be endured in old bottles and many the like Much there is in that Luke 5.39 No man having drunk old Wine straight-way desireth new for he saith The old is better Surely if then it was so much more it will now be found so when men have so long and so deepely drunke of the cup of Babilons fornication as they are even dead-drunke with it As I sayd so I say againe To beare witness unto the truths of Christ am I here come up and offer my selfe to all for the desence of The least call shall bring me forth to give appearance unto all or any Onely this one thing must be premonished All that I can possibly deale with must be Self-denyers Namely 1. As to the World if they chose their portion on this side Jordan and be of the mind of that Chancellor of Paris who boasted that he would not change his place in Paris for his place in Paradise such are dease addars stoping their ears and hardning their hearts against all heavenly working 2. As to the Flesh if their God be their Belly and their lusts possesse their hearts the belly hath no ears t is no dealing with them 3. As to the Devill if they swell in pride and abide in the gall of bitternesse they must needs be so fast bound in the bands of iniquity as they can never attaine to judge and discerne the truth But if they will learne of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart and give themselves out of the will and wisedome of the flesh into the will and wisdome of Goal they shall easily learn of the word and doctrine which I professe that it is not mine but of God even of our Lord Jesus Christ FINIS GALLICANTVS SEU Praecursor Gallicinij primus CONTEINING The making good of those four dreadful Proposals laid down in Gallicantu Primo I. That it is not possible that we or any other Nation in the world can be the Church of Christ but on the contrary either Antichristianly or Diabolically in state of Damnation II. That it is not possible that all the wit and wisdome of men in the way that they endeavour Reformation in can make the Estate better but rather worse III. That yet there is a way and that of old laid down by Christ to render all Congregations Parishes and Societies of People Churches of Christ and all as formerly Churches of Saints in a blessed condition both here and hereafter IV. That to bring this about and settle it in the world there must be an utter plucking up of all that is now in esteem and desire in the world and of all that have such in the world for many hundreds of years and all things to become new By the same AUTHOR Dirigente Deo LONDON Printed for Nathaniel Ranew and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Angel in Paul 's Church-yard 1660. THE Preface to these Proposals THE three former of these are expressed fully in the Addresse unto the Kings Majesty and the fourth is the main of the Addresse unto the Parliament as is to be seen at large in Callicantu primo A more then Giant-like attempt it may seem to adventure on such high Enterprises But what cannot weakness it self do in the strength of God whose Power is best seen therein and in the Light of Christ which enableth to go on boldly All that I desire of my Reader is this That as my heart is and must be set in the utter denial of Self even of all in me that God may do all So also That my Reader would set his heart in the like frame in the perusal of all even to set his heart at liberty out of his self-wisdom to yield himself into the wisdom of God else he will see nothing but be more and more blinded and hardened For God resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble This premised I fall upon the pertieular Proposals The Lord be my Guide therein into the Truth GALLICANTVS SEU Praecursor Gallicinij PRIMUS 1. PROPOSAL That it is not possible that we or any other Nation in the World can be the CHURCH of CHRIST But on the contrary either Antichristianly or Diabolically in state of Damnation FIrst For the clearing of this dreadful Proposal be it considered First That I understand by Church as all others do that it is the company of those that are called in and by Christ out of the estate of Damnation into the estate of Salvation but withall That this call is not onely given but also received and yielded up into So as the Church are those people that yield up themselves into that call of Christ and no other else all the World must be the Church of Christ For as it is said in Scripture The sound namely of the Gospel is gone out into all Lands Secondly Be it considered That the Church of Christ is to be looked upon according to that distinction which Christ himself makes of them namely as scattered sheep and as folded sheep or gathered into his Fold The former are such persons in particular as in all Ages have become the sheep of Christ by the Lamb like Birth and so are given into the Call of Christ So becoming and living as Christ sheep and members of his Church but yet as scattered and not brought into the way and exercise of the Church of Christ as he hath instituted in his Gospel A Church thus stated is never wholly wanting in the world to Christ but yet not properly and completely to be called his Church as being not embodied in order to the way and exercise instituted for his Churches walking in Communion The latter are such persons as being so called give forth themselves also to be imbodied in a Society unto the exercise of the Church-way and Rule of Christ so as to have their conversation in Heaven as the Scripture terms it in mutual converse one with another and towards all in doing good flowing forth in love and good works This is properly called the Church and their estate even here in Grace is often called the Kingdom of Heaven Now thus the Church properly stated must be further considered either as coming short of the glory of God and of Christ or else as coming up into it sincerely The former sort are those who rest and stay themselves both in Doctrine Practice and Discipline in a way short of the fruits thereof unto eternal life The latter are those who by bringing forth much fruit glorifie God even the Father and are truly the Disciples of Christ Joh. 15.8 Of the former sort there may be many Parties and Professions of people in the world and some coming nearer to the glory of God then others But these not truly to be accounted Christs sheep or members Onely the last are his true Church of saved ones and of them is this Proposal meant Thus having cleared the Proposal I come to the proofe of it wherein first let
the case be considered from what all men professing Christ do acknowledge namely 1. That there was a true and pure Church in the time of the Apostles and a good while after so long as it abode in the Apostolical Rule Way 2. That there was to be a falling away from that Rule and Way of true Christianity and that to be universally and damnably as the Scriptures declare fully and clearly 3. That this falling away into the estate of damnation took beginning even in the Apostles times as to some persons which afterward became a general Apostasie from the Faith under which Apostasie the Christian World so called was to abide 1260 yeares 4. All Christians holding and believing all the former things and the Protestant Divines holding the latter do withall declare and maintain that for about 1100. years before the Reformation the Christian World was generally in the Antichristian Apostasie hence then it must needs follow that there still remains after the Reformation began by Luther about 160. years of Antichrists Reign which must of necessity comprehend all the time since unto this day Thus far the truth of the case is born out by all that profess belief in the Scripture Prophesies especially by all Protestant Divines and Churches Secondly Be it considered from what is further acknowledged namely That the true Christian Apostolical Primitive Church was and is called the pure Church for that it abode in the truth and sincerity of the Gospel in its naked purenesse and spiritual clearnesse living and walking in the new nature c. But in the after-times and so to this day the Church framed it self into an Artificial Garb and Structure both in Doctrine and in Worship Ordinances and Discipline wherein it boasts it self of its Liberty and Power so to add and change as to become quite another to what it had been alledging That then it was in its Infancy naked bare unpollish'd stintâ—sh c. But now is become adult of perfect maturity beauteous adorned splendid and in far more complete accomplishments Hence it must needs follow That if the Church Primitive were truely Christs and represented by the Woman clothed with the Sun the nakednesse and clarity of Truth Rev. 12. Then the other must be that of Antichrist and represented by the gorgeous Whore arrayed with earthly Pomp and Gallantry Lyes and Vanity Rev. 17. 18. Which if as Babylon the Mother of Horlots is signified the Romish Church then all other Churches bred out of her as all ours are are no other then her Daughter-Harlots If it be objected That all the Artifices Additions and Changes brought into the Church are but Circumstantial tending to order and decency and so alter not the Nature and Essence of the Church I answer it is quite otherwise those Artifices have utterly mixed Christianity even as much as Adams fall ruined all mankind the case is even the same as may and will be manifested in season it being the utmost height of that despoyling of all and destroying of all Religion which is spoken of Jude 4. and in many other places of Scripture Thirdly Be it considered what is yet further acknowledged that the Scripture fore-speaking of the most accursed Estate of people in the last times beyond all others before as no times to have been under such horrid Apostasie and Cursednesse as those and that all confess that these are those times do also declare that this condition should be universal and in that estate mens hearts to be so shut up blinded and hardened as no working upon them should win them out of it being given over to so strong delusion to believe a lye to their utter damnation such a delusion as to rest in a form of godliness and utterly to deny and turn away its Poâ—er such a besottednesse in a carnal self-pleasing Religion as to lye drunk in it and abundance of the like dreadful expressions and fore-speakings of the state of the last times And withall that there should be no release and deliverance out of this woful estate until the brightness of Christ dissolve and break those chains of darknesse save onely from some palpable enormities towards the end of the Reign of Antichrist which brightnesse of Christ having not yet appeared needs it must be that Antichrist still abideth in life power and all his essentials even where much of his outward parts have been consumed among the reformed These things and many more discovered at large in Gallicinium may well startle and affright us For surely were there such Churches and so many precious people yea and National Churches as we dream of these things could not be nor ever have been uttered by the Word of truth Fourthly Be it considered from the clear and unquestionable evidence of the case it self which all men must acknowledge and cannot possibly clude when it be set before them And herein 1. Consider wherein consists the true nature and essential proprieties of the true Church as it stood and abode in the Apostolical and Primitive times was it not in the new Man the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and power formed in their hearts according to his proper Nature and Office which Nature is Love and his Office is to bruise the Serpents head that is the Lusts which are the Kingdom and Power of the Devil in man and so to restore man unto that estate in the Image of God wherein he was first created that so living and walking in love the good works flowing from thene to be the fruits unto eternal life so being in the life of God and acting God's part and work in the world to be ever wel-pleasing and acceptable to God himself so becoming a Temple and Kingdom of God and of Heaven Is not this to be truly a Christian and this course and conversation the way of the Church and the conversation in heaven And did not the Primitive Church thus live thus walk Was not herein their Church-Way Church-Rule and all that denominated them truly Christian See at their firâ—t conversion Act. 2. 4. how Christ and Christianity manifested it self purely in their out-flowing self-denying Love so in all their Life Conversation Exercise whole Demeanure among the Heathen Was not the essential Character of their Religion and Grace meerly Love whence flowed all Virtue Goodness Holiness c So as it became the all-sufficient Note and Character whereby to be known to be the Disciples of Christ as himself declared Joh. 13.34 But now bring we our Church and all Churches now and of long time called Christian and see if any such character note and evidence can be found So as indeed it is utterly unknown shut up in a Mysterie making good that of the Apostle Eph. 3.19 The love of Christ passeth knowledge Sure it is and Gallicinium will make it evident that both we and all other Churches so called are far from the true Church of Christ even the pure Church of old as Hell
is from Heaven 2. Consider wherein consists the true Nature and Essential Proprieties of Antichrist and his Church into which the Church so called did degenerate Is it not quite opposite to all of Christ and his Church and that also even in the place and pretence of Christ So that as Christ's Office and Work in the way of his Religion and Ordinances is to turn mens hearts out of their Lusts which are the Kingdom of the Devil into the true Love which is the Kingdom of God So Antichrists work and office from the Devil is to turn all that Grace of God into wantonness to render all Christs Ordinances and the whole frame of Religion a self-pleasing thing suiting and sitting the carâ—al mind which is enmity against God advancing the World Flesh and Devil in all the things of Christ and of Heaven the healing the Beasts Head wounded by Christ unto the death c. So as wholly the work of Christ became frustrated and men in the profession of Christianity and backed and born out thereby live no otherwise but indeed rather worse then Heathen meer natural men all in their own lusts and likings Was not this the way of Antichrist's Church in former times Whence arose all their Innovations Traditions Idolatries Superstitions and innumerable abuses in Religion beside the abundance of Heresies Schismes Controversies and also of Vice and ungodliness not known among the Churches of Saints that were of old Was not hence their Lordly self-advancing their affecting Honours Power Preferments Riches and all of the Worlds glory and that under pretence of Right from Christ himself O shameless lying who plainly declared his Kingdom not to be of this world but denied himself in all things and accordingly gave the same charge unto all his c. And now turn we our eyes on our selves and on all other Churches and see if possible any thing can be found in the way of all but what is of the essential properties of Antichrist and never worse or the like to what is abundant in these our dayes so horridly into Antichristianism is the carnal Church degenerated 3. Consider wherein consists the true nature of all those Separations Purgings and Reformations that have been made from time to time both from Rome it self and of earh party and profession one from another all being under pretence and boasting of departing from Antichrist each ever exclaiming on other as Antichristian and thereby they back all their seperations divisions schisms and whatsoever else they have contrived in their own choice wayes Consider I say if those things they separated themselves for were Antichristian as being of mens devising Innovations Idolatries Superstitions c. yet what are they but as the flesh and outside of Antichrist his carnal pussing up in fleshly Wisdom And what is their departure from them but onely in the Scripture phrase the Consumption of his flesh and outward parts But as for what is of his Life Essence Power Vitals and even all that is the Root and Mysterie of Iniquity the carnal mind that they never departed from but stick fixedly still therein in every profession holding still the Grace of our God in wantonness and carnal self-pleasing and self-seeking never the more attaining to the knowledge of Christ and of his Grace but living still in their own Lusts making even Religion the very fewel to their lusts the cherishing of Pride Wantonness Malice Envy Covetousness and all unrighteousness as is evident in every Sect and Profession to the shame and confusion of the most specious professors 4. Consider wherein consists that glorious pretence of all parties in their boasted of Reformations as arrogating a conformity to Christ and to his pure Church of old There is no Sect or Party but that makes this their pretence and aim to state their way in the Primitive purity and perfection And therefore the most of all parties set aside what are of later Original then Apostolical wherein although their way is good if strictly so holden in yet what have they done but still in the Spirit of Antichrist speak lyes in hypocrisie Laying all of Doctrine Worship Ordinances and Discipline low and base in a carnal and worldly way wholly short of the glory of God even as the Scribes Pharisees and Doctors of the Law did of old whence Christ called all their Doctrine Hypocrisie So that whereas there is nothing as from Christ that reach in any thing short of the Kingdom of Heaven there is scarce any thing to be found now in the Christian way that reach half the way Insomuch as even the best and furthest that ever is gone or so much as driven at in Religion and every Ordinance is but unto legal observance Sanctification it self being the highest perfection of a Christian in this life what is it but a conformity to the Law as the doctrine among us state it The Evangelical perfection is wholly unknown and Christ is become lost in all our Christianity In a word look we to Doctrine Discipline and all the power of Godliness What is it become but a kind of civilizing of people besides a little historical notion and carnal confidence in Christ which they call Faith No nearer are we to the true Christian Apostolical primitive pattern then those were to Christ whom in high indignation he so oft branded with the term of Hypocrites 5. Consider the convincing evidence hereof from the declared consciousness of people that they are quite wide or short of the way of Christ and of his Church For knowing well the universal departure of themselves and all in general from the heavenly conversation of the Church of old that there is no such exercise walking and fruit of good works in the kingdom of God as was ever among those Saints of Christ ever their refuge and conscience-cozening boasting is They have Christ within them and in their devotions in their meetings in their private exercises in their withdrawing and separating from others and the like But what is all this but what Christ sore-told should be that men should say Behold he is in the Desart behold he is in the secret ohambers doubtless at these and the like he striketh whereto he adds Go not after them believe it not for as the lightning c. intimating thereby that it is impossible that he can be in such secret shutâ—ing up he being the Light and his Church in that Light is as a Câ—tie set on a hill which cannot be hid For can love be shut up in the heart and secret chambers especially that of Christ and which is Christ resembling the love of Parents and of Lovers not possible to be without abundant manifestation in fruits In this Love is that glory of God into which we are called by Christ if we be truly his and the power thereof in our hearts is Christ in spirit in us even that Spirit which teacheth all things enableth to all things praying preaching governing and all
but as that Annointing taught them The second is as clear in that all the true Members of Christ and his Church are said to be born again and being so born to be in that condition as never to sin 〈◊〉 in possibility to sin And the third is as clear from the Testimonies of the abundant joy rejoicing contentment satisfaction and flowing measure of all true heavenly good wherein the Saints and Church of Christ continually lived and poured forth These things are plentifully evident in the Word of the Gospel See then if the first branch hereof be not fully made good 2. For the second branch namely That a clear full and all-sussicient way for it was laid down by Christ is as evident also in the Gospel where we find 1. That this way is meerly and alone Love that Love which the world knows not as the Gospel affirmeth wherein is all the Light unto all Truth so as to need no other Teaching It is a vain Antichristian boasting out of pride and arrogance which blindeth the heart to advance the Learned and Learning into the place and Office of guiding in case of Religion Were this Love known and the power of it set in the heart it were Light and guidance enough into all things infallibly as may easily be shewed convincingly unto the hardest heart Again in Love is all Holiness Righteousness Goodness and not possibly any sin All sin is from the absence of this Love as may clearly be evidenced as in the Lusts is all the blinding of the heart so also is all the sin and wickedness in man And lastly in Love is all happiness for therein is all contentment satisfaction and joy and no joy comfort and contentment comparable thereunto as on thâ— contrary all sorrow vexation and wo is stated in Lust 2. That this Love is the whole way of Christ 1. It is the whole sum of his Doctrine wherein is the fulfilling of the Law no other Precept or Doctrine did Christ hold forth but Love 2. It was the course of all his Life whereby hefulfilled and perfected the â—aw it being not possible to be truely kept til he in that love did it whence all his life was a going about doing good as the Scripture witnesseth 3. It is truly himself in spirit and power whereinto the regenerate are born and by which they perform such true obedience to the Law as they neither sin nor can sin 3. That in this Love thus brought into the world and into man's nature all the truly converted received Christ and his Gospel and therein also preached Christ and inwrought him into others whereby they became Churches of Saints This was the work of the Ministry and the work of the Church and Elders and all the ruling and governing which the Gospel speaks of namely to act in Love and thereby beget many Sons and Daughters unto God by strengthening one another enlightening the ignorant supporting cherishing the weak and needy and reclaiming the obstinate and unruly rendring all the Church pious to God loving ust and all good doing to others loyal to their Princes and Rulers no such people ever as they living in the world whence Christ said that the least in this gospel-Gospel-Love is greater then the greatest that lived in the most exactnesse of Legal Obedience 3. For the third Branch namely That it is an easie and ready thing to bring all Congregations Parishes and People into the same Estate and Condition again even to be Churches of Saints yea and much more easie for us to compass it now then in those times of old How easily this is made good be it considered 1. That the same means thereunto still remains with us No one of Christs Ordinances and means of Grace is lost and perished what Christ planted is stil in being in the Church though planted again by man in a false ground all being plucked up out of Christ the love and planted in Antichrist in mans carnal lusts but yet stil they remain it is but to remove the Plants again and all is done 2. That there is the same way to effect all as formerly For stil there remain such Societies Congregations and Parishes of people meeting and professing Christ in the exercise of the Ordinances of Christ unto Salvation as are in nearest resemblance to the Churches of old that were called Churches of Saints Herein is every where a Ministry and People easie to be ordered in the way of being Elders and Youngers to accomplish all the blessed effects to make pure Churthes of Saints Would but Ministers themselves learn and know Christ and accordingly preach him to others And then the Elders or better Proficients in Grace that have gotten truly into the knowledge of Christ do their part to inwork also Christ into others and so back the work of the Ministry Were but Christ so in the hearts of some in every Parish as they could say with St. Paul The love of Christ constrein us all the work unto Saintship must necessarily follow 3. That there is the same power to effect all by spiritnal efficacy of Christ in and with his own Ordinance as well as ever was of old is clear both by Scripture where we have Christs promise to be with his unto the end of the World and also by our own acknowledgement all of us resting upon that Power of Christ to carry us unto Salvation through the use of the means and therefore questionless it is as efficacious for all other spiritual and heavenly purposes and effects towards others Lastly that it is more easie for us now to compass it then it was of old is clear for that we are backed into all things by a Christian Magistracy and Authority which then was wanting yea might and main opposing Clearly is seen abundance of advantage unto us more then was unto them only that may be said of us which is in the Proverbs Wherefore is there a price put into the hand of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath not an heart unto it Too true it is Christ is wholly unknown It may be said both of Princes and people what was said of Elies sons They are sont of Belial they know not the Lord nor his Son Jesus Christ But be sure the time is at hand when if not we yet a wiser generation shall have an heart to get wisdom by the price put into their hand Christ shall rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron namely in and by the power of the true Heavenly self-denying Love the Fountain of all goodness in the hearts of all even as now the Devil and Antichrist do in and by the all-commanding power of the Hell-reigning Lusts in the hearts of every one unto all exorbitances and excess in sinfulness and wo. All these things are abundantly set forth and cleared in Gallicinium and much more also The Lord prosper both this and that also to his own heavenly glory 4. PROPOSAL That to bring
cannot hinder him when that season comes Behold the stone cut out of the Mountains without hands which is to smite Babylons Image and overthrow all the Hel-Dominion on the Earth is now in the cutting out and ere long the blow wil be given All the structures and devices of the wisdome of man shal have their fall return to their first nothing The Earthquake hath long been wherein the 7000. Names of men that is the inventions devices and structures of men in Religion whereby they have manifested themselves and made known the foolishness of their wisdom are to be slain and then the remnant afffrighted shall give glory to the God of Heaven and so the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever God hath so determined the times and seasons unto all say and do all the wits and powers of the world what they can There is but an hour for the power of darkness to prevail and then comes the power of the Light eternally to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron And thus having spoken nothing but the words of Christ and of his heavenly spirit I may further apply thereto that saying of Christ The words which I have said unto you they are spirit and they are life THE CONCLUSION Most Dread Soveraign AS in my first Addresse so in the close hereof I make return unto Your Maesty in the first place humbly beseeching you to consider if what I therein declared be not now made good and accordingly whether ever any thing of so high and heavenly nature was ever presented and tendered to any Prince on Earth And whether the prosecution hereof will not advance your Throne above all the Kings that ever were before you Look not upon it I beseech you as the work of a poor simple man but as a Message from the King of Kings and his Son JESUS CHRIST who hath reserved this for your time and restored you to your Kingdoms for so great a work Finally this your poore Suppliant aged and weak who yet through the strength of Christ can stand on his leggs before and against all the Powers on Earth in defence of these Truths of his Lord and Master do yet as in his first Addresse tendered to your Majesties hands so now again humbly prostrates himself on his bended knees before Your Majesty beseeching you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God and to set your heart to bring all all your Kingdoms and Subjects in what lyes in you into the same most blessed reconciliation with God in Christ Right Honorable Senators of the two Houses of Parliament whom God hath now happily joyned with our gracious Soveraign O that man may never separate again whom God hath thus joyned To your Honours I say as I made my Humble Address in the next place unto his Majesty by the hands of the Honourable Speaker to the House of Commons so I again return my speech to you in the same order humbly besecching you to take it as an Addresse of the highest concernment that ever was or can be tendred unto you ye profess to make Christian Laws to establish a Christian Government and all your intentions and aims to be truly Christian Of necessity therefore ye must lay the foundation of all in Christ which this presents you with or else all is but building upon the Sand Be pleased therefore to take into most deepe and serious consideration what is here presented you and say not by any means ye have not yet leisure for it and so lay it by but bear in mind That Foundations are first to be considered and laid and if ye have leisure to act any thing yea to eat or sleep or live then much rather ye must find leisure for this seeing that both to eat sleep live and act any thing are all to be to the glory of God in Christ which this Addresse wholly and alone concerneth Right Houorable the Lord Mayor Sheriffs Aldermen and all others of this head Citie of my Nation unto whom also I have made my humble address by casting my self into your arms not creeping into houses to lead any Captive but proclaiming in your streets the Name of the LORD O let it not be said of you as once it was of that head City Jerusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee I say unto you and to all other the Magistrates and people throughout all these kingdoms and Nations unto whom these addresses may come Men Brethren and Fathers unto you is the â—ord of this salvation sent Never Rulers and People had more need of it never was God and all that is of heaven so lost in the world as is now Behold here the light of God's countenance returning upon you Christ proclaiming his coming in power and great glory Behold I say here a breaking forth of that Light which will yet grow clearer towards the perfect day which if it be received and imbraced will abundantly make good that of the Prophet of old Happy are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God Reverend Divines of this Honorable City to whom I have also made my address by repairing to diverse of you to beseech your help and concurrence in this work of the Lord not so much presuming to impart Light unto you as to crave further Light by partaking of your grace My humble Request both unto you and to all other of Christ's Ministry in these Nations is That you would not make good my jealousies and fears conceived in this case that as it was to Christ at his first appearing so also now the Priesthood to be the bitterest adversaries The grounds of the fears are the same which were in them having drunk so long and so deep of the old wine it is very hard to like of new O remember that the same word of prophesie which fore-spake of the slaughter of 7000 names of men which we find in the executing speaks also in the same place of the fall of the tenth part of the City which to be the Clergie of Antichrist's Church is more then probable and the making it good must be either by their falling from Babylon or together with Babylon into eternal perdition which latter cannot be avoided if the other salling off prevent it not even by hearkning to that call from heaven Come out of her my people c. lest yee be partakers of her plagues And now in a word to all committing you all to God and to the Word of his Grace I commend to your consideration that of the Prophet Jer. 26.13.14 15 16. Hatred Tribulation and Persecution from the World is the bequest of Christ to his saithful ones an Inheritance in Christ never to be parted with till himself appear again in power and great glory to incline the hearts of all to the love of the Truth And therefore wo to those pretenders for Christ whom all men esteem love and applaud as himself hath said They are the false Prophets which were to come into the world strange it may seem that this excreme difference should be seeing that all professe and preach by Name the same Christ onely here it differs the one doth it in jest the other in good earnest the one in hypocrisie the other in sincerity the one basely suted to mens carnal Lusts the other highly advanced into the heavenly self-denying love And so the wide difference stands clear the one is the Antichrist from Hell the other the Lord Christ from Heaven Therefore the hatred must of necessity be by reason of the enmity of Hell in the carnal mind against God Here then is the hope and comfort if this tender of the Lord Jesus Christ find place in the hearts of people then is the brightness of Christs coming appearing in such hearts unto assurance or proceeding to the highest glory of Christ if otherwise then the hour of darkness is not yet past but the true Light is reserved for a better generation which God in his own time will bring about and then none shall hinder it FINIS