accounted the Church of Christ in these dayes though imperfect Secondly Against the being of the seed of God and light of Christ within men thirdly against the Saints attaining to perfection and freedom from sin whilst in this mortal estate which is the very end for which Christ Jesus gave gifts unto his Ministers ordaining some to be Prophets some Apostles some Pastors and some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the spiritual body till we all come in the unity of the faith unto a perfect man in Christ Jesus in whom the whole building fitly framed together groweth to an holy temple in the Lord and the Apostle saith know you not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost i 1 Cor. 3.17 and if any man defile the temple of God him will God destroy k 1 Thes 1.1 and the Church is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ where nothing that is unclean can enter and the tabernacle of God is with men as he hath said I 'le walk in them and dwell in them though T C. have affirmed that God never had yet a Church in the world free from sin and so hath laid sin to the charge of Gods Elect for l John 3.8 he that commits sin is of the Devil and a servant of sin and so free from righteousness and this is the cause he hath undertaken to plead In the front or enterance into his paper he hath cited this Scripture to the Law and to the testimony if any speak not according to this rule it is because there is no light in them Now in regard he hath put in his declaration and goes about to plead a title or propriety that the man of sin hath and must have in the Church of Christ whilst here on earth and hath here cited the Law and Testimony which I own for a rule to try by I am constrained as Defendant to join issue and plead with him according to the Law of Truth in the presence of our Judge and Law-giver whose judgement is true and whose testimony is sure But first it is to be considered what the Law and what the Testimony is and where they are according to the Scripture Thy law is light Prov. 6. The law is spiritual Rom 7.14 The law gives the knowledge of sin Rom. 3 20. And behold the daye come saith the Lord Jer. 31. that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers which Covenant they break but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with them after those dayes I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And again Heb. 10. I will put my laws in their hearts and in their minds will I write them and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more and this is the Covenant that makes the comers thereunto perfect and the Law which makes free from the law of sin and death and he that believeth hath this witness in himself and so hath set to his seal that God is true and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie and this is that sure word spoken of 2 Pet. 1.19 And 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 mark In your hearts the Law in the heart the light in the heart the testimony of Jesus the sure word of prophesie in the heart the word of faith nigh in the heart And now to come to the matter he saith pag. 2. Christ was sent to save his people and not to save onely the oppressed seed or light within to which I say he was sent to set the oppressed free and to save his people from their sins and to open the eyes of the blind m John 9.39 that those that saw not might see n Mat. 18.11 and the son of man was sent to seek and to save that which was lost and the Lord of hosts hath left us a seed else o Rom. 9. we had been as Sodome yea like unto Gomorrah and this seed is within and we know that the whole Creation travelleth together in pain until now and not onely they but our selves also that have the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves have groaned within our selves for the redemption of the body which God hath prepared to do his will p 1 Cor. 15 who giveth unto every seed it s own body and he that is begotten of the immortal seed and born again of water and of the spirit is saved from his sin and he sinneth not neither can he because the seed of God remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God 1 Joh. 3. Mark he cannot sin because he is born of God and because the seed remaineth in him But T.C. saith pages 2 3. It is language besides the Gospel of truth that Christ came to save the oppressed seed within and farther that he dare say it is such a salvation as never came into the heart of God nor was ever known to Prophets Apostles or Christ himself to save the oppressed seed of God in men with which his Covenant is made Here he hath contradicted the Scriptures of truth above-mentioned with many others that might be instanced likewise he hath contradicted himself for he with others of his brethren directs their Epistle from Tiverton to such as are called to be Saints through the immortal seed which dwelleth in them now if it be language besides the Gospel of truth to mention the oppressed seed within why doth he make use of the expression and if it be according to truth why doth he suggest that those who use such expressions are poor deluded people and because I said in the beginning of my Epistle to them I am constrained with compassion to the oppressed seed in you which groans to be delivered from the bondage of corruption c. he seems to render it an offence by false constructions arising from an evil affected mind wresting and perverting my words and then calling it a mear cheat to please children and sools as if it were a language not fit to be spoken of or once named among them that are grown so strong in the state of imperfection And because my Epistle was directed to the Anabaptists Churches so called and then I denied them to be the Church of Christ and told them that their presumption was seen that called themselves the Church of Christ and were not as their blasphemy was known that called themselves q Rev. 2 9. Jews and were not He calls this contradiction and confusion but the confusion is in himself as may appear to the impartial Reader of that
through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead and u Rom. 6. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptisme into Death that like as Christ was raised from the Dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walke in newness of life and as hee is so are we in this present world 1 Joh. 4. and the Church of the Hebrews was come w Heb. 12.23 to the Spirits of Just men made perfect and they who testified these things was not hypocrits as in this mans account and now I leave it to the spirituall mans judgment whether ever God had a Church in this world free from sin or any that durst confess it yea or nay and farther hee affirmes pag. 7. that they that calls themselves the Church of Christ and say they are without sin in this mortall Estate are none of the Church of Christ for he had never yet any such Church To this I say his judgment is false and denyed and declared against by the children of light and witnessed against by the Scripture of truth for the Life of Christ hath been and is made manifest in mortall flesh and x 2 Cor. 4.7 we have this treasure in harth en vessels and for this purpose was the son of God made manifest to take away sin y 1 Joh. 4.3 and every Spirit that Confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that Spirit of Anti-Christ that now is in the world but where Jesus Christ is made manifest in the flesh hee is made manifest to Destroy the works of the Devill to wit sin and to condemn sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled In us who walks not after the flesh but after the Spirit being Created again z Eph. 2.10 in Christ Jesus unto good works a Coll. 1.4 in whom we have Redemption through his blood who hath purged away our sins by the washing of Regeneration glory to his name for ever without boasting we can speak it to the praise of his grace who hath wrought all our works for us and In us that b 1 Joh. 5.19 wee are of God though the whole world lieth in wickedness and that Christ have had and yet hath a Church without sin in this mortall Estate for hee that sinneth hath not seene God neither known him and we deny all such to be the Church of God and of Christ as lives in sin and pleads for sin whilst in this mortall Estate who makes a profession of the Scriptures and comes not to the Life and power declared of by them For the Scripture we own and the Covenant which makes the comers thereunto perfect and the bringing in of a better hope we witnesse and the Law which makes free c Rom. 8.2 from the Law of sin and death and the unchangable ordinances and Administrations to which we are subject doth not perish with the using and the Baptisme by which wee are made members of the Church of Christ doth not Decrease but increase and save from sin and all such as are called Churches and yet remains in sin in the unconverted and Imperfect Estate offends in many things and are seduced and deceived being out of the truth they are enimies to the Cross of Christ in the strife and envy against truth and these are not the Church of Christ neither do they know it but are strangers to the saints Life having a likeness of a thing a forme of godliness but not the power d Rev. 3.1 a name to live and are dead and with such we have no union knowing them by their voice to be strangers and therefore wee turne away from them and cannot but deale plainely and faithfully with them though we bee reproched by them with the name of Quakers and joyned with Pharisees and Hypocrites because we cannot conforme to the customs of the Heathen and plead as they do for the Devills kingdom of sin and Imperfection that Anti-Christ may have quiet possession in the Church of Christ so long as it remaines here in the world And because we cannot own them as Ministers and Elders of the Church of Christ that sometimes murmurs and complaines of the tyrannicall government of the man of sin in them but pleades for the continuance of sin in the Church whilst in this mortall Estate therefore hee concludes that we are not sensible of sin in our selves nor in others as to warn them to mourn and seek the Lord for them To which I say we all like sheep have gone a stray and in sin we were conceived and in iniquity brought forth and were by nature the children of wrath even as others till it pleased the father in the riches of his grace and love to reveal his Son in us to destroy the works of the Divell and to condemen sin in the flesh and by his blood to cleanse us from all sin and we have known the terrours of the Lord and his indignation against sin and have been made sensible of our condition whilst sin reigned in our mortall Bodies and wee have mourned under it every familie apart when by the light of Christ it was made manifest and by faith in him many have obtained victory over the sin that did easly beset us and lead us captive and how can we that are dead to sin live any longer therein shall we continue in sin and plead for so doing like you that grace may abound nay God forbid that any such thoughts should enter into our hearts to draw us back to the pollutions which we have escaped and with the dog to the vomet and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire again nay verily we are snesible of that condition and cannot but warn them that yet remains in it and exhort them to come forth of it and we do pitty them and pray for them that they may be delivered from the bondage of corruption and out of the snares of the enemie and turned from the darkness to the light that as obedient children they may come to walk honestly as in the day in the light of the Lord and to this end do we labour and travile and freely administer as we have received commending our selves to that of God in every mans conscience again hee saith pag. 9. let both heaven and earth tremble at such rebellion and pride as this is Intimating that we Judge and Condemn all that dare not walk in such a way of disobedience c. Hear I appeal to all sober minded people that ever heard us speak or read our writings whether ever we judged or condemned any that was obedient t othe faith or when did we ever press any to disobedience or did in the least countenance it but have often declared that the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience and surely if this man had not a face
this is our message to the world to declare r 1 John 1.5 that God is light and in him is no darkness at all and to turn people from the darkness to this light that they may be brought out of the estate of degeneration and imperfection where they have lain covered with gross darkness feeding themselves with the hypocrites hope and empty shadowes as of a light without a word without Christ without A Church without baptism without bread and wine without ordinances and administrations all without which makes not the commers thereunto perfect being carnally observed according to traditions received from men and that which most agravates their misery they are self conceited and will not hearken to the reproofs of instruction nor receive the things of the Spirit of God when freely tendered and offered without money and without price Oh that you did but know the desires and breathings that proceeds from the spirit that ever lives to make intercession unto God for you why will you spend your money for that which is no bread and your labour for that which doth not satisfy how long will you make lies your refuge and feed upon ashes and cover your selves with unrighteous coverings the flying Angel is gone forth with the everlasting Gospel to preach to all nations kinreds tongues and languages and the call hath reached unto you that have been asleep s Dan 12.2 in the dust of the earth Therefore harden not your hearts but incline your eares and hearken diligently what the spirits saith and take heed of t Heb. 2. neglecting this great salvation for this is the day of your visitation and once more a word of exhortation to you as from the Lord to return to u Joh. 12.3 the light and believe in the light and love the light c. w Rev. 21.2 walke in it that you may have fellowship with us and that you may be received into the generall assembly where the only true God is worshipped in the spirit and truth x Psa 29.2 in the beauty of holiness but he saith pag. 13. we know it is an easy thing to be received by them without any letters of recommendation for if a man will but turn away from Christ and faith and scriptures and obedience and turne to the light within and say he is perfect and can say thee and thou he may quickly be one of their Church c. But truely he is deceived herein for it s not so easy to be a member of our Church which is the true Church as he ignorantly pretends though the gates be not at all shut by day yet there can in no wise enter any thing that defileth and is polluted nor no prophane person neither whatsoever worketh abomination y Rev. 22.15 for without are dogs and drunkards and sorcerers and whoremongers and swearers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye and its death to any beast that comes near the mountain of the Lords house which is established in the top of all mountains z Isay 2. and exalted above the hills where we worship God in the spirit in the true order and fellowship where all may speak a 1 Cor. 14. one by one as the spirit moves and gives utterance and if any of the adulterated generation should come among us from a far country and bring a letter of recommendation from some great man of the world or from an assembly of professing people his spirit would soon be tryed whether he were of God or not for we cannot b Joh. 4.1 believe nor receive every spirit that may come with excellency of speech and the inticing words of mens wisdom and be commended by men and pass for a good Christian in the worlds account for we know the voice of Christ c â—â—h 10.5 and strangers we cannot hearken to And as for such as turnes away from Christ faith and obedience they are more like to be received by and to find acceptance among the Anabaptists then among us if they will but take up their great ordinance as they call it to wit water Baptism the second or third time and make Confession of their sins that light spirit that wretched worldly spirit c. They must be owned as brethren and sisters Christs excellent ones although they be cruell to children and servants mockers of God c. See a large description of the Estate of their Church in their Epistle from Tiverton and look abroad among all professions in the nation if worse fruits can be found then is brought forth among them but how can we expect better till the vineyard be dressed by husbandmen of the Lords calling and sending its manifest they ran and was not sent and therefore the people are not profited by them and truly its far easier to be a member of such an imperfect Church as theirs the way being so wide then it is to be of ours for the way is straight that leads to it d Cor. 12.13 the Baptisme being spirituall by which they are received in and the naturall man cannot receive the things of the spirit of God and the words thee and thou doth not make a member of the true Church neither are they the principle of our Religion for they may be used in the deceipt as well as the truth may be holden in unrighteousness though they be proper and pure language and by us used and owned yet let none think that our Religion depends only upon words but that we are builded upon the sure foundation of many generations for an habitation of God through the spirit e â—ph 2.20.22 Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone and many that pretends to Religion in these dayes and professes the scripture for a rule are so far from coming to be of our Church that a word of exhortation can hardly have entrance among them neither can the scripture language be born by T.C. and his adherents for because I said the Law is f Heb. 7. changed and the Priesthood is changed and the Covenant which made not the commers thereunto perfect for the weaknesse and unprofitableness of it is done away c. he saith take these words as they are stated and they speak forth most horrible iniquity though they be stated expresly as they 〈◊〉 in Scripture and saith he the ordinances that we walke in are the new testament ordinances grounded upon the new restament Covenant but truly it s very unlike seeing their Covenant and ordinances doth not make the comers thereunto perfect which thing he denyes both in Epistle and practice as is plainly manifest to the childrne of light And should I but trace him through his Epistle from Tiverton and this imperfect piece written as a vindication of it and their Churches imperfect Estate a Large volume would but contain the particular circumstances but I shall refer the reader to that Epistle and mine in persuance of
voice of a strange women therefore hearken diligently and be not as the untamed Heifer stuffing up and feeding upon the wind come off the barren mountains where you have been wandering in the cloudy and dark day and turn to the light of Christ Jesus in all your consciences who hath sent forth Pastors according to his own heart to administer freely as they have freely received and to turn people from the darkness to the light Let not a deceived heart lead you aside to heap up to your selves Teachers that cannot profit and so neglect this great salvation to that of God in all your consciences I commend these things to be answered with obedience to him that you may also come to have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son in the light of life which the Scripture is a witness of and the true Christ q Col. 1.27 the hope of glory in us we witness and of him we bear testimony and for that faith r Jude 3. which was once delivered to the Saints which purifies the heart do we earnestly contend and in humility we can say that we have denyed self in obedience to Christ who is the resurrection and the life and he that is wise let him turn in hither for he that is of God heareth us but they that are of the world heareth us not because they have not heard nor known the Father and the Son of whom we bear testimony by whose grace we are saved And now if any among the Anabaptists or any other form whatsoever have but moderation to read this with the spirit and understanding they may have true information without an interpreter wherefore they are called to arise and come out of the state of imperfection and unto whom they must come that they may find rest for their souls and refreshment from Gods presence and let none be so foolish as to think that this doctrine will seduce or deceive them for we have the mind of Christ and Å¿ 1 Cor. 2.6 we preach wisdom among them that are perfect and we press after perfection wherefore I say of truth that you may prove all things and hold fast that which is good T. S. Ivelchecter the 12 day of the 1 Moneth 1658. A Lamentation taken up for the Churchs of the Anabaptists by John Collens with a call and warning for them to come out of the self separation into the foot-steps of the flock and to turn from the darkness to the true light FRiends you who call your selves Churches of Christ Jesus who have separated your selves not having the spirit to lead and separate you from your uncleannes and so are in the self separation out of the power of God which power maketh man willing to deny himself and take up the daily cross which crucifieth him to the world and the world to him where sin is nailed and the power of God received to resist the Devil which leads them captive at his will who live in sin and transgression which is the work of the Devil and all them that are led by him have not received the faith which giveth victory over him nor have not believed the Gospel which is the power of God to salvation nor received Christ Jesus to save them from their sins which all they that do believe do receive even power to become the sons of God and joynt heirs with Christ Friends in the Name and fear of the Lord God Almighty do I warn you and in bowels of love and tenderness do in Christs stead beseech you that in the light of Christ Jesus made manifest which never changeth but bears true testimony for God try and consider whether whilst you live in sin you are not servants to sin and doth the work of the Devil and the wages of sin is death and he that soweth to the flesh must of the flesh reap corruption and he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting you cannot serve two masters neither can you serve God and Mammon verily verily except you be born again you cannot inherit the Kingdom of God and he that is born of God cannot sin for his seed remaineth in him he that sinneth is of the Devil now friends in the cooleness and moderation consider whether you know this birth brought forth in you which cannot commit sin the seed immortal begotten of God which enters the Kingdom of God and try your selves how you stand in the presence of the Lord in singleness of heart and deceive not your selves with words for the gospel is not in word but in power a profession of God and Christ will not save you whilst you deny the power of God by which sin is crucified for whosoever committeth sin is under the Law and he was made manifest to take away our fins truly a lamentation is taken up for you how are you fallen how are your garments defiled how are you degenerated and fallen back to the love of the world with its customes fashioned and traditions with the lusts and vanities thereof renewing again those idolatries which formerly you have destroyed how is your leader and great Apostle amongst you Thomas Collier become an enemy of righteousness resisting the holy Ghost and perverting the right way of God preaching up sin and imperfection for term of life going about with all the strength he can muster up to establish the kingdom of the Devil in the Church of Christ raking up the failings of the Saints recorded to confirm the reign of the man of sin for ever condemning the generation of the just bringing in new destinctions to make the body of Christ an imperfect sinful body how doth be blasphem God his tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven who shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect how doth he slander reproach and falsly accuse the innocent and harmless Lambs of Christ Jesus yea the Lord is witness between him us and we call Heaven and earth to witness against him this day that these things * In his book called a dialogue between a minister and a Christian asserted by him as our principles never entered into our hearts our consciences bearing us witness in the sight of God though he like a whore hath wiped his mouth at a looking glass in which the children of light see much more of his deformity and wickedness having perverted the words in several books as he doth the Scriptures to his own destruction and out of his mischievous heart hath wrested their honest intents and taken pieces of sentences and raised it up a lie out of his own wicked heart upon them and then overturned his own work but that which is written in those books remaineth untouched by him his own lies being but wiped from them as any who are without prejudice may easily see reading over the things contained in those books who will sufficiently clear themselves but the Devil who
was a lyer from the beginning is now cast out of heaven into the earth and he hath great wrath with the woman and the remnant of her seed who keep the word of God and testimony of Jesus but the arm of the Lord is stretched out over us and in his fear are we preserved from the rage of our enemies yea a pillar of fire to give us light goeth before us which is a cloud and darkness to our Egyptian like enemies that follow after us Truly my soul pitties you and my bowels hath even yerned on you for many dayes oh that you had an ear that you could hear and an heart that you could understand you have played the harlot and are departed from God and you have joyned your selves to another besides the Lord you have run a whoreing after your own Inventions and you have worshipped the works of your hands and your Pastours hath deceived you for the Lord doth not smile upon you but his jealousy burneth against you as a fire yet return and he may have mercy and whilst the Spirit of the Lord strives answer with obedience for he hath said his spirit shall not alwayes strive with man and while you have the light believe in the light and bring all your deeds unto the light that they may be proved and tryed whether they be wrought in God And now friends in the fear of the Lord deal honestly with your own selves and let us reason together and in the light of Christ Jesus weigh and try all things and see with the light which will deal plainly with you whether you are indeed such as you profess your selves and whether the ordinances you so much talk of be indeed the ordinances of Christ or but shadowes whether water baptism or the baptism of the spirit be the baptism of Christ since there is but one baptism whether you have heard the voice of Christ or seen his shape at any time that hath commanded you in the particular to take up those ordinances or a perswasion in your own minds from the letter when as the letter killeth or whether such a thing as water be commanded in the letter or your own Imaginations from the letter Whether the bread you break be the body of Christ or the cup you drink be his blood since it doth not cleanse you from sin whether the prayers you make be in the spirit and you can say in the presence of the Lord you lift up holy hands have them that teach among you the spirit of infalibility and revelation of the mind of Christ or they speak a devination of their own brain and hath not received the word of the Lord from his mouth but boast in anothers line and what themselves have invented and whether this be the spirit of God or the spirit of errour which is not of God and whether the Covenant and ordinances which doth not make the commers thereunto perfect be not that which is to be done away as weake and unprofitable whether your faith and preaching be not also vain forasmuch as you believe you shall never overcome sin while you live and your faith doth not purifie your hearts and since that as a tree falleth so it lyeth and as death leaves you judgment finds you and that there is no repentance in the grave whether you must goe and that nothing that is unclean or that worketh abomination or that maketh a lye shall ever enter the City of our God Therefore once more in the name of the Lord I warn you come out from among them all ye that are tender-hearted and that desires salvation to your soules come out from among them and be ye seperate and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you saith the Lord for whosoever cannot witnesse Christ Jesus a Saviour from sin in the particular shall never witness him a Saviour from condemnation refuse not to walk with a pure perfect people as T.C. saith we be and follow us no farther then as we follow Christ for we have the mind of Christ therfore own the light which convinceth you of sin for as living witnesses for the name of our God do we stand that the light which convinceth of sin is the true light that leadeth out of sin all them that walks in the light as he is in the light they witness the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin which joyns us to Christ as members of his body whereby we receive the spirit of the Father to lead and guide us to do his will which is our sanctification which spirit revealeth the Son Christ Jesus the light who worketh all our works in us and for us whose work is perfect for we are no more our own but bought with a price so are we baptized by one spirit into one body and made conformable to his death who hath raised us to life glory be to his name for ever here is the Church in God the Father where the true Church Ordinances and fellowship is known and the true worship in spirit and in truth in which onely the father is worshipped lived in yea and we bear testimony according to the Scriptures that there is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved but by Christ Jesus who is revealed in us our hope of glory this is he that hath told us all that ever we have done is not this the very Christ who was in the beginning with God whose day Abraham saw whom the professing Jews when made manifest who had the Scriptures of the Prophets who prophesied of him read every Sabbath day yet their voices they knew not but crucified the Lord of Life and put him to open shame as it is at this day Him hath God raised and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow this is he whom we bear testimony to Christ Jesus the same yesterday to day and for ever therefore take heed least ye be found fighters against God and no longer believe lyes but cast out the lyar from amongst you for the lyar is of the Devil and whilst you join with him you are one with him and must partake of his plagues Therefore hear and fear before the Lord for the Lord will rain snares upon the wicked and pour out shame and contempt upon his adversaries and go on speedily with your promise which you have promised the Lord in your Epistle That you will cast out sin or sinners out of the house of God so may the Lord have a Church free from sin upon the earth for he is come whose right it is and the Kingdom and the Government shall be his who will rule the Heathen with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel And now have I eased my spirit and cleared my conscience towards you whether you will hear or forbear and the Lord will be clear of you when he cometh in ten thousands of his Saints to execute the judgements written this honour hath all the saints From him who was once owned as a Brother amongst you and since owned a brother by you whilst walking in the vanity of my mind running to the same excess of riot with you but since the Lord in mercy visited me and called me out of darkness into his marvellous light I have been hated and despightfully used by some of you who am known to many of you by the name of I. C. FINIS