found how curiously soever the cup be guilded yet it is but the cup of Fornication which bewitcheth the heart with its golden appearance and then leads it into adultery from the life And the Dragon doth not onely set up a false Church over the Nations in many parts whereof the truth had before appeared Rev. 17.15 but a false Ministry also There 's a false Prophet which deceiveth with Miracles and false appearances of truth advanced in this corrupt state which false Prophet continues and upholds his deceit over the Nations till the mighty appearance of Christ in Spirit and Power do judge him Rev. 19.20 2 Thess 2.8 There 's a Beast with Horns like a Lamb who doth great Wonders so that he maketh Fire come down from Heaven on the Earth in the sight of men and deceiveth them that dwell on the Earth c. Rev. 13.13 14. Insomuch as he drawes the Kings and Inhabiters of the Earth in a Mysterie of deceit into the Bed of Whoredom and false Worship instead of the pure way of Life and pure Worship of the living God in his Spirit and in his truth Rev. 17.2 Is it not further manifest that this false Church and false Ministry set up in the World by the power of the Dragon persecute Gods Witnesses to the truth in all the ages of Antichrists reign So soon as ere the Church was fled into the Wilderness the Dragon forthwith went to make War with the remnant of her seed which kept the Commandments of God and had the testimony of Jesus Christ Rev. 12.17 And it was given unto him to make War with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World If any man have an ear let him hear Rev. 13.7 8 9. And he had power to give life unto the Image of the Beast that the Image of the Beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast should be killed And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a Mark in their right hand or in their fore-heads And that no man might buy or sell save he that had the Mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his Name Rev. 13.15 16 17. Yea the Woman the false Church which the Dragon had set up by his power in the Nations instead of the true was drunken with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus Rev. 17.6 O the misery and lamentable hard usage of the Witnesses of Jesus who have been true Lambs born of the Power faithful to the Power witnessing against every Form and appearance of Religion Doctrine and Worship which hath appeared without the Power even in the daies of greatest profession and highest devotion under the Apostacy from the Power how have these been hunted persecuted devoured by the Wolves in the Sheeps cloathing who had got the outside the garment the Name of Christ and Christianity the profession of Church Ministry and Ordinances but have wanted the life the virtue the thing it self and so have turned against it and kept it down that they might keep up their Form For let but the Power appear the Form without the Power is soon detected to be what it is And this is properly Antichrist and Antichristianisme to wit Not openly to appear in a direct denyal of Christ his Truths and Worship but to set up a way of knowledge and worship without his Spirit Another spirit creeping into the Form that 's Antichrist and the setting up observation and practice of the Form out of the Life and Power that 's Antichristianisme and this is the persecuter destroyer and devourer about Religion Now though the Lord hath suffered this false Church and false Prophet to reign long in the Dragons power and to revile and worry his poor Lambs in every age of Antichrists Reign yet the Lord hath appointed a season to judge this false Church Rev. 17.1 to cast the false Prophet into the Lake Rev. 19. v. 20. yea and to torment with fire and brimstone all the false Worshippers Rev. 14.9 10 11. O how deeply doth it concern England her Rulers her Teachers yea the whole People thereof to consider their Ways to consider their Worship to consider their Church-state to consider their Ministry that they be not overwhelmed at unawars in the bitter wrath of the Almighty before which there is no standing O that they could mourn and pray and wait for the eye of Gods Spirit for his pure Light which searcheth and discovereth all the deceits of Antichrist that they might not be bewitched with any of the wine of the fornication of the false Woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands as bands to entangle her lovers in and keep them from the pure bed of Life where the Father of Life with the Son and Spirit are enjoyed and worshipped If men consult concerning these things in the wisdom of the flesh they will be entangled and erre for that eye cannot see the Mysteries of the Kingdom or the course either of Truth or Deceit The Gospel the Eternal Truth the true Church the true Ministry are all Spiritual not new shadowes as the things under the ministration of the Law were but Spirit and Substance and they can onely be seen by the spiritual eye of the children of Wisdom The wise Hunters and diligent Enquirers into the comprehending part cannot find the Womb or the way of Life or the way of the Worship of that which is begotten in the Life or Gods way of Ministry which he hath appointed for the feeding and preserving of the Life The Prophets of old could not be known discerned or owned by the fleshly eye of observation in Israel after the flesh but they still rejected them esteeming and magnifying the false Prophets above them how much less can the Prophets and Ministers of the New Testament be seen by mans eye Are they the Prophets and Ministers of Christ which a Nation cries up for such and which the eye of the wise men therein admires and pitches upon or are those they which the renewed eye in the Light of the Lord sees to be fitted sanctified and called forth by Christ unto that service Ah poor England must thou fall into the pit before thine eyes be opened The great Controversie of this Age is about Church and Ministry which must carry it the Form or the Power Whether the Church and Ministry shall take place which was before the Apostacy or that which hath sprung up in or since the Apostacy Whether mans wisdom shall determine which is the true Church and its true Ministry or whether the Spirit of God shall determine it Whether a Nation with the Ministers it sets up
shall be the Church and Ministry or whether Gods holy Nation which he calleth and sanctifieth by his Spirit and the Ministers which he chuseth and sendeth to gather and build up his in the holy Faith and pure power of Life shall be the Church and Ministry Our eyes wait on the Lord to see this Controversie determined and our hope of help is in his Arm nor are we at all affrighted at the rising of any strength against us our hearts being given up to Gods Truth and to suffer for its Testimony according to Gods will meekly and patiently in his strength but we pitty this poor land yea in the depth of bowels we pitty the Rulers the Teachers and People therein O that they might be humbled and in fear of the great God surrender to him his due before he appear in his strength to force it from them Of the Kingdom Laws and Government of Christ in the Heart and Conscience its Inoffensiveness to all just Laws and Governments of the Kingdoms of men CHrists Kingdom Gods Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven for they are all one and the same is that seed of Eternal Life which God hath hid in the hearts of the sons of men whereby he gathereth them back unto himself bringeth them under the Yoak of his Government ruleth over them and reigneth in them This Kingdom is likened to a grain of mustard seed for its smalness to a Pearl for its Riches Value and Worth to Leaven for its spreading nature and many other Parables did Christ make use of to discover it by as to a piece of Silver which the woman that lost it lighting the candle sweeping the house and searching it diligently at length found it even there where she had lost it Man fallen from God is become lost as to the Lord and as to his own happiness in the Lord being driven from his blessed presence and divine Image Life and Spirit into the earthly Spirit Image and Life which he chose Yet in this Earth in this Field of the World God hath hid somewhat even the everlasting Pearl which when man is awakened to seek and findeth in the living Breath in the Eternal Light of Life it is able to redeem him it is able to overspread he becoming subject to the Laws Leadings Teachings and Power of it and leaven him into the Likeness and Image of the pure Life and Spirit Or not men knew the Gift of God O that men knew the purchase of the blood of Christ O that men knew that Spiritual good thing which Christ who died for them hath given to Redeem them by that in that they might be united to Christ and so by him be Renewed and Restored to God For as the Father receiveth none but through the Son so the Son receiveth none but in that Gift which he bestoweth from the Father He owneth no Faith no Love no Hope no Repentance no Obedience but what springeth from that and standeth in that Now as man is Born of this is Leavened by this as he becomes a fool in his own earthly wisdom and excellency of the fallen Spirit and becomes a Babe a Child Simple Innocent c. so he enters into the Kingdome being ingrafted into the Root through the virtue of this which is given him from the Root and so grows up in this and this in him And here 's the new Nature the new Life the new Heart the new Spirit in which the Unity and Fellowship with God is again known and the Disunion with the World the Wisdom the Interests the Fashions the Customs the Fears the Hopes the Delights the Joys of this World and whatever else is of it For Christ as he is not of the World so he calleth men out of the World and they which follow him and become his Disciples go out of the World after him that is travel in Spirit and Conversation from what is of the Earth from what ever is not of the Father but of the World They are not of the World even as I am not of the World saith Christ concerning his Disciples John 17. therefore the world hateth them The Laws of this Kingdom are given forth in the Kingdom from the Covenant of life which is made there in Christ They are written in the heart in the mind as far as it is renewed There the fear is put there the eternal Wisdom is opened there is Sion known and the Jerusalem which is from above and the Laws of eternal life issue fresh from it and are revealed by the life in the heart which is turned towards the life There sin is reproved and everlasting Righteousness manifested in the Light which cannot deceive and as the heart is made subject under the yoke so sin is wrought out and Righteousness brought in and under the Cross or yoke of life the blood of the everlasting Covenant runs through the vessel to keep it pure sweet clean and fresh in the life This then is the Government of Christ to be subject to his Spirit which appears and opens his will in the gift of grace which comes from him to feel his living breath by which the heart is begotten to God out of the Region of darkness to know the movings the stirrings the leadings the steps of the Lamb who is the Captain of our Salvation and to follow him where ever he goes doing all things that he commands forbearing all things that he forbids without murmuring without disputing Who ever will be of the inward Israel the spiritual Israel which Christ redeems out of the spiritual Egypt and leads through the spiritual Wilderness into the Land of Rest must know his Leader must receive his Spirit and follow it faithfully If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his he is none of the spiritual Israel and if any man follow not the Spirit of Christ through all the travels in the Wilderness but either sits down by the way or lyes overcome by any kind of enemies and comes not to the end of his journey finishing the warfar and fight of Faith he falls short of the rest O that men were awakened to consider of things as indeed they are for Religion is not such an outward Form of Doctrine or Worship of any sort as men generally whose poor Souls are deceived through the subtilty of the powers of darkness are too apt and willing to apprehend but it consists in Spirit in Power in Vertue in Life not in the oldness of any Form which passeth away but in the newness of the Spirit which abideth for ever in being born of the Spirit in abiding in the Spirit in living walking and worshipping in the Spirit yea in becoming and growing into Spirit and into eternal Life for that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit O that the sons of men would hearken that they might tast of the sweetness and riches of the goodness which the Father in his free love hath opened in the
THE CONSIDERATION OF A POSITION Concerning the Book of Common-Prayer AS ALSO Of some Particulars held forth for Truths by one EDMUND ELIS stiled a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ With a Warning of Tender Bowels to the Rulers Teachers and People of this Nation concerning their Church and Ministry Likewise a few Words concerning the Kingdom Laws and Government of Christ in the Heart and Conscience it 's Inoffensivenesse to all Just Laws and Governments of the Kingdoms of men By Isaac Penington the Younger Behold I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16.15 LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson at the Sign of the Black-Spread-Eagle Wind-Mill in Martins Le Grand 1660. THE PREFACE CHRIST the Eternal Son of God the substance of all the Types and Shadows of the Law was made a Priest to God not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the Power of an endless Life He came in the Power of the Father he received the Power he ministred the Power and in the Power Thus he gathered together living stones built them into a living Temple for the Father of life to dwell in that they might be filled with the Power dwell in the Power and be to the glory of the Power The Church of Israel the Church of the Old Testament the Church of Moses was gathered by the Letter was to be ordered by the Letter was to keep and observe the Law of the Letter was to have Priests and Sacrifices according to the Letter but the New Testament Church was to be of true Jews of Jews gathered in the Power Circumcised by the Power renewed in the Power c. So that he is not a Jew any longer who is one outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter We are the Circumcision saith the Apostle which Worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh The New-Testament state is a state of substance even of that spiritual substance which the Law held out in shadows The Jew is inward the Circumcision inward the Sacrifices inward the Church inward the Ministry inward the Worship inward all is in Spirit in Life in Power in Vertue the whole state is answerable to the High Priest of our Profession even after the Power of the endless life By the Eternal Spirit was he made a Minister by it he preached the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel c. Luke 4.18 through it he offered up himself a Sacrifice without spot to God Heb. 9.14 and in the same Power runs the vein of the whole dispensation of the Gospel for it is a ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 Take away the Life take away the Spirit ye take away the stones of this Building ye take away the Church ye take away the Ministry ye take away all Now about this inward Building there was an outward Court which had its Being State and Honour from the presence of the inward life The vertue of the inward Building did cast a reflection and bring forth an outward state as it cannot but do where ever it appears in its riches and glory This state stood firm in the dayes of the Apostles till Gods measuring and removing of his Temple Altar and Worshippers and his giving up of the outward Court it having lost the life and vertue which flowed into it from the Temple while the Temple remained within it to the Gentiles who under the Gospel are such as are Uncircumcised in Spirit can Worship in the outward Court without the Spirit The enemy indeed fought hard against the Life and Power but he could not there prevail the Gates of Hell could not prevail against the true Church which brought forth the Man-child nor against the Man-child whom she brought forth but the Man-child was caught up to God and the Woman fled into the Wildernesse Then that Church State and Worship which depended upon their presence was dissolved For how could it be otherwise when both the Man-child which was the Head of the Church from whence the Vertue Life and Influence did flow into the whole Body and the Woman or Church her self also vvere both gone out of sight So that the Ministry of Eternal life the Temple vvherein the life vvas ministred being both removed they are neither of them henceforvvard to be found in that place vvhere they vvere beheld before and vvhere most eyes vvould be ready to look for them again but there vvhere the Spirit had hid them Novv mark diligently vvhat kind of esteem the true Church hath had in the World ever since her disrobing her self of her outvvard garments and flight into the Wilderness and hovv her true Seed have been handled The Dragon immediatly casts a flood after her her beautiful raiment being put off and she clothed in the habit of a Widovv the eye of the World could no longer see and acknovvledge her to be the Church but disdain reproach revile her This is her lot all the dayes of Antichrist she is misrepresented by the Dragons flood of reproaches and looked upon as a strumpet as one that pretends to Christ for her Lord and Husband to his Spirit to his Kingdom to his Truth vvithout a just right and the remnant of her Seed are still made War vvith by the Dragon Who have been the hunted ones the hated the persecuted in all Nations but the tender-conscienced vvho receive the Lavv of Christ into their hearts bovving to him in their Worship and Conversation and dare not bovv or Worship according to the Doctrines and Cammandments of men Novv the true Church or Temple being thus removed the outvvard Court becomes the Habitation and Place of Worship among the Gentiles all the time of the Churches abode in the Wilderness The Spirit of the Lord having left it the heathenish spirit man's earthly Nature and Wisdom the spirit of Antichrist enters into it and upholds the Form of the former Building so far as it judgeth necessary and here it is found Worshipping and making a great shevv of Holiness and devotion but in the mean time makes War vvith the true Worshippers vvho cannot Worship in the outvvard Court since the Spirit of the Lord hath left it and given it to the Gentiles but follovv the Church into the Wilderness and Worship in that Temple vvhich God hath removed thither O vvhere is the eye vvhich can read these things as they are vvritten either in the Letter or in the Spirit Antichrist is a Mystery of Iniquity vvhich vvorks and gets up and reigns under an appearance of Godliness and he that vvill discern him and his false vvayes of Worship must have that eye vvhich sees beyond the appearance of things into their nature
and in this is the Discovery of him and the Redemption from him And happy is he vvho is not defiled with Women but abideth in the true Virginity expecting and preparing for the appearance of the Bridegroom The CONSIDERATION of a POSITION concerning the Book of COMMON-PRAYER As also of some Particulars held forth for Truths c. THere is a Position laid down in some Printed Letters concerning the use of the Common-Prayer-Book tendred by one Edm. Elis who professeth himself to be a Minister of Jesus Christ to Mr. Hughes and Mr. Ford as he stileth them against which Position he entreateth me if I find upon my Spirit any thing to be objected against it to discover it in exact and punctual expressions This desire of his is set down in Print after the Letters His Position or Assertion is this That a man may Worship God in Spirit and in Truth in the use of that form of Prayer for Morning and Evening which we call the Common-Prayer Now whoever would weigh this Assertion aright must have the Ballance of the Sanctuary and must put it into the Scale with an equal hand and then looking with that eye which is given to see the Misteries of the Kingdom of God to him who is born of God the Truth or Error of it is easily discerned True Prayer is the breathing of the Child to the Father which begat it from the sence of its wants for the supply of those wants The Winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 God by the Breath of his Spirit begets a man out of the Spirit and likeness of this World into his own image and likenesse He that is thus begotten wants Nourishment wants the Divine Warmth the Breasts of Consolation the Cloathing of the Spirit the Garment of Salvation wants the Bread of Life to feed on wants the Water of Life to drink wants strength against the enemies Assaults wisdom against his Snares and Temptations wants the arm of the Deliverer to preserve and carry on the work of Redemption daily wants Faith to deny the fleshly Wisdom that so he may Trust and Feel the Vertue of the Arm of the Deliverer wants Hope Patience Meeknesse a clear Guidance an upright Heart to follow after the Lord yea very many are the daily wants of that which is begotten by the Breath of God in its state of weaknesse until it be drawn up into the Unity of the Body where the full Communion with the Life is felt the Heart satisfied and the wants drowned Now the breathing of this Child to the Father from the sence of these wants for his Supply that 's Prayer nay though it be but a Groan or Sigh which cannot be uttered or expressed yet that 's Prayer true Prayer which hath an acceptance with the Lord and receiveth a Gracious Answer from him And he that begetteth the Child teacheth him to Pray even by the same Spirit which begat him In watching daily to the Spirit the Child is kept sensible of the Will of the Father and in his Light he sees the Way wherein he is to walk he sees also the Enemie when he is coming yea and the Snares he is privily laying and he feels his own weaknesse to withstand or escape And in this sence his Heart cries to the Father of Spirits for Preservation for him to stand by him for him to step in in the needful time even in the Season of Distress And thus watching to the Spirit the Life of a Christian is a continual course of Prayer He prayes continually This is the Living Prayer of the Living Child which consists not in a Form of Words either read out of a Book or conceived in the Mind but in feeling the Breath of its Nature issuing out from the Principle of Life in it to the Living Spring which is the Father of it who by causing his vertues to spring up in it nourisheth it to Everlasting Life But now man who is not born of the Spirit but by conceiving some of the Truths of God in the Wisdom from below hath attained to some change of Opinion and Conversation he pretends to be this Birth from above though indeed he is born but of Bloods or of the Will of the flesh or of the Will of Man John 1.13 and what God begets in and gives to his True Child he will be imitating though he be out of the Nature and Spirit where the True Child is begotten and where the True gift of the Father is received by him He will be believing though he hath not received any Proportion of the Living Faith from the Hand of the Father he will be forming Repentance and Sorrow for sin though his Heart be not turned from it he will be hoping in Gods Mercy although he be both from off the Foundation and from under the shadow of the Mercy-seat and he will be praying though he hath neither received the Spirit nor be taught by the Spirit to pray And so being from that which should guide him and teach him the truth and way of Worship as it is in Jesus he runs out into the inventions and imaginations and sets up a way of his own chusing which he having much considered of and beat out by reasonings and fenced about with Arguments he grows wise in his own eyes and now verily believes it to be the way of God and that he is able to maintain it against all opposers Thus one man he is for a Form another man he is against a Form and for conceived prayers and each think themselves able to maintain their own and to overthrow each other But Oh that that ear were open which can hear the truth that where there is any true honest upright desire after God from the simplicity of the heart it might not be thus betrayed through the subtilty of the fleshly wisdom which lies lurking in the wise reasoning knowing part to betray the poor weak Babe The natural man the reasoning man the understanding man the wise man according to the natural wisdom cannot understand the things of God Here 's no learning to pray aright to believe aright to hope aright to mourn aright to rejoyce aright c. But this wisdom must be brought to nothing 1 Cor. 1.19 and a man must become as a child to all knowledge as let in this way And he that so becomes a child is taught to pray to believe to wait to hope and all that is necessary to eternal life Now as the Father teacheth to pray so he giveth desires or words if he please according to the present need Sometimes he gives but ability to sigh or groan if he give no more he accepts that Sometimes he gives strong breathings and plenty of words to pour out the soul in before the Lord. But if a man should catch those words and lay
hides it self from all the fleshly wise of every age The Kingdom of God cometh not by observation the wisest Scribes and Pharisees could not know it by all the observations which they could gather out of Moses and the Prophets Writings nor can any now know it by any observations they can gather out of the Apostles Writings but by being born of that spirit whereof they were born and by being formed in that womb wherein they were formed by this means alone is the thing come to be known which they knew He that receiveth the same eye seeth the same thing according to his measure and coming to the life wherein they received the Truth the words which they spake concerning the Truth are easie Thus as they were writ in the Spirit so are they there along truly read and being so read they become exceeding profitable to that which so reads them but man guessing and imagining and reasoning in his carnal wisdom concerning the things of God and so gathering sences and meanings about the words and expressions of Scripture doth but build up a Babel which the eternal Life and Power will throw down when ever he appears with that which built it O that men were wise to wait for the discovery of the true Rock and of the true Builder upon that Rock that that City and Building might be raised in them which God alone can rear that they might not be left desolate and miserable in that stormy day which will shake all Buildings and Foundations and Rocks but our Rock wherein all Professors and Preachers and high Notionists and what ever sort else can be named who have stumbled at Gods living Truth and at the pure appearance of his redeeming Power which in this age hath mightily broke forth after the long dark night of Apostacy to the sight of every eye which is opened in the Spirit shall confess with tears sorrow anguish and shame that their Rock is not in our Rock they themselves being Judges For though all sort of Professors generally own Christ as the Rock in words yet most miss of the thing and the subtile Enemy hath made use of a Notion or apprehension of the thing in the carnal mind to deceive them of the thing to keep them from feeling the eternal vertue the living Power of Life in the heart which is the Arm of Gods Salvation whereby Christ draws mans lost soul and spirit out of the Pit out of the Grave out of Sin and corruption up to the Father But O how are poor hearts deceived who think by a believing of what Christ did of a satisfaction he made for them while he was here on Earth though they lye in the Pit all their dayes though they carry the body of sin about with them to the very last of their time here in the body and have not felt the Arm of God's Power breaking down their spiritual enemies their lusts their corruptions and redeeming them from them yet hope to be saved in the end and to be presented without spot or wrinkle to God! Christ had the name Jesus given him because he was to save his People from their sin and no man can truly and livingly know the name Jesus further than he feels the saving vertue of it but he that effectually feels the vertue he indeed knows the name and can bow at the name feeling his lusts and enemies bowed under by the power thereof and that raised up in him which can Worship the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth O that the sons of men knew O that the Teachers and Professors of this age knew what they have so long reviled and trampled upon Surely they would mourn bitterly kiss the Son and escape the wrath Now if the Lord please to smite any ones earthly wisdom and comprehension which is the main thing which stands in the way of the pure openings and revelations of the life and give him the feeling of any thing here written let him in fear acknowledge the Lord sacrificing to his goodness and waiting upon him to be kept in that feeling not magnifying or villifying any of his Instruments but in meekness and humility embracing the instructions of the Almighty from the hand which he pleaseth to give them forth by As for me I am but a Shell and if this party knew me who sets me up so high preferring me above many whom the Lord hath preferred far above me he would soon acknowledge me to be a very poor weak contemptible one yet this I must by no means deny that the pure Liquor of the eternal Life at its pleasure springeth up and issueth out through me though I can also in true understanding say that it issueth out far oftener and much more abundantly through others Let it have its honour where ever it appears and the Lord bring down that in peoples hearts which hindreth the owning and receiving of its virtue A Warning of tender Bowels to the Rulers Teachers and People of the Nation concerning their Church and Ministry THat there was a Fight between the Dragon and his Angels and Michael and his Angels concerning the New-Testament-Church and Ministry is manifest even from the Letter of the Scriptures Rev. 12. That the Dragon and his Angels though they could not get the better as relating to the Power yet that they did get the better as relating to the Form insomuch as that they overcame the third part of the true Ministers and drew them from their standing in the Firmament of Gods Power off to their earthly Ministry and that the Church her self also was fain to fly into the Wilderness from the face of the Dragon for her safety and preservation where she was to be nourished and sed by God all the time of Antichrists Reign this likewise is not onely revealed in the Spirit but is also manifest from the Letter Rev. 12. That after this flight of the true Church and overcoming of the true Ministry the Dragon erected his false Church and Ministry which had but at best the Form without the Power over all Nations Peoples Multitudes and Tongues this is also as evident to them that read the Prophecies of the Revelation in the Light of that Spirit that wrote them Is nor the false woman after the true woman was fled manifestly described Rev. 17. which hath a bewitching Cup of Fornications v. 2 and 4. Mark She hath not the true Cup of Blessing her cup is not filled with the Wine of the Kingdom it is not the Cup of the true Spouse which keeps chast and loyal to the bed of the Husband but the cup of Fornications wherein is a Form of Doctrine and Discipline and Order and Church-Government which leads from the life which be witnesses from the Power which luls asleep in a Form of profession and worship of Christ without knowledge of guidnace by and subjection to his Spirit And this is the Government Ministry and way of Antichrist where ever it is
spirits of many and hath let the spirits of many into O that men would suffer the wearing out of this earthly spirit and wisdom that they might become like God be formed into and live in his Image How long shall the Destroyer in every age prejudice men against them in that age which seek their good with their hearts How long will the world stand in enmity against the generation of God's choice and provoke the Lord to wrath against them Surely the spirit of this world will try it out to the very last against the Spirit of God for indeed the spirit of this world is not subject to the Spirit of God nor indeed can be and so cannot endure the Government of his Kingdom which is not of this world to be set up in the sight of it Yet the Government of Christ and his Kingdom is not opposite to any just Government of a Nation or People Christ's Government is a Righteous Government of the heart or inner man chiefly which doth not oppose a Righteous Government of the outward man Nay those who are Christ's subjects and singly obedient to his Law of Righteousness in their spirits are more faithful to men and more subject to any just Law of Government than others can be for their fidelity and subjection is out of love and for Conscience sake But this is it which offends the world men many times make Laws in their own will and according to their own wisdom now the wisdom of the world is corrupt and hath erred from the guideance of God and are not free from self-ends and interests not being gathered into that which cleanseth and keepeth pure the naturals Now that which is of God cannot bow to any thing which is corrupt in man it can lye down and suffer and bear the plowing of long and deep surrows upon its back but it cannot act that which is against its life It cannot be disloyal to its King to gratifie the spirit of this world but what Practice or Testimony its King calls for against the evil and corruption of this world it must obey singly and faithfully God in every age so bringeth forth and ordereth his innocent Lambs and People as that they are still offensive to the present age The Lord fitteth them and calleth them forth to be Witnesses against the evils of the present age How can they but offend it Can darkness chuse but hate the light which speaks against it How can darkness in Power and Dominion bear to be reproved by a mean contemptible appearance of the Light in mean and contemptible vessels For God chuseth the weak and foolish things of this world and things that are not to bring to nought things that are Look into former ages How did God reprove the Kings and Princes of Israel Not by the eminent Priests and Prophets whom they expected to be taught by but by Herdsmen by Plowmen by Prophets which they despised How did he overcome the Heathenish world yea and the Jewish corrupted state Was it by wise learned men by the learned Scribes and Pharisees among the Jews or by the wise Grecians among the Heathen or by Fishermen and Publicans And how shall the recovery out of the Apostacy and the reproof of the Antichristian world be Shall it be by wise Synods and Councils of learned and Orthodox men among them as they speak Or shall it be by the learning of the spirit in such as these contemn When God hath the rich Treasure of the Knowledge of his Kingdom to manifest in the world he chuses earthen vessels weak vessels poor contemptible persons he appears there where the eye of man least look for him that the excellency of the Power might appear to be of him wholly and that the vessel might rob him of none of the glory of it Now the Lord hath not only chosen in this day of his great appearance in Spirit to the spirits of his People mean instruments but mean things also foolish things weak things the keeping on of an Hat the use of ordinary Language the appearing in mean habits and despised gestures yea and in a foolish way of Preaching indeed it is so to that which hath not the savour of the Vertue and Power of the life in it And how can the wisdom of man but stumble at it Who would think that God should require such things or appear in such thirds O living eternal Power how is thy migthy Presence and Appearance vailed from all that look for it in any way of mans observation or judge it with the eye of mans wisdom Verily thou art a God that hast hid thy self from the earthly spirit in its utmost wisdom yea in its utmost search after the knowledge of and in the midst of the highest porfession of Religion Which of the Wise which of the Scribes in this Age can discern any of thy Pathes or so much as one of thy Footsteps Oh that men would fear before the Lord and be sure to Govern in that which is of God and then they should harm none of His nor hazard the shaking of their Government but whatever is not of God both within and without must fall in the day of Gods Power O happy is he who is now made willing to part with that which God is determined to rent from man that his standing may be in that which cannot be shaken For there hath been a great Earthquake in this Nation both of things without and of things within and there yet remains somewhat to be shaken both without and within that the Glory of God may have room to appear O England Kiss the Son lest he be angry Let all such Laws and Customs as are not of Him fall before Him and whatever is of Him let it bow unto Him both within and without that his wrath break not forth like a fire which none can quench For the Lord hath mighty things to bring to pass and he hath a mighty Arm of Power to effect them by and what shall be able to stand before him that stands in his way Faults in Printing Page 11. line 23. for of read on p. 15. l. 1. r. Doctrines l. 37. r. Mediator p. 16. l. 12. r. times p. 17. l. 6. r. so to that l. 7. r. end of growth l. 8. r. ever and ever p. 18. l. 18. f. it r. all p. 19. l. 29. f. along r. alone p. 20. l 9. f. in r. as p. 21. l. 19. f. the r. this l. 37. f. sed r. sed p. 22. l. 14. 15. f. he witnesses r. bewitches l. 27. 1. doth THE END