understood by some Ministers and others two Ministers came to him in the Prison a little before the end of the sixth day with vehement earnest importunate desirings beseechings and entreatings and other arguings and charmings that he would forbear tho but one day the next day which was the seventh day to consult and consider of so weighty a matter in so great a change for one week Oh for one week longer His Answer was quick short full and resolved in the Strength of the LORD No he would not put it off one day more it was clear as the Light to him through the whole Scripture and if he should put away from him this Statute of Jehovah tho but for one day he knew not but that the Holy Spirits quicknings teachings and comfortings of him might withdraw and Convictions be darkened and deadned From this time tho Sufferings for Christ came on yet Consolations by Christ did abound and the Scriptures did look with a clearer Face such is also the Experience of many others who are upright-hearted walkers with Christ and thorow followers of Christ in this way of his Command The very next day therefore the seventh day he celebrated as the weekly Sabbath day openly witnessing to it and publickly declaring for it from the Word remembring * Joh. 18. 37. that of his LORD Christ To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I should bear witness unto the Truth every one that is of the Truth heareth my Voice This was the saying of Christ himself a few hours before his Death Since that Shem never met with any Objection that could shake or stagger him but all wrought for his fuller Confirmation and Establishment In the next place his perfecting of Believers Baptism comes to be considered Convictions about this also did quickly spread in the Prison and from thence in other places Having no convenient Accommodations for Dipping under close Confinement he and two more took up Resolutions to pass under that Ordinance when the LORD should give his Prisoner Liberty when he was set free he and the other being at a time in London two Brethren and one Sister being throughly satisfied in each other took Boat and rowed down to Battersey near London and having discovered a convenient place of passing into the Thames River intended there to submit to this Appointment of their LORD the next Morning if not prevented or hindred There they kept Sabbath before the ending of which day somewhat providentially fell out by a difference in Judgment which did put a stop to that whole Action for that time Thus the LORD wisely ordered and graciously over-ruled this Affair for Good For he having before been wrought off from all other whatsoever to bring all entirely to an whole Christ and to his whole Word to Him and to it only had the fairer and fuller opportunity to consider before hand how it might be done in the purest way and to compare what he could meet with afterwards if it might tend to his clearer Inlightning or further Establishment that no one Mark of the Beast might be found upon him at Christ's coming to Glory Before he therefore writes downright to the Case for matter of Fact he will set down what both before and since he hath met with for an answer to this Question Who should be the Administrator and who is fittest for it There were divers of the Perswasion and Practice for Believers Baptism some who had been his Fellow Prisoners others of the same mind who gave him Christian Visits but his Spirit was not satisfied with any one of them For as for the Objection that has been made that a dead Man cannot bury himself as if therefore a Man could not baptize himself Such arguing from some Similitudes are often mistaken and misapplyed and recoil upon the Objecter As in this Case a grown Believer if in any circumstanced Case he have a sufficient Call to baptize himself yet is supposed to be not altogether dead but alive both in Nature and in Grace too and a living Person may do such an Action as may set out a dying burial and rising again Let a Swallow speak in this Case †See Swan's Spaeculum Mundi p. 408. History writes of this Bird that in the beginning of Autumn it gets among the Canes or Reeds where it sinks it self into the Waters thus dying and burying it self and at the beginning of the Spring it riseth up alive again Being in London and making enquiry there his disatisfaction grew on For upon search made concerning either a First-or-After-Administrator of this Ordinance he was informed either by printed Records or by credible Witnesses that the Administrator was Either a Self Baptizer such he knew not one lawfully authorized thereunto which yet he will not totally condemn especially if a Call can be cleared up thereunto from the LORD The Grounds and Reasons whereof are not fit to be brought in here particularly tho the discerning Reader may catch at Hints enough in what doth follow There are Hebrew words which do set out some such Washings that are in two Conjugations one of which Conjugations Hithpahel is always so and the other Passive in Niphal is often significantly * Such as Ruchatz and Hithrachatz Nibtal Nishtaph Shuttaph Heb. 9. 10. Lev. 15. 6 c. Gen. 17. 10 c. Rom. 4. 11. Col. 2. 1 2. In the Greek a Passive Verb has often an Active signification See for this Pasor's Greek Sacred Grammer of the New Testament p. 147 148 149. in many Scripture-Instances Thus also in the Latin there are divers Verbs which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as Passively do work Actively upon a Man's self See Danesius his Paralipomenae p. 78 79 80 81 82 83. In the Greek Words of the Middle Voice have often an Active signification sometimes a Passive now and then both 1 Cor. 10. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Plur. aor 1 Med. They baptising themselves were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea Thus it was iâ—â—he Types which Moses sanctifying by the Word and Prayer the Israelites went in and under of themselves Thus Act. 22. 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aor 1. Imper. Mood baptizing thy self be thou baptized Shem Acher will not say there was nothing at all of this self-baptising by Christ's appointment upon himself tho he resolves it into the Act of another of Christ himself upon him he being the princiipal Baptizer of him Act. 22. 16. The deeper research that Shem Acher doth make into this Scripture the more Note-worthyness doth he see in it There are two Verbs in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of them relating to one and the same thing that is to Baptismal Washing and they are both of them of the same middle Voice of the same Imperative Mood derived from the same first Aorist of the same Number of the same Gender and of
he being honoured with an Imprisonment for Christ's sake for the Gospel sake for Righteousness sake for the Elect's sake he gathered a Church there in that place of Confinement towards the end of which Imprisonment upon a solemn Fasting day so far as their light in those matters did attain the Brethren and Sisters then present thankfully owned their profiting under his ministerial Labours and gave a large Testimony to his ministerial Office and Work only this must be remembred that at several times upon several occasions he in the hearing of several of them did always reserve to himself the liberty of answering of Christ's Call to any other Place or People for he was the LORD's having given up himself unto Him to be wholy and only at his dispose and not to be during Life staked down to any particular Place or People Once more since his coming to London he has been gathering of another People and that Church with whom he now walks did all such of them as were then actually in Fellowship upon a Solemn-Fast-assembling communicate their Experiences to one another how much the LORD had blessed his Labours upon their Hearts and towards the close of the work of that day not by Imposition of Hands or Ordination to the ministerial Office or any thing of that Nature which was openly so declared both by him and them One of them in the Name of the rest in Prayer to the LORD did by stretching out of his Hands as others also of them did commend him unto the LORD in a special Message to the Sabbath Churches in Wiltshire Hampshire Dorcetshire Glocestershire and Berkshire which was undertaken by him and prospered with desired Success the report whereof at his return caused Joy to all the Brethren and Sisters in Fellowship This is somewhat of that which he here brings in as an Argument unto Men who are urgent for such outward common ordinary Calls to this Office from Men. This was a choice piece of the Beauty of this Providence in this his age of growing-Light For let any one convinced of the Seventh-day-Sabbath have been of what Judgment soever yet still there had been a Receiver of him into Church-Fellowship whatsoever his Principle had been If after all this it be more deeply researched into and he be close and home put to it what he himself doth mainly and ultimately resolve his inward special more than ordinary Call into as to the ministerial Office and Work he desireth that so far as the Case will run Parallel with Paul's though he here as before gives the preheminence to Paul it may be in a Brotherly manner and Christian way admitted and received He was set apart to this Office from his Mother's Womb For his Father and Mother related to him when he grew up to some capacity for the taking of this in that if not whilst he was in the Womb in case he should prove a Male perfect Child yet at least upon his being born a Male Child with perfection of Limbs and of Parts by Vow or some religious Promise made to God they would give him up unto the LORD to whom they dedicated him for the Office and Work of the Ministry which has since been suggested to him by the Holy Spirit and confirmed by many Experiences according to the Word which he doth embrace with a thankful joyful Heart as a more than common Favour from that good Spirit His Parents as they had thus designed him to this special Course and honourable Calling so accordingly they were at the care and cost to train and breed him up in such Knowledg and Learning as the Principles and Attainments of that Age and Day directed them to As he grew up his strong Propensions and continued Inclinations were for this Calling as the only proper course of his Life intended for him tho by invitation thereunto by his Father and from others he has since discerned that he entered upon somewhat of it too soon and too unfurnished for the longer he doth live and the more spiritual discerning he hath still the more he sees and feels of his * 2 Cor. 2. 16 17. Insufficiency for so high honourable and great undertaking and would gladly sit at the Feet of others every way more accomplished and more †2 Chron. 24. 20. Margin clothed with the Holy Spirit for it and he is grieved at Heart and afflicted in Spirit to behold the over forwardness of so many in the present Age who undertake to be publick Teachers of others when divers of them do need to be catechizinglytaught themselves Since his more thorow passing into this Office the Holy Spirit who doth divide his Gifts to every Man severally as he will hath in some measure * Ps 68. 11. 18. Eph. 4. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Gifted him for it which he would speak thankfully as acknowledging it to be meer Grace and special Favour for he ascribes nothing of the Spirituallity of it to his own former Philosophick Studies or self Acquirements or human Instructing but it was divine Teaching and Gifted infusing from Heaven so withal humbly with self-abasing that all this while he has made no further progress in a Fittedness and Ability for this Calling in the proper peculiar Endowments for it though this he can say through Grace that for these last seventeen years more especially for the last fourteen years he has had in the Strength and Supplies of the Holy Spirit an industrious mind to trade with his Talent received and there is seldom a day wherein somewhat more is not according to the †Mat. 25. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 10. Rom. 12. 3 6. 1 Cor. 12. 3 -11. Luke 19 12 26. 1 Cor. 7. 17. Promise given unto him and he remembers well that for about seventeen Years ago though he hâ—â— some knowledg of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues before yet this Meditation taking sensible hold of his Heart that when he went thorow the Bible and examined the Gifts of Ministers there he could not find any one Minister of Christ lawfully called by him to that Office who did not understand the Words of Jehovah Aelohim in their Original Language that which did so quicken him up to pray for and to endeavour after a more growing Skilfulness especially in the inner knowledg of the Hebrew Significations by the Holy Spirits Teachings that the serious Thoughts of and unexpressible Advantages by this Scripture Learning do abide with him to this Day and he doth judg it very requisite for those who concâ—rn themselves in this Calling to lay this more to Heart had not the Holy Spirit somewhat Gifted him for this employ he should still fear and doubt he had never called him to it The same Holy Spirit has in a measure Graced and Sanctifyed him for this Holy Function This also as before concerning Gifts he doth write with the same thankful humble Acknowledgments It is not every one who doth pretend and pride himself
to promote a Reformation He dipped all his Children This Mr. Slado her Grandfather had a considerable Estate in England which he sold and purchased somewhat in Ireland he had a numerous Progeny and they most of them have prospered well in this World and divers of them fear the LORD several of them are still living Whilst he lived in the City of Limerick in Ireland the Lecturers were entertained at his House Two of his Daughters were there married to Ministers One Mr. Town who married Gnezri-jah's Mother Shem Acher has heard was a Doctor of Divinity having Preferments in Ireland worth Two hundred pounds by the year he kept seven or eight Servants and well bred up a fruitful Family Her Father according to the Light of that day was zealous against Popery often exposing his Life to danger in defence of the Protestant Religion once the bloody Papists attempted to bury him alive but the LORD delivered him In the Irish Rebellion about forty years ago this Doctor with all his Family were persecuted he left his Estate for the Cause of Christ and after many wonderful deliverances in Ireland and at Sea during that Rebellion several of his Family came for England where the LORD took care of them but now they are scattered into several Countries Yet notwithstanding this just Defence made as to Men some do still go on with their defamings both of Shem Acher and of Gnezri-jah about this Matter who leave their Cause with the righteous Judg who knows how they both for several years have much endeavoured to sweeten the Lives of others and to promote Peace and Purity in the Churches tho ill requited by many whose unkindness have contributed much towards the breaking down of her Constitution and the sore distressing of her Spirit so that it is a wonderful Power and Preservation that both her Husband and she are yet alive What careful Thoughts Shem Acher has had for the Churches of the Holy Separation according to his Capacity Opportunity and Ability is known to the searcher of Hearts and there are some Friends who have been acquainted therewith tho hitherto he has been but little encouraged and cannot effect much but some Testimony thereof he has brought in this way by a Treatise of his published in seventy seven called All in One c. by the Visits which he has given to Sabbath-Churches and that Epistle of Love which he this Year sent to them for a Meâ—ting in London by Messengers for the promoting of such good Work and great Ends as were well worthy for the greatest Princes and ablest Ministers to countenance and prosecute had it been entertained and improved according to its just due value Which Epistle of Love was as followeth Shem Acher a Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ and the Friends in Church-Fellowship with him in London To all the Churches of Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers who keep the Commandments of God and the Faith and the Testimony of Jesus Sendeth a Christian Salutation of Brotherly Love Mercy Grace Love Peace and Blessing be multiplyed to you from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ WE give thanks to God and the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ who has made known to you and to us his Holy Sabbath and hath so far favoured and honoured us as to use and own our open Confessing and obedient Witnessing of this and of any other Truth and Duty of the present Age whereunto he hath called us forth in his Wisdom and Strength who are but Foolish and Weak in our selves and we earnestly desire you to help together by Prayer with us that both you and we may walk worthy of God who hath thus called us unto his Kingdom and Glory and who has made King Jesus to be Preciousness and Honour to us and his Kingly Law to be Honourable and Glorious in our Esteem Both the Old and New Testament towards the close of each putting us upon a more particular and especial remembrance of Him and of his Law and pronouncing those to be the Blessed Ones who doing his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City There being divers exceeding great and precious Prophecies and Promises relating more peculiarly unto the Revivers and Observers of the weekly Seventh-day-Sabbath which shall go a little before the Coming and Appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ in Glory when he will gather in the out-casts of Israel and do his other latter day-Glory-works For there shall be those of such Christian believing Sabbath-keepers who shall build all the old waste places who shall raise up the Foundations from Generation to Generation and who shall be called Menders of Breaches Restorers of Paths to Sabbatize in and the time drawing on Christ's Salvation being at hand to come and his Righteousness to be revealed so that we should look up and lift up our Heads because such our Redemption draweth near We therefore propound this unto your serious Consideration dear Brethren beloved in our LORD that by two or more Messengers from every such Church in England or by Letters and Messages from any of such Churches or of any particular Brethren in Holland New-England or elsewhere we may meet if our LORD will once or oftner upon weighty and urgent occasions and necessities every Year at London or elsewhere at such times as shall be agreed on to keep days of Fasting and of Thanksgiving together by the Prayers of Faith through the Mediation and Intercession of the great Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ to prevail with the Father for larger pourings out of his Spirit upon our selves and upon others for his special presence of Grace with us assisting and blessing of us in all Church-Administrations and at such a general Meeting by Messengers so as that thereby there may be begotten a better Understanding and a more unanimous Accord among our selves a more successful carrying on of Truth Love Peace and Holiness in our Churches a more exact bringing of all the Ordinances of Christ's New Spiritual House to the Laws and Orders of the Prophetical Pattern according to Scripture-Institution and that from cool considerate Conferences there may be given forth right statings of any other Questions that may come before us about which to give our advice mutually to one another by the Rules of the Word of God judging righteous Judgment according unto that without any lording it one over another but in all lowliness of Mind in Humility and Meekness being readily and thankfully made willing to receive further Scripture-Light from any whom our LORD shall use and honour to hold it forth before us and that then and there we may consult which way by a common stock to promote any good work for the maintenance of any Church-Officers for the training up of hopeful young or more aged Men sound and stedfast in the Faith in the Knowledg of the Original Tongue and of other
Saints being injurious to the Christian Churches and a Blasphemer of God of Christ God-Man and of his Truths Worship Cause Ways and Disciples suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven and he fell to the Earth and heard a Voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And he said Who art thou LORD And the LORD said I am JESVS whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kick against the Goads And he trembling and astonished said LORD What wilt thou have me to do And the LORD said unto him Arise and go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do The History of this wonderful Work he is now ready to own and to declare before Princes Priests or People where he had a Call and Opportunity preaching up that Christian Doctrine and Discipleship which but a little before he endeavoured to persecute down counting all his former self-righteousness formalworshippings creature-advantages outward Church-priviledges vain affectation of human wisdom by Philosophic Studies to be as dung and as Dogs-meat for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus his Lord for whom he suffered the loss of all things that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith And now he lays aside his old human Set-Forms and prayed in the help of the interceding Spirit Framing of such arguing Requests within him as his present Case called for Thus he who had been one of the prime of Sinners is now become one of the greatest Exalâ—ers of the Father's rich Grace and free Love of Christ's Alsufficient Satisfaction and prevailing Intercession and of the holy Spirit 's powerful gracious working SHEM ACHER The way and manner of the holy Spirit 's working upon him hath been various at several times yet in a marvelous gracious manner even from his Childhood and in his Youth oftentimes by Terror now and then by Bands of Love He lay for many years under a spirit of bondage to Fear being very often frighted in terrible Dreams wherein he fell into deep Waters the Earth sliding away from under him whilst he endeavoured to climb up to the top of an Hill or Rock for safety which he was not able to do falling over Bridges into the Sea and down from thence into the Gulph and horrible Pit though at that time he little understood that thus was the positure of the Creation as to the lowest World The Devil many times seemed to be at hand running to lay hold on him though always he escaped yet so terrified as awakened him and left cold sweats upon him yet this kept him several years in aw and held him back from many Sins Once when he was tampering about one Sin which was preparing for another Sin though he did not then actually commit either the one or the other a Voice with power smote his heart as with a Thunder-bolt from Heaven What if God should strike thee dead and damned upon the place which quickly sent him to his private Chamber and set him about Praying Reading Confessing Humbling work and at other times he was put upon Fasting thinking with himself to conquer Corruptions and Temptations too much going forth in his own strength and depending upon Duties which yet Experience told him were all too weak in this Combat without help from Christ and his Spirit At other seasons there were sweet Allurings especially upon reading the History of Christ's Life Sufferings and Death which did very much melt him into Tears and kindly affect and winningly overcome the Heart Though he dare not say as one Minister told him concerning himself he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Self-Father or his own Spiritual Father his meaning being that he was his own Converter begotten and born by that Word which he preached to others If any would have Shem to name his Father He of and by whom he was born from Above was Abi-jah Jah my Father Abi Ael the mighty God my Father Abi-hu He and the Alone my Father He. As Shem has been in the lowest World in his Spirit in the Gulph and somewhat in Hell so also there have been two more remarkable passages at special seasons when his Heart was taken into nearer union to and closer fellowship with Christ in the uppermost World The one was when solemnly and seriously setting himself to enquire into the safety of his Spiritual Estate he was held strictly to these Terms That he must burn his Papers with his own Hand and his former Collections out of humane Authors of Philosophical Learning wherein much of that which was corrupt was heaped together amongst a little somewhat that was true and good and that he must begin as it it were Religion and all anew and take all from Christ and from his Word purely and only with a Promise That then he should be better taught and not lose any thing that was useful of what he knew before and should have a better and richer stock given in About which time it was clearly revealed to him and in him by a passage in an Author who so opened that word in 2 Tim. 3. 16. The whole Scripture which the English Translation doth render All Scripture that for the whole and every part of his Religion in all Doctrine and Duties he must take the whole Scripture along with him both Old and New Testament to be for him where-ever the holy Spirit doth take occasion to â—reat of any such particular subject-matter which Word-Rule in the harmoniousness and uniformness or oneness of it throughout has been of singular unexpressible usefulness to him ever since in this Age of growing Light This put him to a kind of offering up his Isaac But Jehovah his Aelohim framed his Heart to it and he readily answered the Call and sacrificed with his own hand in the Flames several years Labours of great value in the esteem of some for he had still an industrious mind trying many ways of heaping up Learning but was not set right till now And from that day to this he has found the LORD True and Good as his Word so that he can say to the praise of this God of all Grace and Mercy That scarce one week for many years has passed over him without some special Teachings the holy Spirit opening some Scripture or other before him and then opening the Eyes of his Understanding to take in the light and meaning thereof of which he has gathered much and it is laid up by him as his rich Treasure in and under Christ yea it is a very black night and dark day with him if there be any one such whole natural day in any one week wherein there is not somewhat of this All the Glory be to Jehovah Aelohim But how now what shall be done to carry on Preaching and Praying Work for he was a
forth sooner he has much to say in answer if he would enlarge but in short some hints he has already given which carry forcibleness of right Words in them to the impartially intelligent and spiritually discerning and he hoped that the Experiences of many in this City upon whose Hearts the LORD had sealed to the Office of his Ministry might have put some timely stop to the further spreading of such defameings Besides it is evident to him being led far into the mystery and meaning of this Providence that this is the fittest season for the making of the present Apology and if either some will charge him with Vanity and Pride with Folly and Vain-boasting in writing so much upon his own Defence or if it have another effect than many are well aware off for the putting of separate Churches upon a further search into the Scriptures of Truth about the right constituting of Churches the lawful Call to the Ministerial Office and Work and some other weighty Ordinances spoken unto in this Paper it will much concern those who make the exception duly to ponder who is chargeable Whether the Apologist who in a Cause and Case so circumstanced doth make his honest Defence and just Plea or those unfriendly ones who have compelled him hereunto which advocating for Innocence so far as it is Innocence has Scripture-Warrant †Joh. 29. and 31. Chap. and elsewhere in that Book Acts 22. and 26. chap. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 5. and 2 Cor. 11. throughout and 12. 11 both in the Old and New Testament so that if he have been a Fool in glorying they are others who have necessitated him thereunto PAVL * Acts 19. 18. and 22. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 13. 17. He was baptized upon this eminent Conversion and clear Call to the Office and Work of the Ministry He being sent more to Preach the Gospel than to Baptize though this were in his Commission too They were not very many whom he did Baptize lest any should misjudge that he had baptized in his own Name which he doth expresly deny and disown He is called upon not to tarry but to arise and baptising to be baptized and wash away his Sins calling on the Name of the Lord whereupon he doth submit to this Baptismal Ordinance SHEM ACHER He having had such Calls and such clearings up of this Call to this Ministerial Office of which so large an Account has been given especially at those solemn Seasons of Fasting and Prayer when he set himself more in serious earnest to be satisfied concerning this his Call from Heaven by the Holy Spirits leaving some sealing Testimony thereof upon his Heart according to the Word at such a needful time when he was under some perplexing Doubts and distressing Fears about this Call Being thus prepared for it as is already rehearsed the Light of amongst some others two Truths and Duties of this Age were evidently made known unto him the one of the Seventh-day weekly Sabbath the other of perfecting Believers Baptism he doth leave others here whose Case at present is or hereafter may be more concerned in this Matter if it be not already perfected upon and in them to consider whether then if there be otherways a fittedness for and a Call to the Ministerial Function it may not be proper and useful to enter upon this Office with such * Heb. 6. 1 2. Mat. 3. 13 14 15 16 17. and 4. 1. 17. Act. 9. 18 20. aâ—d 26 16. 20. Exod. 29. 4. Leâ— 8. 6. perfecting of Baptism now they are grown Believers so were the Priests under the Old Testament which is mentioned not at all to reinforce any Old Testament Shadow Figure Type or Ceremony now under the present New Testament Administration of Grace so was Christ so were his Apostles so was Paul let the Spirit of God from his Word speak with Men's Hearts about this I forbear in this place to add any further Arguments for or Advantages by this The occasion of his passing into the Scripture-Path of the weekly seventh-day-Sabbath was this A near and dear Brother and Friend of his from the Country wrote this Case of Conscience to him whether the first day of the Week as commonly observed by almost all Christians or the seventh which is the last day of every Week in the weekly returns of it were indeed the weekly Sabbath according to God's Command or in words to the sâ—me effect for it is now about sixteen years since and he earnestly desired the Opinion and Judgment of Shem Acher upon this Case Upon the Receipt of this Letter he was somewhat startled at this new Proposal though he was not so fully satisfied for some years before about any word-Institution for observing the first day as a Sister in Sabbath-Fellowship converted under his Ministry a shining Ornament to her holy Profession whilst here below but now above with the LORD informed and reminded him that when she propounded the very same Case to him about six or seven years before he gave her a very faint unsatisfactory answer as if he scarce were then a cordial Favourer of that first day for tho he preached up Sabbath-Duties and Priviledges in that Town yet his Assistant was as one part of his Work to engage in the Controversy which was the limitted day At the first receipt of that Case he was full of other work and employ about his own and other Cases and laid it aside for near a Month the Brother whose Spirit was tender in this Case as in many other new Cases sent a second Letter with renewed importunity requiring and expecting a speedy Answer Upon this Shem Acher speaks to Jehovah Aelohim to Father Son and Holy Spirit to Christ God-Man in Prayer about it and then makes Scripture-Testimonies to be †Psal 119. 24. the Men of his Counsel and being under an Obligation to take the whole Scripture along with him for the resolving and determining of this Case and to lay aside all his former Apprehensions and no longer to parle with Humane Traditions Philosophical arguings Carnal reasonings or any other unscriptural Authorities he took his Bible which he has now had about forty years and to which he was well used and so could with the more readiness turn unto apt places beginning with the first Week of the created World and there he found that * Gen. 2. â— 2 3. the weekly Seventh-day-Sabbath had Foundation both in Jehovah's Word and in Created Nature as being the only day of the whole Week on which the Creator and Redeemer rested which day he Blessed and which day he Sanctifyed for Sabbath-Purposes and Priviledges and not any other Day of the Week neither first second third fourth fifth nor sixth but only the seventh On he goes with his enquiry through the whole Book of Moses and finds the seventh day Sabbath †Exod. 16. 22. 30. reinforced and the neglect and profaneing thereof reproved before the solemn proclaiming of it
at Mount Sinai where the very next step in his Travails he hears * Exod. 19 and 20 chap. particularly chap. 20. vers 8 9 10 11. the trumpeting promulgation of this Kingly Law of the Seventh day Sabbath sounding loud in his Ear and Heart and still the further he passed on in the after Writings of Moses and of the Prophets the more he is led along in the Seventh-day-Sabbath-way till he came full home to the close of the Old Testament with this Seal put upon this Scripture-Canon or Rule by Jehovah himself †Mal 4. 4. Remember ye the Law of Moses my Servant all and every both of the Commands for keeping holy of the weekly Sabbath day and of the Promises of Blessings and Sanctifyings of weekly Sabbath day to right Observers of it and also of the Threatnings denounced against Profaners of the weekly-Sabbath-day relating only to the seventh the last day of every week and to no other day of the week He was now in a short space of time the very same day of entering upon this enquiry got so far forwards in this way of the seventh-day Sabbath from that Light and Truth which Jehovah Aelohim sent forth from his word by his Holy Spirit that he forthwith concluded there was no either going back or stepping aside for him out of this Scripture-Path For if all the Old Testament were for it the New was not against it seeing if any had preached up the first or any other day except the seventh of the whole week at the beginning of the New Testament-dispensation of Grace those who were more * Acts 17. 1â—â— noble-raced Believers on and Disciples of Christ before the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles who searched the Scriptures they then had whether the first-day-pretended-Sabbath-Doctrine were true or not they could not find that written Word which they then enjoyed had any such Institution at all in it but the weekly Sabbath's †Exod. 25. 11 16 21 22. 1 Kings 8. 9. Jam 2. 8 9 10 11 12. crowning honour was all through visible and legible upon the head of the seventh day only However he narrowly examined and diligently compared the whole New Testament Writings by the Evangelists and Apostles and there he soon discovered that the LORD Jesus Christ whose * 1 Pet. 2. 21. 1 Cor. 11. 1. 1 Joh 2. 4 6. and 4. 17. Example he was to follow in all the Acts of Decalogical Obedience or Obedience to the Laws of the ten Words and whose exact perfect Holiness and Righteousness both of Nature Heart and Life was fully every way answering to all the demands of this Law which was to be both imputed to Believers for their Justification and conformed to by Believers in their Sanctification this Christ all his Life long in the weekly returns of the Sabbath kept the †Luk. 4. 16 31. 23 56. elsewhere seventh day Sabbath and no other day of the week as such to which the Gospels give abundant Testimony Now he begins to be more confirmed and wondereth how he could so much overlook so self-evidencing a Truth and Duty so long he converseth further with the Records of the Apostles whether their Doctrine and Practice did Harmonize and tune in the same Concord with this new * Ps 92. Title Jer. 6. 16. 17. 21 c. Song Psalm and Hymn of the true good old weekly seventh day Sabbath His only remaining work now left was to consult the Apostles Writings and therein he reads in plain legible Characters that as Christ's Custom Manner or constant practised Usage was so also was †Luke 4. 16. Acts 17. 2 3. 18. 4. Paul's the Expression is one and the same in the Greek to observe the seventh-day as the only weekly Sabbath day and that no other day in the whole week has both the Name and Nature of a weekly Sabbath-day given to it by the Holy Spirit but only the seventh day and that Obedience to these Laws of Christ is so often called for both * Mat. 5 6 7. chap. Joh. 14. 15. Luk. 10. 25 26 27 28. Rom. 4. 15. 5. 13. 13. 8 9 10. Jam. 2. 8 9 10 11 13. Heb. 5. 9. Rev. 12. 17. 14. 12. 22. 14 15 18 19. by Christ and his Apostles as an evidence of Love to Christ and of other Interest in him as a Saviour and that the new Testament Scripture was also closed up with Christ's Seal of Blessing to those who doing these his Commandments and of pronouncing a Sentence of Excommunication against any Man who should either add to or take from this written Word Will and Law of Christ The whole Scripture being thus profitable for this Doctrine and Duty of the weekly seventh day Sabbath Christ sate as one expecting an answer readily heartily whereupon Shem Acher was not disobedient to this heavenly Teaching by the Holy Spirit but resolves in the strength and supplies of the same good Spirit to set about the Practice of it and this State of the Question he sends to his enquiring Brother who also forthwith embraced the same Truth and reduced it to Practice And now lo a very formidable Sight stares him in the Face for he saw such an Army of Opposers not only profane but professing not only Foes but Friends all almost as one Man up in Arms against him as soon as it should take Air abroad for he was then the LORD's Prisoner and be known that it was his Principle †Ps 119. 165 and Practice He also foresaw that tho this was no * Stumbling-block at all to him neither any disturbance to his own great Peace yet many others would throw it as a Stone of Offence in their own and others ways to the troubling the Minds of young Ones In such Multitudes who promised so fairly and came on so towardly how many were likely to be much prejudiced against him and his former and after-Ministry And what was most terrible of all †Acts 28. 22. how evil tho injustly many were likely to speak against the Word and Ways of the LORD and to blaspheme Jehovah's fearful glorious and holy Name Christ still held him to former Terms of bringing All to an whole Christ and his whole Word and suitably the good Spirit framed his Heart to this holy Resolve Duty is mine the Issues and Successes of things are the LORD's and do belong to him He privately obsevred the seventh-day-Seventh-day-Sabbath for some time but with great Difficulties and sore Trials and distressing Hardships in the Prison He imparts the LORD's Teachings of him to one and then to another privately who gave place in them to this Word-Truth and Law and so unto some others as they were capable of receiving it And when four or five were hopefully gained over he could hold no longer and could not but speak the Truths and Things of Christ in a more open Declaration and publick Profession which being
These Cryers and Proclaimers are publick Officers to give open notice of some State or Church-Affair whereof the supream King Priest and Prophet the LORD Jesus Christ thinks good to advertize his Subjects as by sound of trumpeting Voice that all and every one who are concerned may have the certain knowledg and timely warning thereof It must be with such a vehement sound as is heard at a far distance that no one may pretend or plead Ignorance when within hearing with the Voice of one crying calling by Name those he meets and by express Word gathering a Convocation and Assembly reading some part of the Book and Law and Will of God preaching some Evangelical Word unto them who give the hearing For this Voice in the 6 7 8 ver of the 40th chap. of Isaiah is distinct from the foregoing Voice in the 3 4 ver which was more fulfilled in and by the Ministry of †Mal. 3. 1. Mat. 3. 3. Mar. 1. 2 3. Luk. 3. 2 5. Isa 52. 7 8. 60. 5 10 16 61. 4 5 6 9. 62 6. 66. 12 19 20 21. John the Baptist John delivered his Message faithfully both as to his Ministerial and Baptismal Office at the enterance of the New-Testament-Administration of Grace when Christ was coming shortly after in his state of Humiliation But some other or others will be called and sent forth about this latter and toward the latter-day-Glory a little before Christ's coming in the Clouds in his state of Exaltation as the 9 10 11 ver of the formentioned Chapter will evidence to a discerning considerate Reader when the Sioners shall be Evangalized and gathered into Church-Flocks unto a purer way than ever yet When the Jews shall be in a preparedness for this great turn and thereby made ready for the LORD at that time * Song 8. 8 9 10. as at the beginning of the New-Testament-Dispensation of Grace some Ministers from among the Jews were employed in converting and baptizing of the Gentiles so now in these later days some of the Gentile-Ministers may have the honour to be Instruments under Christ of converting and baptizing of the Jews And where can that People find a meet Administrator if the LORD do not more immediately send them some Prophet who can prove his Mission and Commission to be from on High They still requiring a Sign 1 Cor. 1. 22. For as for those few of their Brethren in this day who by outward Profession and Confession do own Christ to be the true Messiah already come in the Flesh Shem Acher never yet met with any of them he has conferred with about five or six of such who come forth with any thing extraordinary visible mark and gift upon them as to a being clothed with the Spirit And that Baptism which they have received at least some of them if not all has been from corrupt hands in a corrupt way And Shem doth bear good will towards that People praying for Jerusalem's Peace and for Sion's Purity seeking the good of her Sons and Daughters and having experienced the Truth and Goodness of that Promise more ways than one that such shall prosper who love her Besides there may be divers of the Gentiles who a little before God's thus favouring of Sion may be brought more throughly into a perfecting of their Baptism from among the Seekers non-Church-Men and several others upon some of whose Spirits this doth lye with pressing weight whither shall we go to meet with a lawfully-called-Ministry and a lawfully-constituted Church where is there a well-warranted heavenly attested-Administrator Shem in this doth speak out some of the Thoughts of such dissatisfied ones and he is so far ready with an answer which he can give to those who ask him a word concerning his Ministry and Baptism Whence is thy Ministry and Bapâ—ism and from whom thy Ministry and Baptism as to the perfecting of both it is from Heaven not from Earth from Christ more immediately and not so from Men. Here in the way let it be remembred that the reviving of the Seventh-day-Sabbath doth make way for the later-day-Glory-Conversions and Ingatherings of the Outcasts of Israel Isa 56. 1 8. And that the Prophecies and Promises of building the old waste places and of raising up the Foundations of many Generations and of being called the Repairer of the Breach the Restorer and Paths to Sabbatize is made over to such Revivers of the Seventh-day-Sabbath This great useful Truth is therefore not only received in the Principle but also closed with in the Practice by Shem Acher wherein he doth sweetly acquiesce to his own satisfaction whilst others do dispute preach and print to defend and justify their various Calls to both by Arguments mostly drawn from Men tho running down to them in a very corrupt Channel and if his LORD should say to his Servant Shem as once to * Chap. 12. v. 13 Isa 58. 12 13 14. 66. 21 22 23. Daniel And thou Shem Acher Go to the end and thou shalt rest and shalt stand in thy lot to the end of those days let it suffice thee that Jehovah thy Aelohim hath revealed this in thee and done this for thee but the larger pourings out of the Spirit and more signal ownings are reserved for some others yet even this is a special honour and the Glory be to him It is well worthy of an observable Remark in Scripture that besides the stated Ministry the LORD has sent forth special Prophets and Apostles upon urgent occasions Some of these were of another Education and Profession such as †Amos 1. 1. 7. 14 15. Acts 7 42. 15. 15. Amos who had been no Prophet nor Prophets Son but an Herdsman and a Gatherer of Fruit. Thus also * Mat. 4. 18 19 20. the Apostles in Christ's time were some of them poor plain Fishermen Jehovah communicated Himself and his Will unto such in extraordinary Revelations and confirmed their Office by miraculous attests from Heaven In other Instances he has dignified some with such special singular Employs in a Ministry not common †Acts 7. 22. Dan. 1. 4 17. Acts 22. 3 2 Cor. 12. 11. 1 Cor. 14. 18. who were skilled in great variety of Arts and Sciences especially in Scripture-Knowledges in which latter he blessed their Studies and Labours and encouraged their Diligence and Industry So it was with Moses Daniel Paul and others * Jer. 28 8. Luke 1. 70. 11. 50. Act. 3. 21. Prophets there have been in all the Ages of the Church besides the standing Ministry Before Moses there were Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph Afterwards there were Moses Joshuah Samuel David Solomon Nathan Gad Elijah Elisha Michajah Esaias Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi Zecharias the Father of John the Baptist In the New Testament Simeon Agabus the good Apostles by Name particularly Peter John Paul
and others †1 Cor. 12. 28 29. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. Act. 13. 1. 1 Cor. 14. chap. Apostles and Prophets are expresly mentioned as established Officers set and appointed by Christ in his Church This was not confined only to Judea for in other parts of the inhabited Earth there was Job Eliphaz and others in the East who were eminent Leaders of Congregated Societies and there was a Balaam of Syria Mesopotamia who had a Prophetick Gift To distinguish of Prophets and of the several kinds of them and of the distinct parts of their Office is not my present work let it suffice at this time to shew that the LORD has not been wanting to his Church and People when he has been sought unto aright as to his gifting gracing calling and sending extraordinary Officers with a larger Commission than only to a small gathered handful of Disciples of Christ when the ordinary ones have been corrupted or negligent ignorant or unfaithful or upon some other special Occasions Shem in his own case tho altogether unworthy of the least and lowest place of Service ministerial in Christ's House yet for about these twenty years last past having been Christ's Servant to gather feed and rule a particular Church or particular Churches and to this day is so he has declared against his being staked or teddered down to any one Place or People he being Christ's Servant at his Masters dispose to do what publick work his LORD shall call him unto wheresoever to whomsoever it be having never as yet either singly by himself or jointly with others laid on his Hands upon any one as to an ordaining of him to the Ministerial Office This part of Shem's Narrative should put some dissenting Brethren upon more serious considering whether they have not been very short of their Duty who have cryed down and run down all gathered Churches and Church-Ministers because of some Antichristian and Unscriptural Principles and Practices corruptly crept in some for five others for ten some others for twenty othersome for thirty years together not seeing or not believing or not acknowledging or not promoting any extraordinary Ministry over gathered Curch or Churches set up by Christ in the room thereof And O! who will give that this seasonable Word might fall and abide with kindly in working Efficacy in the demonstration of the Spirit and with power upon prepared Hearts and unprejudiced Minds both as to non-Church ones and also as to the present Claimers of Ministry by Office whether National Classical Congregational pleading for a right in their Tenure whether by Succession Authority from the People or what else That one and another may yet be think themselves of a more Scriptural way for the informing setling satisfying healing and uniting of Christians As Scripture-History doth clear it up that so it hath been so Scripture-Prophecy and Scripture-Promise will fulfil and accomplish it that so it shall be in this latter-day-Glory even a Prophetick Apostolick Evangelick and otherways extraordinary Ministry as well as a Pastoral Teaching ordinary Ministry revived and advanced continued and blessed such special Administrators in Christ's House by whom resort shall be to the Mouth of Jehovah to ask Counsel at an Oracle of Aelohim who has in all Ages of his Church both before and since the Apostle's days sent some special Messenger or Messengers to witness for Himself and for the Truths of Christian Religion against the Corruptions of the Times and Age wherein they lived tho the number of such under many Providences has been but small and the true Ministry and Churches have not so shined forth with visible Pomp and outward Glory There may if Jehovah our Aelohim and Adonai do bring it forth by and in the Hand of his Providence shortly come abroad a Scripture-Directory concerning an House for the Sons of the Prophets for the training up of such whose Hearts the LORD shall make willing to study useful Arts and Sciences in the Book of Books the Holy Scriptures of Truth Inspired Gifts and Acquired Gifts where * 2 Tim. 3. 14 15 16 17. 1 Sam. 10. 5 13. 2 Kings 2. 3 5 7 16. 4. 38. both are sanctified how useful are they when employed for the Edification of the Church and People of Christ And who of us can tell but that the open declaring for both these by some Gentile-Christians and Believers and Ministers who express their Faith in Prophetick Scriptures that †Isa 32. 15. 44. 3 4. Ezek. 39 29. Joel 2. 28 32. Ezek. 47. 1 12. 1 Cor. 12 13 14. ch 2 Cor. 3. 17. 18. there are near at hand some further more immediate Inspirings from the Holy Spirit with extraordinary Charisms or edifying Gifts and those of working of Miracles and Gifts of Healings and of Tongues particularly For * 1 Cor. 1. 22 24. the Jews do to this day require a Sign and who withal do in the use of ordinary means wait upon the Holy Spirit for his inner Teachings and for his Blessings of their unwearied Endeavours and diligent Industry of their serious cryings after Scripture-Knowledg in the Original Language and giving their Voice for Understanding seeking her as Silver and searching for her as hid Treasures For the Greeks do still seek after Wisdom I say who knows but that both Jew and Gentile may fall in love with this Art of Arts and Science of Sciences if Jehovah will in either or in both these ways give Wisdom out of whose Mouth Knowledg and Understanding when Wisdom shall thus enter into Hearts Oh! how pleasant will Knowledg be to the Soul †Mar. 16. 15. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Gal. 2. 7 8. Isa 40. 9. 52. 7 8. As the LORD here tofore honoured some of the Christianized Jews to be under him his Apostles for the converting of the Gentiles so in these later Days he may honour some of the Christianized Gentiles to be under him his Apostles for the converting of the Jews and Israelites * Zech. 2. 5. Isa 46. 13. then shall the LORD and his new created Ones be the mutual Glory of each other Oh! how glorious a Day will that Day of such Glory be PAVL †Acts 9. 15 20. 26. 16 20. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Paul being thus put by Christ into the Ministerial Office sets about the work wherein he laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles his Travels up and down with the Gospel as one Historian has computed them were ten thousand two hundred and seventy Miles from his first beginning until his being Prisoner in Rome and altho he might have required maintenance * 2 Cor. 11. 9 10 11 12. 12. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 9. thorow yet for the Gospel's sake he did forbear the demanding of it †2 Cor. 11. 21. and so to the end 4. 6 7 8 9 10. Gal. 6. 17. Rom. 3 8. His Sufferings were many and great his being reproached was
Scripture-Learning and for the procuring of a more exact literal Translation of the Old-and New-Testament into our Mother-Tongue and for the more religious educating of Children in Families and in Schools and for the relieving of the Poor and for such other good Works and to enquire what may be further a Duty upon us towards the two and the ten Tribes of Judah and of Israel to help forward their Conversion as also what the Spirit has to say more particularly and especially to our Churches and to other Churches in this great providential-Providential-day and such like publick-spirited Inquiries and all this for the promoting of the Honour of our LORD and of his Word Works and Cause the Purity and Peace of Churches and Salvation of Souls Thus through Grace and Mercy obtained from our LORD we discover and declare our readiness to joyn in with you in what is the work of our Day and Generation and so commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you and us up and to give us an Inheritance among all them who are Sanctified Shem Acher Now that Shem Acher's Ends towards the latter-day-Glory might be promoted and that Shem might prosecute so good a design in the use of all those lawful means which his Line could reach into in his place for the finishing of this part of his Testimony for Christ for the Word of Christ for the Law of his ten Words and the annexed Judicials and for the Seventh-day-Sabbath more especially whilst others were following of the King with Petition upon Petition subscribed with multitudes of Hands from Cities Towns and Counties By Shem's direction this following Address was put into the Hands of the King Honoured SIR THe Land doth tremble it is broken it shaketh the right Way and proper Method to heal its Breaches is plain and evident You have seen the Hand of the LORD stretched out against the Popish Plotters in a continued Discovery for many Months of their bloody Design If the LORD Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings would graciously give you a Heart for it and then put it into your Heart openly at the next Session of Parliament to declare that It is your full Purpose and firm Resolution in the Strength and Supplies of the Almighty God to set up the Laws of Christ in the Scriptures of Truth as the one and the only Rule of your Government for which you have their own Authority in express Words The Law of God is the Law of the Land Then will your Name be transmitted to Posterity in the English Chronicle with a Crown Royal upon it Those who honour Christ he will honour This from a mean Handmaid Elizabeth Hooker The Sabbath of my Mighty God make thou it Precious O my God of Deliverance A like Address was made by the same Advice and Hand to the King to the same Effect in answer to that loud awakening Call by that signal Blazing Star for the promoting of the same grand Design of exalting of Christ and of the Word of Christ And a third sometime after to the present Mayor of London for the like End As Paul's manner was accordingly Shem Acher in his place finding some Disciples of Christ at his first coming to live near London to do work for his LORD and for Souls they agreeing to desire him thereunto and expressing this desire to him that seeing they were a few scattered Sheep without a Shepherd not being fully then satisfied to join in Church Fellowship with any particular Church as so constituted and so walking in London they declaring their being satisfied in one another and in him that he would administer the LORD's Supper unto them which after Conference with them and divers of them having profited under his ministerial Labours and having been baptized by him accordingly he did at Bethgnal-Green in the year seventy four withal declaring both he and they that this was a providential Communion in all the Ordinances of Christ's new Spiritual House towards the latter-day-Glory so far as for the present according to our Scripture-Light they can regularly come at them and so long as the LORD should continue them somewhat near together in their Dwellings this was assented unto and agreed upon by those baptized Believers and Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers A little after this some difference in Judgment arising amongst them which Shem Acher foresaw and told it unto some a remnant of them who were more of one Mind agreed at a meeting in seventy five to own the LORD Jesus Christ to be the one and only LORD and Lawgiver to their Souls and Consciences and the Holy Scriptures of Truth as the one and only Rule of Faith Worship and Life according to which they were to judg of all their Cases Then did they pass into a Church For at that meeting upon this Agreement without any particular Church-Covenant about controverted Matter they did firmly lay all their Churchbottoming and building upon this Rock and Foundation even upon Christ and upon his Word A little before their thus passing into this Church State and Relation the two Sabbath Churches in the City desired his Labours at sometimes with them in the use and exercise of his Gifts which he consented to upon their importunity the LORD assisting him and prospering of his Labours upon the Hearts of several whose longings still encreased to enjoy more of his Ministerial Labours after that he had gathered some Disciples of Christ and was in a Church-way with them and had a distinct Meeting-place in the same City where he met with the Church and others who gave their Attendance at that Assembly where his service was accepted of the Saints so that they were mutually refreshed whereby they had in much experience a savoury taste of the Spirits of one another divers of the Brethren and Sisters of one of those two other Churches of Sabbath-keepers imparting some of their inmost Cases unto Shem Acher who has here upon this occasion a weighty Case to propound As to the Matter of Fact which is attested to be true by the whole Church who knew what doth follow with whom he doth walk Shem Acher doth suppose a Sister of another Sabbath-Church in the same City imparted this Case of her Soul unto him reporting to him that for some years she had been muâ—h oppressed in Heart distressed in Spirit broken and distempered in her bodily Constitution for want of that Spiritual Life and Liberty Purity and Peace Sweet and Satisfaction which she enjoyed not where she sat before but since she came under the Ministry of Shem her communicated Experience is that she has met with that Presence of the Holy good Spirit and of Grace sealed upon her Heart here to her Edification Comfort and Healing whereupon she desired to be in full Communion with Shem Acher and with the Friends in Church-Fellowship with him he laying this Gase in the several Circumstances of it to Heart the particulars whereof he
many ten thousands of Believers as the Greek doth expresly affirm at Jerusalem tho the English Translation doth not so render it Act. 21. 17 20. And the more General Appellation of the Temple doth sometimes in some places include the Synagogues so was the Tabernacle called There were Synagogues in Damascus There were Churches in Judea and Galilee and Samaria There were several Preachers Prophets Teachers in Antioch a City of Syria too many to be confined only to one Congregation whom those of the Church in that City might hear as they most could profit especially was it thus in Jerusalem There were Synagogues at Salamis a City in Cyprus In every City of Judea they had their Synagogues where was Reading and Preaching every Sabbath Day There were Churches in Syria and in Cilicia At Corinth there was a Church and another at Cencrea which belonged to Corinth And this Church at Corinth the Believers and Saints in Church-fellowship there are highly commended by Paul for first giving up of themselves to the LORD Christ to be wholly his in all things to be ruled by his Will and Law and then under Him unto his faithful Ministers so far as these did guide them by the Scripture-Rule according to Christ's Will therein not only those Ministers of Christ who were more particularly related to some Church there not only to Apollos or some one or two more but also to Paul Cephas Barnabas Timothy Titus Sylvanus or any other such providentially teaching there they all doing the same work and being Workers together therein 1 Cor. 1. 12. 3. 4 9 22. 16. 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 6. 1. 5. 18 19 20. 8. 16 24. 12. 12 18. 2 Cor. 8. 5. There were more Ministers than one at Corinth is clear from 1 Cor. 14. 23-32 This with more of the like Collections from Scripture might be improved to great and good uses when the Churches shall be in a spirit and frame for it At present they thus argue from hence If Shem Acher and those with him have received into Church-fellowship this Sister according to the forementioned Precepts and Precedents by Scripture-Warrants and Rules Then neither She nor They c. But Shem Acher and those with him c. Therefore Thus have they made it appear by many solid Arguments that they have not done without great Causes and weighty Reasons what they have done in the Case of this Sister If any will be returning an Answer it is desired and expected that he would according to what he sees here before him first set down the Scriptures and then argue from those Scriptures They have brought in their Testimony for their LORD in this matter He having given Authority to his Officers for the Edification of his Churches and People and not for their Destruction They can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth They love the Truth and Peace they pursue Holiness and would have their All to be done in Love in that Love which is of God and is brotherly and unfeigned 2 Cor. 10. 8 10. 13. 8 11. Rom. 15. 4 7. Zech. 8. 19. Heb. 12. 14. 1 Cor. 16. 14. PAVL * 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. Act. 26. 9 10 11. 1 Tim. 14 15 16 17. Act. 9. chap. 22. chap. 26. Eph. 3. 7 8 9 10 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 15. 8 9 10. Consider well the History of the Acts of the Apostles and the several Epistles of Paul Eph. 3. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 12. chap. throughout 2 Cor. 4. 1 2. 1. 12. Heb. 13. 18. 1. Cor. 15. 10. 2. Cor. 12. 11 12. Phile. v. 9. Phil. 3. 7 21. 2 Tim. 4 6 7 8. He had sound good Evidences and Assurances of his happy State in saving sanctifying Grace Altho in the days of his Unregeneracy he had been one of the Prime of Sinners yet he lived to be one of the most eminent Exalters of free Grace and most serviceable Instruments in Christ's hand of any meer Man that ever lived yet he in great Humility acknowledged himself less than the least of all Saints O what a Name of Honour has he in Scripture-Records for his Doings and Sufferings for Christ How much did he commend himself to every Man's Conscience in the sight of God having this to be his rejoycing the Testimony of his own Conscience that in Simplicity and Sincerity according to God not in fleshly Wisdom but in the Grace of God he had had his Conversation in the World being confident that he had a good Conscience behaving himself well in all things Well nigh about one third part of the New Testament is an Historical Narration concerning him who tho he were so singularly eminent and so growingly excelling in edifying Gifts and in sanctifying Graces and in extraordinary usefulness even to old Age to the very last yet still forgetting those things that were behind he reached forth unto those things that were before pressing toward the Mark for the Price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus having his Citizenship in Heaven calling upon others to be Followers together of him and to mark them who walk so as they had him for an ensample so far as he followed Christ who when he had fought a good Fight finished his Course and kept the Faith passed triumphingly into Glory being well assured that there was laid up for him a Crown of Righteousness which the LORD the righteous Judg would give him at that day SHEM ACHER If towards the close of this Narrative any serious Enquirer do desire to be satisfied concerning his Spiritual State that no trouble may remain upon their Heart and Mind to hinder their profiting under his Ministry the God of all Mercy of all Grace and of all Consolation has treasured up much in the Heart of Shem Acher as matter of self-emptying and of Soul-humbling yet withal of exalting of Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit of advancing of Christ that All-wonderful one God-Man How unsearchably rich has this Grace how admirably free has this Love been A Spiritual Discerner may gather much together by way of Evidence out of the foregoing History of Shem Acher's Life one more eminent Passage whereof he would here revive in the Memory because it has been one of the most eminent excelling Experiences of his whole Life when his more thorow Conversion by way of Spiritual Espousals had such clear full satisfactory self-Evidence in it as shines in his inner Man to this very hour altho he had somewhat of it before It is that shining Manifestation of those glorious Appearances of Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Heavenly Glory to Shem Acher's Spirit and of the LORD Jesus Christ as to his glorified Humanity and the seed of it in the North above this blew visible Expanse the opening of which Mystery may hold forth a Scripture-Light for the guiding of others in their turning to the LORD covenanting with him and being espousingly united to
him for it is where seriously throughly and discerningly performed one of the most solemn Actions in this World As to a Covenanting with the LORD On the part of Jehovah * Deut. 29. 10 14. 30 1 2 3. 26. 16 19. Ps 110. 3. He sets his Faces before the convinced Sinner who is now about to turn unto him He shews his readiness to pass into a Covenant-State and Relation with the returning Sinner Jehovah makes gracious Offers and precious Promises to such a returning Soul upon certain equal Terms if it voluntarily by his enabling and making willing thereunto choose and approvingly agree to and readily close with those Terms He declares to such a Soul that it will be accursed if it either refuse this Offer or be falshearted in its profession of Assent and Consent to these Terms He raiseth up and establisheth the Soul in some great expectation of receiving some special Good from Jehovah He shews himself forward to take such a Soul to himself and to acknowledg such a one for one of his own peculiar People Jehovah engageth to be a God to such a Soul if the returning Sinner give in the supplies of the Holy Spirit unfeigned Assent and Consent to all this so equal a Proposal so every way for the covenanting Convert's Good He refers this reâ—urning Sinner as to what Jehovah hath spoken to his own Conscience for all this He confirms all these Offers and Promises to such a Soul by Oath Jehovah sits upon the Throne of his Grace expecting an answer from this returning Sinner unto all this On the returning Sinners part This Soul sets it self before the Faces of Jehovah Upon serious deliberation this returning Sinner is by a day of Christ's Power upon it made willingness voluntarily to choose and readily to like all the Terms of this Covenant of Grace This Soul passeth over actually into Covenant with Jehovah and acknowledgeth him for its God This covenanting Soul submits to the justness of the threatning Curse if the Soul be false-hearted unfaithful in this Covenant The Soul is made sensible of Jehovah's great Kindness in making so free and gracious an Offer to it The covenanting Convert doth present give and resign up his whole Self Body Soul and Spirit to this Jehovah to be wholly one of his altogether and only at his Command Will and Disposal The Soul believingly particularly applyeth this Jehovah to it self as its own God in Covenant This Soul takes this Jehovah at his own Saying being well persuaded that his Word so confirmed by his Promise and Oath which are two immutable things is true concerning all this and upon this Word bottometh its Faith and adventureth it Self its Salvation it s All. This covenanting Convert expecteth that Jehovah will make good all this and fulâ—â—l and acomplish it in a Scripture-way as his Word is The Soul is duly humbled under all this going out of it self off from all meer Creatures and away from all dependance on any Duty it doth perform to receive all its Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption from the Father freely through Christ purchasingly by the Holy Spirit in workingly giving all the Glory to Jehovah Aelohim resolving in his Strength to know keep and do all the Words of this Covenant Somewhat of the manner of Spiritual Espousing at that remarkable time of inward Vision and Revelation was thus Shâ—m Acher having a distinct view by an Eye of Faith in a more than ordinary way and manner of the Father as the Father of the Son as the Son of the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit did orderly pass being helped from on High thereunto and assisted therein into a distinct mutualness of such solemn Contract between him and every one of these which took up some time in his particular application severally to each from that Scripture Isa 54. 5. Thy Husbands thy Maker Jehovah Aelohim so commending Himself his Beauty his Goodness his every-way Amiableness and Loveliness to Shem Acher's choise so utterly altogehter unworthy of such an unexpressible Favour in such a way of condescending Grace drawing Shem's Heart with such Bands of a Man and such Cords of Love in working and outcalling such answerable Affections from him towards each of them and so knitting and uniting his very Heart and Soul to every one as his Tongue cannot utter the whole of he had rather leave the rest to the admiring Meditations of experienced Believers who have in any good growing measures felt and enjoyed the same than to expose any more of this at present to publick view Only so it was that Jehovah himself approved of what then passed between him and Shem the sealing witness whereof was never wholly withdrawn since that time to this day but still abides and lives there tho he have been exercised with many humbling Providences buffeting Temptations boistrous Corruptions blasphemous Suggestions and distressing Cases since that signal Honour The LORD hath since that Contract all along provided for Shem as for one wedded to him and the espousing knot between them is declared indissoluble He doth not by this say that the LORD was never graciously at work upon his Heart before for he has brought in some other Testimonies for that in some choice Experiences before this more eminent Favour and Honour tho for several years in his younger time the work were more from a Spirit of Bondage to Fear as has also been expressed one time more especially when upon Fasting and Prayer as he remembers being under the Terrors of the LORD he was summoned to appear before the Bar of God's Justice to answer unto such Charges as were to be brought in against him which were so many so heinous and criminal that seeing himself before the actual passing of the Sentence condemned in the Court of the transgressed Law in the Court of Divine Justice and in the Court of his own guilty Conscience he was close and home put unto it Whether he would submit to the Sentence of the Judg were it for everlasting Condemnation by an Act of Justice or for Eternal Salvation by an Act of Grace and Mercy and whether he would acknowledg God to be just and righteous therein if he should condemn him by an irreversible Sentence to be deservedly miserable Those whoever were thus exercised cannot but apprehend what Horrours and Fears did now surprize and overwhelm Shem Acher yet was it not long before the Holy Spirit framed him to such a submission and acknowledgment which with Tears and broken Language he expressed and declared and so threw himself all along with his Mouth in the Dust as at the Feet of his Judg not knowing at first whether he should be struck dead and damned upon the place or not But the LORD quickly after pronouncing how justly Shem had deserved to be cursed for ever yet that Christ was made a Curse for him and presently an Act of Grace in the free and full forgiveness of his many and great
Sins was drawn up signed sealed and delivered received applyed and witnessed to his Soul the Crown of all be on the Head of the free Forgiver since which signal Pardon Shem has not that he remembers had almost any considerable fears of Hell at all to speak of at any time upon him Thus there is * Mat 18. 1 2 3 4. Luke 22. 31 32. Conversion after Conversion In all which Relation concerning his Conversion Covenanting Espousing to and with Jehovah Aelohim he doth not impose his Experiences as a Rule for others to measure the Truth and Soundness of their turning to the LORD by in all and every of the parts degrees and Circumstances of them provided that their Conversion be indeed true and serious sound and sincere according to Word-warrant and approbation it highly concerns them to see well to this and duly to examine themselves by Scripture-Rules about it that they do not deceive themselves If further Evidence be called for he can add these comprehensive Particulars That †Eccles 9 3. Gen 6. 5. Rom. 1 30. Mat. 15. 18 19 20. Mark 7. 21 22 23. there is no one Sin in the Seed of it in corrupt Nature or in the Thought of it at least in the Imagination which ever any of the Sons or Daughters of Adam on Earth or in Hell for the kind of it either thought spake or did recorded in the Word or communicated to him by the voluntary Confession of others which he has not had both some sight of some sense of and some hatred of yea some ways worse than ever he yet read or heard of by inventing of such evil things in the Phancy as he doth not know any other Man or Woman in the World did ever contrive This Universal both Original and Natural Corruption which has so defiled his whole Man in all and every of the parts of it being so direct a Contrariety and Enmity to and against that Holiness and Righteousness which is in God and in his Law having been Shem's Burden both Night and Day for many a long Year * Rom. 7. 17 25. 8. 2 3. 13. 14. 4. throughout 2 Cor. 5. 19 21. Dan. 9. 24. Rom. 3. 19 20 26 Isa 45. 24. Rev. 19. 8. Luke 7. 47. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Col. 2. 13. Isa 38. 17. Mic. 7. 18 19. Psal 103. 12. Isa 43. 25. Psal 32. 1 -5. Rom. 1. 17. Isa 45. 25. Jer. 23. 6. Tho he doth thank God through Christ Jesus his LORD that the Perfect and All sufficient Sanctification of Christ's Humane Nature and the through and perfect Obedience performed by Christ in the whole Course of his Life whilst conversant amongst-Men here on Earth is imputed unto him for Justification in the presence of God and has been so imputed he by Faith putting on the LORD Jesus Christ and being cloathed with his Righteousness whereby his Sins have been forgiven cast behind Jehovah's Back into the bottom of the Sea passed by forgotten and blotted out and not imputed Jehovah Christ being his Righteousness in which he doth stand righteous before the Judgment Seat of God That he knows not any one Saint either on Earth or in Heaven so far as we have Scripture-Records of these in the Word who experienced either edifying Gift or sanctifying Grace or priviledged Enjoyment or useful Serviceableness and such like which he doth not heartily approve of and which more or less he hath not both holily with submission †2 Cor. 5. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum Ambitione contendimus we ambitiously endeavour aspired after and some ways so far as he is concerned in his Place and Calling had some workings about it and by improving of Mystical Membership applied as his own That he knows nothing either in a whole Christ or in the whole Word of Christ of Holiness or of Righteousness which he would not have an universal growing Knowledg of and Conformity and Obedience to in all things in his whole Man That all these have been carried on for several years by a very sharp Contest and continued Conflict within more especially against the universal Corruption of his Nature which has very slily and sometimes fiercely assaulted him yet so as that tho there have been many a Foil and Fall in some particular Combates yet that the Issue of the Fights have been Victories Spoils and Triumphings This humble ingenuous Confession Shem Acher doth freely make of those secret Sins which no Man alive can so charge upon him which is one part of his Evidence whereby he doth conform to Christ's Mind * Ezek. 43. 10 11. Lev 5. 5 6. 22. 1 2 3 7. Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 9 10. Psal 32. 1â— 5. 1 â—im 1. 13. 1 Joh. 3. 21. 4. 17. Heb. 4. 16. in his Word where it is required where Promises are made to it where Examples are recorded of it and which will give him the more boldness in the Day of Judgment before the LORD the righteous Judg and before Angels and Men. For these Considerations have brought his Spirit to this self-shaming acknowledgment so that he can die with the more Peace of God in his Conscience when the Hour shall come That the LORD hath graciously in some ascending degree manifested to him and revealed in him that inward Mystery of a †1 Thess 5. 23. Joh. 3. 3. 4 5 6 7 8. Ezek. â—6 26 27. 1 Cor. 2. 10 16. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 16 17 -25. Rom. 8. 1 -27. Eph. 2. 10 4. 4 5 6 15 16 22 23 24. 2 Pet. 1 3 4. New-Creature-Spirit in his regenerate State in Christ as distinct by a New Creation from his own natural constitutive Essential parts as a Man and from the Holy Spirit who was is the begetter of it by the immortal Seed of the Word and as contrary to that Evil Spirit Satan and to the Spirit of the World it being of that same Spirit which Christ as Mediatoral Head received without measure and is one of the highest Advances of a Believer in a growing and withal an humble frame to partake of the Divine Nature That * 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gal. 2. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 1. 1 Joh. 1. 3. 2 Cor. 13. 14. the Steps and Degrees of this Spiritual Growth have been more and more out of corrupt self off from idolized Creatures away from Duty-dependances into more and more of a State of Grace through and by that into a Life of and in Christ and through and by him into a Distinctness and Orderliness of Communion with the Father as the Father with the Son as the Son and with the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit and thence into a more raised Communion with Jehovah himself That all through †Gal. 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul went to Jerusalem to visit Peter so to visit him as that he might know from him or declare to him the History oâ— Persons and of things especially of
Church Affairs Thus â—aâ— Shem Acher given the History of his Life of his Call to the Ministry of his perfecting of Baptism of his Conversion of his Evidences of Grace of his Church-Affairs and somewhat of an History of some others who have opposed him this Historical Narrative he blesseth Jehovah Aelohim that still more or less he has been pressing onward and going forward as the growing-Light of his Age has been not declining nor going backward in Principle excepting somewhat in that void space of his time at the University but getting upward to come at the top of all having many a contrivement and endeavour to promote the greatest and the best Ends particularly those that do relate to the latter-day-Glory which in all the kinds and degrees thereof he knows not to have been so in the Heart and Mind of the most eminent Believer and excelling Saint alive on this Earth â— having been for many years through Grace and Mercy obtained from his LORD Shem Acher's State Frame and Acting to come up in some answering growing proportionedness to all the requirements of Christ's Mind and Will in the whole Scriptures that he might be a Man after Christ's own Heart who enabled thereunto by the Holy Spirit might fulfil all Christ's Wills Acts 13. 22. and might so serve his own Generation by the Will of God before he fall on sleep ver 36. standing perfect and compleat or filled up in all the Will of God Col. 4. 12. Heb. 6. 1 2. and so may be able in some good measure to answer these Questions of his LORD and Judg What dost thou more Mat. 5. 47 48. what excelling what exceeding thing wherein goest thou beyond others What Grace what Grace what Grace which the English Version doth translate three times what Thank hast thou Luke 6. 32 33 34. that according to that Promise For so it should be rendred in the Future Tense ye shall therefore be Perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 pl. future 1 Indic ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sum Mat. 5. 48. he may be still at perfecting work as his Father who is in Heaven is perfect tho still he carry upon is Spirit and Heart a living Sence of somewhat wanting as to higher degrees yet he would in every thing be and do somewhat that doth excel Psal 16. 3. If any after all this will say That they have now one Charge more against Shem Acher than they had before in that he has so compared himself with Paul thereby ministring to the Pride and Selfishness of his own Heart Such should know and consider That as he must after a while give an account of his writing of this Narrative and of his Aims and Ends in so writing so also must they of their Judgings and Condemnings of Christ's Servant who has for many years been exercised with very humbling Providences and Cases to keep him lowly after the LORD's signal honourings of him As for his running Parallel with Paul the Title-Page in propounding of Paul for an example doth expresly give the Preheminence unto Paul and no farther use the comparing than as it doth run Parallel There is no difference between the highest and the lowest Saint but what the Grace of God has made and an †1 Cor. 11. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 21. 1 Joh. 2. 6. 4. 17. higher and incomparabler Example than that of Paul should every Believer especially every Minister be conformed unto even that of the LORD Jesus Christ himself Had there not been so many years Attempts and Endeavours by some to blast the Call of Shem Acher and thereby to hinder the Success of his Ministry to the troubling the Minds and discouraging the Hearts of several who were hopefully coming on towards Christ in his ways he had intended to have lodged this Historical Declaration within him and when he had died away into Glory to have made report of it to Heavenly Fellow-Citizens which then and there would have been more cleared up in divers Circumstances of it and in many more Particulars than are here mentioned Duty and Sin do stand sometimes within an Hairs Breadth one by another That may look like a Sin which is a Duty and like a Duty which is a Sin If others will count and censure this as Vain-glory in him it is known to many that he has been necessitated unto it The Searcher of Hearts doth know that Shem Acher hath been made willing that the Glory of these Holy Experiences and signal Honours should be ascribed in every part and in the whole of it unto Jehovah Aelohim whose rich Grace and free Love has been in all this unsearchably Rich and exceedingly Abundant This is that * Lev. 23. 37. 1 King 8. 59. 2 Chron. 8. 14. Ezra 3. 4. Eccles 3. 11. Word of the Day in the Day thereof which was brought upon his Spirit to declare unto others it being self-evident unto him that the LORD has put a Beauty upon this in thus timing of it in its own proper season the whole whereof is now delivered over unto the Holy Spirit to work this History and the choise experiences therein upon their Hearts into whose Hands before whose Eyes or unto whose Ears it may come as is good in his Sight and all is submitted to †Deut. 1. 16 17. Isa 8. 20. Joh. 7. 24. Scripture-Counsel-Number-Measure-and-Weight to Word-Rule-Tryal-Judgment-and-Determination By a Lover and Admirer of Christ and of his Word and Works * Col. 4. 18. 1 Cor 16. 21. 2 Thess 3. 17. Shem Acher POSTSCRIPT SHem Acher having been by a private Letter to a near and dear Friend advertised that he is at least by the strong jealousy of one or more suspected if not down-right charged and this before the Historical Declaration is Printed and Published to be guilty of two Evils the one of striving for Supremacy the other of not walking according to Gospel-Order and both these in reference to that part of the Narrative about receiving of a Member in some Cases out of one Church in the same City into another Church of the same City in the main of the same Gospel-Faith and Order Shem therefore to prevent or else remedy and remove any misapprehensions that may fill the Hearts and Minds of any Reader as also any stumbling-Blocks at which some unwary walkers may be offended doth openly and freely declare that as to the first of these which is striving for Supremacy tho the Seed of this as of every other Evil is in his Heart as in the Heart of every Son and Daughter of Adam as our Nature is corrupted which he doth apprehend was one of the first Sins both of the Apostate Angels and of Fallen Adam 1 Tim. 3. 6. Gen. 3. 5 22. For both the one and the other affected a Superiority and Self-Exaltation above and beyond that which was their Primitive conâ—reated Excellency he doth now upon this occasion publish to all those into whose Hands this Paper shall come
and by whom it shall be read or heard that it has been quite contrary to his both Principle and Practice for many years he has preached openly against this often in Assemblies for instituted Worship as Multitudes of Hearers can witness he has Printed against it his constant free publick Testimony brought in against it in whomsoever he discovered it whether Pope or Prelate Conformist or Non-Conformist under all the changes of Governments and Constitutions doth plead for him in this Matter and for this Testimony it is as one great occasion which has been taken and used by Men of the old Hatred and deep Enmity against the Purity of the Christian Religion and the Power of Practical Christianity who set up their own Human Authorities Inventions Institutions Edicts and Impositions above and contrary to the Authority of Christ and of his Wills and Laws of his written Word for this I say it is that Shem Acher has suffered so many years Imprisonment and has been divers other ways persecuted and it is much upon the same account of opposing of that Church-dividing design and attempt in some of the Holy Separation that he has so appeared in the forementioned Case which he has referred unto Jehovah to talk with them about Third Epist of John ver 8 9 10. Let this be well noted and duly considered and rightly applyed If any will be so far contentious as to print the Case for Matter of Fact under other Circumstances than the Truth is whereby to give an odious misrepresentation of the Case unto others I am not minded to keep up any quarrel about that but if there be any need of further reply unto that my purpose is to leave it unto some Friend or Friends in Fellowship who have kept punctual and faithful Records of what has passed That Cause which Shem in this Paper is an Advocate for is the Matter of Right upon such a Supposition as this printed Paper doth express Concerning the second of these which is Not-walking according to Gospel-Order Shem Acher has this to say for his Defence in the Main both as to his Judging and Acting That his studying of the Scriptures has been at times a long while about this Church-Order according to Gospel-Rule and that many a Prayer he hath put up to Jehovah Aelohim for Light and Direction concerning it that his Zeal for Christ's Fathers House was that which did much put him forward upon acting in this Case as he has and that considering the smallness and fewness of the Number of those who both in the Country and since in the City in both for now towards twenty years last past he doth not know any one particular Church that doth bring all Church-Cases more to Scripture-Rule as our growing measures of Knowledg herein are and which hath more exercised Church-Discipline than that Society of Baptized Sabbatarians do with whom he has walked and doth walk If after this Apology Shem shall be yet further charged with Self-Partiality in his own Cause he resorts for this Parallel to Paul's Example 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5 6. With me it is a very small thing the least that I should be judged of you or of an Human Judgment or a Man's day yea neither do I judg my self For I am conscious of nothing to my self yet am I not thereby justified but he who judgeth me is the LORD Therefore judg not before the time until the LORD shall be come who shall also bring to Light the hidden things of Darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of Hearts and then shall every one have praise of God Learn in us not to savour above that which hath been written in the Word of Christ Tho Shem have much to plead his Cause in the Court of Men yet the righteous Jehovah can find out much for which to condemn him in the Court of Heaven Blessed be Jehovah Aelohim who has found out a way and has led Shem into it whereby to justify Shem from that in all his Cases wherein he doth condemn himself FINIS ERRATA PAge 2. for Guillam read Guillim P. 3. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 10. l. 13. f. James 5 r. Jam. 5. 14 15 16. P. 10. l. 21. f. John 3. 25 26 27. in the Margin r. Mark 5. 25 34. P. 10. l. 27 â— John 3. 25 26 27. let this be put into the Margin with an Asterick * before A Man c. P. 10. l. last but two strike out 1 Sam. 23. and put in Jâ—r 23. 21 22 32. P. 11. l. 46. f. Acts 19. 18. in the Margin r. Acts 9. 18.