call your sâ—â—â—es the Churches of Christ when ye are so far out of the Life and Practise of the Apostles and Prophets upon whose foundation the former Churches were builded Jesus Christ himself the true Light being the Head Corner-stone For Consider whence the word Church is derived even from a word that signifies to Call out so that the true Church of Christ is a people called out of the Wayes Wickednesses Formalities Customs and Fashions of the World into the pure obedience to and worshipping of God in the Spirit by his own living Word which is nigh in the heart and mouth to which Word ye should do very well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place which is your dark hearts that it may lead you out of all the wayes of sin death and deceit into the paths of all Righteousnesse even into such a pure way wherein no Ravenous Beast that fights against the witness of God and his living truth can ever come saith the Lord Almighty and that because of his flaming Sword which turneth every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life from all such But you will object and say The Light which thou so much speakest of and callest Christ within as the Enlightner of every man that comes into the World is no more but a Natural instinct or endowment or Light of Nature whereby man is able to reflect upon himself when he hath done good or evil yea and sometimes restrain from the evil and do the good as well as commit the evil whereby his conscience accuseth or excuseth him for Paul saith in his Epistle to the Romans when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law they having not a Law are a Law unto themselves and again the uncircumcision which is by Nature keeping the Law shall judge thee who through the Letter and Circumcision art a transgressor of the law This one thing may for ever stop the mouths of all such Objectors if they would but consider that as in the truth it is Paul is not here speaking of any thing but that which justifies in the sight of God for it was not his work to declare to people being an Apostle of Jesus Christ any Faith Peace Reconciliation or Obedience but what tended to the justification of life therefore he saith before that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one Jew and Greek that believeth and therefore he saith in the thirteenth verse of the second Chapter that the Hearers of the Law are not just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified for when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not an outward written Law are a Law to themselves whereby they by the Finger of God which wrote the effâ—ct of it in their hearts which is the light of Christ that enlightneth every man are justified in the sight of the living God or condemned in his sight by the same Finger or Light so that their consciences either excused them unto the justification and salvation of their souls or accused them unto the damnation thereof so it is most plain that that Principle whereby they by Nature or Naturally did the will of the Lord was no other then the light and life of Christ without whom I believe none of you dare deny any one can be justified But moreover because of your hardnesse of belief Consider what ye say when ye speak of Nature or doing by Nature the word Nature comes from a word that signifies to be Born so that whatever a man doth by Nature he doth by that which was born with him or brought forth with him into the World as beasts also do in their kind yea and inanimate creatures in their kind so moving and rest are general works of Nature because every Creature moveth or resteth from a Principle which it had from its birth but here men are apt to commit idolatry in not minding and seeing whence this birth or nature and the works thereof proceeds and do subsist for in the Eternal Power and God-head who was in himself most glorious before any thing was born or brought forth or before nature was doth all things and nature with all its works subsist have their being so that they are nothing but what he is in them yet every thing in its degree measure and order and so man is in the highest degree of acting from that abilitie which the Creator who is the Soul of the World and Life of all things placed in him Now this being rightly considered all that which men in a sleighting manner are wont to call instincts of Nature or natural light or endowment is the very effect of the Life of God himself stirring and moving that way so then mankind having an ability in him from his birth to reflect upon himself as to Godward when he hath done good or evil which the beast is not capable of so as to be accused or tormented or excused and comforted this ability call it what ye will is from the life of all things and the Eternal Word of his Power which is the light and life of men which cannot be separated from mans understanding whereby the Spirit of a man becomes the Candle of the Lord and so the effect of the Law is written in mans heart by the Finger of God by Nature or from his birth for that word implyeth no more and in this did the Gentiles differ from the Jews in that these had a law also outwardly declared which was added because of the height of transgression against the Law in the heart till the Seed or life that there placed it should arise to fulfil it and the other onely the Principle by Nature or the forced ability from their birth without any outward engravement or writing whereupon the Jews boasted over the Gentiles because to them were outwardly committed the Oracles and Ordinances c. Wherefore Paul to stop their mouths for the seed was now raised saith for when the Gentiles which have not a law do by Nature or the Principle placed by God in them from their birth the things contained in the law these having not a Law outwardly written are a law to themselves that is have the Pure Principle of God in themselves from their birth shewing them what to do and what to abstain from and so if the uncircumcision which is by Nature keep the Law that is if they which are not from their birth circumcised outwardly as not being the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh do keep the Law by the same pure Principle of God they shall judge the Jews outward who having such a a Law and Circumcision do yet transgresse the Righteous principle of God which sheweth them that inwardly which the law outwardly declareth of and which Circumcision outward
believed being also I deny not then baptized with water they prayed and laid their hands on them which was an outward sign of the blessing and they received the holy Spirit now if any one shall say how could the Apostles who were but men baptize with the Spirit I answer no otherwise then they could at first beget faith and repentance in those so baptized it was the Lords work but they ministerially did it that is they having felt the power in themselves the raised life in them Ministred to the life that lay low in others and so brought it up therefore that the Lord might shew he was not tied up to time or manner in the bestowing of his gift while Peter spake those words to Cornelius and the rest the holy Spirit fell on them that heard the word so that this was the Baptism here meant by Christ which was so Essential to the conversion of the world and building up of the Saints in so much that Paul joyns it with faith as a necessary companion saying there is One Lord one Faith and one Baptisme for by one Spirit are the Saints baptized into one body Christ the baptizer being the head who moreover told the Apostles that he would be with them all the dayes that is of their Ministry even to the finishing of the age mark there was an age or certain space of time wherein the truth of the Gospel should grow and the Baptism of the Spirit or the comforters presence be witnessed through Christs Power accompanying their Ministry and then should the Mystery of iniquity in false Apostles get such a head by stealing and bringing in false Doctrines Traditions and inventions that it should God so permitting it overtop the life and so the true Ministry should cease and his living presence not be felt and enjoyed as before which most certainly came to passe as we see whose eyes the Lord hath opened in the many hundred years Apostacy and reign of Antichrist now if Christ meant that He would be alway with them to the end of the world as it s falsely rendred in English Bibles how could his words be true since we see by experience that the Glory of God which shined in his Temple in the Apostles dayes departed over the threshold the Church went into the wilderness the Seed of God was captivated by the Whore of Babylon and the man-Child Christ in his strength taken up to God and his Throne wherefore in the second restauration of the spiritual Temple and re-edifying of the holy City new Jerusalem people must first come to the true faith by believing in Christ the true light and witness repentance from all false worships and and dead works of the world as those that are wearie of Babylons captivity and that set their faces towards Sion in truth and so must wait with the Lords people in silence and humility for the Fathers promise which is the Comforter even the Spirit of truth which in his due time baptizeth such with fire and so by degrees leads them into all truth and out of all sins and errour and so the Church cometh out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved that is staying her mind upon the light within and being content with her portion be it much or little be it judgement or mercy be it in a day of blackness or gloominess or in a day wherein it is neither dark nor light or in the evening time wherein it shall be light as saith the Prophet or in the sun-shine of the day it self so not despising the day of small things or overlifted up with great things neither must they all this while set upon or practice any outward thing in the worship of God in their own wils or by imitation of others or meerly from a precept without but onely as Christ the light shall lay that precept upon them for if they do they are will-worshippers and so Idolaters for as the Son of God was once personally present in a body of flesh commanding the Apostles to teach the People at the first raising of the Gospel Church to observe all things whatsover he had before commanded them and said unto them while so present with them which the Comforter afterwards brought to their remembrance so in the reâ—toring thereof the second time none are to observe any thing or teach any thing to be observed but what Christ manifested in their bodies of flesh doth command them for saith he I go away to wit as to his Personal body and the world shall see me no more but ye shall see me that is in their own bodies manifested Now by this oh all ye Baptists may ye try your selves and present practice of water Baptism and all other Administrations and performances in your Congregations have ye witnessed this true faith or are ye yet disputing against it have ye repented of all dead works or are ye still wallowing in the pollutions of the world have ye waited or do ye wait in silence for the Fathers Promise or do ye set your selves on work in a formal Preaching and dead praying and hanging on the lips of such Preachers and Pray-ers Do ye or others keep an outward Sabbath whether on the seventh or first day from mens Precepts or a Mosaical Rule or from a Command of life within Do ye Baptize and are Baptized and break Bread from a particular Command in your selves or because the Saints formerly so practised Do ye exercise the power of the Keyes from the true spiritual discerning judgement and power or because the Churches before the Apostacy did so bind and loose Ye must know that there hath been a wide step between the Apostles and our dayes and that the gathering of the Church at first out of Egypt and the bringing it out of Babylon are two several things and are not brought to pass after one and the self-same manner as to the outward administration of things Also consider that Johns Revelation was a Prophesie of what things came and must come to pass after the Apostles and not a Relation of what was done in their dayes so that in the coming out of mystical Babylon the Lambs followers wait on him for the opening of that mystical Book as that which concerns their present condition Now when the Angel came down from Heaven and lightned the earth with his Glory whereby the everlasting Gospel came to be Preachâ—d saying Fear God and give G ory to him for the hour of his Judgement is come and come out oâ— Babylon my pâ—ople and partake not of her sins lest ye receive of her plagues Then as people came out of her by the guidance of the light the Temple of God or his holy Habitation in the Spirit was opened in Heaven they had a sight in themselves into what state they should be brought even to have a habitation in God and he in them but then was this Temple filled with smoak from the Glory of God and from
A DEFENCE OF THE True Church Called QUAKERS Come and coming out of the Wildernesse Babylon and the dark Night of the Apostacy of Antichrist into their own Land which is Sion the Mountain of Holinesse there to Worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth against the several Sects and sorts of people called Independants Separatists or Brownists Baptists Fift Monarchy-men Seekers and High Notionists of all sorts who by the True Light are found and discovered to be out of the same Written by J. C. According to the measure of Wisdom given unto him from God who is the giver of every good gift LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1659. WHen the Jewes outward Returned from the Captivity of Babylon which was the true figure of the Saints coming out of the long and dark night of Apostacy from the Doctrine and Life of the Apostles in the Primitive Times which was the Captivity of the spiritual Seed so great and many were their Enemies who endeavoured to cause their Work in repairing the desolate and ruined places of Jerusalem to cease that those who were imployed in that Work with one hand wrought and with the other held the Weapon even so is it and must it be now at the Return of the spiritual Seed not only within by exercising Faith and Prayer upon and to him that is able to save to the uttermost and in his strength wrestling against the Dragon and his Angels Principalities Powers and Spiritual Wickednesses in High Places and sundry temptations so quenching by the Armour of Light all the fiery Darts of the wicked one but also without both by holding forth the Word of their testimony and sealing it with their bloud and sufferings for the conviction and conversion of sinners so fitting stones for Gods spiritual building and also by stopping the mouths of gain-sayers who shall not be able to resist the Spirit by which they speak So standing in the gap and quitting themselves like Spiritual-men against the Beast and false Prophet and all the Armies of the Aliens Hear now therefore all ye that are called Independants Separatists or Brownists Baptists Fift Monarchy-men Seekers high Notionists of all sorts the Apologie or Defence that I in the wisdom and strength of my God for without him I can do nothing do make against you and for the true Church called Quakers against whom and whose standing Profession ye variously have prejudice and do contend And First for you called Independants ye assume a great Name but ye are not found in the Independant nature and so are not the true Church for although ye professe your selves as to the visible Administration of Church-power not to have dependance upon other Congregations or Churches as an inferiour on a superiour yet are there many things apparently seen amongst you which do un-Church you and remove your Candlestick far off for the true golden Candlesticks among whom Christ the Son of God walketh do hold up and hold forth the true light that it may shine before men but ye as do the common multitude reject it sleight it and Dispute against it as invalid and insufficient to lead in the way everlasting and so ye would have it kept under the bushel yea quite extinguished in the hearts of men and would have the Scriptures or Writings to be a light to it and not it an enlightener and opener of them whereby ye stumble at the Scriptures themselves and cannot discern of the times and seasons or of the Saints several states and conditions to God-ward who because they sometime witnessed a war and striving against the body of sin therefore say you they must alway while they live carry it about them as though the Saints fought as those that beat the Air or as though their labour were in vain in the Lord Oh! foolish people and unwise when will ye come to the true Teacher in your selves that ye may believe and know the Promise made unto the seed That there shall be no more a pricking Bryar unto the House of Israel nor a grieving Thorn of all that are round about them that despise them and they shall know that I am the Lord Also that their Enemies which they have seen to day they shall see them again no more for ever And that ye may see their interest in Christs Prayer whom the Father heard alwayes because he did alwayes the things that pleased him who said Neither Pray I for these alone to wit for the Apostles and Saints then in the world that they might be sanctified through the Truth but for them also who shall believe in me through their words that they all may be one c. I in them and thou in me that hey may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Mark This was a state of Saints Perfection in this world that worldly Spirits might be convinced thereby but ye being in the unbelief are even as the multitude alwayes hanging upon the lips of men whose tongues are not touched as the Prophets was with a Coal from Gods Altar who witnessed his sin purged and so are ever learning and never come to the true knowledge for the Pastors and Teachers of your Congregations have not yet witnessed the Vrim of the Sanctuary I mean the true spiritual Gift by believing and waiting on the true light which shineth in their dark hearts that should give them power from on high to minister in but are either men learned with the learning of this world or such who through strength of Brain and often reading of the Letter of the Scriptures can compose a Form of Words and deliver it unto you after a Priestly manner so that ye as still unsatisfied heap to your selves National Priests also for Teachers sometimes hearing the one and sometimes the other Yea some of your Pastors so called are National Priests also Oh! Friends it might shame you and make you blush for shame if ye could rightly consider to call your selves the Churches of Christ and Independants and be thus so dependant on mans Teachings Yea joyning with the National Priests about the way of sending out a Ministrie and bearing the Beasts very Mark in your Foreheads while ye are so called owning your Baptism in your Infancie to be true though ministred to a blank and by those who sprang from a Popish stock and sprinkling your own Infants now from a false apprehension of the Promise made to you and your seed after the flesh so calling that the seed whereas the true Churches of Christ knew no such seed nor owned any but that which sprang out of Christs womb in the Regeneration who is a quickning Spirit So Christ the Corner-stone and Head of the Church even the true and universal Light is come to fight against you with the sword of his mouth and to testifie to your faces That though ye call
themselves be in the true Faith or find power and ability to bring forth any good and acceptable fruit unto God I cannot behold for which way should ye feel his living Power to enable you thereunto or which way should the Spirit of the Lord come Do you look for him by way of local motion and so to enter from without to within you can such a thought be without setting the phansie on work and so making an Image of the Godhead within your selves but if ye will not be accounted Idolaters then must you needs come to the light within which must reveal unto you the Image of the Invisible God in the still silence and that which can reveal the Fathers Glory must most certainly discover sin and evil which vails the same while undiscovered and unjudged down and destroyed from the mind of man but this also ye Baptized Persons that say ye deny mans Free Will cannot believe for ye think and say though sin do remain in you as it must as long as ye live here yet ye have an Advocate with the Father and so are justified by Christs Merits and Righteousness the which for any one to deny ye account a denial of Free Grace yea and of Christ himself So ye think ye may behold the Fathers Presence even while sin is standing Alas alas Friends ye are much deceived as are the common multitude herein for in this day of Christ the true light another kind of Free Grace and another manner of Saviour is discovered and revealed than hath been formerly imagined for know ye that Gods Free Grace is his Free Gift in giving his Son a light into the world whereby as men come to see confess and forsake all evil in thought word and deed Justification Reconciliation and Peace with the Lord God they may come to witnesse and no otherwise for whosoever hath at any time seen his pure shape with a spiritual eye cannot imâ—gine or desire to have these any other way his pure eyes beholding no Iniquity in any one without reproof where ever he finds it neither can his all-seeing eye but see it where ever it is and this is also the Saviour that we believe in and Preach and no other to wit a Christ to be known within manifested in our â—â—esh to destroy the works of the Devil so saving us from the wrath to come for he was not at all sent to justifie or save his People in their sins but from their sins so is judgement laid to the line and equity to the plummet look how far judgement hath passed upon the transgressour in any one so far is mercy witnessed by the transgressour and no farther and it is equity that it should be so yet is it most free grace in that the Lord God Almighty freely saves in this righteous way by his own Almighty Arm but so as that the creature may remember and take notice that if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appear neither would this Doctrine oh ye Baptists seem a hard saying unto you if ye were not double-minded loving the Lords Salvation and your sins also to wit pride covetousness deceit self-seeking respecting of Persons having mens Persons in admiration for advantage sake and such like for if your eye were single to the Lord alone ye would desire no peace at his hands but in the way of all righteousness fulfilled in your selves yea even to the silencing every idle and needless word and the removing of every vain Aiery thought in you as knowing that holiness becomes his house for ever but while ye cannot bear these true and faithful sayings know ye that ye are alinated in your minds by wicked works which ye are in love with what ever ye shall professe to the contrary and so are also out of the faith which gives victory over the world and all sin And as for your being baptized with water which is but an outward sign at the most of your being dead and buried and risen with Christ know ye that the thing signified must be witnessed before the sign can be truely applyed which cannot be till ye come to the true faith and so out of the pollutions of the world for otherwise ye set a seal to a blank as well as those who sprinkle infants neither is Baptism with water Christs proper Baptism but was begun by John who came but to prepare the way of the Lord Christ who was to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire who was to increase in this his proper work and John to decrease in his work Now I grant that Johns Baptism was not suddenly left off but decreased by degrees as the Saints came to eye and witness perfection so as to behold and hold forth Gods purity and righteousness without a sign so that it was practiced by the Apostles and Saints after Christs departure and that sometimes by way of command there being for the present a good use â—hereof yet Paul expresly declareth who was a Minister to the Gâ—ntilâ—s that he was not sent to baptize but to Prâ—ach glad tidâ—â—gs neither was that Commission of Christ to the Apostles in Mat. 28. a Commission to baptize with water as I shall evidenâ—ly demonstrate for thus are the words truely to be read ouâ— of the Greek Therefore ys going forth or forward Disciple all Nations dipping or baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit teaching them to keep all things whaâ—soever I have commanded you and behold I am with you alâ— the dayes even to the finishing of the age Hear we see they were to proceed in their work having first waited for power to do it which was to enter people into the School of Châ—ist and then to baptize them into the Name of the God-head Now the Name of the Lord is his strength and power whereby he is known wonderful in the hearts of his people so is the Name of the Lord a strong Tower Now into this name nothing could bring them but the same power from on high which the Apostles and Saints that had first waited for the same in themselves received which power was the Baptism of the Spirit whose effect was like unto fire filling them with a holy jealousie and burning up the drosse and bringing them into unitie with the Father and the Son in the Spirit soÌ„ filling their hearts with joy and gladness and putting words into their mouths and utterance to declare the wondrous Works of God several wayes according to its various workings in them and sometimes even shaking the earthly Tabernacle makiâ—g them to appear unto the blinde world like drunken men this Baptism which was truely Christs own was and is altogether necessary in the Church of Christ without whâ—ch the work of the Lord in his day could not nor cannot go on and therefore was it an Essential part of their Commission which they most carefully and faithfully regarded so that when Persons
by whom all things were made and in which they all subsist and by which all hearts are bridled Saul was a stout and valiant Warriour and higher than the rest by the head and shoulders and went in and out a notable Chieftain before the People but when Gods witness accused him he was as weak as water yea fell down upon his face to the ground So now we keeping close to this as the Head-stone in the Corner the Weapon we War withal though it be managed with much Meekness and Patience as it ought to be is far stronger than yours that keeps a greater clattering for yours hath yet wrought no deliverance in the earth nor never will but thousands Glory be to the Lord God of Power can witness deliverance from the unjust power and from Injustice and unrighteousness in thought word and deed even by the Armour of light which is Gods faithful witness within them and the Government placed upon his shoulders who by his most powerful and good Spirit will in due time Govern the Nations Righteously upon the earth and in no other way Therefore I advise you to put up your Sword of Steel into his Sheath for ever yea to break him into a Plow-share for so he may be of some good use among mankind and wrestle not so against flesh and blood as to kill the Creature which is Gods Workmanship but come to know the Weapons of the Saints Warfare which are not carnal but spiritual yet mighty through God to the pulling down all the Strong-holds of sin and sinners both within and without for saith Paul They have in readiness to revenge every disobedience when your obedience speaking to the Saints is fulfilled So then if ye will be accounted of the number of the Saints that follow the Lamb in his Holy War wait to feel his living Power in your own Particulars which may fulfil your obedience towards him and then shall the same Power appearing in you be able to revenge all disobedience in others be they Magistrates Priests or People but if ye live in the disobedience your selves against Gods faithful witness which is his true light within you and come not to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ which maketh Humble and Meek slayeth the earthly mind and brings out of self and all selfish wayes into the true self-denial which is to Love and give Glory onely to God and to love ones Neighbour as ones self which to do aright the light waited in in truth will discover your out-cries against others wickedness and injustice will be but as the espial of a Mote in anothers eye when as a Beam is still in your own But ye will say That Christ Luke 22.36 a little before his suffering bad the Disciples That he who had not a Sword should sell his Garment and buy one which could not be but for some great and necessary use that the having of it should be preferred before a necessary Garment Can ye say in truth of heart and nothing within you tell you that ye lye that what Christ in this Particular said to the eleven that he in them spake to all Saints who should come after As he did when he exhorted them to Watch saying What I say unto you I say unto all Watch Or was this Sword that he bid them to buy onely for some special use at the time of his apprehension Which was to hold forth that all such fighting with the Sword by the Saints was now to take its farewel in the world Christ was made under the Law which both tolerated and oft times commanded the Jews not onely to defend themselves but to offend their enemies so an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth and he was not yet offered up which put an end to the Law also observe his reason for his so speaking for saith he I say unto you that this which is written must be accomplished in me And he was reckoned among the transgressours for the things concerning me have an end intimating hereby that the buying of the Sword was for the very forementioned purpose and when the things written concerning his sufferings were finished then the outward Sword must be put up and laid aside as he bid Peter to do when he had once smitten with it least he perished by it Likewise mark his answer to them when they said there were two Swords saith he It is enough although he seemed to say before that every one should sell his Garment that had not a Sword to buy one shewing thereby that this thing was not of Universal use as ye would understand therefore when Judas had betrayed him to the multitude and those about him said unto him Lord shall we smite with the sword And one of them had smitten and cut off the High Priests servants ear Christ answered and said Suffer ye thus far Shewing that now the Sword had done his Office And so he touched his ear healed him Thus exercising his Power of love in requiting good for evil and even making up the breach that the Sword had made in revenge neither was any sign of a Sword seen in the hands of any of the Apostles and Saints after Christs departure but they suffered with all Patience through faith in the Power of God so must do the Lambs true followers in this his day of restoring the desolate Places as John testifies in his Book of Revelation he that killeth with the Sword must be killed by the Sword here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints And as for divers Scriptures that speak of the Lords overturning again again till he come to Reign whose Right it is and of punishing the stout heart of the Oppressour and of wasting utterly those Nations that will not serve the Church and such like they must be understood of the exercising of Christs Power in Peoples hearts and also of justly suffering the false and unrighteous powers of the earth to scourge and destroy each other for their iniquity till they come to serve and fear the Lord in Truth which brings into Peace and Unity for the Devils kingdom is divided against it self but Jerusalem is a City in Unity with it self but that the Saints shall and ought to have a hand in these outward desolations as moved thereto by the Spirit of the Lord I deny for his Kingdom in them stands in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit which they are to hold forth visibly before all men and not their hands to act contrary to their hearts Now come we to you called Seekers to try what ye seek after stick at and whether ye seek the Lord in a right way that it is a pretious thing to seek the Lord and his Way of Righteousness in truth all the Righteous and upright in heart do experimentally know for seek and ye shall find saith Christ the true light to his and blessed are they that keep his Testimonies and seek him
the spirits of all the remnant of the People for they were in the unbelief before as ye are concerning the time saying Hag. 2. ver 2. the time is not come the time that the Lords house should be built then the Lords Word in Haggai was this to convince them of the contrary Is it time for you oh ye to dwell in your sieled houses and this house lay wast now therefore thus saith the Lord consider your wayes c. And afterwards when the second Temple was built they were apt to have low thoughts of it who is left among you saith the same Prophet that saw this house in the first glory and how do ye see it now is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing mark as nothing yet saith he now be strong oh Zerubbabel saith the Lord and be strong oh Joshuah the high Priest and be strong all ye people of the Land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of hosts according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt so my spirit remaineth among you fear ye not for thus saith the Lord of hosts yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with Glory saith the Lord of hosts the silver is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts the Glory of this latter house shall be greater then of the former saith the Lord of hosts and I will give peace in this place saith the Lord of hosts are not these plain words to him that desires to understand the people were discouraged because their second Temple was not so Stately and pompous outwardly as the first built by Solomon yet were they bid to be strong or of a good courage for the Lord of hosts strong and mighty was with them and the same spirit remained among them according to his Covenant with them when they came out of Egypt though there were not miracles and such visible signes shewed amongst them now as then for the right of building the second Temple stood in the Covenant which was still the same to the Seed of Israel outward he to be their God and they to be to him a People whereof Circumcision in the flesh was a sign as the Circumcision of the heart is a signe of the spiritual and everlasting Covenant to the spiritual Seed saying they should not fear for he would shortly shake all and all Nations by his powerful witness which should make way for Christ to come and fill his second house with his Glory for all spiritual riches and treasures are His and in Him so that the Glory of the latter house should be greater then of the former to wit in the invisible Glory yet visible by fruits of all righteousness which to bring forth was the sum and end of all figures shadowes miracles tongues and prophesies So that they should have peace in God which passeth all Humane understanding and outward rest also when their sufferings were fulfilled Now consider whether it were not just so in the first raising up of the Gospel Church in the Apostles dayes they had the gift of tongues they did many miracles c. for it was meet and needful at the first bringing in of the first born into an unbelieving and Heathenish world that it should be so as it was at the Jews coming out of Egypt to be a visible Nation and People unto God but at the coming out of mystical Babylon the Spirit of Life from God entred saith John into the witnesses and they stood upon their feet and they prophesied no miracle or in what Language it was being mentioned and the way that the Saints overcame was by the blood of the Covenant mark the same Life of Christ which is the blood of the everlasting Covenant which the Apostles and Saints formerly stood in was in them whereby they got victory every way also they overcame by the Word of their Testimony declaring what they had seen and handled of the Word of Life and by suffering for the same even unto death as the Jew outward adventured their lives in the going on with their work against Sanballat Tobiah and the other their cruel enemies neither is this second work of God to be sleighted or little esteemed for it is done by the pure power of the Almighty in the Spirit as the Prophet Zacharie testified saying not by might nor by power that is so visibly appearing in strange gifts but by my Spirit saith the Lord of hosts even that by whom all things were made and so is very great and shall bring forth the pâ—rest State of the Church that ever was as in the description of the new Jerusalem the Holy City doth most evidently appear wherein shall be a new Heaven and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness which Peter and the Saints in his dayes waited for and desired to see where shall be no more sorrow nor crying nor pain nor night and this is the State after the captivity not wrought out by outward signes and wonders but by the Internal light leading out of all that is unclean into that wherein there is no defilement which is a glorious and all powerful work so that the Saints feeling of it shall yea and do already say now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night and this purely spiritual way of proceeding is most suitable to destroy the mystery of iniquity for hereby spiritual Wisdom is set in opposition and doth discover spiritual deceit by which the Nations have been made drunk yet we deny not or limit the Power of the Holy One in this his day to come forth in what gifts he pleaseth as sometimes he hath done by healing and extraordinary fastings amongst us but this we say it is not so much a seal to the Ministry as the Lords free working how he pleaseth and how he will please to come forth hereafter when the Truth shall actually prevail over other Nations that do not professe Christianity we are not much careful as knowing that whatsoever is needful for the managing of the Lords own Work himself will freely bestow whether it be the gift of tongues miracles or any other Neither is it necessary that the true Ministry should be the Administratours of baptism with water laying on of hands or breaking of bread at their rising so constituting a Church called visible by those outward signs and shadows nay it is not convenient that they should do so for the reasons forementioned to the Baptists also for as much as Antichrist under pretence of setting up of outward false Administrations called by him Ordinances and crying
them up hath betrayed the pure life in Spirit and seeing others also as the Baptists themselves who have professed to Minister those Ordinances in a right manner and to true Subjects thereof have idolized the same and become dead dry and barren therein ministring out of the life and Power and in a formality therefore the Lord as he hath done in such cases leaveth them to such Traytors Idolaters and formalists as going out of them and leading his People in this his day in a different manner even in a pure path of righteousness in the Spirit manifested by its own immediate fruits and bringing them into that wherein they see no Temple besides the Lord God and the Lamb to dwell in so that ye called Seekers waiting as ye say for a right Administrator of Baptisme c. do but from the desart look for the Kingdom to come with an outward observation when as the Kingdom of God is within you as it was in the Pharisees if ye could so see it for the light is that in which God dwelleth and by which he dwelleth in man either as a reprover and condemner or justifier and comforter and that by which he Reigneth in him as a Judge or Saviour which is Christ his Son given by him for a Covenant of light to the Gentiles which Covenant any one taking hold of is brought into it and so hath a right to come out of Babylon to Sion yea must come out thence least he be found a transgressour against it for that which sheweth him where he hath been and whither he is to go will give him strength he waiting therein to passe on till he come to appear before God in Sion which is the beautie of Holiness But to what hath been said ye will object and say Christ Mark 16 bidding his Disciples that going forth into all the world they should Preach the Gospel to every Creature and he that believed and was baptized should be saved but he that believed not should be damned said and these signs shall follow them that believe in my Name they shall cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall be well or recover So that these are the notes or marks of a true Gospel Ministry and therefore none may call himself an Apostle or Minister of Christ except he can confirm his Ministry by some of these or any call themselves the true Church unless such signs follow them or are found amongst them T is true these things mentioned were signs whereby their Ministry was propagated and confirmed for without the gift of tongues the Gospel could not have been so readily declared throughout the Nations into which they were to go nor without the other signs would they so readily have believed that which they had never heard of before but it doth not therefore follow that every one who went forth in the Ministry had tongues or did cast out Devils heal the sick c. For if any one were then moved by the Spirit of the Lord to Preach but in one Language even in his Mother tongue he was as truely a Minister of Christ to those to whom he spake as those were that spake to divers Nations As Apollo who we read not to have either spake with any new tongue or ever to do a miracle yet having received Wisdom and Power from on high he was an eminent Minister of the Gospel and an instrument by whom the Corinthians believed as Paul witnessed neither was alway a miracle wrought by those who might sometimes work such a thing when People were converted nay rather oftner by Preaching alone without it So the three thousand were converted by the Preaching of Peter without a miracle done at the time of their being pricked in heart and gladly receiving his Word so while Peter another time spake to Cornelius and his Family the Holy Spirit fell on them no miracle being wrought so Paul Preached two whole years in his own hired house having first declared the Truth to the Jews some of whom believed the things that were spoken and others believing not and this without a miracle So Lydia's heart was opened by Paul and Timotheus their speaking without a miracle for ye must know that although such things were signs when the Power was pleased so to operate yet the living Word being declared by the living Power was sufficient enough without any other sign to prevail and approve those so speaking to be the Ministers of Christ to whom they spake so the Corinthians were the seal of Pauls Apostleship his Gospel coming to them in the Power and demonstration of the Spirit so were they his Epistle that commended his Ministry known and read of all men Know also that though God did then freely come forth in such a way yet those who sought a sign were an Adulterous generation for if a man would but believe and keep to the Word nigh in his mouth and heart when declared in him or unto him he need not look out for any such thing And as for those signs following those who believed it could not be all those who believed for most of the believers or members of the true Church spake neither with tongues or shewed any miracles as is undeniably evident neither could those be Essential signs of Faith for nothing is the proper token of that but works of righteousness alone as James witnesseth and none ever denyed so then these signs following those that believed were indeed further confirmations that such did believe wherein they appeared while the Essential tokens thereof remained with them but if they should be absent as love which is the fulfilling of the Law though any one should speak with the tongue of men and Angels and have Faith so as to remove mountains it would profit nothing and so be no sign of his being a believer And so the false Prophets miracles which John saith he wrought before the Beast can be no sign of his Faith or of a true Ministry because he is an enemy of all righteousness But to come more home to this point I say that as the Commission was given to the Apostles and Saints to Minister in that age till the Apostacie according to the several gifts and operations of the Spirit and the work they had then to do which was a great deal in a little time as going far and near and as this Commission was declared by Christs personal mouth before his departure which was terminated in them and fulfilled in that age so in the second restauration Christ the light gives a second Commission by his Spirit to those who have waited in his light what to Minister with and how to Minister according to their work in this his last day which is first of all to unfold the skirts of the great and mystical Whore who will
acknowledge Christ and the Scriptures in words but oppose and betray his pure Life wherefore he commandeth his wiâ—nesses now to fight with her with the sword of his mouth in the Power of Wisdom which is better then outward strength and so they act and speak as he moveth and enableth them keeping to their own gift measure and work as the Apostles and Saints formerly did to theirs and not regarding how they acted or spake so as to be moved or troubled at it as to question their call to the work of the Ministry for they know if they receive the witness of man the witness of God is greater which witness is his light within them which plainly sheweth them and sealeth in them though the whole world gain-say it that they have felt in themselves the Baptism of the spirit and fire whose effects I before declared and so the operation of his living Word which hath brought thousands of others to believe in the same light and many to feel also the same living Word and spiritual Baptism which hath shaken the Earthly part within like a cottage and also the outward body of some putting words in their mouths to declare his righteousness in the great Assembly and magnifie his Holy Name in the Congregations of his Saints this was that greater work that Christ said his Disciples should do then he had done because he went to his Father for the Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified this is really witnessed among us the Spirit sealing it in our hearts so that we witnesing the one Lord one Faith and one Baptism we are thereby baptized into the one body and being many are one bread and so the true Church that is come and coming out of Babylon and out of the wilderness Glory be to the Lord for ever who hath thus visited and Redeemed his People for this living Power is the gift it self tongues miracles prophesie c. are but the gifts flowing as streams from this fountain now if the Lord do keep back some streams and give us more of the fountain in this his day we are not loosers but gainers by that and so the more to be owned as the Church of Christ But ye will say when the Church was brought out of mystical Babylon John declareth there was an Angel who flow thorow the midst of heaven with an everlasting Gospel to Preach to them that dwell on the Earth and to all Nations kindreds tongues and People which since we see not how that could be without the gift of tongues sheweth us that the true Ministry must have the very same visible gifts now as the Apostles had before they undertake to go forth That People were never truely called out of Babylon before the Preaching of this everlasting Gospel is certainly true and that it is to be Preached to all sorts of People upon the Earth is as cerâ—â—in but that this Gospel must not be Preached to some till the gift of tongues be given where by it might be declared to all is false for the Wisdom of God teacheth his People in what manner and order he will proceed in the publishing his truth throughout the world it must begin first in Sodom and Egypt where our Lord Christ the light and life hath been crucified I mean the Anti-christian State which under pretence of professing Christ opposeth him this Beast indeed is many headed and consists of divers Nations but they must not all be cut off at once but by degrees we know by experience what ever ye believe that he hath begun his work in this Isle of the North wherein we live and that there have been wayes made somewhat to awaken other Nations also the pure Language being known a tongue hath not been wanting to speak to them in and in this one thing do I behold Gods great Wisdom that he hath taken the wise in their own craftiness that whereas the Antichristian Priests have as the Hebrew and Greek so especially idolized the Latine or Romane tongue all over Europe whereby it s become a general Language hereby a good occasion is given to spread the truth throughout all these Nations of Christendome so called also so much hath been the mutuall commerce betwixt these Antichristian People for many years as counting each other to be Christians that in any of these Nations it may be either spoken in their own Language or by an Interpreter which last way is not to be despised for the mighty God brings and will bring to pass great things in these last times by weak beginnings and none is to despise the Day of small things yea the voice hath been hard in Turkie already and if any of you shall say But what had they to do to go thither without the gift of the Tongue I answer you must ask him that moved them thereto even by turning in to Gods witness which is his true light within every one of you and waiting there for Counsel ye shall know the Lords secrets and feel his Power to arise which shall bring you into Unity with their Spirits who knew their Call which ye will not then dispute but in the mean time him that is ignorant let him be ignorant but however know that your unbelief cannot make the truth of God of none effect But is it not Prophesied by Isaiah concerning the Church that he will turn his hand upon her and pâ—rely purge away her dross and take away all her tin and will restore all her Judges as at the first and her Counsellors as at the beginning afterwards she shall be called the City of Righteousness the faithful City Zion shall be Redeemed with Judgement and her converts with Righteousness whereby it appeareth that at the Restauration of the Church the second time which is a very refining time and of Redemption through Judgement and Righteousness which ye talk so much of the Ministry of the Church shall be as they were at the first gathering of it by the Apostles and so gifted just as they were The endowing of the witnesses at their Resurrection shall be with the Spirit of life from God entring into them and so they shall be as at the first for that is the gift it self which brings into Unity of Spirit all the Prophets Apostles and Saints in all ages and into Unity in Ministry as declaring one Everlasting Truth for substance and from one Eternal Root but in respect of the gifts and operations of that one Spirit or Gift it may be different at sundry times and seasons according to the work that is to be done and the various workings of the Spirit it self So God who at sundry times and divers manners spake to the Jews by the Prophets spake in the last times by his Son by whom also he speaketh sundry wayes at sundry times though not a sundry truth for the Apostles bare witness to the true light that lightneth every man and to the Word nigh in the
mouth and heart as Moses also witnessed and so do we now by the same Spirit they were for taking up and standing in the Cross fulfilling of all Righteousness and for separation from every Idol and all Idolatrous wayes and so are we now and that not only in word but in deed and in truth they would not go forth to speak and suffer in their own strength without power from above felt to enable them thereunto neither dare we the like without the same Power so then here are now Judges as at the first the same Spirit of Judgment proceeding yea the Lord in his People rather coming more near to Judgement and Counsellours as at the beginning those that exhort and reprove in the same Authority whose words the earthly mind is even less able to bear than formerly for Plagues and Woes unsufferable and so scorching vials are now pouring forth upon the seat of the Beast and the Whore and hail-stones fall from Heaven upon the wicked like the weight of a talent and those who speak in all wisdom to the Saints themselves are seen so ministring from the life to the same immortal life whereby they are built up unto a perfect man so that neither are they to be denied to be Counsellours as at the beginning because they do not exhort People to be Baptized with water c. for they find not that in their spiritual Commission yea see by the internal light the end of all shadows which must and do flee away at the very dawning of this bright day of the coming of the Son of man which shall never set more for saith the Lord to the Church Thy Sun shall no more go down at noon increase it shall but not decrease So here now is the true Tryal of the true Church and Ministry when the sign of the Son of man is seen in Heaven even himself appearing in his People as a universal light enlightning every one as the lightning which shineth from one end of Heaven to the other as also by the Baptism of Fire and the Holy Spirit which is felt really amongst us for as Eliah in Jezabels time said when there was a contest about his being a true Prophet or whether Baals prophets who were 450 were such or no he that answereth by fire let him be God so the Lord answering Eliah by fire a lively figure of this spiritual Baptism it licked up the water which was in the ditch and wood and fleshly offering a true representation of the consuming outward shadows the hay wood and stubble that Paul speaketh of whereby he alone was known to be the Lords own Prophet and the other though many to be false ones and so he had dominion over them and slew them So say I now to all Sects and Gatherings and Opinions in the world where the Lord God Baptizeth with fire consuming and burning up the dross filling his People that wait on him with a Holy Jealousie for his Holy Name and against all evil in thought word and deed where the outward earthly tabernacle as well as the inward is shaken where all shadows are made to vanish as needless in such a day as this there is the true Church visible and the true Prophets and Witnesses who slay all false prophets with the Sword of Christs mouth laying them by spiritual Judgement under Eternal Condemnation they repenting not and so casting them into the lake of fire And in this sense is that place in Jer. 30. to be understood which I believe ye called Sâ—ekers much stick at where the Prophet fore-telling the Restauration of the Church after the captivity said The City should be builded upon her own Heap and the Palace remain after the manner thereof and that their Children should be as aforetime and their Congregation be established before the Lord and their Nobles should be of themselves and their Governour proceed from the midst of them c. to wit by the building the Church upon the same true Foundation as formerly even Christ the true light and bestowing on it the same spiritual gift which was the Spirit of truth the Fathers Promise to all true believers So establishing them upon the Rock of ages against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail out of whom should go forth such Ministers who should be Noble and Valiant for the Truth Christ himself the Head of the Church being their Governour who from the midst of them ariseth in his strength to scatter all their enemies and to punish all that oppresse them as the Lord hath said he will do by the same Prophet so that the Palace remains after the manner of the former as enjoying the substance though the shadowes and same gifts in all things be not practised by the Saints or found amongst them for the Prophet Amos Chap. 9. fore-telling of the raising up of the Tabernacle of Davâ—d that was fallen down c. said That the Lord would build it as in the dayes of old Now we find that the Apostle James in Acts 15. applieth this Prophesie to the raising up of the Gentile Church in those dayes which was truly applied thereunto because although the Jewish Church of old was very far different both in matter and manner of Administration from the Churches of Christ then yet it was builded as in the dayes of old because it was established upon the Foundation of Abraham with whom the Covenant was made both to the carnal and spiritual seed and because the substance was felt and witnessed which was the same in the Saints in all ages Wherefore I exhort ye all called Seekers if ye will find what ye say ye seâ—k after to come to the light in your own selves and wait low in it so shall you find the vail to remove from off your understandings whereby the true faithful witness Christ Jesus will be seen to stand up and so all impediments stumbling blocks taken up from the Letter without will be removed and a right understanding of the Scriptures be given so as to discern of the times and seasons but ye must first come to the Cross by owning your Reprover for sin and deny the pride pleasures interests folly and vanities of this world so as not the longer ye seek the worse ye grow as 't is too manifest some of you have done for it is the humble that he will teach and his secret is with them that fear him so as to shew them his Covenant for so have I found it by experience which Covenant of light being witnessed ye will easily see your way to Sion and your Leader thither not standing still for lack of gifts in others or wanting an Administrator of external ordinances but will keep to your own and find in due time such pure Power to arise as will administer to you in his own Sanctuary and make you Minister that to others which will plainly shew that ye are those who are called chosen