as in 2 John v. 10. And therefore my Beloved follow not that which is Evil but that which is Good for he that doth good is of God and he that doth evil hath not seen God Here is the true Judgment of a true Watch-man in the Power and Spirit of Christ as many as receive Christ to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God which were born not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Man but of God these had Power from Christ to admonish reprove and rebuke such as went out from the Will of God into Sin and Evil and the Apostle said Though I should boast some what more of our Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for your Destruction So here the Apostles had Authority which the Lord had given them for the Edification of the Church to keep them out of Destruction 2 Cor. 10. And the Apostle said to the Church of Corinth I fear lest when I come I shall not find you as I would and yet I shall be found unto you such as ye woâ—lâ— not lest there be Debates Envying Wrath Strifes c. and lest when I come again my God will humble me amongst you and I should bewail many which have sinned already and have not repented of your Uncleanness Fornication and Lasciviousness which you have committed I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpness according to the Power which the Lord hath given me to Edification and not to Destruction Here you see the Authority and Power from the Lord the Apostles had to judge such as these for the Edification of them that profess Christianity not for their Destruction 2 Cor. 11.12 And the Apostle faith For to this end also did I write that I might know the truth of you whether ye be obedient in all things to whom ye forgave any thing I forgave it for your sakes in the Person of Christ So here you may see where there was an Obedience to the Truth there was a Forgiveness in Christ 2 Cor. 2. And the Apostle saith For verily as absent in Body but present in the Spirit I have judged already as though I was present concerning him that has done this Deed in the Name of the Lord Jesus when you are gathered together and my Spirit with the Power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the Flesh c. Know ye not a little Leaven leavens the whole lump purge out therefore the old Leaven that ye may be a new lump 1 Cor. 5. Here you see the Apostle and the Church of Christ had Power and Authority from Christ to cast out and to purge out that which is Evil or the old Leaven out of the Church of Christ that they may be a new lump for the Apostle said He would shortly come to the Church of the Corinthians if the Lord will and I will not know the Speech of them which are puft up but the Power to wit of the Speech for the Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power So here the Apostle in his Authority in the Power of Christ would know the Power of Christ in others and would have the Church of Christ to do the same for the Apostle saith Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World So the sanctified which are made holy judge the unholy World And again Know ye not that ye shall judge Angels Angels are Spirits they that keep their habitation in the Truth and are in the Spirit of Christ do judge the Angels and Spirits that are â—aâ—â—â— from the Truth and their Habitation in the Truth yea I say the Devil and his Angels in whom is no Truth they that walk in the Truth and live in the Power and Spirit of Jesus do judge such and therefore it was a shame to the Church of Christ who had this Power to judge small things to go to Law one with another before the uâ—bâ—lieving World whom they had Power to judge and not to set up the least in the Church to judge of outward things pertaining to this Life seeing they had the Power to judge of greater matters So here you may see the Church of Christ hath Power from Christ to judge the Angels to judge the World and to judge in outward matters of things that pertain to this Life 1 Cor. 6. Concerning Exhortation and Admonition COncerning Exhortation Judas and Silas c. exhorted the Brethren with many Words and comforted them Acts 15. And the Apostle confirmed the Souls of the Disciples and exhorted them to continue in the Faith and that we must through many Tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God when he had ordained them Elders in every Church c. they commended them to the Lord whom they believed Acts 14. So you may see here was Elders ordained in every Church and the aged Women are commended as well as the Men as in Titus 2. And Barnabas exhorted the Church of Antioch yea he exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord Acts 11. And the Brethren wrote exhorting to receive Apollos who when he was come into Achia helped them much who had believed through Grace Here you may see it was the practice of the Church of Christ of exhorting and did help them which believed through Grace Acts 18. And you may see in Acts 20. how the Apostle had given the Church of Macedonia much Exhortation and this Exhortation was in the Spirit and Power of Christ for Christ gave to his Disciples Power and Authority over all Devils c. Luk. 9. And the Apostles exhorted the Thessalonians to exhort 2 Thes 3. and in Thes 4.1 and said We beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Name of the Lord Jesus that as you have received of us how ye ought to walk and please God And said Moreover ye know how that we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you c. that ye walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes 2. wherefore comfort your selves together and exhort and edifie one another even as ye also do and we exhort you Brethren warn them that are Unruly and comfort the Feeble-minded and support the Weak and be patient towards all Men. Here you may see the Church hath Authority both to support and comfort and exhort and warn the Unruly 1 Thes 5. And you may see how the Apostles did command and exhort such as walk disorderly in 2 Thes 3. And the Apostle did exhort saying Save your selves from this untoward Generation Acts 20.40 And the Apostle exhorted the Marriners that were in the Ship To be of good cheer for there shall be no loss of any mans Life I believe in God and that it shall be even as it was told me to wit by the Lord Acts 27. And the Apostle saith
holy Order is and go out of simplicity and innocency into subtilty and craft for the Devil that abode not in the Truth and his followers that disobey God and his Truth which follow the Devil in whom there is no Truth there is no order but confusion Truth hath an order for all things that God did make by Jesus Christ upholds all things by his Word and Power So with his Word and Power he keeps all things in their places and in their order in their times and in their seasons the Summer and the Winter the Night and the Day the Sun Moon and the Stars all things are kept in order by the Word of God and his Power and the Earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof and the Sea and the fullness therein So both the Earth and the Sea and all things therein are kept in their order by the Word and Power of God by which they were made by which they are upheld So all the works of the Lord praise him and all men and women that are in the Truth which makes them free from him that abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth So all Gods free People or Children that are made free indeed by the Truth are in the order of the Truth and in the order of the Spirit of God and in the order of the Gospel and are in the order of the Light the Life in Christ and are over the foul Spirit of Disorder in the Land of Death and Darkness as the Scripture saith A Land of Darkness as Darkness it self and of the shadow of Death without any Order Mark without any Order where the Light is as Darkness This Spirit may cry out against Orders whose Habitation is Darkness without any order but as the Lord saith Who offers up Praise glorifies me and he that orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of God Now here is a particular Order for every man and woman to observe for the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delight in his way Psal 37. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent speaking of Christ Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedeck Psal 110. Heb. 5. and Christ is not called after the order of Aaron Heb. 7. Here you may see Melchizedeck the Priest was not made without an Order and Aaron's Priesthood was made by an order of God according to his Rod's budding in the Tabernacle and Christ was not a Priest made without an Order which is after the order of Melchizedeck and his Royal Priesthood which offers up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God are in his spiritual Order and in the Order of the spirit of God And Isaiah saith chap. 9. Vnto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders So here Christ bears up his Government and of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end for Christ orders it and establishes it c. So Christ's Government is a peaceable Government and there is no strife in it and Christ's Government is peaceable in his Power Light and Spirit And the Apostle after he had exhorted the Corinthians of many things said The rest I will set in order when I come and this was by the Power and Spirit of Christ And the Apostle saith to Titâ—â— I left thee in Creet that thou shouldst set in order the things that be wanting and that thou ordain Elders in every City as I have appointed thee And in the 2d chapt ye may see how he speaks of the Qualifications of the aged men and the aged women that were to be teachers of good things and of the younger c. Now here you may see the Apostle was for good Order and established good Order in the Church of Christ and encouraged Titus to set in order and ordain Elders in every City in Creet which were wanting so that all the Church of Christ might be kept in the Order and Power and Spirit of Christ And the Apostle saith to the Colosians Though I be absent in the flesh yet I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your Order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ and as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Now here you may see the Church of Christ had a spiritual order though the Apostle was absent in the flesh from them yet he was present with them in his spirit with which spirit he rejoyced and beheld their spiritual order so in this spiritual order must all Gods People live though they be absent in Body one from another yet in the spirit they may rejoyce beholding the spiritual order that is in the Church of Christ and the stedfastness of one anothers Faith in Christ Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of it G. F. THE END Books lately published and sold by Andrew Sowle HUmphry Smith's Books collected into one Volumn Price 2 s. 6 d. A handful after the Harvest-man or a Collection of the Epistles and Testimonies of Richard Samble William Penn's No Cross No Crown His Letter from Pennsilvania giving a brief description thereof Concerning Meetings in Houses Streets By ways c. By G. F. A brief Treatise of Religious Womens Meetings Truth 's Vindication or a gentle stroke to wipe off the foul Aspersions and Misrepresentations cast upon the Quakers By E. Bathurst 8o. Some Fruits brought forth through a tender Branch named W. Sixmith The good Housewife made a Doctor Or a plain way of Natures own prescribing to prevent and cure most Diseases incident to Men Women and Children by Diet and Kitchin-Physick only 8o. bound 1 s.
SEVERAL Plain Truths Manifested and Declared from the SPIRIT of GOD And born Testimony to by Christ the Apostles and Scriptures of Truth I. Concerning Mount-Sion II. A Distinction betwixt Wars and Armour in the Old Testament and the New III. Concerning CAIN IV. Concerning Uniformity and Conformity V. The Authority of the Church of Christ VI. Concerning Exhorting and Admonishing VII Concerning such as cry against Orders c. By G. F. London Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Lane Shoreditch 1684. Concerning Mount-Sion MOVNT-SION was a Hill higher than all other Hills and it stands northwards in Jerusalem and therefore is called SION that is a Watch-Tower because from this Hill Sion from it one might see the Holy Land and all the Countries thereabouts and upon this Hill David built his City and blew the Trumpet which Mount-Sion and Jerusalem was a Type of a Heavenly Jerusalem and Sion for the Lord said I have set my King or Anointed upon my holy Hill of Sion Heavenly Sion is the Hill or Mountain of Gods Holiness beautiful for Scituation the Joy of the whole Earth is Mount-Sion let Mount-Sion rejoyce Psal 48. For God will save Sion the Salvation of Israel comes out of Sion to wit Christ who is elect and precious laid in Sion but not in the outward Hill or Mount-Sion for Christ was born in Bethlem and David saith by Prophecy concerning Christ O that the Salvation of Israel was come out of Sion when the Lord brings back the Captivity of his People Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Psal 14. And again he saith Let Israel rejoyce in the Lord that made him let the Children of Sion be joyful in their King for Sion shall be redeemed through Judgment and her Converts through Righteousness Is not this Sion Gods People and not the outward Hill For out of Sion shall go forth a Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Is not this heavenly Jerusalem and heavenly Sion that the Word of the Lord and his Law goes out of and not out of the outward Hill Sion In the last dayes Isaiah saith that the Mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established on the top of all Mountains and exalted above all the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it Is not this heavenly Mount-Sion and heavenly Jerusalem And Isaiah saith The Lord is exalted for he dwells on high he hath filled Sion with Judgment and Righteousness Sion is called a City of our Solemnity and Jerusalem a quiet habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the Cords thereof be broken Is not this heavenly Jerusalem and heavenly Sion But let the Hypocrites or Sinners of outward Sion or Jerusalem be afraid which may be removed or broken which heavenly Sion or Jerusalem cannot for no unclean thing enters into it O Sion that bringest good Tidings get thee up into the high Mountain of Jerusalem that brings good tidings lift up thy Voice with strength lift it up be not afraid Say unto the City of Judah Behold your God So here 's Sion and Jerusalem that bring good tidings Now do ye think that this was the outward Jerusalem or outward Hill for Christ was born in Bethlem a Cheif Corner Stone elect and precious laid in Sion but it doth not say in the outward Hili Sion Isaiah speakes by prophecy Isa 51. He will comfort all her waste places and he will make her Wilderness like Eden and her Desart like the Garden of the Lord Joy and Gladness shall be found therein Thanks-giving and the Voice of Melody I have put my Words in thy Mouth and have Covered thee even in the Shadow of my hand that I may plant the Heavens and lay the Foundations of the Earth and say unto Sion Thou art my People Here you may see that Sion is Gods People And how beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that brings glad Tidings that publishes Peace that brings good Tidings of good that publisheth Salvation that saith unto Sion Thy God riegns when the Lord shall bring again Sion to wit his People for the outward Mountain with the outward Hill was not removed and the Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that are turned from Transgression Isa 59. and Rom. 11. And this Redeemer is Christ And Isaiah saith Who hath seen such a thing and who hath heard such things Shall a Nation be born at once For so soon as Sion travelled she brought forth her Chileren Now here you may see the wonder of Sion's Travel which was not the Great Hill nor Watch-Tower in Jerusalem And Zachariah saith The Lord shall yet Comfort Sion that is his People Zach. 1. And Zachariah saith shout thou Daughter of Sion And again he saith to Sion Let not thy hand be slack so Sion was and is Gods People And Micah saith In the Last dayes c. the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established above all the Mountains and it shall be exalted above all the Hills So here is Gods heavenly Mountain or Watch Tower which is above all Hills and Mountains and People shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his Paths Here God is the Teacher of his People and Nations for these last days are the dayes of Cluist in his New Covenant or Testament where the Lord goes forth from heavenly Sion the Mountain of the House of God established above all Mountains and the Word from heavenly Jerusalem that is above old Jerusalem which was the Word of Faith the Apostles preach't in Peoples Hearts and Mouthes Rom. 10. Micah 4. Isa 2. The Jews in the Old Testament they had the Law given to them at the outward Hill Moum-Sion who had the outward Hill North in Jerusalem called Mount-Sion and read the outward Law in outward Jerusalem but the Mountain of the Lord or heavenly Mount-Sion which is called the Mountain of the House of the Lord is established on the top of all the Mountains and exalted above all the Hills so that all Nations may see it and slow unto it And Obadiah saith Vpon Mount-Sion shall be deliverance c. and saviours shall come upon Mount-Sion to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdom shall be the Lords And the Apostle saith Rom. 9. As it is written behold I lay in Sion a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of Offence and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed And Peter saith 1 Epist 2. Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner Stone elect and precious and he that believeth on him shall not be Confounded to all that believe in him he is precious but unto them that are disobedient he is a Stone of
stumbling and a Rock of Offence who stumbles at the Word the Stone which the Builders disallowed viz. the outward professors the same is made the Head of the Corner of Gods House whose House Gods People are and this Sion the chief Corner Stone which is laid in Sion was not laid in the Hill called Sion in outward Jerusalem for Christ the chief Corner Stone was born in Bethlem as is said before And the Apostle writes to the Church in his Epistle to the Hebâ—ew and said They were not come to the Mount Sinai where they received the Law but ye are come to Mount-Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Compâ—ny of Angels and they were come to the general Assembly the Church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New-Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling c. See that ye refuse not him that speaks from Heaven if we turn away from him that speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes not the Earth only but the Heavens also but if ye here the Voice of Christ and follow him ye will receive his Kingdom that cannot be moved nor shaken And Now all ye Christions that profess Christianity are ye come to Mount-Sion or are ye under the Law which came from Mount-Sinai not Mount-Sion which Law commanded Tythes Offerings Sacrifice Oaths and Swearing with outward Tabernacle Sanctuary and Temple and Priests Lips to preserve Peoples Knowledge commanded by the Law in the Old Testament and if ye be come to Mount-Sion and heavenly Jerusalem the City of the Living God then you see the innumerable Company of Angels and the Spirits of Just men made perfect and they that are come here their Names are written in Heaven and such are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant who speaks from Heaven whose Voice shakes the Heavens and the Earth that are to be shaken that those things that cannot be shaken may remain Heb. 12. And John said Rev. 14. He saw a Lamb stood on Mount-Zion and with him a hundred forty four thousand having their Fathers Name written in their foreheads which were redeemed out of the Earth and from amongst men and they followed the Lamb and in their mouthes were found no Guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God and they sung a new Song before the Throne and no man could learn that Song but the hundred forty four thousand which were redeemed c. Then surely this was spiritual and surely this was heavenly-Sion and not Earthy which the hundred and forty four thousand stood upon which were redeemed from the Earth and so from Earthly Sion and Earthly Jerusalem and all those Earthly things that followed Christ the Lamb and was with him after he was risen before the Throne of God Gouses in Essex 13th day of the 2d Moneth 1683. G. F. A Distinction betwixt the Wars and the Weapons and the Arms and the Armour in the Old Testament and the New for in the Old Testament they were Carnal and in the New Testament Spiritual THe Apostle bids the Church of Christ Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devil for we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against Spiritual Wickedness in High-places So this Wrestling was with Spiritual Weapons Spiritual Men for Carnal Men Wrestle with Flesh and Blood and with Carnal Weapons and mens Armour and not the Armour of God And again the Apostle saith Take unto you the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand in the Evil day having done and having overcome all to stand having your Loyns girt with Truth So this is a heavenly Girdle not natural and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness this is a Spiritual Breast-plate not Natural having your Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace which is the Power of God over the Devil and before he was to be shod thus is not with outward shoes but with that which will never wax old nor wear out and above all take the shield of Faith that Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked this Shield of Faith is Holy Divine and Precious and is the Victory which Spiritual Faith God and Christ is the Author of and not Men And take unto you the Holmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Phil. 6. This Helmet of Salvation is Spiritual and the Sword is Spiritual so not a natural Sword or a natural Helmet and the Word of God is called a Hammer a Fire and a Sword to hammer down and cut down and burn up that which hath made a Separation betwixt man and God and it is called the Word of Reconciliation that reconciles to God So the true Church and Ministers of Christ are to prove themselves by Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left 2 Cor. 6. For though the Church of Christ do walk in the Flesh yet the Apostle saith We do not War after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Mighty through God to the plucking down of strong-Holds to wit of Satan casting down Imaginations and every High thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Chirst having in readiness to revenge all Disobedience This is with Spiritual Weapons not Carnal 2 Cor. 10. And the Apostle saith to the Romans The night is far spent and the day is at hand let us cast off therefore the Works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light This Armour of Light is not Natural but Divine and Spiritual to all the Children of the Light and of the day this Armour of Light is afore Darkness was and the Devil the Power of it and he the Power of Darkness cannot pearce thorow this Armour of Light and this Armour of Light is above all natural and carnal Armour and all the Children of the Light that walk in this Light and this Armour they walk honestly and decently as in the day for they that walk in Rioting Drunhenness Chambering and Wantonness make provision for the Flesh to fulfill the Lusts thereof such are naked concerning this Armour of Light and though they may make profession of Christ they do not put him on as in Rom. 13. And Christ saith When a strong man armed keeps his House his Goods are at peace but when a stronger then he shall come upon him and overcome him he takes
from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and spoils his Goods c. Is not Christ stronger than the Devil that hath kept the House of the hearts of People And doth not he disarm him and spoil his Goods And is not Christs Weapon Spiritual And the Lord saith to Zachariah Not by might nor by power to wit of men but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Zach. 4. The Lord saith Comfort ye my People spake ye comfortably to Jerusalem and Cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her Iniquity is pardoned c. Is not this Jerusalem Gods People whose Iniquity Christ pardons and warfare is accomplished Isa 40. And again Isaiah saith Isa 2. and Micah 4. spaking of Christ He shall judge amongst the Nations and shall rebuke many People and they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more but they shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Fig-Tree and none shall make them affraid for the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spaken it Is not this Vine Christ And are not these the days of his Gospel of Peace And David saith Come behold the Works of the Lord what desolation he makes in the Earth he makes Wars to cease unto the ends of the Earth he breaks the Bow and cuts the Spear in sunder he burns the Chariots in fire Psal 46. The Lord rebukes the company of Spear-men the Multitude of the Bulls with the Calves of the People till every one submit himself to wit to the Lord who scatters the People that delight in War And are not these the days of Christ in the New Testament who ascended on high and led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Psal 68. and Ephes 4.8 where the Apostles shews the fulfilling of it and the Apostle James saith in his general Epistle to the Church of Christ From whence comes Wars and Fightings amongst you Come they not even of your Lusts that war in your Members Mark in your Members James 4. So here is a War in your Members the ground of it is from your Lusts before the Wars and Fightings were outwardly amongst People which Wars and Fightings without comes from the Lusts of the Members within And the Apostle saith to the Hebrews in the 11th chapter who by Faith subdued Kingdoms stopt the Mouthes of Lyons quencht the Violence of Fire escaped the edge of the Sword this was the Sheild of Faith a stronger weapon than outward Swords and is a stronger Weapon than Fire and can quench the Violence of it that stopt the Mouthes of Lyons this is beyond Carnal Weapons which Fire and Lyons may overcome And the Apostle exhorts Timothy 2 Tim. 2. Thou therefore my Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus and endure hardship as a good souldier of Jesus Christ But Timothy did not War with Flesh and Blood with Carnal Weapons as he was as a souldier of Christ but with Christs heavenly Arms and Armour for as the Apostle Peter saith in his general Epistle to the Church For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the Flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind to wit of Christ for he that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the Flesh to the Lusts of men but to the Will of God for the time past of our Life may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles or Nations And the Apostle saith to the Romans chap. 6. Yeild not your Members as Instruments of Vnrighteousness unto Sin but yield your Members unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your Members as Instruments of Righteousness unto God So its clear they that yeild their Members as Instruments of Unrighteousness unto sin are not alive unto God and the two Witnesses that had power to smite the Earth as often as they would do you think that they did it with carnal Weapons And there was War in Heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought against his Angels and the Dragon prevailed not neither was there any more place found in Heaven for him but he and his Angels were cast out into the Earth Rev. 12. Now the holy Angels of God are Spirits so then they had Spiritual Weapons and not carral Swords Muskets Pikes and Pistols c. to sight with the Dragon And John said I saw Heaven open and behold a white Horse and he that sate upon him was called Faithful and true and in Righteousness he doth Judge and make War c. and he was clothed with a Vesture dipt in Blood and his Name was called the Word of God and the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon White Horses cloathed in fine Linnen white and clean and out of his Mouth goes a sharp Sword that with it he should smite the Nations and he shall Rule them with a Rod of Iron c. And the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gathered together to make War against him that sate on the Horse and his Army who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords but the Beast was taken and the false Prophet c. and them that had received the Mark of the Beast and had worshipped his Image these both were cast alive into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone and the Remnant were slain with the Sword of him that sate upon the White Horse which Sword proceeded out of his Mouth Rev. 19. And were these think you carnal Weapons that Christ and his Followers made War with against the Beast and the false Prophet and they that worshipped the Beast and his Image and received his Mark and took them and overcame them and cast the Beast and the false Prophet in the Lake that burns with Brimstone And was that an outward carnal Sword that went out of his Mouth by which he slew the Beasts worshippers that had his Marks and Image Do you think that Christ or his Army that sate on White Horses and followed him which were in Heaven that they had outward Swords and Pistels and Pikes and Muskets and Guns and Cannons by which they overcome the Beast and the false Prophet No it is said that Christs Army was cloathed with fine Linnen and Christs Vesture was dipt in Blood which Army followed him in Heaven Nebuchadnezar lift up his Eyes to Heaven and blest the most High and said all the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as nothing and the Lord doth according to his will in the Armies of Heaven and amongst the Inhabitants of Earth and none can stay his hand nor say unto him What dost thou Here you may see Nebuchadnezar was made to confess the great God who saw his Armies in Heaven who abased his Pride
which who do so conform are in the heavenly unity and conformity and Christ who tasted Death for every man for all dyed in Adam he enlightens every man that comes into the world with his heavenly Light which is the Life in him the Word by whom all things were made Now every man and woman being turned to the Light which is the Life in Christ and believing in it and walking in it is the means by which they may be made conformable to the Image of the Son of God and so come into Unity and Conformity and Fellowship one with another and with the Father and the Son And the Grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared unto all men which Grace taught the Church of Christ which Grace and Truth came by Jesus now I say this Grace taught the Church of Christ to live Godly Righteously and to deny Ungodliness and Unrighteousness and to live soberly in this World Now if all People will be conformed to the Image of the Son of God it must be through this grace that comes from the Son of God and this grace is in their hearts to settle them and stablish them which teaches them to deny that which is ungodly and unrighteous and to receive and cleave to that which is godly and righteous And so here is Gods Love and favour to all men who dyed in Adam that his grace and favour should appear unto all men to teach them and bring their Salvation that they may be made conformable to Christs death who hath tasted death for them all and dye and live with him and suffer and reign with him and so be conformable to the Image of the son of God and here is a heavenly divine and spiritual Conformity and Uniformity And Joel saith by Prophecy It shall come to pass in the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh Now these last days are the days of the New Covenant and New Testament and the days of the Gospel of Salvation preacht to every Creature man and woman that all might be obedient and conformable to the Power of God the Gospel of Salvation and so as all are conformable to this glorious Gospel of Christ they will be conformed to the Image of the Son of God and so into a glorious peaceable uniformity and conformity fellowship and unity in the Gospel the Power of God which brings Life and Immortality to light and in this Power of God they will see over the Power of the Devil and before he was that hath darkned them And likewise God who poureth out of his Spirit upon all flesh both men and women that all with the spirit of God might mortifie the deeds of the flesh and in the spirit of God live and that all with the spirit of God might be circumcised and put off the body of Death and fins of the flesh that 's come into them by transgression and disobeying of God so that all in the spirit may be conformable to the Image of the Son of God and be in unity and a spiritual fellowship and uniformity through the spiritual conformity for all the Sons and Daughters of God are led by the spirit of God and here is a spiritual conformity and a heavenly uniformity amongst the Sons and Daughters of God and God having poured out of his spirit upon all flesh that is all men and women that all men and women might be conformable to this holy pure spirit of God which spirit of God will baptize them if they do not quench vex grieve and rebel against it or err from it I say it will baptize them all into one body which Christ the Lord from Heaven is the head of and so with this holy spirit that baptizes into one body are all made to drink into one spirit Here is a spiritual conformity and a heavenly uniformity and concord where there is no discord for the Apostle saith There is is one Lord one Baptism one Faith c. and the work of the Ministry was to bring People into the unity of this Faith and the knowledge of the Son of God who was the Author and Finisher of this precious holy and divine Faith in which Faith they had victory over that which is unholy and access to God in which Faith they pleased him having victory over that which displeased him and this is called the Faith of Gods Elect in which they had all unity and they were called The Houshold of Faith and through this Faith did receive the Righteousness of Christ through which Faith they were made conformable to Christs death and conformable to the Image of the son of God through the Righteousness of Faith which was before and beyond and above the Righteousness of Man and the Righteousness of the Law and in the Righteousness of Christ and the Image of the son of God here is the Saints holy and righteous Uniformity and spiritual and heavenly Unity and Fellowship And David saith Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity Now the unity and fellowship is in the Light Grace and Truth and Spirit and the Gospel the Power of God and the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of and therefore all must be conformable to the Light Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus Christ and to the Spirit of God that God pours upon them and to the Gospel of salvation and to the Faith that Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of if ever ye do come into Vniformity Vnity and Fellowship in the Light in the Truth in the Gospel in the Faith in the Image of the Son of God one with another and with the Father and the Son that the Saints are and were in in the Apostles days glory and honour to the Lord over all sorever who is teaching his People by his Son who bruises the Serpents head that false Teacher and now God is the Teacher of his People by his Son and I say was the Teacher of Adam and Eve in Paradise before they fell who is God all-sufficient and a sufficient Teacher G. F. The Authority of the Church of Christ THe Apostle saith to the Corinthians I told you before and fore-tell you as if I were present now I write to them which heretofore have sinned and to all others if I come I will not spare 2 Cor. 13.2 Here the Apostle used his Authority in the Power and Spirit of Christ who would not spare Sin and Sinners And John said That I wrote unto the Church but Diotrâ—phes who loveth to have the preheminence amongst them received us not wherefore if I come I will remember his Deeds which he doth prate against us with malicious Words And so John thought of this Diotrephes in the Power of God and had Authority in his Power to judge such Prating puft-up Diotrephes's and their malicious Words and so hath the Church of Christ in his Power to judge such now
to Timothy Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine neglect not the Gift that is in thee and bad Timothy Teach and Exhort and to be an Example to the Believers in Word Conversation Faith Charity and Purity 1 Tim. 2.4 6. And the Apostle exhorts Timothy Preach the Word in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all Long-suffering and Doctrine the time will come when they will not endure sound Doctrine but turn their Ears away from the Truth and heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears And therefore ye see the Churches authority to Exhort Rebuke and Reprove such 2 Tim. 4. But the Apostle saith to Timothy Rebuke not an Elder but entreat him as a Father and the elder Women as Mothers c. 1 Tim. 5. And the Apostle saith to Titus in Chap. 2. Exhort rebuke with all Authority and exhort Servants to be obedient to their own Masters c. that they may adorn the Doctrine of God in all things And the Apostle exhorted Titus To set in order the things that are wanting in Creet and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee And they were to be such as were able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince Gain-sayers and the Apostle exhorted Titus To rebuke sharply the Vnruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers Tit. 1. And Titus received the Apostles Exhortation when they sent him to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. And the Apostle said A man that is a Heretick after the first and second Admonition reject And the Apostle saith Let us consider one another to provoke one another unto good Works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the Day approach to wit of Christ Jesus Heb 10 24 25. And the Apostle said â—eseech you Brethren suffer ye the Word of Exhortation c. Heb. 13. And the Apostle saith to the Colosians Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all Wisdom teaching and admonishing one another c. Col. 3. So here you may see the Church of Christ from his Word dwelling in them were able to teach and admonish one another from the Word of Wisdom in them So it seems then they did not set a Priest over them that he might be always teaching of them and they might be always paying of them And the Apostle saith to the Romans Rom. 15.14 I my self also am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye are full of Goodness and filled with all Knowledge able also to Admonish one another So here you may see the Church of the Romans were able to admonish one another then without setting up of Colledges to make Priests to admonish them and therefore as the Apostle saith to the Philippians in Chap. 2. That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a Crocked Generation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World holding forth the Word of Life And the Apostle saith I have sent Tythicus unto you the Ephesians that he might know your Affairs and he might Comfort your Hearts Ephes 6. Here the Churches knew and made known the Affairs one of another in the Lord. And Jude exhorted the Church in his general Epistle That they should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints or sanctified Ones which Faith Christ is the author and finisher of And now had all Christendom contended for this Faith or Belief then they would not have made so many Faiths or Beliefs to kill and destroy one another about which had they kept in Christs saving Faith which saves and doth not destroy and with that Shield of Faith ye do not War with Flesh and Blood to destroy it And the Lord sent Jeremiah to admonish the Children of Israel that they should not go into Egypt but they disobeyed the Word of the Lord unto Jeremiah and went into Egypt therefore Jeremiah told them They should dye in the Land of Egypt and should be consumed Jer. 42.43 44. Here you may see what became of them that disobeyed the admonishment of the Lord and his Prophet and therefore Solomon saith Better is a poor and a wise Child then an old and soolish King who will no more be admonished or knoweth not to be admonished Eccles 4. And Solomon saith The words of the Wise are as Goards and as Nails fastened by the Masters of Assemblies c. by these my Son be admonished Eccles 12. So it is good for all to receive the Exhortations and Admonishments from the Power and Spirit of Christ and Christ bad John write unto the Church of Thyatira and that he had a few things against them because they suffered Jezabel to teach c. Rev. 2. And so you may see this Church came under Reproof because they did not make use of their Power and Authority in the Spirit of Christ to judge Jezabel's Spirit and therefore the Church of Christ now is not to suffer Jezabel's Spirit lest they come under the same Reproof if they suffer that Jezabel's Spirit to teach now as then And here you may see how that Christ hath given his Church Power and Authority in his holy Spirit to admonish exhort judge reprove and rebuke in his Power and Spirit G. F. Concorning such as cry against Orders GOD is a God of Order and not of Consusion and the Apostle saith to the Church of Christ Let all things be done decently and in Order Mark all things in the Church of Christ So then there is nothing to be done undecently out of the Order of the peaceable Truth for God is not the author of Confusion or Tumults or Unquietness but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints and therefore if God be not the Author of such Confusion Tumults and Unquietness but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints therefore then confused tumultuous unquiet undesent and disorderly Spirits with the Power and Spirit of God they must be admonished to the peaceable Spirit of God in them and with it judge out the contrary else the Church of Christ in its power and peaceable spirit can have no unity with them but with the spirit and power of Christ judge that undesent confused tumultuous unquiet disorderly Spirit for God as I said before is a God of Order but the Devil which is the Worlds God hath made the World like a Wilderness which lies in Wickedness and this Devil or Satan in whom there is no Truth the power of death and darkness and confusion got into Adam and Eve by their disobedience and rules in the hearts of the Disobedient where all tumults disquietness confusion and disorders are for who went and go into disobedience from God they went and are gone from his Image from the innocency and simplicity and his power and spirit within and so go out and from his Power Spirit and Image in which his