Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	according_a	call_v	holy_a	2,256	5	4.3530	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91119	A testimony of the Light within. A glorious truth, which all the holy men of God did bear testimony unto, and from which they spoke forth the Sciptures, and the end of all preachings and writings was to bring to Light within, to worship God in spirit and truth, and to Christ within, the hope of glory. The truth cleared from scandals, and some of the errors and false doctrines of two Cornish teachers laid open and testified against. With a description of the true ministers of Christ, and of the free ministery both under the law and Gospell administration; ... Also a testimony of the dawning of the glorious day of the Lord, ... Here is likewise, in short, declared the differences between the old Covenant, ... & the new covenant, ... Given forth from Christ the light within in love to the souls of all people, ... that they may have union with me in my fathers love ... whose name according to the flesh is Alexander Parker. Written chiefly to the inhabitants of the town and parish of Austell, in the county, of Cornwall, but may serve for any others who are in the same nature and condition with them.	Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.	1657 (1657)	Wing P385; Thomason E909_6; ESTC R203124	42,617	54

the deep things of God for what man knows the things of a man but the Spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God then all they that deny the Spirit and say there is no Ministers of the Spirit now as Priest Vpcot did knows not the things of God but what they know naturally which Jude speaks of as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves woe unto them for they have run in the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward read Iude 10 11. And wo unto all such now that deny the Ministration of the Spirit and saies there is no Ministers of the Spirit now their knowledge is natutal and carnal and they go in the way of Cain which is envy and run greedily after the error of Balaam for gifts and rewards as the Priests and Parish Ministers in England do and as Vpcot your Teacher doth therefore turn from him and all such for the Lords hand is stretched forth against them The Ministers of Christ were not called by Man nor made Ministers by the will of Man Cal. 1.1.12 2 Cor. 5.19 they were not brought up at Schools to get human learning to fit them but they were called by God Rom. 10.8 John 17.17 1 Cor. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.20.21 and made Ministers according to the will of God and fitted and prepared by God and had the word of Life and Reconciliation committed to them which was within them quick and powerfull and wrought powerfully in their hearts by which word they were sanctified and the holy Spirit was within them and as the holy Spirit moved so they spoke forth the Scripture not by mans will but by the will of God as they were moved by the holy Ghost But the Teachers of England are not so made nor called For in the first place they are sent to School to learn humane wisdom in the will of man after they are sent to Oxford or Cambridge and there by their cunning Craft they learn the Trade of Preaching having men over them and Books for that purpose And when they have learned their Trade served their Apprentiship then their Masters give them the Commission to preach and commit unto them the Scriptures which were the Saints testimony within them but these Priests have it without them and it is neither quick nor powerful but weak and dead and their hearts are not sanctified but they plead against purity and holiness of life telling people it is impossible to live without sin in this world and they do not preach as they are moved by the Spirit but they study in the week daies what to speak and many of them have an hour-glasse and most of them limit themselves to a time and when they have uttered forth all that they have many times tell the people they would have enlarged if the time would permit when indeed they have no more to say and so decieve the people telling them they preach the word of the Lord when it is no more but a divination of their own brain and though they use some Texts of Scriptures that is the greater deceit to colour their hypocrisie and to make their ware the better to go off But the Lord is coming to lay open their deceit and to take from them their stollen garments and the shame of their nakednesse shall appear and none shall buy their Merchandize any longer Rev. 18.11 Here you may see their call into the Ministery is contrary to the Ministers of Christ and their preaching contrary and so they are to be denied When Jesus Christ sent forth his Ministers he did not give them power to take tythes Mat. 10. chap. Luke 10. chap. nor any set or forced maintenance but as they had recived freely so they were to minister freely And into what City Town or Countrey ye come enquire who is worthy and if they receive you there stay and abide eating and drinking such things as they set before you Mat. 10 14. for the Labourer is worthy of his Hire and the Workman is worthy of his Meat Here he gave them power to eat and to drink with such as were worthy to receive them but they were not to do so amongst those that did not receive them but depart and shake the dust off their feet they were not to compell them to give them maintenance nor meat nor any thing else but they were to minister freely 1 Tim 6.8 and if any did freely set meat before them if they would use their power they might eat freely And I do not read in the the testimony of the Apostles and Disciples and Ministers of Christ that they did ever receive any thing further than to supply their wants and necessities for having food and rayment they were therewith content I never read that ever any one was compelled to feed them Gal. 4.14 15. or give them maintenance neither indeed was there any need for the Lord whom they served sent his power along with them and such a love was raised up among them that they did receive their testimony that Paul declares of some that if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him and it is so now with those that receive the Truth in the love of it nothing can be too dear for them for they are as one anothers lives and as they are hated by the world and opposers and gainsayers of the Truth with a perfect batred so they are loved by all those that in singleness of heart and uprightness receive the Truth with a perfect love But the professed Teachers of England are not so but they have usurped a power to take Tythes and set and forced maintenances of 100 200 or 300 pounds or as much as they can get by the year for they not having received freely as the Ministers of Christ did but have given a great deal of monies for gaining of their Art no more can they minister freely And they are more like to Heathens than to Christians they do not Christian-like Seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of it Mat. 6.32 33. Mat. 10.11 in the first place neither do they according to command Enquire who is worthy For their first and chief thing is what place or some great fat Parsonage that is vacant is sought after and enquire what the people will give and so make a bargain with them for so much by the year to be paid at such and such times and they are very loath to preach untill they have their maintenance made sure unto them and yet they will tell people to believe in God and trust God for food for their souls when they themselves dare not trust God for their Bellies and they make little conscience who they be that they take wages of believers or not believers so they can but get it

came into the publick Meeting-place which you call a Church in meekness and innocency according to the practice of the Ministers of the Gospel and I sate down and imediately Vpcot your professed Teacher seeing me envy did arise in him and the image of Cain did appear in his face and he spoke to some of his hearers to put me forth in this thing if it were nothing else it is enough to try him for the tree is known by his fruits envy is a mark of the false Prophets and they who live in envy are of Cains generation and nature and he that envies his brother is a murderer and so of the Devil and is no true Minister and it was not the manner nor practice of the Apostles to cause any to be hailed forth but on the contrary the Apostles and Ministers of Christ were haled forth and beaten and abused and in this age your Teachers are found contrary to the Ministers of Christ not guided by that meek and Lamb-like Spirit that they were guided by but he is plainly manifest to have a contrary spirit of envy and so the spirit of error 1 John 4.6 The same time one whose name is Halls went up into the high place and stood praying there Pharisee-like which Christ cryed woe unto such that did so Mat. 23. and in his prayer he uttered forth his envy and blasphemy against Christ the Light and prayed to his God that they might not be guided by the Light within and afterward prayed that the Lord would reveal his Truth within Now here all who are not wilfully blind may see his confusion and out of his own mouth I leave him to be judged for Christ Jesus is the Truth and he is the Light John 14.6 John 8.12 and if the Truth must be revealed within then the Light is within and where this Light is manifest it leads and guids all who are in it out of death and darkness and all unrighteousness into the pure way of life righteousness and peace as Christ hath said whosoever follows me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life and all who deny the light within denies the New-Covenant Isa 4● 6. Jer 31 31. 1 Tim 3 9.16 and the faith of Christ nay further they deny the whole Mistery of Godliness which is God manifest in flesh and this I shall prove by Scripture that all they who deny to be guided by the light within denies God Christ and the Spirit which are all one in substance though differing in names for God is light and Christ is light and the Spirit is light and they are all one God 1 John 5 7. who is light as John the beloved Disciple declares and this was his message that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all as you may read Iohn 1.5 And Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ declares and testifies of God dwelling within as you may read 2 Cor. 6.16 What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said Rev 21 3. I will dwel in them and walk in them c. Again read Ephes 4.4 5 6. There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Col. 3 10 11. mind this well In you all Again read Col. 1.26 27 28. where Paul speaks of the Mistery which hath been h●d from ages and generations but now is made manifest to his Saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mistery among the Gentiles which is Chrict in you the hope of glory Again read 1 Cor. 3 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And this is the New-Covenant of God prophesied of by the Prophet Jeremiah in the 31. Chap. 31 32 33 34. which was not according to the old Covenant Exod 34 1. Mal. 2 7. Heb 10 12 where the Law was written in Tables of Stone and the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they year by year offered up Sacrifice for sin c. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in the inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sin no more And again read Luke 17.20 21. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come he answered them to wit Jesus and said the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation neither shall they say lo here or lo there mark well for behold th● Kingdom of God is within you Another Scripture I shall mention in the first Epistle of John 2.20 to the 28. Ye have an Vction from the holy One and ye know all things c. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you but the annoynting which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him These Scriptures I have set down to prove that he or they that denies to be guided by the Light within denies God Tim. 32 26. Iohn 4 23 4● Jer ● 31 34. 1 27. Co●h 16 13 Job 8 1. ● Joh 5 29 1 Heb 10 16 Luke 17 21 1 Jo 2 27. 1 Jo● 1 3 5 Christ Spirit and the Scriptures and in a word the whole Mistery of Godliness which is God manifest in flesh where the true Worship in Spirit and Truth is known and witnessed and the New-Covenant enjoyed where sin and in●quity is done away and blotted out of the Lords remembrance and this is light within which leads and guids all the Children of God in the waies of righteousness and peace where the substance and life of all figures and shaddows and the life of all Scriptures is witnessed and enjoyed within for the Law is light and it is within and the Kingdome of God is light and it is within and the Spirit is light and the Annointing and Christ is light and these are all one in substance one God who is a Spirit of light and he dwells within his people and as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Rom 8 14. and here you may see the error and blasphemy of Halls who prayed that they might

not be guided by the light within Jo 17 21 23. Isa 45 13. John 6 45. Ezek 34 15 and in this he hath denied Father Son and Spirit which are one God who is light and is within a guider and leader and teacher of his People according to Scripture Testimony as I have mentioned before And the said Halls in his talk was speaking of Anti-christ and false Teachers from that Scripture 1 John 2.18 Little Children it is the last time and as you have heard that Anti-christ shall come even now are there many Anti-christs whereby we know that it is the last time Now I shall prove by Scripture and out of his own mouth 1 Jo 2 22. that he is one of the Anti-christs that is against Christ and denies him read the 22. vers Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ he is Anti-christ that denies the Father and the Son Now it is manifest and proved by Scripture that he hath denied the Father and the Son Iohn 10 30 Iohn 14 9 10 11 Rev 21 3. who prayed that they might not be guided by the light within for the Father and the Son are one and they are light and dwelleth within And again read another Scripture in the first Epistle of Iohn Chap. 4.3 Every Spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Anti-christ whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already it is in the world Now to confess Christ come in flesh at Ierusal●m sixteen hundred and od years ago that the Pope doth confess whom he said was the Anti-christ and this most in this Nation of the very prophanest ones and many others do confess But I do further say 1 Iohn 5 11 12. Col 1 27. 1 John 2 22 23. that every particular man or woman that doth not confess Christ but deny Christ come in their mortal flesh are Anti-christs against Christ and this Halls did deny who denies to be guided by the light within and so denies Christ within the hope of glory and so is against Christ Anti-christ Further the said Halls said that Anti-christ was one that did oppose Christ and this I shall turn back upon his own head and prove him out of his own mouth to be against Christ He hath denied the Mini●●ers work which is for the perfecting of the Saints Christ Jesus owned the Doctrine of Perfection and said in his Doctrin Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect as you may read Mat. 5.48 and Halls said that none can be perfect in th●s life and so oposes Christ manifesting the spirit of Anti-christ Several other things were spoken by him in opposition to Christ and the pure Doctrin of Perfection but these few that I have mentioned are sufficient to try prove his Spirit onely one Scripture I shall mention which he himself quoted to prove me and my friends to be false Prophets which was Phil. 3.19 but read the 18. verse and so on where the Apostle speaks of false Teachers for saith he many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Now whether this Scripture doth condemn them or us I leave it to the honest hearted to judge for as soon as he had ended his stuff they both went away and though I called after them and charged them to stay in the name of the Lord yet nevertheless both of them with speed went to the Tavern and there filled their bellies Psal 1 1 2. Psa 145.20 Dan 6 22. and left me amongst a company of bruits and heathen-like raging people haling and pulling and punching with their feet had not the power of the Lord preserved me and my friends we might have been torn to pieces amongst the raging and ravening Wolves Mat 10 10 and that day Christs words were fulfilled who said I send you forth as Lambs in the midst of Wolves And this was plainly manifest I came in innocency and was as a Lamb amongst them and they like ravenous Wolves went about to devour but the Lord preserved me and my friends out of their mouths glory to his Name for evermore Oh! how do these your Priests walk as Examples to the People as the Ministers of Christ did walk as Examples and their conversation was in heaven as you may read Phil 3 17 20. But these your Teachers their conversation is below and if the people should have followed them they might have gone to the Tavern and there filled their bellies and sit sotting and drinking which is a shame to hear tell of which they glory in Tit 1 16. and are enemies to the Crosse of Christ though they profess him in words yet in works they deny him and they do mind earthly things as those did which the Apostle speaks of for if it were not more for love of your earthly things than it is in love to your souls you would have fewer sermons for take away their maintenance and give them no money and you will quickly know what they preach for we have tryed them and found them so and so do turn from them Isa 2 22. and warn all others to cease from man and turn to the Lord that he alone may teach you according as he hath promised and according as it is written all the Children of the Lord they shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 After I came from the Meeting-place I writ to William Vpcot and sent it down to his house by one of my friends who coming into his house and asked for him it was said he was within Then Vpcots wife came and asked what his message was and said she would deliver it to her husband and she being earnest to know he told her he had a letter and she promised to deliver it to her said husband where upon her word and promise he gave her the Letter but no sooner she had got the paper not regarding her word and promise did cast the letter into the fire and burnt it and so she was proved a lyer in saying she would give it to her husband but did not but cast it into the fire so she manifested herself to be of the Divel a lyer and the Lake of Fire is the lyers portion as you may read Rev. 21.8 Thus you may see that the Priest and his wife are both of one Spirit for she made no conscience of her wo●ds and promise but I knowing their spirit did keep a copy of the paper which take as followeth William Upcot SHew me an Example in the Scripture where ever any of the Ministers of Christ did command any of their Hearers to hale forth or take away any that came in amongst them as

thou didst this day to some of the people out of thy envious spirit spoke unto them to take me away because I had my hat on my head when thou thy self hadst a Cap on and thy fellow-Priest and severall others that had their heads covered and yet wouldst condemn and judge me for that which thou and others were guilty of and so stirred up the people to do evill O shameless man It grieves my Spirit to see such actions amongst you Are these the fruits of thine and others Ministery when in meekness and innocency as a Lamb I came among you as that of God in thee shall one day witnesse thou thy self who should have been an example of good unto the people was the first that did appear in envie against the innocent and went about to stir them up to cruelty and rage and to hale me out of your Assembly when in innocency I stood and heard thy partner and brother in Iniquity untill he had ended his frothy and airy lying stuff as I shall prove by the severall things was uttered by him that he hath denied the new Covenant this by Scripture I shall clearly prove and do charge him to be one of the Antichrists that the Apostle speaks of which should come in the last time And when I stood up to speak and to clear the truth from his lies and slanders thou and he like two hirelings fled away and when I called after you and charged you to stand yet you both went away and left me among a company more like Dogs than Men raging and swelling haling rending punching with their feet and so the Scripture is fulfilled which Christ spoke Behold I send you forth as Lambs in the midst of Wolves This was fulfilled this day in thy Assembly who behaved themselves like savage wild and bruit Beasts And this is the nature and the image which thou hast begotten them into your fruits make you manifest to be no Christians but Brutes and Heathens In the cool of the day consider do not wilfully close thine eye nor stop thine ears nor harden thy heart against pure innocent Truth lest God give thee up to a Reprobate mind It is the same Jesus as ever was and the same Truth which thou and other do oppose And surely if thou dost not with speed repent and turn to the Lord utter darknesse will come upon thee thy Talent shall be taken from thee and into the pit of misery shalt thou be turned which is the portion of all envious bitter persecuting spirits I have something further to say unto thee and thy partner concerning his stuff delivered by him this day either come up to Laurence Growdons or else appoint some other convenient place where I and other of my friends may freely come and as you are faithfull to your God fail not Send me thy Answer by this Bearer Austel 7. day of the 9. month 1656. By a Servant of Jesus known to the world by the name of Alexander Parker On the first day of the Week in the evening I and my friend Laurence Growden did passe down to Vpcots house and coming in amongst them Ieer 23 31 Rom. 1 25. Iob 4 7 I found them very light and vain making a scoffe at what was spoken and turning truth into a lye but the Lord will plead the cause of the innocent Then Vpcot accused me and said I denied the Word and I denied Prayer and I denied the Sacraments And my answer was I own the Word and I own Prayer but the Sacraments I did deny there was no such Scripture that speaks of Sacraments Then he said I did contemn the Ordinances and that was because I stood and sate in the Steeple house with my head covered Rom. 2.3 when as both the Priest and severall of them that were there had their heads covered and yet would condemn me for that which they were guilty of but as for keeping on my Hat in contempt it is false but for conscience sake I could not bow to their Image seeing their hypocrisie and dissimulation and feigned humility making a shew of holinesse outwardly unto men Prov. 15 8. Isai 1 1● Ier 6 20 when they are full of hypocrisie and sin within the Prayers Sacrifices of such arean abomination to the Lord. After I having some discourse with Halls about something spoken by him he not being able to stand before the Truth he would have shuffled off and said not onely by the light within and would have put in that word onely which was not spoken by him in the Steeple-house but his words were plainly proved that they might not be guided by the light within He affirmed likewise that the Scriptures were the rule of life and the way to salvation and the will and mind of God All which things I answered to at that time and owned the Scriptures to be a Testimony and an outward declartion of all these the rule of life and the way to salvation and the will and mind of God but the Scriptures themselves are not the Rule of Life nor the way to salvation nor the will and mind of God which I shall prove by Scripture There is but one Rule of life and that is the Spirit of God which is life and gives life and makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and this is the Comforter which guides and leads into all truth Iohn 14 26 15 13. Iohn 6.61 2 Cor. 3 6. Rom. 8 2. 1 Cor. 2.11 All who obey and give up to be guided by it which the world cannot receive But there is no life in the Scriptures it is a dead Letter and none can understand it but as they are led and guided by the quickning Spirit For though Christ bid the Jewes search the Scripture he doth not say there is life in them or that they were the Rule of Life though they thought to have eternall life in them but they would not come to Christ that they might have life Iohn 5 39 40 Iohn 14.6 Iohn 1.4 2 Pet. 1.21 22. Heb. 13 8. Acts 14.12 1 Cor. 2.16 Acts 4.32 who was the life and his life is the light of men and this Life and Light and Rule was within the holy Men who spoke forth the Scripture and the rule of life is the same now which is spirituall within which the Scripture declares of but is not it Secondly the way to salvation is but one which is Christ Jesus who saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life and there is no man can come to the Father but by me but the Scriptures are not Christ so not the way to salvation but a testimony of the way Thirdly the mind of God is pure and spirituall and was within the holy men that gave forth the Scriptures and they were all of one minde but there are many that have the Scriptures but have not the mind of God neither are they all of one mind but many minds

and many opinions and their minds are earthly and carnall so I say That which a man may have and not have the mind of God is not the mind of God but a man may have the Scriptures Luke 1.1 1 Iohn 5.10 and not have the mind of God so the Scriptures are not it but a declaration of it and so I own them and bear testimony unto the same Truth that the Scriptures bear testimony unto and have the witness within my self according to Scripture testimony He that believes hath the witness in himself And the said Halls being asked if he knew God and he made a scoff at it because such a question was propounded to him and he said he knew God and I asked him if he kept the Commandements he said No Now try him by the Scriptures and we shall find him to be a lyer read 1 Iohn 2 3 4 verses Hereby do we know that we know God if we keep his Commandements He that saith I know God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar Iohn 8.44 and the Truth is not in him And here out of his own mouth he is proved by Scripture to be a lyar and so no Minister of Christ Then he propounded the same question unto me whether I knew God and kept his commandments Mat. 11.30 1 Iohn 5.3 Psal 119.143 which things I answered and witnessed to truth being made able by the power and life of Christ dwelling within me by whom all things are made easie and his commandements are not grievous but joyous they are my delight Then he said there was none perfect in this life therefore none can keep the commandements of God But his first thing I deny and it is false as I shall prove by Scripture Read Job 1.8 And the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill Here you may see the Lords own testimony and he that saith there is none perfect in this life is a blasphemer Psalm 37 37● 1 Cor. 2.6 Col. 4.12 Phil. 3.15 who would make God a lyar And David saith Mark the perfect and the upright man for the end of that man is peace And Paul said We preach wisdom amongst them that are perfect And again one prayeth in another place That they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God And let us as many as are perfect be thus minded Here are many Scriptures that witness the truth of Christs pure Doctrine of perfection For if any be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Phil. 5.24 old things are passed away and all things are become new and they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Then wo to all them that live in sin and plead for sin while they walk on the earth they be enemies to the Crosse of Christ Isai 3.11 1 Cor. 6 9. 10 Iohn 3 8. Heb. 11.14 Eph. 5.27 Luke 1.74 75 1 Iohn 3.8 and deny the end of Christs coming who came to take away sin and to purifie the heart and purge the conscience from dead works that his people may be a holy people to serve the Lord in purity holiness of life For for this purpose was the Son of God made manifest that he might destroy the works of the Divel and all sin is a work of the Divel and defiles the Temple Isai 51.2 Isai 48.22 Maark 7.22 Eph 2 12 Iohn 8 34 44 Isai 1 17 Mat. 11 28 29 and separates from God and breaks the peace with God and there neither is nor can be any reconciliation to God untill there be a separation from sin For all who live in sin profess what they will they are enemies to God and strangers from the covenant of promise and are of their Father the Divell who is the author of all sin and unrighteousness therefore cease from sin and learn to do well that you may live and enjoy rest and peace Now whereas it is said in one place of Scripture 1 Iohn 1 8 Heb 10 16 17 18 1 Iohn 3 9 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us This is the refuge for all the Divels Ministers and servants to flye unto who live in sin in the old nature and in the unconverted state to plead against the new Covenant and new Birth where sin and iniquity is done away And this Scripture did Priest Halls bring to maintain his argument against persecution Then I instanced another Scripture in the same Epistle of John chap. 5. v. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God And this he would give a meaning to and I told him 2 Pet 1 20 the Scriptures were of no private interpretation An he asked me how I would reconcile those two Scriptures I told him I owned them as they were set down for they were spoken to severall conditions And then he began to boast and would have turned the truth which was spoken by me into a lie and said I owned the Scriptures as they are and then takes them upon condition and thus impudently stood in a lye and after I spoke my former words and told him the Scriptures were spoken to severall conditions and instanced some Scriptures to prove it as in Acts 26.18 where the Apostle declares how he was sent forth and to what end which was to open the blind eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins c. Here you may see they were in a condition of sin unconverted Again read 1 John 2.12 where the Apostle writes to them whose sins were forgiven Col 2 13 I Write unto you little Children because your sinnes are forgiven you Here you may see another condition Again read Col. 2.13 And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him Rom 9 20 Rom 6 22 1 Cor 15 49 1 Cor 15 22 Eph 2 1 2 3 1 Pet. 1 23. 1 Iohn 5 18 1 Iohn 3. 6 7 8 Gal 6 7 Mat 7 21 Rom. 8.13 having forgiven you all trespasses Here again as your understandings comes to be opened you may see the conditions and times they were in to whom the Scriptures were written there was a time when they were dead in trespasses and sins and there was a time when they were quickned and their sins were forgiven them And there was a time when they were the servants of Sin and free from Righteousness and there was a time when they were free from sin and become servants of Righteousnesse There is the first man and the second man The first Man is of the earth earthly and the second

they care not and whether they be believers or unbelievers if they do not put into their mouthes they presently go about to compell them by force which is a shame to hear of in a Gospel Ministery the Ministers of the Gospel are ashamed of such practices and what ever was received by any of the Gospel Ministers it was freely ministred and was to supply their present necessities Phil. 4 10. to the 20. and not to store up and spend upon their lusts as those Teachers do Nay further in the time of the Law when Tythes was paid to the Leviticall priesthood there was a store house and the people were to bring it freely into the store house and the Priests were not to eat alone Mal. 3.19 Deut. 14.32 20 the end 1 John 10 17 18. but the strangers and fatherless and widows were to come and be filled that there might not be a Beggar in Israel and the Priests were to minister freely a figure of Jesus Christ laying down his body freely and when any did preach for hire it was an horrible and a filthy thing and the Lord sent his true Prophets to testifie against such as in Isaiahs time he cryed out against the Idol Shepheards that sought gain from their Quarter as you may read Isai 56.10 11. His Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Doggs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber yea they are greedy Doggs which can never have enough and they are Shepheards that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for gain from his Quarter And Jeremiah he was against the abominations in his time and against the false Prophets and Priests Jeremia the fifth chapter The Prophets shall become wind and the Word is not in them thus shall it be done unto them I will make my words in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall devour them this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart they are revolted and gone your iniquities have turned you away and your sins hath with h●lden good things from you for among my people are found wicked men they lay wait as he that setteth snares they set a trap they catch men as a Cage is full of Birds so are their houses full of deceit therefore are they become great and waxen rich they are waxen fat they shi●e yea they overpass the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause the curse of the fatherless yet they prosper shall I not visit for these things Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this is A wonderfull and a horrible thing is committed in the Land the Prophets prophesie falsly the Priests bear rule by their means and the people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end therof Again read Ieremiah the 23 chapter and there you may see how the Prophet was troubled because of the pro●hanesse of the Pri●sts and Prophets My heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my bones shake I am like a drunken man c. So both Prophet and Priest are prophane but read all the Chapter And Ezekiel the Lords Prophet he crys ●gainst the false shepheards in his time read Ezekiel 34. Chapter Son of Man prophesie against the shepheards of Israel prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the L●r● God unto the sh●pheards of Israel that do feed themselvs should not the sheepheard feed the flock Ye eat the fat ye cloath you with the wooll ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the flock c read the chapter throughout and there you may see the deceits and works of the false shepheards in those dayes and the Lords promise to gather his sheep from their mouthes and feed them himself upon the tops of the mountains of Israel And Mica the Prophet of the Lord who dwelt in the light of the Lord he was against the hireling Priests in his time as you may read in Mica 3 5. to the end of the chapter Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my people erre that bite with their teeth and cry peace and he that doth not put into their mouthes they even prepare warre against him therefore night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision and it shall be dark unto you that ye shall not divine and the Sun shall go down over the Prophets and the day shall be dark over them then shall the Seers be ashamed the Diviners confounded yea they shal all cover their lips for there shall be no answer of God the heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evill can come upon us Therefore shall Sion for your sakes be plowed as a Field and Ierusalem shall become heaps and the Mountains of the House as the High places of the Forrest And as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murder by the way by consent for they commit lewdness Hosea 69. Read Mal. 2.1 2 3 4 Here you may see the testimony of the Prophets of God against the hirelings and false shepheards and greedy Teachers and those that did not minister freely were cryed against and those that did not bring their Tythes into the store-house they robbed God as you may read Mal. 3 8.10 Will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me but ye say Wherein have we robbed thee in Tythes and Off●rings Bring ye all the Tythes into the storehouse t●a● there may be me ●t in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and poure you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it Now here you may see that in the time of the Law they had a store house and those that did not bring their Tythes thither it is not said they robbed the Priests but they robbed God But the Priests of England that take Tythes of the peoples have no storehouse to put the Tythes in neither are the Strangers Widows and Fatherless fed but may sterve for them or go a begging so they are not according to the law And I do not read in all the Scriptures of the Gospel-ministers testimony that ever any of the believers in Christ did either take Tythes or pay Tythes much less to go to law and sue people for any outward maintenance so it is manifest that the Nationall and Parish Teachers who take tythes and sue those at law which do not or for conscience sake cannot put into their mouthes are neither according to law nor Gospel And the Ministers of the Gospel did testifie against such as went in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balam for gifts and rewards Iude 11 And such false Tea hers who

in the Lord Jesus Christ And this makes the heathen to rage and the world to wonder at the mighty works of the Lord our God But it is no new thing to be reproached by the world who knowes not God For saith Christ If ye were of the world the world would love you but because I have chosen you out of the world therefore doth it hate you While we were of the world we were loved of the world 1 Pet. 1.14 when we were alive in the old nature and did partake with them in their wayes of worship and in their vain conversation being one with them in vanity and run with them to pleasures and vain delights in vain and foolish jesting and idle and vain talking our tongues being our own and our wild natu●e not being tamed but we could do as they did and speak our own words and think our own thoughts and do our own works no knowing the Crosse of Christ nor bearing his yoak but were at ease in the flesh and in the carnall liberty feeding upon perishing things and created objects loving the world and the things of it and delighting in and loving the Creature more than the Creator I say when we were in that condition one with the world in most things then were we esteemed and loved of the world and they spake well of us if we did not crosse their wills but even then though we could talk of God and Christ and Scriptures we were strangers from God and Christ Eph. 2.1 2 3. Gal. 1.15 16. and from that pure life that the holy men of God lived in that spake forth Scriptures but then it pleased the Lord to manifest himself unto us and revealed his truth within us our understanding was opened by his pure light shining within whereby we saw the deceits of the world and their worship and the hypocrifie and dissimulation of professors Priests and people and that their religion was but a shew and shadow and meer outside seeming colour and talk of words and names Isai 29.13 drawing neer to God with their lips and mouthes when their hearts were after the things of the world and there was no life appearing nor fruits of righteousness from a true ground brought forth but pride and self-love and covetousness every one seeking themselves and to advance themselves by fraud and deceit guile and hypocrisie yea and all manner of wickedness we saw acted amongst them which did grieve our spirits and w●s a burden to our tender consciences and we separated from them and could not partake with them neither in their wayes of worship as it is established nor in their conversations but we seeing in the light of the Lord 2 Cor. 6.1 that they are out of the way and their worship doctrine and practices are contrary to the pure worship of God and the doctrine and practices of the holy men of God declared of in Scripture Tir. 1.16 as I have shewed before We seeing these things for Sions sake we cannot hold our peace but in love to the souls of all people do declare and testifie against the world and the unrighteousness of it and against the deceits and hypocrisie of the Parish Teachers and Hirelings of these times and against all the formall and carnall professors who in words profess God but in works deny him and for this cause are we hated reviled reproached beaten whipped stocked stoned and sent up and down the Countrey as Vagabonds and abused and sent to prison and this is manifest at this day in England the war is begun already betwixt the Beast and the Lamb but the Lamb shal get the victory though all joyn hand in hand against the innocent it shall all be in vain they shall not prevail Rev. 17.14 Mica 4.1 2. Mat. 5.10 11 12. John 16.20 21. Psal 30.35 2 Pet. 1.19 Rev. 21.23 24 Heb. 11.26 but the Lord over all shall be exalted and his kingdom shall be established in righteousness and the Mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be ex●lted above the Hills and people shall flow unto it and though we now be persecuted and hated and troubled on every side yet it shall not be long for the Lord will plead the cause of the innocent and though sorrow and trouble may endure for a night yet joy will come in the morning when the glorious day of the Lord doth dawn within and the day-star doth arise in the heart then shall darkness be expelled and all the children of the Lord shall walk in the light of the Lord and rejoyce in his presence and reproaches to us are great riches for we know it is our portion from the worldly and carnall professors those who have the name and form of godliness but are not in the life they are and were ever found persecuters of the life where ever it did appear As in the time of Moses administration when the Lord did appear darkly as it were under types and shadowes Mar. 23.31 John 5.35 John 1.14 and the people for a time were held under that administration And in the times of the Prophets more light was discovered and they saw through the shadows and declared against them and those who were in the types and shadows persecuted the Prophets The Law and the Prophets were untill Iohn and amongst all that were born of women there was not a greater than Iohn for he was a burning and a shining light and this was a greater light than the prophets yet the least in the kingdom is greater than Iohn And in the admistration of the Gospel when the fulness of time was come when Christ was manifest in the flesh who was the end of the Law and the Prophets Those who had the form of the Law and the Prophets words Mat. 26 3.4 Mark 15 15. Col. 1.20.21 22 23. they persecuted Christ the life of the Law and the Prophets as many do now in these our days who have got the words of Christ and the Apostles and cryes up names and words as the Ordinances of Christ and the Church of Christ and the Ministers of the Gospel and notwithstanding all this are persecuting the appearance of Christ and his life that is now manifest in his people as it was in former times under the Law those that multiplied their Sacrifices and burnt offerings but their hearts were far off and the bond of iniquity was not broken nor the oppressed set free but they lived in their sins and so were testified against by the Prophet as thou mayst read Isaia chapter 1. The Ox knoweth his Owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider a sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evill doers children that are corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the holy one of Israel to anger they have gone away backward The whole