gained to it when as they commanded the Parishes to buy it and then sells it them again that the Priest must have an offering at Easter also a token of a piece of lead a token that they are at unity with the Priest or else they may not have their bread and wine again for which they paid before and this hath been called a great mystery CHAP. XII Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and the Gospel BEfore the Law was given forth there were divers did offer sacrifice and buidled Altars unto the Lord as Seth Abel Melchizedeck Abraham Isaac and Jacob who pere guiders and directers of People in the way of righteousness who instructed their Families in the fear of the Lord But after the Law was given forth Aaron and his Sons and they were to offer sacrifice according to the command of the Lord and to perform the worship that God had appointed For that time and age at the Tabernacle and Temple there was Levites who bore the Ark and looked to the vessels and pitched the Camp and divâ—â— other services as singers and readers of the Law and Prophets on their Sabbath dayes and Porters and the like and all these petrained to the first Covenant and Priesthood which was to have an end both the Priesthood and the Law and the service thereof for it was but to continue till the substance came Now Christ being come the end of the Law for righteousness unto all that beleive made after the order of Melchizedeck and not by a carnal commandment he offered up himself once for all and became the Author of eternal Salvation unto them that believe put an end to the first Worship and Priest-hood Before he was offered up he chose Disciples unto him Twelve and also Seventy and endued them with Power and many did Believe through their words and they were not Men of great parts but as they were sitted by the Holy Ghost that gave them utterance and they were sent out not to Preach the Law but the Word of the Kingdom and many did Believe and grew and were confirmed in the Faith and after Christs Ascention the Holy Ghost was Poured forth upon them in a more ample manner and it did bring to their remembrance as Christ had foretold and they received great Gifts for the work of the Ministry some were Prophets some Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and all made Ministers by the Spirit for the work whereunto they were chosen and many were converted and did believe then they that had the Word of God to publish travelled as they were led and Moved by the Spirit to publish the glad tydings of the Gospel and when the Believers were many and many young in the Faith they ordained Overseers or Bishops or Elders who were sound in the Faith to watch over them that were begotten but mark they were approved men and Faithful and of blameless lives not given to covetousness neither did tirannize over them in rigour but were apt to teach and instruct in love and gentelness and they that had been Ancient Laborers in Gods Work did so who had received a Gift to Minister unto others and as to be helpers in the Work of the Gospel and all that were ordained were ordained by the Holy Ghost although its true they had the consent of the Brethren and the Church in that thing and there were also Deacons ordained which served to look to the Widows and for the Ministration of the Poor and these were faithful men and had also a gift Stephen was one full of the Holy Ghost and these were helps unto the Apostles also theâ—e were some Faithful Widows who were examples to younger men and to instruct them and to be patterns unto them and all was as a body knit together in love and served the Lord and strengthened one another in the faith and served one another in love and all these forementioned served the Lord freely and willingly and not for rewards and gifts and benefices and earthly things this was the state and glory of the Church in that time in short and these are the Ministers we read of in the Primitive times But since the Apostacy hath entered in and the Power hath been denied of Godliness there is such a numberless number of names crept in we never heard of then and so many offices and yet none of that work done which the Ministers of Christ did but certain new invented things brought in for worship and service and the power despised and men seeking offices and great titles and great benefits and great revenues and the heritage of God is laid waste and the earth become like a wildernesse unplanted with good and the sheep is scattered And so all may compare these ensuing names and offâ—es with the Apostles dayes and the primitive Church and see if they be alike First of all The Pope his holiness Christs Vicar universal Bishop Metropolitan Bishop Lord Cardinals which were but Priests at the first ordained to baptize the Heathen who came to Rome when the seat thereof began to be had in honour but now they are swelled big and become Princes and the only men to govern States also Monks of divers orders and Friars of divers orders Hieroms order of Austins order Gregorys order Carmalite Friars Cross or Crouchet Fryors of Dominicks order of S. Frances order Benets order and all of these orders sprung up and were ordained in the midnight of darkness within this four hundred years at the most as were easily proved and Trinity order and Brigandine order of Jesuites and Hermites and Anthonies order and Clunisencies order And Nuns sprung up First of one St. Clara one order then Brigidia a widow in the time of Urban the fifth in the year 1370. and all these kind of orders were distitute of the true order of the primitive Church and their service was appointed by them that ordained them and these practised the patched inventious that were given them for worship which hath not concord with the primitive Doctrine but borrowed from the Iews or Heathen And all these kind of Offices and Officers have been acting their parts this many years and led people into superstitious blindness and further from the Lord then ever But to come to the reformed Churches so called and there is so many Officers and names but few that do accord with the Apostles times either in name or nature As Metropolitan Bishops Arch-bishops Lord-bishops we heard not of Lord Timothy or Lord Titus Bishops before mentioned but to come on to other Orders Arch-deacons Deans and Chapters Prebends and these must attend on some old superstitious Buildings called Cathedrals or Ministers and there performs a service somewhat like the former these are injoyned their service like the Levites and Priests of old by turns and course as once in a month or two it may be and have a hundred or two hundred pounds in the year for the same and
making any Covenants or enquiries after wordly revenews but went from City to City preaching the Gospel of Christ freely as they had received without any conditions from the people And as many as beleived and received the Gospel did Minister freely their hearts being open unto them who had declared unto them spiritual things Acts 4. 34. Mat. 10. 8. c. So that we read of no compulsion or forceing maintenance from any of the Cities whether they beleived or not believed the Father took care of such harvest men and what they received was given freely and there was no complaint though often they denyed that which was profered to them and their care was to make the Gospel of Christ not burdensome or chargable but rather their hands should Minister unto their necessities Act. 18. 3. Again though divers gifts were given unto the Disciples before and after Christs ascention as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and some Elders or Bishops yet they were all made Ministers by the holy Ghost yet it were large to speak of the Power and of the wisdome and of the enjoyments of God in that day and time and of the gifts and of the order which was in the Church at that time But in a word the Son of God was made manifest and gave them an understanding and they knew him that was true Truth it self and Christ was revealed in them and manifested to them the hope of their Glory Col. 1. 27. Furthermore they came to see over the new Moons and Fasts and feasts and Dayes and Times and Meats and Drinks and nonecould judge of them or ought to judge of them in those cases for they saw the Body Christ for the man-child was brought forth and the woman was cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her head who brought forth the holy Child Jesus who saves his people from their sins In whom all Shadows Types Figures representations ends This in short was part of the glory of the Primitive Church which would be large to spake of as it was in the first State of its purity But hereafter some fuller thing the Lord may bring forth in his own time and day CHAP. II. Concerning the entering in of the Apostacy and the Declination from that purity of Doctrine Worship and Practice and when it began downwards from the entering of it in until this present age and time CHrist the true Prophet which Moses spake of whom the Lord raised up manifested in the fulness of time he prophesied and declared of false Prophets that should arise Mat. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which shall come unto you in sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening Wolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their fruits and in Mat. 24. 11. But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the age of the Disciples and John Testified 1 Joh. 2. 18. Little children it is the last times as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time they went out from us but were not of us and Chap. 4. 3. So they entered in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the remissions of sins And Jude he testified against such as was entered in who was in Cains way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had mens persons in admiration because of advantage And Peter said false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2. 2. And the Apostles wrote to Timothy the Bishop or overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in Hypocrisie forbiding to Marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. and again Paul in the 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural affection Truth-breakers False accusers dispisers of them that are good Traytors Heady High-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the truth having a form of Godliness but denying the power and as the same Apostle saith in another place was enemies to the Crosse of Christ And these went out into the world and this is 1400. years agoe and upwards Then the mystery of iniquity began to work and worught and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the ordinances of the first Covenant But they preached Christ in words and transformed into the form of the Apostles words but denyed the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucre sake and there was the beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the world and many followed their pernicious waies and there held the form but denyed the power and so indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the liberty of the flesh and held People in the Liberty yet prosylited them into a kind of a faith which was seigned and these kinde of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in request then they for filthy Lucre went out with the words and retained the form not the Jewish from altogether but the form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a head and to such a body and became such a number and yet gain-sayers and in Cains way for they were out of the power and out of that which mortifies the deeds of the flesh and they spred themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and People and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People have now got the name of a Church and the seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denied the Husband Christ the power of God her seate was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her seate And John said these were the waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her children against the free-woman the Lords spouse the Lambs Wife and made her fly into the Wilderness for a time times and half a time and she reached out her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of fornication within and she claimed
these thing to be feeble and poor and beggerly things and hath no agreement or congruity with the primitive times And should people be limitted or stinted to such a certain form of words called service or prayer and divine worship Was that ever reckoned divine worship that was not from the Divine Spirit But it may be you will say the words are good or some of them I am not speaking about words but the Spirit from which every service ought to be performed to the Lord God and the primitive Christians prayed in the spirit and with understanding and sung with the spirit and with understandnig 1 Cor. 14. 15. And there was some that knew not what to pray for as they ought but the Spirit helped their infirmities Rom. 8. 26 But you konw what to pray for and how much must be said on such a day or such a time and if there be a Homily or a Sermon Lettany must be missed Now I say if it be Divine worship or any thing wherein God is honoured and the people bettered nothing of it ought to be wanting But these things the Primitive times doth not countenance but when the power was lost and the life gone from and the Spirit erred from these things have come into the latter dayes which have been very perillous times as to them who have kept the Apostolick faith and the order of the primitive Church Many more things we could instance which are practiced as for discipline and order and some for necessity which hath no affinity or union at all with the Primitive Churches but rather are things which are too near of Kin unto her that sits as a Queen upon the waters whose flesh must be burnt with fire who hath drunk the blood of the Saints and how many of the Lords servants have suffered in and about these things not only in the Church of Rome but also by them which have been called reformed many have known and are living witnesses thereof And all these Temples Bells Hour-glasses Pulpits Cushons Altars Tables and Founts which are things that pertain to them that locks they are come out of the Apostacy but the Spiritual minded sees over them and beyond them and before these things And also sees through the Spirit of Prophesie and time when they shall be no more adored worshipped and honoured But God shall be feared in the hearts of the Sons of men and glory shall be given to him and he shall be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth as he was in the Primitive times when the Beast and the false Prophet and them that wrought Miracles before him and all they that have cryed who is able to make war with the Beast and have cryed worship him All must be taken alive Remember that alive in their strength and cast into the Lake and the Mother of Harlors shall be made desolate her Cup of Fornication thrown under foot The Kings of the Earth shall deny it and to give their strength any longer to the Beast and then shall that be fulfilled Rejoce ye Prophets and holy men of God and ye that have suffered for the hour of his Judgement is come and as she hath served the Saints so shall she be served and rewarded double and the day hastens and the times and seasons we see and know as God hath made them manifest The man-child is descended again who hath right to rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break the ungodly in pieces as at potters vessel and stamp the residue of his enemies under his feet And the Church is coming out of the wildernesse again who leans upon the breast of her beloved who is clothing her again with beauty in stead of ashes and putting upon her again the beautiful garments of glory and excellency even his own righteousness and they that see it their hearts shall be made glad and their souls rejoyce in God and their flesh rest in hope for the time is come when she must appear again which hath been retired and hid in a place which God hath prepared for her while the false Church sate as a Queen and the Apostates as Princes and their merchandize sold at dear rates But their joy shall be turned into mourning and alas alas shall be the cry of them that have been in Glory with her for their frankincense odours and sweet perfumes and scarlet and purple and gold and silver and wood and Tin and Iron and Brass none will buy any more none of the Lambs followers nor none of the true Churches children who worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh neither in any outward appearance but in the hidden life of God but in the immortal life which he hath brought to light through his blessed Gospel which he hath caused to be published again the joyful sound whereof many captives have heard and are glad and a numberless number shall hear the joyful sound thereof and shall enquire after the brightness of the rising of the Son Therefore all Apostates Hills and Mountains make room make way the Lord is risen in power and in Glory which shall dazzel the eyes of all the Earthly and shall extinguish and put out the very brightness and the glory of all invented worships in the Apostatized ages and shall bring them that believe in the everlasting Gospel to stability to the rock of ages to the valley of Achor to Mount Sion to the blessing of the everlasting hills And blessed are they that hear and believe and wait to be made partakers of that which the Lord is about to do in the Earth as he hath shewn and foreshewn to his servants the Prophets CHAP. IIII. Now a few words to shew unto all how they may come out of the Apostacy to be members of the true Church which is in God the Lambs wife SO far as God did appear in any age or generation or manifest himself unto the Sons of men in any shadows figures representations or outward appearances the evil Spirit and Serpents seed and evil doer alwayes took up the form of the thing when it came into reputation as largely might be demonstrated and instanced through all ages and Generations till the closure of the Apostles Writings something whereof hath been briefly hinted at before so in this I shall be very brief The Jews held up the Types and Figures of the first Covenant and the ordinances thereof and opposed Christ the Light the everlasting Covenant and also the publishers thereof Moreover when the name of Christ came to be spread abrood then false Apostles and deceitful workers who were enemies to the Cross and to the power of God they preached Christ out of contention and envy and for filthy lucre and by wicked practices made the name of Christians odious among the Heathen as it is this day and caused the worthy name by which the Saints were saved to be blasphemed by their ungodly practices Rom. 2. 24. When the
Apostle gathered together many that believed and setled them in the order of the Gospel and the order came well to be accounted of and the conversation of the Saints of good account amongst many divers false Prophets and deceitful workers got up and as the Apostles met in houses and the Saint met together in houses the false Apostles they crept into houses and held the form as I said before and denied the power and they were to be turned away from by the Apostles exhortation to Timothy Now since the true Church fled into the wildernesse the false Church came into visibility and to sit as a Queen upon the Waters the Nations and Peoples ' other things have been brought in other things are brought in and invented which were not constitutions of Christ or the Primitive Churches And these the world have wondered after in the dark night of Apostacy And the worship hath been made up and compacted partly from the Jews worship partly from the Heathen and partly from themselves being corrupted and the Scriptures perverted every way to prove all this deceit Now many have Judged to relinquish the former superstitious practices and to come and to take up the form and practice again in the outward as it was in the Apostles dayes is to come out of the Apostacv Let all know this the outward Court of the City was given to be trodden under foot of the Gentiles to pollute and defile it and many may wait there and look there in the polluted Court and in the out-side that hath been defiled and many may visit the Sepulchre and wait for Christ when he is risen and so look for him to appear in that which he is risen out of the Iews at their Temple when it is left desolate the Christans so called may glory in their outward Court though it be defiled and so defiled as God will not appear therein again for he hath another way manifested himself unto the sons of men And now that worship that God requires that service that he requires and that glory wherein he will manifest himself is and will be in the Spirit which all people is to wait for which comes to witnesse restoration and to come to the end of the night of errour to the Bride the Lambs wife again Now a measure of Gods spirit being given to every one to profit withal which shews them sin and transgression and will lead out of it which shews formal worship and how deceit hath transformed into them and leads them that believed in it out of that which is polluted and out of deceit to Christ the sure foundation and mighty power of God and to know Gods peace and good-will to all men And that which must restore all people and bring them out of the Apostacy into purity and to have fellowship with the Father and the Son and one with another as it was in the Primitives times is the mighty power of God alone which must be waited for and believed in and received and made manifest in the heart of the People or else thev cannot come out of the Apostacy nor see to the end of those things that are to be abolished And this is that which must be witnessed by every man that comes to be a living stone of the holy City and a living Son of the free-woman and true member of the Heavenly Jerusalem whicâ— God hath caused to descend which is the Mother of all the Saints and the womb that brings them all forth and the breast at which they all suck and are satisfied and nourished up to everlasting life These sayings are faithful and true and blessed is he that heareth believeth and receiveth them And this is a Testimony of the People called QUAKERS whom God hath brought out of the Apostacy to the beginning again to see the brightness of the day of the Lord wherein there is not a Cloud Furthermore it is manifest how many things have been introduced and brought in concerning worship and ordinances and are taught to be Doctrines of the Primitive times when as they are brought in by men of corrupt minds in latter ages which had lost the faith once delivered to the Saints and had lost the Gospel order and compelled people by outward Law to submit unto them and yet all those things they would fasten upon the Scriptures and bring some Scripture which they pervert as a cloak and a cover to blind people withal but I shall descend to some particulars CHAP. V. Concerning Sprinkling Infants ANd first concerning baptizing or Christning Infants as it hath been called which is without prescribed command or example commanded or ordained by Christ or his Apostles although many in these latter ages have wrested the Scripture thinking thereby to make their own inventions to be reckoned or accounted to be Ordinances of God and the main ground which the greatest Rabbies have given hath been from these or the like Scriptures Go teach and baptize all Nations Mat. 28. 19. but this is nothing at all to prove baptizing of infants here teaching was to go before baptizing or Discipling as the words may be rendred for they were not like to be Discipled which were untaught now Infants not being capable of teaching so are not capable of being made Disciples Now to baptize Infants or sprinkle them with water which are untaught and not capable of being Disciples is a ridiculous thing and to do it so as the Church of Rome uses it and they who are separated from them is contrary to the Scriptures and there is no mention made of water at all nor Insants and their other Scriptures they have offered for proofs to prove this an Ordinance of Christ and why only because Christ took up Children into his Arms and blessed them and because he said whosoever enters into the Kingdom of God must enter as a little Child these Scriptures have been tendred for good proofs but the Spiritual minded will judge of the weakness of them who offer these things for a proof But again it hath been said and accounted Orthodox that baptism came in the room of Cricumcision but how they will prove it is yet unknown to many for the Scriptures make not mention of any such thing for one Type did never Type out another but every Type Typified a substance Now circumcision was a Type or a Figure and cutting off the fore-skin was a Figure of Circumcision and cutting off the fore-skin of the heart now baptisme with water is a Type or a Figure 1 Pet. 3. 21. which Typed out the spiritual washing of Regeneration and if baptism of Infants came in the room of Circumcision then how do they agree in a paralel the males was only circumcised and why are the females now baptized if baptism came in the room of Circumcision Another thing which hath been alledged for a proof that which Christ spoke to Nicodemus John 3. 5. Except a man be born again of water the
the first Covenant had many Fasts and Feasts and holy dayes as the Sabbath and feasts of the new Moon and Passeover and Feasts of unleavened bread Penticost the Feast of Tabernacles and Feast of Dedication which are largely shewn in the Books of Moses all which things as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews were but shadows of things to come and not the things themselves which only continued till the time of reformation and till the better hope which brought in the better Covenant which stood upon better promises Now in the Primitive Churches they came to see the end of these things and were brought to him that was the substance in whom all Figures and Shadows do end Câ—l 2. 16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink or in respect of a holy â—ay which are a shadow of things to come but the Body 〈◊〉 Christ Now afterwards when they minded the form more than the power they run out into those things with many additions some borrowed from the heathen and some by their own invention and then press them as Apostolick Ordinances upon Christians which things stand in force with many until this day too too much among them that are called reformed Victor Bishop of Rome about the year 196. decreed that Easter should be kept and Celebrated on the Sunday from the 14th day of the first Monâ—h that is March to the 22d of the same Now the â—ews kept it sooner and so it is without ground from the Iews practice and meerly an invention of their own which led people back into dayes and about what time they judged any thing to be done which Christ or the Apostles did they invented a day and a time to keep for it as to reverence Sunday in advent and Nativity Circumcision and Epiphany Purification of Mary called Candlemas Lent Palm-Sunday Monday and Thursday on which Christ washed his Disciples feet as it hath been imagined good fryday Easter Penâ—â—â—â—st was kept by the Iews and this they would hold out for an Apostolick example to Christians and for all the former dayes they were invented with many more which have been brought in since And so they were decreed and â—aâ—ified at a Councel at Lions in France that such dayes as either the holy Saints departed this life or did any notable deed a day should be kept holy as they said in that Council for the increase of their Religion there was also other dayes instituted the feast of Saint Steven and Innocents by Pope Bâ—nifaâ—e the fourth and likewise John Baptist and that which they call Lady day Lawrance Michael and Martin and generally of All Saints and these were his institutions which are practised by the Church of Rome and oractised among the Proâ—estants to this day Likewise that which is called Corpus Christi day this was made a holy day and dedicated by Urbane the fourth Sylvester assigned the day of advincula Sancti Petri commonly called Lammas in memorial of Peters pains and persecution Felix the first to magnifie the glorious commendation of Maâ—tyas made a Statute that a yearly oblation should be had in memorial of them And Gregory would that Masse should be said over their Tombes or graves Now Priests read the original of your service over the graves of the dead and see if this be Apostolical The fast of Wednesday and Friday was appointed the one day Christ was Crucified and on wednesday Judas purposed in his mind to beâ—â—ay him Gregory was he that ordained that neither flesh nor any thing that had affinity with it as Cheese Milk Butter Eggs should not be eaten on such dayes as were fasts and here came in this Doctrine of Devils Soulmass day this was begun by Odilo that was Provost or Provincial of Cluniassentis Order upon the occasion he heard about Etna the burning Mountain of Sicily oftentimes great lamentations and cryings and weepings was heard which he supposed to be the wâ—epings of evil spirits that bewailed because the souls of dead men were taken from them by the peâ—itions and Sacrifices of well disposed Christians therefore he appointed his Covent to make a general oblation for all Souls the next day after the feast of all Saints and this great institution was ordained about the year 1002. and so all whose eyes God hath opened will see all this heap of Invention hathbeen practiced since the Beast rose out of the Sea and the Whore hath sat upon the waters which is since the Apostles dayes CHAP. IX Concerning Priests Vestures and Bells which are Practised among Christians as Apostolick Institutions THe Iews high Priests had Vestments and the rest of the Priests who offered Sacrifices and Oblations at the Temple and Tabernacle Lev. 8. 6 7 8 9 c. 13. And Aaron the Priest had a coat girded with a girdle and cloathed him with a robe and put a linen Ephod upon him and put a Brest-plate upon him and a Mitre upon his head And Aarons Sons had coats with Girdles and Bonnets as was commanded by the Lord and Chap. 16. 4. and he put on a linen coat and linen Breeches with a Coat and Mitre and girded it with a linen girdle and these were the holy garments and these Garments were to be put off in the holy place and divers other Garments and Vestments which were worn by the Priest about the Temple-worship and Sacrifice which were Shadows of better things and of more holy Garments but this was in the first Covenant that made nothing perfect which was faulte and was to continue untill the time of Reformation But Christ being come and offered up all shadows had an end and they Preached up the everlasting offering and him who offered up himself once for all Now Christ sent out his Disciples without great provision as to attire for they were to take neither staff nor scrip nor shoes nor mony nor brass in their purses and yet they were to go among them that were like wolves renting and tearing devouring and destroying and there was no great likelihood of obtaining any earthly thing from such while in that nature but the Apostles lived by faith Mat 10. 9. 10. and Luke 10. 3 4. and they were not to take two coats and the Apostle in his travels was often in necessities in hunger and cold and nakedness and did not go in costly array nor in disguised habits but in his old age wore sometimes a Cloak among the Churches which he sent for to Troas an ordinary Garment 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10. chap 6. 4. 10 the 11 verse 2 Tim. 4. 13. and John the Baptist who was a great Prophet had a Coat made of hair and a leathern-girdle about his loyns Mat. 3 4. and the Primitive Christians wandered up and down in Sheeps skins and Goats skins being destitute of whom the World was not worthy Heb. 11. 37 38. But after the Apostles decease deceitful workers and evil Beasts and they that abode
hardly stir from thence till they die except some greater advance offer it self also Commissaries Procters Parotters and these are subservient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batchelors of Divinity Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchelors of Art Graduates under-graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsons Vicars Priests Curates and Church wardens all which titles and names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning office work or Doctrine and notwithstanding all these orders and sorts who are fitted by humane learning or natural study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the word of righteousnesse neither hath the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to the weary nor to turn the sinner from his sins and thus the form of things titles and names are holden up but who seeks after the power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Literal Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the ministration of the Spirit few is acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if they be not Persecuted So in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dayes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and practice divers of which I have touched upon to the intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the mist of ignorance and come to worship God in spirit and truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevails not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their life neither walk after their example so take but a few more Institutions which is called Apostolick to this day among them called Christian Churches Clatus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this tittle that is greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be Blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sextus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained Holy Water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in Christians houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the Communion should be laid upon an Altar and that Lay people should not touch the Holy vessels nor the Holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the ninth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147 after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that Crism should be Ministred as Baptism and that Children should have God-fathers and God mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on the Sunday Urbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained Church-yards to be hallowed and forbad marriage of Priests Pontianus the eighteenth Bishop ordained that Psalms and Mattens should be sung in Church night and day to drive away evil spirits Sextus the twenty fourth Bishop in the year 222. after Christ ordained that Priests should wear Holy Garments as Coops and divers other things in imitation of Aaron and then came up surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Foelix the twenty sixth Bishop of Rome ordained division of Parish Churchres and Diocesses to Bishops Leo the Emperor gave Commandment that all Images and Pictures of Saints should be taken out of the Churches for the avoiding of Idolatry but the Bishop of Rome withstood the Emperor the Emperor for his confirmation of taking of Images away called a Councel of Bishops about three hundred and thirty and they ordained and decreed that all Images should be taken away and burned in the 740. But in the year 769. Gregory the third called a Council together at Rome near a thousand Bishops and condemned Leo the Emperor and three hundred Bishops for taking Images out of the Churches and yet the former Counsel and this all of one Faith and Church which they use to say could not erre and the latter decreed they should be adored and Worshiped with all reverence Boniface the eighth he gave licence to the mendicant Friars to hear the private Confession of sins that people should confess to them Pope Alexander gave commandment that the Sacrament should be made of the Sweet Bread and commanded that water should be mingled with wine Innocentius the third ordained that People should confess their sins to a Priest once a year in the year at the least And these kinds of Decrees stand for Apostolical to this day among the Apostates and the reformed Churches so called do own many things that are too near a kin to them and preffeth them for Ordinances and holy Institutions yea in many Countries the self same things are both owned and practised in many particulars which I have mentioned before in other parts of this Book and are looked upon as divine service and holy Worship which the Ministers of Christ who have the word of reconciliation to publish are ashamed of knowing them to be such things as never was practised nor holden out by Christ or his Apostles but are brought in since darkness hath over-spread the Earth and the Power of God hath been lost And at the first Institution thereof though there might be some shew of a good intention in the formers of them but now they are become absolute Idols and however at the first some of the things mentioned might seem to some to be indifferent yet now being prest of necessity as the Ordinances of God they are become Idols and ought to be thrown away and departed from by all that professeth the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the worship of God in the Spirit For the Lord God hath drawn away his presence out of all formal and visible appearance since Antichrist and the false Church hath got them on for a Garment and to cover themselves withall to the deceiving of the Nations And now in this the day of his power hath appeared in a more mysterious and secret and hidden way and in a more spiritual appearance Into this deceit cannot enter nor transform and therefore all Babylons Merchants are angry and Antichrists followers are full of Wrath and the Dragon cast out floods after the heir and her that brings him forth and makes War with her Seed but the Lord is putting on her Beautiful Garments and Marrying her to himself and she shall reign and her Seed who are born of the Spirit when she that sat as a Queen upon the
wholsome Institution amongst you And so for shame let all that profess Reformation and the Doctrine of godliness and the faith of Christ and the practise of the Apostles as their example Come out of things which the Harlor hath invented and say as Abraham said to the King of Sodom That he would not take a shoe-latchet least he should say he had made Abraham Rich So let them that professes Reformation not keep a shoe-larchet nor one lap of the Whores garment nor any piece of her Ornaments that she may not boast any more that we are made rich by her merchandize so purge out horn and huff and all the old leaven out of your hearts and out of your Assemblies and come to believe in Christ the true light that lighteth every one that comes into the world that he may be your Law-giver whose Institutions are spiritual and his Ordinances heavenly which makes perfect and clean and pure the comers there unto and so let the old Româ—sh tâ—ash and foolish Ceremonies about worship alone many of which are borrowed from the Heathen and judge not any for departing from them nor perâ—ecute none for not observing of them for who so doth will manifest themselves to belong to the City which is to be overthown and to be in the Apostacy and not Members of the true Church of Christ the Lambs Wife And many more things which stands yet amongst them called Christions as set discourses hath been set up â—â—lled homilies And the aâ—oresaid W. H. shews the ground wherefore they were devised Some complained that their Churches and Universities were spoiled with error as many are at this day by which there was a want of able Pastors four Sermons were appointed by publick order in the year only and certain homilies was devised by learned men and confirmed for sound Doctrine by the Clergy who made them and the Authority of the Prince which homilies were appointed to be read by Curates of a mean understanding and them that had but mean pay as five mark or twenâ—â— Nobles a year of which sort we had many in England in the year 1640. I desire we have no more leâ—st more ignorance abound and these homilies were to be read after a certain number of Psalms read and the Leâ—any and an Epistle and Gospel and it may be Aâ—hâ—nasius or Nicene Creed and this was the worship which hath been holden out even amongst the reformed as spiritual worship all which while people has been exercising themselves in those things they have been further and further off from God and the knowledge of his truth which is manifest to them that believe not by the Injunctions and Ordinances of men but by holy Spirit which leads out of all Error Superstition and deceit and all that believes in it comes to be taught of the Lord and worship in that which is pure and are acceptable in his sight CHAP. XV. Something Concerning the General Councils since the Apostles dayes though they have been all of one faith and though it hath been said the Church could not err all which of the several Councils belonged to the Church of Rome yet see the difference IN that which some call a Council or a Synâ—d at Jerusalem Acts 15. when some dissention arose because of some of the Phariâ—ees that believed and yet would needs Judge it needful for all that believed to be circumâ—iâ—ed So they that stickt in the outward Types and Figures would needs lay yoaks upon the necks of them who were come to the substance So the Apostles Elders and Brethren coming together seeing the state of the matter stood not disputing years together as the Council of Trent forty years but they as they saw in the wisdom of God sent some chosen men from Jerusalem to the Gentiles to certifie the Gentiles by the Spirit of the Lord that they abstained only from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from Fornication from which if you keep your selves you shall do well Acts 15. they pressed not upon them the ordinances of the Jews neither the custome of the Gentiles in the unbelief which since this the Church of Rome hath done and diverse Councils appertaining to her hath cumbred people with multitudes of things and heavy yoaks some borrowed from the Jews in the unbelief and some from the Heathens in the unbelief and prest their Institutions and inventions as Ordinances of Christ upon all the Members of the Church which are so many and so innumerable and all contrary to the Primitive Church And they have been of the nature of those Councils that David speaks of Psal. 2. who took Council against the Lord and against his Anointed and that was a Council which condemned the Son of God Christ Jesus and these Councils though Rabbies and great men yet they â—rred from the life But to come downward amongst the Doctors and Bishops of that which they call the Catholick Church the Council that was held at Carthage under Cyprian decreed that those who were baptized by Hereticks ought to be baptized again which others called it error And that Councils proceedings was condemned The Niceâ—e Council decreed flat Idolatry about worshipping of Images and the Council at Constantinâ—ple condemned that proceedings and their decrees The Council of Basil as Albeâ—â—us Pâ—igius saith decreed against all reason and against the Scriptures The Council of Armenium decreed for the Aâ—meâ—iaâ—s that Christ was not God The Council of Calcedon which was one of the four that Gregory the great compares to the four Gospels that the Decrees were as sure and Constitutions as certain infallible as the Scripture yet Pope Leo did not stick to condemn it and all them as unadvised And these Councils has been one against another and the multitude of their votes is brought for great proof not only amongst the Romanists but also amongst them that are separated from them so Councils have erred and hath opposed one another yet and the Popes and Bishops of Rome to Leo the fourth abrogated and made void the Acts of Adrian yet they both said they were Peters successors and infallible And Stephanus Bishop of Rome made void the Acts and decrees of Formosâ—s and Sabinian the Pope commanded that Gregories Mass and all Pope Gregories writings should be burnt And all of these said they had the Keyes to bind loose and yet one bound that which another had loosed and another loosed that which the former had bound and yet all these claimed infalibility The Council of Carthage Decreed that the Bishop of Rome should not be called high Priest nor chief of Priests nor the head of the Church but following Councils have stiled him chief Priest chief Bishop and head of the Catholick Church The Eliberine Council Decreed that no Images should be set up in the Churches nor worshipped nor the walls painted Likewise the Council of Constantinople before mentioned decreed that Images were not to be suffered in the
about Spiritual matters for the worship of God But we never read of any called Christians that did so untill Pelagius a Bishop of Rome or Pope when the Emperour had given Boneface the third this power to be called the Chief Bishop and head universal over all Christian Churches Then he begun to make temporal Laws to punish about Spiritual things And Pelagius made a decree that Hereticks should be punished with Temporal death about 555 years after Christ So let all Princes Magistrate and Rulers who denies the Church of Rome in her Apostacy follow not her example but leave every one free to the Lord in Spiritual matters as concerning his Worship for to him must every one give an account in his own day when it shal be required from which the wicked shall not be able to fly Another Objection But then it may be said what power will you allow unto Magistrates that profess the Name of Christ Or how far have they Authority from God to punish evil doers and encourage them that do well Answer It is said by me Kings Rule and Princes decrees Justice there is a ruling by him and that is a ruling in the power of God in him He that rules in the power of God measures equal justice unto all men and ruleth by the good and wholsome Laws which are made by the will of God which is according to Gods witness which he hath placed in every mans heart and such a one is a Temporall head over the temporal body ruleth in Righteousness in temporal things But Christ he is the head of the body that is spiritual which is his Church Now the Law is against the lawless as against Liers Swearers Stealers Cursed speakers Murderers Man-slayers Man stealers Violence and Oppression and Deceit and that which tends to the hurt and destroying of the Creation And he that is the Executor of the Law ought to inflict temporal punishments for temporall facts provided that every punishment be suitable to the transgression and go not beyond it and in so doing he rules for God and the sword is to be turned against that which doth evil and to keep peace amongst all men and to keep down all strife and Contention Quarrelling and fighting and keeping the unruly from devouring and destroying one another And this is to rule for God in a Nation in the Creation and to countenance the honest upright and quiet and meek and this is a praise unto them that do well and this is that which would keep the Nations at peace And here Governors and Rulers comes to be blessed when the Princes thereof rules in Righteousness and when people live under them a holy godly and quiet life But when Godliness Holiness Righteousness is counted as a crime and wickedness and violence and iniquity set up that Nation is near a judgement and for the iniquity of Rulers Kings and People many fruitful Lands hath the Lord made barren and that which is for the well-being and preservation for the universal good and all people therein all people ought to render obedience unto such Command for conscience sake and all people ought â—to obey Rulers and Governours in that which is good and lawful and warrantable in the sight of God unto all just commands to yeild obedience not for wrath but for conscience sake For so the Lord requires which will be acceptable and pleasing in his fight And all Magistrates who are Christians ought to be paterns of Holiness and Righteousnesse to their people and to admonish exhort and reprove the prophane and ungodly and to the worship of the True God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth It is the duty of every true Christian who is a King and a Priest unto God CHAP. XVII Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the unlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in Gospel times Though Apostates mingle the Ordinances of both together denying all oaths proved to be no new Doctrine IN the beginning when God Created the Heavens and the Earth all things that are therein by the Word of his power and set the bounds the habitations thereof separated betwixt Light Darkness And when man was Created in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them Now the Image of God consists in Righteousness Holiness Equity long suffering Patience Goodnesse Mercy and Truth the Glory thereof is unspeakable man being in this Image there was no trangression nor sin nor sorrow man was bound unto his Maker by the Power in which he was made yea he was in a capacity to Fear Love Honour Obey and Worship his Maker from the virtue of that Power and Principle which God had placed in him which some ignorantly calls the Law of Nature But that is not the intention of my discourse to contend what it was but to shew that man was at union with God and bound unto him by that which God had placed in him in which his wisdom power and dominion stood to rule over all the Creatures life was in him there was no death then in this the Obligation stood not in outward written commands or ordinances but it stood in that which was internal and invisible this was before the transgression here was no Oaths yet nor outward Covenants made nor outward Ordinances But after man had transgressed and eaten of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil and gone from the power and broken the Covenant he lost his wisdome and folly entred he lost his dominion and weaknesse entred he lost his knowledge and ignorance entred and an earthly part and a mutable came to have Dominion not that this was evil in it self being subjected by the power and word in its place and in the state wherein it was good but man being gone from the power and from the Covenant joyned to something out of it and out of the mind and listened to that which should have been ruled over that became a Leader which God never appointed and this led mans heart from the invisible God of life and light who is immutable to lust after visible things and mutable and earthly things and into instability And so his heart and mind and affections became more and more to be alienated from the Lord and his understanding more darkned yet such was the love of God unto mankind that he did not wholly cast him off here but followed him with his mercies and promised the Seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head and so it did yet the Adulterers generation in the transgressing nature were great and fast and there was but few before the flood in comparison of the Multitude who bore the Image of God and few in a generation as Abel Enock Seth and the rest went after the Imaginations of their own hearts and set up Images and Idols and also after the Flood when the