Antichriſt in Man, Chriſts Enemy.

HAth not thy Brethren, the Men of darkneſs, ſufficiently ſhewed their blindneſs and envy concerning the appearance of Chriſt, but thou art forced to reveal what is in thee of the ſame nature, and therefore thou brings out this ſuperfluous thing (as thou cals it) to ſhew thy ſelf to whom thou art joyned, and for whom thou art labouring in all this mudd, againſt the pure light of Chriſt his Spirit and Word within, which the Father of Lights hath given for a Covenant of Light to lead and guide into all truth, which the Devil and his Miniſters would deny, and ſet the Letter in his ſtead, and the man of ſin, without the Spirit and Light of Chriſt, to give his meanings thereof, that ſo by the Letter he may uphold his idolatrous falſe worſhips he hath been ſetting up, ever ſince the times of popery, and which with his carnal ſpirit he hath been changing from one thing to another, but all without the Light and Spirit that ne­ver changeth, and ſo out of both form and power of the Saints life declared in Scripture; which idolatry can never be diſcovered or deſtroyed out of the hearts of people, where it hath been ſo long time rooted, any other way than by the Light and Spirit of Chriſt, which is a thing the Devil with all his power is now ſet againſt, muſtering up all his ſer­vants in all parts of the Nation, whom for many years he hath fed with the glory, riches and pleaſures of this preſent world, that in the day of his ſtraits, even the appearance of the Heir, they might all ſtoutly defend his Kingdom of dark­neſs, in the heart of Man, againſt the light of Chriſt, which the Father hath given to lighten every man that cometh into the world; and indeed his Army is very faithful to him, and2 at his call are ready to ariſe (though to their confuſion) with ſuch ſtuffe as they have from all parts of the Nations, with lyes and ſlanders, clubs and ſtones, perſecution and impri­ſonments, hypocriſie and feigned humility, and much the like, ſuch Weapons as he hath laid up in their hearts, and hath furniſhed his houſe with all this while the Heir hath been away, and God not known in his Temple, and ſo he hath kept the houſe in peace. And now the Lamb is ap­pearing to enlighten the heart, and to reveal him that is ſet and exalted in the Temple of God, above all that is called God; now is the Beaſt rowſed on his ſeat, and the falſe Pro­phet is joyned with him, and the houſe of his Armoury is opened, and now behold the noiſe of his Armour claſhing one againſt another, and the mouth of the pit being opened, out comes ſuch a ſmoak that the Locuſts cannot ſee one a­nother, wherefore a noiſe of confuſion is heard amongſt you, ſometimes confeſſing, ſometimes denying the Light, but all againſt it, to devour it with open mouth, and this of thine hath in it as much envy as the moſt, but as little of truth and light as any, and indeed ſuch a lump of confuſion, and envy, and ſcornful light words, unto the ſober minded it may ſerve to diſcover the Author (without an anſwer) and by what ſpirit he is acted, ſo that much I ſhall not need to write there­to, onely lay open ſome of thy lies, ſlanders and deceitful doctrine, whereby thou would exclude Chriſt and the Spirit under a pretence of worſhipping him, which is the thing mo­ving me to write; otherwiſe as to all thy lies caſt upon our perſons, I might have been in ſilence, knowing what we are to look for at the hands of the worlds teachers.

And in the front of thy book thou ſhews thy begettings and thy birth, and begins with a lie, calling Antichriſt in Man the Quakers Idol, which is falſe, for though we ſee Antichriſt in thee and the reſt of thy brood ſo exalted, that he would be worſhipped, yet we dare not make an Idol of him, nor worſhip him, therefore are we hated by you in whom he is, and we know Antichriſt is in every Man until he be revealed by the light of Chriſt within, where he is that is to be reveal­ed, for fear of which it is that his Miniſters (to whom he is3 an Idol) would keep people ſeeking without, leſt he ſhould be ſeen within the heart where he is.

Haſt not thou confeſſed this againſt thy Maſters King­dom, who ſayes he is in Man, but would ſet people to a light without to ſeek him? but now that thou haſt confeſſed him in Man, tell me if there be any other thing that can reveal him but the light of Chriſt within, where he is that is to be re­vealed, which if ſo, then let thy work in oppoſing that light within declare whoſe Miniſter thou art, and thus inſtead of diſcovering our wayes and opinions, thou haſt laid open thy ſelf and work thou haſt in hand, and for the confutations thou tels on, they will appear further when the Light beholds them.

Thy work thou directs to all that beleives ſalvation and juſtification, for all their ſins paſt, preſent and to come, by what Chriſt hath done in his own perſon, I ſay this faith ſutes thy work, for didſt thou look to account for thy wickedneſs, thou durſt not have added ſuch a heap of lies and blaſphe­mies againſt God, his Light and Spirit, as thou haſt done in thy book, and thou haſt many brethren with thee in that ran­ting opinion, that matters not much what you do hereupon. But who tels you all your ſins are pardoned that are yet to come? Chriſt ſaith not ſo, who ſaith, you ſhall account at theMat. 12, 36, 37. day of judgement, yea, for every idle word, and by thy words thou ſhalt be juſtified, and by thy words condemned,Rom. 2. and every one ſhall at that day receive according to their deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil, thenJames 2. wilt thou and thy brethren ſee your large faith, that is ſo far before your works, will be too large to enter into the ſtrait gate: and further I tell thee and thy companions in this new found faith, that you herein beleive you know not what, who beleive your ſin is pardoned before it is committed, who nei­ther knows what ſin you have to commit, when or whether ever it ſhall be pardoned, nor ever Creature ſhall until he hath repented and forſaken his ſin, but thou haſt left no place for repentance, whoſe ſin (as thou conceiteſt) is pardoned before it be committed; but the Scripture knows no ſuch preſumption; who ſaith, if we ſin wilfully after we have the4 knowledge of the truth, there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin, though there be a conceit of ſuch a faith as thine before the ſin be committed, and that ſalvation and faith that ſaves not from ſin is none of Chriſts, Math. 1. 15.

Thou ſets a work againſt the Quakers, but one thing ſeems to be in thy way (viz.) the power of God in them, that leads them out againſt ſin, and this pearl the ſwine would ſnuftle away, and then begin the more to rend: And thou ſayes, a mighty power goes along with the Turk, and with the Devil, and the Angels of Light are holy and without ſin, yet they may be Devils for all that: To which I ſay, had thou ſaid no more, thou had manifeſted thy envy againſt holineſs, and what thou knoweſt of it; was there ever Devils holy and without ſin? ſuch a Devil was Chriſt in the eyes of the Hirelings, thy Fathers, who never loved holineſs farther than to talk on for gain and worldly glory, but he that walks in it is a Devil in your account, and ever was, for thats it moſt in your way, it moſt croſſing your luſts; and thou would make people beleive, that the Devil teaches to be ſtrict againſt ſin, and to walk honeſt and devout toward Man. I ſay, the De­vil is not devided againſt himſelf, but ſhould he teach that practiſe, he ſhould exceed his Miniſters, who have loſt all ſtrictneſs as to ſin, and honeſty as to man, and are pleading againſt it.

As thou who art pleading againſt perfection, and freedom from ſin, as in thy ſeventh page, which freedom and the end of Chriſt being manifeſt in the fleſh to ſet free from ſin, and deſtroy the works of the Devil, John 8. 34, 35, 36. 1 John 3. 8. but thou ſayes from the guilt, but not from the ſeed and act of ſin; and the end why Chriſt at his aſcention gave gifts and ſent out his miniſtry, was for preſenting every man per­fect, and this thou denies alſo;•p••ſ. 4. 10, 11, 12, 13. Col. 1. 18, 19. which if the Devil ſhould teach, his doctrine was much better than thine, though h•preach Chriſt of envy, nor did ever any of Chriſts Miniſters own or preach thy faith and doctrine, which is againſt perfection and freedom from ſin, but ever beleived it, and preſſed after it, and preached it.

And thou ſayes, a man may be impowred to leave ſome ſins for fear of Hell: Onely I ſay, of the two it is ſafer to leave ſin for fear of Hell, then live in it under a pretence of being pardoned before it be commited; but thou had loth looſe thy kingdom.

Thou tels of the Quakers imitating the Papiſts, in riſing oft in the night to pray, and other lies thou adds to it, and thou ſayes, truly God leads not to this, for he teaches no man by good works to purchaſe Heaven. To which I ſay, Is it a ſin to pray becauſe the Papiſts pray? whom did David imi­tate therein? and did he and the reſt of the Saints that which God did not teach? That God which ſo teaches thou knows not, and of that practiſe of ſo praying art thou and thy brood little guilty, you get more by praying in the Idols Temple then by praying in the night, ſo praying in the night is become a reproach to us from thee, and farther thou count­eſt us worſe than prophane people herein: O ſhameleſs Men, how are the hidden things of Eſau found out, who have been preaching againſt ſin in words, and for praying alwayes, and now are forced to own your hearts love openly, and chuſe prophane before them, and many words thou uſes to prove that Satan may act Men to ſome good works, and lead out of ſome evil; in all which thou doſt no more but prove thy ſelf worſe than the Devil, who art uſing thy endea­vours to plead againſt all good.

And whereas thou ſayeſt, that we deny any Miniſter or Ordinances ſince the dayes of the Apoſtles. That is falſe, we onely deny all you who are deſcended from the Pope, and are gone out from the true worſhip, that was in the dayes of the Apoſtles, both in form and power in every par­ticular, and have ſet up your own imaginations inſtead there­of, ſo that the Scripture will not own one particular of your worſhip without wreſting, as it is by you performed in your Idol Temple, wherefore we muſt either deny you or the Scri­pture, and the Saints practiſe therein recorded.

And thou goes on in thy blraſphemy againſt the Light, denying that the light, which God hath given to every man that comes into the world, is ſufficient to ſalvation, without6 the help of any other means or diſcovery: And in thy thir­teenth page thou ſayeſt, it is an error, if not damnable, to af­firm, that the light which Chriſt gives to all is ſufficient with­out any other meanes or diſcovery: And in thy ſixth page thou ſayes, then certainly this ſalvation by the light in us is curſed; ſo by thy doctrine, neither the light of God, nor the light of Chriſt is ſufficient; And to deny the light of Chriſt, and〈◊〉that place, John 1. 9. which ſaith, this is the true light, which lighteth every one that comes into the world.

Thou ſayeſt, Chriſt gives light to no man under that name but to him that beleives. So by thy doctrine John bears wit­neſs unto that light, which was the true light, that all Men through him might beleive, but it was not in the Name of Chriſt: I ſay, what ſhifts are the builders put to, to deny the Corner Stone now at his appearing? did not John bear wit­neſs to the Name of Chriſt? was not that Word John ſpeaks on the ſame that became fleſh? and this thou ſayes is not Chriſt, or did he bear witneſs to any other? ſee the words of Chriſt, John 5. 33. where Chriſt owns Johns Teſtimony to be concerning himſelf, whom John ſaith is the true light, that lighteth every one that comes into the world: But ſaith thou, he enlightens none in that Name but beleivers. I ſay, who muſt enlighten the reſt, if not Chriſt, ſeeing thou haſt denyed the light of God before? Was there ever ſuch a ſottiſh peice? Is there any light to beleivers or unbeleivers but in Chriſt? Is not he the light of the world, given of the Father for a Co­venant of light, even to the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to enlighten them that ſit in darkneſs, and to be the ſalvation to the ends of the earth? and ſhall not all that knows be­leif bear witneſs againſt thee, that it was Chriſt that gave light to them, when they ſat in darkneſs and in the ſhadow of death, and became a guide in ſpirit into the way of peace and ſalvation? which ſalvation (by that light in us) thou cals accurſed. Is not here thick darkneſs that may be felt by all who ever knew any light? what a generation of blind guides are you become? how hath thick darkneſs covered you? is not the light of God ſufficient, nor the light of Chriſt nei­ther? what light muſt it be that is ſufficient to lighten them7 that are in blindneſs, ſeeing God and Chriſt is denied by thee? or can any ſay that Jeſus is Lord, but by the Light and Spirit within? and this thou cals accurſed, and not to be re­ceived.

And thou would reaſon becauſe all have not Chriſt, therefore he doth not enlighten all, contrary to that John 1. 9. and contrary to Chriſts words, who ſaith, the Spirit of truth ſhould lead into all truth, he ſhall take of mine and te­ſtifie of me, John 15. 26. and 16. 13. and we know there is a light in Spirit, that teſtifies of Chriſt, before Chriſt be known in the Creature, and none can become the Sons of God but who receive the light of Chriſt, according to that Scripture, John 1. 12. which thou who knows neither light nor Spirit art Ignorant of, and therefore ſayes it is an error, if not dam­nable, to ſay the light of Chriſt is ſufficient without ſome o­ther help.

And thou goes on in thy confuſion, telling of a firſt, ſecond and third light, which the Scripture knows no ſuch thing, but thy own imaginations to blind people withal; and thou ſayes, that which John teſtifies on Iohn 1. 9. which he cals the true light, is but the light of nature, or reaſon, and a com­parative darkneſs; ſo they who know no better may beleive that John preacht a natural reaſon, and comparative dark­neſs, for all to beleive in, and called it the true light, and ſaid, the world was made by it, &c. and ſuch blind ſtuffe thou brings to confute the Quakers. And thou goes on to prove this further, and brings Pauls words, Rom. 2. and thou deals with him as thou does with John, and tels two lies together of him; firſt, thou ſayes he ſayes, the Gentiles, which knew not God, do by nature the things contained in the Law, yet know not God for all this light, when Paul ſaith, they be­came a law unto themſelves, and was Jews in ſpirit, whoſe praiſe was of God and not of men, but doth not ſay, they knew not God, who brought forth the Law of God. Se­condly thou ſayes, Paul there means by nature nothing elſe but the light they have to diſtinguiſh them from Beaſts, which is falſe alſo, for he ſayes, that light led them to ſhew the works of that Law God had written in their hearts, their8 conſcience bearing witneſs, and excuſing them in the day, when God ſhall judge the world by his Goſpel, which is ſomething elſe than thou ſpeaks on, but that nature which brings forth theſe fruits thou knows not, nor the light and fruits of it, which will ſtand at the day of judgement praiſed of God, but not of Men.

And then further to deny, that the light of Chriſt that lighteth every one that cometh into the world to be ſuffici­ent, ſayeſt thou, this opinion contradicts the whole current of the Scripture, but can name none it contradicts: but ſee­ing thou can quote none againſt it, I ſhall quote ſome that ſhall witneſs it, John 1 9. John 8. 12. Epheſ. 5. 13, 14. Luke 7. 21. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Prov. 4. 23. Iſai. 49. 6. Luke 2. 33. 1 John 1. •7. where the wiſe may ſee, that of all ſorts of peo­ple Chriſt is the light, which is ſufficient, and that in ſpirit within alſo.

And thou denies that this light can ſhew, that Chriſt was born of a Virgin, that the world was made of nothing, nor convince of the reſurrection. To which I ſay, none of theſe was known at firſt but by the light, nor can they be known now as they ought to be (though blind guides may talk of them) but by the light; for it is the Spirit that reveals all things, even the hidden things of God, and leads into all truth, elſe the knowledge is but a tradition; but to thee I ſay, as Job doth of ſuch, They that rebell againſt the light knows not the wayes thereof; ſo thou child of darkneſs may ſtop thy mouth for telling what the light can do, or not do; for the Scripture ſaith, that which may be known of God is ma­nifeſt in them, for God hath ſhewed it to them; but thy knowledge comes not in at that door.

And thy threefold light thou tels on, the firſt thou cals, the light of Nature, and ſaith it is that word, John 1 9. and this thou cals the light of God, and ſayes, it is but compa­rative darkneſs. Thy ſecond thou cals the light of Chriſt, and that thou proves, Epheſ. 5. 14. And the third thou cals the light of Glory, and that thou proves, John 8. 12. where Chriſt ſaith, I am the light of the world; and this thou ſayes, ſpeaks in the Future Tenſe; and ſuch mangled ſtuffe, that9 one that had but common ſenſe would bluſh at; is that which ſaith, I am the light of the world, in the Future Tenſe, and not the light of Chriſt? and is the light of God, and that Word which was in the beginning, which John ſpeaks on, by which the world was made, become ſo much leſs than the light of Chriſt? that it is but comparative darkneſs: did John preach comparative darkneſs, when he ſaid, Then this is the meſſage we have heard of him and declare unto you, that God is light,1 John 1. 5. 6. 7. and in him is no darkneſs at all; and if we walk in his light, the bloud of Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from all ſin: But thy meſſage is, that the light of God is comparative darkneſs, and that which Chriſt ſaith, I am the light of the world, and he that follows me ſhall not abide in darkneſs, but ſhall have the light of life: But this, thou ſayes, not now, but the time ſhall come, when he that follows me ſhall have a light without ſin; ſo light and following muſt be in another world, but not while this world laſts, for this is the term of time the Devil & his Miniſters would have his Covenant of ſin & darkneſs to laſt; but if you make it for any leſs, you muſt be no Mini­ſters for him, nor have none of the worlds glory from him who is the Prince of the world, where Chriſt, the Light of the world is not owned; and when thou haſt made up this bun­dle of confuſion, ſayes thou, I hope we may ſafely diſtinguiſh where the Scripture doth; when the Scriptures ſay no ſuch thing, but thy blind imaginations to put out the light of Chriſt within, and keep people without in thy imaginations.

Thy next thing thou goes about to prove is, that the Scrip­tures is the Word and Mind of God to you; thou ſayeſt, it muſt either be the word of the Devil, the word of Man, or the Word of God. To which I ſay, if thou intend the letter of the Bible, it is not one of theſe, but a declarati­on of the words of all theſe, and then thou goes on in thy blind Logick to prove it, and thy Argument is thus much; If one Command be the Word, then all the Scrip­tures is the Word, &c, But who taught thee this Logick, to prove Generals by a Particular; if God ſpoke ſome words in Scriptures, is that which the Devil ſpoke the word alſo,10 becauſe its in the book? Becauſe that was the Command of God that ſaid, Thou ſhalt not bow nor worſhip any thing but God alone: was that the word of God alſo that ſaid, If thou wilt worſhip me all ſhall be thine, Luke 4. 7, 8? This is thy arguing; and with ſuch as this thou leads them blind, who knows no better; yet thou can find no Scripture that ſaith ſo, onely thou inſtanced that, Mark 7. 10, 11, 12, 13. which hath relation to the firſt Commandement; but if that be thy word (to wit) the letter written and engraven in ſtone, which if it be taken in the letter, (as it can be no other in thy ſenſe) then the Apoſtle tels, the 2 Corinth 3. and alſo to the Hebrews, that it is done away; ſo thou haſt loſt thy word if that letter be it, and ſo thy Argument is fallen, and a place is left for me to ſet another in its ſtead thus:

That which one may have, and not have the Mind and Word of God, is not the Mind and Word of God, but one may have the Letter of the Scripture, and not have the Mind and Word of God: Ergo, the Major cannot be denied, and the Minor I prove by plain Scripture, Acts 13. 27. they that dwelt at Jeruſalem had the Scriptures read every Sabbath day, yet knew not their voices, and ſo had not the Mind of God: John 5. 38. 39. The Jews had the Scriptures, and thought to have eternal life in them, yet Chriſt tels them, they had not the Word in them; alſo John 8. 37. he ſaith, the Word hath no place in them, and verſe 43. he tels them, they could not hear the Word, therefore they could not underſtand his ſpeech; and this Word it was they had made void by their traditions, and ſo have you alſo, and ſo know no Word but the letter, which never Miniſter of Chriſt pleaded; yet had they the Scriptures, and did not make them void in the let­ter.

Another thing thou wouldeſt prove if thou could, that Spirits are to be tried by Scripture, and with thy vain Phylo­ſophy thou wouldſt prove this alſo, for the Scripture will not, onely thou quotes that, Iſaiah 8. 20. which may ſerve to overturn thy whole Argument, To the Law and to the Te­ſtimony, if they ſpeak not according to this word, its becauſe11 there is no light in them: Wherein the Prophet ſhews, that none can ſpeak according to the Law and Teſtimony, but from the light in them, the Law and Teſtimony being bound up and ſealed amongſt the Diſciples, as in the 16. verſe; there­fore who are Diſciples and follows Chriſt the Light, know the Law of the new Covenant to be written in the heart, Hebr. 8. 9, 10. and the Teſtimnoy of Jeſus to be the Spirit of propheſie, Revel. 19. 10. John 15. 26. but they that are ſpiritually blind knows not this, whoſe eyes are abro•d, and therefore ſet up the Letter inſtead of the Spirit, and ſuch by ſearching the Scriptures could never know Chriſt, although they teſtifie of him; who are not firſt taught of the Spirit, and therewith led into the Scriptures, ſuch cannot read the Scriptures, but wreſt them to their own deſtruction, as is plain, 1 Peter 3. 16. and ſo are farre unlike to try Spirits therewith; yea, wiſer than thou had the Scriptures, but knew not their voices, Acts 13 27. no not the Diſciples them­ſelves, till Chriſt with his light had opened their underſtand­ings, Luke 24. 25. but this is the Serpent, who would be try­ing of Spirits with the letter, as he tried the Spirit of Chriſt by the letter of the Law, as is plain in John 19. 7. And by ſuch tryers hath the Spirit of God been condemned, and his People ſuffered in all ages, where Men without the Spiritual light wreſted the letter out of its place to ſet it above the Spirit, which doth but teſtifie of the Spirit.

And thou ſayes, as God and Chriſt are one, ſo is Chriſt and the Scriptures, for they cannot be broken, but if you have not broken the Scriptures, let the Spirit of God that gave them forth judge, who have changed the way of God, and ſet up ſuch a worſhip as no Scripture will own without wreſting, and breaking in upon it with your own mean­ings.

And thou ſayeſt, How muſt we try the Spirits? by a light in us? Oh ſtrange unheard of doctrine! I ſay, yea, by the light in us, and he that hath not the light in him, can try no Spirits, but as the blind guides have ever done, for thoſe who are bidden to try Spirits had the annoynting in them, who12 need not any man to teach them, but as the ſame annointing did teach them all things, in which is the whole truth and no lie, and this onely is able to try the Spirits which we have re­ceived of him, 1 John 2. 27.

And thou brings that 2 Peter 1. 19 We have a more ſure word of propheſie, &c. and this thou would have people be­leive is the letter of the old Prophets, ſo by thy doctrine the letter of the old Prophets, which never ſaw Chriſt on earth, is a ſurer teſtimony than the Apoſtles, who was eye-witneſſes of his Majeſty, ſaw him transfigured, and heard the voyce of God teſtifying unto him, 2 Peter 1. 16, 17, 18, 19. and ſuch dark ſtuffe as this is the fruit of thy literal Miniſtry, and in this mud and darkneſs would thou be an opener of Scrip­tures, and art pleading for thy ſelf, and the reſt of thy bre­thren therein, mentioning many of the Saints practices, but not one of them will own your way of opening, and therefore proves nothing for you, further than that you are wholly out of their way.

And thy next work is to prove, that a Man may be juſtifi­ed without Chriſt and his righteouſneſs within, which being ſearched, is but a juſtification imagined, for he that knows not Chriſt in him is a Reprobate, and ſo not juſtified, 2 Cor. 13. 5. for it is receiving Chriſt and his righteouſneſs by which Man is juſtified, and not by taking of it, even by the free gift of righteouſneſs, which is but one, and wrought by one, yet it muſt be received in all who receiveth Chriſt, who is Gods righteouſneſs, without which none can be juſtified, as is plain, Rom. 5. 15, 16, 17. and Chriſt in the Saints is the hope of glory, Coloſ. 1. 27. without which there is no juſtification, this is the juſt that lives by faith, and the Juſtifier of all them that ſo receive him. And whereas thou wonders how the Patriarks and Prophets were juſtified before Chriſt came. I ſay, by the Spirit of Chriſt in them, and ſo they are to this day, Iſaiah 50. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 11. but thou not knowing the Spirit in thee, wonders at it, and ſo that Scripture is fulfilled upon thee, foretold both by the Prophets and Apoſtles, Acts 13. 41.

And thou ſayes, thou haſt ſufficient ground to beleive, that ſome do deny Chriſt aſcended with his body, but tels not who, yet doth thy miſchievous mind aim at us, elſe why is it here mentioned, and when thou haſt ſet up this lie, then thou contends againſt what thou haſt forged thy ſelf, to diſprove it.

Then thou goes on to plead for reſpect of perſons and creature worſhips, and bowing to the pride, and againſt us, becauſe we cannot do it, but it ſeems thou haſt forgot thy lying Title, where thou ſayes, Antichriſt in Man, is the Qua­kers Idol, and now art murmurring that we will not worſhip him, in whom he is exalted; and thou bids us read that word if we dare, Levit. 19. 32. Thou ſhalt riſe up before the hoary head: I ſay, yea, we dare read that and own it, but when young ones looks to have grey hair to bow to Antichriſt exalted in them, that Command is broken. Alſo thou pleads againſt Thou and Thee, and yet beſeeches to conform to the wholſom words of Chriſt Jeſus (yet murmur at us for ſo do­ing) who never uſed other words to a particular; though thou would ſay he did, when he ſpoke not onely what Na­thaniel ſhould ſee, but his Diſciples alſo.

And thou ſayes, there was never ſuch a word in Scripture, as look to the light within; when there is not any thing more full in Scripture, nor can any have any light to know the things of God but within, for what is not ſpiritual is car­nal, and what is ſpiritual is within, 2 Pet. 1. 19. Luke 17. 21. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 6. Epheſ. 5. 8, 13, 14. Epheſ. 4. 18. 1 John 2. 27. John 11. 10. but where the light that is within is dark­neſs, how great is that darkneſs, and this is befallen the blind guides of this generation above all that ever was before you, for though the Phariſees would not beleive in the light of Chriſt, yet they were aſhamed to oppoſe it as you do: but if the light be in the letter, where is the blind guides the Scriptures ſpeaks on, ſeeing they had the letter who were ſo called, and ſo hath their followers in our age, but thou that ſaith there is no Scripture that ſaith, take heed to the light within, read Luke 11, 35. and ſee the lier.

And thou ſayes, that Jeſuites without doubt are amongſt us. But why doth not thy ſlanderous mind find them out? Cowliſhaws examination will not prove it, onely it ſerves you Prieſts to fill up your books, and ſhew your confuſion, who let the Jeſuite go (if there was any ſuch) and prints your folly and envy againſt the Quakers, wherein you ſhew to all wiſe men your deſire to miſchief, without any ground, and what you would do if the thing was true, who make ſo much ado about a lie.

And whereas thou ſayes, the Pope and the Quakers agree. I ſay, ſtop thy mouth for ſhame, do not all men ſee, that all this venom is caſt out upon us by the Pariſh Teachers, who are from thence deſcended, becauſe we teſtifie againſt your Maſterſhips, Tythes and Parſonages, and all the reſt of that ſuperſtitious worſhip, yet remaining of that which from him was received: And wherein you worſhip every particular out of the Saints practiſe, be aſhamed to tell us of the Pope, herein you do but diſcover your folly, and give other occaſi­on to look into your ſuperſtitions worſhip and Papal obſer­vations, all which we deny root and branch, and own what was practiſed by the Saints, as the Scriptures bears us teſti­mony herein, which will not own one jot of your Steeple­houſe worſhip without wreſting, for which we deny you and it.

And thou proceeds to give an anſwer to quaking and trembling (a thing thou knows not) and thou ſayes, the ground we have for it is, becauſe the Prophets did ſo, and then thou tels of Paul trembling, and the Goaler, and others, and thou ſayes, one ſwallow makes not a Summer, and thou ſayes, the Goalers trembling was for fear of the loſs of his Priſoners, and thus thou goes on heaping up one lie upon another; I ſay, which of the Servants of God ever came to hear the voice of God and not tremble? and was the ground of it becauſe others did ſo before them? and are all whom thou haſt named (with many others) but one ſwal­low? and was it the loſs of his Priſoners that made the Goa­ler tremble, whoſe trembling was not till he knew the Priſo­ners15 was ſafe? Theſe ſerve to make up three lies together: and thou adds a fourth, ſaying, one may put all their names in a ring, who trembled at the Apoſtles preaching, when there is not one of the Saints that ever declares how they came to know God, but it was in fear and trembling, and this thy blaſphemous mouth compares to counterfeit beggars in Lon­don, and other frivolous unclean language, not fit to be named, thou uttereſt, for which thou ſhalt account, when the Lord ſhall appear to the joy of ſuch who tremble at his Word, but to thy ſhame, who caſts ſuch out, ſaying, let God be glorified, Iſaiah 66. 5. but thou art ſeen to be one of thoſe thou may­eſt read of, Jer. 5. 21. to the end: many other filthy things thou haſt ſtuffed thy book with, which ſerve but to ſhew thy light, frothy and unclean ſpirit; modeſty it ſelf might have cauſed thee to have kept them in, but that thou muſt ſhew thy ſelf one of the Army of Haman Gog, ſet in array with the reſt of thy brethren.

Thou mayeſt truly ſay, thy ſalvation, by the light in you, is accurſed, out of which comes ſuch dark muddy ſtuffe as this is. Who ſayes, that its an error, if not damnable, to ſay, that the light that Chriſt gives to all is ſufficient: and that its an error, if not damnable, to ſay, Chriſt is the onely meanes of ſalvation. Are not all you Divines gone mad? was ever ſuch a thing ſaid of Chriſt and his light? ſtop thy mouth for ſhame, and all thy brethren, a generation of blind guides, who have been ſo many years a preaching Chriſt, and that faith in him would ſave, and now when he is come, you ſay, he alone is not ſufficient: get you out of the Scriptures you blind ſots, and take no more hire for talking of them, for they that teſtifie of Chriſt to be the one thing needful, denies you, who ſay, he is not ſufficient without ſomewhat elſe, you are afraid of your craft. But what is that other that muſt be joyned to him to make him ſufficient? muſt it be the Hirelings? and what is it you will add to him to make him ſufficient? this is it, you will tell people he is not ſufficient, nor his light, for its an error to beleive it, if not damnable; ſhould the Apo­ſtles have gone amongſt the Heathen & told them this ſto­ry16 (inſtead of preaching him alſufficient) had not they been mad men that would have beleived in him, and ſo have run into a damnable error, as you ſay; had they preach­ed that doctrine they ſhould but have gathered a few to Chriſt, but like the Phariſees and you, have gathered them into Sects, for all who gather not with him ſcatter abroad in­to Sects; but ſeeing Chriſt ſaith, there is but one thing needful, and you ſay his words are true, when you write again let it be plainly known what that one thing is which is ſuffi­cient, ſeeing you ſay, its a damnable error to ſay, its Chriſt and his light: And ſeeing thou ſayes, Chriſt enlightens none under that name but beleivers, tell us what light muſt be preached as ſufficient to unbeleivers, ſeeing thou renders it as a damnable error, to preach the light of Chriſt as ſufficient to unbeleivers, which if thou deal plainly herein, Antichriſt will be diſcovered to be no Idol of the Quakers, though he be in man, oppoſing Chriſt and his light in the Quakers, but whether you will deal plainly or no herein; yet this I ſay to thee, without making an Idol thereof, that that in thee which denies Chriſt and his light to be onely ſufficient is An­tichriſt, and in thee he is revealed to be, who is preaching Chriſt unſufficient.

And whereas in the front of thy book thou tels of one of them taken with a lie in his mouth before the Mageſtrates (which is no lie, as thy book afterwards doth ſhew) by which, thou ſayes, they obtained a diſmiſſion, that they went not to priſon. I ſay, with ſhame may thou ſay it; that any ſhould be in danger of impriſonment for ſpeaking to one who profeſſeth himſelf a Miniſter of Chriſt, and reproving their falſe worſhip, did ever Miniſter of Chriſt make uſe of ſuch weapons to defend their worſhips? But did not the man thou thus charges take thee in more lies than one, inſo­much that thou was forced to plead lying no ſin, ſaying, it is but a change of the mind? ſo thy miniſtry thou haſt here­in manifeſted from whom thou haſt it, and what it tends to: if lying be no ſin, but a change of the mind, than what con­fidence17 can there be in men of that faith? This makes much for your liberty, who can do little elſe; but who is come in­to the truth ſees this to be his ſpirit who abode not in the truth, thats now pleading for his own kingdom.