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
the Apostle saith plainly and so say I Rom. 7. 6. Now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held as held under the chaines â—nd bondage of Sathan that we should serve in newnes of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter I say in the newnesse of the Gospel not in the oldnesse of the Law but the Bishops and al their Clergy teach the people saying the old Law is the rule of obedience but I shal plainly prove the more they bring the people under the obedience of the old Law the more they bring them under the bondage of the divell for S. Pauls zeale was to the old Law when he was a persecutor of the Church of Christ and then I hope you wil al say with me in so doing he was an enemy to God and a friend unto the divel for hee saith plainly Phil. 3. Concerning zeale persecuting the Church touching the righteousnesse that is in the Law blamelesse Thus I have proved to you in brief that S. Pauls zeal was to the old Law when he was a persecutor of Christ It is written Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch as the children were made partakers of flesh and bloud Christ himselfe took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell and so deliver all those who through feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage I have already proved that the old Law is the spirit of bondage and so is the divell which Christ hath redeemed all those people from that will be reconciled unto him and to the obedience of his Word Thus I have plainly proved the Bishops and all their Clergy to be murderers in a spirituall way Againe I have proved them all to be theeves and robbers for by their false doctrine and false power they rob the Church of Christ of those riches honour and glory which belongeth unto it Againe I have proved them all to be abominable hypocrites which alwayes are teaching and preaching that the people must love God and obey his commandements and yet themselves are enemies against God and will not obey his commandements for they will not suffer those things to be done in the Churches which God hath commanded by the divine power of his Word and the plain truth is the Magistrates and Church-Wardens doe yet maintaine and uphold them in their abominable wickednesse I pray God give them all grace to be reconciled to be reconciled to Christ and the obedience of his Word which if they shall wilfully refuse to do they will be sure to draw downe the fiery wrath of God upon their own soules Wherefore I hope if the Magistrates and Church-Wardens shall understand by the powerfull Word of Gods command that God hath raised me up to be a true and sound Preacher of hiâ— Word I hope you will all have that wisdome to lay down your persecutinâ— sword Againe I understand the cause why the Bishops all their Clergy anâ— doctrine is so false and exceeding poore is because they are climbers and come not in by the doore It is written Acts 19. A certaine man named Demetrius a Silver-Smith which made Shrines for Diana brought no small gaine to the craftsmen whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation and said Sirs you know that by this craft we have our wealth This place of Scripture gives a plain and perfect resemblance concerning the Bishops and all their Clergy who by the art and craft of schollership which they have learned in the Vniversity have gathered to themselves such abundance of worldly wealth and earthly magnificence now they begin to call and gather themselves together saying if wee shal suffer the plain English tongue to be Preachers that wil be a means wherby our art of schollership wil be little set by or come to nothing and the plain truth is I have already proved and shall prove again in briefe their doctrine wil be found as just nothing for the Apostle saith plainly so say I 2 Cor. 5. 11. If any man be in Chtist he is a new creature and to be a new creature is to be reconciled to Christ and to the obedience of his Gospel Old things are past away behold all things are become new The old things that are past away signifie the ministration of the old Testament which Christ hath redeemed us from Now we know in all the Churches in England which have been for a long time held under the power and government of the Bishops and their Clergy First they read a lesson in the old Testament and another in the New and when they are up in the Pulpit they joyn in their doctrine the ministration of the old Testament and the New together and in so doing they have blinded and deceived all those people that are as yet held under their power Thus I have proved in brief their doctrine is as just nothing Wherefore now I make no doubt but that Prophecie which is written in Rev. 18. wil be first fulfilled in the Bishops and all their Clergy here in England which saith in one houre so great riches are come to nothing so I hope all those that shall read my book or heare it read so much as may be read in one houre may plainly understand that I have by the help and power of God stripped the Bishops and all their Clergy quite naked even as naked as a new-shorne sheepe that hath nothing to cover her nakednesse but they scorne to learn of me whom God hath raised up to shew them how they might be cloathed with Christ his glorious robe of righteousnesse that the shame of their nakednesse might not appeare Wherefore now I trust in God that saying wil be brought to passe which is written in the eleventh Verse no man buyeth their merchandize any more for all people by degrees shall see and understand that their doctrine is so full of heresie and hypocrisie which is so hatefull in the sight of our glorious God that no man that loves God will buy of their deceiveable doctrine any more Now I come to my text againe Behold a white horse and he that sate on him was called faithfull and true and in righteousnesse he doth judge and make warre I say once againe he that sitteth upon the white horse signifieth Christ and his Ministers which are men of war to fight the spirituall battell of the Lord. It is said in the 14. Verse the armies that followed him I say that shall follow after Christ and his Ministers it is said they were upon white horses we all know in a temporall warre the horsemen are very great in force and power so in like manner all those people that shall follow Christ and his Ministers their force and power will be exceeding great that we need not feare nor doubt but that we shall get the victory for the glorious unity Father Son and Holy Ghost will helpe
us to fight the battell Now by the help of God I will shew you in brief what are the spirituall weapons that the souldiers of Christ must take up to fight against all false doctrine and false power that belongeth to the divel It is written in Eph. 6. Stand fast having your loynes girt about with truth for the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ioh. 1. Wherefore if any Divine shal tel you that the old Law is to be joyned to the glorious body of Christ you may answer him plainly he speaks not the truth Again put on the brest-plate of righteousnes not the righteousnes which is of the Law which S. Paul calleth his own righteousnes For if righteousnes come by the Law Christ died in vain Gal. 2.21 For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 God hath made him to be sin for us which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnsse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Thus I have proved in briefe the brest-plate of righteousnesse signifieth Christ and his Word which is revealed in his Gospel Againe Having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Christ saith In him we shall find peace that is al those that wil be reconciled to Christ and the obedience of his Word Christ wil speak peace to their soules For all the promises of God are in him yea and Amen to the praise and glory of his grace For Christ who is the perfect God he saith plainly Ioh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you hee that heareth my Word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life that is from the death and bondage of sin and Satan by the vertue and divine power of the Word of God in the doctrine of the new Testament which is the life of glory and grace Againe take the shield of faith whereby ye shal be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked It is written Gal. 3.11 The just shall live by faith and the Law is not of faith I say not of the lively and justifying faith for S. Paul saith plainly and so say I Gal. 5.16 By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified for Christ was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord which is by the divine power of his Word which signifieth the shield of faith Againe take the helmet of salvation for now I praise God I plainly understand that saying wil be brought to passe that is written Luke 3. All flesh shall see the salvation of our God for now a glorious God wil shew and set forth by the divine power of his Word Christ and the true Church from the divel and the false Church that al people by degrees shal discerne the one from the other with the eyes of their understanding as plainly as they may discerne the Sun from the Moone with their bodily eyes so all people shal be forced to see the salvation of our God whether they wil or no. For God by the divine power of his word will open the eyes of the people so cleare that they shall plainly see and understand that there is no salvation to be attained but by Christ and by the divine power of his word which is the helmet of our salvation so all those people that will be reconciled unto it they shall see it to their everlasting joy and glory But on the other side all those people that shall wilfully fight against it they shall see it to their eternall death and damnation if they do not repent and yeeld obedience unto it Again take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God the sword I understand and prove that it signifieth Christ and his word for in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God Christ is the word and Christ was with God and Christ is God for the word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4. First it is quick in apprehention for to cut and devide betwixt the Law and the Gospel Secondly it is powerfull to draw the people from the bondage of sinne and corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God Thus I have shewed you in briefe what are the Weapons that the souldiers of Christ must take up to fight against al false doctrine and false power that belongeth to the divil and his Kingdom of darknes But if the trumpet give an uncertaine sound who shal prepare himselfe to the battel wherefore I praise God I have proved the Bishops and al their Clergy to be false preachers which give a false and contrary sound for they are ministers of the Letter which are instruments of the devil for in Gods sight they are no better For the more powerfully vpon that instrument they do sound the more they help the divil beare up his Crowne I have proved the letter signifieth the old Law and the Apostle saith plainly and so say I 1 Cor. 15. The strength of sinne is the Law and the devil and al his carnal ministers they are yet the strengh of sinne for by that authority that is given unto them they keep the people under unbeleife for I say once again Christ is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth wherefore I Iames Hunt humbly beseech al good Christian people In the city and in countrey round For to observe the trumpet sound Which kindly doth you all intreate To put on all your spirituall armory complete That you Christs souldiers may be found To help me get the Bishops Clergies kingdome downe So when we have won the victory Christ will give the crowne of glory to you and me To triumph in glory here for a time and in the world to come world without end It is written 1 Cor. 6.2 Know you not that the Saints shall judge the world I have already proved that the Saints are al those people that shal be reconciled to Christ through belief and obedience of the truth Wherefore I plainly and boldly say that the Saints of God by the divine power of his Word shal proclaime a doome and judgment of everlasting death and damnation against al those people that shal wilfully rise up in battel to fight against God and us if they doe not repent and be reconciled unto God and us so I make no doubt when we shal declare our proclamation which we shal receive from the divine power of God and his Word it wil be a greater feare and astonishment unto al those people that shal rise up against us then if there were thousands of thousands of men in arms rising up against them to destroy them for the death of the