their formes divided in their fellowships and defiled in both Zeph. 3.9 But Babylon is yet divided into three parts for since the Apostacie the Churches have been still divided into three parts as the Greek and Latine Churches of old and the Affrican Church that made the third there was the Eastern Western and Southern Churches So in the North at the first Reformation the Calvinist Lutheran and Anabaptists in Germany Thus it is in England the Prelatick Presbiterian and Independent Churches are Babylon divided into three parts The Apostolike Churches or Churches of Christ were but one bodie had but one Baptism Eph. 4.4 as there was but one Spirit leading all the Saints in one Church way one way of worship one Church government was among all the Saints though there were differences between brother and brother yea between one Apostle and another yet never was there a division between Church and Church as in Babylon this day for the Spirit being then but one kept the body in one Baptism But now the Churches are become three bodies and these have three Baptisms Presbyterians baptise the whole Nation Independents the children of beleevers onely the baptized Churches beleevers themselves Here is Babylon in three parts Again the baptized Churches are subdivided into three parts one Church is for free will a second for universal Redemption a third count themselves more Orthodox in Doctrine as the Church of England Neither of these three baptized Churches dare communicate one with another Oh Babylon Babylon is fallen is fallen for Babylons fall is by division and confusion Isai 10.26 27 Iudg. 7.25 Ioel 3.12 the Prophet calls it The slaughter of Midian for the Midianites were destroyed by their mutual division This another Prophet calls the valley of Jehoshaphat for as the scattered bones lay in the valley Ezek. 37.1 So the valley of Jehoshaphat hath some reference to the dry bones and the divided sticks in Babylon What 's the valley of Jehosaphat 'T is the divided state of men opposing the appearance of God in his people See 2 Chron. 20.23 there is Moah Ammon and Mount Seir all three of kin to the true Church of God which those three came against as the present Churches pretend to the Primitive Church of Christ which yet they oppose in the Spirit Well let us look into the valley of Jehosaphat thither cause thy mighty ones to come down O Lord saith Joel 3.11 Oh how many mighty ones and high spirited men are come down to the valley of Jehosaphat into divided Churches Moah Ammon and mount Seir First two are against one then one against another for Moah and Ammon stood up against mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of mount Seir each man helped to destroy one another 2 Chron. 20.23 Thus it was with the Prelatick Presbyterian and Independent Churches these two last stood up utterly to slay and destroy the first both Root and Branch and now they help to destroy one another as Independent and baptized Churches both against Presbytery and now these two against each other Yea the baptized Churches themselves are divided into three parts are now in destruction by their own divisions Sure it is by the annointing all this is done the Spirit of the Lord in their flesh which would unite doth now divide them because they will not hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Therefore it is said before 2 Chron. 20.22 The Lord set ambushments against the children of Moab Ammon and mount Seir c. an ambushment in secret and sudden assault of an enemie unawares Oh how secretly and suddenly hath the Lord come upon the Churches in their march and Church-way how hath he divided them one against another before they were aware of it This is the Lords work and the wonder of men that men who are all godly cannot joyn in one Church-way why they will not they shall not they cannot for God divides them in Jacob and scatters them in Israel As this is Babylons judgement to fall by division so it is the judgement of God on the Churches for in the valley of Jehoshaphat he sits to judge That which I have heard to be Mr. Brightmans opinion and Mr. Sterries since was given into my Spirit long ago that as the seven Churches of Asia signifie the State of the Apostolike Churches inclining to an apostasie So Laodicea the last tipifies the latter Churches this day who indeed shall be the last in the world and the fall of all shall be first in England for as Mr. Brightman holds Laodicea to be the Church of England so the Churches here are Laodicea indeed lukewarm without heat or the Baptism of fire at all the Lord condemnes the other Churches in some things yet in something he commends them but the Church of Laodicea he commends not at all but condemns altogether because she was well and wanting nothing no Church-order no Ordinance is wanting to them What 's Laodicea in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the judgement of the people the people of God are judged indeed in the valley of Jehosaphat this day by their mutuall divisions to their utter destruction Therefore thus saith the Lord Three shepherds I cut off in one moneth What 's this moneth Sure it is a Mysterie In general it is very shortly as Junius before for the Lord will now doe a short work on the earth Rom. 9.28 Isai 19.1 he comes riding on a swift cloud to judge yea the Lord is a witness toe and a swift witnesse against the Churches Mal. 3.5 he comes quickly and he will make but short work with them I will not speak of the Popish Church which continued so many hundreds of yeers look but into our own land in these last dayes wherein the mysterie of Iniquity hath been most manifest not onely by the Spirit but by sensible experience and the event of things in a very little time The King could give them no more time The Parliament gave them just so much Prelacie upheld by Kingly Power continued about seventy years inslaving the people of God like Israels captivitie of old in Babylon Presbyterie reigned but three years and a half the time of the Beast by Parliamentarie Authoritie for no longer according to Ordinance their time was to last The Armie cannot give so much time as that for time shall be no more Rev. 10.6 nor yet times nor half a time for that 's the 42. moneths the Dragons time Revel 13.5.42 moneths being three years and a half that is time times and half a time time is one year times two-years and half a year is the half time which shall be no more saith John 't is now but a moneth nor forty two nor time at all Independency is down in a moneth that 's a shorter time then the former they are fallen before they rise the whole Armie cannot help them up again But
lowness of your walkings in your worldly designs in your desires for profit your tithes augmentations consolidations Church offerings and such things unheard of in Gospel-times yea it was a strange language to latter dayes But how doe the Priests rob God in tithes and offerings the people rather should be said to rob the Priests in this and yet it is proved before that all was spoken of the Priests they rob God in Tithes Certainly there 's a Mystery in this as in all other legall expressions Mal. 1.11 Isai 66.23 For as Gods Tith or tenth is that small remnant of his people reserved from the Churches Apostasie Isai 6.13 In it shall be the tenth c. So the Lords offerings is all the people of the land Bring yee all the Tithes into my storehouse that there may be meat in mine house Mal. 3.10 The Lords House is of a larger building then the gathered Churches have set up as you may see Isaiah 66.19 20. Where many Nations yea strange and savage people are brought into the house of God who I beleive in his due time will gather these three Nations into one Church as the first fruits of his glory and fame to the world So then the whole Nation is the Lords offering a Nation to be offred unto God God is now rob'd of this offering by our Gospel-Priests not onely the Tithes the scattered Saints but the Nation even the Lords offering God is robbed of by the gathered Churches and their Priests For so it is clearer exprest by Malachy c. 3. v. 9. Ye are cursed with a curse for yee have robbed me even this whole Nation not that the whole Nation did rob God as the words seem to import but taking away the word even not in the Hebrew the sence is clear ye have robbed me this whole Nation that is as God with us is the Nations Motto so God in the Nation or the whole Nation as the offering or people of God the Independent Churches will not own though the Presbyters in this are of a better judgement who professe the Nation to be in Covenant with God and his people and upon this account baptize all their children c. But sure 't is a truth not onely in the Mysterie but in the Historie or Letter The Priests in Tithes and Offerings doe rob the whole Nation for the Nation is even ruined by the oppression thereof Therefore our Gospel-Priests who by the power of the sword take up their Tithes or other wayes force a maintenance from the people are called thieves and robbers by God Oh how secretly and suddenly is the day of the Lord or the Lords day stollen upon the Churches of Wales Christ being come as a Theif in the night to spoil them of all their glory and honour yea their goodness is quite gone and carried away into captivity For how hath God prophaned the Princes of the Sanctuary or the holy Princes as the Hebrew reads Isai 43.28 The holy Princes in Church and Commonwealth are not onely become prophane covetous cruel cunning for bloud but they are prophaned by God this the holy Princes will not hear that God should prophane any man but now they may learn by experience and be made to cry at last Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our hearts from thy fear Isai 63.17 Oh what prophanesse is this that the holy Princes should be not onely proud peevish c. but thieves and robbers in the way to rob the whole Nation Isai 43.28 to rob God and man at once No wonder God doth give Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproaches This is worse then hanging it self to have the curse of God and the contempt of man truly it is far from my temper to reproach any man much lesse the people of God but if God shall give them to the reproach and the curse what man can help it I will send a curse upon you and curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye have not laid it to heart Mal. 2.2 Behold I will corrupt your seed or as the Margent reads I will reprove your seed and not onely the Word you preach but the tithe-corn you gather for pay and the tithe of your cattle too I will spread their dung on your faces and the dung of your solemn feasts and thanksgiving dayes when ye look up to bless my Name I will spread dung on your faces v. 3. And then it followes one shall take you away with it v. 3. One Who is that Sure there needs not the strength of many but one man yea a babe in Christ can take away the Church with the Priest from their setled places How easie is it for one for a very child with his little finger to push down all the Churches in Wales being fallen already by their own divisions and defilements in worship and in their walkings also their wrath worldliness and which is worse the thing of Tithes wherewith they have foul'd their fingers Yee are departed out of the way yee have caused many to stumble at the Law or in the Law yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi v. 8. What 's the Covenant of Levi Oh to live in the Lord alone to look for maintenance from him onely no other maintenance but himself for he was Levies portion Thus it was with Levi and the Priests of old under the Law the other Tribes had portions in the land but the Lord God alone was Levies portion and yet his allowance was from all so Levi wanted nothing though he had no portion but the Lord. Thus 't was with the Apostles and Primitive preachers of the Gospel Luke 22.35 they went forth without scrip or silver in their purses yet they wanted nothing and having nothing they possessed all things 2 Cor. 6.10 But our Gospel-Priests must have portions in the Land Mal. 2.9 or pay in their hand else they will not preach Therefore saith God I have made you contemptible and base before all the people Truly Sir as I was forcibly carried forth to speak at first so now to write my last which I pray receive as the words of a dying man desiring to dye to all things below God to my own life and livelihood Others preach for a hundred pound a year I have now preached to lose it in which indeed I have found my life and a better livelihood in the Lord who hath promised that he will not leave me nor forsake me Hebr. 13. And truly you may beleeve me I have more content quietnesse comfort in my present losse and low estate Mich. 5.7 then in all my gainfull Tithes I then laboured to be rich I now learn to bee poor to be Independent indeed to depend on no man Micah 5.7 not to wait on men nor the sounes of men but on the mercifull providence and dispose of God for my abode and being Thus saith the Lord God
is risen up as an Enemy c. Oh the great Oppressor how the earth doth rejoyce at the ruine of that man who smote the peogle in wrath with a continuall stroke that ruled the Nations in anger nothing of love mercy and goodnesse to mankind or the poor appeared in him but he persecuteth and no man hineth saith the Prophet Isaiah 14.6 7 8. And as the whole Earth is merry at his fall so hell from beneath is moved for him to meet him at his coming it stirs up the dead even all the cheif ones of the earth and all the Kings of the Nations rise up from their Thrones they say art thou also weak as we art thou become like unto us verse 4.10 What are the people of God and Princes of Israel the holy Princes so prophane Is the prophane Prince of Israel so weak weak as the imperious whorish woman Ezek. 16.30 Art thou so weak as we weak in thy passions and pettish Spirit art thou become like unto us as one of the Kings of England or the Princes of Wales What man would think that the Church or People of God should ever come to this to oppresse both God and man good and bad at once But this is naturall to spirituall men in Church formes yea to the flesh of the best Christians 1 Cor. 3.3 Gal. 4.29 who may for a time be very fleshly and yet the children of God as Ishmael was Abrahams sonne after the flesh persecuting him that was born after the Spirit yea Saints by calling may be called carnall much more when they are become so wise after the flesh so mighty and so noble 1 Cor. 1.26 which must have an Almighty power of the Spirit to make them foolish and weak and base and nothing to bring to nought things that are the great things and Conquests here attained by the people of God was when they were nothing now being something they are overcome by all and by themselves When men doe adore the people of God and idolize them as the Gods of the earth Zeph. 2.11 then a thousand to one God does befoole and famish them and they fall to be proud and to oppress the world yea their own Brethren and their Father also even the most high God appearing in lowest Saints above them in grace and the knowledge of our Lord in simplicity in purenesse and peace and in patience also Well this is the thing that God will doe with his own he will undoe them either by the high discoveries of himself in them as the Prophet was Isaiah 6.1 who came to this that he saw himself though as good as the best yet as bad as the worst verse 3 5. Or else he will undoe them by discovering that without to the world which is within in the heart 1 King 8.38 Iam. 3.6 what a plague is in it what a sinke and sea of sin yea a hell is in the tongue this the Saints will not see but God does and men shall when he shall turn their inside out their hidden hypocrisie shall appear to all for they shall openly practise hypocrisie as men doe grosse prophaneness for the vile person shall be no more called liberall nor the Churle said to be bountifull c. Isaiah 32.5 6 7. see it Alas man Thou maist give all that thou hast to the poor yet have no love 1 Cor. 13.3 Tit. 3.4 1 Ioh. 4.16 Oh belye not the Spirit of God in thee for God is love and good to all mankind while thou art a murtherer in hating thy brother John 3.15 yea in not loving him so as to lay down thy life for him verse 16. much more in not laying out thy livelihood and this worlds good verse 17. not onely for the godly as they say but for any man that needs thee who is both thy brother and thine own flesh Isaiah 58.7 Nay t is not enough that thou art no Oppressor as I said before but to loose the bands of wickednesse Isai 58.6 to undoe the heavy burthens to let the Oppressed goe free and to break every yoak is the duty of love if there be power in thine bands to doe it But when the people of God are silent and sit still seeking onely self not sensible of the burthens of the oppressed of the Prisoners bands nor of poor families who cry for bread how dwelleth the love of God in them saith John Well want of love besides worldlinesse wrath and that oppressive power in the Churches Gen. 49.7 Isai 19.2 Ier. 51 49. is the cause why they are so divided among themselves yea God divides them as he did prophane them he sets Brother against Brother Ruler against Ruler one ruling Elder against another 'T is Rule and Government the Churches still aime at therefore they not onely dash one against another but are like to destroy that civill Government and the Governours they depend upon for since the Apostacy the Churches have ever had a dependance on worldly powers and undone the powers with themselves and therefore our present Governours are wise to beware of men But Men and Ministers and Churches as we see are divided this day like Babylon into three parts as we shall shew anon and so their destruction is of themselves I say they seek for rule and this ruines them Now there is a threefold kind of Government among men Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy the first is as of the King the second is like that of the Parliament the present Government some compare to the third though it appears not yet but Parliament and Army have voted the Supream power to be in the people Well the Churches must have power and rule also the Prelatick Church was Monarchicall all were ruled by one by an Arch-Bishop the Kingly Power or Prerogative fell by that The Presbyterian Church is an Aristocracy the Elders or chief of these govern as 't were in a Parliament and Parliamentary priviledges was like to fall by them if not fallen already The Independent or baptized Churches both is one are a pure Democracy for not the ruling men or Ministers but all the Members have equall power to order and ordain as they professe and therefore called Independent I wish they were so but if they have a dependance on the Civill or Martiall power 't will be worse for both if both be not wiser than former times A word to the wise 't is my folly to use so many to understanding men as the Ministers are especiall Independents being men of parts power policy and of piety also many I shall fear none of them because I love them all and they me though wrath at present may appear in both as it doth among themselves 't was so once between God and his own people of old a perfect-hatred loathing and abhorring one another Well the Vials are yet full of the wrath of God when these are poured forth Love will appear that is the Lord himself in
us all who will bring forth light out of darknesse and love out of our divisions And as he in wrath remembers mercy so in much love I pray you remember Your WILLIAM ERBERIE A Scourge for the Assyrian the great OPPRESSOR ZACH 11.8 Three Shepherds I cut off in one moneth my soul loathed them and their soul abhorred me That is the glorious Appearance of the great God in men is most abhorred by seeming godly men and Ministers or three Shepherds whom God therefore loathes and hates all their performances as they hate his appearance the hatred of both is perfect for his soul loathes them and their soul abhorreth him AS Christ is the glory of the Father Heb. 1.1.3 Iohn 14.10 Ioh. 15.23 24 Isai 8.18 Hebr. 2.12 13 compared the appearance of God or God manifest in flesh so God in Christ the Father in him was that which was most hated by the Church of the Jews and Christ in us Iohn 14.11 Eph. 5.30 Heb. 2.11 compared Christ in the Church is abhorred by the Christian Churches who not knowing the Deity nor the humanity of Christ indeed will not acknowledge the Father to be the Godhead of Christ nor his brethren to be his humanitie in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead is so embodyed 1 Cor. 12.12 Eph. 4.13 compared that he being the head and they the members they and he make one perfect man in whom God appears to be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 This Mysterie of God even the Father Col 2.2 and of Christ is therefore abhorred by the shepherds or Pastors of Churches Gal. 1.16 Eph. 1.17 Col. 1.27 compared because they knew not the Father in the Son nor the Son in the Saints nor the Spirit in both which would reveal this glory in them God in their Flesh that is Christ in us the hope of glory which now they hate and abher not having higher discoveries of God then what they have read in traditional forms of doctrine received Col. 2.8 1 Tim. 1.17 1 Ioh. 1.1 Rom. 9 1. Heb. 1.3.8 Col. 1.15.13 Col. 2.9 compared and invented by men For as the Father is the invisible God inhabiting eternitie so Christ is God visible the Image or out-goings of God the glory of the Father in flesh the appearance of God as I said or God manifest in flesh who in the spirit was from the beginning and will be to the end though this mystery of Christ was not manifested to men till the fulness of time Isai 9 6. Ioh. 5.19 20 30. Iohn 8.28 Iohn 14.10 compared 2 Cor. 13.4 1 Pet. 1.21 Psal 68.1 Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.10 Ioh. 16.28 Iohn 17.8 when the mighty God the everlasting Father appeared in flesh taken of a Virgin then the Son was born for God was brought forth in flesh and was manifest in flesh by mighty works and words which he spake and did while he lived in the dayes of his flesh but in his death God crucified that flesh to himself which afterward he raised to glory God rising or revealing himself gloriously therein then God ascended up on high that is God in flesh did ascend not onely to heaven but far above all heavens into his own eternall abisse and incomprehensible being and unaccessible light whence the brightnesse of his glory proceeded and came forth in flesh in the fulness of time as we said before But this Mysterie was not made known nor manfested to the Sons of men Eph. 3.5 till God who ascended up in flesh sent down the Spirit from on high Psal 68.18 Eph. 4.8 when he not onely received gifts for men or as Hebrew reads received gifts in the man but gave gifts unto men that is the same Spirit and power of God dwelling in the flesh of Christ appeared in the Church which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 because the Son was revealed or known in the Saints and they in the Son and both in the Father all perfect in one for which cause the Spirit is called the promise of the Father Acts 1.4 Rom. 8.25.17 and the Spirit of the Son in the Saints cryed Abba Father God being a Father to them as to him his God and theirs For though the Spirit be called the Spirit of the Son yet he received and sent it from the Father therefore the Spirit is said to proceed onely from the Father c. it is the promise of the Father the power of God from on high which the Saints received from and with the Son they being Sons and coheirs with him Joh. 15.26 This Mystery of Christ though once manifested to the Apostles and Primitive Saints by the Spirit and since shut up as a sealed book by the apostasie or spirit of Antichrist in the Churches yet the book will be open the mystery will be manifest again for the mystery of God shall be finished and fully known at last Rev. 10.7 Rev. 1.4 Rev. 2.8 But as Christ is the first and the last he who was is and is to come of Christ was vayled in the Law and is revelaed in the Gospel though but in part the full Revelation of Christ Jesus is to come Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever not Christ after the flesh for that was not till the fulness of time but Christ in the Spirit Heb. 13.8 God manifest in flesh was both yesterday under the Law and in the day of Gospel-dispensation and in the third dispensation now approaching he will abide for ever There was a change indeed from Law to Gospel when the Spirit of Christ first came into the Church the state of the Gospel changed also when the Spirit of Antichrist came in power and the Churches fell by the Apostasie when Christ shall come the second time in spirit and glory time shall be no more no more change of things shall be for all things and times shall appear in eternity which is the third dispensation as the first was yesterday the second to day Rev. 10 6 7. so the third is to be for ever I shall not now speak at large of this third dispensation onely as God is both Father Son and Spirit 1 Joh. 5.7 So God being manfest to his people in this threefold discovery of himself declares the third dispensation a third discoverie of himself unto them and in them God under the Law and to the Fathers before was known as the Father Deut. 32.6 Rom. 1.9 Rev. 22.17 In the Gospel God was known as the son or the knowledge of the Son was peculiar to the Gospel-dispensation The third will be pure Spirit when nothing but Spirit and power shall appear when God shall be all in all For although Gospel-believers were baptized into the name of Father Son and Spirit yet what they possessed was but the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 there will be a full harvest flouds and Rivers of waters of life which no man can passe
and crucified became the living way Heb. 10.20 as with God I shall shew another time Fifthly that worthy man brings men to the way but not to the Truth and Life Now Christ was all First the way for no man cometh to the Father but by me Iohn 14.6 now 't is a vain thing to keep men still in the way to stand still in the way and not to goe on by Christ into the Father into the holiest and thus was Christ the Truth Iohn 14.3 also taking us into the Father with himself for as this was eternall life to know the Father to be the onely true God Ioh. 17.3 and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent so Christ was sent or God even the Father was manifest in his flesh that we might see God in us as he was in him Iohn 17.21 23 24. and our life with him in God Lastly thus Christ is the life and thus he that hath the Son hath life that is the Son being once revealed in us reveals the Father in us also God in our flesh as in his and we living with him in God alone Joh. 14.19 20. 1 Joh. 5.11 12. This is the knowledge of Christ in the Spirit and this is the fourth step which some have attained to holding forth Christ in the Spirit as Mr. Sedgwick Mr. Sterrie Mr. Sprig and others these with their fellows are neerest Zion yet are they not come into it for as every Prophet shall one day be ashamed of his vision Zach. 13.4 yea prophesie it self shall fail So it is manifest these men are of a dark and deeper speech then can be easily understood Isai 33.19 therefore it is not Zion when there shall be such a glorious appearance of God in men that all shall see and hear him in them and as they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion Isai 52.8 or bring forth himself cleerly in us who are now in captivity or he rather captive in our flesh so men shall hear God himself in us for so it is in the Hebrew Zach. 8.23 not we have heard that God is with you but we will go with you for we have heard God with you and in you Then man shall be nothing and God shall be all in all yet man shall be all in God and nothing but God shall appear in man This glorious appearance of the great God in man the three Shepherds the Pastors and Teachers doe indeed abhor they hate his appearance as I said and he abhors all their performances But who are these three Shepherds the Pastors of Churches What their cutting off is my former Letter shewed to suffer the curse of God and contempt of men How God cuts them off It is by unchurching them and by confounding or dividing them the Lord doth first unchurch them burns up the Church with fire Zachariah 11.1 there he calls Lebanon to open the doors that the fire may come in to burn up the tallest Cedars What 's Lebanon but the Temple for it was built with that Who are the Cedars but the tallest Members the principall of the flock What is the fire but the Spirit of the Lord as the Lord God calls upon Lebanon so he commands that the Church doors may be open for the fire to enter and the spirit to burn up all their chiefest members and Ministers for so it is vers 2. The mighty men or the gallants are spoiled yea there is a howling of the shepherds for their glory is spoiled v. 3. Their Church-fellowship and forms is that they glory in God spoils them and stains the pride of all their glory yea he burns it up How By fire The baptisme of the Spirit and of fire was the first Gospel-Ordinance Acts 1.4 5. or that which first set up the Church in a Gospel-order Fire will be the last that shall burn up the Churches who because they would not as the Primitive Saints did wait for the Spirit to build them the Spirit shall come to burn and consume them at last Secondly God cuts them off confounds and divides them he cuts them into three parts as we shall see by and by Thus then the three shepherds are the Pastors of all the Churches or whole Ministery of the Church Ezek. 16.30 Rev. 17.2 for as the Apostate Jewish Church was a Type of the Christian Church now under the Apostacie the whoredomes of Israel typifying the great whore whose fornications and the wine thereof in their forms of doctrine and false worships as we shall shew another time so Junius well notes the three Shepherds to signifie the whole teaching Ministery of the Jewish Church Vid. Junium in Zach. 11. for the Pharisees Sadduces and Essenes saith he were the onely Pastors or Teachers who did instruct the people in the Word of God as Prelates Presbyters and Independents are the whole Ministery of the Church of England this day These are divided not onely in Worship and Discipline but in doctrine also especially in three things 1. In the free grace of God which some call Antinomianism 2. In the free-will of man which otherscall Pelagianism 3. In the death of Christ or universal Redemption of mankind thereby which both Presbyters and Independants abhorre as Paganisme though nearest the Gospel indeed I shall not now shew the cause of all those divisions in Doctrine being engaged onely at present to prove their defilements in the worship of God and in their walking with men Yet this is one cause of their former difference and divisions in Doctrine Acts 2.42 because the Apostles Doctrine being before all Gospel-Ordinances is out of order in the Churches 1 Tim. 6.3 2. Tim. 1.13 who not content with that forme of sound words and wholsome Doctrine delivered by them doe follow the childish Dictates of Fathers the Decrees of Councels being a company of Bishops with such Creeds Confessions and Catechismes formed by them and reformed Churches whose conformities and fooleries in formes of worship though our Churches cannot chuse but see yet with a blind devotion they follow all their formes of doctrine not suffering a doubt or the least debate to passe upon their reason and judgement therein How injudicious this is with ingenuous men let all men judge Iohn 3.12 for if I tell you of earthly things saith Christ and yee beleeve not how will yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly all outward worship is but an earthly thing Now if all Fathers and former Churches have erred in worship why not I pray you may they not erre in Doctrine in heavenly and hidden things in the high Mystery of God and of Christ especially seeing the Apostles did prophesie of such deceit to come in this by vain Philosophy Col. 2.8 and metaphysicall speculations of the Deity by the traditions and inventions of men the rudiments of the world the rudiments that is the A. B. C. or common Catechismes which
is the Religion of the world and of little Children Another cause of divisions in Doctrine is this the confidence of men and Ministers who conceive that Christians know God and Christ already whereas themselves are ignorant of both Rev. 1.7 03 Rev. 5.2 not minding that God is a Mystery and that the Mystery of Christ hath been a sealed Book ever since the Apostasie as I have shewn in a book of neither Truth nor Error Nor Truth nor Error c. page 6. nor Light nor Darknesse but in the evening there shall be Light Thirdly Their darknesse and divisions hath been caused by not knowing Christ in the Spirit nor understanding the Mystery of Christ for all Christian Religions have been doting onely on the flesh of Christ See the Papists how they look upon Christ in a Picture so Protestants have their pleasant Pictures also Isai 2.16 Ezek 16.17 the Image of a Male as the Prophets phrase it that is fleshly apprehensions of Christ which they adore and deifie thus the Arminians and Socinians goe no farther than Christ after the flesh and the last especially though religious and most learned men yet look no higher than flesh yea the eternall Spirit and infinite God they confine to a place in Heaven where say they his essentiall presence is though his power be every where a very carnall conceit of God and of Christ But what mystery can the Socinian see in the Man Christ if the Man be not God or God manifest in flesh is not the Man Christ the Mystery of God Rev. 10.7 Col. 2.2 Eph. 3.5 And how can the Mystery of God and of Christ be manifest but by the Spirit 't is neither strength of reason nor reading of Scripture but the Spirit onely even the Spirit of Revelation that can prove the Godhead of Christ therefore the Apostle himself had it not as he received it of man nor as he was taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him c. Gal. 1.12 15. For how could the Apostle preaching to the Heathen prove the Godhead of Christ by Scripture to them who owned neither Christ nor Scriptures But Christ speaking in him that is Christ in the Spirit 2 Cor. 13.3 God powerfully acting and appearing in Pauls flesh did so manifest the Mystery to them that by the power of God working in him mightily he was able to present every man in Christ that is in God and God in them and they his Off-spring and thus did he prove the Godhead of Christ Col. 1.28 29. and that God would judge the world by the man Christ Jesus even by the manifestation of God in the Saints Acts 17.28 29 32. who should judge the world with them and in him 1 Cor. 6.2 Indeed to the Jewes who acknowledged the Scriptures by Scriptures he proved that Christ was God yet not the Godhead of Christ by that for as Christ never said that he was God but sent by God so he shewed his Godhead to be the Father dwelling in him and doing all his works which though neither the Jewes nor Disciples clearly saw in the dayes of his flesh yet when he should depart to the Father and the Spirit or Promise of the Father should be sent then the power of God appearing in their flesh as in his he shewes them the Father plainly for as no man knowes the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne reveales him so I said before that God even the Father must reveal the Sonne in us by the Spirit of Revelation to us else there is no knowing the Godhead of Christ at all John 14.10 John 16.25 27 28. For no man can say that Jesus is the Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 but by the Spirit alas man what mystery is it that Christ is God because God made the Man so because God gave him that name gave him that power and glory as God 't is true that Christ even the Sonne of God had all by gift of the Father Iohn 5.19 22 26. verses The Sonne could doe nothing of himself God gave him even the Spirit gave him authority to judge gave him to have life in himself whereas we have all of him Math. 28.18 Iohn 17.2 Phil. 2.6 9. Heb. 1.8 9. and by him God gave him glory all power in heaven and earth God gave him a name above every name yea gave him to be called God for God his God annointed him to it above his fellowes all this proves not the Godhead of Christ but that he was the Man Gods fellow that is equall with God in the form if God as 't is parallell'd by the Apostle and Prophet Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 9. Therefore what Socinus saith that Christ is God because God gave him that name that power that glory and honour is no mystery for God can give to a Worme to thresh the mountaines to throw down the earth to destroy and judge the world Isai 41.14 15. Jer. 51.20 But what 's the Mystery of Christ wait for the Spirit to manifest it to thee and me Till the seventh Angell sound Rev. 10.7 the Mystery of God shall not be finished nor fully known What a madnesse is it then for men to warr and wrangle about that they know not Is it not better for us to wait in peace and patience forbearing one another and embracing one another in love till the Lord God appear in all I shall therefore crave pardon of all men because I cannot chuse but say that no man yet knowes God nor Christ nor himself this makes the difference and division as I said before because men are so confident and therefore contend of the free Grace of God the free Will of Man and the Death of Christ yet they know not God as he is nor what Man is in God nor what the Man-God Christ is in the Mystery how in God and how he is in man Oh yee Protestants Papists Arminians and Socinians answer me this one question Why did the highest Apostle beg the prayers of all the Churches that he might know the Mystery of Christ that he might manifest it and that he might speak as he ought to speak Eph. 6.19 20. Col. 4.3 4. You think you know Christ and can preach him well enough we shall be all silent and God himself shall speak at last and speak himself and manifest himself unto men Oh that men could watch and wait in love together to that day This is the last thing I had to observe that all the speaking and preachings of men will be silenced by God when the Lord appeares Pray but observe in those four steps before mentioned of Gods appearance in men how the power efficacie and fruit of Conversion hath decreased The Doctrine of Free-grace converted fewer than that legall teaching before the preaching of Christ after the flesh by the purest Churches hath had lesse converts yet yea those
cloud to judge and raign and to hasten Righteousness Isai 16.5 Let Mercarius Politicus tell you the reason of State and shew you if men were religious indâ—â—d that is righteous just honest plain simple hearted people they might quickly doe what they say what 's that Take away the iniquity of the Land in one day the iniquity that is Zach 3 9. the oppression c. I will take it away in one day how so spray When God shall appear in men See the Lord of hosts or Armies defence pag. 23. and men act in the immediate power of God when the power that God and man hath put into their hands is improved to the utmost without fear of man and with full confidence in God oh what a world of good might be done in one day all the proud enemies oppressors the unrighteous riches the unjust gaines the great reveneues suddenly got yea all the iniquity of the Land would be taken away in one day This would be Gospel indeed and glad tydings to the poor and make all the oppressed in the Land to sing for this is the everlasting Gospel which shall be preached not in wordbut in power not as the Gospel at first in speaking or preachings but in publick actings the everlasting Gospel shall goe forth in the last times as I shall hint anon and another time with God more fully prove that the preaching of the everlasting Gospel is not the ministery of man nor is that Angel a man or Minister but the Angel of the Covenant Christ in us God in our flesh that is God fully manifest in us shall minister himself to us God shall minister himself to men a pure Ministery of the Spirit shall be the Spirit shall onely minister both light and love among men salvation and strength sufficiency and fulnesse of all good things to the whole Creation at last This glorious appearance of the great God and Saviour in men is that which is most abhorred by Ministers and Pastors three Shepheards whom the Lord loaths and divides because they will not be drawn up to union and love to mankind to whom they are rather cruell their throat an open Sepulchre and their feet swift to shed bloud that is they will speak no good will to man but swallow down the most and destroy them not owning all men as their own flesh Isai 58.7 and God the eternall Spirit dwelling in them therefore God divides the Shepheards with their flockes dashing one against another causing every man of them to eat the flesh of his brother Zach. 11.9 True it is but flesh and fleshly formes the Churches fight and contend for the cause of all the contention is in the Shepheards or the Ministers the Church-members poor soules would be quiet and come up again to walk in the Spirit but because the Members will follow not the Head but their fellowes Members and Ministers God gives them up to their King v. 6. Who is that Sure some chief Pastor who commands in Church and Common-wealth Well for this God takes no more care of the Church but divides them also He breaks the Covenant which he made with all the people v. 10. The Independent Church was built once on a Covenant now being ashamed of that they call it a confession others an ragreement God breaks all in pieces even the Covenant First his staffe Beautie that is the unitie of the Spirit v. 10. then his staffe bonds the bond of Peace for the brotherhood between Judah and Israel is broken verse 14. How cleer doth this appear in the present Churches who by a Law call none brothers but such of their own societies no Saint whatsoever nor yet Christ were he among them would they call brother unlesse he were of a Church way and of theirs also therefore the brotherhoood between Judah and Israel the Independent and baptized Churches is broken Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty Rev. 15.3 just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints How just is it for God to divide those Churches that divide themselves from Saints How true is their division when the very Brotherhood is broken Oh love the brotherhood saith Peter 1 Pet. 2.17 that cannot be saith the Prophet for there is nothing but wrath and wars to be among them they must be divided and subdivided also I will deliver the men every one into the hand of his neighbour or fellow member and into the hand of his King or Pastor for such are called Kings in Scripture Zach. 11.6 Princes of the Sanctuary Again saith God I will not feed you that that dyeth let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another v. 9. that is those fellow-Members who were more moderate and peaceable minded men not given to common division are yet destroyed and die in their spirits by being in Church-fellowship for God breaks the Covenant that he made with all the people v. 19. This is that I shewed in the mountaines from Ezekiel 37.3 That All the people of God this day are a dead divided people not onely gathered Churches but scattered Saints these in their flesh those in their forms and fellowships First they are as dry bones of the valley yea bones very dry lying in the open valley the lowest part of the earth and it is the open valley every one above them who are on the hills may behold and see how dead and dry they are very dry saith he having neither skin nor sinew nor strength nor spirit nor yet flesh indeed upon them not the letter of Scripture for any of their publique Worships common Prayers c. nor yet in their walkings doth the flesh Christ appear upon them in meekness and lowliness of heart yea they are not so lowly and loving as once they were so humble and tenderly minded so self denying and dying to the world And as they are dead so divided into two sticks Ezek. 37.16 See Zeph. 39. a pure lip and perfect love or union will not be on earth till the earth or Church in her divisions and defilements be burnt up with fire which is Babylons last plague Rev. 18 8. then men will serve or worship God in Spirit and with one consent or shoulder they are not now called branches but sticks dry sapless things without any shew of spiritual life yea with out hope to rise here on earth as themselves confesse v. 11. But I have better hopes of you beloved then your selves have All the Churches indeed shall fall but the Saints therein shall rise Oh my people saith God I will open your graves and cause you to come forth out of your graves v. 12. But there the people of God yet are and this the Lord would haue them know this day although they will not that they are all in Babylon dead dry bonâ—s and divided sticks Dead in