, as dear chil
dren, and take the spirit to be our guide, we must honour the sabbath
with all holy devotion.'
A. The sabbath is mentioned with new moons and sacrifices* but
the apostle says they were shadows of good things to come; when this
is come, which was before the shadows were, which is the body, Christ,
who was before days, new moons, or sacrifices were, the body, who
be in that ends them all: and to that the apostle brought people, and
not to the days. Now there were some brought them to observe days,
and he was afraid of them that did observe them, and he brought them
to the body, Christ, to whom all the angels did bow; for they that ob
serve days, new moons, and sabbaths, and are worshipping of angels,
neglecting the body, which is Christ, and this was for the satisfying of
the flesh. And now what art thou satisfying, who art teaching to observe
day's, signs, and shadows, which the apostle brought people off, to the
body, and to the head, Christ Jesus ? and to worship God in spirit, and
brought them into that that ended all shadows; for the devil will lurk
in a shadow, or a type, or a sigri, or figure, and creeps into those things,
after the substance is come, to keep people from the body, and will per
secute such as Will not bend to the shadow, and come from the sub
stance. And breaking bread, and baptism, are no sign ofthe sabbath day,

327
of the Jewish sabbath day. The sabbath was a figure of the rest, and
sanctification of the creation; and breaking of bread among the saints
was a figure of the bread, Christ, of which the saints eat, and live for
ever. And the word of God cannot be altered, and the word of God
cannot change; man may alter, but the word of God cannot be altered,
but abides and lives for ever.
And the saints who come to the body, Christ, come to honour him
who ends the sabbath, which is a sign, and a shadow; and such honour
God the Redeemer and Creator, and Christ, by whom all things were
created and made. And who are the dear children of God the apostle
speaks of, he did not bring them into days, and to observe sabbaths,
and signs, but brings them to the body, Christ, the Lord of the sab
bath; and doth not set up that which thou calls devotion, in holding up
the Jewish sabbath, on which they should rest, and which was a sign;
the rest ofthe creation, and the rest of all mankind, cattle, and beasts;
that God would restore and redeem all things by Christ, who is the
word, and gives rest; and is the sanctification, and gives rest to the
whole creation.
P. Thou sayst, ' This is the time of God's worship, observing the
seventh day. Christian, look well to thy walkings, see that thou make
all things according to the pattern in the mount.'
A. They that worship God, come into Christ, the truth, the body,
who ends the sign and the shadow, and who is the end of Moses, who
made a pattern, which was a figure of that which was to come, and he
made it at the command of God. And Christians are not to make the
pattern, which was showed to Moses in the mount, for while Moses is
read, the veil is upon the hearts of Christians* and of all people whatso
ever that are in the sign, shadows, and figures: the body is not seen,
nor come to, Which is Christ. And Paul, and the saints, the true Chris.
tians, worshipped God in spirit and in truth, who witnessed they were
in the body, that ended the shadows, and types, and Moses, the law,
and the prophets, in Christ Jesus, him by whom the world was made,
who was before it was m^de; and a pattern is not the thing, there is
the thing the pattern is of, and that ends the pattern and lives in the
thing, and they need not have the pattern, for the pattern, was made of
a thing.that was to come.
P. Thou sayst, ' if the apostle of the Gentiles, who was the rejecter
ofthe ceremonies, did constantly celebrate the Seventh-day sabbath, then
much more those apostles among the Jews: there is not a plainer pre
cept in all the scriptures, than Paul's practice herein, for the Seventh-
day sabbath. If we tread in the steps of Paul, he was but a man, and
sometimes a very angry man, and he strictly requires all believers to
follow his example, as he followed Christ, and certainly in observing
the sabbath. And Paul reasoned with the Jews on the sabbath day, and

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Christ's custom, and Paul's, was to go into the synagogue on the sabbath
day, and was there difference betwixt Christ's preaching and Paul's ?
and where is the difference between Christ's observing the sabbath,
and Paul's ?
A. The apostle never taught the Christians, either Jews or Gentiles,
to celebrate the seventh day, nor ever mentions it to them to keep it;
in all the epistles there is not such a thing; but he tells them they
were shadows, and that the body was Christ; and Christ's and the
apostles' going into the synagogues and temple on the sabbath days,
was to fulfil, and show the fulfilling of the types, and figures of him,
and to bring to the substance of the signs, types, and shadows ; not to
hold up days, times, and offerings, but to bring them to the body, Christ;
as Col. ii. And so Paul and Christ do notdisagree, for he preached Christ
the end ofthe law, and the substance; and though Paul went among the
Jews, and circumcised, and did several things; though he went into
the temple, yet that was not to hold up the temple, or to hold up the
offerings, types, and shadows, but to bring them to the substance. And
mind what the anger was that Paul was in, and Paul followed the sub
stance, and was more than a man, there was more in him than a man.
Neither Paul nor the apostles any where commands the saints to observe
the Jews' sabbath day, though he went unto the Jews, and consented
to many things to the intent to bring them out of them, not to keep
thefn in them, but to bring them to the substance, and that was the end
of Paul's going into the Jews' synagogues and temple, to bring them
out of the shadows, types, and signs, to the substance; and the end of
Christ's going thither, was to bring them to the substance, that which
was typed forth, that people might believe in him, who was the body,
who was before' heaven or earth was, who fulfils every jot and tittle of
the law. And to him did the apostle bring the people, to this body,
which types, signs and shadows, signed, shadowed, and typed forth,
the body of which is Christ; and in thy principles thou art confused.
And so who follows the apostle comes to the body, out of the sign, and
the types, and figures, and shadows, as every believer follows him,
he comes to the body, and from the observing of signs, and shadows,
and sabbath days, to Christ the son, the end of them all.
P. Thou sayst, 'Fancy is no fuel for a christian faith.'
A. Fancy and fuel are out of a christian faith; which thou art in,
that art got among the signs, types, and shadows in the fancy, and
so from the body Christ.
P. And thou sayst, ' if the Lord be thy God; thou must observe-the
Seventh-day sabbath.' And thou sayst, ' It is antichrist that persuades
to change the day,' and thou chargestthem ' to dp no manner of work
on that day,' and thou sayst, ' It is not ceremonial, but was before Jew
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A. The sabbath was not before Adam was ; and the apostles,that had the
lawof God written in their hearts, servedtheLord God,he was theirGod,
and they his people, who witnessed the end of the first covenant, which
stood in ceremonies; and so shadows and signs are ceremonies. And the
sabbath was spoken of before ceremonies were, that is true ; but not as
a command then, but when ceremonies came up in the days of Moses,
the sabbath was given as a sign amongst the other signs, and a shadow
amongst the other shadows; and he tells you plainly, if you will believe
him, the body of all is Christ. And this sabbath, which was before
ceremonies were given among them that had the ceremonies, a day pf
rest for cattle, man and beast, strangers and servants, which the body
of this shadow and sign is the rest, that gives rest to all the creation,
man and beast, stranger and servant, and so rest to the whole creation.
And the apostle, was not antichrist, that said the body was Christ,
and the sabbath was a shadow, and brought them off from days and
from Signs, types, and ceremonies, and from the first priesthood, first
covenant and offerings, to the body Christ, that ended them all, and
takes off. the veil 'that is upon the hearts of people while Moses is
read. Now they are the antichrists that are setting up signs and sha
dows, and bringing people from the body, which is Christ, the sub
stance, and are keeping people in the observing of a day in which
people should have rest for a day, the cattle rest for a day, servants
rest for a day, not minding the. substance, the body, Christ, who re
stores the creation into unity, as it was in the, beginning; and gives
rest to man and beast, servant, stranger, and cattle, and is rest to them
all. They that are come to the body know the substance, the end of
the sabbath-day's work.
But then again thou sayst in thy charge, ' ye rriay not do any work
on that day.' How is it then that ye make fire through all your con
gregations ? How is it you keep markets on the sabbath day, which
God commanded ? How is it thatnx and horse bear burthens on that
day, and you both ? How is it that you gather sticks and make fires
on that, day, and gather your meat on that day, when meat was not
to be gathered on that day, and he that gathered sticks was stoned to
death ? And how is it that ye profess a day, and do not observe it ac
cording to the day 1 Are ye not all hypocrites in this, professing, that
which ye do not practise ? for by thedaw ye should be stoned to death,'
ye should die all. And how is it that you professors, likewise, that
profess the first day to be the sabbath, yet will not go to your
worships, abundance' of you, except ye be drawn with horses? Why
pollute you the sabbath day? ye are all polluters, according to ypur
own words. And why gather ye your meat, and make fires on that day ?
Keep it according to the law, and be npt dissemblers and niockers of

330
God and man. If ye will keep a sabbath, go according to scripture and
the law of God.
And the poor creatures must bear a burthen to lug you to your wor
ships; and yet if a poor man be found but carrying a loaf of bread, or
a burden of sticks to make him a fire, he is, it may be, fined for it.
Now by the law of God, he should be stoned to death, and your horses
should do no work on that day. And you will fine some for going to a
meeting of the Lord's people, yet you must have your horses and
coaches, and coachmen, and put them to labour to draw you to your
worships; and so here is your confusion. And so you are judging one
another in days, which was not the saints' work, nor the apostles,' who
witnessed the body was Christ, and met together in him who was the
end of days.
P. Whereas thou sayst, ' The sabbath is perpetual, and fenced above
all other laws.'
A. If it had been perpetual, the apostle would not have said it was
a sign, and that the bbdy was Christ; but to the Jews that had the
types, it was perpetual. By them it was highly to be observed; but
Christ that ends the law, ends that, and the things that are in the law,
the shadow and sign that are in the law, who was the body of it.
P. ' The Jews received the lively oracles from mount Sinai. Whe
ther was it given us to be broken or kept, slighted or observed ? If
to be kept and observed, then we must either deny the Seventh-day
sabbath to be one of mount Sinai's lively oracles, or deny Stephen's
doctrine, delivered to the Jews. We must sanctify this lively oracle
of the Seventh-day sabbath.'
A. Stephen preaches Christ, the end of the law, of types, figures,
and shadows, who is the substance, and showed the Jews that they had
not kept the law, in which were the shadows of Christ, and so Christ
is the end of the law, and the signs, and the similitudes, and the days.
And Stephen saw the end; Hagar or Sinai is a mount in Arabia, and
answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her chil
dren. Now read where you all are. But ' Jerusalem above is free,
which is the mother of us all.' Now mark, us all, who are come to the
body, Christ, the end of the signs, shadows, and figures, (Jerusalem
below had types, had figures, had shadows, had signs,) when that rest-
eth that is in bondage, Hagar, with her children. And here you mjiy
come to know the allegory of these two covenants; and so who is come
to the son, to the body, is come to the end of all shadows, and before
any shadows were.
And Stephenheld not up the shadows, but preached Christ, the end
of them, only he judged the Jews that had not kept the law,, which
Christ is the end of to every one that believes. And Stephen was a

331
believer, and they accused him for speaking against the law and Moses,
who witnessed the end of it.
P. Thou sayst, 'There is a conceit, that the disciples in assembling
on the First-day, did celebrate the sabbath. And they were so far
from believing that Christ was risen, that it seemed to them as idle
tales. The First-day was finished before they believed, and so they
could not have faith to do any such thing.'
A. The scriptures speak no such thing, and tell us no such conceit,
that the disciples did celebrate the first-day to be the sabbath ; but this
is thine and your imaginations, got up among you that own not the
body Christ, who ends all signs, types, and shadows. Christ Was
before days were, and who lives in him doth not celebrate days.
P. Thou sayst, 'John intends a single day, it is much like it was the
sabbath day ; and he speaks of the Lord's day, judgment day, and this
he calls the day, and this day he must show unto John in the vision.
The ancient Christians who call it the Lord's day, did never term it
the sabbath. But religiously celebrated the Seventh-day with it.'
A. John doth not call it the sabbath day, nor did the Christians
celebrate the sabbath with it, but said the old was signs and shadows,
the body of them was Christ; but since the days of the apostles and
the apostacy, ye have wanted the body Christ, and ye have fallen into
the days ; for Christ saw those that should come up, and draw people
into the days. And the day of the Lord is light, and in the day of the
Lord was John. /
P. Thou sayst, ' Old things are passed away, and aU things are be
come new.'
A. Then the sabbath was a thing, and it must pass away ; and it
was a rest, and we must have a new rest: and the sabbath was in the
old time given as a sign, and a command, and given by God to be kept
since the fall.
P. Thou sayst, ' There remains therefore the celebrating the sabbath
to the people of God.'
A. But the scripture of the New Testament doth not say so. The apos
tle says, ' There remains therefore a rest for the people of God,' such as
come off the signs to Christ the body, the soul's rest; there remains in
him a rest for the people. And such as celebrate the sabbath, rest in
the shadow, and do not come to the body Christ, and such are not
the believers that do enter into the rest Christ. And such as rest in
the sign and shadow, and there remain, celebrating the sabbath, come
not into the body, Christ, the rest of God's people.
P. Thou sayst, '-Christ rested, or ceased from his great work, and
entered into his rest, and this is laid down as a gospel reason why the

332
sabbath remains to the people of God. And he lays the believer under
a double engagement to sanctify the Seventh-day sabbath.'
A. Christ speaks no such thing, nor the apostles either, that they
should sanctify the Seventh-day, he speaks no such thing to the
believers; but the apostle brings them off from the shadows, from the
signs, and shows them the body of all,' and he does not mention a
double engagement; and the sabbath, the Jews were to rest on, which
was death if not kept, was a figure of the redemption, Christ Jesus,
the rest, who was put to death on the Sixth-day. Man was made on
the Sixth-day, and he was put to death on the Sixth-day, and he was
crucified through the means of them that had the shadows, the out
ward day, the outward rest, from which day they should have come,
from the signs and shadows, to the body Christ, who was the rest and
restoration of the creation.
P. And thou sayst, ' To hold forth the passage over of that rest
which prevented the women from the application of their spices, that
was the sabbath, and I am satisfied the Seventh-day is the sabbath day.'
A. Now though the women did rest on the sabbath day, and came
with their spices on the First-day, there were many of them did ques
tion whether this was the man that should redeem Israel; and so that
is no ground at all to hold up the Jews' types and shadows, for Peter
denied him; therefore that is no ground. But what did they dp after
the holy ghost was come to endue them with power from on high ?
And What says Paul? he brings them off from the signs and shadows
to Christ the body. Though there is much more to be said to this; for
while the questioning stands, the questioning part doth pertain to the
shadows and types, which the body ends, and with that is felt and seen,
in which there is no changing, nor shadow, nor variableness, nor alter
ing, and that overthrows the questioner, unbeliever, stumbler.. The
great stumbler was the Jew that was resting in the shadows, types, and
signs, he stood against the body Christ Jesus.
P. Whereas thou sayst, 'The Seventh-day sabbath is pne of the
lively oracles Israel received from Sinai, given to us. 0 christian!
remember it, and love it in thy bosom.'
A. Here thou wouldst bring the children from her mother above,
which is Jerusalem, to Jerusalem below, and Sinai, and so to Hagar,
into the shadow; but the christians witnessed the end of the shadows
land sabbaths, and witnessed the body Christ Jesus, and Jerusalem that
*is above, and dame to Christ, the end of the law, and into God by him,
from whom the law came. And so christians that have Christ within
tl^em, cannot put signs in their bosoms ; no type; shadow, or figure in
their bosom ; and cannot touch the doctrines, commandments, and ordi-
nancesof men, which have ashowof wisdom in the will-worship; and the

333
Jew, the outward Jew, had types, shadows and figures; the Jews in
ward witnessed the substance, who are the true christians, the law in
their hearts, and circumcision there, and the end of the law they came
into, and entered into the rest, Christ Jesus, that is not an outward Se
venth-day; but entered into rest, ' ceased from their works as God did
from his ;' these that enter into rest, cease from their own works, and the
type, the figure, the Seventh-day sabbath. ' Do no work, thou, nor
strangers, nor the cattle,' and so the sabbath was a rest from all. This
was a type, and God gave them the sabbath for a sign, (who hath ceased
from his own works, enters into his rest,) a figure of the restoration of
the creation — of Christ, the rest, the restorer, redeemer, and saviour,
that brings peace on earth. And so they that believe have entered
into him, into the rest Christ, the rest to all wearied souls, who helps
all creatures upon the earth, man and beast, and destroys the cause of
all oppression; and so many are come from Hagar. And though the
Seventh-day in the law was a rule among the Jews, a true type, yet
the apostle that preaches Christ, the end of the law, brings people to
the body, Christ.
P. Thou sayst, 'Circumcision nor uncircumcision, but keeping the
commands of God, viz. of sanctifying God's sabbath.' And thou sayst,
' The seventh angel sounded forth the ancient of glory, the Lord's
sabbath, swearing that time should be no longer.'
A. Circumcision was a command of God, and so was the sabbath,
and they that love God, keep his commandments. And did not the
apostle bring people off circumcision, and from the signs and shadows,
the sabbath days, and told them the body was Christ? And were not
offerings and sacrifices the commands of God? Now they that love
God, keep his commands, and those are believers that have passed
from death to life, and have come to the end of the law and the prophets.
And the angel in the Revelations, makes no mention of a sabbath there;
but many are come to witness him to whom the angels must bow down,
who saw the end of time, and the beginning of time, and the supper of
the Lord, and the rest, and the temple of God with them, and heaven
ly Jerusalem ' come down from above.'
P. Thou sayst, ' It cannot be but God's people must bethink them
selves of this doctrine delivered by Stephen, to the sanctification ofthe
Lord ofthe sabbath.'
A. Stephen no where mentions the sabbath day in his examination,
though he judged the Jews for not keeping the law, which they had
received, but persecuted the Just One: so he preached the substance,
Christ, the end of the law, and said they had not kept the law, but
turned against the Just, and persecuted him. He did not establish the
Vol. III. 42

334
Jews in their ceremonies, signs, and types; but Stephen brings them to
the substance. And so God that gave forth the law with types and figures
and shadows in it to the weak capacity of people in their transgression,
sent his son to redeem them from it, and to end the types, figures, and
shadows in the first covenant; who is the new and living way, in whom
is no changing and shadows, no variableness nor altering, no turning.
P. And thou sayst, 'Sin is double on the sabbath day?' And thou
sayst, 'I conceive a sabbath-day's journey is so far as a person may
ride to go without toil to a meeting. So where there is no law there is
no transgression, and the extent is left to the conscience.'
A. How now, must the beast bear a burthen? Where doth the scrip
ture say that thou wast to ride upon the sabbath day? Do the beasts
work then? He says, 'Thou shalt do no manner of work: but six days
shalt thou labour, and do all thou hast to do.' And you that make
sabbaths, and set up the old sabbath, and do not keep it according to the
law of God, with the law of God you are judged and condemned, if ye
do not fulfil it in every point; and they that believe Christ is the end
of the law, to them he is the body, which is the end of .the shadow.
P. Thou sayst, 'That the Jews that were not to make a fire on the
sabbath day, this was mentioned of the ceremonial law, and so concerns
not christians, and so not in danger of stoning. It is the revealed will of
God, that we should not turn our foot to the defiling the sabbath.
When the six days are done, be sure thou do not turn thy foot to pol
lute the sabbath.'
A. And dost not thou confound thyself in this, and turn thy foot to
pollute it, and sayst, it is the ceremonial law that commands it? and
they that gathered sticks, and made a fire, were stoned to death: did
not they pollute it? And dost not thou say it doth not concern the
christians, and they were not in danger of stoning? And so hast not
thou taught them to break the law and the sabbath both, and pollute it,
and so hast overthrown all thy doctrine in thy book, and confounded
thyself? And doth not he that goes out and gathers sticks and makes a
fire, turn his foot from the sabbath? For he that went out to gather
sticks, broke the sabbath day, and was cursed, and stoned to death : for
no fire,, no meat, no burthens were to be borne on that day of rest, a
figure of the everlasting rest, wherein no meat is gathered, no fire is
made, no burthen is borne, and there is no turning the foot, but all
walking in rest and peace; and so I find thee neither in law nor gospel.
P. Thou sayst, 'But to be sure the law was made for Christ's dis
ciples. Whosoever boasts of a light within, and speaks against this
law ofthe sabbath, hath no light in him.' And thou sayst, 'Quakers
will not admit of this royal law as a rule of righteousness, but pervert
the scriptures, which say, the law was not made for a righteous man.'

335
A. The disciples of Christ, the law was not made for them that came
to witness Christ the end of the law; for they said plainly, 'the law
was not made for the righteous.' And ' Christ is the end of the law to
them that believe for righteousness' sake.' And the Quakers witness
Christ, the end of the law, for their rule of righteousness, and do not
pervert the scriptures, but are the believers in him who ends the law,
and who was before it was, and is the body which ends the types, sha
dows, and figures; and they that draw people under the law, and the
types, and shadows, and figures from the light within, do not know
law or gospel; for the law is light, and the gospel is the power of God,
and such as witness Christ the end of the law, witness the end of the
sabbath. P. Thou sayst, 'Among all God's laws, none sets the soul more at
liberty than the fourth lively oracle.'
A. And yet thou sayst, men may make a fire and not be stoned, and
so thou teachest to break it; andihy horse may bear a burden. And so
dost not thou pollute it here, and destroy thy own soul by thy own judg
ment? But I tell thee, Christ is the bishop of the soul, who ends the
law, and brings the law within, into the mind and heart: so now the
soul being subject to the higher power, the power by which all the
changeable things are held up, that power remains when all the change
able fails, and decays, and ends, and the soul witnesses that, and the
body of Christ, the power, stands.
P. The sabbath 'was intended to righteous Stephen and all his follow
ers, and is designed to all persons, to whom the supper is joined; the sab
bath is a precept, ancient and universal, both for Adam a public person,
and for all his posterity, but none can sanctify the sabbath saving
Christ's disciples.'
A. Stephen suffered death for witnessing against the shadows, and
witnessing the substance, and the apostle no where joins the sabbath
with the supper, but Stephen saw Christ the body, in whom was the
rest, in whom he entered; and the saints that come to sup with the
Lord, and are supping with him, come into the body, which is the end
of all types, and shadows, and signs, as are sabbaths, and have seen them
flee away, and are come to the beginning, before the world was made,
him who was before signs, shadows, and types were.
The sabbath was not given to Adam in the beginning, who had the
dominion over all creatures living, but to Adam's posterity in the fall,
a sign when theycame to receive the law of God, the types, and sha
dows, and figures, which they were to rest on, a sign of rest. But when
Christ came he gave rest to the day from the inward burdens that men
were bound under; the apostle that preached him who was the body,
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336
preached the end Of the shadows, types, and figures. And so the disci
ples which were in the rest, Christ, in the body, they were in the
sanctification; and the apostle no where speaks that the disciples did
sanctify the seventh day and bid people do it. But thou dost not sanctify
the seventh day, that bids people make a fire, and so art a breaker
of it, and preaches up that people should break that, which thou affirms
should be kept holy.
P. Thou sayst, ' There are already many signs of displeasure upon
sabbath breakers, against the oracle of God: labouring with all their
might against it, in the birth upon Quakers: yea, the Galileans were
great sinners, but I tell you, except you repent ye shall all likewise
perish. 'And thou compares them to the sow wallowing in the mire' that
go from the sabbath of the Lord.'
A. This thou mightest turn upon the apostles who brought the peo
ple off from types, figures, signs and shadows, to the body, Christ, and
to the end of the law, and told them all things must become new,
[mark] 'all things become new.' What! wouldst hold up any old
thing? What! a new sabbath then? and have the Quakers been per
secuted, for witnessing the body Christ? is he persecuted? They go
in the wallowing mire like swine, and like the prodigal feeding upon
the husk, who go into the signs and shadows, and from the body,
Christ, the life, the substance, and come not to the rest, the body, and
hold not the head. And so they satisfy the flesh, and run into the
mire, and wallow there, and are satisfying it; and such are the intruders,
worshipping angels, will-worshippers, without the body.
P. Thou sayst, ' The seventh day is a perpetual royal rest, established
by precept and precedent, for God's praise and saints' privilege: the
unchangeableness of the Seventh-day sabbath.'
A. It was so to the Jews in their generation; perpetual to them in
the generation where they were, and so was circumcision, and so were
the offerings; but Christ by whom the world was made, came to end the
offerings, who is the rest to weary souls and takes off all burdens; who
is the everlasting rest, and restores the creation, and ends the Jewish
signs given as a sign and shadow of the body, Christ, him by whom
the world was made, who was before it was made, and so he changes the
covenant and priesthood, and ends the law, ends the shadows, who be
lieve in the body Christ, are entered into his rest, and there is the saints'
privilege. P. ' Thou sayst, ' When will the new moon be gone that we may sell
corn, and the sabbath day that we may set forth wheat? All the disci
pline of the gospel calls for self-denial, as this weekly duty of the holy
sabbath; the christian complains for want of spiritual enjoyments with

337
Christ, and acquaintance with Christ,' the sabbath opens the door of the
holy of holies, and is as a spring of spiritual joys.'
A. In the time of the law and prophets, they were crying up new
moons, and sabbaths, which were shadows, types, and signs : but the
saints denied themselves, and were come to the body, and did not set up
weekly duties of the holy sabbath, but said they were shadows, and came
to see the end of sabbaths,and new moons, and witnessed the body, Christ,
who was before the day was made, in whom is the rest. And the christians
who are complaining for want of spiritual enjoyments, and acquaintance
with Christ, are such as are among you that are in the shadows, and
come not to the body Christ, in whom there is communion and life;
for the body is the light ofthe world: the body is the life given for the
life of the world in whom there is rest, yea, to them that had the true
sabbath, which was the sign they were to rest on. A sign, a sha
dow, is of something that is to come; therefore the sign and shadow is
not the thing; and they that live upon the sign and shadow, and cry
them up, keep from the door of holies where all the springs of spiritual
joys are, in which all the signs, and shadows, and types, and figures
ended, in Christ, who was before they were; in Christ, by whom the
world was made, before shadows and types were. And a great deal
more confusion is there in thy book not worth mentioning, but will fall
into the mire and the dirt with thyself. Therefore now thou hast time^
prize it, and give over deceiving the people; for thou art wallowing in
the mire thou speaks of, and would bring people thither, into the sha
dows from Christ, the body, the substance, and life.

John Burton, and John Bunyan, who call themselves ministers of
the gospel, in their book called, ' Some Gospel truths opened.'
Their principles are as followeth.
P. They say, ' To witness Christ manifest in our flesh, is to deny
Christ come in the flesh.' And say, ' that Christ saith he shall be absent
from his apostles touching his body.'
A. Contrary to Christ, who said that they might eat his flesh; and
contrary to the apostle, who said that they were of his flesh and bone.
So they do not divide the word aright. And to witness Christ within is
not to deny him come in the flesh, but to witness him, and such are
not absent from him.
P. And they say, .' Others have been depending upon something that
they call the righteousness of Christ within, and Christ within them ;'

338
and this they say ' is opposite to Christ without,' and this they call ' the
spirit of the devil.'
A. Which is not agreeable to the apostle's doctrine, but contrary to
the apostle, who said, ' he was manifest in his flesh, to condemn sin in
the flesh, that he through him might become the righteousness of God.'
And this is not opposite to Christ that died at Jerusalem ; but it is the
same that is manifest, and not the spirit of the devil, but that which
destroys him; for the devil and reprobates may talk of him without, but
the apostle said, that Jesus Christ was in them (that is, the Emmanuel,
God with us) except they were reprobates, and none know righteous
ness but within.
P. And they say, ' This is one ofthe devil's lies, to deceive, to bid
people follow the light.'
A. That is contrary to the prophets, Christ, and the apostles, who
bid them walk in the light ; and Christ, who bids them believe in the
light. And ' I will give him for a covenant of light, a leader of the
people.' And Christ said, ' I am the light; he that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life:' and that is the
devil and the liar that leads people from the light, for he abode not
in it.
P. They say, ' Faith is not perfect in respect of its degree and measure
in us.'
A. The faith of God is the gift of God, and it is perfect in us. in its
measure and degree, though thy measure and degree are not perfect ;
and here thou hast tried thy faith and thy gift, which is not perfect, for
the gift of God is perfect.
P. And yet they say, ' The work of this faith is for purifying and
justifying, and not perfect in the. degree and measure of it in us.'
A. Can an imperfect thing purify and justify ? And doth not the
scripture speak of one faith that gives victory ? And doth not the apostle
say, that faith abides? And can that abide which is not perfect? And
Christ saith, ' He that hath faith as a grain of mustard seed, shall remove
mountains,' and is not that perfect ? Now here all men may see if you,
who call yourselves ministers, divide the word aright. We say, faith
is perfect in the least measure and degree, the righteousness of faith,
Rom. x. And it is that with which men please God, which faith works
by love, and so brings off the works of the law, by which faith men are
justified, which is in the heart.
P. They say, ' It is a manifestation of the deluding of poor souls, to
hold forth a crucified Christ within, risen within, ascended within, and
scriptures within,' and say, ' this is a new gospel.'
A. If Christ that is crucified be not within, and Christ that is risen
be not within, I say that you all are reprobates; and if the scripture be

339
not within, which was spoken forth from within, you all want the
spirit that gave it forth, and Christ the substance of it, and you have
not eaten his flesh, neither are you ofhis bone; and this is not opposite
to Jesus Christ without, that died at Jerusalem, but the same; for they
who eat his flesh have it within them, and this is not a new gospel.
P. And they say, ' False Christs have a new false faith to apprehend
this crucified Christ within.'
A. Which is contrary to the faith of the apostles, who preached Christ
that is crucified within, and not another, him that was raised up from
the dead, was risen, that Lord Jesus Christ within, 'the same yester
day, to-day, and for ever,' by whom the world was made, glorified with
the Father before the world began. It was he that was manifest in the
saints that was, and is, and not another, for the other "s the antichrist.
P. And they say, ' It is a scripture of the devil's making to appre
hend this crucified Christ within.'
A. Now I say, if there be any other Christ but he that was crucified
within, he is the false Christ; and the scripture holds forth this, and the
devil never made it, but he and his messengers are against it. And he
that hath not this Christ that was risen and crucified within, is a repro
bate, though devils and reprobates may make a talk of him without.
P. They say, ' The light of revelation renders God's Christ odious.'
A. None know the son of God but by revelation, and with the
light, and they are those that render Christ odious that are out of the
light of revelation of the son, as the Pharisees did, and as now the
beast and false prophets do* in making war against the saints in light,
and the Lamb ; but the Lamb and the saints shall get the victory : glory
to the Highest. They that walk in the light are not opposite to Christ,
but to the beast and the false prophets, but are in unity with the son,
and with the Father.
P. And they. say, 'What a sad doctrine is that which saith, follow
the light with which Christ hath enlightened all who come into the
world.' A. This is contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who was to go into all
nations to turn people from darkness to light, and preach the new cove
nant to Jews and Gentiles, ' the salvation to the ends of the earth, a
leader of the people;' and contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who bid
the saints walk in the light, ' and they should have fellowship one
with another,' and so not sad, but fellowship. But thou and you that are
apostates, are gone from this light, and that which doth make manifest
is light, and with it are you that are apostates from it, seen. And you
follow not the light that every one. is enlightened with that comes
into the world, and so are out of unity one with another, and fellow
ship with the son, and with the Father, and are out of his covenant,

340
all on heaps in the apostacy, that walk not in the light, but call it a
sad doctrine to bid others follow it. The children of the light are the
light of the world: ' Let your light shine before men, that they may
glorify your Father which is in heaven,' like lamps burning, ' for ye are
as a city set ori a hill that cannot be hid.' And Christ saith, 'He that
followeth the light shall not walk in darkness.'
P. They say, ' It is a rendering of the scriptures odious, and law,
to tell of the scripture within, which Christ never taught, nor his dis
ciples: but God hath given them up to a reprobate mind.'
A. Were not all the scriptures from the spirit within ? and were they
not there before they came out? And must not all upon the earth have the
spirit within that gave it forth, before they can understand the scrip
ture without, given forth from the spirit of God within others? And
was not the apostles' and Christ's preaching of the scripture within,
the law in the heart, and the word in the heart? and the kingdom
within, and the spirit within, leading into all truth, the spirit of the
Father speaking in you, and Christ within? and is not this extolling
scripture of truth? and are not all they reprobates that have scripture
without, and not within ?
P. And they say, ' But this is the devil's design, to pretend that peo
ple may attain a more excellent way by following what is made known
to them from the light within them.'
A. I never read such a doctrine that the devil taught, that any
should follow that which the light made known within them, and I
know he did not; for he is out of the light, and that which it makes
known within; for the light which shines within makes known ' the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, whereby men come to be
changed from glory to glory, till they come into the image of God,* and
this the light makes known within. 2 Cor. iv.
P. And they say, ' God hath a Christ distinct from all other things
whatsoever, whether they be spirits or bodies.'
A. God's Christ is not distinct from his saints, nor their bodies, for
he is within them; nor distinct from their spirits, for their spirits wit
ness him: and ' God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself,'
who is the head of every creature. 'And there is not any creature but
it is manifest in his sight;' and he is in the saints, and they eat his flesh,
and sit with him in heavenly plaees.
P. They say, * They are deceived that think to obtain salvation by
the conviction of the law which they call Christ,' pages 37 and 39.
A. Christ is the end of the law, and they who follow him are not
deceived, but come to witness the law of life, and him revealed in
them; and they are deceived that call the law without Christ, that
doth convict, and give it that name; but who follow Christ the end of

341
the law have the righteousness of God revealed in them from faith to
faith, which the just live by, and Christ revealed in them, as the apos
tle witnessed, whereby they have eternal life.
P. And they say, 'The Quakers would obtain salvation by the obe
dience of Christ, the law which gives the knowledge of sin.'
A. The Quakers' obedience is Christ, God's righteousness, the end
of the law, which makes them free from the law of sin and death:
Christ the seed, the second Adam.
P. They say, ' Now every man that cometh into the world receives
a light from Christ as he is God, which light is conscience, and this
will show a man that there is a God, and discover the eternal God,
which some falsely call Christ.'
A. Christ saith, ' I am the light of the world,' and he doth ' enlighten
every man that cometh into the world,' as saith John; and doth not
say that it is conscience, for the light was before conscience was ; which
shows thy ignorance: not knowing what conscience is. For conscience
was since the world; but light was before the world was made, and he
that doth evil hates the light; and so conscience is seared, and so light
condemns.' And the light which every man that cometh into the wprld
is enlightened with, is God's covenant to Jews and Gentiles, and his
salvation to the ends of the earth. So you have given Christ a new
name, that call him conscience, contrary to scripture; and is conscience
that may be seared, eternal? and will that show that which is eternal?
will conscience blot out sin and transgression ? Christ will, God's
covenant, that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
believing in which light, they serve Christ the author of their faith,
which faith is a mystery held in a pure conscience.
P. And they say, ' that every man hath not the spirit of Christ; and
he brings Jude to prove it.'
A. That proves that they had it, but went from it; and the spirit
that leads the disciples reproves the world.
P. John Burton saith, 'John Bunyan is furnished with spiritual gifts,
which gifts the ministers of Christ must have, whether learned or un
learned as to human. And John Bunyan's preaching, he saith, is not
by human art; yet he saith Christ is human.'
A. The scripture hath neither taught John Burton nor John Bunyan
this language, to say this knowledge is not human, and yet to affirm
Christ is human, is to say thy knowledge is not from Christ But we
shall try his gifts whether they are from God, and whether or not he
divides the word aright, and whether they are agreeable to the scrip
ture, who fills up his book with mentioning the word human twenty
times over. Human is from the earth; to say Christ is human, thy
knowledge is from theground, earthy, and he hath no scripture for it.
Vol. III. 13

342
P. He saith, ' that the soul is immortal.' And he saith, ' It is the
devil that keeps people to live and die in their sins,' and 'he that
cries free grace through the death of the man Christ Jesus; that sin
ners do attain to eternal life. And to deny his own righteousness,
he saith, is a notion, and saith he is empty of sanctified grace.'
A. The grace that comes from Christ seasons the heart, and the
words are sanctified, and this is not a notion, but all are in the notion
that speak of the thing, and are out of the grace and salvation. And you
that believe people must have sin, whilst they are upon the earth, are
they that keep people in their sins, and so thou hast judged thyself to be
the minister of sin, as thou mayst read the fruits in thy own book.
P. John Bunyan saith, 'he that confesseth Christ came in the flesh,
and was crucified, taken from the cross, and has risen, he that believes
this is not antichrist.'
A. The pope, and all the profane people in Christendom called Chris
tians, will confess this in the form without them, and they that deny the
power, (for Christ is the power of God,) and that I say is antichrist, he
that hath not Christ in him is a reprobate. And so thou wouldst make
thyself, and all professors, the pope and all hirelings, not to be antichrist,
and are all on heaps one amongst another: that is a mark of antichrist:
though they may have all in the form, Christ and the prophets' words:
who deny the power, yet confess Christ without; he that denies the
power, denies Christ, and so he is antichrist who denies the light which
Christ hath enlightened him withal.
P. 'Man at his coming into the world hath conscience, but he hath
not the spirit of Christ.'
A. Man at his coming into the world hath a light from Christ, him
by whom the world was made, which is more than conscience ; but he
that hates the light abides in darkness, and so is not like to receive the
spirit, but is reproved with it.
P. They say, ' They that are carried away by the convictions of
conscience, are misinformed by the devil.'
A. This light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, which he calls conscience, teaching and misinforming by the
devil, is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, that through it they might believe ; and is not conscience. And
' he that believes hath the witness in himself,' and all may hear the son,
and confess him to the glory of God; and therefore are enlightened by
him who was glorified with the Father before the world began. And
Christ bids them believe in the light, which believing in, they have the
light of life, but he that believes not is condemned already; and they
that hate the light are they that are misinformed by the devil.

343
P. Now they say, ' He converts a new birth, persuading them it is
wrought by following the light, and this he says is like Baal's priests.'
A. That is contrary to Christ, who saith, ' I am the light, and he that
followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of
life.' He that believes in the light shall become a child of the light,
and this is far above Baal's priests, and all that hate it hate Christ, and
these are Baal's priests that hate the light.
P. And they say, ' that the spirit of Christ convinceth of sin,' and
yet they say ' all have it not,' and yet ' it shall convince and reprove
the world.'
A. Now it is one thing to be reproved, and another thing to receive
that which doth reprove ; for the believer in the light is led by the
spirit of truth into all truth, and he that believes not in the light, is
with the spirit of truth reproved.
P. They say, ' For one to be convinced of his sins against the law,
and have some power against them,' these they call 'miserable blind
Pharisees.' A. They that were blind Pharisees, transgressed the law of God,
lived out of the power, and that which convinced of the transgression
of the law: so they said and did not, and wo was pronounced against
them, and so judgment came to be neglected, and the doers of the law
were justified, and not called blind Pharisees. And the law was in its
place, but Christ is the end of the law for righteousness' sake, to them
that believe; and those were not called. blind Pharisees who followed
that which showed them the transgression of the law, for those were
the doers.
P. They say, ' The spirit shall convince all men and women suffi-
cientlyof that righteousness which Christ fulfilled.'
A. That which doth convince of righteousness, all men and women,
as thou confessest, if they believe in the light which Christ hath en
lightened them withal, it will lead them from their own righteousness,
and be their teacher, and they come to be taught of God.
P. They say, ' The light convinceth of sin against the law, but will
not show a soul a saviour or deliverer.'
A. That is contrary lo the apostle, who saith, ' the light that shined
in their hearts will give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ,' who is the saviour ; and ' he shall be my
salvation to the ends of the earth,' the covenant to Jews and Gentiles.
P. They say, ' The light will not show a man his lost condition, nor
the righteousness, blood, death, resurrection, and intercession of Jesus
Christ.' A. There is nothing makes manifest but light. And none know

344
the blood, death, righteousness, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but
with the light which comes from Jesus Christ, who hath enlightened
every man that cometh into the world, and that is it shall give every
man assurance that he is raised from the dead; the light of the body is
the eye, that lets see salvation.
P. They say, ' Christ went away into heaven from his disciples, and
so is not within them.'
A. Did not he say he would come again to them ? did he not say he
was in them, ' I in you ?' and did not the apostle say Christ was in them,
the hope of glory, except they were reprobates? was not he revealed
in the apostle, and so in him ? and did not the apostle preach Christ
within ? and you preach Christ without.
P. They say, ' that those believers that are in the body now at this
day, are absent from the Lord.'
A. Doth not the apostle say, that Christ is in them except they be
reprobates, and that he is in them the hope of glory, and they have fel
lowship with God, and God will dwell in them, and walk in them?
And he that believes, believes in him, in Christ, so is not absent.
P. And they say, ' He is absent from them, as touching his flesh.'
A. Doth not the apostle say that they are of his flesh, and of his
bone, and he that eats not his flesh, hath no life in him, and they sit
in heavenly places with him ? and he that eats his flesh hath it within
him. P. They say, ' that there is not any heaven within, into which the
man Christ is ascended; nor can any man contain a man four foot long?'
A. Christ is a mystery, and is not he to be revealed within, who is
a mystery? he who did ascend to be revealed and made manifest in
his saints, in-flesh and spirit, he that did descend; who is now mani
fested, that the world wonders at,whois ascended far above the heavens,
who is the saints' life, living bread, and drink. And where ever used
the ministers of Christ any such expressions as thou dost ? which shows
that Christ is yet to thee a mystery.
P. They say, 'Stars falling from heaven, are professors falling from
the faith to the earth.'
A. This is fulfilled upon you all, who have given judgment upon
yourselves; and so you are from the faith in which is the unity, in
which men please God and have victory over the world; and this you
may read since the days of the apostle, who are fallen all down into
the earth for money and stipends.
P. They say, ' that God hath given assurance to all men, and com
mands all to repent every where, in that he will judge the world in
righteousness by the man Christ Jesus.'

345
A. Every man that cometh into the world is enlightened by Christ
the light of the world, him by whom it was made, who will give them
a reward according to their works that deny his. light, and are found
in the wprks of darkness.
P. Tney say, ' that the end of Christ's coming is, that the people
of God should shine as the sun, and the cause that hinders them from
shining is the body of death.'
A. The righteous and the saints come to witness the body of sin put
off, and thank God, who hath given them victory, and come into the
second Adam, the Lord from heaven, (out of the first Adam,) where the
shining state is witnessed, the holy mount of God, the city that cannot
be hid.
P. They say, ' If a man's obedience flow not from the faith, it is
but sin in the sight of the great God.'
A. And yet they say, faith is not perfect in the measure and degree!
P. And they say, ' Four times Christ ascended away from his dis
ciples, and was not in them.'
A. And Christ said, ' I in you, and you in me;' and that he would
come and dwell in them, and make his abode with them, which the
apostles came to witness, and sat with him in heavenly places.
P. They say, 'That the man Christ that was crucified, his body is
now in the presence of his Father, absent from his people, as touching
his bodily presence.'
A. Doth not the apostle say he is the head of the church? And
doth not the apostle say, they are of his flesh and bone, and sit with
him in heavenly places, with Christ. And Christ saith, they must eat
his flesh, and he is in them.
P. And they say, ' That Christ is absent from the saints in the world,
is clear.'A. When the apostle saith, Christ was in the saints; and 'Christ in
you the hope of glory.' And the apostle said he had revealed the son
in him. And ' he that hath not the son of God hath not life.' And
after, the same Christ which was crucified and risen, came to be mani
fest in his saints, and not another. And so the saints come to feed
upon his flesh, and drink his blood which is their life, which body
Christ gives for the life of the world, and which blood appeaseth
the wrath of the Almighty. And as for the rest of John Burton and
John Bunyan's lies and slanders, they are not worth mentioning; but
the scriptures are owned. And John, art thou finding fault, because
men wear no hat-bands, and eat and drink bread and water, and cast
by their pride? Now thou mayst see who thou hast taken part with,
and who is the scoffer, and showest thyself, and who is thy master,
short of all good. And as for all your bad names, and misconstruing

346
of scriptures, it will come upon yourselves. And thou hast shown in all
thy book, that thou art not able to divide the word aright, nor an in
structor of babes.
P. And thou sayst, 'that Christ died for the sins ofthe elect.'
A. And the scripture saith, he was an offering for the sinl of the
whole world; and who shall lay charge to God's elect whom he jus
tifies. P. And thou speaks of God ' destroying men for their ignorance,'
and 'they shall find no favour in the day of judgment'
A. Whereas the scripture saith, ' the time of ignorance God winked
at, but now he commands all men every where to repent,' and 'every
man that cometh into the world is enlightened.' And the spirit of
truth shall ' reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judg
ment,' which leads believers into all truth. And ' the grace of God
which brings salvation hath appeared to all men,' but they turn it into
wantonness, which is the saints' teacher. And this shall make every
tongue to confess to the glory of God, and every knee to bow at his
name, which is the Emmanuel; and so none shall plead ignorance, as
thou said, who art in the ignorance thyself, but inexcusable, because
convicted. And thou hast rejected the tender mercies, who hast lifted
up thyself against the saints and the Lamb; but a stone is set over thy
head that shall grind thee to powder, and the saints shall have the
victory, and the kingdom that is an everlasting kingdom.^ The wit
ness in thy conscience shall witness against thee for all thy hard
speeches, and let thee know that you and thou had better have been
silent, than to fight against the Lord, the Lamb and his saints: that is
the word of the Lord God to thee and you all. When ye are judged,
the witness in all your consciences shall answer.

W. P's. principles, in his book entitled, ' According to truth, that
quakes not, trembles not, nor quails.'
P. They say, ' If the apostles had been put to preach upon a short
text, or methodically, as by a long practice in the church, is expected
from us, they might oft times have studied for it.'
A. In this you have showed your spirits, and made manifest you
are void of the revelation from God, and your ignorance of the scrip
tures; for the holy ghost shall not speak of itself, but take ofhis.
And the apostles, what they had seen and heard they declared. And
Christ, what he had received of the Father, he declared. And the spirit
is that which speaks in the church, and it shows the fulfilling of the

347
scriptures, and it keeps not people long in texts, as the world doth,
that wrests scriptures up and down, and keeps people in sects. And
so, there is the spirit leading into all truth, and the spirit of the Father
speaking within, and the holy ghost that moved men to give forth
scripture, that teacheth to divide the word aright, which is the spirit
of prophecy in the church, not studying.
P. They say, ' Every man that hath the spirit in some measure,
doth not attain to the great height and degree that they did that gaye
forth scriptures, therefore may not lawfully and infallibly teach as they
did.' A. Every man that hath a measure of the spirit of God, in the least
measure or degree, it is infallible, and so far may they teach infallibly,
and know scriptures; but they cannot know all scriptures, but as they at
tain to the full measure of the spirit of the prophets and apostles, and
to the measure, and stature, and fulness of Christ. And if they do not
attain to all this, they are not able to know all the scriptures; and the
work of the ministers of God was to bring people to this, to the mea
sure, and stature, and fulness of Christ; and the apostle saith, - Let every
one minister as he hath received the grace.' And take heed of any of
you going beyond your measure. And they that deny the grace of God
appearing to all men, cannot minister.
P. They say, ' The greater part of professors in the visible church
were, and always are, earthly minded, nor can rightly value spiritual
and heavenly things.'
A. In this you and your ministers have showed your fruits like
Balaam's, which wither and are earthly ; such as Jude speaks of, that
separated themselves, sensual, and had not the spirit, but went forth
from the apostles, that were got up since the days of the apostles,
church and ministry, like priest, like people; and to be such as were
coming up before the apostles' decease, as he speaks of in Timothy,
'who minded earthly things;' like teacher, like people; that pierced
themselves through with many hurtful lusts. While they coveted after
money, they lost the faith, and so came people to be all on heaps (out
of unity) in the earth, being out of the faith of God's elect. So this
is all in the apostacy since the apostles.
P. And he saith, ' that he is not a hireling that takes wages. The
wages are allotted to him for his work.'
A. But do not all you preach for hire? and is it not for hire you preach?
Now the least in the truth may see you. Is there ever a priest in the
nation but he is hired to work, or if he have it not, he will not stay?
Now to prove that you do preach for hire; where there are many
steeple-houses in many parishes that have no priest, thither you go
not, because there is but a little benefice, and they have souls as well

348
as others ; and where there is an agreement for so much a year, thither
you go; is not this for hire? And so the prophet's words are fulfilled,
' the priests preach for hire.' And all these great sums of money
which have lifted you up, and a great deal of it has been gathered out
of poor men's labours; this hath been the undoing of you all and of
nations, and many poor people, because they cannot put into your
mouths. But now is God come to judgment upon you all apostates, in
the apostacy.
P. And thou calls the steeple-house a church.
A. Which is the church that is come up sincethe days of the apos
tles, in the apostacy; for the church is the people of God, the elect seed,
which Christ is the head of, who in the midst of this church doth sing
praises, which is the pillar and ground of truth, without spot or wrin
kle. Whereas the steeple-house you call your church, will spot, wrin
kle, and blemish, and decay, and fall down, and wicked men may
prevail against it; but the gates of hell cannot prevail against that church
which is built upon the rock.
P. And thou sayst, ' Thou dost not speak in that degree of the holy
ghost as the prophets and apostles did that spoke forth scriptures.'
A. Then thou must take heed of exalting thyself above thy measure;
for thou canst not know scripture, but by the same degree of the spirit
the prophets and apostles had.
P. And he saith, 'He hath no command in scripture to sprinkle in
fants, and he holds it not absolutely necessary, and he hath no com
mand in scripture against it, and he hath a commandment of the
governors, and so he is subject to every ordinance of man.'
A. An ordinance of man that is of absolute necessity, consider what
it is! and that which the scripture no where commands, nor thou hast
any example for, consider what that is! And as to saying the scripture
no where forbids it, it forbids all the traditions and doctrines of men:
so that is judged by the spirit of God that is set up by men.
P. Thou sayst, 'The Lord may, with the outward washing, give the
spirit to the child.'
A. Can man receive the spirit of God by following traditions of men
and outward things? Were not they all from it, and from the spirit?
and doth it not judge them for setting up such things as God never
commanded? P. And he speaks of 'David's Psalms given to the world suitably.'
A. The world must repent and be in the spirit, (for it lies in wicked
ness,) before they can know David's singing; for the prophet saith,
their songs must be turned into howlirig, and David's condition is not
the world's.
P. He saith, ' men may respect persons in their places.'

349
"¦ A. That is contrary to the apostle, who said, God was without re
spect of persons, and that the Gentiles should be accepted as well as
the Jews. He that doth righteousness is accepted with God; who holds
the faith of Christ it is without respect of persons, it is in the
unity, and they that are out of that, are out of the unity. So thou
who hast pleaded for that, art out of his doctrine. 'He that respects
persons commits sin, and is convinced of the law as a transgressor,'
saith the apostle. W. P. thy works are tried and weighed, and found
too light, and condemned for the fire, as the witness in thy conscience
shall answer; but now in thy security thou art asleep, but the wrath
of the Lamb shall find thee out.
And as for all the lies and slanders thou heaps up in thy book, they
are not worth mentioning, but will come upon thy own self, for they are
thine own covering, which are judged, the witness in thee shall answer.

The Elders and Messengers of the several Churches of Ilston,
Abergevenny, Tredingnoge, Caermarthen, Hereford, Bredwer-
den, Cledacke, and Liangors, meeting at Brecknocke, whose book
is titled, ' An Antidote against the Infections of the Times'
Who have shown yourselves full of poison, and such as infect the
times, but with the spirit of truth ye are comprehended and
judged. Your principles are as followeth.
P. You say, you are ' conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniqui
ty.' Psalm li. 1.
A. David doth not say, 'you who were conceived in sin,' but'Ij'and
W. P. saith, 'John was sanctified from the womb;' and the scripture
speaks of such as were sanctified from the womb, and children that
were clean. And so you do not speak as elders and messengers of true
churches, or men dividing the word aright; but you are one against
another, though you are all against them you call Quakers; that are in
the truth.
P. They say, 'they observe the design of Satan to cast down the
walls of Sion, and to remove the living stones thereof from the sure
foundation, the rock of ages, the Lord Jesus Christ, and draw them to
build upon the sands.'
A. Is this likely that the elect should be deceived? that living stones
should be drawn from the sure foundation, the rock of ages, the Lord
Jesus Christ? For these living stones to be built upon the sand, and
drawn from the rock of ages, doth not sound like the doctrine of men
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350
of understanding; for the living stones are the spiritual household, and
the royal priesthood; and theirs is the foundation that stands sure, the
rock which the gates of hell cannot prevail against. You in your no
tions should let living stones alone, for none can pluck them out of the
Father's hand.
P. And they say, 'No man can redeem the soul of his brother.'
A. Solomon saith, 'The fruits of the righteous is a tree of life; and
he that wins souls is wise.' And 'he that saves a man from his evil
ways, saves a soul from a multitude of sins.' Again thou sayst, 'No
man, the greatest of men, can redeem the soul of his brother.' Ye
should not have left out Christ the saviour, the redeemer, the man
Christ Jesus, the elder brother; so you are a company of blind pastors,
contrary to them that gave forth scriptures.
P. 'To say heaven and glory are in man, which were before man
was, they are sottish and blind.''
A. There are none have a glory and a heaven but within them, which
was before man had a being.
P. ' Wherefore, take heed of depending upon any righteousness
within you, or any righteousness done by you.'
A. This is a strange doctrine, that men must take heed of any righte
ousness done by them, or within them! This is contrary to scripture,
which saith, the kingdom of heaven is within, that stands in righteous
ness, peace, and joy in the holy ghost. And the fruits of the spirit
are righteousness and goodness; and this is that which ends the righte
ousness of the law. And ' He that doth righteousness is righteous,
and Christ, the righteousness of God, is with them.'
P. ' Man hath received a light from Christ as a creature, but not as a
redeemer. '
A. That is false; for whosoever hath received a light from Christ,
hath received a redeemer, and a saviour, and he that doth believe in it
is saved, and he that doth not is condemned.
P. And they say, 'If you love your souls, beware of such delusions,
lest ye perish eternally, that say it is the true light that enlightens every
man that cometh into the world, and that following it, it is sufficient to
bring men to heaven; which light is natural reason and conscience.'
A. The light that every man that cometh into the world is enlight
ened withal, cometh from the salvation, Christ, who is the way to the
Father, whose throne is in heaven; and Christ saith, 'Believe in the
light, that ye may become the children of the light,' and ' he that be
lieves in the light shall not come into condemnation.' All men are en
lightened, that through the light they might believe. So you are not
able to divide the word aright, and all that are from this light, are 'lo

351
here, lo there:' and so are in the natural reason and conscience, which
the light is not; the light was before they were.
P. They say, 'None should ever have known a justification or a
sanctification, if it had not been written.'
A. I do believe you had not, but here you have laid aside the holy
ghost: how knew they before they gave scripture forth? Here thou
hast denied revelation of the spirit; for though a man has all the wri
tings, yet he knows nothing of God, but by the spirit of God, and the
light which comes from him; nor of sanctification, nor justification,
which is Christ.
P. You say, ' You are fallen into the last times prophesied of by
Christ,' and you are ' to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered
to the saints.'
A. The faith once delivered to the saints, ye are out of, in respecting
persons, and are apostates from it; and the last times which Christ
spoke of that should come, John saw were come, when the false pro
phets which Christ prophesied of, were come, who went forth from the
apostles, who, since their days, the world went after; and now from
them is the Lord God bringing his people to the rock of ages, into the
faith they are out of.
P. 'Foolish man would have his righteousness in himself.'
A. Every one that hath Christ hath the righteousness of God
wrought in him, and none own the righteousness of Christ but who
own the light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world;
and they are foolish that know not this, and the righteousness of faith
in them.
P. 'It is blasphemy,' they say, 'and colourable pretences, to wit
ness an infallible spirit in them.'
A. The spirit that leads the saints into all truth, is infallible, and
that shall reprove the world; and he that hath the spirit of Christ, hath
that which is infallible, and he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none
of his, but is in the colourable pretences.
P. They say, ' The scriptures are the quick and powerful word.'
A. Many may have the scriptures and the form, and deny the pow
er; and the scriptures are words of God, and the word is God; and this
word is in the heart, which led them to speak forth scripture. And
many scriptures they bring to oppose the doctrine of Christ, who saith,
'Be not ye called of men master; for ye have one master, even Christ,'
to whom every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, to the glory
of God. Will men receive worship, when angels would not receive it,
but bade them worship God-!
P. They say, ' They rail and cavil at the lawful maintenance that
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352
A. God hath suffered the beast to make havoc, and spoil the saints'
goods: but where doth God ordain that you should take tithes and
treble damages, easter reckonings, and midsummer dues, and that you
should sue men at the law, and cast them in prison till death, — where
did God command this? They that preach the gospel should live on
the gospel, and they bring glad tidings to people, and this is not glad
tidings, to cast into prison till death, and hale up and down to courts
and sessions, for outward maintenance. Let the spiritual judge whether
these men bring glad tidings, or whether they do not make their folly
manifest to all men that can but read the scripture.
P. They say, ' Such as trust in their own inherent righteousness,
compass sea and land to make proselytes.'
A. It was so in the days of the Pharisees, it hath been so since the
days of the apostles, since the beast and the false prophet got up, who
deny the light that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the
world, God's righteousness, (Christ.) And such as denied the light
had the form; and such gather people into the form of Moses, the pro
phets, Christ, and the apostles' words; establishing their own righteous
ness, and denying the righteousness of God, the light that doth enlight
en every one that cometh into the world. And all you that deny the
light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, have
trodden the blood of the covenant under foot. And you tell us of hu
man and inherent righteousness, but the scripture tells us no such
words. And as for all the rest of the lies in this book, we let them go
home again upon their own heads; every word shall be their own bur
then, and that in their conscience shall witness. And the scriptures
are owned by the Quakers, and denied by you, but owned for your own
ends, that deny the light.

A book entitled, 'The Quakers' Cause.' No <name is found in it,
but it is a book of darkness, railing, and lies. And because some
leave father, and mother, and wife, therefore he rages, who is out
of the light and doctrine of Christ. The principles in it are as
followeth. P. Such as forsake husband and wife, to do the will of God, this he
calls 'a breaking of relations.'
A. And thus ignorantly speaks evil of those things he knows not.
Thus, ignorant of the command of Christ and the scriptures, he hath
showed himself to be a member of the world, and not of Christ, who

353
saith, ' he that doth not forsake father and mother, wife and children, is
not worthy of me.'
P. He saith, 'Because he saith thou to God, it doth not follow that
he should say thou to his earthly father, to speak to God as he doth to
man.' $>
A. Now mind what proud flesh would have, of whom thou hast
learned to speak you to an earthly man, or to a particular person, which
the scripture hath taught no such language, nor the accidence. That
which teacheth thee to give more to man than to God is the spirit
of the world, but the spirit of God teaches to speak righteously, and
when there is but one, not to say as of many, but thou to one, and you
to many. And so here is the form of sound words that cannot be con
demned: now you may see where your original stands, who cannot en
dure the form of sound words.
P. He saith, ' To be justified by grace, which is Christ in them, this
is a kind of Popery.'
A. Contrary to the scripture and the apostles' doctrine, (before the
pope, and them too,) which saith, ' Christ was in them,' ' who are jus
tified by faith;' and faith was in the heart ; and 'justified in the spirit,'
and who witness the spirit, it is the spirit of grace ; and ' by grace ye
are saved,' and that which saves, justifies; and 'being justified by
grace.' And thou art of the pope, and in the apostacy, that deniest
this. P. To say, ' Christ is within, is never to mention Christ without.'
A. There is none knows Christ within, but he knows him without,
the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and there are none know him
but they know him within, revealed of the Father, which is beyond
flesh and blood.
P. And he says, ' To run upon new birth, self-denial, light withiri,
Christ within man, if this be not a kind of Popery, and a fair gate for
Rome, he is deceived.'
A. Light within, Christ within, new birth, and self-denial are out
of your works and Rome's, which was the doctrine that the apostles
held forth and the saints witnessed, Christ within, light within, and
new birth. Such were they that came into the kingdom of God, over
the kingdoms of the world. And because some have been moved of
the Lord to go naked among you, a figure of your nakedness and
want of clothing, you rage at it; that you may appear more naked of
the spirit of God. And as for all thy lies and slanders and hard ex
pressions in thy book, though thou hast hid thy name, yet truth will
bring thy works upon thee, and make the witness in thee to answer;
who and which are for the fire, and to thee this shall be thy burden,
who art like a man that scorns and scoffs, and yet thou hidest thyself.

354
P. And thou sayst, 'That good woman called who went naked.'
A. Thou hast justified her to be good, and thou canst not say, that
that which was good called that which was good beastly or bad, that
went naked, which was your figure. Then thou talkest of higher power,
and honour pf men, like thy brethren the Pharisees, and not like one
that knew the higher power, which respects no man's person. And
the good women are those that fear God, that have the adorning of the
hidden man of the heart, that have the array of Sarah.

John Jackson's book entitled, ' Strength in weakness.' His princi
ples are as followeth.
P. ' One that is kept groaning and waiting for the adoption, because
of the adversary's assaults and contests within her ; and yet she is
in the kingdom, (thou sayst,) and union with Christ, and spiritual
sonship.' A. Spiritual sonship, and in the kingdom, and yet groaning for
adoption! how hast thou brought thyself to the light to be judged; for
the least in the kingdom was greater than John. He that is in the
kingdom is in righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy ghost, and thou
sayst, ' in the kingdom of grace groaning;' that is but a notion of the
kingdom that keeps them groaning for adoption.
P. And as thou sayst, ' False prophets, and Christs, and deceivers
many should come: if it were possible to deceive the very elect.'
A. Yea Christ told his apostles they should come, who before their
decease did come, and went forth from them; who Christ said should
inwardly raven, and get the sheep's clothing; and since the days of
the apostles all the world went after them, as thou mayst read in the
Revelation. And now are people but coming from them to the rock,
and now shall the everlasting gospel be preached to them that dwell
upon the earth, over the heads of the beast and the false prophet,
and they shall be taken, and the Lamb and the saints shall have the
victory., P. He saith, 'I hope you will not condemn the generation of the
righteous because they are not perfect.'
A. That which condemns is righteous, it condemns that which is
not perfect, and that which is righteous is perfect, and the generation
is righteous and not to be condemned.
P. ' A son or daughter that is translated into the kingdom of the
dear son, hath filthiness and pollutions of flesh and spirit to put off, and
the members to be mortified.'

355
A. How is he translated into the kingdom of the dear son of God,
or grace, if he have that before mentioned to put off? and what is he
translated out of, if when he is translated into the kingdom he hath
filthiness of the flesh and spirit to put off, and the members to mortify?
which filthiness of flesh and spirit, and unmortified members, come not
into the kingdom: for they are mortified in their passage to it, for no
unrighteousness enters into the kingdom, as saith the apostle, nor any
unmortified thing; for the kingdom of God consists of joy and peace in
the holy ghost, and unrighteousness and all filth of flesh and spirit, are
without it.
P. ' It is the comforter that convinceth the world of sin, but all men
have not the spirit, neither are they convinced so of their unbelief.'
A. Every man that cometh into the world is enlightened, that he
may believe in the light, and he that believes in the light receives the
comforter, and he that believes not in the light, the spirit of truth re
proves him for his unbelief, for his righteousness, and his judgment.
And I say, the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world is sufficient, and those who believe in it shall have the light
of life, and shall not abide in darkness, and come to the rock, Christ.
And all being in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world, shall in the light see their salvation to the ends of the
earth ; and need not say, ' Lo here,' or ' Lo there.' And as for all the
wrangling stuff in thy book, what he said, and what she said, and
what thou sayst, (a garment to cover,) you had been better silent and
not have laid open your nakedness to the nation. I say unto thee, this
stuff, and bush, will burn in the fire, and the witness in thee shall
answer, which shall witness me, and judge thy contentious spirit,
which shows thou art far from the kingdom. And silence had preached
more, and patience, than the strife which stands in self-justification,
and justifying that which is to be mortified and put off, which never
came into the kingdom. And all men that do npt believe in the light
' that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' the spirit
doth convince them, and is manifest to them and in them.

356

A book, title page called, ' Hosanna to the Son of David.' But the
book is nameless, and so the writer reviles and rails, and hides him
self in the dark. His intent and drift in his book, is to make the
light that ' doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,'
a covenant of toorks, or law without; whereas Christ the light is
the covenant of God, the end of the first covenant and its ivorks,
and end of the law to Jews and Gentiles, in which they have peace
one with another, and with God. And secondly, he goes about to
make the Comforter above Christ the light, that doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world; which Christ the light
saith, that he will send to them, the light, the Comforter, and he
shall take of his, and give to them, and not speak of himself, as
Christ had not spoken of himself, but as he had heard and saw
ofthe Father, he spoke. And the rest of his principles follow.
P. Thou sayst, ' The lying murderer, he hath sent forth his instru
ments, which go under the name of Quakers, and disguised with piety
and purity to preach the everlasting gospel: and they hold forth a light,
which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, what it
doth in every man, and what it is in every man; and how it will lead
man to purity and righteousness, and from drunkenness, and taking
God's name in vain, and check them when they do wrong, and make
manifest all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and it will bring to worship
God.' These things among others are the scope of the lying murderer,
and he bids them, 'believe not every spirit, but try them, whether they
be of God or not; for many false prophets are gone out into the world.'
A. The false prophets and antichrists, which Christ said should
come, came up in the days of the apostles before their decease, and
went forth from them into the world, which since the world went after.
And they had the sheep's clothing, but ravened from the spirit, and
so are broken into sects and heaps one amongst another, which made
war against the saints and overcame them; but then again the beast and
false prophets, and the kings of the earth, the Devil and the dragon
should make war against the lamb and the saints; but the lamb and the
saints should get the victory over them, and the everlasting gospel
should be preached to them that dwell upon the earth. So it is not a
strange thing to us that the whole world should be standing against the
light, and against the saints and the lamb, but their garments they can
not touch. And so wickedness hath budded forth into a rod; but he
is brought forth to rule the nations with a rod of iron, ' who was dead
and is alive.' And ye discern not the times, like the Pharisees; and the
light which leads men from the world, from their lusts, from taking

357
God's name in vain, and from all ungodliness. You never came into
this, the devil never came into this, nor do any come into it but they
who arc in that which the devil is out of. Nor do any see tlie salvation
which is to the ends of the earth, but who are in the light that John
bore testimony of; the witness in thy conscience shall answer it, and
condemn thee for thy hard speeches. And the light by which all
things are made, 'which doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world,' is the end of the law, and before a natural light was, and
chapges men who believe in it from their natural estate, into the cove
nant of life and peace with God. I say, the law of God that came by
Moses, is above conscience, much more Christ the end of the law, that
doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, the righteous
ness of God. And the devil is out of piety and purity, who is the
lying murderer, and never brought people to the light within, who
himself is out of it, and he cannot disguise himself, nor thee neither,
from the children of light.
P. 'And the light simply considered, makes not any thing that is
done good or evil.'
A. Did not. Christ the light testify against the world that their Works
were evil? and doth not the light make manifest evil? And is not he
that hates the light reproved, and so with it condemned ? And doth
not the scripture say, ' the law is light?' And doth not that make evil
of that which is evil, and own that which is good, and judge it? Nay,
and doth not evil grieve the spirit of God? They that act contrary to
the Lord, did not God bring evil upon them that did evil? ' Is there
any evil in the city, and I have not done it?' Though it was evil to
them, yet it was justice, for they went from that of God in them first.
And doth not Christ the light distinguish between the good and the.
evil? And doth not Christ make that which is good to be good, and
thatsWhich is evil to be evil ?
P. He saith, ' The law of faith did not make void the law of works,
but established it.'
A. That is contrary to the apostle, who said the law was changed,
and the first covenant was to decay; so with it, their outward works,
whereby the law of faith camo in, which works by love, where the
boaster is excluded, and the law of life witnessed ; and there comes the
living in the spirit, which makes free from the law of sin and death.
P. He saith, 'Neither the new man nor the renewed man, is endued
with the principle of light and life, according to the image of him that
created him.'
A. In this thou hast shown thy ignorance of the saints' conditions;
• for they were in the image of God, of him that created them; and they
were not in the flesh, but in the spirit. And the apostle tells them,
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358
that they were renewed, and ' the light that shined in their hearts' was
to give them ' the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Christ Jesus.' And the saints put on 'the new man, which is re
newed in knowledge after the image of him lhat created them.' And
he that believes has the light of life; and if they have not the spirit
of Christ they are none of his. And God will dwell in man, and walk
in man; and Christ in them, 'the brightness of the Father's glory, the
express image of his substance.'
P. 'The natural man retains not the things ofthe new covenant.'
A. That is while natural men are from the light and that of God in
them: there is that in the natural man, which hearkening to, will bring
him to do the thing contained in the law, who shall be justified before
the professors of the law that are not doers of it; which is one with
that which ye professors act contrary to. But ' no man can know the
things of God, save with the spirit of God.' So the natural man's
eyes are in that which is natural, from that which is spiritual; but there
is that in the natural man which answers the law of God, which is spi
ritual, though he be sold under sin; and as he comes to see the seed,
(Christ,) he shall see the end of all that, and of a natural man's estate,
and of the law of sin and death, by the faith in Christ; and there are
our justification and life, though the other things are owned in their
place. P. ' Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born
again.' A. And the scripture speaks of discerning the eternal power and
godhead, and that was a thing of the spirit of God; and the apostle
saith not, they were born again. And yet I say, that ' none knows the
things, of God, but the spirit of God,' and 'that which may be known
of God is manifest in them,' which 'God hath showed unto them;' for
that of God in them was of his spirit, who is the God of the spirits of
all flesh, who brings them to discern his eternal power and godhead.
P. He saith, 'that the light by which all things were made, which
doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, is not the power
ful word of faith.'
A. Is not the word, Christ, the author of faith, by which all things
were made and created? Is not that the powerful word of faith? Is not
he the author of it? which faith that comes from him gives victory over
the world. And is not the son of God him whom the Father hath
sealed, ' that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world?'
And 'whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have eternal life,'
and are sealed. So every man in the light shall see the new covenant,
and the mediator, before he hath power to become the son of God j'and

359
there is prophecy before the son is born, and openings from the Lord,
and those are things of God.
P. 'No man can ever see God, who is invisible, with the light by
which all things were made,' and calls it ' a little light.'
A. This is contrary to John, who saith, he that walks in the light
shall have fellowship with Ihe son and with the Father, and so sees him;
and it is not a little light by which all things were made and created.
P. ' The unction in every man is not the light.'
A. It is far from the apostle, to say that the unction in men is not
the light. If the unction be Christ in man, it is the light; and every
man that comes into the world must receive the light that Christ hath
enlightened him with, before he can receive the unction, and he that
hath the unction, hath the light of life.
P. ' The sure word of prophecy the apostle speaks of, is the pro
phecy of scripture, or scriptures.'
A. Doth the scripture shine in a dark place until the day dawn?
Are they that which must be taken heed unto, as unto a light? Can
any see the scripture, and know the scripture, but with the light with
in ? Cannot a Cain, a Balaam, or a Core, that is gone from the spirit
of prophecy within, bring scripture, and then put the letter for the
spirit ?
P. 'They know not absolute perfection, lhat are admitting of mea
sures and degrees; nor come to the day, nor is the bright morning star
risen.' A. Did not the apostle say that they were children of the day, and
the night was over ? and he knew the whole body,and yet said he would
not go beyond his measure. And doth he not speak of the stature,
and measure, and fulness of Christ ? And were not they come to per
fection ? and did they not speak wisdom amongst them that were
perfect ?
P. He saith, ' The evil done, can never appear to be evil by the
light.' A. Doth not the light make it manifest, and reprove the evil done,
and condemn it ?
P. He saith, ' It is not in the power of the light to call any thing
that is done, good or evil.'
A. This is contrary to scripture, that saith, 'whatsoever doth make
manifest and reprove, is light;' and there is power in that which doth
make manifest and reprove, to call that which is evil, evil, and that
which is good, good.
P. He saith, ' The light convinceth man not, for not believing in
Christ.' A. It condemns him, and convinceth him, and reproves him.

360
P. He saith, ' The light, or law, as he calls it, will convince a man
of sin, and there leave him inexcusable before God.'
A. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness' sake, to every one
that believes in the light, and so comes to witness the law of faith and
of life; the hope and the promise of this bring from under the school
master to the sonship, and to know and see salvation, which none do
but with the light.
P. He saith, ' That scripture in John is misapplied, which saith,
that Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world.'
And saith, ' It meddles with none but the children of the new cove
nant.' A. This is contrary to scripture, that saith, one loves the light that
doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world, and the other
hates it. He that hates it, it condemns him, and so he hath it; but to
the other it is the light of life. And he is a covenant, a light to the
Gentiles and to the Jews, whether they own it, or believe in it, or re
ceive it or not; he is so nevertheless, according to the promise of God.
And to every man that believes in it, it is the covenant of light, and he
shall not need to say, ' Know the Lord;' for he shall find the law in
his mind, and the law in his heart. And the saints witnessed the light
shining in their hearts, and that gave them the knowledge of the glory
s>{ God, and they were passed from death to life, and from darkness to
light; and the unbeliever abides in darkness, and in the death, and the
light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doth not comprehend it;
and there thou art; and such know nothing as they ought to know, but
naturally as brute beasts.
P. He saith, ' The light in every man which cometh into the world,
will not open all scripture, nor lead men out of the fall to God the
Father, and to eternal life.'
A. The light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world, is the substance of all scriptures, and the way out ofthe fall up
to eternal life, out of the first Adam; and is the life that opens all
scriptures, and that all scriptures end in. Man being in the fall, in the
first Adam driven from God, in the sin and transgression, Christ the
second Adam, which doth enlighten everyone that cometh into the
world, who is the way again to God, is he who bringeth in righteous
ness, life, and immortality, and finisheth sin and transgression, and ends
the prophets, types, figures, and shadows, and opens all scriptures.
P. He saith, ' The light tumbles men into the grave, and rolls a
stone upon them, and tumbles them in transgression, and he shall act
against the anointed ones of God, and against the Lord.'
A. Nay, the light leads men out of transgression, and from wallow*
ing in their blood, and is that whereby they have life ; and leads them

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out of the grave, and from under their stony hearts and rocks, whereby
the new covenant of light is known, and the new heart which is pure,
with which God is seen. And the light which every man that cometh
into the world is enlightened with, will prick them that persecute the
anointed ones, and act against the Lord, though they kick against it.
P. He saith, 'To what purpose should Christ be preached dead and
risen, to be believed on for life, if the light be in every one.'
A. Mankind being in the fall, Christ was made manifest to witness
that he should come, and made manifest to many witnesses when he
was come; and John came to bear witness to the true light, which doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world. Then these witnesses
that did believe that Christ was come, were to go into aU the world, to
all nations, Jews, and Gentiles, and preach the everlasting covenant of
God to them, which was promised, and were witnesses of his resurrec
tion: and to turn people 'from darkness to light, and from the power
of satan to God;' and then told them, 'the light that shined in their
hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God.' And (he law was in their hearts, and the word was within them,
and the anointing; and such had the 'gifts for the work of the minis
try, for perfecting the saints, for the edifying the body of Christ, till
they all came to the knowledge of the glory of God, and to a perfect
man in Christ Jesus.'
P. He saith, ' Christ is without his saints in respect of his bodily
presence.' A. How then are they of his flesh and of his bone, and eat his flesh,
and drink his blood ? And how have the saints his mind and spirit,
and he with them, and they with him, and sit with him in heavenly
places? And he is the head of the church, how then is he absent ? Ye
poor apostates from him, who feel not Christ with you! but he is with
the saints, and they feel him.
P. He saith, ' Salvation and faith are the gifts of God distinct from
Christ.' A. They are all of him, and from him, and with him: and how is
he the author of faith, in whom it ends, from whence it comes?
P. He saith, ' The light which discovers sin and iniquity in man's
heart, is not Christ the light, the door.'
A. The first Adam was the door where all sin and transgression
entered. Christ, the second Adam,, 'the light which doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world,' saith, ' I am the door, the way,
and the life; which finisheth sin and transgression, and brings in ever
lasting righteousness, and the way of life out of death, which light dis
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P. He saith, ' To call Christ the light, the gift, the door, the way,
is to take the gardener for Christ, as Mary did.'
A. We do not put Christ, the light that doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world," for the gardener. We know him, and
as many as receive him, he gives them power to become the sons of
God ; and this thou sayst is not used power, but prerogative authority,
and thus thou art wresting scripture. So thou shouldst have been more
meek and low in thy heart, and then thou wouldst have bridled thy
tongue, and have learned of Christ, and so have come to the light, the
sure foundation, out of the error of thy ways, and have kept in the
footsteps of the flock. And if thy tongue had been shorter, and thy
bridle straiter, then wouldst thou not have mixed the covenant of
God with man's spirit, and have compared it to the law of works,
which Christ the light ' which doth enlighten every one that comes
into the world,' is the end of. And man's spirit in the fall is polluted,
and his body; but as the light is believed in, and the mind changed,
his spirit and body are sanctified, and so he comes to be a child of the
light, and 'his spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sons
of God.' And none own the door, the mediator, the life, the way,
but with the light which Christ doth enlighten every man that comes
into the world withal, which light is the door, the way, and the life.

Ellis Bradshaw's book, called ' The Quakers' quaking principles,'
which he directs to the protector. His principles follow.
P. He saith, 'That Christ who doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world, doth it not by an immediate illumination, not
the elect themselves, to bring them to salvation.'
A. Doth not Christ say, ' I am the way, the truth, and life ?' And
he is the door, and no man cometh to the Father but by him, and we
are to learn of him. ' This is my beloved son: hear ye him,' said God.
And is not he the new covenant in the heart, by which men need not
say, ' Know the Lord?' And there is no other name by which men
can be saved, but by the name of Christ, who doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world, that all through him might believe.
And he that believes in the light, abides not in darkness, but hath the
light of life; and they that believe not in it, but hate it, the light is their
condemnation; and the light 'that doth enlighten every one that cometh
into the world,' is the salvation, though men neglect it, which the elect
walk in, which condemns the unbeliever, which is immediate; and no
man sees salvation but who comes to the light.

363
P. He saith, 'The word that was made flesh is visible, and the word
is the letter, and they never received tho spirit of life from it, and that
is the Quakers' error.'
A. Such as had the scriptures, which were the words of God to
them in old time, and the ordinances, the apostle calls carnal, which
the Jews stuck in, and would not come to him that they might have
life, would not come to Christ. And so if men have all the scriptures,
and have not Christ, they have not life. For the devil may have
the scripture, and hath he therefore life? And the power of God,
Christ, 'his name is called the word of God.' The word of God
lives and endures for ever, and the spirit is not in the letter, and the
letter is not the word which was made flesh; and they are in the error
that think so, for the word is invisible.
P. 'Paul adviseth not only to the light within, but is bidding them
bring his cloak, books, and parchments, and give attendance to read
ing.' A. The apostle told the saints, that the light that shined in their
hearts would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God,
and bids them walk in the light. And Christ bids them believe in the
light, and they should not walk in darkness; and there is no other
name under heaven by which men can be saved, but by the name of
Christ. And none see the substance of the scriptures, nor the fulfill
ing of them, but who walk in the light, whom God speaks to by his
son, who is the end of the prophets, and there is the true reading and
knowing of all books and parchments; for none know the scriptures,
but by the light which comes from Christ, in whom they end.
P. And again thou sayst, ' There are more words than one.'
A. God is the word, and the scriptures of truth are his words, which
Christ fulfils.
P. He saith, ' They have fellowship with the Father, but not in the
like measure of the gifts of grace the apostles had.'
A. Then you are not likely any of you to understand the apostles'
words, nor to be judges of them ; but as you do come into the like
measure and gifts as they were in, else, you will not be able to judge
of their conditions, nor know their words.
P. He saith, 'There is no man justified through the faith in Christ,
that owns the scriptures to be but a dead letter; but that owns them
to be the word of God, in which there is spirit and spiritual life, as
words of eternal life.'
A. The spirit and the life are not in the scriptures, but were in those
that gave them forth, and many have the scripture, and not the spirit of
life. The devil may get scripture, and therefore hath he spirit and
life, who is out of it? This is like the Pharisees, that thought they

364
had had life in the scriptures, but would not come to Christ, the life
which the scripture testified of. And the scriptures are words of
God, but many have the words, and deny the word itself: and nohe
are justified that have Ihe scriptures, and are out of the life that gave
them forth.
P. He saith, 'It isa sottish doctrine to direct people only to the
light within; and what an absurd thing it is to tell our children of the
light within their conscience, and to bid them obey and follow it, that
light and word that is in their hearts and mouths, and so fully neglect
the teaching ofthe scriptures.'
A. Is not this Saul's zeal, kicking against the pricks, who had scrip
ture ! And it is not to neglecl to teach the scriptures, nor the apostles'
doctrine, to bring people and children to the light within, and the
word in their hearts and mouths, to obey and do it, which was the
aposlles' doctrine; and they are sottish that are out of it ; and they were
those lhat made proselytes, that brought not people to the word with
in, nor' to the light within, but from it.
P. He saith, 'The apostle thought to do many things against the
church, and thought he ought to do so, and the light within did not in
form his conscience.'
A. Did not Christ say it was hard for him to kick against that which
pricked him? and was not that within him that pricked him?
P. And thou sayst thou art 'too ignorant of the ways of God, and
witnessing the meaning ofhis spirit.'
A. We do believe thee; therefore thou hadst better have been silent,
and have hearkened to the light within thee, and the word within Ihee,
and the word of faith and wisdom; which none hear, but who come to
the light within.
P. Thou sayst thou art 'too much troubled with carnal thoughts
and vain imaginations, and addicted to the world.'
A. Those dictates are not likely to own the light within, word within.
It is not a strange thing that thy spirit should stand against the apostles'
doctrine, that is, light within. Cor. ii. 4.
P. Thou sayst, ' It is disparaging the scriptures to direct people to
the light within, rather than the scriptures, to direct them to eternal
life.' A. The scriptures many may have, and may be from the light and
spirit of God that was in those that gave them forth; but none have
eternal life, but who come to the light within, and the spirit that was
in them that gave forth the scriptures; and to you this is the word of
the Lord.
P. Thou sayst, 'The light within is gross darkness, and what dark-

365
ness and blindness is there where the scriptures are not minded and
known.' A. The apostle, who directed to the light within, did not call that
gross darkness nor blindness; but turned people from darkness to light,
from the power of satan to God. And Abraham and Enoch were not
in gross darkness and ignorance, who had not the scripture lo mind,
who were in the spirit and faith that they were in that gave forth the
scripture. They who come to witness the same spirit that was in them
that gave forth the scriptures, shall come to witness the covenant of
God written in their hearts, and shall not need to say, ' Know the Lord;'
these cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; and they that
come into this, own the scripture without, and are in Abraham's faith.
P. He saith, 'The elect may be deceived, and fall from their own
steadfastness for a time, and come under death and the power of satan*'
A. The elect seed is in the grave, which it is not possible lo deceive;
and the elect shall be brought from under all the deceivers, and death,
and bonds, and shall come over the gates of hell, although the seed
hath been in captivity. And it is not possible to deceive the elect,
it is the world that is deceived; that which hath led captive shall go
into captivity. Eve, and the first Adam, may be brought into trans
gression; but Christ the second Adam, the seed in you all, you must
know, which is that which bruiseth the serpent's head, and the ground
of all deceiving. And so the elect may lie under for a time, and suffer;
but the election shall obtain, and not him that wills, nor him that runs,
but come over to the crown of honour and glory.
P. He saith, ' Satan deceives men into bringing them to a self-deny
ing posture.'
A. It is not the devil that brings men to be humble, and to deny
themselves: that which teacheth self-denial is Christ; that which keeps
out of self-denial is the devil, for that he went from himself, out of the
truth. P. He says, 'They can never be clear of a degree of blasphemy,
that have the spirit of God in them and speak against ministry, ma
gistrates, and ordinances, and bid people listen to the light within them,
and to the spirit's teaching, and that they are all taught of God.'
A. They that witnessed the spirit and light within were taught of
God, and were moved of the Lord to declare both against ministers,
magistrates, and ordinances, that stood against Christ the power of God;
and these were called blasphemers, who were not, the scripture de
clares it; but owned the power that ended all changeable things, which
upon all the heads of the transgressors and blasphemers came, which
power was a praise to them that did well.
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366
P. He saith, 'They say, that scripture may be bought and sold, and it
doth not profit; but the light within is of an eternal nature, an infallible
guide; so obeying it, they shall be sure of perfection and eternal life.
Now (saith he) those that say so are the poor, ignorant, and unstable
souls.' A. Cannot ye buy and sell the scriptures, and your sermons, and
prayers? And can any have the comfort of the scriptures, and an in
fallible guide, perfection, and eternal life, and the soul established, and
come out of ignorance, but who come into the light and spirit of God
within that gave forth the scriptures, with which they come to know
God the Father of spirits, of whom they learned that gave forth the
scriptures, and so come into the spirit, and the bond of peace, and unity
with the scriptures, with God, and one with another? And the spirit
of God doth not bring men to a dislike of scriptures, nor ministers of
Christ, but to see what estate and condition they were spoken forth to.
P. Thou sayst, ' The measure of Christ must be so, that you ought
to lay down your lives for the brethren, and love one another, much
more to lay down your estates.'
A. When was there a priest in the nation that did lay down his
estate for the love of Christ or his brethren? but he had a selfish prin
ciple in another thing. Or when saw you a priest lay down his estate
to save others out of prison? but he is rather casting into prison till
death, because they cannot give him tithes. The apostle doth not say,
have not we power to take tithes, but, ' have not we power to eat and
drink.' And ' they that preach the gospel live of the gospel.' And
they bring glad tidings; but that is not glad tidings to cast into prison,
and hale before courts; and they that preached the gospel lived on the
gospel, that opened the hearts of people without men's compelling
power. P. He saith, ' You must not give ear to the Quakers, for they tell
you your ministers look for their gain from their quarters, and are hire
lings,' and this, he saith, ' is deceiving, and the depth of satan, and a
lying, malicious spirit.'
A. The prophets' spirit was not a lying and malicious spirit, that
cried against them that sought for their gain from their quarters, and
said they were hirelings, in which spirit are the Quakers, and they see
you walk in the same steps. And take away your gain from you, and
your hire, and you are suing in the courts, and haling up and down,
which shows your spirits to be the false spirits the apostle speaks of,
which went out into the earth.
P. Thou sayst, 'Above all things, beware of covetousness.'
A. If you had heeded that, you would have been better examples to
the nations about you; but in covetousness you are swallowed up, and

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so are excommunicated out of the life which the prophets, Christ, and
the apostles were in; and so your reward from him you shall have. And
you are finding fault that the people are covetous, and thus complain to
the whole nation. You should have complained of yourselves for being
out of the power of God that should have struck down that, and that
you are not in the life and power the apostles were in; and so your
teaching hath not such an effect with it as the apostles' had. So you
have manifested and shown your spirits to the nations, and show you
want your covering. And the apostles did not write abroad lo the
world, that their church was covetous, and send to the magistrates, and
complain to them. Had not they here dishonoured the power of their
church, if they had done so, and shamed it, as you do yours?
P. He saith, 'Many false prophets are gone out into the world;
believe not every spirit; and satan transforms himself into an angel of
light.' A. These things the apostles saw come into the world before their
decease, the devil transforming himself into an angel of light, and false
prophets and false spirits gone out into the world, and since the days
of the apostles all that dwelt upon the earth went after them and the
beast, but those who have their names written in the Lamb's book of
life before the foundation of the world. And the apostle, when satan
was transforming himself into an angel of light among the Corinthians,
brought them to the light in them, which would 'give them the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' And
John saw they that Christ said should come were come, the false pro
phets and false spirits, and bid them not go after them; and John told
them 'they had the anointing within them, to teach them, and needed
not any man to teach them, but as the same anointing taught them;'
and they 'should continue in the son, and in the Father,' where no
false spirit was. These false spirits, prophets, and antichrists, which
Christ said should come, which John saw were come, and went forth
from them, have drawn tongues, peoples, multitudes, and nations to be
waters, and these are their fruits, as Rev. xvii. 18. And now are peo
ple but coming from these waters and false spirits, to the rock. And
these are they that draw the nations to be as waters that have turned
against the saints and the Lamb; but the Lamb and the saints shall have
the victory. Nevertheless, these false prophets, beasts, antichrists,
false spirits, all inwardly ravened from the true spirit, have had the
sheep's clothing, else they could not have deceived the world, and led
the world after them, and could not have brought nations to be as wa
ters; and herein hath been the beast's power over all kindreds, tongues,
and nations, and his heads and names in the nations, and among the
tongues. Yet all these heads and names have agreed together in one

368
against Christ, the light which ' enlighteneth every man that cometh
into the world.' And the devil, beast, and false prophets, made War
against the saints'and overcame them ; but the saints and the Lamb
shall overcome them, and the devil shall be taken, and with him the
beast, and the false prophet, and Babylon shall be confounded, and the
Lamb and the saints have the victory. Rejoice, ye saints and holy
prophets, over them! the Lamb and the saints shall have the kingdom,
and power over all kindreds, tongues, and nations, who are redeemed
from them, and from the earth, to reign with Christ, and atop of the
devil and his angels, which cannot get into the seed.
P. He saith, ' It is a boast of the Quakers, to say that they have the
eternal spirit of God in them,' and saith, 'they may properly use the
word you to one; and taking off the hat is reverend, due, and honour;
and he must not quench the smoking flax, but be courteous; and custom
to whom custom; and to the law, and to the testimony.'
A. ' He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his,' and that is
eternal; and he that saith you to one, shows he hath neither learned
accidence nor the bible; and the hat is the honour of men below, in
the earth, Adam's honour in the transgression, but Christ, the second
Adam, saith, ' I receive not honour of men.' ' How can' ye believe
that receive honour one of another, and seek not that honour that is of
God only?' And so this is the mark of an unbeliever. And the apos
tles did not observe the Jews' customs, nor the heathen's custom*, for
if they had, they needed not have been persecuted by them. To be
courteous, is to do one another good; but how is this practised amongst
you, when you cast into prison those that cannot put into your mouths,
and for whom you do no work? Where is your courteousness, here?
They break not the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax, that
own the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into tlie
world, and these neglect not their salvation ; but they that deny the
light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, neglect
their salvation, and such are they that break the bruised reed, and
quench the smoking flax. The light brings to own the law and tes
timony; but many may have the scriptures, and not Ihe law and
testimony; for 'the law is light,' and 'the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy,' and this was before the New Testament was writ
ten, as Isaiah viii. and that was before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John, or any of the epistles were written. And as for the rest of thy
lies, slanders, and hard speeches, they shall fall upon thyself, and be
thy own burthen; the witness in thy conscience shall answer me in the
day of thy judgment. And they that have not the eternal spirit are
none of his.

369

Thomas Weld, Richard Prideaux, Samuel Hammond, William
Coles, and William Durant, their book called, 'A discovery of
a generation of men called Quakers.' In it are the following
principles. P. First, ' that the soul is a part of the divine essence.'
A. That which comes from God, which God halh in his hands,
which Christ is the bishop of, is of God, and divine and immortal,
which many ofthe priests say is appetite, lust, and pleasure; and ' the
soul of Christ,' say they, ' is human,' which is earthy. ' And so you
that are come from one mother are not agreed here among yourselves,
and people begin to see you ; the time hath been they knew not which
of you to believe, but now they believe in Christ, who is the bishop of
their souls.
P. ' There lies a mystery of iniquity in saying, " the world calls
them so," by such and such names, or gives them their christian name.'
A. There are names given by the heathen, the heathen outwardly, by
which men are called, and there is a new name, which the world knows
not, written in the book of life; here is the new man known, created
after God in righteousness and true holiness. Now who is this new
man? and this new name ? The world may call him by the old. So it is
not a mystery of iniquity to say the world calls him so.
P. ' It is a sinful neglecting of their families to wander up and
down.' And the forsaking of changeable apparel, he calls ' monkish
holiness.' A. When people run into transgression from the life of God, into
the earth, then comes up the lust of the eye, the lust of the world,
and the pride of life, which leads them into all the fashions of the
world ; 'which is not of the Father, but of the world.' Now the lusts
and affections must be mortified, which have outwardly transgressed
the pure principle of God within, whereby the mind hath gone out into
the creatures, and things without, whereby it falls under the creatures,
and so comes thereby to worship the creatures more than the creator,
who is God blessed for evermore; being gone from the principle of
God in their own particulars. That is it which mortifies the world,
when men turn to it; and this brings off from all the lusts of the world,
and excess, and affections, and professions, whether they be such as
thou calls monkish, or those of notionists, or whatsoever; it brings into
the possession, into the life which mortifies. For this which thou calls
' monkish holiness,' is like your own, who have not the spirit that
they lived in who gave forth the scriptures; all holiness which stands
out of that, is' self-righteousness. And the apostles, and the faithful in

370
all ages, that wandered up and down, did the will of God, spoke the
word of God, were commanded and moved of the Lord, forsook all for
Christ. Christ did not teach men sin. And he that doth not forsake all,
is not worthy of him, house, lands, wife, children, whatsoever, he that
esteems any of those more than Christ, lives still below, he lives still,
not given up, he is not worthy of him. And they that do not forsake
all and come out of all, are in the sinful neglect of the family of the
Lord of heaven and earth, and they stick below in their own ceiled
houses, habitations, nests, holes, and rocks, calling unto the mountains,
and there garnishing the sepulchres, and living in all fashions, customs,
honours and pleasures ofthe world. And the priests' work hath been
this, to teach the people to keep in the lust, and not to forsake and
come out of all their lusts to Christ, (who are not worthy of him,) and if
any do, they look upon them to be sinful neglecters of their family;
which wisdom was before all things were made, and is the preserver
and finisher of all things, and not the destroyer, but that it rebukes,
and in this are men ordered to God's glory.
P. The Quakers deny imputed righteousness, prayer, baptism;
church government, ministry.
A. That ever ye five that are called ministers should thus publish
your lies to the nation! The higher powers ; the one government;
the church, the pillar and ground of truth; the ministry that is in the
spirit, that ministers to the spirit in the prison; baptism with the spirit
into the one body ; prayer in the spirit; the Lord's supper, who dwells
in the saints and walks in them, and sups in them; the gospel, the
power of God, and imputed righteousness to the believer, are owned.
'Abraham believed, and it wag accounted to him for righteousness;' and
' Christ come,' and 'Christ in you,' is the end ofthe belief, who is the
justification itself, and righteousness itself, nigher than when they did
believe. And so here is justification itself without imputation, the
righteousness of God; here the belief ends. And all these things are
owned according to the scriptures; but all such teachers that are in
the earth, and teach for money and means, we deny; and you who
baptize, and sell your prayers, and preaching, and supper for money,
we deny.
P. ' Will a discerning of the gospel mysteries prove a power to dis
cern the state and condition of the soul, what it shall be to all eternity ?
is not this a large ignorance?'
A. The ministers of the spirit watched for the soul, the prophets and
apostles knew its state, and knew Christ the bishop of it, and saw when
the soul was in death* and saw when God had pleasure in it, when it
lived, and saw the soul in God's hand. For who have the mysteries
of the gospel, which is the power of God, which gives liberty to the

371
captive soul; this is glad tidings to the just. Such a one is a true work
man, that divides his work aright, and is not ashamed of his work, of
his building, but presents the soul to God, and knows when it is in
death, and when it is living. And so they who are come up into the
bishop, Christ, are one soul, they know the hand of God which the
soul lives in, (which is the power,) and so know it from eternity to
eternity. And so ye priests who do not discern the soul and its state
to eternity and from eternity, ye are not in the mystery of the gospel
which gives liberty to it, neither have ye it; for ye are stumbling at
the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world,
which comes from Christ the bishop of the soul, and so your darkness
cannot comprehend that. And so what fellowship hath the light with
darkness? It hath no fellowship with it, for your darkness cannot com
prehend it, though it shines in your darkness. So for you to talk of
saints judging the world, and meddle with such things, who are to be
judged by the saints, who are in that darkness which cannot compre
hend the light that shines in you, you have not light to comprehend
the saints that are in the light, who have the just weight, measure, and
balance, who are the judges ofthe world, reaching, measuring, answer
ing agreeable to that of God in every man. And you are stumbling at
such as are become the sons of God, adopted sons and heirs, and of the
flesh and bone of Christ, and of his mind and spirit, who are in the pos
session of the scriptures, the durable life of the saints, which makes
you (that cannot comprehend the light in your own particulars) to rage;
for none come to witness the sonship and heirship, but who come to
the light in their own particulars, and receive it, and with it compre
hend darkness, which the light expels away. Such see over the
night, and are the children of the day. And you five priests have
shamed yourselves, that do not know the soul from eternity ,to eternity.
'P. 'It is blasphemy to say the soul is a part of the divine essence.'
A. Ye may read in this book that some of the rest of the priests that
are called ministers, say Christ is human, and the soul is a creature.
Some again say, it is a part of the divine essence, it is immortal; and
again, it is appetite and pleasure; and in this now is their confusion
made manifest. The soul is that which came out from God, and is in
God's hand, which hand goes against him that doth evil, and transgres-
seth against the principle of God that is in him, which goes against the
lust which wars against the soul, which hand the soul being in, praises
God, the hand is felt, the power felt that turns against that which wars
against it. Here the soul magnifies God, rejoiceth in God the saviour,
and praiseth God, Here is God's pleasure. The living Lord taketh
pleasure in the living soul. And appetite and pleasure are human; these
are not immortal, which the soul is. And so you five have judged

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yourselves to be blasphemers, who said the soul was part of the divine
essence, and yet it is blasphemy to say so.
P. 'Christ is to rule as a king; but in all he doth not.'
A. Those, and you, that hate the light, will not hear him, nor have
him to rule over you and them; such are for the sword, and to be slain
before him.
P. ' And the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world, is not sufficient to salvation, nor gives a light sufficient
to bring to the gospel, to know the mediator; and that light which
hath enlightened all men, is not the way, but a created light by Christ.'
A. All lights were made and created by the light which doth en
lighten every man that comes into the world, and this is the eye of
the soul, which gives to see Christ the bishop of it, from whom it
comes. And this light is the covenant of God which doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world; and this light doth let see the
mediator, the salvation, the gospel. And all that are from the light are
out of the truth; they that went out of the truth, the god of the world
hath blinded their eyes, lest the light of the glorious gospel should
shine in them, which is the image of God. So created lights were
preated by it; and none know the truth but by this light; and all men's
professions are but from that nature, that are out of this light which hath
enlightened every man that cometh into the world, which all men
must come into, before they come into unity with God. And none
can know the mediator, nor Christ, by the created and made lights,.
which were made by the light Christ; but as they come into the light
by which they were made, that gives them the wisdom of the creation,
and lets them see how they were made. And so they that hate the
light, receive not the spirit of God, but remain in their natural state ;
and what such know, they know naturally, from books, authors, and
studies. So men who hate the light, come not to Christ the author of
their faith.
P. ' How ridiculous is it to say, Christ dwells in all, so is in all.'
A. Christ is the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh
into the world ; and the scripture saith, Christ is searching the hearts
of the wicked, and trying their reins, and bringing their thoughts to
the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it
not. He was in the saints, and the saints were in the light, so he ' is
in all, over all, and through all,' and blindness and darkness compre
hend him not, who fills heaven and earth. ' If thou goest to the
utmost parts of the earth he is there; if thou goest to the deep, and to
the nethermost hell, he is there; where wilt thou fly from his presence?'
Have not the holy men of God found this? Are all ye ministers of
the letter so ignorant of the letter? so short of the state that gave it

373
forth ? And I say, such as sit under the shadow of darkness shall feel,
if they do but hearken and listen; and such whose hearts are bad shall
feel him searching and checking them. And such as go down to
the nethermost hell, and to the utmost parts of the earth, shall feel
him present, if they never stirred forth, and should not need to wander
for a habitation; but should feel their habitation. Such then should
come to know their soul's progress, which is an inward travail, before
it come into its bishop, Christ, the rest, him by whom the world was
made, who was before it was made, glorified with the Father before
the world began.
P. ' And it is an error to say, that the righteousness of Christ, justi
fication, sanctification, and redemption, are all within.'
A. If Christ be not within, they are reprobates; and reprobates can
talk of Christ, and they that are out of the truth and the life, can talk
of Christ, and bring the scriptures; but they who have Christ within,
have sanctification, redemption, and justification, they have the wisdom
and power of God; for reprobates are talkers without, but he that hath
Christ hath all the other, redemption, sanctification, wisdom, righte
ousness, and the work is known within as he comes out of the fall of
the first Adam.
P. ' It is error to say, the light that discovers sin, justifies.'
A. The light which is the covenant of God, that doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world, discovers sin, makes it manifest,
blots it out, justifies, sanctifies, redeems, and condemns them that
hate it.
P. ' It is an error that the light within men will bring men to the
fear of God, and lead men to justification, sanctification, and righteous
ness.' A. None come to justification, to righteousness, who are out of the
fear of God, nor tp receive his righteousness ; but they who come to
the light within, which comes from Christ the righteousness, the wis
dom, come to the justification, and sanctification ; and ye are in the
error that are not in this light that lets see and leads from it.
P. 'Perfection in holiness cannot be attained in this life, for Adam
was under such a covenant, he had no mediator upon the breach of the
command.' A. God said to Adam, ' the seed of the woman should bruise the ser
pent's head,' Christ, the promise, the mediator, made'the way, which was
the way in again to God, the way of man's redemption, and got down the
serpent's head which got up in transgression, that Christ the head should
bear rule ; that the seed ofthe woman should have dominion, the second
Adam, the seed Christ Jesus, the Lord from heaven. Perfection is not to
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374
be attained to by the life ye live, until ye come to the principle of God
in you; but the life that David lived in saw an end of all perfection.
And all who come to Christ the second Adam, come to perfection; and all
who attain to him, attain to perfection in the life of God out of the
first Adam ; but who deny the light ' that enlighteneth every man that
cometh into the world,' and rest in the first Adam, the life they live in,
denies perfection, and they never own it in the life they live in. But
those who come into perfection, come into Christ, a new life, out of
Adam in the fall, in transgression. All physicians to sick men are to
make them perfect. And do ye say, make none whole, make none
perfect, makes never a man perfect ? For being made whole, they
are made perfect, for sin wounds ; for the ministry of God was to
bring people to the perfect man, to 'present them perfect.' These
were physicians of value and of worth, whereby the body, soul,
spirit, and all, were cured, 'and they glorified God in the body and
spirit.' Now ye, that say they shall not be perfect, and that none shall be
without sin upon the earth, no perfection in the life we live in, are
physicians of no value ; ye are not worthy to have the name of physi
cians, ministers, nor teachers, Thomas Weld, Richard Prideaux,
Samuel Hammond, William Cole, and William Durant; for ye are plead
ing that while men are upon earth they must have a body of sin, and
that he that saith otherwise is a deceiver. And so ye keep them in
their wounds and sores, putrifying and imperfect, and are not makers
up ofthe breach, and binders up of the wound. And the Lord saith,
' Though their sins be as red as crimson, I will make them as white as
wool, and will blot out sin and transgression.' And this tender love
and kindness of the Lord, and mercifulness to sinners and transgres
sors, hath the Lord made manifest amongst them whom the world in
scorn calls Quakers. And it is not a strange thing that you would not
have people to forsake the fashions of the world, who are thus hung
about with ribands, and cuffs, and scarfs, and your double boot-hose-
tops, more like stage-players than ministers.
P. ' Perfection is a fancy. Those were not words of true physicians
who brought men to a perfect man, to the growth up in perfection
amongst the perfect ones who speak wisdom.' They say, ' It is no
where said that the law is fulfilled in any saints in this life.'
A. They that love God keep his commandments. Christ 'is the end of
the law to every one that believes,' and who are in him are in the end of
the law. And all that dwell in love, dwell in God, and love is the ful
filling of the commandment; they who are of the seed of God keep
the words of God, but the beast and false prophets since the days of
the apostles, who have inwardly ravened, are turned against the royal

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seed of God, that keep the commandments of God; and none of you
that raven from the spirit of God can keep God's commandments,
though ye have all the saints' words; for the saints witness the end of
the law, and witness perfection and a perfect man, and spoke wisdom
among them that were perfect, and growing up to perfection.
P. ' That Christ gives to every man a saving light, we utterly deny.'
A. He is 'the true light that enlightens every man that comes into
the world,' (saith John the minister of God,) and he is 'salvation to the
ends ofthe earth,' and they that hate the light, neglect their salvation,
and turn ' the grace of God into wantonness,' and deny the Lord that
bought them. And * every one that hath heard and learned of the
Father cometh to the son;' and none hear or come to the Father, that
come not to the son ; none but they who come to the thing that is
transgressed in them, and the light that every man that cometh into
the world is enlightened with; nor do they hear or learn of the Fa
ther, or come to the son, but by that; and the light that lighteth every
one that cometh into the world is the salvation to him that believes,
and he that doth not, it is his condemnation.
P. ' But how dare these men lift up themselves in their blasphemous
pride, to say they are pure as God.'
A. Doth not Christ say, ' Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is
perfect?' is that blasphemy? And is it not said, 'Be ye holy, for I am
holy?' is that blasphemy? Whose ministers are you? Was not this
the work of Christ and the apostles ? ' Without holiness ye shall never
see God,' and ' as he is so are we in this present world.'
P. ' The word of God is contained in the scriptures.'
A. The scripture saith God is the word, and ' the heaven of heavens
cannot contain him.' Are ye not more like men void of reason, than
ministers, whose ignorance of the scriptures thus appears ? They say
God is the word, and- the scripture is the word, and Christ is the
word who fulfils them.
P. 'The scriptures were given forth, some more darkly, some
plainer.' A. They who gave forth scripture, and they that are in that in
which it ends, to them the scripture is not dark ; but such as are from
the principle of God in their ownselves, they are in darkness, which
blinds their minds, and the scriptures were not given forth darkly, but
in the light, but you who are from the light are dark.
P. ' The apostles ordained them elders by a mediate call: and we are
convinced clearly of a mediate call to the work of the ministry and of
the word.'
A. That which made the officers and overseers in the church
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holy men spoke scripture from; that was what made them overseers,
and that was not mediate but immediate, that did oversee in the church
of God. And we do believe that you elders, and members, and those call
ed ministers, are all mediate, and your order and gospel since the days
of the apostles ; who are such as Christ said should come, inwardly
ravening forth from the spirit of God, and have got sheep's clothing;
since the days of the apostles people have walked after you, and you
have deceived the world and nations. But we see, that the false
ministers, the worshippers of the beast, antichrist, and the deceivers,
among whom is the devil to deceive, are now taken, with the false
prophet, the beast, and the mother of harlots, and confounded and cast
into the lake of fire, and the Lamb and the saints shall have the vic
tory. And the gospel is immediate, and he is cursed that preacheth
another; the word, I say, is immediate, it lives, abides, and endures
for ever. And the ministers that are in the spirit are immediate, and
these are furnished with the mysteries of the gospel, and their calling
is immediate. And the overseers of the church which the holy ghost
makes, are immediate; and all that are in the life that gave forth
scripture, (and none know the scriptures but by it,) are immediate;
that which doth convince of sin is immediate. But now your call is
mediate, your ministry, your overseers, knowledge, word, gospel,
people, and church are mediate. We do believe you, all this is so
amongst you since the days of the apostacy from the apostles' doctrine,
power, life, and spirit, with which ye are judged, and who are in the
life they are in that which gave forth scriptures, which you are raven
ed from, and are not like to talk of immediate.
P. ' The scripture is the word and the rule.'
A. The scriptures are the words of God, and Christ is the word in
whom they end ; and the word of God is the end which fulfils all
scriptures, which came to the prophets, which the apostles preached,
by which they discerned and spoke forth the words, and saw the ful
filling of the words; and the scriptures of truth cannot be broken, but
are fulfilled by Christ the word. And the spirit is the rule that gave
forth scriptures, and that led the saints into all truth.
P. ' Thomas Castel went naked in the streets of Kendal, and Thomas
Holmes of Kirkby Steven.'
A. This hath been a figure of your nakedness, who are Egypt spi
ritual, and the Ethiopian black. And ' the prophet Isaiah did not put
off all his clothes,' say they, contrary to the prophet's words. He was
to go among all the transgressors in Ethiopia and Egypt, a figure of
their nakedness. So, since the days of the apostles and the apostacy,
ye have gone from the spirit of God, and inwardly ravening from that,
ye have wanted the clothing with the spirit, ye have had only the out-

377
side, the sheep's clothing, but have been naked of the life; therefore
the Lord hath moved his servants to give a true sign amongst you,
and not a lying one ; who have their clothing of the spirit, which ye
want; and ye shall witness the truth of the Lord God in the sign, if
ever ye come into the true clothing of the spirit of God.
P. ' And ye say Christ did not mean as he spake, when he said, Be
not ye called of men masters.'
A. Which shows they are none of his ministers who trample upon
his commandments, and teach people that it is lawful to break them,
pleading the lawfulness of their being called of men masters. So as
for their being called of men masters, standing praying in the syna
gogues, their long robes, salutations, their tithes, and their pulpits,
these are the works ofthe perfect Pharisees; all people may look upon
their fruits, their works, and practices, and see the very image, and
that they have their very garments and places, according to their con
dition, fruits, and works. And as for all the rest of their hard speeches,
lies, slanders, vilifying and railing words which they have poisoned
people with, they will be their own burthen, and fall heavy upon them,
and turn upon their own heads. Their way is compassed, their bounds
are set, and their limits, and in this the day of their account, every one
shall feel his words to be his burthen. And their patience had been
better then to have uttered forth their folly, and published it to the
nation. But the day is come that tries every man's work; and a wit
ness is rising in people, the day-star is risen, the morning is broke, the
sun is rising, that people may not make lies their refuge, neither feed
upon them, nor upon any thing, but what comes from God, the living
bread that comes from God above ; which who eats of, lives for ever.
Many have their bread and their water, that hunger no more, and thirst
no more.

' The Worcestershire petition to the parliament,' which is said to
be signed by six thousand.
P. ' He hath made a law commanding all people to whom we preaeh
the gospel to allow us a sufficient maintenance, that we may not be
hindered from or in his work.'
A. The scriptures and the apostles do not speak of any such thing
as that Christ made a law for them, commanding all the world to whom
they preacHed to allow them a sufficient maintenance, that they might
not be hindered from or in their work. What! will maintenance hinder
them if they have it not ? was it not the command of Christ to give

378
freely as they from him had received freely? And then if any set meat
before them they might eat. But if a law commanding all the world
to give a sufficient maintenance and allowance to the apostles and dis
ciples had been first, they might have been sure of maintenance, and
this had been the way to have clogged the people's minds, and have
brought them into trouble; whereas the gospel was always glad tidings.
But if the apostles had not preached to the world, without this law
which ye speak of, commanding all the world to give them sufficient
maintenance, what a condition would all people have been in. But
they that had received freely, were to give freely. So you have mani^
fested your spirits, to be the deceivers of the people for means. That
ever six thousand people should say he made a law commanding all the
world to whom they preach the gospel to allow them sufficient main
tenance! when Christ saith, they (the disciples) were to preach as
they went; and they were to preach if they did not receive them; and
they were to go into all nations. Yet the apostles did not plead a law
where they came, that they were all to maintain them; no, they were
in fasting often, and would not use their power to eat among many peo
ple; though they had power, yet they would not use it. And so the
maintenance did not hinder the apostles from their work, for they
preached often in fastings, and sometimes their own friends communi
cated to them when they were up and down among the heathen in
other nations preaching. The apostles did not plead a law to the na
tions whom they preached to ; and thus they brought glad tidings,
keeping the gospel from charge. Are not you six thousand men
ashamed to petition for a maintenance for your ministers, that you
should publish in a petition your nakedness to a supreme power of a
nation, that you are not able to maintain your ministry! that the
churches are not able to maintain their ministers! Doth not this show
your beggarliness, and that you are of the seed that is begging bread ?
when the scriptures saith, ' The righteous are not forsaken, nor their
seed begging bread.' And in this have you not shamed your minis
ters, that they have no better vineyards, ploughs, and flails? Did ever
the apostles or their hearers, when they came into a nation, petition to
the powers of the earth for means?
P. And ye say, ' Where any man will not do justly, and pay the
labourer the wages he owes him, the magistrate must see justice done,
or else I know not what he hath to do.'
A. The apostles, ambassadors, and messengers of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who were to go to all nations to preach the gospel, had not a law
at the magistrates' hands to give them wages, did not hale their hearers
before them to give them wages, or put up petitions before every su
preme of the nation before whom they came; this was not the work of

379
the apostles, messengers, and disciples, who were to go into all nations
to preach the gospel. When they had preached the gospel to the na
tion, they did not petition to the supreme powers of the nation, pow
ers, or principalities, or kings, for maintenance from their hearers, as
you do now. Oh! this stinks, and shows it is out of the power which
the apostles, disciples, and messengers of the Lord Jesus Christ were in.
For they would have made their gospel to have stunk, if they had
come into all nations to preach the gospel, and then after they had
preached it, if their hearers would not have given them maintenance,
to have petitioned to the supreme authority of the nation, and have
haled their hearers into courts, to assizes, sessions, and benches.
Would this have been glad tidings to the nations, or trouble to the
nations ? They would have been but deceivers, and pretenders of glad
tidings, and bringers of trouble to the nation, and seekers of themselves,
and for themselves. And this would not have been to do the work
which the Lord Jesus Christ sent them about. They would not have
been preachers of the gospel that ' live of the gospel,' such as might
use their power and would not. And the power of God is the same
now as ever it was, and it tries all the spirits that are gone out into
the world, which have apostatized since the days of the apostles, out of
the apostles' power ; and now with the power the apostles were in, are
they comprehended, which are gone out ofthe power which the apostles
were in.
P. ' And ye speak of Jonas' temptation, and yet of your comfort in
your studies.'
A. The power that Jonas was in, ye are far from, or those that are to
divide the word aright, but are swallowed up in the great temptation of
the world, pride and covetousness, in that are ye drowned, and in
hard heartedness, as the jails in the nation witness. Such as cannot
give you maintenance, and such as are moved of the Lord God to come
and speak to you, are cast by you into jail, which shows that you are
in another power than the apostle was in, who said, ' Quench not the
spirit ;' and than the prophet was in, who said, ' Limit not the Holy
One;' and denying prophecy. So now your power and authority to
your ministry with the spirit of the Lord God are fathomed, and you
to be out of the spirit the apostles were in, and to be spirits that are
gone out into the world, and into the earth and fall; and so you usurp
the authority, and usurp the ministry in usurping the authority, as
yourselves may see. Read the scripture of the prophets and apostles,
and there read the fruits of your ministry and actions; try them by plain
scripture. P. ' Ye say that the ministry hath no power to put you out of the
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380
A. Are the ministry in the vineyard of God, and have they no
power, have they no authority there in the vineyard? Are the ma
gistrates then to put them into the vineyard, and to take them out?
All those that are labourers in the vineyard must persuade to put into
the vineyard. Do not you in this show your ignorance of the apos
tles' doctrine, and of their work, who rebuked, stopped the mouths of
gainsayers, had power to silence, had power to try spirits, had power
to judge, had power to defend ? Now have you not in this (if you be
ministers) dishonoured your power and authority; and have shown that
you are out of the power, and are those that cry to the mountains, ' fall
on us, and hide us from the glorious presence of the Lord,' which is
arising to shake terribly the earth.
P. ' So if the ministers' maintenance be taken away, there is little
likelihood of a ministry long.'
A. It seems the maintenance hath been that which hath caused them
to preach, and held them up, so take away their maintenance, down
falls their ministry. But I say the power will stand, and the adminis
tration of the spirit, and the hearing of Christ, and the teaching of God,
if men take away all their maintenance, and cast them into prison for
speaking. But this holding up "of ministers by maintenance is that
which came up before the apostles' decease, among those who taught
for filthy lucre's sake, and through covetousness made merchandise of
the people ; through the love of money they erred from the faith, and
pierced themselves through with many hurtful lusts, and admired men's
persons because of advantage, and taught for gifts and rewards: these
were come up before the apostles' decease. Now these teachers who
admired men's persons, taught for filthy lucre, the love of money, and
covetousness, the apostle saw before his decease, after whom the world
hath since run. Take away their money and their lucre, and their
gifts, and see how long these will preach. Now have you showed
your root, your offspring is found out. Now, the apostles preached,
and were ministers that stood, who judged the ropt from whence ye
are sprung, for your root was come up before the apostles' decease.
But now ye cry, if maintenance be taken away, there is no likelihood
the ministry will stand long. And we say so too, we know that take
away your maintenance, and down falls the preacher. Therefore, with
petitions are you troubling the courts and magistrates for your liveli
hood, but if ye were true ministers ye would be in the work, in the
vineyard of God, and would be ashamed of such things, and with the
power of God cover your nakedness, and not be beggars, and petition
for outward things ; ye dishonour the power of the Lord God, and
cause his name to be blasphemed among the heathen. And so, for
shame ! let your mouths be stopped for ever, for saying ye are pinisters.

381
The power would open the hearts of people if ye were in it, and make
them to give you, that there would be no want ; and then the gospel
would be preached and you live in that, and glad tidings be known to
all nations, and men would not be cumbered about courts, and put in
prison by you, whom you do no work^or.
P. Ye say, 'Shall men have leave to preach, railing against Christ's
ministers and church? a reproach to the world.' And 'hath Gyles
Calvert owned his name at them?' . And ye speak of your 'libertyof
the pulpit; but that the pulpit should not be satan's oracle; as apo
thecary shops keep open poison, so Gyles Calvert doth poison for souls.'
A. This is not the way by railing, to stop poison ; but your pulpits
have been like shops of poison, even to poison nations ; for have you
not poisoned many people and made their minds envious? And most
of yoUr stuff hath been railing one against another; but had ye been
ministers, or spoken the truth in the love of it, it would have preserved
people in peace and unity, and ye would not have sought yourselves.
And Gyles Calvert's, (which you call an apothecary shop,) hath
been a place where many of your actions and fruits have been dis
covered and made manifest; not against the church of God, not against
the ministers of God and Christ, not against the magistrates that live in
the fear, life, and power of Gpd, but against injustice and persecution,
and the apostates got up since the days of the apostles, as ye confess if
your maintenance be taken away, the ministry will fall. Now the
power is that which causeth people to minister to any that ministereth
to them, not by compulsion, but freely, and this is acceptable and
pleasing to God, which the Lord loves. And so all your poison of
your pulpits, as satan's oracles, hath beeri like such a thing; for the
pulpiters are those who have caused the great persecution and impri
soning for speaking to them, and because they will not give them
maintenance; 'and so you quench the spirit, and that which quenches the
spirit is not "of God ; for in the true church ' all may prophesy one by
one ; and if any thing be revealed to him that sits by, the other must
hold his peace, that all may learn and be comforted.' The spirits of the
prophets are subject to the prophets. And this was the order in the
churches of God, before the apostles' decease. But since their decease,
amongst you that are apostatized from them, this is disorder, and sets
you all in ah uproar and confusion. So your church and pulpit are
more like satan's oracle than the church of God; and you have been
in your pulpits more like women's scolding to the cuckstool, which
you speak of, than men that preach the gospel; as the parishes may
witness how they have been burthened with your railing against other
people who have not been present with you. And when any of them
have come to you, you have cried! take them away, they disturb you.
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382
Is not this worse than women's scolding; for women will stand and
scold one with another, but ye will scold behind their backs, and can
not endure to speak to their faces, but ery, to prison with them.
But the rod is gone oyer you, and you are eomennder the scourge,
the whip, and the lash, for your evil words, whieh have corrupted your
manners. When ye should have been preaching the peaceable way to
the kingdom of God, ye have been bringing people to strife, throwing
them into prison for speaking a word to you, and such as cannot give
you maintenance, whom you do no work for. But the sentence spoken
in Matthew is coming upon you; ye cast into prison till death because
they cannot give you maintenance, therefore ye are far short of visit
ing them who are in prison. And these covers will npt cover you.
And all your hard speeches which you have vented -forth in your
book, are not worth mentioning; but they will come upon yourselves^
for every one of your words shall be your burthen. Now fools may
subscribe their hands to things they know not, and go with a multitude
to do evil; but wise men consider and ponder the things beforehand.
So all your petitions, the holy scriptures of the prophets, Christ, and
the appstles, read and try them, whether ye have ever an example
amongst any of the ministers of the gospel,~that ever put up a petition
to any supreme of a nation; or that Christ ever gave them any such
command, that his disciples should go and beg with a petition to the
supreme powers of the nation for maintenance? Have not you in this.
dishonoured the gospel and Christianity, and showed that you are not
of the royal priesthood* nor of the royal seed, nor everlasting cove
nant? nor you ministers to be those that do freely give, who have
freely received? but to be such whose spirits are in the earth, and
that you petitioners are not able to maintain them! which allmagis-
trates that stand in the fear of the Lord. God will judge, and so see that
you have shamed yourselves, your ministry, and church^and that you
are not a vineyard, that you hive not a flock to give you milk, but they
must be fain to give you ; and the magistrates must give your minis
ters milk. And so ye have showed the slothfulness of them that have
ploughed, and are not made partakers of their hope, but have lost it.
In vain have they ploughed, and thrashed, and not got out the corn.
And in all this have you not showed your idleness, that ye have not
laboured and got a vineyard, and thrashed and got corn, and have not
ploughed and sowed the seed? And will not the magistrates see you
in this? And have notthey wronged you in maintaining you in idleness?
Will not the magistrates see that they have done so, and will be pack-
horses no longer, nor executioners for you, who have executed your
malice npon them you do no work for, neither have hired you, and

383

cast them into prison when they have spoken to you to repent and fear
God. And so it is time for the magistrates to do justice, and execute
the law upon you idle vagabonds.

William Thomas, a minister ofthe gospel at Ubley, (so called,) in
his book called, ' Railing rebuked, or a defence of the Ministers.'
His principles follow.
P. He Saith, ' his epistle reflects upon two sorts of persons ; arid that
many false prophets have risen.'
A. The work of the ministers of the gospel was not to reflect upon
persons, or strike at creatures, (as thou sayst, two sorts of persons,)
but they struck at the power which captivated the creature, to the in
tent that the creature might come into the liberty of the sons of God.
And so thou that art reflecting upon persons, dost show a mark of thy
being a false prophet; instead of speaking ofthe power, thou art reflect
ing upon persons. And this reflecting upon persons was never the way
to beget to God; but that which strikes at the power which captivates
creatures, reacheth to the witness in prison, and brings people into
unity with God and one another in the spirit, which is the bond of
peace. P. ' To love the word for the good parts, that in regard of the Chris
tian is a dangerous thing, and in regard of the word of God; a disho
nourable thing.'
A. Where the good parts are not in the Christian, that is a disho
nourable thing to the word, and causeth the word of God to be evil
spoken of, as the whole assembly of you ministers have done by
your bad conversations, earthly, covetous, impatient spirits, that cannot
endure any should speak but yourselves in your places. So by 'you
hath the word of God been dishonoured, and not honoured ; for the
apostles wrote that they were to show themselves patterns and examples
to the flock of God in life and conversation, that the word of God
might not be evil spoken of. Now where the word is evil spoken of,
and the bad parts in a Christian proceed, this grieves the righteous, and
causeth the truth to he evil spoken of; and the word makes them ves
sels of honour in whom it is.
P. ', Now when Christians leave the word, and sacraments, and sab
baths, it is a dangerous pride, lifting Up the light within, as they do.'
A. The Christians that denied the sabbaths, and witnessed Christ
the substance, the rest, said, < The light that shined in their hearts

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would give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.' And they lifted up Christ the light, and they
walked in him, the covenant of God and of light, to the Jews and Gen
tiles; which who walk in, are in peace with God, and unity one with
another, and have the light of life, and rest, and all are in the dangerous
state that are out of that. And as for the word sacrament, there is no
scripture for it, but it is one of therapists' common words, and the
light brings off from it, and the Jewish sabbath.
P. ' Buy the truth, and sell it not, not pleading for sufficiency of a
common light.' And 'leaving their callings as the monks.' And 'their
books flying abroad, their wings undipped.' And ' no mention of eter
nal salvation from the wrath to come.' And he saith, 'he loves the
word, sacraments, sabbaths, and ministry.'
A. Christ came to put an end to the Jewish sabbaths, and the
apostles preached their end, and forsook all for Christ; and so, to re
vile such as are in the same power, and to call it by the unsavoury
expression, 'monkish,' thou and you are more like that, that tell of
sacraments that are from the monkish holiness. And for speaking of
clipping the wings of our books that fly abroad, that is another unsa
voury expression, and shows your spirit, that it is not able to resist
that Spirit that gives forth the books. As for the word and ministry,
thou hast shown thyself against them, though thou professes the scrip
ture to be the word. But those are the words of God, which Christ
the word fulfilled, and this the ministers of Christ witness. Arid* ye
never read that the ministers of the gospel said they loved the Jewish
sabbaths, and held up the sabbaths; these were the ministers of the ,
law that held up the sabbaths, which Christ, the rest, came to put an
end to, by whom the world was made, who was before it was made,
' glorified with the Father before the. world began.' And you sell the
truth, and take the world, who deny the. light that lighteth every man
that cometh into the world, which is sufficient to him that believes in it.
P. •'We exercise and order our preaching for the getting of money
and maintenance: and the greetings in the markets, are but that which
humanity requires, nor to be called of men rabbi, else Christ would
not have taken it Must a minister lose the members of his church,
and, the. maintenance of his place, both at once ?'
A. Christ said to his disciples, they should know ' the ' false pro
phets by their fruits, and said, ' Be not ye called of men master, for
one is your master, even Christ,' and denied the Pharisees' greet
ings in the markets, which thou calls human right. "And the apostles
ordered not their preachings to get money by them; but they laboured
to keep the gospel without charge; and the ministers of Christ brought
the people off the Jews' assemblies, and their maintenance both. And
ye that are found out of the apostles' doctrine, in the apostacy, such as

385
leave you, that you do no work for, how can you expect that they
should give you maintenance ? or how. can you in righteousness take
maintenance of them that you do no work for ? So if ye lose the mem
bers, will ye take the maintenance ? which of the apostles did so? Nay,
is it not the way to gain members, to deny the maintenance ? Is not
that the way whereby the power of God may be known that raiseth
the seed of God, whereby the hearts of people may be opened, and
whereby the seed is known?- And the apostle declared against such
as taught for filthy lucre, and made merchandise of the word;, and trrsit
which thou callest ' humanity,' is your earthly right, seeing your con
versation is in earth, and not in heaven.
P. ' It cannot be concluded that there is a light in every man lead
ing unto Christ, and unto salvation. And if Christ put a light in every
man that cometh into the world, to guide him unto the Father, and
unto life, I deny that to be true; for that is a natural light which is
only the light which Christ the word communicates to all men. Nay,
the light that all men have, though it seem to make them to know God,
as God, yet it is not sufficient to make them to know that there is a
Father, or a son, or the holy ghost, or that there is a gospel.' And
saith, ' I am the light of the world that doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world; that is, both Jews and Gentiles. And he that
walks in the light shall have the light of life. Now here lies the
deceit.' A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is enlight
ened with, the covenant of God to Jews and Gentiles, doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world; and they that walk in the light,
Walk in Christ, and come to see before any natural light was. And he
that walks in the light1 shall not abide in the darkness, but shall have
the light of life; and with the light he shall know God, he shall
know the son,1 he shall know the gospel, hp shall know the holy ghost,
and that light is not natural. And he that knoweth God, knoweth the
Father; and none know him hut with the light of Christ Jesus who
reyeals.him; for God is the Father. And *'I will give him for a cove
nant, a light to the Gentiles, anew covenant to the house of Israel and
Judah,' who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, a
leader of the people, a leader of them from death to life, to God, out
of the fall, out of the first man Adam, a brihger in of righteousness,
peace, and joy, and truth, and grace, to all that believe and receive
him; but they that hate the light it is their condemnation. The light,
Christ, the covenant of God, is the leader of the people out of the
fall, out of all deceit unto God, and it is sufficient. It is the end of
the prophets' and the apostles' teaching, the fountain of life, in which
every one sees life.

386
P. ' Hath every man a light sufficient to bring him to God, when
none come to God but by Christ ? If there be a light sufficient within
for the enjoyment of life, for direction to the Father the fountain of
life. The holy ghost saith, " Ye shall teach no more every man his
neighbour," "ye need not that any man teach you." He doth not
speak absolutely and strictly.'
A. To Jews and Gentiles who witness the new covenant of God
promised, the law in their hearts, it is absolute; they need not say to
one another, ' Know the Lord,' in the covenant of life and peace
with God, in him by whom the world was made before it was made.
But they that have these words in a "form, are they that set to them
selves heaps of teachers. And the apostles in their teachings to all
nations were ambassadors of this covenant, declaring the substance, te
the bringing people off from all teachers, that they needed not be taught ,
by any man to know the Lord. And th& light, Christ, 'which doth
enlighten every man that comes into the world,' is sufficient to guide
to eternal life, and he that believeth in it shall not abide in darkness,
but shall have the light [of life, and shall come out of condemnation;
and he that hates it abides in darkness, and knows not whither he goes.
And it is sufficient to let every man see his salvation. For ' I will give
him, for a covenant of light,' said God, 'he shall be my salvation to
the ends of the earth,' the covenant of light, ' that doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world.'
P. ' What Christ, and the apostles say, "Swear not at all, neither
by heaven, nor earth, nor any other oath," they did not mean as
they spoke, but that men should swear; and they did not speak against
all sWearing. And the Quakers may blush, for it is as if God should
not speak as he meant by Moses in the law.'
A. Christ and the apostles meant as they spoke;, to what state and
condition they spoke, the words were truth to that state, if it was by
parables, or patterns, or figures. Now Christ being the end of oaths
and types, saith, 'Swear not at all,' who is the covenant of God, the
end of the prophets, of Abraham," of David, of Solomon, of Jacob, of
Joseph, of oaths and swearing. And angels must bow to him? who
saith, ' swear not at all.' And the apostles preached this covenant,
this oath' of God, Christ Jesus ; and the apostle that was in the doctrine
of Christ, bid them, ' Above all things, my brethren, swear not at all,'
but in all your communication let your ' yea be yea, and your nay,
nay, for whatsoever is more cometh of evil.' And they spoke as they
meant; for they came into condemnation that broke the doctrine of
Christ. Now apostates, and hypocrites, and failse brethren may swear,
that are out of the light, the covenant of God, that have the form of

387
godliness, and deny the power ; and such are antichrists, against his
doctrine, and wrest the scriptures to their own destruction, and say,,
that Christ, and God, and the apostles, did not mean as they spoke.
But God did mean as he spoke, when he spake to Abraham. And
Christ meant as he spoke, when he said ' swear not at all.' And the
apostle meant as he spoke, ' my brethren, above all things, swear not
at all.'
P. 'We are ministers under the new covenant, and have the allow
ance of the gospel, and the tithes only being designed unto us, we
may with a good conscience take them. And the tithes are not in them
selves ceremonial. Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedeck. If there
be not a maintenance settled out to the ministry, we know we cannot
subsist to do service tp their souls without a worldly support, a suffix
cient maintenance. They call us greedy dogs, because nursing fathers
and mothers have provided for our nourishment a maintenance for us.
To work or to beg are two straits, whereof the world might be asham
ed,, but especially the saints.'
A. The world would not be ashamed, nor the saints, to see you
work, who have taken the people's bread for whom you do no work ;
and the saints do witness against you. The prophets, Christ, and the
apostles, deckre such to be greedy dogs, that can never have enough.
And Christ came to put an end. to tithes before the law, to tithes in
the law, to a priesthood made by the law, which had a command to
take tithes, whose is a priesthood for ever after the order of Melchise
deck, who was the similitude and likeness, (and not after the order of
Aaron,) who continues a priest for ever. And so when the first priest
hood was ended, tithes and all ended, and the command that gave
them, and the priesthood. Christ reigns over the house of Jacob,
who was before Abraham was, and Melchisedeck that Abraham
paid tithes to, the similitude and likeness, which Christ is the end
of. Here is the rock, and the substance. ' This is my beloved son,
hear him,' (saith God,) who was in the bosom ofthe Father. So
they that know him, come to preach the gospel, and live of the
gospel; who breaks down the earthly part, and opens the hearts of
people ; who breaks down the earthly part, and reaches to the seed.
And as for your nursing fathers and mothers, such as give you main
tenance, else you could not continue your ministry without a worldly
support, that is it which hath held you up long, and who are fain to
fly to the old worship, among whom the tenths were paid, and so are
roving up and down in sheep's clothing for your own ends to get main
tenance ; and if, that falls, your ministry fall§. And your nursing fa
ther and mother was the pope, the pope was the author that set forth

388
your tenths at the first, since the apostacy fromthe apostles,and since the
apostles' doctrine hath been lost. Therefore that life the apostles were
in, are people liow come to, by which ye are seen and comprehended.
And a worldly support is not that which holds up the ministry, but
Christ, 'who is with them to the end *of the world;' and they that preach
his gospel, live of it, and they are far above shaming the saints or the
world either, for maintenance. But ye have both shamed yourselves,.
and the saints are ashamed of you, and many of the world and your
own hearers are ashamed of you, and will not justify your practices.
And so ye have showed your consciences who take the tenths, that
you are not exercised with the light, neither are in the mystery of the
faith, which gives to see the end of all changeable things. Arid are
not you begging with your petitions for more maintenance? with your
petitions flying up and down for glebelands and augmentations, to the
powers of the earth? and sending for writs, summoning up to the
courts people that you do no work for ? and this hath been the end of
your fruits.
P. 'He that scorns to make use of the labours of men for his im
provement in the things of God, shows himself proud. If there
be occasion to make use of human authors, which we offer to our
hearers.' A. Human authors are from the earth, from the fallible nature ; to
mix and mingle that with that which is received from God, shows that
he hath not discerning, and makes that not sufficient which he hath
received from God ; and this is contrary to the apostles. What the
saints of the Lord had delivered, they did not mix it with men's enticing
words of wisdom, neither did they speak it in the words which man's
wisdom taught, but which the holy ghost did teach them. Therefore,
this is to teach from men's labours or human authors; for men's
labours, and the human authors' inventions come out of that nature
which prisons the seed of God. And so that is not agreeable to that
which is received from God ; but every one's words there shall be his
burthen: and so human authors are not to be mixed with the word of
God, for the word is pure, and nothing is to be added to, or taken from
it; he that doth shall be proved a liar; and the higher power is not
human nor infallible.
P. 'Paul and Peter were instructed by an immediate revelation,
which we are not so presumptuous as to expect, or to make the apostles'
condition our condition. Human learning will not acquaint us with the
mind of God, yet being sanctified, it is a great assistance to that end.'
A. Are not ye in the presumption, and do ye not usurp authority,
to preach or to teach, that have not immediate revelation as the apos
tles had, but have got their words and are out of their power? Are

389
not all who are not in the power of the words of the apostles, such as
are to be turned away from, by the command of the apostle? And are
not all who are in the power of God, and the life that the prophets,
Christ, and the apostles were in, in the immediate revelation of God ?
Can any know the scriptures, or the truth given forth from the spirit of
truth, learned of God the Father of truth, but by the immediate reve
lation of the spirit of God, which reveals the things of God? And
thou speakest of study and prayer; can any divide the word aright, or
pray aright, but in the spirit? and where that is, is not there immediate
revelation from God? And this thou calls presumption, to be in the
revelation that the apostles were in; but it is presumption to meddle
with their words, and not to be in the conditionthey were in; that is
presumption, and to usurp authority. And so ye are those that are got
up since the days of the apostles, ravening inwardly from the spirit of
God that they were in, and have sheep's clothing, who Christ said
should come, and John saw were come, and went forth from them.
And since the days of the apostles, the world have gone after you, all
but those who have their names written in the book of life before the
foundation of the world, and keep Jesus' testimony. And human
learning doth not help in the way and things of God, as it is in itself,
but as the spirit doth open through all things, and beyond all things,
^ and comprehends all languages, and sees before languages were; that is
it that ministers to the spirits in prison, and that is not called human
learning, which sees over languages and beyond languages, and comes
to have power over tongues, languages, and speeches, and sees before
they were.
P. 'Custom hath made it the civility of our language, to say you to
one, and not to say thou to a superior, except it be a familiar. It is
no great fault to respect men's persons. And the scripture only, makes
men wise to salvation. And it is a pernicious error in placing justifica
tion and salvation in righteousness within.'
A. ' That the righteousness of Christ might be fulfilled in us;' and
where Christ is within, there is sanctification, and there is justification,
/ and there is salvation known; for there is no salvation known nor felt
without, but first it is found within. Faith evidenceth it, the spirit
witnessing, the spirit comes to witness it, the light sees it, and this is
within. And so they that have these words, of righteousness, of sanc
tification, of justification without, and not within, are in the error; and
none know them without, but first they know them within. And
'you to a superior, and thou to a familiar;' is not God the superior,
the supreme? and dost thou say you to God? dost thou esteem man
higher, in a place beyond God? Is not this ambition, and pride, and
Vol. III. 49

390
presumption, and foolishness ! must thou not come to be judged here,
and be humbled for thy miscarriages ? And ' thou to a familiar,' a
person of low degree; canst thou speak more familiarly to God than
to man? Thou to him, and you to man — is this righteous and sound
speech that cannot be condemned ? Dost thou not in this show that
thou never learned either the accidence or bible ? ' He that respects
persons, commits sin;' thou dost respect the poor and the rich in thy
words, and art by the law reproved to be a transgressor, and art out of
the faith that is held ' without respect of persons.' And as for the rest
of all thy lies, and hard expressions in thy book, they shall come upon
thyself, and to thee be a heavy burthen. And the day hastens upon
thee apace; to the witness of God in thy conscience I speak, which
will let thee see that it had been better for thee, if thou had never
opened thy mouth, than to have exposed thy nakedness to the nation.
And this is not the way to convert souls, to rail; for railing never con
verted any, but brought them into a form out of the power, and so in
creased knowledge which was their sorrow.

R. Sherlock's principles, as followeth.
P. He saith, 'They do not attain the knowledge and understanding
of the gospel by the same means as the apostles did.' Saith he, ' We
preach the same gospel as the apostles preached, but do not attain to
the knowledge and understanding of this gospel by the same means.'
A. That which the apostles received, they received from God; so
ye receiving it not by the same means, have received it from men, and
not from God.
P. He saith, ' The apostles were eye-witnesses, and understood by
immediate revelation from God, inspired with the gift of the spirit
more than any man could hope for since.' And he saith, they ' do not
pretend any such gift, nor depend upon any such immediate miraculous
revelation from heaven.'
A. Then all may see now in this that what ye have received, it hath
been from man, not from heaven immediately, not the gifts of the
spirit, nor have received the gospel by the same means the apostles did,
who are not the eye-witnesses, as the apostles were. Neither have ye
attained to the same knowledge and understanding that the apostles
did, nor received it from heaven. Now let all people question, whe
ther it is the same gospel, which is not received from heaven, nor im
mediately, nor by revelation; for the gospel is immediate, which is
the power of God. Rom. i. They that understand the gospel, are in

391
the same power, understanding, knowledge, and immediate revelation
from, heaven, that the apostles were in, and they that are in another,
cannot understand that gospel. He confesseth to the nation, in his an
swer to some queries, and in his discourse upon the holy spirit, that
they have not the same knowledge, gift, nor immediate revelation, as
the apostles had ; so he hath made himself manifest, (and the rest of
the priests,) that he is in the apostacy, and has not the gospel the apos
tles had.
P. He saith, page 11, 'An external means enables them to open the
meaning of the gospel.'
A. An external opens not the eternal; this all may judge that are in
the fear of God, and that is it which keeps them from being deceived
and seduced. He saith, ' the external opens the eternal,' which is
false; for the eternal opens the external, and the gospel is eternal, and
that which reacheth, to the soul, which is immortal; and all they are se
duced and seduaers, that think and say the external must open the
eternal. P. He saith, ' Learned men are those who must give the sense of
the scripture.'
A. Pilate was a learned man, and had Hebrew, Greek, and Latin,
and knew not the sense of the scripture, who crucified Christ. And
the learning of God is that which knows the scriptures by the spirit
that gave them forth, and not the confounded natural languages. And
the query to him was, 'whether any were to be called master?' His
answer is, ' Master is a title of civil honour.' A Pharisee, a trans
gressor of Christ's commands, Matt, xxiii. that tramples upon Christ's
command and his doctrine, and makes the doctrine of Christ uncivil.
And this is your lordship and usurped authority, who would lord it over
God's heritage; but he is throwing you out as dung upon the face of
the earth.
P. He saith, ' The Pharisees paid tithes when they neglected the
law of Gpd.'
A. Do not all you so? Is not this your condition that take tithes,
whose fruits in the nation make it manifest ? And the apostle said the
priesthood was changed that took tithes, and the apostles denied the
Pharisees that took them; but you take them by compulsion and carry
to prison till death, if you cannot get them ; and in this you are worse
than the Pharisees and first priesthood that took tithes, whp denied
Christ was come in the flesh.
P. He saith, ' that children are of the kingdom of God, and yet
they must be born again before they can enter into the kingdom of
God,' page 17. and 'sprinkling of infants is baptism.'
A. Which there is no scripture for. He saith, ' Christ commanded

392
both his disciples and them to take and eat this,' and yet they never
heard his voice !
P. He saith, 'To give an answer without imagination or conse
quence, is without reason or judgment.'
A. There is a reason and a judgment out of imaginations and con
sequences to be given, which is in truth, and out of the doubtful dispute.
P. He saith, ' While men be upon the earth the body of sin is not
wholly subdued.'
A. Contrary to the apostle's doctrine, who saith, they were ' made
free from sin.' And this is to deny the eircumcision which puts off the
body of sin; this is to keep out of Christ the second Adam, in the first
Adam, in the fall.
P. He saith, 'The contents of the gospel are things of the spirit of
God attained by external means; and the apostles were called of God
immediately, which (he saith) no man must hope for since.'
A. Then you have all followed your own spirits, and are found
amongst the number of the false prophets, and those that ran and the
Lord never spake to them; and the things of the gospel and of the
spirit, are not attained by external means.
P. He saith, 'We must not look for an immediate extraordinary
miraculous teaching from the Lord.'
A. Yet he saith, 'all men are taught of God;' what confusion is
here! The grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared unto
all men, and teacheth us, and this he calls an outward teaching by the
Lord Jesus Christ. Is that which brings salvation outward ? All in
truth may judge this and try thy spirit. And the teachings of the Lord
are not mediate but extraordinary, above all yours, who are men got
up since the days of the apostles.
P. He saith, ' They shall teach no more every man his neighbour,
saying, know the Lord, but they shall all know me from the least to
the greatest;' and he saith again, 'The most knowing man hath not
attained such a perfection of knowledge in his gift, as not to need
teaching.' A. So he is one that believes not in the promise. They that love,
are of God, and they that love know God, and they that love not God,
know not God. Here are the spirits of the world made manifest, and
the spirit of God in his saints, from thy confusion; so they that know
God are taught of him.
P. He saith, ' The anointing within people, is a measure of spiritual
wisdom.' A. And yet they attain to the gospel by external means ! It is only
those that give heed to such spirits as these, that go from the anoint
ing within them, and do not take heed to the anointing; so go from

303
the eternal means to the external mean3, and from the immediate to
the mediate. But by the immediate they are now tried and seen to
be such as the apostle saw come in, who have since been over the
world. But they are now made manifest.
P. He saith, ' Sprinkling of infants is God's ordinance.'
A. For which they have no scripture, but a tradition, which hath been
taught men for a doctrine, by those who cannot show where God com
manded it.
P. He saith, page 31, 'For the spirit within, we are not so blind
folded to follow the dictates thereof.' And 'we draw men from the
spirit within. It is human learning that distinguishes the naked truth,
whereby it is clearly seen.' And calls' them ' blind that say otherwise:
and cannot distinguish persons from houses.' He confesseth ' it is con
tentious to go to law.'
A. Here he hath given judgment upon all the priests, the rest of his
fellows, who in most parts of the nation are troubling people for tithes,
and their maintenance. And you are blindfolded who lead people from
the spirit within, who are ravened from it, and have the sheep's cloth
ing. Human learning is from the earth, from the ground, and that
cannot distinguish the naked truth, and with that the Pharisees could
not see Christ, as you cannot see the light which hath enlightened
every man that cometh into the world, nor the sons of God who are led
by the spirit.
P. He saith, ' The scripture was given forth in the Hebrew, Greek,
and Latin, which we truly say is the original. And to attain spiritual
wisdom by depending upon miraculous revelation from heaven, is
tempting the good spirit of God.'
A. And here he is contrary to the apostle. What he had received
from the Lord he declared, and David, and all the prophets of God,
waited upon the Lord for counsel, and teaching, and revelation ; and
this he calls a temptation, whereas no one knows the son but by re
velation, nor the Father, nor the scripture; not a Hebrew, nor a
Greek, nor a Latinist; but they that think to find it out by natural
languages are in the temptation, from the spirit of God which reveals
the deep things of God, which to all you inward raveners, is miracu
lous. And as for the rest of thy confusion and lies, they are not worth
the mentioning, but shall cover thyself. In the day of thy judgment,
the witness shall answer and manifest thy clothing.

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John Wallace, priest of Kendal; William Moore, priest of Kellet;
and priest Walker. Their principles as followeth.
P. They say, 'that the devil is transforming himself into an angel
of light, and this is to oppose the light of Christ.'
A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is en
lightened with, is that which satan is out of, and in you that are out of
the light, which Christ doth enlighten every man that cometh into the
world with, may satan transform himself, who transformed before the
apostles' decease, and since their decease it hath been he that hath
made this work among all creatures, under whose power you are, in
the night of the apostacy. And he hath been the cause of destroying
people, who is out of the light in which is the unity. To sing
without the spirit, to sing words made ready to hand, the Jews could
do that, whose songs were to be turned into howling; but to sing in
the spirit, there is the melody made to the Lord, where hymns,
psalms, and spiritual songs are known. But to say that Christ and the
apostles sung David's psalms' turned into metre as you do now, a thing
made ready to their hands, this would make as though the apostles and
Christ could not sing without David's psalms, and would put every
one beside the spirit; for Christ was Lord of David, and the apostles
preached the end of David, and in that they sung. And every man
that cometh into the world hath a light from Christ, and that which
may be known of God is manifested within man, though Jews and
Gentiles be from it, guiding all minds, it will bring them to sing in
the spirit, as David, Solomon, Christ, the apostles, and the saints ; and
in this let all make melody to the Lord in their hearts, all having
motion and breath from the Lord. So let all praise the Lord in the
spirit, and in it unto him sing, who in him move, and live, and have
their being.

Gawen Eglesfield's principles, as followeth.
P. ' That his call into the ministry is mediate.'
A. So he is not a minister made by the will of God, which is imme
diate; nor a minister made by the spirit, which is immediate. Mediate
is natural, and the natural man knows not the things of God, for they
are spiritually discerned.
P. And he saith, ' The law is not changed that gave tithes.'
A. The law of God is changed, and the commandment disannulled,

395
though the pope set up another law, since the apostacy from the apos
tles.

Ambrose Dickinson's principles, as followeth.
P. He saith, ' That there is nothing within man, but what puts him
on a covenant of works.'
A. There is faith within man that works by love, and there is
Christ within man, and God will dwell in man, and walk in man, and
the son of God is revealed within. Dost thou liken all these to things
without in the covenant of works, which ends them all, and was before
they were?
P. He saith, ' There is no knowledge of Christ in this generation
but by the scripture.'
A. Many may have the scriptures, and not know Christ; they will
not give the knowledge of Christ. That which comes from him, and
shines in the heart, doth give the knowledge of Christ the light. And
the Jews had the scriptures, but had not the knowledge of Christ, as
you do not know the ' light that doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world,' the ear being stopped to that of God in you,
and your eyes closed. And it is not the spirit, and the letter of it can
not give life.
P. John Stockdale said, ' The scriptures must try the spirits.'
A. ' The spirit was before the scriptures were; and the Jews had the
scriptures, yet knew not Christ, but crucified him ; and that must try
the spirits that gave forth scriptures.
P. He saith, ' The spirit and the scriptures, are one and the same
thing.' A. Scriptures are writings, as the priests and professors say, and
Christ was before they were given forth, which owns it, and is when
it ends and is fulfilled.
P. Priest Heywood in Lancashire said, ' it was blasphemy to say
that the church was in God.'
A. Contrary to the apostle, 1 Thess. i. 1. who said, 'the church was
in God.'
P. Again he said, ' It was blasphemy to say, that God dwelt or
walked in his saints.'
A. Contrary to the apostle, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Eph. iv. 6. who saith,
* God will dwell in you, and walk in you;' and ' ye are the temples of
God.'

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Christopher Wade's book, called ' Quakery Slain.' His principles
follow.
P. He saith in page 3, ' Oh horrible ! to say the infallible spirit must
open the scriptures.'
A. He hath shut himself out from the spirit, that gave forth scrip
tures, and must open them again, in which is the unity, and that is
infallible. And he that hath the spirit of God, hath that which is in
fallible, and he that hath not the spirit is none of his ; so out of the
infallibility, where thou art, in the horrible state.
P. He saith, ' It is whimsical to say, Christ, God and man, flesh and
spirit, is in them.'
A. Contrary to the apostles' doctrine, who said, they were of his
flesh and of his bone; and ' Christ in you,' and he would walk in them.
And ' he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his,' and they are
of his flesh and of his bone, and ' Christ in you, the hope of glory.'
P. He saith, 'It is a devilish doctrine not to forsake quaking and
trembling.' A. So in this thou mayst say, it is a devilish doctrine to say, salva
tion must be wrought out by trembling and quaking : so thou showest
thou never knew salvation; for before men have salvation wrought out,
they must know trembling and quaking. And so thou hast shut thy
self out from Moses' and David's condition; and such as the Lord re
gards, tremble at his word.
P. He saith, ' Flesh and bone cannot be a measure in one, and a
measure in another.'
A. Whereas the apostle saith, 'We are ofhis flesh and ofhis bone.'
Here thou art contrary to the apostle, and they were more than one
that had the flesh of Christ, and his bone, and his spirit.
P. He cries, ' Oh Luciferian pride to save souls !'
A.- What good doth all your preaching do? Here thou spoilest all
the rest of the priests, and showest thyself to be contrary to the apostles,
who watched for the soul, and saved souls ; that turned people from a
multitude of sins.
P. He saith, ' God the Father never took upon him human nature.'
A. Contrary to the scripture, which saith, 'God was in Christ re
conciling the world unto himself;' and thou art ignorant of the great
mystery, ' God manifest in the flesh;' and his name is called 'the ever
lasting Father.' As for the word human, which is from the ground, it
comes from thy own knowledge, which is earthly. And Christ took
upon him the seed of Abraham and David, according to the flesh; and
this is scripture language.

397
P. He saith, ' The holy ghost is a person, and that there was a tri
nity of three persons before Christ was born.'
A. Thou knowest not him that is in the Father, and the Father in
him, glorified with the Father before the world began. (And the scrip
tures do not tell people of a trinity, nor three persons ; but the com
mon-prayer-mass-book speaks of three persons, brought in by thy
father the pope ; and the Father, son, and holy spirit was always one.
P. He compares ' immediate revelation from heaven,' to the ' false
prophets' dreams.' And again he saith, ' The scriptures is the word of
God.' A. Here he fights with the rest of his fellows, who say, scriptures
signify writings, and writings are not God; but the scriptures of truth
are God's words, which Christ, the word, fulfils. They are not the
word of God which thou hast blasphemously affirmed, but Christ is
the word of God; and they that deny revelations, are out of the fear
of God and the spirit, and know not the son nor the Father, but are
among the false prophets and false dreamers.
P. He saith, ' The scriptures are the word, except you dare to deny
Christ is God.' And he brings a scripture, ' Let the word of God
dwell in you richly.'
A. So he makes the scripture Christ, and God, and he doth not say,
'let Christ dwell in you,' but means the scripture. And God dwells
in you; and the apostle said, 'Let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith;'
and God will dwell in you; but thou sayst, Christ doth not dwell in
them personally. Doth not Christ dwell in his saints, as he is in the
person of the Father, the substance? and are not they of his flesh, and
ofhis bone?
P. ' They that hear the word of God do not hear the son, the holy
scriptures are the mediate word of God.'
A. Now, all people, where ever did you read of a mediate word of
God? Doth not the word of God endure for ever, and is it mediate ?
And he calls God heavenly Father, and admits he never heard his
voice, nor his son's, and denies immediate teachings. He that knows
the spirit that gave forth scriptures, hears the son.
P. He saith, 'God limits the supreme Holy One by the inspired
writings of the apostles; and that is his third dispensation of his mind
to men.' And he saith, ' They are taught by inspired scriptures,
which is mediate; not by letter, which is literally, the letters or letter.'
A. Inspired scriptures, and yet mediate. ' The testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy;' and the spirit inspires, which the letter doth
not. And God's teaching is by his spirit, and the Holy One is not
limited by the words of the apostles, who fulfils them ; and many words
the apostles spoke which were not written.
Vol. III. 50

398
P. And he calls ' the devil the tutor, to say, not made minister of
the letter.'
A. So we speak the apostle's words, and he makes the devil the
apostle's tutor, who was not a minister of the letter, but of the spirit,
who said, ' The letter killeth, but the spirit gives life.' And whoever
says this, that makes the devil the apostle's tutor, it is a lie, and his
own; and the devil is the tutor ofthe ministers of the letter, and not of
the spirit ; who can run into it, who are out of the truth.
P. He speaks of ' a moral laW.'
A. Which he hath no scripture for, the scripture speaks no such
thing ; but he darkens counsel by his words.
P. He saith, ' The scripture contains the mediate inspired teachings,
written word of God, that was and is God.'
A. The scriptures say, 'the heaven of heavens cannot contain him;'
and God and Christ were before any written words were. And the
mediate teaching of the whole scripture letter he speaks of, which he
calls God and Christ, and all the mediate teaching is carnal; and the
scriptures do not continue the immediate teachings of God's inspira
tion, but testifies of those things.
P. He saith, ' The written word is the sword of the spirit.' And he
makes another rule ' besides the scriptures, false.'
A. Which we say is the spirit that gave them forth, whereby peace
is known upon the Israel of God. And the Pharisees had the scriptures,
but had not the sword of the spirit. The scriptures testify of the sword
of the spirit.
P. He saith, ' It is a lie to say the saints shall judge the world.'
A. So he would make Christ and the apostles liars, and would take
the judgment from the son, and make Christ at a distance from the
saints ; so he is ignorant of the saints and Christ both, and knows not
the time of the saints' judging when the Lord is come; but stands in
the counsels of his own heart, and in the hidden things of darkness.
P. He saith, 'No saint can be a judge of the world.'
A. Contrary to Cor. vi. where the apostle said, ' Do ye not know the
saints shall judge the world ?' And ' they abide not in the truth that
affirm it,' as thou sayst; so hast shown thy ignorance, and art one of
them that are judged by the saints.
P. He denies ' the son of God to be revealed in man only by adop
tion,' and cries against 'equality with the Father.'
A. And that is contrary to the apostle, who had the son of God re
vealed in him. And the assembly of divines gave forth a catechism,
which children, old and young, were to learn, and said, ' the holy
ghost and son were equal in substance, and power, and glory with the
Father.' What! then all that have the*son and the holy ghost, have

399
that which is equal in power and glory with the Father. In this thou
hast not only judged thyself, but all the ' assembly of divines at West
minster,' 1649.
P. ' It is a false thing to say Christ's person is in man.'
A. Which is as much as to say, none are of his flesh, ofhis bone, nor
eat it, nor had his substance.
P. ' For denying all meritorious works that cast men out from en
joying any thing from God for their salvation.'
A. And here they are turned to the pope*, who are in their own
meritorious works, out of the faith that works by love.
P. 'And there is no other way to salvation but by meritorious
works.' A. And there is no man attains to salvation by his own meritorious
works in his will, but they that attain salvation come to the light
which Christ hath enlightened them withal.
P. He calls that 'satanical,' to say, ' as he is, so are we in this pre
sent world.'
A. Contrary to John, who saith, ' As he is, so are we in this present
world ;' so thou hast denied John's words.
P. 'That God doth exclude all works wrought in man and by man,
by what spirit soever.'
A. So here is thy spirit tried ; here works are totally excluded with
out any distinction, and so the works of God and Christ his son, are
excluded by thee. And the apostle bids theim ' work out their salva
tion with fear and trembling;' which he opposeth, and gives another
sense to it. And the works of God, Christ, and the spirit are not
denied by us, as thou dost by the devil which is in thee.
P. To be 'justified by Christ alone,' he calls it a 'justified self-
Quaker.' A. There is no man self-denied and justified in the light of God, but
by Christ alone. And they that are not justified by Christ alone, are
in themselves.
P. ' It is against the scriptures to say men must be without sin, and
that men must be perfect.'
A. That is contrary to the scriptures ; for they mention that there
were just men, perfect men, and holy men upon earth ; they that gave
forth scriptures were ' holy men ;' and Paul spoke ' wisdom amongst
them that were perfect;' and Joseph was ' a just man.' And ' the blood
of Christ cleanseth from all sin,' and ' are perfected by the one offering
for ever, (mark the word are,) and 'he that is born of God doth not
commit sin.'
P. He makes people believe, ' that false prophets and antichrists are
come but now.'

400
A. Which Christ said should come in Matt. xxiv. and John saw
they were come. 1 Epis. ii. And in the Revelation he saw the world
go after them, one of whom he is; but the Quakers own but one Christ,
which is the seed, which is now risen on top of them all, and witness
the Lamb. He that was dead, is alive, and lives for evermore.
P. ' That the Quakers are of the devil.'
A. But it hath been the devil in him that hath testified against the
Quakers, and so makes his kingdom divided against itself; and it is
Christ that is in the Quakers, and hath appeared, that cannot be shaken,
whom he calls Beelzebub, like some of his old fathers, but his reward
will be according to his works.
P. He saith, ' No other people upon the earth go about to save souls
but the Quakers.'
A. So he hath judged himself, and all the people upon the face of
the earth, to be deceivers of souls, and not savers of souls ; but the
Quakers are so, (the preservers and savers of souls,) and yet he calls
them equivocating, deluding hypocrites. But he hath proved himself,
and all others to be so, except Quakers.
P. He denies, and says, ' that the saints' bodies are not Christ's
body.' A. And how are they Christ's ? how dwells he in them ? and how
then are they of his flesh and of his bone ? And how brutish are you
become in knowledge ! hath not he bought them with a price? and are
they not his?
P. He saith, 'that neither God's essence, nor the heaven, nor
Christ's person was in Peter's holy body.'
A. But the apostle said, ' God will dwell in you, and walk in you ;'
and ' Christ in you.' And again he saith, ' Our conversation is in hea
ven.' And here thou art striving against the apostle's doctrine ; and
the beast is blaspheming against the tabernacle of God, and them that
dwell in heaven. And thus thou wranglest with the apostle, who said
Christ was in them; and is not his power that which thou callest his
essence? P. He says, ' There is not whole Christ, God and man, in men.'
A. Then how must men grow up in the measure of the fulness of
the stature of Christ? And Christ and God will dwell in man, and
walk in man; God that made all things, and Christ by whom all things
were made.
P. He saith, ' It is a shame for the Quakers to say, As he is, so are
we in this present world.'
A. Which are the apostle's words, and the apostle was not ashamed
to speak them, but thou that livest in the power of darkness art
ashamed to hear them.

401
P. He saith, ' Christ hath not appeared unto the saints in his second
coming to them, much less in them.'
A. Contrary to the apostle's doctrine, Col. ii. And Christ said, he
would dwell in them. And the apostle said, the son of God was come.
And Christ said, he would come again to the apostles, which he did,
according to his word; and God did dwell in them, and walk in them.
And John in his epistle said, the son of God was come.
P. And he saith, ' The saints are not as Christ is.'
A. So he denies John's doctrine, who said, ' As he is, so are we in this
present world.'
P. And he saith, the righteous man sins seven times a day; and that
David nor no man living was justified in the sight of God at any time,
so long as he was a living man upon earth; and that the prophets were
not made free from sin.
A. There is no scripture that saith, a righteous man sins seven times
a day; and David said his sins were removed from him as far as the
east is from the west, and yet thou sayst, David was never at any time
free from sin, of having sin in him while he was upon the earth. And
God said, ' I have found David a man after my own heart, fulfilling
all my will.' So here he was justified. And the apostle said in Rom.
vi. that they were made free from sin, and were justified by faith in
Christ Jesus.
P. He saith, ' Paul was not made free from all sin. '
A. Paul said he had ' kept the faith,' he had kept that which purifies,
and gives victory over sin; and yet he goes about to disprove Paul's
words, and saith, ' Paul had sin when he had finished his course.' So
his great work is to prove the saints sinners, but they witness against
him. And he charges Job, Paul, and David with sin, whom God jus
tified, arid said, 'Job did not sin with his mouth.' And though Paul
did cry out of the body of sin, yet he found victory over the body of
sin, and knew the redemption which the creatures waited for, the 'li
berty of the sons of God;' and said, they were ' made free from sin,' in
Rom. vi. and they were 'justified from all things;' and by the one
offering for ever he had sanctified.
Because the Quakers own the light Christ, and are come into the
spirit that gave forth scriptures, and have heard the voice of the son of
God, and deny all them that say they have not heard the voice of the
son of God, and Christ to be in them; therefore he saith, 'they have
forsaken the truth;' because they deny them that have the form, and
are out of the life, and despise and deny the power that shakes that
which is to be shaken; for no one knows salvation but by the light.
P. He said, 'God did not come in his spiritual essence with his son

402
on the earth.' And saith, ' that God the Father was not in his spirit
with his son upon the earth.'
A. The scripture saith, ' The fulness of the godhead dwelt in him
bodily;' and the Father is in the son, and the son is in the Father,
' I in thee, and thou in me ;' so he was not alone, but the Father was
with him.
P. He saith, ' The Quakers are lying deluders, in saying the king
dom of heaven is within them.'
A. That is contrary to Luke xvii. which saith, ' The kingdom of
heaven is within you.'
P. ' And he hath not heard of any other people in the world taught
immediately by Christ, but the Quakers.'
A. And the two witnesses, as he calls them, he brings against truth,
who opposed truth in London: so showing where he and all people are,
who are taught by a mediate use of the scriptures ; all may judge
where that is. And the devil rules such that are from the immediate;
and all that are not taught immediately, are not taught by God, nor by
his spirit.
P. ' This sort of people are for immediate revelation, and it is dan
gerous for any man to trust to immediate revelations, and preach Christ
within man.' And 'the two witnesses preached Christ without.' And
this he saith, ' is a hellish snare to please every man's palate.'
A. And thus he may charge all the people of the Lord who were
taught, and are taught of the Lord. And thus he fights against those
that were taught immediately; and his teachings, and man's teachings,
are mediate, and they are in the snare that are out of the immediate
teaching; and all that know God and the son, are taught immediately by
the spirit that is immediate. And so it is not a very strange thing
that he should give forth so many ill-savoured railing expressions, of
which his book is stuffed full, against the people of God; his work in
it is to charge the elect with sin, but we say, the Lord rebuke him.
P. And he saith, ' The saints are not any time without sin, even
when they were born of God.'
A. So not knowing the creature's coming into the liberty of the sons
of God, nor the birth born of God.
P. And^aith, ' Sin is in the saints for their humiliation.'
A. Contrary to the scripture, which saith, Christ is their humiliation,
and bears their sins, and destroys it; which humility is not like man's,
being brought down by sin, for sin exalts.
P. ' That the inward man, and the power of God in man, never
brings the outward man so subject as to be without sin.' 4
A. This we say, God wrought salvation by Christ alone, without
man's works; and who believe in him, are saved, and who do not, are

403
condemned; and the power of God and Christ subdues sin in man,
and destroys it, that man becomes the temple of God.
P. His query is, ' Whether God could not have saved man without
Christ's dying?'
A. God can do what he will, who was in Christ reconciling the
world to himself; and Christ did not save the world without God. And
thou hast shown in thy book stuffed with lies, by the filthy air that has
come out of thee, how thou hast been tormented, and that the devil
was in thee. And thou sayst, thou art saved by Christ without thee,
and so hast recorded thyself to be a reprobate, and ignorant of the
mystery of Christ within thee; for without that thou dost not know sal
vation. And these before mentioned are thy principles, which thou
hast published in print to the nation, and all sober people may judge
thee. As for thy lies they are not worth mentioning, neither are they
worth reading; but upon thy own head will they fall, and a heavy
burden thou must bear, who goest about to sow discord among the
brethren. But the accuser of the brethren is cast out. The witness
shall answer me in the day of thy judgment. Christopher Wade calls his
book, 'Quakers slain irrecoverably,' but he hath slain himself irreco
verably, and the same judgment wherewith he judgeth us, he hath
brought upon himself ; and the Quakers are recovered out of his snare,
and have taken him in his own, and have chained him and bound him.

Henry Hagger's Book, called ' The Holy Scripture Clearing itself
His principles in it follow.
P. 'David never boasted of perfection, nor Paul, nor John, and
such as say they are free from sin, it is their whole work to carry away
poor souls from truth.'
A. There is none comes into the truth, nor any soul comes out of
the deceived estate, but who comes out of sin, and is made free from
it, as the apostle speaks to the Romans; such as served God in a new
life, were made free from sin. And God said Job was a perfect man,
and eschewed all evil, (mark all,) and David said he had seen the end,
of all perfection, and Paul spoke ' wisdom among them that were per
fect,' and said the life that he lived was by the faith of the son of God.
Though the apostle had cried out of a body of sin, yet he saith Christ
was manifest in his flesh to condemn the sin in his flesh, and through
Christ he had victory, and witnessed the circumcision that put off the
body of sin; and saw where there is no condemnation.

404
P. ' The scripture was the sure word of prophecy,' and ' the scripture
will bring men to the knowledge of God.'
A. The spirit was their rule that gave forth the scripture, and the word
of God gave them to discern and to savour who spoke the word of the
Lord, and who stole their word from their neighbour, when the Lord
had never spoken to them ; where the spirit was in the prison ; where
the spirit was out of prison, with whom they had unity; and who had
the form of godliness, but denied the power ; and who were the false
spirits that went out into the world, and the antichrists, and the false
prophets; and such as were turned from the faith, and such as lived in
the faith, and such as quenched the spirit and despised prophecy, and
such as despised the Holy One, and slaughtered the seed of God, and
such as cast the law of God behind their backs: this was the spirit and
the word of God which was their rule, that led them to discern and
savour, to try, and taste, and handle; this was the touch-stone, and this
was the rule, and this brought them to the knowledge of God. And
they that had the scriptures had not the knowledge of God without
this, nor prophecy; as the Pharisees had scriptures, yet knew not
Christ. P. ' To the law and to the testimony. '
A. Yea, as we say, to the law and to the testimony, the law is the
light, ' the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' But it is
cried in this our day, 'the letter is the light,' amongst the ministers
of the letter, against the light; and they say ' prophecy is ceased,' and
so put the Old and New Testament for it, and bring Isa. viii. for the
law and testimony, which was before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
But this is that their ignorance may appear.
P. And likewise he saith, ' There is not a just man upon the earth
that sinneth not.'
A. Read the words above in the 16th verse, ' Be not just overmuch,
neither make thyself overwise.' Now mark, this just, this wise man
upon the earth, of whom it is said, ' There is not a just man upon the
earth, that doeth good and sinneth not;' that was the estate of the law,
which Christ is the end of, who is a greater than Solomon, who is the
Just, and righteousness itself, and makes men free from sin.
P. 'I do not affirm that any man can have salvation, by virtue ofhis
obedience;' and ' thus you put out the eye of poor souls, and bid them
hearken to a light within them.'
A. The eye of the soul is the light, which cometh from Christ the
bishop of it, and he that believeth is saved, and there is his obedience,
and he that doth not, is condemned already; and he hath the promise
of life and salvation that believes in the light.
P. He saith, ' The commission of Christ holds to the end of the

405
wPrld, who gave some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors, for
the perfecting of the saints, and the edifying of the body of Christ, till
all come to the faith and knowledge of the son of God, and to a perfect
man in measure, and stature, and fulness of Christ.'
A. Have you not all denied this work of pastors, teachers, and pro
phets, the perfecting of the saints, and bringing to a perfect man, saying
that none must be perfect while they are upon earth ? and denied bring
ing to the unity of the faith, which both you and your teachers are all
on heaps about? and have you not said that none must witness the
measure, and stature, and fulness of Christ, and the knowledge of the
son of God, that none must have him revealed? have you not denied
revelation? How have you been in this work tossing people to and fro
like chaff, and carrying them about with every wind of doctrine! And
that is your wind that is not perfect, that is not in the spirit that gave
forth scriptures, and there lodgeth all men's subtlety, cunning, and craft
within, lying and waiting to deceive. This doctrine was coming up
before the apostles' decease, which since hath reigned in the world, as
all the heaps of profession in all Christendom discover it, how people
are tossed to and fro, and changed about, and every one stands against
perfection and overcoming sin while they be upon earth; so excluding
themselves from the work that the ministers of Christ were in, aposta
tized from it, you have denied the ministers' work* which is the per
fecting, and cry, ' no perfection.'
P. He saith, ' They call breaking of bread carnal. Faith comes by
hearing of the scriptures, and it is the way to teach men Christ, and to
convince and convert souls; how should we know sin to be sin, or
righteousness to be righteousness, but by scripture? Scripture hath
been a fit rule to walk by, and guide into truth and peace.'
A. Breaking of outward bread is not spiritual; the Papists say it is
spiritual, and you say it is not carnal; what differs priests and Baptists
from Papists? And you say it is not as other bread is; and thus you
deceive people, and make them believe a lie. And the Pharisees had
scriptures, but knew not the way of truth and peace, nor were guided
in it; neither are any upon the earth, except they be in the life that
gave it forth. And the Pharisees had scriptures read every day among
them, and hearing not the word that was in them, which they heard
that gave forth scriptures, they heard not the word of faith, and the-
faith they had not, for faith comes by hearing the word, the word
preached, not by hearing the letter: he that hath the word of God may
speak it daily. For they were ministers of the letter who begot people
into a form, in which they were tenfold more the children of the devil
than they were before there was any profession. And none upon the
earth can know righteousness to be righteousness, but as they have the
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406
life that gave forth scriptures; for the Pharisees, chief priests, and
Jews had the scriptures, and read them every sabbath day among them,
and they knew not righteousness to be righteousness, nor Jesus Christ
the righteousness of God; neither did they know sin to be sin, for they
crucified the Lord of life, that denied the light, the covenant of God,
the covenant of light. So none know sin to be sin, but by the light
which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, that makes it manifest; and
Abraham and Enoch knew sin before scripture was.
P. Again he saith, 'Try their own hearts by scriptures.'
A. They that tried their hearts, it was by the spirit of the Lord
that searcheth them, which led them to speak forth scriptures; for be
fore the scriptures were given forth, there was that in the heart to try
it, which led all holy men of God to speak forth scriptures. If all
men upon earth had the scriptures, and have not that which gave it
forth, they have not that which will try the heart; for the Pharisees
had the scriptures, and. they could not try their own hearts, and so
they turned against the light, as the world do now, that have the scrip
tures. For that is it which brings those to stand approved of God who
try their hearts with it.
P. He saith, ' The overseers of the church are visible.'
A. That which did oversee, and made to be overseers, was the holy
ghost, before the apostles deceased, which was invisible; but since the
days of the apostles, men have made officers by the letter, and such
are visible, therefore have all men come into divers forms, out of the
unity, and have lost the bond of peace.
P. Likewise he saith, 'That which is contained in the bible, is spirit
and life.'
A. This is as much as to say, that spirit is in the letter, and life is
in the letter. Now hadst thou said, that which is declared of is spirit
and life, and the letter itself death, these words had been true; and that
the life was in them that gave it forth, is sound. Now the people
have it among them as a general word, that the bible is a history, or a
treatise, or a catalogue, or the letter; these are the common words
among professors and preachers. Now we say, the scriptures are the
words of God, and a declaration of the prophets, Christ, and the apos
tles, and Christ is the word in whom they end; and that is agreeable
and according to scripture which cannot be broken, and sound words.
P. ' And the word was confirmed to them by signs.'
A. They that had the scriptures knew not the word; by signs and
wonders they were declared, and signs and wonders were shown
unto them that had the scriptures, from the word. Now them that
had the scriptures, to whom the word had shown miracles, when they

407
desired a sign of the word, he told them, that no sign should be given
to them but that of Jonas.
P. ' And they say thee and thou to a particular is a proper speech,
but it is not a sin to say otherwise, and so not to give offence to Jew
nor Gentile, but you is the national speech; and the devil said thou,
and Cain said thou, and this was the bad men's language as well as the
good.' A. Though the devil and bad men got the form of true words, yet
the form of sound words is to be held fast; and though Paul said, ' give
no offence to Jew or Gentile,' yet we do not find that Paul spoke out
of the form of sound words, as you to one. And because it is a nation
al form of speech, ye who are not come into the form of sound words,
who have professed the scriptures, Christ, and the apostles, show that
you and they never learned either, nor came into the practice of
either. You to one is not righteous, and all unrighteousness is sin: for
one to say, 'Thou Henry Hagar, art many men,' wouldst not thou say
they spoke unrighteously? Now judge thyself.
P. ' You call all men dead and carnal, and in the serpent's nature,
in what form soever, if they differ from you.'
A. All that are not in the light that enlighteneth every man that
cometh into the world, which is the way to the Father, differ from us.
Such are dead, such are carnal, in the serpent's nature: for none come
to the life, but who come to the light, in what form soever they be,
and such as differ from us, differ from Christ, for none come from
under the serpent's head and nature but they who come to the light.
P. Likewise he saith, ' But for a perfection in glory to be attained
on this side the grave, I utterly disallow.'
A- We do believe thee; but a perfection in glory is attained to,
while the saints are upon the earth, for they were ' changed from glory
to glory.' There is a perfection in the least glory, and that glory
which the saints were changed from into glory, was not glorious, but
as it was in the perfection in the least degree or measure as it is in
itself. And so for the rest of thy lies and slanders, and unsavoury
expressions, which are not worth mentioning, they will clothe
thyself and not cover thy shame, but make it manifest. They shall
be thy own wounds ip the day of thy indignation: the witness within
thee shall answer me, and thy silence had been' better, than to have
uttered forth thy folly to the nation. And whereas thou speakest of
the church, that is a mystery to thee* which is the pillar and ground
of truth ; but men have gathered together a form in the apostacy, and
the seed in the grave, since the days of the apostles. But now is the
seed risen, which treadeth such out and down that are gathered to
gether in the words of scriptures, but out of the spirit that they were

408
in that gave it forth. And that is the seed which all the promises are
to; he doth not say it is to the visible church, but to the seed, and who
are of the seed are of the church of Christ, which is the pillar and
ground of truth. And so it is not the running up and down the scrip
tures, from place to place, and bringing people chapter and verse, and
telling people what the prophets said and did, and what the apostles
said and did, and so to be approved of in the sight of men, but such
are approved of in the sight of God, that are in the life that they were
in that gave forth scriptures, and are in unity with the saints that gave
them forth, with Christ the substance of them, and with God.
P. He saith, ' An unlearned question to ask, whether your baptizers
cast out devils, and drink any deadly thing and it not hurt you ? and
whether the house where you meet was ever shaken? and where he
did give the holy ghost to you?'
A. This shows that you are not believers, nor in the power that the
apostles were in. And as for your saying the apostles said, that wick
ed men should grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived:
since the days of the apostles, who saw those things come up, those
wicked men ' being deceived and deceiving,' now since their days it
is manifest, that they have grown worse and worse, till they have
grown all into heaps, and killed one another about religion; the whole
Christendom can witness it. Such as have had the form of godliness
but denied the power, have been out of the power and life that gave
forth the scriptures, and out of the bond of peace, in the poison, one
poisoning another, and out of the holy ghost that gave forth scriptures,
and out of the healing, and the belief that casts out devils, and the
devil, the murderer. But he hath been your teacher to murder one
another about your religion, which did not Christ teach, but to love
enemies, and to save men's lives.

Thomas Leadger's book, called ' A discourse? his principles in it
follow.
P. He saith, Such are in an error that set up a light within above
the scripture, or equal with the scripture, and know no Christ but a
Christ within.
A. The light, Christ, by which all things were made and created,
glorified with the Father before the world began, which the scrip
ture testifies of, is above the scripture, before the scripture was.
They that are not in this ' Christ within,' are reprobates, in which

409
the scripture ends and which it testifies of; and so it is Christ, the
same to-day, yesterday, and for ever, that the saints come to wit
ness within them, not another Christ, neither many Christs. And
they that profess a Christ without them, that have a Christ with
out them, and anotherChrist within them, here are two; for if it be
not the same Christ that ended all types, and figures, and shadows;
if it be not him that is within, they have not the possession, the sub
stance, nor the comfort of the true Christ. But they who have not
Christ, the end of the types, shadows, and figures, in them, are among
antichrists and false christs; and they that have the form of godliness
can confess a Christ without them, and not within them.
P. Again he saith, 'The saints have a glorious light within them,
but imperfect.' ' And ' it is an error to say they have an infallible light
within them, that they must follow, which will show them all things.'
And 'to judge of scripture that it must be fulfilled in them.' And
' these are they that are brought up in dark places of the earth, that are
as Sauls that go to the witch and not to the law and testimony.'
A. None come to the law and to the testimony, though they have
the Old and New Testament, but those who come to the light in them,
for the law is the light, and those who come to the spirit within them,
which is the spirit of prophecy; and all that go from this, go into dark
places of the earth, and such are they that go in the path of Saul, such
spirits as go from the light within them, and the spirit that is the testi
mony of Jesus, andthelight. And the glorious light of the saints which
they are enlightened withal is Christ, which is perfect, and they are
changed from glory to glory ; and so the light which thou sayst the
saints are in, and yet not perfect, and yet glorious! mind thy words,
consider thy measure, thy judgment. The infallible light which every
one that comes into the world is enlightened with, is the leader of the
people, and the light they are to follow, and it is the way to the Father,
out of the way from the Father that is in the first Adam, in the trans
gression; which light is Christ the second Adam, that every man that
comes into the world is enlightened with. And they who follow this,
and believe in it, and walk in it, abide not in darkness, but have the
light of life. And the light within, and the spirit of God within, that
gave forth the scripture, is the trial of the scripture of truth ; for men
without that may wrest the words, and wrong translate them. So the
light within, the spirit of God, is the judge of the scriptures and knows
scripture, which gave it forth, and is the rule, and ruled and led them
to speak them forth, and is the rule that leads them to open them again,
and to lead into all truth, as saith Christ.
P. He saith, ' That which they set up above the scriptures is
heathenish; and the scriptures are the ground of faith, without themfaith

410
cannot act; and faith hath no bottom to rest upon but scripture; and
scripture is more than faith, the sure word of prophecy, the balm of
the conscience; it satisfies doubts, heals wounds, discerns the thoughts.'
A. The Pharisees and the chief priests, were not healed, except they
came to Christ; they found no rest for their souls; though they had
the scripture, yet they came not to Christ the light, which was before
the scripture was given forth. The Pharisees had the scriptures, but
they bad not faith; they stood against the author and the ground of it,
Christ. The Pharisees had the scriptures, but it was Christ and God
that- showed them their thoughts; so the scripture knew not their
thoughts, but who are in the spirit that gave forth the scriptures, it
shows men's thoughts. Enoch and Abraham had faith, and had not
scripture. All are heathens that are not in the light which was before
scripture was written, though they have all the scripture. And the
holy men of God acted in the faith, in obedience to it, before the scrip
ture was given forth, and they were all, in the faith that gave forth
the scripture, and they did not act as from the scripture, but from the
spirit of whom they had learned, who is the author of faith which the
just live by, and God and Christ, the substance ofthe scripture.
P. 'And the scripture is an infallible rule of worship.'
A. The Jews and Pharisees had the scriptures, and the apostates
since the days of the apostles have had the scriptures, and have been out
of the life that gave them forth; they want the rule, which is the spirit,
in which God the father of spirits is worshipped, and that was the rule
which all the holy men of God were led by to give forth scripture, in
which they worshipped God; for the Pharisees had the scriptures and
not the spirit which gave them forth, that worshipped they did not
know what. They wanted the rule, the spirit of God that was in them
that gave forth the scriptures, in which they should have worshipped
God ; so saw not the substance, the ground of faith, and author of faith,
Christ Jesus.
P. ' They will not put off their hats; they write thee and thou one
to another; they will not say master.'
\ A. The honour of the hat, the putting of it off, is an earthly honour
of the earthly Adam in the fall, in the transgression, which Christ the
second Adam, the Lord from heaven, not of the earthly, comes to
redeem man out of; he receives it not, he will have none of it, but the
honour that comes from above, and cometh to stain the honour that is
from below, and sees it a mark of earthly Adam in the transgression,
and not of the second, the heavenly. And as for thee and thou, you
to a number, and thou to a singular, they who stumble at this, show
they have neither learned accidence nor bible; so are short of the spirit
that spoke the sound words that cannot be condemned, and speaks pro-

411
per words, which is the plant of renown. And as for being called of
men master, Christ saith, ' Be not you called of men master, for ye have
one master, even Christ, and you are all brethren ;' and they are in er
ror that slight his commands and trample them under feet; and they
are hypocrites, who, after they have trampled his commands under
foot, make a profession of his words. Thomas Leadger, thou professest
thou esteemest the scripture highly, above ordinances, above angels,
and is not this scripture which saith, 'Be ye not called of men master,'
and is it not Christ's command? Yet thou deniest these scriptures and
tramplest them under thy feet.
P. 'The scripture is the lantern of obedience, and it directs men to
Jesus.' And he calls the scripture ' the word of God, the sum of truth.'
And ' they could not have known there had been a Christ,or a mediator,
or grace, or glory, or worship, or Father, or spirit, or light, but as it is
declared in scripture.'
A. I do believe that you who are got up since the days of the apos
tles, in the apostacy, inwardly ravening from the spirit of God, had not
known there had been a Father, or spirit, or grace, or worship, if the
scripture had not declared it; but they that had not scripture, had faith,
had the holy ghost, had the Father, knew the Father, knew Christ,
knew the spirit; they that had the scripture, the Pharisees, knew not
the father, knew riot the. holy ghost, nor the redeemer, but resisted
(as it was in Steven) him that was born of the spirit. Now they that
had not the scriptures knew all these things, that had the spirit that
gave them forth, while they that had the scriptures, and not the spirit,
knew not these things, they that had the spirit of error, that were in
heaps about the saints' words. Now the Pharisees had the scriptures, yet
walked in darkness, had not David's lantern to their feet, and so could
not see Christ as David did. Saith the apostle, their table was their
trap, there they stuck. David that had the life that gave forth the scrip
tures, had the lantern to his feet; and had not they a lantern before
the scripture was written? Abraham, Enoch, what led them all to give
forth scripture? are not all they that have the scripture and are out of
that which they were in that gave them forth, out of the light, and out
of the lantern? And they had a rule of obedience before the scripture
was given forth, the word of God', that lives, and abides, and endures
for ever; that is the word of faith, in which the scripture, the words
of God, ends. And those that had the scripture and were from the
life that they were in that gave it forth, knew not Christ.
P. 'The gospel is the scripture.'
A. Many may have the scripture and deny the power of God which
is the gospel, and many had the scripture and the form, and stood
against the son, the truth, Christ Jesus, the power of God, the gospel.

412
And as for thy other lies and slanders which are not worth mentioning,
which come from thy drunken spirit, when the spirit is awakened that
suffers by it, thou shalt feel every word thy burthen, and thou that
dost set the scriptures above Christ, and God, and the spirit, art a
heathen.

Thomas Leadger' s ' Antiquakers' Assertions' His principles in it
follow.
P. He saith, ' The divine nature is without mixture of sin, but it
doth not destroy wholly the sinful nature that is in us ;' and ' the
being of sin dieth not until the body die;' and ' sin hath been in us to
humble us.'
A. Sin is that which doth not humble, but lifts up. That which
humbles people, and brings down the sin, is the humility which bears
the sin and iniquity, which is Christ. And the saints were made free
from sin while they were upon the earth, and had the body of sin put
off. And they who have received the divine nature, know it, and
have escaped the pollutions that are in the world, and the lust of it"; and
so the divine nature destroys sin in its being.
P. Again he saith, ' The scripture is a quickening spirit, the wisdom
of God, the power of God unto salvation, the words of the blessed
scriptures every line of it. I have had (saith he) the righteousness of
God revealed in my soul; I have had the love of God, the grace of
Christ, the communion of the holy ghost manifest in me, but I trample
upon all attainments, the highest, as dung.'
A. Many had the scriptures, and stood against the wisdom of God,
and stood against the power of God, yea, killed and persecuted the
Lord of life and glory; they that had the dead letter without the life.
And many got the form, and denied the power, and denied the quick
ening spirit. And the spirit of Christ doth not bring to trample upon
attainments, not upon the love of Christ, nor the righteousness of
Christ. The love of Christ, the grace of Christ, the righteousness of
Christ, were never esteemed as the dung, nor trampled upon as the
dung. Such as were transgressors were as dung, and they trampled
upon the love of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, but who come into
this, trample upon their own notion.
P. He saith again, ' That perfection is a golden dream, and the scrip
tures are the word of God.'
A. Perfection is over all dreams be they never so golden, and it
ends them all, and is above them all. And Christ's ' name is called

413

the word of God,' and the scriptures are the words of God, which
Christ, the word of God, by which all things were made, came to fulfil.

A book called * A Serious Review of some principles of the Qua
kers.'
P. ' No man hath reason to say that the spiritual substance is in the
creature, the divine essence is subject to change as is the soul of man,
and every one is enlightened that comes into the world by the light of
Christ,' and this he calls ' a natural light.' And ' that some persons ara
come up out of the fall, is an error. I do not own a perfection without
sin, and it is an error to say there is any perfection without sin.'
A. All erring is in the fall, and that which is come up out of the
fall is come out ofthe error, into the second Adam, where no error is,
which many witness, for all error is in the first Adam in the fall, and
in him that tempted. And the light which doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world, by which the world was made, which was
before the world was made, by which all things were made and cre
ated, in whom is life, and this life is the light of men ; and men being
in the light which they are enlightened with, and coming by the light
to him from whom the light doth come, they come into the perfection,
out of sin ; for all sin and imperfection are in the first Adam, in the
earth. And perfection is in the second Adam, Christ Jesus, who
bruiseth the serpent's head, the author of imperfection. And they
who are in him, are in a perfection without sin, and there is no sin in
perfection, nor any error in the perfection of Christ. And all who are
in the unreasonableness are ignorant of the spiritual substance, and
, power of God, and holy ghost, the spirit of truth, the spirit of Christ,
the nature that dwells in the saints, all which are substance and not
shadow, and the divine power, and the power of the Lord God. And
God doth not change, nor his spirit, nor the soul, nor his power; so
read thyself. God doth not change in his being, neither doth that
which comes from him, that which he hath in his hand, and in his
power. /
P. He saith, 'That which is imperfect can be reconciled to God,
and that they are poor blind creatures that say the light doth enlighten
every man that cometh into the world, and need no light and discovery
to help, and the scripture doth no where call Christ the word, but
the scripture is the word, and so these poor creatures err, not' know
ing the scripture. To speak in the singular number is nonsense, and
Vol. III. 52

414 •
they that translated the words thee and thou, might have translated
them you.'
A. The spirit gave to speak the proper language, singular and plu
ral; and spake such words as cannot be condemned. And if translators
that are out of that, translate the words given forth from the spirit into
what form soever they will, yet the spirit will find it out; and the light
which ' doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' by
which all things were made, the made lights, and created lights, Christ
Jesus the light, which doth enlighten every one that cometh into the
world, need not have these outward lights or discoveries; they were all
made by the light, which light was before these were made. And they
who are come into the reconciliation with God, are in perfection, out of
the imperfection, from under the wrath. And the word reconciles,
hammers down, cuts down, and burns up that which is contrary, and
sanctifies, and makes clean. And Christ Jesus, his name is called the
word of God; the scripture saith so; and they say that the scriptures
are the word, but they are the words of God, and Christ the word,
which was before they were given forth, comes to fulfil them; and that
which is imperfect is done away.
P. ' To say that God is substantially in man, as essentially one with
him, can be no other but the man of sin, the devil himself, having
transformed himself into an angel of light, and if it were possible would
deceive the very elect.'
A. The scripture saith, that God will dwell in man, and walk in
him, and the saints had unity with the Father and the son ; and all that
hate the light which Christ the light hath enlightened them with, have
not the Father and the son. In such the man of sin reigns, and in
such the devil may transform ; but the elect he cannot deceive, the
elect have the victory and dominion, who were elected in him before
the foundation of the world. Glory for ever! And as for all the other
words in thy book, they are not worth mentioning, they will be thy
own burthen, they will fall heavy upon thee in the day when thou
shalt give an account to God.

James Brown's book, called, 'Antichrist in Spirit.' His expressions
and principles as followeth.
P. ' That the light in every man is a certain guide and rule in all
things; this is the means whereby scriptures are slighted.'
A. No one knows nor owns the scriptures, but as the light pf Christ
that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, doth guide

415
and teach him, the light of Christ within, which gives them 'the know
ledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' and of the scrip
tures, and to see the scriptures, and doth not slight them.
P. ' To witness God, and Christ's glorious resurrection, and heaven,
and the happiness of New Jerusalem,' this is looked upon as an error.
A. Christ is within, who is the resurrection, the glory, the kingdom
of heaven is there; and David who witnessedhim was in hell, he was
upon the earth too, and he that witnessed the New Jerusalem, and that
happiness, was upon the earth. And they that have all these words,
not possessing the life, they have no comfort in what they speak, nor
in what they4 profess; and the babes and the children that are free,
know their mother that is from above.
P. ' If there be no outward means but light within, what need of
the scriptures ?'
A. The light, Christ within, was in the saints before the scriptures
were given forth, and that was it which was their guide to give forth
the scriptures, wherein they walked, and did not stumble; and that is
it which gives to see the scriptures again, to what condition they are
spoken, and the use of them.
' P. 'The day is not yet dawned, nor the day-star, the bright and
morning-star.' A. The apostle tells the saints of the day-star, and they were chil
dren of the day, and the night was over, the true light shined, and the ,
darkness was past. Though some indeed were not come to the day-
star, and the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness compre
hended it not. Where darkness rules, there are the works that are out
of the light; and among such as have apostatized since the days of the
apostles, the day-star is not risen to them, they see it not; but amongst
the children of light it is seen, and they that see it not, are compre
hended. The day-star is risen, and they are children of the day.
P. 'And them that bring people to look at the light within them, are
as Corah, Dathan, and Abiram.'
A. All that go from the light within them are as Corah, Dathan, and
Abiram amongst the Lord's prophets, exalting themselves, and perse
cuting. P. ' All men are not so taught of God as they shall be at Israel's
return.' A. All men are taught of God that are in the covenant, whether Is
rael hear or not.
P. ' I know that many of the Quakers are temperate, sober, self-
denying people, but this is but the tithing of herbs.'
A. It was the doctrine of the apostle, who preached Christ the end
of tithing and herbs; and self-denial, soberness, and temperance were

416
not called the tithing of herbs, for the spirit that gave forth the scrip
tures brought to these.
P. 'And the light within is darkness; and I never read of the churches
of the saints that spoke by two.'
A. The apostles' doctrine to the Corinthians W&s, that they might
speak by two or three; and the light within, which is the light of
Christ, which doth 'enlighten every man that cometh into the world,'
the darkness cannot comprehend it, though it shine in it, till it shine
forth in the heart, ' to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.'
P. 'And that the kingdom that is in the saints, is in the Pharisees, I
deny.' A. The same that is in the saints is in the Pharisees, in measure,
though it be but as a grain of mustard seed, which is like to the leaven,
little. P. 'The state of arising from sin to grace is never called a resurrec
tion.' ,
A, They that arise from sin to grace, out ofthe first Adam into the
second Adam, come into the resurrection, and the second death shall
have no power over them; and the saints come to judge the world.
P. ' Such as trust to a light within them, forsake the holy oil, the
Lord's spirit that speaks in the scriptures.'
A. The Lord's spirit spoke in them that gave forth the scriptures,
who had the holy oil, the light within them. And the spirit speaks
not from the scripture, but by that which gave it forth, which is the
author of it.
P. 'I deny that any have a light within them to attain to the mea
sure of God and Christ, as they that haye the writings.'
A. None attain to the mystery of God but by the light which comes
from Christ the mystery, though they may have the scriptures.
P. ' They that will not put off the hat, but say thee and thou to
people, this is a sin of their own devising.'
A. Thee and thou is proper language, and a form of sound words;
the hat is earthly Adam's honour, that is earthly, which the second
Adam never looked for, but gives this mark to know an unbeliever by,
who seeks it and looks for the honour below.
P. ' Is it not a shame for a boy to say thou to his father, and thou to
his mother?'
A. Jephtha's daughter thoued her father, the judge of Israel, and he
did not look upon it as a shame. And* the children of God thoued
their Father, and the Lord never rebuked them for it, as we read in
scripture. And as for all the rest of the lies and slanders in thy book, they are

417
not worth mentioning, but to redeem truth from them; and that' none
at all may make them their refuge, for they shall feel it, if they do, at
the day of judgment.

Some of Philip Bennet' s principles, called Minister at Cartrnel in
Lancashire.
P. He saith, ' That none know another to be the child of God.'
A. Which is contrary to the scripture. 1 John iii. ' Ye are the sons
of God.' And the apostles knew others to be the children of God, as
the ministers of God do now.
P. Again he saith, ' that he did not know why God did make a
difference amongst men,' &c.
A. So is ignorant of the ministry, which puts a difference betwixt
the precious and the vile.
P. And he said, ' None can give a reason of the election, or know
the elect of God.'
A. And so is out of the apostle's doctrine, who said, ' they were
elected before the foundation of the world;' and ignorant of the scrip
tures, which say, Christ is the elect.
P. Again he said, ' he would never exhort people to take heed to that
of God which is made manifest in them.'
A. Contrary to the apostles' doctrine, Rom. i. Cor. ii. 4. Colos. i.
1 John ii. 27. Rom. x. 8. who brought people to the light within them,
and to the son within them, Christ within them.

Some of Adam Sands' principles.
P. He said, ' He hated " that which may be known of God is made
manifest in man, which God hath showed unto him," ' and said, ' that
was the Quakers' foundation.' And it was told him they were the
apostle Paul's Words, and he was showed the place in the Bible, and
bid look at it; he said again, ' he hated it.'
A. So he is found it^ the nature of the Jews and Gentiles that went
astray, who were not like to retain God in their knowledge, while they
were reprobates from that which may be known of God, made mani
fest in them, and hated it. Neither art thou, nor any professor upon the
earth, like to receive God or Christ, spirit or faith, while thou hatest
that of God in thee.

418
P. And he called those with him, ' brethren and servants of God;'
and yet a little before said, ' they had no grace in them.'
A. Contrary to tlie apostle, who said, ' the brethren's hearts were
stablished with grace: and the grace of God which brought salvation
appeared to all men,' which taught the saints, which you have turned
into wantonness.
P. And he confessed, ' that they were more and more ignorant of
God, and blinder and blinder every day than other.'
A. We do believe it. How should it be otherwise with you, Who
say ye are brethren, and have no grace in you, and hate that of God
in people? But 'the grace of God which brings salvation hath ap
peared to all men,' which lets them see ungodliness. So in that the
liar speaks in thee; for that which lets every one see ungodliness is the
grace.

Roger Atkinson, reader at Turver chapel in Lancashire.
P. 'That the letter of scripture was God:' and it was asked, if the
letter, paper, and ink, was God ? and he said, ' it was God,' and
brought 1 John to prove it. And again he said, ' the letter was the
word of God.'
A. The scriptures of truth are the words of God, and were all learn
ed of God, and are writings; and Christ the word comes to end all these
words, and all end in him. So the scriptures are not God; but they
were holy men of God, who learned of God, that spoke them forth,
for he was before scripture who gave them forth.

Richard Stoaks, called minister at Grayrig chapel in Westmoreland.
P. He said, 'that the scriptures are God.' And again, ' that the
scriptures are a God.' And afterward he set his foot upon it, and
stamped upon it, and said, ' it was but Hebrew copies, and Greek co
pies, and they were not the scriptures,' and said, ' they, were not true,'
before near a hundred people. ,
A. And yet a God ! and they God ! But the scriptures of truth are the
words of God; and the carnal man and the devil who are out of the
truth, may get scriptures ; but stand against the word, Christ, that

419

fulfils them. And the scriptures of truth are not God, nor a God, but
are his words that cannot be broken, and must be fulfilled by Christ the
word.'

George Johnson, priest of Orford, said,
P. 'That the light- which John bare testimony to, is the light of
nature.' A. Which is contrary to the scriptures; for the light which doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world, was before any natural
lights or created lights were.
P. ' That the Americans were never ordained for grace and salvation;
and that the grace of God had never appeared to the Americans.'
A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, which say, ' The grace of
God which brings salvation hath appeared to all men,' &c. And, 'I
will give him for a light, a covenant to the Gentiles, a new covenant
to the house of Israel and Judah, and that he may be my salvation to
the ends of the earth.' And many in America have received truth and
salvation. P. ' That none can be free from sin, nor perfect, whilst they live
upon the earth; and that none are able to keep the commands of God.'
A. So he hath denied the one offering, and shown himself to be out
of the love of God, and the circumcision of the spirit, which puts off
the body of sin, and out of the blood of the new covenant.

These are the principles of the priests of Orkney.
P. James Morrison said, 'that Christ which is within men is a
devil:' and that ' all who said they had Christ within them, were devils
and witches,' and so bid the people ' take notice of it.'
A. Contrary to the apostle to the Colossians, who said, ' Christ in
you, the hope of glory.' And to the Corinthians he said, 'Christ is in
you, except ye be reprobates.' And they are in the witchcraft, and of
the devil, that have not Christ in them, and are reprobates; and this
was and is the doctrine of the ministers of God.
Witnessed by Luke Liddall, soldier, with all the rest of the priests'
hearers. G. W.

420

George Larcum,priest of Cockermouth, in Cumberland. His prin
ciples as followeth.
P. He said, ' He would come to Christ, and never own the light
within him.'
A. None come out of transgression to the second Adam, but who
come to the light within, which is the way to the Father, and that is it
which gives ' the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ,' which comes from him.
P. George Larcum said, ' I would to God I had power, thou shouldst
be severely punished.'
A. Here thou hast showed thou art limited, and thy weapons and
thy armour, and art not a minister of Christ, in the armour of God, the
shield of faith, nor shod with the gospel; but such are the priests and
false prophets, who are in the form but deny the power of God, who
get the magistrates on their side, that they may be ready to help them
against the truth whenever it ariseth.
Thomas Warwicke, priest, came to the meeting of those called
Quakers, on a green, and struck John Grave, and plucked him off the
green ; and his wife struck and beat sore, and drew blood of Friends.
And the same priest said, ' If the law were rightly executed, thou
might not stand there, it would cut off all your necks.'
Thomas Dentham, priest, called me out of the meeting to him, and
said he would stand to prove his practice, and then went his way, and
bade the people take me away, hang me; and at his words the people
did beat me, and pulled the hair off my head. John Grave, witness.
A. You show yourselves not to be ministers of Christ, but to be
such that ever were out of the saints' life, who were found in the spirit
of murderers and. persecutors ; of him you are that is out of the truth,
that would drink the blood of the saints: this is the mark of the beast
and false prophets, that would kill creatures, and wrestle with flesh
and blood.
P. ' That the devil is a minister of Christ in some sense.'
A. Christ the seed of the woman, bruises the serpent's head, and
destroys death, and him that hath the power of it, and destroys the
works of the devil, and judges the prince of this world, and takes him,
together with. the false prophets and the beast, and casts them alive into
the lake of fire, that he shall deceive the nations no more. And so he
will not suffer the devil to minister; and thus the devil and his apostles
are bound under with the truth, which he is out of.
P. ' The scribes and Pharisees were ministers of Christ in the same

421
sort as Moses was, when Christ commands to hear them, though in a
lower degree of manifestation.'
A. The scribes and Pharisees were not as Moses; for Moses was in
the life and light, with which he saw Christ. The Pharisees had the
words of Moses, and the law and prophets, but were out of the life
that Moses and the prophets were in; though got up in Moses' chair,
they stood against Christ, and saw him not as Moses did ; Christ cried
wo against them. So they were not the ministers of Christ, but against
him who was the end of the prophets.

John Owen, who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel, in his
Catechism, which he gives forth, 1657, has these principles.
P. 'All truth concerning God, and ourselves, is to be learned from
the holy scripture, the word of God.'
A. There was truth learned before the scriptures were written ; and
the scriptures of truth are the words of God, which end in Christ the
word; and there is no truth learned, but as the spirit doth lead into
all truth, which comes from Christ the truthv which was before the
scripture was written. And the spirit of truth leads into all truth of
the scripture. And many have the scriptures, but know not Christ the
truth, but as the spirit leads them, and reveals him; and so he hath ex
cluded Christ and the spirit. >
P. ' There is one God in three persons,' &c.
A. Where doth the apostle tell us of three persons, but tells us of
Father, son, and holy ghost; but thou and you get this out of the mass-
book, and old common-prayer-book, who are the mutterers about three
persons. P. 'I am conceived in sin, and born in iniquity. -
¦A. Then thy parents were not believers, so children Unholy. For,
' by nature children of wrath,' that is in the unconverted slate, in the
transgression, unbelievers; for they who by nature are children of
wrath, are not born ofthe believers; for the unbelievers are sanctified
by the believers, else were their children unholy, but now are they
clean. P. 'We have not kept the commandments of God, but are all sin
ners, and transgressors of them.'
A. We do believe thee, John Owen, and the rest of you, who call
yourselves ministers ofthe gospel, and yet have not kept the ten com
mandments, and would include all men with you to be sinners and
transgressors of them. Nay, John was separated from you, who said,
Vol. III. 53

422
'He that loves God, keeps his commandments.' But what! are you
not false witness bearers that call yourselves ministers of the gospel ?
and coveters after other men's goods, houses, &c? Are not you com
mitters of adultery and stealing ? Are not you murdering men in holes
for goods, like a troop of robbers, as the company of priests did in
the day of the law and prophets? Do not you live in dishonouring
your parents and God, and taking it to yourselves? And do not you
all come short of keeping the sabbath, who are bearing of burdens,
making a fire, gathering your meat when you should.be at rest? Are
not you all taking God's holy name in vain, both in pulpit, town-house,
ale-house, streets, market houses, and naming Christ's name in your
iniquity, so not held guiltless? Are not you all making images, and
graven images, and hanging them up in your steeple-houses, and on
signs, and in houses, and gardens, and highways, of things above, and
things that are beneath? Apd do you think that people do not believe
you, when you tell people in your catechism, that you have broken all
the ten commandments, when we see your fruits have declared it? And
are you not ashamed to set forth such a catechism, who say you keep
not the commandments?
P. 'The sacraments are the seals of the covenant of grace.'
A. It is God that seals the son, and sent Him into the world, and not
outward shadows. And as for thy word sacraments, the pope was the
author of them in his common-prayer-book. And as for the rest of
thy work in thy book of catechism, it is like unto the old doctors of
the Jews that broke the commands of God, that loved him not, whom
Christ cried wo against.

S. Palmer, and R. Hooke, who say they are the Servants of Christ,
their principles in a book, called ' The Form of Sound Words;'
and who direct their book to the Friends, Neighbours, and Pa
rishioners of Gedling and Sowdham.
P. ' That henceforth ye be not children tossed to and fro, and car
ried about with the slights of men;' which is in reference to false pro
phets, of whom this land is now full. You say, 'that a man cannot
be made free from sin, and cannot keep the commandments of God
perfectly.' A: Are not you in the tossing to and fro, and tossing people to and
fro? And are not you the false prophets who Christ said should come,
"'ho John said were come, and the world hath been after you, who tell

423
the people that they cannot(keep the commandments perfectly? Con
trary to John, who saith, he that loves God keeps the commandments
of God. And ' the beast made war against them that kept the com
mandments of God;' and 'herein is the love of God perfect.'
P. You tell people of 'a sacrament, a creed, and three persons.'
A. The scripture tells no such thing, but the common-prayer-book
doth, and so you do not teach the form of sound words in your cate
chism. P. ' Out of the scriptures we may learn the knowledge of the true
God.' A. That which gives the knowledge of the true God is the spirit
that gave forth the scriptures; for the Pharisees that had the scriptures
knew not God.
P. ' The state of man in this life is threefold, creation, corruption,
regeneration.' A. In regeneration the life is changed out of that life which is in the
fall. So regeneration and corruption are not one in the new life.
P. 'A man by his own power cannot get into regeneration, for they
are dead in sins and trespasses.'
A. Some are sanctified from the womb, and some children are holy;
so all are not dead in sins and trespasses, for they that are so, are but
unbelievers. P. 'All men have not salvation by Christ, and there are many that
have no share in the salvation purchased by Christ.'
A. This is contrary to scripture, which saith, that he is the offering for
the sins ofthe whole world, and the saviour of all men, and especially of
those that believe. And they that turn the grace of God into wanton
ness, deny their salvation; and they who hate the light which enlightens
every man that cometh into the world, hate their ' salvation to the ends
of the earth.'
P. The scripture is the word, and God is in his word, and God in
the scripture offers Christ: God in his word offers Christ, which you
call scriptures.'
A. The scriptures of truth are the words of God, and Christ the
word comes to fulfil them; and God was in them that gave forth scrip
tures, and Christ was in them who gave forth scriptures, and the scrip
tures testify of him; and the scripture doth not say that God is in the
dead letter, paper and ink. But his power ye are ignorant of, and err,
not knowing the scriptures ; and the scriptures are not God.
P. You say, 'that God works inwardly by his spirit, and outwardly
by his word, and our faith is summed up in the apostles' creed.'
,;!,A. Christ is the author of faith; and the apostle doth not tell us, of a

424
creed. The spirit and the word, are one, and they are inwardly known,
sanctifying. P. ' The rule of Christian obedience is the law of God.'
A. That which is the end of the law, is a Christian's life and rule,
who comes to the obedience of faith, in which he pleases God, and is
justified, but no flesh by the works of the law is justified.
P. ' Brethren, be perfect, be of good comfort; be of one mind. No
man is able to keep the commandments of God, we break them daily
in thought, word, and deed; in the best of our duties we are unprofitable
servants.' A. Here is your confusion laid open; those that were perfect had a
new mind, and their deeds were wrought in God, and their thoughts
were changed that witnessed repentance, and they kept the commands
of God; and their fruits were of the spirit and of faith, which are not
unprofitable. But your works and fruits, who are out of the faith, and
out of the spirit of God, are unprofitable, who break the command
ments, but they that love God, keep his commandments.
P. ' Christians must attend upon God's ordinances and sacraments,
to know their duty toward their neighbour, which sacraments are the
seal of the covenant.' «
A. ^The apostles tell us of no such signs or sacraments, nor such
words; but that which fulfils law is Christ the son of God, which
brings man to do his duty towards God, and towards his neighbour.
P. ' There are two sacraments, and the covenant of grace is to all that
believe and receive Christ; and th,e two sacraments are baptism and the
Lord's supper, which are visible signs.'
A. The scripture doth not any where call them visible signs, nor
sacraments; and the covenant of grace is to all, whether they believe,
or do not believe; receive, or do not receive; and the scripture doth
not call baptism and the Lord's supper sacraments.
P. ' Because infants ofthe Jews were circumcised, therefore are chil
dren baptized: Christ hath ordained this sacrament of bread and wine,
and the sacrament is the food of the soul.'
A. This is a Popish doctrine; that which feeds the soul is immortal,
and that is the soul's food which it finds rest in, Christ the bread of life,
the food for the soul. And the scriptures do not tell us that the bread
and wine are a sacrament; and the scriptures do not tell us that circum
cision outward was a type of outward baptism, but of the inward. And
you bring a scripture, which is the xxiii. of Luke and the 43 verse, and
say, that it saith, ' that the souls of the wicked are cast into hell,' but
that scripture speaks no such thing.
P. ' We are not to seek for happiness in this life.'
-A. The saints were and are made partakers of the heavenly, riches,

425

and of Christ's fulness, and of his joy unspeakable and full of glery
in his kingdom, which is in them, while upon the earth. And for the
rest of your lies and confusions, they are not worth answering.

Richard Baxter's principles, in that which he calls, ' One sheet for
the ministers' which is two sheets, in whose mouth is found a lie,
as in his title page is to be seen.
P. 'That we are hated of all men for the name of Christ who are
but ministers, who gave some pastors, some teachers; appointed for
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edi
fying ofthe body of Christ, till we all come to a perfect man; to dis
ciple nations, baptize, and teach them. So cut down the ministers, the,
pillars, and the buildings will fall.'
A. In the steps ofthe ministers of Christ you are not found, but in
the steps of the scribes and Pharisees, ' called of men masters,' in ' the
chiefest seats' of assemblies, in your ' long robes,' and ' uppermost
rooms at feasts,' causing the ministers of Christ to be haled out of your
synagogues, and thrust out, and persecuted, and prisoned, who are in
the generation of serpents that should fulfil Christ's words. Matt, xxiii.
And the work of the ministry, ,and pastors, and teachers, you exclude
yourselves from, who received their gifts from Christ ; you who
deny perfection while men are upon the earth, or coming to a per
fect man, you are not with them that edify the body of Christ, but
throw yourselves out of that work. And you are not them that are for
the perfecting of the saints, for none are the ministers of Christ, but
Who bring people to a perfection, out of imperfection, and to a perfect
man; and these were the ministers that were haled by those priests
that had the law, and tithes, and temples, and synagogues, that made
nothing perfect. But your temple and tithes, and synagogues, have
been invented by such as went forth from the apostles, whose succes
sors you are, that had the form of godliness, but denied the power, and
so they denied that which was perfect; and this you have held up
since the apostles, in the apostacy, whose work, and ministry, and
foundation, are to be overthrown with the power of God, having been
that which hath drunk the blood of the saints and martyrs since the
days of the apostles. But in the rising of the lamb and the saints, you
are all overthrown, and rejoiced over, and slain with the sword which
is the words of his mouth. Though you all, beast, false prophet,
and antichrist, may rise in battle against him, the Lamb and the saints
shall have the victory. You have been the pillars that have held up

426
antichrist's kingdom, in the usurped authority, out of the power and
life the apostles were iu, who were sent to preach and baptize; but you
baptize and then preach, which is quite contrary to all reason and true
understanding; for they must first be preached to before they be bap
tized. Did not John rebuke the vipers, and asked them, who had fore
warned them ' to flee from the wrath to come,' and bid them ' bring
forth fruits meet for repentance, and think not to say you are of Abra
ham, for God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abra
ham?' Now where is your measure,you priests?
P. He saith, ' I send thee to open the eyes of the blind, and to turn
them from darkness to light; how many millions of souls would these
wretches sweep away to hell, if they had their will, while thousands
are in damnation for want of the light?'
A. All you priests and teachers who call yourselves ministers, since
the days of the apostles, who are inwardly ravened from the spirit of
God, are turning and have turned all people from the light to the dark
ness, and so have kept thousands and millions of souls in damnation,
and have been turning them and keeping them in the path and way
unto hell; who are satan's messengers and ministers, stopping the
eyes of people from the light, and their ears from hearing the word ; and
this hath been the work of your ministry and hath been ever since the
days of the apostles, and as at this day, the people of the whole na
tions have witnessed, and may witness. Now Christ's ministers were
sent to turn people from darkness to light, and to bring them to perfec
tion, to a perfect man, out of that which was not perfect. Satan, who
went out of truth, the work of his ministers and messengers, whom
he sends out from his authority, is to turn people from the light to
the darkness, and keep them there. And this hath been your work, as
your pulpits and the nations declare. So you bring not people into
unity and fellowship one with another, which is in the light, but set
people at enmity one with another, and keep them from the light, who
are with it condemned.
P. ' The enemies of the ministers of Christ are playing the papists'
game; that it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of
judgment, than for them who despise the ministers of Christ. Touch
not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. And the enemies
do reproach the ministers of Christ, which is the devil's game, and
the sects are against the ministers of Christ, and do the same work
the drunkards and whoremongers do,' &c.
A. This thou hast brought upon thine and your own heads, though
thou art blind and seest not thyself. And. all drunkards, whoremon
gers, idolaters, and the proud and cbvetous, have joined with you call
ed priests, against them called Quakers, the only ministers of Christ
not made by men, but by the will of God. Are not all sects joined with

427
you against them? Are you not reviling them, and railing upon them
in your pulpits, and is not this the devil's game you are doing? And
if any come amongst you to prove you, either in season, or out of sea
son, you are they that cannot endure sound doctrine, nor able to re
sist their spirits, or stand against them, but cry, 'take them away;'
so they are beat and knocked down in your steeple-houses, sent to
stocks or prison. Are you not like Sodom and Gomorrah in this, and
like the Pharisees, and the beast, and the mother of harlots, and false
prophets which John speaks of, who take the blood of the saints, do
ing their game? Hath not the Lord reproved many of you, yea, and
magistrates too, for harming his prophets, yet you go quite contrary to
scripture, which saith, 'Do my prophets no harm.' And is not this
the papists' game, to prison and persecute ? and was it not the papists'
game to set up your mass-houses which you call churches? and their
game to call out, and to persecute, and make a law and decree that
none should speak to them in their time of preaching, reading, or sing
ing mass ? And are not you quenching the spirit, when any are mov
ed of the Lord to speak to you? Was not this the papists' game, which
you are now doing? Did ever the apostles hale any out of the syna
gogues, but were so done unto themselves ? But the Jews' game, and
the papists' game, and your game are like one another here. Unlike
the true Christians, Christ and the apostles, who wrestled not with
flesh and blood, not striking at the creatures, but at the powers which
captivated creatures, to the intent that the creatures might come into
the liberty of the sons of God. So you that are striking the crea
tures, wrestling with flesh and blood, are playing the devil's game,
like your mother from the beginning. Was it not the papists' game
to set up all your schools and colleges, and give your names to them,
and your houses, and set them in the figure of the temple? And when
altered you them? do you not go on in the papists' game? Was it not the
papists' game to. set up tithes? and are not you playing the, same game
in taking them? Was it not the papists' game to set up your hour-glasses,
and preach by the hour, and marking with your cross, and setting
your godfathers and godmothers ? and are not many of you playing
this game yet? What game are you playing in your steeple-houses,
but the papists have taught you it? The papists were- persecutors, and
so are you. They haled out of synagogues, and so do you. They
took tithes, and so do you. They preached by the hour-glass, and
quenched the spirit, and so do you. They preached for means and
glebe-lands, and so do you. They had the cross on the top of steeple-
houses, and, so have you in many places. They had Trinity College,
Emmanuel College,and Christ's College, and so have you. They named
the saints' days, and so you follow them. They called their houses
by the name of Trinity, Jesus, Emmanuel, and their mass^houses, by

428
Peter, and Paul, and Mary, and so do you. Is not this the papists'
*game? Do not they called Quakers deny this game, and you both?
And Christ thou art ignorant of, who is come to reign, and rule, and
teach his people himself.
P. ' Ministers are spurring on the magistrates, to cast out the bad
and scandalous ministers. Have not lawyers and physicians an easier
life, and more honourable in the world, than the ministers? and have
not the ministers been the principal instruments to pluck down deans
and chapters, bishops, &c? We. ministers break our health and all our
worldly interests for you. And I had rather be a ploughman or the
meanest tradesman, but for the greatest necessity, and the truth's sake.'
A. Have not all you ministers in this manifested yourselves? Did
ever the apostles fly to the magistrates, or spur them up to cast out
scandalous ministers? Had not the apostles authority, and the spirit
and power, to cast out, reprove, and rebuke in the church? Had they
not denied their power if they had gone to the magistrates and fallen
on the mountains, which is the papists' game, and not the apostles'?
Was it not the soldiers that were the cause of pulling down your rails
and surplices, and your deans, and chapters, and bishops ? was it not
the magistrates' work? But have you had a hand in it? Have you kill
ed and taken possession? Have you put out bishops, and got into
their places, who are in the bishops', and deans', and chapters' main
tenance? Will you needs make yourselves so foul and odious to all peo
ple? Were not many of you tradesmen and ploughmen's sons, poor
men, and yet now gotten up into great interests, and taking great
sums of people, of many whom you do no work for? How can you for
shame say you leave your worldly interests, when you are but running
into them when you come to be priests and ministers ? Who are the
proudest people in the parishes, in the glories and vanities of the world
and honour of it, but the priests, and their wives,and their children? Are
not you worse than lawyers and physicians, taking the people's money,
and yet cannot make them perfect men, but say they must not be per
fect ? The physician is to make one perfect. Do they take money of
people they do nought for? Arelhey not ashamed to do so? But you
take^ money of them you do no work for! are you not worse than the
lawyers, who are bad ? Dp you not take money of such people as you
do not work for, and sue them, and cast them into prison? Are you
not the most unreasonable men upon the earth ? And this is the devil's
game you are playing. And do you not live in more honour in the
world, greater gain, and no work done for it, than any other people in
the nation, as the jails may witness your fruits!
P- 'All nations that are of the Christian world, are for the ministers
to this day, and they that are not, are the dry branches that are out
from the church. Oh ! how have I besought the Lord that he would

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convert you to remember them that have the rule over you; they that
have spoken the word of God and rule well, are worthy of double
honour.' A. You are apostatized from those elders among the apostles, and
from the apostles, in an usurped authority, ministers made by the will
of men, at schools and colleges, not by the will of God, as the apostles
were. So your honour must be defaced; and you are the dry branches,
cut off from the true church, your church and ministry both wanting
the virtue and life of God ; so are broken into heaps, and sects, and names
amongyourselves, wanting the unity and bond of peace. The nations have
gotten the name of Christians, but are dead, are from the life; and your
prayers are as the Pharisees, you being found in their steps, as Matt.
xxiii. read you all. You say none must be perfect upon earth, how then
converted? who are converted are converted into Christ, who is per
fect, out of the first, which is not perfect.
P. ' The enemies of the ministers are the forerunners of the heavy
wrath of God ; and the Jews were quite cut off from the church and
made vagabonds upon the earth; they mocked the messengers of God,
until wrath came upon the people. Ministers are either their fathers
or nurses in the Lord. Their sin is killed, and grace is quickened by
the ministers' means.'
A. It was the forerunner of the wrath of God upon the Jews, that
they had temples and tithes, and stood against the ministers of Christ;
it is so to you, as it was with them that saw not the substance, that now
stand against the light, and fight against it. And were not railers,
envious men, and persecutors always the vagabonds? And are not all
you vagabonds from the life of the apostles, as the Jews were from the
law of God ? And are you not all on heaps about words and scriptures,
showing you are without life? And are not the wrath and plagues of
God, and overflowing scourge, come upon you who are thus standing
against his ministers in this his day that are sent among you cages of
unclean birds, who comfort not the people, kill not their sins, quicken
not their grace, keeping the people in their sins, telling them they
must have the body of sin, while they are upon earth! Are not you
mocking the messengers and ministers of Christ? hath not the wrath
come upon you ? many of the people stricken dead for so doing? You
are out of, and apostatized from the church of the apostles, that are per
secuting and mocking the ministers of Christ who in scorn are called
Quakers, who are sent freely amongst you, not for glebe-lands, tithes,
Easter-reckonings,nor midsummer-dues; nor like you that put the Papists
out of glebe-lands, tithes, Easter-reckonings and midsummer-dues, and
get into them yourselves; that put Papists out of their mass-houses and
run into them yourselves. So in this you are not like the ministers
of Christ, who seek not these but them ; but you are seeking these, not
54

430
*
them, but are putting them out; this causeth plagues to come upon you.
And so it is because Papists and drunkards, and them that are now
called ministers, are seeking the people's means, not the people, that
makes the true ministers of Christ odious, who are in scorn called
Quakers, who seek not theirs but them. And you are neither the
true fathers nor the true nurses, but in the apostacy from them, and
kicking against that which pricks you, going in Saul's steps, who went
with priests that had tithes, who were strayed from the life, and saw
not the substance, as you raveners from the spirit of God have set up
tithes, who see not the substance ; you harden yourselves, not hearing
the voice, from whose eyes repentance is hid, posting on for your
earthly interests and means, posting to courts, sessions, assizes, and
benches. And this is the work you are doing, as the courts, sessions,
andassizes declare, hurrying the people thither, seeking theirs not them;
your spirits are tried at courts, sessions, and assizes, to be the false
spirits that went forth into the world, which Peter, Jude, and John
speak of, which went forth from them, and separated themselves,
which the world since went after, who have been in Cain's, Core's, and
Balaam's way.
P. ' Tradesmen and princes' labour preserves health, but mine con
sumes it.'
A. Here thou hast shown that thy labour, work, and ministry are
not of God, that preserves health and strength; for the work of the
ministry is to bring into the saving health, and preserve it, and not
consume it, as thy work doth; that they may honour God with their
substance, and serve him with all their strength.
P. ' The law gives tithes,' say the priests, and allow ' we may forbear,
working,' and we 'are content with food and raiment; and to give away
our tithes, if the people will allow us food and raiment for us and our
children, as is fit to make them serviceable, yet the Quakers call the
ministers covetous.'
A. The Jews' priests who were made obedient to the faith, had a
commandment, while they were under the priesthood, to take tithes
according to the law, but the ministers now turn again from the faith
to the law, and say the law of God gives it them, and say the tythes
are not the people's but the Lord's. Did not the apostles cut off tithes
before the law and in the law, the priesthood and law both? and have
not you here shown yourselves apostatized from the apostles, so in the
apostacy, who have set up a law, the first author whereof was the pope,
and say the law gives it us, and that you would not leave tithes unless
the people would make a bargain with you to maintain you, your wives
and children? Was this the work of the apostles' ministry? What
shameless words are these! What! set yourselves thus that all people
may view your folly? What the apostles did give, was it upon condi-

431
tion, that the people should give them food and raiment for it? Did
not the apostles say, ' He that will not work let him not eat?' But
from the whole practice of the apostles you are apostatized. And are
not your covetous practices discovered through all the courts, sessions,
and assizes in the nation? You posting up thither, and suing, and
causing them to go thither you do no work for — what is this but
covetousness and unrighteousness?
P. 'The Quakers say, that the priests are persecutors like the priests
and Pharisees of old; but they shall be taught one day to know, that if
the magistrate stops their mouths, he does no more persecute them,
than a thief when he is hanged,' &c. You say, 'you wish all the
Lord's people were prophets.'
A. This is a lie found in your mouths;, for you say prophesying is
ceased; this you sound abroad all the world over, as far as you can.
This shows that you are not able to stop their mouths, nor resist the
spirits of those of whom you say, it will be no more persecution for
the magistrate to stop their mouths, than to hang a thief. And thus
to all magistrates that fear God, you appear with shame; and all may
see what you crouch for under the mountains, for blood, Jezebel like,
and make the magistrates your pack-horses, and the executioners of
your malice. But the Lord God of heaven and earth, in his wisdom,
is opening the eyes of many; that moderation appears in such in whose
hearts the fear of the Lord is placed, that tries many of you, and turns
many of you to your own weapons, to see what weapons you have,
and they find you but wrestlers against flesh and blood, striking at the
creatures, not at the power which captivates them, to bring them out
of it into the liberty of the sons of God. The true ministers' work was
to beat down blasphemers, errors, and false prophets; to stop the mouths
of gainsayers; rebuke, exhort, teach, instruct with all authority, and cut
off occasions with spiritual weapons. And this power had they in the
church, and cried not to the magistrate, ' take them away, they disturb
me.' Oh! shameless! shame thyself before all the people in the congre
gation! This was not the work of the ministers of Christ to do so. And
this authority in the church, before mentioned, which the ministers of
Christ had to stop the mouths of gainsayers, and silence false prophets
and blasphemers, they had from God, and looked not at men to help
them ; but they who apostatized from the apostles, the beast, the false
prophet, the mother of harlots, that deceived the nations, that were out
of the power of the apostles and Christ, have had their power from
men; all the false ministers upon earth are seeking to them to stop
blasphemers as they imagine, being but contrary to their minds, while
they themselves are the blasphemers, as weighed and judged by the
scriptures and spirit of truth. And the magistrates' work, the power

432
which he receives from God, is to punish profane open sins; and the
ministers' work is to bring people from under that occasion.
P. ' The magistrates set their guards at our doors, and let in none
but whom they please. Let the kings of the earth show an uninterrupted
succession, giving them right to their crowns, and I will show a more
undoubted succession to the ministry. All the Christians in our
parishes are our flock, we undertake to prove the truth of such
churches.' A. Your church is guarded with carnal weapons, and the succession
of your ministry is like unto the succession of earthly kings' crowns,
which are all made by the will of men. And the magistrates have
been but your servants, and through ignorance have quenched the
spirit. And your work hath been to destroy the order concerning
edification, practice, and doctrine of the apostles in the true church,
who said, 'Let all speak one by one. If any thing be revealed to
another that sits by, let the first hold his peace. The spirit of the
prophets is subject to the prophets.' From this you are apostatized,
and have gotten a law to stop the practice of this in your church apos
tacy, whose doors, many of them, you keep with clubs and staves,
lest any should be moved from the spirit of the Lord to speak amongst
you from the Lord. And your parishes and flock which you under
take to prove to be a true church ; alack for you ! that people should be
so impudent as to say these are the pillars and ground of truth, or that
the steeple-houses are the pillars and ground of truth! A company of
drunkards, swearers, covetous, proud persons, given to pleasures, you
are, like them that said they were Jews, and were not, but the syna
gogue of satan, a nest of unclean birds.
P. ' We expect not perfect unity, till we have perfect knowledge
and holiness.'
A. Have you cried up yourselves to be the ministers of Christ all
this* while, and have not perfect knowledge, perfect holiness, perfect
unity? The least unity is perfect in the spirit, and the least know
ledge, and the least holiness in the spirit; and you acknowledge you
have not perfect unity, perfect knowledge, perfect holiness, and this
hath been the cause you have kept all people since the apostles in
blindness, out of the unity, in that which is unholy, who say you have
not the perfect knowledge, for the least degree of holiness is perfect,
and in the holiness is the unity, in which is the perfect knowledge,
though in the least degree. And this thou hast confessed you have
not, and we do believe you ; and from thy own words thou and you
are proved unsanctified; for who are sanctified have perfect unity, per
fect knowledge, perfect holiness.
P. ' I use notes as much as any man, when I am lazy or busy,' &c.
A. This is what holds up your lazy minds, what you gather out of

433
books, selling it again by the hour-glass; and you make that day you
call the sabbath your market day, selling both prayers and preaching,
who have not the spirit of the Lord to lead you to speak as it moves,
and to lead you to all truth as it did the disciples. So it is laziness
indeed that hath set up your notes, and you read them by the glass for
money, and have learned seven years out of books and colleges, and
then gather up notes out of your authors and books, and thus make a
trade of them, and then tell the people you are sent, and it is the word
of the Lord, when it is but from the reading of books! And yet you
tell people you never heard the voice of God, if any ask you; and
thus deluders are judged out of their own mouths, who have a law, if
any are moved of the spirit of the Lord, while they are reading their
notes, or speaking before or after, none are to speak against what they
have gathered out of their bpoks and studies; which was not the work
of the true ministry, but the work of those who were out from the
true spirit, and so were ministers of the letter, and old authors, and
notes. P. He saith, 'They are unmerciful men that say, more glorious
days are appearing, and that the saints shall rule the world.'
A. In this thou hast judged thyself, and there need no more words
be spoken to it. And the rest of thy lies and slanders in thy book,
are not worth mentioning, they will fall upon thy own head.

John Cole's Book, (printed 1658,) his principles in it follow.
P. ' It is a common thing for the young harlot to say, mind the light
within.' A. The light which doth enlighten every man who cometh into the
world, draws from all harlots, and they are out of it; and such may
beget proselytes, and father them upon God, who are not in the truth ;
but the day is come that all things are made manifest, and by it do
appear. And the light which every man which cometh into the world
is enlightened witha), is the offence to all the evil doers who are out
of salvation and the covenant of God, and none see salvation but by it.
P. ' The young harlot can but mend evil old Adam by her exhorta
tions, and instructions, and doings, and threatenings, and she doth fright
some to her obedience.'
A. The harlot is in that which evil old Adam is in, in the trans
gression; and so they who are harloted from the spirit of God cannot
mend and instruct the transgressor, they themselves being in the trans
gression. They may tell them of the saints' words, and speak them,

434
as the devil doth, who is out of the truth; but thou, John Cole, art
fallen into the earth, and there art quarrelling.
And as for the rest of the stuff in thy book it is not worth mention
ing; but when thou feels the root and tree burn and fall into a fire about
thee, and thou in it, then remember thou hast not that which doth sa
vour, as thy confused, childish works do make appear, which in print
thou hast published to the world.

Alexander Ross's Book, which he calls, 'A view of all Religions.'
His Lies and Principles.
P. ' God is not in the quaking of the body.'
A. Was it not God that made the biSdy of David to quake? and
Daniel, and Habakkuk, and Job? And the mountains quaked at the
giving forth of his law. And doth not God say, ' he doth not shake
the earth, but heaven also?' Now dost not thou manifest thyself to be
one of them that cast those out that tremble at the word, and tell them
that God is not among them?
And as for Alexander Ross's lies and slanders, in saying the
Quakers said, Christ had failings, and distrusted God; which thousands
of thousands that can witness to thy face thou art a liar, it is a sufficient
proof to them that thy book is made up of such stuff, of lies, which is
thy view from the creation. And the rest of thy book is much like
unto that. And the false prophets' studying a divination of their own
brain, to get money by we deny; but such as divide the word aright we
own. And all that pray, and preach, and sing for money, and make a
trade of the scripture to get money by, we disown; but such as pray
and sing by the spirit we own. And all your readings for money we
deny; but who read freely we own. And all your ceremonies we do
deny, and are come to the substance Christ Jesus, who was before the
world was made.
P. ' The leaves of a tree are not the fruits thereof, and yet without
them the fruit would not prosper.'
A. Art thou a fit man to give a view from the creation of the world,
who errest thus in naturals? For, pluck off the leaves of the vines, arid
see if the grapes will not prosper ? Art thou a fit man to give a view
of religion, and blasphemy, and error, from the creation, who art not
able to give a true view of the naturals?
P. Thou sayest, 'It is horrid blasphemy to say the scripture is not
the word of God, and to say the soul is a part of God.'
A. The scriptures are the words of God in Exodus, and the four
books of the Revelations, but Christ is the word in whom they end ;
and it is not horrid blasphemy to say the soul is a part of God, for it

435
came out of him, and that which came out of him, is of him, and re-
joiceth in him.
Why wilt thou lie, in saying the Quakers deny the word? We say,
it sanctifies them.
His lies. 'Christ is not ascended into heaven; that there is no hea
ven, nor hell, nor resurrection of the body; that we have no sacrament
nor trinity. '
A. As for the words sacrament and trinity, they arc from the pope,
the mass-book, and the bishops' common prayer; but unity and the
Lord's supper are owned; and heaven, hell, Christ, and ascension, and
resurrection are owned by the Quakers, as the scriptures declare
them. And your old mass-house, with the cross atop of it, which you
call your church, the beast hath set up since, the days of the apos
tles, with his lying sign at the end of it, the pope's cross. And
Christ came to destroy self, and reconcile into one; and Christ for
bid men to be called of men master, and said the Pharisees did so.
And magistrates are owned in their place; but all those ministers that
teach for filthy lucre, that serve an apprenticeship at schools and col
leges like tradesmen, such we deny, such are not fit to study nor ex
pound scripture; for they bring people into heats and into blood, as
their fruits in Christendom declare. But the prophets, Christ, and his
apostles and ministers, their practices are owned, and elders, and their
honour; but the honour of the false prophets and apostles is defaced by
the true. And the scripture doth not speak a word of sprinkling of in
fants, but the baptism of the spirit is owned. And all your prayers in
your mass-house, Pharisee like, and your songs in the temple shall be
turned into howling; but that which is according to the spirit of God is
owned; and private and public instructions are owned that are in the
spirit of God; and David's psalms in their place are owned, and the
saints' singing with understanding also we own.
P. They say, ' The Church is in God, therefore God is not in the
church, they may say.'
A. This is like thy reason, and thy measure and weight. The church
is in God, and God is in the church; and where two or three are ga
thered together, he is in the midst of them.
P. He says, ' We speak against tithes and clerks' wages for saying,
Amen, and this thou sayst is an absurd opinion.'
A. Tithes before the law, and in the law, were owned, that they
should give the tenth of the spoil and the tenth of the earth, for the
services that were required, for widows, strangers, fatherless, and Levi
who had no portion in the earth, that there might not be a beggar
among them; these tenths preserved them, from beggars, and this was
the law. And Melchizedeck, who was without father or mother, took
the tenth of the spoil, before the law; and Christ the end of the law,

436
puts an end to all spoils, and redeems men out of the ninth and tenth
parts of the earth to God; and here the day of salvation is known to
reign upon the earth. For when man transgressed, being drove from
God into the earth, then the law came, that was over all transgression,
and led out of it; by that law were they to offer up the tenth; and
Melchizedeck before the law had the tenth of the spoils, but Christ who
ends the wars, ended the spoils, and the tenths, who is the heir of all-
things, the covenant of God; who reconciles all things' in one, things
in heaven, and things in earth. And this the apostles preached, who
were in the power of God, who brought men out of the ninths of the
earth and tenths too, and brought men out of the occasion of the wars
into that which ended them, which was the power of God. But they
who went forth from the apostles into the earth, that had the form of
godliness and denied the power thereof, who led the world after them,
set up ninths and tenths, unlike the ministers of the gospel, who
brought them out of the ninths and tenths into unity with the power
of God, and the son, and to reign upon the earth. And they that take
tithes now, are unlike them that took tithes under the law, or before
the law, that Abraham gave the tenths of the spoil to, who met them
with bread and water, but these now have no storehouse for widows,
strangers, and fatherless, that there need not be a beggar among them.
So they who are called christian priests, who cannot get their tenths
without prisons, courts, and writs, and treble damages, and casting into
prison until death for them, are worse than the Jews. These are called
christian practices in our days by them who are apostatized from the
true apostles and church, and from the power of God they were in ! But
the maintenance that Christ speaks of to his ministers is owned, but all
that make a trade of the words of the prophets, Christ, and the apostles,
who laid down their lives for speaking them forth, we deny. And the
apostles did not give a clerk wages to, say amen, but that came up since
the apostles' days, and is judged by the spirit of truth, and whosoever
will make Alexander Ross's lies in his book called, 'A view of Re
ligion,' their refuge, are in a sad condition, both which, he and his lies,
are condemned to the fire and lake by the power of God. Glory in the
highest! rejoice over them ye saints.

Richard Mayo, Priest of Kingston, his Doctrine and Principles,
as follow.
P. ' That the light within is the light of nature, which teacheth to do
all things that the law commands, and to deny all things that the law
forbids.' A. That which teacheth to do all things the law commands, and deny

437
what the law forbids, is above nature; that is it which keeps nature in
its course, that it shall not be of a fire; but we see thy nature is gone
out of its course; and is all on fire among you priests and professors.
-P. ' That God set up a dim light in every man.'
A. The light that God set up in every man is not dim, but men
grow dim when they transgress the light, which God hath set in them,
to give them the knowledge and feeling of himself.
P. ' He said the devil was the power of God, and that Christ was
made manifest to destroy the power of God, and to destroy him that
was the power of God.'
A. The devil that went out of the truth, went out of the power of
God, and Christ was manifest to destroy the works of the devil, and
not the power of God, though Christ came to put an end to all figures,
types and shadows, priests, first covenant, and temple; Christ, who is
the power of God, did not come to destroy the power of God, the
power of God is not divided against itself ; and the devil that went out
of the truth, the power of God went against him: so he is not the power
of God, that went out of the truth, that tempted others out of the truth
to transgress and to sin, by which came death, by which the devil,
that went out of the truth, hath the power of death. So it is the power
of death, which Christ the power of God destroys, and him that hath
the power of it.
P. Mayo saith, ' To say the gospel is the power of God, is but a me
taphorical speech.'
A. The apostle doth not say so; for the Apostle saith, 'The gospel 13
the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believes,' in plain
words. Rom. 1 chapter.
P. He said, 'that by that lantern or light, spoken of in the Psalms,
which was a light unto David's path, was not meant Christ the word.'
A. Why then doth the apostle often bring David's words to prove
that David did speak of Christ; and spake of the sure mercies of David,
of the everlasting covenant of light, and that in his light he should see
more light, and called him Lord? and David saw his flesh that should
see no corruption, and his resurrection; and many other scriptures
might be brought to prove this.
P. He said, 'The scriptures were the seed which the sower went
forth to sow,' Mat. 13.
A. The seed is that which the scripture speaks of, which Christ
said is the word; and many who have the scripture, know not the
seed, nor the thing it speaks of, nor the seed that is sown, which is
the word, as instance the Jews and you Christians, who put scripture
for it; for if the scripture be the seed, it is sown already, it is printed,
and what need you go out to sow it?
P. He saith, 'that .Paul in the v. of the Ephes. 18. exhorts the
55

438
Ephesians to follow a light which was not the light of the gospel/ ur.d
he said, ' he could not prove in plain scripture in so many words, that
any of the ministers of Christ exhort the saints to follow a light which
was the light of the gospel.'
A. We herein see his confusion, who confounds himself; and that in
the Ephesians which he saith was not the light of the gospel, let all
people read, where Paul bids them not to be drunk with wine, but be
filled with the spirit; and this is the light of the gospel, which ' doth
enlighten every man that cometh into the world,' which darkness can
not comprehend, where the God of the world hath blinded the minds
of the infidels, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine into
them; as the minds of all the priests in the world do appear to be
blinded by the god of the world, that the light of the glorious gospel,
which is the image of God, which shines in the hearts of believers,
they do not behold, and though the light shines in darkness, their
darkness comprehendeth it not. Therefore they rage like the Jews,
and are professing the letter as the Jews did, standing against the
light, with which light they are comprehended, which was before ages
were. P. He saith, ' that Paul's persecuting the saints was a righteous
thing in the sight of men,' and he said, that 'he denied that any doer of
the law is justified, so as to be saved.'
A. Paul's persecuting the saints was not a righteous thing among
righteous men, that were in the righteousness of God; for Christ the
righteousness of God saith, 'Paul, why persecutest thou me?' Now
Paul's persecuting was justified by them who were in the self-right
eousness, out of the righteousness of Christ; and such as are in that
righteousness may justify thee and thy persecution. And the doers of
the law are justified, and they who are justified are saved, and Christ
the end of the law, who redeems from under it, they come to know to
be salvation itself. So I through the law, am dead to it, and know it a
schoolmaster, and the righteousness of the law fulfilled in me.
P. 'That a man may be a righteous man, and not a godly man.'
A. A righteous man in the righteousness of Christ, is a godly man,
who has the righteousness of the law fulfilled in him, but a righteous
man in self-righteousness is ungodly.
P. 'That a man may be justified by God, and yet condemned by
his own conscience; and justified by his own conscience and con
demned by God.'
A. A man that is justified by God is not condemned by his own con
science for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience, in which
men are justified in the sight of God. And a man that is condemned in
his own conscience, is not justified in the sight of God; that which con
demns is the light, and that is the eause of condemnation, the hating of

439
it, and not believing of it, and that is the cause the conscience comes to
be seared, whereby comes condemnation; and that in the Romans,
proves no such thing as thou layest clown.
P. ' That every believer hath not the witness in him.'
A. That is contrary to scripture and the ministers of Christ's doc
trine, who say, he that believes hath the witness in himself, (mark, he,)
and after he believes, he comes to be sealed with the spirit of promise,
and can set to his seal that God is true, and comes to believe the record
of his son, which is the spirit that recordeth all things.
P. ' That the gospel is not the power of God.'
A. The gospel is the power of God; in this thou art contrary to the
ministers of the gospel, who said, the gospel was the ' power of God to
salvation to every one that believes,' and in this thou hast proved thy
self to be an unbeliever.
P. ' He would make Christ speak blasphemy; leaving out half his
words.' A. That is false: thou couldst not make Christ, the power of God,
the light, the life, the truth, speak blasphemy in leaving out many of
his words; for all blasphemy is out of the truth, and the power of God,
and in the power and life of God there is no blasphemy.
P. ' That a man may persecute Christ in the saints, and be a right
eous man, and that the scriptures save instrumentally. '
A. A man cannot persecute the saints, and be in the righteousness
of God, or the righteousness of the law, but they that persecute Christ,
are in their own self-righteousness. And the scripture saves not instru
mentally, but as men are in the faith; and men know not salvation,
but as they are in the life that gave the scriptures forth, and Christ, the
saviour they speak of; and there is the instrumental saving that the
scripture owns, for Christ asked them that had the scriptures how
they could escape the damnation of hell, that were out of the life.
P. 'They that did not swear broke the law of God and man.'
A. They that swear are not come to Christ the end of the law, and
they are out of Christ's doctrine and the apostles,' who said ' swear not
at all, not by heaven, nor by earth, nor any other oath; but let your
communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, lest ye fall into condemnation,
for whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil.' So all swearers
are in the evil, they are false brethren, they fall into condemnation,
they are out of the doctrine of Christ, and break his command, and are
none of his ministers.
P. ' He did believe in a Christ that died at Jerusalem, but not in a
Christ within.' ,
A. He that believes not in a Christ within, doth not believe in a
Christ at Jerusalem, and he that doth not believe in a Christ within,
and preach Christ within, is a reprobate, and out of the apostles' doc-

440
trine, Col. ii. 2 Cor. xiii. and he is not'a true believer of Christ without,
who believes not in a Christ within, but is in the devil's belief, and
believes as the devil doth.
P. 'That if there be one grace within, it is created, and he believes
not in any created thing.'
A. The grace that is within, that establisheth the heart, is brought
by the revelation of Jesus; the loins of the mind being girded up, it
knows the grace by which it is saved, which brings salvation, which
is sufficient: this comes from the Creator; which grace teacheth us, said
the saints, to deny ungodly lusts, and to live soberly.
P. ' That light which Christ hath enlightened every man with, is
carnal and darkness.'
A. The light which Christ hath enlightened every man that is come
into the world with, was before carnal or darkness was ; and believing
in it, it leads every man from darkness and his carnal estate, into unity
with God: for no man sees his carnal estate and darkness, but by the
light whichlmakes it manifest. And the light which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world, is that which all professors that were with
out life, in all ages stumbled at.
P. He knew ' no scripture that the world was in the heart of man,'
and that it was ' nonsense.'
A. Thou art ignorant of Solomon's words, who saith 3 Eccles. 'He
hath set the world in their hearts, that they cannot find the beginning
or ending of the work of God.' And here thou hast showed thyself of
the bottomless pit, without the beginning or ending of the work of
God; and he is in the nonsense that is not in the beginning or ending
of the work of God.
P. ' That men cannot be saved that have no other light.'
A. The light which hath enlightened every man that is come into
the world, is the saviour, and no man is condemned, but for not be
lieving in that light, and no man is saved but who believes in that
light. P. ' That there is no perfection attainable in this life.'
A. There is no perfection but in wickedness, in the life of Adam in
the transgression, and there men live in sin, and have it in their body,
and carry a body of sin and transgression, which came by the devil;
but Christ, the second Adam, destroys the devil and his works, and
the power of death, who saves men from sin, and blots out the sin
and transgression, and redeems from the earth; and they who are in
Christ, the second Adam, are in perfection, and in that which is per
fect, and makes free from sin, and the body of it, and death, and him..
that hath the power of death, and they come to be perfect as their hea
venly Father is perfect. And the work of the ministers of Christ, was
to the perfecting of the saints, and thou that dost deny perfection, hast

441
denied the ministers of Christ's work, who preach Christ within, and
preached every one perfect in him.
P. ' That the scripture is the word of God.'
A. The scriptures are the words of God, as you may read, Exod.
Matth. and Revel, and Christ is the word of God, in whom the words
end, before the words were spoken forth; and man without the Spirit
cannot interpret scriptures.
P. ' That the ministers of this nation, are the ministers of Christ and
the gospel, and that it is a sin to despise them.'
A. The ministers of this nation, or any where else, are not the minis
ters of Christ and the gospel, that deny the light that enlightens every
man that comes into the world, and hold up swearing. Neither are they
the men that are to interpret scriptures; for they cannot see without
the light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, and
which was before the world was made, which is the end of the prophets,
by which the prophets' words are seen and the end of them. And so
such before mentioned are to be turned from, that turn from the light;
and it is no sin to obey the apostles' commands, 2. Tim. iii. to deny them
who have come up since the apostles' decease, having the form but deny
ing the power.
P. ' That they may lawfully take tithes of the people.'
A. And you that take tithes of the people, are of the pope's tribe,
got up since the days of the apostles, who said the priesthood was
changed that took the tithes, the law was changed by which the priest
hood was made, and the commandment disannulled that gave tithes.
And Christ was the sum, the end of all similitudes, who was before
Abraham was that paid tithes, Heb. 7. The pope is your author in taking
tithes, in the apostacy since the days of the apostles, and Christ is the
end of the law.
P. Richard Mayo saith, ' that it is not unlawful to say you to a
single person.'
A. In this thou showest thou never read the Accidence or Bible;
and it is unlawful to speak unrighteously, and to say there are many
when there is but one, to call one many, or say you to one.
P. ' That ministers may exhort men to walk by the light of reason,
as well as the light of the gospel.'
A. No man walks by the light of reason but he who is in the faith,
who is in the light of the gospel, and all other reason is as the beasts
of the field; that which makes men reasonable, is faith, and all that are
in the faith, are in the light of the gospel, and this is one, which all
unreasonableness is out of, and in the transgression; for none are in the
reasonableness, but such as come out of transgression ; and such as are
reasonable walk by the light of the gospel.
P. ' That the gospel itself is but a dead letter.'

442
A. The gospel itself is the power of God, that which the letter
speaks of, and many may have the letter, the form, and deny the power
of God, and so have not the gospel.
P. ' That the gospel is no more the power of God, than the rose
cake that lay in his window.'
A. The gospel is the power of God preached in every creature, more
than a rose cake; the gospel gives every creature its living and being;
for it relieves the oppressed, and turns against the oppressor; so it is
called glad tidings, for the gospel is preached unto every creature in
heaven. The gospel is the power of God which turns against that
which bondageth, to wit, the corruptions, and so gives liberty and free
dom, to the captives; and this, which is the power of God, is glad tidings,
and is more than any creature, and all the creatures; that which gives
liberty and freedom to all, is glad tidings.
Richard Mayo further said, ' it was no matter to him if the devil
was the original of tithes, if the law of the land would give it him, he
would have it.'
A. We do believe thee; his servant thou art, thy seared conscience
and hardness of heart discover it. But the ministers of Christ and the
gospel never preached nor held forth such doctrine, nor would ever act
any thing from that which the devil was the original of, and thou dost
say thou wouldst take tithes though he was the original of them, if the
law of the land would give them to thee! He hath been the original of
them, and the pope's laws first set them up, whereby the saints' goods are
strained, and spoiled, and madehavockof; and you are not contented with
the spoiling of their goods, but you bring their bodies into your priests'
den; and thus you eat up people, and swallow up the needy for a thing
of nought, as they did of old, as your forefathers did transgress for a
pair of shoes.
P. He saith, ' Cain was no vagabond after he had built a city,' and
he said, 'there was no scripture that the apostles had no certain dwel
ling place;' and that ' the steeple-house was the church.'
A. This is contrary to scripture; for Cain, though he builded a city,
was a vagabond, anoVdisobeyed the command of God, and lost his habi
tation in God; so all great men upon the earth, though they build a
city, and are lords, and earls, and dukes, and princes, and kings, if
they disobey the command of God, and do not dwell in him, they
have no habitation, but are all vagabonds. And though Paul had no cer
tain dwelling place, 1 Cor. iv. 11. yet he had a habitation in God, and
was no vagabond. And the steeple-house is no church, but the old mass-
house, set up since the days of the apostles, since they lost the true
church, Thess. 1.

443

Priest Bushel's principles. These words were given forth by Seth
Bushel, priest of Whitley, as follows, the 25th day of the first
month, 1658.
P. ' Men are not converted by the light within them-'
A. If Christ be not in you, the body is dead, and he is light within.
And the light that shines in the heart gives ' the light of the know
ledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.' And none are
converted but they that are in him, and they are converted by him
within; and the light that shines in the heart, gives the knowledge of
conversion and uncon version; and there are none come to conversion
but by it, the light, which is Christ.
P. He saith, ' that, he denies that the light that lighteth every man
is Christ,' as John speaks, John 1.
A. In this thou hast denied John's doctrine, who said, ' He is the
true light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world.'
' And as many as received him, he gave them power to become the
sons of God.' And thus thou art ignorant of the scriptures, much more
of the power of God.
P. He saith, ' The light which every man is enlightened withal,
never converted any man to God.'
A. Here thou goest about in thy doctrine to prove that Christ never
brought any to God, who is the light ' that lighteth every man that
cometh into the world,' who is the way to the Father, who saves men
from sin, and destroys death, and he that hath the power of it, and
brings men into that which the devil is out of. Thou and thy doc
trines are comprehended and condemned by the light; and no man is
converted to God but by the light ' which hath enlightened every man
that cometh into the world. '
P. He saith, 'That the light which lighteth every man is the broad
way.' A. Here people may all see this priest to be a minister of darkness
and wickedness; for the light which doth enlighten every man is Christ
Jesus, who is the way to the Father, and leads people out of the broad
way, which is come up by Adam, sin, the devil, and transgression; and
all are in the broad way that deny the light.

444

Hereford, the 8th day of the first month, 1658, these words were
spoken in a meeting by Edward Price and Philip Langford,
which are their principles.
P. Philip Langford said, ' Paul was not freed from the act of sin
whilst in this life.'
A. Paul thanks God he was made free from the body of sin, and
saw there was no condemnation; and thus he wrestles and fights against
Paul, who said he was made free from sin, and could live no longer
therein; and the body of sin was put off; and his conversation was in
heaven. P. 'We do affirm, that they that are in this faith that turns from
sin, are subject to sin, the act of sin, whilst in this mortal body.'
A. This is confusion and contradiction, and not sound doctrine; for
faith that purifies the heart from sin, gives victory over it, in which
men please God, and have access to him, by the which they are jus
tified whilst on earth, and by faith the just live; and the life the saints
come to live, which gives them victory over the world, is by the faith
of the son of God.'
P. Priest Price saith, ' Faith in Christ Jesus purifies not from the
indwellings of sin whilst in this body.'
A. In this the scripture hath corrected thee; for it saith, 'faith
purifies the heart;' that which purifies, takes away sin, which, being
unclean in itself, makes unclean.
P. He saith, ' The guilt of sin may be taken away, but the act of
sin may remain.'
A. A silly man! one of the old doctors the scriptures speak of.
Dost thou act sin, and dost not thou feel the guilt of it ? Thou bringest
the whole world upon thy head, the principle of God in them all will
witness against thee. And ask all the thieves that are condemned to the
gallows, and the drunkards, and such as act sin, such as profess scrip
tures, which are not in the life of it, whether or not they have not a
guilt upon them for acting sin. But this is one of the blind priests' prin
ciples; none but mad men will believe them; wicked liars against that
of God in their own conscience! and thus they preach up the devil's
doctrine of lies.
P. Edward Price saith, ' that all men should be judged by the scrip
tures, and that the scriptures are the power of God.'
A. The scripture saith, ' Christ is the power of God ;' and the apos
tle said, ' The letter kills;' and ' all judgment is committed to the son,'
say the ministers of Christ. And the scriptures are the words of God,
and Christ is the word, and judge, in whom the words end, whom

445

thou hast thrown out, and set scripture in his room: and as for the
rest of his words, they are not worth mentioning.

Enoch Howet's principles.
P. ' The doctrine of perfection in the creature is a lie.'
A. The doctrine of perfection in the creature is Christ, who destroys
the devil and his works, and binds the strong man, and spoils his goods,
and takes the possession of it to himself, and the creature is a perfect
creature, out of transgression. ' He that is born of God doth not commit
sin,' seeing the seed of God remains in him; and that is the doctrine of
perfection in the creature. And Christ makes all things new; and thou
that canst not witness any thing made new, art in the old things, crying
up imperfection; and that is perfect that brings men to confess their
sin, and that is in the creature.

Thomas Hodges, rector in Oxfordshire, bachelor in divinity, saith,
P. ' That the holy ghost speaks in the scriptures.'
A. Here all may see his ignorance, whether this man be fit to be a
rector who is thus corrected with the scriptures, which say, that the
holy ghost moved in them that gave forth scriptures; but said, ' the
letter was dead, and did not give life.' And thus he directs into dark
ness, in telling the people the holy ghost is in scripture, when the
scripture never gave forth that speech, but said it was in them that
gave it forth; for many may have the scriptures, and want the holy
ghost, as the Pharisees.
P. To the law and to the testimony; and thou shalt not make to thy
self any graven image that is in heaven or in earth.'
A. I say, to the law and to the testimony, before Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, Epistles, and the Revelations were written. 'The law
is light,' 'the testimony of Jesus the spirit of prophecy,' as in former
days, Isaiah the 8. And you have told the people that it is the Old and
New Testament; but the New was not written in his days, in the days
of Isaiah. And why do you make likenesses of things in heaven and
in earth, and hang up in your houses, and on signs, yet thou sayst we
should not make them, for it isa breach of God's command: of whom
have you learned to make all these images of things in heaven, and
things in the earth, since the days of the apostles, but of them that
went forth from the apostles, the pope's tribe; of whom ye are.
56

446

Richard Heath, Priest in Shrewsbury. His Principles as follows.
P. ' That drawing people to a light within them, you draw them
from God to themselves, from the instruction of the spirit.'
A. Here thou art a minister unlike to the apostle, who brought
people to a light within them, Cor. ii. 4. and told them, ' that the
light that shined in their hearts would give them the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' And so
none come to the knowledge of the spirit, but such as come to the
light within, (and from themselves,) though they have the scriptures
as the Jews had.
P. 'If we ministers should send people from all other lights to the
light within them, we should then turn them from light to darkness,
from God to the power of satan.'
A. 'None come to God, but they who come to the light within,
from the power of satan and darkness ; and God will dwell in them,
and walk in them, and make his abode in them, who is light, and the
end of all other lights, before they were. And ye that turn people
from the light, tuife people into darkness, the power of satan, and
there keep people under his dominion, from the light Christ Jesus that
hath enlightened every man that cometh into the world, with which
they might see their saviour.

Daniel Gaudry, Priest of great Billing in Northamptonshire.
His Principles follow.
P. ' That the saints are partly sinful, and failing in their best works,
and subject to continual lustings one against another.'
A. The life of the saints is Christ, not sinful at all ; and they are
ceased from their own works, and are true believers. And the works
of faith are not sinful, nor the works of the spirit, by which the saints
are led; and they come into Christ in whom they have peace, and do
not lust one against another, but live in the spirit in which there is
unity, in which is the bond of peace; and the lusting one against ano
ther is in the transgression against the spirit of God. So they who are
in Christ, are in peace; and they who are in the world are in trouble,
in wars; but they who are in Christ, are in him who was before wars
were, inward or outward, of whom thou art ignorant.
P. ' The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, from the guilt of it,
instantly and perfectly; from the stain and power of it, gradually.'
A, Where sin is, there the guilt of it is felt at that instant; but who-

147
ever feels the sin, shall feel the guilt of it. And the blood of the seed
cleanseth, it makes free from that which the law takes hold of; and the
blood of the seed cleanseth from sin, from the power and stain of it,
and then the guilt of it is gone; the seed destroys death and him that
hath the power of it, which is the devil; and where this is known
the fulness is known which is above degrees, that which degrees end
in. P. ' It is the tang of popery, that a man may fall from savjng grace.'
A. ' The grace of God that has appeared to all men, which brings sal
vation,' is saving, and such thou and many papists turns into lascivious
ness and wantonness. That which brings salvation is saving. So you
are turned to be murderers of one another about scriptures, which was
not the practice of them who lived soberly, righteously, and godly,
who denied the worldly lusts and ungodliness, but their hearts were es
tablished in grace which was their teacher; but you and papists that
live wildly, and ungodly, and unrighteously, in the lusts of the world,
that are fallen from the saving grace, your fruits, your actions daily
declare and show it; and so you are talkers of grace, which is turned
into wantonness both among you and the papists; your unseasoned
hearts and words make it appear.
P. ' We shall not see Christ as he is till he comes to judgment, then
and not before we shall see him.' And then he adds, 'Every man
that hath this hope purifies himself, which also argues that he is not
pure and perfect, but only in hope.'
A. You, where you are, see him not, nor know him as he is, we do
believe you; but the saints, the true church whom he is the head of,
whom he is in the midst of, and in whom he is. And Christ told his
disciples, they had known him; they knew the son, and had the son,
and they had the Father also; and he that had not, had not life. And
they had handled and seen. And hope in itself is pure, and that is it
which purifies man, and makes him pure, as God is pure. The hope
now is pure in itself, a distinct thing, and that is to make man pure as
God is pure.
P. ' God may justly require his due of man, though man cannot
give it.'
A. God requires no more of man than he gives.
P. 'That the -Quakers send men to the light within them to be per
fected, which is no better than darkness.'
A. Thou that sendest men to any thing, but not to the light within
them, thou keepest them out from perfection in utter darkness; and
none come out of utter darkness to perfection, but by the light within
them; and so growing up in the light, they grow up in that which is
perfect, and so in the fulness which is Christ, which is the perfection
of God.

448
P. ' Christ saves his people from the guilt of their sins here in «the
state of justification: the state of the best saints here, is imperfect.'
A. Who are justified are saved from the guilt of sin; and who commit
sin feel the guilt, and cannot say they are justified in the committing
of it; for he that saves, sanctifies, redeems, and destroys the devil and
his works, and death, where he hath power, where he keeps up his au
thority. And if the best saints here are imperfect, then they are not
brought out of Adam's state in the transgression ; for a saint is one
that is sanctified, and one that is redeemed, and one that comes to
know the works of the devil destroyed, and that is washed, and cleans
ed, and sanctified through the name of the Lord; and that which jus
tifieth takes away both sin and its guilt; for, as it is written, 'he shall
save his people from their sins,' and from the guilt, and from the
wretched .state.
P. 'Surely they cannot be perfect here or hereafter in equality, but
only in quality.'
A. Christ makes no distinction in his words, but saith, 'Be ye per
fect, even as your heavenly Father is, and be ye merciful as he is;'
and 'as he is so are we.' And that which is perfect and merciful, as
he is perfect and merciful, is in equality with the same thing which is
of God and from him.
P. ' The saints were come to the spirits of just men made perfect,
but not on earth.'
A. The just men's spirits that led them to give forth scriptures was
the spirit of God, and that was perfect; and was that which' while
they were upon earth the saints were come to, which was Christ the
end of all words, and so to God, the Judge of all the earth.

Philip Taverner, called Preacher of the Word, in his book called
' The Quakers' Rounds.' These are his Principles.
P. ' We distinguish between the essential word, and the declarative
word; we own Christ to be the essential, and the scripture to be the
letter.' A. The scripture tells us that Christ is the word; the scriptures of
truth that were given forth from the spirit of truth, were the words of
God, in whom they end, in Christ the word. And you talk of a declara
tive word, and the scripture you call a history; and you call it a
creed, and you call it a catalogue; and these titles and names you have
given to the scripture of truth, the words of God; as I said before, the
scriptures of truth are the words of God, given forth from the spirit of

449
God, which end in Christ; and they do not speak of a declarative word,
but you in your nicety.
P. ' There is a two-fold coming of the gospel, the one in word, the
other in power. '
A. The blind people thou wouldest here make believe that the word
was not the power, which word and power are one, for Christ is the
word, and Christ is the power of God; his name is called the power of
God, and he that ministers the word, ministers the power of God, and
the gospel.
P. ' The saints that stood upon mount Sion, that followed the Lamb,
those saints that were without guile before the throne of God, are to be
understood in the justification and not in sanctification, that are spoken
of in the Revelations.'
A. Here thou hast manifested thyself to be an accuser of the brethren
who are justified, and said to be without fault. Now they who are jus
tified, are sanctified and justified; it was said, in their mouths was no
guile; they were not defiled; and now these that have no guile, and are
justified, and were not defiled with women, such are sanctified. So that
thou judgest of things that are too mighty for thee; and mecldlest with
things that are too weighty, and bringest judgment upon thy own head;
whose measure is measured, and weights are tried; and thou art of them
that are found too light.
P. 'He that is born of God sins not after the same sort as them that
are ofthe devil.'
A. He that commits sin is the servant of sin, and he that commits
sin is of the devil; and he that is born of God doth not commit sin, for
he cannot, because he is born of God, born of that nature which cannot
sin: and those who sin are ofthe devil, of the same nature of their fa
ther; but he that is born of God doth commit sin at no rate, for he is
of the same nature of his Father.
P. 'As John saith: as he is, so are we in this present world, that
scripture, saith he, cannot be so in the latitude of it'
A. I believe you; for from the men of your generation, it was not
given forth: but they that are the sons of God understand it as it is, and
believe it as it speaks.
P. 'Christ was holy from his conception, so are not we,' saith he,
'but we are sanctified in time. Christ Was holy, and so are not we, for
there still remains the indwelling of sin in us.'
A. And some were sanctified from the womb, and some children
were holy that were born of the believers. Christ in the male and in
the female, is as he was in his eternal generation; and is the same, and
remains; and is the sanctification, and he sanctifies the unsanctified
sons of Adam in the transgression, and Christ changeth them, and

450
makes them like himself; and they who have sanctification without and
not within, are hypocrites.
P. ' That the saints are complete in point of justification, and not in
sanctification.' A. They that are not complete in sanctification, are not com
plete in justification, for they are one; they that are complete in the
one, are complete in the other; and so far as a man is sanctified, so far
is he justified, and no farther; for the same that sanctifies a man justi
fies him; for the same that is his sanctification, is his justification, and
his wisdom, and his redemption. He that knows one of them, knows
all: he that doth not feel one of them, feels none of them at all, for
they are all one.
P. 'Faith justifies only instrumentally; neither doth it justify in-
strumentally as a work wrought in us by the spirit.'
A. The man is blind; he is angry there, and fretting himself about
things that are too weighty for him, about things that he knows not;
for faith is the gift of God which purifies the heart, which brings
people to have access to God: in that, and by that which purifies men,
men are justified, and in that is virtue; by the hearing of that, men re
ceive the spirit. So that this is confusion, and contrary to the scripture,
and confuted by it; for ye are justified through faith, and by the spirit,
in which men please God, and without which they cannot; therefore
that is instrumental. And in that they have victory, and in that they
have unity one with another, and in it have access to God. But saith
he, ' faith doth not justify instrumentally by any virtue that is in it any
more than is in love.' Love and faith are one, without faith there is
not love: love is the fruit of faith, flows from it, without it there is no
unity, and without faith there is no victory, and without victory there
is no love; and it justifies, and is wrought by the spirit.
P. ' A perfect conformity to the law of God written, in the strength
and power of grace, the spirit working all in us and for us; all this is
no more than the righteousness ofthe law.'
A. That is the end of the law that brings to the righteousness of the
law, and to a perfect conformity to it, and fulfils it; that is the seed,
Christ in the male and in the female, by whom grace comes, by Jesus
Christ, which brings to live in the righteousness of it, which is the
" righteousness of faith, by which the spirit is received, which works all
in people, and for them, and which ends the law.

The Brownists' Principles.
P. 'They never heard God's voice from heaven, nor saw his shape:'
and yet they affirm, ' they have the same power and spirit that the

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apostles had, though much below;' and that ' they have the word abiding
in them.' /
A. You that never heard the voice of God, nor saw his shape, havel/
not seen him who is a spirit, nor have you his power, nor his word
abiding in you; for they who have the spirit of God, and the power of
God, and the word of God abiding in them; with the spirit of God,
with the power of God, see God's shape; and they who have God's
word abiding in them, hear the voice of God; for God is the word, and
God will dwell in them, and walk in them.
P. ' That they are brought to the church that is in God, the pillar
and ground of truth, where there is neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any
such thing.'
A. And yet you never heard the voice of God! and how can yo i
be brought to the church that is in God, and never heard the voicf*
of God? For none come to the son but through the drawings of the Fa
ther; and none know the drawings of the Father, but they who hear
his voice. The Jews that came not to the son, Christ told them, they
had not known the voice of God; and none corne to him, but who the
Father draweth.
P. 'We do not look for any such thing as revelation from heaven,
or speaking as they are moved, or waiting for the power, as the apostles
did; we say we do not lflok for any such thing.'
A. This shows that you have not received the grace, for the grace
comes by revelation ; and that you have not received the son, for
the son comes by revelation; nor have you known the Father whom
the son reveals; you are not come to the holy ghost whom the saints
witnessed, that led them to speak forth scriptures, for no prophecy of
the scriptures came by the will of man. So you are among those men
that have the scriptures in their wills, and want the thing that the
scriptures were given forth by, that is, the holy ghost ; for holy
men of God were moved to speak them forth, who learned them
of .God and spake them forth as the spirit gave them utterance.
Therefore, how can ye say, that you are come to the church in1 God,
and wait neither for the power nor revelation as the saints did,
and were in? For if you have all the scriptures, and have not that, you
have not revelation, and have not the holy ghost; for the scriptures,
are not known but by revelation, and they are revealed by the spirit
that gave them forth: and though men have all the scriptures, yet the
son is not known but by revelation of the Father.
P. ' The scripture is the gospel, the scripture is the light, the
scripture is the word.'
A. The scriptures are the words of God given forth from the spirit
of God, learned from him: the gospel is the power of God, the scrip
ture declares it. A man may have the form and deny the power, and

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so deny the gospel. Christ is the light of the world, the life and the
light of men, by whom the world was made; and many have the scrip
tures, but deny the light, the life and power of it, Christ Jesus, who
is the life, and power, and authority of them.
P. ' That they knew no law of God against praying and preaching
by an hour-glass; and that the apostles did perform the ordinances of
God at set times; and Daniel and David prayed customarily, and how
this can be said to be willworship, and to be seen of men, we shall
leave it to the Lord.'
A. The Lord judgeth it to be will-worship, that which limits the
holy one to an hour-glass; and the spirit of the Lord that taught the
saints to pray, never limited itself to an hour-glass. So you by an hour
glass pray and preach as the Papists with their beads, so that which
limits the Lord to a set time, are traditions and vain customs of the
heathen, and traditions of men, which always limited the spirit; which
spirit gave freedom to the Just in every one, who said, quench it not,
nor limit it; butknocked down vain customs and traditions of men, which
were set up by men who had quenched the spirit in themselves, and
would limit the Holy One in others. And such were always judged of
the Lord, and by them that had his spirit, to be idolaters, and in the
will-worship, and not in the spirit, which are got up since the days of
the apostles. -

John Turner's Principles.
P. ' That light which convinceth a man of sin was a wicked con
science.' A. The wicked conscience doth not convince of sin, then satan were
divided against satan: that which doth convince of sin, is not wicked,
nor sin; but it is the spirit of God, the light of Christ Jusus, that con
vinceth of sin; and the elect have faith, and where faith is, there is
obedience.

• ' The Ranters' Principles.
P. ' Christ without comes to destroy Christ within.'
A. Christ is but one, and it is the devil that he destroys and his
works, the anti-christ and not the true Christ, who is the true seed in
male and female; and it is the false Christ he destroys in the male and
female, and he comes to end the types and figures and shadows that

453
people might live in him, the end of the types, and figures, and sha
dows, the substance.
P. 'And the woman that Paul speaks of that is forbidden to speak
in the church, but must learn of her husband at hPme, is the whore
that drinks the blood ofthe saints in Revelations.'
A. That is false; for the woman the apostle speaks of there, that
must learn in silence, and must be in subjection, and ask her hus
band at home, is in the state of Eve, who must not teach, but learn in
silence, as also said the law, for she was first found in the transgression.
Now the woman here hath a husband to ask at home, and she is not to
usurp authority over the man; but Christ in the male as in the female,
who redeems from under the law, and makes free from the law, may
speak, Christ in the male and female who are in the spirit of God,
who are not under the law. But the whore who drinks the blood of
the saints, is gone from her husband, from under the law, to ask the
whoremaster, that doth drink the blood of the saints, which Christ the
seed judgeth, upon whom he gives judgment.
P. 'And the outward creatures which God hath made and created,
and blessed, are the serpent's meat,' as the old Ranter of Bristow, when
he was gnawing a piece of plum pudding, said he was eating the ser
pent's meat.
A. The serpent's meat is dust, and he goes on his belly, arid so he
hath proved himself to be a serpent, who eats his meat; which the
children of God, the seed, do not; and Christ who ate of the bread, did
not eat the serpent's meat, he did not call it serpent's meat, and that
which doth so is cursed and judged.

Francis Duke's Book, entitled, ' The fulness and freeness of God's
grace.' His Principles are as follow.
P. ' God made man perfection of parts in this life, but not perfection
in degrees.'
A. Perfection of parts is perfection of degrees; for where there is a
part there is a degree, so in this thou meddlest with things that are too
heavy for thee.
P. ' That God did elect that drop of human seed to be personal
God-man, as the text is; the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents'
head.' A. The elect, is Christ, the seed; Christ the second Adam, is not
human, for human is earthly, so thou errs in thy judgment, for as
Christ the seed says, ' he that is born of the flesh, is flesh, and he that is
57

454
born of the spirit is spirit,' and the election obtains it, and he that is of
the earth is earthly, but he that is from above, is heavenly.
P. ' Men may obey imperfectly, but truly.'
A. Truth is perfect; Christ who is perfect, is truth, and they that
obey truly, obey perfectly, for perfect obedience, and true obedience
are one.
P^. ' The seed of the serpent and the devil's seed remains in the best
of men in this life, for without this seed of the devil issuing in human
nature, it is not capable of eternal life.'
A. This seed of the devil hinders men from being capable of eternal
life, and such as were sanctified from the womb, were capable of eternal
life; and such as were made free from sin and the body of death and
sin put out of them, could not sin, because the seed of God remained in
them, and Christ in them, who witnessed redemption, and the works of
the devil destroyed, and Christ manifested in their flesh, who condemned
sin in their flesh, the body being dead because of sin. They who were
born of God, did not commit sin, they were passed from death to life;
for sin brought death, and the devil, which went out of the truth, had
the power of it, but the seed hath destroyed death, and him that hath
the power of it, which is the devil. And God, the God of all peace, hath
bruised satan under the saints' feet; such are a-top of the seed of the
devil, and they are capable of eternal life, and tell thee thy doctrine
is a lie.
P. ' Man may believe truly, but never rightly.'
A. He that believeth truly, and is in the true belief, believes rightly;
and he that believes truly is born of God, and he whose belief is false,
is not born of God, it is as his belief that is out of the truth, which is
not right, and the true belief in truth is over him, in that the devil is
out of, and all his generation that stand in an outward belief.
P. ' The will of in a 11 remains in good mon and bad men in heaveh,
and in hell, and on earth.'
A. No prophecy of the scriptures came by the earthly will of man,
but man's will must be subdued, and denied with the cross and power
of God, whereby he that doth the will of God abides for ever; but he
that doth his own will abides not ever, and flesh and blood enter not
into the kingdom of God, and they that go down into hell, go down in
their own wills and wilfulness, but man must be born again before he
can enter into God's kingdom ; he that is born of the flesh is flesh, and
will persecute him that is born after the spirit, for there are the two
wills, and earth is their footstool.
P. ' The saints affirm themselves that they are all unclean things,
and their righteousness as filthy rags.'
A. The saints are clean, and are sanctified, #nd are washed, and are
cleansed, 'Now are you clean,' saith the Lord; ye were such, and such;

455
and the saints' righteousness is Christ, such as never will grow ragged,
which was before the world was made, which was before rags, and
ragged righteousness was; this is the saints' and true believers' righteous
ness, and the saints are not unclean things, for it is the unsanctified
that are unclean.
P. ' The saints have a twofold righteousness in this world.'
A. The righteousness of the saints is one in Christ, and is one in
God, from whence all righteousness comes, and the true believers'
righteousness is Christ Jesus, the end of the law.
P. Thou sayst that, - James envies those that brag of their faith with
out works,' and sayst, 'the Lord attributes that to the eye, which is not
proper, the eye is the light of the body, but yet the eye hath no light
in, itself to enlighten the body; so he attributes that to the eye which
is proper to the light'
A. James did not envy, for envy was of Cain, and of the devil, and
of the wicked one, he did not envy them whose faith was dead without
works. And Christ's speech was proper, who said the light of the body
was the eye, and without the eye the body hath not light; look at it,
either inward or outward; it is proper within, and" proper without, for
when the eye is blinded within, the body is full of darkness; when the
eye is blinded without, the body is dark, and it wants the light; and
the light of the body is the eye, that being single, the body is full of
light, and that is perfect.
P. ' That God redeems his church with his blood, yet bleeds not'
A. Here again thou cavillest with the apostle's words, and art a per-
verter ofthe scriptures, who art corrected by them; the apostle speaks
of the blood of God, and the blood shed, and the conscience sprinkled
with the blood.
P. ' Justifying faith, simply considered in itself, as to justification of
a sinner, is but a dark body till it hath received Christ, and his right
eousness.' A. Where justification and justifying faith are, there Christ and his
righteousness are felt, for he is the justification; and this is not a dark
body, neither justifying faith, nor justification of a sinner, but thou art
the dark body, that hast so judged, for it is all one.
P. ' It is but perfection of parts, not of degrees, that people at
tain to: beware you dream not that you attain to perfection of degrees,
as the Quakers do, for when you so think of yourselves, that is the
hour and power of darkness, and you fall into temptations and abomi
nations.' A. Where perfection is in parts, there are degrees, and that which
is perfect keeps out of darkness, out of the temptation and abomina
tion; he that speaks of perfection of parts, and not of .degrees,, doth
not know what he speaks of, but is in a dream, and in the hour of temp-

456
tation and the power of darkness, and in the temptation and abomination
and doth not know what he speaks of; for perfection of parts is per
fection of degrees.
P. ' The saints' inherent righteousness, is but imperfection of parts,
as filthy rags.'
A. Where dost thou read of the word inherent righteousness? But
the righteousness of Christ wrought in us, is not filthy rags, but that
which thou pretends to work in thyself, by dreaming imaginations, is
filthy rags, and not the true righteousness of Christ, which is without
rags; but where dost thou read of inherent righteousness, but of thy
father the Pope ?
P. ' Job had too high esteem of his uprightness wrought by the spi
rit of Christ in him, who also assisted him to perfect patience.'
A. A man cannot have too high an esteem of uprightness, wrought
by the spirit of Christ in him, which will assist to perfect patience;
and thus thou confoundest thyself.
P. ' If Job had hanged himself, he might have said in this case, it
is not I but my deep distemper which strangled me.'
A. Thou wicked liar, of thy father the devil, the murderer, had Job
consented to the wicked one with his mind to have done this thing,
then it had been Job; and" this is not comparable to Paul's state, he
saith, it was no more, he, but sin that dwelt in him, who did not con
sent with his mind. So thou art no true measurer, but a false measurer,
to say it had been the infirmity of the members, but not Job; yet there
is the eye which was before the word Job was, which the devil hath
nought in; so both thou and thy measure are judged according to scrip
tures which came not by the will of man, which are of no private in
terpretation. P. ' That the written scripture is a more sure word of prophecy,
than the excellent speech from heaven to Jesus upon the Mount, as
your Quaking doctrines teach, which are bottomed upon the light
within, which what it is, neither you nor any man else know.'
A. The voice that spake upon the Mount, and the excellent speech were
the same, and was to them that gave forth the scriptures. Now, the written
scriptures many may have,and deny the spirit of prophecy, and know not
the light shining in .the dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-
star arise in their hearts; which is the Quakers' light within, which
thou sayst neither thou nor any man else knows what it is ; then
why do you judge of things you do not know ? We do believe that
your darkness cannot comprehend it, though it shineth in the darkness;
but where light hath shined out of darkness and shines in the heart, it
gives the light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of Christ
Jesus. And all that are in the light, and walk in it, have fellowship one
with another, and know what light is, and come to the life Christ, from

457
whence the light comes, which you nor no man can know what it is, who
are ravened from the spirit of God, and so know not Christ the light.
P. ' The scripture is the ground o'f faith.'
A. The ground of faith was before scripture was written. God and
Christ Jesus were the givers of faith, and the authors of it; as Abel,
Enoch, and Abraham had faith before that which you call your ground
of faith was written. But I say the scripture is able to make wise to
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, who is the author of it; thou
goest about to lay another ground than God and Christ Jesus, that gave
forth to them that spoke forth the scriptures of truth.
P. 'You call a light within, and tell us it is God's word, and call
the thing everlasting word, and spiritual king, and Christ, and this lie
is the ground of your faith.'
A. The word is light, and Christ is light, and the everlasting word,
and king; and he rules Ihe hearts of the saints, and is in the midst of
his church, and dwells in his people, and he makes his abode in them,
and all that are not in this, are in the lie, and are not on the true foun
dation, Jesus Christ.
P. ' When Christ told the devil, that man should not live by bread
alone, but by every word lhat proceedeth out of the mouth of God,
that was believing the scriptures; and this, the word of God in the
scriptures, was the ground of Christ's faith, and so to all that were his.'
A. Many may have the scriptures, and never hear the voice of God,
as the Jews, in the fifth of John; they said they believed the scriptures,
though they were out of the true belief: but receiving the word from
God, as they did that gave forth the scriptures, is that which man lives
by, and not by bread alone, and so knows him which was before scrip
ture was given forth. And as for saying that the scripture is the ground
of Christ's faith, he was before the scripture was written, and fulfils
their words, and is the author and finisher of the saints' faith, which
was before the scripture was given forth; he by whom the world was
made is the author of the saints' faith, that bruised the serpent's head
under his feet, before scripture was.
P. 'For the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who was personally God-
man, simply created nothing, yet you would have your light, called
Christ, to be a creator.'
A. God was in Christ, and they are one, the creator, the Father in
the son, and the son in the Father, and Christ in you, and God in
Christ, the creator, the maker of all things. And God will dwell in the
saints as the creator; he creates in them right minds, new hearts, new
spirits; gives them understanding and knowledge, to know him, which
is eternal life and wisdom; to walk in his ways which are perfect;

458
where God's dwelling is in saints, there is light, and they have fellow
ship one with another in it, and with the son and the Father.
P. ' That although the essence- of God be within, yet it no way con
ducts to the happiness of man.'
A. Man feels not the happiness but as he is in the power of God, in
which he has communion with him, and thou speaks thou dost not
know what.
P. 'John said he had heard and handled Christ, and looked upon
him, but your idol Christ, your light and everlasting word, you say is
within, so that neither you nor any man else can say what it is, ex
cept by whimsies.'
A. Thou that hast not handled, seen, nor heard Christ, nor felt him
within, art in the idol's whimsies and blasphemy; for we witness that
Christ, and have handled him, and seen him, and heard him, and know
the everlasting word, and him within, which torments thee and thy
ground, and thy seed, because he cannot, reign; but Christ is come to
take possession, to destroy him and his works, and reign; and none see
this, but they that own the light within, which comes from Christ
the king.
P. ' By letters and witness without, we will oppose your lying light
within, there to maintain, against the best men whatsoever, your light
within is a lie, for you say the light within is Christ. I deny the scrip
tures bear witness to your light within, which is your idol, and this
word of God within to be no more nor less than a lie.'
A. The scripture bears witness to the light within, for I know that
is thy work, and the devil's, who is out of the light and the truth, to
oppose it, who rules in the children of disobedience, but cannot rule
in the children of light. And the scripture saith, Christ in you, and God
will dwell in you ; he is light and they are light, ' the light that shines
in your hearts, to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Christ Jesus;' and this the scripture bears witness
to, as in Cor. ii. 4. 13. And 'the word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and in
thy mouth,' Rom. x. And as for all the rest of thy stuff and confused
parcel of ignorance in thy book, as this before mentioned, it is not
worth setting pen to paper; but for the sake of the simple ones it is
given forth: for the day has appeared that all your works are seen and
come to the light. Praises and glory to the Lord God in the highest, for
ever. In the day of thy fulness thou hast been in the mischief of
iniquity, but in the day of thy poverty, when the witness of God stirs
and rises in thee, and judgment enters upon thee, then remember, when
thy works burn and thou art in the fire, what thou didst in the world,
in thy lifetime, against the saints and the elect, and spoke of things
thou cpuldst not know nor weigh, but which were too heavy for thee ;

459
and how thou actedst against the light of Christ within, which would
have led thee to salvation.

Enoch Howet of Lincoln. His principles as followeth, in his book
which he calls, ' The doctrine of the light within.'
P. < I have taken upon me as my duty, to forewarn all men of their
doctrine, that teach men to look at the light within them.'
A. We do believe thee; here thou art not only antichrist, but anti-
apostle, that is, against him who taught people to look to the light
within them, and told them that the light shined in their hearts to give
them ' the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Christ Jesus;' and this is the doctrine which thou forewarnest all men
of, and sayst it is thy duty; so thou mayst see who thou servest, that
turnest men from light, and warnest people of the apostles' doctrines;
so that all may judge what thou turnest them to, and whose duty thou"
art doing, and whose messenger and minister thou art: they that are in
the fear of God see thee.
P. ' To look to the light within, is to look at the deceitful heart,
and it will offer thee darkness for light; and it is evident, if thou look
to that which thou callest the light within, it brings thee to take coun
sel of a corrupt heart, the prince of the air, the prince of darkness.'
A. The light that shines in the heart, that thy darkness cannot com
prehend, is not the prince of darkness, nor the prince of the air, nor
the deceitful, corrupt heart; but by the light within all is discovered
and made manifest, for it is the light within that discovers a man's
thoughts, and the counsels of man's heart. And Christ within is light;
and the apostle bid the Corinthians examine themselves, and prove
themselves, and know themselves, ' how that Jesus Christ was in them
except they were reprobates.' Now where Christ is within, there is
light. Now reprobates cannot endure to hear it talked of within, but
call it blasphemy, corrupt heart, and deceitful heart, &c. and the apos
tle told the saints that God would write his law in their hearts, and put
it in their minds, and the law is light; and God would dwell in them,
andwalk in them, and where God is, there is light, and in him there is
no darkness and the saints are his temple; and this doctrine of the
light within, it is thy work and ministry to warn all men against.
P. 'To look at the light within, leads men to look at a judgment
here in this life, and to take off men from eternal judgment'
A. None see the judgment in this life, nor the eternal judgment, but
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460
judged, and what must not. Oh, that thou shouldst be so blind ! And
they who judge themselves shall not be judged.
P. ' The people who depended upon light within, fell into shameful
enormities, and when they pretended the light within, they pretended
an angel of light, which cozens us, which at the best is but a broken
cistern.' The Ephesians 'were sometimes darkness.'
A. They are the broken cisterns that cannot hold the water of life,
and they are under the pretended angel of light, that deny the light of
Christ within ; and shameful enormities are out of the light which makes
manifest all those things; and though the Ephesians were darkness, yet
the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness could not compre
hend it. John 1.
P. ' The light within draws from the expecting of the assurance of
Christ, by working in our hearts, the children of disobedience; so
that we wait not upon God for assurance, but to trust to the light
within.' A. None come to the assurance of Christ Jesus, but they who come
•to the light that shines in their hearts, which Christ Jesus hath en
lightened them with, which is the way to him ; none come from under
the power of the prince of the air out of the disobedience, to the thing
they had disobeyed, but they who come to the light within, which
shines in their hearts, which gives them ' the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' and none know the work
ing of Christ but by the light within.
P. 'When they were pricked in their hearts, the apostle did not bid
them look to the light within them.'
A. Did not the apostle bid them repent? And was not there some
thing in them that did give them to understand their transgression that
they might repent, and come to receive remission for their sins by
Christ the light, who lighteth every man that cometh into the world,
which light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it
not; which light gives the light of the knowledge of God in the heart,
and that which pricks them is within them.
P. ' To look at the light within, puts us by the experience of the
created word.'
A. The light within brings to look at Christ, whose ' name is called
the word of God,' by whom all things were created; and the light within
gives experience of him, which is beyond all created experiences that
are changeable ; and the scripture doth not tell us of the created word.
P. ' To follow the light within the natural man, that is said to lead
to perfection, draws from and puts us from waiting upon the commands
of God.'
A. No natural man comes out of his natural state to perfection, to

401
know the commands of God; that which discovers all these things to
him is the light within, which comes from Christ, and brings him to
know the covenant of God; they who are kept from the light within,
are kept from perfection, and the commands of God, and the covenant
of God, and Christ.
P. 'There can be no reproof for breaking of a law if it were not
written.' A. Adam broke the law before it was written, and was reproved.
P. ' Light within, and watching in that light to bring us to perfection,
will be a vain watch.'
A. None see perfection, nor come to the true watch, but they who
come to the light within, which doth manifest that which must be
stood against, and not received; and all watches are vain that are not
in the light within, for they will put evil for good, and good for evil;
darkness for light, and light for darkness, that watch not in the true
light that shines in their hearts, which makes manifest.
P. ' Let us leave leaning on the light within for direction.'
A. Then you turn yourselves from the apostles' doctrine, ' the light
that shines in your hearts, to give you the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' 2 Cor. iv. and you turn into
darkness from that which should give you the knowledge.
P. ' To look to the light within draws us from, or puts us past the
blood of the new covenant, and the application of it'
A. He that sees the new covenant, Christ Jesus, to Jews and Gen
tiles, the covenant of light, which doth enlighten every man that
cometh into the world, and the blood of it, he that sees this, his eye is
opened, and he is a believer; for he who sees the blood of Christ and
his righteousness, and comes to the blood of Christ who hath enlight
ened him, comes to life; and no one comes to life, but he who comes to
the light which Christ hath enlightened him withal. For ' in him was
life, and the life was the light of men;' and the light shines in dark
ness, and the darkness comprehends it not, though all things were made
by him- And they that live in the darkness, hate the light, and do
not believe in it, arid so they are condemned by the light.
P. ' That this doctrine, the light within, draws us from Christ.'
A. None come to Christ, nor are drawn unto Christ, but by the light,
and that is within, and gives them to know what they are come from,
and what they are come to, for it gives them the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.
'"• As for all thy other works of darkness in thy book, they are not
worth mentioning. But as to whose messenger he is, the day doth bring
him to light, the witness of God in his conscience shall answer in the
day of his condemnation and judgment, who. is under the spiritual wick-
Vol. III. 58

462
edness, and in whom are the high places of it, who stands against, and
denies the doctrine of the light within. The saints and apostles have
judged him to be a messenger of satan, a false apostle, a minister of un
righteousness, out ofthe light, the truth, as you may read in the Corin
thians; for the true messengers, ministers, and apostles of Christ Jesus,
made by the will of God, brought people to the light within, that
shines in their hearts, and told them, that the light ' would give them
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ
Jesus.'

Priest Fergison's principles as followeth, who is a leqcher in Kent,
confessed to Ambrose Rigge.
P. 'That the scripture was the law and testimony.'
A. This is contrary to the scripture, for the scripture saith, ' the law
is light,' Prov. vi. and ' the testimony of Jesus isthe spirit of prophecy;'
and the law and testimony were before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John, the Epistles and Revelations were written, as in Isaiah viii.
P. 'That the scripture is the rule of life and doctrine, and that it
was the word of God.'
A. Adam, Abel, Enoch, Abraham, and the holy men of God, had a
rule for their lives before the scripture was written ; the spirit was the
rule of their lives, that led saints to speak forth scripture. And they
that have the scripture, and not the spirit of Christ, are none of his;
and the Jews had scripture, but wanted the rule of life. Nevertheless
the scripture which was given forth from the spirit of God, is profitable
for doctrine ; and the scriptures of truth are the words of God, learned
of God, and not the word; and Christ who was before the scriptures
were given forth, by whom the world was made, is the word of God,
who fulfilled the words ; the scriptures end in him, who was before they
were spoken forth.
P. ' That the scripture is the way to God, and that the scripture was
the ground of faith.'
A. The ground of faith is Christ ; the apostle bids the saints look to
him, who was the author and finisher, not to the scripture, but to Christ
the author of their faith, the ground of it. And Abrahap, and Enoch,
and Abel had faith before scripture was written: so they who have faith,
are of Abraham, and they witness Abraham's ground. And the Jews
had scriptures, but had not faith, nor the ground: so your faith that
hath no other ground but the scriptures, is like unto the Jews.' And
Christ is the way to God, who was before the scriptures were written,

463
who fulfils the prophets, Abraham, and David's words. And the Jews
had scriptures, but stood against Christ Jesus the light, the way tp God,
as all you do that stand against the light. AndAbraham, and Abel, and
Enoch had the way to God before the scripture was written, and Christ
Jesus is the way to God. Christ saith, ' I am the way,' to the Jews who
had the scriptures.
P. ' That there is no perfection to be attained to, while people live
upon earth.'
A. Then by thy doctrine Christ is not attained to while man lives,
which is contrary to the apostle's and Christ's own doctrine, who said,
'I in you, and you in me:' and ' Christ in you the hope of glory.' And
then none abide in the vine by thy account, which is Christ; and none
bear fruit to the glory of God who abide not in the vine, and who
abide in the vine, abide in the perfection of God; and thou art contrary
to the ministers of Christ, whose work was for the perfecting of the
saints. P. ' That justification and sanctification differs.'
A. Justification and sanctification are one; for Christ who is the
justification and sanctification is one, and it is thou that differest from
him. P. ' That the word of faith in the heart, spoken of in Romans x. is
the scriptures.'
A. The apostle doth not say so; for many had the scriptures, and
were under- the law, and knew not the word of faith, the gift of God.
P. He said, ' The scripture leads into all truth.'
A. This is contrary to scripture; for the scripture saith, 'the spirit
of truth shall lead you into all truth;' this is the promise of Christ, and
Christ's words. And Abraham and Enoch had their leader, to Christ
and to God, before the scripture was given forth. Oh! that ever men
should be set up to be teachers, that are so blind concerning the scrip
tures, and receive so many thousand pounds a year for teaching ! And
the Jews had scriptures, and, as you Christians are now, were not led
into all truth; therefore are you all in heaps about them, wanting the
spirit to lead you into all the truths of them.
P. He said, ' that Christ, and the Father, and the holy ghost, are
not one; but they are three, therefore distinct'
A. This is the denying of Christ's doctrine, who said, ' I and my
Father are one';' and the holy ghost proceeds from the Father and the
son, and he was conceived by the holy ghost, and they are all one,
and not distinct, but one in unity; that which comes out from him,
leads the saints into all truth, (that ever was given forth from the spirit
of truth,) and so up unto God the Father of truth, and so goes back
again from whence it came.

464
P. ' It is blasphemy to say the son is one with the Father, and not
distinct from him.'
A. The Father and the son are one, the son is in the Father, and
the Father in the son, so that which is in him, is not distinct from him;
and they blaspheme that say the son is not in the Father, and deny
Christ's doctrine.
P. He said, ' The Father is a distinct incommunicable being from
the son, and the son a distinct incommunicable being from the Father,
and the holy ghost a distinct incommunicable being from the son.'
A. The son is one, and in unity with the Father, and not dis
tinct, but equal, and thought it not robbery.v The holy ghost is in
unity with the son and the Father, which proceeds from them, and they
are one in unity, and not distinct. Thy doctrine is dross, and you
priests are not fit to judge in such things as they are, they are too
weighty, and too heavy for you.
P. He affirmed, ' that the scripture is the power of God, and that
the scripture is the gospel.'
A. The power of God led them that spoke forth the scriptures; and
the power of God is Christ, and the power of God endures for ever;
but scripture is writing, and doth not; and the gospel is the power of
God, say the scriptures, and they do not say that the scripture is the
gospel; for many had that, and witnessed not the glad tidings. And so
thou art here distinct from the ministers of the gospel, and art not a
minister of it, which is the power of God, but puts writings for it;
which power of God was before writings were.
P. He affirmed, 'that the Father was the Creator, and not God.'
A. This is contrary to the scripture. For 'in the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth;' the Father arid God is one, the
maker of all things; for God the Father that made the world, saith the
apostle, Gal. iv. 6. is 'one God and Father of all.'
P. He said, ' that Christ was not his rule, but the scripture was his
rule.' A. I do believe thee that Christ is not thy rule; so life is not thy
rule, wisdom is not thy rule, truth is not thy rule; and so Christ not
being thy rule, thou art ignorant of scriptures, and knowest them not ;
for he who is the substance of the scriptures, is not thy rule ; so thou
knowest them not, neither art subject to them.
P. He saith, 'that God justifieth them that are not sanctified.'
A. He that is justified is sanctified, for he that justifieth, sanctifieth.
P. And another priest saith, ' that Christ was not the resurrection
of the body.'
A. Christ is the resurrection and the life, and the saviour of the"
body, who brings the creature into the liberty of the sons of God.

'465

The priests of Lancashire, their principles.
Priest Jacus, the foreman of them, said, ' the letter and the spirit
were inseparable.'
A. Contrary to the apostle, 2. Cor. ' The letter kills, and the spirit
gives life.' And we are ministers not of the letter, but of the spirit;
so the spirit that ends the letter, was before the letter was; and men
may have the letter, and not the spirit, and deny the ministers there
of. And the apostle said, they were one another's epistles written in
one another's hearts, not with paper and ink, but with the spirit of the
living God. And so you are contrary to the ministers of Christ; and
if every one who hath the letter, hath the spirit, what need you
teach? your teachings are at an end, for the spirit will open to you the
scriptures.

The professors' principles at Westmoreland. Edward Briggs the
leader of them, said,
P. ' It was heresy and deceiving the people, to bid people believe
in the power of God.'
A. Then they must not believe in Christ who is the power of God;
and it is not heresy nor deceiving of people, to bid them believe in the
power of God, which is Christ, but they are in the heresy and deceiv
ing state, that do not believe in the power of God; and are deceiving
people, and keep them all in heaps under the power of the devil, and
so to believe in that, which is the cause of people's destroying and
persecuting One another.
P. And others of the professors said, ' that God had no hand in
working out his salvation.'
A. This is contrary to scripture, ' for God was in Christ reconciling
the world to himself.' And God is the author of salvation, who sent
his son into the world to be a leader, a captain, a teacher, and a re
deemer, and a covenant. And there is no name by which men must
be saved, but by this name.

EUet and Crabs' principle, who are Baptists. ;/
P. That it was blasphemy for any one to say, he was justified by

466
a Christ within him; and that if they should look to a light within
Jhey should not have peace an hour.'
A. If Christ be not within you to justify, you are reprobates, for he is
both justification and sanctification, and you looking at the light within,
it will not let you have peace, but will let you see your works, actions,
deeds, thoughts, and words, which you have acted and spoken. Now
the saints' peace is in the light which is within; for the light is Christ,
the covenant of God.

Priest Fowler, of Reading, his principle.
P. He said, ' that the scripture was the foundation of foundations.'
A. Here thou hast thrown out Christ, who is the tried stone, and the
sure foundation, and not the scripture; but the scriptures declare of it
by the prophets and the apostles; and no other foundation can any man
lay but what is laid, Christ Jesus. And thou hast laid another foun
dation, and so art contrary to the prophets and apostles, and thy work
will come into the fire; for God laid the foundation of the waters,
which is not scripture. God laid the foundation, so that all men in the
lost state, all the sons of Adam that are in the transgression, might
come to build upon him the foundation, Christ Jesus. When wise men
are turned backward, and the soothsayers and enchanters are gone
mad, and the chaff scattered, and all makers of trades of Christ and the
apostles' words, Babel, and the builders fall, the foundation of God,
Christ Jesus, remains; they who are built on him are sure, and remain.
P. Priest Goodgroom, and the priest of Ware, affirmed and said, ' the
scriptures were both the writings and the thing signified.'
A. By this the scripture is Christ, and God, and spirit, and life, and
saviour, and devil, and hell, and error, and blasphemy by your princi
ple and doctrine, which is all false, for the scripture is not error, nor
blasphemy, nor heaven, nor hell, nor Christ, but declares of these
things. How have you led people in the ditch, ye blind guides, they
are wallowing in their sins in the mire, and crying out of them, and
then you tell them they shall never be made free from them while
they are upon earth, making a trade of saints' words !
P. ' That Christ justified persons, excluding and setting aside the new
birth and work of sanctification.'
A. Justification sets not aside the work of sanctification, nor the new
birth, but is one with it; for justification is sanctification; for they who

467
are justified, it is by Christ, who is the sanctifier, and they who are in
him, witness the new birth; for as many as receive him, Christ, who
doth enlighten every one that comes into the world: as many as re
ceive him, to them he gives the ' power to become the sons of God.'
And those who hate the light which they are enlightened with, this is
their condemnation: ' for this is the condemnation, that light is come
into the world; but men love darkness rather than light, because their
deeds are evil.'
P. ' That the letter is the word:' and denies ' that any were converted
by a light within.'
A. The principle of God hath been transgressed within, so comes
unconversion and going from God, and the higher power added upon
the transgressor. The law, and they who had it, had the types, figures,
and shadows, which made nothingperfect; but the bringing in of a bet
ter hope did, which hope is Christ within; and none are converted to
God out of types, figures, and shadows, out of transgression, out of
Adam's state in the fall, and know the renewing of the inward man,
life and immortality come to light, but as they come to know the light
within, Christ, who is the way to God; and he who is in him, is in
conversion, translation, and regeneration, in a new life, serving God.
And the scripture" or letter is not the word, Christ is the word; and they
that had the letter, killed him who was before the letter was; who
were the blind priests and Pharisees, like yourselves.
P. ' That Christ justified sinners as sinners.'
A. Christ justifies them as they have been sinners, and come from it,
in the faith ; for by faith are they justified: and faith purifies them from
their sin, but they that hate the light which Christ hath enlightened them
withal, are condemned by it, and that is the world's condemnation, the
light, in which light the saints witness their justification, and see Christ
the author of their faith.

Lamb in the city of London, the Baptists' teacher, and some ofhis
company. Their principles as follows.
P. He affirmed, ' that the scripture was the kingdom of heaven, and
that the scripture was the light of the Lamb.'
A. The kingdom of heaven is within people, as in Luke xvii. And
the Pharisees had scripture, and knew not the kingdom of heaven
within them, but were gazing for it without them; as thou art

468
gazing without, and sayst, the scripture is it* when the scripture doth
but declare of it, and tells people it is within them, and saith, Christ is
the light, and the scripture is a declaration of it.
P. Two of the Baptists said, ' that the light which doth enlighten
every one that comes into the world is a natural light, and Christ was
a natural man.'
A. The light which doth enlighten every one that comes into
the world is Christ the covenant of God, which was before the sun and
moon and stars were, "which were made by him, which are natural
lights; and Christ is not a natural man, nor was not; for a natural man
receiveth not the things of God, but they are foolishness unto him ; and
the things of God Christ did receive, and they were not foolishness
unto him.
P. Two Baptists affirmed, ' the Quakers denied the scriptures, be
cause they did not speak with a book in their hands.'
A. This is ignorance; for a man may speak the scripture, and have
never a book in his hand, though he does not name chapter and verse,
which are set up by men's wits; for the spirit that gave them forth
did not set them in a frame to please men's wills withal. And the
Quakers do not deny the scriptures, because they do not tell people
chapter and verse, and hold a book in their hand, but are come into
that Which it speaks of, into that which cannot be shaken: and here the
blind ignorance of the teacher appears, who can get no farther than the
chapter and verse, and book in the hand. And this is like the horse
which can find the pasture again when he hath been there: so when he
hath seen chapter and verse, he can find it again. This is not like them
who gave forth the scriptures, which they learned of God, and what
they had received of God, afterwards recorded; which now you and
the priests fall out about, and are in heaps, and have no unity with it
nor God, nor one with another, and would tear one another's flesh to
pieces about it; and here your spirits are tried.

William Greenhill, priest of Stepny, who makes a trade of the
scripture, his principle as followeth.
P. ' The scripture is the divine word and wisdom of God.'
A. Thou hast thrown out Christ in this, and put scripture in his
place, and given the scripture his name, who is the word, as in the Re
velation, 'Whose name is called the word of God,' who is the wisdom
of God, and this the scripture testifies of, as in the Corinthians, John,
and the Revelations.

469
P. William Stanley, a tutor to children, said, ' that'some had a privi
lege to sin, and yet were free from the condemnation of the law by
the sufferings of Jesus.'
A. But none have a privilege to sin from God, but from the devil;
for it is contrary to the law of God; for the law doth not tolerate any
such thing, nor the son of God, who was made manifest to destroy the
devil and his works, and to condemn sin in the flesh, so no one hath a
privilege to commit sin but from the devil, and there is no privilege to
sin, from God.

A book called, ' The Relation of the Quakers' Shaking,' those whose
names are to it, are John Gilpin, Thomas Craster, Thomas
Sands, John Archer, Edw. Turner, priest Walker.
Who are like unto Jannes and Jambres who resist the truth, being
men of corrupt minds, who blaze abroad in the nation to make truth
odious, and to possess the hearts of people, by means of some that turn
from truth. First, John Gilpin, who was made by truth to confess his
sin, and had openings, and then turned from the truth again, to the
persecutors, this Gilpin was these men's convert, who were most of
them the greatest persecutors in the north. And after John Gilpin had
turned from the people called Quakers, to these men whose names are
to the book, he turned drunkard, and being drunk, a warrant was
granted out for him, by a justice of the peace; and yet these men whose
names are to this book, styled this man one of their high converts, but
according to their works their reward will be.
P. John Gilpin said, 'While he was with the Quakers, he never found
such effects among the ministers of England, as he did amongst the
Quakers, ofthe discovery of his sin, in particular of his covetousness,
which had a great long root in him.' And all these men whose names
are in the book, term this of the devil, and this is their judgment, be
cause John Gilpin ran out in his imaginations; therefore that which
discovers to a man all his sins and his covetousness, is of the devil. Oh
no, my friends, you have wrong judged, and you will fail at last in what
you have judged, and what you have justified ; and that which discovers
your sin and filth, and covetousness, that which discovers the devil,
who is the author of it, is the light and life of Jesus Christ And so in
stead of saying the Quakers are shaking, you are shaking yourselves,
and your foundation made known, not to be the foundation of Jesus
Christ, the light that discovers sin. And when the true thing did
convince and work in John Gilpin, then his imaginations ran out; and
you and he, call it delusion to hearken to the voice within, and yet
Vol. III. 59

470
you and John Gilpin say, that he was in some measure raised to be
lieve that God would deliver him, and yet it is delusion, to hearken
to the voice within.
A. What confusion is here amongst you and your convert ! Doth
any believe or come to deliverance or faith, but he who hears the light
within, and who hears the voice within, that bears witness within ?
Doth not he that believes hearken to the witness in himself, and hath
he not it there? And is not faith in the heart? and is any deliverance
known, but what is known from that within? And thus you poor de
luded creatures are glad to trust in lies, and make them your refuge.
P. He saith, ' he began to consider how he had offended God, by
his neglect of the use of external means, reading, hearing, and prayer,
and rejecting the revealed will of God in his word, and hearkening to
the voice of God only within.'
A. Are reading and praying in the spirit external means? is this
your judgment, all you priests, and teachers, and great professors, found
in this book ? Can any pray but in the spirit, and read the scriptures so
as to know them again, but in the spirit ? and is not that eternal ? Can
any man know the revealed will of God, and his word, but by the
spirit? Is not the word in God? is not Christ the word? 'his name is
called the word of God,' and can any know these things but by the
voice within ? which voice is the spirit, the spirit of the Father speak
ing in believers, the saints, which led them to speak forth the scrip
tures. So when that voice was neglected, then was John confused, as
you all are now that speak against it; so that whatsoever filth and dirt
you run into, you will father it upon the voice within, or the light, and
Christ within. But you are comprehended and seen, who are now flown
to those external means you tell people of, and that your prayers and
reading are external; we do believe you, who are all out. of the spirit.
But if ever any of you come to know God, and true praying in the
spirit, you will deny your principle. And we do believe your means
are external, and your prayers external, without the spirit of God. And
this Gilpin who had been thus a covetous and grievous sinner, whom
the Lord smote that he came to be almost a distracted man, after he
had got a little ease from under the judgment, his flight being in the
winter, he goes to the priests and professors, who are here mentioned
in the book, enemies of all righteousness, and presently turns a drunk
ard; and a justice of the peace granted a warrant to set him in the
stocks, and so he passed away about thirty miles off to Cacebie. And
this is Gilpin's Lord; who was convicted, by the truth, of his covetous
ness, and his sin, who run into his imaginations, whose latter end is worse
than his beginning. And this is the convert of these many persecuting
professors and teachers, who to their shame have published it, which

471
comes atop of their own heads, and truth is clear, and filth is wiped
and wiping away, and the refuge of lies is flying away that people
shall not make them their refuge. And those persecuting professors and
priests take occasion to speak of one James Milner, in whom the Lord
did open true prophecies, and mighty things to him, but in some things
his mind ran out, and that he condemns; and yet these wicked men
will go tell the nation of it, so what will they have more of a man but
his life, for abundance they have cast into prison. And again these per
secuting professors and priests have published in one of their books to
the world of one Hugh Bisbrowne of buggery, who had some time
come to the Quakers' meetings, but was turned from them, and durst
not meet them, for he had been judged by the Quakers, before such
things were heard of him by them; and yet these filthy men will vili
fy truth with such things, that they might make it odious to the world.
But the sober people see all these things are but their envy. And again
these persecuting professors and teachers have put in their book, that
they have published to the world, one Cotten Crossland, and they say
he was a professed Quaker, and that he knew higher things than the
ministers, and that he hanged himself, and he was buried in a cross
way, and a stake was driven through him, that passengers might take
heed of quaking. This man I saw once at a meeting, and another
time in the rude multitude. The first time he said little, and the second
time he spoke something amongst the rude multitude, which the Qua
kers did not own; and he raised a grievous lie against G. F. and said,
he said he was Christ, which was on a market day among the market
people. This was the third time that ever I saw him amongst any of the
Quakers; and he told G. F. he had witness to prove it, and G. F. told
him, he was Judas; and he went away, and after awhile hanged himself.
And Christ in the male and female, he spoke of, was Christ the seed,
and the seed was Christ ; but he did not speak it, as of a creature. And
here is the priests' and professors' Quaker, who turned against the
Quakers, and would have betrayed them. But quaking we own, and
trembling, which you all must do, before you know your salvation
wrought out with fear and trembling. And many lies you have gather
ed up together and stuffed up your book withal, and make them your
refuge, and think the world will take refuge under them, but alack for
you! people begin to see it was nothing but envy in you. And it was
known that Gilpin was never long a Quaker, though the devil was
made to tremble in him. And the Lord will reward you according to
your work. The witness in your conscience shall answer it in you all
in the day of your judgment.

472

Thomas Collier, Nathaniel Strange, Thomas Glasseys; who call
themselves servants of Christ, in their paper to all the churches,
called ' Saints through the immortal seed.'
The churches and-saints who are of the immortal seed have viewed your paper and
your principles in it, as follows.
Y. You say, ' You have taken upon you to speak to God, though
dust and ashes,' and yet you said, you 'are saints through the immortal
seed.' A. You have forgotten what you have written before in your pre
face: who have taken upon you to speak to God, though dust and ashes,
yet say you are saints through the immortal seed: such as are saints
through the immortal seed, are not dust and ashes; for the immortal
seed lives, and abides, and endures for ever.
P. You say, ' you have been bewailing congregation iniquity, fa
mily iniquity, personal iniquity, and close iniquity; for by your search
you have found Sion full of unsoundness from the crown of the head
to the sole of the foot, all putrified sores; and now you call upon them
that tremble at the word of God, to come to you.'
A. You have cast them out that tremble at the word of God, and
have made them your by-word, and written and printed against them,
but the Lord hath appeared to their glory: and what kind of saints are
you, with your close iniquity, family iniquity, congregation iniquity,
and personal iniquity, and Sion from the head to the foot all full
of putrified sores, and no soundness from the head to the foot! and now
do you call to them that tremble at the word of God, whom you have
cast out, whom in scorn you have called Quakers? will you now turn
Quakers? do you begin to be ashamed?
P. 'Oh ! come and sit down in the dust, and weep bitterly before the
Lord for your abomination ! you have, as it were, but played with God,
you have not trembled at his presence; you have been wanton before
him, and have forgotten what manner of men and women you were;
and thought no more of your prayers. Oh ! how often have you mocked
God: how doth the world canker your affections, while you have been
asleep, in the lap of this Delilah !'
A. Thou hast even shamed thy church: dost thou call them saints
through the immortal seed, and say they mock God, and are asleep in
the lap of this Delilah ? and that the world hath cankered their affec
tions? Thou hast shamed thy church, calling them saints through the im
mortal seed, and yet they must weep bitterly. for their abominations,
and sit down in dust and ashes ! Are these like saints* sanctified ones, of

473
the immortal seed ? or like transgressors, the unsanctified ones, not
worthy to have the name saints? for such as mocked God, and
were in abominations, and must lament for it, were not sanctified,
nor were they come to know the immortal seed: but the saints and the
immortal seed, reigned over all mockers, and over sueh as were cank
ered with the world, and mocked God, and were in their abominations;
they came to reign over all that in the wisdom of God, with which
they ordered the creation to his glory. You call yourselves servants
of Christ. If your people be cankered and mockers of God, and in
the abominations, you have laboured in vain, and this shows you have
not profited them at all, but are false teachers.
P. You say you have 'reigning abominations, cruelty to servants
and children, exacting labours, taking no time to counsel them, and
have mourned that you have had so great a hand in this trespass, and
not borne testimony against your ministers.'
A. This hath been your condition; your fruits have declared it:
therefore it is time for you to repent, and amend your lives and doings,
and turn to the Lord; for while you have time, prize it, for you that
have stood against the ' light that doth enlighten every man that
comes into the world,' are not of the church of Christ; for none come
to it, but through the light.
P. ' Though slavish fear had stopped our mouths, until the mouth
of iniquity hath almost devoured the poor church of Christ'
A. The church of Christ is the pillar and ground of truth, it cannot
be devoured by the mouth of iniquity, the gates of hell cannot prevail
against it; but through your mouth of iniquity, enmity, and envy, you
have almost slain yourselves, who are turned against the truth: who
have not been slavish for it, but against it ; mad in your blind zeal ; the
mouth of iniquity hath been open in you, with all the world, against
the truth, but by the truth in a great measure it is stopped.
P. ' These evils have been so strong that they have wrested all
weapons out of the hands of saints and ministers, that have been form
ed against them.'
A. These have been pitiful weapons, that you ministers and saints
have had in your hands, that the evil wrested them out: they have
been carnal, not spiritual ; for the spiritual weapons the evil one cannot
wrest out of the hands of saints and ministers of God ; but by them
his holds, and high places, and spiritual wickedness, are plucked down ;
the evil dares not come nigh the saints' weapons, which are spiritual.
P. You say, ' We desire no longer to rest in a testimony of words,
but to take an effectual course, that sin and sinners may be purged out
ofthe house of God; we desire the church would set some days apart
wherein they may bewail iniquity and pollution; that ministering

174
brethren would, without respect of persons, from house to house, night
and day, bear their testimony to fly from those abominations.'
A. The church of God you know not, which is the pillar and ground
of truth, which Christ purchased with his blood, without spot or
wrinkle, or blemish ; and the house of God you know not, who talk
of purging it; which is established atop of all the mountains. And all
your abominations, and pollutions and respecting of persons, are out of
both the church and the law, and you are transgressors of it, and it is
time to begin to stir up yourselves and turn from the evil of your
ways, to Christ the light, who hath enlightened you, that you may
bear testimony against yourselves, and your ministers, and against
lightness and abominations in your own families. And do not say it is
the house of God, and the church of God, but amongst yourselves;
and we do believe your testimony is but the testimony of words, who
have denied the light, and so denied the power.
P. 'They may deliver themselves from the blood of souls, having
declared the whole counsel of God.'
A. Can dust and ashes, and cankered ones, and pollutions, and abomi
nations, can such declare the whole counsel of God? such are out of it,
for they that come into the counsel of God declare that; and come out
of pollutions, and from being cankered with the world, to him by whom
the world was made, who is perfect, and makes them perfect who de
clare his perfect will and counsel.
P. 'Another evil we thought to have spread before you, but wanting
opportunity, we shall now omit, and that from Chard; we have labour
ed in. vain, that which hath been brought forth hath been to little pur
pose.' A. This you may speak to your shame, and you show forth your
own nakedness that you have laboured in vain, and that which you have
brought forth hath been to little purpose; in this the church of Christ
believes you, who are they that have beaten the air. And why do you
print abroad that there is another evil among you which you have not
laid open? Had you not better have held your tongues, except you had
mentioned it? is not this Ham's spirit who lays open one another's
nakedness to the world in print ? But how can you do otherwise who
have denied the light ' that hath enlightened every man that comes into
the world,' which comes from Christ Jesus; and so want the cover
ing. And as for all your dirt, and dross, and dung, which is not worth
mentioning, in your epistle, and confused words, which you have set
forth, thinking it to your glory, but it is to your shame; had you been
in the life that gave forth the scriptures, which the saints that were of
the church were in, you would have covered your nakedness, and
would not have said that pollution was in the church, and in the house

475
of God. But for all these things you are judged, you and your epistle,
and your words to be unsavoury; they are judged by the life of God
that gave forth the scriptures, and by them that are of the house of
God, and the church of God, where no pollution nor canker is, nor
comes; the witness in your conscience shall answer it in the day of the
Lord.

A paper, called ' The Judgment and Advice of the Assembly ofthe
Associated Ministers. By us, Richard Baxter, Sec. Pastor of
the Church of Kidderminster.' Their principles in it follow.
P. ' That ever there should be so much to do among christians, yea,
the leaders of Christ's flock, to bring them to so clear a duty, that
after all their labour, there is no more done !'
A. You have been them that God never sent, and are found to be
such as Christ cried wo against, and so you have not profited the peo
ple at all, and you have not been the leaders of Christ's flock, but have
been such as turned against them; that hath been your duty; therefore
are all the people on heaps.
P. ' That all men must know that we are Christ's followers, if we
love one another; for he that saith he loves God and hates his brother,
is a liar.'
A. In this, poor men, you have judged your ownselves; for are not
debate, and strife, and vain glory, and persecution, and prisoning,
found among you? Cain turning against his brother Abel, and slaying
and killing him, whose blood cries for vengeance upon you? So it is
a proof that you are out of the faith that works by love, in which are
the community and love with God, and one with another. And so in
stead of making up breaches, you are wounding, and bringing confu
sion, being out of the faith and life that Christ and the apostles were
in; so you are in heaps about their words.
P. 'It is not our business to change men's minds, from infidels and
heresy to the faith; but to bring the churches of Christ to understand
each other to be true churches, which take the holy scriptures for our
rule of faith and life, and believe it to be the infallible word of God;
and this rule is divine, so our faith is divine; had we but a human rule
we could have but a human faith; proud men thrust their opinions into
the church's creed. '
A. Your business, it is true, is not to change men frpm infidels and
heresy, and to bring them to the faith, so not into the unity ; for you
bring no people into that, nor to the faith, and you do not bring the

476
churches to know one another in the faith, and the churches of Christ
know each other to be true churches, and you whose business is not to
bring men off from heresy to faith, know not the church of Christ,
which is the pillar and ground of truth, built upon Christ, who is the
author of faith. And the scriptures, which signify writings, outward wri
tings, with paper and ink, are not, as you say, infallible, nor are they
divine, but human, and men get a human knowledge from them ; and so
writings with paper and ink are not infallible, nor is the scripture the
ground of faith, but Christ, who was before the scripture was written;
this the scripture tells you, and that God is divine; and the scriptures
are the words of God, which Christ, the word, ends, who is the author
of the faith. And Abraham and Enoch had a rule, and had faith, before
scripture was written, and the spirit is the rule that leads people into
all truth, so saith Christ; and you put the letter for the ground of your
faith, your rule is paper and ink, that will come to dust, it is human as
you call it, and you give it that which the scripture doth not. And as
for your creed, that you have learned of your father the pope, the scrip
tures tell you not that, neither do they teach you the word human; so
you and the Papists have crept into the apostles' words, but are out
of the life, and are proud and covetous.
P. 'That it is heresy to say there is another rule of faith than the
scriptures, and if any are proved to teach any doctrine contrary to
scriptures, let the ministers and pastors do their parts to correct and
restrain them.'
A. You by your judgment have judged yourselves to be corrected
by the ministers and pastors, and to be restrained by your own judg
ment, whp have taught contrary to the scriptures; for the scriptures say
Christ is the author of faith, and faith is the gift of God. And you say
scripture is the rule, but Abraham, and Enoch, and Abel, will tell you
they had faith before they had the scripture, which you say is your
rule. So, have you not thrown out the true rule of faith, and the giver
of it, and put the words in the place? and so are ye not corrected
here by the true pastor, Christ the author of faith? And faith is the gift
of God. The apostle did not say scripture was the ground of it, but
bid look to Jesus the author of it; and the apostles did not turn such
to the ministers to be corrected that opposed them, or did not believe
them, nor receive them as they spoke, or that went from them. And
all they are in the heresy that have not Christ, the author of their faith,
which Was before the scripture was given forth; and though they have
all the scriptures, they are not in the life of them that gave them forth,
in which was the unity. And therefore you, being out of this faith and
unity, and frdm the author of it, put the letter for the rule, are all on
heaps about the saints' words, being out of the life that they had that

477
spoke forth the scriptures, which were afterwards written and printed.
And so ye wolves in sheep's clothing put that for the rule of your dead
faith, and have no other, and are killing and mangling one another
about it, and so death and destruction talk of the fame of the scrip
tures, arid know not the author of faith, nor would have known that
there had been a faith, had not the scripture declared it; the priests
confess it.
P. 'We deny not, that in order to teach people and young ministers
to stop the mouths of slanderous adversaries, to cure the jealousies of
distempered minds, we all are ready in every Protestant church, tp give
men a full account of our faith, in plain confession: but with this pro-,
testation, that the holy scriptures only are the rule of faith: if any thing
in our confession be found disagreeable to that rule, we are ready, when
we understand so much, to disown it, and to correct it'
A. How do you stop their mouths in haling them before magistrates,
and casting them into prisons, is this your stopping? is not this your
work? Let the jails and the houses of correction witness how you
have stopped their mouths, and convinced gainsayers! Now, that which
is truth, and they who speak plainly to you, ye call adversaries or
slanderers. NoW it is not a slander to call a lamb, a lamb, a dog, a dog,
or swine, swine; but to say a lamb is a swine, a dog is a sheep, that is
a lie; or that a wolf is a sheep, though he hath got a sheep's clothing
on him, and therefore would be called a sheep that he may deceive,
and would not be called a wolf, though his fruits declare it. Notwith
standing his reviling, devouring, having sheep's clothing, and casting
into prison, yet he is offended if ye call him not a sheep, or a minister
of the gospel of Christ.
Nay, the truth, the lambs, the sheep cannot do so, but they
must speak the truth to you ; and though you devour them, and tear
them, they will not tear you again: and though you wolves have on
the sheep's clothing, you cast into prison because they will not feed
you. Did ever the lambs do so', the. ministers of Christ? Were not
they fed in his pasture ? followed him, and knew his voice, and did
not want? But how have you cured the jealousies and diseased minds
all this while? You have wounded them, made them sick, and filled
them full of jealousies ; therefore are the people broken into heaps and
sects, which are the fruit of jealousies one of another. And how have
you been ready, you who are called teachers, who are apostatized from
the apostles, to render to every Protestant church a full account of
your faith in plain confession, when many hundreds have been moved
of the Lord God to come into those places called churches, and ask
you a question, you have cried, ' Take him away, magistrate; to prison
Vol. III. 60

478
with him; he hath broken the law, neighbours ;' and this hath showed;
your faithlessness. And many have been moved to come to the steeple-
house,and look the priest in the face, and he hath cried, ' take him away,
I cannot go forward, I cannot speak as long as he stands there ;' and
here you have showed your faithlessness again, wanting the weapons,
the shield of faith.
But you say again, they must own the holy scriptures to be the rule
of faith. So then not Christ, not God, the author! What rule might
Abraham, and Abel, and Enoch own? was not God the author of their
faith? And is he not the same now? Had not the Pharisees the scrip
tures? Had not they the rule, who stood against Christ the author of
faith, and who is the rule which the saints looked at? Are not they
that are of faith, of the faith of Abraham, which was before the scrip
ture was written? Was the scripture the ground of this? Nay, the
ground of these was that which was before the scripture was written,
and they were in the faith that stood in God that gave forth the scrip
tures; and so here both you and your churches are corrected by the
scriptures. For all may speak one by one in the true church; but
this authority you have thrown down, who are such as preach for
the fleece, and the filthy lucre, and gain from your quarters, who are
called of men masters, suing for tithes, going to law about earthly
things, which the apostles did not, but rebuked such: and so you are
corrected by the scriptures, and you are judged with the life of the
prophets, Christ, and the apostles ; and both church and ministers are
departed from it.

The agreement and resolution of several of the associated ministers
in the county of Cork, for the ordination of ministers. Their
principles in it as follow.
P. 'To minister the spirit, it is not promised to teach any thing but
what Christ hath spoken. John makes it an infallible trial of spirits
to convince gainsayers and stop their mouths.'
A. Many may have Christ's words, all that ever he hath spoken,
and if they have not the spirit of Christ they are none ofhis. And gain
sayers that gainsay the spirit may have Christ's words, and the light
that comes from them: so the spirit that gave forth the scriptures, tries
the spirits and lets men see whether they pervert Christ's words. For
Christ saith, that the false prophets would get the sheep's clothing;
therefore could antichrist and'the false prophets try spirits? Nay, they
put them to death that were in the spirit: and he who hath the spirit
of Christ, can tell who wrongs Christ's words. And why did not the

479
ministers of Ireland, who had Christ's and the prophets' and apostles'
words, stop the mouths of Edward Burrough and Francis Howgill,
but suffered or caused them to be banished out of the nation. You
looked upon them to be gainsayers, who are the servants ofthe Lord;
and yet you were not able to stop their mouths, though you had all the
sheep's clothing,neitherwere able to resisttheirspirit; which showsyour
spirit, and that you are not fit to send forth ministers, nor make ministers,
nor try ministers. And the apostle doth not say, that the letter is the only
rule or trial; but if people have not the spirit of Christ, they are none of
his, and if they have not Christ in them they are reprobates. And we
do witness that the spirit is come, whereby we are ministers of that,
not of the letter: for the spirit that once established circumcision, the
same spirit ended it again. Now the Jews that tried by the letter,
judged the apostle to be a deceiver. And those that have the sheep's
clothing, and have not the spirit of Christ Jesus, they are crying, ' lo
he is here,' and ' lo he is there.'
P. You tell us of ' a sacrament, and that the world lies in wicked
ness, in gross Egyptian darkness, and of false ajbostles and Jezebel,
making herself a prophetess to teach and seduce, and men loving pre
eminence are tb be called masters.'
A. In this state you are called of men masters, loving pre-eminence,
Jezebel like, usurping authority, setting up yourselves to teach, keep
ing your fasts, persecuting and banishing the righteous, you are in the
steps ofthe false apostles, in spiritual Egypt, in gross thick darkness,
rejoicing with the world that lies in wickedness, telling people of
your sacraments, which you had from your "father the pope, and the
false apostles your forefathers, who were got up before the apostles'
decease, and so you are judged with the life of the apostles and Christ,
and by them that are in it; which shall answer the witness of God in
you all. And the wickedness of the world declares your fruits, that
you have not profited the people at all. And your Jezebel's doings
hath declared itself, and your loving pre-eminence, being called of men
masters, which the apostle judged, and Christ cried wo against: these
marks are found in your foreheads, that all that can read the scripture,
may read you to be out of the life of Christ and the apostles.
P. ' Unless some preacher of righteousness be then living to warn the
sinful world of their wickedness.'
A. Such as are the preachers of righteousness, who warn you and the
sinful world of their wickedness, you banish, these are your fruits.
P. ' The purest grain hath its chaff, the best needs a fan to cleanse
them, the best needs a Nathan, all flesh is liable to fly-blows. To run
without office and power argues presumption.' ^
A. The wheat that is gotten out of the chaff, hatn not its chaff, that

480
comes into the garner : and such as are cleansed, need not the fan to
cleanse them. ' They that are born of God do not commit sin,' for
the seed of God remains in them, that they cannot. And all need
not a Nathan, all are not adulterers ; and the flesh of Christ which sees
not corruption, is not fly-blown: and the saints of Christ are of his
flesh and his bone; and you run without the power that the apostles
were in, so you judge yourselves by the presumptuous ones.
P. ' The sheep are apt to wander ; ordinary ministers receive their
ministry from the Lord. Paul chosen immediately by God, Stephen
mediately.' A. In the cloudy dark day, the sheep wandered, who were made a
prey of by you, who seek for the fleece. Ezek. xxxiv. But the Lord
will seek them, and gather them, and feed them atop of the mountains,
And the sheep of Christ hear his voice, and follow him, so saith Christ;
so they do not wander. And they that receive their ministry from the
Lord, are above all your ordinary ministers of the world made by men.
And Paul was made immediately, and all the ministers of Christ and
God that are in the spirit, it makes them immediately. But all you,
since the days of the apostles, that have got the sheep's clothing, and
ravened from the spirit of God, are mediate.
P. ' Such are in the self-conceit that are against ordinances and sab
baths. ;
A. Every one that is in the spirit of Christ sees him who hath blotted
out the hand writing of ordinances, and triumphed over them, and
therefore cannot touch them; and such as are come to the body of
Christ, see the end of new moons and sabbaths. And such as are out
' 6f the body, and do not see that, are crying up their ordinances and
sabbath, which the body of Christ comes to end, who is the substance
and end of them, and was before they were. Now antichrist cries up
that which the apostle preached down, who are blind and see not the
body, and set up sabbaths of their own making, and keep markets and
fairs on that day which the Lord commanded, and call it Saturn's day,
which was the Jews' sabbath, which was given to them as a sign ; but
the body is Christ.
P. ' Vice may be nourished with the milk of virtue, the gospel mi
nisters ; and we find that the harvest is great, and the labourers are few.
We conclude with a few words to the readers of our principles and
intended practices.'
A. The readers have viewed your practices and principles both, and
tell you that they are corrupt, the milk of virtue doth not nourish vice.
This was not the ministers of Christ's language ; the milk of virtue
nourisheth the babes ; and the labourers that have been sent, amongst
you from the Lord God, you have banished out of the nation. But if

481
one come in his own name, him you will regard and receive; but if one
come in the name of the Lord, him you put out. So you will not have
the Lord, nor hip Christ, to reign, neither his servants to labour in his
vineyard. P. ' Ministry is like a mighty tree, whose fruit the Lord hath ap
pointed for the healing of the nations.'
A. But your and the Papists' ministry hath been got up since the
days of the apostles, that brings nations all into heaps, and into blood,
and doth not heal the nations, but wounds, and burthens, and kills, and
casts into prison, as this your fruit declares, who casts into prison such
as you do no work for. ¦
P. ' To the law and to the testimony; pray to the Father of lights
that he would enlighten us with his truth, and show us the way that he
would have us to walk in; and pray for us who watch for your souls,
as those that must give account.'
A. ' The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy :' and ' the law is
light,' and the law and testimony was before Matthew, Mark, Luke,
and John, and before the Epistles were written, and the Revelations,
which outward books you call law and testimony; but the scripture
saith, ' The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy;' and ' the law
is light' Prov. vi. Are you them that are the makers of ministers,
and ministers, who watch for the souls of people, and yet do you bid
people pray to the Father that he would enlighten you with his truth,
and show you the way that you may walk in ? How can you present
souls to God, that do not know the way, and are yet to be enlightened,
and yet to have the way showed to you, that you might walk in it? Is
this the conclusion of all you ministers in Ireland? Now I say, Christ
hath enlightened every man who comes into the world, which is the
way, and though your darkness cannot comprehend it, yet you pray
that he would enlighten you. John saith, he doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world, and that is the true light. Have you the
light to seek, and the way to seek, and truth to seek, and yet are you
watchers for souls? And you that are called ministers say, the soul is
human; yea, the soul of Christ; the soul of man is appetite, and lust,
and pleasure, and human, from the earth, from the ground. Is Christ's
soul from the ground ? and appetite, lust, and pleasure war against the
soul, in them that are in the unreasonableness. You that have the light
to seek, truth to seek, and way to seek, are in the earth, and so give
the soul the name of that which comes from the ground/ Now the
soul is immortal; ' God breathed into man the breath of life, and he be
came a living soul.' It is that which came out from God, who hath all
souls in his hand, that is his power; which goes against him that doth
evil. And Christ the power of God, which is immortal, is the soul's

482
bishop, from whence it hath its nourishment, and which is able to save
the immortal soul.
And as for all the rest of your ignorance and nonsense in your book,
which comes from your confused earthly spirit, who are found in the
nature, spirit, and stock of your father the pope, who hath apostatized
since the days of the apostles; with all the rest of your stuff, which is
but fuel for the fire, in the day of your account, the witness in all your
consciences shall answer it

John Stillom's book, called 'Margin Notes' His principles as fol
low.
P. He calls it the ' Quakers adoring their own light, magnifying the
light of nature.' ' The church is ashamed of your doctrine and walk
ing,' saith he.
A. The Quakers' light is Christ the truth, in whom they worship
God; which light was before natural lights were; and this the church
owns, and is not ashamed of; in which stands the doctrine, by which
light the church is gathered up unto God the Father of light ; but the
imitated churches in the apostacy are ashamed of it.
P. ' Not any man knows him,' speaking of Christ, ' to be God, until
he find him in scripture,' and saith, ' as deep things as the spirit hath
revealed, they are all in the scripture.'
,A. Many knew God, and knew Christ, and yet had not written
scripture to tell them of those things, as Enoch and Abel; and many
again have scripture speaking of God and Christ, and yet do not know
God and Christ, and do not find him in scripture. As for instance,
the Pharisees who had the scripture, knew not God and Christ, and
had not life, until they came to Christ the scripture speaks of; and many
things the spirit did reveal which were not written in the scriptures,
and were spoken to the saints.
P. ' John meaneth not that there was any substantial truth necessary
to be known to salvation, which is not revealed in the written word;
but the spirit ordered the copies and mysteries of the gospel to be con
tracted within a narrow compass of lines.'
A. Many knew their salvation, as in the days of Noah, Enoch and
David, who had not the written scriptures. And though people have
the copies that speak of the gospel, and of the mysteries of the gospel,
put together, and compassed and contracted into lines, yet they do not
know the gospel, nor the mysteries of it, nor the word, though the
scriptures testify of these things; and the Pharisees did not, that had

483
scripture; which scripture doth not tell us of written words, but that tho
Word is Christ and God, which was in the beginning before words were
given forth. And the gospel, and salvation, and the mysteries of it, are
known by the spirit, and the light which comes from Christ Jesus, and
none knows them but by that.
P. Stillom adds, 'not only heart rising prophecy, nor breast prophecy
in the mind, but written down in books. The apostle excludes not
heart prophecy, so he includes scripture prophecy; but till the day-
star did arise in their minds by reading and heeding ofthe scriptures;
that is plain meaning.'
A. The scriptures were given forth by prophecy, and the spirit of
it, and no man knows them but by the same spirit; and the apostle did
not exclude heart prophecy; and the day-star doth not rise in the
heart by men's reading and heeding the scriptures in their own wills,
and having them written down in books; but as men come to the life
and spirit that they were in who gave them forth, and heed that, with
that they heed scripture, and know scripture, and with that they know
the day-star, and Christ who is the end of them; and so men must
come to take heed to the light that shines in a dark place, before they
know the day-star arise. For the Jews had scripture, and did not heed
that; for the spirit of prophecy within doth not deny any title of the
scripture without. And in thy principle thou hast confounded thyself,
who sayst, 'Not heart prophecy, heart rising, breast prophecy;' and
yet thou sayst, ' the apostle doth not exclude heart prophecy.' And thus
thou with thy new names, and thy words, darkenest counsel and know
ledge; but the children of light see thee.
P. ' The Father, word, and spirit, are to justify the word trinity,
not to make the holy spirit and the saints one person.'
A. The word trinity is not in the scripture, but in your old father's
book, the canon book, the pope; and the Father, son, and spirit are
one, and the saints are in the spirit; and those who are joined to the
Lord, are one spirit. And the scripture doth not tell us of three per
sons ; but, as I said before, the old canon book of thy father, the great
apostate, the pope.
P. 'The light that Adam was qualified with before the fall, which
every man hath a spark of since the fall, was and is given from the
creation by things that are made.'
A. Thelight Adam had beforethe fall,did not come by the creation, nor
by the things that are made; if it were given from the creation, it comes
by nature. This word is contrary to scripture ; for God made man in
his image, and placed him over all the creatures, and gave him an un
derstanding capable of his law, and to know dominion ; but when man

484
lost his dominion, he transgressed his law; and that light that he had
before the fall, was of God, from him that made all things.
P. ' The scripture is the means of regeneration. If, the blind lead
the blind, what will follow? it is proof sufficient against absolute per
fection in this life, as Adam and the angels.'
A. They that had the scriptures, and were out of the life that gave
them forth, were the blind, and what followed then? And though Adam
and the angels fell, he who is in Christ, the perfection of God, shall
never fall, as also saith the apostle.
P. He saith, ' It is ignorance that saith, the light that makes sin
manifest, condemns sin.'
A. And that which makes a man's sin manifest, and he hates it, that
condemns him ; and he is ignorant that sees not Christ's doctrine, and
believes not in it.
P. ' To deny that sin dwelleth or remaineth in all the saints upon
earth, hath been the Quakers^ doctrine, the consequence whereof is to
disclaim all godly sorrow for sin dwelling in them.'
A. It is the Quakers' doctrine to deny all sin dwelling in the saints
upon the earth, and to know Christ who destroys the devil the author
of all sin ; and the saints come to witness their joy and pleasures for
evermore over their sin, and the body of it put off, and a kingdom.
which stands in joy and peace in the holy ghost, and the godly sorrow
before they come to this; and they do know victory over their sin ; and
Christ had the godly sorrow, who had no sin, and that many of the
saints know.
P. ' His word is not his spirit/
A. The word and the spirit are one, which word was before the
written words were given forth by the spirit of God, in which word
they all end ; and the word lives, and abides, and endures for ever, and
that is spiritual. And so the mystery of iniquity is found in thy doc
trine who art blind, and reads blindly, not with the spirit which was
in them that gave forth scriptures. And so thou art found a false pro
phet, in the steps of the Pharisees, one of the masters that Christ sets
the wo on their heads, who art ravening with the sheep's clothing,
upon thy back to deceive ; but now the lambs and the sheep have dis
covered thee, who art got up since the days of the apostles into their
words, not into their life, with that thou art judged. And whereas
thou art offended because Edward Burrough speaks chapter and verse,
the spirit that gave forth scriptures will lead to speak it all over again
without offence, but to the evil doers.
P. ' And if your teacher cannot but be public, how will you find
him in so private a place as your beds?'
A. The spirit that leads men to speak forth publicly, or to minister

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to themselves and others, the same is a private teacher to them on their
beds, as with David, whom the Lord instructed in the night season:
and that which the minister of the spirit doth minister unto, is a pri
vate teacher to every particular in his own particular. And the anoint
ing which abideth in people, John said, was their teacher, and they
needed no man to teach them, but as it did teach them, and they should
continue in the son of God and the Father. And here was public and
private teaching, which thou being blind canst not see.
And all thy lies and heap of confusion which thou wouldst blind
people with, shall stand upon thy head ; for the sun is risen, and the
mist is gone and going: in the day of thy judgment, the witness in
thy conscience shall answer.

Philip Taverner of West Drayton, in the county of Middlesex, his
principles as follows, in a reply to a book to Edward Burrough,
whom he in scorn calls Quaker.
P. 'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant ? such who lord
it over the faith and consciences of their brethren, a spirit wholly dis
owned by the apostle. Not that we have dominion over your faith;
and in this sin is that of Christ to be understood. Call no man your
father upon earth, neither be ye called of men master ; that is, have no
men's persons in admiration, as to count them your oracles in things
of faith.'
A. Such as serve the man of sin, are to be judged. We judge that
man and servant both. And such as are spoken of in the Romans, who
judge. another man's servant in the truth, standing and falling to his
master, every one in his measure, such we do not judge; but every
one shall stand or fall to his master, who are scrupling about meats, and
drinks, and days, that the life is leading through. And you that are
called of men master, who are counted great oracles amongst the peo
ple, you Iord.it overmen's faiths and consciences both; therefore hath
so much blood been shed through you, and so many cast into prison by
you, who are lording it over men's faiths and consciences, being, Pha
risee like, called of men master, who would have dominion over the
apostles' faith, and over the saints' faith, who are ' admiring men's per
sons because of advantage,' to help you. And this people see, how you
and the Papists, since the days of the apostles, have lorded it over men's
faiths, as your jails, inquisition, and prisons may witness, how you would
lord it over men's faith and conscience. Those that cannot give you
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tithes, you will cast into prison; are you not here lording it over men's
feiths? do not your practices show it, and so another spirit than the
apostles' is in you, who are got up since the days ofthe apostles. And
such as are born of God, and begotten of him, cannot call any man father
upon the earth, such as are born of the immortal seed, heirs of the
world which hath no end.
P. ' We through patience and comfort of the scriptures have hope.'
A. He who hath Christ in whom the scriptures end, hath the hope
and comfort of the scriptures, Christ who was before the scriptures
were given forth. He who hath not Christ Jesus hath not comfort.
P. ' The scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation.'
A. Without the faith the scriptures are not, for the Pharisees had
the scriptures, and were not wise unto salvation, but were out of the
faith, and knew not Christ the salvation.
P. ' Fear hath its rise from faith and hope in God, by the means of
Christ which is made known in the scriptures.'
A. The scriptures testify of faith, of God, of fear; but people receive
not hope, nor faith, nor God, nor fear, from the scriptures, but from
God, as they did that gave forth the scriptures, who feared him. For
many that had the scriptures, were out of the true fear of the Lord,
and called Christ a devil, and were from true hope and true fear, though
they had the scriptures given forth from them that were in hope and
fear; but their ears and eyes were stopped to that of God in them, and
such are never like to receive God and Christ until their ears and eyes
are open to that of God in them.
P. ' If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us; and there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and
sinneth not; and in many things we offend all. And the state is not at
tained in this life, but that men shall be groaning under weaknesses. The
highest attainments of saints, is but a spark, but the dawning of the
day; that highest enjoyments are not to the attainment of desires.'
A. It is the truth that lets men see they have sinned, and lets them
see they have sin within them, and it brings them to confess it, and
forsake it; and 'the blood of Jesus Christ, the son of God, cleanseth
from all sin.' Then ' he that is born of God doth not commit sin, neither
can he, because the seed of God remains in him: herein the children of
God are manifest, and the children of the devil,' which makes him to
roar. He that is born of God doth not commit sin, and cannot, because
he is born of God, he is not born of the devil, nor by the will of man,
nor by flesh and blood. And what Solomon saith, in Eccles. vii. speak
ing of the just man, is, that he doth no good under the law, by which, saith
the apostle, no flesh is justified. But he that comes to Christ, the end of
the law, his faith gives him victory over sin, whereby he becomes dead

487
to it, and comes to the end of the law; which faith the just live by, by the
life and the faith of the son of God. And the apostle saith in the epistle
to the twelve tribes, ' In many things we offend all.' Mark, in many
things we offend all; but we are come to the one thing, Christ Jesus,
the end of the many things, and in him there is no sin. And he sins
not who is in him, who put an end to the many things that must end
and change. And the saints'were come to the day, further than a spark,
and were the children of the day; and they witnessed the night was
gone; and some again were not come to the day-star, according to their
growth. And the saints again were made free from sin, Rom. vi. And
had put off the body of sin, by the circumcision of the spirit. Coloss.
ii. And they were complete in Christ; and they witnessed the king
dom of heaven, that stood in joy, and peace in the holy ghost, and so
were not groaning always. And the saints witnessed the marriage of the
lamb and Christ in them, and their bodies to be the temple of God,
and attained the end of their desires, and so were not always desiring,
but they witnessed their bread from above, which they that ate of should
hunger no more, nor thirst any more.
P. 'The light which is in every man is but darkness, being compared
with a revelation of Christ in the saints. Our justification hath its rise
from what Christ hath done and suffered for us, not from what he hath
done in us. Justification and sanctification are ever distinct in their na
ture, distinct one from the other; justification is not sanctification, nor
sanctification justification, but two things, really distinct in their na
ture.' A. The light which every man that cometh into the world is light
ened withal, is Christ, and this light reveals Christ, and is the saints'
light, and this light is condemnation to the world, which hates it. And
no man knoweth justification, but as he knoweth it wrought within,
from Christ And no man knows the seed that was offered, the sacrifice
of the whole world, but as he knows it within, through the faith; and
they who are of the faith are of Abraham, they are of the flesh of Christ,
the flesh of him that suffered. And if men have not Christ within them,
they have not justification; and though they may talk of him without,
and have him not within, yet such are reprobates that have not Christ
within them, reprobate from Christ, from justification and sanctification
both, and are of the generation that caused him to suffer. And justifica
tion and sanctification are one, not distinguished the one from the other
in their natures, but are one in nature, not two things really distinct in
their nature, but really one; for Christ our sanctification and justification,
is he that sanctifies and justifies; they are one in nature; Christ is sanc
tification and justification both, and thou art rebuked who makes two of

488
them, and distinct, when they are but one thing; the same that justifies,
sanctifies. P. 'If the fulfilling of the righteous law in us be justification, then
Christ died in vain. Justification is the direct opposite to condemnation;
that which makes a change in the heart of the creature, is sanctification
and justification; faith doth not save nor justify by virtue of any worth
or excellency found in it, nor merely because Christ is the object of it'
A. He that fulfils the righteousness of the law in us, is Christ the
justification ; hereby men come to know him to redeem them from un
der the law, and they are led by the spirit; and they know he is their
intercession, and that he died not in vain: and he ends the law, who
fulfils it. And he is the justification to every one that believes. And
this is known in us, that believe to the justification of it, whereby a
tittle ofthe law is seen not to be broken, whereby the body of Christ
is seen, which makes free from the law. And Christ is the light that
condemns him that hates it, that will not come to it because his deeds
are evil, nor believe in it; and ' this is the condemnation ofthe world,
that light is come into it, and men love darkness rather than light, be
cause their deeds are evil.' And he that believes in the light is justi
fied from all things, from which the law could not justify him, and comes
not into condemnation, but lives in that which doth condemn; so these
are one, and not directly opposite, that doth condemn the unbeliever,
and justify the believer. And people are saved and justified through
faith, and faith is the gift of God ; and there is an excellency in it, and a
worth, because it comes from Christ, and from God who is the author
of it, in which faith men please God, and are justified and are saved
through and by this faith, as the scripture witnesseth.
P. ' Faith doth not save or justify by its virtue, but by the gracious
good pleasure of God who hath appointed faith.'
A. That which God hath given to men as his gift, in that faith there
is virtue, and the grace is known with which men are justified and
saved, and there is virtue in the gift of God; and so through this faith
he knoWs the purpose of the Lord, and his counsel, and Christ is the
author of this faith, and no man is justified but through faith that is
received, nor wise unto salvation, but through faith in Christ Jesus.
P. ' The ministers in England in many places are no better than
wolves in sheep's clothing, and the ministers taking what the states
allow them of particular persons, this is not preaching for hire, di
vining for money.''
A. The ministers, who are so called in England, have gotten the
name, but are found the ministers of unrighteousness, and are wolves
indeed in sheep's clothing, out of the lives of the apostles; for how
are they tearing the lambs before courts and into prisons for speak-

489
ing to them, whom they do no work for ! What greedy dumb dogs
are these ! how do they worry the people ! and where is there any
one of them, that has the sheep's clothing, if the people do not put
into his mouth, but will tear them into courts, and dens, and prisons?
How unlike the apostle are these, who would not use his power often
times to eat! and thyself art found in the number of them. And do not
the states and particular men set you out so much a year for your preach
ing? and is not this preaching for hire, and divining for money? Do
you not know how much a year you must have? and is not this preach
ing for hire? And if they do not give you money, so much a year, you
will not divine, and yet will you make people believe, that you are
not diviners for money, and preachers for hire ? alack for ye ! you can
not be hid, and are not you here judged with the life of Christ and his
apostles to be his hirelings that will fly ? whose sheep are none of your
own, who care not for the sheep, except you make a prey upon them !
To all people who are in the fear of God, your lives are discovered to
be contrary to the saints. Let the states and the great men take away
your maintenance, and we shall find but few diggers, thrashers, and
planters among you, who are a company of idle men. So the judgment
of the apostle is come upon you, that those that would not work,
Should not eat.
P. 'Christ made use ofthe scripture to resist the devil.'
A. In Christ the scripture ends, and the devil who was out of the
scriptures is left out ofthe scriptures: so Christ, who was before scrip
ture was, bruised his head. And as for the rest of thy stuff in thy book,
it is not worth mentioning, and it will come upon thy own head; the
witness in thy conscience shall answer it.

Edward Skip, teacher, who said that he is a servant in the gos
pel services, his book called ' The World's Wonder. ' His prin
ciples, as followeth.
P. ' Who saith there shall be false Christs, and false prophets, and
they shall show you great signs and wonders, insomuch, if it were
possible, they should deceive the very elect'
A. Christ said false prophets should come, Matt. vii. 24. and John
saw they were come, 1 John ii. and iv. chap, they went forth from them.
In the Revelation all that dwelt upon the earth went after them, and
when they had gotten a head, they killed the saints; then power Was
given to the beast over all tongues, kindreds, and nations, and that

490
which whored from the spirit of God sat upon the beast, and all na
tions drank of her cup, and she hath corrupted the earth, and made
the inhabitants drunk, and the kings of the earth have committed
fornication with her. And the woman fled into the wilderness, and
the man child was caught up unto God. And the whore sits upon the
waters, and the waters are people, and nations, and multitudes, and
tongues, and these have been the mystery of Babylon, with all their
merchandise, which have deceived the nations by their lying signs and
wonders. And again, the judgment of the great whore should come, the
man-child should be brought forth into the world to rule the nations
with a rod of iron, and she should be taken and cast into the fire, who
had set as a queen, and had seen no sorrow; and the beast should be
taken, and with him the false prophet that sets up the lying signs and
wonders, and with him the devil that deceived the nations, the man of
sin, that the apostle before his decease saw coming up,as in Thessalonians.
These should be taken and cast alive into the fire, (and the Lamb and
the saints shall have the victory,) that they should deceive the nations
no more; for the elect it is impossible they should deceive, with all
their lying signs and wonders which they have got up since the days
of the apostles. And Christ said they should come, which the disci
ples saw were come before their decease, which signs the world have
been after, but which have not been able to deceive the elect; for the
elect reigns over all that, and over thee and them: amongst whom
thou art found. Now hath the Lamb and the saints the victory, and the
tabernacle of God is with men.
P. * I have presented to thee my new-year's gift, and desire thy
judgment towards it to me.' And thou said, ' The Lord had deliver
ed thy soul from under those observances that thou mightest stay
and direct an unstable soul of those horrible delusions and mysterious
deceits, for false apostles, translating themselves into apostles of Christ,
deceitful workers, and satan's ministers, transforming into the ministers
of righteousness!'
A. In this thou art among the false apostles and ministers of un
righteousness, deceitful workers, transforming yourselves into the
apostles' and Christ's words, and into the true ministers' words,
whose souls are under horrible delusions and mysterious deceits,
under the observances of the world, who would beguile the soul that
is not stablished; but light is broke forth, that few you can deceive.
And thy new-year's gift is judged, and proceeds from Cain, and is his
sacrifice from the earth; for the apostle saw such as were transforming
themselves into the false apostles and false ministers, and he brings
the saints to the light that shined in their hearts, to ' give them the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus,' which you

491
deny. So the false are transformed into their words, and are judged
with their spirit, who brought people to the light within, and you
bring them from it; so, from that which should give them the know
ledge ofthe glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus.
P. ' The devil is called the prince of darkness, because he lives in
the darkness, as to the apprehension of divine love, an enemy to all
the image of God, which is light and purity; and the devil transform-
eth himself into the likeness of God, under a fair pretence, heavenly
words, self-denial actions, righteous conversations.'
A. This is like your fruits, who have deceived the people; but is
your love to the devil, who is out of the truth? doth not Christ
come to destroy him and his works ? and can any apprehend the
love of God, but they who are in the truth? And the devil cannot
transform himself to be like God, not in his image nor in his righte
ousness, that is out of truth; and his conversation that is out of truth is
altogether unrighteous, and is but in the pretence of self-denial, but is
not the thing; though he and you may get the words that are heavenly,
and stand against the light and image of God, and purity itself, for all
you are ofthe devil that deny the light that dcth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world, for you come not into the truth which the
devil is out of, nor into the pure conversation which is in heaven, nor
into purity.
P. Thou saidst, ' thou hast many occasions offered by the Quakers
upon thy poor weak and sinful heart; the Lord hath filled my heart
with moderation in giving my own once uncomfortable experiences.'
A. We believe thee, that thy heart is weak and sinful, and a weak
and sinful heart is not filled with moderation. And thy experiences
which are uncomfortable, are not the experiences of the saints, for
the saints' experiences are comfortable, and their hearts are pure, and
filled with moderation; and the Quakers will torment all sinful and
corrupt hearts, for such the Lord is against, that take his words into
their mouths, and so are his saints.
P. Thou sayst, 'thou hatest hypocrisy when thou livest in the light,
life, and power of the first Adam, and because the Quakers say
they know my conscience better than myself, I see they are acted
through delusion; I am able to speak this truth from my own heart,
which is better known to me. I do know that a natural man may
make a large progress in the gospel profession and conversion; and
that which the Quakers call backsliding, is my turning to my God.'
A. In the light, and life, and power of the first Adam, in which
he was in the beginning, before the fall, thou art not; and the
apostles knew the state and condition of Jews, and Gentiles, and
people, better than they did themselves, and so do the Quakers that

492
are in their spirit; and this is not delusion. And thou dost not know
thy own heart as thou oughtest, northe truth ; thou must first come
to the light that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world,
which is the truth. And a natural man doth not make a progress into
the gospel, nor come into the conversation of it, whilst he lives in
the natural estate. And the God thou art turned to, is the god of the
world, that all hirelings and diviners for money, and teachers for filthy
lucre turned te, that went forth from the spirit of the apostles, and
prophets, and Christ, and backslid from them, and so went from the
true God; and thou servest the god of the world for love of thy bene
fice, and see if thou wilt not look upward, and downward, and curse
thy god.
P. ' I would have all the world to observe the Quakers, how that
antichrist hath cast that blindness upon their understandings, for their
reproving men sharply, and rebuking them, crying wo to the hypo
crites ; it is the devil's policy to keep close to the scriptures. G. F.
used arguments to people to look for the glorious way, and discovery
of the divine light and power to be brought forth among all the chil
dren ofthe Most High. Oh! this delusion of mystery Babylon.'
A. Here is thy confession, for where the spirit of God is, it doth
rebuke, reprove sharply, and tell them that are hypocrites, the- wo is
to them; and as to the Quakers, antichrist cannot blind them, they are
come from under his power and authority; but you are they that can
not hear reproof. And the Lord may send a man, as he did Philip, to
such a place, and he not know what he shall do, nor whom he, shall
speak to, till he come to such a place. And the devil is out of the life
that gave forth the scriptures, though he and you who may get them,
may pervert the words, but not own them as they speak; and thou
callest good evil, and evil good, for the children of the Most High wait
for the most glorious discovery of divine light and power, which delu
sion and mystery Babylon are out of; and so the Quakers are come to
that which antichrist is ravened from, with that they comprehend him.
P. And thou sayst, ' These people, that thou callest the Quakers,
will send most railing accusations against the pillars of the church of
Christ' A. That is false; but antichrist's church and his pillars, which are
waters, which you call tongues, your original, and which John calls
waters, the Quakers do judge according to truth, and declare it in full
power and majesty, and can make it good; which you call railing, but
which they deny; for a company of greedy dumb dogs can never have
enough, that will prison and persecute men till death for speaking to
them and for means; such are apostatized from the true church, are a
false church, who have transformed themselves into the true church's

493
words. But now the true church hath discovered you to be the false,
apostatized from the true, who have reigned since the days of the apos
tles. P. ' I see no conviction the Quakers have wrought by their speaking,
or any subjection of fear or love, or any such thing wrought by them.
And to tell such that are praying, reading, or in meditation, to say it is
the power of the first Adam ; Oh ! mystery of deceit, the deceitful unfold
ing of antichrist, to say that Christ saith the hour is coming, and now
is, that neither at this mountain, nor at Jerusalem, shall the Father be
worshipped, but he that worships him, must worship him in spirit and
in truth!'
A. Thousands in the nation may witness the work the Quakers have
wrought, and thousands are convinced that you are the gainsayers
ofthe truth, and the antichrist come up since the days of the apostles;
and all your praying, reading, and meditations, is but the first Adam's
state in the fall, where the mystery of deceit is, for you are not yet
come to own the light, Christ Jesus, tho second Adam, that doth en
lighten every man that comes into the world, and so you are the anti
christs, standing against Christ the light, the truth, and so are not come
into the worship of God in the truth and in the spirit, but are crying
up that at your mass-houses is God worshipped, as the Jews said of
the temple at Jerusalem, and the mountain of Samaria; but Christ
said, not at the mountain, nor Jerusalem, but in spirit and in truth, and
so we say, not at your mass-houses, nor at Samaria, nor Jerusalem, nor
the mountain, but God hath soughtus to worship him in spirit and in
truth, and therefore you rage that hate the light.
P. ' They reckon it their perfection and happiness to be deprived of
all: the spirit doth neither so act or so teach: and I was kept from this
temptation, and they that are overcome by it, are brought into bon
dage. A vain deceitful waiting for a power, when the apostle saith to the
Thessalonians, ye must pray without ceasing, and not quench the spirit.
They must cease from their own words, and wait for the immediate
striving and working ofthe spirit, as they fancy it'
A. This thou calls fancy, who sayst the spirit of God doth not teach
men, to be deprived of all things; yes, I say to thee thou must be de
prived of all things before thou come to happiness; and thou art in
the bondage, and in the temptation, that hast not forsaken all things,
and come to Christ the one thing; and thou praying and prophesying,
and not waiting for the spirit and power to pray withal, art in the
fancy, and following thy own spirit, and out of the perfection of Christ.
P. ' It is blasphemy to say we must fill up the sufferings of Christ'
A. And so thou art unlike the apostles, and hast not drunk the cup
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494
of the wrath and judgment of the Almighty, and that thou must drink
before thou comest to know the seed of God come from under all the
power of wickedness in thee, and that is the world; and Christ, who
bore the sin of the whole world, and felt it, and was under it, was
offered, and is over it all, and makes his enemies his footstool.
P. ' The false interpretation ofthe enemy,' he saith 'that every man's
work must be tried with fire, what sort jt is,' and ' you shall hardly gain
a speech of one sort or other, sometimes, from the Quakers,' and this
thou calls ' dumb devil.'
A. And thus thou showest where thou art, who hast not known a time
to be silent, before thou didst know a time to speak. And the dumb
devil hath been found amongst yourselves, you priests; for when
many of the Quakers have been moved of the Lord to come to speak
to you in your pulpits, you have proved the dumb devils, turned your
backs, and have gone your ways, and spoken never a word to them.
And thy works and all men's shall be tried by the fire, and that is not
perverting scripture, as also saith the apostle. And thou never hast past
through the wrath of God, but it is yet to come, and the sufferings of
Christ thou knowest not.
P. 'And it will be a lie and delusion, for the spirit when it sanctifies
the hearts to go about to tear their hearts out of their bodies, when
David's bones were broken, and his flesh would scarcely cleave; it is
far from me to think that this was under the apprehension of wrath;
shall a man think that he suffered for his sanctification?'
A. The spirit of God tears out the old hearts, and so, before man is
sanctified throughout he must know suffering, and his wretched state;
yet sanctification brings peace in the end, and life. And David's con
dition thou art ignorant of, and knowest not; for he was sensible of the
wrath before his sins were removed as far as the east is from the west,
and he had joy and peace; but trembling and quaking is become a
mock and scoff amongst you, for there is a trembling and rejoicing,
and there is a trembling in the sorrow.
P. ' When the Quakers are commanded many times to go, they have
not that leisure to dress them: this is a hard master surely, not Christ,.
therefore satan, for the Lord is not wont to do things ignorantly to
deceive his servants. And they are brought to fast from all manner of
food three nights and three days, most feeble, wretched creatures, con
trary to the law of nature; so they are not capable of bearing the glory
of God, so ministers of antichrist, and they are made to deny their
callings and possessions. I would eat more than I desired, because I
would give no offence.'
A. In this thou hast showed thy ignorance of the scriptures, and
Christ; for he that is on the house top, let him not come down to put

495
on his clothes. And they that went on his message were not to take
two coats: and when they went on his message, they did not go to
dress themselves with boot-hose-tops, and double cuffs, and ribands,
and rings, as the priest doth; and what God doth, it is in his wisdom,
beyond the ignorance of mankind, and they that receive it must be in
his fear. And Christ is not a hard master, as thou thinkest, because
some go, not dressing them in their apparel, who go to do his command;
but thou who art wicked and slothful, hast so judged with the wrong
and false judgment. And many of the saints have fasted till they might
number their bones; and Christ fasted, and this was not contrary lo
the law of nature, and did not make them incapable of receiving the
glory of God; neither was it antichrist. And thou who art of him,
canst eat and drink more than thou hast desire, because thou wouldst
not offend others, and that is contrary to the law of nature. And the
saints forsook their callings and possessions, and the world; but you
priests run into great possessions, which you get out of poor people's
labours ; so you are like the false apostles and antichrist, not like Christ
and his apostles.
P. ' They have a gloss put upon Christ's words to his disciples, when
he bids them that they should take no care what to speak, it should be
given them in the same hour. And of their going naked, I never
knew the mind of the Lord discovering by any of his servants, neither
under the old nor new covenant. And these dreamers go to a place,
and do not know what to say till they come to the place.'
A. Philip was sent to a place, and then it was told him what to say,
yvhen he came to it. And he was not a dreamer, but thou art, who goes
without a command from God, and runs when he never sent thee, and
follows thy own spirit. And they that speak as the spirit gives them
utterance, and moves them, take no thought, but it is given them in the
same hour ; and thou that art out of this, art in the glosses. It was the
mind of the Lord for Isaiah to go naked, and to strip himself in Egypt
and Ethiopia, as many are moved of the Lord to go naked among you of
spiritual Egypt and Ethiopia, and to put off their clothes ; which is a
figure to you, that the sheep's clothing must be taken off of your raven
ing wolves' backs.
P. Thou sayst, ' For the present thou dost not apprehend any thing
more, but that the devil shall transform himself into an angel of light.
And there are hardly a people to be found that cry out more against
sin, and the appearance of sin, and unrighteousness, than they do, as far
as I know, or have heard, to declare them to be carried forth as minis
ters >of righteousness.'
A. Thy apprehension is vain, and judgment false; for the devil
transformed himself into an angel of light before the apostles' decease,

490
and so is transformed in you, who have the words, but out of the life;
for the devil could not transform into the apostles, while they were in
the life. And you are antichrist that are crying out against sin and un
righteousness, and live in it; but the Quakers are the enemies of sin,
and the friends of souls, who are the ministers of righteousness, and de
clared so to be in all your consciences, to be in the life of all the pro
phets, apostles, and Christ, and they do see that you are transformed
into their words, but out of the life, and with that judged.
P. ' I am persuaded the Quakers do not tell a lie, that satan he will
either choose to do some things, as healing some infirmity, and turning
water into wine, and the like ; this is a deceitful way enough, that all
the belly-gods in England may become Quakers; this labour of mine
may make thousands to refuse their errors and delusions, because it can
be done through a great light that is in antichrist.'
A. The Quakers are in the truth, and out of the lie, and they see
you are in it, for antichrist is turned from the light; and the devil is
not he that turns water into wine, and heals the sick and infirmities,
nor antichrist, but the true Christ; where did you read that they turned
water into wine, or healed the sick? Therefore, thou and you, by your
delusions and errors, labour to deceive thousands. And thou hast cleared
the Quakers from being in the error or delusion, for thou sayst, ' they
dare not lie,' then they are not of the devil, who is the ground of all
error and delusion. And you priests are the greatest belly-god sin the
nation, for you devour up the tenths of the nation, of poor husband
men, and so you cannot endure the power that makes to tremble, so
cannot endure the salvation.
P. ' What if one of these Quakers should be sent to a blind leader
of the people, and a man is not able to reply a word, and it may be, a
good scholar.'
A. They you in scorn call Quakers have been moved by the power
of the Lord God, to come against such as thou art, leaders of the blind,
though you have been great scholars, and when you have not been able
to resist their spirit, but found naked from the spirit of the Lord, you
have cried to your rulers and magistrates, to help take them away, cast
them into prison ; and these have been your weapons, and antichrist's
court and fort, and the wolves in the sheep's clothing, strong against
them that are in the apostles' and Christ's power, and life, and doctrine,
and now you are discovered.
P. ' The crucifying the son of God afresh, that is, Christ without,
or else in the heart of another, not in his own that doth it,' and thou
sayst ' thou engages thy affections to the seekers, because of their attain-
" ments.' A. He that crucifies Christ afresh to himself, first crucifies him iv

497
his own heart, before he crucifies him in another's heart without him;
and it is the affections that thou art joined with to people, and not
with the spirit, to the notional attainments; for hadst thou been in the
spirit, thou wouldst not have written such a book as this is against the
truth; or hadst thou answered the principle of God in the seekers, or
minded the life in them, or in thy own particular, you might have
lived in unity with God and scripture. But whither art thou turned
now, to thy great fat benefice ? and didst steal some words from the
seekers, and sell them to poor people to make a trade of them.
P. ' Thou sayst thou wouldst have all people take a right way in op
posing the Quakers, with a strong understanding in the scriptures to
reason with them.'
A. All your understanding and your reasoning, if you get all the
scriptures, are not able, being out of the life that gave forth the scrip
tures, to resist the spirit of the Quakers, which is that which was in
them that gave forth scriptures, though you may gainsay and oppose
like Cain, Core, and Balaam; but wo unto you!
P. 'I shall give my consent, if the Quakers transgress our laws,
they might have double punishment ; and if you will not believe the
truth that comes from them, I hope you will believe it as it comes from
the mouth of God; with speed forsake the Quakers' society wholly,
public and private.'
A. Here is thy confession again, and judgment, and thy injustice;
wouldst thou have double punishment inflicted upon them that break
the law? and dost thou say that the Quakers are the mouth of God,
and if you will not believe the truth as it comes from them, believe it as
it comes from the mouth of God; and yet'must people wholly forsake the
society of the Quakers, public and private, and call this overcoming
strong questions? This is the strengthening of strong questions, over
coming you that are in the deceit, who are to be judged.
P. ' That God is all, and in all.'
A. The scripture saith so, God is all, and in all, and through you all,
and over you all, blessed for ever; and this is not to justify any pro
faneness nor wicked actions, but it is you that would not have the Lord
to have room in your hearts, that would not have him to be in people,
nor have him there to reign.
P. 'I have some time told the Quakers, that I did conceive the design
of antichrist was to bring them in the end to work all manner of un
cleanness ; I now judge they are carried from one degree to another to
act righteousness.'
A. Here thou confounds thy imagination, and hast showed ,thou
hast followed thy own spirit ; and thy false prophecy is come to an end,

498
and thou hast proved thyself to be a dreamer, for they are in the righte
ousness, which comprehends thee.
P. Thou sayst, ' The Lord doth not regain any of our age to walk
so, they that are called the Anabaptists, and yet thou ownest them.'
A. Dost thou own that which the Lord doth not require ? and do
they practise that which the Lord doth not require ? And so thou hast
given judgment upon thyself and them both.
P. I having also communion with my former society, which is
broken off through the mysterious working of antichrist, I would have
spared my pen for a few lines, but for the sake of a very few in the
nation ; and I have not time to write one line, from first to last, twice ;
expect not from me an army of reasons and arguments.
A. Thou hadst better have spared thy pen and tongue both, than
have written that which thou hast written, whose communion is with
the mysterious working of antichrist, and there are but few in the na
tion but will see thy work is but fuel for the fire. And abundance of
stuff thou hast in thy book, which is not worth mentioning, but will
fall upon thy head. In the day of thy judgment the witness shall
answer.

Priest Tombes, Baptist, of Leominster. His principles as
followeth.
P. 'The words John i. 9. [enlighteneth every man,] are meant of a
natural life or light'
A. Christ that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
this light is not natural, neither is he natural that is called the power of
God; who was before all natural lights, sun, moon, and stars, were made;
and so this light doth enlighten every man that believes in it, and is
their condemnation that doth not believe in it; that is above all natu
ral: for the light that 'doth enlighten every man that comes into the
world,' that ail men might believe, is not natural life or light, but of
the divine nature, which is above nature ; for ' in him was life, and
the life was the light of men,' and he is the salvation to the ends of the
earth. And in this thou hast showed thy ignorance, and dost not preach
that which people are to believe in.
P. Thou sayst, ' the ministers of Christ may seek what they shall
have by the year, and are not to go up and down to towns, and eat and
drink what is before them, as those did.' Luke x. 7.
A. We do believe such apostate ministers from the doctrine of
Christ and his apostles as you are, who have thrown aside the doctrine

499
of Christ, and trampled it under your feet, and set up yourselves in
great benefices, who live in a town, do not go up and down to eat and
drink such things as are set down before them ; but how are you then
those that Christ said he would be with to the end of the world ? and
how do you then observe all things that he hath commanded? For 'lo
I am with you to the end of the world,' and they were to observe all
things that were commanded. And how are you here out of Christ's
doctrine? and are you not the wolves among the sheep, with sheep's
clothing, deceiving the world, b,ut not the sheep? And how are you
them that Christ said were to go into all nations ? and ' lo I am with
you to the end of the world ;' and this is not your work as you say, and
so you are judged to be out of the apostles' practices and Christ's doc
trine. P. Thou sayst 'that in 1 Cor. ix. 14. is meant of natural food, which
is to be obtained by civil laws,' and 'our declaring against such shep
herds as in Isa. lvi. doth not touch thee,' and ' that thou hast received
the gospel from the epistles of Paul,' and ' that thou owns not revela
tions, tremblings, and quakings.'
A. The saints, and the ministers of Christ did not, by civil laws, or
the laws of the nation, get maintenance, neither doth the scripture thou
brings say they did. Read it over again, and let all sober people read
it. And the gospel thou hast received from the epistles, the epistles do
not give thee the power of God, and the gospel is the power of God:
here thou hast showed thy ministry is of the letter, and of man, and
not from God, for the gospel is the power of God to salvation to every
one that believes, preached to Abraham before the epistles were writ
ten; and this gospel is everlasting, not received from epistles. And Paul
was an apostle, not of men, nor by men, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ; and thou that denies revelation denies the son of God, and the
grace that was brought by revelation, and denies knowing the Father;
for none know the Father, but they to whom the son reveals him. And
thou hast denied the fear of God, and the Lord's secrets; for ' the secrets
of the Lord are with them that fear him,' they are revealed to them.
And thou that denies trembling and quaking hast denied thy salvation,
and the apostle's doctrine, and denied thyself to be a minister of
Christ; for the apostle says, 'work out your salvation with fear and
trembling,' and thou that denies trembling, denies salvation that is
wrought out by it. And Isa. lvi. doth judge thee, for thou art one that
seeks thy gain from thy quarter, a greedy dumb dog, that can never
have enough, as witness thy eggs, and how thou didst hale before the
justice for not paying of them.
P. Thou sayst, ' thou dost not uphold such as Mic. iii. speaks of.'
A. Art thou not one that divines for money, that prophesies and

500
preaches for money ? and if people will not put into thy mouth, thou
prepares war against them ; as I said before, witness thy eggs, and they
that give thee eggs, thou wilt say they are good churchmen, and thus
they stop thy mouth with eggs, but if not, thou hast them before ma
gistrates. P. Thou sayst, ' If any of the church, joined to me, leave me because
I take maintenance, it will be their sin.'
A. The true prophets left the false prophets, and the true apostles
did the false, such as taught for covetousness, and means, and declared
against them ; and such as go out from the spirit go into the earth, and
such as come to the spirit, come from the earth: and teaching for gifts,
rewards and hire, as thou Tombes dost, upon whom is thy old garment.
P. Thou sayst, ' thou denies an absolute degree of perfection in this
life.' A. In this thou hast denied the work of the ministry, which is for
the perfecting; and do none corneto perfection in a degree of per
fection ? do none come to Christ who is perfect ? do none come to
the spirit ? Who come to the spirit, come to be perfect; for who
come to the: spirit and to Christ come to that which is perfect; they
who come to the kingdom of heaven in them, come to be perfect, yea,
to be perfect men, and that is above any degree, and thus thou art blind
and ignorant of that which the scriptures declare.
P. ' Thou wouldst have it proved that they are false prophets that
declare the true prophets' words.'
A. They that make merchandise of the words of the true prophets,
are the beast, false prophets, and great whore, but they that speak
freely as they have received, are the true prophets and true apostles,
and such in all ages were distinct from each other, known by the spirit
of the Lord : they who had received from the Lord what they spoke
and declared freely, and they who had got the saints' words, and had
not received .them from the Lord, but spake them forth for money,
these were distinct one from another.

A paper I have received, the title of which is, ' A form of Sound
Words, containing the first principles of the oracles of God,
framed for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of two adjacent
parishes in the county of Nottingham.' Their principles in it
as followeth.
P. ' When for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need
that one teach you again, which are the first principles.'

501
A. How can you teach the first principle of pure religion, when you
deny the light that Christ hath ' enlightened every man that comes
into the world with?' And this may whole England witness, and
so your doctrines that you have taught them, and commandments, are
such as perish; being not men sent of God, you have not profited the
people at all.
P. And you say, ' False teachers this age is too full of:' and ' that you
may henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro,' and you entreat
to 'accept a word from us your ministers; for what profiteth a man to
gain the whole world and lose his own soul.'
A. Who have tossed people more up and down than you, and carried
them about with your windy doctrines? And so the world have been
too full of you, the multitudes of the false teachers, since the days of the
apostles. Who are more for gaining the whole world than you, that call
yourselves ministers ? have not and do not your fruils declare it to the
whole nation ? In prisons, there lie your fruits, for where may people
see the priests' fruits but in prisons ? And how your congregations
are all on heaps, when any come in the name of the Lord amongst
them ! and you have showed that your exhortation hath not profited the
people at all.
P. ' We entreat you to take heed of that dangerous deceit, in hoping
to be saved byyour own works, or in any thing in yourselves.'
A. He that believes hath ceased from his own works, so is not saved
by them, and he that believes is saved, and this belief is within him, in
Christ. And the ingrafted word is able to save the soul, and Christ the
saviour is revealed and manifested within.
P. ' Out ofthe holy scriptures, Old and New Testament, which are
the word of God, we may learn the true knowledge of God.'
A. The Jews had scriptures, and did not know God nor Christ, nor
did know themselves. And the scriptures are not the word, but the
words of God, and so you teach parishes, and your children to lie, as
you may read in Exodus, ' God spake all these words, and said.' And
'whosoever shall add to these words,' Revelations. And Christ saith, 'my
words.' And would you make p6ople believe the scriptures were but
a word, when they say they are words? And Christ is the word, as in
the Revelation. And so that which brings to the knowledge of God
is the spirit; and the son reveals him, Christ Jesus, who is the light
which ' doth enlighten every man that comes into the world,' and every
man that comes into the world receiving the light, Christ will reveal
the Father to him.
P. ' There are three persons, Father, son, and holy ghost And we
entreat you to take heed of the natural Popish conceit'
A. The word three persons is the natural Popish conceit, which is
Vol. III. 63

502
out of thy father the pope's canon-books, where thou hast learned it.
But Father, son, and holy ghost, that is sound scripture; but thou canst
not take it as it speaks, but thou must add three persons to it, so brings
the plague upon thee.
P. ' There are many that have share in the salvation purchased by
'Christ' A. Christ was the offering for the sin of the whole world. And he
gave his body for the life of the whole world. And he came a light
into the world, and doth enlighten every man that comes into the world;
he that died for the sin of the whole world, was an offering for the sin
of the world, that all through this light might believe. And so many
are, condemned for not believing, that which they should believe in con
demns them.
P. ' God works faith in us inwardly by his spirit, and outwardly by
his word.'
A. Here thou goest about to make the spirit and the word not one;
is not the word spiritual ? and is not Christ called the word, who is the
author of the faith, the mystery of which is held in a pure conscience?
and is not this word of faith in the heart ?
P. ' The whole word of God in general is summed up in the apos
tles' creed.'
A. Where hast thou got the word creed, but out of the mass-book,
and pope's canon-book? not out of the apostles' epistles. And the
apostles' epistles, and the saints' writings, declare of the word, and
say it was in the beginning, and say the letter kills; for the Jews had
the letter, and did not find the word in it, but stood against it; and you
have the letter, the apostles' words, but you do not find the word in it:
it speaks of the word, the word was in the beginning, and in the heart,
before the words.
P. ' Brethren, be perfect, be of good comfort; no man can be made
free from sin in this life; God's children have sin in them.'
A. The devil's doctrine, afel his ministers' doctrine, is, that men
shall not be perfect while thej^takUpon earth; but you say they must
be perfect, and yet must have sin, that makes them imperfect. And
the children of God that were born of God, did not commit sin, neither
could they, because the seed of God remained in them, and they were
made free from sin, and had put off the body of sin, as in Romans the
vi. and John the iii.
P. 'No man is able to keep the commands of God perfectly;, we
break them daily in thought, word, and deed. And in all our best du
ties we are unprofitable servants.'
A. Here you show that you do not love God, for he who loves God
keeps his commandments, and love fulfils them: and in all your best

503
duties and deeds you are but unprofitable servants, in that we do believe
you. So your preaching and praying are unprofitable, so you judge
yourselves out of your own mouths; singing, instructing, praying, all
are unprofitable, and you are the slothful servants, who are reprobates
to every good work. But the saints prayed, preached, and sung in the
spirit; such were profitable, that loved God and kept his command
ments, but you that do not love God, do not keep his commandments;
so your fruits are unprofitable that keep not the commandments of God.
And there is your mark that you do not love him.
P. 'The law is a rule for a believer's life; we must attend unto the
sacraments.' A. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness' sake unto every
one that doth believe; so Christ is the rule who ends the law to be
lievers; and thy sacraments must go again to the common-prayer-book,
to the mass-book; the scripture doth not teach us those words, as sacra
ment and creed, but the old mass-book; thou art running to it, and so
leaving the scriptures. So thou art judged with the life of God.
P. ' Who are ordained lawfully, are called to the ministry.'
A. Your ordination and call is by men, contrary to the apostles and
Christ, who saith, ' not by man nor of man,' and Christ said, ' pray to
the Father that he may send labourers into the vineyard,' and such
you persecute. And thou sayst there are two sacraments in the gospel,
but the apostles tell us of no such thing, but the pope in his mass-book.
~* P. 'We may not learn to seek for happiness in this life; these
words 1 command thee this day shall be in thy heart, to teach thy chil
dren, and to talk of them in thy house.'
A. These words have spoken long in your hearts, therefore have
you led the world into wickedness; but the children of Gpd find hap
piness in this life, being changed from the old nature in this life, they
find God, and Christ, and find rest for their souls. And who is in
Christ is a new creature, and such hath happiness. /
P. 'This form of sound words is taken out of the best and soundest
catechisms that' we could meet withal, and our mouth is opened boldly.'
A. This is your form of unsound words, and if this be the best stu
you can find, out of your best catechisms, it is pitiful, dirty, dari
stuff, and you had better have kept your mouth shut. If these be your
catechisms, they are for the fire; the children of light who are come
into the light comprehend and see the catechisms and you both, and
you are to be catechized ; and if you will but read over the priests' and
professors' catechism, you may learn something out of it.

504

This is a relation of some particulars and principles, affirmed by
some of the priests of Bishoprick, at a public dispute in Brans-
pirth Castle upon the 2\st day ofthe 7th month, 1658.
P. Josias Dorker affirmed, 'that immediate revelation or inspira
tion is not to be expected in these days.'
A. Then you are from the spirit, that say so, the spirit of God
which doth reveal ; you are they that have ravened, the false prophets
and antichrists, that have inwardly ravened from the spirit of God, hav
ing the sheep's clothing, and in the darkness; the king ofthe bottom
less pit hath been your king, for the King of kings, and Lord of lords
is not known but by revelation, for none know the son, but the Father,
arid he to whom he doth reveal him ; which shows that you are out of
the fear of God, for where the fear of God is, God reveals his secrets.
But the fear of God is now witnessed, and the son of God is now wit
nessed, and revelations are now witnessed, in our days as they were
in the apostles', but not amongst you, who have inwardly ravened
from the spirit of God, who have apostatized from the apostles.
P. 'That it is needless, and alsojdiabolical, (that is to say, devilish,) to
expect any such thing now.'
A. And so you are in the diabolical, devilish spirit, that expect not
that now, which was in the days of the apostles, and you are out of the
fear of God; and the spirit which doth reveal, and the son you know
not, who said to the Pharisees, that knew him not, ' they were of the
devil,' and so he is known by revelation.
, P. 'That they had the scripture and the gospel, (as he confessed,) not
from God, but from men.'
A. You nor any man upon the earth, know not the scriptures, but
as you know them from God and the spirit, as they did that gave
them forth, who learned them of God ; and so, he who knows scripture,
must know revelation and the gospel, for they are not known, but by
the spirit which gave them forth.
P. 'That the bible was the gospel.'
A. The gospel is the power of God, which was before the scripture
was written, preached to Abraham. An(l many may have the bible, but
not the power of God, the gospel, which is glad tidings to the salva
tion of every one that believes. And the scripture is a testification of
the gospel., of the glad tidings, and it is not called the power of God,
but Ohrist-and the gospel are called the power of God; and many had
scripture, but would not come to Christ, the power of God, and so not
to the gospel.
P. ' That the flesh of Christ is not in them.'

505
A. The saints eat his flesh, and they that eat his flesh, have it with
in them.
P. ' That Christ had, and hath a carnal body.'
A. Christ's body is not carnal, but spiritual; the first man was ofthe
earth, earthly, the second man is the Lord from heaven, heavenly, and
is a glorious body, and the saints are made like unto his glorious body:
therefore, the first state is carnal, the second glorious ; so there is a
natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
P. * That Christ is now in heaven with a carnal body.'
A. Carnal indeed is death, saith scripture, and it saith that corrup
tion must put on incorruption, and mortal, immortality ; so Christ's
body that is in heaven is a glorious body, and not carnal, nor of the
flesh, corruptible.
P. ' That Christ hath a carnal human body, united to his divinity.'
A. Carnal, human, is from the ground, the first Adam's body, was
human, earthly, and Christ was not from the ground, (let all people
read what thou sayst,) but he was from heaven, his flesh came down
from above, his flesh which was the meat, came down from heaven.
P. ' That Timothy retained his ministry, not from God, but from
Paul.' A. Timothy did retain his ministry from God, and knew the gift,
that which he did retain from Paul was not as man, but Timothy was
in the faith which Christ was the author of, and he had the gift, and
every good and perfect gift comes from God, and this was not by man,
nor of man.
<¦ P. ' That there is as much difference between a spirit and a body, as
there is between light and dlarkness.'
A. Christ's body is spiritual, and that which is spiritual, does not
differ from the spirit; and so there is a spiritual body, and there is a
natural body, and there is a spiritual man, and there is a natural man,
and each hath their body. >
P. Henry Liver said, ' that they knew no such thing as prophesy
ing by immediate revelation or inspiration in these days.'
A. Then thou never knew the scriptures, for none know the scrip
ture, as I said before, but by the spirit of revelation, which doth reveal
the words ; the spirit of prophecy, lets see into the words, and he that
hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his; and he that hath the spirit
of Christ hath immediate revelation, and prophecy. And the spirit of
God is immediate, and it doth reveal; and the gospel, which is the
power of God, is immediate.
P. Richard Frankling said, ' they had it by scripture.'
A. And it was the spirit that brought them to give forth scripture,
which things of God were revealed to them by it; and the scripture
does not reveal the spirit, but the spirit the scripture.

506
P. ' That the light which lighteth every man was not sufficient to
lead up to Christ'
A. The light, Christ, that doth enlighten every man that comes into
the world, that which he doth enighten every one withal, which they
are to believe in, is sufficient to lead up to Christ; for they that believe
in the light, become the children of light, they pass from death to life,
from darkness to light, and come out of condemnation, and shall never
die, and so it is sufficient: so that he that doth not believe in the light,
by itis condemned, for 'this is the condemnation, that light is come into
the world, and men love the darkness rather than the light, because
their deeds are evil.' And so you and they that love the darkness rather
than the light, because your deeds are evil, and will not come to it, be
cause it will reprove you, are they that live in the form of godliness,
and deny the power, and teach people to say, that the light is not suffi
cient that every man that comes into the world is lighted with, that
all might believe; who are not condemned by; and the light that
comes from him, is sufficient to lead up to him.
P. ' That grace was not conveyed from the Lord to any man, with
out the ordinary outward means.'
A. The grace of God hath appeared to all men, which teacheth the
saints, and the grace is brought by the revelation of Jesus, as saith Peter
by revelation, and the grace is the gift of God, and not attained by out
ward means, by man's will; and they that turn the grace of God that
hath appeared into lasciviousriess, are they that deny the Lord that
bought them, who go from the grace, which is the saints' teacher, which
brings salvation.
P. ' That the scriptures are that only which they are to have re
course unto, to inform the minds of people from.'
A. Before the scripture was written or given forth, Abraham, Enoch,
and Abel had that which informed their minds, and let them see Christ;
and the Jews had scripture, and knew not Christ, they had the testifi
cation, and did not come to him they testified of, and so had not life.
So that which is to inform the minds of all people is the spirit and the
light which Christ hath enlightened them with ; and their ears and
eyes must be open to the spirit of God in themselves, before they hear
his voice, which spirit informs their minds, and then they shall come
to know the operation of the spirit, for many may have the scriptures,
and not know that And that which is to teach people is the grace of
God, Christ, the light and life, and that it is which informs the mind
to know scripture.
P. Priest Dorker said, ' that the word of God was the ordinary
outward means,' and ' that the scripture is the word,' they all affirmed.
A. The word of God is not outward nor ordinary, but extraordinary,

507
it is that which lives, abides, and endures for ever; and the scriptures
are to be fulfilled, and that which doth fulfil them is the word ; and the
scriptures of truth learned of God, the Father of truth, are the words
of God, not a word. ' God spake all these words, and said,' in Exodus;
and ' my words,' saith Christ; and ' whosoever shall add to these words,'
saith John in the Revelations: and so the words are the scriptures of
truth, that cannot be broken, Christ the word fulfils them, who was
in the beginning, before the words were spoken forth, who is and re^
mains to the end of words, who fulfils them, in whom they end.

Daniel Roberts, teacher to the Baptists at Reading, in Berkshire,
did affirm,
P. ' That baptism of water, that is to say, elementary water, doth
wash away sin.'
A. Here thou puts water in the room of Christ's blood, which clean
seth from all sin, and what need of that, if water doth it; outward
water can but wash the outward.
P. * That God had committed all judgment to the scriptures.'
A. .That is contrary to the apostle, who saith, ' God will judge the
world by the man Christ Jesus, according to the gospel,' and that is
the power; and 'all judgment is committed to the son.' Mark, to the
son ; and 'the saints shall judge the world,' and he is in them.
P. ' That the new covenant is the words of Christ and the apostles,
and every one that hath the Bible in his house, hath the new cove
nant' A. The new covenant is Christ the scriptures speak of, and the Jews
had the scriptures that stood against the covenant, and many may have
the Bible, and not in the thing it speaks of.
P. Another Baptist said at the same time, ' if they had not had
scriptures, they had not known how to walk nor order their conversa
tion.' A. How knew those to order their conversation, and walk, before
scripture was given forth ? The life which led them to give forth the
scripture, did order them to walk acceptable to him. And the Phari
sees had the scriptures given forth from the life, but being out of the
life, their conversations were not ordered by it.
P. Daniel Roberts affirmed, 'that he knew no other spirit than
what was in the scripture, and that he carried it in his pocket'
A. The spirit is not in the scriptures, but in them that gave it forth,
and that the scriptures testify of. Many got the scriptures, but wanted

508

that which gave them forth, and so were not in unity with the scrip
tures, nor with one another, nor with God ; and in all Christendom, so
called, this is wanting, the unity of the spirit, in which is the bond of
peace, for many have the words, but not the spirit

An answer to Timothy Trever's principles, propounded by way of
queries.
P. ' That the light in every man, as in every man, teacheth not the
way to the kingdom of God, nor giveth the hope of eternal life.'
A. The light in every man which doth enlighten every man, doth
teach the way to the kingdom of God, and no other way it teacheth
but to the kingdom ; and though men hate it, and will not come to it,
because their deeds are evil, yet that is the teacher in all men that
gives them the sense of transgression, and an understanding of reproof,
and if they come to that, they are reproved, and there is the kingdom
in men; and that is it which lets all men see the Most High reigning,
and shall make every tongue confess Christ to the glory of God ; and
it is that which gives every man assurance, that God hath raised Christ
from the dead, who hath enlightened them, and that is it which gives
every man the hope of eternal life, and in the light it is received.
P. ' That the seed to whom the promise of salvation is made, are, or
have been sinners.'
A. The promise of God is to the seed, which hath been laden as a
cart with sheaves by the sinner, which seed is the hope, Christ, that
purifies even as God is pure ; and here is the creature come to know its
' liberty amongst the sons of God. And the seed, Christ, never sinned in
the male nor in the female, in the Jews nor in the Gentiles, and of
this mystery were the great high professors ignorant, that stood at a
distance from the Gentiles, so that Christ had no room among them, but
in the stable, in the manger, though they talked of him with their lips:
and such Christ calls graves and sepulchres, and whited walls; and the
wall is not the seed, nor the sepulchre, nor the grave, but the seed is
Christ; so this promise is not unto seeds, as many, but to one, the seed,
which is Christ.
P. ' That there is no man doth possess the kingdom of God, whilst
he is in the mortal body.'
A. In this thou art like Nebuchadnezzar, who must graze like the
ox, thy mouth downward, who knows not the Most High ruling in the
children of men ; and God will dwell in you, and walk in you, and

509
where God dwells and walks in men, they are his temples, which are
holy; there is his kingdom, his power, his authority, and the tabernacle
of God is with men, and he will dwell in them, and walk in them; and
this is the state of thousands that are in the new covenant, that know
the power of God, of the Most High, his law put in their minds and
hearts ; and they that do not know that they are the temples of God,
and God dwelling in them, and walking in them, are worse than the
Corinthians. P. ' That he that doth not preach the death and resurrection, and the
man Christ Jesus, that rose from the dead at Jerusalem, preacheth not
the gospel, whatsoever else he doth declare.'
A. He that preacheth Christ, must preach that Christ that died at
Jerusalem, for he is the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever, the lamb
slain from the foundation ofthe world; which seed, Christ, breaks the
serpent's head, and destroys death, and the devil, that went out of the
truth; and death being destroyed, the captivated one comes out, by
the power which is the gospel, and the prisoner of hope shows himself
forth, and then the covenant of light and life is felt, and peace with
God. But the reprobate, devil, death and destruction, antichrist, the
beast and false prophet, may talk of Christ without, and he be not felt
within; such are then the reprobates. And as to thy saying, the seed is
not in all men, first know it in thyself; he is not in the man of sin,
that is to be destroyed, who hath blinded thy mind, and hath taken
possession of thy heart; and so first judge thyself.
P. ' He that doth not expect the resurrection from the dead, of his
own person, as Christ rose from the dead, literally understood, hath no
true hope of eternal life born in his understanding.'
A. The saints' rising is in Christ, and he is the resurrection; they are
ofhis flesh, and ofhis bone, and ofhis spirit; and the saints are ofthe
flesh of Christ that saw no corruption, and of his bone, and have the
hope of eternal life promised ofthe Father. And now the flesh of Christ,
the Jews did not know, that were the idolaters and fornicators; for
Christ according to the flesh was of Abraham, who came out of all
that idolatry and generation of fornicators, and in this the saints rise,
live, and remain with Christ for ever, and such come to know the re
surrection of the just and unjust, according to the scriptures, the one
to eternal life, and the other to condemnation.
P. ' That Christ by his death overcame him that had the power of
death, and thereby made way to life.'
A. But how is death overcome in thee, when thou dost not see the
kingdom of God in thee, and sayst it shall not be while men are in
their mortal bodies, and how short art thou of the, holy ghost, and the
power, and the joy, and the righteousness, which the kingdom stands
Vol. III. 64

510
in ! And Christ who overcame death, is the life, and the way to God,
the Father of life, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world, that by the light they might see it and believe in it, that
they might be children of light, and come to the light of life; and they
lhat do not believe in it, are condemned by the light.
P. ' That the unchangeableness of God's purpose, of his love, is the
only ground of man's obedience and stability, or continuance in obe
dience, not man's obedience the ground of his stability.'
A. Man's stability is Christ, the light, the life, the foundation of
God that stands sure, the hope that remaineth in him, the faith given
to him of God, in which the seed comes to be known in the male and
in the female, the son of God who abideth in the house for ever, who
is the heir of the promise; and there the unchangeableness of God is
known, he that doth not change is seen, that has appeared, which can
not be shaken, that seeth an end of all changeable things, and varia
bleness, and turnings; and here the obedience is felt.
P. ' God hath ordained lo eternal life every one that is or shall be
saved before they had a being in this world, but none come to posses
sion of this salvation but through the obedience of the spirit'
A. The ground of man's belief and obedience is Christ, who doth
enlighten him to the intent that he might believe and obey the truth,
and he who knows the seed, knows the election, before the world was
made. P. ' That the seed of Israel are men, and not only something in
man; that the seed of the serpent are men, and not only something in
man.' A. If the seed of Israel be men, then by thy account the seed of
Israel is the seed of the serpent, for they are men; and Christ, who
came to destroy the work of the devil, and him that hath the power of
death, is said to have come to destroy all Israel, and all men upon the
earth. But thou errs in thy judgment, and in thy understanding; for I
know it is the seed of the serpent that speaks in thee, that puts no
difference between the precious and the vile. And when Israel thought
Christ had called them serpents, many of them were converted to the
faith; their outward creatures were not destroyed. Thou talks foolishly,
and art given up to the devil's power, who works wickedness and mis
chief. And if men are the serpent's seed, as thou dost say, vvho shall
be saved, for the serpent and his seed must be destroyed ? and if men
are the seed of the serpent, then must the seed of the serpent obey the
spirit, and must not the spirit destroy him, and the brightness and breath
of the Lord consume him? And it is men that are captivated by the
seed of the serpent, whose lives Christ came to save, and redeem, and
turn from the power of satan, to God. And thou must be thrashed,

511
and feel the weight of the Lord's hand, before thou art humbled. And
what hast thou to do to talk of ordination before man had a being irt
the world, and would make men to be like thyself, and say they are
the serpent's seed, for man is not so, as he is man. And we and thou"-
sands witness election and salvation before the foundation of the world
was laid, and are come into that which comprehends time and being,
which are since time; in which power the elect reigns, where salvation
is known. P. 'The woman that the serpent deceived, her seed breaks the ser
pent's dominion.'
A. The seed of the woman doth bruise the serpent's head wherever
he is found, in any male or female, that Christ may rise in the male and
in the female; and this seed is atop of thy head, and thou hast no power
but to reach to his heel, and thou art in the house of darkness, and the
seed is yet in Egypt, not come forth yet ; and there is a strong man
must bow himself, and they that keep the house must tremble, that
have kept thy heart from the Lord God, and have carried it a whoring
abroad. And a stronger he is, than he that keeps the house, that spoils
his goods and takes possession, who comes tp rule, and will rule and
reign. P. ' That the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man in the
church to profit withal, and not to every man in the world.'
A. The manifestation is given to every man to profit withal, without
distinction. ' I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh,' for ' the spirit of
truth shall lead the saints into all truth, and he shall reprove the world,'
and that which doth reprove the world, is manifest to the world.
P. 'That no man hath received a measure of the spirit of Christ,
but such as believe in Christ, and that no man doth believe, in Christ
but such as Christ is revealed to in time, and that he is revealed to
none, but by the manifestation ofhis spirit'
A. The true believers that believe in Christ the revelation, knew
him in time and out of time, and the unbelievers are reproved.
P. 'Which of the people of God, prophets, or apostles, did direct
all people to a true light within them for their instruction and guide,
before the manifestation of the spirit unto them, or the work of re
generation wrought in them V
A. The prophet said, ' I will give him for a covenant of light unto
the Gentiles,' and 'a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the
house of Judah will I make, and write my law in their hearts, and put
them into their minds ;' and this was in general directed to them be
fore they were converted and regenerated, and this light was toenlighten
the Gentiles, whereby the prisoners should come out of the pit where
there is no water; and the new covenant was held to the Jews before

512
they were converted, that all may see who can read but the outward
letter; and the apostle was sent to turn people from darkness to light;
and John the highest prophet born of woman, said, ' that was true
light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,'
which he was a witness of; and 'the light shined in the darkness, and the
darkness comprehended it not' And Christ directed the Pharisees
which were not converted to the kingdom of heaven in them. Read the
pearl, and the lost piece of silver; read the talent, and the pearl hid in
the field; read the slothful servant, his talent, and then read thyself,
how blind and ignorant thou art in the things of God, and be silent,
that thou mayst come to know the Lord, and his fear, that the witness
of God may stir in thee, that thou mayst do righteously in the sight of
God and men, lest the judgment of God be upon thy head; for thou
art manifest to all that are in the light.

THE
DOCTR1IES AXD PRINCIPLES
OF THE
PRIESTS OF SCOTLAND,
CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE OF
CHRIST AND THE APOSTLES.
Here all may see, the. priests of Scotland, and their church, and
their persecution against the saints, and lambs, servants, and
children of God, whom the Lord moved to go among them, to
visit the seed of God in that dark wilderness country, who have
been as sheep among wolves.
Also, how pure religion is turned upside down, and vain religion
got in its place. And the pure doctrine of Christ and the apos
tles, which saith, ' entertain strangers, love enemies' is lost among
you: instead of entertaining strangers, and loving enemies, they
imprison and persecute, and have made their church unsavoury.
And the teachers' fruits declare them to be false, who were wrest
lers against flesh and blood, and strikers at creatures, which
Christ and the apostles did not.
George Weare, John Hart, William Grey, William Lowry, Wil
liam Mitchell, and Richard Isamaell.
First, these Presbyterian priests of Scotland, who excommunicate
and put out of the synagogues, know not the Father and the son, John
xvi. so are no true christians; for how can they be true christians that
knpw not the son of God, nor the Father ?
Secondly, they are no ministers of Christ; for Christ saith, ' when
they curse, bless ye;' so they are out of Christ's doctrine and teach
ing, not blessing, but cursing, and giving forth curses, and ' all the peo
ple must say amen to their curses.'
Thirdly, they are out of the apostle's doctrine, who saith, 'Bless and
curse not;' Rom xii. xiv. so are no ministers of Christ, that curse and
give forth their curses to the people to say amen to them: and here

514
they are shut out of the apostle's doctrine, and Christ's. All people
mark and take notice, they are those that curse, but the apostle saith,
' Bless and curse not;' these are the cursers and not blessers, that ex
communicate you out ofthe synagogues.
Hugh' Archball, priest of Stravan; John Hume, priest of Lesmahaga;
William Hambleton, priest of Glasford; James Durram, priest of Glas
gow ; John Castaires, priest of Glasgow; Francis Ard, priest of Discert;
Matthew Mackel, priest of Bothell; Henry Foreside, priest of Lingiah;
James Nesmith, priest of Hambleton ; Robert Semple, priest of Les
mahaga ; Thomas Garony, priest of Edenbrough ; John Burnet, priest
of Hilbride.

Hugh Archball, priest of Stravan, in Anandale. These are his
principles.
P. ' That Christ hath not enlightened every one that comes into
the world.'
A. Which is contrary to John's doctrine. John i. 9.
P. ' That Christ doth enlighten none but those that do receive him.'
A. Contrary to John iii. speaking of them that hate the light, and are
enlightened, and will not come to it, because the light will reprove
them; so he that hates the light is enlightened, and will not receive
Christ. P. ' That it is blasphemy to say, that the true light doth enlighten and
condemn the world.'
A. Contrary to John i. 9. and iii. 19. that saith, 'This is the true
light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' And ' this is
the condemnation of the world, that light is come into the world.'
P. ' To say, that which reproves for sin is from heaven, is blas
phemy.' A. Contrary to John xvi. S. who saith it is the spirit that reproves,
which comes from the Father and the son, which is from heaven.
P. He crieth up a natural light, as sun, moon, and stars^ and the
lightof Christ was before these were made, and saith, ' it is blasphemy
to say, they that did the things contained in the law, were blessed in
the deed;' and the apostle said, ' the doers of the law were justified,' and
said, ' he would leave the Friends that spake to him, to the mercy of
the people.'
A. Upon which they struck bitterly with books, fists, and stones,
to destroy, but some moderate people and soldiers stayed the persecu
tion.

515

John Hume, Priest of Lesmahaga. His Principles as follows, who
got into a steeple-house, and shut the door upon him; thus he
taught the people.
P. ' That which was to be known of God, was manifest by the
things that are created.'
A. Contrary to the apostle's doctrine, Rom. i. 19. 'For whatso
ever may be known of God is manifest in them; for the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly ,seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and
godhead, so that they are without excuse.' So with that of God in
them they know the invisible things from the foundation of the world,
and with that they see the godhead.
P. ' That God was to be known by the things that were made, as
the sun, moon, and stars.'
A. But Jesus Christ said, Matt. xi. 27. ' No man knows the Father
but the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him,' and the hea
thens know not God, nor had the Jews seen his shape. And his ser
vants and workmen did throw water, stones, and lime, and persecuted,
and dirtied, and abused the people called Quakers, and threw a pan
full of water on a soldier's neckband he the said priest never reproved
them; and these are the fruits of him and his own family, instead of
gravity: well may the whole parish be out of order, when his own
family is thus. So he is one that is reproved by the apostle's doc
trine, 1 Tim. iii. who saith, 'If you cannot rule your own family,
how can you take care for the church of God ?'

Henry Foreside, priest of the parish of Lingiah in Dunbartonshire,
said in his preaching to the people,
P. ' If they had christian zeal they would stone them whom they
call Quakers.'
A. It is the blind zeal that stones, not the zeal of the christian, that
has the life of Christ; for the christian zeal is to pray for them that
persecute, Matt. v. 44. and not to stone them; and to love enemies. It
was the Jews' zeal that took up stones to stone Christ, John viii. 59.
they stoned Stephen, Acts vii. 5. 8. and stoned the apostles, Acts xiy.
19. In this the Presbyterians have proved their Christianity to be
out of Christ and the apostles.
P. ' If Paul and the rest of the apostles had been alive, they weuld
have stoned the Quakers.'

516
A. Here all may see his work to be the work of the envious man in
Cain's way, Jude xi. who would murder, and wrong the apostle, who
never taught nor intended any such doctrine, but said, 'Overcome
evil with good.' Rom. xii. 21. And love bears all things. 1 Cor. xiii.
7. Now see whose minister this man is, that cannot bear, but would
have them stoned, and would have the apostle as bad as himself,
which apostle said, ' Christ was his example, who laid down his life for
his enemies,' Rom. v. 8. who suffered the contradiction of sinners;
who would render evil to no man, but, on the contrary, says, the Lord
Jesus ' forgive them.' Luke xxiii. 34. And the apostle said, they wres
tled not against flesh and blood. Eph. vi. 12. But you and they that
stone, do ye not wrestle against flesh and blood ? And if the apostles
would have stoned, would they not have wrestled against flesh and
blood ? And if the appstles should have stoned all that were contrary
to their minds, and bid the people stone them, and told them it was
christian zeal, what work would they have made ? as the said Henry
Foreside, called minister, doth. Where would have been long suffer
ing ? Gal. v. 22. and loving enemies ? Matt. v. 44. and where would
he have had any to be converted ? and who would have been per
secutors ? and who would have prayed for persecutors ? Ye may see
what a pit ye are fallen into. And how should they have convinced
gainsayprs, Titus i. 9. and loved them, when they had stoned them ?
And this is the Presbyterian's zeal of Scotland, and not christian zeal,
who would stone, and stir up his congregation to do so! for Christy
who is clothed with zeal, Isa. lix. 17. said, 'Love your enemies,' but
ye are clothed with madness and folly. And the apostle that was in
his zeal according to knowledge, said, 'Overcome evil with good,'
Rom. xii. 21. and 'vengeance is the Lord's, and he will repay it'
Rom. xii. 19. And love bears all things; but his blind zeal cannot bear
any thing, but cries stone them out of the way, and so wickedly and
devilishly calls it christian zeal, which is false; that is, the devil's-
zeal. Now the apostles wrestled not against flesh and blood, but against
the powers of darkness, Eph. vi. 12. but the Presbyterians, called mi
nisters, are striking against flesh and blood; whilst ye would stone
them, spiritual wickedness lies within you. So ye Presbyterian priests
are as a troop of robbers that would murder in the way by consent
Hos. vi. 9.

James Dorram, called minister of Glasgow, his principles.
P. ' That the believers, even the real godly, are not without sin
in this life. '

517
A. Here is one that is charging the elect, and laying sin to the
elect that God justifies, Rom. viii. 33, that in the godly there should
be sin. Sin is out of the godly, but in the ungodly, who turn the
grace of God into wantonness; and what good doth his preaching do
them, if they must never be without sin whilst they are upon earth,
they can be but in their sin if they never preach to them. But the
scripture saith, ' He that believes is born of God, and he that is born
of God cannot sin, because his seed remains in him,' 1 John iii. 9.
But this is of another world to him, who is called James Dorram,
minister of Glasgow, minister of darkness, who puts no difference be
tween the children of God, and the children of the devil. 1 John iii.
10. They would have sin whilst they are upon the earth, and it is
darkness, but the apostles said they were made free from sin, Rom.
vi. 22. whilst they were upon the earth.
P. ' Christ being sinless, separates him from all others.'
A. Christ being separated from sinners, Heb. vii. 26, they who are
in Christ are separate from sinners and sin both, 2 Cor. vi. 17. But
this James Dorram hath made the offering of none effect, Heb. x. 14,
which hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. And hath
made the blood of Jesus of none effect, which cleanseth from all sin,
1 John i. 7. And he hath made the everlasting covenant of none
effect which blots out all sins and trespasses. And he hath made
the faith of the son of God of none effect, which purifies the heart,
and gives victory over the world, Acts. xv. 9. 1 John v. 5. Thou dost
herein preach and hold up sin, and dost not preach it down, and yet
thou sayst thou preachest not to hold it up, and yet thou preachest they
must have it whilst they are upon the earth; here is confusion in thy
tongue, Prov. xvii. 20. Thou shouldst have preached it down, and if
thou wert a true minister, have brought them to a church where there
is neither spot nor wrinkle, nor blemish, nor any such thing, Eph. v.
27, but your church is full of spots, and blemishes, and wrinkles,
whilst ye are preaching up zeal to stone people, and sin while they
live, as Henry Foreside and James Dorram do.
P. ' God be thanked the scripture speaks nothing for freedom from
sin and perfection.'
A. Thou thankest God that thou mayst live in thy sin and imper
fection, and art glad of this thy false hope; but thou art a liar, thou
art out of the truth in this, for the scripture saith they were made
free from sin, Rom. vi. 26. And they preached wisdom among them
that were perfect, 1 Cor. ii. 6, and he hath perfected for ever them
that are sanctified, Heb. x. 14. So the scripture speaks of freedom
from sin, and of perfection.
P. 'That the condemning power of sin is taken away.'
A. The believer doth not sin, 1 John v. 1. 1 John iii. 9, but he that
65

518
the believer overcomes commits sin, 1 John iii. 8 and 1 John v. 5, and
if the believer commits sin, who overcomes the believer? And so he
that commits sin is under the condemning power of sin, which thou
and all others shall witness.
P. ' The believer is not in sin as the unbeliever is, he sins not as
the unbeliever doth;' and in another place he saith, 'the law is the
same tp the believer that it is to the unbeliever.'
A. Here any may read thy confusion; but I say unto thee, he that
believeth doth not commit sin, but unbelief is sin, Rom. xi. 20, and
Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes for righteous
ness' sake, Rom. x. 4, and yet thou puts both believers and unbe
lievers under the law.

Lodowick Simerell, priest of the new parish of Munckland, his
Principles and Doctrines.
P. ' That it is blasphemy to say that the light in man, which re
proves of sin, is the light of God, is perfect, is the gift of God.'
A. Contrary to scripture, contrary to Christ's words, and contrary
to the apostles' words are thy doctrine and principle, for every gift of
God is perfect, Isa. i. 17. Isa. xlix. 6. John i. 3. John 4. For Christ
is the gift of God, and he will give him for a covenant of light to the
Jews and Gentiles, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into
the world, which every one that doth truth comes to, but every one that
doth evil hates the light, and will not come to the light because the
light will reprove him; and so, ' this is the condemnation of the world,
that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than
light, because their deeds are evil.' So this light is perfect, which
doth reprove every man of sin, and is from above, and it is the gift of
God, and thou art blind and in darkness that comprehends it not. And
the light which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
Christ Jesus the gift of God, he by whom the world was made, this
light was before any natural light was made, sun, moon, or stars; for
all things that were made, were made by the light, which came a light
into the world, that all through him might believe, for be that believes
not in the light, is condemned already, and he that does believe in the
light hath the witness in himself, to set to his seal that God is true; and
the spirit of truth that doth reprove the world is perfect, and of God.
The light which every one that cometh into the world is enlightened
with, is not conscience, for the light was before any thing was made, or
conscience named: So the light is that which exerciseth the conscience
towards God, and towards man, where it is loved, and the voice heard;
but where it is hated, and the voice not heard, the conscience is seared,

519
and the light is their condemnation, whose consciences are seared,
which light was before conscience was.
The priest would not have thee and thou to be a single person, and
so is the man that would not endure sound words, that cannot be con
demned. Thee and thou was the language between God and his saints,
and one another, and you is to many, and thou was to one. And this
was the language between Jephtha and his daughter, and between the
saints and the kings; this shows, that thou hast not learned the acci
dence nor bible, nor art come to the form of sound words.

John Castaires, called Minister of Glasgow, his Principles.
P. ' This is natural folks' duty to pray to God and worship him, al
though they sinfully keep themselves under a sinful necessity to sin
against God through ignorance.'
A. This hath been your work, to keep people in ignorance, which
you may be ashamed of. A natural man cannot worship God, for he
cannot receive the things of God, nor a sinful man, but worships the
devil, for he that commits sin, serves him, and he that serves sin, serves
the devil; and worships him, John viii. 34. And Christ said the Pharisees
should receive the greater damnation, for their pretended long prayers,
Mat. xxiii. 14. and so he did not justify them in their long prayers, but
rebuked them, and said, ' wo unto them who drew near with their lips,
when their hearts were far off,' Isa. xxix. 13. And they that pray and
worship God, must pray in the spirit, 1 Corinthians xiv. 15, and wor
ship in the spirit, which the devil is out of, John iv. 21.
P. ' If the first command be in force, and if it be in force negatively,
it is also in force positively, thou shalt have me for thy God, and
oughtest to worship me; and if they pray not as they should, let them
answer for it, for it is not sin of itself.'
A. The children of Israel, that the commandments were given toy
knew God, but the heathen know him not: here all may see what
measure thou measures with. And further thou sayst, if they pray
as they should not, yet it is not sin: is praying as they should, and as
they should not, one? By this to call upon God with their lips, and the
heart not right, and the prayers and sacrifice of the wicked are justified,
Prov. xv. 8. And if any pray as they should not, are they not con
demned for it? and if praying as they should not, be not sin, then they
do as they should.
P. ' If folks should not pray because they are incapable, then a be
liever not finding himself in a good frame, may let his prayers alone.'
A. A believer is a babe of God, and his cry is right, his prayer is

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right, and his groan is right, 1 John v. 1. And every man that cometh
into the the world, being enlightened, and coming into the light which
hath enlightened him, 1 John i. 7, in that he is to watch and pray,
which leads him beyond naturals, which will be accepted in the degree,
but he that hates the light, his prayer is not accepted, but is in the hy
pocrisy. P. 'The apostle bade Simon Magus, an old witchcarl, pray; and
now is there any reason to say we are bidding folk sin, when we bid
them pray, although they be grossly ignorant?'
A. The apostle bade him repent, Acts viii. 22, and he was sensible
he had sinned: and that which makes a man sensible of sin, brings him
to pray aright, and turns him from witchcraft; and so thou dost put no
difference between the precious and the vile, Ezek. xxii. 26, the ac
cepted and unaccepted.
And Henry Foreside, who would have had his people to stone the
Quakers, and calls it christian zeal, he would have his wall up that
he might live in safety, who murders, and would be preserved in the
murderous estate, and would have the powers of the earth to be his
executioners and pack-horses; but the Lord is opening their eyes, that
they will not execute his malice, though he is stirring up the people
to do so. So all may see this is not the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, but
the work of the murderer, and one that makes himself drunk with the
blood of saints, Rev. xvii. 6, till he reel again in his madness. And
Christ called them that took up stones to stone him, of their father the
devil, for doing his lust, John viii. 44. And thou who would have the
people to stone, and calls it christian zeal, hast manifested thy father,
and to be of the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning. But
you are the serpents and vipers that would kill to fill the measure of
your fathers, Matt, xxiii. 32, and persecute from city to city. And hale
out of the synagogues, John xvi. 2, that all the righteous blood shed,
from righteous Abel, might come upon you, Matt, xxiii. 35. And you are
they that kill the bodies of the saints, and are shedders of the righteous
blood, (mark, the righteous blood,) that the righteous blood might be
upon you. And Cain slew Abel, because Abel's sacrifice was accepted,
and his not, Gen. iv. So it is about the sacrifice and worship, ye
would murder and slay: so ye are in Cain's way, a company of vaga
bonds, whose sacrifice God hath no respect unto. If we were your
enemies, you would not teach the people to stone us, if ye were min
isters of Christ, but love us, Matt v. 44. and do good to us. If the
apostles should have taught the people to stone all that were contrary
to their mind, and Christ should have taught his disciples to stone all
that were contrary to their mind, and told them that were christian
zeal; but ye may see Christ and his apostles taught another doctrine,
'love your enemies,' and thou teachest to stone them, who are in scorn

521
called Quakers, contrary to Christ and his apostles; we do conclude it
to be the doctrine of the devil, and not the doctrine of Christ. For
the true christian zeal never taught to stone, but were stoned.
The priests called Presbyterians, summoned some people called
Quakers to come before them, and they came into the steeple-house
where they met, and James Nasmith, priest of Hambleton, bade them
remove, or else he would make them remove by club law. And they
asked the Presbyterian priests for their accusers, and Francis Ard, one
of the priests, said, they were both accusers and judges. Now whether
this be equity, that the same that summons should be both accusers
and judges; and when they have summoned, accused, and judged, say
they will make them remove by club law: whether these be not brutes,
and beasts, and not justices? They are not fit to judge, nor to have the
name of ministers, and judges, that will remove people by club law;
and the said Quakers could not own them as judges, nor do look on
them as men of equity, but would have had them to have given them
a meeting in any place, whereby the truth might be cleared and come
to light, which they had scandalized, which they refused; and that law
ful witnesses might hear, but they did refuse, and caused them to be put
in prison by the hand of a bailiff, by name Nasmith.
And this is the authority of the Presbyterian priests, who have sum
moned with club law! but it is denied by the apostle's doctrine, 1 Tim.
iii. they must n'ot be strikers, nor false accusers. These are the Pres
byterian priests of Scotland's weapons, club law, which is contrary to
the ministers of Christ; they said, ' we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, and trfey must not be strikers,' Eph. vi. 12. And after they had
violently thrust them into prison, after their wills were satisfied with
violence, they thrust them out again; there ye may feel the spirit of
wickedness. And. these Presbyterian priests petition the magistrates, with a pre
tence they might not be guilty of other's blood; which pretence is in
their petitions, to take away their fear, that their wicked peace might
not be disturbed, not regarding their blood: witness James Nasmith,
priest, who would make them remove by club law. So their petition
is but flattery and deceit, in pretence of not being guilty of their blood,
in whose heart it is to shed blood, as witness Henry Foreside, priest,
who stirred up the people in zeal to stone them.
Those Presbyterian priests set up club law and persecution against
the Quakers, and would not have any to receive them into their houses.
So this is abominable doctrine, contrary to the apostle, whose doctrine
you have trodden under your feet, who said, ' Be not forgetful to en
tertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.'
Heb. xiii. 2.
And they say again, they have no certain dwelling places. These

522
Presbyterians, with their club law and excommunications, who say
the Quakers have no certain dwelling places, may inform against the
apostles, who had no certain dwelling places, and against Christ, who
had not whereon to lay his head, Luke ix. 58. and against Abraham,
who had not a foot of ground, Gen. xii. But Cain built a city, the vaga
bond, of whose flock and offspring you are, Gen. iv. 17. And said Da
vid, let their children be vagabonds, Psal. cix. 10. and so this is ful
filled upon you.
And you Presbyterian priests, with your club law, who would club
those people scornfully called Quakers away; you would have an or
der from the justices, that none should receive the Quakers into their
houses, and stop them of their liberty; and this is contrary to the law of
the nations. And this is damnable doctrine, wherewith ye poison the
people, and stir them up with madness and folly. And instead of teach
ing them peace, you teach them strife; and instead of loving one an
other, you teach them to fight one with another.
And Henry Foreside, priest, cries, stone them. And James Na
smith, priest, cries for club law. And William Hambleton, priest of
Glasford, said to Andrew Brown, if the laws were right, they would
chop off all the Quakers' heads. By William Hambleton's words the
law is wrong, because it doth not fulfil his purpose and envy.
Here all may see that you are doing the devil's work, hunting after
blood, whose envy, madness, and folly appear to all men. What ye can
not do yourselves, ye exhort the people to do; and what ye and the
people cannot do, ye petition the magistrates to do, that all unrighteous
blood may come upon you, Mat xxiii. 35. *
Alas, for you, ye poor silly priests, and mad Presbyterians! Is this
your work to set people to stone, and cry up club law, and law to chop
off their heads? Is this the way to convert them? Is not this the popish
way of converting them? Ye should go to convert them, instruct them,
convince them, love them, heap coals of fire upon them, Mat vt Rom.
xx. ' Overcome evil with good,' Rom. xii. 21. Pray for them, Mat.
V. 44. No, cry you, chop off their heads, begging by petitions that
none may receive them into their houses, stone them, fall upon them
by club law, that your folly and madness may be made manifest; and
you imprison them, and such as receive them into their houses. As for
instance, ye caused John Hart, of the heads of Glasford, and Jennet
Hambleton, widow of Westmanies, to be imprisoned for entertaining
them in their houses. Here ye have proved yourselves to be the
wolves the sheep are sent among, Mat. x. 16. that are ravening to de
vour them; which is one of the marks that ye are the false prophets
Christ said should come, Mat. vii. 5. And you are haling out of the
synagogues, and excommunicating, and ye never show for what; which
practice ye are in, which is a work of darkness.

523
And upon this bargain, that the magistrates would grant them an
order, that none should receive them into their houses, and that they
might not have their liberty, and their servants would be much re
freshed, who cry stone them, let us have a law against them, and if
the laws were right, they would chop off their heads, and make them
remove by club law. But how were these priests the magistrates' ser
vants at Dunbar fight, when they excommunicated and cursed their
army and magistracy? But now they would be their servants, if they
would execute their wills upon the innocent! Surely these things Pan-
not but stink to all magistrates that fear God.
These are the servants and servers of the times, that the prophets
call enchanters, Lev. xix. 16. and for their own false ends. Ye can
never read that the apostles nor Christ did ever teach any such doctrine
that the people should be stoned, or have their heads chopped off, or
be driven away by club law, which shows you are apostates from the
apostles, and of the Jewish nature.
The synod at Glasgow, in the second month, did ordain concerning
these persons in Clidedale, formerly excommunicated, who are called
Quakers, that no other people in other parishes should bargain with
them, or suffer them to come within their houses, or have entertain
ment for money. Upon which the people persecuted and stoned them,
and haled them out of their houses in several places, viz. Three of
those people called Quakers, were, in the night time, betwen ten and
eleven o'clock, drawn by force out of an inn, in the town of New-mills
in Ayreshire, and stoned out of the town into the fields to shift for
their lodging. And others, three several times, were beaten, stoned,
and shamefully treated, and persecuted in Strawan. And others at
Lithmahaga. And others shamefully abused in the town of of Kirkan-
tillough. And others stoned at Kilbride. And others pitifully stoned,
beaten,*and abused; and some blood shed at Glasford. And at many
other places much harm has been done. These are the priests' fruits,
the bloody presbytery, who would have them stoned, and their heads
chopped off; some ofthe magistrates did stop the people from abusing
them, so that the priests' malice was not altogether satisfied.
Andrew Brown and John Lowcock of Glasford, were cast into pri
son, for asking him a question when he was catechising; and admonish
ed them when they were far absent, and if they come before them,
they will cast them into prison ; this makes them peepers and mut-
terers, to admonish them when they are not present. And is this like
to change them, or do they intend to change them, who admonish them
when they are out of hearing, and did excommunicate them when they
were in prison ? What an unmanly part is this in this wicked, devilish,
envious, and unchristian ministry.
And John Hart went to a steeple-house to hear the priest's admoni-

524
tion, for the priest said he would admonish him, and he went to hear
him; and when he had admonished him, he spake to him, and bid him
prove himself in the doctrine of Christ, and they whom he admonish
ed out of it, and then gave them a bill of divorcement. But the priest
went to the court, and got a warrant from the justice, and so cast him
into prison, and when he was in prison, excommunicated him, and Said
he disturbed him. And here his devilish wicked art and doctrines ap
pear, which shows him of Cain's stock, where is nothing but persecu
tion, murder, and envious slayers, vagabonds, and.cursed speakers, that
went on in the way of Balaam, or Core; that make merchandize ofthe
people through their covetousness, and feigned words to the people;
and give forth their curses in their congregations, and all the people
are to say amen, to them as follows: —
The priests' first curse, that all the people were to say amen to.
P, ' Cursed be all. they that say grace is free, and let all the people
say, amen.'
A. And so they curse the apostles, and the apostles' doctrine, and
all that witness to it, who said, ' the free grace of God, which bring
eth salvation, hath appeared to all men,' Titus ii. 11. and was the
saints' teacher. These things the appstles commanded to teach with
all authority, Titus ii. 15. but the ungodly men turn this grace of God
into wantonness, who are of old ordained for condemnation.
Ye are the raging waves of the sea, sending and foaming out your
own shame, whose fruits wither, neglecting the common salvation ;
read Jude. Ye are like to Sodom and Egypt, clouds without water,
who run greedily after the wages of Balaam, going in the way of Cain,
and shall perish in the gainsaying of Core, and walking despitefully
against the spirit of grace; and they that turn the grace of God into
wantonness, deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. ii. Jude 11.
Ye are the trees without fruit, wells without water, carried about
with tempests, cursed speakers; teaching the people to say amen to
your cursing the apostles' doctrine, and so willingly ignorant, that
your damnation may be just, that your madness and folly might appear
to all; and so you are sensual, not having the spirit, waves of the sea,
wandering stars, reserved for blackness of darkness; read Jude.
' The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men,' Titus ii. 11. So that which brings salvation and hath appeared
to all men, ye curse; that which is the grace of God, which ye with
your damnable doctrine, and doctrine of devils, curse, them that wit
ness it, 2 Pet. ii. 1 Tim. iv. upon whose .consciences the hot iron
hath come, which hardened them that went to the doctrine of devils,

525
to them that did not hold forth the saviour of all men, 1 Tim. iv. 10
' These things command and teach, let no man despise thy youth.'
Now they that went to the doctrine of devils, from the saviour of
men, but especially them that believed, and from the grace of God
which hath appeared to all men, which brings salvation, are they which
have turned the grace of God, which is the light, into wantonness,
who are ordained of old for condemnation, Jude iv. Such are in Cain's
way, from the command of God; Core's way from the truth, and Ba
laam's way from the spirit; those are the clouds and tempests upon
whose heads cpmes the wo.
The priests' second curse, which all the people were to say amen to.
' Cursed be all they that say the scripture is not the word of God;
and let all the people say amen.'
A. Here they have cursed Luke, who calls the scripture a declara
tion of the word, Luke i. 1 ; and Acts i. 1, where it is called a treatise.
And they have cursed their own company, who say the scriptures si-
nify writings; and they have cursed John, who did not say the scrip
ture was the word, who said, ' In the beginning was the word,' John
i. 1, and the scripture is words, as in the last of Revelations, 'he that
addeth to the words;' and Christ's name is called the word of God;
Rev., xix, 13. And the scriptures are words, not a word, Exod. xx,
and which words Christ came to fulfil.
The priests' third curse, to which all the people were to say amen.
' Cursed be all they that say faith is without sin, and let all the people
say amen.'
A. Faith is the gift of God, and the gift of God is without sin, Ephes.
ii. 8. Faith is that which gives the victory, John iii. 4. And that
which gives victory is without sin. And here they have cursed the
apostles and their doctrine, who say, faith is without sin, and faith
is precious, 1 Pet. i. 7, and that which is precious is without sin. Faith
is the gift of God, and the gift of God is perfect, and that which is
perfect is without sin, and gives victory over sin. Without faith a man
cannot please God, and that which men please God in, is without sin,
Heb. i. 6. And so ye have cursed the apostle and his doctrine, the
just and that which is pure, that by which they were healed, through
faith they were justified, Rom. iii. 28, and what is not of faith is sin,
Rom. xiv. 23. So what is of faith is not sin, and what is righteous
is not sin, and the scripture speaks of the righteousness of faith, Rom.
iv. 13. Faith is not of sin, but what is not of faith is sin, faith gives
victory over sin, 1 John iii. 4, in which faith man is justified, and hath
66

526
peace with God, Rom. v. 1, and it is a mystery held in a pure con
science, 1 Tim. iii. 9.
The priests' fourth curse, to which all the people were to say amen.
' Cursed are all they that say every man hath a light sufficient to
lead him to Christ, and that within him, and let all the people say
amen.' A. Here they have cursed the apostle's doctrine, who said, God
would dwell in them, 2 Cor. vi. 16, and 'Christ in you the hope of
glory,' Col. i. 27, and God is light, 1 John i. 5. And they have
cursed the prophets, who said, ' I give him for a covenant, a leader of
the people. I will dwell in them, and walk in them,' saith God, Jer.
xxxi. 31. Heb. x. 16. And he saith, 'I will send you the spirit of
truth, and it shall lead you into all truth,' John xiv. 17. John xvi, 13.
' And I will be their God,' to rule them, ' and they shall be my people,'
Jer. xxxi. 33. Thy curses are but wind, for we are redeemed from
the curse; and the*apostles said, 'the light that shined in their hearts
was to give them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of
Jesus Christ,' 2 Cor. iv. 6. And they that are led by the spirit of God
are the sons of God, Rom. viii. 14, and the light to guide our feet in
the way of peace; and 'he that hath the son hath the father alsp.' And if
any bring another doctrine, receive them not into your houses, nei
ther bid them God speed, 2 John ix. 30. You have here showed
yourselves in the cursed estate, out of the apostles' rule, the same spi
rit of truth that led the disciples into all truth, that shall reprove the
world of sin, John xvi. 8, 13.
The priests' fifth curse, to which all the people were to say amen.
' Cursed be all they that deny the Sabbath-day, and let all the people
say, amen.'
A. Here they have cursed themselves, and all the apostles, and the
saints, and their own generation; have not you and your own genera
tion denied, the Sabbath-day the Jews met on, which is the Sabbath-
day according to the scripture ? do not ye meet together upon the first
day? and was not Christ crucified on the sixth day? and did not he
arise on the first day ? and did the saints meet together on the first
day ? and not keep the Jews' Sabbath-day ? do not you work upon it
yourselves, and keep markets and fairs on it ? But, as it is said before,
we are redeemed from the curse.
These are the particular sentences whereupon Matthew Markell,
and the rest of the priests present with him, did excommunicate those
people called Quakers, in the presence of many witnesses, and he re
quired his hearers to say amen to every particular sentence.

527

John Humes, Priest.
P. ' They who have not the scriptures, know not the attributes of
God, by the light of nature, but the scriptures declare the great mystery
of the three persons in trinity, which they who want the scriptures
know not'
A. Thy principle is a lie, and who had not the scriptures knew God
and Christ, as Abraham and Enoch, and the scripture doth not declare
ofthe three persons, nor ofthe trinity; and 'the natural man receives
not the things of the spirit of God.'
P. 'That the scriptures reveal the great mystery of election, the
great works ofthe creation, and the work of redemption.'
A. There thou hast set up the scripture instead of God, and before
God and the son, for it is God that doth reveal to babes and sucklings,
Matt. xi. 25, and God did reveal by his spirit, 1 Cor. ii. 10, and God
shall reveal, Phil. iii. 15, and the things of God are hid from the wise
and prudent (Matt xi. 25.) that have the Scriptures; the Jews had the
scriptures: and God reveals his secrets to the prophets, his servants,
Amos iii. 7. No man knows the Father saving to whom the son shall
reveal him, Matt. xi. 17. Now the son reveals, and the Father reveals,
and the things of God are revealed by his spirit, 1 Cof. ii. 10. The Jews
had the scriptures, and knew not the son, 1 Cor. ii. 8, nor the Father,
as in John, nor the things of God by a natural light, as they call it. The
Jews had the scriptures, and did not know the election, Isa. xxiv, be
cause they were from the Spirit. So it is God that reveals the son,
and redemption,' and election, and not the scripture; the scripture was
given forth from them that had the revelation from God.
P. ' That we and the Papists and Jesuites, and priests, do agree all
together, that the scripture is the word of God that liveth and endureth
forever.' A. I do believe that you and the Papists and Jesuits, agree all in
one; but ye do not agree with the apostles and ministers of the word,
for the ministers of the word call the scripture a declaration, as ye may
read Luke i. And ye do not agree with them that set forth the Acts,
that called it a treatise, Acts i. Likewise ye do dot agree with some of
your own, who say the scriptures signify writings, and writings will
not endure forever. So ye are Babylon, and do not agree with Christ,
nor with John, Rev. xxii. who saith ' the words;' nor with Moses, nor
God, who 'spake all these words,' Exod. xx. In the beginning was the
word, and the word is God, and the word liveth and abideth forever;
but the scripture is words, and the scripture cannot be broken.

528

John Nasmith, Priest of Hambleton, his Principles.
P. ' That the soul of man is a reasonable sinful substance.'
A. How can that which is sinful be reasonable? and if that which is
unsinful be reasonable, and sinful be reasonable both, then they are one,
in unity. The Lord will take the soul for an offering for sin; doth the
Lord take that which is sinful for an offering? Isai. liii. See how thou
and the prophet agree here! But what is that soul that the wicked
are not able to kill? is it not that which God hath in his hand? And this
is a lie, to say that which is reasonable is sinful; thou puttest light for
darkness. God, who hath all souls in his hand, 'breathed into man the
breath of life, and he became a living .soul,' and the soul is immortal
and Christ the bishop of it is immortal, and God hath it in his hand,
which goeth against him that doth evil, whose hand is immortal;*but
man transgressing the commands of God, the soul lies in death. So
Christ is the bishop of souls: so they that came to know Christ, their
souls rejoiced in God their saviour, Luke i.
P. ' That the evil spirits are both sinful and reasonable.'
A- This is a lie, for reasonable is not sinful, but unreasonable is sin
ful, 2 Thes. iii. they have not the faith: and if the evil spirit be rea
sonable, and the good reasonable, they are both one, who then is un
reasonable? If the evil spirit be reasonable, thou puttest no difference
between the precious and the vile; thou hast the mark of a blind guide,
and a false prophet in the forehead.
P. ' That one of the Quakers is worse than the devil.'
A. This is a lie, with his strange wonder, for there is nothing worse
than the devil, whose children ye are; for when he speaks a lie he
speaks of himself, and he is the father of it.

Henry Foreside, Priest of Lingiah in Dunbartonshire, his doctrine
and Principles.
P. ' That God commands all men every where to repent, to the end
that they should not have it to say but they were warned, but not that
he would give them grace to repent'
A. Here thou makest God that he does not intend that which he
speaks, and so thou wouldst make him unrighteous; though the Lord
commands all men every where to repent, Acts xvii. 30, who hath
made all nations of men of one blood to dwell upon the earth, and all
being concluded under sin and unbelief, that he might have mercy upon
all, Rom. iii. 9. For both Jews and Gentiles, all were under sin, and
none of them did good, no not one. And God's intent is, that when

529
he calls men to repentance, they should repent, and many did repent;
and you are not fit men to be ministers of Christ, or of God.
Now if God command all men every where to repent, and, as thou
sayst, does not intend they should repent, thou and you go about to
make God unjust. The Lord desireth not the death of a sinner, but
that he should turn from his wickedness and live, Exod. xxxiii. 11.
Now in turning from his wickedness he lives, but in going on in his
wickedness, he dies; so repentance was preached from dead works,
to serve the living God, Heb. vi. 1, and Christ came to call sinners to'
repentance, not the righteous; for the whole need not the physician, but
the sick, Matt. ix. 12, 13.
And as for saying God did not intend to give them grace, though he
calls them to repentance, that is a lie, and unrighteous doctrine, for
' the grace of God, which brings salvation, hath appeared unto all men,'
Titus ii. 11, and so as he calls them to repentance, he gives them grace,
that grace which brings salvation, which men are justified by; so it is
saving grace that brings salvation, and teacheth to deny ungodliness.
Now they that live ungodly, turn the grace of God into wantonness,,
Jude 4, and these are the wells without water, in Cain's way, Balaam's
way, and Core's way, Jude 11. who speak high words in hypocrisy;
and these are they that separate themselves from the apostles, who are
sensual, having not the spirit, Jude 19, and are of old ordained to con
demnation, who separated from the light, who turn the grace of God
into wantonness; so these are they that neglect the common salvation.
It was the charge of the apostle to Timothy before his decease^ 1 Tim.
iv. 2. 2. Tim. iv. 7. he then told him perilous' times should come, and
doctines of devils, and men speaking lies in. hypocrisy; he said unto
them, that they should trust in the living God, who is the saviour of
all men, and especially of them that believe, 1 Tim. iv. 10. But the
devil's doctrine leads them from their saviour and from the grace, 2 Tim.
iv. 1. And they that are not in the doctrine, are from the light, which
Christ hath enligh^sned them with, John i. 9. And have turned the
grace of God into wantonness by their pernicious ways, and draw
others from it, and we do conclude that to be the doctrine of the devils,
which says, God calls all men to repent, and intends not to give them
grace, nor would have them to repent: as thou Henry Foreside dost
say; for it was the charge of the apostle to Titus to speak sound words,
and sound doctrine, and could not be condemned, Titus ii. and told
him that 'the grace of God which brings salvation had appeared
to all men,' which taught them to ' deny ungodliness and worldly lust,
and to live godly, soberly, and righteously in this present evil world;
these things speak and exhort with all authority,' Titus i. But, as I
said before, ungodly men that turn the grace of God into wantonness,
are of old ordained to this condemnation, and ' this is the condemna-

530
tion of the world, that light is come into the world, and men love
darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil,' John iii. 19,
he that loves the light, it is his saviour, but he that hates the light, it
is his condemnation.
P. 'That the two parts of the church must be profane and godless.*
A. The church is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. iii. 15.
The church ofthe living God; for the ungodly, and that which is un
godly, are out of its grounds. The church is the pillar and ground of
truth, and there are no ungodly in it, and the church is without wrinkle
or spot, holy, and without blemish, Ephes. v. 27. And the church is in
God, 1 Thes. i. 1. That which is in God is in the light, and out of the
ungodly. P. ' That God before the world was, had ordained one little part of
the people for eternal life, that sin or do all the evil they could, they
could not lose that which was ordained for them.'
Here thou goest about to make Christ a liar, for he that commits sin
is the servant of sin, John viii. 34. He that commits sin is of the
devil, saith the apostle;- and thou wouldest make God partial, and hast
taught a doctrine contrary to the scriptures; for God is no respecter of
persons, Rom. ii. 11. who will give to every one a reward according
to their works, Psalm lxii. 12. And he that works iniquity must
depart, cursed from Christ, Matt. vii. 23, and Matt xxv. 41. And
he that sinneth after he hath received the truth, there remains no
more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgment, Heb. x.
27. And the elect doth not commit sin, and who shall lay any thing
to the charge of God's elect, Rom. viii. 33, and the elect is Christ,
Isa. xiii. 1, who was elected before the world was. 'He that is born of
God doth not commit sin, neither can he, because his seed remains in
him,' 1 John iii. 9. And he that commits sin is of the devil, and never
knew God, ver. 6. And herein the children of God are manifest, and
the children ofthe devil, 1 John iii. 10. And God hears not sinners,
and them that regard iniquity, Psalm lxvi. 18. John i*. 31. Prov. xv. 3.
P. 'That the great part of the world was ordained for hell, that let
them repent, or do all that they are commanded to do, they would not
obtain salvation, because God had ordained them to hell.'
A. Then he was asked, wherefore he preached? his answer was to
save the elect: he was answered again, if it was so, there was no need of
that, seeing they could not be lost. Then he was asked, wherefore he
preached to them that were ordained to hell? he answered, to make
their damnation hotter. It was answered him, that they had small
friends of them, and they could not make it hotter, seeing they were or
dained before. The priest aforesaid was asked, who had the blame that
men went to hell ?
His answer was, ' Seeing ye desire to know, I shall tell you; there

531
is one part of the blame in man, and another part of the blame in the
Almighty, that men went to hell.'
A. In this there is confusion. Thou sayst, ' God hath ordained them;'
that he has done it, then thou sayst, ' there is part in man,' and thou saidst
before, it was in God. Now if it be in God, that he hath ordained them
to hell, repent or do all that they are commanded to do, thy preaching
is needless: and thou canst not make hell hotter or colder. Therefore thy
preaching is done and ceased. And thou sayst part of the blame that
men go to hell is in God; here thou wouldst make God unrighteous,
who desires not the death of a sinner. God is not to be blamed in any
thing he doth, but to be praised, who is righteous in all his judgments:
and God is not to be blamed, for God is truth, so let God be true, and
every man a liar, Rom. iii. 4. Thou wicked one, man's destruction is of
himself, Hosea xiii. 9, and God wills not the death of a sinner, but
rather that he would repent; so no fault in God, who saith, 'Let the un
righteous man forsake his unrighteousness, and he shall live, so let the
righteous man forsake his righteousnes, and he dies,' Ezek. xviii. 22.
So my ways are equal, the Lord hath no pleasure at all that the wicked
should die, but that he should return and live; so man's destruction is
of himself. And whereas thou sayst, ' God hath ordained a great part
to hell,' what makest thou of Christ who came to be a saviour of the
world? John iv. 42, he doth not say the elect only, but to save the world,
and not to condemn it. And'God so loved the world'(mark the words,) Jo.
iii. 1 9, he doth not say, so hated it, ' that he gave his only begotten son into
the world, that whose ver believed inhim should notperish,buthave ever
lasting life.' And he came not to condemn the world, but that the world
through him might have life. But they that hate the light and do not be
lieve in it, are by the light condemned, but thou sayst otherwise, that he
condemns a great partof the world. And he doth not say he loves the elect
only, but 'God so loved the world,' and 'God wasinChristreconciling the^
world to himself,' 2 Cor. v. 1 9, he does not sayt he elect only. And he
through death hath destroyed the power of death, the devil, Heb. ii.
14, And thou art to be reproved for thy judgment, for thy unbelief, for
thy unrighteousness, for thy sin, because of thy unbelief, because the
prince of this world is judged, John xvi. And so Christ doth not say, I
am the light of the saints, of the elect only, but I am the light of the
world, John viii. 12, and saith, that 'light is come into the world, and
this is the condemnation of the world, that light is come into the world,
and men love darkness rather than it, because their deeds are evil,'
John iii. 19. So it is unbelief that shuts out, Rom. xi. 20. So the
gates stand open night and day, and every one that doth evil, hates the
light and will not come to it, because it will reprove him, and he wi|l
not come into the gate, for he that comes to the gate comes to the light,
and he that comes to the light comes out of condemnation, and comes

532
to be a child of the light, he that hates the light will not come into the
kingdom of God. And as for thy saying, * God hath ordained a great
part of the world to hell, let them repent and do all that ever he hath
commanded them;' he that doth the things that Christ commands, enters
the kingdom; he that repents, his mind is changed, and whosoever be
lieveth shall not perish, and this command is general, John x. 28,
through the whole world, therefore thou, with the devil's doctrine,
shuts up the kingdom of heaven against others, and wilt not go in thy
self, who says, let men repent, and do all that ever they can, they must
go to hell, when God wills not the death of a sinner but rather that he
should turn from his wickedness and live, Ezek. xxxiii. 11, but he is
merciful, and judges not as thou dost, whose eyes are blinded, and
whose hands are full of blood. So I say, whosoever repents, and doth
the things he is commanded shall be saved; and that which thou sayst
to the contrary, we conclude to be the devil's dectrine: and whosoever
resists the thing that is commanded, that will be their condemnation,
who hate the light which was before the world was, which lighteth
every man that cometh into the world, that all through him might be
lieve, for he that believes in the light shall not abide in darkness,
John viii. 12, shall not come into condemnation, shall come to be a
child of light, John xii. 36, and they shall have the light of life. And
so the light is sufficient to save them, and to condemn them if they be
lieve not, John iii. 18. 14. Isa. iv. 12, and every one that cometh into the
light that he is enlightened with comes into the election, and into the
covenant of God. Evil consciences thou mayst frighten, them that
hate the light, which is their condemnation, but the elect thou canst
neither save nor deceive. Thanks be to God, Christ reigns, who will
give to every man according to his works, who doth enlighten every
man that eometh into the world; and he who doth not believe is con
demned, and shut out. And such turn the grace of God into wantonness,
and are ordained of old that hate the light, which lighteth every man
that cometh into the world, and such are in Cain and Balaam's way,
persecutors and murderers, and turn the grace of into wantonness.
P. From the words of Jude iv, 'they were of old ordained;' from
these words he said, that God had predestinated one to life, without
any cause in the creature less or more, and the other wicked man to
hell, without any cause in the creature less or more; and both wicked
men. And before thou saidst part of the cause that God cast into hell
was in the man and part in God. In this 7th principle and doctrine
thou said there is no causein the creature, that God casts into hell and
condemns him, and in the other thou saidst, there was part blame in
man, and part in God; and here is the devil's doctrine, a lie found in
thy mouth. And thou hast wrested, perverted, and wronged that scrip
ture in Jude, who sayest, there is no part in man causeth condemna-

533
tion, that all may see that you are liars, whereas Jude saith, they were
ungodly, they turned the grace of God that brings salvation into las
civiousness, and denied the Lord that bought them. Jude xi. 2. Pet.
ii. 1. They were covetous, made merchandise of the people, through
feigned words, and no covetous person nor idolater shall enter into the
kingdom of God, 1 Cor. vi. 9. And all deny the Lord that bought them,
but they who own the light that comes from him, which doth en
lighten every man that comes into the world, and none see him, but
with the light that comes from him; and they go in Core's way, and
gainsay the truth, who go from the light that Christ hath enlightened
them within the particular, and he that gainsayeth the truth, there is a
fault in him; and they go in Cain's way, that are from the command
bf God, who said, 'If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted?' and
if he did not well, sin lay at the door. Now these were of old ordain
ed unto condemnation, who turned the grace of God into wantonness,
who were in Cain's way, Core's Way, and broke the commands as
Cain did, and in Balaam's way, erring from the spirit, and admiring
men's persons because of advantage, which Balaam did, and loved
the wages of unrighteousness; and so these do not the things they
are commanded, Cain did not do the thing that he was commanded,
nor Core and his company, that offered strange fire. Num. xvi. So
these of old were ordained for this condemnation, which condemna
tion is the light, John iii. light foresees them and sees over them, and
condemns them, when they arise and go out from the spirit of God in
them. And here all may see, here was fault worthy of condemnation.
And those were they that sensually separated themselves from the apos
tles, and had not the spirit, Jude xix. in their days, who were covetous,
Who went for the gift and reward, who were like raging waves of the
sea, who' were spots in feasts of charity, feasting, feeding without fear,
2 Peter ii. Who admired men's persons because of advantage, and
spoke high words in hypocrisy, ' wells without water, trees without
fruit, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, clouds
without water, carried about with tempests, spots in the feasts of cha
rity, like unto Sodom and Gomorrah' in filthiness, who gp from the
light that does convince them: so there is the self-separation, and there
is the condemnation that comes over them, the light; and these are
they that separated from the apostles; who said, love your enemies,'
Matt v. 44. who are men gone into the world, who are in Cain's
way in envy, in Core's way gainsaying the light; they are like raging
waves ofthe sea, foaming out their shame in their pulpits. So you are
the men that separate from the apostles, that are in Cain's way, and
Core's way, who are out of the life and sacrifice the saints were in,
who would murder, Who gainsay the light that doth enlighten every
man that cometh into the world, so are against the common salvation.
Vol. III. 67

534
And ye are like Cain, foaming and raging in your pulpits, and would
murder all that are contrary to you, whose sacrifice God accepts, and
yours he does not; and God would have accepted Cain, if he had done
well. Gen. iv. So God is merciful and a just God, but Cain did not
well; therefore wo went out from God against him, and so there was
fault in him and not in God, which was the cause of his condemnation.
So you that are in Balaam's way, loving the wages of unrighteous
ness, admiring men's persons because of "advantage, ye are out of the
"faith that is held without respect of persons, James ii. and so separated
from the apostles; to whom Christ said, ' Freely ye have received, free
ly give;' and you will not give freely, who are raging and foaming,
without you have augmentations, stipends, glebe-lands, or tithes, great
sums of money, gifts or rewards from great houses: so you deny the
light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, and so
gainsay the common salvation. Jude i. You gainsay the truth, that
doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, so you are in
Core's way; and would have the persons of saints murdered, so in
Cain's way; and as ye confess that ye have not the spirit that gave
forth the scripture, so you are in the self-separation; and ye deny the
light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, which
is the Lord, John viii. 12. and so deny the Lord that bought you.
2 Pet. ii. 1. And so are for condemnation, who are of that stock that
separate themselves from the apostles, sensual, having not the*spirit,
who are in Cain's way, that would kill and murder, and out of the
apostle's way, who said, 'love your enemies;' who are in Balaam's
way, for gifts and rewards, and admiring men's persons because of ad
vantage; to them speaking high words in hypocrisy; and out of the
apostle's way to whom Christ said, ' Freely ye have received, freely
give.' Matt. x. 6. And out of the prophet's way, who said, 'come
without a price.' Isa, Iv. 1. 2. And ye will have the price, or else
you will not come. Let all that can, read Jude over, and see if there
was not cause in man pf his condemnation, and not in God; and so have
not you proved yourselves in the doctrine of the devils, and. in lies,
and would make God unrighteous, and the apostles unrighteous? for
there was fault in Cain, fault in Balaam, and fault in Core, and fault in
Sodom, and fault in them that turned the grace of God into wanton
ness, which were of old ordained for this condemnation. Jude iv.
Which condemnation is, that light is come into the world, and men
love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. And so
the apostles taught that there was fault in man, as ye may read in Jude,
and thou hast taught that there is none; so then thou art unrighteous,
who would make God and the apostles unrighteous, like thyself. Let
all that fear God, who are npw come to the judgment seat before the
Almighty God, judge who have been they that have erred from the

535
apostles' doctrine; with it you are judged, and you must have a reward
according to your works. And he that comes to life, comes out of his
wickedness, and the wicked man enters not into the kingdom of God.
Rev. xxi. And the promise is to the seed, and he that works iniquity
departs from the seed. Gal. iii. 16. And the election obtains it. Rom.
xi. 7. Not he that wills, nor runs, but God that shows mercy. And
whereas thou sayst ' the wicked man is ordained to life, without any
cause in the creature less or more :' this is just the devil's doctrine
again, to bring every one to hide his talent, and none either to watch
or pray; for there is in the creature, that which brings him to lay aside
wickedness, and to depart from sin, and iniquity, and covetousness, and
drunkenness, which lets him see it, through the obedience of the spirit;
and that is in the creature which brings him to .confess his sin, and for
sake it, whereby mercy is showed ; ' the power of God worketh in us,'
saith the apostle. And as they had been servants to unrighteousness,
so came to yield themselves servants unto righteousness. Rom. vi. How
come the commands of God to be obeyed, if there be not something in
the creature that causes him to obey it ? For thou sayst 'without any
cause in the creature :' why were all these expressions spoken in scrip
ture, that they should obey all things that Christ commanded? Matt.
xxviii. 20. And all the statutes and ordinances spoken of in the scrip
tures, if there be pot something in man to cause him to obey them? But
thy intent is to make God unrighteous who respects no man's person,
but gives to every man a reward according to his works, Rev., ii. 23.
the one as well as the other; and all shall appear before the judgment
of Christ. 2 Cor. ix. 10. He will judge the world in righteousness. And
there is something in the creature that enlightens every man that cometh '
into the world, whereby he is capable of obeying or disobeying, and not
believing comes to be condemned, and in believing he is saved; he hath
the witness in himself. John iii. 8. 1 John v. 10. For he that commits sin
is the servant of sin. John viii. 24. And there is no respect of persons with
0od, but whosoever doth righteousness is accepted of him. Acts x. 34,
35. The apostle said, ' he perceived God was no respecter of persons;'
but whosoever doth wickedly hates the light, and is condemned, but
' whosoever doth the truth, cometh to the light,' John iii. 21 . and so is out
of condemnation : so thou teaches another doctrine. So as I said before,
' The promise is to the seed, the seed is Christ, and Christ is all and in
all.' 1 Cor. xv. 28. And all ungodly and wicked men are shut out of the
kingdom of God, into which no wicked men enter, and man must be
turned again from wickedness before he enters. Rev. xxi. 8.
P. He being asked, what he would do with Quakers, said, ' if he had
been a civil magistrate, he would have thought it good service to have
cut off all their heads.'

536
A. There ye may all see if he be not of Cain's stock, and what envy
proceeds out of his mouth, and unchristian spirit; and how would he
convert them if they were out of the way ? and how would he convince
them, who would cut off their heads 1 hath not this proved the Quakers
to be in the truth, and he out of it? and is not the command of Christ,
that ye should love your enemies ? Matt. v. 44. Now ye may see, he
is out of the command and example, but follows the example of Cain
the murderer. And doth not he show his envy as much against the ma
gistrates as against the Quakers, because they will not execute his
malice, and slay them for him, and be his executioners? And were not
these priests as mad against the magistrates, as they are now against
the Quakers, at Dunbar fight? and would not they have had their heads
off? Let their pulpits witness, though now they admire their persons
because of advantage, Jude xvi. who cannot hold in, but their shame
must be uttered forth, who would slay the persons of men as Cain did.
So wo from the Lord God is gone out against you, who are envious, and
strive to make the people envious ; but the life of God is risen in the
hearts ofhis people, with which they shall see you all; and the Quakers
are out of the way of Cain, who are in the light of Christ Jesus the sa
viour of the soul, in which they come to have a habitation in God, the
saviour of all men, especially of them that believe. 1 Tim. iv. 10. So
you that are out of the light are vagabonds, though ye have great
habitations in the earth, for Cain built a city, yet was a vagabond.
Gen. iv.
P. It was asked him of a foreordained number to destruction, and for
what Christ wept over Jerusalem? He said, 'As he was human he
mourned, but his godhead decreed them to hell.'
A. This is a lying doctrine of the devil, for afterwards many of them
of Jerusalem came to be converted, as ye may read in Acts ii. And
many ofthe priests came to be obedient to the faith; for all being gone
astray both Jews and Gentiles, Rom. iii. 9. and concluded under sin,
the pure, the eternal, tendered over them, who had stopped their ears
and closed their eyes to that which was pure of God in them, that they
might have come to that which is pure, and have been gathered under
Christ's wings, (Matt, xxiii. 37.) who is pure, and soliave been converted
and healed, and have heard with their ears, and have seen with their
eyes. And as for the word human, that is not scripture language, it
speaks not that language. And there were converted many thousands
of the Jews, and they were pricked to the heart, when the apostle said,
that he was both Lord and Christ whom ye have crucified. Acts ii.
Mark ye, here thou may see thyself to be a liar ; for here were of the
Jews and of Jerusalem, that he had wept over. Thou sayst he had

537
ordained those to hell (as he was God) who were converted after
wards ; so thou wouldst make God unequal, that the son is not in the
Father, and divideth them, that the son should weep over them, and
the godhead decree them to hell. And did not Christ command his apos
tles that they should not depart from Jerusalem? and was not the
mighty conversion at Jerusalem ? So did not Christ weep over Jerusa
lem, and afterwards was there not a mighty conversion there ? And
thou sayst, that as God, he condemned them to hell ; there thou mayst
see thyself to be in the devil's doctrine. lTim. iv. 1. Many thousands
were converted at Jerusalem, which Christ wept over, before the apos
tles departed from thence, where he gave them command to stay. So
thy doctrine is damnable, and thou errs from the scriptures. Let thy
mouth for ever be stopped. And are not ye found in the steps of them,
Matt, xxiii. that Christ gives the mark of blind guides to the multitude,
unto the disciples ? which mark was such as the multitude might take
notice of, and I believe the multitude will take notice of, and know you.
Ye bind heavy burthens upon men's shoulders ; ye are sayers and not
doers ; and ' all their works they do to be seen of men.' Matt. vi. They
love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the assem
blies, and greeting in the markets ; they stand praying in the synagogues,
and are called of men masters; they were swearers, they scourged in
their synagogues, and persecuted, and do not ye put out of your syna
gogues ? Christ should send prophets and wise men among them, and
they should persecute, and put out of the synagogues. Matt, xxiii. 34.
They should ' shut up the kingdom of heaven against men,' and do not
ye do so that deny the light, ' that lighteth every one that cometh into
the world V Do any come to the kingdom, but they who come to the
light, which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with ?
(May not the multitude take notice of these things ? You are called
of men master, stand praying in the synagogues, having long robes,
love salutations in the markets and the uppermost rooms at feasts, put
out of the synagogues, and are swearers, when Christ said, 'swear
not at all.' Matt. v. 34. 'And be ye not called of men master, for one
is your master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren. ' Now here are the
marksof the blind guides, as ye mayread, Matt, xxiii. Are they not a com
pany of swearers, and will they not swear for their own advantage 1
And were not the priests always envious, and false accusers, provoking
the magistrates against the disciples, and against Christ Jesus ? did not
the priests say, Jesus should die for crying against them'? Jer. xxvi. And
were not the priests at work, when any of the saints were murdered, to
stir up the multitude or the magistrates against them? Were not the chief
priests and elders seeking false witness to put Jesus to death ? Matt.

53S
xxvi. 39. And did not the high priests say he had spoken blasphemy?
It was Pilate that put him to death; did not the chief priests persuade
their multitude to ask Barabbas, Matt, xxvii. 29. and crucify Jesus? and
did not they mock him ? See how the priests were always busy for blood,
that all the righteous bloodshed upon the earth, might come upon them.
Matt, xxiii. 35. And did not the priests give money to Judas to betray
Christ ? And did not the priests give large money to the soldiers to tell a
lie, and say his disciples stole him away by night? Matt, xxviii. 11, 12,
13. Had not Paul authority from the high priest to persecute ? Acts ix.
1, 2. And so you get your authority from the magistrates, and the peo
ple get their authority from you to persecute. And would not the chief
priests have murdered Paul afterwards, when he was converted ? Acts
xxiii. ii. 7. Did not a company come with swords and staves from the
priests with Judas to take Christ? Mark xiv. 13. 'As a troop of robbers
wait for a man, so doth a company of priests murder in the way by con
sent,' and have not ye consented together? Hosea vi. 2.
P. ' That Christ scorned men when he bade them be perfect, because
he knew it was impossible for them.'
A. This is wickedness and impudency to sayChrist scorned men when he
bade them be perfect. Thisisantichrist and the devil's doctrine, to say that
Christ did command that which men could not come to; for neither Christ
nor God commanded any thing, but what should be attained unto; and it
will be attained unto, and hath been a-ttainedunto. Christ said, be perfect
as yourheavenly Father is perfect, Matt. v.4.he knew that they might be
perfect if they came into the kingdom of God, for there no imperfect thing
must enter. Rev. xxi. And so he did speak that which he knew people
should come into, if they ever came into the kingdom of God. What is
this to thee who cannot love enemies? for they that love enemies, shall
know perfection, and perfect love and patience have their perfect work.
Jas. i. 4. The apostles spoke wisdom to them that were perfect, but not
the world's wisdom, which comes to nothing, 1 Cor. ii. 6. and the work
of the ministry was for the perfecting of the saints, till they all came
into the unity of the faith, unto the knowledge of the son of God, unto
a perfect man, and unto the measure, and stature, and fulness of Christ.
Eph. iv. And they should not be any more tossed to and fro with the
windy doctrines of men, nor cunning craftiness wherewith they lie in
wait to deceive; and thus art Uhou tossed up and down with every wind,
and far off the work of the ministry, when thou sayst blasphemously,
' Christ scorned men when he bade them be perfect.' Christ did not
scorn them, but thy doctrine is imperfect, and thou and you that trans
gress and abide not in the doctrine of Christ are antichrist, as ye may
read, 2 John ix. 10.
P. ' When it was asked him, of the words that Peter spake of con-

539
corning them that brought in damnable heresies, and denied the Lord
that bought them, he said « they did but think the Lord had bought them,
but they were not bought, but they thought they had been so.'
A. Here again with thy damnable doctrine, thou dost go about to
make Peter and Jude liars, who speakest contrary to scripture, and
pervertest their doctrine; and the words of Peter are thus, ' even deny
ing the Lord that bought them.' 2 Pet ii. 1. and the words of Jude iv.
' denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ' And thou sayst
the Lord had not bought them, but they thought he had bought them :
wo and misery will be thy portion, that thou shouldst so wickedly per
vert the apostles' doctrine and the scripture, Acts xiii. 10. and bring
in such damnable and devilish doctrine, and speak such lies in hypo
crisy, whose conscience is seared with a hot iron. 1 Tim. iv. It is time
for people to turn away from you, who have so long deceived them.
P. Concerning these words of Ezekiel xviii. 28. ' If the righteous
man turn away from his righteousness, his former righteousness shall
be no more remembered ;' and he said, ' the meaning of that scripture
was, they thought they had been righteous, but they were not, but
supposed it had been so.'
A. Here in this thou art a minister of unrighteousness ; thou goest
about to make God a liar, and the prophets, and pervertest the scrip
tures ; for if the righteous man forsakes his righteousness, and commits
sin and iniquity, and trespasses, he shall die, and not live in the former
righteousness ; but if he forsake his sin, trespasses, and transgressions,
in the righteousness that he hath done, and doth, he shall live ; so-God's
ways are equal. Ezek. xviii. And thou sayst, they thought they had
been righteous, but it was not so. And the Lord by the prophet saith
it was so, that they should live in their righteousness, and should die if
they departed from it, and transgressed : here thou art a diminisher
from the prophets and apostles' words, whose name is diminished out of
the book of life ; read Rev. xxii. 19.
P. ' He denied that Christ died for all men, but for the elect.'
A. Contrary to John's doctrine, who saith, ' He is the propitiation for
our sins, and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world.'
1 John ii. 2. And so it is the unbelievers that are shut out by not be
lieving in the light that men are enlightened with, with which light
they might see the one offering, who tasted death for every man, Heb.
ii. 9. and which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
that all through him might believe. And they that believe not in the
light are condemned, John iii. 18. but believing in the light, they shall
come out of condemnation. And he, is the saviour of all men, but espe
cially of them that believe. 1 Tim. iv. 10. And 'the grace of God which
brings salvation hath appeared to all men,' which was the saints' teach-

540
er, Titus ii. 11, 12. and they that turn it into wantonness, shall be con
demned by it, Jude iv. And they that heap up teachers, 2 Tim. iv. 3.
after their own lusts, as they did that went out from the apostles' doc
trine, before the apostles' decease, 1 John ii. 19. such have turned the
grace of God that brings salvation into wantonness, and say it hath not
appeared unto all men. And Christ Jesus doth enlighten every man
that cometh into the world, that they might believe and walk after
him, and saith, ' they that follow him shall not abide in darkness, but
shall become the children of light, and have the light of life.' John viii.
12. Now they that hate the light say, it is not sufficient, it is not a
saving light, but they shall find it sufficient to condemn them, and their
unbelief, for not believing in it ; for by believing in it, they come to
have the light of life. John viii. 12. and John xii. 36.
P. ' He being asked who were hirelings, if they were not that did
take hire ? his answer was, they were hirelings that did not take hire,
and to prove it, he brought that scripture in Philippians of them that
preached Christ of envy and strife.'
A. Now all may see what doctrine he brings to pervert or wrest the
scriptures, Philip, i. 15. to prove them hirelings that do not take hire !
That in the Philippians doth not prove that they were hirelings, neither
did they take hire, so that makes nothing for his purpose, though for
this purpose he brings that scripture, but that his folly and darkness
might appear, and be made manifest by the light, for his deeds are now
come to it, who is unfit to talk of the scripture.
P. ' He said it was the clear mark of the devil to go up and down
from place to place to preach as the Quakers do.'
A. Now here in this he may charge all the prophets, Christ, and his
.apostles, who went up and down from place to place, Heb. xi. that
this is the mark ofthe devil; but this doth manifest and bring to light,
and discover the Presbyterian priests of Scotland, who lie in dens and
corners, and fat benefits, and there stick in the earth, and have crept
into houses; who say it is the devil's mark to go up and down to preach,
but in this they manifest themselves to be judged by the practice of
Christ and his apostles, that their folly might appear unto all men!
Luke ix. 5. 8. Heb. xi. The Presbyterian priests are turned like
Ranters, who say, whatsoever man doth, God hath a hand in doing it,
whether good or evil; if a man commit ever so much sin, and live ever
so wickedly, he shall go to heaven if he be ordained there to come.
How was God grieved when David sinned ? the Lord was angry ; the
Lord was wroth when the children of Israel sinned against him ; it
grieved the Lord that he had made man, when all flesh had corrupted
his way, Gen. vi. 6. and thou and you go about to make God the author
of sin, and say God hath a hand in whatsoever a man doth here. Again,

541
you and thou are in the doctrines of devils : what! shall we say that
God is the author of sin 1 God forbid. Rom. vi. They that transgress the
commandments of God, provoke him to anger, and though God created
the evil, Isa. xlix. 7. yet his commandment was to man, that he should
not go into it, Gen. ii. 17. Gen. iv. 7. Ezek. xviii. but when he did, he
transgressed the command of God. So he who saith, if ye murder, God
is the author of it ; if ye persecute, God is the author of it ; if ye do
unrighteously, God is the author of it ; you that murder, persecute, and
do not righteously, are of him that kept not the command of God, of
whom ye are, John xliv. that would persecute and murder. Thou art
gone out of the command of God, and joined with the devil, 1 John iii.
8. that went out of the truth. The devil went out of his estate, and
the woman hearkened to him, and went out of her estate, and man
hearkened to the woman. Gen. iii. The Jews went out of their state,
when they persecuted, Matt, xxvii. 25. Cain went out of his state
when he murdered, and Balaam went out of his state when he coveted
the wages of unrighteousness. Gen. iv. The christians went out of their
estate, since the days of persecution, and admired men's persons.
Numb. xxii. Jude xi. Core went out of his state when he gainsaid
the truth. Numb. xvi. Jude xi. The false prophet, and antichrist, which
is the beast, and the mother of harlots, went forth from the state of the
apostles, 1 John ii. 19. which hath been since the days of the apostles.
And so all wars, and fightings, and adversaries, arise from being out of
the truth, James iv. there is pride, and Lucifer. Isa. xiv. and that is it,
that is of old ordained to condemnation, Jude iv. and to be kept down
and to be condemned everlastingly, and there the time shall be wit
nessed when it shall be fit for the fire, and death and hell, and the false
prophet, and the dragon, and the serpent, cast into it. Rev. xx. 14. But
the leaven is known that leavens into the new lump, 1 Cor. v. 7. the
everlasting fire that burns for ever, Mark ix. 46. How have the pro
fessions, forms, and religions, fallen from, and lost the state that Christ
was in, the prophets were in, Abraham was in, David was in, Moses
and the apostles were in : and remain in a form of their words, 2. Tim.
iii. 5. and murder them that enjoy their life, and persecute them. The
devil abode not in the truth. John viii. 44. Adam and Eve abode not
in the truth, but transgressed. Gen. iii. Cain abode not in the truth
when he murdered Abel. Gen. iv. The Jews abode not in the truth,
but crucified the just. James v. 6. Antichrist, and the false prophets,
since the days of the apostles, and the beast, abode not in the truth,
1 John ii.U9. that made war against the saints. Rev. xiii. And here
are the murderers, the envious, the persecutors, and fighters, whose
sacrifice God never accepted, Gen. iv. 5. in all ages: and these are
they that persecuted those that were in the truth, whose sacrifice God
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542
accepted. To the witness for God in you all, I speak ; that you may see
your fall from the truth, out of the prophets' life, Christ's life, and the
apostles' life ; so'you'are out of the commands, and fallen from God, and
then say that none can keep the commandments, that is the word that
shall stand for ever ; for ye are they that love not God, John xiv. 13.
1 John ii. 4. but are of the beast and false prophet that make war
against them that keep the commands of God, Rev. xxii. 11. So that
he who saith, none can keep the commandments, is fallen out of the
truth, and the commandments of God. 1 John ii. 4. John viii. 44. And
to him the truth is death, and the commands of God, in which the
saints live, to whom the commandments are not grievous. 1 John v. 3.
Thos. Garwine, priest of Edenborough, his doctrine and principles.
P. ' That the child that is not sprinkled with'outward water, is in a
damnable state, and worse than an infidel.'
A. Now here he and the rest of the Presbyterian priests of Scotland
may say, Abraham was in a damnable state, Isaac was in a damnable
state, Jacob was in a damnable state, and Joseph was in a damnable
state, and David was in a damnable state, and John the Baptist was in
a damnable state, who were not sprinkled by a priest with outward
water, nor named by the priest ; but. thou and you, with your tradi
tions, say a child is in a damnable state, if ye do not sprinkle it with
water. And the apostle bids them not look at the things that are seen.
And you are in the damnable state, and the damnable doctrine, and are
teachers of lies ; and many simple people have been deceived by you
and given over to believe you, but God is taking the veil off their hearts
that you begin to be seen: and their salvation they shall know, stands
not in elements, as though you, by your sprinkling infants with outward
water, could bring out of the damnable state; O ! ye deceivers ! did not
the apostle say, they that were circumcised, Christ profited them no
thing ? Gal. v. 2. Ye have long deceived people with your beggarly ru
diments, and elements, and doctrines, and traditions, Col. ii. hatched up
at schools, and never commanded by God; and say, if people will not
observe your traditions, or your elements, which you call (a Popish word)
sacraments, which are perishing, they not observing them are in a
damnable state, and worse than the heathen and infidels. An infidel is
a heathen, one that knows not God ; but your generation say it is blas
phemy to say any have known God, or have seen God, or spoken to
God. So you yourselves have concluded to be heathen : the heathen
know not God : the heathen observe traditions ; and they that know God
cannot observe the traditions of the heathen : but obey the apostles'
doctrine, and touch not, taste not, and handle not the traditions of men
andordinances which will perish, so are not saving. So they thatbbserve

543
not traditions are not worse than heathen : but they that observe tra
ditions are as the heathens, and are out of the apostles' doc'trine, in their
own traditions and rudiments, and are offended at those that will not
touch them. Robert Semple, priest of Lesmahaga, came to George
Weare, of Saffield, to reason with him, and he laid down these follow
ing things for his doctrine and principles: his first doctrine and principle
was, to prove the lawfulness of being called of men master, standing
praying in the synagogues, going in long robes ; and he mentioned Ezra's
pulpit of wood, upon which he stood, and read the law to the people ;
and for the rest he said nothing, for his mouth was stopped concerning
these things, being found in the steps of the Pharisees, Matt, xxiii. We
do grant that Ezra had a pulpit of wood, but you profess yourselves
ministers of the gospel and Presbyterians, and are ye fain to run to Ezra
in the law, for a pulpit? Now you have showed yourselves what you
are, and brought your deeds to the light. But the priesthood was made
by the law of God ; so were you never. That priesthood is changed, and
the law changed also by which it was made, and pulpit and tithes end
ed ; and Christ the everlasting priesthood witnessed : so thou and you
have proved yourselves no ministers of the gospel of Christ Jesus, the
power of God, and the wisdom of God, the everlasting priesthood, who
is the end of priests, pulpits, and tithes, that were true in their place.
So you that have got up another pulpit, tithes, temple, like readers of
the law, and not like ministers of the gospel, are separated from the
apostles, and are in the delusion, and from Christ the everlasting priest
hood, Heb. vii. and are those that Jude 19. and 2 Pel. ii. speak of. You are
they that separate themselves, having not the spirit that they were in
who witnessed against pulpit, tithes, and priesthood, and witnessed Christ
the everlasting priesthood ; which pulpit, tithes, and priesthood ye are
crying up, and so are antichrist.
George Weare bade him prove his practice for sprinkling of infants,
and whether or no they were not to believe before they were baptized.
He said, the promise was to Abraham and his seed. George answered
him, it was not to seeds, as to many, but to thy seed, which is Christ.
Robert, the priest, said, ' That seed, Christ, was natural,' contrary to the
apostle's doctrine, Gal. iii. 16. who said, Christ was the power of God,
1 Cor. i. 14, 15. and Christ the mystery, Col. i. 2. 7. The first man is
of the earth, earthly, the second man is the Lord from heaven, heaven
ly, 1 Cor. xv. The spiritual man judgeth all things, 1 Cor. ii. 15. The
seed of the woman bruiseth the serpent's head, Gen. iii. 15. And the
promise is to the seed, and the seed is Christ the power of God. And
Christ the seed is the spiritual man, and so not natural, but the priest
said the seed is natural. Now let all see in this whether he be not
given up to delusion to speak lies in hypocrisy, 1 Tim. iv. 1. to delude
and deceive people for dishonest gain, Ezek. xxii. 13. Which seed, he

544
and all the Presbyterians shall find spiritual, to judge them, and bruise
the heads of them, and break their wicked cords and bonds of iniquity
which they have laid upon the people, Matt, xxiii. Ezek. xxxiv. Acts
xv. The day is at hand that their judgment is come by that man whom
God hath ordained, Acts xvii. 31. to judge the world in righteousness,
and to give to every man a reward according to his works, Psalm lxii,
12. Rev. xxii. 12. who shall give to him an account of every idle word
that they shall speak, in the day of judgment, Matt. xii. 36. And Wil
liam Kennedy came to George Weare, and promised him that he should
have a public hearing, he hearing what the priest and the rest of the
elders charged him withal. And when he came they would not give him
a hearing ; and so found them truce-bearers, that are to be turned away
from, 2 Tim. iii. and such as creep into houses, and are boasters, proud,
high minded, as Jannes and Jambres, who have a form of godliness, and
deny the power, who are to be turned away from; And after that, the
said priest did excommunicate George Weare in another parish with
out any hearing, nor would let him know for what they excommuni
cated him, which was a work of darkness to make the people's minds
envious against the just. Upon which George Weare went to their
meeting place to read a paper to him, to show why he denied him ; and
two priests, Robert Semple and John Hume, being there, bade the peo
ple to knock down that excommunicated swinger, which is, in English,
rogue ; upon which the people did obey the priest, and did beat, and
knock George Weare down to the ground ; and might have murdered
the man, had not the Lord's mercy been seen. So they are in Cain's way,
in envy, Gen. iv. Jude xi. And George got up again, and the priests
bade the people strike- him ; and they did beat him, and plucked him
by the hair of the head; and the priests bade, beat them away; and
they did so. And afterwards the priest summoned George to the
court ; and told the bailiff he would prove by the scripture, that he
must be stoned to death. Now here is the murdering Jews' nature,
that stoned the prophets, and the apostles; and stoned Steven, and
took up stones to stone Christ, Matt, xxiii. 24. John viii. 59. Acts
vii. 58. And ye are bloody butchers, and man slayers, and no minis
ters of Christ: did not the false prophets go always with the beast
to war (Rev. xiii. Rev. vi.) against saints and the Lamb ? And did not
the chief priests stir up the rulers against Christ, and had not the priests
a hand to murder ? And were not the priests at the examination of Ste
phen, and gave counsel that he should be stoned to death ? And did not
the priests stir up the rulers and magistrates to persecute ? though they
themselves did not often do it, who had not the power, but they stirred
up the magistrates to do it. And they came to be their slaughterers, to
execute their malice, and be their executioners. Ye do not, ye may say,

545
it is the magistrates that ye stir up to do it. It is not said, the priests
did slay and crucify Christ, but Pilate ; but the priests had power
amongst the multitude to persuade the multitude to ask the murderer,
Matt, xxvii. (who had murder in their hearts,) and Pilate did the thing.
And,did not God overthrow Jerusalem, and destroy the power of the
magistrates there, and priests both ? and hath not God done it in many
ages for executing the priests' malice, and their envy against the just,
and his anointed ? Have not ye many examples set down in the scrip
ture, in which ye may all take notice of it ? Therefore take heed, all ye
magistrates, howyou execute and avenge the malice, and wickedness, and
envy of any one against the just : for ' the envy of the envious, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall slay himself,' Ps. xxiv. 2 1. and the righte
ous shall see it. Therefore, you that are called christian magistrates,
execute not, neither be ye executioners of the madness, and envy of
those who call themselves ministers of Christ ; that would have you to
slay, to stone, to stock, to prison, and to put to death them that are
contrary to them. Those are murderers in Cain's way, manslayers,
wrestlers against flesh and blood, and not ministers of the gospel, which
saith, love enemies ; and render to no man evil for evil. Matt. v. 44. And
this differs from the scribes and Pharisees, who loved their own, and
persecuted others, and stoned others, and drew the magistrates to do it.
Bul, say the ministers of Christ, ' we wrestle not with flesh and blood,
but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in high
places.' Eph. vi. 12. Now those ministers that would have the persons
of men slain, are like Cain that slew Abel, and Jezebel, the beast, and
false prophets. Gen. iv. 1 Kings xxi. They who stone, imprison, and
put to death, are as the Jews' priests, and those magistrates that exe
cute their malice are as the Jews' magistrates, unchristian magistrates.
And so those tare they that are wrestling, stoning, imprisoning, and
striking against flesh and blood. And in the mean time spiritual wicked
ness rules among them ; and rulers of darkness in high places, where
flesh and blood are wrestled against. So in this state both ministry and
magistracy are blind, and are out of the fear of God ; they turn their
sword backward whilst they are executing the priests' malice, and the
priests will strengthen the hands of evil doers. And provoking to slay, and
wrestling against flesh and blood, and so do not profit the people at all,
but stir up the multitude against the just, that they may keep them
selves in their place for their own ends, admiring the magistrates' per
sons, and men's, because of their advantage/ Jude xvi. and respect their
persons ; who show they are out ofthe faith, (James ii.) which gives vic
tory over the world, 1 John v. 4. and out of the doctrine of Christ and
the apostles. Now the magistrates are for the punishment of evil doers,
and for the praise of them that do well : who walk in the life, which he

546
that doth evil goes from ; where the rulers of darkness and spiritual
•wickednesses are. And this magistrate can see ; he turns not the sword
backward, he answers that of God in every one, and is for a praise to
them that do well, 1 Pet. ii. 14. So every evil doer acts contrary to that
of God in him. Now a minister of Christ wrestles not against flesh and
blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places ; so every one that
does evil acts contrary to that of God in him, so the higher power goes
above him. Rom. xiii. 1. So the higher power is above him, and before
he was, all power in heaven and in earth is given to the son of God,
John v. 22. who is above all the powers ofthe earth, who lighteth every
man that cometh into the world, John i. 9. But they who do evil go from
the light, and so the higher power goes against them. The magistrates that
are in the power, are a terror to the evil doers that act contrary to the
light wherewith every one that cometh into the world is enlightened.
The magistrates are in that power which goes over him, and is a praise
to them that are in the light ; and the ministers of God are to bring
from under the occasion of the magistrates' sword.
George Weare being, with his friend, standing in the field near Foord
meeting house, as they call it, he neither speaking nor acting any thing
against any man, but standing in the fear of the Lord, with his friend ;
William Lowry and John Hambleton, called justices, committed him and
his friend to prison, where they lay twenty and three days : and here is
his innocency preached.
The original righteousness was before the fall ; the original of self-
righteousness was that which fell, and is in the fall ; that transgressed.
And in the catechism which is tolerated by the general assembly, and
in the catechism of Scotland, called a short catechism, they say, that the
word of God is contained in the scriptures.
A. The scriptures are writings; and they say, God is the word, John
i. 1. 1 Kings viii. 27. Solomon saith, ' the heaven of heavens cannot con
tain him,' and you say he is contained in the scriptures. And you say
there are three persons ; and the scripture doth not speak of three per
sons ; and the Jews had the scriptures, and knew not Christ, the word of
God. Then ye tell people of an outward ordinary means, by which Christ
communicates the benefit of redemption ; and of the word sacraments.
The scripture doth not speak Of three persons, and sacraments ; they are
Papists' words ; of them ye have learned them. The means of salvation
are not ordinary or outward ; but Christ is the salvation, who is eternal,
Heb. v. 9. and they that come to him, come to the end of the outward, -
Col. i. 27. Ye say the sacraments are the effectual means to salvation ;
and ye say again, they are not as they are themselves, but only by the
blessing of Christ and his spirit in them : so here is confusion. How do
ye differ from the Papists ? for they say he is in them ; and ye say his

547
spirit is in them, and where his spirit is, is not he? 0 blind ! are ye found
out? go ye home to your mother the Papist. Where Christ's spirit is, he is.
Andye say your two sacraments are baptism and the Lord's supper. The
scripture doth not call baptism and the Lord's supper two sacraments;
and those names which you have given to them, you and the Papists
adore and worship. Again, you in your catechism, call the first day
of the week, the sabbath day. Where did ever any of the minis
ters of Christ or the christians unapostatized, call it so ? Are not ypu
come unto the breach, and guilty of your own judgment of the third
commandment, when ye give another name to the scriptures than they
give themselves, in calling them the word, and calling baptism and the
supper the sacraments ? Exod. xx. Moses saith, ' God spake all these
words,' when he gave the commandments ; mark, words, and the words
of Christ are spirit and life, John vi. 63. God is the word, John i. 1. and
Christ is the word, Rev. xix. 1 3. and the word became flesh, and dwelt
among us. John i. 14. And those who had the words of the scriptures,
which cannot be broken, (John x. 35.) the law and the prophets, knew
not Christ the word before they were brought to the light that Christ
had enlightened them with, and were brought to the spirit. John v. 37.
John viii. 9. Can the whole world say the Lord's prayer in truth, or
was it taught his disciples, or to the world ? do not people draw nigh
to God with their lips that say it? Isa. xx. 13. and are not in the light
which every man that cometh into the world is lighted withal. Can ye
say the Lord's prayer, which is, 'forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
them that trespass against us,' without hypocrisy? How do ye forgive
them when ye would have them persecuted and stoned ? You that are
teachers of the people ; how do ye love your neighbours as yourselves ?
how do ye fulfil the law and the prophets, Matt. vii. 12. to do as you
would be done by ? To you Presbyterians of Scotland I speak, that are
teachers, whose principles are to stone, chop off heads, and persecute
them that are contrary minded to you : would ye have those that are
contrary to your minds stone you to death, chop off your heads, imprison,
and banish you, and persecute, and excommunicate you? This is the law
and the prophets, to doas you would be done by: as others should do to you,
so do unto them. But Christ, who is the end of the law and the pro
phets, Rom. x. 4. saith his doctrine is to love enemies. Matt. v. 54. and
saith, ' if men persecute you, pray for them, and bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute
you, and despitefully use you, that you may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: who makes the sun to shine upon the evil
and the good, and the rain to descend upon the just and the unjust, If ye
love them that love ye, what reward have ye? the publicans and Pha
risees do so.' And the apostatized christians, who are got into the forms

548
of words, but out of the life of the saints, of Christ and the apostles,
are saluting their brethren only; but saith Christ, 'Be ye perfect
as your heavenly Father is perfect,' which you stand against. So ye are
they that have denied the one offering which hath perfected for ever
them that are sanctified. Heb. x. 14. And make the blood of Christ of
no effect, which cleanseth from all sin ; and the new covenant, which
blots out all sin and transgression. And all upon the earth, professors
and worshippers, that call yourselves brethren, and christians, and of
ferers, of what sort soever, that have but the name, before ye offer, be
reconciled to your brethren, go leave the gift at the altar, and be re
conciled to your brethren, and then come and offer your gift, Matt v.
24. then will the Lord accept your offering. And all upon the earth that
pray, see that ye forgive others that trespass against you, as you'
would have the Lord forgive you your trespasses.
Oh ! how is the beauty of the church of the Presbyterians marred
and deformed! Oh ! how are they become cages of unclean birds, syna
gogues of satan ! Oh ! how are their teachers become envious men and
murderers, of Cain's stock, in whom the eternal life is not abiding ! that
would slay, stone, and chop off heads of strangers, servants, and sons
and daughters of the Lord God, and excommunicate them and put them
out of their synagogues. ' These things have I spoken unto you, that ye
should not be offended,' John xvi. 2. ' they shall excommunicate you,
yea, the time cometh that they that kill you shall think they do God
good service ; these things will they do unto you, because they neither
know the Father nor me. These things have I told you before, that
when the time comes ye may remember that I told you of them.' John
xvi. 4. So the sayings of Christ are fulfilled by you that excommunicate ;
and ye are like them that put out ofthe synagogues of the Jews; and
these are their marks, that they neither know the Father nor the son
of God. These temples, pulpits, priests, that are set up since the days
of the apostles, are amongst the false prophets that Christ said should
come, Matt. vii. Matt. xxiv. and John saw were come, 1 John ii. 18,
19. and 1 John iv. 1, 2, 3. who went forth from them; whom all the
world went after, Rev. xiii. 3. And these excommunications from you,
are, that none should buy nor sell, but such as worship the beast, and
receive his marks. Rev. xiii. 14. And it was the beast, and the dragon,
and the false prophets, that would kill and destroy them that kept the
testimony of Jesus. Rev. xii. Here is the patience and faith of the saints
that overcome by the blood of the Lamb, that have the testimony of
Jesus, and have kept the commands of God. So the Jews excommuni
cated, who had the true temple, true tithes, and true priests, who had
the figure, the type ; Christ being come the substance,' Heb. x. 34. the
everlasting priesthood, Heb. vii. the everlasting covenant, and the one

549
offering, Heb. x. they that went from the priesthood to Christ, the
Jews did excommunicate them out of the synagogues. Now they did
not know the son nor the Father, that did excommunicate, John xvi.
though they had the figures and types of the son of God. They held'
up their outward things, and saw not the son of God the substance
when he was come. So these knew not the son of God nor the Father, that
excommunicated and put out ofthe synagogues. And Christ bade them
that were to be put out of the synagogues, not be offended at those
things ; he told them before they came to pass, ' that when these things
come to pass ye may remember that I told you.' Now those are they
that Christ said should come, and the apostles saw were come, that
went forth from them ; who have got up tithes, and temples, and pul
pits, and priests ; and the priests are excommunicating out of their
synagogues. And these must neither buy nor sell with them, nor eat,
nor drink, nor have any thing to do with them, except they will wor
ship the beast, or his image, and fall down to him. And this is the wor
ship of the beast, got up since the apostles, by them who apostatized
from the true church, and went forth from them, which all the world
wondered after and worshipped, and received his mark and his image,
who buy and sell, and let others do so with them, who are they that
make war against them that keep the testimony of Jesus and the com
mands of God, and against the saints and the Lamb ; but the Lamb and
the saints shall have the victory. But the Lamb of God, the seed of
God, is risen ; the beast and the false prophet are taken, which hath
long deceived the nations. Revelations ii. The old dragon, the ser
pent, the murderer, the deceiver, the devourer, Babylon, the mother of
harlots, which hath made all nations drunk with her fornications, which
hath corrupted the earth, Rev. xiv. which the beasts and the false
prophets that deceive the nations, and antichrist, say are come but
now. These are deceivers of the nations, that say they are come but
now ; for Christ said they should come, and John said they were come
before his decease, whereby he said he knew it was the last time. And
in the Revelations he said, all the world went after them ; and all na
tions have drunk of the wine of her fornications, and the kings of the
earth have committed fornications with her, Rev. xvii. 2. (mark the
word have,) and the false prophets say, they come but now, and now
is the last time. And these are the deceivers of the nations that say
so. Now are people but coming from them ; and now is the judgment of
the great whore come; and now are the vials of wrath to be poured
upon her that hath corrupted the earth, and now shpfl they g^o into
captivity. Rev. xiii. Rev. i. 4 and 18. And now shall people come to
that which the false prophets, the beast, and the mother of harlots,
went from, all these heads, and horns, and crowns, will turn against
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550
others with their tongues, languages, and Babylon, that have been
amongst them. And now is the seed of God risen, which over
throws all the excommunicators upon the earth, both beast, and false
prophets, and Jews, which seed of God brings to see to the beginning.
.Glory to the Highest for ever ; the seed is at the top of them all, Jews
and Gentiles, beasts and false prophets, and the corner stone is laid.
John Castairs, and James Durram, priests of Glasgow, when the fast
was appointed by the English, kept their houses, and caused their ser
vants to work, and took notice of all those that countenanced the Eng
lish fast ; and the first day they preached afterwards, said it was neces
sary that a day of humiliation should be, and that all people should be
humbled for the powers they saw now ruling in the land, for they were
giving liberty and toleration to all sects, and blasphemies, as Anabap
tists, Independents; and said that the Baptists denied all worship and
ordinances, as they were and ought to be according to the ecclesiastical
government, which government is the true hedge of the church of Christ.
Lodowick Simerell, priest of Munkland, said, before several persons,
that 'no true justice had been, or was, since those enemies came to this
nation, neither would be until the Lord removed them in his own time.'
Henry Foreside, priest of Lingiah, said, ' if Paul had been alive he
would have stoned the Quakers ;' and ' it was christian zeal to stone
them.' And many Friends are stoned and beat, and blood is shed. Such
were those that stoned the apostles and saints, and haled them before
judgment seats and magistrates ; and the chief priests had a hand in
putting Christ to death, persuaded the people so to do, and the chief
priests had a hand in stoning Stephen to death, and the priests had a
hand in casting Jeremy into the dungeon, and into the stocks, and said
he was worthy of death. And the high priest Ananias examined Paul,
and Peter and John were examined by the priests, and put out of the
temple by the priests and rulers, and charged, no more to speak in that
name. And such were these who had a form of godliness, but denied the
power ; and such ever stirred up the people to blood and tumults against
the harmless, and innocent in the truth. Therefore come to the light, you
that have tasted of the power of the Lord God, that with it you may
see and judge how the priests blinded the magistrates by flattery, and
so came to be the enemies of truth.
How do you receive strangers, ye Presbyterians of Scotland ! and
obey the commands of God, and the apostles' commands, which were,
be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for some have entertained
angels unawares? when ye would have the servants of the Lord pri
soned, and stocked, and stoned to death, or their heads chopped off! So
you are they that are in Cain's way, vagabonds from the spirit of God.
Now a vagabond hath not a habitation in God, but wanders from the

551
witness of God in him, like Cain, who built a city and called it after his
son's name. Heb. xiii. 2. Gen. iv.
' I am the light of the world, that lighteth every one that cometh
into the world,' saith Christ the saviour of your souls. You that go from
the light ye are enlightened with, are vagabonds, and have not a habi
tation in God ; and so go into Cain's way, are envious, and would slay ;
Balaam's and Core's way, who are with the light condemned; and
like unto those Jews, that haled out of the synagogues, that Christ spake
of, that go in long robes, and are called of men master, but Christ saith,
'Be ye not called of men master, for one is your master, even Christ'
Matt, xxiii.
Christ said, they that went in long robes, loved the chiefest places
in the assemblies ; should hale out of the synagogues, and they that do
these things are gone from the light. John iii. 19. John xvi. 2.
All this persuading of corrupt magistrates to persecute them that re
prove sin in the gates, in the steeple-houses, streets, and highways, is,
because men have a selfish end, and a private interest to themselves,
both professors of scriptures and teachers ; and they that persecute have
a selfish honour, and an interest to themselves : and so the selfish pro
fessors, teachers, and magistrates that persecute for them, have a form
of godliness, but the witness lies slain in them. And they matter not for
that rising ; for in that rising all the deeds, words, aud actions come to
the light, and then, if the witness of God arise in them, they will not be
offended at such as reprove sin in their gates, markets, steeple-houses,
and streets. For all upon the earth, while they are from the witness of
God in them, are corrupted^ and they may get the form of godliness,
the form of Christ's, the prophets', and the apostles' words, and live out
of the power, and are in the religion that is vain ; for none upon the
earth come to the power of godliness, but they must first come to the
witness of God in them, and there are none upon the earth that ever
come to the first principle of the pure religion, but they must first come
to the witness of God in them. None know the scriptures given forth
from the power and spirit of God, which was in the saints, but first they
are brought to the spirit of God in their own particulars. Come, all
you officers and soldiers, now, after ye have ease and have overcome
your enemies without ; take heed lest you sit down in your ease and
fulness, and fall down into the earth, and flesh, and feastings, and ful
ness, and pride, and so corrupt the earth, and yourselves, and not come
down tp the witness of God in you ; whereby the enemy of God and of
your own souls might be slain, that you might come to find rest and
peace in God, after your outward wars, and so come to the inward
wars, which take away the cause of the outward, whereby you may
all come into true understanding, to answer that of God in every one;

552
for they that do evil, act contrary to that of God in them ; to such the
sword is a terror, but a praise to them that do well, who are led by
the spirit of God, up to God, who is pure, and out of the evil. And all
magistrates' swords upon the earth, should reach to that which is pure
in every one to the soul, so it takes away that which wars against it,
that breaks the outward. So the soul comes to be subject to the higher
power that is above the transgressor, which all the magistrates and
rulers upon the earth must give an account to. And there are none
upon the earth that come to worship God in spirit and in truth, but
they first come to own that of God in them ; and there are none upon
the earth that are like to retain God in their knowledge, nor his cove
nant, while their minds are reprobated from that of God in them.
There all may see the covenant of grace to all men, and the covenant
of light and life with the Father ; he gave him for a covenant of light
to the Gentiles, to the heathen, ' I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and Judah,' the people of God, ,'- 1 will write my law in
their hearts, and their minds,' so saith Christ the covenant of God, ' I am '
the light of the world,' and doth enlighten every one that cometh into
the world, that all men through the light of the covenant of God might
believe ; it is the covenant of God, that every man that cometh into the
world is enlightened with, and every one that hates the light where
with he is enlightened, hates the covenant, and the light condemns him ;
and here all men may see that the free grace of God that brings salvation
hath appeared unto all men. They that turn the grace of God into
wantonness, and walk despitefully against the spirit of grace, neglect
their salvation, and bring punishment and condemnation upon them,
as it is written in Jude.
Concerning election, and what is elected. ' The grace of God which
brings salvation hath appeared to all men,' to the clearing God's justice,
and the fault is in man for his condemnation.
There is a precious thing in these Scots, but there is a filthy, beastly,
dirty thing lyeth over.

A book I have received out of Holland, the title of which is called
¦ 'A Catechism of Christian Religion,' printed at Amsterdam by
John Frederick, stationer, at the sign of the Hope, 1639. The
principles in it as followeth.
i P. ' Out of the law, they say, they learn they should love the Lord
God with all their strength, and mind, and soul, and their neighbour as
themselves.'

553
A. Now these words are said, but where these words are performed,
the commandment is known, and God is loved, and his neighbour as
himself; so he loves the creation, the workmanship of God : but where
these words are talked of, and not done, and they say they have not
power, then they are out of that state that the Jews were in that came
out of Egypt, who had power and ability to answer the law of God ; to
whom the law was committed. And God is equal and righteous, .and
commands nothing but what is equal and just, and measurable, and
reasonable, according to that which men may perform ; and such as he
gives the law to, he gives power, but if men transgress the law, they
abuse the power, and such were not justified ; and may say they had
not power, but that is false, it is a lie.
P. They say, ' they are not able to keep the word of God perfectly,
that is to say, to love their neighbours as themselves, and love God;
for man is prone to evil-hatred by nature.'
A. That which brings men to keep the commandments of God is be
yond nature, to order nature, and to rule nature, and is above nature,
and it is to subject that which is prone to evil, and that nature that the
law goes upon ; so he that looks into the law and loves God, is turned
from the evil nature, for the evil makes the nature corrupt. Man in
the beginning had the law of God within, the commandment ; man in
the fall had the commandment given to him, and there he had power,
as man had in the beginning the law and the power; but they both
transgressing abused the power, so became unrighteous. But God is not
unrighteous, or a hard task master, to lay more upon a man than he
can do, as the corrupt wills of men, and the slothful servants look upon
God so to, do, as to command them to do the thing they cannot, so make
God unreasonable, they that love the darkness, and their pleasures and
lusts more than God, and so have not regard to God and their neighbour.
For man in the beginning, lost his uprightness by transgressing the law,
and so the devil's seed comes to be sowed in mankind, and the image of
God lost, and the image of the devil is set up in man, and so come dark
ness, hardness, mists, dimness, and blindness. And death reigned from
Adam to Moses; so then came the law by Moses, that went over all
transgressors, answered the principle of God in all men that was trans
gressed, and the Lord that gave man the law, gave him power and
ability, who said his ways were equal, and righteous, and they were
then to love God with their strength, and their souls, and their neigh
bour as themselves. And such were preservers ofthe creation, and lovers
of the workmanship of God, but such as were transgressors were de
stroyers and defacers of the workmanship of God, and not lovers of
God, nor of their neighbour.

554
P. ' That the anger of God is most dreadful for the sins wherein they
were born.'
A. Then you are not the believers, who were born in the sin, nor
of believing parents, if you own the apostle's doctrine, for the un
believing is sanctified by the believing, ' else were their children unholy,
but now are they clean,' saith the apostle the minister of God, if you
can believe his doctrine, and bear it, and receive it. But if you do ob
ject and say, ' born in sin and transgression,' and ' all by nature the
children of wrath ;' yea, I say, this is the estate the apostle speaks of
among unbelievers, Jews and Gentiles gone astray from the life of God,
from the covenant of promise ; but they who come into the life of God,
and the covenant of promise, are believers ; ' the believing wife or the
believing husband sanctifies the unbelieving, else were their children
unholy, but now are they clean.' He that can receive this, let him.'
This was the apostles' doctrine.
P. ' Because the justice of God requires that the same nature of man
which had sinned, do itself make recompense for sin.'
A. All that makes the recompense for sin, is he that never sinned,
Christ, the second Adam, and not the first ; so in this your blindness and
darkness have appeared. 'And it is not the same nature that hath sinned,
that destroys sin, but it is Christ that cleanseth the nature of man that
hath sinned and .destroys sin itself, that is to say, the devil that hath de
filed the nature of man, and so Christ is called the sanctification, justi
fication, redemption, cleansing man's nature, and blotting out the sin
and transgression.
P. ' Salvation is not offered to all men who perished in Adam, but
only to those men who are grafted in him by true faith.'
A. Salvation is purchased to all men that perished in Adam though
they dp not believe it ; for he is the saviour of all men, especially of them
that do believe, and an offering for the sin of the whole world, mark,
the world, and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
that all through him might believe. And he that believes not, is condemn
ed by Christ the light, the life, the sacrifice, the offering, who through
death hath destroyed that which in them was the power of death, the
devil, and his power, and so entered into his glory. All that believe in
him have life, and all that do not, and receive him not, have not life,
but are condemned through unbelief. Now if you say that in Adam all
died, I say yes; and that in Christ all shall be made alive to the justifica
tion of life, I say yes, as in Adam all died, so in Christ they come to be
made alive. So they that are believers are holy, so are the believers'
children ; .a new creation, a new generation, new creatures, out of
Adam in the fall; the believers passed from death, that came by Adam,
to life, and so in that is a clean creation and holy generation.

555
P. 'All things contained in the gospel are summed up in the apostles'
creed.' A. The apostles do not tell us of a creed, but the pope's canon-book,
and common-prayer-book; and many things the apostles had to 'say,
which were not lawful to utter, and many things Christ had to say,
which they could not bear ; but the gospel is the power of God, and
that the scripture speaks of, but doth not say the epistles are it.
P. ' God hath manifested himself in his word, that these three distinct
persons are one.'
A. Neither the word nor the scripture doth tell us of three distinct
persons, but it tells us of Father, and of son, and of holy ghost ; but in
deed, as I said before, the pope's canon-book, and mass-book doth so ;
for the holy ghost is not distinct from the son, and the son is not distinct
from the Father, but they are all in one.
P. ' Having our chief hope placed in God, being assured that nothing
may withdraw us from his love.'
A. Yet you say you are not able to keep the commandments of God
perfect: then you are drawn from the living God, and you are from the
chief hope, Christ ; for they who love God keep his commandments, and
such have the chief hope, Christ, in whom the commandment ends ;
here love goes forth out of the pure heart : but are not riches your hope ?
and do not riches, and the glory of the world, and the fashions thereof,
.draw your hearts away? and do not your love and hope stand in them,
and have taken up the possession of your hearts more than God? There
fore, they who keep them not perfectly, keep them not at all.
P. ' You say Christ hath ransomed your bodies and your souls from
sin, and by that one sacrifice of his body he hath redeemed you.'
A. Are your bodies redeemed, and your souls and your spirits that
are immortal, sanctified, and do you glorify God in your bodies, souls,
and spirits which are the Lord's ? and is there not sin in your bodies,
and are not your spirits corrupted ? Now, they who witness redemption
of the body and soul from sin, these are out of the first Adam's state,
and are the holy ones, and these are in the end of the law, and that
which fulfils the law, Christ Jesus. But now if you come to say that you:
have not sin in your bodies, and the fruits show themselves bypersecution,
or envy, rage, malice, pride, or such wickedness, this shows not the fruits
of redemption.
P. You say, ' that God in Christ hath put out the remembrance of
your sins, and of your corruptions within you, wherein you must fight
all your lifetime.'
A. Whilst the sins you are fighting with are not blotted out in your
own particulars, this is not the life of the saints, they are not fighting
all their lifetime, but come to the kingdom of God, witnessing sin and

556
iniquity blotted out, and the everlasting covenant of peace and life with
God. P. You say, - You are righteous before God through faith, though
your consciences accuse you for your trespasses against the commands
of God, being prone to evil, yet notwithstanding embrace the benefits of
Christ, as if you never had committed any sin or corruption, and this is
as if you yourselves had perfectly completed the obedience.'
A. Where the conscience accuses it is impure, and that the true faith
is out of, for the mystery of faith is held in a pure conscience, and that
receives Christ, and which is not prone to evil, nor transgresseth the
commands of God. But you are out of the perfect obedience, and the
faith both, and are in the corruption, and are not the lovers of God, nor
come to Christ the end of the commandments, who is loved in a pure
heart. And you talk of conscience accusing, and yet say, you are
righteous through faith, that is your ignorance, for faith is held in a
pure conscience, the conscience doth not accuse any but the unsanctified.
P. ' Not that we please God through the worthiness of our faith,
for our works, the best of them, are imperfect in this life, defiled with
sin.' A. It is faith that brings men to please God, which faith comes from
him, and gives victory over that men have lived in and not pleased
God ; so there is a worthiness in faith, it is the gift of God, by which
men please God, and have access to him, and by which they are justi
fied, and through it they overcome and subdue mountains, and raise the
dead ; your best works being imperfect, and defiled with sin in this life,
are not wrought in God, but are out of him, in the darkness, they are
works of darkness, imperfect and defiled with sin. Are not the works of
darkness to be condemned for the fire, and to be out of the law and
gospel ? But the works of the saints that are in the faith, created to good
works, are wrought in love, are perfect, because they are wrought in
God ; these are distinct from the imperfect, defiled with sin, and these
good works the saints witnessed when they were upon the earth, which
are the works of faith that works by love. /
P. ' Infants that are baptized belong as well to the covenant and
church of God, as they of full age, they by baptism being grafted into
the church of God, so discerned from the children of infidels, so this bap
tism succeeds circumcision.'
A. Then by this all Christendom that are baptized are the church
and grafted into the church, Papists and Protestants and all ! And how
is it that your church is in so much confusion then ? for you say they
are grafted into the church of God ; and in the church of God there is
no confusion, it is the pillar and ground of truth, without spot or wrin
kle; and how is it there is such killing one another in this church,

557
Papists, and Protestants, Lutherans, and Calvinists, so called ? how is it
they are not of one body, but are broken into so many heads ? Now, the
baptism of the spirit brings all into one body, in which spirit is the
fellowship and the unity, which spirit is the bond of peace. And cir
cumcision outwardly was a figure 6f circumcision within, and that it
typed forth. And baptism without typed forth baptism within; and many
fnay run into the outward water, that doth decrease, and do not come
to the body of Christ the light, as you may read in the fifth of John ;
for none are grafted into Christ the body, but they who come to the
light John bare witness of.
P. ' You say, though Christ is in heaven, and you on earth, you are
flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone.'
A. And yet before you said your consciences accused you, and your
best works in this life were sinful and imperfect, and you could not keep
the commands of God ; now this is confusion, they who are of the flesh
and bone of Christ are with him, and sit with him in heavenly places,
for their -conversation is in heaven.
P. ' We are grafted into Christ by the holy ghost now, according to
his human nature on earth.'
A. Human nature is from the ground, this is old Adam, but Christ,
according to the flesh, was of Abraham and of David. The scripture
doth not tell us of human nature, for human is from the ground, but
Christ is from above ; and though he were a lamb slain from the foun
dation of the world,, yet his nature was not corrupted, nor his flesh saw
no corruption. He that is made of the dust is human, he that is the
Lord- from heaven, is not human ; so you err in your understandings that
do not distinguish.
P. 'Teaching the gospel and ecclesiastical discipline, by which the
heaven is opened to believers and shut against the unbelievers,'
A. Christ hath the key which opens to believers, and ' he is the light
which doth enlighten every man that comes into the world,' that through
it they might believe, and they that do not believe in the light which
Christ hath enlightened them with, heaven is shut to them, light con
demns them, and they neglect the gospel ; upon whom the wrath comes,
which gospel is -the power of God. And as for ecclesiastical discipline, it
is got up since the days of the apostles, in the apostacy, which shuts up
the kingdom of heaven against men, that which they should have be
lieved in; that is, the light Christ hath enlightened them withal, which
is the key.
P. ' And such you say that are wicked men, the sacrament is to them
forbidden, and they are shut out of the congregation.'
A. Do you not call baptism sacrament, and have you given them it,
and did not you say they are grafted into the church by baptism ? and
Vol.111. 70

558
cannot Judas take the sop ? But for the word sacrament you may look
in the old canon-book, the mass-book, and such like. You give your
sacrament to the covetous and proud, to the lovers of gold, and to them
that are surfeited and drunk with the cares of this life, and such as are
in superfluity, such you will give it to ; and common outward drunkards
ypu will keep, it from : now are not all those forbidden, and out of the
church of God? Read and judge yourselves, and amend your lives, and
repent, that you may come into the spirit that baptizeth into the body
of Christ.
P. You say, ' Christ hath redeemed you by his blood, and renewed
you by his spirit to his image.'
A. And yet your works before were sinful, and you brake the com
mand of God. Now this shows still, that you have but the form, and are
unrenewed in spirit, unchanged, unconverted, and npt in the image of
God, and not in the thankfulness of God out of a pure heart.
P. ' To mortify the old man is to be sorry for your sins.'
A. A man may be sorry for the sin he hath acted, but that which
puts off the body of sin, is the spirit, and that which purifies the heart
is the faith, and that which cleanseth from all sin, is the blood of Jesus,
and that which blots out all sin and transgression, is Christ the covenant
of God ; and Christ within, manifest in the flesh, condemns sin in the
flesh ; so having him within, the body is dead because of sin.
P. ' Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, the likeness
of any thing in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or worship them,
or bow down to them ; thou shalt not take the name of the Lord jn vain,
&c. And remember thou keep holy the sabbath day, for six days thou
shalt labour and do all thou hast to do, but on the sabbath thou, nor
thy ox, servant, or stranger shall do no manner of work.'
A. Do you not make graven images and pictures of things in heaven,
and of things in the water, and of things in the earth, and so make
similitudes and representations, and adore them, and set them up in
your houses 1 and is not this quite contrary to the commandment of
God? And have not the Papists been your examples for these things,
and not the apostles ? And do ye not take the Lord's name in
vain daily in your streets and markets, in your buying and selling ? and
do you not take the Lord's name in vain, when you call upon him with
your lips, but your hearts are in your covetous practices, and full of
hatred, envy, pride, voluptuousness, ambition, self-honour, and deceit 1
And this is taking the Lord's name in vain, to call on God with your
lips, while your hearts are after this manner. Do your servants, or
strangers, or cattle rest on the seventh day ? and do you not keep mar
kets and fairs on that day, which, the Lord gave to the children of
Israel, after the fall of Adam, for a sign of the restoration of the crea
tion, that neither man, nor servant, nor family, nor ox, nor ass should

.f>59
work on that day, but rest? so it was a sign; the apostle Saith,
* the sabbath day was a shadow of good things to come, which was
Christ,' the good thing who restores the creation, and giveth the liberty
to horse, ass, ox, and all the creation, unto man, and stranger, and ser^
van', and redeems man up into the image of God, and renews it, which
hath been lost ; and so is restoring the creation, and giving rest to his
people and all the creation, and destroying the devil, death, and all his
Works. Christ, who is the restorer, gives rest to the creation, who was
before days were, by whom all things were made.
P. You say, ' Thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt
not covet thy neighbour's goods, house, or servant, nor any thing that
is his, his wife, or ox, or ass,' &c.
A. Do you do no murder? that was the law without; do you fulfil it
in Christendom? then you do not murder the just principle of God iu
your particulars. Do you not quench the spirit in people, and Suffer it
not to have liberty? do you not do murder to the just of God in you,
in your own particulars? and so, then stop it in the general, for
opening its mouth, with all your force and might? and are you not mur
derers there ? And do you not steal by sea and land, and cozen, and
cheat, and wrong one another ? nay, do you not steal the words from
your neighbour, and the prophets, and the apostles, and Christ, which
you never came into the life of; is not this called theft and robbery?
for you have not received it from the Lord God, as the prophets and
the apostles, as his son and servants did : so all your profession, church,
and ministry stand in the robbery, and have not received it as they did,
as the true apostles, prophets, and ministers did ; ye all stand in the rob
bery. And do not you covet your neighbour's goods, oxen, cattle, and
servants, and wife ? and one getting from another goods, and getting ser
vants one from another ; is not this out of the love in which the com
mandment ends, where there is serving one another in, love ? and are
not all covetous idolaters shut out of the love in which the command
ment ends? And hath not this been the practice in the whole Christen
dom, coveting men's' goods, servants, cattle, and that which is riot theirs ?
is not that out of the law and gospel, and out of a pure heart, where
the commandment is known and done ? and that which it ends in is
Christ, and love keeps the commands of Christ, they that love do not
covet, and they are not idolaters.
P. ' We are not to make any images to be tolerated in the churches
and chapels, or figures of things made, for it is not seemly, for God
will have his church be taught by living preaching.'
A. How is it that your churches so called, are so full of pictures and
images of males and females, representing a figure of Adam and Eve,
the apostles, and Christ in your houses, and on signs, of fish in the sea, and

560
lions and other creatures upon the earth, and of things as you imagine
in heaven ? are not all these your inventions, your works and inventions,
you have learned of the Papists, and they from the heathen, not from
the apostles ? And you have daubed your churches, and flourished them
with your pictures ; these things you call your churches, but the church
is in God, which the gates of hell cannot prevail against, but a shower
of rain, or an earthquake, or a great wind, will prevail against your
church, and the devil may come with his carnal weapons and throw
it down, but the church of Christ, the pillar of truth, is that which the
devil is out of.
P. ' You say a man may swear before a magistrate, and that this
kind of swearing is ordained by God's word, therefore well used of the
saints, and it is not lawful to swear by the saints or other creatures.'
A. Here ye are out of the doctrine of Christ, who saith, ' swear not
at all,' and out of the magistrates' state the apostle speaks of, and out
of Christ's doctrine and the apostles', and have broken the commands
of Christ and the apostles' doctrine, which say, ' swear not at all :' so you
wrong Christ Jesus, and the word of God you deny. And though Abra
ham sware, and Jacob and Joseph sware, the prophets and Moses
sware, David sware, and the angels sware, and men in strife swear by
the greater, and the oath ended the strife and controversy amongst
men ; yet Christ saith, ' before Abraham was I am,' he reigns over the
house of Joseph and Jacob, he is the end of the prophets, he is the end
of Moses, he is the end of men of strife, and brings peace on the earth.
The angels must bow down to him, that saith ' swear not at all,' who
was before Abraham was, and David called him Lord, who was greater
than Solomon. And ' this is my beloved son, hear ye him.' Now which
of you hear him ? They said in the old time, perform thy vows to the
Lord; this was the old time, the day of Abraham, David, the prophets,
Moses, and Solomon ; but Christ, who was before all time, by whom all
things were made, the oath of God, ends the time, and saith,"' swear not
at all ;' so do his true ministers and the apostles, '. Above all things, my
brethren, swear not at all, neither by heaven, nor by earth, lest you fall
into condemnation.' Now here were true brethren, that kept the doctrine
of Christ and the apostles, and his commands, which swearers break,
who are got up since the days of the apostles, who are the false bre
thren apostatized from the true. So now the fruits of false and true
brethren are seen, who keep the commands of Christ, and walk in the
doctrine of the apostles, and who do not.
P. You say, ' that in the fourth commandment God doth command
that the ministers of the gospel, and the schools of learning, should be
maintained, and on the sabbath frequent studiously divine assemblies,
hear the word diligently, using the sacraments.'

561
A. Your schools, your sacraments, your,sabbath, your studies by men,
your ministers at your schools, you have made since the apostles, and
not by the Lord, but among yourselves, who are apostatized from his
spirit ; for the apostles had not schools. And the apostle said, ' let no
man judge you in meats or drinks, new moons, and sabbath days, &c.
for the body is Christ,' and he brought them off from these services to
Christ, the substance, the body, who ended the sabbath days, and the
offerings upon them, who was before days, who is the rest for his peo
ple, and did not bring people into days, but into Christ, by whom all
things were made, who was Lord of the sabbath. And such meet on
the first day of the week, and are taught of God, and outstrip all your
teachers made in schools, and by the learning of men ; and so are not
of man, nor by man, but the outward schools are of men, and by men.
P. You say, ' The fifth commandment enjoins you to yield obedience
to the faithful commandments of them that are over you, and the cate
chism.' A. The fifth commandment enjoins that men should obey the com
mand of God, not of men, nor the catechism, nor such stuff as is in this
catechism, but they who are come to Christ come to the end of the
commandments, the end of the law, him by whom the world was made,
and who was before it was made.
P. You say, ' The meaning of the seventh commandment is, that you
should live temperate, modest, and chaste, and holy in wedlock.'
A. Is this so, have you not broken wedlock both with God and man,
and lost the chaste virgin state ; and so got up into intemperance, im
modesty, unchasteness, into uncleanness, and filthiness, and so show by
your fruits that you neither come to keep this commandment, nor to
Christ the end of it?
P. You say, ' The eighth commandment doth not only forbid robbe
ry, but covetousness after other men's goods, evil, witchcraft, devices to
seek after other men's goods.'
A. Then are you not all found in this seeking and endeavouring by
force after other men's goods, and hath not this been much of your
practice both by sea and land, of many people in the whole Christen
dom, who have been found in this witchcraft you speak of? and is
not all this to be judged with the spirit of the Lord God to be out of
his commands, and out of the love of God and Christ the end of the
law? Therefore repent, and amend all your ways, doings, and lives, that
you may return to the Lord, and find peace and rest in the time of
need. P. You say, ' The ninth commandment saith, bear not false witness
against any man, and you should shun lying, and not falsify any man's

562
word, nor backbite, nor reproach, and shun all careless kind of lives,'
&c.
A. How is it then that there are so many false witnesses, backbiters,
reproachers, rash condemners, men living in such careless kind of lives
and deceit, among you, which is the devil's works ? this is all out of
the commands of God and the law, and short of Christ the end of it,
and the fruits of this have now showed themselves.
P. You say, ' No one that is converted unto God perfectly, observes
and keeps his commandments.'
A. Then no man loves God amongst you, nor are you converted ;
neither are you of the seed of the woman that keep the commands of
God; neither are you the children of God that John speaks of, that
keep the commandments of God, that love God ; neither are you be
lievers, for Christ is the end of the law to them that believe.
P. You say, ' There is no man in this life able to keep the law of
God, and why then should God's law be so exact and severe V
A. The law of God is just, is not so exact, nor so severe, but is just
and equal, and righteous, and perfect, and good, and not, as you look
upon it, exact and severe. Now Christ the righteousness of God is the
end of the law, and the man that loves God keeps his commandments,
and comes to the end of the commandments, that is, love out of a pure
heart. P. You say, ' Christ teacheth you to call God Father, in the begin
ning of your prayers.'
A. Christ taught that to his disciples who were his children, his
sheep, but that was not spoken to the world that did not believe in ' the
light that enlightens every man that comes into the world ;' for the
Pharisees could call him Father and Lord, but did not the things he
commanded them, and such Christ Said were of the devil, and the
prayers of such he rebukes ; the disciples could pray this in truth. So you
must be born again of God, not committing sin, when you call God Fa
ther you must be like him, else you are bastards, begotten of the wicked
one, children of the transgressor, sons of the sorcerer. The prophet
speaks of children of God distinct from such as call him Father in the
transgression, whom he hath not begotten, the transgressor's birth, that
is a bastard, a false conception.
P. You say, ' Forgive us, as we forgive them that trespass against'
us.' . ' '
A. Is it so ? do ye do so ? and would you be forgiven no otherwise, but
as ye forgive others that have trespassed against you ? Would yoii
have God forgive you who trespass against him, no other ways, but as
you forgive trespasses against you? mark, whether you would have as
you say ? and whether here be not justice ? and whether you can witness

563
you are forgiven that do not forgive others? whether you have the
assurance within you ?
P. You say, ' The particle amen, means the things sure, out of doubt,
for your prayers are much more certainly heard of God, than you feel
in your hearts that you unfeignedly desire the same.'
A. Amen, or so be it, for the promise is to the seed, yea and amen,
which fetches up the seed out of time who hath been in prison in time,
and brings it by the power of God where there is no time, and there is
yea and amen ; and the Lord accepts no prayer from the corrupt heart,
or such whose works are sinful, whose best works are sinful, for it is
the praying, preaching, singing, hearing, tasting, discerning, handling,
and feeling in the spirit the Lord accepts. The Lord knows the mind
of the spirit, where it groans, which spirit guiding the man, gives him
an understanding of the signification of it, and so every man being re
proved with the spirit, if he hears it and is in unity with it, and turns
to it, it will bring him to turn to God, and be at unity with God, and
here his prayers are acceptable to him; and so every man being en
lightened that comes into the world, every man that turns to the light
Christ hath enlightened him with, is turned to Christ, from whom it
comes, which brings him to know Christ, and to ask in his name, who
is the way to the Father, and is in the Father, who is God, Emmanuel,
Christ Jesus, and so forth, to the end.

Robert Tuchin, John Barnes, Edward Buckler, Robert Dingly,
James Crosswick, John Martin, Vincent Sparke, Joshua Tomp
kins, Simon Pole, Thomas Clar ke, William Har by, Martin Wells,
William Bignall, Richard Beminster, Matthew Heme. Their
principles are as followeth, who are teachers in and about the
Island of Wight; and these fifteen priests are in the rear of the
army of Babylon against the Lamb.
-, P. 'That the good things, which the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ
brings to sinners, was first heard at Jerusalem.'
A. The gospel, which is the power of God, which is the glad tidings
to sinners, was preached to Abraham, before ever it was heard at Je
rusalem, and the shepherds in the field received the message of the
good tidings of the glorious gospel from the angel, which was sent to
them of the Lord ; who said, ' Behold, I bring you good tidings of great'
joy,' and this was before the gospel was heard at Jerusalem. And all
the fathers and prophets, that heard the power of God, heard the gos
pel ; for the gospel is the power of God, glad tidings to the seed, and

564
great joy to the poor captives. And this gospel was preached to Adam;
the seed of the woman was promised to bruise the serpent's head, and
that was, and is, the power of God, the glorious gospel ; but as for such
as know no gospel in manifestation nor operation, but only the scriptures
which do hut declare of the gospel, show that they are without, in the
world, andhave no other knowledge of thegospel, but natural knowledge,
which is not unto eternal life, nor can edify the. body of Christ, which is
immortal. P. ' The good tidings, which the glorious'gospel of Jesus Christ brings
to sinners, was a great mercy to the Jews, and a very gracious dispen
sation to us sinners of the Gentiles.'
A. The good tidings, the glorious gospel, is in itself a mercy to all ;
but only a mercy in manifestation and operation to them that receive
it, whether Jews or Gentiles, and it is a judgment and a condemnation,
to all that do not receive it, both Jews and Gentiles. But as for you
fifteen priests, you have included yourselves among the sinners, show
ing that you are yet unconverted to the precious faith, which brings
out of all sin and gives victory over it. And they who are converted
are changed and renewed from being sinners, to be righteous, and these
are not sinners of the Gentiles, (as is manifest you yet are,) but they
are believers of the Gentiles, who are made righteous in the righteous
ness of the second Adam, who hath quickened them from death to life,
and from sin to God ; but upon such that remain sinners of the Gentiles,
and receive not the gospel which is the power of God, the dispensation
of it is judgment and condemnation ; and this shall the testimony of
God in every man give witness to.
P. ' Dark we are since the cloud of sin overshadowed our minds, our
brightest notions are stained, our light eclipsed by nature, we are
chained up into a cave of darkness ; taking mere notions to be things
substantial, and substance to be shadows ; and as our eyes are dim and
cannot see much, so our sloth is great and heedlessness inexcusable, our
ignorance of God may be charged on the want of meditation in all men,
the sins of teachers being teachers' sins. Admit the minister be sinful,
shall the people despise his doctrine ? Scripture is scripture though
uttered by satan.'
A. The ministers of Christ Jesus who were called and sent of him,
were light in the Lord, and were translated from darkness to the
light, and from satan's power to God, and the cloud of sin was not over
them, for that was removed, and they were as a city set on a hill, and
were the lights of the world, and their minds were spiritual and enlight
ened, and not overshadowed with the darkness nor with the cloud of
sin, as it is with these fifteen priests, whose brightest notions are stained,
and their light eclipsed by nature, as they confess. But thus it was not

565
with Christ's ministers, for their knowledge was in the spirit, and what
they knew, was in, and through the spirit, and they were changed in
nature. And their light, which was Christ, was above nature, and be
yond nature, and not eclipsed thereby;' neither were they chained up
in a cave of darkness, but were as candles lighted, and as a city set on
a hill that could not be hid, and they delivered forth to the world the
pure truths of the gospel of Christ, which were not stained nor polluted,
but pure and holy. 'And in that you take notions to be substance, and
substance to be shadows, this is your great ignorance and blindness ;
but thus do not the true ministers of Christ, neither are their eyes dim,
but the Lord is their light, and this promise is 'fulfilled to his ministers
whom he hath sent, the Lord is become their everlasting light ; but to
you his promise is not fulfilled, whose eyes are dim, and sloth great, and
heedlessness inexcusable ; as it was with the false prophets and dream
ers of old, whom the Lord never sent, and thus it is with these fifteen
priests, according to their own confession ! But the ministers of Christ
were not so, neither were they in sin, nor in ignorance, but had received
the knowledge of God, and were known of him ; and if the minister be
sinful, he is not sent of God, but hath run and never was sent, and his
doctrine is despised, and not profitable, for scripture in the mouth of
the devil, is but a temptation, no more is the doctrine of sinful men, as
taught by them ; for if the minister be sinful, he cannot convert sinners
to God, nor turn them from darkness to light, nor from satan's power to
God, which is the work of the true ministers that have received the
gift of the holy ghost ; as it is manifest these men have not by their own
eohfession. P. ' We are presented with a necessity of acknowledging that the
light ofthe moon with us is as the light ofthe sun, and the light ofthe
sun as the light of seven days.'
A. How doth this confession of yours answer to your last ? Let all
wise and sober people judge, how confusion hath uttered forth itself.
What I your light eclipsed, and you chained up in a cave of darkness,
and your eyes dim, and yet the light of the sun with you as the light
of seven days ! Is there any thing in both these confessions, except igno
rance, and a heap of confusion, and plain contradictions, that all may
see your own confusions, out of your own mouths ? But to them who
are come to the fulfilling of the promises of God where the light of the
sun is as the light of seven days, sin and iniquity are blotted out, and
transgression is done away, and life and immortality are brought to
light, and the glory of the Lord is revealed ; and they that are in this
promise, are come out of the apostacy, and out of the beast's kingdom
of darkness, where you yet remain, as is manifest ; for you are such as
Christ said should come, and as John saw were come, who went into
Vol. III. 71

566
the world and deceived nations, but now the nations are gathering from
you again, into the fellowship of the mystery of the gospel, which gos
pel hath been lost (I mean the receiving of it by the holy ghost, and
the preaching of it as the spirit of God gave utterance) for many gene
rations. But that gospel again is to be preached, and it is going forth to
nations, tongues, and people, and great Babylon shall be confounded, and
all her merchants shall weep and lament for her fall.
P. ' We the unworthy ministers of Christ whose names are under writ
ten, having waited upon God in a way of earnest prayer, have jointly
agreed to communicate our thoughts,' &c.
A. They that are true ministers of Christ are not unworthily so, nor
in the un worthiness ; and being unworthy, to what purpose do ye wait
upon the Lord ? for who are in the unworthiness, God doth not hear
nor regard, nor give his answer to such ; and ye having no answer from
God, you must needs agree in your thoughts. But have you nothing to
communicate to your people, but your thoughts, which are vain ? hpw
shall thoughts convert any to God, or establish any in him ? And your
prayers that are in darkness are not accepted of him ; for they who are
heard of the Father, are in Christ Jesus, and are new creatures, being
changed from death to life.
P. ' Our deep sense of the ignorance of our hearers puts us upon
our prayers to God, and counsel one to another, what further course
to take.'
A. Indeed a sad complaint may be taken up concerning this matter,
for ignorance abounds, and many other grievous evils, in your church,
and amongst your hearers, showing that your church is not the true
church of Christ, nor you Christ's faithful ministers. But where or what
is the ground of this ignorance that is amongst your hearers ? is not the
ministry in a great measure the cause thereof, and doth not the blind
lead the blind, and have not you been unjust and unrighteous in taking
money and wages of people for teaching of them, and yet they have not
received knowledge, but continue in ignorance ? And as for your prayers
and counsel, the Lord takes no notice thereof till you purge yourselves
of your iniquities ; and how should you profit the people, and bring them
to the knowledge of God, while as yet yourselves are shut up in a cave
of darkness, as you confess.
P. Speaking of your children, you say, ' do not they come into the
world with souls naked as their bodies 1 nothing but filth upon the one,
and nothing but sin upon the other.'
A. It is manifest then that you are unbelievers and have not receiv
ed the faith of Christ, but are yourselves in an unconverted estates for
the apostle saith concerning the believers' children, that they were holy.
If you can receive it, you may. But as for the soul, that is immortal,

567
for ' God breathed into man the breath of life, and made man a living
soul,' and sin came by disobedience, and that separates between man and
God, who is pure, and hath all souls in his hand. But as for you who
are in a cave of darkness, the mystery of the soul is hidden from you,
but you confess it is by your means that sin is conveyed to your children,
yea, take it to yourselves, it is your work, and the Lord hath no hand
in it, not in sin, nor in making sinners ; and it is manifest you are out of
the power of God, remaining in iniquity, and are out of the covenant of
reconciliation. P. ' For sending children to us, we shall briefly offer the duty of
it in these particulars : we are to feed the lambs of Christ as well as the
sheep, they are part of our charge who are to watch over souls.'
A. What! are children now the lambs of Christ and were they in
the last, having nothing but sin upon their souls, being begotten
and born in sin ? Sinners are not the lambs of Christ, but children of
wrath ; the lambs of Christ are such as are regenerated and born again.
And as for feeding the lambs, how can ye do it, who are taking substance
to be shadows, and shadows to be substance ? The bread of life ye know
not, which feeds the lambs and the sheep. But how many sheep and
lambs are found in your flocks ? do not they by their fruits rather ap
pear to be in the nature of wolves and swine 1 Let .their fruits witness
against them. And as for your charge, who committed any charge to you?
and as for watching over the soul, the soul is immortal, which you watch
not for, but for money and hire, and casting people into prison if they
will not give it you, and causing the servants of the Lord to be perse
cuted ; these and such like are the fruits of the priests of England ; but
if you watched for the soul, it would be otherwise with you. But who
can gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ?
P. ' We should be full of affection to ourselves if we desired to work
upon our hearers; and our authority in preaching is marred by unholy
living.' A. We do believe you; and it is manifest to the whole nation that
your unholy living mars your preaching ; for unholy men have not re
ceived commission from the Lord to preach his word. So you have run
and not been sent, and there is no possibility of working upon your
hearers by words, who give them so evil examples by your practices, by
your unholy lives : and no authority of God's presence can be in your
preaching to convert sinners, till you repent and come to live holily and
like God. And this confession of yours hath shamed you ; for Christ's
ministers never made such a confession ; but they witnessed the au
thority of God's presence in their preaching, whereby they wrought
upon their hearers, and they answered their preaching by a holy con-

568
versation, and did not mar their preaching by unholy living, as ye con
fess ye do.
P. ' Sad one day will be the account of sleepy watchmen, blind seers,
and dumb dogs, that cannot bark to fright the wolves or warn the
sheep.' A. Then look to yourselves ; for blind seers are such as do not con
vert the people who speak imaginations of their own hearts, and not
from the mouth of the Lord, and use their tongues, when the Lord hath
not spoken unto them, and preach for hire and divine for money, and
seek for gain from their quarter ; and that cry peace to them that put
into their mouths, and prepare war against them who do not: such are
blind seers, sleepy watchmen, and dumb dogs, of whom you speak ; whose
account indeed will be sad one day. And these are the wolves that must -
be frighted, that do put on the sheep's clothing, but inwardly are raven-
ers and devourers, which went out from the apostles in the days of John,
and which Christ prophesied should come ; of whose generation you are,
and not of the generation ofthe sheep, who ever were persecuted ; and
the Lord is beginning to affright you and to gather his sheep, and this
is the Lord fulfilling in this day.
P. ' Many congregations still continue waste ; none compassionate to
tell them of the fire and brimstone from heaven for their sins ; how many
shoot offa few pop-guns against their gross sins, and then lick them whole
with ill applied promises, but the blood of the people shall be required
at their hands.'
A. Many congregations are waste, and ten thousands of people are"
as a wilderness, unfilled or unploughed, or unplanted, in the way of
righteousness, and the guilt of this will be laid upon the teachers, who
have long been teaching and have been well paid for the work, and
yet left whole congregations waste. But it was not so in the apostles'
days, nor among their churches who were in the faith of Christ Jesus ;
but when the wolves in sheep's clothing entered, then began congrega
tions to lie waste, which has continued for many generations, even while
the beast and the whore have ruled over the nations ; all nations have
laid waste and been void of truth to the Lord. And who is it except your
selves that shoot pop-guns against their gross sins, and then lick them
whole? is it not common to cry peace to them that put into your
mouths, and to prepare war against them that do not ? and is it not com
mon amongst you to apply justification by Christ to people that are un
covered and unrenewed, and to apply the promises to that birth that is not
heir of the kingdom ? and this is ill applied. And though you may cry
against their unholy lives, yet yourselves being unholy, this is but hy
pocrisy, and sewing pillows under arm holes ; and the blood of the peo
ple will God require at the hand of such teachers and such shepherds.

569
P- ' The most faithful messengers of Christ will acknowledge they
came short of their duty.'
A. They that are faithful messengers of Christ, have the answer,
' well done, thou good and faithful servant' Where did Paul, or John,
or Peter acknowledge they came short of their duty? have not you
slandered the servants of the Lord, thinking them to be like your
selves, and falsely accusing them that yo.u may seem justified, who are
false messengers, and come in his name when you have no commission
from him? And you come short of every good work, but thus it is not
With Christ's true messengers, for they fulfil his will that sent them:
and it is the Lord that worketh in them whose they are, and whose
duty they perform by his spirit.
P. ' The best of us have stammering tongues in this great work, and
oftentimes we do it coldly and by halves, like Pellifer we see but with
one eye; like MUkes, hear but with one ear; like unicorn, push against
sin but with one horn. Place not good preaching in large speaking,
judge of a minister by his brains, not lungs, by his heart, not throat'
A. This is confessed to your own shame, who do your work coldly,
and by halves: it shows you have not the same spirit that was amongst
the apostles, who were zealous, and faithful in the work ofthe Lord, and
did it not coldly nor by halves as you do. And they saw with their eyes
and heard with their ears, and their hearts God had opened, and they
were a terror to all unrighteousnessjwherever it appeared. And the way
to judge of a true minister is not by his brains, nor lungs, nor throat,
but whether he hath received the holy ghost, and whether they have
the same spirit that was amongst the apostles, and whether the presence
of the Lord be with them, and effect his own work through them ?
These are the signs of Christ's ministers to judge them by : so you have
missed the true character to judge justly,'and your judgment is false,
and it shows you are not guided by the infallible spirit of God.
P. ' We must attend to the words ofthe minister, though he himself
be fruitless; in which sense we may be said to gather grapes of thorns,
and figs of thistles: unsanctified ministers may possibly convert and
comfort sinners, though our candle be in a dark lantern, and the saints
know not what God is a doing.'
A. Christ said, ' Either make the tree good, and his fruit good, or
the tree nought and his fruit nought,' and ' none can gather grapes of
thorns or figs of thistles;' but you say the contrary: and are pleading
for fruitless ministers that they should be attended to, but the apostle'
exhorted to turn from them that had the form of godliness, but notthe
power. And judge in your ownselves how your words agree with
Christ's and the apostles, they appear to be quite contrary. And unsanc
tified men are not Christ's ministers, nor did Christ ever send unsanc-

570
tified persons, and they that run and were not sent, should not profit,
nor did profit the people at all, could neither comfort saints nor con
vert sinners. But you are pleading for unsanctified ministers and for
sinful ministers, and say that people should not despise their doctrine;
yea, the doctrine and words of unbelievers are despised and rejected
by the saints, and though you say, ' scripture is scripture though utter
ed by satan,' yet I say, scripture in the mouth of satan is tempta
tion and not edification; and it is true your hearts are dark, and minds
are dark, even as a dark lantern, we do believe it ; and the light in you
shines in darkness, and is held in the dark lantern, and no light in you
appears unto the dark world, but your unholy lives and unsanctified spi
rits, and you know not what God is adoing,whoare unbelievers. But the
saints have the mind of Christ, and know what God is doing; for his
spirit dwells in them, but you have shut out yourselves that you are
ignorant of God and what he is doing; but Christ's ministers, their
light shines among men, and their good works are seen, but you have
showed your folly and ignorance to all the world.
P. 'But what if somewhat in the lives of ministers, contradict the
word they preach; disorderly teachers are pretty well purged out; if
any continue, it is the fault of them that do not bring their wickedness
to light, that such may be rooted out, who make the offering to be ab
horred, the sins ofthe teachers being teachers' sins.'
A. The true ministers of Christ, their conversations were in heaven,
and their good works and holy lives were agreeable to the word they
preached; but disorderly teachers are not purged out. To preach for
hire, is a disorder, and to cause people to be put into prison, and to be
persecuted, and to be whipped, and to have their goods spoiled, these
are disorderly practices, and such are disorderly teachers, many of
whom there are yet unpurged out. But now the Lord God is arisen to
try and to purge, and to bring wickedness to light, and to condemn
the sins of teachers, and teachers for their sins, and such shall be rooted
out, whose offering is abhorred ofthe Lord, because iniquity lodges in
their hearts, and their lives are unsanctified, contradicting in their prac
tices what they preach in words; such are hypocrites whom God will
judge, and the law will utterly root you out in his season ; you that are
disorderly, and out ofthe order of the true church of Christ.
P. 'We do not thunder in our pulpits, nor lighten in our conversa
tions as we might ; our thunderings are no more heard by glorifying
Christ than their hallelujahs are by us.'
A. You want the word of the Lord, which is terrible, it is not in
your mouths, but the words of your own imaginations ; and your words
answer not to the witness of God in the people's consciences, but you
are like the dreamers the apostle speaks of, whose conversations are bad

571
examples to all that look upon you; your unholy lives give an ill sa
vour, and do not enlighten any man in the way of truth; and saints,
that are glorified, do deny you, and hear you not, excepting to give
their witness against you: neither do you know what the saints' hallelu
jahs are, who rejoice over the whore that hath made all nations drunk;
but of these things are you ignorant, and you are shut out from the
assembly of them that can sing hallelujah to God and the Lamb for
evermore. P. 'It is treason to undertake an embassage without commission : I
sent them not, yet they run, saith the Lord, not knowing why, nor
whither, they can tell no tidings for climbing on high, with the ape
they do but show their own deformity.'
A. There is none more guilty than yourselves of this treason, and
out of your own mouths will the Lord judge you. Where is your com
mission, and what is it ? any other except such as the pope gave to his
ministers? having your degrees in your schools and attaining from one
art and office to another, till at last you profess to be attained to the
ministry: but this is not God's way of commissioning, but antichrist's
way, and the*Lord God is risen who will confound it. For the Lord
hath not spoken to you, neither hath he revealed his glory to you, you
have neither seen his shape nor heard his voice, neither are the tidings
you bring, effectual to convert sinners; for you are climbed up another
way, and enter not in at the door, and the ape is truly your figure, for
your deformity appears to the saints, and all the children of light do
see you and your original, which came up in the falling away of the
true churches, when antichrist took the throne, and the man of sin got
up into the temple, who for many generations amongst you hath shown
himself to be God, and hath been worshipped as God.
P. ' The accomplices of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, who usurped the
priests' office, were destroyed, a warning piece for such as usurp the
ministerial function uncalled, and unordained; let them take heed,
when they presume to vent their illiterate, rude incoherence, and blas
phemous stuff.'
A. This belongs to yourselyes, ye men of unholy lives, who have
usurped the ministry uncalled and unordained of the Lord, and by his
spirit; and you may take warning at Corah's destruction, whom the Lord
shall as surely destroy with the fire of his jealousy. For while the beast
hath had power over nations, and the whore made nations drunk,
all this time hath your authority been exalted, by which you have been
set up, and your ministers, without the life that the true ministers were
in, and without that call and ordination which they had, for you are of
man and by man, and you effect not the work of the true ministry of
Christ, but are left desolate, and are desolate of the presence of God,

572
being yourselves unlearned in the doctrine of Christ, venting your
imaginations out of the truth, and out of the power of God, and there
stands your ministry.'
P. ' Unsanctified ministers may possibly convert to God.'
A. No, he that is unsanctified is out of the power of God, and the
word of God abides not in him, and he runs and is not sent, and it is
not possible that such can convert sinners, who are themselves uncon
verted from their iniquities.
P. ' That some learned Christians have been able to squeeze the
greatest mysteries of our religion out of the writings of some hea
thens.' A. This is the sum of your principles, you fifteen priests, and here
is the sum of your ignorance and wretchedness discovered, and the
vanity of your religion, whose foundation is the writings of heathens,
and the heathens that knew not God; out of their writings is your re
ligion made up, as you confess. This is the whore's religion that sits
upon the beast, that the world hath long wondered after, and not the
true religion which the apostles and true churches were in. And they
are no christians, no saints, nor true christians that go to the writings
of heathens to squeeze out mysteries; they that do so, are the chris
tians in the apostacy, who are fallen from the life of righteousness,
such as you and thousands are, at this day, being without the spirit, and
without Christ; therefore you run to the heathen for knowledge, and
shame true Christianity, and true christians, in reputing the heathen
wiser than yourselves, who are fain to run to their writings to make up
your mysteries. And such is your religion, deceit, and vanity, and the
mystery thereof, studied for, out of the heathens' writings! This is
Christianity in the apostacy, and the religion apostatized from the life
of true Christianity; for the true christian religion, the foundation
thereof is Christ, who is the mystery of God, and of life, and salva
tion, and the mysteries of our true christian religion, which we live in
that are come out of the apostacy, are revealed to us by the spirit of
the Father that dwells in us, and is in all that are in the true christian
religion, who deny the heathens and your apostatized christians, and
are come into the mysteries of eternal salvation, which are not squeezed
by imaginations of men, but revealed by the spirit of God; the great
mystery, Christ in us, and the mystery of the kingdom, all this
is made manifest to us, and to true christians, whose religion stands
in the power of God, and not in the tradition of men, nor fetched
from the heathens' writings. And this religion will stand for ever,
but your religion, and ministry, and church, will the Lord confound,
the author of which is the heathens' writings; and how then shall
it stand? It is out of the bottomless pit, and ariseth out of that,

573
and thither shall it be turned into the pit that hath no bottom. Oh!
how have you blind leaders led the blind, that have been profess
ing to teach Christ, and faith in him, these many years. And have
you taken so much money of the nations, and do you npw tell
us that the greatest mysteries of your religion are squeezed out of the
heathens' writings? 0 ye unrighteous men, blind leaders ! the Lord
God Almighty is now risen, and the nations can no longer be satisfied
with this religion, but the Lord is gathering out of your mouths, and
you must howl and lament; all the idle dumb shepherds shall be con
founded, and souls delivered, of which they have made a prey ; for the
souls of men have been the merchandise of Babylon's merchants, they
have bought and sold the souls of men, they have blinded the eye of
the soul, and trodden it down, and the immortal soul hath not been re
spected otherwise than to make merchandise thereof, to get gain
thereby. There have been many traffickers since the days of the apos
tles, that have made merchandise of souls, but the judgment of the
great whore is come, and of Babylon the mother of harlots, and the
Lord God and the Lamb will plead against her, and the jaws of the
wicked shall be broken, and their hearts shall utterly fail in the midst
of them, and the Lord will reveal his righteousness from heaven, and
by his judgments shall he be known in the earth, a mighty God, and a
dreadful; and his dread and terror shall take hold upon your con
sciences. Come down and sit in the dust, for the Lord's controversy is
against you; he will bruise you with an iron rod, he will break you as
a potter's vessel, and his hand ye shall not escape ; for ye are but like
briars and thorns in battle before him, and like-the stubble in which the
fire is kindled, and you will be as the dross in the time of purging, and
as reprobate silver: the Lord God hath said it.

W. S.'s book, called 'A Parson's Guide, concerning Tithes and
the Law of Tithes.'
P. And he saith he supposes, 'that taking away tithes from minis
ters, but not taking away tithes from other men,' &c.
A. The law that hath set up tithes, since the days of the apostles, is
from the pope, the false church, the whore. The true church set up
none among the apostles; and so tithes must be taken away from
men as well as ministers, for they have been set up since the days of
the apostles, by the pope's law, and not by the law of God, but by
the false church, the whore, who have set up their tenths, and keep
people in the ninths of. the earth, with all their images; for the true
priesthood that took tithes, among whom were all the figures, and
Vol. III. . 72

574
types, and shadows, who took the tenths of the earth, among them
was a storehouse for all widows, and strangers, and fatherless, to come
and be filled within their gates. But there is no such thing among the
pope's Church, not in Christendom, no such storehouse for widows, and
strangers, and fatherless; but the widows, and strangers, and fatherless
beg up and down at the mass houses' doors. They who set up their
lying signs and wonders, who have tithes in the earth, that take tenths,
and keep people in the ninths of the earth, God hath discovered them,
and the false church that set them up, and their law, since the true
church went into the wilderness. And the apostles that preached Christ
witnessed the seed of God, which ended all the figures, and types, and
shadows, and the tenths, and ninths, and priesthood, and all types, and
figures, and shadows, and bowings, and brought to the beginning, to
know the election before the world was made, and so- they witnessed
redemption, that brings up out of the earth, into the everlasting priest
hood and covenant, out of the ninths, as well as tenths,- all being offered
up to God. For signs were given to man since the fall, and tithes since
man was driven into the earth; so man who comes to Christ and the
church, comes out of the earth to the beginning, to reign upon the earth.
And so the Papists are they who lead the people into the earth, with all
their earthly images set up by the earthly, such as went forth from the
apostles,, who have set up tithes since the apostles, and bring people
quite into the earth with all their earthly images. But the apostle
brought them up out of the earth, and into the redemption, out of
types, figures, and shadows, and out of tithes, to the election before
the world was made, and so into the everlasting priesthood. Now the
false prophet, beast, and antichrist, the great whore, this woman, the
false church which went forth from the apostles, bring people into the
earth, from the life and election both, that none there are assured of it ;
but they bring them into images, and into lying signs and wonders,
and into ninths and tenths, and there nations stick in the earth, out of
the image of God, and this hath been set up by the beast, dragon,
whore, and false prophets,* who had the sheep's clothing, who are out
of the sheep's- life, and who are now with that seen, and with that
judged. P. And thou sayst, 'Tithes by our law were counted an ecclesiasti
cal inheritance, oblation, obvention, offerings, this was called mere
spiritual, as were offered to God and holy church.'
A. Here thou hast drunken the whore's cup, who came up since the-
church went into the wilderness: and do men hold their estates by ec
clesiastical laws, and ecclesiastical inheritance ? Indeed it is a Popish,
superstitious inheritance, and so you may see whence your inheritance
somes, and who hath given it you; but the church of Christ never

575
required any such thing, but these things have been set up since the days
of the apostles, your oblations, obventions, offerings ; arid this hath been
your cover, to say they were offered to God and holy church, and thou
sayst, tithes, the tenth part, have been given by the law, to the minis^
ters of the gospel.
By the ecclesiastical law it hath been given to clerks, and vicars, and
parsons, and their curates, and thou sayst our laymen by the commonlaw
could not have had their inheritance of tithes descendable and grantable as
of other temporal possessions, neither will they pass by the same words
in grant, as other temporal possessions will do. Then men do not hold
their temporal possessions by ecclesiastical laws, but by that which
you call your common law, So all these laws the pope, the whore,
the false church were the author of, which have been got up since the
days of the apostles, by them that went forth from the apostles, into
the earth, who keep people in the lying signs and wonders in the earth,
under the false prophets, and the people must give them their tenths,
and put into their mouths, and they live in the ninths, though they
have no storehouses for widows, fatherless, and strangers : and this is
done by the corruptible mystery Babylon, got up since the days
of the apostles and their church: by us she is judged, and all their
ecclesiastical laws and government, by them that are in the law of
Christ, the law of life, that witness the judgment of the great whore
to be come, and the lamb and the saints have the vietory, who are come
into the power that the apostles were in. And these witness the mar
riage of the lamb, Christ Jesus, in whom there is no shadow of turning,
him by whom theworld was made before it was made, who was glorified
with the Father before the world began, who ends the first priesthood,
and its tithes and storehouse, and redeems men out of the earth up
to God, from whence they have been drawn, to know the word of life,
which was in the beginning, by which all things were made. And who
are in it, are in the life, and the word of wisdom by which all things
were made and created, with which wisdom they know how to use
all things again to the glory of him that created them. And thus men
glorify God, in their bodies, soul, and spirit, which are the Lord's,
amongst whom the blessing of God is felt, who in his kingdom reigns,
and among whom the life and power of God dwell.

576

Thomas Hodges, bachelor of divinity, rector of Soldren in Oxford
shire, his principles in a book, called 'A Scripture Catechism,' as
followeth, where he goes about to confute errors, who confutes
himself among them.
P. Thou sayst, 'What godly heart without sorrow should see Christ's
witnesses prophesy in sackcloth,'
A. Instead of sorrowing, you are they that kill them, and persecute
them, and prison them, as you have done many that have prophesied
in sackcloth, and with ashes on their heads in this nation amongst you,
the false church, who are in sheep's clothing, since the woman went
into the wilderness; so instead of sorrowing, you persecute, and so
thou confutest thyself, and art finding fault with the Papists and bishops
of Rome, and speaking of their errors, and art found in them. Did not
they set up the tithes, and the mass-houses, and the colleges where
thou wast made a minister, and give you the names of rectors and cu
rates, and your means to your colleges and old mass-houses? Art not
thou found in them and among them, their errors, false church, and
great whore, since the true church went into the wilderness, among
them that drink the blood of the saints, with sheep's clothing, having
not the spirit as the sheep had, nor in their nature, so in the error?
P. Thou sayst, ' The scripture speaks of God after the manner of
men..' '
A. The scripture speaks of God after the manner of the spirit, and to
the spirit, whereby men might receive him, and know him by the
spirit, which natural men cannot.
P. Thou queries to know, ' whether the holy ghost be a distinct
person, and the worship of God in three persons.'
A. Art thou going about to confute the Papists' errors, and hold
them up, and justify them, which the scripture doth not? Matt xxviii.
But the Papists' common-prayer-book, and old canon-book speak of
three persons, but the scripture speaks of Father, son, and holy ghost;
and thou speakest of Christ, but yet are not come fo the light which
Christ hath enlightened every man who comes into the world with.
And thou speakest pf Adam's being the image of God, and yet art not
come to Adam's state as he was in the beginning; so therefore knowest
not redemption, nor predestination, nor election, but art found in
Adam's state, in the fall and reprobation. Thou speakest of ordinances,
and yet art a transgressor of the commands of Christ, who art called of
men master, and art an imitator ofthe Pharisees' doctrines. Thou speak
est of the church, but art found one of those that are dressed with the
whore's rags, since the true church went into the wilderness. Thou

577
speakest.of the magistrates, yet art not in the higher power, which goes
over all sin and transgression, which answers the transgressed in every
man upon the earth. Thou speakest of dogs, and evil workers, seducers,
and heretics, who art doing their work, as your jails and prisons may
witness in the nation and whole Christendom, the fruits of dogs and
evil workers, and seducers, and heretics, which was not Christ's work
nor the apostles'. Thou speakest of the commonwealth, but yet art
out of that which is the general good to all men, Christ, the light of
the world, who is the saving health: all power in heaven and earth is
given to him, in whom men have wisdom, by whom all things were
made and created, to order the things by the wisdom by which they
were created. Thou speakest of soldiers, and yet art not come to John,
a man sent from God, but art from the colleges, the Papists' houses,
since the church went into the wilderness, and made by the will of
man, and set up by the dragon's power, so art not come lo the light
that John came to bear witness to, that did enlighten every man that
comes into the world ; so art short of rectifying the soldiery, who
stoppest up the eye by which they should see. Thou speakest of the er
ror of the Quakers, who art found in error thyself; not come to see that
which must be shaken, before that do appear which cannot be shaken,
nor come to the trembling of the devils; not knowing the strong man
bow himself that hath kept the house, who is at peace, who is the au
thor and ground of the error, and he that is stronger than he that kept
the house, to make the devil tremble, and shake the earth where he
hath had his foundation, yea, and the heavens also. Thou also speakest
of the first birth, whose habitation is in the earth, and property there;
' Who made me a divider of men's inheritances,' me, who am the
end of the law ? for the law is just among you to divide to every
man his right, but I who am the end of the law, redeem you from
under the law, and out of the earth, but you who are found in this first
birth in the earth, have set up your tenths, and keep people in the ninths,
your greediness of it your presence declares. Thou speakest of mine
and thine in collections, so, self you are found in, and your coldness
in collections for the blind and lame, fatherless and widows, the
streets in London declare you, and the countries abroad. Yet you
are all christians and baptized, and you wear rings and scarfs, and
points, and others are crying for bread. Thou speakest of buying and
selling, &c. who art arming thyself to hold up the honour of the
beast; and as for your buying and selling, the fruits of the great
whore have declared themselves, who make merchandise of souls, and
all other things, being out of the law of equity, which who acts in, acts
in the will of God. Thou speakest of good-morrow and good-evening;
and would blind the world, though thou broughtest scripture for it, and

578
makest them believe it is the Quakers' error to say the contrary. The
morning is good, and the evening is good, and all is good that God
created and made, as it was in the beginning, but by transgression they
come to be vile and evil, by going out of the truth, as things were
created, and standing in the truth are all blessed. Thou speakest of
giving of thanks, and craving a blessing, and yet you say you must
have a body of sin whilst you are upon earth; so your thanks and your
blessings are from unclean lips, in the mouth that blesses and curses,
and so proceed from the bad fountain. Thou speakest of christian magis
trates, and higher powers, and thou speakest of saluting and honour
ing, and bowing down before men, who art not come to Christ the
power of God, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him.
Thou art not come to the light that doth enlighten every man that
comes into the world, and hath all power, who subjects all magistrates
to himself, who doth enlighten them to see him; and you are not come
to the angel's state, that said to John, see that he did not bow to the
angel, but worshipped God, John saw all the world worshipping the
beast. In the old time they had bowed to the angel, but Christ is come,
to whom the angels must bow, and who is in him, hath life and wor
ship; and that is honourable which is in the truth, for he who honours
God, God will honour, but honour to a fool is not seemly, but like
snow in summer. And thou speaks of Christ's freemen, and thy choos
ing it rather than to serve idolatrous masters, and these freemen that
have chosen their freedom, and cannot serve you who are idolaters,
who are spiritual Egypt, to work in the earth for you, to make you
brick to set up your building, you persecute them as idolaters, you im
prison them. You have the form of godliness, and deny the power;
who will talk of the words but deny the freedom thou speakest of, one
sitting and another standing to serve at meat, and so you put yourselves
among the Pharisees; and doth not Christ serve the children at the table
who is the master? But in the world there is the lordship and exer
cising authority, and, men do not know their own brethren; but mas
ters and servants, as the scriptures declare, is owned, as Paul to Phi
lemon. Thou speakest of Cain's and Abel's offerings, you who are the
persecutors, and slayers, and prisoners of the just, offerers up of the
earth, and are the city got up since the true woman went into the wil
derness; but the city of the living God is known again, and you are
judged, and your false church. Thou speakest of salutations, and salut
ing enemies; how do you salute those that you imprison till death for
your tithes? What a salutation is that! and cause them to be whipped
and imprisoned for speaking to you ! this is like Judas' salutation to
Christ when he betrayed him, and not the salutation of the saints.
Thou speakest ' of calling days by other names than the first, second,'

579
&c. yes, you and your mother, the Papists' church, and the heathens,
contrary to the Jews, and true apostles, and true christians, call them
Moonsday, and Sunsday, and Friday, after the name of the great idol
in England, and Wodensday and Saturnsday; and this is contrary to the
scripture and the form of sound words, and contrary to the law of
God, which judges the heathen, and every day is the Lord's. And many
names you give to your months, which the heathen are fain to teach
you. Thou speakest of interpreting the word, and giving sense and
meanings, and thus with your interpretations, and senses, and mean
ings, you have brought whole Christendom into heaps; your fruits de
clare it to be out of the scriptures, to be out of the spirit that gave it
forth : so your own spirits give the meaning in which lodges the envy,
and serve your own bellies. But it is the spirit that leads into all truth
and not you. Thou speakest of singular and plural, as though thou
neither knew scripture nor accidence. Thou speakest of the ministers
going without gold and silver, brass, or purse, or scrip, &c;.yet you will
not go without augmentations, tithes. And glebe-lands, amongst them
you call brethren, your baptized people. Andt hou speakest of taking a
purse, and scrip, and sword, and selling his garment to buy one; Christ
did so to fulfil the law, and bids them put it up again, and said it was
enough, who ends it; so you are out of the faith and patience of the
saints. Thou speakest of good men, and calling them good; yes, I say,
such as are full of the holy ghost and of faith; but wicked men, wolves,
and beasts would have this title, persecutors, warriors, and devourers,
in sheep's clothing, therefore is that angry which is exalted above all
that is called God, who sits in the temple of God, that man of sin in
you all, who cannot have that given to him which is given to God, by
them that are in the discerning. Thou goest about to prove the word
landlord, and would thrust that into the scripture, when the scripture
speaks no such word; but the law of righteousness which comes from God
which is equal and just, and the prophets, to do as you would be done
by. • Thou art speaking of the angels that said, nay, they would tarry all'
night in the street, and yet went in; the angels are servants, and their
time is not come, and they may say nay, and yet afterwards see their
time to go in. Thou speakest of perfect, and yet in your doctrine say,
none shall be perfect while they are upon the earth, and so you have
denied the work ofthe ministry, so profit people not at all. And thou-
sayst, ' who can understand the error of his ways;' and that which thou'
dost, thou allowest not, and sin remains in a man, then there the devil
hath a habitation, and there is death; but he that believes is passed from
death, and so from the sin. And that which gives a man to understand
his error, turns him from his sin; such as come to know the anointing
within them, that teaches them that continue in the sqn of God, and in'

580
the Father, these know all things, but such as are in the transgression,
not denying themselves, know not the error of their ways, as you may
see yourselves what you have run into, whose fruits are come to public
view. P. Thou speakest ' of Christ speaking in the synagogue, and false
Christs, and false teachers in corners and chambers, and ministers must
prove by scripture, for with that they convince the Jews.'
A. Christ went into the synagogues, and the apostles, to show the
fulfilling, and him who was come to fulfil that which they had in the
synagogues, and the apostles showed them out of the prophets and the
law that Jesus was the Christ. And the apostle was not a false Christ,
nor a false teacher, who preached in his own hired house; nor the saints
that met in several houses, who were come off from the Jews and the
synagogues; but they are the false teachers and false Christs that deny
the light that doth enlighten every man that is come into the world,
which Christ hath enlightened them with; and they are those that draw
people into corners, and chambers, and deserts, and say, lo, Christ is
here, and lo, Christ is there, that are gone and ravened from the light
in their ownselves, that Christ hath enlightened them with. And such
are the corrupt trees that cumber the earth, whose fruits have suffi
ciently declared themselves, who are to be thrown down into the fire,
who will be condemned by the light which they have ravened from
in their own particulars; and to thee this is the word of the Lord; in
the day of thy visitation, the witness in thy conscience shall answer
it. And as for all the rest of thy stuff to the Papists, who would make
people believe thou wast not found among them, for the errors in this
book, first came out of the Papist's work, before thou find fault with
them and cry against them, consider whether thou art not one of them
that kill and take possession? But the time is come when you are
all comprehended, and you and the Papists found in one bond, one
cord, one city against the elect But he is set over you all, and the judg
ment of the great whore is come, who is got up since the true woman
fled into the wilderness, and the man-child was caught up to God; but
now is the man-child come again to rule the nations with a rod of
iron, and the lamb, and the bride, the lamb's wife, is known, and the
mystery of iniquity is discovered, and the mystery of godliness is re
vealed, and the saints shall have the victory, and the beast, and the false
prophet, and the old dragon shall be taken, and cast alive into the lake
of fire; and the everlasting gospel shall be preached to them that dwell
upon the earth, to all nations, and kindreds and tongues, which is the
power of God, which brings people into unity with God and the scrip
tures, and the mystery of God is revealed, and the mystery of ini
quity discovered, and he that was dead is alive again, and lives for
evermore.

581

Several scriptures corrupted by the translators.
Jude 14. 'Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints ;' in the Greek it is, ' in ten thousands,' » v-w-wri.
Heb. i. 3. ' Express image of his person,' Gr. substance, or subsist
ence, wruseuri;.
Heb. ii. 16. He took not on him the nature of angels, in the Greek,
ev y£fex«va.x& maixafj. (la.\>vr*i, which is by true interpretation, he doth not
take hold of angels. As for the word nature, which is in our English
copies, there is nothing for it in the Greek.
Matt. iii. 11. In Beza's Latin Testament, and our English copies,
it is tendered, ' I indeed baptize you with water,' and from the word,
with water, is the act of sprinkling pleaded for; in the Greek it is, I
dip, plunge, or baptize you in water, in it, » "fori.
Col. i. 23. In the Latin and English copies it is thus: 'which was
preached to every creature which is under heaven;' in the Greek, it is,
' in every creature,' » *<tm v-h mmi.
Luke xvi. 15. In the Latin and English copies, it is, 'that which
is highly esteemed among men;' in the Greek, it is in men, « mSfwrtt;.
1 Cor. xv. 31. In our English copies it is, I protest by your rejoicing,
&c. Now, I protest is added, for there is nothing for it in the Greek,
lead H/uipxvaTr&StiiS&i.
1 Cor. ii. 6. ' We speak wisdom among them that are perfect,' in
the Greek it is, in them that are perfect, » «* tjammc.
Rom. viii. 29. In the English and Latin copies it is, ' that he might
be the first born among many brethren,' in the Greek it is, in many
brethren, IV o-owms «Jim»k.
Matt, xxviii. 19. In the English and Latin copies it is, 'baptizing
them in the name,' in the Greek it is, into the name, uimmft*.
Matt. vi. 7. In the English copies it is, ' for they think they shall
be heard for their much speaking,' in the Greek it is, in their much
Speaking, « ™ no\v\iyia.
1 Tim. iii. 16. In our English and Latin copies it is, 'great is the
mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the
spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles;' in the Greek it is,
preached in the Gentiles, •wa3'* •» i$"imv-
Rom. xi. 2. In the' Latin and English copiesj it is, ' wot ye not
what the scripture saith of Elias;' but in the Greek it is, in Elias,
a Hu«, Heb. i. 1. ' God, &c. spoke to the Fathers, by the prophets;' in the
Greek it is, God spoke to the fathers in the prophets, « «« <p/»?»T«<r,
Vol. III. 73

582
' Hath in the last days spoken unto us, by his son;' in the Greek it
is, hath spoken unto us, in his son, « /*»¦
Rom. xv. 6. ' That you may with one mind, and one mouth, glorify
God ;' in the Greek it is, in one mouth, « «' s°ft*ri.
Rom. i. 19. In the Greek, Latin, and English copies it is, (speak
ing of the Gentiles,) ' that which is known of God, is manifest in them,'
or, made known in them, though some dare say, and do say, among
them. Amos iii. 6. ' Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not
done it?' This is the English translation; in the Hebrew it is, 'shall
there be evil in a city, and shall not the Lord do somewhat? ,
Heb. v.»last verse. 'Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full
age:' in the Greek it is, ' strong meat belongeth to them that are per
fect,' touum.
John viii. 6. In our English copies it is, ' Jesus stooped down, and
with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not,'
as for the words, (as though he heard them not,) they are added by the
translators, for there is nothing in the Greek for them, ™ JW»m» ryf<ufu
ut im ya.
John i. 14. The word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us; in the
Greek it is, in us, ««¦*»»»» a»/uv. By true interpretation it is, the word
became flesh, and pitched his tent in us.
Heb. x. 20. In the English copies it is, 'by a new and living way;' in
the Greek it is, ' of late slain, and living way,' wparQ properly signi
fies recens mactatus, lately, or of late slain, saith Leigh and Pasor.
rrwm mm iA mi ia vb "h> -lr<
¦Mil bn ysvi nho ina> Nip'i xdbv Ss
£31 b» -W IS 13N
O ii mat KHHgmumu own,
mo.i WQfuai avru ©flop, not
tfUTOS KO.I /UOt 0 Mf.

'If any one want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony,
whether they speak after this meaning; if he do not this, he stumbles
and suffers hunger, and if he suffer hunger, he is not patient, but blas-
phemeth his king and his God; then looketh he upward and downward
to the earth, and behold, there is trouble and darkness; vexation is
round about him, and the cloud of error, and out of such adversity
shall he not escape, even like as in time past it hath been seen well.'
This is the old translation. Isa. viii.

583
New translation thus. « To the law and to the testimony, if they
speak not according to this word, it is because there is ne light in them ;
and they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry, and it shall
come tp pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves
and curse their king and their God, and look upward, and they shall
look unto the earth, and behold trouble and darkness, and dimness of
anguish, and they shall be driven to darkness.' Isa. viii. 20, 21, 22.
Old translation, Prov. xxiii. ' When thou sittest at the table with
a lord, order thyself mannerly with the things set before thee; mea
sure thine appetite, ahd if thou wilt rule thy ownself, be not over
greedy of his meat, for meat beguiles and deceives.'
New translation thus. 'When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, con
sider diligently what is before thee, and put a knife to thy throat if
thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties, for
they are deceitful meat' Prov. xxiii. 1, 2, 3.
Old translation, Amos iii. ' Cry they out alarum with the trumpet
in the city, and the people not afraid? cometh there any plague in a
city without it be the Lord's doing?'
New translation thus. ' Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and
the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord
hath not done it?' verse 6.
In the first chapter of the Heb. iii. in the new translation it is said,
'Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his
person.' But in the old translation it reads thus: 'Being the brightness of
his glory, arid the very image of his substance.'
The 2 Cor. ii. chapter, the last verse, in the English it is, ' We do
not corrupt the word,' but in the Latin it is, ' We do not sell the word
for money.'

SAUL'S
ERRAND TO DAMASCUS,

HIS PACKET OF LETTERS FROM THE HIGH PRIESTS AGAINST THE
DISCIPLES OF THE LORD.

A FAITHFUL TRANSCRIPT

A petition contrived by some persons in Lancashire, who call themselves
ministers of the gospel, breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against a peaceable and godly people
there, by them nick-named

TOGETHER WITH
The defence of the persons thereby traduced, against the slanderous and false
suggestions of that petition and other untruths charged upon them.
Published to no other end but to draw out the bowels of tender compassion from
all that love the poor despised servants of Jesus Christ, who have been the scorn of
carnal men in all ages.

' ' Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are
ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad ; for great is your reward in heaven : for so persecuted they the prophets which
were before you."— Matt. v. 10, 11, 12.

LONDON, PRINTED 1654.

PHILADELPHIA:
MARCUS T. C. GOULD, No. 6, NORTH EIGHTH STREET.
NEW YORK.-
ISAAC T. HOPPER, No. 420, PEARL STREET
3. HASHING, PRINTER.
1831

TO ALL THAT LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Dear Hearts, — You love the Lord Jesus Christ, and not him alone, but
Christ, with all his train. Great shall be your compensation : for your
love you shall have loves, (Cant. vii. 12.) Amores, a plurality and in
finity of loves ; which none but God in Christ hath to bestow. The
best of his relations upon earth, have but single love (and it is happy
they have love) to the brethren ; but Christ hath loves for the meanest
of you, the least of his. May you and all his, (in whom there are yet
but buds, scarce visible appearances of graces,) prove fruitful vines,
grow from buds to blossoms, from blossoms to abundance of fruits ; that
when the Lord shall get up early to visit his vineyard, you may feast
him with pleasant fruits, new and old ; you may bless him for his loves
of former and latter days,and be ever to him an humble, holy, and thank
ful, and to his brethren a comforting people. Glory in your habit ; you
wear the signal favours of the King of kings, and Lord of hosts, the
great and mighty Jehovah, love : by which I know to whom ye belong,
because ye love the brethren.

To the contrivers and subscribers of the petition.
Poor Hearts, — Is this a time to chide and be angry, and pick quar
rels ? and (if you must needs do so) can you find no other objects of your
indignation, but the Lord's disciples 1 but peaceable, holy, humble, self-
denying men 1 1s not the work of the ministry to preach the gospel ? Is
not the sword of the magistrate appointed to the punishment of evil
doers, and to the praise of them that do well? Are you incumbent in
your duties 1 Are you laying out your talents to the end they were
given you, or are you mistaken in the thing ? When did you proclaim
war against drunkards, swearers, common blasphemers, enemies to
the Lord and his people 1 Have you none of those amongst you ? or are
your high-flown contending spirits gone beyond such slender wrestlings,
that you scorn to encounter with any below the degree of a saint ?
The Lord open your eyes and let you see, and give you hearts to con
sider your several duties. But tell me, ye sons of Levi, (as ye call
yourselves,) ye that pretend a Jus Divinum to persecution ; what will
ye say, when the son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, and shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and all na-

586

tions shall be gathered before him 1 Mind ye what will be the great
work of that great day ; your petition will surely then be heard. I be
seech you read the paper of causes set down to be first heard at that tri
bunal, in Matt. xxv. 31. to the end ofthe chapter: and the Lord let it
dwell upon your hearts for ever.

To the Christian Reader.
These are to let thee know that the only wise God at this time hath
so by his providence ordered it, in the north parts of Lancashire,
that many precious christians (and so for many years accounted; before
the nickname Quakers was heard of) have, for some time past, forborne
to concorporate in parochial assemblies, wherein they profess themselves
to have gained little ofthe knowledge of Jesus Christ. And it is, and hath
been put upon their hearts to meet often (and on the Lord's day con
stantly) at convenient places, to seek the Lord their redeemer, and to
worship him in spirit and in truth, and to speak of such things, (tend
ing to mutual edification,) as the good spirit of the Lord shall teach
them; demeaning themselves without any offence given to any that truly
fear the Lord.
But true it is that some men and interests of those parts do take great
offence at them, and their christian and peaceable exercises ; some, be-
^gause they have witnessed against pride and luxuriant fulness, have
therefore come armed with sword and pistols (men that never drew a
sword for the interest of the commonwealth of England, perhaps against
it) into their assemblies in time of their christian performances, and
have taken him whom the Lord at that instant had moved to speak to
the rest, and others of their assembly, (after they had haled and beaten
them,) and carried them bound hand and feet into the open fields, in
the cold of the night, and there left them to the hazard of their lives,
had not the Lord of life owned them, which he did in much mercy.
Others have had their houses broken in the night, and entered by men
armed as aforesaid, and disguised; when they have been peaceably
waiting upon God with their own and neighbouring families. And yet
these humble persecuted Christians would not (even in these cases of gross
and intolerable affronts, acted equally against the peace of the nation
as against them) complain, but expressed how much (in measure) of
their master's patience was given them, in breathing out their master's
gentle words, 'Father, forgive them'; they know not what they do.' Who
have at any time borne such unheard of persecution with so mild spirits'?
Only they in whom persecuted Christ dwells : these poor creatures know

587
how their master fared, and rejoice to suffer with him, by whom alone
they hope to be glorified ; and are as well content to suffer, as to reign
with Christ. But how unwillingly do we deny ourselves, and take up
our cross and follow Christ : and yet a necessity lies upon us, if we will
be the Lord's disciples, to take up our cross daily, and follow him. How
is it then, that the crown of pride is so long upon the head of persecu
tors? how is it that such men should dare to divide the people of Eng
land, to trouble the council of state (in the throng of business concerning
the management and improvement of all the mighty series of glorious
providences made out to this infant commonwealth) with such abomina
ble misrepresentations of honest, pious, peaceable men, who desire no
thing more than to glorify their God in their generation, and are and
have been more faithful to the interest of God's people in the nation,
than any of the contrivers of the petition, as will easily be made appear
if we may take for evidence what they themselves have often said of
the parliament and army, and their friends and servants, publicly and
privately ; and it is well known their judgments are the same ; but that
the publication thereof will not safely consist with the enjoyment of
their large vicarages, parsonages, and augmentations, whereby they
are lifted up above their brethren, and exalt themselves above all that
are called God's people in these parts.
However, reader, we need not fear ; we hope the Lord will never
suffer that monster, persecution, again to enter within the gates of
England's Whitehall. They that sit in council there, know well enough
who it was that so often assembled to consult how they might take Je
sus by subtlety and kill him : they were men of no lower condition than
chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people : and if ever these peti
tioners should but appear before them to whom they have directed
their petition, my heart deceives me if they be not accounted such.
Reader, I would not preface thee into a good opinion of these suffer
ing objects of such men's wrath ; but read their paper here put into
thy hand, by them written, upon the occasion of this petition, and seve
ral snares and temptations laid before them, on purpose to entrap them ;
and if by them thou canst find cause to pity these oppressed little ones,
have them in thy remembrance when thou goest to the throne of grace,
where my prayers shall meet thine, for them.

To the Right Honourable the Council of State.
The humble petition of several gentlemen, justices of peace, ministers
of the gospel, and people, within the county of Lancaster, whose
names are subscribed, showeth,
That George Fox and James Nayler, are persons disaffected to re-

588
ligion, and the wholesome laws of this nation ; and that since their com
ing into this country, have broached opinions tending to the destruction
of the relation of subjects to their magistrates, wives to their husbands,
children to their parents, servants to their masters, congregations to
their ministers, and of a people to their God : and have drawn much
people after them.; many whereof, (men, women, and little children,) at
their meetings, are strangely wrought upon in their bodies, and brought
to fall, foam at the mouth, roar, and swell in their bellies. And that
some of them affirmed themselves to be equal with God, contrary to
the late act, as hath been attested at a late quarter sessions, holden at
Lancaster, in October last past ; and since that time, acknowledged be
fore many witnesses ; besides many other dangerous opinions, and dam
nable heresies; as appears by a schedule hereunto annexed ; with the
names of the witnesses subscribed.
May it therefore please your honours, upon the consideration of the
premises, to provide, (as your wisdom shall think fit,) that some speedy
course may be taken for the speedy suppressing of these evils. And
your petitioners shall ever pray, as in duty bound.
1. George professed and avowed that he was equal with God.
2. He professed himself to be the eternal judge of the world.
3. He said he was the judge of the world.
4. He said he was the Christ, the way, the truth, the life.
5. He said, Whosoever took a place of scripture, and made a sermon
of it, and from it, was a conjuror, and his preaching conjuration.
6. He said that the scripture was carnal.
James Milner, a follower of the said Fox, professeth himself to be
God and Christ ; and gives out prophecies.
1. That the day of judgment shall be the 15th day of November.
2. That there shall never judge sit at Lancaster again.
3. That he must ere long shake the foundations of the great syna
gogue, meaning the parliament.
Leonard Fell professeth that Christ had never any body but his
church. Richard Huberthorn wrote, that Christ's coming in the flesh was but
a figure.

The answer of George Fox, to the matters falsely charged upon
him, by the petition and schedule aforesaid.
Object. ' That George Fox and James Nayler, are persons disaffected
to religion.'

589
Answer. Whereas we are accused as persons disaffected to religion,
it is false ; for pure religion we own in our souls, which is, « to visit the
fatherless, and relieve the widows, and to keep ourselves unspotted from
the world,' and dwelling in purity; this we own in our souls. But 'he
that doth seem to be religious, and hath not power over his own tongue,
his religion is vain ;' and that religion we do deny: and all those that
do profess the scriptures in words, and live not the life of them, but
live in drunkenness, and uncleanness, envy, and maliciousness ; and all
they that do profess religion; and make a trade of the scriptures, both
priests and people, we do deny.
O. ' Disaffected to the wholesome laws of the nation.'
A. Justice (the wholesome law of God) we own ; and this is a ter
ror to the unjust, unwholesome, and unclean, and he that bears that
sword is a minister of God ; and who doth not obey the law of God
within/then that takes hold upon him without, but who doth obey the
law of God within, it brings him from under the occasions of all laws
without: for it will not let man lie, nor let him be drunk, nor proud,
nor follow oaths, nor cursed speaking, nor whoredoms, quarrelling,
fighting, wrangling, nor railing. And every one who walketh in the law
of God, denies all that which is unwholesome, and that which is ac
cording to the course of the world ; and they are all of one heart, and
are all one in unity, if ten thousand; and have all one law written in
their hearts ; which those that live in uncleanness cast behind their
backs ; and yet they profess a law in words, but are not subject to the
power of God. And such are they who do accuse their brethren who
walk in the law of God ; and yet they pretend justice : but their souls
are not subject ; for that soul that is subject to the higher power which
is of God, denies all filthiness and corruption.
0. ' That since their coming into this country, they have broached
opinions tending to the destruction of the relation of subjects to their
magistrates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants
to their masters, congregations to their ministers, and of a people to
their God.'
A. We were moved of the Lord to come into this country, and the
Lord did lei us see, that he had a people here before we came into it.
But as for broaching opinions, we deny ; but those that profess truth,
and walk in it up to God, we own.
Opinions do tend to break the relation of subjects to their magis
trates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants to
their masters, congregations to their ministers, and of a people to their
God ; but opinions we deny, for they are without God ; and there you
are./ And justice and purity are but one, and that we set up and
own : purity and walking in the spirit, doth make a separation from all
Vol. III. 74

590
uncleanness, and can have no fellowship with them who are unfruitful
workers of darkness ; but there is a separationfrom them. The one hath
fellowship with God, and the other hath fellowship with darkness, which
is unfruitful : the one is separated to God, the other is separated from
God. O. ' Have drawn much people after them, many whereof, men, wo
men, and little children, at their meetings, are strangely wrought upon
in their bodies, and brought to fall, foam at the mouth, roar, and swell
in their bellies.'
A. The meetings of the people of God, were ever strange to the
world ; for it was as though some strange thing had happened to the
saints, as ye read in the scripture; which shows ye are in the same
generation, wondering and stranging at the work of the Lord, despising
and casting scandals, slanders, and false reports upon them ; and where
the works of God are now, they think them strange things now, as
was then, who are alive in the flesh. It would be a strange thing to see
one now fall down, as Paul fell down and trembled, and as Daniel fell
down and trembled ; and to see one as Habakkuk, his belly to tremble,
and his lips to quiver, and as David, to lie roaring all the day long,
who cried till ' his sight was grown dim, and his flesh failed of fatness,'
and till he could ' number his bones ;' and to see one as Isaiah, to ' rent
his garment and his mantle,' and ' pluck his hair off his head, and off
his beard, and sit down astonished.' And would it not be strange to see
such an assembly as came to Isaiah, who had all trembling hearts ? Isa.
lxvi. v. ' Hear the word of the Lord, all ye that tremble at his word ;'
' work out your salvation with fear and trembling ;' ' before their faces
the people shall be much pained : all faces shall gather blackness.' The
prophets and ministers of God have all one spirit, (according to mea
sure,) and did encourage those that did tremble ; wherein it shows that
you have not the same spirit, but seek to persecute, and fix scandals,
and accuse them falsely. The ministry of truth ever drew from all
the ministry ofthe world, and from under all the laws of the world, up
to God, and from all the gods of the earth ; and then they witnessed
that the Lord was their lawgiver, the Lord was their king, the Lord
was their judge.
O. ' George Fox professed and avowed that he was equal with God.'
A. It was not so spoken, as that George Fox was equal with God:
but the Father and the son are one : ' I and my Father are one.' John
xiv. 9, 10. and where the same is revealed, this is witnessed : but where
the same is not made manifest and revealed, Christ is persecuted ; for
the world knows him not. ' Let the same mind be in you that was also
in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God, and yet made himself of no reputation.' Phil. vi.

591
7. And this I witness tb be fulfilled; for the same spirit where it ia, is
equal with God ; for ' he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified
are all of one.' Heb. ii. 11. and it is God that sanctifieth. ' He that hath
the word of God hath God, for God is the word ; and ' our fellowship is
with God.' John i. 1. 'There is q natural man, and there is a spiritual
man : the first is of the earth, earthly, the second is the Lord from hea
ven.' 1 Cor. xv. 47, 48. ' The new man, which is created after God in
righteousness and true holiness;' and 'he that doth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous.' 1 John iii. 7. And this I witness
what the scripture saith, ' Let no man deceive you.'
O. ' He professeth himself to be the eternal judge of the world.'
A. He that was a minister of God said, ' that the saints should judge
the world, yea, angels.' 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. Herein they show themselves
to be no ministers of God, who seek to persecute them who are judged
of God, and justified by him; where 'judgment is brought forth unto
victory,' Matt, xii 20. and set in the earth ; and that which is eternal,
hath judged all the carnal nature in himself; and where it is judged
there is no unity with it where it is alive ; and he that hath not true
judgment, and hath not'salt in himself to savour withal, is good for
nothing, and he cannot endure that Christ should speak where he is
uaade manifest. ' I am the way,' saith Christ ; Christ is but one in all
his saints, and he speaks in them. 1 Cor. xi. 3. But he doth not say that
George Fox is Christ. ' I am the way, the truth, and the life.' Christ
is the light, and ye are the light ; and Christ liveth in you, and Christ
is the head of the man ; and it is the spirit of the Father that speaketh
in you, and spoke in Christ, and he is but one in all his saints. Without
are many Christs ; ' lo here,' and ' lo there ;' but ' know you not that
Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates ? and if Christ be in you, the
body is dead because of sin ;' and there Christ Jesus speaks, ' the same
Christ to-day, yesterday, and for ever.' And thy judgment which is not
eternal, is carnal ; and with evil thoughts thou judgest ; thou puttest
darkness for light, and light for darkness ; and here thou showest thy
judgment to be carnal, and no minister of God, but a minister ofthe let
ter, and not of the spirit; for the ministers of the spirit have true judg
ment, and did imprison none, nor persecute, as you do ; but it is, that
fools may utter forth their folly.
O. ' He said he was the way, the truth, the life.'
A. The old man cannot endure to hear the new man speak, which
is Christ ; and Christ is the way : and if Christ be in you, must not he
say, ' I am the way, the truth, and the life?' John x. 4. Now if anti
christ speak, he is owned ofthe world ; but he cannot witness it ; while
the old man reigns, the voice of God is not known, nor Christ himself
to speak in man, but Christ's sheep know his voice.

592
0. ' He said, whosoever took a place of scripture, and made a sermon
of it, or from it, was a conjuror, and his preaching was conjuration.'
A. He that puts the letter for the light, when the letter saith Christ
is the- light, he is blind ; and they that say the letter and the spirit are
inseparable, when the spirit saith the letter is death, and killeth, and
all that do study to raise a living thing out of a dead, to raise the spirit
out of the letter, are conjurors, and draw points and reasons, and so
speak a divination of their own brain ; they are conjurors and diviners,
and their teaching is from conjuration, which is not spoken from the
mouth of the Lord, and the Lord is against all such, and who are of
God are against all such ; for that doctrine doth not profit the people
at all, for it stands not in the counsel of God, but is a doctrine of the
devil, and draws people from God, but he that speaks from the mouth
of the Lord, turns people from their wickedness, but that ministry which
God hath not sent, and that assembly must be disaffected : for the Lord
is coming to teach his people himself by his spirit.
O. 'George Fox said the scripture was carnal.'
A. The letter of the scripture is carnal, and the letter is death, and
killeth, but the spirit giveth life, which was in them that gave forth
the scriptures, and that I witness, which is eternal and not carnal : for
the Jews who had the letter, persecuted Jesus Christ the substancei
and so do you now who have the letter and not the substance. There
were ministers of the letter then, and ministers of the spirit, so there are
now. The same Christ being made manifest, is unknown to the world:
for the whole world lieth in wickedness, and Christ Jesus is a mystery
to the world, and is hid, though you may profess him, because the let
ter speaketh of him ; but ye persecute him where he is made manifest,
and where he is made manifest the works of the devil are destroyed,
and there he speaks and is king, and is the way, and is the truth, and
is the life ; and ' he that hath the son hath life, and he that hath not
the son hath not life :' and he that hath the same spirit that raised up
Jesus Christ, is equal with God. And the scripture saith, that God will
dwell in man, and walk in man. As Jesus Christ which is the mystery,
hath passed before, so the same spirit takes upon it the same seed, and
is the same where it is made manifest : according to the flesh, I am the
son of Abraham, according to the spirit, the son of God, saith Christ. All
the plotting of the priests is, and ever was, against Christ, where he
is made manifest : ' And the beast shall make war with the saints, and
with the lamb;' but the lamb shall get the victory: praises, praises be
to our God for ever, and for evermore.
O. ' Richard Huberthorn wrote, that Christ's coming in the flesh was
but a figure.'
A. Christ in his people is the substance of all figures, types, and

593
shadows, fulfilling them in them, and setting them free from them : but
as he is held forth in the scripture letter without them, and in the flesh
without them, he is their example or figure, which are both one, that
the same things might be fulfilled in them, that were in Christ Jesus :
'For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ hath suffered for us,
leaving us an example that we should follow his steps : forasmuch as
Christ hath suffered for us, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.'
Christ was our example in suffering and in holiness, and ' as he which
hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation,
because it is written, be ye holy as I am holy.' He is our example in
humility : ' I have given you an example, (saith Christ,) that ye should
do even as I have done unto you :' and ' as he is so are we in this world.'
He is our forerunner, captain of our salvation, and in all things our ex
ample. ' As they have done unto me, so shall they do unto you.' But
_all they who have not Christ dwelling in them, go about to persecute
him in all them in whom he is made manifest ; they neither follow him
as an example themselves, nor suffer others to follow him as an exam
ple and walk in the same steps : but deny him both as the substance
and example of his people. But they who are taught pf him do con
fess him both as he is the substance of all things, and their example in
all things : for ' without me ye can do nothing,' saith Christ : and it is
so, I witness it.
And as for James Milner, though his mind did run out from his con
dition, and from minding that light of God which is in him, whereby
the world takes occasion to speak against the truth, and many Friends
stumble at it : yet there is a pure seed in him.
O. ' Leonard Fell said that Christ had no body but his church.'
A. ' There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called into one
hope of your calling ;' and • Christ Jesus is the head of the body, the
church ;' and ye are made free from sin by the body of Christ. And
Christ came to redeem his church. ' God was in Christ reconciling the
world to himself,' for his body's sake, which is his. church. ' For we are
members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones : this is a great mys
tery ; but I speak concerning Christ and his church. And hath put all
things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to
the church, which is his body. The fulness of him that filleth all in
all. In whom also we are builded up together, for a habitation of
God through the spirit.'

594

More objections against George Fox, charged upon him, by the
contrivers of the aforesaid petition ; and answered by him, as
followeth :
Object. 1. ' That he did affirm that he had the divinity essentially
in him.'
Answer. For the word essential, it is an expression of their own : but.
that the saints are the temples of God, and God doth dwell in them,
that the scriptures do witness, 2 Cor. vi. 1. Eph. iv. 6. 2 Pet. i. 4. And
if God dwell in them, then the divinity dwells in them ; and the scrip
ture saith, ye shall be partakers of the divine nature; and this I wit
ness : but where this is not, they cannot witness it.
O. 2. ' That both baptism and the Lord's supper are unlawful.'
A.. As for that word unlawful, it was not spoken by me : but the
baptism of infants I deny; and there is no scripture that speaks of a
sacrament, but that baptism that is into Christ, with one spirit into one
body, Gal. iii. 27. that 1 confess according to scripture. And the Lord's
supper I confess, and that the bread the saints break is the body of
Christ ; and that cup which they drink is the blood of Christ, this I
witness. 0. 3. ' He did dissuade men from reading the scriptures, telling them
that it is carnal.'
A. For dissuading men from reading the scriptures, that is false, for
they were given to be read as they are, but not to make a trade upon.
The letter is carnal, and killeth ; 1 Cor. ii. 10. 16. but that which gave
it forth is spiritual, eternal, and giveth life ; and this I witness.
0. 4. ' That he was equal with God.'
A. That was not so spoken ; but that ' He that sanctifieth, and they
that are sanctified, are of one,' Heb. ii. 11. and the saints are all one
in the Father and the son, of his flesh and of his bone ; this the scrip
ture doth witness. And ' ye are the sons of God,' and the Father and
the son are one ; and ' they that are joined to the Lord, are one spirit,
and they that are joined to a harlot are one flesh.'
O. ' That God taught deceit.'
A. That is false, and was never spoken by me ; God is pure.
O. ' That the scriptures are antichrist.'
A. That is false, but that they who profess the scriptures, and live
not in the life and power of them, as they did that gave them forth, that:
I witness to be antichrist.
O. ' That he was the judge of the world.'
A. That ' the saints shall judge the world,' the scripture witnesseth

595
it, 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. wherefore I am one, and I witness the scripture ful
filled. 0. ' That he was as upright as Christ.'
A. Those words were not so spoken by me ; but that ' as he is so are
we in this present world.' 1 John iv. 17. That the saints are made ' the
righteousness of God ;' that the saints are one in the Father and the son ;
that we shall be like him, 1 John iii. 2. and that all teaching which is
given forth by Christ, is to bring the saints to perfection, even to the
measure of the stature of thefulness of Christ : this the scripture doth
witness, and this I witness. Where Christ dwells, must not he speak in
his temple ?

Queries propounded to George Fox, by some ofthe contrivers of
the petition, and by him answered.
Query — ' Whether there be one individual God distinguished into the
Father, son, and holy ghost, or not ? '
A. Herein thou wouldst know, whether God be individual, yea or no,
which is but a busy mind ; for hadst thou the witness in thyself thou
wouldst know what he is ; but the heathen know not God, and all that
know him not, are heathen, living in the wicked imaginations of their
own hearts ; and that is thy condition. For ' God is a spirit,' and none
know him but the son, and he to whom the son is revealed ; the son and
word are one. ' He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the
spirit saith,' for thou, natural man, knowest not the things of God.
Q. 'Whether a believer be justified by Christ's righteousness imputed,
yea, or no V
A. ' He that believeth is born of God ;' and he that is born of God is
justified by Christ alone, without imputation.
Q. ' Whether he that believeth that Christ hath taken away his sin,
is clean without sin in this life, as Christ himself, or not ?'
A. ' He that believeth is born of God,' and ' he that is born of God
sins not, neither can he sin, because his seed remaineth in him :' ' as he
is, so are we in this present evil world.'
Q. ' Whether a believer be without all sin in this life, or not ?'
A. Christ being made manifest, is made manifest to take away sin,
and ' in him is no sin at all ; he that abideth in him, sins not ; he that
sins is of the devil, and hath not seen him, neither known him ; herein
are the children of God made manifest, and the children of the devil.'
All you that read these queries, read these things in yourselves,

596
whether ye be the children of God, or the children of the devil ; and
whether ye understand what ye write, yea, or no.
Q. ' Whether his works, as well as his person, be perfectly holy and
good or no ?'
A. ' A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit ;' and ' if the root be
holy, the branches will be holy also ;' and ' every one that doth righte
ousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.' But as for that person,
it is a busy mind in thee that askest thou knowest not what ; for ' God
is no respecter of persons:' he that respecteth persons commits sin, and
he that commits sin transgresseth the law.
Q. ' Whether saints in this life, without any addition hereafter, are
perfectly just, perfectly holy, completely glorious in this life, and are
not capable of any addition after death, in the least degree, but only
of manifestation V
A. If thatthou knowest what a saint is, thou wouldstknow a saint's life,
for they passed through death to life ; but thou art yet alive to sin, and
dead to righteousness ; see if it b,e not so ; but he that is dead to sin is
alive to righteousness ; and lives in God ; and God in him. The Lord is
our righteousness, and he saith, ' Be ye holy, as I am holy :' for ' without
holiness no man shall see the Lord.' ' Be not deceived, God will not be
mocked.' Thou hypocrite, dissemble not with him : he that is perfect
ly holy is perfectly just : where this is revealed, there needs no addition;
for the man of God is perfect.
Q. ' Whether the two sacraments, baptism and the breaking of bread,
ought necessarily to continue" in the church, or not V
A. Thou askest thou knowest- jiot what, concerning two sacraments,
which jthere is no scripture for. '"•, Thou askest a question, which is an
addition to the scripting ; "ahify* "ju that dost add, the plagues of God
are added to thee. Who come into the true church, are baptized with
one spirit into one body, but as for sprinkling infants, there is no scrip
ture for it ; I deny it ; in the true church of God there is no talk of such
carnal things. Thou sot, the bread which the saints break is of the
body of Christ; he is the bread of life. The church is not the steeple-
house, but the church is in God, and those that eat the bread of life live
for ever : the church is in God, and the bread of life is there, and it shall
continue for ever.
Q. ' Whether Christ in the flesh be a figure or not ; and if a figure,
how and in what ?'
A. Christ is the substance of all figures; and his flesh is a figure; for
every one passeth through the same way as he did, who comes to know
Christ in the flesh ; there must be a suffering with him, before there be
a rejoicing with him. Christ is an example for all to walk after ; and

597
if thou knewest what an example is, thou wouldst know what a figure,
is to come up to the same fulness.'
Q. 'Whether there be any heaven or hell, for the elect or reprobate
after death, but in man in this life, or not?'
A. There is no knowledge of heaven or hell, but through death :
' The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all them that forget God,'
there to be tormented. There is a hell, thou shalt find it. Heaven is
God's throne ; and heavenly notions within shall be shaken ; for God is
pure, and nothing that is unclean shall stand before him ; and he hath
said he will dwell in man.
Q. ' Whether the ministration of the ministry by man, is to continue
till the end, or not.'
A. The ministration of the world is the ministry of man, and doth
not lead to ah end, but keeps in time, and that must have an end, for it
is not of God. The ministry of God is to draw people up to himself;
but that is ' not of man, nor by man, nor according to man ;' for Paul
was ' made a minister according to the will of God,' Who had not re
ceived it of man, neither was it taught him of man; and was a minister
of the spirit. But the ministers of the world receive their learning at
Oxford and Cambridge, and are taught of men, and speak a divination
of their own brain* which is conjuring; and bewitch the people with
those things which are carnal : as, to sprinkle infants, and tell them of
a sacrament, which there is no scripture for; and saying they are the
ministers of Christ, and act those things which he forbids; as, to have
' the chiefest place in the assemblies, the uppermost room at feasts,' the
* greetings in markets,' and ' to be called of men masters/ and ' with
pretence make long prayers,' which Christ forbids, and profess and say,
they are the ministers of Christ : wherein they show themselves to be
antichrist. And see if thou do not uphold these antichrists, and say,
they are the ministers of Christ.
• Q. 'Whether the written word, I mean the scriptures, be the power
of God unto salvation, to every one that believes, or not ?'
' A. The written word is not the power of God, nor are the scrip
tures the salvation ; but he that doth believe, hath the life of them.
Who is born of God shall never die, as it is written; he that believeth
is born of God ; and he that is born cf God hath the witness in himself,
that God is the cause of man's salvation, and not the scripture nor the
letter. Vol. III. 75

598

James Nayler' s answer and declaration, touching some things
charged upon him by the men aforesaid.
Having heard of divers untruths cast upon me, by some of the priests
in their high places, though I stand only to the Lord in respect of my
self; yet lest any that love the truth should be led on by these false
reports to ' speak evil of these things they know not ;' I shall lay open
the truth, as it is revealed in me, touching those things whereof I have
been falsely accused.
First, concerning Jesus Christ, that he is the eternal word of God,
' by whom all things were made,' and are upheld; which was before all
time, but manifested to the world in time, for the recovery of lost man.
Which ' word became flesh, and dwelt amongst' the saints ; who is ' the
same yesterday, to-day, and for ever ;' who did and doth dwell in the
saints ; who suffered, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, and is
set at the right hand of God, to whom ' all power is given in heaven
and in earth ;' who fills all places, is the light of the world, but known
to none but to those that receive and follow him, and those he leads up
to God, out of all the ways, works, and worships of the world, by his
pure light in them, whereby he reveals ' the man of sin ;' and by his
power casts him out, and so prepares the bodies of the saints a fit tem
ple for the pure God to dwell in ; with whom dwells no unclean thing.
And thus he reconciles God and man, and the image, of God, which is
in purity and holiness, is renewed: and the image of satan, which is all
sin and uncleanness, is defaced. And none can witness redemption,
further than Christ is thus revealed in them, to set them free from sin :
which Christ I witness to be revealed in me in measure. Gal. i. 16. 2
Cor. xiii. 5. Col. i. 27.
2. Concerning the scriptures. That they are a true declaration of that
word which was in them that spoke them forth, and are of ' no private
interpretation,' but were given forth to be read and fulfilled in the saints,
as they were given forth by the holy ghost, without adding or diminish
ing ; and were not given forth for men to make a trade of to get money
by. But as they are, they are ' profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.' But they who
trade in the letter, and are ignorant of the mystery, deny all perfec
tion. And none can rightly understand the scriptures, but they who
read them with the same spirit that gave them forth ; for ' the natural
man understands not the things of God: for they are spiritually dis
cerned.' 3. Concerning baptism. The true baptism is that of the spirit, ' with

599
the holy ghost, and with fire.' ' Baptized by one spirit into one body :'
' not the washing away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;' without
which no other baptism can save us, they being but figures or shadows;
but this baptism of Christ is the substance, whereby we are baptized
into his death ; and those ' that are baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.' 4. Concerning the Lord's supper. The true supper of the Lord is
the spiritual eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Christ spirit
ually ; which the spiritual man only eateth, and is thereby nourished
up unto eternal life : without which eating there can be no life in the
creature, profess what you will. And all who eat of this bread, and
drink of this cup, have real communion in Christ the head, and also one
with another, as members ; and are of one heart, and one mind, a com
plete body in Christ. Now the world, who take only the outward signs,
and are not brought into ' discerning of the Lord's body, eat and drink
damnation to themselves,' and become ' guilty of the body and blood of
Christ ;' and call this a communion, but live in envy, strife, and debate,
fighting, and going to law one with another, for earthly things.
5. Concerning the resurrection. That all shall arise to give an ac
count, and receive at the last day ' according to their works, whether
good or evil.' These bodies that are dust, shall turn to dust, ' but God
shall give a body as pleaseth him ; that which is sown in corruption
shall be raised in incorruption ; it is sown A natural body, it is raised a
spiritual body ; and as we have borne the image of the earthly, so we
shall bear the image of the heavenly :' but ' flesh and blood cannot in
herit the kingdom of heaven ; neither doth corruption inherit incorrup
tion ; for we must be changed.' But they who cannot witness the first
resurrection within themselves, know nothing of the second, but by
hearsay ; and therefore, say some of your teachers, that Christ is in
heaven with a carnal body. Now that Christ, who is the first fruits,
should be in heaven with a carnal body; and the saints with a spiritual
body, is not proportionable.
6. Concerning magistracy. It is an ordinance of God, ordained ' for
the punishment of evil doers, and an encouragement for them that do
well;' where justice and righteousness are the head, and ruleth with
out partiality, that land is kept in peace ; and those that judge for the
Lord, I honour as my own life, not with a flattering honour, putting off
the hat and bowing of the knee, which is the honour of the world,
' having men's persons in admiration because of advantage,' for self-
ends ; but from my heart, for conscience' sake, as to the power which
is of God, not to men's persons. For the scripture saith, ' he that re
spects persons commits sin, and is convinced of the law as a transgres-

600
sor;' and the apostle James commands the saints, ' not to have the faith
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons ;'
for, saith he, 'such are partial in themselves, and become judges of evil
thoughts.' And saith Paul, ' Let every soul be subject to the higher
power ; for,' saith he, ' there is no power but of God : the powers that
be are ordained of God ;' and that ' whosoever resisteth the power, re-
sisteth the ordinance of God ;' and saith, ' We must needs be subject,
for conscience' sake.' And therefore, though the prophets were often
sent by the Lord to pronounce judgment against unjust men, who had
the power committed to them, and did not judge for God, but for self-
ends ; yet they never attempted any violence against them, but used
all means to persuade them to ' love mercy, dp justice, and walk hum
bly with God,' that they might be established, and the wrath of God
turned from them ; for those that be of Gojd cannot rejoice in the suffer-.
ings of any, but would have all to turn and find mercy,
7, Concerning the ministry. The true ministers of Jesus Christ have
always been, and are still, such as come not by the will of man, but by
the will of God ; neither are they fitted for the work by any thing of
man, but by God alone ; for the true ministry is the gift of Jesus Christ,
and needs no addition of human help and learning : but as the work is
spiritual, and of the Lord, so they are spiritually fitted only by the
Lord, and therefore he chose herdsmen, fishermen, and ploughmen, and
such like. And as he gave them an immediate call, without the leave
of man, so he fitted them immediately without the help of man ; and
as they received the gift freely, so they were to give freely. And when
ever they found any of the false ministry, that taught for hire, they
cried out against them, and pronounced woes against them, and showed
them that they lay in iniquity, because they ' thought that the gift of
God could be bought and sold for money.' And Christ calls them ' hire
lings,' and saith they ' care not for the sheep.' And Micah cries put
against the priests that taught for hire ; and, (saith he,) ' they build up
Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.' And Jeremiah cried out
against the priests in his days, that ' bare rule by their means,' and
calls it ' a horrible thing ;' and saith that, ' from least the of them to the
greatest, they are all given to covetousness.' And Isaiah cries out
against those in his days, and calls them ' greedy dogs, that Can never
have enough ;' and, saith he, ' they all look for their gain from their
quarter.' And Peter saith of such as should come, that they ' through
cpvetpusness shpuld make merchandise' of the pepple ; and saith, ' they
have hearts exercised with ccvetous practices, who have forsaken the
right way, and have followed the way of Balaam, whp loved the wages
of unrighteousness.' And Jude cries, ' Wo unto them, for they gp pn in the
way pf Cain,' in his murder, 'and run greedily after the error of Ba*

001
laam' for reward. But thpse that were sent out by Christ, ccunted it
their gain tp 'make the gpspelwithput charge;' neither ever had they
any set means, but went abcut, having np certain dwelling place ; never
were masters, but ' servants tc all for Christ's sake :' nor ever went to
law for tithes, or any other earthly thing.
Npw all people, try your priests by the scriptures, whether they be
of God or of the wprld, and never think to hear the wprd of the Lord
from their mouths, who walk ccntrary to the scriptures. For such were
never sent of Gpd : for had they been sent of Gpd they wpuld abide in
his dpctrine ; and saith Jchn, such have not Gpd, but ' he that abideth
in the dpctrine cf Christ, hath bpth the Father and the sen.' • And if
there come any tc ypu, and bring npt this dpctrine,' yeu are forbidden
to ' receive them into your house, pr bid them Ged speed :' for if you
do, ypu are partakers pf their evil deeds. And ' untp the wicked, God
saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, cr that thpu
shpuldst take my ccvenant intc thy mputh ? seeing thou hatest instruc
tion, and castest my words behind thy back,' and art a partaker with
the thief, the adulterer, evil-speaking, slandering, and deceit ; and such
as these, ' think God to be like themselves.'

Divers particulars of the persecutions of James Nayler, by the
priests of Westmoreland.
James being at a meeting at Edward Briggs' on the First-day, where
many people met, he was desired by divers Friends to meet the day
following at widow Cocks' house, about a mije from Kendal, whereof
the priests having notice, raised the town of Kendal against him ; but
being long in gathering together, the meeting was done. But spies being
out uppn the steeple tpp, and pther places, nctice was given what
way James passed from thence ; and coming dewn tpwards Kendal, twp
priests, accempanied with a justice cf peace, and seme pther magis
trates pf the tpwn, with an exceeding great multitude cf pepple follpw-
ing them, met him, pne pf them saying, ' Nayler, I have a message from
the Lord Jesus Christ to thee, but that there is not a convenient place.'
To which James answered, ' The Lcrd Jesus Christ is no respecter of
places.' The message that he had to declare, was this: 'I conjure
thee that thcu tell me by what power thou inflictest such punishment
upon the bodies of creatures.' James answered, ' Dost thpu remember
whp it was that did adjure Christ to tell if he were the son of God, and
asked by what authprity he did thpse things ?' for James saw him to be
one of that generation. But the priest still conjuring him to tell by

602
what ppwer he did it ; James answered, ' Dost thpu ackncwledge it to
be., done by a power ?' ' Yea,' said he, ' I have the spirit of God, and
thereby I know it is done by a power.' James said, ' If thou have the
spirit of God, as thpu sayst thpu hast, then thpu canst tell by what pcwer
it is dpne.' The priest said, ' When God comes, he ccmes tp torment
the souls and npt the bpdies.' James said, ' He ccmes tc redeem the
souls.' But after much jangling the priest began to accuse him before the
justice and magistrates of many things ; as, ' that he taught people to
burn their bibles, children to disobey their parents, wives their hus
bands, people to disobey the magistrates, and such like accusations.'
To which James answered, ' Thou art a false accuser : prove one of
these things if thou canst, here, before the magistrates.' But not being
able to prove any one, he began to accuse James for holding out a light
that doth convince cf sin, ' which,' said the priest, ' all have net.' To
which James said, ' Put out one in all this great multitude that dare
say he hath it npt ?' Said the priest, ' These are all christians, but if a
Turk cr Indian were here, he wpuld deny it.' James said, ' Thpu goest
far for a proof: but if a Turk were here, he would witness against
thee.' The people beginning tp fight, the priest turned away, saying, ' Here
will be a disturbance.' Said James, ' These are thy christians, and
these are the fruits of thy ministry.' But the justice, with some others,
did endeavour tp keep the rude pepple pff him, sp that they could not
come to their purppse there : but he being to pass over the bridge, and
through the town, they that were of the priests' party ran before,
swearing they would throw him pff the bridge into the water; but ccm-
ing thither and seeing their purppse, he was encouraged in his God,
who gave him assurance of protection, and did wonderfully keep him,
and those that were him : for when he came unto the bridge, the wprd
of the Lprd came unto him, and he was made to cry out against their
rage ; and the power of the Lord was with him, so that he received no
harm, though he was made to speak all along, and in the market-place,
and till he came out pf the town, But the raging pepple continued
shouting, crying, and thrcwing pf stones at him a quarter ef a mile put pf
the town : but such was the pcwer pf the Lord, that neither he nor any
with him, received any harm. The work was wonderful, and We were
brought much to admire it, and praise the Lord, who is blessed forever
and ever.
Another time, James being desired of many christian friends to be at
a meeting at Orton, there to wait uppn the Lprd for what he would
make known to his people, did accordingly; and many Friends and

603
brethren accompanied him ; but the priests having intelligence some
days before, five pf them were gathered together, and many pepple
from all quarters. A Friend in the town desired James te ccme to his
hpuse ; and being come into his house, a message was sent from the
priests, desiring him to come into the field, under pretence of a more
convenient place for the great multitude. Tp which James answered,
' It is my desire that all may be edified : and ccming into the field the
priests came with a great multitude, and asked him ' by what authcrity
he came thither, and had gathered together sp many pepple to break
the peace ;' and tempting him, said, ' Wilt thou be bound that none
here shall break the peace?' To which James ' answered, 'We come
not hither to create offences, but if any break the law, let him suffer
by the law:' for he perceived they intended viclence, as it appeared
afterwards. But seeing they ceuld net prevail in that, another pf them desired
him to gp into the church, as he called it, tempting him, saying, ' The
people may all sit and hear better.' But James perceiving their deceit,
said, ' All places were alike to him ; he would abide in the field.' Whereon
they pulled out an ordinance of parliament, forbidding any tp speak but
suchas were autherized tospeak either in church or chapel,or any public
place ; and bade him speak at his peril, as he would answer the contempt
of it. To which he answered, saying, ' This is not a public place.' ' No,'
said one pf the priests, ' is npt this a public place, the town field!' and
charged the constable ofthe town to do his office ; and examined his au
thority. James answered, 'Those that are sentto declare the thingscf Gpd
have not their authority from men.' But they bade him prove^that. He
said, ' Paul received not his commission from man, nor by man.' To
which one of them answered, ' That was his gospel, but they would
prove that Paul had a call from man tp preach ;' and for that end he
named that place in Acts xiii. 2. where the hcly ghpst said, ' Separate
me Barnabas and Saul :' and the appstles laid their hands uppn them,
'which,' said cne pf them, ' was the laying pn pf hands ofthe presbytery.'
But when he had found that place, James asked him if that was Paul's
call to the ministry ? (three times,) but he answered nothing. Then
said James, ' If, that was his call, he had preached long without a call
before that >' and instanced to prove it, Gal. i.
Whereupon that business ended ; but anpther priest stood up, and said,
' Thou oughtest to give an account cf thy faith tp every pne that ask-
eth;' whereupon he asked divers questions ; whereunto James answered,
insemuch that seme that stopd by, cried cut, ' Answer not all, but ask
him some.' A while after, James asked him, ' how he would prove
himself a minister pf the gpspel, and live upon tithes?' To which he

604
wculd npt answer. Then, said James, ' Neither will I answer thee, if
thpu ask me twenty more.'
The next question he asked, was, ' Whether Christ was ascended or
not?' but James said, 'I will npt answer thee.' Whereupon he cried
out tc the people, and said, ' He denies the humanity of' Christ,' and
made a great outcry among the people of it. But the people cried out,
saying, ' Let us hear him ; you have often told us many things against
him ; let him speak, and then if he speak npt truth, ypu may then re
prove him.' James, hearing the desire pf the people, began to speak;
and the people gave audience, and were Very silent; But beginning to
hold out Christ alone to be the teacher cf his pepple in spirit and truth,
one pf the priests cried cut, ' I cannpt endure to hear this seducer any
longer.' Upon which James said, ' Prove me a seducer before all this
people, or else thpu art a false accuser.' But he had not one word to
say against any thing that he had spoken: but said, - If thou wilt not
answer me that question I asked thee, I will call thee a seducer as long
as I live.'
Whereupon, seeing there could be no peace there, nor liberty fo speak,
they desired James to gp into the house ; and they kept close about him,
to keep him from violence cf spme that came alcng with the priests :
but they raged so that he and ether Friends received stripes, and with
much adc got tp the house. But the raging Spdpmites waited abput
the dppr to dp mischief, and kept shputing about the house all the while
he was speaking; but the house being filled with people, they could not
come to their purppse : and the Lord so ordered it in the evening, we
came away without any more harm. But not long after, there came
some of the priests' party about the house, and asked if Nayler Was
gone : and when they heard he was gone, they said, ' He may thank
God for that.' Thus, by the wisdom of God, he escaped their violence
at that time.
But the priests, missing of their purpose there, the next First-day
after, they prepared their sermons suitable to what they intended, pos
sessing the people that he was a blasphemer, and denied the resurrec-
tipn, and the humanity pf Christ, and all authprity : and that the par
liament had opened a gap for blasphemy, and, as it was said by some
of their hearers, they did God good service that would knock him down.
Thus having stirred up the ruder sort, the next day they prevailed with
one called a justice of the peace : the priest's son got him to come twelve
miles from his own hpuse : he was one, as some say, that had been in
actual arms against the parliament, for bringing in the Scots. And
having armed a great multitude against the next morning, they came
very early to the house where he was, where many christian Friends
should have met that day, and asked for Nayler, threatening to knock

605
out his brains against the stones in the wall, and that they would pull
down the house, if he would not come out : though the door was never
shut against them. But some of them came into the house, and com
manded him to come forth, under pretenqe to dispute with the priest.
But James, seeing what they intended, answered, ' You did not use me
so civilly the last time I was amcngst ypu; but if any have a mind
they may ccme in, the dpprs are open.' Which answer they told the
priests, whereupon they rushed violently in, and took him by the throat,
haled him out of the door into a field, where was a man whom they
called a justice, and with a pitchfork struck off his hat, and ccmmanded
him te answer to such questions as the priests would ask him. Where
upon the priest began to ask many questions, as concerning the resur
rection, the humanity of Christ, the scriptures ; and divers other ques-
tipns, as the sacrament, and such like, to which he answered, and proved
by scripture. But at last being asked, if Christ was in Kim, he said,
' he witnessed him in him in measure.' The priest asked, ' if Christ was in
him as man.' James said, ' Christ is not divided.' But he urged him
to tell whether Christ as man was in him or not. He answered, ' Christ is
not divided ; for if he be, he is no more Christ ; but I witness that Christ
in me who is Ged and man, in measure.' But the priest said, ' Christ
is in heaven with a carnal body.' To which said James, ' Christ filleth
heaven and earth, and is not carnal but spiritual : for if Christ be in
heaven with a, carnal body, and the saints with a spiritual body, that
is not propprtipnable ; neither was that a carnal bcdy which came in
amcng the disciples, the dcors being shut ; for Christ is a mystery, and
thou knowest him not.'
Then after much jangling and tempting, the priest not having got
the advantage he waited for, he cried out unto the people npt to re
ceive him into their hpuses, and alleged that in the seccnd epistle pf
Jphn v. 10. Npw, how suitable that place was for his purpose, all peo
ple may see, who have eyes ; for there they are forbidden to receive any
into their hpuses but such whc ' abide in the dpctrine pf Christ, and con
fess themselves that they had both the Father and the son, and preach
that doctrine :' but the priests say that is blasphemy.
Then the priest turned away from him : uppn which the armed mul
titude began tc be violent against divers Friends that were there.
James hearing Friends cry out, said tp the justice, ' You will surely set
us peaceably into the house again ;' but seeing him to go away, and
leave them in the hands of the rude multitude, he gave himself up,
saying, ' The will of the Lord be done.'
Upon which the justice turned again, saying, ' We will see him in
the house again :' and going toward the house, many Friends kept close
about James, exposing their own bpdies to the danger of their weapons,
Vol. III. 76

606
tP save him harmless; and sp with much ado we get into the heuse, npt
receiving much harm. Which being dene, and as James was praising
the Lprd for his wpndrpus deliverance from their malicicus intents, spme
heard them say, ' If we let him go thus, all people will run after him.*
Whereupon they agreed that he should be brought before the justice
again ; and came with violence, and haled him out again. Then the
justice and the priest getting on hcrseback, they caused him to run af
ter them to an ale-house on the other side the water, where they went
in, not suffering one Friend to go in with James : and when he came
before the justice, he told him if he wpuld npt put off his hat, he would
send him tp prison, and also because he thoued him; for the justice said,
* My commission runs ye.' To which James answered, ' I dc it npt in
ccntempt ; for I own authority, and honour it according to the scrip
tures ; but I find none such henpur cemmanded in scripture, but forbid*
den.' Then they concluded to commit him for that, and alsp as a
Wandering person, and said none there knew him whence he came ; for
those who knew him were kept out. Then, said he to Arthur Scaife,
' Thcu knewest me ; I was in the army with thee eight .or nine years.'
' It is no matter,' said the justice, ' thou art no soldier now.'
Then they wrote a mittimus to send him tp prison, and carried him
to Kirkby Steven that night, and shut him up in a chamber, and set a
guard upon him; but divers of our friends following into the town,
where a great multitude was gathered together for meeting, then did
the people come from the steeple-house, where another had been
preaching; for divers of the priests were gathered together that day;
some preaching, some plotting, and some persecuting. Jezebel's fast
was a preparation for Naboth's death. But Friends not being suffered
to go into the hpuse where James was, they abpde in the streets ; and
some pf them being moved to speak tp the pepple, the priests perceiving
the pecple tp give audience to what was spoken, made complaint.
Whereupon, some were sent forth, and with violence fetched in cne
Francis Hcwgill, a Friend, whp was speaking to the people, and
brought him into the high priest's hall, where were five priests as
sembled, with many others of their party, but not one Friend. And
bringing him before the justice, he was commanded to put off his
hat. lie answered, ' I know no such law.' The priest said, ' He will
tread both ministry and magistracy under his feet.' He said, ' Thou
art a false accuser ; prove wherein.' But one that stppd by, took
off his hat, and cast it into the fire. Then said the justice, 'What is this
thou speakest against the ministers ?' He answered, - What hast thou
to accuse me of?' Whereupon pne affirmed that he said, ' all the mi
nisters that taught for hire, and in steeple-hpuses, were enemies, and
liars against Jesus Christ, and np ministers pf Jesus Christ.' Upon that

607
the justice said, ' Thou speakest against the law ; for the law gives them
their maintenance.' He said, ' I meddle not with the law, but with their
practice.' Then said Francis to the priest, ' Didst thou ever know a
minister pf Jesus Christ that was a persecutcr, or did labour to impriscn
any V And after some more discourse, he said to the priest, ' I have
seen a great deal of tyranny and persecution in this day's actions.' Then
said the justice to the people, ' Take notice, he saith, the law I act by
is tyranny and persecution.' To which the people assented. Then said
Francis, ' Thou mayst give put tp the people what thou wilt, but I speak
not pf the law, but pf your actions.' Upon that, he was sent tp prison ;
a guard of eight men were set over them, who spent the night in drink
ing, swearing, and filthy and unclean talking ; and the mere they were
desired by the pepple to take heed of sin, the more filthy they did ap
pear ; but these are the fittest instruments for acting the priests' inten
tions, being members pf their churches. The next day they were guarded
tc Appleby : but spme Friends follpwing, could not be suffered tp pass
pn the streets that way, sp great was their envy against all that set their
face that way. And the prisoners being brought thither, much means
was used that none should come at them, but such as were sent to tempt
them. There they were kept until the sessions; in which time they
sent up and dewn the ccuntry to seek for any who Would witness any
thing against them, and improved their utmost interest for their ad
vantage. A jury was chesen, divers pf them were resolved on the
business, so that it was told the prisoners what would become of them,
before the day of examination came ; and it was accordingly. For the
day came, and judgment passed ; but the prisoners never saw their ac
cusers, nor know Who they are ; but against that day, the priests had
prepared three large petitions stuffed with most filthy untruths and slan
ders, raised out of the bottomless pit ; but not one of them proved, though
one of the justices said to them, ' It is fit they should be proved ;' nei
ther was there any thing in them which they could charge upon the
prisoners, save pnly what the ppwer pf the Lord had manifested at their ^
meetings, in shaking proud flesh, and pouring out his spirit uppn many,
especially, as they said, upcn little children ; which the priests concluded
was sorcery and witchery, and of the devil ; hereby declaring themselves
to be of that generation Whp ' called the good man of the house Beelze
bub ;' and if they should not do the same to them of his household* the
words of Christ could not be fulfilled.
Likewise they had gathered up all reports, true or false, of things done
by many that the prisoners had not seen the faces of, npr ever knew;
thinking thereby to make them edipus to the people. They also brought
twp priests out of Lancashire, to swear things that another man had
spoken in the presence of four justices pf the peace, and for which the

608
man had been tried and cleared. And these they brought, thinking to
' add afflictions to the prisoners' bonds.' But he is kept in great peace
and joy, having not any comfort from man, but from God, who hath ap
peared to him in this condition, and hath given him assurance ofhis love,
in whom he rests. To whom be praise, honour, and glory, for ever.
Amen.

The examination of James Nayler, upon an indictment of blas
phemy, at the sessions at Appleby, in January, 1652.
Justice Pearson. Put pff ypur hats.
James. I do it not in contempt of authority : for I honour the power
as it is of God, without respecting persons, it being forbidden in scripture.
He that respects men's persons commits sin, and is convinced of the law
as a transgressor.
Just. Pearv That is meant of respecting persons in judgment.
James. If I see one in goodly apparel and a gold ring, and see one in
poor and vile raiment, and say to him in fine apparel, sit thou in a
higher place than the poor, I am partial, and judged of evil theughts.
CpI. B^ rigs. If thpu wert in the parliament hpuse, wpuldst thpu keep
it on? Jam. If God should keep me in the same mind I am in now I should.
Col. Brigs. I knew thpu wpuldst ccntemn authprity.
Jam. I speak in the presence of God, I do not contemn authority ;
but I am subject to the power as it is of God, for conscience' sake.
Just. Pear. Now authority commands thee put off thy hat, what say
est thou to it ?
Jam. Where God commands one thing, and man another, I am to
obey God rather than man.
Col. Benson. See whether the law commands it, or your own wills.
The indictment was read, wherein James was indicted for saying that
' Christ was in him,' and ' that there was but one word of God.'
Col. Brigs. Where wast thou born ?
Jam. At Ardislaw, two miles from Wakefield.
Col. Brigs. How long livedst thou there ?
Jam. Until I was married ; then I went unto Wakefield parish.
Col. Brigs. What profession wast thou of?
Jam. A husbandman.
Col. Brigs. Wast thou a spldier?
Jam. Yea ; I was a soldier betwixt eight and nine years.
Col. Brigs. Wast thou not at Burford among the levellers?

609
Jam. I was never there.
Col. Brigs. I charge thee by the Lcrd that thpu tell me whether thou
wast or not ?
Jam. I was then in the north, and was never taxed for any mutiny
or any other thing while I served the parliament.
Col. Brigs. What was the cause of thy coming into these parts.
Jam. If I may have liberty I shall declare it. I was at the plough,
meditating on the things of God, and suddenly I heard a voice, saying
unto me, ' Get thee out from thy kindred and from thy father's house:'
and I had a promise given in with it. Whereupon I did exceedingly
rejoice, that I had heard the voice of that God which I had professed
from a child, but had never known him.
Col. Brigs. Didst thou hear that voice ?
Jam. Yea, I did hear it ; and when I came home, I gave up my estate,
cast put my mpney ; but npt being pbedient in geing fcrth, the wrath pf
God was on me, so that I was made a wpnder to all, and none thought
I would have lived ; but (after I was made willing) I began to make
some preparation ; as apparel, and other necessaries, not knowing whi
ther I should go. But shortly afterward going from my own house to
ward the gate with a Friend, having an old suit, without any money,
having neither taken leave of wife or children, not thinking then of any
journey, I was commanded to go info the west, not knowing whither I
should go, nor what I was to dp there : but when I had been there a lit
tle while, I had given me what I was to declare ; and ever since I have
remained, net knpwing to-day what I was tp dp to-mprrow.
CpI. Brigs. What was the promise thpu hadst given ?
Jam. That Gpd wpuld be with me ; which premise I find made good
every day.
Col. Brigs. I never heard such a call as this is, in our time.
Jam. I believe thee.
Just. Pears. Is Christ in thee ?
Jam. I witness him in me ; and if I should deny him before men, he
would deny me before my Father which is in heaven.
Just. Pears. Spiritual, you mean.
Jam. Yea, spiritual.
Just. Pears. By faith, or how?
Jam. By faith.
Just. Pears. What difference then between the ministers and you 1
Jam. The ministers affirm Christ to be in heaven with a carnal body,
but I with a spiritual body.
Just. Pears. Which of the ministers say Christ is in heaven with a
carnal body?
Jam. The minister so called of Kirkby Steven.

610
Priest Higginson stood up, and affirmed it again openly before all the
court. Jam. If Christ be in heaven with a carnal body, and the saints With
a spiritual body, it is npt proportionable ; neither was that a carnal
bcdy which appeared amcng the disciples, the doors being shut, and
appeared in divers shapes.
Quest. Was Christ man, or not ?
Jam. Yea, he was, and took upon him the seed of Abraham, and
was real flesh and bone ; but is a mystery not known to the carnal
man ; for he is begotten of the immortal seed, and thpse that know
him, know him to be spiritual ; for it was ' the wprd' that ' became
flesh, and dwelt amongst us;' and if he had net been spiritual he had
npt wrought my redemptien.
' Just. Pears. Is Christ in thee as man ?
Jam. Christ filleth all places, and is net divided : separate Gpd and
man, and he is no more Christ. ->¦
Just. Pears. If we stand to dispute these things, we should have the
ministers. Jam. Perceiving priest Higginson offended, because he had told of
his saying that Christ was in heaven with a carnal body, James said,
' Friend, I had not accused thee, had I not been asked what was the
difference between the ministers and me : for I am not come to accuse
any; for I am against accusations.'
Col. Brigs. Wast thou npt pf a Kirk abput Sawrby?
Jam- I was a member of an Independent church at Weedchurch.
Col. Brigs. Wast thou not excommunicated for thy blasphemous
opinions ?
Jam. I know not what they have^iene since I came forth ; but before
I was not te mj* knpy^ledge. r*
Cpl. Brigs callfed tc Mr. Coale, saying, 'Did you ever hear such a
call as this? did^ou hear it?'
Coale. Yea, I heard part of it.
CpI. Brigs. Didst not thou write a paper, wherein was mentioned,
that if thou thinkest to be saved by that Christ which died at Jerusa
lem, thou art deceived ?
Jam. If I cannot witness Christ nearer than Jerusalem, I shall have
no benefit by him; but I own no other Christ but that who 'witnessed
a gepd cenfession before Pontius Pilate ;' which Christ I witness suffer
ing in me now.
Col. Brigs. Wilt thou deny thy hand 1
Jam. I will not deny my hand, if I may see it ; and I desire that I
may so much savour, that that paper may be kept as an evidence
either with or against me.

611
A large petition being read, wherein was spmething against quaking
and trembling.
Just. Pear. Hnw ccmes it to pass that pepple quake and tremble ?
Jam. The scriptures witness the same condition in the saints formerly;
as David, Daniel, Habakkuk, and divers others.
Just. Pear. Did they fall down?
Jam. Yea, some of them did so.
Cpale. David said all his bpnes were broken, but these were whele.
James. Sp are these npw.
Coale. Moses trembled; for he saw the face of God, and all Israel
James. Did all Israel see the face of God ? that crosseth the scrip
tures. Coale. They saw his glory. I shall see the Lord with these eyes;
putting his fingers to his eyes.
James. They must first be made spiritual : he cannot be seen with
carnal eyes, for he is a spirit ; and no flesh can see God, and live.
Coale. That light by which I am justified, is a created light.
James. That light by which I am justified, is not a created light.
Ccale. That is true.
Just. Pears. Tp the wprd : what sayst thou to the scriptures ? are
they the word of God ?
James. They are a true declaration of the wprd that was in them whp
spoke them forth.
Higginson. Is there npt a written word?
James. Where readestthpu in the scriptures of a written word? The
word is spiritual, npt seen with carnal eyes : but as for the scriptures,
they are true, and I witness them true, in measure fulfilled in me, as
far as I am grown up.
Just. Pears. Whydpst thpu disturb the ministers in their public worship.
James. I have not disturbed them in their public worships.
Just. Pears. Why dost thou speak against tithes, which are allowed
by the states ?
James. I meddle not with the states ; I speak against them that are
hirelings, as they are hirelings ; those that were sent of Christ, never
took tithes, nor ever sued any for wages.
Just. Pears. Dpst thou think we are so beggarly as the heathens,
that we cannot afford PUr ministers maintainance ? We give them it
freely. James. They are the ministers of Christ, who abide in the doctrine
of Christ.
Just, Pears. But who shall judge? how shall we know them ?
James. By their fruits you shall know them; they that abide not in
the dcctrine of Christ, make it appear they are not the ministers of Christ.
Just. Pears. That is true.

612

Accusations against John Lawson, by him answered.
That John Lawson pf Lancaster did affirm, December the 4th, 1652,
0. ' That he was dead, and rose again.'
A. Thpu art a witness against him that is risen from the dead, where
of the apostles were witnesses. Here thou showest thyself to be a wit
ness against the living, and showest thyself to be in the death, and no
minister pf Christ : for the ministers pf Christ justified them whe were
raised from the dead : ' Even when we were dead in trespasses and sins
hath he quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us together,
and hath made us to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Likewise
reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto
God, through Jesus Christ : for in that he died, he died once unto sin ;
in that he lives, he lives unto God. Here thou showest thyself to be no
minister of Jesus Christ. He that believeth, hath ' passed from death
to life, because he loveth his brethren:' here thou showest thou dost
not believe, but art in the death, and art in envy ; so thou showest forth
thyself to be Cain, and hatest thy brethren. ' We know that we are
translated from death unto life, because we love our brethren; he that
loveth not his brother, abideth in the death;' and there thou art.
' Whosoever1 hateth his brother, is a manslayer ; and ypu knpw that
no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him.' 1 John iii. And this
is thy condition, and here thou art an antichrist in the world, envying
those who are raised from the dead ; and thou seekest tp bring them to
the death, whom God hath raised from the death. Thou hast npt seen
thyself to be the prodigal ; yet the scripture saith, ' This my son was
dead, and is alive again :' but thou art without God in the wprld.
O. 2. 'That the day pf judgment was past.'
A. Christ speaks, ' The bruised reed he will net break, the smpking
flax he will npt quench, -till he bring forth judgment into victory.'
Here thou showest thyself to be ignorant of the scripture ; but only as
a hearsayer thou speakest, and the outside of the letter, and not Christ ;
and canst not witness him, who brings forth judgment into victory, but
standest as a witness against them who witness the scriptures fulfilled
in them, and Christ bringing forth judgment into victory : and here thou
showest thyself to be unacquainted with Christ, and thy nakedness and
ignorance thou makest appear.
O. 3. ' That he had been in hell, and is now in heaven.'
A. Here thou showest thyself to be a witness against the hely men
pf God. Jonah saith, ' Out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest
my vpice,' and the Lord delivered him out of hell ; and might not he
confess it, thou hypocrite? 'For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell,

613
neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou hast de
livered my soul out of death : bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is
within me bless his holy name.' How darest thou profess the scriptures,
and the holy men pf God's conditions, which were raised and brought
out of death; and if any witness the holy men of God's condition, thou
persecutest them? 0 thou blind hypocrite! here thou showest thou
never sawest hell's mouth yet, therefore theu never criedst in hell yet.
O. 4. 'That he was ccme to the infinite company of the first born,
and the spirits of just men made perfect.' ,
A. Paul said, (who was a minister of God,) but ye are come to Mount
Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, ' and
to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and
church of the first born, which are written in heaven ; unto God the
judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Paul was a
minister of Jesus Christ by the will ef Gpd,' who encouraged the saints
who were brought hither ; but thou now persecutest them, and art a
witness against, them that confess they are brought hither; here
thou showest, thou hast the spirit of error, openly: and art no minister
of God, no, not ofthe letter ; but art against the letter as it speaks, per
secuting them that have the life of it.
O. 5. That he had heard the last trumpet sound, and seen the new
Jerusalem. A. Here thou showest forth thy spite and venom : if John was here,
which saw the great city and holy Jerusalem descend out of heaven
from God (John said, I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, come down
from Gpd put of heaven) thou wouldst be a witness against him; and
thou showest thyself in the generation that-were ever persecutors,, slan
derers, and opposers of the power of truth. Where the same spirit is
that was in John, he sees these things now, as he did then, but where
the same spirit is not, which thou showest thou hast not, buta contrary
spirit that persecutes them which do see those things — this is as a dog
to bite and devour. John saw the trumpet sound, which shows thou
art not come to the first. Blow the trumpet in Sion, sound an alarm in
my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants ofthe earth tremble. Here
be thou a witness against thyself, that thou art a witness against the
truth, and in the generation of them that ever slew the righteous seed.
G. 6. That John Lawson said he had God face to face.
A. Here thou showest thyself to be a witness against them that know
God, and makest thyself manifest. to be a heathen : for all are heathens
that do not know God ; and no man knoweth God, saving he that is
born pf God; and who are born of God, are owners of the truth, and
not against it; but against the deceit. Jacob said, I have seen God
face to face. Isaiah said, mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of
Vol.111. 77

614
hosts. Job said, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but
npw mine eyes have seen thee. And Gpd spake tp Mpses face to
face. Here you may take your oaths, and swear against Jacob, against
Isaiah, against Job, and against Moses. Where the same spirit is made
manifest ; and who are born of God, know God face to face, as they did;
but they who are born of the flesh, persecute them who are born pf
the spirit ; and here ypu shpw ypurselves te be taking oaths and swear
ing against them that know God, seeking to bring them to prison or
bondage : so you never read in all the scriptures, that the prophets or
the apostles took their oaths against any which confessed they had seen
God, or put up a petition to the magistrates, or witnessed it with oaths
against any of them : the ministers of God said, swear not at all. And
here you show yourselves to be no ministers of God, but without God;
for the ministers of God are to bring people to know God, and to the
church in God, and to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the innumera
ble company of angels, and minister to that which is in prison, and in
death: but if any come to witness these things fulfilled, you are wit
nesses against them with oaths, and would bring the bodies of such into
prison, where the seed of God is raised out of prison within ; showing
yourselves to be antichrists, persecutors of the power of truth, and
beasts which shall make war against the saints, and against the Lamb,
but the Lamb shall get the victory.
Job cried when the Lord hid his face, and David cried when the
Lord hid his face, and said, O Lord, I will seek thy face. And here
you show, you neither know his face, nor have seen it ; but are per
secutors of them who know it and seek it.
Praises, praises be to the Lord for ever.

END OF VOL. III.

INDEX.

Answer to Samuel Eaton's book, called
' The Quakers Confuted,' Page 34
Answer to John Bunyan, Rich. Spence-
]ey, John Burton, and John Child's book,
called ' A Vindication of a book called
Some Gospel Truths Opened,' 44
Answer to Doctor Glisson's paptr con
cerning James Parnel's death, 53
Answer to George Emmot, who calls
himself a spiritual Quaker converted, 54
Answer to Enoch Howet's book, called
•The Quaking Principles dashed to Pieces,' 55
Answer to John Timpson's book, called
' The Quakers' Apostacy from the perfect
rule of the Scriptures discovered,' 56
Answer to Richard Baxter's book, called
•The Quakers' Catechism,' 74
Answer to a book, called ' The Quaking
Mountebank,' &c. 80
Answer to Ellis Bradshawe's book, call
ed ' the Quakers' Whitest Devil,' 81
Answer to Francis Blake's book, called
* Choice Collections of Scripture, against
the Practice of the Quakers,' &c. > 82
Answer to Luke Fawne, Samuel Galli-
brand, Joshua Kirton, John Rothwell, Tho
mas Underbill, and Nathaniel Web's book,
called ' A Second Beacon Fired,' 83
Answer to John Toldervie's book, called
'The Foot out of the Snare,' 85
Answer to Thomas Collier's book, call
ed ' The Looking-Glass for Quakers,' 88
Answer to John Deacon's book, called
'A Public Discovery of a Secret Deceit,' 92
Answer to George Willington's book,
.called ' The Gadding Tribe Reproved, 98
Answer to Joshua Miller's book, called
•Anti-Christ in Man the Greatest Idol,' 101
Answer to Ralph Hall's book, called the
• Quakers' Principles Qualring,' 106
Answer to Richard Baxter's book, called
•A Second Sheet to the Ministry, justifying
our call against the Quakers,' &c. Ill
Answer to T. Higginson's book, called
• The Testimony of the True Jesus,' 114
Answer to Jeremiah' Ives' book, called
• Innocency above Impudency,' &c. 124
Answer to Francis Harris' book, called
• Queries to the Quakers,' &c. 130
Answer to Francis Higginson's book,
called, 'A Brief Relation ofthe Religion of
the Northern Quakers,* 132
Answer to Francis Ful wood's book, call
ed 'A True Relation of a Dispute,' 140
Answer to the book of Thomas Weld,
Richard Prideaux, Samuel Hammond, Wil
liam Cole, and Wm, Durant, Ministers of.

Newcastle, called The Perfect Pharisees ,* The Seventh-day Sabbath,'
14.-3*" AnaurPftn T#\hr» Tliit>rrtn'a o

14'
Answer so the book of Thomas Pollard,
a member of the church about Litchfield,

called 'The Holy Scripture Clearing it
self from Scandals, " 149
Answer to Ralph Farmer's book, called
' Satan Enthroned in his Chair,' &c. 154
Answer to Magnus Byne's book, called
'The Scornful Quakers Answered,' 15S
Answer to Robert Simpson, Robert Pur-
nil, John Andrews, Thomas Ewen, Brian
Hanson, and Richard Moon's.book, called
'The Church of Christ in Bristol, recover
ing her Veil,' 169
Answer to Jonathan Clapham and Wil
liam Jenkin's book, called 'A Discovery of
the Quakers' Doctrine to the Protector,' 17.4
Answer to the book of William Thomas,
of Ubly, called a Vindication of the Scrip- i
tures and Ministers. 187
Answer to Jeremiah Tves' book, called
' The Quakers' Quaking,' 196
Answer to William Dell's book, called
'A Stumbling Stone,' 201
Answer to Giles Firmin's book, called
' Stablishing against Shaking,' ib.
Answer to Thomas Collier's book, called
'A Dialogue between a Minister of the
Gospel and an inquiring Christian,' 210
Answer to John Billingsly's book, called
'Strong Comfortsfor Weak Christians,' 215
Answer to Immanuel Bourn's book,
called ' A Defence of the Scriptures, and
the Holy Spirit speaking in them,' 220
Answer to Thomas More's book, called,
'A Defence against the Poison of Satan's
Design,' 224
Answer to Thomas More's book, called
'An Antidote,' &c. . 229
Answer to Matthew Caffin's book, called
'The Deceiving Quaker Discovered,' 239
Answer to William Jeffries' book, called
'Antichrist Made Known,' 246
Answer to the agreement of fifty-eight
ministers of Christ, (as they call them
selves,) in the county of Worcester, and
parts adjacent, 249
Answer to John Stalham's book, called
' The Reviler Rebuked,' 254
Answer to Ralph Farmer's book, called
' The Great Mystery of Godliness and Un
godliness,' 288
Answer to Edward Boules' book, called
'The Duty and Danger of Swearing
Opened,' 297
Answer to Samuel Hamond's book,
called ' The Quaker's House built on the
Sands,' 303
Answer to Priest Rennet's 'Looking-
glass,' 3io
Answer to Thomas Tillam's book, called 314

Answer to John Burton's and John Bun-
yan's book, called ' Some Gospel Truths
Opened,' 337

616

Index.

Answer to W. P's. book, entitled, 'Ac
cording to Truth, that quakes not, trem
bles not, nor quails,' 346
Answer to the book of the elders and
messengers of several churches in Wales,
called 'An Antidote against the Infection
of the Times,' 349
Answer to a book, entitled * The Qua-
kers' Cause,' 352
Answer to John Jackson's paper, enti
tled ' Strength in Weakness,' 354
Answer lo a book, entitled ' Hosanna to
the Son of David,' , 356
Answer to Ellis Bradshaw's book, called
• The Quakers' quaking,' 362
Answer to Thomas Weld, Richard Pri-
deaux, Samuel Hamond, William Coles,
and William Durant's book, called 'A Dis
covery of a generation of Men, called
Quakers,' 369
Answer to Worcestershire's petition to
the Parliament, said to be six thousand, 377
Answer to the book of William Thomas
of Ubley, called ' Railing Rebuked, or a
Defence of the Ministers,' 383
Answer to R. Sherloch, 390
Answer to John Wallace, priest of Ken
dal, William More, priest of Kellet, and
priest Walker, 394
Answer to Gawen Eglesfield and Ambros
Dickinson, ib.
Answer to Christopher Wade's book,
called 'Quaking Slain,' 396
Answer to Henry Hagget's book, called
'The Holy Scripture clearing itself,' 403
Answer to Thomas Leadger's book,
called 'A Discourse,' 408
Answer to Thomas Leadger's 'Antiqua-
kers' Assertions,' 412
Answer to a book, called 'A Serious
Review of some Principles of the Qua
kers,' 413
Answer to James Brown's book, called
•Antichrist in Spirit,' 414
Answer to Philip Bennet, priest of Cart-
mel, 417
Answer to Adam Sands, Roger Atkin
son, and R. Stoakes, ib.
Answer to G. Johnson, James Morrison,
and G. Larcum, 319
Answer to John Owen's Catechism, 421
Answer to S. Palmer's and R. Hook's
book, called 'The Form of Sound Words, 422
Answer to Richard Baxter's ' One Sheet
for the Ministers,' 425
Answer to John Cole's book, 433
Answer to Alexander Ross's book, called
*A View of aU Religions,' 434
Answer to Richard Mayo, priest of
Kingston, 436
Answer to Seth Bushel, priest of Whit
ley, 443
Answer to Edward Price and Philip
Langford, 444

Answer to Enoch Howet and Thomas
Hodges, 445
Answer to Richard Heath and Daniel
Goudry, 446
Answer to Philip Taverner's book, called
• The Quakers' Rounds,' 448
Answer to the Brownists, 450
Answer to John Turner, 452
Answer to the Ranters, ib.
Answer to Francis Duke's book, called
'The Fulness and Freeness of God's
Grace,' 453
Answer to Enoch Howet's book, called
' The Doctrine of the Light within,' 459
Answer to priest Fergison, 462
Answer to priest Jacus and Edward
Briggs, 465
Answer to Ellet and Crab, and priest
Fowler, ib.
Answer to Lamb, the Baptists' teacher,
and some of his company, 467
Answer to William Greenhill, priest of
Stepny, 468
Answer to John Gilpin, Thomas Crafter,
Thomas Sands, John Archer, Edward Tur
ner, and priest Walker's book, called 'A
Relation of the Quakers' Shaking,' 469
Answer to Thomas Collier, Nathaniel
Strange, and Thomas Glassey's ' Paper to
all the churches,' &c. 472
Answer to the paper of Richard Baxter,
&c. called ' The Judgment and Advice of
the Assembly of the Associated Minis
ters,' 475
Answer to the agreement and resolution
of several of the associated ministers of
the county of Cork, 478
Answer to John Stillam's book, called
' Margent Notes,' 482
Answer to the book of P. Taverner of
West Drayton, in reply to Edward Bur
rough, 485
Answer to Edward Skip's book, called
' The World's Wonder,' 489
Answer to Baptist priest Tombes of
Lemster, 498
Answer to a book, called 'A Form of
sound,' &c. 500
Answer to some of the principles of the
priests of Bishoprick, 504
Answer to Daniel Roberts, teacher to
the Baptists in Reading, 507
Answer to Timothy Trevers, 508
Answer to the doctrines and principles
of the priests of Scotland, 513
Answer to the principles of- fifteen
priests of the Isle of Wight, 563
Answer to W. S.'s book, called 'The
Parson's Guide,' S73
Answer to the book of Thomas Hodges
of Soldren, in Oxfordshire, called 'A
Scripture Catechism,' j 576
Several scriptures corrupted by the
translators, 581
Saul's Errand to Damascus, 584

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