the Flock of God which is among you over which the Holy Ghost is Overseer not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre-sake but voluntarily and not as Lords over God's Heritage but as Examples even as Christ was to his Followers who said Learn of me for I am meek and humble of Heart and ye shall find Rest to your Souls So Holy Jesus by his Doctrine and Example did not give Peter Lordly Supremacy over the rest of his Disciples but said otherwise to them that desired Supremacy and Lordship over the rest Be not called of Men Masters nor seek the uppermost Seats at Feasts nor greetings in the Market-place Seek not Supremacy nor Authority over your Brethren for he that would be greatest among you shall be Servant unto all Thus you see Christ gave no Supremacy to Peter for Supremacy and Lordship is what the Kings of the Gentiles exercise over one another and that which Phocas the Emperor of Rome who slew his Master Mauricius gave to Boniface the Third i.e. Supremacy for setting him up Emperor So you see Supremacy is not the Doctrine of Christ but the Gift of the Gentiles Emperors and Kings And though many Graces attended the Church yet the greatest and supreamest Gifts and Graces were Humility and Charity Allelujah As I am a Priest to God having Christ Jesus in me sent to try what Spirit governs the World my hearts desire to the Church of Rome is That they would try and examine themselves by the Rule of God's Spirit whether they stand upon Christ the Rock the Revelation of God to Peter the Foundation whereon all the Faithful stand and are built the Rock of Ages throughout all Generations Or whether they are built on Peter's Person in his Degeneration and Fall when he denied and left the Rock by savouring and setting up the Things of Man above the Revelation of God the only thing needful to make a true Christian Allelujah I humbly crave leave further to query and ask Whether the Church of Rome affirming Mary a Creature espoused to Joseph to be the Mother of God who is infinite whether this be not Blasphemy read Mat. 12.47 to 50. Luke 2.48 John 2.4 and to worship or adore her Image Similitude or Picture whether this be not a breach of the Second Commandment and the highest Idolatry seeing to worship or adore the Work of Man's hand is worse Idolatry than to worship and adore the meanest Creature that God hath made And you calling the Pope of Rome a Creature Head of Christ's Church is not this think you Blasphemy And for you to call Bread and Wine meer Creatures after Consecration the real Body and Blood of Christ our Creator and Redeemer who is the Bread of Life that came from Heaven is not this think you also Blasphemy and for you thus to adore and worship these Creatures is not this think you Idolatry Likewise to call a Crucifix of Man's making the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God that crucifies Sin and the Lust of the Flesh in the Saints is not this think you a high Crime of Blasphemy And to worship and adore this Creature of Man's making is not this think you the highest Idolatry feeing you own falling down adoring and worshiping to be all one and the same thing And for a Man to make an Altar and bow to it is not this the worst kind of Idolatry thus to worship a Creature of Man's making more than the Power of God Christ the Word revealed in the Heart Allelujah For you to set up Holy Dayes and observe Saints Days is not this think you a Prescription and Imposition of Man and not by God's Command and may not we call all these days of Man's making the Devil's Days as Jesus called Peter Satan when he savoured more the things of Man than the things of God rather than the Saints Days who served God in the Spirit of Truth every Day So he that keeps a Day holy to the Lord doth well but he that keeps a day in satisfaction of the Flesh in Chambering and Wantonness doth ill I have bin credibly informed that in Ireland the Roman Catholicks keep St. Patricks and St. Peters day with more Debauchery and Drunkenness than any other day in the Year and I am sure in England Holy-Days used to be kept and celebrated more to the honour of Venus and Bacchus than to the Service of the only holy true God Allelujah You say Christ's Church is Vniversal and always visible I say Christ's Church is and ever was invisible to Men unregenerate who are not born of the Spirit tho never so wise and prudent in natural Things I pray where was the Church visible when Peter denied Christ and the rest of his Disciples forsook him and fled Mat. 26.56 And do not you think that these things were written for our Example that we should not follow Man nor the things of Man in the Unregenerate Estate in the Worship of God but the gracious holy Spirit of God in our Selves which whosoever hath not is no true Christian Read Rom. 8.9 which Spirit is the Saints only Teacher Allelujah And I pray where was the Church of Christ visible when St. John saw her as on Eagles Wings flee into the Wilderness to save her self from the usurpation and tyranny of the false Church for a time times and half a time where she was seen and known only to God fed and nourished by him not with visible Bread but with Bread and Water of Life from Heaven the true Flesh and Blood of Christ of which the National Visible Church knoweth nothing which only feed upon outward carnal visible Things such as the Traditions Prescriptions and Impositions of Men prepare for them So that all this time the True Church and Spouse of Christ lay hid in the Wilderness as a mourning Widow a City unbuilt troden under-foot of the Gentiles cloathed in Sackcloth whilst the visible false Church sat as a Queen upon the many Waters Which Waters saith St. John were Peoples Multitudes Nations Tongues and Kindreds whereon the Whore and false Prophets sat cloathed in Purple and Scarlet and deckt with Gold and precious Stones in so much that all the World wondred and worshipped the Whore and false Prophet she having a golden Cup in her hand full of the abomination of Man's Inventions which she gave to drink to the Nations to the Tongues even to all the People that received the Mark of the Beast and Number of his Name what the Civil Magistrate imposed on whom the Whore and false Prophet sat To such she filled of her Cup and received them within the Pale of her Church but for those that refused to drink of her abominable Cup and to receive the Mark of the Beast and Number of his Name which Number stands in things of Man's imposing against such the Beast Whore and false Prophet proclaimed War and would neither Buy nor Sell with them but made Laws and
by what other name known or distinguished even all that fear God and work Righteousness are accepted of him and dearly Beloved by me even all that in sincerity and uprightness of Heart walk in the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith they are enlightned even so Amen Allelujah Most Reverend Arch-Bishops right Reverend the Bishops with others the Reverend Doctors and Fathers of our Church I humbly beg leave of you to enquire Whether setling Ministers in Parish Churches and compelling all to hear them to Preach and to Pray first came in by the Command of Christ and by his Command so continue or came this in in the dark Night of Apostacy by Man's command whilst the false Church the Whore and false Prophet ruled after the True Church of Christ was fled into the Wilderness Tithes Also I query Whether Tithes set out in every Parish Church were done by a Command or Law of God or by a Law of Man And if you receive them as from a Command of God to the Levitical Priesthood then are you to maintain all the Poor the Fatherless and Widows out of them that there may not be a Beggar in England as there was not in Israel And if you receive them as from a Law of Man then Whether a forced Maintenance by Man's Law be a suitable and proper Maintenance for the Ministers of Christ Jesus who receive freely from him the Things of God and so they give and dispense freely those Things without Mony and without Price not for filthy Lucre-sake but of a ready Mind and only to them they sow Spiritual Things of them they reap Carnal and not by a Law of Compulsion but by the Law of Love only which is Christ's Law and Command to his Disciples and Followers Allelujah Preaching in Churches And whether all the Ministry placed in every Parish to Preach and to Pray are sent of God as Aaron was read Exod. 4.5 12.15 Deut. 4.5 And as all Christ's Ministers are and ever were Commissionated Assisted and Instructed by his Holy Spirit when and what they shall Preach and when and what they shall Pray but 't is not so with Ministers made by a Carnal Commandment of Man that receive their Commission from Man only Such run with Balaam after Gifts and Rewards who preach for Hire and seek for Gain from their quarters such I declare are no true Ministers of Christ neither can ever any such as have not Christ in them profit the Souls of People at all for all God's People are taught of him and great is their Peace Allelujah Doth not David say O God thou hast taught me from my Youth up And the Meek God doth teach And Job who was no Israelite but an Edomite saith He did teach from the Hand of the Lord and that he was taught by immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Almighty And Isaiah saith That in God's Mountain which is his Spirit he teacheth of his ways and that all God's Children are taught of him and that God had anointed him to Preach which Unction is Truth in the Inward Parts and no Lie and teacheth the Way of God truly which teaching of God's Spirit is the way to God wherein no Man can err though a Fool. And Jeremiah saith In those days of the Spirits teaching I will make a New Covenant saith the Lord for I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Spirit in their inward parts and they shall teach no more every Man their Neighbour for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Allelujah And Jonah preached what he received from the Mouth of the Lord and what the Lord taught him And Micah a true Prophet of the Lord saith That in the time of the Spirit 's Reign and Government the Mountain of the Lord shall be established on the top of the Mountains and many People shall flow to it and shall say of God He will there teach us of his Ways and we will walk in his Paths for the Law shall go out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem which Jerusalem and Zion is no earthly Building made of Wood and Stone but the New Jerusalem is the sanctified Heart the new Heart and right Spirit a City whose Maker and Builder is God Father and Mother Sister and Brother of all God's Children Allelujah And did not John the Baptist whose Baptism was from Heaven teach his Disciples how and what to Preach and how and what to Pray saying As ye go preach the Kingdom of God is at hand And God the Father taught Holy Jesus his Son to preach deliverance to the Captives all those that truly repent the acceptable Year of the Lord. And as his Father taught him so taught he his Disciples saying Go ye into the High-ways and Hedges and tell the Blind the Lame and the Halt even all that are small and little in their own eyes all that are heavy laden with Sin let such come and buy Eye-salve buy the sincere Milk of the Word without Mony and without Price And did not Holy Jesus preach often in the Temple and Synagogues of the Jews and did he not weep over them who were so hard-hearted towards him that when he would have gathered them together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings yet they would not be healed nor covered under the Wings of the Cherubims that attend the Mercy Seat of God from under whose Wings of Grace and Love ariseth healing to all that are weary of their Sins And Holy Jesus also saith As my Father taught me I speak and do and as his Father taught him so taught he his Disciples the New and Everlasting Covenant How that by his Light and Spirit all God's People should be taught of the Lord and that great should be their Peace and that those who would be his Disciples must learn of him to be low and meek in Heart and to take up the daily Cross to their own Wills which made him to deny his own Will to do the Will of the Father as you may read Luke 22.42 John 4.34 5.30 6.38 Heb. 2.4 10.10 Phil. 2.13 And this Obedience to the Will of the Father Christ the Word in the Heart is our Sanctification Justification Redemption and Glorification Allelujah And all such alone as are taught of God Speak and Preach as Men having Authority and not as do the Scribes and Pharisees that have nothing else to teach them save the dead Letter and their own Interpretations thereupon Thus when Jesus had breathed on his Disciples and given them the Holy Ghost he saith Go ye and teach all Nations baptising them into the Name Nature and Power of Christ's Spirit not with material Water for that is John's Baptism but with Fire which is the Holy Ghost the only one true Baptism which washeth and cleanseth the Soul Regenerates and begets the New Man Christ in us all such who have their Hearts and Consciences washed and
our dying to Sin is the truest conformity to Christ's Death and a living to God in Obedience to his Spirit of Grace is Man's Resurrection to Life Eternal and makes us true Subjects of his Kingdom and this Conformity to Christ's Resurrection consists in obeying an immortal Principle of Life Grace and Truth signifie the Gospel of Christ and is God's everlasting Covenant of Light and Life to Jew and Gentile as saith Isa 42.6 49.6 John 1.4 9. 16.17 Rom. 10.6 7 8. 2 Cor. 4.3 4 6. Tit. 2.11 Christ's Righteousness is not an Imputed Righteousness only but Inherent which begets the New Man in the Sanctified which is their Sanctification Justification and Salvation The Righteousness of the Law consists in an external conformity to the Moral Law but the Righteousness which is of Christ is an Inherent Righteousness which exceeds the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and consisteth in the renovation of our Minds in governing the Thoughts and Passions and is therefore called our being born again We are not living Members of Christ till we sincerely obey him and that the only way to please God and save our Souls is to follow Christ through the Regeneration who is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them only that obey him Fellowship with God doth not consist in transient Acts but in a state of Light Spirit and Life in union with Christ conforming us into his Nature and Likeness which makes us the Temple of God wherein he delights to dwell Dr. Hammond in his Practical Catechism saith That Socrates was accounted the wisest of Men in his time because he applyed his Knowledg to the Moral part to the squaring and ordering Mens Lives Also he saith Gerson a very learned and pious Man defined Divinity to be an effective not only a speculative Knowledg And that the end of Christian Philosophy is to make Men better not more learned to edify not to instruct That the Law written by God in Man's Heart is divinely natural and teacheth the whole Duty of Man And Man walking in the Light of God's Law obtains more light and strength of Grace but in disobedience to that Light Man grows dim and weak The first Covenant saith the Doctor was writ on Stone which we break The second Covenant is writ in our Hearts to sanctify us and to lead us into Truth and Righteousness which Covenant of Grace Light and Truth is that which saves his People who walk therein from their Sins Which second Covenant is declared and proclaimed Isa 42.6 49.6 Deut. 30.11 to 15. with Rom. 10.6 8. Jer. 31.31 to 35. with Heb. 8.8 c. In this second Covenant of Grace saith the Doctor are contained two Promises First Of giving more Grace to them that make use of their former Talent Secondly Of crowning them with Glory that persevere in Grace Jews and Gentiles that is saith the Doctor every Man that walks in this second Covenant of Grace shall be saved for the Grace of God is that which is given to every Man as a Talent to profit with This Grace saith the Doctor obtains three things for us First It gives Repentance which obtains pardon of Sins past Secondly It enables them that love it to please God in every thing Thirdly At the end of our Obedience it crowns us with an eternal weight of Glory Dr. Fell in the Life of Dr. Hammond saith That exemplary Vertue must restore the Church That Obedience to God's requiring is the best practice That Unity of Mind in that which is good is the greatest happiness and that Sin is to be resisted and rejected in the first Motion By all which it doth manifestly appear That in the Church of England is both Vrim and Thummim not only in their Doctrines the Light of Truth but in their Conversation as appears to me an Innocent Harmless Courteous Charitable Holy Life for which I much honour them and the Church for their sakes and heartily pray That God will be pleased to send down upon our Bishops and Curats and all Congregations committed to their Charge the healthful Spirit of his Grace and pour upon them the continual Dew of his Blessing that all they undertake both in Praying and Preaching may be begun and ended in him to the praise and glory of God our Heavenly Father to their own Souls Health and the Salvation of those that hear them Even so Amen Allelujah As I have consulted several Doctors and Preachers of the Church of England so in like manner have I read and considered the Common-Prayer Book and the Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church Concerning which I most humbly crave leave to make examination by the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles thereby intending what I find to proceed from God's Holy Spirit of Truth which are the Things of God to treasure them up in Joseph's Storehouses the rest that came in with the long dark Night of Apostacy from Man unregenerate in the Fall meerly Humane being the Prescriptions Traditions and Impositions of Men not proceeding from the Inspiration of the Spirit of Truth I intend to turn back as your own Mony in your own Sacks ALmighty and most Merciful Father Morning Prayer c. we have erred and strayed c. And grant for Christ his sake thou wilt give us true Repentance and thy Holy Spirit that we may hereafter live a sober and godly Life c. God pardoneth and absolveth all that truly repent c. To day if you will hear his Voice God's Word in your hearts and obey the same ye are the People of his Pasture and Sheep of his Hands c. Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us without sin c. All which are sound good words being prayed in the demonstration of the Spirit and in Sincerity and in Truth BLessed be the Lord God Benedictus Luke 1.68 c. who hath raised up a mighty Salvation speaking this of John the Baptist who was a burning and shining Light preaching Repentance and forgiveness of Sins to all them that truly repent Which Repentance prepares the Way for Christ the Word in the Heart which Word begets in the Sanctified Christ the New Man in us which saves his People from their Sins and leads them into Life Everlasting Allelujah And this wonderful Child the Birth of God in John the Baptist shall he called the Prophet of the Highest to give Light to them that sit in Darkness and in the shadow of Death and to guide our Feet into the Way of Truth the Way to Peace and true Happiness So this Child the Birth of God in John as in Jesus grew and waxed strong in Spirit being filled with the Holy Ghost as saith Luke 1.15 67 to the end and 2.40 with Luke 1.80 OVr Father The Lord's Prayer c. is a most excellent form of words to those that can in Truth pray it Such only that are born of God's Spirit are God's Children
sprinkled from evil Works to serve the Living God are with faithful Abraham happy and blessed Allelujah Notwithstanding the Disciples had received the first Fruits of the Spirit yet they were to go to Jerusalem and there wait in that Spirit till they were indued with a fuller measure of the same Spirit from on High then they went forth converting many thousand Souls turning them from Darkness to Light from the power of Satan to the Power of God his Spirit in themselves and as they had received the Spirit freely so they gave the Spirit read Act. 2.1 2 3 4. 33.37 38 39 41. 19.3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 4.14 6.20 2 Tim. 1.9 10 14. Tit. 3.5 6. In the Power of which Spirit the Disciples did not only do the Works and Miracles Jesus did but greater when as Dr. Jeremy Taylor saith Christ was risen in them Thus by the foolishness of the Spirit 's Preaching it pleased God to save those that believe and obey the Word in the Heart as Doctor Taylor saith which Word Incarnate is God's Preacher to all the World and God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth Allelujah Singing Psalms Likewise be pleased to consider Whether the Psalms now sung in Parish-Churches for Matter and Form be the same sung by the Saints in the Primitive Times who sung that they witnessed to be true with understanding of the Spirit making melody in their Hearts to the Lord And whether those that sing what they cannot witness true in themselves do not sing lies in hypocrisy yea or nay And whether any can in Truth sing the 131 Psalm that is not born of the same humble and meek Spirit that was in Christ Jesus O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye I do not exercise my self in things that are too high But as a Child that weaned is even from his Mothers Breast So have I Lord behav'ed my self in silence and in rest And whether any that have not entred into or gone through the New Birth can sing the 17th Psalm verse 3. Thou hast well tri'd me in the night and yet could'st nothing find That I have spoken with my tongue that was not in my mind And for the works of wicked Men and paths perverse and ill For love of thy most holy Name I have refrained still Psal 42. vers 3 4. The tears always are my repast which from mine eyes do slide When wicked Men cry out so fast where now is God thy Guide Psal 102.4 5 6 7 8. And as an hearth my bones are burnt my heart is smitten dead And withers like the grass that I forget to eat my bread c. Thus was David Crucified with Christ and buried with him in Baptism which none can truly sing but those that are partakers with Christ in his Death and Sufferings Allelujah Also Psal 6.2 c. For I am weak therefore O Lord of mercy me forbear And heal me Lord for why thou know'st my bones do quake for fear Psal 22.14 15. But I drop down like water shed my joints in sunder break My heart doth in my body melt like wax against the heat c. Psal 31.1 4 5. O Lord I put my trust in thee let nothing work me shame As thou art just deliver me and set me quite from blame The Psalms following can no Man truly sing but those that are born of the Spirit and have Christ the New Birth in them Such only as are risen with Christ can sing the triumphant new Song of Moses and the Lamb and of Simeon and Mary the Virgin Allelujah Psal 18.4 6. The pangs of death did compass me and bound me every where The flowing waves of wickedness did put me in great fear I thus beset with pain and grief did pray to God for grace And he forthwith did hear my plaint out of his holy place Vers 18 19 20 21 22. He brought me forth in open place whereas I might be free And kept me safe because he had a favour unto me For that I walked in his way and in his paths have trod And have not sinned wickedly against the Lord my God c. Verse 22. But pure and clean and uncorrupt appear'd before his face And did restrain from wickedness and sin in any case Vers 28 29. For by thy help an host of Men discomfit Lord I shall By thee I scale and over-leap the strength of any Wall c. Vers 31 32 33 34. The God that girdeth me with strength is he that I do mean That all the ways wherein I walk did ever-more keep clean c. He did in order put my hands to battel and to fight To break in sunder bars of brass he gave mine arms the might Thou teachest me thy saving health thy right hand is my tower Thy love and familiarity doth still increase my power And Verse 38. For thou didst gird me with thy strength to war in such a wise That they be all scatter'd abroad that up against me rise Vers 41 42 43 44 45 46. And still like dust before the wind I drive them under feet And sweep them out like filthy clay that sticketh in the street Thou keep'st me from seditious Folk that still in strife are led And thou dost of the Heathen Folk appoint me to be Head c. Vers 48 49. And for this cause O Lord my God to thee give thanks I shall And sing out praises to thy Name amongst the Gentiles all c. Allelujah Psalm 23. to the end My Shepherd is the living Lord nothing therefore I need In pastures fair and waters calm he sets me forth to feed c. Psal 4.1 7 8 9. O God that art my Righteousness Lord hear me when I call Thou hast set me at liberty when I was bound in thrall c. Psal 42.7 8. One grief another in doth call as Clouds burst forth their voice The floods of evil that do fall run over me with noise Yet I by day felt thy goodness and help at all assays Likewise by night I did not cease the living God to praise Verse 9. I am perswaded thus to say to him with pure pretence O Lord thou art my guide and stay my rock and sure defence Allelujah Psal 59.16 17. But I will shew thy strength abroad thy goodness I will praise For thou art my defence and God at need in all assays c. Psal 119.11 Within my heart and secret thoughts thy words I have hid still That I may not at any time offend thy Godly Will Vers 13 14 15 16. My lips have never fear'd to preach and publish day and night The judgments all that did proceed from thy mouth full of might Vers 22 55 56 57 67. Lord turn from me rebuke and shame which wicked men conspire For I have kept thy Covenant with zeal as hot as fire Vers 105 167 168. Even as a Lanthorn to my feet so doth thy Word shine bright And to my paths where-ever I
the Ostrich in the Wilderness O let it be timely considered by you how degenerate you are grown from that Love Meekness and Simplicity to which you at first pretended Are not you the Men that have in your Doctrine exalted the Measure of God in all Men as the only Guide and Director in that to abide and by it to be led and not by any outward Prescriptions or Impositions whatsoever And are not you the Men that now not only impose and prescribe on others but also condemn and censure your Innocent Brethren as Heathens and Infidels because in Conscience they cannot subject themselves under the Yoke of your Prescriptions Are you so presumptuous as to conclude all knowledg and discerning in the Things of God and all Spiritual Judgment is given into your Hands that you usurp the Keys of the Kingdom and will let none in but those who stand in conformity to your carnal and literal Impositions Is G. F. and the Body of his Friends of greater Authority than Peter who was an Elder and Pillar of the Church whom nevertheless Paul withstood because he did not walk uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel but endeavoured to compel the Gentiles who had their Law within themselves to live after the manner and form of the Jews whose Law stood much in outward Observation from the Letter as doth G. F's Comely Order And are G. F. and his Friends so bold and daring as to condemn the Generation of the Just that went before you in other past Ages under their various Dispensations and all those Worthies in our present Time who cannot own your Practices or submit to your Precepts by concluding them none of the Body of Christ because noneof your Membership Is the Body of Christ now shrunk and narrow'd into G. F's Tribe of Members and Ministry are these the Lips only that preserve Knowledg are you the only Men that fear God and work Righteousness and must we forsake the inward Testimony to ask the Law from your Mouths Can any thing be more prodigious and destructive to the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus than this Doctrine or present it self with greater horror and amazement to the minds of all rational and sober Men and all that truly fear God than the injunction of a necessary submission to G. F. and his Tribe of Proselytes under the penalty of being no otherwise esteemed than Heathens and Infidels Do not you in these things apparently cloath your selves with the Livery and Character of Him who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or worshipped by creating a Dominion over your Brethren and the movings of God in them and claiming a Power to judg of all Differences prescribing Rules and Orders and putting Yokes upon the Necks of your Disciples to the stifling of their Consciences wounding their Peace and destroying that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free If this be the Spirit which you at present stand in as your several forementioned Papers do plainly import I dare boldly challenge all that have gone before you from the Pope himself downward to all Sects and Opinions extant in the World to produce if they can a greater Instance of swelling Soveraignty over the Minds and Consciences of Men than you have erected And certainly had you a Secular Power but framed and fitted to your Rule Ecclesiastical Supremacy the World would soon feel that the Finger of your Church-Censures would bear an equal weight at least with the Loins of those Persecutors which have bin your Predecessors Now all this considered can you in soberness conceive that this frame of Spirit in that absolute Dominion which you claim to your selves over all others will render you the Healers of our Breaches and the Restorers of our Paths of Peace Can you think that this Arbitrary and Haughty Government will invite the Nations and Languages of all Sects and Opinions to lay hold on your Skirts which desire to be led by you because the Lord is with you Or do they not rather with dread and horror behold you while you so heavily impose upon others in such Circumstances and Indifferencies wherein the Kingdom of God doth not consist and make those Rules and Prescriptions of equal value with Divine Institutions Witness the Hat c. the outward Garb imposed upon your Proselytes Your Set-times when to begin and when to end your Religious Exercises notwithstanding your pretence of the immediate guidance of the Spirit Your manner of greeting one another with many things of the like Nature To all which an exact conformity is required upon the penalty of a Censure from G. F. and his Eldership Now dear Friends can you in the cool of the Day of God upon your Spirits believe that this violent and rigid sort of Practice will render your Feet beautiful upon the Mountains or will attract the Hearts of any wise or ingenuous People towards you No surely your experience may otherwise inform you that since this violence of Esau against his Brother Jacob hath appeared amongst you the Curse of Babylon hath overtaken you Isa 47.9 to the end even the loss of Children and Widowhood which will certainly come upon you in their perfection as the Witness of God ariseth amongst those that you have so heavily yok'd and burthen'd with your own invented Prescriptions I have done with you when I have told you That the Dispensations in which God administers Himself to the World at this day do most naturally call for a more sober moderate tender and loving Spirit amongst Christians than this wherein you are exercised You cannot but observe how the Lord of Hosts is pleading with the World in the dreadful Manifestations of his Power by Plague Fire Sword c. how He turns the Earth up-side down and makes it reel to and fro like a Drunkard and the Foundations of the World are out of Course divided and broken both in their Civil Policies and Religious Practices Fear the Pit and a Snare have laid hold on the Inhabitants of the Earth there is no Establishment in their Paths and the way of Peace they know not Yea this is the day of Jacob's Troubles and for the Divisions of Reuben there are great searchings of Heart God is now pleading in Judgment with the People that have bin called by his Name searching Jerusalem with Candles Zeph. 1.12 c. and Judgment is already begun at the house of God He is about to judg the Spiritual Pride and Exaltation the Cruelty and Oppression the Hypocrisy and Formality that hath mingled it self with all the fair and beautiful Professions of those that have bin called Christians And what will you say my Friends if in Israel's Skirts be found the Blood of the Souls of the poor Innocent Jer. 2.34 c. Now if this be the proper Work of the Almighty at this day as certainly all that are not either blinded with Carnal Interest or lull'd into a formal Security must needs