by Persecution and act in opposition to such whose Consciences are thus freed can imbondage the Conscience to God-wards or bring it under a burden to Godwards I say for it is not altogether bondage of Conscience or the burden or oppression upon his Conscience that is set free as aforesaid though he is outwardly persecuted by Men for that doth but hinder the exercise of his Conscience to manwards but not to Godwards for there his Conscience is free in Joy and Peace though by reason of Persecution he cannot have the exercise of it to men I say though such be put in Prison banished or whatsoever suffering be laid upon them by any men or Laws without yet their pure Conscience is free and at liberty in it self to Godwards through all this and over it all for he Lord hath set them free from all that bondage and guilt of Iniquity which hath been a bondage upon their Consciences within and whether they do suffer or have freedom or captivity in their persons from men yet is their pure Conscience at liberty to Godward and in perfect freedom in it self and to themselves though for the Name of Christ and his Truth they be persecuted and all evil done against them by evil men and the exercise of their pure Consciences prevented as to manwards For that which defiles the Conscience doth bring it under bondage but that which keeps it pure and free from pollution that keeps it in liberty and in perfect freedom to God over all Persecution and evil men and unjust Laws which would exercise dominion in and over the Conscience of the Saints and bring them into captivity as sometimes their persons are by evil Laws and Persecutors But who standeth in the Power of the Lord and in the exercise of the Spirit of God which freeth the Conscience in their own particulars as I have said doth not come into bondage in Conscience to Godwards by Laws or Men but enjoyeth freedom and liberty therein as much in Sufferings and in Persecutions under all the Cruelty of men as in doing and practices when they are not persecuted for in Sufferings the Conscience is exercised and hath its liberty in patience and forbearance And at liberty of persons in practice it is exercised and hath its Liberty in doing and performing whatsoever the Spirit of the Father moveth and leadeth unto And thus where God hath freed the Conscience and it is free and at liberty in Him and to Him nothing without can bring it into bondage or captivity but in all conditions and in all exercises whether doing or suffering the pure Conscience is in liberty in it self and in perfect freedom in God through all over all and beyond all But now there hath been a great Cry among many that have professed Righteousness and Religion for Freedom of Conscience and begging and craving from the Powers of the Earth to tolerate Liberty of Conscience and that they might have the Liberty of their Conscience in Religion and thus some have been looking too much without for Liberty of Conscience from Men and from Powers without them before their Consciences were set free by the Lord within and the bond of Iniquity broken and that burden of Iniquity and Guilt done away which hath been a burden and bondage upon the Conscience For as I said no Man nor Powers of the Earth can truly free or give liberty to the Conscience which is bound by the Cord of Iniquity within But 't is evident the cry for Liberty hath not been so much for the Exercise of Conscience truly so as for the Freedom each one of their Sect and for the Liberty in practice of their own Worship and Conformity and thereupon have divers men of divers Sects sought to the Powers of Men and of the Earth to grant them Liberty of their Consciences when as it hath been rather for the freedom to and defence of their Sect and of their practices in their Worship than for Liberty of Conscience truly so for while they have cryed for Liberty from without yet Sin and Iniquity and Transgression have lain upon their Conscience within and they have sought from Men for the Liberty of their Sect to practise their own Worship which they have called Liberty of Conscience And to this intent by some hath been the Cry for Liberty of Conscience that their Sect and their own Wayes of Worship might be defended from the violence of others who have opposed their Practices and Worships for people of divers ways of Worship and of divers Sects have all been at strife one with another and divided one against another and yet all professed good Conscience and cryed for Liberty thereof from the Powers of the Earth not but that the Powers of the Earth ought to grant free Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of every Sect of Religion and to suffer all to profess and practise their Religion while they walk justly and peaceably in a Land But here hath lodged the deceit and deceivableness of the spirit of Satan in the hearts of men from the least to the greatest of all those divers false Sects and Worshippers they have therein zealously gone on and pleaded for their Sects and Worship though never so grosse or dark and contrary to Truth under the denomination of Freedom and Liberty of good Conscience and the very Title and Name hath been the Colour and deceived many while a false Worship and false Practices of false Sects have gone under the name of Liberty of good Conscience and thousands have been deceived and blindly led into such a false Sect and into such a Profession to act and perform with great Zeal false Practices in a false Worship falsly supposing it to be out of a good Conscience and that they have acted in the liberty thereof yea and many may suffer great and grievous things and some the losse of their Lives for the very practice of false things and false Worships in a false Sect and yet under the name of good Conscience and for Liberty of Conscience as they may profess and believe But this may seem strange to be spoken to some who may enquire how it comes to passe and how this may be that many may suffer great and grievous Cruelties and some the losse of their Lives for the practice of false things and the exercise of false Worships which they may suppose to be out of a good Conscience and for good Conscience sake whereas it is not truly so nor rightly so But how happeneth this may some say I answer This cometh to passe after this manner Because Conscience is made of that and of the things and performances which God requires not and so there is a great zeal in the doing and performing of such a Practice and such a Worship when as the Lord hath not required these things at their hands and this is because the Mind and Heart and Conscience is dark and not truly informed nor guided with the
Spirit of Truth and of the Father but a false Spirit ruleth and leadeth the Conscience and it is not exercised with the Spirit of the Father that leadeth into all Truth So I do acknowledge that Conscience may be mis-led and mis-guided and mis-informed and Conscience may be made of doing such and such things which the Lord doth not require and there may be a fear not taught of the Lord not received by the sence of his Presence but only received into the heart by the Precepts of men Example of others Custom of times or the like and here the Conscience being not truly informed nor guided by the Spirit of the Lord there is a false fear and zealousness in the performing of such things which the Lord doth not require nor his Spirit lead into the practice of but only the Tradition and Precepts of men hath placed a false Law and Commandment which requires a false obedience which many whose understandings are blinded and being without true knowledge they zealously perform and practise as the Worship of God thinking themselves bound in Conscience to practise such things and not to leave them undone when as the Lord and his righteous Spirit leadeth not to them nor yet his just Law doth require the doing thereof but only a false Law and Commandment is received by Precepts and Traditions of men or from looking upon the Practice of others By such means as this there is a false fear in a blind mis-guided Conscience and a zeal without true knowledge And thus it was amongst the Iews in the Prophets dayes they sacrificed their Children and cut themselves and caused their Children to passe through the fire and did many things zealously when as saith the Lord Who hath required these things at your hands for they come not into my heart And Paul witnesseth the same of the Iews in his dayes and bore them record that they had a Zeal but it was not according to True Knowledge And thus the Iews were zealously performing that as their Duty and as out of a good Conscience which the Lord required not at their hands and so they made Conscience to do that which the Lord required not and their Consciences were mis-led and not rightly informed and as it was amongst the Iews in this case in the dayes of old so now is it amongst the Christians in the Apostacy their Conscience being mis-guided by a false spirit they are doing and performing the things in great Zeal and for the exercise of their Consciences which the Lord doth not require of them Thus do the Papists they do and practise the things in great Zeal and through a false Fear in their blind Consciences which things are in themselves Idolatry and not commanded nor required 〈◊〉 the Lord as in many particulars I might shew even in many parts of their Worship and Religion which out of a Fear and blind Zeal and mis-guided Conscience they practise which is in it self but Idolatry and not required nor accepted of the Lord. And many things in relation to the Protestants Worship and amongst all the several false Sects upon Earth which are done and practised in great Zeal and out of a false Fear and as in pretence of a good Conscience and yet are things in themselves Idolatrous as done and practised by them And this comes to passe as I have said because the Conscience is mis-informed and a false spirit guides and rules in the exercise of Conscience and the understanding of the People is blinded and they know not but they do well though their minds are captivated and their minds and judgments in error and though there be a sincerity to Godwards and a desire of Him in the bottom among some People of all Forms and Sects and some of all are zealous towards God in their practices in their Religion and Worships yet among all People and the Churches that have been for many Generations there hath been great Error in Iudgment and much blindness in mind and the Conscience falsly exercised towards God and the Superscription hath been To the Unknown God and He hath been ignorantly worshipped and the Spirit of the Lord hath not truly exercised Peoples Consciences nor guided their Zeal nor been Ruler in the Judgment And by this means the sincerity and humility towards God hath been eaten out and alwayes quenched and the bare practice of things and profession of Religion in the outward appearance hath been more lookt at than the Presence of God felt in the Practices and the Zeal hath been more for the performance of such things than for God purely enjoyed through them And thus it hath been through Christâ—â—â—â— in the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches Many have erred in their Judgments and the Zeal for God 〈◊〉 proceeded our of the error of Judgments and out of misinformation of Conscience and some other thing man only the Spirit of God hath ruled in the Iudgment and been the exercise of peoples Consciences And this is 〈◊〉 of things about true Liberty of Conscience and about the Error in Iudgment and the blind Zeal in captivated sincerity Now it may be objected What is the only absolute Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience and when are Mens Consciences truly guided To this I answer The only chief and perfect Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience both to God and all men is The SPIRIT of CHRIST for it is only that which can truly guide the Conscience in Faith Doctrine and Worship and in all things towards God even the Spirit of CHRIST which is the gift of the Father it only leadeth into all Truth as it is written and all whose Consciences are guided and exercised by it are in Unity and Peace in their Worship Doctrine and Religion for the Spirit of CHRIST is but one in it self and guideth the Conscience into the exercise of one Truth and Faith and in this same Spirit is the true Union and Communion of Saints in Religion and Worship and this is manifest through the Scriptures for the Apostle exhorted to walk in the Spirit and by it and as many as walked by the Rule of the Spirit peace was upon them and it is the Spirit of CHRIST the Everlasting Comforter that teacheth all Truth and the Holy Anointing of the Spirit that dwelt in the Saints taught them all things and they needed no man to teach them but as the Anointing that dwelt in them And then are Mens Consciences truly guided in all the wayes of Righteousness when the Spirit of God guideth the Conscience and is the Rule of all Faith Doctrine and Practices So that Traditions of Men Prescriptions of Councils Antiquity of Time Commandments of Men nor Example of others without the Spirit of Christ cannot be the onely true Rule of the Exercise of Conscience for all these things are changeable alterable and subject to variations and therefore cannot infallibly guide the Conscience in the Duty towards
God nor rightly exercise the Conscience in Unity and Peace but while a Nation or Kingdom or People walk by the Rule of Traditions Prescriptions Commandments of Men Example of others or the like they erre in Judgment in Faith Doctrine and Worship and are all divided and in Contentions about these matters because their Rule of Conscience and Judgment is doubtful and alterable and not infallible and therefore they have no perfect assurance of God's acceptation to them in their Faith and Religion nor perfect Peace and Unity in their Faith and Worship But as the Rule of their Consciences in their Duty towards God is divers some makes one thing and some another their Rule so are they divers and divided in what they hold profess and practise and are but of great Babylon in their Religion And because that something besides the Spirit of God exerciseth the Conscience therefore is it that here are so many wayes and Sects of Religion and kinds of Worship in Christendom and among Christians while the Spirit of Christ only is not the Rule of Iudgement and Exercise of Conscience to God and Man for the only perfect Rule of Conscience in the exercise to God is the Spirit of Christ and not any other thing And now whosoever shall persecute the Exercise of Conscience when guided by the Spirit of Christ such persecute Christ Iesus And this is Persecution for the Name of Christ when Sufferings are inflicted as Reproaches Imprisonment or whatsoever for the exercise of Conscience towards God by his Spirit but and if any are persecuted for Religion-sake only so if that in such their Exercise of Religion they are not guided by the Spirit of Christ yet that suffering is a kind of Persecution also If I say the suffering be only for and because of their Religion-sake and they walk justly and righteously as men so that as is signified about the middle of this Chapter though some may profess good Conscience and cry for Liberty thereof in their false Sect and Religion not taught them by the Spirit of Christ yet the Civil Magistrate ought not to punish and use violence to such for their Religion but if they do they persecute and the Lord will lay it to their charge But yet this is safe for all first to obtain true Liberty of Conscience to Godwards and to receive the Spirit of Christ to be taught only by it in the Exercise of Conscience and Religion that they may not erre in Conscience and Iudgement in Spiritual matters nor suffer wrongfully under pretence of Righteousnesse-sake when as it is not truly so CHAP. IV. Concerning the Diversity of Judgements in RELIGION TO all ye that are of divers Judgments and Opinions in and concerning Spiritual matters who are divided about matters of Faith Doctrine Worship and Church-Government some of you holding one thing and some another different and contrary to that being diversly divided in mind and heart concerning the matters that are one in themselves and to which you all assent as to the things in themselves and yet are different and contrary-minded about the self-same things To you all I am moved to write that so ye may be informed perfectly first What the Cause is of your Divisions and why it is thus amongst you And secondly Of the bad Effects and Fruits such Divisions have brought forth And lastly the means and way of Reconciliation that ye may come into Love and Peace and Unity with God and one with another in all things pertaining to his Kingdom First The Cause of your Divisions and of the Diversities of Judgements and Opinions that are amongst you concerning the things and matters of God's Kingdom is Because you want the Spirit of God to guide you and it is not the Rule of your Knowledge and Iudgment and you wanting the Spirit of God in which is Unity among Saints therefore is it you are so divided and divers and different and contrary one to another in these things it is because ye want the Spirit of God I say which only teacheth the true Knowledge of God and gives an Understanding in all his Wayes and Matters It is the Spirit of God that teacheth true Faith true Doctrine and true Worship and all things about Church Ministry and Religion and if that you had the Spirit of God in you and were taught and guided by it it would teach you into one Faith and one Truth and into the true Worship and into the true Church-Government and you would be in unity and peace And if you all had the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and by which Spirit the Saints of God were guided in dayes past it would teach you into Unity and to be of one mind one heart and one soul in all the matters pertaining to God's Kingdom in Faith Worship Doctrine and all things else if you had the Spirit of God I say and were taught by it then you would have Unity with God and one with another in all his wayes and there would have been no Division nor Contention amongst you about Spiritual matters but because you want that therefore you have strife and division amongst you even throughout all Christendom Here 's a Nation and a Kingdom holding such a Faith and Worship and there 's another People holding Faith and Worship contrary to that and here 's one Sect of people and there 's another different in Faith Iudgment and Opinion and this is a shame to whole Christendom that all should profess Christ Iesus and Faith in him and Salvation by him and his Doctrine and Worship and yet be in strife and division and in great contentions concerning the same some holding and practizing one manner of Faith Worship and Doctrine and others holding contrary and different and this shews that ye are all fallen from the Life of Christianity as it was held in the Apostles dayes amongst the true Churches for they were of one heart mind soul and spirit as it is written they were of one Faith of one Worship of one Doctrine and hand one Way of Church-Government and this continued amongst the Churches of Christ till there were some that had erred from the Spirit of God in their own Consciences and then they also erred in Faith in Doctrine and in all other things relating to God And these were the Apostate Christians that had erred from the Spirit and divided themselves from the true Church and differed in Iudgment amongst themselves and this was because they had erred from the Spirit of God which would have kept them in unity with God and one with another for the Spirit is the Bond of Peace and the Seal of the Covenant of Love among the Saints So now all ye who are divided in your Knowledge and Iudgement and are in contention one with another about the matters pertaining to God's Kingdom you are the Apostate Christians and you are without the Spirit of Christ The first Apostate Christians erred
from the Spirit and so became divided from the true Faith and from the true Worship and also among themselves and you never yet received the Spirit of Christ that you might come into Unity and Fellowship with God and one with another and that is the reason of all your Divisions in Religious matters because you have not received the Spirit of Christ to teach you and to unite your hearts to God and one to another but you having the Scriptures traditionally by descent through Ages which do describe and declare of that Faith and Doctrine and of the Worship and Church-Government which were among the Saints of old which they held and practised and from the Scriptures which declare of the things from thence you take up a Conceit and false Judgment and an Imitation and a false Conformity and then each sort of you call that your Faith and Church-Government and some after one manner of form and some after another and thus you are divided because you want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit did work true Faith in the hearts of them that gave them forth in dayes of old and it taught them Worship Faith Doctrine and all things concerning Gods Kingdom for the Spirit led them into all Truth and now you wanting the same Spirit that wrought in them and taught them and you having but their words to wit the Scriptures from thence in the Wisdom which is below and in the carnal Reason and in the first mans understanding each Nation takes up a conceit that it is so and so and takes up an Imitation of Worship and Church-Government according to their own sensual wisdom and according to the bredth and depth of their Conceits and then imitates and that severally and diversly and in a divided manner and this is amongst Kingdoms and amongst Neighbours and Brethren this Division in matters of Faith Worship and Doctrine and Church-Government and yet all these have had the name of Christians and Church-Members and Worshippers of God but yet are of many wayes of Worship holding different and contrary Principles of Faith and Doctrine and also of Worship and Church-Government and thus have Nations Cities and Countries been for many Ages and thus hath it been and is at this day amongst the Apostate Christians that want the Spirit of Christ to be their Rule of Knowledge of Iudgment and Worship and of their Faith and Practices in Religion And this is a shame to whole Christendom amongst whom the spirit of Antichrist hath entered which hath thus divided Nations Cities Neighbours and Brothers for all these Divisions about Religion amongst the Apostate Christians are of Antichrist and not of God it is that spirit of Antichrist that hath wrought all these Divisions and planted them in the minds of People Secondly Concerning the bad Effects of these Divisions in matters of Faith and Worship as I have said This Division in Religion hath begotten and brought forth very much Evil throughout the World much heart-burning envy hard-heartedness strife and contention between Kings and Rulers and between Nations between Cities between Neighbours and between Brothers this Division hath wrought bad Effects amongst all these so that it hath brought forth much War and Bloodshed between Kings and great Persecutions between Rulers and their People and great Debate and Strife amongst Neighbours and Friends so that great Murders and losse of many Lives have been produced and brought forth upon this Quarrel about Difference in matters of Faith and Religion and Antichrist hath not only divided people in Iudgement but hath also provoked people into rage and envy to the killing and destroying of one another and even that Division about Spiritual things begotten by Antichrist amongst false Christians hath been turned into personal enmity and brought forth in the end murdering and killing the bodies of Thousands when the original debate hath arisen about Church-Government or Points of Religion and this is the woful Effect that Division of Religion hath brought forth in all Christendom And all this Fruit and Effects as well as the Cause of it hath been of Antichrist and of the Dragon and the Devil throughout the World all this Persecution and spoyling of Goods Imprisoning of Persons taking away of Lives and Banishment and whatsoever Persecution otherwise that hath risen and been inflicted upon any for and because of Differences in Religion and about Faith and Worship all this hath been of Antichrist and even all Laws made for that end and all Executors of such Laws and all Penalties of such Laws and all Wars and Bloodshed whatsoever that have ensued only and upon the account of Differences in Religion that being the first and the only ground of the Quarrel All this hath been of Antichrist and it came out of the bottomless Pit and never rose from the Spirit of God but from the Antichristian spirit of Envy and Wickedness that hath first divided people about matters of Faith and Religion and then provoked them to envy and malice stirring up Kings to fight one against another that was not of their Religion but different and contrary to it And so the hearts of Rulers have been stirred up to persecute all under them that were different and contrary in matters of Faith Worship and Religion and this the spirit of Antichrist hath effected throughout Christendom and so each King that hath been strongest would maintain the Principles of his Faith and the Practice of Religion according to his own Conceit in his Dominions And thus hath Religion Worships and Church-Government been set up and stood amongst Apostate Christians throughout the World by Force and Power and by violent Laws and through Persecutions and Murders and all this hath been by the spirit of Antichrist and the Spirit of God hath had no hand in those matters for the setting up and contriving of false Faith false Worship and false Church-Government all this hath depended upon the Powers and Authorities of the Earth through many Ages and what Religion and Church-Government or Way of Worship that Kings or Queens have set up that only hath been promoted but all the rest persecuted and restrained by force and violence and all this hath been of Antichrist And now to all ye that are of divers Judgments in matters of Faith and Worship in Religion this is a Caution to you all and I do warn you all in the presence of the living God that though ye be divided in the belief and practice of Spiritual things yet live in peace and unity with all men in all outward relations and do not envy nor hurt one anothers Persons though you are in difference about Religion yet suffer not that Difference to grow into persecuting or envying one anothers persons but seek to inform one another and instruct one another in the Spirit of Meekness and perswade one another out of that which is evil to that which is good by patience gentleness and long-suffering and do
not force one another by violence nor persecute one another neither by words evil-deeds nor actions but live in love to the persons every one of another and fight not with Persons nor kill one anothers Persons with carnal weapons about Religion but take the spiritual weapons and war with the Spirit against the evil one in one another and love persons though they are enemies and this is Christ's Doctrine and never hereafter let your divisions about Spiritual things grow into personal quarrels to the envying or killing one another And this is a Charge to you all in the presence of the living God Lastly The Means and Way to be reconciled and to come out of all Division and Strife and to come into Peace with God and one with another about Faith and Church-Government is by the Spirit of God and every one of you in particular must receive the Spirit of Christ that it may work in every one of your hearts true Faith and teach every one of you the true Worship of God and the way of Doctrine and true Church-Government it is the Spirit of Christ in every one both male and female that must reconcile and bring into unity with God and one with another in all Spiritual things for it is that which is the bond of Peace and Love among true Christians and it is that which reconciles peoples hearts into oneness And if you receive that Spirit every particular person of you it will bring you to be of one Faith of one Worship and then your Doctrine and Church-Government will agree if you receive the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures it will work in you the same Faith and lead you in the same way of Worship which the Scriptures speak of and then you will cease taking up Conceits and making Imitations of Church-Governments from the Letter but the same Spirit will work in your hearts Faith and Knowledge in the fulfilling of the Scriptures and this is true Christianity and the other is the way of all Apostate Christians all Imitations from the Letter without the Spirit as gave it forth for there is a great deal of difference between making a Conformity in the Imitation of a Worship and Church-Government from the Scriptures without the Spirit and between the Spirits teaching and leading into the same Truth and same Worship and Church-Government which the Scriptures speak of the one is of Christ and is in unity peace and everlasting fellowship the other is of Antichrist and is in division strife and contention so you must all wait for the Spirit of Truth that you may receive it to work in your hearts to teach you and lead you or else you will never come to true Union and everlasting Fellowship with God and one with another neither can you be of one true Faith in one true way of Worship nor in one way of Church-Government except you receive the Spirit and walk in the Spirit And these be the words of the Lord God unto you all Now as concerning the way of Uniformity in Faith and Church-Government imposed upon Nations and Countries and Cities by cruel Laws of Kings and Rulers as hath been the practice through Christendom to cause a whole Nation and Kingdom to bow and conform to such Principles of Faith and Worship and Church-Government according to the will and pleasure of a King or a Ruler such Uniformity and Union and Fellowship among Christians hath not been of Christ where people have walked by Imitation and conformed to the Commands of Men in such a Faith or to such a Worship or Church-Government this hath not been of God neither could this Unity stand or remain for ever but it hath perished and will perish where ever it is and that Faith and Worship and Church-Government which is so set up and so held will never save the Soul nor comfort it but it is blasted of God whilst a Nation or a Kingdom or a People have Uniformity or hold Faith Worship or Religion either in the ignorance of their Consciences or contrary to their Consciences by the force of Mens Commandments and not by the perswasion of the Spirit of God in their own Consciences such Conformity I say is of Antichrist and not of the Father neither can it stand in the Day of the Lord but the fire of his Wrath will consume it All the Apostate Christians in their Uniformity of Faith Worship and Church-Government which is some other way or by some other means than only by the Spirit of God is of Antichrist and will be confounded for there is no true Unity and Fellowship in the Wayes of God and his Truth and Worship but what is in the Spirit and that Unity will stand for ever for it is in GOD not feigned neither because of the love and fear of this world as the other is That Uniformity in Faith and Worship which is forced upon People is all but hypocrisie and deceit both to God and man and God will judge it in the Imposers and Imposed Therefore no true Unity in Faith nor Worship nor in Religion but what is in and by the Spirit of God for as 〈◊〉 come to divide themselves into many wayes and into divers Sects when they went from the Spirit of God and lost it and whilst they have been without the Spirit they have remained in Division Strife and Contention about Religion so now the means and way of true Union and Fellowship and Faith is by receiving the Spirit of God again and not any otherwise and as Christians are brought again to receive this Spirit and walk therein all division and strife about Religion will cease and the cursed fruits and effects thereof will also wither and be no more but then Unity Peace Blessedness Everlasting Fellowship and Comfort with the Lord and one with another in all his Ways will be witnessed amongst all People THE END