Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	jesus_n	son_n	14,487	5	5.3429	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44783	The beast that was, & is not, & yet is, looked upon: or, The bo-peeping beast pointed at: or, He that hideth himself hunted because of whom truth complaineth, and is spoken to by Pope and Prelate, by Presbyter, by Independent, by Quaker, by Baptist: together with her several answers to them all. Also one description of the beast. Also the coming forth and progress of the beast hitherto. Also an epistle to magistrates and law-givers, likewise, to take off prejudice if any be. Two epistles, one to the reader, and another to the Christian reader. VVith a true reproof to W.S. a Quaker, who in his book called The lying spirit in the mouth of the false prophet, wherein he endeavours to make men believe that he had answered H.H. his book, called The doctrine of the light within the natural man leading to eternal life, examined by Scripture-light.	Howet, Enoch.	1659 (1659)	Wing H3151; ESTC R215400	46,109	67

its own single Witness and denieth to be tryed by Scripture or any thing else but it self You try all your matter by that you call the light vvithin the natural man c. of vvhich light your spirit is the transfotmed Angel 2 Cor. 11.14 and things are like to go on in his side in his ovvn Court. We acknowledge the light vvithin the enlightned man vvhich agreeth with the Scriptures Heb. 10.32 compared vvith 2 Tim. 3.17 but not before illumination this is the light that enlightneth every man but vve must not acknowledge it but where it is It is good to answer Tempters by seeing the image or superscription though Tempters are more general It is certain there is something called a light by Christ that is in the unregenerate man and may be darkness Matth 6.23 Surely this must be yours for you own yours there and vvould have all judged by that and neglect Christ and his Apostles rules in Scripture And now to be short Friend you have not found out one particular in all my Writings whereunto you might apply your self as a just matter of your reproof therefore you fell upon me with many foul revilings onely there is a mistake in the quotation I not being at the Presse my self to correct it the place should have been 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. for which mistake you take him in a Snare that reproveth in the Gate and maketh a man an offendor for a word Isa 29.21 yea and that a word mistaken onely and that you do with most foul insultations In matters of the World he that should prosecute his Neighbor for vvitnessing the truth when he onely mistakes ●he place and ●and upon that point would be known amongst men as a cunning Knave As for the matter you made shew to answer you have given it all the go by yet you will be in Print Well according to Solomon in Prov. 26.5 I have answered you and according to his counsel in Verse 4. I shall not answer you except you shew more Wisdom you have asked me no question but what are plainly prevented in my Writings if you had eyes to see it you might see it therefore I refer all to the judicious Reader that shall read both Books Again you make something of the word Carpenters Son but that is your mistaking ignorance for it was he that the Jews vilified by that Name who is the Saviour of the world and Law-giver to Saints and as they reproached his meaness by that Name so you reproach the meaness of his Laws by the Name o● outside Law carnal unspiritual things as not high enough for him that exalteth himself above all that is called God or worshipped Therefore the VVord is a proper allusion to you you and the Jews both vilifying Christ and his Laws as too mean for you Again you play upon the word Taking it upon me as my duty you need not for it is a Scripture phrase Gen. 18.31 and whosoever is a VVitness for the Truth taketh up the Cross and upon him Christs burden which to do is my duty the word you see will warrant the phrase and that is more sure then your As God his movings I write against a Spirit and People in disobedience and I bended my writings against the thing wherein the deceit lay I did personally asperse no man but thou hast missed the point though thou comest forth as a man provoked and one in union with that Error I reproved and hast brought forth my Name and dwelling-place that thou mightest reproach me with railing terms upbraiding me with what men had done unto me and art to be reproved by Psal 50 19 20 and Jude 8 9 10. Is not this personal animosity Have you not need to plead for perfection that do such things Do you think your Spirit that hath set you about this is the spirit of God or no You must needs call this either envy or malice or both Is this any proof for your matter that you give folks to think you answer This is as impertinent as all the rest even so is thy calling that light in the natural man of which Christ saith Matt. 6.23 How great is that darkness the light of Christ and averring that I speak against it the Lord will uphold my good Name though thou wouldst blast it and make me content to go through thy evil report and be glad to see thee penitent and obedient to God that thou and I may enjoy that one life and truth together with the Apostles and Disciples and that God-man that dyed upon the Cross and is now with his Father and our Father in heaven which he gave in the dayes of his flesh and now maintaineth Written by an unworthy Servant of God who in Gods perfect way waiteth for visitations of that Spirit that is sent from the Father and the Son by that Man Jesus who is in Heaven in his eternal and unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 H. H. FINIS ERRATA Pag. 4 line 5. for talents read talands l 6. for peak r. beak l. 2● for Charts r. Church P. 12 l. 4 after the word Disciples r. truth speaketh l. 20. after the word mou●hr when that Statute is as the mouth of some invetera●e Clergy-men to hold mens estates in at their pleasure P. 16. l. 15. for Ecclesiasies r Nehemiah

one body Made ere they knew in infancie But Scripture Baptist doth them all deny For the good old way that Jesus walked in e Ier. 7.16 And the Apostles taught repenters to begin f Acts 2.38 Hereupon the spirit of the beast rouzeth up himself again Yea thinks the Quakers spirit then will I All that is called God or worshiped deny g 2 Thes 2. For where by order * by making false order I can have no place I must exalt my self to the disgrace * viz. in his deceived ones who exalt the sound of name but have being ignorant of the nature of the law of God and Christ Of God opposing order of his face Though God be the God of order Plainness of truth opposite to the beasts mysticall pretences GOD sent his son in flesh to come True naturall blood to shed And did ordain his death to be In simple man bake't bread And Vine fruit wine that men do drink Which God and man doth chear When in his ord'nance spirit joynd The price of Christs blood dear Shown to hold forth his death for sin Until he come again That is gone up true advocate Our cause for to maintain Where holy God and sinful man By Christ a treaty hold Who takes our prayers and there to God Our miseries doth unfold And doth return into our hearts The fruits of his blood shed True pordon strength comfort and joy By spirit witnessed Who doth with blood and water joyn One witness manifested a Iohn 1.5 8. In Gods one way whil'st men obey Repent and be baptised And then expect pardon of sin And holy spirit Gods gift b 2. Acts 38 Whil'st that our loves is prov'd to Christ In making it our stri●t For to keep all Gods commandments Where Scripture comfort dwells c Rom. 15.4 With Son and Father manifest Where men are not Rebels a Iohn 14 21. Hereupon the spirit of the beast proceedeth Thinks disobedient spirit I have No share in this strong Saviour I l'e cry down Lawes and holier be Then all that formes do favour In the eyes of those that have the love Of simple truth denyde I l'e serve their lusts and them perswade They need not to be ti'd I strong delusion can command Affections into tears b Ezek. 8 14 And cause men for to lean on God And so free them from fears c Mica 5.11 And cause men to protest to God That they 'l obedient be d Ier. 42.6 Yet his commandments to deny And say it is not he e Ier. 43. i 2 For in right steps of humbleness f Ps 17 11 They shall seem after God to press And though by Christs knowledge they scape Through lusts the worlds pollution g 2 Pet 2 20 Yet Gods commandments turning from They 're fast in my possession Although that they his way forsake They holiness may hold * The strength of delusion lieth in their seeming to themselves others to hold forth their formal holiness For I will spirit them my self Whil'st they 're fearless and bold I can my self transforme Into an Angels light And there maintain the light within The disobedient wight a 2 Cor. 11 14 2 Thes 2. Truth speaketh As righteous they must sure appear Whilst they can have the Skill To seem as Christs Apostles right And preachers of his Will b 2 Cor. 11 13.15 These were so far convinc't As to disclaim prophaneness But love of truth did not receive To bring them to obed'ence c 2 Thes 2 Self-love did them provoke Lest they should damned be Or of salvation be deny'd Prophaneness for to flee Doth it avail saith they To save us let us see All other Scriptures they throw by As useless for to bee Delusion speaks Therefore to them I me sent d 2 Thes 2 11. compared with 10 Verse Such lies they shall believe As me their inward Teacher to Prefer though God they grieve e Gen. 6.6 Before that simple Christ That Scripture-writing gave That men might read know his law And sure instructions have f 2 Pet. 1 19 20 2 Tim 3.17 Truth speaks The Man of God to make perfect And furnish him throughout There is a rule to know Gods will None need of it to doubt Delusion speaketh In mans imagination I le frame a lawless Christ And set my selfe up there as God And in his name be hi'st I le cause these to ascribe to me What ere to God is due And to my inward motions To flye from Scripture-view Remember Ahabs case 1 King 21.23 Truth doth and will conclude When beauteous holiness appears In sweetned-soul the dew of youth to bring Psalm 110 In morning womb it never fears To own its Jesus Lord and King That God-begotten Virgin-born That crosfide flesh was crown'd with thorn Hath saving power and law-giving In person place and time No true man can deny this thing And say he 's without crime That doth salvation to himself apply Whilst that obedience he doth clean deny Though faith and bapti'm in one book be writ Yea in one Chapter and in one Verse too Delusion saith he can the faith out pick And leave the bapti'm for some else to do Thus self-love his salvation minds Whil'st love of righteousnesse thinks fit To hate iniquity betimes The Oyle of gladness with his Christ to get a Psal 45.7 And thinks nothing for himself to imbrace To be too low carnal or base That his Jesus to his Apostles gave For Church direction but will tread the trace With Christ and his Disciples to his grave And knowes when 's left his body then that he From 's bodyes worship not before is free If our great God by such a lowly thing As blew in fringe would Israel mind Of their obedience to their Lord and King b Num 15 38 That they might not to their own heart Nor to their eyes be seeking With spirit of disobedience dark Though light calld go a-whoring Then think not baptism breaking bread Mean Lawes by Christ b'ing uttered Flying to holier spirit they think then Christ That doth and will exalt himself the high'st Within the disobedient child That is by spirit but not by God beguil'd To all Law-givers and Magistrates WIth the submission of a poor worm that is under your feet that you may behold what God hath given to my heart to write a warning to men and that you may avoid all provocations to that horrid sin of building up Sim with blood Micah 3.10 I tender this treatise to your view hoping that you will not despise the words of him that is as much your underling as any maid-servant to her Master though they may Contend with some of you Iob 11.13 Being I am heartily engaged by Christ Jesus my master to disswade all men from adhering to mans inventions or devices in and about the worship of God because they are so dangerous

compelled maintenance though some of us think our selves happy for having a Levite to our Priest viz. one of those the Clergy were wont to pray for viz. the whole Tribe of Levi by what name or title soever they were dignified or distinguished Judg. 17.13 But because we would not be too far separated from our Mother we love her a little she may strengthen us and we her we would have a little of her worldly esteem though the rude Multitude own us not in time we may be as much honoured for Godliness as our Grandmother and Mother is for their ability to prefer to setled honour and riches and for their flattery ease and lusts but we doubt we have a little of our Mothers pride and willingness to save our skins therefore we will be modestly Godly and that with so much wisdom as may keep as much of our mothers love and our Mothers friends as we can Also we have Pastors of our own chusing and some of us have Pastors that have no Authority from man nor descent from mans Authority yet we have our Grandmother and our Mothers baptism by vertue of the Popes Decree it was given to our Mothers Mother and so we have that from Antiquity and Succession If we should by denyal of that tear our selves from our Ancient Worship and deny the worlds Baptism and unchristian them all at once 〈…〉 we should lose all at once our relation and hopes of worldly promotion Truth speaketh To have a neer Relation to me onely in similitude will not make thee in Union with me to be almost a Christian like Agrippa is to be no Christian Act. 26.28 To be almost in heaven and go no further is never to come there there is many who undertake to counterfeit me but there is no likeness in all things of me but my self but the Counterfeits are in something lame or in something superfluous I agree with all and every command of God in Scripture and there is room for nothing else in me but what Scripture will own The Scriptures of Truth doth not clearly own you the Scripture clearly owneth that upon believing men and women ought to be and were baptized and walk together in Church-order of this there is many witnesses throughout the new Testament as Act. 8. and Act. 2 c. but not one witness that unbaptized persons walked in Church order or that Infants was commanded to be or was baptized of the first there is certainty neither thou nor all the Learned Rabbies in the world can deny it of the second there is but a May-be and that from mans inventions I charge you all and all that reads this writing as you fear God to search the Scripture and see if in this particular you can attain to a better proof then a May-be if thou canst not be ashamed and repent for I look at thee to have more shame in thee then either thy Grandmother or thy Mother and presume not above what is written you need do no more then Scripture warranteth you it hath enough in it if observed in Letter and Spirit to furnish the man of God throughly to perfection and all good works 2 Tim. 3.17 then lay aside all your Ordinances that are grounded upon May-be though the wisest men that ever were in the world invented them O consider God will take Vengeance on inventions though they be of Moses Aaron and Samuel Psal 99.6 to vers 8. Consider also that mans inventions diverteth him from his Uprightness Eccles 7.29 And whereas yon tell me of chusing Pastors your selves let me tell you Pastors and Teachers are given by God and not chosen by men and except it be found in Scriptures of Truth that man is directed to chuse any such Officers take heed lest thou erect an Idol of thine own invention in so doing instead of following Gods direction God knoweth well thou canst nor chuse as God chuseth for man looketh at the outward appearance viz. a man that delivereth well-composed words but the Lord knoweth the heart take heed lest those that thou hast chosen building upon their choice silence those Pastors which God hath given and that are gifted by God Thou art no more able to chuse a Pastor for thy self then a company of School-boyes are to chuse a wise learned Master therefore God no where in Scripture put the choice of Pastor into thy hands I advise thee take it not It is true that a company of men who have followed Christ in the Regeneration in Faith Repentance Baptism and in the Form have the Spirit and Life have heard and learned of the Father and have the Son revealed in them even as the outward skin of the body and the inwards as Heart Mind Members are all imbodied and presented to our Understanding in one Body so Form and Power living Faith and Repentance and prevailing Prayer which makes us as Israel viz a Prince prevailing with God like as the Tree and Fruit the Sap and the Rinde so Gods Order and Life are not to be separated but are one in another brought forth The Form obeyed being the Creatures Duty Life in the Form being Gods owning or acceptance in the Creature like a golden Sceptre stretched forth by God and like a seal of God set upon the creatures heart which maketh his heart merry the joy of the Lord being his strength Ephes 1.13 Eccles 8.10 A company of such men I say that so have entrance into the Kingdom of God viz. that have submitted to his Government receiving the new birth of water and the Spirit in baptism and all the following commands recorded in the written word that great Charter being their Law without mixture of mans inventions and thereby owning Christ to be their Lord and themselves to be inchartered Citizens he ruling over them not like those recorded in Luke 19.14 by the same Charter have authority to chuse two sorts of Officers for ordering of the outward man but a Pastor is a higher thing it is a gift of God a heart-feeding gift viz Bishops and Deacons the one to keep the Church in order the other to take care of the poors necessities to relieve them whose bowels of tender-heartedness have appeared to their natural Relations whose wisdom hath been fruitful in governing by love these may be chosen by mans Election if there be any that have the qualification the Scripture layeth down not else as in Tit. 1.6 If any be blameless c. There is no haste in chusing what God hath not marked out If God hath not given thee men of such qualifications as he approveth on thou hadst better be without Governors longer then to set up Antichrist in Christs chair In this sense He that believeth maketh not haste Isa 28.16 viz. to act without his Guiders rule The name of a Bishop hath the nature of his Office included into it which is ruling and oversight aptness to teach is but a qualification that any other Member may have

Psal 119.1 for it is less offence to bring a beastly Creature into a hogstie or any filthy place then to bring it into a Princes presence-chamber or a bed of love where there ought to be nothing loathsome but all to be lovely and love provoking Objects So is it less wickedness to have a mind and conscience defiled in beastly prophaness then to bring such a minde into the House of God the Church of the living God Tim. 1.15 That thy soul may bee deeply ingaged take notice of the whole Order of persons and things wherein thy communion lies with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 4. The whole Order is the innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly of the first-born that are written in heaven unto God the judge of all unto Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel In the first place consider whether the Father and the Son can have communion with thy sins thy worldly pleasures or pursued honours in a condition where right and strong and pure Objects of eternal love forceth the heart to a strong purgation 1 Joh. 3.3 No no all thy pleasures honours c. must be thrust from thee as a menstruous rag Secondly Consider whether such company can delight to talk with thee of good bargains the honour thou hast from great persons the delicates wherewith thy feasts are furnished and thy new fashions No no I tell thee the mind that can feed on these things is too defiled for Gods ways and can take no pleasure in Heavenly food a pure mind is capable of remembrance of the commandments of Christ and his Apostles 2 Pet. 3.2 of the enjoyning the commanded loving kindness of God which hath such warmth and power that it maketh them become one new heart with this new wine and Gods Song with them in the right when God useth their heart their joy and their and his own delight to sing his songs with and their prayer with the God of their life Psal 42.8 As if it were said God the life of his childrens prayer is with them in their act of praying They need not travel hundreds of miles to present their Petitions on pilgrimage the marrying of his body together and the rejoycing over them as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over his bride Isa 52.4.5 proves Gods presence at their heart-working-life Here here I say is perfection when God in a perfect way visiteth a perfect heart the living man is as well able to lay aside his breathing as these are able to forbear pressing on towards the mark Phil. 3.14 or to follow after God having no pattern but the Heavenly Fathers perfection to imitate Psal 36.8 being under the laver of that Blood which was shed by this eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Our perfection is in the life a working it is yet perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and whilst we draw our natural breath the blood of Christ in cleansing will do its work the fear of God its work and our Heavenly Father will stand for our Pattern and our Christ will be our life 1 Joh. 1.7 There is nothing but it may be yet a perfecting in us only our purchase by the blood of Christ is perfectly paid and in that sense it is finished and our salvation undertaken if either the Tempter were dead or we our selves stronger then Adam was in his innocency or the evil day and hour of our temptation past Gal. 6.1 we might speak of such a perfection as admitted of no imperfection but whilst the Scripture is of use let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and we may as the case now standeth with us with Paul speak of perfection and imperfection both in one Chapter Phil. 3. If thou beest undefiled in the way thy soul will be in this frame 1. Thou wilt not endure to see the least defilement in thy self without loathsome apprehensions of thy self and running to that fountain which is set open for sin and iniquity to wash in Zech. 13.1 And 2. If undefiled in the way thou wilt be always a running and not carelesly sleeping Heb. 12.1 but rather weeping with thy face thitherward Jer. 50.5 either for joy shame desire or all these so strongly will thy heart be ingaged to seek the Lord Jer. 30.21 A fourth caution Take heed that every one of you strive by watching begging of God beseeching one another to keep from among you Egyptian bondage this ruling one over another with rigor Exod. 1.13 14. which might not be one brother over another in the time of the Law Reason first because that love which procured the shedding of Christs blood hath caused his poor Members to be set as a Seal on his heart and upon his arm Cant. 8.6 and owned them for his people Isa 51.16 Therefore if thou hast Gods love shed abroad in thy heart to constrain thee afford it them out of thy breast A second Reason why we should not rule over our Brethren with rigour is we are and so was Elias subject to the like passions that any feeble brother is Jam. 5.17 and thou mayest come to be remoted Gal. 5.1 and it is possible thy temptation may be this that Satan may move thee to have low contemptible yea it may be hateful thoughts of thy brother and thou mayest have a Spirit of putting away and covering violence with a cloak Mal. 2.16 therefore take heed of this temptation The third Reason why not with rigour c. Because thou art not godly or Godlike in so doing for he did not take thee at advantages when he might justly have cut thee off but waiteth for thee that he may be gracious unto thee and will wait upon all to that purpose Isa 30.11 He cut none off suddenly in a few days or a week c. nor pressed thine offences to all advantages that he might break thee off he hath given contrary rules to that to his Apostles and Disciples how to move towards their Brethren Luke 17. the five first verses Let my fifth caution therefore be That for no supposed advantage sake or fear of disadvantage to the truth thou darest step from the Rule that Christ laid down one jot for if thou dost it is a judging of the Law-makers wisdom and foresight as if he did not foresee and provide in his rule for all following effects Secondly It is an exalting of thine own wisdom in that thou thinkest thou seest cause to be a ruler further then he hath left a rule to guide thee by Thirdly Thou mayest assay in so doing to prevent the fruit that God bringeth forth by contrary means In this case how far might Abrahams imagination have fought against Gods command He might have said of Isaac he was the son of the Promise and the Promised seed is in his loyns c. Amongst other Scriptures I offer to thy consideration

the Apostle We beseech you to be reconciled to God and not opposite to his gracious pardoning mercy in going about to take from man or to make useless the forgiveness of that blasphemy against the Father and the Son by the lips of Christ now in the dispensation of his Gospel granted and proclaimed Mat. 12.31 for without repentance there is no forgiveness and how can any repent when the sword of the Magistrate hath cut him off Concerning this there hath been something in a former Parliament Paul took not that course he did not flie to the Magistrate to have Hymenus and Alexander cut off but he took a course that made them capable of learning to amend 1 Tim. 1.10 which had not been lawful for Paul to have done had not Christ in his Gospel taken away the rigor of that Law which is written in the 24 of Leviticus and the 16. And upon this Gospel account Christ told James and John they knew not of what manner of spirit they were of For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.55 56. when they of Samaria would not receive Christ therefore if any sort of men like these companie of Priests that murder ●n the way by consent that are spoken of in Hos 6.9 for it cannot be thought these Priests took away temporal lives by temporal weapons should tempt you to mend those Lawes that Christ and his Apostles left for Church-government and give punishment for breaking them exceeding the severitie of the merciful Law-givers Edicts which tend to the peoples destruction when Christ the wiser then Solomon and therefore wiser then any prince or Synod that ever was or will be in this world gave only such punishment for breaking his Lawes as tended only to mans salvation neither hurting their persons estates nor liberties The Lord strengthen your hearts and give you courage to resist them who care not that much people perish by you● hands yea and by war and bloodshed rather then their Honor and easie fatt-conditions should go down and they should miss to be Lords over mens consciences and Gods inheritance Witness Love's treason There is no fore-sight like Christs nor nothing shall come to pass even to the end of the World which he fore-knew not and upon this account he left sufficient provision for the being and wel-being of his Church The very seed of the Devil when it sprang up Christ would not have his Disciples pull it up lest they should pull up the Wheat also thinking it safer to let manie wicked Imps grow then to venture the destruction of anie poor childe of God Then be not overcome to let anie be destroyed for Christs sake by the petitioners for destruction though those they vvould have destroyed are preseneed unto you for the Devils Ims being you have Christs directions in the case Matt. 13.28 29. I do hereby earnestly supplicate you to consider that England is not more dear in Gods eyes then sometime Israel vvas and may come to be if it bee not alreadie as far falne from grace as Israel vvas vvhen there was four hundred prophets for one Micah 1 King 22.6 When the zeal of Jezabel was such that she maintained four hundred and fifty prophets and four hundred prophets at her table all at once 1 Kings 18 19. and these false prophets that would flatter face-painting Jezabels and wicked Ahabs bare all the sway in Israel at that time when as prisons and threatnings of death for the truths sake was the portion of all the Micah's and Eliah's and to be hid in a Caves and fed with bread and water it is good to have such a holy jealousie as may provoke all that fear God to pray for the Land and the Rulers thereof and to warn our great ones that are Preist-feeders to look to it least their zeal deceive them not and that they be not found of that number that prepare a table for that troope and furnish a drink-offering for that number that are spoken of in Esa 65.11 to 16. and when Christ makes this great discovery their zeal be found no better then Jezabels was it must needs be thought that her Preists were confident else they durst never have joyned issue with Elias about the tryal of their God and his God therefore let the truth advise you not to trust for there is both learned Papists and learned Protestants and one or both of them must needs be in an error but bring all to the law and to the testimonies Esa 8.20 and if they deviate one jot from Scripture and give an invented may be in the room of it beleive them not but take notice that the Scripture is able to furnish a man of God throughly 2. Tim. 3.1.6 and there is no need of mans invented may be to be joyned with it and least our great ones way and their Preists way or peoples way should be a way of wickedness they are intreated to follow Davids example who was as right as any King or great man can come to be now adayes yet he was earnest with God to try him least his way was a way of wickedness Psalm 129.23 It is undoubtedly true that when the Prophets cry out to the Magistrates for harms to their neighbours for religion sake they are not of that spirit of Christ Jesus that came not to destroy but to save mens lives and if poor England or the rulers thereof be willing to hear this complaint then those sad words may bespoken of it as was spoken of Israel Ier. 5.31 viz. The Prophets prophesy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof And so it is that we being under another spirit then Elias was desire no harm to those destroyers from the Magistrate No no he might be quiet in his civil imployment if our enemies would trouble him about matters of religion no more then we do but we desire that none may be welcome to you that tempt you to keep us from the free plain use of the Scriptures of Christ in the simplicity thereof without spoyling us by Phylosophy or learned troops of figures which are vain deceit when they are used against the truth Iob 2.8 to which Scriptures we appeal utterly and that by the help of the same spirit that wrote them from all inventions of men whether brought forth by Synods or Assemblies of Divines or any others and according to my duty in the name of Christ my Master I warn you in the love of God who is love that you suffer the word of God to run and be glorified in the same uncompoundedness that Christ and his Apostles left it without changing the Laws thereof or giving any other punishment for breaking the Laws thereof then Christ and his Apostles left order for in the Scriptures man can as harmlesly endeavour to change the Orgins and light by

Lord and saviour Rev 15 3 if thou mean to sing his praises in heaven and thou hast no other weapons but the word of thy testimony and the blood of the Lamb and wo wil be to them that sight in Christs quarrel with any other weapons the one is to keep out subjects and spirit of Abaddon who fight with carnal weapons and provoking temptations to destroy one-another which you wil easily see if you compare the 38 of Ezek 10 with Rev 20 8 thy heart being sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb they would destroy thee too if this blood did not ke●p them out but no child of God can be destroyed though his body perish when his heart is held up in its rejoycing delight in God prisons and enemies and all persecution being but keyes to open the hear to God more abundantly and messengers to bring Gods presence into it to keep his heavenly court there then thou wilt not be provoked at thy enemies further then to pittie them and pray for them and do them good the other is the Scriptures which is the word that Christ thy Captain fought this beasts spirit with when he bare testimony against him with it is written and that is the word of the testimony it is written will find all his members out it will approve the proved perfect way of God and discover every false way and that thou and I may walk in the fear of God and comforts of his spirit with the Churches of Christ Acts 9 31. and also in the comfort of the Scripures our way being there recorded Rom. 15 4 we behaving our selves wisely in a perfect way waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus to us Psal 101 2 may walk with a perfect heart is the desire of thy companion in the faith and under the cross of Christ H H To the Reader REader if thou hast a desire to take him in a snare that reproveth in the Gate Esa 29 21. and endeavoureth to make ie matter for thy hating or persecuting spirit to work upon that these things are written against thee as the Pharisees did against my master Christ unworthy I to call him so yet he having given me grace to be faithful and commanding his loving kindness into my heart and opening my heart to receive his father and himself and ovvned me and caused me to ovvn him I am bound to tell thee that thou mayest shevv thy self of the Pharisees spirit and as one of them by so doing But the children of truth follovving the example of their Lord and Lavv-Giver endureth contradictions of sinners Heb. 12.3 vvithout heart-rising-malice or procuring evil or persecution to them but their rule is to love their enemies pray for them that persecute them the Scripture cannot shevv any Disciple that ran to the Magistrate for help against any disputant the Disciples of Christ have all one spirit even the same that Steven had that the gain-sayers could not resist the vvisdom of it and not the Magistrates svvord at their call neither dare they lay it upon the right eye of their enemies that they neither dare look upon nor speak truth because of it Zach. 11.17 though it be the gain-sayers portion yet it is not from Christs Disciples if they should not be inslaved that are fed and maintained by the Magistrate they could not be idle shephards but vvould break through all difficulties to look upon the light though it cost them vvhatsoever harm the svvord that lieth upon their eye could do them Truth and those that are of it begotten are vvilling to come to the light to have their practises and opinions manifested for it delights to be exactly searched and examined and the more contradictions are endured and the current of them not stopped the more it shineth I advise thee to understand that this little book is not written against any persons but such as are ticntured with the spirit of that beast it is a hunting to discover for this spirit cannot be attributed to Presbyterian or Independant or Quaker or Baptist no not to Pope and Prelate alone or at all except they have the acts and instruments of cruelty mentioned by them which are the cognisance of the fourth beast that hath no certain creatures form Dan. 7.7 as the other of the three had but was dreadful and terrible to shew it was a persecutor it had great Iron teeth ten horns which are instruments of cruelty it brake in peices devoured and stamped the residue viz. all but it self here is acts of cruelty indeed O how like this beast is those religious people that would destroy all religions but themselves by the Magistrates hand for non-conformities sake to themselves but this beast is in every place yea in the very Temple of God 2. Thes 2.1 and wheresoever there is either power of man spirited to be Abaddon and Apollons subjects or of spirit that opposeth either spirit or form that agree together in the true witness and worship of God or wheresoever that opposing spirit maintaineth his breath there will some time or other appear the Tallands or the ten horns or the stamping power or some deceivableness of unrighteousness that is in them that perish yea though it be the very subtilty of him that can transform himself into an Angel of light and these are all members of that self hiding beast Wheresoever or among what people soever this beast hath lost his honour in one form he taketh up another yea and rather then fail of his purpose denyeth all formes so that it may be said he was and upon his hiding himself he is not there where he was as visibly and formally the same and yet is the same spirit of that beast that ruleth in the children of disobedience that alwayes either opposeth the plainness or the spiritualnesse of Christs commands one while saying they are too low or foolish or carnal as water baptism c. for those that look after spiritual light to one another while exalting a false form another while added form without either spirit or life and thus he playeth bow-peep appearing on the one side and on the other here and there when and where he is discovered changing his form or peeping out without any form and it is apparent that he ascendeth out of the bottomless pit because no rule that Christ hath given in his word can measure him he dsiclaimeth that when it would discover him and then telleth you that the place he cometh from is the movings of a spirit and in this it is bottomless because no right reason nor measuring line can declare where or what or when this spirit will make his progress or try his work that refuseth all tryal but himself These things considered let not the Clergy be enraged that this writing hunteth after this beast if it be not amongst the Clergy or Presbitery in England it may be it wil be found in Rome and some other land let them help me to

hunt him out If they do not rather compell by the Magistrates sword into conformity then convince by sound doctrine the gain-sayers T●tus 1.9 2 Tim. 2.25 and not desire them to be rooted out of their dwellings to be cast into prison to have their goods spoiled for want of conformity to them if they be content not to be chief of all that come forth in the name of God viz. not to give Laws to all so that none may preach without their authority and let Gods authority without mans serve the turn if they can be content that any man cast out Devils Mark 9.39 if they can be quiet in mind to see others preach Christ that have not authority from them and rejoyce in it though he be preached of envy Phil. 1.15 if they be without all the forenamed instruments and acts of cruelty nor have no heart to desire nor sue for power to force conformity to them by the Magistrates sword then they are no members of the Beast that this book pointeth at Hovvsoever none can deny but that some Presbyterians and Independants are held in their forms upon account of riches and honour or for some self-engagements sake although most or all may not be so vvhich I am afraid are there is novv so much light abroad according to Daniels Prophesie Dan. 12.4 that if there vvere such a povver upon them as could make their hearts manifest as one day there shal be some of them must needs ovvn some part of the speeches that are spoken in this book to be the very thoughts of their hearts that they take comfort and have their standings maintained from the causes inserted there and other-some the rest and some all hovvever I am excuseable because the spirit of God out of the mouth of Jesus Christ my master in the undvidiing expression said Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites although some of them proved believers they were then the guides though blind ones teachers of Jsrael a people that God loved somtime as wel as ever he did England also Christ reproving Lawyers spake wo to them in general Luke 11.46 though some of them proved good men as Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus c. then it is possible that England may be as blind led as Israel then was for the Pharisees and Lawyers was as learned then as ours now are therefore Reader take heed that thou let not thy heart rise against this book by unconsiderate prejudice read it ponder it to this purpose 1. Take heed of retaining that spirit that thinks himself wise enough to controul plain commands of Christ in Scripture 2. Also if the plaines and simplicity be that that offended thee in Christs Lawes read Mat. 11.6 and seriously consider whether the practise of the Apostles and Disciples for 300. years after Christ be not a good expositer of the Law and that thou need not go to spirits or Angels for a higher exposition against their plain practises 3. Consider in thy mind whether any Statute recorded in the Scripture can be repealed but by a Statute there also recorded and then take heed of changing Christs Laws upon mans authority 4. Do not believe because the falling away is great that therefore the Law of baptising beleivers is cancelled for if the command were not yet in force there could be no falling from it 2. Pet. 2.21 5. Understand that whosoever falleth away yet are religious must needs have some inventions of man by Satans inward working either that the Rule is not exact enough then meditate Eccles 7.16 or that it is too strait then carry thy meditations to the written Word Isa 8.28 and there pitch down thy Standard for truth 6. If truth of God stir thy mind to trouble and the Word carry a sharp edge rightly applyable to thee take heed that Satan work thee not into the rage of revengeful persecution Psal 76.10 and then thou may come to approve thy self to be a Christian Reader which is the desire of the servant of Christ who is a well-wisher to the whole Creation H. H. A true Reproof of W. S. SIR HAving known your discretion in other things I cannot but wonder that you should seem to suppose that you have any thing like an Answer to H. H. in your Book but much more should I marvel that you should say It is hard to draw Wine out of thy Lees Which is as much as to say It is hard to answer that which you go about to answer And though you see your self blundered in what you are about to answer that you would go on viz to heal those that Truth woundeth but that I consider that when once your heart cometh to engage in error then wilful ignorance tempts God and hardens your hearts against evident truth of God then yours ceaseth to be an outward single disobedience but it is an inward heart working God-tempting though ignorant Error which is not charged in this place of Heb. 3.8 9 10 11 12. with ignorance of God but of his Wayes and in this appeareth a heart of unbelief in departing from the living God when men are wilfully ignorant and have a heart set against his Wayes Wherefore herein you prove your selves to be of the shameless generation spoken of in Ier. 6.10 your spirit is not ashamed to take the Name and Title of God and you are not ashamed to say you are moved by God when indeed you are moved by the Evil One you giving and he taking the Name of God or rather the using your lips to exalt himself above God with 2. Thess 2. and also in that he maketh you his voice by his own Authority to proclaim null the Laws that God made by Jesus Christ and without any Warrant from Christ or his Apostles crying down that vvhich they taught and practised either they or you must needs be of Satan being that the Scripture saith If we or an Angel from heaven teach unto you another Gospel then what we have preached to you let him be accursed Gal 1.8 You say in your Book I deny I am made to stand a witness against thee in the power of the Lord vvhilst I hold up that Gospel What self-exaltation is here What proof is here of your matter Here is great swelling Words do you think your Spirits Authority enough so that he need not to use Scripture to prove his matter by when he is questioned Then he seems in this as in other things to be above Christ by his own exaltation for Christ when he met vvith your spirit in temptation though he be the Son of God yet used Scripture saying It is written and in his Word by the mouth of John appealeth to Record saying There are three that bear record on earth the Spirit Water and Blood and these three agree in one but your Spirit is so far from agreeing that it opposeth two of them wherefore it cannot be the Spirit of God your Spirit cometh forth in