the Kingdom of Heaven Which Holy Spirit wrought so mightily as to beget the New Man Christ Jesus in me by whom I had peace with God and good will to all his Creation Which Spirit of Love moved me to send Thirty Pounds to be distributed amongst the Poor of the Roman-Catholick Church as a sign of my Love and good Will to them which I understood you received in the same Spirit of loving-kindness I sent it Not as Judas that betrayed his Master into the hands of Sinners for Thirty pieces of Silver but from one that witnesseth the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead whom by my sins I had formerly crucified and put to open shame but having repented and amended my former bad Life by help of his Holy Spirit of Grace Christ in me I came to see that those of all Religions that feared God and acted righteously towards Men were accepted of him and dearly beloved by me in which Spirit of Love the Ground and Pillar of Truth the End of the Law and Bond of Perfection I found freedom in my self to look into all sorts of Religions and knowing the Rock Christ Jesus on whom all the Holy Men of God are built and having a discerning by God's Grace between the Precious and the Vile between him that serveth God in the Spirit of Truth and him that only pretendeth to serve him but with a false Spirit in which Spirit of God I saw the difference between the true Church of God and that which is the false Church In this Understanding I did read many Books written and allowed by the Roman Church viz. The Bible translated out of the Vulgar Latin by St. Jerom the Old Testament Printed in two Tomes by the English-College at Doway and the New Testament printed at Rhemes and have weighed and considered the Reasons St. Jerome gives for translating it out of the Vulgar Latin rather than out of the Hebrew and Greek which were much corrupted as he saith by Jews and Hereticks c. And having purged the Latin Version from Faults committed by Writers c. laying aside all other Latin Editions which St. Jerome saith were in his time almost innumerable which Translation out of Vulgar Latin though in many things defective yet in some I find better to agree with the Truth than that translated into English out of the Hebrew and Greek As for Instance The Vulgar Latin translates Isa 12.3 You shall draw Water in joy out of the Saviour's Fountains The other You shall draw Waters out of the Wells of Salvation Psal 38.6 the Vulgar Latin saith Doubtless all things are Vanity The other Psal 39.5 saith Verily every Man at his best estate is altogether vanity which seems not to be true for the Regenerate Man which is born of the Spirit and hath Christ the New Man in him is not altogether Vanity for Christ is the Eternal and only begotten Son of God full of Grace and full of Truth Allelujah John 1.14 the Vulgar Latin saith The Word was made Flesh and dwelt IN us The other The Word was made Flesh and dwelt AMONGST us Which Translation I apprehend was to gratify those that deny Christ come in the Flesh of the Sanctified and so exalt the Flesh of Jesus equal to or above the Spirit which dwelleth in all true Believers Allelujah 1 Pet. 1.13 the Vulgar saith Trust perfectly in the Grace which is offered you in the Revelation of Jesus Christ The other Hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ This I also apprehend was to gratify those that say Revelation is ceased and also deny Revelation to continue in the Church of Christ to the end of the World which is contrary to Scripture and the Saints experience Read Mat. 11.27 Gal. 1.16 1 Cor. 2.10 Mat. 28.10 Romans 16.26 the Vulgar Latin saith To the obedience of Faith in all Gentiles The other saith Made known to all Nations This I suppose is also to gratify those that deny Christ the true Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World whom to obey is Eternal Life and Salvation both to Jew and Gentile Allelujah Heb. 1.1 The Latin saith God spake to the Fathers in the Prophets and last of all spake to us IN his Son The other saith God spoke to the Fathers by the Prophets and hath in the last days spoken to us BY his Son Which Translation is to set up Man the Letter to be our Teacher and to lay aside Christ the Word in the Heart the Saints only Teacher Heb. 12.15 The Latin saith Lest any Man be wanting to the Grace of God The other Lest any Man fail of the Grace of God Which seems to deny that the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to and in every Man to be sufficient to Salvation And in the Margent the Latin saith on that Text If we be not good there is no lack on God's part who offereth his Grace freely to all the defect is in our selves that answer not God's calling by his Grace Which I take to be sound Orthodox Doctrine Jude 14. The Vulgar Latin hath it Our Lord is come in his holy Thousands that numberless number which no Man can number The other saith The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints Which doubtless is to countenance a carnal personal appearance of Christ at his second coming who as he went a Cloud received him out of their sight even so in the like manner shall he return in a Cloud of Witnesses in his holy Thousands Allelujah Zach. 5.10 The Vulgar Latin hath it And I said to the Angel that spake in me The other I spake to the Angel that talked with me Which later Translation most assuredly was to gratify them that deny Christ God's Angel to come in the Flesh of the Sanctified Allelujah 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The Latin hath it Who according to his great Mercy hath regenerated us into an Inheritance that cannot fade conserved in the Heavens in you The other saith Reserved in the Heavens for you This likewise I apprehend is to gratify that Spirit which denies Christ to be in the Saints and Heaven to be there where Christ is which Spirit I take to be the Spirit of Antichrist I have likewise read and considered the Arguments Annotations Tables and other helps for the better understanding of the Text which I find in Divine things both useful and profitable As for Example Annotation before the Psalms saith That the whole Sacred Bible is a sealed Book and not rightly understood till the Seals be opened by the Key of God's Spirit And you say on Gal. 4.24 The Scriptures besides the literal Sense have a more deep spiritual and allegorical Sense not to be understood but by the same Spirit that writ them And you also say That there is no way to know Canonical Scriptures but by the Church Which is a Truth if you mean the Spirit
and Iniquity in whomsoever it is found so that no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of Heaven or eat of the Tree of Life placed in the midst of God's Paradise the Hearts of the Sanctified Allelujah You say The Church of Christ is Vniversal and consists of all Nations So say I as I am a Priest of God to the Nations having Christ Jesus in me my Priest my Prophet and my King that amongst all Nations all Sects and sorts of Religions whatsoever they be called Jews Barbarians Heathens or Christians such as walk in the Light of the Lord wherewith every one is enlightned are accepted with him and they are God's Temple and Church in whom he dwells Allelujah You say The Children of the Church are the Spiritual Seed of Abraham Which Seed I say is Christ who dwells in the mortal Bodies of the Saints who convinceth of Sin and sanctifies them from committing Sin so that where two or three are met in his Name his Spirit of Grace there is He in the midst of them and thus is He with his Body the Church to the end of the World Allelujah Clergie Men you say ought not to serve for temporal Rewards and that they may not exercise that Holy Function for filthy Lucre And so say I that those that Preach and Pray what is prescribed them by Man for Temporal Rewards are not the Ministers of Christ but Anti-christs Ministers for the Ministers of Christ as they receive the Spirit of Grace Christ the New Covenant the Word in the Heart freely so they give freely and not for filthy Lucre but from a ready and willing mind to the saving of Souls and not for gaining the Fleece Allelujah You say Jews shall be converted at the end of the World I say As the Christians are converted so are the Jews who receive and obey God's Covenant of Light the free Gift of God the Word in the Heart the New Covenant God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth Allelujah You say A Conscience guilty of Sin tormenteth the Sinner So say I That the Light of Christ wherewith every one is enlightned being disobeyed is the Tormentor and the Condemnation read John 3.19 The Mysteries of Christ are as you say high things above natural Capacities So say I for the Natural Man perceiveth not the things of God which are only spiritually discerned Therefore I advise all unregenerate Men not born again of the Spirit which quickneth and createth the New Man in us in that state not to meddle with the things of God as Vzza who was smitten of God for the Spirit of God only and alone knoweth and searcheth the deep things of God for no Man knoweth the Father Son or Holy Ghost but by the Inspiration and Revelation of God Allelujah Read John 3.3 Mat. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.10 11. On 1 Cor. 1.12 you say Schism is to leave the Spirit of God in his Church and adhere too much to Man's teaching which is a Truth For Man's teaching leads into Division and Disputes about Words and Forms Sect against Sect for some outward Observation which Man sets up wherein the Kingdom of God doth not consist which Disputes have ever proved the Scab of the Church in all Times but the Spirit 's teaching every one submitting to the Commands of God the Word in the Heart leads into Unity Peace and Rest with God and one towards another Allelujah On 1 Cor. 12.13 you say Christ the Head and the Church his Members make but one Body So say I Christ in the Saints is the one Head one Body one Faith one Baptism and the only one true Church of God Allelujah On John 4.12 13. you say The Water wherewith Christ baptizeth is living and spiritual Water So say I That John's Baptism was with material Water the which is Man's Baptism and only cleanseth the outward Body and representeth the inward cleansing but Christ's Baptism is as you say with living Water which is with the Holy Ghost and Fire which cleanseth and purifieth the Heart Soul and Spirit of all true Believers Allelujah On Rom. 10.5 c. you say The Justice of the Law of Moses went no farther than the saving of the Outward Man I say Moses preached Christ the Law and Word in the Heart the New Covenant read Deut. 30.11 18.18 19. Jer. 31.31 33. with Rom. 10.6 c. Heb. 8.8 c. the which circumciseth the Heart and createth a new Heart and a new Spirit within the which redeems and saves the Soul from Sin and teacheth truly the way to Life everlasting Allelujah Thus you see I have not only read your Bible but also considered the Arguments Tables and Marginal-Notes thereupon Likewise I have read many other of your Books written and approved of by the Roman Church viz. 1. Thomas of Kempis of the Imitation of Christ 2. Cardinal Cusanus his First Second and Third Rule of Perfection and his Idiot with others of the like Divine Nature 3. The Holy Court and the Angel of Peace to all Christian Princes By Nicho. Causine 4. Devout Essays By Walter Montague Esq 5. Charroone of Wisdom 6. Essays of Lord Michael Montaigne 7. Fiat Lux with an Epistle in Answer to Dr. Owen 8. The Lost Sheep returned Home By Dr. Thomas Vane 9. Abridgment of Christian Doctrine by Question and Answer By H. T. printed at Doway 1664. 10. A Manual of Controversies demonstrating the Truth of Catholick Religion by Scriptures Councils and Fathers of the first Five hundred Years and by common Sense and Reason c. By H.T. printed at Doway Anno 1654. 11. Dialogues of William Rushworth printed at Paris Anno 1648. 12. Roman Catholick Doctrine in Answer to Dr. Pierce his Court Sermon 13. The Victory of Truth for the Peace of the Church to the King of Great Britain Written by Monsieur de la Militera Answered by Dr. Bramhall 14. A Treatise of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass By R. T. Anti-Demolin 15. Heaven Opened and the Pains of Purgatory Avoided by the very great Indulgencies of the two most Illustrious Arch-Confraternities the one of our Blessed Lady called the Rosary the other of the Seraphical Father St. Francis called The Cords of the Passion printed Anno 1663. 16. The last Apologie in behalf of the Papists and answered in the behalf of the Protestants These sixteen Books with other Historical as the Council of Trent Platina c. I have read and considered both pro and con The first two of these sixteen Books I have read with great delectation of Mind which I apprehend were written by a Divine Spirit and do recommend them to all that are partakers of the Divine Nature Allelujah The five next I apprehend to be written by Wise Men lovers of Wisdom and well worth the reading by Men of Knowledg and Understanding The last nine I apprehend were written to set forth and to defend the present Roman Faith and Church to maintain by Argument and Dispute That the
that he is now exposing to the light That surely God hath a glorious Design to carry on in the World even the building of David's Throne to all Generations I know a Day of Deliverance for Sion will come not with confused noise of the Warrier and Garments rouling in Blood but with burning and fuel of Fire in the Consciences of Men. Men they may fight against but this they can never fight against The Day approaches wherein God will decide his Controversy with the World not by outward Might and Power but by the Spirit of the Living God 'T was an usual saying with him Come what would every thing was upon the right Wheel in the wise contrivement of God for the accomplishing of his Righteous Designs in the World And speaking to his Children saith Regard not the Reproaches that are fallen on your Father say or do Men what they will Abraham's Faith will find the Blessing Abraham found These and many more of His as of Others I take to be true and faithful Sayings meet to be considered by all that wait for and expect Redemption Consolation and Salvation from the God of Israel Allelujah You will not blame me that I have enlarged upon the Testimonies of these Holy Men that have finished their Course kept the Faith and are gone before us into the Eternal Mansions of Glory who having quitted their Mortal Fabricks are flown into the World of hidden Wonders The Spirits of these Just Men made perfect are now upon you ye are come up to them and in the harmonious Fellowship of that Spirit which is now one and the same amongst all the Sanctified I have a few words of my inward Breathings to communicate to your holy Experiences In a deep sense thereof of my endeared Love towards that Royal Seed that richly dwells in you I here salute you and give you to understand That my Soul is firmly knit and united to that Principle of Life in which you stand bearing your Testimony for the Truth before God and Man amongst a crooked and perverse Generation who only dwell upon the out-side talks and pretences to God Religion and Christianity but hate even to Blood and Violence all those that are the free-born Seed of the Promise whose Faith and Obedience stands not in the Will Work or Wisdom of Man but in the Power and Spirit of God mightily working in their Hearts and Consciences whereby they are indeed purified washed and cleansed from dead Works to serve the Living God And so much the more is my Heart inflamed towards you when I consider you in refeference First To the Nature of your present Station And secondly To those great Designs that God hath prepared you for First For the Nature of your present Station I behold you not as Moah Jer. 48.11 12 c. but as a People standing in a more inward nearness with God than the rest of the formal Tribes of Religious Proselytes in the World a People that have bin scattered from all your fleshly Comforts and Confidences in all those Joys Hopes Helps and Establishments wherein you have trusted below God You have bin led into the Deeps of God's Wonders while others have bin only wading in the shallow Streams of a literal and formal Profession Unto you it is given to know those Mysteries of the Kingdom of God which lie hid from others in dark and obscure Parables you know that the Son of God is come and hath given you an understanding to know him that is True and that ye are in Him that is True which is the very God and Eternal Life You cannot be deceived with the tinkling Noises or glittering Baits of Loe here or Loe there for the Kingdom of God is within you In a word there is nothing below Spirit Power and Substance that can either crown your longing Expectations or reward your holy Breathings after Truth with a plenary and full satisfaction Thus as the Lord's Lillies among Thorns so do you stand among the formal Daughters being preserved in your Station upheld in your Principles and as Beacons flaming with the holy Blazes of a free and universal Love serve to enlighten the World into the way of Truth and direct their Feet into the Paths of that Peace Amity Union Rest and Security to which as yet they are so much estranged And this leads me to the other Consideration of the Great Work and High Designs which God hath prepared you for And surely glorious Things are spoken of thee O thou City of God! You are not only as Mount Sion beautiful for Scituation but also the Joy of the whole Earth for those humble gentle lovely and pleasant Aspects by which you shine upon the whole World with the inviting and astonishing Charms of a divinely inspired Love and Affection You are a People fitted above all others to be a Blessing to the World the whole Creation seems to groan and travel in pain with a longing and languishing expectation to be delivered into the glorious Liberty wherein Ye stand O how hath the form and out-side of Religion mixed with Carnal Interest exposed the World to Extremities of Horror and Confusion as at this day What indignity and reproach doth indelebly stick upon the Skirts of Profession and Christianity through that fiery and mis-guided Zeal those Feuds and bitter Animosities that Strife and Debate that Blood and Violence which abounds amongst those that walk under the glorious Names of Gospel-Professors and True Christians How insipid lifeless and unsavory is the whole state of formal Profession grown who while they cry up a Christ that died for them and contend for an Historical Faith of his Death and Sufferings hoping to be saved by a bare Imputation of a Righteousness wrought without them and yet know nothing all this while of any inward change or renewedness of Mind and Heart but totally ignorant of the inward active and real Righteousness which should commend them to the World in an healing saving comforting and refreshing Spirit And certainly the higher People are advanced in a literal and carnal Knowledg of God and Christ the more rough bitter and severe will their temper be towards all others that differ from them in the least Circumstances of Religion it being natural to that Knowledg and Wisdom to swell and puff up the Mind in the lofty and high conceits of a self-Righteousness rather than sweeten and soften the Spirit in that Charity which edifies Behold this is the distracted Station wherein the Children of Form are truly presented as Pharaoh's lean Kine tearing and devouring each other in this day of Wrath for now is the Judgment of this World and what may quench these Flames what may quel these Disorders what may repair these Breaches or allay these Distempers is the main thing that would be most desirable to know We see that neither the Prudence of Princes nor the Policies of Government the Prescriptions of the wisest Reformers nor the best esteemed
of Christ in the Sanctified which Sanctified are the only true Church of Christ You also say The only difference between the Old and New Testament is that in the Old lies hid the New by an Allegory Which is a Truth to him that hath an Ear to hear what the Spirit in the Letter saith Allelujah On Rom. 4.8 you say The words Imputed or Reputed do not diminish the Truth of Justice and that Justice is not reputed to them that are not made Just and Righteous Which is also a most real Truth On Gen. 22.1 you say There is as much difference betwixt Christ's Divinity and his Humanity as was between Isaac and the Ram and as is 'twixt Elesh and Spirit for what is born of Flesh is Flesh c. The Book Ecclesiasticus you say teacheth to contemn this present evil World and that things Earthly and Sensual are insufficient to give Peace and Rest to our Souls and that true Felicity consisteth not in Natural Knowledg gotten by Wit and Natural Industry nor in Riches Honour Pleasures nor in Authority or Dominion nor in any thing that is Sensual or Carnal but only in the Eternal and Internal fruition of God in our Souls which is procured by Free Grace which enables us to decline Vices and to pursue the ways of Vertue which lead to Beatitude all which are Truths most clear and excellent Allelujah Before Leviticus in which Book saith St. Jerome all Sacrifices Aaron 's Vestments and the whole Levitical Order almost every Syllable breaths forth Heavenly Sacraments I say even as the whole Creation doth breath forth God's Omnipotence his Grace and loving Kindness to Mankind Allelujah Zach. 1.3 When the Scripture saith Convert c. we are admonished that we have Free-Will and when we answer Convert us O Lord to thee and we shall be converted we confess that God's Grace preventeth or enableth us and when he commandeth any good of us it is either to humble or enable us in the performance as James 1.17 Heb. 13.21 which Doctrine is true for we have no other free-will to good but what God giveth us in by and through his Holy Spirit of Grace which appears to and in every Man Allelujah On Gal. 6.16 you say The New Creature is the true Faith and Work of Grace in the Hearts of the Faithful and is the Faith first delivered to and in the Saints A Speech most true Allelujah 1 Cor. 12.3 you say No Man can say Jesus is our Lord but by his Spirit within us which enableth us to be obedient to his Commands and to do the Will of God here on Earth as it is in Heaven for by Christ strengthening us we can do all things pleasing to God our Heavenly Father Allelujah On Heb. 12.28 you say Grace is the only means enabling us to serve and please God Tit. 2.11 And that Man 's free-Will is begot and worketh freely by free-Grace Also you say Free-Will is in Man for that no Sin can be committed without consent of free-Will nor can any Work merit or please God but what is wrought in Man by the free Grace of God's Holy Spirit Thus by Grace we are saved not of our selves it is the free Gift of God to every one Allelujah You say Elias is alive and shall be a fore-runner of Christ's second coming I say Elias in Spirit is alive and now preacheth Repentance and forgiveness of Sins to all that amend their Lives according to God's Holy Word written in every Man's Heart the Volumn of God's Book wherein his Will is known that it may be done here on Earth as in Heaven Allelujah You say also That Enoch is yet alive and shall preach in Antichrist's time with Elias This is also a Truth if you speak this of the Spirit of God that was in Enoch for as Elias's Spirit in John the Baptist's Time preached Repentance and forgiveness of Sins to all that truly repented and forsook their Sins preparing the way for Christ to be begot and born in us So did that Spirit of Elias preach Repentance to the Disobedient in the days of Noah As in this day the same Spirit of Elias preacheth Repentance to all that are dead in Trespasses and Sins Even so likewise Enoch the seventh from Adam in Spirit is alive who shall and now doth as you say preach in Antichrist's time for Christ the Word incarnate the Resurrection and the Life is now preaching in the Sanctified the Resurrection from the Dead to and in all that have bin crucified with Christ and are risen with him from the Death of Sin to the Life of Righteousness Allelujah Which Word Incarnate or Word in the Heart is God's Preacher to all the World and is the Gospel of Christ preached for the Obedience of Faith to and in all Nations and all Religions whatsoever so that all Men may believe and by obeying may be saved Amen Allelujah As it is written Deut. 30.11 to the 15. with Rom. 10.6 to the 9th Rom. 1.5 2 Cor. 10.5 Heb. 5.9 1 Pet. 1.22 Gen. 22.18 Deut. 13.4 Dan. 7.27 Isa 1.19 Job 36.11 12. You say Christ in Soul descended into Hell to deliver all just Men Which is a Truth if you mean Christ in Spirit as he is the Light of the World descends into every Man's unclean heart to cleanse and purifie it and so leads Captivity captive bringing the Souls of the Faithful once dead in Trespasses and Sins out of Death out of the Grave out of Hell into Abraham's Bosom where they sit and sing Allelujah You say Sin is always the cause of Reprobation Which is also a Truth most clear for it is our Sins that separate us from God and with-hold good things from us And in our Obedience or disobedience to the Word of God in our Hearts stands Life and Death Election and Reprobation for according to their Works shall every one receive whether they do good or evil Allelujah On Col. 3.9 you say The New Man is an inherent quality of Justice and Righteousness in our Souls and not only an Imputation of Christ's Righteousness but a Work of God's free Grace enabling the Faculties of our Souls to work freely the thing that is good and righteous A Truth most clear and excellent Allelujah 2 Cor. 1.5 you say All the Saints Sufferings and Afflictions are Christ's Sufferings by reason of the Conjunction and Vnion that is betwixt Christ the Head and the Sanctified his Members Allelujah You say Adam was created in Grace and Innocency which he lost only by Disobedience yet by Repentance is saved And thus it is with all the Sons of Adam He that sins against the Light of Christ in his Conscience eats the forbidden Fruit and so sins after the similitude of Adam 's Transgression and is not saved out of Transgression but by Repentance and laying hold of God's Spirit of Grace which obeying brings through the flaming Sword or Sword of the Spirit that turns every way to cut down Sin