in this world but I shall prove that Christ doth present his whole Church perfect before God the Father For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctefied Heb. 10. 14. But some people may say how are we sanctified My answer is through beliefe and obedience to the truth for Christ saith plainly Iohn 17. Sanctefy them through thy truth Thy word is truth Christ is the word and the word is Christ which is revealed in his glorious Gospel Again I can prove that Christ hath a triumphing Church here upon earth but that the Bishops and their Clergy utterly deny But if I aske any of them if they beleeve that the Gospel of Christ was preached by Christ and his Apostles here on earth they will answer yea then I answer to them again as in 2 Cor. 2. 14. Now thanks be to God who alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ Iesus for Mercy Love and Charity rejoyceth and triumpheth against judgment for S. Iames saith plainly He shall have judgment without mercy which sheweth no mercy and mercy rejoiceth against judgement But what judgment I say not against the righteous judgment of God but against rhe divill and his false and deceivable judgment thus I have proved in briefe that God hath a triumphant Church here upon earth Againe I can prove that all those people that are and shall be sanctified by the divine power of the word of God they are thereby made both God and man but that the Bishops and all their Clergy utterly deny but if I aske any of them if Christ be not God and man they will answer yea then my answer is 1 Iohn 4. 17. as he is so are we in this world For know you not how that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 18. 5. again 1 Cor. 6. 19. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holyghost which is in you again Eph. 4. 4. There is one body and one spirit one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Now if God the Father and God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost be in his people by the divine power of their word I hope there is no man can prove me a lyer because I say Christ and his Church is God and man for as a temporall tree hath a aboundance of boughs and branchès and all make but one tree so on the other side all those people that shall be reconciled to Christ and to the obedience of his word they shall be joyned to his glorious body and all make but one compleat body though they shall be infinite in number for the Apostle saith plainly Col. 2. Ye are compleat in him who is the head of the Principalities and powers Again as a temporall tree all the boughs and branches have their life and nourishment from the roote and stock so on the other side all the children of God have their life and nourishment from Christ and the divine power of his word which is revealed in his Gospel Again I can prove that all those people that are and shall be sanctified by the divine power of the Word of God they are thereby made Kings Priests and Prophets to God but the Bishops and their Clergy say there shall be no more Prophets but I have proved and shall prove that that they themselves are all false Prophets which oppose themselves against the plaine truth of God It is written Reve. 1 By the blood of Christ we are made Kings and Priests unto God the Father This point of Scripture doth plainly prove that it is not in a Bishops power to make a man a Priest for the spirit of God proves plainly it is by the vertue and divine power of the bloud of Christ Again 1 Pet. 2. Ye are a royall Priesthood to shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknes into his marvilous light But how shall the people shew and set forth those Riches and Honour and Glory that belongeth to Christ and his Church but by declaring of his Word which is revealed in his Gospel wherefore I praise God I plainly understand because the Bishops and their Clergy will suffer none but themselves to be teachers in the Churches but now I make no doubt but God will have his power knowne that he will allow and maintaine that al his people shall be preachers according to that rule which the Apostle sets forth 1 Cor. 14. 29. Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the other judge for yee may all Prophecy one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted For to Prophecy is to open and unfold the Mysteries and Parables in the new Testament to the true meaning and signification againe he saith in the 37. verse If any man thinke himselfe to be a Prophet or spirituall let him acknowledge that these things that I write unto you are the Commandements of the Lord. Marke I beseech you the saying of the Apostle first he exhorts the people saying When the Church are come together they all may Prophecy one by one that is in an orderly and decent way for these things that I write are the Commandements of the Lord Hereby I plainly understand and prove that God hath commanded that every man should have free liberty to exercise his gift according to that measure of grace which God hath given him now because I have desired to declare my mind to the people in Churches to the praise and glory of God as he hath commanded me to do by the divine power of his spirit above which is agreeable to his word here below for this cause I have bin ten times cast into prison Againe one of the Church-Wardens a Schoole-Master which by his Greeke and Latine tongues hath advanced himselfe to a great deale of Worldly wealth he commanded two of his Schollers to hang me in the Church for they and he flew upon me and put a cord about my necke and had almost mur thered me in the Church Now I made my complaint to a Magistrate but his answer was that I had no authority to speake in the Church Indeed I have no authority from the Bishops but I hope all those that shall read my booke or here it read may plainly understand that I have authority from a glorious God whose power and authority will be found to be greater then the Bishops wherefore I now appeale to the most Honorable High Court of Parliament hopeing to find mercy and justice at your hands for I have already proved the Bishops and all their Clergy to be theeves and robbers and now I shall prove them againe to be murtherers in a spirituall way for the Apostle saith plainly 2 Cor. 3. the Letter killeth I understand and shall prove that the Letter that killeth signifieth the Divill and the old Law for the old Law is the spirit of bondage and so is the Divill for
The Spirituall Verses and Prose OF JAMES HUNT CONCERNING THE ADVANCMENT OF Christ his glorious and Triumphing Church Which by degrees shall flourish over the face of the whole world which will be to the overthrow of the Divill and the false Church Dedicated to the Kings most Excellent Majestie and to the most Honorable and High Court of PARLIAMENT London Printed for J. H. 1642. The Spirituall Verses and Prose OF JAMES HUNT NOw Christian reader the Apostle S. Paul saith plainly Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Wherefore by that grace that God hath given unto me I have writ some part of my mind in a spirituall song which will be to the praise and glory of God and to the confounding of the divill For my prose will cleare and prove my verses to be sound and true for Christ Iesus who is the perfect God he saith plainly Iohn 16 When he the Spirit of truth is come he will reprove the world of judgment Now by that spirit of truth which our glorious God hath given unto me I will plainly and boldly say if I have not thereby I say by the help and power of God reproved and quite overthrowne the Bishops and all their Clergy both in their doctrine and in their judgment as concerning true and sound Religion I will desire no mercy but be content to be put to death under the judgment of the high Court of Parliament whom God I hope hath gathered together for the tryall of the Spirits Wherefore I Iames Hunt a Minister and Messenger of Iesus Christ do humbly beseech you all for the mercies of God and the true love that is in Iesus Christ that you will observe the Councell of Saint Paul which saith Quench not tht Spirit despise not Prophecying but prove all things and hold fast that which is good Wherefore I beseech you to read my book thorow with observation which I hope will be to your everlasting joy and glory Christian Brethren it is written Reve. 19. 11. Behold a White horse and he that sat on him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnes he doth judge and make Warre I understand he that sits upon the White horse signifieth Christ and his Ministers which are men of Warre to fight the spirituall battle of the Lord For he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. Wherefore I Iames Hunt to London come As Souldiers do by sound of the Drum To see if there be any spirituall Souldier in this towne That can be able the plaine Plow-man to confound If there be any such here or shall come hither I pray let him be Captaine to weare the Feather But some of the Clergy say I am a foole It is because I am not taught in their schoole Why Mus a Mouse and Pediculus a Louse Will not that serve in a Country House But Greeke and Latine I must you tell I pray will you my words marke well Your kingdome will be quite throwne downe By the cleare voice of the trumpet sound For you have so many false doctrines rais'd By your Latine tongue and Greeke phrase That now I trust in our glorious God The plaine English tongue will winne the praise For there are very few Mysteries in the Gospel that be so strong But they may be unfolded by the plaine English tongue But Greeke and Latine have you not heard of the great whore That seekes my life for to devoure Her name is Mystery Babilon the great For Greeke and Latine is her seat By which she hath advanc'd her selfe to great honour and renown But the sword of truth will cut her downe For I understand by Gods great power She shall be confounded in one houre Wherefore Greek and Latine if you be offended at my writing or by my word I pray let you and I try it out with the spirituall sword Therefore looke to your selfe that you do not prove a Cow And so it may be said as it was to your Captaine William I pray thee who is most foole now For the deepest scholler in Cambridge Schoole May be taught wisdome by Christs foole But Greeke and Latine you say that I do climbe too high Your Pulpit I must not come nigh But I shall prove your doctrine is neither cleare nor sound Therefore I pray let me get up and do you come downe Now Greeke and Latine which in worldly wisdome do excell What can you say do I not follow my text well For I praise God I have wounded the Whore upon the head That she will bleed till she be dead For all the Doctors in Rome and Spaine Cannot heale her up againe For the Spirit of God will burne her downe And lay her Levell with the ground I meane by the powerfull preaching of Gods word Which is the powerfull and fiery sword Againe Greeke and Latine your halter will be fited to your head For you will be hanged till you be dead For I shall prove to you in briefe She is a murtherer and a thiefe And thus I end my spirituall song Hopeing I have done no man wrong For by speaking that which is just and true I shall give the Bishops Clergie their full due For by the helpe and power of God I will boldly say with S. Paul 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Which things we speake not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but that which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall that is comparing spirituall light with spirituall light and spirituall darknes awith spirituall darknes For all false doctrine with false worship is discovered and overthrowne by the power and glory of the light which is revealed in the Gospell of Christ Which things we speake not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth marke this point I beseech you for the Apostle saith plainly not in the words that mans wisdome teacheth I understand an naturall man that hath but the light of nature may be taught the Latine and Greeke tongue by his tutors instructions but the Apostle saith in the 14 verse The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God neither can he know them for they are foolishnesse unto him And I have proved it so to be for I have bin this seven yeare among the Clergy in this City and and in the Country to prove that by the coming of Christ in the flesh and his suffering one the Crosse and the power of his resurection he hath ransomed his people quite off from the old Law and Testament which is the bondage of death and corruption But unto this day I can find but one man among them all that will beleeve the plaine
evident truth therefore I shall prove their doctrine is pure in shew but little in substance For God doth not tye himselfe to the Art of schollership which the Clergy have bin taught in the University for he saith expresly by the divine power of his Word 1 Cor. 1. God chooseth the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty Wherefore I say plainly God hath raised me up to shew his power in weaknes to confound the Bishops and all their Clergy both in their doctrine and their judgment as concerning true and sound Religion It is written in Reve. 20.8 concerning Gog and Magog I understand this Gog and Magog signifieth the divill and all his carnall ministers which are alwaies raising up warr and battle against Christ and his elect children it is said in the 9. verse They Went upon the breadth of the earth and camped the Saints about I understand and can prove the Pope and all his Clergy and the Bishops here in England and all their Clergy upon both sides they have blinded and deceived all those people that are as yet held under their power Again for the Turke the divill hath his carnall ministers amongst them whereby he hath deceived all those that belong to his Kingdome Againe for the Heathens the divill hath his heathen Philosophers wherby he hath deceived all those that belong to his dommion Thus the divill and his carnall ministers have spread themselves over the whole world but it is said fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them I understand and shall prove the fire that commeth downe from God out of heaven signifieth the divine power of the word of God in the Gospel of Christ which shall shine so cleare and powerfully that it will burne and consume all false doctrine which belongeth to the divill For Iohn Baptist was a burning and a flaming light Againe it is said of our glorious God Heb. 1 Who maketh his ministers a flaming fire For as a temporall fire will burne temporall buildings down to the ground even so the Word of God in the Gospell will bee a spirituall fire to burne down all false doctrine and false worship by degrees from the face of the whole world and Christ and his glorious Church shall flourish Wherefore I say with S. Paul 1 Cor. 3. 12. If any man shall build on this foundation I mean upon the bodily Temple of Christ which is the glorious Church if he shall build gould silver precious stones every mans worke shall be made manifest for the day declare it that is the light of Gods word shall prove his doctrine whether it be sound or false if any mans worke abide he shall receive a reward that is a reward of eternall glory but if any mans worke shall be burnt he shall suffer losse but he himselfe shall be saved so as by fire I understand if any man have gathered to himselfe any doctrine which is contrary to the word and will of God he must count that labour to bee as lost but when hee shall bee reconciled to Christ and to the obedience of his Word hee shall bee saved by the divine power thereof which signifieth the Holy Ghost and fire Now I say plainely if there bee any Divine or any other man that can finde any one place of Scripture in the new Testament for to prove the ministration of the old Testament is to be joyned to the glorious Church of Christ which is his body if I cannot finde 3 other plaine truths to burne up his judgement I will be content to be burned under the judgment of the high Court of Parliament whom God I hope hath gathered together for the tryall of the spirits wherefore we receive a Kingdome that cannot be moved that is such a Iesus and such a Gospell as shall abide and remaine for ever let us have grace to serve God with reverence and fear For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. Now I will shew you how God is a consuming fire two wayes First he is the fire of love to burn and consume all false doctrine and false worship out of the hearts and minds of the people as for to cause them to hate and forsake it For Christ so loved his Church and gave himselfe for it that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle Ephes 5. This place of Scripture doth signifie that Christ would have his people to be so chast unto himselfe and to his Gospell that it should be free from all false doctrine and false worship which belongeth to the divell For God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him herein is our love made perfect that wee may have bouldnes in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world and so I praise God am I in this world for the spirit of God drawes but one way that is to Christ and to the obedience of his glorious Gospel But on the other side God will be found to be the fire of Wrath to destroy all those carnall ministers or any other false powers whatsoever it be with everlasting plagues and torments of hell fire that shall wilfully fight against Christ and against the divine power of his word if they do not repent and yeeld obedience unto it as I prove plainly in 2. Thes 1. 7. When the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the glorious Gospell of the Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power Thus I have shewed you in breife how our God is a consuming fire two waies For God hath commanded me to sing a joyfull and a mournfull song To shew and prove by the divine power of his word his mercies and his judgments they are both exceeding strong His mercies towards all those that shall love and him obey But his fiery wrath judgments towards those that shall refuse and still say nay It is written Eph. 5. 13. All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light Now by that glorious light God hath given me I will shew you in breife what abominable hipocrites the Bishops and all their Clergy are in the sight of our glorious God for they are alwaies teaching and preaching that the people may love God and obey his commandements but I shall prove that they are the men that are enemies against God and will not obey his Commandements for the first point I shall prove that all those divines that do deny the divine power of the word of God they are enemies against God now the Bishops and their Clergy say that there is no perfection for the people so long as they are here