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