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.

8 Quer. It is not an infallible demonstration unto them who have a discerning spirit, that tha•• man hath no commission from the true Spirit to preach or speak to a people, when for fear of his ignorance being discovered, or for fear of losing his hearers, he shall coun∣sell them to strike close to the Word of God, or to hearken to the light within them in their consciences, without what that is in the conscience, or what will be the issue of it, if men be obedient to it, or disobedient to it: and to beware of false Prophets, and not think∣ing in the least himself to be that false prophet, and thus borrowing Scripture language which we are the true Messengers of the Gospel, doth he not in his power hinder his hear∣ers

from reading the glorious things revealed unto, the two last witnesses, and so thou saith, it is clear that the Spirit is not in them which was in Paul, who gave them leave to try all.

Ans. Here thy infallible demonstration is made manifest to be fallible and lying, when thou laies that down to be a sign of them that have no commission from the Spi∣rit, and not to have the Spirit, because they exhort them to cleave close to the Word of God, and to minde the light which shines into the conscience of every man, which is the light of Christ; here thy Spirit is tryed, that thou hast not the same commission as they had, who spoke forth the Scripture, and so thou Preaches ano∣ther Gospel, for the Word of God endures for ever, and by the Word which is eternall, and which was in the beginning, who tryes all things, who searches all things, comprehends all things, and judges all things, he that cleaves not close unto, that builds upon another foundation; and by the Word which endures for ever, thou art seen, not to have that word, neither knowes what, nor where it is, neither hath cleaved to it, and so art raced out from the life, from the foundation, and the Apostle who had his Commission not from man, nor by man, he exhorted those he had preached to and wrote to, to take heed to the sure word of Prophesie, as unto a light that shined in a dark place, and to wait in it, till the day did dawn, and the day Star did arise; and for distinguishing of that in the conscience what it is, he that is not separate from the darknesse knows not how to do it. But this I say unto thee, as we declare unto all, the Light which shines into the conscience is the light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withall, and it is spirituall like himself, and eternall, and it leads out of sin, and declares against all iniquity, and he that comes to own it, and to be guided by it, it leads out of sin to know the Crosse of Christ, which is a Mistery to thee, and it leads to the eternall Word, which was in the beginning before sin was, and it will judge all thy imagi∣nations and vain conceivings, and it leads to the inheritance incorruptible out of corruptible; if thou have an ear to hear, thou may hear, it is that which will let thee see thy vain frothy imaginations, which thou hath of God, and will condemn all thy vain imaginations, and hating it, it will be thy condemnation, and there is the issue of it, and all such as steals other mens words, and the true Prophets words, and never knew the life that was in them, all such we deny, and shut them up within utter darknesse, where they, thou and both are, and for the glorious things that thou and thy partner, which call your selves the two last witnesses, it is manifest that your mysteries are as in thy book, and thy queries, where thou puts Elect and repro∣bate together, and as for tryall of spirits, we give liberty and exhort all that may try, and we direct them to that to try by, which is is infallible and eternall, where∣by they may see and comprehend thee and all who have not the Spirit. But that they should try, who hath nothing to try with, let all such be silent for ever, for none understands the Spirit but the Spirit with which we see thee, and all who stands in their imaginations ignorant of, therefore stop thy mouth in the dust, and be silent.