are taught of it to watch in it continually against every Appearance of Evil and of the Author thereof the Devil their Adversary 1 Pet. 5.8 who as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour and so they are to be continually careful according to the Command of Christ and his Apostles that no Man deceive them and to prove all things and hold fast that which is good for it is not a trivial thing but a weighty concern to them and of absolute necessity to the Salvation of their Souls to be always watching against and waiting to be preserved from the beguiling deceit of the Devil and his Instruments who with all his Power and Signs and lying Wonders are continually endeavouring to deceive which deceivableness of unrighteousness is-so apt to prevail upon Mankind that Christ said If it were possible they should deceive the very elect and then surely the careless and rebellious are like to be deceived by them and led to Eternal Misery And although Christ and his Apostles advised and commanded to beware of them which should shew great Signs and Wonders yet some have been and are so far erred from the true Light and Doctrine of Christ that they not only tell and make Books of the great Wonders which they say have been done by and amongst them but also reckon them as certain Marks of the Church of Christ though Christ and his Apostles told of them being the Mark of Antichrist and the false Prophets And so with their Wonders and Powers and Signs they have deceived and do deceive many as Christ and his Apostles foretold And as the Apostle John prophesied concerning the Beast that he beheld coming up out of the Earth that doth great Wonders Rev. 13.11 to 15. so that he maketh Fire to come down from Heaven upon the Earth in the sight of Men and deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth by the means of those Miracles which he had power to do so it is that which comes up out of the Earth not that which cometh down from Heaven that doth their great Wonders and it is that which is learned at their Schools Colledges and Academies of Earthly and Spoiling Philosophy and Vain Deceit Col. 2. â— which the Apostle charged to beware of and not that which is received of Christ Jesus that capacitates the Members of Antichrist and of the Beast to be so prevalent with their Power Signs Wonders and Alluring Enchantments and Poysonous Societies upon People to deceive them Rev. 18.23 Eph. 5.6 Rom. 16.18 by their Enticing Words and Fair Speeches and their making a pretence of Christianity by coming in Christ's Name though he never sent them and their saying that he is Christ covering themselves with a Profession of him But wo saith the Lord to the Rebellious Children that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with in covering but not of my Spirit Isa 30.1 And so the Members of Antichrist the Man of Sin who are learned in the Mysteries of their Craft and are influenced with the beguiling subtilty of their Master the Serpent they imploy all their Wits Arts and Parts in their earthly and sensual Wisdom and for their earthly and quickly perishing Gain to draw Peoples Minds from the Light the Manifestation of the Spirit of Christ in their Hearts which is given to them to profit withal that so they may keep them under the power of Darkness and in Admiration of their Teachings Signs Ceremonies Splendor and Wonders with which they infatuate the Ears Eyes and Minds of People that so they may depend upon them and rest under their covering of Profession And those that such Deceivers could not prevail upon to follow them in their Superstitious Practices them they oftentimes Burned or Sentenced to be Burned to Death when they had power in their Hands as woful Experience hath largely declared and for their so doing pretended Authority from Heaven and doth not this their wondrous murdering practice and pretence of having Authority from Heaven to Burn People seem somewhat like the Beast's making Fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of Men And those that are prevailed upon by them and do admire their Signs and Wonders might possibly have as much or more admired the Wonders done by the Magicians of Egypt Exod. 7.11 to 23. in causing their Rods to become Serpents and the Waters to become Blood and in bringing up Frogs upon the Land of Egypt and those that cover with a covering and not of the Spirit of the Lord and ask not at his Mouth but walk to go down as into Egypt a Land of Darkness to strengthen themselves as in the strength of Pharaoh and trust as in the shadow of Egypt Isa 30.1 2 3 the strength of Pharaoh shall be their shame and the trust in the shadow of Egypt their Confusion It may be objected that Christ and his Apostles confirmed his Doctrine by Miracles but then that was at the first when they preached down the outward Law and the Ceremonies thereof which God had commanded them by Moses that they should observe And when they first published the Glad-tydings of the Gospel of the Grace and Peace of Christ Heb. 8.9 10 11. the New Covenant before promised the Law written in the Heart But they who neglect this inward Law who now reckon of their Wonders have and retain many Ceremonies and Superstitious Practices for which they have no Ground nor Warrant from God nor Christ nor his Apostles as the Jews had for theirs and so there is no need of outward Miracles to confirm the preaching down of their modern Superstitious Ceremonies they being plainly repugnant to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth which contain also Prophesies of their Signs and Wonders too to come in the Apostacy which things are exactly come to pass And it is more than they can do by all their Miracles if they can do any to confirm any Honest hearted true seeker after God in their Belief of many of the Wonder pleaders Doctrines as that of Transubstantiation and of Purgatory Prayers to and for the Dead Indulgences for Money Worship of Images c. Stories of Wonders will convince few that their Faith and Practice concerning these things is acceptable with God Now we read of as many or more that vilified the outward Miracles that Christ did as were Converted to him by them And they to whom Christ himself preached Mat. 9.34 Mat. 12.24 Mark 3.22 Luke 11.15 Jo. 12.36.37 Jo. 10.19.21 22. saying While ye have the light believe in the light that ye may be the children of light Though he had done many Miracles before them yet they believed not on him And the whole multitude of the Country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them for they were taken with a great fear because of a notable Miracle that he had wrought amongst them and so
nor be made perfect while they live in this World And they may as well say plainly that God is an hard Master and commands Impossibilities or that he is unjust in requiring and commanding his People and Children to forsake all Sin and to be perfect but doth not afford them sufficient means or power so to do and so they seem to render God more unjust then the evil Men of which Christ spake If ye being evil Mat. 7.11 Luke 16.13 know how to give good Gifts to your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things or give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him And also they may as well say that Christ promised that which he will not or cannot perform Mat. 7.7 and 21 22. Maâ—k 11.24 Luk. 11.9 John 16.23 24. for he said Whatsoever ye ask in Prayer believingly or in my Name ye shall receive or it shall be given unto you Now probably all Professor of Christianity will confess that all ought according to Christ's Command to Pray for Freedom from Sin and Perfection while they are in this World and that believingly too but if they believe that it is not attainable to what purpose then should they Pray continually for it For they that Pray and not in the Faith do not obtain what they pray for but if their Faith were in the Light and Power of Christ it might be otherwise with them for why may not Perfection be attainable as well in our Age which is under a Gospel Dispensation as it was before as the Scriptures of Truth testifie For Enoch walked with God which no Man while sinning can do Gen 5.22 Gen. 6 9 22. And Noah was a Just Man and perfect in his Generation and walked with God and it is said that according to all that God commanded him so did he Job 1.8 and 2.3 Luke 1.6 And Job was a Perfect and Upright Man And Zacharias and Elizabeth were both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Who can believe that these before mentioned were actually sinning And these were before or in the time of the outward Law which was given by Moses who typified Christ Rom. 10.4 who is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth And under the more glorious Dispensation of the Gospel the Scripture is very plain and largely testifieth of Christians that they were made free from Sin for the Apostle Paul writing to the Romans saith Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life He doth not say that they were continually sinning in Thought Word and Deed and must be so during their Lives And again he writes to the Ephesians thus But God who is rich in mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickened us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together Eph. 2.4 5 6 10. and hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus For saith he we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained that we should walk in them Those that are daily or continually sinning are far from the state the Ephesians were in Now such who hold that Perfection or Freedom from Sin is not attainable by the Grace of God in this World will commonly confess that every degree of service done to Satan is an act of treachery and disloyalty against the King of Heaven and every Sin is certainly some degree of service done to Satan therefore such may as well hold that it is impossible while in this World to do any thing but act treachery and disloyalty against God the King of Heaven but certainly Death is the reward of treachery and disloyalty and the Wages of Sin And that Perfection or a state of being made free from Sin is required of true Christians is very plain from these Scripture Testimonies Matâ—h 5 48. 2 Cor. 13.11 1 John 2.3 4 5 6. and Chap. 3.2 to 10. Which Scriptures contain the Words of the positive Commands of Christ and his Apostles and declare an absolute necessity to leave Sin and are therefore sufficient to shew the great Mistake of those who esteem themselves true Christians or Children of God while they continue in Sin And so let every particular Male and Female examine themselves in the Light of Christ Jesus in their Hearts whose Servants they are whether of Sin unto Death or of Obedience unto Righteousness and whose Children they are whether Children of the Light and of God or Children of Darkness and of the Devil for they are certainly of the one and also whose power rules in their Heart whether it be the power of God or the power of the Devil for the power of one of them will rule And let all consider the Apostle's sayings that The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness See G. Pa. Lex Rom. 1.18 and Vnrightenusness of Men who hold or rather with-hold detain or suppress see G. Pasor's Lexicon the Truth in Vnrighteousness and if the Righteous scarcely be saved 1 Pet. 4.18 Pet. 3.10 11 12. Luke 21.35 where shall the Vngodly and the Sinner appear And therefore let none put afar from them the Day of the Lord which will come as a Thief in the Night and as a Snare upon all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth And therefore according to Christ's Admonition let all Watch and Pray continually Luke 21.36 that they may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass and to stand before him that Sinners cannot stand before in the Great Day of his Wrath when the Kings of the Earth and the Great Men and the Rich Men and the chief Captains and Bondmen and Free-men Rev. 6.15 16 17. shall hide themselves and say to the Rocks and to the Mountains Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb for the great Day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And so let all Rich and Poor High and Low of what state or condition soever consider Amos 4.13 Isa 59.18 Eccles 12.14 Jer. 25.14 Rom. 2.6 7 8 9 10. that they must appear before him who not only knows but also by his Light in their Hearts declares unto them what their Thoughts are and that they must before him give an Account of their Deeds done in the Body whether good or evil and they must be recompensed accordingly and Indignation Wrath Tribulation and Anguish shall be upon every Soul that doth Evil but to them who do well and patiently continue in well doing glory honour peace and eternal Life And all those who love their evil Deeds or
Fruit must be cast into the Fire and there must lie how can the Pope or any Man else recover such out of the Fire And if it be the wide Gate and broad Way that leadeth to Destruction how can they that walk therein escape Destruction or the Pope deliver them from it when they come to the end of their Journey But yet this Antichristian Doctrine of a Purgatory after this Life is upheld by the Popes and by their Cardinals Bishops and Councils to their great gain of Money to themselves and their Clergy so called and upon this groundless point of their Faith hangs many of their Antichristian Ceremonies to get Money by as their Trentals Masses Diriges Requiems Indulgences Pardons Jubilees and their pretended power of Binding and Loosing and their Prayers for the Dead And though many pretending Reformation from Popery deny their Purgatory and Prayers for the Dead yet they claim Popish Wages for Praying for the Dead which they call Mortuaries and annex it to their Tythes for which they cast them that cannot for Conscience sake pay them into Prison and so they deny the Work but claim the Wages which is more unreasonable then to work for Wages And it is a general Tenet of pretended Reformists that none can be fully cleansed from Sin on this side the Grave and yet confess they that no unclean thing shall enter into Heaven and then where must they be cleansed or how will they escape the Popes Purgatory which they also deny And the Popes and their Abettors on the other hand say Council of Trent Can. 10. Ellar lib. 2 de justific chap. 2. pag. 129. That they can do more good Works than God hath commanded which they call Works of Supererogation which they hold not only meritorious of Eternal Life and of singular Glory in Heaven but also that they may communicate of the abundance of these their Merits unto others but this Doctrine is also false and also Antichristian For the Apostle of Christ said I laboured more abundantly then they all speaking of the Apostles and yet not I 1 Cor. 15.10 but the Grace of God which was with me and by the Grace of God said he I am what I am and said he the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us so it was his Teacher or Commander that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.11 12. we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present world So the Grace of God teacheth to live Godly or like God who worketh all in all in his Servants and by his Spirit the Manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal giveth the Word of Wisdom and Faith 1 Cor. 12.6 7 to 12. and Gists of Healing and working of Miracles and discerning of Spirits c. dividing to every Man severally as he will and so it is God that worketh in his People both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 Isa 64.6 of his own good pleasure and all Man 's own Righteousness is as filthy Rags Therefore they who say 1 John 4.17 1 John 3.3 7. that they can out-live the Teachings or Commands of the Grace of God which teacheth to live Godly or like God as true Christians do it is plain that such are not as true Christians are the workmanship of God by his Grace created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath ordained and prepared for his Servants to walk in Eph. 2.10 but it is certain that such are exalted in their Imaginations by the working of the Man of Sin who is exalted in them above the Word of God's Power in their Hearts and so he as God sitteth in the Temple of God the Heart shewing himself that he is their God Acts 20.28 Heb. 9.12 who with his wicked deceivableness hath deceived them in a high degree or else they durst not speak such Words or teach such Doctrine And so no Men can communicate any of their Merits towards the saving of others that Pretence being an abominable Cheat to get Money by for true Christians are what they are by the Grace of God and the working thereof in their Hearts and never pretend to any of their own Merits for their Salvation is only by Christ who bath obtained Eternal Redemption for them and purchased them with his own Blood And as the Man of Sin is yielded unto obeyed and worshipped by them upon whom he prevaiss with his Temptations he becomes exalted in their minds and proud ambitious and imperious like himself and then they are offended when others do not bow or submit unto them and as by his deceit he prevaileth in them he makes them like himself Deceivers Lyars and Hypocrites and yet they would be called true Christians and Children of God like the Jews formerly who were in the same Nature though not Profession to whom Christ said Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do John 8.44 he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him And so the Devil being a Murtherer and a Lyar makes his Children and Servants as like himself as he can of a murthering lying Spirit and apt to persecute and murther those over whom they have the power that cannot comply with their Doctrines Worships Traditions Inventions Customs and Practices by them in the dark and woful Apostasy from the Truth invented ordained set up and practised And all false Churches or gatherings of People what Name soever they go under are all one in the ground for being erred from the Light and Spirit of Christ who is the Way of God the Truth it self and the Life of Righteousness they are all wandred into Confusion and that is the ground in which all who are erred from the Light of Christ in themselves remain let them profess what they will And so as Babel's Builders of Old would build themselves a Tower whose top might reach to Heaven but were defeated by being all confounded in their Languages who before were all of one Speech and of one Language so all that are erred from the Light of Christ in themselves being gone into Confusion inwardly they would have a Tower or a Way of their own making or building to get to Heaven by and they can but build it where they are that is in Confusion And so all who are erred and strayed from the Way of God the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and depend upon Men of Languages to teach them or guide them to Heaven are in Confusion and may fitly be called Children of Babylon and Mystery Babylon the Great is their Mother who is the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17. and Abominations of the Earth whom the Servant of Christ saw drunken with the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus and this Woman is the great Whore that sitteth upon many Waters which
us be called by thy Name to take away our Reproach And now is the Name of Christ who is called the Branch become of esteem with many Nations and so is beautiful and glorious and the Fruit that in many Christians in deep Sufferings and otherwise hath been and is brought forth is excellent and comely and so now there are many divided Professions among People and every Gathering of them of each sort call themselves by the honourable Name of Christians and so they seem to take hold of Christ and would be called by his Name to have their Reproach taken away for they will eat their own Bread feed upon their own Imaginations Carnal Knowledge and Sensual Wisdom and also upon their Pleasures and Vanities and likewise they will wear their own Apparel have their own Professions and cover with a Covering but not of the Spirit of God no for they mock at the Movings of the Spirit and at the cloathing of the Spirit but if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and so they know not a feeding upon the Bread of Life which Christ giveth nor a being cloathed with the fine Linnen which he giveth to be cloathed withal but are a Reproach to the Name of Christ and therefore their Reproach is not taken away they have not the end of their desire being out of the Life of true Christianity they cannot have truly the Name And such in every of their ragged Prosessions wherewith they would cover themselves like Adam and Eve with Fig-leaves in each of their Companies have Teachers which call themselves Divines and why so because they were brought up at Natural Schools and Colleges and have learned Languages as Latin Greek and Hebrew but there have been many more Languages than those since the building of Babel and it was Latin Greek and Hebrew which Pilate set over the Head of Christ when they crucified him Luke 23.38 and so such set Latin Greek and Hebrew over Christ in his Spiritual Appearance by his Light Grace and the Manifestation of his Spirit in their Hearts where he is crucified afresh in their Affections and Lusts and so they are more sensual than divine And those their Teachers having paid much for their Learning they make as rich Merchandize of it as they can they get as large Benefices or Wages as they can and no doubt but they set forth their Merchandize as gorgeously as they can too especially till their Benefices or Wages be confirmed as they think upon them and then vendible or not vendible they will have their rate or with force and with cruelty take it And these are the Merchants of the Earth for their Merchandize is earthly and bought for Money which cannot buy Heaven who are waxen Rich through the abundance of the Delicacies of Babylon with whom they Trade and at the fall of Babylon which hasteth apace they will weep and mourn over her Rev. 18.3 11. for no Man will buy their Merchandize any more for true Christians cannot hire Teachers to deceive People nor pay to them who strengthen the Hands of Evil-doers preaching Peace where there is no Peace And thus these Merchants false Prophets Teachers and Priests being waxed rich Jer. 5.31 like the false Prophets and Priests of Old they bear Rule by their Means and in the power of Darkness the power of the Man of Sin in the woful Night of Apostacy the Heads of them the Popes of Rome haue ruled over the Kings of the Earth and have declared pronounced and defined that every Creature upon necessity of Salvation must be subject to them the Popes who say their Doctrine is infallible but now many know that much of it is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles And now the Everlasting Day of God is at hand in which the Name of the Lord shall be great among the Heathen Mal 1.11 from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same and in the Light of Christ the Son of Righteousness which is arisen and is arising with healing in his Wings unto many who have feared Mal. 4.2 and do fear the Name of the Lord many are made sensible of the same and know that the Light thereof is driving away the Spiritual Darkness of the woful Night of Apostacy which hath long covered the Earth and the Hearts of the People and many shall come to see plainly the deceit of the Merchants of Babylon which is revealed and is to be yet more and more revealed by the Light and Spirit of Christ and they who see their deceit plainly except they be very foolish will buy their Merchandize no more and then down falls their Trade And now let all who are convinced of the Popish Error in telling of a Purging from Sin after this Life and yet say that there is no freedom from Sin attainable on this side the Grave consider that no unclean thing can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Rev. 21.27 and then where and when must their Souls be made clean from Sin if not while their Bodies live And let all such examine themselves inwardly in the true Light of Christ Jesus whether they be not in the Suburbs of the City Babylon or in Confusion and whether or no they be fit for the Kingdom of Heaven into which nothing that defileth or worketh abomination or maketh a lye can in anywise enter but they that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life in whose Light the Nations of them which are saved must walk Rev. 21.23 24 27. And all those who in any measure see themselves to be in Babylon or in Confusion inwardly as all are who disobey the Light of Christ and walk not in the Path thereof but would have Salvation in their own Ways or Religions which they reckon were the Religions of their Forefathers as the Jews did of Old who reckoned themselves Abraham's Children and yet would not believe in Christ whose Day Abraham saw and rejoiced to see whose Day the said Jews despised and slighted the Visitation thereof unto them Now it is high time for all such to take diligent heed to the Light of Christ in their own Hearts which only can truly give them a true discovery inwardly of their several Estates and Conditions in which their Souls stand in the sight of God who knoweth the Secrets of all Hearts And as they carefully mind and obey this true Light which secretly reproves for Sin in their Hearts and Consciences John 6.2 John 8.12 it will certainly shew them whether they work the Works of God which is to believe on him or on that which God hath sent which is on the Light which whosoever followeth shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life Eph. 5.13 Or they work the Works of the Man of Sin the Works of Darkness which are reproved and reprovable by the Light for whatsoever is reproved or reprovable
is made manifest by the Light And so all by Examination may prove and try themselves whether they be in the true Faith of Christ which giveth the Victory and so the Apostle advised adding thereunto these Words Know ye not your own selves said he how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Oh! it is a dreadful thing to sell Eternal Happiness for Earthly Trifles and what else is all the Glory of the World as Esau being faint it seems he wanted true Faith he sold his Birthright for a Mess of Pottage and lost the Blessing being hunting abroad Heb. 12.17 and afterwards could not find a Place of Repentance tho' he sought it earnestly or carefully and that with Tears And so let all beware lest they bring themselves into Esau's condition for they cannot find a Place of Repentance when they have sinned out their Day and sold Heaven for a little Vanity And let none hunt abroad like Esau who that while lost the Blessing but every one at home may do well to take heed to the Light though it shine but as in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in their Hearts For it it a terrible thing to neglect the Day of the Visitation of the Love of God in and by the Light and Grace of Jesus Christ for he would not that any should perish as Jerusalem did whom he would often have gathered as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but she would not wherefore Christ wept over her saying Oh! that thou hadst known in this thy Day the things which concern thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes And then he declared of the Wo Confusion and Misery that was therefore to come upon her by her Enemies prevailing over her because she knew not the time of her Visitation Luke 19.41 42 43 44. And so Wo Confusion and Misery will certainly come upon every particular Man or Woman by the prevailing Power of their Enemy the Man of Sin the Power of Darkness who reject the Light of Christ and rebel against it and neglect the Day of their Souls Visitation by it For the Light of Christ who is the Sun of Righteousness is extended to all Mankind to teach People to fear the Name of God that so the Sun of Righteousness may arise upon them and that they may be gathered under the healing Wings thereof as a Hen gathereth her Chickens and so Christ standeth at the Door of Peoples Hearts and knocketh and desireth Rev. 3.20 and entreateth that they may open unto him that he may come in unto them and Sup with them and they with him But all they who reject his Counsel and will none of his Reproof but delight in Vanity and do not chuse the Fear of the Lord who when he knocketh will not open when he calleth will not answer and when he stretcheth out his Hand Prov. 1. refuse to be gathered these may seek him but shall not find him these may call but he will not answer these may cry but he will not hear them And it is not Profession only that will stand any instead though it be of the very Truth it self without Faithfulness to God in the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord which is at hand Zeph. 1.12 wherein the will Plead with all Flesh and stain the Glory thereof wherein he will search Jerusalem with Candles and punish the Men that are settled on their Lees for the Lord by his Light searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins Jer. 17.10 even to give to every Man according to his Ways and according to the Fruit of his Doings And now God requireth all People to hear his beloved Son who speaks from Heaven by his Light in their Hearts his Heavenly Voice which Voice from Heaven saith Come out of Babylon my People Rev. 18.4 that ye be not partakers of her Sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith And let none refuse him that speaketh from Heaven for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth Heb. 12.25 of how much sorer Punishment shall they be worthy who turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven And they who call themselves Protetestants what sort soever they be of who protest against the Abominations of the Pope and the Church of Rome if they come not to the Light nor bring their Deeds to it that their Deeds may be made manifest by it that they are wrought in God they are yet but in Babylon in Confusion and in Darkness and there they are in the inventing Nature in which Popery first arose and from which sprung their Ceremonies and Ordinances to get Money by and so they are far from the Nature of them who first began to protest against Popery who according to what was made manifest answered the Light in their Hearts and were wonderfully preserved And so they who profess Christianity and are erred from the Light of Christ in their own Hearts and live in Disobedience to it they are walking in the Way of the Man of Sin who is their Leader and Ruler And what need such to call the Church of Rome Babylon or the Pope who is called the Head of it Antichrist or the Man of Sin who are in Spiritual Babylon and subject to the Spirit of Antichrist in themselves For the Papists themselves as they do tell of an Antichrist or a Man of Sin to be revealed of which one of them called Robert Persons in his Book entituled A Christian Directory or Resolution printed Permissu superiorum that is with the Licence of Superiors in the Year 1622 in Part 1. and Chap. 7. and in Page 246. thus writeth That according to the written Prophecies of Ezekiel Daniel Saint John in the Revelation a little before the last General Day of Judgment there shall be revealed the Man of Sin called Antichrist who after the Conquest of many Kings and Kingdoms shall make himself the Monarch and absolute Owner of the World and shall exercise upon good Christians more Barbarous Cruelty and shed more Innocent Blood within the space of three Years and an half which shall be the term of his outragious Tyranny than all other Enemies of God have done from the beginning In which Words the said Robert Persons writes as if the Man of Sin or Antichrist were not yet revealed or not yet come to his Exaltation but the said Apostle John whom he quotes testified That the Spirit of Antichrist in his time 1 John 4.3 was in the World and that there were then many Antichrists whereby saith he we know that it is the last time Joh. 2.18 And if the Spirit of Antichrist and many Antichrists were then so known to true Christians that thereby they knew it was the last time it must needs follow that Antichrist was in the Apostles time revealed But if
Ministers of Christ whose Travail and Preaching often is and hath been in the hazard of their Lives and outward Estates And they that receive believe in walk in and continue in the New Covenant of the Everlasting Gospel of God which is the Light Grace Law and Spirit of God in their Hearts there is no need for them to be subject to Ordinances of Men nor to be burdened writh ther Traditions 2 Cor. 3. nor to be in Bondage to weak and beggarly Elements in their true Worship of God John 4.24 Col. 2.20 Rom. 8.21 Gal. 5.1 Gal. 4.9 which is in his Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty and such are all led and taught by the Spirit of God and stand fast in the glorious Liberty of the Children of God wherewith Christ hath made them free from the Yoak of Bondage to outward Elements Ordinances and Traditions of Men. And the Children of God who stand in their Liberty are the Babes unto whom the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed which are hid from the Wise and Prudent of the World Mac. 11.25 and these Babes have believed the Record of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these Three are One and this is the Record that God hath given unto them Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son and these Babes believe on the Son of God 1 John 5.1 2 to 12. and have in themselves the Record or Witness being One in signification and this is the Witness of God which is greater than the Witness of Men which Witness the Spirit beareth because the Spirit is Truth and so there are Three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these Three agree in One witnessing with the Spirits of these Babes who are true Christians that they are the Children of God And these are not dead Witnesses as outward Water is dead but are living Witnesses John 6.63 1 Cor. 15.45 for the living Spirit beareth Witness 2 Cor. 3.6 Tit. 3.5 Jer. 4.14 John 4.10 Isa 4.4 1 John 1.7 which Spirit quickeneth and giveth Life and the living Water beareth Witness which Water washeth the Heart from filth and wickedness which Water Christ giveth to them that are athirst and ask and the Blood which is not dead for the Blood is the Life Dent. 12.23 beareth Witness which Blood cleanseth them that walk in the Light as God is in the Light from all sin And so these Three the Spirit and the Water and the Blood agree in One witnessing or bearing Witness in the Earth to wit the Hearts of true Christians of and unto the inward Baptism of Christ And these Babes being Born not of Corruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. Heb. 4.12 Eph. 6.17 Eph. 6.25 but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever which is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword 1 Pet. 2.2 which is the Sword of the Spirit of God by which the true inward Circumcision is made and the true inward Baptism of Christ in the Heart wrought These as now Born Babes desiring the sincere Milk of this Living Word how should their tender Heavenly Father who knoweth all their Needs and Necessities but afford them Nourishment by the same that they may grow thereby And though these Babes at the first be but as unskilful in the Word of Righteousness Heb. 5.12 13.14 Col. 2.19 and use as it were Milk and not strong Meat yet as they truly hunger after the Divine Milk of this Word they come to be satisfied therewith and nourished thereby and so they grow and increase with the increase of God till they come to have their senses truly exercised by reason of use to discern both good and evil and then the Apostle calleth them perfect or of full Age as some Translate to whom strong Meat belongeth and so then they know an eating of the Bread of God which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World And Christ said If any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and saith he The Bread that I will give is my Flesh John 6.32 33 to 63. which I will give for the Life of the World and he said to the Jews Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you whoso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last Day for my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him as the Living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me shall live by me This is the Bread that came down from Heaven not as your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead he that eateth this Bread shall live for ever and to them that murmured at these sayings Christ said Doth this offend you What and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And so it is plain Mat. 4.4 that true Christians live by the words that Christ speaketh in their Hearts and Souls and Consciences by his Light and Grace the answering of which in faithful Obedience is as Meat and Drink to their Souls and they know the Law of the Mouth of God to be better unto them John 14.10 Psal 119.72 Mal. 2.7 than Thousands of Gold and Silver And as in Times past under the Law the Priests Lips were to keep Knowledge Col. 2.3 and the People were to seek the Law at his Mouth so the Lips of Christ who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck they keep Knowledge and in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and all true Christians inwardly seek the Law at his Mouth and their Souls live by the words that proceed out of it Psal 26.8.9 1 Tim. 6.16 Isa 60.19 and these are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God's House who dwelleth in the Light and these drink of the River of his Pleasures for with him is the Fountain of Life and in his Light they see Light and the Lord will be unto them an Everlasting Light and their God their Glory But they that believe not in the Light of Christ in their Hearts but rebel against it and kick against the Pricks and Reproofs of it how should such be satisfied with the fatness of God's House Or how should such know an eating of the Bread that Christ giveth which is his Flesh and Blood and a dwelling in Christ and Christ in them Or how should such know the words that Christ speaketh unto them by his Light Grace and
Christ Princes of Priests and say they sit in Peter's Chair and that they have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to bind and loose and remit and retain Sins and that they cannot Err are in these things found Liars and Deceivers and so Servants of the great Deceiver the Father of Lies for the Apostle Peter declared that Christ is the Rock and the Popes say Peter and his Successors are the Rock the Apostle said Christ was the Head of his Church and the Popes say Col. 2.19 Eph. 1.22 they are the Head of Christ's Church Peter â—alled not himself the Prince of Priests for he wrote to the Christians saying That coming to Christ as a Living Stone they were as lively Stones Built up a Spiritual House and an Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ which Sacrifices acceptable to God are invisible but so is not a Wafer the Sacrifice of the Mass-Priests of whom the Pope styleth himself Prince which Wafer a Mouse or a Rat would not be afraid of and do they not say it is the very Flesh Blood and Bones of Christ Jesus who suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem Which is abominable Deceit And though Peter and the rest of the Apostles who were in the Power of God had that which did open into the Kingdom of Heaven and shut out that which did defile and was unclean yet Peter Sold no Indulgences nor Pardons for Money as the Popes have done or do but he Prophesied of such false Teachers to come who said he shall privily bring in Damnable Heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. even denying the Lord that bought them and many shall follow their pernicious Ways by reason of whom the Way of Truth shall be evil spoken of and through Covetousness shall they with feigned words make Merchandize of you And so the Apostle Peter plainly foretold of the false Teachers who Teach for Hire and Divine for Money and through Covetousness with feigned words make Merchandize of People and deny the Lord that bought them of which fort of Teachers the Popes have been the Head which have no part in the Church of Christ they being neither Head nor Members of it for Peter acknowledged that Christ is the Rock upon which his true Church is Built but the Popes say that Peter is that Rock and that they are his Successors and so they deny the Lord that bought them and account themselves in his place and many have followed their pernicious Ways in preaching for Hire or Tythes and Gifts or Rewards and all such deny the Doctrine of Christ who said Freely ye have received freely give and so they deny the Lord that bought them and speak evil of the Way of Truth that they may readily make Merchandize of People with their feigned or lying words as Peter Prophesied and so it is plain that the Popes are the Head of the Deceivers and false Teachers that Christ and his Apostles foretold of And as for Peter's Keys that the Popes have reckoned that they keep and with them the Power of Binding and Loosing c. however they have been esteemed of yet it is written of Pope Julius the Third a noted Sodomist that he destroyed Two Hundred Thousand Christians in the space of Seven Years the abominable wicked Lives of many of them and also their many flat Contradictions being upon Record and that he intending to make War against the French and marching to the Bridge of Tyber he threw Peter's Keys into the River Tyber saying Peter's Keys help not let Paul 's Sword defend * Witness Prideaux Introd and Burton's Wonderful Prodigies of Judgment and Mercy us and yet that Pope could sell his Pardons And except the Keys were found again which I never read of yet have not all their Popes Pardons been sold without the Keys since And have not People been greatly deceived who gave their Mosey for Pardons to them that had not the Keys of Heaven to lot them in as they made them to believe that they had And doth it not seem as if the Pope erred who threw away Peter's Keys And it was written of him thus He selleth Heaven but hath not Heaven himself But the Kingdom of Heaven is within Luke 17.21 Mat. 13.89 and the Word of that Kingdom is in the Heart and so the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are Spiritual and not to be seen by a Carnal Eye and it is only they who receive believe in and obey that Word the Word of Faith in their Hearts that by the Keys know an opening and so an entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and thus testified Peter who advised them to whom he wrote to take heed to this sure Word the Light and to give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 to 20. And so the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are not made by a Smith upon an Anvil as probably the Popes Keys may which must rust perish and be of no esteem for the Day is at hand wherein no Man buyeth their Merchandize any more Rev. 18.11 It is Recorded in undoubted Histories what Bloody Persecution and Monstrous Murders the Roman Emperors in the time of those called the Ten Persecutions inflicted upon the Suffering Christians in the Primitive Times and then was there any talk of a Pope for a Visible Head of the Church at Rome Or then was Rome any more accounted of than the others The Churches at Jerusalem See Hist Magd. Cent. 5. Chap. 19. and Leo. ad Gal. Epist 77 89. at Constantinople at Alexandria at Cesaria and at Cyprâ—is had as much Power in their several Churches as Rome had during the first Three Hundred Years after Christ And the Elders or Bishops of the said other Churches did sometimes sharply reprove the Bishop of Rome and it was at the least Six Hundred Years after Christ as Records declare when Phocas Platina Christ Misseas Hen. Panteleon c. Epist 32 33 34. Cap. 76.77 to aspire to the Empire of Rome Murdered his Master Mauritius and his Children and Phocas somewhat searing and willing to have the Favour of Bâ—â—isace the Third then Bishop of Rome cohdescendeth to all his Petitions and grants him to be Head Bishop over all Christian Churches and here begun the Name of Pope being the first Rise of Rome's Visible Head And as the Popes had their Rise by a Murderer so a Murdering Persecuting Spirit hath influenced them as their Bloody Principles and Murdering Practices have abundantly declared to the World witness the sad Massacres of the Waldenses in Provence in the Year 1545. and of Christians in Haly in Calabria in the Year 1560. and likewise in France of above Thirty Thousand Persons in the Year 1572. and the Irish Massacre in the Year 1642. being yet fresh in Memory wherein by the Papists were put to several sorts of Death in the Province of Vlster an Hundred and Fifty Thousands