them all that heard the word which Prophets did give Testimony of When the Apostle preach't the Word of God and most of the whole City came together the Jewes was envious who had the Scripture did not know the word that Paul preached therefore saith the Apostle Act. 13.40 41 46 47 48 49 50. Beware lest that come upon you which is spoken of by the Prophet Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish I work a work in your dayes a work which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Yet the Apostles Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and spake the Word of God which was oft ministred among them that had Scriptures and told them Seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of Eternal life loe we turn to the Gentiles which had not the Scriptures Moses and the Prophets and many of the Gentiles received the Word and so the Ministers of the Word held forth the Covenant of Light to the Gentiles saying Isai 49.6 Act. 13.44 to the end I have set thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth And when the Gentiles heard that they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed And the Word of God was published throughout all the Region But the Jews which had the Scriptures stirred up the devout and Honourable women and Chief of the City and they persecuted Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their Coasts for preaching the Word and against them the Apostles shook the dust off their feet as you may read and in the same Chapter you may see how the Minister of the Word shewed unto the people how that which was written of the Word was fulfilled and that it was said in the same Scripture Psal 2.7 Act. 15.15 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And to this agrees the words of the Prophet As it is written which shewed the coming of Christ the Just One which the Ministers of the Word were witnesses of and John a Minister of the Word said that Joh. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst them and they beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth but he doth not say that the writings were made flesh for the Jews that had the writings of Moses and the Prophets persecuted Christ the Word and the chief Priests Doctors and the Rabbies and such as had the Law ministred forth and sate in Moses seat had the writings the Scripture they did not know the Word that was made flesh but said he had a Devill and so them that had the Writings the Scriptures were strangers to the word knew not the Word that was made flesh but they that saw his Glory were Ministers of the Word the onely begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth which now the same Word is manifest that ever was Christ the same to day yesterday and for ever and saith Christ If they call them Gods to whom the Word of God came the Scripture cannot be broken and saith Christ As it is written in your Law I say you are Gods who an ear hath may hear this and also it is written in your Law the Testimony of two men are true I am one that bear witnesse of my self and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me Christ whose Name is called The Word of God now the Jews that had the Law and the Writings of the Prophets and said they were of the seed of Abraham and that God was their Father and they were not born of fornication these did not know Christ the Word that became flesh as they who are gotten up into the same light of profession in this age and they could not understand Christs speech nor hear his Word John 10. throughout as they do now that have the writings and know not the Word but put the writings for the Word and they questioned him whether he were greater then Abraham and the Prophets and said VVho did he make himself here they knew not the Word that had the Scriptures that became flesh John 8. throughout as you may read and many of the Jews who had the Scriptures said the Word was a Devil Christ Jesus and said He hath a Devil why hear ye him And saith the Prophet Jeremy which cryed against them that use their Tongues and say The Lord saith when the Lord never spake to them and ran and the Lord never sent them as these do that know not the Word and so by their lies and their lightnesse caused the people to erre saith the Prophet Jer. 23.28 29 30 31 32. What is the Chaffe to the VVheat saith the Lord Is not my Word like a fire and like a Hammer that breaks the rock in pieces now that which breaks the rocks in pieces and is as a fire that burns up that is the Word he doth not say that the Letter is so as a Hammer and as a fire for though they have got the true Prophets words yet they did not profit the people which did not stand in Gods Counsel And the Ministers of the Word in the Epistle to the Hebrews declares that Heb. 4.12 13. The VVord of God is quick and powerful and sharper then a two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart This is the Word but he doth not say the letter which killeth Neither is there any Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do All things being upheld by the VVord must needs be naked in his sight and manifest and In the beginning was the Word by whom all things were made which is the 2 Cor. 5.19 Word of reconciliation To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their sins and trespasses and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation which reconciles to God The Minister of the Word thus saith who said the Letter killed but the Spirit gave life many have the writings as the Jews had but they cannot witnesse the Word of reconciliation for the Jews stood against the Word of reconciliation who had the writings as now the Doctors and Teachers of the world who be in the nature of the Jews hath given the writings the name of Christ whose Name is called Rev. 19.13 14 15 16. The VVord of God and persecute them who do not bow to their Image And he was clothed in a vesture dipt in blood and his Name is called The VVord of God And this John Minister of the Word declares in his Revelation and saith The Armies which were in heaven followed
him upon white horses clothed in fine linnen white and clean And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations and rule them with a rod of iron and he treads the wine-presse of the fierceness and wrath of the Almighty God And hath on his vesture and on his thigh a Name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the Testimony of Jesus and the VVord of God and which had not worshipped the Beast and his Image nor received his mark in their foreheads nor their hands and they raigned with Christ whose Name is The VVord of God See here now they that did witnesse Christ the Word of God were beheaded and suffered as you may read in John's Testimony of the Word and they that were beheaded for the Word Acts 13.27 The Apostles went into the Synagogues of the Jews and Temple and them that held up the Synagogues tithes and the first Priesthood and the Temple they having Moses and the Prophets read amongst them every Sabbath day the Apostle shewed them Christ Jesus the Word that became flesh which the Prophets prophesied of which shewed the coming of the Just One whom Moses wrote of they shewed them out of the Prophets and Moses that Jesus was the Christ whose Name was called The VVord of God and they hearing the Scriptures the writings but did not know the Word and they were them that haled out of the Synagogues and Temple and persecuted them that were Ministers of the VVord and they knew not the VVord though they had Moses and the Prophets and the writings and the Minister of the Word did give testimony unto the word of his Grace with boldnesse of speaking in the Synagogue and Temple and the Priests that could tell by the Scripture where Christ should be born Acts 13.46 VVhen Herod had gathered all the Chief Priests together he demanded of them where Christ should be born And the chief Priests could tell Matth. 2.4 5. him by the Scripture In Bethlehem of Juda it is written for so saith the Prophet Now here the chief Priests which had the writings of the Prophets and the Scriptures with which they could tell where Christ should be born and with it give answer to Herod at his demand yet they knew not the Word but the Chief Priest mocked him with the Pharisees and chief Priests and Elders perswaded the multitude that they should ask Barrabas and crucifie Jesus Mark 15.17 here you may see that neither the chief Priests nor Elders knew the Word Matth. 27.20 And the chief Priests and Elders and all the Councel sought false witnesse against Jesus to put him to death the chief Priests accused him the Elders now you may see here the chiefest of the Priests and those that were Elders sought false witnesse against Jesus the VVord of God though they had Scriptures as they do now against them who are witnesses for the VVord Matth. 25.59 27. And the chief Priests assembled together and the Scribes and the Elders of the people unto the Pallace of the High Priest who was called Caiphas and consulted together to take Jesus by subtilty and kill him these had the writing the Scripture but knew not the VVord the chief of the Priests as the chief of the Priests and Elders them that have the writings of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles now do cast into Prison and seek to put to death and scourge in the Synagogues and whip and beat and hale before the Magistrates them that do witnesse Christ to be the Word in the Synagogues and the Scripture to be a declaration John 16.2 3 4. And these things shall they do unto you saith Christ because they have neither known the Father nor me But these things I have told you that when the time shall come you may remember I have told you So we do remember now Christs words and see his Prophesie sulfilled in this age them that have the writings the Scriptures in the Synagogues and Temple hale them out of the Synagogues and persecute them imprison them and whip them that witnesse Christ to be the Word as the writings declare which they have among them read every Sabbath day but as Christ and the Saints said to them which had the writings of the Prophets they did not know the voice of the Prophets nor did not know the voice of the Son of God nor had not seen his shape and likewise the chief Priests and the Scribes and the Elders mocked Christ whose Name is called The VVord of God Acts 13.27 Joh. 5.37 here they knew not the Word as they mock now at them who witnesse Christ the Word and hale them out of their Synagogues Matth. 26.14 47. and the Chief Priests cannot endure the presence of them who witnesse Christ the Word nor the Elders but persecute them and the Chief Priests covenanted with Judas and bought Christ for 30. pieces of silver to put him to death and a great multitude came with Judas with swords and staves from the chief Priests and Elders of the people to take Jesus to murther him and here the chief Priests which had the Scriptures and the Elders knew not the VVord but persecuted it and them that believed in it and were Ministers of it as the disciples of Christs Testimony declare and as the chief Priests and Elders of the people which hath the writings of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles which now persecute them that believe in the VVord and own the VVord which the Prophets shewed the coming of and the Apostles were witnesses of and while Saul was among the chief Priests and Jews he had authority from the chief Priests and a Commission to beat to punish and to persecute in every Synagogue them that believed in Christ the VVord Acts 26. throughout this doth Paul a Minister of the VVord declare in his Examination and declaration to Agrippa and when they were put to death for witnessing the VVord Saul gave his voice and now do not the chief Priests incense the multitude against them that witnesse Christ the VVord and are they not haled out of the Synagogues and have they not authority from the chief Priests and Elders of the people to hale out of the Synagogues and to persecute them that witnesse Christ the VVord and the Scripture a declaration as you may read and when the Apostle was converted and denyed the first Priesthood from whence he had his Authority to persecute and witnessed Christ the everlasting Priesthood whose Name is called The Word of God then was he persecuted among them and with them and by them that had the writings of a Christ that was to come and they sought to put him to death who was a Minister of the Word and his end of going into the Synagogues was to shew them that Jesus was Christ out of
A DECLARATION Of the Difference Of the Ministers of the Word FROM THE Ministers of the World Who calls The Writings the Word By G.F. The Ministers of the Word now lyeth in Prisons for witnessing Christ the VVord by them who have the VVritings who are filling up the measure of their Fathers who had the VVritings and persecuted the VVord and the Ministers of the VVord London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West End of Pauls 1656. The Declaration from the Ministers of the Word THey that were Ministers of the Word took in hand to set forth in order a Declaration of those things which were most surely believed among them which were eye-witnesses from the beginning and having had a perfect understanding of those things from the very first to write in order shewing how John was born how Christ was born and how they came to fulfill the Prophets and how Christ suffered and how John suffered and how the Prophets did give Testimony of Christ shewing the coming of the Just One and Abraham and Moses and David And how the Just One did come to fulfill what was written of him and how John was sent before to prepare the way and how Christ was offered up and dyed and rose again according to the Scriptures the Ministers of the Word set forth in order a Declaration Matthew a Minister of the Word Mark a Minister of the Word Luke a Minister of the Word and John a Minister of the Word and John saith in his Declaration a Minister of the Word what the Word is God is the Word In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Joh. 1.1 and he did not say the Declaration was the Word but said in his Declaration God was the Word And in the Hebrews the Minister of the Word saith Who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose faith follow Heb. 13.7 8. considering the end of their conversation Christ Jesus the same yesterday to day and for ever And John a Minister of the Word saith That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. look't upon and our hands have handled of the Word of Life for the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witnesse unto you that Eternal life which was with the Father and was manifest unto us that which we have seen and have declared unto you So that which was from the beginning with the Father was before paper and ink and writings which the Ministers of the Word declared forth and showed unto the Saints And Peter a Minister of the Word in his Epistle he saw the mockers and scoffers which spoke the high words in hypocrisie he declareth what the Word was 2 Pet. 3.6 7. That by the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the water and in the water whereby the World that then was being overflowed with the water and perished The Heavens and Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men So this is the Word which kept in store and by which the Heavens were of old as you may read And the Minister of the Word Peter in his first Epistle which declares of the builders that rejected the Corner-stone such as had the Scriptures he faith 1 Pet. 2.2 The Word of the Lord endureth for ever this is the Word which is by the Gospel preached unto you being born again not of the corruptible seed but of the incorruptible by the Word of God which lives and endures for ever As new born babes desiring the sincere milk of the Word In the begining was the Word that which was from the beginning declare I unto you the Word of the Lord endures for ever but Scripture is writing and writing doth not endure for ever but The Word of the Lord endures for ever For all flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of the grasse that fadeth away but the VVord of the Lord endureth for ever And in the Epistle to the Hebrews the Minister of the Word saith there Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of his glory the Expresse Image of his Person upholding all things by the Word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majestie on high Here you may see that which upholds all things by the Word of his Power which the Scripture speaks of is that which was before writings was And Paul a Minister of the Word saith Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10. The Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth that is the VVord of Faith which we preach That if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved And then he saith The Scripture saith which are the Writings That whosoever believes in him shall not be ashamed And the Righteousnesse of faith speaks on this wise Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend into Heaven That is to bring down Christ from above Or VVho shall descend into the depth that is to bring Christ up again from the dead But saith he the VVord is night thee in thy heart and in thy mouth and this is the Word of faith which he preached and for preaching this Word of Faith were they persecuted by them who had the writings And the Twelve which were Ministers of the Word Act. 6.2 4 7. called the multitude of the Disciples and said unto them It was not reason for them to leave the word and serve tables but would give themselves continually unto prayer and to the Ministry of the Word as you may read And the VVord of God increased and the number of the Disciples multiplyed and in Deuteronomy you may read Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou should say Who should go over the Sea for us and bring it to us that we might hear it and do it But the VVord is nigh unto thee in thy heart and in thy mouth that thou mightst do it again here you may see where the Word is that Moses declared who wrote of Christ who said Act. 3.11 Like unto me will God raise up a Prophet him shall you hear which Prophet is the Word And all the Prophets from Samuel and all that have followed after him likewise foretold of these dayes of Christ whose Name is called The VVord of God When Peter a Minister of the Word was Preaching Christ the Word shewing how Act. 10.43 44. all the Prophets did give witnesse that through his Name whosoever believed in him should receive remission of sins VVhile Peter was yet speaking the Holy Ghost fell on