did of whom it is here spoken For thus are the Words I fell at his Feet to worship and he said unto me see thou do it not I am they Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren which have the Testimony of Jesus worship God for the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Which is to say I am but as thy self thou hast the Spirit of Prophecy as well as I I am but a Prophet testifying of Jesus like thy self As Chap. 22. 9. I am thy Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren the Prophets So that when Isaiah faith to all to the Testimony exhorting them to keep close to that word and to enquire there whether that which any man shall spake be Truth he cannot mean the Spirit of Prophecy because all have it not in themselves nor is it the Will of God they should for he dispences the gifts of the Spirit severally to one Wisdom to another Miracles to another Prophecy 1 Cor. 12. Let me hear you say all men Heathens as well as Christians have the Spirit of Prophecy in their Hearts which testifies of Jesus and Prophesies of him speaks of things to come of his Name his Servants his worship his Enemies his Kingdom and Church as it spake testified and prophesied in the Angel and the Apostle as appears by the whole Book G. F. Truth and Deceit p. 10. To all as stumble at the silent waiting upon the Lord. Hear what Isaiah faith Sit thou in silence get thou in darkness O Daughter of the Caldeans thou shalt no more be called Lady of Kingdoms Isa. You must witness silence before you come to speak For when the Devil was cast forth the Dumb spake Let the Lips be put to silence that spake grieveus and proud things contemptuously against the Righteous All you lying Lips that speak contemptuous things against the Righteous you are to be put to silence before you speak Ps. 31. 18. Kir of Moab was brought to silence because he was in the Night Isa. 15. 1. In all these places Destruction and Miserv that which is to be dreaded is meant by silence and not waiting upon the Lord which is desireable and which we are exhorted unto In Isa. 47. 5. it is manifest from the latter words Sit thou in silence get thee in darkness thou shalt no more be called Lady of Kingdoms And from vers 1. Come down and Sit in the Dust O Virgin Daughter of Babylon sit on the Ground there is no Throne O Daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate In the other of Isaiah it is likewise manifest from the Text it self which if you had cited it fully would have discovered your abuse Chap. 15. 1. The Burden of Moab because in the Night Kir of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence As clear is it in that of the Psalmist Let the Wicked be ashamed and let them be silent in the Grave Let the lying Lips be put to silence which speak grievous things and contemptuously against the Righteous Ps. 31. 17 18. Doth this signifie they must wait on the Lord in the silence of their Souls before they speak Or doth it not signifie they shall be punished As Ps. 12. 3. The Lord shall cut off all Flattering Lips and the Tongue that speaketh proud things Vers. 5. For the oppression of the Poor now will I arise saith the Lord I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him And Ps. 52. 4. 5. Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitful Tongue God shall likewise destroy thee for ever He shall destroy thee for ever He shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the land of the living Such is the silence before spoken of as when the Psalmist saith Unless the Lord had been my help my Soul had almost dwelt in silence Psal. 94. 17. G. F. General Epistle p. 10. The Apostle saith Tongues must cease Then that which makes as you say Orthodox Divines must cease And in the same place he saith Prophecies shall fail and knowledge shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13. 8. And then that which you say makes Orthodox men and Divines must cease So that the Apostle speaks no more against Tongues than against Prophecy and knowledge Ibid. p. 10. 11. The word which was in the beginning is called the word of Reconciliation by this word are men sanctified and made clean which is Christ whose name is called The Word of God True his Name is the Word of God but his name is not the Word of Christ and yet something is so called Say Christ is the Word of Christ and prove there is no incongruity in that saving Christ is manifestly distinguished from his word as every man is from what he speaks and teaches as the Philosopher is from his institutes For it is called his Word his Doctrine his sayings that which he spake with his lips and the people heard with their ears Ioh. 15. 20. 14. 23 24. 7. 16. 8. 31. And the same is the Word through which the Text says men were made clean it being in the very terms clearly distinguished from himself Ioh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Which is no more Himself than Blessed are the Merciful the poor in Spirit the pure in Heart Love your Enemies ask and you shall receive believe on me and whatsoever else he taught is himself For thus you read again Ioh. 4. 41. 42. Many more believed because of his own word and said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves c. 8. 30. As he spake these words many believed on him Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of Truth Such also is the word of Reconciliation committed unto the Apostles viz. The doctrine of the Gospel which they had heard and learned of Christ and had also received by the inspiration of his Spirit and Preached unto the world as is likewise manifest from the Text 2 Cor. 5. 18. God hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation Which is the same as He hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation And what that is you may understand by this which follows We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Go said he Preach the Gospel to all Nations teach them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you He that Believeth and is Baptised shall be Saved And told them that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in his Name Accordingly they Preached Act. 13. 38 39. Be it known unto you that through this man is Preached to you the forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all
concerning the experiences of the Saints as the False Prophets of old of whom the Lord said Jer. 23. 30 31 32. Behold I am against the False Prophets which steal my Words They shall not Profit my People at all And is not this fulfilled abundantly where is the Profiting of the People do they not remain still in their Sins These Prophets spake Peace to the People when all manner of impieties were committed and told them that evil should not come upon them as other Prophets had denounced And this they spake not as their own private judgment but pretended to have received it from the Lord immediatly by Dreams and Visions and so incouraged them the more in their Wickedness Vers. 17. They say still unto them that despise me the Lord hath said ye shall have peace no evil shall come upon you Vers. 25. They Prophesie Lies in my Name saying I have Dreamed So in our Text I am against them that Prophesie false Dreams and cause my People to err by their Lies yet I sent them not So also Chap. 6. 14. and 8. 11. and 28. 8 9. Now is this to speak the experience of the Saints true and sound Doctrine the very word of God And is God against us for so doing as he was against these false Prophets who both feigned a vision and also corrupted the truth speaking peace to the wicked Is he angry when we like honest men having no vision pretend none but as faithfully warn men of their Sins as if we had saying to the Rebellious they shall Die endeavour to turn every one from his evil ways preach the Truth as we have learned from his written Oracles If we should receive the word immediatly from his Mouth it would be but the very same Conscience where art thou blush for this accusation and for the abuse of sacred Scripture If we were Knaves we might pretend Inspiration as well as others It is an Argument of our Honesty and sear of God that we do not when we might gain admiration and a croud of Disciples as well as others if we did But see we whether you have not likewise erred as to the other words They shall not profit this People at all Which you understand thus they shall not edifie their Souls in Righteousness I thus Destruction shall fall upon this people though these Prophets say it shall not but Prophesie peace to them Their word which is concerning good shall not come to pass Vers. 19. Behold a Whirlwind is gone forth it shall fall upon the head of the Wicked Chap. 14. 13. 15. 16. They Prophecy a false Vision and a thing of naught They say Sword and Famin shall not be in the Land By Sword and Famin shall those Prophets be consumed and the People to whom they Prophesie shall be cast out in the Streets of Jerusalem because of the Famin and the Sword Thus in many other places we read where also the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used As Chap. 7. 8. Ye trust in words which cannot profit The meaning you have vers 14. I will do unto this People as I have done unto Shiloh Vide etiam Chap. 12. 13. Isa. 30. 5. and 44. 9. and 47. 12. and 57. 12. But because you say no Preachers can profit the People unless they receive their word immediatly from God let me add as you have no proof in this place so I challenge you to produce any other Text for this assertion and admonish you that you make not the efficacy of the word to depend altogether upon the Persons that Minister For Paul Plants and Apollo Waters but God giveth the increase It is a rational word and carries conviction in its divine nature and what makes it more prevalent it bears the authority of God and is accompanied with the operation of his Spirit Moses and the Prophets were Dead when our Saviour spake those words If they hear not them neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the Dead So that he thought the hearing of their writings read in the Synagogues or the peoples reading of them themselves or their knowledge of them was sufficient for their repentance and if this prevailed not neither would Moses and the Prophets themselves if they should come again For alass what prevailed they when they did Preach upon obdurat and profligat Sinners And the persons which commonly Ministred among the Jews you know were not Prophets nor Inspired received not their word immediatly from the Lord but read the Book of Moses and the Prophets to the People Which also our Saviour did And St. Paul charged that his Epistle should be read unto the brethren in the Church Luk. 4. 26. Act. 15. 21. Col. 4. 16. 1 Thes. 5. 27. 1 Tim. 4. 13. Farnsworth's Priest's ignorance p. 2. The Teachers of the World have the chief places in the Assemblies are called of men Masters stand praying in the Synagogues Jesus Christ forbad such things Mat. 6. 5. and 23. 6. So they shew themselves Antichrist Seducers and Dissemblers G. Fox Catechism p. 64. Are we to hold up such Teachers as stand praying in the Synagogue and have the chiesest place in the Assembly which Christ cried wo against Parker's Testimony p. 7. Their Man-made Churches their standing Praying in high places there and being called of men Master are contrary to the plain words of Christ Mat. 33. As for praying standing in the Synagogues Mat. 6. 5. 1 It is not Praying in those places because they were made by Men as you Interpret that is condemned For in the same the Law was read every Sabbath day without any reproof from Christ or his Apostles Act. 15. 21. And Christ commonly Taught in them Ioh. 18. 20. Mat. 4. 23 and 13. 24. Luk. 4. 16. And so his Apostles Act. 13. 5. 13 14 15 c. and 9. 20. and 18. 4. and 17. 1 2. 2 Nor is standing in Prayer here forbidden For that was done both by the best Jews and by Christians also without fault 1 Kings 8. 14. 54 55. Neh. 9. 4 5. Mar. 11. 25. Luk. 18. 13. And standing refers to Corners of Streets as well as to Synagogues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if they had Kneeled in the Corners of Streets yet would they have been equally condemned and so likewise would they if they had Kneeled in the Synagogues It would be all one if it had been thus said standing being not expressed they love to Pray in the Synagogues and in the Corners of the Streets that they may be seen of Men. 3 Nor is Praying in High-places in the Synagogues as our Ministers do in Pulpits forbidden as you Interpret again For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not so signifie of it self nor is their any thing in the Text which imports so much but rather the contrary For whereas they stood also in Corners of Streets it is altogether improbable that they had High-places built there for this purpose or that
Father Rabbi Doctor Teacher or Guide which is absurd enough and just so absurd is your interpretation But that which is forbidden here is 1 That the Teachers be not ambitious affecting great Titles nor usurp authority over the people ruling as Lords their persons and their faith setting themselves in the place of Christ as if the Doctrine were their own and they were the Masters to be obeyed and the people were their subjects and their disciples vers 7. 8 10 11 12. The Scribes and Pharisees love to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi But be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ductor Guide Preceptor even Christ and all ye are Brethren Neither be ye called Masters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ductors for one is your Master even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased These latter words confirm my interpretation One part of which viz. that which concerns secular dominion I have also taken from our Saviour's words cap. 10. 21. 26. Grant that these my two Sons may sit the one on thy Right hand and the other on thy left in thy Kingdom And note ye that there was a strife among the Apostles which of them should be counted greatest Luk. 22. 24. and moreover they expected Christ would rule as a secular King Luk. 19. 11. 24. 21. Act. 1. 6. But Jesus said ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you But whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister The other part of my interpretation which concerns Mastership over the faith of people I have from St. Paul's words 1 Cor. 3. 4 5. While one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos are ye not Carnal who then is Paul and who is Apollos but Ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave to every Man The faith is not ours but the Lords we only Minister it in his Name and as we have received it we did not make it ver 9. VVe are Labourers together with God only such ye are God's building not ours 2 Cor. 4. 5. VVe preach not our selves but Christ. Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake chap. 1. 24. VVe have not dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy 2 Another thing here forbidden is that as the Preachers should not assume this Authority so neither should the people give it them not look upon them as their Masters but only as God's Servants ministring to them not set them in the place of God and Christ not profess themselves their disciples nor their subjects servants and children vers 9. And call no man your Father upon earth And this interpretation I have likewise from St. Paul 1 Cor. 1. 12. 13. Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ. VVas Paul Crucified for you or were you Baptised into the Name of Paul Which is to say you are not to profess your selves any mans disciples but his only who was Crucified for you and into whose name ye were Baptised that is Christ's c. 2. 21. Let no man glory in Men whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas all are yours Ye are Christ's They are only appointed of God to Minister to you Christ is only your Master Father Head chap. 11. 3. 7. 23. Heb. 3. 6. Again chap 4. 1. Let a man account of us as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God No more than such v. 6. And these things I have in a figure transferred to my self and Apollos for your sakes that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which hath been written viz. That we are Ministers of Christ and dispensers of God's Mysteries and no more not your Masters nor Teachers of our own Doctrine Thus you may see how far wide of the true sense you have erred whilst you expound our Saviour's words as forbidding to call or to be called Master or Sir in civil respect And you may discern that they which would have their doctrine pass for Oracles without examination and their commands for Edicts without contradiction and they that yield up themselves to such are the offenders though they neither give nor receive this title I cannot but admonish you here to look into your Bibles and consider how the Texts stand which you cite and not to conclude every portion of Scripture which cometh into your mind to be infused by the Holy Ghost for you to make use of to the purpose which you intend and therefore not daring to examin it for the right sense lest you should disobey that Holy One and the work should smell a little of human study and care For certainly you have erred even where the words have no obscurity at all And if you will not make use of your eies to see and your understanding to consider and will take no more pains than to speak and write it is just that God suffer you to fall into mistakes that may justly shame you that you may be more vigilant G. Fox's Catechism p. 26. We have held up such Teachers as bear rule by their means which Jeremy saith was an horrible and filthy thing And such as seek for their gain from their Quarter ' G. F. Truth and Deceit p. 7. Jeremy cried against the Priests that bore rule for their mony Nayl Love to Lost. p. 74. The Ministers of Christ never sought to the people for means nor bore rule by it The words of Jeremy are these c. 5. 31. The Prophets prophesie falsly and the Priests bare rule by their means I cannot but wonder that all of you should so grosly mistake as to understand by Means Tithes and Riches and that of the Priests for nothing is plainer than that the Priests bearing rule by means of the Prophets is spoken of and that that signifieth by their help power and authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their hand In which signification you find the word I King 10. 29. 2 Chron. 1. 17. Mal. 1. 9. G. F. Catechism p. 124 125. They tell me that Hebrew Greek and Latin is the Original by which I may know the Scriptures A. The Beast which killed the Saints had power over Tongues and the great Whore sits upon Tongues Rev. 17. 15. 13. 7. G. F. Message to Parliam p. 7. The Teachers say Hebrew Greek and Latin are the Original Now with the light of Christ Jesus this Doctrine is seen to be contrary to the Scripture They that keep in many Languages keep from Christ for he redeems out of Languages Tongues Kindreds Nations and People All who are in Christ are one and all who are in Tongues Kindreds Nations Languages are in confusion Thus also Smith in his Lamentation