THIS IS A CONTROVERSY BETWIXT THE QUAKERS and the PAPISTS.  
Being Answers to several Papers, and Replies to the Answers of the Romish Spiritual egyptian Sea, whose Tongue hath of late spoken, and Sea hath of late swelled; but the Bounds, which is the Power of God, which the Apostles was in, keeps it from over-flowing.  
And also here is some Queries for them to answer, and also a Challenge for them to come forth to try their Christ and God, which they make of Bread and Wine, to the People called Quakers, and not to be ashamed of him, for we are not ashamed of Christ before Men. For they that love the light will bring their deeds to the light, that it may be manifest whether they be wrought in God yea or no, Joh. 3.  
Whereunto is added an Answer to a Paper of Henry Forts, one who is turned against the Truth.  
Rev. 16.19. Babylon is come in remembrance before God. rejoice over her, ye Heavens, and holy Apostles and Prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.  
Rev. 18. For in her is found the blood of the Prophets and the Saints.  
This 11 Day of the 11 Month, 1664. By G. F.  
Printed in the Year 1664.   

I Have received a Paper from the Papists, subscribed N.N. And as to thy first, the Scriptures of truth were given forth from the Spirit of truth, as the Saints were moved by the holy Ghost. But writings was never living, neither in the dead, nor in the Saints that are living: for they were first written in the heart of man by God, and Christ, and from the Spirit they were spoken forth, and was known by the Spirit of God in others, which is the leader into the truth of them, and the substance of that which is spoken of, in them, is Christ, whom all must receive within them: and this we own. And as to thy second, The Apostles was made able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the Letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life: This we know, and own. And the transgressing Jews, that lived out of the life, and Spirit, in the letter,( as all the transgressing Christians since the Apostles days) had the letter, but out of the Spirit, and therefore are all on heaps, and confusion, and such as live in the letter which killeth, and not in the Spirit that gives life. Those are they that kills others, that live in the life. And this you may see is in your Church, and amongst the Protestants, as you may see what killing there hath been since the Apostles days; and so your fruits proves you to be no Ministers of Christ, nor no Church of Christ, but are as dark, and hath been as mad against them that lives in the life of Christ, and the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, as any. So that in this we differ from your Spirit and from your Church, and from your practise: but we do not differ from the words of Scripture whosoever brings them. Again, all the Christians knows no more of the Scriptures of the New Testament, than the Jews did of the Old, living out of the Spirit that gave them forth: for persecution was always blind,( mark that) and if the blind leads, and drive on their members, and convert with prisons, these blind neither will nor can led any where but into the ditch. But the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, sees to what condition they spoken of before Christ, and since Christ, them that be in the Spirit sees this. But the Ministers of the letter, both Jews and Christians, that lives in the letter that kills, they are the killers, and the persecutors of them that be of the Spirit that gives life, which spirit owns all the Scriptures in their place, and owns Christ the substance of them, and such have the comfort of the Scriptures, and the Spirit that gave them forth is the Interpreter and true Expounder of them: and so it is manifest, that this Spirit is not in your Church, as you may see by your fruits; for he that is the head of the true Church saith, Love one another, and love enemies: but your Church persecutes such as saith they are believers in Christ, about Circumstances in Religion, and not onely them, but enemies: and so your Church hath banished this Love and Doctrine, and he that banisheth that, banishes the Author of it, and this we see and know. And so in this work you have manifested yourselves to be carnal, and voided of walking in the true Spirit, perverting the Scriptures to your own confusion. As look over all Christendom what a confused Family it is, and how the fruits of the Spirit is wanting in your Church which men so much talk of. Again, Christ bids such as you are to search the Scriptures, who did not believe in him, nor were they in the spirit that gave them forth, for if they had, they would have seen him who was the substance of them, which they testified of, and so are as the saducees, in error, out of the power and life that gave forth Scriptures. And they that are in the power and spirit that Timothy was in, doth study the Scriptures, which are able to make wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, which faith thou hast left out; and so all the Priests in Christendom which have been without this faith that worketh by love, are not made wise unto salvation, neither have they made others wise, and this we also see. Again, as the Old Testament was serviceable to testify of the coming of Christ, so is the New Testament that doth testify he is come, but they that did testify( both) was in the spirit: but others who gets their words, and is not in that spirit, doth as the Jews did against the Prophets and Christ, persecute. And therefore the contrary spirit get the words, and turns against them that be in the life. And thou speakest of the Gospel, but thou hast not manifested what it is, but if thou meanest the four Evangelists, then thou contradicts thy former words, wherein thou callest them External writings. But the Gospel is the power of God, preached to Abraham before the New Testament was written. And for what is spoken of in the Acts, we own, and the Revelations doth foretell of your apostasy, and of the Whore getting up in her fine attire, and the time of the true Prophets prophesying in sack-cloth, and of the Woman, the true Church, being in the Wilderness, and the Whore drinking the Saints blood, and killing the Prophets, and the Dragon and Beasts worship: and these fruits we have seen in our days from your Church. And as for the good life and good order treated of in the Epistles, you have lost, and so have apostatised from the true Church; for this order is in the true Church, for it comes from Christ the Head, who is the Orderer, and this we own. And as to thy first Query, The Scriptures are necessary, and they were given forth for to be believed, red and fulfilled, and not to be made a trade upon, as the Priests in Christendom have done and do. And the Scriptures do not give occasion to the heretics to pick quarrels with Believers: but such as lives out of the spirit that gave forth the Scripturee, such quarrels, and cavils, and persecutes them that be in the spirit, and such quarrels with the Spirit of God in themselves, and then they quarrel with such as walk in the spirit, and so heretics takes the Scripture for their cloak to persecute the true Church, and so they manifest themselves not to be the true Church, being persecutors, and so to be blind leaders of the Church into the ditch, not to God, and to be the birth born after the flesh, and not of the spirit. And we know the Scriptures by the spirit that gave them forth. But thou hadst done well if thou hadst particularized, what words they had put in, and what words they had left out, then there had been something to answer to, and so they that be not in the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures, are like to do no other but put in and put out. But all the Scriptures of truth we own in their place, and if thou ownest all in the apocrypha to be practised, which was spoken to the Jews, then thou must go burn Offerings and Sacrifices, and so deny Christ come in the flesh. But they that are come into the Law of the Spirit of life, knows to what state and condition they were spoken, and owns them all in their place: and as for your antiquity of nine hundred years, and holding the Scriptures, and not in the spirit that gave them forth, your fruits do manifest, and your Antiquity proves not the truth of your Church: and so our agreement must be with thee and all men in the spirit, and then we shall agree with the Scriptures, for people agreeing in the spirit, then they agree with all the Books of Scripture, and it is the Interpreter, and such as be out of the spirit that gave forth Scriptures doth disagree about their Expositions, and chop and mingle-mangle as thou speakest of, and in this we see, you all differ from the true Church, and from the spirit of peace and life. And we have not taken the Scripture upon trust from others, but we know them by the same spirit that gave them forth. And so if thou or oehers have taken them upon trust, which are not in the spirit that gave them forth, then you are not like to judge of the words, but wrangle and tear one another to pieces about the words; and this hath been the fruits of your spirit, which was not of the true Church, like the Apostles before the apostasy: and if this be the fruits of love judge thee, and so they are not hurtful to us, who discerns them by the spirit that gave them forth, but serviceable: and we do see wherein they do manifest your antiquity, as in Timothy, judas and Peter, who speaks of such as goes in Cains way, killing about Religion, and Corahs way in rebelling against the true Church, and Balaams way, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, to persecute the true Church, and forbidding of meats, and marriages, which is the doctrine of Devils; and so mind your antiquity, and when these things crept in, which now are got to a head: and neither Protestant nor Papist is our Cook, for Christ is he that provides us meat, and he is our elder Brother. And whereas thou sayest, That the Scripture is corrupted in many places, and yet in some places bears sense with the ancient and best Copies. I would have thee to sand me some of those ancient Copies in English, and one of your own Bibles in English, that I may try them, and thou mayest margin in thy Bible and Copies where they differ; And whereas thou Queriest to what Judge we shall appeal, I say to Christ and his spirit, that leads into all truth, for all them that be in their own private spirit, quenches the true spirit, and sets up the wrong Judge, and persecutes them that walk in the spirit, that cannot own their private interpretations; and so as Christ said, By their fruits ye shall know them, so we do not look at a peoples talk, but to the fruits, whether they be of the Spirit or no, & so the Scriptures is not of any private interpretation, but is interpnted by the spirit that gave them forth; for the private Interpreters are they that quarrels about them, and with them that gave them forth, neither can we, nor do we, stand to the Judgement of that persecuting spirit in any, which is always blind, and leads into the ditch; and that is not fit to be judge of Scriptures, but is judged by the spirit that gave them forth, and by Chtist Jesus, and this know, that there was tremblers at the Word of God( before your Church got up) whom the Lord owns, and it is manifest in Christendom, both in your Church and others, that Peter speaks of such that wrested Pauls words, to their own destruction, you and others are like to do no otherwise who are not in the same spirit, that Paul was in, that gave them forth, whose weapons were spiritual, and not carnal; and so you have gotten another spirit, and another weapon, and so have the other Churches thou mentionest; and if the Protestants and you have done evil in not obeying the good in Scripture, your reward will be according to your works, but the weighty thing, in your Church you have cast out, which the Scripture speaks of, which is love, and whereas thou wouldst have a sense of that Scripture, 2 Thes. 2.8.15. it means as it speaks, which had you stood fast and your forefathers in the spirit, and faith, that the true Church was in, you had then held the traditions which the Apostle delivered to the true Church, before your Church got up in the apostasy from their spirit, and now would have a sense of the true Churches words, for all your long time of standing, you have not found out the sense of them yet, but the traditions of the Apostles we own in their places, and thou mayest see what those traditions are called in the first Epistle to the Ephesians, and in the second to the Thessalonians the last Chapter, which speaks much to keep down the busy body, to keep into diligence, which if these traditions had been held by you since the Apostls days, there had been better order amongst you, and the Protestants both: and whereas thou speakest of Timothy, that he was not to neglect his gift; this is the Scripture that all the Priests will bring for their own ends, who receives their gifts out of Schools, as they call them, which Timothy did not; and such as stir up their gifts, them are persecuted by them, and in stead of putting them in mind, as Paul did Timothy, the Ministers of Christendom persecute those who have received their gift otherwise: And as for Praying, Laying on of hands, Bishops, Deacons, &c. this is witnessed amongst us in the Spirit, it is not a name, but the growth in the Spirit; but we see these things are taken up by you by Tradition, and persecute the Spirit that made and acts all these: and we own Christ to be the living bread that came down from Heaven, and not Bread and Wine to be Christ, nor to be the living bread that came down from Heaven; but Bread and Wine was to be taken in remembrance of Christ the living bread, and so it was not he, but it was in a show of his death till he came; so it was not he that dyed, neither was it him that they did eat, for he was not yet come: And as for your Church that kills one another about Bread and Wine, which is Victuals, and to be taken but in show and remembrance of him. Mark what him, that was, and what it, that was, which they was to eat: Now your Church that hath wrangled about victuals and outward shadows, have lost the substance, and neglected the better things, namely Faith that works by Love, and wrangles about such outward things like the Jews, who lived in the Mints, Annis and Cummin, and persecute Christ to death. And as for telling the Church, &c. the Church hath been in the wilderness, and is now going home to God, which hath the same power that the Apostles had, and Christ was, and is the Head of the Church upon the Earth, and not Peter, for there was not Lordship to be exercised among the Apostles, as it was among the Heathen: and as for telling the Church, how have you served your brother Christians in this case, who hath persecuted them to death? You should have let them been as a Heathen to you, and not have persecuted them to death. For you should not have killed such as believed in Christ( no not the Heathen) but have loved them. And as for the power that was in the Church amongst the Apostles is observed now, but not by your Church, who have strangled and drank the blood of the Saints; yea of them that say they believe in Christ, and not only so, but of many others. And as for the Protestants practise, some doth observe oil, though it be to as little purpose as yours; and as for them and you that be in the evil, are not like to cast out the Devil, except it be by Conjuration: Neither can you nor they pray acceptably, except you come in the same Spirit of love the Apostles was in; for before them and you, offer your prayers to God, be reconciled to your Brother Christian, and do not say the Lords Prayer in hypocrisy: Forgive us as we forgive, and as we would be forgiven; and such widows that cast off their first Love, they go into the wanton nature, and kick against Christ, and go into the defiled bed, into the dishonourable marriage; and so Paul to Timothy is to be understood as he speaks: but this is no proof to deny Marriage, neither for Priest nor Pope; for the Priests under the Law did, and the Disciples under the Gospel times was Married, and the Apostles allows and commends it as an Ordinance of God; and you that denies it because some was wanton, and married in their wantonness, you may red yourselves under the sentence of the Apostle, the doctrine of Devils and not of the Apostles. And whereas thou speaks, No scrip, no bread, no money in their purse. If you had observed this, your father the Pope had never set up tithes for you, nor had you ever come to the titles of Lord and Master: But which of your Ministers, or the Protestants either, will go without their bag, &c. and their set maintenance, for Christs words are as he speaks, the Jews Priests had their tithes, but his Ministers was to go free, and what was set before them they was to eat. And whereas thou wouldst know what the meaning of that Scripture is, That if an Angel from Heaven, &c. It is understood by all whose eyes are open, that you have preached another Gospel then that which was amongst the Apostles, and so have brought yourselves under the sentence of the Apostle: Yours is not the Gospel of peace nor glad tidings, but brings people to sorrow and trouble; and so you have lost the Church fellowship which is the Gospel fellowship, and judgement did begin at the House of God in the Apostles daies, but you have not obeied the Gospel, therefore you may red your sentence. And the Protestants also, though you are all called believers; for what was the cause they were fallen into Sects, as you are fallen into? because you and they have not obeied the Spirit that gave forth Scriptures; and that birth that is born of the Spirit and water, is not outward water, for if all you that were baptized were horn of the Spirit, then the fruits of it would appear; but the first birth of the flesh manifests its self in you and others that throw water upon it; and the Apostle that was not sent to baptize, if outward baptism had been necessary to salvation, then he had but a part of the work of the Ministry, whereas he saith, He declared the whole council of God, he brought people off from things that were seen, 2 Cor. 4. and he brought them to the one baptism, the one Spirit, and the one body; and so he brought them out of that which doth decrease, to that which doth increase, and he said, That if they were risen with Christ, then seek those things that are above; but Bread, and Wine, and Water, are from below: and where didst thou ever hear that Christ or the Apostles did say, That outward baptism by Water was necessary to salvation? and show me where they did baptize them as ye do, as to sign them with the cross, and to have Godfath rs and Godmothers; and who Baptized Peter and John, and John the Baptist, and others of the twelve? and whether the Apostles times were not the Primitive times? and whether there be not a difference between Tubal and Zarak: and the word of Faith in the heart, is that which reconciles us to God, and is Christ in whom there is no shadows, but ends all shadows; and while you are wrangling about these outward things, you leave the substance: and as for the Protestants confessing the Word in the heart, and doth not obey it, both you and they deceive your own souls, and fall out about that which is rom below, and doth not mind that which comes down from above; and who are in the Word, hath wisdom to do the Doctrine and Traditions of the Apostles, and know what state and condition they was spoken unto: This Word keeps their minds out of all fancies to the substance, and reconciles to God, and one to another; and that which Christ saith in Matthew, Teach and observe, &c. is as he speaks, but is it into the Name or into the Water? and Christ and the Apostles commanded that which should be obeied, but you and the Protestants have set up some outward thing, and have lost the more weighty thing, namely, Charity, &c. and so are like a sounding brass and tinkling cimbal. And whereas thou speaks of Tenths, and Tithes, which in your practise you are more like Jews then Christians, in taking them, but not in delivering to Widows and fatherless their part. And whereas thou brings Paul whom thou says, In Love and Charity did more then his Duty in Preaching the Gospel freely. In this example you have not followed him, nor the Protestants neither, but your Gospel hath been chargeable; nor have you been content with Christs wages, and so the Corn you have not trodden out, but it lies in the husk, and yet in the shadow, and as that doth appear you persecute it, because it hath been too heavy for the Chaf. And whereas thou sayest, That if a Prince command a Law, it must be observed, therefore tithes must be paid by his Law, though Christ hath ended the Law that gave them; but if the Princes Law must be observed, why then do you not comform to all National Worships and Religions, according to the Liturgy, and all other laws that they command you whatsoever they be, without distinction? And whereas thou speakest of the Priests dignity at the Altar under the New Law; Where dost thou red in the Apostles dayes that they had an outward Altar to attend upon? For where the Apostle speaking of an Altar in the Hebrews, that was in relation to the Jews: And whereas thou speakest, That the workman is worthy of his hire; but if another mans hireling take wages of one that did not hire him, he is an unworthy hireling; and as for your taking tithes, and setting them up Nine hundred years ago, I say, you had no example for it from Christ or his Apostles; and let us see what record you have in the Bible, that the Apostle set them up, and then this will prove your antiquity: and if proved, then it will be manifest that the Apostle set up another wages then Christ commanded, and set up that which he threw down: and whereas thou saist That many worthy persons, have done many worthy things for quietness sake; and sayest, What saith the Quaker? what shall we pay tithes to the Priests now, there being no command from Christ or his Apostles? But when your Church hath got up since the Apostles daies, when the true Church went into the wilderness, then you set up Tithes; and if you obey your Prince in some things, why do you not observe him in all things? And the Apostles said, when they were brought before the Magistrates for Conscience sake, Whether is it better to obey God or man? And it is you that have not gone in by the door, and have lost the succession of the Apostles as well as other Sectaries, and so hath not the same true Commission which the Apostles had, for your fruits do show it, enmity and not love; and so it hath been you that hath insulted over the Flock, and that with rigour too: as, look up and down the world, and see how you have corrupted it with blood, and we that are in the power of the Spirit, as the Apostles was, can show forth our Commission and antiquity, and prove it by the Scriptures, but you and the Protestants that are come through your Channel, your Spirit, and Power, and Signs, and Miracles, and Lying Wonders, are comprehended, and the woes that thou speakest of pronounced in Esay, Jeremiah, and Matthew, &c. are upon such that profess the words of Scripture as the Jews did, but was not in the power of the Spirit of God that gave them forth, but are disobedient to that, as you, the Protestants, and Jews have made it manifest by your fruits; and whereas thou speakest of the wo against such as go in the way of Balaam, and in the gain-saying of Corah, cannot you see that you have all gon in this path, in the way of Cain-killing about Religion, in the way of Balaam, loving the wages of unrighteousness, and beyond Balaam, for ye curse, but he was not able to curse, and so are gon out of the way of Christ, who said, Bless, and curse not, and are gone in the way of Corah, in the perishing way, gain-saying the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles, and the life and power of truth; they lived in the law of love to friends and enemies, you and the Protestants; as Corah resisted the Law of Moses and perished, so red your sentence: and whereas thou speakest of ravening Wolves, and of wor ying the flock, which is the Church, &c. Who hath torn more than yourselves? ravened and cried, Lo here is Christ, in bread; whereas the Apostle said that he was ascended into heaven, and was revealed in him; and this you do who are gon from the true spirit of Christ to guide you: and whereas thou sayest that Christs coat was torn, thou speakest falsely, for it was never torn, and then you cry up, Lo this tradition and the other tradition of your own invention, and so are the trees without fruit, and clouds without the living water, and the spiritual fruits cannot be gathered in your Vineyards, and your Church the gates of hell hath prevailed against, and if the sectaries be the gates of hell, then the gates of hell hath prevailed against your Church, and so not the true Church. And whereas thou sayest, Who doth those woes belong to in the Revelations, if not unto those that add or diminish chop and change according to their own private spirit. I answer, this is your own condition, and therefore you may apply these words to yourselves, you are changed from the Gospel, you are changed from the faith that works by love, and from the Gospel maintenance, you are changed from the true Ministers weapons that are spiritual, and you have changed Baptism and Sacraments, and so are gone from the true order and power that the apostles was in, and so you chop them that will not follow your inventions, as flesh for the pot. So I would have you to come to see from what you are fallen since the apostles days, and into what you are fallen, and no more but my love, which is to all mankind.  
These Queries following were sent with this fore-going Answer, but never answered to the matter, therefore they stand yet upon their heads to answer.  

Now, Friend, I desire thee to answer me a few Queries as followeth, viz.  

1. Who was the first that set up your Racks, your Tortures, your Inquisitions to put men to death, about matters of Religion, since the Apostles days.  
2. Whether you do not see that you have lost the purity and virginity that the Church had in the Primitive times, in the days of the Apostles.  
3. Whether Christ or the Apostles did command that Crosses, Images, Pictures, &c. should be set up and bowed down unto, and if so, show us such a command in Scripture.  
4. Whether that Christ or the Apostles did command that people should curse, by bell, book and candle, and take oaths, as you do, or on the contrary did they not forbid it?  
5. Whether Christ or his Apostles did ever command Nunneries to be built, to cloister up women in, as you do, and cause them to swear to keep Chastity: show us a command or an example for this in Scripture if you can, and whether this practise is not below the Law and Gospel, both which forbids Adultery.  
6. Whether you have the same powerings forth of the holy Ghost, Gifts, and Revelations, and Inspirations as the Apostles bad, and the Church in the Primitive times?  
7. And whether you have heard the voice of God immediately from Heaven, as the Prophets and Apostles did.  
8. And whether men and women may be made free from the body of sin, whilst they live upon the earth, and come to the state of Adam and Eve before they fell, and to the measure and stature of Christ, who never fell: and if so, whether you have brought any man to this state.  
9. Whether you have brought any man to the new Covenant, the Law in their hearts, the Anointing, whereby they know all things, so as that they need no man to teach them, but as the Anointing which abides in them doth teach them.  
10. Whether all figures, types, shadows and variable things, was not given to Adam and his sons and daughters after they fell; and if so, whether they are to observe them who are redeemed by Christ out of the fall, and lives in him who is the substance of all those shadows, and in whom there is no shadow, who ends all those shadows?  
11. Whether all the janglings among Adams sons and daughters in the fall, is not about shadows and outward things, and so leave the substance?  
12. Whether Christ doth not enlighten every man and woman that comes into the world, that they might believe in it, and follow him their counselor and Captain, and so come into the new Covenant, in whom there is no shadow, if not, is not this light their condemnation?  
13. Whether persecution was not always blind, and of the first birth, and whether such do not always build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity, and is not the Sun gon down upon such: and can such led any whither but into the ditch, and not the true Church?  
14. Was the Church in the Primitive times in its infancy set up, and held up by carnal weapons, and do they know what spirit they are of that destroys mens lives for matters of Religion?   

Answer these Queries in writing, and give us plain Scripture for what you speak.  
15. Whether or no all your prisonings, and killing, and persecuting, and torturing people about Religion is not one of your good works that you merit by, and whether any of the works that proceed from that blind spirit( that doth persecute) God accepts them, and you do merit by them yea or nay?  
16. And whether or no God accepts of any works, but the works of faith that work by love, yea or nay?  
17. Are all the Scriptures the words of God, yea or nay?  
18. What are the Beasts and the Dragons worship, the false Prophets, and the Whores Cup, when did they begin, and when shall they end?  
19. Whether or no you are not degenerated from the true faith that works by love, and are in a dead faith that lusts to envy, whose works is murder and persecution, and is not this the Devils work, yea or nay?  
20. And whether or no, after the Priest hath consecrated Bread and Wine, it be Chtist, or whether or no after Christ had consecrated Bread and Wine and given to his Disciples, it was Christ yea or nay, and if so, was there not two Christs?  
21. And did the Apostles consecrate or bless Bread and Wine, or say, Christ had consecrated it, and made another Christ of it, and did not the Apostles say they were to take it in remembrance or show of his death, and is that any more than a sign or shadow, and if so, then do not you make a sign or a shadow Christ, and take that till he come, and so make two Christs, yea or nay?   
And will you who are called Papists give us a meeting, and we will have a bottle of Wine, and a loaf of Bread, and you shall consecrare half of it, and we will set the consecrated, and the unconsecrated Bread together, and Wine together in two Basins, and we will have a Watch of our side, and of your seven in number, and if the consecrated alter not its property, nor lose its taste, but prove divine and immortal the very Christ, as you say it is after consecration, we will all turn to you; but if it alter its property and lose its taste, and corrupt as the other doth, then the Pope and all you Papists shall turn to us. For much blood hath been  shed about this thing, and many have been killed for denying it, so this will bring truth to light, and manifest false Prophets, and bring honour to God. sand your answer to any of those people called Quakers, and then we shall speak to the Powers of the earth, which I believe will not be against this thing, that we may have it in some public place where all beholders might see.  
These Queries and Challenge were sent to the Papists, but we never did receive any satisfactory answer to them.   

Something in Reply to a Papists Answer to a Letter sent to them.  
IF thou and you had love to all mankind, and were in the faith that works by love, and had enmity to no mans person, then you would not persecute about Religion, as you have done, where you have power, and you are far off the way of the fellowship and unity of the Spirit, and the Charity and Religion that keeps itself from the spots of the world, that hath so many worldly weapons and things amongst you to hold up your Religion, but you are in the quarrels if you had power, it is seen by the fruits. And our Commission is from God, and our weapons are spiritual, by which we deal with you, and all other Sectaries with our small number, who are spiritual Gideon, whom the Lord hath called with a threshing instrument that is spiritual, to thrash your carnal Rudiments, who holds them up with carnal weapons, Heathen and Jew like, and not like Christians. And your Commission hath been from a dream, by which all your Rudiments are set up, who have slept since the Apostles days: and the wicked one hath sown his tares that your field is over-grown with them. And so you adulterous generation from Christ and the Apostles, looks for signs and wonders, and none is to be shown unto you but that of Jonas, who was in the Whales belly in the sea amongst the waves and weeds. And thou that would see wonders, and doth request to see them, will not be convinced by that thou looks for, so in that thou judgest thyself. And as for pretended Commission, it is your own, who hath not been in the power of the Apostles, but pretence, since the Whore got upon the Beast, and the true Church went into the Wilderness, which now is coming out again. And you have not been sixteen hundred years visible, for it was about six hundred years after Christ before there was a Pope. And the true Church hath been invisible, fed of God out of your sight, in the Wilderness 1260 days, so many years. And you will not say that your Church hath been in the Wilderness in exile or banishment so long, which is the Church of Rome. And we pity you as creatures, who lives in your folly and madness. And we do comprehend both you that falsely calls yourselves catholics, and all other heretics. And it is you that crucify Christ between two thieves, like the Jews, for now you do it in his members: also you persecute other sectaries, and amongst them hath crucified Christ, and hath been like Pilate and Herod, and so hath fulfilled the Scriptures in numbering him among the wicked: The true Church that is now come out of the Wilderness among the sectaries, and Christ the true Nazarite is come, which is above Samson, who will rule all Nations with a rod of iron. And hast thou not red in the Revelations what was to become of the Beast which was to continue 42 months,( the time of the Womans being in the wilderness) and his worshippers, and the Whore and her followers, who drunk the blood of the Saints. But the Saints and Martyrs who suffered by you and the Heathen before you, we do not judge; but it is your Church, who hath sat as a Queen in her scarlet, while the true Church hath been in the wilderness, and hath been clad in sack-cloth, Rev. 12. And your Church hath been interrupted, for your City is divided into three parts, and two thereof is fallen: for hath not the Turk got one part, and the Protestants another part. And was not your City divided in one year? And so we judge according to the truth, and you are found to be in the heathenish nature, not in the Apostles spirit. And this we can tell thee, that our Church hath been in the Wilderness, and the time of her being in the Wilderness hath been 1260 days, which is the time of forty two months, that the Beast which hath been worshipped, which the Whore hath rid upon, hath been up, your false Church that hath drunk the blood of the Saints. Now you may reckon this, if you know your antiquity. And as for the Poets feigning, it is like unto thyself, for the Soul of man is immortal we affirm, God breathed into man the breath of life, and he became a living soul, from Naphesh, he breathed; and trembling at the word of God we own, and this is beyond the devils trembling, for God hath appeared to our glory, which is your shane, but Christ is manifest to destroy the devil, who believeth there is a God as you do, but are enemies to his life. And we do not run into the wilderness for counsel, but to Christ the head of our Church, who is the counselor, who fulfils the Scriptures. And your lying signs and wonders in your Church( as before) has been done by conjuration, not by the power of Christ, for all the witchcrafts and sorceries hath been found in your Church, Revel. And the miracles that Christ did and the Apostles, we do own, which was to prove that he was the Christ and was come. But there is no sign to be shewed to you now, but Jonas is to come out of the Whales belly, as before. And Christs rod of iron will devour all you spiritual egyptian Serpents,( as Moses rod did the outward egyptians) which is bread among you in this night of apostasy from the power the Apostles was in, and them that does not turn to the Jews in spirit, will be overthrown in the sea with all your swift Horses and Chariots, and the Jews in spirit shall rejoice, and the voice is now Come out of Babylon, the Whore, and worship not the Beast. And so we led people to Christ out of the wilderness, and from your imaginary ways to the power the Apostle was in; and Christ doth fail no man in his promises that waits upon him, and the wonders of the Lord you blind your eyes from, and will not see, like the hard-hearted Jews, and so doth not see the day of the Lord. And the truth is found in our Church, which your Church hath whored from, and persecuted the remnant of her seed above this 1000 years. But now the Lamb, and his wife, and the Saints shall have the victory and reign, and your Church shall fall. And if you be saved, you must know Jonas his miracle, for the outward miracles you gape after like the Jews, if you should see them you would say,( as it was said of Christ) it is done by the Prince of devils, and the fruits of your Church declares your apostasy from the power the Apostles was in, from the faith, from the love, from the life: and for your not persecuting in England and Germany is because you have not the sole power, and our friends have been persecuted to death, both in France, and at Rome; and this hath been your charity in entertaining strangers, contrary to both Law and Gospel: and as for John Fox's Book of Martyrs, your fruits and actions declares your cruelty, and the truth of them to all men; you cannot cover yourselves, and you and the rest of the sectaries, are like the souldiers which cast lots for Christs garment, with your carnal weapons that guards him to the execution, but wears your ragged forms, which hides not your nakedness, and neither you nor the sectaries are like to give a true record of one another, who are out of the life the apostles was in, and out of the truth, which gives a true record of things, and are in so much enmity one against another, that you will kill one another, so neither, shows the spirit of Christ: and you have not the power wherewith Peter struck Ananias and his wife dead, it was not with carnal weapons as you do; and you that hath apostatised from the apostles power, strikes people to death with carnal weapons, showing herein your unreasonableness, and Pauls rod was not like your carnal weapons, which you have no commission for from Christ; and you neither follow the Bible, the New Testament, of ours, nor yours, so you may well subscribe to your apostasy that you are in, from the apostles doctrine and traditions, written, and unwritten; and your own Bible teaches your Church none of the traditions you live in; for your Bible teaches you, you should not make Images, nor fall down to them, nor worship them; and your Bible( the New Testament) teaches you not to take tithes, nor to swear, nor to persecute about Religion, nor your traditions about your Sacraments,( as you call them) nor that your Friars should go begging, and idle up and down, and so that which is contrary to the Bible, you did not receive with it: and many things more might be set down of your practise, contrary to your own Bible, too tedious to mention. And thou sayest true, your community hath been visible in your traditions unwritten in the Scriptures; and you have presumed above what is there written; for the apostle did not deliver to the Saints in words contrary to what he had written, but he declares in his writings the traditions he had spoken to them; and the devil and the gates of hell hath prevailed against your Church, and your outward community in outward things, the Turk on the one side, and the sectaries on another, and many of your children you have lost, and some are come to the true Church. But our fellowsh p is in the spirit, which you are fallen from, whose fellowship stands in outward things, which you hold up with your carnal weapons, wanting spiritual. And we understand your ignorance in the apostles traditions, and your traditions; and they that are wise follow us, as we follow Christ, from which wisdom you are apostatised, that is gentle and pure from above, and you are in the ear●●ly, sensual and devilish found, and you are they that cries, Lo here is Christ in the Bread, and lo in Heaven; and one while he is in the Bread, and another while he is in Heaven. And God hath had a testimony in the world all along in your apostasy, and he hath manifested his power now, which doth restore mankind to the state they were in, before the apostasy and before the fall; and we know you are as mad and blind, as the Jews that cannot believe it: but this will not serve your turn to live in your rudiments, which your fallen apostatised spirit hath set up, and live in outward fellowship in them; who art judged out of thy own mouth, that you are fallen from the true fellowship that stands in the spirit, which is the true Churches fellowship, and the man-child the true Messiah is brought forth, who is come to restore mankind, the true belief of whom you have lost in this night of apostasy, and since the false Prophets( inwardly ravened from the true Christ and spirit) hath been your guides, and it is the same Christ that is now manifested, as ever was, and Christ is our Physician, who hath healed us of our sins, and purged them; and we have a Rational soul, but you like the Jews will not hear the Martyrs, as they would not hear Christ, and the prophets, manifesting your unreasonableness, without the true faith that works by love; and if you will have the veil taken off your hearts, which hath covered you in this night of apostasy, you must come to the light of Christ in your hearts. And Christ and the apostle tells you the beginning of your apostasy, how you should come in the last times, and did come in the last times, and how that you went out from them in Cains, and Corahs, and Balaams way; Balaam that opposed the outward Jews, and Cain that killed about Religion, and as Corah went from the law of God, so have you gone from the Gospel, and you are they that forbids meats and marriages, and observers of times and days, and have apostatised from the Ordination whereby the Apostles made Ministers, and the qualification of them as you may red Matth. 24. and Timothy and Titus, and John and Peter, how your leaders the false prophets went out from them, and they that hath opposed you in all ages hath been the Martyrs, whose blood you have drunk, with your usurped power which you had not from Christ, which came to save mens lives and not to destroy them, as you have done, and for that cause his rod goeth over you, and the Saints in the primitive times, and the Martyrs since, always forsook you. And as for the Nicolaitans, &c. they were like unto yourselves, whom you have damned so long since, as thou sayest, but Cain that persecutor about Religion you have not damned yet, nor Balaam who laid stumbling-blocks, nor gain-saying Corah, but these are alive yet amongst you, and in you whom the woe is to, and rests upon your heads: and as for all the counsels among the Apostles and the Christians in the primitive times, they condemned none to death nor prison, nor persecuted with carnal weapons; but when your counsels got up, who were degenerated from their power and spirit, in an usurped power, which hath corrupted both the air and the earth, they condemned to death, banishment and prison, and turned cursers with bell, book and candle; and so when you apostatised from the true light, then you set up the outward lights and lamps, for if you had been reasonable men, you would not have destroyed people about matters of Religion, but if they would not have been convinced, you would have left them to be as Heathens, according to Christs law and doctrine, and the Apostles and Martyrs were of the same points of faith with us, against your rudiments: and we know how the excellent spirit came upon us as the apostles did, and your fore-fathers and leaders lost the spirit in the apostles days, before their decease, and erred from it, and went in Cains way, and got the form of godliness, but denied the power, from whom we are commanded to turn away, as in Timothy, Titus, judas, and Peter: and the Spirit of God which we walk in owns the Scriptures, and that which is spoken in it, and gives us to discern those Ordinances which was given from the spirit of God, which men did not persecute for not observing, from yours and others Traditions, which was given forth from the Imaginations of men which they persecute and kill for not observing; and so here is our distinction, and all Scriptures necessary to salvation in the faith, is found in our Church, which Christ is the Head of, and our Bible as pure as yours. I have red both, and you that have not the power and spirit the Apostles had, as you do confess, cannot open the Scriptures, and therefore you have not the true sense of the Scriptures, who have left them, and gone into your Rudiments; and you manifest your faith to be vain, and would make Christ a deceiver, that he should change, who one while did rebuk his Ministers who would have had mens lives destroyed, and after should give them a command to destroy mens lives; but you are the changelings and deceivers, but Christ is the same to day, yesterday, and for ever, and your private Spirit in your vain faith hath set up Traditions of your own, which are neither found in your bible nor ours, but have left the Traditions of the Scriptures; which Traditions of your own, neither the Spirit of God, nor his Church, nor your own Scriptures will own, but it owns the Traditions which the Apostle spake by word of mouth, and then after writ; and so you have neither kept the true Churches Traditions, nor Faith.  
And we know the Scriptures by the spirit that he hath given us, which Scriptures was given forth from the Spirit of God, and by this we know the Scriptures of truth, for no man knows the things of God, but by the Spirit of God, and there's Scripture for thee, and God hath given to us his Spirit, by which we know we are the sons of God, which witnesses with our spirit. And Christ sends us to cry against your Church, and your Rudiments, and you have belied Christ, who says that you are a Church, the body of Christ, and that he hath given you power to set up your Traditions and Rudiments, and carnal weapons, to persecute with all, them that do not observe them; but Christ is the same, and you may s●● Christ hath not continued with your Church unto the end, for a great part of it is fallen down, as in Great britain, Germany, and Turkey; anst they that hears Christ, and are of the true Church, denies you and your Church; and Christ sends forth now as he did the Apostles, did he not call them by their names?  
And whereas you think God will assist your Church, you may red in Revelations of Gods throwing her down; and whereas you call her the true Spouse, now we have tried her, and found her to be the Whore, who hath drank the blood of the Saints, and so you that turn to her, and not from her, must be partaker of her plagues, for your sins have reached to Heaven, because of your long antiquity in your iniquity; and the youngnesse and latenesse of our truth, since its beginning to spread like a flamme amongst the people, in this you are like the Jews against Christ and his followers, but let not the uncircumcized beast, and false Church, like goliath, boast against the little stature of David, for we come not against you, great philistines of your Church, with weapons like yours, but with the Corner-stone that will dash the head of you to pieces, of your uncircumcized goliath, uncircumcized with the Spirit: and have not you heard the Martyrs declare unto you of the true Church before now, which you persecuted to death, and your Priests, Pastors, and Bishops received neither commission from Christ nor the Apostles, neither have you succeeded the Apostles, neither is your practise in baptism like unto Christ and the Apostles, and so you are apostatised from that power the Apostles had to bind, and remit sins, but are in the power that draws into sin and temptation, and from the virtue which the Apostles had: and the Elements of Bread and Wine doth not give life, neither is your practise in taking of them as theirs was, neither did they say it was Christ as you do, but Christ is the bread of life which comes down from Heaven, and giveth life to the world. And as for bad lives thou speaks of, of some among you, the good life is in the spirit which the Apostles was in, which you be out of, and the best of you are adulterated from God, and murderers of the Just and the Saints, and drunk with their blood, and hath stolen Christs and the Saints words to make a trade of; and those are the best of you, which be not outwardly Thieves, and Adulterers, and Murderers, and Drunkards, &c. and that which you have received hath been from the apostates your forefathers, and not from Christ and the Apostles; and if the Tares and the Wheat must grow together till the harvest, how is it that you have burned and persecuted so many? this proves you to be in the apostasy from Christs command, Let them grow; this proves you not to have the mind of the Wheat: and as for seeking after your Traditions, they are known not to be like the Jews nor Christians in the primitive times, and the Apostle knew by the revelation of the spirit, you and your forefathers, who went in Jannes and Jambres spirit, who resisted the truth, as they did in temporal Egypt, so do you in spiritual: and also your persecuting and disputing about the Body of Christ, yea, and that which you falsely call the body of Christ, made by yourselves of the Elements of Bread and Wine, and what the Apostle Paul had from Christ was by revelation, and it is your false Church we oppose, but the true Church, true Christ, and Scriptures we do own, and do not oppose; and so your Church is like Alexander the Great thou speaks of, that hath broken and cut the knots of the Prophets and Martyrs by your persecuting and killing, and hath sought by all your might and power to break down the walls of the Righteous, and lay his heritage waste; but now is Christ risen with all his host of people too, who will make all your traditional forms as mire and day, which is neither agreeable to the true Jews nor Christians. And we have the Spirit of Christ, and war with spiritual weapons, and not with carnal weapons, as you and the rest of the sectaries have done and do, who are apostatised from the spiritual weapons the Apostles had, by which they overcame the world: and we allow of the Church which was before the apostasy, which hath been in the wilderness, who is now but coming out of the wilderness, and you the Church of Rome hath shewed your ignorance and insufficiency in not answering our Queries, and we being so ignorant as thou speaks of, we had been more easily overcome in the battle by you, and being so young sprung up, you old warriors who have been of a long standing, and skilful in your weapons, might more easily have dealt with us, but your Weapons are carnal, ours are spiritual; but your spiritual Egyptians Chariots goes but softly, and some of the wheels are gone off, and the Jews in Spirit sees you in the sea. And Paul had much ado with the Church of Rome in her best state, as his Epistle declares; from which Faith, taught to them, by him, you are perished, but Christs promise was, To be with his Church to the end of the world, though in the wilderness, and Christ fulfils his promise in sending his Paraclet, as thou calls him, to led his people into all truth, but you are apostatised from this leader, and persecutes them that are lead by it.  
And as for baptism thou speaks of, which was in the primitive times, where thou mentions Christ, Paul, and Peter, and others, and says Paul was to instruct, and others was to baptize them; Paul was made an able minister of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; Who says of himself, He came not behind the rest of the Apostles; he thanks God he baptized none but some few, for they that restend in the outward baptism, did then, as you have done since, go into Heads; one said I am of Paul, another I am of Apollos, &c. for he plainly declares, he was not sent to baptize, but to preach the Gospel; but by this argument thou wilt make Paul inferior to the rest, when thou sayest, another was to finish his work, which is contrary to his own words; thus thou mayst see thyself contrary to him who was the Apostle of the Gentiles, red 1 Cor. 1. And also in this thou confounds and judges thyself in your own practise, for the Apostles was to teach and baptize, but you first baptize, and then instruct children, as you say; and thou dost not red that they baptized children, nor used the things as you do in the baptism, for did the Apostles and John sign them with the cross? Did they anoint them with oil on the head, breast, and shoulders? Did the Apostles breath in the childrens faces? Did they make Crosses on the heads and breasts of children? Did they lay Spittle in the ears and nostrils of children? Did they ask children, If they did forsake the devil, &c. the Pomps and Vanities, &c. that could not speak? and did they use a white cloath and call it a Chrisome? and had all they that were baptized Godfathers and Godmothers? and who were they? and did they give a Hallowed candle to the children that could not hold it, and they who they baptized? Did they put salt into the mouths of children? and did ever any Woman baptize in the Apostles dayes as you do? and did the Apostles use any oil, cream or salt? let me see where the Apostles used these things from your own bible, which you say is not corrupted, or John the Baptist to Christ or others; but they were men and women that they baptized, who they had first preached to who believed; it is, Believe and be baptized: not baptize and believe: and when there was a dissension in the Apostles time, about Water, Bread, and Wine, and such outward things, he brought them to the one baptism, and the one faith, and that they was to die with Christ, if they would live with Christ, and be baptized into his death with the Spirit: and Christ says, Ye should baptize into his Name, and his Name is the power, is it not? and Christs washings and the Apostles we own, which is quiter contrary to yours.  
And to be born of Water and of the Spirit,( is nothing to your practise of Ceremonies) we own it, and so Christ and the Apostles practise we own, but your Ceremonies, which are neither found in our bible nor yours, we deny, but they are the works of your own hands which you worship, and causes others so to do, if not they suffer by you. And thou canst not show where Peter and John, and others of the Apostles, were baptized; for Christs being baptized was to fulfil all righteousness, and if you were in the same power and spirit the Apostles was in, you would go in their way, but it is manifest you have not that power; but they that hath the same power, and goes on in their way and in their practise we do own; and if the Element of Water be necessary to salvation, which you so much esteem of, who hath lost the power, then Paul was not an able nor a perfect minister, nor had not the whole counsel of God, contrary to his own words. And the Apostle brought people off, from the outward, to the baptism of the Spirit, and to be baptized into the death, and brought them off the things that were seen, and  told them all was nothing but a new creature, &c. and we do not go against Christ and the Apostles, but against your Rudiments which hath continued many ages, contrary to the Apostles in the primitive times: and we say that Christ is the truth, and his Disciples spoken the truth as they had received it from him, and your Church we affirm to be a Strumpet and a Harlot, not the true Spouse, having apostatised from Christ and the Apostles, and the true Church, and Spirit, and Power, and Faith.  
And as for Christs giving the Bread and Wine, and the Apostles receiving it, they did not say, They that received it received life, neither was it an Ordinance or command, nor did he set it up as a Worship, but as oft as they did receive it, they must take it in remembrance till he came; and the Apostles did not say that Bread and Wine was Christ. So this proves it was but a passive thing, and was not to continue or be done always; but it proves they were to eat and drink in memory of his death, and then they were to die with him and be butted with him in his death; and being risen with him, they were to seek those things that were above; but you that are alive, undead, are quarreling about the outward Elements, and hath persecuted those that seek those things which are above, that cannot follow your Bread and Wine which is from below, which is practised contrary to the scriptures: & by your practise you show that you have neither examined yourselves, nor the Scriptures, for how should you, being out of the Holy Ghost that gave them forth? and so, the Holy Ghost hath not been your leader into all truth, but you have followed and been led by your own Rudiments, Inventions, and Traditions; and Christ is our light, by which we know the truth and speak it: and we do know the Lord, and the Scriptures of truth which be his Words: and we do know Christ which was born of a Virgin, and took not upon him the nature of Angels, but took upon him the seed of Abraham; who had a body prepared to do the will of God; who dyed, and rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into glory; and the apostles practise and the martyrs, which testified against your Rudiments and Inventions in all ages we do own: and we do judge your practices, but not contradict Scriptures nor the practise of the Saints in former ages; and your Church hath not the Scriptures on her side, neither will they bear you out in your Rudiments; and if you did not blind your eyes you might see. And our way to Heaven is Christ the Light, which you have aposta ized from, and our way, which is Christ, is that which the apostles walked in before the apostasy: and Christ nor the apostles doth not say, that outward water saveth, nor that people could not be saved without that; but they said it was Christ that saveth, and his blood cleanseth from sin, and the apostle saith, it is not the washing away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience: and they that truly seeks salvation must follow the light, and deny your Church, and so come to him the Bread of life, which we feed upon, which comes down from heaven, and not from the earth; and your making your God or Christ of Bread and Wine, is but like the Heathen making them gods of wood and ston, and causing people to worship the works of your own hands, which Christ, nor the apostles, nor prophets, nor martyrs, did not.  
And the miracles of Christ and the Apostles done by them in the primitive times, we do own, but cannot own your signs and lying wonders, knowing they are acted by a deceitful and persecuting power; for the Magicians of Egypt could work wonders in the sight of Moses before Pharaoh, but Moses rod devoured all their Serpents which they deceived the people withal. Now your Church which is in the apostasy from Christ and the apostles, who is called the great Whore and Mother of Harlots, in whom all the Witchcrafts and Enchantments are found, and by her Witchcrafts and Sorceries she can do some wonders to deceive the people, who hath made her self drunk with the blood of the Saints; but Christs rod which will rule all Nations, will devour all the serpents of all you spiritual Egyptians, and Christ and his true Church will reign, but it manifests the falseness of your Christ you have made, that dare not bring him out to be tried; so herein you come short of the Magicians of Egypt.  
And the Parable of Dives may justly be turned back upon yourselves, for you neither believe us, nor the Scriptures, nor Christ that is risen from the dead, but your own Rudiments, so you will not believe though one rise from the dead, and should declare the truth to you, but would persecute him, you are so zealous of the worship of your own handiworks, and doth not believe Christ that is risen from the dead.  
Christ the truth and all his Ministers was in that truth, which you are gon from, and that which is wrought of God we own, yea and the miracles he hath wrought by us, and also the miracle of Jonah, which you the adulterous generation from God, Christ, and true Church, makes it appear you are ignorant of, and as long as you set up rudiments and inventions, contrary to the scriptures and the spirit which gave them forth, you are not to be believed by any, neither can we believe you, who are in the presumption above what is written; neither doth all your ceremonies, and annointings, and crossings, and all the rest of your outward things preserve your children nor you from the devils works, nor from the vain pomp and vanities of the world. Let them who are honest hearted who reads, consider.  
We would have you to come forth yet, and try your Christ which you have made of Bread and Wine by your consecration: And here is added some Queries for you to answer, who are the Church of Rome as you call yourselves.  
1. After you have made your Christ by your consecration, of bread and wine, can your Christ work any miracles, or preach, or teach to you or the world, or do you onely make him to eat? Is not he worse than the gods of the Heathen, made of wood and ston fashioned like a man, with mouth, ears, eyes, hands and feet? bring him forth to some public place of trial that we may see him, and that he may be tried, and see whether the heathen or you be the best workmen, which both worship the work of your own hands? and whether you have not made a god without mouth, ears, eyes, hands and feet, &c. and so worse than the Heathen?  
2. Whether or no every time that you do consecrate your bread and wine, that you do not make a new Christ, seeing it is not the same bread and wine of one consecrating but you consecrate often? for do not you say that the bread and wine is Christ, after you have consecrated it, and so do not you then every time you consecrate it make a new Christ, seeing it is other bread and wine that you consecrate, and not the same as it was before?  
3. Whether or no that after you have consecrated it the bread and the wine it is living, seeing you say it is Christ, and can it say, this is my body, as the true Christ did, for Christ said, This is my body; and if it be the Christ let him speak, for Christ spoken and walked, so let him walk, your bread and your wine which you consecrate, and lets see him and hear him, hath he feet and all his members, for you say he is the whole Christ; and can he eat, for Christ did eat after he said, This is my body, the scriptures plainly testifies; and is not Christs body sufficient to give life to the whole world, which is the bread that came down from heaven: and every time that you consecrate, do you not make a new Christ or body, and say Lo here is Christ, and lo there is Christ: and when you have eaten up one, ye make another of the elements of bread and wine which is from below?  
4. And was Christs body broken when he broken the bread, and was his blood  shed when he gave the cup to his disciples, and bad them eat and drink in remembrance, &c: was not his body whole and his blood unspilt till he was crucified upon the across, else how was he a perfect offering, if he was not whole? or had Christ two bodies and two bloods, and did he break one before he suffered, and was one o his bloods spilled? If so, which of these two gives life unto the world and cleanses people from sin?  
5 And was that the body and blood of Christ which the Corinthians did eat and drink till they were drunk? and will the blood of Christ make people drunk, which cleanses them from sin and giveth life? If so, why did the apostle bid them be filled with the spirit? and did not the apostle say they were to eat and drink in remembrance of Christ till he came, and to show forth his death till he came? and that which is to put people in mind of him, and to show forth his death till he came, were not this a plain contradiction to say, This is the Christ which was but to be taken in remembrance of him till he came?  
6. That spirit in all ages which hath wrought miracles, both in temporal Egypt that persecuted the outward Jews, as now the same spirit in spiritual Egypt and Sodom, Mystery Babylon, the great whore, in whom all the witchcrafts is found, who rides upon the beast which hath been worshipped, that worketh miracles, and maketh the world to wonder after her, which hath and doth persecute the Jews in spirit, and killed the Martyrs and Saints: Whether or no this be not an other spirit then was in Christ and the apostles that wrought miracles?  
7. Whether or no that spirit that works miracles, signs and wonders, and persecutes and kills about Religion, whether it be not by the spirit and power of witchcraft and sorcery, and enchantment which he works and doth them by, seeing Christ who wrought miracles, and his apostles by his power and Spirit, never persecuted any about Church-worship and Religion, but rebuked them that would have had mens lives destroyed, and  told them they knew not what spirit they were of, and gave forth commands that they should love one another, and love enemies; and he was so far from commanding to persecute, that he commanded, if they were struck on the one cheek, they should turn the other: and this was commanded by him who hath all power in heaven and earth given unto him.  
8. Whether or no that is not an usurped power which is gotten up in the See of Rome and other sectaries, that hath persecuted about Church-worship and Religion, seeing Christ, who hath all power, forbids persecution; and commands his subjects to love one another, and love enemies? Whether that Worship, Church, and Religion be not Antichristian, and false, that is upheld with carnal weapons, and persecutes others, seeing Christ nor the apostles did never persecute any about the true Worship, and Religion, and Church, but denied persecution, and said, their weapons was spiritual, and so the true Church is, and was contrary to all the Churches in the world, whose Religion, Ministry and worship was upheld with spiritual weapons, and so is it not manifest that is a false Church, Religion and Worship, and Antichrist opposite to Christ that is held up with carnal weapons, though they may profess Christ?  
9. And did not the true Church in the primitive times take bread in remembrance of Christ, the true bread, which came down from heaven, and yet many of them that did eat of the outward bread turned into janglings, and into death, which they that eats of the bread that comes down from heaven, shall never die, but live for ever?  
10. And have not you Papists been the Cooks that hath prepared for the other sectaries their Easter Reckonings, Midsummer deuce, and their Tithes, yea the very Swine which were unclean beasts, under the law, which commanded Tithes, and hath prepared for them their Steeple-houses, and their Priests, and black coats, and clerks wages, and their Bells, Hourglasses, Surplices, and their God-fathers and God-mothers, and their sprinkling children, and signing them with the cross, and Tippets, and Hoods, and Altars, and their holidays, and your times called Michaelmas, Christmas, Martinmas, Candlemas, Childermas, and hath kept the days of Christ and the Saints, but killed them who were in the life and spirit of Christ and the Apostles. Have not you, who hath been out of the life and power of Christ and the apostles, been the Cooks to prepare all those things, and many more for yourselves and the sectaries, which is not found neither in your New Testament nor ours?  
11. And whether or no there was such Titles given to the Apostles, and Timothy and Titus, such names as you call your Priests and Bishops by; did you not also cook these things for the Sectaries and yourselves; and also cooked your Colleges for yourselves and the sectaries to make Ministers by, when you had lost the power and spirit whereby the Apostles was made Ministers?  
12. And whether or no you can clear yourselves from being a sect, as well as all other sects, who are gone into a persecuting power from the peaceable power and spirit the apostles were in, and Christ, who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him?  
Whether or no you have not been the Cooks, that hath cooked to yourselves and other sectaries, tithe swine, and all other unclean Beasts which were forbidden by the Law?  
And whether or no you have not been the Cooks, that have cooked to yourselves and other sectaries, setting up prisons, inquisition, and racks, and banishment about Religion and Church-worship?  
And let us see whether or no the apostles were the Cooks of these things?  
And have you not cooked yourselves all your Nunneries, and Beads, and Images, and Pictures, and things?  
And have not you been the Cooks for most of the sectaries, and your own sect for all the ceremonies and rudiments they live in, and yourselves?  
And is it not manifest that you are a sect, as well as other sects, which are divided from Christ the power, which hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, which saith, Love one another, and love enemies, and persecuted none. You and other sects that persecute about Religion, contrary to Christs power, do manifest that you Papists are a sect, as well as other sects divided from his power?  
And have you not been the Cooks of all swearing, and cursing, for your own sect, and all other sectaries, contrary to Christ and the apostles?  
And whether or no before Christendom comes into unity, the Papist must not leave his Mass-book, the Prelate his Common-praier book, the Presbyterian his directory, and the independent and Baptist their Church-faith, and come to the Scriptures, and the Spirit that gave them forth, and say they are a better form, than any of them can make, or have made, yea or nay?  
Some more Queries for you to answer.   

Friend, I would have thee to answer these Queries, and to the thing I Query speak, for hear is some more Queries added.  

1. WHen was the seventy weeks fulfilled spoken of in Daniel the 9th. and when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
2. From the time of the daily Sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination set up, shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days, when did they begin and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
3. Blessed is he that cometh to the 1335 days, when did they begin and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
4. The devil shall cast them ten days in prison, Rev. 2.10. when did they begin and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
5. The time the King of the bottomless pit was to torment them that had not received the Fathers mark in their forehead five months, Rev. 9. when did they begin, when did they end, and how many years are they?  
6. The woman was to be fed in the wilderness 42 months, after the Dragon and the Beasts worship was set up, Rev. 12. when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
7. The witnesses prophesied in sack-cloth and ashes 1160 days, when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
8. The witnesses dead bodys lay in the streets three days and a half, Rev. 11. when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
9. The Beast had seven heads and ten horns which arose up out of the sea, Rev. 13. when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
10. The Beast, the Whore, the false Church rod upon the seven heads and ten horns which leads into Captivity, and must go into Captivity, which came out of this bottomless pit, and must go into perdition, when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
11. The seven heads are seven mountains which the woman sits upon, and they are seven kings, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh he shall continue but a short time; and the beast that was, and is, and yet is not, he is the eight of the seven, and goeth into perdition: and the ten horns which have received no kingdom as yet, these have one mind to give their power and strength to the beast, Rev. 17. When did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?  
12. And the number of the beast is the number of a man, and his number is 666. when did they begin, and when did they end, and how many years are they?   
We would have you Papists to give us a meeting, and to come forth to try your Christ, which you make of Bread and and wine after consecration, and we will have a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine, and will divide the bread and wine into two parts, you shall consecrate half of the bread and half of the wine, and we will put the wine into two basins, and the bread into two parts, and the consecrated bread we will set by the unconsecrated, and we will have a watch on both sides, a certain number as can be agreed of, and if it prove itself to be the Christ after you have consecrated it, and lose not its property, nor alter its taste, and prove immortal and divine, as you say it is, and he that receives it receives the whole Christ; now if it prove as you say, we will all turn to you; if it doth not lose its property, nor alter its taste, as the other doth, but prove immortal and divine, for the body of Christ saw no corruption; and if it be the body of Christ, you need not fear the trial of it. So sand us word, for much blood hath been  shed about this consecration, and them that would not own it to be the body of Christ, many holy men and women you have took the lives of, away; and so this will bring truth to light, if you will stand to trial, and bring honour to God, and whether you be like the prophets of God or like Jezabels prophets. And if your consecrated bread lose its property, and alter its taste, and prove mortal and not divine, but be of the vine and temporal, you and the Pope shall all turn to us. sand your answer to Lancaster Castle, to T. G. and if you do not, let your mouths be stopped for ever, and in your silence you will manifest your insufficiency of managing your Principles, that dare not bring them to the light, that they may be tried; and therefore we would have you to come forth and stand to your principles, now when you have not the sword and club in your hand, for you could talk fast enough when you made bonfires of the Saints as in Bonners dayes. So no more but my love. Direct your answer to T. G. in Lancaster Castle, a Prisoner.   

Something in Answer to a Paper of Henry Forts, one who is Run out of the Truth.  
WHo is questioning about Christ the light, like the Pharisees? Which we answer, That Christ Jesus the Light, is sufficient to restore man to his former state, which he was in before he Fell, out of the wrath and the fall, and to perfection; and they that believe in the Light, are children of light, as Christ hath said, Joh. 12. And Christ doth enlighten all that comes into the world; and he that believes is saved, and he that doth not is condemned already: and Christ Jesus is the one means of salvation which all is to rely upon, in the faith, and in the obedience to the faith, are they justified in the light; and Christ is the mystery, and it is he that opens( and no man shuts) all other mysteries; and this is he that thou was never satisfied withall, with thy dark wisdom; but he hath satisfied us, who is our peace: and therefore anguish and trouble will come upon thee, who turns against Christ and his people. And the least unlearned in the Natural Tongues, which be not the means of salvation, may answer thee, and see thee where thou art; and the offence is in thyself, and not in us, and wo will be to thee who causes the offence, who causes the truth to be evil spoken of, as instance thy bad language at the Porter Ward at Lancaster Castle against Friends: and now thou confounds thyself, seeing thou desires Scriptural proofs, and yet thou would have thy answer from Illiterate men or women that cannot red Scripture; yet we can tell thee, that there are some that cannot red Scriptures can speak Scriptures, and quote Scriptures; and thou art not a man like to understand Scriptural things, who art stumbling at the light Christ Jesus, and Questioning the sufficiency of him; and we have the Spirit that ever was.  

And to thy first Query.  
Adam was made in the Image of God, if he had obeied the command of God he had stood, but disobeying the command of God, and eating that which he should not, he dyed as thou dost, not feeding upon Christ the light, but in the death stumbling at him.  
2. While Adam stood, he had dominion over all the creatures as a King, and was to obey God, but when he disobeyed he fell under the creaturers, where thou art, till thou obey Christ the light; as thee and thy father Adam obeied the sin, and so came under the death, and so the obedience of sin brought death, as the obedience of righteousness brings life.  
3. And Adams fall lost his power both to himself and his posterity, and it is redeemed again by Christ the light; for, all dyed in Adam, and they are made alive by Christ Jesus and they that come to him are made alive, and they that come not abideth in the death, stumbling at Christ the light, as thou dost; and Christ is he that doth satisfy, and Rom. 5. speaketh of Christ and Adam, how through Adams disobedience came death and judgement, &c. but that by the obedience of Christ comes the life, who satisfies the Father, who is the offering for the sins of the whole world, and tasted death for every man: and all that believes in Christ Jesus the light, hath life, and he that doth not believe is condemned already, as I said before; and it is not he that wills and runs out of the power of God, but it is God shows mercy.  
4. And it is the seed of the Woman that doth bruise the Serpents head, according to the promise of God, but every one must feel this Christ and this light in them, or else they are Reprobates, 2 Cor. and last. And this seed of the woman Christ, doth enlighten all people, that they might believe in him, and to have their sins mortified in them, and their vile affections, which if thine had been, thou had never stumbled at the light; and he that believeth hath the witness in himself, and can set to his Seal that God is true, what he has done in Christ. And thou forgets sure all the expressions the Apostles uses to the Churches, Laying aside sin, and mortifying sin, and not yielding their members unto sin, and the daily across, when thou looks that Christ has done it all without thee, and thou must have nothing within thee; the Apostle saith, They were sanctified through the obedience of the spirit, and the obedience of faith, and that was within people.  
5. Christ the light which lighteth every man that comes, into the world, is the seed of the woman, and that is in the conscience, though the darkness in thee cannot comprehend it, though it there shine. And was not he a Lamb slain from the foundations of the world: and was he slain within man, or without man thinks thou? And was prest( by disobedience) as a Cart under sheaves, as thou dost by thy corruptions; and then they wrangled with the Lords Prophets like thee.  
6. And Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world by the wicked, and it was done by them that quenched the Spirit, and hated the light as thou dost, and by the disobedient, they were them that ever did like Cain, that killed Abel.  
7. And the promise to Abraham was Christ the light; the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel to the ends of the Earth.  
8. And that Prophet that God would raise up like Moses, was Christ the light, that doth enlighten every man that comes into the world, that all might hear, and learn, and follow him, and thou that dost not art in the rejection and reprobation thou speaks of, and so art judged out of thy own mouth.  
9. And that which all the holy men of God desired to see and hoped for, was Christ the light, the seed of the woman; and some of them did see him; Abraham saw his glory, and Isaiah saw him and his sufferings, which seed was brought forth in the Apostles days, the glory and hope of Israel, which did bruise the Serpents head, and break his power: So Christ the light, which doth enlighten every man, hath all power given unto him, &c.  
10. Christ that was born of the Virgin, was the promised seed, that did fulfil the Prophesies, and Promises, and Prophets, and did satisfy the desires of them that truly waited for him: and he is the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel, and doth enlighten every man that comes into the world, as I said before, that these might believe in him, the light that doth enlighten them, Who is all, and through all, and over all, who is for ever Blessed.  
11. And he that is the light Christ, that doth enlighten every man, he is the root and off-spring of David, and he himself says ▪ I am the light, Joh. v. 1. and in the Acts as proved.  
12. And who hath faith in Christ, they know him to be the off-spring of David, and root and Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the promised seed, but they that doth not believe in the light, hath no true faith in Christ. For his command was to believe in the light, Joh. 12. and such as believes not in the light, are such as slays him, and such as slays as thou dost, are not like to believe in him.  
13. And mans salvation is only by Christ Jesus, and not by any thing in him or by him, which is not of Christ; and the word becoming flesh, and suffering, became mans salvation, who doth enlighten every man that comes into the world, who became like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, that he might succour us, &c. And he it is that doth enlighten all, that so they might be saved, and he that doth not believe in Christ the light is already condemned.  
14. And Christ choose and sent his Disciples into all Nations to preach the Gospel, and to turn them to Christ the light, which doth enlighten them that they might come to him their teacher, and not to keep them always under teaching: and the word Three Persons is a Popish word, and not Scripture of truth; and the Apostle said the word was in the mouth and heart, and that was the word of faith which he preached, they needed not ascend nor descend for it, Rom. 10. and so we say the word of faith is in the heart to obey and do it, and needs not ascend or descend, &c. or else how could they press him as a cart under sheaves?  
15. And Christ when he did ascend unto his Father he gave gifts unto men, he gave some Evangelists, some Apostles, some Pastors, some Teachers, which was for the perfecting of the Saints, till they all came to a perfect man, and to the knowledge of the Son of God, and the unity of the Faith; and so here he tells thee how long they were to preach, and Christ was with them to the end of the world, and is with others that obeys him, and that spirit of truth doth led all true Christians into all truth, and the same reproves the world, but such as thee, now would not have this teacher, but art gaping after some other teachers, but he is your reprover.  
16. And so the Apostles Ordained Bishops, Deacons, and Presbyters in Churches, their work was to bring them to the knowledge of the Son of God, to the unity of the faith; and Deacons was to look to the poor; and such as was grown in the Spirit, which was Elders, was to strengthen the younger; not that they had power over their Faith, for their Epistles to the Churches declares the manner of their teaching, and this was done by the gift, and power, and spirit of God, and such thou might see now, if thou did not stumble at the light; and this was amongst them that believed in the new Covenant, and the Church has been a long time in the wilderness, and so has been hide from all other Churches, and Presbiterians, who are out of the power of God and Spirit that the Apostles was in, and so people are generally gone from the Law and Testimony, both Bishops and Presbyterians, and are gone from the law and power that the Bishops and Presbiterians were in, in the Apostles time.  
17. And J. L. and B. H. as thou speaks of, if thou had minded what they had spoken, thou would not have quenched the spirit of prophesy in thyself, for we preach the same word of faith as the Apostles did the word in the heart and mouth, and not that people should obey their own wills, and do their own works as thou hast done.  
18 Christ is come that ends the Levitical Order, who has made us Kings and Priests to God: and J. L. that Elder thou hast rejected, but they who has made Priests and Prophets that are neither after the manner of Christ nor the Jews, since the woman went into the wilderness, as their fruits manifests; and such as hath the form, and not the power, we are commanded to turn away from such: and what dost thou talk of the order of Moses, who stumbles at the light Christ.  
19. Christ  told the Jews that the Temple should be thrown down, who cast the buyers and sellers out of it, and it was thrown down according to his prophesy; and your Temples are full of buyers and sellers, which were never commanded by Christ, and such as gather people to themselves and not to Christ; but we gather people to Christ as the Apostles did, and as the Prophets did to God, who said, I and the people whom thou hast given me, which are for signs and wonders, as we have been to you; and these were such as trembled at the word of God.  
20. And Christ fulfilled the Law and Circumcision, and did not come to break it in any point, for it was not to pass away till it was fulfilled, and hast not thou and you condemned yourselves then, in not observing Circumcision and the Jewish Feasts? And where doth the Scripture say that Christ observed a feast which was but of human invention? And for observing holy and Divine Ordinances, when thou particulars them we shall give thee answer; but the Apostles brought peaple off those things which were seen, to those things that were not seen; and they that were dead and risen with Christ were to seek those things that were above.  
21. And as the Apostles preached Christ Jesus to the Jews and Gentiles when they did not believe, they turned from them; and as we are moved of the Lord, so do we: and as for signs and miracles thou looks for, and the adulterous generation, there is none to be shewed you but that of Jonas, what sign would you have to prove that Christ is come? and our Religion has been proved by signs and miracles. J. L. will tell you enough, if thou or thy tutor will ask him; and we are reformed to the primitive purity, and therefore do we writ and speak that others may be partakers of it, and because we are in the life and power, therefore are we hated and persecuted.  
22. And the Bishops, Pastors, Ministers and Teachers did observe that which Christ commanded them, but the teachers of the world, &c. now, says they never heard his voice, but we observe and teach what he commands us, and are not to boast in other mens lives, and Christ is the same now as ever he was. And that which the Apostles did as to the ordaining others, was in the power of God, but these teachers what they have ordained and done has been without the power of God, since the Church went into the wilderness, and what Church hath there been till she come out again, but a company that has had a name but are dead, and are tearing one another about their forms and inventions.  
23. And we cannot grant that the true Church has ruled since the Dragon has got up, and true Church has been fled into the wilderness; neither has there been the true teachers since, for the man child was caught up to God, but he now comes to rule all Nations with his iron rod, & they must know the rod of his wrath: and so we say there has not been the same teachers, as was in the Apostles time, since the woman fled into the wilderness, which is now come out, and the Marriage of the Lamb is come from whence we have our succession, and from whence we have Authority to Preach; and all the Martyrs that suffered by the Beast, and Dragon, and Whore, has been our companions in tribulations: them that holds not our principle, holds not the Head Christ Jesus, but doth desist from him.  
24. And so here we have proved our succession, and forsaken the Whore, the false Church, which has sate in her scarlet, and the true Church in her sack-cloth; but the whore has left many of her children, its time to forsake her, for she has drunk much blood. And so Christs Church has been the same as it was, though it has been hidden from you; and Christs blood is of effect to us, and his promise, though it has been trampled under the feet of you who has, drunk the blood of the Saints, &c.  
25. And we have a command to forsake that which is called a Church, and hath the form of godliness and not the power, and is neither agreeable to Law nor Gospel; red Tim. 2.3. And the holy men and women, they lived in the law of God, and went to the Temple as God commanded; but God hath made us his Temples, and we go to the heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of us all, and do forsake the devouring beast, and dragon, and false prophet, and great whore which calls her self mother; and the Jews fall, will not justify yours, and we have no delight in the whore, let her trim her self never so bravely. And the holy men and women of God did not forsake the law before the coming of Christ, but after Christ was come, if any had the form of godliness and not the power, they were to be turned away from.  
26. And we know Incarnation, the word Circumcision, &c. by the same spirit as they did that gave forth Scriptures, and that's our Teacher that gave forth Scriptures that fulfils Scriptures: Christ Jesus the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world, which thou stumbles at; and as thou scoffingly calls the light common, Christ Jesus is the common salvation, and is our teacher, for Learn of me, saith he. I am the way, the truth, and the life. This is my well-beloved Son, hear ye him. And we know the truth which we have preached hath always burdened thee, and grieved thee, and the seed is Christ, and the soul is from the breath of God, and Christ doth come to redeem fallen man; and it is like thy thick head and dark wisdom could not understand truth. And Christ is the light, the Bishop of the immortal soul, who comes to redeem it, the soul is the breath of life, Christ is the light, and he is the seed, and so Christ the light and the seed is one. And as for carnality, darkness and wisdom below, which thou art afraid that we should judge; thou hast enough of that, more then of a good understanding, and reprobation from the ways of God is thy own, and thou hast manifested thy folly to ask questions of the ways of God, of them whom thou says is reprobated, but thy folly hath and will manifest itself; and we do give a reason of the hope that is in us, Christ Jesus the light and salvation with meekness and fear.  
27. And as for thy applying, thou hast manifested it, concerning Christ the light, and we say all the promises are in Christ the light, and are in him yea and amen. And we that know Christ the substance, knows the Scriptures in their places, and to what estate they were spoken; but thou who stumbles at the light, knows nothing as thou ought to know.  
28. And they that takes heed to the light of Christ, doth not take heed to thy imaginations.  
29. And thou hast been seeking, but thou seeks amiss, and therefore hath not found the new and living way, and thou wast not like to be satisfied with it, or what we spake, while thou did not own the light of Christ in thy conscience to be sufficient: and if thou loved us for our good and honest conversation, that was a testimony sufficient, for the three is known by its fruits; and though the life of our Religion thou could not live in, nor was not like, that did not live in the light of Christ, but thou hast known so much amongst us, as will be thy condemnation wheresoever thou goest; and thou who dost commend our conversation, hath manifested thine to be bad: and therefore, poor lad, it will be hard for thee in the end.  
From them that owes nothing but love and eternal peace to all mankind, though thou hast abused us, but it will be thy own burden, and that thou wilt feel at the end, and we pity thy condition who are called Quakers, who walks in the light Christ, the salvation.    
THE END.