Iames James 1.5 6. how then are they who pray most the greatest fools both Papists and Protestants then is not the wisest man as a wave of the Sea when the Sea is over the whole earth Isa 4.11 and the best are in the waters Truly we are all sick let us send then to the Elders of the Church and see if they have the prayer of faith to heal us or heal themselves from the stroke of their wound Isa 30.26 Jer. 30.17 Who among all the gathered Churches can hold forth a Gospel-faith to the scattered Saints who of all their Gospel-Ministers can go forth freely to the world Col. 24.15 1 Pet. 1.12 where is the Power from on high or holy Spirit sent downe from heaven for that work Yea where 's the Spirit of Faith in any of their Believers Gospel-believers were all of one heart and one soul because but one body Act. 2.44 Act. 4.32 c. ours are all divided believers then had all things common c. our Churches and Christians are all for self-interests and to seek their own This is not love as I shall shew anon nor faith indeed which works by love All have not faith saith the Apostle in those Gospel-times no man has a Gospel-faith in these times of the Apostacy and being of the Saints in Babylons captivity Yet this is the confusion that hath ever followed the Churches to this day to take up the Apostles words and writings and to apply that to our selves which was possible to those times and proper only to primitive Saints and Churches where that power was which is now wanting to all the world Thus the Baptists now take up the Apostles call and commission which was never given them by Christ much less by the Spirit afterward Again like the Angel of darkness or Devil cutting off part of Gods word they still tell their Proselytes Mat. 3.6 Mat. 28.19 Go teach and Baptize c. whereas 't is written Go Teach all Nations and Baptize c. Thirdly 't was not directed to the Disciples but to the Apostles upon this ground and the Eleven are mentioned by Matthew and Mark Mat. 28.16 Mark 16.14 for every Disciple had not that power from on high to Teach all Nations Fourthly Who can shew unto us that he is sent of God to Baptize seeing none baptized but either the Apostles or such who had a manifestation of the Spirit to confirm their call Act. 8.6 Act. 9.17 as Philip and Ananias Lastly 'T were well if they would not onely chuse their members by a confession of faith but catechise them and themselves first in the doctrine of Faith For the mystery of Faith was more then men imagine and it may be more then Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia Rom 4.2 for both it seems had gone so far back to the Law to begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh that the Apostle goes no farther then a Legal Faith Gal. 3.3 for Faith as justifying was no more and Faith on the promise was no higher then their Faith under the Law as is proved in the dispute hereafter Gospel-Faith was wholly exercised in our union with God in Christ and Christ in us which Paul rather points at in himself then teacheth the Church unless what he hints to some spiritual Saints therein Gal. 2.20 who had the anointing in them teaching them all things that they needed not any man should teach them 1 John 2.27 Therefore as Christ never heard any man preach so neither did the Apostles hear one anothers preachings or sit at a Sermon as our Gospel-preachers do This I onely speak by the way at present and another thing that the Apostles never preach'd a common place of the nature of Faith or repentance to bring people to repeat and believe but so preached Christ to all that they might believe and repent Gospel-Faith properly was this in knowing our followship with the Father and the Son in the Spirit to know our union with God in Christ and Christ so in us that we are in one with the Father as He in the same love and life in God with him John 14.19 Iohn 17.1 20 21 22 23. now the mystery of God even the Father and of Christ was not manifest to any under the Law nor to Abraham himself who though he saw the day of Christ yet 't was a far off Joh. 8.56 Heb. 11.13 for so the Fathers saluted the promises whose Faith was on the promise or power of God in performing the same and so it s justified Rom. 4.14 to 21. but the justifying faith of Christians was on Christ dying and raised up verse 24.25 though Abraham in a typical mystery believed on Christ dead and raised in his son sacrificed and slain in purpose verse 17. and raised in a figure Heb. 11.19 But as Christ was a mystery so his death and resurrection was a mystery also that none but the Apostles could manifest it by the Spirit which being not given to any one living the Faith which comes by hearing is no higher then theirs under the Law to justify and to save yea we know by experience the best Preachers when they would raise men to believe pitch them on the promise not on that power from on high or promise of the Father which they that believed on Christ did receive and by which the first Preachers of the Gospel brought men to believe But take faith in the lowest acceptance for justifying Faith was but of a legal temper which the Church of Rome beginning to fall from the Apostle is faine to set before them the faith of Abraham and David c to whom the mystery of Christ and of the Gospel being not yet manifested by the Spirit Rom. 3.13 Rom. 4.3 6. as to the Apostles and primitive Saints that Faith of theirs was but suitable to a legal estate I say take Faith in the lowest acceptance as justifying before God and men as working by love where is it when there is no love among you neither to other Churches or Saints differing from you nor to your own Churces who differ in doctrine as I said before much less love to all Saints The Sword doubled Col. 1.4 Tit. 9.3 2.4 to those scattered ones who cannot come to any of your Church-wayes as for love to all men 't is a thing you look not after though this be a higher degree of love then brotherly kindness or love to the brethren 1 Thes 3.12 2 Pet. 1.7 compared But alas the brotherhood is broken Zach. 11.6 9 14. vers there is not love to the brethren among you not onely love unfeigned but love out of a pure heart fervently is not to be found for the love of the best is but cold God knows not that fervent unfeigned that is without Hypocrisie 1 Pet. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh how far are believers from that love the Apostle
mentions in fifteen several signes thereof 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7 Love suffers long and is kind love envyeth not again love seeketh not her own thinketh no evil is not easily provoked c. wheres's this in our passions pride self-seeking evil speakings ' envy strife together Again Love is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly what unseemly silly frothy fellows are many Church-members and Ministers also who know not how to behave themselves before their betters Again Love beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Pray tell me if you have parts and patience what difference between bearing all things and induring all things Love alone can resolve the question But where 's Faith or Love for both are one Faith works by Love and love believeth also believeth all things therefore there being no love there is no believer among you By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if ye love one another John 13.35 all the world sees now there is no love in the Churches how can they then be the Disciples of Christ who are thus divided and dash one against another not onely brother against brother but Church against Church Churches of Saints Good-Lord saith the world what shall we do whither shall we go when Churches go this way and that way one against another Ah poor Wales many Pastors have destroyed thee and distract thee how many have I heard crying out Jer. 1â— 10 where to finde their Religion their old Priests and Common-Prayer are gone and new Pastors and Preachers are come in who cannot agree together Oh that God would send men of one mind to minister a word to Wales were it but to speak love or to shew the Lord Christ that 's love in practice in pureness in power and peace 1 John 4.7 8. to the end Indeed brethren there is much love among your Church-members in word and in tongue calling one another Brother and Sister but where's Lots love to call Sodomites and Sinners Gen. 19.7 Ah my brethren do not so wickedly but when ye shall remember your wayes and be ashamed then you shall receive your Sisters your Elder and Younger for God gives them unto you for Daughters but not by your Covenant Ezek. 16.61 Sodons and Samaria are the Churches sisters verse 46. Samaria is the false Church-state therefore the Jewes hated the Samaritans who yet walked in Ordinances and waited for the Messiah as well as they John 4.20 45. Sodom was no Church at all but Sinners like Heathens yet the Church of the Jewes is called in her Ministers and Members Princes of Sodom and People of Gomorrha though abounding in Ordinances Isa 1.10 to 16. verse Yea I shall prove with God hereafter that all those sins of Sodom spoken of Ezek. 16.49 are in the present Churches who are worse then Samaria verse 51. Papists Prelates and Presbyters have not committed halfe of your sins yea the Independant Churches have much more love then you But when the Baptized Churches shall bear their shame and be confounded in all that they have done verse 54. though your Sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride before your wickedness or false worship was discovered c. verse 46 57. yet when God remembreth his covenant with you Rev. 10 7. Rev. 14.6 compare manifesting his grace to you and his love to the world with you for so the everlasting Gospel will when the mystery of God is finished and fully known then you shall remember your wayes and receive Sodom and Samaria as Sisters yea they shall be unto you as Daughters verse 61. For your love shall be so dear unto them Mat. 28.20 Observing all things whatsoever I command you The Baptisme of the Spirit was the first Gospel-command of Christ before water-baptisme in a Gospel-way Act. 1.4 Act. 2.38 For John's baptisme before was but a legal Ordinance not onely love one to another but toward all men thus 't was in Gospel-Churches this will be again and more also but not by thy covenant saith God not by your Church-covenant never known in Gospel-Churches by your Covenant none are called Brethren save those of your owne Church not visible Saints much less sinners Truely this want of love to all men shewes you have no true love among your selves no love unfeigned out of a pure heart fervently one to another You speak much of the command of Christ for baptisme but let me ask you one question why do yee not obey all the commands of Christ in his Apostles yea what he commanded himself Paul and Peter laid this command on the Churches of Christ Greet yee one another with a holy Kiss 2 Cor. 13.12 greet ye one another with a kiss of love 1 Pet. 5.14 The Papists have a Pax to represent this for all must kiss the Pax when they come to Mass in remembrance of this kiss of love but ye brethren have not so much as a shew of this less love among the Brethren then among Popish Churches how can you dispense with his Apostolique command of Christ how can ye omit this kiss of love will ye say of this as ye do of the gifts of the Spirit that 't was extraordinary onely for those Apostolique Churches this indeed is the Popish distinction which Protestants have learnt from them but we have prov'd before that those spiritual gifts were commanded to be followed because for the edifying of the Church 1 Cor. 14.26 If those gifts were extraordinary are Gospel-graces so for that faith you cannot shew nor their love we cannot see not a shew of it for where 's the kiss of love so oft commanded 't was not a Courtly ceremony nor a wanton kiss but a holy kiss the kiss of love 't was when spiritual Saints at the sight of each other especially coming together as one body to break bread as the body of Christ saluted one another with a kist with a hearty kiss they hug'd each other they embraced and kiss when they met as if their souls would move forth and meet together at the lips for as they were all of one heart and one soul so their soul saluted at each others lips Act. 4.32 that was their fervent love But again where are your feasts of love that were once in the Churches of Christ love is a stranger to you you know it not nor the feasts of love what they were 1 Cor. 5.8 Jude 12. compare wherein they did not coenare coenam sed disciplinam as Tertullian tells you This shewes the falling away is come upon you and that Apostacy foretold by the Apostles is come upon you in perfection having no gift of the Spirit nor yet the grace of Faith which because 't is a secret thing and hidden in the heart you cannot so easily be convinced of but love is a visible glory that may be seen of men yea faith also for shew me
Salvation of Life and Love in that Letter though few finde it or the way to it as Christ tells them Again said the good Man this is another part of the Gospel As many as received him John 1.12 to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to those that believed in his name For so 't is written in the Gospel of Saint John saith he as if all were Gosple which is written in the Evangelists whereas Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 or legal Teacher Secondly the Gosple that he taught was but in part that which was proper onely to the Jewish Church Mat. 15.24 not that to be preached to the world Thirdly what Gospel or glad tydings is it to tell the world that none should be saved but the Elect and Believers whereas Christ came to save onely the lost giving a word of life to all men Act. 13.48 47 that they might believe or shutting up all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all Rom. 11.32 But the Man thought there was no Gospel but what is written in the Gospel of Matthew Mark Luke and John These men you must know are Ministers of the Gospel these are the Itinerants in Wales who know no further of the Gospel then that or what is written in the Epistles whereas these were not that Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world but proper to the Churches onely to whom those Letters were written Again Christ as I said before being a Minister of the Circumcised or legal Teacher taught the Gospel as 't was also under the Law darkly in types and figures in parables and precepts Mat. 13.35 John 16.25 Again 't was his design then to do so to the Jewish Church to confound them the more Mat. 13.13 14 15. to blind them and harden them that they might not hear any thing but for their owne destruction as I am perswaded the mystery of Christ and of the Gospel is for this cause a sealed book this day to all the Preachers and Pastors of Churches that they might be blinded and stumble and fall together Thirdly as the rejecting of the Jewish Church was a way for the receiving and call of the Nations so the fall of the Churches this day is for the rising of the world Isa 2.3 â— Rev. 14.6 8. to the knowledge of the everlasting Gospel which God alone and not man shall teach that is the Ministry of the Spirit which shortly shall come forth with power and glory in the weakest Saints to raise up the former desolations made by the abomination or Apostacy and to restore the waste Cities or Apostate Churches yea the desolations of many generations Isa 61.3 Rev. 22.17 4. But to turn to our Welsh Teacher before mentioned the man it seems afterward bethought himself and was ashamed of what he said and therefore followed me to my Inn desiring to be friends with me which I ever was and am stil to him and to all men also But see how unconstant and unquiet the poor creature was for because he had then with his Clamors confounded the Auditory and to his power made that which I had spoken in publick to be of no effect or forgoten I promised to speak once more to my honest Country-men there in that place a fortnight after when he coming there again stept up before me to preach in Welsh whom yet I quietly heard all the time till he had ended his Sermon not contradicting him at all though I could in many things and in most Afterward I began to speak to the English for many of the Welsh understood declaring something concerning the glorious appearance of the great God in the last dayes that he would so appear in man that men should be made like him that God would be both a Heaven and a Hell to men that most men should be in a Hell upon earth as that some should have a Heaven here I mean the inhabitants of the new Jerusalem the onely thing I was alwaies upon to my dear Country I also spake of Gods coming forth as Fire in the last times c. but had no sooner finished my discourse but the Gentleman starts up again and begins to contradict and withstand my words the second time to the trouble and tumult of the company who being strange to such open affronts and publique contests in the Church began to forget what they heard before and to rise up on their seats as if they were to see a shew Upon this without answering a word I went out of the place in silence leaving the man to speak what he pleas'd to the people but as I was going out of the Church he turning about and crying after me I answered no more but this word unto him Mr. Davys you will be shortly in the Fire for the fire was that I then had spoken of and so I departed in peace But as I said before let all men judge from that aforesaid whether such men are fit to be Ministers of the Gospel who think the Gospel to be that which is written in the four Evangelists or in the Apostles Epistles whereas the one is but an Historical relation or report of Christ in his life and death c. The Epistles are only particular Letters of some special concernment to the Churches not that which the Apostles preached to the world and as Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision in the days of his flesh while he was alive on earth so Christ never preached the Gospel indeed Eph. 2.17 till after he was dead then he came forth in the Spirit preaching peace c. in the Apostles And the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world 't was not that which they wrote to the Churches nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets for to what purpose was this to the Heathens to tell them of Moses and the Psalmes But the Gospel was a Mystery which in the light of God they could manifest to men and make all men see themselves in God that 's in Christ Yet most of the Independent and Baptized preachers of the Gospel know no farther of the Mystery then what is written in the letter of Scripture especially in the Evangelists or Epistles whence they can onely take their Gospel-texts Indeed Christ being a Minister of the Circumcision and preaching the Gospel in part as I said in a legal manner took a text of Scripture out of the Prophets as the Apostles also preaching to the Jewes made use of the Scripture to them Luk. 4.16 Act. 13.27 Act. 15.21 compare But preaching the Gospel to the world they neither mentioned Scripture nor spake from a text Act. 14.17 Act. 17.27 21. for what was Moses and David and the Prophets to those who never heard of such men nor owned their writings though indeed indited by the Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 which Spirit moved those who spake
To the Churches OR A Packet of Letters to the Pastours of WALES For Mr. William Erbery THe Milk and Honey ever remembred freind which formerly I sucked in your Ministration makes me apt to conclude that your pit is not dryed up nor your root withered but that the intern Spirit of the inward heaven doth raign in you in the night It 's many years since I looked on you as an Image I never heard nor had a line from you as some hereabout had It may be you thought me less teachable and more uncapable of understanding then some others indeed I am so I knew not where to direct a line to finde you by reason of your private life which to some is safe and serene and to others tempestuous and dangerous The Hermite is not very usefull to man or beast nor the Christ to him because Talents will rust and rot the living creature unless they be thrown out of your private chest and ship The Prophets Apostles c. spake to God the Eternity listened to him and spake from him they writ they preached they charged their Ambassage as the heavenly true Spirit spake to them and that creature was ever the basest that did trade least between the mother the heavenly nature and angelical world and the sinfull children of men now out of Paradise wandring in the heart of this shadowy world The more you be in the heavenly action which is publique also to millions every day in the year the more like the God of all beings and inhabitant of eternity I do both long and profess to become a little child againe willing to learne my A.B.C. anew if my once-dear School-master Erbery can teach it me for I must not take printed Pictures instead of reall Letters I am dayly longing to withdraw into the inner world the more spiritual Chamber to converse with the inhabitants that know how God is the Father of spirits lights loves and mercies in his begotten Word and generated Spirit I desire you according to your attainment to help me I mean to scribble a few lines to me in answering these things How is God above all through all and in all his people How all things are of him through and to him How do we live move and have our being in him what is that heresie of perdition the holy One in Peter mentions and chiefly what where when and how God is I am not ashamed to enquire or wait of a meer post neer the gate of the wisdome of God about these matters neither do I disown you as some strange notionist or sceptick gnostick in what you in the light of the Father can or will hold forth for satisfaction by the Spirit for since I knew you or tasted the wine in you I ever lodged respectful thoughts of you I fear neither truth nor its enemies I would try all things all spirits bodies and beings in the light liberty rest and power of the Spirit of Jesus and because a son of man is but a vanity a very glance a branch a shadow and off-spring of the eternal root therefore one branch may cosap with the other and the little little twig neer the root doth communicate in juce with the highest-flown branch of the same tree I doubt not but the whispering of the melodious love from any though from poor me might refresh you under the sun in this vain vaporary life This is but a word in haste and heart to invite if it seem good a line from you and then the few lines that concern you in my inward book I may better transcribe My true love with my wifes to your self and your rib begging we may rightly take in and not mistake the first and second man and the third form that is at hand I onely beg of you a sound about your grounds in Scripture-nature and in the internal eternal Spirit concerning Men Saints Officers Ordinances Churches and Societies of men No more then but that I am Wrexham 1652. 29 of 4 Month. Your fellow-branch at the feet of the God of all flesh and Father of all Spirits Mor. Lloyd I have a word with you when first you be pleased to let me hear from you For Mr. Morgan Floyd Sir YOurs of the twenty ninth of the fourth month I received at Roth near Cardiff this 12 of August and I return an Answer in silence seeing we are both in the Eternal Spirit with the spirits of just men made perfect where there is no need of speech to communicate our thoughts or attainments each to other being taken up into him who is our All and all in All. There the Mystery of the Resurrection begins and the Apostle goes on in that heighth from 1 Cor. 15.28 to the end that this is the Resurrection not that last and general of the world but the first Resurrection the rising of the Saints or of the dead in Christ who shall rise first I say that this is the Resurrection onely of the just and not of the unjust nor of all any man even without the Spirit of Revelation may judge by reason and reading of that Chapter where the rising of the spiritual body tâ— incorruption immortality power and glory is the glorious appearing of the second Man the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven in us to the heavenly Image which is the third estate of the Saints now approaching and the latter part of your Letter points at This I call the third dispensation or last discovery of God unto and in men differing from Law and Gospel-order yet comprehending both and above both yea above all for here all men and things are nothing but God is all and alone yea God is All in all This third dispensation as all the Prophets and Apostles did write and wait for so in this I wait in silence with God though I speak sometimes to men for a full discovery of him in me and to all the Saints with me for when the Lord my God shall come or appear all the Saints shall come with thee Zach. 14.5 The Earth-quake there spoken of is at hand 't is the same mentioned in Babylons final fall Rev. 16.18 19. for a threefold fall of Babylon is written Rev. 14.8 Rev. 18.2 and v. 21. and that the third or last fall of Babylon will be in the fall of this form of Church-fellowship so called you may see in your spirit and in some printed scriblings of mine therefore for Order Ordinances Officers Churches Societies of men all are in Babylon in confusion of Tongues that 's out of order c. though many of the Saints conceive they are come to Sion already Babylon is a Mystery as you shall see with God very shortly Babylon or the Beast is the mystery of man Rev. 13.18 Rev. 1 8 c. that 's the woman also or the Whore the man of sin and Christ is the mystery of God God manifest in the flesh in his flesh and in ours for we