a murderer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal Life abiding in him Hereby perceive we the love of God because he hath laid down his Life for us We ought also to lay down our lives for the Brethren Chap. 3. And so this is contrary to what hath been the practise of those that have taken upon them the function of the Ministers of Christ for many hundreds of years for though they have professed Christ and Christianity yet they have been killing and slaying and murdering one another as many examples might be instanced in ages past Those that call themselves Papists and those that call themselves Protestants one killing and slaying and murdering another and yet all professing and confessing themselves to be Christians and would profess the Scriptures Christ and the Apostles words and in doing thus one to another they have thought they have done God good service and so have fulfilled Christ's words who saith Yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God good service and these things will they do because they have not known the Father and me John 16. And this may suffice for the second head which is their Quallifications The third is their Call For Jesus when he came and spake unto his Disciples he said unto them All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world Mat. 28. And he said unto them Go ye into all the world and preaceh unto every creature he that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned And again he saith Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on high and he blessed them and they worshipped him and they returned to Jerusalem Luke 26. Which is rehearsed again in the first of the Acts and fulfilled in the second Chapter and the Spirit was poured upon them plentifully and there were some then that mocked and said These men are full of new Wine but Peter stood up with the eleven and said These men are not drunken as ye suppose but this is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last days saith the Lord I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall prophesie and whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord in that day shall be saved This holy Spirit the Apostles received when they were met together also Paul the Apostle who was made an Apostle after them he also was separated for that work by the holy Ghost for as the Apostles were met together with the Church at Antioch as they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed c. Act. 13. And so the Apostle writes himself when he wrote to the Romans Paul a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God And again when he wrote to the Galatians he wrote thus Paul an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead and all the Brethren which are with me unto the Churches of Galatia And he saith further I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ But when it pleased God who separated me from my mothers womb and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood Gal. 1. And again when he wrote to the Ephesians when he was a Prisoner of Jesus Christ he wrote thus to the Gentiles Ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of the Gospel of God which is given me to you ward how that by Revelation he made known unto me the Mystery as I wrote unto you in a few words which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes 3. I do not know neither have I heard that the Ministers and such as take upon them to teach People neither those that are their Lords Bishops and Arch-Bishops that they have had their Calls after this Order for there have been other wayes and meanes used for many hundred of years together as Schooles and Colledges and Universities and Nurseries of Learning which they call their Mothers with a heap of Stuffe which are better known by them that exercise themselves in them than the Revelation of Jesus Christ is and the Ministers they make are by men and of men and they will have them Fitted and Ordained according to their Wayes and Orders But if any one have received the Revelation of Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit if any such have a Word to speak from the Lord they must not be received nor admitted this is not according to their Order this they call an Heresie and a Sect any that speak and meet together and worship the Lord God in his Spirit and in his Truth such are taken notice of and are brought under the Whip and the Scourge and are apprehended and cast into Prision if they do but pretend the Teachings and Leadings of the Spirit of God and if they have not freedom in their spirits to pay them Tythes or to maintain their Steeple-houses presently they are brought into the Bishops Court and if they cannot for Conscience-sake swear and take an Oath then presently they are cast into Prison But of this more hereafter And thus it is truly manifested that the order of their Calling is not according unto Christ nor his Apostles for Christ saith expresly All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son revealeth him Mat. 11. And again Christ saith It is written in the Prophets They shall be all taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me not that any man hath seen the Father save he that is of God he hath seen the Father John 6. This may be sufficient to prove the Third head which is their Call which is contrary to the Apostles The fourth their Worship and the manner of it And first for the Worship it self Christ when he spake to the woman of Samaria and she told him That their Fathers worshipped in that Mountain of
Samaria Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4. And to this purpose did Jesus speak to Nichodemus when he came unto him by night when he said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God At which words Nichodemus wondred but Jesus answered Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the Flesh is Fesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Marvel not that I said unto thee ye must be born again the wind bloweth where it listeth c. John 3. And to this purpose was the man whose name was John sent of God to bear witness of Christ Jesus the Light that all men through him might believe He was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world He was in the world and the world was made by him which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John bare witness of him and cryed saying This is he of whom I spake he that cometh after me is preferred before me and of his fullness we have all received grace for grace as may be read at large John 1. And to bring People to this Light and Spirit of the Lord within them did Christ Jesus and all his holy Apostles endeavour by their Preaching Therefore saith Jesus Christ unto Nichodemus we speak what we know and testifie what we have seen and ye receive â—ot our witness This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God This is Christ's Doctrine and Worship And when he was preaching among his Disciples and also the Scribes and Pharisees heard him and many believed among the chief Rulers â—â—t they did not confess him because of the Pharisees lest they should be put out of the Synagogue And Jesus cryed out among them â—nd said He that believeth on me believeth â—ot on me but on him that sent me I am come â— Light into the World that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the world but to save the world He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the Word that I have spoken shall judge him at the last day and so on John 12. And Christ told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God came not by observation but the Kingdom of God was within them And when he sent forth his Disciples he saith As ye go preach saying The Kingdom of God is at hand Mat. 10. Also when he sent out the seventy he said Heal the sick that are therein and say The Kingdom of God is nigh unto you Luke 10. 9. And we also see by the Epistles of the Apostles which are left upon record after what manner of Doctrine and exhortation they spake unto the People as the Apostle John which was the beloved Disciple what he hath written in that which hath been already mentioned in the 1st 2d. 3d. and 4th Chapters of John Also the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle saith For we have not followed cunning devised Fables when we made known unto you the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but we are Eye-witnesses of his Majesty For he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Here the Apostle directs them to a more sure Word than that which was heard in the Mount which came from the Excellent Glory which they taking heed unto might have the day to dawn and the day-star to arise in their hearts This was a true and a right Minister also he saith Knowing this first that no Prophesie of the Scriptures is of any private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. How is it then that it is kept so private that none must interpret it but Learned men such as have been at Oxford or Cambridge But the Apostle saith That the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost But those that have had learning at Cambridge and Oxford will hardly give a right Interpretation of that which the holy Ghost hath spoken forth But when the Apostle wrote to Timothy who was a Bishop and an Overseer made by the holy Ghost to him he saith Continue thou 〈◊〉 the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing â—f whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus Here Timothy did not go to Cambridge nor Oxford nor no such place to learn what he had done from a Child All Scripture saith he is given by inspiration of God and iâ— profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction that the man of God may be perfected throughly furnished unto all good works 2. Tim. 3. And when Peter speaketh of his beloved Brother Paul and of his Epistles which he had written and what he spake Some things he saith are hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. So they that have not the Inspiration of the Almighty and motion of the Spirit of the Lord God the same that gave forth the Scriptures when they come to Interpret them and give meanings to them being unlearned therein they just wrest them to their 〈◊〉 destruction and therefore they do not profit the People at all These be they who separate themselves men that are sensual not having the Spirit Judge 19. Also the Apostle Paul when he was sent forth to Preach the Gospel of Christ the
Spirit or else he would not have learned them to have prayed That the Will of God might be done on Earth as it was in Heaven Vain-bablers and Patterers over of many words do not the Will of God on Earth as it is in Heaven but this Prayer is abused by them all as many other places of Scripture are And this may serve for the second particular of their Worship which is Prayer The third is their Singing which indeed is more like may-gameing then worshipping of God playing and piping of Organs and setting a company of wilde ungodly light boyes to sing tunes to to them which is such a kind of Worship as no Christians in the Primitive times exercised It s true there was in Davids and Solomons dayes such as were appointed to minister in way of singing and giving thanks as David when he had brought the Ark of God and set it in the midst of his Tent which he had made for it he offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God and he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord and to record thank and praise the Lord God of Israel Asaph the chief and next to him Zachariah Jaaziel Shemiramoth Jehiel Mattathiah Eliah Benaiah and Obed-Edom 1 Chron. 15. 16 and 27. and Jehiel with Psalteries and with Harps but Asaph made a sound with Cimbals Benaiah and also Eliezer the Priests with Trumpets continually before the Ark of the Covenant of God Then on that day David delivered first this Psalm to thank the Lord into the hands of Asaph and his brethren who were the Singers Give thanks unto the Lord call upon his Name c. Psal 105. This was upon a special occasion when the Ark of God was brought up among them And these that David committed this Psalm unto were such as were appointed of God for that Place and Office as Asaph and those that were called to that office Also Solomen had Singing-men and Singing-women Eccles 2. 8. and them of this order came with them again out of the Captivity in Babylon Ezra 2. 41. Neh. 7. 67. But these were all before Christ and why may not Christians as well imitate Circumcision Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices which were in the time of the Law as well as imitate Singing-Boyes And we do not find that any of the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive times did Sing David Psalms in Meeter and Rhime and turn his Lamentations and Groanings and Sufferings and Tears and Anguish of his Bones being burned like a Hearth and that he was as a Pelican in the Wilderness and like an Owl in the Desart when he cryed out that his heart was smitten and withered and his Prayers and Cries Psal 102. We do not find that the Apostles turned this state of weeping and lamentation of his into Rhime and Meeter and sang it But Christ and his Apostles and Christians and Saints when they sung they sang with the Spirit in prayses to the Lord and in the joy and rejoycing of the Spirit This was not to take another mans Sighs and Groanings and Lamentations and Tears and Cryes to turn this into a Song and sing it This is not the Truth neither is it the practice of the Spirit of Truth But when the Soul and the Spirit is joyful in the Lord and enjoyes his Presence and feels his Life then there is joy and honour and praises given to the Lord God in the Truth and in the Reality in his own Spirit and this glory and praises are acceptable to the Lord God And therefore doth the Apostle say I will Pray with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding also I will Sing with the Spirit and with the Understanding also 2 Cor. 14. Yet the Apostle did not turn his praying into singing nor none that have the Spirit of the Lord Jesus to pray and sing with but when they pray they pray unto the Lord and when they sing they sing unto the Lord yet both by his own holy Spirit When Christ Jesus and his Disciples were at the Passover and that he had broken the Bread and given them the Cup of the New Testament he said unto them I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine until the day that I drink it new in the Kingdom of God And when they had sung an Hymn they went out into the mount of Olives Mar. 14. 26. And according to this the Apostle in his Exhortation to the Ephesians among many other particulars he saith Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 5. 19 20. And again in his Epistle to the Colossians he saith Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Likwise the Apostle James saith Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalms Jam. 5. But he saith not sing those Psalms which David sung but the Apostles sung in the Spirit with grace in their hearts as before and said those that do glory and rejoyce let them do it in the Lord and in so doing they may worship and give thanks unto the Lord in rejoycing and singing as well as in other parts of worship in the Spirit of the Lord God But these are not wild wicked ungodly people and boyes who are imployed in this service in our dayes but the Lords holy Spirit where it dwels and rules and lives is the same as ever it was and can worshrp the Father in Spirit and in Truth who is a Spirit and his Worship is in his own Spirit and this Spirit speaking or praying or singing worships him More might be said concerning their Altars and bowing and cringing to Stocks and Stones and calling Wood and Stones set together by mens hands and adorned with Inventions A Church but all this trash and rubbish will fall together Since that Temple that Solomon built which God commanded Christ said should not be left one stone upon another of its building but it should be all thrown down surely these Popish Houses have no long reign And so this may serve for the finishing of the third particular and fourth Head which we except against which is their Worship The fifth is their Practice which is so large and indeed so contrary to all Scripture-Rule it is much to express the Heads of it except it be such as are practised in it for the body of darkness is deep and is such a puddle to rake in that it is fit for none but those whose garments are filthy and defiled to meddle with Yet for the Seed of God sake which is kept in Bondage and in Captivity in
they bought no long Robes nor Surplices with this since that Christ Jesus had so often exhorted them to beware of them that went in such And again Peter saith unto those he wrote to Let your conversation be honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak of them as evil doers they may be put to silence by their good works and that they should be as free not using their Liberty for a Cloak of malitiousness but as the Servants of God And thus much for the seventh and last Head which is their Garb and Habit which all that reade the Scriptures may see that Christ nor his Apostles ever used such So now let the Reader as he readeth over this Treatise weigh and try by the Scriptures their wayes and actions for Christ hath left us a rule how we should know them by their fruits For saith he Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Ye shall know them by their fruit Do men gather grapes of thornes or figgs of thistles Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth corrupt fruit a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Mat. 7. Luke 6. 43. So by this which hath been shewed and tried by the Scriptures comparing their Doctrine Practice and Worship with the Scriptures let the honest in heart judge whether this Gospel that they have preached and which hath been holden forth for many hundreds of years whether this Gospel be not another Gospel than that the Apostles preached and that which the Apostle feared is come to pass where he saith I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another Spirit which we have not received or another Gospel which ye have not accepted I marvel ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ into another Gospel which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As I said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed 1 Cor. 11. Gal. 1. And thus you may see that their Ministry hath been neither according to Law nor Gospel and let the Lord judge between these two And now a few Queries to the Bishops Ministry and Clergy of what sort soever whether Papists or Protestants that have been in this time of Apostacy First Whether that Light which John was sent to bear witness of John 1. 8 9. which is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Whether this Light be not the same as it was and hath the same Power that hver it had since Christ saith I am the Light of the world John 8. 12. Secondly Whether the New Covenant which the Lord promised by this Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah which was a Light of the Gentiles and was to be God's Salvation to the ends of the Earth Isa 42 and 49 Chapters Jer. 31 and 24 Chap. Which Prophesies Old Simeon saw fulfilled Luke 2. 30 31 32. VVhether this New Covenant which the Lord saith should be an Everlasting Covenant in the last dayes which Covenant the Apostle bears testimony of in Heb. 8. whether this Covenant which is the Law written in the heart be not the same as ever it was yea or nay Thirdly Whether the Word of Faith which the Apostle saith is nigh in the heart even the Word that he preached Rom. 10. VVhether this be not the same as ever since Christ saith Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Word shall not pass away Mat. 24. 35. Mark 13. 31. Fourthly Whether the Ministration of the Spirit which the Apostle said was glorious and saith the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. Whether this Spirit hath not the same power and efficacy to work in the hearts of People as ever it had yea or nay Fifthly Whether the Revelation of Jesus Christ that was revealed to his Apostles by his Spirit Ephes 3. 5. 1 Cor. 2. 10. Whether this Spirit hath not the same power to reveal now as ever it had since Christ Jesus saith All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Mat. 11. 27. John 3. 35. chap. 6. 46. Whether this Revelation of Christ Jesus be not of the same force and power as ever it was yea or nay Sixthly And if so that the Light of Christ which is the New Covenant and the Word of Faith which is nigh in the heart and the Spirit that he hath put in the inward parts by which the Revelation of Jesus Christ is known be the same as ever Then why is not the ministration of the Spirit and those that are inspired by the Almighty the Ministers that are allowed of and set up by the Powers of the Nation And why is such a Ministry set up and allowed of by the Powers of the Nation who deny Revelation and do not wait for Revelation but say it is ceased And why are such Ministers allowed of and set up by the Powers of the Nation who do not only deny Revelation and so deny Christ Jesus but they also stir up the Magistrates and those that have the Civil Power to Persecute to Imprison to Premunire and to Banish such as have the Revelation of Jesus Christ and are Inspired by the Almighty with the same Spirit and Power as the Apostles had Seventhly Why is not the Church of Christ now in God as the Church of the Thessalonians was 1 Thes 1. 1. 2 Thes 1. 1. And why is now a house made with Wood and Stone called the Church since Christ saith unto Peter when he confessed that he was the Christ the Son of the Living God Jesus said unto him Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I build my Church But this Rock was not Peter as the Papists say but it was upon that Revelation which Christ said his heavenly Father had revealed unto Peter and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. 18. Eighthly Why is not the Worship of God performed in the Spirit and in the Truth according as Christ Jesus published and declared in the Mountain at Samaria unto the woman which Jesus confessed unto and said when she spake of the Messiah
and of Christ I am he he said unto her That the hour cometh and now is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for such the Father seeketh to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth John 4. And why is not this Spirit waited in and for in the Worship that is generally performed and allowed of in our Nation since that the Apostle saith We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3. And why is the Worship which is generally performed among people and their Doctrines taught from and by the Commandments of men seeing they profess themselves to be Christians being Christ complained of this Worship And saith In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men this people draweth near to me with their mouthes and honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me And he said Let them alone they are Blind Leaders of the Blind and if the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch Matth. 15. 8 9 14. Ninthly And why is not the Worship of God performed among those that profess themselves to be Christians and Gospel Ministers in the Unity of the Spirit since the Apostle saith When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come into the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto the perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4. 13. And why is there such Difference in Religion and Opinions as there hath been between Papists and Protestants and many others even to the Killing and Slaying one of another since that all profess themselves to be Christians and the Spirit of Christ is but one and the Apostle exhorts them here To endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace And if they have received those Gifts from on High which are for the Work of the Ministry then why are there such Differences among them Tenthly Why is there not that Liberty and Order in their Meetings and Assemblies who profess themselves to be Christians as was in and among the Apostles and their Churches For the Apostle saith If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace for ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted And the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets for God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14. So if this was the Order of the Churches of the Saints how is it that always one man is set up to Speak to all the rest of the People it may be for many years together since that the Apostle saith That there is diversity of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are differences of Administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of Operations but the same God which worketh all in all but the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 12. 4. Since that the Spirit is given to every man how is it that poor people have had one man set up to teach them it may be thirty or forty years together and whatsoever was revealed to him that sat by they were not permitted to speak but they might be haled before Magistrates and it may be stockt or whipt for doing that which the Scripture alloweth of and here are Christ words fulfilled where he saith Ye shall be haled before Magistrates and persecuted for my Name sake for a testimony against them and they that kill you think they do God good service John 16. 2. And these few Queries are for all the Clergy in the Christian World to answer whether they be Papists or Protestants Lancaster Castle the 7th moneth 1666. M. F. Post-script IT hath been an Old Proverb and Maxime among men No Bishop no King this is but a supposition that is got into the minds of people in these late times which hath proceeded and risen from among those of that Function and their Adherents being that their power standeth onely by the Kingly Power for it might rather be said No King no Bishop But to add to their Strength and Assistance they have added this and have got it into the minds of people that if there be No Bishop no King but it is otherwise for it is by experience known and that by Scripture Example For in the Reigns of all the Kings of Israel we do not read that there was a Bishops Power nor Ecclesiastical nor Spiritual Courts neither Nebuchadnezzar the great neither Cyrus unto whom the Lord said Thou art mine Anointed whose right hand I have upholden to subdue Nations I will loose the Loyns of Kings to open before thee the Leaved Gates I will give thee the Treasures of darkness and the hidden Riches of secret places that thou mayest know that I the Lord which calleth thee by thy name am the God of Israel Isa 45. Neither Darius who set over his Kingdom one hundred and thirty Princes and over these were three Presidents of whom Daniel was the first and by the voice and word of Daniel the man of God who was greatly beloved of God these Kingdoms of the Medes and Persians were swayed and governed by the Word of the Lord through Daniel as may be read in the Book of Daniel but we never heard of Bishops or Spiritual Courts among them It is true we read that among the Jews there was High-Priests and Chief-Priests that ruled and governed amongst them when their Kings were Heathens as Herod and Tiberius Cesar In the dayes of Herod Christ was born who sent his wise men to seek for the Child and made all the young Children be killed from two years old and under and the Angel made Jesus be carried into Egypt till Herod was dead Then there was Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee which beheaded John Baptist this Herod and Pilate were made Friends the same day that Christ was under Examination for before they had been at enmity And Ananias and Caiaphas being high Priests they sought how they might kill Jesus And the Band of Souldiers led Jesus away to Annas first for he was Father-in-law to Caiaphas which was the high Priest the same year Now Caiaphas was he which gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people John 18. 13 14. And when Pilate had called together the chief Priests and the Rulers and said unto them Ye brought this man unto me as one that perverted the people and I have examined him before you and have found no fault in him
Jesus that is within them which preacheth in a Mystery and preacheth righteousness very nigh in their hearts and will cleanse their inward parts and make their hearts clean from that mystery of Iniquity that hath been long lodged in them and held them Captive and led them into sin and transgression and wickedness Oh that all hearts and secret parts might be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and that every one would walk in the Light abide in the Light as he is in the Light and here is the fellowship and unity of the Saints in Light Jesus Christ the Righteous ruling in their hearts and who lives in the Vnity and Spirit of the Lord Jesus they come to have fellowship with the Father and the Son as John had and these things he wrote unto them that their joy might be full and that they might partake of the same Light Life and Spirit and have Unity with him whose message is That God is Light and in him is no darkness at all And whosoever saith he knows God and abides in darkness is a lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 John 1. And this hath been the Condition and Doctrine that hath been holden forth for many hundred years they have walked in darkness and shewed as if they had fellowship with God and they have loved the world and the things of the world which the Apostle saith is not of the Father And if any love the World the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2. And now Reader do but consider how these Teachers of the world live and after what manner and how they do oppress people for their maintenance and whether there is any sort of people more covetous of the world than they are and how they draw people from the Unction of the holy One that the Apostle here turned people to and desired them to take heed unto and to continue and abide in that which they had heard from the beginning and not to turn to those Antichrists that were then entering into the world but they were to abide in the Anointing which thy had received and it would teach them all things and it was truth and was no lie 1 John 2. But these Ministers of darkness that have been in this night of Apostacy all their indeavours have been to draw people from the Light and from the Vnction of the Holy One after them and after their Imaginations dark Studies and brain Divination and so have deceived poor people and have led them captive at their wills and as the Prophet said Have born rule by their means and the people have been so blind that they love to have it so And thus the Scriptures have been fulfilled and there hath been power given to the Beast and people generally have said in their hearts Who is able to make war with the Beast But glory to the highest Lord his time is over and the year of our Redeemer is come and the Spirit of the Lord is upon him and the Lord hath anointed him to preach good tydings to the meek liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison doors to them that are bound and to proclaime the acceptable Year of the Lord and the day of Vengeance of our God Isa 61. 1 2. Oh Reader The time is short the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night and all this long-suffering of the Lord that hath been past is because he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance And seeing that all these things shall be dissolved oh what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for that blessed hope and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that all may be found with him in peace without spot or blemish which is my desire And so read over this following Treatise and weigh in the seriousness of thy heart and consider the Scriptures of Truth by which thou mayest judge by the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ in thee how all the world have been befooled and blinded and led captive even at Satans will and how this Antichrist hath ruled in the hearts of People and sate in the Temple of God and hath been decked and covered over with the Scriptures and Saints words speaking them forth with unclean lips and from unclean hearts and so have deceived the hearts of the simple but this fine linnen and purple and scarlet that Babylon hath been decked with in one day shall be taken from her Amen even so Lord Jesus come quickly M. F. A Touch-Stone OR A Perfect Tryal by the Scriptures of all the Priests Bishops and Ministers c. ME thinks I hear the Bishops mutter murmur and contemn that I should publish it out to the world how I desired the King to beware of their Counsels therefore I do hereby give them my Reasons of the Cause why I did so which Reasons may satisfie them and the whole world except they can by as good or better overturn them In the first place I desired since it pleased the Lord to bring the King to his outward Right and Propriety of the Crown of his Ancestors that he might have done that whereby he might Prosper according to the words of the wise King Solomon who said It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honour of a King to search out a matter Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established Prov. 25. And again he saith The thoughts of the Righteous are right but the counsel of the wicked is deceit the words of the wicked are to lye in wait for blood but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them the wicked are overthrown and are not but the house the righteous shall stand Prov. 12. Also it was my desire that he should follow the example of the good Kings of Israel whose way it was to ask counsel of the Lord or of his Prophets as King David enquired of the Lord whether he should go up against the Philistims and the Lord said Go up 2 Sam. 5. and again King David called Nathan the Prophet and told him that he would build a House for the Ark of God and the Lord sent word again to David by Nathan the Prophet 2 Sam. 7. And when there was three years of famine in the Land David enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him it was for Saul and his bloody house 2 Sam. 21. Also King Solomon the Lord appeared unto him and bid him ask what he would have and Solomon asked of the Lord an understanding heart to judge his People that he might discern between good and bad for saith he Who is able to judge this thy so great a People And this speech pleased the Lord that Solomon asked such a thing 1 Kings 3. And again the Lord spake unto Solomon the second time concerning the House which he was building
where it was written in Isaiah 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind and set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and he closed the Book and gave it again to the Minister and sate down and he began to say unto them This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And all bear him witness and wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth And they said Is not this Josephs Son Luke 4. Now this was he that the Prophet Isaiah prophesied of and therefore when he began to preach he turned to this Scripture to let them see that this Prophesie was fulfilled and so closed the Book But when he preached among them and taught as ye may read through all the Evangelists as first in Mat. 5. and in Luke 6. He opened unto them the Law and also told them That whosoever did break one of the least Commandments should be called least in the Kingdom And taught the Disciples saying Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Think not that I come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled For I say unto you except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of God This was the manner of his preaching and teaching And so he goes on and opens unto them the Law and tells them it had been said so in the old time Ye have heard it hath been said in the old time thou shalt not forswear thy self But I say unto you swear not at all And it hath been said unto you in the old time An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say unto you resist not evil He that smites thee on the one cheek turn the other And thus he goes on in opening of the Law of which he was to fulfill every jot and tittle and also opening unto them the Mysteries of the Gospel which is Love even to Enemies and which the Apostle saith is the fulfilling of the whole Law And he told them that so they might be the Children of their Father which is in heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends Rain on the just and on the unjust Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Here is the perfect Ministry indeed of the true Circumcision which makes the true Jew indeed inward which circumciseth the heart with his holy Spirit The Apostle saith Now I say unto you that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the Promises unto Abraham and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy and so the blessing of Abraham may be upon all Jews and Gentiles All that are in the Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham And this is he of whom the Apostle to the Hebrews saith We have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched and not man Heb. 8. And as he was a Minister of the same Sanctuary which God hath pitched so also were his Apostles they preached by his holy Spirit For as God is true saith Paul the Apostle so our word to you-wards was not yea and nay for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Sylvanus and Timotheus was not yea and nay but in him was yea for all the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. And by this Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus did Steven who was full of Faith and Power do great wonders and miracles among the People and when the false witnesses came to accuse him before the high Priest and those that sate in Council looking stedfastly on him saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel Then said the high Priest Are these things so And he said Men Brethren and Fathers hearken And he began at Abraham and he opened unto them the Royal and Holy Seed throughout the Scriptures until he came to Christ Jesus whom he said they had crucified and slain And he said Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers Persecuted and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers When they heard these things they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth but he being full of the holy Ghost looked stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and he said Behold I see heaven open and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God And they cryed with a loud voice and stopt their ears and ran upon him and cast him out of the City and stoned him and they stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7. Also Paul when he came to Antioch and went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent to him and his company and said Men and Brethren if ye have any exhortation to the People say on Then Paul stood up and beckoned with his hand and said Men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience And he began to declare how God brought their Fathers out of Egypt with a high hand and how they were in the Wilderness and how he destroyed the Nations of the Land of Canaan and how they were governed from that time unto Christ and how that Christ care of the Seed of David and likewise how the Rulers of Jerusalem dealt with Christ and though they found no cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him they took him down from the Tree and laid him in a Sepulchre but God raised him from the dead and afterwards he preached unto them his Resurrection as may be read at large throughout Acts 13. and how the Gentiles also should partake of his-Resurrection but the Jews contradicted and blasphemed against their Doctrine Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said It was necessary that the word of God should first have been preached to you Jews but seeing ye put
it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn unto the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad Acts 13. Thus ye see how the Apostles opened unto them the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ as also Christ himself when he met with the Disciples after his Resurrection and they not knowing him told him what things had happened concerning Christ He said unto them O fools and slow of heart ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24. And this is the matter and manner and method of all Christ's Ministers to preach the Resurrection of Christ Jesus in his Light and Spirit which is a mystery to all carnal men and carnal minds and this is not a deal of Imaginations and divinations of the brain and studyings of men who take one Verse of Scripture and add unto it what they please out of other old Authors Writings Heathen Philosophers or any thing that will make up an hours talk till their Glass be run which is quite contrary to the Apostles practice and that which they witnessed and exhorted against For he saith unto the Colossians As ye have received Christ Jesus so walk ye in him rooted and built in him established in the Faith as ye have been taught Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2. Here is an express command laid upon them that they should not be deceived by the teachings of men who taught not after Christ And the Apostle saith also that Christ sent him not to preach the Gospel with wisdom of words For saith he It is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe For the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God Because the foolishness of God is wiser then men and the weakness of God stronger then men For ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base-things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things which are that no flesh should glory in his presence but those that glory should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. And the Apostle saith further And my speech and preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that your Faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world For we have not received the Spirit of the world but that Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God which things we speak not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual Here the Apostle testifies clearly against the wisdom of mens teaching which is a clear testimony against the teachings that have been in these last Ages for that is all that hath been taught for many generations of Teachers since the Apostles dayes the wisdom of men and traditions of men and inventions and imaginations of men one quoting and rehearsing what another saith quite contrary to the Apostles practice We do not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves and measuring themselves by themselves are not wise But we will not boast our selves above our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us for we come as far as you also in preaching the Gospel of Christ not boasting of things without our measure of other mens labours nor to boast of another mans line made ready to our hands 2 Cor. 10. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who hath also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life 2 Cor. 3. 6. In this Chapter the Apostle gives his Testimony that the Life of the Ministry is in the ministration of the Spirit As also in Rom. 7. But now we are delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in the oldness of the Leter which he calls the Ministration of Death in the afore-mentioned Chapter And when he writes to his Son Timothy who was a Bishop he saith thus I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the Word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own hearts lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the Truth and shall be turned unto Fables 2 Tim. 4. Here the Apostle was a true Prophet and saw the Apostacy coming on and therefore he laid a hard charge upon Timothy For saith he watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry for I am ready to be offered and the time of my departure draweth nigh 2 Tim. 4. As also when he writes to the Thessalonians of the Day of the Lord and of the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition and thanks God for them who had chosen them to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto he called you saith he by our Gospel to the
hand upon him saying Fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the keyes of hell and death Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter And this Revelation which John saw of Jesus Christ will as surely be fulfilled as all the other Scriptures that prophesied formerly of his coming in the flesh who in the fulness of time came and fulfilled all that was written of him so certainly will he come and fulfil the Revelations that have been of him And of his power and great glory and of his coming in his Spirit and in his Revelation by which he reveals the Father as he said himself in the days of his flesh Hereafter I will not speak unto you in Proverbs but I will shew plainly of the Father John 17. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth And this hath the Lord fulfilled and will fulfill in his day and time appointed For the times and seasons are in the Fathers hand although the night-owls who have been in the darkness have striven always to put this Light out when it would have shined in their time which was dark And therefore have they striven together and combined together to make their Mountain strong and set up Schooles of Learning as they call them and educated youth up in that darkness and kept them studying and divining in their braine till many have studied themselves out of their wits and so they might follow their Orders and Ordinations and Degrees one above another and one below another with such a rabble as is not worth mentioning and none might speak nor preach nor read no nor teach School but such as take Orders or Degrees or Licences from them and all this rabble is quite contrary to Scripture-Rule and Example It is true the Apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to study to be quiet and to do their own business and to work with their own hands 1 Thess 4. 11. And wrote to Timothy to study to be approved to God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth This was not studying in the power of darkness to be approved of men to study all their dayes to invent an hours talk to please men and so they take the Scriptures and garnish and adorn and flourish this dark muddy stuffe with it and when they have done sell it for money and so bear rule by the poor peoples means and the poor people are kept so in darkness and ignorance by them that the people love to have it so But as the Prophet Isaiah saith What will they do in the end thereof But surely the Lord is coming to gather his flock according as he spake by his Prophet Ezekiel which Prophesie is not yet fulfilled for it was to the Jewes As I live saith the Lord God because my flock is become a prey and because there is no Shepherd neither did the Shepherds search for my Flock but they fed themselves and not my Flock Behold I am against the Shepherds I will require my Flock at their hands neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more I will deliver my Flock from their mouthes As a Shepherd seeketh out his Flock in the day that he is among his Sheep so will I seek out my Sheep and will deliver them Ezek. 34. So the Lord will fulfill his faithful Word which changeth not however they promise themselves peace till sudden destruction come upon them For so Christ said when he was in his flesh when he spake of the coming of the Son of Man in his power and great glory be bad them watch and told them that the Son of Man would come as a thief in the night and he told them if the good man of the house knew at what hour the thief would come he would not have suffered his house to be robbed and he said Blessed is that servant that when his Lord cometh is found watching Thus you see that the Scriptures are utterly against the practises of those that have been in the Ministry and Teachers of People since the Apostles dayes in the Apostacy for they have neither President nor Example from the Ministers of the Lord neither under the Law nor under the Gospel as we shall prove more fully hereafter For when the Lord reproves Edom and Esau and their Priests and told them they had offered polluted bread upon his Altar and they had offered the blind for sacrifice and lame and sick and that from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same his name was polluted as ye may read at large in Mal. 1 2. chap. He told them that he would corrupt their seed and spread dung upon their faces even the dung of their solemn feasts yet he told them That his Covenant was with Levi even of life and peace and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me the Law of truth was in his mouth and Iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn away many from iniquity for the Preists lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts but ye are turned away c. So these are none of the Priests of our dayes that come from the Universities and have their Orders and Degrees from thence for they confess themselves to be all polluted and filthy from the Crown of the Head to the Soal of the foot and they tell people they must never be free from sin and iniquity nor they must never look for Revelations So these are none of Levie's Tribe for he turned many from iniquity and the People were to seek the Law at his mouth because the Law of Truth was in his mouth And so by what hath been spoken before concerning their attaining to the Ministry as also their Principles what they hold you see that they are none of Gods Ministers under the Law neither did any that were ordained of God to be Ministers under the Law attain to it by such means or in such a manner as they have done to theirs viz. by School-learning Neither are they God's Ministers under the Gospel so that they are neither Gods Ministers under the Law nor Gospel As also Christ those that he chose to be Ministers you may read what sort of men they were When he was on the Coast of Zebulon and Naphthali he preached unto them Repentance And as Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee he saw two brethren Peter and Andrew and he called them They were casting their nets into the sea for they were fishers and he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men And straightway they followed him Matth. 4. Mark 1. And when he had gone a
without dissimulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good And thus the Apostle goeth on with gracious Exhortations Rom. 12. to the end of the Chapter not preferring one before another but every one to abide and wait in their Gifts Also when he writeth unto the Ephesians he writeth thus I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in Love endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and one Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4. And in this Chapter he also goes on in opening of the manifestation of the Gift of the Spirit of God and in holy Admonitions even to the end of the Chapter Which Gift he saith is given for the Work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the Body of Christ And this Doctrine and Ministry is contrary to those Ministers which have been of late that limit and bind under their Power which Power is contrary to the Power of God and his Spirit as they themselves will confess for they cannot say they have the same Power and Spirit that the Apostles had and yet they inflict Punishments and lay Oppressions and Burthens and Bondages by their Laws upon those that do not follow and obey their Doctrine and Practices which is quite contrary to Christ and his Apostles For there is but two Wayes Truth and Error Light and Darkness So let the wise and honest in heart judge what a condition the Saints of God are in while this Power of Darkness Ruleth And thus much for the Second Particular of their Practice which is Binding and Limiting and keeping in Bondage those that are under their Power The Third Particular of their Practice is That they upbold and carry on many of these Practices before-mentioned by causing People to Swear in their Courts or upon any other occasion what they like and preach up Swearing and allow of it and hold it up in all occasions whatsoever And in this they are absolute Breakers of the special Command of Jesus Christ and also out of the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles and contrary to their Testimony For Christ Jesus when he was in his Sermon on the Mount and was rehearsing the Heads of the Law as we said before he mentioned this also again Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time Thou shalt not Forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oathes but I say unto you Swear not at all Matth. 5. Now Christ being the fulfilling of the Law and the end of the Law as the Apostle saith for Righteousness and being that one Offering that hath been offered up once for all in which he said Lo I come to do thy will O God he hath taken away the First that he might establish the Second and when he had offered one Sacrifice for Sin for ever he sat down at the right hand of God expecting his Enemies to become his Foot-stool And the same Apostle saith when he is speaking of his Priesthood And in as much as not without an Oath he was made a Priest For saith he those Priests to wit those that were under the Law were made without an Oath but this with an Oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec c. Hebr. 7. So this is he that is the Oath of God and the Promise of God the Substance and Performance of all that God swore and promised unto Abraham and unto his Seed for ever this the Apostle makes very clear in the foregoing Chapter where he saith When God made a Promise to Abraham because he could Sware by no greater he Swore by Himself saying Surely in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee And so after he had patiently endured be obtained the Promise Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to Lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the Hope set before us which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast which entereth into that within the Vail whither the Fore-runner is for us entered even Jesus made an High-Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Hebr. 6. Surely all will confess that this is he whom God the Father promised unto Abraham by an Oath as also of whom David said The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec These are the two Immutable things which the Apostle saith here in which God shews the immutability of his Counsel which both here meet in Christ Jesus the Sum and Substance of all For surely he is the Seed which God promised to Abraham if we will believe the Apostle Gal. 3. 16. Also he is that Priest that is for ever that ever liveth to make intercession for us and this is he that the Apostle saith At his Name every Knee shall bow and every Tongue confess Then I say let all Mouthes be stopt in speaking against him and opposing of him who hath said But I say unto you Swear not at all he that is the Sum and the Substance and the Performance of all that God hath Sworn and hath put an end to the Law under which Oathes and Swearing was allowed he had full Power as well to put an end to Oaths as he had to put an end to the Sabbath For he said the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath which was one of the Ten Words and Swearing was none of them And surely those that disobey Christ Jesus his Commands who is the Sum and Substance of Gods Oaths and the fulfilling and end of the whole Law surely they blaspheme against that Holy One. For the Apostle said He that despise Moses Law died without Mercy under two ar three Witnesses how much more sorer punishment suppose ye shall be thought worthy for them who have trodden under foot the Son of God c. Hebr. 10. All those that are Fighters against God and Holders up of Swearing against Christs Command they will find It a fearfull thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God But they have three Objections First That God Swore Secondly That the Angel Swore Thirdly That the Apostle saith Men verily Swear by the Greater and an Oath for Confirmation is to them an end of all Strife In answer to these three First For what the Lord