Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	blood_n	body_n	heart_n	5,603	5	5.0093	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52677	An account from the children of light (to them that askes) in several particulars why we have been kept from joyning to, or worshipping in those formes at law, and formes of worships, that have been imposed upon us against our consciences, in these late years, for denying whereof, we have so deeply suffered, with our lives, liberties, and estates. : Also what we owne as to those things, and can be obedient to for conscience sake, according to truth, and the practise of the church of Christ, and the Scriptures.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing N256; ESTC R27517	31,099	57

Conscience from dead works And will you not suffer him to reigne and governe therein hath not he quickned every living soule and created anew every free Spirit and would you take and keepe the kingdome therein out of his hand and rule there for another or your selves with force and cruelty Is not this he for whom the Sabbath was made and all the ordinances under heaven speakes his dominion And will you now read this and professe and withstand him in the Consciences of his tender people and deny him to rule in his Church alone have you not read what God hath said of him and his enemies in the second Psalme nay are not all the Scriptures his and testifie to him alone as head over all and ruler in all his Saints And as you have heard read and professed his dominion more then heathens and yet goe on to keepe it from him so to you is his first appear●nce to seeke his owne of you And if you persist to deny him it s you must drinke the Cup first that the heathens may heare and feare his name fr●m farre and his rising appeare to all the ends of the world that its he alone who is from everlasting at whose name every knee must bow and tongue confesse to the right of his inheritance And this further I lay before you people of this Nation who have long been crying for peace and settlement in the Nations and in your Religion and you cry out of so many divisions and so many religions I say to you all how should you be otherwise when you will not come to the one religion that is of God and was in the beginning with God and brought forth in time by Iesus Christ for the bringing all into God againe and reconciling all sorts of scattered people who are scattered in the imaginations and customes of carnall spirited men from God the one good thing into many things rudiments and traditions wherein you can neither be reconciled to God nor one to another for how is it like that ever that religion can reconcile to God which sets you a killing one another to uphold it are you like to obtaine peace in that Spirit which in your hearts is the cause of enmity and warre or obtaine unitie from that roote which hath thus scattered you in its fruits and off spring This is like the false Prophets of old who would bite with their teeth and cry peace Nay this is not the way of settlement or lasting peace THAT you must have in returning and making peace with the Spirit of Jesus you must kisse the Son and so make peace for this hath been seene concerning you of these Nations that if you owne not the light of Christ in spirit and truth that he may lead you out of these many things which are not of ●od and reconcile you to God in spirit and truth there to worship him alone who is a Spirit you will ere long be in bloud eyther amongst your selves one against another or else i● the bloud of the innocent Lambs of Chri●t which will not be for your peace with God for he that hath letted your peace and settlement is not yet taken away nor his power who is that old bloud-sucker and divider of Nations people and tongues abou● faith and religions and with which a fire hath often been kindled nor can his power be stopped but by the Spirit of the Lambe of God which takes away sin and breakes downe the wall of separation which is made about ordinances litterall ceremoniall and traditionall which can never cease but as men turne to the Spirit of the Lord Iesus That with the light of peace and truth you may be led into peace truth and unity that wrath may be done away and the ground thereof and you and your religion may be setled on the foundation of truth Christ Jesus the chiefe corner stone and not upon dayes times meats drinks and apparell and other things which will perish with the using and so will they that worship and not in the leadings of Christ alone and God will shake the Idolls of peoples minds and all the glory of flesh that he alone may be exalted in the earth as he is in heaven So if you will have peace you must come to the Son of peace and if you will have establishment you must come to the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles of God for I say many have been about to build a house for God to dwell in with carnall things and rudiments and this they would bind him to his people who is a Spirit and his house must be built of spirituall men and women who like living stones must grow up in his owne light and vertue into a holy temple in the Lord In which you must be builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.20 21 22. And this is Gods house built by Christ alone with that which is elect and precious not with gold and garments or observations of perishing things but with redeemed soules by the bloud of Iesus out of their vaine conversation and gathered into the Spirit of truth and life and power to worship God who is a Spirit in spirit truth and this is Gods house at this day which was his house in the Apostles dayes who dwells not in Temples made with hands as saith the Apostles nor with mens hands is worshipped but with him that 's poore in spirit and of a broken and contrite heart to him will I looke saith the Lord and there will I dwell And the bodyes of his holy people are the Temples of the living God as he hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2 Cor. 6.16 And untill you come to this building of God in your selves God will not dwell with you in peace but all your buildings will he cōfound and not accept your sacrifice and then the Devill will enrage you against Gods house and spirituall building even his poore despised people them to destroy like Cain when his sacrifice was not accepted in his owne will But if you turne to the Lord who is that Spirit then will he cause his light to shine in your hearts to give you an heavenly understanding and he will put his Spirit in your inward parts and fill you with heavenly power and will let you see the lively Image of truth and peace and he will take away the vaile of the Covering that is spead over all Nations from which arises all their carnall comprehensions and carnall worships of the invisible spirituall God and he will also swallow up death in victory which now worketh in the Nations to kill one another about religion and worship without spirit and life so will you come to be taught his true worship who is a Spirit and become true worshippers in Spirit and so grow up in his knowledge and he will owne your worship whom as yet you have neither heard hi● voyce at any time nor seene his shape And Christ saith of such worshippers You worship you know not what but the true worshippers worship in faith and know what they worship and such the Father ● now seeking to worship him saith Christ Iesus John 4.22 23 24. And this is the thing oh England tha● concernes thy peace with thy God in thi● thy day who art Combred with many things about Christ and worship but neglects the one thing needfull for thy everlasting peace and establishment and to bring thee into that worship of Spirit withou● which God cannot accept thee and that religion which is pure and undefiled in the sight of God which will keepe thee unspotted in the world which till thou turn● to thou wilt be working against the Spirit of God through the darknesse of enmity that is in thee and he will certainly worke against thee except thou repent THE END J. N. R. H. 1 John 3.27 Isa. 5.6 2 Chro. 19.6 Isa. 6.9 Mat. 12.8 Heb. 2.10 Dan. 4.25 Acts 2.36 1 Tim. 6.15 Isa. 11.4 Isa. 40.11 Psal. 45.7 Jer. 23.5 6. Luk. 1.24 Isa. 6.3 2 Sam. 23.4 Isa. 32.1 2. Eccles. 10.16 17. Psal. 69.9 Lam. 3.14 Rev. 21.24 Isa. 5.21 Jer. 17.5 John 5.44 Isa. 30.1 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.18 Mat. 17.5 2 Cor. 10.6 Isa. 28.7 Jere. 23. Amos 2.4 Amos 7.14 Jerem. 23. Isa. 1.9 Hester 3. Dan. 6. Dan. 3. Acts 5.28 29. John 16.2.3 2 Tim. 1.13 Job 32.21 22. James 2. Dan. 3.21 Lev. 18.30 Ier. 23.10 Mat. 5.34 Iames 5.12 Lev. 19.12 Mat. 5.34 Mat. 5. Isa. 59.4 Isa. 28.15 Jer. 9.3 4 5 Pro. 12.19.22 Pro. 29.12 Psal. 40.4 Deut. 19.16 17 18 19 20 1 Cor. 7.39 M●la 2.15 Ma●h. 19.6 M●th. 19.8 Mah. 19.4 5. Rom. 8.2 Nom. 13. Acts 4.19 2 C●r 1.12 1 Tim. 3.9 James 1.27 John 4.23 24. Dan. 4.17 Heb. 1.8 9. Isa. 11.1 2. 2 Cor. 4.5 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Pet. 5.3 2 Cor. 10.4 Eph. 6.12 1 Cor. 4.5 Mic. 3.10 Col. 1.18 Phil. 2.10 Rev. 17.14 John 6.27 Col. 1.18 Mat. 1.21 Phil. 2.13 1 Cor. 6.10 Rom. 14.23 Rom. 14.4 Mat. 7.12 1 Cor. 2.10 11. John 3.20 21. Rom. 7.6 1 Thes. 1.1 Gala. 1.16 Gal. 1.11.12 1 Cor. 9.14 1 Cor. ● 17 18. 2 Cor. 4.5 1 Cor. 14 29 30 31. 1 Cor. 2.12 1 John 4.1 1 Thes. 5.21 1 Cor. 8.5 6. 〈◊〉 4 5 6. Heb. 7. John 4.21 24. Acts 7.48 Acts 17.24 Jer. 10.2 3. Isa. 55.4 Luke 1.79 Heb. 1.6 Mica 3. Col. 2.14 15 16 17 20 21 22. Heb. 10.11 Isa. 66.2 Isa. 25.7 8. 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. John 5 37. Luke 19 42· Luke 10.41 42. James 1.27

estates and lives to see if they could provoke or drive us from his faith in our Consciences or tempt us any way to deny him and owne them in their wills And though we have dayly suffered thus under every severall power and people yet have we not ceased to warne them in love with much feare and plainnesse that if by any meanes they might have received his testimony and not have perished in their gain saying for our God in whom we trusted shewed it to us that they should not prosper nor be established without him his Spirit and anoynting to whom he hath given the government of all people that shall be blessed by him yea all the nations of them that are saved must walke in his light and receive his counsel for their stability and his resurrection for their glory and his anoynting for the strength of their kingdomes And this is the Cause why we have chused rather to suffer under every power that yet hath risen then to joyne in with them because we have not heard the voyce of the holy one in the midst of them neither hath his Spirit in them been the strength of their Counsells but they have sought to make flesh their arme and to strengthen their kingdome with flattery and deceit and not with truth and they have sought to make themselves dreadfull by violence and to rule with cruelty and not with the sword of God which is Judgement and Justice and have sought honour from men and not from the Lord and their Covering hath been vaine glory and not the Spirit of God So with the light of Christ we saw their foundation and their building and that they could not stand long in Gods sight and that all that joyned to them must fall with them and that the woes that are written of such must certainly overtake them And this is the Cause and no other thing why we have hitherto borne our testimony against them all even because they would not joyne to the Lord nor heare his voyce in their day but the more he called after them by the mouth of his servants the more they were ●ardned and the more provoked him to their own confusion so it hath not been prejudice to any mans person that hath kept us at a distance from them or their commands for we can truely say we have waited without prejudice if by any meanes we could but have seene any of them seeking the kingdome of God that therein they might have been established yea we have the witnesse of truth in us to this day how glad our soules have been before the Lord when we have but felt the least tendernesse in any of them arising ●rom the Spirit of Jesus or the least confession from his light in them And sometimes we have felt some tendernesse in some of them when they have been low little and in feare in which we have had some hope and gladnesse to heare the voyce of simplicity and truth though but brokenly so that we could then have said they was not f●r from the kingdome of God But turning away the eare from the Spirit of truth in them and consulting with fleshly wisdome and carnall reason likely to make wise and to accomplish their selfe ends how soone hath truth sallen in them and blindnesse and hardnesse of heart come over them againe worse then before which being shewed us of God we could not but deny them also to be of God Thus in generall an account is given to you that askes a reason why we have not yet owned any power that yet hath risen so as to joyne to them in all things Now to you who desire to know in what particulars we have differed from these governments that yet hath risen since we was a people we might say our lives practises and sufferings hath openly declared it through the most parts of these nations and in most and greatest of our differences Yet for the better satisfying of some that knows not so much as others and to take away all occasion of offence from all that would not oppose the way of truth if they knew it and to leave without excuse the wilfully ignorant and persecuters of the good old way of Christ I shall instance in some things and also shew our warrant for so doing both by Scripture and the practise of the holy men of God in their generation It being that so many are yet ignorant and unbeleeving concerning the present leadings of the Spirit of truth in them which is chiefe leader and corner stone in us by which we walke towards God and towards men in all these things And as to that first Though God hath laid it upon us as matter of Conscience to be subject to what outward government or governers soever he shall set up over us in outward things and also that with all willingnesse of mind a ready subjection be rendered at every just command not for fear onely but even for Conscience sake and that in all things we should seek the safety and honour and well-being of such governers to the utmost of our power even as we looke to account to God for it of whom the powers that be are ordained yet hath he begotten us unto himselfe alone and to the leadings of his own Spirit in all things concerning faith and worship as to matter manner time and place This is to be done and performed singly as to him in the leadings of Jesus and in the power of his Spirit alone else will he have no regard thereto And for this purpose hath he given the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to be our light and understanding and leader in all these things to which leadings and movings the father requires obedience in all things upon eternall condemnation in matters pertaining to our consciences That must be the throne of Christ alone and there will he sway the Scepter of eternall life and answer his people in all things and be their Saviour guide and lawgiver in all things that are just and holy So that is at any time their teachers have left the way of life and would l●ad people after them yet hath he through faith and a tender Conscience preserved a seed out of error to himselfe in such a day by which he hath reproved and made manifest the folly of such t●achers And to this the Scriptures doe fully testifie as in the dayes of the Prophets when they erred in vision and had not the word in them and so caused the people to erre through their lyes and through their lightnesse then had he men of enlightned Consciences to send to reprove their brutishnesse though otherwise they themselves was neither Prophets nor sons of Prophets but may be a heardman or a gatherer of siccomore fruite a plowman or a shepheard or some such which Englands pride would call mecannick fellows yet in these was the seed preserved else the

Land might have become as Sodom and not one have known the Lord nor his word And as it was in the dayes of the false Prophets so hath it been since the dayes of the false ministry for which many have suffered since the dayes of the Apostles for testifying against such as have erred in Spirit forme and doctrine from Christ Jesus and his Apostles And this hath been from the indwelling power of Christ in them and his precious light shining in their hearts and consciences that they have thus been preserved and enabled to beare the testimony of Christ against false worships and worshippers and so it is at this day in all who keepe a pure Conscience towards God in all his word and worship that his true and spirituall worship might not be wholly lost out of the world Also if at any time their Kings or Rulers forgot God or Kings arose who knew not God and then would lay upon them Laws and Commands which was not just an● lawfull for them to doe then by the light of Christ in a pure Conscience they was enabled to withstand it even unto death As that of Mordecai and the Jews who would rather all be destroyed then bow to Hammons pride at the Kings command though Englands people would have said this is but a civill thing and duty and good manners and the like yet Gods Law in their Conscience they preferred above all that the King commanded contrary thereto yea life and all would they lose rather then defile their Conscience towards God or deny his Law there though no Law without had forbidden such a thing Yet in other cases did they appeare true and subject to the King for Mordecai's truth saved the Kings life not long before though from man he had little reward for it Likewise might be Instanced that of Daniels praying contrary to the decrees of the King his Counsell of Presidents and Princes and that of the three children against the fierce Command of Nebuchadnezzar in denying to worship at his will and pleasure likewise that of the Apostles when their Rulers and Priests also charged them straitly not to preach any more their answer before authoritie was we ought to obey God rather then men yea it would be too long to tell how many godly men and women upon the account of a pure Conscience not onely hazarded their lives but lost life and all for the testimony of a tender Conscience as might be instanced But this may be said for all That if they would but have denyed the law of God in their conscience and conformed to the wills of men and their laws not o●e of all the Prophets Apostles or all the holy men of God need to have suffered death or spoyle So now in that any of us by the same spirit of Christ and from his light and law in our Consciences are moved to goe testifie against false Prophets false worships and declare the way of truth to all people against them to their face And if Rulers have been so opposite to this as to make laws against it and to command us to bow and worship at their wills which for Conscience sake towards God we could not for which we have suffered the spoyling of goods long and heavie imprisonments shamefull usings and losse of lives also I say in this we have a cloud of witnesses even the Lord Jesus our Captaine and the whole body of Martyrs who have all gone before us in the selfe same obedience of faith and Spirit and have suffered the same or such like things from Rulers that knew not God and teachers that knew not God in their dayes and all of them in their dayes was counted offenders hereticks or dispisers of Authority or some such reproach was cast upon them by their accusers and persecuters for obeying the law of their God in their Consciences whom the Rulers of the darknesse of this world have not known nor can know till they beleeve his light in their own Consciences So it is not for new things nor strange opinions which was never in the world before for which we suffer though to the world they seeme new and strange but for the very same workes of the same Spirit of light and truth which hath often appeared in a poore contemptible people and hath as often received the same measure from them who professe him in words but in workes deny him by such have we suffered who read and preach the same in words which this eternall Spirit in us now worketh And with such who with words garnish the sepulchres of those whom their fathers slew are we counted great offenders for being found in the same way and practise and in obedience to the same Spirit in that measure as we have received it So we have this added to the testimony of a good Conscience towards God and towards men that we suffer not for evill doing though as evill doers to wit the practise of holy men and the Scriptures of truth which will owne us herein and stand on our parts against all our adversaries and accusers And t●is will be proved so when we come to particulars wherein we differ from the wayes and worships of these present times and for which we are so much hated and persecuted And we know that it will not be found harmfull to the bodyes estates or well-being of any Christian neighbourhood nor of any other people in the nations to practise those things wherein we differ in civill and temporall things nor hurtful to the soules of any In the things wherein we differ in religious or spirituall matters from the severall opinions and formes of worships that are or have been set up in these nations As we shall make it plainly appeare if either Spirit of truth or Scripture of truth or things equall may but be received on our part Now we shall mention some particulars in which we differ for Conscience sake from some of the formes traditions and commands of the men of this present age and the powers that have ruled therein under whom we have therefore suffered as evill doers And first as to those things which some calls civill ANd indeed it may be wondered at by any moderate people that in a nation called Christians any man should suffer so much as to be called an offender for some of the things which I must mention upon this account especially they being layd upon us by the spirit of Christ as matter of conscience and by a people so highly pretending for liberty of Conscience As it hath been layd upon us by the Spirit of Christ to use the same single language to all sorts of people which the Scriptures uses and all the holy men of God therein have ever used that is to say thou to any one person and you to more then one A language sound and true to God and man which the Spirit of God first spoke and gave to man and of man

but to love our enemies and pray for them that dispitefully use us and hate us And so from all men to suffer for peace sake for to peace we are called towards all men and under the Prince of peace is our government so that we need not men to end Controversies amongst us who are all in unity of spirit and life in Christ Iesus But when men haile us before Iudgement-Seats or cause us to appeare at their Courts of Law then we meet with many things among them there which for Conscience sake we cannot bow to nor uphold finding them not onely against the rule of Christians but out of the way of common honesty as men yea many things against truth it selfe and this we cannot serve as Law which is against truth As when they send a Writ to appeare at their Courts in a mans owne proper person and in obedience thereto we have come may be two hundred miles or above and tendred our appearance accordingly at the very day appointed then they have with violence and reproach thrust us out of their Court● because we did appeare in our owne person● and not ●n another mans person whom we have not known and for this have we suffered much damage long imprisonment as contemners of authority and Law Now this we cannot joyne to in our hearts nor owne as honesty and truth and plain dealing as men to let goe all talke of Christian● the heathen would not doe this to us Also when our adversary puts up a Bill o● Charge against us drawn up in a forme without truth fill'd with false accusations a●though our offence amounted to hundreds or thousands of pounds wrong or damage when with the truth of Christ in our Conscience we know that we have never wronged that man one penny in our lives but that it is the enemy of truth and peace even that Old accuser of the brethren which now workes in that Creature to spoyle our goods or take our lives or liberties from us Then we are not suffered to returne an answer in the feare of our God and in plainnesse and truth of expressions as the Spirit of truth shall move in the simplicity of our hearts And so with the Spirit of truth to deny the lyes and false accusations of the adversary But we must be forced to give unreasonable sums of money to another man whom we know not nor knows he our state and case in this matter to answer in our stead who for ought we know may in stead of sharply reproving those abominable lyes justifie them at least as a legall thing or forme at Law fit to be used And thus our testimony against falshood is taken from us which the Spirit of truth requires of us and we pay money to have it justified as a forme at Law when we know it to be a forme of lyes And we cannot leave the truth to serve this deceipt beside were the truth no dearer to us but that we could thus give it up to be betrayed knowingly yet it seems to us unreasonable as men to give our cause into the hands of him that knows it not further then we must informe him nor when we have informed him have no assurance whether he will speak our words or his owne or our adversaries and so bring us under the guilt of the whole body of falshood This appeares to us very unreasonable and dangerous and below the priviledge of a man as a man much more as a Christian so we rather chuse to suffer innocently under falshood keeping our consciences cleare then consent thereto and so establish mischiefe under pretence of a Law Psal. 94.20 and deny our testimony for the truth to which we are called and for which we suffer in all these things Also if any of us be sued at the Exchequer or Chancery and appeare and take a Coppie of the Bill and goe to the Iudges with a true answer thereto they will refuse it because we cannot sweare though they will shew us no written law for so doing but tell us its a Custome and this custome is preferred above his Law who saith sweare not at all and for this have many been imprisoned it being put upon us either to deny their Custome or Christs Command so we chuse to suffer by men for a season rather then defile our Consciences If we be summon'd to doe service for the Country on a Iury and be willing to do the service faithfully as to God and man yet because we cannot sweare many are fined imprisoned and their goods spoyled and reputed unserviceable in the nation when we would freely serve the Country so as we might not therein deny Christ our Saviour If one of us be summon'd to appeare at a Court for a witnesse that would testifie the truth before God from a good Conscience and in the feare of God and according to his Law viz. in all things that if we should wrong any man whatsoever through our false testimony that its just the same should be done to us yet because we cannot sweare be the action never so great our true testimony is refused and we thrust away without Iudgement threaten'd to cause us to pay what they say the party is damnified for our not swearing and all this we must suffer for obeying Christs Commands If one of us should buy a piece of land or have some fallen to him by inheritance and come to the Court Baron to take it up they will not let him take it except he sweare and so breake Christs sayings or if a man purchase or have an inheritance within a Customary Court it s the same and they will turne us without it if we will not sweare contrary to Christs Commands And thus is the evill Custome of a Cour● preferred before Christs Commands a good Conscience and a familyes whole estate and livelihood If a man bind an apprentice in this Citie of London and give a great summe of money with him and the prentice serves his time honestly and truely and have his Masters testimony thereto yet is he denyed his freedome if he cannot sweare for Conscience sake and so must lose money and service if he be faithfull to Christ If one of us should dye intestate they will not suffer our owne wife or Children to administer on our owne goods unlesse they will sweare against their Conscience and the Law of Christ or if we make a will and make wife or Children Executer they are denyed to prove the will whereby they are to enjoy their estates but by breaking that Command of Christ in swearing Likewise when some of us have been arrested to appeare at such a Court such a day and have simply given bond to appeare And when the ap●earance hath been made at the day expressed by the party so bound neither the appearance would be taken nor the bond delivered but a further snare because another man appeares not for us whom

we never knew nor had ought to doe withall Also about marriage which we know to be an ordinance of God from the beginning and being ordered in the Counsell of God and the bed not defiled is honourable but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge So as any are moved of the Lord into that state we say the Counsell of the Lord is first and chiesely to be minded and the thing weighed in his seare that it be done onely in the Lord that it be not taken on lightly rashly nor by any fleshly motion nor for any earthly ends but in the moving ordering of the Almighty Creator of man and woman who onely knows their spirits So to joyne them as they may be one in flesh and spirit that he may seeke a godly seed to himselfe and they may lead a godly and peaceable life onely thus is it Gods ordinance as God puts together and saith Christ let not man put such asunder and this we say is the chiefe thing to be observed viz. that God joyne them And next that notice be given to the parents or such as have the oversight of each party that as much as may be all may be done in love and unity in the will of God openly And this we have from God in Spirit and this we find in Scripture to be the ordinance of God to his Saints of old and their libertie in the Lord which God never altered which we keepe for conscience sake and may not breake And least any licentious persons should abuse this liberty to satisfie their lusts and then not live as man and wise during their lives and the Magistrates not know of them and so they escape the sword of justice we have freedome in our Spirits to acquaint some of the next Majestrates with our intents and hereby confesse our selves lyable to the just censure of the Magistrate with others in case of misdemeanour and all this we have done ere coming together as man and wife which is as much as the ordinance of God or any reas●n can justly require yet have some of us suffered in this case by the changable Laws of men who some of them have sought to impose one sort of Priests on us as an ordinance others Justices as an ordinance and others another sort of Priests againe so for denying these uncertain rules of men and keeping the ordinance of God that was in the beginning we suffer by all of them as evill doers yet have they not one charge against any of us who have been joyned according to this ordinance of God as to breach of marriage or misdemeanour therein for we ha●e putting away and come to that which was in the begginning These with many other things there be as touching the outward Laws whereby both our lives l●berties and estates become a daily prey to mercilesse men from which hath been manifest such imprisoning til death such persecution and spoyle of goods as many generations to come may admire to read of though in this generation its little regarded or minded unless it be by some few whose hearts God hath tendred that have not been so cruell in their places as others Now let none say that because we cannot bow to such unrighteous dealings of corrupt men or their corrupt Customes or corrupt Lawes That therefore we are a people that would have no Law nor Magistracy at all as some have falsely accused us for of this we are cleare before the Lord our God what ever men may accuse us ●erein for the Law of God we own in our Conscience even the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver by which we are taught to keepe our Consciences voyde of offence towards God and towards men by which we are freed from under the power of the Law of sin and death And by this Law of God in our consciences are we also taught to be subject to every power our God shall set up over us by which teaching we know that the powers that be are ordained of God And by the same Law of God in our hearts and Consciences by which we are made to suffer rather then to obey that which is unjust by the same Law and upon the same penalty are we made to be subject and obey every just and wh●lesome Law of man for Conscience sake Therefore as the ordinance of God we obey and owne authoritie in the Nation And the Ruler of the people as the Minister of God for good to such as doe well but a terror to every evill doer without respect of persons so we being guided by the pure Law of God in our consciences are subject not for wrath but for Conscience sake for he is not a terror to them that do well and obey God in their Consciences But if any doe evill let such feare for he is the Minister of God and beares not the sword in vaine And for this cause we pay tribute to whom it belongs and feare to whom feare honour to whom honour And from this we exempt not our selves more then other people in the same Nation but desire rather to be examples to others with all diligence not speakinq evill of governments as many doe which will flatter to their faces but seeking to our God for what authoritie he shall ordaine that under them we may be godly and quietly governed without respect of persons Therefore we might say as to all the s●verall Rulers that hath arisen in these yeares since we were a people in Gods light which of them have we reviled or sought to supplant or what just law old or new which hath been just and according to Scriptures or a good Conscience have we denyed or transgressed though from the evill and abuse of all God hath by his eternall light and the power of his Spirit preserved us to this day glory to our God for evermore So our Consciences are cleare towards them that are fallen as to that thing by whom we so much suffered in their day And now in Gods dread and feare we are and in his pure Counsell alone we desire to be found towards you that are now come up into the seat of government That if by any meanes we might not be any occasion of offence or hardening of your hearts by our disobedience or denying any of your Laws which are just wholesome and good and according to Gods truth in Scriptures Nor that on the contrary we might provoke our pure eyed and zealous God and Father to displeasure against us by yeelding to any thing whatsoever or obeying what is any way against his Spirit in our hearts or the light of Christ in our Consciences And this at present is our straite way set before us to walke in towards God and towards man and therefore the desire and travaile of our soules is great at this day that you might be one with God in your Laws and

though persecuted But in all these we read not in all the Gospel worship of any Temple made with hands to bind men to nor Parish Churches nor preaching by the houre nor for so much a yeare nor that ever Minister of Christ tooke tyths nor their hearers gave them but confessed Christ come and a free Gospel and said ●oth the Priesthood that tooke tyths and the Law by which they received them was disanulled by the sufferings of Christ nor doe we read of sprinkling Infants and calling that baptizing them into the Church nor doe we read of their singing Davids words in a meeter nor praying in a forme nor a Clarke to lead the Psalme and say Amen And much more we might mention which was never used so in the true Church but is come to a forme since Popery came up the Scripture beares no testimony thereto as now these things are used and all that can be truely said for them is long custom but from plain Scriptures they cannot prove them Indeed we read in the Scriptures of truth of the Gospel preaching but it was not limitted to one house nor by a glasse but from house to house and Citie to Citie and that by the Spirit and their worship was in Spirit they prayed with the Spirit and they sung with the Spirit and h● that had a Psalme sung it with the Spirit and with understanding also And they worshipped and preached in fields and mountains and streets schooles and markets and they prayed by Sea-shores or in any place where God moved and led them by the Spirit of Iesus And all this we owne which the Scriptures testifies to in our measure And this is that we would have all brought to tryall and that worship owned which Christ and the Scriptures ownes and none forced against it by any meanes whatsoever which is come up since the Scriptures was written and the Apostles times And this motion is not unreasonable hurtfull or dangerous to any especially we may say in this Nation how can it be denyed wherein all other formes in words professe the Scriptures to be a rule for all to walk by And to you all ●his is our motion that the Scriptures may be heard what it saith without wresting and what sort of worship it testifies of let that have the name to be of God and then let none be forced from it and if you deny to be tryed in your faith and profession by that you have so long called your rule and touchstone and then reproach and persecute them that walke in it will not your own words judge you before men and shall not you walke under condemnation from God in your owne Consciences And thus in short have we shewed our desires and what we would have in this thing which might free every tender Conscience from oppression and the Magistrates of the Nations from the guilt thereof before God Will you call your selves Christian Magistrates and Christian Ministers and set your selves against what Christ hath wrought by the power of his Spirit and is now working and thinke you ●re doing him service when you are grieving his Spirit and persecuting him in his members for doing that to which he immediately leads them now as in the dayes of old Is not this in effect to say depart from our Nations we will have none of thy wayes nor shall any under our government or that will follow our teachings obey thy Spirit if we can stop them by our power is not this to withstand his appearance and resist the power that you professe to rule for Doe you not read in the Acts of the Apostles what labour and suffering they underwent to bring people out of carnall rudiments and ordinances of men and to bring them to the worship in spirit and truth alone both as to time place and order how did they run in hazard of their lives into Temples Synagogues and set places of worship to bring them out of Temples made with hands to worship where the Spirit should lead them without respect of places that so the words of the Lord Iesus might be fulfilled who had said Not in the Temple nor in the mountaine but in spirit and in truth should the Father be worshipped and did not Stephen lose his life for telling them that God that made the world dwelt not in Temples made with hands and Paul suffered fo● the same testimony and they told them the most high God could not be worshipped with mens hands nor carnall things but in s●irit ●nd in ●ruth And how often was they tumul●ed and beaten and their bloud shed for this test●mony against the beggerly rudiments 〈◊〉 ordinances of men both of Iewes who had their ordinances from the letter and ●●so the Gentiles who followed their customers That out of all carnall things they might bring them to follow God in spirit and therein alone to serve him And while you professe all this in words will you be the men that will deny the very same in workes and shall you be guiltlesse shall not both Iewes and Gentiles rise in Iudgement against you and condemne you who acts against knowledge Scriptures and your owne profession And is it not so with you Rulers and Teachers of this generation what force and cruelty hath been used to bring people back to your Idol temples made with hands there to worship and no where else and to repaire them and to bow to the customes of men there set up for which there is neither Scriptures nor example even too many to mention what imprisoning and ●ormenting of the spirituall worshippers of the living God hath there been in these last dayes for these things what sufferings have some gone through but for testifying against these traditious carnal saying the Church must be in God and that every one must come to be led by the spirit alone in all their whole worships and so give the kingdome leading of his people to the leading of Christ that spirit againe in all things pertaining to worship life and godlinesse hath not this been a dangerous thing in thi● age to beare this record of God in Christ 〈◊〉 to become his witnesse how ma●y 〈◊〉 lost their liberties their estates and 〈…〉 lives for this testimony in word 〈◊〉 ●●●c●ise which reconciles to God in all 〈◊〉 whole worship and yet the same is read and preached every first day among them that doe this to such as live the life thereof for Iesus sake these are not the workes of Christians indeed in the Apostles sence but of such as know not God nor the word of reconciliation have not How many have suffered in this age but for reproving sin in the gate cursing pride lying and swearing how have some been beaten puld and hailed and dragg'd through streets and channells and before Iudgement seats and to prisons for no other things how many have wofully suffered but for preaching repētance through streets towns and

markets in the name of the Lord and by the Call of his holy Spirit How many hundreds have been imprisoned for preaching the everlasting Gospel of Jesus freely in Townes Temples streets and markets and from house to house which was the manner of Gods messengers in the name of his Son ever to doe and for which they suffered How many have had their cloaths rent off their backs and been shamefully beaten till they have been left for dead and afterward carried to prison for but asking a question or speaking a word in a Steplehouse while a man hath been speaking things doubtfull or not true though this was the way of old in which the servants of Christ walked and by which he gathered the Churches into God in Spirit and out of false worships And it was the manner of the Apostles to enter into Synagogues and places of worships both of Jewes and Gentiles on their Sabbath dayes and openly dispute there with them before their hearers and then whose hearts God touched lest their carnall worships and clave to Christ in spirit which is now become a greater offence to this generation then ever it was eyther to Jewes or Gentiles for I never read that simply for so disputing they either beat them or haled them to prison though they went sometimes three Sabbath dayes together into one Synagogue yea the fiery Jews who was set on mischiefe against that way yet this they could suffer in their Synagogue as is testified Acts 17.2 and saith the Scrip●ures this was his manner And in Acts●8 4 it is said he reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath day at Corinth where he continued a yeare and six months teaching the word of God among them vers. 11. Now hath not this been the great offence of these dayes yea I may say the chiefest crime which the servants of Jesus Christ hath suffered for in this age and none scarce eyther ruler or teacher is able to beare it once which they could beare a yeare and above among Iewes and heathens so that this way of Christ by which the Churches was gathered called in the Apostles time is become more abominable in the sight of those that cals themselves Christians then it was eyther to Iewes or heathens And when neither laws of Iewes Gentiles nor heathens that was made in times of popery would answer their wills against this then ha●e they made new Lawes of their owne against this practise which themselves read believe and preach and this we cannot owne that men should withstand that in workes which they professe in words and seeke to impose it upon others who serve God therein by the Spirit of Iesus and then call themselves Christians and say the Scriptures is their rule who cannot beare it in them that practise it in obedience to Christ Iesus And this is that we contend for in all our sufferings and actings in the simplicity of our hearts that our Lord and Master Iesus Christ may have his Prerogative Royall restored to him over his body the Church and every particular member thereof his Lordship and Mastership given to him alone of all his children from least to the greatest and that none else force it or require it from him but that his headship alone over his Church his leadings and the seate of his Iudgements in every redeemed soule and conscience ma● be restored to him and that he m●y have 〈◊〉 name and authority therein and that none may presume to take his authority to themselves while they give him faire words call him Lord Lord but neither doe his will in their own consciences nor suffer them that would This I say is that we seeke now at the hands of men that are called Christians which by his own bloud and by the precious suff●rings in many of his obedient servants of old he once purchased out of the hands of the old persecuters and gave it as inheritance to his seed after him to all generations to call him head and Lor● in the● and over them in all things pertaining to worship and conscience as the Scripture of truth is evident And this we say in his behalfe and in the power of his name where ever he sends us that though his adversary of old hath taken this his purchased possession from him and now sits where he ought not commandding in conscience over his subjects and creatures compelling and forceing to obey his traditions and law from a carnall precept or tradition of men yet we say the right is Christs alone and the whole kingdome of God in every conscience he hath purchased with his bloud and great sufferings of old therefore we say to all sorts of people looke to him and walke in his light all that looke to be saved for we say he is a great and mighty one who though he have been as one gone a far jorney for a time yet he is returned and hath seene how his deare servants have been entreated and his little children spoyled of their birth-right and cast out of their purchased possession and heavenly kingdome and now strangers rule over their tender consciences and s●●ke to defile them with adultery and Idolatry which is against their spirituall birth and breathing and himselfe robbed of his authoritie and Scepter of his everlasting Dominion for which he will tread nations in his wrath and people in his hot displeasure even for Z●on● sake the Citie of his glory and he will spoyle the spoyler and lead Captivity captive and so will he make way for his inheritance to come into their habitation of ●est And this we say to ●ll people GIVE VP feare God and gi●e glory to his Name for the houre of hi● Judgements is come and he will have dominion as of old and his purchased possession as in anc●ent dayes But especially to you who are called Christians and mention his name and call him Lord and profess the Scriptures in words which testifies of him his sufferings and his purchase through bloud and the eternall anoynting of the Father sworne unto him by an everlasting Covenant that he alone shall sit on the spirituall throne over the house of David for ever that he may with his spirituall leadings gather the out-casts of Israel and present to God all the precious among the people have you not read you professing Priests and Rulers that it is he alone that is the light of the world and that God hath given him for a witnesse to the people a leader and commander that its he that 's appointed for a light to them that sit in dakness and in the shadow of death to guide their feete in the way of peace did God ever set any at the right hand of power but he alone that he might make his foes his footstoole of whom he saith when he brings him into the world Let all the Angels of God worship him have you not read that it s he alone that purgeth the