Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	faith_n	true_a	truth_n	4,594	5	5.5207	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77952	The Principles of truth being a declaration of our faith, who are called Quakers, whereby all that wants peace with God may return into their first state, through the operation of the light and power of God in the great work of regeneration / written by E.B., J.C., W.D., H.S.	Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.; Crook, John, 1617-1699.; Dewsbury, William, 1621-1688.; Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.; Smith, Humphrey, d. 1663.	1668 (1668)	Wing B6019A; ESTC R42820	61,240	151

same Spirit that the sum of all Religion according to the Truth and the signification of the word Religion is Man not at liberty in his will but bound again unto God by his having given to him by the Light of Christ within the true sight and knowledge of himself as in himself as lost and undone fo● ever and from this sight a true sence to ari●● upon and remain with him from wher● spring unutterably groans and cryes unt● God under the weight of the burthen an● wretchedness by reason of the body o● Sin and Death and then when there wa● none to help or pitty in this state then 〈◊〉 Mercy shewed in Christ the Arm of Go● which is revealed as an help neither see● nor known where how or when to co●● at it or meet with it And this begets i● the heart of that man or woman in an● unto whom it is thus revealed thanks an● praises unto God for this Gift and Rev●lation of his Son in this needfull tim● whom the Soul sees to be the Gift of Ete●nal Love And we believe and know upon th● Love and Faithfulness of God is founde● built and established the Everlasting Cov●nant whereby not only all men may b● saved for its ability but some shall be s●ved because for its prevalency which is 〈◊〉 like to the Covenant he made with our F●thers And although all mankind is not s●ved yet it is not because either of insu●ficiency in this Covenant or because of t●● weakness of the Grace that appears in and unto all men but because of mans will loving death and chusing his own delusions whereby his destruction is of himself and God clear of his blood in the free tender of his Grace Gift and striving of the Spirit within him For we know assuredly according to the Scriptures of Truth and Experience of all souls that ever were truly converted to God that though by Grace man is saved not of himself but by the Free Fift yet as the old World did and those rebellious Jews spoken of Acts 7. who as did their Fathers so did they alwayes resist the holy Ghost so do men now And yet in the tender of this Grace and striving of his Spirit the Lord is a God so hiding himself in the management of this Striving and Ministration of his Spirit as if it wholly depended upon mans choice and consenting that mans will as to him is as it were free in rejecting or accepting Life and Death being set before him whereby in the Wisdom of God the propensity of his Nature as it came out of the hands of his Maker hath an advantage by this dealing of God to put forth it self so that man is as free in the choice as he is in the refusal of the tender of Mercy and help and that with an equal indifferency as it appears to him in this state notwithstanding afterwards in the furthe● growth in this Grace and Knowledge o● Christ he sees clearly and convincingly that the Grace that wrought hiddenl● from his sight and knowledge in the fir●● working tender and ministration of Go● towards him gained his consent throug● its own prevalency in the Love of God b● which sight and sence self comes to be abhorred and the free Love so admired tha● he knows from first to last all was of Grace and that free that self is not able to challenge any thing as due from what it ha● done but all of gift and yet as before with such an equal indifferency on man●… account so that God may and will appea● to be just both in condemning and saving and the Justifier freely of all that believe i● Jesus the Light of the World Therefore let all take heed how they dislike this Ministration of God and striving of his Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences under colour and pretence of its insufficiency and therefore they will not come to him because his drawings and strivings are not so strong as they would have them to be looking for such an overpowring and irresistibleness as they are not able to withstand and gainsay lest such perish through a wilfull neglect and for want of stretching out their hand when the Lord holds out his and so they perish in the ditch with a vain expectation of further power or cry in their mouthes Lord have mercy upon us and so with the Sluggard while they cry Yet a little more slumber and folding of the hands to sleep their Garden is overgrown with weeds and their backs cloathed with rags and they beg in harvest whilst others that have sown in tears not fainting do in due time reap in joy and not despising the crums that fell from the table nor the day of small things witness the presence of their Beloved come down into his Garden and walking among the Lillies Let these things be truly considered pondred and weighed in the true Ballance of Light and Righteousness lest any Soul perish through the false weight and measure so shall my soul rejoyce that any have escaped the Net of the Fowler through the discovery of the true Light and God have all the Glory unto whom alone it belongs and man ashamed confounded his mout● stopped and he laid in the dust forever an● then shall my end be answered in writin● these things John Crook Concerning Perswasions in Matters of Religion THere is the Natural man and the Spiritual man and there are the Perswasions of each in and about Matters of Religion There is the Perswasion of Reason and the Perswasion of Faith The Perswasion of Reason is that Belief which man receives into his mind or heart from the exercise of the Reasoning Faculty and this Perswasion in Matters of Religion is but mans Opinion or Judgement which how certain or infallible so ever it appears to him yet may be shaken by a demonstration or evidence of a higher kind of nature The Perswasion of Faith is that Belief which the New-Creature receives into the renewing-Mind from the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit which openeth and manifesteth the things of the Spirit unto that mind which is begotten and renewed by it And this Perswasion is certain and infallible however it may be struck at and battered by the reasonings of the wise earthly part even in that very man whose heart is thus perswaded by the Light of the Spirit of God concerning the things of Gods Kingdom Now the lowest Perswasion of Faith is higher and of a more noble nature then the highest Perswasion of Reason because Faith is of an higher Principle and of a deeper nature and ground then Mans Reason is But this because it appears not in mans sphear but rather out of it and is contrary to the line and reach of his wisdom is accounted by him foolishness and madness Thus is the Wisdom of God and the Children thereof judged and condemned by man in his day And how can it be otherwise How can the wisdom of man but judge that as

That all Governou●● and Rulers ought to be accountable to th● People and to the next succeeding Ruler for all their actions which may be enquire● into upon occasion and that the chiefe of the Rulers be subject under the Law and punishable by it if they be transgre●sors as well as the poorest of the Peopl● And thus true Judgment and Justice wi●● be brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have praise and live in Rest and Peace that all Evil-doers whatsoever my stand in awe and be afraid of God and Just men and the execution of good Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly Religious and no man ought to be compelled to or from any exercise or practise in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other practice in Religion and every man of what profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in peace provided himself be a man of peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to reprove false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exhortation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought not to be counted a breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary minds or judgments this ought not to be punished by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe that the outward Laws and Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons and Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Laws of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe That Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit must only lead into al● Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors and that Subjects ought to obey them in the Lord that have rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which is according to God which stand in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require Subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him in such cases all People are free and ought to obey God rather then man and we believe that herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirt in all that which is good and out of all that which is evil Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a state of Election and a state of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all mankind are in one of these states all that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of Death and Darkness being Children of Wrath and Disobedience in the Alienation and Separation from God in the Transgression unreconciled to God the Enmity ruling in the heart being in the Fall and not restored to God again but ignorant of his Power and Wisdom having the understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal And in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted with God for he is dead to God and alive to all Evil bringing forth all his Works out of that ground which is cursed This is the condition of all mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adam and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and shall never inherit eternal Life but go into Perdition yet have all such a day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprobation but hating knowledge and despising the Love of God they continue in the state Reprobate and the Wrath of God abides upon them but they that are chosen of God are delivered ●rom Wrath for they believe in the Light and become Children of the Light and are renewed in mind and heart and receive the love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adam and are chosen in him to bring forth fruit unto the Father and all their Fruit springeth from that ground which is blessed for they are led by the Spirit of the Father and such are in the state of Election who are made Heirs with Christ of the everlasting Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe that Mercy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad into the World that all People may understand what we believe and what we have received of God And they that believe this and walk therein by the Spirit of the Father shall be saved but they that believe not but are disobedient to the Truth shall be condemned because they do not believe Much more might be written but in short this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the knowledge of these things from God A Friend unto all People Edward Burrough To all that say we whom the World do in scorn call Quakers do deny Ministers and Magistrates These things I write unto you to give you in short an understanding what Ministers and Magistrates we own and what and whom we deny 1. SUch Ministers as are made by God who are sanctified by his Word and Power who have freely received perfect Gifts from God and so by the Spirit and Power of God are sent forth into the world to turn the People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God who freely ministe● unto others without coveting any man● Gold or Silver or Apparel not seeking theirs but them Warning every ma● and teaching every man in all Wisdom that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus Such as minister from th● Spirit and have the Word of God abiding in them who are never unprovided bu● at all times and seasons and in all places do speak and declare the Truth as they are moved and instructed and as the Spirit of Truth doth give them utterance Such Ministers we own and have in great esteem for their works sake Gal. 1.1 12. Joh. 15.3 Eph. 4.7 8 11 12 13. Acts 26.15 16 17 18. Matth 10.8 Acts 20.33 2 Corinth 12.14 Collos 1.27 28 29. 2 Corinth 3.6 John 15.3 4 5 6 7. John 4.10 14. and 7.38 39. 2 Tim 4.2 3. Acts 2.4 But such as are brought up at Schools and Colledges and so made Ministers by the will of man who have not freely received perfect gifts from God for perfecting of the Saints but denies

b● baptized in the dayes past either for th● furtherance of the Gospel or tryal of the●… Faith we judge them not But this obedience is very rare to be found and w● could heartily desire that all would consider seriously whether literal sayings observed only by outward reading hearin● by the ear or inward impulses upon th● heart by the Divine Power are the motives unto Obedience in this kind And 〈◊〉 honesty and uprightness of heart may b● heard we believe and know the man● dead souls every-where notwithstandin● their Baptisms will be as so many witne●ses against them by their grovling upo● the earth as so many slain and killed me● by the Letter while the Spirits quickning have not been known in the true Baptism into death For we find by daily experiences that most men and women live lik● Pharoah's lean Kine only to eat up the fat and to envy those that are not so lean soul'd as themselves We believe also That as there is on● true saving Baptism so there is one Bread or Body of Christ which all the Saints d● feed upon and though they be many a● to persons yet their Bread is but one and they all in it but one Bread And this we believe is the flesh that came down from Heaven John 6.33 Though the outward Jews now as then murmur at him because he said I am the Bread which came down from Heaven ver 41 42. But Christ ver 45. to stop their murmuring tells them that the knowledge of this Mystery was only revealed unto them whom God and not man teacheth and no more than are taught of God can set seal and subscribe unto this Truth in Jesus though we believe also that Jesus took outward bread and brake it and gave it to the Disciples as the Scriptures saith and this was a figure of his Body that was to be pierced and broken upon the Tree and a shew to shew forth his Death until he came And we believe he did arise again and appear unto his Disciples And all that believed were together and had All things Common c. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God and having favour with all the people Acts 2.44 45 46 47. And we believe that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 11.20 saith true where he saith When ye come together therefore in one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper And all that he speaks in that chapter is not to perpetuate that outward breaking of Bread otherwise than as the Believers did that were filed with the holy Ghost in singleness of heart as before is said and yet we judge not those who break outward Bread and drink outward Wine being commanded so to do and put in remembrance thereby of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ by the Remembrancer the Spirit of Truth which is appointed by the Father to lead into all Truth But to do it by imitation or tradition only as most do it if not all at this day we know it is not an Offering unto God in Righteousness neither do we believe this to be the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and yet the eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Christ we believe man must know and witness or he hath no life in him Joh. 6.53 54 55. And we believe that many are striving now in their spirits as the Jews did verse 52 saying How can this man give us his Flesh to eat And not only the Jews but many of his Disciples said This is a hard saying who can bear it ver 60. and at verse 63. he tells them 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 he that hears and understands these words that are Spirit and Life will not be offended at what I have spoken of the Flesh and Blood of Christ By the same Spirit and Grace we believe That Prayer is an Ordinance of God when performed by his Spirit in its words and not those which mans wisdom teacheth or without words by sighs and groanes which cannot be uttered and these so often as the Spirit it self pleaseth But the Form without the Spirit whether it be by words of other mens framing or words of man's own spirit according to his will time and manner this is not the Prayer that prevails with God And we believe that there is none so weak and infirm but this Spirit proffers his help at some time or other though man regardeth it not And the more mans mind is gathered within from all visibles the more he comes to be sensible of the Movings and Stirrings of this Spirit in its secret cryes unto God answerable to the wants of tha● man or woman in whom it moves and cryes And by the due watching thereunto we believe and know the Spirit of Prayer and 〈◊〉 Adoption that cries unto God comes to b● discerned and distinguished from a man'● own spirit and will We believe by the same gift of Grace that there are several Ministrations and several Operations according to 1 Cor. 12. and all by the same Spirit as before and after th● Law by Moses and after by John the Baptis● and Christ and his Apostles and in all thes● the Ministration had acceptance with God through the management of the Spirit an● its rejection and dislike of God for th● want thereof And by this Spirit were th● Scriptures give forth and the holy me● of God did speak prophesie preach and pra● as they were moved and for want of it th● letter did and doth kill And for the further appearance and pouring out of thi● Spirit answerable unto the work and service that God had for them to do the● were to wait as Christ commanded hi● Disciples to do at Jerusalem to receive th● Promise of the Father For by this Spiri● he that speaks speaks as the Oracle of God And therefore as it was the practice of the People of God in old time to wait for the moving and stirring of this Spirit that they might speak as it gave them utterance in the evidence and demonstration thereof so do this People called Quakers now and according to its moving in their hearts they minister according to the signification of the Spirit whereby they understand both what and when to speak and when to be silent as also who are they that minister and speak in their own wills above the Cross of Christ which the Apostle was carefull alwayes to be in subjection to lest he should make it void by speaking the words which mans wisdom teacheth and therefore as the Saints did so we do believe and therefore we speak And such Preaching and Speaking in Faith as well as Praying in Faith is acceptable unto God as his Worship and not otherwise And we further believe by the

now before they had received the Spirit of Truth in themselves by and with that to be led into all Truth but might receive the power of truth in themselves from the Life thereof to convert others into the same therefore said he further after he was risen again But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high Mark 24.4 so that though they had seen his body before and had now seen him after his Resurrection yet that and all the rest was not enough without the Power and the Spirit which was to come which they were to wait for And so now men should tarry wait and stand still to see the Salvation of God and until they receive the Spirit for it is the Spirit not the body which searcheth all things and sheweth plainly of the Father And by this before written in short I have a little endeavoured to shew unto the meek and single-hearted that Moses when he was upon Earth directed unto Christ As in these words The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto me unto him shall ye hearken Deut. 18.15 And Christ when he was upon Earth directed unto the Spirit which was to come in like words saying These things have I spoken unto you being yet present with you but the Comforter which is the holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things John 14.25 26. And then what if I did write after the manner of men and say If Moses were now upon the Earth and Christ in his own body upon the Earth and Moses with all his Priests Tyth●s and Offerings and Religion which discovers Sin but makes nothing perfect which Paul profitted much in If he I say should command and exhort all people under his Ministry to go to Christ and hear him And if Christ were now upon Earth and notwithstanding his outward Miracles Circumcision Baptism Supper and Death yet he should command and exhort all that come through the Law or Ministration of Moses unto him to look and tarry and wait for another Comforter that they might receive the Spirit in them and say unto them that that should teach them all things and lead them into all Truth Then whether or no people were to continue following Mose's Priests with their Tythes and long Prayers and still be seeking the Law at their mouth or to come to Christ to seek the Gospel for Moses himself did not say that they should seek the Gospel at the Priests mouth And then when did the Priests ever preach the Gospel And then whether those obey not Moses who leave the Priests and come to Christ the Light and whether such when they are come to Christ should alwayes be looking and following after his Body Miracles Baptism or Supper without them or tarry and wait to receive the Spirit within them And then which of these now should all people that profess Christ be led by in these dayes either Moses or the Person of Christ or the Spirit of Truth And whether such as have received and are truly indeed led by this Spirit of Truth and know that to be their Teacher and follow it and are ruled governed and guided by it according to the Command of Moses and Christ do not hereby obey the command of Moses and Christ and fulfil their Doctrine And whether any other People or Professors whatsoever do obey the Command of Moses and Christ but only such And whether this be not a thing of great concernment to be known and learned by all who profess Christianity But why then do People follow these Priests of England any longer which are contrary to Moses and also to Christ who have no Store-houses but suffer the poor to want within and without and the Widow and the Stranger ready to perish and moreover devour and can never have enough of the Spoil of other mens goods And why do others dispute about and talk of the Body so much which they never saw nor knew And is it not better be silent and know God who dwells in his People and the Spirit of Truth which he requires in the inward parts and to feel after God even the Life in themselves because the Apostle said they were saved by his Life being before reconciled by his Death Rom. 5.10 and until the Life came there were many things which they were not saved from by his Body for the Body was before the Death and the Death which reconciles was passed through before the Life was received again to save and justifie And why then are People so much busied about that which was before the Reconciliation and so therein much short of the Life and for outward Bread Wine and Water Are not these things which are seen And are not the things that are seen Temporal But Christ the true Prophet being come of whom Moses did write who is the end of the Law and so the end of that Ministry whereby that is done away for the weakness and unprofitablenes● thereof and Christ coming after John o● whom John bare witness that he was before and greater and came after him and Christ also having finished that which he himself came to do and likewis● so largely and often Exhorted to wai● for another Comforter even the Spirit o● Truth Then what Ministration is it that now standeth and remaineth which is accordin● both to Moses Christ and the holy Scriptures and what Ministration is to be expected or waited for but the Ministratio● of the Spirit And whether all they be no● compassed about with a cloud of Error wh● are upholding that Ministry of the Law or a worse which Christ is the end of and the Apostles said was done away and likewise such as are upholding and keeping up that which Christ said he had finished And whether the upholding of such thing● now be not quite opposite both to Moses Christ and Scriptures And being that Moses nor indeed hi● true Ministers of the Law are not up●● Earth neither that Body of Christ which by the Professors was murthered at Jerusalem visibly to be seen upon Earth then what was it those have to follow who have not received the Spirit to be led by and if they will say they have the Writings of Moses and the Word of Christ I say if that be all then they that forsook and denied Christ had more than them for they had the words from his own mouth which were Spirit and Life and yet they understood not and then what do those understand who have not so much as they had therefore after he had suffered and rose again he opened their understandings And so what is all their Religion worth who are not come to the Spirit And whether Moses Ministration being ended by Christ and Christ also having finished his work are not all people in the first place now to wait for the Spirit and

to receive the Spirit by it then to be led into all Truth and so being first led into the Truth then in the same Truth to worship God in Spirit who is a Spirit And whether there be now any true Worship standing which God accepteth but only this And whether this alone be not agreeable to Moses Christ and Scriptures And whether all other Worships now upheld be not contrary to this true Worship of God and contrary to Moses Christ and Scriptures and indeed chiefly opposite to the Spirit of God whereby he is grieved And if so whether all such Worship Way Practice Performances Duties and Ordinances so called be not better left undone then performed until Gods Spirit be received to guide therein Thirdly Concerning the Ministration of the Spirit which abideth for ever MOses and his Ministry were visible and Christ in the form of a Servant and so like unto Moses was visible and so were his Miracles and that which is visible to the natural eye the carnal mind can come to profess and contend about but the blessed eye which God openeth with the light cometh to see the one done away and the other finished by Christ the Light and Life And the Spirit is that which first moved and yet moveth and moved unto and led through the visible Ministration and this Spirit is invisible as it is written the invisible only wise God whom no eye of flesh hath seen or can see and this moving invisible Spirit of God which is without limit or end is that which all people should be led unto by all its outward visible appearances ministrations and dispensations and this Spirit was that which gave forth and ordained the Ministration of the Law which was glorious in its time though to be done away but how much more glorious is the Ministration of that Spirit of Life it self from which the Ministration of the Law came which Spirit abideth for ever And the second Adam is made a quickning Spirit and the Spirit which is the Word was with God and was God before the body of flesh was made and that Spirit abideth for ever as is heard out of the Law He shall abide for ever And this is that which ever liveth to in●ercede And this for ever blessed invisible Spirit was before time and is to be when time shall be no more and is without limit an eternal lively Substance giving life from it self and secretly covering it self from the carnal part of man not seen nor understood but by such as by its secret motions come to be led to see through that which shadows it forth and by the image form shadow or figure to discern the Substance which is the Life where Immortality dwelleth for in the most innermost and secret of all is the Life of all being covered over with that in which it lies through which it breaking forth in any discovery of it self is that whereby the beholders might be drawn through the discovery unto it self which in the discovery broke forth for the discovery was still too short of that from whence it came and that which was discovered forth in any shadow form or image was not to be idolized nor set up for the very thing or substance of Life from whence it proceeded and herein hath been much mistake by such who came not by that which opened in the visibles to that from whence it came in that to have their understandings opened and thereby to be made sensible of that which is eternal by it to be brought in where its indwellings abide for ever whose breaking forth in the visible which was to draw to that invisible refreshed the soul invisibly in an unexpected manner and time but being after sought for in the visibles and not in the eternal withdraws it self out of the visibles and out of the sight and reach of that which seeks it there that thereby that which is to live for ever with it may come through all that which it appeared in unto the very thing and invisible Substance it self which is the Life of all and the true Center of the living Motion which moveth of it self and gave forth all things good as they proceeded from it by vertue of its gradual and various motions and this being come opens it self in them that find it and live therein and this maketh Darkness Light before the people whose dwelling is with God and the crooked comes to be made streight by the thing it self and dark sayings of old come to be opened and secret things revealed But to write more plain for the sake of the weak of this glorious indwelling Spirit which in the fulness of time cometh forth in flesh laying hold of the Seed of Abraham the most glorious Appearance that ever was being thus appeared was the express Image of God who dwelleth in his People whose bodies are flesh and earthly tabernacles but by the operation of the sanctifying cleansing Spirit which the Father sendeth are made fit habitations of God and so Coheirs with Christ and Members of his Body Flesh and Bones which Spirit quickneth to God and being thus received and obeyed is felt to live for ever though the shadowings-forth of it be done away and this is Eternal and never endeth but abideth with such for ever and the Ministration of it is Life it self to the soul and more to be valued and desired than all that ever was seen before it And as the Lord took of that Spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon his Brethren the Elders of Israel whereby they might rule and judge with him so saith Christ The Father shall take of mine and give it unto you even of that Spirit of Love Life Power Valour and Virtue which was upon and in him that was like unto Moses is ministred into and put upon such as are truly his Brethren and Friends whereby with him they thus gifted sanctified and qualified judge the World for all Judgment is committed t● the Son and of that which the Son hath and is committed to him doth the Father give unto his Members and so from Christ the Head they come to receive power over the World and its Way Worship and Fashions and over unclean spirits And that is an unclean spirit which will lead into any sin and it is an unclean spirit in which sin standeth and which pleadeth for the continuance and upholding of that which is unclean and that is of the world which the Saints judge And as those Elders of Israel who were of the Church in the Wilderness were not made fit to Judge or Rule in outward matters by all the writings and words of the Law though received by disposition of Angels until the Lord himself took of that Spirit which was upon Moses and put upon them So those that profess to be Elders in the Church now or any other person whatsoever are much less made fit to Rule or Judge in spiritual matters by all the reading