stone,' page 23. He saith, the scriptures are the spiritual sword,' page 26. And the scriptures are the ground of all saints' actions. And have not I written unto thee excellent things in counsel and knowledge?' page 32.

A. The Pharisees had scriptures, and had not the spirit that gave them forth; so they wanted the word of God, the sword of the spirit, and stood against the substance of the scriptures. They had scriptures, but they were out of the saints' actings; for they turned against the just: and so do all upon the earth that have the scriptures, but are out of the spirit that gave them forth; they are out of the ground of the saints' actions. And none know the excellent things written of knowledge nor counsel, but who are in the spirit that gave forth scriptures. Though they have the scriptures in their own knowledge and wisdom, yet they understand not the excellent things written, but as they come into the spirit that gave them forth. So thou art a man not dividing the word aright. And many may have the scriptures, yea, the whole world may have the scriptures, and not being in the spirit that gave them forth, they break into sects among one another. And the devil may come with scriptures, but hath not the spirit to fight withal, who is out of the truth.

P. He saith, Women are excluded from speaking, though endued with more than ordinary gifts, and they are not allowed to teach.' See page 34. And the canon of the apostles is the key to open the scriptures. And the sure word of prophecy is the scriptures.' See page 38, which is a more sure word than an immediate voice from heaven.' He saith, The word which the apostle speaks of to the Romans, in the mouth and in the heart, is the gospel promises without. Deut. xxx. And the scriptures, books, and chapters, is the light that shines in man's heart, and the new creature is too narrow for a rule.' See page 44.

A. The new creature is subject to the law of God, for he is in Christ who is the end of law, types, figures, shadows, and parables; and there is rule, direction, counsel, wisdom. And the old man cometh to be subjected, which is not subject to the law of God; and here comes the blessing and the peace of the Israel of God, who walk according to the rule of the new creature; for he walks in the life that gave forth scripture, which the old man walks out of. And he may say, 'The scripture is his rule,' but if he is not subject to the witness of God in himself; nor owns the light which Jesus Christ hath enlightened him withal, but doth the evil, and loves the darkness, the light is his condemnation. And the law is light,' and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' And many have had the old and new testament, and stand against the light, the spirit of prophecy within. And

many may have the scriptures, books, and chapters, and stand against the light, Christ Jesus, that doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world. And so put the letter for the light, and walk from the light in their own particulars, which should lead them into a new life. Such come not to know the new life, nor the blessing of the Israel of God. And the woman (the Evah) must be silent, for she was first deceived; and the woman Jezebel, that calls herself a prophetess, that must not be suffered to teach, or to usurp authority; but Christ in the male, and Christ in the female, is beyond the first Adam, or Evah, or she that calls herself a prophetess, or the great whore that reigns over the kings of the earth. There are all their languages under; Christ in the females shall comprehend this as well as in the males, and give judgment, and the daughters shall prophesy as well as the sons. And such as limit or quench the spirit in the males or females, are they that are apostatized and ravened inwardly from the spirit of God, and despise prophecy, only have the sheep's clothing, (such as thou and you,) and know not the spirit, but are ravened from it, the spirit of God that hath power over all flesh, and so make yourselves ignorant of it, and are such as quench it in others. And the spirit of God in the apostles being witnessed, it opens the scriptures, is the key, lets to see what hath been since the days of the apostles, and has ruled and reigned, and had the dominion, the wolf in the sheep's clothing, which has deceived the nations; and such as have led the world, and brought them all upon heaps, and have never heard the voice of God, (as they have published in the nation in print,) nor the voice of Christ, and have not the same infallible spirit the apostles had, and no immediate revelation nor inspiration as they had: so these have taken away the key of knowledge from among people since the days of the apostles; and as for the word canon, ye may go to the Papists for that. The apostles showed the fulfilling of the scriptures, that Christ was come, and the apostles saw what Christ said should come, those who inwardly ravened, went forth from them, whom the world hath gone after; we now, with the same spirit the apostles were in, which you all are ravened from, do see you, and what hath reigned since the days of the apostles. Now is the fulfilling of the prophets. And the word was in the apostles, and in the saints, yea, the word of faith, and this comes to fulfil the scripture, this word of faith which was preached in the heart and in the mouth; and which was promised before. And the light that shined was in the apostles' hearts, and the sure word of prophecy that did let see, and foresee, was in the hearts of people, which led them to give forth scriptures. And that which fulfils the scriptures, the prophecy, is of Christ, who ends it; and the spirit that led them to speak it forth, was the spirit of prophecy: many may have the scriptures, and

not have the more sure word of prophecy. And many may have the scriptures as the Pharisees had, and stand against the revelation of the son of God from heaven, which is surer, for he was before scripture was, who ends the scriptures: for many may have scriptures and be out of the life, and not know the revelation of the son of God, as the Jews did not, and so say the scriptures are more sure than revelation from heaven, so more sure than the son of God, who is greater than all. The scripture was given forth by revelation, and none know it but by revelation.

P. He saith, Christ doth not give to every man the light that leadeth to the Father, and there is not in every man that redeeming light, which leadeth to the Father. And it is false to say, the light which John speaks of, is a salvation light;' he saith, The light in every man is but the candle light of natural understanding,' page 56. And 'the light which every man hath, is a low common benefit, and no drop of this immortal seed,' pages 57, 58. Nor is the light which every man hath, his mediation.' And I call the light which every man hath, natural,' page 59. And the light which every man hath, teacheth nothing of the way, truth, and life of Jesus Christ,' page 60. And the light which is in every man is opposite to scriptures,' page 61. This is the light which is in every man's conscience, which is but natural. And the apostle saith he warneth every man, and teacheth every man, that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus.' But he saith, The apostle did not warn every man: he did not level the saints' light, with every man's,' page 62. It is not meant that every man is enlightened, but the church.' See page 63.

A. I am the light of the world,' that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, saith Christ the life. So the light which every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with, will let them see the life which it cometh from, will let them see their salvation, Christ Jesus, will let them see their mediator, will let them see the truth, for the light is truth, which cometh from Christ the truth. And the light is Christ, the way, the truth, the life, that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world. In him was life, and the life was the light of men,' in him by whom the world was made, which light was before any natural lights were; the sun, moon and stars are natural lights, and these were made by Christ the light, who doth enlighten every man, &c. Men having a light from him by whom the world was made, by whom all things were created, who was before any thing was created, this lets them see before any created light, or natural light; this gives every one the knowledge of life; lets every one see the salvation to the ends of the earth; and lets every one see the covenant of God. VOL. III.

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They that love it and believe in it, come to the life Christ, him from whom the light cometh. The light is of the immortal seed, of Christ Jesus, one with the saints' light; the saints believe in that the world hates, and receive that which the world hates; so it is the world's condemnation: it is the condemnation of them that hate it. And so was he promised a covenant to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews, and so doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, according to John's testimony to the priests and Levites who came from Jerusalem to examine him. So the priests and professors now examine us in this age respecting the light which the Quakers are witnesses of, and bear testimony to, which Paul warned every man, and taught every man, that he might present them perfect in Christ the light. So the light is one with the saints' light, that condemns the unbelievers. And the light every man that cometh into the world is enlightened with, that through it he might believe; and who believe in it, and receive it, have the light of life, and they become the sons of God; and who hate it, it is their condemnation: and they are against scriptures, but the light is not against scriptures, but owns them. And so the light is not so low as ye esteem it, for it was before any thing was made or created. As for the word trinity, there is no scripture for it; ye find it in the commonprayer-book. And the light in the converted shines out of darkness in their hearts, and gives them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, &c. And the light in the unconverted shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not.

P. He saith, that the light without the scriptures is no light,' page 64. And To call the light that doth enlighten every man the word of God, is contradiction.' And 'There was no light before the scriptures, which is now revealed in scripture,' page 64. God is light, not the light in every man's conscience,' page 68. And the best light that every man hath, is but created. Not one man in the world knows God till he find him in scripture,' page 69. "The Lord Christ, the eternal son, the essential word of the Father, is more in scripture than in every man, or any man,' page 70. They that speak from the scripture, rightly understood, speak more from Christ, than they that speak from the light within them.'

A. The light was before scripture was given forth: the light was before the created lights were, and makes manifest all created lights: for all created lights were created by it. And all that ever had the scriptures are not in the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world. He knows neither the word of God, nor Father, nor son, nor Christ, nor the Lord, nor scripture. And the word, and the Father, and the son, and Christ, these are to be found in man; the Lord searcheth the heart, and is not to be found in the letter, but it

testifies of these things. And they that speak so much of Christ from the letter, which gives not life because it speaks of him, and are from the light within them, which cometh from Christ, which doth enlighten every man, &c. they speak as the devil doth. And the Pharisees preached a Christ is come, as they did he was to come; and stood against the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world. And they sent their priests and Levites to examine John, as they do now who are professors and priests. And many may have the scriptures, and yet be from the light, and deny the light; the devil, who is out of the light, may bring scripture, and he hath not the light. And that is light, and that is the word, which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world. So he is all, and in all, and through all, God over all, blessed for ever, who shall make every tongue to confess, and all to stand guilty before him that hate it, and say he is righteous. And Christ is called the word of God, who doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world. And many may have the scriptures, and yet never know God, till they come to the light which comes from the son, who reveals him.

P. He saith, Christ saveth by the declaration, or by scripture; and makes the declaration saving.'

A. Christ is the saviour, and that the scripture declares of and speaks of; and many may have the scriptures, and declaration, and reject Christ, as the Jews did, and all do, that deny the light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, the light that cometh from their saviour, which is not scripture.

P. And to say, 'The light in every man gave forth scripture, and will open scripture to us, is palpable darkness, and contradiction to scripture,' page 74.

A. All are in the utter darkness, and know not the scripture, until they come to the light that every man was in that gave forth scriptures, for the light lets them see to what they were spoken, and Christ the end of them.

P. And to say every man's light is the sure word of prophecy, is an old fable,' page 75. No man shall be able to spell out a syllable of the gospel, by all that is written in man's heart.' And 'the universal light lays waste the free grace of God, so never was it every man's light, or free gift.' And 'the light in every man's conscience is a bill of condemnation, discovers no salvation,' page 76. And that which Adam had before the fall was imperfect.'

A. The light that every man is enlightened with, is Christ Jesus, the gift of God, the covenant of God, the way to the Father; that all through the light might believe in him who is the way to the Father, out of the state in the fall, the first Adam, who fell from that which