THE HOLY SCRIPTURES From Scandals are cleared. OR An Anſwer to a Book ſet forth by the Baptizers; to wit, Henry Hagger and Thomas Pollard, Entituled, The Holy Scriptures clearing it ſelf of Scandals: But is ſcandalled or perverted, and ſo ſcandalized by them, as in this Anſwer to theirs will further appear, ſo by them Entituled, or bearing the Title of an Anſwer to a Book written by Richard Farnſworth, called, Truth cleared, or Truth lifting up its head above Scandals: occaſioned by a diſpute at Harliſton in Staffordſhire, between Richard Farnſworth and Thomas Pallard, in the year, 1654. Alſo here is in this, the heads of an Order, or late Act made at Coventry, by the Baptized People there, ſubſcribed with the names of ſeven Elders and Brethren, as they ſay, in the behalf of the reſt, and ſet forth; from them ſent to Shittington in Warwickshire, ſhewing whom they denyed to be Miniſters and Members of Chriſt, &c, which is ſet down in this and ſeveral Conſiderations or Obſervations, and Anſwers thereunto. And ſomething here is, in Anſwer to a falſe Prophet, called John Griffith, ſet out by him and ſeveral others, in a falſe Propheſie or Book, bearing the Title of True Goſpel Faith, collected into 30 Articles: or in the middle part called, A Ʋoice from the Word of the Lord, with at leaſt an hundred lies numbred up out of the Books as aforeſaid, being anſwered, ſuch as are of concernment; and they are with the other ſent to them back in a bundle or number, as herein will appear; and being caſt out, now truth ſtands pure and clear.
The lot cauſeth contentions to ceaſe, and parteth between the mighty.
Written by a Servant of the Lord, in the ſixth Moneth, 1655. by R. F.
London, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the Sign of the Black Spread-Eagle, at the Weſt end of Pauls, 1655.
READER, inſtead of an Epistle I ſhall lay downe a few of the particulers, or affirmatives in that act or law made by the water baptized people at Coventry, and ſent to Shittington, ſigned or ſubſcribed at the end with the names of Mannaſſes King an Elder and Jefford Youngbone an Elder, John Murdock, Francis Blabby, John Fairbrother, George Copſon, and Thomas Hardway, Brethren, who from Coventrey ſay they ſubſcribed it in the name of the rest, &c. And from them I ſhall lay downe ſome obſervations, or anſwers thereunto.
The ſecond thing which in that Coventrey law or late Act, is that they ſay they deny any to be Miniſters of (Chriſt and) the Goſpel, or to ſpeak in the Church, that ſay they ſpeak from or by an internall light & prove it not by the viſible rule of the Scriptures, &c.
And by this rule and law though God be light, 1 Joh. 1.5. and dwell within in his people (2 Cor. 6.16. 1. Joh. 4.4. ) yet he muſt be debarred or limitted and not ſuffered to ſpeake in the Church, except he confine himſelfe to the letter of the Scriptures, and that is contrary to his former actings for to be limitted, and who are you that dare preſume or offer to ſeeke to limit the holy one of Iſrael.
As much as to ſay though Abraham, Iſaack and Iacob, were endued with the Spirit of God, yet except they could prove what they ſaid by the words of Adam, Enoch and Noah they might not be permitted to ſpeake from the Spirit of God, in the things of God revailed, and made knowne unto them thereby.
Though Moſes, Aaron, Caleb, and Joſhuah might be guided by the Spirit of God, yet except they could prove by words from Abraham, Iſaack, and Iacob, what from the Spirit of God they had to declare, they might not ſpeake of the things of God, but be denyed to be any Miniſters or Meſſengers of God.
Though Samuel, and the reſt of the Lords true eſtabliſhed Prophets; that were by him called and ſent, and could witneſſe4 that the Lord God and his Spirit did call establiſh and ſend them; yet if they ſaid ſo, and ſaid they ſpake from an internall light, or the Spirit of God within; and could not prove by Scripture or the writings of Moſes and thoſe before them, all that that they ſaid, they might not be ſuffered to ſpeake, but be denyed to be the Miniſters and Meſſengers of God.
Though the Miniſters of the new Covenant, had the light and the heavenly treaſure within them; 2 Cor. 4.6.7, and were guided by the Spirit of God, Rom. 8.14. who made them able Miniſters of the new Covenant not of the letter but of the Spirit: 2 Cor. 3.6. and they was not to ſerve in the oldneſſe of the letter, but in the newneſſe of the Spirit: Rom. 7.6, yet if they ſaid they preached from an internall light, or the Spirit of God within them, &c. and denyed (to prove all they ſaid by the Scripture or) to ſerve in the oldneſſe of the letter; and not Miniſter from the Letter, but from the Spirit in which their Miniſtry ſtood, they might not by theſe baptized people be ſuffered to ſpeake but be denyed to be any Miniſters or meſſengers of Chriſt though his true Ambaſſadors, take notice you Baptizſts of your errour herein, and acknowledge the ſame, and own your condemnation thereupon,
And where you ſay you deny any to be members of Chriſt that either goe themſelves or ſuffer others to goe heare them that preach from an internall light, &c.
Here you are againſt Chriſt the true light, and againſt the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, and againſt the Kingdome of Chriſt in the Spirit, against the new Covenant and the doctrine of the Apoſtles alſo, that were Miniſters from the light, and the life of the Spirit within, which you deny, and they were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the letter, and ſaid to others try all things and hold faſt that which is good; 1 Theſſa. 5.21. Here you are againſt the Scriptures alſo, that would deprive people of a Christian liberty, that ſo binde them by your law, contrary to the Goſpel, and contrary to the doctrine of Chriſt and his Apoſtles; for the true Chriſt ſaith, Preach the Goſpel to every Creature; but you would not have every Creature to heare it Preached, by the Spirit in the power of light, in the endleſs life, that ſo denies them liberty to heare thoſe that are Miniſters5 of the new Covenant, and not of the letter, but of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.6. ſo hereby your Spirits are diſcovered and made manifeſt to be Antichriſtian.
Againe, you ſay you deny liberty for any to object in the Churches either in the time of ſpeaking or after, &c. In this you have denyed the true Spirits order, who ſaid, If any thing be reveiled (and that is not by the letter but by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.10) to him that ſits or ſtands by; let the firſt hold his peace, and let the other ſpeak: &c. 1 Cor. 14.30: But you ſay the contrary, and therefore you have croſſed the Scripture; and denyed the true Spirits order, to further make manifeſt your diſorder and alſo your Spirit of deluſion and errour.
And again you ſay God will judge the ſecrets of all hearts by the written word, or letter of the Scripture, when the Minister of Chriſt ſaith the contrary, who ſaith that, God will Judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt, Rom, 2.16: then not by the lettet of the Scripture, and the Son ſaith, All judgment is Committed unto him, and the Father hath given him authority to execute judgment alſo, becauſe he is the Son, but he hath not given authority to the letter of the Scripture, to execute judgment, becauſe it is the letter of the Scripture, and declareth or teſtifieth of the Son, but is not the Son, then the Scripture is not the judge of all hearts, but the Son is ſo, to wit, the judge of all hearts, as the Scripture declareth, Joh. 5.22, and Joh. 5,26.27. Act. 17 31. Take notice how you would deprive Chriſt of his Kingly office, and take the authoritie from him to put upon the letter: and hath againe thereby further manifeſted your Spirit of errour.
THo: Pallord and Henry Hagger, who are mighty in the work of your Father, John 8.44. you pretend to clear the truth of Scandals, but of it are Lyars and Scandallers, and evil Speakers, and falſe Accuſers; and therefore that you may take notice of the fruit of your Fathers Spirit, by which you are guided and taught to lie: I have viewed your work, or ſcandalous and deceitful Book, and gathered out of it, being numbred up, the ſum of (60 and odde, or) Threeſcore Lies and more, beſides7 many that I have paſſed by; theſe being ſufficient for to manifeſt your Spirit and the deceit of your heart; as alſo ſeverall lies gathered out of a Paper, written or cauſed to be Printed under the name of John Griffith, oue of the water Baptizers with you, or in your number,; and I hare alſo ſent them back amongſt you into the lyars Generation again: take them and keep them, for they are returned back upon you, and into the lyars generation from whence they came, that Truth may be kept clear, and you appear in your lying colours, or be laid open who are ſuch great deceivers, unto your ſhame, who hath taken upon you to ſlander and revile the Lotds people (by you in diſdain called Quakers) and alſo to Propheſie or publiſh your lies in pretence of the Lords Name: But to bo wort, I ſhall lay ſeveral of them down, & return them back upon you from whence they came,
Tho: Pollard; Thou haſt ſet down things which I neither ſpoke nor writ, and ſays, I affirmed them, when I did not; and therefore thy gronnds being lies, that which ſprings out of them is ſo, as well as thy Grounds or Heads; but I turn them under, and drive them back with the reſt of thy Lies into the Serpents ſeat ugain, & lyars Generation from whence they came.
E•…or or Lie the firſtIn thy third page, Thou ſays it is ſuch a deceipt, that they that ſay they have no ſin the truth is not in them; but thou cannot prove thy ſaying therein, whoſe fallacy is laid down in that word [they] which includes any; when the Scripture ſays not ſo, as thou doſt; and therefore, in that, thou haſt lyed of the truth and truths friends, as it appeareth. And here thou goes about to prove, that Chriſt, and ſuch as are in him, hath no truth in them, and that is contradiction to the Scripture and the Spirits Doctrine; for thou fetbheth Chriſt in with them, and includes all in that word [they] ſaying, They that ſay they have no ſin, the truth is not in thom: as much as to ſay, They that are without ſin, are without truth, and have no truth in them, but Chriſt, and ſuch as are in him are without ſin: Therefore if they ſay they are without ſin, there is no truth in them (as thou ſays)8 for that is contrary to thy proofleſs Argument: Pollard or Hagger, whether of you laid it down, take notice of your folly therein; here thou would [by that] have Chriſt, and ſuch as are in him, to have no truth in them: ſee what a trick the deceit hath taught thee in that, for firſt it is ſaid of Chriſt, That he ſinned not, and ſo was without ſin, for no guile was found in his month; and therefore he was without ſin, and the truth was in him, contrary to thy lying of him; for he is both the way, the truth, and the life, Joh. 14.6. and is without ſin, but full of truth, and ſuch as abide in him they ſin not, as ſaith the Scripture, 1 Joh. 3.5,6. then ſuch as abide in Chriſt ſin not, as the Scripture ſaith, they are without ſin, 1 John 3.9. and the truth is in them; for ſuch ſaid, That as he was, ſo was they in this preſent world, 1 John 4.16,17. Pallard, take notice of thy Errors and Lies, and alſo of thy contradiction of the Scripture; For they that did abide in Chriſt, and ſinned not, 1 John 3.6. they were ſo far trom being without truth, or having no truth in them, that they were full of grace and truth, for the Spirit of God was in them, which was truth and no lie, 1 John 3.24.
And ſecondly, the word of God was in them, 1 John 2.14. and they were ſtrong in the Lord and the power of his truth, for they had overcome the wicked one, and the word of God were abiding in them; and ſo the truth of God abode within them, for ſaith Chriſt to his Father, Sanctifie them with thy word, thy word is truth, John 17.17. Then they that had overcome the wicked one, and were ſanctified through the truth, and were without ſin, having alſo the word of God abiding within, they were full of truth, and not without it, or no truth in them: take notice of thy abſurdities and lies, for they had the holy Unction within them that were without ſin, and that was truth and no lie, 1 John 2.20. and 27. and greater was he that was in them, then he that was in the World, 1 Iohn 4.4. take notice of thy lie, and that trick of thy deceit.
9Error or Lie the ſecond.Thy ſecond Lie] is that, thou ſaies we boaſt of perfection: perfection in and by Chriſt we own, elſe we ſhould deny the truth and the worke of grace according to the working of the Spirit of God, as it is witneſſed according to the Scripture, and by the Miniſtrie of Chriſt in the new Covenant, Math. 5.48. and Eph. 4.11.12.13. 1 Cor. 2.6. Heb. 6.1. Heb. 12.22.23, but though we witneſſe to the truth and the worke of the Spirit of Grace, yet boaſting of perfection, &c: that we deny and therefore thou haſt acted Antichriſts ſpirit, and told thy ſecond Lie]
Error or Lie the thirdIn thy third Lie] thou ſaies that we make it our whole worke to turne away poore ſoules from the truth, but art without proofe for that Lie, for ſuch as are guided by the Spirit of truth, to turne people from the darkneſs to the light, turnes them to the truth, and not from it, (as thou ſaies) Act. 26.16.17.18. and we being ſo guided are made inſtrumentall to turne people, from the darkneſſe to the light, and ſo from the power of Satan to the power of God, and many ſouls that art turned to the truth can witneſſe for us, and againſt thee, and ſuch thy diſciples, who haſt herein manifeſted thy third Lie] and ſo made it thy work to Lie, and buſineſſe to ſin and doe evill, which is the work of thy Father the Devill.
Lrror or Lie the fourth and fifth.Thou ſaies we turne people from the Scriptures: ſo didſt thou ſay to me at Harliſton, but could not prove it, and many reproved thee for it.
And in thy fifth lie] thou ſayſt we turne them from the ordinances or Chriſt.
Error or Lies the 6. 7. &c. And in thy ſixth Lie] thou ſaies that we are proud, preſumptious, and ſelfwilled, but art to prove thy lying ſlanders therein, and all that feares God, and knows our converſation, may witneſs againſt ſuch thy abſurdities or thy groſſe Lies.
Lie the ſeventh] Thou ſaies we ſtrike at Jeſus Chriſt, but ſuch as are obedient to him, do not ſtrike at him neither are they ſelf-willed nor proud and as thou-ſaies, but we obey him that walke in his ſtatutes, and keepe his ordinances as he hath delivered them unto us, therefore t•ou art10 charged with the Lies left behind, and they ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe, and ſuch in thy nature]
And thy eight Lie] is where thou ſaies that we are ſcorners: but ſcorning we deny, and alſo ſtriking at Jeſus, or doing as thou ſaies, and therefore thou art charged with the Lies who makes lying thy refuge.
In thy tench Lie] thou ſaies we are turned with the dogg to his vomit, and the ſow that was waſhed to the wallowing in the mire: and that thou canſt not prove, and therefore in it, art the Lier, as alſo in the other, accompanied with the tenth Lie, to and in thy ſixth page.]
The eleventh, Lie] is in page the ſeventh, where thou ſaies we impudently boaſt of perfection: but impudency, and alſo boaſting as I ſaid before that we denie, and there in thou art charged with the eleventh Lie]
And in Lie the twelfth] thou ſaies we judge all to be in darkneſſe that throwes not away the rule of truth: But we judge all to be in the light, and not in darkneſſe, that are led by the Spirit of God, the rule and guide into all truth, for they that are led by the Spirit of God are we Sons of God, Rom. 8.14, &c. Joh. 16.13. Gala. 4.6: and there againe thou art charged with another Lie, which makes up the number a whole dozen, or twelve of thy Lies, left without proofe, take notice thereof and be thou aſhamed and Haggar alſo, who is thy backer or partaker therein, that hath either acted the ſame or joyned with thee to carry on that deceit, wherein ſo many Lies are brought forth and more alſo, which may be for your ſhame.
In the thirteenth Lie] Thou ſaies we juſtifie our ſelves: but ſelf-juſtification we do deny: and therefore thou art left charged with the thirteenth Lie.
And thou ſaies we judge raſhly of all men that are not of our minde calling them Devills, &c. But that is as the reſt of thy proofleſs Lies] though thou ſay thou can ſhew it under ſome of our hands; I charge thee to doe it, if thou canſt, or elſe thou art left changed with the fourteenth Lie]
And Lie the fifteenth ſixteenth and ſeventeenth with the other in page the ſeventh; Thou ſaies we glory in appearances11 appearances, having a kinde of voluntary humilitie, and ſaith we goe about to ſet up our ſelves, and not the Lord: but ſelfe is by us denyed, who walke in obedience to the commands and teachings of the Spirit of the Lord: and voluntary humility that we deny, and all falſe and fleſhly appearances which is not the Lords, and therefore the fifteen ſixteene and ſeventeenth Lies] are left for thee, and ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe, take them in againe, for they are returned back into the Liers generation from whence they come.
And in thy 18 lie] Thou ſlandereth us with deluding tongues; and Lie the nineteenth, with out-ſide holineſs; and in Lie the twentieth, with and for throwing dirt in the face of truth.
And in lie 21, Thou ſaies we deſtroy men by our doctrine, &c.
Lie the 22. Which had its riſe from Hell as thou ſaies, but theſe are but like the reſt of thy lies who art ſo accuſtomed to it, and therefore goes on in it, to manifeſt thy deluding tongue, lying and helliſh doctrine, &c. proceeding from an Erronious and deceitfull Spirit, for lying and deluding tongues is by us denied, who walke in obedience to the truth through the Spirit, as ſuch did 2 Pet. 1.22.23. who were borne againe and were of the incorruptible ſeed: and all outſide holineſſe which is not the holineſſe of God, is by us denyed, and throwing dirt in the face of truth, ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe, who art ſuch an abominable lyer; which is by us denyed, and alſo, all doctrine that is from darkneſſe and Hell, arid thou canſt not prove what thou haſt ſaid; thy witneſſe is but from darkneſſe, and the corruptions of thy evill heart, and ſo of thy ſelfe; and not true, therefore the 18. 19. 20, 21. and 22 Lies with the reſt of thy Antichriſtian worke is charged upon thee, and left for thy ſelfe and ſuch as with thee in it, hath taken thy part, take notice of thy errours or lies, and thy Antichriſtian worke.
And thy 23 lie] Is one of thy firſt heads or ground of thy booke; where thou ſaies, R.F. ſaid, he was a man wholly12 free from ſin and not ſubject to any one temptation, ſuch words were not ſo ſpoken by me, though to the truth I did witneſſe as I doe ſtill, againſt thy deceit, and ſuch as thou art, neither canſt thou produce them, ſo ſet downe together, in that my book which thou pretends thine anſwer unto, therefore in that thou haſt made a lie thy refuge, and grounds much upon it, but if thy firſt head, or that ground be a lie, then the reſt is but that which the lier hath ſcraped together to guard it withall, ſeeking thereby to uphold his deceit, therefore be aſhamed that thou ſhouldeſt ſo utter thy folly, to make thy ſelfe manifeſt as thou haſt done; But ſuch as are wholly free from ſin, are ſanctified by Chriſt and them, and their condition I truly love: 1 Cor. 6.11. Heb. 2.10.11. 1. Pet. 4.1.2. and they that have ſuffered in the fleſh and ſeaſed from ſin, though they may be tempted, yet if they be not ſubject to enter into temptations, they are upheld by the power of God, and united to Chriſt, who though he was tempted in all things like unto us, yet he were not ſubject to the tempter, neither did he enter into the temptation; And it is no ſin to be tempted, but to obey the tempter, and enter into temptation that is a ſin, and though Chriſt was tempted, yet he did not obey the tempter, and therefore did not ſin, and ſuch as are united to Chriſt, and abideth in him, they do not ſin as ſaith the Scriptures 1 Joh. 3.6: then they enter not into temptation, that are ſo united, and abide with Chriſt in that true union, but as he is ſo are they in this preſent world, as the Scripture witneſſeth, 1 Joh. 4.16.17: Rev. 14.3.4.5: and ant thou offended at that, if thou be, it is but to ſhew thy diſlike to the work of Chriſt, which is to take away ſin, and thy contradiction to the Scripture, which alſo witneſſeth the ſame.
And thy 24 lie] Is one of thy grounds or ſecond heads, by which thou labours to uphold thy deceit, in page the 8 which thou calls the ſecond thing that Farnſworth as thou ſaies affirmed, that is as thou ſaies, when Paul ſpoke thoſe words, in the ſeaventh of the Romans, where he cries out of a body of death, and of the warfare he had in himſelfe, and13 to ſtreng then thy lies] thou ſaies Farnſworth ſaid he was not then converted: lier art thou not aſhamed of ſuch an abominable lie, let the wiſe hearted ſearch the booke written by me, and ſee if they can in it finde ſuch an affirmative: and thou pretends to write thine, in anſwer unto it; and in page the 22 thou ſaies, theſe are his principles he ſaith he ownes in his book: oh that a man profeſſing godlineſſe ſhould no more regard what he ſaies, bur it is good that fooles utter their ſollie, as thou haſt done thine thereby to manifeſt that deceit which long hath lain hid within thee, but the book ſhall ſtand a witneſſe againſt thee; And that lie thou haſt laid as a ground to build upon, but the ground being falſe the building cannot ſtand, therefore thou art left with thy refuge of lies, and the burden thou muſt beare who art ſo acting Antichriſts Spirit, and being accuſtomed to do evill how canſt thou do well? be aſhamed for ever of thy bundle, or number of lies] which are ſo proofleſſe, and now are back upon thee returned, and in the liers generation are left to remaine.
And thy 25 lie] is in thy 8th page, which thou ſaies is thy anſwer to that as aforeſaid, where thou ſaies thou anſwered and ſaid O man, minde thy errour, what Paul a meſſenger of the Goſpel and ſo eminent Apoſtle of Chriſt and unconverted! here I charge thee with this lie alſo, for I neither ſaid that Paul at that time were unconverted, nor thou made noe ſuch anſwer then unto mee, and co ſay thou ſo anſwered when thou did not as many may wirneſſe that is groſſe deceit and double hypocriſie: therefore Pollard, thou therein haſt made thy ſelfe manifeſt by thy lying Spirit to be a wicked lier, a groſſe deceaver, and a double hypocrit: oh, man! ſee thy errour lies and deceit, and bluſh, and alſo be aſhamed for ever: thou pretended to write thy booke in anſwer to mine but cannot prove ſuch ſayings therein, nor Hagger to helpe thee, yet you have bended your tongues like your bowes for lies, and made them your refuge but truth ſweeps them away or caſts them out, turning them upon you, you liers againe, and into the liers generation from whence they came, and all that which thou haſt ſcraped14 together and Haggar to help thee, for the backing of your deceit and to mannage your lies I paſſe over, and come to that which thou calls thy third thing Farnſworth affirmed as thou ſaies, which is thy 26 lie] ſaying that where Iohn ſpake thoſe words, if we ſay we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, &c. (ſaying, he ſaid) Iohn did not here ſpeak of himſelf, but the people to whom he ſpake thoſe words were unconverted.
That is but like unto the reſt of thy lies, but thou canſt not prove ſuch a ſaying in my Book, and thou ſays, thoſe was my principles which I ſtood by and owned in my book; and ſaying ſo, but cannot prove thy ſaying therein ▪ I paſs by the reſt of thy ſtuff which thou haſt ſcraped together to back or ſtrengthen thy lie withal, and leave thee charged with that Lie alſo, which makes up the number 26.]
And where thou ſays thou pleads not for a continuance in ſin, thy lying alſo therein is ſeen, who art ſo accuſtomed to it, and it is hard for thee to leave it.
And where thou art ſpeaking about trying the Spirits, page 11. Liars hath nothing to do to try them; but thou art a Lyar, and hath a number of lies charged upon thee, and therefore thine is tryed & known thereby to be a lying, & ſo an erring ſpirit: But thou ſays, you may honeſtly argue that, If they and they onely be the friends of God, that walk in obedience to the Commandments of God, then they muſt needs be enemies that oppoſe; but the firſt is true, thou ſays: Then it follows from thy own argument, about the tryal of Spirits, that thou that oppoſeth the truth, art the enemy, and the only enemy and no friend; for he commands, That every one that names the Name of Chriſt, ſhould depart from iniquity, and that they ſhould not lie, &c. 2 Tim. 2.19. Eph. 4.22,23,24,25. but thou art ſtrong in iniquity, and ſo pleading for it, that ſuch as obeys the commands of God, in departing from it, and thereby comes to be freed from it, and be without it; thou would have ſuch to be enemies that are Gods friends, ſaying, They have no truth in them (if they be departed from15 iniquity ſo as to have no ſin in them) and thus thou croſſeth the Scriptures, and obeyeth not the light, but acts in darkneſs and oppoſeth the truth, and art not ſubject to the commands of God, who art ſuch a Lyar, &c. who departs not from iniquity, but lives in oppoſition to the truth, and continues in lying, as is here manifeſt; therefore thy ſpirit is tryed, and thou art found to be the enemy of God; and alſo according to thy own ſaying, and ſelf confuſion: therefore ſtop thy mouth, and be ſilent about ſpeaking of the things of the Spirit of God, by a lying ſpirit of error and deceit; for darkneſs ſpeaks in thee, and the Serpents head who is yet unbruiſed in thee.
And where thou art ſpeaking to thoſe thou calls dear friends, ſaying, Beware leaſt you be led away with the error of the wicked: Thou art led away with the error of the wicked thy ſelf, who art ſo given over to lying, as thou haſt made thy ſelf manifeſt; and being guided by a lying ſpirit, thou art to be denyed; but thou ſays, now is the hour of temptation: for if theſe be not wicked errors, I know not what is: Yes, thy many lies, which before with the reſt that are ſet down are ſo) and the Scriptures which thou ſo much talks of, hath not kept thee for falling into them) but thou would put it off, and ſay they are thoſe which are laid down to their view, which Farnſworth did ſtand by to vindicate, if his own teſtimony may ſtand.
Here again I charge thee to be a lyar and a falſe accuſer, and that they was not ſo teſtified by Farnſworth, as thou haſt ſet them down, thinking thereby to ſtrengthen thy deceit; neither canſt thou prove them to be ſo in his teſtimony or book, which thou haſt written thine in anſwer unto; and there thou art proved the Lyar in that as well as the reſt, and therefore thou art left with them charged upon thee, and there they are to remain: clear thy ſelf if thou can; for this book doth not clear thee, but lets thy filthineſs more appear, neither doth it at all weaken the book thou pretendeſt it againſt, but it ſtands yet for the truth againſt thy deceit; as this doth ſtand to witneſs againſt thy lies, which in thine thou haſt ſcraped together or heaped16 up, to manifeſt that thou art not builded upon the rock, and therefore thy building cannot ſtand, who makes lies thy refuge, being ſet upon the ſand, as thy lies and confuſion maketh it manifeſt; for the tree is known by its fruits, as thou art by thine, Matth. 7.15. And where thou ſaiſt to the Reader, that we deny the rule of Tryal to try the ſpirits withal, that is another of thy lies.
For in thy 28. Lie, page the 14. thou ſaiſt, The rule of tryal to try the ſpirits withal, is thrown away by them.
And in thy 29 Lie, Thou ſaiſt, it is become of none uſe to thoſe men, except it be for advantage: take notice of thy Lies, and alſo of thy own confuſion within thy exception (for that which is for a good uſe and right advantage) is not thrown away, but made uſe of; but the tryal or Tryer ſpirits is not by us thrown away, though thou ſay it is, but made uſe of, according to thy ſaying in thy ſelf-confutation, and it is both advantagious and profitable for us, and alſo to try your deceits; withal take notice of that, and take heed how thou uttereſt thy folly as thou haſt done.
And where thou ſaiſt many poor ſouls have been miſled, as to ſay that which men call ſin doth as highly honor God, as that which men call Prayers, and holy performances, and faith; theſe things thou haſt heard uttered by mouth, and ſeen in print, and hath, as it were, caſt it as a ſlander upon upon us; and doth accuſe us with it, where thou ſaiſt this is their principle; and how doth it open a door of looſneſs, pag. 14. Such Principles we do deny, and thy ſlander alſo, and all that knows our Principles and practice may witneſs againſt thee in thy filthy Slanders: And I charge thee in the preſence of the Lord, and alſo Haggar thy partaker, to prove that ever ſuch things were ever ſpoken or printed by us, or elſe be aſhamed for ever, and own condemnation upon your wicked lies and groſs errors, who are ſo far miſled, as to act Antichriſts part; making lies your refuge, ſeeking thereby to hold up your deceir.
And to thy fourth, That thou ſays Farnſworth affirmed17 that Chriſt had not a viſible Church in the world; for thou ſaies they are his principles ſet downe in his book, that the Church was in God the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is in his books: that he affirmeth, and the Scriptures witneſſeth the ſame, 1 Theſſalon. 1.1. 2 Theſſalo. 1.1. and that the Church is made of living ſtones elect and pretious, a ſpirituall houſe for God to dwell in by the Spirit, and officers and over-ſeers were made by the Holy-Ghoſt, and he is not viſible for the world ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him and that is in his book; and the Scriptures witneſſeth the ſame, at which thou art offended, 1 Pet. 2.5.6. John 14 17. Epheſ. 2.20.21.22. Acts 20.28. And God is a Spirit and his Church is ſpirituall, and they endured as ſeeing him who is inviſible, which thou appeares to be ignorant of, and thou ſaith to manifeſt thy darkneſs and ignorance therein, becauſe Farnſworth, tells of an inviſible or ſpirituall Church he thou ſaies is no member nor officer in that Church becauſe he is a viſible man: as much as to ſay, Paul that eminent Apoſtle, becauſe he was a viſible man (as to the outward body) his viſible or bodily abſence did exclude his inviſible or ſpirituall preſence from the Church; and that is contrary to the Scriptures, and Croſſeth his experience, and ſpirituall doctrine alſo, who him-ſelf ſaid that tho he was abſent in body, yet he was preſent in Spirit beholding their order, Col. 2.5. then it was a ſpirituall order, and rule or government in the Church, and the viſible and bodily abſence of Paul did not exclude his inviſible or ſpiritual preſence, but that thou art blind in the things of God, the Spirit of God, as the Serpents ſeed ever was, and (according to that former ſaying of thine) becauſe Chriſt was viſiblely aſcended, far beyond all Heavens, Acts. 1.11. Jeſus of Nazareth could not be inviſibly perſecuted by the contrary Spirits inviſible men, &c. And that is croſs to the Scriptures, for after Chriſt was ſo viſiblely aſcended, he ſpake to Saule that perſecuted his ſeed, and he ſaid Saul, Saul why perſecuteſt thou mee: he ſaid Lord who art thou that I perſecute? he ſaid I am Jeſus of Nazareth, and he were aſcended far beyond all Heavens, Acts 9.4.5.
18When he were inviſible by a contrary Spirit in a viſible man, ſo perſecured, or his ſeed in his Saints, and ſuch as were his Church that was choſen out of the world, Joh. 15.18.19: which Church thou haſt ſhewed thy ignorance of, and thy blindneſſe in.
That Farnſworth ſhould ſay or affirme that all ordinances ceaſed when Chriſt aſcended and gave the Spirit; was never ſo ſpoken by him, neither canſt thou find ſuch a ſaying in that book which thou pretends to write thine in anſwer unto: therefore thy ground or fifth head being falſe, ſo is thy ſcraped up ſtuffe, and turned under by which thou ſeeks to make a cover, and thou art alſo left charged, with that thy 30 Lie]
And where thou haſt gathered many Scriptures in thy book, about the Spirits teaching and Baptiſme, &c: thou ſaies when thou inſtanced thoſe Scriptures before, which thou haſt ſet downe, thou ſaies Farnſworth ſaid that was not water Baptiſme: here thou haſt lied againe, and that is thy 31 Lie] ſaying thou did before mention thoſe Scriptures when thou did not then mention them, and thou ſaies many can witneſs it, but then it muſt be againſt thee and thy lies as I have done.
That one Scripture thou didſt mention, of Ananias going to Saul, and ſaying, Ariſe brother Saul and be Baptiſed and waſh away thy ſins: whereupon I asked thee if your water Baptiſme did or could waſh away ſins, and thou ſtood and gave little or no anſwer therein, as many can witneſſe; And if nothing can waſh away ſins but the blood of Chriſt or the water of regeneration, then it muſt needs be that the Baptiſme which waſheth away ſins, is either by one Spirit into one body, 1 Cor. 12.13. and ſo into Chriſt, Gal. 3.27: and into the blood or life of the Covenant, or elſe into the holy unction and water of regeneration, where there is but one faith, one Lord, one God and Father of all them that are borne of the Spirit, and ſo Baptiſed into that one Baptiſm, Eph. 4.4.5.6. But thou couldeſt not witneſſe that your outward water Baptiſme did or could waſh away ſins, then it is not that Baptiſme which doth: and being19 confounded in thy ſelfe, thou would have gon forth of the doores, but that I took thee by the arme, and ſtayed thee awhile, and ſpoke to thee till thou could not tell what to ſay for thy ſelfe, but ſaid the letter (which thou called the written word) and the Spirit were inſeparable, and then ſaid, the letter was a Hiſtorie: And I told thee if I ſhould have called it a Hiſtory, then others would have been ready to have called that blaſphemy: and being put to prove thy ſayings thou could not, but to thy ſhame got from mee, and went away, and they of thy own company ſpoke to thee of it and were grieved to ſee thy folly ſo made manifeſt, as many can witneſſe; but in that I ceaſe, and let the other book witneſe in that thing and the reſt, further to, and for the truth, againſt thy deceipt.
And in thy 32 lie] Being ſo accuſtomed to it, thou ſaies we wickedly ſpeake againſt Chriſt and his ordinances; But wickedneſſe and wicked ſpeaking we deny, who own, honour and dearly love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and his ordinances: & ſpeaking wickedly againſt them ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe and ſuch liers and falſe accuſers as thou art, and that is thy 32 lie]
And in thy 33 lie] Thou ſaith, that when I asked thee, whether thy water Baptiſm did or could waſh away ſins, in thy book to make a cover and manifeſt thy lying Spirit the more, (in that as well as in the reſt of thy lies thou haſt done) thou ſayes thou told me ſuch words as is expreſſed in thy 17. page, when there was then no ſuch thing by thee done, and therefore in that thou haſt lyed of thy ſelf, but lying is thy work, and that Spirit which guides thee is accuſtomed to it; And in page 19, thou ſayes, we have a ſpirit of deluſion (that is thy 34th lie) comming from Hell and darkneſs; but cannot prove it; yet that ſpirit by which thou art taught, of old Antichriſt to delude, which hath cauſed thee to utter theſe lies, is ſuch a one; and therefore what thou art guilty of, thou would caſt upon us; but we deny thy ſpirit of deluſion and lies, and teſtifie againſt it and thee, and ſuch helliſh darkneſſe as thou art poſſeſſed withall, that regards not what falſely againſt us and the20 truth thou venteſt but it toucheth us not; and therefore turnes back upon thee againe and is to be caſt into the bottomleſs pit from whence it came.
Lie the 35] that ſpits out ſuch venome againſt the ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt: that is thy own, and turnes back upon thee againe, for Chriſt Jeſus and his ordinances and worſhip in Spirit, and ſpiritualI ordination, we honour and own; but ſpitting of venom comes out of thy breſt, take it into thy old bottle, from whence it came.
And for thy 6th thing or head, is another of thy lies, and makes thy number 36] ſuch words as are there ſet downe, was not ſet downe in my booke, which thou pretends to write this in anſwer unto, therefore the abſurdities ſpoken of and alſo the lies, is turned back upon thee againe, pag. 20. 21. For the Scriptures I own, and that holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt: 2 Pet. 20.21. but liers like thee I deny and againſt teſtifie, Eph. 5.11. and the Scriptures ſerves to be a witneſſe againſt ſuch as profeſſe them in words and walke contrary to them in life and converſation, but liers ſlanderers and falſe accuſers doe ſo, as thou & Haggar and Griffith and ſuch like doth; and therefore the Scriptures doth witneſſe againſt you, and your generation and ſeed of evill doers; And ſuch hath the benefit and comfort of the Scriptures, as are guided by the holy Spirit into the life and power from whence good Scripture words proceeded, yet the letter is not the life, Joh. 5.39.40. and power of God to ſalvation, but Chriſt and the Goſpel is, which the letter or Scriptures declares and teſtifies of: Joh. 14.6. 1 Joh. 5.12: Act. 4.12. Hebr. 5.8,9. Rom. 1.16.
But thou ſeems as if thou would have a letter God, a letter Chriſt, a letter Spirit, and a letter power to ſalvation, or ſet the letter (or Scripture) up as God and Chriſt and power of God to ſalvation, for thou ſaies faith comes by hearing (the Scriptures preached) which thou calls the Goſpel; and if by it, thou ſaies, then not without it: and ſo according to that, no Scripture, no faith, no ſalvation: for without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God (and be ſaved) but according tothy ſaying or falſe doctrine; no Scripture21 no faith; and ſo making Scripture the moving cauſe of mens ſalvation: for if there can be no ſaith without the Scripture, then Chriſt might not be the author of it, neither upon that account could he give faith if the Scripture were wanting, and if there an be no faith without the Scripture, thou would not have Chriſt to be the author and finiſher of it, but the letter, and ſo ſets the Scripture in the roome of Chriſt, ſaying, take away the Scripture, which thou calls the cauſe, and then the effect thou ſaies ceaſeth: ſo, no Scripture, no ſavtation upon thy account, as much as to ſay the Scripture is the cauſe of mans ſalvation, (and not Chriſt) and rake away the Scripture, the cauſe and the effect ceaſeth;mind your Error or Lies herein Chriſt cannot give faith nor ſave without them, and by that meanes or according to that ſaying or falſe doctrin (of Haggars and thine, for he hath backed thee in it) no faith without the Scripture, though Chriſt be the way to faith and the moving cauſe of it; and ſo both the beginning and ending, or author and finiſher of it, as the Scripture ſaith, and ſaith Chriſt, without mee you can do nothing, then not beleive without him, for he is the way to the Father: Joh. 14.6. and ſo to faith who is both the author and finiſher of it: Hebr. 12.2, and here thou haſt ſhewed thy ignorance of the Goſpel, and moving cauſe of faith and ſalvation, and thou haſt contradicted the Scriptures and preferred them before Chriſt; and without them thou would have no ſalvation, and ſo would not have Chriſt to be (a perfect Saviour without them nor to be) perfectly able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all thoſe that come unto God by him, though he be as the Scripture witneſſeth Hebr 7.27. neither is there any ſalvation, without him, Act. 4.12. and as he is the author of faith ſo he is the author of eternall ſalvation to all that obey him, Hebr. 5.8.9. And thou ſaies, to deſtroy the ordinances of preaching the Scriptures (for that is thy drift) by which faith comes, muſt needs tend to deſtroy faith, thou ſaies, and then pleaſe God who can? That is thy ſaying, but thy deſigne (inſtead of theſe men) is weighed, that goes about to give the Scripture all the preheminence, and ſet it up as God and Chriſt, and no ſalvation without it, but thou art contradicted22 by it, who ſaith alſo that the Scripture brings to Chriſt: then it muſt needs be the ground and cauſe of faith and ſalvation if ſo: but thou haſt therein erred, and lied, of Chriſt and the Scriptures in that thy 37th lie] for Chriſt and the Scriptures will both contradict thee in thy lies and errours, for Chriſt brings to underſtand the Scriptures: Luke 14.32: and ſaith, without mee ye can do nothing: then he is the ground of faith, and knowing God, who giveth an underſtanding to know him that is true, &c. as the Scripture witneſſeth: 1 Joh. .20; and the Spirit revealeth even the deep things of God: but thou ſaies if they can once bring a poore ſoul into this condition to diſowne the Scriptures, when he ſtands moſt in need of it, to bring him to Chriſt, and ſhew him how he ought to walk ſo as to pleaſe God, &c: Here thou haſt confirmed thy former ſaying and ſtrengthened thy deceipt with thy lies, and ſet the letter of the Scripture, in the roome of the Spirit, for the Spirit doth guide into all truth, Joh. 14.16. Joh. 16.13. and ſhew things to come, and ſo how to walke to pleaſe God, for they that are guided by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God: Rom. 8.14. &c. and walke in the Spirit, whereby they pleaſe God Rom. 8.1. for God hath ſent the Spirit of his Son, into the hearts of his Children, Gal. 4.6. to teach and guide them, 1 Joh. 3.1. Rom. 8: and ſhew them how to walk to pleaſe him: Gal. 5.22.23.24. &c: which Spirit of God and his teachings thou haſt ſhewed thy ignorance [in, and] of, now as well as before, that ſaid the letter (which thou calledſt the written word) and the Spirit were inſeparable, and ſaid the ſcripture were a Hiſtory; and that book which thy lies hath not weakened, ſtands ſtill with this to witneſſe againſt thee and thy deceipt, and ſuch as thou art.
the 37. Error or LieThe Scripture thou ſaies is a perfect rule to walke by: that confirmes thy other lies alſo, page 22. Here thou contradicts the promiſe and doctrine of Chriſt: Joh. 14.15.16,17. who promiſed and gave his Spirit to be a perfect rule to walk by and guide into all truth, Joh, 16,13, Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8. and here thou haſt manifeſted another errour, or thy 37 lie]
23Againe thou ſaies, the Scriptures is the guide into the way of truth and peace, & ſo hath put the letter to guide inſtead of the Spirit, which Spirit Chriſt calls a guide, to guide into all truth: John 16.13. and ſo into the way of truth & peace, Joh. 14.20.26. & here thou haſt lied of Chriſt & the Spirit which is the true guide, & hath ſet the letter of the Scriptures to guide into the way of truth & peace: but they have not guided thee out of errour, lying and deceipt, nor into the way of truth & peace that art charged here, with thy 37. or 38 lies] beſides what followeth after: & therefore thy Spirit is tried & knowne to be the Spirit of errour; who hath made lies thy refuge, which thou art found in, & ſo out of the way of truth & peace; And where thou ſaies thou haſt given them his principles, thou might have ſaid, thou haſt laid them downe thy own errours, to wit the lies & ſlanders, which I have left charged upon thee in ſeverall particulers.
And where thou ſeemes to be offended, becauſe I ſaid that thou came on purpoſe to the meeting at Harleſton to cavill: that thou did, as thy fruits and lies made thee manifeſt, and many may witneſſe the ſame.
Secondly, thou ſaies, I ſay thou told of a viſible Church in the world: that is not denied but witneſſed unto as it ſtands in my book.
Thirdly, thou ſaies, I ſay in my book that thou ſaid the letter &c the Spirit was inſeparable. And that the officers & overſeers in that Church which Chriſt had purchaſed with his blood, were made by the holy Ghoſt; I do not deny, but witneſſe unto: Act. 20.28 & thy ſhuffles, doth not prove what thou would compaſſe by thy reaſon, to have a temporall or carnal Church & temporal, or carnall officers therein for that which is ſeen is temporal, but that which is not ſeene is eternal & they looked not carnally at things which were viſible and ſeene, as thou doſt, as they do witneſſe, 2 Cor. 4.17 18. who ſaid, For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us, a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are viſible, or ſeene, but at the things which are inviſible and not ſeene: and 2 Cor. 4.17. and 18: for we walke by24 faith and not by outward and viſible ſight in the things of the Spirit of God, &c: 1 Cor. 5.7, which are ſpiritually enjoyed, and the holy Ghoſt who is inviſible dwelleth within; Joh. 14.17. and is inviſible where the world ſeeth him not, to guide into all truth, ſuch as obey and follow the ſame, and though Paul and the reſt (as to the outward) were viſible men, yet their knowledge were not after the fleſh as thine is, neither did they looke carnally at the things of God as thou doſt, who argues ſo carnally, for they knew no man after the fleſh, 2 Cor. 5.16.17. and as their knowledge ſtood in the Spirit and ſpirituall things about the worſhip of God, (Joh. 4.23) Phi. 3.3. in the Spirit, ſo their offices were in the Spirit & overſeers made by the holy Ghoſt, and they preached by the Spirit Act. 2.4. and 2 Cor. 3.6. and prayed with the Spirit, 1 Cor. 14.15 and went forth to preach by the Spirit, in the power of the holy Ghoſt, Acts 1.8. Act. 2.4. Act. 6.10, Acts 7.54.55. Acts 6.3. and Act. 13.4. Gal. 1.11.12. and 15 16: and the Spirit had the rule and government, in the Church: and the ſpirituall man, but not the natural, becauſe the things of the Spirit of God are & were ſpiritually diſcerned & reveiled, 1 Cor. 2.10. and where thou ſaies Farnſworth, follie is diſcovered in thy 24 page, inſtead of his it is thine, that art ſo ignorant of the worke of the ſpirit, and the hidden man of the heart, and knowes not the office of the holy Ghoſt, that would aſcribe his worke to the outward man, when ſuch as were endued with it, ſaid that though their outward man did decay, yet their inward man were renewed day by day, and as the worſhip of God ſtood in the ſpirit, ſo the offices & government in the Church were by the Spirit & ſpirituall, and he that was ſpiritual Judged all things, 1 Cor. 12.15. and not he that was naturall and carnall as thou art, and would have it, who wants ſalt to ſavour withall, and therefore art good for nothing but to be caſt out and troden under, &c: And that ſaying ſhall ſtand thy ſelfe: where thou calls me a Child of the Devill, in pag. 24] who thy ſelfe art the lier in ſuch a meaſure, and ſo of26 thy Father the Devill: Joh. 8.44. and thou continues doubling thy lies, ſaying, I ſhould ſay all ordinances ceaſed when Chriſt aſcended: that is but one of thy former lies renewed over, who may ſee plainly (as thou ſaies) from whence thou art ſent, and whoſe errand thou art going on, not of Chriſts; who art ſuch a lier, &c: but of Antichriſts: and it is plaine that thou art of thy Father the Devill, who was a lier from the beginning, and he hath taught thee thy gradations in his Antichriſtian ſchoole, and made thee his Nuntio, or publiſher of lies, and in lying he hath taught thee to be cunning and deceiptfull in the worke of that ſort, as thy book of lies errours and ſtanders maketh it appeare.
Thou demands of mee, where ever any of the words of Chriſt, or his Apoſtles are called letter, and to anſwer thy own demand by thy buſie minde, and ſhew thy follie or ſelf confutation in the ſame, page 25] where thou ſpeaks of the ſufficiency of the Miniſters of Chriſt in the new Covenant, thou ſaies God made them able Miniſters of the ſame covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit: there is thy own anſwer, and words called letter by Chriſts Apoſtles: 2 Cor. 3.6. which ſerves for thy confutation, and ſaith Paul, an Apoſtle of Chriſt, to the Galatians, Ye ſee how large a letter, I have written unto you: &c. Gal. 6.11.
And what are writings but letters? Paul wrote to the Corinthians, but not without letters: 1 Cor. 5.9. and 11. and John wrote not a new commandement; when he wrote with Paper and Inke, ſuch a letter; 2 Epiſtle of John, 5. and 12 verſes, and the writings are Printed and ſet downe in letters: but that the foole muſt needs utter his follie, in that fooliſh demand which a wiſe man would not have done, but it is good that preſumptious proud fooles utter their follie and the deceipt of their heart, that others who truly feares God may learne to be wiſe leaſt they do, as in this filthy ſtanderous book, Thomas Pollard and Henry Hagger hath done.
And where thou ſaies page 25] thou art ſure if Paul and the other Apoſtles were alive, you would call them Phariſes, &c.
27But in that, thy aſſurance is falſe and thy imaginations hath miſinformed thy mind, and taught thee to lie and ſpeake falſly, in that as well as the reſt: to manifeſt thy number or 41th lie] in thy book of ſlanders.
And in thy 26 page] Thou utters more of thy lies ſaying we reject the holy Commandement and ordinances of Chriſt; (becauſe we ſubmit not to your will worſhip) but the holy Commandements and ordinances of Chriſt we do not refuſe nor reject who are ſubject to his power, and obey his commands, and the truth through the ſpirit, whereby our ſouls comes to be purified, as ſuch, that were ſubjects to Chriſt, was, 1 Pet. 1.23.23. therefore the ſlander ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe, which is thy 42 lie] And where thou ſaies, O you ſcorners how long will ye delight in ſcorning, to call the holy ſcriptures deaa letter, and carnall as you doe: but ſcorning and delighting in it, that we deny, and therefore thou haſt added thy 43 lie] And the Scriptures calls themſelves, letter, and ſpeaks of a carnall Commandement, and if thou be offended at that, thou ſeemes to be offended at the penmen and writers of them for calling them ſo in their writings: Gal. 6.11. 2 Cor. 3.6. who ſerved not in the oldneſſe of the letter, but in the newneſſe of the Spirit, Rom. 7.6. Rom. 2.29. in the new Covenant, which Chriſt did eſtabliſh Heb. 10.9. who was made the Saints high Prieſt, not after the law of a carnall commandement, but after the power of an endleſs life: Hebrew 7.16.
And in thy 44 lie] thou ſaies we ſpeake reproach fully againſt the Goſpel of Chriſt: but all ſuch as obey the Goſpel of Chriſt, which is to them the power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. and are ſufferers for it, ſuch do nor reproach it, but are reproached as we are by thee and ſuch like, as the Saints were, but we are called, not only to beleive but alſo to ſuffer, for his namesſake, Philip 1.29. which is our joy in that he hath counted us worthy: And where thou ſaies that I ſaid, thou called the Bible a Hiſtorie, ſo thou did as many can witneſſe, and how thou would put it off with a lie, ſaying thou ſaid, what will you call it, a Hiſtorie28 Hiſtorie? when thou did not ſo ſay, except it were after, and there thou haſt told thy 45 lie)
And then thou ſaies, if there be a myſterie in the Scripture, there muſt be a Hiſtory, and thou goes about to prove a myſtery and ſo a Hiſtory, to uphold thy deceipt withall; but thy covers are too narrow for thee, they wil not hide thee, but leaves thee bare: for when thou haſt laboured to prove a myſtery, in thy concluſion thou findes it in man, for thou ſaies, great is the myſtery of godlineſſe Chriſt in you the hope of glory, citing Col, 1.27: then Chriſt in man is the myſtery, and man is the Hiſtory in which he is kept according to thy ſaying, take notice of that: but yet thou art left with thy ſaying, and hath not yet cleared thy ſelfe with thy ſhuffle, but goes on in lying, ſaying, deare freinds, theſe men deſtroyes not the ordinances of Chriſt only, but Goſpel order alſo. But Goſpel order we own, and honour the ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt in our ſouls, and they are kept by that power that preſerves them for being deſtroyed, and therefore thou haſt in thy ſlanders told other 2 lies which makes thy number amount to the ſumme of 47 lies) to and in thy 27 page)
And where thou art ſpeaking of Chriſts coming to John to be Baptiſed of him, ſaying it became them to fulfill all righteouſneſſe, &c. If John and Chriſt fulfilled all righteouſneſs in that adminiſtration and diſpenſation, what was there left behinde for you to fulfill in it? But paſſing by that, I come to thy 48 lie) page the 29. paſſing by many in the 28 page, ſaying we go about, to deſtroy order, and that we will not come into the propheticall office, &c: but theſe and the reſt of thy lies proceeds from the ſame ſpirit of thy Father, John. 8.44. who ſaies thou dare be bold to ſay we are Miniſters of Antichriſt, &c: ſo art thou bold to go on in lies as thou haſt done, being led by a lying ſpirit, as the Jews were bold to call the maſter of the houſe Belzebub, but it was not ſo, becauſe a lying ſpirit led them to ſay ſo, neither are we ſo (as thou ſaies) becauſe thou lier that hath uttered ſo many lies art by a lying ſpirit led to ſay ſo, and hath no proofe for the ſame, but inſtead of proving29 proving what thou haſt falſly affirmed, thou goes on boldly to lie, without proofe ſtill, ſaying, without queſtion if Peter were now alive, you would ſay he were an hypocrite, and one that reſted in the letter: but in that (as well as the reſt) thy imaginations, hath taught thee lie without queſtion; and ſo added one more to thy number of lies] And Peter when he went to preach to the Gentiles did not reſt in the letter, for the Spirit bad him go, and gave him commiſſion which thou art a ſtranger unto, and continues in lying, which both the letter and the Spirit forbids, if thou had any regard unto either thou would not do as thou doeſt and herein haſt done, but the lying Spirit hath poſſeſſed thee and thou art without a bit or bridle for thy tongue, and ſo thy religion muſt needs be vaine; And (being given over to lie) thou asketh where our pittie and tenderneſſe is, towards any that are not (as thou ſaies) blackmouthed as you are, to raile againſt the Scriptures and ordinances as you do, page 29. That ſtands for thy ſelfe where thou haſt added 2 lies more which makes thy number 49. lies] which is by us denied and againſt teſtified, becauſe we can have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of darkneſſe but rather reprove them: Eph. 5.11. ; And to that, where thou ſaies thou art ſlandered, in ſaying that Chriſt had not judgment committed to him whilſt he were on the earth, that was ſo ſpoken and alſo pleaded for by thee, as many can witneſſe, and therefore no ſlander is caſt upon thee, but the ſame that came from thee in that, which is left upon thee the ſlanderer, there to remaine; who would be unburdened, but thy burden thou muſt beare, that would caſt it off, but cannot: and there is added thy 50th lie]
And the 51 is in page the 32] which ſhall ſtand for your ſelves that make it your worke to ſlander, falſly accuſe and ſo to lie, who (as thou ſaies) make it (inſtead of theirs) your worke to draw away ſouls from the word and ordinance of Chriſt, (in the Spirit, &c) but what will you do at that day (as thou ſaies) when he comes to render vengance upon the ungodly, and all liers falſ accuſers and30 ſuch like that obey not his Goſpel, who ſtill continues in thy lying, ſaying we ſay we are paſt the eternall judgment, and juſtifie our ſelves, but cannot prove it, and ſelfe juſtification we deny and own the eternall judgment, as ſuch did Hebr. 6. but ſaying we are paſt; it, that is a wicked lie, whereby the lying Spirit hath taught thee to add 2 more, which makes up thy number 53]
And where thou ſaies my ignorance is ſeene, in judging all without making a difference, (which I doe not) and that is thy follie and ignorance, to ſpeake ſo raſhly and unadviſedly, and cannot prove thy ſaying, therefore thou art left charged with the 54 lie]
And where thou ſaies, thou gives all men to underſtand that thou owneſt not the word of God for thy rule, that ſhall ſtand for thee, for liers and falſe-accuſers muſt needs, diſown the word of God for their rule, becauſe it teſtifies againſt them and judgeth them, but thou art a lier &c falſ-accuſer, and charged here with 55 lies] beſides what followeth and therefore the word of God is not thy rule, to guide into ſuch deceipt, but with it thou art reproved, and with the light of God and his word, art thou lier and falſ-accuſer judged and to be condemned, and in that ſaying of thine and denying the word of God for thy rule in condemning all that follow the ordinances or Chriſt, equally with thoſe that obſerve traditions of men in the worſhip of God, as Pope, prelate, and other ſprinklers do, I ſet thy lie aſide and turne it into the number of thy 56 lies] and Pope, prelate, and the ſprinklers ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe, that art in the nature and deceipt of that wicked ſeed, as thoſe are that denies ordinances of Chriſt in the Spirit, and obſerve traditions, &c: take notice of that, whoſe lying Spirit hath led thee to utter thy folly and lay open the wickedneſſe of thy heart, in venting ſo many of thy miſcheivous lies and envious ſlanders, which are turned back upon thee againe, for here is no roome for them with us: truth caſts them out, becauſe it delighteth to be kept pure and cleare.
And where thou ſaies, thou ſhalt anſwer breifly to that31 ſaying of Paul, Chriſt ſent me not to Baptiſe but to preach: the weight of thy anſwer is in thy 2 argument, where thou ſaies, it Paul was fit to be imployed in the greater then I am ſure this leſſer is required. But Paul was imployed in the greater, that is to ſay to preach the Goſpel, then Baptiſm which is the leſſer is of him required: that is thy anſwer and proofe, which ſtands upon thy own witneſſe, where thou ſaies, thou art ſure of it, but doth not prove it by that: for if I argue in the contrary it, will overturne that, if ſuch as (are and) were not ſent by Chriſt for to Baptiſe with outward water, were (and are) not by Chriſt required ſo to do, then they that are not ſent by Chriſt for to Baptiſe with outward water, are not required ſo to do; but Paul was not ſent by Chriſt for to baptiſe with outward water, or required ſo to do: & where is thy ſelfaſſurance, once? For Paul hath confeſſed and ſaid, that Chriſt ſent him not (then required him not) to baptiſe; but to preach: 1 Cor. 1.17.
But thy breife anſwer is not to the ground of the queſtion by me propounded, ſaying in my other book, where was Paul ſent by commiſſion to baptiſe, and why was there a neceſſity laid upon him for to preach, and not to baptiſe, ſeeing the care of the Church was committed to him, and he knew the whole counſell of God: 1 Cor. 9.16.17.18. 1 Cor. 1.17. Acts 20.28.29.
And where did he, in declareing the whole Counſell of God, preach up water baptiſm, as the dore by which all muſt enter; and the foundation upon which all muſt build, or elſe no Church fellowſhip, nor ſalvation without it? as ſome water-baptiſts (and they at Soylby) did ignorantly affirme; but could not prove their ſaying therein, and yet is to prove, and the queſtion to anſwer in the ground and true meaning, which thou haſt but made a poore ſhuffle in.
Error or Lies 58. 59 60.But to come on to turne thee thy lies back upon thee againe in page, the 38. there is thy 58. 59. and 60 lies] where thou ſaies, as the Phariſees were without mercy, ſo are you: but thy teſtimony is falſe therein, and where thou32 ſaies, you look for juſtification by the law, and by following the imaginations of an evill heart in you.
And thy 60 lie] is where thou ſaies, you are now through unbeleife departed from the pure way of the Lord; thoſe lies ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe, for the pure way of the Lord, which is Chriſt the true light, we are not departed from, but walke in, Joh. 1.9. Joh. 14.6. Joh. 8.12: And ſuch as ſay we are departed from the pure way, when we walk in it, they muſt needs be guided by a lying and an erring Spirits, as thou art: and as we walke and ſo abide in him, he keepeth us, and teacheth us alſo to ſhew mercy to the objects of it, and being mercifull, we obtaine mercy and are bleſſed, as to ſuch Chriſt in his doctrine hath ſaid, Mat. 5. verſ the 7th] but we are taught alſo to reprove the deceipt and to have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull works of darkneſs, Eph. 5,11. at which thou and the Serpents ſeed are offended, as they were at Chriſt our example [in mercy and way to the Father] who called them a generation of vipers, and ſaid, how ſhall you eſcape the damnation of hell Mat. 23.33] And he who is our peace and way to the Father [to wit, Chriſt Jeſus] is our juſtification, and ſanctification alſo, for by his blood are we juſtified and by his life are we ſaved (Rom. 5.8.9.10,11. 1 Cor. 1.30) and not as thou falſly ſaies: therefore thou art left charged with thoſe three lies that I have here anſwered, which makes thy number 60)
And being given over to lie, thou art doubling or trebling them, where thou art ſlandering and accuſeing us falſly, for thou ſaies; As the Phariſees boaſted more of themſelves, then any other people (that ſhall ſtand for your ſelves, that ſtick in the ſhadows, as they did after the ſubſtance was come) but thou ſaies, ſo are theſe men boaſting of perfection; But, boaſting we deny: yet we witneſſe to the truth as before is ſaid, and therefore thou art here charged with another lie, ſo making thy number 61) and thou ſaies, we boaſt of perfection, as the book declares: but the book doth not ſay or declare that we boaſt of perfection,33 perfection, and therefore thou haſt belied the book as the wiſe hearted may ſee, and that ſhall ſtand for thy 62 lie)
And going on to lie, (making it thy work ſo to do) thou ſaies they make it their whole work to overthrow the rule of the Scripture, and all the ordinances thereof; but we do not as thou ſaies, and therefore thou art left charged with other 2 lies which makes thy number 64) The Rule or ground of the Scriptures, is that from which they did proceed; but the holy Scriptures and ordinances thereof, proceeded from God and his Spirit, and to ſay that God and his Spirit, and ſo the rule of the Scriptures, &c: can be overthrowne, that is abſurdity (or meere blaſphemy) and we do not ſeek to do it, neither is it any part of our worke to do as thou ſaies, therefore take notice, and be for ever aſhamed of ſuch thy abſurdities (or blaſphemy) and lies, that makes it thy buſineſſe to lie and-goes on in it; ſaying, they throw aſide all the Laws and Ordinances of the Lord Jeſus, that is but to fill up thy number of lies and makes it amount to 66) and many more which I paſſe by, which is not here mentioned, but theſe may ſerve to let thee ſee thy folly: and that others may ſee by what a lying and erring Spirit thou art guided and led, that makes it thy buſineſſe to lie, and ſo to ſin and ſerve thy Father the Devill, Joh. 8.44. Rom. 6.16. and ſee thy portion for thy Fathers worke: and remember that liers are for the lake, Rev. 21.8. And where thou would raiſe ſeverall lies upon mee, from what is written in the beginning of my book, about the worſhips of God, &c: it is but as the reſt of thy lies and deceitfull worke, and therefore lies having no force in them to weaken the truth, the book ſhall and doth cleare it ſelie of thee: And this ſhall be a witneſſe or further teſtimony againſt thy lying refuge, which truth ſweeps away, or turnes back upon thee and thy partakers againe: and keeps it ſelfe pure and cleane, ſo for to remaine.
Take notice of another trick which the deceipt and that lying Spirit hath taught thee, where thou art ſpeaking againſt the plaine and proper language (of thee and thou)34 which thou ſaies is a proper language to any ſingle perſon, and afterwards ſaith it is not binding or to be performed. If the wicked uſed it as well as the godly, in former ages, what a poore ſhift is that, for thou ſaies if in all ages we finde the Lords people uſeing this terme (and proper language of thee and thou to a ſingle perſon, &c.) and they only uſeing of it, then (thou ſaies) it is granted that you err, in that thing (if you do it not): but if the worſt of men uſed it as well as the beſt of men, then it is not binding, or to be performed, thou ſaies.
As much as to ſay; though truth be truth, and right and proper, and ought to be obeyed and walked in, yet becauſe wicked men and enemies to it profeſs it, as well as the godly and upright (that in obedience to the Lord do practiſe it) then it is not binding and to be walked in, &c. Oh horible deluſion!
And as much as to ſay, becauſe the Devill and his diſciples made uſe of the Scriptures (for their own ends) as well as the godly did, for the truths defence, yet according to thy argument they are not binding to be walked in, &c. becauſe the Devill and wicked men made uſe of them; as Chriſt and his diſciples and the beſt of men did, &c: And ſo thou ſaies the terme thee and thou, is the proper (or true and right) ſpeech to any ſingle perſon, yet becauſe the Devill and the worſt of men uſed it, as Chriſt and the beſt of men did, therefore it is not binding, to be performed and practiſed (thou ſaies): oh, horible deceipt!
Though I paſſe by many of thy lies, yet I cannot but put thee in minde of ſome more of them, and turne them back upon thee againe, in page 29) firſt thou art Quering and ſaies Quiſitively, is not your mercy and pittie, turned into bitterneſſe and hatred? &c: here thou ſhews thou knows not, but art quiering by thy darke minde into the things: then preſently after in the ſame page thou adds 4 lies as thy proofe after thou haye faſly affirmed the ſame; which makes thy number of lies (70 or threeſcore and tenn) Thou in thy falſe affirmative, raiſed from thy dubious dark quiſitive, ſaith that our mercy and pittie is turned into35 hatred and bitterneſſe, that is one lie] and as appears by your words calling the Church of Chriſt, Antichriſt, that is a third lie & calling Saints deceivers, that is two lies] and thirdly your calling the Goſpel letter, that is a fourth lie] and calling thy Ordinances Carnall, that is thy fifth lie) which encreaſeth thy number, to one more: here thou brings four lies to back thy falſe affirmative from thy dubious dark qui•…tive before mentioned, and ſo thou all along hath made lies thy refuge, as in this book appeareth: but where thou haſt out of dubiouſneſſe and darkneſſe asked the queſtion in ſaying, is not your mercy, &c: turned into bitterneſſe towards all men, &c: inſtead of letting us have anſwered therein, thou affirmes falſly in thy ſlander, or anſwer to thy ſelfe: ſaying your mercy is turned into bitterneſſe &c: and thy proofe for the ſame is four lies as aforeſaid; But we call not the Church of Chriſt Antichriſt as thou haſt ſaid, for we call it the body of which Chriſt is head as the Scripture witneſſeth: Eph, 1.22.23: and therefore that lie turnes of from us and back upon you againe: ſecondly we call not Saints deceivers, but we call them the beloved of God: 1 Joh. 3.1. and the freinds and brethren of Chriſt; as the Scripture witneſſeth even the faithfull in Chriſt Jeſus: Eph. 1. Coloſ. 1. Joh. 17.16.17, Joh. 15.15: and Hebrew 2.11] Thirdly we call not the Goſpel letter; but we call it glad tidings: and alſo the power of God to ſalvation as the Scripture witneſſeth, Rom. 1.15.16: and fourthly, we call not the ordinances of Chriſt carnall, but ſpirituall; therefore Hagger and Pollard, and ſuch deceivers, your lies are turned back upon you againe and they ſhall ſtand for your ſelves and ſuch as you are, and being turned back into the liers generation: that they may there remaine and tarrie with you and the Serpents ſeed from whence they came, and ſo your lies doth not prove our mercy and pittie, to be turned into hatred and bitterneſſe, for hatred and bitterneſſe we do deny, but mercy and pittie we own, and therefore the hatred and bitterneſs ſhall ſtand for your ſelves, and liers ſuch as you are; and where thou ſaies, ſo by your words, page the 39. we may eaſily ſee what your hearts be full of inſtead of mercy, malice,36 that ſtands for your ſelves and makes your number of lies 71] and inſtead of pittie perſecution, that is 72] and that alſo ſtands upon you, for inſtead of perſecuting, we are (for our love and faithfullneſſe to the Lord Jeſus) by ſuch as you perſecuted, and therefore malice and perſecution turnes off from us, and runs into your ground, and into the Serpents ſeate where it is found; And where thou tells of perſecuting with the tongue, ſaying it is a weapon that ſtrikes deepe; that ſhall ſtand for thee Pollard, and Hagger, and for liers and falſ-accuſers like you, who bend your tongues like your bowes for lies, to ſhoot your ſlanders and arrowes of reproaches, at the innocent, and Children of light (which you in ſcorne call Quakers) and ſuch hands thou ſaies thou ſhalt ſuſpect would per•ecute with weapons as thy words implies, page 39] if they had power, out that ſlander turnes off from us, take it in againe, and keepe it with thee whoſe heart is ſeene (and as thou ſaies) •…led with malice, but there is thy deceipt hatched and brought forth out of thy malicious heart, and thy ground of judgment, is falſe ſuſpicion, who haſt made a lie thy proofe and grounded it upon deceipt, thereby to manifeſt the malice and wickedneſſe of thy heart, and thy judgment: and ſlanders being falſe, turnes back upon thee againe, from whence they came, with the reſt of thy lies, which I do not here name, but thoſe that ſearches thy book and Haggens may meet with the ſame, therefore paſſing by much of thy filthineſſe and deceipt that: it may remaine from whence it came, I ſhall come on after a while to Henry Haggers conſiderations and Queries, or rather lies, falſ-accuſations, and wicked ſlanders, and I ſhall ſpeake ſomthing in anſwer to them.
HEnry Hagger, that pretends his Queries to ſearch and try Spirits, and ſhews his deceiptfullneſſe, and forwardneſſe therein, before he had propounded them, he might have anſwered us thoſe that Pollard hath left: unanſwered, and alſo the Queries that we ſent to the baptiſed people, at Lough-borrow ſide, Earlſhilton, and Coventry ſide, to his Brethren there which they never yet ſent us an anſwer of; though we anſwered theirs, by or from Fairbrother, that were ſent unto us, that ſo by the anſwer to them, and thoſe ſent in the end of the book to Coventry ſide, his Spirit might have beene a little more manifeſt and tryed, as theirs was that ſubſcribed their late act, with the names of ſix or ſeven Elders and brethren in that Coventry law,38 in which the baptiſed people ſaid that they denied any to be Miniſters of Chriſt, that preached from an internall light, &c: and ſo denied the Miniſters and miniſtry of Chriſt in the new Covenant therein, and ſhut themſelves out as in the anſwer I ſhewed them, & there errour therein.
And ſecondly, in that late Coventry law, the baptized people there ſaid that they denied any to be members of Chriſt, that either went themſelves or ſuffered others to goe heare them that preached from internall light, &c: and ſo ſhewed their darkneſſe and Croſſed the Scriptures and miniſtry of the new Covenant therein: but that was in the ſame book anſwered, wherein their Spirit was tried, who in that Coventry act did alſo, deny liberty in the Churches for any to object in the time of preaching or after, &c.
And they ſaid alſo that the ſecrets of all hearts ſhould be judged at the latter day by the written word, or the letter of the Scripture; ſo taking the miniſtry and judgment, from Chriſt and the Spirit to put upon it the Scripture: but therein their weakneſſe and errour was ſeene, and their ſpirit was tried; and the written book in anſwer to thoſe particulers will manifeſt the ſame; as did and doth to their ſhame, in ſo much that ſome of them denied or were aſhamed; of what therein by them was done though he had ſubſcribed it as the reſt did, with his own name: and the Queries about that and the reſt, were never anſwered and ſent yet unto us, to manifeſt the more what therein they had done or brought forth by them. And ſeeing they have not anſwered them, let Henry Hagger aske for them all, and returne us an anſwer if he pleaſe: But however, Godwilling, I ſhall to ſtop his boaſting returne in ſhort an anſwer to his, onely ſpareing the labour of ſetting moſt of his downe, but thoſe that would compare the anſwers and Queries may take his book and ſee them, and in this ſee an anſwer to them: for the boaſter Henry Hagger, in his proud challenge, faith thus much by Henry Hagger and as he ſaies a ſetvant of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the congregations of the Saints, which a deſire of an anſwer, by any who will39 or can. But this I ſay, that lyers, ſlanderers and falſe accuſers, and ſuch as joynes and partakes with them, helping Antichriſt to carry on his deſigne in ſuch an evill work of falſhood and deceipt, and by a number of lies, (70. and odd) makes oppoſition againſt the truth; they are no Servants of Jeſus; for he doth not imploy his in ſuch an evil work, neither are they ſanctified, and ſo of the Congregation of Saints, but enemies to them, and the work of ſanctification, &c. Yet ſuch a one is Henry Haggar, who hath joyned himſelf with Pollard, and backed his number of lies, ſlanders, & falſe accuſations; and therefore he is no Servant of Chriſt, but of Antichriſt; and the Congregations of Saints (are aſhamed of him, and denies him and Pollard, and) alſo denies the workes of their hands proceeded from their evil hearts, which long hath lien hid; but now is brought to light, which manifeſts their Antichriſtian ſpirit, in their book of ſlanders, with the number of lies, as it doth appear, and is left to the view, that others may thereby take warning and feare.
And further, it is conſidered and known, that falſe Apoſtles were, and are deceitful workers in that work of iniquity, &c. ſo are lyars, ſlanderers, and falſe accuſers, &c. But ſuch are Thomas Pollard, and Henry Hagger, and deceitful workers, &c. as it is manifeſt by their book of lies and wicked deceitful miſchievous ſlanders: therefore they are falſe Apoſtles, that ſo acts Antichriſts part under a refined ſubtlety, and are ſuch falſe accuſers, and deceitful workers, 1 Cor. 11.13. &c. Rom. 1.29. &c. 2 Theſ. 2.7 &c.
2. Conſideration; I anſwer, that it is conſidered and known, that the falſe Prophets that come to deceive did as you do, preach the words of others, and ſay, thus faith the Lord, when he never ſpoke to them, Jer. 23. and they preached the Letter as you do, and their brain imaginations: but knew not the ſpirit and word that were as a fire and a hammer, Jer. 23.29. &c. which were within in the true Prophets, and were as a fire in the bones, Jer. 20.9. which words within, you being ignorant of, you preach the40 Letter of the Scripture, and others words, with your brain Imaginations added thereunto, and are not guided by the ſame ſpirit from which it did proceed, as your lies maketh it manifeſt: and therefore you ate like the falſe Prophets alſo, that as thou ſayes, pretended to come in the name of the Lord to preach their lies, as you have done yours; and therefore in that you are conſidered, and known to be as the falſe Prophets were, that ſaid, thus ſaith the Lord, when he never ſpoke to them.
And as John Griffith in that Book, called the Goſpel-faith, collected into 30 Articles, and ſubſcribed with the names of Thomas Lover, John Foxwell, John Parret, Francis Smith, John Griffith, who in that Book called (the Baptized Believers Faith, or) a Voice from the word of the Lord &c. hath taken upon him to propheſie lies in the name of the Lord; and the ground of his Prophecy is from the imaginations and corruptions of his own heart, who ſpeaks from that, and from the Letter, and the words of others, and not from the voice of the Lord unto him; and where did any of the true Prophets take upon them to go and prophecy to a people from anothers writings, when they were not called by the Lord, and ſent ſo to ſay by his ſpirit and word within; for they ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt, and that was from the ſpirit and word within, 2 Pet. 1.21. and the ſpirit of Chriſt was within them. 1 Pet. 1.11. and they were not ſent by a printed Book to preach and prophecy; but by the Lord God and his ſpirit, Iſay 48.16.17. and therefore they ſpoke and prophecyed truly, that were ſo taught, called and ſent by the Lord God, and his ſpirit moving in them; but the falſe Prophets took the words of others without them, and ſpoke from them a divination of their own brain, as John Griffith hath done: and ſpoke not from the word and voice of the Lord God, and his ſpirit within; and therefore they propheſied lies in the name of the Lord, and were reproved for it, &c. as this John Griffith the falſe Prophet is: that ſpeaks the brain imaginations and divinations of his own heart, from others words, and not from the mouth of the Lord, as the falſe41 Prophets did; and therefore the ſaid John Griffith is a falſe Prophet as ſuch was, which the Lord was againſt: therefore he is againſt him that hath propheſied lies in his name as they did, Jer. 23.21. & 30. 31, 32. verſes.
The beginning of John Griffith's falſe Prophecy, where he propheſieth lies in the name of the Lord; ſaying, thus ſaith the Lord to thee, Oh Quaker, thou art fleſhly minded: John Griffith, that is thy lying ſpirit that hath told thee ſo; and thou that pretends to ſpeak ſo from the Scriptures without thee, and calls thy ſaying a word from the voice of the Lord: I charge thee in the preſence of the Lord, to ſhew that Scripture, that faith, O Quaker, thou art fleſhly minded; or elſe I charge thee here to be a lier, both of the Scripture, and of the Lord; for ſuch as walk in obedience to the word and ſpirit of the Lord, are not fleſhly and carnally, but ſpiritually and peaceably minded, Rom. 8.6. Phil. 2.5. 1 Cor. 2.15.16. But they that walk in obedience to the word and ſpirit of the Lord, and are born again, not of corruptible ſeed, but incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1.22.23. and are in Covenant with God, though reproached (by the name of Quakers, &c.) 1 Pet. 4.14. for the name of Chriſt, &c. are ſpiritually and peaceably minded, and not as John Griffith hath ſaid: therefore he hath taken upon him to propheſie or publiſh a lie in the name of the Lord; And the ſaid John Griffith in his ſecond lie and falſe Propheſie page 2. ſaith, Oh fleſhly minded men, whom the God of this world hath blinded, that is a third lie, becauſe you believe not, that is a fourth lie; for ſuch as walk in the light of the Goſpel, 2 Cor. 4.4,5,6,7. and are born of God, and in the faith which purifies the heart, and overcomes the world, as ſuch was, Act 15.9.1 John 5.4.5. &c. they ate not as John Griffith falſely ſaith; and theſe Scriptures and the faith and birth ſpoken of in them, and the light we alſo own, who walk in it, and are not as John Griffith ſaith: therefore he hath propheſied or ſpoken other three lies, and more alſo in the name of the Lord, and hath manifeſt thereby his42 falſe Prophecy: and himſelf to be a falſe Prophet, as it is conſidered of, and known.
And he goes on with his lies, and ſpeaks them in pretence of the name of the Lord, ſaying (and ſaith falſely) thus ſaith the Lord, ye have ſaid it is in vain to ſerve God, and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances; &c. John Griffith, when didſt thou hear us ſay ſo? here thou falſe Prophet, that art without proof for thy lies: I teſtifie unto thee from the witneſs for God, that the Lord never ſo ſaid unto thee, nor ſent thee to prophecy thoſe lies in his name, neither didſt thou ever hear us (and the righteous ſeed) ſay as thou falſely hath done; and therefore thou art one that prophecies lies in pretence of the Lord, who never ſaid, that he would fire root and branch of the righteous ſeed, though reproached by the name of (Nazerens, or) Quakers, &c. as thou ſayes; and ſo thy lies and falſe Prophecies hath laid thee open, and made thee manifeſt to be a falſe Prophet.
And we who fear the living God, and ſerve him, that keep his Ordinances, and walk humbly or mournfully before him, do teſtifie againſt thy lies and falſe Prophecies, whom thou and the Serpents ſeed revileſt and reproacheſt under the nick-name of Quakers; And ſince we knew God and his word, Oracle, Worſhip, and Ordinances, never ſaid that it was in vain to ſerve him, and therefore thou haſt added thy fifth lye.
Neither did we ſay, that are in Covenant with God, that it was in vain to keep his Ordinances, ſince they were delivered unto us: God is our witneſs, which witneſs is greater than the witneſs of men. 1 John 5.9.10. &c. therefore in that thou haſt prophecied falſely, and added thy ſixth lye.)
Neither did we ſay, (nor ever declare it to thee) that it was in vain to walk humbly, or mournfully before the Lord, in that, as well as the other, God is our witneſs before whom we appeal; and to the truth of it his•pirit doth witneſs with ours that obey him, and walk humbly before him, Rom. 8.14,15,16. And therefore John Griffith, thy43 prophecy is falſe, and in that thou haſt added thy ſeventh lye, in thy falſe Prophecy.
And therefore from the ſpirit of the Lord, in obedience to the word of the Lord: this do I declare and teſtifie, which ſhall ſtand a witneſs againſt thee and thy lying, and falſe Prophecy, wherein thou ſayes, we are ſpiritually proud, when we are not; for that is by us denied as well as all other pride; and therefore in that thou haſt prophecied falſely, and added thereunto thy eighth lye.
Wherein thou goes on in lying, ſaying, that we are proud Phariſees and Hypocrits, &c. but hath not ſo proved it: therefore thou haſt added thy ninth lye.
Thou ſayes that we boaſt of our light within; but boaſting we deny, and all Phariſaicalliſm and Hypocriſie, and that is thy tenth lye.
Yet the light we own and follow, elſe we ſhould deny Chriſt, who is the light of the world, that lighteth every man that commeth into the world, John 1.9. and ſuch as follow him, as he hath ſaid, are by the light led out of darkneſs into the light of life, as the Scripture declareth, which we witneſs with Col. 1.27. John 8.12.
Thou ſayes in thy falſe Prophecy, that we neglect the weightier matters of the Law, that is thy eleventh lye.
And the Law it ſelf: that is thy twelveth lye, p. 3. For righteouſneſs, mercy, and true judgement, &c. is the weighty matters of the Law; for he hath ſhewed it unto us, and therefore walking humbly before him, and doing juſtly, loving mercy, &c. Mica 6.8. we do not neglect: neither the weightier matters of the Law, nor the Law it ſelf, Rom. 8. for the righreouſneſs of the Law is fulfilled in us, that walk not after darkneſs and the fleſh; but after the ſpirit and ſpiritual light, and Law within, which doth condemn unrighteouſneſs and ſin, Rom. 8.2,3,4. as the Scripture witneſſeth.
And thou ſayes, amongſt the reſt of thy lies, that the Scriptures is the Rule of faith and converſation; when Chriſt and his Spirit is both the way and guid into all truth,44 John 14.6. John 16.13. and ſo into faith, Heb. 12.2. and a holy Converſtion; for without me, ſaith he, ye can do nothing, then not believe without him, and he is both the Authour and finiſher of faith, that calleth alſo into an holy Converſation; for ſaith the Apoſtle, as he that hath called you is holy, ſo be you holy in all manner of cōverſation, 1 Pet. 1.13,14,15. Take notice of thy contradiction to Scripture, and thy error in that; who hath thereby added thy thirteenth lye.
Thou ſayes, we erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor power of God, that ſhall ſtand for thy ſelfe; which is alſo thy fourteenth lye.
For the Scriptures are they that teſtifie of Chriſt, and that we know, as they alſo witneſs of themſelves, where Chriſt ſaith, ſearch them; but he is the life, and ye will not come to him, that ye might have life, that are ſuch enemies to him, like their example, that were lyars and falſe accuſers, like you. And as the Scriptures teſtifie of Chriſt, John 5.39.40. ſo do they alſo teſtifie of the power of God unto ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. which power we know, and witneſs unto, and in, with the Scriptures, that teſtifie of it, and therefore thou John Griffith, hath told that fourteenth lie.
And thou ſayes, we are they that periſh, page 3. but ſuch as are kept by the power of God, and are thereby ſaved, do not periſh; which power and ſalvation (by and in it) through the Lord Jeſus we witneſs, and ſo do not periſh, as thou falſely ſaith, and therefore thou art charged with that lie, which makes the number fifteen.
Thou ſayes, that the Scriptures, without faith in Chriſt; (for thou leaves that out) is able to make a man wiſe to ſalvation, and to furniſh him thoroughly to every good work, page 3. when it is Chriſt that doth it, and thou haſt belied the Scriptures; for thou haſt left out the chief and moving cauſe, to wit, Chriſt, and faith in him, and ſayes, the Scriptures are able to do it: when the Apoſtle tells Tymothy, that the holy Scriptures were able to make him wiſe to ſalvation &c. Through faith in Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim. 3.15,16,17. 43〈1 page duplicate〉44〈1 page duplicate〉45and he ſaith, that Chriſt is the giver, and ſo both the Authour and finiſher of faith, Heb. 12.2. and the Apoſtle prayed, that the Coloſſians might be ſtrengthened, and ſo furniſhed, according to the working of his glorious power, giving thanks unto the Father, which made them meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light; for they were compleat, and furniſhed in and by Chriſt, the head of all principality and power; for in him (and not in the letter of the Scripture) dwelleth all the fulneſs of the God-head bodily, Coloſ. 1.9.10,11,12. & 29. Col. 2.9.10. and here again take notice, how thou haſt lied of the Scripture, and ſhewed thy ſpirit of errour, in this thy ſixteenth errour or lie.
Thou•aith, we are perverters of the word; but that is by us denied, and ſtands for thy ſelf, who art a wreſter, and ſo a perverter of the Scripture, which thou calls the word, and thou art there taken in thy own ſnare, where thou haſt added thy ſeventeenth lie.
And after thou haſt given the preheminence to the Scripture, ſo taking it from Chriſt, and contradicting it therein, Col. 1.18. ſaying, the Scriptures are the rule of faith, (when Chriſt is the rule and Authour of faith, Heb. 12.2. ) and ſaying, the Scriptures are both the rule of faith; and alſo, able to make the man of God wiſe to ſalvation, and furniſh him throughly to every good work, page 3. (without Chriſt and faith in him, the moving cauſe, both of faith and ſalvation &c.) for thou haſt left faith in Chriſt, and that, out; and ſo there in that page, thou haſt been labouring to ſet the Scripture up in the room of Chriſt, and belied it alſo; and to confute and contradict thy ſelfe in thy confuſion, and ſelf-contradiction: that it may appear, thou haſt made it manifeſt: except thou would make the Scriptures Chriſt; and Chriſt the Scriptures: and if thou would do ſo, that would be contradiction upon contradiction, and more make manifeſt thy ſelf-confutation.
In page 12. where thou art writing or ſpeaking to thoſe thou calls Saints: thou therein ſaith, that Chriſt is Gods treaſury; and if Chriſt be Gods treaſury, then fulneſſe is46 not in the letter, or Scripture, but in him; for in him thou alſo ſayes, (to wit Chriſt) are hid the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, if in him, then not in the Scriptures, except thou make the Scriptures Chriſt; and here thy own words ſerves to be thy own confutation, which is manifeſt in thy ſelf-contradiction; for thou ſayes, it hath pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell, (to wit Chriſt) and if all fulneſs dwell in Chriſt, then not in the Scripture, take notice of that; and how doth it alſo croſſe thy third page, where thou haſt manifeſted thy errour.
And after thou haſt confeſſed, and ſaid, that all fulneſs dwells in Chriſt; thou ſayes, where then ſhall we go for wiſdom and knowledge, but to Chriſt? page 12.
If all fulneſs dwell in Chriſt, and there be no whereto go for true wiſdom and knowledge, but to him: then it is he that furniſheth thorowly to every good work, and alſo makes wiſe to ſalvation; and then how doth it croſſe thy other ſayings, where thou ſayes, the Scriptures are the rule of faith, and the Scriptures are able to make wiſe to ſalvation, and able to furniſh thoroughly to every good work; and here thou haſt contradicted all that; except thou would have the Scriptures to be Chriſt, and Chriſt to be the Scriptures; and then thou again contradicts that ▪ for thou ſaith, life is in the Son; but the Scriptures is not the Son: therefore the life is not in them; for thou ſayes, that Chriſt is the life of Saints, then the Scripture is not their life, becauſe the Scripture is not the Son; and thou tells thoſe thou calls Saints, if they forſake Chriſt, they forſake the life, page 12. and then thou goes from the Son, and ſo from Chriſt to the letter; and therefore from the life, according to thy own ſaying in thy confuſion, and contradicts thoſe ſayings of thy twelfth page, in page 13. For there again thou art run from Chriſt to the Letter, and ſaith, the Scriptures are able to make wiſe to ſalvation, and muſt be the rule in point of faith and converſation, and if they muſt be ſo, then by that neceſſity, thou would not have Chriſt to be ſo.
47yea thou ſaies, the Scriptures they will furniſh unto every good worke: And if they muſt do it, and will do it, then Chriſt muſt not, and doth not, except the Scriptures be Chriſt, and that is not ſo; for they do but teſtifie of him ▪ Joh. 5.39.40: and thy 13 page doth croſſe and contradict thy 12: and thy 12 page doth confute thy 3 page: therefore after thou have prophecied many lies take notice how thou have run upon two rocks, even ſelf contradiction and ſelfe confutation, and here it is to be obſerved that it is thee that errs, not knowing the Scripture and power of God, and not the Quakers, as in thy falſe Prophecie thou did affirme, and there thou haſt even ſplit thy ſelfe upon ſuch Rocks; [even] ſelfe contraction, and ſelfe confutation -
Here take notice of your folly, and remember what you have done, for it is conſidered and knowne; That ſuch as ſay they write and ſpeake from the word of the Lord, and Prophecie falſly, and writes, and ſo ſpeaks lies and ſelfe contradictions, muſt needs be falſe Prophets; But Iohn Griffith in that book, called, A Voice from the word of the Lord, he hath ſo done, therefore Iohn Griffith he is a falſe Prophet, as it is conſidered and knowne, as well as Thomas Pollard, and Henry Hanger, are falſe Apoſtles, as before is proved; And by their books of lies and ſlanders is further againſt them made manifeſt; Oh lier, thus ſaith the Lord, the lake is prepared for thee, and all liers take notice of that and read, Rev. 21.8: to witneſſe here, with me in the ſame, and thither muſt the falſe Prophets and liers be caſt as it is written, Rev. 22.15. and Rev. 21.8.27. Rev. 20.10. to be tormented day and night, &c: And thine Henry Hagger (as well as John Griffiths) is conſidered and you are found to be thoſe, that refuſe the light of Chriſt; and walks after the jmaginations of your own hearts, and not the light within, who diſpiſe the light and word of the Lord, that are ſuch liers and falſe accuſers, doing ſuch deceiptfull works and ſo are works of iniquity, (under a refined ſubtilty) which Chriſt ſaith he knows not, according to thy ſaying or third conſideration and Math, 7.22.23.
48And you are they that preach and publiſh lies, (as your number makes it manifeſt) and not the word of God, for it witneſſeth againſt liers like you, who are ſuch as thoſe in thy 4th conſideration, and the deceivers ſhall ſtand for your ſelves, that are ſuch liers, and therefore deceivers as in thy 5th conſideration.
And where thou in contempt to the light (and ſo to the truth) thou ſaies Paul did not commit th̄e to the light within th̄e, to the which I anſwer that lie did commit them to God, & he is light, 1 Joh. 1.5. & was within them, for greater was he that was in them, then he that was in the world, 1 Ioh. 4.4. 2 Cor. 6.16. and as God who was light, was within them, ſo was his word nigh them, for the word of faith and ſo of grace was within; in their hearts, Rom. 10.8. and 1 Joh. 2.14: And Paul commited them to God and the word of his grace, which was able to build them up, and give them an inheritance amongſt them that were ſanctified, even by the Spirit of their God, 1 Cor. 6.11. and that was alſo within them, Gal. 4.6. 1 Joh. 3.24. and therefore Paul did commit them to the power of God, and his light and word alſo within them, for ſaith he, the word is nigh thee, in thy heart, even the ſame word of faith, and ſo of grace, which we preach, and God hath ſaid, that he will dwell in you and walke in you ſaith Paul to the Corinthians, as in the Scriptures above mentioned; And ſaith Iohn in his Epiſtle to the freinds of God, let that, ſaith he, abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning, if that which ye have heard from the beginning, ſhall remaine in you, ye alſo ſhall continue in the Son and in the Father, 1 Joh. 2.24, and the light was in them: which thou ſo much deſpiſeth, ſo was the holy unction, which thou ſhews thy ſelfe to be ignorant of: 1 Joh. 2.27: that art ſuch an enemy to the light as by thy book doth appeare, who art ſo blind in the things of the Spirit of God, as the Serpents ſeed ever were, that maketh lies thy refuge as they do & did.
To thy 6th, thou ſaies thou obſerves, that they, that pretend to walke by the light within them, were in the greateſt darkneſſe, to the which I anſwer that they that did but49 pretend ſo to do, and did not, they were in darkneſs as thou art, but ſuch ſaith Chriſt as follow me, and ſo the light in them, Coloſ. 1.27. they ſhall not walke in darkneſſe, but have the light of life, Joh. 8.12: and ſuch as did, and now do obey, and ſo follow the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, Joh. 1.9. they are led into the light of life: and ſo are called out of darkneſſe into the marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.7.8.9.
And in thy 7th, thou ſaies, God hath ſent forth his light and truth to guide men to his holy hill, and then ſaith in the latter end of it, the light is not able to lead unto hapineſſe: ſee thy confuſion, that light, which leads to the holy hill, leads unto happineſs, which light is Chriſt, and thou ſaies after, to confute thy ſelfe, that Ghriſt the true light: Joh. 1.9. who is in man, Coloſ. 1.27. is not able to lead into happineſſe; But therein thy darkneſs is ſeene, who would put the letter for the light, and take the authoritie from Chriſt, and his Spirit, ſaying the light in man is not able to lead to happineſſe; but the Scriptures, which thou calls the word, is able to ſave your ſouls, thou ſaies, if you receive it with meekneſſe, citing, Jam. 1.21. and if thou knew the word, that James there ſpeaks of, thou would know it within, to be an ingrafted word, not in Paper and Inke: but deviding aſſunder betwixt Spirit and ſoul, Heb. 4.12: but thou that ſaies, the light in man (it he obey and follow it) is not able to lead to happineſſe, thou art a contrary witneſſe and meſſenger to the former witneſſes, and meſſengers of God, if Chriſt and his Spirit be light and not darkneſſe, and be in man, then according to thy ſaying, though Chriſt and his Spirit, which is light, and not darkneſſe, be in man, yet they are not able to lead out of darkneſſe and into the light of life and true happineſſe; but Chriſt ſaith ſuch as follow him the true light, ſhall not walk in darkneſſe, but have the light of life, and ſo true happineſs: for he is the author of eternall ſalvation to all that obey him, Heb. 5.8.9. but ſo is not the letter though it declare of it, therefore take notice of thy deceipt, and be aſhamed of it.
50And to thy 8th, the Commandements of God that are pure enlightening the eyes of the underſtanding, are (pure and) ſpirituall, and was in them before they proceeded forth, and the ſame Spirit doth now enlighten our underſtanding, and the enterance of the word of life that devides betwixt ſoul and Spirit, give light and underſtanding, which word is not the letter, though the letter declare of it, yet witneſſed unto by it, which word giveth us an underſtanding, dwelling within us as it did them, that witneſſed the ſame: Heb. 4.12. Rom. 10.8. 1 Joh. 2.14. and 1 Ioh. 4.4. 1 Ioh. 5.20: And therefore we being enlightened with it, having an underſtanding given thereby, we do not ſpeake againſt the law, and teſtimony, 1 Ioh. 3.4. Rom. 8.2.3.4. Rev. 19.10: but according to them, becauſe there is light within us: Iſa. 8.20. 2 Cor. 4.6,7, as in thy 8th conſederation.
Conſideration the 9th, that the true Prophets did not follow the imaginations of their own hearts, yet the light and Spirit of God with them they did follow, as thoſe people doth that thou in thy 9th ſeeks to caſt thy ſlander upon, but it turnes off from them and ſtands for thy ſelfe who forſakes the light within to follow the imaginations of thy heart which makes thee to accuſe falſly, and ſlander, and ſo ſpeaks not acco•ding to the law and teſtimony therein, becauſe darkneſſe hath blinded thy minde; And where thou ſaies in thy 10th, that the falſe Pr