with him that is that the curse shall â—e removed and the power of it killed and consumed And that created flesh by that mighty power the man of truth should be made subject to the spirit that made it so â—hat the spirit which is the Father may beâ—ome all in all the chiefe ruler in flesh And truly this is but according to the â—urrent of the whole Scripture that in the â—ay of Christ every one shall be made of one â—eart and one spirit that is all shall bee â—rought in to acknowledge the Father to â—bey him walke humbly before him and â—ive in peace and love in him This is the â—octrine of Christ and the Gospell This is â—lad tydings to heare of But when you are â—ade to enjoy this doctrine as yours then you shall know what it is to know the Son and what it is to be set free by the Sonne therfore wait upon the Father till he makâ— forth himself in you Qu. I waite that 's true but I must use the meanes Answ That which you call meanes doth harden your hearts and blind your eyes iâ— shuts you out from sweet enjoyment thaâ— is to run after men for teachings I speakâ— not rashly I speak what I know and yoâ— shall finde before your soules taste of truâ— peace that whosoever takes those Scriptures and makes exposition upon them from theiâ— imagination and â—els you that is the worâ— of God and hath seen nothing That they are the false Christs and false Prophets anâ— their way of teaching is meer deceit both to your soules and to your purses for now in this day of Christ which is begun and which will have a greater appearance ere long in the great world Men must speak their own experienced words and must not speake thoughts For thoughts and studies and imagination of flesh are the men that are found gathering sticks upon this sabbath day and these are stoned to death by the Power that is arising in some already and shall be stoned to death in all that the Lord alone may be exalte in this day of his Power Qu. Must I use no meanes at all or what meanes must I use An. These 3 first let your chief endeavour be to act according to your creation that is to doe as you would be done unto by all creatures as I have shewed and I le tell you this is as needfull a gospell doctrine to be practised as any I know for the present for I le assure you the world is at such a passe yea and among imaginary professors especially that I know not who I can say is a sincere hearted friend so that I am sure the sonne of man at his coming finds no faith in earth neither in my flesh nor in the flesh of other he brings it with him and gives it to us Secondly waite upon the Father with a meek spirit for his teaching And you shall find it a very hard thing to performe these â—wo meanes for the flesh is both very unâ—ighteous to seek it self and it is very hasty â—o have all knowledge peace and experience â—n a sudden it s so proud and hasty it will â—ot wait Thirdly if you would hear other men â—peak you may doe two things First read the record and there see what the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets your fellow servants were but do not alter their words by forceing a meaning till the Father teach you Secondly if you would hear then acquaint your selves with such as can speake from a testimony within for as they received what they have from the pure teachings of the Father so this second hand teaching will be pure teaching to you but be sure you do not prefer this second hand teaching before the first for now the everlasting word and gospel must reveale himself to you or else you cannot be satisfied I have now discharged my service to the Father in this declaration remember what is tould you despise not the Fathers meanes by preferring the way and meanes of the flesh above the wayes of the Father They say I deny the Scriptures because I say that the Scriptures were not appointed for a rule to the world to walke by without the spirit but were the testimony of the Father in those men that writ them for the comfort and benefit of those that are drawn up into communion with the same spirit And to this I shall give this accompt Qu. What is the Law and Testimony which if a man speak not according to it it is because there is no light in him An. This Law and Testimony to which I must have recourse for my comfort is not the words or writings of other men without me But the spirit of the Father in me teaching me to know him by experience and when I can speake purely what I doe see and heare from the Father this is the Law and Testimony within me from which I speake and if I speak not from this Law within I have no knowledge in me Qu. But are not the Scriptures the Law and Testimony of the Father Answ It was the Law and Testimony of the spirit which rested in and upon the Prophets and Apostles for they writ what they saw in vision and they spake what they heard by voice speaking to them spiritually Qu. But are not those Scriptures the Law and Testimony for people to walk by in these dayes Answ No For this is to walke by the eyes of other men and the spirit is not so scanty that a dozen or 20 pair of eyes shall serve the whole world but every sonne and daughter as they are called children of light have light within themselves The same spirit that fils one fils all and makes the whole number of them according to their severall measures to be of one heart and one mind Qu. But may not men take these Scriptures and spend construction upon them and hold forth those constructions to others as perfect light by way of office An. I answer no neither reason nor Scripture allowes any man to speake any words but what he knowes positively to be truth And he that spends constructions thereupon speaking from his imagination he speaks from the flesh and devill and so he makes himself to be a traytor to the father inholding forth that to be truth which is no truth And a thief robber and unrighteous dealer with the Prophets and Apostles First in taking their words as his own and secondly in expounding their meaning and so putting his own meaning upon their words But yet he that hath the same spirit may speak the same word where the Father hath given him the same sight and experience for no man can safely tell another this is a positive truth of God till he have the same testimoniall experience within himself as the penmen of Scripture had and this I am sure all that stand up to teach by way of office have not therefore it is clear that the power that
all theâ— outward customes and formes are to cease and passe away Mat. 3.15.16 Act. 8.38 Joâ— 3.22 23. 1 Cor. 12.13 Joh. 4.21 c. 1 Cor. 13. â— Eightly that Sabbath which I observe is the day of Christ wherein he is manifesting his power to save me from the curse so my soul is continually breathing forth what I receive from him I feel his power in this day of his power subduing the powers of my flesh more and more under me and filâ—ing me with himself In whom I rest and â—ind sweet contentment and this is the Antiâ—ipe of Moses seventh day Heb. 4.3 Esay 2. â—1 Psal. 110.3 John 8.56 Revel. 19.6 Mat. 11.28 They that will observe Gods Ordinances must walk in the light of pure Reason or â—ccording to the command or example of Reasons Scripturs in the very letter of them â—ithout making inferences or constructions â—or he that gives liberty to do so gives liberâ—y to alter the Scriptures But what I have declared here and what practise to me is the light of pure Reason â—ho is the judge of all and according to â—xample and command of Scriptures in the â—etter therefore I owne the Scripture and Ordinances of God in the spiritual power of â—â—em letting them shine in their own luster â—ot mixing my own conjectures with them Now observe those Ordinances which neither Reason nor Scripture doth warrant and which you walke in calling them Gods Ordinances First you use words of prayer by custom observing dayes and times and seasons and places whether ye have the power of prayer in you yea or no witnesse your set formes or the confusion that is in your extempore prayers read these Scriptures and let Reason judge whether this be a service with the whole heart Gal. 4.10.11 Mat. 6.5 Lu. 18.10 John 4.21 c. Esay 29.13 Secondly you preach not occasionally from the testimony within your selves but customarily from your imaginary studies of what you have heard and read from others and make a trade of it to get a living by â— but you say you are commanded to preach because Paul bid Timothy to preach in season and out of season this doth not concern yoâ— to take up preaching to make it a trade prove your command within your self oâ— else you have no warrant from the Spirit sâ— to do though you be learned in all the laâ—guages under the Sun if you run before yoâ— be sent Eze. 13.3 Jer. 23.21.30 c. Joâ— 10.12 Dan. 8.23 c John 3.11 Micah â— 11 12. Thirdly you use words of prayer befoâ—â— and after sermon a custome the Scriptures ownes not read the Record and let Reason judge whether you finde the power of prayer so customarily in you or whether it be not covetousnes in you to get a temporal living that stirs you up to use this trade and grosse ignorance in the people to consent with you and the vain babling of the heathens Mat. 5.1 Acts 2.14 Iohn 8 c. Acts 13.9 Fourthly your preaching is exposition of words and texts a custome that Christ and his Apostles never used nor commanded indeed Christ did expound the 61 of Esay but it was upon occasion to give forth his testimony that he was the Messias he made not a trade of it customarily to get a living by Mica 3.5 Zacha. 13.4 5. Act. 13.9 Act. 7.2 Acts. 21.40 Fifthly you petition the magistrate to compel the people to come to hear you pray and preach or if you doe not petition yet your ancestors have done it And you allow of such a compulsion and never tell the magistrate of his evill in so doing A forcing power which Christ and his Apostles never practised indeed they did foretell the rising up of his power which Daniel calls the little horne Dan. 8.23 24.25 Luke 11.47 48. Mat. 15.6 Luke 9.50.53 c. Rev. 13.6 Rev. 17.2 Mat. 24.26 27. Rom. 14.5.12 Sixtly you call a parish which is so called and made for civil good sake a Church and all that lives within the boun of that parish you say are bound to maintain one of you that stands up to teach them what you have read and heard from others telling them you speak from God when your own soules knowes you lie for you speak other mens words not your own experience but your lyes now shall be covered no longer Nay you say if the people refuse to give you tithes you tell the Magistrate it is his duty to force them all which is not warrantable neither from Reason nor Scripture Mica 3.5 Ier. 23.21 Ezek. 13.7 Luke 9.54 c. Heb. 7.12 Seventhly you say and practise that the first day of the week is the Sabbath day and so making use of the Magistrates power endeavour to compell the people to keep that day after the manner of the Jewish tipe meerly to uphold your own trade a practise which the writings of the New Testament warrants not for the keeping of that first day was not a forced businesse but a voluntary act of love among themselves having a â—ast of the day of Christ the Antitipe of Moses seventh day Iohn 20.19 Psal. 110.3 Esay 2.11 Eightly you say and practise that breaking bread and drinking wine in a mixed company if they be al parishioners al sitting either afraid or ashamed one of another in a slavish bondage none to speake but one of you is the breaking of bread which the Apostles did practise But neither Reason nor Scripture doth warrant your practise for it is a meer table gesture eating and drinking in love and sweet communion one with another from house to house Read Act. 2.46 Ier. 18.4 5. Ninthly you sprinkle children and call that the baptisme of Christ a practise which there is not the least command or example in Scripture to warrant yet you doe it for it mightily deceives the people and moves them to uphold your trade Acts 8.13 1 Cor. 12.13 Tenthly you assume the office of preaching the Gospel because you are bred up in humane learning which the Scriptures doth not countenanee in the least and while you doe it you persecute the Gospell it selfe which is the Lord or Spirit within and you teare in peeces the declarations of the Gospel which is the Scriptures by your various expositions and so all you doe is but to trouble the children and to throw durt upon their food Moses a shepheard Amos a fruit gatherer Apostles fisher-men Christ a carpenter such as the Lord made preachers not such as made themselves preachers that had biggest purses Thus I have given a tast of my own practise and if the priests who say they own the the Scriptures and they say I deny the Scriptures and Gods Ordinances therefore let all men judge between us whether is in the fault and let truth hereafter be owned and practised They that practise any way of worship which neither Reason nor Scripture warrants do deny the Scriptures But the Ministers of England and such as follow them in the practise of praying preaching sprinkling children breaking bread sabbaths Church societies Ministers maintenance as they practise in their customary way of performances which they call Gods ordinances hath neither Reason nor Scripture to warrant them Therefore you that call your selves Ministers are the men that deny the Scriptures and Gods ordinances setting up your owne inferences and constructions above the Scriptures leaving the antient letter which the Apostles and Prophets writ and set up a new moulded way of Ordinances of your own framing by inferences and conjectures And by thus new moulding the Scriptures you deny God and Christ the one Spirit from whence the Scriptures were breathed Let the Record be searched without drawing inferences from it and let all judge Let us speak the Scripture words not force a meaning least we speake contrary to the mind or spirit of them Well all that I shall say is this let all men cease spending constructions upon the Scriptures and leave the pure Scriptures to shine in their own luster not mixing imaginary inferences with them they were the declarations of truth in the Prophets and Apostles And let us leave the pure teachings of the Father in every man to conjoyn themselves with those Scriptures and then there will be no jarring but a sweet harmony of peace and love betweene the experience of every man and those Scriptures FINIS LEave of your trade yee proud Priests then and trouble not the Spirit By forcing sense from the Saints words if ye would life inherit Let every one speak what he knowes and utter what 's received And let not any soul by you hereafter be deceived For you as traytors to our God have stood to justify That your constructions are all truths and other lights a lie Your fleshy learning yee have own'd as sound divine and good Though you by that in ages still have shed the childrens blood But know yee now the time is come for truth to spread all over And he will tread you down apace and all your lies discover Leave off therefore I say betimes and stoope unto our God If yee would life and peace enjoy with them that know the Lord Poscript IF Reason King doe rule in thee There 's truth and peace and clemency No rash distemper will there be No filthy lusts but chastitie In all thy actions to behold Just dealing love as pure as gold When Reason rules in whole mankinde Nothing but peace will all men finde Their hearts he makes both meeke and kinde And troublesome thoughts he throws behinde For he is truth and love and peace Makes wars and lewdnesse for to cease He makes no prisons for the poor He doth condemne and judge the whore He makes all men to sin no more As they have done in times before But restores all to what hath beene And heales the creature of his sin And why doe men so clamor then Against this powerfull King in men FINIS
sets up such teachers is not from the Father commanding but from the flesh being suffered by the Father for a time that when he comes to throw downe his enemies flesh may be shamed and he honoured That man that cannot speak the testimony of the Father no other way but from his book as he reads or from the mouth of another what he heares as the publike teachers doe speake by hearsay and not from experience and so declares himself to be a false Christ a false prophet that runs to teach others before he have any discovery of God within himself Qu. But are not the Scriptures the truths of God An. Yes for they declare that the spirit was the mighty governour of the flesh of those that writ them and so the truths of God the great governour in the pure experience of those penmen And I shall demand of you how you know that these Scriptures are the word of God in the sense you call them but the testimony of the spirit within your selves I say there is no way to know but by the spirit himself seeing there are so many expositions upon them which without doubt hath varied the copies if it were possible to see those very writings from the prophets and Apostles own pen which is not to be seen But when the spirit comes in he must nay he doth and will declare his own meaning And so the spirituall man judges all things and he himself is judged of no man he can judge the flesh and passe righteous judgement because he sees and knowes whâ—t the flesh is The flesh cannot judge him for if he doe it is not righteous judging but rash censure Qu. What use is to be made of the Scriptures An. First they are or may be kept as a record of such truths as were writ not from imagination of flesh but from pure experience and teachings of the Father Secondly we are taught thereby to waite upon the Father with a meek and obedient spirit till he teach us and feed us with sincere milk as he taught them that wrote these Scriptures Thirdly when I look into that record of experimentall testimony and finde a sutable agreement betweene them and the feeling of light within my own soule now my joy is fulfilled And every man and woman may declare what they have received and so become preachers one to another For the Scriptures doth but declare the sending down of the spirit and how he shall rule in the earth in the latter dayes but they doe not declare every particular measure and beame of the spirits ruling for this the sons and daughters are to declare by their particular experiences as they are drawn up Qu. But when I read the Scriptures and findes a perswasion in my heart that they are true may I not owne them as a truth and speak them as a truth and speak them to others An. You may deliver the same words you reade which you are perswaded of but to passe construction and the meaning by way of office teaching others this you cannot do There is an imaginary perswasion grounded upon thoughts or as he conceives but this is a sandy foundation and deceiveth all the world Secondly there is an experimental perswasion grounded upon sight and feeling of the spirit of truth ruling king within him and this is the rock that will never fayl Qu. But did not the Apostles and Christ take texts of Scripture and expound them as Philip did to the Eunuch and Christ from the 61 Esay An. They did not preach and expound any text customarily as the parish gods do but such particular Scriptures as the oportune time and occasion served to declare Christ to be the lambe of God or the greaâ— prophet which the Father promised to send So that all the Scriptures of the ancient prophets which they spake from was only to make it appear that the Messias was come but they did not preach in setled parishes forcing the people by the hand of the magistrate to come and hear them and give them a maintenance for so doing under pain of punishment the Scriptures knowes no such custome or way to be used therefore whosoever lives in such a practise denies the Scripture and are enemies to Jesus Christ But now if any one take Scriptures that speak of the spirits ruling in flesh and so proves the truth of the Scripture by his own testimony or witnesse within himselfe this may be done but for any other way of expounding Scripture I know none neither will nor doth the Scripture warrant any other but what advances the spirit and throws down the flesh by the speakers own experience Qu. But may not the powers of a land compell their people some to preach and others to hear Scriptures expounded as the manner is in England An. I answer That power that compels is the little horne or dragon wheresoever it sits and that expounding is a flat denial of those Scriptures and treason against the spirit liberty is to be given to every one in the case for the kingdome of Christ hath an interest herein Lands and Kingdoms are most commonly governed more by the wisdome of the flesh then of the spirit and why because the spirit gave that power into the hand of flesh for a certain time and when the flesh is judged for his action the Lord wil condemn him for his unrighteous cruell self-seeking and oppressing government over his lambs and sheep The Powers of the Land punished Christ and his Apostles for holding forth their testimony of the Father which was within them but they did not compell any to hear them or to follow them it is an â—asyer thing for magistrates to be breaking forth against such as speak from a pure testimony then against such as speak from imaginary studies of the flesh both in regard of the powers of the flesh within them blinding their eyes and because of so many envious spirits against truth that will be flattering the magistrate and telling him tales of slander on purpose to incense him against the sincere hearted in the land because they hate them through ignorance that is in them not knowing the Majesty of the Lord that is in his servaâ—ts whom they despise Qu. What must the powers of a Land doe then in the matters of Religion as they call it An. First they must suffer every one that will quietly to keepe the record in their houses or to rerd it or speak of it one to another and they that find their own experience to suite therewith speaking from a pure testimony and walkes in all acts of righteousnesse towards his fellow creatures It is the charge which the Father hath put into the hand of the Magistrate to protect these from their oppression of unreasonable men Secondly if any man walk unrighteously towards his fellow creature in civil matters the Powers of a land must punish him according to the nature of his offence and so to be a