said Human Invention and vain Tradition And Trinity of Persons in the Divine Essence where learned you this Article from the Pope from the Mass-book yet the Father Son and Spirit are owned and these three are one and the Father Word and Spirit and these are one but I challenge all you Orthodox Professors to shew me from Scripture where the Holy Ghost or Spirit is called a Person be ashamed of your Ignorance ye illiterate men 2. Or shall deny the Person of Christ to be distinct from the Father and the Holy Ghost or shall deny the Person of Christ to be distinct from every Believer Answ. Do but mark the Madness and Confusion of these mighty Rabbies before there must be three Persons in one Essence and now Christ must be distinct from the Father and the holy Ghost before in God and now distinct from God this is damnable Doctrine which hath been brought in since the Apostacy for the Scripture saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself how was he distinct from the Father when the Father was in him And I am in the Father and the Father in me and I and my Father are one Nay say New-England Doctors They are distinct and the Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Now prove you that the Father and the holy Ghost are distinct from Christ or how is Christ's Person distinct from every Believer when he that is a Believer hath him revealed in him and he that is a true Believer eats his Flesh and drinks his Blood How is he then distinct What nearer Union can there be exprest Is that distinct from a man that he hath in him But it may be they will say as the rest of the Dreamers do he is in Believers by his Spirit distinct from his Body then I say Christ is not divided a Person without a Spirit or distinct from the Spirit is not Christ but this blind Doctrine came up since the Apostles Dayes and was counted as Orthodox by the Councils at Nice and Lateran a Company of Apostates and hath been counted by the Beast's Followers a great Point of Divinity 3. Or deny the Manhood of Christ to be a Manhood distinct from the Manhood of any other Man Answ. The Man Christ Jesus who was of the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh and the Son of God according to the Spirit his Flesh is distinct from you who live in ENVY whole FLESH is as the Flesh of Horses and as the Flesh of Dragons who devour you know not the holy Flesh of Christ but the Man of God doth who is born of the Spirit and the Flesh of Christ is his Meat and they that believe in him are Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh you ignorant Dreamers how then is his Flesh distinct But you do feed upon Ashes as your Father doth the cunning Serpent for God's Wisdom is hid from you 4. Or shall deny the Scripture or the written Word to be the Rule Answ. We own the Scriptures which you ignorantly call the written Word as though all the Scriptures were but one Word the Word is Christ which was revealed in the Saints which spake the Words forth and he is the Way and the Rule of Life to them that believe and his Spirit is the Leader and Guider into all Truth and the Rule of Obedience and you are they that deny the Scriptures and the Rule of holy walking you own it in Words and in VVorks deny him witness all your fore-mentioned Deeds of Darkness and Hypocrites and Dissemblers cry Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Life when their Life that they live in stands in Sin Wickedness and Deceit 5. Or shall openly revile either Church or State or Church-VVorship Church-Officer or Ordinances divine or the publick Assembly of the People of God to worship him according to the Prescription of the Gospel Answ. Your Church and State Church-Officers and Ordinances and Assembly and your Worship is manifest to be a Place where Dragons are who sting devour kill and destroy God's Workmanship and he that speaks for you God will condemn him for he that justifies you justifies the wicked and that is an Abomition to the Lord And let the Nation see your Prescription in that which you call your Gospel where Christ commanded the Churches or gave his Disciples such Prescripts as these If the rest of the Jews or Gentiles will not come to your Assemblies fine them 5 s. a Day and 10 s. a Day or 40 s. a Moneth and if any speak any where in my Name but where you meet let him that speaks be fined 5 l. and if they will not pay fetch away their Goods Beasts Horses break open their Houses and take Hatchets and beat down their Doors and take the Names of them that meet and bâ—le them to the Court and there fine them 5 l. a Man and send them to Prison and load their Backs and Stripes and whip them severely and if any refuse to doff his Hat and will not say Reverend Mr Peter and Reverend Mr Paul and Reverend Mr John or if it please you Mr Mark or Mr Andrew and Philip then go you to the Judgment Seat and tell the Magistrates and let them indict them and put in a great deal of aggravating Words as Muteny Sedition Insurrection Rebellion and the like and let them say unto them you are against the laudable Custom of our Country and last of all banish them and if they return again put them to Death and let them say as Richard Bellinghom the Deputy Governour of Boston said to John Copeland John Rous and Christopher Holder We commanded these Men not to come again but they returned again in Contempt of the Magistracy and Ministry and so whatsoever comes upon you Loss of Ears or Loss of Life your Blood be upon your own Heads I say let the Regions know your Prescript in your Gospel and your Rule of Life for these Practices and then you will convince the Quakers and satisfie all People 6. Or shall entertain any such in a Way of Conventicle or private Meeting or shall resort unto the Conventicle of any such who are known Refusers to come to the publick Worship of God in the publick Assembly Answ. These Men would have banished Paul he was a Man publickly known to refuse to go into the Temple and Synagogues except to lead People out of them and yet they have got his Words in their Mouthes and these Men would have imprisoned the Church of Corinth and Galatia and Thessalonica and the Church of Antioch for they met in Houses and denyed the rest of the Synagogue of the Jews and the Temples of the Gentâ—les and they had private Meetings and often by the Sea-side and Mountains and other Places and although Bishop Laud be dead his Spirit speaks and acts in New-England he made such Articles as these against Conventicles and told of the laudable Customs and Worship of
in the Life thereof they are judged though the Truth in it self stands clear and so whâ—t as they were in their Principles Practiâ—e in Life or in Doctrine must they give Account for But thou like the rest of the Hireling Priests of England use alwayes to be confuting your Adversaries when they were at a great Distance when they were dead and could not reply or at such a Distance that they could not hear and you are such valiant Champions for the most Part as to Disputation except you have Club-men and Prison-doors standing open to fight or to shut them in you will hardly enter into a Dispute publickly or it may be if they be afraid that they shall be worsted and their Deceit laid open put a Key in the Mouth of one as some did in the Mouth of Humphrey Norton when he was with one of thy Brethren and then cry The Opposite or Quaker hath nothing to say for himself and such dark muddy Stories you used to fill up your Hour with as to confute Arrius and Pelagius men that were Hundreds of Years dead and no such Principles holden in a Nation and such dead Stories you fill Peoples Minds with and confute the Pope when your Elbows were leaning upon the soft Cushions on the Pulpit and twenty or thirty Shillings for such a dead Story as you told People but when have you gone amongst them and reasoned of the Things of the Kingdom of God into their Dominions and convinced them by sound Doctrine and yet you will say Christ said Go into all Nations and preach and plead that for your Commission and it may be stay fourty Years over an hundred Families As for the Heterodoxes of the Quakers concerning the Heads of Religion as thou hast set down this I say to thee and to all the World we do not hold them because any Man before did hold them or may hold them after but because God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit which also may be confirmed by the Testimony of the Scripture of Truth As to those which thou settest down as our Tenets I shall answer on the Lord's Behalf for Truth 's sake and for the rest thou may'st take them home to thy self First Concerning the Trinity thou say'st The confess the Father Son and holy Ghost and yet they deny the Trinity and those to be three distinct Persons for Confutation of this thou bringest Heb. 1. 3. He is the express Image of his Father's Person Thy Trinity is an old Popish Term and we love to keep to sound Words but by Trinity I suppose thou meanest three and thy own Words shall confute thee thou confessest we say there is Father Son and Hâ—ly Ghost and yet but one God or one Eternal Being or Substance in which they all subsist but thy Word distinct is thy own and not the Spirit 's yet to distinguish betwixt Father Son and Spirit we deny not and as for Heb. 1. it is in another Translation rendered The express Image of his Suâ—stance for Perâ—on is too gross a Word as to express an Eternal and Divine Being in and if thou dost hâ—lâ—l three distinct Substances thou errest in they Judgment for that were to make three Gods Secondly They deny Christ to be God and Man in one Person and Christ to be a distinct Person from the Father and they acknowledge such a Christ as unchrists Christ and when they say Christ manifest in the Flesh they mean not as the Scripture but fallaciously Answ. We say according to the Scripture of Truth and not according to thy Fallacy that In the man Christ did the fulness of the God-head dwell and God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and he saith I and my Father are one and the Father the Son and the Spirit subsist in one Eternal Power Life and Glory which thou with all thy stupid Generation are Ignorant of and that Christ we acknowledge is such a Christ as is able to save to the utmost them that come unto him and receive him and believe in him and is such a Christ as is able to raise them that have been Dead and such a Christ giveth eternal Life to them that believe And so that Christ that we own doth not un-christ Christ but by your Doctrine who plead Imperfection and the continuation thereof and a continuation in Sin for term of Life as one of thy own said Sin will dwell in the House till the House he pull'd down speaking of the natural Body which some other of thy own Generation have called the Body of Sin and so it is you that hold such a Christ as un-christ's the true Christ in thy own Words and when didst thou enter into our Thoughts and into our Heart or with what dost thou search that thou sitst as Judge over the Heart who knowest not Judgment in thy self nor what Spirit thou art of and so thy lyes and deceit are turned upon thee when we say Christ manifest in the Flesh we say that Holy thing which was brought forth and born of a Virgin and Conceived of the Holy Ghost in whom the fulness of the God-head dwells in whom the Eternal Power of the Father was manifested that he was the Christ which was manifested in the Flesh and Justified in the Spirit Preached among the Gentiles seen of Angels and received up into Glory and this is according to the Scripture of Truth and thy Judgment must be judged Thirdly Concerning the Scripture considered as the Rule of Life They deny the Scripture or written word to be the rule of Life and they make the Spirit without the Scripture to be their guide they account Church instituted Worship and waiting upon God for the Efficacious presence and Operation of the Spirit of Grace in the Ministry of the Word and Sacrament for Conversion and Edâ—fication to be Idolatry and the Political order of Church Officers and Members they affirm to be an Image Answ. Concerning the Scripture we say they are Scriptures of Truth and words of Truth spoken from the Spirit of Truth that which gave them a being is greater then they as he that Creates is greater then they that are Created which is perferred above and before and yet no Diminishing or Detracting from the Creature so the Spirit is greater above and before the words and yet this doth not Diminish neither Derogate from the Scripture these and the like sound Words we have spoken to thy deaf Generation yet a Spirit of slumber being upon them all they could not hear that which gives Life and bringeth to Life and preserves in the Life is a rule and a Guide to them that are enlightned the Sons of God who were quickned by the Eternal Spirit of their Father and of Christ and raised from Death to Life this was their rule as it is written as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and we say it is a sufficient rule of
Church of God when as Christ saith He is the door none comes into the Fold but by him and none comes to the Father but by him and he is the way so who sets up another entrance unto God or into the Fold or into the Church which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth sets up an Idol and prefers an Idol above the Life and so are in the Idolatry But let none mistake that I say Water is an Idol nay it is a good Creature of God or that I say Johns Baptism with Water was an Idol nay he was in the Power and Spirit of Eliah and his Baptism a Figure of a good thing which was to come which afterward was received by the Disciples and Christ's words made good unto them John indeed Baptized you with Water unto Repentance but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire not many dayes hence that was Christ's Baptism I am not Ignorant of the many and great Contests in this Age that have been about these things and I know many Scriptures that speak of Baptism all which I have searched narrowly with the Measure of God's Spirit given unto me into the true Ground of things and the true State of each administration and in this thing I am satisfied fully that the Baptism with Water was John's Baptism and not Christ's and the Baptism of the Spirit 〈◊〉 Christ's and now John's I have no desire to Wrangle or Jangle about words or contest about Shadows but that all may come to know him in whom all Ministrations end in and there will be Peace and Satisfaction to wit in Christ But to say something to the main Basis and Foundation which Priests and Separatists build much of their Arguments upon the last of Matthew and the last Verse Go teach and baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost as for all the Priests about their baptizing of Infants here is no Ground at all for here is first teach and then baptize and here is no infants neither and so I know what Consequences have been drawn from this by the unlearned in their Imaginations but them that have the least Measure of true Light will not take a Consequence to build a Foundation on for this is contrary to their own Rule they say the Scripture is their Rule then their Consequence is not the Rule and if the Scriptures be the Rule let all People of your Parishes know if you can by the Scripture shew when John or any Disciple of his or Christ's baptized Infants and taught them Principles of Religion twenty Years after but they are willingly ignorant that see not you to be Idolaters and as for the Baptists Separates who build upon this for their Water-Baptism they are as groundless as the Priests and all their Agruments are as invalid as the rest for here is baptizing the Nations in the Name of the Father in the Name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and any who are judicious or wise and are in any Measure of God's pure Wisdom will not say that the Name of the Father is Water or the Son or holy Ghost is Water the Name of God is I am and a strong Tower and the Name of the Son is the Word and the Word is the Power but this is not Water but further they say the Disciples had received the holy Ghost and did baptize with Water after and they were baptized with Water after they had received the holy Ghost and they bring divers Scriptures to prove this I shall not deny but Peter baptized with Water and Paul two or three Families and thanks God he baptized no more and said he had declared the whole Counsel of God and he makes not mention in all his Epistles that Baptism was any Part of his Command neither in all his Counsel to the Churches any where doth he exhort either to Timothy Titus or Apollo or any of the Brethren to baptize with Water but as for Peter's baptizing with Water I know no more Command he had then Paul as for the Commission which Matthew writes of Mat. 28. 19. and that Mark mentions Mark 16.15 there is no Water and so it 's the Baptism of John I grant and Christ bearing Witness to John that he was a Prophet and did baptize many and therefore he or they in Honour to John's Ministry might baptize some as well as Paul did circumcise Titus and then in 1 Cor 7.19 said It was nothing and again in another Place Neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision did avail but a new Creature and because it was a Figure which People did not idolize so much then as they did Circumcision for the Weakness of the People for a time and the wise in Heart may understand that when any Representation or Figure outward was set up it was not easily denyed again nor an easie Thing to be laid down when the thing signified was come for many of the Jews believed in Christ and were said to be Brethren and yet they came from Jerusalem and troubled the Church of Galatia and would have brought them under the Figure Circumcision again and the Apostle in Gal. 4. asks them Now when ye know God why turn ye again to the beggarly Elements Circumcision observing Dayes Moneths Times and Years I would ask the moderate a Question whether Water be not an Element and pertains only to the elementary Part in man which is to pass away and be dissolved when the Seed is raised up whose Nature is not elementary but caelestial I shall say no more to them at this present who are contentious who are so zealous for their Water upon so weak a Ground but take heed that while you are striving about your outward Water you neglect not the washing of Regeneration and the cleansing of the Spirit many have been baptized but which of you have received the holy Ghost there is not one among you dare own or witness an infallible Spirit but count it an Error that any should speak or witness or look to enjoy any such thing in these Dayes well I say unto you your Day is a Day of Darkness and Gloominess you live in and thick Darkness covers your Tabernacle for whoever have received the holy Ghost or Spirit of Truth in any Measure are led by that which is infallible and not fallible and if you look not for this ye are no Sons notwithstanding all your washing the outside For as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and this is witnessed Praises to the Lord forever the Lord is unto his People an everlasting Light and this is the Sum that Water is owned to be a Figure of the one Baptism and was an Element and pertained to that which is elementary but the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat and be dissolved in the Day of the Lord and then the Seed comes up which is Heir of the Promise which is
nourished with the VVater of Life which is not an Element nor elementary but is caelestial and springs up in them that believe unto everlasting Life and come to be born of the Water and the Spirit and enter into God's Kingdom Dominion Power Life Wisdom Excellency and eternal Glory happy is he that believes and abides in Patience unto the End Now since the Dayes of John the Kingdom of God hath been preached and as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed and many in the Day when Christ was manifest in the Flesh believed unto whom he declared the Mind of the Father and by him was the Father glorified he fulfilled the Law and did many Works and Miracles by the Power of the Father and herein was the Father glorified and them that did believe in him their Faith was strengthned and he opened the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to his Disciples and bore witness and prophesied the Destruction of Jerusalem and of all their Worship and said No more at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but the Time was coming when they that worshipped the Father should worship him in Spirit and Truth and declared against the Pharisees Righteousness and said to his Disciples Except their Righteousness did exceed the Pharisees they could not enter the Kingdom of God and yet the Pharisees performed all the outward things commanded but were in the Idolatry and did not believe in the Life Now he declared of his Suffering many things and also how he would go away and how he would come again and would not leave them comfâ—rtless but these things were hart to be believed then by his Disciples and further he told them he must be betrayed and suffer and rise again and when the Hour was come that he was betrayed when he was with his Disciples even the same Night he was betrayed he took Bread and broke it and blessed it and said take and eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in Remembrance of me and after he took the Cup and after he had supped saying this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood as often as you drink it do it in Remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.23 24. And Matthew Mark and Luke delare the same and this was real Bread and real Wine which was a Representation of that which was to be enjoyed in the Spirit and never intended for any further thing but as a Figure or a Representation of the Bread of Life and of the Cup of Blessing which afterward they came to be Witnesses of and as oft as they eat and drank they did shew forth the Lordâ—s Death till he came Now this was practised among the Disciples after he was risen from the dead and did converse with them at many times and exhorted them and comforted them and instructed them and told them that they should be Witnesses of his Name unto the Ends of the Earth and gave them Commandment to teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and did promise to be with them to the End of the World and told how the Comforter would come and that the Father would send him in his Name even the Spirit of Truth which was with them and should be in them to be their Teacher Leader and Guide and bring all things to their Remembrance Now that which he gave them as a Figure and to be a Sign unto them of the clearer Manifestation of himself which afterward came to be fulfilled and they Witnesses of it who grew up in the pure invisible Being and did see the Mystery through the Revelation of the Spirit which did more clearly shew unto them the Mysteries within the Vail for as I said of Water it was a Sign of a good thing to come so the Bread and the Cup was also a Sign of a good thing to come as all outward Figures were but they that did believe and grew up in the Faith in the Seed Christ they came to see the Substance in whom all Figures end and had Communion with him within the Vail after he was ascended where he was before now the Apostle he spoke as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Cor. 10.15 16. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And Ver. 17. For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread mark all they that did believe though they were many yet they were one Bread and one Body and were all Partakers of that one Bread which Bread was the Flesh of Christ. Joh. 6 48. I am the Bread of Life And Joh. 6.51 I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this Bread he shall live forever and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World Now I speak unto wise men and let the Wisdom of God in them manifest judge what I say for where the Body of Christ is witnessed and the Flesh of Christ known they know that which all the Figures end in the Manna that God gave no Israel in the Wilderness they dyed that did eat thereof which was as pure a Type of the hidden Manna as lively a Type as Bread outward which was but a Type of the Flesh of Christ and both they that did eat the Manna and they that eat the Bread outward and drank the Cup outward are both dead but he that eats the Flesh of Christ and drinks the Blood lives forever and he that eats the hidden Manna hath overcome Death and lives forever and feeds upon the Bread of Life feeds upon eternal Life Now this is a Mystery to the Papists who are Idolaters who have sprung up in the Apostacy though they have Scriptures as it was to the Jews John 6.52 who strove among themselves and said how can this man give his Flesh to eat And so the Papists who strive about the Flesh of Christ and his Blood and yet have the Scriptures and they say it 's in the Bread and in the Wine after Consecration and so they worship the Imaginations of their own Hearts not discerning the Lords Body and have Killed thousands and taken away the Lives of thousands because they would not confess their Idol to be of God And the Protestants they are setting up the Bread and the Wine and contenting themselves therewith and are making an Idol of it and come not to discern the Body of Christ but one saying he hath a carnal Body and another a Fleshly Body another a Mystical Body and another sayes his Body is divided from his Members and so speak out of thick Darkness their own Imaginations and have no communion with the Body of Christ neither know the Flesh of Christ which is the Bread of Life which is given
practices in the first hundred Years after Christ and if these things be found invented and without footing or Ground then let them that are informed depart from them CHAP III. But now to descend a little further nearer unto our own Age to speak something to them which I believe look upon themselves to be Catholick and Apostolick in Doctrine and Practice according to the Primitive Time and Order and that they are totally come out of the Apostacy THis I have to say to you which is my Judgment and Belief and that upon good Ground that you are in many things in the Apostacy as hereafter I shall demonstrate and to tell you nakedly and plainly we look upon the Reformation which was made in denying the Church of Rome to be but very weak and poor and feeble and imperfect comparatively with the Doctrine and Practice and Order in the primitive times insomuch that we judge upon good Grounds that it cannot be parallel'd with the Church in the primitive Times which I have spoken of before in that you have denyed the Pope to be the Head of the Church and so are called Protestants so am I knowing that Christ is the Head of the Church and ought to rule by his spiritual Scepter and his eternal Power in the Hearts and Consciences of People and in and over the true Church which is his Body whereof he is the Head and let all take heed who do intrude and take upon them that which belongeth to the King of Kings and King of Saints as to matter of Headship Regulation or Government for all power is committed unto him in Heaven and Earth and the Father hath given it to him and will not have any other have that Glory but whosoever seeks it must be condemned and his Glory he will not give to another for the Lamb is worthy of Glory and Strength And though the Church of Rome be generally acknowledged to be in the Apostacy by them that are separated from them and that upon good Ground yet I say the Separation is in some little or small part more in Name then Nature more in Form then in power more in some circumstantial things then in the very Ground it self and very many of these Doctrines practices Diâ—cipline and Order as they call it I find to be upholden practised and contended for which are found in the former I have mentioned First of all to instance that which is generally holden out by the reformed Protestants is that the Writings of Matthew Mark Luke and John and several Epistles is the Gospel which the primitive Disciples and Ministers preached and published and which people did receive and by believing the Sound thereof were accounted Christians and Believers We would have all to know the Gospel was preached to Abraham before Matthew or Mark or any of the Apostles writ a Word Moreover we would have all to know that Christ had preached glad tidings to the captives and some of the Disciples had preached the Word of the Kingdom before Matthew or Mark or Luke or John had wrote a Word my Reasons are divers Matthew Mark Luke and John must needs hear and see that done which they testified of before they writ and if Matthew Mark Luke and John be the Gospel the Writings of them I intend then the Disciples could not preach it before it was given forth and if the Epistles be a part of the Gospel this the Disciples could not preach before it was written for Paul succeeded and was converted after divers of the Apostles had preached the Gospel so then doubtless the Disciples and Apostles had something to say and declare and publish before any of the New-Testament was written and it is manifested that they were not sent out to preach the Law nor the Ordinances of the first Covenant after Christ was offered up the End of the first So then there was something and is something which was preached by them and is to be published now to all that are made Ministers by the holy Ghost and that is in few Words the Power of God which was before the New Testament so called though the Words declare of it but is not it Now they went and discipled in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost which is a Ministry far beyond the written or declarative Sound or indeed is a spiritual and invisible Thing which the Apostle Acts 26.18 declaring his Message which he had received by the holy Ghost saith I was sent to turn them viz. the Gentiles and Jews and them of Arabia and else where he soiourned from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power unto God's Power that they that believed in the Light and received the Power of God which he preached to them might receive Remission of Sins for Remission of Sin was only preached in his Name and there is no Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved but by the Name of Jesus though the Apostles spoke according to the Motion of the Spirit in divers Words calling him the Gift of God the free Gift of Righteousness the unspeakable Gift the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World the Power of God and the Wisdom of God which Wisdom and Power they had received and because the Son of God was revealed in them the Apostle said I am a Debtor to the Jews and the Greeks Rom. 1.14 And he having received 〈◊〉 freely of the Father he went to the Jews and went to the Greeks to the Gentiles and Heathen where the Name of this Gift and Power and Jesus had not been named and published freely without Gifts and Rewards and the Necessity did lye upon him 1 Cor. 9.16 and the Love of Chrâ—st which was shed abroad in his Heart constrained him and made him reckon himself as a Debtor unto all because of the abundant Loving Kindness and Riches of God's Love and Grace and spiritual Gifts which he had received he longed and thirsted and travailed to communicate it unto others Largely I might speak of this hidden Mystery as to demonstrate what the Gospel of Christ was and is but in what I have already said they that are any thing spiritual minded will judge that the Law and the Prophets Matthew Mark Luke and John and the Epistles were not the everlasting Gospel but it was a thing beyond and above and before any of these writings were although they all in their several Ages bore Testimony of it viz. the Power of God which condemns Sin in the Flesh and mortifies the Deeds thereof and gives Victory over it and taketh up all that believe in it into one Life Power and Virtue into pure Peace and heavenly Contentment and perfect Satisfaction So you who are calling the Letter the Gospel or the New Testament writings the Gospel I would ask you a Question also When was there a time since the first hundred Years after Christ or in that time till now that these Words and Writings have
profess themselves to be Christians who dare not stand to Christ's Doctrine and allowance in respect of their Maintenance But in the fulness of time God raised up another Priest Christ Jesus who was not of the Tribe of Levi neither made after a carnal Commandment as the first Priest was neither was he Consecrated after the order of Aaron for he pertained to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar viz. to Judah he obtained a more excellent Ministry and of a greater and more perfect a tabernacle not of the former building he being the Sum and Substance of all shadows under the first Covenant hath thereby put an End to the first Priest-hood with all its shadows and carnal Ordinances and changing the Priest hood which had a command to take Tythes of their Brethren there was a necessity also of the change of the Law and a disannulling likwise of the Commandment which went before Now after Christ Jesus was manifest the end of the Law for Righteousness to them that do believe the End of the Covenant first Priesthood Tabernacle Temple Tythes Offerings Oblations and in a Word all the Worship of the Jews and all their Shadows Types and Figures and representations All the Sabbaths Fasts Feasts and their divers washings and Purifyings which all were but as Shadows of things to come and he was the sum and Substance of them all and ended them all and whosoever will plead a necessity of all or anyone of the former things mentioned in the first Covenant that was faulty Christ profits him nothing and he denyes the Faith of Christ and his Apostles and Ministers for Circumcision was once commanded of God and as real a Type as any other and yet they that would needs hold it up after the Substance was manifest to wit Christ Jesus the Apostle Paul concludes that Christ profits them nothing though he elsewhere calls it the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith unto Abraham which he had before he was Circumcised The like I also say of all the former Ordinances which pertained to the first Priest-hood and Covenant and holds them up as of necessity denyes the Faith of Christ and Christ profits them nothing and do make themselves thereby as debtors to the whole Law and he that fails in the breach of one is guilty of all Therefore of how much necessity is it for them that do profess Christ and the Faith that was delivered to the Saints to stand fast in that liberty wherein Christ hath made them free and not to be entangled with the Yoak of Bondage but to keep the Ordinances and Commands of Christ unviolated for that they lay claim to Tythes and would cause us to pay Tythes they themselves do not keep the Law but would constrain us that they might glory in our Flesh and would confound the Ordinances of the first and second Covenant together without putting any difference to the time and ministration unto which they did belong The Apostles and Ministers of Christ who were made partakers of the Divine Nature and of the Word of Reconciliation did not look back nor draw People back to the former Ordinances of the Jews and their Priest-hood but testified against them their Temples Fasts Feasts and New-Moons and for these things Paul and Stephen and divers others suffered great Persecution and Christ the everlasting high Priest though he was the Son of God the Heir of all things and the first born of every Creature and the Bishop of Souls though he was the Lord of all he made himself of no reputation nor did not lay claim to the Possessions of the World but said The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his Head He laid no claim to Tenths nor Offerings nor Oblations neither to Lands where he travelled in the Work of the Father though he laboured for the conversion of Souls in divers places as the true Bishop thereof He laid no claim to any such Places as to be his Diocess neither did look for any gifts and rewards from any place but as he was sent of the Father and was the free gift of Righteousness he ministred freely and likewise when he sent out his Disciples and gave them Commission to Teach all Nations and Disciple them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost he said unto them As my Father sent me so send I you And again Freely you have received freely give And again Take with you neither Staff nor scrip nor Money nor Brass in your purses but into what House or City ye enter enquire who therein is worthy and abide ye there till you go thence And whatsoever is set before you that do you eat and drink for the Labourer is worthy of his meat And though he sent them out as is before said when they returned again he said unto them Lacked ye any thing And they said Nay Though they were sent out as Sheep among Wolves yet they preaching the Word of the Kingdom freely and turned People to Christ the new and living Way whereby there Hearts were opened to Minister unto them which serv'd for their necessity in the Work of the Gospel they did not desire or require any Stipend Sallary Augmentation or settled Maintenance but were Ministred unto them only by them who had believed their report and were made Partakers of Spiritual things they never complained of want nor never had any cause nor did not give over Preaching of the Gospel because they had not settled Maintenance like our latter Generation of Priests who if their Maintenance do cease their Gospel ceaseth which demonstrates only they minister for Hire and filthy Lucre and so are out of the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for the Apostles they often denyed that which was freely proferred them lest they should make the Gospel of Christ chargeable and their Work of no Effect Here was no Tythes spoken of that we read on commanded or commended either to the Jews or Gentiles who believed in the Age of the Apostles that we find mentioned either in Scripture or any other Ancient Records And after many Christians were converted unto the Faith such was the liberality and bounty of believers in the Beginning of Christianity that their bounty to the Evangelical Priesthood was so large as that it far exceeded what the tenth could have been or if you look to the first of the Apostles times then the unity of Heart among them about Jerusalem was such that all was in common and none wanted And as many as were possessors of Lands and Houses sold them and brought the price of that which was sold and laid it at the Apostles Feet and it was distributed to every man according as he had need So the whole Church both Ministers and Believers liv'd in common of that which was freely brought in and ministred for the Service of the
before-mentioned and see if thou canst receive them because the Church of Rome saith they are true and must not be questioned for if thou do thou art like to come under a hard censure by the verdict of R. E. and his Catholick Church first to be reckoned as an Unbeliever secondly to be a Hater of God and thirdly in not believing these Miracles or whatsoever else shall be declared unto thee by the said Church or else thou comest under no less Penalty then Eternal Damnation as R. E. saith in the 80th page of his Epistle but it is a small thing to be judged by man and especially such a man who hath gadded abroad and changed his way so oft so that he hath forgotten the true Path of Righteousness to walk in or else never knew it and hath turned and wheeled about and now at last doth as the poor Indian doth with his Deer-skin hangs it upon one Shoulder and so upon the other shoulder to shelter him from the Wind and Tempest that comes of that side But the day is dawned and mens Spirits are discovered beyond their Words and all the turnings and wheelings of things upside down is but as the Potter's Clay for God measures every man not by his Words but by his Heart and Spirit and Works and will judge every one in Righteousness according to their deeds And R. E. goes on as confident that his Arguments and Reasons laid down have prevailed and almost takes its for granted that it must needs be evident to all that the Roman Church is the true Church and saith He knows but one single Point between the Catholicks and them that stand divided from them and that is saith he That we follow a several Rule to Guide and Judge in the great affairs of Faith for all sides are bound to believe all Truth sufficiently propounded to them to be revealed of God and therefore if the presence of Christ in the Sacrament Purgatory Worshipping of Images Invocation of Saints and Prayer to the Dead and for the Dead If these or any other Point of Faith be sufficiently propounded by denying them God's Veracity is denyed and God thereby made a Lyar. The difference stands betwixt you and them that are divided from you in more particulars then thou art aware of or ever wilt be able sufficiently to propound them to be revealed of God though it is true some are divided from you in Circumstantials and Ceremonies and some others in some points of Faith and Worship yet some deny you in the very ground though 't is true the different Rule by which each party are directed is a great and a main thing Thou sayest This Cathâ—lick Church is the Rule but I say and am not alone that Christ is the Way to the Father and the Way to the Kingdom and the Rule and Means by which his Church is Governed and he is the Law giver and the Judge and all Judgment is committed to the Son and it is he alone that propounds Truth sufficiently and they that are in him are new Creatures and that which is the New-Creature Rule Guide and Judge is the Rule Guide and Judge of the Church of God and Christ is the Author of Faith and it is nothing that avails any thing with God but the New-Creature and as many as walk according to this Rule Peace is to them Gal. 3.16 And Christ hath not left his People without a Guide for he said Lo I am with you to the End of the World so as to commit the guidance thereof to fallible men who may assume Authority without his Power and to fasten those things upon God as to be revealed from him when the Lord hath spoken nothing and we are so far from looking that the main grounds that thou lâ—yest down to prove your Church to be this Rule Guide the many Doctrines propounded by you are not sufficiently propounded to be revealed of God but rather they are the Imaginations of your own Brain and things packt up since the Apostles dayes by different Popes and different Mutations and Alterations in your Church â—or filthy Lucres sake and so to deny them is not to deny God's Veracity neither to make God a Lyar as thou falsely sayest but thou and you are the Lyars as to propound those things to be revealed from God and to be received by all under pain of Damnation when God hath revealed no such thing but the contrary and so thy own Words at last shall turn to be thy burden because thou sayest the Lord saith and hath revealed and sufficiently proposed the real presence of Christ in your Sacrament of the Altar as a divine Revelation Worshipping of Images Prayer to the dead and for the dead and all â—hese foolish Imaginations which you have brought in and introduced and thrust upon People by force and these are sufficiently propounded as thou sayest as divine Revelations and the Father Son and Holy Ghost or the incarnation of Christ Silence deceit and for shame blush so to say the Prophets who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and Prophesied of things to come they declared of the Father Son and Holy Ghost all and prophesied long before that a Virgin should bring forth a Son whose Name should be called Emanuel God with us and the Government should be upon his Shoulders This the Pope hath usurped and you put it upon his Shoulders but your invented Doctrines aforesaid are meerly the Imaginations of your own Brain which neither the Prophets nor Apostles bore Witness unto but against And therefore it is thy and your great Presumption to make God Christ and Apostles the Foundation of all this Rubbish Straw and Stubble which thou would'st put off as divine Revelation and as sufficiently proposed as the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles was nay blush for shame they brought in the Prophets for the Peoples sake to prove that they had testified of the same before and had declared the coming of the Just One besides they commended themselves to the Witness of God in every man's Conscience and upon waiting upon the Lord and in the measure of his Spirit they found the things even so and by searching the Scriptures as the Bereans did found the things even so as had been declared of but upon due consideration we find not these foresaid doctrines so propounded as to have the Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles neither doth your Doctrine and Worship answer the Witness of God in every mans Conscience and so to deny you is not to make God a Lyar but God true the Prophets and Apostles and the Witness of God true and you Lyâ—rs who contradict them and their Testimony and the Power of God and would assume it to your selves though you be erred from the Spirit and would put all under the Name of Infallibility and by such Heavenly Arguments as R. E. calls them to wit the Miracles aforesaid by which you have deceived
rest of the People that buy yet our Merchandize that he holds hereticall Opinions and despises the Ministry and the Ordinances and the Doctrines of our reformed Churches or if any say That the Spirit of the Lord is a sufficient Teacher to lead his People into all Truth without outward Means as natural learning Hebrew Greek and Latin and the ancient Fathers and old Authors and so make void all our Arts and Parts which are the Foundation of our Divinity then let us cry in the Ears of all the People and in the Ears of the Rulers and the Powers of the Earth that this is Blasphemy and Error and ought to be supprest And furthermore if any shall say That he believes he shall be made free from Sin in this Life by the effectual working of Chrâ—st the mighty Power of God which condemns Sin in the Flesh and destroyes the Works of the Devil then let us cry Heresie and Blasphemy and let us tell them that the holiest that ever were upon the Earth sinned and that the Body of Sin was uncut down in them and let us prove it by Paul's Words he complained of a Body of Sin and was never in any other Condition while he lived upon the Earth and so it may be we shall keep them in Blindness that they will continue and trade with us and if any say They are come to the Baptism of the Spirit the one Baptism into which all the Saints were â—aptized in which all other Baptisms end and so being come to this deny all the Figures and the Baptism of Infants then let us cry out that they are Sectaries and deny the Ordinance of God Infants-Baptism and let us give them some Scripture how that Christ took up little Children in his Arms and blessed them and how he hid his Disciples go out into all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and may be with an Inference or two or two or three Consequences raised from this and the like Scriptures we shall make their Eye blind that we shall put off this counterfeit Ware yet a little while And if any shall deny our Church or Chappel and call it an Holâ— Temple which God never commanded to be built then let us bring some Scriptures how that God commanded a Temple to be built at Jerusalem and how the Jews had Synagogues and how God commanded Store-houses to be built for God's Service and Worship and it may be such a Proof as this will satisfie them that they will come to our Shop another Time at the Hour appointed for the Sale of our Wares when the Marke-Bell rings and the Wares are ready to be set out and so by this Means we may hold on our Trade a while And if any shall deny David's Psalms to be sung in Rhime and Meeter and with Organs and Pipes to be an Ordinance of God in Gospel Times then let us bring them some Scriptures and some Fathers and tell them in the Church of Corinth that he that had a Psalm might sing and it may be they will know no Difference between a Psalm which was given forth by the Spirit the Psalm which is gotten by Tradition from another and let us bring a Proof out of Revelations That they that were redeemed from the Earth played upon the Harps and sung a new Song and it may be they will see no Difference between them that are in the Earth and them that are redeemed from the Earth and so we may keep up this still as an Ordinance invented by our Mother Mystery Babylon And let this be agreed amongst us now when many of us are assembled together whose Lively-hood and Riches stand only in the merchandizing of our Mother Church that to whatsoever Place we sail in our Ships if any be heard to say That the Spirit of the Lord ought to move first before any Teacher Minister or Believer ought to pray that so they may pray with the Spirit and in the Spirit in publick and in private whether with many or few that so without the Spirit none can be edified let us all agree to this that it be voted down as an Error and let us do what in us lyes to prove from Scripture that set Forms of Prayer are lawful and are an Ordinance of God and let us bring the Lord's Prayer called by our Mother-Church the Pater noster and see what that will do and also Hosea 14.2 Take with you Words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away our Iniquity and receive us graciously so with a Deduction from these and the like Scriptures we may happily prove that a set Form of Words invented by our Church or any of us that trade with her Merchandize that this is an Ordinance of God and ought to be practised publickly and privately and is accepted with God although the People have not received the Spirit as they had in the primitive Times and if this will not satisfie then use some prevalent Argument as our reverend Brother and Fellow-merchant with us Mr. Samuel Bolton in the like Case in Hand used this forcible Argument Though you cannot command the Wind said he yet you may spread your Sails and see what such an Argument as this will do but if they will not be content with this as it may be they will not in England Scotland Ireland and Holland and some other Parts who are more quick-sighted then some other Places where we merchandize if we cannot stand it out against them that none can pray to God aright but he that is come to the Spirit and knows by the Signification of it what to ask then let us grant them the thing if we cannot help it if Common-prayer Forms of Prayer will not go off as they use to do amongst our Customers then let us agree to them but let that be the last Shift that without Faith or the Spirit it is impossible to be accepted or heard of God yet before this be granted let us strive as much as in us lyes by forcible Arguments from the Scripture if so be they will not allow the Authority of ancient Fathers nor of our Cannon-Books how that there is a Platform laid down in Scripture and the general Heads of true Prayer are laid down in an Orthodox Method in the Scriptures that is to say Confession Petition Intercession Supplication with giving of Thanks and if this will not stave them off from speaking so much of Prayer by the Spirit and with Understanding for iâ— will be a grievous thing if we let this Ordinance fall of set Form of Prayer which our Mother Mystery Babylon hath allowed so many Years and raâ—â—fied and confirmed in several great Councils as Nice and Lateran and divers others and if nothing will serve them but Prayer by the same Spirit as was in the primitive times before we lose them quite let us grant it them in Words that Prayer by the Spirit
Saying was true then which was spoken by Christ the Power many Generations after I in them and thou in me and all was perfect in one the Father was in the Power the Power was in the Father and all the Creatures in the Power now was the Father glorified now was the Son glorified now was man in Dominion in Power crowned with Honour Lord over all the Works that God had made in the Power and now the whole Family both of Heaven and earth bowed their Knees to the Lamb to the Power and this was then fulfilled At the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow both of Things in heaven and Things in Earth and his Name was now the Word of God and this was in the Beginning and the Word of God is the power of God and now both the caelestial Bodies and the terrestrial Bodies were all subject to the Power and all the Works of the Lord's Hands were finished and he rested and all things both in Heaven and earth rested in the Power and all kept holy Day and rejoyced Though the Heavens and the Earth were created and all things wrought and finished yet the World was not begun that lay in Wickedness which the Devil is the God of neither was the Power which is Christ the Mystery hid neither was the Lamb slain yet Now after all was made and created and were good and blessed and endued with Power Life and Vertue according to the Purpose of his heavenly Will which is eternally pure yet was not the Lamb slain nor the Mystery hid which is the Power which is Christ for what should slay him or what should hide him he that reads let him understand this that I speak of cannot be reached to with that Wisdom that stands in time which was not in the Beginning with God that is shut out but the wise in Heart shall understand Knowledge and the prudent shall know what hath been in the Beginning and of his wonderful Works in the Dayes of old and of the Mystery which was before the World began when the Lamb was in Glory the Son in Glory Christ in Glory the first born of every Creature and was born before the World began he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear when all that God had made and brought forth by the Word by the Power was blessed and stood in the Power then did the Lamb sit in his Throne then was he the Delight of God and God in him and all that was made by him rejoyced in him here was Love here was Glory here was Purity Unity and a sweet Harmony Joy Peace Love eternal Life God's Power ran through all all was good Christ was not now hid he shed himself abroad and all things were Partakers of his Power in which they were made here was Happiness Blessedness Joy Dominion everlasting and eternal Felicity Innocency Purity and Perfection and man in it God in it the Lamb in it man in it after his own Image the Mystery of Godliness was not hid there was nothing to hide it or overshadow it no Vail no Covering but Righteousness was manifest and was the Covering of all Innocency the Cloathing of all Purity the Robe of all and Life the dwelling Place of all and all the Works of his Hands rested with the Father with the Lamb with the Word with the Power with Christ in Glory with the Father in the eternal Glory whereby all was upheld in Purity Unity Harmony answering the pure Will of God and man had Power to answer the Will of his Maker which he received from God the Father of Life by the Power in which he was made and to abide in the Will of God forever and herein he and all things in Heaven and the whole Family thereof and all the holy Host of God bowed to the Lamb's Power and he reigned and the Angels were subject to the first-born of every Creature before the Angels or before any thing was made he was his Age who can declare or his Generation his Age runs parallel with Eternity with Immortality came from the eternal Womb and from the Bosome of the Father where he is even where he was before the World began he that reads let him understand now the Power ruling in all and over all all were in Peace and was blessed Now the Angel stood in his Power moved in his Power and all the caelestial Bodies went in and out at his Command and moved not nor stirred not but when he moved and this was then fulfilled let all the Angels worship him and so they did reverenced him and were subject to him sang and rejoyced in him triumphed in his Power and all the holy Host moved at his Command and marched on in his Strength to perform his Will and to accomplish his everlasting Purpose and to fulfil his eternal Decree and gave Glory to him who sate upon the Throne of Righteousness and judged in Righteousness forever and ruled in Righteousness forever there was Joy in Heaven the Father rejoyced the Son rejoyced the Angels rejoyced the Morning Stars sang the Sons of God shouted for Joy the holy Host gave Praise and all praised in the Firmament of his Power in which they stood moved walked lived and accomplished the pure perpetual and eternal Decree of their Maker Moreover the terrestrial Bodies were all subject to him he reigned in all over all moved all gave Life to all and was the Life of Adam of the Male and the Female and then was this fulfilled even then which was spoken in time though by him who was before all time who was the Life of all things I say he lived then and because he lived Man lived also for he was his Life now Christ the Power reigned over all and all in the Lamb's Power were subject in a sweet Harmony answering the pure Will of their Lord their King that lived forever who was upon his Throne in the Heavens and now his Kindgom was over all there was Joy in Heaven there was Peace on Earth the good Will of God was done in Earth as it was in Heaven Oh beautiful oh glorious oh comely oh admirable oh incomprehensible was the Glory my Tongue cannot express and time would fail me to declare the eternal Excellency which God hath revealed by his Spirit and that which I see is not lawful now for me to utter now were no Mountains nor Hills to hide the Mystery but it shined upon all in all over all and above all was not hid as I said there was now no hiding Place that could or did overshadow the Mystery of Godliness for the Eyes of all things looked upon him whether Caelestial or Terrestrial and all and every thing according to its Kind rejoyced in the Light of his Countenance and of his Power was glad and gloried in him for then there was not another he that can hear let him Now the Earth rejoyced and the Floods clapped their Hands now the great
but it called it self by the best Name as for the Priests of Scotland their Doctrine and Practice is made manifest and their Reformation by their Principles which I refer the Reader to intituled The Principles of the Priests of Scotland their Reformation and discipline is nearly related to the Spanish Inquisition for their Doctrine they say Grace is not free and Faith is not without Sin and the Letter is the word of God and that they are Cursed that say there is Light within which will lead up to God and as one said although it meant Christ and if any will not submit to their words and conform to their Practice and Traditions then they call a Counsel together as their fore-fathers at Trent and pronounce him a Heretick and within these few Years Banished them or else took their whole substance outward from them and if any out of Conscience could not submit unto their Invented Tradition then if he ever came to have any converse with them again he must have a Pennance before he could get an Indulgence from them like the Pope and furthermore if any deny them because they are out of the Doctrine of Christ and are contrary to the Scripture then as I said they Excommunicate them and charge all People neither to buy nor sell nor eat nor drink with them nor work for them and so the Beasts Power is exercised compelling to come to their Mass-houses and as for the denying the Bishops then you have denyed your Fathers that begat you and Ordained you then you have no Ordination but may be you have Cryed so for setling your Gospel you have got a Committee to ordain you or one Company to lay Hands on another but when receive ye the holy Ghost Oh that is an error in your Church but are not you got into the old Cathedrals so called and into the Steeple-houses and the old Mass-houses and where you had may be 20 Pounds or Forty in the Year now you have gotten a Hundred it may be two here 's Reformation indeed well we must needs remember you of your race and Stock the Apostates since the Apostles dayes and the former Practices which is found among the old Protestants and Papists is among you and you are still Drunk with the whore's Cup and are crying for Cain's Weapons to guard you well I say you are part of the Dragon's Tail that draws to the Earth and to the Pit which will be the end of all Idolaters and Apostates except they come to Repent And as for the Independants Churches so called you are a Branch of the same Root you have declared against the Bishops and court Prelates and said they were in error and many of you declared against them for Pluralists because they had too great Benefits and declared against Tythes as to be Anti-christian and whoso received Tythes denyed Christ come in the Flesh who are wheeled about and now take them your selves and Creep into the old Mass-houses and have taken that up which you condemned in others and so have made your former Testimony void and all sober People see your Hypocrisie and Deceit who have gathered a company together which you call Select People or Members of your Church and you exclude the rest who have as good right to your Ordinance as you for they profess Christ in Words as you do And yet you will receive their means whom you judge not capable of your Ordinance and your Church will no more maintain you then it would maintain them that you have denyed in Words if you had not the Beasts Power to compel your Vineyard would Starve you your Gospel and your Preaching is one with the former and the People is the same in Nature they were before you have got Bishops Lands Augmentations and Stipends more large then your fore-fathers had for the most part and sue Men at the Law and hale them before Judgments Seats and take away their Goods whom you loook upon to be in error yet this stands as good with you as any Article of your Faith to force to compel to Sue to hale into Prison to take away their Goods and get a Scripture for your Cover and say He that Preacheth the Gospel must live of the Gospel and them that neither hear you nor receive you neither believe your Gospel yet you conclude it 's lawful to take their Goods and if you cannot get them hale the party into Prison are not you drinking still the Whore's cup and do not you follow the Beast and do not you own that Law to be Just that compels People to pay Money to you who deny your Ministry and are none of your Sheep and are not your Ordinances and Worship Imitated Things from the Scripture the Saints words and yet out of their Life and Practice are not you in the Apostacy have you not your Profession and Confession of Faith to make year after year as the Magistrate changes doth not this Evidence that you are Unstable and are yet in the Waters upon which the whore Sits and situated in Babylon the Mother of Harlots who yet makes you Drunk and that makes all the Filth and Vomit appear in the Earth that Stains the Earth and your Idols corrupt the Earth all Separates under what Name soever who have not denyed the Ground of Apostacy but are in the Apostacy for all Sects since the Apostles dayes have taken up some part and left another since the Life hath been lost and the Power lost all hath been in the Idolatry and the Protestants who have denyed the Papists yet they have not denyed them in the Ground of their worship but have retained some part and have kept some part of their worship and all Sects sprung out of the Protestants in them all there is some part remaining for they have not denyed the Ground of the worship set up in the Apostacy the Whore's cup is Drunk of and the Dragon hath Power which sought to destroy the man-Child and made war with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman who was Clothed with the Sun you all stick yet in Babylon and the best of you all are but yet in the Suburbs thereof For since the Apostles dayes their Foundation hath been either Traditions Imitations Inventions of their own or Borrowed things from the Jews in the first Covenant or at the best the Letter hath been the ground of their Faith and their Foundation which they have twined and translated this way and that according to the wit and Reason of every particular Sect and Opinion and according to the understanding of their private Spirits now all these buildings and Towers that mâ—n have builded up in the Apostacy they would fasten upon the writings of the holy men of God and so have raised an Imagination of their own and so would have the Scripture prove what they say and the writings of the Apostles theâ— all call the Gospel and the word of Faith and the Light
up for all your Weapons are but carnal and that which wrestles with Flesh and Blood which the true Church wrestles not with nor with Creatures but with spiritual wickedness and Principalities and powers of Darkness in the Creature and threw that down and saved the Creature alive and redeemed it who was in Captivity Oh sottish Children when will you learn Wisdom and when will you hearken to reproof of Instruction which is the way to Life but remember this the Beast shall be taken alive with the false Prophet and them that have wrought Miracles before him and then shall be cast into the Lake of Fire They pretend to act from an Infallible Light within them and profess Perfection in Degrees in this Life and publish smart Invectives against Ministers who teach the contrary Answ. We pretend to nothing but to that which God hath given us through his free Mercy which we have a true Right unto having received him as the Father hath tendered him to be a Light to open our Eyes and to be a Leader unto us and all his People and to be God's Salvation even to the Ends of the Earth to them that receive him and he is that infallible Light which the Father sent into the World that all men through him might believe and he is the true Light that lightneth every man though every man hath not received him the Fault is not in the Giver nor in the Gift but in them that will not receive and he that is the Life of all men hath lighted every Man that cometh into the World and he is in us our Hope and our Glory the Riches of the Gentiles and the Riches of all them that do believe he is our VVay and our Life and Peace I say all Glory unto him forever though thou debasest him and settest him thus at nought and for his sake we can bear Reproaches and become Fools in that we have obtained that in which true VVisdom stands and Life eternal And what is this Heterodox to profess Perfection of Degrees in this Life is not this Orthodox Used not you and do not you generally hold Perfection in Part or Parts and is not that which is perfect in Parts perfect in Degrees He that feels Victory over one Sin by Christ the Power of God hath not he some Part in that which is perfect and of that which is perfect And if he witnesses Victory over more is not he come to a greater Degree or Degrees of the Life which is perfect And he that knows the Blood that cleanseth from all Sin is not he perfect and compleat in him who hath made him so But art thou so offended at Perfection that thou dost not admit of any Part or Parts Degree or Degrees thereof that thou set'st this down as a Blasphemy And it 's time indeed to reprove you sharply who are puffed up in Pride and know nothing who teach contrary to the perfect Life of Christ or any Degree or Degrees thereof to be attained unto thou art perfect in VVickedness and a perfect Minister of Anti-Christ a perfect Heathen and it's time to bear Testimony against you lay you open your Deceit in the Sight of the Sun that them that have but the least glimering of the Light may behold you a pitiful Church is that like to be which thou art Pastor of by Appointment of the General Court who cryest out against any Degree of the perfect Life of Christ in this Life to be obtained or enjoyed a Minister of Sin a Minister of Satan and Unrighteousness that is thy Name own it In the ninth page thou art going about to prove thy Trinity as thou callest it and thou say'st The Father is a distinct suâ—sistance and the Son is a distinct Subsistance and the Holy Ghost is a distinct Subsistance and thou bringest John 5. There is another bears Witness likewise speaking of the Holy Ghost he calls him another and this another thou say'st is intelligible of the Essence and then say'st What is more manifest then another Subsiâ—tance and another Subsistance speaks distinct Subsistances and thou say'st The Spirit is called the Band of Trinity Answ. Another is not understood of another being of another Life or another Substance but is understood of another Manifestation or Operation of the same God who subsists in the same Power in which the Father the Son and the Spirit subsist as I said unto thee before another as to distinguish of the Operation and Work of the Spirit and of the Son we do not refuse but to make three distinct Essences and Beings is Ignorance and Error as thou say'st Another is intelligible of the Essence and so thou hast made three Essences three Subsistances three Persons and three Gods but we say there is but one God and there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one Now as for Subsistance and Essence they are unsound Words coined of your selves from your dark Imaginations in which there is no Truth at all but to cast a Mist Now where the Holy Ghost is called a Person in the Scripture I have never read and where it is called The Band of Trinity I have never heard of before thee and so thy blind ignorant Conclusions and Sophistical arguing will have little Place with them that are come to know the Teachings with the Spirit and also keep to a Form of sound Words which thou canst not And thou say'st He that sendeth and he that is sent are distinct and so the Father sending the Son and the Son sent of the Father and the Father and the Son sending the Spirit and the Spirit sent by the Father and tho Son are distinct Subsistances and not the same He that sends and he that is sent may be distinguished but he that sendeth and him that is sent are not so distinct and afar off one another but that him that sendeth is with him that is sent and so God was in Christ reconciling the World and then how were they distinct one from the other and by him were all things made and Christ was not so distinct or afar off at a distance when the Heavens and the Earth were made so that it is truly said without him nothing was made that was made and the Spirit of God which may be distinguished in Regard of its Operation yet it was not absent or distinct from the Father and the Son in the Creation neither is absent from the Son in the Regeneration or Work of Redemption And then in thy Answer to an Objection which thou makest thy self How the Doctrine of Life was communicated vocally by the Patriarchs but it is not so now and in thy Answer thou say'st The Scripture is not necessary absolutely but it being God's Will to communicate Life through the Scripture hence the Scripture is necessary and then thou say'st Not the Letter without the Mind of the Author nor the
a Company of wild Bears rending and tearing and stop Gloves and Napkins and bind Keys over their Mouthes that they may not speak the Word of Truth amongst yâ—u contrary to Primitive Order And as for the Doctrine of the Quakers many who know it better then thee know it to be dâ—structive to nâ—â—hiâ—g but to the Doctrine of Anti-christ and such ungodly Doctrines as thou hast laid down in this Book as that that Light which Christ hath enlightned every one withal is gross Darkness and worse then gross Darkness and that the Supper of the Lord is a visible Political Ordinance and suâ—h black Doctrines as these our Doctrines are destuctive unto And further thou goest on and tellest The Work against Order is Policy against Policy the Policy of Hell against the Policy of Heaven Answ. It seems your Order stands in Policy both in your Church and State and in Craft Fraud and Deceit and thou judged that Heâ—ven stands in Policy too but he that sits in Heaven laughs you to Scorn with all your Deceit and Policy And now thou comest to thy Proof and say'st That Doctrine that denyes Obedience to Magistracy in his due Subject in Effect denyes the Order of Magistracy but their Doctrine denyes Obedience to Magistracy in its due Subject therefore their Doâ—â—rine denyes the Order of Magistracy Answ. The Major and Minor are both false for we own Magistracy in its due Subject which stands in the Power of God and in the higher Power and that which leads into Order and out of Confusion and Destruction and thou must not think to fasten Stork and Munâ—er upon us for thy Proof what they did stands upon their Account and not upon ours and that mischievous Spirit of thine is that which presseth on the Magistrate to abuse his power and to intrude into those Things which belong not to him to keep up your confused Babel which thou callest a Political Church which must all be scattered with the Breath of his Mouth and with the Brightness of his coming whom thou yet judgest to be gross Darkness In thy 18th page and in the 44th page thou speak'st That visible Political Church Church-Officers and Church-Ordinances are Gospel Institutâ—ons appointed by Christ to continue to the End of the World and that Command which Paul gave to Timothy is to be kept and that visible Political Church Estate is to continue to the End of the World Answ. I see thou art ignorant of God Christ Heaven Church Church-Officers Ordinances and Institutions the Churches of Christ were established by and in the Power of God and the Ministers thereof ministred walked and ruled in the Power of God and the Ordinances and Institutions of the true Church of God are pure and spiritual but the Church that thou art pleading for the Continuation thereof is a Political Church Political Ordinances Political Officers Political Institutions Political Pastors and Teachers the Lord's Supper a Political Ordinance Bâ—ptism a Political Ordinance the spiritual Counsâ—l which Paul gave to Timothy about the Elders of the Church and about the Holy Practice which they were to walk in and the godly Conversation this thou calls Political nay furthermore thou saist Heaven stands in Policy and in thy fourth Chap. say'st To Christ belongs the Prerogative of being the only Politician these and the like damnable Doctrines and Heresies thou hast uttered forth and these must be proved from the first of Tim. 3.15 and Chap. 4. did Paul when he wrote to Timothy when he gave him direction about Elders and such as took care of the Church of God did he say a Bishop is a Political Officer and must be blameless or did he say a Deacon is a Political Officer and must be grave And therefore Reader thou may'st read these Scriptures 1 Tim. 9.14 1 Cor. 14.33 and thou maist see this Sophister and this man that is void of understanding who cryeth up the Scripture for a Rule of Life and yet holds such a Church such Pastors such Officers such Ordinances such Institutions which the Scripture makes no mention of and therefore this man having made a Monstrous Body a Politick Church he imagines a Head like it and therefore Blasphemously saith Christ is the greatest Politician much I need not say unto this black Dark stuff which is to be confounded which is imaginary and Deceit which the wrath of God must scatter but this I say to thee there were no Officers in the Church of Christ but they were Ministers made so by the Spirit and were made so by the Holy Ghost and were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and some were Elders and Ruled in the Church and Churches which was Sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus and these were spiritual and not Political but thou hast cleared and quitted your selves from being any such Church and that which you call the Sacrament which thou callst Visible and Political and bringst 1 Cor. 12. for thy proof did Paul say as often as ye eat this Political Bread and drink this Visible Political Cup shew forth the Lord's Death till he come and did Christ when he sent his Disciples to Preach and to Baptize in the 28th of March 16. which thou plead must continue until the end of the World did he send them and say go and Teach and Preach the visible and Politick Word of the Kingdom and Baptize them with visible Political Water and that this should continue to the End of the World And little marvel if the Throne of Satan be exalted among you and such Ministers as thou who Ministers deceit and Unrighteousness and Ungodliness art set to be a Teacher and appointed so by the General Court who canst not speak a Form of sound Words but like a Phylosopher a Star-gazer an Astrologian or a Stage-player which them that read thy Book will see thy Tract frothed with such black dark Sentences which are like Enchantments As for Beckold and Knipperdâ—lling and Quintinius and Poquius thou mightst have taken up thy Pen ere now and not have brought all this rambling stuff out of the History of the Germans which thou wouldst cast upon our Backs the Bishops used to cast it upon your Backs and you upon the Baptists backs but now we must bear all and thou in Envy unto us that thereby thou mightst represent us Odious to the World hast made them all Quakers and saist they are our Predecessours take them to thy self and joyn them to your Political Church and your Political Ordinances and your Politick Doctrines which is of the same Nature with theirs which you maintain and uphold with carnal Weapons as they did theirs And last of all thou art coming to the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion under the Gospel and thou saist Notwitstanding manifold Evils prevail and the Wiles of the Devil are great and malignant and Heresie which is a horrid aspect yet thou saith There is Balm in Gilead a Physician
from that time forward began Jesus to shew unto his Disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many Things and be Kill'd and rise again the third Day So that it is manifest that here was distance of time and space betwixt Peter Confession of Christ and of his rebuking of him however the Unbelief was gotten up in Peter and he that had need to be taught came to be a Rebuker of him who was a Teacher this was another State then the former but of these things R. I. is ignorant and let the Serpent feed upon Dust for I desire to give him no other food And further R. I. saith Though Saints Sin not Devil-like unto Death yet if any man say he hath not sinned after the Similitude of Adam ' s Transgression he saith John is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him for when all is done the best men are Men still and the best Earth is Earth ever and will bear Nettles and Brambles and if these things were well considered by F. H. he would not accuse me and E. D. for pleading for Sin or Satan for we plead against those who say they have no Sin Answ. This R. I. is so in love with Sin that by his Arguments which he makes one would judge that he accounts it as necessary as his 〈◊〉 food and these are strange kind of Saints that R. I. would make at the best they are still but sinners and unsanctified but they that are called to be Saints who are begotten by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus they are sanctified and made clean through the washing of Regeneration and through the Sanctification of God's holy Spirit which dwelleth in them by which they have Power to mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh and to overcome and to be made Partakers of the Promises but here lies the difference in R. I. his Account betwixt his Saints and his Sinners The Sinners sin Devil-like yet the Saints sin not Devil-like I say they that sin are in one Nature notwithstanding R. I. his blind Distinctions for they that sin are liker the Devil then God and liker his Image then God's Image for God's Image consisteth in Righteousness and true Holiness and the Devil's Image consisteth in Unrighteousness Sin and Unholiness and now Reader thou mayest judge whose Image R. I. his Saints bear and if thou be one that canst plead against them who are born of God and sin not and who are cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Christ then R. I. will ranck thee with E. D. and himself in his Bead-row of Saints as he calls it And if any man say he hath not sinned after the Similitude of Adam 's transgression he is saith John a Lyar Nay it is R. I. that saith it and not John and so R. I. is the Lyar for the Scripture saith on this wise Rom. 5.14 Death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the Similitude of Adam 's Transgression so that it is manifest that there were many that Death reigned over and yet they sinned not after the similitude of Adam's Transgression but this R. I. will accuse every man with whom he hath a mind to quarrel and will not only teâ—l Lyes himself but publish false Doctrine but he will bring the Saints for his Author and John saith not if any man say he hath no Sin And thou that saeyst when all is done the best men and the best Earth will bear Nettles and Brambles and Pricks as I said to E. D. so I may to thee thou hast given thy Verdict for the Devil and not for God and his Saints for They that are born of God sin not and they that are cleansed by the Blood of Christ from all Sin and are clear in his Sight and are kept by his immortal Word which dwells in them that the Evil one touch them not but have overcome the Wicked one and the best Earth is that wherein righteousness dwells which R. I. is altogether a Stranger to and that brings forth no Bryars nor Brambles Nettles nor Pricks for that Grâ—und is curst so this man by his devilish Doctrine hath made the coming of Christ of none effect and the Blood of Christ of none effect and so hath denied the Work of Redemption to the best of Men and Deliverance to the Creature who hath travailed in pain This Dreamer is far contrary to the Prophet Danâ—â— who saw by the Spirit of prophecy which this R. I so deadly hates both in men and Women that if it be not allowed of by such as he iâ— mâ—st 〈◊〉 speak nor they by it this Prophet I say testified of the coming of the just one and of his Work that he should make an End of â—in 〈…〉 Tâ—anâ—gression and bring in everlasting righteousness but saith R. I. Thâ— best Men are Men still and the best Earth Earth ever and the best Saints Sinners though they siâ— not Devil-like and Nettles and Brambles and Pricks they 〈◊〉 all bring forth Now if this Doctrine be true how is the Soul 〈…〉 of Death and where is the restauration of the Creature from under the Bondage of Corruption and where is the redemption of the Seed which is Heir of the Promise Nettles Brambles and Bryars cumber the ground and choak the Seed and these things F. H. hath well considered and I see more and more that thou art a Pleader for Sin and Satâ—n and imperfection for a Spirit of Error for Images Pictures and Crosses for Cuffs Ribbons and Lace for Nettles Brambles and Bryâ—rs and art a Man that doth lay claim to the utmost Borders of the Devils Kingdom and a greater Servant of his Master I have not met with long whose Reward will be according to his Works And the Lye being the cheif cognisance of his Master in which he greatly glories in he goes on and saith Another Error of the Quakers is they do not believe the Scriptures to be true because they deny them to be the Word of God for if they believe what the Scriptures say of themselves and they say of themselves that they are the Word of God and for his proof he cites Mark 7.13 Rom. 10.8 2. Câ—r 2.17 1 Pet. 1.25 Answ. The Scripture we own to be true and whatsoever the Scriptures say of themselves that we own them to be to wit a Declaration Scriptures of Truth holy Scriptures the Words of God of Christ and of his Apostles a Treatise and for his proofs I could whâ—lly refer them to the reader to examine them himself and to discover the ignorance of this R. I. who tenders these Scriptures aforementioned for sufficient proof as that the Scriptures call themselves the Word of God as for Mark 7.13 making the Word of God of none effect by your Tradition he doth not say of making the Word of God the Scriptures of none effect neither doth he sâ—y you make the Scriptures which is the word of
New Covenant and the Everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity 19. Respecting of Persons and Complemental Bowings and worshipping of one another and flattering Titles are no good Manners but are in the Transgression and have been anciently reproved and condemned 20. University and Schools of Natural Learning are of no Use as to the making of Ministers of Christ in the Primitive Times but a Thing introduced and brought in in latter Ages by the Apostates who had erred from the Spirit who admired and set up Natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make Discourses Speeches and Sermons to get Money by and as they are holden up at this Day are made an absolute Idol and as to their Practice it 's generally known to be prophane and no Way meet to advance the Church of Christ. THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY IN THE PRIMITIVE TIMES CHAP I. The State of the true Church from the manifestation of Christ in the Flesh to the End of the Apostles Dayes briefly discovered GOd according to his determinate Will and everlasting Counsel in the Fulness of time sent his only begotten Son into the World to be the Light of the World and to be a Leader to the People and to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World who obeyed the VVill of the Father in all things according as it was testified of him by Moses and the Prophets and as it was said by David concerning him In the Volumn of the Book it is written concerning me I come to do thy Will O God Psal. 40.7 and so he did as it was written of him he fulfilled all Righteousness and ended all the Types and Figures and Shadows and VVorship of the first Covenant as the Apostle testifieth of him Heb. 7.21 The Law was changed and the Priesthood changed in that they were but Figures and Shadows of good things to come and in regard that they were faulty and did not make the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience but the bringing in of a better Hope did and the better Covenant to wit the Covenant of Life and Peace which the Prophets by the Spirit had testified of from Moses to Samuel and till John and John likewise bore Testimony of him who was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the VVorld John 1.29 36. And now he being come to whom the Prophets testified who was not made by a carnal Commandment as was Aaron and the rest of the Priests under the Law but after the Power of an endless Life offered up himself once for all putting an End to all the Offerings of the first Covenant for the perfecting them that are Sanctified Heb. 10.14 Now he being come into the Fulness of time manifest according to the Testimony of the Prophets he fulfilled all things which the Prophets testified of him and his VVorks did testifie of him that he was the Son of God now he declared the VVill of the Father and discoursed with them who were Doctors and Ministers of the Covenant declaring unto them divers times and shewing unto them in divers places that the Kingdom of God was at hand and to be manifest in Power and testified of himself and the Father also with him and his Works declared the same that he was the everlasting high-Priest which put an End to all the first Priesthood Covenant and Ordinances thereof and he preached the Word of the Kingdom and declared against them who sticked behind in the Figures and Types and Shadows and did reprove them to wit the professors of the first Covenant who were Searchers of the Scriptures and said you will not come unto me that you may have Life I am the Bread of Life that came down from above and came to fulfil the Law and all Righteousness and to publish the Word of Faith which did not make void the Law but establish it which was new And so he said while you have the Light believe in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light and this he spoke to the Pharisees which had the Law and the Prophets and were acting in the Types and Figures which are Shadows of the thing it self but not the very thing but he preached the very thing the Word of the Kingdom the Word of Power the Word of Life and many were quickned by it in their Hearts and Minds who believed and heard the Voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest Professors and Ordinance-Men and were for Conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet Repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest Professors and Observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that were in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach disciple all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave Power to cast out Devils and work Miracles prophesied after a Season the Word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified and these who were sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received Gifts from the holy Ghost for the Work of the Ministry they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the Power of God and the VVisdom of God for the Remission of Sin and the word of Faith they declared in the Mouth and in the Heart and went not to Tables of Stone to direct People thither but to bring People to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that all Men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who were commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministry and through their words which they declared many did believe both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of the Jews as did believe separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in Houses and other Places Aâ—ts 20.7 Chap. 28.30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain Places in Towns and Cities not only at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Colosse Thessalonica Corinth and divers other Places which were long to enumerate Acts 11.9 chap. 17.1 2. chap. 18.4 But
which were only to continue till the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 by Christ the everlasting Covenant came to be made manifest the everlasting Offering who perfected them that are Sanctified who is the Oath of God the end of Oaths and of all strife and contention his Doctrine was Swear not at all Mat. 5.33 34 35 36 37. neither by the head nor Feet nor Books nor Gospel nor any other thing but that yea should be yea and nay nay in all things and James an Apostle of Christ Jesus who knew the New Covenant which was everlasting which saw over the Ordinances of the first Covenant of the Jews saith above all Things my Brethren Swear not at all neither by heaven neither by the Earth nor by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your nay Nay lest you fall into Condemnation James 5.1 2. and this was Apostolical and Catholick Doctrine in the Primitive Churches But afterwards the Faith being lost which once was delivered the Saints and the Power lost they began to set up Oaths again imitating the Jews and bringing the commands of the Jews who were under the first Covenant as their Ground But this was in the Apostacy And Justinian the Emperour appointed first that men should Swear by the Gospel or Book called the Gospel and lay their Hands thereon and Kiss it saying So help me God and here Christendom may see who are in the Apostacy and who were the first instituters of this Swearing and the manner thereof which the Teachers of these latter Ages do Ignorantly Press for an Ordinance of God In the Primitive Times they that had the Word of Reconciliation who had received the holy Ghost and Gift of prophecy and were made able Ministers of the Spirit who had discerning and saw by the Spirit who were fitted for the Work of the Ministry and fit to be Elders and Helpers in the Church they laid hands on them in God's Power and they received the holy Ghost but now since the Apostacy came in this kind of Imagination of laying on of hands one Hypocrite upon another who are out of the Power who have not received the holy Ghost neither they upon whom their hands were laid but afterward it came to be a custom and a holy Rite to be performed upon Children Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all that were christned Churches and Chalices should be anointed with Oyl and Fabianus commanded that it should be renewed every Monday and Thursday Clement the first ordained that Children that were christned should be anointed with Chrisme and he also instituted the Sacrament as it is called of Confirmation or as it is now called Bishopping and did suppose that no man was a perfect Christian if this Rite and Ceremony was omitted and for this cause it hath been judged and looked upon as catholick Doctrine both by the Church of Rome and the Protestants that the holy Ghost is more plentifully given them by the hands of the Bishop and on this wise in the first institution thereof it was only administred by the Bishop First he asked the Name of the child making the Sign of the Cross in his Forehead saying I sign thee with the Token of the Cross and confirm thee with the Chrisme of Salvation in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. and smote the Child on the cheek softly but if of greater Age which was to be confirmed the Bishop gave a sharper Stroke that he might remember this great Mystery and here you may see how these things came in and the Traditions and Inventions and Precepts of Men have been and are taught for Doctrine and Apostolick Institution many of which are upholden in the reformed Churches so called unto this day and so People are kept in Blindness in a Multitude of Traditions and heathenish customs and their minds led out from seeking after the living God CHAP. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and Holy-dayes THE Jews in the first covenant had many Fasts and Feasts and Holy-dayes as the Sabbath and Feasts of the New Moon and Passeover and Feasts of unleavened-bread Pentecost the Feasts of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication which are largely shewed in the Books of Moses all which things as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews were but Shadows of things to come and not the things themselves which only continued till the time of Reformation and till the better Hope which brought in the better Covenant which stood vpon better Promises Now in the Primitive Churches they came to see the End of these things and were brought to him that was the Substance in whom all Figures and â—hadows do end Col. 2.16.17 Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink or in respeâ—t of a holy day which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is Christ Now afterward when they minded the Form more then the Power they ran out into those things with many additions some borrowed from the Heathen and some by their own Invention and then press them as Apostolick Ordinances upon Christians which things stand in force with many until this Day too too much among them that are called reformâ—d Victor Bishop of Rome about the year 196. decreed that Easter should be celebrated and kept on the Sunday from the 14 th Day of the first Moneth which is March to the 22 d. of the same now the Jews kept it sooner and so it is without ground from the Jews Practice and meerly an Invention of their own which led People back into dayes and about what time they judged any thing to be done which Christ or the Apostles did they invented a day and time to keep for it as to reverence Sunday in Advent Nativity Circumcision and Epiphany Purification of Mary called Candlemass Lent Palm-Sunday Monday and Thursday on which Christ washed his Disciples Feet as it hath been imagined Good-Fryday Easter Pentecost was kept by the Jews and this they would hold out for an Apostolick Example to Christians and for all the former Dayes they were invented with many more which have been brought in since and so they were decreed and ratified at a Council at Lyons in France that such days as either the holy Saints departed this Life or did any notable deed a day should be kept holy as they said in that Council for the encrease of their Religion there were also other days instituted the Feast of Saint Stephen and Innocents by Pope Boniface the fourth and likewise John-Baptist and that which they call Lady-day Laurence Michael and Martin and generally of all Saints and these were his Institutions which are practised by the Church of Rome and practised among the Protestants to this Day Likewise that which is called Corpus-Christi day this was made a holy-day and dedicated by Urban the fourth Silvester assigned the day of Advincula Sancti Petri commonly called Lammas in memorial of Peter's pains and persecution Felix the first
a Propriety to the tenth Part as any have to the nineth of their Lands Answ. To such may be said that the Law doth not give any Man a propriety either in Land or Tythes or any other things but doth only conserve and preserve every man in his proper Right whether by Gift or by Purchase or by Descent and doth secure him from the Inâ—uries or Violence of another But let us not be deceived with a new formed pretence lately taken up to blind the simple Minds with a Name of 〈◊〉 â—ropriety and Civil Right for that is but a meer Shift for I may give my hand which I have by Gift Purchase or Inheritance or I may sell 〈◊〉 â—nd so cannot they that seem to lay Claim to Tythes but it matters not much what any say when they see their other Claims will not serve they would evade and shift from one thing to another to blind People But let us hear what the Makers of the Law say of them though in the Height of Popery passing by the Saxon time and King Stephen who in their blind Superstition being perswaded thereunto by the Doctrinâ—â—hen taught of the Popish Clergy that Remission of Sins was obtained by good Works as aforesaid they gave divers Gifts and Tenths for the Health of their Souls and their Fathers Souls as is aforesaid but let us come to Henry the eighth upon whose Law all others that are since made are builded who in his time cast off the Pope's Yoak in that Act concerning Tythes it is declared that Tythes were due to God and Holy Church they blame Men for being so wicked as not to pay them and therefore that Law is made and here is the Ground of their Law viz. not any Property or civil Right in Priests or others for the Law requires them as due by divine Right therefore cannot be by any civil or temporal Right for a Man to claim that by human Right from human Law which commands them as due to God and holy Church as that Statute of Henry the eighth doth is but a meer Juggle and Deceit and that Law of Henry the eighth and the rest since take them as granted due to God and holy Church but if they be not but only supposed as a Duty then the Law cannot be binding as they are in all the Statutes That Tythes were never till of late pretended a civil Right is plain for as they were imposed by the Pope so they are tryable in his Courts those very Statutes which do plead made by late Parliament appoint them to be tryed in Ecclesiastical Courts And the Act of 42. of Hen. 8. Tythes are there called Spiritual Gifts and therefore no temporal or civil Right for before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in Henry the eighths Dayes thâ—y were never called a temporal Right But what is the Property that is now claimed it cannot be in a Person for the Priest hath them not until he enter into his Office and when he parts with his Office he looseth his Tythes so that the property cannot be in the Priest but it was supposed due to the Office and what is that it was a Popish Office when Tythes were first payed to it how should the Right continue now the Office being laid aside and the Pope also that set them up Others who plead a legal Right by Prescription because they have so long possessed them therefore they judge them their Right This was the old Device of the Pope first to preach that Tythes were due and then to limit them to Monasteries and Parishes when forty Years were past to claim that a Debt which before was payed as Charity or at the most as the free Offering of the Owner And thus the Pope got first Fruits and Tenths and Peter pence and great Sums of Money out of this and other Nations and he might as well have pleaded his Prescription as any of his Branches can do now is any so blind as not to see what poor Shifts are now made to uphold so great an Oppression that hath no better Support then this that it hath been so long payed But shall the Continuance of an Oppression give Right to perpetuate the Grievance How many great and heavy Pressures in this and other things lay upon the Nation as may be seen in Henry the third when the Pope got above one hundred and twenty thousand pound out of this Nation per annum which was then more Worth then the King's Revenue Now there is no such Office in being is plain for when Henry the eighth renounced the Pope he was declared by Act of Parliament assented unto by the Clergy to be Head of the Church and all the Ecclesiastical Orders were not to claim their Benefices from the Pope but from the King as by Act of Parliament but this is more fully and largely set forth in a printed Paper by Gâ—rvâ—sâ— Benson to which I refer the Reader And as to the Impropriators which lay claim by purchase and have bought them of the State and payed great Sums of Money for them and may be many have no other Substance Unto this it is answered that in the Root and Ground all Tythes are alike whether they be claimed by Priest or Impropriator but seeing thâ—se that sold them had no good Title these that are derived from them cannot then be good but being it was the King or State that sold them and that the whole Nation had the Benefit of their Money and the Nations were cased in other Taxes and Subsidies and Charge which unavoidably would have come upon the Nation at that time seeing the Nation had the general Profit it is equitable and just when they cannot have what is sold that the Impropriators should have their Money repayed which went to the bearing and paying of the publick Charge of the Nation and it is Reason that it should be payed by the Nation in general and so there would be no Detriment to any particular person only it is equitable that the Rate be moderate for it is believed upon good Ground that the Value was but little and the Rate small which the Impropriators payed for them because of the Charges and Hazards that was upon them for the Purchaser could buy no more then what the Monasteries had which were dissolved by Henry the eighth and these Monasteries were to find a sufficient Priest or Curate which had his Allowance out of them and a convenient Portion of Tythe and likewise a Portion of the Tythe was set apart yearly for the Maintenance of the poor of the Parish forever as is evident by divers Acts of Parliament after the Dissolution of the Monasteries the foresaid Charges were to continue upon them as before as may be seen at large in a Treatise called the poor Vicars Plea Others say The Laws were made by Parliaments the Representatives of People and though Tythes were not due before yet they might give Tythes because as their
suffered thy self to be made blind and carried Captive with another Man's Judgment neglected the measure of God's Spirit in thy self at home through which alone the secret things of God are Revealed in which true certainty and infallibility is Witnessed and not in Men who are fallible and changeable If an Arian Jew or Turk should urge their own interpertation of Scriptures which is of no private interpretation contrary to the mind of him that gave it forth I would say he perverted the Words of the Scripture which 〈◊〉 in Harmony Unity one with another as to the states and conditions they were spâ—ken to and are plain and are only read by that Spirit that gave them forth except it be in some Historical or Chronology or Genealogy of Names and Generâ—tions which might be some gathered from anothers Hands and different hands taking notice of them as to Record them there might be some variation yet the substance of the report is true but what is Calculation of Years or Dayes or reckoning up of Genealogies as to the matter of Salvation and what if we had never had them no more then we have other Histories and things that fell out among the Jews but if there be any contradiction for ought I know we may blame the Church of Rome the most of any who will needs affirm they received all or most of the things from the Apostles and if the Translations differ or be some-what uncertain what have they been doing this fifteen hundred Years with their infallible Spirit that they could not have rectified them according to their first Original and if any the foresaid Sects should pretend the certainty of the Spirit and yet not have it I should answer the Spirit is known by its Fruits and the Fruits of the Spirit are manifest and they that pretend to it and bring forth contrary Fruits are manifest to be Deceivers and deceived but their States are different and therefore require different Answers which time will not now permit to insist upon but over and beside all other Arguments perswade any man to or from any thing the witness of God in the party unto whom he speaketh is to be reached and that is beyond the understanding of Man and greater then it and more convincing then any Arguments that can be used without and he that cannot speak to this is not skilful in the Word of Righteousness That Christ was an infallible Guide who is the way the Truth and the Life is granted by all Christians and that the Apostles received the Promise of the Father and the infallible Spirit of God which led them into all Truth and this infallible assurance the Christians had that lived in the Apostles time thuâ— iâ— granted and the Apostles were infallible Guides not as Men meerly but as Men full of the Holy Ghost as Men who were filled with the Spirit of God and therefore the Apostle said be Followers of us as we are Fâ—llowers of Christ and if any controversie did arise as some there did and doubts among the then Christians the Apostles and Elders meeting together in the Power of the Holy Ghost did write their minds and Letters to the Christians to pacifie all and good Reason that they that had believed through their Word should Suâ—miâ— unto the Holy Ghost and unto them by whom they were begotten unto God by the word of Life for the ending of strife about Words and Shadows and outward things and they whose minds were outward then in Ages since and now ran into contention about outward things and such for the most part do Err from the Spirit of God in themselves But I would have thee to take notice of this and all you Catholick Members so called The Apostles of Christ only did exhort and did not force their Decrees by Penal Statutes and to be observed under the penalty of loosing Life and Limbs as since their pretended Successors have done who have Erred from the Spirit and have goâ— the Saints Words and turned against the Life and Power but the Decrees as you call them are not many nor burdensome which the Apostles wrote at Jerusalem as the many Counsels since have made they are so endless and numberless and burdensome and so contradictory one to another in divers things who will but look into the Decrees of the Counsels since the Apostles dayes that we can find little certainty in any of their Decrees but rather as thy Instructer saith the Sword of the Flesh and not the Spirit hath been the Rule and Law to Christianity but the Masters of great wit and Power and Interest have framed and made parties unto themselves and have Wars been raised among your selves about deciding your Controversies hath not the Pope Warred against the Emperour and the Emperour against the Pope were noâ— Wars raised about the Decrees when Pope Eugenius was deposed as a Heretick by the Council of Bazell and one while the Pope must be infallible as Peter's Successor and above all Councils and Churches another while the Council is above the Pope Excommunicates him as a Heretick and excludes his Infallibility and now where is the certainty and whether should one go or appeal for true Judgment so though the Church of Rome boast of Unity yet how hath one Nation made War against another and yet Professing the same Faith at divers times and in sundry Ages And to tell thee plainly and to speak the naked Truth according to the Apostles Prophecy after their Departure there was a great Apostacy and a great Falling away from the Faith and a giving heed to Lying Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and many were suhverted from the Faith by them that spake Lyes in Hypocrisie and took up the Priests Office for filthy Lucre and they went out into the World and the World wondred after them and they had the Form and the Sheeps Cloathing and the Saints Words but were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and to the Power of Godliness and the Kings of the Earth were bewitched with her Sorceries and then forced all and compelled all to receive and believe such Decrees and such Articles as were then set forth by a Pack of those Hirelings who minded their own Profit and their own Bellies who mingled their own Inventions and Traditions with the Doctrine of Christ and brought the Scripture for a Cloak and the Apostles Practice for a President and could â—ay falsly as the Apostles said in Truth It seems good to us and the holy Ghost that these our Decrees be observed for God hath placed us as Judges and directors as them that are appointed of God himself to which all Christians are to submit and none to question and if any do question and will not obey it is the Kings and Princes Duty in all Countries to cause all to submit to these our Decrees and Orders or else to be punished as Hereticks with Death for we are the Apostles Successors and
say That Christ did often Swear because he said Verily we judge you have concluded upon too slender a Ground And as for Psal. 110. The Lord hath Sworn and will not Repent It is not denyed though the Lord Swore once yea more then once by himself this was in condescension to the State of Man in weakness and unbelief and as to the State of the Jews Gal. 3.19 before the Seed was revealed which was the Substance of all Figures and Gods Example of Swearing is no example for us now to imitate and was in no wise a confirming of that old legal Ceremony of Oaths as a practice legimate to his Saints forever as A. S. would make us believe it was for his Oath viz. God's ended in Christ in whom all the Promises confirmed by Oath were yea and in him Amen was also to end all Strife between him and Men and to put an end to all Strife and Oaths also that are among Men to end Strife Ambrose saith upon that 110. Psal. Let him then swear who cannot Repent of his Oaths a little aftter the same Ambrose saith Do not imitate him in swearing whom you cannot imitate in performing and indeed the principal solution he gives is not to Swear at all And Theophilus upon the place in Controversie whom A. S. says was not cautelous enough and it seems among the rest of the Fathers that A. S. sets as judge of he saith Learn hence that under the Law it was not Evil for one to swear but since the coming of Christ it is Evil as is Circumcision and in sum what ever is Judaical for it becomes a Child to suck but not a man So that it appears he amongst the rest of the Fathers did not only declare against Oaths in general or private Communication but also distinguishes betwixt the first Covenant and the second and the Ordinances thereof and though the holy Ghost bear witness that both Angels and Men yea and good Men and the Creator himself in that first Covenant did Swear so that A. S. concludes That is not morally Evil of its own Nature In the first we shall not much quarrel nor dispute as under the Law but that which was obliging then as by command it is not always obliging but Christ the end of the Law for Righteousness said Let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more under the Gospel then amounts to this comes of Evil therefore there is no necessity to put any other sence of Christ's Words then this Universal prohibition of all Swearing as under the Gospel seeing that speaking the Truth confessing the Truth declaring the Truth and nothing but the Truth in any matter wherein any Christian is concerned either in respect of God or a man's Neighbour this Answers the very Substance of the Law and the very end purpose thereof as ever an Oath did among the Jews in the first Institution forasmuch as speaking the Truth acknowledgeth God's Omnisciency and presence and Power and Wisdom secondly it doth any Office to any Neighbour as in bearing witness to any Truth and again to find out any Transgressour or Transgression and this is done may be done and ought to be done by all true Christians and therefore no necessity of that formal Ceremonious way of Swearing as under the Law neither is there any necessity for seeking any other sence of Christ's Words and the Apostles Words Swear not at all by Heaven or Earth or any other seeing all the main ends and good ends good purposes are Answered in the full which the Law in the full Latitude and morality thereof did require or for which it was given His sixth Argument is That either these Words Swear not at all must be interpreted as not to forbid any Oath though taken upon just accasion or else Paul never knew the meaning of this Text or else contrary to his knowledge and that upon good deliberation he acted against it and that in theâ—e very writings wherein we all believe that he was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost for his Oaths saith A. S. are upon record 1. Thes. 2.5 God is Witness see Rom. 1.9 Now to call God to Witness is the very substance of an Oath saith A. S. and as Austin tells him and he sayes He hath not read of any of a contrary opinion except some Phanaticks which if they would yield to 〈◊〉 much as Paul saith God is Witness of the Truth of their assertions it might be wished out of condescension to their weakness that they might be dispensed withal if the Law would give leave as to the external formality of an Oath Answ. What A. S. will call a just occasion I know not it appears to me he would have a large compass and a larger then the most contenders against Christ's Doctrine that we have met with or what he will account a just occasion I know not though otherwise he seems to condemn sometime needless and vain Oaths in ordinary Communication though I know some without reflection upon A. S. who use them too to frequently and are not only Members but Pastours so called of the Church of England and though he seems in his Discourse here there to be against customary and vain Oaths yet for all that what he calls a â—ust occasion upon some Ground some calls it a needful occasion when they are called before a Magistrate and some when any business is in Controversie betwixt man and Man câ—lls it a just occasion where sometimes I have seen a Curate administer that which he called an Oath upon a Book what Ground hâ— had I suspect either from Commandment or example of Primitive Ministers is certain he had none but it may be A. S. will conclude it was upon just occasion but what COMPASS he will have for his jâ—st Occasion is doubtful seeing he hath put no Termination or end to it but for ought I can perceive would leave liberty for every Man to exact an Oath upon another when he would and call it a just occasion and account it a point of duty in the other to obey even in ordinary Communication And as for St. Paul we deny thy Argument as that he never knew the meaning of this Text of Christ's prohibition secondly that in his Writings he acted contrary to his knowledge and upon set deliberation for though God was his Witness whom he served with his Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my Prayers Also that which A. S. calls an Oath 1 Thes. 2.5 For neither at any time used we flattering Words as ye know for a Cloak of Coâ—etouâ—ness God is witness Though we know and infallibly believe with A. S. that he was infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost when he published the Gospel of Christ among the Gentiles and wrote both unto the Jews and to the Gentiles who believed that his calling God to witness was not any Oath
neither was there any necessiâ—y or just occasion whatever A. S. mâ—y call just occasion we cannot for he hath left such a great compass for himself to turn in though here and thâ—re he seem to disallow of customary Oaths and frequent Oaths yet notwithstanding his Discourse rather tends to an allowance of Swearing frequently and unnecessarily for we reckon it to be a piece of ordinary Communication for a Christian Minister to write a Letter of admonition or Exhortation or an Epistle unto the believing Hearers and that there is no necessity of Oaths in such a Discourse for what-ever A. S. sayes this would make the Apostle guilty of frequent and unnecessary and common Swearing which we are far from believing forasmuch as they did believe through the word of Life declared by the Spirit of God in him neither through his Epistles written being assisted by the Holy Ghost they were not like to believe him for Swearing if he had Sworn but saith A. S. If his words had really been believed which he spoke and wrote what occasion would there have been for him to have written so to the Roman 's Rom. 9.1 I say the Truth in Christ I Lye not The Apostle knew what occasion he had to speak these Words and the occasion was this that the Jews sought to be justified by the Righteousness of the Law and by the Works thereof and would needs look upon themselves as the Children of God because they were of the stock of Abraham according to the Flesh but the Apostle knew and also gave them to understand that the Children of the Promise were counted for the Seed and again for they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6 7 8. And thus he spake Truth unto them as it was revealed by Christ whom the Father had revealed in him and why might he not say I speak the Truth in Christ seeing that Christ was in him and he in him I Lye not my Conscience also bears me Witness in the Holy Ghost he might also as well say that Paul Swore by his Conscience seeing that he took it for a witness away away with such perverting and straining of the Scripture beyond and beside the mind of the Holy Ghost for God is witness and I speak the Truth in Christ they are no more then arden and Zeâ—lous or fervent expressions as the Spirit of God at several times did stir up in his Heart both to speak and write for the end that they unto whom he spoke or wrote might believe and therefore we conclude not as A. S. would needs have it that the Apostle spoke these fervent words unnecessarily for we know and see his end and purpose was good and therefore he spoke with fervency and with boldness the Spirit of the Lord beâ—ring witness in his Conscience that he spoke the Truth which we are fâ—r from believing is either juration or abjuration and for ought can be perceived by A. S 's disdainful Spirit all that do dissent from him in his Opinion he calls Phanaticks and Paul shall hardly go free nor divers of the ancient Fathers as Origen Chrysostome Jerome Theophilaâ—â— and others who denyed not only Swearing in private Conversation but to Swear at all but now these must be called Phanaticks who dissent from all men but themselves by A. S. and such as he who Sail with Wind and â—ide and exalt and applaud that which hath praise among men and hath not the praise of God and so the last of all he makes this Conclusion that so help me God is the most certain expression of an Oath which form of Words that though he count them certain we find not either under the Law or under the Gospel and I look upon it mâ—re as a piece of flattery in A.S. because this is the Form and the Câ—stom which 〈…〉 câ—lled Swearing which is in use in this Nation and it's stranger to us that they will reckon this so great a piece of peculiâ—â— Service which is incommunicable to any Creature but only to God whenas indeed we never find it written or commanded either among the Jews or commended or used amongst all the writings of Christ and the Apostles that hath relation to Christianity Indeed I remember that I have read that in the days when the Pope's Authority was in full Power here in England how that the Chancellour then of England said to one of John Wickliff's followers being brought before him in Examination he said unto him Lay thy Hand upon the Book thou Heretick and Swear so help me God and holy doom An old Superstitious Popish Form I look upon it to be and hath no consistance with an Oath in its true matter and Form under the Law when iâ— was commanded and for ought I see A. S. will rather take part with the Church of Rome and her Members who Persecuted rather then Wickliff that famous Reformer who had his Bones taken up and burned 41. Years after his Decease and his Books and these Articles condemned by the Council of Coâ—stance who also burned John Hus and Jerome of Prague for holding John Wickliff's Opinions which was That all Oaths under the Gospel be unlawful I say A. S. might have been more modest then with the Council of Constance condemn them for Error seeing they were the only People in their Age and time that opposed and suffered for opposing the Church of Rome in the Apostacy seeing that they are fain to own them if they look for any Reformation before Luther to be their Witnesses against the Church of Rome which I have heard many Protestants say that they were on their part against the Church of Rome and though A. S. tells us of a Generation of People quos non persuadebis etiam si persuaseris who as they will not be perswaded so they will not be counselled who will have nothing else to be the formality of an Oath but by God but this he sayes only of his own Head except he knew some People that we know not of for we say to Swear the Lord liveth as an Oath and again as the Lord lives is an Oath or by the Lord that lives forever and ever is an Oath and yet we must needs deny that Paul Swore in the 1 Cor. 15.1 when he said by your rejoycing I die daily And we never said A. S. mistook himself in saying that by as the only mark and Character of an Oath and if Austin said upon these words of Paul as A. S. tells us per vestram gloriam juratio est upon Paul's words I suspect his judgment and therefore shall not so much regard it But A. S. seems not to be at Unity in his Book with himself notwithstanding all his raveling out where he seems in his 41. page to dislike of Nicholas Fuller's Judgment viz. that there is no Oath where God is not interposed and yet in the 56. page he saith That the Substance of an Oath consists in the
and are ready to answer all these necessary ends and as well and this is as good and expedient to be put in practice among Christians as interposition of Oaths enjoyned by God in the first Covenant and far more Evangelical and therefore shall conclude with that of Jerome The Gospel Truth admits not of an Oath His eighth Argument is That Christ did never any things without some Ground of reason but no reason can be shewed why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden in a due manner and upon a just and necessary occasion and therefore we may well believe that such Swearing was neither here or any where else forbidden Reply We shall not much dissent or disagree about terms with A. S. that Christ did never any thing without some Ground or Reason but yet we must deny his Conclusion that no Reason can be given why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden first of all there was a time since Man had a being in this Creation when he was in the Image of God and stood in the Covenant of God when there was no Oath neither any necessity thereof Man being endued with Power from God which was placed in him so that he was in a capacity to fulfill obey and serve and believe his Maker without an Oath for unbelief or Sin had not entred and this was before the Fall Gen. 1.26 27. Secondly Christ the unspeakable gift of God who is the Mediator of the everlasting Covenant yea the Covenant is self who is given for a Leader to the People and who is made a Propitiation for Sin and Transgression to end both Sin Transgression and Unbelief which was the cause of the Addition of the Law who leads to the beginning again all that truly do believe and are worthy to be called true Christians or by the Name of Christ to have Union with God again in that Life Power Truth Righteousness and Wisdom in which the Image of God truly consists which was before Sin and Transgression and before the Law which was added because of it which was commanded four hundred and thirty Years after the Promise was made Gal. 3.17 Thirdly After Sin was entred and Death by Sin an unbelieving part got up in all the Sons of Adam so that they could not believe God nor his Promises and yet such was his love unto Mankind considering the State into which they were plunged for confirmation of his Word unto Man he Swore by himself this was the Lord's condescension unto their low and unbelieving Estate all that time and no way exemplary for Christians truly such who are come into the Faith and to the Truth in it self who do believe that all the Promises are fulfilled in Christ yea and Amen who is the Author of Faith and of eternal Salvation to them that believe Heb. 9.12 who prohibited that by his command Mat. 5.23 which sometimes was permitted yea and commanded yea and added because of Transgression and for which the Law and the command for Oaths was only added which he did not destroy because he leads from under the Power of that which the Law came against which is just and good and Holy and the Seed fulfills it and hath Unity with it and with him who is the Judge and Law-giver and Saviour of all that do believe in him from Sin and Transgression Fourthly At that time when the Law was given forth at Mount Sina Exod. 19.20 generally all the Nations were given to Idolatry and to serve and Worship strange Gods as Baal Ashtaroth Chemosh Rimphan and many others as the Gods of Samaria which were said to be according to the number of their Cities and their Idols were called the Sin of Samaria Amos saith They Swear by the Sin of Samaria that did say thy God O Dan lives and the manner of Barsheba lives even they shall fall and never rise again Amos 7.14 Which was no other then the Calves which Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel which they feared Worshipped and Swore by therefore God having chosen a peculiar People to himself to Worship and serve him and honour him who should not walk after the manner of the rest of the Nations who knew not God he commanded them to serve him and Worship him and Swear by his Name as Jerome saith well to keep them from Idolatry and that they should not Swear by the Gods of the Heathen as the rest of the Nations did round about yet still this must be considered that this State of the minority of the Jewish Church wherein God gave them Ordinances suitable to their State but it doth not follow neither can it be reasonably concluded that these Ordinances were to be perpetually binding unto all future Generations especially when Christ the Seed unâ—o whom all the Promises are in whom the Law is fulfilled and in whom the former Ministrations end that his Disciples and true Christians should always be bound to these things once commanded especially seeing Christ their Master in whom the Father is well pleased hath prohibited this about Swearing and also did Prophesie of the time to come after his Resurrection and his Ascension that those Visible things which were as a Ministration for a time should end as to the outward exercise and Typical and Figurative appearance of them and that all these things should be revealed within by the Spirit and felt in the Power of God in all that did believe when the Holy Ghost should be poured forth and the Promise of the Father be made manifest Fifthly Now considering that the Name of God is believed in and he is confessed unto and his Christ and that there is not that Idolatry especially outward as there was in the Nations before and after the Flood especially in that which is called Christendom though we dare not conclude that all are Israel that are of Israel or that all are Christians that have the Name yet generally I say the Name of God and his Christ is acknowledged and worshipped and not Idols and false God's therefore there is no necessity of Swearing by the Name of God as there was at the time of the giving forth of the Law but especially among them that the Father will reckon as truly his subjects and Disciples of Christ who are partakers of his divine Nature here is not that necessity among them for they through the Law being dead to it it hath no more Power over them and therefore no reason that they should be kept as under Tutors and Governours seeing that the Age and Ages is come which the Apostle spoke of Eph. 2.7 wherein Christ is revealed the hope of Glory and whom he makes free are free indeed Joh. 8.32 36. Sixthly and lastly The command of Oaths was given for the ending of Strife and Controversies among Men Heb. 6. which hath relation to the Law and to the State of the Jews and their Political proceedings the Apostle brings but that in as an instance or an example and