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	water_n	witness_n	7,183	5	9.0325	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41067	A touch-stone, or, A perfect tryal by the Scriptures, of all the priests, bishops, and ministers, who have called themselves, the ministers of the Gospel whose time and day hath been in the last ages past, or rather in the night of apostacy : they are tried and weighed by the Scriptures of truth, and are found out of the life and power of the scriptures, and out of the spirit and doctrine of them that gave them forth, and quite contrary to their principle and practice, both Papists and Protestants : unto which is annexed, Womens speaking justified, &c.	Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702.	1667 (1667)	Wing F639; ESTC R7178	82,431	96

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 ●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 ●●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

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 ●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 ●●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 ●nd said He that believeth on me believeth ●ot on me but on him that sent me I am come ● 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 ●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 i● 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

where it was written in Isaiah 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind and set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and he closed the Book and gave it again to the Minister and sate down and he began to say unto them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And all bear him witness and wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth And they said Is not this Josephs Son Luke 4. Now this was he that the Prophet Isaiah prophesied of and therefore when he began to preach he turned to this Scripture to let them see that this Prophesie was fulfilled and so closed the Book But when he preached among them and taught as ye may read through all the Evangelists as first in Mat. 5. and in Luke 6. He opened unto them the Law and also told them That whosoever did break one of the least Commandments should be called least in the Kingdom And taught the Disciples saying Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Think not that I come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled For I say unto you except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of God This was the manner of his preaching and teaching And so he goes on and opens unto them the Law and tells them it had been said so in the old time Ye have heard it hath been said in the old time thou shalt not forswear thy self But I say unto you swear not at all And it hath been said unto you in the old time An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you resist not evil He that smites thee on the one cheek turn the other And thus he goes on in opening of the Law of which he was to fulfill every jot and tittle and also opening unto them the Mysteries of the Gospel which is Love even to Enemies and which the Apostle saith is the fulfilling of the whole Law And he told them that so they might be the Children of their Father which is in heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends Rain on the just and on the unjust Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Here is the perfect Ministry indeed of the true Circumcision which makes the true Jew indeed inward which circumciseth the heart with his holy Spirit The Apostle saith Now I say unto you that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the Promises unto Abraham and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy and so the blessing of Abraham may be upon all Jews and Gentiles All that are in the Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham And this is he of whom the Apostle to the Hebrews saith We have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man Heb. 8. And as he was a Minister of the same Sanctuary which God hath pitched so also were his Apostles they preached by his holy Spirit For as God is true saith Paul the Apostle so our word to you-wards was not yea and nay for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea for all the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. And by this Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus did Steven who was full of Faith and Power do great wonders and miracles among the People and when the false witnesses came to accuse him before the high Priest and those that sate in Council looking stedfastly on him saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel Then said the high Priest Are these things so And he said Men Brethren and Fathers hearken And he began at Abraham and he opened unto them the Royal and Holy Seed throughout the Scriptures until he came to Christ Jesus whom he said they had crucified and slain And he said Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers Persecuted and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers When they heard these things they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth but he being full of the holy Ghost looked stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and he said Behold I see heaven open and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God And they cryed with a loud voice and stopt their ears and ran upon him and cast him out of the City and stoned him and they stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7. Also Paul when he came to Antioch and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent to him and his company and said Men and Brethren if ye have any exhortation to the People say on Then Paul stood up and beckoned with his hand and said Men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience And he began to declare how God brought their Fathers out of Egypt with a high hand and how they were in the Wilderness and how he destroyed the Nations of the Land of Canaan and how they were governed from that time unto Christ and how that Christ care of the Seed of David and likewise how the Rulers of Jerusalem dealt with Christ and though they found no cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him they took him down from the Tree and laid him in a Sepulchre but God raised him from the dead and afterwards he preached unto them his Resurrection as may be read at large throughout Acts 13. and how the Gentiles also should partake of his-Resurrection but the Jews contradicted and blasphemed against their Doctrine Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said It was necessary that the word of God should first have been preached to you Jews but seeing ye put

we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10. Here is no speaking of Remembrance but the real partaking of the one Bread this is the living Bread that is come down from Heaven Christ saith I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread that I give you is my Flesh that I will give for the Life of the World The Jews wondered at this and said Will this man give us his Flesh to eat Jesus said As the Living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father So he that eateth me shall live by me and except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you But this is not except you eat Bread and drink Wine ye have no Life in you for Christ saith My Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed John 6. These things said Jesus in the Synagogue as he Taught And many of his Disciples when they heard this said It was a hard saying who can hear it But Christ saith unto them It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profitteth nothing The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And so it is the Spirit that is the Living Bread and those that live in the Spirit and feed in the Spirit and meet in the Spirit they eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood and this Spiritual Bread was that which the Apostles broke and they that continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and in Prayers it is said They continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house Acts 2. And this Bread was that living Bread that Christ said came down from Heaven And when the Disciples met together on the First day of the week to break Bread Paul preached unto them until midnight surely this was Living Bread else it could not have been the Communion of the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 10. And this was a Mystery which Swearers and Drunkards know not and therefore they set up that which is outward and temporal as the Apostle saith because they are blind of the Spiritual Eye and so as the Apostle saith That which can be seen is Temporal but that which cannot be seen is Eternal 1 Cor. 14. 18. But this is hid from their eyes and thus much for this Particular which they call the Sacrament of the Lords Supper They have also several other vain Practices which they have no Example in Scripture for as praying over the Dead and for the Dead which the Apostle exhorted from when he writ to the Thessalonians he saith But I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have not Hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again so they also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4. Here is nothing of praying for them nor over them after they are dead but they manifest by their prayers that they have not a true Hope nor Belief in Christ Jesus who is risen from the dead And become the First-fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. The like may be said also of their Churching women and Marrying people with Rings but it appeareth that the main end of these Practices are to get money of people for they have no Example in the Scriptures that the people were married with a Priest neither in the Old-Testament nor New ye do not read that Abraham and Sarah were married with a Priest and Isaac took Rebecca to wife and Laban gave Jacob Leah and Rachel but not by a Priest The Apostle saith Marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled but he doth not say that they should be married by a Priest or with a Ring But it is manifested that this Generation of Priests that have set up such Imaginations and Inventions as these are the same that the Apostle prophesied of unto his Son Timothy that good and true Bishop where he saith Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats 1 Tim. 4. Now let the Reader but seriously read this Chapter and consider whether these be not they both Papists and Protestants who marry people as before mentioned and yet forbid to marry all that will not marry according to their way and will though the Apostle saith They may marry whom they will only in the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 39. Yet if they be not married with a Priest and according to their way they account it no Marriage And thus they run themselves quite off from the Scriptures as bad as they that never heard of them for though they profess them in words they are utterly and quite out of them in their Practices And that they abstain from Meats and cause people so to do this is well known to be their common practice all which the Apostle saith Are the Doctrines of Devils and so here I have found them in their practice and I will leave them These with many more frivolous things which might be mentioned as their keeping of Idle dayes and causing people to do so but what hath been said before may give people a sight of their practices that they are quite contrary and opposite to the Rule of the Scriptures And thus much for the Fifth Head which is their Practice The Sixth is their Maintenance and this is as contrary to the Scriptures of Truth as any of the rest They profess themselves to be Christians and Gospel-Ministers and yet will not be content with Gospel-Maintenance but their Gospel is dead and so cold that they preach to People that it will not quicken them out of their dead and natural estate and therefore they dare not trust themselves upon their maintenance nor cast themselves upon the freedom or liberality of the people And so when the Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus was lost and the Revelation of Jesus by which the Apostles preached then when the Apostacy came in those that got up into the Popes Chair took upon them to find out a way whereby they might compel people to maintain them however they maintained themselves and so they started back from Christs Rule and his Apostles and stept into the Imitation of some part of the Levitical Priesthood under the Law which best suited their own ends And that being made ready to their hands they soon go● it set up and established by a Law and then those that were Christians and stood to the Principles and Faith of Christianity who knew that the Priesthood was changed and the Law also and could not pay them Tythes then they were ready prepared for

immediately he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost Acts 12. This with much more might be instanced concerning this Generation of men of their cruelty and oppression joyning with the Heathen Monarchs in the crucifying and persecuting of Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles and all the Primitive Christians But we never heard of any Bishops neither in the time of the Kings of Israel nor in all the four Manarchies before Christs time neither in the dayes of the Apostles nor in the Primitive times there was no such Bishops as had Courts and Laws to make people to Swear and to imprison them if they would not such as there could not be Kings without there were Bishops For Christ Jesus nor none of his Apostles sought not after neither looked after Earthly Kingdoms for he said His Kingdom was not of this World neither could his Servants fight And the Apostles said The Weapons of their warfare were not Carnal but Spiritual neither did they wrestle with Flesh and Blood but with Spiritual Wickednesses And so they that are true Christians and of the same Faith and Principle that Christ Jesus was of they desire not Caesars due nor right but give unto Caesar that which bears his own Image the outward earthly Image and the money that bears the Superscription of Caesars Prerogative this they can give unto Caesar and not wrong any man of his outward Propriety or Prerogative for they seek not after earthly Crowns nor Inheritances but after heavenly The Apostle when he wrote to Timothy exhorted That first of all Supplications Prayers and Intercessions might be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable to God who would have all men to be saved This he wrote to him that was a Bishop which if any man desireth the Office of he desireth a good work for it is no more then to be an Overseer of the Church of Christ and not to look after carnal means or carnal maintenance neither to be a burden or an oppression to the People nor to be upholden by men or the Powers of the Earth such Bishops and Overseers of the Church of God as Timothy and Titus were and all those holy Apostles the Scriptures mention we should be glad of Such as are lovers of Hospitality lovers of Good Men not given to Wine not greedy of filthy Lucre but Patient not a Brawler not Covetous for the Apostle saith The love of Money is the Root of all Evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Such things as these the Apostle exhorted Timothy and Titus from which many of the Bishops in our dayes and for the last twelve hundred years and upwards it is to be feared they are fallen into Demas his way and trodden his paths and have forsaken the Apostles Spirit Doctrine and Principle and have embraced this present world and here hath been the misery of these Ages last past But this is that which Christ Jesus foresaw which he mentions Matth. 24 and 25 Chap. As also the Apostle Paul foresaw when he told them That grievous Wolves should enter into the Church not sparing the flock Acts 20. 29. 2 Pet. 1. 2. 1 John 2. 18. All these had a true sight of the dayes of darkness and night of Apostacy that was coming on As also the Revelation of Jesus Christ which he sent and signified by his Angel to his servant John he saw the Beast rise out of the Sea and out of the Earth and power was given to him for forty and two moneths and this power began at Rome which is the foundation of the Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Power and here was the first Bishop that was called his Holiness and his Children are called as high as they can but Timothy and Titus were not such who made war with the Saints and overcame them and power was given unto him over all Tongues Kindreds and Nations and his power was to endure above twelve hundred years And one of the seven Angels that had the seven vials shewed him the judgment of the great Whore with whom the Kings of the earth had committed fornication and the Inhabitants of the earth had made themselves drunk with the wine of her fornication And he saw a Woman sit upon a scarlet-coloured Beast full of names of Blasphemy having seaven Heads and ten Horns which Beast he had seen before Chap. 13. And when John marvelled the Angel said unto him Wherefore dost thou marvel I will tell thee the Mystery of the Woman and of the Beast that carrieth her Chap. 17. And so He that hath wisdom may reade and count the number of the Beast for it is 666. And this Proverb which hath continued so long No Bishop no King hath risen out of the Bottomless-pit and must go into Perdition for there were no such Bishops in the times of the four Monarchies before Christ neither among the Primitive Christians that had Ecclesiastical Courts and tossed poor people up and down and caused them to swear contrary to Christ's command which they have nothing to do with wrangling among them for getting of money The Apostle saith They should be no Brawlers And now this usurping power is gotten up under the Profession of Christianity and because it is upholden by Monarchial Power it hath hatched a Cockatrice into the minds of People No Bishop no King but this we can say That Kings have reigned by the Power of the Lord God and may reign as long as it pleaseth him and God sent his Prophet to anoint a King So can we say that this usurping Power hath been alwayes against and contrary to the power of the Lord God and hath ever been the Oppressour of the Innocent and the Just and Gods Heritage and People have alwayes been Sufferers in all Ages by this Power and this generation of Priests hath been the cause of all the Saints sufferings they stoned the Prophets and slew them before Christ and ye may see how they used Christ and his Apostles And now in the Apostacy O the Inquisitions the Racks and the Tortures the Courts Citations and Imprisonments that have been and are continually imposed upon poor People so that the very misery of Nations cometh by these Usurpers and their Superiority in having Power and Oppressors and Layers on of Burdens grievous to be born that upon this Generation might come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth from Abel Mat. 23. 35 36. But the Lord is coming to Redeem his People and his Flock out of their covetous mouthes and bloody hands and the Lord hath sent the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of his People and his Light is risen in their Consciences and the Lord will Teach them all Himself and set them free from the bondage and slavery of these Taskmasters and he hath committed all Power in Heaven and Earth unto his Son and he hath all Times and Seasons in his hands and it is good for Kings that are set up by the Lord to fear him that by his Power they may stand and not uphold that power that God will throw down for he is come to Reign and Teach his People himself Read Isa 21. THE END First Theit Titles which are your Holiness Lord-Bishop your Lordship and your Gra●e contrary to Christ and his Apostles Secondly Their Qualifications contrary to Christ and his Apostles who were 1st Meek Lowly and Humble 2. Suffering and taking up the Cross 3 Love and Charity to all men Thirdly Their Call contrary to Christ and his Apostles which was by special command and revelation in Christ Jesus Theirs of men and from men The true Worship it self discovered Fourthly Their Worship contrary to Christs example and all his Apostles 1. In Preaching 2. In Praying 3. In Singing Studying and Divining contrary to Christ and his Apostles and contrary to the Levitical Priesthood The second particular of their practice is binding and limitting people to their Worship by citing them to their Courts The Third Particular of their Practice in causing People to Sware contrary to Christs and the Apostles Commands Practice and Doctrine The fourth particular of their practice is Sprinkling of Infants without ground from Scripture The Anabaptists Baptism with outward water condemned Tythes contrary to Gospel-Maintenance Long Robes and Surplices Hoods Tippets are contrary to Gospel Ornaments