CHAP. I.

BEcause you desired me seriously to per­use this Book, which at the Parliament House doore you gave me, and did in­vite me to Assent, or to returne you an Answer. Therefore as it respects the People, I am concerned, that I may un­deceive some, and prevent these errors in time to come; I return this Answer to you and your Friends, (for so you call them in your Book, pag. 7.) The which Answer shall consist in these foure particulars.

I. That you and them would bring all men to be­leeve that the Light which is in every Man, is the Di­vine Nature or Gods Essence now in part, but when they leave this world, that all shall be Gods in full perfection.

II. That you and your Friends would bring all men to beleeve, that the same Light in them is the only true Christ, the second Adam, the Redeemer of the World, and that our Lord Jesus Christ is an out-side Christ, and no Christ, but a name only.

III. That you and your Friends would bring all men to beleeve, that this Light in them is the only true Scripture, and standing Rule for Faith and Life, and not the Old and New Testament, (the sacred Oracles of God.)

IV. That you and your friends would bring all men to [Page 4]beleeve, that if they follow and bring themselves to be guided by that Light which is within them, it will bring them to perfection even in this life.

Now to prove the First particular, that you so say as is therein before expressed; see your own Book pag. 5. l. 7. which saith, That the Scriptures were nothing else but words given forth from the Light which is in every man. Tim. 3.16. Whereas in truth the giving of Scriptures is only Gods Prerogative, for saith the Apostle, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

And to perswade the people that this Light within them is God himself, you tell them l. 19. That the Light within them is it which renders Revelations and Prophesies.

Likewise your Friend James Naylor, (in his Book, Love to the lost) pag. 16. l. 35. and pag. 3. l. 29. saith to the people, you get the words of Scripture given forth from the Light, and in the same Book pag. 35. lines 11, 12, 13. hee attributes to this Light in every man, what is peculiar to God only and none other, and thereby he endeavors to bring every man to beleeve that the Light in them is God himself; for saith hee, it is Spi­ritual, Eternal, Incorruptible, which is the Spirit of the New Man, begotten of God of the Divine Na­ture.

According to this, one of your Friends asked me this question? When God breathed into Adams No­strils the breath of Life, did God breath any thing into him less then himself.

Likewise another of your Friends affirmed to mee, that Judas is now as happy as Peter, and that Peter was no more happy then Judas, because now both are involved into the same essence of the Infinite Jehovah [Page 5]himself, and did deny that there shall be any individu­als of men to be damned or saved after this life, con­trary to the Scriptures.

I met with another of your Friends, named Theaura John Tauny, who in his book of Ten Epistles, pag. 71. l. 17. Saith he, the Soul of Man is Spiritual Light and Light is God: Now saith hee, Envy will say, that I say, that the Soul is God? No, it is a deriva­tive from God, Essenced in God, and at the unmo­delling of every figure its figured in, it returns to the Essence, Regina, or God raigning. Thus attribu­ting that which is peculiar to God, to the Light which is in every man.

In the way of Answer. I will only ask you and your friends this questions; can Love (not Envy) say any less: That you say the Soul of man is God, for in the said Ten Epistles, pag. 3. l. 3. You say the Soul is no created substance, for (saith hee) it is the divine breath of God: Now if the Soul be not created, it is an uncreated substance, and then it comes to that which he would have it, That the Soul of man is God himself.

Also your old Friend James Naylor, in his Book before named, pag. 58. l. 27. speaking of this Light within, (naming it the Word) saith, Who hath the word in them in which all fulness is, need not study what to say, nor have adivination to make to preach.

Likewise your Friend Theaura Iohn in his Ten Epistles, pag. 59. l. 37. saith of the Light within, at our departure from this world, then the Lord takes the living life of our Spirit into himself, for (saith he) this is the divine nature that cannot detract his own Essence. This is the ground and reason why you and [Page 6]your Friends are above all Ordinances and Scriptures, nay above our Lord Jesus Christ, (who with you and your Friends) is but an out-side Christ, no Christ, but your Light within the only Christ, as will be proved against you in the second general; from this ground it was, that one of your Friends being sat at meat, putting off his hat, said to the company, you expect that I should give thanks, saith hee, to whom, to my self, and so putting on his hat went to dinner; and another in my company at dinner refused to give thanks, and kept on his hat whilst thanks was given to God. So that it is cleerly proved against you and your friends, that you would bring all men to beleeve that the light in every man is God himself, in this life in part, and in the next in full in the one Jehovah, which shews your shallowness and your sottishness; for the infinite Jehovah admits of no addition or diminu­tion, for if so, he cannot be God, but such a whimsical fancy as is your Light within.

Also you tell your Saints which worship this Idoll, with a seared conscience and brasen face, as do you, That (forsooth) they have attained to the first re­surrection, and then (as you say) they are in the pure Light and new birth, then they are Christ the divine nature in perfection in this life, as will appear in the fourth general; and then say you and your friends, the seed of God which was imprisoned is at liberty, and then the infallible rule for faith and life is in them­selves, and the Scriptures is not, as will be proved against you in the third general.

I remember it is reported of a curious Limner, having fixed in his mind a curious forme of the Fe­male kind, did by his Art draw it so to the life, that [Page 7]the studie of his mind so far bewitched him, as that he could not fancie it but to be alive, fell in love with it, and so pined to death. Truly I am afraid, such a Limner are you, and your friends, in love to this Idol fraimed in your own sick Brains; For you say in the Title of your Book, That you have escaped the snares of Sin and Deceit, and bin brought (through Judg­ment) into his pure fear, so that your Light within, is your Lord, and your pure Fear is to that Lord, to all which I will return you my Answer.

And first to this last, That you have bin brought (through Judgment) and you know, and so do I, that it was a most dreadful Judgment that God passed upon you John Chandler, it was the nearest Judgment to that of Francis Spira, if not altogether as bad; and I remem­ber as I passed through King-street in Westminster, one of your acquaintance, that was then glad to see you able to come abroad, said unto you, Sin no more least a worse thing come unto you, I am sure your escape (as the matter now stands) is like the escape of the Fish, that leaped out of the Frying Pan into the Fire, and a worse thing is upon you; and John, those Torments which then you felt, will first or last come again, if not worse; therefore (if it be not too late) take heed, for this Sin of yours is not much unlike the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost; I say take heed and re­turn in time, it may be, yet, there is mercie for you, and there I leave you, and so proceed to a more full answer to the first general, in which I will follow this Method.

I will open four Scriptures, upon which, you and your Friends do endeavor to build and frame this Idol­light within.

The first Scripture is, Acts 17.27, 28. v. The Apo­stle speaking of God in the Idolatrous city of Athens; saith he, God is not far from every one of us, for in him we live, move, and have our being, as certain also of your own Poets have said, for we are also his Off-Spring.

The second Text is, 2 Pet. 1.4. Writing to the Church of Christ, he saith, Grace and Peace be multi­plied unto you, through the knowledge of God, and of Je­sus Christ our Lord, &c. Then in the fourth Verse, Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises, that by these ye may be partakers of the Divine Nature &c.

A Third Scripture is, Gen. 2.7. And Jehovah E­lohim, framed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life.

A Fourth Scripture is, Eccles. 12.7. Then shall the earth return to the dust as it was, and the Spirit shall return­to God that gave it.

From these Texts, by Gods help, I will destroy your fancied Idol-Light, your no true Scripture within, your no true Christ within, your no true God within.

CHAP. II. In which is handled Mans first dependant Union with the Divine Nature.

TO Man there is proper, a twofold Union with the Divine Nature; The first only for his being, the second for his true Felicitie most proper to his kind.

John Chandler, I remember (for to you I speak) your Friend Theaura John, in his Ten Epistles, Pag: 70. [Page 9]being charged in his Indictment, that he affirmed, the Soul of man is essenced in God, hee answereth, that there is a God which cannot be denied; then this God essencing himself in everie created appearance, and againe all these appearances essenced in God, doth appear from these words, in him wee live, move, and have our being; and he (speaking to God, pag. 35) saith, the Earth, the Heavens, and all are but thee; And thou O God art that all, from which all, all things came forth, and being here refined; they returne to their Centered being, which art thou O God.

I answer, what you have said in this, and in other places, of God, is contained much truth in some respect, but in your sence (as you apply it to all created Nations, and primarily to man; as formerly is proved against you) it is most false.

For it is true, the infinit Jehovah, our Elobims is one Jehovah, and fills Heaven and Earth and all created natures with his divine nature; and although theirs are in his, and his in theirs; yet, his uncreated nature, and their created natures are ever distinct and different. Theirs finite and circumscriptable, his infinite & bound­less, not included in, nor excluded out of any thing, for he is infinitly beyond their beings, lives, and motion, where never any created nature was, nor ever shall be; otherwise he is not God.

Hence that reverend Heathen man could say, he is all center and no circumference; wherefore all created na­tures are to him as nothing, and therefore the great and ponderous Mass of the Earth (as Job speaks) hangs upon nothing, but upon his essence, by a dependant union, which all created natures have upon his Divine nature, and his wonderfull efficiency.

So the bodie and soul of man hath this dependant vnion with the Divine nature, it being the bottom or Basis upon which all stands and subsists, otherwise all Creatures would fall to their first nothing, from whence God by his created will and word did bring them forth, aswell those that have being and no life, (as the Earth;) as also those that have being and life, and no locall motion (as Plants, Trees, and Flowers;) and likewise those that have, both being, life, and locall, motion, (as Man, Birds, and Beasts, &c.) And it is true all these live and move and have their be­ing in him, and are continued by the dependancie of their natures vpon his, and this is the dependant union which man and all creatures have upon God; yet is this union no more but as an accident upon a substance.

As for example, whiteness as whiteness hath a de­pendant union upon a wall, but it is no part of the substance of the wall, for the wall was a wall before that whiteness had its dependant union with it; and if that whiteness be washed away, the wall is a wall still, because that whiteness was no part of its substance.

So if God should be pleased to wash away all crea­ted natures, by a totall annihilation to their first no­thing; which he will not for his finall ends sake, for which he made them all;

Yet, he is ever the same, for their natures contribute not to his, and therefore they diminish not him if they were all dissolved; So that it is most false which you affirme, that all created natures shall be devolved into the Divine nature, as to be the same, now in part (as you say) and then in whole.

Again I answer, (as to Gods most wonderfull effici­encie, which gave being to all out of nothing, and the [Page 11]said dependant union which continues, all created natures as now they are from returning to nothing) in this sence I grant, the Earth, the Heavens, the All, is but Thee, and thou O God art that All.

Also I grant (in this sence) that when the Earth, re­turnes to the Dust, as it was, and the Spirit shall re­turne to God who gave it, that is, to Gods only and alone disposing to weale or wo to eternity, according to what it hath don in the bodie, whether it be good or evill; I say, in this sence, that it returnes to God, as is proved against you, in the precedent chapter, from the words given forth from your light within, as you would have it; but say I, it is from the word of God, the infalliable rule: and therefore your return to God, to be him reigning, is most false.

Again I answer, the very text is against you, which you alledge; it saith God is neer to every one of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being; for it is one thing, to be near, and another thing to be him, and he us, as we to be the same, either in part or in whole.

Again I answer, in regard all created natures are in the Divine nature, and their natures in his, there­fore that is a childish inference which you have from Gen. 2.7. That when he breathed into Adams liveless bodie, he breathed in himself, when himself was there before; for he is in everie thing, and excluded out of nothing; therefore it follows by undeniable conse­quence, that into Adams liveless bodie God breathed not his essence, but mans reasonable soul which is mans most proper form, for without it, man is not a man.

Now for the manner how this dependant union, [Page 12]betwixt the Divine Nature, and all created natures; that his is not theirs, nor theirs his is, only known to God for God hath locked up many suchlike things as use­less for us to know.

For in the order of Nature, God hath denied the Nature inferior, to perceive the nature more superior: as for instance, he hath denied the earth to perceive the nature of vegetives, although they are nursed (as it were) in her own bowels; likewise vegetives nou­rish sensitives, but perceives them not; also sensitives are denied to perceive spirits, the very next in nature to themselves.

Hence the body of man perceives not the nature of his reasonable Soul.

Hence it is, though the Soul of man be a spirit, yet it perceives not the nature of Angels.

Hence it is that Angels perceive not the spiritual and naked essence of God, but by the help of some created manifestation, as the heaven of heavens, their circumfered glory, and such like.

And yet you and your friends (forsooth) do not only perceive the Divine Essence, but you are that Essence it self here in part, and hereafter altoge­ther; so childish is this whimsical fancie of yours, al­though you nor no man else knows the manner how our souls and bodies in our personal union, are kept distinct in their natures, as the bodie not to be the Soul, nor the Soul the bodie; much less can any man know the manner how all Creatures have their depen­dencie on the Divine Nature of God; and therefore hearken what the words of Scripture saie; As thou knowest not the way of the spirit, Icc. 5. nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child, so thou knowest [Page 13]not the works of God who maketh all: Job 26.14. Lo these are part of his ways, but how little a Portion is heard of him.

And make what you will or can of these words, in him we live, move, and have our being, it amounts to no more but this, to the continuation of good and bad men, and to prove this dependant union of crea­ted nature upon the Divine nature, for it contributes no blessedness to man beyond this, to be that they may be happy or miserable to eternity.

Again, because it is said, by Gods infallible truth, that he is neer to everie one of us, for this reason, be­cause, in him we live, move, and have our being, there­fore every right Beleever, so far forth as he is such, must and doth rest in this truth, that God is so neer unto us, therefore saith the Apostle, Let your moderati­on be known to all men, the Lord is at hand, Phil. 4.5. Therefore this rest remains only to the people of God, so to rest upon his truth written in the Scriptures; and in the next life, according to the Scriptures, therefore neither you nor your friends, have not this true rest, because you deny the Scriptures truth, and intrude that which is no Scripture but a whimsey.

Again, because you say the words of Scripture given forth from your light within, thus speaks, you must con­clude him blinde within, and false without; for within to you and your friends he saith, he is Gods Divine Na­ture, and no created substance; and without, in words of Scripture he saith to us, God is but neer to us, and so not us, nor we him, as you and your friends would have it.

Likewise within he tells you and your friends, when the Earth returns to the dust as it was, the Spirit returns [Page 14]to be God himself, as is proved against you, but in words without, in Scripture he tells us, it returns only to God, to receive what it had done in the bodie, whe­ther it be good or evil, and points us, as with the fin­ger at the truth of it in the example of Dives and La­zarus; Luke 16. likewise, within it tells you and your friends, God breathed himself into Adams liveless bodie, but without in words of Scripture he tells us, God was in that liveless body before he breathed into his nostrills that breath of life, because he is not excluded out, nor included in, to any thing, for he fills both Heaven and Earth by his essence, as well as by his efficiencie, as at large is proved against you? Now I pray you, is not your light blind within; and false without, and yet aspires to be the infinite God, but who so bold as blind Bayard.

And so much for mans dependant union on the Di­vine Nature, only for the continuation of his being.

CHAP. III. In which is handled mans second dependant union with the Divine Nature, in order to his most true felicitie.

This Union and Communion is far different from the former, for that (as is proved) is common to all created natures, but this peculiar only to man) and not to all men neither, but only and alone to right Be­lievers of Gods written word, the Sacred Scriptures, therefore you and your friends are cut off from this de­pendant union and communion with the Divine Nature in order to your true felicity, for you deny both Scrip­tures and Christ himself, as shall more fully appear in its due place.

Again to proceed to the point, the Apostle writing to right beleevers of the Scriptures, saith, 2 Pet. 1.1 Simon Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious Faith with us; and in the 4 verse, whereby are given unto us great and precious promises, that by these we may be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruptions that is in the world through lust: Therefore it is cleer from the Text, that this partaking of the Di­vine nature, is a rationall union and communion with God, as appears by those words, Faith of God in Jesus Christ; because the understanding and will of man, hath a subordinate efficiencie in this partaking of the Divine nature: And this is it that St. Paul points at, namely, right beleevers efficiencie in Gods fervice, to be the reasonable service of God, Rom. 12.1.

Again Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.8 speaking of right beleevers subbordinate efficiencie; saith, Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promises of the life that now is, and of that which is to come; this word promise, in this text, and these words precious promises, points to this rational union and communion with the Divine nature, as capable by reason or reasoning to understand the truth and mind of the promisor, in the promises; and so unites it self to God, as the eye doth to the light, and so possesseth God his chiefest good, as the eye doth possess himself of the Sun by its beames. And therefore to right beleevers saith the text, Vers 2. grace and peace be multiplied unto you t [...]ough the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ. &c.

Which word knowledge, directly pointeth to right beleevers subordinat efficiencie, in this rationall union and communion with the Divine nature; therefore the text saith, By these precious promises yee are par­takers [Page 16]of the Divine nature: and in a word it was to this end, that God gave all Scriptures by inspiration, Ministrie, and Ministers in order to bring the reason­able creature to this union and communion with the Divine nature, and from their rationall union and com­munion with the diabolicall nature, Apostate Angels, wherein confists the corruptions which are in the world through lust. Hence our Lord Jesus Christ said to the people, to whom the Gospell was preached, behold the kingdom of God is within you, or amongst you.

Again I answer, in this rationall union and com­munion with the Divine nature, is contained the sum of the Moral Law, as to the subordinate efficien­cie of a right beleevers understanding to adhere to God as truth himself, and his will, in a liking and uniting affection as to his chiefest and sweetest good; so likewise God in his supream efficiencie, doth mani­fest himself as truth it Self; and its chiefest and sweetest good. And thus by this reciprocall intercourse, this union and communion with the Divine nature is much confirmed; but you and your friends do not only as much as in you lies to take away the Scriptures and our Lord Jesus Christ, to destroy this rationall union, but also would null the will of man in order to this rationall union, for you would bring mans will to be Gods own Essence; James Nailor in his Book, love to the lost pag. 60. l. 16. saith mans free will is the plant of God, the will of God, the mind of God, the heart of God, and pag. 11. l. 6. saith he, as the man is, such is the will.

I answer no, but as is the will, such is the man in order to his rational union and communion with the Divine nature.

Likwise your friend Theaura John, in his Ten Epistles pag the 5. the 3. last lines, saith, mans will is, in that his will is freed, by Christs freedom; then it is not mans will but Christs. He means mans light within, naming it Christ, as you all do; then l. 5. speaking of the whole soul of man, saith, if it could dilate or detract its essence then it is a greater God then he that gave it, a being in himself.

And because these men would thus confound a right beleevers subordinate efficiencie, as from his under­standing and will, to this rationall union and com­munion with the Divine nature: I will briefly open the nature of mans will in three particulers.

First, the natural liberty of mans will:

Secondly, mans will, natural property:

Thirdly, mans freedom or libertie in righteousnes.

The naturall liberty of mans will, is no more but this; it freely refuseth all objects presented to it, if it do not like them; Or the contrary it freely chooseth objects presented to it, if it likes them; and this free­dom or natural liberty of mans will, could not be lost in Adams fall; But is both in good and bad men for ever; and this naturall liberty of mans will was, pur­posely so created by God, that man might, or might not sin. And thus we see, how God permitted sin to be; for from this liberty of will, and the understand­ing, man from his owne counsel and voluntarie choice, produceth all his deliberate works, be they good or bad, and this makes all mens works their own, and Gods righteousness appear in judging every man, a vessel of honour, or dishonour, for ever, according to the works he hath done in his bodie; and so much for the first particular.

Secondly, the naturall property of mans will, is no more but this.

It followeth good presented to it, as naturally as the eye followeth light, be it the true and reall good, or the false as it appears under the notion of the true good; and this also could not be lost in Adams fall, it being the very nature of the reasonable Soul; for the being of the creature hath its dependencie upon Gods being, as is proved.

Thirdly, the freedom and liberty of mans will to righteousness, in order to the before mentioned ra­tionall union; and communion with the Divine na­ture, is no more but this, rightly, and freely, with full consent of minde, to choose and embrace God, in whatsoever he requires or commands, and on the con­trary to refuse whatsoever is contrary to this. Thus God made man in full perfection, Ephes. 4.24. The which in my first Treatise of free grace. Chap. 1. is opened at large. That man was perfect in his ration­all union and communion with the Divine nature; yet righteousness and holiness was not his nature as the two former particulars are; therefore he lost this in the fall totally, as is proved in the 3. chapter of that Treatise of free grace; and in the 4. chapter is proved, how after the fall, God enlighteneth every man that commeth into the world; and also how farr the same light extends, or may extend in all men, to the said rationall union and communion with the Divine na­ture.

Also the same point is further cleered in the 7. chap. of that first Treatise, but more plain in the 6. chap. of the 3. Treatise, and in that 3. Treatise in the 7. an [...] 8. [Page 19]Chapters is cleered, the order how God brings right beleevers to be established in their rational union and communion with himself, as never to fall totally nor finally from it; therefore I conclude that you and your friends fancied light within, is no Scriptu [...]e, no Christ, no God; only it is a lowsie Christ, or a vermin [...]re [...] of your own addle brain.

CHAP IV. In which is handled the second general, that these men endeavor to bring all men to beleeve, that the light in them is the only true Christ, the second Adam, and the Worlds Saviour; but our Lord Jesus Christ, is but an out side Christ and no Christ, but in name only.

JOhn Chandler himself saith to Papists and Pro­testants, Page 7. li. 9, 10. Ye both look to a Christ without after the flesh, but deny the true light within. They think Christ died and suffered, to make their works meritorious, and ye say our works are accepta­ble for his death and sufferings and intercession sake, though neither of you be come to the true light in your selves which leads to life, seeing ye know not a living Christ in you &c. Thus you nullisie our Lord Jesus Christ, and magnifie an Idol of your own brains: So Chap. 7. li. 13. You call your Whimsey by the name of the Lord; For say you, the Lord is pure and holy &c. Then you say, it is in vain for any one to talk or think of justification by a Christ without, and not to feel his living vertue within: Surely there is a great [Page 20]deal of living vertue in the addle brains of you and your friends; I pray you hear what your friend Theaura John saies, Page 77. line 20. Thus know, saith he, the Christ you own is a dead Christ, and Page 72. lines 26, 27, 28. Of your Light within he saith, Not one in Ten Millions knows not truly what Christ is, nay saith he, not one in all the Creation: Truly Theaura John I am of your minde in this, that you nor no man else knows what your Light within is, neither within the Creation nor without: Why then saith he (to them that heard him) now you are all amazed, and truly I think well they might, but saith he, I will prove it against all Opposers; There­fore saith he, it is not looking for an outward Christ at Jerusalem; truly I am of your mind in this also, for he is now in Heaven, in respect of his body, and not at Jerusalem, but every where in respect of his Divinitie, but saith The­aura John, to a living Light of Christ within your selves &c. page 8. line 17. Now saith he, to come to your named Christ, confined to Jerusa­lem: I acknowledge a man named Jesus Christ, that he was the Evangelical life of God, as Paul was the Evangelical life of God and the rest. Why how now John? as Paul and the rest was, and no more; and in the same Eight page, Line 26. Now saith he, I beseech you Brethren be care­full that you grasp not to your selves, a God and Saviour which God never sent you, that is the body of Christ so named, take heed that you adore that that is not, and let slip that that is, [Page 21]for I tell you the Flesh of Christs body profits you no more then your own flesh, nor the words that are spoken of him to you: And John Chandler, as your Friend Theaura John seconds you in this, so doth your Friend James Nailor in the third place; for in his book Entituled, The Imprisoned Seed, Pag. 12. Magnifying your Light Christ within, he saith, it is but one in all, un­changeably just, equally holy; truly James ye might more properly attribute all this to the Cat that sits in the Chimney corner, for that is som­thing, but this Light in the Dark Lanthorn of your Brains is an Idol, and St. Paul saith, an Idol is nothing in the World. Likewise so do you John Chandler magnifie your Light, Page 5. line 12. Say you this is Christ the Prophet raised up by Gods power, which every one is to heare least they be cut off. Thus applying that to your Fancie which the words of Scripture applies only to our Lord Jesus Christ, and much of this Stuff is scattered up and down through your whole Book.

Likewise a Friend of yours said unto me, God may do as much by any other man, as he did by Christ Jesus, who lived and died at Jerusalem, your Friends name was John Rowse.

Likewise your Friend Theaura John, Pag. 28. li. 35. who joyns with you in contempt of Christ, saith to his hearers, shall I tell you; many a man suffered more then he did,

Likewise your Friend Samuel Fisher (in contempt of him) saith, the man Christ Jesus, whom ye [Page 22]call God man, to Mr. Danson, Pag. 8. Yes Sir we do so call him God man, blessed for Ever­more, and there will come an hour or minuit of time, to you that will not have him reigne over you, in which you shall be slain from living f [...]om felicitie to eternity, but reserved to a living mi­sery to eternity, and this shall be the reward of all your Labors.

Likewise your Friend Theaura John, pag. 28 line 35. Because the words of the Scripture do affirm our Lord Jesus sitteth at the Right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us: I charge it Blas­phemy? Truly John it seems very strange to me, that your Light within should blaspheme with words without.

To return an answer to all this fishing in these poisoned waters, the which I will refer to two heads.

First that the words spoken of him, very much profits all Right Beleevers.

Secondly that the flesh of Christ very much profits all Beleevers, and truly you must beleeve both these thIngs to be true, because you fancie these words to be given forth from your Light within, and I must beleeve the truth of it, because tis spoken from Gods infallible rule, for Faith as well as for Life, there­fore there is one comfort, that whatsoever is proved shall be b [...]leeved by us both.

And first Gen. 3.15. God rendereth Christ in the words of Scripture an Object without, in order to mans rational union and communion with himself, and this was immediately when man was [Page 23]lost in the fall in these words spoken of him to the apostate Angels to the Serpent their instrument, The Seed of the woman shall bruise thy head, and thus the words spoken of him, profited all the Ten Fathers that lived before the Flood, and so after the Flood to Sem, Abraham and David, and so to all Right Belee­vers under Moses vaile.

The word spoken of him as an object without, profited them all very much, in order to their ratio­nal union and communion with the Divine Nature; That is, as the Eye possessed it self objectively, of the Brasen Serpent to a temporal Salvation, so the mind of Right Beleevers possesseth it self, by the words spo­ken of him, of eternal Salvation, as is implyed, Heb. 11. saying of all Right Beleevers in former time, All these died in Faith.

Again likewise after he was come in the Flesh, in fulness of time, the word of him then spoken profi­teth much more, because much cleerer; as for in­stance, St. John in his First Chapter, speaks first of his Godhead alone. Then secondly as he is Christ.

Of his Godhead in these words, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, the same was in the beginning with God, all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Secondly in the 14. ver. As he was personally God man, that is, as he was Christ, for as he was Christ, he created nothing, only as God, so he created all things; But as he was Christ, saith St. John, And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, and we be­held his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son [Page 24]of the Father full of grace and truth, therefore both the words spoken of him and his Flesh also, profiteth much to Right Beleevers, because they only, as the eye receives the light objectively into it self, so they objectively receiving him, are in this rational Union and Communion with the Di­vine nature; for saith the Text, As many as recei­ved him, to them he gave Right or Priviledge to be­come the Sons of God, even to them that beleeve in his name.

Likewise St. Paul to the Colossians, Chap. 1.16. speaks distinctly of his God-head alone, and also distinctly; of him as he is Christ, as St. John did By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible, whe­ther they be Thrones or Dominions, or Principa­lities, or Powers. All things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Secondly he speaks distinctly also of Christ as Christ. For (as is before said) so he is no Cre­ator, because (so considered) he is in part a Creature, but as Christ he is the head of the body of the Church, vers. 18. Who is the be­ginning, the first born from the dead (that is from the dead fall of Adam) that among all things he might have the preheminence, for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, and making peace through the blood of his Cross, ver. 22. saith he, in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight, if ye continue in Faith grounded and setled &c. [Page 25]So that it is apparent from the infallible rule of truth. That the words spoken of him much profiteth all right believers: and also his flesh much more then their own flesh; for both profitteth them to their rationall Union and Communion with the Divine Nature, by their subordinate efficiencie: Thus receiving Christ ob­jectively from without, so possessing themselves of him within, as the eye doth the Sun by its Beams; and this is implyed in the Text, If you continue in Faith grounded and setled, &c. And therefore Theorie John yours and your Companions Caution is a very wicked one, That is, that we should not Adore nor Worship that outside Christ, as you (like a pack of Villains) call him; for Saint Peter who was more holy than any of you, he in the dayes of his Flesh, fell down at his Knees, saying, Depart from me for I am a sinfull man, O Lord, Luk. 5.8. Again, Hebr. chap. 1. ver. 6. the Text saith, when God bringeth in the first begotten, he saith, And let all the Angels of God worship him; and Luke 4.8. he himself affirms, that worship was due unto him in the daies of his Flesh, for he said unto your Father the Devill (tempting him, as doe you and worse) get thee behind me Satan, for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, and verse the 12. Jesus answered and said unto him, It is said, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, And I am he, for the Godhead dwelleth bodily in me, Colos. 2.9. And al­though we have spoken enough already of the Flesh of Christ, that it profiteth more then our own Flesh; yet, Secondly, our Lord, Jesus Christ himself, John 6.53, 56. said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you; and he that eateth my flesh [Page 26]and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him; That is, as the Sun dwells in the eye by its Beams, and as the eye dwells in the Sun by its shining.

In this sense, the 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. speaking of the right believers the Text saith, They did eat the same spi­rituall meat, and drink the same spirituall drink, for they drank of that spirituall rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ; yet they did not eat the Rock no more than you and your friends doe eat the stones in the Street, but by right beliefe they did receive a Christ from without: And therefore to right believers he was an outside and an inside Christ too, because so he dwells in their mindes by Faith, as the Sunne dwells in the eye by its reception: And I pray you, did this Rock and Christs Flesh profit them no more than their own Flesh or the stones in the street, in order to their ra­tionall Union and communion with the divine Na­ture?

Again I pray you, Is not this light within a meer cheat, That it should thus speak to you from within, to vilifie and nullifie our Lord Jesus Christ; and yet in words of Scripture given out from your light, to us speaking thus gloriously of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truely I would have you once take my counsel, and be revenged on him, and bring all your Books, which you have made with much pains and cost, to my neigh­bour Stephen Harts house in the Palace, (which is one of your Synagogues of Satan) as is that in Woodcocks-Hall or House neer the Savoy (as people say) and there burn all your base and most blasphemous Books; so shall you not only save the Hangman a labour to burn them, but you shall save the Magistrate a labour to sentence them to the fire. From the premisses, It plain­ly [Page 27]appears that there is an absolute necessitie of a right enquiry thereafter? It being in order to mans true and eternall felicitie.

Therefore, If any enquire at an Episcopall Church Government, it will answer, 'tis not in me; Or at a Presbyterian, or at an Independant Government, it will answer, It is not in me; or at Rebaptism, it will an­swer, it is not in me; or at supposed Revelations, it will answer, it is not in me; or at Calvinism or at Armi­nianism, it will answer it is not in me: But at our Lord Jesus Christ, He will answer, it is in me, because in me dwells the Divine Nature bodily, if you by your sub­ordinate efficiencie in a right aspect possesse your self of me, as the eye doth the Sunne, the businesse is done. Therefore a word to you who have pitched-upon your Religion: Take heed that you make not your Religion your Christ, but be sure to make Christ your Religion and hold there and all is well. Truely John Chandler Saint Peter gives a right description of you and your Friends, saying, These are wells without water, 2 Pet. 2.17 clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of dark­nesse is reserved for ever: But I pray mark the Reason that he renders, for saith he, when they spake great swel­ling words of vanity, they allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonnesse; as did one of your fe­male Friends, when she came naked to her skin into the Chappel at White-Hal it being ful of People in the time of the Sermon: The like alluring through wantonnesse in your seeming deified perfection another of your fe­male Friends in the round Wollstable at Westminster in the same House that James Nayler lay, she came into the room where many men and women were, as naked as she was born: are not these some of your pretious Saints?

CHAP. V. Which handleth the third Generall, namely, That these People would bring all men to beleeve, That the feigned light, in every man, is the only true Seripture and standing rule for Faith and Life, and not the old and new-Testaments, Gods sacred Oracles.

IN prosecution of this Generall, I will observe this method; First, to prove that the Scriptures are the only and infallible rule for Faith and Life.

Secondly, To prove that you and your friends deny it, and affirme your feigned light to be it.

Thirdly, I will prove that to be false which you af­firme. And first to prove that the Scriptures are the only infallible rule Paul in the 2. Tim. 3.6. All Scrip­ture is given by inspiration of God, And God purposely inspired holy men, not so much for their owne sakes as for this end, That what they writ and spake, from his inspiration, That the Scriptures might be the infalli­ble standing rule for Faith and Life to all succeeding a­ges and generations; in order to bring, by a right be­leefe thereof to the said rationall union and Communi­on with himselfe; And so Paul takes it for granted, in saying, That which was written afore time was written for our learning; That wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, That is, of a more full perfection of our rationall union and Communion with the divine-Nature, which wee now have but in part, and yet in truth and reallity. And note this by the way, That Paul doth not say they only, but wee; including himselfe for one that did learne by this infal­lible rule John 4.46. Our Lord Jesus Christ him­self [Page 29]took it for granted, That the Scriptures written were the infallible rule; If ye believe not Moses wri­tings, how shall ye believe my words?

Likewise saith our Lord Jesus Christ, If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be­lieve if one rise from the dead: Still referring to the Scriptures as the only infallible rule for Faith and Life, and he applied the Scriptures as such a rule Luke 4.16. to the Divells themselves, It is written thou shalt not, &c. He taking it for granted that the Divells be­lieve that which you deny.

Therefore they believe and tremble, they believe the certain truth of the Scriptures to their future torments.

Saint Peter speaking of the voice which came from heaven, to our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 P. t. 1.18 we heard when we were with him in the holy mount, and yet he preferres the written Scriptures to be the standing rule for Faith and Life to the Church, above that voice that came from Heaven: He saith, We have also a more sure word of prophesie; knowing first, that no prophesie of Scripture is of any private interpretation: Implying as that on the Mount was, being to Christ himself only, for Pro­phesie came not at any time by the will of man, but holy men spake as they were moved or inspired by the Holy Ghost: And so much for the first particular, the which will be much more confirmed in handling the third particular.

But secondly you and your Friends deny the writ­ten Scriptures the standing rules for Faith and Life, and intrude upon us an unwritten Scripture for the only standing rule, namely your light within, forsooth.

Therefore John Chandler (in contempt of the Scriptures) saith they are words but given forth from [Page 30]the light, page. 5. line 17. Likewise in the same page you tell the Ministers, they know, as the People come to know, and follow the light, the true teacher, which is the holy anointing, they will be taken off from their dead words and teachings; so that the Scriptures with you are but a parcell of dead words. Likewise in the 4. page, to magnifie your unwritten Scripture within you say, the Lord God is jealous of his holy name, line 2.10. Likewise your friend Samuell Fisher, in the dispute between Master Danson and him page 28. saith he, I denie those Books, that is, the Old and New Te­staments, to be the standing rule for Faith and Life: And to the People and Ministers there present, he saith, I am sure the Gospel you preach will never bring men to Heaven, indeed people it will not: but I pray you Samuell will your unwritten Gospel within doe it? Likewise your friend James Nailor page 8. saith, those had the writings of the Prophets & the Apostles which is called Scripture and so were the keepers of the Let­ters, and that they took to be their rule to walk by as they doe now: but know not that which giveth it forth to lead them unto the Life, but had the Letter and the forme, page 40. And in his Goliah, page 77. and in his Salutation page 29. he tells men if they will follow this light within, (meaning the unwritten Scrip­ture within) they shall not have their light to seek in a book without. Likewise in his book to Francis Har­ris page 9. he saith the infallible Spirit by which the Scriptures were given forth, is the sole trier of Spirits and Doctrin, meaning by all this their unwritten Scrip­tures within.

Likewise your friend Theorie John in his Book of ten Epistles page 72. being charged in his Indictmennt, [Page 31]that he said the new Testament is a lye. He answereth, In truth of speech it is a lye, Although you say it is the holy Gospell of Christ and the holy word of God; Likewise your friend James Nayler, to molifie the writ­ten Scriptures without, and to magnifie their unwrit­ten Scriptures within, in his booke, Love to the lost, page 3. line 30. saith, The Light in all men is God, the life of every Creature, though few there bee that know it; for, saith he, the darknesse knowes it not; Also he saith, Ministers and right beleevers of the written Scriptures; They are the children of darke­nesse, who have got the words of Scriptures which were given forth from the light, to talke of it, &c. And in the same booke page 8. line 26. In contempt of the written Scriptures, he saith, Men say the Letter is it, But who hath the light within, which hee calleth by the name of the word, &c. Likewise in the same book page 16. line 35. he tells the Mlnisters and right belee­vers; You who beleeve not in the light, are enemies to this Faith, and yet you get the words of Scriptures given forth from the Light, so your Faith stands in the wisdome of words; I, but I pray you are they not words of wisdome given forth from your unwritten scriptures within? And in the same book page 24. he saith, of this sort are they who have their preaching to studdy and seek at other mens mouths, or from the Letter (meaning the Scriptures) but have it not from the mouth of the Light, which he (most wickedly) calls the mouth of the Lord; And so doe you John Chandler in your Book page 4. line 19.

Likewise your friend Theorie John in his booke of ten Epistles, page 50. saith; Now brethren let mee speake plainly to you, What have they to doe with [Page 32]the writings of the Apostles (meaning Papists and Pro­testants) speaking just as John Chandler did before?

Truly (saith Theorie John) nothing at all.

For they were that thing that you have gotten the bare name of it, This is such a ones words; Then saith hee What is that to thee? except his Spirit, that is the substance (meaning man's Soule, no created sub­stance of these lettered names, be in thee, then thou art it, before not, but a liar, and thou art a thief; for you look to come in by the name (meaning the Scrip­tures) which is not the thing: yet in this he flatly contradicts himself, because he said before, the all is thee, and thee that all, and then by this rule all have it; but now he saith, that but some have it; but his mea­ning is this, all that cannot with a seared conscience and a brazed face stand up to maintain these unwritten Scriptures within, as you John Chaundler impudently act your part, affirming that your unwritten scriptures gives Revelations and Prophecies, but the Ministers of Jesus Christ come to be fitted by ordinary means, as languages, book-learning, study, industry; and then you crie out, O you blind guides, saying, know you not that the gift of a Pastor or Teacher in Christs Church was the effect of the Baptism of the spirit (meaning your unwritten scripture within) as well as the gift of an Apostle, Prophesie, Revelations, Mini­sters, or any other: And dare you to assume the name of Ministers, Pastors or Teachers, and yet deny the power whereby such formally ministred; nay, denying any such thing now as Revelations by the Spirits Bap­tism.

Truly John, I pray you tell me when did the Spi­rit baptize any by your unwritten scripture within: [Page 33]likewise your friend John Tamey page 27. (with as bra­zen a face as yours) from your unwritten scripture Light within; of the sacred Oracles of God, saith, It is but a name of dead Letters set together, much interwoven with mans invention, line 18. and 28. and he having magnified your Idoll-light within, as you doe, then line 11. saith he, where is your holy named Gospel in Letters, there is not two holies, but one holy, and that's God; and holy is not names of Letters, but the Lord living by his Spirit in the soul of man (still meaning the Light within, which saith he, is no created substance page 3. line 3.

Again with this brazen face to magnifie this unwrit­ten scripture within, page 12. line 13. know saith he, My learning is not of man, nor by man, but I am taught of the living God, who is the true expositer of his own intendments: and likewise page 63. to the learned saith he, but Schollers my teacher hath no books, nor have I none to read, neither will I, for my teacher is God.

And page 60. line 6. As the Lord lives, I neither can, nor ever would, read any Hebrew or Greek, or any Tongues but English, nor doe I know any Hebrew, but mine own Characters, and them I had all in one day before night, I could write them, but knew not the meaning of one of them, only it was said unto me by the Spirit they were Hebrew, page 77. line 6. and 7. now you will say (saith he) this madman speaks some Latin, some Hebrew, some Greek, and confound in broken words, and then to the learned, he tells them, it is to confound you great ones (Rabbies I mean.)

But now I return to give you some answer to all this stuff; that is, if you mean the Scriptures, as they are an [Page 34]humane expression, as written or printed with Inck and Paper by the art of the writer or printer; so con­sidered, I shall grant the Scriptures are but dead Letter, as they are to you who will not believe them, nay you would null them, as is proved, and therefore God hath left you, that in understanding you may not under­stand, and in knowing you may not know his minde contained in his sacred Oracles, in order to your ratio­nall union and communion with himself, for he hath denied you the spirit of Faith; therefore to you, your unwritten Scriptures within, and the Scriptures that are without, are both alike dead.

Again, I answer that Gods mind contained in those dead Letters, carries along with them Gods living in­tentions to good and bad men, and he will make it a living word upon both to eternitie, that is, to them that believe and obey it, to their rationall union and com­munion with himself, felicitie for ever, and to them that doe not believe it and disobey it, miserie for ever, that is, he that believeth shall be saved, and he that will not believe shall be damned.

Again, In regard you would not have us learn, nei­ther by languages, nor by studious reading of Books, nor be taught from other mens mouths? I pray you John Chandler, why doe you and your friends print Books, Is it that no man should read them, or that no man should learn any thing out of them? And I pray you why do you and your friends open your mouthes in my neighbour Stephen Harts Meal-shop, and in Wood­cocks-Hall, for you will not allow any man to seek his learning at other mens mouthes.

Again, I am apt to believe that Paul was certainly as holy as any of you, and had revelations and inspira­tions [Page 35]to write the Scriptures, yet you heard what he hath before said, that whatsoever was written afore­time was written for our learning, &c. Nay 'tis appa­rant that Paul made use of written Papers and Parch­ments, 2 Tim. 4.13. therefore certainly Paul and you had not all one teacher.

Likewise Saint John chap. 20. verse 30. to those whom he writ, he saith, These things are written that ye might believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through his name: Therefore certainly Saint John neither was not of your minde, nor was his teacher yours nor yours his: Again, Isaiah 8. chap. 19.20. saith he, When any shall say unto you, seek unto the familiar spirits (I will not say, al­though it is reported that some of you have familiar spirits neither will I say that Pordage and Fox, doe use familiar spirits to seduce people) the Prophet saith in this case, Unto the Law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this, saith he, it is because there is no light in them.

Here I see that the Prophet Isaiah takes it for gran­ted that the written Scriptures are the standing rule for Faith and Life; therefore certainly Isaiahs teacher was none of yours.

Again, Nehemiah the Priest and Scribe and the Peo­ple in his daies, took it for granted that the then writ­ten Scriptures were a standing rule for Faith and Life, chap. 8.8. They read in the Book of the Law of God di­stinctly and gave the sense, and caused the people to un­derstand the reading; so that here the people receive it from their mouths, and the people wept when they heard the Law; And I pray you, doe you think that they did esteem the Scriptures to be nothing but dead Letters [Page 36]interwoven with mans invention? Certainly God was no teacher to you and your friends, but ye had some other teacher.

Likewise our Lord Jesus, had recourse to the Scrip­tures as the only standing rule for Faith and Life in his daies; for saith he to the Scribes and Pharisees, have ye not read in the Law, and have you not read what David did, &c. and Mat. 12.3.5. Luke 4.15, 16, 17. He comming to Nazareth where he had, been brought up: and as his cu­stome was, he entred into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read: and there was given unto him the Book of the Prophet Isaiah; and when he had opened the Book (as the standing rule to the Church for Faith and Life) he found the place where it is written, &c. And preached upon those words to the people, and closed the Book and gave it to the Minister.

Now I pray you John Chandler, let you and your friends doe me this curtesie as to tell me in good earnest who is your teacher?

Again, 2 Tim. 2.15. saith Paul to Tim. Studdy to shew thy self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, dividing the word of truth: therefore Paul approves of a painfull studious industrie in godly Ministers; and that the written Scriptures which Tim. did know of a childe, was then the only infallible rule for Faith and Life, and not only a parcell of let­tered names, the preaching of which will never bring men to Heaven; for here we see the Prophets, our Sa­viour Christ, the Apostles did both read and write and preach to the people, in order to bring them to a ratio­nall union and communion with the Divine Nature, and so to their true felicitie here, and eternall felicitie hereafter.

I remember, Prov. 15.18. The heart of the righteous studieth to answer, but the heart of the wicked poureth forth evil things.

And here I desire to give you an Inventorie of some of your evill things.

As first, To say the soul of man is God, and no cre­ated substance.

Secondly, That the light in every man is the Lord Jesus Christ, and that our Lord Jesus Christ is but an out-side Christ, and no Christ but in name only.

Thirdly, That the sacred Oracles of God are not the standing rule for faith and life, but the only standing rule for faith and life is your unwritten Scriptures your light within.

Fourthly, That your fancied light within will bring men to the perfection of degrees, or righteousness or holiness in this life, and will bring them heaven which the preaching of the Gospel will never doe: And therefore reading, studying and hearing Gods word from other mens mouths, and all Gods Ordinances to bring men to a rationall union and communion with himself is useless, fruitlesse.

Now I pray tell me John Chandler, do not you and your friends pour out evills with a witnesse?

Again, John Chandler, in your manner of ranting a­gainst the Ministers, you not only speak of prophesie and revelations from your light within, but also of mi­racles: I pray you John tell me one thing, how many miracles have you produced since you became a Prea­cher to your Idol-light within more than our Ministers, or more then you did when you preached Gods writ­ten Scriptures at Lamborn, and about Portsmouth and other places; you never told me of any, neither did I [Page 38]ever hear of any; therefore I think it is but a fancie?

It is true, a friend of yours was perswaded by your light within, That she could raise a friend of hers and yours out of the grave which had drowned himself at Worcester; and she with some friends of hers and yours went to the grave, caused it to be digged up, and com­manded the dead man to live; but the Oorps never stirred, so that she and her friends went home again to Worcester and left the Corps as dead as she found it.

Again, your friend Theorie John would make us be­lieve he did something which looks like a miracle.

But suppose that to be true (which I will not grant) that it was a miracle, yet certainly the living God was not the teacher: for God who gave the Apostles pow­er all in one day to speak their severall languages, did it to confirm the doctrine now contained in the written scriptures, to be the standing rule for faith and life unto the worlds end, to bring men to the said union and communion with the divine nature, which you deny; and therefore God was never any of your teacher.

Again, there was a necessity why God should furnish them with languages, because they were to be sent to severall Countries, to severall speeches and languages: But of Theorie Johns Hebrew, Greek, & Latin and East Armenian tongue, here is no use; for here in England we professe all one Religion, and we have many learned men, well known in the languages, therefore his lan­guage is of no use here; wherefore God never taught him, but certainly he had some other teacher.

Now I remember, I have heard of a dumb beast that spake most perfect Hebrew; therefore its tongue was actuated by one that did well understand that lan­guage: But if you ask me what beast that was, it was [Page 39]the Serpent whose tongue was actuated by the apo­state Angels, to dissolve that rationall union and com­munion with the Divine nature which all mankind had in our first Parents; therefore those apostate Angels in scripture are named the old Serpent the Devill, a de­ceiver, a lyar, a murderer from the beginning.

Again, they did actuat that beasts to the same purpose, as it doth the tongues and pens of you and your friends, that is, to unbelieve Gods word and to believe your lies; for the beast said to the woman in her own lan­guage, which was originally the most pure Hebrew: Ye shall not certainly die, ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evill. So you not only unbelieve Gods word, but also lyingly affirm, that the light in every man is God himself, now in part, and hereafter in full perfection: Therefore because the Serpents tongue, and your tongues and pens speak one and the same thing, that beasts tongue, and your tongues and pens must needs be actuated by one and the same spirit. Again, suppose it were true (which I will not grant) that the good An­gel which actuated the tongue of an Asse to speak the Moabites language, or some other, to reprove the mad­ness of the Prophet, yet he did not actuate that Asses tongue for the Asses sake, but for Israels sake; nor for Israels sake neither but in a subordinate sense; for it was for Gods sake primarily to uphold his truth a­gainst Satans lies in that Nation till Christ came in the flesh; for till then it was confined to Israels Nati­on; so I suppose your tongues and pens have actuated to reprove the madnesse of the generality of the Mini­sters of our Lord Jesus Christ, for neglect of their stu­dious pains and labour in the sacred Oracles of God, or a sneaking covetousness, or their proud strife and [Page 40]vain glory, or seeking praise and glory with men, ra­ther than with the infinite God: I say, suppose your tongues and pens were actuated to those ends, when the good Angel hath thus made use of you, he will deal with you as he did by that Asse, that is, bereft him of life, and left him dead: so he will bereave you of life, as to your rationall union and communion with the fountain of life, and leave you dead in sins and tres­passes, and yet alive in ever-living torments; and this shall be your wages for your work in gathering the seed of God, as you say in your book, pag. 2. line 4. but the examination, what this seed of God is, shall be the work of another chapter; therefore I may safely conclude of all you feducing Quakers (I speak not to the seduced) the sacred God, by whom all scriptures are given by inspiration, is not your Teacher, but the old serpent who is in your mouthes and pens, the most principall lyar and deceiver, whose-children you are, because the will of your Father you will do.

Again, truly many Antichrists have done villanous­ly, but thou, O light within, in villanies surmounts them all: for as Jerusalem justified Sodom, so thou light within dost justifie the Roman Antichrists; for she owns and honors the scriptures to be the sacred O­racles of God, although she abominably corrupts them; also she ownes and honors our Lord Jesus Christ, God man, blessed for ever more, and yet very corrupt in many things: Also she ownes and honours the great Jehovah to be one in three, and three in one: Nay, O thou light within, she abhorres thy abomina­tions, except it be in case, as the Fox loves to hear the Crow sing. But this, speaking of the Foxe, brings to my remembrance, one subtle trick more of your [Page 41]light within; thus is, as the Foxe, because he will run unperceived by the Hunter, creeps among a flock of sheep and lambs, as if he were one of them: so doe you and your friends, by styling your selves Christs sheep and Christs lambs, and suffering Saints; nay, to suffer more than Christ himself did: and this is scat­tered up and down through all your books.

I remember, John Chandler in your book, pag 3. in the 3. last lines you tell the Ministers, they do so ride the Beast or tyrannicall Magistrate, that ye have divers Lawes of their against the Saints: And the 4. page and the first line, you and your friends are stiled the Saints which are the Lambs followers.

Truly John this name of Saints is carried under the notion of many heavenly mouths, and yet wrapped up in men of most base, earthen or earthly mindes; so that this nominall Saintship is a cloak for more wickedness in England, than any cloak that I know of: and that's one reason why you and your friends (amongst the rest) crowd in for a Saintship. And I am confident in England there was never more men to talk of God, but I am afraid never fewer to walk with God, in order to the said rationall union and communion with him­self: But as for you and your friends, you disown your selves to be our Lord Jesus Christ's lambs and sheep; for him you despise, and null him as to your selves; for as those that love him, do keep his Commande­ments, so you loath him and despise his commande­ments, as is already proved against you.

Therefore if you are Saints he that is your Teacher did canonize you, and then you and your friends must needs be a parcel of pure Saints; I speak to you that are the seducers, and not the ignorant seduced people.

Again, your friend Theorie John you see does much magnifie himself in his great Scholar-ship, and in com­parison thereof undervalues the Scriptures, as too ma­ny do, though not in so base a sense as his, and yet they would not seem to do so: And the truth is this gives a further proof who was Theorie John's teacher in his high-flown Divinity; For although God is the tea­cher of other learned men in their tongues and langua­ges, as we see in the learning of the Egyptians and Mo­ses from them, Acts 7.22. Nay, God teacheth the ve­ry Husbandman his Art in order to mans support in this inferior world, Isa. 28.26. Also it was God that taught Bezaleel and Aholiah to be learned in curious Arts, &c. Exod. 36.1, 2, 3. yet all the learning of the learned terminates in this world as unsuitable to teach man his true felicity, it being contained only and alone in Gods sacred Oracles, the standing rule for faith and life: Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ, Luke 10.21. because God hath laid aside the wisdome and learning of the prudent, said, I thank thee O Father Lord of hea­ven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, &c. then ver. 23. the Text saith, our Lord Jesus Christ turned him to his Disciples, and said (privately) blessed are the eys that see the things which ye see, meaning the Gospel unveild of Moses vail; Likewise Paul, 2 Cor. 2.13. speaking of the Gospel unveiled by their preaching, saith, which things we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, &c. Likewise 1 Cor. 1.26. to right be­lievers Paul saith, You see your calling brethren, how that not many wisemen after the flesh, nor many mighty men, for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to con­demn the wise, &c. And in the 20. vers. of this chap. [Page 43]saith Paul, Where is the wise, where is the Scribe; where is the Disputer of this world: Hath not God made foo­lish the wisdom of this world, that is by his only infallible rule for faith and life, that is in order to bring man to his rationall union and communion with the divine na­ture. Then if God hath laid aside all the wisdome and learning of the wise, whereof himself is the teacher in this business of mans true felicity; then much more will he lay aside your learning, which you had from that teacher which actuated the Serpents tongue?

Again, your friend Theorie John (to advance his scholarship the more) doth shew and strongly affirm, that he was formerly illiterate, truly and so am I my self an Idiot, whom Jehovah hath taught in his Law, that Law which you so highly despise, and yet I will not turn my back to the most learned of you all in Di­vinity; neverthelesse I must tell you and your friends, it came not by my learning all in one day, but by study and industrie day and night, that is by ordinary means, which you and your friends despise. And I must tell you, that to this industry and study God hath bound himself by promise to give good successe; for he speak­ing of true wisdome, in order to the aforesaid rationall union and communion with himself, saith Prov. 2.4, 5, 6. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and finde the knowledge of God; for Jeho­vah giveth wisdome, &c.

Again, your friend Theorie John his Hebrew, Greek and Latin; no, nor the Hebrew, Greek and Latin of the godly learned is not of any use, but to preserve the translation of the Scriptures according to the ori­ginall copy, and so to apply it in their Ministrie to the [Page 44]People. And as for Logick, truly I think it is such a thing as you were never guilty of; for Logick is no more but right reason in order to right reasoning, the which is twofold; the one is the Art of Logick, which the Schools teach; the other is right reason, and right rea­soning according to the Scriptures Gods sacred Ora­cles, in order to mans Union and Commonion with the divine nature: But Logick in both these senses you and your friends doe abominate. Now as for Rhetorick and Eloquence, it is a thing which as to mans rational union and communion with the divine nature, St. Paul utterly laies aside: 1 Cor. 2.4. saith he My speech and my preaching was not with enticing or perswa­sible words of mans wisdome, but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power, &c.

Again, I remember your friend James Nailor tells us we have got the imitation instead of the thing, that is, instead of your unwritten Scripture within.

I answer, that you and your friends, as to the art of imitation are very exact, which brings to my mind the storie of an Ape, who looking upon a Glasier that was setting up a great glasse window, and observing how he drove in the tacks with his hammer, did (whilest the Glasier was gone to dinner) get up upon the ladder, took the hammer and fell to work (as you doe) and broke the glasse window all to pieces: Such is your and your friends imitation of the words of Scriptures to gild over your Idoll or unwritten Scripture within. Likewise, you imitate the name of Christ to burnish over your no Christ, and imitate the name of God to gild over your no God, or your golden Calfe. After the same manner ye imitate the name of the Saints, and bestow a great deal of cost upon your selves in making [Page 45]your selves seem to be that which in truth you are not. Likewise, because our Saviour Christ called that earthen-headed Politician by the name of a Fox, say­ing, go tell that Fox, &c. therefore forsooth in imita­tion of him you rant it against the Ministers and all godly people, calling the Ministers witches and Anti­christ, and the Magistrate you call the beast which car­ries these Witches and Antichrist; and this your act of imitation of the name of the things is instead of the thing it self.

And lastly, if the learned who have their learning from Gods gift, as it is proved, doe highly esteeme thereof, and from thence have somewhat a mean e­steem of the sacred Oracles of God, and so the Scrip­tures become a stumbling block to them, as Christ was to the Jewes; then much more shall you and your friends stumble and fall, and never rise again as to your rationall union and communion with the divine nature, mans true and eternall felicitie: And therefore your learning comes within the compasse of your foresaid act of Imitation; wherefore when a right believer comes to view your work of Imitation, he findes that which should let in the light of eternall peace to the mind of man, namely Gods sacred Oracles, dissolved as much as in you lies, much like the work of the Jack an apes and the Glasiers hammer: And whereas your learned Theourah John confounds our learned men as he vainly vapers, yet our Lord Jesus Christ made choice of twelve illiterate men to be his 12. Apostles purposely to lay aside the learning of the wise Rabbies as being uselesse and fruitlesse, in order to bring man to his rationall union and communion with the divine na­ture: and this made Paul cry out, Where is the Scribe, [Page 46]where is the Disputer of this World: implying that hu­mane learning with its excellencie terminates its use­fulnesse in this worlds good, in order to the society of man-kinde in Common-wealths, and the like: where­fore men doe well to send their children to the Schools of Oxford, Cambridge, or the like: but to send them thither to learn mans rationall union and communion with the Divine Nature from Heathen Authors, or humane learning is most hetrogenious; for hath not Je­hovah purposely given his sacred Oracles, the written Scriptures to be the only and alone infallible standing Rule for Faith and Life, in order to mans rationall uni­on and communion with himself to make the man of God perfect in the perfection of parts in this life, and the perfection of degrees in the life to come: and this is the teaching of our Ministers, but not of him that actuated the Serpents Tongue.

CHAP. VI. In which is opened the pretended labours of the Quakers, to gather the seed of God, as they call it.

AS for instance, John Chandler, you in your Book, page 2. line 2.3. say when the Apostles and Saints, had received power from on high, they went forth in that Power, and by that Power did gather the Seed of God out of severall Nations and places who were the Churches of Christ; and to this point speaks your friend James Nailor in his Book intituled, A dore opened to the imprisoned Seed; this seed (in your sense) is imprisoned in men untill men believe and professe with a seared conscience and brazed face, that the Light [Page 47]in them is the true Sciptures, and not the sacred Ora­cles of God; and the Light in them is the true Christ, and not our Lord Jesus Christ; and then this seed is out of prison; and then (for sooth) they have attained the first Resurrection, as appears at large in James Nai­lors forementioned Book.

But to return you an answer from the infallible rule for Faith and Life, which mentions a threefold seed produced by God, but not one word of your Idol Light within, which you say is the seed of God;

First it mentions a seed of the Woman.

Secondly, it mentions a seed of humane nature, as such.

Thirdly, it mentions a seed of believers.

As for the first, Gen. 3.15. It is said, The seed of the woman shall bruise thy head; and that this seed should be produced from man and woman, Gen. 17.19. Luk. 1.55. As God spake to our Father Abraham and his seed for ever, Acts 13.23. Likewise so from David, Of this mans seed hath God according to his promise, raised a Sa­viour unto Israel, Isaiah 7.14. It is prophesied this seed should be produced of womans seed alone, without the efficiencie of the seed of man; Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bring forth, and thou, O Virgin, shalt call his name Immanuel: the which prophesie was fulfilled many hundred yeers after: and also the forementioned Texts; for it appears in Saint Matthews Genealogie, she descended not only from Adam, but also from A­braham and David: and therefore in the Virgins seed was it produced materially the seed of them all, but formally of neither; and therefore Luke 1.31. when the Angel said unto her, Thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Sonne, and thou shalt call his name Je­sus: [Page 48]and he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdome there shall be no end: then Mary said unto the Angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not man? The Angel declared unto her how it should be, for he answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee: Also that Holy thing which shall come of thee shall be called the Son of God: That is, not the Son of God as his supposed Father Jo­seph, according to Lukes Genealogie, for so all man kinde are the sons of God and the off-spring of God and his generation, by Gods supreme efficiencie in the course of nature, Acts 17.28. But this seed of the wo­man, was produced by the Holy Ghost, as the formall efficient cause, and the Virgins seed only the materiall cause: And also, no sooner had the efficient cause so produced this seed in the Virgins womb, but it was presently assumed into personall union with the second in the one Jehovah: therefore saith Saint John, The Word was made Flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we be­held his glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son of God.

I pray you John Chandler you and your friends doe me this curtesie, as to tell me when that this most bles­sed seed personally God man, did ever send forth his ho­ly Apostles and Saints to gather the seed of your no God, but a fancie of you and your friends phantasticall brains.

Secondly, it mentions a seed of humane nature as such, Gen. 1.28. saith God to our first Parents, Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth; that is, [Page 49]with the seed of man, that is, humane nature, as such.

Again, when this deservedly was lost in Adams fall Gen. 3.24. Gen. 2.17. that is, not lost to be, as to be annihillated, but as to be in a possibilitie of the afore­said rationall union and communion with the Divine Nature: then the second time, the Scriptures men­tion Gods mercifull production of humane nature as such, Gen. 3.15. for when he had mentioned the afore­said promised blessed seed, then in mercie he gives a production of humane nature the second time as such, yet with sowre herbs to relish that sweet mercie in that seed, The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, Revel. 13.8. Saying to the woman, I will greatly mul­tiply thy sorrow and thy conception, then saith he unto her, In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, that is, humane nature as such from the seed.

Again, then by mans universall Apostacie from this mercie, the said production of humane nature, as such, was deservedly lost, for which he drowned the old world; yet then, he reserved eight persons of humane na­ture, as such, in the Ark, which figuratively, was Christ, the seed of the woman; and when those persons were come out of the Ark into the world, he then gives a second production of humane nature, as such, in the very seed, Gen. 9. The Text saith, God spake unto Noah and his Sons with him, saying, And I, behold I, establish my Covenant with you, and with your seed after you, verse 7, 8, 9. He saith, Be ye fruitfull and multi­ply and bring forth fruit abundantly in the earth and mul­tiply therein.

Thus God, out of humane seed, as such, made all Nations of men of one blood, that is, of one humane seed to dwell on the face of the earth, &c.

Now I pray you John Chaundler you and your friends doe me this curtesie, as to tell me whether your Christ did or not, send forth his precious Saints and Apostles to gather this humane seed, as such, so many thousands of years before your Christ was born: Tru­ly for my part, I could never hear where he was born or bred up, unlesse it were in the phantasticall brains of you and your friends.

Thirdly, the infallible rule for Faith and Life, men­tions a third seed of God, namely, the seed of the faithfull, that is, of right believers of God in his writ­ten Scriptures and sacred Oracles, as Pro. 11.21. Though hand joyn in hand, the wicked shall not be unpu­nished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered: Therefore it is by faith, to the end, that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not that only which is of the Law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us all; So that they which be of faithfull Abraham, are the children of God, Rom. 4.16. Gal. 3.9. That is, to say, they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the pro­mise are counted for the seed, Rom. 9.8. being born a­gain, not of corruptible seed but of immortall, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1.2, 3. And of this seed of God, our Lord Je­sus Christ saith, The good seed are the children of the kingdome: but the tares are the children of the wicked one, Mat. 13.38. Now I pray you John Chandler and your friends doe me this curtesie, as to tell me, in regard you say, that this seed of God are but they that have taken to themselves the words of Scriptures to talk of, and have gotten another faith different from your faith in your Christ? I say pray tell me now in [Page 51]good earnest, whether they or you be the seed of the wicked one? Or (as saith the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 1.4.) a seed of evill doers, children that are corrupters, that have forsaken Jehovah: I ingenuously leave you and your friends to judge the case.

CHAP. VII. In which is handled the superlative seeming sanctitie of the Quakers profession.

ANd in brief, it stands in yea and nay and also in thou and thee; so deny all reverentiall respects to any sort of men, of what rank or qualitie soever, that so you may intrude your selves to be equall to any, nay above all in your seeming sanctified perfection for­sooth; but in regard you affirm the Scriptures were given forth from your own Light within, I will let you see, what it saith against this your foolerie without.

And first, Moses from Gods own inspiration Lev. 19.32. saith, Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy Elohims: I am Jehovah; therefore you Quakers are no fearers of God.

Again, from the same inspiration, saith Paul, Eph. 6.2. Honour thy father and thy mother, (which is the first commandement with promise.

Again, in our Saviours time were proud professors who bended much towards your practice, but not in so bad a sense as doe you and your friends, Mat. 7.10, 11, 12. Our Lord Christ saith unto them, that coun­tenanced the deniall of reverentiall respects to their Pa­rents, [Page 52]ye suffer him no more to doe ought for his Fa­ther and Mother, making the word of God of none effect, as much more doe you Quakers: Likewise, 1 Pet. 2.17. saith Peter, from Gods inspiration, Ho­nour all men: Love the brother-hood: Fear God and honour the King: Likewise, Paul, 1 Tim. 5.3. Honor widowes that are widowes indeed: verse 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially which labor in the word and doctrin: Like­wise Abraham Gen. 18.2.3. did render reverentiall re­spects as to strangers, but indeed unto Angels una­wares, for saith the Text, when the Lord appeared un­to him in the plains of Mamre: as he sate in the Tent dore: He lift up his eyes, and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the Tent dore, and bowed himself to the ground: And said, my Lord, &c. Likewise David, 1 Sam. 20.41. rose out of his place towards the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himselfe three times to Jonathan, who was heir apparent to the Crown of Israel: Likewise, 1 Kings 2.19. Solomon arose from his Throne and bowed himself to his Mother: Likewise, Gen. 28.12. Joseph bowed himself to his Fa­ther Jacob with his face toward the earth: Likewise, Gen. 23.7. there was reverentiall respects betwixt A­braham and his Idolatrous neighbours; As for Abra­ham he stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even (saith the Text) to the children of Heth, and he communed with them, verse 8. saying, If it be your mind, &c. And the children of Heth, verse 5. answered Abraham, saying, hear us, my Lord, thou art a Prince of God amongst us, &c. And in the 2 Pet. 3.6. Sarah­cheyed Abraham and called him Lord. So 1 Sam. 25.23, [Page 53]24. Abigal bowed her self to the ground to David and called him Lord. Likewise Ruth to Boaz, and Boazcurte­ously said unto his Reapers, Jehovah be with you, and they (in reverence to him) answered, Jehovah blesse thee.

Now John Chandler & your friends I pray you doth not all this shame your sneaking, surley, silent, dumb scurvie carriage; but I know what you will say for your selves, that is, that the Scriptures use these words, thee and thou, ye and nay forsooth; I answer, It is one thing that the Scriptures mentions holy men and o­thers, using the aforesaid reverentiall respects toge­ther with ye and nay and thee and thou, as occasionally they were drawn out to either, and another thing to binde themselves only to yea and nay and thee and thou purposely to deny the aforesaid reverentiall respects to advance themselves above all men under the notion of a seeming perfection: another pretence for this your practise, is this; If holy men in Scriptures doe use these words of thee and thou to God, then much more ought you to use it to men.

First, I answer, this is a childish argument; for al­though Jehovah is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet he is not three Gods but one; therefore we holding our mindes to the Unitie of the Essence thee or thou is most proper to preserve our mindes from a plurali­tie of Gods.

Secondly, Because God is neerer to us then we are to our selves, by the foreshewn efficiencie and depen­dance of our natures upon his, all right believers so far forth as they are such, believes him to be so neer, and therefore doe use these words thee and thou; therefore there is neither truth nor reason in this your brutish pra­ctise, [Page 54]contrary to the practise of the aforesaid holy men, nay the aforesaid Heathen men shall rise in judgement against you: And again, God himself owns not this your sowre, solitarie, dumb carriage; for what saith the Prophet Isaiah unto God himself, Isaiah 64.5, 6. Thou meetest him, that rejoyceth and worketh righteous­nesse, those that remember thee in thy wayes, &c. Then how can God meet you in your wayes, for you, not only remember him not in his waies, but renounce and denie his waies and commandements in denying the Scriptures, and hatch all abominable mischiefs; there­fore the Prophet Isaiah rightly speaks chap. 59.5. Of these your waies and works, saying, They hatch cocka­trice eggs, and weave the spiders web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper: and in the 8. verse The way of peace they know not, and there is no judgement in their goings: they have made them crooked pathes: whosoever goeth there­in shall not know peace: And yet all this you would have passe under the notion of most high perfection: there­fore this leads me to handle the point of perfection.

In which I will observe this method, To enquire what perfection is, as to our point in hand.

And first Perfection, as it respects God himself, is two fold.

Secondly Perfection, as it respects man, that is two sold also.

The first Perfection as it respects God, is his Essence, who in himself is a Spirit, infinitely simple and pure, the which, what it is, is only known to himself; there­fore Ex. 3.14. God answered Moses querie, I am that I am, as if he had said, thou canst not understand what I am, but that I am, thy capacity being but a created [Page 55]thing; from this ground rightly, saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 6.16. He saith of God, that he it is, Who only hath immortality, dwelling in that light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting, Amen.

Secondly, Gods second perfection, is the perfection of his efficiencie or his operations, for he is the only and alone perfect efficient cause of all created natures, for he brought all creatures to be something out of nothing, that is out of no preexistent matter, Heb. 11.3. into a formlesse masse, in comparison of that perfection which afterwards it had, as it appears in the wonderful circum­ference of the Celestiall Globe of this inferior World: then much more in the super-Celestiall Globe, toge­ther with the splendant glorie therein, sutable to An­gels and mens felicitie to all eternitie; and in this infe­rior Globe of this earthie pondrous masse, with all the innumerable creatures moving thereon, though now subject to vanitie; then much more did the most per­fect efficiencie of God take place, when he saw every thing that he had made, and said, behold, It was very good, Gen. 1.

Secondly, the Perfection of man is also two fold.

The first is that, which is proper to his being, as such.

The second is that which is proper to his operations, as a subordinate efficiency to his perfection of parts, to his rationall union and communion with the Divine Nature.

As for mans perfection of being, as such, it is only continued by its forementioned dependency upon the Divine nature and never be dissolved by men or An­gels, but by God himself, which he will never doe to crosse his own finall end, that is, that men might be, to [Page 56]be to eternitie, that they may be vessels of honour or dishonour according to their works done in the body whether good or evill to eternitie: therefore at the re­surrection he will spirituallize all mens mortall bo­dies to the end that they may be of an everlasting du­ration.

Secondly, the perfection of parts as to mans oppera­tions in this life in order to his rationall union and com­munion with the divine nature, is the point that you and your friends deny. and dream of perfection of de­grees; And although enough already be proved a­gainst you to your eternall shame as to your fancied perfection of degrees; yet in this place I will open it a little more.

James Nailor in his book Love to the lost, pag. 3. line 4. saith to us, Now all you which finde your selves faln from that measure of God which he placed in man, &c. page 6. line. 1. That righteousness which God acts is but one which is his own, and in the next line, You that say that your righteousness is as filthy raggs, why doe you abide in that, Gods righteousness is not so.

Again, you John Chandler speak to the same per­fection in your book page 2. line 25, 26. you say your light within doth give forth living virtue to all his members which wait in the light to feel the power of life whereby they are purged and purified throughly from sin: and in the last line of this page, ye say to the Ministers, ye cry out blasphemy, that Christ through­ly freeth or purgeth any man or woman from sin while they live here but in part only. Certainly John Chan­dler your inside Christ which is no Christ, doth give forth much living virtue to all his members.

Also your friend James Nailer joyns with you in [Page 57]this point in his book Love to the lost, pag. 21. Of your inside no Christ, saith, And so are all his works and all his gifts; whosoever receives his gifts, receives that which is perfect, &c. and in the same page line 17, 18. he saith, Now since the mysterie of iniquity entred, there is another Ministrie gone into the world, who in­stead of gift hath taken up an imitation, and have got­ten another kind of faith in the world, wholly repro­bate (forsooth) as to perfection, preaching against per­fection with all their power, that they may be kept from blasphemy: So pag. 23. line 16, 17. and pag. 24. line 7. he saith, Perfection is denied by all those Priests and people who have not received the gift of perfecti­on: Of this sort are they who have their preaching to studie, pag. 24. line 2. Your Ministers tell you your righteousness is not perfect, and yet they call for righ­teousness; and yet say your best is but as filthy rags.

Now I will return an answer to these your blasphe­mous affirmations, as to your perfection of degrees, and prove the perfection but of parts in this life, which is taught by the Ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And first, Isaiah chap. 24.56. after he had said to God, Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy wayes: Then in the next verse saith of himself, and all those which so work righteousnesse, We are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy raggs; that is, if compared to the perfect righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, or to the righteousness of the Saints in the Church Triumphant.

Now it comes to my mind your friend Theorie John pag. 16. line 13, 14. being charged in his Indictment with desolate living, though in his book of ten Epistles [Page 58]the whole scope of it, is to prove your fancied perfe­ction of degrees, unawares acknowledges that which our Scriptures speak, and our Ministers teach, That is, the perfection but of parts in this life, Now saith hee, for living, that is, obeying what God commands, know that no man is perfect, but there is a closure and con­sent to all that is commanded; Againe, as-to the per­fection of parts, our Lord Jesus Christ himself speaks to his owne disciples, Luke 17.10. When you shall have done all things which are commanded you, say wee are unprofitable servants, wee have done that which was our duty to doe; Likewise Luke 11.4. as hee taught them to pray, Father give us our daily bread, so also Fa­ther forgive us our trespasses.

Again, John in his first Epistle chap. 1.7.8. speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ, ver. 6. saith, If wee say we have fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse, we ly, and doe not the truth, as you Quakers doe not, for your legion of lies is proved against you, but if we walke in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son clean­seth us from all sinne; In the next verse he saith, If we say that we have no sinne, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us; So that it is cleere, after right belee­vers are cleansed from all sinnes, guilt and punishment by Christs blood, there remaines sinnes inherently in them, therefore in this life they can doe no perfect good: And you that say you have no sinne, deceive not only others, but also your selves.

Againe, Paul Phillip. 3.9. hee excludes his owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe, and includes that which is through the beleefe of Christ, the righteous­nesse which is of God by beleefe, vers. 12. Not as if [Page 59]we had already attained, either were already perfect, as to the said rationall union and Communion with the divine nature; yet verse 14. he saith, I presse towards the marke for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; Let us therefore, as many as be perfect be thus minded, If any be otherwise minded God shall reveale e­ven this unto you; For we know but in part, for now wee see through a glasse darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am knowne.

Againe, Psal. 39.1. when the Prophet had said, I will take heede unto my waies that I sinne not, yet in the 5. vers concludes, verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity; Therefore cries out, O Lord enter not into Judgement with thy servants, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified; And Solomon his sonne saith, There is not a just man upon the Earth that doeth good and sinneth not.

Now, I pray you John Chandler, le me aske you and your friends this question? Who it is that be­witcheth the People with their Sorceries, That preach to the people from the Scriptures, That they can attain but to a perfection of parts in this life; Or those that preach to them contrary to the Scriptures, that they shall attaine the perfection of degrees in this life, and to bee as perfect as God himselfe when they depart this life.

CHAP. VIII. In which is handled the abuse which the principall Qua­kers doe against the Ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ, in three particulars.

FIrst, their maintaining the Sabboth day.

Secondly, concerning their maintenance and livelyhood.

Thirdly, concerning their protection from the Ma­gistrate.

John Chaundler, as to the first, you speake to the Ministers, page 3. line 9. ye being out of the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, cannot witnesse victory over sin and trangression, ye enter not into the true spiri­tuall and eternall rest, prepared for the people of God, but maintain and uphold a naturall day, to wit, every first day of the week, as for an outward Sabbath or Rest, which ye are not ashamed to call the Christian Sabbath or Rest: Is this day the true Christian Rest, and have they peace with God all the week and all their daies and for ever?

I answer, there is no reason why the Ministers should be ashamed to keep that first day; for did not the A­postles keep it & all the Churches of Christ from them to this day, hath and doe keep it; and here in Eng­land it is kept also by the Law of the Magistrate: and did not the Apostles and all the Churches keep it, as having its rise from the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, as in remembrance thereof; it being this first day of the week which we keep: and for this reason Saint John calls it the Lords day: and as the Apostles more frequently and more punctually preached the [Page 61]Lord Jesus Christ, and administred the Sacraments upon this day more than upon any other day; and so doe the Ministers here in England, and the Ministers in all the Churches of Christ: Now therefore I pray you, why should the Ministers be ashamed, as you rantingly put the question?

Again, I answer, suppose the Ministers doe erre in the circumstance, as indeed they doe, in placing the first day of the week upon a wrong foundation; for this day hath no other foundation, than what already is named; but they out of love to Gods glory and the good of the people, endeavour to settle it upon a foun­dation that God never intended, and this error it is but an error of love, and not that they love to erre as you doe, therefore they need not be ashamed; as also because the Text saith, in many things we erre all: And because you and your friends say you cannot erre you are faln already by pride, in so thinking of your selves: but to return to the matter in hand, the Mini­sters endeavour to place the first day of the week to have its rise from the fourth Commandement, Thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath day, &c. The which Sab­bath was the seventh day; but this first day of the week is the eighth day of an outward rest: and the truth is, that Commandement commands neither an eighth day nor a seventh day, nor a first day of the week, nor a Lords day, nor no other day for an outward day of rest, but the forementioned seventh day for an outward rest to the Jews, during the standing of that National Church, the which outward rest did figuratively contain that in it, which is the morality of that command for ever, namely, that rest, which right belivers then had or now have in God, by their rationall union and communion [Page 62]with the Divine Nature, really and truly in this life, and in the next life eternally, as saith the Text, There remaineth therefore a rest, or keeping of a Sabbath, to the people of God, Hebr. 4.9.

And John Chaundler I must tell you, this is the only true spirituall and eternall rest, which (as is said) is the morall part of the fourth Commandemant, and indeed the substance therof, the outward rest being but the cir­cumstance; and the Ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ doe preach and maintain this substance in all the Chur­ches of Christ, and therefore why should they be asha­med to call it the true Christian Sabbath, a Rest, they preaching and administring the Sacraments upon that day (as said is) to bring men to the foreshewn rationall union and communion with the Divine Nature? there­fore John Chaundler they need not be ashamed of their imployment upon the Lords day; but I am confident you may be ashamed (if you have any shame in you) of what you say against the Ministers and of your keeping of a Sabbath to your stinking Idoll, as not (forsooth) so much as to think your own thoughts, nor to speak your own words: I pray you give me leave to ask you and your friends this question, are not these your own thoughts and words, that your uncreated souls are Gods own Essence, in part now and in full in the own Jeho­vah hereafter.

Secondly, are not these thoughts and words your own, that our Lord Jesus Christ is but an outside Christ and no Christ but in name, and that the sacred Oracles of God are not a standing rule for Faith and Life? But (forsooth) your Light within is the only tru Christ and the true Scripture a standing Rule for Faith and Life, and are not these your own thoughts and words: Also [Page 63]that the Ministers must not maintain the first day of the week, nor have any certain maintenance, nor no pro­tection by the Magistrate, because they are as truly Antichrist as the Pope and his Clergie; and for abu­sing the people with their Witcheries and Soceries; and are not these your own thoughts and words?

Likewise of the Parliament to whom you and your friends made their addresses for protection in your Book page 4. you exclude them all (none excepted) from love to God or man; for, say you, I am sure, God they love not, for they love divers Idolls which their hearts run after, aspride, riches, &c. and these withdraw their hearts from God; and, say you, neither doe they love their neighbour, as to doe to them as they would be done by, they being hard hearted, implacable, mercilesse, &c. and are not these your own thoughts and words, in page 4. And thus you vaunt it and rant it over all men, of what rank or qualitie soever, under the notion of your deified perfection; but whether you did think these thoughts or speak these words in your Idolls true Rest and Sabbath? I leave you and your friends in this to be Judges in your own cause.

The second particular is concerning the Ministers maintenance and livelyhood, and of this, thus you speak to the Parliament, John Chandler, in your Book page 8. lines 8, 11, 12. O you Parliament of England, open your eyes and see what a Gospel Ministerie ye doe at present maintain, and think ye ought to maintain such as are the Priests, and consider, that in so doing ye are but the Beast spoken of by John in his Revelation, which carried the Whore, &c. and in the same page, l. 19.20. know this, O thou Parliament, and all future Parliaments, That while the false Prophet in this or [Page 64]these three Nations are upheld of you by a Law, or any kind of set maintenance whatsoever, &c. And page 9. Ye exhort the Parliament not to maintain the false Prophet, but to leave him to himself to stand upon his own Legs; But in this, O ye Rulers of the Earth, ye are not yet come; truly, John Chaundler I am confident, nor never will.

I answer, your main drift in all this, is no more but this, That the Ministerie of our Lord Jesus Christ may be void and null; and therefore in the forenamed 8. page of your Book, you desire the Parliament to with­draw their protection from the Ministers.

Again, why ought not Ministers to have a settled maintenance and livelyhood for them and theirs, as well as other men, in regard by preaching the Gospel from the mouth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his Apo­stles and Evangelists, and seventy Disciples sent forth, into the parts of the world on purpose to bring men to be right believers in God by Jesus Christ; and that so there came to be Churches gathered & settled, Pastors and Teachers, that is, Ministers and People; and as Churches did settle; so the means and maintenance of Ministers did settle to them and theirs: and thus God himself in the settled Church of the old Testament al­lowed them a complete standing maintenance for them and theirs: And Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 9.13. (alluding to Gods own practice in this case) brings it in as a pattern for the Ministers in the New Testament; Doe we not know, saith he, that they which minister about holy things, live of the things in the Temple? and they which wait at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar: Then he saith, Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel: And he taking it [Page 65]for granted, that Ministers have or ought to have a complete standing maintenance for them and theirs saith, Paul 1 Tim. 3.2. A Minister must be blamelesse, the husband of one wife, Modest, of good behaviour, given to hospitalitie; and how can a man be given to hospitality and have nothing to doe it withall, according to your Doctrine? And Paul tells Titus, hee must be a lover of hospitalitie, and our Saviour Christ saith to the Mi­nister of the Church of Thyatyra, Rev. 2.19. I know thy works and charity, and (I pray you) what harme is there in it for Ministers to have a compleat standing mainte­nance, as to keep good hospitality, and to bee able to render mercy to others? Is it not a more blessed thing to give then to take, and truly prosperity and a full estate hurts no man, simply considered in it selfe, un­less they fall in love with it, as you have done with your Idoll, Light within; which as it is but a shadow, so the wealth of this world is no more, and contributeth but to the maintenance only of this mouldring body of flesh, which contains in it selfe a nastie excrementall purgation and evacuation, and the whole body bends or tends to putrifaction: Therefore, saith the Text, Gala. 6.8. hee that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit, that is, in order to the said rationall union and communion with the divine nature, shall of the Spirit reape life e­verlasting, so much for the second particular.

Thirdly, concerning their protection from the Magistrate, although there is enough proved alrea­dy in their precedent Speeches to the Parliament, yet I will say something more in this place.

Isaiah the Prophet, chap. 49. verse 23. prophetical­ly speaking of the Churches under the Gospell in the [Page 66]new Testament saith, Kings shall be thy nursing Fa­thers and their Queenes thy nursing Mothers, cleerely speaking of the Magistrates protection to Churches, much more to Ministers which are their Pastors and Teachers; Paul 1. Tim. 2.2. exhorts to pray for Kings, and for all that are in authority; That we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlynesse and hone­sty; so that it is cleere from the Scriptures, that Chur­ches and Pastors and Ministers have right and may have intercourse to Magistrates protection; and yet you John Chandler rant it out against the Ministers, page 9.3. last lines, saying you run to state policie to make that your refuge and a cover for your present actings, &c.

And I pray you John Chandler, why may not the Ministers addresse themselves to the Magistrates pro­tection as well as you and your friends, as divers of you did at that time when you delivered this booke; The reason was, you were frighted at an honorable and most noble Vote that passed the House, which was September 30. 1659. And the Vote was this; Resol­ved That the supreme legislative power is not intrust­ed to restraine the profession of any person or persons who professe Faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ, God manifested in the flesh; and in God the holy-Spi­rit God blessed for ever more; And doe acknowledge the holy Scriptures of the New and Old-Testament to bee the revealed and written Word or Will of God; It was this Vote that made you and your friends swarm to the House dore, fearing that your cheating light within would fall short of protection; and therefore you made one at the Parliament-House dore, in such a forlorne posture as if you had beene a Roman, Anti­christian-Anchorite.

Now if you that are a pack of Villains, as base as e­ver the earth bore, can adresse your selves to the Par­liament for protection, and yet rant at the Ministers of Jesus Christ for doing so, may I not crave leave to call you impudent, for you suppose them all to bee fooles, for prosperity hurts none but fooles; For saith the Text, Prosperity is the destruction of Fooles, and so much for the third particular.

Now John Chandler, there is another friend of yours that wee have not met with all this while, That is a discourse betwixt Lieutenant-Collonell John Lil­burne and my selfe in Dover-castle in the yeere 1656. The which Discourse I answered and I will put in this place because I would not that the Reader should have it to seeke.

Yet, before I come to your friend John Lilborne, I would have you and your friends answere mee this que­stion, That if our Lord Jesus Christ, in the daies of his flesh, at Jerusalem, made a whip of small cords to whip the people for abusing that which was but a figure of himselfe, in whom all his Fathers true worship was to terminate, For this reason all right beleevers in those daies, if dispersed into any forraigne Countries, did pray or worship the Father, with their faces toward that Temple, and their windowes open towards Jeru­salem; I say, that if in the judgement of our Lord Je­sus Christ, they deserved to bee whipped for abusing but the shadow, how much more doe you and your friends deserve whipping, as well as James Nayler, that thus abuse the substance, which is himselfe and his Father, which as it respects men, destroyes (as much as in you lies) mens true peace in this World, and eter­nall peace in the world to come; And yet, forsooth, [Page 68]you present your selves under the notion of a peaceable People, but they that our Lord Jesus Christ whipped out of the Temple were far more peaceable then you, for they were but externally uncivill, as to the shadow, but you to the substance, as is proved, and when they were whipped out of the Temple, they went out peaceably, offering no resistance; therefore (all things considered) they were more peaceable then you and your friends are; But if you will return me an answer to this question, I promise you I will give you a modest and a reall reply, provided that the stuff which you re­turn be not such as formerly divers of your friends did to that Reverend, Godly, Learned man; worthy of double honor, for his pains and labour in the Word and Doctrine, as also against you and your friends, namely Mr. Richard Backster, for, if you give me any such re­turn, I will return it to the fire, to try if the Witch will cometo the dore, yet mistake mee not, I doe not thus speake unto the seduced ignorant people, but to you and your friends, that are the Seducers; Only I desire you that are the Seducers, seriously to consider this, That if our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom was resident originally, both Magistracy and Ministry, and yet al­waies refused to act as a Magistrate, but only as a Mini­ster, yet in this particular he was pleased to act as a Ma­gistrate: I would aske you this question, Why a law­full Magistrate should scruple to follow his example, to whip you that are the Seduces.

CHAP. IX. Coutaining an Answer to Lieutenant Collonell John Lil­born, his six particulars, viz.

FIrst you deny the Trinitie.

Secondly, you deny the Scriptures to be the word of God.

Thirdly, you deny there is any word of God, but that Light which is in man.

Fourthly, you affirm in your Book tituled The Re­surrection of John Lilborne, page 16. That, that Light in man, is as the Light is in God himself, in whom is no darkenesse at all.

Fifthly, you affirm the Scriptures are true, as a wit­nesse bearer or declarer of that Light in man, which you call Christ.

Sixtly, you affirm Gods Word, that is the Light in man was long before the Scriptures.

To the first I answer, and thus I prove the Trinitie, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, Deut. 6.4. and you may remember I told you the word Lord, twice in this Text, was by the care of the Translators of the Bible ordered to be printed in Capitall Letters, purposely to notifie unto the people, that the word Lord in the originall was Jehovah, as I have heard Doctor Gouge say many yeers agoe; whereupon I told you, that you must read the verse thus, Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah; so that here is Trinitie and Unitie: Also I told you, Gen. 1.26. The Elohims spake each to other and said, Let us make man, &c. And John in his fi [...]st Epistle 5.7. saith, There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, [Page 70]and the Holy Ghost: these three are one; here also is Trinitie in Unitie, and Unitie in Trinitie, sutable to that of Moses, Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah, as Master John Brayne most learnedly unfolds against Master John Beadles most grosse doctrine of the Trini­tie; and as he saies to him, so say I to you, denie this if you can.

As to the second, I will prove the Scriptures to be Gods word, which is that which declares the minde of God to man, as amongst men, our words convey one mans minde to another; It is written Hebr. 1.1, 2. God who at sundrie times, in divers manners spake in time past unto the Father by the Prophets, hath in these last times spoken unto us by his Son.

Again, when the Elohims spake each to other, saying, Let us make man, &c. here note by the way, that because the Elohims thus spake each to other, the Trinitie cannot be as some dream, that is distinctions, and relations only, but really existences in the Essence of Jehovah; for distinctions and relations are such as cannot speak.

Man being thus made, God conveys his minde to mans minde by his word, and said unto them, Be fruit­full and multiply, &c. Likewise he said, Behold, I have given you every herb, &c. likewise, Gen. 2.16. Jeho­vah Elohim commanded the man, saying, &c. likewise, after the fall, Jehovah Elohim called to Adam, and said unto him, &c. likewise he conveyed his minde to Cains minde, three times by his Word: likewise, Gen. 9.8. Elohim said to Noah, the end of all Flesh is come be­fore me; so also he conveys his mind to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, &c. and so to Abraham, Gen. 13.13, 14. Gen. 12.1. are not these words which these [Page 71]Scriptures speak, Gods own words, by which he con­veyed his minde to the minde of these men; but I pray you kearken what God speaks to all such as you are, The soul that doth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land or a stranger, the same reproacheth Jehovah, and doe not you reproach Jehovah, when you denie these and other Scriptures to be his word? yet he fur­ther saith, That soul shall be cut off from amidst his peo­ple, I but mark the reason and ground, because he hath despised the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his Commandement: Here note, that God concludes his Word and his Commandements to be one and the same thing, and concludes, that soul shall be utterly cut off, his iniquity shall be upon him, that is, it shall never be forgiven him, except God in mercie grant repentance: The truth is you are worse than the Hea­then; for they believed the word spoken unto them by Moses to be the word of Jehovah. He that feared the word of Jehovab among the servants of Pharaoh, made his Servants and his Cattle flee into the houses: likewise, he conveyed his minde by his word to the minde of the Israelites, for to them he spake all these words, saying, I am Jehovah thy Elohims, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, thou shalt have no other Elohims be­before me.

Moreover he saith, Ye shall not adde unto the word, which I commanded you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it: Here take notice of this, that this Scrip­ture God owns to be his word; therefore admits of no addition or diminution; then it is certain it is the spirit of the Divell in you: I doe not say, that doth adde or diminish, but that which is much worse, for you en­deavour [Page 72]utterly to dissolve the Scriptures.

Again, the Apostle Peter affirms two conclusions of the old Testament.

First, that the then written Scripture in his daies (namely the Old Testament) was to the Churches of Christ, a more sure word of Prophesie, than that ex­cellent speech, that came from Heaven to Jesus Christ upon the Mount; because that was a private and pecu­liar respect to him alone; He renders this reason why; know this first, saith he, that no prophesie of Scripture is of any private interpretation, as all your Quaking Doctrines are, being bottomed upon your Light with­in, which neither you nor any man else knowes what it is.

Secondly, your Doctrines are of a private interpre­tation; because they are not owned by the publique Oracles of Gods word, neither doe you own them to be his word: The Apostles second conclusion to the Churches (as to the Old Testament) is, You doe well that ye take heed, as to a Light that shineth in a dark place, untill the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts; and in the 21. verse he renders a reason thereof; for (saith he) the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man, as your Quaking Doctrines doe: But holy men of God spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Now the reason why the shining of the old-Testa­ment was in a darke place is, because it was under types and shadowes and Prophecies, as to them that had not beleeved the Gospell, though then unveiled, and by the dawning of the day, and the day-star arising in their hearts, is meant the preaching of the Gospell without that veile so beleeving in Christ, more cleerely mani­fested to their minde by his Spirit, That was the day­star [Page 73]which was to arise in their hearts.

Againe, our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe proves the Scriptures to bee the Word of God, Mark 7.8.13. when he had charged them that they had laid aside the Commandements of God, as doe you more directly then ever they did; Then in the 13 verse hee affirmes, that Commandement written in the Scriptures to bee the Word of God. Likewise he affirmes, the Go­spell preached to be the Word of God, Luke 8.11. for saith he (expounding the Parable) the seed is the Word of God, and it appeares also to bee the Word of God, preached, vers. 18. saying, take heed how you heare, and from this ground I told you that a wiser man then you did affirme the Scriptures to be the word of God, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ. Likewise hee saith unto them, John 10.34, 35. It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods; if you call them Gods, to whom the Word of God came, and the Scripture can­not bee dissolved. Here our Lord also affirmes the word of God to be the Scripture. And in John 17.8. Our Lord to his Father concerning his Apostles, saith, I have given them thy words, which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

Observe here, that Gods word which the Father gave to Christ, and Christ to his Apostles, and they be­leeving those words, preached them to the world, the substance whereof is in their Gospels and Epistles, and the Scripture is unto us these words of God and the ground of our Faith; but you endeavor to dissolve this ground, and to lay a foundation of your owne ma­king, a thing that you call a Light-within, and tell us [Page 74]that that is Gods word, and that there is none other but that, and you call this thing the everlasting Word of God, and your Christ, and your spirituall king Je­sus, and this Lie is the ground of your Faith: but our Lord Jesus Christ, in the houre of his temptation, kept his minde closs to the Word of God in the Scrip­tures that were written by Moses, to repell the temp­ter and his temptations, saying to the Devill, It is written, that Man shall not live by Bread alone, but by e­very word of God, that is, his minde shall live by belee­ving the Scriptures, as his bodie doth by Bread, as in verse 8. Get thee behinde mee Satan, for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; and this word was then written, and here our Lord applies those Scriptures to the Devills, that were spoken to the Israelites, they being his creatures as well as man: Thus the word of God in the Scrip­tures was the ground of Christ's Faith, and so are to all that are his, that is, that are truly Godly. Therefore because you deny the Scriptures to be Gods word, and also the sacred Trinity, consequently you deny God himselfe; for, it is proved that Jehovah is in the Elo­hims, and the Elohims in Jehovah; wherefore I told you, because you deny principles, you ought to bee served as they serve such in the Schooles, that is, they kick them out, and so ought you to bee kicked out of the schoole of Christ, and out of the company of all Gods people, yet neverthelesse did then grant that the Scriptures as a humane expression, as printed in Inke and Paper, was not the word of God, for that may bee burnt in the fire, as the King did the Roll; yet that which was expressed to the King in that Roll was the word of God, and God made it good unto him, and [Page 75]so he will make good his word upon you and your com­panions, though you endeavour to dissolve that word, as did that King, that all men must ground upon a lye, and nothing else, for you deny the increate word of God, the second Elohim in the Trinitie, who in the be­ginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, John 1.1.

And secondly, you deny the Scriptures to be the word God, and so you leave the world no word of God, but the Light forsooth that is within you: so much for your second point.

Thirdly, you affirm there is no word of God, but that Light which is in man.

To this I need give no answer, having proved a two fold word of God, but because you did affirm your Light within to be the word of God, I desired you to prove it: thereupon you alledged the 1 of John and the first verse; In the beginning was the Word, &c. To which I answered, That Word which was with God, and was God, was the second Elohim in Jehovah, or in the Trinity, and he did create all things, and with­out was not any thing made, that was made; but what, I pray you did that Light within you create, what were the things which it created and made? For the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is personally God­man simply so, created nothing, that is, as he is Christ; yet you would have your Light, which you call Christ, to be a Creator of you know not what. And because I affirm, that the Word, that was with God, and was God, being the second person in Trinitie, this stirred up the Light within you to deny the Trinitie: there­fore I conclude, that the Light which is in you is dark­nesse: yet neverthelesse, I doe grant that the Lord [Page 76]Jesus Christ, as personally God-man the second Adam after the fall of the world by the first Adam, immedi­ately did, as the faithfull and true witnesse of God a­gainst the Apostate Angels lyes, as it were put a new creation upon the works which God had made, by virtue of his imputative righteousnesse interposing the imputative unrighteousnesse of Adam, put the whole Creation in a travell untill now, from that bondage of corruption to which it fell, to be partakers of the glorious libertie of the sons of God; and this first chapter of John speaks to both, that is, what he did, as he is the second Elohim in Jehovah: and also to what he did, as he was personally God-man Jesus Christ; but what is all this to your Idoll-Light with­in, which is your spirituall King, Jesus and your Christ; I, and the same Light which is in God himself: I pray you, let me ask you this question, Is not this to re­proach Jehovah? For you also attribute Creation to your Light within: so much to the third point.

Fourthly, you affirm in your Book, page 16. That the Light in man, is, as the Light is in God himself, in whom is no darknesse at all.

I Answer, this word Light is a Metaphor, aluding to the Light of this inferior elementary world, which Light is not sutable to the reasonable soul of man, nor Spirits, as Angels, but to the eye of Flesh, as to man and beast, yet no man certainly knows what it is, but in probability, whether it be a qualitie, a substance, or a Spirit: therefore for its excellencie, the Essence or nature of Johovah is compared unto it; the words are these, God is Light in whom is no darknesse at all, who only hath immortality dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto, which no man hath seen, nor can [Page 77]see, to whom be honour and power everlasting, Amen.

Yet in your Book page 15. you affirm, that this Light which is in the Text, is the infinite Essence of God, is the living or quickening, holy, or tender part of man, the everlasting Word of God by whom all things were made.

But herein you fall just with the Familists, that the Essence of God is the tender part of man; but as to those your elder brethren in evill, I have answered this point formerly in my third Treatise of Gods free Grace page 19.27. And also in my second Treatise from page 104. to 108. neverthelesse I will say something of this point to you also; and first, I grant that this increate Light, the Essence of Jehovah our Elohims, is in all men and in all things, but not in your sense, as to be any part of the nature of man, or of any thing else, for it is in him, that we and all things else doe live and move and have our being; For as nothing is able to include him, so it is impossible that he should be excluded by any thing.

But I pray you here take notice, that although the sacred Essence of God, be within and without all men yet this no way conduces to the happinesse of man, as you ignorantly affirm in severall places of your Book, and in page 19. it is affirmed to be the very principle of all true Religion; I pray you, is it such a principle to the Divells and all damned creatures for their being, life and motion is in him; He that is being it self, is the bottom of the being of all created nature, and so it is of good and bad men to continue them to be happy or to be tormented to eternitie, otherwise they would all fall to nothing by an anihillation; But God for his finall ends sake, will so continue them for ever: Now [Page 78]what that finall end is I refer you to my second Treatise and thus for his finall ends sake, he upholds the earth which hangs by nothing, as saith the Text, that is by no created thing, and the Text saith, He sitteth upon the circle of the Earth, and the truth is this, Infinite Es­sence, is not only in and through all created natures and worlds, but also his intrinsecall glory extends far beyond them all, and he is where they are not nor any created thing ever was; for in his intrinsecall glory, they all add nothing unto him; who is Jehovah our Elohims, our own Jehovah; and is this that which you call the tender part of man? and so his happinesse as you childishly affirm, not knowing what you say.

Again, I answer and grant, it is a great happinesse unto a Godly mind to know and possesse this infinite Light which is both within and without us, as he is pleased to stoop to our capacities, as appears, John 1.1. speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ personally God­man, he saith, that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of Life; Here note, that John had heard and seen Christ, looking upon him, and handled Christ by being in his company: but your Idoll Christ, your Light, your everlasting Word, that same tender part of man was never visible but invisible; for you say, it is within, so that you nor any man else, can say what it is, except a whimsey: But in the second verse John complains himself further saying, The life was manifested, we have seen it and bear witnesse, and shew unto you that eternall life which was with the Father, & was manifested unto us, and ver. 3. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us, and [Page 79]truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full: and verse 5. concludes, This then is the message which we have heard of him, that is, of Christ, and declare unto you, namely, that God is Light, in whom is no darknesse at all: Thus it is a great happi­nesse to a godly minde, to know the infinite God as he hath manifested himself by Jesus Christ; for John writ these things to the faithfull, that their joy might be full.

Againe, take speciall notice of this, that it is one thing that the infinite essence of Jehovah, thus posses­seth man and all things else, as is foreshewn, and another thing for man to possesse him, as to his happinesse; for so man only possesseth God by his rules, which he hath made suitable to man's understanding and will, so to move and worke, to enjoy him as a reasonable Crea­ture, and this is to walke in the light, and his light to be in us, as saith the text, Psal. 119.106.130. The en­trance of thy Word giveth light, it giveth understand­ing to the simple, thy word is a lampe unto my feete, and a light unto my path, and this is implyed by John, 1 John 6.7. If we say wee have fellowship with him and walke in darknesse wee lie and doe not the truth, And if wee walke in the light as hee is in the light, wee have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his sonne cleanseth us from all sinne, 2 John. 3.

Hereby wee know that wee know him, if wee keep his Commandements; but I am sure you know him not for you deny his Commandements to be his word, and refuse to walke by his rules: You will have his es­sence as a tender part of you, and that's your Word, and that's your Rule, but what saith the next verse, [Page 80] Hee that saith hee knoweth him and keepeth not his Com­mandements is a lyer and the truth is not in him; and in the next verse hee calls God's Commandements his Word; Whosoever keepeth his word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected, and hereby wee know saith saint John, that we are in him. Therefore because you doe not keep his word, wee know that ye are not in him, for all your swelling words of vanity in your fourth page; for when you had spoken of your single­sold, your single-hearted Shoomaker. I stand ready say you, to hear and obey all things, that the lively voice of God (which is your Light within) speaking in my soul, shall require of me, as page 5. You quote one John Jack­son for a tall Cedar in the profession of Religion, but you vaunt your own self a taller man of your hands than any speaks with tongue page 19. for say you, I lay down this as a positive position, which through the strength of God, viz. your lying Light within, I shall not only be able by Letter or witnesse without me, viz. the Scripture or declaration of the Word of God, (of your lying Light within) cleerly to maintain against the a­blest man whatsoever that speaks with a tongue, that can or shall oppose it, &c. yet nevertheless here is a poor Idiot, whom Jehovah hath taught in his Law, is able to encounter you and all your companions, and also your emissaries whom ye send out to preach your lying Light in the Countries, and stile them the Ministers of the everlasting Gospel: But of this Light namely the true Light, I will give you a definition, what Light is, from the Apostle Eph. 5.13. Whatsoever doth make manifest is light: this he layes down as a definitive Rule, what Light is, as to us men, yet note this, he doth not de­fine Light in his nature, but as it is in its effects to us; [Page 81]so he defines it, whatsoever doth make manifest that is Light; God doth manifest himself to us in four things, e­very of which to us is Light.

The first, is the Fabrick of the Creation in all its parts, man himself the chief, the Text saith, That which may be known of God is manifest in them, that is, the Crea­tures, for God hath shewed it to them, for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are cleerly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternall power and God-head, hence the Psalmist saith, O Jehovah how wonderfull are thy works, in wisdome hast thou made them all, the earth is full of thy righteousnesse, who so is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord: therefore this manifestati­on was Light to these godly men.

A second manifestation of God, to lead men to know the invisible God, is, his word written in the Scriptures which (as formerly is proved) giveth light to the simple being a lamp unto their steps and a light unto their paths; this is the second light.

But thirdly, that which doth manifest most of all, and is therefore light is the Spirit of God, being the third Elohim in Jehovah, that is, even the spirit of truth, and when the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, san­ctifie them through thy truth, thy word is truth, that is, the spirit of God enlightens the minde to love and obey God in his word of truth, according to the desire of David, Open thou my understanding, that I may see the wonders of thy Law, and in another place, Teach me and lead me in the truth; and the Apostles speaking of right believers, saith, The spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed, that is, the [Page 82]third Elohim, discovering to us by the word of God, some depth of our imperfections to any thing that is right in Gods sight, from thence ariseth sighs and groans that cannot be expressed, and not that the third Elohim himself doth sigh and groan, but because his silent and secret efficiencie doth frame a sanctified minde to his blessed disposition, there­fore it is attributed to him, and not to us: so it is attributed to him, to make intercession for us; not that he doth actu­ally make intercession for us, not that he doth actually make intercession himself; but because he teacheth us how to pray aright according to Gods word, for saith the Text, God hath revealed this to us by his spirit, for the spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God; therefore this manifestation is the most neer and cleerest light to the minde of man; and therefore light: for saith the definition whatsoever doth manifest, that is Light.

Fourthly, there is in all men a light within, but not in your sense, for although in Adams fall we are all totally darknesse it self, yet I say there is a light which enlighteneth every man which commeth into the world, which is the spirit of God the third Elohim, and he doth write the effect of the Law of God in the hearts of all men, from whence they doe by nature the things contained in the Law which (as saith the Text) shew the effect of the Law written in their hearts, and it was written to this end, that from this Light within, sutable to that Light without, Gods word, namely the Scriptures, they might come to Christ that he might give them life: or on the contrary, if they by cu­stome in sin extinguish this Light within, this will leave them in their own consciences without excuse, as is at large amplified in all my three Treatises; but your Light within you is a lye, and you have extinguished that good Light which was written within you. And you are become dead [Page 83]in sins and trespasses to come to Christ, for you deny him, and say the Light in you is Christ, and you deny the Scrip­tures to be Gods word: you also deny the Trinity and con­sequently you deny God himself: and therefore (as our Sa­viour saith) If the Light that is in thee be darknesse, Mat 6.23. how great is that darknesse.

And now I come to the fifth generall point, which is you affirm the Scriptures are true as a witnesse-bearer or declarer of that Light in man, which you call Christ; In answer to which I deny that the Scriptures are any witnesse-bearer to your Light within, which is your Idoll, stiled by the severall names aforesaid; for if it should bear witnesse to your foolery, it should witnesse it self to be no word of God: and also that the Lord Jesus personally God-man blessed for evermore, is not the Son of God; and so it should contradict what it self affirms: also it should deny what it self affirms, that is, that Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah, as doth your Light within, which mistery of ini­quitie you varnish over with the words of the Scriptures in an injurious and uncouth sense, as doe your Gipseys and canting Beggers, who leave their native language as you do the native sense of the Scriptures, and only use the terms: and you had need put glorious titles upon it, and when you have done all, it is nothing else but a painted Sepulchre, and nothing but stench and rottennesse wherefore you gild it o­ver with your sufferings and imprisonments, writing your selves persecuted Saints; truly if you and your companions be Saints, you are of the Pope or the Divells canonizing, for I am sure that God never owned any man to be holy, that ever denied the holy Scriptures to be his Word, or that de­nied the second Elohim, to assume humane nature and so became personally God-man, and to be his seventh means, as is proved in my second Treatise; or that ever denied the [Page 84]Trinitie, which is to deny God himself, Jehovah our Elo­him to be one Jehovah; and if the Lord Jesus Christ com­manded Peter, who was a Saint, get thee behind me Satan, in reference to the temptation, which Peter unawares tempted him unto, then much more will he judge you to be the children of the Divell whose works ye will doe as did your Father the Divell, when he alledged the Scriptures to Christ tempting him to throw himself off from the Tem­ple that he might destroy himself; so you bring in the Scriptures as a witnes-bearer to the lying Light within you, but it is to destroy and dissolve the Scriptures from being Gods Word, to make that good, that there is no sure Word of God, but that lying Light of yours within you; for you deny the second person in Trinity, to be the increate Word mentioned in the 1 John 1. and the Scriptures to be Gods Word; also you deny the Trinitie, consequently you deny Jehovah our Elohims to be one Jehovah, consequently you leave no God at all, but your Light within, which you call by the name of God in divers places of your Book.

Lastly, you affirm that Gods Word, the Light in man was long before the Scriptures; but having so largely pro­ved this Word of God within you, to be no more nor lesse than a lye, this last point of yours needs no answer at all; neverthelesse I grant your Word of God, to be long before the Scriptures were; for your Father the Divell was a lyar from the beginning, John 3.44. and it was long after the Devill was first a lyar, that Moses began the Scriptures, and your quo­tations of Scripture in the Margent of your Book are nu­merous, and all is but to gild over your Idoll Light within, and although you give us number, yet you give us no weight of truth even as you give us Antiquity, but no ve­rity: and although you undervalue the Antiquity of the Scriptures, yet it declares a truth unto us more ancient than [Page 85]you or your fathers lies, that is what the Elohims spake each to other, and said, Let us make man in our Image; Al­so it tells what God said to man, having made him, the Elohims said unto him, Be fruitfull and multiply: And the Elohims said, Behold I have given you every tree bearing seed, &c. Jehovah Elohim commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden, &c. Also the Scriptures tell us of divers things long before themselves were written, Gen. 3.8 9 that the word of God after the fall was manifested to Adam and his wife: and also that Jehovah manifested himself to Cain by his word three times; and also that the word of Jehovah came to Noah, and so to Abraham and others: Gen. 4.6.9.13. I would ask you this question, can your light within tell you any of all this if the Scriptures had not told it first, and yet you would fain make us believe, that that light is the only word of God and Scripture; & that is the reason you endea­vour so much to dissolve our Scriptures, but in all this you doe but wash the Blackmore, and make a night-cap for the Moon; for that which our Lord Jesus Christ saith shall stand firm, Heaven and earth shall passe away, but my word shall not passe away: And as he saith, in the fore-cited text, Luk. 24.33. and the Scriptures cannot be dissolved: And for all your light within, which you call your God, and unbelieve the Scriptures, yet God will make his word good upon you and all your companions. He that believeth shall be saved, Mar. 16.16. he that believeth not shall be damned. And truly whereas you put this title upon your book, The Resurrection of John Lilborne, you should rather have put it thus, The perverting of John Lilborne, in order to his destruction, if God in mercy prevent it not.

Again I met with one of your elder brethren in evill a Famalist, and he objected unto me against the Scriptures, because to King James learned Broughton made it appear, [Page 86]that many places in the Scripture were falsly translated, not greeable to the originall Coppy; therefore the Scriptures to us was altogether uncertain: thus he said, although he did know that King by the godly learned mended those de­fects, and Caused the Bible to be new printed; and it is judged to be the best Translation that is extant: But his end in all this is the same, as is yours, to have us believe, that that light within to be the only true Scriptures, which you call the tender part of man: But he then further objected that Scriptures are altogether uncertain to us; for who knows that originall coppy that Broughton alledges, were that of the Apostles, for since their time they have past through many corrupt hands, generation after generation.

I answer, so did the old Testament in Moses daies for many hundreds of years, generation after generation past through corrupt hands; For the Israelites themselves sometimes fell to Idolatry, sometimes in their captivity scattered among the Heathens, yet the Apostles took it for granted, the originall copies of Moses and the Prophets were so sound, as to be a ground of truth to the Churches; for to them he saith, Rom. 15.4. Whatsoever things were written before time, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope; And our Lord Jesus Christ he took it for granted also, for he makes use of the Scriptures that were written by Moses; Luk. 4. and so through pa­tience and comfort of the Scriptures repelled the Tempter and his temptations.

If ye demand of me what I mean by the internall or in­trinsecall glory of Jehovah. Quest.

I mean his unmeasurable or infinite Essence, Answ. or his es­sentiall glory in the internall relations of the Elohims, Fa­ther, Word and holy Ghost, and these three are one saith St. John; and to this internall essentiall glory, no created [Page 87]nature can approach nor comprehend what it is; There­fore not the glorified humane body of the Lord Je­sus Christ now glorified in heaven, although in personall union with the second Elohim, much lesse the glorified Saints: And this essentiall glory in Jehovah is not more glorious in any one place or thing then in another, but is as glorious in himself and to himself beyond all worlds where no created things are.

If ye object, that heaven is his throne and his highest glo­ry, wherein is the Lord Jesus Christ and glorified Saints and Angels.

I answer all this is true, if it be rightly understood that all this is but his externall glory resulting from his Crea­tures in relation to his finall end, for which he made all things in order to glorifie himself in the vessels of honor or dishonor to eternity, as at large is proved in my second Treatise; but all this no way adds to his internall Divine glory, for infinite, as such admits of no addition or dimi­nution; therefore your dreams and your brethren the Fa­milists, that the Essence of God is the tender part of man, as, say you, the same light that is in God and his Essence, as, say they, That all shall return into his essence, and no individualls to be damned or saved to eternity, both these from hence appears to be a most blasphemous whimsey.

And for conclusion, take this observation, That you Quakers and your elder brethren in evill, the Familists are not only Athists; because your tenents lead to believe there is no God; for you deny Jehovah our Elohims to be one Jehovah, but also do deny mans reasonable soul as animating his body since you fancie a thing in a man, which you call your God your Christ, as is before proved; wherefore from your tenent one asked this question; If you inclose a living man in a vessel that the aire cannot en­ter, [Page 88]and opening it, finde him dead, then tell me what you can see therein more then his dead corps? what then is the reasonable soul in man, you so much talk of?

To this man I answer, if the reasonable soul be there to­gether with his corps, you cannot see it, therefore you know not whether it be there or no, for your eyes see not the wind nor aire, nor the Angels good or bad, not God himself, although he be so neer to us, as is proved; And the reason of all this is, That your eye, or the eye of any man else cannot see any thing but that which is of some co­lour, for colours are the proper object of our sight: there­fore because the wind, the aire, mans soul, Angels good or bad, and Gods Essence being all without colour, your eye cannot discerne them, for they are invisibe to it; Will you therefore conclude there is no wind, no aire, no rea­sonable soul, no Angels good or bad, nor no God; you may as well inferre you have no face, for you never saw it but by a glasse or some such pelp.