but onely sought the people to God but now mens mâ—…ney and riches are sought and taken â—…rom them by violence without regard of seeÌ„king people or bringing people to God then to eat and drink in a house that was worthy such thingâ—… as were set before them and to reap carnal things as meat and drink and necessaries by a free gift from them that received their Ministry thiâ—… was a sufficient maintenance for the Christian Ministers but now so many hundred pounds by the year to maintain themselves and their families in pride and idleness and to reap it by compulsion and injustice from poor people in this manner are the Christian Ministers now maintained which iâ—… maniâ—…est to be quite contrary to the practice of Christian Ministers in the Apostles dayes Behold your fall ye Christians and how you are degenerated the Lord is come to try you and to search you yâ—…u are weighed and are found too light you are measured and are found wanting what the Christians were once in their purity you are noâ—… in many things but the contrary which sheweth that you have the name of Christians 〈◊〉 â—…y tradition but are without the life and being paralelâ—…'d with the Christians who truly followed Christ you are no whit equal to them in any thing but wholly contrary in all things shewing you follow another spirit then they who were followers of the spirit of Christ so 〈◊〉 to the whole world that you are degenerate out of Christ the true Vine and are branches in a degenerate stock which brings frâ—…it forth through you which honours not God but grieves his pure spirit and be ye witnesses against your selves that you are fallen and degenerate from that life and practice which was amongst the Apostles and Christians Again as concerning your worship which is now practiced amongst you Christians through the world herein also will your Apostacy greatly appear for the worship of the Christians was one and guided by one spirit and was in the spirit and in the truth saith Christ Iohn 4 concerning the worship of Christians God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth and saith the Apostle We are the circumcision that worship God in spirit and rejoyces in Christ Iesus and hath no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. And these were Christians and also Rom 6 7. They worshipped God not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit and the spirit guided them in all thingâ—… and was their teacher in all their worship for the Spirit taught them to pray and they prayed in the spirit and they knew not 〈◊〉 they should pray for as they ought but the spirit made intercâ—…ssion for them Rom. 8. 26. and the Christians were exhorted to pray in the Holy Ghost Jud 20. and the preaching of Christians it was in the spirit and by the teachings of the Spirit for they preached as the spirit gave them utterance Acts 2. And Philip was led by the spirit and the Spirit of the Lord moved Philip to go and preach to the Eunuch Acts 8. And the Apostles went up and down as they were moved and led by the Spirit and preached and prayed in what place and at what time and season as the spirit moved them and gave them utterance sometime in the fields and sometime in houses this was the practice of the Christians in their preaching and praying and also the Apostle said I will pray with the spirit and with understanding and I will sing with the spirit and with understanding and he exhorted the Christians to 〈◊〉 in psalms and spiritual songs singing to the Lord and making melody in their hearts to him Eph. 5. 19. Nâ—…w this is the â—…mony concerning what the worship of Christians was its manifest that it was in the spirit and by the teachingâ—… of 〈◊〉 spirit their preaching praying and singing were in the 〈◊〉 taught and exercised therein by the spirit which they had received from God But now the worship of Christians at this day is not agreeable to this but being laid to the line of judgement is proproved contrary for first the Christians now are divided in their worship and hath many forms of worship some worshipping after one manner and others after another so that amongst the Christians there are divers forms of worshipping and they are striving and contending about their worship every one praising their own form and striving one against anothers form of worship and this sheweth that the Christians now are not guided nor exercised by the own spirit of God in their worship and this shews that the Christians now are degenerated from the true worship of God in spirit which once the Christians worship stood in for then the worship of Christians was one and in one spirit but now the worship of Christians are many and divers and divided one from another and they are not in unity in their worship but in striâ—…e and division and herein you are Apostatized from the 〈◊〉 of Christianity and its manifest that the worship of Christians now is not in the spirit and in the truth but in vain traditions learned in natural knowledge by people that are noâ—… converted unto God and any part of the worship which is now practised amongst Christians whether amongst Papists of any â—…ort or amongst Protestants of any sort I say every part of the worship now practised amongst Christians through the world may be taught unto and learned of and exercised in by a man that knows not God neither is in the truth nor converted to the truth neither hath the Spirit of God guiding nor leading of him and I say that which may be done or practised by a man that is not in the spirit nor in the truth nor is yet converted to the knowledge of God nor is not in any measure guided by the Spirit of God is noâ—… the worship of the true God which is in the spirit and truth but as I have said any part of the worship now practised amongst Christians may be done and practised by a man that is 〈◊〉 of the spirit and out of the truth and unconverted to the knowledge of God and therefore the worship now practised amongst Christians is not the true worship of the true God which is in the spirit and in the truth and which cannot be practised without it Many more things might be said as to prove the worship of Christians nâ—…w as practised by them is not the true worship of the true God but this is true which I have said that which is practised without the spirit of God is not the true worship of God which must be in the spirit and cannot be practised without it but such is the worship of Christians for the Christians now generally prayeth some after one form and some after another in their own wills and times and knoweth not the movings of the spirit of the Father thereunto nor
guiding them therein but in such a manner as they set unto themselves or as the custom of the Country instructs therein and knows not the 〈◊〉 of the Spirit of the Father in them nor knows â—…ot the praying in the Holy Ghost and as for the preaching of Christians it is not now practised as the Christians of old practised it nor by the same Spirit now they study for what they speak and gathers out of the Scriptures some having it written in a book what they will preach to the people and this is not to preach as the spirit gives them utterance neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the teaching or moving of the Spirit of God but by humane Art and humane 〈◊〉 knowing before hand 〈◊〉 and how much to speak so much as they have collected in their thoughts from such a verse and how long to preach til a glass be run knows what to have for preaching aâ—…d this and such like is the manner of the preaching now 〈◊〉 Christians which hath no savour in it of Gods Spiriâ—… oâ—… of the teachings or leadings of Gods Spirit in it but altogether contrary to wit this practise savours of idolatry and of vain traditions and superstitions And in short this practice of preaching amongst the Christians now is not in the same manner neither by the same spirit nor for the same end as the preaching of the Christians was in the dayes of the Apostles which sheweth that the Christians now are Apostatized and greatly degenerated from what the Christians were then For again the Christian Ministers now doth not go as they were moved of the Lord up and down from countrey to countrey to convert people to God as the Christian Ministers did then but inquires for places of great maintenance where there is great store of Tithes and set wages and if they can there they settle themselves and preaches in manner as I have said and this practice savours nothing of the teachings of the spirit of God nor of the movings of that spirit whereby the Christian Ministers of old were guided which sheweth that the Christiam Ministers now are in the Apostacy and in the degeneration from God and from what the Christian Ministers were then And as concerning the practice of singing now amongst Christians it is not in the spirit nor with a good understanding but in a vain form and tradition and not in the spirit of the Lord for now the Christians many of them in a form sings the conditions of others as Davids prayers and praises and troubles and afflictions when as themselves are in a condition quite contrary to what David was and so singeth that which unto themselves is false as being out of that condition of which they sing and this is not singing with the spirit neither is it to sing spiritual songs and others of Christians have another manner of singing 〈◊〉 which singing of Christians now hath no â—…avour of the teachings of Gods spirit in it neither is it according 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 â—…e spirit as the singing of the Christians once 〈◊〉 A woful Apostacy is fallen among you ye Christians through the world and you are fallen you are fallen from the life of Christ and from the true practice of Christianity 〈◊〉 the first Christians were in then their praying was in the spirit and in the Holy Ghost but now without the spirit in forms and traditions their preaching then was as the spirit led them and as it gave them utterance but now by humane learning and policy aâ—… such a place for so much a yâ—…ar an hour by a 〈◊〉 what they have gathered by 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 mâ—…ns wolks 〈◊〉 the singing of Christians was in the spirit and their whole worship was spiritual in the spirit and in the truth but the singing of Christians now and all their worship is in vain traditions exercised without the leadings and movings of the spirit of God then the worship of Christians was one and by one spirit now it is divers and in division in many contrary spirits Alas oh ye Christians consider how 〈◊〉 is your fall and how woful your degeneration in respect of your worship fallen greatly from the teaching of the Spirit of God in your praying in your preaching and in your singing to follow humane learning and worldly policy and vain traditions the customs of the Country and your own imaginations in your praying preaching and singing as I have proved unto you Oh consider how great is your Apostacy from the true life of true Christianity greatly do you erre from the pure way wherein the true Christians walked and being truly paralel'd with them and measured with the spirit of true judgement you are sound not equall to them in any measure but rather contrary altogether shewing you are guided by another spirit then once the Christians were that you follow another teacher then once they did your practices doth make it manifest which are contrary and not according to what the practice of the Christians once were is not my judgement just upon you have you not lost that and are departed from it which gave the name of Christian and so hath the name without the thing a profession of Christianity but no true title therein but having lost that which gave the true title to the name so 〈◊〉 this is your state and this is your condition generally ye Christians through the world a name you have of Christianity but to the true life therof in every particular are you dead And now all ye Christians upon earth behold behold how you are fallen and degenerated in all these things and many more which might be named fallen I say from the true Christian life and practice wherein the Christians once were shewing fully to all the world that the spirit of Christ doth not now guide ye Christians but another spirit which brings forth through you other works and fruits and of another nature then what the Christians once brought forth and being compared with them you are no whit equal in the very way and means whereby you are made Christians you differ from them and in all your practices and in life and conversation you are contrary to them and in respect of your worship and Ministry in every part thereof are you altogether contrary unto what the Christians once were yea in your very apparel you shew a degeneration from the true life and practice in Christianity for the Apostle exhorted the Christians to adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefac'dness and sobriety not with broidred hair or gold or pearls or costly array 1 Tim. 2. 9. And the Christians were there exhorted that their adorning should not be the outward plaiting of the hair or of wearing of gold or putting on of apparel But now amongst ye Christians is a practice found quite contrary what vanity and excess is in your apparel striving to excel one another in pride and vain glory in your gold and silver and costly
for preaching what hath been studied for and not by the gift of the Holie Ghost away with this Ministrie away with it it s a mocking of God and a deceiving of souls the Lord will confound it and bring it to destruction and your singing of the Saints words in Rime and Meeter and their conditions which your selves never knew this is abomination to the Lord a practice which his soul hates away with it the Lord is risen to confound it away with al your worship which is not in the spirit nor in the truth but in vain traditions of men practised by you in a vain form and not in the power of God the Lord will bring it down to the ground and reâ—… and establish his own worship which is in spirit and in truth and he will give and hath given his Ministrie again by the gift of the Holy Ghost which hath been lost for many ages while this night of Apostacie hath overspread the world and the Lord shall no longer be worshipped in vain traditions of men but his people shall be restored and renewed to worship him in spirit and truth and the Christian life shall again be brought forth and the spirit of Christ shall be the leader and teacher of his people and now the day of the Lords visitation is again revived for to gather his people and to restore them again to his perfect way and worship Therefore hearken and behold ye Christians this is the testimony of the Lord concerning you you have been fallen and degenerated from the life of righteousnesse and from the true way and worship of the true God and you have long been slumberiâ—…g and sleeping in this long night of darkness which overshadowed you and darkened that glorious appearance of the Son of God which once shined upon the Christians and in blindenesse and darknesse have you walked for many ages and your worship hath been superscribed to the unknown God and wofully have you been wallowing in unclean paths and you have erred you have erred from the life of Christ and from his spirit and you have gone from your husband and followed other lovers and you have been drenched in iniquity altogether polluted by transgression and the state in which you now stand is a state separated from God a state of great ignorance and darkness and a state of hainous rebellion against God whose soul and spirit is greatly oppressed grieved because of your degeneration who is become more ignorant of God then the Ox is of his owner or the Asse of his masters crib and even the very same vision 〈◊〉 seen concerning you as the Prophet saw concerning Israel Therefore here oh heavens and give ear oh earth for the Lord doth speak unto you Christians I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me and the Ox knows his owners and the Asse his masters crib but the Christians doth not know the people doth not consider Ah sinful nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evel doers children that are corrupted that have forsaken the right way and provoketh the living God to anger and ye are gone away backward the whole head is sick the whole heart is 〈◊〉 and from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundnesse but your conditions are wounds and bruisâ—… and putrifying sores you are not closed neither bound up neither mollified with ointment and your country is desolate and your cities is burnt with fire your land strangers devoâ—… it in your presence and it is desolate and overthrown by strangers and but that the Lord of Hosts hath left us a small 〈◊〉 even a seed ye Christians would have been as Soâ—… if any man have an ear to hear let him hear this vision is as true unto you Christians throughout all the World 〈◊〉 ever it was unto the seed of the Jews this is your state and this is your condition and thus ye stand in the sight of the Lord though in your beginning in the beginning of Christianity I mean the Lord brought up the Christians and nourished them by his living word and with his word hee cherished them and they grew unto a goodly state and were 〈◊〉 in Christ Col. 2. 10. and they were come to the spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men made perfect and unto mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumer able company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all Heb. 12. 22 23. 24. TO this state were the Christians nourished and brought up in the dayes when they were first brought forth when they were begotten and born again of the Immortal Word that abides for â—…ever and they were sanctified and purified and made clean unto this were they nourished and brought up out of darknesse and from under the shaddow of death but notwithstanding this the Christians now have rebelled against the Lord and doth rebel against him and though he hath been unto them as an owner to the Ox and as a crib to the Asse even as thus hath the Lord been unto the Christians yet they know it not neither doth the Christians consider but is indeed grown sinful and laden with iniquity and the seed of evil doers brings forth its fruit through Christians being become children that are corrupters having forsaken the Lord and his way which was made manifest in the dayes of the Apostles and the Lord is greatly provoked for the Christians are gone backward from what they were in their beginning as I have fully made manifest and this vision of the Lord is unto you all ye Christians even as a Tree that is of the most precious seed and the most noble Vine that is planted in a good soil that is digged and dressed and grown to a goodly stature and bringing forth some acceptable fruit unto the good husbandman for a season yet this Tree becomes blasted by an unwholesom air and becomes degenerate from its vertue and property and nature and becomes a wilde vine and a plant of great disgrace ceasing to bring forth any good fruit and becomes fruitful in all evil and the labour of the good husbandman is â—…ost for while he looks for good fruit nothing appears but fruit of an evil taste which is altogether loathsome unto the good husbandman This parable is unto you Christians and this is your state and your condition Therefore behold what shall the Lord do unto this Tree shall he not cut it down to the ground and cast it into the purging fire shall he not lay his Ax to the root and cause all its branches utterly to wither and cause it to cease in being even as it hath ceased in bringing forth fruit shall not the good husbandman destroy this Tree with all its corrupt fruit and shall not his own hand accomplish the purpose of his own heart this Tree shall