for preaching what hath been studied for and not by the gift of the Holie Ghost away with this Ministrie away with it it s a mocking of God and a deceiving of souls the Lord will confound it and bring it to destruction and your singing of the Saints words in Rime and Meeter and their conditions which your selves never knew this is abomination to the Lord a practice which his soul hates away with it the Lord is risen to confound it away with al your worship which is not in the spirit nor in the truth but in vain traditions of men practised by you in a vain form and not in the power of God the Lord will bring it down to the ground and reâ—… and establish his own worship which is in spirit and in truth and he will give and hath given his Ministrie again by the gift of the Holy Ghost which hath been lost for many ages while this night of Apostacie hath overspread the world and the Lord shall no longer be worshipped in vain traditions of men but his people shall be restored and renewed to worship him in spirit and truth and the Christian life shall again be brought forth and the spirit of Christ shall be the leader and teacher of his people and now the day of the Lords visitation is again revived for to gather his people and to restore them again to his perfect way and worship Therefore hearken and behold ye Christians this is the testimony of the Lord concerning you you have been fallen and degenerated from the life of righteousnesse and from the true way and worship of the true God and you have long been slumberiâ—…g and sleeping in this long night of darkness which overshadowed you and darkened that glorious appearance of the Son of God which once shined upon the Christians and in blindenesse and darknesse have you walked for many ages and your worship hath been superscribed to the unknown God and wofully have you been wallowing in unclean paths and you have erred you have erred from the life of Christ and from his spirit and you have gone from your husband and followed other lovers and you have been drenched in iniquity altogether polluted by transgression and the state in which you now stand is a state separated from God a state of great ignorance and darkness and a state of hainous rebellion against God whose soul and spirit is greatly oppressed grieved because of your degeneration who is become more ignorant of God then the Ox is of his owner or the Asse of his masters crib and even the very same vision 〈◊〉 seen concerning you as the Prophet saw concerning Israel Therefore here oh heavens and give ear oh earth for the Lord doth speak unto you Christians I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me and the Ox knows his owners and the Asse his masters crib but the Christians doth not know the people doth not consider Ah sinful nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evel doers children that are corrupted that have forsaken the right way and provoketh the living God to anger and ye are gone away backward the whole head is sick the whole heart is 〈◊〉 and from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundnesse but your conditions are wounds and bruisâ—… and putrifying sores you are not closed neither bound up neither mollified with ointment and your country is desolate and your cities is burnt with fire your land strangers devoâ—… it in your presence and it is desolate and overthrown by strangers and but that the Lord of Hosts hath left us a small 〈◊〉 even a seed ye Christians would have been as Soâ—… if any man have an ear to hear let him hear this vision is as true unto you Christians throughout all the World 〈◊〉 ever it was unto the seed of the Jews this is your state and this is your condition and thus ye stand in the sight of the Lord though in your beginning in the beginning of Christianity I mean the Lord brought up the Christians and nourished them by his living word and with his word hee cherished them and they grew unto a goodly state and were 〈◊〉 in Christ Col. 2. 10. and they were come to the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men made perfect and unto mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumer able company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all Heb. 12. 22 23. 24. TO this state were the Christians nourished and brought up in the dayes when they were first brought forth when they were begotten and born again of the Immortal Word that abides for â—…ever and they were sanctified and purified and made clean unto this were they nourished and brought up out of darknesse and from under the shaddow of death but notwithstanding this the Christians now have rebelled against the Lord and doth rebel against him and though he hath been unto them as an owner to the Ox and as a crib to the Asse even as thus hath the Lord been unto the Christians yet they know it not neither doth the Christians consider but is indeed grown sinful and laden with iniquity and the seed of evil doers brings forth its fruit through Christians being become children that are corrupters having forsaken the Lord and his way which was made manifest in the dayes of the Apostles and the Lord is greatly provoked for the Christians are gone backward from what they were in their beginning as I have fully made manifest and this vision of the Lord is unto you all ye Christians even as a Tree that is of the most precious seed and the most noble Vine that is planted in a good soil that is digged and dressed and grown to a goodly stature and bringing forth some acceptable fruit unto the good husbandman for a season yet this Tree becomes blasted by an unwholesom air and becomes degenerate from its vertue and property and nature and becomes a wilde vine and a plant of great disgrace ceasing to bring forth any good fruit and becomes fruitful in all evil and the labour of the good husbandman is â—…ost for while he looks for good fruit nothing appears but fruit of an evil taste which is altogether loathsome unto the good husbandman This parable is unto you Christians and this is your state and your condition Therefore behold what shall the Lord do unto this Tree shall he not cut it down to the ground and cast it into the purging fire shall he not lay his Ax to the root and cause all its branches utterly to wither and cause it to cease in being even as it hath ceased in bringing forth fruit shall not the good husbandman destroy this Tree with all its corrupt fruit and shall not his own hand accomplish the purpose of his own heart this Tree shall
be fuel for this fire of his anger he will pluck it up and not plant it again because it is degenerated Gâ—…e car all ye Christians to the Testimony which is concerning you you are fallen you are fallen and being compared to what the Christians were you are no whit equal but aâ—… diverted in all your practices from that spirit which led the Apostles and Christian Churches and your works shew another spirit then the spirit of Jesus Wherefore great iâ—… your fall and to be lamented and though you have the name of Christians yet you want the life THE END AN OBJECTION BUt whereas it may be objected by some and said seeing the state of Christianity is thus discovered what it was iâ—… its beginning and purity and what it now is in its degeneration and seeing the present state of Christians is thus condemned what do I believe concerning the state of Christianity to come what shall succeed this present degeneration And may it be expected that ever Christianity shall be restored to that state of purity as it was in its beginning And whether may people expect to come into the same life again and to know the same power and worship and unity which was amongst the Apostles and first Christians Churches And whether do I judge that ever the Ministry can be again received by the gift of the holy spirit onely without natural learning and languages And whether the same spirit is to be waited for and received And whether the same anointing can be known in this age or any age to come as it was in and among the Apostles and Christians before the Apostacy and degeneration ANSWER To all this I answer and do say that the present state of Christianity is woful and to be condemned of the Lord as being degenerated from his life power and spirit whereby all hearts are darkened and all minds estranged from the Covenant of life and peace and from the sence and feeling of the life of God and now in all the wayes and worships and practices of Christians they are fallen and degenerated from that life in which the Christians once were and the beast hath raigned over all for many ages and because of his power and greatness and dominion who hath been able to make war with him he hath killed the Saints and hath subjected all Nations under his power and every Nation hath received the mark of the beast and born his Image for generations and all flesh hath sâ—…ggered and hath been made drunk with the â—…up of fornication that hath been iâ—… the hand of the whore who hath set upon this beast who hath caused both small and great to worship him and all that would not he hath had power to kill them and this Government hath ruled over the whole Christendom and the worship practised hath been but the worship of the beast while people have been erred from the spirit of Christ and not guided by it onely and people hath been compelled to worship by Laws of men they have been compelled to sprinkle their Infants and they have been compelled to go to Steeple houses and compelled to keep a Sabboth and compelled to hire Priests and to pay them wages against their wills and all this compelling by an outward power hath not been the worship of God but savoured altogether of the worship of the beast for you may read Rev. 13. 12 15 16 17. how the beast caused all both small and great to worship him and all that would not worship him by his power he hath had power to kill them and all compelling and causing to worship by an outward power is the worship of the beast for Christ nor his Apostles never caused any to worship God by an outward power for while Christianity kept its purity and authority they begot people to God and to worship him by the word of God and by the power of the spirit and they did not bring any into their Sect nor to worship with them by an outward Law and authority for that is in the Government of the beast it was he that first caused both small and great to conform to his worship and it is his power that upholds it and maintains it unto this day But now the seed of God is arising which is able to make war with the Beast and his kingdome and his worship shall be thrown down to the ground and all this causing and compelling to worship causing to keep a day and causing to hire Teachers to maintain them and this causing to go to Steeple-houses and to maintain them and all this causing to pay tythes it shall all fall to the ground and be beat down by the 〈◊〉 of God which is a rising and it shall be no more found among true Christians nor the Beast shall not be worshipped 〈◊〉 his authority any more of force for the day of the Lord hath now appeared and the light is sprung forth which hath made all things manifest and now the difference is known between the worship of the beast and the worship of the true God And concerning the state of Christianity to come this I â—…new believe a glorious restauration thereof shall appear throughout the whole christendom christianity shall again be restored to its former purity and Christians shall and may receive the same spirit from which the Christians hath been degenerated and the same life the same power and the same worship and Unity shall be revived amongst Christians in the restoration even the same that was in the beginning before the Apostacy and the glory of God shall again appeare among his people and they shall again worship him in spirit and in truth onely as they did before the Apostacy and all this traditionall worship and false imitations which hath been set up since the Apostles dayes shall be overthrown and confounded the Lord is risen and will dash down and overthrow all this idolatry now practised amongst Christians And a great shaking and counfounding shall suddenly come among Christians for the Lord will break down that which hath been builded because it is polluted and he will pluck â—…p that which hath been planted because it is defiled and a mighty work will the Lord work in the Earth the kingdoms of this world will he change into the kingdoms of Christ and Christ shall reigne in and among his people and his spirit shall be the teacher and leader of his people and all false â—…chers will the Lord confound and consume all these hirelings who go for gifts and rewards and all this manner of preaching and teaching which are come up since the Apostles dayes all this preaching which they study for and by a 〈◊〉 and for so much money a year all this shall be tumbled down into the pit Gods vengeance shall come upon it all and the annoynting shall be received and it shall dwell in people as it did in the Apostles and the people shall need no other
but onely sought the people to God but now mens mâ—…ney and riches are sought and taken â—…rom them by violence without regard of seeÌ„king people or bringing people to God then to eat and drink in a house that was worthy such thingâ—… as were set before them and to reap carnal things as meat and drink and necessaries by a free gift from them that received their Ministry thiâ—… was a sufficient maintenance for the Christian Ministers but now so many hundred pounds by the year to maintain themselves and their families in pride and idleness and to reap it by compulsion and injustice from poor people in this manner are the Christian Ministers now maintained which iâ—… maniâ—…est to be quite contrary to the practice of Christian Ministers in the Apostles dayes Behold your fall ye Christians and how you are degenerated the Lord is come to try you and to search you yâ—…u are weighed and are found too light you are measured and are found wanting what the Christians were once in their purity you are noâ—… in many things but the contrary which sheweth that you have the name of Christians 〈◊〉 â—…y tradition but are without the life and being paralelâ—…'d with the Christians who truly followed Christ you are no whit equal to them in any thing but wholly contrary in all things shewing you follow another spirit then they who were followers of the spirit of Christ so 〈◊〉 to the whole world that you are degenerate out of Christ the true Vine and are branches in a degenerate stock which brings frâ—…it forth through you which honours not God but grieves his pure spirit and be ye witnesses against your selves that you are fallen and degenerate from that life and practice which was amongst the Apostles and Christians Again as concerning your worship which is now practiced amongst you Christians through the world herein also will your Apostacy greatly appear for the worship of the Christians was one and guided by one spirit and was in the spirit and in the truth saith Christ Iohn 4 concerning the worship of Christians God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth and saith the Apostle We are the circumcision that worship God in spirit and rejoyces in Christ Iesus and hath no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. And these were Christians and also Rom 6 7. They worshipped God not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit and the spirit guided them in all thingâ—… and was their teacher in all their worship for the Spirit taught them to pray and they prayed in the spirit and they knew not 〈◊〉 they should pray for as they ought but the spirit made intercâ—…ssion for them Rom. 8. 26. and the Christians were exhorted to pray in the Holy Ghost Jud 20. and the preaching of Christians it was in the spirit and by the teachings of the Spirit for they preached as the spirit gave them utterance Acts 2. And Philip was led by the spirit and the Spirit of the Lord moved Philip to go and preach to the Eunuch Acts 8. And the Apostles went up and down as they were moved and led by the Spirit and preached and prayed in what place and at what time and season as the spirit moved them and gave them utterance sometime in the fields and sometime in houses this was the practice of the Christians in their preaching and praying and also the Apostle said I will pray with the spirit and with understanding and I will sing with the spirit and with understanding and he exhorted the Christians to 〈◊〉 in psalms and spiritual songs singing to the Lord and making melody in their hearts to him Eph. 5. 19. Nâ—…w this is the â—…mony concerning what the worship of Christians was its manifest that it was in the spirit and by the teachingâ—… of 〈◊〉 spirit their preaching praying and singing were in the 〈◊〉 taught and exercised therein by the spirit which they had received from God But now the worship of Christians at this day is not agreeable to this but being laid to the line of judgement is proproved contrary for first the Christians now are divided in their worship and hath many forms of worship some worshipping after one manner and others after another so that amongst the Christians there are divers forms of worshipping and they are striving and contending about their worship every one praising their own form and striving one against anothers form of worship and this sheweth that the Christians now are not guided nor exercised by the own spirit of God in their worship and this shews that the Christians now are degenerated from the true worship of God in spirit which once the Christians worship stood in for then the worship of Christians was one and in one spirit but now the worship of Christians are many and divers and divided one from another and they are not in unity in their worship but in striâ—…e and division and herein you are Apostatized from the 〈◊〉 of Christianity and its manifest that the worship of Christians now is not in the spirit and in the truth but in vain traditions learned in natural knowledge by people that are noâ—… converted unto God and any part of the worship which is now practised amongst Christians whether amongst Papists of any â—…ort or amongst Protestants of any sort I say every part of the worship now practised amongst Christians through the world may be taught unto and learned of and exercised in by a man that knows not God neither is in the truth nor converted to the truth neither hath the Spirit of God guiding nor leading of him and I say that which may be done or practised by a man that is not in the spirit nor in the truth nor is yet converted to the knowledge of God nor is not in any measure guided by the Spirit of God is noâ—… the worship of the true God which is in the spirit and truth but as I have said any part of the worship now practised amongst Christians may be done and practised by a man that is 〈◊〉 of the spirit and out of the truth and unconverted to the knowledge of God and therefore the worship now practised amongst Christians is not the true worship of the true God which is in the spirit and in the truth and which cannot be practised without it Many more things might be said as to prove the worship of Christians nâ—…w as practised by them is not the true worship of the true God but this is true which I have said that which is practised without the spirit of God is not the true worship of God which must be in the spirit and cannot be practised without it but such is the worship of Christians for the Christians now generally prayeth some after one form and some after another in their own wills and times and knoweth not the movings of the spirit of the Father thereunto nor
which set up a Kingdom over the whole world and caused all people upon earth to worship the beast the beast hath been great in his power and he hath ruled over the world in great dominion and all that would not worship him he hath had power to kill and hath killed them so that the true Christian life and Religion as the Apostles received it and practised it hath been extinguished for many generations and people hath had the form of godlinesse but denied the power and lived under the name and profession of Christianity but hath been without the life and this is to be considered of and diligently searched into by all you that go under the name of Christians through all the world for unto you onely I direct my words And now it remains to be shewed what the state of Christians are at this day and wherein particularly they are Apostatized and degenerated from the true life and practize of the postles who were the fâ—…rst Christians for wherin the Christians now are contrary and not agreeable to the Apostles in Faith in practice in Worship in Ministry and in the enterance into Christianity and in any other thing whatsoever I say wherein they are contrary and not agreeable to the true Christians of old to wit the Apostles therein are they degenerated and fallen from the true life of Christianity and this shall be the Rule of judgement to try all you that are called Christians upon the face of the earth wherefore awake and come forth to judgement for the measuring rod is laid upon you all whereby you shall be truly measured and compared with them that were the first Christians upon earth and the Heathens shall see your nakedness and your shame and hiss at you when they behold how wofully you are fallen from that 〈◊〉 in the purity thereof of which you do professe the words 〈◊〉 shall not they rise up in judgement against you who never had the name of Christians who are not fallen nor degressed from what they have profest in any measure comparable to you who now retaineth onely the name of Christian 〈◊〉 are departed from the life of Christ First concerning the entrance into Christianity and the way and means whereby people are now made Christians 〈◊〉 receives that name In this will your fall and degeneration appear For the Apostles and first Christians upon Earth before they were Christians or were called so they were first converted and changed and translated from death to life as you 〈◊〉 read 1 Iohn 3. 14. and Col. 1. 13. and they first received Christ and became followers of him and received his spirit to teach them and to guide them For the Apostle said If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. to wit no Christians and the Apostle said as many as were the sons of God were led by the spirit of God and also it was promised by Christ to all that were his the Comforter should come the spirit of truth and he should lead them into all truth which promise all that were Christians did receive and they were led into all truth by the teachings of the spirit of Christ which dwelt in them for all that were sons God sent the spirit of his Son into their hearts which spirit sanctified them through the obedience thereof Now these were Christians and were truly so called For they had the mark of Christ and his Image upon them and he dwelt in their hearts by Faith Ephes. 3. 17. These I say were truly called Christians and none but such at that day of their Original were called Christians or had Fellowship in the Christian life nor were any looked upon by the Apostles to be Christians but by them that were such But look back all ye Christians upon earth and see your â—…all and wherein you are contrary and not agreeable to the true Christians in their first and pure estate I say look back to your Original and see how you are Apostatized from them in your entrance into your profession of Christianity foâ—… though you have the name of Christians yet you were noâ—… made so nor received that name by being first converted and changed and translated from death to life and 〈◊〉 being the children of disobedience to be the children of God through the work and operation of the spirit of God in you for hereof are thousands and ten thousands of Christians now wholly ignorant and altogether without the feeling of the spirit of God to change them to convert them and to translate them but are accounted Christians bâ—… tradition or natural education and because of being sprinkled with a little water upon the face being Infantâ—… or by a bare confession and profession of the name of Christ in words and professing of a bare belief in the Scriptures by this way and means were you made and received you the name of Christians without any real change from darkness to light and from Satan to God as I have said Now here appeares to be a woful degeneration in the very entrance of the thing and this is not agreeable but rather contrary unto that way of Christianity wherein the Christians in their beginning were so made and called for then none were Christians or so called but who through the preaching of the Gospel were first converted changed and renewed as I have â—…aid but now in these nations all are called Christians that are sprinkled upon their faces with water by a teacher when they are infants or that doth but professe Christ in words though they are not guided particulerly by his spirit neither hath received Christ to dwell in them and to be King over them and here again appeares a woâ—…ul Apostacy for none in the beginning of Christianity in the world were made Christians or so called but who received Christ and in whom he dwelt and was in them as you may read 2 Cor. 13. 5. and who were followers of him and had his spirit in them the comforter to teach them and to lead them into all truth but now thousands upon thousands who hath the name of Christians have not received Christ to dwell in 〈◊〉 nor to rule them neither is he manifest in them by his spirit to teach them and they are not led into all truth but lives in 〈◊〉 and unrighteousness and are not followers of Christ 〈◊〉 followes their own hearts desires and their own hearts lusts and are condemned in their own consciences and hath not received the comforter the holy Spirit to be their guide and leader out of all unrighteousness and here appears a woful degeneration and that you Christians through all the world are revolted and gone backward from Christianity as it was in its Original a lamentation may be taken up because of this woful fall into which you Christians are fallen consider of your own state and return and repent Again the Christians were begotten of God and born
by the gift of his holy spirit and when that was come they should be witnesses and Ministers of Christ Acts 1. 48 and as they were waiting with one accord in one place the Holy Ghost fell among them and filled them and then they began to speak as the spirit gave them utterance and they went up and down and testified to the World of what they had heard and seen Acts 2. 4. now this was the call of Christian Ministers and this was the authority by which they went forth into the World to wit the spirit of God poured upon them and by authority of this onely they went up and down the World and declared what they had handled seen and tasted of the Word of of life 1 Iohn 〈◊〉 and as every man had received the gift so they might minister the same one to another 1 Pet. 4. 10. and this was the practise of the Christian Ministers in the beginning of Christianity concerning their call to the Ministâ—…ry But how is the Christians here dâ—…generated from what the Apostles were in for by another way then this are your Ministers made not by the gift of the holy Ghost received from God neither do the Christians now wait for such a thing to go forth by authority and power thereof but they are made Ministers by natural learning and education at School having authority by man and are â—…pproved of man and not of God and a man knows who of his children he will make Ministers when they are Infants and thereupon puâ—…s him to Schools to learn Arts and knowledge of earthly things 〈◊〉 so long time till he have gained so much knowledge and craft to be approved of such and such men and as is 〈◊〉 knowledge and opportunity serves withal having a greaâ—… place provided where there is great store of maintenance such a man becomes a Minister and a Preacher to others having never received nor thought to receive the giâ—…t of the Holy Ghost neither having heard seâ—…n tasted nor handled any thing of the Word of life from Gâ—…d in his own particular neither hath he received the gift of Christ to be made a Minister by this sheweth greatly your degenâ—…ration from the true Christian spirit none then Ministers among Christianâ—… but them who had received the gift by the Holy Ghost and power from on high but now Ministers are made and approved and sent forth amongst Christians because of natural learning and education without receiving the gift 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit and the Ministers of Christ then spoke 〈◊〉 the spirit gave them utterance but now Ministers studies foâ—… what they speak and reads old Authors to gather forth matteâ—… to preach to the people then the Christian Ministers heard and tasted and handled of the Word of life in themselves but now the Ministers hath their knowledge from bookâ—… and what they have heard and read without them Oh how great is your Apostacy ye Christians and in respect of your Ministry how greatly are you degenerated from the Ministry which the Christians once had be hold consider this all ye Christians upon earth your Ministry is proved not to agree but rather to be contrary to that Ministry which was amongst Christians in the purity of Christianity as hereby is manifest and you are fallen from the Ministry made by the gift of the holy Ghost to a ministry made by natural learning consider all ye Christians how great is this fall Again in respect of the maintenance of your Ministry your degeneration doth appear for the Ministers of Christ amongst Christians as they were called by the spirit so they were maintained in the work of their Ministry by the free gift of the people who received their Ministry and they were to give freely and minister freely as they had received freely 〈◊〉 10. 8. 2 Cor. 11 7. The Apostle preached the Gospel of God 〈◊〉 and would not make it chargeable to any 1 Cor. 9. 18. and the Ministers of Christ among Christians at that day went through the world and preached freely the things that they had received from God and they sought no mans money nor gâ—…d nor apparel Acts 20. 33. and saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 12 14. I seek not yours but you and that was their end altogether to bring people to God by their Ministry onely Christ did allow Luke 9. 4. Into whatsoever house they entred that was worthy they might there abide eating and drinking such things as were set before them and it was the Apostles practice sometimes to reap carnal things where they had sown spiritual things and it was a small matter that they did so yet by a free gift they desired to reap it and not by force and violence did they ever obtain any thing But concerning this great is the degeneration of Christians in this generation for now the Ministers amongst you Christians are maintained by an outward power through compelling maintenance of Tithes and other set wages from the people even from them that doth not receive their Ministry and they do not preach freely but makes their preaching chargeable to whole nations and the maintaining of Christian Ministers is become a burthen to whole nations and great oppressions upon the poor and now the Ministers seeks mens mony and gold and it doth not appear that they only seek a people to God but on the contrary they seek peoples mony to themselves and it doth not saâ—… the Ministers now to eat drink such things that is set before them in a house that is worthy but they must have so much a year and so much a sermon and so much from every particular man of his parish be they worthy or unworthy to the value of 100. or 200 l. by the year whereby poor people are greatly oppressed and they will reap carnal things by force and violence from them to whom they sow no spiritual things for they are suing at Law and putting in prison and distraining peoples goods by force and cruelty to maintain them and their familes in pride and idleness which things the Christian Ministers formerly in the dayes of the Apostles never did but were often under great sufferings in 〈◊〉 often and in cold and nakedness often Labouring with their hands 2. Cor. 11. 27. Wherefore ye Christians behold how you are fallen and how your Ministry is degenerated both in its call in its maintenance being diverted 〈◊〉 contrary to what the Christian Ministry was once behold I say how you are fallen and your Ministry quite subverted from what the Ministry was in the dayes of the Apostles then the maintenance of Ministers was by a free gift from them that received their Ministry and they would not make their Ministry chargeable to any but now the maintenance of Ministers is by force and cruelty and great oppression of many people and their preaching is chargeable to many Nations then they sought no man gold nor mony nor sought â—…ot riches from the people
array spending the creation of God to satisfie their lustâ—…ul minds shewing another spirit then was amongst the Christians of old whose words and name ye profess but are degenerated from the life in things of greater and less moment Alas alas Oh wo is me for you how is my spirit 〈◊〉 oppressed in the remembrance of your woful fall what shall â—… say unto you but this you are revolted and gone away backward from the way of life and you have altogether forgotten God and are degenerated from Christ the living Vine the anger of the Lord is now greatly kindled 〈◊〉 you to consume you and to confound you because you are revolted and turned aside from the pure and perfect way of God which once was manifest amongst Christians and your back sliding and Apostacy is truly compared to that of the Iews who did retain the name of the people of God 〈◊〉 they were turned aside from his commandements even 〈◊〉 you do retain the name of Christians though you are departed from Christ for the Iews had seen and known much of the power and presence and hand of the Lord in many 〈◊〉 victories and deliverances and the Lord had chosen them above any other people at that day to place his name 〈◊〉 them and amongst them and yet after all that they forgot 〈◊〉 wondrous works and rebelled against him and became 〈◊〉 and hard-hearted people much more then any other besides them and they would not be instructed nor reclaimed by the voice of the Prophets but smote them and slew them and when Christ their Saviour came they would not receive him nor walk in his wayes but crucified him saying they would not have that man to reign over them And to this in every particular are the Christians now found equal and agreeing with back-sliding Israel for much of the hand and power of the Lord was the Christians made partakers of and the Lord wrought great deliverances for them when they were few in number and under heavie yokes and bondage through persecution and cruel dealing 〈◊〉 then the Lord was with them and increased them greatlie in number and gave them victorie in a great measure over all their enemies but now are they revolted even as the Iews and have forgotten God and greatly rebelled aâ—… him and have turned his love to their lusts abusing his loving kindness and are become a 〈◊〉 and a hard-hearted people as ever were the Iews and now you will not be instructed nor reclaimed from the error of your wayes but abounds in all manner of unrighteousness and will not 〈◊〉 to the voice of the Lord nor return to him but are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 people and will not return unto him from whom you are fallen but hates the light which Christ hath lightened you withal neither will have Christ to raign over you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life as the Iews did And as the sacrifices and oblations the Sabboth-keeping of the Iews and all the works of righteousness were abomination to the Lord after they were departed from him even their very practice of those things which God had once commanded them to perform became a burden to the Lord and 〈◊〉 soul could not away with them even their new Moons and Sabboths his soul hated Isa. 1. and all their sacrifices were as if they cut off a dogs neck and their oblations as if they offered swines blood and their burning incense as if they blessed an Idol Isa. 66. I say the very practice of the Iews after they were revolted and become disobedient children in those very things which God had commanded them to do and practice and which once the Lord accepted the doing of by his people yet after they were turned aside from the leading of his spirit the practice of the very same works were hateful in the sight of the Lord when they performed works of righteousness to him and yet their hearts went after their covetousness and then their practicing of that which God had once commanded to be done their doing of it was Idolatry and was a burden to the Lords soul and their righteousness and all their practices therein were as filthy rags even loathsom in his presence when their fear towards him was taught by the precepts of men and they had lost that pure fear which once was taught them of God but they were gone from his fear which should have kept their hearts clean and their hearts were defiled and polluted and therefore not any of their performances to him could be accepted but were altogether become an abomination And even thus is it at this day as concerning the sacrifices and performances of Christians being as I have said and made manifest departed from the Lord and from the spirit of Christ all their prayings and preachings and singings their Baptisms and breakings of bread and even all that which you perform as unto God as the worship of him is not accepted but abomination unto him and his soul is â—…thened with all these things you not being led with the spirit of Christ and even your practicing of these things which the Saints and Christians once practised and were accepted of the Lord in so doing while they were led by the spirit of Christ I say the very practice of those things now by the Christians being degenerated is become idolatry and abomination to the Lord and this I declare in the fear and presence of the Lord even all your praying and preachings and profession all your Sabboth keeping and set dayes of humiliation and even all your practices of Religion which you do and perform is idolatry and a burden to the Lords soul in the state that now you stand not being led with the spirit of Christ but being from it departed and your works not brought forth by it but by another spirit And now saith the Lord unto you Christians who are degenerated from the spirit of Christ to what purpose is your preaching praying and singing they are a vexation and a burden to the righteous soul and the Lord hath no delight therein away with it away with it your profession practices stinks in the nostrils of the Lord all your Baptisms your Sacraments which ye perform in a vain tradition and not by the Spirit of the Lord they are hateful in his sight away with them away with them they shall crumble to the dust and immediate desolation in one day the Lord will break them down and never build them up again your preaching by a glass for so much a Sermon or so much a year what you have gathered out of books and studied for from other mens words down with it down with it it is an abomination to the Lord and your Ministrie which is made and sent forth at Schools and by natural learning through the attainment of such Arts and Sciences and being approved of such and such men and sent forth to such and such a Parish to have so much money by the year