God in thee judge The matter is great weighty which concerneth everlasting salvation And why should it be thought an incredible thing That Christ should now be manifested in mortal flesh qnickening them that were even dead in sins and trespasses for verily I I have written no other thing concerning him or of the operation of his Eternal spirit then what in measure I have really not imaginarily seen and handled and felt of his work and glory for I dare not speak of that which the Lord hath not wrought in me and by me or to boast in other mens lines for all the world have a form of worship talking of Christs words and the Prophets and Apostles words but are out of their Life and Power Behold what headiness and high-mindedness treachery and betraying one another and will be yet far worse by evil men and seducers c. What incontinence men and women burning in their lusts one towards another What eating and drinking and rising up to play c and yet all covered with a Profession of God and Christ But how can any better fruits be expected when Pastors and Teachers tell People for Doctrines they cannot get victory over sin on this side the Grave which herein is plainly proved false and the everlasting way of Truth discovered which leads out of sin and gives power against sin on this side the Grave and to live pure and holy even as God is holy Think it not impossible with the Lord all things are possible And what I have here written is not to render any man odious or to discover their nakedness but for the bringing of Gods truth to Light for I having had something lying on me a long time to give forth amongst the Professors and Baptists who have any true desires after God and as in obedience to the movings of the Lord I passing amongst them seeing their PRACTISES and hearing their DOCTRINES it was now laid on me of the Lord to give it forth as an Answer thereunto which I have done for the clearing of my Conscience in tender love that all who love their souls may be warned while time is For the dispensation of the fulness of time is come nigh for the gathering together all in ONE even in Christ whether things in Heaven or things in Earth The Parable of the Field is fulfilled the Pearl is found Father Mother Husband or Wife House or Land all is forsaken if the Lord calls and followed even to the end of the earth for the gathering into the unity with the Father and the Son This is the onely desire of him whom the Lord hath called into his labour which seeketh your Eternal good With the measure of God's spirit try all things and let not any motion passe away that seeks truly after God that you may come to have an infallible testimony of the spirit of the Lord in you to lead you and guide you For he that believeth hath the witness in himself T. M. THE BAPTIST AND INDEPENDENT CHURCHES So called Set on Fire By a bright shining Light revealed from Heaven Their PASTORS and TEACHERS scorching in the flame of it gnashing and blaspheming God and his Tabernacle As their Principles rash and judging herein recorded do demonstrate Which are answered for the vindicating of Truth and the satisfying of the simple In which they are found to be children of them which killed the Just and have drunken of the Cup of Fornication who also must drink of the Cup of Indignation at the hand of the Lord. 1. EDward-Whale accounted an Independent Teacher Priest of Waterford affirmed That the godliest man that ever was on the earth did not get the victory over sin or lived free from sin on this side the Grave He did not except Christ This he affirmed in his Pulpit before the whole Congregation in the Idol-Temple formerly a Masse-House with a Cross on the top of it and another at the end of it on the 21. day of the 6th Month 1659. in the City of Waterford Answ He that is born of God doth not commit sin because Christ the Seed of God is in him and as he abides in him he cannot sin though he may be tempted to sin as Christ was yet not overcome with the temptation of sin but thorough Faith in Christ gets the victory over sin and temptations on this side the grave 1 Joh. 3.9 ch 5. ver 4. Sin is of the Devil and he that commits it and pleads for it is taken captive by the Devil at his will 1 Tim. 2.26 1 Joh. 3.5.8 And for this purpose Christ the eternal Son of God was made manifest to take away sin and to destroy sin Heb. 2.14,15 And forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood Christ himself also partaked of the same that thorough the death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who thorough fear were all their life time subject to bondage which Christ redeemed them from for saith the Apostle He was made to us wisdom and redemption c. 1 Cor. 3.50 And the Apostle did witness through Christ victory over sin on this side the grave For saith he O death where is thy sting O grave or hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the the Law but take notice thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory thorough our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.54,55,56,57 And so Priest Whale hath preached another Doctrine then Christ or his Ministers and hath as it were blasphemously charged Christ his holy Prophets and Apostles with sin for he did not except them when he said The godlinst man that ever was did not get the victory over sin on this side the grave And so by the holy Scriptures of this truth he is corrected and taken with a lye in his mouth and as it were denying the very purpose work and office of God in Christ which was to save from sin and thorough â—…ath to destroy sin and death and to take it away narling it to the cross c. And this testimony I give unto all the World for the Lord God and his truth That it is possible in and thorough CHRIST JESUS the light of the world that lighteth every one that comes into the World that all that it love and follow in the daily Cross I say That thorough Faith in the Blood of Christ who is our example whose steps many of us are following according to our measures who did not sin neither was guile found in his mouth c. it is possible to live free from sin and to live a pure righteous and holy life even perfect as he is perfect in this present World before this earthly Tabernacle go down to the grave and at this let none stumble but in the cool and calm spirit and in the Light and fear of God search the Scriptures for they testifie that
I have proved by the Scripture of Truth is it not then plainly made manifest that thou hast taken the peoples mony for nought and deceived them and so hast clothed thy self with the fine of the wooll and thy wife her garments laced with silver and gold from the neck down to the foot the poor ready to perish with hunger and nakedness 1 Tim. 1.2 1 Tim. 2.9,10 lace upon lace some near as broad as four fingers which is not according to the ornaments of the holy women of old which were not laced with silver or gold or plaiting of the hair but covered with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price and hast fed thy self with the fat and neither thou nor any of you all have fed the poor and needy nor bound up that which is broken nor healed at the bottom that which was sick nor brought again that which was driven away but with fierce wrath and cruelty have ye ruled And now to cover thy wickedness and deceit thou Priest Whale sayest They must be cleansed from sin in Heaven which is also contrary to the Scripture which saith No unclean thing Idolaters nor Adulterers effeminate persons nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor covetous persons nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners or any that defiles or works abomination or that makes a lye shall inherit the kingdom of God or enter into that holy City and as the tree falls so it lies Eccl. 1.3 1 Cor. 6.9 Rev. 21.27 But saith Paul such were take notice some of you But they came to be washed cleansed and sanctified by the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of their God before ever they entered God's Kingdom which is joy righteousness and peace in the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.9 to the 11. Rom. 14.17 And now let that of God in you all judge Whether that Doctrine Priest Whale preached be according to the Scriptures and all people beware of them to wit such Teachers as Priest Whale and come out from amongst them lest ye partake of their plagues and consider your paths and ponder your waies and what you have benefitted in the things of God by following and learning of such Teachers and cease from them and mind that of God in you and as you come to mind and obey that it will lead you unto God the Father of Life and open your understandings and as you come to wait on the Lord it will reveal the true knowledge and glory of God in you in the face of Jesus Christ the key of which your Teachers have taken from you and caused you to err from the right way of the Lord even CHRIST the LIGHT who is the Way the Truth and the Life 2. The Principles and judging of Robert Car Baptist Pastor in Clonmell He affirmed the 10 th day of the 5 th month 1659 That the Scripture was the Rule of Life and Faith to Salvation And that the Scripture was the more sure word of Prophecie that Peter spake of and the Law Testimony And for us that are called Quakes to affirm that the Spirit of truth from God received was the true rule of life to salvation c. he said It was a fiction of the Devil Answ The true and everlasting Rule of life to Salvation and the Author of Faith which is Christ the holy Scripture is a true declaration of which is Christ the Eternal son of God the Spirit of life and truth which lighteth every one that cometh into the world that all men through him might believe Joh. 16.13 which whosoever loves and followes the Light of the son of God comes to receive the Spirit of Life and truth which leades into all truth and the Light and Spirit of truth is the Law and Testimony which was before the writings of Matthew Mark Luke and John for â—aith Isaiah Isa 8.26 To the Law and to the Testimony Now when Isaiah spake those words the Evangelists writings were not writen Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.10 Ier. 31.33 Prov. 6 23 therefore the Law and Testimony is another thing and within man for saith God I wil make an everlasting Covenant with the house of I srael I wil put my Law and fear in their hearts and write it in their inward parts Now the Law is the Light which they that believe in follow come to receive the spirit of Life and truth as I said before and that is the Testimony of Jesus for the Testimony of Jesus saith John is the spirit of Prophesie Rev. 19.10 And this Spirit the Apostle did witness was come amongst them and bare witness to their Spirits that they were the sons of God for saith he because ye are sonnes God hath given forth the Spirit of his Son into your take notice hearts Gal. 4 6. And by this Spirit and Light they came to be led out of the lusts of the flesh and through the Cross of Christ knew a crucifying of it and that life in them that stood in outwards signes and things that perished in the using which Paul gloried not in neither desired to glory in any thing save the Cross of Christ for he knew and said Gal. 6.15 Circumcision though it was in its time serviceable and commanded of the Lord yet it availed them nothing yea he told them Gal. 5.2 If they were Circumcised Christ would profit them nothing But the new was to be accepted which was the onely work of the Spirit of the Lord through its eternal working and operation in their hearts circumcising of it and cleansing of it Gal. 5.6 whereby they who abides its working comes to receive the faith of God's Elect which works by love into the obedience to the Spirit of Truth and the sure word of Prophecie which is nigh them even in their hearts and mouths which divideth the evil motions and the evil words from the good and gives power against them as they do appear whereby all that come to obey and take heed unto that more sure Word come to know their sanctification and so the New Creature they come to know and the Mercy and Peace of God comes to be mustiplied in them and on them walking according to that Rule And Peter did not say the Writings of the Evangelists were that more sure Word than that they heard in the Mount which was the living Word of the Lord that abides for ever which by the Gospel was preached unto them and of this Living Word must all be born that ever come to know salvation which Word is in the heart and is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword even to the dividing of the joints and marrow soul and spirit and the thoughts and intents of the heart And this WORD David said hee had hid in his heart out of which came the Issues of life So Peter told them of another Word than the Words heard in the
airy Spirit and so as your minds come to be staid in the measure of Gods Spirit and receive a word by the inspiration of the Almighty to declare for the edifying or building up the members of that body of which Christ is the head according as you receive mark it must be your own and onely your own not an others So ye are to minister as good stewards of the manifold gifts and graces of God and then let him be accursed that should it seek to quench For if one had the tongues of men and Angels and could speak all the mysteries of Kingdome of God in that mind which is not guided by the Spirit of Truth not in the life of truth that is but death and hell talking of the same of wisedom but a stranger as to the enjoying of the thing and must be silent and peradventure death reigning over him and not come so far as to the receiving of the righteous Law of God where the Thunders Voices and Earthquakes are felt seen and heard for so dreadfull was thy presence saith Moses that I exceedingly quake and tremble for where the Law is not received within death reigns and hath dominion and the day not yet known that makes the strong man to bow and the keepers of the house to tremble For I came not to destroy the Law saith Christ but to fulfill it and Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot or one tittle of the Law shall pass away till all be fulfilled So all come to the Light and follow the Light which to the life will lead the Law for to fulfill The Law is Light saith Solomon and David said I delight to do thy will O God mark thy Law is in my heart and the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisedom his tongue talketh of judgement the Law of his God is in his heart Psal 37.30,31 Psal 40 8. Prov. 6.23 and Christ said I in them and thou in me that they all may be made perfect in one Jo 17.22,23 chap 16.13 and he that believeth on the Son of God 1 Jo. 5.10 hath the witness in himself And when John Peter wrote to the Churches concerning the seducers that would have seduced them from the anoynting of God within them they told them there were false Prophets amongst the people as there should be also amongst them who privily should bring in damnable heresies take notice ye that deny the Light and Spirit within even denying the Lord that bought them and many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil Spoken of I am the Way and the Truth saith Christ such were and are they that have mens persons in admiration because of advantage without naturall affection filthy dreamers which defile the flesh speaking evill of dignities despise dominion the higher power Christ the power of God unto whomall power in heaven earth is given who have eyes ful of adultery pleading animpossibility of being made free from sin on this side the grave living in pride and vanity lovivg pleasure eating and drinking and rising to play for which God slew twenty three thousand in one day 1 Cor. 10. and found in Cains way Core and Balaams way loving the wages of unrighteousness and cringing and bowing according to the fashions of the world which must pass away and worshiping and serving the Creature more than the Cteator Who is God blessed for ever Now in the Light of the son of God Examine your selves ye Baptists whether you are not guilty of these sins and tâ—ansgressing the doctrine and commands of Christ calling men master and are called master and swearing and pleading for it and seeking the favour and friendship of the world which is enmity against God and taking thought what to eat or what to drink and what to put on read Mat. 5.23 What then are you baptized unto And whereas some of you say That every one is not inlightned with saving Light Do you think it would stand with the justice of the Almighty seeing the Scripture hath concluded and testisteth That all men have sinned for to save some in sin and condemne others in sin I tell you nay therefore let every mouth which would so say be stopt before the impartiall God for he would not that any should perish for as all have sinned and come short of obedience to the spirit and grace of God in the first Adam in the fall the Lord is therefore calling all men every where to repentance and hath called some to repentance not to be repented of and hath given to every man a measure of his Spirit Light and Grace though it is not yet made manifest or known to every man and for the time of ignorance God winked and hath now sent forth and is sending his faithfull messengers which love not their lives to the death to the four quarters of the earth to preach his everlasting Gospell and repentance and remission of sins through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and to turn mens minds from vanities and dumb idols to the Light of the living which he hath enlightned them withall he that believes and receives their testimony which is Christ the truth and it follows shall be saved but he that receives not nor obeys shal be condemned the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and this will be the condemnation of the world to wit the Light in man which shews him his evill deeds of which the impartial God as I said before a measure hath given to every man on the face of the whole earth whom he would have to be saved and come to the knowledge and obedience of the truth this the witness of God in all consciences shal witness to be true Disobedience and Unbelief in Christ the Light within will be the cause of destruction to all that perish Neither do we as some imagine put creatures on works and duties according to the first Covenant for life and salvation The Law indeed saith do this and live but it is one thing to work for life c. and another thing to work or act in obedience to the life and power of God received For God hath first given a measure of his Spirit unto man before he requires ought of him and so his work is before him and his reward is with him even the presence of the Lord of Life which makes glad the hearts of the upright which follow him in the regeneration For saith David in the day of thy power thy people shall be a willing people So in the Light which from the life of Christ doth come and up to the life of Christ it leads all that follow it Is the power in man but not of man It is the gift of God unto it is man required to be obedient and what ever the Lord requires of man is a Cross to man in the fall and contrary to the will of man So that I say and
affirm in the fear of God we do not put any on works or duries according to the first Covenant for life and salvation for by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified But a measure of Gods Light Grace and Spirit of truth being first given freely to every man to it obedience is required which as I said before is a Cross to the will of man through which Cross is the power of God felt to the slaying of the enmity and the cleansing of the heart whereby the faith of Gods Elect comes to be received which works by love in obedience to what the Lord requires and so by the same power as Christ was raised from the grave comes the Creature to be quickened even his mortall body by the Spirit of Christ that dwells in him and so comes to be changed to walk in newness of Life through obedience to the Life of God in man for Christ himself learned obedience in the days when he was manifest in flesh and being made perfect through sufferings became the author of eternall salvation to all them that obey him Heb. 5.8,9 and so to press the Creature to obedience to the Light and Spirit of Life and Truth within it is not against Christ nor contrary to the Scripture nor a setting man to work for Life but to work in obedience to the Life received is according to the doctrine of Christ and is the beginning of the ground work of salvation But I must once more return to my present work to wit to the magnifying of the Light and anointing within for saith John when he writ to the Saints concerning those which would have seduced them from the Light and anointing he exhorted them to abide in that of God in them for saith he I have not writ unto you because ye know not the truth but because ye have known it that ye might abide in it Let that therefore abide mark in you which ye have heard from the beginning If that which ye have heard from the beginning take notice shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Father and in the Son and the anointing which ye have received of him mark that abides in you and ye need not that any should teach you but as the same anoynting teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 Jo. 2.21 to 27. and so to magnifie the Light and Spirit within and walk in obedience to it is not Spirituall delusion nor against Christ nor in opposition to the Scripture which is largely proved by the Scriptures of truth But they that are not guided by the Light and Spirit of truth within are in the Spirituall delusion And whereas thou S. W. speaks of magnifying the Light within against Christ and in opposition to the Scriptures of truth Paul saith when he writ to the Philipians I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which have hapened unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel so that my bonds in Christ are manifest c. for I know that it shall turn to my salvation through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ according to my expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always take notice of that so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body c. And there is not any one thing in all the whole Scripture more clear to be proved then the magnifying of Christ the Law Light and Spirit of Truth in man And as for the first Rise of us which scorners call Quakers which S. W. saith was in London about the year 47 it is no more true then his charging of us that the magnifying of the Light within stands in opposition to Christ and the Scripture But as for the eternall power of the Lord God of hosts which in righteousness hath been revealed and made manifest amongst us more then hath been of late ages through the long night of Apostacy by which proud flesh hath exceedingly quaked and trembled that was not first in London as S.W. dreameth but in the North of England as many faithful witnesses can testifie if required and the first that ever was known to give us that name of Quakers as I heard out of the mouth of a true faithfull witness of the Lord was a persecuting Justice in Darby Shire Gervas Bennet as I remember about the year 1652. yet the power of the Lord was witnessed before that time amongst our friends in the North. Yet that was not the first rise of the Quakers or Quaking which S. W. saith was in London which plainly manifesteth to all the Children of Light that Captain Wade is no Minister of Christ neither following him in the regeneration for they that follow Christ in their mouths is found no guile mark that neither do they speak a lye for quaking was thousands of years before that For saith Moses so dreadfull was thy presence that I did exceedingly quake and tremble Heb. 12.21 And Isaac which was before Moses hundreds if not thousands of years did witness quaking or trembling for when he heard the voice of Esau the cunning Hunter he exceedingly trembled Gen 27.33 And in the holy war in the days of old the Host of Israel and the Garison and the spoylers mark ye spoylers who make a prey and spoyl of the Lords servants and their outward substance a Day of horror and perplexity is coming on you and the spoylers also did quake and tremble and there was a great trembling and quaking in the Host in the field 1 Sam. 14.15 And David said his flesh did tremble he was afraid of the judgements of the Lord Psal 119.120 And Daniel that holy Prophet when he saw the Vision and heard the voice of the Lord stood trembling and a great quaking fell on them that stood by Dan 10.7 to the 11. And Habbakuck when he heard the Decree of the Lord against the wicked who built towns with blood and established Cities by iniquity and that gave drink to their neighbours till they were drunken and their nakedness seen c. and violence was done on mens blood and they taught lyes and trusted in dumb Idols take notice and their rejoicing was to devour the poor secretly for the which the man of God saw the Lord would be avenged of them in the day he would invade them with his troops or compass them about with his terrible army with displayed banners the which when the Prophet heard his belly trembled and his lips quivered rottenness entred into his bowelâ— he trembled that he might rest in that day of trouble such a man as saith Isaiah Isa 66.2 to the 5. hath the Lord regard unto which is of meek and humble Spirit that trembles at his Word Habak 2.8 to the end chap. 3. See thou S. W. and you all that despises
quaking do plainly manifest you are not come to the opening of the Book in which the mystery of God have been sealed hid from the Vultrous eye c. And I beheld saith John when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great Earthquake Rev. 6.12 but thou must come to know the pouring out of the vialls by the seven Angels which is pouring forth the wrath of God on the earth as you may read Rev. 16. the whole world that lyes in wickedness shall feel what is contained in that Chapter much there lies in it which I am not permited to speak And when the seventh Angell poured forth mark ye airy Spirits his viall into the air and there came a great voyce out of the Temple saying it is done and there were Voyces and Thunders and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were on the earth so mighty an earthquake and so great Rev. 16.17 This hath been truly witnessed and is witnessing amongst those whom the Lord hath redeemed and is redeeming For the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hath roared out of Sion who wil not fear And the Lord hath spoken who can but Prophesie his everlasting power is made manifest and his glory is revealing and he will overturn overturn overturn till he come to raign whose right it is Christ Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the onely Potentate of heaven and earth and he in man shall rule and reign over all the world in righteousness whereby true judgement shall be set up in the earth and executed on all transgressors without respect of Persons for he will rule the Heathen with a rod of Iron and all that gather against his chosen ones shall be broken in pieces like a potters vessell and no weapon formed against them shall prosper and every tongue that riseth against them shall be condemned for in Christ our righteousness are we established and establishing And he that rides on the white horse is goneforth Conquering and to Conquer and with the rod of his lips will he smite and is smiting the earth and with the Spirit of his mouth and bright glorious appearance is consuming the Spirit of perdition and the pride and glory of all flesh he is marring and staining for Christ is come in his ten thousands c. For so I have read it in an old Arrianish Testament I saw in Clonmell in these very express words as followeth and of these Prophesied Enoch the seventh from Adam saying behold our Lord is come in his holy thousands to do judgement against all and to reprove all the impious of all the works of their impiety whereby they have done impiously and of all the hard things which impious sinners have spoken against him Jude 41.15 Therefore Awake awake ye that are resting in forms without the power feeding on the husk the letter which killeth and are covered but not with the Spirit of the Lord The all seeing eye is opened before whom the secrets and intents of all hearts are naked and bare your bed is to short and your covering will not hide you you are weighed in an equall ballance and comprehended as half a span by him who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out heaven with a span and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance from which in vain is salvation hoped Therefore Arise Arise ye Baptists that is not your true rest ye now are in it is polluted and will be your great destruction except ye speedily repent for the glory of the Lord is departed from you because you have forsaken your first love to wit the true desires and breathings after God in sincerity that was I witness in many of you about 12 years ago Wo is me for you l who were as it were persecuted for Christs sake and now are turned persecutors as will be made appear as followeth For if the Lord send any of his innocent servants amongst you to speak a word in season you cry out you are disturbed Priest-like limiting the Spirit of the Lord to an hour Glass Or if any speak a word as moved of the Lord in the time you are speaking the divination of your own brains then some of you have laid violent hands and haled out of doors and shut the door this many of you in England and Ireland can witness Oh tremble tremble and be ashamed ye careless ones I many days shall ye be troubled the mouth of the Almighty have spoken it And in the Light of the Son of God examine your selves whether riches and friendship of the world which is enmity unto God and the glory of the world have not blinded the eye of your understanding and so Adam the old man by the earthly mindedness hath stopt up or choaked that of God in you which should give you the true knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ which if ever ye Baptists come to be partakers of in truth by the powerfull operation of Gods Spirit working in you must you feelingly know through judgement that part removed till that which cannot be shaken be raised in dominion to raign in you for yet once more will the Lord by his mighty power shake not onely the earth but heaven also c. And will ye nill ye shall ye all know who are of Gogs number making war against the Lamb and his followers a Day of quaking for in my jealousie and the fire of my wrath have I spoken saith the Lord Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking so that the Fishes of the Sea the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places and walls shall fall to the ground and I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains saith the Lord God every mans sword against his Brother and I will plead against him with pestilence and blood and rain great hailstones sire and brimstone thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of all Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 38.19 to the end So the judgement of Captain Sam. Wade concerning the first rise of quaking and magnifying the Light within to be in opposition to the Scriptures is altogether proved false and a Spiritual delusion This have I written only for the sake of the simple the clearing of false reports against the truth and those that have desires after it God knows I lye not 5 The Principles and Judgement of Joseph Parsons Pastor and Teacher to those people called Freewillers he affirmed before his flock That the Lord would purge c. the Tribe of Levy to offer sacrifices and offerings
I demanded whether he meant Carnall sacrifices c. to wit the blood of bulls and goats c. as in the Leviticall Priesthood he answered Yea as in the former days of old and as in the years past Answ Here Joseph Parsons would go to make Christ the one offering by which he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified to be of none effect by which one offering he changed both Law and Priesthood disannulled the Commandements which stood in meats and drinks and Carnall washings and the sacrificing and offering of the blood of bulls and goats c. which never made those that were the actors thereof clean or perfect as pertaining to the conscience which were but types and figures and stood in time and had a limitation of time to wit till the time of reformation Heb. 9.9.10 and though there was a time the Lord had regard unto those sacrifices c. And that they were as a sweet savour unto him and he delighted in them and in those that offered them Yet when their hearts went a whoring after other lovers And turned that which once the Lord required of them into Idolatry then the Lord loathed it and them and their solemnities-were a burden unto him and he sent his Prophets rising early to cry against them And by the mouth of the Prophets the Lord told them he had not required these things at their hands but it was abomination unto him Isa 1.11 to the 15. As saith the Lord I have not caused thee O Jacob to serve with offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins as saith the Apostle Sacrifices and Carnall offerings thou wouldest not O God but a body hast thou prepared me c. So that when that body of Christ Jesus was offered up which came to do the will of God according as it was written in the Volume of the Book he mark for ever perfected and sanctified them which believed and followed him and changed that Law and Priesthood and is the end of it for righteousness sake c. And so I say if the work of Christ in this the mighty day of his Power and Judgement in which he is come and coming as a refiners fire to purge and purifie the Sons of Levy that they might offer an offering in righteousness c. I say if it were to offer Carnall Sacrifices as in the days of old it would be a building again that which he hath changed and I saith the Lord change not but the Apostles amongst whom that day of Judgement first began for one day is with the Lord as a thousand years c. they plainly shews what that offering was which the Prophet Mal. spoke of which should be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old and in former years c. for saith the Apostle to them which had tasted that the Lord was gracious ye also as Living stones are built up take notice of the offering that should bee pleasant c. a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ this was and is the everlasting offering that is offered up by the members of the Church and first fruits unto God since the long night of Apostancy who as living stones are built up a spirituall house a royall priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people that the Lord hath called out of darkness into the marvellous Light to shew forth his praise who hath lead and is leading through the judgment and the fire whereby blessing and glory glory to the Lord in the highest many are purged and purified even as fine gold through which they are come into the pure Life of Jesus from which an offering a sweet odour a savour acceptable unto the Lord as in the days of old and years past in righteousness is offered unto the Lord. So Joseph Parsons hath manifested himself to be amongst the Babylonish foolish builders and ignorant of the Scriptures not dividing the word aright The words of the Prophet Jeremiah are fulfilled in the Pastors for saith he the Pastors are become brutish and have not known the Lord in rightousness therefore they shall not prosper and all their flocks shall be scattered Jer. 10.21 And when the Prophet spoke of that day of the Lord in which the Lord would be and now is a swift witness against the forcerer the false prophet and false swearers adulterers and oppressors c. and also of the offering that should be pleasant c. He doth not speak there of the Carnall offerings of the Leviticall Priesthood but of the offerings of Judah c. Heb. 7.14 Mal. 3.4 And the Scripture saith it is evident that our Lord sprungout of Judah of which there was nothing spoke concerning Priesthood So this day that Scripture is fulfilled in your ears for the offering of Judah according to the Spirit and Jerusalem which is come down from God out of heaven and is free the mother of us all is pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old and years past compare Mat. 3.4 1 Pet. 2.4 Gal. 4.25.26 Rev. 21.2 And they are not all Israel who are of Israel after the flesh but they are of the true Israel that are born of the immortall Word of God that lives and abides for ever in whose mouth is found no guile neither tells a lye and hee made all nations on the face of the whole earth of one flesh and blood Jo. 1.17 Rev. 14 5 Act. 17.26 and in Christ Jesus there is no difference whether Jew or Gentile male or female circumcision uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond or free for ye mark that are all one in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 for Israel after the flesh stumbled at Christ the chief corner stone as many of the Pastors and Teachers now do at Christ the Light within so he is not a Jew who is one outwardly but he is a true Jew who is one inwardly following the Lamb in the regeneration whose praise is of God and not of man yet a bundantly will the Lord be glorified in the Jews according to the flesh the day of whose redemption draws near and their captivity hastneth to be at an end and that is the Word of the Lord God of hosts to the Jews 6 The rash Judgement of William Lee Baptist Teacher Governour of Waterford reproved and found false and so proved according to the Law and Testimony wherein also is a true testimony of the operation of the eternall power and Spirit of the Lord in the work of regeneration c. On the 4 day of the 6 month 1659. I being at And. Richets house then Mayor of Waterford about my releasing out of prison being then a prisoner for the testimony of Jesus And there being present he called Colenell William Lee and William Lamb a Baptist Pastor this did occasion some conference about the
powerings forth of his eternall Spirit and to feel its operation and movings in you untill then in the dread power and authority of the Spirit of the Lord again I say unto you Let all flesh keep silence Gods witness in every one of you shall eternally witness me to be true for through the operation of Gods eternall Power and Spirit of Life Life and Immortality is brought to Light through which the Immortall soul comes to be refreshed and the seed of God raised out of death And that Life and seed is but one in all in the male and in the female so if Gods Spirit move in son or daughter to speak in the Church of Christ it is not lawfull to quench it But if any thing else speak whether in male or female and not the Spirit of the Lord or its movings that which speaks in male or female being in the sin and transgression that is the woman or sorrowfull sinfull man that must be silent and ask the husband at home which if she continue in the faith Patience Godliness Sobriety and Charity untill the man-child be born or brought forth in Dominion to Raign to Rule the transgressing part with a rod of Iron she may be saved he that can receive it let him for where sin and evill is standing there is woe and sorrow whether in male or female and all must be silent in the Church till sin and iniquitie is blotted out but who are come to know remission of sin through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ there is glad tidings Joy and Peace and all that ever ministers from the Spirit of Truth in the Church of Christ must first be a partaker of the fruits of the Kingdome of God in measure for saith the Apostle The husbandman that laboureth must first bepar taker of the fruits viz. of that he ministereth to wit of the Joy or Glory he testifieth of therefore saith he to Tymothy consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding c. And male and female is all one in Christ and each must come to know the Travell and Anguish which makes all faces gather paleness before that Child be brought forth Wherefore saith the Prophet Jeremiah Ask ye now and see whether a man doth travell with Child wherefore do I see every man with his hands upon his Loins as a woman in travell and all faces are turned into paleness c. Jer. 30 6. This is a mystery Christ in man And so I say when the Life of Christ is brought forth in power in son or daughter it is Lawful for either to speak in the Church of Christ as Miriam and the holy women did in the days of old teach and instruct in the Congregation of the Lord and Miriam taught Israel to sing praises to the Lord and Deborah a Prophetess Judged Israel and instructed Barack taught the people to praise the Lord and Huldah the Prophetess spoke the Word of the King saying Thus saith the Lord And Priscilla with Aquila her Husband took Apollo a man of Alaxandria and instructed him more perfectly in the way of the Lord And Paul commends those women to the Philippians which laboured with him in the Gospell And do the Baptists think the Apostle would commend those women in one place or to one people and reprove them or write against them to another people and command them to be silent because Paul saith I suffer not a woman to teach or to usurpe authority over the man But be silent and ask her Husband at home c. and therefore you will not willingly if the Lord send his handmaids or daughters amongst you suffer them to speak on whom the Lord promised he would pour out of his Spirit in the last days and they should Prophesie I tell you there is a great mistery in those words I suffer not a woman to teach but to be in silence c. The Lord of Hosts is the Husband of his Church and as Peter said Our beloved brother Paul writ in all his Epistles somethings hard to be understood which they that are unlearned in the Doctrine and mysteries of Christ wrest as they do all other Scriptures to their own destruction Therefore take heed all ye that are stumbling at the Lords speaking in his handmaids as in ages past who is the same for ever Least yee are found perverting the Truth of the Lord and quenching his Spirit For Anna a Prophettess a woman of great age that had lived with an Husband seven years from her Virginity a widow of about fourscore years of age that served God in Fastings and Prayers she coming into the Temple that instant when the Child Jesus was in the Temple she gave thanks and preached in the Temple redemption by Jesus Christ to all them that looked for it in Jerusalem And Christ himself bid Mary Magdalen to whom first he appeared after his Resurrection out of whom he had cast seven Devills Go and tell or preach to my Brethren that he is arisen saith the Angell and go to Gallalee there shal they see me saith Christ And so I say unto you where ever the seed which is Christ to which all the promises of God are Yea and Amen and all that ever come to be blessed it must be in the seed is brought forth in power to Raign it is lawfull to speak whether in male or female quench it not for in Christ Jesus there is no difference in him all is one Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.28 Therefore again I say unto you quench not the Spirit of the Lord but try all things and hold fast that which is good and despise not reproof of Instruction but receive the Truth in the Love of it to wit the Light and Spirit of Truth within as is largely before proved according to the Scripture of Truth as it is in Jesus And take heed least for your not receiving the Truth in the Truth in the Love of it God give you wholly over to reprobate minds to work uncleanness with greediness and so he Justly send you stronger delusions that ye all may be damned who will not believe and receive the Truth in the Love of it And then in that day of trouble and Anguish when you cry and call even you who have caused the simple to erre keeping them in that which perisheth in the using from the measure of of God in them bringing all the Arguments and strong Reasons to pervert and perswade from the Truth and to stop Gods Righteous witnesse from arising in the simple of which many would hear and receive the Truth but having not strength are afraid of being cast out from amongst you as it was amongst the envious Jews who ever of them did confess Christ was to be cast out But the day is near come that such fears shall be cast out of them who breath after God in righteousness and Truth and they shall come to know one if you cast them out will