MEeting with this Book, upon the 28. of the Month called March, in my travel in Worcestershire; I was constrained to stay a few dayes to return an Answer thereunto, for the simple ones sake, to clear the aspersions, and remove the stumbling blocks, throwen in the way to cause the weak to stumble and fall; And at the first view of the Book, it set seemingly a great face against the truth; but through the mercy of God, I was made not to matter it, but joyn battel against it. Therefore Edmund Skipp as thou hast subscribed thy come, thou hast abundantly laid open thy folly, and shewed thy enmity and despite to the Truth; but thou art encountered, and thy deceits are discovered, and laid naked and bare to any single eye, as hereafter will appear. I only meeting this Book of thine in my travel, and both seeing, and knowing that thou hast writ­ten it from a spirit of pride, and despite to the spirit of Truth, and against the Servants of our Lord Jesus, by thy spirit of delusion co­loured over with shows, and pretences of godliness, and a feigned humility, intruding thy self into those things which thou hast not seen, vainly putt up with a fleshly mind, with a cover of (fallacies and) feigned humility, and to thy first Doctrine, that thou and such pretenders to be nearest the Lamb, an speaking of: but ap­pears like the old Dragon in wrath against the Truth, and Servants of our Lord Jesus Christ; who thy self might formerly have lived Pharisee like, till thou were discovered, but now hast manifested thy wolfish heart; and thou art slandering and accusing such as follows the Lamb, not in pretences, but in reality and purity, whom thou revilest under the name of Quakers: And thou art con­strained to complain, because (as thou saiest) thou hast lost thy soci­ety, and even as it were, now goes a begging to those people, thou [Page 2]calls Baptists, as in the latter end of thy book, doth appear; and now that Satan, hath got a cheif seat in thy heart, and entred into thee, through that spirit of delusion thou speaks of, thou ventest thy solly in acting his part, in reviling the Servants of the Lord, and defaming the truth.

And whereas thou saies that when Satan findeth a people, living so strictly and exactly, in that light and power they have received (as those thou slanders under the name of Quakers do) for this we praise God that he cannot prevail against us by his temptations; be­ing kept by that power which in thy first page thou speaks of, but af­ter reviles: which power of God bringeth good out of evil to us, and teacheth (those that thou reproaches and reviles under the nick­name of Quakers) the Lords sincere ones who are kept by his power, through faith unto salvation, and preserved against all the stormes and tempests, vilifyings, slanderings, and revilings, that beat [...] upon them, powred out from the Serpent and his seed, under coloured pretences, and shooteth out the stings in their sayles, yet doth not harme them, dwelling in the power of the Lord God, and of the Lambe, that in such stormes and tempests they turn not aside, to the right hand nor to the left, being kept and preserved by his speciall power, and armed with the Armour of God, (Eph. 6.10, 11, 12. &c,) against the tempestuous storms of the wicked and against the fiery darts of the Devil, and against such darts of the wicked, (such as thine are, and as thou art) that it so toucheth them and makes them that thou reviles under the name of Quakers, the Children of the most high, admire his continued faithfullness, the manifestations of his love to them, so that they praise him for his continued goodness, and his manifold mercies to them, and they can say as such did, the Lord is on our side, and none shall make us affraid: though thou Edmund Skip, and the wicked, bend your toungs like your bowes for lies, and shoot your arrowes of reproaches, lies, slanders and re­vilings, they doe not touch, nor harme us, praised be the Lord, who upholds us by his power (which thou Blasphemes and calls the power of the Devill) but be thou assured and all such as thou art that God will visit you, and give you your reward according to your works, (Rom. 2.5, 6.) who are those that have transformed your selves as the Ministers of righteousness, but are not the Ministers of righteousness, but of deceipt, lies, falshood, and untruth, and so the Ministers of Antichrist, working in that mystery of iniquitie with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, (and calleth the power of God the power of the Devill, and the Spirit of truth delusion) but God will take vengeance of thee, and all such for so doing, who hath said He will ease himself of his enemies, and be avenged of his adversa­ries, Isa. 1.24. Take notice of that.

And where thou art buifying thy self, and puzling thy mind a­bout the Devill, (in whose snares thou art) saying he was created [Page 3]an Angel of light, and not of darkness; thou hast left it without any proof, but thy bare conceit, and that is of no effect, as in thy 3. page: But the Scripture calls him a Prince of darkness, Eph. 2. and the Scripture saith, The Angels that kept not their first estate but fell, are reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day, Iude. 6. and if the Devil was of those fallen Angels, and they so reserved in such chains until such a time how comes it to pass that the Devil is an Angel of light as thou calls him, and likewise saith in thy second page, That enemie of man­kindi is going up and down, and compassing the earth, (as in a no­ther place) to and fro, &c. going about like a Roaring Lion, seek­ing to devour, &c. If he was created an Angel of light, and one of them fallen Angels that are chained under darkness, unto the judg­ment of the great day, and is a Prince of darkness, how comes he to appeare now like an Angel of light; and how gets he the power, to get from under the chaine, to go up and down, and to act sorth such as thou falsly saith he doth, and like a roring Lion, seeking to devour, and to compass the earth in going to and fro, &c. as thou saith. Is his chaines so long, or his power of darkness able to make Angels of light, &c. seeing thou saies he was so created and so acteth as thou saith; who tells of severall passages without any proof but thy fallacies and brain-conceit, so in the rest of thy sayings and false slanders cast upon these thou calls Quakers thou hast left them without any proof, but thy fallacies and brain-conceits from the Spirit of delusion, working upon thy dark heart and fleshly ima­ginations. So thy lies, slanders, and false sayings is all turned back upon thee again, and into the lying generation amongst the old Ser­pent and his seed (where they were invented, and) from whence they come, to remain. Open your old bottles, and receive in your en­vie, false accusations, lies, and slanders, (cast upon the truth and the righteous seed, and upon the inocent, such as by you are reviled under the nick name of Quakers) and take your slanders and false accusations into your mysterie of iniquit [...]e againe: truth clears it self of you and casts off your venom and filth. Receive it into your brest, and evil hearts from whence it came, that judgment may pass upon it, and learne to be wise: this gets not slander-carriers nor slanderers a praise, but of the Serpents seed, and slanderers againe, that with them in the nature and deceivableness of unrighteous­ness doth remaine, and woo to all such, Isa. 3.11. Rev. 9.2. Thessa. 2 9, 10, 11, 12.

And in thy fourth page: Where thou saies in one of thy generall heads, which thou calls, Doct. 1.

That when Satan findeth a people living so strictly, in the light life and power they have received, that he cannot prevaile upon them by temptations of a grosse sort, such as are those provocations unto open prophaness, covetousness, pride, &c. I answer that through [Page 4]the goodness of God, by the light life and power of God in which we dwell as we have received, we are not only kept by the power of God out of the aforementioned evils, but all evil, of what fort so­ever as it is discovered by the light, being short out with the power: so that Satan cannot insinuate nor get in upon our fouls, that dwell in the light life and power received of God, whom thou accuseth under the name of Quakers, and so dwelling in the light life and power received, by which we are kept out of evill, we also see the op­posers of the truth, and such like false accusers as thou art, to be out of the power and light, serving the Devill.

And thou art in the condition next following thou speaks of, in the latter part of thy thing called a doctrin, where thou saith Satan concludeth upon another way, by making covers for your pride with a cloak of dishonesty called decency, and so for covetuousness called by such good husbandrie or provident care; and a cover for your en­vie and passion under a pretence of zeal: and foolish customes co­vered, with cloaks of craftiness, called by such, breeding and man­ners, and a fained pretence of humilitie for secret dissimulation flattery, and deceit, &c. And so Satan in those and all other of his deceits by [...]i [...]ing himselfe, for your dispositions and capacities, if it be to transsfome himselfe, into the likness of God, (which are thy words) and as it were to act the part of God seemingly amongst you, un­der fair pretences, fine words, seemingly self-denying actions, so that at least Satan (or the Devil as thou saies) may insinuate himself in­to your understanding and affections and [...] leave any thing un­attempted, that may (if it be but in probability as thou saies) serve to seduce (instead of theirs) your poor souls: this maketh him ac­cording to thy saying, so disguise himself, as an Angel of light a­mongst you, and by you high notionary Priests and false Antichris­tian Ministers, in your false doctrine and Antechristian Ministrie, working through that mysterious vaile (as thou saies) amongst you; and under which be would not be seene to be himselfe, yet though he so work and [...]ct and have wrought, and a long time acted amongst you, now praised be the Lord with the true light you are seen and your vaile will not hide you: those that dwell in the light and life received, who are preserved our of Satans snares, whom thou calls Quakers, such sees both him and you and declares against [...]s and your mysterious actings through the vaile thou speaks of, in your mysterie of iniquity, at which thou art troubled. And though Satan be so disguised amongst you, in your notions and new inventions, yet with the light both he and you are seene, to a appear in your co­lours, and the true light declares your works and his, of what sort they are which amongst you hath a long time lien hid, and the wor [...] of darkness which Antichrist hath wrought through that mystery of iniquity, by suiting himselfe according to your dispositi­ [...]s and capacityes, (as thou sa [...]es) into likenesses, like truth, but is [Page 5] [...]ot truth: a shew but not the substance) so that he sitteth, and hath sitten long upon the hearts and minds of such: because as thou saies (he could amongst you no otherwise prevaile) and now with the light your mystery, and mischief invented against the truth, (and those you call Quakers) is seen, and with the light comprehended; and all your filthiness poured forth is back into your filthy, unclean and mischievous generation returned; take it to your selves again, who are in that (trechery, delusion and) Apostacy thou speaks of, and the poor beguiled wretches stands for your selves, who are under that power of Satan thou speaks of; and transforming your selves, out of one (invention) form, image or likeness into another. As thou art Edmund Skipp, who art as it were going a begging to the people called Baptists; because thou saies (that through the mysterious workings of Antichtist) the socie­ty thou had communion with, is now wholly broke off; And from thy Antichrist an delusions, and those disguised Angelical, and my­sterious operations of Satan thou speaks of, if they be broke off, they may now boldly declare against such delusions and deceits: being taken [...]nto light, life and p [...]wer of truth; and if they do not, yet I do, and w [...]tne [...]s against thy delusions, and Antichrist an spirit, and Do [...], as hereafter will more clearly appear: who act in the false Ant [...]ch [...]st an mysterious actings, there spoke o [...] in thy Astrono­mica [...] J [...]dgm [...]nt, as thou calls it, upon 2 C [...]. 11.13, 14, 15. and which is [...]ow [...]o much practised by yo [...] d [...]g [...]ised, and Satanical Mi­nisters: some in one invention, and some [...]n another, (l [...]ke Dyers and Taylo [...]) often in new colours, and learning new fashions, to p [...]ease lust [...]ul and c [...]ons minds w thal, but a [...]l your covers and cloaths of dishonesty, now will not hide you; but leave you bare to a single eye: Praised be the Lord for the riches of his love, who brings your deeds of darkness, and h [...]dden th [...]ngs to light.

To thy first demonstration, as thou calls it in page 6.

First, It m [...]st needs be [...]sp [...]t of delusion, and Antichrist, that doth ( [...]nstead of theirs) misinform thy heart, and so maketh it judg amiss of things as thou hast done, and hereafter will more clearly appear to any single eye: and thou hast by that spirit of de­lusion, and of Antichrist, made manitest thy Astronomical, and false Judgment, but such are div ners; therefore saith the Lord, I will n [...]k [...]th m mad, as may be read I [...]a. 44. for it is He that frustra­teth the tokens of lyars; and thou art a lyar, therefore thy token's frustrated: and it is the Lord also that maketh diviners mad, that tu [...]neth wise-men backward, and maketh their knowledg foolish, as th [...]ne is, and such like, Isa. 44.25. who by thy false and Astro­nom [...]cal judgment, as thou calls it; hast judged clear amiss, and called evil good, and good evil: and so thou owns, and approves what thou ought not, and condemns by thy false and Astronomicall judgment, what ought to be owned, and approved; the light stands [Page 6]a witness against thee, which l [...]ght is thy condemnation that hates it, and acts so against it, and contrary to it.

And secondly, That base deceit of Antichrist thou speaks of, which is brought forth, is not sound in the hearts of those people thou calls Quakers, they deny it; but it is found, and brought forth by Antichrist in thy heart, and the hearts of such as thou art; thy Astronomical Judgment is false, and hath deceived thee, and thou thy self art found in that deceit, [...]irmingeham [...]. G. who artiso clearly mistaken in judgment as R. G. and such like in their deceiveableness are, that calls good evil, and ev l good; and such as calls the Power of God that reformeth the heart, and redeems the soul to God, and worketh our pride, covetousness, theft, whoredoms, drunken­ness, lying, swearing, cursing, cheating, defraud, w [...]tcherast, ha­tred, variance, wrath, strife, and worketh out of sedition and the works of the flesh, (as 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. and Gal. 5.19, 20, 21.) [...]nto sanctification and purity (as in 1 Cor. 6.11.) and into the fruits of the spirit; whereby the flesh is crucified, with the affections and lusts thereof: so that there is a living and walking in the spirit, and spiritual communion with the Father, by such in the spiritual life of sanctification and purity, Gal. 5.23, 24, 25. And grace and peace is thereby multiplyed through the knowledge of God, and of Iesus our Lord, according as His divine power giveth unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue. 2 Pet. 1.2, 3. This power and work of grace, wrought by the Spirit of God, in the hearts and souls of those you scornfully call Quakers, is witnessing and witnessed; the Spirit of God also wirnesseth the same with our spirits, (Rom. 8.14, 15, 16. Gal. 4.6.) and wirnesseth against your lying spirits, and against all such as call this work delusion, &c. Here Edmund Sk [...]pp thy Astro­nomical judgment is abominable false, which in thy first demon­stration thou would charge the Quakers withal; who says, they are so clearly mistaken that they call evil good, and good evil: In this thou art charged to be a lyar, and false accuser: and thy saying is a clear mistake, and altogether false; therefore as thou art, so is it, and both evil, and so of the Devil: not knowing what thou says, nor whereof thou affirms: (saying they, and it is thy self, and such as thou art,) And where thou judgeth the Quakers (by thee so cal­led) with such false judgment, and so falsly accuseth them, thou may'st be ashamed and blush: speaking so vainly and foolishly, out of the envy and pride of thy heart, which thou would cover with feigned pretences, but they will not shelter thee. It is thou that art so clearly mistaken in judgment, (and not they as thou falsly saith) that regards not what thou sayest: In saying, those that thou calls Quakers, do judg the wayes, practices, and actions of all people, to be abominable, Antichristian and unjust, except their own; and above [Page 7]all people do they cry out against, and disown such, who by the world are reproved, and disowned, as the Church and Disciples of Christ.

I answer, the Church and Disciples of Christ, we do not disown, nor cry out against; therefore in that, thou hast again vented thy lie; but thee and all false hearted hypocrits, and such as pretend to be of the Church and disciples of Christ and are not, such we dis­own, cry out against, and deny. And all that walk in the way to the Father which is but one, Ioh. 14.9. such we do not deny cry out a­gainst, nor disown, but al that walk in that way we own even all that are in Christ and walk in him in the lowest degre, & we do not call that way (nor such actions) abominable but the way of holiness which the Prophet Isaiah speaks of, in Isa. 53.8.9.10, and the un­clean shall not pass over it, but all contrary ways (and act ons) to puritie and holiness we disown cry out against and deny, and all such as say they are Jews and are not, but of the Synagogue of Sa­tan, such we cry out against, deny and disown, but the true and right way we own, and especially all such as are in that way and all those that are reproached and disowned by the world, who are of the Church and disciples of Christ, therefore thy lie Edmund Skip, is abominable and false, and as it is so art thou, an abom nable lyer and false hearted hypocrit and one that speak lyes in hypocrisie, that hath so regardlesly said.

Secondly, All actions and practises which are in righteousness is by us owned, and not denyed, knowing this, that he that doth righteousness is of God, and that is owned, but he that doth not righteousness is not of God, and that is by us disowned, cryed out against and denyed, he that doth righteousness is of God, and he that doth not righteousness is not of God, 1 Ioh. 3.7. and 10.

Thirdly. In this the children even of God are manifest, and the Children of the Devil, take notice of this all ye unrighteous ones, and thou also who art the lyer and of thy Father the Devil and all such, Ioh. 8.44. therefore see what is prepared for such, Rev. 21.8. and lying, slandering, and false accusing, is from the evil, so of the Devil, and that is Antichrist an, but Edmund Skip, in thy blazing Star, thou hast vented thy lies, slanders, and false accusations, to blaze abroad, so proving thy selfe to be such a one, therefore thy actions are Antichristian actions, and thou art an Antichrist and of thy Father as aforesaid, (and such there are many) 1 Iohn 2.18. Then thou, and all such are to be cryed against, disowned, and utter­ly denyed, and though thou may'st be offended because I tell thee the truth; but the Spirit of truth doth judg the deceit of thy base heart: our own is accepted, and the unjust rejected, and the way of truth, true Church and Disciples of Christ we own, and all false ways, self-pretended Churches, and unrighteous actions we deny, a­gainst them cry, and altogether disown.

[Page 8]1. To that which thou calls, thy first charge, pag. 7.

If thou was charged for hypocrisie, though thou seek to justifie thy self, thy self-justification will not stand good, but is null and void, therefore of no effect; for I have already proved thee to be a lyar, slanderer, and false accuser of the truth, and of the innocent, one also that regards not what thou falsly against the truth saith and hast said: so a lyar in hypocrisie, as before is proved; therefore upon thee who art in the hypocrisie and deceit, the charge shall stand, and as Conscience-Book is opened, the light which chang­eth not; (though thou alter and change) yet the light will then answer, upon thee Gods judgments to be just: and the woes that are due unto hypocrites, to be due unto thee, as well as to them spoken of in Ma. 23, who art in the nature turned from the light of which hypocisie doth arise, as well as false accusations, slanders, and lyes.

Secondly, Something now to that which thou calls thy second charge, when thou says, Thou art charg'd for acting against thy Con­science, &c.

I Answer, though thy Conscience may be seared, as such that make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience, and now a fleshly confidence be got up in thee, and thereby a lying false accu­sing spirit doth possess thee, as the issue of thy heart hath made it manifest, and the light in thy Conscience; thou art an enemy un­to, and acts contrary to that which should exercise thy Conscience towards God: that is evidently demonstrated to any single eye; and in secret, the light in thy Conscience which thou art an enemy to, it will here for the truth witness the same: and also against thy deceit; Though thou seek to resist the Cryer, it will cry, and in thy Conscience against thee testifie, and be as a dart at thy heart, when Conscience-Book doth open; and the light which changeth not will stand firm, and be thy condemnat on from God, that hates it, and walks contrary to it; It saith thou should not lye, but thou doth lye, and art here proved a lyar; then thou acts contrary to that within thy Conscience, therefore contrary to thy Conscience: And the light in thy Conscience saith, thou should not falsly accuse any, nor judg with unrighteous judgment, &c. but thou doth accuse falsly, and hath accused falsly those thou calls Quakers falsly; and also judged, and doth judg with false judgment, &c. which will not a­bide the tryal nor stand before the judgment seat of Christ; but both thou and it are for judgment, and in thy condemnation remembered thou will also be of what against the truth thou hast acted and done: and acting against the truth and light, the light in thy Conscience, thou actest contrary to thy Conscience, and though thou say thou do not, thou art proved a lyar before; and thou that will lye against the truth, thou wils not let to lye against thy Conscience, who art proved to be such an open lyar, and thy [Page 9]sayings in other things, is proved to be false as in that also: the light against thy will, which is thy condemnation, is my witness and answer, and that shall stand.

Thirdly, To that which thou calls thy third charge, &c. Where thou say'st thou art charged to be an enemy to the Lords People: as in thy 8. pag. and 4. particular thou says thou art, &c.

I Answer, that thou art, and so the charge is true, and not false, and so it shall stand, and is not by me denyed; Thy trumpet is sounded, thy seed of dissention east abroad, and thy lyes blazes in thy Blazing-Star: and thy false accusations, and also thy unrigh­teous judgment (against the truth and) against the righteous seed, is abundantly made manifest to the publick view: and thy enmity to the light is seen, so to the truth: calling the power of it delusi­on, and the like; Thou art he that blasphems God, (in His Peo­ple and so) in His Temple, and art a hater of the Truth, in hostility against it, and in the rebellion amongst such in that nature turned from the light, as are haters of the ways and people of God; who for their disobedience to the light and truth, were and are given over to reprobate minds, &c. and thou art g [...]ven over to the delu­sion of Satan, and to believe lyes, (and tell them abroad) who art so far acted by a Satanical spirit in the mystery of iniquity, that thou hast largely, and rashly out of a reprobate sense, vented them abroad against the truth of our Lord Jesus. Read thy heart, and Judg thy self for an open enemy, thou art also read thy self a­mongst such, Rom. 1.18, 19. Rom. 1.28, 29, 30. &c. 2 Thes. 1.6, 7.8, 9. 2 Thes. 2.9. &c.

Fourthly, As for thy fourth charge, where thou says, thou art charged not to have passed the new birth: And fifthly for backsliding, thou says, &c. As for backsliding thou confesseth it partly thy self in thy 9. page: and for not passing the new birth, that thou hast not, but art found in the old: and the strong man armed in thee that shall stand; for liers, slanderers, reproachers, false accusers, (nor blasphemers) are not born of God, but thou art an open lyar, slanderer, and false accuser (of the innocent, hundreds may wit­ness against thee, that thou falsly accuseth under the name of Qua­kers;) therefore let the new birth alone, who art (blaspheming) speaking evil of the power that begets to the newness of life, &c. The new birth thou hast cleared thy self of, not to be the new man, but the old: then let thou that alone to whom it doth belong; for such as are born of God sinneth not, 1 Iohn 3.9. and he that committeth sin is of the Devil, and not born of God; but thou com­mits sin, and that in a high measure, so thou art of the Devil, and all such, therefore not born of God; and herein are the Children of God made manifest, and the children of the Devil: so art thou made manifest to be no Child of God, but a servant of sin, a false [Page 10]accuser, misapplyer of the Scripture, a false Judg, and an open lyar; therefore on the Devil as such are, Rom. 1.28. &c. 1 Iohn 3.8. Iob. 8.34.44. Rom. 6.16. Rev. 21.8.

Firthly, And for talking of the new creature, and the second A­dam, and knowledge therein; thou art speaking without under­standing, also questioning thy own knowledge in the same thou speaks of, (saying, if it be so, &c.) so thou speaks without true knowledge, or understanding in the same; but the knowledge by enjoyment in the second Adam, is out of thy comprehension and brain imagination; though thou have had some little convicti­ons; yet thou art turned into false accusations, envy, disdain, trechery and deceit, as thy brother Cain, and brother Iu­das did, whose end was according to his work, take thou notice of it; and according to the saying thou speaks of, the charge upon thee is no blank: but stands still, and sealed with thy old actions; and the backsliding thou speaks of in thy 9. page, who art in the delusions and false (Astronomical) Judgment, given over to believe lyes, and labours to fill ignorant people with thy false Prophecies, and lying divinations, in thy Worlds Wonder: who art manifested by it to be full of trechery and deceit, slanders and false accusations, and as I have proved thee; therefore instead of mercy, Judgment for thee shall stand true & just, upon thy Astrono­mical and unjust —

By these five particulars thou laboured, to have brought about thy mysterious workings of that spirit of Antichrist, whereby thou art so disguised, and hid with covers of delusion and deceit, and to have brought the innocent into thy snares: from these thou sought to make a ground, to charge the people of God to be deluders and in delusion, the mystery of iniquity under the Region of Antichrist, &c. and thou hast laid as it were baits, and coloured them smoothly over, to take the minds of the ignorant withal, and so bewitch them with thy lying divination, and false Astronomical Judgment; the Serpent hath shot forth his sting in his tayl by thee, to strike the simple; and thou hast laboured by thy working mysteriously, so disguised and transformed as a Minister of truth and righteousnes, in some seeming shews and pretences, to cast stumbling blocks in the way, to cause the weak to fall, and be wounded: and to catch the ignorant into thy trap with a bait, and a snare; first laying down a fair seeming shew of truth in appearance, covered with some certain Scriptures wrested by thee: joyning and annexing thy fallacies thereunto: so conjuring by the mystery of witchcraft in the iniquity, and lying wonders, raising up false accusations and slan­ders; but for the truths sake, I shall through Gods assistance, labour a little to clear the truth, by taking away thy fallacies; removing the deceit, and setting truth in its place, that the honest-hearted may thereby come to see, whilst thou art pretending to lay open [Page 11]a mysterious work, or design of Antichrist, and casting thy mouth-floud after the woman that brings sorth the man-child, accusing the innocent, whom thou calls Quakers, altogether upon unjust grounds: so thy covers being taken off, the innocent will be clea­red whom thou accusest under the nick-name of Quakers; and whilst thou art pretending to discover a Satanical plot, or unfold his mysterious actings, thou wilt be sound the chief plotter in his design, and one that art disguised, acting deep under a mysterious vail by a Satanical spirit, in the mystery of iniquity; and so truth being cleared in some measure, as hereafter will appear, the people called Quakers, will be found out of delusion, and the mysterious workings, thou seeks to charge them withal; but they being found in the Covenant of grace, and under the power of the Lord, thou w [...]lt be left in the snare which thou hast laid, and the p [...]t which thou hast d [...]gged: and sounder the delusions and mysterious work­ings of Antichrist, as to the single eye will clearly appear: thereby will the innocent by thee called Quakers be cleared, though thou and the wicked through plotting mischief, be ensnared and seared, that all simple hearts may take warning and be preserved, who have the living God in any measure truly seared and served, by doing his will, in departing from the workings of Antichrist, by his own power in himself: and also though his Antichristian Ministers, being as thou art transformed as a Minister of righteousness, be­guiling the ignorant through the mysterious actings by a Satanical spirit of Antichrist, in that mystery of iniquity, with thy lying won­ders, &c. 2 Thes. 2.9, 10, 11, 12.

Now I shall speak to clear the truth from some of thy accusations and slanders, that deceit may be cast out, and truth stand clear, as hereafter will appear.

First, To that in thy tenth page, where thou seeks to render the people of God odious, which thou calls Quakers, and one chief thing thou accusest them withal, and lays as a ground to work on, and that is thou says, their railing and speaking [...]uch languages to all sorts of people, and Rulers, and Magistrates, &c. which doth as thou says, discover a spirit of delusion, error, &c. Now if I prove that that they do not, as thou says, then thou wilt be found to be what thou would charge them withal: and so they cleared, and thou left to be known thereby, to be guided by a spirit of error, and in the delusions, and mysterious workings of Antichrist thou speaks of: But I shall prove that those thou calls Quakers, are not as thou says; therefore thou art the deceiver, and in the delusions, &c. an the people thou calls Quakers, redeemed from such things, and stands clear.

To thy second Rule, whereby thou says, thou wilt find out where Satan doth colour over, and blind this fallacy with some Scripture words, and instances.

[Page 12]And that is first, as thou says, their rayling, and says, they count it not railing, but a sharp rebuking and reproving men with authority, &c. quoting Thus 1.13. and 3.15. and those are the places thou says, Satan covers himself under: and that of Nathan to David, when he said thou art the man: and that of Christ to Peter when he called him Satan.

I answer, Satan cannot cast out Satan, and a Kingdom divided cannot stand; thou deceiver and subtil serpent, doth or will Satan discover, and reprove his own deceivableness? No, he will not strike at his own Kingdom to root it out. The fallacy thou speaks of, that is thy own, turned back upon thee again: and the Scriptures which thou hast cited, we witness and own the authority spoken of; but they are no covers for deceit as thou says; therefore in that thou art the false accuser, and lyer against the truth, and truths friends, thou art a stranger to the life of truth and them: and that which thou calls rayling is to tell thee and men, of the evil of their ways; for in the second place thou says, they charge men with hypo­crisie, aod so take the example of Christ to call men hypocrites; here thou shews thou art offended at truth, for declaring against the deceit, and so art judged out of thy own mouth, and by thy own works, who art in the hypocrisie, and therefore an hypocrite; for we cannot follow any better examples then Christ Jesus, and his true Pro­phets and Apostles; for we are required so to follow them as for our examples, and we do not err [...]n so doing: but are accepted for obeying Christ and h [...]s Commands, and following him for our ex­ample, and the e [...]ample of such; Eph. 5.1. 1 Co. 11.1. and thou art offended at that, and that the seed of God should sharply re­prove and rebuke the serpents seed, and the man of sin; and da­rest thou say there was sin, or deceit manifested by Paul; forb [...]dding Titus reprove and rebuke with authority? or was that any rayling and reviling in him, and such, to obey the commands of the spirit of truth? as Nathan did, and such as are sent, as he was from God, (sent) to tell David he was the man, and Christ Jesus himself, to Peter, Get thee behind me Satan. And as it was no sin nor deceit in them to say so, being guided thereunto by the Lords sp [...]r [...]t: then it is not deceit, error nor delusion for such now (so to say) being thereunto as they was, guided by the Lords holy Spirit (to say so) to whom they are so sent, and to say as they are by the Lord requi­red; but thou and the Serpents seed, are offended at the righteous judgment, and language of the Spirit of Truth: therefore thy sayings against such are false: and so thou judgest amiss to call it rayling and reviling, speaking against sin and dece [...]t; and to speak plainly to Teachers, People, Rulers and Magistrates: accor­ding as their Cond [...]t [...]ons are, &c.

As I shall prove by several Scripture e [...]amples, and then let all the children of light judg, and not the world which thou calls to [Page 13]judg of thy sayings, who are in deceit as thou art, and cannot judg aright, but therein thy folly and enmity is discovered; and for colouring delusion, error, and deceits, with pretences, and seem­ingly from the Scriptures, by-fallacies, &c. none more guilty of that sin than thou art, and the Hireling, and Tything-Priests, and such false Antichristian Ministers, that are in union with Antichrist, as thou art: being so acted, and guided by a Satanical spirit, in all his mysterious actings, being turned back, and according to thy sayings in thy 11. page. and the judgments, woes, &c. against Kendal in the North shall stand;

But that which proceeds from the Spirit of truth, and the true Power of the living God in His Sons and Daughters: which thou calls rayling is not as thou says, but are words of truth; there­fore thy second Rule, for the discovery of the mystery thou tells of, is false, a lying fallacy: so error and deceit; therefore thou art a false Judg, and so guided by an erronious spirit of delusion, to judg amiss of the Saints practice, by thy delusion, error, and deceit.

Example 1.

To speak truth in plainness by the spirit of truth to Priests, People, Rulers, or Magistrates is no railing; but according to the Scriptures, and practise of the Peop of God, as is here by these Exam­ples proved, to be a witness for the truth, and against (E. S. lies, error, and) all decei.For first, When the Lord sent the Prophet his servant Isaiah, to speak to the bl [...]nd watch-men and greedy Sheapherds of Israel, who had transgressed the first Covenant, &c. he called them beasts, and said, All ye Beasts of the field come to devoure: His Watch-men, are blind, they are ignorant, they are all dumb-dogs, yea, they are greedy dogs which have never enough, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his own quarter: as the Priests of England, and Anrichristian Ministers do now; and it is no railing nor reviling to tell them so, because they do so: nor to call them hirelings, and blind-guides, because they are so, and looks for their gains, tyths, or hire in lieu of them, or augmentations, bribes, gifts and re­wards, every one lookes to his own way, and all for their gain from their quarter, out of mens estates one way or another, against many of their wills: take notice of it, and let the wise-hearted con­sider, and see if it be not right and just, to tell them what they are, and to tell them of their sins is no railing; for the Lord saith, Cry aloud, spare not, tell them of their sins, and the people of their trans­gressions. Isaiah the servant of the Lord did so, and we the servants of the Lord, in obedience to the spirit of truth, do so now as he did, and that is no railing or reviling; but words of sound truth: Take notice of this, and also read, Isa. 58.1. and Isa. 56.9, 10, 11,

Secondly, And though Isaiah the servant of the Lord did say so, as before mentioned, by, and with the Spirit of the Lord: he did not therein raile, nor rev [...]le, but speak the words of sound truth a­against their deceits, and for so doing was justified by the Lord, thoughhe might be (condemned, or) judged with false spirits, and [Page 14]lying tongues; and such was to be condemned for what falsly a­gainst the truth, and against the Servants of the Lord they said: therefore take notice of that, and read Isa. 54.17.

Thirdly then, where now any servants of the Lord, are guided by His Spirit to call Englands Priests, and Antichristian Ministers like thee, (Edmund Skip,) and such as Preach for hire, and bear rule by their means, and seek for their gain from their Quarters, and places, and Parishes where they are, though in coloured deceits; I say, the servants of the Lord, being; led by His Spir [...]t to call such hypocrites, Antichrists and deceivers, blind-guides and greedy dumb-dogs, such as never have enough; but every one looks to his own way, and some for tyths, some for hire and wages, 100 or 200 l. per annum in lieu of them: some for large augmentations, out of other mens Estates, and some for bribes, gifts and rewards; professing themselves to be Ministers of Christ, and the Gospel, and not such servants of the Lord as are led by His Spirit, as aforesaid; and now to cry out aga [...]nst such deceivers, and Ant [...]christian Mini­sters as Englands black Priests, and high a [...]y Notionists, and such as before mentioned; though they be disguised and colour over their deceits, yet with the light are they seen, and their deceits dis­covered. And I say, such as by the Spirit of the Lord tells them (or any others) plainly of their sins and transgressions, and so what they are: such do not raile nor revile, though (sinners, trans­gressors and) deceivers say they do; therefore their judgment is false and not true, and thy cover (Edmund Skip) will not hide, but leave thee bare that thy nakedness may appear, and those that thou calls Quakers are clear,See a fourth Rule to clear this more fully, because thou makest it such a chief Rule as thou calls it, for the discoverng of the Quakers mystery of delu­sion in Failing, &c. and free from such accusations and asper­sions, as thou would cast upon them, and salsly charge them with­all: take notice of this; for herein I do not judg amiss.

Fourthly, When Isaiah the servant of the Lord, was sent to speak to a professing people, and to the Mag strates, Governours, or Rulers: to tell them and a people, who observed much from the Letter of the Scripture, which had been true commands of God, to some in a present dispensation, or under that Legal admi­nistration; but those that took upon themselves to observe com­mands, according to the Letter of the Scripture, and were not guided by a true Spirit to do them: Isaiah the servant of the Lord was sent, to tell such people and Magistrates or Rulers, who did things by imitation, that God loathed their sacrifices, and that he did not accept of their service, nor solemn Assemblies, &c. and though they made many prayers, yet he would not hear them; Take notice of that, all ye that observe and do things by imitation in your own wills from the Letter, and are not guided thereunto by the Spirit which was before the Letter was; And moreover, [Page 15] Isaiah was sent by the Spirit of the Lord, to tell a City that had been beautiful, and full of Judgment, that now they was full of murtherers, and he told that City that had been full of judgment and righteousness, and were full of murderers; he said,A warning to Iudges, Ru­lers and Pro­fessors, in all places, to fear the Lord God and stand in aw of him, and not sin. their Prin­ces were (Rebels or) rebellious, and companions with theives; and how? for (saith he) every one loveth gifts, and followeth rewards, they judg not the fatherless: neither did the cause of the widdow come unto them; and he also told them what the Lord would do by such, and by his enemies and adversaries; Take notice of that Oh ye Judges and Rulers, and also Professors, and fear the Lord God. Like­wise read, Isa, 1.10, to the 25, &c

And though Isaiah the servant of the Lord, by and with His Spi­rit so spake and said to a professing people and Princes,Now call not truth railing, nor reviling, leastyou be con­demned of the Lord when you are judged. Citizens, Rulers and Magistrates, he did not in all that sin, neither raile nor revile; but spoke the words of sound truth: And now the ser­vants of the Lord so led and acted by His Spirit, with it may so say, as they are directed and commanded by the Lord, and not in all that sin; neither rail nor revile, but speak the words of sound truth and not judg amiss, though such as are spoken to, may reject the Counsel of the Spirit of Truth, &c. Ezek. 3.17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Neveri heless, the wicked being warned, and do not return from their wickeanass, his blood will be upon his own bead, and the Lords ser­vant is through his obedience cleared; and if such as reject the Spirits counsel, and judg the servants of the Lord with a false spi­rit and call truth railing; yet it is not, and the servant of the Lord by, and with His Spirit may condemn the lying tongue: for thus saith the Lord, Every tongue that shall use up in judgment against thee, thou shall condemn; this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord; and this I witness in and by the Spirit of the Lord for the truth, and against thee Edmund Skip: and all lying tongues, which are condemned by the living truth, and the servants of the Lord, for your enmity against it, and them, Isa. 54.15, 16, 17.

A fifth F [...] ­ample from p [...] ­ct se of [...] men of God, pro [...]ing plain speaking [...]o [...] no [...]ailing, &, and so rick [...]h void Edmund Skip's [...]e of difre [...], &c.Fifthly, another Example, take notice of to be a witness against the deceit and: dying toughes, that calls truth railing, &c, which doth also prove, that speaking truth against deceit, and in plain­ness to Rulers, Magistrates, Princes, Judges, Priests and People, is no railing nor reviling as thou Skip says, and so thy Rule of disco­very as thou calls it, is thereby made null and void; and thou art he that loth so judg amiss, with thy false spirit of t [...]echery and de­ke [...]t in thy Astronomical Judgment and [...]lazing▪ [...]ta [...]; wherein thou mast set forth thy lying Wonders; Let all the wise-hearted take, no­tice, That when the Prophet Micah [...] the servant of the Lord, was sent by the Lord to the Judges, and Priests to tel them of their [Page 16]Transgressions, and plainly said, that the Iudges judged for rewards, and the Priests they preached for here; and yet they leaned upon the Lord, but the Lord was against such things, and sent his servant to tell them of it plainly, Micah 3.11. and he also told the Rich-men, they was full of violence, and the Inhabitants thereof spoke lyes, and their tongues was (hypocritical and) deceitful in their mouths; and Micah in so say­ing, did not rail nor revile; but spoke the words of sound truth, by, and with the Spirit of the Lord, Mica. 3.8, 9, 10, 11. Mica, 6.8, 9.10, 11, 12. See also what the Prophet Ieremiah saith, Ier. 5.29, 39, 31. and see what the Prophet Ezekiel saith, Ezek 34.9, 10. and see what the Prophet Hosea saith, in the 4.9. and Hosea 6.9. and in all that they there spoke, they did neither rail nor revile; but spoke the words of sound truth: take notice, That (then) to speak truth against deceit was no reviling: and likewise (now) theservants of the Lord, being sent to Cities or Towns, and such like places, to speak the Word of the Lord to Citizens and people: and also to tell the Priests, they Preach for hire that do so, and to tell the Jud­ges, they judg for rewards that do so: and tell the Rich-men that they are full of violence: and tell the Inhabitants in Cities, Corpora­tions, Market-towns and Villages in England, or elsewhere, that their tongues is deceitful in their mouths: and they are so, &c. Such setvants of the Lord, that are by His Spirit so sent to such Cities and Towns, to tell Magistrates, Priests and people what they are, and reprove them of their transgressions;Truth cleared, and the deceit reproved by the Spirit of truth. and for their sins and iniquities, and forewarn them of the judgments to come, e [...]cept they repent and amend, and turn to the Lord, by forsaking the evil of their waies, and the evil of their doings; such are not raylers and revilers, neither of Magistrates, Priests nor people; but Servants and Messengers of the Lord: and such are those that are so sent by the Lord, of those whom the world scornfully calleth Quakers; therefore such are no railers not revilers, but the Lords Servants and Messengers, whom the Lord so sends by His Spirit, though the world abuse them, and scornfully call them Quakers; but saith Christ to his, Marvel not if the world hate you, it hated me before it hated you, &c. The People whom the world calleth Qua­kers, art pro­ved to be the People of God, of Him sent, though by the world despised, &c. And such are not railers, but speaks the words of sound truth: though it be by some, rejected, it was so before; and therefore Edmund Skip, thy sayings are false, and thou judgest altogether amils, through the mysterious workings of Aneichrist in his transformings (thou speaks of) in thee, which so makes thee to vent forth his lies and untruths through thee. Now all People consider of this, and take heed of despising the Messengers and peo­ple of God, whom the world scornfully [...]call Quakers: and also take heed of rejecting the Counsel of God, as thou wilt answer it before the Tribunal seat of Gods Justice, and Judgment. And now that truth is so cleared to you in that things, and as asoresaid, call it not railing, nor reviling which is sound truth, from the Spirit of [Page 17]truth, and cleared also by plain Examples in Scripture, witnessed aforetime by the holy men of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christs, and sealed to (or confirmed) by us, who now live and walk in the Spirit, though reviled by the nick-name of Quakers; but being of the Div [...]ne-nature made partakers, we are not de­sirous of vain-glory, who do deny railing, and reviling, and provo­king, or envying one another, as such did, 2 Pel. 1.3, 4. &c. Gal. 5.24, 25, 26.

The Prophet Zephaniah was sent to cry,Another Ex­ample of a pol­luted and filthy Ci [...]y, that recei­ved not the cor­rect on of the Lord, as the Ci­ties Liechfield, Coventry, and that Town of Kendal & [...]p­pleby, and saith wicked perse­cuting places did not receive the Instruction, &c. wo to the polluted and op­pressing City: and those that said, wo to Kendal and Leichfield, &c. being guided thereunto by the Spirit of the Lord, did right in so doing, for they are wicked polluted places, as well as that pollu­ted City that the Prophet Zephaniah cryed wo unto, in his Prophecy; and such like, who obeyed not the voice of the Lord, as that City, &c. did not take warning and fear. — And read your Example who have not obeyed the Lords voice in His Servants, no more then that polluted City the Prophet Zephaniah speaks of, which obeyed not the voice, nor received the correction, (and instruction) And saith the Prophet, Her Princes within her are roaring Lyons, her Iudges are ravening Wolves: their Prophets are light and trecherous per­sons, their Priests have polluted the Sanctuary, &c. Zeph. 3.1, 2, 3.

And though that City obeyed not the voice, nor received the (correction and) instruction, no more than Kendal and Leichfield, and such like places: Let them take warning and fear, and in Judgments remembred they will be by the Lord, and know that he sent his Servants amongst them; and there were they persecuted and imprisoned, as well as at Coventry; and a place in Worcester­shire called Kederminster, and their blood be upon their own heads for they are left without excuse; let them take notice of that,Richard Bax­ter M [...] ­nister at Kederm [...]nster, ch [...]s-Priestan Worcester­shire, ha [...]h brought forth that monster pers [...]ution, and ha [...]h impri­soned on [...] for the breach of no known Law; but under pre­tence of speak­ing hard spee­ch [...]es and read Ezek. 33.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. and 3.18, 19, 20, 21. And also let all people know, that those places are wicked places, and gui­ded by a persecuting spirit; and at Kederminster and other places, as those and such like, they have persecuted the Servants of the Lord for the breach of no known Law, neither of God nor man; but only for declaring against their Antichristian ministery, and speaking the Word of the Lord, and reproving sin and deceit, which they call railing and reviling, as one of the servants of the Lord is now in prison at Worcester, upon that account only; and for the breach of no known Law; sent from Kederminster thither, by those under Richard Baxter, Minister which is the chiefest Priest in Wor­cestershire, and that Town was accounted great in profession; but now like Priest, like people, (Hosea 4.9. and Hosea 6.9.) even full of envy, and malice against the servante of the Lord, which car­rieth them forth into cruel persecution; but let the wise-hearted [Page 18]know, that the chiefest of the Priests when Christ came personally, were the greatest enemies of his: and did the most both stir up Ru­lers and people to persecute him; and the greatest Professors were cruel and bitter against him. And now that Christ is come, and coming in the Spirits of his Saints, Children and Servants, to re­prove the world of sin, and unrighteousness, and to discover the deceivableness of Antichrist, and the Ant [...]christian min [...]stery, the chiefest Priests, and many great Professors, as well as Richard Baxter Chief-Priest at Kederminster: and such now labour to uphold the Kingdom of Antichrist under a dark black cover, which cannot hide the baseness of their hearts, but lets it break forth into cru­elty and persecution: but it is too manifest, that they are of the bloody City, in the pollutions and filthiness, and hath disobeyed the voice, and heardened their hearts against the truth; who have haled out of their Synagogues, beat, abused, and imprisoned, such as the Lord sent unto them, &c. But it is but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled, and that they may manifest themselves, to be of that Generation of persecutors, and blood-thirsty ones,How dange­rous a thing it is to reproach and revile the people of God. that ever persecuted the righteous seed; and wo from God is upon all such Teachers and People, and they may read their Example, Matth. 23.31, 32, 33, 34.35.

But to come to the matter in hand, That City which the Pro­phet Zephaniah speaks of, and Rulers, Teachers, Priests and peo­ple,And again the servants of the Lord that speaks truth against deceit, do not revile; but such as speak evil of them, and sals­ly accuse them are the revilers, as such was: that reproached the people of God, and mag­a [...]fied themselvs against them, as the Priests and their party do now by, and a­gainst those the Lords people whom they scornfully call Quakers. which obeyed not the voice, as in Zeph. 3. Chap. and see what the Lord by his Prophet saith, in Zeph. 2. How he cries wo to such a people as are there spoken of, verse 5. &c. Likewise he tells a wicked people there, what the Lord will do unto them, and see the cause why, Zeph. 2.8, 9. This (saith he) shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached, and magn [...]fied themselves against the people of the Lord of h [...]sis; therefore saith the Lord (by His Prophet) I will be terrible unto them, &c. Zeph. 2.10, 11. &c. Then take heed what you do, and consider of this all ye unrighteous ones, who reproaches, and reviles the people of God under the Nick-name of Quakers.

The Prophet Zephaniah did not raid nor revile, when he spoke to that City, when he cried wo unto in, and called the Princes within it Roaring Lyons, and the Judges Evening Wolves, and the Prophets light and [...]eche [...]ous persons; and said the Priests had po [...]uted the San­ctuary, &c. Zeph. 3. because it was so, and they had done so; yet to the eye of reason, a natural man that knows not the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2.24. he would have been ready to say it had been harsh language, and rayling, as now in th [...]s gene­ration: they call the Spirits language railing and reviling, when it tells people of their sins and transgressions: but though the na­tural man say so, it is not so; for he that so saith, and accuseth falsly, is the railer and reviler, but Edm [...] Skip. and the Priests [Page 19]and Antichristian Ministers, and such as are prophane, proud and wicked, they speak evil of the Spirits language, and accuseth falsly and cannot prove their false accusations, therefore they are the railers and revilers, and not the people which they reproachfully call Quakers.; and the natural man is not to judg the spir [...]tual man, but the spiritual man may judg the natural man, it is his Prero­gative; for he that is spiritual judgeth all things: yet he himself is judged of no man; and this priviledge have all the Saints, and Brethren of Christ, Praised be the Lord for the riches of his love, 1 Cor. 2.14, 15,16. Heb. 2.11. 1 Cor. 6.2.

But thou art offended,The seed of God may judg the seed of the Serpent; but the seed of the Ser­pent is not to judg the seed of God. that the righteousseed should judg the seed of the Serpent: and thou art offended, to have a hypocrite called a hypocrite; but Christ gave them that name, and called them so, them such as are guided by his Spirit may: but we and the righteous seed are so taught and guided; therefore we may: and so follow him for our example, Ma [...]. 23.27, 28, 29. and we know we are of the righteous seed; For God hath sent the. Spirit of His Son-into our hearts, whereby we cry Abba Father, &c. Gal. 4.6, 7, and Rom. 8.14.

And we are to call a lyar a lyar; for the Scripture calleth them so, and the Spirit of truth spoke it forth: 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. and we being guided by the Spirit (Rom. 8.14. and 1 Ioh. 3.2.4.) as such was, that called lyars by the name of lyars; therefore by the same Spirit may, and do we call them so; for that is the name which the holy Spirit gave them, to call lyars by the name of lyars; For be that saith he loveth God, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lyar. 1 Ioh. 2.4. Kev. 21.8. Rev. 22.15.

And thou, and all such as are offended to have liars called liars, seeing the Spirit calleth them so, and gave them that name; thou and all such, art offended at the Spirits teachings; therefore judg your folly, and the pride of your hearts.

And thou, and all such who are offended,Serpents were called Serpents by the Spirit of truth. to have a Serpent cal­led a Serpent, though they appear like men in the truth, but full of hypocrisie and deceit; thou, and all such are offended at the language of Christ in the Gospel-ministration; for he called such Serpents and Vipers. As by the Spirit of truth such were so called (then) with the same Spirit, they may be called so that are so now; and that is not un-Gospel like, but agreeing thereunto, Mat. 23.28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.

And if thou, and the Serpents seed be offended,Children of the Devil are called by their Fathers same, the Ho­ly-ghost calleth them so. to be called by your name, your burden you must bear; for the Spirit of truth called your generation so: and we being guided by the Spirit of truth, dare not change your name, except you take up the cross, [Page 20]and obey the light, that the Serpents head may be by the Power bruised, and your nature changed, (take notice) and if thou art of­fended, to have a child of the Devil called by the name of his Fa­ther, we must call him so; for that is the name given them by the Holy-ghost, Iohn 8.44. Acts 13.9, 10.

V pers & dogs and fores, are to be called by their name, be­ing of such a nature, for the Spirit of truth gave them such names, though in the appearan­ces of a King & his subjects.And though thou, and such in thy nature would not have the Serpents seed called by their names; yet seeing the Spirit of truth gave them names like unto their natures; therefore being guided by the holy Spirit, and knowing their natures, we give to them their proper names, as the Gospel Spirit aforetime did, until we see their change of nature, that so they may change their names; and if thou would not have a Viper called a Viper: yet Iohn the Baptist called the multitude by that name, (to wit Vipers) who came to have been Baptised of him, before they brought forth fruits meet of amendment of life; Take notice of that, and read, Luke 3.7, 8. which was not railing but words of sound truth; and if thou be of­fended to have dogs called by their names, (though in the form of men) yet the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, by the Spirit of truth so called them before; and to take off that offence from any simple minde, who desires to be informed about those names: let them have recourse to those Scriptures, Isa. 56.10, 11. Phil. 3, 1, 2. Rev. 22.15.

And if thou would not have a Fox called by his name, though in the form of a man: Christ so called one, to wit, Herod a King, and that was truth and no railing.

True and just judgment, is set upon that false Astronomicall and unrighteous judgment of Edmund Skip, against the Truth in that Bock called the Blazing-Star: and the Rule of discovery he speaks of is of no effect: and the truth is clear, and stands above his lying & deceit.So here thy second Rule of discovering that mystery as thou calls it, is of no effect. Thy judgment is false, and thy sayings are weigh­ed, and thy Spirit tried; and where thou sayes, Let all perpl eunde­stand, that such as Christ did call hypocrites were so indeed.

I Answer, so art thou, and the Serpent and his seed, as both thou and they are to us known, as is here largely proved by e [...]perience.

And to that where thou says, Such as these creatures calls hypocrites are the most precious, and eminent, and faithful friends that the Lord hath amongst the sons of men:

I Answer, They are precious, eminent, and faithful that are of the Royal seed, and such we know, and honor in our souls; but lyars, slanderers, persecutors and false accusers are not of that seed, and such are enemies to the Children of God; but thou art of the Serpents seed, and such like that are in the lies, slanders, inventing evil, and devising m [...]sch [...]ef [...]n your hearts against the righteous seed, and accusing of them falsly; therefore are you of the Serpents seed, and enemies to God and to his seed, who are faithful, eminent and precious, we do not so call as thou hast falsly said, and many may, and doth witness against thee; therefore with the true light art thou seen to be one that regards not, what thou out of pride, and [Page 21]the presumption of thy evil heart dost say, and falsly accuse with­al; And now let the wise in heart, in the wisdom of God, by and with the spirit of sound Judgment, now Judg of thy false and A­stronomical Judgment, false accusations and delusions, as in thy 11. page, is manifested, and the Rule of thy discovery of that mystery thou tells of, is nul and void, and truth stands clear, as to the single eyed doth appear: and true Judgment stands upon thy false Astronomical Judgment, in thy Blazing-Star, and Book of lying Wonders.

Now followeth a reply to thy third Rule, as thou calls it, of dis­closing that secret which thou says is thy own experience,A Reply to thy third Rule in thy Book of ly­ing Wonders. in order to that particular as thou says whilst thou lay under temptations; and that was as thou says, about writing a Letter unto some, that thou says thou writ unto, out of much bitterness of Spirit: To which I answer, though thou might have some convictions, and workings in the mind, and not wait to have thy will bound under the cross, and that kept under judgment, from whence bitterness and passion hastiness and wrath doth arise; but run without a true guide, to write out of hastiness and forwardness, before thou had any true com­mand; and so through thy disobedience to the pure, and following the fancies of thy brain, and the imaginations of thy evil heart, giving way to thy comprehending wit: and so by straying from the pure, and entering into temptation through the carnal, in not standing to the eternal; the delusions through the mysterious workings of the man of sin might carry thee into the many inven­tions, and up into the chamber of deceit, and so delusion get in upon thee, notstanding to the eternal; but entering into the temptation through the carnal; yet that is no ground for thee (or a Iudas) that betrays the pure, to fetch in a multitude; to condemn the just, and betray the innocent; but thy punishment and judg­ment thou for it must bear, as Iudas did who betrayed the just; and all who turns from the light to joyn with the darkness, to betray the innocent, Iudas is there: and as his works was,Mat. 27.1, 2, 3, 4. so his end; but after he turned from the light, to joyn with the power of darkness, and betrayed the just, he did evil, his work was evil:Gen. 4.7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. so his end was wofull and miserable, for he hanged himself. Take warning and remember also, that when Cain had killed his brother, then he cryed out and said, his punishment was greater then be could bear; but if he had done well he had been accepted, as the Lord said, but he did evil, and was rejected as well as Iudas when he had be­trayed; and thy light in thy conscience will remember thee of what against the truth thou hast acted and done; and as Consci­ence-Book is opened: Answer it will upon thee, the judgments of God to be just.

A Reply to that where thou says, We will make known the very truth of this delusion, by comparing those kind of teachings of the heart, [Page 22]with those that the Spirit of truth was, and is wont to bring forth in the souls of his people in this particular, &c.

I Answer, Thou art a stranger to the teachings of the Spirit of the Lord, and speaks evil of the work that he is, and hath been plea­sed to bring forth in the souls of His People; and now thou art found a false accuser of such as witness the Spirits teachings, and the bringings forth of the truth of God in their souls: and thou art one that cannot put a difference between the precious and the vile; but call truth railing and reviling, as before is proved, and calls good evil, and evil good: and so hath no salt to savour withall. And where thou says, these people are mistaken in their judgment, that they accuse falsly, and that must needs be a delusion, &c. I Answer, It is thou that art so mistaken in thy false Astronomical Judgment, as I have proved; therefore thou art in the delusion and mysterious workings of Antichrist thou speaks of; and thou must needs be mis­taken in thy false Astronomical Judgment, and so in delusion, and guided by a Satanical Spirit, that doth so accuse and condemn a people for what thou ought not: and calls the workings of the Spirit of God by his power in his Servants, the delusion of Sa­tan, &c. as in thy 40. and 41. page, and so thy sayings being false are turned back upon thee again, with thee to remain, and in the reproachful, false accusing and lying generation from whence they came. And where thou says that when they are made to write a­bundantly unto men, charging them without knowledge of truth, They are not able to make good their wrongful accusations. &c.

I Answer, as for that fallacy which lies in those words, without knolwedge of the truth: that we deny, and therein thou art a lyar, and charged to be so, and also a false accuser, speaking without knowledge of the truth as it doth appear in thy false (Prognosticati­on or) Astronomical Judgment, as thou calls it: and for wrongfull accusations, that we also deny, they are thy own, who art not a­ble to make good by sound truth what thou accuseth withal, as is before proved; and thou art left with the charges standing fast up­on thee, and true judgment set upon the head of thy false Astrono­mical judgment; and so thou art thereby out of the teachings of God, which thou speaks of that art the lyan, slanderer and false ac­cuser of the brethren; For the Spirit of God and his teachings we witness, according to his Promises, Ier. 31.31, to the 3 [...]. Isa. 54.13, 14. whereby our souls are established in righteousness, ac­cording to his teachings by his Spirit in the new Covenant, Heb. 8, and the Spirit of God teacheth his servants in another way, contrary to thy will, and many slanderous aspersions and false accusations.

And where thou says, quoting Malacy 3. vlt. they shall discern be­tween the righteouss and he wicked, between them that serve God, and them that serve him not.

[Page 23]I Answer, Wee witness the Promise of the Lord fulfilled, and now we discern, and know the righteous from the wicked: and so see thee, and all false accusers to be servants of sin, so of the Ser­pents seed; therefore no servants of God, nor in his righteousness, but out of his wisdom and teachings, who are so slanderous, and despitefully wicked; take notice of that.

But again thou sayest, if any shall say; That Promise and the Pro­mise of being guided by the Spirit into all truth, are Promises made to some particular men, as the Prophets, Christ, and his Apostles; they shall find in reading that place, it was speken to all the people of the Lord, upon that great acceptation the Lord had of them, upon their meeting together, &c.

1. I Answer, The Promises of Gods love and mercy, are to Abra­ham, and his seed: but not to the Serpent and his seed; and false accusers are of the Serpents seed, and hath no right to those Pro­mises; but thou, and such like in the deceivableness, and false ac­cusers like thee, are of the Serpents seed, and so hath no right unto these Promises; therefore art thou and the Serpents seed ignorant of the gifts and teachings of the Spirit of God.

Secondly, That Promise of being by the Spirit guided into all truth,The Promises of Gods blessings, and happiness are to his own seed, and they all chosen people beloved of God, and by Christ gathered out of the world, to whom He gi­veth h s word and Spi [...]t, and the world [...] ­teth them. was not then given: neither were it given upon that account (as thou saiest) of the acceptation that God had of the meeting of the Jews in the first Covenant often together; for Christ was not then come in the flesh: so that Promise was not made; for it were by him given to his Disciples, before his departure from them; for when he had told them of his leaving them, and going to the Fa­ther, He said unto them, (a particular people, to wit, his Disci­ples) Let not your hearts be troubled, ye (my Disciples) believe in God, believe also in me, Iohn 14.1. and I go to prepare a place for you, ver. 2. and saith he after that to them, I will pray to the Father, and he shall send you (my Disciples and Friends) the Comforter; and he shall abide with you for ever. Iohn 14.16.17. Then that Promise was not given upon the acceptation of the meeting of those Jews spoken of in Malachy 3. seeing Christ was not then come visibly, and after he was come, and had suffered many things before his departure from his Disciples, he told them, he would pray to the Father for that Promise, Ioh. 14.16, 26. which was that Spirit that should guide into all truth, Ioh. 16.13. and when Christ prayed for them, he prayed not for the world. Ioh. 17.9. and he gave them his word, (not the Letter) but the Spirit which is the Word, Ioh. 17.17. which Word was their sanctification, ver. 17. so one with the Spi­rit and Word of our God. 1 Cor. 6.11. Christ himself is the Word, for so is his name: he is called the Word of God, Rev. 19.13. and he is the Sanctifier, and sanctification, 1 Cor. 1.30. Hebrew [...]s▪ 2.10, 11. and that Promise was not made, as thou say st, Edmund Skip, and therein thou hast also, manifested a lying pirit in that, and also shewed that thou art not acquainted [Page 24]with the teachings of the Spirit of God nor the work of Sanctifica­tion thou speaks of, and let all the children of light take notice of this.

Thirdly, to come to the place of Scripture again, because thou sayes those promises was not made to the particular people, I say none knowes the right to the promises, but the rightcous seed, and they are one people singled out from the world,who are heirs of God, and joyntheirs with Christ, &c. Iohn 17.9, 10, 11. Iohn 15.18, 19. and the promises of blessing and happiness are to them, therefore the promises of blessing and happiness are to the Righteous feed, separated from the world, chosen out of it by Christ, Iohn 15.18, 19. to whom he giveth his word and therefore doth the world hate them, Iohn 17.14. this word abideth in such as hath overcome the world, and greater is he that is in them, then he that is in the world, 1 Iohn 2.12, 13, 14. and such are sons, 1 Iohn 3. and being sons they are heires of God and joynt heires with Christ, Rom, 8.16.27. and such have a right to the promises, being heires according to the promise and of the seed, which the promises are to, Galas. 3.29. therefore thy fallacy I deny Edmund, Skip; and wit­nesse the spirits teachings, which thou art a stranger unto, as it doth appear, the accusations is taken off from Truths friends which thou calls Quakers, and now truth is on their side, and shineth pure and clear.

Fourthly, That promise made to the waiting people at that time spoken of, Malachy 3. was a particuler people and a true figure; for there was a time when the adversaties of the Lords people called the Proud, happy, and they that wrought wickednesse were set up by such enemies and adversaries, Malachy 3.15. then they that feared the Lord met often together, and spoke one to another, and the Lord hearkned and heard them,Gods unchand­gable Love, and Remembrances of his former mercies and loving kindness, is sweet and comsortable to his people. &c. verse 16. but the promise was not upon their acceptation of meeting together, (in the first place,) but out of the free love and mercy of the Lord, made known unto his own pe­culier ones, which moved them to meet together, for saith he, I am the Lord I change not, therefore the sons of Iacob are not consumed, Mala. 3.6. there was a manifestation of Gods love unto them; & his loving was the moving cause of their meeting together, and not their meeting together the moving cause of Gods love to them; and so the promise I say to them, was not (in the first place) upon their ac­ceptat on of meeting together, but the free love & mercy of the Lord which moved them to it, and for his loves sake were they accepted, their meeting together was not the cause of Gods unchangable love to them; but the free love and unchangable of Gods goodness, & the so mer promises of God, & remembrances of his loving kindness to them was the cause: and their meeting together a fruit of their tobedience to God for his mercy and loving kindness manifested to them; and now the promises are to the seed that are (in the Cove­nant and) returned to the pure being and in the obedience to the [Page 25]God of Iacob, and Israel in the Spirit, 2. Cor. 3.17.18.

Fistly, And that we witnesse who are of the promised Seed,The Saints and Servants of the the Lord are witnesses to his teachings and workings by his Spirit. And The holy Vnction is the Saints-Teacher, and the Spirit of Promise their grade into all Truth. and we witnesse the teachings and Covenant of God with his own Seed, and according to the promise of the Lord to the Seed, as in Isa. 48. v. 27. and where he hath said that his Spirit and Words, put in the mouth of such there spoken of, shall not depart out of the mouth of the seed, nor out of the mouth of the Seeds Seed, from hence­forth for ever saith the Lord; Isa. 59.20, 21. and that spiritual pro­mise of Christ in the Gospell, we witnesse which guideth and lea­deth into all Truth, the Spirit being come which was promised and prayed for, Iohn 14.16, 17, 26. Iohn 16.13. and we also witnesse to the holy Unction, which teacheth us all things, and we need not that any man teach us, but as the Anointing teacheth us, which is Truth and no lie, as it is written 1 Iohn 2.20, 27. And, Edmund, Skip, this power which gave forth the promises, and new fulfilles them to the Seed, we witnesse (to, and in) therefore Edmund Skip thou that calls the teachings of the Spirit of God, and the workings, by his Power, in and through his children and servants, the myste­rious workings of Antichrist, thou speaks evill of the Power of God, (and blasphemes) in so saying, but thy folly is seen, and that for all thy Comparisons and Scriptures, under pretences adding thereunto thy fallacies and lying divinations, as is manifested to any single eye in thy 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. &c. pages.

And thou art ignorant of the workings and teachings of God, (and one that blasphemes his Power,) but thy Judgment thou must bear, who art that false accuser of the brethren & misapplier of the Scrip­tures, and calls Truth delusion, and Delusion truth, and so calls evill good and good evill; such is thy false judgment, crrour and deceipt; manifested in thy Astronomical judgement or Blazing-star:

1. Whereas thou (Edmund Skip) falsly accuseth them thou calls Quakers, and saith they are filled up with Railing, Harsh,Some accusa­tions cast off from the Truth and Truth friends (by the World called Quakers) and turned back upon the Accuser, and false accusers to remain. and Cla­merous language, &c. in this 13. page, but thy saying therein is false, (and that is largely proved against thee: and so the truth from that accusation cleared before) and that is turned back upon thee, the false accuser and with the false accusers to remain;

3. And whereas thou tells of taking Scripture to cover over deceipts withall; that we denie; and this saying is therein false, so turned back upon thee again, and with thee, and the false accusers to remain, the Scriptures we witness to be a true Declaration of the Truth, Luke 1.1. 1 Iohn 1.3. and we make use of them in their place to witnesse for the Truth and against (deceivers and) deceipt, but for taking them to cover over deceipts withall; therein, thou lies, and hast by that also manifested thy lying spirit; and none more [Page 26]guilty of that sin, both taking the Scripture to made with all for money, and also to cover deceipts and fallacies with all, then such as thou art and the priests of the World, and not we whom thou accuseth: for presently after thou calls them a mislead people, and tels what is meident to a mislead people, quoting, 1 Tim. 6, 4. and 4. v. 2 Tim. 3.4. But that misleading we deny, and turn thy saying back upon thee, and all that are proud, traitours, heady, high minded, and lovers of pleasures: which things we deny and against them te­stifie, and those Scriptures which thou hast cited tells of such a sort of people. Which two places of Scripture clears us, and proves such as the Priests and their followers, to bring forth the fruits they speak of us, their fruits maketh them manifest, to be those people thou speaks of, & not us, whom you cal Quakers: so according tothatsaying the Priests and their followers are the misled people thou speaks of, and there is like Priest like people, Hos. 4.9. which 2 places of Scripture, (1 Tim. 6.4, 5. and 2 Tim. 3.4.) turnes backwards off, from us to you ye Proud-doaters about Questions and Strife of words, such also as supposes gain to be godliness, and those likewise that sollowes plea­sures; which we deny, and turn them back as thou art, and the Priests, and Antichtistian ministers, such as are proud and supposes gainto be godliness; which they do not that th [...]u accuseth under the name of Quakers; and thou thy self, if thou was not blind, might see that thou clears them also of that thyself, in thy 30, and 31 pages, where thou sayes, they are made to deny their callings, &c. but as for giving over labouring and following of wordly business thou says, thou could bedy with that, and shews thy Reason (as thou says) [...]hat when thou con­sidered that most men are overcome and surfeited with the cares & things of this life, thou thought (as thou sayes) that the people of God should be upon the extream, on the other hand, (those then are not they that suppose gain is Godliness &c.) here thou takes them also, according to that saying (of thine) to be the people of God, and yet thou calls them, a misted People, (what confusion is here) how confused thou art, saying, and unsaying, building up, and throwing down, Babylonish! and thou cleares them from the cares of the World, and for surfeiting with that, and yet in the places of Scripture before cited, as in 1 Tim. 6.5, 6. that is speaking of one that is Proud, &c. which thing they de­ny and abhor, and also declare and testify against it, as Isaiah did, that said, Wo to the Crown of Pride, Isa. 28. and by that Scripture which thou art blind in, and cannor see what in darkness thou hast done, thou hast Ranked them amongst a people that doates about Questions and strife of words, and such as follow pleasures, &c. which things they deny, & against them testifie, and they are no such; thou thy self in another place hast confuted thy self therein, and cleared themof that, in thy 20 Pag. for thou says there, they desire to become fools, and to be made weak, and as thou says thou knowes not what; is doth appear thou says thou knowes not what, that art so confuted, [Page 27]and so consuting thy self in thy own sayings; theresore let all the wise hearted take notice of that; and judge by what spirit thou art guided, even by a Spirit of delusion, error, and deceipt.

And to that in thy 19 Pag. where thou says, they Reckon it, their perfection and bappiness to be deprived of all, here thou speakest thou knowest not what, a divination of thy own brain, and an imagina­tion of thy heart.

And whereas thou says, the Spirit of God doth neither so Act nor teach, &c. I answer the Actings and teachings of the Sparit of God, we own, but deny thy sayings, who are ignorant both of his actings and teachings, as before is proved, and as thou thy self in uttering thy Confusion, hast made it plainly manifest;

And where thou art telling of one thing, that did very much stumble thee a great while, and it was this thou sayes, that they said, the best things that ever they Received from God, mentionag knowledge, and faith and high enjoyments, must burnt up and destroyed.

I Reply: they that walk in the light stumble not,The best things that ever we Receaved from God, as Faith, Heavenly-wis­dom, and Spi­rituall enjoy­ments is owned, &c. but they that dis­obey the light and walk contrary to it, they stumble even at noon­day; but thou walks not in the light, and therefore thou stumbles and would aspire to know the Saints Conditions with thy vain mind, but cannot; for out of their life, faith, and enjoyments thou art shut; and for destruction & to suffer: but thy fallacy we deny, which Iles in these words, of suffering losse of all that we Received of God, and where thou says of faith, knowledge, and high-enjoyments, and would charge a Lie upon us, saying that we should say, we should suffer losse of them, thy fallacy we deny, but Faith, True-knowledge, and what we have receaved of God, that we enjoy, according as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue, 2 Pet. 1.3. &c.

And where thou says, that they desire to become fools, and to he made weak, and thou knowes not what, Page 20.

Reply: Thou hast shot forth thy sting in thy tail, or hinder part of thy words, in that fall acy or saying; where thou says thou knows not what, as thou hast said, how confused thou art, as I said before, to say, thou knowes not what, therefore thy judgment and sayings must needs be false and not true, that as thou thy self hath said, thou says, thou knows not what, and an in thy confusion and falshood treachery and deceipt, thou hast nothing to do to judge of the wayes of God, nor of the people of God.

And where thou says; The Holy Ghost judgeth it meet that all care and diligenoe should be used; hath in Reading, exhorting one another, &c,

Reply: What the Holy Ghost teacheth that we do own, and also at we are guided thereby to evercising of those Graces,A Sting in the tail, a satit cy denyed, wherewith the Lord hath endued our souls, we also own, and to he kept diligent in the Spint, to understand the mind and will of God in the making [Page 28]sorth of his Love, that we may be to the praise of the glory of his Grace: and Reading, and Prayer that we do own, but thy Sting in thy tail, fallacy, or lying-divination that we deny.

Reading and Prayer, and all Godly exorta­tion according to the teach­ings of the Spi­rit of God, is now witnessed amonst the peo­ple of God by the world called Qua­kers.Which is this: where thou says Those beguiled wretches pretend, they must not Read or Speak a good word to one-another, (Reply) thy saying in this is all false, and thou laid a smooth-ground before it; and coloured it over, and layes this in the middle to stumble the simple; thou subtill Serpent, this fallacy we deny, and the pretences shall stand for thy self, and the begulied, and wretches thou speaks of; but Reading we own, and speaking good words, exhorting one another, and prayer by the Spirit of Truth, and speaking the Truth in Love; that we may grow up in Him: in all things which is the head even Christ, from whom the whole body joyned together, and compacted by that which every Joynt supplieth, according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of its self in Loves, Ephes. 4.15, 16.

And where thou says, They say they have no freedom to speak, admo­nish, or discowise about (heavenly things, or) any thing whereby they may glorifie God, or do good one to another.

Reply: Math. 5.16. This saying is altogether false and not true, and thy fallacy we deny: but speaking about the things of God, and that which may glorifie him, that we do own, knowing that by obeying the teachings of the Spirit of Truth; and also edifying one another in Love, building up into the most holy Faith is well pleasing to the Lord, and comfortable one to another, and so by letting our Light shine forth to others, and bringing forth fruit with an encrease in the graces of the Spirit hereby, we glorify our Heavenly Father, Iohn 15.5, 8.

Reply: Thy fallacy, or sting in thy tail we deny: which lies in those words (as they fancy it) but the waiting and stirring of that which is pure, and the immediate teachings of the Spirit we wit­nesse and own, and herein thou hast manifested thy self to all the Children of light, to be ignorant of the stirrings, workings, teach­ings, and actings of the Spirit of Truth, and so art in the fancy thou tells of; and as thou calls it thy self; and in this thou hast cleared thy self to be no Minister of the Spirit, nor New Covenant; that art ig­norant of the immediate teachings of the Spi [...], but the immediate teachings of the Spirit we witnesse, as the Minister of Christs in the Spirituall ministration did, who were made able Ministers not of the Letters; but of the Spirit, as they did witnesse, 2. Cor. 3.6. And no Pro­phesie of the Scripture came in old time by the will of man but ho­ly of men of God spoke, as they were moved by the holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1.21, and that were not mediate by man, but immediate, by God, and as they waited, the holy Ghost immediatly spoke, and said, [Page 29] Separate me Sarnabas and Saul, Acts 2.1, 2, 3, 4. for the work whereunto I have ap­pointed them, Act. 13.2. and as Philip was travelling, immediatly the Spirit taught him, and said, Go and joyn thy self to the Charet, &c. Act. 8 29, 30.

But thou that art ignorant of the immediate teachings, thou art ignorant of the Spirit of God, and so thy Ministry is mediate of man and not of God; therefore no Minister of the Spirit and the Gospell, and in that thou hast clearly also, discovered thy self to be an Anti­christian-minister, and so in the delusions thou speaks of: they turne back upon thee and are there to Remain, Paul an Apostle and Mini­ster of the Gospell was not made by (mediate meanes; that is, not by) man but (He was made immediate, and that was) by God Gal. 1.1. And I certify you brethren that the Gospel which I preach unto you, I received it not (mediate) of man but (immediate) of God: take notice of that Gal. 1. neither was I taught it of man but of God. vers. 11.12. and by Revelation (and that was not mediate but imme­diate) vers. 15, 16. then foutteen yeares after Paul went up to Ierusa­lem, by Revelation Gal. 2.12.12. & the Myistery was made known unto him by the (immediate) teachings of the Spirit; even by Revelation, Eph. 3.2, 3, 34. But thou that art ignorant of the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God, doth not know the Father nor the Son, for there is no True Knowledge of them but [...] [...]clation, Math. 11.27. and that is by the Immediate Teachin [...] [...] man knowes the Father, but the Son, and he to whomsoever [...] will reveal him, (Luk. 10.22) take notice of that, and all that denies the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God, Remember you (as well as Edmund Skip) have cleared your selves to be no Disciples of Christ, nor Ministers of the Spirit, but it is good that Fools utter their folly, as thou hast done thine, take notice; and read 2 Tim. 3.8, 9.

And where thou art Reckoning up many things by thy busie minde in thy 22; 23, and 24 pages, and judging of their condi­tions with thy thoughts; and (summes, or) gathers some Scriptures together also, to busie thy mind about,Edmund Skips Confuta­tion. who art a Stranger to the life of them as doth appear. And thou says, the Words of Paul are very much abused by the false interpretation of their enemy;

I Answer: Thou hast whipt thy self with that Rod, for thou art their enemy; then the words of Paul are very much abused (unto them) by by the false Interpretations of thee (their enemy) therefore be thou ashamed, and blush thou enemy of the Righteous, and abuser of Pauls words by thy false interpretations, whereby thou seeks to cover thy lies, slanders, and false accusations; but Antichrist even besools thee, and lets thy nakedness appear; thy covers, will not hide thee, but leaves thee bare, take notice of this.

[Page 30]And that which thou calls a Grand Assertion of theirs, and thou would have the world to give their judgement of it, and that is, concerning hell, which the wicked go in at, &c.

A Reply to that which thou calls a grand Asser­tion concerning Hell, &c.I answer, How should the world or wicked give any true judge­ment concerning it, seeing the wicked and all that forgets God shall be turned into hell, Psal. 9.17. and the naturall man knows not the things that stands in the counsel of God, because they are spiritually discerned, and so he is not able to judge them, 1 Cor. 2.14 and yet thou wilt have the world to try thy expres­sions and renents thou speaks of; they who are in the dark part with thee, are not able to judge aright, but thou and thy expres­sions and [...]enets, are all seen and comprehended with the light and with the light condemned, and hell hath enlarged her self, and opened her mouth without measure, and the proud and wicked (Mal. 4.1.) and their glory and their pompe, and their mul­titude shall descend into it, Isa. 5.14. and then wo to all the Lords enemies and adversaries, Mat. 25.41. to the end: and z Thess. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. Rev. 21.8. And that fallacy of thine I deny, which thou art to prove if thou canst, or else ensnared thou art, and taken with a horrible lie, and the lake for the liar is prepared, and then hell and torment is the re [...]ed of such (take them a long with thee) that are in the m [...] [...] [...]orkings of Antichrist, & willing to be kept in his deceiv [...] [...], for the devil that deceiveth them that are spoken of R [...]v. 2 [...].10. the beast and false prophet, and all such are to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstome, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever, Rev. 20.10, 11. and all who are not found written in the Lambs book of life are cast in thither, &c. vers. 14, 15. then take notice of this all ye wicked and ungodly ones.

And where thou sayes, in Brevity thou hast given the myste­rious deceit it self.

I answer, thou hast accused with many lies and slanders, and those are from the old serpent, covered over with smooth pre­tences, but thou art clearly seen and found to be in that mysteri­ous working of Antichrist thou speaks of, and so guided by his spirit, whose coming is after that manner spoken of, even with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, 2 Thess. 2.9, &c. and so in short thou hast cleared thy self from the teachings and workings of God by his spirit in the hearts of his children and servants; and in that which thou hast been pretending to discover to others thou art found chief in Antichrists design, and deep in his myste­rious actings thy self, and let all the wife heatted take notice thereof.

And where thou art slanderously reproaching and accusing the [Page 31]servants of Christ that follows Christ in the sufferings, calling them their Quaking fits, roarings, transings, swoundings, passions, and Agonies and exercitations of body, and ex [...]team tortures, &c. that it maketh them roar out for very bitterness; & thou cl [...]erly judges, thou sayes, if the Lord did not limit the devil in their behalf, as he did for Iob, saying, thou shalt not touch his life, it would be im­possible for their concaves to hold their internals in those violent motions, for they are made, under those Agonies, to tremble and Quake, as though their flesh must part from their bones and liga­tures, like unto men in the strongest fits of an Ague, as though they had seen Belshazzars vision, Dan. 10. that made his knees smite one against another, in those strong passions, they are thou sayes, exercised with so much heat, of what sort thou sayes, thou knows not, &c.

Reply. Thou hast reckoned up many names, and been busying thy minde about setting forth a peoples condition, whereby thou would render them odious to the world, but the people of God was ever so in the worlds account; and Isaiah and those people that trembled at the word of the Lord,Trembling, Quaking and shaking, the Scriptures witnesseth, which is also witness­ed by the holy men of God. as in Isa. 66.2, 5. they were signs and wonders then, Isa. 8.18. and so are the people of God now, to thee and such like, and thou hast been so much bysying thy self about them, to set them forth by thy gethered words and expressions, the inventions and divinations of thy brain and in the latter end, confesseth thou knows not of what sort it is; therefore thou art ignorant of what thou hast been busying thy minde about, and falsly accusing them withall, thy gathered and vain expressions and vain repetitions I deny, but the power of God which causeth Quaking, trembling, and shaking, (which thou calls cruel torturings, &c.) I own and witness, or else I should deny the authority of the Scriptures, and the conditions of the holy men of God, who witnessed Quaking, trembling, and shaking, as Moses, David, Daniel, and the men that were with him, roared, trembled, and Quaked, and Habakkuk whose belly shook and lipps quivered, and Paul, and the Corinthians that trem­bled; and the Philippians that was to work out their salvation with fear and trembling: this the Scriptures witnesseth unto, and the same power and workings of the Spirit of God I witness un­to: but if thou (who watcheth with an evil eye) had seen Moses when he said he did exceedingly fear and Quake;Act. 7.31, 3 [...]. Ezek. 12.18. Psal. 38.8. Psal. 119.120. Iob 21.5, 6, 37, 1. Isa. 66.2, & 5. and David when be roared by reason of the disquietness of his heart; and when his flesh did tremble; and Daniel when he trembled and fell down to the ground, that his breath and strength went from him, and seen the men that were with him, when such a Quak­ing fell upon them that they went to hide themselves for fear; and Habakkuk when his belly shook, and his lips quivered; and [Page 32] Ioh when his flesh did shake and tremble,Dan. 10.7, 8, 11. Ior. 23.9. Ier. 30.5, 6. Hab. 3.16. Act. 9.4, 5, 6. 2 Cor. 7.5. Phil. 2.11, 12, 13. that his heart thereby was removed out of its place, and Ieremiah when he reeled to and fro, and all his bones did shake; and Paul when he fell down, and trembled; and when the Corinibians trembled, and the Philippians wrought out their salvation with fear and tremb­ling, who witnessed the power, which I have written to more fully and cleered by Scripture, in a Book called the Brazen Ser­dent, to take away that stumbling block from the mindes of the simple, and such as are troubled about it, let them have recourse to the book called the Brazen Serpent lifted up, and because I have written so largly to this, in that;

I shall now pass on, but if thou who watcheth with an evil eye, and seeks to raise grounds, to raise slanders and aspersions to cast upon the people of God, to render them odious to the world; if thou hadst seen these servants of the Lord, before mentioned, in those conditions, thou would have been ready to have called them their Quaking fits, Roarings, cruel torturings, &c. and thou that labors to raise such aspersions upon the peo­ple of God,Psal. 21.1. Ier. 5.22: Isa. 2.11, 12, 17, 19, 20, 21. who witness his power, as such did; thou mightest as well have accused them, and have spoken against them, that witnessed the sanie conditions before; as speak evil of the people, wayes, and works of God now (who speaks evil of them, and the power of God) but it is too manifest to all the children of light, that thou art a false accuser of the people of God, and one that speaks evil of his power, and thereby hast also cleared thy self to be one that art ignorant of the wayes, workings, and teachings, of the Spirit of God, and a stranger to the condition, of the holy men of God that spoke forth the Scriptures and ignorant of the conditions of these now, who witness to the life of the Scri­ptures; and knows not the manner of the work of the Spirit of God, as in thy 22 Page, thou confesseth thou, knows not of what sort it is that maketh them cry out, &c. And in that let all the wise hearted take notice, that thou hast also said thou knows not what, and art Ignorant of their conditions that thou hast been slandering, and upon them casting accusations and false aspersi­sions. And here I charge thee to be a slanderer of the innocent, and a busie body in other mens matters, and knows nor of what sort their work is, as thou hast said, therefore silence deceit, and stop thy mouth, be ashamed, and blush.

And in thy 25. Page, where thou sayes, By this thou clearly sees, thou art delivered out of the temptations of Satan, and they are befooled with Antichrist, wherein thou art also telling thy generation thy lies, &c.

Reply. The children of light that dwells in the pure power of God (which thou speaks evil of, and art delivered from) they [Page 33]dwelling in the pure discovery of Divine light and life; they see thee the boaster excluded out of Gods Kingdom, which stands not in word, but in power, righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost, and such in the power are kept out of Satans snares, and for being befooled by him, and so chargeth thee to be a liar, and denies thy fallacy, and with the pure divine light they that in the life of it dwelleth, such sees thee in the snare thy self, though exalted Lucifer-like, yet befooled with the delusion of Antichrist in h [...]s mysterious actings thou speaks of, and though thou be ex­alted in the delusions by Satans transformings in the working so disguised through that mysterious vail, yet thrown down thou must be, who art in the delusions, and so overcome with deceit by the subtil stratagems of Satan thou speaks of; therefore let all that fears God, take heed of thee and thy delusions, and the mysterious workings of Antichrist, by whose spirit thou as well as his Mini­sters, art Acted, who art labouring through his deceitful power (thou speaks of) and working to bring other poor creatures into thy own Region of darkness, and valley of death; who art un­der the dominion of the prince of darkness; the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that ruleth in thee, and all the chil­dren of disobedience, such as thou art, 2 Thess. 2.9, 10, 11, 12.

In thy Pages 25, 26. thou sayes, They compare their sufferings and Ago [...]ies with those of Christ, and they must suffer the wrath of God and the like as he did, and yet reckon themselves the servants of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord will prove this to be a horrible lie and delusion, because that Christ suffered for his servants, and bo [...]e the wrath and curse of God for them; and made satisfaction to his Fathers law and justice in his own blood, and his father was pleased to accept it; &c.

Reply, thy comparison and fallacy we deny; where thou sayes, they compare their sufferings and agonies, with those of Christ, and say they must suffer the wrath of God as he did.

The comparison is thy own, and the fallacy lies in those words in thy third line (as He did) we do not say we must suffer r [...]po [...] that cross at Mount Ca [...]vary, Christs death of great effect, who hath sa­tisfied the justice of God for the breach of the first co­venant, and now estab [...]shed the second. to satisfie the fathers w [...]ath and justice for the transgressions under the first covenant (as he did) therein thou lies and accuseth falsly, for he hath satisfied his fa­thers law and justice by suffering upon the cross at Mount-Ca [...]ary for the transgressions that were under the first covenant, who through the eternal spirit offered up himself without spot to God (and now in the new Covenant he doth purge our con­sciences from dead works to serve the living God) and for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Covenant, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under [Page 34]the first Covenant; they which are called might receave the Pro­mise of eternall inheritance, Hebr. 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. and we are called, not onely to beleeve, but also to suffer; as they under the New Covenant that beleeved were & did who said, For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not onely to beleeve, but also to suffer for his sake; having the same Conflict which ye saw in me; and now hear it to be true; Philip. 1, 29, 30.

This spoke the Minister of the Gospel,The Saints under the New Cove­nant, do witness the sufferings of Christ in t [...]em, &c. who had suffered and born about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, Read and understand; 2 Cor. 4.10. and the same Minister of the Gospell did annex a suffer­ing to beleeving and that in the behalf of Christ, Philip. 1.29. and thy comparison and fallacy being taken away, we witness such sufferings, which thou appears to be a Stranger in, and accuseth a people that witnesse the Power of God which worketh out salva­tion by fear and trembling, which the Gospell Minister that spoke to the Philippians of: & to suffer as well as beleeve, in his 2 Chapter. 12.13. and also annexed obedience to faith, and suffering to both; and we know that Christ is the Author of our salvation, that obey and serve him, and His servants we are as well as sufferers, for his Names sake, who also is the Author of eternall Salvation, to all that obey him, Hebr. 5.8, 9. this fallacy being taken away, Truth we witnesse and a suffering Condition, and that according to the teachings of the Spirit of Truth; for Christs sake (though not as he did upon the Crosse, at mount Calvary to Redeem them that were under the Law from under it) who fulfilled that Law and Cove­nant, that were but▪ Types and figures of him; who took away the first and established the second,Such as come not by the dore and through in­ward sufferings with Christ are strangers to the New Cove­nant; and the theef is seen to be without, &c Hebr. 10. and as they who witnessed Christ under the New Covenant, did witnesse a bearing about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus: so do we, and the life manifest in our mortall bodies as such d [...]d, 2 Cor. 4. And as they who were Ministers of the New Covenant, and knew the terrours of Lord, so do we, therefore we perswade men to be Reconciled to God, as they did who were his Ambassadours and Fellow-labourers with him, 2 Cor. 5.11. and 2. Cor. 6.2 Cor. 2.15, 16, 17. And we know also that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ as theirs did, 2 Corinth. 1.5. and thou that art a Stranger to the inward suffering, and so accuseth them who witness them; thou manifests to all the children of Light, whose servant thou art, a Theef that hath climb [...] up another way, and so never come in by the door; and have I charge thee in the presence of the Lord, to be no [...] of his Ministers▪ that art so ig­norant of the Spirits works and teachings, and by thy fallacies, and living divinations, casts slanders and Aspersions upon the Children and Servants of the Lord, by thy subtilty and Serpent-tine wit; who art that horrid lyer, and the Spirit of God proves thee to be so, [Page 35]that through a dirty fallacy thou would cast upon the Innocent, bu [...] it is turned back upon thee to Remain; plagues is the Serpents por­tion, but thou art of the Se [...]pents seed, a lier, and false-accuser, and plauges is thy portion; silence deceaver, and stop thy mouth! with the true light art thou seen and comprehended, and with the Light condemned.

And though Christ did make satisfaction to his Fathers Law,Christ hath made satisfa­ction for the Law: and there is now con­demnation to such as are infreed from. and Justice, to fulfill that law which had been broken, and through the fulfilling of it, were his Justice satisfied; yet that doth not free from inwards sufferings; that law stood outwardly, and was fulfilled, and the Justice of God satisfied concerning the breach of it; but now his Law is written within, in the heart: according to the te­nour of the New Covenant, that was given according to the Fa­thers Promis, Ier. 13.13, &c. Hebr. 8. So now the Righteousness of the holy Law of the Spirit of Life, tis to be fulfilled in us, as it was to be fulfilled in them, that did not walk after the flesh, but after the spirit, and though there be no condemnation to them that are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit, who wit­nesse the Law fulfilled in them; and so are led by the Spirit, and made more then Conquerers through him that loved them: who are sons and heirs of God, Rom. 38. Chap. and 1 Iohn. 1, 22, 9. and Gal. 3.29. Gal. 4.6.7. 1 Iohn 2.20.27. Yet such as are not sons but bastards,The unrigh­teous who walk in the flesh, and fulfi [...]l the lusts hereof are out of Christ, and un­der a state of condemnation: lu [...] they are now warned and left with­out excuse, happy a [...]e they, if th [...]y re­turn to the Lord by forsa­king the evill of their wayes, but if they do not [...]wo, &c. who walk not after the spi­rit but after the flesh, such as are unrighteous, (and unrighteousness is transgression of the Spiritual Law, Read 1 Iohn 3.4. and verse 10.) such are under a state of condemnation; take notice of that all the proud and lofty ones; al the covetous, oppressors, lyers, swearers, false-accusers, haters, back-biters, scoffers, scorners, coseners, cheaters, envious, and malicious ones, Rom. 1.27, 29, 30, &c. and take notice of it all, you unrighteous ones of what sort soever, and you that plead for a continuance insin; & yet walk after the flesh, Remember you are under a state of Condemnation, & are transgressors of the Righteous Law, ye unrighteous ones: therefore return from your unrighteous­nesse, or else you shall in no wise inherit the Kingdom of God, and this I testifie unto you from the Spirit of the Lord, say not but that you are warned, I am clear from your blood, now that I have warned you from the Lord, and if you will not take warning to turn from your unrighteousnesse, your blood be upon your own head, and in your condemnation from God, the light of God in your consciences that reproves you for sin; will also be a swift witnesse against you; and upon you Answer it will the Judgments of God to be just; there­fore take warning, now whilest you have time, least you die in your sins, and perish, and be shut out from God, and cast into everlasting burnings, and eternall torment; also Read, and Consider of those Scriptures,Rev. 20.10, 15 2 Th [...]s. 1.8, 9. 1 Cor. 5.9.10. Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. Rev. 14.9.10.11. Mal. 4.1. Rev. 21.8, 27. Read. Ezek. 33.11, 12, 13, &c. Ezek. 3.17, 18, 19, &c. you [Page 36]may see before the Reward of the unrighteous: and now you are warned. And where thou says It is a most devillishire, and delusion to conceave that any who are one with God in [...]ist shall undergo the wrath of God in that manner they speak of, by this they make the death of Christ of none effect, citing▪ Hebrews the 9.

They that are one with God in Ch [...]sta [...]e freed from si [...]; [...]d [...]o from wrath; (Reply:) The death of Christ we witnesse to be of great effect, and as before is proved, & also according to the 9 of the Hebr, which witnes­seth what before is said, but thy conceaving & fallacy we deny (which lies in these words, That any who are one with God in Christ shall undergo the wrath of God in such manner, &c.) we deny the conceit, and thy fallacy both; and we charge thee to be a lier, and false accu­ser; for we do not say that such as are one with God in Christ, shall suffer the wrath of God in such a manner, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ as before is said, and that we witnesse, and who walk in the light, Christ is light; and such as walk in him, re­ceaves the Light of life, I [...]hn 1.9. Iohn 8.12. and he leads to God the Father of Lights; and in him there is the love perfected; 1 Iohn 4.16, 17. and he that walks in the light, as he is in the light, hath fellowship with the Father, and Son, and there is a cleansing from all unrighteousnesse, and a dwelling in the divine Love, and so the Unity is witnessed, as Christ hath said, Iohn 14.30. and he that abideth in him sinneth not, 1 Iohn 3.6. neither can he sin, verse the 9. and there is a freedom, from sin and unrighteousnesse, the cause of wrath; and so a freedom from sin: A freedom also from wrath, to such as are one with God in Christ: so this conceit and fallacy being denied, and truth set in its Right place, the people thou calls Quakers are not in the delusion, because not within the compass of thy saying, whereby they would prove them so, then thy ground being ript up, thy fallacy taken away, Truth is cleared, and thou art ensnared, or in the delusion thy self, that art in the lies and false-accusaions, take notice of this.

The Serpent and his seed are shut out from God un­der the wrath and vengeance. 2 Thess. 1.6, 7, 8.But ye the Serpent and his seed, are in the unrighteousnesse, and not in God, for there is no fellowship, agreement, nor concord be­twixt them, 2 Cor. 6.14.15. but enmity is placed betwixt the two Seeds; and such as are of the Serpents seed, as thou art, must know the wrath and vengeance of God, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlines and unrighteousnes of men; who hold the Truth in righteousns, Rom. 1.18. take notice of that, all ye unrighteous ones, as is said before, for it is a Righ­teousness things for God to Recompence to tribulation to the un­righteous, and such as trouble his, 2 Thess. 1.6, 7.

And where thou says, When you have weighed it, see whether it can stand with the Lords Justice; to call any of his servants to bear so in their bodies and spirits as they do, his Iust and exact Judgment, untill he have wrought out of them his own Satisfaction and Recompence in that na­ture.

[Page 37] The World are not to Judge the Laints, but the Saints shall Judge the the World; Reply: The naturall man knows not the things and teachings, nor workings of the Spirit of God, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. and such thou calls to judge and trie, &c. For thou calls upon the World to judge, and the World trie thy expositions and tenents; and the World are not to judge the Saints nor the Spirits workings, teachings and actings; yet the Saints must judge the World, 1 Cor. 6.2. 1 Cor. 2.15. therefore thou and the Judges in the carnall, are with the Spirit of Truth judged through the eternal, with that which sets up Judgment and Justice in the new Creation, and we are the wormanship of God in Christ Jesus, created again, and changed by the operation of his spirit into the pure Image (again) 2 Cor. 3.17.18. and so we are out of the unrighteousness in the Righteous, where the true Justice is set up through the Judgment, therefore you cannot Judg us who are in the life of Truth; with your earthly carnall mindes; which is shut out, not being subject to the Law of God, and so judged with the power that brings forth judgment into Victory.

The body of sin is first within and those that know Re­demption from it & victory over it, know [...] the Power of God working within. Secondly, To come to thy sayings they are weighed, and thou art seen to stand in thy will and unrighteous, false, Astronomicall judgment; and the Secrets of God that stands in his Counsail, are hid from such (Astronomers) and lyers as [...]hou art, who art all along catcht with the lye comed out of thy mouth, and that which stands with the Divine Power of god, stands with his Justice, to let his servants bear about in their bodies his true Judgment, which bringeth forth Righteousnesse, and by the execution of his Justice, sin is the reby condemned in the flesh, so within their bodies: for the body of sin is within, and the just Judgement is executed upon it within; & so through the judgement upon the unjust, comes the free­dom of the Just; by the working of the power of Truth, in the Spirits ministration.

But thy fallacy we deny, & thy sting in thy tail, yet it stands with the Justice of God, to condemn sin in the flesh; Rom. 8. For what the Law could not do in that it was week through the flesh; God sent his Son to condemn sin in the flesh, verse 3. and the freedom from the Law of sin and death, is by the Law of the Spirit in Christ, ver 2. and that is within in the body, which Spirit that worketh within and executes Judgment upon him, setting free from the same, doth also quicken the mortall body, verse 11. and Paul he bore about in his Body (so did the rest) the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Christ might dwell in their mortall flesh, 2 Cor. 4.10.11. and these workings and actings was within in the body; and he said from hence­forth let no man trouble me, for I bear about in my body the marks of the Lord Iesus, It stands with the Justice of God to condemn sin in the flesh; and to let his ser­vants bear a­bout in their bo­dies, both the dying and suf­ferings of the Lord Iesus. Take notice of that Gal. 6.17. and they had the sentence of death within themselves, and that was in their bodies; and the sufferings of Christ did abound in them, 2 Cor. 1. and that was in their bodies; and when Paul writ unto the Colossians; he Rejoiced in [Page 38]his sufferings for them, and was to fill up that which was behinde of the Afflictions of Christ in his flesh, &c. Coloss. 1.24, 25. and he knew the mighty Power of God which wrought in him mightily verse 29. the Power of God within; and the afflictions of Christ in their flesh; and the works of Christ in their body, and the knowledge of the terrours of the Lord, and the bearing about in their bodies the dying of the Lord, and the sentence of death within them; and the condemning of sin in their flesh; and the sufferings of Christ did abound within them; these things was witnessed by them in their bodies &c. which Conditions thou art [...]gnorant of, and so never came in by the dore, which dore and sufferings and the like, the people of God now witnesse, whom thou Skip doth slander and Re­vile: but as for thy saying, If we bear in our bodies and Spirits, Gods just and exact Judgment, until he have wrought out of us his own satis­fastion, and recompence, &c. thou speaks thou knows not what, and as I said before, so say I still: thy fallacy we deny, and thy sting in thy taile; but we witness to the truth, and sufferings with Christs, as the servants of the Lord did: and by the workings of his Spirit we witness sin condemned in the flesh, Judgement brought forth into victory, and sanctification by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor. 6.11. 1 Cor. 1.30. but that point of sophistry is thy own, and turns back upon thee again.

And where thou hast gathered several Scriptures together, and art speaking about sanctification; and saith in the last place, will you consider how Paul doth reckon the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. as in thy 28. page.

Reply, The sanctification we own, and witness unto, as I said be­fore; but we deny thy point of sophistry thou tells of,A Point of so­phistry denyed. and that thou hast any thing to do, either to Judge of the people of God, or workings of the Spirit, that art ignorant of his teachings, and art iound to be the false accuser of the Brethren;The divine power of God which worketh out the corrup­tions, doth also sanctify the soul, and bring­eth forth the fruits of the Spirit, as is here mentioned, wit­nessed by us whom the world calleth Quakers. yet we witness the Power of God, which causeth to shake, tremble, and quake, as the holy men of God did, which the Scriptures also witnesseth. And as we witness their conditions, so we witness the fruits of the Spirit effected by the operation of the divine power: which branches forth into love without dissimulation, &c. which love is kind & envyeth not, vanteth not it self, is not puffed up nor revileth nor rejoyceth not in iniquity: but is a support both of faith, hope, and patience, and causeth to go comfortably through both afflictions and tribulati­ons, 1 Cor. 13. and the same power of life brancheth forth it self, by the spiritual operation into joy: which is not fleshly, but spi­ritual, such a Joy as no man can take away, and this remaineth within also: according to the saying of Christ, Iohn 15.11. and this divine power bringeth forth another fruit of the Spirit in us: [Page 39]whi [...]h is called Peace, and such a Peace as the world cannot give, but such a Peace as Christ giveth unto his, spoken of in the 14. of John 27. verse, and it brancheth forth into long-suffering, gen­tleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly-kindness, &c. as in Gal. 5.22, 23. an [...]wering with 1 Cor. 13. chap. which speaks of the Spirits fruits, and likewise agreeing with that Rom. 12. and 2 Pet, 1, 2, 3. &c.

This we witness unto, by the Spirits workings and teachings, ac­cording to the measure, and manifestation of of the Spirit of truth, and according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue, 2 Pet. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Where thou says, first, whatsoever journey Satan shall suggest unto them, they must undertake, if it be a hundred, or two hundred miles. Page 29.

Reply, That is false and not true, and here thou art charged to be an open lyer, and false accuser, satans suggestions we deny, and turn thy saying back upon thee again, and we also deny his service, he is thy Teacher and Master, who hath so taught thee to lye, and falsly accuse, and thou undertakes to do his service; but thou must receive thy reward, according to thy work, and all such: as you may read, Rev. 21.8. Rev. 20.10. &c. Rev. 22.11.12.

Whereas thou hast heard, that some have gone from some parts of the North unto London, 200. miles an end, and must go with all expe­dition upon his command, &c.

Reply, Thou art offended that any should go to do the will of the Lord, and that makes thee spew out thy venome because truth is raised up to declare against the deceit of the world and Anti­christian Ministers like thee, and thou cries out of their go [...]ng up to London f [...] the North, because thou perceives thy Kingdom to be struck at, and now begins to speak; but when didst thou cry out against any, or many that went up to London, to Petition for the advancing of the Kingdom of pride, covetousness, self-seeking, Priests and Antichristian Ministers; but now thou rages that hi [...] Kingdom is discovered, and struck at; And as for their going from the North up to London, it is not denyed; but the lye which thou joyns unto it, and thy sting in thy tail, where thou says, they go with all expedition upon Satans command, that is denyed and against testified; If it had been so, thou wouldst not have so cryed out a­gainst them, as thou hast; but praised be the Lord who hath put in­to the hearts of his servants, to execute and to do his will, though thou and the Devil thereat be offended: and because thou art so trained up in his Antichristian School of deceit, thou with all expe­dition [Page 40]obeys his command, to declare his lyes and vent them abroad.

And where thou says, the poor creatures are made to fast sometimes three days and three nights, and sometimes more, &c.

Reply, Is that such a wonder as thou says, that they are made to fast so from food, &c. here thou hast manifested thy self to be what thou art, a stranger to the life of truth, and to the conditions of the people of God, and Ministers of the Gospel: who were in labours and tumults often; and also in watchings, and fastings: 2 Cor. 6.

But thou says, Satan he doth so far deprive them of natural affecti­ons, and by that it may be known to be his work, &c. Page 30.

Reply, Eph. 2.3. Col. 3.1, 2. 2 Pet. 1.2, 3, 4. The corrupt nature, and all evil affections we do deny; but the pure divine nature, and such good affections we do own: and are made to set our affections on things which are above; and for Satan to teach people to fast three or four days, or commanding them more to do so: it is so destructive to his own Kingdom of lust gluttony, riot, and such excess, that he will never set any to work, against himself, to root out a Kingdom of lust; therefore in that thou hast also spoken without understanding. And such as are without the pure natural affections, are they that are in the corrupt nature, children of wrath, lyers, false accusers, fierce, heady, high-minded, truce breakers, and lovers of pleasures, and of that nature art thou, and such like; therefore that saying turns backward upon you in that generation again, and there to remain, (2 Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, 4.5. &c.) who are those that are so evil affected towards the truth, and truths friends: so that thou and such like doth revile them, slaunder, and falsly accuse, out of the evil of your hearts, and evil affections towards (it and) them, and so that you are known to be thereunto acted, and guided by the working of Anti­christ,John 8.44. and manifesteth your selves to be of your fa [...] the Devil.

1. Where thou says,Col. 2.6, 7. They are made to deny their Callings.

Reply, That is false, for such as are called out of corruptions, into purity, and out of a state of nature into grace, abiding therein, they do not deny their Callings; but every one as he abideth in the measure of the grace of God, into which he is called, he abides in that Calling wherein he is called of the Lord:We do abide in our Calling. and so it agrees with the former practise of the Saints, and Children of God in the time of old, where the Apostle saith to such as were called, saith he, as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: as obedient children, not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance; but as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy, for I am holy. 1 Pet. 1.14, 15, 16.

[Page 41]2. Where as thou says, they are made to give over their callings, Pet. 1.3, 4, 5. Coloss. 1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. professions, and honest imployments, many or most of them.

Rep [...] [...] at is also false, for as we are called in one hope of our Cal­ling [...] we abide: (many or most of us) professing the same, and ho [...] [...]mploying our selves therein; being diligent and faithfull to th [...] [...]rd, who hath so called us;We are faith­full in our calling, Pro­fession and honest imploy­ment. for the discovery and laying open the mystery of iniquity as it is to us made manifest; and also we are faithfull (many or most of us) in our honest imployment, declaring against the false-Antichristian ministry and reproving the man of sin: at such thou art offended, for our faithfulness in our Calling, and honest imployment in the same; but we know in whom we be­leeve, and whose Name we Professe in the faith; and obeying in our Calling into the Unity; we receave the vertue; and so we are made fruitfull in him, who hath so called & Chosen us; that we should be to the praise of the glory of his Grace, Iohn 15.3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, &c. verses; 27, 2. Iohn 17.14, 16, and 16, Eph. 12, 0.

And where thou accuseth and saith they neglect and disregard their families; The family is not neglected, & disregarded but Respected and Regarded. (Reply) that Accusation is false; families they regard and respect; and this fallacy lies in those words, (Disregard and Neglect) take it again, it is denied & turned back upon thee to remain; But the family we do not so disregard as thou says; therefore thou art a lier, and false accuser; take thy accusation again, and stop thy mouth with it; and where thou says, They say it is the language of Antichrist that biddeth a man take care for his own houshold and familie. (Reply) we deny that fallacy also; it is the language of Antichrist in thee that so standerously saith, and falsly accuseth. Now Truth slands clear and is freed from those slanders and false accusations. Blessed and praised be the Lord God of Principalities and Powers, who maketh us to see what is the Riches of his Grace and fellowship of the my­stery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid, in God who created all things by Jesus Christ: Eph. 3.0.9. to the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places; might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God, Eph. 3.10. According to the eternal Purpose which he purposed in Christ Je­sus our Lord, ver. 11, being now no more Strangers & Forreiners, but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God, Ephes. 2.18, 19, 20. for which cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in Heaven and in Earth is named, Eph. 3.14, 15.

And whereas thou says that some of them go naked, and they have a colour from that of Saul, and also saith, they neevr knew the mind of the Lord so discovered by any of his servants, either under the new or old Covenant, &c. pag. 35.

[Page 42](Reply▪)A Reply to that about going na­ked which thou hath accused some withall and says they bring in a co­ver for that from Saul. Here thou hast shewed, that thou art a busie bodie about other mens matters, and also ignorant of the minde of the Lord, discovered to Isaiah the Prophet, one of his Servants und [...]e old Covenant, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying [...] thy sackcloth from off thy loynes, and thy shoe from off thy [...] [...]nd he did so, and walked naked and bare-foot 3 years in obe [...]ce to to the minde and will of the Lord, Isaiah 20. chapter. See and take notice, here was an example. And the Lord so far Discovered his minde, that he commanded the same thing to be acted and done, which were Performed according to the Word of the Lord; There­fore in that thou hast manifested thy Spirit of Errour, as well as in the rest of thy sayings, slanders, and false accusations.

Secondly, And thou says, As for that of Sauls stripping off his cloathes, and lying down naked amongst the Prophets, there is nothing in that Place doth prove it to be the will of the Lord, &c.

(Reply,) Saul at that time was guided by a Spirit of Prophecy, and that was according to the will of the Lord, for no Prophecy of the Scripture came in old time, by the will of man; but by the will of God, 2 Pet. 1.21. but Saul was then a Prophet guided by a Spirit of prophecie, according to the will of the Lord, and at that very time when he stript off his cloathes and day naked before Samuel, all day and all night:1 Sam. 19.23. then Saul having at that time the Spirit of God, and prophesied till he came before Samuel, where he stript off his cloathes; and then prophesied also; which were ac­cording to the will of the Lord, at that same time when he lay naked among the Prophets, and as Balams Asse did speak to reprove him for his madness and folly, so thou having manifested thy madnes and folly, art Reproved and Judged for thine, who art in errour de­lusion and filthy deceipt, but are lest naked and bare as Saul was; and now all thy Covers will not hide thee, thy skirts is discovered, take shame to thy self and beware how thou utters thy folly as thou hast done.

And whereas thou says, if they cannot see the servants of Christ that walk according to the manifest Rules of the Gospell, to be the servants of Christ; but reckon them to be the servants of sin, hypocrites, &c. as (thou says) they do commonly; why then (thou says) they prove themselves to be blind and led forth by a lying, and deceavable spirit of delusion by Anti­christ, &c. pag. 37.

(Reply:) Now if we can see and know the servants of Christ, that walk according to (his Spirit) [...] manifest Rule in the Gospell; and so do not reckon them to be (blind) servants of sin; nor hypo­crites, &c. and do not (as thou sayes) commonly call them so, then we do not prove our selves to be blind, nor led forth by a lying and deceaveabl spirit, neither of delusion nor Antichrist, &c. as in thy 37. page.

[Page 43] The Serpent catcht or taken in his own snare devie [...].But we whom thou calls Quakers, do see, and know the servants of Christ, that walk according to Gospel rules, and do not reckon them to be servants of sin, nor men in the darkness and hypocrisie, &c. neither do we commonly call them so,; then we do not prove our s [...]es to be blind, but in the light; Joh. 8.12. nor led forth by a lying and deceivable spirit, but by the manifestation of the Spirit, a rule in the Gospel to profit withal; 1 Cor. 12.7. and al­so led by that spirit which is the Saints guide into all truth, John 16.13. a Rule in the Gospel, and so we are led by the Spirit of God which is the Saints guide Roman. 8.14. Galat. 4.6, 7. therefore we whom thou calls Quakers, are not in delusion, nor guided by the Spirit of Ant [...]christ, we are hereby cleared, and thou ensnared: and so thou art he that hast proved thy self to be blind, and led forth by a lying Spirit; therefore in that delusion of Anti­christ thou speaks of; and art acted and guided by his Spirit, and amongst such as thou ranks together like unto the men of the world, that do not know the servants and Disciples of Christ from his pro­fessed enemies (according to his saying) but speaks evill of the men you know not, and of the things and workings of the Spirit of God, and so there needs no further proof then your own open and Professed mistake; who your selves are Ranked with the carnall and sinfull men of the World, so that there is, like Priest, like People, Hos. 4. v, 9. who are all under the Power of Antichrist, and so without God in the World, and the poor deluded Creatures, thou speaks of accor­ding to thy 37. pag.

The Covenant, the Promises we witnesse, but the Alienation and slanders, aspersions, and false accusations, and lies, as well in the 37: page, as in other parts of thy Book that we deny, turning them back upon thee and thy generation again; though thou be made to cast away Tythes, thou art strong in thy false accusations and lyes, and so art in the deceivablenesse with the rest that took them, though thou be in another colour disguised; take notice of that, therefore do I turn thee amongst the Serpents generation: for Lyers, and slande­rerers, deceavers, and false accusers (therefore thou) are of that gene­ration and of the Serpents seed, whose head is in the unbru [...]sed.

And whereas thou says, if these poore deluded wretches of whom we are speaking, shall judg themselves to be the servants of Christ; and reckon them to be the servants of Christ also, then they are brethren; and if brethren, and yet hate their brethren; they must needs be under delu­sion and the words of the Apostle John will render them to be Liers and deceaved People, &c. pag. 37, 38.

(Reply:) Now upon this Reckoning and Account, as thou leaves it toour judging rnd reckoning of our selves; so I say, if we know [Page 44]that we are the Servants of Christ,The wise ta­ken in his own craftinesse and the Innocent art clear th [...]reby. and reckon our selves Brethren and so love one another, and do not hate our Brethren, then thy necessity is taken away; and we shall not be under delusion, nor a deceaved People, neither will the Apostle John render us to be so, but on the contrary witnesse with us: to be the children of th [...] Lord, and Friends, and Brethren in Christ; and so we are & shall thereby be cleared for what thou falsely would charge upon us, and doth slan­der us withall.

But we whom thou calls Quakers and reviles under that name, we know that we are the servants of God, and bought with a Price, and being called in the Lord, we are his free men; and so we Rec­kon our selves also to be Brethren: and not the servants of men; but of God, abiding with him in that calling, wherein we are called, 1 Cor. 7.22, 23, 24. and so let every one abide in the same calling, wherein he is called of the Lord, ver. 20. and serve him in what he requires, Presenting also their body as a living sacrifice, holy ac­ceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service, Roman. 12. and being born again not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, seeing we have purified our souls in obedience to the Truth, through the Spirit, we love one another with a pure heart servently, accord­ing to the Gospell, discipline Rule, fellowship, and doctrine, as such did who were of that Birth and Seed, 1 Pet. 1, 22, 23. and so we wit­nesse as such did, that he who sanctifieth, and they who are sancti­fied are of him; and he is not ashamed to call them his Brethren, Hebr. 2.11, 12. and we being so born sanctified and taught, we Reckon such as are of that Seed and Birth in the Sanctification, to be also our Brethren, and we do not hate, but dearly tender and love them, and we also reckon that the suffering condition is not to be compared to the Glory revealed within, by comming through the suffering, Rom. 8.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. and we know that our brethren before, who were led by the Spirit, did also witnesse the same, and we know moreover as the sufferings of Christ do abound in us: so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ, Praised be the Lord for the Riches of his Love, 2 Cor. 1.5. 1 John 3.

Then it being that we are of the New Birth in the calling and brother-hood, and have acknowledged & witnessed that we are Ser­vants of God, and Brethren in, and by Christ; and that we do not hate, but love our brethren; it must needs be that we are not under any delusion, according also to thy saying, E. S. Being proved and tried, and back-returned, thy fallacy taken away, and truth set up in its place, and therefore thou being sound the subtil Serpent with thy sting in thy tail, and envie, and hatred thou & al false accusers of the innocent are the deluders, and in the delusions and wretched­nesse thou speaks of; and now that we are cleared from thy slanders, and thou found the envier and hater, and such in the nature; the [Page 45]Apostle Johns words witnesseth for us; and against such as you are that are in the envie and evil, committing sin and so serving the Devil: take notice of that; and also read 1 John 3.15, and 1 John 3.8, 10.

It followes from Edmund Skips words that (we a People whom he calls Quakers) being servants of Christ and brethren; (not hating but) loving our brethren; that we are under no delusion, nor guided by aspirit of Antichrist, &c. But we whom he calls Quakers are servants of Christ and brethren, and also (do not hate but) love our Brethren; therefore according to that, we a People whom Ed­mond Skip calls Quakers; are not deluders nor under delusion, &c. take notice of that;Friends and Christ, who are of the Royall Seed and new Birth, are set forth and manifested to be the Children and servants of God, by their Love to him, and one to ano­ther that are if the same spiri­tuall Birth; and in Vnion with him in the pure divine Light, Life and Love: Or Some Rules of Love, where­by the Children of God are known to to love God, and also to Live one another. and also of Johns words to witnesse for the Truth.

Johns words witnesse for the Righteous seed, such as are born again are of that seed, and sons of God, so brethren in Christ; who lives in the divine light, Life and Love, and we may cry out with admiration that are of that Seed, and in the divine Love; and say with John; and John with the righteous Seed, who sald,

First. Behold, what manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the Sons of God, there­fore the World knoweth us not, because it knew him not, 1 John 3, 1, 2.

Secondly. (And saith he) ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins (and we know the same) and in him is no sin at all, whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, 1 John 3.5, 6.

Then Thirdly. little Children let no man deceive you, he that doth Righteousnesse is Righteous even as he is Righteous, and whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed Remain­eth in him (so saith the holy Ghost) and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, 1 John 3, 7, and 9.

Fourthly. Therefore, Marvell not my Brethren if the World hate you (it is but what the Lord Jesus foretold of to his, John 15.18, 19, 20, 21.) and we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the Brethren, 1 John 3.13, 14.

Fiftly, Now my litle Children let us not love in Word, neither in Tongue; but indeed and in Truth; and thereby we know that we are of the Truth, and shall asure our Hearts before Him, [...] John 3. ver. 18, 19.

Sixtly. This is His Commandement that we should beleeve on [Page 46]the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment, and he that keepeth his commandment dwelleth in him, and he in him, and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us, 1 Joh. 3.23, 24.

7. In this was manifested the love of God to us (whom the world now reproacheth for his names sake, &c.) because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him; and herein is love not that we (first) loved God; but that he (first) loved us and sent his Son (to teach us and guide us, Joh. 8.12.) and to be the propitiation for our sins who being children, have them forgiven, 1 Joh. 2.1 [...]. And now, beloved, if God so loved us, it is our duty, and we ought also to love one another, for God is love, and if (with his love) we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us, 1 Joh. [...].9, 10, 11, 12.

8. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, because he hath given us of his spirit, vers. 13.

9. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is Love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God-in him, herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4.16, 17.

10. We love him, because he first loved us (and manifested his love to us to beget our hearts and souls to love and obey him) and this commandment have we from him; that he who loveth God, loveth his brother also, vers. 19, 20.

11. By this we know we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments, for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous (to such as are born of God) for whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcom­eth the world, even our saith, 1 Joh. 5.2, 3, 4.

12. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that is born of God,1 Joh. 5.5, 6. Joh. 3.5, 6, 7, 8 of water and the Spirit, not after the flesh nor after the will of man, but after the spirit, and according to the will of God, Joh. 1. but as many as received him to them he gave powers, to become the sons of God, even to [...]hem that believe on his name; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of men, but of God, Joh. 1.12, 13. and such as are born of God, are in the life of faith, known the witnesses, and he that Be­lieveth [Page 47] [...]n the Son of God and is of that birth, hath the witness within, and the record is there known and witnessed in the life e­ternal; and we do through the mercies of God, know the teachings and workings of Gods holy Spirit within us, witnessing the faith and the birth; and we do not believe and love one another, only; but we know that the Son of God is come also; and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true (and as they was, and said; so do we) and we are in him that is true; even in his Son Je­sus Christ, this is true God and life eternal (and no delusion nor deceit but) according to the teachings and workings of the spirit of truth, and witnessed to by the Scriptures and the servants of truth,1 Ioh. 5.10, 11, 12. & 20. and friends and brethren who are out of the envy and hatred, in the divine love, and so out of the old life in the new passed by the Lord.

Page 28. And where thou sayes, They are under the great bondage and slavery which is laid upon them by Satan, who captivates them at his will.

Reply, Then it is by the Satanical Ministers, and tything and hierling Priests, that bondage and bring into prisons for speaking the truth, and declaring against their false Antichristian Ministery,The servants of Christs bondage by the Ministers of Antichrist. as many by their means hath so been brought into bondage, and outward imprisonment, and could not have liberty to declare and spread abroad the truth; because Satan in and by his false deceit­ful Ministers caused some to be laid hold on, and put into prison; and thereby acting the divels part, brought some into bondage; which by the devil in his Antichristian Ministers were laid upon, even such servants of God, as were Antichrists opposers, and so that Scripture were fulfilled, where it is said the devil shall cast some of you into prison, and ye shall have tribulation for a t [...]me, and so the devils Ministers hath in that acted their part to bring into bondage the servants of the Lord, take notice or that, ye Satanical persecuring Antichristian Ministers, who bondage and imprison the servants of the Lord: and you that are by them so imprisoned, be faithful unto death, and you will receive the crown of life, Head Rev. 2.10.

And whereas thou says, They are made to suffer more cruel (and hea­vy) burthens then she Israelites under Pharaon in Egypt, Page 28.

Reply, Then it is, by the Satanical Priests and Antichristian Mi­nisters, as before, and not onely by our bonds and imprisonments, but also by causing them to pay the tenths of their yeerly increase [Page 48]of hey and corn,The tithing and hireling-Priests, false Antichristian Ministers are cruel oppressors of the people of God as Pha­raoh was. and tithe lamb and wooll, money for Mar [...] and foals, money for kine and calves, money for eggs, and smoak pas­sing the chimmeys, and their geese and piggs, tithe hemp and flax, tithe apples and cherries, Easter reckonings, and Midsummer dues, as they call them; and causeth such to pay those things to whom they do no service, except to revile them and [...]ail against them; and such as cannot for conscience sake towards God, pay these de­mands to uphold an Antichristian Ministry, captivates, or impris­ons them at his will, and thus they suffer more cruel burthens by them, then Israel did by Pharaoh, for I do not read that ever Pha­raoh did after that manner; therefore you Antichristian Ministers be ashamed of your Ministery.

Page 40. And thou thy self saith in Page 40. That, They forsake father and mother, wife and children for Christs sake, and they endure much affliction, persecution, opposition and disgrace from the men of the world, &c.

Reply, By that thou hast proved them to be none of the world, but such as love Christ above all;Mat. 10. 37, &c Luk. 9.23, &c. and art thou offended, and all this while slandering and reviling them for their love they bear to Christ, by doing his will, and following him according to Gospel, discipline,The people and servants of Christ suffers affliction, per­secution and reproach from the men of the world, for the love they have to Christ by fol­lowing him and doing his will and reproving of sin. rule, and doctrine, and so suffers for his names sake, as such aforetimes did, that believed, loved, obeyed and followed him? and it is the portion from the world, that His must e [...]pect to be afflicted, persecuted, and suffer reproach, which thou calles disgrace from the men of the world, and so here thou hast cleered them to be the chosen people of God, that are chosen out of the world to suffer for Christs sake as they do: and by this thou hast also cleared thy self to be none of the friends and disciples of Christ, but one of the world, for they are reproached and slande­red by thee, and so by the world; and therefore thou lovest them not, because they are not of the world, and makes good the Scri­pture and saying of Christ, who said to his, If the world hate you; ye know it hated me (and so thou hates his, and therefore hates him) and saith he to his, if ye were of the world, the world would love its own (but thou loves not us, because we are not of the world, but are chosen out of the world, to declare against the evil of it, and therefore thou art offended, but we must do the will of the Lord, and rejoyce in that he hath chosen us out of the world, and coun­ted us worthy to do his will in declaring against the deceits of the world; and also in that he hath counted us worthy to suffer for his names sake, Joh. 15.18, 19, 20, 21. and more especially that our names are written in the Lambs, book of life, knowing also that the unrighteous, and all whose names are not written in the [Page 49]Lambs book of life shall not enter into the holy City, nor inherit the Kingdom of God, but be cast into the lake that burneth, &c. as Jesus hath said, who sent his Angel to testifie the same. Take notice of this all ye persecuters, gainsayers and oppressors of the truth, and all the unrighteous prophane ones, and all under what deceipts soever, 1 Cor. 5.9, 10. Rev. 14.9, 10, 11. and Rev. 21.8, 27. Rev. 20.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Rev. 22.10, 11, 15, 16.

And where thou shews thou art offended that truth should be spread abroad, thou makes covers to cover over deceit, but it is clearly seen, and thou art falsly accusing and saying, That they pre­tend that the Lord sendeth them, hither and thither, that they know not wither to go, or to what person, till they come to the place or person, &c.

Reply. That is false, the pretence is thy own, and that fallacy or sting in thy tail I deny (where thou sayes, They pretend the Lord sends them hither and thither they know not whither, The wicked bends their tongues like their bows for lies, and so shoots their arrows of re­proach against the innocent. &c.) thy pretence and fallacy is denied; but the Lords sending I own, and know and after what manner he sends, even as he pleaseth, according to the workings in his own councel after the good pleasure of his will. And this I do own notwithstanding thy cover, from the Lords sending of Moses to Pharaoh, and Nathan to David, and Ananias to Saul, &c. Thou art busying thy minde about them and their sending, and art a stranger to the life they lived in; they was not liars, slanderers, false accusers nor hypocrites like thee, but de­clared against such, as thou and thy generation of evil doers, are by the spirit of the Lord in his servants and children declared a­gainst now, at which thou art sore offended, and bends thy tongue like thy bow, for lies; and shoots thy arrows of reproaches, false accusations and slanders, out against the truth, and would not be told of it again, but be thou sure God will meet thee, and with his righteous judgements smite thee, and such like, and then wo to the wicked, and such as thou art it shall go ill with you, Isa. 1.24. 2 Thess. 1.8, 9. Isa. 3.11.

2. Thy pretence being denyed, and fallacy cast out; the for­mer sendin [...]s of the Lords servants I own,A sting in the tail denyed, but the Lords send­ing of his ser­vants, as he pleaseth, owned. and also the send­ing of the Lords servants now, by the same spirit and power, which thou art a stranger unto, that speaks against imme­diate teachings by the Spirit of God, which teachings immediate I own, and also know the Lords sending when I am sent, to person or place, as Ananias did when he w [...]s sent unto Paul in the street, called straight, to that person and place, Act. 9.10, 11. and as I do so do all witness to the truth who stands in the councel of God; and to the truth I witness; but thy saying that lay in thy fallacy, and sting in thy tail, that I deny, and backe with the rest of thy [Page 50]lies I return open thy old botle, and take them in again into the serpents seat from whence they came, that with thee and in thy generation they may remain.

And where thou sayes, Let us return and examine the manner of the Lords sending his servants and prophets upon particular messages.

I answer, Thou hast nothing to do to busie thy minde about them,The way and manner of the Lords sending forth his ser­vants is owned according to the working of his power in his own councel, & after the good pleasure of his divine will, and also some times to particular places and per­sons according to the word of the Lord. yet art an enemy to them, and a stranger to the immediate teachings, and so to the power by which they were and are sent; but the immediate teachings I own as before is said, and also the power and spirit by which the Lord sent, and now sendeth his servants; and the manner of the Lords sending of them as he pleaseth according to the working of his power in his own councel, and after the good pleasure of his will, he then sent forth his ser­vants, and so doth he now, and that I also own: and those that the Lord sent and stood in his councel, they knew whither to go and sometimes the Lord told them to whom to go, and what to say, and sometimes they were to go to places, &c. and it should be told them when they came there what to say, and sometimes wai­ted after they came there several dayes, before it was given what to say or speak, &c. And as the Lord did then to his servants ac­cording to his own councel, and the good pleasure of his will; so doth he to his servants now according to his own councel and the good pleasure of his divine will (but Edmund Skip, thou that art a liar, slanderer, and false accuser of the brethren) thou art of the old serpent (Rev. 12.15, &c.) and not in the councel of God, but accusing such as are, and speaking evil of the wayes and workings of the spirit and power of God, then out of his councel and so not sent of him, but by the false accuser, and the man of sin; therefore I take that from thee which thou hast stoln, and return it into its right place again, and I tell thee plainly the Lord is a­gainst such theeves as thou art, and as may be read; Jer. 23.30, 31, 32.

But to the truth I witness and own, and that when the Lord called Moses, and made known himself to him, he sent him accor­ding to the good pleasure of his will; and so doth he now, such as standeth in his counsel, Exod. 3. And when Ezekiel was sent to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river of Ch [...] ­ber, he knew whither to go, but not what to say, neither when he went to them, nor at first or present when he came there, amongst them and where they was; but he sat where they sat and remai­ed there amongst them seven dayes, before it was given him what to say; so he, to wit, Ezekiel the servant, of the Lord, when he was at that time sent by the spirit of the Lord he knew whither to [Page 51]go, but not what to say, untill it were revealed unto him,Ez [...]kiels seven dayes silence at Tel-abib. or gi­ven unto him what to say from the Lord, to the people unto which he were sent. And as it was with that servant of the Lord so it may be with some others of the servants of the Lord, they know sometimes whither to go, and not at present what to say, and as it was no delusion in Ez [...]kiel, to go and wait: so it is no delusion in them that so go in obedience to the sp [...]rit of the Lord, though they waite when they come there (as long or little time as the Lord pleaseth) as Ezekiel the servant and true Prophet of the Lord waited amongst the people of the Captivity at Tel-abib, where he was sent seven dayes after he came there, then he came there amongst them by the river Cheber, before the word of the Lord came unto him what to say; therefore silence all flesh: also read Ezek. 3.14, 15, 16.

When Ananias was sent to Paul, he was told in a vision to whom to go, and what to say, Act. 9.10, 11, &c.

Peter sent by the spirit, &c.When Peter had seen the vision, though it was not told him be­fore he went what to say, yet he knew whither to go, and went without gain-saying, Act. 10.17, 18, 19, 20, &c. So others of the servants of the Lord may know by vision or revelation whither to God, and not at present what to say, and to go without gain-saying the power, they do well for to obey.

Philp sent on the way towards Gaza.1. When Philip was in the villages of the Samaritans, he was commanded to arise and go towards the South, unto the way that went down from Jerusalem unto Gaza; and he did obey the com­mands he knew at that time onely whither to go, to such a­way that led to Gaza; but he neither knew what to do there, nor what to say, yet he did obey, and went unto that way that went from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert, Act. 8.25, 26, 27.

Philip joyned to the Chariot.2. And again, Philip when he came there, as he was going on the way, he saw a Chariot, and the spirit said unto Philip, go and joyn thy self to yonder Chariot, and he went, knowing then the second time whither to go; but not at that present what to say, until he came at him that sat in the Chariot, to whom by the Spirit he was sent, Act. 8.29, 30. And when Philip came at the man to whom he was sent, instead of delivering a message first unto him, when he came there, he propounded a question, Act. 8.30. But the Eunuch neither ran away, nor sent Philip to prison for pro­pounding unto him a question, as many Antichristian Ministers in these dayes do. Take notice thereof.

[Page 52] An observation to be [...]aken no­tice of, by the Lords servants about being sent, &c. And here it is to be observed, that the Lord did not alwayes make known to his Servants, whom he sends to particular persons and places, what to say before they go: their obedience is requi­red, first to go, and then to wait for what he is pleased by them to say or do; therefore he will have his servants to stand in his Coun­sel, that they may be ordered by him according to the good plea­sure of his will: Some of the Lords servants, and at sometimes, knows-before they go, both whither to go, what to say, and what to do: others, sometimes they know to whom to go, and not at present what to say: it was so amongst the Lords servants, Prophets and Apostles before time, and it is so with the Lords servants now; they are to be ordered by his Power in his own Counsel, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Several things acted by the servants of the Lord before time, which if any of the ser­vants of the Lord should be commanded so to do now, this generation would wonder, and call it de­lusion, & mad­ness. And again, see a few of the Prophets acts, according to com­mand. First, see Jeremiah's act about the earthen bottle, how the word of the Lord came to him and told him what to do, which would be strange in these days, if any of the Lords servants should do so; and likewise concerning the girdle, when he was commanded once to go, and put it in a hole of the rock, Jer. 13.1, 2, 3, 4. and he obeyed that command, ver. 15. but he knew not at that time why he did it, but shewed his obedience to the Lord; then after many dayes he was commanded to go fetch that girdle again, and it was so marred that it was profitable for nothing, see Jer. 13.6, 7. and the second time Jeremiah knew nor why he did so act, but he shewed his obedience without any gain-saying. Then the third time the Lord made known to him the mystery of the thing, verse 8.9.10.

Likewise that of Ezekiel, about the tile when he pourtrayed up­on it, and laid si [...]ge with a pourtrayed tile, &c. Ezek. 4. and like­wise concerning the Barbers rasor, cutting off his hair, and weigh­ing it in the ballance, &c Ezek. 5. and about digging through the wall, to carry the goods out, when reason would have said the door had been more convenient; and many things which the Lords servants did there, which if any of the Lords servants now should be commanded to act such things, to figure out the conditi­on of a people, and what the Lord would do, and in his time per­fect and accomplish: they would in this generation be ready to call it madness, delusion and folly; but such as knows not the im­mediate teachings of the Spirit of God, knows neither his sending to particular persons nor places, nor the Spirits workings and acti­ons, no more then thou Edm. Skip dost who so slaundereth, and accuseth the people of God, and art a stranger to the immediate teachings of the Spirit of God, as thou hast shewed, and before is proved, therefore silence deceit, and stoy thp mouth, thy (Prog­nostication [Page 53]or) Astronomical Judgment is false, and stuft full of lies, (falshoods) and untruths, to fill ignorant people with fancies, envy, and lies, that thou may make them like thy self in deceit, and filthiness, such as are wiling to believe it, and be led by thee, but to the wise hearted thou hast tittered thy shame and folly: With the light that changeth not, art thou and thy perni­cious waies, and fubtil twistings, seen and comprehended, and with the light judged and condemned.

And where thou says, There was one in the North kept a fast a great while, and thou conjectured it to be either Nayler or Fo [...]: who was commanded of the Lord to fast, and as thou says, if thy memory faile thee not it was seaven days; and having so done, he was commanded to fast so many more, next ensuing that: and so several of them as thou says, have been commanded to fast; and this, thou says, is the little great wonder, this man having fasted as be was commanded, by his enemy under the pretence of a friend, &c.

Reply, Thy sting in thy tail, fallacy, and little great wonder is denied, where the Serpent shoots forth his sting in those words, saying, he was commanded by his enemy so to fast, under the pretence of a friend, thy pretence is false, and the enemy and his commands, we do deny, and thee the Conjecturer, Prognosticator and Astro­nomer, with thy lying wonders in thy false and Astronomical Judgment, and thy prodigious Comet, with its scintillations and sp [...]rklings thou tells of, and also thy little great wonder and lyes, and false accusations, and slanders, who art he that Satah hath trans [...]ormed like to an Angel of light: who art venting thy lyes, and malice, because thy false Apostle ship is now discovered, and thy Antichristian transforming, being fitting for his highest attain mens, [...]nd making, and made able to deceitful works, as thou hast learned by Antichrists methodical way in his School and art, lear­ning that Philosophical Maxime thou rests of, and by thy Philoso­phy and vain deceit, deceives poor ignorant creatures, acting [...]n that mystery of iniquity and sophistry; plagues upon it, and wo, and [...]geance from God, is the reward of thy Satan cal work: who art [...]o [...]gly promoted by him, as to be his Nuntio. Thou declarer and publisher of horrid lyes, slanders, and false accusations, wo and vengeance expect for thy reward; and the lake is prepared for sorcerers, inchanters, witches, lyers, and such like, Rev. 21.8. thy filthiness we deny, thy sting in thy taile (Rev. 1.9.) and also thy de­cei [...] ablenefs, slanders, false accusations and horrid lye; and lyers, are for the burring lake, and such like: take notice of that.

Secondly, But, obeying the commands of the Spirit we own; for such are Christs friends as keeps his commands, and watching, [Page 54]fasting, and prayer, we own according to the reachings, and com­mands of the Spirit of truth, and with Gospel discipline, and Do­ctrine; but all that which is contrary to the truth of the Gospel that we deny; and the Devil doth not, nor will not so strike at his own Kingdom of lust, as to set any six or seaven daies to fast; for thereby lust it becomes weak, and it as a means of rooting lust out, that great evil, on fruit of the Devil; and as Christ hath said some sort, and so it may be said of this sort, it goes not out, but by fasting and prayer; and herein thy Judgement is false, and not true: and thou contemns the power of truth, and the works of the Spirit of God; and one while saith, if it was be thou calls Nay­ler, or another, that he had a command of God so to d [...] [...] thou sayest he said he had: then he did well that kept the command and obeyed: and art thou offended at that? thou art offended at truth if thou be, but thou art; therefore ignorant of the teachings and workings of the Spirit of truth, and so ignorant of Christs commands; and yet taketh upon thee to Judge the truth with thy false mind, and out of thy false heart: and hath also manifested the same in accusing him falsly; that thou hast but a conjecture of, be it Nayler or Fox; and so with the truth art thou judged, and thy lying tongue condemned by the Spirit of truth, according to the heritage of the servants of the Lord, Isa. 54.17.

Thirdly, For fasting which thou contemns, and derides such, as do it in obedience to a true command, and so in obedience to the Lord; for thou says in pag. 44. thou art perswaded they dare not tell a lye, &c. and if they dare not tell a lye, &c. as thou says, then God teacheth them to deny lying, and speak the truth, and so to obey the teachings and commands of the Spirit of truth: and it is God that teacheth truth, and no lies, for no lye is of the truth; there­fore in thy sayings thou hast ensnared thy self, and by thy words art thou judged to be unstable like a wave of the Sea, foaming out thy own shame, and manifesteth thy confusion, that says for thy own ends, as in pag. 44. thou art perswaded they dare not lye, yet further thou sayest, they are deluded by Satan. How confused thou art, the Devil hath no truth to speak: then not to teach [...]ther to speak truth, and not lye, for there is no truth in him [...] when he speaketh a lye he speaketh it of himself, for there is no truth in him John 8.44. then not for any to receive from him; there­fore they speaking truth, and no lye whom thou accusest, they are neither taught of him, nor deluded by him. Take shame to thy self and blush, that so lieth of them, and accusest also for fasting, and when they had confirmed the souls of the Disciples, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to God on whom they believed, Acts 14.21, 22, 23. and they gave them to fasting and prayer, 1 Cor. 7.5. and were in fastings often, and they approved [Page 55]themselves as the Ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, and fastings, 2 Cor. 6.4, 5. here in judging fastings that were done in obedience to a command of the Lord, (to be a command of Satan) thou therein hast judged the spirits action, & judged the practice of the Saints & Servants of the Lord, and art ignorant of the conditions of the aforesaid approbation of the Mi­nisters of the Gospel, and so hast manifested thy Antichristian spirit of trechery, delusion, and deceit, according to thy gradations, as thou hast been taught methodically in thy master Antichrists School: who art one of his Antichristian false Apostles, and Schollers train­ed up in error, delusion, and deceit, by him whose coming is with signs, and lying wonders, with all deceivableness of unrigh­teousness, in them that perish. 2 Thess. 2.9, 10, 11.

And where thou says, for that deceit of theirs in giving over all care and Callings, and then honest employments in the world, they are made to misapprehend the teachings of Christ, in Matth. 10.37.38.

Reply, We do not misapprehend the teaching of Christ in Mat. 10.37, 38 but witness thereunto, and in that thou art proved a ly­er; And for that fallacy which is laid down in that word (All) Care and Callings, and honest employments: that is also false, and is so proved before; therefore thou art charged with another lye: thy mouth is full of such stuff which thou hast learned in the Antichristian School, where thou hast learned thy art of lying, and deceit, he ashamed and blush.

And thou Sophister saiest, being given over to lyes, where thou wrests, and twists about with thy fallacies and deceivable spirit, that we think Christ doth engage his people to leave all care and dili­gence.

Reply, Thy fallacy thou hast laid down, (in thy saying all care and diligence) which we deny, and here thou art found with ano­ther lie in thy mouth: silence deceit, thou cannot by a lying-spirit enter into our thoughts; that saist, They think Christ doth engage his people to leave all care and diligence.

Here again, I charge thee with another Lie, for it is not our thoughts; the Lying Spirit hath told thee so, by which thou art de­ceived and so taught to lie: thy Tongue is deceitfull, and so is thy heart, and now the Spirit of Truth tells thee the same; and also witnesseth against thee, and thy deceipt.

And that distrustfull care we deny, and know that Christ doth engage his people to leave it; but there is a true care, which Christ [Page 56]engageth the hearts of his people unto, and that we own. And the love of Christ teacheth us diligence and faithfulness also; which engageth our Hearts and Souls unto him; and to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God, to serve him with Reve­rence and Godly fear, and also to serve our generation in Love, by being faithful unto the Lord our Redeemed passing the time of our sojourning here in fear and true care, therefore thou open Lyer, lay thy hand upon thy m [...]d [...] and [...]ish; be ashamed for ever, that thou should be to befooled by the Devil as thou art, to be his slander-Carryer and sow his seed, of distention, lies, slanders and evil [...], and so Labours to harrow it, into the fear of enmity, and grounds of Prejudice.

And that saying, where thou says, Thou hast read [...] what an inso­lent, proud, Authentick manner the Devil spoke to Christ, &c.

Reply, That shall stand for thy self, who are the Devils-slander-carrier, and Satans Proclaimer and Publisher of lies, slanders, and deceiptfull wicked evill and filthy aspersions, in such a [...] inso­lent, Authentick manner against the Truth of Christ, and his Bre­thren and friends, (so against him in them) and Reviles the servants of the living God is thy Fore-fathers did, Revile our b [...]est [...]d Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but were joyce in this: that we are counted worthy to (so) suffer; for his Names sake, Math. 5.10.11.12. and with all knowing this that the servant is not greater then his Lord, as he himself hath said, therefore we bear it in Remembrance, dwelling in his word, John 4.1 [...]. John 15.20.

And where thou says, we own visions and Revelations, &c

Reply, That we do not deny, if we should, we should deny the Spi­rit of Truth, and the Condition of the holy men of God, Act. 9.10, 11, 12. and Act. 10.17. and we also know this, that there is no true knowledg of God, but by Revelation, as Christ himself hath said, Who spoke Truth and could not [...]; and he is also to be beleeved and obeyed, who is the way to the Father; and the Scriptures bears testimony from his own mouth to the [...]e undeniable and ground­ed Truth, as may be read, Matth. 11.27. Luk. 10.22.

And where thou sayes, so making themselves eithe Prophets, or Apostles, &c,

The Lord maketh both true Prophets and true Apostles. Reply, Self, we deny and all the Power of darknesse, so in that thou hast told another Lie, and of our selves we are not able to think any thing as our selves, but our sufficiency is of God: who, maketh both Prophets and and Apostles; and so, able Ministers of of the New Testament, or Covenant; not of the Letter but the Spirit for the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life; this the Scriptures witnesseth, and we witnesse with them, 1 Sam. 3.19, 20, 21. 2 Pet. 1.21. Eph. 4.4.11, 12, 13. Rom. 12.6, 7, Acts. 13. 1 Pet. 4.10. 2 Cor. 3.5, 6. Gal. 1.11, 12.

[Page 57]And where thou says, Let this be also wel observed, these dreamers say not withstanding they pretend, it is God by some speciall Reve­lation, or Inspiration: be what it wil, the Lord must be the Author of it, pag. 34.

Reply, Thy fallacy we deny, and therein thou hast uttered another Lie, be ashamed and blush; and for the Dreamers they shall stand for thy self, and such in thy nature, and deceablenesse of unrigh­teous, who defile the flesh, and despiseth the Spirituall dominion and Government, which we witnesse unto, by which Spirituall Poner the flesh with the affections and lusts are crucified, Gal. 5.24. and with the Spirit and Power of our God are we sanctified, washed, cleansed, and justified, 1 Corimb. 6.11. therefore we are no Dreamers. For we witnesse the Spirituall dominion and Government; by which we are preserved in our sanctification by Christ Jesus, as such was in theirs that spoak against the dreamers, Jude 1.2. and Revelation and Inspiration; and the Lords sending, according to the good pleasure of his will, and the working of his divine power we own, but thy pretence and fallacy, or sting in thy call, where thou says, Be it what it will be, God must be charged with it; that we utterly deny, and so testify against this abominable lye, and [...]n it back upon thee, and the dreamers there remain, Observe it well.

And where thou says, Did you ever know a People acted through a more glorious shew, or pretence of Righteousness, then they are, &c.

Reply, Thy shews and pretences is by us denied, but to obey Christ in all his discoveries and divine Appearances, working unto Righ­teousnesse, and changing from glory to Glory, into the pure Image, by the power of the Lords Eternall Spirit,, 2. Cor. 3.17, 18. as such afore-time did that we, we with the Scriptures do, also witnesse and own, and as Christ hath said to his Father, in the eternall love to his, in the glorious appearance and discovery unto such as were changed and changing into the Glory, where he saith, all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them, John 17.10. and the sufferings is not worthy to compared to the Glory revealed within, Rom. 8.18. and God who commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts, (through his glorious dis­covery and divine appearances of Glory and Righteousness, to give us the knowledge of his Glory saith the Ministers of Christ, and even in the face of Jesus Christ, this treasure have we in eathren vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us; 2 Cor. 4.5, 6, 7 and the Saints fellowship with Christ, in the Glory is to be admired as the Apostle saith to the Thessalonians which glo­rie appears in the inwards, 2 Thessal. 1.10. this the Scriptures wit­nesse, [Page 58]and in the fulfilling and changing into glory of Righteous­nesse, we also witnesse: according to the measure and manifestation of his divine appearance & fellowship with him, in the pure enjoy­ment of Light, Life, and Love, received from him, who is the Lord our Righteousnesse, and so made unto us Wisdom and Righteous­nesse 2 Cor. 1.30. and with him and the Spirituall operation, we witnesse according to his divine Appearance; both in Glory and Righteousness, as the Scriptures also witnesseth, which we do own and with them also witnesse; and of Christ according to his pure discoveries of his love, according to His glorious Appearance which we do own, but thy fallacies and guilded pretences we do deny; and thee and thy pernicious wayes, disown;

And where thou say, Their throwing off and denying the World, and all care and pains thereof for Christs sake, and forsaking Father and Mother, Wife and Children for Christs sake, what a fair colour is this?

Reply, Thy colour we do deny, but to the Truth of Christ we wit­nesse and own, and thy Satanicall spirit will not let thee throw off, nor deny the World, &c. for there Antichrist keeps his hold, who hurries the hearts of such out after the world to seek the glory, love and praise thereof, and to deny it, is so directly opposite to Antichrist and against his Kingdom, that he will not lead creatures out of it; and herein thou art discovered in thy colours to be of Antichrist and the world; but we are taught first to seek the King­dom of God, and his righteousness, and all other things shall he added, as he hath said, Matth. 6. Chapter: and art thou so much offended that any should so love Christ above all, as to follow him in the cross: whereby they become crucified to the world, and the world unto them (and he that loveth father or, mother, son or daughter more then me, saith Christ) is not worthy of me. Take no­tice of that, Math. 10.37.38. Galat. 6.13, 16. but thou art offended that any should love Christ above al, & their Neighbours as them­selves, & so manifests that thou art an enemy to those that walk ac­cording to the Gospell Rule, through the Cross, who are of the Israel of God, who witnesse grace and mercy; which is the Priviledge of the Israel of God that walk according to that Rule in the Gospel, Gal. 6. v. 16: which thou art offended at, & them that walk according to the Rule in the Gospell, who love Christ above all, and their neighbour as themselves, and fulfill the Royall Law, by doing the will of God, and walking in the Light, Life, and Power of Truth. Therefore let all the children of Light, that dwell in the divine Love, light, life & power of the eternall Truth, judge of thy deceipt. Antichrist will not destroy his own kingdom, and now he is offended that the Kingdom of Christ in the souls of his Saints is [Page 59](set and) setting up; which foretells the destruction and downfall of thine, and the downfall of the Priests of the World, and their Antichristian ministry, at which thou art sore moved, and like a troubled Sea froming out thy own shame: but thou art discovered and thy deceiptfull works laid open and made manifest, therefore stop thy mouth, who art of the World and the old S [...]pents seed, (and also Prognosticating Astronomer like) but this Astronom call judgment is falss and not true, as is proved and laid open to the Publick view;

Again thou says They endure much affliction, opposition, and per­secution from the World, &c.

Reply, Then let all that fears God take notice of that, for the World loves its own, but the Quakers Reproachfully called, and persecuted by the World, are not of the World, but being in Christ and so Christians, they do suffer by the World and men of nature contrary to Christ; for Christians did not, nor do not, afflict one another, nor persecute, but were so done by, informer Ages: Hebr. 11. and here thou hast cleared thy self, to be no Christian, but of the World, and so Antichristian; and those called Quakers, to be Christians and not of the World, who are (as thou says) so perse­cuted, and reproached by the men of the World, and thou art one that doth so shamefully reproach,Christ Encou­rageth his to bear the Perse­cution of the World. and speak evill of them and the wayes; and workings of God in them, &c. Yet they being Chri­stians and suffers by thee, and the men of the World, the Christians aforetime did so suffer, and were persecuted by the World, as they are now, and their Conditions is not contrary, but agreeing to the Conditions of Christians, friends, and servants of Christ before them; being compared with, Hebr. 11.36, 37, 38. 2 Cor. 6.4, 5, 9, 7.8. 2 Tim. 3.10.11, 12. and also compared with that saying of Christ to his, where he encourageth them to bear the Reproaches and Persecutions from the men of the World; where he saith,A warning from the Lord to such as Re­proach and per­secute under the nick name of Quakers or such as are of the divine nature made partakers. if the World hate you; it hated me before it hated you; if you were of the World, the World would love his own, but because I have chosen you out of the World, therefore the World hateth you, &c. John 15.16, 17, 18, 19. Here Christ hath a chosen People that suffers affliction from the men of the World, for his Names sake. But the People whom the World reproachfully calleth Quakers; they suffer re­proaches afflictions and persecutions from the men of the World, for Christs sake, therefore they are the People that Christ hath Chosen out of the World. Take notice, both thou and all you that so slander and reproach, and also such as persecute Christs Chosen-people, whom you scornfull call Quakers, and beware what you do, against the Innocent; be you sure that the Lord Jesus Christ will cal you to answer before him for it; & consider also of that 25 Chap­ter [Page 60]of Ma [...]h. [...], vers. 41, 42, 43. and so on to [...], an [...] [...]e what you can [...]earn out of it, and cease your cruelty [...]ult persec [...] and reproach not the people of Christ so as you do sco [...]tly by you called Quakers, no [...] any that [...]e of the divine n [...]re [...]de p [...]r­takers, 2 Pet. 1.3▪ 4, &c.

Again thou saye [...] ▪ There [...]re [...] a p [...]ple to be sound, that cry out more against Antichristi [...] all apprea [...]es of sin and [...]gh­teousness then they do, &c. Page 40.

Reply. Also here again thou do [...]st more fully clear th [...] [...]o be the people of God, for they are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, b [...]t rather reprove them, [...] 5, 11. and that they do according to thy say [...]ng:The people of God may re­pove sin, and cry out against unrighteousness and [...]ey a [...]g in righteousness, being taught by the g [...]e of God to deny ungod­liness and worldly lus [...], and to live righteously, soberly, and god­ly in th [...]s present evil w [...]ld, T [...]l. 2.11, 12. they may [...]st [...]y cry out against sin in all appearances, and also against [...]l [...]might [...]s [...]ess whatsoever, for the people of God did so b [...]ore them that were so taught by the grace of God before them, and they that did so cry out against sin in all appearances and unrighteousness of what sort soever were the p [...]ple of God, and were not del [...]ed, and they that in the spirit and power of truth, do cry out against sin in all appearances and against unrighteousness of what sort soever such are the people of God now, and are not del [...]ed; but the people whom the world doth scornfully call Quakers, they do so, to w [...], as the people of God [...]for [...]me did, [...]g out against sin in all appearances, and all unrighteousness w [...]soever, being themselves taught by the grace of God [...]o deny ungodli [...]ess and worldly luste, and to [...] righteously, soberly, and godly in this p [...]ese [...] evil world, as the people of God [...]ime were▪ there­fore the people of G [...]d [...] the [...] Qua­kers▪ are [...]ot delu [...]ed, not delu [...]ers, b [...] children and servants of God, and may c [...]y alo [...]d, and [...]ell the people of their sin [...] and transgressions, as the Lords Prophet d [...]d who was n [...]t deluded nor no deluder, Isa. 58. and as the true Apostle said, so do it Know you not that the unrighteous and such like shall not [...] the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.9. [...]o and wo to the [...]o [...]n o [...] of p [...]e, Isa. 28. and to the wicked [...]t shall go [...]ll with them, Isa. [...].11. Take notice of that, and cease to do evil, and s [...]ve not the devil.

These people, thou sayes, if they be observed well, are such [...] people that would seem to be very [...]m [...]eless in their whole car­riage (taking away thy cause or fallacy) that they will [...] speak words that be evil,The people of God are of a blameless car­riage and con­versation. Page 41.

Reply. Thy cause or fallacy being taken away, these people tho [...] would accuse upon a false ground they are so blameless a people in their whole carriage that they will not speak an evil word, then they are not guided by an evil principle, but a good, and it [Page 61]is to be observed that when they speak, their words are altogether good; take notice of that: for thy fallacy I deny, and set truth in its place, and so the whole carriage of those people thou calls Quakers, are according to the carriage of the people of God in fornier ages, recorded in Scripture, who was to let no evil word [...] nor corrupt Communication proceed out of their mouths, but that which was good, Eph. 4.29, 30, 31, 32. and why art thou offended at them for practising that which the Minister of the Gospel did exhort unto in his doctrine; here thou hast manifested them to be Christians, and thou thy self Antichristian, and hath learned thy Antichrist [...]an doctrine in the School of Antichrist, being taught by his subtilty in that methodicall way, and his gradations thou speaks of, who by thy fallacies would conjure, and so raise up, as thou hast done gradually, first slanders, then aspersions and lies; and after that many false accusations: thy master old Antichrist and thee his Scholar, and all thy fallacies, lies, slanders, and false accusations we deny, though thou have learned a deceitful work, methodically in Antichrists School, being taught by his subtilty in his gradations.

And again, thy cause and fallacy being denied, thou sayes, They will not use labour, pains, or care, that shall be evil, pag. 41.

Reply. Thy cause and fallacy being there denied as in the other, then not neglecting, but doing that which is honest, Just, and good, we are not in a vain shew of will-worship, nor neglecting our bodies; where thou wrests that Scripture, which speaketh of the body in another manner and order, Col. 2.23. neither do we seem to go beyond the servants and Ministers of Christ, but witness with them. Take notice what thou hast written, and behold thy folly.

But we do not neglect doing that which is honest, good, and just, but do that which is right and just in the sight of God, and also speak to the edifying of the Body in love, and so speak that which is good, that speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that which e­very joynt supplieth, unto the effectual working of the measure in every part, maketh encrease of the body, unto the edifying of it self in love, Eph. 4.15, 16.

And so now it is made manifest that the bulk of thy hitherto actings, declares thee to be beguiled by Satan in this nature, being deceitful, transformed like himself, and art carried on to lie, slan­der, and salsly accuse, as thy master Antichrist doth; who is cast down, for he is the salse accuser of the brethren, and in his School thou hast [...]eamed the same, and where thou sayes, thou hast n [...]t any thing more of concernment to amplifie, &c. he ashamed of what thou hast done▪ and if thou be pricked at thy heart, remem­bered [Page 62]of what against the truth Satan hath taught thee to do, then thou art, and be sure thou shalt be as thy works is so will thy re­ward be, who treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and re­velation of the righteous judgements of God, who will render to thee and to every one in thy deceivableness according to your deeds, Rom. 2.5, 6, and 8.

And not knowing any thing more (of that deceit thou art in, that thou shouldst Amplifie) thou sayes thou will hasten to a period onely thou sayes this master peece is yet behinde,A Reply to that called Satans Philosophical maxime of E.S. in pag. 41. 42. which thou calls Satans learned Philosophical maxime by which thou art ready to blaspheme, for thou saies this master peece of work is yet behinde, thou means thou sayes of making those creatures mechanical able to do deceitful works with their hands, as the Apostles did by lay­ing their hands on the sick, &c. page 42.

How darest thou say, the Apostles did deceitful works by laying on of their hands; or darest thou call that which was the great power of God, Satans Philosophical maxime, and if the Lord so manifest or have manifested his power through and by his servants laying on of their hands as he hath done, but how darest thou call that power Satans Philosophical maxime, and that he should make any able to lay hands on the sick, and recover them, as the Apostles did, and as Christ said should be done, Mar. 16.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. If thou dare call this power mechanical, or the great power of the divel: and if thou darest say that the Apostles laid their hands on the sick to recover them, and if thou dare say that such as by that power do lay their hands on the sick, and work a healing! and lov­ing effect as that power by the laying of the Apostles hands did, and now I say if thou do call this Satans Philosophical maxime, and that it is his mechanical power, or in short the great power of the devil, to do so, and that hath by the Apostles done so, if thou call this power that wrought, and worketh its effect by healing through laying on of hands, the great power of the devil, I say thou art then the greatest blasphemer that Satan hath, or one with them that blasphemes the holy Ghost spoken of Mat. 12, 31, 32. in in that high measure.

And I demand, charge, and [...]emmand thee in the presence of the Lord, or any that dare say so, to shew by plain Scripture, where ever it saith that any by the great power of the devil, or through Satans learned Philosophical maxime, did ever receive from him such a power as to lay their hands on the sick and recover them, &c. or else for ever be ashamed and confounded, Satan would have given money for that by Simon Magus, but he and his money was to perish, that thought to buy the Holy Ghost, or receive the great power of God thereby, Act. 8.18, 19, 20.

The Holy Ghost was given by the power of God, through the Apostles laying on of hands, Act. 8.17. and Satan could not get it [Page 63]neither with money nor without it, when he laboured for it, and healing was a gift of God, given by his power to his Apostles; and it could not be bought, neither did Satan ever receive that power, it was alwayes kept from him; and given to the Apostles of Christ onely, Mar. 16.18, 19, 20. and though some of Satans friends would have cast out the unclean spirit they could not; Satan never received that power nor never can; therefore seeing thou hast so laid open thy deceit in thy false Astronomical judgement, & as thou calls it the worlds wonder, but I say lying wonder, invented in the mystery (witchcrafts in the iniquity; but thou art known to be of the dark power & to be amongst the Antichrists false Prophets, and Sa­tanical Ministers in the transformings; yet the power of healing by laying on of the hands, he cannot purchase for thee, nor give unto his; for take this granted, and seeing thou art so carried on to lie, blaspheme and speak evil against Christ and his power, therfore let all the world, and all who hath any care of their souls, take heed of thee, or hearkening to thy lying divinations. I warn them from the Lord as they will answer it before his judgement seat, in the terrible day of his wrath, wherein the strong man shall cry bitter­ly, Zeph. 1.14. &c.

And also let the world, and all that hath any care of their souls take heed both of thee and all such as thou art; and let them take heed and give over following or hearkening to any such Antichri­stian Ministers, whose end will be as their works are, and as thine is, for they are evil, so will thy end be, now that they are warn­ed from the Lord by his spirit in his servant, it is good for them that they turn from thee and all such deceivers, in the deceivable­ness of unrighteousness as thou art: so in regard there hath been so much of thy deceit made manifest and thy falshood discover­ed all along in thy book, I know the wise hearted will see it and judge it, and I having also warned the world, and all that desires to fear God and serve him, of thee and such like to beware. Take warning, and turn from thee and such as thou art, least they and you fall together into the pit, let them fear and amend, and so I shall draw towards an end.

For that in thy 46. page, where thou hast been telling the Bap­tized people; thou had a Communion with a society of people, which is now, as thou sayes, wholly broke off from thee. I say they being guided by the light of Christ to see into that Mystery of in­iquity thou art in, and so know thy subtilty and sophistry: It was a part of their duty to leave thee, and break off from thee, and thy deceivableness; and now if they abide in the light, and be faith­ful to the reachings thereof, it will be another part of their duty to declare against thee and thy deceit, and no more to have any fellowship with thee, nor thy unfruitful works of darkness, but ra­ther reprove them and thee, Eph. 5.11

[Page 64]And though thou be f [...]attering the baptized people; and tell them thy conceivings of their way, and thy hindrances; and now even as it were goes a begging unto them; let them see if thy own ends be not the cause of the flattery, and if thy necessity would not cause thee to fly thither for they own ends, & to have a hypocrites seal amongst them, and a cover to shelter thee under, let them take heed what they do, and how they keep company with thee as they will answer it before the Lord, all such amongst them as desire to fear him, now that they are warned, and thy deceit so discovered: and if they take counsel of God they will drive thee back, and keep from thee, and out of the delusions, and ecclipses mystery of iniquity, Astrology, and star-gazing, and not believe thee in thy lying words in that Astronomical judgement, thou calls the worlds wonder, or the book called the Blazing star.

And now a few words to thy last page, or that called the word to a Book, which thou calls, The worlds wonders.

Where thou are telling in thy book, it may expect a hue and cry to be sent after it very shortly.

Reply, Thou the thief art guilty and fear surpriseth the hypocrits heart, for thou sayes to thy book, It may not expect from thee any defence, by raising and Army of reasonings, argumentations and disputings, neither by thy pen not word. Reply, Thou hast filled it so full of lies and falshoods, that the devil in thee cannot en­able thee to defend them for truths, and so thou hast left them to be broke through and scattered, and thy lies and falshoods be­ing turned back upon thee again thy burden thou must bear, for now truth strikes at thy deceits, and hath proved them to be as a mighty flood come out of the mouth of the serpent, whereby Anti­christ hath been casting forth all manner of opprobrious lies, and disgraceful speeches and blasphemy against the Lamb and the wo­man that hath brought forth the man-child, yet the child is caught up, and both the woman and child is preserved; and the Dragon he is now encountred and beaten back to lye in his hole, who hath sent forth his book like a Goliah, even in the defiance of the truth; but not able to defend it self, nor thou to help it and him; who hast spoken to it great swelling words out of the pride of thy heart, saying, go forth in thy own strength like a mighty man of war, even Goliah like; and now goes David, or a souldier belonging to Israel in the spirit and of the Army of the Lamb; one of the ser­vants of the Lord hath met thy Goliah or man of war, and taken his sword and cut off his head, not by the arme of flesh, nor in his own power and strength, but in the power and strength of the Lord. And I say now praised be the Lord, who hath guided hand and heart, and hath set truth above over the deceit and preserved his [Page 65]servants from the enemies fiery dart, and doth so much assist his people as to take their part, and set them free from their enemies that they may prize his great and glorious name. And now I say to this my book, Go thou forth, not in my name, power, or strength, as a man, but in the name, power, and strength of the Lord, to do his service, and so from me in the same, Go thou forth in the power of the Lord; and be victorious, and the blessing of the Lord be with his own works and labors; and go thou up and down to pursue thy enemy and be vigilant for the defence of the truth, and be also a reprover and rebuker of and w [...]rrier in the name and power of the Lord, against truths enemies and adversaries and be a valiant conquerer for subduing that Army of lies, and for the treading down false accusations and aspersions, cast out against the innocent and the assistance of the Lord, answer and go along, and make the hearts of his to rejoyce, and carry them glad tidings to Israel; let them know that thou art come to bring them word that Antichrists man of war is encountered withal, by one that is little in his own eyes; and the blessing of the Almighty be with his own work, and carry on his own cause against all his adversaries and his childrens fo [...]s; that truth may triumph, and the Lord make thee prosperous, even to Amen. Farewell, and be of good cheer; and all my dear friends be faithful and valiant for the truth every where, And the Lord God of Power be with you, now and for ever more.

Written onely for the clearing of the truth, and for the simple ones sake; by a servant of the Lord, at Underwood Hill in Wot­cestershire; there finished and made ready to be sent forth this fifth day of the second moneth, commonly called Aprill, and according to the worlds Account, 1655.

Instead of a Postscript.

AN Answer to a Mittimus, by which Thomas Goodaire a servant of the Lord, was sent from Kederminster, where Richard Baxter is cheif Priest, to Worcester prison, after he had been kept there a certain space, and committed for no breach of any known Law; but to manifest the enmity, and that monster persecution, brought sorth by Richard Baxter's ministry at Kederminster: who is chief Priest there, and accounted the chiefest Priest in Worcestershire, and in persecution, his ministry is chief in that shiere, and begun there first, in that County or Shiere, to wit, at the Town called Keder­minster.

The Mittimus begins thus, as followeth, and the answer unto it.

To the Keeper of the Goal for the County of Worcester, 1655.

Forasmuch as Thomas Goodaire the 25. of this instant March be­ing the Lords day came into the Parish Church of Kederminster.

I answer, no Church it is, but a Synagogue of Satan which brings sorth that monster persecution, and casts into prison for speaking the truth; but it is written, Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the Devil shall cast some of you into pri­son that ye may be tryed, and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of life, as it is written Rev. 2.8, 9, 10. The true Church of Christ never persecu­ted any; but your Parish Church (as you call it) hath brought sorth that monster, therefore a harlot, and not the spouse, be you ashamed thereof. The true Church is in God, 1 Thes. 1. and 1. and doth not perish: but yours is out of God and so perishing. Christ is the head of his body the Church: Eph. 2.22.23. but not of a Steeple-house; you have told a lye to call that a Church, and are found persecuters also, and so not of Christs Church: it were not of a persecuting nature; but such as followed him the Head, were of that body which were persecuted; John 15.18, 19, 20, 21. 2 Cor. 6. but you have cleared your selves o be none of that Body, nor Church, that persecute his, and shut up in prison, as you have done.

[Page 67]Mittimus. At such a time as many hundred of the good people of this Common-wealth were there assembled to worship God,

Reply, The worship of God you know not that are persecutors and lyers, there you have shut your selves out of the worship of God; for God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, worship him in Spirit and in Truth, John 4.22.23, 24. but you are in the lies and not in the truth, and here taken with a lye in your mouth; for he came in before your will-worship began, or were assemb'ed, and did not speak till your Priest had given over and ended, and then asked him a Question, and he sled and called an Officer, &c. and so manifested himself to be an Antichristian Minister, and a deceiver: and he the said Thomas Goodaire came not into your pa­rish Church, as you call it, at such a time as you were assembled together, as you say, but was there before you were assembled or your Priest came, and he walked to and fro in the room before the Priest came, and then sat him down until he had done; therefore that saying is a false accusation: be ashamed you lyers and blush.

Mittimus. And there misbehaved himself.

Answer, Speaking the truth is no misbehaviour, and he spoke the truth: but misbehaviour he doth deny, and therefore that accusation is false, and you are taken venting, and hath vented another lye, and read who lyers are of, John 8.44. and you that are such lyers of the innocent, and bends your tongues like your bowes for lyes, to cause them thereby to suffer imprisonment: be a­ashamed for ever, and read your reward that are such lyars Rev. 21.8. Mat. 25.41. &c. But to be short, I shall set down the Mittimus as it is verbatim: and let the wise-hearted see if there be any breach of a known Law; but only filled with lyes, and thereby doth not act the part of Justice, Righteousness, nor Christianity; and let Richard Baxter and his partakers be ashamed of what they have done; and wo be unto such an Antichristian Minister, and Anti­christian persecuting Ministry.

BEing moved to write something in answer to the scan­dalls that hath been cast upon the truth by Edmond Skipp, in a Book called the Worlds Wonder, or the Qua­kers Blazing-Starre; wherein he hath not only cast ma­ny aspersions upon us, in these parts of the Nation, to wit, Herefordshire, but also on those, yea all of those, whom he ne­ver saw not heard, whom the great and mighty power of God hath raised by the pure life of Christin them, to witness and live in which we (hear a handful of Babes) are but in a little mea­sure yet brought to witness: therefore not for our own vindica­tion, but for the simple ones sake, who ever was carried away in all ages with Scribes, Pharisees, false Prophets, false Apostles, through the sleight and craftinesse of men, whereby they lay in wait to deceive, 2 Cor. 4.2.

Therefore take notice, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many learned, not many mighty; for the wisdom of this world passeth away, and the Lord is now taking the wise in their own craftiness, and chusing the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the things that are not to bring to no­thing things that are, that so no flesh may glory in his sight, but that the Lord alone might be exalted, in this the great day of his power, Isa. 2.11. wherein he is risen out of his holy habitation, [Page 2]Jer. 2.13. to shake terribly the earth, Isa. 2.19.21. and bring down the haughti [...]e [...] of man, and la [...] low the haughty looks of man, Isa. 11. who are going forth like men of Warre in their own strength, against the Lord, and against the anointed, witness the last page of Edmond Skipps Book, Psal. 2.2.

Now that the truth of Jesus Christ may the more appear, I shall in this following discourse in b [...]se [...], lay open some of the former, and yet-lived-in dece [...]ts of this open enemy, and also some of his lies, which he hath written against the truth of Christ, whom the world knowes not: therefore they write, speak, hate, stone, whip, imprison, and [...]a [...]y say all manner of evill a­gainst us, wherein the Scriptures are fulfilled by them, Matth. 5.11, 12. whose Judgement slumbereth not, and whose damnation lingereth not. Now before I proceed further, I give thee a little notice, what sort of people he thus hath opened his mouth wide against, and it shall be made manifest, and that from his own writings, which declare us to be the people of God chosen out of the world, John 1 [...].19. and he to be the persecutor, I shall give thee a few short hints; but if thou wilt observe his writings, thou wilt finde that he himself hath declared, that our whole life and practice is proved by plain Scripture, and that our lives and practises are the same with them, that did write and speak forth the Scriptures; but in short, see his own words in page 40. Did you ever know people acted through a more gl [...]o [...]s [...]o [...]or appearance of righteousness, then they are (to wit [...]ns) their [...] ­nying and throwing off the world, and all [...]care and [...]ains [...]or Christs sake, their forsaking Father and Mother, and [...]ife and Children,Luk. 14.26. Matth. 10.37. though with so much affliction, opposi­tion, persecution, and disgrace from men is not this like the Crosse of Christ, and the sufferings of Christ, and his Apostles, (yea even the same) their [...]avelling so many [...]i [...]es from place to place,Jer. 18.18. and speaking so boldly unto great men, [...]g out against their abominations, their writing so many letters, and dealing so plainly with men.

And there are hardly a people to be found, that cry out more against Antichrist, and all appearance of sin and unrighteousness, then they do, and in page 41. the whole bulk of their actings hi­therto as fa [...]e as I know, or have heard, do declare them to be carried forth as Ministers of righteousness, page 44. for I am per­swaded, they dare not tell a lie.

Now see plainly, before thou proceed, the darkness, ignorance and envy of this man, that can persecute in writings, and smite with the tongue, such a people as he himself in this very darkness, cannot chuse but con [...]e [...]s such things by and in, who that is not al­together blinds, will not see the b [...]ness, darkness, and igno­rance of this mans confused-Writings.

[Page 3]See one more page 50. Now these people as farre as I am, and ever was able to discern them, are indued with a large measure, in those things the Apostle mentioned in Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. I mean many of them that I know, that I did take, in my former intima­cy and acquaintance with them, to have received much of the power of truth through Christ, and to hare much communion with God, and large experiences of his lo [...]e; but as for others of them, they were never judged by me or the rest, to be any more then a willing people; and for such, this Scripture doth not touch them: even by this (although there might be much more mentioned) thou mayst see in measure in the light of Christ, what he is that doth tail against such a people, whose words, lives, wayes and actions, are agreeable to the Scripture, as he confesseth in his own Book.

The world loves his own, and the world delights in its own, the world speaketh to the world, and the world hears that which is spoken from the earthly heart, reacheth the deaf eare, and no farther, that which is comprehended by the dark minde that is spoken forth by the deceitful Tongue, that feeds the deceit that lodgeth in the hearers, so one darkness upholds another, and the same deceit upholds its own in both speaker and hearer; so in both Writer and Reader, yea all that write and speak that which pro­ceeds not from the life, but from the death, being in the state of death, is but death speaking to death, whereby Serpents are be­gotten, or the seed of the Serpent is increased.

Now they that are of God, heares Gods word, and they that hear not his word are not of God; for the natural man perceiv­eth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are spiritually discerned by the spiritual man that judgeth all things, though no man can judge him who is a Child of the day, and dwelleth in the light, and hath no fellowship with the unfruitful works of dark­nesse, out of which the Children of the day are delivered, and can witness the darkness past, and the true light now shining in them; but all those who say they have fellowship with light, and walk in darkness, are lyers, and all lyers are shut out of the Kingdom, and are estranged from God, who is altogether pure, ho [...], and righte­ous, just, perfect light and those that dwell in him are in he is, and they only have the minds of Christ the which all the world and earthly hearts are ignorant of.

Therefore I shall not put the worldly carnal heart to judge of [Page 4]what may be written by me, although I am but yet leaving off the world, and entering into a little of that which is eternal, which no eye of flesh can ever attain unto and live: neither can any but those that live in the same life that speaks aright, or understand; what is spoken from the life, by those that speak aright, from the pure life: therefore let not thy deceitful heart deceive thee in judging herein, for the old heart is deceitful, as I shall further make manifest, both unto the world, and unto the Children of the light, not only from what I hear but from his own written words and my knowledge; and being witnessed by the light and truth, as it is manifested in me whereby something may so plain­ly appear, that e [...]en the world it selfe may see the deceit that al­wayes hath been, and yet is in this man, who now desires all the world to take notice page 23. of his exposition of his lies, that he himself hath cast on us, who are not of the world, therefore the world knoweth us not; for we witness against it, that the deeds thereof are evill.

After Edmund Skipp had thrown off his Tithes, and convinced of much more, which he was waiting to throw off too, he then told me not long before he left us, that he had not faith to carry him through, neither could he beleive; but he was confident, that the Devil would steal all that he had from him again, the which is now too true.

Woe, woe, woe, from the eternal God to all the Inhabitants of the earth, who dwelleth in the earthly darkness, being seated in the earth, drove out from the presence of the living God, and are vagabonds and fugitives in the earth, whose Center is in the earth­ly dark minde, woe to all those that put light for darkness, and darkness for light: woe to all those that go down to Egypt for help in Egypt: the pure seed is captivated and kept in bondage, in Sodom and Egypt the Lord is daily crucified and put to open shame: woe to all the Oaks of Bashan, and all the beasts of the field, woe to them that build their nests among the Starres, for Capernaum that is listed up to Heaven, and in its wisdom, in its own strength, shall be brought down to hell; for the Lord God of life and power is risen out of his holy habitation, to confound the language of Ba­bel, and dry up the tongue of the Egyptian Sea, and famish all the gods of the Heathen, that know not God, whose presence is terri­ble to all the Children of disobedience: therefore woe unto him that striveth with his Maker, who ariseth to scatter his enemies, [Page 5]and to wound the head of every one that goeth on still in his wick­edness. Oh, the day of the Lord is at hand, wherein every man shall receive according to the deeds done in his body, then he that hath seemed to wait, and now begins to smite his fellow-Servants, saying, his Master delayes his comming, and so eat and drink with the drunken that are drunk indeed with the wine of the fornicati­on of the Whore of Babylon, those are Drunkards indeed, that are drunk with wine and o [...]ercome, but not with strong drink, such stagger at the promises, and stumble at the corner stone; but when that stone shall fall upon them, it will grind them to powder: therefore be warned of the Lord, thou that despi [...]est, and wonder (for all the works of the Lord are wonderful) least thou perish; for the Lord is working a work in these dayes, that thou canst not be­lieve, nor any that live in their own wisdom; exalted above the pure wisdom of Christ, who teacheth all his to deny all, yea even all, both wisdom, righteousness, wit, and all carnal comprehensi­ons; for they are followers of him, who lived not in his own will; for, saith he, I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me, and saith, Not my will, but thy will be done; and he that is not yet made a fool, and so denies his own will and wis­dom, is yet exalted above the crosse; and the son of perdition is ex­alted above all that is called God, sitting in the Temple of God, e­ven in the holy place, where truth should alwayes be exalted. Christ should raign as King, and subdue all his enemies under his feet, and lead captivity captive, that a gift may be received, which gift is eternal life, and this life is in the son, by which gift, all that are in the son-like obedience, do witness, being made heirs with him in the eternal Covenant, which is established upon better promises then the first: therefore he taketh away the first, that he might establish the second, which is witnessed in the son-like obe­dience, by the which we are made the righteousness of God through him, the which is a mystery to the dark world, whole mouthes are now open to speak evil of that they know not, call­ing the great and mighty works of God, the delusions of Satan, and the conditions now witnessed in the Sons and Daughters, that the Prophets and Apostles both passed through, to speak of those things they now call the works of Antichrist.

[Page 6]But he is an Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son: now see who is an Antichrist, no man knowes the Father, but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him, he that denies this Revela­tion, denies both Father and Son (that is Antichrist:) Now to know the Father, is eternal life, and he that saith he knoweth, and hath fellowship with the Father, and walketh in darkness is a lyer, and the Devil is the Father of lies, and he that liveth not in the truth, which is Jesus Christ, he must needs lie, because he is out of the truth, and t [...]erfore found an enemy to the pure truth, as it is in Jesus, who is the truth and life it self, by whom the world is, and shall be judged, when the Lord shall come in flaming fire, render­ing vengeance on all that know him not: this day is even at hand, yea even now the Lord is comming a swift witness against all un­righteous ones, who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness, li­ving in their ungodly practises, sporting themselves now in the day-time spending their time upon their lusts living in their own wils, speaking forth the Saints words, but are enemies to the Saints conditions. On consider, consider, the Lord is just in all his wayes, and he is come to judge the earth with righteousness, he will plead with all flesh, before him all faces shall gather blackness, and in him who is pure light, are all the secrets of all hearts laid open; for nothing hideth from him who is a God of consuming fire, and of purer eyes then to behold iniquity. Oh be ashamed and con­founded, all ye Inhabitants of the earth, and of the Sea; for the Devil is come down unto you, and rageth because his time is but short.

To thy first, in page 6. where thou sayest it must needs be the spirit of Antichrist and delusion, that doth misinform the heart. I answer, the heart it selfe is deceitful, and out of the abundance of thy heart, thy mouth speaketh, page 8. or else thou wouldest not speak, as though a deceitful heart might be misinformed by a delu­sion; for deceit and delusion is but one, which lodgeth in the hearts of all the Children of disobedience who are all in the death, the curse and the fall, unless they come to witness restoration, the stony heart taken away, and a new heart given which is by the put­ting off the old man with his Iusts and corruptions, and the new man put on, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

But in the light, in thy own Conscience, see when thou coul­dest witness thy redemption, and thy heart free from delusions, as [Page 7]thou speakest, or from the power or darkness, when thou by thy own relation to me, went from one Parsonage to another, and that not without thy Gown (as thou callest it) upon thy back, that thou hast looked upon as it was indeed Antichristian, and then af­ter at Bodinham, thou didst sue the poor people for tithes, to my knowledge, witness one poor man thou didst sue for 1 s. and would have constrained the poor man to have paid charges; for that 1 s. if I and some other had not spoke to thee after thou hadst often re­fused the 1 s. without charge: thou the light let thee see tithes to be contrary to Christ, yet then lived contrary to the light in thy own Conscience, as thou wast made to confess in my hearing and hundreds more that thou hadst acted in it contrary to thy consci­ence, two years and before that time thou didst confess unto me, and to others, how thou was going to take counsel of men, how to sue for thy tithes, and the Lord met with thee, yet the De [...]il had like to have taken thee off of the work of the Lord, again, divers times, as thou confessed, then thou layest groaning under the burden of thy tithes, yet thou resolvest to keep them another year, yet I had thoughts to the contrary, and was made to tell thee at Jo. Ba. his house in Hereford, on the sixth day, that thou wouldest ere long, roar against thy tithes like a Lion, and on the next first day after it was so, and thou wast made to acknowledge the Lord in it, and sent thy man with those few words to me, Brother Smith, the Lord hath done a strange work in me this morning, and I shall alter strangely this day, therefore pray earnestly for me, and make what haste thou canst to come unto me: now this is that which thou now calles delusion; for this was the greatest power, that ever thou couldest witness; but thou was made to see by the light, the emptiness of thy own words, both in speaking and prayer before as thou callest it, witness that in Margarets Graves yard, where thou spokest words, the which were a burthen to thy life and after acknowledged that it was nothing but flesh, though thou didst strive much in thy own strength, and at Len. thou tol­dest the whole assembly, that thou had long spoke after the man­ner of men; but now they must expect no more such from thee, and that thy praying was as dead as ditch-water; but now thou shouldest wait to pray in the spirit, and speak by the spirit, and the like, at Cliston, and then thou was convinced; that thou must leave all, even Glebe-land too, and so live on thy own Land, and build on thy own Land, as thou callest it, and thou then was convinced [Page 8]of more deceit in thy heart, therefore thou wast not at all freed from deceit, but alwayes lived in the Antichristian state where thou art yet, witness thy own hand in page 5. where thou confes­sest thou hast got a sinful heart, which is a heart got in sin, and full of sin; and we know, that none but the pure in heart shall see God; but sin is of the Devil, and is the work of darkness, and none that walketh in darkness, have fellowship with God, 1 John 1.6. here thou discoverest plainly, that the old heart is not yet taken away: therefore thou wast not at all, nor yet is, free from delusions, therefore for shame, leave off thy judging the hearts of others, as thou hast. Read Skipp page 6.11.19.16.

As for the five charges which you mention page 9. and saying, that if we had had more accusations against thee, its like thou should have had them, and in saying, the first charge was hypo­crisie in page 7. I answer, that that which was written by me, in answer to thy deceitful lines, first sent to us, that which I shall for the sake of the simple, set down plainly in the same order, as it was written by me, having a just Copy of it by me, and then let the tender spirited read thy lies in thy own book.