more for fear of Wrath and to please Men then to serve and please the Living God whose Throne is established in the Heavens whose Kingdom is over all how be it Man whose Eyes were Blind the Sons of Adam in Transgression in the fallen State know not the Kingdom nor his Throne further then by report and hear-say and Traditions and Customs though by him Kings Rule and Princes Decree Justice yet few do know him who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the God of the whole Earth neither do they know that in themselves in which Justice is decreed who are rather continuing Ruling in an usurperd Estate then ruling in the Power of the Lord which would be a Terror to Evil-doers but fallen Man calls well-doing Evil and Evil good and so Judges and Rules according to that in his own Eyes so punishes and afflicts them who do that which is evil as it appeareth in his eyes though it be good in the eyes of the Lord. And upon this Account the Righteous have suffered and such as are dear unto the Lord have been made a prey of through many Generations from Cain downward who slew his Brother and who are in the first birth Born of the Flesh judge that Evil which is born of the Spirit and their Wayes evil who walk in the Spirit and their Worship evil who worship in the Spirit and thus many Kings of Judah and Israel made the Righteous Seed to suffer when they were revolted from the Lord then they set up their own Imaginations Decrees and Laws to be observed who laid the Commandments of the Lord waste and made Havock of them that kept them and caused such to suffer as Evil-doers and as Traytors as Factious and Rebellious in the sight of all the People as Jeroboam Ahab Ahaziah Rehoboam and divers others and the Princes and Dukes of Edom made War against Jacob and his Seed unto which the Promise was and the Blessing was and so accounted them vile that were pretious in the sight of the Lord and reckoned them Righteous that were vile in the Eyes of the Lord. And since the Kingdom of Heaven hath been Preached and Christianity the Name thereof hath been in Reputation and the Gospel hath been published abroad and the Uncircumcised have got the Sound and the unregenerate have got the Fame and the Unconverted have got the Name of Christians and yet alwayes turn against them that were in the Nature of Christ these have made the Righteous to suffer and killed the Children of the free-Woman the true Church the Lamb's Wife And know ye this that since Christ hath been Preached and since the true Church hath been brought forth there hath been a great falling away by many from the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints by which Faith they had Victory over the World and Conquered spiritual Enemies and overcame the Grave and witnessed Victory over it Now the Words of them which had this Faith are retained and the Form of the out-side Practices was held for a while but the Power was denyed And Paul saw many such getting up to a Head and growing into a Body in his time who had the Form but denyed the Power who subverted whole Houses who were covetous and Heady and high-Minded then and lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God and this kind of false Apostles and Satan's Messengers and false Prophets that Christ said should come Mat. 24. and John saw already come in that Age and Peter Jude and divers others wrote of and yet these were Preachers of the Name of Christ and got the form of Words and the Name of Gospel and yet denyed the Lord that bought them and redeemed them as in 2 Peter 2.1 to wit him in whom was Life and the Life was the Light of men Thus they denyed the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and yet would be preaching up the Name of Christ and Jesus in Words but denyed the Life which is a Mystery and many followed their Pernicious wayes by whom the Truth was Evil-spoken of these were Enemies to the Cross of Christ which mortifies the Deeds of the Flesh and so lived in the Flesh and yet had the good Words the Sheeps cloathing the out-side but were Erred and ravened from the Spirit greedy after filthy Lucre greedy after Covetousness and worldly Honours greedy after Pleasures and these false Teachers went out into the World from the Light and from the Life and fellowship of the Gospel which is a Mystery and from the Saints Communion and from the Apostles fellowship and from The true Church in God the Ground and Pillar of Truth and then withstood the Apostles and spoke all manner of Evil of them and falsely accused them to be in Bondage and these separated themselves and crept into Houses and lead many away Captive and Captivated their Understanding Captivated the minds of those that were laden with Sin and divers Lusts who were ever learning but never came to the Knowledge of the Truth in which the discerning is And these became great Teachers and the whole World went after them and proselyted many into their false Faith which was Fained and into that Hope which was but as a Spider's webb and into a Profession of Christianity without the Life of Christ and those went into the World and those that were in the Perishing state wondered after them and admired them and set them up who admired them because of Advantage and received them and so held up one another in Deceit and so grew into a Body and got the Name of a Church though they were adulterated from the true Faith and run away from Christ the true Husband after other Lovers and yet because the Name of Christ and Christianity had a good Sound therefore they retained the Name for a Cloak that they might not be discovered And so many Children and false Christians which were not begotten and Born again of the Light Immortal and of the Immortal Word of Life were brought forth and these were adulterated Children and Children of Fornication and Children of falshood who would Lye as the Prophet said as the Mother was so was the Daughter and so are the Children And here did the false Church and false Members arise and false Christians and false Children grew Numerous in so much that they spread themselves over Nations Kindreds Tongues Languages and People and so came to be a Universal Visible Church though indeed an deceitful and abominable Harlot who spread her Feet unto every one that passed by as it is easie to make appear neither did she retain long the Practice and form of the true Apostles but joyned themselves to the Heathen and took in their Practice and mixed themselves with the Jewish Worship and took in their Types Figures Shadows Dayes Fasts and Feasts and mixed all these things together and at last called those Inventions the Apostolick Institutions and Ordinances
the Rock and so Love will encrease in you who abide faithful in your Measure and the good and perfect Gift of God will be made manifest in you and the Hope upon which the Soul comes to be anchored will come to be witnessed which Hope purifies the Heart and as you stand in the perfect Law of Liberty revealed in you revealed by the Spirit which cuts down the Oppessor and gives Liberty to his Seed unto which the Covenant is and the Promises forever and this Seed Christ took and takes upon him to redeem even the Seed of Abraham unto whom the Promise was made and so wait that the pure Law of Righteousness which is Life to the Righteous and the Seed may be set up and you will see all chained under and this binds and fetters the unclean Spirits and shuts them up into utter Darkness forever And as you come to be redeemed from under the Bondage of Sin and come above the Bonds of Death and the pure Principle lives in you there will be a Delight in you to do the Will of the Father who hath redeemed you from Sin and its Law unto Righteousness and its Law And all who hunger and thirst after Righteousness wait in that which thirstâ—th that the Gift you may receive which perfects forever them that receive it and believe in it and cleanseth and purgeth you from Unrighteousness and this being revealed in you as you obey it its leads to true Peace and will reveal in you the immortal Seed which came not by the Will of man but is contrary and revealed out of man's Will which all must witness to be born of that inherit the Kingdom of God and this is he who is begotten of the incorruptible Seed which the Promise is unto and are in him fulfilled Yea and Amen come out of time before all time the Son of God who leads out of time and this is he whom the Father revealed in Paul and this is he of whom I am a Witness in whom I have Redemption by the Blood of the Cross and he is my Sanctification Justification and Wisdom who is the Son of God who came to do his Father's VVill and now doth where he is witnessed who by his eternal VVord of Life hath begotten me and made me a Partaker of his eternal Inheritance which never fades away Glory unto him for evermore who is Life and translaeteth all that believe and follow him in the VVork of Regeneration unto his Kingdom So silence all you Diviners and Sorcerers forever who believe with a Faith and teach a faith that none can be ever cleansed from Sin while they are here you and your faith is denyed for it is not the same which was once delievered to the Saints which gave them Victory over the World and by which they overcame Paul a Minister of Christ by the will of God said the Colossians were translated into the Kingdom of God where nothing that is imperfect can come or enter your Preaching is vain your Hope and Faith is vain and all your Hearing is vain while the perfect Gift of God is not witnessed nor the everlasting Offering which perfects forever them that are sanctified by him even by his Word of Life and his Will which sanctifies and makes perfect the Comers thereunto and presents all that believe and receive him without Spot And therefore all you that love the Lord and wait for the coming of the Kingdom of Christ feed no longer upon Imaginations nor vain Words cease from looking lo here and there for the Kingdom of God will the Father reveal in you as you wait in the Measure of the Light in you by which he reveals himself in his Sons and Daughters and will bring them to his everlasting Fold and true Rest all who follow him through the Denyal of all and to the loosing of all for him shall come to witness an incoruptible Inheritance which never fades away And now a few Words to you who would thrust your selves into the Kingdom and would be called Christ's Disciples and Church-members who are gathered into Confederacies and make a Likeness unto your selves and are now professing the Saints Conditions in Words How came you hither to climb up so high in Words when as you are what you were before if not worse think it not a hard Saying for it is so among many of you and in the Light which is pure you are weighed and when one comes to try you your Language bewrays you that you are not what you profess for when you are tryed by the Saints Practices and Life that was in them and the Injoyment they had with God you are found so far from being any such that you even oppose the Faith they even believed in as some of your Pastors openly to my Face in the hearing of two hundred People said All the Saints dyed Sinners and so was so far from owning the Perfect Righteousness of Christ that he even denyed it and said it was Heresie and othres of you say you believe That all the Grace the Saints enjoy are imperfect yea even Faith is imperfect and others saying That all the Righteousness that was wrought in them by Faith was imperfect and others saying while the Light of Christ Jesus condemned them yet Christ Justified them and yet that which was wrought in them there was Failings in it and so you have imagined a Faith and Righteousness of your own and such a Christ to talk on and a Redemption as you may live in Lusts and be Men-pleasers and in the Customs and Fashions of the World and Covetousness and plead for Sin and puts perfect Righteousness to another VVorld and thus the Devil hath deceived you and so you set up and make Covers but all will not hide you in the day of his Appearance for God joyns not to that which is imperfect neither is that true Faith which is imperfect and which layes hold upon an imperfect Righteousness that is such a Faith as never was professed by any of the Saints whose VVords you profeâ—s for they had received Faith the Gift of God the least Measure of which was perfect and as they stood in it though it was but a Grain of Mustard-seed they said to this Mountain be removed and it was so and that which was in them reveal'd by the Son led them that did believe in it to lay hold upon Christ's Righteousness which was and is perfect which had yea hath no Spots nor Wrinckles nor Stain and this Righteousness was made manifest in them by the Faith of the Son by which they were justified in the Sight of God and came with boldness before the Throne of Christ for in them there was no Condemnation neither guilt but became one with the Judge and reconciled unto him and his Throne and to the Lamb by him who is the Mediator and hath made Peace betwixt them and the Father and so were justified in the Sight of God and this
for the Life of the World John 6.51 And as Godliness began to work and the Mystery thereof in the dayes of Christ and the Apostles wherein the Lord discovered much of his Wisdom and Power and manifested his pure Presence and poured out his Spirit plentifully upon Sons and Daughters and fulfilled that which Joel prophesied of Joel 2.28 which came to be fulfilled after Christ's ascension Acts 2.17 and They received the Holy Ghost and spoke the wonderful Things of God as they were revealed by the Spirit which shed it self abroad among them that waited for it so also the Mystery of Iniquity began to work even in that time and as the Apostles laid the Foundation of Truth and declared the Truth Christ to be the Foundation even so the Mystery of Iniquity did Work and a Beginning or a Foundation of error was laid by them who were gone out of the Truth the false Prophets Deceivers Anti-christs who were Professors and Preachers but they were such as were Covetous and Greedy of filthy Lucre and made Merchandize of Souls for dishonest gain and denyed the Power of God Christ and were Enemies to the Cross and gloried in the Flesh and spake Swelling words of Vanity and did all live in the Lust of the Flesh and were proud Boasters and denyed the Lord that bought them for denying the Power of God they did deny Christ though in Words they preached him as this Generation who are their Off-springs do out of Strife and Contention as the Apostles writes and they held the Form of Godliness but denyed the Power and they were they that once were Convinced of the Truth and came into the form of Truth but denyed the Power of Truth but were in Craft and Deceit and they subverted whole Houses from the Faith and led them back into the World into Unbelief in the Apostles dayes and yet had a worship and did Worship but not in the Power not the Life and this began to work and wrought more cunningly and Subtilly in the latter Times And the Apostle Paul in many of his Epistles John and Peter and Jude declare against them and Paul prophesied of them before his departure of grievous Wolves which should spring up which should not spare to make Havock of the Flock of Christ so the false Apostles Deceivers Anti-christs and deceitful Workers they went out then and did what they could to lead Disciples after them into the World inwardly they were ravened from the Spirit and were gone from it into the Earth into the world and served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies and the God of the world which is the Devil and they went into the World and the World received them and then they and their Disciples turned against the Saints and they held Truth in Words and the Form for a wile but it was in Unrighteousness and here was the beginners and the beginning of the Apostates and of the Apostacy it was began in the Apostles dayes by them that went out of the Truth out of the Light and were ravened from the Spirit and erred from the Faith and were Enemies to the Power of God and these were the beginners and the Layers of the Foundation and then it grew that root of Wickedness faster then the Truth for the Jews resisted and the Heathens resisted and the Apostates and false Prophets resisted and they that were Apostatized they resisted and they caused many to Stumble to Err to make Ship-wrack of their Faith and so the World went after them the World the Nations the Kindreds the Tongues and the People went after Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth and in process of time they had over-run all and Killed the Saints the Woman fled into the Wilderness and the man-Child was caught up unto God then all Nations who were gone from the Rock became as a Sea reeled to and fro Unstable Unsetled what were they like to settle in the Sea then a great beast arose with his seven Heads and ten Horns and the Whore which had Defiled the bed and She sat upon the Beast and She reached out her Cup of Fornication to the Nations and all Nations were Drunk with her Cup and then the Beast made War and the Nations were Drunk and they loved the beast and received his Mark became Cruel and pushed at the Saints and followed him and made War with them and the Whore she drank the blood of the Saints and the Dragon appeared and with his Tayl drew the third part of the Stars after him to the Earth the false Prophets they are the Tail of the Dragon who were gone from the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy and drew after it the third part of the Stars from the Firmament of his Power into the Earth Rev. 12.4 The man Child was caught up unto God which was to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron and the Woman fled into the Wilderness where God hath prepared a place for her and then the Dragon went out and made War with the Remnant of her Seed to wit the Woman's Seed And so out of the Sea arose the Beast out of Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples which are Waters and the Dragon gave Power to the Beast and his Seat and great Authority Rev. 13.2 And all the World wondered after the beast ver 3. and ver 4. They Worshipped the Dragon which gave Power to the beast and the beast likewise and now the world cryed which wondered after the beast who is able to make War with the beast and ver 6. He opened his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme hâ—s Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and he made War with the Saints and did overcome them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped him whose Names were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life And the Beast deceived the Nations and them that dwelt on the Earth and now Kindreds Tongues People and Nations and all the World which wondered after him they who had lost the Image of God now became the Image of the Beast that blasphemed God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and now the Kings of the Earth that had drunk the Whore's Cup of Fornication and the Nations Kindreds Tongues and People who were become the Beast's Image now the Image of the Beast spoak and caused as many as would not worship the Beast and the Image should be killed take notice of that all who are called Christians it was not Godâ—s Images who compelled to worship or else be killed but it was the Beasts Image and wheresoever Compulsion â—nd killing is exercised and practised they worship the Beast Chap. 13. Ver. 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a Mark in their Forehead or in their right Hand and none might buy or sell but he which had the Beast's Mark or his Name or the Number of his Name
here was Worship but it was the Beast's Worship and idolatrous Worship and the Dragon's Worship who sought to destroy the man-child which all the Angels are to worship all this Worship is in the Apostacy So let all take notice of this compelling causing forcing killing and destroying about Worship all they that so do yet are worshipping the Beast on which the Whore rides and this is that Generation who slew the Lamb and they are of the World and this is the Dragon's Brood who sought to devour the man-child and this is the Serpent's Seed and a Seed of Falshood who made War with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman through all Ages unto this Generation and so all that which is called Christendom is more or less under the Beasts Power and hath his Image even to this Day and yet some of them are professing the Saints Words and imitating their Actions who were Followers of the Lamb and kept the Faith now this that John saw as come in did grow Deceivers Anti-christs false Prophets who were before and troubled the Churches Galatia and Corinth and made Havock brought in Deceit and infected many as Coloss. Pergamus Sardis and Laodicea Rev. 3. But now all Nations were erred and gone from their Maker their Husband and did drink of the Cup of the Whore and were adulterated from the Life Faith and Power and now worshipped the Beast and the whole World went after him there was some of his Adultery Whoredom and Fornication in the Apostles Dayes and some had drunken then but now Nations Kindreds Tongues and People drunk the Cup of Fornication and now Jezabel who slew the Prophets and drunk the Blood of the Saints she reaches out her Cup Kings Merchants noble men great men Nations Kindreds Tongues and People were made drunk the man-child sought to be devoured Floods cast out after the Woman the Saints Blood drunk the World worships the Dragon and the Beast and his great Authority and wonders after him now Jezabel the VVhore who made the Nations drunk she prophesies all the Nations made drunk with her Cup of Fornication and drinks in all her false Doctrines and devised Fables now she is as a Queen now the Nations worship after a Beast ariseth she gets upon him and rides she and the Beast become one she drinks the Blood of the Saints the Beast makes VVar compels kills being of one mind with the VVhore none to buy or sell but they that have his Mark or his Name or at least some of the Number of his Name and who were not defiled were killed or sought to be killed this is since the Apostles Dayes So now we have found the Whore her Beginning in the Apostacy having lost the Faith and Power that the Saints were in we have found out the Rise of the Beast in the Apostacy since the Apostles that all the World wondred after and worshipped Now Rome we have found thy Foundation and the Beginning of thy Rise and see how thou art elevated we have thee and all that sprang out of thy Stock and Root betwixt this time and the Apostles and we read beyond thee though thou boast thy self of Antiquity and glory in thy Councils and Convocations for thy Proof we have sounded thy Bottom I have thee and all the Apostates sprang from thee betwixt me and the Apostles the Anti-christs false Prophets Deceivers false Apostles they began they laid thy Foundation who went out from the Apostles and denyed the Cross of Christ and the Power of God and the Apostle prophesied of their Increase here thy visible Members began to gather and they went out into the World and the World received them according to Christ's Saying out of the Light out of the Power out of the Faith out of the Life that the holy men of God were in being ravened from the Spirit whored from the Life they went out in an outward Dress had a Shew a Form of Godliness the Nations received the Cup and Kings of the Earth the Nobles and the mighty men thou boasts of they drank of thy Cup and were inflamed with Adultery after thee and then the Nations over which the Whoredoms spread Kindreds Dominions Tongues Nations and Peoples became Fornicators all became as a Sea rolling tossing foming raging casting up Mire and Dirt unstable reeling then the Kings the great men thy Nobles who were Rulers over the People being drunk with the Nations Cup of Fornication they sprang up as a great Beast with so many Heads and Horns and their Teeth became as Lyons their Feet as Bears and then thou begannest to ride in the Nations and to sit as a Queen then thou associatedst they drunken Fornicators together then thou began to usurp Authority and sitedâ—t as Judge over the Heritage of God and of the Saints of the Apostles and of them that kept the Testimony of Jesus then thou beganedst to kill and destroy and suck the Blood of the Saints and to be drunk with it and then thy Kings whom thou callest Converts and Christians having drunkken thy Cup they formed Laws and made Laws to guard thy Whoredoms and Adulteries and Idolatries then thy became they Executioners and what thou saidst was good the Beast maintained and what thou condemnedst by thy Councils for Heresie they became Executioners of then came in compelling to worship by the Beast that rose out of the Sea and then thou cryedst Hereticks and condemnedst the just and then thou got'st a Cover thou wouldst not kill but the Beast must upon whom thou ridest then if there were any that kept their Virginity and the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which was in the Apostles Dayes then thou condemnedst them for Hereticks then the Beast compelled and caused to worship but if they would not bow to his Image then thy Merchants cry up they despise Governours and Rulers when thy Doctrine and thy Lawes are corrupt then the Beast must kill then he blasphemes the God of Heaven and his Tabernacle and then thou sayedst thou killest none but the Beast must upon which thou rides and shall have a whole Council to confirm it to be lawful and now thou call'st thy self the Catholick and Apostolical Church and thy Seat the Apostolical Chair and the Rulers and Leaders Defenders of the Faith Nay we find thee contrary to the primitive Church and thy Seat and Chair is raised up since and thy Bed of Whoredoms made since and the Kings and Rulers in thy Dominions are become Defenders of thy Idolatries and VVhoredoms and are indeed the Beast that makes VVar with the Saints and hath prevailed and Truth overcome but he is risen who is able to make VVar with the Beast and to take the VVhore and to burn her Flesh with fire for he is able to judge her and the Beast's VVeapons and thine are carnal but the Lamb's and the Saints are spiritual and so thy Doctrine and Practice is quite another thing patched Stuff some brought in from the
in Heresie in Schism so that there is an absolute Defection from the Life and Power of God which was manifested in the Apostles dayes and therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church What I have said as to the Doctrines and Grounds which have been laid down by the Author I shall refer it and the Answer unto God's Witness in every Man's Conscience and if I hear any more of the Author his great Boasts or ambitious Challenges which may reach to all that do dissent from the Church of Rome as to be Hereticks I shall engage in the Strength of the Lord to vindicate the Truth however opposed and shall further if God permit be ready to give a more large and full answer unto the Doctrines and Practices and Worship of the Church of Rome and prove them to be contrary to the Scriptures and the Apostolick Doctrine and the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints So in what I have said I hope may convince the Author of his vain Assertions and them that are enclined towards Babylon it may put a Stop to that which would too readily close with every thing which goes under the Name of Antiquity But in what I have said upon the whole Matter I hope will be sufficient unto all who read with a single Eye without Prejudice and unto such I say the Lord give them an Understanding that they see and discern the Way which leadeth to Life and Felicity from that which leadeth to the Chambers of Death and the Pathes that take hold on Destruction A GENERAL EPISTLE TO THE Seed of God DEar Friends every where who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ and called with an holy Calling to the great Salvation of God which is manifest in this the Day of his Power keep your first Love and let not the Threats of Men neither the Browns of the World affright you from that which you have prized more then all the World now the Sun is up and a time of scorching is come and that which hath not Root will wither now every Ground will be tryed and blessed is the Good that brings forth the Seed which must inherit the Promise Oh let not the Cares of this present Life choak that which God hath begotten and seeing the Lord hath so marvelously wrought for us hitherto in the midst of great Opposition let not your Faith fail nor your Confidence in God who delivered Jacob of old out of his Adversity and Israel out of all his Troubles whose Care is over his People now and having seen the Emptiness of the World and its Way and Worship let nothing blind your Eye again and let not the things present nor things to come separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus and mind not them that draw back to Perdition but let it teach you all more Diligence to be as those that press after Glory Immortality and Everlasting Life the Way of God was ever hated by the World and the Powers thereof never heed the rough Spirit nor the heavy for their Bound is set and their Limit known but mind the Seed which hath Dominion over all and forsake not the assembling of your selves together in which you have found God and his Promise and Power amongst you and Blessing your Understandings opened Oh rather suffer all things then let go that which you have believed fâ—r whoso doth will loose the Evidence of God's Spirit in them and their Peace and Joy will be lost the Lord God preserve you all unto the End faithful Your Dear Brother for the Testimony of Jesus F. H. Aâ—â—elby Goal the 10th of the 3d Moneth 1664. A Visitation of Love Peace and Good-will from the Spirit of the Lord sent unto the whole Flock of God now in this their Day of Tryal and Hour of Temptation DEar Friends and Brethren who have been called to believe by the holy calling of the Lord unto Sanctification and Holiness that ye might inherit the Promises of God and that your Souls might live in the Land of the living and partake of his Goodness that you might admire him and praise his Name forever And seeing the Lord out of his rich Love and Mercy hath visited you who sometime sate in the Region of the Shadow of Death and were cast out of his Presence in the time of Unbelief seeing he hath caused his miraculous Light to shine upon you in his gracious Visitation of you and hath given you to believe in his Name prize his Love unto you and let not his gracious Benefits slip out of your Minds lest your Hearts be filled with other things that will corrupt your Hearts and make you an unmeet Habitation for the Lord to dwell in and among Dear Friends hear my Brotherly Admonition and Exhortation for the Lord moved in my Heart to write unto you and in the Bowels of his kind and tender Love and Motion of his heavenly Spirit to stir up your pure Minds and Consciences unto Stedfastness in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and so much the more that you all be watchful seeing the times be perilous for now the Adversary goes about roaring and ravening on the right Hand and on the left to destroy and devour that which God hath brought forth in you that so he might regain you too under his Power and Government and that ye might revolt from the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that stands in Power and Righteousness which is come and hath been of a Truth manifest in great Glory and this is an Hour the Power of Darkness is let loose to try the Faith and them that dwell upon the Earth and he is let loose for a Season blessed are they that hide themselves under the Shadow of the Almighty and under the Wings of Christ Jesus who is given for a Redeemer a Saviour and a Preserver of Men that the wicked One touch them not and now the Devil rages because he knows his Kingdom is but short and but for a small time is like to stand in many because a stronger then he that rules in the World is come and hath began to dispossess the strong Man and bind him and cast him out and now he rages and stirs up all the Temptations within and without and all his Instruments to joyn with him to make War for him that he might not rule who is the Heir of all things and given for a Leader and to be the Head of the Body his Church in which alone he hath Right to rule because the Lord of the whole Earth yea of Heaven and Earth hath put all Power into his Hands to bind and to lose to bring out of Captivity and to lead Captivity Captive that Life and Immortality might again inhabit in the Sons of Men that Truth and Righteousness might sway that Mercy and Love might sit on the Throne that his Salvation might take hold on the Ends of the Earth and his Power made known
delivered unto the Saints is vindicated and the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles against the pretended Faith and false Doctrines which have been held forth by the Church of Rome among Christians as infallible By a suffering Member of that Church which fled into the Wilderness when Mystery-Babylon sate as a Queen upon the Waters F. H. THE TRUE Rule Judge and Guide OF THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD DISCOVERED c. AFter Variouâ— reports and upbraidings and insultings of divers men in my heâ—â—ing of a certain great Pillar and a leading man among the Non conformists who it was said had reliâ—quished his Errors and had conformed and also written and published a Book for the convincement of all others to Uniformity and Conformity also the Weekly Intelligencer willing to take advantage sometime when there is little or no occasion doth signifie to the whole Nation in his News book of the Conversion of a great Non-conformist for the strengthening and Supporting of those desires only in People who are willing to make Shipwrâ—ck of all Faiâ—h Hope Religion and whatsoever also that is of the greatest moment for a little ease and Liberty in the Flesh and the imbracement of this present World is willing to joyn with that which is the upper mâ—st and to Sail with Wind and Tide not minding the Harbour nor the way which they are passing but only present enioyment and such whose Faiâ—h is builded upon men and not upon God and chuse rather to run with the Multitude to do Evil then with a few despised and afflicted who keep Faith and a good Conscience such flashes and airy ungrounded Rumours stagger'd their mind and make them afraid and troubled when there 's no cause At last this great and magniâ—icent Piece of Conversion came published in the News book boasted on by the Clergy and divers other great Mountains of Earth came to my hand providentially unlooked for unsought for or desired which is Titled An Epâ—stle to the several Congregations of the Non-confrimists Subscribed by Captain Robert Everard as he stiled himself a Member of the Catholick Church which Book hath been spread up and down the Counties â—t seems as some rare Weighty and great matter to induce others to be of the same mind But why the Members of the Church of Eâ—gland should extoll this and reâ—oyce in this great Convert I know not except they have a mind to shake Hands with the Roman Church to receive their Catholick Faith so called as unquestionable but Deceit loves to sport it self and to make merry and triumph over any who do but relinquish the seeming Appearance of Truth to turn into the common Road of Darkness they hug such a one for a while and set him out as an Ensign to Glory in and over against others After the said Book came to my Hand amongst divers others I was wiling to take a Survey and to make inspection into those things contained in it and to see what demonstrative Grounds and solid and Weighty matter was contained in it which I have diligently weighed and without a Prejudiced Spirit read finding the matter in it chiefly to set up a Council of men to be absolute Judge of all matters of Faith and Doctrine though never so Repugnant unto the Doctrine and Practice once delivered and received and walked in by the Saints setting up this both above the Holy Spirit of God which is the only and Sole tryer of all Spirits but also above the Scripture wherein I have taken notice his own Eye being blinded he would Captivate all others and make them Blind also and lay waste the Spirit of God and its office the Scriptures and their Translation making them as uncertain as much as in him lyes as the Turkish Alcoran and all solid and weighty Arguments and Reasons that have been produced these many Years by many Godly and moderate Dissenters in divers Ages from the Church of Rome this he strikes over all by whole Sail labouring to set all a jarr and to make every thing look with a Face contrary way to represent them uncomely and at last he hath concluded that the Catholick visible Church is the absolute Judge and Director both in matters of Faith and Doctrine without distinguishing of their abiding in the Faith or falling from it as though the Promise of God had been intailed to a certain place as Rome or to a certain sort of Men that may call themselves Peters Successors and Ministers of Christ though they walk as far wide both in Doctrine and Practice as Heaven is from Earth from Peter and would assume the Title of Name and Office for honour and profit's sake but do none of Peter's Work feed not the Flock of Christ but worry them and kill them that Christ Feeds and shear off the Wool from off their Backs and pull off the Skin too and instead of saving have Destroyed hundreds of mens Lives in Europe and America some under the Name of Hereticks and some under the Name of Infidels have been most mercilessly and cruelly destroyed by the Power of this Holy visible Church as â— E. calls it as the true Chronologies of Ages past do testifie so that the Nations have been made like Akeldama by that Mystery Babylon which hath drunk the Blood of the Saints and slain the Prophets and Martyrs under the Name of Hereticks quite out of the Doctrine of Christ and erred from his infallible Spirit who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them and to save People from their Sins But this false visible Church hath destroyed their Lives under the Name of Heresie and so hath destroyed them in their Sins if they count that Heresie be a Sin But of this something more afterwards may be said if God permit But it is a great piece of Confidence in R. E. that after fifteen hundred years as he saith this Church hath continued as a Judge a Director unto which all Christians are to submit Page 20 th that he that is but a man of yesterday should be so stout a Champion as to make a flourish and seem to over-ride all the weighty Things that have been spoken by the Blessed Martyrs and Sufferers for Christ and Righteous dissenters from this Româ—n Church at one clap and again to exalt his own feeble things that he hath brought forth and exhibit them so confidently to all Non-conformists as unanswerable matter or how he judged in himself that his Reasons or Arguments should be of that weight to Convince or Convert any seeing he hath rendered himself they that know him can testifie he hath alwayes been a changeable man and unstable in all his wayes tossed up and down like the Waves of the Sea and now at last fallen into the black Gulf of Darkness but it seems by his own Writing in his Epistle that it hath been his former Method being filled with a scribling Humour in the days of his Ignorance as he saith when the
suffered thy self to be made blind and carried Captive with another Man's Judgment neglected the measure of God's Spirit in thy self at home through which alone the secret things of God are Revealed in which true certainty and infallibility is Witnessed and not in Men who are fallible and changeable If an Arian Jew or Turk should urge their own interpertation of Scriptures which is of no private interpretation contrary to the mind of him that gave it forth I would say he perverted the Words of the Scripture which 〈◊〉 in Harmony Unity one with another as to the states and conditions they were spâ—ken to and are plain and are only read by that Spirit that gave them forth except it be in some Historical or Chronology or Genealogy of Names and Generâ—tions which might be some gathered from anothers Hands and different hands taking notice of them as to Record them there might be some variation yet the substance of the report is true but what is Calculation of Years or Dayes or reckoning up of Genealogies as to the matter of Salvation and what if we had never had them no more then we have other Histories and things that fell out among the Jews but if there be any contradiction for ought I know we may blame the Church of Rome the most of any who will needs affirm they received all or most of the things from the Apostles and if the Translations differ or be some-what uncertain what have they been doing this fifteen hundred Years with their infallible Spirit that they could not have rectified them according to their first Original and if any the foresaid Sects should pretend the certainty of the Spirit and yet not have it I should answer the Spirit is known by its Fruits and the Fruits of the Spirit are manifest and they that pretend to it and bring forth contrary Fruits are manifest to be Deceivers and deceived but their States are different and therefore require different Answers which time will not now permit to insist upon but over and beside all other Arguments perswade any man to or from any thing the witness of God in the party unto whom he speaketh is to be reached and that is beyond the understanding of Man and greater then it and more convincing then any Arguments that can be used without and he that cannot speak to this is not skilful in the Word of Righteousness That Christ was an infallible Guide who is the way the Truth and the Life is granted by all Christians and that the Apostles received the Promise of the Father and the infallible Spirit of God which led them into all Truth and this infallible assurance the Christians had that lived in the Apostles time thuâ— iâ— granted and the Apostles were infallible Guides not as Men meerly but as Men full of the Holy Ghost as Men who were filled with the Spirit of God and therefore the Apostle said be Followers of us as we are Fâ—llowers of Christ and if any controversie did arise as some there did and doubts among the then Christians the Apostles and Elders meeting together in the Power of the Holy Ghost did write their minds and Letters to the Christians to pacifie all and good Reason that they that had believed through their Word should Suâ—miâ— unto the Holy Ghost and unto them by whom they were begotten unto God by the word of Life for the ending of strife about Words and Shadows and outward things and they whose minds were outward then in Ages since and now ran into contention about outward things and such for the most part do Err from the Spirit of God in themselves But I would have thee to take notice of this and all you Catholick Members so called The Apostles of Christ only did exhort and did not force their Decrees by Penal Statutes and to be observed under the penalty of loosing Life and Limbs as since their pretended Successors have done who have Erred from the Spirit and have goâ— the Saints Words and turned against the Life and Power but the Decrees as you call them are not many nor burdensome which the Apostles wrote at Jerusalem as the many Counsels since have made they are so endless and numberless and burdensome and so contradictory one to another in divers things who will but look into the Decrees of the Counsels since the Apostles dayes that we can find little certainty in any of their Decrees but rather as thy Instructer saith the Sword of the Flesh and not the Spirit hath been the Rule and Law to Christianity but the Masters of great wit and Power and Interest have framed and made parties unto themselves and have Wars been raised among your selves about deciding your Controversies hath not the Pope Warred against the Emperour and the Emperour against the Pope were noâ— Wars raised about the Decrees when Pope Eugenius was deposed as a Heretick by the Council of Bazell and one while the Pope must be infallible as Peter's Successor and above all Councils and Churches another while the Council is above the Pope Excommunicates him as a Heretick and excludes his Infallibility and now where is the certainty and whether should one go or appeal for true Judgment so though the Church of Rome boast of Unity yet how hath one Nation made War against another and yet Professing the same Faith at divers times and in sundry Ages And to tell thee plainly and to speak the naked Truth according to the Apostles Prophecy after their Departure there was a great Apostacy and a great Falling away from the Faith and a giving heed to Lying Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and many were suhverted from the Faith by them that spake Lyes in Hypocrisie and took up the Priests Office for filthy Lucre and they went out into the World and the World wondred after them and they had the Form and the Sheeps Cloathing and the Saints Words but were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and to the Power of Godliness and the Kings of the Earth were bewitched with her Sorceries and then forced all and compelled all to receive and believe such Decrees and such Articles as were then set forth by a Pack of those Hirelings who minded their own Profit and their own Bellies who mingled their own Inventions and Traditions with the Doctrine of Christ and brought the Scripture for a Cloak and the Apostles Practice for a President and could â—ay falsly as the Apostles said in Truth It seems good to us and the holy Ghost that these our Decrees be observed for God hath placed us as Judges and directors as them that are appointed of God himself to which all Christians are to submit and none to question and if any do question and will not obey it is the Kings and Princes Duty in all Countries to cause all to submit to these our Decrees and Orders or else to be punished as Hereticks with Death for we are the Apostles Successors and
by Tradition in their ovvn Wills God abhors that And thou bringest in the Old Covenant vvhich vvas given to a particular People the Jews but novv the Priesthood is changed and the Lavv is changed and as for thy Lavv vvhich thou vvouldst have the Governours of this Nation to make for suppressing of Sects and Schismaticks that vvorship at Dan and Bethel and thou sayest this is charged upon them But thou mightst have told them who they had been and where Dan and Bethel is lest they be mistaken as thou art that callest Darkness Light and Light Darkness But all that thou art troubled at is this that the Light of Christ in the Conscience should have Liberty and here thou art he which is born after the Flesh and art that Egyptian thou speakest of which persecutes the Righteous Seed It is true there are Sects and Schisms too many and Opinions they stand all in one Ground and thou and they come out of one Land Babylon is the Land of your Nativity in the Light you are seen that thou and they are turned from the Light of Christ and so are gone into Sects and Opinions and Imaginations and all the Powers without in the World cannot suppress the Root from whence these flow none can overcome the Root from whence Heresies and Opinions come And therefore vain Shepherd and blind cease thy Divining those that thou would'st have supprest are those that break Bread from House to House and meet together in the Name of the Lord as the Saints ever did and this thou callest Dan and Bethel because they will not come to an Idols Temple where all the deceived in the Nation worship an Unknown God I say unto thee thy Steeple-house thy Idols Temple which God never commanded where all Lyars Fighters Swearers Night-Birds and Scriech-Owls meet and call it the House of God and where they speak nought but the Imaginations of their own Hearts and call them the Ordinances of God and it the Church that is Dan and Bethel And as for the Magistrates which thou tellest they ought to suppress the false Prophets thou mightest have declared who they had been But for the honest-hearted Magistracy and People I shall declare a little when they came in and who they are Christ sayes Many False Prophets shall arise and Paul Peter John and the rest they saw them come already then many Anti-christ's and Deceivers and then they came in as the Scriptures witness and they have deceived the Nations since and Christ saith By their Fruits you shall know them and they are such as he cryed Wo against which laid heavy Burdens upon the People and such as were got into Moses 's Seat and were called of Men Master stood praying in the Assemblies and had the chiefest Place in the Synagogue and Peter saith They followed after covetous Practices and Jude saith They went after the Error of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards and Isaiah saith They sought for their Gain from their Quarter and Ezekiel saith They were such as fed of the Fat and Zachary saith They were as Evening Wolves and Paul saith They were covetous Men heady high-minded and Lovers of Pleasure and fierce Despisers of those that are good and had a Form of Godliness and they were Witches that turned them back to Circumcision and false Prophets when the Substance was come And are they not so now who sue for Tythes maintain the first Priesthood and bewitch People and deny Christ come in the Flesh Now let all judge where these are many in the North taking away the Peoples Cows their Pots Kettles and Bedding and one Priest sued one for Two Pence and two in York-shire sued one for One Penny and another for a Penny Half-penny and these are they that call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel shame shame blush howl ye Caterpillars the Hand of the Lord is against you and yet I would not have their Lives taken away as thou would'st have theirs that thou callest Sectaries but to that in thy Conscience I speak which will let thee see that thou hast a busie Mind and abidest not in the Doctrine of Christ but art among the false Prophets And thou and the rest of them which are Merchants and trade with other Mens Words which must have your Gospel and Worship defended with Swords and Staves and the Power of the Earth you are they that spread Nets at Mispeh and Tabor for it 's neither in Jerusalem nor this Mount but they that worship the Father worship in Spirit and Truth And thou that would'st confine God to a Place to a Day to a Time and have him bound by a Law and how the Saints should worship him thou art carnal and thy Petition carnal and all who have any Honesty in them or Light will see thee to be in the Generation of the Pharisees that said They had a Law and by that Law he ought to dye And whereas thou art comparing thy self and the Priests of Newcastle and Durham to Sarah the Mistress and them who oppose you to Hagar Answ. Sarah never brought forth Sons of Bondage as you are but you are truly Hagar the Egyptian who genders unto Bondage for you and all the Children that ever you have begotten or brought forth are in Bondage till now and the Lord hath raised up a People out of the Dust to confound you and your Wisdom and to declare against your Profession in laying heavy Burdens upon the People and taking their Money for that which is not Bread and be ye all ashamed ye high Oakes ye fat Bulls ye Diviners that cannot maintain your Gospel with all your Parts and Wisdom that you boast of against those contemptible Things in your Eyes but you must run to a carnal Sword or to a Justice of Peace or Constable to preserve you or to have them imprisoned Stocks and Mockings and Reproaches this is all we have or expect from the Powers of the Earth because we speak the Truth Be ye ashamed and lay your Hands upon your Mouthes what Gospel is this they have preached what Worship is this you give unto God that must be defended with Clubs and Staves Stocks and Whips Stoning and haling before Magistrates and yet thou would'st have them accounted Ministers of the Gospel they who were Ministers of the Gospel their Weapons were not Carnal but Spiritual and they were Mighty through God but the Mightiness of this Generation lyes in the Magistrates Sword to defend them and drive the People to pay them money for nought And therefore let all Magistrates consider in this Nation and else-where that you be warned how you make any Laws against the Innocent and how you uphold those that Christ cryed VVo against and such as the Lord sent his Prophets to declare against lest that come upon them which the Prophet spoke that they that help and them that are helped shall fall together And whereas thou further flatterest them and tellest them That they are
are like to be tryed Your Armour is Righteousness on the right hand and on the left your City is free The Gates stand open Day and Night a VVolf Lyon nor any Beast cannot enter no not so much as a flying-Fowl Oh how goodly are thy Tents O thou Seed of Jacob the Elect whom he hath chosen O how pleasant is your scituation The Tower of David Mount Sion stands sure and cannot be moved O! who is a People like unto you saved by our God that lives forever His Love is large he is kind he is long-suffering he is faithful and keeps Covenant and his Promises are Yea Yea He is the Amen the first and the last Come forth my dear Brethren set forth his Praise declare his Name among the Heathen publish his Name among the Congregations let the Earth be filled with his Love and power that his Judgments may be declared and his Statutes that they sound in the Ears of Generations to come O ye that are convinced of the Truth of our God wait in that which doth convince and keep your Minds to it and love it and follow it whither it leads you and it will lead you to know the Gift of God which leads to Repentance from dead VVorks to serve the living God who dwells in the Immortal Light and take heed of looking back at the Pleasures of Sin you have formerly lived in but wait upon the pure Light of Christ Jesus in Patience that so you may see the Enmity which is against God and it slain in you daily that so you may see him that is the Saviour of the Soul and take heed of rebelling against the Lord who hath given you a measure of his true Light to lead you from Sin if you love it unto Righteousness from whence it comes even from the righteous Judge of all the VVorld who judgeth every man ouâ— of the Book of his Conscience and so prize the everlasting Love of God to your Souls that you may see him who lives forever And all Babes who are born again who have suffered and Pangs of Death and know the Indignation of the Lord against Sin and the Terrour of the Lord against the man of Sin who have roared for the Disquietness of your Hearts who have born the Indignation of the Lord and are come to the giving forth of the Law where there is Thundring and Earth-quakes and Terrour and great Hail and Fire and Smoke even such as was not since the Beginning insomuch that you could not bear his Voice and live nor see his Face and live Stand still in Patience and let it have its perfect Work in you and hear the Indignation ye that are in it if you endure the Tribulation with Patience Hope you will see and a Time of Refreshment will come endure the Cross that the mortal and earthly and carnal may be judged and the bad ground shaken and taken away and that you may see the living Hope to stay your Minds upon And ye who are enlivened and do witness the Law of Righteousness set up in you which is a School-master and keeps in the Fear stand in it and keep in the Fear low in Soberness and Calmness and then you will see your Hearts purified daily and the cursed Nature judged which is out of its Course and it bridled and subjected and the Law which is pure and holy and eternal which stands forever in Power and force against the Transgressor to judge all Unrighteousness And so wait that you may see the Lyon tamed and the wild Heifer yoked and the Yoke of Christ born and the wild Colt tamed by him upon which never man sate before then and not till then is Hosanna sung And all wait in your Measures dear Babes that the Milk of the Word you may see and be nourished by it and grow up as living Branches about the Table of the Lord. And all you young men and Virgins that know Virginity keep your Virginity you in whom the Prince of this world is judged and cast out and the righteous Law of God revealed and given forth in which you stand and walk and have Peace from him who is the Law-giver and Judge who hath saved you from your Iniquities and blotted out your Sins for his own Name 's sake you who know the living Water and Spirit of which you are born again and witness the Birth which enters into the Kingdom of God where no mortal or unclean Beast can come Keep in the Life and Power of God which limits all and chains all under that the Life of the Son of God may live and speak in you and be bold In the dread of God stand and that which leads into Slavery keep out And now being made Partakers of his everlasting Love walk worthy of his Love and of the high Calling whereunto you are called who hath created you in Christ Jesus unto Holiness and Righteousness forever that to the praise of his Grace which you are saved by by which you have obtained the Remission of Sins and an Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified So wait in the living Hope and the living Faith in which God is well pleased in which you ask and receive of him and are accepted of our heavenly Father And this Faith ye know which is a present Power and a Shield against all Temptations and a Helmet and as a Fortress by which you are preserved safe standing in it and putting it on in the Day of Tryal My dear Brethren of the everlasting Kindred and Heirs of the everlasting Promise wait all in Patience having received an earnest of the Inheritance that never fades away to the End abide in the Father's Counsel and at Wisdom's Gate Ye know what I say I write not unto you because you know not the Truth but because you know and are made free in your Measures by him who is the Truth and the Way in which all our Fathers and you also have obtained a good Report even of all the Houshold of Faith and take heed of the Glory of the World and look not at Hardship for verily all the Suffering is not worthy to be Compared to that Glory which is revealed and to be revealed unto all that wait and abide in Patience and Faithfulness unto the end but be ye as good Souldiers endure hardship that you may receive the End of your Hope and the everlasting Price and the purchased Possession and the Crown of Glory which God will give unto you in his own Day which is coming on towards you if you continue in the Hope in the Faith and in the Love unfeigned which thinks no ill by which and in which Love we have Victory over the Grave Sin and Death which he hath freely shed abroad in our Hearts unto whom be everlasting Praise forever and ever to him which was dead and is alive and lives for evermore the Mediator of the new Covenant of Life and Peace in which we have Access
ye high Cedars and mighty men put on your Strength and gather together all your Forces which you have trusted in call upon your Gods and all your Southsayers and Diviners together for now he is come and the Daughter of Sion now laughs you to scorn and Jerusalem the free Citizens do wagg their Heads at you for he will now plead the Cause of the Poor against you who have been too strong for them and now all that hear this shall tremble For he will make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth and from it do the Law and the Prophets come forth Awake Oh Arm of the Lord and put on Strength as in the dayes of old to redeem thine own Inheritance which hath long been by the Heathen laid waste and hath been trampled upon by the Uncircumcised art not thou he which was and is and is to come who wilt not give thy Glory to another Arise and shine forth in thy Brightness thou Star of Jacob and Sun of Righteousness and let the Earth be filled with thy Light and Glory that Generations to come may call thee blessed Dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea confound the Wisdom of this World which never knew thee neither would own nor receive thee make the Diviners and Sorcerers mad who have scattered thy Sheep from the everlasting Fold and have healed the Hurts of thy People deceitfully and have caused them to err in telling them thy Power nor thy Arm was not to be looked for now as in the Dayes of old nor thy immediate voice nor word was to be looked or waited for now in the Earth and so have deceived the People with their lying Divinations which they have spoken from the Imaginations of their own Hearts and have laid a stumbling-block in the Way as the Son of Nebat did who made Israel to sin But Oh Lord thou seest how thy own Seed lyeth scattered and ravenous Beasts make a Prey upon it and the Devourers swallow it up therefore hast thou appeared in thy Love and Power for thine own Name 's sake and wilt not suffer thy Seed to be trodden upon any longer by the Prince of Darkness nor his Children whom he hath begotten in his own Image Arise shine forth thou everlasting Covenant of Light and Peace by which and in which all our Fathers believed and so obtained a good Report and were redeemed out of Captivity to serve the Lord forever with one Heart and Mind and worshipped in one Spirit in which Faith they laid hold upon the Perfect Righteousness of Christ made manifest in them and were justified but hath been hid for many Generations in the time of Anti-christ's Reign and all the world hath wondered after the Beast and hath received his Mark but now is the Night far spent and the Day is at hand wherein all that hath been hid shall be made manifest and the Number of the Beast is read and known by all that are redeemed from under his Power and now the Beast and the False Prophet is seen and the Man of sin is made manifest in this the day of his everlasting Power and the brightness of the Sun of Righteousness who is the Light of the world hath made him manifest who is come and coming Glory unto him for evermore who alone is worthy to take the Kingdom Wherefore all honest-hearted in and under all Forms of Professions who have travailed and are weary and all you that have kindled a Fire and have warmed your selves at the Sparks thereof and yet still you lye in Sorrow Oh all ye that have panted and thirsted after Righteousness who have wearied your selves in seeking among the dead Graves and Tombs for a Saviour but have found no Rest and who have followed Lo here and there in this Grave and the other Sepulchre builded on this and that Sand and still swept away your State I know you have no Peace in the eternal Rest I say unto you while you look without you your Eyes may consume in your Holes and your Expectation fail and you will be still complaining For your sakes who are weary and have found none to direct your Way a few Lines I am moved in Compassion to write unto you and if you will not receive it you will not believe if one should rise from the dead for I have obtained Mercy from Christ through his free Grace who is risen from the Dead and saw no Corruption by which Grace I am saved from Sin and cleansed from Unrighteousness after long and sore Labour and Travail under Pharaoh the Oppressour from under whose Dominion I am brought to worship the living God in Spirit and Truth in his Temple where he dwells in Righteousness forever And for the simples sake who have erred for Lack of true Knowledge as I did in Times past I shall declare unto you a little in short of my Travails in Egypt's Land where Darkness is so thick that â—f ye wait but diligently to see your selves you will fell it also From twelve Years old I set my Heart to know that God which the World professed and which I did read of in the Scripture which Abraham Noah Moses and the Prophets and the rest of the Fathers worshipped and I did fall into the strictest Worship that was in that Part wherein I lived and often I desired to be alone and attended much to reading and Meditation and then as I was sober and serious alone I began to see that all the Sports and Pastimes and such as Youth delight in naturally were Vanity and they lasted but for a Moment and while I was in Folly and Wantonness doing of them the Nature which was run into Transgression had Pleasure in them but as soon as I was come from among them I was judged in my self for what I had done and often made me weep then I resolved in my Will that I would never do so again and for some time did restrain from the common Practice of those things that I had walked in but as soon as I came amongst those again I acted those things again which before I did see to be Vanity but long before that I was checked for many things and so I walked often condemned in my self when I was serious and had no Peace and then not knowing what to do in much Sorrow when I was alone I had a Desire to be alone where I might not hear nor see any Folly acted and did not go to the former Exercises although something in me hankered after it but when I yielded not unto it I was glad and had Peace and then I began to oppose my Fellows with whom I had walked in Wantonness and then they began to revile me and hate me and scorn me yet notwithstanding I mattered not then I read much and prayed in Words often three or four times a day but I knew not where God was but in my Imagination imagined a God at a Distance and so went on and then
false Prophet and Babylon came into Remembrance in that Day the Mother of Harlots and the Sea dryed up and all the Merchants that traded with her stood afar off for the Cup of Fury was poured forth and Cain was seen and Judas that had betrayed the Lord of Life and I would have run any Way to have hid my self but nothing but weeping and gnashing of Teeth and Sorrow and Terrour and I roared out for the Disquietness of my Heart and the Kingdom was full of Darkness I knew not the right Hand from the left I became a perfect Fool and knew nothing and as a Man distracted all was overturned and I suffered Loss of all in all that ever I did I saw it was in the accursed Nature and then something in me cryed Just and true is his Judgment my Mouth was stopped I durst not make mention of his Name I knew not God And as I bore the Indignation of the Lord something rejoyced the Serpent's Head began to be bruised and the VVitnesses which were slain were raised and stopped Heaven that it rained not in the Dayes of their Prophecy and a great Famine there was and the Sun was darkened and the Moon turned into Blood and the Stars did fall and all the Grass of the Earth withered and every green Tree and all the Springs were dryed up and a great and noysome Smell and a Plague fell upon the Earth and the VVaters became as the Blood of a dead Man and the Heavens passed away with her Noise and the Elements melted and the Earth was scorched with the Flame which proceeded from the Throne of God and the Judgment-Seat of Christ was seen and an Account was to be given and then Esau was cursed and Cain and Judas and Ishmael and all the Cananites and the Egyptians went to the left Hand and as the Judgment was pronounced something cryed Just art thou oh Lord in all thy Judgments And as I did give up all to the Judgment the Captive came forth out of Prison and rejoyced and my Heart was filled with Joy and I came to see him whom I had pierced and my Heart was broken and the Blood of the Prophets I saw slain and a great Lamentation and then I saw the Cross of Christ and stood in it and the Enmity slain upon it and the new Man was made and so Peace came to be made and so eternal Life was brought in through Death and Judgment and then the perfect Gift I received which was given from God and the holy Law of God was revealed unto me and was written in my Heart and his Fear and his Word which did kill now makes alive and so it pleased the Father to reveal his Son in me through Death and so I came to witness Cleansing by his Blood which is Eternal Glory unto him forever and am a Minister of that Word of eternal Life which endures forever Glory unto his Name forever and have Rest and Peace in doing the Will of God and am entred into the true Rest and lye down in the Fold with the Lambs of God where the Sons rejoyce together and the Saints keep Holy Dayes Glory unto him forever And these few things have I written for your sakes who walk in Darkness that you may see where you are and also ye high Cedars who trust in the Arm of Flesh that you may cease your Boasting and come down from off the Pinacle where you are exalted for the same must come upon you if ever the Lord you know in Truth and Righteousness even through the Death of things in the Curse of all Knowledge and Wisdom which is from below yea through the Death of Death that rules in you which must be slain upon the Cross of Christ Jesus if ever you come to true Peace and witness eternal Salvation And therefore cease you Diviners and Imaginers who have feigned a Faith and a Christ and a Salvation in your Imaginations and yet that you may live in the Lust and Filth of the World and the Customs and Fashions which perish I say your Expectations shall fail and you will lye down in Sorrow for where Salvation is witnessed the Life of Christ is witnessed but you would have Salvation and the Life of the Devil brought forth and lived in But unto all such I say This will be your Sentence Depart into the Lake Therefore take Warning for it is not your good Words without the Life of Godliness nor your swelling Speeches that are accepted with God for he accepts nothing but what is of himself and by him wrought in the Creature by his own Will and Power and this destroyes the carnal Will Power and Righteousness and this work which he worketh of himself and by his Power and in his Covenant is perfect and is accepted of God and so it s no more the Creature but Christ who is all in his Saints and so he brings all that follow him out of his Works of Condemnation which are acted in the disobedient Nature and are accursed whether praying or plowing or whatsoever while Cain lives which is in the Banishment out of the Acceptance of God and all who follow him who is the LIGHT and leads all that believe and follow him into the living Works of Righteousness wrought by Christ through Faith and is accepted and well pleasing unto God and here all boasting is excluded for all is of him and from him that works both the Will and the Deed and here the Lord is admired in all his Works and his VVorks praise him Wherefore all honest hearted who travell and are weary and have found no Rest for your Souls I say unto you Arise and come away lye not groveling in the Earth like Moles nor seek not to know God in your fallen Wisdom for the Well is deep and if you know nothing but the old Wisdom which is corrupt and natural you cannot come to one Drop of the living Water therefore dwell no longer among the Graves and Tombs where the unclean Spirits dwell which trouble and vex all that pass in their Way neither dwell among the Pits where there is no Water he is risen he is not there look upward mind that which draws you from the Earth the Covenant of Life is made manifest Glory unto him in the highest his Proclamation is Ho every one that thirsteth come freely and receive of him freely without Money or Price or any thing of yours or self nay self must be denied and that you must deny if you will receive of him that he may be all and you nothing for he gives freely and his Gift is perfect and pure without Spot Stain or Mixture and all that receive his Gift come by it to be presented perfect to the Father And this is making manifest to you also who wait upon him who is given for a Covenant of Light and Peace and Life and all that receive this gift shall come to hear glad-tidings Peace on Earth
Life to come into it F. H. Cork the 18 th of the 11 th Moneth 1655. A LAMENTATION FOR THE Scattered Tribes Who are exiled into Captivity and are now mingled among the Heathen and are joyned to the Oppressor and refuse to return Presented unto all the separated Congregations under what Name or Form soever in Love to the Lost. SHEWING The Difference betwixt them that were separated by the word of Faith and them who have separated themselves in Immitation from the Letter And how they differ both in Doctrine in Matter in Form and so not the same with the Churches of Christ in the Unity The Difference between the true and false Ministry The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned and the Saints Faith The Difference betwixt true and false Hope A few words to the Ministry in all Sects and to all the mingled People who dwell in the Land of Darkness and are tossed up and down and know not where the Power is which is of God which gives victory A few VVords for your Information Thy Prophets have seen vain and foolish Things for thee and they have not discovered thine Iniquity to turn away thy Captivity but have seen for thee false Burthens and Causes of Banishment Lam. 2.14 By a Servant of Truth and a Friend to Righteousness who suffers with the Seed which is held in Oppression waiting and labouring for its Return F. H. Printed in the Year 1675. THE CONTENTS Concerning the Word of Christ which the Apostles and Ministers preached who had it in them revealed which did gather them into one that believed in it and its Effect and Operation that it had The Difference shewed betwixt that Ministry and the Ministry of them that preach the Letter for the Word The Difference between them that were separated by the VVord and them who have separated themselves The Difference shewn betwixt them that are taught of Christ and them that follow the Principles of Darkness that lead into Error The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned which is the VVorld's and the Saints Faith Concerning Hope and the Difference betwixt true and false Hope True Faith how it s wrought and what it is and its Operation A VVord to all the Ministers of the World in all Sects and to all People in every Sect. A few words to all you who put out the eye through long accustoming unto Sin who are near utter Darkness With some Information to them who are tossed and find no Rest nor know not where the Power of God is that gives Dominion over Sin the Power declared and the Way to Peace A LAMENTATION FOR THE Scattered Tribes TO all you who profess the Name of our Lord Jesus in Words and make mention of his Words and of his Ministers Words who had the everlasting Gospel and the Word of Reconciliation and of those Practices which the Churches of Christ had in their Day committed unto them after they were gathered out of the World and had denyed it and its Nature and were not comformable to it but were changed in their inward man and fruits of Righteousness were brought forth and they were as Lights in the World and did bear witness against the World that they were evil and said they were of God and had the Witness in themselves and were bold to say the whole World lay in Wickedness To you who are called separated Churches and Fellowships under this or that Name to you I write my Soul pities you above the rest of the World and in Love to those Desires which were once among you I write that so if it be possible you may come to see your selves and the Foundation on which you stand that those Desires which were after God begotten may not wholly be slain extinguished and betrayed through the Subtilty of the Serpent whose wayes are crooked and whose Subtilty is great to keep man under his Power This I have to say unto you There was and is a Zeal in you but not according to Knowledge bear my Words and judge that in your selves which would be angry There was that which shewed you the National Way of Worship under Episcopacy and Prelacy and Presbytery which is one in the Ground and Nature that this was the broad Way and not according to the Mind of the Lord neither was it according to Precept nor the Practices of the Churches of Christ which is clear from the Scripture Now you seeing this was not accoding to Christ nor his Ministers nor the Churches you began to separate from them into this or that Body under this or that Name as a Body separate from the World and their Worship because you found in the Writings of that which is called the Gospel People be gathered out of the World now your Eyes being still without you conformed to their Practices as you judged both in matter and manner and Practising those things which you read in the Scripture that the Churches Practised and so some Zealous did go forth and gather people together in this or that Form and here was your beginning and so here you set up your Rest that you walk according to the most exact Pattern that is Visible or Written yet since this you do not agree but are divided in your selves one sets up this and another that thing which you in your Reason judge right Now many things I might write unto you which you cannot bear but rather in Love a few Words that you may see the vast Difference betwixt your Assemblies and Churches and the Churches which you say is your Example And first of all I will shew in the Ground how far you fall short although it may be you may hate my instruction yet I say Suffer me a little for I am one who have obtained Mercy after a long and a sore Travel and tossed up and down in great Tempests but at last entered into the everlasting Rest and do not desire to contend with you for out of Debates carnal I am brought but rather in love to the Honesty in you all which is not of this World I speak First they received Power from on high and Commission given to preach the Gospel to all Nations I speak of the Ministers of Christ and those things which they had heard and seen and felt and tasted of and had handled of the Word of Life which Life was manifest in them this they preached and were sent to turn People from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power unto God's Power and as many as received and believed the Word which they preached which was the Word of Faith and Faith was begotten by the Preaching of it and they heard and learned of the VVord of Life Faith came by hearing that VVord and this VVord which they preached unto them was nigh them in their Mouth and in their Heart which as People turned to it and received it and believed so a Change was wrought in the Hearers of it and they were
turned from dead VVorks unto the Measure of the living God and they separated from the Temple and left Circumcision and all those things of the first Priest-hood which were commanded by God and out of the VVorld's VVayes Fashions Customs and VVorships and came to see the worshipping in Spirit and in Truth was that worship God required and the Ground of their Separation was not from any literal Command or Precept for all that was written there was flat against it but they which were Ministers of Christ which had believed in him preached him the Substance and the Measure of him and of his Grace which was in them unto whom they preached and this was the Apostles Witness in their Hearts unto which they did commend themselves in the Sight of God which is a great Mystery and they are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit Now in these few words before written with much more I could write compare your Ministry and your Members gathered and you will see you differ in the Ground in the first for your Command you take from the Letter and so are Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit 2. Ye preach the Letter for the Word of Faith which they did not as is plain in their own Writings without adding 3. Them whom you gather it 's but into Conformity to the Letter and to that which is visible which all may be done in the Will of man which is fallen from God and see if it be not so with you both Pastors and Members not witnesses of that VVord which they preached which did beget Faith in them that received it and believed in it which Faith was in them wrought by the Power of God which gave them Assurance and their Assurance was in them and their Hope in them brought in and wrought by the Operation of the Spirit which the preaching of the Letter Sound or Declaration only of that which was in them never works Assurance nor true Faith nor Hope And now consider where had your Ground of the Knowledge of God been and your Gospel and your Faith and Hope if you had not had the Letter I speak not to upbraid you but to the Light of Christ Jesus I speak which will let you see how far short you are and that you must come back again to the first Principle and now you may see if it had been the same Word or Command it would have the same Effects as it had and Change into its own Nature all that received it now see whether a Change be wrought in you or not some of you yea many running back after the Foot-steps of the Priests preaching for Hire and upholding the Idols Temple if you can get into them and in the Customs of the World nay most of you not come to yea and nay in your Communication but one with the world in all or most of things differ only in Words and Names and your Gospel you have preached hath not begotten such a Faith as was in them that had the Gospel not to respect Persons nor none dare own cleansing from Sin in the Body but call that a Delusion but the Word and Faith which they preached and received gave them Victory over the World Sin and Death and by its Power made them more then Conquerors and their Hope purified their Hearts but you cannot believe that ever you shall be made free from Sin nor have not hope in that and therefore are ignorant of the Body of Christ you so much talk of which made them clean and free from Sin Secondly your Doctrine is the same with the World your Hope your Faith your justification is all at a Distance grounded upon the Report of Christ dying at Jerusalem and of their Report that knew him and believing this you call it Faith and so are one with the Faith and Hope which the World hath for the Report of Christ's Righteousness what he did suffer and wrought in the Saints if this be the Ground of Salvation then why have you separated from the World If you say Because the world hath not right to the Ordinances I say Doth not Faith in Christ give Interest to all his Ordinances And if this be onely your Faith the World hath as good an Interest as you so why do you separate from them And so you shall see the Matter is the same with the VVorld of which your Fellowships consist and the Name of Christ is a great Mystery which they were sent to baptize in who knew his Name his name is not Letters and Syllables and using these this with the lips speaking over is not to baptize into his Name And so Friends in Love I speâ—k unto you There was such as separated themselves and were sensual and had not the Spirit and so there was no Difference betwixt them and the World for they are Clouds without Rain appeared VVells but hâ—d no VVater in them seemed something but were but a Shew Friends your foot-steps I know your ground I know and your Compass and your Measure yet I shall not glory over you nor boast my self against you but rather to inform your Minds that you may not build upon a Foundation which will moulder away And now boast not your selves in your Ordinances as VVater bread and Wine which is but elementary and was never but a Sign and in the Day of Appearance of Christ the Elements shall melt with servent Heat and while you stand here and have Confidence in these things your Sun will set in Obscurity and you shall know the old Heavens and Earth will pass away with a Noise which when you come to know and hear your Hearts will fail for Fear for this I say to the highest of you If you build upon any thing or have Confidence in any thing which stands in time and is on this side Eternity and Being of Beings your Foundation will be swept away and Night will come upon you and all your gathered in things and taken on and imitated will all fail you Many more things I might write time would fail me to utter but these few among many I have written that you may compare your selves with the Ministers of Christ then and the Gospel which they preached which were separate from the World in the Ground and Nature and if you see your selves in the Light of Christ in your Consciences not to be the same neither in Matter nor Manner let not a deceived Heart lead you aside any longer Further I say they were sent out for the gathering in of the Saints some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers yet all was by the Spirit Now if you deny the Command of the Spirit or cannot witness it but from the Letter take it up and talk of it because the Scripture speaks of it then your Ministry is not that Ministry Again this End was the Ministry sent forth for for the perfecting of the Saints which it did which not
faithful Witness the Beginning of the Creation of God and all that wait not in the Light wait not in the Grace of God but wait in that which turns the Grace into VVantonness there Christ suffers and is denyed and another is owned and learned of and another Teacher and where the Grace of God is not taught and learned of Ungodliness is not denyed but Ungodliness is denyed where the Grace teacheth and where another thing is hearkened unto and learned of that which is not like God is learned and Deceit is brought forth and the Child of Fornication which must not inherit and all who learn of this Nature they are blind and ignorant of the Will of God and so know not the Doctrine of Christ but their Eyes are without in the VVorld where the falâ—e Prophets are gone out into the VVorld and there are the Errors and the Sects and Judgments which are many and the Opinions which are out of the Unity and there vain Imaginations and vain Thoughts lodge in the Heart and there the Light of Christ is not known but the VVoman speaks which ought to learn in Silence who was first in the Transgression And all you that put the Letter for the Light are blind and call it the Word and the Gospel you err not knowing the Scripture nor the Power of God for the Word of God is the Power of God which is Immortal Eternal and all that which is visible stands in time and cannot lead to know him which was before time in the Beginning And so all you who are in your Earthly carnal Minds imagining a Rule without you and a Word without you you have not learned of him who is entered within the Vail you are hunting upon the wild Mountains and Forrests and know not the Voice of the true Shepherd who saith Learn of me whose Word is nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart and thou that hast not hearkened unto this a Separation thou didst never see but Darkness is upon the Face of the Deep and the Word of God is not known by which the Heavens and the Earth were made and all things therein are upholden by the Word of his Power which Word of Power is seen by them whose Minds are turned within and there the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart are by it discerned and seen which Word is quick and powerful and discerns the Secrets of man's Heart and is as a Hammer to break the Rocks and the hard Hearts and this is Immediate and Eternal and all who know not this your carnal Mind stands wholly in you and your hard Hearts are unbroken and the Mountains are unleveled and you walk in the crooked Waves of the old Serpent in Subtilty and Deceit and stand covered before the Lord and the strait Pathes of Righteousness you have not known Therefore awake out of Deceit and Security all Sorts of People where you have been making your Rest in the Lap of the Adulterer and have drunken of the VVine of Fornication and of the old Dregs of Unrighteousness whereby the whole man in enflamed and the whole Course of Nature is set on the Fire of Hell and Filth and Abomination lodge in the Heart and you talk of the VVord of God and of the Law of God and of the new Covenant and yet never see any thing in you which you can own to guide you which is contrary to your VVills which is the VVill of God All Sorts of Professors whether Presbyters Independents Baptists or of what Name soever you are called by who say you are separated let me ask this what are you separated from and what separated you If you deny the Sufficiency of the Spirit 's teaching alone and it to be the Rule and alone Guide unto God who is separated from Sinners and beholds them afar off I say you who cannot own that which shews you your vain Minds and vain Thoughts and that discerns the Thoughts if you cannot own this the VVord of God you never knew nor the Law written in your Hearts nor the VVord of Separation and all are in your Imaginations and vain Conceivings in your fleshly Minds here and there setting up an Image raised from a dead Letter and founded on your Earthly Imaginations and they stand in the Vallies of vain Hopes and there is no Life in nothing you worâ—hip and set up neither Sight nor Hearing and every one of you worship a dead thing and that which makes not the Comers thereunto perfect but you are all pleading for Imperfection and Sin in the Body and all joyn together to oppose the Life and Power of God which the Saints ought to press after and they that stand in the Counsel do obtain Victory and witness of his Righteousness which is perfect Are not many of you turning into the old Bishops Road who would tye all unto their Idols Temple or Parish-Church so called and are not many of you going about to stop all from hearing any but you under Pain of Excommunication Oh the gross Darkness you are led in and the wilful Blindness who have taken up your Rest in that which is carnal and without where all the Hypocrites may come verily I say unto you your Rest will be but as the leaning upon a bowed Wall or as a Reed of Egypt for the Ground of Iniquity stands whole and the whole Body of Darkness is not removed the Earth is whole the Fallow Ground is not plowed up Thorns and Bryars and fruitless Trees which cumber the Ground of the Lord are not cut down and so the Works of Condemnation you are none of you brought from under but self stands and your Wills are alive which are at Enmity against God only talking of a Christ at a Distance and his Righteousness as far from you as betwixt Earth and Heaven and here is your Justification applying this unto your selves while you are disobedient to the Grace of God in you this is your Faith and your Rest and this Faith all the World hath and this Hope but this Faith cannot justifie nor not one of you hath Assurance who hath but this who doth not witness God's Righteousness brought forth in you which is wrought by the Word of Faith which is incorruptible which justifies and gives Assurance and is witnessed through the Death of the Cross. And therefore I cannot forbear but to declare your Ignorance and shew you your Deceit you lye in and your ragged Vails you hide your selves under for I know your Peace you have is that which will not last And therefore be not secure and careless nor obstinate but lay down your Crowns at his Feet and come out of your Ease and Rest and fleshly Exaltation puffed up by the Wisdom of the Flesh and that which you have gathered in and not Witnesses of the same wrought in you all for the Fire yet a little while and time shall be no longer for the End of time shall come upon
or Scripture and if that will not do then you look to be Justified by the Righteousness of one you have heard of without you and even then when you your selves are found Sinners and so would make Christ a Minister of Sin How long will you speak these Things and how long shall the Words of your Mouth be as a strong wind doth God pervert Judgment or doth the Almighty pervert Justice Job 8.2 3. shall not he that 〈◊〉 dye and is not he that commits Sin of the Devil doth God justifie him that 's of the Devil nay he shall condemn him the Gospel is not preached to that Seed but the Day of Vengeance and Tribulation and Wrath upon every one that doth Evil and whom he Condemns he Justifies not and whom he redeems he redeems out of Sin and creates them that they may walk to the Praise and Glory of his Grace them that praise Grace and glorifie Grace walk in it and are under it and it hath Dominion over them and their Ungodliness and worldly Lusts are denyed and Holiness and Righteousness is brought forth and the Image of God is restored Oh! how long shall Death talk of the Fame of Wisdom how long shall a deceived Heart lead you aside how long will ye be bind how long will ye hearken to your Imaginations is any redeemed out of Sin where sin rules and where it is acted Grace reigns not is not this the Grace of God which Condemns man's Will and Self and the Lusts of the Flesh and you that are in your Wills and Self in every thing standing doth not the Grace Condemn you how then or by what are ye Justified but this hath been a Piece of your Divinity when that in your Consciences Condemned you looking up to Christ Justified at a Distance Oh you vain minds is not the Light of Christ one with Christ is Christ divided from his Spirit or against himself or in himself when that his Light Condemns and his Spirit reproves thee for Sin doth he Justifie doth not his Spirit bear VVitness in the Spirits of them that are sanctified and is not this the Spirit which Convinceth for Sin and as thou actest Sin it reproves thee and bears witness against thee then how should it bear witness to thee and so you may see all of you who tell of Justification by Faith that you are in a Dream and not in the Faith that Justifies for he that is Justified by Faith which is true he hath the VVitness in himself now if thou be reproved in thy self for Sin by the Light of Christ where is thy witness in thy self shew it For them that are saved by Grace and justified by Faith self and self-will and the Lusts of the Flesh and Disobedience to the Grace of God is judged and condemned and self-Righteousness Tit. 3.5 6. Not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Ephes. 2.8 By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it 's the Gift of God and them that receive and believe in the Gift of God are justified and Grace is the Gift of God which teacheth to deny Ungodliness and them that are taught by this it teacheth and leadeth out of all Sin and so Redemption from Sin is witnessed and Justification is witnessed and the Gift of God which is the Spirit of Promise sâ—als the Assurance in the Heart but where Sin is committed Grace reigns not through Righteousness and thou that art here art under the Law and under Wrath and Condemnation and art not under Grace that justifies through Faith and so your Cover being taken off see your Shame all and blush and repent The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned which is the Worlds and the Saints Faith NOW your Faith which leads you not to believe that you can ever be freed from Sin this Faith is Reprobate and brings forth no good Works but dead Works and is not the Life of the Just but tâ—e Life of the Unjust which leads not to overcome the Evil and the Works of the Devil nor leads not into the Rest which is in God for you speak your own WORDS and think your own THOUGHTS and have not ceased from your own Works but worship in your Wills act in your Wills speak in your Wills and are your own and do notice an overcoming of Sin but a growing into it into Deceit more and more and looking all is done for you and you believe Christ hath done all and hath fulfilled the Law for you and yet do witness nothing done in you nor the Law fulfilled in you nor Sin destroyed in you and yet you say you lay hold upon the Righteousness of Christ by Faith Oh! what Righteousness is that you lay hold of which is imperfect leads not out of Imperfection that is not true Faith that layes hold on a Righteousness which is imperfect and all of you say all that is in you there are Defects and Imperfections in it yea even the Graces and Gifts of God you say they are imperfect then consider if you see Imperfection in all those Things you have laid hold on and have received then you know not Faith nor Grace nor the Gift of God which is perfect but believe in a Dream of a thing done and an Apprehension of a Thing at a Distance without you imagining you are eating but when you awake you are hungry imagining you are saved but when you enter into your Hearts see nothing witnessed nothing done nor redeemed from nothing your Faith and Hope stand in Words and that is all preaching the Letter over and proving that which is proved and was proved in them that witnessed the Life of those Things in them that are written but nothing is proved in you but apply their Righteousness which was the Righteousness of Faith and of Christ which was in them wrought through Death to you that are alive in Sin Lust Pride Enmity Malice and Deceit yea even to the Head of the Serpent and so would be covered in your Iniquity and saved from Guilt Condemnation and Wrath but to be cleansed from Sin you regard not for if you own that Word Faith and Hope which is of God it will slay and kill that Life forever and destroy all your Wisdom which stands in the earthly Nature and therefore I say unto you repent and cease from your Way from your vain Conceivings and all be uncovered and you will see the first Principle you have to learn So all your Faith which is out of the Light is seen which you gather in from the Letter and not wrought in the Light it leads not out of the World nor to above the World but all who have Faith work in the Light and Mortification Sanctification and Holiness is brought forth in Purity Uprightness Meekness Temperance Patience and the Fruits of Righteousness
and walk in his Fear and have the Shield of Faith by which they are defended from the Enemy of their Souls and his Temptations are resisted and the fiery Darts quenched and so the Enemies come to be subdued and this Faith is present Power against all Sin and all that keep in it out of Doubts and Distrusts and Consultations and Murmurings come to be preserved and all that have this Faith do believe the overcoming of all Sin and walk from Faith to Faith and they are daily renewed in the Lord's Strength and come to have Victory as they keep in it and so remain in the true Rest with God forever which none that live in Sin shall ever come to attain unto A Word to all the Ministers of the World in all Opinions and Sects and to all your People in every Sect. THE Lord is risen in his Glory and is arising in his Power to tread down the Mountains all Nations make way make way and all ye Isles be removed all ye high Walls fall down and all ye strong Towers be rent asunder all ye strong Gates fly open ye fenced Cities fall ye mighty Men of Valour bow your Hands shall grow feeble you mighty Warriours for the Prince of Darkness a Day of sore Distress is coming upon you the Princes of Tyre shall no more rejoyce ye Dukes of Edom shall fall by the Edge of the Sword ye Daughters of the Philistines shall no more rejoyce nor ye Daughters of Moab who have been at Ease from your Youth shall no more take Pleasure in your Delicacies for the Earth is growing thin and feeble where all your Renown and Glory lay the Root is cursed from whence your Joy hath sprung God is risen and blasting all with the Breath of his Mouth and Darkness shall cover all your Pavilions and Leanness shall cover your Faces who have rejoyced at the Captivity of the holy Seed for now is he arising as a Gyant that runs his course and shall tread down the Earth and Blast all its glory and will fan the Nations and all the Uncircumcised in Heart shall be as Chaff for now is the Lord bringing his determination upon the whole Earth to cut down all the Gods of Gold and Silver and spoil all your pleasant Pictures and Images which stand in the Earth which you have worshipped in your Hearts yea the Lord of Life hath a Sacrifice in Babylon to perform to confound her Languages which are many and to slay all her Children in the Place where they have slain the Seed of the free-born Wo is me what will become of you ye Shepherds who have nourished People into the Nature of Swine and led into the Nature of Dogs and have driven away the Sheep from the Fold and have begotten nothing but Subtilty and Deceit in Peoples Minds have made them wise to do evil and subtil to deceive and cunning to turn away from Righteousness yea many of their Ears you have bored and they have sold themselves to be Bond-slaves unto you and to their Lusts forever a woful Reckoning will you make to the Lord of Heaven and Earth who is coming to take an Account of all what they have done and brought and what Sheep they have gathered in the Bill is drawn against you all you Hirelings the Cup of Vengeance will be your Reward not one Lamb have you brought into the Bosome of the Father nor one Sheep into the Fold but have scattered them so that by deceiving them so long with your strange Voice they have forgot the true Shepherd's voice for into a Wolfe's Nature you have nourished them and they are become wild and now love no Fold no Bond nor Limit but love to lye down with you upon the Mountains of Iniquity Pride Lust and Deceit where all the wild Beasts of the Field play and they are all gone out of the Way into the crooked Pathes of Unrighteousness and they follow your Example who lead them and this will be proved against all you Shepherds who are idle who love the Fleece and feed upon the Fat and seek for your Gain from your Quarter the Blood of Souls will be your Charge guilty will you all be found your Mouthes stopped the Light in your Consciences shall be the Lord's Witness bound will you be and cast into Darkness And you that have set up your selves to be Teachers who pretend Separation from the World who have run in your Wills and have gathered to Worship an Image with a more beautiful Face you are strong you are fat you shine you are full you appear as Oracles at which them that seek after Knowledge seek unto you are painted over with Names and Colours and appear of a comely Hue your Cup is golden and beautiful to behold to the earthly Wisdom and desirable to drink of yea many have drunk of it and are drinking of it and they come to grow tall and strong as Horses in Battel and as rampant as Lyons and as Behemoth who thinks he can drink Jordan dry But one thing you have left behind you and that is the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God Now is the Lord coming to fan you and to weigh you how came you hither to tell of Justification and of being saved by the Righteousness of Christ when you will not own the Simplicity of the Gospel nor the meek Principle to guide you into the Lamb's Nature your flock is not so speckled as the former and yet they feed in the same Pasture where Knowledge the Tree of Knowledge is the food which nourishes them into a strange Nature and turns them farther into Degeneration Wo is me for you all who are leaders and you who are thus led upon the left Hand among the Goats you will be turned who hate the still small voice that you cannot abide to hear in you therefore you are erred for lack of true Knowledge and you shall go into Captivity with them that go into Captivity for you have lost the Key of Knowledge and you are setting up and seeking to open with another thing then the Key of David but you must either have that or else where the Saints Life is you cannot come although you are reaching at it with your sensual Wisdom but farther it flees from you Oh! when will ye be weary of feeding upon Ashes of Wind and Air which puffs up your fleshly Minds when will ye seriously consider what ye enjoy of God and what you possess of him are you not lost in your selves in and about that which you account a great Part of Obedience unto your God Are not some of you who are called baptized Persons differing about the form some baptizing into this some into that some sprinkling some dipping some plunging where is your Example for these things nay do not the most of you conclude no Salvation without it although in Words some of you will deny it And as for that you call your Supper and
Merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her for no Man buyeth her Merchandize any more Rev. 18.11 And every Ship-Master and all the Company in Ships and Sailers and as many as trade by Sea stood afar off and they cast Dust on their Heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great City wherein were made rich all that had Ships on the Sea for in one Hour she is made desolate Rev. 18.17 19. Mystery Babylon THE Mother of Harlots DISCOVERED Her RISE and when With many of Her SORCERIES IN the End of the primitive Times when the Apostles had finished their Testimony committed unto them and had gathered many out of the World and converted many unto God and many were established in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which purifieth the Heart and giveth Victory over the World and were led to the Beginning before the World was made and the Churches which were in God which had received the Anointing by which they knew all things even the invisible things of God and the Mysteries of his glorious Kingdom which God through the Spirit did reveal unto them which Spirit they had received being begotten of God by which Spirit they called him Father and by which Spirit of Truth which was manifest from the God of Truth in their Hearts they were led into all Truth and became Sons of God and Heirs of the Promise and this Spirit was their Direction and led them to worship God aright to obey and glorifie him and his Name which brought Salvation unto them and into this Spirit they were all baptized by the one Spirit into one Body and in this one Spirit they met and worshipped God and were of one Heart and of one Mind and did know their Director near them and in them and the Time did come when they worshipped neither at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but in the Spirit and in the Truth wherein the Father was glorified and came to see that fulfilled which the Prophets bore Witness of even him in whom all the Prophets end in Christ made manifest in them the Hope of Glory whose Voice they heard from Heaven by which they were quickened and raised from Death to Life by the effectual working of the mighty Power of God which wrought in them that did believe and they were in the Unity of the Faith by which all their Hearts were purified who held it which is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience by which they received an Assurance and were made Partakers of the Promises and became Inheritors of Life Light and Immortality and Heirs of the Promise and Joynt-heirs with Christ and they sate together with him in Heavenly Places and eat with him and drank with him in the Kingdom of God which stood in Power and in Righteousness Joy and Peace and did not look like the Pharisees lo here or there but first felt it as a Grain of Mustard-seed in themselves or as a Corn of Wheat which afterwards springs up as a Blade or as a Ear of Wheat to Ripeness to a full Corn and they did walk from Faith to Faith from Strength to Strength and did appear before God in Sion and the Hebrews were come to Mount Sion from whence God shined out in perfect Beauty who became their Satisfaction and Peace who had revealed his Son in them whom God had made unto them Justification Sanctification and Wisdom and so they knew one God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and one Faith one Hope one Baptism the one Spirit into which they were all baptized into which they all did drink by which all that did believe were sanctified and did receive the Inheritance among the Saints in Light and this was the Church that was in God which was begotten by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus in the lively Faith and in the lively Hope by which their Souls were anchored and they established in the Truth that made free and they had received the Spirit of Prophecy and did speak one by one according to the Revelation of the Spirit which led out of Confusion into Order and they being in the Power of God did walk by its Order in the Order of the Gospel And now was the Woman cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her Head and the Moon under her Feet who stood in that which was unchangeable and immutable and now was the Man-child brought forth which was to rule the Nations and was revealed to the Church which was in God and he was the Head by which all the Members of the Body were united together in one and reconciled to the Father in one and by his Obedience Justification did come upon all that did believe But since the Woman fled into the Wilderness and the Man-child was caught up unto God the Midnight of Darkness came upon the whole World and the Sincerity was lost and the Image of God lost the Heir caught up out of the World's Sight Faith was lost Hope lost the Spirit lost the Saints Rule and Direction and then the Whore appeared and made all Nations drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and they staggered and reeled to and fro hither and thither having lost the Spirit became all Waters and unstable and all the World wondered after the Beast which then arose after the primitive Times and after the Apostles Dayes and admired him and worshipped him who killed the Woman's Seed and made War against it And then the Whore made Decrees who was gone from the Law-giver and she made Confessions of Faith and Articles of Faith being out of the Power of God who is the Author of true Faith being guided by the Power of the Dragon she made Orders of Worship and gave Directions for Worship having gotten on the free Womans Attire the Outside the Scriptures the Form of Godliness but afterwards became more abominable having both lost the Power and the Form worshipped the Devil's Power and the Dragon's Power and came forth in the Image of him and reached out the Cup of Fornication and made the Nations drunk with her Inchantments and Sorceries and she drunk the Blood of the Martyrs the Blood of the Prophets and them that kept the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy and then prescribed Forms of Worship Forms of Prayer and made Creeds and Faiths and Articles of Faith and many Faiths having lost the Order of the Gospel she made many Orders and sent out many Merchants to carry abroad her Traffick and her Merchandize to the Nations and whole Ships were filled full of it Vessels full of it which went upon the Sea and rode upon the Waters upon Kindreds Tongues Nations and Peoples who received of her Merchandize and bought of several Sorts of Merchandize which the several Merchants traded with who had several Orders prescribed then as Popes Cardinals Jesuites Fryars of many Orders and Monks of many Orders Jesuites of many Orders and all these
out of the Psalms or any other Scripture as the Minister shall think fit will serve to treat upon Reader thou mayest take notice that here is no notice taken of the holy Ghost or Spirit what it thinks fit but what he that preaches hath ready must go off and counted as fit for that People Direct And in the 36th page your Direction is to the Merchant not to rest in general Doctrine but come to particular Application which is a Work of great difficulty to himself requiring Prudence and Moderation and to the natural corrupt man it will be very unpleasant Answ. The Doctrines and the Applications of the natural corrupt man will not be profitable nor powerful at all upon the Hearers neither will disarm the Thoughts of the Heart at all and you that give Prescriptions to natural corrupt men what to preach who set them about performing the Work of God that know it not are very ignorant for the natural man understands not the things of God and the corrupt man in Heart sees not God and he that understands not the things of God must needs preach a Divination of his own Brain Well let who will take this Traffique the Children of Light will have none of it it may be such Husks as these will satisfie a Herd of Swine and so let them take it Direct And you say He that preaches is to be perswaded in his own Heart that all that he teaches is the Truth and that he is to walk before his Flock as an Example Answ. How is he like to be perswaded in his own Heart that sins presumptuously against the Checks of his own Conscience And you set Examples indeed but they are but bad ones would you have your Flock to follow your Example would you have every one of your Flock to have a long Gown or a long Robe and make them all like Cardinals Princes Would you have every one to have a Ring on his finger and a company of Points at his knees like a Beasom and a company of Ribbons and Cuffs like a Fidler Or would you have any of your Flock to come and fetch away a Yoak of your Oxen or a couple of your Horses or take his Teem and come into your Field break down the Hedges and throw open the Gates and load his Waggon with Corn if one could not pay it him for Conscience sake Or would you be sued up two hundred Miles into a Court for a Tythe Hen worth four Pence or six Pence and thrown into the Fleet a Year or two for four or five Shilling Many such Evidences and Examples we have from you you late Reformers but to the Light in all Consciences I leave to judge which you have presumptuously sinned against what Examples you are to your Flocks Direct And now Reader I come to Prayer after Sermon and thou shalt see what Traffick is there The Ministers are to give thanks for the blessing received as Eleâ—â—ion Vocation Adoption Justification and Hope of Glory and likewise to turn the Heads of his Sermons into some few Petitions and after to pray for the Preparations for Death and to entreat of God to forgive the Iniquity of your holy things Answ. Here Reader thou mayest see as bad Merchandize as the Story of the Lady of Lauretta or the Story of Saint Francis which the begging Fryars your fellow-merchants traffick withal First you give thanks for Election Vocation Justification and Hope of Glory and afterwards pray for the Forgiveness of the Iniquity of your holy things How are your things holy when they are full of Iniquity and sinful Is that which is holy Iniquity and sinful Or is that which is Iniquity and sinful holy Are they Elected Justified Adopted and Sanctified whose Sins are not blotted out whose Iniquities are not forgiven let the wise in Heart judge of this Dream What! are not they well prepared for death that are Elected Adopted Justified and Sanctified but they must needs have your Prayers full of Iniquity will that prepare them better What ignorance is here And where learned you this Article of Faith to turn the Heads of the Sermon into Petitions let the wise Judge Was not Prophesie one thing and Prayer another But now Pâ—â—phesie must be turned into Prayer and Prayer into Prophesie Sermons into Petitions and Petitions into Sermons what mangl'd Traffick is this Direct In the 38th Page Thâ—s kind of Prayer fore-mentioned ended a Psalm may be sung if it be convenient if some other Ordinance doth not follow Answ. Then it seems that your Psalm is no Ordinance but if it be it must give Way however if the Priest think fit God must have no Prayers at that Time it may be sprinckling of an Infant may serve in stead Direct And now I come to the great Ordinance Infants Baptism falsly so called in the 40th Page The Minister is to use some Words touching the Institution how that it was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ that Infants should be baptized and that it is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace and of our grafting into Christ and of our Union with him and of Remission of Sins Regeneration Adoption and eternal Life Answ. Reader take notice Christ never sent them forth as Ministers to tell Lyes as to say he ordained that which he never did and furthermore take notice that the Spirit of the Lord is turned out of Doors there is no Place for it outward Water with which the Infant is sprinckled hath taken up the Authority and the Work of the Spirit the Minister of Christ declared that the Spirit of Promise and the Spirit of Truth was the Seal of the Covenant of Grace and Remission of Sins Regeneration and Adoption and that the Faith and the Spirit are the Seed of Eternal Life but these Reformers have excluded both and have set up a beggarly Element in the room let the spiritual Man judge what kind of Traffick this is Direct And in Page 42. That Children by Baptism are received into the Bosome of the Church distinguished from the World Answ. Now what Kind of Church yours is and what Kind of a Bosome your Church hath distinct from the World the wise in Heart may judge you have confessed that Magistrates Ministers and the whole Nation do not so much as endeavour after Mortification and a Newness of Life and that you are blind hard-hearted full of Unbelief impenitent secure and luke-warm and have not so much as endeavoured to receive Christ into your Hearts by Faith as in the sixteenth Page of your Directory may be seen and how your Church and the Bosome of it is distinct from the World if your Church be as you have said the understanding may judge for you that are impenitent and full of Unbelief and have not received Christ into your Hearts you are of the World and your Bosome full of Deceit and are none of the Church of Christ. Direct And moreover the Minister that baptized the Infant
Grave nor after men be Dead for they that have served Sin in their Life time served the Devil as long as they live and have yeelded their Bodies to be Temples for Uncleanness while they live upon the Earth eternal Misery will be their Portion and not redemption Think on this you who are holding this forth for an Article of your Faith in the World among poor Ignorant People that they must not expect redemption from all Sin in this Life and so leads them on to Perpetual Misery Misery will be your End and in the day of the Lord you shall Witness this to be true But to return to the Beginning again where there was no sorrow but pure Joy and Peace both in Heaven and Earth but I go hither and thither as the Spirit leads and shall speak as it gives Utterance though but here a little and there a little yet shall it be in Truth and Righteousness How Peace Joy and Delight possessed every Thing that God had made every Thing which he had formed glorified God their Maker with one Consent in the Beginning before the World was framed that lay in Wickedness NOW the Lord rejoyced in all the Works of his Hands which he had made and rested and all that he had made rested in the Power whether Caelestial or Terrestrial and rejoyced in him walked in him in the Motion of the Power of the Life they were happy and partook of the Life that endures forever and Happiness immortal and knew no Evil for there was none there was no Hell yet prepared Tophet yet was not ordained neither the Devil had yet any Being at all there was no Wrath no Sorrow no Condemnation no Death Vexation Grief or Perplexity no Pit of Darkness no Angel of the bottomless Pit no Shame no Tribulation no Anguish nor Pain no Misery and in a Word there was nothing that did destroy but all in Quietness in Peace in Life in Power in Wisdom glorifying him which sate upon the Throne the Lamb who was living and the Life of the Male and the Female and of every Thing that God had made by the Power subsisted in the Power and in the Motion thereof was good purely good and here was the Goodness of him who was eternally good manifest in all above all and over all God blessed forever even then the Heavens rejoyced and the innumerable Company of Angels were hearty glad and all the holy Host sang for Joy with a living Voice which none that stand in Time ever yet heard or can learn then the Earth and all Things therein that moved and had Life were in pure Solace and Mirth and pleasant Joy unspeakable all knit together in Unity and Harmony in one Consent as one Family and were one Body and there was Health in the Body and it was pure and comely and perfect and pleasant to behold crowned with Dignity covered with Righteousness beautified with the Comliness of the Lamb who was the Life of all and now Man had Right to the Tree of Life while he moved in the Power and went not out Oh happy State oh beautiful State oh admirable State eternal Felicity oh glorious State Life it self the Life of all and all in the Life moving in the Power and man had right to the Tree of Life while he lived in the Lamb's Power had Unity with his Maker and with all the Creatures that God had made and was in God's pure Dominion and Authority and ruled all over all things that God had mâ—de in God's Wisdom thus in short was the State of all things in the Beginning as they were created and brought forth and these be the Generation of the Heaven and of the Earth and of all Things that therein are in the Day when God created them when the Father was glorified when the Son was glorified and when Man was in Glory and Honour and in Dominion created in the Image of God and yet there was no Evil Time would fail to speak of the State of all Things in the Beginning as it was and as it is revealed by the Spirit of Truth but in that which I have declared they who have a good Understanding may take a Glimpse of the happy State of all Things as God hath revealed them by his Spirit which I never received of nor from man but by the Holy Spirit of God which was in the Beginning with God which saw all this and was an Eye-Witness of this before the World that lyes in Wickedness began and he that hath an Ear let him hear and blessed is his Ear. How Man lost his State and Dominion and Unity with God and all the Creatures and how the Lamb came to be slain and the VVorld that lyes in Wickedness came to be formed and founded and how the Curse came and the Wo upon the Serpent which was blessed before and upon Man and Woman and the Ground that received the Temptation which was blessed before in the Motion of the Power came to be cursed and how endless Misery came in upon all in the Transgression declared to them who have a good Understanding NOW the Serpent was more subtil then all the Beasts of the Field for that was his Nature in which he was created and it was good in the Motion of the Power and therefore Christ said Be wise as Serpents yet as harmless as Doves and though the Serpent was wise and subtil more then all the Beasts of the Field till he acted moved without Commandment and out of the Motion of the Power he was not cursed he that can receive it let him but he moved in the Subtilty and Wisdom out of the Light out of the Power and went out of the Truth out of his Place without Commandment or Authority from the Power and acted and spâ—ke of himself out of the Power and out of the Truth as it is written Joh. 8.44 When he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it now he knew there was a Law and Command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for God had forbidden it now he went out of the Power without Commandment of his own Accord without Motion now he went and talked with the Woman and she was good before being in the Motion of the Life and Power she also looked out and not in the Power and reasoned with him out of Power contrary to Commandment beyond the Command or before the Power and said unto the Serpent We may eat of all but the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil we may not eat lest we dye this she knew and the Serpent knew now the Tree of Knowledge was good in the Powers Motion though not to live upon or for Food for it was not good for Food therefore God the Truth the Life the Power did forbid to taste of it or to eat of that Tree but the Serpent out of the Power and the Woman
Self-acting was not known now Self-will Self-worship Self-righteousness nay they moved in the Power Righteousness was their covering and as I said before there was no shame I might speak largely in this thing and truly my Tongue is the Pen of a ready writer Oh that all had an Ear to hear that their Soul might live and that every one might be unbottomed of his false rest false and feigned Hope and Faith and of his own ragged Garment and let go his Self-righteousness and his dead Works and come to Christ the Life of men again that man hath run from that so he might have Life and Peace Object But some would say That thou wouldest have all upside down anâ— unchristian the Nations and unchurch Churches and throw down all our Worship and then what should we do all would be as Heathens and turn into Atheism I say a time of fanning and sifting and trying is come when nothing shâ—ll stand but that hath the Image stamp and Character of the living God upon it and all that which hath been brought up and raised up since man hath been in the Transgression must be turned down into the Pit again and all that have got a Name of Christian and wants his Life to live among them and in them shall be scattered as Clouds with the 〈◊〉 wind and all imitated Worships and will-Worshippers and the feigneâ— Faith and the feigned Hope shall be confounded and all will-worships and Worshippers will be overturned who are not come yet to the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the World and till man comes to the Light and tryes his deeds and works by it he never sees what he is doing nor what he is working nor what he works and so all that man doth here in the unbelief it is but Sin or Self-righteousness which is brought forth by him who abode not in the Truth in the Unbelief and so who be come to the Power which was in the Beginning before Sin entered and death by Sin hath and doth measure all deeds and all works and man that is in the loss in the Fall and sees that a dead man cannot act a living work nor bring forth living Fruits unto God nor living works of Righteousness being in the Unrighteousness neither the fruits of Faith being in the unbelief neither the works of the Day being in the Night neither the works of charity being in the Enmity in a word without Christ the Power the Light the Life which was glorified with the Father before the world began I say the said it himself who is the Beginning of the Creation of God the first born of every creature he said and his Testimony will be found true without me ye can do nothing nothing that is well-pleasing to the Lord nothing that ever shall be acceptable and here is the true State of all the Earth discovered and all mankind drove out from God miserable Naked Hâ—peless Helpless Faithless and so can do nothing as to the glorifying of God his Maker or to the ordering of any thing in the Creation to his glory having lost his Dominion and God's Wisdom and this being câ—â—sidered seriously by all and brought to the Light in all and their Deeds tryed by it would make the losty bow and the Stout-hearted fear and the conceited sit down in Solitariness that they should so long deceivâ— their own Souls with a conceit of Righteousness and redemption whâ—â— as Death yet reigns in them and over them and not Life eterna 〈◊〉 the Devil is a distinct being from God and his Works are distinct anâ— his Deeds from the Works of God and neither he nor his works 〈…〉 be numbred among the works of God but he and they tha◠〈◊〉 him and fellow him who is our of the Truth they their work 〈◊〉 whâ—t â—ort soever they may seem unto men to be whose Eyes the 〈◊〉 hâ—â—h â—linded so I say all is to condemned and shut out from God's 〈…〉 â—â—rever and to be Destroyed by him who is a consuming Fire 〈◊〉 all the Righteousness of man burned as combustible stuff in 〈…〉 Aâ—d by what hath been said the Principle of that 〈…〉 become vain in their Imaginations and foolish 〈…〉 being Darkned and are seen and their Principle overthâ—â—â—â— As that Light and Darkness is one and good and Evil one and 〈◊〉 Righteousness one and Truth and a Lye one and that God is all and doth all and whatever is done is of God and that there is no Evil but to him that thinks it so and it is only a false apprehension of things and that there is no such thing as Sin and that Sin is nothing Unto all these things I might speak but the understanding Reader may by what is before written see each of these plainly declared and the true Ground of things laid down as the Spirit gave utterance and this shall at present suffice in this Matter Object But some may object further and say Will not reading the Scriptures and conforming to the practice of the Saints in the use of his Ordinances will not this make us accepted and bring us out of the Fall and make us good Christians Answ. No while Death hath dominion in man and over man and the vail over the Heart man doth not understand the Mystery of God's Kingdom neither understands the Scripture which was spoken from the Spirit of Truth or any thing of Truth as it is in Christ for none understands the things of God but by the Spirit of God so that every man that comes to have a good understanding must come to know the pure Spirit of God in him to direct him and inform him which Spirit was the Original of the Scripture for the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost without the holy Ghost in some measure be known and that which is infallible the sayings the writings the Scriptures cannot be understood because of the want of this all the Earth is run into Heads and Sects and Opinions and large Treatises and Volumes and expositions have been written and yet differing one from another and all from the Spirit and in all these particular Sects Persecuting one another and Envying one another and hating one another and would compell others to believe what they believe in what they say if they had but power and for proof of this it is most evident in the Scripture of Truth and in latter Ages since the Apostles it hath been and it is evidently seen both among the Papists and Protestants and among all them that are called the reformed Churches but all this is in the Fall and in the Transgression and in the Apostacy and is an evident token that they are all under the Power of the Beast whom makes War against the Lamb so all compellation and they that do compell are not Worshippers of the Lamb but of the Beast which is to be destroyed and cast into the Lake For the
prophane in all Times since the Foundation of the world that the Lamb hath been slain and the Seat of Iniquity raised up and this Seed hath been made manifest by its Fruits throughout all Aâ—es and Times throughout all Nations Kindreds Tongues Regions Countries and Kingdoms And by the Fruit which is brought forth in New-England they themselves may read their Stock and Off-spring and Fruits and Doings which is brought to Light and evident elsewhere declared that so when they come to view over their VVork again Shame may cover their Faces and Astonishment fill their Hearts that such Fruits should be brought forth by them who are so high Professors of God in VVords and of the Scriptures to be the Rule of their Obedience and Faith now shall you be tryed by the Scripture your Rulers your Teachers and your Church-members and the Life of the Saints that gave forth the Scripture will stand a witness against your Doctrines and cursed Practices for evermore you may read your example Cain Herod Murderers and Men of Blood the persecuting Jews who were zealous for God as they thought who persecuted to Death and said They had a Law and by that Law Christ ought to dye but you are worse then they for you had no Law which would take hold upon the righteous and faithful witnesses of God till you had made one or invented one and digged down to Hell to ask Counsel of the Prince of Darkness your God And further you may read your Example Nimrod who came of the Stock of Ham who was cursed as well as the Serpent as well as Cain and your Thoughts are vain like the Thoughts of your Fore-fathers the Pharisees whom Christ prophesied of to his Disciples and said The Time would come when they should hâ—le them out of the Synagogues and persecute from City to City and speak all Manner of Evil of them and should go about to kill them and yet think they did God Service so void of Understanding hath the Seed of the Serpent alwayes been in all Generations which Words of Christ are fulfilled among you Professors of New-England who are thinking as they did that you do God Service in killing his Members and you are come to that time your Fruits have made it manifest Oh! could you have believed in times past if it should have been told you that you above all People should be the greatest Persecutors and exceeded in Wickedness and Cruelty and Hard-heartedness the Papists the Turks the Heathens who make little or no Profession in Comparison of you and yet that you should exceed them in Rage Cruelty and Madness It is an Abhorrency to all sober People you have stained the Earth and defiled your Land with Blood and have caused the Name of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to be blasphemed among the Heathen by your wicked ungodly barbarous and brutish Actions and you are in that Nature and in their Steps which killed the Prophets and mocked his Messengers and shamefully entreated his Servants upon whose Heads all the Blood-shed from Abel to this Day will be required But blessed be the Lord whose Arm hath been stretched forth and hath gathered Thousands out of that Nature which is cursed from God forever and hath revealed his Salvation unto them and the everlasting Gospel which is to be preached again after the Apostacy and hath made us Partakers of it to wit the Power of God and so we see unto whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed that all Nations since the Apostacy have drunk of the Whore's Cup and are bewitched with her Sorceries and therefore according to the Command of the Lord and the Motion of his eternal Spirit we have born our Testimony against the Apostates and Deceivers who retain the Words and have lost the Life and Power to the Intent that all that believe in the Light which Christ hath lighted every man withal that People might wait to receive Power from on high again which all the Sons of Adam have lost in the Transgression that as many as receive the Power may come out of Transgression and for this End hath God chosen and separated many contrary to their own Wills and from whatsoever was dear unto them in the outward to deny it all and to answer the pure Motion of God's Spirit whithersoever he leadeth and in so doing many have found the Power and Presence of the Lord going with them and before them and he hath prospered his own Work in their Hands and hath brought many out of Sodom and Egypt and out of Mystery-Babylon to Christ the Mystery and to the Mystery of Faith which is held in a pure Conscience And we were not ignorant of this what Opposition we should receive from Anti-christ and his Ministers Satan and his Messengers and how that the whole World lay in Wickedness and how that Nations Kindreds Tongues and People had drunk the Whore's Cup and how that all Hirelings Deceivers false Prophets and Seducers would withstand neither were we ignorant that the Beast's Power which got up in the Throne of Iniquity and Exaltation since the man-child was caught up unto God and Wâ—man fled into the Wilderness wherein he hath compelled all both small and great to worship him Neither were we ignorant of his Strength and of his great Authority that he had in the Nations and how that the VVhore the false Church rode upon him and also we knew that the Nations were as VVaters nor of the great VVaves which would lift up themselves nor of the multitude of Merchants which make Merchandize of Souls for dishonest Gain who are greedy of filthy Lucre nor of the multitude of Ships in which they carry their merchandize and deceitful ware neither were the Servants of the Lord who have thus deeply suffered â—as else-where is made mention of of the Spirit that ruled in the Professors and Teachers of New-England Notwithstanding all this which was seen before we consulted not with Flesh and Blood but were obedient to the heavenly Call and stood given up to the Lord in Life or in Death to finish the Testimony which God hath put into our Hands that so many may be brought to know the living God revealed in themselves that so they with us and we with them may rejoyce in him who is becoming the King and Law-giver and the exceeding great Reward of all his People to whom be Glory forever and ever Amen AND now the Devil being let loose for a little Season he rages and goes into utter Darkness and fetches up all the Powers of Darkness and they combine together to fortifie his Kingdom that so none but he who was a Murderer from the Beginning may have any Rule in the Town of Boston or the Jurisdiction thereunto belonging and now he thinks his Kingdom is sure The last Piece of Work which the Rulers have done for their Master is as followeth An ACT made at a GENERAL COURT held at Boston the 20th of October
The Quakers deny Honour to Superiours and to whom it is due and so blaspheme the Name of God and his Doctrine Ninethly F. H. would never have cryed out of Deceit but a Purpose to deceive the more Tenthly That the Quakers bid open Defiance to the Worship of God Eleventhly That J. N. did say that he was as just and holy and good as God Twelfthly That F. H. said That Christ Jesus was not glorified in Heaven with a real Body Thirteenthly Human Nature is taken for the regenerate Part of Man and the Soul Fourteenthly That the best Men though regenerate bear Nettles Brambles and Pricks Fifteenthly There is an inward Law called the Law of the Spirit of Life which is imperfect and not fit to bear rule but to be ruled Sixteenthly And the Scriptures lead us to the Spirit and encline our Hearts to the Obedience of the rule Seventeenthly And F. H. prefereth Ignis fatuus before the clear Light of God's Word Eighteenthly and lastly when he hath spoken all these Lyes and published them in Print to the World he blasphemously saith in his Epistle to the Reader Have not so much regard to the Authority of the Writer as the Truth of the Matter written by him who was moved of the Lord thus to declare So all these Lyes with many more and all these damnable Doctrines which he hath uttered forth against the Truth these things he would fasten upon the Lord's Motion and so make him the Author of Iniquity and a Cloak for his ungodly Speeches against them who love the Truth as it is in Jesus who have suffered many Reproaches for its sake and have been killed all the Day long by this Generation amongst which R. I. is who hath bent his Tongue to Mischief and his Lips to utter forth Deceit and as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses so hath this R. I. resisted the Truth being a Man of a corrupt Mind and concerning the Faith reprobate but he shall not proceed much further for in what he hath written his Folly will be manifest unto all men and them that fear the Lord will depart out of his Foot-steps which lead to the Chambers of Death and from those dark Paths in which R.I. treadeth which lead into utter Destruction Westmoreland the 15 th of the 4 th Moneth 1660. F. H. To all Friends and Brethren who have been called of the Lord into that Place of New-England to bear your Testimony for the Lord to the answering of his Witness in every ones Conscience FOrasmuch as the Lord through his infinite Love and Goodness which he hath manifested amongst the Sons of Men hath called you and fitted you for his Work and Service which he hath to do you being made Partakers through the Love of God unto you of the like precious Faith with many Brethren which giveth Victory over the World and supporteth all them that keep it in the Day of Tryal My Heart's Desire is that you may all fulfil the Will of God and answer his End in sending you thither that so you may receive your Reward my Heart is drawn out unto you in true Love being sensible of the many Oppositions that you have met with and may meet with by Reason of the Strength and Power of Darkness in those Parts where Satan's Throne is exalted keep all near the Lord and feel his Power in your selves which giveth Dominion and Victory over all the World and over all fading Things which pass away and so you will feel his Strength daily renewed in you to carry you above all Opposition and his Presence to go before you and his Righteousness to be your Reward so will you be preserved in the Peace of God and feel his Life present to refresh you in the Time of Need and as your Tryals and Travails and Sufferings for Christ do abound so your Strength and Joy and Peace and Consolation will also much more abound from his Life manifest and revealed in your Hearts keep in the Power of the Lord over all Deceit and know your own Image in every one to whom you joyn and let no Deceit come near you which may get the Words and not be subject to the Power for those will betray you and rise up in Rebellion against you and glory over you for that only which can receive you through the Cross will stand by you and the other who may receive the Truth in Words into the earthly Part will stumble at the Cross and so get a Knowledge above the Cross these will blow away as Chaff Keep in your Innocency and every one in your own and there you will come to be setled and established as Trees whose Roots are spread in the Earth which cannot easily be plucked up nor a Tempest blow down you know where the Entrance was unto your selves into the Sheepfold into the true Rest thither bring all and keep all down to that to the Measure of God's Spirit through which eternal Life is revealed and the Things of God's Kingdom made manifest and they that would climb up any other Way must come down again and them that walk in any other Way must come back again and they that would strive to enter in any other Thing are shut out forever for you know there is no Communion or Concord with the Spirit of God which is pure and that which resisteth it and gainsayeth it that Wisdom must perish it 's from below that Knowledge must fade away and come to nothing So never heed the Subtilty and cunning Craftiness of the Enemy which would twist and twine every Way to gainsay the Truth and make a Noise in an airy Sound which may satisfie corrupt Minds who vilâ—fie the Truth and set the Corner-Stone at nought look not at them nor never heed that you know in whom you have believed and no other Foundation can be laid then that which is laid already for all to build upon throuâ—h which they that do believe are made a glorious and an holy Habitation for God through the Spirit and any that declare another Way another Door another Life then he that is the Light of Men is accursed So feel hâ—s Eternal Power the Power of his Resurrection in your selves to subdue and bring under all 〈◊〉 Enemies which would hinder your Enjoyment of his Life but he is a tryed Stone and they that have tryed him have found him elect and precious and his Faithfulness Power and Might Love Life and Glory endures forever and ever throughout all the Generations of the Just who are Eye-Witnesses of his Coming Power and Glory which God out of his Everlasting Love and Kindness hath revealed unto Thousands and his Coming is known in Ten Thousands of his Saints and also with them and they with him to judge in Righteousness and to make War with the Sword that proceeds out of his Mouth which slayes the wicked and brings Death and Destruction upon Death that so Life Immortality and Eternity may be brought
they think it is for the Glory of God and the good of their Country as the Jews did thought they did God Service when they shamefully intreated his Servants and Messengers and abused them that were sent unto them in the Name of the Lord and as though making spoil and doing of Violence and devouring and wasting the Estates of their inhabitants would be for the well-being and good of their Country and enrich their Plantations when they that bear a Part of the common charge thereof and have been industrious as for the Benefit of the whole are thus made a prey and a Spol of Verily verily my Heart is grieved and my Spirit is vexed because of these doings Oh! this stains your Glory and causeth the Name of the living God to be dishonoured among them that make no mention of it as you do neither profess Knowledge of him nor Worship of his Name as you do for they may well judge if to bring forth such barbarous actions of Cruelty and Oppression and Violence be the Fruit that Christians bring forth that they will never be Christians for there is a Principle in the Indians and Heathens which abhors this and if these Actions bring Honour to God they may well conclude never to serve your God and that such Oppression should be acted among your own People and upon the People of your own Nation they justly may conclude you to be ignorant and your Government nought Oh! this causeth a bad Savour in the Nations and these are bad Examples to others for this strengthens the Hands of the Wicked and provokes others to Wickedness and also will bring a Judgement upon you for Sin is a Reproach to any People and the Wages thereof is Death and Destruction Therefore Oh you Rulers and Heads of the People who should be for the praise of them that do well and for the help of the upright and for nourishing of the poor and needy repent you of what you have done and confess to the Lord your great evil least his hand be utterly turned against you and you become as chaff before the Wind and as stubble before his Bow be utterly destroyed and cut off consider what you have done how all this hasty furious Work hath not at all advantaged you for there is a Seed that God will gather in those Isles to himself out of the Deceit of the World and out of the vain Customs and Fashions of your Country and out of a feigned Profession without the Life to worship him in Life and Spirit and though you should seek to withstand the Lord as you have done hitherto with a high Hand your Contrivance shall come to nought nay though you would strengthen and harden your Hearts yet more and say in your Hearts as the rebellious Jews of whom the Prophet spoke Though the Bricks be fallen down yet we will build with hewen Stone though what you have done doth not stop that which you would do and so go about to invent further mischief as those uncircuncised Men of New-England have done and should proceed to further Blood-shed at last it would come upon your selves and you would be plunged into misery for the Covenant with death must be broken and the agreement with Hell disannulled and the Strength and Power of darkness overthrown and Innocency Life and Truth set above it all for let me tell you that there is no Weapon formed against this People that shall prosper though you may prevail against their Persons and Estates yet the Spirit which is their Life and Leader is invincible therefore be ashamed and repent and view over your Actions and condemn them and proceed no further to your hurt lest greater Misery come upon you Oh! The cruel Sufferings which this poor People called Quakers have undergone and not for evil doing but for keeping Faith and a good Conscience which many have put away and made Shipwrack of else all these inhumane barbarous cruel works of darkness could never have been brought forth which have shamed their Government and their Profession which all that have any Knowledge of God cannot but abhor and say Oh! my Soul come not into their secrets neither tread in their Paths for these marks are not the marks of them that rule in the Power of God neither these spots the spot of his People but marks of the Beast and marks of the Harlot who hath forsaken her Maker the Lord of hosts and now is gone after other Lovers and the Children that she brings forth are the Children of Fornication and as the Prophet saith As is the Mother so is the Daughter as is the Church so are the Members all corrupted and gone out of the Way so that the Lord hath no Pleasure in them neither his Presence known among them for if it had they would have trembled to have acted any of these cruel things against them who are turned to the Lord out of Cruelty Deceit and Violence which would have been a Blessing to your Country but this is fulfilled He that departs from Iniquity maketh himself a Prey and becomes a Butt for all the Arrows of the ungodly to be shot at but blessed are they that have on the Armour of God they enter not there neither do hurt the Life for by Faith in the Light are all the fiery darts of the wicked one quenched the Bows of the ungodly broken though they be as Steel and their spears snaped assunder the Armies of the Aliens put to flight and the edge of the sword escaped and this Honour have all the Saints who dwell in that which keepeth the Heart clean and do overcome through Faith and through Suffering And therefore all that fear the Lord in that Place heed none of these things for this is the Cup that all must drink of who come to drink of the Cup of Salvation this hath been the Portion which they have had in the World Trouble but in the Life Peace and Christ who hath enlightned you is that Life wait all that you may feel him to be your Portion and then notwithstanding all outward Sufferings you will say and that from a true feeling My Lot is fallen in a fair ground I have a goodly Heritage and this God will give you to enjoy if you continue faithful and stedfast to the End in the Will of him who is near you to direct you and guide you in the Way of Peace and to lift up your Heads above all Opposition and make you more then Conquerors over Death and the Power thereof and over the Grave and over all that which hinders the Love of God from being revealed unto your Souls which as you wait in the Patience strength from the Lord will be administred unto you to carry you through the fire and through the water and through the floods and you shall be preserved and neither burnt nor drowned for his care will be over you who sits upon the floods and the Winds
New Covenant and the Everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity 19. Respecting of Persons and Complemental Bowings and worshipping of one another and flattering Titles are no good Manners but are in the Transgression and have been anciently reproved and condemned 20. University and Schools of Natural Learning are of no Use as to the making of Ministers of Christ in the Primitive Times but a Thing introduced and brought in in latter Ages by the Apostates who had erred from the Spirit who admired and set up Natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make Discourses Speeches and Sermons to get Money by and as they are holden up at this Day are made an absolute Idol and as to their Practice it 's generally known to be prophane and no Way meet to advance the Church of Christ. THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY IN THE PRIMITIVE TIMES CHAP I. The State of the true Church from the manifestation of Christ in the Flesh to the End of the Apostles Dayes briefly discovered GOd according to his determinate Will and everlasting Counsel in the Fulness of time sent his only begotten Son into the World to be the Light of the World and to be a Leader to the People and to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World who obeyed the VVill of the Father in all things according as it was testified of him by Moses and the Prophets and as it was said by David concerning him In the Volumn of the Book it is written concerning me I come to do thy Will O God Psal. 40.7 and so he did as it was written of him he fulfilled all Righteousness and ended all the Types and Figures and Shadows and VVorship of the first Covenant as the Apostle testifieth of him Heb. 7.21 The Law was changed and the Priesthood changed in that they were but Figures and Shadows of good things to come and in regard that they were faulty and did not make the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience but the bringing in of a better Hope did and the better Covenant to wit the Covenant of Life and Peace which the Prophets by the Spirit had testified of from Moses to Samuel and till John and John likewise bore Testimony of him who was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the VVorld John 1.29 36. And now he being come to whom the Prophets testified who was not made by a carnal Commandment as was Aaron and the rest of the Priests under the Law but after the Power of an endless Life offered up himself once for all putting an End to all the Offerings of the first Covenant for the perfecting them that are Sanctified Heb. 10.14 Now he being come into the Fulness of time manifest according to the Testimony of the Prophets he fulfilled all things which the Prophets testified of him and his VVorks did testifie of him that he was the Son of God now he declared the VVill of the Father and discoursed with them who were Doctors and Ministers of the Covenant declaring unto them divers times and shewing unto them in divers places that the Kingdom of God was at hand and to be manifest in Power and testified of himself and the Father also with him and his Works declared the same that he was the everlasting high-Priest which put an End to all the first Priesthood Covenant and Ordinances thereof and he preached the Word of the Kingdom and declared against them who sticked behind in the Figures and Types and Shadows and did reprove them to wit the professors of the first Covenant who were Searchers of the Scriptures and said you will not come unto me that you may have Life I am the Bread of Life that came down from above and came to fulfil the Law and all Righteousness and to publish the Word of Faith which did not make void the Law but establish it which was new And so he said while you have the Light believe in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light and this he spoke to the Pharisees which had the Law and the Prophets and were acting in the Types and Figures which are Shadows of the thing it self but not the very thing but he preached the very thing the Word of the Kingdom the Word of Power the Word of Life and many were quickned by it in their Hearts and Minds who believed and heard the Voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest Professors and Ordinance-Men and were for Conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet Repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest Professors and Observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that were in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach disciple all Nations in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave Power to cast out Devils and work Miracles prophesied after a Season the Word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified and these who were sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received Gifts from the holy Ghost for the Work of the Ministry they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the Power of God and the VVisdom of God for the Remission of Sin and the word of Faith they declared in the Mouth and in the Heart and went not to Tables of Stone to direct People thither but to bring People to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that all Men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who were commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministry and through their words which they declared many did believe both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of the Jews as did believe separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in Houses and other Places Aâ—ts 20.7 Chap. 28.30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain Places in Towns and Cities not only at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Colosse Thessalonica Corinth and divers other Places which were long to enumerate Acts 11.9 chap. 17.1 2. chap. 18.4 But
false Prophets that shall come unto you in Sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening VVolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their Fruits and in Mat. 24.11 But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the Age of the Disciples and Johâ— testified 1 Jâ—hn 2.18 Little Children it is the last times as ye have heard hat Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last times they went out from us but were not of us chap. 4.3 So they entred in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the Remission of Sins and Jude testified against such as were entred in who were in Cain's way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaam's way for Gifts and Rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage And Peter said that false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious Wayes 2 Pet. 9.22 And the Apostle wrote to Timothy the Bishop or Overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lies in Hypocrisie forbidding to marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. And again Paul in 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural Affection Truce-breakers false Accusers despisers of them that are good Traytors heady high-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then Lovers of God men of â—oâ—rupt minds reprobate concerning the Truth having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power and as the same Apostle saith in another Place were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and these went out into the World and this is 1400. Years ago and upwards Then the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and wrought and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the Ordinances of the first Covenant but they preaâ—hed Christ in Words and transformed into the Form of the Apostles Words but denied the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucrâ— Sake and there was the Beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the World and many followed their pernicious Wayes and there held the Form but denied the Power and â—o indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the Liberty of the Flesh held people in the Liberty yet proselyted them into a kind of Faith which was feigned and these kind of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in Reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in Request then they for filthy lucre went out with the Words and retained the Form not the Jewish Form altogether but the Form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a Head and to such a Body and became such a Number and yet Gainsayers and in Cain's Way for they were out of the Power and out of that which mortifies the Deeds of the Flesh and they spread themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and peoâ—ple and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and people have now got the Name of a Church and the Seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denyed the Husband Christ the Power of God her Seat was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her Seat and John said these were the Waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her Children against the free Woman the Lord's Spouse the Lamb's Wife and made her flee into the Wilderness for a Time Times and half a Time and she reached forth her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of Fornication within and she claimed Christ to be her Husband and sate as a Queen and the Kings of the Earth John saw in the Revelation drink of her Cup and bewitched by her Sorceries and then all the Nations becoming Water and unstable being drunk with Fornication staggered up and down and reeled up and down and stood in nothing being out of the Power which should have stablished them and then a great Beast arose out of these Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People which are these Waters with seven Heads and ten Horns and then these Apostatized Disciples or Ministers which preached for filthy Lucre and them that believed them sheltered them under the Beast and cryed who is able to make War with the Beast And the Kings of the Earth gave their Strength to the Beast which arose out of the Waters and now the false Church gets upon him these that had the Form of Godliness out of the Power and rides upon the Beast and he carries her and hath done this many Years and she hath travailed in the greatness of his Strength and then Laws began to be made about Religion and then began compelling we heard of none in the Primitive times nor in the true Church but now the false Church calling her self by the Free-Woman's Name and getting on the outward Dress and Habit and Attire saith I am she have I not the Form and Ordinanes which were practised in the Apostles Daves who doubts of that may look into the primitive times and see that I am conformable to the Form which was amongst the first Christians in things that are outward and thus she hath deceived the Nations Rev. 18.23 Now Rome look to thy Beginning and read thy Original and view thy Antiquity VVe will grant thee every Dram and every Hour of time these thirteen hundred Years and prove thee to be in the Apostacy in Doctrine and Practice from the primitive time after the first hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh And Christendom look about thee for thou art measured and thy Compass is seen If Natioâ—s and Kindreds and Tongues and People have drunk the VVhores Cup since John's Dayes as will be made manifest then what Cause hast thou Rome to boast of Antiquity and Universality for that doth the sooner prove thee to be a Harlot then the true Church and thy Universality which hath long been boasted of proves thee no more to be the true Church of Christ then the Sea can prove it self to be a Rock for if Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Languages and People universally be the Waters that the Whore sits upon and the Beast rose out of the Waters Now read thy self we have measured thee as in
as well as that which is unconsecrated then we will deny our Faith and confess that you are the true Church Lastly If you be not Idolaters there were never any in the World who say that to adore or worship the Bread and Wine after Consecration is no more Bread but whole Christ your God and Redeemer who placeth himself there upon the Altar by Miracle it 's a miraculous Thing indeed that that which is given unto you by the Priest which enters in at the natural Mouth and goes into the Belly should be the Body of Christ and whole Christ and very God and Redeemer as thou say'st that one Person should contain whole God seeing the Scripture saith that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him for he is the very Fulness that filleth all Things Oh gross Darkness and palpable Ignorance which you have led People to believe and call this Idol that Rats and Mice may eat whole Christ God and Redeemer and you have destroyed and burnt to Ashes many for Hereticks who could not believe this Doctrine Therefore all People it 's Time to look about you and see where you stand and what you joyn unto if you cannot receive this Doctrine for Holy and Apostolick by the Church of Rome not worthy to live and without Doubt might not if this Church had but that Authority which sometimes it hath had in England but I hope the Eyes of many are open to see and detect this damnable Doctrine The Author sayes That Ceremonies were used by Christ at his last Supper and they excite People to their Devotion during the Sacrifice but for Proof you must expect none from this Author and the Scripture is silent in the Thing and Ceremonies and Formalities are so far from stirring up the Mind to God that they â—ndeed draw the Mind to be busied in the Exercise of them from waiting upon God and from worshipping him in the Spirit and such Worshippers are only accepted of him The Mass is said in Latine and the rest of Divine Service for if it were not ignorant People might easily be mistaken if these Mysteries were done in the vulgar Language and because the Scripture hath been written in Latine Greek and Hebrew and these three Languages were written upon Christ's Cross and therefore these three Nations ought to use them at their Mass and Divine Service but the Priestly Garments and Ceremonies gâ—ve enough to understand what is done at the Mass and Divine Service Answ. This looks with a black Visage to be Apostolick Doctrine but however I shall search into it and examine it by the Apostle's Doctrine before it be condemned it 's a good Shift indeed to keep People from Mistakes not to let them know what they say or do but this is contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine 1 Cor. 14.7.8 9 10 11 14 15. If a Trumphet give an uncertain Sound who can prepare to Battel and except Words uttered be understood how shall it be known what is spoken If the Meaning of the Voice be not known unto him to whom it is spoken the Speaker and the Hearer are Barbarians one to the other And when one understands not what is spoken how can he be edified And all Services ought to be done to Edâ—fication So your Church is erred from the Apostolick Doctrine and your Mass and your Service doth not edifie at all but you are as Barbarians one to another for your Worship goes on in such a back Road that the vulgar People would soon learn it and know it and it may be slight it if they should know the Worthlesness of it and therefore the only Way you â—udge is to keep them in Ignorance And what Mystery is there in the Mass and your Service seeing that it stands in Crossings Cringings and Abundance of endless Ceremonies and Reiteration of Words which are patcht up by many Authors contrary to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine But it seems the Priests Garments and Ceremonies give Understanding enough to the Auditors a dumb shew is enough for them like a Poppet-play to make them understand the Mysteries of your Mass an unbloody Sacrifice indeed in which there is no Remission nor Acceptation And here thou hast acquainted us with a Mystery indeed Because Latine Greek and Hebrew were written by Pilate upon the Cross of Christ therefore they are called sacred Languages sure the Church of Rome hath lost both Faith and Reason will any that hath a Friend that should be crucified upon a Cross and an Enemy who condemned him should set over him Words in Latin Greek and Hebrew in contempt that therefore a man should count the Cross holy and the Language sacred as the Church of Rome doth is great Ignorance and Idolatry of which she is full and therefore is not Apostolick nor the one true Church in which Salvation is to be looked for as the Author would make People believe The next false and superstitious Doctrine which this Merchant of the Church of Rome holds for Apostolical is the Reliques and Images of Saints and also Prayer by the Beads by Number and Tale as Brick-makers sell their Bricks and this the Church of Rome would put off unto us as Apostolical Doctrine The Reliques and Images of Saints are honourable in Regard of the Saâ—nts which they have Relation unto and God himself makes Use of them for his Mâ—racles Moses was enforced to honour the holy Ground where the Angel appeared Exodus 3. And David commanded the Ark to be adored because it was God's Foot-stool Psal. 99.5 And to honour the Reliques and Images of Saints is no Idolatry for that is Idolatry to worship false Gods and Châ—ist doth not take it ill that we honour his Saints and Friends And to number our Prayers if Hail Mary be said upon Beads threescore and three Times it 's because Mary lived so many Years and the Prophet prayed seven Times a Day and Christ three Times in the Garden and it 's not evil to say our Prayers by Number and if five Pater-nosters be said it 's in Honour of the five Wounds and what would there be amiss in this And it 's not Idiots that pray â—y Beads but Catholick Kings the Pope Cardinals and Bishops make Use of them an Variety delighteth the Mind and there are no better Prayers then the Pater-noster Ave and the Creed Answ. The Reliques or that which remains for all the Saints and Members of the true Church of Christ to follow and to honour is to live in the same Life that they lived in and to honour him who was their Life by whose Power they fulfilled the Will of God and to walk in the same Foot-steps is to honour him that was their Life and them also who walked as Examples of Righteousness and that Power by which they became Examples of Holiness and Righteousness but for the Church of Rome to worship Pieces of cloth dead Bones painted Images which may as well be called the Images of Cain
neither Traditions nor Inventions of Men for the Worship of God The second Doubt which the Author would be resolved in is whether we can make good what Luther and Calvin with all Protestants have boasted that they would do to reform convincingly one of the silliest Roman Catholicks that is and to begin do it in the Matter of the real Presence after Consecration What Luther and Calvin have said unto you as about your Worship Doctrine and Practice hath been made good by themselves while they were living and in the Body and what they said did not only inform the Minds of many of the Roman Catholicks but reform'd them too which were not of the silliest amongst you not only one but thousands did see your Error and Deceit though they in some Particulars did but differ from you But now that is manifest which denyeth your Foundation in the very Ground And what I have said as about the real Presence of Christ's Body being in the Bread and Wine after Consecration if thou dare put it and endeavour the Trial thereof according as I have in Reasonableness propounded unto thee it will convince many of the Roman Catholicks of their Error or else many of the Protestants of their Error and so if thou darest adventure it make no more Boasts but let come to Tryal as before is propounded unto the Church of me if she or any of her Agents dare admit of it 3. The third Argument which he promiseth If it can be proved from the Scripture which he calls God's written Word that the Sabbath-day is commanded by God to be kept on Sunday and that little Children are to be baptized Answ. What others have said as to these two Particulars who were but departed a little Way from you in divers things as to their Judgments I shall not stand to vindicate because the Church was rather but a coming out of the Wilderness rather then come already into her first Purity but I am one of those amongst many thousands in Europe who deny the Châ—rch of Rome as to be the Bride the Lamb's Wife and yet I shall not vindicate either the one or the other but deny both as amongst Christiâ—ns viz. as to keep the Jewish Sabbath upon Sunday as the Author calls it and sprinkling of little Children is like the other an Invention in the Apostacy never that we read of commanded commended or practised in the Apostles Dayes as such The first Day of the VVeek the Apostles met together and worshipped God not by Virtue of the Jews Commandment but in the Power of God and you only have them both and keep them both by tradition and custom without commandment and so are out of the Power of God and out of the Saints Life 4. The fourth Argument Can the Sectaries with Reason and Ground sufficient condemn all Catholicks that were so many Ages before Luther and Calvin for being no better then Heathens and convince me that adhering to you I shall be more secure in my Salvation then injoyning to them that have Time out of Mind been of the only saving Religion Answ. The Sectaries have not gone about to condemn every individual man before Luther and Calvin for no better then Heathens we believe some were and we believe many were as bad if not worse they that walk in the Practice of the Heathen and bring forth Fruit but not unto God are in the Heathens Nature but the Generality of the Church of Rome have for these many hundred Years brought forth no better Fruit then the Heathen and therefore are in the Nature of the Heathen for like as the Heathen persecuted the Christians in former Dayes even so hath the Church of Rome persecuted the true Christians in their Day aâ—d in this are no better then Heathens instance the Blood-shed Murder cruel Deaths you have put many unto since you have had the Name of a Church and therefore are no better then Heathens in Nature and for Antiquity it proveth nothing without Verity And there can be no Assurance in your Church seeing that it stands upon Tradition and Hear-say and outward Performances and bodily Exercises that profit little but some whom you call Sectaries have more Assurance for it 's the Spirit of God that gives it and as there is Obedience yielded unto the Lord that Spirit he giveth them Assurance and them that are born of it do overcome the World and his Spirit beareth Witness to their Spirit that they have overcome by which they cry Abba Father and this Spirit of Truth that leadeth into all Truth bringeth more Assurance unto them that are led by it and worship in it then can be had in all your outward Formalities Ceremonies and Traditions 5. Can you make evident at least that in your Flock and Luther and Calvin their Guides there is more Holiness and Virtue then can be found among the Catholicks and that you go the narrow way that leads to Life I answer yes I am one among many thousands who are not of the Church of Rome yet am of Christ's Flock which he hath cleansed by his Blood and revealed his Virtue in and his holy Life and it 's made manifest that they are in the narrow Way more then the Church of Rome they are in the Way that leads to Life and abide in Christ's Doctrine we love them that hate us we bless them that curse us we pray for them that persecute us but so doth not the Church of Rome but kills them and persecutes them that oppose her we say without Righteousness and Holiness be revealed and wrought in our Hearts we can bring forth no Fruit unto God neither can be Members of the true Church but if any conform unto the Practice of your Church in outward things he is counted a good Member of your Church though Righteousness and Holiness Self-denyal Humility and Love be wanting Therefore we are the Church in which there is more Holiness Virtue and Life enjoyed then in the Roman Church 6. Can you shew us any Miracles that ever were wrought in Testimony of your Religion or that the Catholicks Miracles are wrought by Beelzebub and now thou hast askt us a resolution of the Doubts and let all that are Illuminated judge how we are deluded Answ. It 's an adulterous Generation that seeks a Sign and what Christ wrought was reckoned as no Miracles by them that are in the Unbelief yet these Signs have accompanied the Gospel which is the Power of God the blind have been restored to Sight and the dead have been raised and the deaf have heard and the lame have been made whole and this hath been witnessed by many and we have a cloud of Witnesses which your Church knowâ— not of and by the effectual working of God's Power these things have been done which do give Testimony and confirm our Religion And for your Miracles the most that ever I heard of have been done by Pictures and Images as you have testified
which are but fabulous Stories and now let them who are lightned with the true Light of Christ judge who are in the Delusion and now let all judge whether these be not satisfactory Resolutions unto the aforesaid Doubts or Questions which may convince them that have erred from Christ the Power of God and gone in their own Traditions and Inventions and have forsaken the straiâ— Way and the narrow Path that leadeth to Life and all are exhorted to come unto him who is the Light and Life of Men that their Souls may live and that they may witness Assurance of the Love of God unto them by his Spirit 's Manifestation And now let us see whether the Author will keep to his Word whether the Church of Rome will all turn unto our Way which is Christ the Way the Truth and the Life or whether follow their Visible Head the Pope who is changeable and doth not abide forever who leadeth only to an Observance of outward things but neglect the weightier things to walk in And now I shall come to some Propâ—sitions which the Author saith have been propounded which are unanswerable and the Propositions are against all Sectaries and the Propositions are laid down by Francis Costerus as the Author saith of the Society of Jesus which have been laid down fifty Years ago and they are in Number eight and with them eight Propositions the Author sâ—ith he hath put all the ablest Ministers of Germany and the Low Countries unto their Wits End now I hope some will be able to give an answer and yet keep both their Faith Wit and Reason 1. The first Poposition is this That never since the Apostles Time till the Year 1517. wherein Luther began his Doctrine were any found in the World who did consent with either the Lutherans Calvinists or Anabaptists or other Sectaries Opinions nor ever shall any of the Sectaries prove that any of the Apostles or Evangelists were of their Faith and so by Consequence the Sectaries are without Faith and they are the Men whom the Scriptures in several Places affirm that should come In the latter times false Prophets c. Answ. As I said before any Opinion which Luther Calvin or the baptized People do hold I shall not stand to vindicate it because they have so holden yet in many things they are separated from you upon good Ground and their Doctrine and Worship was far more consonant and agreeable unto the Apostles Dayes then yours are but I am one that own my self a Protestant who deny the Church of Rome and I do say this Proposition is silly poor and feeble and I do not believe that any were so hard put to it as to be brought to their Wits End by answering of it for what need he talk of since the Apostles time till such a Year we shall come to the Apostles time and age and if any Society of People now are found the same in Faith in Doctrine in Worship in Life Practice and Conversation then they are the true Church and let Francis Costerus with the rest of the Roman Merchants take that Faith to themselves and that Doctrine to themselves and those particular Points of Worship and Tradition to themselves since all the World hath wondered after the Beast and hath worshipped his Image and this was since the Apostles Dayes And if the Church of Rome pleads the whole World as for a Proof John saw that Anti-christs false Prophets Deceivers were entered in then fifteen hundred Years ago and the World went after them and he saw the whole World wonder after the Beast and the Whore sit upon the Waters Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and this comprehends the World the Whore's Seat and we matter not for her Consent neither to Doctrines and Principles nor Opinions nor for the Approbation of them that have drunk of her Cup But if we can prove a People which are gathered by the Word of God and through the preaching of the Gospel into the same Faith Hope Doctrine Life and Practice which the Apostles walked in then this is the Church which is coming out of the Wilderness again where she hath been preserved while the Mother of Harlots hath sit as a Queen and hath been so visible as over all the VVorld and hath made the Nations drink her Cup of Fornication and therefore your Unity in this thing and in this time is clear that the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ but there are some whom Rome is pleased to call Sectaries that own the same Practice the same Doctrine the same Faith which the Apostles walked in and therefore this great Proposition is false That all that have separated from the Church of Rome have no Faith or a new fancied Faith and now I come to his second Proposition 2. Proposition The Religion and Faith of the Roman Church hath not been any Way changed in any Article that belongs to Religion by any Pope Councils or catholick Bishops but it is the very same Faith hath remained intire and inviolate from the Apâ—stles to this present Day There were churches planted before there were any at Rome and the Faith which they received was that which did overcome the World and gave them Victory over Sin and Death and the Religion which the churches of Christ professed as Corinth Galatia Thessalonica and the rest of the churches which the Apostles planted is no more like the Faith and Religion of the church of Rome now then Black is to White as for instance Prove us out of the Scripture what Foundation you have for Purgatory for selling Indulgences and Pardons for Sins and what Scripture have you for Auricular confession for an Unbloody Sacrifice for Prayer to Saints for worshipping of Images in the New-Testament for observing of Lent consisting of so many days what Scripture example from the churches that were in the Apostles days before Rome was called a church concerning Prayer for the Dead for your crosses your tapers and candles for anointing with Oyle and cream in Baptism which was only invented by Pope â—lement which another Pope Pope Silvester confirmed 315. Plat Volat. Sabil And what example from the true church of Baptizing of Infants and for God-fathers and God-mothers in Christ's day when he planted the church And that Infants should be Baptized and only at Easter and Whitsuntide was not this ordained by Pope Leo in the Year 676. Lib. Council Volat. Pol. Chron. and was not Transubstantiation which you call the Body and Blood of Christ after the consecration when the Priest hath Whispered over the Bread and Wine a few Latine Words as Hoc est Corpus meum Hic est enim sanguis meus c. The Bread is turned into the Natural Body of Christ's Flesh Blood and Bone was not this ordained by Pope Innocent held at LATERAN by Twelve Hundred Romish Priests Monks and Fryars in the Year 1215. decret de summa Trinitate Cap. Firmiter And whether
so Repugnant unto the Scripture and to the Truth contained in it this we cannot receive neither believe and this will never be attributed by the Lord unto any for Unbelief although you say it 6. Proposition The Author saith He would fain have Luther and Calvin and the other Sectaries to shew where Matthew 's Writing is called holy Scripture more then Nicodemus his Gospel and seeing they cannot prove the one no more then the other they must needs believe something that is not written in the holy Scripture Answ. I shall let Luther and Calvin alone they were Men that God did honour and I do honour and many more as in their Day they are at rest in the Sepulchres of their Fathers where your reviling cannot touch them they prevailed in their Doctrine and Faith so much against you as you have not recovered in an hundred and thirty Years neither I believe ever will so long as the Church of Rome will have any Cause to call her self Christ's only visible Church upon Earth And I do not believe Matthew's Writing only because it is reckoned by you and us for holy Scripture but becaâ—â—â— we feel by the Spirit of God that gave forth all Words that it is a Declâ—ration of those things which were brought to pass in his Day and likewise Mark John and Luke testifie unto the same Matter but for Nicodemus his Gospel as you are pleased to call it the Spirit of God doth not testifie in us unto the same but that it is repugnant unto the Mind of the Spirit and is a meer patcht up thing in the Corruption of time wherein many things are contained that are in Opposition and contrary to Matthew Mark Luke and John their Declaration And so thy feâ—â—le Argument is answered which thou concludest hath not been alâ—erable these fifteen hundred Years and let not him that puts on his Armour beast but him that hath overcome and puts it off 7 Proposition is That it cannot be shewn for these fifteen hundred 〈◊〉 that there hath been any Catholick that held that the Pope of 〈…〉 or that did rail at the most holy Sacrifice of the Mass or Inâ—ocation of Saints and Angels and usual praying for the dead and such like Worâ—â— of Piâ—ty â—elongâ—â—g to our Faith and Religion which the whole World hath laudably practised and reverenced for fifteen hundred Years It is a Wonder that this Author belonging to the Church of Rome is not ashamed of his Arguments and the silly Propositions that he hath propounded from another Hand It seems neither this Author nor Francis â—esterâ—â— whose Propositions the Author hath vaunted in and boasted of know the Apostles Doctrine who said The whole World lay in Wickedness and if any Man love the World the Love of the Father dwells not in him and Christ said to his true Church Ye are not of the World therefore the World hates you and again I have chosen you out of the World and John in his Day saw through the Spirit all the World wondering after the Beast and worshipping his Image and not the Image of God and saw all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People to be Waters and the Nations Kindreds Tongues and People to drink the Whore's Cup and these the two Aâ—thors bring in for a great Proof and for an unanswerable Proposition as that the whole World lyes in Wickedness in whom the Love of God dwells not and thâ—y that have drunk of the Whore's Cup of Fornication and they that have wondered after the Beast to wit the whole World these are his dark Cloud of Witnesses to prove that the Pope was never called Anti-christ will they that have received the Roman Faith and accounted the Pope Christ's Vicar and the visible Head call him Anti-christ which hath exalted himself and the Church of Rome's Faith over the whole World as the Author boasts That the whole World hath laudably practised and reverenced Invocation of Saints and prayâ—ng for the dead for the Piety Faith and Religion of the Church of Rome for these 1500 Years This proves the Church of Rome to lye in Wickednesâ— aâ—d to be contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostleâ— and this doth not clear the Pope at all but rather mâ—kes him to be an Anti-christ and your Church to be the ill-favoured Harlot and not the true Church of Christ Hast thou forgotten how John Bishop of Constaâ—â—â—nople would needs be chief Bishop over all the rest of the Chuâ—ches about the Year two hundred fifty and upwards and how the other Bâ—â—hops cryâ—d out against him for to be Anti-christ but your Bishop he got to be called chief Bishop over all Christian Churches not by Consent of the Elders nor Churches but by the Means of Phocas an Heathen Emperor as before I have said and is not he much more an Anti-christ And as for the Sacrifice in the Mass Invocation of Saints and praying for the Dâ—â—d which thou say'st is a laudable Practice I say none have or do reckon it worthy â—f Praise but they that worship the Beast and his Image and have drunk of the VVhore's Cup and are erred from the Faith and Religion that the Apostles and true Church of Christ were in which all the World did that wondered after the Beast Lastly This I say he that teaches a Faith a Religion a Doctrine contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles is an Anti christ but the Pope these fifteen hundred Years hath taught a contrary Doctrine therefore he is an Anti-christ The 1st Proposition is evident from divers Testimonies of Scripture who teach only to pray unto the Lord in the Name of Christ and for them that are alive in the Body and not for them thâ—t are dead The second is proved by the Author 's own Testimony that the Pope and Church of Rome have prayed unto the Saints and prayed for the dead these 1500 Years to his Shame be it spoken therefore the Consequence must necessarily follow The Pope 〈◊〉 an Antâ—-chrâ—st 8. and last Proposiâ—ion is this That the first Authors of the Christian Faith in Germany Italy Spain France England and Low Countries have acknowledged no other Faith nor brouâ—ht any other to them then the Catholick Roman Faith which the whole Universe hath acknowledged which we have learned of our Fore-fathers therefore they that have brought in another are accursed That which the whole Universe hath acknowledged in the Apostacy which lyeth in Wickedness seeing all have wondered after the Beast and drunk of the Whore's Cup since the Apostles Dayes is but a lame and pitiful Argument as to prove the Church of Rome the true Church and as for the Faith delivering such as it was to the Nations before-mentioned only excepting Spain because it 's probable that the Apostle Paul spread the Faith there seeing that he said he had a Purpose to come there into Spain which if he did thy Boast may cease as for the planting of Religion
there and we know he was no Hypocrite but the same Faith and Gospel which he had preached over the Regions he would preach there and his Gospel and Doctrine we find contrary to the Church of Rome be condemned divers Doctrines which the Church of Rome holds as forbidding Meats Marriage New Moons and Sabbaths and voluntary Humility and worshipping of Angels and praying unto them and praying for the Dead and if you brought the Christian Faith so called into the rest of the Nations first and the aforesaid Doctrines mentioned and preached them up for apostolick Institutions then you brought in a Doctrine and a Gospel that is accursed which you have received of your Fore-fathers who wondered after the Beast and received his Mark and have been drunken with the Whore's Cup to wit the Universe which you lay claim to and none but you called Christians So that it is manifest your Visible Universal Church is the Harlot and hath brought in another Gospel and other Doctrines then the Apostles and so are anathâ—matized for the Apostles preached the Power of God to be the Gospel and you have preached Traditions Inventions old Wives Fables and outward Ceremonies for the Gospel and so have deceived the Nations and now when they begin to dislike your Traffick you are angry but the Day is made manifest whiâ—h discovers all your Deceit And now I have answered the substance of the Book and also the eight Propositions proposed by the Author and there and I am not yet at the wits End as thou sayst the Ministers in Germaâ—y and the Loâ—-Countries have been neither at Wisdom's end but am in it and ready if you will lâ—y down your carnal Weapon â—o begin with thee and to Vindicate the Truth as it is in Jesus against the Doctrines of the Church â—f Rome whenâ—â—ever I shall hear of thee or any that pertain to your Church mâ—ke such another bold attempt as to condemn all since the Apostles days for Sectaries Hereticks and Schismaticks who have dissented from you and shall endeavour in the strength of Christ to Vindicate and 〈◊〉 though not with Cain's Weapons for the Faith and Doctrine whiâ—h was â—nce delivered to the Saints before the Apostacy and now is manifest agâ—in in us and is with us when the Apostacy is coming to an End and the Everlasting Gospel is to be Preached again to them that dwell on the Earth and to the Nâ—tions Kindreds Tongues and People that they may come to the true Foundation again and to the Rock of Ages again that they may be established in Righteousness forever the joyful Sound whereof is going into the Borders of Babylon which will make the Inhabitants thereof to abhor their City in which they have inhabited and they shall return to Zion with Songs of Deliverance and everlasting joy upon their Heads because the hâ—ur of God's Judgment is come and coming upon the Harlot and the Year of Redemption is proclaiming to the Captive and the Dead shall be raised to Life and shall hear the Word of Life and their Graves shall be opened and they shall have Victory over it and they that hear the Voice of the Sâ—n of God in themselves shall live and shall deny the Voice of many Waters and the Voice of your church Mystery-Babylon whose Seat hath been upon them And as for Doctor Bayly which the Author efforts for his proof and layes down his Reasons wherefore the church of Rome hath been and 〈◊〉 still the true church by way of Demonstration He saith That the Churâ—h of Rome was an excellent flourâ—â—hing Mothâ—r-Church thâ—s Church 〈…〉 to be such but she must fall either by Apostacy Heresie or Schiâ—m Now Apâ—stacy saith he is a renouncing of the Faith of Christ and no man will say that the church of Rome had ever such a Fall 2. He saith Heresie is an adhering to some private anâ— singular Opâ—nion 〈◊〉 Errour in Faith contrary to the approved Doctrine of the church Answ. Whatsoever the author is pleased to boast of the church of Rome we do not find flourishing for Faith wholâ—ome Doctrine and 〈…〉 more then other churches that were plâ—nted before her 〈…〉 both by Scripture and the 〈…〉 the church of Rome her self will allow of and 〈…〉 hath and a Fall and prove it 〈◊〉 by Apostacy 〈…〉 As First she is fallen from hâ—r first Love and 〈…〉 Doctrine of Christ who taught to love Enemies and to do goâ—d 〈◊〉 that hate them and to pray for them that Persecuted them 〈◊〉 the church of Rome hath not loved their Enemies neither 〈…〉 but have Persecuted them to Death and 〈…〉 who did not receive their Doctrine and this is renouncing â—f that Faith which was 〈◊〉 delivered to the Saints by Christ himself who taught to love Enemies and if they beat them upon the one cheek turn the other but the Church of Rome is out of this Faith and Doctrine and hath renounced this Faith of Christ and hath denyed the Power of God and placed it into a Man to wit the Pope that Infallibility is in him And this is in the Apostacy 2. If Heresie be an adhering to some private Opinion or Errour in Faith then the Church of Rome is in the Heresie for the Faith that was held among the true Churches was that which did overcome the World and gave Victory over Sin and Faith in Christ was that which only gave an Interest into the Kingdom of God but Cardinal Bellarmine a chief Pillar of your Church hath asserted this for the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That a Man hath a two-Fold right to the Kingdom of God first by the merits of Christ Secondly by the merits of man's good Works or Works of Supererogation And this is an adhering to a singular Opinion and is an Error in the Faith that was generally held in the true churches of Christ as Witness He worketh in us to will and to do viz. Christ. So that there is nothing appropriated unto the creature as a creature 3. This is an Error in the Faith of the church of Rome who teach and are taught That there is a place called Purgatory in which Men are cleansed from some light faults or venial Sins and this is contrary to the Faith of the true christian churches and is no less then Heresie for the true church or churches of Christ taught That the Blood of Christ alone cleanseth from all Sin and that he is to wit Christ the Propitiation for Sin and the everlasting Sacrifice and Offering but you have other Offerings as the Sacrifice of the Mass which you call an unbloody Sacrifice which is contrary to the Faith of the christian church in Christ's and the Apostles dayes and therefore is Heresie Again praying for the Dead and praying to Angels and Worshipping of Images is absolute Heresie and contrary to the Faith and Doctrine of the true church of Christ. 4. And as for Schism the church of Rome hath separated from many other churches
Judaism among the Christians brought in by their Leaders and from the Opinions of these and other Ancient Fathers Tythes Easter and Pentecost came to be introduced and brought into the Church among the Christians Also Jerome in these Words I do not take a Part as the rest of the Tribes of Possessions of Lands but as a Levite I live of the Tenth and as I serve at the Altar I am sustained by the Oblation of the Altar being content with Food and Rayment I follow nakedly the naked Cross But there is no Necessity to understand his Words of Tythes but as the Levites lived of Tythes serving at the Altar even so am I maintained by the free Offering of them that do believe But it is to be observed that there were divers Councils in and about the 600 Year only provincial as Mascon and Arles and some others do take it for granted that a Tenth was due by Way of Offering and put into the Hands of them that ministred to the Church is spoken of as good Antiquity grounded upon the Mosaical Laws which they call their Divinas all which did spring from the Doctrine of the four Fathers before mentioned but especially Ambrose and Austin about the Year 400. but take his own Words It is not fit for us saith he to prefer our selves as Christians unless we do the Work of Christians viz. to offer the tenth Part of Corn and of Cattel and all the first Fruits of the Earth and took it for granted as due only his Ground from Moses's Law and if they should offer less then a Tenth their Offering was not accepted Also agreeing with him is Augustine in a Sermon after this Manner viz. Dear Brethren forasmuch as the Day of Christ draws near we ought to assemble our selves together and to give Thanks to God who hath given unto us by our offering unto God our Tenths for God is worthy to have the whole and this he grounds from that of Malachi Honour the Lord with thy Substance c. Farther exhorting them to pay their Tribute to the poor and their Sacrifice to the Priests then urging more Texts out of the old Testament he tells them That the Neglect of Payment of Tythes was the Cause of Sterility and Blasting of their Corn and the like These two great Bishops agree and as was said before from the Law of Moses infer their whole Doctrine yet notwithstanding the great Pressures and hard Threats of some of the Bishops at that Time it was not a general received Doctrine that Tythes ought to be payed until about the Year 800. neither was any Thing by the Church then determined or ordained touching the Quantity that should be given though no Doubt in many Places the Offerings of the more devout Sort Tenâ—hs or a greater Part of their Encrease were given according to the Doctrine then in Use And then about this Time the Offerings and Gifts to the Church were disposed of on this wise being received into a common Treasury one fourth Part to the Priests out of which every one that laboured had his Portion another Part for the Relief of the Poor sick and Strangers and a third for the repairing Places of publick Worship and the fourth to the Bishop and generally then the Bishop lived in some Monastery and his Clergy with him from whence he sent them to preach in the Diocesses and Countries and there they received such Offerings as were made and brought them to the Treasury so that hereby the Reader may take Notice that the Priests had not such a peculiar Interest in that which was given but others had a Share with them but now they claim all their Churches were builded out of the Gifts of the People the Poor Fatherless and Widdow were relieved out of them and the Prisoners who suffered for the Faith they held were relieved also the Bishop and his whole Clergy were sustained but now they claim it as due and take Tythes by Force and Violence three or four fold and sometimes ten fold and People thrown into Prison and Widdows Goods spoiled how unsuitable these Practices are from what they were in the Apostles time and the ancient Fathers for 500 Years though they are very proud and boast much of their ancient Fathers yet they will not so much as come near them in Example yet they cry up the Church the Church and Antiquity when they are far enough off from their Practice though they were in a declining Condition in this Age I have been speaking of before Also Jerome upon the third of Malachy in his Commentary doth admonish Christians to give their Alms to the poor and double Honour to him that labours in the Lord's Service not binding at all to offer this oâ— that Part yet exhorts them not to be more backward then the Jews wherein they payed their Tenths Neither is Chrysostome at all different from him in his Doctrine in perswading even Labourers and Artificers to give bountifully their Alms to the Church for Holy Uses according to the Apostolical Ordinances relating to the weekly Offerings in the Churches of Corinth Galatia Antioch and the Jews Liberality was brought as a President below which he would not have Christians determine their Charity and sayes withal that he speaks these Things not as commanding or forbidding that they should give more yet as thinking it fit they should not give less then a tenth Part for holy Uses as the Phrase was Cyril Bishop of Alexandria speaking upon that Passage of Abraham Gen. 14.23 who after he had gained the Victory over the King of Sodom's Enemies and rescued Lot when the King of Sodom offered him Part of the Spoils he would receive nothing but a few Victuals Though saith he the holy Teachers do war in the Behalf of perishing Mankind yet do they not take any thing from the Men of the World nor do they heap up unto themselves Riches lest the World should say We have made you rich they only ought to receive the Sustenance from the Hands of those whom they have converted to the Faith for it 's Christ's Command saith he that those who preach the Gospel should live thereby So that it 's evident that very many of the ancient Fathers whom this Generation have talked so much of did deny Tythes and a forced Maintenance from the World but in this Point it 's like they will be judged but weak-sighted or erroneous in their Judgment by this Generation as they do the Quakers or Men of mean Understanding but I see many will traduce them in Words but few in Practice It was the Judgment also not of private Persons but of the most learned and sound Teachers of that Age in five or six hundred Years after Christ. Prosper saith They that live of the Gospel who will be Propriators of nothing who neither have nor desire to have any thing not possessing their own but the common Goods and what
any were otherwise minded they were to be let alone till God revealed it to them And whatsoever People or Church though they claim infallibility that teach a contrary Dâ—ctrine unto this we have good Reason to suâ—peâ—â— it to be that hasty dâ—â—ving and overdriving Spirit that would force a Faith 〈◊〉 God hâ—th not given it not to be the infallible Spirit of 〈…〉 the Church of Rome hath given a vehement 〈…〉 and Tortures they have exercised towards them who 〈…〉 their Principles and own their Judgment in all things Bâ—t 〈…〉 Gentleman blinded thy Eye 〈◊〉 he made thee 〈…〉 question 〈◊〉 truth of Scripture and â—hat it proceeâ—ed from the iâ—fall his Testimony of God's Spâ—râ—t and if thou hadst a certain feeling of the same in thy 〈…〉 Conscience to let this go and mâ—ke this void as an iâ—â—uffâ—cient Ground to receive Christianity upon and to lean to a Prop without thee and to â—e judged by men who have been as fallible and changeable in their Judgments as the Moon which have assumed the Name of Catholick Church whose Testimony thy Instrucâ—er I perceivâ— told thee ought to be received concerning what was pretended to be revealed or not revealed by God yet all must be obliged to stand to their Judgment though never so repugnant to the Doctrine of Christ and Practice of the Church of Christ in the first Primitive times truly so called yet it is granted that the Church of Christ are the dispersed Members through the World though not of it agreeing in one Faith being in the Power of God and being led and guided by the Holy Ghost their Judgments ought to be received which cannot as lead by the Spirit fail in giving true Judgment in matters of Faith which pertains to Salvation but as men they may fail and as erring from the Spirit they may fail and infallibility is not intailed to the Persons of any men but as they continue in the Grace of God and walk in the Spirit and bring forth the Fruits thereof nor to any place or City but as they continue in Covenant with God for the Promise of God was to Jerusalem and Mount Zion and to many other places and People in divers Cities where the Glory of God once appeared but now through their Apostacy and unbelief and disobâ—dience they are desâ—late as to the presence and Power of God and their Sun is set and they are covered as with the Shadow of a Cloud but this true Church whereof I have spoken was seen to Fly into the Wilderness for time times and half and that since the Apostles dayes and then was she not so Visible and Universal as she had been before the Man-child was caught up unto God now if thou reckonst the Roman Church to be this true Church shew the time times and half a time wherein she fled into the Wilderness and how long she hath been there and when was the time of her return and if ever she was there how that will hang together with yâ—ur assertion that she hath been visiâ—le and so Universal these fifteen hundred Years and if this could be proved that Rome hath been so whether doth it not rather demostrate her to be the Whore that sate upon the many Waters which Waters are Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and what Church instance if thou can doth lay claim to the Nations Kindreds Tongues and People to be your and to Rule over so many Kings of the Earth as you lay claim to be Universally of your Faith and of your Church which gives us a shrewd Character to believe that indeed you are Mystery Babylon besides the Blood of the Saints hath been shed under the Name of Hereticks by thâ—â— vâ—sible Catholick Church among the Nations this twelve hundred Years doth give clear evidence that it can be reckoned or imputed unto none but you But I would not Grate too hard upon thee being but a new Convert but when thy instructer had made thee doubt of thy won state and questioned the Foundation whereupon thou hadst received Christianity the next thing he labours to make void is the Spirit of God its Testimony which thou didst lay claim to but I feel had little Portion in what thou saidst at last he makes thee doubt of the infallibility of this Spirit which thou hadst spoken on might for ought thou knew be the Spirit of Error and thou not able to distinguish betwixt the Spirit of God in thy self which is infallible and the Spirit of error nor to distinguish betwixt their Operations he perswaded thee that all was uncertain and therefore no confidence to be given to any Spirit of Faith in ones own particular which is the most absurd and ridiculous thing in the World so to judge For if there be no certainty or assurance given to any man or means to every man wherein he may be assured of the certainty of God's will then whither should any go or upon whom should any lean seeing that no credit can be given to any thing that any man believes and this were but tossing up and down Men from Mountain to Hill that they might never have Rest for their Souls And as for Jer. 17. and Eccles. 9. Rev. 3. The Heart of man is deceitful c. No man knows love or hatred And because thou sayest I am Richand increased with Goods and have need of nothing c. These Scriptures were brought unto thee to make thee more Blind the first is spoken of the Degenerate estate where deceit bears Rule and not Truth the second is spoken of visible enjoyments which are common to all and the third was spoken to one who had erred from the Spirit and was exalted in Pride because of external performances but having lost the Power was miserable c. But what of all this doth this any whit at all detract from the certainty assurance of the Spirit of God in them that have it what shall we Reason thus because some have been led aside and are deceived by their own Hearts Lusts that therefore all may be deceived even them that have the Spirit of God God forbid and we have some-what more to Answer an Arian a Jew or a Turk if they should urge the like knowledge and feeling with the like confidence to prove they were in the Truth and Christianity a delusion and thy intructer said what would you reply to them We have more to reply in such Cases then time will permit now or the state of the Case require seeing it is but a supposition and we take no thought what to answer the Gain-sayers of Truth withall but rely upon the Promise of the Father and of his Son Jesus Christ who said to his Disciples take no thought for it shall be given you what to answer in that day which Promise all that are true Disciples shall find true to the end of the World but some-what more we have to say it may be then thou said when thou
we are the Elders of the Church and we have the infallible Spirit and though we make Decrees contrary to what the Apostles made in their Day yet none are to question that the Church was but in its Infancy then as unwasht and unswadled and in Persecution but now she is grown up to a greater Statuâ—e and Power and endowed with greater Priviledge and that may be necessary now that was not necessary then and last of all called themselves the Clerâ—y which signifies the Heritage of God and so excluded all others but themselves And these things are true and certain and have been made good by many Sufferers for Christ and this kind of Clergy or Heritage made the Heritage of God indeed to fly into the Wilderness who had the infallible Spirit and the Witnesses to prophesie in Sack-cloth and then Mystery-Babylon began to sit as a Queen and to gild her Cup and to fill it full of Abomination and brought in Judaism and the Practice of the Apostles and their own Inventions and patched up an Endless kind of Worship and Service consisting of out-side things in a great Part in Postures and Gestures and Meats and Drinks and Days and times and Vestures and Bonnets and Caps and Coules and such other like Trumpery which they made the Nations drunk with and greedy after and if any scrupled at any of those things or any other the Holy Catholick Church hath decreed it and she cannot err for she is infallible though the Errors thereof cannot be numbred And this R. E. thou rests satisfied in as thy only Rule and Judge and Director and thou hangs all thy Faith herein and sayest Thou shalt not scruple to believe what Authority teacheth thee to be revealed by God no more then if thou heardst God himself speaking I say unto thee as the Apostle said The Serpent hath beguiled thee as it beguiled Eve and further say as the Prophet said Thou must arise and get thee hence for this is not the Rest for thou wilt see thy self plunged into such a Labyrinth of Uncertainties as thou never wast before if the Lord ever open thine Eye And R. E. gives an Account that after his reading of some controvertal Books hath made some Collections as to himself and also declares That all dissenting Judgements grant there must be a Way and a Rule appointed to teach us to deside all Doubts to judge of all Matters and to teach us the true Way to Heaven with Certainty but who this Rule or Judge is is not agreed upon by all which he hath collected into four Heads First Some set up the Spirit to direct them and to be this Means Secondly Another will have every Man 's own Natural Reason to be this Rule and Judge Thirdly Others will set up sole Scripture And the fourth assigns the Holy Catholick Church to be that Judge and Director Other then these he saith he never heard of any for he saith he alwayes esteemed the Quakers Light to be either the Spirit or Natural Reason but which R. E. doth not know and all the four before-mentioned he saith he hath examined and treateth largely upon them all wherein he goeth about and giveth Grounds and divers Reasons and divers Interpretations of Scriptures he layes waste all the former three and establisheth as he thinks the fourth as to be that Way and Rule and Judge and governing Power to decide all Doubts as that whereby all are oblieged to submit unto as to Christ himself and this was that Question which he was to gain Satisfaction in and therefore he saith He ceaâ—ed â—o enquire of their Doctrine or this or that Article of Faith and hang altogether upon this Point before-mentioned Answ. 'T is true it is granted by all that there must be a Way and a Rule as the Means appointed of God to answer all Doubts and to give Satisfaction to every Man of the Certainty of that which he believes and who this Way and Judge and Rule is every one ought to be satisfied and the four Heads into which thou hast collected the whole Controversie of all dissenting Judgments in Christianity take up the whole as to this Particular which have ordinarily been holden forth among Christians But I judge thou deal'st not wisely in thy Inquisition and Search for Satisfaction to hang all on this Pin but rather to have examined further as concerning Matters of Doctrine and Matters of Faith held forth most especially of this Party to whom thou wast so much inclined and see how thou could'st have swallowed down that Doctrine of Purgatory and Sacrifice for the Dead and Justification by a Man 's own Works and of Bread and Wine after the Words of Consecration by the Priest is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ and becomes whole God their Saviour and Redeemer for these are principal things either greatly necessary to Salvation or greatly unnecessary and when thou had'st tryed and found these to be so repugnant unto the Doctrine and Faith once delivered among the Saints in the first Plantation of the Gospel this might have put a Stop unto thee that thou could'st not so easily close with their Judgment and pretended Infallibility who pretend to be only Guides and yet lead into the greatest Errors in Matters of greatest Moment But as to the four Particulars mentioned I shall not stand to trouble either my self or the Reader as to speak much what of that which is no Part of my Faith or Judgment but only to vindicate the Truth against the many false Conceptions of changeable Men And first of all R. E. begins to treat of the Spirit and perverts the Scripture at his first Onset and saith As touching the Spirit â—earing Witness in secret with our Spirits or he saith in plain Terms the priâ—ate Spirit this saith R. E. I considered could not be the Means to convey Faith unto the World nor the Rule Judge or Guide which I enquired after nor indeed the true Spirit of God which he promised to be Apostles Secondly Those who pretend this Guidance do not believe Godâ— but themselves only and their own Perswasions which tell them they have the Spirit of God but they can give no other Account but that they are verily perswaded so or no other Answer but I am sure it is the Spirit of God and I am a good Man and an honest Man and I believe my self but â—ther Reasons or Evidence can they give none Thirdly This pretending of a private Spirit is against 2 Pet. 1.20 That no Prophecy of Scripture is of private Interpretation Answ. This Man beats altogether beside the Anvil whatever the Matter is but that he is blinded and confounded in himself he sets but up a Shadow and then fights with it for instead of proving the Spirit of God not to be a competent Rule Judge and Guide and Instructor in all Matters of Faith necessary to Salvation he goes about to prove a private Spirit a pretended
Weapons they have the Spirit of Error for the Weapons of the Lamb and his Followers are not carnal Weapons but spiritual and yet mighty through God to the beating down of the strong Holds of Wickedness and to prevail over the Powers of Darkness again the Testimony of God in every Man's Conscience which is an unerring Testimony this savours the things of God and by this things that be not of God are discerned and this will put a perfect Difference between the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error but what can be said to a man in Unbelief that hath closed his Eyes The next thing which R. E. saith he considered was That the Natural Reason of every Man could not possibly be the Rule and Judge that I sought for for saith he if Reason were to be Rule and Judge then it would follow contrary to Scripture that it 's not impossible to please God without Faith and it would likewise follow that every Religion would be Truth consequently Contradictions would be true consequently there would be many Religions and no Faith at all for Reason excludes Faith as in the 26th Page of his Book Thy Tongue is thy own and thou art at Liberty and goest whether thou wilt and speakest what seems Good in thy own Eyes and hast never yet known another to gird thee and lead thee whither thou would'st not I stand not to vindicate every Man's Judgment neither to prove other Mens Conceptions but seeing thou hast taken in Hand to lay all Mountains waste before thee that stand in thy Wayes thou hast raised up some in thy Discourse for others to stumble at and hast spoken many false things without distinguishing and putting a Difference between Light and Darkness between Natural Reason and Spiritual Reason I could not chuse but say somewhat Although it is no Part of my Belief that the Natural Reason of any Man or every Man is able to be Rule Judge and Guide to any Man in the things of God yet Faith is not in Opposition unto pure Reason neither is pure and spiritual Reason in Opposition to true Faith but in Harmony with it and one with another as they are the Gifts of God but the Natural Reason of all the fallen Sons of Adam is corrupted and is too short and too narrow too cross and too perverse to be Rule and Judge in the things of God for the Natural Man by all his Endowments in the Transgression perceives not the things of God for they are spiritually discerned and the things of God that are spiritual and eternal are above the Reach of Natural Reason and yet thy Consequence is false for Faith doth not exclude pure Reason and Faith doth not make blind the Understanding but enlightens it and though it is impossible to please God without Faith yet it is impossible that that Faith should be without Reason the Apostle desired to be delivered from unreasonable men that had not Faith so it is manifest they that have Faith have Reason and they that have no Faith are unreasonable and where thou hast borrowed this Rule I know not That a man must believe that he doth not understand seeing the Apostle saith to the Romans even of the Gentiles who had not the Law nor the Scripture that that which may be known of God was manifest in them for by that it is manifest they understood the Mind of God and knew him for Paul saith further When they knew God they glorified him not as God but were unthankful c. and again He that believes must know that God is for none can believe in that which is not for to perswade any to believe in Uncertainties which are not manifest in the Understanding doth rather beget Unbelief and Doubting then true Faith but thy Paths are so full of Darkness I shall not traduce them and thy Consequences are false for pure Reason teacheth not Contradictions neither doth teach that there is no Faith at all neither is Faith excluded by pure Reason as thou ignorantly say'st in the 26th Page and is it not Reason that I should believe in him whom I know is the Creator and Governour of all the World and pure Religion is so far from excluding Faith that they that have true Faith have Reason and stand not in Opposition to Faith but this I conclude that the Reason of fallen men is corrupted and is an uncertain thing to rely upon and so not a competent Judge in Matters of so high Concernment as touching everlasting Salvation The third thing which thou treatest upon is against them who have pleaded that the sole Scriptures are sufficient of themselves to teach true Faith from time to time to direct rule and govern us and to be Rule and Judge and to supply the Place of Christ and the Apostles As I said it is not my Intention to vindicate other mens Quarrels which is no Part of my Faith notwithstanding I should be sorry but that every thing had its true Weight and Measure and shall not in the least detract from the Price Value and true Worth of the Words of Truth to wit the Scriptures of Truth which were spoken forth by the Spirit of Truth and by the holy Ghost as it gave Utterance but as men erring in their Judgments run sometimes to the right Hand and sometimes to the left Hand and walk not in a straightâ—Path some men are setting them up above that which they were intended for and placing them in the Stead of God Christ and the Spirit and others are too much debasing them and dis-esteeming them as that they would set up the Judgment of Variable and Changeable Men who hold and teach Things in Contradiction to the Scriptures and repugnant to the Mind of the Spirit in them that spoke them forth But first of all I say not against thee in this thing that the sole or whole Scriptures are not sufficient of themselves to teach true Faith and give the Knowledge of God without the Spirit for many have got the Words and yet have not received the Spirit nor the Power which the Scriptures declare of such wrangle and contend with the Words and oppose the Life and the Power the Jews had the Scriptures and knew by them where Christ should be born and knew by them what his Works should be when he was manifest and yet rejected him unto whom all the Prophets bore witness from Moses to Samuel and from him to John and they were never intended by God as to be set up as Judge Guide to wit the Words without the Power and Spirit of God yet notwithstanding though I cannot set them up in the Place of God Christ and the holy Spirit nor contend ignorantly as some have done that they are the Author of True Faith and that they are the Eternal Word of God which the World was made by that they are the Light and the VVay the Truth and the Life and that they are the Decider
of all Controversies and sole and absolute and only Judge of all Matters of Faith and of all Matters that â—ver have been or ever shall be in Controversie to the End of the VVorld without the Spirit of God neither am I of that ignorant Mind as some are that the Letter and the Spirit are inseparable as that whosoever hath the Scripture must needs have the Spirit or whosoever hath the Scripture must needs be infallible without the Spirit all that are of the aforesaid Judgment are but VVranglers for the most Part about VVords and Contenders against the Power of God and Godliness and bring the VVords to oppose the Life and them that have the Spirit and walk in it for a natural man may read the Scriptures and yet not perceive the things of God neither perceive the Mind of the Spirit but wrest to their own Destruction as Peter saith because they are unlearned and untaught by the Spirit 's Teaching though otherwise learned enough in Languages Tongues and Speeches Secondly Yet I cannot detract from them neither undervalue them or dis-esteem them as uncertain or of no Use or of little Use but whatever themselves declare themselves to be that I own them to be to wit the Words of God the Words of Christ the Words of the holy Prophets and Patriarchs and Apostles who were endued with the holy Ghost and spake forth the Scripture as they were moved thereby in several Ages of several things and unto several States and Conditions as they were led thereto by the holy Spirit and they are a certain Declaration of things that were done and believed and practised by the Jews under the first Covenant and by the Apostles and primitive Christians in the New Covenant and contain many precious and holy Precepts and Commands Doctrines Examples Exhortations Admonitions Reproofs and Instructions and are as lively Examples and holy Patterns for all the Saints in Light to follow by which we are given to understand what Faith what Hope what Patience what Love what Mercy what Long-Sufferings what Consolation what Virtue and what Inheritance the Saints in Light were made Partakers of through Faith in Christ Jesus likewise what Doctrines were held forth and what Practice they used in the primitive times when they walked in the Order of the Gospel and had Fellowship with God the Father and the Son and one with another in the Light of the Gospel which is the Power of God through which they witnessed Salvation Remission of Sins and published it unto others that they might believe Thirdly The Scriptures testifie of Christ and were written that they might be believed and received and read that thereby every one that believed might be made wise to Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. and instructed in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished with all good Works and whosoever doth teach any Doctrines contrary unto the holy Men of God who spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God which dwelt in them the Scriptures are Witnesses against such that they have not the Spirit of God but are led by another Spirit which brings forth contrary Doctrine and another Faith then was once delivered among the Saints and whosoever brings in sets up other Precepts Constitutions Orders and Practices in Point of Worship in Opposition and contrary unto those Practices which were held forth in the primitive times and would set up other Traditions then the Apostles delivered either by Word or VVriting such are manifest to have the Spirit of Error and are Innovators and Bringers in of other things as necessary in Point of VVorship among Christians which the Apostles and Ministers of Christ did not see necessary then and yet they wanted no Part of the Counsel of God for Paul said He had declared the whole Counsel of God and furthermore they said We have the Mind of Christ and Christ's Mind is not variable Fourthly Though divers of the VVritings of the Prophets and Apostles be lost doubtless as is evident by divers Places of Scripture yet blessed be God that there are those preserved which do bear VVitness of the one thing absolutely necessary unto Salvation of the Ministrations that were appointed of the Lord for the Church of God to observe both in the first and second Covenants so that Christians of this last Age are not lest without Example and President which all ought to have an Eye unto and a diligent Regard and though there be divers Copies of that which is called the Original Tongue and divers Translations yet he unto whom the Spirit of God is given and waiteth in the Measure of Christ's Light shall receive it doth â—ee and shall see the Mind and VVill of God in every Age and the Mind and Intent of the Spirit in them that spoke forth the Scripture and can receive the Matter therein contained as though they had heard them speak that spoke it at the first and though the Translators were Men yet I have such an honourable Esteem of their Labour that I believe they have not varied wittingly and willingly from the best Copies that were extant in their Age neither that they were altogether void of the Spirit of God in such a good VVork which conduced to the Benefit of Mankind but were assisted by it for so good VVork and there be many Figures and Tropas Improprieties of Speech Mysteries and Diâ—â—iculties yet all these come to be made easie and plain to them that are Witnesses of the same Spirit that gave them forth and though there be Diversity of Judgments Professions of Religion one clashing against another thwarting and contradicting another all will seem to bring the Scripture for their Proof which yet cannot maintain and prove every thing good especially when their Doctrines contradict one another this is granted it is only their private Interpretation and not the Scripture and for Wâ—nt 〈◊〉 â—hâ—t Spirit that gave it forth for that alone gives the true Understanding of iâ— and they that are without this are like to kill one another about Words and Names Sounds Tittles and Jottas but still want the Key that opens and gives an Entrance into the Knowledge of the things of God which alone is the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures Last of all R. E. after he saith The three former Props which are the Basis of the whole Foundation and glided over as slightly as he possible could although he hath never stated the Matter right indeed as to remove all things out of his Way which might hinder him in his Cause which he drives so hard on in to wit to set up a certain Company or Multitude of men Visible and Universal as he saith to be the only infallible Judge to convey Faith to the World and to be the certain and infallible Judge in all Matters that either pertain to the Worship of God and to be believed under Pain of Damnation as
of them yet they said falsly Thus saith the Lord in their revolted Estate for they were erred from the Spirit and gone from the Seed and joyned to another Seed and their holy Flesh was departed from them though as Men they had the same Flesh still go learn what that means and yet notwithstanding all this the Promise of God was not violated neither unfulfilled on God's Part for the Promise was not then neither now is to Natural Generations or that which is born after the Flesh or to men as men and Creatures but as they are the Seed and as they are Men of God and as they are born again and new Creatures and if thou wilt have an intailing here it is intailed which cannot be cut off for the Covenant stands not to Men in such a Place that carries the Name of Office or Authority but as they are led by the Spirit the infallible Judge Rule or Guide as they walk by this and in this they cannot err and they erring from this they are subject to be deceived and to be mistaken in all things and every thing of which there are evident Examples in the Scriptures of Truth in divers Ages of them that professed themselves Members of the Church of God and so visible as R. E. speaks of yea and the greater Part too that have erred and their Pathes have been reckoned by the Lord as crooked and perverse and their Habitations full of Cruelty and this is given for an Instance the visible Church of the Jews did err and go aside notwithstanding all the Promises of God to them and as they looked that it still belonged to them because they were in visible Profession though they had turned their Backs upon the Lord and their Hearts too and violated his Covenant yet still as I said the Promise of God and the Covenant of God is not made of none Effect nor broken on God's Part but stands with the Seed forever who are circumcised in Heart and who worship God in Spirit and Truth and in Uprightness of Heart and hath no Confidence in the Flesh nor fleshly Priviledges nor external Performances but only trusts unto the Gift of Righteousness manifest in them by which Justification comes upon all that believe and the Fulness of the Blessing of the Gospel of Christ and the Fulness of the Promise of God but these things I know though they be Holy Faithful and True are a sealed Book and hid from all Eyes living in the Flesh who have not been baptized into the Death and Suffering of Christ. Fourthly That Christ by his own Mouth and the mouths of the Apostles did Promise that there should be a Church which the Gates of Hell should not prevail against and this Church was established upon the everlasting Foundation and the Rock of Ages and was endued with Power from on High and with a great measure of the Spirit of God according unto Christ's Promise which more plentifully was poured forth after Christs departure and after his Ascension and great Gifts were given unto them the Word of Knowledge the Word of Wisdom the Interpretation of Tongues and the gift of Tongues the Gift of Prophesie the gift of discerning Spirits healing the Sick working of Miracles c. and all these foresaid gifts were given for the Work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come into the Unity of the Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God and unto a perfect Man and to the measure and Stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes. 4.11 12 13. And all these were instrumental though the Spirit of God which was with them and in them the only means to bear witness unto those things that they had learned and believed and to publish the word of Faith abroad unto the World and for these aforesaid ends above-mentioned which though R. E. and his Catholicks will needs lay claim to the Succession by way of Office yet by their Doctrine deny in part the very end wherefore such gifts were given to wit the Doctrine of Purgatory for if they did perfect the Saints or were brought up to the knowledge of the Son of God and to perfect Men in Christ Jesus and to be without Sin what need had there been of raising up this damnable Doctrine out of the Pit to purge from Sin after they be dead seeing they were to be perfect Men while they were alive and the Ministry was given for this End but yours it seems cannot have these effects on this side of the Grave and therefore they perfect them in the grave and so be ministers in another World And this Church thus gathered and endued before-mentioned with the infallible Spirit of God if any that did sometime believe and were joyned unto it did walk disorderly as not becoming the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ they were to be admonished and Exhorted and if they persisted in their disorder it was to be told to the Church or the whole Body and if such a one would not hear the Church he was to be reckoned as a Publican or a Heathen and to be denyed as to have any Fellowship with him till manifest Repentance was shewn but we never read that this Church did shed any man's Blood or Burn any or give consent to Destroy any iâ—stance if thou canst though obstinate and Hereticâ— too and in this amongst many other things the Spirit of your Church is seen to be contrary to the Primitive Church and you out of Christ's Doctrine but R. E. Argues further and saith but if Christ by his Spirit doth not preserve this Church from all possibility of teaching Error instead of Truth I may receive such Errors as may damn me unto which I say Christ by his Spirit doth preserve this Church from all possibility of teaching error if they continue in the Guidance thereof and Err not from the Spirit of Christ as some Churches did which were as truly Christian and might lay claim unto Christ's promise of preservation out of error as ever Rome could do and yet six of the Seven Churches of Asia were reproved by the Spirit of Christ some of them for holding gross Error and some for suffering it but where was the fault did not Christ perform his promise to his Church or to these and other particular Churches as Corinth and Galatia yes but there was an erring from the Spirit but all that R. E. goes about is to prove which he will never be able to do that Christ is bound by Promise to make it good to them that he hath once Promised unto though they perform nothing of their part in taking heed to his direction and thus would limit the Lord and let Men go free with obedience to his commands and he cites Mat. 28.20 how the promise of Christ was and lo I am alwayes with you even to the end of the World but he hath done as the
of Faith for that had been contrary to the Apostles Commission and their Doctrine for saith the Apostle We have not preached our selves but Christ the Lord and our selves your Servants for his sake And I may say to thee R. E. as Paul said to the Corinthians when they were striving about Men Cor. 3.21 Therefore let no Man glory in Men for all Things are yours or as he saith in Chap. 1. Ver. 13. was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the Name of Paul were they not carnal that so glorified was Peter crucified for us or were we baptized in the Name of Peter is not your visible Church carnal who thus judgeth that Christ intended Peter to be the Foundation of his Chruch for what was he or the rest of the Apostles but Ministers by which many believed 〈◊〉 and if thou hadst been present it is very like would have instructed Christ what to have said and bidden him have spoken after the Grammer Rule and Construction upon that Rock I will build my Church for Peter 's Faith in Christ is too mediate it seems and his Confession too remote and antecedent to be the Rock meant in Mat. 16.18 and therefore Peter must be immediate and the Rock upon which Christ hath doth and will build his Church but as immediate as he was and as sure a Rock as he was when he began to rebuke Christ he turned him about and said unto Peter Ver. 23. Get thee behind me Satan thou art an Offence unto me for thou savours not the Things of God and so say I to R. E. and his Catholicks they savour not the things of God but it is thy private Spirit and your own Interpretations and not the Mind of Christ and how far antecedent is Peter's Confession of Christ the Son of the living God is it not in Vers. 16. and wherein was Peter blessed but in this that it was revealed to him that Christ was the Son of the living God the Rock of Ages and the Foundation of his Church and as for thy visible Church with its two Heads independent Head and dependent Head which sure must have two Bodies where they can be found but that I shall leave to R. E. and I hope from the Grounds that thou hast here laid which did appear so clear to thee that none will be afraid nor judge that such a visible Church with two Heads is to be Rule and Guide to all to whom all are to submit under Pain of Damnation which is to have Peter for its Rock which if he had been living he would have denyed you all as Setters up of Men and Slighters of Jesus Christ the Rock of Ages the Foundation of the Church the Head of the Body the Rule of Life the Judge of Quick and the Dead the Law-giver Director Instructer and Preserver of his Church forever but R. E. goes on and saith It only remains that we consider which among all these Congregations now on Earth which pretend themselves to be this Church of Christ for having once found her and knowing that she is so assisted with the holy Ghost that she cannot teach us an Error we shall no more dispute the Verity of her Doctrine then we would have questioned the Articles of Faith taught by the holy Apostles or the Words of Christ himself wherefore if this Church this infallible Guide shall teach us that Infants ought to be baptized and that it is as lawful to desire the Saints departed to pray for us as to desire the Prayers of them that are alive and that the Body of Christ our Saviour is really and truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar or any other Article of Faith we shall no more doubt it then the first Christians did the Verity of what the Apostles taught them Among all those Congregations on Earth that look upon themselves to be the Church and Spouse of Christ there is one if thy Eye could behold or if thou could'st discern it but before thou canst there is an Eye in thee must be put out and there is a Wisdom in thee that must be confounded and turned into Foolishness before thou canst discern it in its Glory as it is but however that is it undoubtedly which is begotten into the Faith through the Publication of the immortal Word of Life and who are translated from Death unto Life and who have received the Power and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ and meet in his Name and Power and do witness his Presence among them and have received a Measure of that infallible Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth and out of the Pollutions of the World and are dead unto the World and baptized into the Sufferings of Christ and are crucified with him who keep unviolated his Statutes and Commands without adding to or diminishing from who walk in the Order of the Gospel and are not conformable to the World nor to that which fallen Men set up but to the Power of God that worketh in the Hearts of all that believe to the framing of them a meet Habitation for God to dwell in and abide in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and are Sayers and Doers speak the Truth and do the Truth and hold the Truth in Righteousness and the Faith once delivered to the Saints in a pure Heart and a pure Conscience who pray in the Spirit and with Understanding who publish the Truth and declare it in the Spirit reaching to the Consciences and to the Witness of God in all that hear who rejoyce only in Christ Jesus the great Power of God and the Wisdom of God and have no Confidence in the Flesh nor fleshly Performances whose Faith stands not in Words but in the mighty Power of God which she hath received according unto the Promise of God this Congregation or Congregations which is one and doth hold the one Head by which all the Members of Christ are knit together in the one Faith by which they overcame the World this undoubtedly is the Church of Christ and the Spouse of Christ But whether R. E. will not dispute against the Verity of her Doctrine I question notwithstanding all his Submission in Words and if this Church should teach that Infants are to be baptized with Cream and Spittle and signed with the Cross as absolutely necessary to Salvation or that it is the Duty of the Saints alive to pray to the Saints departed this World or to teach that Christ's Body which was broken for us and hanged upon the Tree at Mount Calvary that this should now be in a Morsel of Bread and a Sup of Wine and conveyed thither by the Priest and this to be really the Body of Christ if this Church should teach any such Doctrine there were good and weighty Reason to Question seeing that R. E. before hath said that they cannot be infallible who contradict one another and teach two contrary Doctrines and yet say they are both
Angels Worshipping Relicks worshipping Images Transubstantiation Purgatory sprinkling of Infants prove to us from the Scripture in thy next that these were Apostolical and Infallible Doctrines delivered and taught by the Church of Christ in the Apostles time or in the first hundred Years after Christ and thou will not only gain me but many more to receive and imbrace the Catholick Church of Rome for an absolute Rule and Guide unto which all on Earth ought to be subject unto which if thou dost not we will take it for granted thou darest not lest thou ingage thy self in such a Controversie as thou never ingaged in yet by which thy and your Folly will more and more appear unto all I shall not trouble neither my self nor the Reader any further in traducing R. E. in his multiplicity of Words although the main and weighty Arguments and Reasons as R. E. looks upon them are answered which I commend unto thee and to the Witness of God in every Man's Conscience to try and search out where the difference and weight lies and the Truth and as the measure of God's Spirit in every Man's Conscience doth close with or against if it can what I have said about R. E. his Epistle for unto that I dare stand to the Judgment of and in it as every one believes and walks I bid my Reader Farewell Westmoreland this 18 th of the 5 th Moneth 1665. F. H. A General Epistle To the Dispersed and PERSECUTED FLOCK OF Christ Jesus IN THE DOMINION OF ENGLAND AND All Parts and Regions where this shall come who have believed in Christ the Light of the VVorld and now suffer for his Names sake DEarly Beloved whom God hath called and redeemed out of the World and the Vanities thereof to follow the Lamb in the Regeneration through the Cross and Suffering in this Age wherein the Whore Beast and false Prophet and all that have drunk of her Cup and have received the Mark of the Beast and are led aside to believe Lyâ—s that proceed out of the Mouth of the time serving flattering deceitful Workers of this Generation who are all joyned together iâ— theiâ—â—â—rength and Power to act every Way against the Lamb and his meck Appearance who takes away the Sins of the World and against all them that are made clean through his Blood and are come out of the Pâ—llutions of the Wâ—rld and to make War against the Râ—mnâ—nt of the Seed of God who are begetten again to the lively Hope of Christ Jesus and to the Inheritance that fâ—des not away and to root out and destroy and weary out through cruel Suffering the Saints of the most high that so the Prince of Darkness might rule in his full Power and Authoriâ—y in his Instruments and Servants without Opposition or any Gain-saâ—ing And as God out of his everlasting Love hath redeemed and translated many from great Darkness wherein they have bin hâ—ld in the time of Unbelief into his marvellous Light to walk in it and to bring forth the Fruits of the Day of Light Faith and Righteousness to the Praise and Glory of his Grace who hath called them and translated them for that very End to shew forth his Power and Glory in the Earth who have been quickned and raised by it out of the Grave that they might bear Witness thereunto and testifie of it both in Word and Work against the World and the God thereof who now rules in the Children of Disobedience therefore is his Wrath the more kindled and his Fury great against them that are departed out of his Kingdom and will not yield their Hearts and Necks to be subject any more unto his Yoak by whom they have been enslaved and held Captive under many and divers Lusts which the Wrath of God is revealed against and to be revealed against and because they are made free by the Frightness of the glorious rising of the Sun of Righteousness in his Power and quickning Life in their Hearts which hath broken his Yoak of Bondage and destroyed the Law of Sin and Death which sometimes had Power over them but now being made Conquerors of them through the Power of Christ the old Dragon the Deceiver of the Nations who is out of the Truth labours by all means to bring them back again under his Yoak and his Devices are not a few which are set on Foot at this Day to make all bow unto him which the Children of Light are not ignorant of who are and have been watchful against the mysterious working of his Power within and also without in his Instruments who have received great Power from him to propagate his Kingdom that stands in Wrath Evil doing and Cruelty And therefore all had need to watch and be circumspect that they that are escaped be not ensnared and entangled again lest their Bondage be greater and the Yoak heavier then before Therefore the Lord moveth often in my Heart to exhort all unto Watchfulness and Diligence and so much the more because the Dayes are perilous and the Times dangerous and the Temptations many on every Hand so they that look out are in Danger to be ensnared and let in the Enemy and Fears and Doubts and Unbelief enter and questioning in the Haste Can God deliver or will he deliver or hath he any Regard unto our Afflicâ—ion And because the time seems long and they cannot see to the End thereof their Hearts fail and their Faith is in Danger to be shaken and they lose their States therefore it concerns every one to watch and pray that they enter not into Temptations neither be overcome with the wicked One neither of the fading Pleasure Profit and Ease that the Children of this World do enjoy which is but for a Time and then is the Beginning of endless Misery Therefore all dearly beloved look over all the Sufferings and Troubles and Temptations and Necessities and over the Devil and all his Works to the Beginning and to that have an Eye which was before they had a Being to the Lord God everlasting who made Heaven and Earth have an Eye and let your Eye be fixed on him which destroyes the Devil and all his Works and will reward the Workers of Iniquity according to their Deeds with everlasting Torments Dearly Beloved who have been under great Sufferings Losers for Christ's sake and the Gospel's in this Age like as many faithful Witnesses have been in former Ages I am a Sufferer with you and am sensible of your Griefs Affliâ—â—ions Necessities and Tribulations which are many and do bear and suffer with you all in my Heart and in the true Sence and Feeling of you all dispersed every where where God hath placed you in the Earth my Heart Soul Life and Spirit breatheth forth unto you all and your Burden is mine your Afflictions are mine your Sufferings are mine I do weep with them that weep I am sorrowful with them that are sorrowful and what which is a Grief
take you into my Rest and Peace out of the Reach of the Oppressor Sixthly For the frustrating of the Purpose of them who decreed that unrighteous Decree for Banishment that it may not profit them neither answer their End and Unrighteousness the Lord the Lord hath cut them short of their Purpose and will cut them short of their Hope and in the End bring their Council to nought for that which is formed against the Lord shall not prosper Seventhly For the hardening the Hearts of this Generation who have devised Mischief from the Womb and have gone astray as soon as they were born after so many Warnings and evident Tokens of his Hand against them and of his Displeasure which have been set at nought and yet are resolved to go on to root out the Heritage of God I say that their Hearts might be hardened and their Eyes closed that they may not discern betwixt the End of the Righteous and the Wicked nor see a Difference in their States but as one dyes so dyes the other as to the outward Appearance though you beloved know a Difference both in Life and Death and I do believe many who have laid down the Body and put off this earthy Tabernacle have given great Testimony of God's Love unto them of his Favour Peace and Acceptation in the latter End in this which I have said I am satisfied and therefore could not but signifie the same unto you that we might not sorrow concerning them that dye in the Faith and sleep in Christ as them who are without Hope for these rest from their Labours and their Faith Works and Life shall live and we have and enjoy their Spirit and Life so it is only personal Absence of this earthly Tabernacle that we want so in that be comforted Last of all The Wayes of the Lord are unsearchable but as he reveals them to them that fear him and whatever may be manifest to any other this I am certainly perswaded of that God will have Honour and Glory through all these things as it shall be in the End for the Prosperity of the Gospel of Truth and I am perswaded of this though the Lord should permit many to be destroyed outwardly of all they enjoy yet they are resolved to trust in him forever And though the Day be dark and gloomy and the Devil be let loose to try the Faith of them that dwell upon the Earth and the Wrath of the Wicked be great yet the Bond is set that they cannot pass and though we that yet remain alive to this Day were all dissolved and rowled together in the Dust which is the End of all Flesh yet that Life and Power which we have believed in and that everlasting Truth which we have testified of and suffered for shall never be extinguished or rooted out but shall take up other Persons and Bodies from Generation to Generation while Sun and Moon endureth in this be all assured and comforted in the Lord and chearful in your Sufferings and comfort and strengthen one another in the royal Seed of God all live and dwell which cannot bow to the Seed of the Bond-woman which hath the Promise of Life and Immortality and everlasting Blessedness and all look unto the Lord over all and above all the Rage and Wrath of the Enemy and the Afflictions of this present Life and feel that which is without End The God of Power be with you comfort your in the midst of all your Tryals and preserve you that your Faith fail not is the earnest Desire of him whose Heart is knit unto the Lord and all his suffering People in the everlasting Covenant of Life and Peace pray all unto the Lord without ceasing that you may be able though through the Valley of the Shadow of Death the Peace of God fill all your Hearts that you may rejoyce in the Lord and trust in him forever The 16th of the 8th Moneth 1665. Yours in Life or Death F. H. OATHS NO Gospel-Ordinance But prohibited by CHRIST BEING IN ANSWER TO A. SMALLWOOD D. D. To his Book lately published being a Sermon preached at Carlile 1664 wherein he hath laboured to prove Swearing lawful among Christians his Reasons and Arguments are weighed and answered and the Doctrine of Christ vindicated against the Conceptions and Interpretations of Men who would make it void By a Sufferer for Christ and his Doctrine F. H. Because of Oaths the Land mourneth Jer. 23.10 11 12 c. By Swearing and lying and kâ—lâ—ing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish Hosea 4.2 3. TO THE READER TRuth never had that Advantage nor Countenance from the Men of this World though Wise in their Generation since Sin entered into it to have the Approbation of the World neither of the Powers and Potentates thereof for it alwayes hated the Truth because it bore Witness against the World and the Deeds and Works thereof which ere evil for Wisdom is only justified of her Children and Truth is justified of her Children neither indeed doth it need any other Patron to shelter it self under but the God of all Truth from whence it proceeds neither shall I seek a Shelter neither run to any Mountain or Hill for Safety or Protection nor to the mighty of the Earth as many of latter Dayes have done to patronize their Labours and to make them the more acceptable and to be the sooner and more readily received But seeing the Apostle saith Not many Wise not many Rich not many Noble are chosen but he hath chosen the Weak and Poor and despised of the World who are Rich in Faith and good Works who are Heirs of the Promise and of the the World to come I chuse only to be approved to the Witness of Christ's Light in every Man's Conscience and to the Measure of his holy Spirit which he hath placed in every Man to that only I desire to be either approved or else by it reproved for wholly unto the Judgment of that in every Conscience I appeal and do commend this ensuing Discourse in the Sight of God and the Answer unto A. Smalwood's Book who hath sought to make void Christ's Command for to obey the Command of Men as is manifest in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Gentlemen of Cumberland for it seems by his Epistle they put him on Work to preach and print this Sermon whether upon this Subject or not I shall not determine but however he saith He hath obeyed their Commands though he hath laboured as much as in him lyes to make the Command of Christ void and the Apostles Doctrine by his Arguments which he hath raised to prove Christ's Doctrine one thing and his Intention another and so would blind the Minds of People only to establish the Doctrines of Men and the Traditions of Men in the Apostacy and hath put divers Constructions upon the
rather wonder that such a Vail of Darkness should be so long over the minds and Hearts of them that believe not notwithstanding so clear evidence from Christ and his Apostles or the Example of the Primitive Christians or holy Martyrs who spoke the Truth but denyed to Swear at all but that Custome and Tradition is often more minded then the very Truth it self Oh! that the Rulers of this Nation would once consider weigh what they are doing and how many and great the suffering of a Conscientious People that fear the Lord in theirs Hearts are who dare not disobey the commands of Christ lest they fall into Condemnation and come under the rebuke of the Lord in their Hearts who hath Power alone to kill and to make alive but rather chuse to suffer the loss of all and undergo the manifold Sufferings that some malicious Spirits cause to be inflicted upon them when indeed there is no cause at all while prophane Persons Swear and forswear and take God's holy Name in vain and make little Conscience of any thing but sometime for and sometime against whatsoever seems countenanced and discountenanced by the Magistrates so that neither the King nor Kingdom is in any more security notwithstanding all such Swearing how solemn soever they seem in Swearing neither any more credit be given in Judicature then there is to be given to him that is a common Swearer in his private occasions or common Communication and Oh! how doth the Land abound in this insomuch that he that is not a Curser or Swearer is looked upon as a Phanatick or some disobedient Person or unconformable Man which ought especially to be eyed for a dangerous Person Oh! that the Heads and Rulers of the People would but consider how near the Judgment of God is and how ready to break forth upon the Nation and not without cause even great Evils are begun Pestilence and Sword already threatned and God's Arrows flying abroad to wound and to destroy them that continue in hardness of Heart rebellion against God and will not suffer him to rule and reign in the Consciences and Kingdoms of Men but vain Men would set up their Thresh-hold with his and not only so but against his and great is the wickedness and the Sins of this Nation upon many accounts which the Lord will bring a Scourge upon especially that grievous Sin of Persecution that Cain-like way which the Generations have chosen to add as they ignorantly suppose unto their Church and so build up their Zion with Cruelty and their Church by Iniquity Oh! this is loathsome in the sight of God had Zimri peace who slew his Master had Israel Peace when she slew the Prophets had the Jews Peace when they had Crucified Christ had the Romans Peace when they Persecuted the first Christians had Cain Peace when he had slain his Brother If nay let not England expect Peace when they are Persecuting them that are Members of Christ's Church so that this grievous Sin if England had no more were enough to bring the dreadful Judgment of God upon the whole Land and undoubtfully will if not repented of but now it must not be counted so and why because there are some Statuets and Laws which they obey not and so it 's for disobedience consider did not all the former pretend one Law or other did not all that ever suffer'd even the best of Men Christians suffer as disobedient as Offenders against some Law or other as Evil-doers in the Account of them that inflicted Punishments upon them if so as it is certain they did may not England be deceived while that they are thinking they do God and the King Service to root out and destroy some under the Notion of Heresie and some under the Notion of Disobedience and Factious may they not be persecuting Christ in his Members or destroying the peaceable Members of their Native Country the Lord open all their Eyes and do away the Darkness and the Vail of Ignorance that is over many Hearts that they may turn to the Lord and submit unto his eternal and unchangeable Power that so they may escape the Day of the Lord which is at Hand and the Judgment of God that is ready to break forth as an an over-flowing Scourge to cut off and sweep away in his Displeasure even all them that would not have Christ to rule in their Hearts neither have his Laws fulfilled nor obeyed which he writeth in the Hearts of all true Believers unto whom all must bow and be subject because the Father hath committed all Power into his Hand and his Glory he will not give to another no to none but him whom he hath given for a Covenant of Light and Life to be King Law-giver Saviour and Judge of his People and to be the Head of the Body his Church whom he redeems out of the World to himself to glorifie him who is the only Potentate and King of Immortal Glory God blessed forever and ever Amen To all the Well-beloved Flock of Christ whom he hath gathered into his Fold to feed in his Heavenly pasture in and about London Hartford and Kingston PEace from God the Father be multiplyed in all your Hearts through Jesus Christ the Prince thereof whom the Father hath sent as his Free Gift and given for the Covenant thereof unto all that believe and receive him to reconcile all even all that believe even them that have been and yet are afar off and are in Enmity in their Hearts yet by wicked Works and have no Title or Right unto Peace yet they that have received have and them that shall receive him shall have and shall be brought nigh unto God and out of the Wrath and Enmity and so come to be capable thereof through receiving and believing in his Name and Power by whom alone Remission of Sins is obtain'd and Peace and Reconciliation with God witnessed to whom be Glory and Honour forever and ever Amen Dearly Beloved with Thoughts of pure and unspotted Love I often remember you all who have been and are Followers of Christ and Sufferers for him in this present World and also have been and may expect to be while in the World Companions with them that suffer for that blessed Hope and Testimony which you have received from God in your Hearts by which the Saints in Light were purified and sanctified and did overcome the World and the Prince thereof who now ruleth in the Children of Disobedience who are subject to his Power and Government which stands in Wrath Envy Oppression Persecution and in that which leads unto every evil Deed and Work and because the Lord hath chosen you out of the World and from under the Power of the Prince of Darkness therefore he and all his Subjects hate you and as it was from the Beginning of his Kingdom since Sin entered into the World so it is now though it was not so from the Beginning of
God's Creation when all was blessed and at Peace and in Unity and Harmony one with another when Man was the Image of God and you through the rich Mercy and Love of God being called to believe in the Hope and Promise of God and having waited and obtained Life through Jesus Christ whom the Father hath given for Life and the Covenant thereof and of Peace unto all that believe I say it being given unto you of the Father to believe and receive him whom the Father hath sent to restore again all even all receive the free Gift and close therewith according as the Father tenders him unto all believing and obeying his Voice they come to witness Restoration and to be delivered from Darkness and Death and every evil Way and Work into perfect Freedom in due time and to serve the living God in Righteousness and Holiness and to be made Partakers of his precious Promise and of the Kingdom Power and Glory of God that fades not away and of Life eternal and Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost now and forever and makes all his chosen Ones who believe in his Name Partakers of his piteous and long Suffering and of his heavenly and spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus to whom be Glory forever and ever Amen I say because the Lord hath chosen you and hath wrought Change in you and brought you out of their Pathes whose Habitations are full of Cruelty all that are in Bondage hate you and your Freedom and your Life and Way and there can be no Reconciliation no Concord in the Ground for as it was of old time even so now since Cain slew his Brother so all the Children of the Flesh of the Bond-woman and of the World hated them that were born of the Spirit and were redeemed up unto God to live unto him and glorifie him forever by shewing forth by a holy Conversation that they were so called and chosen of God I hope the Consideration of these things and the Knowledge of them dwells with you and in your Hearts and you see you are joyned to a blessed Company and an holy Assembly who are gone before and are entred into Rest and have precious Fellowship with them who now remain alive unto this Day who have Fellowship with the Father and the Son and in all our Trials and Afflictions are afflicted with us although you have had Exercises above many and have walked through the Region and Shadow of Death inward and outward yet the Lord hath upholden you unto this Day that you may bear in Mind his great and dreadful and wonderful Works and fear before him land honour him and speak Good of his Name and worship him in the Beauty of Holiness which he hath led you into and glorifie him in his Temple comfort and strengthen one another in the Truth and let not the World neither the fading Glory of it overcome your Hearts but in the Dominion of God stand over the World and its Temptations lest you be entangled that you cannot run with Patience and follow the Lord in the Cross the Dayes of our Pilgrimage go on apace the time is short all outward Suffering will have an End and Wrath shall cease to be any more happy are they that continue in the Patience for this Moment of time we have to follow the Lamb here through the War and Tribulation Victory is at the End thereof in the mean time God by his holy Spirit gives daily Hints of his Love in the inward Man unto all stay'd Minds and Assurance of the Victory which makes me often overlook present Suffering and forget the Afflictions that are past and little to heed present things though they seem to frown because the Light of God's Countenance is lifted up and his Favour and Love and strengthning Power felt in the inward Man which ballances all and weighs down the Scale of present Trouble and Affliction so that hard things are become easie and ponderous things light look not out at Trouble and Hardship but rather admire the great Goodness of God that hath so much restrained the Wrath of Men which was great and hath made some of it to turn to his Glory he hath made void the Intention of the prudent and hath turned Counsel backward and hath frustrated the Expectation of the proud and lofty who took Counsel together even as of old against the Lord and his anointed yet for all this God hath established his Son on the holy Hill of Sion and his Saints reign with him sure you cannot but have taken notice of these things and of the Out-goings of the Lord and have considered his handy-Works and say with me the Lord hath created Deliverance upon Mount Sion and hath appeared to the Joy of the Righteous and his Enemies he is making as the Dust under his Feet and is scattering the Devices of the Sons of fallen Adam and making them as the Chaff of the Summer Floor which the Wind scattereth Friends what shall I'say unto you that I love you ye know that it 's no less neither diminuished to the faithful I now give you to know I often remember you upon my Bed and not only so but before the Lord whom I know hath a Regard unto the Supplications of the upright and their Prayers are as Incense and from whom he smells a sweet Savour and gives them to feel and know it in their Hearts so that they come unto him with Confidence having Access through Jesus our Life and Joy unto whom be Glory and Honour forever and ever Amen Dearly beloved what shall I say to comfort your Hearts and stir up your Minds to the Exercise of his Grace in you but the plenteous Harvest of the Lord is come wherein they that have sown to the Spirit and have walked in Obedience thereunto do reap the plenteous Fruits of Righteousness Peace Joy Assurance and pure and perfect Consolation so that all Cause of Complaint is taken away Glory to the Lord forevermore the Vintage is ripe the Press is full and many Fatts overflow because of Plenty and many are filled with the Fatness of God's House the new Wine is drunk that comes from the pure and living Vine Christ Jesus Clusters of heavenly Grapes are possessed better by far then them the Spies brought from Eshcoll which may animate all your Hearts and encrease your Faith and Hope and further this I say unto you God is ready to give bountifully unto all if you be ready to receive and meet to digest his heavenly Food and I am sure you cannot want any good thing neither will his Consolation be withhâ—lden from you but that which the Prophet Hosea prophesied concerning Israel and the Blessings that should come upon them The Lord shall hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl and they shall hear Israel the same you shall feel inwardly to the Satisfaction of all your Souls the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ open all your Hearts and keep them open that he according to his Promise may come in and sup with you and make his Abode with you and us all Amen Amen Brethren I might and could write largely unto you but that I know that Word of Truth hath been and is plentifully from time to time published among you which I would have you all prize as a Mercy and Blessing from the Lord it was said in the Dayes of Eli the high Priest That the Word of the Lord was scarce in those Dayes and Amos prophesied against Israel when they slighted the Commandment of the Lord and said to the Sâ—ers see not and were out of Love with the Word of the Lord That there should come a Famine of it and they should wander from Sea to Sea and should not hear which was a great Judgment for that End I speak that you may prize that Plenty God hath scattered and sown among you and not loathe like Israel what nothing but Manna nothing but Manna or lust after new or unknown things as some prophane Minds say What one and the selfsame thing still we hear if we go from Year to year yest indeed the Truth is one the Way to Life one the everlasting Covenant of Life is one by which Salvation Peace and Reconciliation comes to all that believe and Union with God known and perfect Satisfaction to the faithful so that they say and believe in their Hearts he is come and the Way is declared that leads to everlasting Felicity and we look not for any nor after any other I say I might write largely unto you but you are written in my Heart even all that keep their Integrity feel my Love unto you all in the Life that hath quickned you that it runs as fresh and freely as Euphrates that watered the Garden of Eden and is no other then the bubling and springing of the VVater of Life of Love which the Lord caused to flow forth and in it to salute you all the Peace of God rest in all your Habitations Amen Appleby the 22 d of this 6 th Moneth 1668. Your Dear Brother in Suffering for Christ F. H. Cause this to be read in the Assembly of the Church of God in and about London Hartford and Kingston THE TABLE OF THE Principal Things contained in this BOOK A Warning to the Priests and People of Kendal page 1. The Word of the Lord to Oliver Cromwel p. 5. An Answer to Tho. Ellison 's Petition to O. Cromwel p. 7. The fiery Darts of the Devil quenched In Answer to a Book called The second Beacon fired presented to Oliver Cromwel then Protector p. 17. A Warning to all the Rulers in these English Nations p. 24. A Warning to all the World p. 26. A General Epistle to the Camp of the Lord in England p. 28. The Inheritance of Jacob discovered after his Return out of Egypt p. 37. A Lamentation for the scattered Tribes p. 65. I. The Difference shewn betwixt them that learn of Christ and are taught of him and them that follow the Principle of Darkness that leads into Error p. 72 II. The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned which is the World's and the Saints Faith p. 77. III. Concerning Hope and the Difference betwixt true and false Hope p. 79. IV. True Faith how it is wrought and what it is in its Effects and Operations p. 80. V. A Word to all the Ministers of the World in all Opinions and Sects and to all your People in every Sect p. 81. VI. To all you who put out the Eye through long accustoming to Sin who are near utter Darkness p. 84. VII To all them that are tossed and find no Rest for the Sole of their Feet but are still lead aside into Pollutions and Sin and know not how to come forth nor where the Power is p. 86. The measuring-Rod of the Lord stretched forth over all Nations p. 89 Some of the Mysteries of God's Kingdom declared p. 109. I. What the Day of the Lord is and to whom it hath appeared and how it is seen and discovered p. 114. II. What the Day of the Lord is and what it will be to the Wicked declared p. 115. III. What the Day of the Lord is to the Righteous and how he appears to them and whether any are to look for it whilest in the Body resolved p. 116. IV. Where the Day of the Lord doth appear and how it comes and how it is to be looked for declared p. 118. V. What the Spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the Things of God p. 119. VI. How the Spirit of Truth worketh and appeareth in them who are convinced and yet have not obeyed showed p. 121. VII How the Spirit of the Father worketh in them who are turned to it and have taken Heed unto its Manifestation and are in some Measure Partakers of its Power p. 125. VIII Vnto whom the Spirit of the Father bears Witness and seals Assurance of the Father's Love and of Justification with God declared p. 125. IX What the free Grace of God is and unto whom it hath appeared and where all are to wait to receive it declared as it hath been revealed by the Spirit p. 127. X. Whether all have received the Grace of God or no declared and whether it be a sufficient Teacher in it self to wit that Grace that hath appeared to all if it be received demonstrated p 129. XI A Word to the Wise Men of this World who are glorying in the Sound of Words and worshipping outward Appearances to all Wise and Litteral Professors who think you are worshipâ—ing God aright who think to search into the deep Things of God by your Natural Wisdom Learning Parts and Study p. 134. XII The Kingdom of God and of his Christ declared in some Measure as it is revealed what it is and how it comes to be revealed to them and in them that believe that all that are waiting for it may know wherein it consists and so receive the End of their Hope and the End of their Expectation and know the Dominion which hath no End p. 137. An Epistle to Friends in London p. 141. Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots discovered p. 145. The Invisible Things of God brought to Light by the Revelation of the Eternal Spirit p. 173. I. The Work of the Lord declared which was in the Beginning when the Word was with God and was the Father's Delight and Man made in the Image of God c. p. 179. II. The Vndâ—rstanding may read the Wisdom of God in a Mystery and also may see thi sottish Doctrine of the Apostates p. 182. III. An Objection answered p. 183. IV. How Peace Joy and Delight possâ—ssed every Thing that God had made how every Thing which he had formed glorified him with one Consent in the Beginning p. 184. V. How Man lost his
for it is not dead but the Just Man lives by it and his Works appear in the World and is as a Light but your Faith which is dead talks of it and when you are vewed in the Light no Fruits of Righteousness grow in you your Hope and Faith is vain and it will not save you from Condemnation in the Day of the Lord and because you find written in the Scriptures That by the Deeds of the Law no Flesh can be justified therefore you would exclude the Work of Grace and the Righteousness of Faith and the Life of Christ which brings forth Fruits and all Faith is dead without VVorks for as the Body lives not but it moves and acts no more is Faith living except it move and so you whose Faith stands in VVords and in things taken up in the Fallen VVisdom which you read without you that Faith is reprobate unto every good VVork and is vain for the living is not witnessed nor the dead raised in you to Life nor the lost Sheep found nor that which hath been driven away brought back but the Earth yet closeth the Blood and the Earth in you covers the slain and the Grave you see not opened nor the dead raised incorruptible and so you are unchanged but the corruptible lives and the mortal and draws you after it and is exalted and the Head not known who is the Life of men nor exalted and so he draws you not nor leads you not but you are led by your own wills and another girds you not nor the Gird of Strength is not at all known but in words and so the old man is alive uncrucified with his Deeds but his Deeds are brought forth and so by your Fruits you are known Concerning Hope and the Difference betwixt true and false Hope AND to all Sorts of Professors I shall clear my Conscience to you all and finish my Testimony that I may dwell in Peace with the Lord who hath commanded me to bear witness to his Name and his Love also constrains me and in Love to the Seed of Israel who are Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh who are of the true Circumcision that they may come out of Captivity from among the lying Inchanters Sorcerers and Diviners where they have been long held Captive and the Heritage of the Lord laid waste and therefore you whose Hope is without you it 's vain whose Hope stands without in these Things which are week as the Apostle said of the Law which made nothing perfect because of the weakness and unprofitableness of it which stood in washings and Signs of the true Tabernacle they were yet they did not make perfect so I say unto you your Bread VVine and Water which were Figures of a more Heavenly Thing they do make nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope Heb. 7.18 19. And so while you have Hope in any thing without you you stand in that which is imperfect and contend about that but look not for the Hope to be brought in by which you might draw near unto God Christ the Hope the Light and while this you own not to lead you the Light you cannot draw near unto God but he will slay you and kill you notwithstanding all your Words and all that walk in the Light come to see the Hope brought in and this Hope purifies the Heart as Christ is pure and then by it and through it there is a drawing near unto God and an Access to him with Boldness for where the lively Hope is there is no Guilt then there is Boldness and so you whose Hope is in Words without and not in you you forget God all that forget the Light forget God your Hope is the Hope of the Hypocrite which shall perish whose Hope shall be cut off as a Spiders Web Job 8.14 And all your Hope which doth not purifie the Heart and give you Victory over Sin daily is the Hope of the wicked Job 11.20 But the Eyes of the wicked shall fail and they shall not escape and their Hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost True Faith how it is wrought and what it is in its Effects and Operations Now concerning Faith it is begotten in the Heart of man by preaching of the eternal Word which Word is nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart and all that come to hearken to the Word which is pure and receive it and believe in it come to see Faith revealed by which they draw near unto God and this is begotten by the Word of Faith which is the Word of Christ which Word is Spirit and Life to all that receive it and by it are the Mountains removed and Sin overcome and Victory witnessed over Sin Mat. 17.20 and this Faith is pure and leads into Purity it is the Gift of God and leads all towards God that have it and it is perfect and all that stand in it come to have the Will of God perfected in them and that which is imperfect comes to be done away and the Just live by it Heb. 2.4 and in it and by it and through it is the Righousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 and all that do witness the Birth which is from above which is born of God which sins not Faith is the Life of this Birth which is just and the Son of God lives by it who doth the Will of God as it is written The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God and all who have it and believe in this shall never dye for by it is Translation witnessed from Sin Death and Condemnation into the immortal Life and by it is God's Righteousness revealed and well-pleased is he with all who walk in it and where this is not his Wrath and Displeasure arises and all who stand in the least Measure of it are perfect and come to be free from Sin for it brings and reveals the Righteousness of God which justifies sanctifies and mortifies even the Righteousness of God which takes away Sin and purges the Heart from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and thus Remission of Sins comes to be witnessed and man justified by the Rightâ—ousness of Christ which is the Righteousness of Faith wrought in the Creature by the eternal Spirit and VVord which are one and thus Assurance comes to be made manifest for it bears witness and is the true Evidence of the everlasting Substance which is brought in and Sin and Self and all Iniquity come to be seen revealed judged condemned and cast out and God's Righteousness comes to be the Life of a Believer even the Life of Christ which is immortal by which man comes to be redeemed and purchased unto God and not his own but becomes Servant to him and obedient to him whose Life is given and laid down and revealed to redeem his own Seed and all that come to see this come to prize his Love
Spirit a Spirit of Error is not a sufficient Guide and Judge and in this he fights without an Adversary and fills the World with Noise and Darkness and the Air with Smoak and would cloud Peoples Understandings with Multitudes of Words that tend not to Edification with a quarreling wrangling Spirit which is not for Peace but I see he hath delighted in Contention and sported himself in Variance and like the Son of the Bond-Woman his Hand against every Man Secondly â— wonder why R. E. quotâ—s so much Scripture for the Proof of his Matter in Hand seeing that it is one of his great Pleas that it is insufficient to be a Rule or a Guide or a Judge as to answer any Doubts or give any satisfactory Solution to him that is enquiring and seeing he hath given in so many Reasons against it as insufficient and as much as in him lay to invalidate and set it at nought and hath laboured to set it at Odds and to make Contradictions in it as to render it insufficient for Matter of Probation in any thing which is in Controversie or how he can judge that others should receive them and his sometimes false rendering of them or his own Interpretations upon them seeing he denyes them as uncertain as they are translated and insufficient and not fit to be a Rule and who this man hath conversed with I know not that should ever affirm a private Spirit or their own Spirits to be a sufficient Rule or Guide to walk by such I deny and leave them and thee to quarrel together about your Imaginations Thoughts and Conceptions or else the Conceptions of other Men who are as uncertain and fallible as the first and shall assert the Sufficiency of the Spirit of God teaching ruling guiding and judging all true Christian Men in that certain everlasting infallible Truth which is necessary and satisfactory to the Souls of all them that do believe in it and shall deny all the Pretenders to it who run into Heaps and Heads and quarrel and fight one with another about Shadows and can give no other Account or Manifestation then I am sure I have the Spirit of God and I ought to be believed and I am a good Man and the like which thou say'st thou could'st never receive any other Evidence or Testimony and what though many have pretended to the Spirit and the Guidance thereof and in the mean while have brought forth the Fruits of the Flesh and their own imaginary false Conceptions and have put on Confidence enough to say so as thou thy self it may be hast had a Share in times past shall this make the Spirit of God insufficient and uncertain in its Teachings to them that believe in it and have received and bring forth the Fruits of it and have the Deeds of the Flesh mortified by it God forbid Thirdly Why hast thou perverted the Scripture as I said at the first Onset Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self bears Witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and this thou hast put in in a distinct Character to be taken Notice of as though it were Scripture and render'st it thus The Spirit being Witness in secret with our Spirits or in plainer Terms the private Spirit thou must repent of this and take Heed how thou callest the Spirit of God a private Spirit for it was that publick Spirit which manifested it self among all the Patriarchs and Prophets and by which they spoke forth the Words and Mind of God unto the People and prophesied of things to come and through it alone is the deep and weighty things of God revealed and was and is the only Way and Means by which Christ promised after his Ascension to lead guide instruct and comfort his Disciples in all Truth and that it should bring to their Memory whatsoever he had spoken and that they were to be without Care or Thought for through it the Father should give them what to speak and what to answer before Rulers and Council for his Name 's sake And here the Sufficiency of it is proved to any reâ—sonable Man who hath the least Savour or Discerning of the things â—f God and this is that publick Spirit by which the Apostles published the Everlasting Gospel of Peace and which Christ the Head of the Body his Church had received without Measure and this is a private tâ—â—ining creeping Spirit of thine who hath been lost in thy own Imaginations and following thy own forward rash Spirit and hast found no Certainty in thy self of God's Spirit to stay thy Mind upon nor no Patience to wait upon it but reaching 〈…〉 at things in thy dark Mind and last of all hast brought in thy 〈◊〉 for the Devil against the Sufficiency of the holy Spirit of God 〈◊〉 Guidance amongst his People in the latter Dayes and that is thy fond Conception to say that the Spirit of God is expresly against 2 Pet. 1.20 which thou callest a private Spirit all along 't is true no Prophecy of Scripture is of private Interpretation but the holy men of God spoke it forth as they were moved by the holy Spirit which was publick and conversant among them with them and in them and they that have it can receive them as they are written and can read them and understand them as they were spoken and do see the Intent of the Holy Ghost in so speaking unto different States and Conditions notwithstanding the many Copies thou tellest on and Diversions and different Translations which thou would'st make a great Mountain on and raise it up so high to make the Scripture uncertain and low as not fit to be taken Notice on as to answer any Doubt or to be any Rule and Guide or any Example or President for any thing that I can perceive by the Courâ—e of thy Spirit which in the Truth is fathomed and comprehended though it is as uncertain as the Way of a Serpent upon a Rock yet they that have the Spirit of God see beyond all and have Unity with the Words and Mind of the Spirit of God notwithstanding the many Corruptions and Defects in Translations and the many foul Hands it hath passed through Fourthly The Spirit of Christ is the Gift of God which he giveth unto all that wait for his Appearance and his Sheep have it they that are Christ's have it for they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his it is that which is every Way sufficient no Way insufficient it is every Way sufficient to lead into all Truth according unto Christ's Promise and to convince the VVorld of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment again it is that which Christ promised for a Director which was with them when they healed the sick and cast out Devils and which was in them to consolate them and comfort them in the midst of Affliction as it did Peter and John and made them bold who were yet illiterate Men and