there is no need of conversion to make them Christians who are Christians born by the natural flesh of their godly Parents and so the god of this world who hath bâ—inded their eyes maketh them esteem it a great priviledge to have a perfect dead Act of his supposed Regeneration to be done by force upon their children for they can have no meanes to know or guess that the Spirit is joyned with water in their baptism which is the Instrument or outward Act of their Regeneration Consider how fast the poor Infant is lock'd to presumption when they have either presumption or nothing for the Foundation of their Order or rather Mystery Babylon's Order the god of this world knew well that none could be admitted into the Kingdom of God or government of the Gospel without Regeneration of water and the Spirit and his business in Mystery Babylon is to bring man to invent a form in imitation of God and so keep men that when they come to be capable of believing they should not look after Baptism or Regeneration of Water and the Spirit John â— 5 As Christ hath His Disciples made and baptized so Babylon Mystery hath hers supposed to be baptized too and in this the man of sin exalteth himself above God for God is merciful in forgiving sins and receiving into grace and favour upon Repentance every penitent sinner and therefore hath given Order to His Disciples upon confession of Faith and Repentance to baptize but this man of sin will make men believe that he hath more mercy then God by His word holds forth for he receiveth all in Infancy and needeth neither Faith nor Repentance in receiving his subjects the Subjects of Christs Kingdom have heart-pricking Truth to convince them and bring them to Repentance but Babylons Members are so easily made that they neither knew nor felt when it was done And thus the way is broad and easie that leadeth to destruction Also considering that the keeping of Christs Commandments is a proof of our love to Christ and that the receiving of the Spirit is an effect of obedience Joh. 14.15 16. and knowing that the written word is more surely to be taken heed to then an Act of the Spirit in Transfiguration though Christ Himself be present 2 Pet 2.19 to the end because Satan being a spirit can dissemble a spiritual Act but his mouth is stopped and he reproved with It is written And further knowing that Christ taught duty from the written word and it to be believed and practised rather then the words of one which should rise from the dead Luk. 16.22 I stayed not for Revelation to teach me my duty although I expect Revelation to convey unto us and evidence in us Christ our life but turn'd at Wisdom's reproof expecting after obedience Wisdom's promise Prov. 1.23 And now hating every false way knowing They that err from thy Statutes their deceit is falsehood Psal 119.118 and esteeming thy Precepts concerning all things to be right ver 128. I cannot but say of Scripture record Thy word is very pure therefore my soul loveth it verse 140. and upon this account I took the directions of that Scripture which Paul writeth by inspiration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and proveth it by Isa 52.11 viz. I came out from Babylon Mystery the great her Daughter and Grandchild and touched none of their precedent manners Deut. 12.30 But I say laying aside mans learned mists of darkness and his precedent Examples I took the Doctrine of Christ and His Apostles for my Foundation and their Ensamples for following of Christ for my imitation Ephes 2.20 Truth speaketh I tell thee Church of Christ as thy name is the house of God the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of the truth thou art not in thy order reproveable by Scriptures 1 Tim. 3.15 And if any Enemy whatsoever undertake to reprove thee and hath not Christs weapon he fought Satan with vâ—z it is written though he tell thee of standing in the Will of God or being led by the Spirit or of an inward Teacher or of Light within as if there were some secret thing that passed by peeping and muttering which right Reason cannot be used about the understanding of they are no better the VVizards or Familiar Spirits To the Law and to the Testimonies if there they miss any thing viz. in that they hold forth or teach and speak not according to this word though they talk of Light within it is because there is no Light in them Isa 8.19 20. and their light is darkness Mat. 5.19 fear thou no such Enemies but live in the nature of rejoycing there meet thy God there work Righteousness Isa 64.5 viz. That which Christ began and shewed us when he said Thus it becometh Vs c. Mat. 3.5 Take thou notice oâ— the continuance of Gods wayes though the Enemy would tell thee they are ended and so expect thy Salvation And against the fear of those that would set a Spirit which teacheth not to obey Scriptures and follow the examples of Christ and His Disciples in opposition to a Spirit that teacheth to live in obedience to Scriptures and to follow the Examples aforesaid Rom. 15.4 Comfort thy self by Faith in Scripture and there with patience cast the Anchor of thy hope Phil. â— 4 Rejoyce alwayes yea again I say rejoyce And that thy rejoycing may not be in vain take these Cautions First Take heed that thou miss not of a way within a way if thou bless thy self in the high way without the way which is called holy Isa 35.8 which holy way is recorded in Job 28.7 8 9 10. Is the turning up all things by the roots cutting forth rivers among the rocks discovering every pretious thing binding the floods from overflowing bringing forth hidden things to light The high way being thy duty to walk in the holy way being the laying of Gods hand upon Christ thy Covenant and doing all thy works for thee Isa 26.12 holding thee that thou canst not depart from him and quickning the desires of thy soul Psal 18.17 18. In all thy acts of obedience thy Faith must be in the operation of God Col. 2.12 through which our Duties are living Ordinances performed by two co-workers Secondly Take heed whilst you walk into the way of God that your great business be to seek God His Face His strength evermore Psal 105.3 4. where the Psalmist maketh this the ground of his joy therefore if you fail herein your joy is groundless In which search love kindleth more and more as thou comest neerer God so as the soul groweth sick of love and cannot cease to press hard after God Psal 63.8 because it is upbeld by Gods right hand till thou know thy self to be set as a seal upon Christs arm and his heart for ever Cant. 8.6 and then also wilt thou follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Thirdly Take heed thou be not defiled in the way
one body Made ere they knew in infancie But Scripture Baptist doth them all deny For the good old way that Jesus walked in e Ier. 7.16 And the Apostles taught repenters to begin f Acts 2.38 Hereupon the spirit of the beast rouzeth up himself again Yea thinks the Quakers spirit then will I All that is called God or worshiped deny g 2 Thes 2. For where by order * by making false order I can have no place I must exalt my self to the disgrace * viz. in his deceived ones who exalt the sound of name but have being ignorant of the nature of the law of God and Christ Of God opposing order of his face Though God be the God of order Plainness of truth opposite to the beasts mysticall pretences GOD sent his son in flesh to come True naturall blood to shed And did ordain his death to be In simple man bake't bread And Vine fruit wine that men do drink Which God and man doth chear When in his ord'nance spirit joynd The price of Christs blood dear Shown to hold forth his death for sin Until he come again That is gone up true advocate Our cause for to maintain Where holy God and sinful man By Christ a treaty hold Who takes our prayers and there to God Our miseries doth unfold And doth return into our hearts The fruits of his blood shed True pordon strength comfort and joy By spirit witnessed Who doth with blood and water joyn One witness manifested a Iohn 1.5 8. In Gods one way whil'st men obey Repent and be baptised And then expect pardon of sin And holy spirit Gods gift b 2. Acts 38 Whil'st that our loves is prov'd to Christ In making it our striâ—t For to keep all Gods commandments Where Scripture comfort dwells c Rom. 15.4 With Son and Father manifest Where men are not Rebels a Iohn 14 21. Hereupon the spirit of the beast proceedeth Thinks disobedient spirit I have No share in this strong Saviour I l'e cry down Lawes and holier be Then all that formes do favour In the eyes of those that have the love Of simple truth denyde I l'e serve their lusts and them perswade They need not to be ti'd I strong delusion can command Affections into tears b Ezek. 8 14 And cause men for to lean on God And so free them from fears c Mica 5.11 And cause men to protest to God That they 'l obedient be d Ier. 42.6 Yet his commandments to deny And say it is not he e Ier. 43. i 2 For in right steps of humbleness f Ps 17 11 They shall seem after God to press And though by Christs knowledge they scape Through lusts the worlds pollution g 2 Pet 2 20 Yet Gods commandments turning from They 're fast in my possession Although that they his way forsake They holiness may hold * The strength of delusion lieth in their seeming to themselves others to hold forth their formal holiness For I will spirit them my self Whil'st they 're fearless and bold I can my self transforme Into an Angels light And there maintain the light within The disobedient wight a 2 Cor. 11 14 2 Thes 2. Truth speaketh As righteous they must sure appear Whilst they can have the Skill To seem as Christs Apostles right And preachers of his Will b 2 Cor. 11 13.15 These were so far convinc't As to disclaim prophaneness But love of truth did not receive To bring them to obed'ence c 2 Thes 2 Self-love did them provoke Lest they should damned be Or of salvation be deny'd Prophaneness for to flee Doth it avail saith they To save us let us see All other Scriptures they throw by As useless for to bee Delusion speaks Therefore to them I me sent d 2 Thes 2 11. compared with 10 Verse Such lies they shall believe As me their inward Teacher to Prefer though God they grieve e Gen. 6.6 Before that simple Christ That Scripture-writing gave That men might read know his law And sure instructions have f 2 Pet. 1 19 20 2 Tim 3.17 Truth speaks The Man of God to make perfect And furnish him throughout There is a rule to know Gods will None need of it to doubt Delusion speaketh In mans imagination I le frame a lawless Christ And set my selfe up there as God And in his name be hi'st I le cause these to ascribe to me What ere to God is due And to my inward motions To flye from Scripture-view Remember Ahabs case 1 King 21.23 Truth doth and will conclude When beauteous holiness appears In sweetned-soul the dew of youth to bring Psalm 110 In morning womb it never fears To own its Jesus Lord and King That God-begotten Virgin-born That crosfide flesh was crown'd with thorn Hath saving power and law-giving In person place and time No true man can deny this thing And say he 's without crime That doth salvation to himself apply Whilst that obedience he doth clean deny Though faith and bapti'm in one book be writ Yea in one Chapter and in one Verse too Delusion saith he can the faith out pick And leave the bapti'm for some else to do Thus self-love his salvation minds Whil'st love of righteousnesse thinks fit To hate iniquity betimes The Oyle of gladness with his Christ to get a Psal 45.7 And thinks nothing for himself to imbrace To be too low carnal or base That his Jesus to his Apostles gave For Church direction but will tread the trace With Christ and his Disciples to his grave And knowes when 's left his body then that he From 's bodyes worship not before is free If our great God by such a lowly thing As blew in fringe would Israel mind Of their obedience to their Lord and King b Num 15 38 That they might not to their own heart Nor to their eyes be seeking With spirit of disobedience dark Though light calld go a-whoring Then think not baptism breaking bread Mean Lawes by Christ b'ing uttered Flying to holier spirit they think then Christ That doth and will exalt himself the high'st Within the disobedient child That is by spirit but not by God beguil'd To all Law-givers and Magistrates WIth the submission of a poor worm that is under your feet that you may behold what God hath given to my heart to write a warning to men and that you may avoid all provocations to that horrid sin of building up Sim with blood Micah 3.10 I tender this treatise to your view hoping that you will not despise the words of him that is as much your underling as any maid-servant to her Master though they may Contend with some of you Iob 11.13 Being I am heartily engaged by Christ Jesus my master to disswade all men from adhering to mans inventions or devices in and about the worship of God because they are so dangerous
THE BEAST That was is not yet is looked upon OR The Bo-peeping Beast POINTED AT OR He that hideth himself hunted because of whom Truth complaineth and is spoken to by Pope and Prelate by Presbyter by Independent by Quaker by Baptist TOGETHER With her several Answers to them all ALSO One DESCRIPTION of the BEAST ALSO The coming forth and progress of the BEAST hitherto ALSO An Epistle to Magistrates and Law-givers likewise to take off Prejudice if any be Two Epistles one to the Reader and another to the Christian Reader VVITH A true Reproof to W. S. a Quaker who in his Book called The Lying Spirit in the Mouth of the False Prophet wherein he endeavours to make Men believe that he had answered H. H. his Book called The Doctrine of the Light within the Natural Man leading to Eternal Life examined by Scripture-Light London Printed for Daniel White at the seven Stars in Paul's Church-Yard 1659. Truth speaketh I Have been despis'd banish'd from one place to another in the world ever since Adam entertained a lye for self-exaltation sake and so fell from me his covering unto Fig-leaves and brought his posterity under Excuses and May-bees for their souls food and comfort so that a Tabernacle hath been ever since more proper for me then a settled condition When the true One the sent One was upon the earth under scorn and sufferings he did exalt me and gave Apostles and Prophets for Master-builders of me upon the chief Corner-stone viz. Himself his Death his Burial Resurrection Ascension sending down his Spirit which formerly inspired Scripture-Writers and Believers to joyn his in one Spirit by which he is present in the heart by faith keeping life eternal in them and hiding it in God for them Col. 3.3 He I say and his Apostles left my Testimony in Scripture-writ under a terrible charge that none should add to it nor take from it But as Christ and his Apostles did so to this day all that will have me without mixture of mans inventions must be sure to suffer for whosoever will closely walk in my ways he shall lose friend after friend as he attaineth to more and knowledge of me if he be a way faring man and follow his knowledge heartily and sincerely the harder he presseth after the mark Phil. 3.14 the more he encreaseth in knowledge to the loss of all or most of his friends whom he dearly loveth to the rending of his soul so that he who encreaseth knowledge encreaseth sorrow Eccles 1.18 Yet notwithstanding this sorrow could not stop the love of Christ in the hearts of multitudes from keeping his commandments for some hundreds of years together after his Ascention Joh. 14.15 though few or none now dare look at me because there is so many of mine enemies that have put upon themselves a dead image of me under forms of godliness And also another sort of mine enemies have received the spirit of Satan as an Angel of Light to cry down forms of Godliness with so that I cannot appear beautiful in form and power joyntly as I did in the time of Christ and his Apostles and for hundreds of years after The one of these sorts being offended at my life because they think to enjoy me coldly carelesly easily onely in form and when that is obtained they think they may sleep under the covering of May-be and other excuses without disturbance of self-exaltation or lusts The other exalting a spirit of deceit to the outing of all yea the very form of godliness in which the distinct order and commands are That Christ and his Apostles taught practised and recorded in holy writ for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.11 that there may be As it is written to reprove sin and Satan with and all reproveable spirits and things with to comfort the distressed with to reprove ruleless walkers with This form and record being cryed down this spirit of deceit may rule without examination or reproof and whatsoever he dictates in the children of disobedience for disobedience is a denying of Gods order he may call it the moving of Gods spirit At the first before the depths of Satan was known there was no other grief upon the sincere ones for Christs sake but the worlds sore persecution but now this is the worlds wo they can no sooner look towards me for conversion but one of the two foresaid stumbling-blocks or offences puts themselves in the way Mat. 18.7 Now followeth the speech that may be aptly spoken by Pope or Prelate Truth I hope you will not out me of my honourable order that hath continued about thirteen hundred years and hath been settled by the approbation of so many learned and reverend Bishops and Doctors who have gone on to chuse an universal Bishop as Christs Vicegerent resembling the high Priest under the Law and being Peters successour and have settled an attendance of eminent Cardinals that are all Princes and are able by Authority of our holy Father to controul Kings and Kingdoms That hath converted divers Counsels and in every Counsel hath brought forth some holy Law or Ceremony or more that maketh for the honour of the Church and fast binding her together in strength and riches so that now she is become greater and stronger then any Prince yea then all the Princes in this part of the world called Christendom And she hath invented such Inquisitions Racks Fires Tortures c. and hath so absolute a power that both the greatness of Kingship and Nobility and also the baseness of Whores and Harlots and all lustful people yea the very Thieves in Jayl and Bawdes in Bridewel have love to my Order yea and great reason they have for I can for money or love if they be obedient to their Mother holy Church grant pardons that will quiet their consciences if they will believe me of all their sins past present and to come so that safely be it spoken saving the honour of the Church they have a petty licence to vaunting pride and youthful lusts being but venial sins and all this honour and greatness is the fruits of learning and study which as Mr. Baxter writeth is very laborious * It is not the sweat of the brows that God appointed man to get his living by By my wisdom I have provided away for younger Brothers of Noble-men and Knights to creep under my wings for honour and greatness therefore all the greatness in this part of the world will hold me up and help me to jerk any saucy fellow that shall hold an Argument though never so true against me yea and if we were cruel as I hope you will not say we are I have made such provision of candor to lust honour and greatness in me that all the honour strength and multitudes are at my command to tear the limbs as with their talents and to bill out the brains as with my Peak of all contradictors insomuch
hath provided for me an example viz. to flee to the Authority of Fathers which though they will not clearly serve my turn yet my Rhetorick and Learning together with the help of my brother Lawyer who is my Companion in Learning and a good Orator both in Courts and Countrey yea before Princes he will plead for me The Scribes and Pharisees viz. Priests and Lawyers were ever Companions and Enemies to Christ and his poor Flock However in these two particulars my Brother Lawyer and I differ they though as Learned as I let down themselves to speak as plainly and homely as may be that the Country Juries may understand them and so do justice But I for maintaining my Livings Dignities and esteem amongst men am constrained to hide my self in the words of Art and abstruse Phrases as Divinity and Habits of Grace c. that I may be as slippery as an Eel when plain Country understanding would catch me and have a hole to creep out when the plain simple wisdom and the truth of these Nazaerites hath inclosed me The second thing wherein my Brother Lawyer and I differ They may be in their callings and Disciples of Christ too provided they be not instruments of cruelty but use honest Laws honestly as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus was c. but I if I should be of the Sect of the Nazarites every where spoken against must lose both my Honour and Greatness what great men purchased by flattery and by silence at their vanities and all my fat Livings and let the World judge whether it were wisdom so to do 〈…〉 And the truth is though I be not altogether so honourable in name as my Mother yet I think my self stronger among Hypocrites and self-seeking Professors for by how much I am esteemed Godly by so much those are esteemed ugly that cannot joyn with me And upon this account I have more reason in the eyes of all our Fraternity that seek honour one of another to persecute any saucy Jack that upon pretence of Scripture-plainness is dare reprove us or cast contempt upon our Rhetorical Tropes or figures which are as silk Gowns to honour us before an ignorant Multitude especially if we can foi◠out a little Latin which though this our learning together with Mans Ordination maketh us to stand to it that we are to be preferred before Mechanicks and so are holier then they Isa 65.5 though we be a stink in Gods Nose and a fire that burneth a◠the day maketh us a sweet sent in the nose of an ignorant multitude for because we are Learned they think they may be hold to trust us and so by this very means they think they need not rave into what we say as the Bereans did but take all upon trust and so are kept ignorant and dwell at ease still And now tell me Truth if thou canst approve of these things I shall live bravely both here and hereafter Truth speaketh As I say to thy Mother Prelate so I say to thee Except thy Image or superscription be found in the Scriptures of Truth thou art but of mans invention which God hateth Isa 66.3 and also the refuge of lies which must be swept away Thy Mothers name is MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE VVHOLE EARTH Rev. 17.1 It is notorious that she beareth her name in her forehead which proveth 1. She is ashamed of nothing 2. That every one may apparently behold her Abominations in her Forehead And now let us see how like thy Mother thou art 1. Thou and thy Mother have all one baptism which pass from one to another by the Proclamation of Princes but not by Gods word which proveth you both to be of Mans Generation and Maintenance whereas a Proclamation had power to make you both the Religious legitimate Children one of another All thy Children were made thy Mothers by Queen Maries Proclamation all thy Mothers Children were made thine by King Edward's and Queen Elizabeth's Proclamations The truth is you are of such a Brood and so neer of Kin that you cannot be converted one to another by preaching Faith Repentance and Baptism but being both of a nature and depending both upon Man a Proclamation can command the one to be a Christian Protestant upon the Papists Baptism and the other to be a Christian Papist upon the Protestants Baptism In your Infancy when you were Cozened instead of Christened as you call it you were proclaimed Regenerate and born again made a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven when you could neither understand Doctrine with your hearts whereby Man believeth unto Righteousness nor with your Mouthes confess unto Salvation Rom 10.10 for you could not speak to confess any thing Is any of your Laws like the Law of God in this which proclaimeth Faith comes by hearing How shall they believe on whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher The aforesaid brazen-fac'd Act standeth by thy Mothers Canon-Law and all thy oldest Priests that took Degrees in the Universitie though godly in thy esteem are sworn to observe all the Rights and Ceremonies of holy Church which Canon Law intendeth the Church of Rome then consider whose sworn servants thy priests are And now consider I pray thee whether thou hast not a brow of Brass in not being ashamed though all the world that are not Members with thee behold thy Whoredoms and thy Abominations written in thy forehead Now out with thy Learning thy Rhetorical Tropes and Figures call for thy brother Lawyer and all the power of the Magistrate and all the lustful Multitude that loveth to hear and believe lies thou hast nothing else to feed them with but what is mix'd with lies and indeed Truth would be so bitter that neither thou nor they could bear it if you did not sweeten it or rather fit it to your palate with lies and see if they all can cover from reproof out of Gods word by the mouth of poor mechanick despised Christ and his poor mechanick despised Apostles and Disciples Also thou forcest thy maintenance by mans Law from those that thou sowest no spiritual seed in their hearts if there were spiritual things betwixt Priest and People it would make such a product of love that the Royal Law of Heaven Christs Church Saints Angels Christ and God the Father as would procure the Priests maintenance from their Converts they need not go to mans Law to get it if thou hadst some few Converts Thou dost like him that soweth two or three Lands in a field onely and yet challengeth the whole field though there be hundreds of Lands upon which none of thy seed is sown and suest and undoest thy poor neighbours if they will not yeild thee their increase out of the whole field Dost thou look for fruit when all thy seed is rotten under the Clods and bringeth up none Is not this thy Mothers name
compelled maintenance though some of us think our selves happy for having a Levite to our Priest viz. one of those the Clergy were wont to pray for viz. the whole Tribe of Levi by what name or title soever they were dignified or distinguished Judg. 17.13 But because we would not be too far separated from our Mother we love her a little she may strengthen us and we her we would have a little of her worldly esteem though the rude Multitude own us not in time we may be as much honoured for Godliness as our Grandmother and Mother is for their ability to prefer to setled honour and riches and for their flattery ease and lusts but we doubt we have a little of our Mothers pride and willingness to save our skins therefore we will be modestly Godly and that with so much wisdom as may keep as much of our mothers love and our Mothers friends as we can Also we have Pastors of our own chusing and some of us have Pastors that have no Authority from man nor descent from mans Authority yet we have our Grandmother and our Mothers baptism by vertue of the Popes Decree it was given to our Mothers Mother and so we have that from Antiquity and Succession If we should by denyal of that tear our selves from our Ancient Worship and deny the worlds Baptism and unchristian them all at once 〈…〉 we should lose all at once our relation and hopes of worldly promotion Truth speaketh To have a neer Relation to me onely in similitude will not make thee in Union with me to be almost a Christian like Agrippa is to be no Christian Act. 26.28 To be almost in heaven and go no further is never to come there there is many who undertake to counterfeit me but there is no likeness in all things of me but my self but the Counterfeits are in something lame or in something superfluous I agree with all and every command of God in Scripture and there is room for nothing else in me but what Scripture will own The Scriptures of Truth doth not clearly own you the Scripture clearly owneth that upon believing men and women ought to be and were baptized and walk together in Church-order of this there is many witnesses throughout the new Testament as Act. 8. and Act. 2 c. but not one witness that unbaptized persons walked in Church order or that Infants was commanded to be or was baptized of the first there is certainty neither thou nor all the Learned Rabbies in the world can deny it of the second there is but a May-be and that from mans inventions I charge you all and all that reads this writing as you fear God to search the Scripture and see if in this particular you can attain to a better proof then a May-be if thou canst not be ashamed and repent for I look at thee to have more shame in thee then either thy Grandmother or thy Mother and presume not above what is written you need do no more then Scripture warranteth you it hath enough in it if observed in Letter and Spirit to furnish the man of God throughly to perfection and all good works 2 Tim. 3.17 then lay aside all your Ordinances that are grounded upon May-be though the wisest men that ever were in the world invented them O consider God will take Vengeance on inventions though they be of Moses Aaron and Samuel Psal 99.6 to vers 8. Consider also that mans inventions diverteth him from his Uprightness Eccles 7.29 And whereas yon tell me of chusing Pastors your selves let me tell you Pastors and Teachers are given by God and not chosen by men and except it be found in Scriptures of Truth that man is directed to chuse any such Officers take heed lest thou erect an Idol of thine own invention in so doing instead of following Gods direction God knoweth well thou canst nor chuse as God chuseth for man looketh at the outward appearance viz. a man that delivereth well-composed words but the Lord knoweth the heart take heed lest those that thou hast chosen building upon their choice silence those Pastors which God hath given and that are gifted by God Thou art no more able to chuse a Pastor for thy self then a company of School-boyes are to chuse a wise learned Master therefore God no where in Scripture put the choice of Pastor into thy hands I advise thee take it not It is true that a company of men who have followed Christ in the Regeneration in Faith Repentance Baptism and in the Form have the Spirit and Life have heard and learned of the Father and have the Son revealed in them even as the outward skin of the body and the inwards as Heart Mind Members are all imbodied and presented to our Understanding in one Body so Form and Power living Faith and Repentance and prevailing Prayer which makes us as Israel viz a Prince prevailing with God like as the Tree and Fruit the Sap and the Rinde so Gods Order and Life are not to be separated but are one in another brought forth The Form obeyed being the Creatures Duty Life in the Form being Gods owning or acceptance in the Creature like a golden Sceptre stretched forth by God and like a seal of God set upon the creatures heart which maketh his heart merry the joy of the Lord being his strength Ephes 1.13 Eccles 8.10 A company of such men I say that so have entrance into the Kingdom of God viz. that have submitted to his Government receiving the new birth of water and the Spirit in baptism and all the following commands recorded in the written word that great Charter being their Law without mixture of mans inventions and thereby owning Christ to be their Lord and themselves to be inchartered Citizens he ruling over them not like those recorded in Luke 19.14 by the same Charter have authority to chuse two sorts of Officers for ordering of the outward man but a Pastor is a higher thing it is a gift of God a heart-feeding gift viz Bishops and Deacons the one to keep the Church in order the other to take care of the poors necessities to relieve them whose bowels of tender-heartedness have appeared to their natural Relations whose wisdom hath been fruitful in governing by love these may be chosen by mans Election if there be any that have the qualification the Scripture layeth down not else as in Tit. 1.6 If any be blameless c. There is no haste in chusing what God hath not marked out If God hath not given thee men of such qualifications as he approveth on thou hadst better be without Governors longer then to set up Antichrist in Christs chair In this sense He that believeth maketh not haste Isa 28.16 viz. to act without his Guiders rule The name of a Bishop hath the nature of his Office included into it which is ruling and oversight aptness to teach is but a qualification that any other Member may have
2.4 and let all who think they know God whilst they despise that which He and His Disciples commanded and practised let them remember this word written in 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not His Commandments is a Lyar. As from this opinion that was sometimes in the Church I desire it lurk not secretly there yet the Ranters and Quakers sprung so also do now those who are zealous in decking their bed of Love which they poor deceived ones under pretence of peace-offerings and reconcilement to God in performing the very Vows of their souls Prov. 7.14 seek to draw Proselites in a bed of solace with love being so enabled as they think and covered sufficiently and beautified as with gifts and graces vers 16. that they can hide themselves and others from the reproof of Truth whilst they are workers of iniquity though they say they preach and cast out devils in Christs Name c. He that knoweth their works will call them so Mat. 7.22 23. And also they have perfumed their bed with divers spices Prov. 7.17 and it is too too true they hold forth the likeness of some of those spices but not all that Jesus Christ in his Visitation of His Spouse cometh perfumed unto His Spouse-Bed Cant. 3.6 7. and these in the good Mans absence will have other pleasures and lusts then to obey their Lord they have contracted a hatred in His absence to his Rule and Government and will not have it Luk. 19.14 and thus these poor deceived ones will be cut off for making a perfume and smelling to it in other places then where God and his People meet Exod. 30.35 to 38. which is in God's wayes while they rejoyce in working Righteousness Isa 64.5 viz. in ruleful obedience where love to Christ is proved by keeping his Commandments and the love of God and Christ together with their manifestation is promised These Libertines tell them of walking in the wayes that Christ and His Disciples walked in and they will reply If God let them see it they will obey May not Solomon's harlots say as well when the good Man of the house is come home who will instruct her for that is Christs practise with His Spouse Psal 32 8. she will forsake all her wooed Proselites and cease to heal defend and cover them and will no more counterfeit a perfume to perswade them that Christs favour of his oyntments is amongst them but but will come to the good man and walk with Him in obedience to His Commandments and abide in His love is He hath kept His Fathers Commandments and abides in His love Joh 15.10 So that if it be truth as surely it is they refuse to obey when the good Man of the house is come home they must then see it though they shut their eyes and blame his absence for their disobedience whose presence would let them see and with this excuse fall fast asleep in the arms of him who rules in the children of disobedience whilst he furnisheth them with all counterfeit evidences of good as if God were in their hearts all this while 2 Thes 2.4 the words are these So that he AS GOD sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God And the first evidence that he furnisheth them with may be this viz. That Christ hath put His beauty upon them for the beauty of Christ may be put on one and that by Christ and yet they play the harlot with it Ezek 16.14 here is the work of the Prince of the air in a disobedient heart to find wayes for Israel to disobey God and give up a soul to Lust and so play the harlot even as if she were opening her heart or her legs for Christ to take His pleasure in her and she in Him A second evidence of him who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience is in the pleasure of the Plant which is but a strange slip It must needs be a strange slip if your wayes be not those wayes which Christ and His Disciples walked in for three hundred years after Him your wayes must then be your own and of your own chusing and strange from Christs Isa 36.34 viz. The teacher with pleasure to thee and himself may plant in thy heart with thy consent or with thy soul a disobedient slip strange to Gods word it being not there to be found and for all thy delight thy portion will be desperate sorrow in the end Isa 17.11 12. here is a deceitful work of the ruler in the heart of the children of disobedience 3. He can make you lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come to us Mic. 3.11 he can make thee bless thy self in the name of God with confidence of freedom from evil 4. Whilst thou art asleep he can furnish thee with a flattering spirit that causeth thee to dream and healeth thee in thy disobedience and so in your preaching and hearing one another you have nothing but healing and pleasure and love to tell one to another in disobedience whereas he who hath Gods word will preach it faithfully Jer. 23.28 and for his pains shall be cast out of your Societies so unwelcome is the thoughts of obedience to Christs Commandment to those who dream they shall be saved without it Although the true Saint be not only moved to obedience for salvation sake but for loves sake and thus by maintaining that which Christ neither taught nor practised in his worship or at least by gathering of what Christ taught by pieces and snatches and leaving the rest viz. by taking that which will and leaving that which will not serve the lusts of a proud Society that thou mayest hold some union with them thou fightest against the Lyon of God and at the best in this thy dream dost but think thou eatest when Truth it self shall awake thee and thou be convinced of thy disobedience thou wilt find thy self hungry Isa 29.7 8. And if any strive to awake them out of this their dream wherein they have neither Truth nor Reason for their practise they will say Let me alone with my Religion and I will let you alone with yours Whereas if they would not thus harden their hearts but let Judgement come forth to Victory what violent wrestling would there be in them what asking and enquiring would their hearts be filled with what weeping with their faces towards God and his wayes would melt their souls Jer. 50.5 and not asking as now they do with their hearts set against Gods ways to see if they can find any word which if it do meet them it must be by the spirit of delusion mis-interpreted to defend them from obedience to God and his ways Is it not just that these should have strong delusions that they may believe lies 2 Thes 2.11 Will not this properly one day be said unto them Bring forth the blind people that have eyes Isa
34.8 Therefore I advise all men to disclaim any thing in Religion that judgement cannot give thee to understand and hold forth to others when though shalt be asked a Reason of the hope that is in thee to be truth though a Spirit should offer to teach it thee The tongue cannot move beyond the ear being both natural these can both be but ministers of the natural Understanding pen and eye are servants to the same and can shew but utterable things take but away the use of these under a pretence of a Spirits teaching and the natural understanding and his servants are useless and cannot glorifie God which was the end of their Creation VVritten by H. H. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAST IT is to be premised That the VVhore and the Beast and the false Prophet being that they are all appertaining to one Babel or Members one under or in another all of one spirit all of the refuge of lies to which men flee from truth and are to be swept away together and all at agreement with Hell and Death Isai 28.15 to the 19. and all come to an end by one power when the VVhore shall be judged and the Beast and the false Prophet cast alive into the lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone Rev. 19.20 That this Description may the better appear we are first to observe that this Beast is settled by the Dragon who is the Devil and Satan and that this settlement is his invisibility he hath the subtilty of the old Serpent imployed to hide him that he might live And First Let us observe that he is like a Leopard in which sence he is beautiful and his beauty appeareth most to the minde and intellect because the spirit of Satan that is his father his Setler yea and his Life is an applyer of himself to the soul being an inward worker for his deceiveableness of unrighteousness is in them that perish where he causeth delight and glory and seeming happiness to fill the minde but consulteth with Truth and Righteousness Secondly His likeness is never seen nor understood in his tearing actions but as if something else had done them for then he useth a Bears foot and a Lyons mouth Rev. 13. vers 3. Thirdly Consider that when the Scripture speaketh of his mouth being like a Lyon it doth not speak of the Members thereof as tongue and teeth for his teeth hath another likeness where they are described as in Daniel they are called Iron teeth but mouth which includeth all the acting powers therein whose invisibleness is set forth by the supremeness in dominion strength that the Lyon hath over all Beasts and that this best resembleth the Lyon most in his mouth where his lordlyness strength and victoriousness lyeth in the month in the mouth is first a preparing of food for the stomach and the second utterance of the voyce by the stomach the minds satisfaction may be meant and in this his prosperity is great for their eyes stand forth with fatness they have more then their heart can wish Psal 73.7 to 11. Being that this Beast is the imbodyed power of Satan whose name is Abaddon we cannot think that his stomach can digest any thing but destruction and cruelty and all hellish food and Satan-like desiring the destruction of all men and to this purpose this strong mouth worketh Note that his strength in voyce cannot be any thing else but Eloquence which is the enticing words of mans wisdom 2 Cor. 1 17.19 2 Pet. 1.26 and Lies which is the very strong way they prevail in to the destruction of the people Jer. 17.10 Zach. 10.2 take heed Clergie that this word be not a witness against you in this lyeth great strength to keep his dark hidden settlement viz. in Eloquence and Lyes of which he wants neither Look about you to see if you can see him when he is a working and present but with Eloquence and Lyes he will be hidden from you for he is always hid in the present tense that is to say though he yet is he is not which must needs be understood whilst he cannot be seen but it is apparent enough he was then men may see plainly what he hath done in the Preterperfectense for he brings all his blind ones to had-I-wist The words that are written in Rev. _____ was and yet is being there is no Scripture that can shew when this Beasts Creation was or when he was not can admit of no other sence but the very plain words as it is written the words is not being a plain contradiction to the words yet is for one of the twain must needs be a contradiction to the other except expounded Then is not is well understood to mean is not visible being that he is alwayes hid from seeming what he is when he teareth and destroyeth and deceiveth with his Beares foot and his Lyons mouth for if he were known to be what he is the very knowledge of him would take away his strength for then neither Magistrates nor People would do his works his appearings are several one when the confession of Christs Name caused him to rage to the destruction of the Confessors when there was no division of Papists and Protestants being hunted our there the very opposing of the Papists Transubstantiation and other innovations caused him to rage to the destruction of them that engaged against them though both of them confessed the name of Christ and then the Papist might have said unto the Protestant Yea if your sufferings had been for confessing Christs Name as the Primitive Martyrs were then your sufferings had been right and now here in England being hunted thence by day-spring valiant Truth he rageth against those that would have Christs Baptism and all His Gospel-Order so that as Light breaketh forth he followeth that roaring with Lyons mouth and tearing with Bears foot all the children thereof as Truth begetteth them he being spirited by the same Satan or Adversary to Truth that was under the Law So that a man may best know him by the bloody sides he hath torn the ribs out of Dan. 7. and by his past acts of cruelty When Mr. Love was present with his fellow Traitors in the glory of a godly Clergy-man who would have thought that they had a heart to the overthrow of many thousands to raise VVar and Blood-shed onely to advance a Scotish Presbytery which Beast had then a bloody face but now it is hid again under a supposed learned Godliness and how blind was poor England that could not see it to be the cruelty of this Beast when Pulpits provoked their Natives in her own Bowels for Religion to murther one another in which horrid drunkenness Jer. 13.13 Isa 23.33 34. the esteemed godlyest men because they were most believed sent forth most men to this slaughter Let us again look upon this Lyon-like mouth that can be stopped with nothing but the blood and flesh of the flock of the
its own single Witness and denieth to be tryed by Scripture or any thing else but it self You try all your matter by that you call the light vvithin the natural man c. of vvhich light your spirit is the transfotmed Angel 2 Cor. 11.14 and things are like to go on in his side in his ovvn Court. We acknowledge the light vvithin the enlightned man vvhich agreeth with the Scriptures Heb. 10.32 compared vvith 2 Tim. 3.17 but not before illumination this is the light that enlightneth every man but vve must not acknowledge it but where it is It is good to answer Tempters by seeing the image or superscription though Tempters are more general It is certain there is something called a light by Christ that is in the unregenerate man and may be darkness Matth 6.23 Surely this must be yours for you own yours there and vvould have all judged by that and neglect Christ and his Apostles rules in Scripture And now to be short Friend you have not found out one particular in all my Writings whereunto you might apply your self as a just matter of your reproof therefore you fell upon me with many foul revilings onely there is a mistake in the quotation I not being at the Presse my self to correct it the place should have been 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. for which mistake you take him in a Snare that reproveth in the Gate and maketh a man an offendor for a word Isa 29.21 yea and that a word mistaken onely and that you do with most foul insultations In matters of the World he that should prosecute his Neighbor for vvitnessing the truth when he onely mistakes â—he place and â—and upon that point would be known amongst men as a cunning Knave As for the matter you made shew to answer you have given it all the go by yet you will be in Print Well according to Solomon in Prov. 26.5 I have answered you and according to his counsel in Verse 4. I shall not answer you except you shew more Wisdom you have asked me no question but what are plainly prevented in my Writings if you had eyes to see it you might see it therefore I refer all to the judicious Reader that shall read both Books Again you make something of the word Carpenters Son but that is your mistaking ignorance for it was he that the Jews vilified by that Name who is the Saviour of the world and Law-giver to Saints and as they reproached his meaness by that Name so you reproach the meaness of his Laws by the Name oâ— outside Law carnal unspiritual things as not high enough for him that exalteth himself above all that is called God or worshipped Therefore the VVord is a proper allusion to you you and the Jews both vilifying Christ and his Laws as too mean for you Again you play upon the word Taking it upon me as my duty you need not for it is a Scripture phrase Gen. 18.31 and whosoever is a VVitness for the Truth taketh up the Cross and upon him Christs burden which to do is my duty the word you see will warrant the phrase and that is more sure then your As God his movings I write against a Spirit and People in disobedience and I bended my writings against the thing wherein the deceit lay I did personally asperse no man but thou hast missed the point though thou comest forth as a man provoked and one in union with that Error I reproved and hast brought forth my Name and dwelling-place that thou mightest reproach me with railing terms upbraiding me with what men had done unto me and art to be reproved by Psal 50 19 20 and Jude 8 9 10. Is not this personal animosity Have you not need to plead for perfection that do such things Do you think your Spirit that hath set you about this is the spirit of God or no You must needs call this either envy or malice or both Is this any proof for your matter that you give folks to think you answer This is as impertinent as all the rest even so is thy calling that light in the natural man of which Christ saith Matt. 6.23 How great is that darkness the light of Christ and averring that I speak against it the Lord will uphold my good Name though thou wouldst blast it and make me content to go through thy evil report and be glad to see thee penitent and obedient to God that thou and I may enjoy that one life and truth together with the Apostles and Disciples and that God-man that dyed upon the Cross and is now with his Father and our Father in heaven which he gave in the dayes of his flesh and now maintaineth Written by an unworthy Servant of God who in Gods perfect way waiteth for visitations of that Spirit that is sent from the Father and the Son by that Man Jesus who is in Heaven in his eternal and unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 H. H. FINIS ERRATA Pag. 4 line 5. for talents read talands l 6. for peak r. beak l. 2â— for Charts r. Church P. 12 l. 4 after the word Disciples r. truth speaketh l. 20. after the word mouâ—hr when that Statute is as the mouth of some inveteraâ—e Clergy-men to hold mens estates in at their pleasure P. 16. l. 15. for Ecclesiasies r Nehemiah