THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AGAIN DISCOVERED After the long and dark Night of Apostacy which hath overshadowed the whole World for many ages and the profession and practise thereof witnessed unto by the Scriptures And here all may see who it is of all these Sects and divers forms of Religion in these Nations that are agreeable to the Scriptures in what they professe and practise and who it is that are not according thereunto for the line of true judgement is stretched upon all profession and a true search into and tryal thereof is made and hereby it is manifest who it is and what sort of people that may justly claim the benefit of the Protectors Oath to be protected thereby in their practises of Religion who hath bound himself to maintain and uphold that Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures c. This is written for the good of this Commonwealth and the information of all people in it By a friend to all people especially them that feares God and loves righteousness LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1658. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION Again discovered c. FOrasmuch as Oliver Cromwell called Lord Protector of England Scotland and Ireland chief Ruler according to man hath bound himself by an oath and sworn that he will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestan◠Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Old and new Testament of the Scriptures which oath he is bound to perform before the Lord and unto all men Now it remains to be tried and proved what the Christian Religion is and who it is in these Nations that are of the true reformed Protestant Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Scriptures seeing there are abundance of Sects and diversities of judgements and many Assemblies and gatherings of people who are divers in their wayes in their practices and in their form of Religion in these Nations which doth all profess the Scriptures and that their form of Religion is accorco the Scriptures but this cannot be but it will be manifest otherwise for the Scriptures which were given forth by the one spirit of God bears not witness of many true Ways or unto many true Religions but unto one truth and unto one true Religion and is the Declaration of one way of life and salvation by one Jesus Christ and there is no other Name under heaven given for salvation and they that believe in him and receive him they it is onely that are of the true Religion who are guided by his spirit and changed thereby from death to life and such hath unity with the Father and with the Son and one with another and are not of this world but heirs of the Kindom of God and these may own and claim a title to be defended and preserved in their exercise and practice of Religion Therefore come all sorts of people and let us try and prove who it is that is of the true Religion and who it is that he is bound to maintain and uphold by his oath Come I say all Sects and sorts of people and appear to trial Dare you join issue with me in this matter to try your profession and practise of Religion whether it be according to the Scriptures in the purity thereof yea or nay for the Lord hath put it into my heart to lay you all to the line of true judgement and to prove you whether you must be upholden and maintained in your Religion yea or nay Come claim your priviledge if your profession and practice in Religion be according to the Scriptures then you may own your right and the benefit of the Protectors oath but if your profession and practice in Religion be otherwise and not according to the Scriptures then you must stand back and defend your selves if you can for the Protector is not bound to maintain and uphold you in your practice of Religion And with this argument I shall try you all whatsoever is professed and practised for Religion for which there is neither command nor president in Scripture is not according to the Scripture let this fall where it may this is truth and therefore all people come to trial and receive your judgement by this rule· And first the true Religion is a walking with God in purity and holiness a performing of good to him and not doing any evil a belief in Christ and receiving of him and a living in him and through the operation of his spirit to be changed into his image and the body of sin and death put off and a living to God in all things and not a living to this vain World in any thing but in all things to be guided by the spirit of Christ This in short is a description of the true Religion and they that are of this Religion shall be saved in the day of the Lord and in equity and righteousness should be protected according to the Oath before-mentioned or else the oath is not performed in justice but rather broken through transgression And first of all as concerning that profession practice in Religion which is most general in these Nations I mean such as sprinkle Infants and are sprinkled being Infants professing it to be the Baptism into the faith of Christ and that it is a seal of the new Covenant and of remission of sins and that thereby people are made capable of union with Christ and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sign of regeneration c. This is practised and professed by many for Religion but this practice and doctrine is not according to the Scripture being it was never commanded nor any example for it in Scripture therefore all ye through all these Nations that are made Christians and ownes your title in Christianity and a right to fellowship with Christ and that ye are joyned to the Church and become members of Christ because you were sprinkled when you were Infants and all ye that teach this for doctrine and practice it for Religion you are not of the true Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Scriptures This I do affirm therefore stand you by for what you practise and professe there is neither command nor president in Scripture if you could shew any you are now called and a necessity is put upon you to make use of your knowledge if you would be protected in this Commonwealth in your practise of RELIGION likewise you sing and give to sing Davids Psalmes in rime and meeter professing it is to the glory and honor of God ye practice this as an Ordinance of God as a part of his Worship and as a part of your Religion but this practice and profession also is manifest not to be according to Scriptures because it was never commanded neither is there any president for this practice in the Scriptures in Gospel-times Therefore in this part of your Religion you cannot
hath given light to every man that cometh into the world this is according the Scripture as you may read Joh. 8.12 Ioh. 1.9 and though they turn people from darkness to the light of Christ within them exhorts people to hearken to that within them not to seek a Christ without them to ascend or descend to fetch him these Doctrines are perfectly according to the Scripture for you may read Acts 26.18 Paul saith he was sent to turn people from darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to the power of God and Rom. 10 you may read the Apostle saith What saith it The Word is nigh thee in thy heart that is The Word of Faith which we preach and they were not to say Who shall ascend or descend to fetch Christ And though they tell people they must witness Christ in them or else they cannot be saved this also is according to the Scriptures as you may read 2 Cor. 13. chap. the Apostle saith Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And though they say Christ is the Word of God and doth deny the Scriptures to be the Word by which the World was made this Doctrine also is according to the Scriptures for we read Rev. 19.13 that the Name of Jesus is called the Word of God And Luke 1. of the Scriptures it is said they are a Declaration by those which were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word And though they press people to perfection and doth say Men may be perfect upon Earth and compleat in Christ Jesus this Doctrine also is according to the Scriptures for you may read 1 Cor. 2. chap and 6 of some that were perfect who were men upon earth and the Ministers of Christ spoke Wisdom among them that were already perfect and Col. 2·10 the Apostle saith unto the Church who were men in this life upon Earth he saith to them Ye are compleat in him And though they press the people to live without sin and doth say They that are born of God doth not commit sin this also is according to the Scripture for it is Christs command Mat 5 Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect and 1 Joh. 3. there it is spoken of some that were the sons of God already and he saith Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for he cannot sin because he is born of God and saith he A◠he is Christ so are we in this present world And now all people may understand that in all these Doctrines which they do hold forth they do fully agree with the Scriptures and they bear witness to the truth of their Doctrines that the servants of God and the Apostles of Christ did preach the very same things for Doctrine as is done at this day and so these Doctrines are not to be wondred at not so much as they are by the wicked to be cryed against for heresie and error and these few particulars onely I have mentioned at which the people of this age the most stumble at and all other things whatsoever which is held forth for Doctrines unto people I am able to prove them by the Scriptures that in all things they are according to the Scripture not different or contrary to the Scriptures so that all people may take notice and see that whatsoever they do practice for Religion and holds forth for Doctrine they do herein justly according to the Scriptures and they justifie their practises doctrines in these things mentioned and in whatsoever else can be objected by any man And this I shall take in hand to prove before all the World That the people of God called Quakers doth practice nothing for Religion or preach for Doctrine but what is perfectly according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and in the fulfilling of them and so they are proved to be of that true christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures and so may fully claim protection and preservation in their practice of Religion And this is to be considered by the Protector and all Magistrates and people in these Nations that they may know what the true Christian Religion is and who is in it and who is not in it and for this purpose is this written for the satisfaction of all people that they may see who it is that hath a right and priviledg to be protected upholden by vertue of the Oath Likewise all may understand That what such practice and profes for Religion is not without good ground but that the very same things were practised by them that were of the true Christian Religion and preached for Doctrine by them that were Saints which is now practised and held forth by the people of God and the Scriptures doth fully bear witness in all things shewing that such are guided by the same spirit which the Saints were guided by in ages past and as they had so have these the testimony that they are of God and that the whole world lies in wickedness And as concerning their being persecuted by many of the Rulers Priests and People though they be sent to prison and banished out of Towns and whipped and beaten and scorned and reviled this is also according to the Scriptures and the Scriptures is fulfilled upon them for the same things were done to the Apostles and to the servants of the Lord as you may read through the Acts the people mocked the Apostles and slandered them and said they were full of new Wine and the chief Priests conspired against Christ and the Apostles and incensed the Magistrates against them and the Magistrates put Christ and many of the Apostles in prison and caused them to be whipped and beaten to be banished many other cruelties done unto them the Scripture is full to prove this from the beginning to the end of it and Christ said They shall persecute you and speak all manner of evil of you for my Names sake and as they have done unto me so shall they do unto you ye shall be hated of Nations And the Apostle said All that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution So that all people may see though the people of the Lord be persecuted and reviled and imprisoned and cruelty done unto them and though it be done by the chief Magistrates and chief Rulers and the wise men of this age all this is according to the Scriptures and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled and the same things which are now done unto the people of God were done unto the people of God in ages past by the same instruments to wit the Rulers and Magistrates and by the same means to wit by the information and false accusations of the chief Priests and Teachers in Jeremiah you may read how the Priests sought to take away his life and you may read how the chief Priests consulted against Christ and how they complained to the Magistrates against him
justly own to be protected and maintained because the Protectors oath reaches not to uphold maintain any such practices in Religion which is not according to the Scriptures likewise all ye that meets together to exercise your Religion and to worship God in Temples made with hands set apart by you for that practice professing them to be Churches of Christ this is not according but contrary to the Scriptures which saith God dwells not in Temples made with hands neither did the Saints of old constantly practice any such thing but it was the persecutors that met in Temples made with hands who cast out and hailed the Apostles out of such Temples so that in this practice you cannot justly own to be protected as not being a practice in Religion according to Scriptures Likewise all ye whose Ministers preacheth for hire and have hire for preaching so much a year and so much a Sermon at a Town or a Parish in a setled place and who takes Tythes and compells people to pay tythes by a Law such are not the Ministers of Christ and ye that uphold such for Ministers of Christ are false in judgement and blind in understanding and are not of that Christian Religion which is according to Scriptures in the purity thereof neither Ministers nor people for the Ministers of Christ never acted any such thing it was the false Prophets and false Apostles that preached for hire and for gifts and rewards neither did the Saints and Churches of Christ look upon them that acted those things to be Ministers of Christ but on the contrary declared against them to be deceivers so that all you people and you professed Ministers that acts those things that the false Prophets acted and all you people that loves to have it so and gives hire to your Ministers for preaching and consenteth unto it none of you are of the christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures because this part of your practice in Religion is not according but contrary to Scriptures Now substracting all these in these Nations from the whole which practiseth and professeth these things mentioned for Ordinances of God and for his Worship none of you are of the true christian religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures because these things which you practise for Religion is not held forth in all the Scriptures by any example or command likewise you are of the greatest number of people in all these Nations and that practice and profession in Religion which the greatest number follow and exercise themselves in cannot be the true christian Religion because the Scripture saith Few are in the straight way that leads to life to wit in the pure and true Religion but many are in the broad way that leads to destruction and such that are the greatest number who are in the broad way are not in the Religion in the purity thereof as it is held forth in the Scriptures likewise many of ye who practise those things mentioned for Religion are yet unconverted to God but lives in wickedness in the pride and vanities and in all the evil of this World in double-dealing in drunkenness in Whoredom in the Works of darkness therefore you are not of the true christian Religion neither do you walk with God in purity and holiness neither are you changed by Christ into his Image nor are guided by his spirit neither do you live to God in any thing but to this world in all things and your Religion is manifest not to be according to the Scriptures but contrary and so let all people consider whether or no you must be maintained in your Religion Come forth and plead your cause all ye that are called Presbyterians and Independents and all others stand up and prove if you can your practice in religion to be according to Scriptures but seing no man is able to prove these things mentioned which is practised by you for Religion to wit Sprinkling of Infants and singing Davids experiences in rime and meeter and worshipping God in set-places as Idol-Temples and preaching for and giving great sâ—ms of money for preaching with other things practised by you for Religion neither were these things ever commanded in Scriptures neither is there any example for the practise of these things in Scripture by any of the Lords people therefore you cannot justly own a title in the Protectors oath to be maintained and upheld by vertue thereof in these your practises of Religion for it appears he is but bound onely to uphold and maintain that Religion which is according to Scriptures and not them who practiseth those things for Religion which are not according but contrary to the Scriptures Likewise all ye that are called gathered churches who holds forth for Doctrine that the Scriptures are the word by which the world was made and that the Scriptures are the foundation and that the Scriptures are the way to salvation that the Letter and the Spirit are unseparable and that the Scriptures are both the writings and the thing signified and that except a man be baptized with water he cannot be saved with such like Doctrines which have been held forth by some professing themselves to be of the church of Christ all you are manifest not to be of the christian religion because those doctrines are not according but rather contrary to the Scriptures Likewise all ye whose practise in the exercise of Religion is but by imitation from the Scriptures and you are not led by the spirit of the Father in what you speak practise you are not of the true christian religion wch the Scripture speaks of for the sons of God who are of the true Religion are led by the spirit of God not by their own thoughts imaginations the traditions of men and all that are not led by the spirit of the Father are not of the true christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures and not any that are such can justly own to be protected in their Religion because it is not according to the Scriptures likewise all ye that doth profess the things of God and Christ and that you are members of the church of Christ and professes righteousness and truth in words and yet lives in pride and the vanities of this world and in unrighteousness and the customs of the heathen which are vain are not clensed from unrighteousnes nor freed from the body of sin death neither doth answer your profession wth a conversation shewing that you are not guided with that spirit whose words you do profess all you are hypocrites lives in hypocrisie none of you are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures for the exercise in true Religion sheweth forth in life what is professed in words come try your selves and prove your selves all sorts of people for now your Religion is to be tryed what Name soever you go under
it is to wait upon the Lord in silence who never yet was put to silence in themselves by the Lord and you may read Ezek. 3 where the Prophet sate down amoâ—g the people of the Captivity and they were astonished seven days and at the end of seven days and not before the word of the Lord came to the Prophet so that you see it was the practise of the servants of the Lord oftentimes to sit and wait upon the Lord in silence though people wonder at such meetings now and we do not read that there was alwayes speaking among the Saints in the churches when they were met together but Acts 2. we read that the church was met together in a place and the Holy Ghost fell upon them and then they began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance then it seems they had not spoken before though they had met together in a house and then they spoke the wonderful things of God and some that heard mocked and others said they were full of new Wine even as the people of the World do at this day when any of the people of the Lord are moved to speak as the spirit gives utterance so that sometime to sit in silence being met together to wait upon the Lord as many of the servants of the Lord do in this Nation is a practise of Religion and not contrary but according to the Scriptures for many of the servants and assemblies of the Lords people practised the same thing in ages past as the servants of the Lord do at this day so this practise is to be upholden and maintained because it is proved to be according to the Scriptures for the same thing was practised heretofore and we read Acts 20.7 that the church met in the night for Paul continued his sermon till midnight And as for their practise in speaking either man or woman as the spirit gives utterance this is according to the Scriptures though it be much wondred at and cryed against by the wise men and people of this age for we read Act. 2. that they spoke in their meeting as the spirit gave them utterance without studying before-hand what to say the Lord promised that sons and daughters should prophesie in Act. 21.9 we read of one that had four daughters that did prophesie divers other places in Scripture doth shew that women * laboured in the Gospel which doth prove that a woman speaking declaring the things of God is not contrary but according to the Scriptures and that any who are moved of the Lord may declare the things of God man or woman and the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4.10 As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another so that this practise in Religion is proved to be according to the Scriptures And as concerning their call to the Ministry some are called from their ordinary callings as from the Plough or from handicraft work or tradings or such like this is according to the Scriptures also for we read Matt. 4.18 19. where the disciples were called from their Nets and some were called from the receit of custom and we read Amos 7. that he was a Herdsman a gatherer of Sycamore fruit * Elisha was called from the Plough and some others were called from keeping of sheep So that their call to the Ministry and practise in the Ministry is according to the Scriptures for the servants of the Lord in former ages were called to the Ministry after the same manner so in that they do agree to the Scripture both in Ministry and ministring and so may own protection herein by the Protectors oath And as concerning their going up and down through the Countries and from City to City and from one Town to another and from one Nation to another this is according to the Scriptures though some seek occasion thereby against them and unjustly takes them as for Vagabonds and executes their envy upon them yet it was the Apostles practise as you may read in the Book of Acts where the Apostles travelled from Countrey to Countrey and from one City to another and though some of the servants of the Lord are moved now to speak and dispute in the Markets and reprove sin in the gates and in the streets and in the high-ways and threatning Gods judgements against the wicked all these things are according to the Scripture and their practise herein is justified by the Scriptures for we read Acts 17.17 that Paul disputed in the Synagogues with the Iews and with the devout persons and in the Market dayly with them that met with him and we read Jer. 7. that he was commanded to stand in the Gate of the Lords House and to speak to all that passed into it And Jer. 26. we read that he was commanded to stand in the Court of the Lords House without doors and to speak to all the Cities of Judah And we read in the Booke of Jonah how he was commanded to go through the streets and to reprove sin and to threaten Gods judgements against the wicked and these practises were strange in that generation as they are at this day unto the World who are not acquainted with the ways of God but all people may see though the servants of the Lord do practise these things now as they are moved their practise herein is according to the Scriptures for the servants of the Lord in former ages acted the same things so that in this practise the servants of the Lord ought not to be persecuted but protected and maintained in it and that by the Protectors oath because it is proved to be according to the Scriptures which he is sworn to maintain And as concerning their crying against such and declaring against them by word and writing that preach for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter and such who goes for gifts and rewards and hath sums of money by the year for preaching and though they deny such that acts those things to be Ministers of Christ this practise also is according to the Scriptures for we read Mich. 3. that he declared against such as preached for hire and divined for money and such were no Ministers of Christ And we read Isa. 56. that he declared against them that sought for their gain from their quarter which were greedy covetous men such as is many of the Teachers of England Again we read Matt. 23. where Christ declared against such did not own such to be any of his Ministers who were called of men Master who stood praying in the Synagogue and had the chief places in the Assemblies And we read in 2 Pet. 2. and in many other places where the Apostles declared against such and denyed such to be Ministers of Christ that preached for filthy lucre and took gifts and rewards for preaching and by feigned words made merchandize of souls who were