More objections against George Fox, charged upon him, by the contrivers of the aforesaid petition; and answered by him, as followeth :

Object. 1. THAT he did affirm that he had the divinity essentially in him.'

Answer. For the word essential, it is an expression of their own: but that the saints are the temples of God, and God doth dwell in them, that the scriptures do witness, 2 Cor. vi. 1. Eph. iv. 6. 2 Pet. i. 4. And if God dwell in them, then the divinity dwells in them; and the scripture saith, ye shall be partakers of the divine nature; and this I witness: but where this is not, they cannot witness it.

O. 2. That both baptism and the Lord's supper are unlawful.'

A. As for that word unlawful, it was not spoken by me: but the baptism of infants I deny; and there is no scripture that speaks of a sacrament, but that baptism that is into Christ, with one spirit into one body, Gal. iii. 27. that I confess according to scripture. And the Lord's supper I confess, and that the bread the saints break is the body of Christ; and that cup which they drink is the blood of Christ, this I witness.

O. 3. He did dissuade men from reading the scriptures, telling them that it is carnal.'

A. For dissuading men from reading the scriptures, that is false, for they were given to be read as they are, but not to make a trade upon. The letter is carnal, and killeth; 1 Cor. ii. 10. 16. but that which gave it forth is spiritual, eternal, and giveth life; and this I witness.

O. 4. That he was equal with God.'

A. That was not so spoken; but that 'He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are of one,' Heb. ii. 11. and the saints are all one in the Father and the son, of his flesh and of his bone; this the scripture doth witness. And 'ye are the sons of God,' and the Father and the son are one; and they that are joined to the Lord, are one spirit, and they that are joined to a harlot are one flesh.'

O. That God taught deceit.'

A. That is false, and was never spoken by me; God is pure.

O. That the scriptures are antichrist.'

A. That is false, but that they who profess the scriptures, and live not in the life and power of them, as they did that gave them forth, that I witness to be antichrist.

6

O. That he was the judge of the world.'

A. That the saints shall judge the world,' the scripture witnesseth

it, 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. wherefore I am one, and I witness the scripture fulfilled.

O. That he was as upright as Christ.'

A. Those words were not so spoken by me; but that' as he is so are we in this present world.' 1 John iv. 17. That the saints are made the righteousness of God;' that the saints are one in the Father and the son; that we shall be like him, 1 John iii. 2. and that all teaching which is given forth by Christ, is to bring the saints to perfection, even to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: this the scripture doth witness, and this I witness. Where Christ dwells, must not he speak in his temple?

Queries propounded to George Fox, by some of the contrivers of the petition, and by him answered.

QUERY-Whether there be one individual God distinguished into the Father, son, and holy ghost, or not?'

A. Herein thou wouldst know, whether God be individual, yea or no, which is but a busy mind; for hadst thou the witness in thyself thou wouldst know what he is; but the heathen know not God, and all that know him not, are heathen, living in the wicked imaginations of their own hearts; and that is thy condition. For God is a spirit,' and none know him but the son, and he to whom the son is revealed; the son and word are one. 'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the spirit saith,' for thou, natural man, knowest not the things of God. Q. Whether a believer be justified by Christ's righteousness imputed,

yea, or no?'

A. He that believeth is born of God;' and he that is born of God is justified by Christ alone, without imputation.

Q. Whether he that believeth that Christ hath taken away his sin, is clean without sin in this life, as Christ himself, or not?'

6

A. He that believeth is born of God,' and 'he that is born of God sins not, neither can he sin, because his seed remaineth in him:' as he is, so are we in this present evil world.'

Q. Whether a believer be without all sin in this life, or not?' A. Christ being made manifest, is made manifest to take away sin, and 'in him is no sin at all; he that abideth in him, sins not; he that sins is of the devil, and hath not seen him, neither known him; herein are the children of God made manifest, and the children of the devil.' All you that read these queries, read these things in yourselves,

whether

ye be the children of God, or the children of the devil; and whether ye understand what ye write, yea, or no.

Q. Whether his works, as well as his person, be perfectly holy and good or no?'

A. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit;' and 'if the root be holy, the branches will be holy also;' and' every one that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.' But as for that person, it is a busy mind in thee that askest thou knowest not what; for 'God is no respecter of persons:' he that respecteth persons commits sin, and he that commits sin transgresseth the law.

Q. Whether saints in this life, without any addition hereafter, are perfectly just, perfectly holy, completely glorious in this life, and are not capable of any addition after death, in the least degree, but only of manifestation?"

A. If that thou knowest what a saint is, thou wouldst know a saint's life, for they passed through death to life; but thou art yet alive to sin, and dead to righteousness; see if it be not so; but he that is dead to sin is alive to righteousness; and lives in God; and God in him. The Lord is our righteousness, and he saith, Be ye holy, as I am holy :' for without holiness no man shall see the Lord.' Be not deceived, God will not be mocked.' Thou hypocrite, dissemble not with him: he that is perfectly holy is perfectly just: where this is revealed, there needs no addition; for the man of God is perfect.

Q. Whether the two sacraments, baptism and the breaking of bread, ought necessarily to continue in the church, or not?'

A. Thou askest thou knowest not what, concerning two sacraments, which there is no scripture for. Thou askest a question, which is an addition to the scripture; and thou that dost add, the plagues of God are added to thee. Who come into the true church, are baptized with one spirit into one body, but as for sprinkling infants, there is no scripture for it; I deny it; in the true church of God there is no talk of such carnal things. Thou sot, the bread which the saints break is of the body of Christ; he is the bread of life. The church is not the steeplehouse, but the church is in God, and those that eat the bread of life live for ever: the church is in God, and the bread of life is there, and it shall continue for ever.

Q. Whether Christ in the flesh be a figure or not; and if a figure, how and in what?'

A. Christ is the substance of all figures; and his flesh is a figure; for every one passeth through the same way as he did, who comes to know Christ in the flesh; there must be a suffering with him, before there be a rejoicing with him. Christ is an example for all to walk after; and

if thou knewest what an example is, thou wouldst know what a figure, is to come up to the same fulness.'

Q. Whether there be any heaven or hell, for the elect or reprobate after death, but in man in this life, or not?'

A. There is no knowledge of heaven or hell, but through death: The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all them that forget God,' there to be tormented. There is a hell, thou shalt find it. Heaven is God's throne; and heavenly notions within shall be shaken; for God is pure, and nothing that is unclean shall stand before him; and he hath said he will dwell in man.

Q. Whether the ministration of the ministry by man, is to continue till the end, or not.'

A. The ministration of the world is the ministry of man, and doth not lead to an end, but keeps in time, and that must have an end, for it is not of God. The ministry of God is to draw people up to himself; but that is not of man, nor by man, nor according to man;' for Paul was made a minister according to the will of God,' who had not received it of man, neither was it taught him of man; and was a minister of the spirit. But the ministers of the world receive their learning at Oxford and Cambridge, and are taught of men, and speak a divination of their own brain, which is conjuring; and bewitch the people with those things which are carnal: as, to sprinkle infants, and tell them of a sacrament, which there is no scripture for; and saying they are the ministers of Christ, and act those things which he forbids; as, to have 'the chiefest place in the assemblies, the uppermost room at feasts,' the 'greetings in markets,' and to be called of men masters,' and 'with pretence make long prayers,' which Christ forbids, and profess and say, they are the ministers of Christ: wherein they show themselves to be antichrist. And see if thou do not uphold these antichrists, and say, they are the ministers of Christ.

Q. Whether the written word, I mean the scriptures, be the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believes, or not?'

A. The written word is not the power of God, nor are the scriptures the salvation; but he that doth believe, hath the life of them. Who is born of God shall never die, as it is written; he that believeth is born of God; and he that is born of God hath the witness in himself, that God is the cause of man's salvation, and not the scripture nor the letter.

James Nayler's answer and declaration, touching some things charged upon him by the men aforesaid.

HAVING heard of divers untruths cast upon me, by some of the priests in their high places, though I stand only to the Lord in respect of myself; yet lest any that love the truth should be led on by these false reports to speak evil of these things they know not;' I shall lay open the truth, as it is revealed in me, touching those things whereof I have been falsely accused.

First, concerning Jesus Christ, that he is the eternal word of God, 'by whom all things were made,' and are upheld; which was before all time, but manifested to the world in time, for the recovery of lost man. Which word became flesh, and dwelt amongst' the saints; who is 'the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; who did and doth dwell in the saints; who suffered, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, and is set at the right hand of God, to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth;' who fills all places, is the light of the world, but known to none but to those that receive and follow him, and those he leads up to God, out of all the ways, works, and worships of the world, by his pure light in them, whereby he reveals the man of sin; and by his power casts him out, and so prepares the bodies of the saints a fit temple for the pure God to dwell in; with whom dwells no unclean thing. And thus he reconciles God and man, and the image of God, which is in purity and holiness, is renewed: and the image of satan, which is all sin and uncleanness, is defaced. And none can witness redemption, further than Christ is thus revealed in them, to set them free from sin: which Christ I witness to be revealed in me in measure. Gal. i. 16. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Col. i. 27.

2. Concerning the scriptures. That they are a true declaration of that word which was in them that spoke them forth, and are of 'no private interpretation,' but were given forth to be read and fulfilled in the saints, as they were given forth by the holy ghost, without adding or diminishing; and were not given forth for men to make a trade of to get money by. But as they are, they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work.' But they who trade in the letter, and are ignorant of the mystery, deny all perfection. And none can rightly understand the scriptures, but they who read them with the same spirit that gave them forth; for the natural man understands not the things of God: for they are spiritually discerned.'

3. Concerning baptism. The true baptism is that of the spirit, with