lowness of your walkings in your worldly designs in your desires for profit your tithes augmentations consolidations Church offerings and such things unheard of in Gospel-times yea it was a strange language to latter dayes But how doe the Priests rob God in tithes and offerings the people rather should be said to rob the Priests in this and yet it is proved before that all was spoken of the Priests they rob God in Tithes Certainly there 's a Mystery in this as in all other legall expressions Mal. 1.11 Isai 66.23 For as Gods Tith or tenth is that small remnant of his people reserved from the Churches Apostasie Isai 6.13 In it shall be the tenth c. So the Lords offerings is all the people of the land Bring yee all the Tithes into my storehouse that there may be meat in mine house Mal. 3.10 The Lords House is of a larger building then the gathered Churches have set up as you may see Isaiah 66.19 20. Where many Nations yea strange and savage people are brought into the house of God who I beleive in his due time will gather these three Nations into one Church as the first fruits of his glory and fame to the world So then the whole Nation is the Lords offering a Nation to be offred unto God God is now rob'd of this offering by our Gospel-Priests not onely the Tithes the scattered Saints but the Nation even the Lords offering God is robbed of by the gathered Churches and their Priests For so it is clearer exprest by Malachy c. 3. v. 9. Ye are cursed with a curse for yee have robbed me even this whole Nation not that the whole Nation did rob God as the words seem to import but taking away the word even not in the Hebrew the sence is clear ye have robbed me this whole Nation that is as God with us is the Nations Motto so God in the Nation or the whole Nation as the offering or people of God the Independent Churches will not own though the Presbyters in this are of a better judgement who professe the Nation to be in Covenant with God and his people and upon this account baptize all their children c. But sure 't is a truth not onely in the Mysterie but in the Historie or Letter The Priests in Tithes and Offerings doe rob the whole Nation for the Nation is even ruined by the oppression thereof Therefore our Gospel-Priests who by the power of the sword take up their Tithes or other wayes force a maintenance from the people are called thieves and robbers by God Oh how secretly and suddenly is the day of the Lord or the Lords day stollen upon the Churches of Wales Christ being come as a Theif in the night to spoil them of all their glory and honour yea their goodness is quite gone and carried away into captivity For how hath God prophaned the Princes of the Sanctuary or the holy Princes as the Hebrew reads Isai 43.28 The holy Princes in Church and Commonwealth are not onely become prophane covetous cruel cunning for bloud but they are prophaned by God this the holy Princes will not hear that God should prophane any man but now they may learn by experience and be made to cry at last Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardned our hearts from thy fear Isai 63.17 Oh what prophanesse is this that the holy Princes should be not onely proud peevish c. but thieves and robbers in the way to rob the whole Nation Isai 43.28 to rob God and man at once No wonder God doth give Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproaches This is worse then hanging it self to have the curse of God and the contempt of man truly it is far from my temper to reproach any man much lesse the people of God but if God shall give them to the reproach and the curse what man can help it I will send a curse upon you and curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye have not laid it to heart Mal. 2.2 Behold I will corrupt your seed or as the Margent reads I will reprove your seed and not onely the Word you preach but the tithe-corn you gather for pay and the tithe of your cattle too I will spread their dung on your faces and the dung of your solemn feasts and thanksgiving dayes when ye look up to bless my Name I will spread dung on your faces v. 3. And then it followes one shall take you away with it v. 3. One Who is that Sure there needs not the strength of many but one man yea a babe in Christ can take away the Church with the Priest from their setled places How easie is it for one for a very child with his little finger to push down all the Churches in Wales being fallen already by their own divisions and defilements in worship and in their walkings also their wrath worldliness and which is worse the thing of Tithes wherewith they have foul'd their fingers Yee are departed out of the way yee have caused many to stumble at the Law or in the Law yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi v. 8. What 's the Covenant of Levi Oh to live in the Lord alone to look for maintenance from him onely no other maintenance but himself for he was Levies portion Thus it was with Levi and the Priests of old under the Law the other Tribes had portions in the land but the Lord God alone was Levies portion and yet his allowance was from all so Levi wanted nothing though he had no portion but the Lord. Thus 't was with the Apostles and Primitive preachers of the Gospel Luke 22.35 they went forth without scrip or silver in their purses yet they wanted nothing and having nothing they possessed all things 2 Cor. 6.10 But our Gospel-Priests must have portions in the Land Mal. 2.9 or pay in their hand else they will not preach Therefore saith God I have made you contemptible and base before all the people Truly Sir as I was forcibly carried forth to speak at first so now to write my last which I pray receive as the words of a dying man desiring to dye to all things below God to my own life and livelihood Others preach for a hundred pound a year I have now preached to lose it in which indeed I have found my life and a better livelihood in the Lord who hath promised that he will not leave me nor forsake me Hebr. 13. And truly you may beleeve me I have more content quietnesse comfort in my present losse and low estate Mich. 5.7 then in all my gainfull Tithes I then laboured to be rich I now learn to bee poor to be Independent indeed to depend on no man Micah 5.7 not to wait on men nor the sounes of men but on the mercifull providence and dispose of God for my abode and being Thus saith the Lord God
who preach Christ in the Spirit the most seraphick Sermons call in but few Sinners though some Saints may be raised others proud flesh rankle thereby but as for the Spirit of Jesus where does it appear in mens preaching or practise or the power of godlinesse That which I conclude from this is that God is going out and departing from all the preachings of men that men may give themselves wholly to publick acts of love one to another and to all mankind therefore all religious formes shall fall that the power of righteousnesse may rise and appear in all 2 Pet. 3.13 Rev. 21.22 The new Heaven and new Earth where dwelleth Righteousnesse hath no form of Religion there I see 't is hastening by many things and this to me is the least prophetick providence and experience in the present powers of the Nation when the Parliament of England first began oh what speakings were there what Speeches of severall Members of the house of Commons were printed every week but now the Common-wealth comes on there is more of Action done every day and though the Parliament many times say more than they doe yet they doe more than they say which is best of all Again I cannot but observe that as the falling of a Sparrow Math. 10.30 or the smallest hair of our heads is subject to the speciall providence of God so 't is remarkable that all the Parliaments Ordinances are now turned into Acts for Acts indeed are better than Ordinances these are of form those of power the Army was best indeed when they were about their Ordinances their Guns going forth for common freedome those were their Acts and God did blesse them therein in all their publick actings and in their publick Spirits but as for their publick speakings their Declarations Protestations Remonstrances 't is not worth a rush So are their Councels of War when judging the Consciences of men in the Mystery of Christ a most high presumption yea all their fasting and prayer before God is not worth a pins head till they repent and return to their first principles to the power of Righteousnesse to Justice and Mercy to the Nation without all self-seeking striving for the universall good of mankind even for Papists and for Jewes themselves to live with freedome and comfort among us Mal. 1.9 10 11. compared with Mal. 3.4 5. This is the glorious appearance of the great God not to talke and prate of things but to be working and acting to be ever doing good as Christ did alwayes to all Acts 10.38 and though there was a Ministery of men once to speak also glad tydings and good things to men yet since the Apostacy that Apostolick Ministery being silenced and the manifold gifts of the Spirit ceased and no man sent of God to preach the Gospel which the holy Spirit sent down from Heaven all is but earth and man that is said 1 Pet. 1.12 the number of the beast being the number of a man Rev. 13.16 And though God hath hitherto fed and led the woman in the wildernesse Rev. 12.6 and caused men to minister some truth and peace to his people under the Apostacy yet this was but his Free-grace and high Prerogative of love who as not tyed to meanes so by a false Ministery could convey light and comfort to his own but now God is pouring vials of wrath on that which was once lovely upon the Sun and air upon the light of man upon the meanes and those mediums that receive it Rev. 16.8.17 Again seeing the man of sinne the mystery of iniquity is now more revealed in the Temple of God than ever and the ministery of men is discovered every day not to be of Gods appointment as Prelates and Presbyters and purest Independent Pastors cut off by the Lord himself it is therefore judged that not onely the whole Ministry but all the preachings of men will shortly be silenced by the glorious appearance of God Be silent O all flesh for the Lord is raised out of his holy habitation Zach. 2.13 Why if man be silent what will God doe among men A Father of the fatherlesse and a Judge of the widow is God in his holy habitation Psal 68.5 that is God will so appear in men that instead of speakings they shall goe forth in actings of love to mankind and to the miserable part thereof to the poor to the oppressed to the fatherlesse and the widow and to all that want that which we abound in As this was once pure Religion and undefiled before God even the Father Iam. 1.27 to visit the Fatherlesse and widow in their afflictions and to keep our selves unspotted of the world so the neglect of this is charged on the Apostate Churches Isai 1 23. Jer. 5.28 Alas what is it to send Preachers abroad before the burthens and oppressions of the people be eased Israel it self could not hear Exod. 6.9 because of the sore bondage in Aegypt I say not all burthens taken off because the charge of the Common wealth encreaseth but why may not rich Citizens racking Landlords in the Country and mighty moneyed men be made immediately to rife in their payments that poor Farmers Labourers and honest Tradesmen may be spared Why not oppression be presently eased at least of Lawyers and Tithes Why not a Treasury for the poor when so many thousands a year can be found out to give to the rich would that hinder the publick more than this It is the goodnesse of the State indeed to honour and conferre gifts on high deserving men but it is dishonourable and base for such to receive it who neglecting the publick good seek their private gain who would seem to be Saints and self-denying men yet forgetting their vowes to God and men care not though the poor and the oppressed sink starve and dye so they may live fat and full and free from those evils Gifts are as bad as bribes when Justice and great things are to be done in a Nation for as a bribe blindes the eyes and they shall never see the King in his beauty Isay 32.15 Eccl. 7.7 who shake not their hands from holding of bribes and despise not the gain of Oppression so a gift destroyes the heart that the most publick spiritted man dares not think a good thought much lesse to speak or act for common freedome and the good of mankind while money stops the mouth choakes and destroyes the heart They say indeed the time is not yet come but is it a time to receive monie said Elisha Oh say others 2 King 5.26 Isai 51.14 you are to hasty c. but the captive exile hastened that he might be lcosed and that he should not dye in the pit nor that his bread should fail If these men were bamshed but for a year or their Babes without bread for a day they would not delay justice and mercy to men seeing the Lord comes riding on a swift
man of contention to all the earth Ier. 15.10 c. First to Prelates then to Presbyters now to Independent Pastors and Teachers It is my mother the Church hath made me thus for my Fathers Spirit the promise of the Father in me doth teach me better things There are better things indeed that the Saints should wait for things above Law and Gospel-order if it were as it was Ier. 50.45 but is not things which neither Prophets nor Apostles attained to yet both did write of and wait for Rom. 8.21 the glory to be revealed in us the glorious libertie of the sons of God and of the sons of men also even of the whole Creation 2 Pet. 3.13 the new Heaven and new Earth the new Jerusalem 1 Ioh. 3.2 the appearance of the great God in us when we shall be like him and see him as he is see his face and his name on our foreheads Rev. 22.1 2 3 4 c. when there shall be no curse nor crying nor death but the tree of life in the midst of us the River of life cleer as Crystall proceeding out of the Throne of God and the Lamb that is in us Zach. 14.8 Job 20.17 Ioel 3.18 These are the living waters the Rivers and Brooks of butter and honey the Prophets speak of yea the mountains dropping down new wine and the hills flowing with milk is more then was in Gospel-times Acts 2. the new wine the Spirit which the Apostles were drunk with at first was but the first fruits but a taste of that which shall be more fully drawn forth in the last dayes Zach. 9.15 Rev. 19.6 when men shall drink and make a noise as through wine and be filled with bowls c. yea make a noise as of thunder being the voice of much people in heaven and of many Allelujahs Those who shall sing and speak really and indeed these gladtidings to men shall not want money nor meanes for City and Country and Kings too shall contribute their glory to them the City Merchant shall give them food and raiment Isai 23.18 and Country Farmers shall serve their wives and children to plow sow and reap for them Isai 61.4 5 6 and 9. verses yea the Lord God himself will be ready as a servant Isai 45.11 Isai 58.9 to wait on them at their command and at their call Here am I saith he to those who undoe the heavie burthens and let the oppressed goe free and break every yoke from mens states and spirits this the everlasting Gospel will doe Isai 58.6 7 8 9 12. verses compared This is also the Sabbath before spoken of which the Ministers there wish it were over not onely to cease from our own works but from speaking our own words Heb. 4.10 Isai 58.13 or from speaking words as the Hebrew reads v. 13. Heb. 22.19 The Law indeed was a voice of words and the preaching of the Gospel at first was in this far below its own light at least below that glory of the everlasting Gospel at last which shall not be in words or speakings Rev. 19.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the righteous actings of men the righteousnesses of Saints Rev. 19.8 The Angel who is to preach the everlasting Gospel is no particular man or men as in the Gospel-Ministry at first but the Spirit it self even the glorious appearance of the great God in Men and in Magistrates first shall Minister that light and love and glory to bee revealed in us Thus the Angel flyes in the midst of heaven c. Rev. 14.6 the other Angel v. 7. is another appearance of God in men Revel 21.24 For as the Kings of the Earth bring their glory and honour to the New Jerusalem that of the New Jerusalem being the sum of the everlasting Gospel so these Kings of the earth who shall be are the ten Kings who burn the whores flesh with fire Rev. 17.16 The ten Kings are not a Kingly power for Monarchy will never burn Ministery the whores flesh but such a government of men who have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast Rev. 17.12 as the two Beasts are false Ministery under severall forms so the Beast here is the second Beast * The Beast and the false Prophet were taken c. The Beast is the first Beast the false Prophet is the second Beast who did Miracles called the false Prophet Rev. 19.20 who hath two hornes like a lambe this being the purest Ministerie and most like Christ though indeed of Antichrist doing and speaking as the Dragon and first Beast did Rev. 23.11 12. To this second Beast the ten Kings with one mind give their power and strength Rev. 13.14 Rev. 19.20 compared and make war with the Lamb oppose and persecute the high appearance of God in his suffering Saints who are said to be with him who also by suffering shall overcome at last both the Beast and ten Kings with him Rev 17.13 14. compared with Revel 12.11 The ten Kings being thus overcome by the Spirit of the Lord in his people and by the same Spirit appearing in themselves shall hate the whore with the Beast and shall burn her flesh with fire Rev. 17.16 But before this as I said they had given their power to the Beast the reason why they gave it is strange and should still all the murmurings of men For God put it in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and to give their Kingdom to the Beast untill the words of God shall be fulfilled Rev. 17.17 When the words of God are fulfilled then the woman that whorish spirit or dependance on Men and Ministers which reigns over the Kings of the earth the ten Kings shall burn with fire that is by the power and Spirit of the Lord God appearing in them as Fire These ten Kings then seem to me to be a State Government like ours who have no Kingdom as yet not yet setled though the Beast may make them believe they are Kings for an hour for that little time of the Beasts reign over them but the Kings can doe nothing they can doe no more nor longer then the Lord puts in their hearts as was said before therefore when the Word of God is fulfilled and his time accomplished The ten Kings though formerly ruled by the Beast and loving the whore yet now hate her make her desolate and naked eat her flesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17.16 17. How beloved were the Bishops or Prelates to most of the present powers in whom yet such a Spirit since appeared that hath burnt up all those and will them that follow Those Kings then who bring their glory and honour to the new Jerusalem are the ten Kings and these ten Kings are the Christian Magistrates it may be ours for as the Nations of them that are saved are joyned with them Rev. 21.24