A collection of the several books and writings of that faithful servant of God, Richard Hubberthorn who finished his testimony (being a prisoner in Newgate for the truths sake) the 17th of the 6th month, 1662.

A Reply to an Epistle that thou wrotest to him whom thou callest Sir Robert Bindlosse.

THe Queries being sent to his house from Rich. Hubberthorn, being his desire that they should be made publike; and we do praise the Lord, that deceit is brought to light. And thou saist, Perhaps some satisfaction might be given to those seduced, wavering souls amongst you. Truly I do believe they will, and see your folly; that under his Name whom thou callest Sir Robert Bindlosse, under his name and patronage they may appear as a cover to veil their imperfections.

Therefore R. B. to thee I say, Be wise, and fear the Lord, and run not on in the broad way, with such a one who doth confess in his answer to the first query, that he doth not at∣tain the same knowledge and understanding of the Gospel as the Apostles attained. Therefore thou R. Sherlock, thy know∣ledge is brutish, and thy understanding sottish, as the Scrip∣ture saith; for none knows the Apostles condition and know∣ledge, but with the same understanding; and in this thou de∣niest it, and thou art in another knowledge and understand∣ing, and art in another doctrine, and the true Gospel thou

dost not know, and thou art to be held accursed, as the Scrip∣ture saith, Gal. 1. And so here thou hast given satisfaction to many that stood in doubt, though to all the children of light thou wast known, and all things shall work together for good to them that love God, Rom. 8. therefore R.B. take heed what thou sets forth under thy Name, and Fathers; for if thou see a thief, and consent with him, thou art guilty. And R. Sher∣lock, the Queries that were sent to thee, thou callest them scrupulous; and the Letter which was sent to thee, as a Li∣bel: Why dost thou slander the innocent and simplicity? but of thy generation we look for no other, whose mouth is ful of slanders. Thou slanderer, in thy Epistle to the Lady, thou slanderest privily, under a colour, who flatters her; where thou art telling her of love, & stirs her up to envy, as in p. 46. and incensing her, and wouldst stir her up against them whom thou callest Quakers; so thou might'st have as well have incen∣sed her against Moses who was a Judge over all Israel, & qua∣ked; and David who was a King, quaked; so all that are vertu∣ous, will own us who deny opinions, for them we deny; and there thou art, who livest in opinions; and as thou speakest of some to strike at the root of many infections and errors which are overspread amongst you; the Lord Jesus Christ hath rai∣sed up a Light in his children, that they are striking at your root, and laying open the deceits, and bringing forth his own Work to his own praise: And thou sayest, All men do worship God and Christ with one heart, and one mouth, and after one manner, is not onely decryed, but also dismist our congregations; and since the pale of Ecclesiastical Discipline is pulled down, by whose coercive Laws all men were kept within the limit of the true Faith. Here I charge thee to be a lyar: Was the true Faith, and the Worship of God, maintained by an outward Law? Thou Traytor, have they pluckt down the true Faith and the Woship of God? or your old Ceremonies? Thou seducer, how art thou tormented by that which hath pluckt down the traditions! Tremble, for the hand and sword of the Lord is against thee, as it was against them; thou dissembler and envious one, the Law was not made for the Church, which is the pillar and ground of truth, which worships God in the spirit; but for such envious persons as thou art, who hast cleared thy Church & Worship here, from the true Church and Worship of God, to the view of all ho∣nest

hearts, and thou art tormented, because the freedom is given for the liberty of tender consciences, to worship God his own way, even in spirit and in truth, as in John 4.23, 24 And thou sayest, Since under the name and priviledge of liberty of conscience licentiousness of opinion hath got footing: And this thou seems to father upon the Magistrates.

We who are in the Light of Christ Jesus, which doth exercise our consciences towards God and man, all opinion•• & licenti∣ousness we deny; therefore thy mouth must be stopt, O sl••nde∣rer, which soweth dissention; for since the Lord hath opened the Magistrates understanding with the Light of Christ in them, the same light doth give freedom to the light in others consciences, which worketh into tenderness of conscience, & teacheth to exercise a good conscience towards God & man; & such Magistrates do not make a Law over the consciences of men, which thou seducer & brutish fellow wouldst have a law upon; but the law is against such as thou art; and so thou hast shewed thy self to be in the frantick state, & heresie which thou talks on, and many such speeches as thou hast in thy Epistle to Sir R. Bindloss, as thou callest him. And whereas thou speakest of your church and hope, your hope will perish, & your church, and all who are in the Light, will be ashamed of your church.

And thou art he who art of the Devil, who dost promote lies and untruths, which is of thy Father the Devil, Joh. 8.4. but God is coming with his mighty power to chain thee up, thy Father the Devil, the old Dragon, who is the Father of lyes, and thou art one of his servants who blindeth the understandings of the people who are in the unbelief, and seeks to poison their affections with vanities and lying slanders. And in thy conclusion thou wouldst not have him to perish with the blind and giddy; but if he follow such as thou art, he doth follow both, and in the ditch both will perish together.

And thou speaks to him of walking in the paths of the just and righteous; and such thou privily slanderest, and their way hatest thou, who walkest in the steps of the wicked, and with those that forget God; and thou must be cut down with the sword of the Almighty God; To that in thy Conscience I speak, when thou art in the terror, re∣member me, for that in thy conscience wil condemn thee, and witness me▪ And Friend, to the light in thy conscience I speak,

under whose Name this Book goes; there is thy Teacher, if thou lovest it, which is the Light of Christ; if thou lovest it, it will teach thee as thou goes•• up and down, and shew thee the way of the just; for it is just, it will condemn thee if thou hate it. And when the Book of Conscience is opened, thou shalt witness what I speak, that it's truth to thy soul.

Pr. And whereas thou sayest, You do neither pretend to any such sublime and eminent gifts, neither do you, nor ought you to depend upon any such immediate revelation, but do use such means and helps which God in all ages hath afforded to people, viz. by study and industry in the Schools of the Prophets. Schools (thou sayest) they had at Bethel, 2 King. 1, 3, 5. And Elisha's Colledge was so full, that they enlarged it, 2 King. 6.1. 1 Sam. 14, 20. and upon the Hill of God, 2 Sam, 10.5, 10.

Rep. Here let all these Scriptures witness against thee, that thou art no true Prophet, no Minister of Christ, who witnes∣sed the end of the Prophets, and were all taught of God, which thou deniest, that deniest immediate Revelation from heaven. And here I charge thee in the presence of the living God, to be a lyar and false Prophet, and that thou art guided by the Father of lies. Where thou tells of Elisha's Colledge, and saist that it was so full, that it was enlarged, and bringest in that place of Scripture to colour over thy lyes, 2 King. 6.1. Let that Scripture be a witness against thee, that thou art•• lyar, and a perverter of the Scriptures; thou full of all sub∣tilties, blush for shame thou lyar; is there any mention of any Colledge there? Or is there any mention of the Schools of the Prophets where the Word of God was studied in those places of Scripture before-mentioned, as thou sayest? Let them witness against thee: All the Prophets were taught of God, and there was no studying for what they spoke at Nai∣oth; see if they did not receive the Spirit of Prophesie, and spoke by immediate Revelation, which thou denies, & knows not their manner of teaching and learning, 1 Sam. 19, 20. to the end of the chap. And the Prophesie came not in the old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost; and the Sc••ipture is of no private interpretation, 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. Here art thou proved a lyar, and a perverter of the Scripture, wresting it to thy own destruction, 2 Pet. 3.16,

Now call not Truth railing, thou dissembler and enemy of all righteousness; the Scripture turns edge against thee, and wit∣nesses against thy deceit and filthiness, whereby thou seeks to strangle the truth; but thou art found out to be among the dogs, sorcerers and lyars spoken of in Scripture, and art shut out of the Kingdom of God, and art no Minister of Christ, Rev. 22.15, 18, 19. Thou Enemy of God, how darest thou say that the Prophets studied the Word, when no prophesie came by the will of man, but by the will of God? and no man knoweth the Father, but the Son, neither knoweth any man the Son but the Father, and he to whom is revealed, Ma••th. 11.27. And here thou deniest both the Father and the Son, and the Prophets and Apostles, that deniest immediate revelation; for they all bear witness against thee, and such as thou art; for the Apostle said, Hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ: And all the true Prophets witness that which thou deniest. And here I have proved thee a lyar, a false pro∣phet, and a deceiver, perverting the Scriptures, and they bear witness with me. And thou full of all guile and deceit, the word of the Lord shall rise up in judgement against thee, and such as thou art.