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
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
and all you that practise and profess those things for Religion for which there is neither command nor president in Scripture your Religion is concluded not to be according to Scriptures and so no title or priviledge can any of you justly own of being upheld or maintained by the Protectors oath but as I have said for sprinkling of Infants and singing Davids experiences in rime and meeter c there is neither command nor president in Scriptures and therefore you that practise those things which I have mentioned for Religion are not of the true christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures which is to be protected Likewise all ye that persecutes by reproaches or revilings and cruelty or that causeth the people of God to be persecuted many of you there are in these Nations which professeth Religion yet are envious persons and persecutors of the innocent hereby it is manifest that you are not of that Religion which is according to Scriptures for the Saints never persecuted any but were themselves persecuted for righteousness sake so you are not to be protected in such exercise because it is not according but contrary to the Scriptures for you have no example from the Saints for professing and practising Religion and yet persecuting such as are of the true Religion whose consciences are truly exercised towards God and towards all men Now seeing that it is discovered in part who it is that are not of the true christian Religion according to the Scriptures it remains to be proved if there be any who it is that is of the true christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures and who it is that is to be protected in their practise and exercise of Religion And as concerning the despised and rejected people called Quakers herein I shal speak for them as a Friend to them and a lover of their ways who is not ashamed of their practises in Religion and shall measure and try their practises in Religion whether it be according to Scripture and if it prove so to be that what they practise for Religion and holds forth for Doctrine is according to the Scriptures then why should not they own their right and priviledge to be upholden and maintained by the Protectors oath who hath sworn to uphold and maintain them and their Religion whose exercise in Religion is according to Scriptures being that same people is and hath been faithful subjects of this Commonwealth And first of all they dare not own themselves to be Christians nor to be members of Christ nor to have any right or title to the Kingdom of God but as they witness converting by the spirit of the Lord and are changed from death to life and from darknesse to light and from Satans power to the power of God through the operation of the same spirit and as in all their works and ways and exercises in Religion they are guided by the same spirit who leadeth them out of the World and out of all the vanities and evil works thereof and this is according to the Scriptures and their Religion herein is justified by the Scriptures who witnesseth That Christ is in them and that they have received him through faith and thereby are cleansed from all unrighteousnesse and have put off and are putting off the body of sin and death and walks with God in purity and holinesse being led by the spirit of God therein and with God they have peace being reconciled by Jesus Christ who is their salvation and they have no other and this is according to the Scriptures And againe as concerning their meetings and the manner thereof it is not contrary but according to the Scriptures for though they meet in many parts of these Nations by great numbers some in the open fields and some on the Mountains in some places and sometime without doors and sometime in houses all this practise is according to the Scriptures for we read Mat. 5.1 in the days of Christ That there were great multitudes of people that followed him and he went up into a Mountain and preached and taught them upon the Mountain and in Matt. 14. 14. we read that there was great multitudes that came out of the Cities unto Iesus into the Deserts he had compassion toward them and did good unto them and at that time there was many thousands met together as you may read and it seems stayed whole days together for they sate down on the grasse and eat together and then Iesus sent the multitudes away and in Mark 6. you may read how that multitudes came to Jesus out of the Cities into a desert place and Jesus began to teach them many things in that desert place for he had compassion on the multitude and in Luke 9. how the people again followed Jesus into a desert place and he preached unâ—o them the Kingâ—om of God Such meetings then was counted strange as such meetings are now when the people of God meets together by great numbers to preach and to hear the Kingdom of God preached but their meetings are according to the Scriptures for the people of God in generations past met in the same manner as the people of God called Quakers meets now for somtime Christ preached out of a * ship unto the people that stood on the sea shore * Paul kneeled down prayed among the Saints near the sea shore at his passing into the ship and we read Acts 2 that there was three thousand converted at one Sermon then there must needs be a great meeting and a great deal of people met together such meetings now are wondred at but such meetings are but according to Scripture so that this part of their practise in religion is agreeable to the Scriptures and the same as the saints practise was in ages past And as for the people of God meeting together sometime in the night-season to wait upon the Lord and sometimes sitting in silence waiting upon the Lord no words uttered amongst them but every one sitting silent before the Lord having received nothing from the Lord to speak one to another at which the people of the world do wonder and falsly judg it not to be a christian exercise but we read in the Scripture Job 2 that Job who was a christian for he was a just and perfect man he and his friends sate upon the ground seven days and seven nights and spake not a word one to another this would be a strange thing at this day to see practised And in Jer. 8.14 you may read where the Prophet Jeremiah exhorted the people to assemble themselves and said Let us enter into the defenced Cities and let us be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to silence but such a practise now is thought strange by the people of the world who are not acquainted with the ways of God who are wise in their own eyes and knows not what