Quere. 1. WHether God be not all light, and in him is no darkneſs at all? And whether this were not and be not the meſſage which the Saints and Miniſters of Chriſt were and are now to preach according to the Scriptures?

Quere 2. Whether Jeſus Chriſt be not the light of the World, and hath not enlightened every one which cometh into the World? And whether all which believeth in his light ſhall not come out of darkneſs, and feel and witneſs the light of light according to the Scriptures?

Quere 3. Whether God and Chriſt in the light be not one according to the Scriptures? And although many may, and do ſay ſo, becauſe it is left on Record by the ſpirit of Truth which dwelt in the Children of light, yet whether any can come unto the true knowledge of it, but by the miſtery of faith held in a pure concience? And whether all men be not without that faith by nature, and whether any can come unto that faith until they believe in the light which ſhineth in the heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, which is eternal life, as it is abided in, according to the Scripture?

Quere 4. Whether Chriſt Jeſus, the Covenant of Light, doth not proceed from the Father and God of Light as a free gift of grace unto man, ſhining in his heart to make manifeſt with the Spirit of Truth the thoughts and intents of the heart, for to keep man from the committing of actions which are evil, which are firſt committed in the thoughts of the heart where the alienation ſtands? And whether this be not the condemnation of all which are condemned, that they turn from the Covenant of God, and do not ſet to their ſeales by believing in it the Covenant of light? And whether this the Covenant of light be not the way of God for all to meet him in, and to work righteouſneſs in, by caſting off the workes and deeds of darkneſſe, which by the light in the heart are made manifeſt? And whether all which doth joyn unto the light by believing in it, doth not joyne unto God in Chriſt Jeſus in the new Covenant which God maketh with his people, which is written in the heart, and put into the inward parts, wherein the light ſhineth according to the Scripture?

Quere 5 And whether all unrighteouſneſſe be not ſin, and whether he which committeth ſin be not of the Devil? and whether he which loveth ſo to do be not brought forth into the image of the Devil? and whether any which will not caſt off what by the light is made manifeſt to be evil, doth not love their ſins, and hate the light, and ſo joyning unto the evil, ſhut themſelves out of Covenant with God in the light, and ſo remaineth in the Covenant of death and darkneſſe, and ſo under the bond of iniquity? And whether any which therein ſtand be fit to preach unto others the way of God, which is life and light, and if any do preſume to uſe their tongues to preach to others in that ſtate, then whether all ſuch be not hypocrites and vain talkers, intruding into ſuch things as they never ſaw from the Lord in the Covenant of light, but have learned it by nature and tradition, and ſo are vainly puft up in their fleſhly mindes? and whether they are not thoſe who ſhall never profit the people at all, they having gotten as it were a form of Godlineſſe, but denying the power thereof (which ſtandeth in the Covenant of light?) and whether all people which have been followers of ſuch be not to turn away from them and to turn to Chriſt Jeſus, Gods Covenant of light, which he hath freely given as a free gift of grace unto all men that will receive him to be their teacher, and to learn of him alone according to the Scripture?

Quere 6. And whether all which love and live in ſin and unrighteouſneſſe, and yet will preſume to preach the words of righteouſneſſe recorded in the Scripture of truth, be not ſuch as ſteal the words now, as the falſe Prophets did whom the Lord was againſt? And whether the Lord be not againſt them now as ever he was? and whether they be not ſuch as run when the Lord never ſent them, and ſo ſhall never profit the people at all, no more then they did? And whether all ſuch Preachers may not as well be known now, as in the days paſt, by their fruits? for can we gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thiſtles now any more than they could then? and may we not know them now by their fruits as they did then, which preacht for filthy lucres ſake, and through feigned words and covetous practiſes makes merchandiſe of the people, every one looking for his gain from his quarter, that ſo he may feed himſelf with the fat, and cloath himſelf with the wool? but he ſtarveth the flock; and if any for conſcience ſake cannot put into their mouths, they even prepare war againſt them now as they did then; and of this ſort are all ſuch preachers as rebell againſt the light, as the prophets Teſtimony of them is? And are we any more to uphold them now then the children of light were then? or are we not to bear our publick Teſtimony againſt them now as they did then, according to the whole current of Scripture?

Quere 7. Whether all which liveth in the practiſe of that horrible and filthy thing which was committed in the Land of Iſrael as it is now in the land of England, to the far exceeding of them, as the Prieſt preaching for hire, and the Prophets prophecying for money (and the peoples loving to have it ſo) be not as much now to be witneſſed againſt, as it was then? And whether it be not as great an evil, and as much to be taken notice of by our God now as it was then, for his Witneſſes to be evilly entreated now as they were then, to the great ſhame of the name of a Chriſtian, who hath ſtole the name, and loſt the nature, and ſo bringeth forth contrary fruit, even ſuch as the Lord will repay with vengeance, according to the words of his Son Jeſus Chriſt the ſame yeſterday as to day and for ever, the Rock of Ages, and foundation of all truth, according to the Scripture?

Quere 8. And whether all which live in ſin and love ſo to do, which can run from Town to Town, and from Pariſh to Pariſh, and from Ship to Ship for gifts and rewards, and ſo preach as to get the peoples money by flattery, and daubing of them up with untempered morter, in telling them they are that which the witneſſe of God in their conſciences telleth them they are not, and if they cannot ſo have the wages of unrighteouſneſſe (the peoples money) then they will take it by the force of a carnal pretended Law, which is without all grounds for it, but any way to have it will ſerve their turn? Whether all ſuch be not Rebels againſt the power of the Lord Jeſus, and againſt the Covenant of God, wherein the ſure mercies of David are injoyed, and the glory of Iſrael is witneſſed, even the free covenant of light, in which the true Prophets did and doth ſtand, which as a light unto the feet, and a lanthorn unto the pathes it compaſſeth the minds of all the Children of light, and ſo guideth them out from under the teachings of all ſuch evil-minded men and ſeducers, for they wax worſe and worſe through covetouſneſſe, ſo the one he buildeth up a wall, and the other he daubeth it with untempered morter, and ſo they keep up that alive which ſhould be put to death, and put to death that which ſhould be kept alive, and as the falſe Prophets ever did, whoſe damnation ſlumbereth not according to the Scripture?

Quere 9. Whether all which live in ſin, and love ſo to do, and yet will preſume to uſe their tongues to preach to others from the words of the Scriptures of truth, be not now as great theeves as the falſe Prophets of old were, who ſtole the true Prophets words, and ſaid, Thus ſaith the Lord, when the Lord never ſpoke unto them, and though they ſpoke true words, yet they could not profit the people, becauſe they ſtole them, and did not ſpeak from the ſpirit of truth, the life of righteouſneſſe made manifeſt in them, and ſo although they did ſwear the Lord liveth, which was true words, yet they ſwore falſely, and how can that ſpirit now ſpeak Truth, which could the ſpeak nothing but falſehood, hood, although they did ſpeak true words, for now for a man which liveth in ſin, and loveth it, for him to preach to another of the true Miniſters lives recorded in the Scriptures, becauſe they lived according to their words, which are true words, that doth not make him righteous, neither doth his words reach to the witneſſe of God which is righteous in every mans conſcience which heareth him, and ſo none are able to learn righteouſneſſe by him, becauſe that ſpirit is head in him, and ſpeaketh the words which hath a life in ſin and unrighteouſneſſe, as covetouſneſſe, pride, and what not? for from one root doth all ſin proceed, and ſo the blind leadeth the blinde, and all muſt needs fall into the ditch, according to the Scripture?

Quere 10 And ſo whether that which is given unto every man to profit withall, and to lead man out of ſin up to God, be not by them murdered, and that which the Devil hath begotten in man, which is the ſeed of the Serpent, whoſe life is in ſin (and therefore wil plead for it) be not by them nouriſhed and kept alive, and this is juſt contrary the one unto the other, and unto the promiſes of God unto man, that the ſeed of the woman ſhall break the head of the Serpent, and this was and is all that ever the righteous Miniſters of God ever travelled and laboured for, to bring forth the ſeed of the Woman, whoſe name is called the Word of God, to rule in the heart, by which the creature was and is made able to do the will of God; and here was and is the bleſſing of the promiſes felt as this birth is felt, but the Devil who was the murderer from the beginning of this birth, and abode not in the truth which is the light, and in all which are from the Covenant of light doth he rule, and labour to carry on his old work to keep people from believing in the light, the Covenant of God, wherein the ability ſtandeth, and is received to deſtroy and overcome the power of hell and death which is his Kingdom, ſo can all the Children of light truly ſay, greater is he which is in us, then he which is in the World, according to the Scripture?

And thus have I in love unto the ſeed of God in all propounded theſe few Queries, to the opening of the opening of the underſtanding of all, which have not fully made ſhipwrack of faith and a good conſcience, but feeleth ſomething yet left which hungereth and thirſteth after righteouſneſſe, and unto it it the bleſſing is, which will not be, nor cannot be ſatisfied with the talk of the thing, but muſt have the thing it ſelf, which is the ſubſtance, or elſe it dieth, which all which are covered with the ſhadow of, are willing to ſet to their ſhoulders by words and actions to perſecute, but if in a blind zeal they kill the body, and think they do God good ſervice in ſo doing, that will not excuſe them, but they fulfill the Scripture to their own deſtruction, for the ſervant is not greater then his Maſter, and our reward is with Him, in whom I reſt, in my meaſure, a friend unto all, and known unto the Lord in it and to the ſons of men, by my name, as to man,

Luke Howard.

AND now a few words unto all you which call your ſelves Churches gathered out of the World, I matter not your names of diſtinction, for that cover will not not hide you, the nature and ground being ſtanding which is all one, and with the light of Chriſt Jeſus you are ſeen and made manifeſt, and unto the meaſure of the ſame light in you all (in whom it is not yet put out) I ſpeak and write theſe lines for you to conſider of, Whether you be gathered out of the World, yea or nay? or by what ſpirit or power you are gathered together? for this know, that it is not ſufficient for you to gather in a heap together, and call your ſelves by the name of the Church of Chriſt, and yet the fruits of the Sprit of Chriſt not to be found among you, but that ground ſtanding which bringeth forth briers and thorns, both in you and your Leaders, and all ſuch fruit is but for the fire and the wrath of the Lord, and therefore for you to pretend to practiſe ſuch things, as the Saints in the dayes paſt did practiſe, by the leadings of the ſpirit of life which dwelt in them, and ſo left them on record for the learning of all which are lead by the ſame ſpirit which can read them and underſtand them, according as they live in the fulfilling of them, for they were the Sons of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus, and as many as are led the ſame Spirit of God they are the Sons of God now and none elſe, and therefore conſider whether the pure Spirit of the Lord have led you to gather together, or your own ſpirits, the which yet hath fellowſhip with the World, and can joyn thereto, and love the things thereof, and this is a true Teſtimony that the love of the Father is not in ſuch, neither are they called out of the World.

It is true, there was a cry once in the hearts of many of you after righteouſneſſe, and there was in your hearts and mindes an inclining to ſatisfie it, and that which cried after righteouſneſſe was the righteous ſpirit and ſeed of God, and the manifeſtation of it was given unto you for to profit withall, which cry was againſt unrighteouſneſſe, for to have been ſeparated indeed from under the burthen of it, which did oppreſſe it as a Cart is oppreſſed with ſheaves, that ſo it might have enjoyed its freedom, with the Lord in righteouſneſſe which is its life; but now conſider whether you have profited in this, which was given unto you to profit withall, or whether you have not profited and increaſed in your own ſpirit, and ſo have this murdered, and by your ſelf-ſeparation are grown harder and harder in ſin and iniquity, and ſo through the ſtrength and ſubtilty thereof have learned how to live in it and to cover it over, and to plead for it, but wo be to him which covereth his ſin and hideth his tranſgreſſion, for he ſhall not proſper, for the hand of the Lord will ſearch out the hidden things of Eſau; for now conſider this in the fear of the Lord, that that which in the dayes paſt bore witneſſe againſt ſin, and cryed after righteouſneſſe hath not now changed its nature to become willing to live in ſin, although its voyce may not be ſo much heard as in the dayes paſt, becauſe the earth is grown thicker over it then it was, yet that which was humble in you and then called for humility and wrought ſome tenderneſſe in you is the ſame ſtill as its hearkened unto, and is not now become proud, but beareth witneſſe againſt it ſtill as its ſuffered to ſpeak in you, and that which was righteous and wrought in you ſome tendernes in the days paſt, and cryed after righteouſnes that it might have had a free life from under the bond of iniquitie, hath not now changed his nature to become unrighteous to live in covetouſneſſe and pride, and according to the courſe of this world, to ſerve the times as oft as they do change, and to ſeek the honour and glory and profit of this world and to joyn thereto, but that ſpirit which can do theſe things is that which hath murdered this juſt one and ſlain the Lamb of God, now as ever it hath done, from the foundation of the world, and here read your ſelves all you time-ſerving Profeſſors; And therefore as you prize your eternal peace conſider of your latter end before it be too late when time ſhall be no more, for then ſuch fruits will be bitter unto you, therefore whilſt you have time prize it and anſwer the requirings of the ſpirit of the Lord by obeying of it, and rebel not againſt it when theſe things are made manifeſt by it, and ſell not your birth-right therein for vain and unprofitable things which in the day of the Lord you will be aſhamed of.

For this honeſtly conſider of, whether a fooliſh cuſtom of words or practiſes in action or faſhions of apparel which riſeth out of the carnal heart, be not vain and unprofitable, although the heart may be ſo much drawn into the thing, that the eye can ſcarce ſee or look, or the ear hear, but the ſpirit luſteth after all it ſeeth or heareth and whether the living therein be not rebelling againſt the light, which ſometimes checketh in ſecret for them, and whether Rebellion againſt that that checketh, be not as the ſin of witch-craft, which maketh the heart harder and harder, and ſo much the harder, becauſe you are covered with a profeſſion of the Saints life, which you are out of, and ſo are in the liberty of the fleſh; but wo be to him that covereth his ſin, for he ſhall not proſper; therefore to the light which maketh all things in the heart manifeſt incline your ear, and hear, that your ſoules may live, and to it bow, and in it wait, that you may be compaſſed about therewith, and feel the righteous power of life which in it is made manifeſt, the tongue to bridle, and the whole man to govern, or elſe your profeſſion is all in vain, and it is curſed, as is your pride and all unrighteouſneſſe; for now for a proud and covetous man in his proud and covetous mind to profeſſe Religion, that doth not make him righteous, nor change his heart, nor yet his looking into the Scriptures of Truth, and with that Spirit which leadeth out the mind to pride and covetouſneſſe; read them over, and imagine and think how the Saints in dayes paſt were ſeparated from the World, and ſo catcheth up ſomething in his carnal mind, which cauſeth him to get into ſome heap of people or other called a Church, and ſo remaineth ſtill ignorant of that which changeth the heart; for that which changeth the heart, ſeparated them from the World, and gathered them out of it, and cauſed them to bear a righteous Teſtimony againſt the World and is the condemnation of all which believeth not in it, and the ſalvation of all which believeth in it, and profiteth by it, and anſwereth its requirings by obeying of it, and caſting off every weight and burthen which doth ſo eaſily beſet it, that it may ariſe, which will be made able through the power of him that reareth it to run with patience the race of righteouſneſs ſet before it, which race cannot be ſeen, nor what is to be be caſt off known, but as the mind is ſtayed in the light which maketh all things manifeſt that is reproveable by it. And therefore all you which love and ſerveth the unjuſt power which leadeth the heart and mind to ſin, and keeps the juſt under ſuffering, under the power of iniquity, in captivity, to your luſt, to you — I ſay, it ſeemeth but a ſmall thing to you to blaſpheme the light of Chriſt which ſhineth in the heart, and maketh all things manifeſt, which oppoſeth the ſeed of God, this you can call natural light, or natural conſcience, as often as you pleaſe, as the dark power moveth in your minds, becauſe your tongues are your own, but ſuch names the Scriptures never called it by; ſo your blaſphemy will reſt upon to bear when the light muſt be your condemner and judge; but this I know, if you did not love your evil deeds, and hate the light as the Scripture ſaith, I am ſure you would not ſo call it, neither could you ſo blaſpheme it. For now conſider this, that ſpiritual wickedneſſe in the heart which maketh deſolate the ſoul, & ſtandeth where it ought not to ſtand, cannot be made manifeſt by a natural light, but that muſt of neceſſity be ſpiritual which maketh manifeſt ſpiritual wickedneſſe, and leadeth out of it, and this is the whole work of the power of darkneſſe to keep peoples hearts from believing in the light, and to place a prejudice in the mind againſt it, leaſt it ſhould make him manifeſt, and the ground in which his power ſtandeth, and ſo his Kingdom ſhould come to be deſtroyed, which will be as the light is believed in; and this Teſtimony I bear for the Lord unto his light againſt all the blaſphemers of it, in the whole world.

And therefore all you which are got into heaps, and call your ſelves the Church of Chriſt, and yet can plead againſt the light of Chriſt, which leadeth into the Church of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus, the Rock of Ages, as he is the light of the World.

Do not you manifeſt your ſelves to be gathered and ſeparated onely in words, and by a wrong Spirit, and ſo by your fruits declare your ſelves but to be the Synagogue of Satan, begotten by the prince of pride, and father of lies, who hath taught you to blaſpheme, to call your ſelves Saints in ſaying you are ſeparated from the World, and yet differ in your practiſe nothing from the World? except it be to exceed them in wickedneſſe; for to live in ſin, and to be able to plead for it, the which many of them are aſhamed to do, and ſo the Publican and Harlot may enter into the kingdom of God before yee. So upon a true ſearch and weighing of you in the true ballance, and meaſuring of you by a juſt meaſure, I cannot finde you to be but the worſt of men, and the greatest enemies to the Croſſe of Jeſus which are this day living, and not wrong you at all; And this Teſtimony I muſt needs give of the greateſt part of you that ever I met with, that it is the greateſt work you find to do, to plead for ſin, and for to live in it as long as you live in the body, ſo you ſhew what Lord you ſerve, and whom you are willing to ſerve as long as you can ſerve him, and yet you ſay you hope to be glorified with the Saints in light, and to have an inheritance among them which are ſanctified: Is not this the hope of the Hypocrite, and will it not periſh? for where will you be ſanctified? Not by imputed righteouſneſſe (as you call it) in your dark minds whileſt you live in ſin, and ſinning againſt the light and power of him who is the true light and power to deſtroy and take away ſin and the ground of it: And therefore this conſider, how you will by your principles eſcape holding of a Purgatory when you are dead, let the wiſe in heart which live by faith judge; ſo of the worſt of men in practiſe, and one with the Papiſt in judgement I find you to be, and yet do you no wrong at all in ſo ſaying of you, neither do I write this to upbraid you, God is my witneſſe, but to make manifeſt your ignorance to the view of your underſtanding, that you may ſee you are not ſeparated as you ſay you are from the World, but as the father of lies hath deceived your hearts, and ſo made you a perfect Synagogue for himſelf to dwell in and among; whilſt he ruleth in the heart and guideth your tongues to plead againſt the perfect light of Chriſt Jeſus, the true Saviour of the ſoul from ſinne, and calleth it naturall, and ſo undervalueth it as a thing too low for you to walk by, and as if you had a higher light to walk by, when thouſands can witneſſe to the glory of the Lord and the praiſe of his grace, that the light which you call natural and low leadeth out of ſin and giveth victory over it, whereas that which you call a higher light and ſpiritual, you are forced to confeſs doth not ſo lead you out of ſin, but that it leaveth a root for you to plead for and to remain un-cut up as long as you live; And whether yours be the Lords Axe which cuts up the corrupt tree by the root, let the pure witneſſe of God in your conſciences anſwer? And ſo whether that which you call ſpirital and high, or that which you call natural and low, be the true light of the Lord, which he hath given to be ſalvation to the ends of the earth, let the Children of light judge, which by the Word of life which they have ſeen, taſted and handled of can judge righteous judgement? and ſo ſay in truth, greater is he which is in us, then he which is in the World, to the fulfilling of the Scripture, which ſaith, The ſtrong man armed keepeth the houſe untill the ſtronger then he comes which all the pleaders for ſin are yet ignorant of, ſo are to be ſilent, and to the name of Jeſus to bow, and in the light to wait, until they feel the working of that power in them wch bindeth the ſtrong man and ſpoileth his goods, and this is the power of God which ſaveth from ſin, and ſo leadeth the mind and heart by its power to plead againſt all ſin, and to plead for everlaſting righteouſneſſe, and in it to dwell by believing in the light.

And thus I have born my Teſtimony unto the light of the Lord, againſt the darkneſſe of the World, and to the righteouſneſſe of God, againſt the unrighteouſneſſe of the World, and all that plead for it, whether they he gathered together, and call themſelves (though falſly) the Church of Chriſt, or not gathered together, for in the light they are ſeen to be all one, as well now as in the dayes paſt, who have ſtole the name but have loſt the nature, and ſo are dead whilſt they live.