a pleasant Land into a Wilderness and hath made the Wilderness to blossom and hath changed the Customs already and hath broken Death's Covenant and hath overthrown the mighty men yea even the Horse and his Rider and hath taken off their Chariot Wheels in the Day of Battel and it hath been a dreadful day and a sore Slaughter as in the dayes of Gibeah or as in the Valley of Jehoshaphat and a sorrowful day hath come and great mourning as Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddo for one Poste hath met another and the news hath been Babylon is taken at both Ends and he hath over-run the Multitude of Egypt and trampled upon them as the prancing of Horses in Battel so that the mighty are fallen by him and the strong have not been able to help themselves against him who hath come as one that trod the Wine-press and now hath overturned the Powers of Death Hell and the Grave and hath broken Death's Covenant and will put an End to all changeable Laws and hath and will establish his Law which endures forever and ever And now hear all that are left unspoiled are angry and all that worship the Beast are left unslain blaspheme him and speak Evil of his name and of his wondrous Works which he hath done in this day as in the Land of Egypt and in the Fields of Zoan for he hath turned the Waters into Blood and hath cut all the fresh Springs and hath slain the first-born of Egypt at which Pharaoh and all his wise men and all the Egyptians are angry and still resist the Lord till they will with the rest who have resisted him be swallowed up of the deep And now O nations who are situated under the whole Face of the Heaven he is coming up against you as a Giant refreshed with Wine and shall run his Course and none shall be able to stop his Way and shall come as Israel after the Slaughter of Edom with their Garments red and he travails in the Greatness of his Strength and shall make all nations desolate who have given their Power to the Beast and will break their Covenants and throw down their Traditions which are Heathenish and is bringing a Handful out of the north Country who have been Eye-witnesses of his Power Majesty and Glory and of his noble Acts and though but a Handful yet they are blessed and his Increase shall be great for they shall subdue nations and Kings shall be tributary to them and they shall be his Witnesses to the Ends of the World and shall publish his Righteousness from Generation to Generation and bear their Testimony of him who lives forever and ever who is the Lord of Heaven and Earth our Righteousness who hath broken open the Seals of the Deep and hath made the Springs of Life to flow forth as though it issued out of a Womb by which his little Ones are refreshed and grow in Strength Honour and Glory to him in the highest whose Judgments are just holy pure and equal forever and ever Oh who can stand before him who hath uttered forth his Voice before his Camp and it 's very great devouring Fire is before him and it is tempestuous round about him and his Sword devours much Flesh and all the Ungodly shall be slain heaps upon Heaps so that there shall be none left to bury the dead a glorious high Throne hath he erected and he sits thereon and judge in Righteousness even he before whose Face the Heaven and the Earth shall fly away and the Sea be dryed up Oh! who can dwell with devouring Fire who can dwell with everlasting Burning who can stand when he appears when he draws out his Sword of Justice all Nations shall grow pale and all the Rulers feeble and the Warriour shall not find his Hands in the Day of Battel when they encounter with the Almighty for his Sword shall be fatted with Slaughter and all Nations who resist shall become soaked with Blood Oh! he is dreadful who can stand when he appears who is a consuming Fire Therefore all Rulers in Nations and Potentates of the Earth fear and dread his holy name and bow unto his righteous Scepter lest you be cut off and perish with the uncircumcised who have resisted him and go down into the nethermost Hell forever for assuredly the day of your fanning and trying is near arm your selves put on your Armour see if you be able to stand in the day of the Lord oh nay you will all be as Dust before the Whirl-wind and shall be scattered in the fierce Anger of the Lord and all your changeable Laws Constitutions Customs and Traditions which are brought forth from the changeable Principle which is gone out from the Life and all your turning of things upside down shall be as the Potter's Clay for he unto whom the eternal Being hath committed all Judgment which he hath appointed to judge in Righteousness is appearing and come and coming who sits as a Refiner's Fire and sits as Judge among the Gods who will not give his Glory and Honour to any other And so all you that bear Rule and not by him who is the true Light which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World your Power is from another even from him who is to be condemned with the Light For by me saith the Lord Kings rule and Princes decree Justice and such as were obedient unto his righteous Law written in their Hearts as David Solomon Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and the rest of the holy Kings and Princes who were guided by that which was just and unchangeable they ruled by his Power and decreed Justice and answered that which was just in every Man's Conscience which is one with that Power in which they ruled and from whence they acted and so a Terror they became to none but Evil-doers who were out of the Power and out of the Truth and in that Nature which stood up against that Power by which the Princes decreed Justice and so with the Power of God all these Rulers Rules and Governments which are not according to the Power of the just God are to be abolished at the coming of him whose Day shall come and in his Power and Glory he shall appear which shall darken dazel extirpate and utterly destroy all Root and Branch together who is out of his Power and against it so there shall be a very great overturning such as hath not been from the Beginning neither shall be ever hereafter And then shall the Restorer be seen who shall restore the Earth into its first Purity and there shall be Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the Beginning then shall the Earth enjoy her Rest and the Nations their Sabbath for the Lord of Glory hath considered it and he hath listened and a great Cry is heard out of all Nations of the poor and of the oppressed and of his Creatures which he hath made how they have been chopped
invisible thing But stay Sirs do you keep this Day which you call a Christian Sabbath holy to the Lord Is not this your Market Day upon which you sell your Traffick one or two Glasses for twenty or thirty Shillings a Day besides what you get for sprinckling of Infants Do you not speak your own Words nor think your own Thoughts nor work your own Works If you say you do not how comes it to pass that there are all these Defects in your Performances and all this Iniquity in your holy Things I hope you dare not say that Defects are from God or that Iniquity or Sin is of God and if you have not a Male in your Flock let sacrificing or offering alone and do not think that God will be pleased with your lame blind maimed defective Sacrifices neither with your strangled Things nor your Swines Flesh so I say unto you repent and learn to be reformed in your selves before you prescribe Rules for others lest both you and them that follow you fall into the Pit because the Merchants of this Rank and Order do love to be medling with every Thing wherein there is Hope of any Thing to be got they will try all kinds of Merchandize and so present they their Direction about Marriage to any who will take their ignorant Counsel Direct They say Marriage is no Sacrament nor peculiar to the Churâ—h of Gâ—d and they say we judge it expedient that it be done by a lawful Ministâ—r and to be published there Times before it be solemnized by the said Minister Answ. If you mean by Sacrament an holy thing then Marriage is either holy or unholy if unholy then fit to be done by none if holy why is it not proper and peculiar to the Church of God if they who are Members of the Church of God may marry in the Lord and in the covenant in which man was made the male and the female then what hath any to do with it who are not of the Church of God and what hath the Church of God to do with them that are without and what hath a Priest to do with this where was Abrahams and Sarahs Priest when they were married and where was the Priest to solemnize the marriage of Isaac and Rebeccah and of Zachariah and Elizabeth and because you say it is not peculiar to the Church of God whether were these of the Church of God before mentioned but what hath the Priest to do to publish it three times like a Bel-man for the loss of a Horse or Cow through the Market or rather why ought not the Man and the Woman both in the fear of the Lord if they be moved thereunto by the Lord publish their own intentions And moreover their joyning together in the Church of God when the members of the Church of God are present but this frustrateth the Priests 5 or 10 s. and his Clerk 6d or a Shilling more or less as they can get Direct Further more they say It may be done any time of the Year but on a Fasting-day or on the Lord's Day Answ. Why are these Dayes prohibited if Marriage be a holy thing or an honourable thing why may it not be done in the Fear of God and the Power of God why not on any Day were Dayes made for man or man made for Dayes your ignorant Predecessors the Pharisees judged as you do that it was not expedient or convenient that he should heal a Daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound on the Sabbath day And now they say that the honourable Estate of Marriages is the Covenant of their God and before it was laid It was not peculiar to the Church of God if entering into a state of Marriage be the Covenant of God and if the Covenant of God be peculiar to the Church of God then what is the reason you Reformers that Marriage is not peculiar to the Church of God And now take their directions who hath a desire to Trade any more with their Merchandize concerning the visitation of the Sick Direct The party sick is to send for the Minister timely and seasonably before their understanding fail them and if the Minister suspect the party of Ignorance he shall not examine them in the principles of Religion especially touching Repentance and Faith and to make known unto him the danger of deferring Repentance Answ. If he be such a one who is the sick as hath traded much with the Priests Merchandize if he be capable of understanding there is some hope he may give the Priest 5 Pound or ten Pound and it hath been high time for the Minister to have shown him the danger of deferring Repentance before now when he is like to go out of the Body not to have deferred his exhortation till this time and if the party be ignorant it were more time to inform him about the Principles of Religion and Repentance and Faith then to have him make answers to that which he knowes nothing of and then you conclude if desired the Minister shall pray for him to this Effect Direct Confessing and bewailing Original and actual Sin and the miserable condition of man by Nature and that God would give him an evidence of an interest in Christ and the Seal of Eternal Life by Christ. Answ. In Sin you began and in Sin you will End complaining of original and actual Sin before you know what it is and holden on till you come to the Grave and never depart from it and what must not the Minister pray except he be desired it seems they alwayes must please other mens desires rather then mind the Spirits motion in themselves And what is interest in Christ yet wanting and evidence and Seal of eternal Life yet wanting and it may be the party 40 or 50 Years old What was not this man baptized when he was an Infant and have not you said in the 48 page and 45 page of your Directory that Water-baptism is the Seal of the Covenant of Grace and of being ingrafted into Christ and of Regeneration Adoption and eternal Life and what is the evidence and Seal lost now useth not this to be the doctrine amongst you once in and ever in Christ and whom he loves once he loves to the End and hath not this man partaken of the Sacrament and eaten the Flesh of Christ and drank his Blood and a Church-member as you call it and is his Evidence now to seek and the Seal now wanting utter Darkness is your dwelling Place Direct And now we come to the Directory for solemn Fast That when some great and notable Judgment is inflicted upon some People or apparently evident or when some special Blessing is to be sought or obtained then solemn Fasting is a Duty that God expects from a Nation and People and they are to abstain from all Food and from worldly Labour and Discourses and bodily Delights and rich Apparel and Ornaments and such like although lawful at
Lord Jesus their Saviour and Teacher there was Truth and Life by them And after Henry Cromwel the Deputy of Ireland banished him and Edward Burroughs out of Ireland through the Instigation of the Priests and other Magistrates but the Lord overturned them his Adversaries also And so continuing in the Labour of the Lord till the Year 1661. he was imprisoned at London when the Monarchy People rose with many others though clear and innocent from that bloody Act for his and their Weapons were spiritual and they sought another Kingdom And after he and they were set at Liberty he still continued in the Work of the Lord travailing up and down the Nations and coming into the North at Kendal the Magistrates sent for him out of the Market and tendred him the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and because for Conscience sake he could not swear in Obedience to the Command of Christ his Saviour they committed him to Appleby Goal in the Year 1664. and there they kept him from Sessions to the Assizes in a smoaky Hole and at last they premunired him and his Body being almost spent in the Service of the Lord being a weak man there did he offer up his Life as a Sacrifice of his Faith for the Lord Jesus Christ's Truth and dyed a Prisoner for the Name of Jesus in the latter End of the Year 1668. and so laid down his Life as a Testimony against the Persecutors Breakers of the Command of Christ and his Blood doth cry for Vengeance though he could say The Lord forgive all hâ—â— Persecutorspunc who having the Mind of Christ desired the Good of all yea the worst of hâ—â— Enemies and in that Desire of the Good of all did he labour travail seeking their Good and their Eternal VVelfare in the Inheritance of Life that fades not away of which he was an Heir and is entred into Rest and the Possession of the same And now this peaceable Man the persecuting Priests and Magistrates have gotten their Desire to shut up in Prison this Servant of the Lord to Death for obeying the Command of Christ but how they will answer it before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the great Judge at his Tribunal Day which hastens apace let them consider with themselves for if they went into everlasting Punishment that did not visit Christ in Prison what wâ—ll become of such as cast him into Prison in his Members And so they made his Wife a Widdow and his Children Fatherless who have none to cry unto but the Lord who will relieve the Widdow and help the Fatherless The Place of his outward Habitation was in Greying in Westmorland a man known to be of good Report before he received the Gospel freely from Jesus which he declared freely and great Sufferings and Tryals and Reproaches and Scorns and hard Labours in the Work and Service of the Lord he went through and many vain Disputes Priests and Professors of all Sects rose up against him but the Lord in his Power gave him Dominion over them all Who ended his Dayes in Peace in the Truth of God and the Lord's Service and Testimony for his Name and for the keeping of and obeying the Command of Christ his Lord and Saviour And therefore all Friends and Brethren that are begotten by him through the Word of Life and others live in the same Word that lives abides endures forever that is a Hammer a Fire as a Sword to all that is contrary to that which is holy and pure so that in the Truth Power and Word of Life the Lord God may be glorified in you all the Dayes of your Life And blessed are all they that aye in the Lord they rest from their Labours and their Works will follow them G. F. Richard Pinders Testimony CONCERNING Francis Howgil AS concerning our dear Brother in the Lord Francis Howgil the Author of these ensuing Writings he was a Man so well known through the Churches of Christ in his Day that much need not be writ concerning him as by Way of Testimony to those that knew him and his Spirit and Manner of Life and Conversation yet I having had a full Knowledge of him especially in the time of his long and tedious Imprisonment in the Town of Appleby in Westmorland where for his Testimony sake he ended his Dayes and laid down his Life as a Testimony for that Truth that he had testified of so largely both in preaching the Gospel and in these ensuing Books which he writ at several times according as the Lord put it into his Heart and as there was Occasion to answer Truth 's Opposers and after many Years Travails and Labours in the Work of God he through the Envy of some great Persons in that Country was made Prisoner at the foresaid Town of Appleby they having nothing justly to lay to his Charge yet knowing that it was his Principle not to swear at all Christ having forbidden it they put the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance unto him and only for refusing to swear he was premunired they in the least laying nothing of Misdemeanour to his Charge and when the Judge pronounced the Sentence of Premunire against him he only replyed It is a hard Sentence being only for the Exercise of my Conscience but the Will of the Lord be done and prayed the Lord might forgive them all that had any Hand in it and so after the said Sentence being committed Prisoner he continued a Prisoner several Years in which time I was very conversant with him and I must give this Testimony for him that I never heard him in the least murmur or repine in all the time of his Imprisonment but alwayes appeared as a Man wholly given up inâ—o â—he Will of God and when at any time we had been speaking of his long Imprisonment constantly he would have said The Will of the Lord be done and such was his godly Behaviour and Conversation in the time of his Confinement that he greatly gained the Hearts and Love of the Goaler's whole Family and all others of the Town that knew him and had any Acquaintance with him and even to this Day when his Name is mentioned they are all ready to say he was a Man that truly feared God so that he left an exceeding good Savour behind him in that Place And as for the Course of his Time and Dayes in this World I have this to say he was born of honest Parents and brought up to some Learning according to the usual Custom of the Country and in his Youth and tender Years was one that sincerely thirsted after the Knowledge of God and the Lord was good unto him and gave him Discoveries of divine things unto his Soul 's great Comfort and he was an early Owner of the People of God called Quakers and walked with them and was alwayes ready to suffer with them as at any time called by the Lord thereunto he was one greatly
I was moved to call thy Name Abigail which signifies the Father's Joy or Delight for in thee I was comforted that did mitigate my present Trouble and my Counsel unto thee is That thou remember thy Creator in the Dayes of thy Youth and fear the Lord in thy Youth and learn to know him and serve him all thy Dayes first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof it 's not far from thee it 's within thee it consists in Life and Power and it stands in Righteousness Truth and Equity Justice Mercy Long-suffering Patience Love Light and Holiness this is the Being and Center thereof therefore seek not lo here or lo there without thee in this or that outward Observation for mâ—ny seek there and never find it but seek and thou shalt find wait and thou shalt receive if thou enquire in what must I seek and what must I wait in how must I seek I inform thee thou must silence all thy own Thoughts and thou must turn thy Mind to that which is pure and holy and good within thy self and seek and wait in that in the Light of Jesus Christ wherewith thou art enlightened which shews thee when thou dost Evil and checks and reproves take heed unto that and it will shew the evil Motions and Thoughts and as thou lovest it it will subdue them and preserve thee for the time to come out of Evil for though thou be born into the World a reasonable Creature yet thou must be born again and be made a new Creature or else thou canst not enter into God's Kingdom thou must know the Seed of the Kingdom in thy self of which thou must be born and formed again into God's Image I have told thee God hath sown it in thee a Grain of it a Measure of it a Portion of it a Measure of Light and Truth of Righteousness and Holiness keep in thy Mind to that and love it and thou wilt feel the heavenly Father working in thee â—nd begetting thee to Life through Jesus Christ that hath enlightned thee and thou wilt feel the Power of the Lord strengthning thee in thy little and make thee to grow in the Immortal Seed of his Kingdom and out grow and over grow all Evil so that thou wilt daily dye to that and have no Pleasure in it but in the Lord and in his Goodness and Vertue shed abroad in thy Heart which thou wilt tast and feel within and have Joy and Comfort therein love the Lord with thy Heart and Soul even him that made thee and gave thee a Being and all things in Heaven and Earth and still wait for the Knowledge of him in thy self he is not far from thee but near unto thee and unto all that call upon him in an upright Heart and do thou enquire of thy dear Mother she will inform thee she knows him and the Way to Life and Peace and hearken unto her Instruction God is a Spirit a pure Spirit of Light and Life and Power he that searcheth the Heart and shews thee when thou dost Evil or think'st Evil or speak'st Evil and shews unto Man and Woman their Thoughts that which shows the Evil is Good and that which shews a Lye is Truth this is within take heed to it this is called God's Spirit in the Scripture believe in it love it and it will quicken thy Heart to Good and it will subject the Evil here is thy Teacher near thee loving it and if thou act contrary it will condemn thee therefore take heed unto this Spirit of Truth and it will enlighten and enliven thee and it will open thy Understanding and give thee to know what God is and to do that which is good and acceptable in his Sight this Spirit never errs but leads out of all Error into all Truth O Abigail believe my Words they are the Words of God and Truth be not wanton but sober minded in thy Youth and wait on the Lord within hearken unto him God is Light immortal Life immortal Truth immortal an everlasting eternal Spirit he speaks spiritually and invisibly within the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women hear what he speaks and obey his Voice and thy Soul shall live fear to offend him or sin against him for the Wages of Sin are Death therefore prize his Love in thy young and tender Years and do thou read the Scriptures and Friends Books and take heed unto what thou readest to obey it as far as thou understandest and pray often unto the Lord that he will give thee his Knowledge and open thy Understanding in the things of his Kingdom search thy Heart often with the Light of Christ in thee manifest and bring thy Deeds to it that they may be tryed and examine thy self how the Case stands betwixt the Lord and thee and if thou seest thy self wrong humble thy self and be sorry and turn unto him and he will shew thee Mercy and take heed for the time to come that thou run not into the same Evil again keep thy Heart clean watch against the Evil in thy self in that which shews it therein there is Power and thereby thou hast Power to overcome all Evil And dear Child miâ—d not the Pleasures of Sin which are but for a Moment and the End is Misery but keep under and cross thy Will and Affection so thy Mind will have no Pleasure in the Evil but in Good and thou wilt feel the immortal Seed springing up in thee which God's Peace and Love is to O Abigail these are great and weighty things not to be slighted accompany thy self alwayes with them that fear the Lord and fear and worship him in Spirit and Truth and lead a holy and a blameless Life and Conversation deny not them but love them and suffer with them take heed that thou follow not the hireling Teachers who preach for Gain and Lucre and abide not in Christ's Doctrine believe them not heed them not they do People no Good but thou wilt see them thy self they have an outside Shew of Godliness sometimes but deny the Power of God and true Holiness remember I have told thee who have had perfect Knowledge of them but be sure that thou let nothing separate thy Love from God and his People those are his People that keep his Law and obey Christ's Voice and lead a holy Life and they were ever hated and belyed and persecuted and evil-spoken on alwayes by bad and evil loose People these are God's People and his Love and Peace and Blessing is with them do thou grow as a natural Branch up among them of the living Vine and continue all thy Dayes in Obedience unto God's Will and thou wilt feel Joy and Love in thy Heart which above all things covet after and thou shalt attain and obtain everlasting Peace which the Lord grant unto thee according to the Riches of his Mercy and Love which endure forever and ever Amen And now Abigail concerning thy well
freely to the Throne of Grace and are accepted in him who is the Condemnation of all the World who hate the Light but your Life the Light of the World God blessed forever and ever And all you Fathers and Elders and honourable women who are not a few whose Bones and Sinews are filled with Marrow and Fatness who wait at the Altar of the Lord and know the Mercy-seat which hath overshadowed you and the golden Vessel in which is the hidden Manna by which all the Children of the Lord are fed round the Table of the Lord out of the Everlasting Treasure-house of my Father VVatch over the Flock of Christ Jesus in every Place and Region and Quarter where the Lord hath set you and govern them in all Wisdom and Righteousness that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ may be adorned and take Care of them willingly knowing this the Lord requires of you and hath called you unto and to nourish the Plants and the young Ones and the Babes and that every one may know their place and watch and instruct in all Wisdom and correct and reprove in the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus that no rebellious nor sloathful may grow up nor be harboured among you but all in Diligence may be kept in the Fear of the Lord in their places that the Gospel of Christ Jesus be not evil spoken of nor the Heathen blaspheme And therefore my dear Brethren be diligent in the Work of the Lord so much the more as you see the Day is approached and the Harvest is great and the Vineyard of the Lord is great and large and but few Labourers yea the Lord is enlarging his Borders and spreading forth his everlasting Truth and stretching forth his eternal Arm over the Nations and opening the treasures of Heaven and bringing Rain out of his Treasury to water the Earth that hath been parched and dry and to make his Plants to grow And so all wait that you may see the power and presence of the Lord in all your Assemblies and see that there be no Strife nor Contention nor Exaltation amongst you but all in meekness and quietness and long-suffering and forbearance even as the Lord hath spared and forborn you one submitting unto another even as you have heard and received when the Word of the Lord came first unto you and he that will be the greatest shall be the least but all in meekness and lowliness of Mind serve one another in Love even as you have received and the everlasting God of Life and Power be with you all and make you grow in the living power and virtue of God to order all things in his Wisdom as good Stewards of the manifold Mercies of the Lord which you are made partakers of that he alone may be glorified throughout all the Churches of Christ Jesus every where And to you my dear Brethren Fellow-Labourers to whom the Word of Reconciliation is committed are in the Work and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ and are made partakers of the everlasting Gospel of peace which unto you is given to declare Lift up your Voices blow the Trumpet sound an Alarm out of the holy Mountain proclaim the acceptable Year and the Day of Vengeance of our God gird on your Sword upon your Loins put on the tryed Armour and follow him forever who rides upon the white Horse and is clothed with the same whâ— makes War in Righteousness Ride on ride on my beloved Brethren and Fellow-Souldiers make all plain before you thresh on with the new threshing Instrument which hath Teeth beat the Mountainâ— to Dust and let the Breath of the Lord scatter it make the Heathen tremble and the Uncircumcised fall by the Sword the Lord of Hosts is with us and goes before us Spare none neither Ox nor Ass neither old nor young Kill cut off destroy bathe your Sword in the Blood of Amaleck and all the Egyptians and Philistines and all the Uncircumcised and hew Agag to pieces break the Rocks cut down the Cedars and strong Oaks make the Devils subject cast out the unclean Spirits raise the Dead shut up in Prison bring out of Prison cast in your Nets lanch into the deep divide the Fish gather the good into Vessels cast the bad away bind the Tares in Bundles cast them into the Fire the Angel with his sharp Sickle is come the Angel of the everlasting Covenant is come thrust in your Sickles reap the Earth the Word of God is come that divides let all Flesh keep Silence divide the Word rightly feed the Lambs and Babes fill the hungry stop the Lyons Mouthes feed the fat and the strong with Plagues and Judgments declare his Name publish his eternal Truth which shall stand forever Eternal Life is come Glory to him forever silence all Disputers and Diviners forever trample upon all the Chaff Dung and Mire forever which all the Wisdom of the World feeds upon Greater is he that is in us then he that is in the World Oh my beloved Ones although I am the lowest and weakest among many of my Brethren yet the eternal Power of God is my Shield forever the Lord of Hosts is with us there is a Crown which none can take away to all who have denyed all yea it is on our Heads the Dread of God is with us And truly dear Brethren we cannot say that we fished and catched nothing for many Vessels are full nor we have not travailed and laboured and brought forth Wind as the false Prophets do for we have the Seals of our Ministry which shall be Witnesses for the Lord in Generations to come Not unto us O Lord but to thy Name be Glory forever who hath done and doth all for us and in us who is our Strength our Glory our Crown of Rejoycing all the Day long for his hidden Treasure is brought forth and made manifest in earthen Vessels unto him be eternal living Praises forever And so all dear Brethren Members of the same Body of Christ Jesus by which we are set free from Sin in the Liberty Life and Power in which you are made free stand as Witnesses for the Lamb and for the holy Nation for the royal Seed of the true Israel of God that it may be brought out of Captivity to serve the Lord in the Land of the living and the eternal God of Power and Life of endless rich Love and Mercy be with you all and prosper his own Work in your Hands that he alone may be glorified unto whom be eternal infinite Praises who is our Life our King God blessed forever and ever And to you all my dear Brethren and Sisters who suffer in Bonds and Prisons and Dens and Holes and suffer the Enemy to plow-long Furrows upon your Backs in Patience and suffer stocking whipping buffeting beating and cruel Mocking and Stripes and Chains and Fetters whom the World is not worthy of even as they did unto our Master of
I began to grow in Knowledge without which is sensual and then I was puffed up for the World admired me but still I was condemned for vain Words and Actions and the Root of Iniquity grew in me and then I followed a more strict Course and often went five or six Miles to hear some more excellent Means as they called it and so did get more Words but still I was the same nay worse for Knowledge puffed me up then along to about fifteen Years of Age I posted up and down after the most excellent Sermons so called and so became acquainted with all the eminent Christians so called in the Region where I lived and I was despised of my Parents and of the World made a Wonder and great Reproach came upon me but still I saw they knew nought and it was no Matter and so much Sorrow fell upon me four or five Years and when I was turned within I was judged for all my Iniquity formerly and still my Heart was shewed to me that it was corrupt but as I kept within to the Light in my Conscience I was restrained from many Actions which I had a Will to do and in the Instant when I have been doing any Unrighteousness in Actions or Words in many things I was often stopped and when I saw that I did it not a great Joy arose in me and when I had done any thing forwardly and rashly I was judged but this the Teachers said was a Natural Conscience that kept from Sin and did restrain it and said he that had but restraining Grace as they called it he was but a tame Devil And so I hearkned to their Imagination and so slighted the Light as too low a thing that was but common Grace that did preserve out of gross Evils but the Saints had a peculiar Faith and Grace and so I hearkened to them and still I was convinced of Sin and then they told how the Saints did believe in Christ and so Sin was not imputed but his Righteousness was accounted to them and so I must seek him in the Means as Prayer and receiving the Sacrament as they called it and judged me a worthy Communicant and in great Fear I was that I should eat unworthily and none could direct me what the Body of Christ was insomuch that one time I read all the Scripture that spoke of Christ's Suffering And they said I must believe he suffered for me and I believed all that they called Faith but yet I could not see how he dyed for me and had taken away my Sin for the Witness in my Conscience told me I was a Servant of Sin whilest I committed it and they told me I must not omit that Ordinance for thereby Strength was confirmed and Faith added insomuch on the one Hand they pressing it as a Duty and on the other Hand I saw that the Scripture said He that eats unworthily eats Damnation to himself I was in Fear notwithstanding none could accuse me without yet then afterward a great Fear fell upon me and I thought I had sinned against the Holy Ghost and great Trouble fell upon me Then they said I had not come prepared and yet I had all the Preparation that they had spoken of but still they were all Physitians of no value Then I fasted and prayed and walked mournfully in Sorrow and thought none was like me tempted on every Hand so I ran to this man and the other and they applyed Promises to me but it was only Words for the Witness of Christ shewed me That the Root of Iniquity stood and the Body of Sin whole notwithstanding I was kept by a secret Power from gross Evils but still Sorrow compassed me about and I questioned all that ever I had which they said was Grace Repentance and Faith And then I told them there was Guilt in me and they said Sin was taken away by Christ but the Guilt should still remain while I lived and so brought me the Saints Conditions who were in the Warfare to confirm it and so I said in my self This was a miserable Salvation that the Guilt of Sin and Condemnation still in me should stand and so I was tossed from Mountain to Hill and heard them preach Confusion and so I mattered not for them and said Sure this is not the Ministry of Christ and so I ceased long by Fits and did not mind them but kept still at home and in desart Places solitary in weeping and every thing that I had done was laid before me insomuch that every Thought was judged and I was tender and my Heart broken and when I could sorrow most I had most Peace for something spoke within me from the Lord but I knew him not then and they said that it was Heresie to look for the Word of the Lord to be spoken now in these Dayes but only the Letter and so I regarded it not much yet often I was made to do many righteous things by the immediate Power and Word of God and then Peace and Joy sprung up in me and Promises were spoken That he would teach me himself and be my God and often I did obey contrary to my Will and denyed my Will but they told me This was legal to obey out of Fear and that was Slavery but there was an Evangelical Obedience as they called it so I got above the Fear and yet acted the former things which they called Ordinances and they said that was Son-like Obedience and Christ had done all Then there appeared more Beauty in them called Independents and I loved them and so joyned my self to them and all the Money that I could get I purchased Books with and walked with and owned them as more separate from the World and they prest Separation but at last I saw it was but in Words that they would do things and chuse Officers and Members of themselves and so made themselves an Image and fell down to it yet there was some Tenderness in them at the first but the Doctrine was the same with the World's Words without of others Conditions Then they whom they called Anabaptists appeared to have more Glory walked more acording to the Scripture observing things written without and I went among them and there was something I loved among them but after they denyed all but such that came into their Way as out of the Fellowship of the Saints and Doctrine of Christ I saw the Ground was the same and their Doctrine out of the Life with the rest of the Teachers of the World and had separated themselves and made another Likeness but still all said The Letter was the Word and Rule and Christ at a Distance without had done all and some of them holding Free-will others opposing and all in the Will But still I lov'd them that walked honestly amongst all these but though I had seen and owned all that I had heard except the Figure which I saw was outward and that was their
was there any of them that stood in the Gap or turned People from their Iniquity till the Lord broke out in his Wrath as Fire and laid the Land waste and the House of their God waste which you burnt up and will you now joyn with Moab and will you build again those things which you have once destroyed then you make your selves Transgressors think not thus in your Hearts that the Lord hath given you Dominion over the Nation to walk after your own Wills and joyn unto Deceit and that you may establish those things again which the Lord was wroth with and if you hold up those by your Laws and your Power and your Prisons and your Sword which is the People of the Lord's Curse I speak of the Teachers who are in Balaam's Way and greedy dumb Dogs who can never have enough and bestow the Nations Tythes and Lands and Riches which is the Lord's Treasure upon them that they may cry up Deceit and flatter you both you and they will fall together And Friends I am plain with you the Hand of the Lord is against them and all the Power of the Nations shall not save them from his Indignation And therefore be wise O ye Rulers and do not you think to take Counsel against the Lord and prosper nor prescribe not the Lord a Way for his Thoughts are not as your Thoughts nor his Wayes as your Wayes For he hath chosen the weak Things of this World to overthrow the Mighty your Eyes have seen this without and he hath revealed his Will to them and in them whom you look upon but as weak things and base things and in them he is making known his Eternal Power to overthrow the World's Wisdom and Might which is in the Fall and Curse from whence all Heresies and Blasphemies and Sects and Opinions flow and come forth and he is bringing his own Work his mighty Work to pass even to overthrow and overturn all the Power of the Beast and the false Prophet and shut them into the Pit and the Decree is gone forth and sealed and shall not be altered though all the Powers of Darkness joyn against him and although you should make a Law as the Jews did to take away the Life of Christ yet it did but little avail them for he hath carried on his Work through all Generations notwithstanding all Opposition and this is he in whom we trust and do not you think that you are able to limit the Lord by whom he must declare his Name or how or where or in what time but in his own VVay and Time and if he command and will us all mens VVills must be broken though still the holy men of God suffeâ—ed as such and so accounted as Disturbers of Peace I say the Devil's Peace must be broken and though the false Prophets of his Nation cry Peace unto you when you walk in the Imagination of your own Hearts and though you cry peace unto them yet one is come and coming to take peace from you for all your Peace and Agreement that you make against the least Appearance of God in his Servants it will be dashed to pieces And if they were to depart from the presence of God who fed nor the Saints neither clothed them nor visited them in prison but were to depart with the Devil and his Angels into everlasting Fire what will become of you who instead of clothing encourage the people to rent them off us and instead of feeding us give Command to depart because we are Stangers and instead of visiting them in prison you put them in prison and send for them one hundred Miles to be dragged to your prisons and before your Judgment-Seat in whom he is made manifest And now O ye Council at Dublin your Order hath so gratified the Devil and all the prophane in the Nation that they judge your Order was not large enough as that they had not Liberty to banish them who have been long Inhabitants in the Nation and therefore they tell you their Readiness to fulfil your Orders upon this Account and desire your Directions what to do further yea you have made all Lyars Drunkards cursed Speakers and prophane rejoyce and have strengthned the Hands of the wicked and so Judgment is turned backward and Righteousness cannot enter but all these things are recorded and you shall one Day remember what you have done And Friends it 's nothing to us we lay down our Heads in Peace notwithstanding if it had been done by them who had never professed any thing of Liberty of Conscience and Tenderness it might have been born but here your double Hypocrisie is made manifest Oh that ever you should be so led but why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain Thing for he will exalt his Son upon the Hill of Sion and then wo unto them that have joyned their Power to uphold the Beast and the false Prophet for all must go into the Lake together where the Worm dyes not nor the Fire goes out to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels forever And therefore I say unto you Repent and turn to the Lord and seek Judgment and Righteousness that so you may judge for the Lord and break off all Oppression and entertain the Strangers who seek not yours but the Good of the Nation and that all people might know the Lord and worship him in Righteousness that so your dayes might be prolonged in the Land and the Lord of Heaven and Earth might rule over you in Righteousness and that he alone might be exalted in the Nations which hath not been known for many Generations but only all have lived with the Name without his Life and Power in Deceit and all Manner of Unrighteousness and the Lord is wearied and will ease himself of his Adversaries and his Glory shall no longer be given to another Cork in Ireland the 8 th of the 11 th Moneth 1655. AN EPISTLE TO THE Church of Christ BEING MY BRETHREN WHO ARE MADE PARTAKERS of the RICHES OF THE LOVE of GOD IN Christ Jesus In and About the CITY OF LONDON DEar Brethren who are called to be Saints by the Word which proceeds from the Throne of God the Lamb in which you have believed and denyed your Country and followed the Calling of the Lord and are become Children of Abraham and Children of the Promise Grace and Everlasting Peace be encreased amognst you who have believed the Testimony of his Son and are made Partakers of the common Salvation which was delivered unto the Saints and now made manifest in this his own Day according to his Everlasting Love to his Seed which Seed we are which are come up out of Egypt from whence he hath called his Son great is my Love unto you all and it 's the Love that I love withal which is stronger then Death and hath broken the Covenant of Death and now is become a broad River from
whence Streams of Refreshment flow which make the Heart glad and the Soul to rejoyce in the Land of the living Oh my dear Ones who are anointed with the holy and living Oyl which he was and is anointed withal who is the Life you have received into your Hearts which teacheth you all things and is the Truth which abides forever and as you abide in him and he in you you are made Partakers of Eternal Life and because he lives you live also Now dear Ones having set your Faces towards Sion and towards the holy Tabernacle where he dwells look not back but all mind your Leader and Captain who hath chosen you to follow him in the War and to be Partakers of his Glory and Crown as they are faithful to his Commands which are not grievous to them who deny themselves therefore you all have known the Terrours of the Lord and the Indignation of the Almighty while you were in the disobedient Nature and in time past when you were in the Alienation and without the Knowledge of the true God in the World and worshipping dumb Idols even as you were led by the Enemy of God who ruled in you and seeing while you were in that Nature captivated unto divers Lusts which the Wrath of God hath come upon and you having tasted of the Cup of Wrath and that with the living God nothing that defiles can have Fellowship but with Doubting and Trouble and with Fear and Condemnation in you and not true Peace nor Assurance you did witness then but now being changed in your Minds by hearkning to his living Word which killed you while Sin ruled which brought Wrath and works Death now to the disobedient but now hath he changed your Minds and brought you subâ—ect and hath subjected the Adversaries under your Feet who have believed in him and have given up all to the Death of the Cross Oh my dear Ones stand all in that pure Freedom and your Measure which hath been obtained through the Death of the Cross and which Peace and true Liberty you have already obtained hath been purchased at a dear Rate and therefore dwell every one in that Measure and be diligent in the VVork of the Lord and press on that all may be subject by him who is the Light and Guide that he alone may have the Preeminence who is the Head of all Principalities and Powers in whom you have believed and received the VVord of his Power which is eternal to whom be Glory and Praise fâ—r evermore which VVord after it had judged and condemned Sin in the Flesh now gives pure Peace and Life to all who believe in it and are judged by it and it seals you and is the Spirit of Promise and bears witness in your Spirits as you act according to its VVill and therefore now all deâ—r Friends being all sensible of your Guide and Teacher shut him not up in a Corner but wait that his Word may be preached for a Testimony to all the World and the Nations of the World that so the End of it you may come to see in you and the utmost Part of it may be given in Possession to the Son that he may alone be glorified And all DEAR FRIENDS wait in Patience and be circumspect every one over your own Hearts that there be no fainting nor looking back amongst you but that you may all keep out that which would lead you into the Rebellion and it may be cut off that so you may come to the End of your Hope the Salvation of your Souls and watch one over another in the living and not with the Evil but cover one another and bear one another and if any fall by Temptation admonish and restore them in Love and let not Strife nor Contention be among you but all be low meek and gentle one to another that so no Pride nor Presumption nor fleshly Exaltation may be amongst you but that you may every one walk as Ministers of Righteousness in your Place and so preach Righteousness in the Earth that the Lord alone may be glorified who is enlarging his Kingdom in this the Day of his Power and in his Strength we run and are not weary fulfil our Joy and grow up as living Branches of Righteousness and bring forth Fruit in him who hath called you and begotten you by the Word of his Power to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of the dead incorruptible which hath changed you from Death to Life my Desire is to you and my Heart is enlarged when I think upon you and my Prayers are to the living God whom I know hears for you that you may all walk to the Praise and Glory of his Grace which hath saved you from Sin and will save you as you abide in it and will be sufficient for you to keep you single and without Stain and present you perfect before the Throne of God which is Grace God Almighty of Life and Glory be with you all my dear Brethren and preserve you all in the Arms of his living and eternal Power that you may all have Dominion by the Blood of God which is Life Eternal over all Sin and be cleansed by it from all Uncleanness and so receive the Eternal Reward the Inheritance with the Saints in Light which is the Inheritance of Jacob over which God reigns forever and blessed are they that come to witness this Forever the Lord of Life be with you all and preserve you under his Everlasting Shadow that so you may be brought to see the Lord and be ever with him who lives forever and ever and unto whom be Glory and Praise forever Amen Amen Dear Friends Glad would I hear from you that my Bowels may be refreshed for our Labour and Travail hath not been a little and our Suffering in this desolate Land my dear Brother E. B. whose Love I know is dear to you all I have not seen towards five Moneths I am in Hope I shall shortly the Work of the Lord prospers abundantly blessed be the Lord in such a wicked Generation as this is but Hell hath opened her Mouth against us and all is on Fire Councils and Head and Tail Rulers Officers Priests and all the Heathen are on an Vproar and so we must pass through Fire and Hail and Pillars of Smoak pray that we may be preserved for the Work whereunto he hath called us to gather the rest that are scattered and to turn them to the Shepherd and his Fold that they may lye down with you in the same Everlasting Fold and herein we war and strive and fight with Beasts but strong is the Lord who hath covered us and girded us with his own Armour and hath taught our Hands to War and our Fingers to fight in this the Day of his Power unto whom alone be Glory and Praise forever and ever Your dear Brother in the living Fellowship and Brotherhood which all that come to know must lay down their
all your Strength and all your Rest in the Flesh and Ease in your Beds that you have made shall be taken away you have slain those Desires in you which were once after God and now follow the Pleasures of the Flesh and have set up such a Worship over every one of you as you can live at Ease and in Pleasures and in Pride and vain-Glory and Covetousness and are Men-pleasers and Respecters of Persons and yet your Justification stands sure and your Faith which you hold and this Faith is Reprobate which leads into the Works of Darkness Oh you are high you are strong Warriours for the Prince of Darkness and greater Opposers of the Power of the Lord then they that have professed less who are gone before verily this is fulfilled in this Generation Publicans and Harlots enter the Kingdom and come to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and you are shut out Will he accept you for your Words will he accept you because you eat his Bread and drink his Wine and one of you is hungry and another Company of you plead that your Communion must now be as much Wine as you can drink and this is Gods ordinance you say Oh ye blind and slow of Heart to believe Is not Parphar and Damascus and Jordan and all the Water his and the Cattel upon a thousand Hills is he beholding to thee for thy lame and blind Sacrifice will he accept you for these things while your Wills stands and while you hate to be guided by his Light and Spirit which cleanseth the Inside shall I not say as Paul said of Circumcision It 's neither Baptism or not being baptized it 's neither breaking of Bread nor drinking of Wine neither your Observances and Washings your Prayers nor your Fasts your feigned Communion and Fellowship but a new Creature that God requires not outward washings nor things carnal which none of these things make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience nor the coming unto these doth not purifie nor make the Answer of a good Conscience while you do not witness that which makes you Partakers of the divine Nature you have no Fellowship with the Father nor the Son but only sacrifice to your Nets and feed upon Ashes and would take those things which were but Figures to oppose the Substance as the Jews did and never look for him to be revealed in you who is the End of the Figures and the End of the Law for Righteousness and the End of the Prophets who now is not worshipped in the Oldness of the Letter nor in Figures but in Newness of Spirit and in the new and living VVay which he hath consecrated for all them that come to him and believe in him and come to within the Vail Heb. 10.20 Nay these things which you call Ordinances as you practice them are not so much as the Image of Heavenly things and though you come to them Year by Year Week by Week they do not make you that are Comers thereunto perfect for if they did then there were a Necessity for the Continuance of them But now to that of God in all your Consciences I speak which shall witness in the Day of the Lord that your Consciences are no more purified nor you made any more perfect then the first Day you took them up And this I say unto you in love to your Souls I know no more of the Power and Presence you do witness among you in these things then if you worshipped in the Temple at Jerusalem and â—urned Incense and Offered Sacrifice and Burnt-offerings which Christ said was left unto them desolate and verily in the Day of the Lord's Account you shall bear witness unto me that I speak not in mine own Name although you cannot believe I say the Lord is departed out of these things and the Gentiles and Heathen who know not God have now all these things to tread upon and all also to feed upon but this I say unto you Sacrifices and offerings without which are Carnal and Elementary and perish with the using he will not have but he is come whose Flesh is the Life of the Saints and his Body is known which is prepared to take away Sin and it was witnessed of him and he is come to do the Will of God and this is he in whom the Father is well pleased who is the Light of the World and hath enlightned every one that comes into the world and whoso is not led by the Light he is not led by the Son and there is no Offering but in the Light that is accepted nor nothing which is well pleasing to God but what he now Commands who is entered to within the Vail into the Heavenly Tabernacle and you whose Hearts the Vail is over and Flesh is over unturned to him you are and his Face do not see nor his Mind do not know and now his worship is no more outward and Carnal but spiritual and everlasting And all you that cannot own the Measure of God in you which shews you his Teachings and Doctrine the offering up of that which is perfect you do not know nor the offering up in and by the eternal Spirit you do not know and so do not know purging away Sin but still you are Checked Condemned in your selves notwithstanding your large Phylacteries and long Garments of Self-righteousness and Selfishness in Performance in your wills from Imitation yet all of you confess the Guilt must remain because none of you are come from under Condemnation therefore you judge all is so Ah ah miserable Redemption and Justification is this what Redemption is wrought among you when the Light in your own Consciences shews there is Guilt and you are under the Power of Pride and Covetousness and Envy and Wrath railing and slandering them that bear witness against your deceit and have not Power over your Tongues nor over your Thoughts but are led captive by him that works Unrighteousness nay so ignorant are you most of you that you know not what it is that is in Captivity and what it is that wants Redemption nor what it is which the Gospel is preached to and purity of Spirit you do not know Verily I say unto you all whose minds are not turned to the Light of Christ which will let you see notwithstanding all your Righteousness and Fulness which you judge you have attained to there is one thing you lack yet you that have kept all the Commands in the Letter which few of you have done you must sell all and give to the Poor and yet before you witness a Disciple of Christ you must take up the Cross of Christ which you all stumble at and it is Foolishness to you as it was to your Generation who were in your Nature who sought to be justified by the Works without them and even you are the same look that God accepts you because you have conformed to the outward Part of the Law
and shall go into Perdition and he hath deceived the Nations long and all have exercised their Power against him who is the Heir of the Promise the first-born of every Creature who is higher then the highest and greater then the greatest and have changed his Laws and made them void and have set up the Law of Sin and Death and have established unrighteous Laws by the Power of Darkness in which all Nations have been involved since the Dragon hath Power and whosoever would not obey those Laws and Customs and Constitutions the Dragon hath had Power and they that have joyned to him for a Time to kill to imprison to destroy and they who have been exalted have had thought to weary out the Saints of the most high and to root out the Memorial of the Just that he and all his Adherents might reign forever in the Kingdom of Unrighteousness and in the Dominion of Darkness which is the Devils dwelling Place and Residence forever who is at Enmity against God and the Children of Light which worship God in Spirit and Truth in Life and Righteousness Now is the Time drawing near and he who is the Desire of all Nations appeareth the Ancient of dayes is coming whose Throne is established in Righteousness forever who will break the Head of the Dragon and will lay hold upon him and chain him up that he deceive the Nations no more And all you Emperours Kings Dukes Earls Nobles Lords and Potentates who have joyned to him your Kingdom shall be rent from you and your Hands shall grow weak that you shall not be able to defend your selves against him who travails in the Greatness of his strength who is coming up against you as a Lyon greedy of his Prey and will devour at once all his Enemies that thought in their Hearts to reign forever and to settle themselves in iniquity forever now the Time draws near when he will put down the Authority of the Dragon and of the Beast and the Beast with many Heads and Horns and their Rule shall come to an End and he will dash you one against another as broken Pitchers till you be consumed and brought to nought and be worn out as a moth-eaten Garment and will overthrow your Laws and Customs which are made in the Night of Ignorance and Blindness and will change your Customs and the Times and will reduce the Earth again into its first Purity and you that have ruled shall serve and be tributary and as you have had a time of rejoycing over the Witnesses who have troubled your earthly and devilish Peace and slain them as Sheep for the Slaughter a time of Mourning is coming upon you when you shall say alas alas for your Glory shall pass away and your Renown shall wither and for your Dominion which shall grow so weak that you shall not be able to resist him who travels in the Greatness of his Strength and treadeth the Winepress of the Wrath of God who is mighty and strong to judge the Whore and all they that have committed Fornication with her and have drunk of her Cup and are inflamed with Adultery and cannot cease from Sin but burn in Envy against the Appearing of the Manchild who is Heir of the Promise yea of Life everlasting born here to the Inheritance which is incoruptible unto whom all Power belongeth both in Heaven and Earth who will subdue the lower Power and Powers of Darkness and tread them under Foot and all who act from that Power which is below the Life below the Truth below the Light that power will he and all whom he brings out of the Grave and raises above the Grave tread down under foot which stands but in the Earth wherein dwells Unrighteousness Although thy Teachers and Diviners in thee oh Earth who preach a Divination of their own Brain and from the Imagination of their own Hearts have made you believe oh you Powers of the earth who are in the Fall in the Transgression of the Life that you were the higher Powers every Emperour King Duke Earl Nobles Lords and that all were to stoop to your Wills how contrary soever they have been to God but you and they must know there is one higher then the highest who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who alone will judge the Hearts of his People and their Consciences for he will not give his Glory to another although you have long usurped it since the dayes of the Apostacy and would have had all to bow to that Power which hath transgressed the Life and is gone from the Power of God Oh! long hath been the Night of Ignorance and Darkness and great hath been the Apostacy in the earth since the Dayes of the Apostles and since the false Christ's and false Prophets entered into the World which Christ said should come and cry lo here and there and should deceive many yea all the world wondered after the Beast and John saw it all lay in Wickedness and the time that Christ prohesied of came to be fulfilled in the dayes of John and he saw it Mat. 24.23 24. that many false Prophets and Antichrists were gone out into the World out from the Life out from the Truth out from the Light wherein the Saints had Fellowship who wrote forth the Scriptures and he said They were gone into the World and he said the whole World lay in Wickedness and so they went from Holiness into Wickedness and from the Father's Love into the Love of the World and Peter and Jude who lived in the same Age they saw them that went in the Error of Balaam and in the Way of Cain and in gainsaying the Power being turned from it like Corah and also their Hearts were exercised with covetous Practices So John saw they were come 1 John 2.18 19 Little Children it is the last time as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know it 's the last time and Peter saw that false Apostles should come who should make Merchandise of the People and prophesied of it as you may read 2 Pet. 2.2 3. and in the 14 15. verses you may know them by their fruits having eyes full of Adultery and cannot cease from Sin beguiling unstable Souls and Hearts they have exercised with covetous Practices and they were the cursed children and these had forsaken the right Way Christ the way and his Command also Freely ye have received freely give and they laboured to keep the Gospel without Charge who were true Apostles but these false Prophets deceitful Workers Antichrists and false Apostles they were gone in Balaam's Way after the wages of Unrighteousness in Cain's Way in Corah's Way in Antichrist's Way out of Christ's Way and these false Prophets false Apostles they spoke swelling Words of Vanity and did allure through the Lusts of the Flesh and they like the rest of the false Prophets gone before them cryed Peace and promised
many Waters which shall make all the Potentates and the mighty of the Earth bow the Eye-lids of the morning are opened and the Sun is rising to his Height and the dark Air is scattering by the Breath of his Mouth and so all things shall appear in the Earth as they are and every thing under the Face of the Heaven shall be brought to Light and all the Powers of Darkness discovered and the Works and Workers of Iniquity shall no longer be hid but shall be discovered by the Light of the Son of God and shall be judged and condemned by the Life of Righteousness and blessed are they who know a hiding-Place in him when his overflowing Scourge passeth over the Nations which is already made ready to execute his Judgment upon the Heathen that know him not Oh! who may abide his Presence when he appears in his Power Majesty and Glory all the ungodly of the Earth shall be as driven Stubble before his Bow and shall flee before him nevertheless the Pursuer shall overtake and the Destroyer shall lay hold upon them and all the ungodly shall hear the Sentence Go ye cursed from the presence of the Lord into the Pit of Everlasting Destruction And when this Day comes upon the Nations all your Prophets Diviners and Teachers who are out of the Life of Christ who have flattered you and told you You were the higher Power and you must sit as Judges in the Things of the Father and Lord it over the Consciences of People and prescribe the Lord a Way and a Limit in your several Nations and Dominions they shall not be able to deliver themselves neither you but the Helper and the helped shall both fall together the Strengthener and the strengthened shall grow feeble and their Loins weak so that they shall not be able to stand before him who is the higher Power and the greatest Dignity who will rule over all Usurpers and over all the Children of Pride the Dragon the Beast the false Prophet and Teller of Lyes shall have their Portion in the Lake that burns Then shall the ransomed of the Lord and the righteous Seed whom the Nations have slain and persecuted the Prophets and holy Men of God and all that have been slain for the Testimony of Jesus rejoyce over the Deceit and it shall be sung in that Day The Lord God omnipotent reigneth who will ascend above all Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominions and tread down all under his Feet that the Earth may be filled with his Glory and behold he cometh quickly in a Moment and suddain Destruction shall be upon his Enemies and the Breath of his Mouth shall make all melt away that hate the Lord and their Remembrance shall rot forever and ever Therefore oh all ye Powers of the Earth who are the Sons of fallen Adam whose Power ariseth out of the Earth in which the Devil dwells and the Serpent feeds who bear Rule but not by the Lord who sit as Judges in the Earth and yet your Judgment is from the Earth and from below know this you shall all be judged with the Just and all your unrighteous Decrees Laws Constitutions Ordinances and Edicts which are made in the fallen Wisdom you and they both together will be cast aside as a Thing of nought and must all be judged with the Just Therefore repent and turn to the Lord of Heaven and Earth that you may know his righteous Judgment set up in your Hearts and the Spirit of Injustice and Error purged out of your Hearts or else you judge not for God for all the Laws Constitutions and Ordinances which are made in the fallen Principle and fallen Wisdom to have all these in the Head or in the Memory so that he may act in a Nation or Kingdom according to the Letter of a Law prescribed in a Nation that doth not at all make a Man an able Minister of Justice or a Magistrate for God for the Root being unholy corrupt and erroneous from whence those Laws were given forth the Branches are unholy also the Ground being corrupt the Tree bad the Fruit is bad also and so all Nations who are degenerate from the Life of God their Laws and Constitutions do alwayes imbondage the regenerate so the Heart being deceitful and unrighteous such Laws proceed forth which do oppress the upright in Heart and all or most of the LAWS in all Nations are received by Tradition from Generation to Generation since the scattering of ISRAEL who received the Law from God's own Mouth by the Hand of Moses a Magistrate of the Lord and a Judge over Israel and so Heaps of Decrees Statutes and Ordinances there are in the Nations which do not answer that of God in the Conscience of every man and so that which is pure of God in the Conscience of every one cannot be subject to those Laws and Traditions but rather suffer as many Thousands have done cruel Deaths and great Oppression all this dark time of Anti-christ's Reign and of the Beast in all nations since the Apostacy and Death reigning over all the Sons of the first Adam in the Transgression Death hath breathed forth it self upon the Face of the Earth for Sin entering and Death by Sin it rules in the Heart and exerciseth his Power which stands in Unrighteousness and so all Mankind in all their acting can do nothing for God but against him and against his People who are redeemed out of the Region of Death and so all Law-givers Law-makers and Laws which stand in the Will of man and in the unrighteous Principle will the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Restorer of Mankind utterly overthrow abolish and take away their Power for the Law-giver shall come out of Sion whoever in all Nations that ever come to see him must see him come from thence whose Appearance shall be as a Lamp that burns and he shall change the Customs the Times and the Laws and overthrow all them that stand in the Curse for he shall lead out of Death and out of its Path and from under the Law of Sin and Death that all that hear him and come to be subject to his Law shall deny all those Laws in the very Ground and bear their Testimony against them which stand in that nature that transgresseth the Life And therefore give Ear all Nations and all Emperors Kings Monarchs Lords Judges and Rulers of the Earth in all Nations he is come and coming whose Right it is to judge the Earth in Righteousness and the People with Equity even he unto whom all Judgment is committed and he hath appeared as the Son of God in the North Region of the World in Power Majesty and great Glory and hath made the Mountains melt before him and he hath dryed up all the Springs of Babylon and hath made the Cedars bow and made the Trees of the Forrest to shake and the study Oaks hath he cut up by the Roots and turned
pure Spirit if thou waitest in the Manifestation of the Spirit these Things thou wilt see to be Truth though hid and vailed from the World that lyes in VVickedness as thou comest out of its Nature I have not written for to please Men of corrupt Minds who glory in VVords and outward Appearances and glory in natural Parts and in Sounds and are erred from the Life but to the simple-hearted and for the strengthening of the weak and for the understanding of the simple and that which thou seest in the following Discourse which thou canst not close with let it alone and judge nothing before the Time in thy Wisdom that is earthly or in thy Reason but in that and to that of God in thee I desire to be approved and to nothing else and shall be made manifest in the day of the Lord that is dawning in the world and many have seen it to appear in Power and Glory wait thou in thy own particular that thou may'st feel thy own Condition and see thy own State and that which lets thee see thy own Condition will let thee see the Lord and what I have declared of him to be true I am thy Friend in Truth and wish Good to all Men. F. H. SOME OF THE MYSTERIES OF God's Kingdom DECLARED As they have been revealed by the Spirit THROUGH FAITH THE Lord God of the whole Earth who lives forever even the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and Jacob whose Throne is established in Righteousness forever who rideth upon the Heavens and shines forth in his eternal Excellency from the Firmament of his Power he is manifesting himself in his Power as in the dayes of old and revealing his Righteousness as in the Years past and pouring forth his Spirit upon his Sons and Daughters according to his Promise and they that believe come to be made Partakers of the Blessing of the everlasting Hills even the Lord who appeared at Sinai unto Moses his Servant in the Bush who rose up from Mount Seir and shined forth in his Brightness from Mount Paran and came with ten thousands of his Saints even he from whose right Hand went a fiery Law so that the People could not behold his Glory the same is he who hath now appeared in this the Day of his Power and is appearing whose Glory shall dazel the Eyes of the World whose Brightness shall make dim all the World's Glory and stain its Wisdom and shut it up in utter Darkness that it shall not appear to have any Existence or Being and the Shadow of Death shall fly away and all the haughty and lofty Princes of this World shall be horribly afraid the Beasts shall go into their Dens when the day appears and the Lambs of the everlasting Fold shall come forth and be fed in the fat Valleys where the Springs of Life compass about all the Banks and rejoyce in their Shepherd and shall say The Lord is my Shepherd which many at this Time do admire and say What hath the Lord wrought who have seen his Wonders in the dayes of old and have seen his noble Acts which the Fathers have told of who are fallen asleep and are at Rest in the Lord and now many is God bringing to see what they witness to be true and to have the same fulfilled in themselves Honour and Praise unto him forever who is the Stay Strength of all his People forever And the day of the Lord is broken and the Light hath appeared that manifesteth all Things which are reproveable and the Day-Star is arisen in the Hearts of many and they are come to see that fulfilled in their Hearts which Peter exhorted them to wait for and to take heed unto the sure Word of Prophecy until the day appeared and did dawn in their Hearts which day when it appears and to whom it appears discovereth all things and maketh all things manifest as it is declared by the Spirit of Truth in the Scripture of Truth and every Man's Work shall be tryed of what Sort it is and of what Nature it is and this day hath appeared to many Praises to the Lord who have waited for it and now they see every thing in its Ground and Rise and every tree and fruit is seen according to its kind whether good or bad and every Man's Work is obvious to every one who are in the day and upon whom the Morning of Righteousness hath appeared and the Sun of Righteousness hath shined upon whereby that is seen in every one by the Light which is truly called day by the Lord who causeth it to spring from on high which is reproveable and condemnable and also whatever is justifiable and unreproveable is seen by the day of the Lord appearing in the Heart The Day of the Lord what it is and to whom it hath appeared discovered and how it is seen GOD is a Spirit his day is spiritual and is seen with a spiritual Eye it 's pure Light pure Brightness the pure shining forth of the Lord in his glorious Excellency the pure shining forth of Eternity Life putting forth it self in its Brightness Holiness shedding it self abroad in its Glory Purity spreading it self in its immeasurable Excellency and can only be seen as it is in it self by the Children of Light that are born of it there is a natural day there is a spiritual Day the natural day receives its Brightness from the Sun the spiritual day receives its Brightness from the Sun of Righteousness by whom it 's brought forth without whom nothing was or is made or brought forth but by him who is the Fountain of Life and as the natural day receives its Clearness from the natural Sun and is discerned by the natural Eye of a natural Man and all things natural are seen and discovered by and in the natural day and are perspicuous and obvious to him that hath his natural Sight even so from the Sun of Righteousness the Lord of Glory Light and Purity the day of God receives its Brightness and is issued out from him by the Rayes of his Brightness and is discerned and seen only by the spiritual Eye of the spiritual Man who is the Image of the Father brought forth in Life and in his own Nature and Quality that is to say from God the Father of Life by Christ Jesus the Life of men the Light of the World and this is the Birth which is born from above which is of the Nature of the Father and the Son and of the day and he only comes to behold this day and discerns all things of the Father's Kingdom by it and likewise discerns all the hidden things of Dishonesty and the Works of Darkness which are brought forth by the Prince of Darkness who is shut up in eternal utter Darkness which is his dwelling-place forever which is his Residence and shall be the Residence of all the Workers of Iniquity that bear his Image forever Object But some
he will manifest his day and his Power in his day in thee as thou keepest in thy Mind to that which manifests unto thee Evil and shews thee Good thou wilt see how it appears Even as the Light shineth from the East unto the West so is the coming of the day of the Lord and the Eye which is spiritual â—eâ—s it and the Power the Glory of the Lord comes to be seen in the day which is pure and spiritual in the Heart and the Eye which is pure doth behold when it comes where it comes and how it comes and it 's hid from vulturous Eyes and from their Eyes which are fall of Adultery and cannot cease from Sin Now the day of the Lord cometh not where the carnal Mind may imagine nor when Man will neither according to the carnal Desire of the carnal Heart neither according to the evil Eye that looks out can it be seen but is seen in God's own Light and by the Measure of God's holy Spirit And as the day of the Lord is a Mystery the Spirit of the Lord is the only Discoverer of it None know the Things of God but by the Spirit of God and the day of the Lord and his bright shining forth in the Heart of Man is one of the glorious Things of God which only the Spirit of God doth give the Knowledge of to Man and in Man and not the Letter nor the Scripture for the Jews had the Letter and they had neither heard God's Voice at any Time neither ever did they see his Shape neither did they see the day of the Lord nor the Power neither in a Word did see or perceive God or any of the Mysteries of God's Kingdom at all but dreamed imagined thought and conceived of Things in their Minds their foolish Hearts being darkened for the further a Man draws from the Light his Heart comes to be more dark and their Understanding closed up and shut up that they cannot behold the Lord neither his Glory which is revealed only by God's holy Spirit which Spirit is near Man though he see is not What the Spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the Things of God THE Spirit of the Lord is pure holy equal Purity it self Holiness it self Equity it self and is one with the Father and the Son the Father Word and Spirit are one it 's Life it 's pure Power â—ure Strength Purity it self which mixeth not neither joyneth to any Thing but that which is of its own Nature it 's an immeasurable pure Substance it 's Life issued forth an active living Power and is everlasting alters not changeth not keeps its Holiness its Purity forever it is unsearcheable unfathomable undeclarable Words are all too short too narrow to declare its Excellency and Glory but only as it makes it self out to them that believe and opens it self and sheds it self abroad in them that wait upon it it is revealed in its own Purity manifest in its own Power and received in its own Light felt in its own Virtue the living Father of Life himself is manifest by it and appears in his Power Majesty and Excellency through it to man and to the Sons of men to the righteous and unrighteous to godly and ungodly to the upright and to the deceitful to the Children of Darkness and to the Children of Light that which searcheth the Heart of man and sees through all things and maketh manifest all Things even the hidden Things of God and the secret Works of Darkness and reproveth for all Evil all Iniquity that is the pure Act of the Spirit which convinceth every man and as the Creature comes to joyn to it it ariseth and shines forth more clearly and maketh it self known in its Power and Operation its Power comes to be felt it checks and reproveth judgeth and condemneth all Actions which are done and past and brings them to the Creature 's Remembrance and as it is waited upon and hearkened unto it sheds it self abroad in its own pure Brightness and â—ringeth all things to Light even all the Deeds of Darkness and maketh manifest the Intents of the Mind and manifesteth all things reproveable Now as there is a waiting upon the pure Appearance of it and the Mind be still and quiet and calm the Creature comes to feel and sensibly know his own Condition he sees his Mind is alive to other Things and other Lovers and not to God and so he sees himself dead to the Things of God's Kingdom and in the Loss and in the Fall and in the Transgression now this which shews the vain Motions and vain Thoughts and checketh them is an Operation of the Spirit and Purity comes to be felt working in the Heart and as it is loved and obeyed it leadeth and converteth the Heart to the Lord and draweth towards it self out of Unholiness and from under the dark Power and brings that under and so it ariseth in its Strength as it is believed in and waited upon and judgeth and condemns for all Evil for it is the Discoverer of the Mind of the Lord to the Sons of Men or the Father by it makes known his Mind to and in the Creature and doth discover the Things that be eternal in their true Property and Nature which only they that have the Spirit and have received it and are brought out of the Sensuality come to discern him who is invisible and the things that belong to everlasting Happiness which are not seen by a natural Eye neither received by the Spirit of the World who never received the things of God neither the Testimony of them who were in the Life Now all that come to receive it that is to say the Spirit of Truth must wait in that which is pure unto which it joyns it joyns not to the corrupt Man neither to the sensual Heart neither to the vile Affections neither unto them whose Eyes are full of Adultery which cannot cease from Sin neither to the Seed of Falshood neither to the corruptible Birth neither unto that which is born of the Flesh nor unto the Will of the Creature yet notwithstanding though it joyn not to these yet it is near man even the natural man its Manifestation or the shining forth of its Brightness maketh all these things manifest before-mentioned to be evil and thus far the Spirit of God hath appeared to the World and all Mankind as to convince the World of Sin yet still it remains in its own Purity and while the Heart of any man is taken up with that and joyned unto that which the Light reproves that is to say the Worker of Iniquity that man hath not received the Spirit neither is made Possessor of it nor enjoyes it but it stands off man and from man at a Distance shewing the Worker of Iniquity and the Works of Darkness and manifesting to the Creature in its Light and letting him see unto whom he is
off in God's sore Displeasure being gone from that which was upright in which man was created and following their Imaginations and out of that mind formed Idols and Images and set them up and answered that Part in themselves which transgressed the Seed and not that which doth overthrow all Idols and the Ground thereof And after they were come to the Land that God had promised them they were commanded not to worship Idols as the Canaanites did that were Ham's Stock who was accursed and set up cursed Idols yet nevertheless breaking the Law which was to limit that Part which had transgressed that which was contrary to the Law was set up in themselves even the Nature of the Canaanites Gentiles and Heathen and then they worshipped the Heathens Gods nor else formed Gods and Idols and Images of their own and worshipped Baal Ashteroth and Chemâ—sh and the Sidonians Gods and every Nations Gods Images where they came and so the Lord sent his true Prophets who feared his Name and worshipped him to declare against them even the House of Israel a distinct People from the Heathen great Professors Ezek 14.4 They set up Idols in their Hearts and put a stumbling Block of Iniquity before their Face the Lord said he would answer them according to the Multitude of their Idols they being gone into Vanity they hearkened to the Idols that spaâ—e Vanity Zech. 10.2 And baked Bread and rosted Flesh with Wood and of the same made a God and they transgressed at Dan at Bethel at Gilgal yea their Idols stood in their Hearts and they formed such without as were suitable to their Hearts as you may read through many Ages and Generations before the Flood and after the Flood in the Wilderness in Canaan and in the Nations where they were scattered Hab. 2.18 19. What profiteth the graven Image and the molten Image and Teachers of Lyes wo unto him that saith to the Wood awake to the dumb Stone arise it shall teach behold it is laid over with Gold and Silver and there is no Breath at all in thâ— midst of it seek not to Bethel nor enter into Gilgal for Gilgal shall go into Captivity and Bethel shall come to nought Furthermore they corrupted themselves in those things which God had commanded which were Commands in their time and made Idols of those things which were but Figures or Shadows of good things to come which they should have waited for for as the Brazen Serpent Temple Offerings Oblations Tythes Priests Sabbaths New Moons Solemn Feasts Circumcision Passover and all these things were given to be observed till the Seed came the end of all these things and of the Law for Righteousness but Christ the Seed the Heir of all things when he came after many Prophets had declared of him from Moses to Samuel from Samuel to John they exalted those things above him and neglected him who had Life in himself and would not come unto him that they might have had Life and then their Temple Priests Sacrifice Oblations became Idols and their Practice became Idolatry and so are in Blindness to this Day and so in the Dayes of Christ they held up those things and were counselled in their Works and Observances and Dayes and Times and came not to believe in him in whom all Dayes end in and so continued in their large Observations all along in the Apostles Dayes and did as they had done in the Dayes of the Prophets slew the Prophets that were sent of the Lord and set Dreamers and such as prophesied for Hire and divined for Money and said no Evil should touch them and they said the Law should not depart from the Priests Mouth nor Vision cease from their Prophets but believed their Lyes and prophesied of Wine and strong Drink and cryed Peace to them that God's Controversie was against and so persecuted the Apostles from City to City and from Place to Place till the Wrat of God came upon them and Jerusalem compassed about with Armies and not one Stone left upon another and for their sakes Sion became a ploâ—ed Corn Field their Temple burnt their Priests slain their Sacrifices ceased their Oblations at an End and they scattered among the Heâ—then and they and all their Idols and Worship blasted and cursed from God and from being a Nation to this Day and thus hath the Lord brought Shame and Contempt upon all through all Ages who have worshipped the Works of their own Hands or that have holden up any Figure or Representation and have set it up and exalted it above the Life and with it have opposeâ— the Power the Life in which all Figures Types and Representations end in And thus far I have passed through Generations and also through Administrations that all who have a Desire of the true Knowledge of God may see that Man in the Degeneration being out of the Image of God corrupts himself in all things and maks Idols of all things being from the Life in which Man hath Power only to fulfil the Righteous Will of God But to descend and come nearer to our Age because all that which is called Christendom will say this is nothing unto them because they hold not up the Heathens Images nor the Jewish Idols nor the Jewish Types and Worship and therefore they are no Idolaters when John the Prophet came and preached repentance in the Wilderness of Judea which was a preparer of the way he Baptized in Jordan and many believed and Repented and were Baptized and Christ also was Baptized and so was he Circumcised and eat the Passover and observed what was written because he came to fulfill all Righteousness and also bad his Disciples hear them that sate in Moses Seat for he was not yet Sacrificed up nor Glorified I say John Baptized not in his own Name but bore Witness unto Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the Sins of the World who came after him and was preferred before him whom John said should Baptise them with the holy Ghost and with Fire and many of Johns Disciples followed Christ the true Light that lighteth every one that cometh into the World and John was not Offended at them for following of Christ but rejoyced take notice of this you Baptizers who are offended with them that follow Christ the Light that lighteth every one that cometh in the World and Excommunicate them like the envyous Jews out of your Assemblies and say they are deluded and are so far from Johns Spirit that in stead of bearing your Testimony to him who is the Light that you would bind them up and Counsel your Disciples not to go after him The true Light that lighteth every man the Christ of God I say to you you are in the Idolatry who prefer your water before the Light but John bore witness to Christ the Light said he was preferred before him and some Imitaters and Idolaters say the Baptism of water is the door or Entrance into the
for the Life of the World John 6.51 And as Godliness began to work and the Mystery thereof in the dayes of Christ and the Apostles wherein the Lord discovered much of his Wisdom and Power and manifested his pure Presence and poured out his Spirit plentifully upon Sons and Daughters and fulfilled that which Joel prophesied of Joel 2.28 which came to be fulfilled after Christ's ascension Acts 2.17 and They received the Holy Ghost and spoke the wonderful Things of God as they were revealed by the Spirit which shed it self abroad among them that waited for it so also the Mystery of Iniquity began to work even in that time and as the Apostles laid the Foundation of Truth and declared the Truth Christ to be the Foundation even so the Mystery of Iniquity did Work and a Beginning or a Foundation of error was laid by them who were gone out of the Truth the false Prophets Deceivers Anti-christs who were Professors and Preachers but they were such as were Covetous and Greedy of filthy Lucre and made Merchandize of Souls for dishonest gain and denyed the Power of God Christ and were Enemies to the Cross and gloried in the Flesh and spake Swelling words of Vanity and did all live in the Lust of the Flesh and were proud Boasters and denyed the Lord that bought them for denying the Power of God they did deny Christ though in Words they preached him as this Generation who are their Off-springs do out of Strife and Contention as the Apostles writes and they held the Form of Godliness but denyed the Power and they were they that once were Convinced of the Truth and came into the form of Truth but denyed the Power of Truth but were in Craft and Deceit and they subverted whole Houses from the Faith and led them back into the World into Unbelief in the Apostles dayes and yet had a worship and did Worship but not in the Power not the Life and this began to work and wrought more cunningly and Subtilly in the latter Times And the Apostle Paul in many of his Epistles John and Peter and Jude declare against them and Paul prophesied of them before his departure of grievous Wolves which should spring up which should not spare to make Havock of the Flock of Christ so the false Apostles Deceivers Anti-christs and deceitful Workers they went out then and did what they could to lead Disciples after them into the World inwardly they were ravened from the Spirit and were gone from it into the Earth into the world and served not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies and the God of the world which is the Devil and they went into the World and the World received them and then they and their Disciples turned against the Saints and they held Truth in Words and the Form for a wile but it was in Unrighteousness and here was the beginners and the beginning of the Apostates and of the Apostacy it was began in the Apostles dayes by them that went out of the Truth out of the Light and were ravened from the Spirit and erred from the Faith and were Enemies to the Power of God and these were the beginners and the Layers of the Foundation and then it grew that root of Wickedness faster then the Truth for the Jews resisted and the Heathens resisted and the Apostates and false Prophets resisted and they that were Apostatized they resisted and they caused many to Stumble to Err to make Ship-wrack of their Faith and so the World went after them the World the Nations the Kindreds the Tongues and the People went after Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth and in process of time they had over-run all and Killed the Saints the Woman fled into the Wilderness and the man-Child was caught up unto God then all Nations who were gone from the Rock became as a Sea reeled to and fro Unstable Unsetled what were they like to settle in the Sea then a great beast arose with his seven Heads and ten Horns and the Whore which had Defiled the bed and She sat upon the Beast and She reached out her Cup of Fornication to the Nations and all Nations were Drunk with her Cup and then the Beast made War and the Nations were Drunk and they loved the beast and received his Mark became Cruel and pushed at the Saints and followed him and made War with them and the Whore she drank the blood of the Saints and the Dragon appeared and with his Tayl drew the third part of the Stars after him to the Earth the false Prophets they are the Tail of the Dragon who were gone from the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy and drew after it the third part of the Stars from the Firmament of his Power into the Earth Rev. 12.4 The man Child was caught up unto God which was to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron and the Woman fled into the Wilderness where God hath prepared a place for her and then the Dragon went out and made War with the Remnant of her Seed to wit the Woman's Seed And so out of the Sea arose the Beast out of Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples which are Waters and the Dragon gave Power to the Beast and his Seat and great Authority Rev. 13.2 And all the World wondered after the beast ver 3. and ver 4. They Worshipped the Dragon which gave Power to the beast and the beast likewise and now the world cryed which wondered after the beast who is able to make War with the beast and ver 6. He opened his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to blaspheme hâ—s Name and Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and he made War with the Saints and did overcome them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped him whose Names were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life And the Beast deceived the Nations and them that dwelt on the Earth and now Kindreds Tongues People and Nations and all the World which wondered after him they who had lost the Image of God now became the Image of the Beast that blasphemed God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and now the Kings of the Earth that had drunk the Whore's Cup of Fornication and the Nations Kindreds Tongues and People who were become the Beast's Image now the Image of the Beast spoak and caused as many as would not worship the Beast and the Image should be killed take notice of that all who are called Christians it was not Godâ—s Images who compelled to worship or else be killed but it was the Beasts Image and wheresoever Compulsion â—nd killing is exercised and practised they worship the Beast Chap. 13. Ver. 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive a Mark in their Forehead or in their right Hand and none might buy or sell but he which had the Beast's Mark or his Name or the Number of his Name
of the Gospel and the Foundation and the Tryer of Spirits and the Touch-stone and say it 's the Foundation of their Faith and Religion and so are all in the distraction one Envying another and Persecuting one another about the words of Truth spoken from the Spirit of Truth which cannot be understood again but by the same Spirit and so all them that have not the Spirit of Truth are in the Apostacy And all Sects Judgments and Opinions that have risen up since the Apostacy from the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints when the woman Travailed and brought the man-Child which after because of the Dragon's Power fled into the VVilderness and her Child caught up unto God all the Faith and worship that since is sprung up since the VVhore hath sitten as a Queen in Majesty is all denyed the Ground of their Worship Laws Traditions Inventions and all their invented Practices and Forms and Images and Likenesses are denyed and disowned as to be the Dress and Attire of the Whore which hath allured People through her enticing pretences and shews of Holiness when indeed all is but spiritual Adultery and this must be all turned under again the Whore's flesh Burned and her Attire plucked off and her Nakedness appear and her shame to them that have committed Fornication with her and they shall be ashamed of themselves and of her and abhor themselves and abhor her and Destroyed shall she be and the Lamb's Wife shall be beautified and come out of the secret Place into open View out of the Solitary Wilderness into the beautiful place that the Lord will bring her into and the time times and half time is out the thousand two hundred and threescore Dayes are at an End and he bears witness of it who saw her fly away upon Eagles Wings into the secret place which was prepared for her for these Dayes and Times appointed and I say he that knows the Counsel of the most High in this matter can account the time times and a half and the Dayes and what shall be after the dayes be expired which is at an end blessed is he that sees believes and Understands he shall see that which yet hath not appeared neither can it be believed by the most though it were declared but yet a little while and the Earth grows ripe and an Ear will be opened in many who cannot yet hear and for a little while in this I shall be silent and Treasure up that which the Spirit hath revealed till the time be fully accomplished which God hath determined and then his Glory shall be revealed and all the former things which have lived since the man of Sin hath been Exalted shall all dye and an utter Consumption shall be of all the changeable Laws made since the Apostacy and the many changeable Dresses of the Whore and Attires in which she hath appeared and Imaginary worships into which all have run since they were Apostatized from the Faith all this shall be disannulled and come to an End and be Blasted forever the Spirit of the Lord saith Amen How the Woman that was clothed with the Sun and had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her Head which did flee into the Wilderness comes out again after the great Whore is judged and her Child that was caught up unto God comes to appear again NOW after the time times and half a time after the thousand two hundred and threescore Dayes she returns after the Whore is judged and the great City Babylon is fallen which hath made the Nations drunk and brought forth Children in Fornication who had drunk the Blood of the Saints in the Apostacy after the Whore was judged and the Voice was heard in Heaven of much People that sang Halelujah Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power who witnessed to the Righteousness of God's Judgment And a Voice came out of the Throne saying praise our God all his Servants and ye that fear him both small and great Rev. 19.5 6. And I heard as it were the Voice of many Waters and as a great Multitude and as the Voice of a mighty Thunder saying Halelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth the Whore is now judged the Mother of Harlots condemned with all her Inchantments and Sorceries Now the Lamb's Wife appears who is the Mother of the man-child which was caught up unto God she that was cloathed with the Sun with the glorious everlasting caelestial Light she is both the Mother and the Wife he that hath an Ear let him hear Now Jerusalem that is from above spiritually so called who was the Mother of all the Saints before the Apostacy she appears again and comes to be the Wife of the Lamb and the City of the Saints and the Mother of them that are born from above this shall be and is made manifest to some but a numberless Number shall see it and the Day hastens greatly and she is appearing again and her solitary Garments shall be put off and as she was beautifull before the VVhore made the Nations drunk clothed with the Sun and had the Moon under her Feet and a Crown of twelve Stars upon her Head and though she became Child-less and also as a VViddow and the Remnant of her Seed slain and destroyed so shall she appear again in Glory and Beauty as before and shall be made ready yea mine Eye hath seen it she is making her self ready as a Bride for her Husband and unto her is granted that she shall be arrayed in fine Linnen clean and white even arrayed in the Righteousness of the Saints which is not self-Righteousness the Garments of the Harlot and her Lovers but in the Righteousness of Christ the Lamb her Husband and Child also and she shall now bring forth many more Children though her Seed hath been slain yet a numberless Number shall appear and ten Thousand Thousand shall be brought forth by her and glory in her and reverence her and rejoyce in her forever and they shall be all clad in the same Robe which the Husband the Lamb is clothed withal and the same the Lamb's VVife this VVoman is â—lâ—thed withall and the same shall all the Children by clothed withal the fine Linnen the Righteousness of the Lamb which was dead and slain since the Foundation of the World but now alive and lives for evermore and here a heavenly Family appears now after the Apostacy and this shall be seen by all that have an Eye that can see through and beyond the Smoke of the Pit that hath darkened the Air while the Beast and Dragon have had Power but now hath her Child appeared again the man-child hath appeared again and he that was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day saw whither he was taken up to the Throne of God Rev. 12.5 and on the same Lord's Day he saw him after the Woman was fled and the Remnant of her Seed was made War with and slain in the Earth where the Dragon had Power He
that was in the Spirit saw him alive again after he was caught up so he that is in the Spirit now on the Lord's Day sees the same man-child who was brought forth by the Woman who was to rule the Natâ—ons but was caught up to the Throne of God before he came to rule and then the Dragon ruled the Beasts and false Prophet the Whore the Mother of Harlots sate as a Queen and the Woman the Mother of the Heir fled into an obscure and a retired Place and was hid times and dayes as I said before but as she appeared again in Beauty so the man child the Heir he appears also in Glory Majesty and Power and John saw him Rev. 19.11 12 13 14 15 16. And I saw Heaven opened and behold a white Horse and he that sate upon him was called faithful and true and he doth judge and make War in Righteousness his Eyes were as a Flame of Fire on his Head were many Crowns and he had a Name written that none knew but himself and he was clothed with a Vesture dipped in Blood and his Name is called the VVord of God And now the Woman's Seed is increased again after the Dragon and the Beast's War and now they become an Army and follow the Lamb their Leader who is anointed with Honour Glory Majesty and Renown Strength Power Wisdom Joy and Gladness above all his Fellows yet his Followers are anointed too and the Seed of the Woman the Inhabitants of the City of the great King they are clothed with the same Garment and Armour and ride on in Power Strength and Majesty after him and they are clothed and shall be with the Garment of their Mother and the Garment of their Captain their Head and as he rode on in Innocency so they ride on after him and the Woman was in Heaven that travailed and the Child was born there though he was to rule the Nations of the Earth and so whoso are of this Woman's Seed who are born in the City of the great King Jerusalem unto which the Hebrews were come Heb. 12.22 before the Apostacy before the Woman fled so now the same City comes to be seen again and the Children are born of their Mother the Lamb's Wife who is joyned to him and is to be so forever in the everlasting Covenant so they being heavenly Children redeemed from the Earth from under the Dragon's Power they follow the Lamb the Word God's Power Rev. 19.14 And the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horses clothed in fine Linnen white and clean and out of his Mouth goes a sharp Sword and with it he shall smite the Nations And now comes he to rule them with a Rod of Iron he was brought forth long before but was caught up to God again and the Dragon Beast and Whore and false Prophet ruled the Nations and killed the Saints but now he appears again after the Apostacy and a great Host with him and the Woman also and her Children are many and they all follow the first born and now comes the Wo to the Dragon and Whore Beast and false Prophets and unclean Spirits and on them that worship Devils and now shall he tread the VVine-press of the VVrath of God Almighty and he hath on his Vesture and on his Thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords And now appears an Anâ—el standing in the Sun which the VVoman was clothed with and he cryed with a loud Voice saying to all the Fowls that fly in the midst of Heaven come and gather to the Supper of the great Day of God and now must the Flesh of the Kings and Captains and Nobles and Flesh of mighty men who had drunk the Whores Cup now must drink of the Wine of God's Wrath And the Beast and the Kings of the Earth and their Armies gathered together to make VVar against him that sate on the white Horse and his Army and the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that wrought Miracles before him and the remnant were slaâ—n that took Part with the Beast by him that sate upon the horse and his Army whose Sword proceeded out of hâ—â— Mouth and all the Fowls were filled with their Flesh the Whore is burnt before the Beast the false Prophet and his Army now slain and their Flesh eaten by the Fowls of Heaven and now the Blood comes forth to the Horse Bridles And now the Angel descends having the Key of the bottomless Pit from whence the old Dragon the Serpent the red Dragon the Devil came there is his Beginning there was he brought forth and there he grew up he that reads let him understand out of the bottomless Pit for the Nations were never deceived till he appeared and he appeared as I have said before after the Heaven and the Earth was made and all things therein I say after he was not before he deceived Eve in the Garden now he is grown old and so is truly called the old Dragon grown into a Body of Deceit well now must he be taken and bound and cast into the bottomless Pit from whence he came that he deceive the Nations no more Rev. 20.1 2. and all this War is in the bringing out of the Apostacy and in Order to the Lamb and the Saints everlasting Reign in Heaven and over the Earth forever This I have seen and my Heart rejoyceth and my Mouth shall praise the Lord and the Woman I say is appearing and she is cloathed with beautiful Garments and the holy Child the Man child hath appeared and is manifest again among the Saints and in them and the Lamb which hath been slain since the World began is alive and behold he lives for evermore and now many are his Followers and an innumerable Company shall ride on after him who is King of Kings and now is God fulfilling that which John saw in the Lord's Day which should come to pass the Work is begun he hath appeared out of whose Mouth proceeds the two-edged Sword which shall hew down all the Dragon's Army the Beast and his Followers and though the Cry be yet among many who shall make war with the Beast and who shall speak against his Prophets Yet a little while and Fear shall come and their Vaunts and Boasts shall be turned into Doubting and dreadful Fear on every Side for Jacob shall be as a Flame and Esau and all his Race shall be as Stubble he that reads let him understand the Wisdom of God in a Mystery and the whole Work of the Lord which shall shortly come to pass The Manifestation of God's Glory shall be as great after the Apostacy as ever it was in any Age before the Rise of Anti-christ and the Ministration into which them that follow the Lamb shall be brought shall be as spiritual holy caelestial and divine as ever was before for the End of all your outward visible Appearances shall come which
the Whore hath decked her self with and Life it shall be known in the Body and God enjoyed worshipped glorified and honoured in that which shall never alter but abides forever and this shall be and is the last Ministration that ever shall appear among the Sons of men We who are come out of the Apostacy know what was before and see what shall be after the everlasting Gospel of the Son of God shall be Preached again to them that dwell on the Earth the same that was preached to Abraham before either old or new Testament was written the latâ—er all Sects since the Apostacy call the Gospel and so greatly manifest their Ignorance for that were to make two Gospels to call the Scriptures the Gospel or that which is written and they who so err in their Judgments are yet among the Smoke of the Pit and are yet under Anti-christ's reign and are ignorant of him who is the saving health of the Nations And he living Infallible true lasting and everlasting Spirit of the Father shall be poured out again and many now witness it and a numberless number shall witness it and the Time hastens And the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Sion and many who are redeemed from the Earth and from among men which shall be the first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb and they shall sit with him and shall Reign with him and have Power over Sin Temptation and the Devil Hell and the Lake and this is to come to pass and is coming to pass and hastens greatly and the Voice out of Heaven shall be heard as the Voice of many Waters and the Voice of Harpers harping with their Harps and the new song shall be sung the pure Song of the Lamb shall be sung by all who are redeemed from the Earth in every Nation Kindred Tongue and People who have heard believed and received the joyful Sound of the everlasting Gospel again and now they shall fear God and Glorifie him and Honour him even they who have feared the Beast and glorified him in the Apostacy they shall deny his Power and own the Lamb's Power and Worship him that sits upon the Throne of Righteousness who lives forever and ever and is eternal Life it self the worship shall be now in Spirit and Truth where the Dragon cannot come neither the Beast Harlot false Prophet nor Anti-christ nor none of his followers can come and herein the Ministration shall be more Glorious after the Apostacy then it was before the Worship stood before in many outward Visible things and Representations and outward Performances and Ordinances and I manifestly say the Dragon Beast Whore and false Prophets and Apostates took up these things and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People who drunk of the Whore's cup and all that were gone from their Maker their Husband they have been and are acting and performing Imitating like Jannes and Jambres but since the dayes of the Apostles they corrupted these things and have made Idols of them and Painted themselves with them and have got the Sheeps Cloathing Therefore now will the Lord appear and manifest his Power Life and Glory in a way more invisible and pure then before and more divine Caelestial and Glorious where never an Hypocrite shall tread in the Path and so the restoration is a Mystery that shall be after the Apostacy the Glory is not to appear in external things for there the Mother of Harlots hath hid her self long which hath made all Nations Drunk but the Cloathing of the Lamb's wife and of the Bride shall be another thing then the attire of the Harlot for the Spouse of the Lamb shall be arrayed in the same attire that the Lamb is cloathed withall and with the same Vestment and the Tabernacle of God is to be with men and he shall dwell in them even the Lord that Spirit and shall walk in them and they shall be his People and God himself shall be with them and in them and Sorrow shall be done away and Tears wiped away and that done away which was the cause of Sorrow Rev. 21.3 and 4. and there shall be no more Death nor crying nor any more Pain for the former things are passed away to wit Death which entred in by Sin it shall be destroyed and the Earth out of which the second Beast arose and the Sea out of which the first Beast did arise and upon which the Whore sate and Hell and the Lake which was prepared and raised up when man was degenerated from the Lord they shall be Destroyed and he also which hath the Power of Death which is the Devil he shall be destroyed and his Works the cause of scorn and then they shall see the Lord face to face even them that have but seen him darkly as in a Glass or as in a Cloud they shall see his pure living countenance which giveth Life and Death and Hell shall be cast in the Lake of Fire and whosoever is not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life must be cast into the Fire Then the new Heaven and Earth shall be seen and the heavenly City which shall come down from God out of Heaven which no mortal Eye shall behold neither shall be able to behold which hath twelve Foundations and twelve Gates and the Glory of God shall be upon her and her Light shall be as a Stone most precious and as clear as Crystal yea all things visible are too short and not to be compared to it for in it there need neither Sun nor Moon to shine in it for the glory of the Lord shall lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof and all who have been partakers of this Glorious Ministration shall walk in the Light of the Lamb there shall be no Night nor the least appearance of a Cloud or Darkness but transparent Brightness and Glory which shall be permanent durable and everlasting for the Lord God and the Lamb is the Temple of the City in which the Saints shall Worship him that sits upon the Throne for evermore and shall give unto him Glory and Honour and Dominion and eternal Praises for evermore who alone is worthy who lives forever in eternal Glory and everlasting Light and Brightness for evermore And his Face shall be seen in whom all Figures Representations and Shadows end in and the pure River of Water of Life which is as clear as Crystal which proceeds out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb and all who have kept the Word of his Patience shall drink thereof and be nourished up in Immortality and Life everlasting forever and the Tree of Life that stands in the Paradise of God them that have overcome shall eat thereof and live forever and the Nations Kindreds Tongues People and Regions who have heard believed and received the everlasting Gospel shall know his Saving Health and the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be seen and his Servants shall serve him who
is their Lord and King who lives forever and they shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their Foreheads and the Lord God shall give them Light and shall be unto them an everlasting Light and they shall reign with him forever and evermore over the Whore Beast false Prophet Antichrists Deceivers Seducers the Pit Death Hell and the Grave and shall triumph in his Strength over all the Powers of Darkness and sing Praises to him that abides forever these things are true and faithful and shall be fulfilled and the time is at Hand blessed are they that wait and watch that they may discern the Signs of the times and the coming of the Bridegroom that they may enter into the Chamber of â—est and into the Palace of eternal Life into the City of the greâ—â— King to sit with him and eat with him and rejoyce with him in the Glory Eternal which was before the World began and shall be when it shall be no more the End hastens he is blessed that is come and coming to the End of It for that which is immutable and eternally glorious shall appear the Lord hasten it saith my Spirit Amen F. H. DARKNESS AND IGNORANCE EXPELLED BY THE Light shining forth AND THE Appearance of the Day In Answer to a Book called INNOCENTS NO SAINTS Publish'd by one Edward Dodd wherein he hath labour'd to prove Tythes lawful and Tything Priests and Hirelings to be the true Ministers of the Word and the Mass-house the Church and calls Idolatry Civility and Heathenish Complements Courtisie and hath perverted many Scriptures His Deceit laid open his Vindication made void and his Argument confounded and Truth laid open in all these Particulars for the sake of the upright in Heart who rejoyce in Truth 's Prosperity By one of the Lamb's Followers who makes War against the Head of the Dragon and against the Rear of the Beast F. H. And the Merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her for no Man buyeth her Merchandize any more Rev. 18.11 And cryed when they saw the Smoak of her Burning saying what City is like unto this City Rev. 18.18 DARKNESS AND IGNORANCE EXPELLED THE man-Child which was caught up unto the Throne of God when the red Dragon sought to devour and Destroy him hath appeared again in Power and great Glory after the long and cruel Tyranny of the Dragon wherein she hath killed the Saints and hath prevailed against them and hath made great War Spoil and Havock of the Remnant of the Womans Seed this 13. or 14. hundred Years and hath compelled all both small and great whose Names have not been written in the Lamb's book of Life to Worship him and the Beast unto whom he hath given great Authority to Kill and to Destroy whosoever worshipped the God of Heaven that so they might be worn out and all the Earth might Worship him and fear him and extol him and his Authority Now the time times and half being near an end that John saw the Woman should be retired in the Wilderness she appearing again in her beautifull Garments and her heir and her Seed appearing again in after the long Night of Darkness Now when the Lord in this the day of his Power is appearing again and the man-Child that is to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron Now the Dragon Beast VVhore and false Prophet and all the Mystery of Iniquity Gog and Magog and all the Apostates Deceivers and Merchants of Babylon that have traded upon the waters upon which the whore sits they are all up in Arms every one with his weapons which he hath formed in the bottomless Pit is now set in array against the Lamb who is risen the Priests Hirelings and Babylon's Merchants who have got so great gain by Sea they have given the first on-set in the Front of the black Army of the Dragon and this six or seven Years have made a great Noise and have raised so much Smoke out of the Pit that they have darkned the Ayr and made it cloudy and have filled the Earth with a great Noise that many have admired what the Issue would be and what the event might prove and that many who have waited in Patience have seen the Lamb appear and have seen his rising in Majesty and hath prevailed And many of them who have the first on-set grow weary seeing the Battel grows too hard against them and the Lamb and his followers prevail And now comes on the Tail of the Dragon as the reserve and the rear of the Beast among whom Edward Dod appears and he thinks to prevail and get himself a Name and to do exploits but alas all his weapons are but the old broken Bows and the Spears that are strewed up and down the Field of confusion which we have run over and over and Trample upon and esteem them no more then rotten Wood He hath raked up those things which have been answered over and over and that which the rest of the Dragon's army hath vomited up before in the Beginning he hath licked up and now Vomits it out again and casts out Floods of Poysoned Words false Accusations and arrogant Reproaches and proud Disdainful Speeches as though his Tongue were his own And like one of Ishmaels Brood Scorning and Deriding at Innocency and saith he hath laid down some of our Tenets and named them and shamed them All sober People who know any thing of God will see thou hast shamed thy self and not us in uttering forth thy Folly And thy Title of thy Book demonstrates what is within it the Beginning is Scorn and Derision the end is Folly and Madness and many ignorant words uttered forth from a corrupt Heart and unbridled Tongue which is bent to do Mischief and to speak falshood but lest thou shouldst Glory in the old rotten broken Weapons which thou hast taken up which were formed by thy Leaders and not by thee which we have answered again and again and have over-run them as Stubble which answers have cleared the Truth to all sober People that they see all your Weapons are but Carnall and not spiritual and they have no might in them at all to stand against the Truth nor them who are made free by it whose weapons are spiritual and mighty through God to beat down strong Holds of Darkness and the Towers of ignorance Many are beat down already and the Lamb is risen and upon the white Horse and a numberless number is following him who rides on after him who shall subdue the Nations to himself and break the Yoak of the Ungodly and deliver the Oppressed and no Weapon that is formed against him shall Prosper I say lest thou shouldst boast I shall return these Lines in answer to thy Book Thy Book thou Titlest A pair of Spectacles for a dark-sighted Quaker I say thy Spectacles are more like to make ones sight dimmer then through them to be made to see they are such wooden Ones
prophane in all Times since the Foundation of the world that the Lamb hath been slain and the Seat of Iniquity raised up and this Seed hath been made manifest by its Fruits throughout all Aâ—es and Times throughout all Nations Kindreds Tongues Regions Countries and Kingdoms And by the Fruit which is brought forth in New-England they themselves may read their Stock and Off-spring and Fruits and Doings which is brought to Light and evident elsewhere declared that so when they come to view over their VVork again Shame may cover their Faces and Astonishment fill their Hearts that such Fruits should be brought forth by them who are so high Professors of God in VVords and of the Scriptures to be the Rule of their Obedience and Faith now shall you be tryed by the Scripture your Rulers your Teachers and your Church-members and the Life of the Saints that gave forth the Scripture will stand a witness against your Doctrines and cursed Practices for evermore you may read your example Cain Herod Murderers and Men of Blood the persecuting Jews who were zealous for God as they thought who persecuted to Death and said They had a Law and by that Law Christ ought to dye but you are worse then they for you had no Law which would take hold upon the righteous and faithful witnesses of God till you had made one or invented one and digged down to Hell to ask Counsel of the Prince of Darkness your God And further you may read your Example Nimrod who came of the Stock of Ham who was cursed as well as the Serpent as well as Cain and your Thoughts are vain like the Thoughts of your Fore-fathers the Pharisees whom Christ prophesied of to his Disciples and said The Time would come when they should hâ—le them out of the Synagogues and persecute from City to City and speak all Manner of Evil of them and should go about to kill them and yet think they did God Service so void of Understanding hath the Seed of the Serpent alwayes been in all Generations which Words of Christ are fulfilled among you Professors of New-England who are thinking as they did that you do God Service in killing his Members and you are come to that time your Fruits have made it manifest Oh! could you have believed in times past if it should have been told you that you above all People should be the greatest Persecutors and exceeded in Wickedness and Cruelty and Hard-heartedness the Papists the Turks the Heathens who make little or no Profession in Comparison of you and yet that you should exceed them in Rage Cruelty and Madness It is an Abhorrency to all sober People you have stained the Earth and defiled your Land with Blood and have caused the Name of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to be blasphemed among the Heathen by your wicked ungodly barbarous and brutish Actions and you are in that Nature and in their Steps which killed the Prophets and mocked his Messengers and shamefully entreated his Servants upon whose Heads all the Blood-shed from Abel to this Day will be required But blessed be the Lord whose Arm hath been stretched forth and hath gathered Thousands out of that Nature which is cursed from God forever and hath revealed his Salvation unto them and the everlasting Gospel which is to be preached again after the Apostacy and hath made us Partakers of it to wit the Power of God and so we see unto whom the Arm of the Lord is revealed that all Nations since the Apostacy have drunk of the Whore's Cup and are bewitched with her Sorceries and therefore according to the Command of the Lord and the Motion of his eternal Spirit we have born our Testimony against the Apostates and Deceivers who retain the Words and have lost the Life and Power to the Intent that all that believe in the Light which Christ hath lighted every man withal that People might wait to receive Power from on high again which all the Sons of Adam have lost in the Transgression that as many as receive the Power may come out of Transgression and for this End hath God chosen and separated many contrary to their own Wills and from whatsoever was dear unto them in the outward to deny it all and to answer the pure Motion of God's Spirit whithersoever he leadeth and in so doing many have found the Power and Presence of the Lord going with them and before them and he hath prospered his own Work in their Hands and hath brought many out of Sodom and Egypt and out of Mystery-Babylon to Christ the Mystery and to the Mystery of Faith which is held in a pure Conscience And we were not ignorant of this what Opposition we should receive from Anti-christ and his Ministers Satan and his Messengers and how that the whole World lay in Wickedness and how that Nations Kindreds Tongues and People had drunk the Whore's Cup and how that all Hirelings Deceivers false Prophets and Seducers would withstand neither were we ignorant that the Beast's Power which got up in the Throne of Iniquity and Exaltation since the man-child was caught up unto God and Wâ—man fled into the Wilderness wherein he hath compelled all both small and great to worship him Neither were we ignorant of his Strength and of his great Authority that he had in the Nations and how that the VVhore the false Church rode upon him and also we knew that the Nations were as VVaters nor of the great VVaves which would lift up themselves nor of the multitude of Merchants which make Merchandize of Souls for dishonest Gain who are greedy of filthy Lucre nor of the multitude of Ships in which they carry their merchandize and deceitful ware neither were the Servants of the Lord who have thus deeply suffered â—as else-where is made mention of of the Spirit that ruled in the Professors and Teachers of New-England Notwithstanding all this which was seen before we consulted not with Flesh and Blood but were obedient to the heavenly Call and stood given up to the Lord in Life or in Death to finish the Testimony which God hath put into our Hands that so many may be brought to know the living God revealed in themselves that so they with us and we with them may rejoyce in him who is becoming the King and Law-giver and the exceeding great Reward of all his People to whom be Glory forever and ever Amen AND now the Devil being let loose for a little Season he rages and goes into utter Darkness and fetches up all the Powers of Darkness and they combine together to fortifie his Kingdom that so none but he who was a Murderer from the Beginning may have any Rule in the Town of Boston or the Jurisdiction thereunto belonging and now he thinks his Kingdom is sure The last Piece of Work which the Rulers have done for their Master is as followeth An ACT made at a GENERAL COURT held at Boston the 20th of October
and the Sea obey him and therefore my dearly beloved ones unto whom the Lord hath reached in those Parts and whom he hath visited in this 〈◊〉 Day of his Power wherein he is exalting his Name which hath long been debased in the Nations and his Salvation in the Earth and the uttmost Parts shall be a Possession for his Son who hath long suffered and born the Iniquity of the People and hath suffered because the Sheep have been astray but now is the Lord bringing them back that have been driven away and them that have been scattered that he may feed them that they be no more a Prey to the Foxes and evil Beasts which have devoured them prize the Love of God in that he should follow you with his Love and send his Servants unto you to call you home who were gone astray and to give up their Lives freely that you might be made free and to suffer that you might be brought out of prison now I say you having heard and believed the Truth keep down all that which would lead you to question again and look not out at Sufferings and Difficulties for this I testifie unto you must be the Cup that all must drink of who come to enter in at the strait way and blessed and happy are all they who give up all freely to his heavenly Will for the same we passed through before we came to see the Reward and to reap Joy there is a time of Winter wait in the Patience and be not offended because nought but Barrenness and Bareness apppears for a while within when Summer comes the desolate shall rejoyce and the thirsty land shall become a land of Springs at which the Flocks shall drink and the Herds shall be refreshed and heed not the winter storms without neither the boisterous Floods he will rebuke the Wind and the Sea and they shall obey him and the Spring you shall see so keep the hope the Anchor and there will be a stay for your Hearts in time of Danger and you will see the storm over and the wind still and then the shower of Righteousness shall descend upon the tender Plant and the Rain the gentle showers which he brings out of his Treasure will refresh the inheritance of the Lord which hath long been dry and the Dew will distill upon the tender grass and the Brightness of the Sun will refresh the Heart and make it glad these things are true and faithfull and God will vouchsafe them unto you as you all abide in Patience in the Cross to all the mortal it shall dye and Immortality and Life you will see brought to Light through the Gospel and the Love of God is to you and the Thoughts of his Heart was towards you for good as God shewed unto me five years ago where I saw Virginia a beautiful Garden upon whâ—ch the Sun did shine most pleasantly and the Air was clear and the Glory of the Lord did overshadow it even to my Amazement at which my Heart was glad and my Spirit rejoyced in the God of the whole Earth and seeing the Lord hath begun his glorious Work among you and is shining forth as from mount Paran in his excellent Beauty keep all your Hearts pure and your Consciences clear that you may see him for so is his Promise The pure in Heart shall see God and to see the presence of God that gives Life and the Light of his Countenance is that which maketh glad the Heart therefore as the beloved of God put on Manhood never heed the Dragon's Power neither the Beast's threats neither the Harlot's censures but be valiant for the Truth upon Earth for the Lamb is arisen who shall tread down his Enemies in his Wrath and make them all as burnt mountains and his Fellowers with him and his Host is numberless and their Voice shall be as many waters which shall bring Dread upon the Nations who worship the Beast and have received his Mark and make the Hypocrites tremble and they all march on in his Strength and do not break their Ranks follow him for the Victory is his it 's decreed in Heaven who shall reverse it or alter it and all that follow shall triumph in his Strength and their Enemies shall be as Ashes under the Soles of their Feet and his Weapons are spiritual and so are all his Followers and they are keen and sharp and they shall wound the Head of the Kings Enemies who is the Lord our Righteousness the God of all Grace fill you with Patience and Long-suffering that you may as good Souldiers fight the good Fight of Faith that you may be crowned with Immortality and Life everlasting which God the Lord of Life and Glory will give unto all them that love the Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Desire and Prayer of him that desires the Good of all which stand nearly related unto the Houshold of Faith Westmorland 1660. F. H. SOME OPENINGS OF THE WOMB OF THE MORNING To all the Princes of Germany and People who profess the Name of Jesus Christ in those Dominions this is sent as a free Gift in true Love unto those Nations Wherein the State of the true Church is discovered with her Foundation and Mystery-Babylon and her Foundation that all may try themselves upon what Foundation they are and whether they belong to that City which is to be made desolate or to the Lamb's VVife which shall be married unto him forever in everlasting Righteousness And the Way and the Entrance into the true Worship in which God is well pleased discovered unto them who are weary that they may come to Rest and to know that wherein Peace and Felicity consisteth THe Mighty day of the Lord is approcahing wherein the Secrets of all men's Hearts shall be manifested even from Him that sits upon the Throne to him that is the meanest Servant and every Bondman and every free-man the Circumcised and Uncircumcised the Professor and the Prophane their Works shall all be discovered and all their deeds shall be brought to Light and every one shall be Judged not according to what he hath seemed to Profess but what he is in reality and in Truth so shall he be reckoned and accounted of by the Lord for every man's Works shall be tryed of what sort they are and the reward shall be according to every Man's Works in Truth and in Righteousness not according as fallen man judgeth nor according as he calls right but according to the Righteous Judgment of the everlasting God in whom Truth Life and Immortality resides forever Now when this day Approacheth which is near at hand when the Thought of all Hearts shall be revealed then many who have ruled shall see they have not ruled in the Authority and Power of God and therefore must receive a Recompence and give an account of their Steward-ship unto the Lord and them that have served and obeyed shall see that their Obedience hath been
them that receive it then the Blood of Abel There hath been in those Parts some stirring of the Lord amongst you but the Power of God hath been much abused and great runnings out have been amongst you and many have followed their own devisings and one hating another and have erred from the Spirit and there have been Factions and great Breakin gs amongst you and many seeking themselves until Darkness hath come over again and so are come to be setled into a dead Form so that little of the Presence of God is found in all your Assemblies nevertheless though all these things are so yet the Lord's Love is reaching towards you again and a Visitation and a Day of Mercy there is yet held forth Oh happy and blessed will you be if you do not despise nor reject it and be not offended in the lowest Appearances of Christ to the Sons of Men wherein a greater Glory is revealing and shall be revealed then hath been since the Apostates entered in Now the Way wherein God doth purpose to make known his Mind and his hidden Riches and communicate his Heavenly Mysteries will be in a more hidden secret and spiritual invisible manner then yet ever hath appeared for hitherto Deceit hath transformed it self and Satan's Messengers have conformed and Antichrist hath imitated and the unconverted have been worshipping observing and practising of outward things without the moving of the Life so that Antichrist hath gotten into every outside Appearance and by this means hath sheltered himself with a colour and shadow and the Devil the Enemy of all Mankind hath kept his Kingdom whole by covering himself with the Words Shadows and Outward Performances And now take but a View over all those Kingdoms that are called Christendom and see how much of the Life of Christ is brought forth and how little of the Image of God is manifested and the Kingdom of God revealed among people which stands in the Power and Life of Righteousness therefore the full time of the Lord is come wherein every Word and Work shall be tryed and the Secrets of every man's Heart shall be made bare and the root and ground of every Action shall be weighed And Wo will come upon all who are covered with the words and outside shews and cloathed with outward Performances and not with the Spirit of the Lord God Therefore Friends and People high and low rich and poor bond and free of these things we have a blessed Cloud of VVitnesses whom God hath now raised up in this the Day of his mighty Power wherein God hath shined forth in Brightness From his holy Habitation are these things seen which have lightned the Earth from his dwelling Place he hath given forth his Word and great is the Company of them that publish it and there shall be many more for a numberless number shall hear it yea the dead that are yet in the grave shall hear it and by it shall come to live and we are a great Number who have travailed through many dry Places and barren Wildernesses who have had the tryal and tast of all outward professions and visible Worships and external Performances and visible Ordinances which are contained in hand writings and we have waded through all these things with a great deal of Diligence and strict Observancy and we have travailed many Years with great Pain that so we might have found Rest and Refreshment to our Souls that so we might have sitten down in it and as Seekers and Travailers who are weary were willing to lend an ear unto any who have but said come hither and here is Rest and one hath cryed lo here and another hath cryed lo there and so we wearied our selves at last from Mountain to Hill and spent our Strength for nought for none could truly inform us where we should find him whom our Souls loved and whom our Hearts panted after and our Bowels yearned Until at the last the Eyes of many were opened by the Lord who saw that eternal Life was not to be found in any external visible thing and do know that all they who are exercising themselves after those things in the exactest strictest manner cannot be made perfect as pertaining to the Conscience and all these great Talkers of the Fame of Christ and of his Glory and Power Miracles and Works and of his Death Obedience and Sufferings the bare Report and Sound of these things doth no good at all to him who feels Sin hath full Power and Dominion in his Heart so that the Life of Christ must be felt within enjoyed and possessed within and revealed in the Light or else he cannot stand justified in the Sight of God nor clear when he judgeth neither can he find Rest nor Peace for his Soul so I am one who have found Mercy and Favour at the Hand of the Lord among many Thousands to be a Witness of that Life which was with the Father before the World began which is now manifested in the Hearts of Thousands of his People destroying the Works of the Devil and bringing in everlasting Righteousness So the Love of God which is shed abroad in my Heart through the Bowels of Compassion which I have unto all Mankind knowing that all in the first Adam's State are lost in the Fall I do now give forth these Lines and say unto all seek not the Living among the Dead not in dead Forms not in dead Graves not in dead Worships neither in dead Performances for the Lord is risen out of all these things and is sate down in Glory in a living holy Habitation and now his Appearance unto the Sons of Men is in a more spiritual manner for I have fully tried already what is in all these external things and because I know and have seen his Appearance therefore I speak to the informing of all how they may come to find him who is the Desire of their Souls and the Salvation thereof I say listen and hear that your Souls might live for Christ is that eternal incorruptible pure unchangeable immortal Life which hath ligtned every man that cometh into the World John 1. yea he that hath enlightned every man with his true Light he is that eternal and immortal Life so that I say unto you all high and low who desire Rest unto your Souls cease from your willing cease from your running cease from your own Performances cease from worshipping you know not what and cease from seeking in that Nature which the Lord hides himself from and come ye to learn of Christ and sit at his Feet even at the lowest Appearance of him even at the lower End of the Table must you come before you can be exalted for thou must be contented to sit down there that which climbeth high and exalts it self God will bring down and that which manifesteth Sin is Light and that which reproveth Evil is the same and what is reproved in the Heart of man is manifested
hasty heady Teachers and Speakers which know not the Lord's Voice cannot profit the People at all and all these tellers of Dreams and dreamers dream in the Night but what is the Chaff to the Wheat but he that hath heard God and knows his Voice and his Word which is a Spirit may speak it freely and that will answer the just in all People and the Witness of God will testifie in all Consciences to the Truth thereof and feels the Power of it and will remember it when the dreamers that dream will be forgotten And all ye that are broken into many Opinions and Sects and divers Judgments wait that you may know that which will unite you to God and one unto another that you may come all to be of one Heart and of one Mind and of one Soul into the Unity of the one Spirit as the Saints of old were in and many there are now unto whom the mind of the Lord is known blessed be the Name of the Lord forever and that you may all come to know him that healeth the Nations and leadeth out of Wars and maketh them to cease to the End of the Earth for VVars saith the Apostle James proceed from Mens Lusts and so wait in the Light which Christ hath given you for Power from God to be revealed in you which killeth the Lusts in your selves That your Swords may be broken into Plow-shares 〈◊〉 your Spears and VVeapons of War into Pruning Hooks then the Occasion and Ground of War is gone then you will come to be Follwers of Christ who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them and to love Enemies anâ— bless them that curse you and do Good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you and this is the Way to conquer the Spirits of your Enemies Therefore stop not your Ears nor slight 〈◊〉 the Day of your Visitation for the joyful Sound of the everlasting Gospel is now to be preached again unto all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and towards you in Germany is that coming wherein Remission of Sins is obtained and Life and Immortality is brought to Light and blessed and happy will you be if you be found worthy to receive it which many Nations and People have put away from them and thereby have made themselves unworthy of everlasting Life And now this is a Message of Love and a free Gift unto you the Princes and People and Rulers in Germany that you may all be warned to be in a Readiness to meet the Lord in his Judgments and also to receive the tender Proffers of Life and Salvation to you and your People Nation Rulers and ruled may be happy and so come to witness Blessedness and Peace in all your Habitations which the Lord hath brought many unto in this the Day of his mighty Power wherein he hath shewed himself in the Earth and made many Witnesses of his noble Acts and of his wondrous Works that he hath done amongst us to the Intent they may be Testimonies thereof that other Nations may be invited to taste and see how good and gracious the Lord is who is the Light of his People and how pleasant the Way is that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and these Things I testifie unto you who have tasted how good and pleasant his dwelling-place is and how precious the Fold of the Lord is and how green and pleasant are his Pastures into which he leadeth his Sheep unto them hath he given everlasting Life and perfect Assurance of his Love forever These Sayings are faithful holy just and true and blessed is he that hath an Ear to hear and a Heart ready to receive understand thaâ— which is now declared of they even they shall be Witnesses of the same Glory in themselves and not only believe because of the Sound and Repâ—â—t thereof but see handle and understand these things in their own Hearts and feel it in their own Breasts So this is God's Visitation of Love to you 〈◊〉 Oh prize it lest it pass over your Heads and you never attain unto the Comfort of that which belongeth unto your eternal Rest and Peace From one who loves the Lord and all the Children of the Light and 〈◊〉 the Salvation and Welfare of all Men who is at perfect Unity with 〈◊〉 the Creation of God F. H. From England the 26 th of the 1 st Moneth 1661. THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY IN THE PRIMITIVE TIMES ALSO A Manifestation how and when the Apostacy came and how long it hath continued in the Church ROME proved to be in it because she differs in Doctrine and Practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles Dayes Published for this End that People may be informed and their Understandings opened to discern the Times and Seasons and see the Difference between the Lamb's Wife and the Mother of Harlots By one who desires that all may come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved and walk in the Light of the Lord. F. H. TO THE Reader or Readers GReat hath been the Wisdom which God hath shed abroad in the Hearts of his People and made known unto his Servants through Ages wherein he hath made known his Mind and Will at sundry times and in divers manners sometimes by Types sometimes by Shadows and Representations sometimes by Dreams sometimes by Visions sometimes by Prophecy there was not the least Ministration but it had a Glory in it and the one living God manifested his Mind unto the Sons of men who feared his Name in every Generation and shewed unto them and signified his mind unto them what he was and shewed unto them how he would be worshipped and they that were obedient unto that which was made manifest in every Age and Ministration found Acceptance with the Lord and the Peace of God in their Hearts After man had transgressed and gone from his Maker and lost the Guide of his Youth and broken God's Covenant then Blindness came upon him and a Vail was betwixt him and his Maker and man increased and grew in an earthly Part and lusted after earthly Things which fed and increased that Part and the Image of God was lost in which the Creature delighted yet notwithstanding such was and is the Love of God towards his Creation and to his Workmanship that he did not utterly cast off man forever but followed him to draw him back again out of the Transgression to have Unity with him who was his Maker and when man was gone unto Darkness the Lord stooped so low as to come near him and to that State he was in and made a Covenant with man when mans Heart was outward upon outward Things and gave him Commands outward and Statutes and Ordinances outward that he might worship therein which were Shadows and Types of some better Things to come and these were the Ordinances of
the Sunday Urbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained church-yards to be hallowed and forbad Marriage of Priests Pontianus the eighteenth Bishop Ordained that Psalms and Mattens should be sung in Church Night and Day to drive away Evil Spirits Sixtus the twenty fourth Bishop in the Year 222. after Christ ordained that Priests should wear Holy Garments as Cuffs and divers others things in imitation of Aaron and then came up Surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Foelix the twenty sixth Bishop of Rome ordained division of Parish churches and Diocesses to Bishops Leo the Emperour gave commandment that all Images and Pictures of Saints should be takenâ—out of the Churches for the avoiding of Idolatry but the Bishop of Rome withstood the Emperour the Emperour for his confirmation of taking of Images away called a Council of Bishops about three Hundred and thirty and they ordained and Decreed that all Images should be taken away and burned in the year 740. But in the Year 762. Gregory the third called a Council together at Rome near a thousand Bishops and condemned Leo the Emperor and three hundred Bishops for taking Images out of the Churches and yet the former Council and this all of one Faith and Church which they use to say could not Err and the latter Decreed they should be adored and Worshipped with all Reverence Boniface the eighth he gave License to Mendicant Fryars to hear the private Confession of Sins that People should confess to them Pope Alexander gave commandment that the Sacrament should be made of the Sweet Bread and commanded that Water should be mingled with Wine Innocentius the third ordained that People should confess their Sins to a Priest once a Year at the least And these kind of Decrees stand for Apostolical to this day among the Apostates and the Reformed churches so called do own many things that are too near a Kin to them and press them for Ordinances and Holy Institutions yea in many Countries the self-same Things are both owned and Practised in many Particulars which I have mentioned before in other parts of this Book and are looked upon as divine Service and holy Worship which the Ministers of Christ who have the Word of Reconciliation to publish are ashamed of knowing them to be such things as never was Practised nor holden out by Christ or his Apostles but are brought in since Darkness hath over-spread the Earth and the Power of God hath been lost And at the first Institution thereof though there might be some shew of a good Intention in the Formers of them but now they are become absolute Idols and however at the first some of these things mentioned might seem to some to be indifferent yet now being prest of Necessity as the Ordinances of God they are become Idols and ought to be thrown away and departed from by all that profess the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the Worship of God in the Spirit For the Lord God hath drawn away his presence out of all formal and visible Appearance since Anti-christ and the false church hath got them on for a Garment and to cover themselves withal to the deceiving of the Nations And now in this the day of his Power hath Appeared in a more Mysterious and secret and hidden way and in a more spiritual Appearance into this deceit cannot enter nor Transform therefore all Babylons Merchants are angry and Anti-christs followers are full of Wrath and the Dragon casts out floods after the heir and her that brings him forth and makes War with the Seed but the Lord is putting on her beautiful Garments and Marrying her to himself and she shall Reign and her Seed who are born of the Spirit when she that sat as a Queen upon the Waters shall have an End and the Dragon shall be laid hold on and Chained up and the Beast and false Prophet be cast into the Lake forever Blessed are they who keep in the Faith and Patience till these things be fulfilled their Hearts shall rejoyce and their Tonâ—ue Praise the Lord and Magnifie him whoâ—e Throne is established in the Heavens and his Kingdom is over all And although there was a defection from the Faith and Practice of the Apostles in the first two hundred Years after Christ yet doutless there were many who lived and died in the Faith and suffered as Martyrs in the time of the great Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors and many who could not nor did not Sacrifice to their Idols suffered Death and under-went cruel Torments by the Heathen who were in the Dragon's Power for the Testimony of a good Conscience for confession of Christ Jesus and although divers of the Bishops of Rome and other places did bring in things which they instituted as matter of Worship and so People were darkned by them yet in the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperours many suffered Death and Thousands of the christians besides but Deceit crept in by degrees and invented things were brought in by the Leaders of the People but these things that were invented were prest to be observed in their Diocesses and Parishes which they had made and sate down in but there was little compelling yet till the Dragon gave his Power to the Beast and it was 650 Years before ever the Bishops of Rome did climb up unto their height as to claim the Title of the Universal Bishop or head of the church or challenged Supremacy over all christian Churches yet before this time abundance of Darkness was entred in and the Power was much lost and divers innovations were brought in for Ordinances divers of the Jews ceremonies and divers of their Institutions which belonged to the first Priest-hood and these were prest upon the Churches by several Leaders or Bishops as Apostolick Ordinances which had no concurrence with the Primitive church in the first hundred Years after Christ as hereafter may be shewn in divers things wherein they were Apostatized from the Life and Power of God and from the Practice of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture and of the churches planted in the Apostles dayes CHAP. XIII Something concerning the ten Persecutions by the Heathen Emperors of Rome FOR the first three hundred Years after Christ who was born in the Reign of Augustus Caesar then Emperour of Rome and was rejected and Crucified by the Jews in the seventeenth Year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar then Emperour of Rome who Reigned eight Years after Christ was crucicified whom Pilate gave Sentence against and delivered to the Jews the said Pilate was banished by the Emperour and afterwards he killed himself in which time Stephen the Martyr was stoned to Death by the Jews and the same day Stephen was Stoned Dorotheus saith Nicanor one of the Deacons suffered with two thousand Christians more in his Reign about this time Paul was converted The next Emperour that succeeded Tiberius Caesar was Caesar Caligula who commanded his Image to be set up in the
to receive them although they have been repugnant to the true Worship of God and then such Teachers have pressed such People to Obedience as of Duty and Necessity because the aforesaid Scripture doth command Subjection to all Rulers and thus hath Babylon reared up her City and gotten Merchants to put off her Merchandize and so hath cheated both Rulers and People and hath led them to hate and destroy one another Now these Scriptures and divers others which speak of Obedience to Magistrates in all things must needs be truly understood to be of things that are just and equal which are only civil and concerning things between Man and Man and the Ordinances which are for the well-being of a Nation or the good and wholsome Government of a State and cannot be understood of things Spiritual or relating to things appertaining to the Conscience or respecting things about the Worship of God my Reasons are weighty for in that time the Apostles wrote whether Peter Paul or any other the Magistrates were all Heathens as Herod and Pontius Pilatâ— Augustus Caesar Tiberius Caesar and Nero who were Heathen Emperors of 〈◊〉 and Idolators and at that time they had Power over Rome and 〈…〉 Jerusalem and Judea and Paul writing to the Romans and Peter 〈◊〉 Cappadocia Pontus and Asia who were all under Heathen Rulers and did not worship the true God doubtless they enjoyned not submission unto the Heathen Rulers in spiritual things for then they must have been joyned unto Idolatry for if it be understood that they had Power in spiritual things which pertained unto the Conscience and that they ought to be obeyed in all spiritual things then Peter and John were Transgressors themselves when they taught boldly the things of the Kingdom of God in every City where-ever they came and the Rulers in most Places opposed and put Peter and John out of the City and commanded the Apostles to speak no more in the Name of Jesus and yet they returned again and disobeyed their Command and their Power and Authority and said Whether it were better to obey God or man judge ye so that no King Ruler nor Magistrate as a Magistrate hath Power given of God to imprison or force or prescribe any Law or Worship upon the Hearts and Consciences of men for that belongs only to Christ the Law-giver the Bishop of Souls But then it would be objected if not as a Magistrate yet then as a Christian he may enjoyn and give Command concerning Worship and compel and punish them that obey not Answ. As a Christian they have no Priority but as they stand in the Growth of Truth not above others for God is no Respecter of Persons for the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who preached the Gospel and had begotten many into the Faith through the Power of God which was with them by which they spoke and in things spiritual might have claimed Obedience to their command much more then any temporal Prince and yet they said We are not Lords over mens Faith nor did they exercise Lordship over mens Consciences but left every one to God's witness and to the Word of his Grace which was nigh in their Hears and furthermore said Let every one be perswaded in his own Mind and said If â—ny should be contrary minded God would reveal it to them and so waited in the Patience to see the Work of God prosper and were content and so forcing and compelling about spiritual matters by temporal punishments and temporal Laws is all contrary to the Apostles Practice in the primitive times though the Heathen persecuted the Christians by their temporal Laws for spiritual things about spiritual matters for the Worship of God but we never read of any called Christians that did so till Pelagius a Bishop of Rome or Pope when the Emperor had given Boniface the third this Power to be called the chief Bishop and Head universal over all Christian Churches then he began to make temporal Laws to punish about spiritual things and Pelagius made a Decree that Hereticks should be punished with temporal Death about 555. years after Christ so let all Princes Magistrates and Rulers who deny the Church of Rome in her Apostacy follow not her Example but leave every one free to the Lord in spiritual matters as concerning his Worship for to him must every onâ— give an Account in his own Day when it shall be required from which the Wicked shall not be able to flee Another Objection But then it may be said what Power will you allow to Magistrates that profess the Name of Christ or how far have they Authority from God to punish evil-doers and encourage them that do well Answ. It is said By me Kings Rule and Princes decree Justice there is a ruling by him and that is a ruling in the Power of God in him he that rules in the Power of God measures equal Justice unto all Men and ruleth by the good and wholesom Laws which are made by the Will of God which is according to God's Witness which he hath placed in every man's Heart and such a one is a temporal Head over the temporal Body and ruleth in Righteousness in temporal things but Christ he is the Head of the Body which is spiritual which is his Church Now the Law is against the Lawless is against Lyars Stealers Swearers cursed-speakers Murderers Man-slayers Man-stealers Violence and Oppression and Deceit and that which tends to the hurt and destroying of the Creation and he that is the Executor of the Law ought to infflict temporal punishments for temporal Facts provided that every Punishment be sutable o the Transgression and go not beyond it and in so doing he rules for God and the Sword is to be turned against that which doth evil and to keep Peace amongst all men and to keep down all Strife and Contention Quarrelling Fighting and keeping the unrâ—ly from devouring and destroying one another and this is to rule for God in a Nation in the Creation and to countenance the honest upright and quiet meek and this is a Praise 〈◊〉 them that do well and this is that which would keep the Nations at Peace and here Governours and Rulers come to be blâ—ssed when the Princes thereof rule in Righteousness and when People live under them a holy godly and quiet Life but when Godliness and Holiness and Righteousness is counted as a Crime and Wickedness and Violence and Inquity set up that Naion is near a Judgement and for the Iniquity of Rulers Kings and People many fruitful Lands hath the Lord made barren and that which is for the well-being Preservation and for the universal good of all People therein all People ought to render Obedience unto such Command for Conscience sake and all People ought to obey Rulers and Governours in that which is Good and Lawful and warrantable in the Sight of God and unto all just Commands to yield Obedience not for Wrath
Saints Sabbath is a stranger to the church of Rome he that hath overcome the World and the Devil only knows God's rest and the true Sabbath of which the Jews was a Figure and the Sunday thou callst it is no more a Sabbath reckoned by the Lord of Life then that which thou callst Saturday for every day is kept Holy to the Lord by him that witnesses the work of Redemtion and this is according to the Apostolick Doctrine and if because of example the Christians whom you are pleased to Stile Sectaries do observe the first day of the Week in the Power of God for his Worship then they are as much if not more to be heard then you and have as much Solid reason on their side as you and thou must not think to carry the Matter on with such frivolous Arguments as this to advance Mystery Babylon for this is a knowing Age blessed be the Lord wherein the Wisdom of God is revealed and that which comprehendeth all shadows Types Dayes Times Years Meats Drinks Washings and other Figures they are all seen over and he is come manifest which is Head of the true church and not the Pope who was is and is to come Life it self Truth it self Power Strength and everlasting satisfaction to thousands and ten thousands who have believed and to a numberless Number which are yet to be gathered into God's Sheep-fold and into the narrow way of Christ which will deny and doth deny upon good Grounds and infallible Testimony from the Eternal Spirit that the Church of Rome is either in whole or in part any part of the true Church of Christ. And seeing this valiant Champion hath made so fair a Proffer That 〈◊〉 their Priests Jesuites and Catholicks over all the World will turn to the Sectaries Way as he calls them if they can but get a clear and satisfaâ—tory Resâ—lâ—tion to the following Doubts Answ. I am one which do acknowledge my self to be reckoned by him as a Sectarian yet as a Sectarian is reckoned by the true Church of God in the Primitive Time in the Apostles and Christ's Dayes I do not reckon my self as such and that I am a Minister of the everlasting Gospel I dare not deny seeing a Necessity is laid upon me to acknowledge the same yet herein I do not glory but in him who hath call'd me for the Work sake and I know the Teaching of Christ Jesus and his Doctrine and no other Thing these many Years have I published but that which I received of the Lord and from him by his Spirit which is according to the true Faith and Godliness which was in the primitive Church before ever Rome did lay claim to be the only true catholick Church excluding all others but her self to be in the Way that leads to Salvation I which am as one amongst many Thousands which God hath manifested his Mind unto shall answer in clearness and according to Apostolick Doctrine and the Manifestation of his Spirit but when I have so done I am afraid this Champion with the rest of the Priests and Jesuits and the rest of the Catholicks over the World will hardly own his Challenge or confess that Doubts are answered yet however if it satisfie but one of a Thousand I have my Reward and shall put it to Tryal The first thing the Author who it seems knows the Mind of the Church of Rome in all things both as to Doctrine and Practice which they do allow of and the contrary they will deny he knows to the full or else he would never sure have made such a bold challenge The first thing that they would be resolved in is Whether any can clearly shew that any Teachers Doctors or Ministers are sent of Almighty God to preach and reform the Roman Catholick Church and that they are not some who say the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken unto them neither sent them Ezek. 13.2 Answ. What the Roman Church and their Members will take for a satisfactory Resolution as to themselves I sometimes question and do doubt the resolving of the most but however by the same Commandment that the Apostles did evidence their commission that they were sent to reform the Church of the Jews also them that had made Defection from the Faith amongst the Gentiles this may be shown 1. The Apostles of Christ Jesus did declare their Commission which they had received from Christ and for other Proof they sought none amongst them that were Auditors or Hearers but the Witness and Testimony of God unto which they desired to be approved in the Sight of God 2. They shewed the Jews that they held the Types and Figures but did not receive or believe him who was the Substance in whom they all ended they were sent to bear Testimony to the true Light that lightetâ— every one that cometh into the World and to preach down Dayes Times Moneths Years Fasts Feasts Sabbaths Circumcision Temples and Offerings the Priesthood and the Sacrifice which were but to continue until the time of Reformation and the bringing in of a better Hope by which they drew nigh unto God and had an Access unto him and they declared their commission against a voluntary Humility and worshipping of Angels all which things the Church of Rome do stick in and vindicate for Apostolick Doctrine and many more things which the Church of Rome is run into contrary to the true Church of Christ and therefore had need of Reformation So that which is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and Practice of the primitive Church in the first hundred years is in the Apostacy but Rome is in many Practices and Doctrines contrary to the true Church therefore needs reforming And so God hath manifested himself in this his Day of Power and hath discovered the Church of Rome to be contrary in Doctrine and Practice to the true Spouse of Christ and hath stirred up and moved many by his Power and Spirit to preach the everlasting Gospel and to declare also against the Defection of the Church of Rome and her apostatizing from the Faith and they are not of those whom the Prophets spoke of which ran and the Lord sent them not for them were the false Prophets in Israel and they were manifest by their Fruits of which there are great Store in Rome who are manifest by their Fruits and they are such as are in Cain's Way who would kill and such as are Seekers of Gain from their Quarters and such as take the Jews Tythes and these the Lord nâ—ver sent to be Teachers or Ministers to bring to the Knowledge of Christ but we deny all these things and your Church in the very Ground and Foundation and know that it will be swept away when the Beast is taken alive upon which your Church now rides then shall you see that that which you long put off among People as Apostolick Doctrine will not be received any more
in Heresie in Schism so that there is an absolute Defection from the Life and Power of God which was manifested in the Apostles dayes and therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church What I have said as to the Doctrines and Grounds which have been laid down by the Author I shall refer it and the Answer unto God's Witness in every Man's Conscience and if I hear any more of the Author his great Boasts or ambitious Challenges which may reach to all that do dissent from the Church of Rome as to be Hereticks I shall engage in the Strength of the Lord to vindicate the Truth however opposed and shall further if God permit be ready to give a more large and full answer unto the Doctrines and Practices and Worship of the Church of Rome and prove them to be contrary to the Scriptures and the Apostolick Doctrine and the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints So in what I have said I hope may convince the Author of his vain Assertions and them that are enclined towards Babylon it may put a Stop to that which would too readily close with every thing which goes under the Name of Antiquity But in what I have said upon the whole Matter I hope will be sufficient unto all who read with a single Eye without Prejudice and unto such I say the Lord give them an Understanding that they see and discern the Way which leadeth to Life and Felicity from that which leadeth to the Chambers of Death and the Pathes that take hold on Destruction A GENERAL EPISTLE TO THE Seed of God DEar Friends every where who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ and called with an holy Calling to the great Salvation of God which is manifest in this the Day of his Power keep your first Love and let not the Threats of Men neither the Browns of the World affright you from that which you have prized more then all the World now the Sun is up and a time of scorching is come and that which hath not Root will wither now every Ground will be tryed and blessed is the Good that brings forth the Seed which must inherit the Promise Oh let not the Cares of this present Life choak that which God hath begotten and seeing the Lord hath so marvelously wrought for us hitherto in the midst of great Opposition let not your Faith fail nor your Confidence in God who delivered Jacob of old out of his Adversity and Israel out of all his Troubles whose Care is over his People now and having seen the Emptiness of the World and its Way and Worship let nothing blind your Eye again and let not the things present nor things to come separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus and mind not them that draw back to Perdition but let it teach you all more Diligence to be as those that press after Glory Immortality and Everlasting Life the Way of God was ever hated by the World and the Powers thereof never heed the rough Spirit nor the heavy for their Bound is set and their Limit known but mind the Seed which hath Dominion over all and forsake not the assembling of your selves together in which you have found God and his Promise and Power amongst you and Blessing your Understandings opened Oh rather suffer all things then let go that which you have believed fâ—r whoso doth will loose the Evidence of God's Spirit in them and their Peace and Joy will be lost the Lord God preserve you all unto the End faithful Your Dear Brother for the Testimony of Jesus F. H. Aâ—â—elby Goal the 10th of the 3d Moneth 1664. A Visitation of Love Peace and Good-will from the Spirit of the Lord sent unto the whole Flock of God now in this their Day of Tryal and Hour of Temptation DEar Friends and Brethren who have been called to believe by the holy calling of the Lord unto Sanctification and Holiness that ye might inherit the Promises of God and that your Souls might live in the Land of the living and partake of his Goodness that you might admire him and praise his Name forever And seeing the Lord out of his rich Love and Mercy hath visited you who sometime sate in the Region of the Shadow of Death and were cast out of his Presence in the time of Unbelief seeing he hath caused his miraculous Light to shine upon you in his gracious Visitation of you and hath given you to believe in his Name prize his Love unto you and let not his gracious Benefits slip out of your Minds lest your Hearts be filled with other things that will corrupt your Hearts and make you an unmeet Habitation for the Lord to dwell in and among Dear Friends hear my Brotherly Admonition and Exhortation for the Lord moved in my Heart to write unto you and in the Bowels of his kind and tender Love and Motion of his heavenly Spirit to stir up your pure Minds and Consciences unto Stedfastness in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and so much the more that you all be watchful seeing the times be perilous for now the Adversary goes about roaring and ravening on the right Hand and on the left to destroy and devour that which God hath brought forth in you that so he might regain you too under his Power and Government and that ye might revolt from the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that stands in Power and Righteousness which is come and hath been of a Truth manifest in great Glory and this is an Hour the Power of Darkness is let loose to try the Faith and them that dwell upon the Earth and he is let loose for a Season blessed are they that hide themselves under the Shadow of the Almighty and under the Wings of Christ Jesus who is given for a Redeemer a Saviour and a Preserver of Men that the wicked One touch them not and now the Devil rages because he knows his Kingdom is but short and but for a small time is like to stand in many because a stronger then he that rules in the World is come and hath began to dispossess the strong Man and bind him and cast him out and now he rages and stirs up all the Temptations within and without and all his Instruments to joyn with him to make War for him that he might not rule who is the Heir of all things and given for a Leader and to be the Head of the Body his Church in which alone he hath Right to rule because the Lord of the whole Earth yea of Heaven and Earth hath put all Power into his Hands to bind and to lose to bring out of Captivity and to lead Captivity Captive that Life and Immortality might again inhabit in the Sons of Men that Truth and Righteousness might sway that Mercy and Love might sit on the Throne that his Salvation might take hold on the Ends of the Earth and his Power made known
of Men and sport themselves over the Heritage of God what doth he that sits in Heaven and they that are in the heavenly Places in Christ Jesus and will not the Lord have them in Derision who mâ—ke a Mock of Sin and rejoyce in Iniquity as though it were the high Way to Felicity Well though the Archers have shot hard at you and hâ—ve come in their Strength against you yet the Lâ—rd hath preserved you that you do not break your Ranks and I feel the Lâ—rd hath put Courâ—ge in you and Wisdom in your Mouthes to withstand yâ—ur Adversaries and the Lord is on your Side the Cause is his the Worship is his the Glory is his you suffer for and be assured he suffers with you and so are his People afflicted with you and in this be comforted that you are not alone though you be counted Fools it 's for Christ's sake though reckoned disobedient it 's because you keep his Commâ—nds and though you be represented as vile and evil and as Transgressors so was Christ so have his Saints been in every Generation since the Devil hath had Dominion in the Hearâ—â— of the fallen Sons of Adam What should you be troubled at thiâ— nâ—y rather rejoyce that the Scripture is fulfilled of you in our â—ge as Christ prophesied unto his Disciples That they should speak all manner of Evil falsely for my Names sake and be 〈◊〉 out of their Assembly and hailed before Rulers and Judgment-Seats for my Names sake but rejoyce and be exceeding glad And also it cannot but appear unto all People who are moderate that it 's only his Names sake you suffer for yea even the Lips of your Adversaries and the Words of your Judges do demonstrate no less that it 's not for any Evil at such a Meeting then it must needs be for your good doing there and to worship God any where but where they would have you is reckoned Crime enough to banish you Oh have not they bewrayed themselves and will not this enter into other Hearts not yet concerned to consider O surely yea and the Devil and his persecuting Enemies shall loose by it and the Truth shall be a Gainer Well Dearly Beloved you know even as the Gospel was preached to others before and as it came unto us and as we did receive it so it was declared unto you in all Simplicity and you have not been beguiled by it nor the Messengers of it of whom some are at Rest and fallen asleep and their Life and Spirit is with you and among you It hath been told you that all must be given up and all must be denyed and the Cross must be born and all must dye to the World before they could receive Christ or be made alive unto him and before the Enmity could be slain or the Peace witnessed which you have found true and happy are you that have believed and keep in the Faith And now beloved though our Adversaries think this is a loosing time and this is the Way to bring us and Truth in which we have believed into Disesteem I tell you the Truth in the Word of God unto you this is the Time of gaining unto many and shall be unto more and this is the Way the Lord hath suffered to come pass Persecution that your Faith and Hope may be tryed from Hypocrites and that it may be made known unto others that you possess something that others possess not that makes you willingly and cheerfully deny that which otherwise might be precious unto you if could be enjoyed in the Truth and them that have lifted up themselves against us may see and be convinced of their Weakness and that they overprized that which now in this Day stands in no stead and have undervalued that which is able to carry them that truly believe through all Difficulties and Distresses as it hath done you hitherto blessed be the Lord and will confirm you and establish you forever When they had crucified the Lord of Life they thought they had brought all to an End but then his Life Power and Glory was more and more manifest and Thousands more did believe and they thought to have stiffled all in Jerusalem and then it came to be preached to all Nations though they think to dam up the Way of Truth and stiffle it here and us I tell you nay the Fame thereof shall reach to the Ends of the Earth and the Sound thereof unto the VVorld's End and Salvation through it shall be known from Sea to Sea we have a glorious Effect thereof in our own Day as ever was in any Age and in so short a Time as I may truly say as the Prophet said The Lord hath wrought a Work upon the Wheels and hath done it through weak poor Instruments that his Arm and Power might only appear and that he alone might have the Glory and therefore be of believing Hearts and look not at the Blackness and Darkness of the present Time but before it and let none trouble you neither be ye troubled at the Words or VVritings of any evil Spies or discontented Minds for that would weaken some Papers I have seen of that Nature abroad which the Life of God judgeth And moreover if any come unto you with any new Doctrine try it in the Light your selves before you joyn to it or if any come with a Shew of Humility and tell you of another Appearance or in another Way then through the Light of the World and gather not to you but seek to make Dissension and Discord and to beget a Dislike in you either of the Truth or Persons of any who have believed receive not that into your Hearts Moreover you know how many have doted about needless Disputes and have busied Friends Minds about Trifles and have begot a Heat in them and have been hurried up and down in the Wind a while and all hath erâ—ed in nothing Moreover if any come and tell you that they who have preached the Word of Truth among you would reign over you and usurp Authority over you and seek Dominion mark for such are unsubjected Spirits for I know the Lord bears Record and be you also Record that they which have laboured among you have not preached themselves But Christ and have not sought yours but you and the Good of all your Souls I have heard such Murmuring sometimes of the Sons of Corah against some who were faithful Men who are fallen asleep and against some living who so have done their End hath not been good But I can say unto you with a clear Conscience and of them who are deceased and them that are living as Gideon said to the Men of Ephraim when they said he should reign over them he answered and said The Lord shall reign over you even I speak of all the ancient Brethren who have laboured and suffered in the Work of the Lord until now I know they only sought that the Lord might reign in
in the room of Abraham for ordering the House of God to see that the Seed of Isaac be Inheritors which is like to be deprived by the Egyptian Brood Rep. My Desire is that they may be guided by the Spirit of Abraham who denyed his Country and if they walk in the Light they will be like him and will see that Things be ordered in the Nation in Righteousness but if they will take thy VVord who is the Isaac that thou would'st should inherit thou wilt present them Ishmael But is it not the Inheritance of Tythes and Augmentations and to have People to fall down to worship the Image that they have set up that is it thou would'st have ordered for who are of Abraham are of the Seed which the Promise is to and such you stir up the Magistrates and People by your Flatteries and Lyes to have a Law to keep them in Bondage and so them that dwell in the Light see it is the Egyptian that thou would'st have to inherit And further thou art telling of some that profess high Attainments which hath put the Kingdom in confusion and a flame and thou sayst they ought not to suffer the preaching of the Word to go down nor the Sacraments to fail There is profession enough in the Nation but little Possession and all who profess high things and do not possess them are Hypocrites And now blessed be the Lord Christ is come and made manifest which is the highest Attainment and he comes not to send Peace on the Earth but a Sword and he shall confound the mighty and lofty and they that have lived at ease shall be poured from Vessel to Vessel and now is War proclaimed betwixt Michael our Prince and all the Inhabitants of the Earth and all Inchanters and Deceivers and all such as have made Merchandize of Souls are now made manifest and now the Nations are angry and the men of the Earth are afraid and now Gog and Magog compasseth the Camp of the Saints about and the Beast upon which the Whore rides and the false Prophets and as many as have traded with the Beast and the Whore are troubled for her sorrow is coming in a day and all the Powers of the Earth cannot nor shall not uphold her for she shall be made desolate and burned with Fire and now thou and the rest of the Merchants are troubled and are petitioning to the Powers of the Earth to uphold you I say unto thee and unto all that joyn themselves against the Anointed which is now appearing who was dead and is alive and lives for evermore You shall all be broken and your eyes shall consume in their Holes Gather your selves together howl ye Caterpillars strengthen your selves build up your batteries cast up your mounts for a mighty and terrible one is coming up against you his voice is as the roaring of a Lyon he is greedy of his Prey he shall devour at once and he is bringing about his Determination to cut off every one that withstands him and no VVeapon formed shall prosper the eternal VVord is preached and the Angel is flying through the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel and by it shall Antichrist be consumed And because this Gospel is declared and preached and witnessed thou art angry But that which thou calls preaching the VVord is nothing but thy own Imaginations This they have preached long enough and what hath it done all your divining None hath been turned from his Iniquity And as for thy Sacrament thou wast complaining of the Pope's Emissaries and here thou art one Thou mayst return thy Word back from whence thou hadst it And all who come to witness the word and the preaching of it and the Body and Blood of Christ which is the Saints Communion and the Supper of the Lord will deny all your Inchantment and all your canker'd rusty worm-eaten Divination and all powers which seek to uphold this which was and is Abomination to the Lord they must partake of her Plagues let all consider God hath overturned all the Powers that have pretended to establish Religion by a Lavv whenas they have but established a Form a Husk and so Satan hath crept into that and all the Priests in this Nation have they not transformed into every Image vvhat vvay soever Authority and the Povvers of the Earth bend and so have made merchandize and sold that vvhich is not Bread and so have deceived the People And further thou sayst The Apostle requires them to mark them that cause Divisions diligently And thou goes on and reckons up many that have been polluted in Religion and thou sayes he will cast her into a Bed of Torment if they do not repent Rep. They who are turned from the Light of Christ are turned into Division and they that have not the same Spirit by which the Apostle spake that said so are divided from Christ and from the Body and from the Saints and are in Contention And here I charge thee and all the Priests in England that you are divided from Christ and turned from the Light who prophesie for Hire and divine for mony who go in long Robes who are called of men Master who have the chiefest Place in the Assembly and stand praying in the Synagogue who go to Law with your Hearers and who give Meanings upon the Scriptures who add and diminish who speak but that which you have gathered from other mens Words there doth Sects and opinions strife and division arise And here thou art marked by many in the County of Durham praised be the Lord to be one that is divided from the Light and causes Division who took away Four Oxen for five Pence Halfpenny and so they have turned away from thee and all vvho stand in that Nature wherein thou stands And therefore thou art petitioning that thou might have a Law to bind us under thy Witchcraft wherein the Nations have been deceived And it is true God hath overturned Kings and Princes and Dukes and Earls and Emperors for the sake of his chosen Ones and all they vvho have made an Image like the true God and like the Gospel and have made a Decree and whosoever now make a Decree that any shall fall down to worship any thing which is contray to the Light of Christ in the Conscience God hath hewed them down and he will hew them down who go about to limit the Holy One who is Lord over all and who will have Dominion over the Consciences of men and the time is already when Jezabel is to be cast into the Bed of Torment and all who commit Fornication with her whether they be Kings Emperors Dukes or Earls they shall all go down with the Dukes of Edom into the Pit and with the rest of the Uncircumcised and the Saints shall rejoyce in their overthrow And thou sayest There is yet little doth appear in England but the old Beast under new Habits acts his old Tragedies
the Lord hath uttered his Voice before his Army for his Camp is great as a Lyon and is greedy of his Prey as a young Lyon he will not spare but devour and destroy all the Uncircumcised and cut off from the Earth even all the abominable Tremble tremble O Earth before the Lord and all ye careless Sons and Daughters that live at Ease in the Flesh in Wantonness and in Mirth a Day of Howling is coming upon you a Day of Sorrow and Lamentation Howl howl and weep ye that spend your Dayes in Vanity in Lust and Pleasure killing the Just ye Drunkards your Throats are as an open Sepulchre your Throats shall be dryed up and parched with the Flame of the Lord's Indignation the Lion shall be famished Diver 's End is your Portion you covetous greedy Deceivers Oppressours Lyars Swearers proud envious contentious Quarellers ye vain airy light Minds ye are â— Dust and will have your Portion in the Lake that burns Tophet is prepared Hell hath enlarged her self the Grave stands open to receive you the Pit hath opened her Mouth the Deep shall swallow you up ye rebellious and stiff-necked Generation who fear not the Lord but add Sin unto Sin behold the Day is coming ye shall wish the Mountains to fall upon you and the Rocks to cover you and shall seek Death but shall not find it The Arm of the Lord is stretched out the Hand of the most High is against you you fruitless Trees that cumber the Ground you shall be cut up by the Roots and cast into the Fire ye Lyars Swearers cursed Speakers ye proud and covetous double Dealers and Hypocrites which say in Word what you are not in Deed and make a Profession of the Name of God but depart not from Iniquity the Trumpet of the Lord is blown out of Sion the Alarm is sounded out of the holy mountain let all the Inhabitants of the Earth tremble a Noise of War and Rumor of VVar is heard his Sword is furbished and brandished to make a great Slaughter and the slain of the Lord shall be many Oh ye Potsherds of the Earth will ye strive against the Lord will ye set Bryars and Thorns in Battel against him who shakes the Heavens and makes the Earth reel as a Cottage who dryes up the Face of the deep and cuts off all the fresh Springs and makes the Cedars fall and pours down Snares upon the wicked Fire and Hail Storm and Tempest and Pillars of Smoak this shall be your Portion to drink the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it O foolish People unwise when will you seek after Wisdom Wisdom hath lift up her Voice in the Streets but you have stopped your Ears as deaf Adders and say in your Hearts we will not have Righteousness to rule over us but we will walk as our Fathers and worship as other Nations do and as them whom the Lord hath cut off out of the Nations as untimely Fruit and are perished with the Uncircumcised Fear fear tremble tremble ye careless Ones ye hard Hearts ye Rocks shall be broken ye Cedars shall fall ye strong Oaks shall be cut up by the Roots your Root shall perish ye Mountains shall melt ye wild savage Creatures that are as wild Asses upon the Mountains a Moneth is coming wherein you will be found and a Day is at Hand wherein you shall see him whom you have pierced yea behold the Judge of all the World stands at the Door even of the quick and dead and he comes in the Clouds with Power and great Glory and every Eye shall see him and every Heart shall melt and all Faces shall gather Paleness and all Knees shall smite together and every Tongue shall confess his Judgment just when he shall execute his Wrath upon you and sweep you into the Pit and blow you away with the Whirlwind of his Wrath and then you shall be judged out of the Book of your Consciences Therefore fear fear and repent repent and prize your time while you have it and mind the Light of Christ Jesus that shews you your Iniquities and Sins and it love and it will turn you from Sin and Unrighteousness to Christ Jesus from whence the Light comes and it love and it will judge all your vain Actions and bring Condemnation upon all the Deceit and lead you to true Confession and Forsaking and to know the Lord is pure and holy and nothing that is evil can dwell in his Sight And so remember you are all warned in your Life time lest you be swept away into the Pit and perish forever and ever and there be none to deliver you and unto you this is the word of the living God whether you hear or forbear F. H. THE FIRST General Epistle Written to the Camp of the Lord In ENGLAND TO all the Seed of Abraham who are Jews indeed and Israelites in whom is no Guile who are of the true Circumcision made without Hands Who are of the Off-spring of David and of the Church or the first-born who are the first Fruit unto God Ye royal Off-spring of the Rock of Ages who have come out of the everlasting Washing My dear Brethren called Quakers who have eaten your Bread with Fear and Trembling whom your Brethren have cast out Oh how I love you my Soul is knit unto you my Heart and Life breathes after you I am one with you in Suffering and in Joy ye are the choicest of the Flock ye are the fairest of all the Children which are brought forth Oh my beloved Ones though I be among the Tents of Kedar as without where the Voice of the Lord hath neither been heard nor known yet you I forget not if I do let the Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth and let me never speak more in the Name of the Lord who is my Life and the portion of my Cup forever Oh! what shall I say unto you none knows your Beauty nor Innocency nor Glory but them who are redeemed out of Kindreds and Nations and Tongues and People and Countryes who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes For the Name of my God and your God who is living and lives for evermore is in your Foreheads you are his Off-spring and the Fruit that came out of the Eternal VVomb begotten by the Eternal VVord of Life which lives forever and are nourished at the eternal Table in the everlasting Mansion-house of my Father which is in Heaven None so fair none so beautifull none so Glorious none so Rich you are crowned with Love forever you are clothed with Righteousness forever you eat of the Tree of Life which heals the Nations and of the Bread of Life that nourishes you up forever and drinks of the living VVaters which run fresh beautiful and cool in it you are bathed and suppled and made white you are builded upon a Rock storms cannot move you tempests cannot make you afraid in this you have been and
ye high Cedars and mighty men put on your Strength and gather together all your Forces which you have trusted in call upon your Gods and all your Southsayers and Diviners together for now he is come and the Daughter of Sion now laughs you to scorn and Jerusalem the free Citizens do wagg their Heads at you for he will now plead the Cause of the Poor against you who have been too strong for them and now all that hear this shall tremble For he will make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth and from it do the Law and the Prophets come forth Awake Oh Arm of the Lord and put on Strength as in the dayes of old to redeem thine own Inheritance which hath long been by the Heathen laid waste and hath been trampled upon by the Uncircumcised art not thou he which was and is and is to come who wilt not give thy Glory to another Arise and shine forth in thy Brightness thou Star of Jacob and Sun of Righteousness and let the Earth be filled with thy Light and Glory that Generations to come may call thee blessed Dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea confound the Wisdom of this World which never knew thee neither would own nor receive thee make the Diviners and Sorcerers mad who have scattered thy Sheep from the everlasting Fold and have healed the Hurts of thy People deceitfully and have caused them to err in telling them thy Power nor thy Arm was not to be looked for now as in the Dayes of old nor thy immediate voice nor word was to be looked or waited for now in the Earth and so have deceived the People with their lying Divinations which they have spoken from the Imaginations of their own Hearts and have laid a stumbling-block in the Way as the Son of Nebat did who made Israel to sin But Oh Lord thou seest how thy own Seed lyeth scattered and ravenous Beasts make a Prey upon it and the Devourers swallow it up therefore hast thou appeared in thy Love and Power for thine own Name 's sake and wilt not suffer thy Seed to be trodden upon any longer by the Prince of Darkness nor his Children whom he hath begotten in his own Image Arise shine forth thou everlasting Covenant of Light and Peace by which and in which all our Fathers believed and so obtained a good Report and were redeemed out of Captivity to serve the Lord forever with one Heart and Mind and worshipped in one Spirit in which Faith they laid hold upon the Perfect Righteousness of Christ made manifest in them and were justified but hath been hid for many Generations in the time of Anti-christ's Reign and all the world hath wondered after the Beast and hath received his Mark but now is the Night far spent and the Day is at hand wherein all that hath been hid shall be made manifest and the Number of the Beast is read and known by all that are redeemed from under his Power and now the Beast and the False Prophet is seen and the Man of sin is made manifest in this the day of his everlasting Power and the brightness of the Sun of Righteousness who is the Light of the world hath made him manifest who is come and coming Glory unto him for evermore who alone is worthy to take the Kingdom Wherefore all honest-hearted in and under all Forms of Professions who have travailed and are weary and all you that have kindled a Fire and have warmed your selves at the Sparks thereof and yet still you lye in Sorrow Oh all ye that have panted and thirsted after Righteousness who have wearied your selves in seeking among the dead Graves and Tombs for a Saviour but have found no Rest and who have followed Lo here and there in this Grave and the other Sepulchre builded on this and that Sand and still swept away your State I know you have no Peace in the eternal Rest I say unto you while you look without you your Eyes may consume in your Holes and your Expectation fail and you will be still complaining For your sakes who are weary and have found none to direct your Way a few Lines I am moved in Compassion to write unto you and if you will not receive it you will not believe if one should rise from the dead for I have obtained Mercy from Christ through his free Grace who is risen from the Dead and saw no Corruption by which Grace I am saved from Sin and cleansed from Unrighteousness after long and sore Labour and Travail under Pharaoh the Oppressour from under whose Dominion I am brought to worship the living God in Spirit and Truth in his Temple where he dwells in Righteousness forever And for the simples sake who have erred for Lack of true Knowledge as I did in Times past I shall declare unto you a little in short of my Travails in Egypt's Land where Darkness is so thick that â—f ye wait but diligently to see your selves you will fell it also From twelve Years old I set my Heart to know that God which the World professed and which I did read of in the Scripture which Abraham Noah Moses and the Prophets and the rest of the Fathers worshipped and I did fall into the strictest Worship that was in that Part wherein I lived and often I desired to be alone and attended much to reading and Meditation and then as I was sober and serious alone I began to see that all the Sports and Pastimes and such as Youth delight in naturally were Vanity and they lasted but for a Moment and while I was in Folly and Wantonness doing of them the Nature which was run into Transgression had Pleasure in them but as soon as I was come from among them I was judged in my self for what I had done and often made me weep then I resolved in my Will that I would never do so again and for some time did restrain from the common Practice of those things that I had walked in but as soon as I came amongst those again I acted those things again which before I did see to be Vanity but long before that I was checked for many things and so I walked often condemned in my self when I was serious and had no Peace and then not knowing what to do in much Sorrow when I was alone I had a Desire to be alone where I might not hear nor see any Folly acted and did not go to the former Exercises although something in me hankered after it but when I yielded not unto it I was glad and had Peace and then I began to oppose my Fellows with whom I had walked in Wantonness and then they began to revile me and hate me and scorn me yet notwithstanding I mattered not then I read much and prayed in Words often three or four times a day but I knew not where God was but in my Imagination imagined a God at a Distance and so went on and then
were in Tumults often as we have been and they said that they were not worthy to live and now the same you say As Instance a Warrant given out at Dublin in December 1655. to fetch up and send up bound to Dublin all that are called Quakers and all these things and much more you who sit as Rulers and Judges of the Nation of Ireland have charged upon us and have required the Justices every where to examine us on these things and to lay them to our Charge and to see what Testimony we have or Letters of Recommendation Isay What testimony had the Ministers of Christ from the Rulers or high-Priests then they were false Apostles which were made by man's Will and the Apostle said Need we Letters of Recommendation as others have And of what Church we are in England we are of that which is in God begotten by the Preaching of the Gospel of the Son of God which all the Hirelings and them you uphold by a Popish Law call Heresie and there is that in every mans Conscience which is the Letters of our Recommendation And you say we are not of any settled Principle I say we are grounded and settled upon him who is the Rock of Ages and stand in his Counsel both sure and stedfast and cannot be moved Notwithstanding all the rage of the Heathen we are in Peace Glory unto him for â—vermore who is the World's Tormenter and the Breaker of Death's Covenant and Hell's Agreement and disquiets the Devil's Peace and torments them who plead for his Kingdom And you accuse us we make open and publick Disturbance to the Grief of the godly and sober People and Scandal of Religion if we come and declare the Mind of the Lord as it is revealed in us in publick and declare the Word of Life in Truth and Soberness and then you hale him out and Stock Whip Prison and persecute and what Religion is this that is among you who stop your Ears and as the Jews did with Paul run upon us and rent our Clothes and yet you call us Disturbers Are not these Practices found in most of your Idols Temples into which the Hirelings creep and call a Church and all those Practices among you are found and we are ashamed of you and your Practices that these things should be found among you after so manifest an Appearance of the Lord's Wrath against them and are these godly to that in all your Consciences I speak One haling another beating another punishing and rending our Cloathes and Prisons and Revilings and cruel Mocking and false Accusing and Stoning are these God-like or like God Oh! be ashamed And you that are so soon grieved you are not God-like who is long-suffering and his Saints who were God-like did bear and forbear one another And these Parish Teachers which you hold up in Ireland I challenge them all in the Name of the Lord who lives forever that in all their publick Worship as they call it and them also that they are not like God not any of his Ministers nor any thing that ever they practice And therefore I say Come forth and vindicate your Practice and let your God come forth and be tryed and lay open your Practice and your Principles to the World and stand by them if you can and for shame never run to the Magistrates to help you learned Rabbies you great Orators come forth and stand and prove your selves before the People and manifest your Strength and your weapons and that God that answers by Fire let him be God you have confessed our God answers by Fire for it s kindled among you and the Word which is Fire we have declared and many have heard it and have believed and answered it and now it burns and you shall not be able to quench it post and run as fast as you can dig as deep for Counsel as Hell call up all the Powers of Darkness you shall not be able to quench the Fire that is kindled If we should hold our peace the Stones of the Wall would cry out against you And therefore I say unto you all you Parish Teachers and all you that uphold them arm your selves with all your Strength call your Diviners together for we proclaim in the Lord's Name who hath rent the Heavens and is come down and his Tabernacle is with men open War we declare and sound the Trumpet of our God out of the holy Mountain all the Earth shall tremble before him and the Mountains shall melt before him why should we not be discovered to you we are sent forth to take Peace from the Earth and to warn all to the Battel of the great Day of God for now he is arisen in his Power and Glory and his Kingdom is come Glory unto him forever and we are Witnesses of it and it 's not of this World and we have denyed the World and follow him who hath a Bow and a Sword and makes War in Righteousness and none is able to stand before him therefore gather your selves on Heaps O ye Potsherds and make a Confederacy among the People arm your selves cast up your Mounts and Batteries strengthen your selves and trust in the Arm of Flesh and say None can come near us Verily I say unto you you shall be made level with the Ground and all your Sorcery shall be laid open and Anti-christ is discovered by the Brightness of the coming of Christ our Eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts in his Glory and all your Glory ye Tellers of Dreams and Diviners shall be made as a Dunghil and your Renown shall perish from the Earth the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And now a few Words unto you O ye Heads and Rulers of the People in Ireland who sit in Judgment remember from whence you are raised and how great Deliverance you have had and how manifest the Lord hath appeared for you to deliver you out of the Hands of your Enemies who despised the Lord and all Righteousness and they were numerous and great when you have been in great Streights and they said in their Hearts We will swallow them up and then the Lord in the Day of your Distress delivered you and hath given you their Possessions and Dominion over them and hath setled you in Peace and you that have been low hath he exalted to bear Rule and expects from you Righteousness Justice and Equity and to be as Feet to the lame and Strength to the weak and to break off every Yoak of Oppression from the Neck of the poor and oppressed and to relieve your Brethren and entertain Strangers remembring you were many of you Strangers in this Land which now is given you to possess I say take heed unto your selves how you act according to the Customs of the Nation and your own Wills nor the customary Worship of the Nation which the Lord laid by and wasted and scattered all them that pretended themselves Teachers of the People
Spend it upon your Lusts and by your Greatness grind the Face of the Poor when you are become strong in the Earth and have spread out your Boughs so broad that nothing can grow that is near your Shaddow and yet talk of God at a distance but you know him not but live in Carelessness and Ease and Liberty of the Flesh and pleasing the carnal Mind the Mighty Day of the Lord is at hand which shall come as a Thief upon you and require all your Souls at your Hands and take them away and then whose shall all these things be And all you poor blind People of the World of all Sorts who follow the blind Guides and Teachers of the World who know not the Path of Righteousness themselves but live in Covetousness Pride Oppression seeking for their Gain from their Quarters in the steps of their Fore-fathers the false Prophets which the Lord declared against by Jeremiah Isaiah Ezekiel and Hosea and Christ cryed out against such blind Guides as led the blind and the Apostles declared against such whose Hearts were exercised with covetous Practices and them you set up for your Teachers who are not taught of the Lord and they walk in the Broad way and you follow their example and yet you have a green Tree to worship under which seems beautiful in your Eyes you talk of a God and Christ and of his Gospel and Ordinances but know him not nor his Will nor how he will be Worshipped but according to the Customs and Fashions of the Nations as the Heathen do and follow the Traditions of men and live in Pride and Fulness and at Ease Lust and Envy in Covetousness and Double-mindedness in Drunkenness and Riotousness Sports Pastimes Pleasures Gaming Playing nourishing your Hearts as in a day of Slaughter wanton wild in Swearing Lying cursed speaking in foolish jesting in filthy Communication in Laughter and Folly which is Madness the dreadful God of Heaven and Earth is arising in his Power and his Day is coming upon you that shall rip up your Hearts and you shall see that you are Heathens and know not God although your Idol-Shepherds and Hirelings have told you you were Christians because you came one day in seven and heard a few Words spoken from the Imagination of their own Brain and all the Week long and Year long live in Carelesness and in all the Abominations before mentioned and many more and yet you hate to be reproved and hate to be reformed Dreadfull is the Day that is coming upon you all sorts of carnal Professors and vain Talkers and busie Minds which talk of that you cannot witness Terror Terror Dread and Wrath Vengeance in Flames of Fire will God rain upon the ungodly and Snares and turn them into Hell with all them that forget God Think on this Oh all you careless wanton earthly-minded People whose God is your Belly who glory in your Shame who mind earthly things and turn his Grace into Wantonness and sport your selves as in the Day-time and never consider your later End and slight the day of your Visitation and so dye in your Sin and will lie down in everlasting Misery except you repent Terrible and dreadful is the day that is coming upon all the World and all you who make mention of the Name of the Lord but not in Righteousness in the many Sects and Opinions and Judgments in Babylon Confusion and Error the Lyon hath roared who will not fear the Lord hath spoken who can but Prophesie the Lord hath roared out of Sion and uttered his Voice from Jerusalem he will send a Fire in the Gardens that you have made and consume all the Thickets round about it and you shall be ashamed of the Oakes that you have chosen and of the Trees you have worshipped under and the Groves where ye have commited Fornication with other Lovers and have forsaken the Lord and joyned your selves unto Idols and now your hearts are become hart and you will have none of the Wayes of the Lord nor will that Christ should reign over you for you hate his Light which shews you Sin and Evil and would turn you from it and out of Blindness and Ignorance but your wills lead you and the crooked Wayes of the Serpent you follow but now is the time near finished all your Joy shall be at an end and all your Lovers shall forsake you and you shall mourn and howl ye careless People who live in Deceit and are wise to do Evil and mighty to work Wickedness but to do Good have no Understanding Awake awake Arise arise and stand all up to Judgment let the Heathen be awakened for the Lord shall roar out of Sion and utter his Voice as a Whirlwind and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake and the Mountains shall melt at his Presence and all the Hills shall melt before him and all the Isles shall flee away at his Presence who is risen to take Vengeance upon all the ungodly and all shall be slain before him Assemble your selves and come all ye Heathen and gather your selves together round about for the Lord will plead with you as in the Valley of Jehoshaphat and there will he sit as Judge to give every one their Portion according to their Work Awake all you that are asleep and stand up to Judgment the Angel of the Covenant is come and the time of Harvest draws neer the reaper is come with his sharp Sickle and is come for the Press is full and the Fat 's overflow for their Wickedness is great Multitudes Multitudes shall be slain and bound in Bundles and cast into the Lake and into the Valley of Decision the Sun and the Moon shall withdraw their shining and the Stars shall fall and loose their Light yet a little while and time shall be no longer but you will be swept into the Pit where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth and overturned as Sodom and Gomorrah and you shall know there is a God who is pure and holy who will judge you not according to your Words and feigned deceitfull Hearts but in Righteousness And so all dread his Name and fear him and tremble before him and bow your selves and submit unto him lest your Perish forever from his Presence and be tormented with the Devil and his Angels in the Lake of everlasting Fire And all you ungodly think on this for this shall be the Portion of your Cup forever who slight the day of Gods Love and Visitation and turn his Grace into Wantonness his long-suffering shall come to an End and his Spirit will not alwayes strive with you and then he will arise in his Wrath and take Vengeance upon his Enemies and bind the Tares and the Briars and Thorns in Bundles and cast them into everlasting Fire where is perpetual Exilement from the Presence of God and from the Lamb forever and ever and from the Light of his Countenance and this as the Lord
have waited for yea come and his Reward is with him and they that see him come find Contentment in him and in his Reward and what is the Reward Joy Gladness Peace of Conscience Assurance of God's Love sealed in their Hearts by the pure Spirit of the Lord the Streams of Life flowing forth continually from the great deep which refresh and keep cool in the greatest Extremity and Heat of Temptation and this is enjoyed by them that have waited and do wait for it even in the Body they bare witness of him and of his coming the Disciples what was their witness The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding Of what of God of his Day of his Appearance of his Power of his Wisdom of his Kingdom of Hâ—pe of Faith of Assurance of Peace of Joy of Comfort and Consolation what in this life yea a Cloud of witnesses I might bring in former Ages and a Cloud of Witnesses I might bring in this Age blessed be the Lord But my Witness is nearer me that giveth me Assurance and is surer to me then all their Witnesses although they be all true Abraham the Father of the faithful and of the righteous who believed God and was accepted he saw Christ's day and was glad Say literall Professors that 's by Faith yea what else by Faith he and â—ll that ever saw Christ and his day or the Father they saw him by Faith By Faith they saw him who was invisible Isa. 12.2 Behold God is my Salvation he also is become my Salvation what dost thou enjoy it already yea he is become And Simeon who waited for the Consolation of Israel Luk. 2.30 Now let thy Servant depart in Peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation And this he said who knew God's Comfort and Consolation as our Suffering for Christ doth abound even our Consolation in Christ doth much more abound and they were made Partakers of his Divine Nature and sate together in heavenly Places in Christ Jesus For heaven is his Throne and they that are in him and enjoy him who is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God know Peace and Rest and Salvation both from Guilt and Act of Sin And the Apostle wrote to the Hebrews After he had purged away our Sins speaking of the Attonement the everlasting high Priest he sate down on the right Hand on the Majesty on high He saw beyond Sin even him who had purged away Sin and this comes to be made manifest unto them and in them that believe by the Spirit of Jesus who is Christ the Lord the Arm that brings Salvation and is the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that believe who begins it in his day and perfecteth in his day for he works in the day as he himself said Hitherto my Father worketh and I worke but the Night cometh when none can work So that he destroys the Work of the Devil which is his Work in man which they that are come to his day feel and see the handy-work of God in themselves and his own works praise him for they onely can and they that are not come to the day know not God's Work in themselves and they who have not yet heeded that in themselves which manifesteth all things reproveable neither that which doth reprove they are not come to know the Appearance of the glimering of Light or of the day yet in themselves which the Saints witness in them even all they that are sanctified Where the Day of the Lord doth appear and how it comes and how it is to be looked for declared THey that gaze abroad whose Eyes are abroad cannot see his Appearance nor his day which appears he that knoweth not wherein it consists knows not how to look for it no more then the Jews who were Scripture-Professors and learned Men knew wherein the Kingdom of God did consist even no more do the litteral Professors whose Faith is founded on the Letter and upon that which is visible know what I say First All must know wherein it doth consist it is eternal Brightness shed abroad through all Things which pierceth through and searcheth the secretest Place even that which is invisible and maketh manifest all things and the Nature of every Thing by the day of the Lord comes to be seen and it appears in the Heart they were to wait for the day to dawn and to break forth in their Hearts and to wait for its Appearance there and that is it which is to be waited for and upon that which maketh Evil manifest and brings it to Light and declares against that which is contrary to its Nature and so the day cometh to dawn Christ the Covenant of Light God's Gift who is sent and anointed of God to preach and to proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord and also the day of Vengeance he proclaims in the Heart for he comes not to bring Peace but a Sword and his Sword is the Sword of the Spirit it 's that which divides and discerns the Intent of the Heart and his day discovers the desperate Wickedness of the Heart and where he finds no Faith in the Heart he kindles a Fire in the earthly Heart and executeth his Vengeance and his day unto such is a day of great Perplexity their Spirits come to be wounded the Heart comes to be made faint and Sorrow comes to fill their Hearts and Trouble to be felt and in this State are all who are unconverted he finds no Faith no Hope in the Heart therefore he comes and takes away Peace Many have talked of the day of the Lord but when it comes to draw near them they will not abide it whatsoever makes manifest is Light Now the day makes all Things in every one manifest and when Deceit is seen and Wickedness brought to Light then they that have done Evil cannot abide but would run to any Thing rather then abide the day or to see the Lord of Life appear in his day to execute Vengeance upon his Enemies and to destroy his Adversaries and to kindle an unquenchable Fire to consume all his Enemies and who have not seen this yet in themselves never have seen the Day of Salvation nor of Gladness and this made the Prophet cry out Who may abide the Day of his coming And many have been Eye-Witnesses of the dreadful Day of the Lord which hath appeared wherein all Peace hath been hid from their Eyes and all that ever came to see the Day of Joy and Gladness first did know the Terror and terrible day of the Lord in themselves therefore said the Apostle We knowing the Terror of the Lord do perswade Men now it cometh not with Observation lo here or there so the Pharisees looked the Kingdom should come when Christ told them it was within them so I say if ever any do behold the bright shining forth of eternal Life thou must wait in that which is pure of God through which
Merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her for no Man buyeth her Merchandize any more Rev. 18.11 And every Ship-Master and all the Company in Ships and Sailers and as many as trade by Sea stood afar off and they cast Dust on their Heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great City wherein were made rich all that had Ships on the Sea for in one Hour she is made desolate Rev. 18.17 19. Mystery Babylon THE Mother of Harlots DISCOVERED Her RISE and when With many of Her SORCERIES IN the End of the primitive Times when the Apostles had finished their Testimony committed unto them and had gathered many out of the World and converted many unto God and many were established in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which purifieth the Heart and giveth Victory over the World and were led to the Beginning before the World was made and the Churches which were in God which had received the Anointing by which they knew all things even the invisible things of God and the Mysteries of his glorious Kingdom which God through the Spirit did reveal unto them which Spirit they had received being begotten of God by which Spirit they called him Father and by which Spirit of Truth which was manifest from the God of Truth in their Hearts they were led into all Truth and became Sons of God and Heirs of the Promise and this Spirit was their Direction and led them to worship God aright to obey and glorifie him and his Name which brought Salvation unto them and into this Spirit they were all baptized by the one Spirit into one Body and in this one Spirit they met and worshipped God and were of one Heart and of one Mind and did know their Director near them and in them and the Time did come when they worshipped neither at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but in the Spirit and in the Truth wherein the Father was glorified and came to see that fulfilled which the Prophets bore Witness of even him in whom all the Prophets end in Christ made manifest in them the Hope of Glory whose Voice they heard from Heaven by which they were quickened and raised from Death to Life by the effectual working of the mighty Power of God which wrought in them that did believe and they were in the Unity of the Faith by which all their Hearts were purified who held it which is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience by which they received an Assurance and were made Partakers of the Promises and became Inheritors of Life Light and Immortality and Heirs of the Promise and Joynt-heirs with Christ and they sate together with him in Heavenly Places and eat with him and drank with him in the Kingdom of God which stood in Power and in Righteousness Joy and Peace and did not look like the Pharisees lo here or there but first felt it as a Grain of Mustard-seed in themselves or as a Corn of Wheat which afterwards springs up as a Blade or as a Ear of Wheat to Ripeness to a full Corn and they did walk from Faith to Faith from Strength to Strength and did appear before God in Sion and the Hebrews were come to Mount Sion from whence God shined out in perfect Beauty who became their Satisfaction and Peace who had revealed his Son in them whom God had made unto them Justification Sanctification and Wisdom and so they knew one God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and one Faith one Hope one Baptism the one Spirit into which they were all baptized into which they all did drink by which all that did believe were sanctified and did receive the Inheritance among the Saints in Light and this was the Church that was in God which was begotten by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus in the lively Faith and in the lively Hope by which their Souls were anchored and they established in the Truth that made free and they had received the Spirit of Prophecy and did speak one by one according to the Revelation of the Spirit which led out of Confusion into Order and they being in the Power of God did walk by its Order in the Order of the Gospel And now was the Woman cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her Head and the Moon under her Feet who stood in that which was unchangeable and immutable and now was the Man-child brought forth which was to rule the Nations and was revealed to the Church which was in God and he was the Head by which all the Members of the Body were united together in one and reconciled to the Father in one and by his Obedience Justification did come upon all that did believe But since the Woman fled into the Wilderness and the Man-child was caught up unto God the Midnight of Darkness came upon the whole World and the Sincerity was lost and the Image of God lost the Heir caught up out of the World's Sight Faith was lost Hope lost the Spirit lost the Saints Rule and Direction and then the Whore appeared and made all Nations drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and they staggered and reeled to and fro hither and thither having lost the Spirit became all Waters and unstable and all the World wondered after the Beast which then arose after the primitive Times and after the Apostles Dayes and admired him and worshipped him who killed the Woman's Seed and made War against it And then the Whore made Decrees who was gone from the Law-giver and she made Confessions of Faith and Articles of Faith being out of the Power of God who is the Author of true Faith being guided by the Power of the Dragon she made Orders of Worship and gave Directions for Worship having gotten on the free Womans Attire the Outside the Scriptures the Form of Godliness but afterwards became more abominable having both lost the Power and the Form worshipped the Devil's Power and the Dragon's Power and came forth in the Image of him and reached out the Cup of Fornication and made the Nations drunk with her Inchantments and Sorceries and she drunk the Blood of the Martyrs the Blood of the Prophets and them that kept the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy and then prescribed Forms of Worship Forms of Prayer and made Creeds and Faiths and Articles of Faith and many Faiths having lost the Order of the Gospel she made many Orders and sent out many Merchants to carry abroad her Traffick and her Merchandize to the Nations and whole Ships were filled full of it Vessels full of it which went upon the Sea and rode upon the Waters upon Kindreds Tongues Nations and Peoples who received of her Merchandize and bought of several Sorts of Merchandize which the several Merchants traded with who had several Orders prescribed then as Popes Cardinals Jesuites Fryars of many Orders and Monks of many Orders Jesuites of many Orders and all these
thee but as it appears in thee thou shalt bear me Witness that these are holy faithful and true and have and shall be fulfilled in that which is immutable I bid thee farewel F. H. The chief Particulars or Heads in the ensuing Discourse treated upon and opened by the Spirit of the Lord who was an Eye-Witness unto these Things 1. THE Work of the Lord declared which was in the Beginning when the Word was with God and man in the Image of God 2. Although the Heavens and the Earth were created and all Things therein finished yet the World was not begun that lay in Wickedness which the Devil is the God of neither was Christ the Mystery hid nor the Lamb slain 3. The understanding may read the Wisdom of God in a Mystery and also may see the sottish doctrine of the Apostates 4. An Objection answered 5. Another Objection answered 6. How Peace Joy and Delight possessed every Thing that God had made how every Thing which he had formed glorified him with one Consent in the Beginning 7. How Man lost his State and Dominion and Unity with God and all the Creatures and how the Lamb came to be slain and the World that lay in Wickedness came to be framed in Man after the Tempter entered how endless Misery came in upon all after the Transgression 8. How Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin and how Man is dead while he lives and all are dead Works that he acteth and the States of all the Sons of Men and their Works may be seen in the Fall 9. Three Objections answered about this Particular 10. Self-Righteousness Deeds of Darkness also and dead Works are to be condemned also and Man who acteth them in the Fall 11. An Objection answered as to the present State of the Ministry of the Nations their Practice and their Worship 12. An Objection as to the Churches so called and their Worship in the Nations 13. The dark and blind Doctrines of the Ranters denyed 14. An Objection about reading the Scriptures and conforming to the outward Practice of the Saints informer Ages 15. How all Men upon the Earth in the Degeneration and in the Fall have corrupted themselves and been Idolaters in every Administration being gone from the Life and Power of God in themselves and having lost the Power of God Man can neither worship honour nor obey God aright 16. A few Words to that which is called Christendom who profess Christianity 17. Something about Water-Baptism to both Priests and Separatists 18. Something about Rome in the Apostacy and all their Worship in the Degeneration 19. The Protestants or reformed Churches so called not yet come out of the Waters nor from under the Beast's Power â—0 The Presbyters and Independents are yet under Anti-christ's Reign in the Apostacy and have among them yet the Attire of the Whore 21. How the Woman that travailed in Birth who was clothed with the Sun and brought forth the Man-child fled into the VVilderness when the Dragon had Power and the Man-child was caught up unto God 22. How the VVoman comes out again and when and he that was caught up unto God descends again and appears again to take the Rule to himself and how he makes VVar with the Dragon and all the Apostates and overcomes them 23. How the Glory of the Lord shall appear after the Apostacy greater then before and the Ministration into which them that follow the Lamb shall be brought shall be more spiritual and coelestial then before for that shall appear in which all visible Types and Shadows end in and shall be the last that is to be expected by the Sons of Men the Sight of which hath appeared which yet cannot be uttered THE Invisible Things OF GOD BROUGHT TO LIGHT The Work of the Lord declared which was in the beginning when the Word was with God and was the Fathers delight and man made in the Image of God and lived in the Lamb's Power and he was mans Life and this was before the Transgression of these declared as God hath manifested them by his Spirit IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning before the Foundation of the Earth was laid or the Hills were framed he was with the Father and was the Fathers delight and he delighted in the Father and the Father in him then did the morning Stars sing together and the Sons of God shout for Joy In the beginning were the heavens created and the Pillars thereof set and the Earth was framed by the Power and all things both in the Heaven and in the Earth were created by the Power God's Son every Beast of the field every fowl of the Heaven and the decreed place for the Sea was broken up and all things that moveth therein were created by the Word and by the Power and man was made by the Power and in the Power and he was the Image of God as it is written In the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them and he had dominion over all the Works of his Hands over every Beast of the field which were created by the Power over the Serpent among the rest which was created by the Power and was good as he was made in the Power and by the Wisdom they were all brought forth and man made in that Wisdom that brought them forth who was better then them all and was made Partaker of the Power and of the Wisdom more then them all and by the Wisdom called every thing as it was in its Nature so named he every thing and the Dominion he had was in the power over all things over all the Creation of God which waâ— good and the earth and all things that are therein the Tree of Knowâ—ledge good that stood in the Garden also but not for Food so these be the Generations of the Heavens and the earth in the Day when Gâ—d created them they were all good made and created by God in the Power eternal which is good unchangeably good without Variation and the unchangeable Power in which and by which they were made moved in them all and they all received Virtue and Power from the Power God's Son and the Power moved in them all and shined through them all and ran through them all and they were all to abide in the Covenant in which they were made and not any to move or act without the Power but only as the Power which was the Life of them all moved them and acted them and so Goodness possessed them all for all were Partakers of the Goodness of God and it was the Life of them and they were none of them to move nor stir but as the Life of men the Power by which they were created moved them which was God's Son the Heavens and the earth were finished and all things that therein are and they were all good and this
Saying was true then which was spoken by Christ the Power many Generations after I in them and thou in me and all was perfect in one the Father was in the Power the Power was in the Father and all the Creatures in the Power now was the Father glorified now was the Son glorified now was man in Dominion in Power crowned with Honour Lord over all the Works that God had made in the Power and now the whole Family both of Heaven and earth bowed their Knees to the Lamb to the Power and this was then fulfilled At the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow both of Things in heaven and Things in Earth and his Name was now the Word of God and this was in the Beginning and the Word of God is the power of God and now both the caelestial Bodies and the terrestrial Bodies were all subject to the Power and all the Works of the Lord's Hands were finished and he rested and all things both in Heaven and earth rested in the Power and all kept holy Day and rejoyced Though the Heavens and the Earth were created and all things wrought and finished yet the World was not begun that lay in Wickedness which the Devil is the God of neither was the Power which is Christ the Mystery hid neither was the Lamb slain yet Now after all was made and created and were good and blessed and endued with Power Life and Vertue according to the Purpose of his heavenly Will which is eternally pure yet was not the Lamb slain nor the Mystery hid which is the Power which is Christ for what should slay him or what should hide him he that reads let him understand this that I speak of cannot be reached to with that Wisdom that stands in time which was not in the Beginning with God that is shut out but the wise in Heart shall understand Knowledge and the prudent shall know what hath been in the Beginning and of his wonderful Works in the Dayes of old and of the Mystery which was before the World began when the Lamb was in Glory the Son in Glory Christ in Glory the first born of every Creature and was born before the World began he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear when all that God had made and brought forth by the Word by the Power was blessed and stood in the Power then did the Lamb sit in his Throne then was he the Delight of God and God in him and all that was made by him rejoyced in him here was Love here was Glory here was Purity Unity and a sweet Harmony Joy Peace Love eternal Life God's Power ran through all all was good Christ was not now hid he shed himself abroad and all things were Partakers of his Power in which they were made here was Happiness Blessedness Joy Dominion everlasting and eternal Felicity Innocency Purity and Perfection and man in it God in it the Lamb in it man in it after his own Image the Mystery of Godliness was not hid there was nothing to hide it or overshadow it no Vail no Covering but Righteousness was manifest and was the Covering of all Innocency the Cloathing of all Purity the Robe of all and Life the dwelling Place of all and all the Works of his Hands rested with the Father with the Lamb with the Word with the Power with Christ in Glory with the Father in the eternal Glory whereby all was upheld in Purity Unity Harmony answering the pure Will of God and man had Power to answer the Will of his Maker which he received from God the Father of Life by the Power in which he was made and to abide in the Will of God forever and herein he and all things in Heaven and the whole Family thereof and all the holy Host of God bowed to the Lamb's Power and he reigned and the Angels were subject to the first-born of every Creature before the Angels or before any thing was made he was his Age who can declare or his Generation his Age runs parallel with Eternity with Immortality came from the eternal Womb and from the Bosome of the Father where he is even where he was before the World began he that reads let him understand now the Power ruling in all and over all all were in Peace and was blessed Now the Angel stood in his Power moved in his Power and all the caelestial Bodies went in and out at his Command and moved not nor stirred not but when he moved and this was then fulfilled let all the Angels worship him and so they did reverenced him and were subject to him sang and rejoyced in him triumphed in his Power and all the holy Host moved at his Command and marched on in his Strength to perform his Will and to accomplish his everlasting Purpose and to fulfil his eternal Decree and gave Glory to him who sate upon the Throne of Righteousness and judged in Righteousness forever and ruled in Righteousness forever there was Joy in Heaven the Father rejoyced the Son rejoyced the Angels rejoyced the Morning Stars sang the Sons of God shouted for Joy the holy Host gave Praise and all praised in the Firmament of his Power in which they stood moved walked lived and accomplished the pure perpetual and eternal Decree of their Maker Moreover the terrestrial Bodies were all subject to him he reigned in all over all moved all gave Life to all and was the Life of Adam of the Male and the Female and then was this fulfilled even then which was spoken in time though by him who was before all time who was the Life of all things I say he lived then and because he lived Man lived also for he was his Life now Christ the Power reigned over all and all in the Lamb's Power were subject in a sweet Harmony answering the pure Will of their Lord their King that lived forever who was upon his Throne in the Heavens and now his Kindgom was over all there was Joy in Heaven there was Peace on Earth the good Will of God was done in Earth as it was in Heaven Oh beautiful oh glorious oh comely oh admirable oh incomprehensible was the Glory my Tongue cannot express and time would fail me to declare the eternal Excellency which God hath revealed by his Spirit and that which I see is not lawful now for me to utter now were no Mountains nor Hills to hide the Mystery but it shined upon all in all over all and above all was not hid as I said there was now no hiding Place that could or did overshadow the Mystery of Godliness for the Eyes of all things looked upon him whether Caelestial or Terrestrial and all and every thing according to its Kind rejoyced in the Light of his Countenance and of his Power was glad and gloried in him for then there was not another he that can hear let him Now the Earth rejoyced and the Floods clapped their Hands now the great
out of the Power hearkened to him that was out of the Truth who turned the Truth that God had spoken into a Lye she joyned to the Tempter and hearkened unto him and eat of the Tree of Knowledge without the Power and she looked out and the Eye ran out from the Life from the Power and was deceived and did eat of the Knowledge without the Power without the Life and she also tempted the Man and the Temptation entered into a Ground which was blessed before and good in the Motion of the Life of the Power but she having transgressed contrary to the Command and the Man received it contrary to the Command without the Motion of the Power or the Life that all was to move in he also going out of the Power received it in and fed upon Knowledge without the Life without the Power out of the Truth he became one with the Woman one with the Serpent who went out of Truth and abode not in it and they all were disjoynted and cut off from the Life and the Power and here was the Beginning of the Father of Lyes and of him who spoak of himself out of the Power out of the Truth and his Beginning is without Foundation now he that is wise in Heart read his Generation or who made him now appeared the Angel of the bottomless Pit and not before and made War against the Power against the Lamb and so the Heart of Man was turned away from obeying and feeding upon the Power to obey and feed upon Knowledge without the Life or Power and here was the first Transgression out of the Power and the Motion of the Light which made all Things good and so as this Knowledge was fed upon and grew Man dyed unto the Life unto the Power and Wisdom and Dominion that he had over all that God had made he lost and so dyed unto the power and lived upon Knowledge without the power and now became afraid of the power because he was in the Transgression of it And thus the Serpent who was most subtil went out of the Truth and acted in Sin and led into Transgression and so there became Fear where there was none and Shame where there was none and Nakedness where there was no Nakedness before the power was dyed unto which was their Clothing in Righteousness and there was a hiding place sought by him who before Iniquity needed no hiding place and this is the Foundation and Beginning of that Seed in the Transgression which shall call to the Mountains to cover them and to hide them from the Wrath of the Lamb. Oh how is Man degenerated now and grown quite out of the pure Quality and Kind and Nature in which he was made now afraid of the Power that made him which before he had Union with and was his Life and gave him Dominion and this fulfilled upon Man he was planted a Noble Vine a holy right Seed now become a degenerate Plant of a strange Vine now when the Lord appeared and examined him and Man knew his Fault that he had acted against the Power yet that which acted in Transgression would excuse here is the Fruit of the Devil's Work transgress and then hide and excuse it and so the VVoman put it off to the Serpent he was the Beginner of it but if she had stood in the Power he would have had no Place nor his Counsel but they all went out of the Light and Life into the Knowledge without the Power and Life and so the Curse came upon all now the Man cursed and the Ground for his sake and the Woman cursed in Sorrow to bring forth and the Serpent cursed the Beginner of Inâ—quity cursed above all the Beasts of the Field to go upon his Belly and Dust to be his Meat forever and an Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman and his Seed forever and an Eternal Decree passed against him forever and he made VVar against the Seed of the VVoman which the Lord promised to bruise his Head now came the miserable Estate in that which led him into Transgression grew and he in it and to be at Unity with it then came Hardness of Heart and then came the VVorld to be founded in his Heart and he grew in the Heart and he grew in the devouring beastly Nature to follow the earthly Imaginations of his Heart and became earthly and fed upon that which the Beasts of the Field fed upon and now the Lamb came to be slain since the Foundation of the VVorld now was Man driven out from the Tree of Life and out of the Garden and could no way come there again he had no right to it the Lamb being slain and was cut off to wit Man from him which before gave him Peace and from the Power in which he was made he was driven out from and the Sword set that go what way he could he could not come into the Life again the Image of God lost then the joyful Day was lost and Rejoycing in the Lord at an End then the Day of Peace was finished and perpetual Misery and Wo came in then Unity with the Lord of Glory gone and now Shame and Contempt came and woful misery Now Hell was formed and the bottomless pit sprang up and the Angel thereof ruled and advanced and the Lamb slain and now the lake was prepared and Tophet ordained now came the Day of Anguish of pain of Wo Sorrow and Misery Blackness and Darkness Terror Horror Fear on every Side and the Day of great perplexity Dominion lost power lost Authority lost peace lost Joy lost Health lost Unity lost with God and Unity lost with every Creature and endless Misery brought in Alas alas what is become of him who was the Son of God now become as the Beasts that perish now a Vessel of Wrath a dishonourable Vessel Oh unspeakable Loss forfeited all Life and all gone into plunged into the deep Pit of endless Misery driven from the Presence of the Lord from Blessedness and Happiness into Cursedness and Misery never to come to Life again but through the loss of Life man in Honour in Dominion partaker of Eternal Riches and the durable Riches now turned out of all and become vile in the Sight of the Lord and hath forfeited Life and all Eternal Life and he who was in perfect Freedom become a Bondman a Slave to the Devil and to noysome lusts he who was Lord over all now became a Servant to all and every Creature he who was in Dominion in the power of God now became base and vile he who was the Image of God now became the Image of the Devil he who was Heir of Life and Felicity now became Inheritor of Death and endless Misery he that was partaker of the unchangeable Love now partaker of Wrath he that was in the Covenant of Life in which he had Union with God and all the Angels and all the holy Host of God
of the Life was not good for that was out of God's Order and Appointment for nothing in man or without man of all that God had made was to stir or act without Commandments now the Son was not honoured by man's Falling but both the Father and the Son was Dishonoured and now the Son or power was not revealed by the Fall but vailed as from men so the foggy Mists of Darkness are scattered the blind doctrines of the VVorld and VVaste Object Some will be ready to say how dost thou say he was in Dominion everlasting then how should he fall that lasted but a while Answ. I say he was made by the Word which abides forever and in it which was in the Beginning with God and was God and God's Son and his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion and his Throne is established in Righteousness forever and ever and in it self it is what it was ever and after the Fall retained the same Power and Authority in it self and so will do forever Man's Power stood in it only out of it he had none so going out of it dyed to it and not any more Power to do or to will or to order or to rule any things but by it but he lost the Feeling of it and the Guidance of it the Virtue of it and Life of it and became dead to it and alive in his Heart and Mind to another Power to wit the Power of Deceit and to the Power of him which hath the Power of Death which is the Devil so God is clear no Fault in him nor in the Power nor Weakness in the Dominion and Authority which he had but Destruction meerly wholly and only of himself and he is to bear his own Burthen Thus man receiving in the Devil's Conceptions who was gone out of the Truth and became one with it feeding upon Knowledge without the Life this was evil thus Sin entered and Death by Sin man cut off from the Power from Life from the Dominion which he had in the Power now man is dead while he lives and in the Day he eat he dyed dead to the Power dead to the Life dead to Good dead to Truth dead to Purity dead to Righteousness estranged and alienated from it the Grave covers him Death hath Preeminence and bears rule and not Life and he gone into its Nature and loves it and imbraces it Oh sad Life oh sad State now his Life cursed which is Death he cursed all his Actions cursed all his Conception cursed all his Works cursed labouring in Sorrow in Travail and Pain and Grief and Sweat and Perplexity Now all may as in a line read the happy Estate of Man before the Fall the sad and deplorable Estate in the Fall which who can declare or who can measure or who can demonstrate the miserable Estate of man dead in Trespasses and Sins and Life swallowed up of Death Death and Destruction lives and man in it and now in the Grave God is not remembred but forgotten Now the World set in the Heart and the Earth in the Heart the Heart becomes earthly and vain Thorns and Bryars spring up and the Earth covers the slain now Death lives and man lives in and one with the enmity and in enmity against God who was before his Life man now in Chains of Darkness when any thing moves Heaven-ward the Power of Death draws the Mind down again into the Pit of Darkness now the Nature of all things in the Earth set in the Heart Beasts Rocks Hills Mountains Dogs Swine and brutish Creatures and man becomes brutish and vain they have all Dominion over him he is a Slave to all all rules over him and Death grew and dead Works brought forth he cannot now perform any thing whereby he can purchase the Love of God nor give a Ransom for his Soul now the Root of Bitterness grew and the Enmity and man in Lust and when his Lust is crost or his Will crost then the Enemy which liveth in him riseth he would kill that and destroy that imprison that and bring it into Bondage that the enmity might be Lord over all and bring the innocent into Bondage that which is nocent is set up and the higher Deceit grows in the Heart the more Stir it makes and the greater Destruction of that which crosseth it and here came in Oppression Murder Cruelty Tyranny Prisoning Imbondaging Revenge Maliciousness and Envy Rage Fury Headiness Pride this is all in the Curse and springs up from the Foundation of the World in the Heart and so being given Way unto and loved grows in Strength and Iniquity multiplies and the Beast grows and the Name great and numberless the Serpent's Root spreads forth it self and sprouts out in the earth and comes to grow great and is admired now the Deeds of Darkness and the Works of Darkness come to be many Envy Murder Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Riotousness Sporting Covetousness Defrauding Cheating Maliciousness Theft Dissimulation Feignedness Hypocrisie Witchcraft Cursed Speaking Railing Reviling Filthy Communication unsavoury Speeches Wantonness Lightness Foolish Jesting Idle Talking Vain Babling Back-biting Swearing Lying Cursing Blasphemy Slandering Pride Arrogancy Vain Boasting Contention Strife Emulation Mischief these and many more are now the Fruits of the degenerate Plant and dead Works and the Works of Darkness in man who was once a noble Plant a holy right Seed now the Fruits of Sodom and the Grapes of Gomorrah whom God destroyed and overthrew are brought forth and the whole Earth is filled with Violence and these be the Fruits that grow and are become great over all Nations which are wrought by the Devil the Father of Lyes who spoke of himself and works of himself in the Dark in the Night out of the Light out of the Day who went out of the Truth and now worketh in all the Children of Disobedience who are out of the Light and out of the Power and here are all the Sons of fallen Adam in the Curse under the Wo and these be the Works that are wrought and brought forth which have stained the Earth and the Father of them and man in whom they are wrought and the Works themselves are all for Condemnation never to be numbred among the Saints in Light nor among their Works Self-righteousness Deeds of Darkness also and dead Works which though they be not counted as bad as the former by them that act in them yet they are to be condemned also and man who acts them being in the Fall CAin who was the first begotten in the Full the Similitude Likeness and Image of Adam his Father who had transgressed and disobeyed and lost the Power and became dead to it Cain I say his express Image out of the Faith out of the Power he brought a Sacrifice and offered in the same Nature he slew his Brother with and envied him who was in the Faith and was accepted of the Lord through Faith in the Power of God I say in
this Nature he offered and was not accepted for he was in the Imitation out of the Life out of the Power in Feignedness and this was self and not the Lord that moved him The Jews in the Prophets Time who were in Cain's Nature in Envy and Maliciousness grinding the Faces of the poor and oppressing the needy and chopping them in Pieces as Flesh for the Pot they brought Sacrifices Oblations Burnt-Offerings kept Fasts Sabbaths and New Moons and all these Things and lyed swore and dealt falsly and left no room for the poor and yet they said the Lord was among them the Lord sent his Servant the Prophet to tell them the Lord was weary of them and of their Oblations why they were out of the Faith out of the Life out of the Power and Deceit lodged in their Hearts Covetousness Envy Murder Oppression and Violence as ravening Wolves hunting for their Prey the Prophets prophesied for hire their Priests bear Rule by their Means and people were one with it and liked it and loved it should be so the End of those things was Misery the Judgment of God came upon them they were scattered among their enemies their prophets slain and for their sake Sion became as a plowed Corn-field and Jerusalem a Heap and now he that offered an Ox was no more accepted then if he slew a man no more then if he blessed Chemosh Ashteroth or Baal all was Sin and to be condemned by the power out of which they were gone The Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's Time great Worshippers devout Men devout Women zealous Men for Temple Priests Tythes Dayes Sabbaths Oblations and were acting all those Things that were commanded in or about the Worship of God yet Christ said unto his Disciples Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter the Kingdom of God they might have said which at least they did in their Hearts this Man sayes he is the Son of God and yet saith and teacheth his Disciples another Righteousness then is commanded in the Law and moreover tells them Except their Righteousness exceedours they cannot enter into God's Kingdom where is there in all the Earth any better Righteousness then ours we do not as the Heathen worship Idol-gods we keep the Sabbaths and purifie our selves and pay Tythes and keep the Ordinances given by the Lord to Moses and our Fathers well these Things they were doing but they were but dead Works they were out of the Faith out of the Power and had not God's Word abiding in their Hearts from which their Power and Ability should have come to have answered the will of God here was self-righteousness although they did the outward things which were commanded of the Lord yet they were dead works their Temple left desolate worship desolate Jerusalem compassed about with Armies not one Stone left upon another which was not to be thrown down they scattered among the Heathen their Priests slain and their Oblations ceased Plagues and Judgments pursuing whithersoever they went did all those things save them from wrath all their works dead worships and self-righteousness save them were they accepted oh nay rejected a Seed of Falshood a crooked Generation an hypocritical Generation these things with many more which I could instance all shewing that Man in the Transgression of the Life of the Power whether he sinned or wrought that which he might judge was righteous yet they were but dead works Obâ—ect But some may say What sayest thou to their Generation of Ministers Preachers and Ordinances we live in a Gospel-time and are under Gospel-Ordinances and they teach that Man is redeemed by Christ from Sins past present and to come and the Ordinances that we practise now I hope you will not call them dead Works Answ. I say the Ministry in these Nations made by man's will and by the will of the Flesh and that are seeking their Gain from their Quarter and are suing Men at Law and throwing Men in Dungeons and Holes to the Loss of some mens Lives already and hundreds have been and are like to be spoiled only to uphold their greedy devouring Nature who have ravened and devoured like evening wolves some mens Estates wholly and sometimes taken ten fold the Value who raven from place to place from one end of the Land to another and into other Nations also for filthy Lucre or a greater Benefit I say they are in the Fall in the Transgression Death rules in them over them and they are Ministers of Death and never brought any to God but of them many other Brethren who are in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ have born a large Testimony which any considerate wise prudent and reasonable man may see them to be Ministers of Death demonstrated by many sound Grounds and unanswerable Arguments and the Scripture of Truth clearly bearing witness to the same and so I refer the Reader to those things and shall content my self at present in what I have said in this particular Now as to the Worship or Ordinances or Practices themselves I come unto and shall speak no otherwise of any thing then God by his eternal Light and Spirit hath made me understand in the true Ground of things else I know well how to be Silent Now this I say to all Sects Opinions and Fellowships though they be divided into many Heads or Societies man acting or performing any thing of worship Ordinance or any practice whatsoever which the Scripture declares hath been or ever was though they should do it in the same manner sutable in every Circumstance to that which others did till all or every man come to believe in the power again which man went from in the Transgression all that he doth is Self-righteousness and dead Works Preaching dead Prayer dead Baptism dead their Communion dead their Conferences dead their exhortations dead their Fasts dead their Offerings like as if one had offered a dead Beast under the Law or a Lame Lamb which had been abomination even so I say till man come to that which he hath lost in the Transgression till man find the Power the Life the Light the Messiah and feel him in them to Work move and lead guide and act all will be accounted with the Lord Self-righteousness dead Works dead Fruit and if all would examine and try they might see the Nations almost spread over with dead men in Adam and dead Works abound and coverings which God will Rent and lay all waste together false Rest imitated Forms and representations without Life I say till men come into the Power again that Adam went from and so died in that Day cannot do any thing well-pleasing to God and whosoever comes to that again passeth every step through Death and denyes himself and all Self-actions self-righteousness and must come to be bare and Naked again even as he was before he came out he and his wife were Naked and were not ashamed
Self-acting was not known now Self-will Self-worship Self-righteousness nay they moved in the Power Righteousness was their covering and as I said before there was no shame I might speak largely in this thing and truly my Tongue is the Pen of a ready writer Oh that all had an Ear to hear that their Soul might live and that every one might be unbottomed of his false rest false and feigned Hope and Faith and of his own ragged Garment and let go his Self-righteousness and his dead Works and come to Christ the Life of men again that man hath run from that so he might have Life and Peace Object But some would say That thou wouldest have all upside down anâ— unchristian the Nations and unchurch Churches and throw down all our Worship and then what should we do all would be as Heathens and turn into Atheism I say a time of fanning and sifting and trying is come when nothing shâ—ll stand but that hath the Image stamp and Character of the living God upon it and all that which hath been brought up and raised up since man hath been in the Transgression must be turned down into the Pit again and all that have got a Name of Christian and wants his Life to live among them and in them shall be scattered as Clouds with the 〈◊〉 wind and all imitated Worships and will-Worshippers and the feigneâ— Faith and the feigned Hope shall be confounded and all will-worships and Worshippers will be overturned who are not come yet to the true Light that lightens every man that comes into the World and till man comes to the Light and tryes his deeds and works by it he never sees what he is doing nor what he is working nor what he works and so all that man doth here in the unbelief it is but Sin or Self-righteousness which is brought forth by him who abode not in the Truth in the Unbelief and so who be come to the Power which was in the Beginning before Sin entered and death by Sin hath and doth measure all deeds and all works and man that is in the loss in the Fall and sees that a dead man cannot act a living work nor bring forth living Fruits unto God nor living works of Righteousness being in the Unrighteousness neither the fruits of Faith being in the unbelief neither the works of the Day being in the Night neither the works of charity being in the Enmity in a word without Christ the Power the Light the Life which was glorified with the Father before the world began I say the said it himself who is the Beginning of the Creation of God the first born of every creature he said and his Testimony will be found true without me ye can do nothing nothing that is well-pleasing to the Lord nothing that ever shall be acceptable and here is the true State of all the Earth discovered and all mankind drove out from God miserable Naked Hâ—peless Helpless Faithless and so can do nothing as to the glorifying of God his Maker or to the ordering of any thing in the Creation to his glory having lost his Dominion and God's Wisdom and this being câ—â—sidered seriously by all and brought to the Light in all and their Deeds tryed by it would make the losty bow and the Stout-hearted fear and the conceited sit down in Solitariness that they should so long deceivâ— their own Souls with a conceit of Righteousness and redemption whâ—â— as Death yet reigns in them and over them and not Life eterna 〈◊〉 the Devil is a distinct being from God and his Works are distinct anâ— his Deeds from the Works of God and neither he nor his works 〈…〉 be numbred among the works of God but he and they tha◠〈◊〉 him and fellow him who is our of the Truth they their work 〈◊〉 whâ—t â—ort soever they may seem unto men to be whose Eyes the 〈◊〉 hâ—â—h â—linded so I say all is to condemned and shut out from God's 〈…〉 â—â—rever and to be Destroyed by him who is a consuming Fire 〈◊〉 all the Righteousness of man burned as combustible stuff in 〈…〉 Aâ—d by what hath been said the Principle of that 〈…〉 become vain in their Imaginations and foolish 〈…〉 being Darkned and are seen and their Principle overthâ—â—â—â— As that Light and Darkness is one and good and Evil one and 〈◊〉 Righteousness one and Truth and a Lye one and that God is all and doth all and whatever is done is of God and that there is no Evil but to him that thinks it so and it is only a false apprehension of things and that there is no such thing as Sin and that Sin is nothing Unto all these things I might speak but the understanding Reader may by what is before written see each of these plainly declared and the true Ground of things laid down as the Spirit gave utterance and this shall at present suffice in this Matter Object But some may object further and say Will not reading the Scriptures and conforming to the practice of the Saints in the use of his Ordinances will not this make us accepted and bring us out of the Fall and make us good Christians Answ. No while Death hath dominion in man and over man and the vail over the Heart man doth not understand the Mystery of God's Kingdom neither understands the Scripture which was spoken from the Spirit of Truth or any thing of Truth as it is in Christ for none understands the things of God but by the Spirit of God so that every man that comes to have a good understanding must come to know the pure Spirit of God in him to direct him and inform him which Spirit was the Original of the Scripture for the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost without the holy Ghost in some measure be known and that which is infallible the sayings the writings the Scriptures cannot be understood because of the want of this all the Earth is run into Heads and Sects and Opinions and large Treatises and Volumes and expositions have been written and yet differing one from another and all from the Spirit and in all these particular Sects Persecuting one another and Envying one another and hating one another and would compell others to believe what they believe in what they say if they had but power and for proof of this it is most evident in the Scripture of Truth and in latter Ages since the Apostles it hath been and it is evidently seen both among the Papists and Protestants and among all them that are called the reformed Churches but all this is in the Fall and in the Transgression and in the Apostacy and is an evident token that they are all under the Power of the Beast whom makes War against the Lamb so all compellation and they that do compell are not Worshippers of the Lamb but of the Beast which is to be destroyed and cast into the Lake For the
Jews under the first Covenant had the Scriptures the good and wholsome Words of God and the Prophets and read the Law and the Prophets on the Sabbath dayes and yet the Vail was over their Hearts and though they did perform many things commanded yet they being erred from the Spirit did not understand of what the Scripture spoke nor know him nor his mind to wit Christ of whom the Scriptures spâ—ke neither were they accepted of God but reproved and Rejected by Christ himself who said they erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God doubtless they did know the words naturally and read them but the Spirit 's mind in so speaking they knew not and Jude reproves all such and said what they knew they knew naturally as â—worâ— it Beasts and in that Knowledge they corrupted themselves and therâ—foâ—e Peter well said many things were herd to be understood which the unlearned wrested they that were ignorant of the Spirit of the Father and had not learned of God who is a Spirit they I say perverted and wrested the good and wholsom Words of the Scriptures and were no more accepted of God then if they had never heard the Words nor read them at all and as for the Jews conforming to the outward Commands when the Vail was over their Hearts and their Hearts Uncircumcised these things did not make them any whit more accepted then the Heathen so the Christians since Christ's time in the Apostles days and after the Apostles dayes who held the form of Worship and the form of Godliness and the outward part of Worship and hold and retain it in that part which is above the Seed and deny the Power this no more makes a Christian inward then outward Circumcision made a Jew inward neither any of these things do recommend any unto God but are covers made and rests formed from that part which is above the Seed and so man comes to be Counselled in those things when alas he is Miserable and Naked and hath not the righteous Garment on which should make man accepted of the Father through the beloved God's Righteousness How all men upon the Earth in the degeneration and in the Fall and in the Transgression have corrupted themselves have been Idolaters in every administration being gone from the Power in which man had the Ability Power and Wisdom to Worship God aright and honour the living God of Heaven and Earth IN the State and Condition which man was created in when he was the Image of God and lived in the Power of God in which he was created he in that Power which was his Life had Wisdom and Understanding and Power to worship the living God and to glorifie his Maker the which thing I have treated on before but being gone from the Power grew in Knowledge without the Power his Thoughts became vain his Imaginations vain and his Desires earthly and corruptible and so the Creatures were worshipped in his Heart and not the Creator the Life of the Creatures and he bowed to the Creatures and they had Dominion over him and that Nature began to grow and multiply in all the Earth and that Seed that was at Enmity with God and against the Seed which is Christ and few there were that called upon the Name of the Lord in Truth and Righteousness although some yet few one in a Nation or a few in an Age nay in many Ages and men multiplyed in the Earth and Wickedness multiplied also and Idolatry and the Seed of the Serpent grew great And God saw the Wickedness of man that it was great in the Earth and that the Thoughts and Purposes and Imaginations of his heart were only evil continually Gen. 6.5 And the Earth was filled with Violence Cruelty and Oppression and the living God forgotten and not worshipped but on the contrary they followed the Imaginations of their own Hearts and bow'd down to every corruptible thing and to every Creature and did not worship the Lord God in their Hearts till the Lord was grieved at the Heart and repented that he had made man and this was before the Flood and after the Flood when the Earth was a little multiplyed Iniquity grew in the Earth and the cursed Seed sprang from Ham's Stock of whom was Nimrod the Hunter before the Lord the Beginning of his Kingdom was Babel of the which became great Idolaters and of this Seed came the Philistians who were uncircumcised who were Heathens and the Jebusites and Gargasites and the Canaanites and Hivites and their Generations were great in the Earth and they were great Idolaters and committed Idolatry with Stocks and Stones and with Brick having forgotten the Lord they began to work exploits in the Earth and to build Cities and Babel having forgot the Name of God they would have got a Name in the Earth and builded a Tower whose top might have reached to Heaven but the Lord whom they had forgot scattered them and this was the Seed of evil doers whom God scattered and drove out of Canaan who were great Idolâ—ters and gave it to Abraham who feared the Lord and to Jacob and to his Seed to possess And when Transgression grew he added a Law the Sence of God's Power and Wisdom was so lost in man and they so gone from his Wisdom that a Law was added after Israel came out of Egypt which was outward and written in Tables of Stone wherein was the Statutes and the Commands that they should only worship him and that they should not make them Gods of Gold and Silver neither the Likeness of any thing in Heaven and Earth yet nevertheless that uncircumcised Part which kept the Seed in Bondage and that corruptible earthly Nature that ruled in them made Gods like the heathen Egyptians and they made a Calf and bowed to the molten Image and forgot God and provoaked him to Anger till many of them were consumed in his sore Displeasure and tempted him and lusted and eat and drank and rose up to Play and committed Whoredoms with the Creatures and abused them and therefore the Lord sent his Prophets and rebuked them they abused the Gold and the Silver the Stone and the Wood which were good Creatures but not to make Gods of nor Images thereof nor Idols to draw away their Minds from the Lord but they in whom the Seed was not made manifest they worshipped deâ—d things and Likenesses of things which were not Life it self and so transgressed the Law acting from that Part and living in that Nature which the Law was against which was added because of Transgression to limit the Transgressor and to slay him and to bruise that under till the Seed came up that fulfils the Law but the Seed of the Serpent had so much Rule in them whom God had often delivered out of the Hands of their Enemies so that many perished Corah and many Princes and many Thousands of Israel who followed their own Inventions and were cut
nourished with the VVater of Life which is not an Element nor elementary but is caelestial and springs up in them that believe unto everlasting Life and come to be born of the Water and the Spirit and enter into God's Kingdom Dominion Power Life Wisdom Excellency and eternal Glory happy is he that believes and abides in Patience unto the End Now since the Dayes of John the Kingdom of God hath been preached and as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed and many in the Day when Christ was manifest in the Flesh believed unto whom he declared the Mind of the Father and by him was the Father glorified he fulfilled the Law and did many Works and Miracles by the Power of the Father and herein was the Father glorified and them that did believe in him their Faith was strengthned and he opened the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to his Disciples and bore witness and prophesied the Destruction of Jerusalem and of all their Worship and said No more at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but the Time was coming when they that worshipped the Father should worship him in Spirit and Truth and declared against the Pharisees Righteousness and said to his Disciples Except their Righteousness did exceed the Pharisees they could not enter the Kingdom of God and yet the Pharisees performed all the outward things commanded but were in the Idolatry and did not believe in the Life Now he declared of his Suffering many things and also how he would go away and how he would come again and would not leave them comfâ—rtless but these things were hart to be believed then by his Disciples and further he told them he must be betrayed and suffer and rise again and when the Hour was come that he was betrayed when he was with his Disciples even the same Night he was betrayed he took Bread and broke it and blessed it and said take and eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in Remembrance of me and after he took the Cup and after he had supped saying this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood as often as you drink it do it in Remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.23 24. And Matthew Mark and Luke delare the same and this was real Bread and real Wine which was a Representation of that which was to be enjoyed in the Spirit and never intended for any further thing but as a Figure or a Representation of the Bread of Life and of the Cup of Blessing which afterward they came to be Witnesses of and as oft as they eat and drank they did shew forth the Lordâ—s Death till he came Now this was practised among the Disciples after he was risen from the dead and did converse with them at many times and exhorted them and comforted them and instructed them and told them that they should be Witnesses of his Name unto the Ends of the Earth and gave them Commandment to teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and did promise to be with them to the End of the World and told how the Comforter would come and that the Father would send him in his Name even the Spirit of Truth which was with them and should be in them to be their Teacher Leader and Guide and bring all things to their Remembrance Now that which he gave them as a Figure and to be a Sign unto them of the clearer Manifestation of himself which afterward came to be fulfilled and they Witnesses of it who grew up in the pure invisible Being and did see the Mystery through the Revelation of the Spirit which did more clearly shew unto them the Mysteries within the Vail for as I said of Water it was a Sign of a good thing to come so the Bread and the Cup was also a Sign of a good thing to come as all outward Figures were but they that did believe and grew up in the Faith in the Seed Christ they came to see the Substance in whom all Figures end and had Communion with him within the Vail after he was ascended where he was before now the Apostle he spoke as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Cor. 10.15 16. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And Ver. 17. For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread mark all they that did believe though they were many yet they were one Bread and one Body and were all Partakers of that one Bread which Bread was the Flesh of Christ. Joh. 6 48. I am the Bread of Life And Joh. 6.51 I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this Bread he shall live forever and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World Now I speak unto wise men and let the Wisdom of God in them manifest judge what I say for where the Body of Christ is witnessed and the Flesh of Christ known they know that which all the Figures end in the Manna that God gave no Israel in the Wilderness they dyed that did eat thereof which was as pure a Type of the hidden Manna as lively a Type as Bread outward which was but a Type of the Flesh of Christ and both they that did eat the Manna and they that eat the Bread outward and drank the Cup outward are both dead but he that eats the Flesh of Christ and drinks the Blood lives forever and he that eats the hidden Manna hath overcome Death and lives forever and feeds upon the Bread of Life feeds upon eternal Life Now this is a Mystery to the Papists who are Idolaters who have sprung up in the Apostacy though they have Scriptures as it was to the Jews John 6.52 who strove among themselves and said how can this man give his Flesh to eat And so the Papists who strive about the Flesh of Christ and his Blood and yet have the Scriptures and they say it 's in the Bread and in the Wine after Consecration and so they worship the Imaginations of their own Hearts not discerning the Lords Body and have Killed thousands and taken away the Lives of thousands because they would not confess their Idol to be of God And the Protestants they are setting up the Bread and the Wine and contenting themselves therewith and are making an Idol of it and come not to discern the Body of Christ but one saying he hath a carnal Body and another a Fleshly Body another a Mystical Body and another sayes his Body is divided from his Members and so speak out of thick Darkness their own Imaginations and have no communion with the Body of Christ neither know the Flesh of Christ which is the Bread of Life which is given
here was Worship but it was the Beast's Worship and idolatrous Worship and the Dragon's Worship who sought to destroy the man-child which all the Angels are to worship all this Worship is in the Apostacy So let all take notice of this compelling causing forcing killing and destroying about Worship all they that so do yet are worshipping the Beast on which the Whore rides and this is that Generation who slew the Lamb and they are of the World and this is the Dragon's Brood who sought to devour the man-child and this is the Serpent's Seed and a Seed of Falshood who made War with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman through all Ages unto this Generation and so all that which is called Christendom is more or less under the Beasts Power and hath his Image even to this Day and yet some of them are professing the Saints Words and imitating their Actions who were Followers of the Lamb and kept the Faith now this that John saw as come in did grow Deceivers Anti-christs false Prophets who were before and troubled the Churches Galatia and Corinth and made Havock brought in Deceit and infected many as Coloss. Pergamus Sardis and Laodicea Rev. 3. But now all Nations were erred and gone from their Maker their Husband and did drink of the Cup of the Whore and were adulterated from the Life Faith and Power and now worshipped the Beast and the whole World went after him there was some of his Adultery Whoredom and Fornication in the Apostles Dayes and some had drunken then but now Nations Kindreds Tongues and People drunk the Cup of Fornication and now Jezabel who slew the Prophets and drunk the Blood of the Saints she reaches out her Cup Kings Merchants noble men great men Nations Kindreds Tongues and People were made drunk the man-child sought to be devoured Floods cast out after the Woman the Saints Blood drunk the World worships the Dragon and the Beast and his great Authority and wonders after him now Jezabel the VVhore who made the Nations drunk she prophesies all the Nations made drunk with her Cup of Fornication and drinks in all her false Doctrines and devised Fables now she is as a Queen now the Nations worship after a Beast ariseth she gets upon him and rides she and the Beast become one she drinks the Blood of the Saints the Beast makes VVar compels kills being of one mind with the VVhore none to buy or sell but they that have his Mark or his Name or at least some of the Number of his Name and who were not defiled were killed or sought to be killed this is since the Apostles Dayes So now we have found the Whore her Beginning in the Apostacy having lost the Faith and Power that the Saints were in we have found out the Rise of the Beast in the Apostacy since the Apostles that all the World wondred after and worshipped Now Rome we have found thy Foundation and the Beginning of thy Rise and see how thou art elevated we have thee and all that sprang out of thy Stock and Root betwixt this time and the Apostles and we read beyond thee though thou boast thy self of Antiquity and glory in thy Councils and Convocations for thy Proof we have sounded thy Bottom I have thee and all the Apostates sprang from thee betwixt me and the Apostles the Anti-christs false Prophets Deceivers false Apostles they began they laid thy Foundation who went out from the Apostles and denyed the Cross of Christ and the Power of God and the Apostle prophesied of their Increase here thy visible Members began to gather and they went out into the World and the World received them according to Christ's Saying out of the Light out of the Power out of the Faith out of the Life that the holy men of God were in being ravened from the Spirit whored from the Life they went out in an outward Dress had a Shew a Form of Godliness the Nations received the Cup and Kings of the Earth the Nobles and the mighty men thou boasts of they drank of thy Cup and were inflamed with Adultery after thee and then the Nations over which the Whoredoms spread Kindreds Dominions Tongues Nations and Peoples became Fornicators all became as a Sea rolling tossing foming raging casting up Mire and Dirt unstable reeling then the Kings the great men thy Nobles who were Rulers over the People being drunk with the Nations Cup of Fornication they sprang up as a great Beast with so many Heads and Horns and their Teeth became as Lyons their Feet as Bears and then thou begannest to ride in the Nations and to sit as a Queen then thou associatedst they drunken Fornicators together then thou began to usurp Authority and sitedâ—t as Judge over the Heritage of God and of the Saints of the Apostles and of them that kept the Testimony of Jesus then thou beganedst to kill and destroy and suck the Blood of the Saints and to be drunk with it and then thy Kings whom thou callest Converts and Christians having drunkken thy Cup they formed Laws and made Laws to guard thy Whoredoms and Adulteries and Idolatries then thy became they Executioners and what thou saidst was good the Beast maintained and what thou condemnedst by thy Councils for Heresie they became Executioners of then came in compelling to worship by the Beast that rose out of the Sea and then thou cryedst Hereticks and condemnedst the just and then thou got'st a Cover thou wouldst not kill but the Beast must upon whom thou ridest then if there were any that kept their Virginity and the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which was in the Apostles Dayes then thou condemnedst them for Hereticks then the Beast compelled and caused to worship but if they would not bow to his Image then thy Merchants cry up they despise Governours and Rulers when thy Doctrine and thy Lawes are corrupt then the Beast must kill then he blasphemes the God of Heaven and his Tabernacle and then thou sayedst thou killest none but the Beast must upon which thou rides and shall have a whole Council to confirm it to be lawful and now thou call'st thy self the Catholick and Apostolical Church and thy Seat the Apostolical Chair and the Rulers and Leaders Defenders of the Faith Nay we find thee contrary to the primitive Church and thy Seat and Chair is raised up since and thy Bed of Whoredoms made since and the Kings and Rulers in thy Dominions are become Defenders of thy Idolatries and VVhoredoms and are indeed the Beast that makes VVar with the Saints and hath prevailed and Truth overcome but he is risen who is able to make VVar with the Beast and to take the VVhore and to burn her Flesh with fire for he is able to judge her and the Beast's VVeapons and thine are carnal but the Lamb's and the Saints are spiritual and so thy Doctrine and Practice is quite another thing patched Stuff some brought in from the
but it called it self by the best Name as for the Priests of Scotland their Doctrine and Practice is made manifest and their Reformation by their Principles which I refer the Reader to intituled The Principles of the Priests of Scotland their Reformation and discipline is nearly related to the Spanish Inquisition for their Doctrine they say Grace is not free and Faith is not without Sin and the Letter is the word of God and that they are Cursed that say there is Light within which will lead up to God and as one said although it meant Christ and if any will not submit to their words and conform to their Practice and Traditions then they call a Counsel together as their fore-fathers at Trent and pronounce him a Heretick and within these few Years Banished them or else took their whole substance outward from them and if any out of Conscience could not submit unto their Invented Tradition then if he ever came to have any converse with them again he must have a Pennance before he could get an Indulgence from them like the Pope and furthermore if any deny them because they are out of the Doctrine of Christ and are contrary to the Scripture then as I said they Excommunicate them and charge all People neither to buy nor sell nor eat nor drink with them nor work for them and so the Beasts Power is exercised compelling to come to their Mass-houses and as for the denying the Bishops then you have denyed your Fathers that begat you and Ordained you then you have no Ordination but may be you have Cryed so for setling your Gospel you have got a Committee to ordain you or one Company to lay Hands on another but when receive ye the holy Ghost Oh that is an error in your Church but are not you got into the old Cathedrals so called and into the Steeple-houses and the old Mass-houses and where you had may be 20 Pounds or Forty in the Year now you have gotten a Hundred it may be two here 's Reformation indeed well we must needs remember you of your race and Stock the Apostates since the Apostles dayes and the former Practices which is found among the old Protestants and Papists is among you and you are still Drunk with the whore's Cup and are crying for Cain's Weapons to guard you well I say you are part of the Dragon's Tail that draws to the Earth and to the Pit which will be the end of all Idolaters and Apostates except they come to Repent And as for the Independants Churches so called you are a Branch of the same Root you have declared against the Bishops and court Prelates and said they were in error and many of you declared against them for Pluralists because they had too great Benefits and declared against Tythes as to be Anti-christian and whoso received Tythes denyed Christ come in the Flesh who are wheeled about and now take them your selves and Creep into the old Mass-houses and have taken that up which you condemned in others and so have made your former Testimony void and all sober People see your Hypocrisie and Deceit who have gathered a company together which you call Select People or Members of your Church and you exclude the rest who have as good right to your Ordinance as you for they profess Christ in Words as you do And yet you will receive their means whom you judge not capable of your Ordinance and your Church will no more maintain you then it would maintain them that you have denyed in Words if you had not the Beasts Power to compel your Vineyard would Starve you your Gospel and your Preaching is one with the former and the People is the same in Nature they were before you have got Bishops Lands Augmentations and Stipends more large then your fore-fathers had for the most part and sue Men at the Law and hale them before Judgments Seats and take away their Goods whom you loook upon to be in error yet this stands as good with you as any Article of your Faith to force to compel to Sue to hale into Prison to take away their Goods and get a Scripture for your Cover and say He that Preacheth the Gospel must live of the Gospel and them that neither hear you nor receive you neither believe your Gospel yet you conclude it 's lawful to take their Goods and if you cannot get them hale the party into Prison are not you drinking still the Whore's cup and do not you follow the Beast and do not you own that Law to be Just that compels People to pay Money to you who deny your Ministry and are none of your Sheep and are not your Ordinances and Worship Imitated Things from the Scripture the Saints words and yet out of their Life and Practice are not you in the Apostacy have you not your Profession and Confession of Faith to make year after year as the Magistrate changes doth not this Evidence that you are Unstable and are yet in the Waters upon which the whore Sits and situated in Babylon the Mother of Harlots who yet makes you Drunk and that makes all the Filth and Vomit appear in the Earth that Stains the Earth and your Idols corrupt the Earth all Separates under what Name soever who have not denyed the Ground of Apostacy but are in the Apostacy for all Sects since the Apostles dayes have taken up some part and left another since the Life hath been lost and the Power lost all hath been in the Idolatry and the Protestants who have denyed the Papists yet they have not denyed them in the Ground of their worship but have retained some part and have kept some part of their worship and all Sects sprung out of the Protestants in them all there is some part remaining for they have not denyed the Ground of the worship set up in the Apostacy the Whore's cup is Drunk of and the Dragon hath Power which sought to destroy the man-Child and made war with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman who was Clothed with the Sun you all stick yet in Babylon and the best of you all are but yet in the Suburbs thereof For since the Apostles dayes their Foundation hath been either Traditions Imitations Inventions of their own or Borrowed things from the Jews in the first Covenant or at the best the Letter hath been the ground of their Faith and their Foundation which they have twined and translated this way and that according to the wit and Reason of every particular Sect and Opinion and according to the understanding of their private Spirits now all these buildings and Towers that mâ—n have builded up in the Apostacy they would fasten upon the writings of the holy men of God and so have raised an Imagination of their own and so would have the Scripture prove what they say and the writings of the Apostles theâ— all call the Gospel and the word of Faith and the Light
though he had been a Block or a Stone altogether insensible Shameless men and full of Impudency and Hard-heartedness in whose Hearts there is no Remorse nor Fear of God witness your cutting off the Ears of John Copeland Christopher Holder and John Rous men fearing God and as well educated as your selves and for no Transgression at all of any Law of God neither of any of your own but when you had none that could reach to be a Cover for your Cruelty you go into the nethermost Hell to invent Laws Christians are ashamed of and all sober People detest it and so let your Actions bear witness to your Faces and let all sober People judge who are in the Malignity and who are Slayers of the Witnesses And these Quakes by open Profession thou say'st tend to ruin all Christian Society compassing Sea and Land to that End Thou vomitest out thy Rage and castest up Mire and Dirt like a raging Wave but thy Bond is set that which the Quakers profess tendeth to the uniting all that believe unto Christ and one unto another in Love and Unity and Peace in Meekness Long-suffering and Patience but all such Societies that thou art of who art associated with Death and Hell and in Confederacy with all the Army of the Beast who is full of Rage Venome Insolency and Wickedness whose Heart is set on Fire of Hell which makes all this Flame and Smoak ascend out of the Pit where thou and the rest are associated with the Residue and have your dwelling-Place And thou say'st Their Religion is to speak Rebellion and Sedition in the Presence and to the Face of Authority God will confound thy lying Lips and bridle thy deceitful Tongue and cause Sorrow to fill thy Heart in the Day of his righteous Judgments for all thy hard Speeches false Accusations slanderous Words all sober People in England Scotland and Ireland know thee to be a Lyar All People in every Sect have been Stirrers up of Parties and have in one thing or other striven to rebell against that Power which hath gone about to limit them in their Ends but the People scornfully reproached called Quakers have born all have suffered under all in Patience and have let many Floods go over them and many Waves compass them and yet have rested in Patience knowing that it is better to suffer Wrong then do Wrong though I tell thee the Quakers so called might more justly in the three Nations claim Property and Liberty for the Exercise of their pure Consciences and also their Persons and Estates then any other People in the three Nations besides for they are they that have stood by the Authority in time of greatest Danger in time of the Bishops when Persecution was the greatest which you like Cowards fled from they staid in the midst of it hearing their Testimony against the gross Ignorance of them who exercised Lordship over the Heritage of God in that time and also in the late Wars in the three Nations there are few of them but have joyned with them that cryed up Reformation and seemed to seek after righteous things and their Fidelity to righteous Government Magistracy and Ministry is manifest to all unbiassed Spirits and though now at last when we expected free Liberty for the Exercise of our Consciences and Preservation of our Persons and Estates which had been a just Recompence for all our sore Tryals Travails and Labours but behold a Troop of Robbers have laboured to nip and spoil the Plant of Renown which God is bringing forth and have made Havock of our Estates and cry up the Powers of the Earth to stand by them for their own Ends only to maintain their covetous greedy Practices behold the Priests of these Nations they are now as they have been in former Generations Fomenters of Mischief Stirrers up of Sedition and Patronizers of Rebellion and seeking to make Parties to hold up their Deceit and call upon Authority to persecute and tell the Magistrates they ought to do so and teach them to abuse their Power to the provoaking of the Wrath of God against a Nation or People And thou say'st In the Presence of Authority they labour to make the Magistrate to be a Man of Blood Thou ignorant man who hast lost thy natural Reason will a Magistrate who is become a man of Blood become advantagious to us But rather have not we suffered And would not you be counted bloody Magistrates then cease your shedding of Blood your whipping your beating your burning and stigmatizing and cutting off Ears for else your own Actions have and will evidence and demonstrate you to be men of Blood and you will be recorded amongst the blood-thirsty and cruel Persecutors and you can expect nothing from the Hand of God but severe Destruction And thou say'st They encourage People against lawful Authority not regarding their Lives so they may attain their Ends. Would you be counted lawful Authority what Sword of God hath authorized you to turn your Sword against the innocent and upright and many love not their Lives to the Death to finish their Testimony against the Dragon and his Power the Beast and his Authority which would compell all both great and small to worship him and were you not blind you might see that you are his Followers and not the Lamb's Followers Thou say'st Was there ever State so bereaved of Reason as to suffer such Things the Honour of God the Safety of Religion the Peace of the Country invaded by these Emissaries of Satan You are that State that is bereaved of Sense and bereaved of Reason who think to defend your Religion by Clubs and Staves Caâ—n's Weapons and think to bring Honour to God by killing his Servants and defacing his Workmanship which he hath made and are amongst the Pharisees recorded who thought they did God Service when they went about to kill his Members and are not your thoughts the same you blind and slow of Heart to believe And shall not the Magistrate be as confident to punish as they to offend capitaâ—â— What is the Offence you had no Law till you had made one to saâ—â—â—fie your wicked End and your insatiable Cruelty and though you 〈◊〉 be confident that this will stop the spreading of the Truth of God over 〈◊〉 Earth you shall know ye Potsherds your Confidence will fail and Truth shall go over you Hills as a Flood At this Time thou say'st we have twelve Quakers in Prison in Boston To thy Shame be it spoken who give such Entertainment to Strangers and to Men of your own Nation you are far from Abraham's Spirit and Jacob's or Job's Spirit who opened his Door to the Travailer and entertained the Stranger and you are out of the Law of God who commanded to entertain Strangers and were not you once Sâ—râ—ngers in that Land and do you thus requite the Lord for his Kindness as to shut them up in Holes and Dens and Caves and Pharaâ—h-like have
World who is a sufficient Saviour Leader Guider and Director of all they that do believe into all Truth and he treads the Wine-press alone and there 's none besides him but thou art climb'd up into the Judgment-seat and say'st Let us see what this Light is and so thou gives Judgment and despiâ—â—â— him like Herod and his men of War that set him at nought and so upon thy Examination and judgment thou hast concluded it Natural Rom. 1.19 22. yet thou sayest it will discover God and then contradictest what thou hast said and saist That it was hard for them to find out the true God by it and bringst a Proof when they knew God they Glorified him not as God but became Vain in their Imaginations c. It 's yet a Question that may be asked thee By what Nature they knew God and did the things contained in the Law seeing the Law is Just and good and Holy and the fault was not in that which led them to know God but in that which led them to become vain in their Imaginations and not to glorifie him as they knew him and so their foolish Hearts came to be Darkned and so thou art one in thy judgment with him whom I met with of late who said The Light which every man was enlightned withal would lead to know God and teach a man that he should not do to others but what and that he would have others do to him it would lead from Lying and Stealing and discover the Creator and God's Omnipotency and Eternity and yet said this Light was to be understood in Opposition to the Light of the Spirit and contradistinct to the Spirits Light And after he had confessed that it would teach all these good things aforesaid he said it was Darkness yea worse then Gross Darkness And so thou Concludest and sayest We should never have known or believed the Covenant of Grace or that we should be born again had not God revealed them to us by the Scriptures Thou runs too fast to lay a good Foundation by what Scripture did God reveal to Adam The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's head or by what Scripture did Moses see Christ for he must needs see him before he could follow him and what Scripture did reveal unto Abraham Christ and his day wherein he rejoyced And so he that did reveal doth reveal and will reveal Christ the Covenant of Grace and the New Birth by what way as he pleaseth according to his Power notwithstanding all thy limiting And thou sayest To say that every one that comes into the World is lighted with the Light of the Spirit is the falsest thing that can be for then every Heathen hath the Light of the Spirit who never somuch as heard or knows whether there be a Christ or Spirit and thou bringst Ephes. 4.18 that the Gentils understandings were Darkned being Alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that was in them and sayest surely these men were not Born without a Light It is very like that I must be Registred in the Calender as a Blasphemer or a Heretick but however I must not heed that but must indure Reproaches and suffer contradictions from such as thou who call'st the Letter the Light the Letter the Word and the Letter the Gospel as all along in thy Paper is clearly manifest thou contendest for it and so thou art like to condemn and dissallow of the Light in all men in every man or in any man but however thou hast given Judgment That it is the falsest thâ—ng that can be that every one is lighted with the Light of the Spirit And why is it the falsest thing that can be Thou wilt confess that every one is lighted with the Light of Christ and where didst thou learn that great distinction betwixt Christ's Light and the Spirit 's Light we do not say that the Light in every man doth discover Christ unto every man thaâ— cometh into the World but that the Light of Christ waited in believed in and received would discover Christ unto every man is owned the fault is not in the Light but in him that loves it not whoâ—e deeds are Evil and seeing that God is no respecter of Persons Why may not the Heathen and the Gentiles have the Light of Christ or the Light of the Spirit seeing that he who is the Light of the World is given for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles and to the Heathen whose Eyes are blind to open their Eyes and to open their understandings seeing that both Jew and Gentile are concluded under Sin and there is no difference And if he be not given to the Gentiles or Heathen for a Covenant of Light as well as to the Jew how is it said He is rich unto all is he the God of the Jews and not of the Gentiles also Rom. 2.29 seeing that they that believe in the Light are justified both the Circumcision and Uncircumcision and in Rom. 4.7 8 9. Cometh this blessedness upon the Circumcision only or upon the Uncircumcision also so that it 's evident that Christ the Covenant of Light and Life the Gift of Righteousness who is come into the World for this end that all through him might believe that whoso believeth and receiveth the gift of Righteousness Justification cometh upon all and he who is the Gift of God and Covenant of Light is a propitiation for the Sin of the whole World and the World is taken in Opposition to believers and yet he is come a Light into the World to Convince the World of Sin and of Righteousness and Judgment and them which thou callst Heathens and Gentiles who had not the Law were accused or Convicted which is the Operation of the Spirit compare Rom. 2.14 15. with John 16.8 9. That which was in the Gentiles did accuse or convict them this Christ called the Spirit which Convinced and convinceth Unbelievers And hath not the Grace of God that brings Salvation appeared to all men And who art thou that makest Exceptions and though the Gentiles or Heathen do not know Christ or the Spirit by the Name of Christ and the Spirit yet knowing that which accuseth and excuseth that which Condemneth and Justifieth they have the thing and though the Ephesians being Alienated and Darkned it was not because of the insufficiency of the Light or the Measure of his Spirit but because they were Alienated from it and stangers to it and I say nay these men were not born without Light neither was the Blindness of their Hearts because of its insufficiency but because they loved it not but hated it and so became Alienated and Darkned For sayest thou VVhere the Spirit is there are the Fruits of the Spirit I say the Spirit may be where it is striven against or resisted and gainsayed and there appear little Fruits yet notwithstanding the Spâ—rit hath its Operation in all Believers and Convincement and Reproâ—f is as
cast into the Lake and all those tyranous cruel wicked changeable murderous Laws which he hath made and forced upon Men to uphold the Power of his Dominion shall be trodden under Foot and be had in Contempt and Dishonour by all the Followers of the Lamb who is gone out conquering and to conquer and shall subdue his Enemies and overcome them and slay the wicked by the Sword that proceeds out of his Mouth And Oh what a Havock hath the Devil made in the Earth since the Dayes of the Apostles since he hath got the Form of Godliness and hath transformed himself into all outward Appearances of Worship and Anti-christ hath been exalted above the true God in the Earth and hath turned Christian in Name and hath preached Christ in Words and hath covered himself with the Sheeps Clothing the outside that he might not appear as he is an Enemy to the Power and Life of the true God that so he might deceive and hath deceived Thousands for since the Dayes of the Apostacy that the Power and the Life hath been lost the Devil and Anti-christ have turned Law-makers and Law-givers and Law-executors and Rulers of Nations and Kingdoms have made Spoil in the Nations under that Name of higher Power nay further Anti-christ hath turned Church-Member nay Church-Officer Preacher and a great Ordinance-man a Preacher a Prayer a Singer a Baptizer a Worshipper of the strictest sort in the Nations and hath taken up the visibles Actions and Practices of the Disciples Apostles Ministers and Believers so far as they have been outward and now in these things and by this stolen cover deceives Peoples and opposes the true Christ and his Life and Power and coming in the Spirit and yet notwithstanding all this large Philactary and long and large Garment yet the in-side is Devilish Hellish Murderous Cruel ravenous and devouring And who will but look back and take a view from the Beginning of the Devil's Kingdom until Christ was manifest in the Flesh shall finde these things true that under the Name of higher Power and under the Name of Holy Church he hath destroyed the Naâ—iâ—ns and hath laid waste God's Heritage and hath defaced his Image and destroyed his Workmanship and hath laid all the Blame upon the Righteous Seed and condemned them for Evil-doers for not being subject to Authority for Law-breakers and for Seditious and Tumultuous and for Heresie and Errour and Blasphemy and as Ungodly for all the Righteous Prophets and Believers in former Time were Judged and suffered as Ungodly in the Account of the Devil and his Agents as though he and his Instruments had been the greatest Friends of God and of Believers And who will but view the Scriptures of Truth from the manifesting of Christ in the Flesh till his Ascention and also afterward may see that the Devil under the Name of higher Power and under the Name of Authority hath made Spoil and Havock of men and their Estates and hath killed and destroyed the Just as Evil-doers and have exacted upon the Righteous by wicked Impositions and Cruel corrupt Laws made to uphold his Authority which standeth in Darkness And the false Church under the Name of a Holy Church hath sentenced them as Blasphemers as Erronious and as Enemies to God who kept his Commands and did the Will of our Heavenly Father as the blind Jews in their ignorance judged Christ as a Blasphemer and as an Enemy to the Law and Crucified him and Persecuted the Apostles and put them in Prison as Seditious and Tumultuous and as Pestilent and assaulted the House of Jason and beat and abused Scourged and Whipped them with Stripes and loaded them with Reproaches and haled them before Magistrates and Rulers and falsely accused them and followed them from place to Place and stirred up the ruder sort and cryed out Help men of Israel for they turn the World upside down and so Persecuted them from City to City as Evil-doers And after the dayes of the Apostles when there was a defection made from the Faith and the Power was denyed and lost yet the Form retained then Mystery Babylon began to rise and the Murderous City began to be builded and the Nations to drink of her Fornication and swallowed down her deceit Then began the Nations to be Waters and Kindreds and Tongues to reel to and fro Then all became as a Sea with Waves and Boisterous then the Beast rose out of it and he got the Name of Authority and higher Power and then turned against the Righteous and made Laws in the wicked Nature that all that would not be subject to him must be killed and they were Killed under the Name of Evil-doers for that Title they must bear and both the Beast the first and the second with the Mother of Harlots shed the Blood of the Saints as Erronious Seditious Blasphemous all this long Night of Anti-christ's Reign they that keep the Testimony of Jesus have been Killed Destroyed Persecuted some as being Enemies to the Higher Power and some as Law-breakers and Seditious and some as Erronious and Dangerous so these many hundred Years hath the Devil been exalted and Anti-christ advanced under the Name of Christ and under this Title have killed and wasted the Creatures and destroyed the Creation by the Name of Higher Power and by the Name of Holy Church and by the Name of Christians hath devoured and destroyed Thousands by Cruel Deaths Tortures Blood-shed Fining Prisoning Hailing to Prison Whipping Scourging the Righteous as Malefactors and Evil-doers them that were dear in the eyes of the Lord and were not defiled with the Abominations of the times and all them that bore Testimony to Righteousness were condemned for Unrighteous and censured as evil-doers and thus in short all may see how the Devil hath disguised himself and transformed himself into the likeness of Truth as an asserter of Righteousness and a Vindicator of Holiness and so hath deceived the Nations and led them into Blindness that he might hold up his Kingdom and Government in the Earth and that he might be Worshipped and Honoured above the True and living God and who hath but taken a view of the Ecclesiastical Histories of the affairs of things since the Apostacy may clearly see that great and many have been the sufferings of the Righteous by this Generation of Evil-doers who have got the Name of Higher Power and also of Holiness and so have turned against the Saints and faithful Witnesses of God who lived in the Life and Power thereof and have shed their Blood and made Havock and Spoil of God's Heritage and have destroyed his Workmanship and have made the Hearts of the Righteous sad whom God never made sad But what need I go backward to Ages and Generations past to demonstrate this when our Age and Generation bringeth forth so many and sad Evidences of these things which if the Sufferings and sad Persecutions were summed up of these seven Years last past
in England a larger Volumn might be made then hath been in many Years past and yet this Spirit which hath made them suffer hath pretended more Righteousness then before both in that which is called Church and State but the devilish Enmity of that which would be call'd the higher Power hath been such which hath transcended the cruel Actions of the Beast in former Dayes under the Name of Holiness and Propagation of Gospel and Religion the Power of Godliness hath been despised and them that have walked and lived in it have been set at nought and persecuted imprisoned whipped scourged afflicted and tormented and have been killed all the day long but many of them who have been the Actors of these Cruelties they are sunk as a stone into the Sea and God hath overturned that Horn and broke it off although it exalted it self high a while and reigned one Hour with the Beast in compelling forcing the Righteous by their wicked Instructions unrighteous Decrees But Reader if thou wilt hear the Beast's Judgment the Harlot's Censure they will tell thee This hath been done only to that People who were not subject to the higher Power nor to the Faith of the holy Church and therefore though they have been afflicted and have suffered yet it was not for well-doing but for Evil and so it is just upon them and that as hath been done it hath been for the Glory of God and for the Peace of the Nation but the greatest Deceiver never wanted a Cover nor the greatest Transgression an Excuse to hide its Deceit And now when the Lamb hath appeared to make War in the Earth with the Beast his Followers Gog Magog gather together all the Powers of Darkness with their whole Strength are mustered up to withstand and the Dragon Beast Whore and false Prophet all joyn in one Battel to resist to keep their Kingdom Reader thou canst not be ignorant of the War that is begun in England and the Battel hath been hot for a short time and though the Oppression hath been great upon the Beast and the Whore's Party yet their Power is weakened and their Strength more feeble for the Lamb prevails and his Followers shall overcome although the Way by which he and they overcome even by Suffering the VVorld will not own yet happy are they who love not their Lives unto the Death and that do suffer the spoiling of their Goods for his Names sake and his Truth 's sake their Reward shall be great And now Reader thou shalt see what Rage the Devil is in who hath got the Name of higher Power and the Mother of Harlots who goes under the Disguise of holy Church in America of the Dragon's Power thou hast heard in New-England how he hath compelled or at least would compel all to be subject unto him or else would kill banish and destroy and lay waste all that will not bear his Image and receive his Mark and the Harlot which is decked there she hath shed the Blood of the Saints because they would not drink her Cup of Fornication so seek to destroy and to lay waste the Heritage of God and to root out the Righteous and all they have done unto the dear Servants of the Lord must go upon the Account of Evil doing and â—o the Seed of Evil-doers thou may'st see is one in their VVorks in their Judgment in their Practice in all Generations And the Indians whom they judge to be Heathen exceeded in Kindness in Courtesie in Love in Mercy unto them who were Strangers altogether unto them and not of their Nation nor People which is a Shame to the mad rash Rulers of Mariland that have acted so barbarously to their own People and them that came to visit them in the Name of the Lord that instead of receiving them and the tender Visitation of God's Love wholly rejected them and made Order after Order and VVarrant after VVarrant for prisoning banishing and whipping of them who came unto them in the Name of the Lord in such Heat they were that I have seen fifteen VVarrants out against one Man in a little Time and in one Province the which I shall not trouble the Reader with all which VVarrants are for taking of one Man and the Accusations or Things laid to his Charge the same as that the old Enemy of God used to accuse withal dangerous to their Province and destructive to their Church a seditious Person and a Blasphemer and so though none of these Things were true yet he must suffer with the rest who stood in God's Counsel and did his VVork and testified of him all that hath been done must go upon the Account of Evil-doing And thus the Devil hath holden up his Kingdom in all Ages by laying Things to the Charge of them that did the VVill of the living God that thereby he might cover himself and that People who are in Ignorance might believe they suffered as Evil-doers that so he might keep his Kingdom in Peace and all People subject unto his Power of Darkness And Oh what Havock and Spoil have these Rulers in Mariland made upon their own People and their own Inhabitants in a short Time what fining Force have they used what Spoil have they made of many poor Peoples Goods and how have they exceeded in Cruelty and what torturing and prisoning and whipping and scourging have they made not only of Strangers whom they ought to have received and entertained especially seeing they sought not themselves but the Good of them all and their Country but also upon their Inhabitants And how have they grinded the Faces of the poor and instead of protecting them in that Province and saving them from VVrong have themselves been the chief Instruments of doing them Harm and wronging them and oppressing them and yet not for Evil-doing it may be for not doffing a Hat or because they cannot learn to be swift to shed Blood and these are become so great Crimes in these Mens Sight that five or seven or ten Pounds or more which are great Sums among poor People will not satisfie for such Offences as they look upon them But what have they no weightier Matters to call Councils about but to make Laws and Orders in their proud envious Nature to fine them who cannot flatter nor complement these are no Rulers for God but for the Beast and and in his Power they act and have done all these wicked Things for which the Lord God will plead with them when he riseth in his Power to make the Mountains melt and to shake terribly the Earth and plead the Cause of the Poor who have no Helper in the Earth and yet this would be counted a lawful Authority and the higher Power whose VVorks demonstrate them to be from the lowest Pit of utter Darkness and their VVorks to be VVorks of Death and Darkness and the God of the World having so blinded there mens Eyes
of the true Church and so came the Nations to be Cheated then she reached forth her Golden Cup of Fornication her fair out-side to the Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and they were made Drunk and there they Stumbled Reeled and Staggered till at last they became all like a Sea like Waters which swell and roar and Foam and stand at no stay take notice of this here was the false Church's Foundation laid in the Waters upon this was the fear of the Mother of Harlots which John saw fourteen hundred Years ago but the Foundation of the true Church which was before this was Planted in Christ in the Apostles dayes and was builded upon the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World upon Christ the Power of God the Corner-Stone the Rock of Ages and the Members of her Body which were Elect and Precious a few at Corinth at Jerusalem at Asia at Antioch at Colos Ephesus and other places who believed and were changed into their Hearts by the word of God which the Ministers of Christ preached which was in their Hearts and them who came to be established in the Truth in Meekness Patience Long-suffering who walked together in Love to wit in the Love of God which was shed abroad in their Hearts became a Habitation for God through the Spirit and Christ was the Head of this Body and ruled over it and in it and by him were they led and were subject to him who was their Husband and Shepherd Who preserved them and ordered and provided for them Who gave unto them the Bread and Water of Life and reached unto them the Cup of Salvation and Blessing whereby they came to be Nourished and grew in Wisdom and Knowledge Obedience and Subjection and in the Power and in the Dominion so were more then Conquerers thorow him that was their Law-giver King Judge and Saviour and these as I have said came to know the Truth Christ in their Hearts ruling and this was the seat of the true Church And herein is the true Church of God and her Seat and Members manifested and the false Church her Seat and Members manifested the one upon the Rock the other upon the Sand the one in the Life the other on the Words without Life the Seat of the one amongst those that were established in the Truth who bore the Image of Christ and did walk in Love and the Seat of the other was in the Waters and upon the Waters and upon unstable Minds and upon them that were in Cain's Way and the Seat of the one upon them and among them who had received freely of the Lord and Ministred freely out unto others of that which they had received but the Seat of the other upon them and among them that went in Balaam's Way who were greedy of filthy Lucre and followed after Gifts and Rewards the Seat of the one upon and among them who had submitted unto the teachings of God's holy Spirit in them the Seat of the other upon them and among them who had Erred from the Spirit and Quenched it and cryed Revelations were ceased who went in Corah's Way in the Gain-saying and resisting of the Holy Ghost the one upon them that were in the Power of God the other upon them who had the Form but denyed the Power the one among them who were the Servants of Righteousness the other amongst them whose Throats were as an open Sepulchre whose Feet were swift to shed Blood and Eyes full of adultery who could not cease from Sin the one among them who took up the daily Cross of Christ and denyed themselves and the other among them who followed their own Wayes and not the Cross of Christ but denyers of it the one amongst them who were Crucified to the Flesh and the deeds thereof the other among them that were alive in the Flesh and following the Affections and Lusts thereof So much more I might say according to the Wisdom given of the Lord but by what hath been said herein you may see the differences betwixt the true Church of God and the Mother of Harlots betwixt Jerusalem which is above a Mystery and the Mystery of Babylon and betwixt The Bride of the Lamb's Wife and the Harlot that hath run from her Husband and the differences of the Members of each Body and the differences between each Seat made manifest by their Effect and Fruits which is brought forth by each sort so read your selves whether you are in the Apostacy or out of the Apostacy whether of the Members of Christ and of his Body or of Anti-christ and so Members of the Harlot and of her Body to the Measure of God's Spirit in all your Consciences as you take heed to it will give you a true Understanding And so when these Waters Nations Tongues Kindreds and Peoples came to be drunken with the Cup of Fornication not only the Common sort of People but also the Kings the Captains and Nobles were polluted amongst all these professing Christians who had the Name of being Christians but are not arose the great Scarlet coloured Beast who had the Names of Blasphemy written in hâ—s forhead with seven Heads and ten Horns Perfect cruelty and great Strength who compelled all to Worship him and here was the Beginning of earthly Powers who came to meddle and compel in Spiritual Matters and the Kings of the Earth gave their Aid force and Strength to the Beast who compelled all both great smal whose Names were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life to Worship him and he Killed the Saints and Persecuted them which kept the Testimony of Jesus and the Word of God and the false Church which had laid her Foundation and sate as a Queen got upon the Beast and travelled in the greatness of his Strength made War against the free-Woman the Lamb's Wife made her flee into the Wilderness for two times and a half and all this was since the Apostles dayes that so now they that boast of Visibility and Universality alwayes since the Apostles dayes by this Argument they overthrow themselves for that which hath alwayes been so Visible in Power Force and Strength and so Universality seen and spread over all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People cannot be the Church of Christ for she hath been in the Wilderness and Christ the Head of his Church the Body compelleth none by carnal Weapons to Worship the Lord but he that takes hold of the Sword shall Perish by the Sword and he said again Love your Enemies do good to them that hate you and Pray for them that Persecute you and this is he who is the higher Power unto whom all Power is given both in Heaven and Earth and unto him the Spouse is subject and the Body is subject and they fear him and Honour his holy Name for he is worthy to be Praised and to receive all Honour Glory and Strength forever But the Beast compelleth all who
worshipping falsly he is to this Day under the Anti-christian Reign who hath exalted himself and sets himself in the Temple of God and sits as Judge thereof that which belongs only to the Lord 's Christ and so intrenches upon the Soveraignity which belongs to Christ the King of Righteousness and such will do Violence to the Subjects of Christ's Kingdom Therefore all Kings Princes and Potentates of the Earth who profess the Name of Christ Jesus cast off those heavy Yoaks which the false Church and Harlot have perswaded you to put your Necks in only to raise her City and to put off her Merchandize and to make the Church of the free Woman the Church of Christ suffer and this above all Things hath brought great Detriment and Hurt unto you Princes and People of Germany for they have been led by a blind Zeal to do that which they have been perswaded unto by her which hath sate as a Queen and as the Lady of Kingdoms and a Mistress over God's Houshold to do that which hath provoaked the Lord against them whereby their Dominions have been rent from them and many of the dear Lambs have causelesly suffered and many of their Subjects have been evily entreated and some have been put to Death so thereby have lost the Hearts of the People by such Actings only to satisfie the blood-thirsty Mind of her that hath drunk the Blood of the Saints Therefore ye Kings and Princes of the Earth and Emperours and all People who have been beguiled through the falshood and Sorceries of this false Church who have Drunk of her Cup of Fornication and have given your Strength and Power to the Beast and so have wrought their Works and not the Lord's shake off the Yoak from off your Necks and draw back your Authority and Power that you have given to the Beast who hath Killed and compelled all to Worship him and all People to buy the Whore's Sorceries shake off her Inchantments and Witch-crafts and intanglements and stand upon your own Legs and come to wait upon the Lord and upon the Light of the Lord which you are lighted withal that so you may answer God's End and rule for the Lord and keep Peace among all People under your Dominions and then it will be easier for you to do that when you leave all men's Consciences free to the Lord and every man to that of God in him according to which every man must be judged and then People will be more ready to obey your just Commands which are for Peace and Prosperity which are for the welfare of a Nation and Country for since the Apostles dayes the Apostacy hath come and covered them and many People have been forced into a Worship and unto Services and unto a Religion by outward compulsary Laws and by the outward Sword and great Penalties and Imprisonments if not subject to their Commands and all this hath come up since the Apostles and spread it self over Kindreds Tongues and Nations in the mid-Night of Darkness have many Countryes been vassaled and this I testifie you all that this is no true Christian Religion nor in Christ's way search diligently and read through the Writings of the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive time and see if ever the true Church of Christ or the Ministers thereof Christ or his Apostles gave any such Commandment or did ever lay any such injunction upon they that believed Rulers or Governours or others as to force or compel them to believe their Worship or Forced Killed or Banished them that Opposed but unto the contrary they Exhorted all and Commended every one to that in their own Consciences in the sight of God and so left them unto that which they knew would inform their Understandings and perswade their Minds and when they were informed and perswaded of the Truth of what was declared then they pressed Obedience not by any force or Awe but they knew that they which would not be Obedient unto that of God manifested in them they should be judged of the Lord and never have Peace and this brought down the disobedient and Rebellious Spirit and the Gâ—in-saying Spirit and yet saved the Creature alive and herein were the Ministers of the second Covenant more Excellent then the first Therefore Awake ye Princes of Germany out of the Spirit of Slumber and shake your selves out of your deep sleep which hath been upon you and wait upon the Light of the Lord in all your Consciences that you may come to see the day of the Lord God which is now a dawning and dawned that so you may distinguish between the Precious and the vile and also of every Work and Action and Worship you may truely discern of what sort and kind they are of for he that doth not Witness the quickening Spirit which enlivens the mind unto God and deads it unto Sin his Works actions and worship is but of a bad Sort these are the Works that must be burnt with Fire and that is the Worship which God is not pleased with which is performed from the earthly corrupt part in man by Tradition all this kind of Profession is God's Controversie against and this kind of Professors and this kind of false Church is God's Anger kindled against and hath been dishonered by this deceitful kind of Christianity and the Name of God hath been more dishonoured then by the Heathen who have not Professed any part of Christianity at all yea what wicked Barbarous Inhumanites have been brought forth by this false Church who got the form at the first and denyed the Power Oh! what Killing Murdering Blood-shed Persecuting Destroying the Creatures laying whole Nations desolate and whole Countries waste who could not conform to their Hypocrisie and invented Injuctions of Men Oh what Pride and Arrogancy Covetousness fraud and deceit Cosening and Cheating envying and hating Cursed speâ—king filthy Communications Oaths and Drunkenness and Riotousness Whoredoms and Uncleanness have been brought forth so aboundantly that the very Heathen are not found in the like Practices and well might they conclude if the God of the Christians be such an one as leads his People into such Practices then they would never believe in him nor Worship him in the Christians wayes for these Practices have hardned their Hearts and made them out of love with the Name of the Living God Oh! a bed of Torment is prepared for this Abominable Harlot who hath denyed Christ her Husband who hath enlightned every man that cometh into the VVorld with a Measure of his Light John 1. and the day hastens that her Flesh must be Burnt with Fire and all her Lovers shall hate her and the Kings and Nobles and mighty Men of the Earth which have committed Fornication with her shall withdraw their Love from her and assistance from her who have given their Power to her and so have made them selves as Waters so that it is Just with the Lord God to bring the Heathen and
the Hollow of a Hand and we have thee in the Apostacy clear thy self when thou canst if the Beast compelled all both small and great to worship him and made War with all that bore not his Image then we have thee between us and the Apostles time as in a press for no such compelling was in the true Church by any Ecclesiastical or Secular Power instance if thou canst from the Apostles writings any such thing or where Cain's weapons were lifted up or Creatures Men and VVomen killed by the Sword or destroyed with lingring Torments in the time of the Apostles Now in that it hath been said the Church hath been universal to that more might be said Europe or some Parts adjacent is not all the Earth and it is no where found since the Apostles that killing and compelling and forcing hath been but by thee and them that are at the best but in the Suburbs of thy City which afterwards I shall in brief descend to And so it is evidently known that thy church so called hath been upheld more by cruelty and force then any sound Doctrine or Practice agreeable to the Apostles Dayes though thou mayst wipe thy Mouth and say I am clear we persecute none to Death we have a Beast to ride upon and will make war for our City and will compel to our VVorship and Institutions we will cry him up for the higher Power and we will frighten People that who resists this resists the ordinance of God and he will kill and destroy and compel and force and we shall be clear and he will call us the holy church and we will call him the higher Power and so it is clear and evident by what hath been said that thou art in the Apostacy as hereafter shall be manifested by Name and Practice First Thy Ministers are not according to the Ministers of Christ in the primitive times their call not such their practice not such They were made Ministers in the primitive times by the holy Ghost and by the Spirit but yours by natural Parts Tongues Arts Philosophy and Study and packing up old Authors together to make a little discourse of and this must be called the Gospel Secondly the Ministers of Christ they preach freely not for Gifts and Rewards and Tythes but you have brought in Judaism Tythes which belonged to the first Priesthood your Oblations Obventions your Mortuaries and these Invented and introduced things to maintain your Ministers by Thirdly The Ministers of Christ did not compel any at Corinth Thessalonica Macedonia or any other Church to give them such and such maintenance by Force who received not their Doctrine but you compel and force and have made that which you call the Gospel chargeable to the Earth where you have Power 1 Cor. 9.18 Fourthly Your Doctrine is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the primitive times as that the real and substantial Presence of Christ's Body Blood after the Consecration of Priests is in the Bread and Wine which may corrupt so doth not the Body of Christ you do contrary to Christ's Doctrine who saith he that eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood shall live forever John 6.56 but you that eat that which you call his suâ—stantial and real Body and Blood both it and you shall corrupt Fifthly Of the unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass this Sacrifice doth no good at all for where there is no Blood there is no Life and where there is no Blood there is no Remission saith Paul Heb. 9.14 and so your Sacrifice is abominable and an Idol and such an one as there is no mention made of in the Scriptures Sixthly Of your Litturgy and publick Prayers in an unknown tongue this is an unprofitable and a vain Worship and this is like your unbloody Sacrifice herein you are like Barbarians one to another and how should they that worship with you say Amen when they know not what you say your praying in an unknown tongue is contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine who said 1 Cor. 14.18 I thank my God I speak with Tongues more then you all ver 19. yet in the Church I had rather speak five Words with my Understanding that I might teach others also then ten thousand in an unknown Tongue Seventhly Your Doctrine of Purgatory an invented and an imagined thing as to cleanse from Sin this is contrary to the primitive Doctrine The Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin John 1.7 and your distinctions of mortal and venial Sin is to blind People withal For the Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6.23 Eighthly Of worshipping and invocation of Angels and Saints as Mediators between us and God this is contrary to the Primitive Doctrine there is one Mediator between God and man even the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 and he alone makes Intercession for all them that believe Heb. 7 25 and the Angel reproved John Rev. 22.8 9. when he would have Worshipped him and said unto them See thou do it not for I am thy fellow Servant c. and the Prophet said thou art our Father though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us Isa. 63.16 Ninethly Of Reliques and sacred Images this is contrary to â—hat the Lord spake by the Prophets Lev. 26.1 Ye shall make you no Idols nor graven Imaâ—e neither rear you up a standing Image neither shall you set up any Image of Stone in your Land to bow down unto it Deut. 6.22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any Image which the Lord thy God hateth Ezek. 6.4 and your Images shall be broken and Rom. 1.23 there they were Condemned that changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man c. Thus you may plainly see your Idolatrous Image Worship is forbidden and condemned in the Law Prophets and New-Testament and as for your Relique worship you have neither command â—or Example for it from Christ nor his Apostles Many more things might be enumerated which are found among you in the Apostacy as your Voluntary poverty and feigned Humility and your wilful Vows and many more things which are â—ound to be coâ—trâ—ry to the Church of Christ which must be turned from and denyed if ever you come to know the everlasting Gospel which is to be preached again to the Nations by which they must be brought out of all this Apostacy Furthermore as to the practice and Discipline of the Catholick Church as it is called which pleads for Authority we find it not consonant and agreeing to the Church in the Primitive times the first hundred Years after Christ. As for the vestiments your Priests wear at certain times one on this manner another on that your Ecclesiastical men or Church Officers of several Ranks and orders such we find not in the Primitive times in that which may be truly called Primitive And for the invented Holy-dayes and their Eves for Fasting and Feasting we find no such in the Primitive Times and such
a Service for such a Day and such a Worship for such a Day we find not in the first hundred Years after Christ. And for your Lent which one of your Fathers invented and this was his Ground because God had the tenth of the increase of Tythes due to himself and for his Ministers under the Law therefore it was necessary that the tenth part of Dayes should be allowed as Tythes to the Lord Oh! Gross ignorance and palpable Blindness mid-Night it self came upon you in the time of your Visibility when the True Church was fled into the Wilderness As though the Lord was not the Lord of all Dayes and as though all dayes were not his and to be used to his Glory And your prohibiting Meats and distinguishing of Meats one Holy for such a day another for such a day Flesh one day and Fish another day as though there were not the Flesh of Fish or one thing were clean and another Unclean And this invented Trumpery hath been observed for Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine but by whom we must needs tell you by the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People upon which the Whore sits and out of which the Beast rose And we will grant you antiquity enough this many hundred Years and yet we will prefer the Primitive Times before you and bring their Doctrine and Practice to reprove you though we do not desire to go in Cain's Way and to kill Creatures that are out of the Doctrine of Christ and contrary to Apostolick and Catholick Doctrine which wrestled not with Flesh and Blood but with spiritual wickedness whose Weapons were not carnal but spiritual and yet they hâ—d great might in them and threw down by these weapons that which never could be by carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 Again your forbidding to Marry which is reckoned by the Apostles Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Devils and contrary unto that the Apostle's Doctrine was Marriage is Honourable in all Estates the Bâ—d undefiled Heb. 13.4 And seeing you plead Peter was at Rome and Peters Chair and that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed him and hath the Keys as Peter had Why do you exclude the chief Bishops as you account them from Marrying and divers other Orders seeing Peter had a Wife and seeing that it is Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine before you could claim the Name of visible Church that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife and should not be Covetous nor no striker nor given to Wine nor filthy Lâ—cre c. But since the Bishop of Rome hath Appropriated to himself to be the Head of the Church and the chief-Bishop over all â—he Catholick Church it hath been manifested how much covetousness and covetous Practices have been Acted as Money for Pardons and Indulgences and get Money for the living and the dead and the invented Purgatory hath filled your Coffers and your Meritorious works have been Sold at a dear rate Insomuch that a poor Woman who hath lost her Husband and he deceased must pay ten Shillings for a mortuary that he may be Prayed for or some of your Merits may be accounted to him which you have in store as a Stock to sell to any who come with a Prize in their Hands And from whence have you all these Tythes have you not borrowed them of the Jews and yet you are no Jews and such things we do not read among the Jews were Tythable Pigs Eggs Hens and Geese to omit greater matters and the Smoak passing up the chimneys and that which you call your Peter-Pence And this is contrary to the Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine which Peter would have been ashamed to ever have mentioned either amongst Jews or Gentiles And now I would ask you a Question or two seeing John saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness the Woman that was cloathed with the Sun who brought forth the Man-child what cause have you to boast of Visibility or Universality Now when were you in the Wilderness if your Church hath not been so then it Demonstrates that your Church is not the Woman cloathed with the Sun for she did fly into the Wilderness as with the Wings of an Eagle Secondly Whether hath your Gospel been universally publickly preached these sixteen hundred Years or nay And is it the very same that was Preached in the first hundred or two hundred Years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the Whore's cup of Fornication And then Nations were Waters seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds Tongues which are the Waters upon which your Church is Situated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh Much might be said to Demonstrate the Truth which is in Hand that there hath been an Apostacy the Beginners thereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterwards grew into a Body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writerâ— which have given a Narrative of the first five hundred Years declared that there was great loss within 300. Years but in five hundred Years or less the very Power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the Form And though your pleads Antiquity for a Thousand Years for these things aforementioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyn issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred Years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cain's and Chore's Way for an Example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Council that rose out of the Waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great Body of Darkness some of the Practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter Ages so that the Worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christ's and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless Number of vain Traditions Ave-maries Creeds and Pater-nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be Collected that there hath been a great Deviation and Apostacy from the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches Doctrine and
which were only to continue till the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 by Christ the everlasting Covenant came to be made manifest the everlasting Offering who perfected them that are Sanctified who is the Oath of God the end of Oaths and of all strife and contention his Doctrine was Swear not at all Mat. 5.33 34 35 36 37. neither by the head nor Feet nor Books nor Gospel nor any other thing but that yea should be yea and nay nay in all things and James an Apostle of Christ Jesus who knew the New Covenant which was everlasting which saw over the Ordinances of the first Covenant of the Jews saith above all Things my Brethren Swear not at all neither by heaven neither by the Earth nor by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your nay Nay lest you fall into Condemnation James 5.1 2. and this was Apostolical and Catholick Doctrine in the Primitive Churches But afterwards the Faith being lost which once was delivered the Saints and the Power lost they began to set up Oaths again imitating the Jews and bringing the commands of the Jews who were under the first Covenant as their Ground But this was in the Apostacy And Justinian the Emperour appointed first that men should Swear by the Gospel or Book called the Gospel and lay their Hands thereon and Kiss it saying So help me God and here Christendom may see who are in the Apostacy and who were the first instituters of this Swearing and the manner thereof which the Teachers of these latter Ages do Ignorantly Press for an Ordinance of God In the Primitive Times they that had the Word of Reconciliation who had received the holy Ghost and Gift of prophecy and were made able Ministers of the Spirit who had discerning and saw by the Spirit who were fitted for the Work of the Ministry and fit to be Elders and Helpers in the Church they laid hands on them in God's Power and they received the holy Ghost but now since the Apostacy came in this kind of Imagination of laying on of hands one Hypocrite upon another who are out of the Power who have not received the holy Ghost neither they upon whom their hands were laid but afterward it came to be a custom and a holy Rite to be performed upon Children Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all that were christned Churches and Chalices should be anointed with Oyl and Fabianus commanded that it should be renewed every Monday and Thursday Clement the first ordained that Children that were christned should be anointed with Chrisme and he also instituted the Sacrament as it is called of Confirmation or as it is now called Bishopping and did suppose that no man was a perfect Christian if this Rite and Ceremony was omitted and for this cause it hath been judged and looked upon as catholick Doctrine both by the Church of Rome and the Protestants that the holy Ghost is more plentifully given them by the hands of the Bishop and on this wise in the first institution thereof it was only administred by the Bishop First he asked the Name of the child making the Sign of the Cross in his Forehead saying I sign thee with the Token of the Cross and confirm thee with the Chrisme of Salvation in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. and smote the Child on the cheek softly but if of greater Age which was to be confirmed the Bishop gave a sharper Stroke that he might remember this great Mystery and here you may see how these things came in and the Traditions and Inventions and Precepts of Men have been and are taught for Doctrine and Apostolick Institution many of which are upholden in the reformed Churches so called unto this day and so People are kept in Blindness in a Multitude of Traditions and heathenish customs and their minds led out from seeking after the living God CHAP. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and Holy-dayes THE Jews in the first covenant had many Fasts and Feasts and Holy-dayes as the Sabbath and Feasts of the New Moon and Passeover and Feasts of unleavened-bread Pentecost the Feasts of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication which are largely shewed in the Books of Moses all which things as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews were but Shadows of things to come and not the things themselves which only continued till the time of Reformation and till the better Hope which brought in the better Covenant which stood vpon better Promises Now in the Primitive Churches they came to see the End of these things and were brought to him that was the Substance in whom all Figures and â—hadows do end Col. 2.16.17 Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink or in respeâ—t of a holy day which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is Christ Now afterward when they minded the Form more then the Power they ran out into those things with many additions some borrowed from the Heathen and some by their own Invention and then press them as Apostolick Ordinances upon Christians which things stand in force with many until this Day too too much among them that are called reformâ—d Victor Bishop of Rome about the year 196. decreed that Easter should be celebrated and kept on the Sunday from the 14 th Day of the first Moneth which is March to the 22 d. of the same now the Jews kept it sooner and so it is without ground from the Jews Practice and meerly an Invention of their own which led People back into dayes and about what time they judged any thing to be done which Christ or the Apostles did they invented a day and time to keep for it as to reverence Sunday in Advent Nativity Circumcision and Epiphany Purification of Mary called Candlemass Lent Palm-Sunday Monday and Thursday on which Christ washed his Disciples Feet as it hath been imagined Good-Fryday Easter Pentecost was kept by the Jews and this they would hold out for an Apostolick Example to Christians and for all the former Dayes they were invented with many more which have been brought in since and so they were decreed and ratified at a Council at Lyons in France that such days as either the holy Saints departed this Life or did any notable deed a day should be kept holy as they said in that Council for the encrease of their Religion there were also other days instituted the Feast of Saint Stephen and Innocents by Pope Boniface the fourth and likewise John-Baptist and that which they call Lady-day Laurence Michael and Martin and generally of all Saints and these were his Institutions which are practised by the Church of Rome and practised among the Protestants to this Day Likewise that which is called Corpus-Christi day this was made a holy-day and dedicated by Urban the fourth Silvester assigned the day of Advincula Sancti Petri commonly called Lammas in memorial of Peter's pains and persecution Felix the first
Hand but when they had the outward Power then they turned Persecutors especially the Bishops of Rome when they had the outward Power on their Side then they were worâ—e then Constantine the great who gave Liberty to all Christians and others to worship God without forcing of any as their Actions following afterwards make it appear for being countenanced by the Emperor they grew proud and lordly and increasing in Power and outward Authority though set up at first by the Emperor at last excluded him from having any Authority or Power over the See of Rome as after a Season may be made appear In the year 367 Damasus was Bishop of Rome eighteen years Also in the first three or four hundred years before ever the Bishop of Rome did get so high as to be called Universal Bishop Abundance of Darkness spread over and Abundance of Idolatry and superstitious Things were invented and Abundance of Orders as Fryars and Monks and Monasteries and Nunneries wherein they were diverted from the Order of the Gospel and a great Apostacy came in In the year two hundred sixty two Anthony is called the Father of the Monks who followed the Example of Paulus born at Thebes in Egypt who retired himself to a private cave under the Foot of a Rock in the seventh Persecution of Decius and one called Basil is said to be the first that built Monasteries and ordained Vows of Poverty Chastity and Obedience and these are called the Monks of Basil's order and are bound to abstain from all kind of Flesh and here began this Doctrine of Devils contrary to the Doctrines of the Apostles of Christ the next that prescribed Orders was Augustine born in the Year three hundred fifty this Order was called Austin-Fryars they wear a Leathern Girdle to distinguish them from the Monks the first Order of the Fryars was Mendicants the third that prescribed Orders was Benedict in the year four hundred seventy two and out of this Order did spring the Monks of Benedict and divers other Orders which I have mentioned before in the former Part of the Book the fourth that prescribed Orders was Francis of Assis these were called Franciscans or Grey-Fryars their Rule and Order was confirmed by Innocent the third these are the fourth Order of Fryars-Mendicants or begging-Fryars and from this Order sprung Fryars-Minories or Capucien-Fryars Minories were ordained by Franciscus de Pola and Capuciens were ordained by one Matthew Basa of Acona the Jesuites were first founded by Ignatius Loyola born in Navar these were first confirmed by Paul the third The Nuns first Author was one Clara the Daughler of Assis who forsook her Father's House and devised an Order of Religious Women who vowed Poverty and Virginity they were confirmed by Honorius the third but many of these and their practiceâ— which are contrary to the primitive time being before mentioned in this book I shall let them pass and so return to the Bishops of Rome but divers contentions and sects began to break forth and the Bishops not only of Rome but of Alexandria and Nicomedia and Miletus and one clashing against another Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and Eusebeus Bishop of Nicomedia and many Bishops in other places joyning one to one side and one to another and envying one another insomuch that as Eusebius saith a man might have seen not only the presidents and chief Rulers of the churches envying one against another with spightful opprobrious Terms and also the multitude severed into parts that the christian Religion was openly derided of all men and so called Councils and Synods and condemned one another and excommunicated one another as Hereticks and so went out of the Long suffering and patience and Forbearance which the Apostle exhorted unto And so no less then four hundred years many run wholly out into contention about Dayes Meats and Drinks some running this Way and some that Way and forging things upon the Apostles and the Churches in Asia saying that John the Disciple gave them an Order to observe Easter the fourteenth day of the Moneth and Rome and the Western parts alledge Peter and Paul for their Author how they left them this tradition both alike true for this came up more by custom then any Injunction from the Apostles or tradition either for they condemned such things in their Life time and called them beggerly Rudiments such as inhabit at Rome they began to make Fasts and fasted three Weeks before Easter excepting the Saturday and the Sunday Illyricum Greece and Alexandria began their Fasting-dayes six Weeks before Easter and that they call forty dayes fasting or Lent others begin seven Weeks before Easter yet in all the while they use Abstinency but only fifteen days and have intermission among these dayes and yet call these forty dayes fasting or Lent so that they disagreed in the time disagreed in the Moneths disagreed in the Dayes and Times and in the Abstinence and contended about these things as for Life and Death and excommunicating one another and judging one another Hereticks and at last when they got Power killed one another and stirred up the Emperors one against another and this in the 350 or 400. years after Christ. And all this fasting was but from some Meat as though some had been clean and some had been unclean some abstained only from Flesh and fed only upon Fish and all other creatures others upon Fish and Fowls of the Air affirming their Original is of the Water and so no Flesh and other some fasted till nine of the clock and then eat of divers Sorts as they pleased and here was their Fast and their Lent about which was all this contention and Stir all which Practices are condemned in the Apostles Writings and such Ignorance and Hypocrisie for the Kingdom of God stands not in Meats and Drinks and yet the Protestants and they that call themselves Reformed will needs press these things as holy Institutions whenas it is manifest when the Christians in former dayes began to judge one another about these things and strive and bite one another and devour one another they lost the Power and then Mystery-Baâ—ylon began to rise these things became her Merchandize and these Practices came to be called Christianity which Christ and his Apostles would have been ashamed of And about the Sacrament great contention arose as about the time and manner some did receive the Bread and Wine every Sabbath-Day yet Alexandria and Rome do not use it yet the Egyptians â—oyned to Alexandria and the Inhabitants of Thebes they had an other Order they did receive it when they had banquetted and filled themselves with Delicates and then received their Communion and they judged one another in these things In Thessaloniea Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia they baptize only on the Easter-holy-dayes Likewise in Hellâ—s Jerusalem and Thessalica their Service they said with candlelight likewise in Caesaria Cappadocia and at Cyprus the Priests and Bishops expound the Scripture on the
neither Traditions nor Inventions of Men for the Worship of God The second Doubt which the Author would be resolved in is whether we can make good what Luther and Calvin with all Protestants have boasted that they would do to reform convincingly one of the silliest Roman Catholicks that is and to begin do it in the Matter of the real Presence after Consecration What Luther and Calvin have said unto you as about your Worship Doctrine and Practice hath been made good by themselves while they were living and in the Body and what they said did not only inform the Minds of many of the Roman Catholicks but reform'd them too which were not of the silliest amongst you not only one but thousands did see your Error and Deceit though they in some Particulars did but differ from you But now that is manifest which denyeth your Foundation in the very Ground And what I have said as about the real Presence of Christ's Body being in the Bread and Wine after Consecration if thou dare put it and endeavour the Trial thereof according as I have in Reasonableness propounded unto thee it will convince many of the Roman Catholicks of their Error or else many of the Protestants of their Error and so if thou darest adventure it make no more Boasts but let come to Tryal as before is propounded unto the Church of me if she or any of her Agents dare admit of it 3. The third Argument which he promiseth If it can be proved from the Scripture which he calls God's written Word that the Sabbath-day is commanded by God to be kept on Sunday and that little Children are to be baptized Answ. What others have said as to these two Particulars who were but departed a little Way from you in divers things as to their Judgments I shall not stand to vindicate because the Church was rather but a coming out of the Wilderness rather then come already into her first Purity but I am one of those amongst many thousands in Europe who deny the Châ—rch of Rome as to be the Bride the Lamb's Wife and yet I shall not vindicate either the one or the other but deny both as amongst Christiâ—ns viz. as to keep the Jewish Sabbath upon Sunday as the Author calls it and sprinkling of little Children is like the other an Invention in the Apostacy never that we read of commanded commended or practised in the Apostles Dayes as such The first Day of the VVeek the Apostles met together and worshipped God not by Virtue of the Jews Commandment but in the Power of God and you only have them both and keep them both by tradition and custom without commandment and so are out of the Power of God and out of the Saints Life 4. The fourth Argument Can the Sectaries with Reason and Ground sufficient condemn all Catholicks that were so many Ages before Luther and Calvin for being no better then Heathens and convince me that adhering to you I shall be more secure in my Salvation then injoyning to them that have Time out of Mind been of the only saving Religion Answ. The Sectaries have not gone about to condemn every individual man before Luther and Calvin for no better then Heathens we believe some were and we believe many were as bad if not worse they that walk in the Practice of the Heathen and bring forth Fruit but not unto God are in the Heathens Nature but the Generality of the Church of Rome have for these many hundred Years brought forth no better Fruit then the Heathen and therefore are in the Nature of the Heathen for like as the Heathen persecuted the Christians in former Dayes even so hath the Church of Rome persecuted the true Christians in their Day aâ—d in this are no better then Heathens instance the Blood-shed Murder cruel Deaths you have put many unto since you have had the Name of a Church and therefore are no better then Heathens in Nature and for Antiquity it proveth nothing without Verity And there can be no Assurance in your Church seeing that it stands upon Tradition and Hear-say and outward Performances and bodily Exercises that profit little but some whom you call Sectaries have more Assurance for it 's the Spirit of God that gives it and as there is Obedience yielded unto the Lord that Spirit he giveth them Assurance and them that are born of it do overcome the World and his Spirit beareth Witness to their Spirit that they have overcome by which they cry Abba Father and this Spirit of Truth that leadeth into all Truth bringeth more Assurance unto them that are led by it and worship in it then can be had in all your outward Formalities Ceremonies and Traditions 5. Can you make evident at least that in your Flock and Luther and Calvin their Guides there is more Holiness and Virtue then can be found among the Catholicks and that you go the narrow way that leads to Life I answer yes I am one among many thousands who are not of the Church of Rome yet am of Christ's Flock which he hath cleansed by his Blood and revealed his Virtue in and his holy Life and it 's made manifest that they are in the narrow Way more then the Church of Rome they are in the Way that leads to Life and abide in Christ's Doctrine we love them that hate us we bless them that curse us we pray for them that persecute us but so doth not the Church of Rome but kills them and persecutes them that oppose her we say without Righteousness and Holiness be revealed and wrought in our Hearts we can bring forth no Fruit unto God neither can be Members of the true Church but if any conform unto the Practice of your Church in outward things he is counted a good Member of your Church though Righteousness and Holiness Self-denyal Humility and Love be wanting Therefore we are the Church in which there is more Holiness Virtue and Life enjoyed then in the Roman Church 6. Can you shew us any Miracles that ever were wrought in Testimony of your Religion or that the Catholicks Miracles are wrought by Beelzebub and now thou hast askt us a resolution of the Doubts and let all that are Illuminated judge how we are deluded Answ. It 's an adulterous Generation that seeks a Sign and what Christ wrought was reckoned as no Miracles by them that are in the Unbelief yet these Signs have accompanied the Gospel which is the Power of God the blind have been restored to Sight and the dead have been raised and the deaf have heard and the lame have been made whole and this hath been witnessed by many and we have a cloud of Witnesses which your Church knowâ— not of and by the effectual working of God's Power these things have been done which do give Testimony and confirm our Religion And for your Miracles the most that ever I heard of have been done by Pictures and Images as you have testified
for halting If God be God follow him if Baal be he go after him And therefore let none draw you aside from that you are perswaded of in your Consciences by the Spirit of the Lord neither to joyn with that you know he disallows and in the Obedience you will have Peace and Joy look not at them that draw back for they go to Perdition but rather after them that continue faithful that shall receive Honour Glory Immortality and Everlasting Life In the fresh Heavenly Power of God meet together and worship him as at other Times though the Decree be gone forth and the more because you have been therein refreshed comforted and edified and let none pâ—rswade you from that innocent Duty in worshipping God in his Spirit and assembling your selves together for the strengthning of one another for this is the Will of God and acceptable in his Sight as many of you well know watch and pray lest you fall into Temptation and into the Snare of the Wicked One The God of Heaven and Earth establish all your Hearts that you may glorifie God in your Generation and be a sweet and an odorious Smell unto him in Bonds or Liberty in Life or Death is the Prayer of him who hath besought the Lord and is determined so to do on all your Behalf till the Lord by his Power tread Satan under your Feet that you may triumph and rejoyce and sing over all in Heavenly Rejoycing and Praises unto God and the Lamb that lives forever and for evermore Amen Your Dear Brother in the Patience and Suffering of Christ who abounds in perfect Love to all the faithful Flock of Christ every where F. H. From Appleby Goal the Place of my Rest where my Dayes and Hours are pleasant unto me the 4th of the 5th Moneth 1664. To Friends at the City of LONDON and about it and HARTFORD and READING DEar Friends and Brethren who are called to be Partakers of the Heavenly and Everlasting Inheritance where Thieves cannot break in and steal neither take away your Portion because nothing that defileth or maketh a Lye can enter therein but is prepared through Christ Jesus for all that believe in him and hear his Voice who is given to reveal eternal Life and the Crown of the immortal Glory to all the Heirs of the Promise who are born of the Word which liveth and endureth forever by which all things were made and by which â—ll that receive it are renewed in their Hearts and Minds unto God and are preserved in Purity and Holiness unto eternal Life and upholden in the midst of all Temptations in Uprightness that the Enemy prevail not Grace Mercy Salvation Peace Power Love Joy Life and Immortality be revealed multiplyed and encreased amongst you all saith the God of Life in my Heart unto you all who are Followers of the Lamb in the Day of Tribulation when the Lyon roareth out for his Prey and the Powers of Darkness combine together to make Opposition and War and to fill the Earth with Cruelty and Violence who seek to destroy and make Havock of that which God hath brought forth and hath determined shall live to bear Witness to him and make War and overcome and reign with him in Glory everlasting notwithstanding the Rage of Satan and the Cruelty of his Followers and the Madness of the People whom the God of this World hath blinded yet he hath decreed to exalt his Son upon the holy Hill of Sion and to make all that take Part with him in this Day of Tryal Reproach and Blasphemy victorious and Conquerors of him that hath the Power of Death the Devil and Hell and the Grave and their Triumph shall no more be for Mortality shall be swallowed of Life and he that hath deceived the Nations and sown Discord in the Earth and hath set the Nations at Variance shall be taken and cast into the Lake of Fire and all his Subjects shall partake of the Wine of the Wrath of God and be trodden in the Wine-press of the Wrath without the holy City when they that have been faithful unto the End shall stand upon Mount Sion with their Harps in their Hands and sing a Song of Triumph Glory and Redemption greater then that of Moses in the Day of Israel's Deliverance at the red Sea when God overthrew both Horse and Rider Oh dearly beloved reâ—oyce be glad triumph and glory in that God who out of his Everlasting love hath chosen us a peculiar People to be a Cloud of Witnesses for him in this last Age of the VVorld and that we are counted worthy to suffer with him and to fall into many Snares and Sufferings for him Oh sing rejoyce and be glad let not a faint Heart be amongst you for the Lord is on our Side the God of Jacob takes our Part and will plead our Cause and uphold us that our Enemies shall not glory nor have Cause to boast for greater is he that is with us and in us then he that is in the World and therefore we cannot bow nor stoop to Deceit neither to any false Worship hypocritical Form or false God let us believe in him forever and taste him forever and give up our Lives and all we have into his Hands who hath given us all that he alone may be over all and exalted over all our everlasting living God God blessed forever Oh most dearly beloved Friends you live in my Heart and to hear of your Valour and Obedience to the Truth makes glad my Soul and comforts us all on every Side wherein we rejoyce and give Glory to God and though they proceed severely and strictly with you and make the Battel hot it 's but for a Moment we have a Share with you and many are in Bonds here Men Women and Children Babes old Men and VVomen blind and lame Men and of all Conditions as to Age but all well content and joyful in the Lord blessed be his Name forever and indeed your Faith and Obedience Sufferings and Tryals are come abroad in the Nations and many thereby are strengthned we hear also of the Death of many who are shut up in those nasty Holes who are taken away from the Evil to come whose Blood God will require at this Generations Hands whose Sufferings and Death is precious in the Eyes of the Lord and the Spirit of Life which was in them shall enter into others and fill them that God shall not want VVitnesses The Power of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Your Dear Brother F. H. Appleby Gool the 4th of this 8th Moneth 1664. To all the Beloved Prisoners and Fellow-Sufferers who have lost your Liberty for Christ's sake in Newgate and else-where in Bonds about the City of London and to Friends of Bristol and Hartford whom the World is not worthy of MOST greatly beloved in the Lord God everlasting into whose Bosomes and Hearts my Soul Life and Spirit is poured forth and joyned
whole Families extirpate O great Oppression that again Makes us doubly complain Our heavy Burthen fetcheth Groans This cruel Tything forceâ—h Mâ—ans And wrongfully they have pretence Of Scripture made for their Defence From Levi's Tribe they would possess Tythes to them are by Success And thus the Gospel's Day in vain To get their Prey they would disdain But God's Worship that shall stand When they have done what 's in their Hand For what is done against God's Power Shall be thrown down as in an Hour The World shall destroyed be Who lives not long may come to see God will â—ry as there is need And send Deliverance to his Seed This is my Faith I do believe That God will sore the Wicked grieve Therefore let wicked Men repent That unto Hell they be not sent And if they subject be to God They may escape his heavy Rod The Time comes on and hastes apace Wherein great Babylon God will raze Out of her Power and Might so great That she 'll be turn'd out of her Seat That Christ may reiâ—n whose Due it is That all the Faithful him may bless Babylon's Merchants with their Pay In God's Time he 'll turn away For he is come to be their Fâ—e Which is Cauâ—e to bring their Woe For they shall cry Woe and Alass When there is none to make Redress As in one Hour shall Judgment come With Violence perpetual Doom Of Death and Famine shall she taste Her stately Buildings all laid waste The Day of howling shall betake And she thrown down into the Lake Thâ—s dreadfully her doubled Cup Of Wrath and Sorrow she 'll drink up For why the Lord's Decree shall stand His Purpose now is near at hand And what is prophesy'd shall come Babel's Merchants they shall mourn They shall weep and howl right sore Their Merchandize will sell no more After that which they did luâ—t Departed from them is as Just Read your Sentence Babel's Train Judgment comes with Might and Main The Wrath of God and Fury great Peâ—â—red from his Judgment-Seat From his Presence yea from him Will your Cup be 〈…〉 Kings will mourn and cry alaâ—s When they theâ—e Things see come to pasâ— For through Christ's Power and Renown Down goes Babel she goes down J. R. As one soreseeing the Day of Terror that is to come upon BABEL makes this Invitation COme out of her my People O return Make haste her Day 's at Hand to weep and mourn Her Dayes of howling hasten on apace She hath nigh liv'd her Time and run her Race Return return lest that her Plagues you taste For desolate must she her Buildings waste Her fiery Burning Smoak â— nigh at Hand For Fear of Torments Kings at Distance stand The Voice of Mourning shortly comes to pass Babylon's Merchants cry alass alass This City great is now coâ—â—'d ruinate And all her stately Buildings desolate Thuâ— Babylon the great is thrown to 'th Ground And never any more is to be found Then shall the glâ—rious Day and then the Voice As if of mighty Thunderings Saints rejoyce And they their Song of Halelujah sing Their Praises Honour Glory to their King Their Joy and Splendor now the Saints do say The Lamb is come this is our Nuptial Day O glorious Sun-shine King of Saints we 'll praise And in thy Powerful Wonder we amaze With admirable Joy our Souls to thee The Song of Sion sing O praised be Thou holy holy glorious righteous God Who Babylon hast shaken by thy Rod And givest thy Saints the Songs of Joy to sing Praise to their God Praise to their gracious King The Saints in Righteousness thou wilt aray With fine Adorning thee to praise alway And in thy glorious Habitation rest For evermore with Joy their Souls be blest Rejoyce rejoyce ye Saints of the most high To Sion's King give Praise eternally The wondrous Joyes unto you which are come Unto the Marriage Supper of the Lamb In Admiration which to you belong The doubled Halelujah is your Song When Babel's just Reward that Day shall be As a great Milstone cast into the Sea Reward her as she hath rewarded you Double her Cup her Torments eke renew For insomuch as she the Saints Blood shed With righteous Judgment shall she be judged Sit down ye Sufferers in the Patience-Seat And willingly content thâ—ugh it be great Your Measure 's hard in this your suffering Day But your Reward shall come with double Pay Resign your selves and willingly sit down In the Expectance of the glorious Crown For why your Portion glorious shall be A great Reward is sure you shall it see Fret not your selves because of Wicked Men Your Day will joyous be even so Amen E. G. The great COMPLAINT and OUT-CRY of one of the Sufferers of SION O Rulers of England and Teachers and People how long will it be ere you will awake out of the deep Slumber that hath seised upon you and consider a little you do all look upon in this Age that Popery is Idolatry and to maintain their Worship and Practice is not consistant with the Worship which you own but do you think that talking against Popery in the general whilest that you are upholding it in many Particulars in Point of Laws and Worship doth answer your Profession or will preserve you in the Day of the Lord when the Righteous Judgments of God shall be revealed seeing that though you have broken off from them in some circumstantial and ceremonial things for that very main Basis and Foundation upon which it standeth is absolutely Covetousness and filthy Lucre but to speak plain Tythes Offerings Oblations Mortuaries Peter-pence and quid non is claimed and looked upon to be due as to the Pope in Imitation of the Jews High Priest with all the Rabble of that Crew even from the very Bishop to the Quirister-boy and yet in Point of Wages and Pay all the aforesaid Ordinances which constitute by Authority from Râ—me stand as Evangelical or Jure divinâ— unto this Day amongst the reformed Churches so called which are not only disconsonant to the first primitive times but also contrary to the very Law of the Jews when Tythes Oblations and Offerings were due to be payed for then the Husband man Poor Fatherless Widdows and Orphans might all eat together of that which was offered or given according to the Command but now they which pretend another Ministry and lay little Claim to the Levitical Priest-hood and have also Possessions of Lands amongst their Brethren which the Levites had not these go with Tythes Offerings and divers other things never claimed by the Levites but claimed by popish Constitutions in the Mid-night of Popery and all these things the reformed Priests so termed lay claim unto and must have and will have or else the whole Nation shall ring with their Noise Common Pleas Exchequer Capiter Court Assise and Sessions Shrieffs Goalers Bâ—yliffs and every common Catchpole shall be employed to do their Work and all too
Man and all Men and every Church is fallible and subject to Error and with these and the like Words R.E. was extreamly troubled as he saith and knew not how to answer without shuffing Answ. The true Christian Religion stands not only in Name nor in Words nor in conforming or Transforming to this or that outward Practice which the Disciples of Christ were exercised in which divers in the latter days in their old corrupt minds not having their Hearts renewed have taken on the outside and have got the Form and want the Life and the Power and are not partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ and such a bare Profession as this has no certainty nor infallibility in it neither the assurance but that they may be mistaken and may be subject to Err as well as Turks or Jews or any other but the true Christians Religion indeed whom Christ will own as true Worshippers of him stands in Power in Life and in being obedient unto his living commands and precepts which he giveth forth unto his Disciples and manifesteth by his Spirit his Sheep hear his Voice and know it from the Voice of a stranger And he giveth the Knowledge of his will to all that believe in the measure of his eternal Spirit which he hath given every one a Measure of to profit withal and by it to be guided into all Truth out of all Error and this Spirit is infallible and gives certain assurance to all that receive it that they are in that way which is acceptable to God and they feel Comfort unto their Souls coming daily from the presence of Christ who is the Rock of Ages and the sure Foundation upon which his holy Church is founded which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and they that are living Members are not Grounded upon a fallible certainty or upon a conâ—ectural supposition or a vain hope which is without bottom but upon that which is sure and stedfast lasting everlasting and all men in the unregenerate Estate are Lyars but they that are Born from above are of the Truth and Lye not and are not subject to mistakes because the Seed remains in them and walk in the pure Religion which keeps unspoted of the World and they that have no other Ground for their Religion but only without them and from the report of others are short of the true Foundation for that may be Truth in it self indeed which is not true to another nor he truly partakes of it and here is all the supposing conjectures and mistakes and fallible certainties which it seems R. E. and his lay Gentlemen too when the Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree indeed and notwithstanding all the laying claim to infallibility and certainty its but grounded upon a report without and the Traditions of men from Generation to Generation For them that believe but only because of the true report without and cometh not to Witness the thing assured in their own Hearts by the Spirit of the Lord these will not be long of that Faith 't is true many did believe because of the Apostles â—eclaration and report but at last came to feel the Witness of God in their own Hearts testifying the same in somuch that they could say and truly too though we have believed through your Words at the first yet now we have heard him our selves that which giveth perfect assurance which admits of no doubts nor fallibleness for such evidence all true Members of Christ's Church have in themselves which carries divine Authority and satisfaction in it to every particular Believer and so I say with P. E. in this it seems unreasonable to perswade any to receive this or that for a Truth when they that so perswade are uncertain in themselves neither dare say their Judgment is infallible which is that old Protestant Principle indeed and also the Principle of many Sects who differ from the pretended Catholick Church of Rome who Persecuted one another about outward things even as the Heathen about their Idols and yet will needs sit as Judge in Mens Consciences with their fallible Spirit though I speak not of every individual Person neither can I justifie the Roman Catholick Church so called who lays claim to infallibility and whatsoever they Judge to be Heresie must be reckoned as such though never so manfiest a Truth and to place infallibility in men that may Err and have erred from the Spirit I like not neither for this is to give that to men that belongs to God and to make the Judgment of fallible men above the Judgment of the infâ—llible Spirit of God and this I look to be great Ambition and Pride in any to lay claim to the greatest things as infallibility and certainty of assurance and the most free of Error and yet fall the shortest of it of any as hath been made appear by many Learned and Grave Men of former Ages and also if a necessity were might be made appear that the Church of Rome who saith she cannot err have been as uncertain both in their Doctrine and Worship as any yea more one Pope contradicting and throwing down that which another did establish and one Council Decreeing and another disanulling as I could easily make appear but that I would not be Tedious to the Reader in things that have been so manifest neither do I desire to wade out into diversity of matters in so short a Discourse But that which R. E. and his Catholick instructer calleth late wild and loosâ— Opinions that men of different Faiths may be saved and this countenanceth schism and breeds Rebellion as it is said 't is true Faith is but one which is saving and there is no difference in that for the difference is among Men where that is wanting and only have words and Name of Faith and want the Life and Power Neither am I so narrow Spirited as R. E. and his Catholick as to exclude all out of the Faith who may differ in their perswasions in some Circumstantial things if yet they hold Christ the Head and what makes R. E. so virilent as to judge all in Errour and to be out of the true Faith seeing the Protestants and all sorts of separates profess Justification and Salvation only through Faith in Christ Jesus as well as the Church of Rome and it were unreasonably judged in me if I should conclude a man to be no man because he is not so tall as another but I see R E. and his Catholick would have all Shoes made by their Last though they will not fit every mans Feet Faith is the gift of God there are divers Decrees and measures accoding to the mind and good pleasure of the giver so that he that hath received any measure or degree must not be excluded as having no Faith though he attain not to that degree that some do enjoy and the Apostle's Doctrine was That 〈◊〉 one should be perswaded in his own mind and if
suffered thy self to be made blind and carried Captive with another Man's Judgment neglected the measure of God's Spirit in thy self at home through which alone the secret things of God are Revealed in which true certainty and infallibility is Witnessed and not in Men who are fallible and changeable If an Arian Jew or Turk should urge their own interpertation of Scriptures which is of no private interpretation contrary to the mind of him that gave it forth I would say he perverted the Words of the Scripture which 〈◊〉 in Harmony Unity one with another as to the states and conditions they were spâ—ken to and are plain and are only read by that Spirit that gave them forth except it be in some Historical or Chronology or Genealogy of Names and Generâ—tions which might be some gathered from anothers Hands and different hands taking notice of them as to Record them there might be some variation yet the substance of the report is true but what is Calculation of Years or Dayes or reckoning up of Genealogies as to the matter of Salvation and what if we had never had them no more then we have other Histories and things that fell out among the Jews but if there be any contradiction for ought I know we may blame the Church of Rome the most of any who will needs affirm they received all or most of the things from the Apostles and if the Translations differ or be some-what uncertain what have they been doing this fifteen hundred Years with their infallible Spirit that they could not have rectified them according to their first Original and if any the foresaid Sects should pretend the certainty of the Spirit and yet not have it I should answer the Spirit is known by its Fruits and the Fruits of the Spirit are manifest and they that pretend to it and bring forth contrary Fruits are manifest to be Deceivers and deceived but their States are different and therefore require different Answers which time will not now permit to insist upon but over and beside all other Arguments perswade any man to or from any thing the witness of God in the party unto whom he speaketh is to be reached and that is beyond the understanding of Man and greater then it and more convincing then any Arguments that can be used without and he that cannot speak to this is not skilful in the Word of Righteousness That Christ was an infallible Guide who is the way the Truth and the Life is granted by all Christians and that the Apostles received the Promise of the Father and the infallible Spirit of God which led them into all Truth and this infallible assurance the Christians had that lived in the Apostles time thuâ— iâ— granted and the Apostles were infallible Guides not as Men meerly but as Men full of the Holy Ghost as Men who were filled with the Spirit of God and therefore the Apostle said be Followers of us as we are Fâ—llowers of Christ and if any controversie did arise as some there did and doubts among the then Christians the Apostles and Elders meeting together in the Power of the Holy Ghost did write their minds and Letters to the Christians to pacifie all and good Reason that they that had believed through their Word should Suâ—miâ— unto the Holy Ghost and unto them by whom they were begotten unto God by the word of Life for the ending of strife about Words and Shadows and outward things and they whose minds were outward then in Ages since and now ran into contention about outward things and such for the most part do Err from the Spirit of God in themselves But I would have thee to take notice of this and all you Catholick Members so called The Apostles of Christ only did exhort and did not force their Decrees by Penal Statutes and to be observed under the penalty of loosing Life and Limbs as since their pretended Successors have done who have Erred from the Spirit and have goâ— the Saints Words and turned against the Life and Power but the Decrees as you call them are not many nor burdensome which the Apostles wrote at Jerusalem as the many Counsels since have made they are so endless and numberless and burdensome and so contradictory one to another in divers things who will but look into the Decrees of the Counsels since the Apostles dayes that we can find little certainty in any of their Decrees but rather as thy Instructer saith the Sword of the Flesh and not the Spirit hath been the Rule and Law to Christianity but the Masters of great wit and Power and Interest have framed and made parties unto themselves and have Wars been raised among your selves about deciding your Controversies hath not the Pope Warred against the Emperour and the Emperour against the Pope were noâ— Wars raised about the Decrees when Pope Eugenius was deposed as a Heretick by the Council of Bazell and one while the Pope must be infallible as Peter's Successor and above all Councils and Churches another while the Council is above the Pope Excommunicates him as a Heretick and excludes his Infallibility and now where is the certainty and whether should one go or appeal for true Judgment so though the Church of Rome boast of Unity yet how hath one Nation made War against another and yet Professing the same Faith at divers times and in sundry Ages And to tell thee plainly and to speak the naked Truth according to the Apostles Prophecy after their Departure there was a great Apostacy and a great Falling away from the Faith and a giving heed to Lying Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and many were suhverted from the Faith by them that spake Lyes in Hypocrisie and took up the Priests Office for filthy Lucre and they went out into the World and the World wondred after them and they had the Form and the Sheeps Cloathing and the Saints Words but were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and to the Power of Godliness and the Kings of the Earth were bewitched with her Sorceries and then forced all and compelled all to receive and believe such Decrees and such Articles as were then set forth by a Pack of those Hirelings who minded their own Profit and their own Bellies who mingled their own Inventions and Traditions with the Doctrine of Christ and brought the Scripture for a Cloak and the Apostles Practice for a President and could â—ay falsly as the Apostles said in Truth It seems good to us and the holy Ghost that these our Decrees be observed for God hath placed us as Judges and directors as them that are appointed of God himself to which all Christians are to submit and none to question and if any do question and will not obey it is the Kings and Princes Duty in all Countries to cause all to submit to these our Decrees and Orders or else to be punished as Hereticks with Death for we are the Apostles Successors and
we are the Elders of the Church and we have the infallible Spirit and though we make Decrees contrary to what the Apostles made in their Day yet none are to question that the Church was but in its Infancy then as unwasht and unswadled and in Persecution but now she is grown up to a greater Statuâ—e and Power and endowed with greater Priviledge and that may be necessary now that was not necessary then and last of all called themselves the Clerâ—y which signifies the Heritage of God and so excluded all others but themselves And these things are true and certain and have been made good by many Sufferers for Christ and this kind of Clergy or Heritage made the Heritage of God indeed to fly into the Wilderness who had the infallible Spirit and the Witnesses to prophesie in Sack-cloth and then Mystery-Babylon began to sit as a Queen and to gild her Cup and to fill it full of Abomination and brought in Judaism and the Practice of the Apostles and their own Inventions and patched up an Endless kind of Worship and Service consisting of out-side things in a great Part in Postures and Gestures and Meats and Drinks and Days and times and Vestures and Bonnets and Caps and Coules and such other like Trumpery which they made the Nations drunk with and greedy after and if any scrupled at any of those things or any other the Holy Catholick Church hath decreed it and she cannot err for she is infallible though the Errors thereof cannot be numbred And this R. E. thou rests satisfied in as thy only Rule and Judge and Director and thou hangs all thy Faith herein and sayest Thou shalt not scruple to believe what Authority teacheth thee to be revealed by God no more then if thou heardst God himself speaking I say unto thee as the Apostle said The Serpent hath beguiled thee as it beguiled Eve and further say as the Prophet said Thou must arise and get thee hence for this is not the Rest for thou wilt see thy self plunged into such a Labyrinth of Uncertainties as thou never wast before if the Lord ever open thine Eye And R. E. gives an Account that after his reading of some controvertal Books hath made some Collections as to himself and also declares That all dissenting Judgements grant there must be a Way and a Rule appointed to teach us to deside all Doubts to judge of all Matters and to teach us the true Way to Heaven with Certainty but who this Rule or Judge is is not agreed upon by all which he hath collected into four Heads First Some set up the Spirit to direct them and to be this Means Secondly Another will have every Man 's own Natural Reason to be this Rule and Judge Thirdly Others will set up sole Scripture And the fourth assigns the Holy Catholick Church to be that Judge and Director Other then these he saith he never heard of any for he saith he alwayes esteemed the Quakers Light to be either the Spirit or Natural Reason but which R. E. doth not know and all the four before-mentioned he saith he hath examined and treateth largely upon them all wherein he goeth about and giveth Grounds and divers Reasons and divers Interpretations of Scriptures he layes waste all the former three and establisheth as he thinks the fourth as to be that Way and Rule and Judge and governing Power to decide all Doubts as that whereby all are oblieged to submit unto as to Christ himself and this was that Question which he was to gain Satisfaction in and therefore he saith He ceaâ—ed â—o enquire of their Doctrine or this or that Article of Faith and hang altogether upon this Point before-mentioned Answ. 'T is true it is granted by all that there must be a Way and a Rule as the Means appointed of God to answer all Doubts and to give Satisfaction to every Man of the Certainty of that which he believes and who this Way and Judge and Rule is every one ought to be satisfied and the four Heads into which thou hast collected the whole Controversie of all dissenting Judgments in Christianity take up the whole as to this Particular which have ordinarily been holden forth among Christians But I judge thou deal'st not wisely in thy Inquisition and Search for Satisfaction to hang all on this Pin but rather to have examined further as concerning Matters of Doctrine and Matters of Faith held forth most especially of this Party to whom thou wast so much inclined and see how thou could'st have swallowed down that Doctrine of Purgatory and Sacrifice for the Dead and Justification by a Man 's own Works and of Bread and Wine after the Words of Consecration by the Priest is transubstantiated into the very Body and Blood of Christ and becomes whole God their Saviour and Redeemer for these are principal things either greatly necessary to Salvation or greatly unnecessary and when thou had'st tryed and found these to be so repugnant unto the Doctrine and Faith once delivered among the Saints in the first Plantation of the Gospel this might have put a Stop unto thee that thou could'st not so easily close with their Judgment and pretended Infallibility who pretend to be only Guides and yet lead into the greatest Errors in Matters of greatest Moment But as to the four Particulars mentioned I shall not stand to trouble either my self or the Reader as to speak much what of that which is no Part of my Faith or Judgment but only to vindicate the Truth against the many false Conceptions of changeable Men And first of all R. E. begins to treat of the Spirit and perverts the Scripture at his first Onset and saith As touching the Spirit â—earing Witness in secret with our Spirits or he saith in plain Terms the priâ—ate Spirit this saith R. E. I considered could not be the Means to convey Faith unto the World nor the Rule Judge or Guide which I enquired after nor indeed the true Spirit of God which he promised to be Apostles Secondly Those who pretend this Guidance do not believe Godâ— but themselves only and their own Perswasions which tell them they have the Spirit of God but they can give no other Account but that they are verily perswaded so or no other Answer but I am sure it is the Spirit of God and I am a good Man and an honest Man and I believe my self but â—ther Reasons or Evidence can they give none Thirdly This pretending of a private Spirit is against 2 Pet. 1.20 That no Prophecy of Scripture is of private Interpretation Answ. This Man beats altogether beside the Anvil whatever the Matter is but that he is blinded and confounded in himself he sets but up a Shadow and then fights with it for instead of proving the Spirit of God not to be a competent Rule Judge and Guide and Instructor in all Matters of Faith necessary to Salvation he goes about to prove a private Spirit a pretended
would 〈◊〉 it up in a Corner and tye it to one sort of Men or Sect or Opinion and the Mâ—sters thereof would assume it to themselves as though the Spirit of God and Grace of God were only among them and must be conveyed from them to other People before they have it and the direction and Guide of every Man must be sought from their Mouths as though God had not given a measure of his Spirit unto every man to profit withal and to be led and taught and guided by it into all Truth out of Error according to Christ's promise and according to the Lord's Promise in the dayes of old that though his People might eat the Bread of adversity drink the Water of affliction yet their Teacher should not be removed into a Corner and from this quickning enlightening enliveâ—ing Spirit of God the Saints of God and Ministers of Christ in the Primitive times received Power and Authority to propagate Righteousness and to judge deceit and the Mystery of Iniquity where-ever it appeared and in this their ability stood for they were made able and fit Ministers by it not of the Letter nor of Mens Traditions nor of foolish fopperies which have been introduced since and shuffled in among Christians under the Name of Power and Authority of the Holy Church and the Church of God that had received this Spirit walked in it and brought forth the Fruits fit whereby they were a good savour in the Nostrils of the Lord and by which they adorned the Gospel of our Lord Jesâ—â— Christ by a holy Conversation which did manifest them to be of God and Convince and stop the Mouths of gain-sayers And thus we are bold to tell thee and all that the Spirit of God which is given a measure of it to every Man and more fulness of it to them that believe that it is the Rule and the way and means whereby all the Actions Words and Works of all Men are weighed tryed measured and judged and Objections Answered and is the alone Judge of all matters and answerer of all doubts and giveth only true and perfect satisfaction and therefore R. E. may blush and be ashamed to ever publish such a thing abroad in the World as to say That the Spirit of God is not a sufficient director Teacher and Judge but calls it a private Spirit Opinion humour and fancy to make the Eyes of them blind who wait for its appearance only to trust to Men who plead Antiquity and Power without verity And further he goes on and sayes in the 22 th page of his said Epistle There is neither Jew Turk Pagan or Christian but he may put on confidence enough affirming that he is taught by the Spirit of God 〈…〉 this and yet teach contradictions and further saith that it hath no effect among them who pretend to it and that they can no more satisfie another that they are guided by the Spirit of Truth then many who are cast into Bedlâ—m Answ. 'T is true many are confident and impudent enough but confidence without Ground and impudent proves but little and he thâ—t â—â—ith he is a Jew and is not but of the Synagogue of Satan will soon be found out by his Doctrine and Fruits and he that saith he is a Christian and led by the Spirit and keeps not the commands of Christ neither brings forth the Fruits of the Spirit is soon discovered to be a Deceiver and deceived and such are like to teach contradictions but all such are denyed shut out with the Spirit of Truth but them that have the Spirit of God witness a blessed effect among them for they are turned from Satan's Power unto God and do witness Remission of Sin and Reconciliation with God and are not at difference but at Unity one with another and are brought out of the obstinate and perverse Estate which all pretenders are in and as for contradictions they are more to be seen in the Church of Rome then many wheres else they who are but pleased and have leisure to view over the Decrees and Constitutions of several Popes and Councils since he was elevated to be Universal Bishop over all Christian Churches by that Hâ—athen 〈…〉 Emperour Phocas who slew his Master Maâ—ritius to obtain 〈…〉 did gratifie the Pope so far that he might be cryed up as Emperour as thâ—â— he should be Universal Bishop and this proved a better pleâ— for the Pope because the Emperour had Power to defend him and to compel all to receive his Decrees then that he was Peter's Succesâ—oâ— I say who will but look into the Constitutions and Decrees shall find such setting of and throwing down and such decreeing and such disannulling as twenty 〈◊〉 Champions as Robert Everard will never be able to free his Catholick Church from contradictions although he is very forward to charge otheâ—â— though he is but a new Convert but let him not boast till he haâ—h put off his Armour and it is thâ—t mad Bedlem Spirit of thine that saith That among all the Nonconformists there is no one that can satisfie another that he hath the Spirit of God I tell thee yes there are thousands satisfied in one another that they have the Spirit of God besides he that hath it can speak to the witness of God in another which shall testifie the same and moreover their Works and Fruits shall and do manifest unto others that they are born of the Spirit because the Fruits of it are seen as they are manifest to be born of God and do the Works of God and thou must first know the Spirit of God in thy self if ever thou look for it there and not hang altogether upon others belief as thou dâ—st upon thy Catholick Church before thou canst know it in another and first be Convinced by it and judged by it for thy ill deeds and ill thoughts and Hypocrisie and timeâ— serving and flattery and Men-pleasing before thou canst be Convinced of others Righteousness and also be Convinced of the unbelief of thy own Heart before thou canst believe others but thou hast been so busie abroad in quarrelling and contending about Words Names and empty shews without Substance and Life that thy mind is all over grown with Thorns and Bâ—iers scrawling and scratching and entangling thy self and others so that that which should Savour the things of God is over-grown in these and is buried and to them that are like Heaths in a desert know not when Good comes neither do know what they enjoy that dwell in the fat Valleis and the Pharisees had such unbelieving Hearts though Christ was the express Image of God and did the Works that never Man did yet being without Faith and without Reason they said he was a Blasphemer and all his Works were done by Bellzebub and would never be convinced that any thing he did was of God and that Spirit is near thee which would represent the Fruits of the Spirit to be delusion and
his Term is all along without questioning at all either their Doctrine or Principles or comparing them with the Doctrine of Christ or Primitive Christians whether they be true or false whether they be with or against but all is to be received by an implicite Faith Hand over Head and by whole sale for it will admit of no Examination or Doubt but all must be received of Necessity as infallible and upon so great a Necessity too as R. E. saith if you will believe him would make it so that all forfeit eternal Salvation for not receiving all the Doctrines of this Church and consequently procure eternal Damnation unto themselves who refuse it so that if I should say no more but even lay down his Assertions which are scattered up and down his Book called An Epistle to all Non-conformists it were Answer enough I hope to many whose Mouths I hope would be filled with Arguments and sound and grounded Ones too or at least with Faith in their Hearts to oppugn and not receive all these bold Assertions without Examination or Tryal only upon the Account of Infallibility from the universal Church of Rome falsly so called but R. E. having removed away all the stumbling Blocks which are in his Way as he judges the private Spirit he hath concluded not to be this Rule and Judge which I judge he hath no Opposers in though he hath spent much Paper and Time in his scribling Humor which hath been his manner in former Dayes as he confesseth in the first Page neither Reason nor the Scriptures are this Rule and Judge but he hath concluded the Catholick Church is but all along he hath waved that which indeed is the only and alone Rule and Judge infallible viz. the Spirit of God but either calls it the private Spirit or concludes it is intail'd upon the Church so that she cannot err Page 54. which I shall say something further unto That there hath been a Church of God and a peculiar People whom God hath singled out as to be Objects of his Love which feared him in their Hearts and bore a Testimony of him and worshipped him according to the Manifestation of his Spirit unto them whether by Word or Revelation which was certain and infallible unto them that received it is granted and this was alwayes but little in Comparison of the Multitude of the fallen Sons of Adam and the rest of the Nations and People that served and worshipped strange Gods and never made such a Boast of Universality and Visibility as this supposed Catholick Church hath done sincâ— the Apostacy entered in which the Apostles fore-saw and prophesied of before their Departure out of this Tabernacle and since many have believed in Christ and the Worship of the Jews extinguished and a fatal Overthrow of their Civil Government and Kingdom are two main Reasons of extinguishing their Worship and hath been no Invitation to any to turn Jews or hold in their Worship seeing they have lost their Government and Dominion and are as scattered People without Priviledge and is no Inducement for the World to joyn to them therefore seeing the Face of that Government was demolished and their Worship ended but only as to themselves who remained in their Unbelief and seeing that the Doctrine of Christ did so far prevail as to extinguish it and put out the Glory thereof in the Apostles Dayes and sometime afterwards and also the Gentiles Worship and their false Gods and dumb Idols which they were led after the Power of God prevailing through the Apostles the Ministers of Righteousness by whom many were converted unto the Faith of Christ the Sum and Substance of all Shadows many being converted to the Faith did hold forth a publick Testimony and it became in some Reputation and many preached him of Envy Contention and Strife and for filthy Lucre Covetousness and Self-Ends and many followed their pernicious Wayes and yet held the Name of Christ and Christianity and thus began the Mystery of Iniquity to work and the Devil to turn so far Christian in Name only because it was in vain among many to hold forth the Jews Worship or the Gentiles Worship because they had an Inclination another Way after Christianity that came into more Repute with the World and therefore suffered the Name or many to profess it and under this Name and under this Cover to bring forth his Work of Darkness and the Fruits of the Flesh and the Nature of Christ wanting and here was the Beginning and Rise of your universal visible Church Secondly For the first two Thousand Years before the Scriptures were written R. E. saith the Church of God was this Rule and Judge and infalliâ—le Director which might to some indifferent men have been granted but that I see which Way his Course bends viz. to the setting up of men as Judge and Rule and Guide and detracts from the Spirit and Power of God in which the Ability and Power of the Church of God stood and from which alone they received this proper Power and Right because their Understandings were enlightened and their Judgments informed to declare the Mind of God freely according as it was revealed and to give true Judgment why is not this attributed rather to the Spirit and Power of God that was manifest in them rather then to Persons seeing their Ability stood and their Power only as they kept in Covenant with God as any erred from that in any Age or fell from that they came to be blind Guides and to give false Judgment as some such there were in all Ages Thirdly R. E. saith That after the Scripture was written the Church of the Jews was Rule and Judge unto the Jews and cites Deut. 17.8 Thou shalt come unto the Priests Levites and unto the Judge and enquire and they shall shew thee the Sentence of Judgment and according to that which they shall tell thee thou shalt do And likewise he quotes Mat. 23.2 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses 's Chair whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do c. And from thence he infers would God direct them unto and punish with Death for not obeying an Authority which might deceive them and was this Authority committed to them that were capable of mistaking Answ. It seems R. E. would narrow and pinch up the Church of God among the Jews in a straight Compass when he would confine it only to the Priests and Levites and to the Judges in those Dayes whenas all the Tribes were called the Church as well as Levi again it is said Jacob is my Portion and Israel is the Lot of my Inheritance comprising the whole Tribes and Families of the Jews but it seems these must be no Part of the Church with R. E. he pinches narrower now then he will do when he tells us of the Vastness of the Universal Church but let that pass as by the Way and to come to the Matter in Hand
Angels Worshipping Relicks worshipping Images Transubstantiation Purgatory sprinkling of Infants prove to us from the Scripture in thy next that these were Apostolical and Infallible Doctrines delivered and taught by the Church of Christ in the Apostles time or in the first hundred Years after Christ and thou will not only gain me but many more to receive and imbrace the Catholick Church of Rome for an absolute Rule and Guide unto which all on Earth ought to be subject unto which if thou dost not we will take it for granted thou darest not lest thou ingage thy self in such a Controversie as thou never ingaged in yet by which thy and your Folly will more and more appear unto all I shall not trouble neither my self nor the Reader any further in traducing R. E. in his multiplicity of Words although the main and weighty Arguments and Reasons as R. E. looks upon them are answered which I commend unto thee and to the Witness of God in every Man's Conscience to try and search out where the difference and weight lies and the Truth and as the measure of God's Spirit in every Man's Conscience doth close with or against if it can what I have said about R. E. his Epistle for unto that I dare stand to the Judgment of and in it as every one believes and walks I bid my Reader Farewell Westmoreland this 18 th of the 5 th Moneth 1665. F. H. A General Epistle To the Dispersed and PERSECUTED FLOCK OF Christ Jesus IN THE DOMINION OF ENGLAND AND All Parts and Regions where this shall come who have believed in Christ the Light of the VVorld and now suffer for his Names sake DEarly Beloved whom God hath called and redeemed out of the World and the Vanities thereof to follow the Lamb in the Regeneration through the Cross and Suffering in this Age wherein the Whore Beast and false Prophet and all that have drunk of her Cup and have received the Mark of the Beast and are led aside to believe Lyâ—s that proceed out of the Mouth of the time serving flattering deceitful Workers of this Generation who are all joyned together iâ— theiâ—â—â—rength and Power to act every Way against the Lamb and his meck Appearance who takes away the Sins of the World and against all them that are made clean through his Blood and are come out of the Pâ—llutions of the Wâ—rld and to make War against the Râ—mnâ—nt of the Seed of God who are begetten again to the lively Hope of Christ Jesus and to the Inheritance that fâ—des not away and to root out and destroy and weary out through cruel Suffering the Saints of the most high that so the Prince of Darkness might rule in his full Power and Authoriâ—y in his Instruments and Servants without Opposition or any Gain-saâ—ing And as God out of his everlasting Love hath redeemed and translated many from great Darkness wherein they have bin hâ—ld in the time of Unbelief into his marvellous Light to walk in it and to bring forth the Fruits of the Day of Light Faith and Righteousness to the Praise and Glory of his Grace who hath called them and translated them for that very End to shew forth his Power and Glory in the Earth who have been quickned and raised by it out of the Grave that they might bear Witness thereunto and testifie of it both in Word and Work against the World and the God thereof who now rules in the Children of Disobedience therefore is his Wrath the more kindled and his Fury great against them that are departed out of his Kingdom and will not yield their Hearts and Necks to be subject any more unto his Yoak by whom they have been enslaved and held Captive under many and divers Lusts which the Wrath of God is revealed against and to be revealed against and because they are made free by the Frightness of the glorious rising of the Sun of Righteousness in his Power and quickning Life in their Hearts which hath broken his Yoak of Bondage and destroyed the Law of Sin and Death which sometimes had Power over them but now being made Conquerors of them through the Power of Christ the old Dragon the Deceiver of the Nations who is out of the Truth labours by all means to bring them back again under his Yoak and his Devices are not a few which are set on Foot at this Day to make all bow unto him which the Children of Light are not ignorant of who are and have been watchful against the mysterious working of his Power within and also without in his Instruments who have received great Power from him to propagate his Kingdom that stands in Wrath Evil doing and Cruelty And therefore all had need to watch and be circumspect that they that are escaped be not ensnared and entangled again lest their Bondage be greater and the Yoak heavier then before Therefore the Lord moveth often in my Heart to exhort all unto Watchfulness and Diligence and so much the more because the Dayes are perilous and the Times dangerous and the Temptations many on every Hand so they that look out are in Danger to be ensnared and let in the Enemy and Fears and Doubts and Unbelief enter and questioning in the Haste Can God deliver or will he deliver or hath he any Regard unto our Afflicâ—ion And because the time seems long and they cannot see to the End thereof their Hearts fail and their Faith is in Danger to be shaken and they lose their States therefore it concerns every one to watch and pray that they enter not into Temptations neither be overcome with the wicked One neither of the fading Pleasure Profit and Ease that the Children of this World do enjoy which is but for a Time and then is the Beginning of endless Misery Therefore all dearly beloved look over all the Sufferings and Troubles and Temptations and Necessities and over the Devil and all his Works to the Beginning and to that have an Eye which was before they had a Being to the Lord God everlasting who made Heaven and Earth have an Eye and let your Eye be fixed on him which destroyes the Devil and all his Works and will reward the Workers of Iniquity according to their Deeds with everlasting Torments Dearly Beloved who have been under great Sufferings Losers for Christ's sake and the Gospel's in this Age like as many faithful Witnesses have been in former Ages I am a Sufferer with you and am sensible of your Griefs Affliâ—â—ions Necessities and Tribulations which are many and do bear and suffer with you all in my Heart and in the true Sence and Feeling of you all dispersed every where where God hath placed you in the Earth my Heart Soul Life and Spirit breatheth forth unto you all and your Burden is mine your Afflictions are mine your Sufferings are mine I do weep with them that weep I am sorrowful with them that are sorrowful and what which is a Grief
take you into my Rest and Peace out of the Reach of the Oppressor Sixthly For the frustrating of the Purpose of them who decreed that unrighteous Decree for Banishment that it may not profit them neither answer their End and Unrighteousness the Lord the Lord hath cut them short of their Purpose and will cut them short of their Hope and in the End bring their Council to nought for that which is formed against the Lord shall not prosper Seventhly For the hardening the Hearts of this Generation who have devised Mischief from the Womb and have gone astray as soon as they were born after so many Warnings and evident Tokens of his Hand against them and of his Displeasure which have been set at nought and yet are resolved to go on to root out the Heritage of God I say that their Hearts might be hardened and their Eyes closed that they may not discern betwixt the End of the Righteous and the Wicked nor see a Difference in their States but as one dyes so dyes the other as to the outward Appearance though you beloved know a Difference both in Life and Death and I do believe many who have laid down the Body and put off this earthy Tabernacle have given great Testimony of God's Love unto them of his Favour Peace and Acceptation in the latter End in this which I have said I am satisfied and therefore could not but signifie the same unto you that we might not sorrow concerning them that dye in the Faith and sleep in Christ as them who are without Hope for these rest from their Labours and their Faith Works and Life shall live and we have and enjoy their Spirit and Life so it is only personal Absence of this earthly Tabernacle that we want so in that be comforted Last of all The Wayes of the Lord are unsearchable but as he reveals them to them that fear him and whatever may be manifest to any other this I am certainly perswaded of that God will have Honour and Glory through all these things as it shall be in the End for the Prosperity of the Gospel of Truth and I am perswaded of this though the Lord should permit many to be destroyed outwardly of all they enjoy yet they are resolved to trust in him forever And though the Day be dark and gloomy and the Devil be let loose to try the Faith of them that dwell upon the Earth and the Wrath of the Wicked be great yet the Bond is set that they cannot pass and though we that yet remain alive to this Day were all dissolved and rowled together in the Dust which is the End of all Flesh yet that Life and Power which we have believed in and that everlasting Truth which we have testified of and suffered for shall never be extinguished or rooted out but shall take up other Persons and Bodies from Generation to Generation while Sun and Moon endureth in this be all assured and comforted in the Lord and chearful in your Sufferings and comfort and strengthen one another in the royal Seed of God all live and dwell which cannot bow to the Seed of the Bond-woman which hath the Promise of Life and Immortality and everlasting Blessedness and all look unto the Lord over all and above all the Rage and Wrath of the Enemy and the Afflictions of this present Life and feel that which is without End The God of Power be with you comfort your in the midst of all your Tryals and preserve you that your Faith fail not is the earnest Desire of him whose Heart is knit unto the Lord and all his suffering People in the everlasting Covenant of Life and Peace pray all unto the Lord without ceasing that you may be able though through the Valley of the Shadow of Death the Peace of God fill all your Hearts that you may rejoyce in the Lord and trust in him forever The 16th of the 8th Moneth 1665. Yours in Life or Death F. H. OATHS NO Gospel-Ordinance But prohibited by CHRIST BEING IN ANSWER TO A. SMALLWOOD D. D. To his Book lately published being a Sermon preached at Carlile 1664 wherein he hath laboured to prove Swearing lawful among Christians his Reasons and Arguments are weighed and answered and the Doctrine of Christ vindicated against the Conceptions and Interpretations of Men who would make it void By a Sufferer for Christ and his Doctrine F. H. Because of Oaths the Land mourneth Jer. 23.10 11 12 c. By Swearing and lying and kâ—lâ—ing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish Hosea 4.2 3. TO THE READER TRuth never had that Advantage nor Countenance from the Men of this World though Wise in their Generation since Sin entered into it to have the Approbation of the World neither of the Powers and Potentates thereof for it alwayes hated the Truth because it bore Witness against the World and the Deeds and Works thereof which ere evil for Wisdom is only justified of her Children and Truth is justified of her Children neither indeed doth it need any other Patron to shelter it self under but the God of all Truth from whence it proceeds neither shall I seek a Shelter neither run to any Mountain or Hill for Safety or Protection nor to the mighty of the Earth as many of latter Dayes have done to patronize their Labours and to make them the more acceptable and to be the sooner and more readily received But seeing the Apostle saith Not many Wise not many Rich not many Noble are chosen but he hath chosen the Weak and Poor and despised of the World who are Rich in Faith and good Works who are Heirs of the Promise and of the the World to come I chuse only to be approved to the Witness of Christ's Light in every Man's Conscience and to the Measure of his holy Spirit which he hath placed in every Man to that only I desire to be either approved or else by it reproved for wholly unto the Judgment of that in every Conscience I appeal and do commend this ensuing Discourse in the Sight of God and the Answer unto A. Smalwood's Book who hath sought to make void Christ's Command for to obey the Command of Men as is manifest in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Gentlemen of Cumberland for it seems by his Epistle they put him on Work to preach and print this Sermon whether upon this Subject or not I shall not determine but however he saith He hath obeyed their Commands though he hath laboured as much as in him lyes to make the Command of Christ void and the Apostles Doctrine by his Arguments which he hath raised to prove Christ's Doctrine one thing and his Intention another and so would blind the Minds of People only to establish the Doctrines of Men and the Traditions of Men in the Apostacy and hath put divers Constructions upon the
neither was there any necessiâ—y or just occasion whatever A. S. mâ—y call just occasion we cannot for he hath left such a great compass for himself to turn in though here and thâ—re he seem to disallow of customary Oaths and frequent Oaths yet notwithstanding his Discourse rather tends to an allowance of Swearing frequently and unnecessarily for we reckon it to be a piece of ordinary Communication for a Christian Minister to write a Letter of admonition or Exhortation or an Epistle unto the believing Hearers and that there is no necessity of Oaths in such a Discourse for what-ever A. S. sayes this would make the Apostle guilty of frequent and unnecessary and common Swearing which we are far from believing forasmuch as they did believe through the word of Life declared by the Spirit of God in him neither through his Epistles written being assisted by the Holy Ghost they were not like to believe him for Swearing if he had Sworn but saith A. S. If his words had really been believed which he spoke and wrote what occasion would there have been for him to have written so to the Roman 's Rom. 9.1 I say the Truth in Christ I Lye not The Apostle knew what occasion he had to speak these Words and the occasion was this that the Jews sought to be justified by the Righteousness of the Law and by the Works thereof and would needs look upon themselves as the Children of God because they were of the stock of Abraham according to the Flesh but the Apostle knew and also gave them to understand that the Children of the Promise were counted for the Seed and again for they are not all Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6 7 8. And thus he spake Truth unto them as it was revealed by Christ whom the Father had revealed in him and why might he not say I speak the Truth in Christ seeing that Christ was in him and he in him I Lye not my Conscience also bears me Witness in the Holy Ghost he might also as well say that Paul Swore by his Conscience seeing that he took it for a witness away away with such perverting and straining of the Scripture beyond and beside the mind of the Holy Ghost for God is witness and I speak the Truth in Christ they are no more then arden and Zeâ—lous or fervent expressions as the Spirit of God at several times did stir up in his Heart both to speak and write for the end that they unto whom he spoke or wrote might believe and therefore we conclude not as A. S. would needs have it that the Apostle spoke these fervent words unnecessarily for we know and see his end and purpose was good and therefore he spoke with fervency and with boldness the Spirit of the Lord beâ—ring witness in his Conscience that he spoke the Truth which we are fâ—r from believing is either juration or abjuration and for ought can be perceived by A. S 's disdainful Spirit all that do dissent from him in his Opinion he calls Phanaticks and Paul shall hardly go free nor divers of the ancient Fathers as Origen Chrysostome Jerome Theophilaâ—â— and others who denyed not only Swearing in private Conversation but to Swear at all but now these must be called Phanaticks who dissent from all men but themselves by A. S. and such as he who Sail with Wind and â—ide and exalt and applaud that which hath praise among men and hath not the praise of God and so the last of all he makes this Conclusion that so help me God is the most certain expression of an Oath which form of Words that though he count them certain we find not either under the Law or under the Gospel and I look upon it mâ—re as a piece of flattery in A.S. because this is the Form and the Câ—stom which 〈…〉 câ—lled Swearing which is in use in this Nation and it's stranger to us that they will reckon this so great a piece of peculiâ—â— Service which is incommunicable to any Creature but only to God whenas indeed we never find it written or commanded either among the Jews or commended or used amongst all the writings of Christ and the Apostles that hath relation to Christianity Indeed I remember that I have read that in the days when the Pope's Authority was in full Power here in England how that the Chancellour then of England said to one of John Wickliff's followers being brought before him in Examination he said unto him Lay thy Hand upon the Book thou Heretick and Swear so help me God and holy doom An old Superstitious Popish Form I look upon it to be and hath no consistance with an Oath in its true matter and Form under the Law when iâ— was commanded and for ought I see A. S. will rather take part with the Church of Rome and her Members who Persecuted rather then Wickliff that famous Reformer who had his Bones taken up and burned 41. Years after his Decease and his Books and these Articles condemned by the Council of Coâ—stance who also burned John Hus and Jerome of Prague for holding John Wickliff's Opinions which was That all Oaths under the Gospel be unlawful I say A. S. might have been more modest then with the Council of Constance condemn them for Error seeing they were the only People in their Age and time that opposed and suffered for opposing the Church of Rome in the Apostacy seeing that they are fain to own them if they look for any Reformation before Luther to be their Witnesses against the Church of Rome which I have heard many Protestants say that they were on their part against the Church of Rome and though A. S. tells us of a Generation of People quos non persuadebis etiam si persuaseris who as they will not be perswaded so they will not be counselled who will have nothing else to be the formality of an Oath but by God but this he sayes only of his own Head except he knew some People that we know not of for we say to Swear the Lord liveth as an Oath and again as the Lord lives is an Oath or by the Lord that lives forever and ever is an Oath and yet we must needs deny that Paul Swore in the 1 Cor. 15.1 when he said by your rejoycing I die daily And we never said A. S. mistook himself in saying that by as the only mark and Character of an Oath and if Austin said upon these words of Paul as A. S. tells us per vestram gloriam juratio est upon Paul's words I suspect his judgment and therefore shall not so much regard it But A. S. seems not to be at Unity in his Book with himself notwithstanding all his raveling out where he seems in his 41. page to dislike of Nicholas Fuller's Judgment viz. that there is no Oath where God is not interposed and yet in the 56. page he saith That the Substance of an Oath consists in the