Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	holy_a	receive_v	7,630	5	5.5906	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44790	The glory of the true church, discovered, as it was in its purity in the primitive time also, a manifestation how and when the apostacy came, and how long it hath continued in the Church of Rome, proved to be in it, because she differs in doctrin & practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes : published for this end, that people may be informed, and their understandings opened to discern of the times and seasons, and see the difference between the lambs wife and the mother of harlots / by one who desires that all may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, and walk in the light of the Lord, Francis Howgill.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1661 (1661)	Wing H3162; ESTC R38990	108,097	179

were quickned by it in their hearts and minds who believed and heard the voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live Who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest professors and ordinance men and were for conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest professors and observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that was in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach and Disciple all Nations in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave power to cast out Devils and work Miracles Prophesied after a season the word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified And these who was sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received gifts from the holy Ghost for the work of the Ministery they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the power of God and the wisdome of God for the remission of sin and the word of faith they declared in the mouth and in the heart and went not to Tables of stone to direct people thither but to bring people to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who was commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministery and through their words which they declared many did beleive both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of Jews as did believe and separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in houses and other places Acts 20. 7. Chap. 28. 30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain places in Towns and Cities not onely at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Collosse The ssolonica Corinth and divers other places which were long to enumerate Act. 11. 9. Chap. 17. 1 2. Chap. 18. 4. But now mark this that by which the Apostle gathered them from the Jewish Temples and Priest-hood and the Gentiles from their ●dols Temples was by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel to wi● no● the Law nor the Ordinances of the first Covenant but the Power of God and the word of reconciliation for the first Covenant of the Jews made not the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience Neither the Gentiles Idols Temples nor Worships made them perfect as pertaining to the conscience but rather made them worse and more corrupted Heb. 9. 9. But the preaching and publishing of the word of reconciliation that did it was committed to the Disciples it was received and believed in by many both Iews and Gentiles as at Ephesus and elsewhere and they were made a habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes. 2. 22. Now mark this they preached not up the Letter of the Law nor that which was written in Tables of stone for the first Priest-hood that was ended and the Ministry of that and the vaile was over their hearts while Moses was read and their ability stood not in the litteral knowledge or in that which was written But they were able Ministers of the New Testament of the Spirit and so all that did beleive both Jews and Gentiles who received the word of Faith which was nigh in the mouth and in the heart Rom. 10. 8. They grew up in the knowledge of God and of his holy Sprit and great gifts grew amongst them as of Prophecy of speaking with Tongues of Interpretation and there was diversity of gifts and diversity of operations yet all by the same Spirit which the Apostles was made Ministers of and which they that did beleive and receive received gifts from it and knew the operation of it which wrought in them mightily to the throwing down the strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 4. And the principalities and powers of Darkness and to the translating and changing of them from darkness to Light and from Sa●ans power to the power of God even into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1. 13. And several Congregations in divers Places were all one body whereof Christ the life was the head in which they had believed and of whose power they had tasted grew up in knowledge and wisdom and gifts and the day of Christ approached which Abraham saw And they exhorted one another admonished one another and when they met togethere at several places every one according to the gift of God as he had received nor from the Letter but from the Spirit did and might admister to the edification one of another and to the building up and comforting one another in the most holy faith which gave them victory over sin which faith was ought in them by hearing of the word that was nigh them in the mouth and in the heart which was the word of consolation which was in the beginning Moreover when they met together they might Prophesie one by one and every one exercise his own gift to the edification and comfort of the body as the Spirit did lead them in order and if any went out from his measure he was judged by them that were in the Spirit Furthermore they that had beleived the Gospel which was published to them for remission of sin they grew up into great enjoyments and attainments in the righteous life of Christ which was manifest in them And though first they knew the Ministration of Condemnation and the sentence of death yet afterwards came to know the Ministration of the spirit and the sweet assurance ard Testimony of it bearing witness to the Spirit that they were the Sons of God and they were made heirs according to the promise Heb. 6. 17. and were made joynt heirs and co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdome which is immortal which fados not away and did come to know Mount Sion and the City of the Living God Heb. 12. 22. and it were large to speak of the glory and the transcendent excellency of the Church of Christ which became a purchased possession to him in the primitive times or the first hundred years after the manifestation of Christ in the flesh But take notice of this that them that were sent out who had received freely of the Father of Christ and of the Spirit Ministred freely as they had received freely without

and their Candlemas dayes this came of the Gentiles and Pagans who honoured their false God Saturu and their Altar which they have builded in this Temple and their tables upon which they offer and set their sacrifice these Boniface the third commanded that they should be covered with linen clothes and here was the beginning of these kinds of orders so that as I said before most of the●e things in and about the worship which hath been since the reign of Antichrist and since the Whore hath sate as a Queen they have been either borrowed from the Jews or else from Pagans and Heathens and the mother of Harlots hath put these things off for Apostolick institutions these many hundreds of years and divers other things which are in and about the Parish Churches your many crosses in and about them of wood and stone your baptized bels and consecrated pulpits and sonts and hour-glasses and soft cushions to preach on all these the Scriptures makes no mention of not in the Christian Churches the first two hundred years after Christ. Now Protestants who have denied the Church of Rome and their practices which was contrary to the Primitive and the Scriptures look about you and see how you are sticking yet in Babylon and buying yet the merchandize thereof and as for your holy ground called your Church-yards which you only judge fit to bury the dead in and would compell all to come thither because there are many Officers in and about this Temple who are greedy of rewards so that they would not miss any thing that might be commodious unto them and so would compell all to come there for their gain But Abraham was the first we read of that made any place of burial in Hebron which he bought so Ephron an Hittite for thirty shekels of silver and there was he and his wife buried and this was no Parishyard neither did he leave any Priest or Clerk that we read of to receive wages and fees and for ringing a bell and reading and singing over the dead and so for shame you who profess the Scriptures and the Apostolick order and institutious of Christ come out from among all this trumpery and wait that you may come again into the order of the Gospel and the primitive order which hath been talked of these many years and yet not known CHAP. VII Concerning swearing by the Gospel and kissing a book and that which is commonly confirmation or Bishoping Children things invented contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and are in the Aopstacy IN the first Covenant the Jews were commanded to swear by the Lord and oaths were observed by the Jews that were in the first Covenant which was faulty Heb. 8. 7. which Ordinance did nor make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience and so there came to be an end of that Covenant and the better was brought in which stood upon better promises and then the Priest-hood Law first Covenant and the ordinances thereof which was only to continue till the time of Reformation H. b. 9. 10 by Christ the everlasting Covenant came to be made manifest the everlasting offering who perfected them that are sanctified who is the oath of God the end of oaths and of all strife and contention his Doctrine was Swea● not at all Mat. 5. 32 24 35 36 3● neither by the head nor 〈◊〉 nor Books nor Gospel nor any other thing but that yea should be yea and nay nay in all things and James an Apostle of Christ Jesus who knew the New Covenant which was everlasting which saw over the ordinances of the first Covenant of the Jews saith Above all things my brethren sweare not at all neither by heaven neither by the earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and vour nay nay lest you fall into condemnnation James 5. 1 2. and this was Apostolical and Catholick Doctrine in the Primitive Churches But afterwards the faith being lost which once was delivered to the Saints and the power lost they began to set up oathes again imitating the Iews and bringing the commands of the Iews who were under the first Covenant as their Ground But this was in the Apostacy And Justinian the Emperour appointed first that men should swear by the Gospel or book called the Gospel and lay their hands thereon and kiss it saying So help me God and here Christendom may see who are in the Apostacy and who were the first instituters of this Swearing and the manner thereof which the teachers of these latter ages do ignorantly press for an ordinance of God In the primitive times they that had the word of reconciliation who had received the holv Ghost and gift of prophesie and were made able Ministers of the Spirit who had discerning and saw by the Spirit who was fitted for the work of the Ministry and fit to be Elders and helpers in the Church they laid hands on them in Gods power and they received the holy Ghost but now since the Apostacy came in this kind of Imagination of laying on of hands one Hypocrite upon another who are out of the power who have not received the holy Ghost neither they upon whom their hands are said but afterwards it came to be a custom and a holy rite to be performed upon Children Sylvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all that were Christned Churches and Chalices should be anointed with oyl And Fabianus commanded that it should be renewed every Munday and Thursday Clement the first ordained that Children that were Christned should be anointed with Chrisme and he also instituted the Sacrament as it is called of Confirmation or as it is now called Bishoping and did suppose that no man was a perfect Christian if this Rite and Ceremony was omitted and for this cause it hath been judged and lookt upon as Catholick Doctrin both by the Church of Rome and the Protestants that the holy Ghost is more plentifully given them by the hands of the Bishop and on this wi●e in the first Institution thereof it was only administred by the Bishop First he asked the name of the child making the sign of the Cross in his forehead saying I sign thee with the token of the Cross and confirm thee with the Chrisme of Salvation in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. and smote the cheek of the Child softly but if of greater age which was to be confirmed the Bishop gave a sharper stroak that he might remember this great mystery and here you may see how these things came in and the traditions and inventions and precepts of men have been and are taught for Doctrine and Apostolick institutions many of which are upholden in the reformed Churches so called unto this day and so people are kept in blindness in a multitude of traditions and heathenish customes and their minds led out from seeking after the living God CHAP. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and holy dayes THe Jews in

not in the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christ went out into the World and the World went after them and so lost both Power and form of Godliness and invented things some from the Heathen and much from the Priests under the Law Sextus the first commanded that the Corporis should be of linen cloath only and that of the finest and purest and forbad that Lay-men should handle the Hallowed Vessels and namely Women were Prohibited hallowing the Priest Vestures and Altars and Cloaths diversity of vestures of sundry orders were muchwhat taken from the example of the Hebrew Priest-hood was practised and ordained by S. even Bishop of Rome And Sabinianus decreed first that the people should be assembled together to hear Service at certain hours by ringing of bells And John the 22. Bishop of Rome ordained that bells should be roled every day three times and that the● every man should say three times A●emary as Polidore saith Lib. 6. The invention of bells was from imitation of the Hebrews because the high-Priest had in the skirts of his uppermost garments little bells to ring when he was in the holy place within the vaile And the banners and trophies which are hung up in Churches were taken from the Heathen which did bear them to signifie the Conquest of their enemies and these have been set up in the Churches so called by some of the Bishops of Rome to declare as they said the triumph of Christ over death and hell Now all Nations who are called Christians look to your original and from whence these practices have risen and those things are continued even amongst the Protestant Churches are either from the Iews or from the Heathen or from the Apostatized Bishop of Rome long after the dayes of the Apostles and so these Hoods and Surplices and Caps and Bonnets and Cowls and Tipets and Miters and canonical Coats and Girdles and divers strange attires it is like to prove these things we must have Aarons breeches brought in and the linnen Ephod and his Sons Girdles and Coats and Bonnets and the high-Priests Mitre and all these Candlesticks for a Gospel proof CHAP. X. Concerning Mattens and singing of Psalms by course in musical tunes and supplications and short prayers called Letany THE Jews under the Law had many Officers which belonged to the Temple-worship among which were singers as the sons of Corah and the sons of Asaph and Exrahites and chief Musitians c. and divers Psalms were given forth by the Spirit of God by David and others upon several occasions sometimes after victories and sometimes when he felt the presence of God and the working of his power and who were eye-witnesses of his wonderous works as the rest of Israel was many times as at the dedication of the Temple and also when they came out of captivity Neh. 7. 44. chap. 12. 27. 42 43. Psal. 149. 3 150. 3 4. and all these Singers of songs pertain to the Temple and the first Covenant and to that Priest-hood which could not continue by reason of the faultiness thereof Heb. 8. 7. and because all these things did not make perfect as pertaining to the conscience and was but to continue for a time untill the time of Reformation and then an end of the Temple Priests and Worship of the Singers and Porters and Organs and stringed Instruments as in matter of worship an end was put to all these when he was offered up that perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified And the Christians and true Believers in the primitive times who had received the spirit in which they did Rejoyce in and with what words the Spirit was pleased to utter and they that had received the Holy Ghost did joy in the Holy Ghost and they that did sing sang in the Spirit and with the Spirit and with understanding from the feeling of the living which they had in their hearts of Gods presence and his assurance and he that had a Psalm might sing but all the Church did not sing together a Psalm was a gift of the Spirit every one had it not there was diversity of Gifts and diversity of Operations Prophecy Interpretation and a Psalm were Gifts which were received from the Spirit and not by tradition 1 Carinth 14. 15. Ephes. 5. 19. James 5. 13. And they that overcome and were redeemed from the Earth who had followed the Lamb who had given them victory over s●n death and the Grave they sang a new song which none could learn but those whose names were Written in the Lambs Book of life Rev. 14. 1 2 3. chap. 19. 1. 6. and these were the songs of the redeemed which God had delivered our of their Enemies Hands and they were witnesses of his Wonderous Works and praised the Lord in the Spirit and with understanding and did not get a form of words of Davids words which he spake after his victories and Triumphs over his enemies and also they prayed in the Spirit and with understanding and spoke as it gave utterance and as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and were not limitted as how Short or how Long but as the Spirit gave utterance and not limited to hours and set times but when the Spirit of God which they had received moved thereunto and then their Prayers were accepted and were as sweet incense Rev 5. 8. chap. 8. 3. 〈◊〉 and were not stinted to set hours but as they saw in the Wisdom of God and were moved by his Spirit But since the Apostacy that the Spirit hath been lost by many and the power and some of form retained and then they began to imitate three times a day and seven times a day but Mattens at set times and hours was appointed by Hierom as Polydore and others say Also the Heathen they had Mattens as Apuleus saith which they sung at divers times of the day and so sorted the hours of the day for sacrifices which they did offer unto their Idols Pelagius the second was the first that Commanded Priests to say them dayly and said as the just man falleth seven times so by instant prayers and Mattens he might as often rise and amend Urbanus the second ordained the Mattens called the Ladies Mattens to be said daily and confirmed them in a Councel which he had at Mount Clear in France and Damasus Bishop of Rome gave Commandment that Martens should be said or sung in all Churches and added Gloria Patri to the end of every Psalm Damasus also instituted that Psalms should be said or sung by course Damasus also Commanded that the Creed should be said every hour And Vitilianus invented the decent tunes wherewith the hymns be sung and joyned the Organs but there was divers and sundry manners of prayers and forms and Mattens and singing devised by many as Bennets Monks had one use and Bernard another and Dominicks brethern had one order by themselves and every provincial Bishop made a several use in

making any Covenants or enquiries after wordly revenews but went from City to City preaching the Gospel of Christ freely as they had received without any conditions from the people And as many as beleived and received the Gospel did Minister freely their hearts being open unto them who had declared unto them spiritual things Acts 4. 34. Mat. 10. 8. c. So that we read of no compulsion or forceing maintenance from any of the Cities whether they beleived or not believed the Father took care of such harvest men and what they received was given freely and there was no complaint though often they denyed that which was profered to them and their care was to make the Gospel of Christ not burdensome or chargable but rather their hands should Minister unto their necessities Act. 18. 3. Again though divers gifts were given unto the Disciples before and after Christs ascention as some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers and some Elders or Bishops yet they were all made Ministers by the holy Ghost yet it were large to speak of the Power and of the wisdome and of the enjoyments of God in that day and time and of the gifts and of the order which was in the Church at that time But in a word the Son of God was made manifest and gave them an understanding and they knew him that was true Truth it self and Christ was revealed in them and manifested to them the hope of their Glory Col. 1. 27. Furthermore they came to see over the new Moons and Fasts and feasts and Dayes and Times and Meats and Drinks and nonecould judge of them or ought to judge of them in those cases for they saw the Body Christ for the man-child was brought forth and the woman was cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her head who brought forth the holy Child Jesus who saves his people from their sins In whom all Shadows Types Figures representations ends This in short was part of the glory of the Primitive Church which would be large to spake of as it was in the first State of its purity But hereafter some fuller thing the Lord may bring forth in his own time and day CHAP. II. Concerning the entering in of the Apostacy and the Declination from that purity of Doctrine Worship and Practice and when it began downwards from the entering of it in until this present age and time CHrist the true Prophet which Moses spake of whom the Lord raised up manifested in the fulness of time he prophesied and declared of false Prophets that should arise Mat. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which shall come unto you in sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening Wolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their fruits and in Mat. 24. 11. But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the age of the Disciples and John Testified 1 Joh. 2. 18. Little children it is the last times as ye have heard that Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time they went out from us but were not of us and Chap. 4. 3. So they entered in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the remissions of sins And Jude he testified against such as was entered in who was in Cains way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaams way for gifts and rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had mens persons in admiration because of advantage And Peter said false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2. 2. And the Apostles wrote to Timothy the Bishop or overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in Hypocrisie forbiding to Marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. and again Paul in the 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural affection Truth-breakers False accusers dispisers of them that are good Traytors Heady High-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the truth having a form of Godliness but denying the power and as the same Apostle saith in another place was enemies to the Crosse of Christ And these went out into the world and this is 1400. years agoe and upwards Then the mystery of iniquity began to work and worught and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the ordinances of the first Covenant But they preached Christ in words and transformed into the form of the Apostles words but denyed the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucre sake and there was the beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the world and many followed their pernicious waies and there held the form but denyed the power and so indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the liberty of the flesh and held People in the Liberty yet prosylited them into a kind of a faith which was seigned and these kinde of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in request then they for filthy Lucre went out with the words and retained the form not the Jewish from altogether but the form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a head and to such a body and became such a number and yet gain-sayers and in Cains way for they were out of the power and out of that which mortifies the deeds of the flesh and they spred themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and People and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People have now got the name of a Church and the seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denied the Husband Christ the power of God her seate was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her seate And John said these were the waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her children against the free-woman the Lords spouse the Lambs Wife and made her fly into the Wilderness for a time times and half a time and she reached out her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of fornication within and she claimed

called though the words declare of it but is not it Now they went and preached and Discipled in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost which is a Ministery far beyond the written or declarative sound and indeed is a Spiritual and invisible thing which the Apostles Acts 26. 18. declaring his Message which he had received by the holy Ghost saith I was sent to turn them viz. the Gentiles and Iews and them of Arabia and else where he Sojourned from darkness unto light and from Satans power unto Gods Power that they that beleived in the light and received the power of God which he preached to them might receive remission of fins for remission of sin was onely preached in his Name and no name under Heaven there is by which men can be saved but by the Name of Jesus though the Apostles spoke according to the motion of the Spirit in divers words calling him the gift of God the free gift of righteousness the unspeakable gift the true Light that lightneth every man that cometh into the World the Power of God and the wisdom of God which wisdom and power they had received and because the Son of God was revealed in them The Apostle said I am a debter to the Jews and the Greeks Rom 1. 14. and he having received this freely of the Father he went to the ●ews and went to the Greeks to the Gentiles and Heathen where the name of this gift and power and Jesus had not been named and published freely without gifts and rewards and the necessity did lie upon him 1 Cor. 9 16. and the love of Christ which was shed abroad in his heart constrained him and made him reckon himself as a debter unto all because of the abundant loving kindness and riches of Gods love and grace and spiritual gifts which he had received he longed and thirsted and travelled to communicate it unto others Largely I might speak of this hidden mystery as to demonstrate what the Gospel of Christ was and is but in what I have already said them that are any thing spiritual minded will iudge that the Law and the Prophets Matthew Mark Luke and John and the Epistles was not the everlasting Gospel but it was a thing beyond and above and before any of these writings was although they all in their several ages bore Testimony of it viz. the power of God which condemns sin in the flesh and mortifies the deeds thereof and gives victory over it and taketh up all that believe in it into one life power and vertue into pure peace and heavenly contentment and perfect satisfaction So you who are calling the letter the Gospel or the new Testament writings the Gospel I would ask you a question also when was there a time since the first hundred years after Christ or in that time till now but these words and writings have not been spoken and preached bought and sold as a Gospel not only in the Church of Rome but also among all them that are separated from her even untill now this hath been preacht to Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and if the writings be the everlasting Gospel then how doth John say or why did he so say that the everlasting Gospel should go forth again and be preacht again after the Apostacy or to bring out of the Apostacy But it clearly implies the words had been preached and published and the temporary writings which was given sorth at divers times had been preached up for Gospel these many hundred years which many have received by tradition but the power of God and the gift of God by which and from which the Ministers of Christ in all ages ministered hath been wanting if not altogether lost for the most part among them that are called Christians Then what is the quarrel betwixt you and the Romanists it s but in translation at the most and while words and translations and vertions have been contended about the everlasting Gospel hath been hid Therefore all people are upon heaps and the Nations like waters rowling up and down in instabillity Now the reformed Ministry so called are in many things in the same practice with the former You deny an immediate call and sets up an outward Ordination and a form of Laying on of hands without the holy Ghost ordaining such and such who have some skill in natural Tongues or some words of Oratory to be a subject matter to make Ministers upon and that which they preach in words which hath been held in the form long without the life you call the Gospel and these are confined to a Parish as the former to such a Cloyster and such a Monastry and these preach for hire and gifts and rewards and for maintenance and kepts up all the soresaid wayes and maintenance as Lawful and will make people believe it is according to Gospel institution when alas it is but the Popes Tythes Oblations Obventions Mortuaries and Prayers for the Dead keeping up the wages but denyes the work And Tythe of all things as Piggs and Geese Hens and Eggs Apples and Cherries and Turnips and all nothing excepted this is a feeble thing as to hold out to people for Gospel maintenance and the preachers of the Gospel are ashamed of it Furthermore them that will not give it sue them at Law throw them into holes till they dye take away ten fold that which is claimed say the man is not subject to Gospel order denies Ministers maintenance this hath been crime enough to take away the estates and lives of men all this is in the Apostacy And seeing it is said we are under a Gospel administration and ordinances what do you with Organs whistlers and Pipes in any part of your Services this pertained to the Jews and not to the Primitive Church And what do you do with Surplices Tipets Hood and other strang● kind of Garments It may be the High-priests Garments or the Priests linin Ephod or linin breeches must be brought in for a Gospel proof and for an Apostolick Ordinance And what do you with the Popes Lent And why should the Popes Lent be among the reformed Protestants Churches forbiding meats and drinks And why forbidding marriage in Lent and who ordained these dayes What have they been borrowed from the Heathen Or are they looked upon to be such dayes as used to be cited in the Callender for the dog-dayes which have been brought from the Heathen and stands to this day in too much credit among believers so called And why is one day preferred before and above another and some counted holy dayes as though some others were unholy dayes and why such a Collect and such a Gospel and such a Chapter and such a Psalme mincing and cutting and severing the Scriptures into pieces and shreds Is this like Apostolick Doctrine Truly friends many things we have to say if you had an ear to hear and that upon good grounds we can speak that we look upon all

latter ages by the Apogates who had erred from the Spirit who then admired and set up natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make discourses speeches and Sermons to get money by and as they are holden up at this day are made an absolute Idol and as to their Practise it s generally known to be prophane and no way meet to advance the Church of Christ. CHrist Jesus the Everlasting High Priest and Minister of the Tabernacle when he was manifest in the fulness of time to fulfill the work which was given him to do of the Father he chused unto him twelve Disciples which believed in him men who were not brought up at Universities neither had studied Philosophy nor natural Tongues but some Fishermen and such as were illiterate to be Ministers of the glad tidings of the Gospel of peace to the Nations and their ability stood in the Spirit where the ability of all the Ministers of Christ now standeth viz. not in the Letter not in Philosophy not in natural Languages not in Gramar and Musick but in the Spirit which qualified them and from whence they received abilities to declare the word of Righteousness and by it they had skill to divide it aright and to give every one their Portion and to minister to every one suitable to their state in which they were and they were skilled in the word of Righteousnesse and many did believe through their Testimony though they had not the wisdome that was from below nor much read in natural Languages and some not learned at all yet they wanted not wisdome and utterance and words meet and suitable to declare and demonstrate the Heavenly mind of Christ although it is true many of the Jews and learned Rabbies opposed them and set them at nought the Philosophers Stoicks and Epicures resisted yet they desired not to be approved in that wisdome which man Teacheth but in the wisdome which is from above which the natural man with all his natural parts does not understand and natural men with their naturall parts despises the simplicity of the Gospel and they seek qualifications which the Lord never sought and such will not heed the qualifications which is laid down by them that were Ministers of Christ for they that had received the Spirit and were made Ministers by it were qualified by it and their holy conversations preacht unto others they were vigilent they were watchful they were sober they were in Temptations and Tryals but their lives were of good report no covetous persons seekers for their gain from their Quarters no Lords over mens faith nor Masters over mens Consciences but were servants unto all for Christs sake not like the Ministers in these dayes who will assume the office but has not received the gift of God neither are so qualified or fitted as they were who had no Universities nor Schools of Learning and these are they that cries up Natura Tongues and Languages as the chief Abilities of a Minister of Christ and that none are fit to dispence the word of God but such who are bred up and educated in these things and such in former daies dispised the Cross of Christ and the simplicity of the Gospel and set up Tongues above it and so do they now But let us consider whether soon after the Primitive times they had any such Universities or seven years prentiships as they have now or whether it was their practise to be studying these things which be bu● natural and whether they did esteem them as any way helpfull to the Ministry But that I may not be mis-understood I know each Language and each Tongue hath a proper signification and is not evil in themselves Schools of learning I am not against natural Languages they may be servicable for natural uses natural transaction in civil affairs betwixt Nation and Nation man and man but as they are extolled and cried up to be nurseries of piety and to fit men for the Ministry as to make it effectual is utterly false and more mischief is learned and impiety practised in these Universities then in any other parts of the Nation and indeed it is one of the main props and pillars of Antichrists Throne and Kingdome and that which upholds his seat And that they only are the only fitted and called men to Minister who have natural Tongues and have read a little in a few Heathen Authors and thereby is able to comment and make a discourse to the hearing of the ear but Gods witness is not reached at all and such dispises the spirit and sets light by them that enjoy it which clearly evidences they are out of the power of God which was among the first Christ●ans who received the Spirit and spoke from it which is only sufficient and able to make a Minister of Christ So let us see what antiquity saith Gaudentius de mor. secul Justinian saith We do not read that ever the antients did ever openly in Schooles Teach Philosophy since they did rather abhor it And saith a good Author I would fain see a man that could shew that Christians either before or in the time of Justinian did openly teach Philosophy And Hadrian Saraviah informs us the Primitive Christians had no Accademicall Schooles like to those now adayes yet there was one at Alexandria but in these Schooles they read only Catachristicall Lectures and we do not read of any Universitie of the Waldenses Albigenses and Bohemians for most of their Ministers were Tradsemen and Handy-crafts men and did not spend their time in reading tongues or studying Authors Herrald anaimad in ar nob The Christians in the Primitive times living excluded from all honours and Magistracies did neglect these Studies which were for the discharge of civil imployments because that Sophisters and Philosophers were the principal Enemies of Christianity Therefore upon this Account they condemned also all Politie Learning they condemned Tragedies and Comedies and other poetical writings being the main part of humane Learning as Judging they did not conduce to solid knowledge Tertullian Liber de Idolatr page 138 139. Judged that Schoole-Masters professing learning were guilty of great Idolatry because they only explained names and Genealogies and Fabulous Acts of Heathen Gods and generally believers in those dayes harbered a very bad esteem of Natural Learning generally the Christians were provoked thereunto because the Gentiles did upbraid them that the Teachers were Illiterate persons as Combers of woolls Weavers Fullers and the like These things being objected a-against the Christians The Christians on the other side rejected all Learning as an useless thing and no way advantagious to Salvation though their adversaries boasted of it Origen Lib. 3. saith the Christians did declare that men of any Condition might be saved Servants Idiots and Rusticks and such as the World valued as fools and that God did confound the wise in their own wisdome and Selsus as Origen in his Book saith that Christians