Quaking Principles dashed in pieces by the standing and unshaken TRUTH Being an Examination of the Tenents held forth by certain Northern People viz. 1. Slighting of the written Word 2. A speaking to that within Man 3. Denying the use of Reason in the matters of God 4. A denying of the Ascension and Being of the Body of Christ 5. A denying of all the Ordinances of Christ 6. A denying Honor to Men. 7. Affording absolute perfection at one instant By Henoch Howet LONDON Printed by Henry Hills and are to be sold at his House near Py-corner at the Sign of Sir John Oldcastle 1655. Quaking Principles dashed in pieces by the standing and unshaken Truth THe God of the whole Earth now being about to declare his glorie to the Gentiles in such a manner as that the Isles that have not heard of his fame should be brought in to see his glorie and and the Kingdoms of this world being about to become the Lords and his Christs Satan at such a time is doubtless standing at the right hand of our Joshua to resist him At the right hand not at the left for he will take the better hand that he may be more eminent in shew and be preferred in the view of the world before the Joshua's of God they must come in a lower place on the left hand in a more carnal way in the eye of the world and in the report of those that speak by swelling words of spiritualness calling the God of this world that blindeth the eys a God of light and all this darkness spiritualness at this time I say appeareth those times that if it were possible should deceive the very elect whereby the stars are drawn from Heaven and cast unto the Earth Whereupon I have thought it my dutie to serve the Land of my Nativitie or rather men fearing God in this Nation in singling out certain specious Deceits of Satans and as Christ my Master did to Satan reproving them with this infallible authoritie It is written a speech that can hardly be endured with these pretended spiritual men for that Satan being overthrown by it by the Saviour of men is now fain to flie to unwritten notions consisting 1. A slighting of the written Word 2. A speaking to that within you It is their phrase 3. A denying of the use of Reason and consideration in matters of God calling it Serpent and Adam c. 4. Denying of the Ascension or Being of the Bodie of Christ 5. A denying of all Ordinances of Christ. 6. A denying honor to men 7. Absolute perfection at one instant For the first they oppose the Word Christ to the written Word and will a Word that is a Discoverie spiritual to be the Word But whatsoever it is that they call the Word it is perfectly false and not the truth although it be conceived in the soul of a Paul except the Scriptures will approve of it or it be so in Scriptures that is to say the same that is recorded in Scripture Acts 17.11 Paul counts it true Nobilitie to be daily conversant in Scripture for the proof of revealed truths and as they count is carnalness and lowness for a man at one of their meetings pulling a Bible out of his pocket one of them asked What doth that man with that Book there 2. Again it is not onely the being of the bodie of Christ but the actions and undertakings of Christ also that is profitable to us And of these the Scripture keepeth a record therefore gloriously to surmise any thing of Christ which Scripture recordeth not is to stand at the right hand of our Joshua to resist the work of God and to be more excellent and more glorious than plain Scripture Christ himself saith I come to fulfill whatsoever is written in the Law and the Prophets and the sayings concerning me Being the Apostle chargeth the plain simple sheep of Christ saying Let no man perswade you above what is written 3. Again if ignorance of the Scripture be the ground of error Mark 1â— 24 Matth. 22.29 how do these men drive the people in darkness that works upon the people to cause a disesteem of the Scriptures and yet forcibly perswade them to receive their Doctrine Consider do not the Papists denie us the Scriptures in our mother Tongue that their unwritten verities might take place And now the same spirit in another appearance perswades us to the uselesness of the Scriptures that his spiritual delusions might take place though in another form O subtle Devil Will nothing serve thy turn but to disarm us and take away that weapon that Christ fought and overthrew thee with But as he had the victorie so must all his members in their overcoming strength obtain it I mean with this authoritie It is written Then thou mightst sleep quietly in the hearts of thine in thy lusts in thy envie in thine idolatrie in thy pride in all luxurie and uncleanness if there were not an It is written to disquiet thee Men could not know lust but by It is written Rom. 7.7 If thou canst do this thy seven spirits shall dwell quietly and thou maist exalt thy self above God And thy Angels may appear more glorious than plain Preachers of the Gospel without controll Again 2 Tim. 3.17 The perfect furnishing the man of God to all good works is the end that the Scriptures were given for and the use of them is to reprove to correct to instruct in righteousness The Author of them is God by the inspiration of God that is to say in the hearts of the Prophets and Apostles For the Prophesies of old that are called Scripture are the movings of the Spirit of God in the holy men of God 2 Pet. 1.20 And our foundation is laid upon the Prophets and Apostles which is their Doctrine Christ being the head-corner-stone So that if Satan could take away or vilifie Scripture he would hinder man exceedingly from being throughly furnished c. Take away the profitable means of this Doctrine viz. reproof correction instruction O! how would he bring in a floud of destruction by filling mankinde with ignorance and lustfull pleasures in taking off the Bridle that checks Lust It brings in a Night of Darkness that men might take their pleasure in sin without any Light at all to shame them for it if he could make the Scriptures useless To shake us in our foundation I mean the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles would make the whole building of Religion and Godliness fall O subtle Serpent the Lord rebuke thee If wisdom to salvation through faith in Christ be contained in Scripture 2 Tim. 3.15 Then what a sweet conjunction and harmonie do we finde here betwixt the written Rule and the active life of a believer Who but Satan or his instruments dare slight the one and affirm he regards the other Again if the Scriptures are the means of comfort and hope Rom. 15.4 How exceedingly were we wronged if any mans of
our comfort or hope should be taken from us For comfort and hope they are in two respects First what cause of comfort is there when all our experiences are the same that have been of old declared in Scripture And if Satan in the time of Gods withdrawing should go about to perswade us that our experiences were false and we would say they were revealed from God and the same that were written in the Scriptures of truth Dan. 10.21 What a comfort would that be to us Note here in this place of Daniel when the Angel would comfort him he doth it not onely by touching his lips by lifting him up by speaking to him but also that he might seal up all his experiences he saith I will shew thee what is written in the Scriptures of a truth there is none that holdeth with us but Michael your Prince The second respect wherein we are comforted by Scripture is in respect of our exspectation when we hope for nothing but what God hath in Scripture promised this makes us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Dan. 6. I Daniel understand by Books c. and I set my face to seek the Lord by prayers and supplications c. and when things come to pass that God hath promised it fils the heart with praises and will make all that have Davids spirit to say In God will I praise thy Word But now lest some should say that I make the Scriptures the sole cause of knowledg which the Saints are to look unto for Life and Salvation I answer No I minde them to be but the testimonie of Christ but yet such a testimonie as is able in the hand of the eternal Teacher to make the man of God wise to Salvation yet if we come not to Christ by the drawing of the Father we can have no saving life nor light although we have the whole outward knowledg of them in the written letter John 5.39 Sure it is they that were instructed by Moses had the outward teachings of the now written letter and so still for the organ of the ear or eye letteth into the understanding whilest God applieth it to the heart and by this means the Saints in the hand of God are humbled at his feet to receive of his Word as in Deut. 33.3 Though Moses spake these words of Christian experience yet they administred to the ear that sweet dropping oration in Deut. 32.33 which by the Spirit of God applying is made powerfull in operation and is now left also upon record for our instruction according to that of Christ who saith They have Moses and the Prophets when they had but the words which Moses writ The Scriptures prove the work of the new birth counsels us to buy of God milk and wine and teacheth us to bear the hand of the Lord patiently till he bring us forth to the light and shew us his righteousness Micah 7. from the 7. to the 9. v. It teacheth us perseverance to the end and he that heareth and knoweth this except he do it it availeth nothing in Ezek. 33.31 32. And divers sweet directions and promises together with records of Saints former experiences all which applied by Gods spirit to the believers heart is able to make the man of God wise to Salvation And now I come to the second of their mistakes that is A speaking to a thing within thee I would fain know what can be meant by the thing within men for there is nothing in man to be spoken to but man if it be Light it hath enlightned man and then man is to be accounted and spoken to as enlightned so then they cannot speak to his Light as distinct but to man enlightned for Christ and his Apostles always spoke to man It 's true Satan that hath sent forth his Angels transforming himself into Angels of Light to publish his delusions and deceits may and it 's likely hath therewithall sent forth a spirit in men to perswade the receiving that his dark and delusive Light and hereupon the Angels of Satan without may speak to the spirit of Satan within under the notion of Light but unless they speak unto Satan or some of his Legion in man I know not how they can speak unto any Light in man distinct from him It may be his language but it is none of Gods for it 's no form of sound words which we are commanded to hold fast 2 Tim. 1.13 And now I come to the third of their mistakes that is The denying the use of reason or consideration in the matters of God calling it Serpentine and many other terms of contempt and upon this ground they will not do as the Apostles of Christ and Christ himself who did dispute or reason with the gain-sayers of the truth Christ disputed with the Jews 6 8. chap. of John and Stephen Acts 6.9 10. There arose certain of the Synagogue called Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of Cilicia and Asia and disputed with Stephen and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake And why was it but because of the strength of demonstration that was in it The Spirit of God makes use of reason or wisdom and tongue in man and all the faculties of bodie and soul in a godly man to honor himself and to resist unto bloud striving against sin and to contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints So that ye see how far different these men are from the words and practice of Christ and his ministrie As for reason carnally implied we justifie it not which hath this character it is pitying it self and therein Satan is conversant for when Peter said to Christ Master pitie thy self none of these things shall befall thee c. for this Reason where it rules will not let any follow God or Christ further than they can carrie their own things viz. their own honors pleasures ease worldly beloveds that their worldly lusts may have life and delight and so throw by the things of Christ his Cross his afflictions c. and consequently his Crown too this made the Apostle complain All men seek their own things and none the things of Christ. We allow and honor reason in considering the works of God Eccles 7.13 As thus in so much that God hath made one creature I mean the Air that is present in all places at once and without it no creature that hath life can live And another creature to give light to the whole frame of nature I mean the Sun How easie a thing then is it by reason to conclude this God to be in all places at once viewing wickedness and creating new hearts and giving light to all though they sit in darkness and in the shadow of death Like to this David reasons Psalm 94 9 10 11. 2. In so much that God is the Author of all memorie and wisdom whereby all things in the earth may be remembred some things by
10. they denie the Being of it And also they denie the Lord that bought them in the fifth mistake of theirs wherein they denie all Forms or Ordinances There is nothing that Christ commanded as Lord over his inheritance that is to say the Rules of Government that he appointed to govern his chosen generation his peculiar people his royal Priesthood with but they denie it and therefore these are they that stumble at the Word 1 Pet. 2.8 9. Also they denie the love tokens that he left the one that follows repentance from dead works and faith towards God as the first act of faith building upon the foundation I mean Baptism The other the token of his death to be a remembrance of him untill he come I mean the Lords Supper And now let these that are Christs Enemies that denie both Bodie and Rule of Christ hear one loving reproof out of It is written which their Predecessors I mean the Papists would have taken from us in the English Tongue and these men would take from us the virtue of it that is to say the sharpness and sweetness of it by working upon us a dislike of it I say a reproof in love that if it be possible they may be healed the Scripture I reprove them by is Luke 19.27 But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them Bring hither and slay them before me O that they would consider the written Word that they despise and examine themselves whither they were not once Citizens Luke 19 14. that is whither they were not under the Government of the Citie that had for its Charter the written Word of God when his Word and his Spirit that writ it had command of their souls It is written is enough to humble a poor soul to reprove a tender conscience to be a light to our paths and a Lantern to our feet to make known sin and to command the Devils absence and hath it no power over you Have you a spirit to guide you without a written Word It is out of Gods government then if it cannot be brought to the Law and the testimonies to see whither it speak according to that Word or no Isai 8.20 Ye may be familiar spirits for ought I know Do ye not weep and mutter as Isai 8 19. What muttering and uncouth howling is ammong ye which we cannot but impute to a spirit contrary to the Word if ye will not come to the Word to be tried we are commanded to trie the spirits whither they be of good or no and alas how shall we do it if ye denie both the written Word that is our Rule and Reason too for you appeal from both Alas alas what shall we do for you we fear you will perish eternally And now that he is ascended and gone into a far countrey Do you not send messages after him and say Ye will not have this man rule over ye for indeed ye denie both his Person and Word that is to say the written Word that was from God by Moses and the Prophets even the written Word which is the Rule of Life and Love sealed and approved of by Christ as also the Commandments of Christ that he and his Apostles ordained I mean Baptism to accompanie conversion and the whole order of communion in the Gospel of God to follow I mean those Commandments that were not before Christs time and given out by none but himself and his Apostles spoken of in John 15.10 If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love Now I demand what distinction could Christ make here betwixt his and his Fathers Commandments but that his were the Ordinances and Laws to govern his Church by and in John 14.21 See what sweet promises follows the obedience to Christs commands And if they will cavil at them still because they are written as if it were but the Letter that which is written in 1 Cor. 14.37 If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledg that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. By which Word in the Name of God I proclame that those men that disown the written Word are not spiritual men I mean have not the Spirit of Christ they may have the bewitching spirit of Antichrist that may make them denie the use of their own Reason because they have not faith in the Root as in 2 Thess 2.3 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not faith where the Apostle braves those men that have not the use of Reason to be wicked and void of faith Who but the spirit of Antichrist durst not onely set their posts by Christs posts but also countermand the Commandments of our Law-giver the Lord Jesus Christ There were never any men appeared in the world so like those that Peter speaketh of in his second Epistle ch 2.17 to the end of the Chapter I pray you reade those Verses considerately in v. 17. he saith They are Clouds carried with a Tempest What greater Tempest than so much spiritual violence as to carrie all down afore them without consideration either of the written Word or the use of Reason In v. 18. he chargeth them with speaking great swelling words of vanity he chargeth them also to allure through the lusts of the flesh The Flesh lusteth or desireth against the Spirit These desire to overthrow the Writngs of the Spirit of God he chargeth them likewise with much wantonness What more wantonness than to shake off all Rules that their own imaginations may have the full sway and if Mr. Pope doth not belie them they use unseeemly kissing in heir open and publique Assemblies at Glasstiers Hall and Peter in the same Verse makes the case dangerous to live in error that is for want of knowledg of the Scriptures as aforesaid although men have clean escaped the pollutions of the world through lusts In v. 19. he saith While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption None ever promised to themselves so much libertie as these and the Ranters in being freed from the power and trial of the Word And how greatly do they serve corruption in this their libertie when they disclame the written Word which is the check and bridle of corruption being overcome by libertie and brought in bondage to that wicked libertie In v. 20. The later end is worse with them than the beginning because now they do that upon a religious account that before they did upon an ungodly account The Lord bless every one of his from the condition of Chandler who formerly was the Head of a Companie of Shakers whose condition I dread to speak of it is known to almost all persons hereabouts And in v. 21. the same Apostle chargeth them with falling from the way of righteousness and a holy Commandment given
unto them which way of righteousness standing by a command of Christ must needs be the order of the Gospel of God Their spirit will perswade them that they are not fallen from righteousness and therefore would justifie them But he cannot justifie them in denying the way of righteousness that was commanded by Christ and his Apostles And it is apparant before God and Angels to all knowing men in Religion but themselves they or some of them are fallen from that But I shall write no more at this time about the denial of Ordinances being I have writ more largely before in a little Treatise called Disobedience detected And now we come to the sixth of their mistakes which at the outward or overly looking upon it one would think it were a small slight thing but when we come to weigh it with It is written it is an heavie and sad offence I mean the not giving honor to men which is contrary to the examples of good men and command of Scripture First for the example of good men Sara called Abraham Lord. The Angel of God which would not from God mistake his message counselled Hagar to submit her self to her Mistris Gen. 16.9 Abrahams servant when he prayed to God and was heard called Abraham his Master Gen. 24.11 And when his soul was in a spiritual frame and his heart filled with praises to the living God called him Master v. 27. And to man also when he was declaring his message he called Abraham Master v. 34.35 Jacob when he had been newly wrestling with God for a blessing bowed himself seven times to Esau Gen. 33.4 and all his familie did obeysance Iosephs brethren by revelation of his Dream and that from God which after came to pass did obeysance to him Gen. 44.14 15 16. David a man after Gods own heart that had the Kingdom given him but not yet in possession called Saul My Lord the King 1 Sam. 26.17 So that if these men should tell us honoring one another will vanish away in the restoration of all things I let these men with David tarrie their time that is till they be in possession of the restoration and this did Christ though he prophesied of the downfall of Iewish Ceremonies and was that Christ that fulfilled them yet he worshipped in the Temple whilest they received Paul after him And by the way here is one note for the non-churches though it be true that Forms and Ordinances shall cease yet let them tarrie their time and worship in them till Christ become David calleth himself Sauls servant 1 Sam. 17.23 and Davids wife by the counsel of the Prophet Nathan 1 Kings 1.15 called My Lord the King And Nathan the Prophet speaking to David called him My Lord the King in v. 24. And Daniel the Prophet of the Lord speaking to a Heathen saith O King So did the three Children at a time when Nebuchadnezzar was in the height of his wickedness Dan. 3.17 18. And Daniel at a time when he had received the greatest mercie from God of salvation from the Lions said O King live for ever Dan. 6.21 And Paul called Agrippa O King Acts 26.13 19. and called Festus Most noble Festus So that we may see what was the practice of holie men Angels and Prophets and Apostles and that upon remarkable times upon serious occasions How far are these men from following the examples of holie Writ Surely as they denie the virtue of It is written so they are very careless in reading and observing what is written And they that are their Proselytes will be less knowing being that their converters or rather perverters cast an odium upon what is written But now to come to the commands that they disobey in this their practice First the Law that Gods finger writ Exod. 20. Honor thy Father and Mother Lev. 19.31 32. we finde these words Regard not them that have familiar spirits neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the Lord. Now the speaking against familiar spirits c. immediatly before the giving honor to men may intimate that wizards and such as have familiar spirits use not to honor men but I am sure these two are linked together being both sins alike for the command of honoring and fear thy God are joyned together in a sentence and these men by this Scripture denying to honor men in their several relations do also therein denie to fear God And you cannot say this command was abolished since Christs time for the Apostle still approves of it Ephes 6 2. And Peter whose spirit of Prophesie was much opposit to these kinde of men in 1 Pet. 2.16 17. hath these words As free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but as the servants of God Honor all men Love the Brotherhood Fear God Honor the King Which may prove that the malitious Libertine feareth not God nor careth for man I could here bring a cloud of witnesses but let this suffice as Iude speaking of persons I hope more filthie than these Iude 8. v. addeth this to fill up their Ephah of wickedness They speak evil of Dignities and despise Dominion Also Paul saith Give honor to whom honor belongeth And in giving honor Go one before another But you see there is enough in It is written to reprove those that care not for It is written if they be not uncapable of reproof And now I come to the last of their mistakes in admitting of none but perfect men into conjunction In the first place we are sure that Iohn writes to children young men and fathers and mindes degrees of attainment 2 Iohn 12.13 but these at one time wrought upon say that they are perfect not minding such a perfection as is spoken of in Phil. 3.12 where a gradual attainment is spoken of not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if I may apprehend that for which I am also apprehended of Christ where he seemeth to state the matter thus 't is true I am confident of Gods mercies the act of Christ is done for me he hath apprehended me but I am not perfect but I am a follower after perfection and desire and labor earnestly to apprehend him And in v. 13 14. he saith Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ. In which Verses for fear any should think he spoke in the person of another in the way of teaching in v. 12. he avers it solemnly of it self In v. 12. as if he should say The price is great of that Calling of God in which onely is perfection the Calling he had
but the price he wanted but I have it not yet I press after it and it is true I must hit the mark for it In which arguings of his he seems to engage the labor of all the faculties of the soul as his consideration c. lest he should shoot beside the mark I weigh things which is an act of reason I esteem all things as loss In v. 8. and his desires forcing labors and gradual earnest motion forgetting that which is behinde and reaching out to that which is before And in v. 15. he saith Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded as if he should say There is no other perfection attainable and this is perfection and let none say they are perfect and affirm they are past this earnest suit and pursuit after the things of Christ. God will reveal this unto him that is he will make him know it either here to his conviction or hereafter to his judgment for it shall be revealed viz. that there is no perfection that disengages the man from pursuit with his labor of minde to attain in this life that which shall be enjoyed when Christ shall appear for then we shall be like him 1 John 3.2 And to back Pauls judgment Peter agrees with him 2 Pet. 3. from 5 to v. 11. where he puts the living Christian that has received all things that appertain to life and godliness as in v. 3. upon his pressing after perfection namely that they give all diligence In v. 5. v. 10. again make their Election and Calling sure and when this is done it is true he promises them an entrance abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ but no more but an entrance in this life as if it were said 'T is but an entrance and there will be always work for the pressing motion of the minde reason to consider and desire and prayer to attain c. and to have a threefold witness in Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee And v. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to feed at noon for why should I be as one that turneth aside c. where it appeareth that the Spouse with an engaged reasoning minde that she may not turn aside wrestles with Christ to draw her to teach her which implieth that no such perfection so as to take off a laboring to be perfect is a life attainable here but in their perfection they denie any man being under frailtie or capableness to sin to be of their communion it may be they do it from that place 1 John 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him But they must view this whole Epistle and they may easily understand him otherwise as 1 John 1.7 to the end If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness If we say that we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his Word is not in us Where it is proved he that is in the light and hath fellowship with God is at that time under cleansing from sin by the bloud of Christ which is far from their perfection It proves John writing in the present Tense that he and those in communion with the Father and the Son were not freed absolutely from sin when he writ this Epistle v. 8. In v. 9. In v. 9. that John and those that have communion with the Father and the Son are forgiven their sins after their confession this is far from their perfection It may be said then what was Johns meaning in chap. 3.6 I answer he explaineth himself in 5.18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not That wicked one is the sin unto death that must be there meant for it is spoken of before then Iohns meaning must needs be that he that is born of God sins not unto death for in v. 16. he doth acknowledg that a brother may sin a sin that is not unto death and yet obtain life Their Speaker told me in their meeting that which had sinned could not be saved I told them nothing could be saved but that which is capable of damnation which was man who without salvation as under sin he must be damned and now I say there is nothing can be in man but it must be a part or a member of man except it be God or the Devil And it is absurd and incongruous to think that will save God he cannot receive salvation for he is eternally happie And I answer the Devil shall not be saved he hath sinned the unpardonable sin And by the way behold and consider the vanitie of that speech to the thing within man but further that their Doctrine may appear to be utterly against what is written add another witness Rom. 7.23 I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde c. O what a conflict in a believers heart is here whilest sin appears yet let not them think that we by this Doctrine nourish sin for when the Spirit of God and It is written hath discovered sin in the soul it hath such a conflict that it laments his wretchednes and is violent for deliverance and then there is a running to God by the Advocate to propitiate the poor convinced sinner needs none to pursue sin unto death but himself by Gods movings pardon cleansing from sin killing of sin that it never rise again is then earnestly implored at the Throne of Grace and then the sin-sick soul can never be healed nor quieted without a smile of his heavenly Father in Christ Iesus The denial of Christs Bodie is no where in the Word The denial of his Ordinances is no where in the Word These men must needs then perswade above what is written These two Doctrines cannot be preaching Christ crucified c. For the knowledg of them if they were true serves not for conversion nor for building up not making the man of God perfect Therefore there is no service done for God nor his Church in these Doctrines But there may be much service done for Satan and disservice to themselves when they denie both Bodie and Ordinances of Christ What greater denial can there be of the Lord that bought them when they leave him neither Bodie nor Laws extant When he hath no Laws he is no King if no Bodie no Being but as he may be resolved into the Father So then there is none but God there is no Son to give up a Kingdom to the Father and when he hath done to be subject to the Father The commands of Christ are those that he gave that is which were not given before he came that is to say setting a Government for Iew and Gentile to worship him in and who so ever denies this though an Angel from Heaven let him be accursed And Satan may let these be pure and holie in regard of outward holiness or justice between man and man freedom from the pollutions of the world through lust if he can make them be of those that denie the Lord that bought them this Error is sin enough to hold them fast close in his claws to eternal damnation they need not any more if mercie belong to them the Lord give it them and keep his elect that cannot be drawn away by the deceit of these evil times Now if it be said These men are spiritual and full of light it may be said There may be deceits by spirit as well as in word or letter 2 Thess 2.2 And to my knowledg these mens fore-runners the Ranters did speak as spiritually as they with words more like a spirit than a man terrifying and disturbing the hearers mindes I hearing Frankling was not able nor durst go on to hear him lest he should bewitch me for though his words were piercing I knew he spoke not the truth according to Scripture which is our Rule of Trial to prove Pauls or Satans Doctrine These things being set home upon my spirit and being freely perswaded not onely of the truth thereof but of the heinousness and sad consequence of these great Errors and Mistakes wherein ye are detained by that spirit of delusion I was constrained out of my love to ye many of whom I have known for some years to communicate these lines to ye not of any prejudice to your persons for my hearts desire is that the Lord will deliver ye from this spirit and if there be any thing that may seem unacceptable or more than once repeated know it is for several purposes but all for the good of your souls FINIS