FOOT Yet in the SNARE:
GOOD is the Word of the Lord, who by his Spirit hath foretold of the Heathen raging, and the people imagining vainthings, thereby to ſtop the appearance and exaltation of the King of Righteouſneſs, in every age of his coming into the world, who hath alſo foretold of the gatherings together of the great Armies of Gog and Magog to battel againſt the Lamb, with all the ſubtilty, ſorcery, and witchcrafts of the devil, that old ▪ Serpent and hater of innocencie, who ceaſes not to ſtir up his chiefeſt intereſts, and thoſe whom he hath deceived and bewitched with lies and lying wonders, joyning together head and tail, root and branch in that nature, to trample upon the appearance of Chriſt, and ſhut up the Kingdome againſt men; and for this end (as one of his deepeſt deſignes) he is ever ſeeking to get in amongſt the children of Light with his Son of Perdition, conforming2 himſelf as near as may be in outward things, yea transforming himſelf into an angel of light (a thing above all the litteral profeſſors) that thereby he may the more ſtronglie delude, and make the waie more open whereby to make havock of the innocent, doing that under a pretence of owning the truth, which he never could do with open oppoſition; & this is his deſign, which ever attends the appearance of the Son of God in this world, for ſo is the fathers good pleaſure to permit him, for the trial & exerciſe of his own ſeed where it is manifeſt: & thus it was with the Son of God in his appearance amongſt the Jews, where one of the twelve was a devil, & by his treacherie to the light, & convincement which he had received, the chief prieſts & phariſees got their envie effected againſt the Lamb (he being an inſtrument for them againſt him) which they never could do by al their diſputes & open contentions & oppoſitions: & ſo it is ſeen at this daie by thee Iohn Toldervy, & the chiefprieſts in theſe daies joined with thee herein, joining your deceits againſt the innocent waie of the Lamb: & this deſign of Satan the ſpirit of God hath foreſeen, & revealed to his holie apoſtles & prophets, which was to continue for the trials of his own at his coming amongſt the ſaints in after-ages; & therefore Paul at his departure doth forewarn them to take heedun to the flock & church of God, which he had purchaſed with his own blood, not onlie warning them of grievous wolves which would enter in amongſt them not ſparing the flock, but, ſaith, he, alſo of your own ſelves ſhal men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things to draw diſciples after them to perdition; & theſe are the hereſies which the Scripture tels of, which the Holy Ghoſt ſaith muſt be amongſt the people of God, that they that are approved may be made manifeſt; & it doth not onlie manifeſt them1 Cor. 11. 9: that are approved, but them that are for perdition alſo; and theſe things were not ſtrange to ſuch as dwelt in the light, nor are they ſtrange to ſuch as in the light dwell now; who ſee there cannot be a war, unleſs there be a Dragon as well as a Lamb, and the beaſt with the many heads & horns, with blaſphemie on every head, as it is ſeen in you of many colours, heads, & horns ioyned3 together in this blaſphemie, as doth now appera, & wil appear more plain concerning you in this thing, than before, who have ſet to your hands to certifie the belief you have concerning the truth of the devils actings, who is a liar from the begining, & abode not in the truth, nor doth he abide in the truth; and to all who are in the leaſt meaſure of light, you have diſcovered your ſelves with whom you ioyne, & againſt whom you take part, though your ſecret ſmiting cannot touch the truth, nor them where it is manifeſt; all you can do is to ſhut up the kingdom againſt ſuch as are in the world with you, leaſt they ſhould enter, as did your fathers ſo do you, & of their reward ſhal you receive, having fill'dup your meaſure: three ſorts of people there are that are much concerned in this filthy thing you have hatched & brought forth (beſides the common ſcoffers of theſe daies) as a ſnare to catch withall, & to devour in the way by conſent, as your fathers ever did. The firſt ſort of which the greateſt envie is, are without the reach of your trap; & thoſe who have received the light of Chriſt, whoſe eie is in their head, who are come to any meaſure of the anointing, & are joyned in the election, in the leaſt meaſure there abiding, are ſet above all the devils deceit and lying wonders, who are brought to the love of the Lord, his light and life; to ſuch I ſay, this & all other things that can befall in this world, work together with the light for your good, and therein I do rejoice on your behalf, who ſhall hereby not only glorifie God who hath opened an eye to ſee above all theſe wiles of Satan, whereby they are judged, and the ground from whence they ariſe, but alſo hereby learn the more to fear the Lord, & to walk worthie of him in your meaſures, who hath called you out of darkneſs, wherein others are ſtumbling and falling in miſchief, into his marvellous light, wherein abiding you wil all be taught by this as by all other his vvorks, to knovv his end as to your ſelves, that he may teach you his praiſe both in redeeming his ovvn ſeed, & alſo in hardning the vvicked to deſtruction: The ſecond ſort are ſuch as in their hearts are convinced wth the light of Chriſt of the vvay of truth, but finding it ſtraight to their carnal pleaſure & profits not loving4 the truth more than the world, but taking pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, and ſerving and loving the creature more than the Creator, ſuch will be glad of a ſtumbling block, to take occaſion thereby to caſt off the yoak wholly, and ſo to ſpeak evil of that which they are convinced to be the right waie, and would have walked therein, had it not been too ſtraight to hold them and their luſts. To ſuch I ſay, you have your deſire herein; and as you waited for a ſtumbling-block, thereat to take offence at the Croſs, ſo God in judgement hath ſent you one ſutable to your deſires, even from him, whoſe coming is after the working of Satan, with ſignes and lying wonders, with all deceivableneſs of unrighteouſneſs in them that periſh, becauſe you received not the truth in the love of it that you might be ſaved; for this cauſe God hath ſent you ſtrong deluſions that you ſhould believe a lie, that you all may be damned who take pleaſure in2 Theſ. 2. unrighteouſneſs more than in the croſs of Chriſt: And as the Spirit of Witchcraft in the Magicians did harden Pharoahs carnal proud heart more againſt Moſes and the ſeed of God, ſo wil the ſame ſpirit take advantage upon your luſts to do the like, though in a different manner, yet to the ſame end, and upon you is the righteous judgements of God in this caſe, who are joyned to that nature which God hath raiſed up to ſhew his power upon; and in the end you will find that you are of them upon whom this day of the Lord comes as a ſnare, when you are grown up into your meaſure of hardneſs and enmitie againſt the light of Chriſt, opportunities to which you will not want from the Lord in judgement ſo long as you abide in that nature, and the love of it, whereof in love to your ſouls I am moved to warn you.
There is a third ſort, for whoſe ſakes I am moved eſpecially to write ſomething in anſwer to this filthie5 thing, which otherwiſe (being a work of the devill) it ſhould have rotted rather than have been raked in, or mentioned over again by me, and theſe are ſuch as have a ſimplicitie in them, and a love to the truth, and the way thereof, and would walk in it, did they know it, but are yet kept in blindneſs and darkneſs by their blind guides, who take advantage by theſe works of the devill, lies, and ſlanders to thicken the veil & ſtrengthen the bonds, whereby to keep them from the light of life, and way of peace, and ſo keep them in the way of deſtruction for their corrupt ends, which were they not enſnared in theſe things through their deceit, might poſſibly be brought forth into the waies of ſalvation, many of them alreadie having been made ſenſible from the Lord in love to their ſouls, of the barrenneſs, unfruitfnlneſs, and unrighteouſneſs of the worlds waies, wherein they have been led; and alſo the deceit, pride, and covetouſneſs and contrary-walking of their Teachers, both in doctrine, manners, and maintenance, to all thoſe whom ever Chriſt appointed for the work of the Miniſtery in any age. I ſay, for you who are in this caſe, out of the knowledge of God, his light, and life, which is your ſalvation, doth my bowels yearn, being ſenſible of your condition from the Lord, and how eaſie a thing it is for you to be kept in deluſion, (by the falſe teachers) who are not come to the true light, eſpecially, having ſuch things as theſe, with your lying ſpirit to work upon, whereby to affright you from the truth, which many ſimple hearts are enquiring after in this day of the Lords love; as alſo, knowing that any being begun to be unſetled from the deceits by the Light of Chriſt, and then come to be ſetled again by a ſpirit of deceit, and joyning therewith; ſeeing ſuch deny the tender of love, how hard a thing it is for ſuch to be recovered to hearken to any thing from the Lord in ſpirit to bring them near him: I ſay, for your ſakes where the ſimplicity is, am I6 made free to lay ▪ open to you ſome of the deceits of theſe Spirits that lay wait for your ſouls, that unleſs you chooſe your own deluſion rather than the ſimplicity of truth, you may not be by them enſnared, as the Light of Chriſt in your conſciences will one day witneſs my tender love to your ſouls herein.
And to you John Toldervy, Tho. Brooks, Tho Iacomb, George Cockaine, Will. Adderley, John Goodwin, John Tombs, Will. ſenkin, and Matt. Poole, who are joyned together, that with the light of Chriſt you might ▪ take notice againſt whom you are joyned, and what work it is you are joyned in, which is, to bear witneſs unto lyes, and confuſions, and lying wonders, which you never ſaw nor heard, as by your own confeſſion, who ſay, ſome of you have but peruſed a part of the thing to which you are witneſſes, and have but the things by hear ſay, and that from one poſſeſt with a deluded Spirit, wherein you ſhew your envie and raſhneſs, and want of diſcretion, and therefore are found falſifying your own words in your book, and ſo have enſnared your ſelves in your own wickedneſs, and this you call The foot out of the Snare, and ſo your work is begun with a lie, and ſo carried on, who in your title-page tell of the manner of his ſeparation from the Quakers, which is falſe, for thoſe you call Quakers did ſeparate from him, and denie him, both in word and writing, becauſe of his following a bewitched Spirit, and would not be reclaimed by them, who oft reproved him, and judged him for it with one conſent, as you afterward confeſs in your book, page 38. and in other places of your book alſo. As in your title-page ▪ alſo, you tell of what judgement he was learned in by the Miniſtrie of thoſe people, and ſo bear witneſs you know not to what, for both you and he are yet unlearned in the judgement and Miniſtrie of thoſe you call ▪ Quakers, whoſe judgement and miniſtrie is not to be led by vain cuſtomes and imaginations out of the truth, as you are,7 and are witneſſes that he was, as in your book is declared. In your Epiſtle you ſay the ſubject matter of your diſcourſe, relates principallie to the perſons who go under the name of Quakers, and you confeſs that many have abuſed the truth by ſeeking to defend themſelves in that deceit, which the Spirit which is of God in thoſe you call Quakers, hath witneſſed againſt, by which (you ſay) the generalitie of men are through their ▪ miſguided ſpirits, alreadie beyond meaſure, bitterly incenſed againſt them; to which, I ſay, let your practiſe judge you, as to the work in hand, in ſeeking to defend your ſelves in that deceit which the ſpirit of God in us hath witneſſed againſt. As to the particular actings of that deluded ſpirit with whom you are joyned witneſſes in your book, and ſo are of thoſe who have abuſed the truth, thereby more bitterlie to incenſe the generations of men beyond meaſure againſt us, through your miſguided ſpirit; yea, ſo much I may ſay, the devill had never yet ſuch a deſign on foot, for the incenſing people againſt thoſe you call Quakers, as this Book of yours, which you have fill'd with the devils works and lying wonders, wrought and witneſſed amongſt your ſelves, whereof we are clear, from the firſt to the laſt, having been witneſſes againſt it; and yet you are not aſhamed to ſay, the ſubiect matter doth relate principallie to the perſons of the Quakers, which was acted and witneſſed among your own perſons, which are joyned one in it againſt that ſpirit of God in the Quakers, by which it was denyed in the perſons of them, both root and branch thereof, as is confeſſed and witneſſed by you. So let all judge who have the ſpirit of truth, if you be not thoſe miſguided ſpirits (you tell on) beyond meaſure, who are caſting upon us the deceits acted amongſt your ſelves, and yet confeſs the ſpirit of God in us witneſſing againſt deceit; ſo out of your own mouths be you judged to be thoſe who take part with the deceit (acted among your ſelves) againſt8 the ſpirit of God, vvho have caſt upon us the works that are done amongſt your ſelves, of which we are clear in the preſence of God Yea, Iudas and the chief Prieſts might as trulie charge what they did in combining to gether againſt ▪ Chriſt, upon the other eleven Diſciples, as you charge ▪ this your act and combination upon the perſons of the Quakers, or the ſpirit of God in them, the caſe being the ſame, both in reſpect of matter and near as near as poſſibly may be ▪ and how guiltie the Diſciples were, of that ▪ or we of this, let the light of Chriſt in all conſciences be Judge, til he appear to reward ▪ you according to your work.
Further ▪ in your Epiſtle you tel of expreſſing tenderneſs to wards your brethren ▪ and companions, who by their miſguided ſpirit are ſubject to Laws ▪ and Ordinances, Ceremonies and Traditions of their own inventing, denying themſelves their Juſt and Lawfull Liberty, out of a ſlaviſh fear: to which, I ſay ▪ as for Ordinances, Ceremonies, and Traditions, and Inventions, they are your own, and ſo is that miſguided ſpirit, which led in the inventions to what was acted, as is declared in this book, as alſo that miſguided ſpirit by which you are led in your worſhips, you Pariſh Maſters, and ſeparated-Maſters, who have loſt the form of the Saints worſhip, and with your miſguided Spirit are run into the inventions in everie particular of your worſhip, which you perform in your Idols Temples, ſo that the Scripture wil not warrant your practiſe in anie particular, without wreſting ▪ to ſute your inventions ▪ ſo it nearlie concerns you to plead for tenderneſs towards your brethren, who are companions ▪ with you in this miſguided ſpirit, and ſubiect to thoſe Ordinances and Inventions into which you are run ▪ that you may alſo partake of that compaſſion ▪ who never loved to be plainlie dealt withall ▪ nor reproved for your ▪ errors. But as for them who are come from under that miſguided Spirit with its Ordinances and Inventions ▪9 it may be long ere you be heard pleading for compaſſion to ſuch; nay, againſt ſuch is all your miſguided Ordinances, and miſguided ſpirits, with all their inventions combined together, as appears in your book, who have joyned teſtimonie to the works of the devill againſt the ſpirit of God, under a pretence of love to the truth, as you would plead for your miſguided ſpirit, Ordinances, and Inventions, under a pretence of compaſſion, and ſo you ſhew to all then are wiſe hearted, what your compaſſion is to. But as for denying your ſelves of libertie lawful or unlawful, you are little guiltie of that crime, but would accuſe others for doing it, becauſe we cannot run with you into your exceſs of pride, drunkenneſs, and gluttonie, and all manner of laſciviouſneſs, and ſhelter it with you under the name of Chriſtian libertie, therefore you ſpeak evill of us who ſee your wickedneſs, and cannot joine with you therein, who under the name of Chriſtian libertie have opened a dore to your hearers of all liſcentiouſneſs, as wofull experience may witneſs throughout the Nations ▪ what pride and oppreſſion, what exceſs and laſciviouſneſs, drunkenneſs and gluttonnie, gaming, ſporting, and wantonneſs; what changeable faſhions, and fooliſh childiſh toyes in your habits which you are pleading for in your book, which ſober minded heathen would be aſhamed of; what Idolatrous worſhips, ſpeaking high words through the luſts of the fleſh, beguiling the ſouls that are unſtabliſhed; what Idolatrous daies and feaſts, what impriſonment, perſecution, and bloodſhed; what ſwearing and whoring, fooliſh jeſting, and filthie communication, idle talking, and all manner of abomination is lived in amongſt you and your hearers, and all covered with the name of Chriſtian Libertie; And if anie make conſcience of theſe things, they are preſentlie condemned by you for denying themſelves their Juſt and Lawful Libertie, accuſed of whi•ſies and voluntary humiliation, and10 of works ▪ and ſo the devill hath got Scriptures and the Saints words to plead for his luſts, and condemn the Saints practiſe: And how much you pariſh maſters value the juſt libertie of ſuch as witneſs againſt your unjuſt dealings, the moſt of the Goals in the nation may teſtifie: So the libertie of Barrabas beſpeaks the death of Jeſus, and his impriſonment. Do not ye remember your fathers the Biſhops, who under pretence of Chriſtian Libertie, ſet out their Play books, giving them names of lawfull recreations, which indeed were the devills practiſes? and are not you got upon the ſame beaſt yet as blinde as they, and as full of rage (had you the ſame power) againſt them that reprove you thereof? But as for anie libertie we denie which is according to God, charge us with it in particular, and let truth make its defence. You tell again of giving account of John Toldervy his ſeparation from the people called Quakers: I ſay, that is but the former lie told over again, for the people called Quakers did ſeparate from him, when he was ſeparated from the light, and acted by a ſpirit of darkneſs and would not be reclaimed.
In your cautions to the Reader you confeſs, that his errors from what was written in the Scripture and•in himſelf, was that by which he dearlie ſuffered, having before caſt it upon the perſons of the Quakers; and this is the truth which you are ſatisfied of, as you have ſignified with your hands, but are found with deceit in your mouths. If it was his departing from the Scriptures, and what was written in him, that was his error and cauſe of his ſufferings, then it was not the perſons of the Quakers, which before you ſaid was the ſubject matter of your diſcourſe, and that which did relate principallie to their perſons; neither was it any iudgement he learned by the miniſtrey of thoſe people, as you ſeem to hold forth in another place, and thus you are not aſhamed to utter your deceits, and believing ▪11 of lies, to tell them, and ſet your hands to them, thinking thereby to have them paſs as unqueſtionable truths, and to that end recommend them to all Chriſtians, and ſo are found abuſing the truth, and defending the deceits which you confeſs the Spirit of God in thoſe you call Quakers hath witneſſed againſt, and ſo through your miſguided Spirit are incenſing the people beyond meaſure in bitterneſs againſt us, ſhew your ſelves to be of that Spirit which did ever oppoſe the Spirit of God, which you confeſs to be in us, as out of your own mouth you may be iudged:
In your firſt page you bear witneſs with Iohn Toldervy who you ſay hath been for divers Years full of zeal after the things of God, ſeeking after the knowledge of Chriſt, for the clearing of his conſcience to his cloſe walking with God, and blameleſs life and converſation amongſt men. And in your 49. page you bear witneſs to him, that before he was principled in the waie of the Quakers, he had been verie zealouſlie affected in divers waies, and there was begot in him much fleſhlie wiſdome, in which his hope did much reſt, believing it was the mysterie and wiſdome of the Holie Spirit revealed in him; and that he was covered over with deceit, and did glorie ▪ in that condition; and both theſe muſt be believed to be truth by your certificate, and this you have recommended as a piece worthie to be read and taken into conſideration by all ſerious Chriſtians. But may not all that conſider of it ſee you ſtark blind and drunk with abomination and confuſion? Could Zeale to God, and exceeding Love towards Chriſt, and waies moſt uſefull for clearing his CONSCIENCE ▪ in order to his upright and cloſe vvalking vvith GOD, and blameleſſe Life and CONVERSATION amongſt men, and reſting in much FLESHLY ▪ WISDOME,12 and glorying in being covered over with deceit, ſtand together in one perſon? and both theſe you ſay he had in his profeſſion before he joyned with the Quakers; what a teſtimony is this that you nine are ioyned in! Do you think it wil excuſe you to ſay that you read it not all over? with them whom you have blinded it may, but the leaſt of the children of light may ſee you are erred from the truth, and ioyned in deceit, witneſſing you know not what.
And in your ſecond page you tell of a ſpirit infuſed into him, by the operation whereof, together with what he apprehended of himſelf, after a ſhort time, there was made clear to his underſtanding what followes; ſo that by your confeſſion this ſpirit from which hee had thoſe apprehenſions, was infuſed into him before hee knew the Quakers, after which he became affected with thoſe people called Seekers, and afterward met with two of thoſe called Quakers, and yet the drift of your book is to make people believe that he received this ſpirit among the Quakers, and this is another piece of your recommended truth, ſo with your own hands you have ſignified your confuſion, and cleared them whom you intended to ſlander.
In your third page you tell of the Quakers that what they ſpoke was againſt all ſin, yet they declared nothing of the myſtery of the Goſpel of Chriſt; ſo that by your doctrine, that which declares againſt all ſin is nothing of the Goſpel of Chriſt. I ſay, if you had ſaid ▪ it had been nothing of your Goſpel, you might have been believed, whoſe Goſpel and the myſtery thereof is by talking againſt ſin to make a cover for ſin: But there is nothing that ſpeaks againſt all ſin indeed and in truth, but the Goſpel of Chriſt, though another Goſpel many of you have invented, wherein you can imagine a Juſtification to your ſelves while you are the Servants of Sin, but by the Goſpel of Chriſt which ſpeaks againſt13 all ſin, do the Quakers know whoſe Goſpell that is, which juſtifies you, while you are the Servants of Sin, and live in it, and incourage your hearers therein alſo: Are you not aſhamed to give it under your hands, that that which ▪ ſpeaks againſt all ſin is nothing of the Goſpel? Was that nothing of the Goſpel when hee ſaid, Sin no more, leſt a morſe thing come upon thee? If this was any thing of the Goſpel, or the myſterie of it, then all may ſee that you nine are joyned in a lie. And to ſay that the Quakers ſpeak nothing of the myſterie of the Goſpel, let thouſands that have heard them be witneſſes againſt you, whether this be not another; yet by your nine-fold cord you would have theſe to paſs for truths.
In your ſeventh page you tell of one whom he knew to be a verie ſerious true hearted man which was converted to our belief, which gave John Toldervy to underſtand, that the perſon, that Son of God, that dyed at Jeruſalem, was not the Redeemer of man from ſin. To which I ſay, Did you hear that man ſay ſo? or have you it from him who is poſſeſſed? or did you ever admoniſh that man of his error to his face before you ſlandered him before all the world? Have you done herein like Chriſtians, or as you would be done unto? Or did you ever ſee his face? Or do you know his name? and why is it not here mentioned, that vve might have admoniſhed him though you vvill not? Have you not herein diſcovered your Spirit, and your ſelves a pack of ſlanderers and backbiters, to accuſe a man in print whom you never ▪ ſaw ▪ nor ſpoke to? one without name; all that are not blind may ſee this ſtone is not caſt at one man, but againſt the vvhole truth, and upon your ovvn heads ſhal it return, for all that ever knevv thoſe people called Quakers, vvill bear us vvitneſs that vve ovvn no Redeemer but that Son of God vvhich died at Jeruſalem, whom we witneſs in us, the Light by which we ſee ſin, and by obedience thereto are led out of ſin.
14In your eighth page you ſeem to reproach the Quakers, ſaying, You know ſome of them who faſted 30. or 40. daies:**Let the Adulterers ceaſe ſeeking for a ſign or a miracle in this generation, ſeeing this is witneſſed with your own hands. I ſay, if you had lived in the daies of Moſes ▪ Elias, David, Daniel, and other the Saints of God, and the Apoſtles, who made proof of their Miniſtrie in Faſtings and Prayings; yea Chriſt himſelfe ſhould have had no better from you than ſcorn and reproach therein, faſting being a thing which your generation known little of, nor are exerciſed in, whoſe care in the firſt place is for your bellies, and all muſt faſt about you before you want your hire which you expect from them, which manie times you do no work for, yet war is prepared if they put not into your mouths, ſuits and priſons, yea manie times where the children want bread, and whereof you ſtand in no need; ſo that there is little thoughts of your faſting. But would you be counted Miniſters of Chriſt and follow him, and is faſting become a reproach with you? David declares of your generation, by whom his faſting was turned to his reproach by the bellie-Gods of his time; and the ſame ſpirits now act the ſame things.
In your nineth page you tell of two Spirits in him, one contrarie to the other, by vvhich he did manie things in his vvill, againſt his vvill: And in your 49 ▪ page you ſay, before he was perſwaded to complie with us, he had a right knowledge of our belief and practiſe; here is another piece of your confuſion manifeſt; had he a right knowledge of our belief and practiſe who was thus acted, for which you confeſs he was judged by all the Quakers? and thus your falſe witneſſes will not agree to the end you intended, onlie it ſerves to manifeſt your own abſurdities, and that confuſed ſpirit to which you are joined, which you ſay led him to do things in his wil, againſt his wil, whereby you ſay he became a deſtroyer of the will of God, and this you would caſt upon the Quakers; whom you confeſs to27 have the Spirit of God in them, witneſſing againſt all Deceit and miſguided ſpirits, as though the ſpirit of God which witneſseth againſt all Deceit, did lead him to deſtroy the will of God; and afterward confeſs in the ſame page, that it was his imaginarie, which being overthrown in one thing, there was begotten the like being, in another ſhape; thus adding your confuſion, as though the like being could be in another ſhape, by which you ſay he was wrought upon to believe many things, and act many things, as follows, and yet your drift in the book is to accuſe the Light of Chriſt therewith, as though his imaginaries were the Light of Chriſt: and much ſuch unſavourie ſtuff your ſlanderous ſpirits ſend out of the bottomeleſs pit.
Then you go on and tell of his believing of what was manifeſt of God in man, is the Light of life, and one with himſelf, and that man was the cauſe of all his diſtractions and confuſions in himſelf, and that man having loſt the kernall and ſubſtance, he feedeth on dry husks, and being not refreſhed with bread and water of life, he remains alwayes ſeeking and never ſatisfied; and that eternall life living in us there needeth no more thirſt; and that confuſion proceeds from the evill one transformed in man, who having darkned his underſtanding, leads him to many duties that are his own, & that if the author and finiſher of our faith live in us there is perfection, and that in the firſt Creation man was made pure and holy, &c. and many other precious truths which nearly concerns the ſalvatton of every ſoul to know, and theſe ▪ being things which the Devill moſt envies, you have mixed vvith them ſome of your ovvn Deceits, thereby the better to make people believe ▪ they are errors, and having heaped a great ſort of them together that you might (ſtrike at the vvhole foundation at once, then you ſay that you vvill declare ſome of thoſe effects vvhich this change vvrought in him,16 going on to tell of his filthie practiſes, being led with flies to crucifie himſelf, and to burn his Legs, and prick Needles in his Thumbs, and ſuch filthie bewitched ſtuff not worth the mentioning, being the devills work.
You blaſphemers, did thoſe truths of God before mentioned lead to theſe things? how are you filled with ſubtil envie againſt the truth? was there ever ſuch a neſt, to ſet your hands to ſlander the truth? ſhall not the Lord find you out, and bring your wickedneſs upon your ownpate ▪ ſhal your ioyning hand in hand keep your wickedneſs from being puniſhed? what you have done in ſecret the Lord wil reward you openlie, the daie of Revelation is at hand, and you can be no longer hid.
You go on to tell how he was moved not to pull off the hat to any man; to ſpeak the word THEE and THOU; not to bow or worſhip any man, not to direct his mind in drinking to any; to pul off his Points at his knees, and his Buttons that were unneceſſarie, and ſuch like things which you vvould loath ſee go dovvn, and therefore give it as though it vvas the Spirit of the devill that bare vvitneſs againſt theſe things, and ſo vvould condemn the ſpirit of God and practiſe of the Saints, for the upholding of the Devills vvork, vvho is not divided againſt himſelf, vvho hath too many amongſt you to make covers for pride and exceſs, to ſet any on vvork to crie it dovvn, or your flattring titles either. Did ever the Spirit of God uſe any other language to a particular than Thou or Thee? Doth it not forbid bovving or vvorſhipping any man? Or did ever any vvho are guided by the Spirit of God put off their hats one to another in vvale of Worſhip or Complement? Or did they ever uſe the practiſe of you Drunkards, drinking one to another, enticing one another to devour the creatures upon your luſts, by your heatheniſh cuſtomes? Or did they ever uſe Points at their knees in your manner of filthie pride? May not all ſee what you are about to uphold? Are you17 the Miniſters of Chriſt or the Miniſters of ſin, who are pleading for pride and the worlds cuſtomes, and whether this be not the luſt of the eies, the luſt of the fleſh, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father? Let your Teſtimonie that you have ſet your hands unto, be witneſs againſt you.
Have you taken monies ſo manie Years for preaching againſt ſin, pride, and drunkenneſs, reſpect of perſons, and creature-worſhips (and lived in it?) and now that Chriſt is come to bear teſtimonie againſt it in practiſe, and to caſt it down in his Creatures, are you now forced to ſet to your ſhoulders, both in word and writing, leſt it ſhould fall? Do not the moſt of your Pulpits ſound everie daie againſt thoſe people who cannot bow to theſe filthineſſes? Who would have believed (had they judged by your words) that you would have been found the Miniſters of ſin and Antichriſt? Is this your foot out of the Snare, or a bringing all feet into the Snare? Is this a Reſtoration of the Inhabitants of Zion into their place, whoſe words tend to uphold ſuch things whereby Zion is captivated, and Babylons Brats reſtored into their place? Herein you are ſeen, for this is the daie of Revelation, and righteous Judgement which is coming on, and by your works you muſt be proved, and not by your words, and your reward ſhall be accordinglie.
Then you go on to tell of the working of this power upon his Spirit, and that by his perſwaſion of this wa•e he was engaged to make reſtitution of fortie ſhillings which he had adventured to take unwarrantablie: So you condemning that Spirit and waie which cauſed the reſtitution, are found the juſtifiers of that which took it falſlie. So all may ſee who love truth and honeſtie, what Spirit and waie you are engaged againſt, for that ſpirit which took the money before, was not that which forced the reſtoration, neither was that which pull'd off30 the pride, the ſame that put it on again and pleads for it; theſe two are contrary as much as between the juſt and the unjuſt, a true man and a thief, God and the Devill: and you being forced to confeſs this thing (to his praiſe by whoſe ſpirit he was moved thereunto) you have thruſt it in amongſt his deceits to render it odious as a work of the ſpirit of the devill; but that is your deceit, who would blind the works of God by mixing them among the works of the Devill. The children of Light ſee you, for that ſpirit we own which cauſed him to make reſtitution, which cauſed him to caſt awaie his pride and heatheniſh cuſtomes, creature-worſhips, and reſpect of perſons, and brought him into the form of ſound words; but that ſpirit we condemn which took the money, hath put on the pride, denied the faith, and run into reſpect of perſons, and we ſee that to be it which led him into the Witchcrafts, for Thieving, Witchcraft, Pride and Idolatrie, are all of one Spirit, and that ſpirit was condemned by thoſe who believed the Apoſtſes Doctrine, who confeſſed their ſins, burned their books, and made reſtitution: And here are the two ſpirits you tell on, which were in him, the one contrarie to the other; but when he denyed the Spirit of meekneſs which condemns the thief, and the pride, then the other Spirit exalted, and led him to follow his damn'd imaginations; having denied the Light and Spirit of Peace, joyned to the proud, exalted, and deceitfull Spirit, God in judgement gave him up to the Spirit of Deluſion, which being ſeen, he was by us denied and his ſpirit alſo, as is very well known, both to himſelf and divers more. And all you who have joyned with him in this ſpirit, to denie that ſpirit which cauſed the reſtitution, are ſeen in the eternal Light to be in the ſame ſtate with the chief prieſts and rulers, who joined with Iudas, who bare the bag in combination to betray Chriſt, & this you wil find when the day of account13 comes; when each Spirit will be ſeen as they are, and they that joyn with them; then ſhal not you be hid, who have ſet this work on foot, raiſed out of the depth of Satan; till then we are not aſhamed of that ſpirit which cauſed reſtitution, condemned his pride, and bare witneſs in him, if he had minded it, againſt all his lying wonders, divinations and Sorceries: And in that Spirit are we willing to ſuffer all the reproach of the Heathen, in love to juſtice and meekneſs; ſo take your own with which you are joyned, and think not to be hid under a pretence of clearing the truth, no more than Judas could be hid with a kiſſe; and you will ſee at that day, that what you have done is but to dig the pit deeper, into which you muſt fall, for from the Lord your counſels are not hid: And before all the world do we own that Spirit which leads to truth and meekneſs, and humility, and do declare, that the denying of that ſpirit was the cauſe of all his deluſions, and he ſhall know that that was his day of viſitation. And you that have taken part againſt that Spirit, at that day ſhall know your blaſphemy, and your condition you may read, Mark 3. 29. 30. Read their work, and who they were, and read your own.
And in your 17 page, you ſay, A ſhort time after his compliance vvith that ſpirit vvhich entred into him by the obſervation of our practiſes; and in your ſecond page you ſay, This ſpirit vvas infuſed before he vvent amongſt the Seekers, or knevv the Quakers; ſo it vvas farr unlike to enter by the obſervation of our practice. And by the obſervation of our practice (you ſay) declared to be from the teachings of the Spirit, he denied his maſter, & aftervvard denied all relations, went & ſate down at the head-end of the table above his Maſter, & iuſtified the deed of it, & went into Cheapſide to gather up cabage ſtalks & colwort leavs, wch were caſt away, to eat; & was poſſeſt that Chriſt Jeſus wch died at Jeruſalem, was a figure of him, and20 that he was the true Chriſt, that the diſsolution of all things would be at the end of 63. years, and that there was a greater Revelation to be made manifeſt in him than was in Chriſt, to believe in outward appearances, and ſpirits in likeneſs of a mans ſhade; to believe in lying Spirits and take them for Angels, and that he ſhould be made perfect in 25. daies; and that he was to ſuffer, waiting for, and deſiring apparitions, which would come and go at his deſire, dancing and flying about the Room, and he dancing himſelf with them; chuſing Apoſtles, believing in ſpirits ſinging and hiſſing like Bees, calling them the Angels of the living God; kindling fire with dead coals, and ſuch lying wonders, taking a Flie to be a Meſſenger of God, and being guided by Flies, gathering ſticks, leaves, and ſmall ſtones, laying them by themſelves, caſting ſome awaie, and keeping others, waiting for direction from the blaze of a candle, burning his Fleſh at the fire at the obſervation of a Flie, wraſtling with himſelf, imitating the crucifying and burying of Chriſt, and much ſuch like bewitched imaginations, which Spirit you affirm entred into him by the obſervation of our practiſes, and by a ſpirit that entred in thereby: O you ſhameleſs men! are not you led by the ſame bewitched confuſed ſpirit with which you have taken part, by which you are ſo blinded to vomit out your own ſhame, and utter out your confuſion before all the world? have not you before confeſſed that this ſpirit was infuſed into him defore he came among the Seekers, or ever knew the Quakers? And have not you confeſſed in your 49. page, That the cauſe of theſe diſtractions and confuſions in his minde, was, having been zealouſly affected in divers wayes before, there was begotten in him much fleſhly wiſdome, in which his hope did reſt, believing it to be the Holy Spirit revealed in him, and that he was covered with deceit, and could glory in that condition: and in your 50. page you confeſs the light of the Spirit, which21 if followed, would have guided out of the works of the fleſh, and led to the worſhip of God in ſpirit and truth; but he being naturally of a very hastie forward minde, and his reſolutions being a covenant of his own, he was haſtily carried forth before the true light, by which in a ſhort time he became lost in his understanding, and exal•ed mightily, and the enemy which was for condemnation having thereby darkned the true light of the Sun, formed it ſelf in the ſhape of the true light, and ſo deceit got the power, whereby he became obedient to theſe things before related, by which the ſimple became exceedidgly deceived. Is not this your own confeſſion under your hands? and dare you joine to blaſpheme and ſay, that this was by compliance with that ſpirit which is declared to be from the teachings of the ſpirit of Chriſt in us, when you your ſelves had cleared it in plain words, and laid it upon his Fleſhlie-mindedneſs and deceit, whereby he was haſtilie carried forth before the true light, which if he had followed (you ſay) would have led him out of the works of the Fleſh, into the true worſhip of God in ſpirit and truth. Are not you in the ſight of all who know the ſpirit of God, ſeen to be led with the ſame drunken, confuſed, blaſphemous ſpirit, to ſlander the teachings of the ſpirit of Chriſt with theſe things, wherein your own hands teſtifie againſt you? And in your 32, & 33. pages, when he was working theſe wonders, pulling off his band, gathering sticks and leaves, ſerving the devill and (ſay you) in the time of this ſervice, by the perſwaſion of divers of thoſe you call Quakers, ſometimes he would give over, but when giuen ouer, he would be commanded by the first fly he ſaw to that ſeruice again. And afterwards in page 38. do you not confeſs, that when he came to the meeting at the place where the Quakers were, ſhewing the holes he had made in his thumbs, and telling of theſe lying wonders which he had been acting, many of the Quakers being there, all of them judged him with one conſent, charged him to be26 ſilent, and told him that he was in darkneſs, and had ſlain the witneſs of God in him. And in your 51. page you confeſs he was reſtored to a right underſtanding, and his life became a clear light by being guided in that obedience which was profeſſed by thoſe people; and all this being your own confeſſion, and ſigned with your own hands for truth, you are not aſhamed to charge all theſe things upon a ſpirit that entred in by the obſervation of our pract•ſes whom you call Quakers. Was there ever ſuch a heap of confuſion and falſhood uttered and ſigned for truth by a pack of men ſtark drunk with envie againſt the truth? ſhall not all who know our practiſes be witneſs againſt you herein, that never any of theſe practiſes was owned by us? and be you witneſses againſt your ſelves for ever, that you are of that generation who had ever the mouth open againſt the innocent, they being moved to bear teſtimonie againſt your filthie practiſes is the cauſe of this envie, as witneſs all your generation throughout the Scriptures, and all the Hiſtories of the innocent ſufferings, to reproach, perſecution or blood: When did ever any of this befall the innocent Lambs of God, but you were the inſtruments to ſet it on foot, and carrie it on, under the name of hereſies, or blaſphemie, ſometime poſseſſing the Rulers of the earth, and ſometimes the people therewith, as though you were zealous for God, when it is for your own ends to vent your envie againſt the righteous ſeed at his appearance? Was it not the chief Prieſts who joined hands againſt the Prophets, who were ſent by the Lord to bear witneſs againſt their falſe Doctrine and greedineſs of hire, wherefore they could never be•at reſt with any thing ſhort of their blood? Was it not the chief Prieſts who combined againſt Chriſt with many plots and temptings, and could never be at reſt till they prevailed with a Iudas to betray him? (the caſe now in hand ▪) And how oft they ſought the life of the Apoſtles, the23 Scriptures make manifeſt; yea, they would joine with murderers therein, under a pretence of performing a vow, beſides the innocent blood that hath been ſhed ſince in everie Generation, and is there any in this Citie but they are aſhamed to have a hand in ſo filthie a thing? or to caſt upon a people that are innocent ſuch a ſlander, anie but your ſelves? So conſider your work, and the confuſed thing you have ſet your hands to, wherein you have been forced ſo often to clear us of the thing you have ſo often accuſed us of, and to the world declared your ſelves, whereof all the world cannot prove us guiltie of theſe deceits wrought by him, further than to teſtifie againſt him and them, and that Spirit by which he was acted, as we do againſt that Spirit by which you are now acted in your lies and ſlanders, which is t•e ſame Spirit, for the Sorcerer, the Murtherer, and the Liar, is one Spirit; ſo you who have caſt theſe things upon the perſons of the Quakers, which your ſelves do teſtifie they denied and judged with one conſent, let all men ſee by what ſpirit you are led. Was there ever ſuch a thing done amongſt the people of God? Had you lived in the Apoſtles times would not you have slandered the ttuth, and the perſons of the Saints with the Act of Simon Magus (though it was much better than you, who ſel that which is not the gift of God?) Would not you have charged the Act of the inceſtuous perſon upon the Apoſtles, and that of Ananias and Saphyra upon their Doctrine? and that of Iudas upon Chriſt and his Diſciples, which is the like caſe. And had this been juſt dealing to accuſe the innocent? or have you done ▪ herein as you would be done unto? would you have all the filthineſs of your hearers, the drunkenneſs, whoring, the witchcrafts, the murthers, the perſecutions, the ſwearings, the Pride, the Covetouſneſs, and all abominations in the Land (for amongſt your hearers, you Pariſh-maſters, it all is)24 would you have it raked up and caſt upon your perſons? nay, though ſome of it you be guiltie of; nay, would you who are the falſe witneſſes in this paper againſt the innocent, have the abomination that ſome of you are guilty of gathered up and caſt upon the perſons of the reſt? conſider of it. If you had any part of the true worſhip of Cod in your Steeplehouſes, would you have it ſlandered by one whom you cannot reclaim, and therefore have denyed? would you hold them guiltleſs who ſhould gather up all theſe things, and much ſuch like which is amongſt you, not denyed (as we have done him) but pleaded for, and printed it in a book, and ſet it out, wth many falſe aggravations, & ſay the ſubject matter doth relate principally to the perſons of you, & ſubſcribe hands to it, & ſay, they are certified of the contents and circumſtances of that diſcourſe, and are fully ſatisfied of the truth of things reported in it, and ſo commend it to all, as a piece worthie to be read, when you confeſs ſome of you have but peruſed a part thereof, and then be forced in the ſame Paper to clear you of the ſame things: this being the true caſe betwixt your ſelves and us, whoſe perſons you have ſlandered, take it into conſideration, and let the light of Chriſt be Judge in you, whether you have kept the royall Law, to do as you would be done unto, before God; let him be witneſs (whoſe Spirit you have blaſphemed) this daie between us and you: Alſo, let all the Judges in this Nation give their teſtimonie, and all that underſtand Law between man and man, if ſuch a Witneſs deſerve not the Pillory, or puniſhment ſutable to his ſlander, who would dare to be a witneſs againſt another in things he never ſaw nor heard, as you confeſs ſome of you have done, though I am far from deſiring that any of theſe things ſhould befall you, but that you might come to ſee your unjuſt dealing after the manner of men, being that the things of God you underſtand not, being heart-blind are become paſt feeling, and ſo given25 up to ſhameleſs things, to ſet to your hands as witneſſes to ſuch contradictions and confuſions as is in this your Book; yet to become as certain witneſſes to that which you confeſs ▪ you have but ſeen part of, and ſo ſet to your hand to you know not what. Was ever ſuch a thing done by any that feared God? moderate Heathen would bluſh thereat. Have not ſome of you been the wiſdome of the Nation? But how are you faln! and how hath envie beſotted you! Is not the Word of the Lord concerning your fathers in fulfilling now upon you? The dayes of your viſitation is come; the dayes of recompence are come; Iſrael ſhall know it: The Prophet is a fool, the ſpiritual manHoſea 9. 7, 8. is mad for the multitude of their iniquity, and the great hatred: The Prophet is a ſnare of a fowler in all his wayes, and hatred in the houſe of his God. Praiſes, Praiſes to our Redeemer, who fruſtrateth the tokens of the lyars, and maketh Diviners mad: that turneth wiſe men backward, and makethIſa: 44. 25. 27 their knowledge fooliſh: that ſaith to the Deep, be dry, and I will dry up the rivers, that he may make way for his kingdom through the depth of the ſorceries. In his works we rejoice, who hath given us an inheritance therein; yet for you there is a lamentation, knowing the ſhame that muſt cover you, and the woful day that muſt come upon you, which is near at hand.
You go on further in your deceit to make a cover for all this filthineſs, and when you have fathered all theſe lying wonders upon the perſons of the Quakers, then you go about to clear us of it again; and in your 49 ▪ page you ſay he had a clear underſtanding of what our Miniſtry held forth, and had a right knovvledge of our belief and practiſe before he did comply vvith us; and here you add another lye to cover the former, for he never had a right knovvledge of our belief or practiſe, for all that are in a right knovvledge of our faith and practiſe, deny all ſuch things, and by our faith and practiſe vvas he denyed, vvho acted ſuch things.
26And then you go on to tell the occaſion how he came to be loſt in his underſtanding, and ſo diſtracted and confuſed in minde; and this you ſay you will do for the Truths ſake: Oh ye full of all ſubtilty! Have you caſt out all this venome upon the Truth in your Book, and are you now about to clear it? Is there not more of the Devill ſeen herein, than in your former wickedneſs? more Hypocriſie and Deceit? Stop your mouths you Diſſemblers, the Truth will clear it ſelf, and in the end all ſhall witneſs it when the War is compleated, and the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet is caſt into the Lake.
And in the clearing of the Truth ſay you, he being fully perſwaded by what he learned from the Quakers, of the Truth which was made known by the Light in us, which Light is ſpirituall and guides out of the work of the fleſh, to Worſhip God in Spirit and Truth, he was then to wait out of thoughts and imaginations, &c. and his Ʋnderſtanding being now thus opened, he was poſſeſſed with much joy in the ſence of that love he had received, whereupon he was reſolved to give all diligence that his Calling and Election may be made ſure; but being naturally of a haſtie and forward minde, and his reſolution in part being of a Covenant of his own, there was ſpeedily begot in him an extreame fiery Zeale, ſo that in the generall he was haſtily carryed forth before the true Light, by which in a ſhort time he became loſt in his Ʋnderſtanding and ſo the Diſputer was raiſed to life, and that which was for Condemnation, having darkned the Light of the Sun, formed it ſelfe in the ſhape of the true Light, and ſo deceit got the Power, and led one of the true Obedience in the things before related, by which the Simple became exceedingly deceived; but when he was restored by the cleare Light of Life, being guided in that obedience which was profeſſed27 by thoſe people amongſt whom he was, being the Quakers, and his witneſſe, you ſay, herein is true: To all which, I ſay, this being true, then out of your own mouths be ye judged, that what you witneſſed to before was a lie; For, if it was the true Spirituall Light which firſt let him ſee his Darkneſs, and would have guided him out of the works of the Fleſh, his own thoughts and imaginations; and if the cauſe why he turned from that was his naturall haſtie forward minde and reſolution, which carried him forth before the true Light, being a Covenant of his own, and thereby darkned the Light of the Sun, and ſo formed up falſe Lights in ſhape of a true Light, whereby deceit got power to do thoſe filthie things before related; and if he was reſtored again by the true Light, being guided by that obedience which was profeſſed by the Quakers, and this, you ſay, his witneſs therein is true; then let all, wherein there is the leaſt meaſure of honeſtie, judge of your blaſphemie, lies and ſlanders, and abominable confuſions, who all along in your Book have gone about to defile and ſlander the true Light of the Spirit of God with theſe filthie things, which you now confeſs was acted in his haſtie forward minde, carryed forth before the true Light in a Covenant of his own, whereby the true Light was darkned, and the deceit got power to act thoſe things by which the ſimplicity was deceived, which you would caſt upon the perſons of the Quakers: Can you behold your confuſion and not be aſhamed? Is this your foot out of the Snare? and do you not bluſh at your envie againſt the innocent? and are you not afraid at your envie againſt the light? can you ſay and unſay, accuſe and excuſe, and all in one thing, and witneſs all for truth? was there ever a generation of men thus brazened in iniquity, and who could feede upon miſchiefe like you? 28Hovv long vvill you make lyes your refuge, and ſmite, the innocent in ſecret therevvith, vvho are paſſing on their way peaceably? Do you believe that all are ſo blinde as ſome who are led by you, who believe all to be truths you ſpeak in your Pulpits without examination? Or do you think that wiſdom and light is wholly excluded from amongſt men, and true judgement wholly rejected? then might you think that your lies and deceits might paſs unreproved & you cover your ſelves therewith as with a garment. But the Lord is riſen and riſing & the light is come, & the daie-ſpring from on high is viſiting his people, & your works of darkneſs muſt come to judgement; & you muſt know againſt whom you builders are gathered, though you think it is but againſt the deſpiſed people who have none to take their part in the earth. But what is the work you have done herein, further than manifeſting Herod & Pilate, your ſelves who could never agree in yourworſhip nor opinions, now joined together to ſet your hands to a lie againſt the Lamb and his Light, which was ever refuſed by you builders; and ſo no ſtrange thing is hapned to the children of Light, and your works ſhall tend no further then to accompliſh the will of God, to keep them blinde who deſire not the way of the light, becauſe they love their deeds of darkneſs, and ſo the juſt Judgment of God is upon them and you, who are given up to bear your teſtimony to the Lyar; for truly the leaſt of the children of Light who love their meaſure of God, with it they ſee you, and your gathering together, and your ground, with the root and branch from whence you ſpring; you are comprehended with the Light, your compaſs, with the depth of your deceit, and your end; and the Arm of the Lord is ſeen gathering his ſheep, which by you have been ſcattered upon the barren mountains this cloudy dark day, ever ſince the riſe of the Pope, and his Adherents, the head and tail, ſtalk and branch that from him ſpring:29 And the Lord is uttering his voice, even the Soul-ſhepheard, calling by his light into his teaching and feeding, who is the ſpiritual Paſtor, who is no hireling nor devourer of the ſheep, neither doth he make a prey upon them; who ſeeks the loſt which you have driven away, and reſtores the lame, ſtrengthens the feeble, and carries the lambs in his boſome, becauſe they are his own, who doth not feed upon the fat, nor make a prey upon the poor, who doth not teach for the fleece, nor ſeek for his gain from his quarter, nor bear rule by his means, with force and rigor, who ſeeks them and not theirs, who reſpects not the perſon but the purity; Praiſes, praiſes to him for ever, who is now appaaring to call to an account thoſe who have perverted his way: And all you who have changed his worſhip into another thing then what he appointed, as is plain amongſt you, who have not left one particular of his Worſhip, which you have not added to, and altered from what it was in himſelf and his Saints, as is plain in Scripture, which will not own any one thing you do in your high places, to be ſo much as in the form of true worſhip; but you have formed after the times & changes of men, & ſome you have led with you into the new forms, and ſome you have left in the old, till you have ſcattered the Lords people from him, and his way; ſo that from the Pope to this day you are all gone out of the way, nor is there any one form of worſhip in the Nations, into which you have led them, which is in that manner (much leſs the matter) in which it was before the Pope begun; and becauſe we tell you theſe things, and call you to come to the foundation of truth, we are accounted your enemies: But behold the Lord is zealous for Zion, and is riſing to gather his outcaſts, and hath uttered his voice, and lift up his Standart againſt the Idol-ſhepherds; therefore are you gathered to gether againſt him to war, even the heads of all colours,30 and he will break you to pieces together, and ſcatter you as you have ſcattered his Lambs, and trampled upon the Simple, and made a prey upon him whoſe heart hath been ſet to ſeek God, ſuch have you drawne into your net, and led them into your forms, & there have ſet your ſelves over them, ſerving your ſelves upon them; theſe muſt be taken from between your teeth, and gathered not by might nor by power, but by mine arm ſaith the Lord. Howle you Vine-dreſſers, the heir is come to call for fruit, and you are gathering together againſt him, that you may keep his Vineyard as an inheritance to your ſelves, who have planted therein for your ſelves, and not for him, ſo that the Lord can have no fruit; Your Vineyard brings forth pride, vainglorie, and reſpect of perſons, love of the world, and conformity thereto, creature-worſhips, and honour, which is not of God: this fruit abounds, and you like it well, and plead for it, leſt it ſhould be plucked up: but the pure God diſowns this fruit, and therefore your plants he will pluck up, which bring forth fruits to the times and not to him, not the ſame that is and was in his Son: And all your worſhips which follow the times, and not him, that which changes with the times muſt be plucked up alſo, that he may plant that which is before time was, which brings not forth to your times, but unto God: this he will accompliſh, though your rage be great. Againſt whom are you gathered you ſcornfull proud ones? againſt a people whom the Lord hath laid as the ſtreets, and as the ground to them that go over: Thus hath the Lord made his people to prove you, and you are found trampling upon them, and they are eſteemed in your eyes as not worthy to live. Surelie had you riſen up againſt an enemie, you might have had honor: but you are riſen up againſt them that are laid much lower then the loweſt of the people, who have no kindred in the earth, nor is there anie who will ſo far debaſe16 himſelf as to plead their cauſe; they are ſold for nothing, nor doth any enquire after their blood: Surely to thee O Lord do we look, thou art our beloved on whom we lean, at the end of the times thou haſt revived us, and in thy life we ſhall live. Oh you Potſheards of the earth! why will you be broken to pieces? vvhy vvill not you look to the pit out of which you vvere digged, before you be taken avvaie in his Wrath: for your gathering together is the Iron Rod prepared, and it is lifted up though you ſee it not.
And as for thee Iohn Toldervy, who ſo often hath ſaid to divers people, that thou didſt put forth this book to clear the truth profeſſed by thoſe called Quakers, from manie ſlanders caſt upon it through thy means; now that truth by us profeſſed is a witneſs againſt thee for ever, that thou haſt not ſought to clear it, but haſt ſought thine own, and haſt cauſed the truth to be blaſphemed above all that ever was before thee in this generation, ſince the time of his appearance, who is tho Light of the world; and for that end haſt thou gone out to conſult with the greateſt enemies to that Truth profeſſed by us, that is in the Nation, as the chief Prieſts ever was: Now to thee and them, from the living God muſt it be after your work, and to all the reſt who have ſtirred thee up againſt them who have tendered thy ſoul, and againſt that Light which let thee ſee thy ſin, which light and truth thou and they ſhall confeſs too, at the dreadfull daie, when you have finiſhed your teſtimonie againſt it, and for your luſts, but as for us whom the thing is intended againſt, we deſire none of the evil may come upon you, God is our witneſs, yet do we know his word is true, who hath ſaid, It is meet that offences muſt come, but wo to that man by whom they do come, it had been good he had not been born. So as thou goes towards the Pit, remember what is ſaid, and ſo to you all, and let that of God in all your conſciences32 (which you have reproached) be my witneſs herein, againſt you all who ſet this work on foot.
If this man gain-ſaid, and turn'd into fables and believed lies, truth changeth not, and the Prieſts make him their refuge, as they heretofore did Judas: Was hee brought to ſee his ſins, and yet heard nothing of the myſterie of the Goſpel? and is he given over to believe lies, and to gain-ſay the truth? Did Cain hear the voice of God, and yet ſlew Abel his brother? Did Core come out of Egypt, and yet did he gain-ſay? Doſt not thou think to periſh in his gain-ſaying that art ungodly? But thy, and your ſpirits the Lord rebuke, for your ſpirits are favoured and tried, and your voice is known, and your myſt doth no hurt among the children of Light, nor your ſmoke, for the Sun is riſen, and all the barking of the dogs of Egypt againſt the lambs, them doth not fear; the true ſhepherd is among his ſheep, who puts them forth, and goes before them, and they know his voice and follow him, and he gives them eternal life. I am the light of the world, and inlighten every one in the world; ſo you who do hate the light, as you manifeſt, in the day of your condemnation remember
Therefore an exhortation to all friends, The Light which Chriſt lighteth every man withall, which comes from Chriſt the unchangeable Prieſt, this light lets you ſee the end of all ſhadows, viſions, and the end of the firſt Prieſthood, and all types and figures, and guides, out of all changeable things, to the unchangeable prieſt from whence light comes to him by whom the world was made, from all lying ſigns and wonders, from all the inventions of the brain, from the feigned humility, from the will-worſhip, and all hypocriſie, and thoughts and imaginations of mans heart, which is deſperately wicked, and haſtineſs, and fooliſhneſs, and inventions, and the deſires of mans own wil and luſts to Chriſt, who is the wiſdome of God, to receive the wiſdome with it,33 to be ordered to the glory of God: and here the everlaſting Covenant of Life, of Light, of peace, is witneſſed who believeth in the light, makes not haſt, for the light manifeſteth all that is contrary whatſoever; here is the true humility known, the true patience that obtains the Crowne, and the willing and the running kept down; which the Light manifeſteth, which from Chriſt doth come, to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, which from him doth come, with which light the throne of grace is ſeen, by which you are ſaved from the wonders of the Beaſt, and the lies of the falſe Prophet, which the world runs after.