and I loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy sake This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise And all the seed of the Serpent shall be destroyed and the power of darkness is that cursed ground that is for burning vvhich the Lord of life and glory vvill trample upon for he came into the world to destroy the works of the devil and all things shall be subdued by his power and he vvill put all things under his feet and then when all things are brought under by this Prince of peace then the soul sits down in peace in him who is the King of righteousness vvho will make all that living earth subject to himself and fill all with holy breathings Glorious things are spoken of him for he is the City of God and this holy breathing is the kingdom of heaven within you when he rules within you and the kingdom of heaven without you likewise when you see the same glory rule in others in vvhich you rejoyce For in the day of Christs power he vvill subdue all his enemies under his feet and deliver up the kingdom to his Father Therefore let not any one marvel to see the people turning from one way of Worship to another for the Father is driving his people thorow all the Ways and Forms and Customs and Reformations and Governments of the Beast to weary them out in all that so they may not find rest for the soles of their feet in any outward form of Worship nor in any thing until they come to lie down in him forsaking all Forms to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth that is to walk uprightly being holy in all manner of Conversation for it is written Be ye holy as I am holy and pass the time of your sojourning here in his fear knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations in time past but with the pretious blood of Christ Jesus as a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And until Christ reigneth as Lord and King the soul is restless running from post to pillar as I may so call it from one Worship and Form to another meeting nothing but confusion and the curse in every thing he doth so poor creatures are in bondage within for they know not what to do the way to Sion is not yet clear and they are filled with sighings and secret mournings to see themselves in confusion and loss to stick in the mire but cannot get out this is inward slavery which they groan under being under the hand of the Tyrant flesh that rules the Kingdom and devises the several fleshly Forms and Ways of Government to which if any refuse to conform then he thinks fit to punish them with imprisonment or shameful reproach any way he can invent so that many weak spirits are brought under and are in awe either by fear or shame and thus Jacoh hath been kept very low but he must arise To see the Divine Power in Creature-Objects is sweet but to see him ruling in the heart is sweeter for the Spouse had seen Christ or else she could never have called him her Beloved and mourned in his absence Now all things yea all things must be but loss dung and Dogs meat that we may be found in him having the Law of Righteousness and Peace ruling and dwelling in our hearts being refreshed with those sweet smelling Spices the discovery of the Fathers Love within which is the Word of God This is sweeter then the Honey and the Honey-Comb for this is to see him neer at hand even within the heart ruling and resting there This is the Kingdom of Heaven within you this the City of Refuge that will not fail a man this is the Rock of Defence and Offence this is the Power that makes a man as bold as a Lyon that in the greatest streights findeth peace and rest like Paul can sing at midnight although in chains under the hardship of persecution by Tyrants for he felt peace and was at rest yea such peace as the world knows not of let come what will come this man knows it is the will of his Father it shall be so and he feels a quiet peace compass his heart so that he seeth and feeleth peace within and rejoyceth in the excellencie of it he seeth love and patience within and rejoyceth in that sweet Oyntment that doth cast a delightful savour all his soul over Now if this man should be forsaken of all his outward Friends imprisoned banished all men deny to deal with him because they count him a man of strange Opinions and Blasphemies calling him all reproachful names as they shall say all manner of evil falsly against the new-born Babes and they shall kill them and think they do God good service in it Yet the Saints are in God he lives in them and they in him and he will have his holy Ones whom he draws up to worship himself in spirit and in truth to be silent slow to speech for a season yet quick-sighted Eagle eyed though they be silent they are not sottish as the world judgeth and falsly surmiseth of them but they shall all see and behold with the single eye and judge others righteously and they shall not be judged of any man And let the ignorant Professors of the world be ashamed for condemnation will fall upon them and fear shall surprize the hypocrites for the righteous actings and patient silence of those that are drawn up to wait on the Lord shall be the great shame and confusion of face upon them the wise flesh that would be an Angel of light is full of words but dead to the Law of Righteousness the Saints must dye to waste words but be made alive to righteousness walking uprightly to all things in all well-pleasing in the sight of God their heavenly Father for the man of the flesh is altogether for preaching praying as he calls it observations of Forms and Customs and knows not how to worship if these be taken away he hath no peace if this be gone But the man that is in his natural condition that is not born again this mans prayer shall turn into sin and all that ever he doth is an Abomination in the sight of God and he that hath his eyes in his head as Solomon saith the wiseman hath he beholds all these his performances to be out of the life and power of Christ and death is in all that ever he doth let his specious fair pretences be what they will if the inward Power be wanting no Sacrifice can be accepted therefore the clean heart God accepteth therefore the just man is continually meditating the Law of his God is in his heart therefore his footsteps shall not slide The godly man turns his eye inward to see the Law of Righteousness guiding and ruling his body and this is the excellent sight
Christ as is before shewed who are in the life which are onely such that have the seed of God raised in their own particulars and alwayes obey it in the power thereof such are not under the power of the Law but under Grace and the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which dwelleth in them hath made them free from the Law of sin and of death and they and they onely are Christs because they are led by the Spirit of Christ and all others let their forms be Episcopal Presbytery Independents Anabaptists or whatever all their Worship is but will-Worship and their eatings and drinkings and washings and preachings and singings and hearings are all but the Sacrifice of Fools being all will Worship the inventions of mens hands out of the life and power of the truth as it is in Jesus and therefore is before the Lord but as the cutting off a dogs neck being a blind zeal without knowledge for I know upon what ground they all stand having run through all these Forms and could never finde rest for the sole of my feet in them neither can any find true peace until they come to lie down in the Father worshipping him in Spirit and in Truth being holy in all manner of conversation for unto such it is become natural to do the will of their Father on Earth as it is done in Heaven And therefore I do dearly exhort you all men and women to whom this shall come to keep close to the pure seed of God in you for that is your true Teacher and follow it and it will shew you the Father and the Son and if you obey this Doctrine you shall know that it is of God and lend not your ears at any time or place unto the Tempter but crush the Serpent in the first motions of sin and then they turn upon his own accompt and not upon thine for it is no sin to be tempted but the sin is to yeild for when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Therefore break the Cockatrice Egg before it be hatched that it may never come to be a Serpent and resist the devil and he will flee from you and turn in the minde to the pure light and wait in it that preserved you may all be out of that sin and evil that would defile you for this pure Principle of God in you will not consent at any time to sin but will check and reprove for it and if its motions be obeyed it will keep you all single and unspotted of the world and so you shall be found worthy to follow the Lamb in this the day of his power wherein he is risen to make War with the Beast and false Prophet And therefore it doth concern every one continually to watch and to have their loines girt about with the preparation of the Gospel of Truth that is with Jesus the Word by whom all things were made who is in all his Babes and Children that are born again and those that have his commandments and keepeth them dwelleth in him and he in them and this Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world shall have the Victory and blessed and thrice happy are all they that can come to witness sensibly in their own particular him rising in them that are truly fighting under his Bannâ—… against sin the world and the devil and feel a dayly conquering of sin that die dayly as Paul saith unto sin that they may be made alive unto God and as David saith that hateth the very appearance of evil And the onely way to this is to keep low in ones self and to wait in the cool of the day turning in to the light and in it wait and put on the whole Armour of God that you may be preserved at all times out of the snares of Satan for this will let you see sensibly the Tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit to be cut down in you and a new plant raised which will bring forth its fruit in due season to the glory of the Lord who alone is worthy of all glory and honour and everlasting praises for ever and for ever And therefore all Friends keep in the pure fear and wisdom of the Lord that at all times you may be ordered by it to do all things to his glory at all times and in all places that you may be a good savour unto all men you have to do withal and let your souls truly pant and thirst after the living God as the hart panteth after the water-brooks for your Redeemer is neer you if you refuse him not the Word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth and the kingdom of heaven is within you as is plainly shewed in this Treatise and if Satan be in his first motions resisted you shall plainly see him pass away as the shadows pass away and the dew when the Sun ariseth And therefore keep in the pure fear and wisdom of God that with it you may be ordered and guided in all things to do them to his glory and so you shall sensibly witness the seed of God in you all to reign that will trample Satan under feet and then shall the saints rejoyce and they shall witness pure and holy rejoycings with songs of Triumph and Praises with Glory Glory Glory and everlasting Praises to their Father which is in heaven who is worthy We have had great stirs in the Nation of late years by Souldiers and great Words and good Language have they spoken that they would do much for Christ and the setling of his Kingdom which they do not know and the protecting of his people whose Life is in it being in Righteousness Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost which is a hard thing for a Souldier that kills men for mony houses lands and goods ever to witness until with Zacheus he restore to him that he hath robbed by forged cavilation and to the debtor his pledge But the whole Nation is sensible if they be not wilfully blind of the backsliding and Apostatizing of the Army and how in all changes they have sought themselves and not the things of God it is like they have forgot that Text Joh. 18. 16. My kingdom saith Christ is not of this world and Paul saith Rom. 14. 17. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink nor yet Arms and Armies but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost which Souldiers and Armies usually destroy and confound and therefore Christs Souldiers must have onely the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which leadeth them into all the truth and peace and condemneth the very practices of this Army that hath so often changed and sworn and engaged with hands lifted up to heaven and yet broke all as fast as made them to the sadding of the hearts of all their faithful friends to the strengthning of the hands of their enemies and
Lord God is found and felt in the hearts of all his chosen ones and they feel themselves branches springing forth of the Tree of Life and in him that is in Christ by abiding in him and his living Word abiding in them they bring forth much fruit and they walk from strength to strength and from faith to faith until they appear before God in Sion and they do turn people from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they do receive remission of sins and an inheritance amongst those that are sanctified and as they have felt and handled and tasted of the good Word of Eternal Life so they do deliver it unto others freely they have received and freely do they give according to the command of Christ their Law-giver and they have received the Unction the anoynting from the Holy One which doth abide in them and teacheth them all things and they have the first fruits of the Spirit which doth make them alive unto God And they do go into the dark corners of the world as they are moved by the Holy Ghost to preach freely the everlasting Gospel of Salvation glad tydings to all people whose feet are beautiful and they do it upon this account that a necessity doth lie upon them and woes will be upon them if they do it not if they do the work of the Lord negligently and they are ready to sacrifice their lives and to seal the truth of their Ministry with their blood that they may finish their work with Joy and inward Consolation which is full of power and great glory and their Conversations are without Covetousness they seek not their ovvn but the things of Jesus the salvation of all men that they may live the life of holiness as they have been servants unto sin so that they may novv come to be made free from sin and have their lives in holiness and righteousness the end whereof is everlasting life for the gift of grace is free and so many as receive him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God even to all those that do believe in his name and their conversations are in heaven and they do not minde earthly things and they do the works of the Spirit vvhich doth make them alive unto God for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and they are as Lights in the midst of a perverse and crooked Generation and they are holy harmless vvithout spot and blemish vvaiting vvith Oyl in their own Lamps for the coming of the Lord that they may enter into his Joy and receive the end of their faith which is the salvation of their souls The true Ministers of Christ they were filled with the Holy Ghost before they went forth as Paul saith when Christ had revealed himself in him then he spake the word with boldness and many of the Priests say That Judas had a Commission as well as the rest of the Apostles because Christ sent them forth and said As you go preach and say The Kingdom of God is at hand vvhich Kingdom was the pouring down of the Spirit of Righteousness vvhich he promised that the holy Ghost should come down and abide with them for ever and lead them into all truth But there is not one Text that ever I could find that they did go forth until the lot fell upon Matthias in the room of Judas and he was numbered amongst the twelve It is said That the seventy returned and said Behold Lord the devils are subject unto us So at the best those Priests that pleads for Judas doth but derive their Office from him for he was a Deceiver at the best and so are all they that have not received the holy Ghost for the Apostles were to feed the Flock of Christ over which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers and the Priests of this Generation are they not proud covetous arrogant ambitious self-lovers lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof Where is the man or the woman that hath been at any time snatcht out of the paws of Satan and out of the snares of hell by their Ministry as it is called Where is the fruits of the holy Ghost to be found amongst their hearers which is Love Joy Meekness Temperance Brothetly kindeness Bowels of Compassion enduring all things Temperance Righteousness and holy in all manner of conversation Is not the fruits of their hearers clean contrary are they not wrath anger malice murder robbery plunder a neater word for Thieves Swearing Adultery Fornication and all uncharitableness scoffing despising those that are good heady high-minded disobedient to parents unnatural truce-breakers Covenant-breakers And by this it appears that they neither have the call of Christs Ministers for if the Lord had sent them they should have turned people from the evil of their doings and they should have learned to do well neither have they the maintenance of Christs Ministers nor the fruits of Christs Ministers for Christs Ministers they were commanded to take nothing with them neither money nor staff nor scrip and they were to enquire who was worthy and there enter and there eat such things as was set before them and that was their maintenance not to force people and take away their Goods three times as much as was or could be demanded And the fruits of Christs Ministers Peter converted three thousand at once and many thousands now blessed be the holy Name of the ever-living GOD are escaped out of the snare of the hunter by the sounding forth of the everlasting Gospel of salvation from his true Ministers who are despised and scornfully called by the seed of evil doers Quakers whose Doctrine is To turn people to the light within them which doth bring them out of Rebellion and the disobedient nature which the light doth reprove and condemn and they that do draw from the teachings of Christ within such the Light Christ doth shew to be seducers 1 Joh. 2. 26 27. and this light doth bring into the holy life and into the pure worship of God in the Spirit And therefore I do dearly exhort you from the Lord to come out of all your false Churches your false ways and from your proud deceitful Priests and come to Christ the true Pastor and Bishop of your souls and so you shall come to the Church that is in God 1 Thes 1. 1. Heb. 12. 22 23. whose Overseers are made by the holy Ghost And so dear Friends I do dearly exhort you to take heed to that which is pure of God in your consciences and obey it and make that your Teacher for that calls for a pure conversation 1 Pet. 1. 13 14 15 16. and let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and so you shall all come to be baptized into Christ and so put him on by one Spirit and come
which it appeareth that there is none but Christ the promised seed can redeem man from death nor offer unto God a ransom for him and as the tree falleth so it lieth and there is no repentance in the grave whither thou goest and every word and work must be brought to judgement with every secret thing and God is no respecter of persons for he cannot behold transgression in Jacob nor sin in Israel and if David a man after his own heart sinneth he must go with broken bones to his grave for it and seeing all have sinned and come short of the glory of God it is the one thing necessary for every man and woman seriously to consider and wait in seeking the Lord that he may be manifested unto every ones particular and this is to be sought for to know him that taketh away sin even the sins of the world for as in Adam all died so in Christ shall all be made alive and Christ hath lightned every man that cometh into the world and Christ the hope of glory is in every one and know ye not that Christ is in you unless you be reprobates now the man Christ Jesus the great Prophet declared in general terms what should be in latter times leaving it to every son and daughter to declare their particular experiences when the Spirit doth rise up in them and manisest himself unto them for they that believe saith he out of their bellies shall flow rivers or plentiful discoveries of the water of life Therefore as Moses gave way to Christ for when Christ appeared in flesh Moses Administration began to be silent and drew back and set Jesus Christ in the Chair to be the great Prophet that should be the Teacher in Types after him and the Ministration of these discoveries were to reign in the world their appointed times Even so the Lamb Christ Jesus or that single body gives way to the Holy Ghost or spreading Spirit Joh. 16. 7. Joh. 17. 21. If I go not away the Comforter cannot come to you for he that dwells bodily in me is to spread himself in you that as the Father in me and I in him are one even so I in you and you in me may become one with the Father And the Testimony of the Apostles declares as much 2 Cor. 5. 16. Col. 1. 27. Though we have know Christ after the flesh in one single body yet now henceforth know we him no more so but we look after that mystery which hath been kept secret from ages and generations past which is Christ in you the hope of glory therefore I must tell you that yet live in dipping in water and observation of Gospel-Ordinances as ye call them forms and types you live yet under the ministration of Jesus Christ after the flesh declaring the Lamb Christ to remain as yet in one single person but know you that as the ministration of Moses gave way to this so this ministration is to give way to the inward teachings of Christ and the spreading of the Spirit in sons and daughters which will more excellently declare the glory of the mystery The man Christ Jesus told the woman of Samaria Woman the time is coming and now is that neither in Jerusalem nor in this mountain shall men worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in spirit in truth for the Father seeks such to worship him by these words as also Luk. 17. 21. Joh. 4. 45. the son of man declares that both outward forms customs and types of Moses worship under that ministration at Jerusalem likewise all forms and customs and types of this ministration of himself as the Lamb held forth at a distance to be our Mediator should all cease and give way to the spiritual worship of the Father in the latter days or to the spreading of the Divine power in men the one Law of righteousness being the Teacher of all so that upon the rising up of Christ in sons and daughters which is his second coming the ministration of Christ in one single person is to be silent and draw back and set the spreading power of righteousness and wisdom in the chair of whose kingdom there shall be no end so as all things were gone out from the Spirit and were gone astray and corrupted the Spirit in this great mystery of truth being manifested in the flesh burns up that dross out of the Creation and draws in all things again back into himself and declares himself to be the alone wisdom and power of righteousness that rules dwells that governs and preserves both in and over the whole Creation 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 5. 24. and now the Son delivers up the Kingdom to God the Father and he that is the spreading power not one single person become all in all in every person that is the one King of righteousness in every one Here is plainly seen what the dividing of time is which is the last period in which the Beast is to reign for now every ministration pleads his priviledge till the Law of righteousness drown up all in himself Moses yet pleads priviledge in the practice of the Jewes after the flesh the Son of man Christ in one single person pleads a priviledg and not onely the true ministration of the Son of man according to the Apostles declaration but likewise many false forms customs and observations of worshipping are raised up through a wrong understanding of those Scriptures all pleads their priviledge and lastly the ministration of the Spirit forsaking all forms and types worshipping the Father in the substance of truth this now pleads his priviledge as his due right by course So that you see here is the dividing of time But this last ministration is the sufferer for the present as being denied his right by the former that ought to give way and as the worshippers in Moses ministration envied and killed those as worshipped the Son of man the Lamb and his worshippers so now those that worship Christ at a distance in their several Congregations and Forms and are most zealous therein are in these dayes the most bitterest enemies to the ministration of Christ in the spirit and in truth But when this ministration of the Spirit spreads himself he will make the greatest separation that ever was for though Israels separation out of Egypt amazed the World and the separation of gathered Congregations out of Parish Churches so called did trouble the earth though it is no more but going out of one form into another and none into the unity of the one Spirit yet this ministration of the Spirit now rising up by right of inheritance will take peace from the World much more for he hath begun and he will go on to gather the scattered of Israel together out of all Egyptian bondages and self-seeking oppressing Governments and out of all forms and customs of the Beast to worship the Father in spirit in and truth being
until he manifest or raise in them the manifestation of the measure of that light that he hath placed in their souls and given them to profit withal and then that ruling in them will makes us become one again and then we shall not be divided any more O dear Friends despise not this Word wait on the Lord for teachings you neither will nor can have rest in your souls until he speak in you peace For those that stay themselves on him are kept in perfect peace And follow your Forms as much and as fast as you can in the strictest way you can possible and it will not bring you peace nay it will bring you to a loss and you shall be more and more wrapt into Confusion and sorrow of Heart I speak what I have found and therefore let not any deceive themselves But when once the heart is made subject to Christ the Law of Righteousness looking up to him for instruction waiting with a meek and quiet spirit till he appear in you then you shall have peace then you shall know the truth and those that are made free by the Son they are free indeed For they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall govern them and shall lead them to the lively Fountain of water and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes The third Epistle To all Those that teach for Hire and divine for Money that they may lay their Hands on their Hearts and consider the evil of their doings and cease to do Evil and learn to do well For the terrible Day of the Lord is at hand And who can dwell in everlasting Burnings VErily I must bear my Testimony from the Spirit of the Lord Jesus which is everlasting That you the Priests of England are all blinde Guides and have your right eyes put out and I shall prove you Deceivers of the people and woes everlasting will be your portions if you proceed and therefore in tender love to your souls I send this unto you without consulting with flesh and blood Consider this you that are wandring Stars That when Christ appeared in flesh Moses Administration began to be silent and drew back and set Jesus Christ in the chair to be the great Prophet that should be the Teacher in Types after him and the Ministration of these Discoveries were to reign in the world their appointed time Even so the Lamb Christ Jesus or that single Body gives way to the Holy Ghost which is the spreading Spirit Joh. 16. 7. Joh. 17. 21. If I go not away saith Christ the Comforter cannot come to you for he that dwells bodily in me is to spread himself in you that as the Father in me and I in him are one even so I in you and you in me may become one with the Father And the Testimony of the Apostles declare as much 2 Cor. 5. 16. Col. 1. 27. Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more but we look after the Mystery which hath been kept secret from Ages and Generations past which is Christ in you the hope of Glory And therefore all your merchandizing in Gospel Forms as you call them and Types declare you the Priests of England to be yet under the Ministration of Christ after the flesh declaring the Lamb Jesus to remain yet in one single person But know you That as the Ministration of Moses gave way to this so this Ministration is to give way to the inward teachings of Christ and the spreading of the Spirit in sons and daughters which doth more excellently declare the glory of the Mystery and this you call A Dumb Idol for all those that patiently wait in silence upon the Lord do wait for the manifestation of the measure of the Spirit of God to be poured down upon them to make them profit withal for they that are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God The Man Christ Jesus told the Woman of Samaria Woman the time is coming and now is that neither in Jerusalem nor in this Mountain shall men worship the Father but they that worship him shall worship him in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Now you shew your Ignorance of Scriptures and that you have not the Key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth but like those that made silver Shrines for Diana cryed her up for a great goddess because their Living was got by it but their deceipt was plainly seen to all whose eyes were opened Now you deny the Teacher within that shall not be moved into a corner For the word is nigh thee even in thy heart and in thy mouth and you need not tell the people Lo here is Christ or Lo he is there for there is in every one a measure of the light of Christ which is given them to profit withal and if they follow that light it will bring them out of every evil way for it is that pure thing in man that never did consent to sin nor never will but doth check and reprove for evil thoughts and vain lusts and desires which this light judgeth down for Christ hath thus enlightned every man that cometh into the world now till the measure of this light is manifested in you so as totally to destroy the works of the Devil for to that end Christ came even to destroy sin I bear my Testimony from the Lords Spirit You are strangers from the Covenant of Grace and Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and are without God in the world and how are you fit to teach another that know not your own Guide that is the Lord from heaven for know you not that the Kingdom of heaven is within you you Disciples you little Ones that are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible the word that abideth for ever Christ in you the hope of glory for know you not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates so your deceipt is to drive a Trade in the world to deceive souls to keep people from knowing the true Teacher for if they should once know one within them to lead them whither they in their corrrupt wills would not go and should give way to obey that holy Voice for it is the Voice of Christ then they would not give their money for that which profiteth not and that which is not bread for Christ saith He that eateth the bread that I shall give him shall live for ever for my flesh is meat indeed and he that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Now you do esteem men contrary minded as Hereticks the Just One Christ was accused for a perverter of the people by the Jews Luk. 23. 14. Stephen was stoned for blasphemy Act. 7 59. Herod killed James the brother of John with
what reason is there that a poor man taking a Frame at a rack rent and peradventure hiring money at use and spending all his time and pains for a whole year to maintain his charge which is his duty being up early and down late eating the bread of sorrow plowing and sowing and buying seed himself running the hazard of the loss of all his Cattle and for want of a good season peradventure may hardly have the seed he cast into the ground and after he hath reaped it at his own charge then for a lazy Priest a Non-Resident a Drunkard a Whoremaster a covetous Person ambitious arrogant proud vain lascivious swaggering swearing fighting lying unconfcionable antichristian ungodly Priest as many are such and some are filled with all Unrighteousness being Enemies to Christ and his chosen Ones persecuting the righteous Seed for such a one to come and take the Tenth of the poor mans Corn let any man judge whether this be reason when the poor man neither imploies him nor dare not hear him for fear if he should come to hear his Will-vvorship in his Idol-Temple he may justly fall into the condemnation of the Devil Thou sayest That Abraham paid Tythes to Melchisedec I answer That was before the Levitical Priesthood and Christ Jesus is made a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec which was thus Melchisedec met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings who brought him Bread and Wine and Abraham gave him the Tenth of the spoil what was this to the paying of Tythes yearly out of his own Estate Canst thou prove that Abraham did pay Tythes out of that And now the Levitical Priesthood is changed by Christ Jesus and therefore there is a change of the Law and now the Priesthood is not committed to the natural Off-spring of Levi or any other Tribe but to Christ Jesus the unchangable Priesthood whose Kingdom stands not in Figures and carnal Ordinances but in the substance For the time is come saith Christ that ye shall not worship the Father at Jerusalem nor in this mountain but the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for he seeketh such to worship him Now since the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem thou canst not read that ever God commanded another house to be built Thou sayest that Christ Jesus said Ye tythe Mint and Cummin these things ye ought not to leave undone Christ Jesus spake then to the Jews in the time when the Levitical Priesthood was not ended who were bound by the Law But when Christ was offered up he said It is finished Now do thou remember that he that addeth or diminisheth from the words of the Prophecies of this book his name shall be blotted out of the Book of Life and peruse thy Letter and see if thou hast not added Thou hast those Texts quoted No man muzleth the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn and No man goeth a warfare at his own charge and He that plants a Vineyard eats the fruit thereof And herein it is agreed that the Ministers of Christ Jesus who are effectually called to his service and labour in the Word and Doctrine ought to be comfortably provided for that they go not a warfare at their own charge but this doth not require the world which lies waste as a wilderness and is not of the Vineyard should contribute for Christ saith Father I pray not for the world but for those that thou hast given me out of the world that they may be one as thou O Father art in me I in thee so that they may be made one in us therefore no reason that they that are of the world should be compelled to give of the substance of their labours to Christs Ministers for every man is sole owner of his own and he that violently or fraudulently dispossesseth him of any is a Thief and a Robber in the sight of God and good Men God abhorreth the sacrifice of the wicked and hath no need of his substance for the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof and he will never forsake those that put their trust in him and The just man shall live by his own faith and If any man with-draw himself saith the Lord my soul shall have no pleasure in him and such as Christ sent forth he alwayes took care that they never wanted but they were always kept without being chargeable to any and they eat the fruits of their own Vineyards which they had planted not which other men had planted and by the Churches who were gathered out of the world were they maintained to preach the Gospel to the world who lay in wickedness unto whom they would not make the Gospel chargeable or burdensome which was their glory and their crown and this Example of the Apostles leaves every one free to give him that teacheth not binding any to the maintenance of those that have less need then the Giver And this discovers the hireling shepherds that teach for filthy lucre that fleece the Flock and not feed them that have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof from such there is an express command to turn away who make merchandize of the Scriptures for the Lord saith They shall not profit my people for they are ever learning and never able to bring to the knowledge of the truth for he that knowetn not the life of Faith to witness it in his own particular how can he teach another Thou sayest That Peter converted three thousand souls at one Sermon and thereby it did appear he was a Minister of Christ the Lord effectually working with his Ministry upon the hearts of his hearers Now thou hast been a Teacher to the People of Crundal many years and name me but one man or woman that hath been converted by thy Ministry and if they can demonstrate unto me the work of Regeneration wrought upon them by thy Teaching then I will pay thee thy Demands And how canst thou plead thy self a Minister of the Gospel and sue for treble Damages for learned Judge Rolle said in Court That Tythes were not due and payable by the Law of the Land in a Case of Tythes on the Bench when he was chief Justice and when they were paid in the old Law the Levites the Fatherless the Widdows the Strangers were all to be provided for out of them and the Priests of England hath no such custome but consume them on their pride and lusts and wicked covetousness and the Disciples of Christ were commanded to go into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature they were not to stay in a place and the signes that followed them that believed in their Doctrine in his Name they should cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover Thou
or did espie 2. BEfore or rash receive Or rash reject they durst First if his Doctrine swerve Detest him as accurst But if of heresie Thou canst not him detect Stay till thou see the truth Made plain by the effect It is a wickedness To which men are not slow In rage to cast away That which they do not know so Josephs brethren did His Dreams as Dreams deride But them their reverend King Up in his bosome laid And though he thought them strange Durst not yet vilipend But humbly did observe Until he saw the end So Moses brethren durst His zealous loving fact Reprove as deed accurst And as Usurpers act 3. THough Moses knew that God Had sent him to that end And hop'd his brethren would This secret understand Eldad and Medad when I' th' Camp they prophesie Even Joshua is rash To blame them foolishly But Moses tells him plain Not zeal doth him inflame But envie and disdain And would God would his name Not in these two alone In this sort glorifie But in all Jacobs seed When Gideon did destroy In his heroick rage The Altar which the Jews To Baal had set up Oh how this people spews Dire wrath and fell despight But Joash bold replies Will ye for Idols fight That dares this morning dies 4. WHen Saul from that he was Was suddenly transum'd And with the Prophets did As now he was indu'd Some spake of this amiss But some were better skill'd And said they cannot chuse Which with God's Spirit are fill'd VVilt thou the winds forbid To blow where they are sent Shall sacred Prophesies In Schools or Cells be pent VVhen David offered His service to his King VVhat a loud peal did then His eldest brother ring As if God might not send VVhen whom he thinketh best And as to him seems good To relieve a State distrest As if God might not set On Shepherds head the Crown VVhen they themselves forget That must be tumbled down 5. BUt let Eliab storm Let Saul himself run mad Let him and all his crew Conspire against the Lad Prince Jonathan is wise And for his brother glad And for his thankless King Religiously is sad Michal shall be his friend And so shall all the best And above all his choice VVhat cares he for the rest VVhat weighs he Nabals scorn The Ziphims treachery Abner his skill in war Dog Doegs villanies VVhen Jeroboams King A Prophet reprehended His Majesty incens'd Bid him be apprehended For this his hand he lost Until he su'd for grace Kings 't will be to your cost If Prophets you disgrace 6. DId not King Ahab so And with him that abus'd His Prince with tales and false Micaiah just accus'd The Bethelites prophane That taught as we to swear Their Boys and Gyrls to mock Him that had power to tear And with a word destroy Their lives did in one day Four hundred children loose Naaman went away From Elisha his gate VVith scorn and rage fulfill'd Because so wise men are Learned and deeply skill'd In their own judgments blind The word which him was sent Did not his prouder thoughts And high conceits content But though his footing slid His servants were more wise And boldly faithful did Their foolish Lord advise 7. IF Lords or Kings misdeem You that on them attend Be not base flattering Parasites But your best counsels lend Do not your selves and them Fond Parasites for fear Fearless down headlong cast In Pits of deeper care Yet if you be but stout To speak as you believe You may your froward Lord His leprosie relieve Or if he needs must wend After his own advise You have done nobly yet And as became the wise VVhen Elisha again In a sad time of want Did promise by next day Bread should be nothing scant This cannot be quoth he That thought God could not do That which he could not see VVas possible And so 8. IF men these Prophecies Judge as to sense they seem How can they feasibly Such uncouth wonders deem But learn of that proud lord Your judgements to submit For God is wise and strong To do all he thinks fit If in his name then hear You shall things difficult Do not with flesh and blood Too suddenly consult You may as did this Prince His life who therefore lost False sentence over-soon Pronounce unto your cost Do not with Jehu's friends If in your sight appear As will a Prophet ask What makes this mad-man here Alas can you streight know What God in heaven hath meant Can you sans tryal know Who is not surely sent 9. LEt us this Jeremie How to supplant devise Said the rash Jews for sure All that he tells are lies Is no man wise but he Is all the learning his Are there no Prophets more Do all else go amiss Poor men thus they must do That must themseves destroy Sad Jeremiah they 'll force Against their pride to pray I would their good my God But they reward me ill Let famine and the sword Them and their Infants kill As much did Pashur gain The chief of Clergie-men A sect which always hath Before all other been In mischievous designs And spightful machinations Be wise therefore you droans And shun these consultations 10. IF your Arch-Priests will needs Like Anti-christs resist Bid them alone for you Malicious blind persist He that these Priests huge fame And their foul friends found out Hath ever been the same And will still do not doubt They shall be terrifi'd That terrible now seem Magor-Missabib is This bul-beggers new names Poor wretches I do not Your pride at all envie I do not but lament And moan your misery And of these surly sect VVhich with Hilchias child At hand I do foresee Repentance be your shield VVhen Jeremie again By dreaful comminations His people would restrain VVith hideous exclamations 11. THe Priests they being chief Against him they conspire Treason must be his crime Destruction must be his hire For if you mark it well Priests they this use have got Reprove the state of sin And death must be thy lot If these blood-thirsty hounds Be suffered to prevail But Magistrates are wise Though cater-caps can rail And carry after them Sometimes with glosing lies As they Jehoiakim The King God op'd his eyes Yet you that fear the Lord And in his Son believe Do not too soon consent But boldly wise relieve And namely Shaphans child Such is thy prudence rare So art thou just and mild And for our weal takest care 12. ALthough Jehoiakim VVould not with reverence hear The Book of Jeremie But scornfully did it tear And in the fire consume Unto his greater hurt And of his royal race Yet some men had the heart VVhich next him were the first And sat in highest place The Prophet and his words To heed and to imbrace They tremble as they hear And amongst themselves confer VVhat course is best to take These judgements to aufer In Zedechiah's days Again this holy
wight For telling them the truth Of treason he 's indight But though his own are blind A Pagan doth believe Moors more then Jews are kind Oh shame and dare relieve 13. WHom they dare persecute And do the King exhort He credit not too soon Malicious fond report When Amos in the court Gods judgements did denounce The Prince of Prelates then Him traytor doth pronounce And the fond King incense But what was his reward Priests you the storie read And awfully regard Thy wife said Amos then Proud Priest shall play the whore Thy Sons and Daughters all The sword shall soon devour Thy place thy eyes shall see Thy enemies possess And in a forraign land Thy self die in distress Frown mowe grin grind thy teeth Swell break for all thy mood The word I speak is truth And cannot be withstood 14. OUr Lord himself his own Would not receive nor love Chiefly the chief amongst you His words and works reprove Because the ways of God They measure by their wits They 're scandaliz'd and fall And still lies in the Pit Oh learn by their extreams And lasting miseries What 't is for to refuse The profer'd verities What 't is rashly to judge Resist and presecute Things that distaste before Thou know how to confute As after his ascent When he his promise paid Many both mock't and rail'd And of the Apostles said For they did prophesie And with new tongues could They babbled idlely Because their brains were weak speak 15. BUt wise Gamaliel When others burst for spight And plotted to destroy Gods Prophets if they might Sage counsel freely gave Princes beseech you hear Be well advis'd take heed Too sudden wrath forbear As Theudas lying knave Judas the counterfeit Although a while they seem'd Great credit for to get Yet quickly came to nought So if these men you see Not true Apostles but Impostors crafty be Believe it they will soon Such as they are appear But if they be of God God will his servants clear And we that dare resist Not men but Heavens King Shall wish that we had wist And late repent this thing 16. IF therefore thou be'st wise Reader thy spirit suspect When thou perceiv'st it tempt Thee rashly to reject That which thou now hast read Or shalt within a while Do not with high conceit Thy weaker wits beguile Though Doctors dote as yet And this false doctrine teach That Prophets now no more Of future things shall preach Nor miracles be seen Do not their dreams receive Blinde guides their silly selves And others they deceive And if thou say as they Then hear this prophesie Thy eye before thou die Shall give thy tongue the lie Who shall the Jews convert Who shall restore our peace Who shall the Pope subvert And Mahomet make cease 16. DId not Elias need When 'twixt Jehove and The doubtful Jews did half Did not Elias call Men from their crooked ways And for the Lord prepare Before himself appear'd His Gospel to declare And dost thou hope that now These schisms at all shall cease And the round world with light As the full Moon increase Without Elias aid Or art thou so purblind As nor in Malachie Nor in Esay to find That as the Baptist did VValk in Elias might VVhen this Messias came A miserable wight So much more now before VVe see his glorious day His usher shall prepare Afore his face the way 18. NOr do thou curious scan From whence he doth appear Nor what his person is For then I can but fear Thou some offence wilt take As men were wont of old When in Gods secrets they To pry were over-bold God doth send whom he list The reason none can tell But only God himself For this you must all know Christs merits are the thing Which all must flie unto Even for salvation God did appoint him for Salvation unto all That in the light believe Which light is Christ alone Who hath enlightned every one Which in the world hath been Or shall be to the end The Lord he did also David and Salomon call And his Apostles twelve His Prophets every one No man deserves this place No man is competent Let God do what he will Let this thy mind content 19. PRaise God that he hath found One whom employ he will More for thy good then goods To save thy soul from ill Danger fear care and grief All for thy comfort and Thy heavie hearts relief Who if thou knew the soul Of those whom God hath call'd As Israel in Aegypt I know thou art much appall'd Dost mourn complain and cry That God as he of old VVill now again provide The sorrows that unfold Thee and his woful spouse How quickly to relieve The means then glad imbrace The choyce thee let not grieve Thy wisdom in this case Is thankful modestie Say unto God thy grace VVithout an envious eye 20. THe poor the mean the rude The vile God oft doth call And place in highest room That he the Lord of all Of all may be confest His counsels be ador'd Rather then vainly scan'd His name with hymns decor'd And all flesh put to shame David and Saul were poor Moses a man unfit Amos a country-boor The chief of Prophets all And of all Kings the head A Carpenters Son some so call'd The Apostles carn'd their bread The most were ideots call'd Paul was a wicked man Mathew himself records A hated Publican Even Nathaniel said From Nazareth to hope For good I am afraid Yet Christ from thence did come Which brings salvation 21. THe word he brings the works That he shall do respect All proud and wicked ways Far from thy thoughts reject Dost thou believe Then lend thy helping hand Dar'st thou deny I dare thee then withstand Or art thou in doubt Then pray that thou mayst see Study within And then confer with me Egerton Anno 1660. D. Gotherson FINIS The first Epistle To all people whose souls panteth after God as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks ANd now also is the ax laid to the root of the tree therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire I is to the circumcised in heart that cometh or springeth from all the twelve Tribes that Jesus Christ is lovely the choicest of ten thousand for whom they part with all to purchase that pearl that is of so great worth that the heart cannot conceive nor the tongue express nor the eye see that is mortal being that Stone with the new name written in it that no man knoweth but he that hath it and is not discernable with any but they that are born again that can witness they are become little children for only to such belongeth the kingdom and to none other Now the soul being of so great worth that Christ said What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and to loose his soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul by