The Great Mysteries of Godliness and Ungodliness, Part
To all you who call your ſelves Miniſters in the City of Briſtol, and hath taken the Office upon you.
Query. 1. WHether have you that light, that lighteth every one that comes into the world, which is the light of Chriſt, yea or no? And if ſo, then why do you deny and ſay, he hath not enlightened every one, which light doth teach and guide all that love it, to God; and condemns them that diſobey it, as Chriſt ſaith who is the light?
2. Whether there be any condemnation, but the light which Chriſt ſaith is the condemnation of them that hate it?
3. Whether they be not Antichriſts that acts thoſe things now which Chriſt Jeſus forbad? then ſeeing Chriſt forbad ſuch things then as you uphold now, did he deny them then, and juſtifie them now, or did he cry wo againſt them then, and juſtifies now? As have the chiefeſt places in the Aſſemblies, as you have inward and outward, who ſits high in your imaginations and thoughts, and are called of men Maſters?
4. Tell us what Chriſt that is that hath made you free, who you are made free by, ſeeing you act contrary to that Chriſt which gave forth the Scriptures, which the Prophets and Apoſtles witneſſed, and preached the reſurrection of, and are in the ſteps of the Phariſees, which the true Chriſt cryed wo againſt, and are thoſe that are called of men Maſter, and that ſtand praying in the Synagouges like the Phariſees, which the true Chriſt that made his Apoſtles free, bid them not pray as they did, which the wo was againſt: Can you deny it?
5. Whether any ſhall ever attain to any thing but in the way which is Chriſt, or taking heed to the light of Chriſt within them, yea or no?
6. Whether they are not Seducers that draw people from the light within, which is the light of Chriſt, to obſerve the imaginations, as to ſprinkle Infants, and to tell of Sacrament, and ſo leads them into a carnal unity from the light of Chriſt.
7. Whether you have the ſame eternal ſpirit, which gave forth the Scriptures, yea or no?
8. Whether the Prophets, Chriſt and the Apoſtles gave a right meaning to the Scriptures, when they gave them forth, or left them to you to give a meaning of them, yea or no?
9. Whether the Plagues be not added to them that add to the Propheſies written in the Book, and whether his name be not diminiſhed out of the book of life, which diminiſheth ought therefrom, and whether you can witneſs this name, yea or no?
10. Whether you have an infallible judgement, to judge of things eternal, yea or no?
11. Whether you have heard the voice of the living God of heaven and earth, yea or no? or whether you take not the Prophets words, and the Apoſtles words, and ſay he ſaith, when as he never ſpake to you?
12. Why do you ſing Davids experiments in rhime and metre, and when you read them, you keep on your hats, and when you ſing you put them off?
13. Whether any man ſhall ſo grow up under your Miniſtry that he need no man to teach him, yea, or no? ſeeing the Apoſtle ſaith you ſhall not need to teach every man his brother; and how many have you that have been ſo long teachers, that have been brought up in this condition?
14. Where did the Apoſtles baptize any and preach repentance to them 20. or 30. years after? ſhew an example for theſe things that you do?
15. Whether there be any other light, but the light of Chriſt, that convinceth of ſin, and whether the light be not one and the ſame in him that loves it, as in him that hates it, ſhew us this by the Scriptures?
16. Whether is he one and the ſame, that condemns for ſin, and which juſtifies the Saint from ſin?
17. What that grace of God is, and where it is, that hath appeared to all men?
18. Whether that in you which judgeth upon the Scriptures, upon the Saints condition, and upon them you call deceivers, be eternal and infallible, yea or no?
19. Whether did Chriſt ſend any of his Diſciples forth to preach the Scriptures, and the letter, yea or no?
20. What are the marks of the falſe Prophets and Antichriſts, which is in the world? and whether to preach for hire, and to ſeek for their gain from their quarters, and to uſe their tongues, and ſay, he ſaith, when he hath not ſpoken to them, be not ſignes of falſe Prophets now?
21. Whether or no are ye Miniſters of that Church of which Chriſt is the head?
22. What that everlaſting Goſpel is, which the Apoſtles were witneſſes of, and where it is?
23. Whether a man ſhall ever overcome the body of ſin, whiles he is here, ſeeing no unclean thing ſhall enter, &c.
24. Whether will you own a Purgatory, yea or no? if a man muſt not be cleanſed from ſin whiles he is here, declare us from the Scriptures, where that place of cleanſing is?
25. Whether they put not Chriſt to open ſhame, who ſay he is not able to ſave to the uttermoſt, thoſe that come unto him.
And for anſwer, I ſay they have moſt (if not all) been anſwered already by others. As by Mr. Samuel Eaton, and ſome whoſe names I have forgotten; I perceive they are their common baubles that they toy withall every where. And for my part I have better work to do, then to be ſo imployed, and ſo I think have the reſt of my Brethren here; but eſpecially my Lord and Maſter adviſes me Not to give that which is holy unto dogs, nor to caſt pearl before ſwine, leaſt they trample them under their feet, and they turn again and rend me. That which I have written, I writ it not for them, but to make them better known to others. I expect that according to their beaſtly nature (of which thou haſt a ſufficient diſcovery) they will be barking, and howling, and ſnarling; but I am reſolved they ſhall not bite: I ſhall (as I ſaid before) conſider I am a Traveller, and have buſineſs to diſpatch, I muſt not therefore make a ſtop at the barking of every dog, but ride on my way and anſwer them with my horſe heels. And when their commanding favorites here, ſhall grow ſo honeſt as to make reſtitution of thoſe conſiderable ſums they have gotten by briberie, oppreſſion, withholding mens lands and rents, and detaining the dues of orphans and widows, and to be humbled, and repent indeed, and diſſemble no longer, nor couzen us with their old clothes. And when theſe Quakers themſelves ſhall leave lying, and railing, and ſpeak to the matter in queſtion; when they ſhall ſoberly anſwer theſe twenty ſolid and ſubſtantiall Queries propoſed unto them by Mr. Bennet herewith before printed; then Ile anſwer theirs; till then I reſolve with him, and with his words I conclude,
Theſe are matters of great concernment, and if you refuſe to anſwer them in writing, ſpare your tongues and ſpare your papers; for J will henceforth neither hear the one, nor read the other.
And ſo here's
The End.
End of the text · Ralph Farmer, The Great Mysteries of Godliness and Ungodliness (1655)