Illumination of the Mind to perceive the Excellence of the things of God and the Emptiness and Deceitfulness of the things of the World from which proceeds an Appetite to those and an Indifference to these and in particular actions a like secret Illumination of the Mind to apply the general Rules of the Scriptures to the particular Sense and an Inclination of the Will to what is so perceived to be the Will of God And in more sensible Motions Impressions and Openings as some call them the Tryal is by their Agreement with what is agreed to proceed from the Spirit of God that is the Holy Scriptures what is contrary to that is to be rejected as coming from the Enemy what is not inconsistent with that ought to be followed or if doubtful be referred to the Judgment and Determination of the Elders according to the Observations of the Ancients or of the most Experienced Christians especially of such as by their Office and Place are authorized and obliged to be Guide of Souls And those who have presumed to reject these Ordinary Means which God hath appointed and established in his Church have frequently fallen into Mischief There are many of the Mind of Simon Magus Act. 8.18 they are desirous to purchase it but not at the Price our Saviour set it Mat. 13.44 46. And there are many false counterfeit Spirits very officious to offer themselves where they find hopes of Reception and they always suggest and instigate to the following of their Leading which is insensibly and as they find their Followers disposed from the Holy Scriptures and from Christ and when they cannot prevail with them in that manner they endeavour to fill them with Spiritual Pride and Conceitedness make them admired by others as extraordinary and very Holy Persons that they may make them think better of themselves than they ought and so get advantage of them that way And there are generally two great Faults committed by most Pretenders to the Guidance of the Spirit 1. They do not well consider themselves and teach others the necessary Qualifications pre-acquired for the obtaining of so great a Divine Favour 2. They neither consider nor teach others the necessary Cautions and Directions for Tryal of Spirits In general the Conscientious Observation of the Holy Scriptures is a principal thing for both For as the Law was our School-Master to bring us to Christ so the Conscientious Observation of the externally revealed Will of God which is Obedience is our School-Master to prepare us for and bring us to the true Spirit of God But for more particular Cautions and Directions that is a Subject too large for this Occasion and hath been largely treated of by others The Questions concerning Baptism with Water and the Eucharist or Holy Communion are e'en such as that of Naaman 2 Kin. 5.11 22. But they who make them are not like the Servants of that Heathen who gave him this prudent Admonition If the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it How much rather when he saith unto thee Wash and be clean May they at least take Example from that Heathen who received the Admonition even from his Servants even with the like blessed Success And this with what I have said before is as much as I apprehend necessary to be said to the Questions for such serious considerate Persons as are willing to be satisfied and informed of the Truth and I shall be ready to give them all further Satisfaction when I understand where any real Scruple doth remain THE REVIEW WHAT I have written I have written with all Plainness and Simplicity with all Candor and Impartiality and Good Will to all without any other Design than for the Service of God and the Good of all and without any Affection of any Ornament as becomes the Majesty of the Truths of God Yet can I not expect but I must incurr the Censures of most in one thing or other when I consider the general Corruption of Mens Minds and Judgments as well as of their Manners at this time not only of the Scandalous and Prophane or Hypocritical Professors but even of such as are sincere in many things and deservedly esteemed in the World both for Parts and Honesty and yet in others not so compleat as might be wished partly through the Byass of their own Dispositions and partly through the Common Cheat of Honourable Names such as Prudence Moderation Discretion Charity c. and their Contraries calling Good Evil and Evil Good and partly through certain False Notions undermining the Integrity of the Evangelical Doctrine of Christ as the Pharisees did the Law of Moses and rendring it of none Effect in many things which have been introduced and recommended to the World by a late Sect appearing in a very plausible Form but in truth generated by an unnatural Copulation of Church of England with some Socinian Principles setting up their own Corrupt Humane Reason in the place of the Divine Wisdom and wresting the divinely inspired Scriptures to a Compliance with it perswading themselves and others that the Noble Heroick Virtues so much studied and practised by the ancient Christians such as Humility Contempt of the World Heavenly-mindedness c. were for times of Persecution but we are under another Dispensation as I my self have been told by a Principal Author and Promoter of it and encouraging such Temporizing Compliances under the specious Pretences of Moderation and Prudence as are not only Inlets to Sin and Hindrances of Graces but inconsistent with the Practices and Sentiments of the best Christians of all Ages with the Doctrines and Instructions of the Apostles the Example and Precepts of our Saviour himself to say nothing of Evangelical Counsels in this Age our Baptismal Engagements and the Genuine Spirit of Christianity and the Interest of the Kingdom of Christ in this World What Glosses they make upon our Saviour's Sermon upon the Mount I must leave to others better acquainted with them to consider But What can be expected from persons so levened but as severe Censures of this Writing as they take this to be of others but that reasonable Expressions of just Indignation at Abuses and Corruptions in Matters of Religion or at abuse of Scriptures to patronize Vanity and by persons professing Religion should be censured for Passion but that such warm Expressions and Charges as were necessary to awaken such out of a Deadly Slumber as Experience had proved could not be moved by gentler touches should be censured as Vncharitableness and necessary plain Dealing with Mortals for the Service of God the Good of a Countrey and the Salvation of Souls be censured as Indiscretion Disrespect to Superiors and Sauciness But to leave such as are ready to wish and to talk but will do nothing but what may serve to recommend themselves to those whose Commendations are most desirable are willing to use others as the Cats foot but will not touch the Work
secret Providence of God ordering or permitting them for Judgment Correction Reproof and Admonition to reform unto the Church and unto those very Parties in which any such Division and Separation hath been made But generally all they who should have taken the Admonition have had their Mouths so stopp'd and been so bribed and enchanted with the Devil's Sugar-Plumbs and Baits of Preferments that while all was so well with them as they thought they could see nothing amiss in the Church but magnified it as a most glorious Church and layed all the Fault upon the Dissenters and Soparatists who they thought only wanted what they were possessed of and the Scandal of their Ambition Pride and Covetousness and Neglect of a due Care of Souls hath by their Preaching I doubt betrayed more Souls into the Snares of the Devil than all their Preaching hath rescued out of them and throughly converted unto God It is a sad Truth but Truth it is and a Great one too and very manifest to all whose Eyes are open That our Vniversities and Church Preferments which were designed by our Pious Ancestors for the promotion of true Piety as well as Learning are by the Subtilty of Satan and Neglect of true Piety and Devotion to God become very subservient to the Kingdom of Darkness less to the Kingdom of Light From which corrupt Fountain hath proceeded one way or other not only all our Divisions but most of all the Evils which do now afflict either the Ecclesiastical or Civil State and if some very good Care be not speedily taken more and greater yet are more like to ensue than these be removed Of all the Sects which have sprung up amongst us there is none more considerable in this respect whereof I am speaking or less considered as it ought to be than that of the QUAKERS as they are abusively called begun by GEORGE FOX a young Man born of mean but honest and religious Parents at Drayton in Leicester-shire in the Year of our Lord 1624. and educated from his tender years in the Fear of the Lord but to no more Humane Learning than only to read English and write indifferently He was in his Youth disposed to Virtue and Piety and when upward of Nineteen retired from his Relations and Acquaintance and lived in divers places where he was not known working at his Trade of a Shoe-maker with his hands for his Livelyhood but exercising his Mind in serious Meditations both while at his Work and at other times of Leisure especially In the Year 1646. he understood That Vniversity Learning was not enough to qualifie Men to be Ministers of Christ and thereupon instead of hearing them used to retire with his Bible into Solitary places joyning neither with the Ministers of the Church nor with the Dissenters but relying wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ for his Inward Teaching At another time he understood That God who made the World did not dwell in Temples made with Hands but in his Peoples Hearts And in the Year 1647. having been for some time exercised with Temptations and Troubles in his Mind he came farther to understand That all was done and to be done in and by Christ and How he conquers and destroys the Tempter And some time after he went among the Professors at Duckenfield Manchester and declared Truth as he calls it amongst them and also at Broughton in Leicester-shire and Mansfield in Northamptonshire and then People came far and near to see him And here his Preaching seems to have commenced And in 1648. were divers Meetings of Friends in several Places And this was the Beginning of that Sect which is now become so considerable in outward Appearance and I wish more considerable in a true inward Power than it is For as all Man-kind are apt to relapse and sink down again from the Elevation to which God at any time raised them so I doubt are this People now relapsed very much into a Form only of a different sort and appearance The Beginning of George Fox seems to have been by and under a true Divine Conduct such as Abraham was led by such as Moses was driven by from the Court of Pharaoh into the Wilderness and such as the Holy Prophets of Old and greater numbers of Holy Christians afterwards were partly led and partly driven by into the Wilderness Solitary places and Retirement from Relations Friends and Acquaintance as our Saviour saith to forsake Father and Mother Brother and Sister and House and Land for his sake and in those Retirements he did receive Openings as he calls it of Truth indeed and when he came from his Retirement and went into the Meetings of Professors he did declare Truth indeed as he expresseth it For it is a certain Truth that University Learning that Preaching and Praying at Churches or elsewhere that the Studying of the Holy Scriptures that the Profession of Faith in Christ the Use of the Sacraments and most frequent and constant use of the great and chief Solemnity of the Christian Worship nay even Zeal for Christ and doing Miracles in his Name and Reliance upon his Merits are all though good in their kind and very necessary and some absolutely necessary yet are all short and deceitful to those who rest in them and seek not in all and above all that inward Principle of Light and Life which is Christ in them who receive him in Sincerity and Purity and retain it by faithful and ready Obedience to his Conduct This George saw very well and rightly And if he did in the heat of Disputes either through Transport or any humane Infirmity or through the Subtilty of Satan getting any Advantage of him over-shoot himself it is no more than what Luther and Calvin and the rest of the Reformers have done who whether they have reformed or deformed most may very well bear a Dispute and he and his Party deserve to be pitied and helped out by gentle and kind means And great reason there is for it upon two accounts at the least 1. Because the Scandals given were the occasions of their Errors 2. Because Christianity having before been pull'd to pieces and no where compleat intire and clear from Corruptions and Abuses to be found in any Church or Party of People in the World they of all the parts chose the better the Soul leaving the Body as a dead Carcass to the rest It is true this is in a great Measure to be imputed to those who by their Empty Formality gave the Occasion yet it was a Fault in Them who took such Offence at it What God hath joyned together Man must not presume to put asunder If the Leaper be commanded to wash in Jordan 2 King 5.10 he must not think that to wash in the Rivers of Damascus will do as well If the Blind Man be commanded to wash in Siloam Jo. 9.7 or even Moses to cast up Ashes into the Air Exod. 9.8 the Command must be obeyed and
understanding of so much of the Christian Religion as was required anciently of Catechumens before they were admitted to Baptism And that other Sacrament the Holy Memorials of our Saviour's Passion which from the rising of the Sun to the setting of it that is all over the World hath in all Assemblies of Christians for the solemn Worship of God till the last Age been presented before God as a solemn Recognition of our Redemption by Christ and Subjection to him as our Lord hath been not only most shamefully neglected and so treated both in Sermons from the Pulpit and in Printed Books that it appears few amongst us rightly understand it at this day but most horribly profan'd not only by common admittance of all that will to it but even forcing the most wicked and profane Officers to it upon the Penalty of losing their Places And so unhappily have some of our Controversies with Papists and Fanaticks been managed and so superficially and impertinently our Preaching been generally throughout the Nation that we have disputed one part into disbelief of the Scriptures and Infidelity another into contempt of one of the chief Principles of Christianity and generally all into Neglect and Contempt of the Examples Precepts and Counsels of greatest Perfection in the Christian Religion and together with that preached the People generally into a careless tepid state of Indifferency so that in the Country especially it is rare to meet with two or three good sensible intelligent lively Christians in a Parish And who of our principal Clergy can deny any of this And if it be all true why is it not reformed If they cannot reform all why not as much as they can Why is not the Christian Worship restored in their Cathedrals And if those be so burden'd by prophane Officers imposed upon them that they fear to expose it why do they not reform their own Families and restore it at least in their own Chappels What Account will this Glorious Church as carnal Flatterers call it give of their Neglect of Propagating the Gospel in Foreign parts at least in our own Plantations and suffering them to be such Nourseries of Scandals to the Infidels What Account of the many things fit to be done at home for the Service of their Master and fit to be considered by them jointly in a Body and promoted in Parliament which yet are neither studied nor considered nor so much as thought on by any of them no more than if they did not belong to their Care or were not of any Concern to their Master though they sit Session after Session in the Parliament But how can it be expected that they should ever extend their care to things so remote who take no more care of what doth concern them in their own Chappels and Families It is an amazing thing for one whose Eyes are open to consider these things But it fairs with collective Bodies of Men as with single Persons they are subject to the like Diseases the State of this Church is plainly a Tepid Scorbutick Latitudinarian Laodicean State quite sick of the Prudentials and has been so in a manner from the first Settlement of the Reformation And to speak freely as becomes an honest Man though there was great need of a Reformation when it was begun by Luther and long before yet hath that great Work been so ill managed with more of the Antichristian than Christian Spirit that I cannot see by any growth in Grace and Virtue that the Blessing of God hath ever been with it only he seems to have preserved these Reformations rather as Judgments and Corrections for the Obstinacy of that Church which would not reform and raised up and preserved the several Sub-divisions of Parties amongst us for the very same cause and purpose For the True Cause of all the Divisions and Separations amongst us is no other but our Scandals Abuses and Corruptions both by way of Natural Causation and by the special Judgment of God to awaken us if it be possible And though the Blessing of God the true Spiritual Christian Blessing be not upon them because he doth not favour Schisms and Divisions yet is his Protection over them as his Instruments in the Nature of a Judgment and in some things to raise an Emulation in those of the Church iâ— they would lay it to heart and understand it For there is none of them all but there is some thing in them which may serve for Admonition and Notice of something amiss in the Church This which I have now said may be of usâ— not only to them of the Church but also to aâ—â— the several separate Parties and deserve theiâ— very serious and deep Consideration For it iâ— not a light matter to Make a Schism or Divisioâ— in any particular Church or in the Catholicâ— Church It hath been looked upon in all Ages to be a damnable Sin and who-ever doth well consider the several weighty Admonitions in the Scriptures concerning it if he have not a benumed Conscience will not make light of it nor yield to plausible pretences there is nothing so bad but the Wit of Man and subtile Suggestions of Satan can put a colour upon it nor so good but they can mis-represent it and disparage it but it is dangerous and very imprudent to play tricks with Sacred things Any thing else may be more safely medled with in that manner This does concern them all in general and I must add a word or two more There are none of the best of them that I have yet talked with that could or would deny that their Party was much sunk in Piety and Virtue from those degrees of it which was in those before them of the same Party And this being so it concerns us all to consider well whether the Apostacy foretold be not an Apostacy in Practice as well as in Principles and Whether while we are gazing to see the Judgments of God upon it abroad it may not be found amongst us at home and we feel in a surprize upon the Nation at home what we expect to see elsewhere at Rome as was upon this City in sixty six And certain I am that there are not only Antichristian Principles amongst us all but whole Antichristian Sects and Parties which deceived by the Subtilty of Satan under the most specious appearances of the most pure and refined Christianity do undermine and enervate the true Genuine Christianity and the Power of Godliness It is one of the Devil 's most subtile Policies by abuse of Scripture and mis-application of certain Truths to impose upon People and overturn them So he began with our Saviour and so he goes on with Professors to and at this day The Holy Scriptures are abused the Honour of God is abused the Merits of Christ are abused the Guidance of the Spirit is abused the Moderation and Condescention of the Gospel is abused and whatever is most Excellent and Admirable is abused by the
their Actions Speeches and Writings nay the very Spirit of the Devil and of Antichrist is apparent and undeniable from the Indignities offered both in word and deed to Holy things But that is not the thing now to be considered what Spirits may have appeared among them For even among the Apostles Satan had power to enter into Judas and it is not improbable but those whom our Saviour told Ye know not what Spirit ye are of and even Peter himself when our Saviour said to him Get thee behind me Satan might not at the time be free from some Impressions of Evil Spirits That 't is likely was a Peculiarity of our Saviour's or the Prince of this World to have nothing in him But the thing to be considered is What Spirit that is which at first excited and hath now the Conduct of the whole Body of this People And not whether it be sent or commissioned from God but Whether it be one of the Ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation or One of those Seducing Spirits to whom in the latter times that some would give heed was in the times of the Apostles expressly said by the Spirit of God And great Reason there is to take this into very deep Consideration 1. Because of the many and weighty Cautions given by our Saviour and his Apostles and left upon record in the Sacred Scriptures for our warning in these latter times to beware of them and not to go out after them with Admonitions concerning their Subtilty their Energy or Power and their strong Delusions to deceive if it were possible the very Elect and that even Satan him self is transformed into an Angel of Light that is puts on the Appearance of an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 and lastly that we should trâ— the Spirits 1 Jo. 4.1 2. Because if thâ— Tryal be by Agreement or Disagreement with thâ— Doctrine Institutions and Ordinances of Christ and his Apostles-authorized by him they may seem tâ— have apostatized and gone off or at least falleâ— short of them in matters of great Moment anâ— special concern those before mentioned anâ— therefore to be Seduced by some Spirit of Error For I doubt not but the Devil himself hath thâ— Malice and Envy against the Man Christ Jesus by whom he hath been Conquered and Vanquished and against the Solemn Memorial of that Victory that could he but keep people from engaging in that Holy Covenant with Him by Baptism and from the Solemnity of that Memorial he would be willing himself to lead them into all other Truth upon that condition rather than fail Yet notwithstanding since they are a Sober People have received retained and do act upon one of the chief Principles of Christianity and have divers commendable things in them and what Errors they have fallen into have been occasioned by the Scandals and Offences given by those of the Church who will have a sad account to answer for it I do hope in the Mercy and Goodness of God that if it be a good Spirit which hath the Conduct of them he shall lead and dispose those who are Sincere amongst them to the acknowledgment of the Truth in those things whereto they have not yet attained and if it be otherwise he shall be forced to resign the Conduct of them to a more powerful and better Guide and that we shall see such a Society of Compleat Christians come out of this despised People as are at this time hardly to be found in any part of the World that I know of These are my Thoughts and Hopes concerning this People in general at present And Hopes I say grounded upon the Mercy of God and Power of God which no Good Being would oppose nor no Evil Power can stand before And in His Name I come unto you knowing assuredly that neither I nor any Humane Ability is able to prevail against the Power that is amongst you notwithstanding the Certainty of the Truths that I have mentioned already and shall endeavour by the Grace and Assistance of God Almighty through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ more fully to explain unto you in due time But as I said if it be a good Power it will favour me and assist me in it and rejoyce in it too and if it be an Evil Power Commissioned it must cease and submit to that Victorious and All-Conquering Name Its Enchantments must be dissolved and its Sophistry and Falacies detected I therefore as an Ambassador of Christ in the Spirit and Meekness of Christ beseech you Be ye reconciled to the Truths of God and receive them with that Reverence and Gratitude that is meet without Cavelling or regard to any Temporal concern I do not invite you to return to the Abuses and Corruptions which you have forsaken but to those Truths and to the due use of those Holy things against which you have been Scandalized by those Abuses and Corruptions Nor do I invite you to dissolve your Society or to leave off your Meetings and drown your selves in a promiscuous Multitude No you have in part born a good Testimony and I would have you do so still But I invite you only to make your Testimony more Compleat Illustrious and Irrefragable by bearing your Testimony to the whole Truth and not any longer a Testimony like the Feet of Daniel 's Image partly strong and partly weak by a mixture of Truth with Falshood for that cannot stand long together but to strengthen the things that remain and set in order the things that are wanting that ye may stand for otherwise ye will certainly be Broken to Pieces I invite you but to what I am doing my self with a small Company of Poor people that is bearing a Testimony for God and manifestly under his Conduct But it is neglected by them to whom it hath been offered for a sufficient Time and in a sufficient Manner considering their Learning and pretence to Knowledge And now it is offered to you a despised People that God may humble the Proud and High-minded and confound the Wisdom of the Wise by mean and despicable things in the sight of Men. Be Wise and neglect not the Opportunity and you who were last in the Worlds account shall be first What ever you do you will find there is solid Truth in the Proposal and I wish you may receive it to the Honour and Glory of God and your own Comfort and Salvation and you will then find me to have been Your Sincere and Cordial Friend E. S. 31 Aug. 1696. After this there were other Letters and Papers sent which may be taken notice of hereafter as there may be occasion but the last contained certain Questions which I think fit now to propose to the Consideration of all who are sincere and do desire not to deceive themselves nor be deceived in a matter of so great Importance as the Will and Service of God and the Salvation of their own
Souls If any notwithstanding will presume to go on in any false or Erroneous Ways they must answer for it and their Blood if they miscarry must be upon their own Heads For the Design and Vse of these Questions is to examin the case What Spirit they are of the Spirit of Christ or the Spirit of Antichrist the Spirit of Truth or some subtile Spirit of Delusion Whether they be Christians indeed or counterfeit Christians that is Antichristians Whether Hypocritical Professors in Words but Renagadoes in Deeds refusing the Solemnities of his Covenant and Worship and the Orders of his Church or such sincere Christians as are ready to follow the Guidance of his Spirit out of their own Wills and out of their own Wisdom and Imaginations and Errors and Mistakes into all Truth and Whether they be in the Way of Salvation or of Delusion and Perdition The Times of this Ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all Men every where to Repent QUESTIONS PROPOSED To the People call'd QUAKERS First to their Ministers at their second days Meeting and now to them All for the better Examination and rectifying some Errors and Mistakes amongst them I. WHether there be not a great Party of fallen Angels and wicked Spirits which are Enemies to Mankind and with all the Power Activity and Subtilty they can do continually endeavour to hinder their Salvation and Communion and Union with the Father Son and Holy Spirit II. Whether the Word which in the beginning was with God and was God was not made Flesh and dwelt amongst Men being born of the Virgin Mary and called Jesus which signifies a Saviour and Christ the Messiah the anointed of God and Jesus Christ of Nazareth III. Whether his Appearance in Mortal Flesh was not to destroy the Works of the Devil the Prince of that Party of fallen Angels and wicked Spirits to be a Prince and a Saviour to Mankind and the Captain of their Salvation to all who receive him and subject themselves intirely to his Teachings by his Example and by his Doctrine and Precepts and Orders recorded in the Holy Scriptures and by the Motions of his Holy Spirit upon and in their Hearts and Minds IV. Whether he be not the Only Mediatour between God and Man so that Man can have no Communion with the Holy God or Participation of the Spirit of Holiness but by and through Him V. Whether that Party of fallen Angels and wicked Spirits knowing this do not above all things endeavour by all means to with-hold people from closing and uniting with that Holy Mediatour and to withdraw as many as they can as much as they can from Him VI. Whether their most dangerous and subtile Actings in this Opposition be not principally by Way of Deceit under the Appearance and Pretence of Good to Man and of Good Spirits VII Whether it hath not been fore-told that in the latter times especially there should be many false Teachers who with such specious Pretences and secret Energy should endeavour to draw away People from the Faith as to deceive if it was possible the very Elect and Warnings given to beware of them by Christ and by his Apostles VIII Whether the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ be not the same and a Holy and Pure Spirit a Spirit of Truth and Righteousness leading into all necessary Truth and from all Fraud Deceit and Falacy Cavils and shuffling Evasions IX Whether it be not reasonable that Christ Jesus who had done so much for Man should prescribe what Manner he pleased for his Peoples engaging with Him and for their recognizing Him and making their Solemn Address to the Father by Him and what Orders he pleased and would have observed and continued in his Church X. Whether to oppose such Appointments Prescriptions or Orders or to cavil at them seek Evasions or Pretences to neglect them and yet pretend to be Christians be not a great Evidence of Insincerity and of a subtile Antichristian Spirit of Satan transformed into an Angel of Light XI Whether Jesus Christ besides his General Command to his Apostles after his Resurrection to go to the Gentiles and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. did not for forty days shew himself to them speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God until the day in which he was taken up after that he through the Holy Ghost had given Commandments unto them and in or with those Commandments give them sufficient Instructions and Directions for the Constituting his Church which he purchased with his Blood XII Whether the Apostles did not in all things faithfully pursue his Commands and Directions XIII Whether besides his express Commands and Directions they did not also receive the Holy Spirit according to his Promise in an extraordinary manner and had the same residing in them and manifesting his Presence with them by extraordinary Operations to guide and assist them in their Work XIV Whether they having received the Command to make Disciples in all Nations whether Jews or Gentiles baptizing them as aforesaid and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he commanded them did not in all places preach the Gospel exhort the People to believe and be baptized and baptized with Water those who did believe though baptized before with John's Baptism and though they had received the Holy Spirit whether Jews or Gentiles XV. Whether the Apostles and the People converted by them after they had received the Holy Ghost did not when they came together in one or assembled for the Solemn Worship of God break Bread and eat the Lord's Supper and do as their Lord did and commanded them to do and that so constantly that there is not known any Assembly of Christians in the time of the Apostles nor in many Ages after to have been held for the Solemn Worship of God without it XVI Whether the Apostles did not ordain Elders and appoint others by special Appointment to do the same in every City by such Authority that none did presume to take the Office of Elder unto himself but who was so ordained or the Office of Ordaining Elders but who was so appointed either in the times of the Apostles or afterward but who have been infamous ever since XVII Whether seeing that our Saviour himself though he needed not would notwithstanding be baptized with Water to fulfill all Righteousness and thereupon had sensible Approbation from Heaven did also by his Apostles baptize with Water and that it is plain by their Practice that his Apostles and the whole Church of Christ did understand his Command to baptize all Nations of Baptism by Water and as necessary for Forgiveness of Sins and that Baptism with the Holy Ghost was peculiar to himself whether I say this being so it be not a forced and strained Interpretation without any sound ground and contrary to the most authentick Means of explaining Words to