The Ranters Principles & deceits discovered and declared against, denied and disowned by us whom the world calls QUAKERS.
THe false rest and false liberty of the Ranters discovered, who be in that nature which acteth contrary to the light, with the light which never changeth are you seen, and with the light are you comprehended, and with the light chained and condemned, and with the light you are seen to be in the lust, in the filth, and accursed from God, who stands in enmity to the light, the crosse is inward, and the true light, which light is the way to salvation, and blessed are all who walk in the light, which cometh from God, the father of lights, that with the light they may be kept out of all the pernicious wayes, which way you walk in, who are turned from the light, and that is your condemnation, the light, and the condemnation of all that hate it, and to you this is the word of the Lord, according to that in the conscience, the light of Christ Jesus, which changeth not.
Remember the Angels that kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, Jude. 6, 7. he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse, unto the judgement of the great day, even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternall fire, Jug. 6, 7.
Mind here your types, you that have cast the pure law of God, behind your backs, and have turned the grace of God into wantonnesse, here is your character, look to your selves, you that have not kept your habitation with God, when once you were enlightened with the pure light, after so many troubles, sorrows, fears, and tears, and watchings, when the wrath of God was revealed against sin and ungodliness in you, and the pure law was set up, and the judgement within you, to have freed you from sin, and from punishment eternally, had you kept in the strait way, and stood in the counsell of God, that judgement might have been brought forth into victory, and the pure seed have been borne up, to have saved you from sin, but not abiding in the judgement, you have cr [...]cified the Son afresh, and put him to open shame, Col. 3.1, 2, 3. Eph 5.3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12. and vo is your portion, you did run well, but you have lost the right way, and are turned into the pathes of darknesse again, and you act in darknesse, and brings forth the fruits of unrighteousnesse, and are become servants of sin. Remember your type, Judas likewise, who had [Page 2]received part of his ministry, Rom. 6.16. John. 8.34. and after betrayed the Lord of glory for self ends, and to have the love and friendship of the world, but wo was his portion, and when he knew what he had done, he went and hanged himself, and his case is yours, who have betrayed the light of God in you, and the union with it, though it was in wrath to the seed of the serpent, when your senses are opened again, you shall see the misery and the wofull estate and condition that you are in, and how you have betrayed Christ with a kisse, to deliver him into the hands of sinners, and so the w [...]tnesse also lyes slain in you, that should witnesse and give sentence against sin, but the Lord will find you out, and give you your reward, Rom. 2.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 2. Pet. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. 2. Pet. 2.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Mat. 24.50, 51. you that have fed your selves with conceits and imaginations, from the discovery of the light to the seed, and your subtile wisdomes having intruded into the room thereof, and so you have got into the liberty of the flesh, and can rant and swagger in wickednesse, and say you are free, but it is but the flesh that is at liberty, and that must be cursed, and all that follow your pernicious wayes, by reason of whom, the way of truth is evil spoken of, but you are accursed with a curse that is joined with the serpent again, you shall see him whom you have pierced, and mourn bitterly, and as Esau did seek the blessing again with tears, but shall not find it, but be cast into utter darknesse, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
I know many of you were once tender and simple hearted, and did make conscience of your wayes, and were zealous for the truth, and did practise what was made known in some measure, and were under the sense of the wrath of God against sin, and the witnesse did arise to curse the seed of the serpent, and then you apprehended God to be an angry God, and so is he still against sin, and will not suffer it to go unpunished, but that was bitter to the fleshly part, but it had been good for you, if you had continued under the crosse, in the executing of the righteous judgement of God upon the serpent in you, for in the end it would have been sweet, when you had eaten the passeover, to have came to the hidden name, but not abiding under the wrath, the light vain mind is got up in you, and the flesh is at ease, but wo to all careless ones that are at ease in Sion, Rev. 3.12. Rev. 22.9. Rev. 21.27. so soon as the pure law did break out in force, and give in some refreshment to the seed in prison, and the love and joy did spring into the imprisoned seed, from him who lives out of time, to refresh that which is captivated by that which lives in times, and time, and so the will turned into the conceiving of something from what was made out to the seed, and the faln wisdom joined with the corrupt will, and got liberty from under the cross, and the Divell he wrought strongly upon the imaginations, and so sought to comprehend the light, and drew a vail over the heart, and there he acted in the mistery of the iniquity after the pure were vailed, and he brought all into question, and pleaded for liberty to the flesh, through his workings upon the imaginations, and the comprehensions by carnall reason, and [Page 3]the faln wisdom joining to conceive and comprehend, to have all at command, and be as God, knowing good and evil, and now saith the Divell, all is good, and there is nothing evil, but as thou conceivest it to be so, and thou art brought into the knowledge of this, that is, all good, and it was but thy weaknesse to think that there was any thing evil; now thou art the son of God, and thou knowest it, all is thine, take thy liberty, and rejoyce, let thy heart be merry, use all things in righteousnesse, and there is no sin in them, thou hast been so crittick, that thou couldst scarce look chearfully, or partake of any thing that was for thy comfort, but now thou art a son, and thou seest how thou hast been kept from thy l [...]berty meerly through thy conceits and apprehensions of ev [...]l, and an angry God against sin, and fear least thou shouldest go into a place thou callest hell, but saith he, now thou maist see it was but the weak and low apprehensions in those things, there is neither hell nor Divell, nor any such thing, but what as was in thee, and thou hast got through those conceits now rejoyce and be merry, and take thy pleasure, use thy freedom, thou art a son, and if a son, then an heir, and thou maist laugh the heathen to scorn, poor fooles, that they should so deprive themselves of their liberty and freedom as they do, and be bound so to false conceits as they are, because that their judgements are not rightly informed, to know all things to be good, and this which they call sin, to be but a conceit, and that i [...] they knew their freedom, they might rejoyce and he glad. &c. and thus the Devill he works strongly upon the imaginations, when the light breakes forth, and the love comes to be made manifest to the seed in prison, not abiding in the crosse, the will is seeking to comprehend and get out from under the judgement, and here Satan doth delude and deceive under fair colours, like an angell of light, and leads out into fleshly love; fleshly joy, fleshly liberty, and fleshly pleasures; and calls all good, and calleth that a freedom by the son, but it is but by the son of perdition; that doth exalt himself above all that is called God, and that liberty which he leads into, is a false liberty and thou shalt find it, whoever thou art that takes his counsell, after that the light do arise in thee, then he useth all his devices to deceive withall, which before were not known, afterwards comes to be made known, and wo to them that turn out of the strait way, and the daily crosse, to seek ease to the flesh, there they took counsell of the Devill, and he will work them into such a strong combination with the powers of darknesse, that they shall find that of the Apostle to be true, those that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew then again to repentance, they crucify to themselves the son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame, and wo is thei [...] portion, Heb. 6.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. for the earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them, by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God, so do they that abide [Page 4]in the teaching and counsell of God, who works them into a fruitfulnesse, to bring praise to his name, to receive his blessing, which is as the dew of [...]aven, to water, nourish, and comfort their souls, but that nature which is contrary to the light, and all that go out of the counsell of God, and the daily crosse, turneth into the crooked paths of fleshly delights and pleasures, and dishonoureth the Lord, and is as the ground that beareth nothing but thornes, and is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing and burning, and so are they who turn the grace of God into wantonesse, and lasciviousnesse, and will not abide the fire, and the sword, to c [...]t down the thorny nature, and the fleshly corrupt heart, and to burn the earth, and place of the serpents abode in them, therefore must they know the eternall fire, and vengeance of God to be revealed from heaven, for they who sin wilfully after that they have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearfull looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation of the Lord, which shall devour the adversaries. Heb. 6.4. to the 8.2. Thes. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. Heb. 10.26, 27.
Look to your selves all Ranters and Libertines, who turns the grace of God into wantonesse, the Devill he hath deceived you, and you seek to deceive others, preaching to them liberty, when you your selves are the servants of sin, but wo and misery is your portion, yet the Lord may pluck some as brands out of the fire, that they may be witnesses for the truth, against the deceits to forewarn all of that dangerous way, whereby the Divell lyeth in wait to deceive if it were possible the very elect, but for the elects sake doth the Lord discover your deceits, and false light, Liberties, Rests, and pleasures, which you live and take delight and pleasure in, wo is your portion, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, and this I testify unto you, from the word of the Lord.
But you may object and say, Object. Gal. 5.1. Rom. 14.14. 2. Cor. 5.18. did not the Apostle say, stand fast in tnac liberty, wherewith Christ hath see you free, Gal. 5.1. and he said all things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient, and I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing unclean of it self, but to him that esteemeth it to be unclean, to him it is unclean, and to the pure all things are p [...]re, and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself, by Iesus Christ, &c.
I answer, Ans. that the liberty which Christ parchaseth to and for his, is a liberty and freedom from sin, and he that saith he is in Christ, ought to walk as he also walked. 1 Joh. 2.4, 5, 6. who was a pattern and an example for all his to follow, 1. Ioh. 2.4, 5, 6. 2. Pet. 3. chap to the end. but who lives in the flesh, and have their liberty in the pleasures, and delights thereof, and are in the lust, are out of the light, and so out of Christ, an I know no freedom by the son, but are in the pathes that leads to destruction, and are servant [...] to sin, and lives in uncleanesse and filthinesse of the flesh, which neither Christ nor the Apostles did use, but doth forbid such practise and fleshly liberty as you use, who are in uncleanesse, and are servants of Corruption, [Page 5]2 Pet. 13. to the end, with the light are you seen, & comprehended, and with the light condemned.
And where he said all things were lawfull to him, he was speaking of meats, and such like, but he did no [...] [...] any liberty to the flesh, Rom. 8.16. 1 Ioh. 3.6, 7, 8. v. but said, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound, God forbid, know ye not saith he, that they which commit sin are the servants of sin, and so serveth the Devill. Rom. 6.16. 1 Job. 3.6, 7, 8. And thirdly where he saith, I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing unclean ot it self, but to him that esteemeth it to be unclean, it is so, but he is not speaking of sin nor fleshly liberty, but to tender consciences in that place, and his care was so tender ever them that were in a scrupling condition about the unlawfulnesse of eating all meats, and such like. Rom. 14. chap. that he would not have a weak brother grieved, for saith he, if thy brother be offended with thy meat, which he had been speaking of the purenesse and lawfulnesse of it, as it came out of the covenant from God, yet saith he, if he be grieved, now walkest thou not charitably, destroy [...]ot him with thy meat, for whom Christ died, let not then your good be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is nor meat nor drink, but righteousnesse and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, for he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men, let us therefore follow after those things which make for peace, and things wherewith o [...] may edify another. Rom. 14. from the 14. verse, where he is speaking of the [...]awfulnesse and purity of all things as they are in God, and so on to the end, he sheweth how they are, and in what manner to be us [...]d, but you that follow after unrighteousnesse, to satisfy your fleshly lusts and pleasures, are not in the light, nor the kingdom of God, but out of the l [...]ght, and in that nature which is accursed from God and you who are turned from the light, and live in unrighteousnesse, you are the very enemies of all purity, and lives in uncleanes [...]e, and must be torn ented with the wrath of God, and to the light in all your conscience shall this be witnessed, and where he saith, All things are of God, he is speaking to them that were born of God, who abode in the light, and were new creatures, the old things were passed away, and the old lusts, and old naturall corruptions, and they were new creatures, and so redeemed into purity with God, and in covenant with him, and they knew no man in the fleshly union, wherefore saith he, henceforth we know no man after the flesh, yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we him so no more, therefore sa [...]h [...]e to others that were in the light, as well as them, 2 Cor. 5.16, 17, 18. that were in the life and power of truth, if any man be in Christ, he is a n [...]w creature, but you cannot say so in truth, who lives in the unity of the world, and in the old nature, he that is in the new nature, all things that were from the old root of corruption, is passed away in him, and all things become new, and that is the all things which the Apostle there speaks of, 2 Cor. 5. [Page 6]16, 17, 18. All things that are in the new nature are pure, and he that is born of God is pure, and one in that nature, and he is coined before the world was, and before the corruptions, or filthinesse of the flesh was, and he sees all things in God to be pure and good, and from one root, and all things to be unpure and unclean that is of the evil root, and so that which proceeds from the fountain of corruption to be of the Divell, and if any man have an car, let him hear what the spirit saith, for the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, here with that light which never changeth are you all seen and comprehended, who art turned out of the light, Iam. 3.11. to the end. and with the light chained and conemned, and lastly to the pure all things are pure, none is pure but God, the father of spirits without Lord Iesus Christ and he that is born of God the father and the son, they are all one, and he that is sanctified by the Son, he is made clean in and by the divine power of righteounesse, and ye are clean, through the word saith Iesus Christ, and I am in you, and you are in me, and all things that the Father hath are mine, and the holy Ghost shall take of mine, and shew unto you all that are in covenant with God, are made pure with the bloud of the Lamb, and are redeemed to purity again, and all things that comes out of the covenant from God, to them is pure, his love, is pure without any mixture of the love of the world, for that is unpure, and full of lust, and self-ends, but the love of God is pure, and his wisdom is pure, pure love, pure heart, pure peace, comfort, and joy in the holy Ghost, all the makings forth of God to the soul is pure, and all the works of God in themselves as they are wrought in the soul are pure, but the Divell would defile the work, and sow in his seed, if he be not watched over, and all his works are evil, such is his namesuch is his nature, and his seed is corrupt, and he acteth and guideth it, and raiseth it up by the power of darknesse, to oppose the good seed which is of God, and is acted and guided, and raised up by the power of God in those that are obedient to the commands of the spirit of truth, and quenches not the motions of it, it works into purity and also into unity with the divinity, and reconciliation with the father and the son, and in that unity things are pure, but who lives in the lust, the old nature and the fall, know it not, for great is the mistery of godlinesse, from whence all purity springs, and blessed are they who are reconciled to God, and under the dominion and government of the spirit of truth, where the pure life, and the heavenly food is, and spirituall lawes statutes and ordinances are to walk in, and the Lord God and the Lamb, the light and glory of the spirituall kingdom, where all variecies is in their purity; but who are yet reconciled to God, are under the dominion of the Prince of darkness, and sucks poison from the corrupt [...]oor, and so feeds the flesh, and wallowes in the mire and lust of their own conceivings, inventions and fleshly imaginations, and so are under the curfe and wrath of the almighty, but God hath not called us to uncleaness, but to holiness, 1 Thes. 4.
[Page 7]I know she vain light mind, and the carelesse dark spring will say, Object. let, the seed of the serpent be accursed, and let it be damned, so that God save his own, I care not what he doth with me, &c.
But be thou assured and know this, Ans. that as the seed of the serpent is accursed from God, he that is joined to the seed of the serpent is one, and body and soul and all is polluted by reason of sin, and except thou know thy redemption by the power of the Lord to separate the seed of the serpent and thou asunder, and to un [...]te thee to the power of truth, thou wilt be accursed from God both soul and body, and all that is one with the serpent, and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the presence of the holy Angels, for as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to 2 reprobate mind, to work all uncleanesse with greedinesse, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8. Rom. 1.18, 29. and when they knew God, they glorifi [...]d him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolisih hearts were darkened, for the mistery of iniquity doth work there strongly with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse. 2 Thes. 2.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
Thou maist say that there is no evil nor no Divell, Object. Ans. but thou shalt knew that there is a Divell and a hell, and a root from whence all evil doth proceed, and though thou saist it is but a conceit, yet be sure. O vain man; whatsoever thou art, God will be aveanged of thee, and suffer the tormented to plague thee for thy spirituall wickednesse, blasphemy and despight to the spirit of grace, for all sins and blasphemies against men shall be forgiven, but the sin against the holy Ghost, which is to sin wilfully after grace received, and to speak evil of the power of truth, that sin shall never be forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come.
Thou maist say it is but a conceit to tell of sin and the Divell, Object. Ans. but it is but a deceit which tells thee there is none, and so thou art swallowed up in uncleanesse, and the custome of sin taketh away the conscience of sinning, and thou art seared and makes no conscience of what thou dost, but thou maist as well say, it is but a conceit to say, the Sun is not the Sun, it is but a conceit to think so, as to say there is no sin nor Divell, but good and evil are all alike &c. But will any who are endued with naturall knowledge believe thee, if thou saist there is neither Sun nor Moon, night nor day, they are all alike, only they conceive it to be day and night, Sun-light and Moon-light, but it is but their conceit that they have of these things; But is it so, because thou sayest so, will not the very naturall man that hath his naturall sight and knowledge of those things, tell thee thou art a lyar, and speakes but only thy conceits, and fleshly conceivings, and carnall inventions, but [Page 8]it is vain for thee to deceive one that hath his eyes in his head, in those things.
But if it were to a naturall blind man, that never saw any of these, but were born blind, thou mightest deceive him in those things soon, to tell him there is neither night nor day, Sun nor Moon, but as mens conceits carrieth them forth to conceive of these things, according to their low apprehensions that they have of those things, thou mightest deceive a blind man in those things, because that he never saw them, but only as he heard others speak of them, but he that seeth and knoweth or those things, he will tell thee thou art a fool to labour to perswade him to believe thy conceits, when he seeth it to the contrary evidently before his eyes.
So on the contrary, to say there is neither God nor Divell, heaven nor hell, nor sin, nor sorrow, will any believe thee that knows those things, whose eyes are in his head hath evidently seen the nature and property of these, he that is born again, and enlightened by the spirit of Jesus Christ, knows that thou art a lyar, to say that good and evil, righteousnesse and unrigteousnesse, is all one, and proceeds from one root, it is but only their low apprehensions and conceits to think otherwise, as thou sayest, but thy saying is false.
And I testify against thee that sayeth so, be what thou wilt, or who thou wilt, thou art guided by a lying spirit, and art of thy father the Divell, who was a lyar from the beginning, and the father of it, Joh. 8. 44. the Divell that deceived thee was a lyar from the beginning, and he hath since the beginning got into thy heart, and hath been working upon thy imaginations, and drawn thee out into conceits, and carnall imaginations of things, through the wiles and craftinesse of his deceiveablenesse, whereby he hath plunged thee into the pit of inventions, and divinations of thy own brain, but thou art shut out of the truth, and art blind and ignorant altogether of unfolding the divine and heavenly mystery, and art kept in the fountain of filthinesse, of the Divells suggestions, who acteth thee by the power of darknesse, and casts a mist before thy eyes, the eyes of thy understanding, that thou shouldst be blind, and groap by thy faln wisdom, and the knowledge in the history, but art yet in wickednesse, and deep in the mistery of iniquity, and knowest nothing but the evil it self, and calls that good, but the wo is to thee that dost so, for thou art blinded by seeking to comprehend the light by thy carnall wisdom, thou mayest as well seek to comprehend the Sun in thy band, for light shineth in darknesse, but darknesse comprehends it not. Joh. 1.5. This then is the message, that God is light, Ioh. 1.5, and in him is no darknesse at all, if we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darknesse, we lye, and do not the truth, but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, Ioh. 1.5, 6, 7 and the bloud of Iesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1.5, 6, 7, he that dwelleth in God, dwelleth in [Page 9]light, but he that is out of God, is in darknesse, and walketh in crooked paths, that leads to destruction.
Therefore I say unto you, who desire to fear the Lord, as John said to the brethren, Little children, let no man deceive you, he that doth righteousnesse is righteous, even as he is righteous, but he that doth not righteousnesse, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother, in this the children of God are made manifest, 1 Ioh. 3.9, 10. and the children of the Divell. 1. Joh. 3.9, 18.
Here is two seeds acted by two powers, and receiveth strength from two roots, the seed of God acted by the power of God, and all who are in unity with that seed, are crucified to the world, and dead to unrighteousnesse, Christ being made manifest, to destroy the works of the Divell, who is the bright & morning star, I am the root and off-spring of David; Rev. 22.16. saith Jesus Christ, and he that is unjust, let him be uniust still, and he that is saithy, let him be filthy still, there is the evil seed, but he that, is righteous, let him be righteous still, and he that is holy, let him be holy still, there is the good seed, and righteousnesse springeth from one root, and is of God, and all who act in righteousnesse, who are acted and guided by the divine power of God, are one, and are in covenant with God; but all unrighteousnesse doth spring from another root, Rev. 22.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Isa. 5.22, 23, 24, Rev. 22.16, 17. Isa. 28.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. and those who are of unrighteousnesse are of the seed of the serpent, and are acted and guided by the power of the Divell, Rev. 21.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. and I witnesse the same with the Scriptures by experience, that good and evil it from two roots, distinct, and two powers; therefore be not deceived, for God will not be mocked. Heb. 1.14, 15. Act. 26.28. Rev. 13.4. Rev. 16.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Rev. 19.11, 12. to the end of the chapter. You who are of the unrighteousnesse, and of the seed of the serpent are one, and all in covenant with the Divell, and have made a covenant with death and Hell, that the Scriptures maybe fulfilled. Isa. 28.15.28 chap. 1. 2. Isa. 5.18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 13, 24.
But you can deceive none but such as are of the same seed of evil doers with you, who are of the serpent, and lives in the fall, and the lust of the flesh, forsaking the fountain of living mercies, to delight in lying vanities; but the seed of God is springing up, and begin to grow, and righteousnesse will be a terrour to unrighteousnesse, and the seed of God will be a torment to the seed; at the serpent, and the Lord ruling in his Saints, will be a terrour to the heathen; Howl ye serpents, and all ye dragons, for you will be found out, and have the vialle of wrath and indignation poured forth upon you, howl ye lustfull ones, who delight in unrighteousnesse, the Lord will be avenged of you, Isa. 1.24. Isa. 3.11. all vengeance is mine, all I will repay saith the Lord, sury to mine adversaries, you would have two kingdoms, but Esaus dominion is yours, and the hatred of God it to you all, who delight in unrighteousnesse, and and ye shall desire to see one of the daies of the son of man, out shall not, [Page 10]or the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it, and this declare I unto you from the word of the Lord.
The mistery of the crosse of Christ, and the law in the heart, taking hold upon sin and all unrighteousnesse, to cut it down, and cast it out, through the working of the divine power of God in Mankinde.
The crosse is inward, Ioh. 16.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, v. Luk. 9.23, 24, 25, 26. 1 Cor. 1.17, 18. [...]. 6.14. to the cutting down of sin and uncleanesse within, the pure light of God, which convinceth of sin and evil, and witnesseth against all the branching forth of the unrighteous power of darknesse in man, when his mind, will and affections would run forth into the world, to conceive some comfort to himself, out of die visible objects, his heart is soon taken through the outgoing of his eye, with the things of the world, and he transformes the very image of what part of the creation soever his eye was out after, and sets it up in his heart; if it be a house▪ field, horse, oxe, or any other creature, he is taken with beauty or riches, and so his heart is stoln away into the earth, and he sets his affections on the things, below God, and his will falls down to worship silver and gold, and such like things, making them his Gods, to delight himself in, and when his heart is running out after the love and honour of the world, there is a principle of purity within tells him, all is but vanity, and this calls for equity, equity to take of oppression and cruelty, but the lustfull proud nature crosseth that principle of purity, and draweth the heart after vanity, when the Divell bears rule in the heart, working into the mistery of the iniqnity, but that of purity which calls for equity, still cryeth out, and tells man, all is but vanity, and calls and cryes in his heart for purity, and to set up truth and righteousnesse; and to do to all men as he would be done by, for that is the Law and the Prophets, and to love God with all his heart, and his neighbour as himself, and to give over folly and vanity, this is the crosse to iniquity, which calleth and cryeth for justice and equity, and love and pity, let that be heard and obeyed in you, and it will shut out jollity, and cut off vanity, and work into unity with that which calleth for purity, and crosse the lustfull proud nature, that hardness of heart may not rule over justice and equity. Consider oh man, that thou art mortall, and must return to dust, and be cast into torment and burning, if thou wilt not give ear to the cry of the poor, that which is pure in thee, that it may work thee into charity, and shew thee the way that leads to eternity, and cut of oppression and tyranny, that diligence may rule in thee, that thy lusts may be slain, that would break the bonds of amity, the pure light will witness against the dark nature in thee, and strike at the root of all enmity, to reconcile thy soul unto God, in yielding to the pure law of love, and the divine power of purity, in thee, and so circumcise thy heart, and cut off the evil nature which hinders thy, soul of the unity; so will the righteous law kill sin in thee, and give thee knowledge of the true way that leadeth to life, joy and [Page 11]comfort in yielding obedience to the principle of purity in thee, heartken to that which checks thee for running into folly and van [...]ity, and it will crosse thy mind, will, and affections, 2 Pet. 1.19. 2 Cor. 4.6, 7. Pro. 20.27. that runs out after carnality and so search thy heart, and turn thee out of the iniquity, and guide and lead thee into holynesse and purity, in walking up to God, in the right way that leadeth to the divinity with Christ, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh to the father but by me, know Christ the way in you, to lead out of darkness into the light of purity, Christ is the light, and Christ is the way, and he comes to set up his judgement within, and to reveal wrath against sin, and to break the peace of the carnall mind, and to draw under judgement all the first birth, Ioh. 9.39. 1 Cor. 1.19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Col. 2.13.14. Eph. 2.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, both the love of the world, the wisdom of the flesh, and carnall reason, and lead that into the pit of confusion, to slay the enmity by the execution of the righteous judgement upon the unjust nature, that he may pour forth fury upon the head of the wicked, and slay that which crosseth purity, and opposeth the work of redemption, as man doth imbrace the comings in of wrath, to the wrathfull nature, to cut it down, and burn it up, that the good seed may hare room to grow in man, and make man fruitfull to God, in joining with the slayer of sin, that the world, or the creature man may be saved by the power of the Lord, which doth redeem the soul, and unite both soul and body to God, that they may be reconciled by the death of the cross in the mystery, to praise and glorify God in sincerity, and in integrity.
The true light, and the false, with their waies, worships, natures, properties, and effects.
This then is the message that we have received, to declare unto you, that God is light and in him is no darknesse at all, and that every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh from the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, Iam. 1.17, 18. 1 Pet. 1.22. Rom. 11.16. Eph. 5.1, 2. Eph. 2.8, 9, 10. neither shaddow of turning, for of his own will begat he us, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures, being born again, and children of the light, 1 Pet. 1.22. Rom. 11.16. Eph. 5.1, 2.
God is the fountain of all good, and of mans salvation, and happinesse, and God is pure, his waies, words, works and worships are pure and holy, and this holy God doth inhabit in eternity, and dwelleth in purity, in himself, and none can approach to come near him in their sins, nor by their faln wisdom, none knowes him but those that are born again, and washed and cleansed (not in his purity) therefore as he that hath called you is holy, Heb. 12.14. 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be ye holy as I am holy, for holinesse becometh mine house for ever, as God is pure and holy, so the light that proceedeth and cometh forth from God is pure and holy, and stands out of all apprehensions, and comprehensions of man, by his faln wisdom, and so sees all mans devices, his deceits, and false waies, and false worships, and this pure light that doth proceed and come forth from God which is pure, and perfect, it convinceth man of all the deceits of his heart, and of all his devices, and deceiveablenesse, and of all his false waies of worship, and sheweth him his transgressions, and convinceth him of unrighteousnesse and infidelity, and all manner of evil whatsoever, and calleth him out of the waies and works of darknesse, into unity with this pure light, and leads him into the way of peace and salvation, in obedience to it, to worship God in purity, even in spirit, and in the life and power of truth, Ioh. 16.25, 26, 17, 28. Ioh. 12.35, 36. this light is from the fountain of lights, it is not a conceited thing, that is conceived in the brain, but it is the light of life, and is not to be found in books nor learning without, it gathers out of all books without, to reading the book of [Page 13]life, within; this light opens all Scriptures, 1 Ioh. 5.8, 9, 10, 11. Ioh. 17.23, 14. and Ieads man out of the fall, up to God, the fountain & father of lights, this is the true light, & leadeth into life eternall, 1 Joh. 5.12, 13. Joh. 17.10.
But the naturall men know it not by their naturall learning, at studies, at universities, that is but a borrowed or false light, that leads them into books and studies, to find out the truth by their carnall wisdom, which is gathered up from the serpent, and is accursed from God, and that faln wisdom, and man that lives by conceivings, and comprehension, and catching of truthes in the nation, to speak of, and sell for mony, it is earthly, carnall, and divelish, Iam. 3.15, 16. and he that is joined to that serpentine wisdom, is one with it, in the same nature, and sets up a way of worship, that stands in the carnall conceivings of his own brain, in imitation from them who lived in the life and power of truth, and his ministry that is of the seed of the serpent, stands in his own will, and so learns his naturall tongues, and so would be a judge of spirituall things, by his naturall learning, and trades out of books, and the conceivings of his own brain, to sell his divinations at a great rate, and calIs them his spirituall things, when he is in his carnall corrupt nature, 1 Cor. 2.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14. 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. 2 Pet. 1.19, 20, 21. Ioh. 28.7, 8, to the 22. Isa. 30. Ier. 23.29, 30, 31, 32. Isa. 5.20. Mat. 23.24, 25. Ioh. 8.12. and the naturall man knows not the things of the spirit God, for they are foolishnesse to him, 1 Cor. 1.14, 15.
And that is a false light that leads the minds of men out into conceivings and imaginations, and to gather up knowledge out of old authours, or books without them, and that light which is borrowed from without, and gathered into the brain, through the conceivings and imaginations, leads the mind, will, and affections out, after pride, and oppression, self-love, and the honour of the world, and the like, and it conceives that to be good also, and all to be evil that crosseth his knowledge in his carnall conceivings, but the light that leads out into such things is a false light, & a blind guide, and he that is guided & led by such a false light, he knows not the true light, which leadeth out of all books and histories, into the life, in the mystery, and leads out of pride into humility, out of covetcusnesse, into compassionatenesse, & fruits of that nature: but the light is in the world, and the world knoweth it not, the true light, which sees all deceits, and comprehends all Babylons wayes, works, and worships, and sees where the beast and false prophet is, and the mother of harlots, with their sorceries and divinations, and the [Page 14]cup of their fornications, whereby they deceive the nations, but God will bring them all into contempt, and make them ashamed of their deceits and deceiveablenesse, for the light is risen and arising, that will lay open all their abominations, and give them the cup of fury, and make Babylons merchants and craftsmen sick with amazement, and with astonishment, at the calamity that is to come upon them, now read where you are, he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the spirit saith. Rev. 17.3, 4, 5. to the 18.
The true light now shineth in darknesse, but darknesse comprehendeth it not.
Even that light which is pure and perfect, which proceeds and cometh from God, the father of lights, but dark mindes knowes it not, but walks in darknesse, disobeying the light, and there is their condemnation, the disobedience to the light, where it is in measure made manifest. Joh. 3.19, 20, 21. God is supernaturall, and this light proceeds and comes from him, which is the true light, that convinceth of sin, and exerciseth the pure senses, working in the conscience, to bring men up to God, into that which is eternall, out of corruptions into purity, and unity with the divinity, to reconcile them to have fellowship with the father and the Son, and receive joy and comfort from the holy Ghost, to praise and glorify God in the spirit, who sendeth the spirit of his Son into their hearts, Ioh. 16.13, 14, 15. Ioh. 14.2 [...], 27. Ioh. 15.1, 2, 3. to administer true comfort to the soul, and this ministry standeth not in the will of man, nor in the wisdom of the flesh, but in the power of God, and in demonstration of the spirit, baptizing with the Holy Ghost, into the holy union, to drink and receive joy and comfort from the Lord Jesus, the spirituall vine, and these fruits and effects proceeds from the true light, that worketh powerfully in the spirituall ministration, drawing souls out of darknesse into light, out of corruptions into purity, out of the false wayes and false worships, into the true way that leadeth into life eternall, where the mistery of faith is held in a pure conscience, and there is no uncleanesse where this is fulfilled: for God the fountain of light is pure, and of purer eyes then to behold iniquity, and he sends this light, to enlighten the understandings, and draw up souls to God, out of the fall into the pure life again, and this gift is perfect, that cometh from God to draw souls up into perfection, and into the powrings forth of the fathers [Page 15]love, to rejoyce in him for ever. Rev. 21. to the 9. Rev. 21. 23, 24, to the end. Rev. 22. 3, 4.
But naturall men, that have but learned their naturall things, of Greek, Latine, and Hebrew? which the naturall man may easily do, and yet be an enemy to God, and to his own soul, for all his naturall learning and languages, and be ignorant of God, for the naturall man knowes him not, and he is a very naturall indeed, that saith this pure light of God which doth convince of sin, and uncleanesse is a naturall light, he that saith so, is a dim light, and blind guide indeed, and knowes not God.
For this light that reproves for sin in the conscience is a divine principle, and was with the Father in the beginning, but in due time he manifests himself by it, to the view of the minds and understandings of men, to let them see into their selves, that they are all gentiles, in their first nature, and sinners, and are under the curse and wrath of God, and no reconciliation can be made, whilst the seed of the serpent is head, unbruised in them, & had not this come forth from God, to give man a discovery of his heart, he had not known sin, but the light coming and appearing in him, he sees himself to be a vile sinner & miserable wretch, and he would fain quench the light, rather then obey it, but there is his condemnation, for the light will find him out, if he hide himself never so closely in his own conceits, and thoughts, by his carnall reason and falne wisdom, and the wo will follow him, go where he will; this light will not have union with the corrupt nature, nor with man, whi [...]st he is one with that nature, but the light will check and reprove him both in secret, and openly, and be a testimony against sin eternally, and also against him that is one with the evil, this light will leave all naturall men without excuse, that they can have no cloak for their sins, for it is privy to all their actions, both at home and abroad, & it will not be bribed to hold its peace, but it will cry out against sin and give sentence against thee, that disobeys it, be what thou wilt: This light doth not waver nor wander, but shewes thee thy wavering and wandering mind, and tells thee of all thy base actions, and if it were a naturall light, it would not so much oppose nature, and crosse its desire, as it doth, and will do more and more, as it doth break forth into the understanding, it will tell thee that thou art a naturall blind man, in the things [Page 16]of God, and it wil not be beholding to thee for all thy naturall learning and tongues, but crosse it and thee both, and tell thee the wisdom of the flesh, and the world, is foolishnesse with God, and the love and friendship of die world is enmity with God, and thou must [...]ye to thy own wisdom, and naturall learning, and tongues, before thou knowest God indeed and in truth, this light was before the fall, and cometh forth from God, to call out of the fall again, and if thou wilt not obey it, it will condemn thee eternally, as light as thou makes of it, but it is because the wilde nature is head, but thou maist go where thou wilt, it will not leave thee, and it will tell thee that all thy worships which thou sets up in thy own will, and by thy own wisdom, not acceptable with God, and this light will tell thee that all thy prayers are an abomination to the Lord, whilst thou regardest iniquity in thy heart, this light will tell thee that except thou be born again, thou shalt never inherit the kingdom of God, and when it breaketh thy peace, and raiseth up torment in thee, for thy unrighteous actions, then thou apprehending the wrath of God against sin in thee, thou wouldst be applying the promises of the Saints conditions, which was to another seed, to heal the wound in thee, when the seed of the serpent gets a blow, by the stroak of the righteous judgement of God; But this will confound thy wit, and muddle thy memory, and scatter all thy conceits and imaginations, and crosse thy will in its expectations, & tell thee thou art reprobate from God, in that nature then thou shalt see this is not a naturall light that doth so oppose and strike at all naturall wayes, worships, tongues learnings and vanities, it will work thee into unity with it, if you give up to be guided by it, and lead thee into eternity, but it will confute, and confound, and condemn thee, if thou do not obey it, and so thou art left without all excuse, thou naturall blind man, that lives in thy motions and high conceits, but thou art found out, and thy place of aboad, and art in Sodom and Egyptian darknesse, this light shineth in darknesse, but darknesse comprehends it not, thou that wouldst go about to comprehend the light of thy subtilty and serpentine wit, thou art an enemy to God, and to thy own soul, and thou wouldst fain know much, that thou mightest have it at command, to talk of, but thou wouldst not put in practice, therefore thou knowest so much as will serve to condemn thee, For thy [Page 17]disobedience to the light, the light will not be comprehended by thee, thou theif, thou wouldst fain comprehend it, that thou mightest thereby be exalted, and thou wouldst rob God of his glory, and take it to thy self, and thou wouldst command the light, that thou mightest be a Lord thy self, but it stands out of thy reach, and it will not be commanded by thee, though thou mayst conceive something from it, and catch it to talk of, yet except thou do walk accordingly, it will tell thee thou art for destruction, and this light will be thy condemnation, who ever thou art that dost not obey it, and it will scatter thy imaginaons, and dash down all thy conceivings, and high motions, and tell thee thou art yet unreconciled to God, and check thee, and break thy peace, if thou do but give ear to it, it will witnesse for me in thy conscience, this light is within thee, Ioh. 1.9. Ioh. 8.12. Psal. 36.9. Isa. 49.6. Isa. 1.60, 19. 2 Pet. 1.19. 2 Cor. 13.5. Col. 1.23. it is not without, in books, nor Scriptures: The Sriptures do declare of it, but they are not the light, it is within, and springs from a divine root, and thou canst not comprehend it, therefore wait upon God, in obedience to it, and it will teach thee, and shew thee the way to salvation, and the way to condemnation, and set before thee life and death, good and evil, chuse thee whether thou wilt join to, if thou join with the good seed, thou wilt find power against sin, to withstand the evil, and it will judge and break down wickednesse in thee, and slay the seed of the serpent, and administer to that which is captivated through the lust, and raise it up, that thou may worship with it a God near hand, and as the seed of God doth arise in thee, it will open parrables and dark sayings, and bring every secret thing to judgement in thee, and the seed being raised up by the power of the Lord, to rule over the deceit, it will not bend to the Divell, if he would give it all the world, one seed raised up out of one grave, by one power, and brought into one covenant, baptized by one spirit into one body, though ten times ten thousand in particulars, yet they are but one in the body, one faith, one seed, one baptizing, one supper, one covenant, one God and father, all one heart, and one soul, serving God in one way, worshipping him in the spirit, and with one mouth, all glorifying his great and glorious name, and who are of this seed, are of Abraham, and where it is carryed up into power, it will tread upon the seed of the serpent, and strike at the head of it, where ever it sees it, who are of the seed of the [Page 18]serpent are one, though ten hundred thousand, and are in unity with the deceit, the beast and false prophet, and in the false worships, worshipping the works of their hands, and the imaginations of their own hearts, and they are acted and guided by the power of the Divell, but they shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God powred out without mixture, and be tormented night and day. Rev. 14 9, 10, 11. and all that seed shall be shut out, and shall never enter into the city of the living God, but death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death; and whosoever is not found written in the Lambs book of life▪ must be cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20 14, 15. and the seed of the serpent never was, nor never shall be written in the book of life, and those that are joined with that seed, are one, and shall never enter into the holy city: for the seed of God, and the seed of the serpent have enmity placed betwixt them, and they can never be reconciled together, and that which defileth shall not enter, for without is all that seed cast, and is reprobate from God, and must not enter into the kingdom. Rev. 21.8. Rev. 22.15.
Blessed are they that do his commands, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter into the city, through the straight way. Rev. 22.14. he that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Rev. 21.7.
This seed where it hath overcome through the power and strength of the Lord, and is set above, it doth comprehend all languages▪ kindreds, and tongues, and all BabyIons wayes and worships, and doth triumph and rejoyce over them all, and sees where the Antechists and deceivers all are, and from whence they all come, and whither they shall return again.
The Ranters Principles, and deniall of them by us.
ON the first day of the seventh moneth, we met with one Robert Wilkinson of Coaton in Leistershire, and he said he was born of God, and could not commit sin, and said he was both God and the Devill, and he said there was no God but him, nor no Devill but him, and he said whom he blest was blest, and whom he curst was curst, and he said he was a serpent, and so he is, he said the Apostles were lyars and deceivers and I gave him a Bible to prove that, and he said die Bible was a pack of lyes, and there was neither heaven nor hell but here, and yet he was both in heaven and in hell, and he had as lieve be in hell, as in heaven, and he said he was a serpent, and a whoremaster, and before he said he was born of God, and could not commit sin. Now all that are in the light may see this confusion, and this Beast is full of blasphemy, and the vengeance of God he shall not nor cannot escape. Wo to the Ranters, this book is as a testimony against you, from us whom the world calls Quakers, and you and your wicked principles we deny, and hold them and you accursed. GaI. 1.9.
The Apostles were not as many that did corrupt the word of God, but were of sincerity, and in the light of God spake they in Christ. 2 Cor. 2.17. and he was no lyar nor deceiver, though the wicked ones counted him one, Joh. 7. as thou wicked one dost, and the Apostles were not lyars, and deceivers as thou Wilkinson Ranter said they were. The world called them deceivers, and counted them deceivers, as I told thee, yet they were true, though counted deceivers by such as thou art, the Apostles were the Ambassadours of Christ, and they prayed the Corinthians in Christs stead to be reconciled to God. 2 Cor 5.20. and Christ was no lyar, nor no guile was found in his mouth, and they were without guile as he was. Rev. 14.5. 1 Thes. 4.6, 7, 8. Pev. 18.20. But thou Wilkinson, and you Ranters, false Apostles, are full of guile and deceit, that sayes the Apostles of Christ were lyars and deceivers, when first they were Christs Ambassadours, and secondly they were workers together with him, and he did not work in the iniquity as [Page 20]you Ranters do, for they in all things prove themselves as the ministers of God. 2 Cor. 6.11.2.7. which thou Wilkinson and you Ranters are enemies unto, thirdly, they had wounded the hidden things of dishonesty, and did not walk in craftinesse. 2 Cor. 1.12. as thou Wilkinson and you Ranters do, and fourthly, they were a sweet favour of Christ, with them that were saved. 2 Cor. 2.15. but thou Wilkinson and you Ranters stinks, and are an ill savour amongst them that walk with the dogs, sorcerers and liars. Rev. 22.15.
Wilkinson, of a God thou art born with, but thy God as I told thee before, is the God of the world, that hath blinded the mind and the minds of all you Ranters, wicked ones, and from them the Gospell is hid as it is written. 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. and that God that is of the world and the Devill is one, which is the father that begat thee, and all the generation of lyars and lustfull ones, such as thou art. Joh. 8.44. and the serpent thou art a whoremaster as thou saidst, and art in the mystery of Babylon, committing fornication, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Gal. 5.10, 20, 21. Rev. 20.15. Rev. 21.27. and art full of the filthynesse thereof. Rev. 15. thou beast that carryeth the whore, shall go with her into perdition, and all whoremongers and adulterers God will judge, and the serpent thou art, and you Ranters, Scorpions, Serpents, you shall not escape the damnation of hell. Mat. 23.33. for heaven thou hast nothing to do to talk of, who hath no part nor portion in it, for the lake thou art, and the tormentor thou shalt know, as Dives did, and thou wiucked one, and you wicked Ranters, and the wicked, and all that forgot God shall be turned into hell. Psal. 9.17. Mat. 25, 41. with the light are you seen, and all thy crooked wayes, thou crooked serpent, with the light comprehended, and with the light for ever condemned, and all the Gods of the heathen shall be famished.