Ansvvers to severall queries put forth to the despised people called Quakers, by Philip Bennett, who cals himself a minister of Christ, but is found a deceiver; answered by them to whom they were directed. Also, ansvvers to severall other subtil queries put forth by one Iohn Reeve, who lives in the City of London, who cals himself the last messenger and witnesse unto the true God, but is found a false witnesse, and a lyar, and a perverter of the right way of God. / Answered by Edward Burrough, and Francis Howgill, who are witnesses unto the truth against this subtil serpent-like generation.

ANSWERS to severall QUERIES put forth to the diepised People called Quakers.

We having received a Paper which was directed to Rich. Roper, and to his quaking friend, which words comes from the dark carnall mind, quaking and trembling, which the Saints and holy men of God wit∣nessed, we own and witnesse; therefore do we deny thee and all thy dark Divinations.

WHereas thou Philip Benett, in thy Note which thou hast writen to Roper, in Answer to a Letter which he wrote to thee, wherein he charges thee to be a Lyar, and a false accuser, and charges thee to bring any man to witnesse what thou hast spoken by them, whom, thou sayes, denyed that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem, and who they were that denyed that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem, or else acknowledge thy self to be a slande∣rer, and in thy Paper, thou gives no Answer at all to these words, but sayes, thou called the Congregation to witnesse, but doth not mention one in all the Congregation that will witnesse it, whereupon the lye rests upon thy head, and thou found to be the lyar, and the slan∣derer, and the false accuser.

And whereas thou sayes, thou hast sent Queries concerning that matter, thy Queries makes thee manifest what thou art, many of thy own Tribe and generati∣on, if they saw thy Queries, would be ashamed both of thee and of thy Queries; for hundereds there are in the world that knowes nothing of the true and living God, and yet would see thee and thy Queries not to be worth answering, yet lest thou should boast in thy filthy ignorance and darknesse, and for clearing of the Truth to the simple: Something in answer to them.

1 Quer. Whether was the VVord made flesh, or the Son of God made of a Woman more or oftner then once?

Answ. In this first Querie thou hast manifested what thou art to all the children of Light, and where thou art, and what Spirit thou art of, a reprobate, a child of darknesse thou art; thou might have spared the other nineteen Queries, for in this Querie thy spirit is tryed, and in the eternall Light seen and known: Thou askes whether the Word was made flesh any more or oftner then once, which makes it plainly manifest, that thou knowes not what thou askes, and that thou dost not know nor cannot witnesse the Word to be made flesh once, but art one of the An∣tichrists and deceivers which John speakes of, that are entered into the world, which

cannot confesse Jesus Christ come in the flesh, and therefore thou queries whether the Word was made flesh any more or oftner than once, which Querie comes from thy dark polluted minde, who is out of the Light, and a stranger to the life, and without God in the world, amongst the false Prophets, Antichrists and deceivers which are in the world, and in the Light of Christ, which condemnes the world, yea, are all seen, known, and made manifest, and are turned away from by these who dwell in the Light, which Light condemnes thee and all thy generation eternally; and the Word made flesh we witnesse which dwells amongst us, and we behold his glo∣ry as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, according to the Scripture, whereby we witnesse thee and all thy generation to be in the sorcery, and in the witchcraft, de∣ceiving and betraying the souls of the simple, the Light of Christ in thy conscience will tell thee so, for that thou must be obedient to, and witnesse before thou witnesse the Word to be made flesh once, for thou art darknesse it self, and the light in thy con∣science, if thou would let it rise, will be thy condemnation, and when thou can wit∣nesse the Word to be made flesh once, then thou wilt know whether the Son of God was made of a Woman any more or oftner than once: But thou art the Dragon that would devour the Manchild which the Woman hath brought forth, who shall rule all Nations with a rod of iron, and her child is caught up to God and to his Throne, thou, the Dragon, and thy Angels is cast out into the earth; and therefore dost thou persecute the Woman which hath brought forth the Manchild, but thou art over∣come by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of his Testimony; and for thy other nineteen Queries, thou hast conjured them up in thy black Art out of the bottom∣lesse pit, which is to be turned into perdition, if thou had an ear thou might hear, or an eye thou might read, but thou art blind.

2 Quer. Whether did the Man Christ Jesus the Son of God, slain, (in respect of Gods Decree and Efficacie of his death) from the foundation of the world really and in∣deed suffer death or dissolution of soul and body, as upon the Crosse at Jerusalem, more or oftner than once.

Answ. Here in this Querie thou Diviner is found adding to the Scripture thy divinations of thy own brain, whereupon the plagues of God is to be added unto thee, and poured upon thee, for as thou sayes, the Man Christ Jesus the Lamb of God, slain (in respect of Gods Decree and efficacie of his Death) from the foundation of the world. Oh thou lyar, let all people see where there is such a Scripture that speakes as thou speakes here, but in the sight of Christ thou art seen, and in the life comprehended, and art for condemnation. The man Christ Jesus we own and witness, and the Lambs book of life, which was slain from the foundation of the world we witnesse, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world, we witnesse ac∣cording to the Scripture; praises, praises, eternal praises, be to the Lord God for ever, and thee to be the beast that makes war with the Lamb we witnesse, and thou Anti-Christ which looks at Christs death at Jerusalem alone, and cannot confesse him no otherwise but without thee, here thou art but equall with the Pope of Rome, for he confesses Christ dyed at Jerusalem as well as thou; so let all thy Congregation see what they hold up that followes thee.

3 Querie Whether did the man Christ ever really and indeed suffer in his own per∣son, for that end and after that manner which he did once upon the Crosse at Jerusalem, before the time, or since the time?

Answ. Here thou full of all subtilty hath made manifest thy Poison and enmity, but with the Light of Christ thou art seen, and known, and with it condemned for ever; Christ Jesus in his own Person doth, and ever did, suffer by thee, and such as

thou art, and by thy Generation he did suffer at Jerusalem, and doth suffer where he is made manifest by you, after the same manner, and thou blind Pharisee and blasphemer, would thou have Christ to have more ends in suffering than one?

4 Quer. Whether was not that death which the man Christ suffered once, and but once, upon the Crosse at Jerusalem so satisfactory for all the sins of the Elect, as that the Justice of God, did not, doth not since require any suffering or working upon that account, either from sinner or from Saint.

Ans. Here thou Jesuite art pleading again for a Christ farre off thee, according as thy father doth at Rome, That Christ that dyed at Jerusalem did not satisfie for thee who art an enemy to him, and doth not abide in his Doctrine, but acts con∣trary to his Commands, and art under the wo, which he cryed against them that were in the same stops where thou art, and from that wo thou shalt never fly; The death of the man Christ Jesus which suffered at Jerusalem we own and witnesse; the same Christ that suffered at Jerusalem we witnesse made manifest, and the one God and the one Mediator we witnesse and know; betwixt God and man, the Man Christ Jesus, according to the Scripture: And here thou lyar art made manifest to all thy Congregation to be a lyar, who said amongst them, that we denyed that Christ that died at Jerusalem, so let them all be witnesses of thy lyes, & let thy mouth be stopt thou lyer, who art for the lake; and whereas thou queries whether the justice of God be not satisfied for the sins of the Elect, here let shame strike thee in the face, that ever thou should take upon thee to speak to any people, and knowes not the Scripture; where dost thou read in all the Scripture, that God doth require satisfaction for the sins of the Elect, or laid any thing to their charge, let all people try thee here by the Scripture, and see whether thou be not a blind ignorant Sott, who doth not know what the justice of God requires, neither from sinner nor from Saint, Isa. 42. 1. Isa. 65. 9. 22. Luk. 18. 7. Rom. 8. 33.

5 Quer. Whether you be reconciled to God by any other obedience, than that parti∣cular obedience which Christ performed in his own Person, and is mentioned in the Scrip∣ture, or by any other suffering or death, than that which Christ once suffered upon the Crosse at Jerusalem?

Ans. Silence flesh: would thou, (who art an enemy to God, and a child of dis∣obedience, in whom the Prince of the air rules) know how we are reconciled to God, and by what obedience, first own the Light in thy conscience which con∣demnes thee, and be obedient to that, and then thou shalt know by what obedience it is that reconciles to God, for yet thou knowes no obedience, nor the death which Christ suffered upon the Crosse, thou dost not know, but art an enemy to the Cross of Christ, and in the mistery of iniquity, and in the dark power and man of sin; what hast thou to do to talk of obedience, who art reconciled to thy lust, and sin reigns in thee, and thou art blind in the broad way that leads to death, as thy fruits makes it manifest, who lives in strife and envy.

6 Quer. Whether did not the Man Christ suffer as a publick Person in the Elects stead, or in their behalf, and for that end that none who believed in him might dye eternally?

Ans. There thou blinde guide makes many replyes, but still one and the same thing, but thou makes it manifest, that thou dost not know the man Christ at all, nor his sufferings, for death reigns in thee yet, that hath passed over all men that askes this Querie; for a publick Person Christ is not to ••••ee, but a mistery which

thou knowes nothing of, and for the redeeming of the Elect from under such mouths as thine, did and doth Christ suffer; and those that are brought to believe denyes such dumb Idoll shepherds as thee, who as yet doth not believe, and therefore shall dye eternally.

7 Quer. Whether the sufferings of Christ now in his Saints, be all the satisfaction that is made to, or which the justice of God looks for, for sins past, present and to come?

Ans. There thou blasphemer askes thou knowes not wha••; is not Christ the same now as ever, and is not the sufferings of Christ satisfactory where ever? What wilt thou have to satisfie, if the sufferings of Christ do not satisfie, let all people take no∣tice what a blasphemer thou art, or what they can learn of such a one as thee, who knowes neither the justice of God, nor the sufferings of Christ in his Saints.

8 Quer. Whether was not that body of Jesus which consisted of flesh, blood and bone, and which was offered upon the Crosse at Jerusalem, the one and onely sacrifice for sin God accepted, and to which alone exclusively the Saints before under the Law, and the Saints since under the Gospel, did and do look to be justified by, without any other works.

Answ. Here again thou art replying thy former sottish Queries, which rises out of thy dark mind, concerning the body of Jesus, as the devill did about the body of Moses; let thy mouth be stopt here, for the body of Jesus thou knowes not, nor what it consists on; and the offering of it up thou knowes nothing of, but what thou knowes and heares by the outward Letter, that it was offered up at Jerusalem; and the sacrifice for sin thou knowes not, and thou art none of the Saints, neither un∣der the Law, nor under the Gospell, but art without in the world, in the broad way, blind leading the blind into the ditch; and for thee the body of Christ is no satisfaction; and thou Reprobate, what hast thou to do to talk of believing, for that is the condition of the Saints, they do believe and are justified, and their works thou knowes not, thou disobedient one, upon whom God will render vengeance in flam∣ing fire.

9 Quer. Whether there be not another righteousness by which the Saints are justified in the sight of God, than that which Christ works in them and by them?

Answ. There thou accursed art made manifest, who preaches another Gospell, and would have another righteousnesse than that of Christ, here thou beast to whom the plagues of God is due, and upon whom his wrath must be accomplished, here thou hast made thy self manifest, thou who would have another righteousnesse than the righteousnesse of Christ, which he works in the Saints and by them, and so thou would be justified and live in thy sin, but thou art shut out from God for ever; and we witnesse justification by faith, and the just shall live by his Faith.

10 Quer. Whether doth sanctification or justification in order antecede holinesse of life or justification by faith go before, or whether d••th not God love man, ere man lov∣ed God?

Answ. Here thou dark blinde hypocrite hath shut thy self out from the knowledge of God in any measure, oh that ever people should be so blinde as to look for to learn any thing at such a one as thee but sin and filthinesse; and what hast thou been teaching them all this while, that neither knowes sanctification nor justification yet, but art querying whether goes before, let all people judge if thou be not a teacher of lasciviousnesse, sin and uncleannesse, and how darest thou mention a holy life, or justification by faith? which knowes neither justification nor sanctification. And thee, man, which art Cain, God doth not love nor accept thee nor thy sacrifice, and for justification by faith thou knowes nothing of it, which we own and witnesse, 〈…〉〈…〉 doth not love God▪

11 Quer. Whether the justice of God be not fully satisfied for all the sins of the Elect, ••re Christ appear to their souls, or holinesse appear in their lives?

Ans. Here ••hou full of all subtil••y a••t comprehended, and with the Light of Christ thou art seen, and with the life judged and condemned, who would say sin to the charge of the Elect, when the Scripture saith, VVho shall ••ay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? The soul that sin∣neth shall die. Thou sorcerer, doth the Elect of God ••in? Shall the Elect dye? To that in thy conscience I speak?

12 Quer. VVhether the holy lives, or holy works of the Saints be not excluded from the Act of justification, from the guilt of sin?

Ans. Thou dead beast hath made it manifest, that thou art a stranger from the life of God, and is excluded from the holy life of the Saints and their works, who art que••ying whether this be not excluded from justification: Oh that ever thou should open thy mouth, or take upon thee to speak of the Scripture; doth not the Apostle say, 1 Pet. 1. 18. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was ordained before the foundation of the world was, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead? Now let all people read this Chapter, and try thee, who knowes nothing of Jesus Christ, but as thou hast heard of him, that he was crucified at Ierusalem, and so thou art unredeemed from thy vain conversation, and so art not justified before God, nor never shall be, but those that can witnesse Redemption by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as all the Saints of God do, are justified; and by the same that they are justified thou art condemned into the lake for ever.

13 Quer. VVhether is that righteousness which is wrought by the Saints every way answerable to the justice of God?

Ans. There again thy blindnesse is made manifest; is there any righteousness but that of Jesus Christ, and is not that every way answerable to the justice of God▪ but such polluted filthy beasts as thou would have another righteousnesse, as thou▪ speaks plainly in thy ninth Querie, but all thy righteousnesse we deny, and the righte∣ousnesse of Jesus Christ we own and witnesse, whose righteousnesse shall be revealed upon thee in flames of fire.

14 Quer. VVhether none be accounted righteous in Gods sight, in whom there is any corruption, or failing, or who do not fulfill the Law, and answer every demand of justice?

Ans. Here thou polluted beast hath made it manifest what thou hast been driving at all this while in thy queries, which is, that thou would have corruption and filthines to be accounted righteous in Gods sight, that so thou might lye and wallow in thy sins & filthinesse, but Iohn saith, that he that commits sin is of the divell: for the divell sin∣neth from the beginning, and for this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, that he might destroy the works of the divell, and thou man of sin would have it to stand, but those that loves God keeps his Commandements, and they are not grie∣vous; and God doth not accept any where there is any failing, or who do not ful∣fill the Law, and answer every demand of justice, and he doth reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished, 2 Pet. 2 9. and chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse, and there thou art.

15 Quer. VVhether a soul be justified before God by the non-imputation of sin, and the imputation of the righteousness of the Person of Christ to his Faith, or by a righteous∣ness wrought by Christ in the Person justified or to be justified.

Ans. Here stop thy mouth thou sorcerer, which art gathering up here a heap of confusion, which is fit for nothing but to be turned with thee into the bottomlesse pit, from whence it comes, wherein thou talkes of imputation and non-imputa∣tion, and of a person justified, and to be justified; thy language is of Aegyt, and in the mystery of iniquity, thou speaks it, which is condemned into the lake of per∣dition by the Light of Christ, and in the light thou and it art seen and comprehen∣ded; and as I told thee before, I own no righteousnesse but what is of Christ, and wrought by thee, which Righteousnesse shall confound thee and all thy unrigh∣teousnesse and conjuration, and the same that justifies us shall condemn thee eternally.

16 Quer. VVhether Christ be in his Saints in respect of that nature wherein he suffered at Jerusalem?

Ans. Here thou enemy of Christ would know how the Saints injoy Christ here, the Scripture is fulfilled upon thee, the light shines in darknesse, and darknesse comprehends it not, when thou comes to own thy condemnation, the light in thy con∣science it will let thee see thy evill deeds, it will lead thee up to Christ from whence it comes, and then thou wilt know that nature that he suffered in; but now thou art in that nature that Iudas was in that betrayed him, and that they were in that crucified him.

17 Quer. How, and after what manner Christ, who in respect of his Divine na∣ture is infinite and in all places, may be said to be in a Saint, and not in Reprobate?

Ans. What hast thou to do to Qu••rie after the Divine Nature, who art the na∣turall man, that knowes nothing of God, but what thou knowes naturally as a bruite beast, and knowes not the things that be of God, because they are spiritually dis∣cerned▪ and the manner of Christs Divine nature, which is infinite, is hid from thy eyes, for of that eye that thou should see that with thou art blinde, and the manner of his being in a Saint thou knowes not, who art a Reprobate, and thou shalt find him to be thine eternall condemnation.

18 Quer. VVhether doth Christ now in these dayes assume or take upon him the form of a servant, and the seed of Abraham, that is our flesh: And whether doth not this assumption cause such a perfection of the Godhead and the Manhood, as that both of them are united together into one person?

Ans. O thou dark beast and conjurer, who art querying with thy conjured words, that which thou knowes nothing of, and which is out of thy reach and comprehensi∣on; thou blasphemer, dost thou limit Christ to dayes, in taking upon him the form of a Servant, and the seed of Abraham? Is not he the same now as ever he was? And for the union of the God-head and Manhood, as thou calls it, let thy mouth be stopt, for with thee God nor none of his children hath any union, for God ha••h put an utter enmity, betwixt thy seed, thou serpent, and the seed of the woman, and the perfect union with Christ we witnesse, who is the same to day, yesterday and for ever, and therefore are we separate from thee and thy generation.

19 Quer. VVhether is Christ now conversant upon earth, amongst men, since his as∣cension, as he was before, and in those times wherein the Apostles lived?

Ans. In thy Queries thy speech bewrayes thee, thy language is the language of Aegypt, for in it thou makes it clearly manifest, that thou knowes not Christ at all, not in the least measure, for where the first Principle of Truth is made manifest, it is the same that ever was, and never changes; and thou askes whether Christ be now conversant upon earth amongst men since his Ascension, as he was in the A∣postles time▪ Dost thou know what thou askes? Did he not appear to the Apostles

since his Ascension, in the most glorious manner that ever thou read; and is he not the same now as he was then? What would thou make of him, thou dark sottish beast) such a one as thy self, who would be pleading for darknesse and ignorance of God, but praise and glory to him who hath discovered thee and all such deceiv∣vers as thou art.

20 Quer. VVhether did not Christ dwell among his Saints, after another and more visible manner than now he dwels in his Saints?

Ans. There again thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the Scripture, and for thy word visible, he is not, nor never was visible to thee, nor to thy generation, for those that did professe the Scriptures, as thou and thy Generation doth, crucified him, and said he was of the devill, as thou, and such as thou art doth now; thou blasphemer, where hast thou a Scripture that saith, that Christ would dwell in his Saints after another manner? Did he not say, It is expedient for you that I go away, and I go and prepare a place for you, and I will come again and receive you unto my self, that where I am there you may be also; and ye have heard how I have said I go away and come again unto you, and if ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I go unto the Father; and Christ Jesus saith in the 14. Iohn 12. Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do, he shall do also, and greater works than these, because I go to the Father: But all these Scriptures is hid from thy eyes, and thou art one of those that Isaiah Prophesied on; and that Scripture is fulfilled on thee which saith, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts: Now blessed be the Lord that hath discovered thee, and such blind guides as thou art. So we have Answered thy Queries in the eternall Light and life of God, and we have given judgement upon thee and them, which thou shalt eternally witnesse, without roving or wan∣dring, but thou who art out of the Light art roving, and wandring and stumbling in darknesse, who hath put forth these stumbling▪ Queries, which we have Answered lovingly and plainly, and in the Scripture Language and Termes, and with the eternall Light and Life of God, set thee in thy own place, which thou shalt eternally witnesse.

These are matters of great concernment, and if you refuse to answer them in writing, spare your tongues and spare your Papers, for I will henceforth neither hear the one, nor read the other.

Ans. Thou saith, these are matters of great concernment; We see that that which makes thee manifest, and such as thou art, and which layes thee open to poor ignorant people, which is deceived by thee and led into the ditch, and their souls kept in death by thee, to make this manifest is of great concernment, as these dark black stumbling Queries, and thy conjured words hath done▪ which thou hast no Scripture for, as ambiguity, efficacy, exclusively, antecede, and non-imputation, assume, and assumption: Now let all people read and consider what they do that holds such as thee up, who is shut out from God, and shut out from the Saints life and lan∣guage, and art shut out of the Scriptures, though thou makes a trade of them for mony, and deceives poor people, but thou knowes nothing of the life and power that gave them forth; So thou art to be condemned with the Light, and with the Life which gave forth the Scripture. Let all people read Deuteronomie 18. from the 9. verse to the 15. There the Priests and the Levites which was ordained of God; was to have no inheritance among the people, but the Lord was their Inheritance, and they were to have it of that which was offered up to the Lord, and this is a figure of the everlasting Priesthood, which ministers out of the everlasting Treasure; and the

Lord God commanded Israel, that not to do as they did when they came into the land, nor to go after their abominations, as you may see, but gave Israel their land to possesse, that did hearken unto such as the Lord had not sent, which was a∣bomination to him, and the Lord saith to Israel, Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God, and in the 15. verse the Lord thy God will raise unto thee a Pro∣phet from the midst of thee, of thy Brethren like unto me, unto him shall ye hear∣ken; And so to the end of the Chapter, he that hath an eye may see, and the Lord is the same that he was, and he will not suffer the abominations that is committed in this Land, but is discovering the abomination of it; A horrible and a filthy thing is committed, which Ieremiah cryed against, covetous men preach, drunkards preach, swearers preach, lyars preach, strikers preach, and proud men preach: Oh, wonderfull, where is your eyes? Try your Priests by the Scriptures, see if they be not found in the same Generation that all the false Prophets and the deceivers were in which the true Prophets of God cryed against, and discovered, and in the steps of the Scribes and Pharisees, that Christ cryed w•• against; and see if they be not the Antichrists and the Deceivers which are entered into the world, which Iohn speaks of, which cannot confesse Christ come in the flesh; but transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, so hath not God, neither knowes him; but preaches for sin, and against perfection, and denyes the Light which enlightens every one that comes into the world, and so keeps people in blindnesse and ignorance, and out of the knowledge of God, and never any that followes them shall ever come to the knowledge of the true and living God, therefore all people see where you are, and minde the light in your consciences, which is pure, and which testifieth against all sin, and it will let you see all your blinde guides which deceives you, to be in sin, and ignorant of God; for they deny that which should make him manifest, there∣fore beware what you hold up, and give over going after them, to that in your con∣sciences I speak, which shall witnesse me eternally to speak the truth, if you obey it, and shall condemn you eternally, if you disobey it.

These blind guides that are in this Land, denies the Prophets which Moses wrote of, which is the substance of the Priesthood, which was before, and here they are found in the same generation, in the sorcery and in the witchcraft, which the Lord commanded should be put out of the land, where the children of Israel went to possesse.

Notes

• 2 Tim. 2. 10. Tit. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 13.