Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	aaron_n	call_v	jesus_n	27	3	5.3512	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93702	Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht: containing a confutation of the three degrees of popery, viz. papacy, prelacy, and presbitery; answerable to the triple crowne of the three-headed Cerberus the Pope, with his three fold hierarchies aforesaid. With a dispelling of all other dispersed clouds of errour, which doth interpose the clear sun-shine of the Gospel in our horrizon. Wherein the chiefe arguments each of them have, for the vindication of their erronious tenents are incerted, and refuted; with a description of such whem [sic] the true Church of Christ doth consist of: as also how, and by whom, they may be gathered, and governed, according to the will, and appointment of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, in the primative purity thereof. / By Iohn Spittlehouse, assistant to the Marshall Generall of the Army, under the command of his Excellency, the Lord Generall Fairfax. Imprimated by Theod. Jennings, and entred in the Stationers Hall.	Spittlehouse, John.	1649 (1649)	Wing S5013; Thomason E586_2; ESTC R203633	304,213	396

of them had I not been so well acquainted with them and their expressions of this nature yea I perswade my selfe that they are so well knowne to every Professor of Christ as that they think I have not spoken more then they would performe in case the Apostles were extant amongst us yea it is cleerly apparent that they have done now doe and hereafter will doe as much as I have spoken Christ telleth his Disciples that he that dispised them dispised him and is it not their daily custome to deride the Professors of Christ with taunting language and in so doing they doe not only reproach the Brethren who practise according to the example of the Apostles but the Apostles themselves who left us the examples to follow and in villifying them it must consequently follow that they doe the like to our Saviour himselfe who saith of them and so consequently of his Professors He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10. 16. Now these being such a sort of people how is it possible they should be thought fit instruments to execute the Apostles office in the now gathering of the Church and people of God out of their Antichristian estate and condition being it selfe predominant over them as if a Devill would perswade a man to Christianity SECT 7. Obj. THey have the same calling that the rest of the Clergy of the Kingdome have and therefore why may they not be made use of as well as the other Ans All that are so called are under an Antichristian calling The Antichristian call to the Minist●y ought to be relinquished by all such as have taken it upon them whatever they be which ought to be relinquished for the calling you speake of viz. by Bishops may fitly be compared to a scarlet Coate lined with a course cotten the one shaming the other but there is a calling whose inside doth excell the outside viz. the calling by the Spirit by which he that hath it is inabled both to testifie himselfe and others and no man ought to take this calling upon him but he that is so called of God as was Aaron the other calling therefore is to be disclaimed of all that hath it whatsoever they be Obj. You formerly said that none are immediately called to that office in these times wherefore then speake you of the calling of the Spirit to that office Ans He must first have the Spirit of God or else he is utterly unfit for that office for he must have his calling from God as wel as from the Church or he can be no true Minister of Jesus Christ for the Church desiring his Spirituall gifts are thereby incouraged to accept of him as a Minister sent them by God The calling by the Bishops a delusion so that the other calling by the Bishops is a meere delusion because they judged only by the letter and not by the Spirit viz. by gifts in humane learning which is foolishnesse with God 1 Cor. 3. 19. it principally tending to ●dor●e the outward man touching their civill deportment to and for the State Obj. How are you able to distinguish who is called by the Spirit and who is not Ans By their fruites for otherwise our Saviour expresseth these words in vaine By their fruits you shall know them rendring also this reason for it Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figgs of brambles Mat. 7. 16. SECT 8. Obj. WHat are the simptoms or fruits whereby you know that Ministers are not called by the Spirit Ans There are many signes and markes to know them as I How such Priests may be known who have not the true calling viz. Such as preach out of envie or to cause contention have already instanced I will therefore only insist upon these foure particulars 1. They are such as preach Christ out of envie 1 Cor. 3. 3. or to cause contention amongst the people of God such as were the Pharisees which came from Judea to Antioch Act. 15. 1. 5. such were also the false Apostles of whom the Apostles of Christ much complained of for opposing their Doctrine as Himineus Alexander c. And such are the rayling Rabshakeys of this Kingdome whether Prelaticants or Presbiterians whose sole delight is to villifie such of the Members of Christ with their scurralous language as doe the nearest correspond with the Apostles both for paines in the Ministry as also in a contentednesse with what the people of God will freely bestow upon them for their paines in the labour of the Lord for their soules 2. They are such as desire to shew themselves rather Schollars Such as rather desire to shew themselves schollars them edificers then edificers such as will familiarly speake Greek and Latine to them that cannot read English that will dish up their Sermonds with such a garnish of Rethoricall elocution as the silly Auditors stand amazed at these be the boone Athenian-like blades who guild their Pulpit expressions with tearmes of Art these are the brave Aronicall Ruffians of these dayes which if their black Velvet and Satine were metamorphized into Chrimson which would farre better suit with their life and conversation there would be no greater Gallants in the Nation SECT 9. Such as esteem more of the fleece then of the flock 3. THey that esteeme more of the flesh then of the fleece that with the covitous Wooer inquireth rather what the woman these Preachers and casters out of Devils did was meerly for their owne advantage and selfe ends albeit they did it in pretence of doing Christ service instance in Judas Simon Magus VVhat the Priests of these times preach for and the Damsell which had the Spirit of Divination Act. 16. 16. and so it is with many of the Prelaticall and Presbiterian Priests who though they pretend that they preach to gaine Soules to Christ yet is it meerly for matter of maintenance by Tithes and the like Antichristian allowances which if once taken away it wil quickly be discerned how many of them wil preach for couscience sakes SECT 2. Obj. THese casters out of Devils did the parties good whom they released of the uncleane spirits although they perished themselves Ans I confesse that such sorts of people by Gods permission Carnall men cannot give spirituall comfort may doe many things which may tend to the corporall or temporall good of men as these casters out of Devils did to them who were possessed of them as also by them whom they terme Wise men or Wizzards who by their Art can helpe a man again to such things as are lost or stolne from him or the like albeit in the act they both indanger their Soules the one taking an unwarrantable course to gaine them and the other an unlawfull action to accomplish them but that such carnall people can produce spirituall good to the Soule I utterly deny Obj. The Apostle saith that he was glad that Christ

immitate but they never invocated any but the Lord Jehovah and Christ in him as the Scriptures doe plentifully prove therefore the Adoration or praying to Angels is a superstitious and new device of Doctrine and ought to be rejected Isa 63. 16. Object Jacobs Ladder on which the Angels ascended and descended from heaven doth intimate that they did not only reveale unto us the counsells of God and execute his will but also report unto God our prayers vowes and necessities Ans We grant that the Angels doe report unto God the affaires of the world the Acts and Gests of men and so their supplications in generall but this they doe as Messengers not as Mediators the Prophet Zachary sheweth a distinct office of the Angelicall Spirits and Jesus Christ there called the Angell of the Lord where they viz. the Angels returns this answer to God We have gone through the world and behold all the world sitteth still and is at rest But the Angel of the Lord Christ the Mediator of the Church steppeth forth and prayeth O Lord of Hoast how long wilt thou be unmindfull of Jerusalem so that albeit the Angels are witnesses of our devotions and beholders of our teares and plaints yet have they no office of Mediatorship neither have we any warrant to pray unto them SECT 2. Object IT is said Gen. 17. 3. that Abraham fell upon his face and talked with God which doubtlesse was an Angel by the like expressions in the 18. Chap. c. Ans If that were an Angell in the person of God which talked Angels will not be worshipped with Abraham then was it no gesture of Adoration in that Abraham fell on his face for the Angels will not suffer men to worship them Rev. 22. 9. but if they will needs have it Adoration then it was God that talked with him as the words of the Text intimateth Again though Abraham had said to his Servant that the Angel should goe before him Chap. 24. ver 7. yet read we not that the Servant did pray to the Angel that was appointed to be president of his journey but solely directeth his prayer unto God as in the 12. vers which example our Saviour himself urgeth Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Obj. Jacob prayeth that the Angel blesse the children Gen. 48. 16. and Moses wisheth the good will of him that dwels in the Bush to come upon the head of Joseph Deut. 33. 16. Ans We deny not but that Angels as well as men may instrumentally pronounce the blessings of God as from him and in his name but not originally and so to be resorted and prayed unto as the Authors and fountaines of blessings 2. It is without example in Scripture to wish any blessing but from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul confirmeth Rom. 15. 30. 2 Cor. 13. 11. Phil. 4. 6 7. Col. 5. 15. 3. The Angel whom Jacob there speaketh of is in the same place called the God of his fathers Exod. 3. 6. 4. Moses also calleth him that dwelleth in the Bush Jehovah verse 13. SECT 3. Object IOhn wisheth grace and peace to be given to him that was and is and is to come and from the seven Spirits which is before the Throne that is from the seven Angels Therefore Angels though they blesse not as the authors of Grace yet a blessing may be asked of them as impetrators and intercessors of the same at the hands of God as also Gen. 32. 29. where the Angel is said to blesse Jacob. Ans That was not an Angel but the Son of God which ●● was no Angel but Christ that wrestled with Jacob. wrestled with Jacob because it belongeth not to Angels to blesse but to God himselfe for spirituall blessings are either conferred by the Author thereof which is only God or by the Mediator thereof which is Jesus Christ or by the messengers or instruments thereof which may be as well Angels and Men for as Isaac blessed Jacob and Jacob his sonnes ministerially only as being Gods mouth to pronounce them so Angels likewise may be the Messengers or instruments of Gods blessing and not otherwise For the Apostle saith that every good and perfect gift commeth from God Jam. 1. 17. neither are the Angels to be s●ed unto for any spirituall or temporall blessing but only God for if any one Lack wisdome saith the same Apostle let him aske it of God Jam. 1. 5. and so consequently in any other thing yea the promise is made only to such as aske in Christs name Joh. 16. 23. and no otherwise and as to that place in the Revelations where mention is made of the seven Spirits we must understand the Spirit of God with his manifold graces for the seven Spirits are also said to be the seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne they are also termed the seven eyes of the Lambe all which doe intimate as formerly SECT 4. THe arguments which the Papists use to justifie their Invocation of Saints departed are chiefly these which follow to which I shall return an answer Obj. Saints doe pray for us and therefore we may and ought to pray to them that they pray for us is proved by these places of Scripture viz. Exod. 32. 13. where Moses desireth God to remember Abraham Isaac and his servants And Baruch 3. 4. where he saith O Lord God Almighty heare now the prayer of the dead Israelites with 2 Maccabees 14 15. where Onias spake and said this is a lover of the Brethren who prayeth much for the people Jeremiah the Prophet of the Lord. Ans To the testimony cited out of Baruch and the Maccabees they prove nothing because they are no Books of the Cannonicall Scripture 2. The other testimonies are impertinently alleadged for Moses maketh not mention of the prayers which Abraham Isaac and Jacob should make for the people but of the Covenant which the Lord made with them true the Saints doe pray to God by their generall wishes that the kingdome of God were accomplished as Rev. 6. 10. but our particular necessities they know not and so doth not make particular requests for us therefore the argument followeth not that they pray by their generall desires for the Church that therefore they pray for us in particular Again seeing these Papists hold that the Patriarcks and Fathers of the Old Testament were in Limbus Patrum a dungeon of darknesse and a member or part of Hell they doe absolutely contradict themselves in making them Mediators and Intercessors in heaven neither was Moses request for the merits or worthinesse of the Fathers but in respect of the Messiah which was promised for neither was Abraham himself justified by his merits but by faith as Paul sheweth Rom. 4. 30. SECT 5. Obj. GOd telleth Abimelech that Abraham was a Prophet and should pray for him Gen. 20. 7. Ans That place doth not make for the

in Mat. 18. 18 19 20. but before I urge this point any further I will shew what is meant by binding and loosing as it is there mentioned SECT 3. THese words of binding and loosing is not to be taken as many What it is to binde loose ignorant people conceive who taketh Peter to be the Porter of heaven gates and therefore said by them to beare the keyes thereof in imitation of which rediculous conceit the Pope includes himselfe as one of those Ignoramusses making himself more rediculous then the rest by carrying abroad with him two great keyes with which he is as able to open Heaven as by the rest of his Popish power which is even nothing at all c. for binding and loosing is quite out of his eliment it being effected by the preaching of the Word which he is not guilty of but if he was it would be to no purpose seeing he would only breath out the spirit of Anti-christ and therefore not likely to benefit the kingdome of Jesus Christ which is his Antagonist The heavens are opened and shut at the preach●ng of the Gospel which is a thing granted by all the people of God whereof the Pope is none and therefore when a Sinner is thereby converted by the Ministry thereof then heaven is said to be opened unto him and contrariwise when by the preaching of the Word a Sinner becomes more obstinate then heaven is said to be shut unto him Also when a Sinner becommeth penitent then sins are said to be remitted but when they grow more obdurate and stiffe-necked by the preaching of the Gospel then their sins are said to be retained and to this purpose our Saviour telleth the Jewes that if they had not known these things they did know they had been more excusable but seeing they did confesse they knew them they were inexcusable as in building the Sepulchres of the Prophets Joh. 15. 22. Our Saviour therefore spake them words no otherwise to Peter then Peter and Paul spake to all Christians who are said to be built upon the foundations of the Apostles Jesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone as Peter himselfe confesseth 1 Pet. 2. 6. Paul also affirmeth that another foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20 21 22. that Peter therefore was set over the whole Church of Christ is but a Fryers dreame seeing that all the Apostles were in equall commission and all were sent immediatly to preach the Gospel As my Father sent me saith our Saviour so send I you Joh. 20. 21. SECT 4. Object OVr Saviour chargeth Peter three severall times in All Christs ●l●ck not committed to Pete●s charge particular to feed his sheep Joh. 21. 15 16 17. Ans That will not beare such an universall jurisdiction for all Christs Sheep were not only committed to Peter Again feeding doth not signifie ruling and commanding but teaching and instructing a duty Peter himself being Judge common to all Pastors and to which he exhorteth them 1 Pet. 5. 2. Obj. Peter was the first that preached to the Gentiles Act. 10. 20. 11. 12. 13. 7. Ans Paul was converted Act. 9. before Peter saw that Vision Act. 10. who immediatly upon his conversion preached to the Gentiles in Arabia Gal. 1. 15 16 17. Peter indeed was both the first and the last that was resolved by Vision of the calling of the Gentiles but Paul was certain thereof before by revelation and communicated not with Peter about his Vision before he preached to the Gentiles Ibid. Neither is it true that Cornelius's Family to whom Peter preached was the first that was called amongst the Gentiles for Andronicus and Junia were in Christ before Paul Rom. 16. 7. who was converted before Cornelius was called and although the priority of preaching to Superiority doth not goe along with priority the Gentiles were yeelded to Peter yet the superiority doth not goe along with it SECT 5. Object PEter certainly was the most eminent because he was alwaies first named Ans It is to be observed that the twelve Patriarckes are not alwayes rehersed in the same manner or order not in Gen. 49. 3. as in Gen. 27. and Gen. 30. and afterward Numb 1. Deut. 33. yet in all these places Ruben is named first but not alwayes for sometimes Judah is named before him as in Numb 2. 3. As then this were but a simple Argument for the preheminence of Ruben before his Brethren because he is in the most places named first being the eldest so as simply doe they conclude for Peters supremacy before the other Apostles because he is commonly named the first which was rather because of his Eldership then any priority before the rest neither is he alwaies named in the first place for Gal. 1. 9. the Apostle James is named before him Againe we doe not read that Peter did ever command his Fellowes Peter never commanded his fellow Apostles in office but exhorted them as in 1 Pet. 5. 1. he was also subject to accusation as well as the rest instance concerning his preaching to Cornelius and his Family for which being called to question by the rest of the Apostles purged himself by acquainting them with the whole matter as we may read Acts 11. 3. likewise being taxed by Paul for his dissimulation Gal. 2. 8. by silence confesseth his fault by all which it doth manifestly appeare that there was no more superiority in Peter then in the rest of the Apostles SECT 6. Object PEter resembled Abrahams Stewart Gen. 29. 2. in these respects 1. For as Eliazar was the eldest servant that Abraham had so Peter was the eldest Apostle that Christ had 2. As Eliazar was said to have rule over the rest of Abrahams servants so likewise Christ set Peter over the whole Church Ans That Peter was one of the eldest in yeares amongst the Apostles we deny not but that he was the eldest of all as it Frivolous comparisons to prove the Popes supremacy seems Eliazar was cannot be proved as that he was set over the Church of Christ hath been sufficiently confuted and thus you see rather then faile what inventions they have to uphold the proud and vain-glorious assertions touching their lord god the Pope and to prove his priviledge and dignity from such men as have no relation at all unto him So that this that hath been spoken may give every Christian yea even the Pope himself satisfaction touching his pride and arrogancy in assuming to himself that which Peter whom he pretendeth to succeed would have bin ashamed of behaving himself altogether like a Priest of the Law whose ceremonies are abolished but nothing like the Ministers of the Gospel which is permanent or like another Elimas the Sorcerer Act. 13. 8. 10. full of subtilty and mischief a childe of the Devill and an enemy to all righteousnesse forcing Scripture contrary to the true meaning

though before Christs comming in the flesh the Lord had chosen one speciall place where he would have Sacrifices offered unto him and not in any place beside and so was priviledged with a legall kinde of Sanctity more then others yet now since Christ hath every where opened Heaven to the prayers of the faithful as appeareth by his owne words Mat. 18. 20. Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name I am in the midst of them that distinction holdeth not And for further proofe of which we have a further evidence from Christ and his Apostles who neglected no opportunity to gaine Soules to God witnesse our Saviours preaching on the top of an Hill Matth. 5. 1. out of a Ship Mark 4. 1 2. Paul in an upper Chamber Act. 20. 8. and by a river side Acts 16. 13. Peter in Cornelius house Act. 10. 27. and in Solomons Porch Act. 3. 11 12. Philip in the Ennuchs Chariot Act. 8. 31 32. yea the Apostles went from house to house Act. 20. 20. that distinction of holinesse doth not therefore remaine in places nay even Bethel it selfe did not retaine an inherent holinesse for we read that after that Jeroboham had defiled it by Idolatry it was no more Bethell the house of God but Bethaven the house of iniquity Hosea 19 5. Againe the Apostle willeth men every where to lift up holy hands 1 Tim. 1. 8. Obj. The Lord willeth Moses to put off his shooes from off his feet in regard that thē place whereon he stood was holy ground Ans It was holy for the present in regard of the apparision What caused the then holinesse in the ground and presence of God but this was no inherent holinesse anexed continually unto the place but when the cause of this holinesse ceased viz. the heavenly Vision and apparision the effect also viz. the holinesse in the ground was suspended The Temple of the Jewes was likewise holy and because of it Jerusalem was was called the holy City so long as they continued in the true worship of God but after they had Crucified the Lord of life hoth the Temple and City as prophane was destroyed And herein also appeared the errour of the former times when such bloody battels were fought for the recovering of the holy Land as it was called by the evill successe whereof it is evident that Christians were too much addicted to the holinesse of the place and therefore to attribute religion or holinesse to such places is absolute superstition SECT 4. NEither ought the glorious pompe of the Temple or Tabernacle Against adoring of Churches to be imitated by us under the Gospel and that for these reasons 1. Because that was prescribed to the Hebrewes because of their infirmity and to win them from the glorious pompe and vanity of the Heathen 2. Most of them things had their proper use in the Temple which being now abolished there is no further use to be made of them 3. Neither was they simply necessary for Gods Service for if they had he would not have suffered them to have been carried into captivity 4. They had a direct command from God to make that Tabernacle in that glorious manner but no such charge is given to us under the Gospel our bodies as the Apostle saith being the temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. Again as they erre in their judgements concerning the place which they terme the Church as also concerning the sanctity and holinesse which they attribute unto it as also in the adoring Against their Common Prayer-booke or Liturgie and beautifying of it so doe they also erre exceedingly concerning the Book which they so Idolize termed the Common Prayer Booke and the rediculous ceremonies therein contained against which Book I thus argue That which is taken out of the Masse-Booke of the Pope who is an Idolater is the Liturgy as is most evident which being Popery in Latine doubtlesse is the same in English Again every thing that is necessary to salvation is commanded in holy Scripture as our Saviour affirmeth Joh. 5. 39. but set Prayer is not commanded in holy Scripture ergo not a thing necessary to Salvation Again no part of Gods Worship ought to be imposed by mans authority but such is the Liturgy ergo CHAP. IX The ninth Chapter treateth of Prayer SECT 1. Objection THe Lords Prayer is o set forme of Prayer therefore The Lords Prayer a form to make our prayers by a set forme of prayer is lawfull Ans The Lord is only to be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and as concerning the Lords Prayer it is only a forme to make our Prayers by Mat. 6. 9. Again all the circumstances in both the Evangelists as Luk. 11. 1. 4. doth lead us thus to understand it as namely that Christ there sheweth the right manner how to use Prayer as he doth for the right use of almes and fasting and to avoyd ambition hypocrisie babling and the like as also that we should come to God in prayer as children doe unto their Parents asking Bread Fish an Egge or the like that is making our requests unto God according to our particular wants and necessities Again no man can be so wilfull to doubt that Christ did not unfold the meaning of this Prayer to his Apostles and that they did truly understand his meaning therein and did also carefully observe his commands yet did they never binde themselves to these words but prayed still as they had severall occasions according to these rules Act. 1. 24 25. 4. 24. Mat. 14. 30. 2 Cor. 12. 8. Eph. 3. 14. Phil. 1. 4. 10. 11. Rev. 12. 20. Neither when they wrote unto others concerning Prayer did ever teach them to say the Lords Prayer which certainly they would have done if they had so taken the will and appointment of Jesus Christ to have been but it is evident that they taught them in their necessities and occasions to shew their requests to God in all manner of Prayer and supplication in the Spirit with giving of thankes watching thereunto with all perseverance being the will of God in Christ Jesus as also it doth evidently appeare by these Scriptures 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. Phil. 4. 6. Eph. 6. 18. Rom. 15. 30 31 32. 2 Thes 3. 1 2. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. Jam. 1. 5 6. 5. 23. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 30. 1 Joh. 5. 14 15. Jud. ver 20. SECT 2. AGain if Christ have commanded us to use these words in number and order then all such doc sinne as pray at any time and doth not use these very words and no other for Christ saith When ye pray say Our Father Luk. 11. 2. which words when ye pray sheweth that this Commandement is to be observed at all times and if so then the Apostles sinned which prayed and used not these words as I have formerly instanced Again by these words say ye c. being pressed according to the letter might seeme

themselves in their Ministry as becommeth Christians and that they may have the protection of the Souldiery if need require to that purpose as also that such course may be taken with their opposers as your wisdomes shall think● meet II. That the Churches which shall be gathered by such may be freed from paying any wages to the Antichristian Clergy of the times III. That so soone as a computent number is gathered together in Church Fellowship by the aforesaid Rule or Method that they may have the freedom● to make choyse of a Pastor whether out of themselves or elsewhere as God shall move them IV. That Churches so modelled may he permitted to end all manner of Controversies which arise amongst themselves not running into a Morall offence by the reall Body of the Church to whom the parties doe belong or by some Members set apart and impowred by them to that purpose Right Honourable These things we desire of you not as you are Magistrates or great men of the world for as you are such we know you are like so many Ga●●io●s not caring for any of these things neither Act. 18. 17. was it ever the practise of Christ or his Apostles to request such favours from the Civill Magistrate for well they knew they were as averse to such actions as darknesse to light or Hell to Heaven but we desire these things may be done of you as you professe your selves to be Saints and Subjects to Christ and so consequently our Brethren who have exalted you to the places you are in above us to this very purpose Which request of Christ by us if you refuse to grant know he hath yet the same power in his hands as formerly and can as well pluck you down as he hath done your Predecessors thus having authority from God for what we request we are bold to speake unto you not after the manner of the Scribes A Postscript to the Brethren of the Independants Antinomians Seekers and all that reject and despile Ordinances I Am confident it is the hearty desire of you all that the new Jerusalem may have its descention from God out of Heaven that Religion may now be established in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ who hath now likewise another thrice noble Cirus published his Proclamation for the rebuilding of the Spirituall Jerusalem as also to restore the vessels of the Sanctuary which Antichrist that Nabuchadnezzar-like King of Spirituall Babilon had taken away and polluted in the houses of his God Ezra 1. 7. viz. in his Hirarchies of Papacy Prelac and Presbitery in which places they have given them holy ●●ings unto Dogs by admitting all sorts of people to drink Wine out of them Bowles of the Sanctuary and to be incorpora●ed as Members of that divine Society which the Church of Christ ought to consist of Deare friends mistake me not in this Treatice which I have published as that I intend thereby to place the shadow for the substance the signe for the thing signified the twilight for the noone-day the shell for the kernell the forme of Religion for the power of it for I doe ingeniously confesse that there is no more compare betwixt this forme of Government I have published in relation to outward Ordinances and the inward Spirituall worship of a Christian then betwixt a Body and its Soule the letter of the Scriptures and the spirituality thereof betwixt the Alphabeticall letters and the most learnedst Oration betwixt a Gam-ut and the most melodious consort of Voyces or Instruments betwixt the Temple and him that dwelleth in it yet let me tell you that Christ hath his militant Church as well as his triumphant his visible Church as his invisible And albeit that Solomons Temple and so consequently all other materiall ones consisting of Wood Stone c. are abolished as also the Leviticall Ceremonies belonging thereunto in regard that Christ the substance thereof hath manifested himselfe and so consumated them yet know that he requireth a Tabernacle or Temple now amongst us as he did then and therfore I may fitly use the Apostles expression unto you viz. Know ye not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost unlesse ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. 6. 16. 19. he also termeth our bodies fleshly tabernacles 2 Pet. 1. 14. our Saviour also affirmeth as much where he saith that where two or three are met together in his name he will be in the midst of them Mat. 18. 20. intimating thereby that they are his Temple in reference to which the Apostle also termeth us living stones built up to a spirituall house or holy Priesthood to offer spirituall Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. the foundation of which building is also said to be Christ himself ver 4 5. the Apostle Paul also affirmeth as much 1 Cor. 3. 11. saying that other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ In which workmanship he professeth himselfe to be a Labourer or Workman ver 10. as also Ephe. where he doth fully describe the foundation materials and building as in ver 19. c. viz. Ye are no more strangers and forrainers but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Againe 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit dwelleth in you Againe ver 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are Christian friends I presume these Scriptures forementioned will clearly convince you that Christ hath a Temple upon earth consisting of the fleshly tabernacle of his Saints who are as living stones built up thereunto Now the Saints being such materials cannot in a dislocated condition be said to be built up altogether therefore upon necessity there must be gathering of such materials together before they can be compleated into such a structure as Christ will have residence in by his Spirit which being but one cannot be divided into many bodies contrary one to another as also conglutaniz'd by some externall or visible union and communion one with another and therefore our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and his Apostles in their divine wisdome hath to this very purpose left us a president to accomplish the same viz. by Doctrine Baptisme and the Lords Supper the first being to call the second to admit and the third to unite or knit together which is prefigured unto us by the Bread and Wine which are composed of many Graines and Grapes 1 Cor. 10. 17. 1 Cor. 12 c. And being thus compleated in

times in regard that they both as it were made up a time viz. as long a continuance as Papacy had amongst us And your time to the halfe time there mentioned in regard it as it were maketh up halfe so long a time as one of the former times since you first began to slight or reject Ordinances now I say during this time times and halfe time viz. until you all returne to your fathers house and recover your first love you are no better then part of that Serpent which pursueth and persecuteth the Church and so consequently an enemy to Christ himselfe Now to conclude with a word of exhortation Deare friends consider of what spirit yee are of you are not ignorant that slumbring and sleeping spirits are wandring and distempered spispirits such as conceive themselves to be what they are not and where they are not full of imaginarie fancies arising from the humor which is predominant in the body in which such spirits have their recedence and hath it not been clearly proved that you are one and the same with such have not each of your societies fancied your selves to be of the true Millitant church of Christ and doth it now appeare you are so can you be a free Denizon of a City and not intol'd in their Records to that purpose can you be free of the new Jerusalem and your name not recorded in the Lambs booke of life have you not also conceived your selves to be incorporated materialls with which that Temple is composed and doth it not now appear that you are only a company of ●ude heapes out of the building and hath it not been proved that your phantastick spirits also have had many strange and unheard of dreames and fancies dureing this your slumbering and sleeping conditions Be not therefore I humbly intreate you any longer deceived or deluded by such spiritts but trie each of your spirits by the touchstone of truth and withall be you well assured that Christ is not divided either in body or spirit Ephe. 4. 4. And therefore of necessitie you must first become members of that one body I have discovered unto you before you can have that onenes of spirit with it for the body of necessitie must first be before it can retaine a spirit therefore so long as you are seperated from communion and fellowship with the true body you cannot be possessed by the true spirit And from hence hath beene the rice of all the diversities of spirits now amongst you namely in that you are not incorporated into one body for every contrary body or fellowship hath also a contrary spirit peculier unto it for such as is the body such is the spirit and the spirit of true discipline doth loath to inhabit in a poluted body Consider therefore how you are yet dislocated from that body to which properly you doe belong and strive to accomplish that prophesie fore-mentioned which relateth to your own perticular by uniting incorporating your selves with the yet reproachfull and scandalous societie of Annabaptists who are really members of that true body whereof Christ Jesus is the head and by so doing you will bocome a fit receptacle for that spirit which is peculierly conversant with and in that body yea so you will become one with Christ both in body and spirit And being such yee shall enter with him into the marriage chamber viz. be incorporated free Denizens of the spirituall Jerusalem by being inrol'd in the Lambs booke of life Whereas the other before mentioned shall be shut out and put to crie Lord Lord open unto us c as it is discoursed at larg by that worthy man before mentioned to whom I haue referred you Thus leaving your thoughts to the guidance of the spirit of truth which is able to direct you into all truth as also that the serious consideration thereof will so undeceive the hearts of you and all other ordained to eternall life as to set them free from such delusive spirits which hath and doth yet inslave them even to the hight of impiety as also to make you them and us one in Christ Jesus who is the head of his Church is the heartie desire of him who hath thus earnestly contended for your eternall felicity in the heaven of heavens And doth now devote himselfe Your Servant in the Lord J. S. Rev. 20. 5. 6. This is the first Resurrection BLessed and holy is he that hath a part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shal be Priests of God and of Christ and shall Raigne with him a thousand years Rev. 22. 14 15. Blesed are they that doe his Commandements that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates of the City for without are doggs and sorcerers and whore-mongers and murtherers and Idollaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie He that hath an eare let him heare c. FINIS