to thwart it or like to disgrace or disparage it as it was said of Israel of old 2 Chron. 36. v. 14. That the chief of the Priests and the Prophets transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord c. and they had habituated themselves so to do that this was the effect v. 15. That when God had sent to them by his Messengers because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place They v. 16. mocked the messengers of God despised his word and misused his Prophets Their custom to worship in that false way made them now not able to bear with a reprroof or persuasion to return to worship again after the way which God himself had prescribed so zealous were they for that which they had been used to in those days therefore did they persecute and misuse the Messengers whom God had sent to have turned them from their Heathenish way of worshiping which also the Psalmist noted in his time Psal 2. He prophesied that which should come to pass in Christs time Why saith he there do the heathen rage and the people imagin a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Le ts break their bands assunder and cast away their cords from us When the Lords Anointed should come he would by his Laws alter the Jewish ways of worshiping according to their old Law Traditions and Customs and introduce a new as the Law of God before did contradict and forbid the Heathen Worship which neither the one nor the other could bear with while unconverted therefore would they rage imagin and take counsel against God and Christ how to break their Bands and to cast away their Cords they would none of Christs Government or Laws of which also Christ himself in his days spake to his Disciples John 16. v. 2. that this blind Zeal should put them upon killing of the Opposers thereof The time cometh saith he there that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God good service Their opinion of their own false Way should be so strong that it should prompt them to destroy any who should preach or practice the contrary as for instance it came to pass Such was Pauls Zeal before his Conversion Act. 8. 't is said of him v. 3. That he made havock of the Church entring into every house and haleing men and women and committing them to prison the cause of which was his zeal for his Religion as himself acknowledged Act. 22.3 4. in these words I was zealous towards God as ye all at this day and I persecuted this way unto the death c. All this as the consequent of his mistaken Zeal as he said Acts 26. v. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus which things I also did and the particulars he named in the next verses Being exceeding mad against them I persecuted them c. And again Gal. 1.13 he declared it in these words Ye have heard of my Conversation in times past in the Jews Religion that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it The grounds and reasons stirring him up hereto was his mistaken Zeal as he himself saith in the next verse in these words And profited in the Jews Religion above many of mine equals in mine own Nation being more exceeding zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers Here his blind Zeal he verily thought he ought to do as he did he having been bred up in the strict observation of the Law and of the Jewish Traditions and Customs made him so exceeding mad against all such whose Doctrin or Practice was otherwise could not bear with any alteration or turning out of his accustomed way nor with any who did walk profess or teach otherwise therefore was he so violent in persecuting of Christians and in his endeavors to hinder the spreading of the Gospel till Christ met with him and convinced him to purpose of his mistaken zeal Another instance of this is noted by Daniel in his days Dan. 3. When the King there had set up an Image v. 1. and dedicated it v. 3. and in the following verses proclaimed that all should at such times fall down and worship And the Caldeans great zeal for this Idolatry put them upon accusing Shadrach Meshach and Abednego c. for not worshiping this Image as the Caldeans did worship this also set the King into a great rage too against them such was his zeal also yea to such a degree too that when they had utterly denyed to worship the Image he commanded the Furnace to be heat seventy times hotter and they to be cast in which was executed v. 21. So hot was he for his Image-worship that the Non-complyers must die for it Upon the like ground also did the Scribes and Pharisees quarrel with Christ and his Disciples in those days Mat. 15. Why say they there to Christ do thy Disciples transgress the Traditions of the the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat Bread v. 2. Their Heat and Fervor for their Religion and Traditions put them upon this Cavelling tho Christ had told them that they by their Traditions had made void the Law of God this Tradition and Custom of theirs is set forth in Mark 7.3 4. thus That the Pharisees and the Jews except they wash their hands oft eat not holding the Traditions of the Elders and when they came from the Market except they washed they would not eat and many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of Cups and Pots Brasen-vessels and of Tables or Beds Their Heart engagedness to these Ways and Traditions received of their Father made them quarrel at Christ and his Followers for not observing of them So again for not observing the Sabbath Mat. 12. they said Behold thy Disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day v. 2. And this put them upon endeavoring to ensnare Christ by questions and take counsel against him how they might destroy him they could not bear with such who did not as they did in these matters in those days The Philosophers were so addicted to their Idols Act. 17. that they despised Paul and his Doctrin and said v. 14. What will this babler say he seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods and v. 19 20. they said May we know what this new Doctrin whereof thou speakest is For thou bringest certain things we would know therefore what these things mean These could not bear with the preaching up the true God they being worshipers of Idols the true God was a strange God to them and what Paul had preached were strange things because contrary to what they had been bred up in and their zeal was so hot for their false Worship that they despised
Liberty of Conscience ASSERTED OR A Looking-Glass FOR PERSECUTORS Being a plain Deduction from Scripture-History OF THE Original Grounds Pretences FOR PERSECUTION The METHODS taken to put the same in Execution Together with the sad Consequences thereof Or The Reward that attends Persecuting-Spirits LONDON Printed and sold by R. Janaway in Queens-Head-Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1687. A PREFACE to the READER Christian Reader PErsecution for Religion is almost as old as the World The first Murther under the Sun being committed on that account when Cain assassinated his righteous Brother Abel meerly because he worship'd God better than himself and ever since the Enmity has continued And when it will please Almighty Wisdom to put a final Period to such Practices throughout the World we are not able to determin But since merciful Providence has vouchsafed so to dispose the Royal Heart of our Gracious Sovereign as to give a Stop and we hope total Abolition thereunto in the Land of our Nativity and to open a Door to the Oppressed that they may both peaceably worship their Creator according to the best of their Light and freely remonstrate the Evils of the Persecuting Spirit to those who lately were so intirely possest therewith that even to complain of those Severities we unjustly suffered was made a new Crime It must certainly be our Duty to improve this Opportunity as far as we can to the common Interest of Christianity Not in the least to reflect upon or upbraid any for past Miscarriages much less to stir up any Heart-burnings or motions towards Revenge or Animosities but only to convince such as have had any hand in rigid Persecutions against their Neighbors meerly on the Score of a Conscientious Dissent in Matters of Religion of the Evil of such Proceedings and to caution all others for the future against the like Violences To advance these good and wholsom Ends is the design and purport of the following Treatise which in a plain familiar Stile endeavors to give the World a true Prospect altogether deduced from Holy Writ of the Original Source and several grounds from whence Persecution has in all Ages arose and been propagated amongst Men. The Means Methods and Pretences whereby the same has been carried on and palliated As likewise the sad Consequences thereof in the heavy Judgments righteously inflicted by Almighty God even in this World on those that have been guilty of such Out-rages In short As the natural Man views his own Vissage and all the Lineaments of his Countenance in a common Glass so every Murthering Cain or Oppressive Pharaoh or Envious Haman or Blasphemous Rabshekah or Raging Samballat or Bloody Herod or Treacherous Judas and all and every their Successors may in this Portraiture drawn to the Life by the Holy Ghost in the Inspired Writings behold represented the true Character of themselves their Motives Designs Words Actings and without sincere Repentance of their final Doom and Destruction too That the divine Blessing may so far accompany this Mean but well intended Work as to render it instrumental to bring some that have been Concern'd in this Kind to an hearty Acknowledgment of their Crimes And to make Persecution for Conscience an Abhorrence to all that profess to call on the Name of the Blessed JESUS who is both the Prince of Peace the Fountain of Love the grand Examplar of Meekness and Author of all Consolation Shall be the Prayer of the Publisher H. C. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning c. Rom. XV. 3 4. These things hapned to them for Examples and they were written for our Admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. X. 11. THE Holy Scriptures being written and continued for the Learning and Admonition of those who should live in future Ages especially of those upon whom the ends of the World are come It doth highly concern every one who believes the things therein written to be Truth and Verity to be instructing themselves in the Matters which these divine Records do contain to the end that they may learn and be admonished thereby to follow the good Examples of Christ himself and of the eminent Saints therein mentioned be of such a Spirit as they were of walk and do as they did that it may be well with them in the latter end And to the intent that they may take heed of being found in the Spirit and Practices of some others who lived in those days and were of a contrary Temper to the former and did otherwise than they did and so consequently escape the direful Effects which in those days fell upon some of these latter ones and that all such may be assured they shall feel at the last day One grand thing therefore written and here and there to be found scattered in those divine Records worthy observation and to be seriously considered by all Men tho I fear least observed or flightly thought on by most as that which is a Matter of no small moment and concern to them for the warning and awakening of some comfort and quiet of others Is this viz. The great Opposition between the Two Seeds of the Serpent and the Woman the World and Christ those who are born after the Flesh and those who are born after the Spirit those who are yet of the World and those who are called out of the World the wicked of the World and the Saints of the most High God No sooner were Men born from above and evidenced the same by their Works but wicked Men not yet born again were ready to devour them as the Prophet Isaiah saith Chap. 59.15 He who departeth from evil maketh himself a prey No sooner depart from Evil but the Teeth of the wicked were edged against them The Evidences of which the Scripture hath abundantly delivered down to after Ages It testifieth not only of the Enmity Envy Malice and bitterness which was rooted seated and predominated in the Breasts of Men whilst in the Flesh yet Children of the wicked One in those Ages against them who were born of the Spirit Subjects of the King of Kings followers of God and Christ yea against Holiness it self against the Laws of Christ and his Government their Hearts said as Pharaoh's did Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should obey him And as Christ in a Parable intimates the Hearts of the Jews to be saying Luke 19. in these words His Citizens hated him and said We will not have this Man to rule over us v. 14. Nor will we endure any of his Subjects But also of the very Methods and Ways wherein they expressed this Enmity and bitterness of Spirit that was so fixed in them both by Word and Deed Yea moreover the very Causes from whence all the former did spring as also the sad Effects which was like to follow or be the reward of such Spirits and Doings The critical observation of all which when well searched out might be that no small
the Pride height of Spirit and revengeful Nature which was in them Such was their Pride that they would not seek God themselves nor bear with those who did as the Psalmist said Psal 10.4 That the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek God and in v. 8. 't is said of him That in the secret places doth he murther the innocent his eyes are privily set against the poor as their Pride here would not permit them to seek God so it set them against the Saints innocent Ones who did seek God The Psalmist again Psal 119.69 said The proud have forged a lie against me And again Psal 123.4 he saith Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of them who are at ease and with the contempt of the proud Here the Holy Ghost takes notice that the Pride of their Hearts did render the Saints the objects of their Scorn and put them upon forging of lies against them This very thing set Haman into so great hatred against Mordicai and made him so resolute on revenge against him and all the Jews Hester 3. his proud Heart could not bear with Mordicai because he did not arise and do him Reverence as is expressed v. 5. in these words When Haman saw that Mordicai bowed not nor did him reverence then was Haman full of wrath and in the next verse He thought scorn to lay hands on Mordicai alone but sought to destroy all the Jews with him such were his revengeful Purposes from the dreadful Pride of his Heart Hence it came to pass that the Presidents and Princes in Daniels time so much hated him studied to revenge and took those courses to execute it upon him Dan. 6. He being now advanced by King Darius over all the Presidents and Princes v. 1 2. their proud hearts could not bear it and this put them upon seeking occasion against him concerning the Kingdom v. 4. and finding none so good a Subject and innocent Man was he they in the next verses resolves to take him in the matters of his God procured a Law and pursued him in the ways they had devised till they had gotten him into the Lions Den tho the King himself would have saved him From the like pride of Heart the Libertines and others who were disputing with Stephen Act. 6. and not able v. 9. to resist the spirit and wisdom by which he spake nor able to bear to be silenced by Stephen they in the next verses evidenced their Pride and revengeful Spirits they confute him by suborning Witnesses stirring up the People Elders and Scribes against him caught him and carryed him before the Council The like Spirit did the Jews evidence in those days in their Behaviour towards the Man who was born blind John 9. when he had by such convincing Arguments which they could not resist proved Christ to be of God v. 30. and so on The Pride of the Pharisees being such that they could not bear to be put to silence by such a poor unlearned Man as he was therefore they v. 34. took this course they first say to him Thou wast altogether born in sin and dost thou teach us And they Excommunicated him Having no better Argument they confuted him this way and revenged upon him after this sort Thus hath the Scripture noted that the wicked Ones envy against good Men often did arise from the Pride of their Hearts and revengeful Nature 4thly A fourth cause or ground from whence they so maligned and persecuted the Saints Christ himself and his Followers in those days did arise from their great ignorance of God himself of Christ and of the Saints in persecuting of whom they persecuted Christ as he told Saul Act. 9.4 As 't is said of Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 Who is the Lord that I should let Israel go I know not the Lord said he therefore I will not let Israel go his ignorance of God here made him oppress and grieve Gods People still and pursue them afterwards So it was with Saul Act. 9. when Christ had said Why persecutest thou me Saul answered Who art thou Lord v. 4 5. Here his ignorance of Jesus was the cause why he persecuted him and his Saints Christ intimates this also to be the cause why the Jews hated him and persecuted him to the death Luke 23. when they were Crucified of him he there prays for them in these words v. 34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do Had they known him saith the Scripture they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Their ignorance here was the cause of their persecuting Acts and of their malignant Mind against him and his The Psalmist took it for granted that in those days it did proceed from hence Psal 14.4 thus he said Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread Which Saying strongly implies that had they had knowledge they would not they could not have done so The Apostles also in their time did intimate the like and assigned the Ignorance of the Jews to be the cause of their malignity against Christ and his Act. 3. they tell them v. 15. That they had killed the Prince of life but v. 17. saith to them thus Now Brethren I wot that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers And again Act. 13. said the Apostle to them in v. 27. That they who dwell at Jerusalem and their Rulers because they knew him not nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath-day they have fulfilled them in condemning him and in v. 28. Tho they found not cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain Upon the same Foundation of Ignorance Paul acknowledgeth that he went Act. 26. I verily thought with my self v. 9. that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus The Jews themselves John 9. did own their ignorance of Christ v. 29. said they As for this Fellow we know not from whence he is all the undeniable Evidences they had had that he was of God did not enlighten them nor convince them therefore they persisted to envy and persecute him and as to such who professed to own him many denied him Titus 1.16 being unto every good work reprobate or void of Judgment In like manner the Scripture declared that afterwards they persecuted and hated good Men upon this account or from hence that they knew not God Christ or them 1 Jo. 3.1 Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew not him and as Christ had told his Disciples John 15.20 If they persecuted me they will also persecute you and in the next verses gives the reason of it in these words All these things will they do unto you for my name sake because they know not him who sent me So again John 16. The time cometh said Christ there v. 2. that whosoever killeth you shall think he doth God
good service the reason of which he gives in the next verse in these words These things will they do because they have not known the Father nor me From this Root also doubtless it came to pass that the Christians in that Age were called a Sect Act. 28. and were so much spoken against every where as Pauls Countrymen said v. 2. We desire said they to him to hear of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this Sect we know that every where 't is spoken against right or wrong they speak against them and their way because they understood them not nor it Peter in general assigns this as the cause of Mens speaking evil of many things 2 Pet. 2.12 Those saith he speaking there of wicked Men as natural brute Beasts c. spake evil of the things which they understood not nay 't is marvellous that the malice of the Jews against Christ did so blind them that when Judas came to them and acknowledged to them that he had betrayed innocent Blood Mat. 27.3 4. They say What is that to us look thou to that when they had been the chief Instruments in the betraying of him and putting him to death Thus doth the Scripture Records note this Cause among others of which Mens envy against Christ himself and his Followers in those days against the Saints of old before his time and why they persecuted them 5thly A fifth cause or ground yet which the same Scripture doth assign or declare of these their Spirits and Doings was from a causeless and carnal Fear which they had conceived that if the Saints of old Jesus Christ and his Followers in those days were suffered amongst them or if their Doctrin should have prevailed then these would grow to big for them and would withdraw their subjection from their Rulers Rebel usurp Authority and would be had in greatest Esteem and Repute by the People and so derogate from the Honor Esteem Authority and Rule of those who did thus envy and persecute them they were ready to think that all Men would believe on Christ and that all the World would go after him if they should have let Him and his Followers alone and should not have stopped their course as they did declare John 11.48 If we let him thus alone said they there all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our Place and Nation And again John 12.19 they said Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the world is gone after him thus did their causeless Jealousie work to Envy and Hatred and Persecution This made the Chief Priests and Scribes so highly displeased Mat. 21. when they had seen Christ to have such Esteem among the People and the same so evidenced by the multitudes spreading of their Garments decking the Ways where he did ride with Branches and crying out Hosanna to the Son of David blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the Highest v. 8 9 15. and upon this they v. 23. demanded of Christ by what authority he did those things as if he were about to usurp Authority or at least that he did it against or without Authority Particular instances of this cause or ground too not a few the Scripture takes notice of as in Exod. 1. The King there was without cause jealous that the Jews there would grow too great and numerous and Rebel therefore consulted to prevent their increase by dealing hardly with them his Jealousie is expressed v. 9 10. in these words The Children of Israel are more and mightier than we Come let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any War they join also to our Enemies and fight against us This causeless Fear put him upon dealing cruelly with them in order to prevent their growth as in the following verses upon which account also Josephs Brethren went Gen 37. they suspecting by his Dreams and his Fathers shew of love to him that Joseph would be greater than they v. 4. and the 8 11. they thereupon are said there to hate him and envy him and v. 19 20. of the same Chap. they consulted to slay him They could not bear with the thoughts of this that he should be greater than they in his Fathers Heart nor superior unto them in after-times which they had guessed his Dreams did intimate that he should be therefore they hate him and resolve to prevent the coming thereof to pass by taking away of his Life tho God purposed to advance Joseph to save them alive as Joseph afterwards told them Gen. 45.5 This Spirit is taken notice of also in Joshua from the same ground in Moses time Numb 11.26 When Eldad and Medad had prophesied in the Camp the young man presently thinking Moses was clouded somewhat by this told Moses on 't v. 27. and v. 28. said My Lord Moses forbid them which Spirit of Envy in Joshua and the cause on 't too Moses perceived and blamed him for it in these words in the next verses Enviest thou for my sake would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all doubtless Joshua here thought that none should have the honor of a Spirit of Prophesie but Moses or if they had they should not shew it as being eclipsing to Moses Glory and this stirred up this Envy in him For this cause also did Saul eye and envy David in that day and sought his Life David had gotten far into the opinion of his Fellow Subjects through his prudent Behavior in the Kings business and Saul feared that he would usurp the Kingdom too doubtless which he intimated in these words 1 Sam. 18. When the Women came after the overthrow of the Philistines singing in v. 6 7. that Saul had slain his thousands and David his ten thousands he v. 8. was very wroth and the saying displeased him and he said they have ascribed to David his ten thousand and to me thousand and can he have more but the Kingdom The Effect followeth in the next verses Saul from that day following eyed David and resolved and endeavored to kill him and Chap. 19.1 He gave order to his Son and Servants to kill him Yea he was also wroth with his Son Jonathan upon the same grounds for Jonathans sake 1 Sam. 19. when Jonathan had been excusing Davids absence v. 28 29. Sauls anger was kindled against Jonathan v. 30. and he said unto him Do not I know that thou hast chosen the Son of Jesse to thine own confusion c. and in the next verse he said As long as the Son of Jesse liveth upon the ground thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom wherefore send and fetch him to me for he shall surely die Here Sauls apprehension that David did eclipse his Glory and that the People had too much esteem for David and that he might prove disloyal and usurp
Jews he v. 15. said of them in these words Who killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved Here were they highly engaged in a persecuting Spirit and of opposition of the Gospel of Salvation But what saith the Holy Ghost in the next words concerning the Consequents thereof To fill up their sin alway saith he for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost And least any Man should flatter himself with vain hopes of Escaping tho he should have persisted in such a Spirit and Practice Christ himself hath possitively asserted that God will avenge it Luke 18.7 8. in these words Shall not God avenge his own elect who cry day and night unto him c. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Here or hereafter vengeanc will overtake the Enemies and Persecutors of his Elect and that it is but just in God so to do the Apostle intimates 2 Thess 1.6 7. and so on in these words Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them who trouble you and to you who are troubled rest when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed c. to take vengeance on them who know not God c. v. 9. Their punishment is said to be then their everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power And the righteousness of God is proclaimed in his executing this vengeance on them Rev. 16. v. 5 6. in these words Thou art righteous O Lord c. because thou hast judged thus for they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink for they are worthy The Scripture hath taken notice that sometimes God did execute threatned Judgments upon such in this World so did he with all the Countrys before threatned for their hatred against and vengeance and cruelty they took and exercised upon his People Israel and Haman himself met with the same evil he had designed to have executed upon Mordicai And some times 't is reserved to be punished in the World to come and shall remain upon them for ever of which Judgments unavoidably to come upon them that envious Spirit they were found in was a full evidence as the Apostle said Philip. 1.28 to the persecuted Saints in that day by way of comfort to them in these words And in nothing terrified by your Adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition and to you of salvation and that of God And to which also Christ spake home unto the Jews Mat. 25. speaking there v. 31. and so on of his coming to judge the world he v. 41 42 and so on saith Then shall the King say unto them on the left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for I was an hungary and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not and he explains his meaning to them in v. 45. In as much saith he as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me and this direful Word followeth in v. 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment whence they might have easily inferred that if it should be so sad with those who gave not Meat Cloathed not gave not Drink visited not in Prisons in Sickness how much more sad would the Condition of such be who took away their Meat and Drink made them Poor and Naked cast them into Prison were instrumental to make them Sick yea and take away their Lives too If a Woe be pronounced against them who are at ease in Zion and not grieved for the Affliction of Joseph as in Amos 6.1 2 3. and so on what might those expect who were the Afflicters of Joseph It was no light thing when God should come to avenge for much the Apostle did give them to know in those days when he had affirmed Heb. 10.30 these words as that which God had said Vengeance belong to me saith the Lord and I will repay it c. He subjoins this in the next verse It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Therefore God himself by the Prophet David Psal 2. After he had been Prophesying of the Rage of Princes and People against the Lord and his Anointed and had set forth their Vanity and the ineffectualness of their Attempts against him in the beginning of the Psalm he v. 10 11 12. adviseth them to submit because of the sad Consequents of their persisting in their Rage in these words Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little c. What dreadful Judgments hath befallen the Jews since they in their rage against Christ utttered these words Mat. 27.25 His blood be upon us and our Children Thus do these divine Records especially note the great and seated Enmity which was in the Hearts of wicked Men in those days of the World against good Men and Things and the breakings out thereof in the several Ways they then took to prevent the increase of them and it together with the Causes or several Grounds from when that Spirit in those days did arise and took life as also the dreadful Case of such the sad Consequents of being found in such a Spirit and Practices And are not these things written as are other things in the Scriptures of old for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come And doth it not concern all Men to instruct themselves therein in order to their own escape from the Errors of these and so save themselves from the direful Consequents and Effects depending upon them FINIS