and by this Power of Darkness that hath lodged in this â—ody of Teachers and Preachers who have called themselves Christians both Papists and Protestants in this Night of Apostacy that the True Church of God hath been in the Wilderness and the Witnesses prophesied in Sackcloth this hath been a Night of Darkness but the Day is Springing Glory to the Lord for ever I say for this Seeds sake we shall proceed to mention some particular Heads of their practice and try them by the Scriptures And the first is that which they call their Studying and their placing the very Foundation of their Call and all their practices in that Function in that which they call Learning which thing we never finde neither in the Old-Testament nor New that they who were called to the Office of the Priesthood that obtained it by such wayes and means as they use viz. That which they call their Studies and Fountains of Learning which is their Universities and in them so many several Orders and Degrees to ordain and appoint such as belong to that Function of the Ministry which we do not finde in the Old-Testament that either Aaron or his Sons or those that were of the Tribe of Levi were ordained after such a manner and by such Orders as they pretend to theirs for when the Lord spake unto Moses for the setting up of the Tabernacle and after what manner he should do all things about it he said Thou shalt set the Laver betwixt the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar and thou shalt put water therein and thou shalt bring Aaron and his Sons unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and wash them with water and thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy Garments and anoint him and sanctifie him that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office and thou shalt bring his Sons and cloath them with coats and thou shalt anoint them as thou didst their Father that they may minister unto me in the Priests Office for their Anointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood throughout their Generations Thus did Moses according to all that the Lord commanded him for he set the Laver between the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar and Moses and Aaron and his Sons washed their hands and their feet thereat as the Lord commanded Moses Exod. 28 29. chap. Levit. 8. Moreover the Lord said unto Moses Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them and thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them sprinkle water of purifying upon them and let them shave them all their flesh and let them wash their clothes and so make them clean then let them take a young Bullock with his meat offering even fine Flowre mingled with Oyle and another young Bullock thou shalt take for a sin offering and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation and thou shalt gather the whole Assembly of the children of Israel together and thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering for the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord and the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the Bullocks and thou shalt offer the one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering unto the Lord to make an atonement for the Levites and shalt set the Levites before Aaron and before his Sons and offer them for an offering to the Lord thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine and after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and thou shalt cleanse them and offer them for an offering for they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel instead of such as open every womb even instead of the First-born of all the children of Israel I have taken them unto me for all the first-born of the children of Israel are mine both man and beast in the day that I smote the first-born in the Land of Egypt I sanctified them for my self and I have taken the Levites for all the first-born of the Children of Israel and I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his Sons from among the children of Israel to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tabernacle of the Congregation to make an atonement for the children of Israel that there be no plague among them when they come nigh my Sanctuary And Moses and Aaron and the Congregati of Israel did unto the Levites according as the Lord commanded them and the Levites were Purified and they washed their Garments and Aaron offered them as an offering before the Lord and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them and after that the Levites went in to do their service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before Aaron and before his Sons And the Lord spake unto Moses saying This is it that belongeth to the Levites from twenty years old and upwards they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof and shall serve no more but shall minister with their brethen in the Tabernacle of the Congregation to keep the charge and shall do no service thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge Numb 8. Now here is nothing of Studying or going to the Universities nor diving nor divinining into the Body of Darkness which defiles and polutes but here was Washing and Cleansing and Purifying and an Offering of two Bullocks one for a Sin-offering another for a Burnt-offering the Levites being offered with the Offerings and they laying their hands upon the heads of the Offerings and Moses making an Atonement for them to Cleanse them before they could be admitted into the Service and then they were to wait from twenty five years and upwards unto fifty years before they might cease waiting and then they were to minister with their Brethren in the Tabernacle but they did not wait at the Universities and at the Schools of Learning but they waited upon the Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation for the Lord had called them for that end that they might make an Atonement for the Children of Israel that there might be no Plague among them So that it is strange that Ministers that profess Christianity and profess themselves to be Ministers of Christ and Ministers of the Gospel should run into such extravagances being that they profess the Scriptures and that they should not walk in by-paths but they go quite opposite to what the Scriptures of Truth hold forth concerning both the First and Second Priesthood It is true indeed the Lord complaineth by his Prophets when Israel was gone
A Touch-Stone OR A Perfect Tryal by the Scriptures of all the Priests Bishops and Ministers who have called themselves the Ministers of the Gospel whose Time and Day hath been in the last Ages past or rather in the Night of Apostacy they are tried and weighed by the Scriptures of Truth and are found out of the Life and Power of the Scriptures and out of the Spirit and Doctrine of them that gave them forth and quite contrary to their Principle and practice both Papists and Protestants Unto which is annexed Womens Speaking Justified c. Little Children it is the last time as you have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time These things have I written unto you concerning those that seduce you but the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you 1 John 2. And I stood upon the sand of the Sea and saw a Beast rise out of the Sea having seven Heads and ten Horns and upon his Heads the names of Blasphemy and he opened his mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven He that leadeth into Captivity must go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the faith and patience of the Saints Rev. 13. London Printed in the Year 1667. The Epistle to the READER Serious Reader LEt it enter into thy serious consideration the sad and perilous dayes that this Age is fallen into even into those last dayes that Christ and his Apostles fore-saw and fore-told of which are the last dayes as the Scriptures do plentifully declare and hold forth that were to come to pass before the coming of the day of the Lord and that there was to be a falling away from the Truth of the Lord God and that then the Man of Sin was to be revealed the Son of Perdition 2 Thes 2. 3 4. Also John in the Revelations when he stood upon the sand of the Sea saw the first Beast rise out of the Sea and the second out of the Earth which exercised the Authority of the first and the Dragon gave the power to the Beast and them that worshipped him Rev. 13. And John saw the War he made with the Lamb and with the Saints and overcame them for he was to continue 42 Months which is by the account of the Spirit of God according as it is recorded in the Scripture above 1200 Years which is fully compleated and finished with many years over since that great City Babylon had a foundation with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the Earth have been made drunk with the Wine of her fornication But the Angel carried John into the Wilderness Rev. 16 where he saw the Judgements of this great Whore and this woman which hath been arrayed in Purple and Scarlet colour decked with Gold and Precious Stones and in her hand a golden Cup full of abominations and the Woman which thou sawest saith the Angel is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth But after this John saw another Angel and he cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and become the habitation of Devils And John heard another voyce from Heaven saying Come out of her my People that ye he not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues for her sins have reached unto Heaven and God hath remembred her Iniquities Reward her even as she hath rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works in the Cup that she hath filled fill her double Rev. 18. Where ye may read the destruction and desolation of this great City Mystery of Babylon the great and Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth therefore rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you of her for after this John saw a mighty Angel take up a stone like a Mil-stone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be cast down and shall be found no more at all Glory Glory to the Highest for evermore her day of destruction and calamity and desolation hastens on apace the darkness is past the night is over and the true Light now shineth the Resurrection of Jesus Christ the Righteous the Blessed Seed is rising in the hearts of People the Son of Man is coming to be lifted up from the Earth and will draw all men after him and in his power and in his great glory is coming to reign and to rule in the hearts and consciences of men and the Tabernacle of the Testimony is opened in Heaven and is with men and the Mystery of Godliness is manifested in the hearts of People and God is manifesting himself in them who hath said he will dwell in Men and walk in them and he is making their Bodies his Temples and he is coming to root out and race out of the hearts of Men and Women that Man of Sin that Son of Perdition that hath sitten in the Temple of God and hath been exalted above all that is called God and hath shewed himself as God and now the Lord is discovering him by the Resurrection of his Power and Spirit in the hearts of People which he is coming to pour upon all flesh according to his word and promise and that Mystery of Iniquity that hath wrought in a Mystery that Wickedness that hath possest the hearts of men and women now the Lords Power and Spirit is coming to cast him out and take him out of the way and throw him out And Christ Jesus that everlasting Fountain who said If any man be a thirst let him tome unto me and drink for I am come a Light into the World which world is in every mans heart And whosoever believes in Christ Jesus the Light they shall not perish but have the Light of Life And this Light of the Lord Jesus Christ being risen in the heart of every man and woman turning their minds thereunto it becomes their Teacher and this is that by which the Lord teacheth all his People who hath said by his Prophets They shall be all taught of God John 6. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me saith Christ who is that living Bread that endureth for ever And this is the Son of man which God the Father hath sealed that is come a Light and a Spirit which every one that believes in is sealed with therefore it is good for all People not to quench the Spirit of the Lord Jesus nor to grieve it by which they are sealed to the day of Redemption Ephes 4. 30. but that every one may turn to the Spirit of the Lord
Jesus that is within them which preacheth in a Mystery and preacheth righteousness very nigh in their hearts and will cleanse their inward parts and make their hearts clean from that mystery of Iniquity that hath been long lodged in them and held them Captive and led them into sin and transgression and wickedness Oh that all hearts and secret parts might be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and that every one would walk in the Light abide in the Light as he is in the Light and here is the fellowship and unity of the Saints in Light Jesus Christ the Righteous ruling in their hearts and who lives in the Vnity and Spirit of the Lord Jesus they come to have fellowship with the Father and the Son as John had and these things he wrote unto them that their joy might be full and that they might partake of the same Light Life and Spirit and have Unity with him whose message is That God is Light and in him is no darkness at all And whosoever saith he knows God and abides in darkness is a lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 John 1. And this hath been the Condition and Doctrine that hath been holden forth for many hundred years they have walked in darkness and shewed as if they had fellowship with God and they have loved the world and the things of the world which the Apostle saith is not of the Father And if any love the World the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2. And now Reader do but consider how these Teachers of the world live and after what manner and how they do oppress people for their maintenance and whether there is any sort of people more covetous of the world than they are and how they draw people from the Unction of the holy One that the Apostle here turned people to and desired them to take heed unto and to continue and abide in that which they had heard from the beginning and not to turn to those Antichrists that were then entering into the world but they were to abide in the Anointing which thy had received and it would teach them all things and it was truth and was no lie 1 John 2. But these Ministers of darkness that have been in this night of Apostacy all their indeavours have been to draw people from the Light and from the Vnction of the Holy One after them and after their Imaginations dark Studies and brain Divination and so have deceived poor people and have led them captive at their wills and as the Prophet said Have born rule by their means and the people have been so blind that they love to have it so And thus the Scriptures have been fulfilled and there hath been power given to the Beast and people generally have said in their hearts Who is able to make war with the Beast But glory to the highest Lord his time is over and the year of our Redeemer is come and the Spirit of the Lord is upon him and the Lord hath anointed him to preach good tydings to the meek liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison doors to them that are bound and to proclaime the acceptable Year of the Lord and the day of Vengeance of our God Isa 61. 1 2. Oh Reader The time is short the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night and all this long-suffering of the Lord that hath been past is because he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance And seeing that all these things shall be dissolved oh what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for that blessed hope and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that all may be found with him in peace without spot or blemish which is my desire And so read over this following Treatise and weigh in the seriousness of thy heart and consider the Scriptures of Truth by which thou mayest judge by the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ in thee how all the world have been befooled and blinded and led captive even at Satans will and how this Antichrist hath ruled in the hearts of People and sate in the Temple of God and hath been decked and covered over with the Scriptures and Saints words speaking them forth with unclean lips and from unclean hearts and so have deceived the hearts of the simple but this fine linnen and purple and scarlet that Babylon hath been decked with in one day shall be taken from her Amen even so Lord Jesus come quickly M. F. A Touch-Stone OR A Perfect Tryal by the Scriptures of all the Priests Bishops and Ministers c. ME thinks I hear the Bishops mutter murmur and contemn that I should publish it out to the world how I desired the King to beware of their Counsels therefore I do hereby give them my Reasons of the Cause why I did so which Reasons may satisfie them and the whole world except they can by as good or better overturn them In the first place I desired since it pleased the Lord to bring the King to his outward Right and Propriety of the Crown of his Ancestors that he might have done that whereby he might Prosper according to the words of the wise King Solomon who said It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honour of a King to search out a matter Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established Prov. 25. And again he saith The thoughts of the Righteous are right but the counsel of the wicked is deceit the words of the wicked are to lye in wait for blood but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them the wicked are overthrown and are not but the house the righteous shall stand Prov. 12. Also it was my desire that he should follow the example of the good Kings of Israel whose way it was to ask counsel of the Lord or of his Prophets as King David enquired of the Lord whether he should go up against the Philistims and the Lord said Go up 2 Sam. 5. and again King David called Nathan the Prophet and told him that he would build a House for the Ark of God and the Lord sent word again to David by Nathan the Prophet 2 Sam. 7. And when there was three years of famine in the Land David enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him it was for Saul and his bloody house 2 Sam. 21. Also King Solomon the Lord appeared unto him and bid him ask what he would have and Solomon asked of the Lord an understanding heart to judge his People that he might discern between good and bad for saith he Who is able to judge this thy so great a People And this speech pleased the Lord that Solomon asked such a thing 1 Kings 3. And again the Lord spake unto Solomon the second time concerning the House which he was building
If thou wilt walk in my Statutes saith the Lord and execute my Judgements and keep all my Commandments to walk in them then will I perform my word with thee which I spake unto David thy Father 1 Kings 6. And Hezekiah that good King of Judah when he was sent to from Sennacherib King of Assyria by Rabshekah and others with a great hoast who came up against Jerusalem who threatned the King and the whole City as you may read 2 Kings 18. And Hezekiah King of Judah sent Eliakim and Shebna and the Elders of the Priests covered with sackcloth to Isaiah the Son of Amos so the servants of Hezekiah came to Isaiah and Isaiah said unto them Thus shall ye say unto your Master thus saith the Lord Be not afraid of their words c. Chap. 19. And accordingly the Lord sent an Angel and cut off all the men of Valour and the Leaders and the Captains of the King of Assyria and the Lord saved Hezekiah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hands of the King of Assyria 2 Chron. 32. Also Josiah that good King when he heard the words of the Book of the Law read he rent his Cloathes and commanded Hilkiah the Priest and several of the Elders of the People saying Go ye and enquire of the Lord for me and for all the People of Judah concerning the words of this Book that is found for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us because our Fathers have not harkred to the words of this Book and they went and enquired of the Prophetess to Huldah as you may read 2 Kings 22. 2 Chron. 34. This you see was the practice of the four principal Kings of Israel and Judah Moreover I am clearly convinced and am assured that the Bishops as they are called and those of their Order and Coat or indeed any that have taken upon them that Function of the Clergy these many hundred of years that they are not according unto Christ Jesus nor unto his Disciples nor the Apostles and the Saints in the Primitive times but are gone quite contrary according to what the Scriptures of Truth hold forth and that in all these particular heads following First Their Titles Secondly Their Estate or Condition and Qualifications Thirdly Their Call Fourthly Their Doctrine and Worship Fifthly Their Practise in matters of Controversie Sixthly Their Maintenance Seventhly and lastly Their Garbe and Habit. All which we shall prove not only not according but quite opposite and contrary to Christ Jesus his Example and his Apostles and disciples Now they being men not only professing Christianity but also taking upon them to be Actors Leaders Teachers Preachers and Feeders of the Peoples Soules and that in and with Christianity there can be no sound reason to the contrary but that they should be men principled fitted and furnished yea and filled with the same Spirit as was in the Apostles whose words they take upon them to declare and to make a Trade of and to get their Living by since they make poor people believe that they have their souls in cure and so by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple and so keep them ever learning but they never come to the knowledge of the Truth But to proceed to the First viz. Their Titles This is clear contrary to the Doctrine of Christ for when the Mother of Zebedees Children came unto him concerning her two Sons that one might sit on his right hand and the other on his left Jesus answered and said ye know not what ye ask and when the other ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the two Brethren but Jesus called them unto him and said ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them and they that are great exercise Authority upon them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his Life a ransome for many Matth. 20. Likewise again when he told them That one of them should betray him they began to enquire among themselves which of them it was And there was also a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest mark that you great Lords And he said unto them the Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and those that exercise Authority on them are called Benefactors but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger and he that is chief as he that doth serve c. And again when he said unto them Let these things sink into your eares the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men And again they began to reason among themselves who should be the greatest And when he said unto them Behold we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death Even then did James and John come to desire to sit one on his right hand and the other on his left But Jesus again reproved them for it and said unto them Ye know that they that are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and their great ones exercise Authority upon them but it shall not be so with you c. Mar. 10. Nay he said unto his Disciples Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are Brethren Neither be ye called Masters but he that is greatest among you let him be your servant and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that humbles himself shall be exalted Mat. 23. And I do not find that the Apostles either Timothy or Titus who were Bishops indeed were ever called Lord-Bishops but the Apostle when he writes to the Thessalonians saith Wherefore when we could no longer forbear we thought it good to be left at Athens alone and sent Timotheus our Brother and Minister of God and Fellow-Labourers in the Gospel of Christ to establish you and to comfort you concerning your Faith This was the Title that the Apostle gave them which was not Our Reverend Father in God Lord Bishop c. And the Apostle when he writes unto Timothy calls him His Son in the Faith 1 Tim. 1. And when he exhorts him he saith If thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the word of Faith and to good Doctrine whereunto thou hast attained Chap. 4. And in his second Epistle that he writes to Timothy he calleth him His dearly beloved Son and that he greatly desires to see him and he saith Thou my Son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus And he bids him endure
a murderer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal Life abiding in him Hereby perceive we the love of God because he hath laid down his Life for us We ought also to lay down our lives for the Brethren Chap. 3. And so this is contrary to what hath been the practise of those that have taken upon them the function of the Ministers of Christ for many hundreds of years for though they have professed Christ and Christianity yet they have been killing and slaying and murdering one another as many examples might be instanced in ages past Those that call themselves Papists and those that call themselves Protestants one killing and slaying and murdering another and yet all professing and confessing themselves to be Christians and would profess the Scriptures Christ and the Apostles words and in doing thus one to another they have thought they have done God good service and so have fulfilled Christ's words who saith Yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God good service and these things will they do because they have not known the Father and me John 16. And this may suffice for the second head which is their Quallifications The third is their Call For Jesus when he came and spake unto his Disciples he said unto them All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world Mat. 28. And he said unto them Go ye into all the world and preaceh unto every creature he that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned And again he saith Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on high and he blessed them and they worshipped him and they returned to Jerusalem Luke 26. Which is rehearsed again in the first of the Acts and fulfilled in the second Chapter and the Spirit was poured upon them plentifully and there were some then that mocked and said These men are full of new Wine but Peter stood up with the eleven and said These men are not drunken as ye suppose but this is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last days saith the Lord I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord in that day shall be saved This holy Spirit the Apostles received when they were met together also Paul the Apostle who was made an Apostle after them he also was separated for that work by the holy Ghost for as the Apostles were met together with the Church at Antioch as they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed c. Act. 13. And so the Apostle writes himself when he wrote to the Romans Paul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God And again when he wrote to the Galatians he wrote thus Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead and all the Brethren which are with me unto the Churches of Galatia And he saith further I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. And again when he wrote to the Ephesians when he was a Prisoner of Jesus Christ he wrote thus to the Gentiles Ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of the Gospel of God which is given me to you ward how that by Revelation he made known unto me the Mystery as I wrote unto you in a few words which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes 3. I do not know neither have I heard that the Ministers and such as take upon them to teach People neither those that are their Lords Bishops and Arch-Bishops that they have had their Calls after this Order for there have been other wayes and meanes used for many hundred of years together as Schooles and Colledges and Universities and Nurseries of Learning which they call their Mothers with a heap of Stuffe which are better known by them that exercise themselves in them than the Revelation of Jesus Christ is and the Ministers they make are by men and of men and they will have them Fitted and Ordained according to their Wayes and Orders But if any one have received the Revelation of Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit if any such have a Word to speak from the Lord they must not be received nor admitted this is not according to their Order this they call an Heresie and a Sect any that speak and meet together and worship the Lord God in his Spirit and in his Truth such are taken notice of and are brought under the Whip and the Scourge and are apprehended and cast into Prision if they do but pretend the Teachings and Leadings of the Spirit of God and if they have not freedom in their spirits to pay them Tythes or to maintain their Steeple-houses presently they are brought into the Bishops Court and if they cannot for Conscience-sake swear and take an Oath then presently they are cast into Prison But of this more hereafter And thus it is truly manifested that the order of their Calling is not according unto Christ nor his Apostles for Christ saith expresly All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Mat. 11. And again Christ saith It is written in the Prophets They shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me not that any man hath seen the Father save he that is of God he hath seen the Father John 6. This may be sufficient to prove the Third head which is their Call which is contrary to the Apostles The fourth their Worship and the manner of it And first for the Worship it self Christ when he spake to the woman of Samaria and she told him That their Fathers worshipped in that Mountain of
Samaria Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. And to this purpose did Jesus speak to Nichodemus when he came unto him by night when he said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God At which words Nichodemus wondred but Jesus answered Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Fesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Marvel not that I said unto thee ye must be born again the wind bloweth where it listeth c. John 3. And to this purpose was the man whose name was John sent of God to bear witness of Christ Jesus the Light that all men through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world He was in the world and the world was made by him which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John bare witness of him and cryed saying This is he of whom I spake he that cometh after me is preferred before me and of his fullness we have all received grace for grace as may be read at large John 1. And to bring People to this Light and Spirit of the Lord within them did Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles endeavour by their Preaching Therefore saith Jesus Christ unto Nichodemus we speak what we know and testifie what we have seen and ye receive â—ot our witness This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God This is Christ's Doctrine and Worship And when he was preaching among his Disciples and also the Scribes and Pharisees heard him and many believed among the chief Rulers â—â—t they did not confess him because of the Pharisees lest they should be put out of the Synagogue And Jesus cryed out among them â—nd said He that believeth on me believeth â—ot on me but on him that sent me I am come â— Light into the World that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day and so on John 12. And Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God came not by observation but the Kingdom of God was within them And when he sent forth his Disciples he saith As ye go preach saying The Kingdom of God is at hand Mat. 10. Also when he sent out the seventy he said Heal the sick that are therein and say The Kingdom of God is nigh unto you Luke 10. 9. And we also see by the Epistles of the Apostles which are left upon record after what manner of Doctrine and exhortation they spake unto the People as the Apostle John which was the beloved Disciple what he hath written in that which hath been already mentioned in the 1st 2d. 3d. and 4th Chapters of John Also the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle saith For we have not followed cunning devised Fables when we made known unto you the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we are Eye-witnesses of his Majesty For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Here the Apostle directs them to a more sure Word than that which was heard in the Mount which came from the Excellent Glory which they taking heed unto might have the day to dawn and the day-star to arise in their hearts This was a true and a right Minister also he saith Knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. How is it then that it is kept so private that none must interpret it but Learned men such as have been at Oxford or Cambridge But the Apostle saith That the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost But those that have had learning at Cambridge and Oxford will hardly give a right Interpretation of that which the holy Ghost hath spoken forth But when the Apostle wrote to Timothy who was a Bishop and an Overseer made by the holy Ghost to him he saith Continue thou 〈◊〉 the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing â—f whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus Here Timothy did not go to Cambridge nor Oxford nor no such place to learn what he had done from a Child All Scripture saith he is given by inspiration of God and iâ— profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction that the man of God may be perfected throughly furnished unto all good works 2. Tim. 3. And when Peter speaketh of his beloved Brother Paul and of his Epistles which he had written and what he spake Some things he saith are hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. So they that have not the Inspiration of the Almighty and motion of the Spirit of the Lord God the same that gave forth the Scriptures when they come to Interpret them and give meanings to them being unlearned therein they just wrest them to their 〈◊〉 destruction and therefore they do not profit the People at all These be they who separate themselves men that are sensual not having the Spirit Judge 19. Also the Apostle Paul when he was sent forth to Preach the Gospel of Christ the
it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn unto the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad Acts 13. Thus ye see how the Apostles opened unto them the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ as also Christ himself when he met with the Disciples after his Resurrection and they not knowing him told him what things had happened concerning Christ He said unto them O fools and slow of heart ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24. And this is the matter and manner and method of all Christ's Ministers to preach the Resurrection of Christ Jesus in his Light and Spirit which is a mystery to all carnal men and carnal minds and this is not a deal of Imaginations and divinations of the brain and studyings of men who take one Verse of Scripture and add unto it what they please out of other old Authors Writings Heathen Philosophers or any thing that will make up an hours talk till their Glass be run which is quite contrary to the Apostles practice and that which they witnessed and exhorted against For he saith unto the Colossians As ye have received Christ Jesus so walk ye in him rooted and built in him established in the Faith as ye have been taught Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2. Here is an express command laid upon them that they should not be deceived by the teachings of men who taught not after Christ And the Apostle saith also that Christ sent him not to preach the Gospel with wisdom of words For saith he It is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Because the foolishness of God is wiser then men and the weakness of God stronger then men For ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base-things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things which are that no flesh should glory in his presence but those that glory should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. And the Apostle saith further And my speech and preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world For we have not received the Spirit of the world but that Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God which things we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual Here the Apostle testifies clearly against the wisdom of mens teaching which is a clear testimony against the teachings that have been in these last Ages for that is all that hath been taught for many generations of Teachers since the Apostles dayes the wisdom of men and traditions of men and inventions and imaginations of men one quoting and rehearsing what another saith quite contrary to the Apostles practice We do not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves and measuring themselves by themselves are not wise But we will not boast our selves above our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us for we come as far as you also in preaching the Gospel of Christ not boasting of things without our measure of other mens labours nor to boast of another mans line made ready to our hands 2 Cor. 10. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who hath also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 2 Cor. 3. 6. In this Chapter the Apostle gives his Testimony that the Life of the Ministry is in the ministration of the Spirit As also in Rom. 7. But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Leter which he calls the Ministration of Death in the afore-mentioned Chapter And when he writes to his Son Timothy who was a Bishop he saith thus I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own hearts lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables 2 Tim. 4. Here the Apostle was a true Prophet and saw the Apostacy coming on and therefore he laid a hard charge upon Timothy For saith he watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry for I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure draweth nigh 2 Tim. 4. As also when he writes to the Thessalonians of the Day of the Lord and of the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition and thanks God for them who had chosen them to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto he called you saith he by our Gospel to the
hand upon him saying Fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the keyes of hell and death Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter And this Revelation which John saw of Jesus Christ will as surely be fulfilled as all the other Scriptures that prophesied formerly of his coming in the flesh who in the fulness of time came and fulfilled all that was written of him so certainly will he come and fulfil the Revelations that have been of him And of his power and great glory and of his coming in his Spirit and in his Revelation by which he reveals the Father as he said himself in the days of his flesh Hereafter I will not speak unto you in Proverbs but I will shew plainly of the Father John 17. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth And this hath the Lord fulfilled and will fulfill in his day and time appointed For the times and seasons are in the Fathers hand although the night-owls who have been in the darkness have striven always to put this Light out when it would have shined in their time which was dark And therefore have they striven together and combined together to make their Mountain strong and set up Schooles of Learning as they call them and educated youth up in that darkness and kept them studying and divining in their braine till many have studied themselves out of their wits and so they might follow their Orders and Ordinations and Degrees one above another and one below another with such a rabble as is not worth mentioning and none might speak nor preach nor read no nor teach School but such as take Orders or Degrees or Licences from them and all this rabble is quite contrary to Scripture-Rule and Example It is true the Apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to study to be quiet and to do their own business and to work with their own hands 1 Thess 4. 11. And wrote to Timothy to study to be approved to God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth This was not studying in the power of darkness to be approved of men to study all their dayes to invent an hours talk to please men and so they take the Scriptures and garnish and adorn and flourish this dark muddy stuffe with it and when they have done sell it for money and so bear rule by the poor peoples means and the poor people are kept so in darkness and ignorance by them that the people love to have it so But as the Prophet Isaiah saith What will they do in the end thereof But surely the Lord is coming to gather his flock according as he spake by his Prophet Ezekiel which Prophesie is not yet fulfilled for it was to the Jewes As I live saith the Lord God because my flock is become a prey and because there is no Shepherd neither did the Shepherds search for my Flock but they fed themselves and not my Flock Behold I am against the Shepherds I will require my Flock at their hands neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more I will deliver my Flock from their mouthes As a Shepherd seeketh out his Flock in the day that he is among his Sheep so will I seek out my Sheep and will deliver them Ezek. 34. So the Lord will fulfill his faithful Word which changeth not however they promise themselves peace till sudden destruction come upon them For so Christ said when he was in his flesh when he spake of the coming of the Son of Man in his power and great glory be bad them watch and told them that the Son of Man would come as a thief in the night and he told them if the good man of the house knew at what hour the thief would come he would not have suffered his house to be robbed and he said Blessed is that servant that when his Lord cometh is found watching Thus you see that the Scriptures are utterly against the practises of those that have been in the Ministry and Teachers of People since the Apostles dayes in the Apostacy for they have neither President nor Example from the Ministers of the Lord neither under the Law nor under the Gospel as we shall prove more fully hereafter For when the Lord reproves Edom and Esau and their Priests and told them they had offered polluted bread upon his Altar and they had offered the blind for sacrifice and lame and sick and that from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same his name was polluted as ye may read at large in Mal. 1 2. chap. He told them that he would corrupt their seed and spread dung upon their faces even the dung of their solemn feasts yet he told them That his Covenant was with Levi even of life and peace and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me the Law of truth was in his mouth and Iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn away many from iniquity for the Preists lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts but ye are turned away c. So these are none of the Priests of our dayes that come from the Universities and have their Orders and Degrees from thence for they confess themselves to be all polluted and filthy from the Crown of the Head to the Soal of the foot and they tell people they must never be free from sin and iniquity nor they must never look for Revelations So these are none of Levie's Tribe for he turned many from iniquity and the People were to seek the Law at his mouth because the Law of Truth was in his mouth And so by what hath been spoken before concerning their attaining to the Ministry as also their Principles what they hold you see that they are none of Gods Ministers under the Law neither did any that were ordained of God to be Ministers under the Law attain to it by such means or in such a manner as they have done to theirs viz. by School-learning Neither are they God's Ministers under the Gospel so that they are neither Gods Ministers under the Law nor Gospel As also Christ those that he chose to be Ministers you may read what sort of men they were When he was on the Coast of Zebulon and Naphthali he preached unto them Repentance And as Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee he saw two brethren Peter and Andrew and he called them They were casting their nets into the sea for they were fishers and he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men And straightway they followed him Matth. 4. Mark 1. And when he had gone a
those things he hath heard of him unto faithfull men And thou therefore endure hardiness as good Souldier of Jesus Christ And if a man also strive for Mastery yet he is not Crowned except he strive Lawfully Consider what I say saith he and the Lord give thee an Understanding in all things Study to shew thy self Approved unto God a Workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth but shun profane and vain bablings and so he goes on exhorting him saying Flee also youthfull Lusts but follow Righteousness Faith Charity and Peace with them that call on the Lord out of a Pure Heart But foolish and unlearned Questions avoid knowing that they gender to Strife and the Servant of the Lord must not Strive but be Gentle unto all Men apt to Teach Patient Instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. This is contrary to the Striving and Contention that hath been by our Bishops and Deacons that have professed these Scriptures both Papists and Protestants one Striving with Inquisitions and Racks and Tortures the other Striving and Terrifying poor people with their Courts and Chancellors and Prisons and Commissaries and Subordinate Officers not a few insomuch that there hath been such a Yoke of Bondage upon the Necks of the Poor and Innocent that Grievous Groans have ascended under it from them unto the Lord But of this the Apostle was a true Prophet to his Son Timothy the then Bishop and Overseer of the Churches of God This know also saith he that in the Last Dayes perillous Times shall come For men shall be Lovers of their own Selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers without natural Affection False Accusers Fierce Despisers of those that are Good Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then Lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof See here Is not this fulfiled But the Apostle saith unto Timothy From such turn away for of this sort are they which creep into Houses and lead Captive silly women laden with Sin and divers Lusts ever Learning and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth And hath not this been our State and Condition in all this Night of Apostacy Have they not crept into Houses and called them Churches And have kept people ever Learning but they never brought them to the Knowledge of the True Church nor of the True God And the Apostle saith further unto him But thou hast known my Doctrine manner of Life Purpose Faith Long-Suffering Patience Charity Continue thou in the things that thou hast Learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them 2 Tim. 3. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ Preach the Word be instant in Season and out of Season Reprove Rebuke with all Long-suffering and Doctrine this is not to use Violence nor Compel as hath been used for many hundreds of years but he biddeth him Watch in all things endure Afflictions do the Work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry 2 Tim. 4. this was not the full proof of Gain and Advantage upon poor Peoples Estates and Livelihoods as hath been made of in these late Dayes for if that be it they have done it to the utmost Moreover when he writes unto Titus his own Son he saith For this cause left I thee at Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I appointed thee If any man be Blameless the Husband of one Wife having Faithfull Children not accused of Riot or Unruly for a Bishop must be Blameless as the Steward of God not Self-willed not soon Angry not given to Wine no Striker not given to Filthy Lucre but a lover of Hospitality a lover of Good Men Sober Just Holy Temperate holding fast the Faithfull Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by Sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the Gainsayers for there are many unruly and vain Talkers c. Tit. 1. But speak thou the things that become Sound Doctrine And so he directs him to exhort the Aged-men and Aged-women Young-men and Young-women and Servants how they ought to walk in their Places and Callings that they might all Adorn the Doctrine of God For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men saith he teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly and Godly in this present World looking for the blessed Hope and glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and Purifie to himself a Peculiar People Zealous of good Works These things speak and exhort it 2. This is contrary to the Doctrine of the Bishops and Teachers of our Dayes for they do not turn people to the Grace of God that hath appeared to all men that teacheth to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts but they say we must never be redeemed from Iniquity nor never be purged nor purified from Sin while we are upon Earth and then how can we be Peculiar and Zealous of good Works for the worst of People are but Sinners but surely this which they Preach is another Gospel The Apostle goes on with his Exhortation to Titus and bids him Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates and to speak evil of no man to be no Brawlers but gentle shewing all Meekness unto all men For we our selves saith he were sometimes Foolish Disobedient serving divers Lusts and Pleasures living in Malice and Envy Hatefull and Hating one another But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour These things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain Good Works these things are profitable unto men Tit. 3. Thus ye see that these Bishops Timothy and Titus are far different both in Doctrine Practice and Example from the Bishops that have been for several hundreds of years last past the Night hath been upon them and come over them so that they have erred from the Faith and Doctine of the Apostles neither have they received the Holy Ghost For Timothy who was a Bishop was a man that the Apostle had much confidence in and belief of as he expresseth in several of his Epistles for he saith to the Corinthians in his First Epistle Though ye have ten thousand Instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel
Wherefore I beseech you be ye Followers of me For this cause I have sent unto you Timotheus who is my beloved Son and faithfull in the Lord who shall bring you into remembrance of my Wayes which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church 1 Cor. 4. And again when the Apostle Exhorteth the Philippians in his Epistle To let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better then themselves Look not every man to his own things but every man also to the things of others And so he goes on opening the Mystery of the Sufferings of Christ But he saith I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your State for I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your State for all seek their own not the things that are Jesus Christs but ye know the proof of him that as a Son with a Father he hath served me in the Gospel him therefore I send unto you c. Phil. 2. And again when he writeth to the Thessalonians he saith We sent Timotheus our Brother and Minister of God and our Fellow Labourer in the Gospel of Christ to Establish you and Comfort you concerning your Faith 1 Thess 3. Thus ye see that this Timotheus who was the Bishop and Overseer of the Church of God in the Apostles dayes was a Faithfull Labourer and Minister of Christ Jesus and much trusted in and approved of by the Apostle for he laboured with him in the Gospel as a Son laboureth with his Father And it is strange that the Bishops that have been in these later Ages should call themselves by that name since they have both derogated from their Doctrine and Principles and added what their own dark minds and inventions would invent for in that they have erected unto themselves a supremacy and a superiority above others which they have practised and Lorded over peoples Faith and Consciences for many hundreds of years together under which many thousands have groaned and suffered even until death and shedding of their blood and in all these things they have quite contradicted Christ Jesus his Doctrine Practice and Example as also all his holy Apostles after him for he and they were alwayes sufferers as hath been shewed already and as we shall shew hereafter But they were never Oppressors nor layers of Yoaks and Burdens upon the Consciences of Men and People but they alwayes preached Liberty and Freedom to others though they suffered themselves and there was their Cross that they took up when they followed Christ And so those Church-Governors as they call themselves that have been Blood-shedders that have been Oppressors and Persecutors they have no Example neither from Christ nor none of his Apostles and so let the Blood that they have shed for so many hundreds of years return upon their own heads Let Babylons Merchants have blood to drink for they are worthy for they have been made drunk with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus so the Cup that they have given to others let them have it double for they learned none of this from Christ nor from any of his Apostles For Christ when he sent his Messengers and they entred into a Village of the Samaritans and they received him not because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem and when his Disciples James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire from Heaven and consume them even as Elias did But he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not of what manner of spirits ye are of for the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9. 55 56. And to save mens lives he laid down his own Life and shed his own pretious Blood as he saith himself He hath laid down his Life for his Sheep and they shall never perish Yea he hath laid down his Life for his enemies For the Apostle saith Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good and edification For even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Rom. 15. And again the Apostle saith All things are in God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. Here is no violence nor cruelty used neither bondages nor snares laid upon mens Consciences for the Apostle saith Give no offence in any thing that the Ministry be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God In much Patience in Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes and Imprisonments in Tumults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings 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 by Honour and Dishonour by Evil-report and Good-report as Deceivers and yet True as Vnknown and yet Well-known as Dying and behold we Live as Chastened and not Killed as Sorrowful and yet alwayes Rejoycing as Poor and yet making many Rich as having Nothing yet possessing All things 2 Cor. 6. Here is a Ministry of God indeed which is quite opposite and contrary to what hath been set up and practised in the Christian world Also read 2 Cor. 11. and likewise in Chap. 4. the Apostle saith Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received mercy we faint not For if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them And this Gospel hath been hid all this time of darkness for the god of the World hath blinded the minds of all that have not believed in the Light of the glorious Gospel and so they have been lost from it and kept from it by the Ministers of darkness who have preached the divination of their own brain and not from the Light of the Lord. But the Apostle saith We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake these are not Lord-Bishops nor Pope-Holiness for saith he God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in
hath Sworn concerning Christ it is already proved and fulfilled in Christ but it is said in Isa 45. where the Lord by his Prophet was speaking that Israel should be saved and he saith Look unto me and be saved all ye Ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none else I have Sworn by my self the Word is gone out of my Mouth in Righteousness that to me every Knee shall bow every Tongue shall swear Now the Apostle Paul rehearseth these words again when he writ unto the Philippians where he saith If there be any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfil ye my Joy and let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the Form of God c. Where he rehearseth the Humility of Christ even to Death upon his Cross in which he became a Saviour as the Lord by his Prophet said Even to the Ends of the Earth Wherefore saith the Apostle God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name That at the Name of Jesus that signifieth a Saviour every Knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father Philip. 2. So here the Apostle hath omitted those words Every Tongue shall Swear and saith Every Tongue shall Confess as a Faithfull Witness and an Obedient Servant of Christ Jesus whom he saith is the Lord who hath said Swear not at all Now since that the Apostle as a Witness of Christianity and an Obeyer of Christs Commands hath left out the word Swear and hath put in Confess according to Christs own Words who said He that confesseth me before men him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven Now since that Christ and his Apostles have left us this Example who saith not Swear before men but Confess before men who are they that dare Oppose and Gainsay Christ Jesus and his Apostles under a colour of what the Law saith and what the Prophet saith and that the Angel Swore But as the Apostle saith unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son Who said Swear not at all When he bringeth his First-begotten into the World he saith And let all the Angels worship him and of the Angels he saith Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a Flame of Fire the Angels are his Messengers and Servants as may be read in the Revelations And what hath any one to do to bring that where the Angel Swore by him that liveth for ever and ever that Time should be no longer when he was upon his Message and Service which the Lord sent him about What is this to men that have the Command of the Son of God upon them who hath said Swear not at all Unto which of the Angels said he at any time Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Let all such as contend with the Almighty in this matter read Hebr. 1. and see how they can answer him there And as for that where the Apostle saith An Oath is for an end of Strife this he saith when he speaketh of the Assurance of the Oath of God he bringeth a Comparison of them that Swore when Swearing was lawful under the Law For men saith he Swear by the greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Now there is none have the reason of a man but they may see the Apostle speaketh of such as did use Swearing because he said An Oath for confirmation was to them an end of all strife and so it was under the Law but Oaths for ending of strife were never used among the Christians for Christ had commanded to the contrary and the Apostle manifested the contrary when he wrote to the Philippians as is proved before Moreover the Apostle James who wrote to the twelve Tribes scattered up and down who were they that had the Law that enjoyned Swearing and under which they practised swearing for a confirmation and an end of strife as the Apostle saith before even to them the Apostle James when he writes to them of the suffering of affliction that they should be as examples to endure he saith Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that he is very pittiful and tender of mercy but above all things saith he my Brethren Swear not neither by Heaven neither by Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation Jam. 5. And into this state of condemnation are the Teachers and Leaders of our Age fallen who are not only Swearers but Teachers Upholders and Forcers to Sware and preach it up for Doctrine to Swear and in this oppose and gain-say Christ Jesus and all his Apostles and all that bear testimony to his Name and Truth and Word and obey his Command such suffer by them and under them and if they bring them into their Courts for any thing because they cannot pay them Tythes or because they cannot pay them Steeple-house Dues and Easter Reckonings when they have sued them except they will Swear they cannot put in their Answers and then they get out Writs and cast them into Prison And thus they that profess themselves to be Ministers of Christ and the Gospel make havock of his Flock But surely he will come and seek his Sheep and search them out And thus much for the third Particular of their practice which is their causing People to Swear The fourth Particular that they practise without ground from Scripture is Sprinkling Infants with water upon their heads and faces and some plunge them all over which we do not find Christ or his Apostles did the like with Infants It is true there was brought unto Christ Little Children that he should put his hands on them and pray and he laid his hands on them but his Disciples rebuked them but Jesus said Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come to me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19. Now Mark saith That he took them up in his Armes and put his hands upon them and blessed them Mark 10. And Luke saith They brought unto him Infants that he might touch them but when his Disciples saw they rebuked them but Jesus was displeased with them and said Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child shall in no wise enter therein Luke 18. Now by all these Scriptures it doth appear that
his bait and it is much if they cast not themselves down for it is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ for his Exhortation was That they should take the lowâ—st Seat that it might be said unto them Friend Go up higher but they have not taken that way But they have several Objections or Colours for what they do with which they do a little blind some ignorant people which is an easie matter to do While the Blind lead the Blind saith Christ they both go into the Ditch One thing they alledge for Tythes is That Melchisedec took Tythes when Abraham paid them Gen. 14. when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the Kings and this the Apostle cleareth himself in Heb. 7. and taketh away the objection of all that can be said for Tythes For first of all as for Melchisedec King of Salem Priest of the Most High God who met Abraham in his return from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom also Abraham gave the tenth part of all c. Here the Apostle describes Melchisedec being without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life So that our Tythe-Takers in these last days cannot claim them by this Order for they are not without descent for the furthest they can claim was Levi and hundreds of them have ended their dayes and their dayes are come to an end Besides the Apostle saith that this Melchisedec was greater then Abraham and Abraham had the Promise of God and the Oath of God passed unto him and unto his Seed which the Apostle saith is Christ Gal. 3. But the Apostle saith He was made like unto the Son of God and remaineth a Priest continually Now consider saith he how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the Tythe of the Spoils and verily they who are of the Sons of Levi who receive the Office of the Priesthood have a Commandment to take Tythes of the People that are of their Brethren though they came out of the Loins of Abraham but he whose descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him that had the Promises and without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better So if our Tythe-Takers can say they are better then Abraham then they may claim Tythes from Melchisedec but if they say nay but they will claim them from the Tribe of Levi then they must own themselves to be of the Levitical Priesthood and they must take Tythes of none but their Brethren the Jews For so the Apostle saith That the Priesthood had a Commandment to take Tythes according to the Law that is of their Brethren Hebr. 7. 5. And he saith further If therefore perfection were by the Levitical Priesthood for â—â—der it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec and not after the order of Aaron But the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar For it is evident our Lord sprang of Judah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing coucerning the Priesthood And it is more evident that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an Endless Life For he testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec For there is verily a disanulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope did by which we draw nigh unto God Hebr. 7. Here the Apostle testifieth clearly of the overturning and changing of the Priesthood of Levi and the disanulling of the Law by which they took Tythes because that made nothing perfect And for this other Priest that remaineth for ever Who purgeth and purifieth the Conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God for the witnessing of this Everlasting High-Priest being come hath many suffered and do suffer by this Generation of Tythe-taking Priests who are neither according to Law nor Gospel and though they take the Apostles words here and it may be may read them to the people yet do they act quite contrary to the Apostles Testimony here and to all his practices that he practised while he was upon Earth And so we that have a Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ our Everlasting High-Priest that he is come we cannot deny his Testimony in paying Priests Tythes which was paid under the Levitical Priesthood before he came now we have another Priest that remaineth continually who is not made by a Law of a Carnal Commandment as they all are but by another Law Even the Law of the Spirit of Life which maketh us free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. But they set up Laws against us and make us suffer by their Laws and by their Courts and when we cannot Swear cast us into Prison But the Apostle taught his Son Timothy otherwise when He besought him to abide still at Ephesus that he might charge some of them that they preach no other Doctrine neither give head to Fables and endless Genealogies which minister Questions rather then Godly Edifying which is in Faith Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and of a good Conscience and Faith unfained from which some having swerved have turned again aside into Jangling desiring to be Teachers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm But we know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully Knowing this that the Law is not made for a Righteous man but for the Lawless and Disobedient for the Ungodly and for Sinners for Unholy and Prophane for Murtherers of Fathers and Murtherers of Mothers for Man-slayers for Whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for Men-stealers for Lyars for Perjured Persons and if there be any thing further that is contrary to Sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. Surely these late Bishops have learned another Lesson then this Bishop Timothy did for they execute their Law against the Harmless and the Innocent and such as abide in Sound Doctrine and those that bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit which is Love Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such the Apostle saith there is no Law Gal. 5. And yet these are they that are made the object of their Laws and are kept under the Scourge of the Laws in these dayes and this disorder is because our Leaders and Teachers have caused the people to err from the Faith and from the Truth But to come to the particular which is concerning Ministers Maintenance where they object and say The Apostle alloweth them a maintenance by what he holds forth 1 Cor. 9. where he saith Have not we
see that the blessed Apostle foresaw the state and condition the Church was falling into and the time that hath been since hath manifested the truth of it And thus we see the good and wholesome Doctrine that the holy Apostle left with them that were Overseers in those dayes that had the Spirit of the Lord Jesus living and dwelling in their hearts but this Gospel hath been hid from them that have been lost And this may serve for the Sixth Head which is their Maintenance The seventh and last is their Garbe and Habit which they seem to place much in in matter of their Worship and they being Gospel-Ministers we know no ground nor Example they have from Christ or any of his Apostles to wear such Garments It is true Aaron when he was to minister in the Priests Office there were holy Garments to be made for him for beauty and for glory And these were the Garments which they were to make a Brest-plate an Ephod and a Robe a broidered Coat a Mitre and a Girdle and they were to take two Stones two Onix stones and grave on them the names of the Children of Israel and set them in four rows and Aaron shall bear the names of the Children of Israel in the Brest-plate of Judgment upon his heart when he goeth in into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually and thou shalt put in the Brest-plate of Judgment the Urim and the Thummim which is Lights and Perfections and they shall be upon Aarons heart when he goeth in before the Lord and Aaron shall bear the Judgment of the Children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually Exod. 28. Here was more than the long Gown and the Surplice the Tippet and the hood here was the Urim and the Thummim and the Judgement of the Children of Israel upon his heart Also Aaron had a Brest-plate of pure Gold and graven upon it like the engraving of a Signet Holiness to the Lord Vers 36. This is far beyond the long Robes of our dayes for there is little holiness graven upon them neither Lights nor Perfections and if they do take the long Robes and Surplices Hoods and Tippets from Aaron they miss the Garbe and Fashion of this for upon the Hemme of Aarons Garment there was Bells and Pomgranets of gold A golden Bell and a Pomegranet a golden Bell and a Pomegranet round about the hem and this was to be upon Aaron when he went to minister that his sound might be heard when he was to go in the Holy Place before the Lord. But they set Bells upon the top of their Steepls in stead of these to make People hear the sound when they go to their Worship And so in this as in all other things that have been shewed they differ far from Scripture-Rule Moreover the Lord said unto Moses Thus shall Aaron go into the holy place with a young Bullock for a sin-offering and a Ram for a burnt-offering and he shall put on the holy linnen Coat and he shall have the linnen Breeches upon his flesh and shall be girded with a linnen Girdle and with the linnen Mitre shall he be attired these are the holy Garments therefore shall he wash his flesh in water and so put them on Levit. 16. So here we see Aaron was to bring a Bullock and a Ram for a burnt-offering and a sin-offering and to wash his flesh before he put those Garments on It is to be feared that our Long-Robed and Surplice-Men miss it in this too except they offer a sin-offering and a burnt-offering and wash their flesh We do not hear they use this they calling themselves Ministers of Christ and of the Gospel but certainly they have not taken up the imitation of these things from hence from Aarons Garments but from the Scribes and Pharisees for from Christ and his Apostle they had none at all but the quite contrary For Christ Jesus when he spake to the Multitude and his Disciples said The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses Seat and that which they bid you observe and do observe but do not ye after their works for they say and do not and all their works they do to be seen of men They make broad their Philactaries or Fringes and enlarge the borders of their Garments and love the upermost rooms at Feasts and the chiefest seats in the Synagogues But he saith Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves nor suffer them that would Woe unto you for ye devour Widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater condemnation Matth. 23. And he saith unto them in Mark 12. in his Doctrine Beware of the Scribes which love to go in long cloathing and love salutations in the Market-places and the chief seats in the Synagogues and uppermost rooms at Feasts which devour Widows houses and for a pretence make long Prayers these shall receive greater damnation And Luke saith Chap. 20. That then in the audience of all the People he said unto his Disciples Beware of the Scribes which desire to walk in long Robes and love greetings in the Markets and the highest seats in the Synagogues and the chiefest rooms at Feasts which devour Widows houses and for a shew make long Prayers the same shall receive greater condemnation Surely the Disciples and Apostles after they had heard Christ thus often to testify against them that went after this manner certainly they would keep themselves clear for ever going in this garb Besides it is clearly manifested by their practices that they never went after this manner in long Robes and Surplices for that would have been a great charge to them that wrought with their hands and were not chargable to any except those that were raised up by the power of Almighty God by their preaching of the Gospel of Christ unto them the Lord might move their hearts to give them what they should stand in need of which they could not want if those had it that were one with them in the Spirit for so the Apostle holdeth forth to the Philippians where he saith But I rejoyce in the Lord greatly that now at last your care of me hath flourished again wherein ye were also careful but ye lacked opportunity not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I know how to be abased and how to abound every where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need notwithstanding ye have done well that ye did communicate with mine affliction for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my necessity not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that that may abound to your account But I have all and abound and am full Phil. 4. But surely
immediately he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost Acts 12. This with much more might be instanced concerning this Generation of men of their cruelty and oppression joyning with the Heathen Monarchs in the crucifying and persecuting of Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles and all the Primitive Christians But we never heard of any Bishops neither in the time of the Kings of Israel nor in all the four Manarchies before Christs time neither in the dayes of the Apostles nor in the Primitive times there was no such Bishops as had Courts and Laws to make people to Swear and to imprison them if they would not such as there could not be Kings without there were Bishops For Christ Jesus nor none of his Apostles sought not after neither looked after Earthly Kingdoms for he said His Kingdom was not of this World neither could his Servants fight And the Apostles said The Weapons of their warfare were not Carnal but Spiritual neither did they wrestle with Flesh and Blood but with Spiritual Wickednesses And so they that are true Christians and of the same Faith and Principle that Christ Jesus was of they desire not Caesars due nor right but give unto Caesar that which bears his own Image the outward earthly Image and the money that bears the Superscription of Caesars Prerogative this they can give unto Caesar and not wrong any man of his outward Propriety or Prerogative for they seek not after earthly Crowns nor Inheritances but after heavenly The Apostle when he wrote to Timothy exhorted That first of all Supplications Prayers and Intercessions might be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable to God who would have all men to be saved This he wrote to him that was a Bishop which if any man desireth the Office of he desireth a good work for it is no more then to be an Overseer of the Church of Christ and not to look after carnal means or carnal maintenance neither to be a burden or an oppression to the People nor to be upholden by men or the Powers of the Earth such Bishops and Overseers of the Church of God as Timothy and Titus were and all those holy Apostles the Scriptures mention we should be glad of Such as are lovers of Hospitality lovers of Good Men not given to Wine not greedy of filthy Lucre but Patient not a Brawler not Covetous for the Apostle saith The love of Money is the Root of all Evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Such things as these the Apostle exhorted Timothy and Titus from which many of the Bishops in our dayes and for the last twelve hundred years and upwards it is to be feared they are fallen into Demas his way and trodden his paths and have forsaken the Apostles Spirit Doctrine and Principle and have embraced this present world and here hath been the misery of these Ages last past But this is that which Christ Jesus foresaw which he mentions Matth. 24 and 25 Chap. As also the Apostle Paul foresaw when he told them That grievous Wolves should enter into the Church not sparing the flock Acts 20. 29. 2 Pet. 1. 2. 1 John 2. 18. All these had a true sight of the dayes of darkness and night of Apostacy that was coming on As also the Revelation of Jesus Christ which he sent and signified by his Angel to his servant John he saw the Beast rise out of the Sea and out of the Earth and power was given to him for forty and two moneths and this power began at Rome which is the foundation of the Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Power and here was the first Bishop that was called his Holiness and his Children are called as high as they can but Timothy and Titus were not such who made war with the Saints and overcame them and power was given unto him over all Tongues Kindreds and Nations and his power was to endure above twelve hundred years And one of the seven Angels that had the seven vials shewed him the judgment of the great Whore with whom the Kings of the earth had committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth had made themselves drunk with the wine of her fornication And he saw a Woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy having seaven Heads and ten Horns which Beast he had seen before Chap. 13. And when John marvelled the Angel said unto him Wherefore dost thou marvel I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast that carrieth her Chap. 17. And so He that hath wisdom may reade and count the number of the Beast for it is 666. And this Proverb which hath continued so long No Bishop no King hath risen out of the Bottomless-pit and must go into Perdition for there were no such Bishops in the times of the four Monarchies before Christ neither among the Primitive Christians that had Ecclesiastical Courts and tossed poor people up and down and caused them to swear contrary to Christ's command which they have nothing to do with wrangling among them for getting of money The Apostle saith They should be no Brawlers And now this usurping power is gotten up under the Profession of Christianity and because it is upholden by Monarchial Power it hath hatched a Cockatrice into the minds of People No Bishop no King but this we can say That Kings have reigned by the Power of the Lord God and may reign as long as it pleaseth him and God sent his Prophet to anoint a King So can we say that this usurping Power hath been alwayes against and contrary to the power of the Lord God and hath ever been the Oppressour of the Innocent and the Just and Gods Heritage and People have alwayes been Sufferers in all Ages by this Power and this generation of Priests hath been the cause of all the Saints sufferings they stoned the Prophets and slew them before Christ and ye may see how they used Christ and his Apostles And now in the Apostacy O the Inquisitions the Racks and the Tortures the Courts Citations and Imprisonments that have been and are continually imposed upon poor People so that the very misery of Nations cometh by these Usurpers and their Superiority in having Power and Oppressors and Layers on of Burdens grievous to be born that upon this Generation might come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from Abel Mat. 23. 35 36. But the Lord is coming to Redeem his People and his Flock out of their covetous mouthes and bloody hands and the Lord hath sent the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of his People and his Light is risen in their Consciences and the Lord will Teach them all Himself and set them free from the bondage and slavery of these Taskmasters and he hath committed all Power in Heaven and Earth unto his Son and he hath all Times and Seasons in his hands and it is good for Kings that are set up by the Lord to fear him that by his Power they may stand and not uphold that power that God will throw down for he is come to Reign and Teach his People himself Read Isa 21. THE END First Theit Titles which are your Holiness Lord-Bishop your Lordship and your Graâ—e contrary to Christ and his Apostles Secondly Their Qualifications contrary to Christ and his Apostles who were 1st Meek Lowly and Humble 2. Suffering and taking up the Cross 3 Love and Charity to all men Thirdly Their Call contrary to Christ and his Apostles which was by special command and revelation in Christ Jesus Theirs of men and from men The true Worship it self discovered Fourthly Their Worship contrary to Christs example and all his Apostles 1. In Preaching 2. In Praying 3. In Singing Studying and Divining contrary to Christ and his Apostles and contrary to the Levitical Priesthood The second particular of their practice is binding and limitting people to their Worship by citing them to their Courts The Third Particular of their Practice in causing People to Sware contrary to Christs and the Apostles Commands Practice and Doctrine The fourth particular of their practice is Sprinkling of Infants without ground from Scripture The Anabaptists Baptism with outward water condemned Tythes contrary to Gospel-Maintenance Long Robes and Surplices Hoods Tippets are contrary to Gospel Ornaments