To that which thou calls touching the Scriptures themselves.

John Stalham, Thou calls thy Pamphlet (or Book of lyes) The Quakers Contradictions; to the Scriptures, and to that which thou begins with, and calls it, Touching the Scriptures themselves. First thou sayes, They say the Scriptures are not the word of truth: I answer, That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the spirit of truth, we doe not deny but own, and so they are words of truth; and therefore thy say­ing is false, and in that thou art charged to be a lyar, and false accuser of the truth; but that the Scriptures are the Word, God, and eternal Life, as thou wouldst have them, thou canst not prove, nor all the Magicians to help thee; and that thou wouldst have them to be, and thou art seen to be a lyar of them and the truth; and such as witnes to the word, and Gods pow­er, they witnesse against thee. And where thou Queries and sayes, How can the Scriptures be Gods witnesse if not true? I answer, That the spirit of truth in the Prophets were Gods witnesse, and testified before-hand of the sufferings of Christ, and declared of in the Scriptures by words that proceeded from that spirit of Christ, that in them did signifie those things, 1 Pet. 1. And the spirit of Christ, in the Apostles of Christ Gal. 4.6. did carry them forth after they had received power from on high to witnes him forth, Acts 1. But the spirit is not in the letter, as thou in thy 22 page hath said, neither is the spirit gi­by the letter, but by God and Christ, of whom the letter doth declare, being words of truth that proceeded from the spirit of truth, Luke 11. 1 John 13. The letter proceeded from the spi­rit, but the spirit did not proceed from the letter; and therein thou hast erred, not knowing the spirit nor power of God, de­clared of in the Scriptures. Thou saith, Another saith the [Page 3]Scripture is not a standing rule, to you who cannot believe; contrary to Luke 16.29. They have Moses and the Prophets for a standing rule, thou sayes: Here let all the honest hearted judge of thy deceite, who hath perverted that Scripture for thy own ends, Luke 16.29. from it raising a false doctrine; say­ing, You have Moses and the Prophets for a standing rule, when the ver: saith not so; here I charge thee in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar of the Scriptures, and so contradicts them, for if Moses and the Prophets had been left (to all and for e­ver) for a standing rule, as thou asserts, then Christ and the Apostles might not have been after Moses and the Prophets for following examples, or rules; and therein thou brings the old Covenant to contradict the new, and crosseth that Scripture, where it saith, Be ye followers of God as dear children, Eph. 5.1. And they that follow him in the Gospel, are led by his Spirit, and that is not the letter, though the letter declare of it, Rom. 8.14. &c. For God is that spirit, as saith the Scripture, 2 Cor. 3.17. But we follow God, who are guided by the Spi­rit, as such did; and that is our guide and rule, to wit, the Spi­rit of truth, as Christ hath (since he promised it) appointed it, to be the rule and guide into all truth, John 16.13. But thou that would have the letter to be the rule, and Moses and the Prophets onely; then thou wouldst not have Christ and the Apostles followed after; and so contradicts the Scripture also, which was spoken after Moses and the Prophets, after the Law, under the Gospel, by a minister of the same, who in his godly exhortation said, Be ye followers of me, even as I am of Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. And that was not Moses and the Pro­phets, but Christ and his Apostles there spoken of: Seeing then we are not under the Law, but under Grace, the spirit of Christ is our rule and guide; and even unto this day when Moses is read, the vaile is upon their heart, as saith the Scripture, 2 Cor. 3.15. But thou art reading and pleading for Moses to be a standing rule, and so sets up the Law in stead of the Gospel, therefore the vaile is upon thy heart; but we witnesse the glo­ry that exceeds, for if the ministration of condemnation were glorious, much more the ministration of glory exceeds, but thou art ignorant of that; and where thou hast pleaded for [Page 4] Moses and the Prophets to be a standing rule, saying, they have Moses and the Prophets, let them heart them, Luke 16.31. Here thou sayes the Scriptures are asserted by our Lord to be a more standing rule then Visions and Revelations; thou hast here raised a fals assertion, of the Lord, saying, he asserts it, and the assertion is thine, and not the Lords, therefore thou art a lyar and false accuser of the Lord; for he saith in Matthew 11.27. that no man knoweth the Son but the Father, nei­ther knoweth any man the Father save the Sonne, and he to whomsoever the Son (not the Scripture, but the Son) will reveal him; here Revelation is the surer rule of knowing God, witnessed also Luke 10.22. And visions are a way of God making known himselfe by, as was witnessed after Moses and the Prophets, and thou contradicts the Scriptures, for the Lord spoke to Ananias his messenger in a vision, and gave him com­mission to go with his message, Acts 9.10, 11. and that was a more sure knowlege to him then the words of Moses and the Prophets, and a rule that stood firmer to him then words of o­ther men: And Paul, he saw in a vision the man named A­nanias come unto him, ver: 12. and that was more certaine then the words of others, as Moses and the Prophets: And Peter saw in a vision thing; cleared to him, which was not clea­red by the writings of Moses and the Prophets, Acts 10.15, 16, 17. and while Peter thought on the vision, the spirit spoke unto him, and gave him commission to go to the Gen­tiles, ver: 19, 20, &c. but so did not the Scriptures, then the Scriptures are not a more sure or standing rule, then visions and revelations by the spirit of truth are, as thou sayes, therefore thou art a lyar and false accuser therein; for Paul knew Christ by revelation, and received the Gospel by revelation, as he hath certified to the brethren, Ga. 1.11, 12. and when Christ was revealed within him, he went to preach him, Gal. 1.15, 16. and that was a sure rule unto him, and more sure then the Scriptures, for he knew much of the writings of Moses, and the Prophets, and letter of the Scriptures, whilest he were a perse­cutor, but then he knew not Christ revealed in him, which after he did, and went up to Jerusalem fourteen years after by reve­lation, Gal. 2. and not by the Scriptures; therefore the Scrip­tures [Page 5]are not so sure a rule as visions and revelations by the spirit of truth are; and the Apostle knew how sure revelati­tions by the spirit of truth were, so he exhorted others to wait for the grace that was to be brought to them at the revelati­tion of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1.13. and the deep things of God are revealed (not by the letter, but) by the spirit, 1 Cor. 2.10. Therefore Revelations by the spirit of truth are more sure then the Letter; for the righteousnesse of God is revealed from faith unto faith, as faith the Scripture, Rom. 1. through the Gospel and power of God unto salvation, ver. 16, 17.

Thou sayes that one saith, the Scriptures are other mens words, contrary to 1 Tim. 3.16. the Scripture is given by in­spiration; And then by a peece of logick thou wouldst raise a fals accusation against Francis Howgill, and makes a false con­clusion to wrest the Scriptures to serve thy own turne, but can­not; as for Francis Howgill saying the Scriptures are other mens words; thou sets down truth defended, page 6. Let the wise hearted read that Book, and it clears him from thy slander which by thy logick thou wouldst cast upon him, because he sayes the Scriptures are other mens words, that spoke them free­ly (and not for set wages, or hundreds a year, &c.) And fur­ther I answer, Holy men of God spoke as they were moved, so saith the Scripture, 2 Pet. 1. and it doth not contradict the 1 Tim. 3.16. where it sayes, the Scriptures are given by in­spiration of God, then the Scripture was inspired, and that was by the spirit, and spirituall men spoke forth those words; Therefore they were words spoken by the men of God, and so words from the spirit of truth, spoken by the holy men of God, (other men) that were holy and spoke freely, and not by you that are sinfull and pleads for it, and Preaches for hire the words of others, as the false Prophets did; therefore the Lord is against you hireling Priests in Scotland, as he was a­gainst such in your nature spoken of in Scripture: Read those Scriptures to be witnesse against all those Scottish Priests, that Preach for hire, and seeks for the fleece &c. and makes a prey upon the people, and seeks for their gaine from their quarter, Jerem. 5.30, 31. Ezek. 34. Micah 3.11. Isa. 56.10, 11.2 Pet. 2. Jude 11.

[Page 6] That the Scriptures are the words of other men, and not yours: Read the words of the Preacher, the sonne of David, King in Israel, Eccl. 1. Read the words also of King Lemuel and he was a man; read the Prophecy that his mother taught him and she was a woman, Prov. 31. The song of songs which is Solomens, and he was a man, Cant. 1. There is the words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, Jer. 1.1. To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah King of Judah in the 18 year of his Reigne; but a Printed Bible did not come unto him; neither did he nor any Prophet or Apostle that thou canst prove ever stand with a Printed Bible in his hand and say, hear the word of the Lord: Then the word of the Lord was declared and spoken without Printed Bibles, and be­fore Printing was invented; But if Printing had not been in­vented, what would you have Preached by that knows not the word of life, which was before writing or Printing was?

And where thou sayes (they say) you have nothing to try mens Doctrine and spirit by, but the letter, and that your tryer is a chapter or a verse of the Scriptures; no more you Scotish Preists have: for thou sayes the letter is spirit, or the spirit is in the letter, and given by it; By this thou hast manifested thy Scottish tryer, and as for that saying, to the Law, and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to it, it is because there is no light in them; but we speak according to it, and therefore there is Light in us; For God who commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts, &c. 2. Cor. 4.6, 7. And where thou accusest James Nayler for saying, the Law of the new Covenant is written in the heart, it is but to manifest thy ignorance of it, and that thou art offended at James for witnessing what the Scriptures do witnes, and that the Law of the new Covenant is written in the heart, Jer. 31.31, &c. Heb. 8 10, 11. And where thou sayes for any to call the written word, which is the letter of the Scripture, carnall is blasphemy; Here againe thou hast shewed that thou regar­dest not what thou sayes, and art ignorant of what the Scrip­ture it selfe faith concerning the same, which speaketh of a car­nall commandement; but that is all one with thy other, that sayes the spirit is in the letter, and the letter is the word, but [Page 7]cannot with all that thou hast scraped together prove that it is the word which is eternal life; and so the word that was in the beginning with God, and was God, John 1.1.

Thou accusest them for saying the saints ground of acting is not the outward Letter, but the Spirit which gave forth the let­ter; and saith, here they set the word at distance from the spi­rit, and sets figurative glosses upon the Scriptures; Here thou art blinded and knows not the Saints ground, and art accusing them falsly that witnesse to it; and sayes, they set the word at distance from the spirit: The word and spirit cannot be set at (difference nor) distance except God could be devided, and that cannot be, for God is the word, John 1.1. and God is that spirit, 2 Cor 3.17. Therefore the word and the spirit are inseperable, but the Letter is not God, nor the letter is not the spirit; therefore not that word which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1.23. by which word the World was framed, Heb. 11.3. and made, Heb. 1.2. In which word is the life and the Light of men, which the Letter doth declare of, but is not the life and Light of men, neither were all things made by the letter that were made, but by the word they were, John 1.1, 2, 3, &c. This is plain Scripture without figurative glosse; the glosses are thy own, that with thy logick and magick art would make the Scriptures God and Christ, but cannot; and would make them the ground of the Saints actings, when they are not, but the Lord God and his spirit is; for the Lord God and his spirit sent me saith the servant of the Lord, Isa 48. and the Lord teacheth his that he so sends to profit, v. 16, 17. and the manifestation of the spirit is given to profit withall, 1 Cor. 12.7. and saith God, I will poure out of my spirit and your sons and daughters shall prophesie, and such may speak of the things of God: Thy meanings I deny, and the fancy is thy own, and the sure word of Prophesie we witnesse to, and do not to it say no; therefore in that thou hast further uttered thy lyes, and manifested thy deceitfull spirit; as in page 7. Thou sayes, they say there is no Scripture for the Trinity, contrary to John 5.7. which expresly saith, There are three that beare witnesse in Hea­ven, the Father the Word and the Spirit, and these three are all one, here is Trinity thou sayes; here thou hast perverted the Scrip­ture, [Page 8]saying here is Trinity, when it expresseth no such word in that nor any other Scripture as Trinity, but the Father Son and Spirit which are one, that we witnesse; and as Christ hath said, At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you, Joh. 14.20. The Father Son and holy Ghost are one, but it doth not speak of distinct persons three, there­fore thou art yet to prove a Trinity: The Holy Ghost is no person, but dwelleth in persons or bodies of Saints, and he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son, as saith the Scripture in the 2 Epistle of John 9—

Concerning the Light, and Christ the way to the Father.

That Christ is the way to the Father is set down in Edward Burroughs Book to Ʋnderbarrow, p. 4. and that the Scrip­tures witness and do not contradict, John 14.6. but thou hast wrested Edward Burroughs words, and therefore thou art a li­er; there is not such a word as [purchased] in that page, and there lyeth the weight of thy matter; but that Christ is the true Light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the World, the Scriptures witnesse, John 1.9. Therefore if thou say the contray, the Scriptures thou therein contradicttest, (and not he) take notice of that; and withall that Christ is the Light of the World, and a saving Light to all that obey him as saith the Scriptures; and such as follow him the true Light are by him led out of darknesse into the light of life, as he hath said, John 8.12. Heb 5.8, 9 and that word, magnifie the Light thou puts in; but if we do and as Mary did, we magnifie the Lord (1 John 1.5.) and art thou offended at that? there­in thou contradicts the Scripture; where it saith, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, Luke 1.26. Luke 2.29, 30, 31, 32. and thou also contradicts thy selfe, and lyes against Christ the true Light, calling him naturall, and common, and lyes of such as witnesse Christ, and the Light of his spirit and according to the declaration of the Scriptures: And where thou art offended at George Fox for saying the light of Christ is life, it is but to ma­nifest thy envy against the truth, and thy contradictions to the Scriptures, for the Scripture saith, Christ is the Light, John 1.9. and he is life even the way the truth and the life, John. 14. and [Page 9]such as follow him the true Light are led out of darknesse (er­rour and deceit) into the Light of Life, John 8.12. And a­gaine thou accusest George Fox for saying the light is the word, but it is but to manifest thy further contradictions to the Scrip­tures, for the Scripture sayes God is the Light, John 1.5. and God is the Word, John 1.1, &c. Therefore in that thou hast manifested thy ignorance of the Scriptures, and knows not the Light and the word; for as God is the Light and the Word so also is Christ, John 8.12. Rev. 19.13. and the Father and Son are one, and such as abide in the doctrine of Christ have the Light and the Word of God abiding in them, 1 John 2.12, 13, 14. and they may speak from it that have fellowship with it: And thou sayes, they would send you to read the Scrip­tures in the creatures, quoting the Book of parables; That Book shal witnesse for the truth against thee and thy generati­on; and also let the wise hearted take notice that he that is in Christ is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5.16, 17. and that they are Epistles written in one anothers hearts, seen and read in one a­nother that are such creatures, 2 Cor. 3. And there again thou hast shewed thy ignorance of those Epistles, and lyed of the truth with thy deceitfull spirit, by twisting and winding about; but thou may well lye of us that lyes of the Apostle Paul, and wrests not our words onely but his also; for where thou speaks his words, where he sayes, It pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching (and as thou sayes a Text a Doctrine a Reason an Use out of the Word) to save them that beleive; when there is not any such words of his there as Text Doctrine Reason Use to save them that beleive; and here thou hast lyed of him, and thou wouldst make the Letter a Saviour, for thou calls that the Word; and so thou wouldst have a salvation without Christ (except thou make the letter of the Scripture Christ) and there againe thou hast contradicted the Scripture, which calls Christ the alone Saviour, or perfect Saviour, being able to save all that come unto God by him, (not by the Scripture) but by Christ the alone and perfect Saviour of such, Acts 4.11, 12. Heb. 7.25. which the Scripture declareth of; and he that hath the Son hath life, 1 John 5.12. (if he have not the letter) but he that hath not the Son hath not life (though he may have [Page 10]all the Letter:) And where thou sayes that Edward Burrough calls the common light the corner stone, &c. Thou lyes of Ed­ward Burrough, and his Book to Ʋnderbarrow, p. 7. for there is not such a word as a common Light there, stop thy mouth lyar, for thou art taken with the lye in thy mouth, and lyars are for the Lake, Rev. 21.8 But the Scripture saith, Christ is the Light, and Christ is the chief corner stone, Act 4.11. 1 Pet. 2.6, 7. and so saith Edward Burrough; therefore he agrees with the Scripture, and his saying (as thou sayes) is not contrary to Eph. 2 20. but agree therewith; there againe thou art taken with another lye in thy mouth, lyar be ashamed and blush: And where thou wouldst slander Richard Farneworth for say­ing, the Light is pure standing out of corruption; thy slander hath no weight nor doth not harm, for God is Light, 1 John 1.5. and he is pure, and discovers corruptions, and hath no uni­on with them; therefore his Light is pure and stands out of them, and what communion hath Light with darknesse, as saith the Scripture, 2 Cor. 6.14. And thou brings that Scripture and sayes, if you beleivers say you have no sin, you deceive your selves and the truth is not in you, 1 John 1.8. But I say, and so doth the Scripture, that he that abideth in Christ sinneth not, 1 John 3.6. But you Scotchmen abide not in Christ (that thou calls beleivers) who plead for the Devil, and therefore are sinners; and such as commit sin, are of the Devil, take notice of that, 1 John 3.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. but thou commits sin and so art a servant of the Devil; for thou goes on with thy lies and sayes, James Nayler saith that the common Light of every man (which thou calls naturall Light) being followed and obeyed will lead out of the fall; I charge thee here in the presence of the Lord to be a lyar of James Nayler and his Book; for the words in it are not as thou sayes, thou lyar and false accuser be ashamed of thy lyes; but James Nayler witnesseth with Christ who is the true Light, and such as obey the Light and follow Christ they are led thereby out of the fall and are saved by him and that is not contrary to Scripture but witnessed with it, which thou contradicts, and so sins against Scripture and against Christ that calls him a naturall Light: and to manifest thy blindnesse and ignorance of the Scriptures, thou sayes, Where is there a­ny [Page 11]Promise in Scripture, of spirituall saving Light, to lead man out of the fall and out of his naturall estate? but a threatning thou sayes there is, &c. I answer, If there were no Promise of spirituall saving Light to lead out of the fall, man might conti­nue in it, and under the curse; but there is Promises of saving Light and saving grace anexed to it, and such as follow and o­bey the same are saved by it, and led out of the fall; for by grace are we saved through faith, and not of our selves, it is the gift of God, as saith the Scripture, Eph. 2. Not of works least a­ny man should boast, Eph. 2.8, 9. That there is promises of sa­ving Light in Scripture; as God hath said, I will give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a Light to the Gentiles, and this Light hath grace anexed, that is a covenanting Light, and sal­vation to the ends of the earth, the Light of the Gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel, Isa. 42.6, 7. Isa. 49.6. Isa. 60.19, 20. Luke 2.22, 23. Eph. 2.

Concerning the Law.

To that touching the Law and first Covenant of works, that the Mosaicall and Leviticall Law was under that Covenant of works, and all thy twisting and wresting cannot disprove it; and for thy saying Adam was under a Covenant of works (and the same) thou canst not prove it, nor Peter English to help thee, but manifests your confusion therein; for Peter English in his serious reveiw, saith that God made Adam upright, p. 7. and in a state of perfection; for he saith, Adam was made in a state of perfection without sin; and yet to contradict himselfe, and shew his confusion, in p. 10 he saith, that through cove­teousnesse the root of all evill, a breach of the 10 commande­dement, he fell (or brake) and transgressing dyed; see here how Peter English hath befooled himselfe; first saith he, man was perfect and without sin; then saith he, he was coveteous and in the root of all evill, what contradictions is here to him­selfe, and to the Scripture, that saith, before he so fell he knew no evill: and the said Peter English (a Scotchman) saith fur­ther to confute himselfe and the rest with him, that it cannot be said that Adam in a state of innocency was under a covenant of works, p. 9. for where there is no Law there is no transgres­sion, [Page 12] Rom. 4.15. and the Law is not for the righteous but for the rebellions, 1 Tim. 1.9. and so he saith in a sence Nayler spoke true; but Peter English going about to accuse Nayler, and after when he hath cleared him, he confutes himselfe, say­ing Adam was not under a covenant of works, as under a Law, and yet saith through a breach of the 10 commandement he broke the covenant, and transgressing of which he died: here he hath comed poorly off, and lyed of himself, and of the Scrip­tures, and of Adam also; for he said, where no Law was there was no trasgression: but Adam had not the Law in which the 10 commandments were given, therefore he did not transgress the 10 ^th and dye for that; for it were written (the Law with the 10 commandements) several hundred years after Adam, and not given to him in the Paradice, therefore he was not under that Law and Covenant of works; Lyars stop your mouths.

Concerning Sinne.

That all the children of Light are called to judg them Priests, and such as you that say the children of God are found groa­ning under the burden of sinne all their life time, those are the words, though thou wrest them, (that is warranted and not ar­roganted) for groaning under sinne whilest it is working out, that may be, but to say that the children of God they groane under it all their life time, it contradicts the Scriptures, and the arrogant assertion is thy own, contrary to Rom. 8. &c. 1 John 3. Rev. 14. for thou sayes Paul all along in Rom. 7. from v. 14. speaks in the name of the regenerate to the end of the chapter, and groans and sighs it out, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? here though Paul did cry out of the body of death, he did not always groan and sigh as dissemblers [and Scots] doe, neither did he doe it in the name of all the regenerate, as thou sayes, but spoke his owne condition there: therefore thou hast lyed grosly therein, and so art an impudent lyar: And Paul did not alwayes groan un­der that body of sin and Law in his members, but witnessed a redemption from it, for which he thanked God that made him more then a conqueror, and others as well as he, and such did not commit sin, 1 John 3.9. and then not alwayes groaning [Page 13]under, that were delivered from it, 1 John 3.1, 5, 6— And to manifest thy confusion thou sayes, the children of God from their new birth puts of the body of sin, as to guilt and reigning power, and yet sin easily besets them and presseth down by the remnants of filth (thou sayes) and that is thy condition; where it so easily besets and presseth down it reigns, but it easily be­sets and presseth thee and you Scotchmen, down that are in the filth of it; and therefore you let it reigne in your mortall bo­dies, contrary to Rom. 6. and the new birth you are ignorant of, and the hope that purifieth, even as he is pure, as such wit­nessed that witnessed and witnesse that birth, and are Sons, 1 John. 3.1, 2, 3—

Concerning Justification, and the end of the Righteous and wicked, or unrighteous.

They deny that God Justifieth a beleiving sinner, (thou sayes.) I answer, That such as are born of God doe truly be­leive, and faith in God purifieth their hearts and giveth them victory over the World, and so frees them from sin 1 John 5. And such beleivers are Justified from sin and ungodlinesse, and not in sin and ungodliness; for by Christ such as are so born and beleive, are Justified from all sins, and such like things, from which they could not be Justified by the Law of Moses; and so Christ is their Justification, who are Sanctified and from sin by him redeemed; which sin thou art pleading for, and so art an unbeleiver, and not redeemed, that sayes, It cannot be routed out till body and soule part, and faith, then is sin pluckt up by the roots; as the root of a wilde Figtree rooted in the joynts of a stone wall, is rooted our when the wall is taken down; but hath no proof for thy saying but thy pollicy and that is contra­ry to Scripture; for it is said, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37.37. But the wicked shall be cut off, and the transgressors shall be destroyed together at their end, Psal. 37.38. And you that plead for sin till your latter end, continueth in wickednesse, and so are unre­generated, and the end of the wicked shall be cut off; you that continue in sin to your end, are wicked transgressors, and such [Page 14]shall be cut off & destroyed together; as their works are, so will their end be: But such as are sinners and transgressors to their end their deeds are evill so will their end be, and the wicked and such like shall be turned into hell, Psal. 9.17. and the unclean and unrighteous shall hot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven, ye unrighteous Scots look to it and read 1 Cor. 6 9.10 Rev. 21.27—

And for that saying of the Priests of New-Castle that said Peter when he denyed Christ was in a state of Justification and that a man denying Christ is in a state of Justification: both thy blindnesse and theirs is there seen, and that Scripture which thou brings to prove Peters being in a state of Justification when he denied Christ is Luke 22.33. which speaks no such thing, but of the Descipies enquirery among themselves who it should be that should betray Christ: see how blinde thou art, was Ju­das in a state of Justification when he denied Christ and betray­ed him no more then Peter was when Christ called him Satan; but after Peter had repented of his deniall of Christ and wept bitterly, upon his return, and after he were united to the Faith, then Christ prayed for him: And where James Nayler in the discovery of the man of sin, page 29 where he askes the Priests of New-Castle; if pleading for sin be a discovering of the man of sinne to strengthen the Devils Kingdome, and plead for an upholding of sinne, and seeking to make a cover for thy sins and theirs; Thou wiests James words in thy 12 page and art ignorant also of that which discovers the man of sinne, that art making covers for him, and by thy pollicy thou goest about to make Christ a sinner, but in that thy folly is seene, and con­tradiction to the Scripture, that saith, He was make unto us; (sin excepted) and such as are in him, are redeemed out of sin, and abiding in him, they sinne not, whosoever sinneth hath not seene him, neither knowne him, 1 Joh. 3.4.5.6. and sin cannot be reconciled to God, nor any such imperfect thing, and that doth not contradict the Scripture, Revel: 21.27. And as for our meaning thou speakes of, thou art without our minde, and so knowest not our meaning, by thy Imagining; therein thou shewes a spirit of errour; And where thou sayest, they say, he that beleiveth is borne of God without Scripture, and yet wit­nessed [Page 15]in Scripture is contrary to James. 1.17. where it saith, Of his owne will begot he us by the word of Truth; and to Peter, where it sayes, Being borne againe by the word of God, which li­veth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1.22, 23. But if thou was not blinde, thou would see that thou Contradicts the Scripture, and not them; that attributes the worke of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter, which thou cals the word, and so there­in denyes God; who begets by his owne will, by that word which liveth and abideth for ever; which was in the beginning with God, and was God; And where thou sayes they say, sin dwelleth not in act where Christ reigneth; that is true; for where Christ raignes, the body is dead to the acts of unrighte­ousnesse, because of sin being destroyed, and the Spirit is Life because of righteousnesse, Living and ruling; and here thou art contradicting the Scriptures, and opposing the worke of Christ, which is to take away sin, and such as abides in him sinnes not, then sin acts not, he that acts sin commits sin, and there Christ raignes not but Antichrist, under whose Dominion thou art, that pleads for him and his worke; but hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe, and that wicked one toucheth him not; and hee that acteth and doth righteousnesse is of God, but hee that acteth and doth unrighteousnesse is not of God, as saith the Scripture; And where thou sayes they say perfection of holinesse is not reserved till after death, nothing is added after death; and sets downe James Naylers booke, called, The Dis­covery of the man of sinne, Pag: 28. Let all that reads that booke see if there be such words so expressed by James in that Page, and if not, as they are not so set downe by him, then let them take notice of thy deceitfull spirit; And as thou hast lyed of James, who witnesseth purity as the Saints did; so also hast thou lyed of the Apostle, and those spoken of in Hebr: 12. and contradicted his words, where thou sets downe Hebr: 12.23. saying from that, in contradiction to James, that he contra­dicts that Scripture, when hee witnesseth with it, but thou con­tradicts it that sayes, that the Spirits, that is, soules seperated (as thou sayes) from the bodyes of Just men made perfect, in holinesse: which is at death, or at an Instant when the Spirit is seperated from the Body; sin is as the wild figtree thou sayes, [Page 16]rooted in the Joints of a Stonewall, and when the wall is taken downe, the stones cast asunder, body and soule seperated, then is sin (thou sayes) pluckt up by the rootes, as the roots of a figtree, and not before; Thou subtile Serpent, and Scotch Poli­titian, how hast thou wrested the Scripture? The Apostle saith that the word of the Lord is quicke and powerfull, (so is not the Letter of the Scripture,) to devide asunder soule and spirit, Joints and Marrow, and is A descerner of the thoughts and In­tents of the heart; Heb: 4.12. Here soule and spirit is devided by the Living word, and the Ground of sin shaken at the roots and rooted out of such, before their soules and bodyes part a­sunder; for those that thou speakes of in Heb: 12.22. did not say it should be at an Instant of death, when their bodyes and soule parted, that they should be perfected; but they witnessed that then they was come to Mount Sion, and to the Citie of the Living God, to the Innumerable company of Angells, and to the spirits of Just men made perfect; and in the present Tense they there spoke, and not in the future; and doth it say, they was then parting body and soule asunder, or that sin was roo­ted in them, as the wild figtree is rooted in the Joints of a stone­wall, and did they say, when the wall is taken downe, the stones cast asunder, body and soule parted, then should sin be rooted out, and not before; or then they was in that state of perfecti­on they spoke of; but by this thou hast manifested thy Scottish pollicy, and Antichristian deceitfull Spirit, and to be one that would uphold the Kingdome of the Devill in people, and so art an enemie to Christ, and his worke, which is to take away sin here; and to sanctifie by his Spirit, 1 Cor: 6.11. 1 Joh: 3, 4, 5. and so art against purity and holinesse here; and therefore against the Scripture, which saith, As hee that hath called you is holy, so be yee holy in all manner of conversation; But thou de­nyes the holy call also, as well as the holy conversation, that pleads for sin, to act, and presse downe, and make you all your Lift time to sigh it our, and under it groane, but that is one of your Scottish tricks of deceipt, take notice of that.

And where thou hast shewed forth another piece of thy pol­licy and serpentine subtilty, from the words as thou sayes, in the short Answer, Pag: 1. They are not so set downe there, and [Page 17]therefore thy pollicy hath manifested subtilty, and thy particu­lar lyes; But all thy pleading is against purity, yet Christ hath said, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, Math: 5.8. then there was and are pure in heart, as Christ said, and they are blessed, but thou sees it not, that art of a corrupt heart, and pleading against Christ and his doctrine, and so accursed; and thy witchcraft and deceipt; that Loves not purity in heart, nor the Lord Jesus Christ, and what hee hath therein said: And where thou sayes thou art sure that the least degree of pu­rity makes a soule sensible of continuall Impurities mixed there­with, That is thy owne condition, confirmed by thy assurance, and so thou Judges others by thy Continuall Impurities, and therefore thy Judgement must needs be false, and not true, and that is thy Contradiction to the Scriptures, for such as wit­nessed the word of God which endureth for ever, and were be­gotten by it, they had purified their soules through their obe­dience to the Truth, through the Spirit, which thou denyes, and so denyes their doctrine, who said, Seeing yee have purifi­ed your soules, (have purifyed in the present Tense) in obey­ing the Truth, through the Spirit; See that yee Love one ano­ther with a pure heart, fervently; but thou art against a pure heart also, and so against the Scripture, 1 Pet: 1.22.

And where thou sayes, one in Answer to M: Eaton, P. 14. saith; Did ever Paul deny perfection: Thou in Reply saith, what thinkes hee or others of that, Phil: 3.12. I Answer, hee is so far from denying it, that he pressed hard after it, and said to such as had attained to it, presse others on after it, and they did; Heb: 6.1. and such obtained as so pressed after it; Heb: 12.22, 23. And Paul obtained it, and preached wisdome a­mongst them that were perfect, 1 Cor: 2.6, 7. and said, Finally my Brethren, Farewell, and be perfect, but thou denyes it, and so contradicts the Scripture, and crosseth the Apostles doctrine, therefore thou and such are to be holden accursed, Gal: 1.8.

Thou sayes, The question asked of one G: Fox was, Have yee no sin? and his Answer was no; I Answer, If it were, it was not contrary to such as were in the eternall Life, and did abide in Christ; but hee is in the Life of Truth, and abides in Christ, and therefore his Answer did not contradict the Scripture in [Page 18]the 1 Joh: 3.6. but agree therewith; and for that of the 1 Joh: 4.16.17. it witnesseth the same, though thou would wrest it, yet thy twistings is not sufficient grounds, to overthrow the truth, for it will stand a witnesse against all Gainesayers like thee, when thou art wearied with making opposition against it; to manifest thy folly as thou hast done.

And thou sayes in Answer to Samuel Eaton; Pag: 19. They deny Saints to be alwayes in the warfare; if they doe, they de­ny not the Scripture, but agrees with it; for such as have over­come are more then Conquerers, and thou brings that of Paul in the warfare, to contradict it, saying, ( Rom. 7.23.) I see a Law in my members warring &c. but thou brings not his after Experience, where hee sayes, the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ, hath made mee free; Rom: 8. And where hee, with the rest in that union with him saith, they are more than Conque­rers through him that Loved them, ver: 37 and such as are car­nally minded, as thou art, are in death, but such as are spiritu­ally minded are in life and peace; and greater is hee that is in them then hee that is in the world 1 Joh: 4.4. and such as have overcome the wicked one knowes the father, and are strong, because they have overcome, and are in union with him that giveth them victory; and the word of God abideth in them▪ that have so overcome; 1 Joh: 2.13 14. which thou art igno­rant of and knowest not that pleads for sin and so for the De­vill; therefore his servant thou art expect his reward, for do­ing his worke.

Concerning Repentance.

They Question that Implyeth a deniall of Repentance in such as make a trade of sinne; take heed and looke to thy selfe, that art so hardened in thy sins and pleads so strongly for them, least thou be given over to hardnesse of heart and Repentance be hid from thee as from Esau it was, for wee know that the goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance and the Scripture wit­nesseth the same with us, therefore wee contradict it not, but agree therewith and witnesse the gift from the Goodnesse, Rom: 2.4. But take heed that thou harden not thine heart, [Page 19]and treasure up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God, ver: 5. And where thou sayes, wee disclaime a Godly sorrow, which thou calls remorse▪ there thou hast uttered another lye, but thou art accustomed to it, and it is hard for thee to leave it.

Concerning Reading, Singings and Prayer, Baptisme and the Lords Suffer &c.

Thou would raise a slander, and cast it upon us from some words which thou hast wrested in the Booke called the Stan­dard of the Lord; by C: Athinson; Pag: 22. as if wee should de­ny the way and the meanes that God useth to reveale himselfe to his people by, and through, but that is but further to mani­fest thy lying and deceitful Spirit of errour and deceit for Christ is the Light, to lead out of errour, and deceit such as follow him into the Light of Life Joh: 8.2. And he is the way to the Father and that wee owne, and none can come to the Father without him and hee reveales his secrets by his Spirit, even the deepe things of God 1 Cor: 2.10 and no man knowes the fa­ther but the sonne, and he to whosoever the sonne will reveale him; And this doth not contradict the Scriptures but are wit­nessed by them, Math: 11.27. Luke 10.22. But the Scriptures are not Christ, then they are not the Spirit that reveales the deepe things of God; But God hath sent the Spirit of his sonne into our hearts, whereby we cry, Abba father, Gal: 4.6. and by his Spirit hee tcacheth us to profit, 1 Cor: 12.7. and to under­stand, 1 Joh: 5.20. and teacheth us how to read with an under­standing, and how to pray as wee ought, Rom: 8.26. 1 Cor: 14.15. and that doth not contradict the 2 Tim: 3.15, nor Rom: 10.17. nor Luke 11.13. nor James 1 6. for wee know that faith is Given by the ministry of Christ in the Spirit, and that God giveth us his holy Spirit, 1 John 3:24. and the wisdome which is pure, peaceable, Gentle, and easie to be entreated, James, 3.17. and the fruite of righteousnesse is sowne in peace, of them that make peace, James 3.18. for which wee praise God, and owne hearing, reading and prayer, and the teachings of God, according to his promises; Therefore thy slaunder and accusa­tion [Page 20]harmeth us not; But your braine Imaginations wee deny, and sprinkling Infants with water, which thou calls Sacramen­tall water; but canst thou prove it; yet the Baptisme by one Spirit we owne (1 Cor: 12.12, 13.) into one body, where there is one faith, one Lord, one Baptisme, Ephes: 4.4, 5. and such as are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ; and that wee wit­nesse, as doth the Scripture, which is not Contradiction, Gal: 3.27. But sprinkling Infants is an Invention, and none of Christs Institution; But thou perverts the Scripture, Act. 2.38, 39. say­ing, Be baptized every one of you; you and your Children; Here thou art a lyar, It doth not Command Children to be baptized with water, neither did they ever so baptize them that thou canst prove, by one plaine Scripture, and where thou sayes that one of them sayes, The Lords Supper is a carnall Invention; I charge thee in that to be a grosse lyar, I said that your Imagination was a carnall Invention, but the Lords Supper I owne, and witnesse that he is come in to supp with mee, Rev: 3.20. And the bread which we breake, it is the communion of the body of Christ, and the Cup which we drinke, it is the communion of the blood of Christ; and as Paul said so say I; Let those that are spirituall Judge▪ what is said; but thou canst not prove that Paul broke outward bread and drunke outward wine, with the Corinthians, nor the manner how; and therefore it is thy reason that is so weake; that saith The bread which you breake, although it be bread in the nature and substance, yet it is Spirit in the Institution, &c. What blasphemy is this, to say that the Spirit is in the bread, which is naturall in the substance, here is a Papisticall tricke in­deed, and thy reason is very weak to carry thee out to utter thy shallownesse and emptinesse, of the body and blood of Christ; that would make that bread which is naturall in the substance, as thou sayes, the Spirit and Life of Christ and so substantiall in the Institution by yon deceivers; oh, Horrible delusion! The Kingdome of God consists not in meate and drinke, but righte­ousnesse, peace & Joy in the holy Ghost; and in that kingdome wheat bread, and red wine is not soules food; but the pretious blood of Christ, & such as eate him they live on hum and dwells in him, he is my meate and drinke and food for my soule to feed on, and for such as are in him John 6. Who is the bread of Life. [Page 21]And where thou sayest wee are against publique prayer these thon sayes are their very expresse words in Answer to Samuell Eaton, P: 26. contrary to the order 1 Cor: 14 14. Here thou hast manifested thy deceitfull spirit, and wronged the words in that Booke by turning them into a wrong sense, by thy filthy minde, to manifest thy mischeife against the Truth▪ that is har­boured in thy deceitfull heart; for the words in that page thou hast cited is that wee are against a publique prayer which is in the state of the Pharisee, which Christ forbids, and that doth not contradict Scripture, nor the counsell of Christ, but agree therewith, Math: 6.5. but the praying with the Spirit we owne, and those are the following words in that booke, & agrees with the saying of Christ in Math: 6.6. and with the order of the Spi­rit, in the 1 Cor: 14. which is to pray with the spirit and the un­derstanding, ver: 15. Therefore thy lyes and slanders harmes us not; And thou sayes, wee are against all Davids prayers, and prophesies, and singing contrary to Scripture; and cites the An­swer to Sam: Eaton, P: 26. Let that Book witnesse for the truth, against thy deceit; singing of Psalmes and hymns and spirituall songs we are not against but owne; and Davids prayers & pro­phecies; But your Poetry we deny, and teaching people to sing lyes in hypocrisie; saying, they are not puft in minde, when they are puft in minde, and saying, they have no scornfull eye, when they have, and much more of that nature, Be ashamed lyar, and give over lying.

Concerning Elders, Ministers Maintenance, Immediate calling, and Immediate teaching, &c.

Ordaining of Elders thou sayes was not by man; Quoting the Discovery of the man of sinne, by James Nayler, Pag: 38. Let the wise-hearted read that booke, and it will witnesse, & cleare him, and the truth declared in it, but this I say, The holy Ghost made Overseers, and so Elders in the Church, and that doth not con­tradict the Scripture, but agree therewith, Act. 20.28. and the holy Ghost is not such men as you are; and he said, Seperate mee Barnabas & Saul for the worke whereunto I have appoynted them, and they were sent out by the holy Ghost, Act. 13. And he was not taught the Gospel which he preached, of man, but of God, Gal: 1. and so taught immediately, and went, after Christ was revea­led [Page 22]in him immediately, to preach the Gospel; And thou sayes, They say that God sends forth Immediately contrary to Gal: 1. and saith, there Paul speakes of a sending of man, &c but that Chapter may be a sufficient witnesse against thee, & prove thee to be a lyar of them, and of that booke of the warning to Ʋn­derbarrow by Edw: Burr: from which thou sayes they pretend to an Infallible Judgement, & to a calling, not by man but Im­mediate, as the Prophets and Apostles had; whom God sends, say they, he sends Immediately, and thou sayes that is contrary to Gal: 1. here let the Scripture be a witnesse against thee, that he that was Immediately called & sent, doth there witnesse the same, and as for pretences, we doe not pretend to be Immediate­ly called and sent, but we witnesse that we are, and so witnesse with him that thou accusest; and all thy Mediate calls & send­ings will not prove thee to be as Paul & Timothy was, that had the gift within him, and the testimony by the holy Ghost, as they had, And for Rich: Farneworth, in that Booke called, Light risen out of darknesse, P: 16. saying, The Apostle had a free spirit, and was chargeable to no man, but preached freely, he witnes­seth the same, and said also that he Coveted no mans silver nor gold, nor apparell, but preached the Gospel freely, & his hands ministred to his necessities, That is truth, and will stand as a wit­nesse against all proud, Covetous, selfe-seeking hireling Priests in Scotland & elsewhere; and at the Truth which witnesses against your deceit thou art offended: And where thou sayes wee pre­tend to be Immediately taught: wee doe not pretend so to be, as I said before, but we witnesse that we are so taught, & according to the promise of the Lord; And thou that art not taught of him, shews that thou speakes a vision of thy owne heart & not from the Mouth of the Lord; and for the true Prophets studying the word, that is thy Imagination, and contrary to Scripture, for no prophecy of the Scripture came in old time by the will of man, (then not studied) but holy men of God spoke as they were mo­ved by the holy Ghost, and the Scripture is of no private Inter­pretation; but thou that denies immediate teachings and saith the spirit is in the letter & given by it; thou may well accuse us falsely that so lyes against God, & his Spirit, to manifest to all the children of Light that thou art ignorant of him and never was called nor sent by him; but ran, as the false Prophets did, and so doth not profit the people at all, Jere: 23 Chapter.

Concerning Questions.

And as for Questions; The Novices shall stand for your scor­ners and deceivers, who are puft up in Pride and Conceits; And where thou sayes, They deny, or say Questions are of the Devill; such Questions as are of the Devill we deny; But we owne Que­stions in their place, and therefore thou hast cast that out as a slaunder, but it is turned backe upon thee againe, receive it into thy old bottle from whence it came.

To that of thine concerning Civill honour, &c.

Civillity and honour wee owne, and knows to whom honour is due, & to whom it is not; for if I honour a proud man for his pride, I dishonour God in so doing for pride is one of the abo­minations and if I honour a covetous man and an oppressor for his covetousnesse and oppression I should offend God in so do­ing or if I honour the Serpent and his seed; But all men that are joyned to the Lord, and walke in union with him, and his seed, I honour & love, and this I speake in sincerity; and yet besides all this, I can love my enemies: But to follow foolish idle fancies, to worship men with cap and knee, and flatteries, as the Serpents feed doe, and which thou pleads for, we doe that deny, & against it testifie, & how can yee beleive that seeks honour one of ano­ther, & seeks not the honour that cometh of God onely, Joh: 5.44. and what the Scriptures doe allow, we doe know, without thy ranking together, but where doth the Scripture say, put off your hatts, and flatter with your tongues, as proud flesh, and de­ceit, and such as thou dost; or where doth it say, respect the rich, and disrespect the poore: Are you not partiall, and of them that have mens persons in admiration, because of advantage, & have respect to persons for selfe-ends, and so are Infidells and out of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which is not with such respect of persons, for selfe-ends, and carnall considerations.

Concerning Oaths.

And where thou sayes, They take up the words of Christ, Math: 5.34. Sweare not at all; as they doe other Scriptures, a­gainst his meaning, as if they did absolutely exhibit all oaths, be­fore a Magistrate whereas (thou sayes) he forbids oaths onely by creatures, heaven and earth a mans head, &c The same mean­ing [Page 24]thou sayes hath James; Thou sayes, Christ doth not forbid all oaths (but by creatures onely, here thou art a lyar of Christ, and his words beares testimony against thee for he doth not for­bid swearing by creatures onely, but he forbids swearing by all things els, whatsoever, for he saith, Sweare not at all, neither by heaven, for it is Gods Throne, nor by earth, for it is his footstoole; (and he that sweares not by heaven must not sweare by what is contained in it, & he that sweares not by earth, must not sweare by what is contained in it) but Christ forbids swearing by hea­ven and earth, and so by things contained in them; and likewise the Apostle James sayes Sweare not at all, and if a man must not sweare at all, then he must not sweare by a booke or any other thing; And though thou plead against the doctrine of Christ; and saith, he doth not forbid all oaths, but by creatures onely, yet to confute thy selfe and manifest thy contradictions thou sayes he forbids not swearing by creatures onely but all oaths, and here out of confusion thou hast confest to the Truth after thou hadst contradicted it; And if thou had not made swearing null and voyd by thy words, in confessing that all oaths are for­bidden, The very expresse words of Scripture would have been a witnesse clearely in the second place against thee, James 5.12. And as for this saying, we take the words of Christ contrary to his meaning; therein thou hast also in that cleared us, and con­tradicted thy selfe; for we take his words according to his mind, and so denies oaths, & abides in his doctrine; But the Lord hath suffered thee to lay open thy folly, that by thy words thou may­est be judged, & knowne to be in confusion, & selfe contradicti­on, and so Babylonish; Take heed of uttering thy folly as thou hast done.

Selfe Contradictions.

And where thou sayes, they deny the Letter of the Scriptures to be Scripture, (that is one of thy lyes) and yet thou sayes they stick to the Letter of the Scripture, Mat. 23.8, 10. which saith, Be not called Masters; here thou hast cleared them, and contradicted thy selfe againe; but thou art offended that they witnesse against thy deceit, and cuts of thy Mastership, by thy own rule, though thou wouldst cover it over, yet thy covers are seen and thou art left bare: And thou sayes they say, he that believeth hath the witnesse in himselfe, and if they say so, the [Page 25]Scripture saith the same, 1 John 5.10. herein they do not deny nor crosse the Scriptures: Acknowledge thy lies, error and confusion, and upon them own thy condemnation; for after thou hast said that they should say, They deny the Letter of the Scripture to be Scripture, to confute thy selfe and clear them in p. 21 thou sayes that they say, the Scriptures they own, to be true in themselves, as they were given forth by the spirit of truth, which ruled in them that gave them forth, and for proof sets down, Light risen out of darknesse by Richard Farneworth p. 13. here both thy own witnesse and that Book of Richard Farneworths doth witnesse aganst thee: And thus thou hast cleared them from the slander that thou sought to cast upon them, and art under the guilt, and the pit which for others thou diggedst, thou are faln in thy selfe, and catcht in thy own snare and craftinesse, take notice of that, & see how thou hast contra­dicted thy selfe: And where thou sayes one of them saith, you are ignorant of the life of the Scriptures that are ignorant of the Letter, herein thou hast manifested the same, therefore take thou the shame; for the life from whence the Scriptures pro­ceeded is not the Letter, yet the Letter doth declare of it; and such as thou art, that had the Letter but were ignorant of the Life, Christ said, Search the Scriptures, in them you think you have eternall life, they testifie of me, but saith he, Ye will not come to me that ye might have life, John 5. 39, 40. And againe saith he, I am the Way the Truth and the Life, Joh. 14.6. And he that hath the Son hath Life, but the Son is not the Letter nei­ther is the Letter the Son, yet the Letter declares of him.

Concerning the new Birth, and the word in the heart.

He that believeth, thay say, is born of God: I answer, so saith the Scripture, 1 John 5. and that the word of Faith is nigh in the heart▪ is witnessed Rom. 10.8. and he that believes and is born of God knowes the seed of God within him, as saith the Scripture. 1 John 3.9. but he is not born of the Letter as thou wouldst have him, yet he is begotten by the immortall word, which endureth for ever, which the Letter declares of and that doth not contradict the Scripture: Therefore where thou twines about to raise a lye of them, saying they say and unsay, that is thy own, as before is proved; for thou art he that sayes [Page 26]and unsayes; and where thou sayes take the meaning of their words; that hast not the same minde, knows not the meaning, but wrests them, as thou perverts the Scriptures, and so raiseth lyes by thy imaginations; to manifest also thy contradictions; for thou sayes, they say and say truly, (then they lye not) nei­ther do they say and unsay; and thou sayes they say truly be­cause the Scripture saith so, then they agree with the Scripture, being of God and speaking truly, 1 John 4.4, 5, 6. and they that are of God hear his word, then they crosse not the Scripture, neither do they say and unsay if they say truly (and as thou also say,) But they say truly, therefore they do not say and unsay, and so thou art taken with the lye againe, and clears them thy self; and where thou sayes they deny that in John 1.9. to be a naturall Light, If we do, we have warrant for it, for it is the Light supernaturall, John 8.12. and if one of them did say he lived in a naturall condition before his conversion, is that such a strange thing, such as were witnesses for God, as the A­postles and others had been naturall before they were spirituall, and when it pleased God to reveal his Son in them, Gal. 1. he also commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse, to give them the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus, and they had the heavenly treasure manifested in earthen vessels, 2 Cor. 4.6, 7. and if it had not been there in a mystery, Col. 1. 27. how could it in them have been so after manifested (in them,) but that thou art mindfull to cavill on purpose against the work of God, to shew forth the envy of thy heart against the breakings forth of Light, whereby your deeds of darknesse are discoverd, and against testified: And where thou sayes they magnifie the Light and the Law written in the heart, to judge and condemn sin; then thou sayes, the day of Judgment is come: I answer, Where Judgement is brought forth into victory, sin is condemned in the flesh, and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit, and such have boldnesse in the day of Judgement; for as some mens deeds goes before hand to Judgement others they come after, and therefore a day of Judgement is to come, and that thou and the wicked will know to be a day of torment (though the righteous may rejoyce in it:) Againe thou sayes, They affirme that every man in his first estate may fee himse;fe [Page 27]to be naturall, but not able to judge of the things of God, ci­ting particulers concerning the Law by John Cam, let that book be a witnesse to the truth, against thy ignorance and sottishnes that sets thy corruptions and pleads for them; the light which doth discover the naturall corruptions, is not not naturall, as thou sayes, but it is spirituall, and such as love it bring their deeds to be tryed by it, and with it the deceits is Judged, and such as dwell in the Light that Judges in the particuler, where it rules them, and they are united to it, may with it Judge and discerne betwixt truth and errour; but such as with the Light have the deeds of darknesse discovered, and hates the Light, the Light is their condemnation, as it is thine, and they that are in union with corruptions, as thou art, they are not able to Judge of the things of God, but erre in judgement that judgeth with evill thoughts, as thou dost, and hast done, therefore judgements is to thy head and crown of deceit, pride and vaine glory: thou sayes one of them sayes, the least degree of Light manifested in the creature is perfect in its measure and in its self, few words, by James Nayler, let that book also witnesse against thy subtilty, which is a witnesse against thy generation, and thou goes on & sayes, if the Light be perfect both in its measure and in its selfe, then it is perfect every way; thou hast here confessed, that if the Light be perfect in its measure and in its selfe, then it is per­fect every way; but thy imaginations cannot finde out the highest degree, that are not subject to the lowest, but acts con­trary to it, and so to be condemned by it; for it is perfect, both in respect of its truth, and sincerity, power and authority, and condemns the haters and resisters of it; but guides and leads such as love and obey it, into the life and power, that they are able to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and length and bredth of the love of God, and they are in uni­ty the highest and lowest in their measures and degrees, accor­ding to the working of the divine power of God, who worketh according to the good pleasure of his will, and he that hath his sins covered is blessed; but thy meaning is denied, and no other Christ doe we owne, but Christ which is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, who doth perfect them that he sanctifies; and the righteousness of Christ is our righteousnesse, who are saved from our sins by him, and we witness him to be the alone Savi­our [Page 28]of all that obey him; and perfectly able to save to the ut­termost all those that come unto God by him; But all thy scra­ped up stuffe, & thy twistings and windings we deny; who saith, the spirit is in the letter, and the spirit is given by the letter; and saith, The true Light, to wit, Christ, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world with his light; (which thou sayes is na­turall and common, and saith, that no man could know that he hath the witnesse in himselfe, but by the Scriptures, and so thou would have the Spirit to be bought & sold, if it were in the Let­ter, & to be given by it; And thou would have a letter-Saviour, if the letter could give the spirit & eternall life; And thou would have a letter-fulnesse, and no witnesse of God without the let­ter, and if the letter should be lost, the fulnesse and the witnesse would be lost, and so have God to be without witnesses, and his people without supply and strength, according to thy account; for thou sayes, that none could know that he that beleiveth hath the witnesse in himselfe, but by the Scriptures; & here thou sets the Scripture in the roome of God, and of Christ, & gives all the preheminence to the letter of the Scripture, and not to Christ, and that is contrary to the Scriptures; for he (to wit, Christ) is before all things, and by him all things consist, and he is the head of the body the Church, who is the beginning and first borne from the dead, that in all things hee might have the prehemi­nence, for in him the fulnesse dwells, then not in the Letter, yet the Letter declares of it; Colos: 1.17, 18, 19.

Concerning Quaking & trembling, and Growth in Grace, &c.

Thou sayes they professe Quaking and trembling after the manner of Moses, Habbakuck, David, Paul, & other, and yet are some of them the most daring creatures that ever (thou sayes) thou heard speake, or observed to put pen to paper, & will stand in an evill cause before Magistraces, without Quaking or feare, setting downe Rich: Farnworth, Reply 2.5. I Answer, The same power that made Moses, Habbacuck, David, Paul, and the rest to Quake, shake and tremble, the same power wee witnesse, and working out our salvation with feare and trembling, God work­ing in us, to will, and to doe also, after his owne good pleasure, and this is no contradiction to Scriptures, but thou that speakes against the power of God, that worketh effectually in his peo­ple, as it did in them, that witnessed Quaking & trembling; & de­nies [Page 29]trembling and Quaking, that proceeds from the power of God witnessed of in Scripture, thou therein contradicts the Scripture; and for that saying, or falacy of thine, where thou hast shot out thy sting in thy tayle saying, we will stand in an Evill cause before Magistrates without Quaking or feare; herein thou art taught thy gradations methodically in old Antichrists schoole to lye, slander, accuse false­ly and jeere, and cannot prove what thou hast said; stop thy mouth deceiver, and take in thy slander againe; and as for being bold to witnesse the Truth, against deceit, that doth sore offend thee, and such Scotch deceivers, & all deceivers, such as thou art; but the Lord maketh the righteous as bold as Lyons; that he teacheth to profit, and to grow from grace to grace, to set forth his praise, glory be to him for ever; and where thou sayes they say they witnes the Saints Growth & the time of pressing on to perfection, art thou offended at that; They that witnesse the same doe not therein crosse nor con­tradict the Scripture; And where thou sayes they owne the fruits of the Spirit, art thou offended also at that, and doth the old Serpent teach thee to lye against the Spirit with the fruits of it & them that are guided by it Rom: 8.14. & Gal: 5 1 Joh: 3. and falsely accuse them saying they walke in the most manifest fruits of the flesh; in that all that feares God, & knows their godly conversation may witnesse a­gainst thee; & herein thou hast manifested thy spirit of errour & de­ceit & to be one that regards not what thou sayes, (& as for scof­fing at Scottish Priests or others that we deny but your raising mo­tives tryalls, points, reasons, and uses, out of other mens words, and speaking a divination of your owne braine, for your owne ends, by plaine Scripture you cannot it justifie; therefore against you & such deceivers as professe Scriptures to be your rule, and act contrary to them, we declare & against you testifie and as for your formes of de­ceit we deny but a forme of sound words the Scripture doth justifie, being spoken by the Spirit of truth, which we owne: and now the time is come that deceivers & such as you are cannot endure sound doctrine, but utters your folly, to make your selves manifest; & what generation you are of, even of him, whose comming is after the working of Satan, with all deceiveable of unrighteousnesse in them that perish, 2 Thes: 2. 2 Pet: 2.

Concerning Ordinances, Instructing of Children, and the Resurrection.

Praying in familyes (thou sayes) they say they own, with reading and instructing of Children and bringing them up in the feare of the Lord, and teaching according to the Apostles doctrine proved by a [Page 30]short Answer to 7 Priests P: 19. which thou hast cited, and art thou offended at this; set thy conceivings, that ariseth out of thy darke minde aside, and thy vaine Imaginations and close to the Truth, and stand not up to oppose it, wilfully, least thou be found one of those that sins wilfully after grace received, to whom there is no more sa­crifice, for sin but a fearful looking for of Judgement & fiery Indig­nation of the Lord which shall devour the Adversaries; and where thou sayes they pretend to owne all that is Gods, we doe owne that which is Gods free love & mercy to us and all that is Gods, as Bap­tisme the Lords Supper▪ Church-fellowship, Sabboth: The flesh of Christ & the resurrection and all that we owne, and what thou hast cited out of the book of James Naylers, called Spirituall wickednesse in heavenly places, or an answer to a book entituled, Freedome of Re­ligious Worship, or the Jubile of Ordinances set forth; Let the wise­hearted read that book to further witnesse for the Truth, on our be­halfe, & to be a witnesse against their deceit; & such as would falsely slander and reproach us and the Truth; and where thou sayes, there must be no Lawes concerning Religion; yet says, they admonish Ru­lers to see that their Lawes be according to that in the Conscience; of every man; & then thou says after thou hast wrested their words, by this it seemes there is no Religion in the Conscience, or els why should there not be Lawes according to religion aswel as according to the Conscience; Thou deceitfull Spirit, how hast thou wrested the words set downe about the Law of God, which answers his Justice, & the Light in the Conscience, which answers the law of God which is perfect, according to that in the conscience; Let the wise-hearted read that Booke, which thou hast wrested, called, The Glory of the Lord, arising shaking terribly the earth & overturning all, untill righ­teousnesse be set up; being an Encounter with the Ministers of the world, touching their Maintenance, wherein they are beaten with their owne Weapons; confuted by their owne Scriptures, and Ar­guments, and that will sufficiently witnesse against thy lyes; & wit­nesse against to the Law of God, which is for Establishing Religi­on; and seeing thy lyes are so made manifest, I shall leave this to the simple-hearted that they may take notice of thy deceits, herein made manifest, besides much filthinesse in thy booke of slanders▪ where thou deceifully hast wrested our words, by thy sorcery and witcheraft, but Truth is cleared, and thou art ensnared and proved to be the contradicter of Scriptures, and not those whom thou scornfully calls Quakers.

This is a Testimony against that Pamphlet (namelesse Author) called, The serious reveiw of some Principles of the Quakers.

IN a paper called, A serious review of some Principles of the Qua­kers; one that saith, He hath ceased from man, and is dead to Sects; and saith, There is many in this Age who do own in their judgement many parts of Truth, or severall sound Principles of Re­ligion, as it were by peecemeal, who notwithftanding many more things, if not in the most, do erre: And as for error & deceit un­der refined subtilty, that is the condition of die man that saith, He is dead to all Sects, but he is yet alive in the opinions, and stands on the ground of fancies, and fil'd with conceits, and catching at truths in the notion, but errs not knowing the seed of God, nor the Key of the true Knowledge, nor the Spirit that stands before the Throne, the flaming Sword, nor the Cherub, but is shut out of the ground of Truth, grinding and making meal, or provision for the Lust, feeding with the Serpent upon dust; and yet with his high aiery notions, and coloured expressions, thinks to hide himself, but is bare to the single eyed: He saith, he shall lay down several prin­ciples of the Quakers, and as he propounds them he shall refute them, yet shall speak of none of them but such as be most known, that they may not have it to say that he wrests their words and do bely them; but in the first place, thou wrests and belies the words of J: Nayler, and G: Fox, let the wise hearted read Sauls errand and the 4 ^th page in the Answer to the perfect Pharisee, and the words are not as thou hast set them down, therefore thou art a per­verter of them and a lyar, and instead of defending the Truth thou art labouring to uphold the Deceit, but those two Books shall wit­nesse for the Truth, against thy fancy and whimsie amongst all thy scraped up stuffe; this is the weight or matter that thou stumbles at, as if there should be something in man that is not creared; what is the seed of God that keeps such as are born of God that they can­not commit sin, & that which is born after the will of God, in whom that seed abides, which is as the winde that bloweth, and no man knows by his will the manner of the work brought forth by it but he that is not of the world, and what is that unction that abideth in such, which teacheth them all things, & is truth and no lye; Is that holy unction created, & is not that in the regenerate? And the holy Ghost is that created, and is not that in such, and abides in them, & that mysterie of Faith which is held in a pure conscience, what is that, is it not in man? and what is that which bruises the Serpents [Page 32]head, and the mystery of godlines in man? And such as are so joy­ned to that seed, & in union with that one spirit, thou and the har­lot are ignorant of them and that mysterie, & therefore thou mayst stop thy mouth, for thou hast manifeded thy ignorance, and knows not our Principles, they are not for thee to take up to carry about in thy foul reason, & dirty mire imagination, words that proceeds from the Principle thou imagins of, but knows neither the Principle nor the Power in which we stand, that knows not that there is som­thing in man that is eternall; & therefore thou knows not the seed of God, the holy Ghost, the unction, the life which comes down from Heaven, nor that God in Saints dwells and walks according to his Promise, nor that Christ is glorified in them; and being igno­rant of the life of God in Saints, thou must needs erre and lie, being out of the living truth, & guided by a spirit of error and deceit, thou canst do no other: & as for the soule which thou puzzles thy minde about, thou art ignorant of, that knows not the living word of God, which devides asunder betwixt soule and spirit, as the Scrip­ture declareth, Heb. 4.12. and the Serpent being head in thee; he is ranging and raking up stuffe out of the bottomles pit to hide and cover himself withall, but thou art seen and weighed, and thou art offended at the Saints life, as the Serpents seed ever was, and all thy wrestings cannot seperate the Father and the Son asunder, and he that hath the Father hath the Son, and eternall life abiding it: him, 1 Joh. 5.11, 12. and abiding in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father & the Son, 2 Joh. 9. and is changed from glory to glo­ry into the same pure Image, which thou art ignorant of, 2 Cor. 3.17, 18. and he that hath said, the Father and the Son are one, & I and my Father are one, doth not contradict Scripture, as thou dost, and also as J: Stalham doth, who himself pleads for bread & wine, as an Ordinance, to last till Christ come personally upon earth, and to be a substantiall Christ in that bread at institution, and to have a spirit in the bread, and a spirit in the Letter and to be given by it, & to be born of the Scripture, & such like stuffe as that, being his con­jurations, and without bottome from the word; and so you are those that denye; Gods indwelling in Saints, that knows not some­thing eternall in them; God is not created; and he hath said, I will dwell in them and walke in them, 2 Cor: 6 16. and the life of Christ is manifest in Saints bodies, 2 Cor: 4. and the Father & the Son are in union together in them that are sanctified and preserved 2 Joh. 9. and as Christ hath said, At that day ye shall know that I am [Page 33]in my Father, and you in me and I in you, Joh. 14.20. & such may wit­nesse him; and great is the admiration where Christ is glorified in Saints, 2 Thes. 1.10. & that the same minde is in them that is in him, Phil: 2. Rom. 8. and that God sends the spirit of his Sonne into their hearts that they cry Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. wonderfull is the love of God to his children, & to be admired, 1 Joh. 3. which thou art a stran­ger unto, as thou hast made thy self manifest: And to thy 2 ^d, that the light of Christ is the light of the world is witnessed; & the true light that lighteth every man that comes into the world; & such as follow him the true light, are led by him into the Light of Life which light is the condemnation of such as hate it & act contrary to it and that accusation of thine before is written to, in answer to J [...] Stalham, thy companion in the Evill, who are both acting against the truth, & so serving the Devill, & for that Booke of James Naylor in answer to the perfect Pharisee It will stand as a witnesse against you, and your generation & also all the other bookes which you wrested, but can­not shake any child of Truth; they stand upon you & see you pain­ted harlots, to be deckt & coloured with the whores atire & you and your stuffe is fuel for the fire. And to thy 4 ^th that some are come out of the fall, that we witnesse & that the second Adam hath redeem­ed, and is redeeming what the first Adam lost & blessed are all they that waite for him but thou art opposing the Truth, & scraping up Scriptures, to plead for sin, & to prove that Adam in a covenant of workes, before he fell, and contradicts thy selfe therein, as before is proved, & makes thy selfe manifest to be in the fall, and yet under the curse: And to thy 5 ^th no sin nor such imperfect thing can be re­conciled to God nor enter into his kingdome, is true and witnessed, which thou accusest James Naylor of; and to shew forth thy deceit, thou sayes, Reason would thinke that no perfect thing could be re­conciled to God; & here thy reason would joine the seed of the Ser­pent & the seed of God together but cannot: 1 Cor: 6.9, 10 Rev. 2 [...]. 8.27. for it and thou art shut out with the Light which thou art an enemie unto, and when thou hast scraped up much stuffe to no pur­pose, then thou closest it up with 2 or 3 Scriptures, as if God and sin could be reconciled together which cannot be; but Christ being ma­nifested to take away sin & destroy the workes of the Devill, 1 Joh: 3.3, 4, 5. &c. he is the way & makes way to reconcile such to God, Justifying them from ungodlinesse; and sanctifying them, 1 Cor: 6.11. Heb. 2. for both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, [Page 34] [...].11. & so he that brings many sons unto glory, v. 10. doth take away their sins and sanctifies them, and presents them blameles and perfect before God, Eph. 5. without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, v: 26, 27. and where there is sin there is spot and wrinkle & such like things; and that conclusion of thine is a false one, and from the spirit of deceit, that would reconcile God and sin together, but that soul in whom sin hath dwelt, being seperated from sin is made righteous, and the creature also, and being sanctified is reconciled, which thou art ignorant of, and of the seed in him, 1 Joh. 3.9. that is born of God, and so sanctified, 1 Pet. 1.22, 23. And the unrigh­teous shall not inherit the Kingdome of god, then such are not recon­ciled, 1 Cor. 6.10, 11. Gal. 5.19, 20. And there shall in no wise en­ter into it any thing that defileth; but sin defileth, therefore God and sin are not reconciled, nor such as live and act in it, and plead for it; neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lye, (look to it ye unrighteous ones) but such shall enter as are without sin, and are reconciled, being written in the Lambs book of life, Rev. 21.27. To thy sixt, That Jesus Christ is the onely Light, and no other Light besides him to salvation; this is one thing that thou seeks to oppose, and accuse J: Nayler for: Oh! that ever man should be so blinde, and carried on wilfully, to act the Devills part, as thou art; thy scraped up stuffe I turn unde; and witnesse against thy spirit, and I witnesse that Christ is the true Light, and the way to the Father, and the alone Saviour of all that obey him, Heb. 5.8, 9. and perfectly able to save all that come unto God by him, Heb. 7.25. without any thing, contrary to him, or the invention and di­vination of thy brain, or such in thy nature, as further is cleared be­fore in Answer to thy partaker Joh: Stalham; But thou must needs busie thy minde, to run over the same things, to shew forth thy fol­ly, and all that knows God they know that there is no other way, nor Light, to come to the Father by, and to salvation, but by Jesus Christ: and if thou canst produce another way besides him, and a­nother Light, pretended by thee to lead to salvation lets know thy shallownes in it, who hath set thy self to invent, and follows inven­tions, and conceits of thy braine; but I see by thy Eight that thou as well as John Stalham, would have a Letter Light, a Letter word, and so a Letter Saviour; and calls Christ reason, as he calls him na­turall and common; but for all the Scriptures you have ranked together, not one of them saith, that Christ the true Light is a naturall and common Light, as John Stalham sayes, who gives the [Page 35]Letter the preheminence, and not Christ; and so contradicts the Scriptures; But thou hast manifested thy Rantisme; and both of you, you are found to be enemies to the Spirit and lyars of the Scriptures also; And after thou hast winded about to cover thy selfe in the latter end of thy eight, thou hast left thy selfe bare, when all the Scriptures thou hast gathered together, and thy rea­son, will not nor cannot prove the Scriptures to be eternall life; then not that word which endureth for ever; nor the word by which the worlds were made, nor the Spirit & power of life, nor Christ Je­sus, upon which the Prophets and Apostles were builded; but thou sayes (& sayes falsly) that the Scriptures which thou calls the Word, is called the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, setting downe Eph: 2.20. Now that very Scripture witnesseth against thee & con­futes thee; for it calls Christ the foundation of the Prophets and A­postles, and the chiefe corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; (not in the Let­ter) but in the Lord in whom they was builded together, for an ha­bitation of God through the Spirit, (and not through the Letter) but through the Spirit, Eph: 2.20, 21, 22. And say they through him (through Christ not the Scripture) but through Christ; They both had an accesse, not by the Letter (as thou affirmes) but by the Spirit, Eph: 2 18. How hast thou uttered thy folly, and lyed of the Spirit, that called Christ the foundation of the Prophets and Apostle; and thou says, the Scriptures are, and in that thou hast lyed of the Scrip­tures also; for the words that are left upon record witnesses against thee, and both thou and John Stalham have shewed your ignorance of Christ the foundation, of the Prophets and Apostles, & your foun­dation is the words which witnesse against you, and all lyars, & thou hast manifested the same, that the Letter is your ground, for thou saith it is the ground of your faith, P: 12. and so your faith is not up­on Christ, which is the Saints ground; for they witnesse Jesus Christ to be the Author and finisher of their faith, Heb: 12.2. But the Scrip­ture is your ground of faith, thou says and so no Scripture no faith. no faith no salvation; and let all the wise in heart see if thou would not here have a letter Saviour, but it is good that fooles utter their folly that others may learne to be wise; And where thou art offend­ed at thou and thee, words of truth, and the Scripture Language: there thou crosseth the Scripture & contradicts them for thou canst not shew one plain scripture in all the Bible that says you to one sin­gle person; & all thy twisting in the 9 ^th is but to plead for deceit: and [Page 36] [...] and Civill honour, wee are not to learne that of one that is out of the counsell of Christ, as thou art, and knowes not the eternall Word; which thou and John Stalham have shewed your selves Ignorant of, and to be without the Spirit of Christ, to guide you, and such are not his; And as for things that stands in the Counsell of Christ, and agrees with his Word, wee are subject unto, and owne true and just Government, and the authority: But your lyes, flattery and deceit, and scraped up stuffe wee doe deny, and against you, and your deceitfull Spirits dee wee declare and testifie: And as for that Booke, which is without a printed Name, that hath P: E: at it; this shall be as a witnesse against it, with the following words, also, as a conclusion against your delusion; There is a Paper from the same spirit of errour and deceit, comed out of Scotland without a name, the Author being either convicted in his Conscience that hee hath belyed the Truth, or els some shame to owne that for truth which hee hath published, or some such like thing; but though his name be hid, his heart is uncovered to the single eyed; (and if Peter En­glish be his name) his spirit is weighed and tryed, with the light that mani­fests his subtilty, flattery, deceit, secret ennity, and serpentine pollicy; and hee and thou John Stalham are both in one mystery of Iniquity, and because hee hath in effect or substance the same things scraped up that thou hast; This which I have written shall be as a witnesse against you both, and the Light in your Consciences, as the booke of Concience is opened will remember you in the bed of torment, and be a swift witnesse against you, and be your Con­demenation, that hare it, and set your selves to worke wickednesse, and that Light which convinceth you of the evill of your wayes, will let you see your selves, as Conscience booke is opened, to be the vilest, and of the same spirit of wickednesse (though under a refined subtilty) that the vilest of men are, and that Light which yon now hate and scorne will remember you▪ of what (against it and the Lord) you have acted and done, and the thoughts and in­tents of your hearts, will be seene and discovered by it; and you, and all that hate it, will by Christ the Light of the World be judged, and rewarded, ac­cording to the deeds done in your bodyes, and in the day of the Lords fierce wrath you will know the Judge of hearts, and that you cannot hide your selves from him, all your covers will be too narrow, in the day of wrath, when you are cast into a bed of Torment; remembered you will be, now you are warn­ed, though with deceit your hearts will be filled, and with subtilty against the Truth, you be armed; It is hard for you to kicke against p ickes: But for the simple ones sake have I written this, that they may be aware of your subtilty, least they be deceived by you, and partake of the plagues with you.