ページの画像
PDF
ePub

the apostle. And as for the forsaking of gorgeous apparel, naughtiness, and superfluity, they are corrected by the scriptures, and judged by the spirit. And as for drinking to one another,' and tempting one another with beer, and bowing the hat, and respecting and honouring the creature, these are earthly Adam's honour in the fall, which Christ receiveth not, the second Adam. And as for respecting of persons, they that do so, 'commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.' And now see where thou wast, and all the priests, in your seduced persuasions, and judged good evil, and evil good. And thou and the priests may see that all this that thou didst from thy own persuasions, is thy own will. But that which led thee from sin, and from the world, to righteousness, was owned; that shall be recorded for ever against thee and all the priests, and stand a witness against you, though now thou art in the flower of thy age. And it will be hard for thee, John, and the priests, to get in that which ye have spread abroad; and the weight of the burthen of all thy words, and your words, ye are not yet come to feel: but when the fire and the heat enter into your flesh, that ye are scorched with the vehement heat, then remember, every word that ye have given forth, will come upon you as a burthen. From a lover of your souls, and a cherisher of truth.

And, John, for all the actions which were done in thy will, and set forth in the same to the view of the world by the priests, which abused the power, and that which was rising in thee of God, to the sight of the world, crucifying afresh the son of God, and so put him to open shame, thou wilt suffer, and the priests; and that which was done in thy presumption, which abused the power of the Lord God, that was never accepted of the Lord God, nor owned by the men of God. But there are a thousand, I do believe, in the nation, that can see and do see what thou and the priests have recorded to the world, and are able to judge, when the power moved thee, and when there were imaginations; and they see that the priests took thy part, and are one with that nature in thee which betrayed the just, even Judas-like. And mind and take notice those that Judas betrayed Christ to, as thou betrayed the just also; see what friends they were to Judas, after Judas had done, and what friends they will be to thee after thou hast done! Now come to the just principle in thee, John; thy flight was in the winter.

And as for the word 'thee' and 'thou' spoken to a particular, they show they have forgotten the Latin books, that which they call their learning; for is it right to call one many, or many one? Is that a sound speech which cannot be condemned?

And all the people upon the earth that have run out in their imaginations, whereby truth comes to be hurt, if they have done it willingly, the greater shall be their punishment; they shall be whipped, however. But all you that have bent your wills, and given your strength to the

of

adversary of God, whereby the way of truth cometh to be reproached, you are such as turn his grace into wantonness, as cause the way truth to be evil spoken of, and such shall have a reward according to their works, thou and you all.

P. They say, 'The fashions of the world, and the compliments, it is not sin to use them,' &c. See page 45.

A. Which is contrary to the scriptures, since to use even the ceremonies commanded of God, after the substance was come, was sin, much more the fashions and customs of the world. Yea, but say they, this brings in our living, and by the other we lose our livelihood; so ye may see what mind is up in choosing. And all the zeal is in the will which runs out before the light, the guide; and that is that which the priests catch at to make their defence with, against the truth. But the Lord will reward them according to their works, who hath showed mercy to Toldervey, and made him confess, in another book, that which formerly the priests and he had set forth, and vilified the truth with, and so it is published to the nation, as the answer to this book called, The foot out of the snare.'

Such as deny the fashions of the world, which the priests are in, points and ribands, double cuffs, and boot-hose-tops, and the honour of men, which God will stain, and are called of men master; such things as these eight great priests justify, and ensnare people under them; and if any forsake them, they will say they are snared and deluded. And it is manifest who is their master, and who they serve, since the keeping Christ's command is a snare to them. And because we cannot call them master, and keep Christ's commands, therefore they rage, who transgress his command, and then say they are his ministers. But your fruits and works are seen, praised be the Lord; your eight priests have discovered yourselves, who are the false spirits gone out into the world from the apostles, and out of Christ's command. Matt. xxiii. Where do you read Mr. Paul, Mr. Peter? &c. And where do you read that Paul and the messengers of Christ were hung about with points and double cuffs, and boot-hose-tops, and ribands, and made such a stir about doffing of hats, and thee and thou, as the novice teachers do now, that are found in the lusts and fashions of the world, which the apostle declares against, and instructed them to use sound words which could not be condemned, and to obey the doctrine of Christ, not to be called of men master? But you are the transgressors that abide not in Christ's doctrine, but are the antichrists (2 John) which the apostle speaks of, that have reigned from their days, but are now discovered by the spirit; praised be the Lord God. And they know in their Latin original, it is not proper to say 'you' to a single person, and they know that to be 'called of men master,' is against the command of Christ, and in the transgression, and so usurping that authority which Christ forbids.

[ocr errors]

6

Thomas Collier's book called, The Looking Glass for Quakers.' His principles follow.

And as for all his lies, they will be heaped upon his own head, and to his own sorrow.

P. He calls James Nayler a liar, because he said, "That by which the just lives, is that by which the creature is justified.' See page 2. And he saith, it is another righteousness,' because we witness the righteousness of faith which is in the heart, which God is the author of, &c. page 3.

A. Now that which we say God and Christ is not the author of, (but gathered from the letter,) is a dead faith and righteousness; and there is your justification, that stands in the unbelieving state and is condemned; only speaking of the letter as the Jews did, of a Christ that is come, as they did of a Christ that was to come; and have not heard his voice, nor received faith from him, who is the author of it, through which men are justified and come to have peace with God; and this faith is in their hearts.

[ocr errors]

P. He calls it a hearkening to the voice of satan, to hearken to the voice within,' and saith, They cry, the light within, the voice of Christ, the true word, which (he saith) is but their own lying fancies at the best,' &c. See page 4.

[ocr errors]

A. Now to call the light within, the word within, Christ within, the word of faith within, which is to be obeyed and done, lying fancies at the best;' here thou may see, Collier, that thou divides the word not aright, and art ignorant of the scriptures. And Christ saith, the spirit of the Father speaks in you.' Is not this all scripture? and if they hearken to this, do they not hearken to scripture? and is not the scripture fulfilled in this? And is thy voice all without thee, only in the letter? And thou judgest all delusion that hath any speaking within them, and so hast judged thyself, from the holy men of God, to be one of the dumb prophets, and so, contrary to the true prophets and apos

tles.

P. He saith, 'If the very Christ of God be within those that are called Quakers, he cannot come down from heaven,' &c. See same page.

[ocr errors]

A. Here he stands against the promise of Christ, that he shall come and dwell in you and walk in you.' I will come again unto you.' And he hath revealed his son in me,' saith the apostle. And thus thou, Thomas Collier, and John Bunyan, are ignorant of plain scripture; the scripture declares it, and the apostle said, Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates,' and the spirit of the Father

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[merged small][ocr errors]

speaks in you.' See how contrary thou art to the prophets, Christ, and the apostles!

P. He saith, The heavenly bodies spoken of in Cor. xv. are the sun, moon, and stars,' &c. See page 6

[ocr errors]

A. Let all people read the scripture and see if it hold forth that. P. Again he saith, They abuse the scriptures, because they say he that is born of God doth not commit sin,' &c. See page 6.

A. The scripture is witnessed, as it relates and speaks. And he abuseth it, when he gives private interpretations to it, and owns it not as it speaks.

P. Again he saith, He that saith he hath no sin deceiveth himself,' &c. See page 6.

A. But the scripture saith, 'If we say we have no sin,' &c. So he perverts the scripture, for it is not 'he;' if he say 'he,' he may put it upon Christ, who is without sin: and upon this principle, he may charge the elect, to whom God lays no sin, and sees no iniquity in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel.' And it is Collier's wicked eye that sees sin in the elect, they that are born of God. Thus he abuseth the scriptures, and is not able to divide the word aright; and therefore such spirits are to be kept out of scriptures, with the spirit that gave forth scripture: for he that is born of God doth not commit sin.' And there is a time for men to see they have sin, and have sinned, and a time to confess it and forsake it; and there is a time to witness the blood of Christ cleansing from all sin, and then a time to witness the birth born of God which doth not commit sin. 1 John iv. chap.

P. He saith, Here is a strange conceit of a person that fills heaven and earth with his presence, and dwells in the saints,-blindness with a witness,' &c. See page 8.

A. Here thy ignorance hath appeared again: for all power in heaven and earth is given to him, Christ Jesus, who is in them, at the right hand of God, who is dwelling in the saints, and doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world; but this to thee is a strange conceit, and blindness with a witness. Thy witness is blinded with thy conceit, which shows thy ignorance of scripture, and thy unskilfulness in the word and doctrine; since all things are upheld by his word, and his power: and there is no creature but is manifest in his sight: for all things that were made, were made by him, that he might have a name above every name; and that to his name should every knee bow, and every tongue confess to the glory of God. And God will dwell in man, and it is he that seeth the heart.

[ocr errors]

P. He saith, Sin is in the saints,' &c. See page 10.

A. Sin is not in the sanctified, but in the unsanctified. And he that saith sin is in the saints, is blinded, he is of the serpent, and he and

they are in the pollution themselves, which the saints have escaped, and are washed and cleansed; and so far as any one is sanctified, it is from sin.

P. He saith, that we will not enter into the kingdom by the blood of the covenant, that hath been often proved,' &c. See page 10.

A. And Francis Blake published it in print, that the Quakers witnessed the blood of Christ that cleanseth from all sin; and so thou prints against us, and he prints for us; thou prints that we deny the blood of Jesus, and he prints that we own the blood of Jesus; and so ye are devouring the innocent betwixt you. The blood of the seed we own, which cleanseth from all sin, which you do not own, who say sin must be in the saints, but make his blood, which cleanseth from all sin, of none effect.

P. He saith, The scriptures shall be our judge one day, which we call the letter,' &c. See page 11.

[ocr errors]

A. And the scripture saith, All judgment is committed to the son,' and God will judge the world,' and the saints and the spiritual man judge all things; and thus thou art ignorant of the letter, and this shall judge thee at the last.

P. He saith, That the kingdom is not come, nor refreshing from the presence of the Lord,' &c.

A. Which shows they are like the Pharisees, unconverted, gazing here and there; but Christ told them the kingdom was in them. And they are not turned to the light which comes from Christ the refresher, whereby refreshing might come; so are not yet come to repentance.

[ocr errors]

P. He saith, They that say they have no sin, make God a liar.' See page 12.

A. The scripture saith no such thing, but saith on the contrary, many were made free from sin. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin;' and 'they that are Christ's have crucified the lusts,' and 'all things are become new:' and they that sin and lie are not in Christ the truth.

[ocr errors]

P. He saith, All that have been, are, or shall be converted since the gospel ministration, are converted by the apostles' words,' &c. See page 13.

A. So he hath thrown out the spirit that doth regenerate, and Christ the way to the Father, the word that sanctifieth, and Christ 'the power of God to salvation;' who said they would not come to him that they might be converted; so if they get all the apostles' words and come not to Christ, they are not converted; and none are converted by the apostles' words, but they who come to the life that the words came from.

« 前へ次へ »