about Religious Tenets c. let such consider That he who abideth not in Christ the true Vine which none can do but they that continue in his Love and Doctrine is cast forth as a Branch and is withered not knowing a partaking of his Vertuous Life which is called his Flesh and Blood and the Love and Doctrine of Christ teacheth Mat. 5.39 44. Mat. 7.12 Mat. 7.28 Luke 12.4 not to resist evil but when any smiteth on the Right Cheek to turn the other also and to love Enemies and to pray for Persecutors and despiteful Users and to do as they would be done unto and not to be afraid of them that kill the Body but cannot kill the Soul And which of them of any of the said three Opinions about their Bread and Wine continue in this Love and Doctrine of Christ But such as war sight oppress persecute or cast into Prison Innocent People till Death if they can for Wages for Preaching or make havock and spoil of their Goods or Imprison them for Tythes Easter-Reckonings or Midsummer Dues as they call them or for not paying for their Bread and Wine which they neither had nor would buy knowing therein is no true spiritual Food as the Sellers of it pretend and also knowing true and substantial Food for their Souls daily given of God freely which those Sellers of Bread and Wine are ignorant of for if they knew it they would not persecute those for their Price of their Bread and Wine who will not Buy of it And also they that Persecute or Imprison others for meeting together to Worship God in his holy Fear Spirit and Truth they that do such things are far from doing to others as they would have others to do to them and are far from a state of loving their Enemies and of truly praying for Persecutors and despiteful Users of themselves being themselves Enemies and Persecutors and despiteful Users of others and they are far from turning the one Cheek to the smiter when the other is smitten and so not resisting evil who themselves persecute smite or abuse the Innocent And if such suspect danger how should they but be afraid of them that kill the Body who are such evil Doers themselves to the Bodies and Goods of the Innocent And so live unprepared for Death themselves And let it be considered whether Persecution and Imprisonment of the Innocent for Tythes and Wages for Preaching and about their Worship of God c. be not Persecution of Christ in his Members And whether any of such Enters of Bread and Drinkers of Wine in their Worship of any of the said Three Opinions especially their Teachers when many of them are such Persecutors and despiteful Users of others when they have power And whether such be not guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ and so in their eating and drinking their Sacramental Bread and Wine as they call it eat and drink their own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body which is a spiritual Body And what Condition are the Followers in when the Leaders are such And as to those who take the Bread and Wine in remembrance of the Death of Christ and affirm That the Flesh and Blood of Christ is Really and Sacramentally received by the Faithful in the use of Bread and Wine and make the Communion or Participation thereof to relate to that outward Body that was Born of the Virgin Mary and suffered without the Gates at Jerusalem in Judea whereas it should relate to the spiritual Body Flesh and Blood of Christ the spiritual Rock which was and is the Souls Food of his Faithful Servants in all Ages And who al 's tye this Participation of the Body and Blood of Christ to the Ceremony of breaking outward Bread used by him with his Disciples as if it were only to be enjoyed in the use of that Ceremony and therefore reckon that Ceremony to be a perpetual standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ and of Necessity to be used Mat. 26.26 27 28. Mark 14.22 Luke 22.17 18 19 20. because the Evangelist Luke only for Matthew and Mark mention only the action Recordeth that Christ took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave unto his Disciples saying This is my Body which is given for you this do in remembrance of me And both before and after taking of the Bread Luke mentioneth that he took the Cup and giving thanks said This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you or as Matthew relates This is my Blood of the New Testament Upon this said Sentence to wit this do in remembrance of me lyeth the stress of the Argument that Christ commanded the Continuance of this Ceremony of taking outward Bread and Wine in his Church in remembrance of him perpetually but the words being spoken figuratively as they also grant imply no such thing but rather the Discourse mentioned by Luke Luke 22. maketh plainly to appear that Christ intended only that their so doing which was in a state of their weakness might be a means to instruct them in the Mystery of the spiritual eating of his Flesh and drinking of his Blood in his Kingdom Luke 17.21 which was within them And to this purpose he said With desire I have desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer for I say unto you I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God and said he I will not drink of the Fruit of the Vine until the Kingdom of God shall come and said he Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom Luke 22.15 to 38. And said he I say unto you That this that is written must yet be accomplished in me he was numbred among the Transgressors for the Things concerning me have an end By which words it is plain that Christ appointed to his Disciples that they should eat and drink spiritually at his Spiritual Table in his heavenly Kingdom which was within them which shall never have an end and that the outward things concerning him were to have an end for the inward or spiritual things concerning him have no end And so by the outward Bread and Wine which he gave them he instructed them in the knowledge of their spiritual eating of the daily Bread of Life Mat. 6.5 to 15. John 6.51 without which no Soul can live to God which he bade them to pray in secret for which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life which Bread Christ giveth which is his Flesh And also in the knowledge of their spiritual drinking of the new and spiritual Wine in his Kingdom which is his Blood and is also the Living Water which he freely giveth and inviteth all and every one that is athirst to come unto John 4.10 13
14. and take which Water whosoever drinketh shall never thirst their Souls will not want Refreshment from any outward Bread John 7.37 38. Wine or Water but saith Christ the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into Eternal Life Now observe it was Christ's Disciples who had learned of him to deny themselves and to take up their Cross to their own wills daily and who had left all to follow him with whom he desired to eat and did eat the Passeover and whom he so instructed by the Bread and Wine which shewed forth his Death But there was a great difference between these his Disciples and the Priests of those Times 1 Cor. 5.7 who were very strict in keeping the Passeover which Typified Christ the true Passeover and caused him to be Crucified and so all that will not be instructed by the Light of Christ in their own Hearts nor learn of him that they may truly be his Disciples nor will not deny themselves nor take up their Cross nor follow Christ spiritually such may be strict in their outward Performances wherein they know not what they do Crucifying Christ afresh in their Affections and in their Lusts but God is displeased with all such their Performances And they who disobey the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and Consciences are all ignorant of the true spiritual Food which Christ daily ministreth to the Souls of the Children of the Light and such depend upon the Shadow or Ceremony not enjoying the Substance and as such as they did by Christ formerly so now they number among Transgressors the Children of God who feed upon the Bread of Life the Flesh and Blood of Christ and know the end of the things concerning him Now People may eat Bread and drink Wine in remembrance of Christ and of his Death also and yet not spiritually eat the Flesh nor drink the Blood of Christ for they are two different things and the Apostle Paul reproving the Corinthians for some abuses about their eating and drinking in their Assemblies and of themselves mentioneth the words of Christ to wit this do in remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.20 to 28. and concerning the Cup he renders the Command thus to wit this do as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me and saith Paul As often as ye shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lord's Death till he come wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Where it is to be observed that the Corinthians being newly Convinced and in a weak estate of Faith of which mention is often made in this first Epistle of Paul to them and being in the use of this Ceremony of eating and drinking in their Assemblies they performed it as a Religious Act and so it is to all those that use it as a Religious Act for as much as therein their end is to remember the Lord's Body that was Crucified for them and his Blood that was shed for them and to shew the Lord's Death But to remember the Lord and his Body and Blood and to shew forth his Death is not the same as to partake of the Flesh and Blood of Christ for the Lord and his Death may be remembred by those who do not truly partake of his Flesh and Blood And the words of the Command mentioned by Paul are also to be considered to wit This do as oft as ye do it in remembrance of me which Command doth not imply that they were always to continue in that Ceremony of outward eating and drinking in their Assemblies in remembrance of Christ the continuance of it was not so positively commanded Gen. 17.9 to 14. as the continuance of Circumcision was and also of keeping the Passeover for Circumcision was commanded of God Exod. 12.14 to be in their Flesh for an Everlasting Covenant and the Passeover was commanded of God Phil. 3.2 3. Rom. 2.28 1 Cor. 5.7 Gal. 4.10.11 to be kept a Feast by an Ordinance for ever and yet the true Apostle of Christ under the Gospel Dispensation laboured to bring People out of the outward use of them to witness them inwardly in themselves but that saying in the said Command about the Cup to wit As oft as ye do it implieth that they were not enjoined how oft they should do it nor how long they should continue in that practice and so though the Corinthians Rom. 14. or others were then in such a practice it is not binding upon others to use it no more than was observations of Days or making a difference between Meats And those that do truly partake of the Flesh and Blood of Christ as he himself saith they dwell in him as the Branches do in the Vine and he dwelleth in them John 6.56 John 15.5 as the Life of the Vine extendeth thorow all its living Branches and therefore such cannot but remember him as naturally as a Man remembereth his natural Food when hungry or thirsty and so they need no Ceremonies to put them in remembrance of him or of his Death who always bear about in the Body the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 that the Life also of Jesus may be made manifest in their Body And so such truly know Christ to be come the Abolisher of Ceremonies and outward Typical Ordinances And so it is good for every one to be a Disciple of Christ which none can be but who learneth of him by his Light the Manifestation of his Spirit in their Hearts which reproveth for sin before they presume to eat Bread and drink Wine thereby to shew forth his Death lest they eat and drink their own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body And if any believe it is their Duty so to take or use Bread and Wine and make it a matter of Conscience to forbear yet if they do not so prepare and examine themselves as is required of all that appear before the All-seeing Eye of God to perform every Religious Act whatsoever then surely they do it unworthily and instead of feeding upon the precious Flesh and Blood of Christ or of truly remembring him or shewing forth his Death they make themselves guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and so they unworthily eating and drinking the Cup of the Lord as it is to them they eat and drink Damnation to themselves And though such pretend to be sorry for their sins whereby Christ is as in them Crucified and seem to be thankful for what Christ hath done for them who laid down his Life for them yet they are in the same Spirit in which formerly were the Jews Scribes and Pharisees who garnished the Sepulchres of the Prophets and said If we had lived in the Days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the Blood of the
for they abide not in Christ the true Vine but are cast forth as Branches and withered and it will not profit them at all to have a Name to live and be dead And this eating of spiritual Meat 1 Con. 0.1 2 3 4. and drinking of spiritual Drink was witnessed by the Fathers in Israel who were all under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all Baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea for said the Apostle they all drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them or went with them and that Rock was Christ and these were directed by Moses to the word very nigh in the Mouth Dent. 30.11 12 13 14. and in the Heart and he told them of the Prophet that God would raise up unto them in the midst of them that was to be heard in all things which the Martyr Steven said was Christ who was with the Church in the Wilderness whom said he our Fathers would not obey Acts 7 37 to 51. but thrust him from them and in their Hearts turned back again into Egypt And he said to the Jews The stiff necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Forefathers did so do ye And so they that believe in and faithfully obey the Light of Christ which is the Manifestation of his Holy Spirit and the Word of his Grace in their Hearts which is nigh to reprove for sin they become Children of the Light and with his inward Baptism by his own Spirit they are all Baptized into one Body whereof Christ is the Head and so they are Members of Christ whether they be Jews or Gentiles 1 Cor. 12.11 12 to 21. whether they be Bond or Free being all made to drink into his one Spirit for as the Apostle Paul saith The Body is not one Member but many for as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many Eph. 4.5 are one Body so also is Christ And saith he If they were all one Member where were the Body but now are they many Members yet but one Body And these all eat the same spiritual Meat and drink the same spiritual Drink even of the spiritual Rock Christ Jesus of which the Fathers who were under the Cloud of old drank and of which all the Servants Children and People of God and Disciples and Members of Christ in all Ages have drunk Even as all the Members of the Body receive Nourishment from or of the Body and as all the Branches or Members of the Vine receive Nourishment of the Vine in which they dwell But they that believe not in but Rebel against the Light the Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts they resist his Holy Spirit and will not by it be Baptized into his one Body and so they are not Members of Christ nor Branches of him the true Vine nor they do not receive Nourishment from him as his Members and Branches do neither do they know an eating of his Flesh or drinking of his Blood to have Eternal Life thereby though they may talk much of it for the power of Death and Darkness even the Man of Sin prevaileth over such and they are subject to his unclean dark unholy Spirit and so are Servants to him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all Power and Signs and lying Wonders And so he prevailing upon them to yield to his Temptations and to obey his Power and so to disobey the Light of Christ in their Hearts which reproveth them for sin so that they can have no true spiritual satisfaction then he perswadeth them to endeavour for satisfaction in the use of outward Signs as well of Baptism before treated of as also of eating and drinking the Lord's Supper to wit cating his Flesh and drinking his Blood and so they use Bread and Wine as signs thereof but it is but after the Doctrines and Commandments of Men some after one manner and others after another manner for the Spirit of the Man of Sin doth not Baptize its Followers all into one Body as the Spirit of Christ doth his Followers to whom he giveth one Heart Jer. 31.39 and one Way but it makes them of many different Hearts and Ways and filleth all its Followers with Confusion and Disorder inwardly and outwardly For some believe that the visible Bread and Wine at or by the words of their Priest are Converted or Transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ and so they think they eat the Body of Christ with their outward Mouths though under the form of outward Bread and that they drink his Blood under the form of outward Wine See Councel of Trent Sess 13. C. 1. Others hold that the Body of Christ is in or with or about the Bread and Wine others only use it in remembrance of Christ's Death c. affirming That the Body of Christ is not there Corporally or Substantially but yet that it is Really and Sacramentally received by the Faithful in the use of outward Bread and Wine In Contention about these Opinions especially about that first mentioned much Innocent Blood hath been shed which is a plain Argument and Evidence that such Blood-shedders are not such as feed spiritually upon the Flesh and Blood of Christ Jesus Mat. 26 5â— whose coming is not to destory Mens Lives but to save them But it is also very plain that such who kill and destroy one another or the Servants of Christ about their Religions and Opinions John 16.2 are such as Rebel against the Light or Manifestation of Christ's Spirit in their Hearts being gradually drawn to that high degree of Rebellion Luke 23.34 by their being prevailed upon by the deceitful Power of the Man of Sin even the Power of Death and Darkness in themselves which maketh them so dark and sensless in spiritual things Acts 3.17 that they know not what they do no more than the Jews did when they Crucified Christ who came to save them but they think they do God good service 1 Cor. 2.7.8 9 10. as Christ foretold of them when they kill his Servants and Children in whom in and by his own meek innocent Spirit he appeareth testifying against all ungodliness and wickedness And so they become as Mystery Babylon their Mother drunken with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus whose Plagues shall come in one Day Death and Mourning and Famine instead of eating as they say the Flesh and drinking the Blood of Christ Jesus and having Eternal Life thereby And as concerning the said Opinions themselves it is needless to make particular Refutations of them if any think themselves to be clear from shedding Innocent Blood concerning their manner of Doctrine and using of their Bread and Wine and that they have killed none about that matter particularly though they have warred with and probably killed some
Fruit must be cast into the Fire and there must lie how can the Pope or any Man else recover such out of the Fire And if it be the wide Gate and broad Way that leadeth to Destruction how can they that walk therein escape Destruction or the Pope deliver them from it when they come to the end of their Journey But yet this Antichristian Doctrine of a Purgatory after this Life is upheld by the Popes and by their Cardinals Bishops and Councils to their great gain of Money to themselves and their Clergy so called and upon this groundless point of their Faith hangs many of their Antichristian Ceremonies to get Money by as their Trentals Masses Diriges Requiems Indulgences Pardons Jubilees and their pretended power of Binding and Loosing and their Prayers for the Dead And though many pretending Reformation from Popery deny their Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead yet they claim Popish Wages for Praying for the Dead which they call Mortuaries and annex it to their Tythes for which they cast them that cannot for Conscience sake pay them into Prison and so they deny the Work but claim the Wages which is more unreasonable then to work for Wages And it is a general Tenet of pretended Reformists that none can be fully cleansed from Sin on this side the Grave and yet confess they that no unclean thing shall enter into Heaven and then where must they be cleansed or how will they escape the Popes Purgatory which they also deny And the Popes and their Abettors on the other hand say Council of Trent Can. 10. Ellar lib. 2 de justific chap. 2. pag. 129. That they can do more good Works than God hath commanded which they call Works of Supererogation which they hold not only meritorious of Eternal Life and of singular Glory in Heaven but also that they may communicate of the abundance of these their Merits unto others but this Doctrine is also false and also Antichristian For the Apostle of Christ said I laboured more abundantly then they all speaking of the Apostles and yet not I 1 Cor. 15.10 but the Grace of God which was with me and by the Grace of God said he I am what I am and said he the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us so it was his Teacher or Commander that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12. we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world So the Grace of God teacheth to live Godly or like God who worketh all in all in his Servants and by his Spirit the Manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal giveth the Word of Wisdom and Faith 1 Cor. 12.6 7 to 12. and Gists of Healing and working of Miracles and discerning of Spirits c. dividing to every Man severally as he will and so it is God that worketh in his People both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Isa 64.6 of his own good pleasure and all Man 's own Righteousness is as filthy Rags Therefore they who say 1 John 4.17 1 John 3.3 7. that they can out-live the Teachings or Commands of the Grace of God which teacheth to live Godly or like God as true Christians do it is plain that such are not as true Christians are the workmanship of God by his Grace created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained and prepared for his Servants to walk in Eph. 2.10 but it is certain that such are exalted in their Imaginations by the working of the Man of Sin who is exalted in them above the Word of God's Power in their Hearts and so he as God sitteth in the Temple of God the Heart shewing himself that he is their God Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 who with his wicked deceivableness hath deceived them in a high degree or else they durst not speak such Words or teach such Doctrine And so no Men can communicate any of their Merits towards the saving of others that Pretence being an abominable Cheat to get Money by for true Christians are what they are by the Grace of God and the working thereof in their Hearts and never pretend to any of their own Merits for their Salvation is only by Christ who bath obtained Eternal Redemption for them and purchased them with his own Blood And as the Man of Sin is yielded unto obeyed and worshipped by them upon whom he prevaiss with his Temptations he becomes exalted in their minds and proud ambitious and imperious like himself and then they are offended when others do not bow or submit unto them and as by his deceit he prevaileth in them he makes them like himself Deceivers Lyars and Hypocrites and yet they would be called true Christians and Children of God like the Jews formerly who were in the same Nature though not Profession to whom Christ said Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do John 8.44 he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him And so the Devil being a Murtherer and a Lyar makes his Children and Servants as like himself as he can of a murthering lying Spirit and apt to persecute and murther those over whom they have the power that cannot comply with their Doctrines Worships Traditions Inventions Customs and Practices by them in the dark and woful Apostasy from the Truth invented ordained set up and practised And all false Churches or gatherings of People what Name soever they go under are all one in the ground for being erred from the Light and Spirit of Christ who is the Way of God the Truth it self and the Life of Righteousness they are all wandred into Confusion and that is the ground in which all who are erred from the Light of Christ in themselves remain let them profess what they will And so as Babel's Builders of Old would build themselves a Tower whose top might reach to Heaven but were defeated by being all confounded in their Languages who before were all of one Speech and of one Language so all that are erred from the Light of Christ in themselves being gone into Confusion inwardly they would have a Tower or a Way of their own making or building to get to Heaven by and they can but build it where they are that is in Confusion And so all who are erred and strayed from the Way of God the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and depend upon Men of Languages to teach them or guide them to Heaven are in Confusion and may fitly be called Children of Babylon and Mystery Babylon the Great is their Mother who is the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17. and Abominations of the Earth whom the Servant of Christ saw drunken with the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus and this Woman is the great Whore that sitteth upon many Waters which
Ministers of Christ whose Travail and Preaching often is and hath been in the hazard of their Lives and outward Estates And they that receive believe in walk in and continue in the New Covenant of the Everlasting Gospel of God which is the Light Grace Law and Spirit of God in their Hearts there is no need for them to be subject to Ordinances of Men nor to be burdened writh ther Traditions 2 Cor. 3. nor to be in Bondage to weak and beggarly Elements in their true Worship of God John 4.24 Col. 2.20 Rom. 8.21 Gal. 5.1 Gal. 4.9 which is in his Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and such are all led and taught by the Spirit of God and stand fast in the glorious Liberty of the Children of God wherewith Christ hath made them free from the Yoak of Bondage to outward Elements Ordinances and Traditions of Men. And the Children of God who stand in their Liberty are the Babes unto whom the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed which are hid from the Wise and Prudent of the World Mac. 11.25 and these Babes have believed the Record of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these Three are One and this is the Record that God hath given unto them Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and these Babes believe on the Son of God 1 John 5.1 2 to 12. and have in themselves the Record or Witness being One in signification and this is the Witness of God which is greater than the Witness of Men which Witness the Spirit beareth because the Spirit is Truth and so there are Three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these Three agree in One witnessing with the Spirits of these Babes who are true Christians that they are the Children of God And these are not dead Witnesses as outward Water is dead but are living Witnesses John 6.63 1 Cor. 15.45 for the living Spirit beareth Witness 2 Cor. 3.6 Tit. 3.5 Jer. 4.14 John 4.10 Isa 4.4 1 John 1.7 which Spirit quickeneth and giveth Life and the living Water beareth Witness which Water washeth the Heart from filth and wickedness which Water Christ giveth to them that are athirst and ask and the Blood which is not dead for the Blood is the Life Dent. 12.23 beareth Witness which Blood cleanseth them that walk in the Light as God is in the Light from all sin And so these Three the Spirit and the Water and the Blood agree in One witnessing or bearing Witness in the Earth to wit the Hearts of true Christians of and unto the inward Baptism of Christ And these Babes being Born not of Corruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. Heb. 4.12 Eph. 6.17 Eph. 6.25 but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever which is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword 1 Pet. 2.2 which is the Sword of the Spirit of God by which the true inward Circumcision is made and the true inward Baptism of Christ in the Heart wrought These as now Born Babes desiring the sincere Milk of this Living Word how should their tender Heavenly Father who knoweth all their Needs and Necessities but afford them Nourishment by the same that they may grow thereby And though these Babes at the first be but as unskilful in the Word of Righteousness Heb. 5.12 13.14 Col. 2.19 and use as it were Milk and not strong Meat yet as they truly hunger after the Divine Milk of this Word they come to be satisfied therewith and nourished thereby and so they grow and increase with the increase of God till they come to have their senses truly exercised by reason of use to discern both good and evil and then the Apostle calleth them perfect or of full Age as some Translate to whom strong Meat belongeth and so then they know an eating of the Bread of God which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World And Christ said If any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and saith he The Bread that I will give is my Flesh John 6.32 33 to 63. which I will give for the Life of the World and he said to the Jews Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last Day for my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him as the Living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me This is the Bread that came down from Heaven not as your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead he that eateth this Bread shall live for ever and to them that murmured at these sayings Christ said Doth this offend you What and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And so it is plain Mat. 4.4 that true Christians live by the words that Christ speaketh in their Hearts and Souls and Consciences by his Light and Grace the answering of which in faithful Obedience is as Meat and Drink to their Souls and they know the Law of the Mouth of God to be better unto them John 14.10 Psal 119.72 Mal. 2.7 than Thousands of Gold and Silver And as in Times past under the Law the Priests Lips were to keep Knowledge Col. 2.3 and the People were to seek the Law at his Mouth so the Lips of Christ who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck they keep Knowledge and in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and all true Christians inwardly seek the Law at his Mouth and their Souls live by the words that proceed out of it Psal 26.8.9 1 Tim. 6.16 Isa 60.19 and these are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God's House who dwelleth in the Light and these drink of the River of his Pleasures for with him is the Fountain of Life and in his Light they see Light and the Lord will be unto them an Everlasting Light and their God their Glory But they that believe not in the Light of Christ in their Hearts but rebel against it and kick against the Pricks and Reproofs of it how should such be satisfied with the fatness of God's House Or how should such know an eating of the Bread that Christ giveth which is his Flesh and Blood and a dwelling in Christ and Christ in them Or how should such know the words that Christ speaketh unto them by his Light Grace and
Judgments Rev. 18.10 God will judge this Scarlet-coloured Beast full of Names of Blasphemy which is ascended out of the Bottomless Pit and shall go into Perdition and also he will judge the Whore the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth who is drunken with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus that sitteth upon the Beast and is arrayed with Purple and Scarlet Colour and decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls having a Golden Cup in her Hand full of Abominations and filthiness of her Fornication And God whose Judgments are true and righteous is judging this great Whore Rev. 19.2 which hath corrupted the Earth with her Fornication and he will avenge the Blood of his Servants at her Hand And this great Whore that sitteth upon the Waters which Waters are Peoples and Multitudes Rev 17.15 18 and Nations and Tongues is the False Church that is called Babylon which signifieth Confusion which is that great City which hath Reigned over the Kings of the Earth and certainly all People that are gone a Whoring after any other Lovers from the Teachings Leadings and Guidings of the Light and Spirit of Christ in their own Hearts are within the Empire of this great Whore or of the Beast that carrieth her whatsoever they profess or whatsoever Names and Titles they be distinguished by or whatsoever their Professions be called for all that dwell upon the Earth whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World they all Worship the Scarlet-coloured Beast which carrieth this great Whore Rev. 13.8 Rev. 17.7 16. which must be Burned with Fire and how should their Names be written in the Book of Life of the Lamb whose Life is the true Light in the Heart John 1.4 9. John 12.36 Rev. 21.24 and Conscience in which all ought to believe and to obey it who rebel against his true Light in their Hearts and will not obey it nor walk in it that they might be saved And let all beware of receiving Rev. 13.1 or retaining the Name of the Beast which is written upon his Seven Heads which Name is the Name of Blasphemy which he causeth all to have that sell and buy for he causeth that no Man might buy or sell save he that hath the Mark or Name of the Beast or the Number of his Name so he Excommunicateth out of Church and Market as their saying is all that will not receive his Name of Blasphemy and so he hath caused those that are erred from the true Light in all their several Professions which are his Heads Rev. 17.9 and the Mountains on which the Whore sitteth to Blaspheme against the Light and speak evil of it and to give unto it many Blasphemous Names and Titles and so his Name is a Name of Blasphemy which those receive that are erred in their Hearts from the Light of the Lamb wherein the Nations of them that are saved must walk And they shall have no true rest Day nor Night who Worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the Mark of his Name And so it is a dangerous and destructive thing to Worship the Beast Rev. 13.7 15. to whom power hath been given over all Kindreds and Tongues and People or to Worship the Image of the Beast which hath both spoken and caused that as many as would not Worship the Image of the Beast should be killed And yet all the World hath wondred after the Beast and worshipped the Beast Rev. 13.3 4. saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make War with him And so all that disobey and rebel against the Light of Christ in their Hearts they Worship the Beast and wonder after the Beast and beastliness and filthiness and believe that there can be no overcoming of the Beast nor true cleansing from filthiness before their Bodies possess the Grave which is as much as to say who is able to make War with the Beast And likewise all that receive or pay for anything of that which is called Religion or Worship in any sort of Profession whatsoever for fear of the Threatnings of Men or in Disobedience and Unbelief of the Light of Christ in their Hearts they thereby Worship the Image of the Beast whose Image is Disobedience and Darkness and Cruelty and so all who in any manner disobey the Light of Christ in their Hearts for fear of the Cruelty of Men they Worship this Image of the Beast and must drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God For the Day of God's Power is come in the Light whereof many have believed which hath taught them the fear of the Lord and hath led them in his Way which is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 Prov. 29.25 where Cruelty of Men cannot hurt them and therefore they fear not Man for the fear of Man bringeth a Snare but whoso putteth his Trust in the Lord shall be safe for in the fear of the Lord is strong Confidence and his Children have a place of Refuge and the fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life Prov. 14.26 27. to depart from the Snares of Death and from the fear of Man that bringeth a Snare who can but kill the Body and therefore they whose Hands God had taught spiritually to War Psal 18.34 2 Cor. 10.4 Mat. 10.28 and their Fingers to Fight without Carnal Weapons they will only fear God who is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell for God's Salvation is nigh them that fear him and the Name of the Lord is their strong Tower into which they run Prov. 18.0 and are safe from the fear of evil And so the Care of the Children of God who have good will to all Men is not to please Man but to please God and faithfully to follow the Lamb Christ the Captain of their Salvation in whose Light they walk Psal 99.3 and in whose great and terrible Name their Confidence is strong and so they are ready and willing to follow their Captain having on the whole Armour of God Rom. 13.12 the Light even the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of his Spirit and the Breast-plate of his Righteousness Eph. 6.11 to 18. and their Loins girt about with Fruth and their Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace and above all taking the Shield of Faith wherewith they shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked And so when the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies are gathered together to make War against the Lamb Rev. 19.19 20 21. and his Army then shall the Beast be taken and with him the False Prophet who had deceived them that had received the Mark of the Beast and them that worshipped his Image these both must be cast alive into a Lake of Fire burning with
used and for meeting together to Worship God in his Fear Spirit and Truth and they were Imprisoned and extream hardly used in so much that in their Petition to the Parliament they reckoned the Cruelty of their Persecutors to exceed the Cruelty of the Heathenish and Popish professed Tyrants and Persecutors and said The Records of the Heathen Persecutions under Nero Trajan Decius Galienus Maximinian c. could scarcely afford any Examples of the like Cruelty that was used to them they craved but the liberty either to die openly or live openly in the Land of their Nativity and many of them ended their Days in loathsom Prisons And Six of them were put to Death Sealing their Testimonies with their Blood whose Names follow viz. Henry Barrow and John Greenwood who were Executed at Tyburn John Penry at Thomas a Waterings near London William Denis at Thetford in Norfolk and one Coppin and one Elias at Edmundsbury in Suffolk And it appeareth by Records that the Chief Instruments of their Death was the Clergy and not the Queen for one Doctor Rainolds being by Queen Elizabeth much pressed to tell her what he thought concerning the said Barrow and Greenwood at last told her That he was perswaded if they had lived they would have been Two as worthy Instruments for the Church of God as hath said he been raised up in this Age then the Queen sighed and said no more But afterwards being near the place of their Suffering and calling it to mind she demanded of the Earl of Cumberland who was present at their Execution what an End they made he answered A very godly end and prayed for your Majesty and the State And there was a Famous Preacher one Phillips having seen and heard Barrow's Speeches and Preparation for Death who said Barrow Barrow my Soul be with thine And after Queen Elizabeth's Decease in the Reigns of King James and King Charles the First many called Puritans c. suffered greatly and some for no other Cause but for refusing to join with the publick Worship Established by the Bishops and for separating themselves from the Church of England were Banished the Land of England And this is observable that the Long Parliament in the Year 1644. denying the Common prayer Book and by an Assembly of Priests setting out a Directory for Publick Worship the generality of the Priests then Conformed to that calling the Common-prayer Book Popish Rags of Rome Dregs of the Whores Cup and the English Mass c. And when Oliver Cromwell was made Protector he took Course in the Year 1653. for the Glergies Recovering their Tythes and other Dues as they pretended and many of the People of God who were led by his Light and Spirit to testifie against Tythes and to deny to pay them because they could not uphold what Christ came to pull down and were also made willing with the hazarding of their Lives and Estates to preach the Everlasting Gospel of Christ freely in Sincerity and Truth denying to join with their Man-made Hypocritical Worship and telling them plainly that if they repented not God would overturn them as it came to pass many such then suffered deeply by and under their Cruelty who through Killing and taking Possession were come from a suffering state themselves into high Places of Earthly Authority where being setled they soon forgot their own Sufferings and their Covenants and Vows made to the Lord therein and trod in the Antichristian and Popish steps of Persecution themselves of whose Cruelty both Old England and New England are Witnesses but the Lord preserved his People in Constancy and Faithfulness to him in their great and many Sufferings But notwithstanding all the aforesaid Reflections against Popery and the Common-prayer Book when King Charles the Second was Restored in the Year 1660. and the Common-prayer Book enjoined again how generally it was received and entertained of the Clergy is yet fresh in the Memories of many and how the strictest sort of them in Times of Persecution joined with it again or crept into Corners and ran from their Assemblies upon the sight of Informers or the like it is very well known whereby it appeareth they themselves who contended against the true Light and the Faith that is in it thought their own Faith not worth suffering for as really it is not and so they could not abide Persecution But in Times of Toleration for Liberty of Conscience those would numerously appear in publick again though when a Storm of Persecution arose as in the latter end of the Reign of King Charles the Second then few of them durst appear But when King James the Second began his Reign and proclaimed Liberty of Conscience which is desirable to all People which hitherto continueth and is now by Act of Parliament confirmed then and since then the Corner-creepers have bodly appeared in publick again By what is premised it is plain and evident that they who were prevailed upon by the power of the Man of Sin the power of the Devil and of Darkness to disobey the Light the Word of God's Grace and Power in their own Hearts whatever they might profess of Christianity yet they went in the Way of the Man of Sin and as they persevered therein he came to be exalted in them over all that is called God and so he made them Liars Persecutors and Murderers like himself who was a Liar and a Murderer from the beginning and such could turn as the Times turned from one Religion or Profession to the contrary to and fro any whither to save themselves and their worldly things with which the God of the World hath blinded their Minds lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God 2 Cor. 4.3 4 5 6 7. who is Light should shine in them And also it is plain and evident that they that faithfully obeyed the Light and Spirit of Christ in their own Hearts they resisted the power of the Man of Sin in themselves and through Faith in the Word of God's Power in their Hearts were in good measure made Conquerors over the power of the Adversary in their Hearts and to the Honour of God through the same Faith and Obedience of his Light they were enabled patiently to undergo what their Antichristian Persecutors the Members of the Man of Sin were suffered to inflict upon them which was not only Imprisonment and loss of outward Enjoyments and Possessions but also to many Death it self they would rather part with Goods and Life and all than lose their Heavenly Treasure which God had given into their Earthen Vessels the Excellency of which Treasure and Power is of God and out of the sight of all those who disobey the Light of Christ in their Hearts And so they in whose Hearts God who commandeth the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ who not