they were Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus And when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with Tongues and Prophesied Acts 19. So here is the true and only Baptism the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus which as John said shall increase who is that Living Fountain that if any man be athirst they may come unto him and drink And this was spoken of the pourings forth of his Spirit and with this Spirit were they Baptized while Peter was speaking unto them when the Holy Ghost fell upon them and they spake with Tongues And they of the Circumcision which believed were astonied and came to Peter because the Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles But Peter answered Can any man forbid Water that they should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost So he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus and so they were united into the Body and into the Christian Faith and into the Unity as well as the Jewes And by this Spirit did Christ send forth his Disciples to go teach and Baptize all Nations Acts 2. 38 41. And this is not an outward Element of Water neither is this poured only upon Infants but upon all that are athirst And this is that one Baptism which the Apostle mentioneth in Ephes 4. where he saith There is one Body and one Spirit one Lord and one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all So as there is but one Lord and one God and one Faith and one Spirit and one Body so there is but one Baptism if we believe the Apostle who saith By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. Then we cannot believe that it is outward Water So this one Baptism and one Spirit is not outward Water So the Baptizing of Infants with outward Water which both Papists and Protestants use is contrary and without any ground from Scripture for if there be but one Baptism surely outward Water is not it And whereas they say They do it as a Sign or Signification and call it a Sacrament this is nothing but their own Invention and Imagination to keep People in ignorance and darkness for they have no Scripture for it So much for that Particular of Baptism There is no Scripture that mentioneth a Sacrament this word hath been invented at Rome by the Pope who was the first that set up the Sacrament and the Altar and the Eucharist which they call the Real-Presence which after their Priests have consecrated Bread they call it The Real Body of Christ and many have lost their Lives by them because they could not believe this Something of kin to this is that which our Protestants use though it 's not altogether so gross for they call Bread and Wine after they have blest it A Sacrament as though the nature and property of it were changed from what it was before but this is not the fruit of that Vine which Christ said he would drink with his Disciples new in the Kingdom of God When Christ was speaking to his Disciples that the Son of Man must be betrayed he said unto them I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I say unto you I will not any more eat thereof untill it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God And he took the Cup and gave thanks and said Take this and divide it among your selves For I say unto you I will not drink of the fruit of the Vine until the Kingdom of God come And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave it unto them saying This is my Body given for you this do in remembrance of me Likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you Luke 22. Mat. 26. Mark 14. Now if the Bread and the Wine had been the Real Body and Blood of Christ which was given and shed for them he needed not to have said as he saith in the next words Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me for he ate of the bread that betrayed him which words make a distinction betwen him and the Bread and Wine But he said This do in remembrance of me And with this the Apostle agreeth in what he writeth to the Corinthians for he saith I received of the Lord that which also I deliver unto you That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me In the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supt saying This Cup is the New Testament of my Blood this do ye as often as ye drink in remembrance of me For saith the Apostle to these Corinthians As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11. So that the eating of this Bread and drinking of this Cup is but the remembrance of his death how Judas betrayed him and the Jewes Crucified him until he come saith the Apostle But where is the drinking in his Resurrection New in his Kingdom It is manifested these Corinthians were not come to that by what the Apostle was speaking to them of in all the foregoing part of this Chapter he is speaking to them of the state and condition of the Man and of the Woman and of their Praying and Prophesying with their heads covered and uncovered and of their long hair and of their heads being shaven and of Nature it self teaching them but more especially in this particular he saith When ye come together into one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper but in eating every one taketh before other and one is hungry and another drunken So any that read this Chapter may see that these Corinthians were not come to the Power of his Resurrection they might well eat in remembrance of his Death for they were one with them in sinning that Crucified him and so Crucified him by their sins afresh as the Apostle saith And so are our eaters and givers of Bread and Wine for they eat it in remembrance of his Death and sin again as soon as they have done and this they call A Communion but it is a Communion in sin and transgression which was the cause of Christ's Death in the eating of this Bread and drinking of this Cup Yet in the foregoing Chapter he saith Wherefore my dearly beloved fly from Idolatry I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say The Cup of Blessing which we bless here he taketh in himself 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 This is not the Communion in sin and transgression For we being many are one Bread and one Body for
away from the Lord and turned unto Idolatry and Abomination and was in Rebellion against him then he complains of their Teachers That they speak a Divination of their own Brain and not from the Mouth of the Lord But the Lord saith That he will frustrate the Tokens of the Lyars and make the Diviners mad and turn the Wise men backward and make their knowledge foolish Isa 44. And again he complains of the Blind Watchmen and said They are all Ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down to slumber yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough and they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his Gain from his Quarter Come ye say they and I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with Strong-drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56. Again the Lord complains of them by his Prophet Jeremiah Jeremiahs heart was broken within him because of the Prophets and his bones did shake like a drunken man because of the Lord and the word of his Holiness For the Land saith he is full of adulteries for because of swearing the Land mourneth for Prophet and Priest are prophane yea in my house have I found their wickedness saith the Lord. Wherefore their wayes shall be unto them as slippery wayes in the darkness they shall be driven on and fall therein I will bring evil upon them even the year of their visitation saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesie unto you thy make you vain they speak a Vision of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. They say still unto them that despise me The Lord hath said ye shall have peace and they say unto every one that walketh after the Imaginations of his own heart No evil shall come upon you But behold the whirlwind of the Lord is come forth in fury and it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked the anger of the Lord shall not return till he have executed and till he hath performed the thoughts of his heart In the latter dayes he shall consider it perfectly I have not sent these Prophets I have not spoken unto them yet they prophesied I heard when the Prophet said that prophesied lies in my name which cause my people to forget my name as their Fathers have forgotten my name for Baal Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces therefore behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my words every one from his neighbour behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say He saith behold I am against them that prophesie false dreams and tell them and cause my people to erre through their lies and by their lightness and yet I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit my people at all saith the Lord Jer. 23. And again the Lord said unto me The Prophets prophesie lies in my name I sent them not neither commanded I them neither spake I unto them yet they prophesied unto you a false Vision and a divination and a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart Chap. 14. Therefore hearken not ye to your Prophets nor to your Diviners nor to your Inchanters nor to your Sorcerers for I have not sent them yet they prophesie a lye in my name that I might drive you out and ye might perish Jer. 27. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Let not your Prophets nor your Diviners that be in the midst of you deceive you for they prophesie falsly unto you I have not sent them saith the Lord Jer. 29 And Ezekiel saith Her Prophets have daubed them with untempred morter seeing vanity divining lies unto them saying Thus saith the Lord when the Lord hath not spoken Ezek. 22. 28. And Zechariah saith The Idols have spoken vanity and Diviners have seen a lye and have told false dreams and have comforted in vain Zech. 10. 2. And Micah saith Then shall the Seers be ashamed and Diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their lips for there is no answer from God Micah 3. 7. After the children of Israel and Judah were fallen away from the Lord God and from his Worship and Service into Idolatry and worshiping of Baal then their Priests and Prophets and Teachers fell to divining and enchanting in the power of darkness and fell into all manner of wickedness and grosness and prophaness and drunkeness in so much that the Lord complaineth of their drinking wine in bowles Ye that put far the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near that lie upon the beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon the Couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and the Calves out of the midst of the Stall that chant to the sound of the Vial and invent to themselves Instruments of Musick like David that drink wine in Bowls and anoint themselves with the chief oyntment but they are not grieved at the afflictions of Joseph therefore they shall go into captivity with the first Amos 6. Surely the Diviners and Inchanters of these last dayes in this night of Apostacy in which the Apostle John said that Antichrist should come have taken example by these false Prophets and false Teachers that were fallen away from the Lord and from the Ordinances of his Law that he gave out to those that were to minister at the Altar and were to minister in the Priests Office when they were fallen away into Idolatry they then fell into Divination and digging and diving into the darkness and imagination of their wicked hearts and so spake false Visions and false Dreams and false Prophesies and said the Lord saith when the Lord had never spoken to them So it hath been with our professed Christian Ministers in this time of Apostacy since the Apostles dayes they read the Prophets words and said Thus saith the Lord and they read Christ's words and the holy Apostles words who worshiped the only true God and spake in and by his holy Spirit And they themselves will confess the Lord never spake unto them neither do they ever expect to know revelation nor hear the voice of God as the Apostle did for they have preached to all people that that is ceased And though it is true that it hath been ceased among them in their dark night of Apostacy yet the holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ which spake in him and in all his holy Apostles is alive and lives for evermore which he sent and signified by his servant John Rev. 1. Who bare record of the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw Who when he saw him fell at his feet as dead and he laid his right
little Children were nearer the Kingdom of God and readier for the Kingdom of God than any others for Christ saith several times Whosoever will enter into the Kingdom of God must be as a little Child So by all these Scriptures we may see that he ownes little Children above all others Now how it cometh that they throw water upon them to give an addition to that Innocent state while they are Infants this is certainly an Invention and an Imagination of their own for there is nothing in Scripture for it Indeed John the Baptist who was sent before Christ to preach the Baptisme of repentance he baptized those that received his Doctrine with water in Jordan but we do not find that he put Infants in that was not according to his Doctrine which was Repentance for Infants were not capable to repent And when the Jewes sent the Priests and Levites to enquire of John what he was they asked Why he baptized if he was not the Christ neither Elias nor that Prophet John answered them saying I indeed baptize with water unto repentance but there standeth one among you whom ye know not he it is who cometh after me and is preferred before me whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose This was beyond Jordan where John was baptizing Saith he and I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost John 1. And Matthew saith In those dayes came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea and said Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand c. I indeed baptize you with water unto Repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shooes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. It is said in John 3. After that Christ had been preaching and speaking to Nichodemus and had been preaching the Light to him that he and his Disciples came to Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized and the disciples of John and some of the Jewes were at difference about Purifying and they came to John and said He that thou bore witness of baptizeth John answered and said Ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ but I am sent before him he must increase but I must decrease When Jesus therefore knew that the Pharisees heard that he baptized and made Disciples more then John though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples he left Judca and departed John 4. Also when John was preaching and baptizing and preaching repentance and remission of sins then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him but John forbad him saying I have more need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me and Jesus answering said Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighted upon him and a voice came from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3. This is the main Scripture that the Baptists build upon for their Water-Baptism and here is a secret in this which they never came to see For John saith I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water And John bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a Dove and it abode upon him and I knew him not Now how do the Baptists know him And the end wherefore he went into the water since that John did not know it nor would not have had him to have done so who was a man sent of God to Baptize with water till he said it was to fulfill all Righteousness which word was hid from John as he afterwards saith but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore he came baptizing with water And so afterwards when Christ was teaching Nichodemus when he told him That those that were to enter into the Kingdom of God must be born of the water of the Spirit These things were strange unto him but Jesus said We speak what we know and testify what we have seen and ye believe not our testimoony If I have told you earthly things and ye believe them not how shall â—e believe if I tell you of heavenly things To the same purpose the Apostle saith There are three that bear record in the Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one 1 John 5. It were good for the Baptists to know this Water and this Baptism and this Spirit by which they might he born again and to know the washing of the Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost For this was the Washing and Water that the Saints were washed with They were made clean through the Word by the washing of the water of the Word Ephes 5. Now for the Baptists to stand washing with outward Water which John baptized with who was before Christ which was a Figure of the inward washing and cleansing and purging as the Apostle Peter saith the same when he is speaking of Noah's preaching while he made the Ark wherein few that is eight persons were lived by Water The like figure saith he whereunto even Baptism doth now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. Whose Blood and the Water and Spirit which he Baptizeth with is the true and only Baptism For John himself saith He must decrease and Christ must increase and for them to stand washing here with outward water and their hearts and Consciences defiled and polluted this will be of little value to them for John who was a man sent of God and bore a true witness of Christ Jesus yet after he was cast into Prison he sent his disciples to ask Art thou he or do we look for another He was â—â—r beyond the Anabaptists So it concerneth them to question their state and condition For they that look at the outward element of Water to be the Baptism they are far from the real and true washing and from that Baptism that baptizeth into the body When Paul came to Ephesus and finding certain Disciples he said unto them Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed they said We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost he said unto them Unto what then were ye baptized they said Unto John's Baptism Paul said John Baptized with the Baptism of Repentance and that they should believe on him that was to come after him that is in Christ Jesus Then
Jesus that is within them which preacheth in a Mystery and preacheth righteousness very nigh in their hearts and will cleanse their inward parts and make their hearts clean from that mystery of Iniquity that hath been long lodged in them and held them Captive and led them into sin and transgression and wickedness Oh that all hearts and secret parts might be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and that every one would walk in the Light abide in the Light as he is in the Light and here is the fellowship and unity of the Saints in Light Jesus Christ the Righteous ruling in their hearts and who lives in the Vnity and Spirit of the Lord Jesus they come to have fellowship with the Father and the Son as John had and these things he wrote unto them that their joy might be full and that they might partake of the same Light Life and Spirit and have Unity with him whose message is That God is Light and in him is no darkness at all And whosoever saith he knows God and abides in darkness is a lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 John 1. And this hath been the Condition and Doctrine that hath been holden forth for many hundred years they have walked in darkness and shewed as if they had fellowship with God and they have loved the world and the things of the world which the Apostle saith is not of the Father And if any love the World the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2. And now Reader do but consider how these Teachers of the world live and after what manner and how they do oppress people for their maintenance and whether there is any sort of people more covetous of the world than they are and how they draw people from the Unction of the holy One that the Apostle here turned people to and desired them to take heed unto and to continue and abide in that which they had heard from the beginning and not to turn to those Antichrists that were then entering into the world but they were to abide in the Anointing which thy had received and it would teach them all things and it was truth and was no lie 1 John 2. But these Ministers of darkness that have been in this night of Apostacy all their indeavours have been to draw people from the Light and from the Vnction of the Holy One after them and after their Imaginations dark Studies and brain Divination and so have deceived poor people and have led them captive at their wills and as the Prophet said Have born rule by their means and the people have been so blind that they love to have it so And thus the Scriptures have been fulfilled and there hath been power given to the Beast and people generally have said in their hearts Who is able to make war with the Beast But glory to the highest Lord his time is over and the year of our Redeemer is come and the Spirit of the Lord is upon him and the Lord hath anointed him to preach good tydings to the meek liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison doors to them that are bound and to proclaime the acceptable Year of the Lord and the day of Vengeance of our God Isa 61. 1 2. Oh Reader The time is short the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night and all this long-suffering of the Lord that hath been past is because he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance And seeing that all these things shall be dissolved oh what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for that blessed hope and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that all may be found with him in peace without spot or blemish which is my desire And so read over this following Treatise and weigh in the seriousness of thy heart and consider the Scriptures of Truth by which thou mayest judge by the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ in thee how all the world have been befooled and blinded and led captive even at Satans will and how this Antichrist hath ruled in the hearts of People and sate in the Temple of God and hath been decked and covered over with the Scriptures and Saints words speaking them forth with unclean lips and from unclean hearts and so have deceived the hearts of the simple but this fine linnen and purple and scarlet that Babylon hath been decked with in one day shall be taken from her Amen even so Lord Jesus come quickly M. F. A Touch-Stone OR A Perfect Tryal by the Scriptures of all the Priests Bishops and Ministers c. ME thinks I hear the Bishops mutter murmur and contemn that I should publish it out to the world how I desired the King to beware of their Counsels therefore I do hereby give them my Reasons of the Cause why I did so which Reasons may satisfie them and the whole world except they can by as good or better overturn them In the first place I desired since it pleased the Lord to bring the King to his outward Right and Propriety of the Crown of his Ancestors that he might have done that whereby he might Prosper according to the words of the wise King Solomon who said It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honour of a King to search out a matter Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established Prov. 25. And again he saith The thoughts of the Righteous are right but the counsel of the wicked is deceit the words of the wicked are to lye in wait for blood but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them the wicked are overthrown and are not but the house the righteous shall stand Prov. 12. Also it was my desire that he should follow the example of the good Kings of Israel whose way it was to ask counsel of the Lord or of his Prophets as King David enquired of the Lord whether he should go up against the Philistims and the Lord said Go up 2 Sam. 5. and again King David called Nathan the Prophet and told him that he would build a House for the Ark of God and the Lord sent word again to David by Nathan the Prophet 2 Sam. 7. And when there was three years of famine in the Land David enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him it was for Saul and his bloody house 2 Sam. 21. Also King Solomon the Lord appeared unto him and bid him ask what he would have and Solomon asked of the Lord an understanding heart to judge his People that he might discern between good and bad for saith he Who is able to judge this thy so great a People And this speech pleased the Lord that Solomon asked such a thing 1 Kings 3. And again the Lord spake unto Solomon the second time concerning the House which he was building
a murderer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal Life abiding in him Hereby perceive we the love of God because he hath laid down his Life for us We ought also to lay down our lives for the Brethren Chap. 3. And so this is contrary to what hath been the practise of those that have taken upon them the function of the Ministers of Christ for many hundreds of years for though they have professed Christ and Christianity yet they have been killing and slaying and murdering one another as many examples might be instanced in ages past Those that call themselves Papists and those that call themselves Protestants one killing and slaying and murdering another and yet all professing and confessing themselves to be Christians and would profess the Scriptures Christ and the Apostles words and in doing thus one to another they have thought they have done God good service and so have fulfilled Christ's words who saith Yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God good service and these things will they do because they have not known the Father and me John 16. And this may suffice for the second head which is their Quallifications The third is their Call For Jesus when he came and spake unto his Disciples he said unto them All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world Mat. 28. And he said unto them Go ye into all the world and preaceh unto every creature he that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned And again he saith Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on high and he blessed them and they worshipped him and they returned to Jerusalem Luke 26. Which is rehearsed again in the first of the Acts and fulfilled in the second Chapter and the Spirit was poured upon them plentifully and there were some then that mocked and said These men are full of new Wine but Peter stood up with the eleven and said These men are not drunken as ye suppose but this is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last days saith the Lord I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord in that day shall be saved This holy Spirit the Apostles received when they were met together also Paul the Apostle who was made an Apostle after them he also was separated for that work by the holy Ghost for as the Apostles were met together with the Church at Antioch as they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed c. Act. 13. And so the Apostle writes himself when he wrote to the Romans Paul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God And again when he wrote to the Galatians he wrote thus Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead and all the Brethren which are with me unto the Churches of Galatia And he saith further I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. And again when he wrote to the Ephesians when he was a Prisoner of Jesus Christ he wrote thus to the Gentiles Ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of the Gospel of God which is given me to you ward how that by Revelation he made known unto me the Mystery as I wrote unto you in a few words which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes 3. I do not know neither have I heard that the Ministers and such as take upon them to teach People neither those that are their Lords Bishops and Arch-Bishops that they have had their Calls after this Order for there have been other wayes and meanes used for many hundred of years together as Schooles and Colledges and Universities and Nurseries of Learning which they call their Mothers with a heap of Stuffe which are better known by them that exercise themselves in them than the Revelation of Jesus Christ is and the Ministers they make are by men and of men and they will have them Fitted and Ordained according to their Wayes and Orders But if any one have received the Revelation of Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit if any such have a Word to speak from the Lord they must not be received nor admitted this is not according to their Order this they call an Heresie and a Sect any that speak and meet together and worship the Lord God in his Spirit and in his Truth such are taken notice of and are brought under the Whip and the Scourge and are apprehended and cast into Prision if they do but pretend the Teachings and Leadings of the Spirit of God and if they have not freedom in their spirits to pay them Tythes or to maintain their Steeple-houses presently they are brought into the Bishops Court and if they cannot for Conscience-sake swear and take an Oath then presently they are cast into Prison But of this more hereafter And thus it is truly manifested that the order of their Calling is not according unto Christ nor his Apostles for Christ saith expresly All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Mat. 11. And again Christ saith It is written in the Prophets They shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me not that any man hath seen the Father save he that is of God he hath seen the Father John 6. This may be sufficient to prove the Third head which is their Call which is contrary to the Apostles The fourth their Worship and the manner of it And first for the Worship it self Christ when he spake to the woman of Samaria and she told him That their Fathers worshipped in that Mountain of
Samaria Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. And to this purpose did Jesus speak to Nichodemus when he came unto him by night when he said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God At which words Nichodemus wondred but Jesus answered Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Fesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Marvel not that I said unto thee ye must be born again the wind bloweth where it listeth c. John 3. And to this purpose was the man whose name was John sent of God to bear witness of Christ Jesus the Light that all men through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world He was in the world and the world was made by him which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John bare witness of him and cryed saying This is he of whom I spake he that cometh after me is preferred before me and of his fullness we have all received grace for grace as may be read at large John 1. And to bring People to this Light and Spirit of the Lord within them did Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles endeavour by their Preaching Therefore saith Jesus Christ unto Nichodemus we speak what we know and testifie what we have seen and ye receive â—ot our witness This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God This is Christ's Doctrine and Worship And when he was preaching among his Disciples and also the Scribes and Pharisees heard him and many believed among the chief Rulers â—â—t they did not confess him because of the Pharisees lest they should be put out of the Synagogue And Jesus cryed out among them â—nd said He that believeth on me believeth â—ot on me but on him that sent me I am come â— Light into the World that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day and so on John 12. And Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God came not by observation but the Kingdom of God was within them And when he sent forth his Disciples he saith As ye go preach saying The Kingdom of God is at hand Mat. 10. Also when he sent out the seventy he said Heal the sick that are therein and say The Kingdom of God is nigh unto you Luke 10. 9. And we also see by the Epistles of the Apostles which are left upon record after what manner of Doctrine and exhortation they spake unto the People as the Apostle John which was the beloved Disciple what he hath written in that which hath been already mentioned in the 1st 2d. 3d. and 4th Chapters of John Also the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle saith For we have not followed cunning devised Fables when we made known unto you the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we are Eye-witnesses of his Majesty For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Here the Apostle directs them to a more sure Word than that which was heard in the Mount which came from the Excellent Glory which they taking heed unto might have the day to dawn and the day-star to arise in their hearts This was a true and a right Minister also he saith Knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. How is it then that it is kept so private that none must interpret it but Learned men such as have been at Oxford or Cambridge But the Apostle saith That the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost But those that have had learning at Cambridge and Oxford will hardly give a right Interpretation of that which the holy Ghost hath spoken forth But when the Apostle wrote to Timothy who was a Bishop and an Overseer made by the holy Ghost to him he saith Continue thou 〈◊〉 the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing â—f whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus Here Timothy did not go to Cambridge nor Oxford nor no such place to learn what he had done from a Child All Scripture saith he is given by inspiration of God and iâ— profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction that the man of God may be perfected throughly furnished unto all good works 2. Tim. 3. And when Peter speaketh of his beloved Brother Paul and of his Epistles which he had written and what he spake Some things he saith are hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. So they that have not the Inspiration of the Almighty and motion of the Spirit of the Lord God the same that gave forth the Scriptures when they come to Interpret them and give meanings to them being unlearned therein they just wrest them to their 〈◊〉 destruction and therefore they do not profit the People at all These be they who separate themselves men that are sensual not having the Spirit Judge 19. Also the Apostle Paul when he was sent forth to Preach the Gospel of Christ the
hand upon him saying Fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the keyes of hell and death Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter And this Revelation which John saw of Jesus Christ will as surely be fulfilled as all the other Scriptures that prophesied formerly of his coming in the flesh who in the fulness of time came and fulfilled all that was written of him so certainly will he come and fulfil the Revelations that have been of him And of his power and great glory and of his coming in his Spirit and in his Revelation by which he reveals the Father as he said himself in the days of his flesh Hereafter I will not speak unto you in Proverbs but I will shew plainly of the Father John 17. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth And this hath the Lord fulfilled and will fulfill in his day and time appointed For the times and seasons are in the Fathers hand although the night-owls who have been in the darkness have striven always to put this Light out when it would have shined in their time which was dark And therefore have they striven together and combined together to make their Mountain strong and set up Schooles of Learning as they call them and educated youth up in that darkness and kept them studying and divining in their braine till many have studied themselves out of their wits and so they might follow their Orders and Ordinations and Degrees one above another and one below another with such a rabble as is not worth mentioning and none might speak nor preach nor read no nor teach School but such as take Orders or Degrees or Licences from them and all this rabble is quite contrary to Scripture-Rule and Example It is true the Apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to study to be quiet and to do their own business and to work with their own hands 1 Thess 4. 11. And wrote to Timothy to study to be approved to God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth This was not studying in the power of darkness to be approved of men to study all their dayes to invent an hours talk to please men and so they take the Scriptures and garnish and adorn and flourish this dark muddy stuffe with it and when they have done sell it for money and so bear rule by the poor peoples means and the poor people are kept so in darkness and ignorance by them that the people love to have it so But as the Prophet Isaiah saith What will they do in the end thereof But surely the Lord is coming to gather his flock according as he spake by his Prophet Ezekiel which Prophesie is not yet fulfilled for it was to the Jewes As I live saith the Lord God because my flock is become a prey and because there is no Shepherd neither did the Shepherds search for my Flock but they fed themselves and not my Flock Behold I am against the Shepherds I will require my Flock at their hands neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more I will deliver my Flock from their mouthes As a Shepherd seeketh out his Flock in the day that he is among his Sheep so will I seek out my Sheep and will deliver them Ezek. 34. So the Lord will fulfill his faithful Word which changeth not however they promise themselves peace till sudden destruction come upon them For so Christ said when he was in his flesh when he spake of the coming of the Son of Man in his power and great glory be bad them watch and told them that the Son of Man would come as a thief in the night and he told them if the good man of the house knew at what hour the thief would come he would not have suffered his house to be robbed and he said Blessed is that servant that when his Lord cometh is found watching Thus you see that the Scriptures are utterly against the practises of those that have been in the Ministry and Teachers of People since the Apostles dayes in the Apostacy for they have neither President nor Example from the Ministers of the Lord neither under the Law nor under the Gospel as we shall prove more fully hereafter For when the Lord reproves Edom and Esau and their Priests and told them they had offered polluted bread upon his Altar and they had offered the blind for sacrifice and lame and sick and that from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same his name was polluted as ye may read at large in Mal. 1 2. chap. He told them that he would corrupt their seed and spread dung upon their faces even the dung of their solemn feasts yet he told them That his Covenant was with Levi even of life and peace and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me the Law of truth was in his mouth and Iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn away many from iniquity for the Preists lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts but ye are turned away c. So these are none of the Priests of our dayes that come from the Universities and have their Orders and Degrees from thence for they confess themselves to be all polluted and filthy from the Crown of the Head to the Soal of the foot and they tell people they must never be free from sin and iniquity nor they must never look for Revelations So these are none of Levie's Tribe for he turned many from iniquity and the People were to seek the Law at his mouth because the Law of Truth was in his mouth And so by what hath been spoken before concerning their attaining to the Ministry as also their Principles what they hold you see that they are none of Gods Ministers under the Law neither did any that were ordained of God to be Ministers under the Law attain to it by such means or in such a manner as they have done to theirs viz. by School-learning Neither are they God's Ministers under the Gospel so that they are neither Gods Ministers under the Law nor Gospel As also Christ those that he chose to be Ministers you may read what sort of men they were When he was on the Coast of Zebulon and Naphthali he preached unto them Repentance And as Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee he saw two brethren Peter and Andrew and he called them They were casting their nets into the sea for they were fishers and he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men And straightway they followed him Matth. 4. Mark 1. And when he had gone a
little further thence he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who also were in a ship mending their nets and straightway he called them And they left their Father in the ship with the servants and went after him Matthew was a Publican Simon a Canaanite Also when Christ sent forth the seventy Luke 10. there were no Universities provided for them nor had they Ordinations or Degrees from thence but ye may read they had their Command and Commission from him And again when he had wrought the Miracle on the man that was sick of the Palsie As he passed from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the Receipt of Custom and he said unto him Follow me and he arose and followed him Matth. 9. 9. Also Jesus when he was going forth into Galilee findeth Philip and saith unto him Follow me Philip findeth Nathaniel and saith unto him We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and in the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Joseph John 1. Also two of Johns Disciples when they had heard him speak and looked upon him followed Jesus and one of them which followed him was Andrew Simon Peters brother and he saith unto his brother We have found the Messiah which by interpretation is Christ John 1. And thus they had the testimony of Christ Jesus in their Consciences through which they gave up all and forsook all and followed him and he having all Power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him gave them power and authority over all Spirits insomuch that they said the Devils were subject unto them And when they came unto him and told him he said unto them Rejoyce not that the Devils are subject unto you but rather rejoyce that your Names are written in Heaven and this was their Power and the matter of their Joy that they had their Testimony and Commission from him their Lord and Master So here was no Ordinations of men nor Degrees taken from Universities nor no Nurturing up in Schools of Learning as hath been in these latter dayes for this hath all been since this Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus hath been lost and gone from and rebelled against in this Night of Apostacy Also after this when the Apostle Paul was called to be a Minister he was called by Vision and by the Voice of God and sent forth by the Command of his Word and Power Acts 26. 16. and yet he confessed himself that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect Law of the Fathers Acts 22. 3. Yet he desires his brethren to beware of Dogs beware of evil-workers beware of the Concision for we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh though I might also have a confidence in the flesh If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel c. But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ Yea doubtless I count all things but dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him Phil. 3. Here the Apostle clears himself concerning his choice and sees the Vanity of all transitory Things and this was a fit Minister of the Eternal Gospel of Christ who forsook and laid away all his humane Knowledge and Learning and filthy Wisdom and only chose the holy Spirit of the Lord God the Cross of Christ whereby he said he was crucified to the world and the world to him and this is quite contrary to the ministration of mens wisdom before mentioned And so this may suffice for the first particular of the Fifth Head which is their Practice to wit their way and means to attain to the Ministry The second particular of the Practice is the limiting and binding of People unto their way and worship by their Laws and Courts which they call Ecclesiastical with the several Degrees of Offices to get money from people and to bring them into bondage and keep them in awe and continual trouble in tying of them up to their Inventions and Laws which they make for their own gain and advantage not leaving poor people to the liberty of their Consciences and to the freedom of their Spirits but binde them to such things as pertain to their own advantage and superiority and in this lord it over poor peoples Estates Persons and Consciences and yet they call themselves Gospel-Ministers and in words profess Christ and Christianity but this is quite contrary to the practice and example of Christ and his Apostles and Ministers for those that he sent forth into whatsoever City they went they were to enquire who was worthy and there to abide till they went thence And when you come into one house salute it and if the house be worthy let your peace come upon it but if it be not worthy let your peace return to you and whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that House or City shake off the dust of your feet Matth. 10. Mark saith thus And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them verily I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment then for that City Mark 6. And again when he sent out the Seventy he said unto them Into whatsoever house ye enter first say Peace be to this house and if the Son of Peace be there your peace shall rest upon it if not it shall return to you again But into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you not go your way into the streets of the same and say Even the dust of your City which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be sure of this that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you but I say unto you it shall be more tollerable in the day of Judgment c. Luke 10. And according to this Command of Christ Paul and Barnabas who were separated by the Holy Ghost for the work of the Ministry when they had preached the Gospel among the Jews and witnessed forth Christ Jesus and his Sufferings among the Jews who had Crucified him and also preached him unto the Gentiles and the Jews contradicting Pauls Ministry Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said they would turn to the Gentiles for say they so hath the Lood commanded us saying I will set thee for a Light unto the Gentiles that thou shouldest be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth but when the Jews heard this they stirred up the devout and honorable women and chief men of the City and raised
and of Christ I am he he said unto her That the hour cometh and now is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for such the Father seeketh to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth John 4. And why is not this Spirit waited in and for in the Worship that is generally performed and allowed of in our Nation since that the Apostle saith We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3. And why is the Worship which is generally performed among people and their Doctrines taught from and by the Commandments of men seeing they profess themselves to be Christians being Christ complained of this Worship And saith In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men this people draweth near to me with their mouthes and honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me And he said Let them alone they are Blind Leaders of the Blind and if the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch Matth. 15. 8 9 14. Ninthly And why is not the Worship of God performed among those that profess themselves to be Christians and Gospel Ministers in the Unity of the Spirit since the Apostle saith When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come into the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto the perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4. 13. And why is there such Difference in Religion and Opinions as there hath been between Papists and Protestants and many others even to the Killing and Slaying one of another since that all profess themselves to be Christians and the Spirit of Christ is but one and the Apostle exhorts them here To endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace And if they have received those Gifts from on High which are for the Work of the Ministry then why are there such Differences among them Tenthly Why is there not that Liberty and Order in their Meetings and Assemblies who profess themselves to be Christians as was in and among the Apostles and their Churches For the Apostle saith If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace for ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted And the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets for God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. So if this was the Order of the Churches of the Saints how is it that always one man is set up to Speak to all the rest of the People it may be for many years together since that the Apostle saith That there is diversity of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of Administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of Operations but the same God which worketh all in all but the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 12. 4. Since that the Spirit is given to every man how is it that poor people have had one man set up to teach them it may be thirty or forty years together and whatsoever was revealed to him that sat by they were not permitted to speak but they might be haled before Magistrates and it may be stockt or whipt for doing that which the Scripture alloweth of and here are Christ words fulfilled where he saith Ye shall be haled before Magistrates and persecuted for my Name sake for a testimony against them and they that kill you think they do God good service John 16. 2. And these few Queries are for all the Clergy in the Christian World to answer whether they be Papists or Protestants Lancaster Castle the 7th moneth 1666. M. F. Post-script IT hath been an Old Proverb and Maxime among men No Bishop no King this is but a supposition that is got into the minds of people in these late times which hath proceeded and risen from among those of that Function and their Adherents being that their power standeth onely by the Kingly Power for it might rather be said No King no Bishop But to add to their Strength and Assistance they have added this and have got it into the minds of people that if there be No Bishop no King but it is otherwise for it is by experience known and that by Scripture Example For in the Reigns of all the Kings of Israel we do not read that there was a Bishops Power nor Ecclesiastical nor Spiritual Courts neither Nebuchadnezzar the great neither Cyrus unto whom the Lord said Thou art mine Anointed whose right hand I have upholden to subdue Nations I will loose the Loyns of Kings to open before thee the Leaved Gates I will give thee the Treasures of darkness and the hidden Riches of secret places that thou mayest know that I the Lord which calleth thee by thy name am the God of Israel Isa 45. Neither Darius who set over his Kingdom one hundred and thirty Princes and over these were three Presidents of whom Daniel was the first and by the voice and word of Daniel the man of God who was greatly beloved of God these Kingdoms of the Medes and Persians were swayed and governed by the Word of the Lord through Daniel as may be read in the Book of Daniel but we never heard of Bishops or Spiritual Courts among them It is true we read that among the Jews there was High-Priests and Chief-Priests that ruled and governed amongst them when their Kings were Heathens as Herod and Tiberius Cesar In the dayes of Herod Christ was born who sent his wise men to seek for the Child and made all the young Children be killed from two years old and under and the Angel made Jesus be carried into Egypt till Herod was dead Then there was Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee which beheaded John Baptist this Herod and Pilate were made Friends the same day that Christ was under Examination for before they had been at enmity And Ananias and Caiaphas being high Priests they sought how they might kill Jesus And the Band of Souldiers led Jesus away to Annas first for he was Father-in-law to Caiaphas which was the high Priest the same year Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people John 18. 13 14. And when Pilate had called together the chief Priests and the Rulers and said unto them Ye brought this man unto me as one that perverted the people and I have examined him before you and have found no fault in him