spoak of false Apostles that were gotten transforming themselves as the Apostles of Christ and No marvel saith he for Satan himself is transformed as an Angel of Light therefore it is no great thing also if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of Christ whose End shall be according to their Works and the Apostle Peter he fore told of such who through Covetousness with feigned Words should make Merchandize of the People and Jude he spoak of such who go on in the Way of Cain and after the Error of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards and saith John it is the last Time and as ye have heard that Antichrists shall come even now are there many Aâ—tichrists whereby we know that it is the last Times 〈◊〉 went from us but they were not of us Now the false Apostles were such as under a Pretence or Profession of true Apostles deceived the ignorant and brought in Heresies and so Antichrist is one that under the Profession of Christ opposes Christ and draws from him in the Life though under a Profession of his Name and of Faith in him and thus Antichrist got up even that Man of Sin that is exalted in Man above all that is called God sitting in the Temple of God as God and saith he is God and thus he deceiv'd them in that Age as an Angel of Light in a Form and Likeness of Christ but a false Christ who bewitched them from the Truth with a Form and Profession and thus Antichrist hath raigned by the Power of Darkness ever since the Apostles Dayes over the World under a Gospel-Profession yet I say not but that the Lord hath had a remnant in all Ages to himself who were zealous and faithful in what they knew but here hath been a Long time of cruel Darkness and Ignorance and the Lord hath been a long Time as a Stranger in the Earth and they that were accounted to believe on God or Christ looked at him as a God a far off in the Heavens without far off they know not where yet they that said they believed that that was the Christ that dyed at Jerusalem and that he dyed for their Sins and rose again and was sitting at the right Hand of God c. as that which they call their Creed so then they were baptized with Water and called â—â—â—istians whenas before they were called Heathen and did not believe that that was the Christ that suffered at Jerusalem but now called Christians and Believers though they were nothing chang'd from the Heathenish Nature and this was at the first coming in of the Profession of Christian Faith and Religion into England and those had the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles which are called Scripture and so were the Keepers of the Letters and that they took to be their Rule to walk by as they do now but knew not THAT which gave it forth to lead them unto the Life but had the Letter and the Form but could not walk according to it being led and guided by a contrary Principle to that which gave it forth so they gave their own Meanings and Imaginations upon it so then all that were call'd Christs were of the Christian Church and Faith and so were counted Believers Then they sprinkled the Children of those Believers and by that were they entertained into their Church and Faith and thus came up Infants Baptism for which there is no Scripture nor Example either from Christ or his Apostles and yet they call this an Ordinance of Christ and thus they begin to add their own Traditions and Imaginations and all are by Nature the Children of Wrath and a little Water on their Faces doth not change them from that but they grew up in all manner of Unrighteousness as Drunkenness Swearing Lying Covetousness Adultery Idolatry Pride Wantonness Envy Murder Deceit Fraud and Maliciousness the which were caâ— out of the Apostles Church and they were washed from such things and sanctified and regenerate into the new-Covenant and reckoned such to be without as now England's Church is upheld by Then they had their two Sacraments as they call them for which Word they have no Scripture and Infants-Baptism is one and that which they call the Supper of the Lord is another and they had the carnal Bread and Wine as the Priests and People have now and they give it to natural carnal Men and Women and the Apostle saith he that eats and drinks this unworthily eats and drinks his own Damnation not discerning the Lord's Body And the natural man receives not the things of God because they are spiritually discerned and the Bread which the Saints break is the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup which the Saints drink is the Communion of the Blood of Christ and here is the Communion of the Saints and the Supper of the Lord to which he that hath not on a Wedding-Garment is not admitted but England's Priests know not what a Wedding-Garment is And thus they planted their Church in England and other places and then Bishops were set up and Arch-Bishops for which Name there is no Scripture and Deans and Priests and Deacons and Popes and one ruled over another and the Popes bore rule like Kings but they found never a Pope in the Scripture and the Bishops they bore Rule by their Means and the Priests preached for 〈◊〉 and the People loved to have it so and thus Antichrist set up his Kingdom under a Profession of the Gospel and then Tythes came up for to maintain the Priests contrary to any Rule in the Gospel and then Universities were set up for to make Ministers or Priests as they call them for the which they have no Rule in the Scripture and thus they were set up by the Will and Tradition of Man as they are still upheld as the false Prophets alwaies were and then they had their long Robes like the Pharisees but not like the Apostles for from them they have no such Example then they set up these Idols Temples which the Blind and Ignorant now call Churches or the Houses of God for the which they have no Example from the Gospel-Ministers for God never commanded these to be built and though Sâ—lomon built him one Temple yet nevertheless when the Substance came he prophesied of its Downfal and Destruction and Stephen witnessed against it and was stoned to Death by those that upheld it and Paul witnessed against it and was persecuted by those that upheld it as many of the Servants and Messengers of God are now persecuted in these Idols Temples and haled out and abused and stoned and imprisoned by those that uphold them now though these were never ordained by God and then they got up into their Pulpits the chiefest places in the Synagogues as they are now and called of Men Master and Doctor and had the uppermost Rooms at Feasts and Greetings in the Markets as it is now and then
do you own immediate Revelation now yea or nay 10. What is a Minister of Christ and what is a Minister of Anti-christ and do you distinguish the one from the other 11. What Scripture have you to give unto the World David's Condition to be sung in a Meeter 12. What Rule have you in the Scripture to abide in a certain Place and to agree with the People foâ— so much a Year â—or preaching as forty sixty or an hundred or two hundred Pound as you can get it 13. How and by what are you gathered and united who call your selves a Church 14. And what is the Church in God and whether to it you be come yea or nay 15. What is the Baptism into the Church and whether to it you be come yea or nay 16. And what Scripture have you to sprinkle Children with Water and to what End do you do it 17. Whether you be of one Heart and Mind as the true Church was yea or nay 18. Whether you have passed from Death to Life yea or nay 19. What is the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and whether to it you be come yea or nay 20. Whether he that believes is not born of God and whether he that is born of God doth not commit Sin yea or nay 21. Why do not you maintain your Teacher but let him rob the VVorld instead of robbing other Churches and so is chargeable unto the VVorld 22. VVhether do you own and hold up the first Priesthood that took Tythes or second Priesthood that took no Tythes and which do you deny seeing you pay Tythes and you Teachers take Tythes yea or nay 25. Why do you own and hold up such that are â—alled of Men Master and have the chiefest Place in the Assembly and stand praying in the Synagogue and love Greetings in the Markets which Christ himself cryed Wo against 24. How is Christ the Light of the World and how doth he enlighten every one that cometh into the World if it be not in the Conscience and whether that Light which comes from him be Natural yea or nay 25. How is the Light the Condemnation of the World if it be not in the Conscience 26. Aâ—d how is it said That he that doth Evil hateth the Light and will not bring his Deeds to the Light lest the Light should reprove him if it be not in the Conscience and whether that be a Natural Light which reproves for Sin Yea or Nay 27. How did Paul turn Peoples Minds from Darkness to Light if it be not in the Conscience and whether that Light was Natural which Paul was sent to turn the Minds of the Gentiles unto 28. Whether that Light which shines in Darkness be not one the same with that which shines out of Darkness Yea or Nay 29. And whether the Light of the World be not a saving Light in the least Measure Yea or Nay and how can that be said to be Natural 30. Whether the Light which John came to bear Witness of was Natural or Spiritual 31. How hath the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation appeared to all Men if it be not in the Conscience and whether it be Natural 32. How doth it stand with the Impartial God to give to one Man a Measure of Grace and not to another and yet requiâ—e Obedience from all 33. Whether the sloathful Servant hath not a Talent as well as the faithful though he hides it in the Earth and what is that Talent 34. What is the Account that God will require of every one in the Day of Judgment and how can he call all justly to an Account and reward them according to their Deeds if he hath not given to every one a Talent 35. What is that which leads to Repentance and whether that which leads to Repentance be not in the Conscience and whether it be Natural Yea or Nay 36. And where do you read in the Scripture of a Natural Light to be in the Conscience 37. What is the Redemption and what is the End of Christ's Coming 38. Whether the Redemption by Christ be not as full in every Respect as the Fall by Adam and what is the Fall by Adam 39. And whether you do not go about to make the Commands of Christ unjust who saith Be you perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect and you say It cannot be while you are upon the Earth then how is it your Rule 40. Will you own a Purgatory or where is the Place betwixt Heaven and Earth where Man shall be cleansed if not upon the Earth seeing no unclean Thing can inherit the Kingdom of God 41. Whether do they deny Christ come in the Flesh that witness forth Perfection from Sin here or they that tell People They can never be perfect or be wholely set free from Sin so long as they are upon the Earth and whether such be not the Ministers of Anti-christ Yea or Nay 42. Where had you this Doctrine to tell People The Light in the Conscience is Natural and that Christ hath not enlightened every one that cometh into the World 43. And whether in this you do not bring another Doctrine in Opposition to the Doctrine of Christ who saith He is the Light of the World and doth enlighten every one that cometh into the World 44. And where had you this Doctrine to tell People They could never be wholly cleansed or be set free from Sin so long as they are upon he Earth 45. And whether this be not in Opposition to the Doctrine of Christ who saith Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect 46. VVhether God justifies any in their Sin and whether Sanctification goes not before Justification Yea or Nay 47. VVhether you do not seek Justification by VVorks who put one another upon Prayer and Duties Observations Ordinances and Commands without the Light in Imitation of the Letter and whether these be not your own Works which are done out of the Light Yea or Nay 48. What is your own Righteousness and what is the Righteousness of Christ and how do you distinguish betwixt the one and the other 49. And whether he that is justified by the Righteousness of Christ doth not dwell in it and it in him and whether he that dwells in the Righteousness of Christ doth sin Yea or Nay 50. Whether any can walk according to the Scripture but by the Light of Christ and whether any that are guided by the Light of Christ do or can act contrary to the Scripture and whether this Light be not a sufficient Guide if it be owned and followed 51. How is the Scripture left unto the World for a Rule who know not the Light seeing to them it is a Parable and as a Book Sealed 52. And what is the Word and whether there be any other VVord of God then one 53. VVhat is the Death that hath passed over all Men forasmuch as all Men have sinned and whether this Death you ever passed
they stole the Apostles Words as the false Prophets stole the Word from their Neighbour so did and do those and put them into â—hapter aâ—d Verse and took a Verse and studied from it a 〈…〉 own Brain and added to it but not from the Mouth of the Lord and so do the Priests now but they run like the false Prophets and the Lord never sent them therefore they profit not the People at all and then with feigned or studied words through Covetousness they made Merchandize of the People as they do now and so made a Prey upon the Sheep as they do now and began to seek about for great Livings and Fat Benefices and left a lesser and ran to a bigger so there was their Beloved which they sought for as the false Prophets which sought for the Fleece and regarded not the Flock but sed with the Fat and cloathed with the Wool and made a Prey upon the Sheep as they do now and cryed Peace to those that put into their Mouthes and called them beloved Brethren and Christians but they that did not put into their Mouthes they prepared War against them and brought a Law upon them and haled them before Courts and Benches as they do now and thus they sought their Gain from their Quarter and ruled them with Rigour so that until within these late years the Priests raigned like Lords over the People contrary to the Practice of the Ministers of the Gospel who made themselves Servants to all And though they did ordain Bishops they did not ordain that they should live of others Estates or take the Tenths of the Increase of others Labours and live like Lords over the People but said a Bishop must be blameless the Husband of one Wife vigilant sober and of good Behaviour given to Hospitality apt to Teach not given to Wine no Striker not greedy of filthy Lucre but patient not a Brawler not Covetous one that ruleth well his own House not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil now try your Priest and Teachers by this Rule But they stood not to this who were ordained by the Pope or by the Will of Man but were lifted up with Pride and Covetousness and greedy of Filthy Lucre as they are now and so came into the Condemnation of the Devil as they do now And thus your Priests old Fathers planted their Church and so set every thing in Form and Tradition according to their own Imaginations and here is the Ground and Foundation of the Faith and Church of England so called and here are the old Fathers and the old Authors that your Priests have so much talked of and prated of their ancient Fathers even the Popes and the Bishops and though now in words they deny the Pope and the Papists and the Bishops and differ something from the Pope in Judgment yet are in the same Forms Customs and Traditions and are upheld by the same Laws as they were when they were in the Popes and Bishops Loyns and thus Antichrist hath long deceived the Nations and ruled by the Power of Darkness under a Notion or Profession of the Gospel and Faith of Christ and one Generation hath gone and another come and have not known the Lord that bought them but by the hearing of the Ear and as those that saw him knew him in whom he dwelt bore Testimony and declared of him so the Priests could tell the People from the Records of the Holy Men of God what God is and what Christ is and what Faith is and how Christ dyed for their Sins and rose again and that Christ is a Saviour and a Redeemer and what the Apostles spoak and writ unto the Church freely they get and speak unto the World for Gain and Lucre and so cast the Childrens Bread unto Dogs and so feed and puff up the dark Minds of Men with airy Knowledge what they have gotten into their Brains from other Mens Words and their own Imaginations and so made and make the People believe that they are the Means ordained by God Now many may see by this what Lyars they are and how they came up and were ordained and whose Rule Practice or Example they follow in this they do and they will be found the Ministers of Anti-christ and such as have long shut up and do shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and would neither enter in themselves nor suffer others that would but so long as they had Power would bind all unto themselves and those that had any Appearance of Light so that they came to see their Deceit and separate from them they would scarce suffer them to live amongst them but praised be the Almighty who hath so weakned their Hands and shattered their Foundation and caused his Light so to shine out of Darkness to cause them to be so manifest so that all People who love Light better then Darkness may now see how ignorantly and blindly you have been led as Strangers from the Father of Light after the vain Traditions Customs Forms Ordinances and Imaginations of Man with a vain Profession and feigned Faith which you have gotten into the Notion but still in your Sins and Iniquities alive in the first Nature under Death's Dominion still Strangers from the God of Life and from Christ the Saviour and Redeemer of his People from their Sins and thus you lye under the Power of Darkness and Delusion of Anti-christ both Priests and People for like People like Priest and so saith the Prophet and your Leaders cause you to err by their Lyes and by their Lightness and though you be full of Teachers yet you are lost for Want of true Knowledge and are still led Captive in your Sins and Iniquities after those who have gotten the Form but deny the Life and Power ever learning and never come to the Knowledge of the Truth in your selves only differing from the Heathen in Name and Profession Judgment or Opinion but still alive in the same Nature in the Fall under the Curse the Children of Disobedience in whom doth rule the Prince of Darkness and you must have a Law without to keep you in Awe and Fear of the same as they have whom you account Heathen but the Righteous need no Law for because of Transgression the Law was added and you are fiâ—hting killing and devouring one another as they do whom you account Heathen and you are Drunkards and Swearers and Lyars as they are and Scoffers and Scorners and Revilers and Back-biters and Whoremongers and Adulterers and Proud and Covetous Idolaters and high-minded Oppressors as they are both Priest and People and you are Idolaters as they are eating and drinking and rising up to play and you are Envious and Malicious suing and rending and teaâ—ing one another at the Law both Priest and People pulling down others to set up your selves and you are dissembling and cozenning and cheating and
the Flesh in the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ for in the Spirit Paul discerned it for saith he Though absent in Body yet present in Spirit I have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this Deed and so those Formalists and Imitators if any differ from them in Judgment they will also deliver him up to Satan as they imagine taking the Apostles Words though they cannot tax him for any Thing but his Judgment differing from them but they want the Power and here they are the Magicians like Jannes and Jambres opposing the Truth and those are they that are called Baptists and another Form they are more spiritual in their Judgment and they hold a spiritual Baptism and not a Water-Baptism and as many as hold with them are of their Church and Faith and thus they are divided into several Forms and Churches and so have several Names and there are several Judgments of one Thing under one Name and here is the Confusion of Babylon with their several Sects Judgments and Opinions and every one are professing the Name of the Lord and stealing the Words of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and saying The Lord saith when he never spoak to them and here is the Difference from another only in Profession Judgment or Opinion but still in Babylon and Babylon's Fashions Customs and Traditions and Fellowship Manners and Breeding which is all Heathenish and at Enmity with God being in the Fall and thus they stand in the first Nature in Pride in Covetousness Anger Wrath Malice Fleshliness and Lustfulness and Idle Words Vain Talking Foolish Jesting and Evil Communication and to be short still alive in the World's Nature Strangers to the Holy God and so under Death's Dominion and here I comprehend all Forms Sects Judgments and Opinions by the Light which slayes Death and takes away its Dominion unto its self to whom it belongs and doth see them and judge them to be out of the Light in Darkness and so in Confusion one clashing against another with their Judgments and Opinions and here are the Disputes of this World and the one cryes Lo here is Christ in this Form and another cryes Lo here is Christ in this Form and none else whenas Christ is within his Saints and there is a false Christ which they have set up in their Imaginations and here are the False Prophets and False Christs that are gone out into the World who have deceived many And here is the Ground of Forms a setting up a Likeness of a Thing a Figure or Image of a Thing but not the Thing it self and here is the Beast and the Image of the Beast which all the World worships and wonders after even Satan as an Angel of Light in his several Shapes Forms and Likenesses to deceive the Simple and here is the Form without the Life and Power and here is the Building upon a sandy Foundation which all must come down who hear the Words and talk of the Word are Sayers of the Words here is him that saith he hath kept the Commandments and Ordinances and yet his Heart from God after other Lovers who is searched and found out by Christ the Light and here is the Spiritual Babel with its Foundation and Babel's Building and Babel's Builders and here is the Image whose Head is Gold whose Breast is Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron and part Clay but now is he come and made manifest who strikes at Feet of Image who is called the Stone cut out of Mountain without Hands even Jesus Christ the Son of God now after all this Profession of his Name and of Faith in him but now he finds none in the Earth who hath revealed himself in the poor despised ones of the World and those who have been counted the blind and igrant and as you have read the Poor receive the Gospel the World was made by him but the World knew him not he came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as receive him to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God to whom that Promise is fulfilled which was promised in the Dayes of old by the Father That in the last Dayes he would pour forth his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and Daughters should prophesie and the Young Men see Visions and if you will receive it this is the Elias which was for to come in the Spirit as he came in the Flesh even the Life and Power of what hath been so long professed which the Lord hath now manifested in his Servants and Hand-maids whom he hath now sent forth abroad freely to call into the Supper of the Lord even the Marriage of the Lamb and to preach his Name no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and to preach him within the Hope of Glory the Ministry that hath been hid from Ages and Generations and they that will be his Disciples must deny themselves and take up his Cross follow him through evil Report and good Report through Persecution and through Death and who are faithful until Death must receive a Crown of Life and reign with him for evermore in his Kingdom of which there is no End neither Beginning over which he is made Heir and King blessed be Jehovah sing Halelujah to his Name all ye that know him And now that his Name is spreading abroad and his Message declaring by the Mouth of his faithful Messengers those who have long talked of his Name and so long professed his Name know him not neither believe on him but are found Hypocrites and Dissemblers and blind Leaders of the blind whited Walls and painted Sepulchres but within full of Uncleanness Hypocrisie and Deceit even the Generation of Vipers and Serpents and those will not receive the Message but make light of it and say they believe on a Christ at Jerusalem and now in the Heavens far off they know not where and they cry he hath done all for us and hath satisfied for our Sins and they shall not be imputed to us say they and they cry out this is a new Light and a strange Light and we know not whence it is but they say they will keep to the Old Rule the Scriptures which they call the Word of God and the Old Way though they be meer Strangers to the Life of the Scriptures but it is that the Scripture might be fulfilled upon them as Christ saith For Judgment am I come into the World that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind as their Fore-fathers professed Abraham and Moses and said We know that God spake unto Moses but as for this Fellow we know not whence he is John 9. 29. and they said God was their Father but Jesus Christ answered them and said If ye were Abraham ' s Children ye
are they who are led and guided by the One Spirit of which the World cannot receive even the Comforter of whom you have heard should come by which they are separated out of the World and redeemed out of the Rudiments and Pollutions thereof their Fashions their Customs their Words their Wayes their Manners their Breeding their Fellowship Love and Friendship their Honour and Glory and their Worship and so are become Strangers to the World and so are hated of the World because they are not of the World and the Enmity stands betwixt the two Seeds but while they were of the World the World loved them but now they are gathered out of the World and separated from the World and testifie against the World both in Words and Actions therefore the Enmity is raised in the World against the Righteous Seed and those are they upon whom the Ends of the World are come to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom though to the World in Parables and those are they that are come with a Mighty Arm and Power to trun the World up-side down whom the Lord hath gathered and is a gathering out of the World by his own Spirit of Truth and Love to walk in the Way of Truth even the Way of Holiness where the Ransomed of the Lord do walk and serve and worship him in Spirit and in Truth and such is the Father seeking to worship him in whom he is in doing his own Work even to destroy the Old Creation and create New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness and those are they that are the New Creatures in whom this New Work is witnessed in whom the Father hath manifested his Son that in the Likeness of sinful Flesh he might condemn Sin in the Flesh and to bind the Strong Man and cast him out of his House and spoil his Goods and so to destroy the Works of the Devil and to cut down the Man of Sin even that Son of Perdition who is exalted above all that is called GOD sitting in the Temple of God as God and saith He is God this is he by whom the World is deceived who is the God of the World even the Prince of Darkness who rules in all the Children of Disobedience and so saith John in the Light The whole World lies in Wickedness and unto this doth Christ come with a Sword for to make War with him and to take and bind him and cast him into utter Darkness and so to take his Kingdom from him and to rule himself in Righteousness And this is the King of the SAINTS who is now come to redeem unto himself a Pure People and to wash them cleanse them from their Sias by his BLOOD and so to wash away all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and this is the Baptism by which they are received into his Church and Faith and here is the Effect of his BLOOD wrought in MAN and thus he doth and will manifest his Mighty Power to purifie and cleanse and make Man a fit Temple for himself to dwell in And thus is GOD with us manifested in Flesh and thus are the Saints Bodies made the TEMPLES of the HOLY GHOST and thus is the Word of Life and Reconciliation witnessed to the raising up the Soul to Life and reconciling the Soul to GOD and those are they that are begotten and born again of the Immortal Word which dwelleth and abideth forever and here is the Houshold of God the Houshold of Faith and the Houshold of Love who speak the things which they have heard and seen and tasted of the good Word of Life which was in the beginning and those are the Children of Light who are gather'd out of the dark Forms Judgments and Opinions into the Life and Power of Godliness to walk in the Light of Life wherein they are gathered and united by the One Spirit of Love and Life into One Body of which Christ is Head and here is the true Church which the Lord is a gathering and washing and cleansing and purifying by his Spirit that he may redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing whose Insides are washed and made clean through the Word by which they are reconciled into the Love and Union which springs from the Life of God and here is the Vine and the Branches and here is the Communion of the Church all feeding upon One Bread all drinking upon One Cup this is Christ the Life of the Saints and as many as are baptized into this Church partake of this Communion and those are they which have denyed themselves and have born the Cross of Christ by which they are crucified to the World and the World to them who are gathered into one Covenant of Life where all are Fellow-Servants under one MASTER who serve one another in Love and Meekness And here is the true Humility in the Heart wrought and here is the true Washing of Feet without Hypocrisie which some are imitating without for LIFE but fall short for the Heart the Lord requires And thus is the Church of Christ gathered by one Spirit and by the same circumcised and baptized into one Light and Life and Power where all dwell as MEMBERS of One BODY of which CHRIST is the HEAD And here is the Blessed Union and Communion in One and here God is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and as CHRIST is spiritual so is his BODY and so are his Ordinances And here are the true Christians not those that only have the Notion of those things but they that witness and possess this in Life and they that believe have the witness within themselves and they that believe have passed from Death unto Life and the Life which they now live in is by Faith in the Son of God which Faith is without Respect of Persons who are the New Creatures who are IN Christ Jesus to whom there is no Condemnation who walk not after the FLESH but after the for against such there is no LAW for they are translated out of that NATURE for which the LAW was added and are set free by the Law of the Spirit of Life and are made Partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ by which they are made Christians and therefore saith John As he is so are we in this present World and such now witness the Effect of the Blood of Christ wrought within them and the End of his Coming and the Benefit of his Death who are Dead with him and risen through the Death of the Cross and these are they that have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of the Son of God within them Christ within the Hope of Glory or else no Hope of Glory for they that cannot witness him so are in the Reprobation so saith the Apostle and here is the Son in the Saints and the Father in the Son and thus are
all made perfect in One And here is the True Church where there is but One Teacher One Lord One Faith One Baptism One Light One Life and One Way One Shepherd and One Sheepfold and One Priest over the Houshold of God and One Hope and One Language One Family and One God and Father of all And they that cannot witness this are Strangers to Christ and Strangers to his Cross and Strangers to the Common-Wealth of Israel And this is the Work which the Lord has now begun and is carrying on by a Strong Arm and Mighty Power to redeem unto himself a pure Church and Blessed are they that hearken unto his Voice Here all you Formalists Imitators and Self-actors are shut out here all you Proud Ones are shut out here all you Lustful Ones Fleshly Ones and Carnal Ones are shut out and all you that are conformed like unto the World in their Fashions in their Customs in their Words in their Ways in their Worships and Traditions in their Love and in their Fellowship who are seeking the Glory and Honour and Riches of this World you are the Children of this World under the Dominion of the God of the World whose Kingdom is of this World Here all you are shut out who live at Ease in your Pleasures and live wantonly upon the Earth in the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life you are the Children of Babylon you kill the Just and he lies slain in the Streets but here you all are shut out of the New Covenant of Life in the Dark World under Death's Dominion of what Profession and Judgment soever Aliens and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise for they that are not with us are against us and our Union and Society is in the Light of Life But you must all suffer the Death of the Cross to the Life which you now live in before you can witness this Redemption for those that live with Christ are crucified with him therefore so it is they that will take up Life must first lay down Life for the Way to Life is through Death Therefore you must be stripped of all your Old Covers naked and bare that your Deceit and Shame may appear which you have so long covered with your own Righteousness but now you must suffer the Shame of the Cross if you would have part in Christ and all your old Wisdom Knowledge and Notions which you have gotten into your Comprehensions by your Conceivings of the Scripture-Letter wherein hath been your Life and Pride and Exaltation must all come to the Death of the Cross that no Flesh should Glory in his Presence but I say unto all you Professors Formalists Notionists and Disputers and Wise Ones of this World If you will not take up and imbrace this Cross Publicans and Harlots shall enter the Kingdom before you Therefore not many Mighty nor many Noble nor many Wise after the Flesh are called but he hath chosen the Foolish Things of this World to confound the Wise and the Weak to confound those that are Mighty that no FLESH should Glory in his PRESENCE but CHRIST is made over unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption that they which Glory might Glory in the Lord. And this I witness in my Measure the things which I have seen and heard and felt and tasted of the good Word of Life which was in the Beginning the same do I declare and am known and read by the Children of Light And now I shall proceed to several Passages that I have had with the People called Baptists in several Meetings that their Deceit and Delusion may be laid open to the Simple-hearted Upon the Thirtieth of the First Moneth called March in the Year 1655. I was at one Ashen's House in Fenstanton in Huntingtonshire where I was freely declaring the Truth of God to the People that came there together that Day as I was taught moved by the Spirit of Truth by which the Holy Men of God spoak forth the Scripture as they were moved and there came several of the People called Baptists into the Room amongst us amongst whom was one of their Teachers called Richard Elligood who after a while stood up in his Will and Wisdom to accuse me and said That I had said That God did not respect any Forms and yet saith he you use the Form and so use that which God hath no Respect to But his first words were Sir if you please I will speak something to what you have said To which I made Answer Here needs no Complements And then he runs on as aforeâ— said to which Accusation I reply'd was False and bad him prove what Form I used And he said The Letter And I replyed He that takes the Letter to talk of without the Life and Power such sets up a Form and makes a Form But this would not satisfie his filthy Wisdom which darkened his Understanding but because I spoak words which are mentioned in the Scripture by the same Spirit that spoak forth the Scripture by which I challenge the Scripture from him and all such who have gotten it to talk of but denies the Life and are Strangers to the Life and Power therefore with his contrary Spirit tasked me with a Form which by his Logick and deceitful Art would have proved but could not but his Deceit was laid open to the People and many declared against him for a Form is this as I said before the Likeness of a Thing but not the Thing it self as they have the Likeness of a Church which they have imagined from the Letter with their Elders Pastors and Teachers but not the Church it self and so they imitate the Scriptures but live not in the Life of them that spoak forth the Scriptures neither are acted and guided by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and so want the Life and Power and those are the Formalists that make Forms and Likenesses to deceive the simple as the Devil hath the Form of an Angel of Light but not the Life and Power who appears to rule in those Formalists and Self-Actors but the Day doth make him manifest and therefore he rages and then this Elligood denyed that I had the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture and he said The Spirit might be tryed by the Letter for he said Many false Spirits are entered into the World and I asked him By what did the Apostle know that false Spirits were gone out into the World and he replyed and said By the Spirit of God then I replyed and said If by the Spirit of God the Apostle knew that there were many false Spirits gone out into the World then by the Spirit of God be tryed FALSE SPIRITS and knew False Spirits from the TRUE and here his Deceit was laid open to the People and he judged out of his own Mouth to be a Lyar and to be guided by a false Spirit
you can witness of the Work of God in your Hearts for all this your long and great Profession and esteeming your selves of the Church and Faith of Christ and Saints in Christ So if you can witness yet the Earth-Quakes and that the Earth is yet removed out of its Place and Mountains removed by the Eye of Faith and if the Vail of Darkness be yet rent Is not the first Man yet standing and the first Image and the Serpent's Head For while you are Strangers to the Light and your Minds are from the Light you are wandred and strayed in the Pathes of Darkness and so are the Children of Darkness in whom the Prince of Darkness ruleth even the Serpent who is Head in Man but the Promise is The Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head But you are acting in your own Wills and Wisdom the Serpent is your Head and you are not yet come to witness the first Promise fulfilled but are still in the Fall under the Power of Darkness in the Disobedience and Strangers unto the Cross and so have no Part in Christ in that Nature For none come to have a Right in Christ but through the Cross for As many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his Death and they that are Dead with him do Live with him and they that are Dead are freeed from Sin and they that are in Christ are New Creatures old things are passed away and all things become new But they that are not in Christ are still in old Adam and so in the Fall under the Curse and under Death's Dominion drove out from the Presence of God into the Earth and Death reigns over all from Adam until Moses of what Profession soever Therefore now read your selves by the Light which comes from Jesus Christ and shineth into your dark Hearts and searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and maketh manifest the Secrets to which Light I am made manifest and by it witnessed in you all and unto it I do direct your Minds for the turning of your Minds from the Darkness to the Light all you that have a Desire to find the Way of Truth in what Form soever that thereby you may come to see how you have been wandred and scattered in the many ways of Darkness in the Land of Darkness in this cloudy dark day as Sheep without a Shepheard being carryed about after the Voice of Strangers from the Shepheard of your Souls Therefore hearken no more without to those that cry Lo here or Lo there is Christ and so draws your Minds without to seek for a Christ without and a Redemption and a Sanctification without a Righteousness without and a God without but turn your Minds within for it is to be found within if ever you find it For there is no Way to come unto the true Knowledge of the Truth or of God or of Christ but by that of God within For what is to be known of God is manifest within and the same which descended the same doth ascend And so the Way to God is to be found within by the Light which maâ—nifests Death and slayes Death Do not you read the Parable of the Woman that had lâ—st the Piece of Silver and could not find it until she had turned into the House and lighted the Candle and swept the House and then she found that which she had lost and rejoyced with her Neighbours Now the Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord and his Life was the Light of Men so turn in your Minds to the Light of the Lord Jesus which if you love it to bring your Deeds to it it will let you see the Deeds of Darkness and the Paths of Death and it will also search your Hearts and make manifest your inward Parts and let you see what you have lost and as you love this Light and like to retain it in your Minds and by it to be guided it will lead you out of all the crooked and froward Wayes of Darkness into the Light of Life and so to come to find and know the Voice of the true Shepherd who is come to seek out and gather all his scattered Sheep out from amongst the Mountains and Valleys and the many Wayes and crooked Pathes wherein they have been scattered and strayed in the Land of Darkness and to gather them together into one Flock into one Way into one Sheepfold and he alone will be their Shepherd and this you shall come to witness as you love this Light and follow it it will lead you out of your many Forms and many Wayes into one Way out of your own Wisdom and Imaginations wherein you have been building Babel and this will strip you of all your own Righteousness wherewith you have covered over your deceitful Hearts and it will lay your Deceits before you and bring you to Judgment and if you love this Light and follow iâ— and be willing to wait upon it out of your own Wills and Wisdom and Imaginations and Carnal Thoughts Reasonings and Consutations and self-Acting and Imitating it will lead you to know the Voice of the true Shepherd within you from the Voice of the Stranger and so to know the precious from the vile he who saith I am the Light he saith I am the good Shepherd who will bring you to know the Way and the Door into the Sheepfold if you do not run out in your own Wills and seek to climb up another Way for the Way is but one and he that saith I am the Light saith I am the Way and I am the Door into the Sheepfold so if you turn from the Light and stumble at the Light you stumble at all and so fall but if you love the Light and be willing to follow the Light it will lead you through all and to deny your selves and to take up his Cross unto your selves and to pass through good Report and evil Report through Persecution and through Death and the VVay will not be grievous but joyous and so you will come into the VVay and in at the Door unto the Sheepfold and so into the Fellowship and into the Life and into the Power and into the Faith of the Saints where all live in Union in one united by one into one Body the End of all Jarring Jangling Divisions and Disputes therefore said the Apostle Where is the Wise where is the Disputer of this World hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World Therefore I do call you to come out from amongst them and be ye separate and touch no unclean Thing and I will receive you saith the Lord and I will be unto you a Father and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters Now you are called and this is the Day of your Visitation for now Light is come into the VVorld and if you like to retain it in your Minds happy are you but if
whereas thou speakest of the Promises made in the Seed but that Seed is not the Seed of the Serpent which rules in all you Children of Disobedience therefore what hast thou to do with the Promises and where dost thou prove that Infants Baptism is the Seal of the Covenant or the Badge of the Kingdom as thou termest it but thou Lyar read what the Seal is in Eph. 1. 13. and with that stop thy Mouth And whereas thou speakest of Christ's calling little Children what of that Christ baptized none therefore silence Babler And how are your Children sanctified from the Womb as thou say'st John was whenas all are by Nature the Children of Wrath and except they be born again they cannot enter and therefore thou manifests that your Church is made up of Unregenerate Persons into which thou say'st they are admitted by Water and 20. or 30. Years after they are thus baptized you preach Repentance to them and this is the Cause why the Professors therein are Earthly-minded as thou complainest and therefore no Christian Parents but blind carnal Creatures who think it profits their Children to be admitted into such a Church and as the Children grow up they show what Seal you have given them which is more like the Mark of the Beast then the Seal of the Covenant and therefore your Prayers which thou talkest of are an Abomination and avail not And thus hast thou foamed our thy Shame and Folly to the Sight of all but those who are blind and love to have it so for here is one of the main Points of your Religion proved a meer Delusion Qu. 22. What is the Estate and Condition of â— Christian Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou hast stolen the Apostles Words which he speaks concerning this Matter and saith There are Three Ages Steps and Degrees of Christianity and the first Age Step and Degree thou confessest is In Christ and begotten of the Father in the Hatred of Sin and Love of Righteousness and by him brought to the Knowledge of Redemption from all Iniquity and Renovation in all Righteousness Rep. Here thou hast destroyed the whole Faith of your Visible Church for they generally believe That they shall never be wholely set free from all Iniquity nor be perfect in Righteousness while they are upon the Earth And if this be the lowest Estate of Christianity to be In Christ and Redeemed from all Iniquity and Begotten by the Father and Renewed in all Righteousness which is Perfection in Righteousness then by thy own Confession None of them are Christians neither Thou who art a Teacher of them for thou hast been openly found in Sin and Iniquity as in Lying Covetousness Lightness Scornfulness Oppression and Deceit as before is proved And now thou art again found a Lyar in saying That we know not the First Estate of a Christian from the Last But we are able to discern thee yet uncome to the First and therefore far off the Last although in Years an Old Man yet a Child can tell thee thy Confusion Therefore stop thy Mouth thou Deceiver and sit thee down and consider how thou and thy Brethren have for these many Years deceived this Nation and labour thy self and Repent in Dust and Ashes lest the Lord in thy Destruction make thee an Example to all thy Brethren-Deceivers Qu. 23. What doth the Faith which thou professest differ from the Faith of the Hypocrite and what is the Faith of the Hypocrite Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou saist Thy Faith is a Trust in the Lord Jesus to be holpen up again from the Fall or to be saved from the Hand of thine Enemies or of all that hate thee and so to be renewed through him to be enabled to serve him cheerfully and without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the dayes of thy Life And thou saist This Faith bringeth forth Obedience and purifieth the Heart and maketh you conformable to Jesus so that thou hopest for no Benefit by his Death unless thou dyest with him to all known Sins but the Faith of the Hypocrite seeketh alwayes something by or through Christ then what it should seek to wit the putting off the Old Man and the putting on the New which is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness And herein thou saist doth thy Faith differ from the Faith of the Hypocrite and perhaps from James Parnel's Rep. Yea it doth for my Faith is that there is no putting off the Old Man and putting on the New but by and through Christ which is no more then what I should believe And thy Faith which is contrary is the Faith of the Hypocrite which will perish yea and out of thy own Mouth I shall prove it for by thy own Confession thou art still in the Fall in saying That thou trustest in the Lord Jesus to be holpen up out of the Fall again Hereby it is concluded that thou art still in the Fall for if thou wast holpen already out of the Fall then thou wouldest have the End of thy Hope But 't is like this Faith thou hast professed these many Years and hast been a Teacher so long and yet it hath not brought thee out of the Fall and therefore it is but a Borrowed Faith And most of those Expressions thou hast stolen out of Luke 1. 71 72 73 74 75. which hath not purified thy Heart from Lyes and Deceit neither art thou in Obedience or Conformable to Jesus Christ who abidest not in his Doctrine but teachest for Doctrine the Traditions of Men neither art thou dead with him unto all known Sins for this is one to depart from his Doctrine and such hath not God and this is proved against thee in many things as in taking thy Tythes and Maintenance of the Peoples Labours which many of them it is like do want it themselves which is a great Sin and Oppression and secondly in Sprinkling Infants which is a great Delusion to the People and many other things which are before proved against thee which that in thy Conscience cannot but testifie against And thou Hypocrite durst thou trust the Lord to save thee from thine Enemies â—hose that hate thee yet durst not trust him with thy Maintenance without the Law of Man to Compel it from the People contrary to their Wills Thou Hypocrite is not this a known Sin The Power of Man was all the False Prophets had to trust to who departed from the Lord and here out of thy own Mouth thou art found a Lyar and Deceiver and therefore the Hypocrite thy self whose Trust is not only in Christ and so thou differest from him thou callest James Parnel Qu. 24. Whether all that thou givest Bread and Wine to which thou callest a Sacrament do Discern the Lordâ—s Body yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou saist Thou hopest most of those to whom thou givest Bread and Wine have some Understanding of the