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Answer. Whereas we are accused as persons disaffected to religion, it is false; for pure religion we own in our souls, which is, 'to visit the fatherless, and relieve the widows, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world,' and dwelling in purity; this we own in our souls. But 'he that doth seem to be religious, and hath not power over his own tongue, his religion is vain;' and that religion we do deny: and all those that do profess the scriptures in words, and live not the life of them, but live in drunkenness, and uncleanness, envy, and maliciousness; and all they that do profess religion, and make a trade of the scriptures, both priests and people, we do deny.

O. 'Disaffected to the wholesome laws of the nation.'

A. Justice (the wholesome law of God) we own; and this is a terror to the unjust, unwholesome, and unclean, and he that bears that sword is a minister of God; and who doth not obey the law of God within, then that takes hold upon him without, but who doth obey the law of God within, it brings him from under the occasions of all laws without: for it will not let man lie, nor let him be drunk, nor proud, nor follow oaths, nor cursed speaking, nor whoredoms, quarrelling, fighting, wrangling, nor railing. And every one who walketh in the law of God, denies all that which is unwholesome, and that which is according to the course of the world; and they are all of one heart, and are all 'one in unity, if ten thousand; and have all one law written in their hearts; which those that live in uncleanness cast behind their backs; and yet they profess a law in words, but are not subject to the power of God. And such are they who do accuse their brethren who walk in the law of God; and yet they pretend justice: but their souls are not subject; for that soul that is subject to the higher power which is of God, denies all filthiness and corruption.

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O. That since their coming into this country, they have broached opinions tending to the destruction of the relation of subjects to their magistrates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants to their masters, congregations to their ministers, and of a people to their God.'

A. We were moved of the Lord to come into this country, and the Lord did let us see, that he had a people here before we came into it. But as for broaching opinions, we deny; but those that profess truth, and walk in it up to God, we own.

Opinions do tend to break the relation of subjects to their magistrates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants to their masters, congregations to their ministers, and of a people to their God; but opinions we deny, for they are without God; and there you are. And justice and purity are but one, and that we set up and own: purity and walking in the spirit, doth make a separation from all VOL. III.

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uncleanness, and can have no fellowship with them who are unfruitful workers of darkness; but there is a separation from them. The one hath fellowship with God, and the other hath fellowship with darkness, which is unfruitful: the one is separated to God, the other is separated from God.

O. 'Have drawn much people after them, many whereof, men, women, and little children, at their meetings, are strangely wrought upon in their bodies, and brought to fall, foam at the mouth, roar, and swell in their bellies.'

A. The meetings of the people of God, were ever strange to the world; for it was as though some strange thing had happened to the saints, as ye read in the scripture; which shows ye are in the same generation, wondering and stranging at the work of the Lord, despising and casting scandals, slanders, and false reports upon them; and where the works of God are now, they think them strange things now, as was then, who are alive in the flesh. It would be a strange thing to see one now fall down, as Paul fell down and trembled, and as Daniel fell down and trembled; and to see one as Habakkuk, his belly to tremble, and his lips to quiver, and as David, to lie roaring all the day long, who cried till his sight was grown dim, and his flesh failed of fatness,' and till he could number his bones;' and to see one as Isaiah, to 'rent his garment and his mantle,' and 'pluck his hair off his head, and off his beard, and sit down astonished.' And would it not be strange to see such an assembly as came to Isaiah, who had all trembling hearts? Isa. lxvi. v. Hear the word of the Lord, all ye that tremble at his word;' 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling;' 'before their faces the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.' The prophets and ministers of God have all one spirit, (according to measure,) and did encourage those that did tremble; wherein it shows that you have not the same spirit, but seek to persecute, and fix scandals, and accuse them falsely. The ministry of truth ever drew from all the ministry of the world, and from under all the laws of the world, up to God, and from all the gods of the earth; and then they witnessed that the Lord was their lawgiver, the Lord was their king, the Lord was their judge.

O. George Fox professed and avowed that he was equal with God.' A. It was not so spoken, as that George Fox was equal with God: but the Father and the son are one: 'I and my Father are one.' John xiv. 9, 10. and where the same is revealed, this is witnessed: but where the same is not made manifest and revealed, Christ is persecuted; for the world knows him not. Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, and yet made himself of no reputation.' Phil. vi.

7. And this I witness to be fulfilled; for the same spirit where it is, is equal with God; for he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one.' Heb. ii. 11. and it is God that sanctifieth. He that hath the word of God hath God, for God is the word; and our fellowship is with God.' John i. 1. There is a natural man, and there is a spiritual man: the first is of the earth, earthly, the second is the Lord from heaven.' 1 Cor. xv. 47, 48. The new man, which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness;' and 'he that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.' 1 John iii. 7. And this I witness what the scripture saith, 'Let no man deceive you.'

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O. He professeth himself to be the eternal judge of the world.'

A. He that was a minister of God said, ' that the saints should judge the world, yea, angels.' 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. Herein they show themselves to be no ministers of God, who seek to persecute them who are judged of God, and justified by him; where 'judgment is brought forth unto victory,' Matt. xii 20. and set in the earth; and that which is eternal, hath judged all the carnal nature in himself; and where it is judged there is no unity with it where it is alive; and he that hath not true judgment, and hath not salt in himself to savour withal, is good for nothing, and he cannot endure that Christ should speak where he is made manifest. 'I am the way,' saith Christ; Christ is but one in all his saints, and he speaks in them. 1 Cor. xi. 3. But he doth not say that George Fox is Christ. I am the way, the truth, and the life.' Christ is the light, and ye are the light; and Christ liveth in you, and Christ is the head of the man; and it is the spirit of the Father that speaketh in you, and spoke in Christ, and he is but one in all his saints. Without are many Christs; lo here,' and 'lo there;' but 'know you not that Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? and if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin;' and there Christ Jesus speaks, the same Christ to-day, yesterday, and for ever.' And thy judgment which is not eternal, is carnal; and with evil thoughts thou judgest; thou puttest darkness for light, and light for darkness; and here thou showest thy judgment to be carnal, and no minister of God, but a minister of the letter, and not of the spirit; for the ministers of the spirit have true judgment, and did imprison none, nor persecute, as you do; but it is, that fools may utter forth their folly.

O. 'He said he was the way, the truth, the life.'

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A. The old man cannot endure to hear the new man speak, which is Christ; and Christ is the way: and if Christ be in you, must not he say, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life?' John x. 4. Now if antichrist speak, he is owned of the world; but he cannot witness it; while the old man reigns, the voice of God is not known, nor Christ himself to speak in man, but Christ's sheep know his voice.

O. 'He said, whosoever took a place of scripture, and made a sermon of it, or from it, was a conjuror, and his preaching was conjuration.'

A. He that puts the letter for the light, when the letter saith Christ is the light, he is blind; and they that say the letter and the spirit are inseparable, when the spirit saith the letter is death, and killeth, and all that do study to raise a living thing out of a dead, to raise the spirit out of the letter, are conjurors, and draw points and reasons, and so speak a divination of their own brain; they are conjurors and diviners, and their teaching is from conjuration, which is not spoken from the mouth of the Lord, and the Lord is against all such, and who are of God are against all such; for that doctrine doth not profit the people at all, for it stands not in the counsel of God, but is a doctrine of the devil, and draws people from God, but he that speaks from the mouth of the Lord, turns people from their wickedness, but that ministry which God hath not sent, and that assembly must be disaffected: for the Lord is coming to teach his people himself by his spirit.

O. 'George Fox said the scripture was carnal.'

A. The letter of the scripture is carnal, and the letter is death, and killeth, but the spirit giveth life, which was in them that gave forth the scriptures, and that I witness, which is eternal and not carnal: for the Jews who had the letter, persecuted Jesus Christ the substance; and so do you now who have the letter and not the substance. There were ministers of the letter then, and ministers of the spirit, so there are now. The same Christ being made manifest, is unknown to the world: for the whole world lieth in wickedness, and Christ Jesus is a mystery to the world, and is hid, though you may profess him, because the letter speaketh of him; but ye persecute him where he is made manifest, and where he is made manifest the works of the devil are destroyed, and there he speaks and is king, and is the way, and is the truth, and is the life; and he that hath the son hath life, and he that hath not the son hath not life:' and he that hath the same spirit that raised up Jesus Christ, is equal with God. And the scripture saith, that God will dwell in man, and walk in man. As Jesus Christ which is the mystery, hath passed before, so the same spirit takes upon it the same seed, and is the same where it is made manifest: according to the flesh, I am the son of Abraham, according to the spirit, the son of God, saith Christ. All the plotting of the priests is, and ever was, against Christ, where he is made manifest: And the beast shall make war with the saints, and with the lamb;' but the lamb shall get the victory: praises, praises be to our God for ever, and for evermore.

O. Richard Huberthorn wrote, that Christ's coming in the flesh was but a figure.'

A. Christ in his people is the substance of all figures, types, and

shadows, fulfilling them in them, and setting them free from them: but as he is held forth in the scripture letter without them, and in the flesh without them, he is their example or figure, which are both one, that the same things might be fulfilled in them, that were in Christ Jesus: For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ hath suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps: forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.' Christ was our example in suffering and in holiness, and ‘as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be ye holy as I am holy.' He is our example in humility: 'I have given you an example, (saith Christ,) that ye should do even as I have done unto you:' and 'as he is so are we in this world.' He is our forerunner, captain of our salvation, and in all things our example. As they have done unto me, so shall they do unto you.' But all they who have not Christ dwelling in them, go about to persecute him in all them in whom he is made manifest; they neither follow him as an example themselves, nor suffer others to follow him as an example and walk in the same steps: but deny him both as the substance and example of his people. But they who are taught of him do confess him both as he is the substance of all things, and their example in all things: for without me ye can do nothing,' saith Christ: and it is so, I witness it.

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And as for James Milner, though his mind did run out from his condition, and from minding that light of God which is in him, whereby the world takes occasion to speak against the truth, and many Friends stumble at it: yet there is a pure seed in him.

O. 'Leonard Fell said that Christ had no body but his church.'

A. 'There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called into one hope of your calling;' and 'Christ Jesus is the head of the body, the church;' and ye are made free from sin by the body of Christ. And Christ came to redeem his church. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,' for his body's sake, which is his church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones: this is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and his church. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body. The fulness of him that filleth all in all. In whom also we are builded up together, for a habitation of God through the spirit.'

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