Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

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truth_n	church_n	ground_n	pillar_n	16,417	5	10.6783	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89853	Several petitions answered, that were put up by the priests of Westmorland, against James Nayler and Geo. Fox, servants of the most high God, persecuted by the priests of the world, as Jesus Christ and the apostles were persecuted by the Jewish high priests for the witnessing of the truth, and testifying against the deceits of the world. With the answer to an order given forth by the justices at Appleby sessions, contrary to the law of God, and the laws of the land. Also, an exhortation to the people, to mind the light of God in them, the teachings and leadings of the spirit of truth; the which if it be obeyed, will lead and guide them into all truth.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; R. F. (Richard Farnworth), d. 1666.; Fox, George, 1624-1691.	1653 (1653)	Wing N316A; Thomason E703_4; ESTC R3636	42,778	72

the County and together with some others their companions and Proselytes who are risen up among our selves in it have filled it in some parts with very sad divisions and distractions stirred up much hatred wrath and strife even between the nearest relations and powerfully seduced multitudes of People from the Truth and true worship of God to imbrace their own corrupt and dangerous Doctrines and follow their pernicions wayes which things are so notoriously known to all men that live in these parts that we need not here say any thing to acquaint your selves with it And though these men tell people where they come that they are sent to them from God to declare what he hath revealed in them and labour to perswade them that they come to them with the Authority of the Apostles of Christ yet our selves do confidently believe and know them to be wicked men deceivers and the very Ministers of Satan as may appear 1. By the Horrid Blasphemies which they have uttered 2. By the damnable Heresies and dangerous Errors which they have avouched All which they tend not onely to the disturbance of the publique Peace and safety of the Common wealth but to the subversion of all Government we do in all Humility addresse our selves Humbly and earnestly praying as you tender the Glory of God and the good of so many souls as are or may be iudangered by their impious principles and practices that you would be pleased to make use of that Authority where with the Lord hath Invested you speedily to provide for the safety of true Religion and the publique Peace by checking the wicked endeavours and proceedings of these men which we humbly conceive may be at least by ordering James Nayler and George Fox c. being strangers to depart out of this County and to return to their own homes Francis Howgill to be of better deportment specially towards the Magistracie and Ministry of England And by enjoyning John Ayrey Alexander Dixon and the rest of the speakers and followers that live in this County to abide at their own Homes study to be quiet and do their own business labouring in their own calling which is the Apostles rule and not to wander up and down the Country as Seducers to draw Disciples after them save only in a way of Travell as private men about their own occasions and the Lords Gracious guidance of your selves in the affairs of so great concernment we shall ever pray c. This is a true Coppie of the pretended Ministers and professors in this County given up at the Court at last Sessions at Appleby Severall Petitions answered that were put up by the Priests of WESTMORLAND Priest TO the Right Worshipfull the Justices of the peace for the County of Westmorland Answ Them that are right deny Acts 19. 27. John 5. 44. John 4. 22. Prov. 20. 3. Rev. 14. 7. all worships and worship God and honor the Lord All honour and glory be given unto the Lord. Now Man where is thy honour Yet I honour all men in the Lord. Priest Obj. The humble Petition of divers Ministers and other inhabitants in the said County who earnestly desire the glory of God and the peace of his Church and this Commonwealth Answ The Ministers of God never put up a Petition Gal. r. 1. John 18. 35. to an outward Magistrate to maintain the Church of God Here you shew your Ministery is of man and must be upheld by an earthly power and here you shew that Church is carnal and must be maintained by a carnall weapon as the Jews did which came against Paul and said he was a pestilent fellow who did witness Acts 24. 5. Acts 17. 6. Col. 2. 17. forth the substance Jesus Christ of all these types and figures which the Jewes lived in therefore his doctrine did overturn them to the letting forth of the Gal. 3 13. 1 Pet. 3. 19. seed for that Mind that held up the Figure did not own the substance Jesus Christ when he was come Now all you pretended Ministers of Christ Jesus 2 Tim 3. 5. Mark 3. 22. Christ is come and made manifest in his Saints you who have the form deny him and the power and some call it witchery some of the Divell but that Nature can do no other for it is the same naure that was in the Jewes who would maintain their way and hold up their customes and persecute him that was the substance and called him Divell But the Church Jesus Christ is the head of and the Church is the pillar and 1 Tim. 3. 15. Col 1. 24. Rev. 5. 9. ground of truth and Christ hath redeemed his Church with his blood and who are redeemed by the pretious blood of Iesus Christ are of the Church and them I do witness and not one of them shall be plucked out of John 10. 29. his hand whom the Father hath given me saith Christ John 10. 28 29 30 31 My Father which gave me them is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them John 18. 36. out of my Fathers hands I and my Father are one Then the Iews took up stones to stone him Christ hath no carnal weapon to maintain his Church for his kingdom is not of this world Pr. Obj. Humbly sheweth that James Nayler and George Fox men whose countrey habitation profession and condition is to us generally unknown Answ It is true our habitation is with the Lord and our Countrey is not of this world neither are our conditions known unto the world for who had the power of truth was never known unto the world where the same power is made manifest 't is so now the world John 15 19 20 Heb. 11. 14 15 16. John 15. 18. knows them not therefore they hate you and persecute you the Scripture's here fulfilled As they have done unto me so will they do unto you saith Christ Here the Scripture is fulfilled Pr. Obj. Merely of their own accord without any pasport or license or authority that they can shew or we ever heard of entred into the County and together with some others their companions and proselites risen up among our selves Answ The Ministers of God never were sent forth Mat. 23. 24. Gal. 1. 1. Jer. 23. 31 32. by the authority of man Here you shew your selves to be blind guides indeed Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by Iesus Christ neither was the Gospel he preached according to man and this do we witness that our authority is not from man neither our call from man for he that speaks of himself speaks a lie and all you who speak not from the mouth of the Lord are fals Prophets and there you shew your selves to be no Prophets of the Lord no Ministers of the Gospel for if you were the Ministers of the Gospel and had not received it of man nor your Gospel according to man then would ye witness us for

Ministers which go in that path which all the holy men of God cried out against Isa 56. 10. 11. we speak the same language against them that they did and by the same spirit we see them take all people to record to judge who have a light in their understandings and the fear of the Lord to judge do not your Priests bear rule by your means and was it not a horrible filthy thing Ier. 5. 30 31. Ier. 10. 21. in the time of Jeremy and is not the same held up in this age now and do they not seek for their gain from their Quarters greedy dumb dogs Do not they take money for that which is not bread And do they not now seek for the fleece cloath with the wooll and make a prey of the people which Ezekiel cryed wo against And are you not Hirelings which Micah cried Micah 3. 11. against and them that put not into your mouthes you prepare warrre against them sue them at the Law and are you not called of men Masters Mat. 23. 6 7 8. Have not ye the chiefest places in the Assemblies Stand praying in the Synagogues And do you not lay heavy burdens upon the people which Jesus Christ cried wo against such Are not you in the same steps here Let the Scripture it self judg you and do not you draw people to those things which there is no Scripture for telling them of a Sacrament for which there is no Scripture telling them of sprinkling infants which there is no Scripture for telling people they are Ordinances all such Ordinances we deny but the Ordinances of God we own And doth not the Scripture say He that addes or diminishes the plagues are added Rev. 22. 18. Gal. 3. 1. unto him And were not the Galatians bewitched who were drawn from the anointing within them which God had commanded And do not you draw people to the things there is no Scripture for telling people they are Ordinances and are not you in the same generation bewitching people drawing them from the Spirit of the Lord within them to follow your imagination and them that do not you persecute them who obey the commands of God and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ to walk in the truth in the inward man which is unknown to you in the world but Mat. 10. 22. it is that the Scripture might be fulfilled They shall be hated of all men for my names sake and they through fained words shall make merchandize of you saith the Apostle who go in the way 2 Pet. 2. 3. 13 14 15. of Cain to murther who love the wages of unrighteousness who have the Spirit of error and causes people to erre for the minde that goes from the pure within is erred and that sets up Baal without before God but all whose mindes are guided by the Spirit of the Lord up to God deny all Baals Priests now do not say this is railing or false accusing in these steps are you which the holy men of God cryed out against read your selves and let all men judge and as for coming into your Synagogues with hats on when ye are singing of Psalms thou Priest hast not thou one or two caps on and when ye read Psalms hats must be on and when ye sing them hats must be off here ye worship the works of your own hands As Davids tremblings quakings wastings weepings roarings till his sight grew dim and watered his bed with his tears and roared all the day long Psal 6. 23 6 7. prophesies praises prayers these you sing having turned them into Rime crying Let ussing to the praise and glory of God which is all to his dishonor if one should see one of you lie in Davids condition weeping and roaring and turn it into Metre and go among a deal of ignorant people and cry let us sing to the praise and glory of God would you not say we made a Ryme of you as you have made of David All such practises and singings we deny but we will sing with the Spirit and with Grace and Understanding The Apostles which you profess in words you do not read that when they went into the world they gave Davids Experiences in Metre to sing but 1 Cor. 14. 15. Mark 7. 13. Col. 2. 8. was against all Traditions of men and so are we now with the same Spirit Priests Petition To the stirring up of woful tumults evident disturbance of the work and the turning of the peaceable Assemblies of the Church of Christ into the grossest confusion Answ For shame never mention your Churches to be the Churches of Christ which will so soon be turned into confusion do not so dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ and so little esteem his Chruch which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and can the Pillar and Ground of Truth be shaken 1 Tim. 3 15. A Church must be that which is the Ground and Pillar of Truth the Church of Christ needs not have a carnal weapon to maintain it but it is now as it was they who had received the substance came into the Assemblies witnessed forth the substance and were haled forth and bruised and Acts 7. 48. Acts 21. 30. abused stocked and stoned so do you us now almost smothered in your Assemblies how dare you say ye are peaceable when ye are so in rage against a peaceable people who come among you for your souls good that ye may be directed unto the Lord when eternally ye shall witness us though now you would devour us Priests Petition That their deportent is such and with so continual violence against the most godly of our Ministers in all places in their travels in the streets abusing them with railing language scornful behaviours walking in the Markets with such great numbers together Answ As for violence we deny it it is your own you shew it daily and in this Petition you make it appear As for godly Ministers such we set up who are made Ministers by the will of Gal. 1. 1. God and not by the will of man but such as are made Ministers by Oxford and Cambridge such we deny they who are made Ministers by the will of Godwill not persecute any but here you make your selves manifest not to be such for if ye were ye would own us As touching railing language scornful behaviour it is false it is your own and herein you do abuse us such practises we deny which are according to the course of the world Was it not the practise of the Apostles to dispute Ephess 2. 2. Acts 19. 8. Acts 17. 17. Mat. 24. 34 35 dialy in the Markets in the Schools in the Synagogues and their practise here you do deny and shew your selves to be in that generation that persecuted the Apostles who now persecutes us where the same power is made manifest but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled for every jot and tittle must be

in the flesh and your Ministry is carnall Cain is alive in you and the soul ye know not for it is in the death therefore dissemble not thou deceiver telling people of a soul for thou art him that keepes in the death and shuts the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 23. 13. Jam. 5 6. Acts 7. 52. from against men and knowes not the soul for that is shut up from thy understanding that minde shall never know it thou art a murderer of the just and watchest for thy means and if meu will not give it thee thou fues them at the law therefore dost thou use carnall weapons to maintain thee in thy carnall Ministry it shewes thy weapons to be carnall and not spirituall shewing thy Kingdom to be of this world And here doth not thou shew forth damnable doctrines for shame blush Impious principles and practises we deny they are your own which keepes poor souls in death your preaching the carnall Letter to the carnall minde and your carnall weapons will not maintain you but you seek to a Magistrate here you shame your profession for where the truth is springing the pure seed arising you cannot suppress it with your carnall weapon the Letter then you run to a Magistrate without to suppress it while we all lived under your Ministry and what you spoke we took it for truth as being naturally blind hearing you blind then you owned us but God now Mat. 15. 14. of his infinite love and mercy according to his promise hath gathered us who have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day following such shepherds as you which fed your selves and cloathed your selves with the wooll made a prey upon us and sought for the Fleece Ezek. 24 12. 13. 14. 8. 10. but God as he hath said he hath fulfilled I will gather my sheep from their mouthes and my sheep shall be a prey no longer unto them and will feed them in a good pasture and we witness the Scripture fulfilled therefore do you hate us and seek to persecute them in whom Jesus Christ is made manifest but it is that the Gal. 4. 29. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Scripture might be fulfilled he that is born after the flesh persecutes him that is born after the spirit and if any man live godly in Christ Jesus he must suffer persecution here the Scripture is fulfilled you shew your selves to be carnall indeed you must have an outward Authoritie to rule your Religion for shame give over your profession for pure Religion he that lives in it and walkes in it hath power over his own tongue and is kept unspotted from the world and doth visit the fatherless Jam. 1. 26. 27. widowes and strangers and this hath not an outward power to order it but is guided and ordered by the spirit of the Lord to the Lord himself to whom be praises for ever and such we own in our souls and such ye seek to persecute and instead of relieving and Rev. 8. 14. receiving strangers you give them a report or scandall as wanderers that the Scripture might be fulfilled who preached the everlasting Gospel the world knew not and who forsook their own country and sought for another whom the world was not worthy of and you Heb. 11. 38. Heb. 13. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 10. shew your selves to be of that generation he that was a minister of God did exhort to receive strangers by that means some received Angels and the same eternal word hath God made manifest and sent his servants to witness it forth and to warn you all of wo and misery that will come upon all uncleanness and ungodliness and some of them you prison some of them you beat Mat. 10. 17. Mat. 27. 1. 20. Mat. 26. 3. 4. and mock and scourge in your Synagogues and some of them you hale before Magistrates And the chief Priests were ever the ringleaders to slay the righteous seed where it was born wherein the Scriptures come to be fulfilled and you shew the fulfilling of them upon the children of the Lord and the words of Jesus Christ true but he is coming who bears the government upon Isa 9. 6. Psal 23. 1. Col. 1. ●8 1 Thes 1. 1. his shoulders he alone will rule them who rules all nations with a rod of iron he alone will be their teacher and their Shepherd he alone rules his Church who is the head but this Church is not of this world nor maintained by any weapon of this world the true Church is in God yours vvithout vvho maintain it with a carnall vveapon you vvould have a speedy suppressing of the truth vvhere it is risen here you shevv your selves to be of that number vvho call evil good Isa 5. 20. Acts 13. 50. Acts 22. 22. and good evil and even the generation of them that vvould ever have had truth suppressed when it was risen Amos 7. 12. as they said to Christ depart out of our coasts as they said to Paul 't is not fit such a fellow should live upon the earth as to Amos go thy way into Judah prophecie there thatvvas the Kings chappell and he told them the songs of the Temple should be turned into Amos 8. 3. pla 119. 120. howling so shall that nature which hath turned Davids quakings and trembling into meeter when ye read them hats ye keep on and vvhen ye sing them hats ye put off and worship the vvorks of your own hands shewing the spirit of error Pr. Obj. By the checking the vvicked endeavours and proceediugs of these men Answ That is the blasphemer indeed vvhich vvould have the truth chect and be limitted It is vvritten the beast shall blaspheme God and his Temple And Rev. 13. 6. God hath raised up a light in many that are Justices to reprove that nature in you vvhich is fawning and flattering and you will fawn upon them vvhile they vvill Mica 3. 5. give you means but if they give you no means then you prepare vvar against them Pr. Obj. Which vve humbly conceive may be at least by ordering James Nayler and Geo. Fox being strangers to depart out of this County and to return unto their own homes Ans You pretended Ministers of Christ which do but conceive with an earthly power to hinder the proceedings of that which you conceive to be error which is the eternall truth and which conceivings arise out of pride Here it shews that you have not an infallible judgement and as it is written God will scatter the Luke 1. 15. proud in their imaginations and there is your portion All people though you now despise us and cast reproches slanders upon us ye shal eternally witness us but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled There shall be false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of them that are good having a form of godliness and 2 Tim. 3. 3 4 5 and so on denying the power thereof vvhich the

Apostle saw then creping into houses leading silly women captive always learning never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and this doctrine hath spread abroad and ye are in it having the form are not the people yet learning silly vvomen indeed some thirty years learning some fourty some fifty some sixty years learning yet must be taught still therfore you and your doctrine we utterly deny For as the Apostle saith ye need not that 2 John 2. 20 27. 1 John 3. 13. any man teach you you know all things but these vvere not of the vvorld nor are they of this vvorld vvho vvitness this teaching nor the Teachers Pr. Object Francis Howgill to be of better deport especially towards the Magistracie and Ministerie of England Answ Would you have Francis Howgill to be like unto the World your selves Is he going from the power and prince of the air which rules in you the children of disobedience therefore you hate him Ephes 2. 2. Iohn 15. 19. Justice he owns which cuts down corruption which brings all into an upright carriage and righteous way towards God and man this he owns and honors in his soul the Ministers of God he owns and such as bear rule by their means as Ieremy cried out against so do I and such as are gredy dumb doggs which seek for their gain from Ier. 5. 30. 31. Isai 56. 10 11 their Quarters which Isa spoke against I speak against and such as are hirelings which Micah cried out against I cry out against and such as seek for the fleece and cloath with the wooll and feed themselves with the fat and kill Exck. 34. 2 3. them that are fed Ezekiel cried out against such and fo do I the pure seed being made manifest in me le ts me see you to be such now see if you can excuse your selves And all such as who lay heavie burdens upon the people and say they are Ministers of Christ and act those things which Christ forbids I deny For saith Jesus Christ they are called of men Masters and have the chiefest places in the Assemblies stand praying in the Synagogues Matth. 23. 4 5 6 7 14. Matth. 6. 5. whose prayers are heathenish and love the uppermost rooms at feasts and love greetings in the market and under a pretence make long prayers devouring Widows houses A Widow hath no husband and Christ cryed woe against all such woe was their portion they painted themselves with other mens words painted sepulchers full of poyson within woe was their portion and there you are woe is your portien he that upholds that which Christ cried out against is an Antichrist and would you have him uphold Antichrist and deny Christ the world never received Christ but Antichrist The Apostle saith They go in Iude 11. the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam wo unto them Are not all the Priests here And would you have this set up which all 1 Iohn 4. 1 2 3 the Prophets Christ and his Apostles cried out against Where the same Spirit is made manifest it sees you all in error blaspheming God and his Temple Pr. Obj. And by enjoyning Tho. Ayrey and Alexander Dixon and the rest of the speakers and followers that live in this County to abide at their own houses study to be quiet and do their own business labouring in their own calling which is the Apostles Rule and not to wander up and down the countrey as seducers to draw Disciples after them save onely as privat men in way of travell about their own occasions Ans Tho. Ayrey and other friends whom you would have to abide in their own callings according to the Apostles Rule and study 1 Cor. 7. 20. 2 Thess 2. 3. to be quiet that they own but the witnessing forth of the truth doth disturb the man of sinne which makes it now appear he that is called of the Lord being a servant is the Lords freeman like wise he that is called being free is Christs servant ye are bought with a price but be not ye the servants of man Brethren let every one wherein he is called of the Lord there abide with the Lord. This call is a holy call which calls into 1 Cor. 7. 22 23 24. holiness and righteousness without which none shall see the Lord and this call is not of man And the Apostles Rule we do own and witness but as for seducing people we deny it is your own practice we were all seduced by you till God did enlighten 1 Pet. 2. 9. Iob 33. 30. us bring us out of darkness into his marvellous light by which we testifie against all the works of darkness and all who are brought into this light are one in unity as the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 1 7. Iude 20. Isa 54. 13. exhort one another daily as the light doth appear building up one another in the most holy faith and all the children of God shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of them And the Saints went from house to house who were as one soul and met together in singleness of Acts 4. 32 Acts 2. 46. heart here you shew your selves to be deniers of the practices of the Apostles and of the Saints and would tread it under foot and shew forth a beastly nature under the pretence of humility which is meer hypocrisie and no good at all to poor souls nor for Justice nor for the Common-wealth nor for pure Religion nor for the Church of God nor for godliness but onely for your carnall states and for fear of losing your carnall means doe you rage for they that own pure Religion own us the Church of God owns us and they that own justice own us and who owns the Prophets Christ and his Apostles own us but you who have their forms and not their power persecute us so shewing your selves to be haters of the truth The Apostles Rule and use was to go up Matth. 28. 19. and down the countrey who were Ministers of God and rejoyce in them whom he had made Ministers to witness forth the truth and did plainly declare they had no certain dwelling place How dare you take the Apostles for your cloke and their words and act contrary to their life they were guided by the Spirit of the Lord and they did draw Disciples after them out of the world and earthly mindedness in whom the substance of all Types and Figures was made manifest they Acts 4. 32. 2 Tim. 4. 10. had one heart one minde some indeed did forsake them and imbraced the present world as Demas so would you have us to forsake the power of truth and imbrace the present world then we should not abide in the calling wherein we are called of the Lord. See what a confusion is in your words Object And for the Lords gracious guidance of your selves in the affairs of so great

against harmless innocent people Are not you laying here a foundation for a new war and so digging a pit for your selves to fall into you need never fear them who live in the power of truth to raise up an outward war but it is your false suggestion to incense people to make them believe lies but God hath raised up alight in people and in Magistrates which discerns all your intents An Order that was ordered at the Sessions at Appleby in Westmerlrnd ORdered That whosoever shall hereafter disturb any Minister in the Publike Exercise of his Ministry within this County or give any scandalous opprobious terms against any of them shall be apprehended by the Constables or Church wirdens of the place where the offence shall be committed and brought before the next Justice of the peace to finde Sureties for his or her good behaviour and upon refusing to finde such Sureties to be committed to the common Goal till willingly they shall do the same or be from thence delivered by due course of Law And likewise all such persons as me t in great numbers and Assemblies in the night time within this County shall be apprehended and bound to good behaviour as aforesaid Priests Order ORdered That whosoever shall hereafter disturb any Minister in the Publike Exercise of his Ministry within this County Answ The Law of the Land doth give freedom to speak after the man hath done and here you seem to make a new Parliament and new Laws contrary to the Law of the Land and here you shew your selves not to do Justice not acting according to the Law of the Land and the 1 Cor. 14. 30 31. Num. 11. 28 29 Num. 12. 7. Heb. 3 2. 1 Law of God Moses said who witnessed forth the Law and was Ruler in the Law he wished that all Gods people were Prophets now he was faithful in the Law of God which God had commanded him and here thou shewst to act contrary to the Law of the Land and turn'st thy self out of thy justice And the Minister of God said that all might speak in the true Church and if any thing were revealed to him that fate by let the first hold his peace for you may all prophesie one by one that all may be edified and God may be glorified for the spirits of the Prophets are subject 1 Cor. 14. 30 31. 32. to the Prophets and here you do shew your selves to be no Prophets nor no Ministers and your Church no Church if any should come into your Assemblies and sit by and something be revealed to him and he say Let the other hold his peace and you say he disturbs the Minister 1 Thess 5. 19. Mat. 10. 17. 23 Heb. 11. 36 37. Acts 7 58. 59. here you would quench the Spirit and limit the holy one And here is the Scripture fulfilled upon you If they should speak you would scourge them in your Synagogues nay stone them beat them and imprison them and mock them and is not Jesus Christs words fulfilled here And they shall persecute you and now you shew it forth blush for shame and never take him for a cloak Gen. 48. Mat. 23. 33 34 35. Acts 21. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 12. for you are in the same Generation of them that persecuted them who lived in the truth be ye witnesses unto your selves that you are in the same nature that they were in that hailed Paul out of the Temple how darest thou then take his words into thy mouth O brazen face beast that doth not abide the truth Priests Order Or give any scandalous opprobious terms against any of them shall be apprehended by the Constables or Church Wardens of the place where the offence shall be committed Answ That which you call scandalous terms is the truth upon the deceit according to Scripture Gal. 3. 1. For Paul said they were bewitched them that were drawn from the Spirit of the Lord within them to carnal circumcision without them so do you bewitch the people now as sprinkling of infants and telling them of a Sacrament which there is no Scripture for and drawing them from Jer. 5. 30 31. their Teacher within them for Jeremiah said they bear rule by their means and held up the horrible filthy thing that was committed in the Land and Isa 56. 10 11. Isaiah said they were greedy dumb dogs which could not bark which never had enough seeking for their gain from their quarters And all people consider do not all the Priests of the world bear rule by their means and seek for their gain from their quarter we speak the truth we have a cloud of witnesses and Micah said the Priests Micah 3. 5. preached for hire and he that did not put into their mouthes they prepared war against him Do not you Priests sue men at the Law if they do not put into your mouthes nay of your own Church And yet professes your selves to be Teachers of Christ O for shame blush Paul 1 Cor. 6. 1 5. that was a Minister of Christ said to the Saints that went to Law there was not a wise man among them and here thou shewst thy self to be no Minister of Christ no not to walk according to the Letter no not a wise man Jesus Christ said Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites them that were called of men Masters and so are you them that had the chiefest places in the Assemblies and so have you stand praying in the Synagogues and so do you and vvith a Mat. 23. 6 7 8 10 23. pretence make long prayers devouring Widows houses and Iesus Christ cried vvo against such and you hold up those things which Christ doth forbid and you do make men believe you are Ministers of Christ and that Christ hath sent you and act those things vvhich Christ doth forbid and the same wo is upon you that was upon them that held up those practises and the Apostle said they had forsaken the right vvay vvo unto them for they have gone in the vvay of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam Are not 2 Pet. 2. 15. 3. Iude 11. you in envy like Cain do not you shew it forth and run after the vvages of Balaam for gifts rewards and covetousness vvho make merchandise upon the people and as Ezekiel said they seek after the Fleece and eat the Fat and cloath vvith the Wooll and kill them that were fed and made a prey upon them and devoured them But as the Ezek. 34. 23 10. 14. Lord said I vvill gather them from their mouths and feed them upon the mountains And this Scri ture we witnesse to be fulfilled praise and honor be to the Lord. And you Priests do not you seek after the wooll Will you make a lye of Scripture Friends do not say this is railing for I speak the truth and have a cloud of witnesses the prophets and Apostles which spoke from the same Word