Truth and turned from it and were unfaithfull to the Lord. FOrasmuch as in these our dayes the God of Truth hath made manifest his Name and Truth in the hearts of his people and hath gathered the minds of thousands into it to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth in which he is accepted and of this Truth which is but one and there is not another are we made Witnesses and Ministers of and hath the Testimony in our selves that we are of God and are a good savour unto him in them that believe and in them that perish and we have the Testimony that he that is of God heareth us and we know the whole World lies in wickedness and who are in the Truth in the Light and in the Life have followship one with another in Holiness and Righteousness in that which comprehends the World and condemns all the works thereof which are evil and this Truth and Worship and Fellowship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam whose Kingdom and Rule is not of this World but from Heaven who according to his Promise in his Counsel hath made known his Power to the raising up a righteous Branch a royal Priesthood a peculiar People zealous of his Name to shew forth his Praise and Glory in Justness and Righteousness in Love Mercy and Peace and works of Purity having our Conversation in Heaven and since that Day of the Manifestation of this Truth of the Gospel of Peace and Salvation which is the same now as was in the beginning which is in Christ Jesus the Light of the World who is the same to day yesterday and forever and changeth not I say since that very day hath the Lord prospered his Truth to the renewing of many into his Image and Likeness and to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satans power to God by the Mouthes of his Ministers and through great Sufferings and Tribulations and Afflictions and Labours hath the Lord honoured his Name and his Truth in Nations and given it a praise among all that fear him and hath honoured it and exalted it in the sight of the Heathen to the confounding of the Wise and Mighty and to the bringing out of the Captivity of Darkness Sin and Death wherein in times past all have walked while Strangers from the Life of God so that thousands who have received the Truth are established in it and cannot be moved nor shaken but are built upon the sure Foundation their Faith standing in the Power of God with whom the Arm and Presence of the Lord God is defending and preserving continually and unto such the Truth is precious and the Way of the Lord and his Name and Honour is dear yea more then life or liberty or any other thing which passeth away who for the Truth 's sake as is it in Christ Jesus do daily give up themselves to suffering and to reproach for well-doing and not for evil and loves not life unto death that the Lord God and his Name and Truth may be honoured so that in the Truth which is received and learned of the Father daily do we walk in all Purity and Holiness of Life answering the Mercy and Love of the Lord in the exercise of a good Conscience both towards God and man in Patience and Long suffering and Wisdom towards all to the putting to silence of Gainsayers rendring love and mercy toward our Persecutors and are set in our hearts to fulfil the will of God in all things And now whereas that the Scriptures may be fulfilled some may and have denied the Truth which once was received and loved to the making shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience abusing the Mercy and Grace of God which to them appeared and follow the counsel of their own hearts and not the Lord having lost the feeling of the Spirit of the Father and are and may be separated from us in the self-separation through an evil heart of unbelief that it may be made manifest they are not of us though they arise from among us and may by disorderly walking contrary to the Truth cause the Truth to be evil spoken of giving occasion thereby to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his Name and Truth in the Earth and may be a stumbling to the weak and an offence to the Way of the Lord before the Simple through their Disorders and Confusions raising the rage of the wicked against the Lambs of Christ being not led in the Wisdom of God but in the Confusions taking liberty to their own hearts desire ful filling the will thereof without the Fear of God above the Cross of Christ in the nature uncrucified and speaking high Words in the presumption and not in the Light and Power of God and acting in the vanity of the Mind in the pretence of Truth and moving of the Spirit such things as Truth and the Children of it who are guided with the Spirit cannot justifie but is judged and denied and cast out from among the Children of Light who walk in the Truth and do try the Spirits whether they be of God Therefore in the Fear of the Lord God this is written to go abroad among Friends and others to inform and shew unto all that the Truth and we that are in it and Ministers of it do stand clear from all such who act and speak out of the Truth and contrary to it in the Disorder and Confusion and not in the Fear and Counsel of God and with the Truth such are judged and denied and fellowship with them we have not nor of their works do approve though such once owned us and were convinced of the Truth and received the Seed of the Kingdom into the unprofitable Ground yet being separated from us and gone out from the Truth and are not subject to it and its Government but are unruly and disorderly we and the Truth do such deny and the spirit that rules them being not the Spirit of Christ Jesus and such have done evil against their own Souls and against God and are Troublers of the Righteous Seed and have and do dishonour the Lord and his Truth in the sight of the Heathen causing the right way to be reviled and reproached and evil spoken of through the offence by them to the making sad the hearts of some whom God hath not made sad and even more especially in that they pretend to the Truth in their words but in works deny it and profess to be in it yet secretly condemning and openly reviling the Ministers of Righteousness which God hath blessed and doth daily bless with his eternal Power to the turning many unto God and to the strengthning of the weak and feeble which we with many others do witness to be the Ministers of Life and Reconciliation and there is no other and are established in it and cannot be moved by the temptations of the Devil though the wicked one may revile for a moment to
appears in the World then he transforms into the Likeness and formal appearance of the Way of the Lord and his Truth and when the Devil cannot kill Christ so but that Christ will rise again appear and live for ever contrary to all the malice and enmity of the Devil then rather then he will submit to be no more he will transform himself and take upon him the Name of Christ of his Honour and Glory and profess him in words and seem a Friend to Christ and his Kingdom And this he doth that he may live still in the World and by deceiveableness beguile the sons of men into perpetual destruction 9. And the very work of Antichrist this day in the World is to deceive beguile seduce and betray the World and all mankind 't is his only work and calling as I may say to deceive 't is his nature and property to work deceitfully and thus it ever was with him it hath been his Property and his Work in all Ages and in every Age since the beginning of the World to deceive and beguile to lead men from God and to lead them into Perdition this I say hath ever been his work in the World and by the means aforesaid to wit by transforming and changing himself into the likeness of Righteousness and Verity and putting the pretence of Goodness Vertue and Holiness upon his Actions and Doings though never so evil and unrighteous he hath always I say by this means and in this way deceived the World by appearing as a Saint as a Well-doer as an Angel of Light pretending Wisdom Righteousness and Vertue and colouring his Deeds thereby as is proved in the Case of the first deceiving of Eve What said Satan to the Woman Not that I am such a one and do intend to deceive thee with Falsity but Thou shalt be as God Thou shalt be wise of thy self and know and be and do as God Here was a fair pretence by which he deceived the Woman And the false Prophets and false Apostles in the dayes of old did not deceive the World into an absolute denial of God and Christ and Truth but did deceive them into the false Profession of the same holding out the Form of Godliness without the Power and by feigned words and good Speeches did deceive the hearts of the Simple and by false Doctrine and Ordinances and Form of Religion did the Antichrist deceive the World in dayes past as he doth at this day For if he did appear to be as he is in his own nature and property a Devil Deceiver and wicked one a Leader to Perdition and Destruction and should vindicate himself as such and entice and tempt People as such then none would believe him nor follow his Wayes for none would willingly be destroyed But he appears not as such in the World but alwayes transforms himself into the Likeness of God and Goodness still pretending the same And by this means is he more capable to deceive mankind for he cannot so readily deceive and lead men to Perdition in his own proper Nature if he appear as he is such but therefore he appears contrary to what his own nature is and transforms himself And thus doth Antichrist deceive the Christian World so called at this day even by his false Wayes of Religion false Worship false Doctrine false Humility false Faith and false Church pretending Zeal and Sanctity and such like Herein and hereby generally doth Antichrist that Man of Sin deceive and beguile the World unto Perdition and Destruction Oh! how many thousands of Peoples of Nations and Countries are at this day deceived on this wise thinking they are in the Truth and true Way of Religion Faith and Worship professing and performing these things with much Zeal as if they were indeed the wayes and Ordinances of Christ when as they are but false feigned formal and of Antichrist and deceivable to the souls of men even Shews without Substance Forms without Life and Power of Antichrist and not of the true Christ. And thus and after this manner with the very likeness of Righteousness and appearance of Godliness and profession of Faith and duty to God hath Antichrist deceived the World and doth at this day delude Nations to the perdition of thousands And Antichrist doth not generally deceive men in his works and appearance as he is in his own Proper Nature but in his appearance and works transformed and changed into another likeness even into the likeness of Truth and Righteousness By this means and way Satan Antichrist and that Man of Sin doth delude and deceive the Nations of the World 10. What the Works of Antichrist are by what is said doth partly appear His Works are all deceivableness to deceive and delude the World to lead mankind captive in the wayes of sin and death unto the destruction of their souls and to be cruel and hard-hearted envious malicious and perverse a hater and persecutor of goodness and good men and to murder and work wickedness to do all evil and to oppose gain-say and deny all good This in general is the work of Antichrist though as to particulars I now intend not to mention saving as I have before shewed to impose upon Conscience in Religious matters by outward force and violence is a main principle work of Antichrist and to kill and destroy Persons on the account of Heresie and Error and to use violence and cruel impositions in Spiritual Cases contrary to the Spirit of Christ Jesus These are works and wayes of Antichrist which he brings forth in the World as also the promoting of all the false and Idolatrous Worships and false Church-Governments in the World and in short every evil work and word brought forth amongst the sons of men are the Works of the Devil and Antichrist which he seduceth the World into the working and doing of and to consider the state of the World as it is at this day and how it is deceived in many grievous and abominable wayes of Error Superstitions Idolatries and Wickedness it makes the hearts of the Righteous sad and mournful because of the deceivableness of the working of the Mystery of Iniquity of Antichrist that Man of Sin in the World who deceiveth Mankind with the appearance and shew of godliness and leads the Children of Men in the wayes of Ignorance Death Blindness and Error yet holds them under a false pwerswasion of safety and security as if they were in the right way and walked in the pathes of Happiness when indeed and in Truth they are beguiled and deceived and nigh unto the pathes of perdition Oh! how hath Antichrist prevailed in these latter Dayes since the dayes of the Apostles and deceived the World with the very Formal Profession and practice of such Doctrines and Things as the Apostles held and Practised in the Power of God in their dayes But now Antichrist he holds the Form in his False Spirit and hath the appearance and likeness of
Religion nor in the truth but is found to be in the Error and out of the Truth let such deny their Worship and Church and renounce all their Religion and confess to all the World under their hands that they are and have been deceived and for ever hereafter stop their Mouthes and never profess nor practice any more what they have done in such Religion And freely upon these Issues and Conditions we will joyn trial with them let them appoint time place and profer terms at their own pleasure and then to all the World it shall be manifest and to all people discovered whether we have not good ground and sufficient reason to war against these Priests and it may perfectly appear that what we have said and written against them these divers years have been upon a good foundation and we have had sufficient cause to speak and write against them as we have done and none thenceforth shall have cause to say or doubt that what we have spoken and written against them hath been out of malice or envy and without cause and good reason but on the contrary all shall know the Ground of Quarrel is sufficient and full of equity on our part And upon these or any equal tearms and conditions would we and are we willing to engage with these Priests and all or any one of these Sects in a lawful Tryal in Disputes or Writings for the Tryal and searching out of the Truth and the true Religion And were it not equal and reasonable that we had the same liberty among all these Priests and in their Church and Assemblies freely to declare our minds and to let forth our selves in what we hold and profess without being violently haled and beat and whipped and sent to Prison as we have been this many years which liberty we do freely grant and allow among us to all to query or declare what is upon them without such violent dealing or whipping or sending them to Prisons and Houses of Correction and the same and no other do we desire of others in this particular of freedom to declare the Truth and what we hold then what we do and would allow to others and that no Weapon be used by them against us nor dealing towards us but the Weapons of the Spirit the best they have or can bring forth against us and let them let Creatures alone and not hurt nor do violence to them and no other Weapons shall we use against them nor deal with them by any other thing but the Weapons of the Spirit of God which are powerful will bring down strong Holds and as for Creatures we shall not hurt nor do violence nor imprison them and whose Weapons are the strongest let such overcome And such as are overcome is not the true Church for the true Church of Christ which is builded upon the Rock the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against and who do overcome with such let it be manifest that God of a truth is with them and let them all cease to defend their Church and Ministry and Religion with Prisons and Whips and Houses of Correction for by such things was never the true Church Ministry and Religion defended but only the Power and Authority of God preserved them and resisted all their Enemies and so it is at this day and let all cease to cry Deceivers and being afraid to be deceived for if they be the true Church all or any of these Sects and Professions of Religions then if we be Deceivers and come among them they cannot be deceived if they be in the Election for no Deceivers nor the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the true Church of Christ nor against them that are elect which the Devil hath nothing in And if we be the true Church of Christ in the Election then if all the Deceivers upon Earth come among us they cannot prevail against us nor deceive us for the Elect cannot be deceived and upon these terms we may engage with any people and Sect upon Earth Therefore come to this and joyn with us take you the Liberty to declare in soberness what you own and prosess you shall not be persecuted nor your Bodies nor Persons harmed by violence and let us have that liberty to declare in Meekness and Soberness and in Gods Authority amongst you what we hold and profess and let us not be persecuted and dealt violently withal and then let it appear whether we or our Enemies have a greater Testimony and more powerfull in the hearts of people And were not this a way full of equity for the trial of all things but doing contrary as you have done these many years against us by Violence and Whipping and Persecuting it shews you have not the spiritual Weapons nor the Authority of God with you nor among you and that is the cause of running to Magistrates and putting in Goals and Whippings and all Violence because the Authority of God's Spirit is wanting amongst you which all the false Sects and false Churches since the days of the Apostles have wanted to defend themselves and resist their Enemies and so all Sects have been fighting one with another and killing Persons and Creatures and desending themselves by Prisons and Inquisitions and destroying of lives and all this hath been out of the Power of God and not in it but by the power of the Dragon and of the Beast who hath caused all to worship and them that would not he hath power to kill and hath killed them by Fires and Tortures and cruel Deaths and all these have lost the spiritual Weapons and been without the Power and Spirit of God And what a Church is this of yours which hath been to be defended by Goals and Prisons and Whips and Stocks and violent Dealing this Church is not the Church of Christ for the Power and Spirit of God defends her always and not Inquisitions and Prisons and Whips these are Cains Weapons and not the Weapons of the Spirit of God whereby his true Church was ever defended for because Cains sacrifice was not accepted therefore he slew his Brother and persecuted him and thus you that are of Cains seed do the same upon the same Ground because your works are rejected and theirs accepted with whom you deal thus in this violent way of persecution and wickedness And this is the Protestant Church so called and her Ministers with whom I am now Dealing which seems to be the true Church and more then the Church of Rome for you Protestant Ministers do deny and cry against the Church of Rome as a false Church and her Ministers to be Deceivers which in it selfe is very true But yet your hypocrisie in this doth appear and your double-mindedness for let me tell you while you cry against the Church of Rome as a false Idolater and a Persecutor of the true Church and against her Ministers to be Deceivers and contrary to the Apostles are not your
his being removed was in Judgment from the Lord against his Persecutors who desired and sought his Destruction and what they have done against him hath greatly added to the fulfilling of their Iniquities That the Blood of the Righteous which cries for Vengeance may be avenged to the utmost upon them who would not suffer the Righteous to have a Beeing amongst men nor lay to heart their being taken away from the Evil to come And they who in a byast or prejudiced spirit of Enmity are listed up because of his Decease they were not worthy of him nor of his Testimony and they have cause to Mourn and Lament amongst those that have pierced the Just and slighted and despised the Messengers of Truth and Righteousneds whom God hath therein Honoured and God will debase such and their vainglory unto the Dust and exalt the Testimony and Life of his faithful Witnesses over all their Heads But we who have been well acquainted with the deep suffering of the Righteous Seed and with the worth of true Unity in the weighty Body and Spirit of Christ and therein do behold the Glory and Compleatness of the City of our God which is at Peace within it self cannot but prize the Ministers of Righteousness and every Member of the same Body and oh how blessed and precious is the Memorial of the Righteous in our eyes and how deeply is my Soul affected with that comfortable Communion and those many and living Refreshments that we have enjoyed one with another even with him and others who have finished their Course Well however in this I am satisfied That though we be left in Travel and our Dayes have been Dayes of Affliction and Suffering for Christ and the Gospel's sake as in the World yet in him whom the Prince of this World hath nothing in we have Peace being come into Communion with the Spirits of Just Men who are the Family of God written in Heaven and called by one Name both in Heaven and Earth and the God of Life is their Portion and his Glory is the Rereward of his Called and Chosen and Faithful Ones who have dealt their Bread to the Hungry and brought the Poor to their House even to the Habitation of the Righteous where the Living Bread is received and the Heavenly Mansions lived in and enjoyed by all who abide in the Truth and retain their first Love and Habitation therein in which True Fellowship is enjoyed and the Prosperity of the Elect Seed known Blessed be the Name of our God forever and ever London the 12th day of the 1st Moneth 1663. George Whitehead JOSIAH COALE HIS TESTIMONY Concerning The Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ Edward Burroughs FRiends a necessity is upon me and I am even constrained and pressed in my spirit to bring in and give my Testimony concerning my beloved Brother before mentioned that it may remain and stand upon record for Ages and Generations to come And this first I say and declare unto all people unto whom this shall come That he was a man endued with the Almighty Power of God which lived and reigned in him and the Treasury of pure divine heavenly Wisdom was opened in him c. and understanding in the things that relate unto God's Kingdom of Peace and Righteousness and in the things that concern the Everlasting peace and well-being of all mankind was plentifully manifested unto him by the good Spirit of God which I may say he had received in a plentifull Measure And this many can testifie unto and his own Writings which remain upon record will in a large Measure manifest the truth thereof And this Spirit dwelt plentifully in him so that thereby he was able to instruct many in the Way of Life Peace and true Holiness and if any were afflicted in spirit or mind by reason of the Wiles of the Enemy of their Souls or if they met with any difficulty in their journey as they passed from Death to Life he was a man able through the large experience that he had of the dealings of the Lord and also of the Wiles of Satan having followed the Lamb in the Regeneration to administer a word in season to their refreshment and comfort and for their establishment in the most precious holy Faith and this I know the Witness of God in thousands must and shall testifie unto who are the Seal of his Ministry And moreover he was a man that was able through the Wisdom and blessed Gift of God that was in him to convince and stop the mouths of all Gain-sayers of the Truth which he with us professed and lived in And it is well known to many that he was never backward but alwayes ready and willing to appear in a way of publick conference as in vindication of and against any that should oppose the blessed Truth of God which he held and professed and also to manifest the Grounds and Reasons wherefore we deny and dissent from the National Priests of the World and their traditional Ways of Worship and the hypocritical Professors thereof who have not the Life and Substance of what they profess in words And these things it is well known unto many he was oft exercised in and he did not go about in Corners nor creep into dark Places hiddenly nor secretly but preached the Truth of God and Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ boldly and openly even upon the House-top and his valour for God's Truth on Earth was well known unto many and his voice was as the found or ratling of the Charriots of God's Host upon the tops of the Mountains and was oft uttered sorth in the Name of the Lord even like Thunder and the Voice of the Son of God was uttered forth through him by which the Dead was raised the Witnesses are now alive let them bring in their Testimony that the truth hereof may be confirmed His Doctrine dropped as the Oyl of joy upon the spirits of the Mourners in Sion His life extended it self as a sweet Stream into the hearts of the Children of Light that thirsted after Righteousness He was one of the Cloud of Witnesses that dropped down the Dew upon the tender Plants of God He pleaded the Cause of the innocent suffering Seed and earnestly contended with the Powers of the Earth of all sorts in the behalf and for the freedom of the suffering people of God He fore-prophesied unto them that were in Authority in the dayes past of their destruction and of their overthrow because of their deceitfulness to God and their false and cruel treacherous and merciless dealings towards his people who had made many fair Promises both to God and Man in the time of their adversity That they would grant free Liberty of Conscience in things relating to the Worship of God and that Oppression should be removed and the like but in the time of their prosperity when they were waxen fat and grown great and lived at ease and in Pleasures
Heathen and under the barren dry and empty Ministry of Man which stands in the will of man and have proceeded out of the carnal inventions and imaginations of fallen man and is not according to God nor to the practice of the Saints in former Ages and Generations To you all do I clear my conscience in the presence of God by declaring to you in writing being that I cannot have freedom through the subtilty of the Serpent who doth work alwayes to prevent the living Truth to be declared and the deceits of himself to be discovered and made manifest to declare in word among you I have been sent by the Lord moved of him to come and to declare to you the Word of the Lord to the directing of your minds where to wait to attain the true Knowledge of the Lord and to that one Thing needful the Eternal welfare of your souls and to lay open the deceits of the Serpent who doth work in the cursed deceitful Ministry which is upheld by you whereby your souls are kept in the death and only your dark minds fed and nourished by the painted and Serpent-like expressions and declarations coming out of the carnal wisdom and brain knowledge of your Hireling who walks in the way of the false Prophets of Israel which the true Prophet called greedy dumb Dogs four several times hath the Lord by his Eternal Spirit working in me moved me to come into the Congregation and Assembly he himself is the Witness that I came not of man nor by the will of man but contrary to the will and desires of man wherein stands the true Ministry of God now as it was ever the true Prophets Ieremiah and Ionah witnessed the same and the Apostle Paul and as it is known to you unto whom I speak that I could not have liberty to declare to you the Truth from God who came not to you with entising words neither what I had gathered out of Scripture from without me neither to speak my own imaginations and conceivings as your false Hireling doth but to declare the Word of the Lord to the convincing your dark understandings that you might see the deceits by which you are and have been led that your souls might have been redeemed up to God out of the imagined worships of the World to worship in Spirit and in Truth Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye people all your carnal traditional Ordinances and Observances is abomination to the Lord all your praying and praising is odious in his sight for all your worship is an imitation and an imagination of the dark mind of man and was never commanded by God therefore consider all ye people what you are doing and reject not the Lord nor his Everlasting Truth but prize your time and now seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon his name while he is near Your souls are kept in the death under your dead Minister and under his dead Doctrines dead Reasons Points and Uses which he speakes from the Saints conditions and experiences but is an enemy to the substance and to them in whom the same conditions are made manifest in the power of Truth and he doth make manifest himself to be in the same generation of them who had the form of Godliness but denies the Power having the Letter as the Pharisees had but persecuting the substance as they did All people consider whether he be not in the generation professing God and Truth in Word as the Scribes and Pharisees were but persecuting the Son of God who is the Substance of Truth where he is born and made manifest he is in the generation of them who professed Abraham's freedom and that God was their Father but were of their father the Devil for his workes they did they said and did not as he doth as it is made manifest he is a whited Wall a painted Sepulcher which Christ the Son of God cryed wo against who was and is the Light by which all Deceivers Hirelings and false Teachers are discovered and cryed out against The Light which is Christ do I witness to be made manifest in me from God the Father of Light daily leading me up to him to live in Purity and Uprightness praises be to him for ever in which Light I see your Teacher to be a Hireling a greedy dumb Dog seeking for his gain from his Quarter one that God never sent but hath run and was not sent therefore doth he not profit you at all and from this Light which is Christ do I declare against him as knowing him that he hath not the Word of the Lord but the Letter Freely do I declare against him as knowing him to be a Deceiver and an Antichrist being once I was deceived by him but now through the rich Love of my Father who hath made himself known to me hath shined by his Eternal Light in my heart do I see him and all such to be Antichrist and no Minister of Christ from the mouth of the Lord I do declare it that you are led blindly by him your blind Guide and you are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Living Truth by his Ministry He layes heavy burdens upon you He is in the generation of them who had the Law and Prophets but persecuted him who came to fulfil the Law and who hath the substance of the Prophets He hath the Conditions and Experiences of the Saints in the Letter but who are brought to witness the same Conditions and the same strait Way in which they walked He is an enemy to all people to you from God I do declare it he is one that God never sent to speak his Word to you he calls good evil and evil good and puts Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and therefore wo is his Portion and wo is the Portion of all that upholds him What will ye do in the end thereof He doth bewitch you to observe That calling is an Ordinance of God which he never commanded Poor people your souls lies in the death under the power of darkness and corruption under your dead Minister and under his dead carnal Observances and your dark Minds your Wit and Reason is only fed and so the enemies of the Lord are strengthned by him and you remain in ignorance and in blindness and cannot attain the true Riches for Christ only is the Way to the Father the Light in every man which leads to the Father but this Light he denies as having enlightened every one that comes into the World as several times he hath done to me in Argument Here he makes Christ a Lyar and doth not know the first Principle of Religion nor the Light which leads unto God but is a Heathen and knows not God for this is the Light which all the Servants of God in all Generations witnessed and which Light we do now
any Creature was made and the whole World is comprehended and mans state in his first Creation is here known what it was and mans state in Transgression is also known what it was and mans state restored again is also witnessed and the difference perceived betwixt the first Adam which was overcome of the Devil though he was innocent and without sin and bore the likeness of his Maker and of the second Adam who cannot be overcome of the Devil whom Satan hath nothing in who is the express Image of the Creator it self He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard it hath not entred into the heart of man that which the Father hath revealed by his Spirit things not lawful to be uttered of which there is no declaring that which is Infinite Endless Eternal and in this I shall end By one who hath measured and viewed in true Iudgment the condition of all Mankind who is a Lover of Souls and a Friend to the Creation of God known in England by the name of EDWARD BURROUGH London the 6th of the 3d Moneth 1656. Truth Defended OR CERTAIN ACCUSATIONS ANSWERED CAST Upon us who are called Quakers by the Teachers of the World and the People of this Generation WITH A clear Discovery who are the false Prophets and when they came in and how they may be known and who they are that deny Christ and that preach another Gospel and who deny the Scriptures Churches Ministers and Magistrates whereby the Magistrates and People of this Nation may see they justifie that which the Scripture condemns and condemns that which the holy men of God justified and may read their example and our example through the Scriptures The Epistle To all you who call your selves Ministers of the Gospel and all People in all Relations under what form of Worship soever in England or in all the World whâ— profess your selves Christians THe mighty day of the Lord is come according as he promised of old and this day is witnessed wherein he is establishing his Mountain and exalting it above all Mountains and is gathering his People which have been scattered in the dark and loâ—â— Night of Apostacy which Christ and his Apostles saw coming into the Churcâ—… then and hath had dominion long over the World and hath reigned till now and reigns nâ—â— in all the Professors in all Forms every where But now the time is come wherein the Kingdâ—… of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and thousands witness it to the praise of his everlasting Name And therefore the Nations are angry and 〈◊〉 Pâ—inces of the Earth because Michael one Prince is arisen to plead with all who make 〈◊〉 against him And now Herod and Pilate and all Jerusalem are in an uproar and Ammâ—â— and Amaleck and the Egyptians and the Philistines are joyned now against him And all you who live in Forms and know not the Power do now persecute and joyn your selves tâ—gether being in the same nature as the Persecutors of old which were born after the Flesh. And now you Sons of Bondage and of Hagar are to be cast out and now you are all 〈◊〉 manifest that you are in the Flesh for all your Bows are bent and all your Arrows are 〈◊〉 at a People which are accounted by you as the filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things whom the World calls Quakers in whose foreheads is written the Name of the living God and unto you I say that make war against them and now take part with the Dragâ—â— against the Lamb you shall all drink of the Cup of Fury and indignation of the Lord 〈◊〉 unto the Living God who is holy and jealous for his own Glory and Name which hath manifested his Mind and Will by his eternal Spirit unto us shall you all bow and stoop For now the Lord hath rent the Vail of the Covering which hath been spread over 〈◊〉 the Nations in all Professions and you are all seen by the ternal Eye which is opened in thousands even all from the highest to the lowest who have stolâ—n and painted your selves with 〈◊〉 â—ens words And all your Images which you have set up and all your traditions from â—en in which you have walked are all seen to be stubble and â—ill not abidâ— in the day of the Lord. And all your Churches which you have gathered together by imitation from the 〈◊〉 shall all be scattered and there you all are for you all deny Revelation and say it is ceased and so you call the Letter the Light and the Word but with that which was before the Scripture you are seen and judged even with that which shall endure for ever And seeing you have cast reproach upon the Name of the God of Heaâ—â—â— and Earth whom we worâ—â—ip and which you call delusion for the truths sake are we moved to lay open your â—akedness that you may be judged by that which you say is your rule Here in this Little Book thou who hast any honesty in thee or any desire of truth and wilt search the Scripture thou wilt see thâ—◠〈◊〉 the teachers of the world in all Forms and all Professors ever cryed out who had but the Form against them who had the Life and Power as you all 〈◊〉 now against them who Worship God in the Spirit and have no confidenâ—e in the flesh and therefore in this following Discoâ—rse which 〈◊〉 written by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture thou shalt see who are the false Prophets and who they are that preach another Gospel and who they are that deny the Scriptures and thou mayst see when the false Prophets came in and who they are clearly proved to be by their own rules And all you who call your selves Magistrates and Christians you may see your selves to hold up that which Christ the Prophets and Apostles cryed oâ—â— against and Persecute them who stand in the counsel of God and them thâ—â— Declare against all the deceit as the Holy men of God did and so you are the beast which holds up the false Prophets and those whom the Scripture declareth against God is arisen to dâ—… to pieces all them who withstand him and therefore come out of Babylon â—â—d out of all your painted forms and come to own the first Principle which will change your mindes even the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withal and by it you shall see what you are doing Now if you deny this you deny the Corner-stone and you stumble and shall be broken and by thâ—â— which you call natural shall all your Image of gold and silver and all your mixed invented worship be dashed to pieces and 〈◊〉 for the Pit Therefore all be silent and speak not evil of those thingâ— you know not for now you are all seen you who say you are â—â—ws and are not but are of the Synagogue
of England planted or what Flocks do they keep Their Vineyards prove not tender Grapes but wild â—ower Grapes wild Vines and not Vines to bring forth acceptable fruits and their Flocks prove not Flocks of sheep but wilde rude people who are in the nature of Wolves and Lions and if the Magistrates Law were not their Vineyard noâ— the flock would hardly yield them any maintenance the Apostles planted first a Vineyard and gathered the â—â—heep before they reaped or eat any of the fruit but the Teachers of England differ from them in this for they know what they must have before they plant or before they feed their flock and differ from the Apostles practice who first planted a Vineyard and gathered a flock before they could receive any crop and they would 〈◊〉 then use their power but kept the Gospel of Christ without charge so that this Scripture will not prove the Priests actions lawful in preaching for sums of money â—nd some other Scriptures they bring to prove the lawfulness of their preaching for â—ire which may all be answered as these are and whatsoever they can object will â—ot justifie them for their reaping carnal things and their hire and their eating â—f the milk of the flock is quite of another nature as is proved then the Apostle â—ractices were and were the people wiâ—e they would see and understand these â—hings and not be deluded through perverting of Scriptures and through wresting of them to other ends then wherefore they were given forth and this is written â—o answer some of their objections whereby they would defend themselves for â—hat though Paul took of other Churches to supply his necessities as sometimes he did yet â—his will not prove the lawfulness of their hundreds of pounds by the year most of which they spend in pride and idleness so that still this Judgment is true â—pon them which I have given all objections being answered and all defences â—eing made yoid and hereof they are guilty as I have charged them and proâ—ed it out of the Scripture They disagree to the Ministers of Christ and agrees with the Deceivers and in some particulars exceeds them for I believe all the falsâ— Prophets in Israel did not destroy any whit near a Million and a half of Money in a year considering all things it must come to little less their Funeral Sermons their great Tythes and small Tythes and Marriages and Sprinkling of Infants and Churching of Women with other such Penuries claimed by the Church of England with what is given to them out of the Nations treasure which is many hundred pounds a year also considering how much in a year is spent and consumed at two or three Colledges in this Nation in relation to the Ministry as in bringing some up to the attainment of the Ministry is they call it and upon the Educators of such with a very great abundance of such like charges consumed out of the Nations treasure which is wasted as in relation to this Ministry spoken of I do not speake against good education and learning which is in its place a vertue as for Travellers and many others neither do I account such money vainly wasted and spent but onely as to the Ministry of Christ natural learning is not there admitted to make Ministers or to enable them thereunto but that money which is thereupon spent is wasted and consumed and how much is spent in this way and for such an end onely I leave wise men to judge which will make up a large sum in the whole considering all things I say their yearly maintenance may amount to fifteen hundred thousand pounds a year which is a thousand thousand and half a thousand thousand pounds Men of weaâ— understandings can hardly reach to know how much it is and that makes me thus plainly expound it Kingston upon Thames the eighth moneth 1657. A description of the true Ministery of Christ and its Maintenance THe day hath appeared that makes all things manifest and the light is arisâ—â— that gives to discern between truth and error between the true and eveâ—â— false way and between the true worship of God which is spiritual and every falâ—â— worship of the world which is Idolatry and the true Ministry of Christ is knoâ—â— from the false Ministry by their several fruits and signes for hidden things are brougâ—â— to light and secret things are revealed but now the people of the world both tâ—â— wise and the foolish thus they object and say Seeing that you do so much coâ—… our Ministry and Ministers in their call in their practices in their conversation â—â—d 〈◊〉 their maintenance what Ministry do you own and what Ministers do you allow of 〈◊〉 whether would you have any Ministery at all seeing you throw down and declare against sâ—â— as the Law of the Land sets up and such as we have looked upon to be able Ministers 〈◊〉 after this manner are the people of this Generation begun to reason among themselves sâ—… what would this people do if they had power what Ministers would they approve of and 〈◊〉 maintenance would they allow them To all this I do answer and say The true Ministers and Ministry of Câ—… we do allow of and we would have set up and established and we wait patiâ—… ly till it be brought to pass even such as are ordained by power from on 〈◊〉 and who have received the gift of the holy Ghost who are called of God into the 〈◊〉 of the Ministry such we do approve of to be Ministers of Christ in whom he is reveâ—… and who have received him and are changed by him from death to life and out 〈◊〉 darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of God and who are born of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 led and guided by it into all truth and are called by it to follow the lamb whither sâ—… he goeth and who are taught by it in all their practices of Religion and in 〈◊〉 whole worship of God and such we own as have felt the operation of the spiâ—… in themselves and who have tasted handled seen and felt of the Word of life whiâ—â— abids for ever and such who goeth in the name of the Lord to Minister and declare freely what they have freely received of God by his Spirit and who preacheth Christ freely as the onely way and means of life and salvation unto all people even such as ministereth him the way the truth and the life the onely justifier and sanctifier and deliverer of them that believe and the condemner of them that believe not and such as Ministereth Christ onely the teacher and leader of his people and nothing else besides him and such we allow as onely seeketh and laboureth in the wisdom of God to bring people out of the wayes of sin and death unto the knowledge of God and to the things that belong unto their peace such who have no respect to large places or great benefits to seek after
they are of God but the witness of God in every man beareth witness against all unjust men and Laws and Rulers and Governments which strengtheneth the hands of the wicked and oppresseth the just where the making and execution of Laws are in the power of proud men and covetous men who fears not God neither hates covetousness neither doth respect the cause of the poor but rules by their Wills and Tyranny and not by just Laws in Righteousness but makes unrighteous decrees to oppress the poor and innocent letting the wicked go free such who upholds unrighteous Worships and Teachers by oppression and causes the Innoccent to suffer and makes them Offenders because the exercise of a pure conscience towards God and men such Rulers and Government we cannot be subject to for Conscience sake but do rather fulfull the Law and Will of God though we transgress their wills and unrighteous laws and yet doth not rebel against them nor seek defence from them but patiently suffers under them and bears their injustice and cruelty without seeking any revenge but leaves vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongs and this is our Judgement in full the Government and Laws which we cannot obey nor fulfil for Conscisake we chuse rather to suffer under them for disobedience to them than to transgress the righteous Law of God written in our hearts by obeying them so that what we cannot obey for Conscience sake for Conscience sake we resist not but suffers under that the punishment of it patiently and herein are we subject to every ordinance of man for conscience sake in fulfilling of the good the just and righteous and in patience suffering under the cruelty and oppression of the unjust and unrighteous and this we do and teach every where subjection to every Ordinance of man and are not destroyers of true Government or rebellious against just Governours but are exalters of true Justice and Judgement in the Earth CHAP. XI Concerning the true Ministry of Christ and the false Ministry and the difference betwixt them this testimony I give unto all the World THE true Ministry is sent of God and is the gift of the holy Ghost and it stands in the Power of the Spirit of God and not in the words of mans wisdom of that wisdom which is from below and it brings people to the knowledge of God which is life eternal and it turns people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the Power of God it is freely received of God and freely given forth of us it proclaims Peace on Earth unto such as are of a broken and upright heart and it proclaims war against all the wicked upon Earth it is a good savour unto God in setting the way of life and the way of death before all people the Ministry of Christ is free and cannot be bought nor sold for money it is without hire and gifts and rewards from any man which is given freely into the World and it ever was and is persecuted by the Generation of the unjust and by the powers of the Earth he that comes in the Fathers Name cannot be received of the World but the World is at enmity against it in this Generation as ever was it converts people unto the Knowledge of God and many did and many do receive the Knowledge of God thereby though some thereby be hardened against God unto destruction and the Word of the Lord and the Ministry returns not in vain unto God but all by it arâ— left without excuse the Witness of Christ in every Creature being reached to which gives Testimony to the Power and to the Truth of the Ministry of Christ but the false Ministers and Ministry are not such for their Ministry is received by natural Learning and Arts and is not the Gift of the holy Ghost but stands in the wisdom of mans words and not in the Power and Life of God it profits not the people at all neither do any come to the Knowledge of God thereby neither is turned from Darkness to Light but Teachers and people continues in the power of Satan and in the unconverted estate the Witness of God not reached to to bring to the understanding of things which are eternal but people are ever learning by it and never coming to the Knowledge of the Truth but the Blind leads the Blind and like Teachers like People all out of the Way given to Iniquity and unrighteousness and such are they who preaches for Hire and divines for Money and seeks for their gaiâ— from their Quarter and through covetousness by feigned words make merchandize of Souls going for Gifts and Rewards and teaching for filthy Lucre having settled places and so much a year these are not the true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Autichrist and Deceivers and were never sent of God and do never bring any to the Knowledge of Gods and such we beâ—â— witness against to be of the Devil and that for many Generations the World hath been deceived by them who hath had the form of godlines but not the Power and Christs words and the Apostles words without the Life and they have served themselves and not the Lord Jesus but now they are made manifest with the true Light which approveth the Ministry of God and disapproveth such who are Ministers of Antichrist and all that are in the Light and walk in the light can receive this testimony which is given by the Spirit of God to that Ministry which is sent of him which doth fulfill his will and against the false Ministry which is not of God which runs and was never sent of him CHAP. XII Concerning the Gospel of Christ this is my testimony unto all the VVorld THE Gospel is the Power of God and it is sent of him into the World to reconcile people unto him that have been in the enmity agaiâ—â—â— him 〈◊〉 is Peace to the Poor in spirit and judgement to the Fat and to the high minâ—â—â— and it is to be preached to every creature male and female under Heaven without respect of Peoples Nations or Generations it is the manifestation of the Love of God to the whole World to gather people out of all unrighteousâ—â—â—â— into the living Way of Life Peace and Truth to walk with God in Purity and Holiness and to deny the World and all its ways and works and worships which are evil and by it some are brought to God and to salvation and life eternal and some through it are hardened against God that they may be destroyed and condemned who are Reprobates and believes not in him from whom the Gospel comes and it cannot be received by any other way or means than by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his people and many have the letter which knows not the Gospel nor hath received it and this Gospel which is everlasting have we received from God and this is the sound of it which we
all Nations since the dayes of the true Churches and holy Apostles And know ye That we are none of all the many Sects nor of the divers Wayes and formal Worshippers that are but in the Imitations fiegned of what the Saints of old spoke and performed in the Power and Spirit of God which hath been spoken and practized by all the divers Sects and false Churches without the Spirit Power and Life that was in the Apostles so that all Religion hath been and the Profession and Practice thereof for many Ages but as the floating of a broken Vessel upon the Waters driven with the several Winds wanting Anchor and skilful Marriners which have not carried to perfect Rest the Hope of Eternal Life But know ye that now at last through our long and wearied Travels and after all our tedious Seekings and our zealous Practises and Profession in Christianity performed by us while Darkness covered us and the Earth hath the Lord set us safe upon the Rock Christ Jesus upon whom the Church of Christ firmly standeth and the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against and he hath made our Habitation sure upon the Mountain of his House which is established upon the top of the Mountains whereunto we now are gathered and rest in a certain hope and tried confidence and doth view the whole World and the state of all Mankind and measureth the times and seasons thoroughout Generations and the state of the Church we perfectly know by the inspiration of the Almighty her estate before the Apostles dayes and in the Apostles dayes and since the Apostles dayes and her increase and decrease and estate since the beginning of the World till now and at this present time to us is certainly known by the Spirit of Jesus and the Light of the Lamb which now is risen upon our Mountain and shines in our Habitations And first we certifie you as for the many false Sects and Churches so called and many of the divers worshippers and separated forms of Churches risen up since the Apostles dayes from the least of them to the greatest we have searched and examined and are not fully satisfied but rather the contrary that they are perfectly sound in the Faith but rather degenerated from the Power Spirit and Life that was in the Apostles and among the true Churches before the Apostacy and we have sought out their first original and root and we find they fall short of the true Church and the Apostles first in respect of time many Generations and also in respect of life and power and purity and they want the spirit and dominion and Government that the true Churches and Apostles possessed and we certainly believe they are many of them come up and risen in a dark Night long since the dayes of the Apostles while the Sun was yet unrisen and while the Mountains of Ignorance Blindness and Wickedness covered the face of the Earth and the Clouds of Darkness remained upon the face of the whole Heavens and while yet the Man-child remains in God being caught up to him and the Woman lodged in the desolate Wilderness being thither fled because of the great red Dragon And we believe not that any of them are the Lambs Wife lawfully joyned to him neither are they the Virgin in which there is no spot nor the Spouse truly in election to Christ the Bridegroom for we have had controversie with them this divers years and weighed them and measured them in the ballance of equity and they appear to us not to be of a true descent from that Vine into which true Church was planted but their original may be of a latter race And to say no more of them we certainly know they are foully spotted and have not the favour nor parts nor garments of a Virgin and Christ the Bridegroom they have deeply wronged for many false Sects have risen out of the great Whore the mother of Harlots who hath been in open and secret Fornication ever since the days of the Apostles and such are her off-spring and not of the true Seed elect which is heir by right of the inheritance of Life eternal the Kingdom which hath no end And for as much as the Church of Rome hath openly pleaded as we have heard and some of your Members also to our faces that she is indeed the true Church and she alone and none besides and that you can fetch your original by line truly from the Apostles and Church of the Saints and are not degenerated in any particular of Faith Doctrine nor Practise from the Life and Power and Government and Spirit which was among the true Church and in the Apostles These things with others the like have we heard of you and concerning you by many And now because the Lord hath put it into our hearts to have controversie with you and to seek out perfectly your original and to justifie you or condemn you accordingly and having the certain infallible Spirit of the Lord God to try all things we are purposed in the Lord to visit you and to examine to the Foundation your rise and first beginning from whence you come by descent and what you truly are in your present Estate and whether you be indeed the true Church and have the true Spirit or whether you are otherwise that all the World may be satisfied and more perfectly know the full Truth concerning the Church of Rome and your Seed and Root we will examine and your Birth and Original we will search out and your Faith and Worship and whole Religion we will lay to the Line of true Judgement to justifie you or condemn you eternally for the Saints shall judge the World and your Garments shall be stripped off and your Secrets discovered and your whole Body and Members made fully manifest that the very truth of all things may appear and be embraced and the Whoredoms of the whole Earth may be laid open that the Just and the Innocent that hath long lain groaning in great Captivity may be delivered from under all Bonds of Oppressions Whoredoms and Iniquities and this will the Eternal God by us speedily bring to pass amongst you Wherefore thou Pope greatly admired and highly exalted and to all thy Cardinals Friers Iesuits and Priests and all other Officers under thee I am moved of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is the only Holiness and highest of all by this Message to visit you requiring you and charging you in the Name and Authority of the Dreadfull and Mighty God before whom all men and Nations are as nothing in comparison but may be turned at his pleasure and dashed to pieces by his Mighty Hand and unto whom all the Sons of Adam in the World must give an Account and as you will answer it to him iâ— his dreadful Day of Judgment and Vengeance and as you love and will obey your God and Christ whom you profess and serve and as you would honour your God and
are to wait for Counsel to receive it from the Lord by that of him made manifest within you and as for all your outward Teachers that have used their Tongues amongst you and said The Lord saith it when God hath not spoken to them nor sent them and that preach for Hire and Sums of Money and these are them that cannot profit the People nor ever bring you to the Knowledge of God nor give you Counsel from the Lord and if you seek to uphold them and defend them against the Power of the Lord and his Word which is gone forth against them then shall you not prosper but fall with them and if you do enterprize any work in that spirit that doth oppose the Spirit of Christ Iesus in his people you can never have good success but the Lord will confound you before your Enemies And so now that you may all come into the New Covenant to be taught of the Lord and to be far from all Oppression this is the thing that you are all to wait for and to know the Power of the Lord and to go on in that against Unrighteous Men and Unrighteous Laws which are set up in the Nations that they may be destroyed and brought under and yet though such a Victory would be honourable unto you yet there is a Victory more Honourable to wit The Victory over Sin and Death and the Devil in your selves and that you are to mind and there is a Kingdom which is not of this World which cannot be obtained by an Outward Sword and this Kingdom are you to wait for that you may know it and feel it in your own particulars and this is the Doctrine of the Gospel of Peace unto you and the Glad-tidings held forth unto all of you come into the Power of the Lord and mind it that you may be lead by it and then may you be fit Instruments for the Lord to work by And take heed how you oppose those whom the Lord hath sent and is sending abroad in the Nations to proclaim the Mighty Day of the Lord they are no Enemies to you nor to any mans Person and therefore be tender over them for they go about the Lord's Work of this I warn you all in the Presence of the Lord. And so you dwelling in the Power of the Lord there is nothing shall destroy you nor confound you but you shall have Victory over all your Enemies within you and without you and the Lord will make you a Dread and a Fear to the Nations And so this is a Warning unto you all both Officers and Souldiers that you may mind what the Work of the Lord God is in the Nations Your Work hath been and may be honourable in its Day and Season but he hath a Work more honourable to work after you that is To destroy the Kingdom of the Devil and the ground of Wars And your Victory hath been of the Lord but there is a more honourable Victory to be waited for even the Victory over Sin and so we are the Friends of the Creation that do preach this Victory and this Kingdom and Peace which is Endless and Everlasting and which many are come into And as for the many and divers sorts of Worship which are come up since the dayes of the Apostles and are of the Whore and not of the true Church they are all to be thrown down and the Worship that is in Spirit and Truth to be set up by the Lord and he is gathering people into that Worship but if you be out of the Fear of God in the Rudeness and Wickedness of the World and seek your selves and not the Freedom of the Nations only then the Lord will lay you aside as a broken Pot-sheard and raise up unto himself a People that shall fulfil his work and do it for he hath much Work to do in the Nations for he is gathering his Elect Seed and changing the Kingdoms of the World and making them become the Kingdoms of Christ and so be low in your own eyes and do not seek your selves but seek one anothers Good and seek the Glory of the Lord and the Freedom of the Oppressed and in that you will be blessed and prosper till you have set up your Standard at the Gates of Rome I am a Lover of all your souls and a Sufferer in Patience under the Cruelties of men E. B. And some small Discourse we had with our English Priests that supply the Place of Chaplins to the Army and in particular one of them which had spoken something behind our backs against us and we proffer'd to have some discourse with him but he refused it only to evade the matter at that present he bid us state some of our Principles in writing and he would answer them in dispute in some publick place and being he was not willing to engage to dispute otherwise we were free to write this following Paper but we had no answer in agreement to dispute with us but shifted the thing from himself by telling us The Governour was 〈◊〉 willing But this was not the same Priest before mention'd that we had discourse with at our first coming into the Town Friend FOr the manifestation of Truth and that the perfect difference between thee and us may be known and who are in the Truth and who in the Error and that Truth from Error may be clearly discerned therefore according to thy own Proposals and expressed Desires thereof before many we do here assert some Particulars of that Truth which we have receâ—â—ed from God and do hold forth and maintain in the World in opposition to thee or any other that shall gainsay them viz. 1. That Christ hath lightened all men with a Light sufficient in it self to bring them to Salvation if they follow it 2. That God hath given Christ to be the Saviour of all men 3. That none are justified by Christ and his Righteousness without them but as they have receiv'd Christ and his Righteousness and witness them reveal'd in themselves 4. That the Saints of God may be perfectly freed from Sin in this life so as no more to commit it 5. That the National Ministers and Churches not only of Papists but of the Protestâ—â—ts also as they now stand are not the true Ministers and Churches of Christ. 6. That the Scriptures are a true Declaration given forth from the Spirit of God by holy Men of God moved by it to write them and are profitable but are not the Foundation nor the most perfect Rule of Faith and Life to the Saints These things we are freely willing and desirous to discourse upon with thy self and any others that shall joyn with thee in the presence of sober and wise men who may judge between us in any publick Place that may be procured by thee according to thy Engagements in this Particular provided it may be in the Spirit of Meekness and Moderation and that all fair
Minds of Men and Unsettlement in their spirits and the Foundation of a happy Government is not yet discovered unto many nor do the People walk in the way of Peace but Iniquity is abounding Oppression and Cruelty yet lives Hard-heartedness and Envy Pride and Ambition are not yet cut down neither in all the Governours nor in the Governed and this is not the way of Peace and true Settlement but it is the way of Troubles and Distractions and the very Foundation of great Distractions and Wars rather than of Settlement and happy Government These things are so and therefore true Peace and settlement in good Agreement who can expect because the ground of Distractions and unsettlement is continued and increased rather than abated and removed amongst 〈◊〉 and the true Foundation of Peace and settlement in happy Government is not yet raised up amongst men but because Injustice and Oppressiâ—â— are continued therefore will God be provoked to bring Distractions Wars and Tribulations upon the Kingdoms of all the World and God will â—â—â—found and dash in pieces Powers Authorities Rulers Nations and Peoples and he will break one Potsherd against another and overthrow one Mountain against another and the Hands of cruel Men will God suffer to devour one another and ambitious and malicious Hearts shall be suffered to finish one anothers ends because of their own wickedness and therefore be not deceived Blessedness in the Kingdoms of this World can never be except Iniquity and Transgression be departed from except Oppession and Hard-heartedness dye and except the Foundation of War and Strife be removed and the Foundation of Peace and happy Government be raised up amongâ—â— Men. Again True Peace and settlement in good Government can never be except the Lord alone be owned as Judge and Law-giver and his righteous Laws to be executed in the Earth that Justice and true Judgement may flow down and all the contrary may be stopped and limtted by the just Laws of God and all unjust and unequal Laws made and established in the Ignorancâ— of Men which have not been justly according to the Law of God nor depended thereupon such Laws must also be made void judged and cast out and the Law of God must enter This must be accomplished if ever true settlement in a pappy Peace be amongst us the Laws must be changed the unjust and unequal cast out and just and equal Laws brought in for because hereof while unjust and unequal Laws have been executed in Judgement therefore have we wanted settlement and peace in a happy Government and the cortrary hath been and will continue till all unjust unequal and oppressive Laws be discontinued Again If ever true peace and settlement in a happy Government be amongst men Governours Rulers and Executioners of the Law must be just Persons and righteous Men Men that fear God and hate Covetousness and that depart from every evil way and all ambitious self-seeking and unjust Men must be cast out even all they that have sought themselves and not the Lord in their places of Trust such as have perverted Justice and true Judgement for their own corrupted Ends and such as have been cruel and hard-hearted Oppressors all such as these must be cast out and the Law must not be committed to such to execute neither must such sit in judgement over the People for because hereof and while such men have ruled and governed and executed the Laws no true settlement in a just Government but the contrary hath been even Destractions anâ— Tribulations and while such men do continue to rule and judge and execute the Laws in any part of the World we shall never have a happy Government nor settlement in it in this World nor till just men that have the Spirit of God and sound judgement that are humble and meek patient and merciful and such as fear the Lord and walk in his Wayes be called to rule and judge and execute the Laws and the Laws must be just and holy and the Executioners of them equal and upright men Till these things be accomplished a happy settlement in this Worlds Kingdoms can never be but God will dash one Mountain against another and throw one Hill upon another and he will give no Peace among the Kings of the Earth but stain the glory of all the Worlds Governments till Truth and Righteousness come to reign and till just Laws be executed by just Men and till Mâ—rcy and Justice Truth and Equity flow forth abundantly Therefore all Nations you have been deceived while you have turned up and down from one way and manner and kind of Government to another and from one sort of Governmten to others sometimes you have been for a Parliament sometime for a Protector and sometime for neither from each of these to others you have changed thinking to have peace and settlement in a happy Government but it could not be for there are continuâ—l Distractions untill this day in the minds of Mâ—n and they are yet unsettled in their spirits and there are Heart-burnings and â—nvyings and seeking of Revenge and while these things are nothing but Distractions and Tribulâ—tions not Peace but Troubles even till these things be removed And till â—e have just and equal Laws according to the Law of God established over 〈◊〉 and just and holy and Righteous Men to execute them in Judgement â—pon us and till we have Truth and Righteousness sit on the Throne until this be no true Settlement in a happy Government but Distractions and Contentions and woful Tribulations in the Kingdoms of the World and amongst men and this is certain and according unto the Will of the Loâ—d and in the justness of his Judgement these things come to pass for it is Injustice and Oppressions and want of Mercy and Truth which is the Foundation of Contentions and Distractions and it is Justice and Equity Truth and Righteousness that is the only Foundation of Peace and Settlement and a happy Government for a Perpetual continuance To all False Christians THere are many false wayes in the World and many false kinds of Religions and People are in much disagreement about their Church Worship and Ministry Papists are opposing the Protestants and the Protestants the â—â—pists and there is a great contention in the World But the Papists are in a wrong way and so are the Protestants too and their Religions are both false in many things for whilst they profess Christ and Christianity and make a shew of Righteousness in outward appearance yet many of them live in sinful wayes and bring forth the fruits of Iniquity against the living God and Pride Cheating and Double-dealing Covetousness and Envy Drunkenness and Whoredom and all Wickedness is abounding and brought forth both by the Apostate Christians though they cry up the Name of Christ and the Profession of Godliness yet are they wicked in the sight of God and they are not changed in heart and mind nor do they know the
it hath been in my Heart divers times to declare the Substance of these things unto you but at last I have chosen to write my Mind to present to you concerning the Matters very needful for you to be informed in and it is for your sakes as well as theirs that I have done it that you may not run on to act any thing against them upon Suspitions and Accusations of others without hearing our Defence and therefore it is for the avoiding and stopping of Persecution in the Land for this Cause have I taken in hand Submissively and not Presumptiously to state this Plea before you and I must leave it to your Considerations and cannot impose my Faith upon you to believe as I believe but having laid the Truth before you I shall leave it to the Lord to work Faith and Love and Iustice Mercy and all good things in your Hearts that you may bring them forth in the Exercise of them in the World London the 10th day of the second Moneth 1661. I am a Lover of Justice and Mercy Truth and Righteousness E. B. A Just and Righteous PLEA presented unto the KING of England and his COUNCIL c. CHAP. 1. The Case Stated and Pleaded concerning Swearing at all and particularly concerning the Oath of Allegiance 1. WE do acknowledge our selves to be free-born People of this Kingdom of England the Land of our Nativity and we do assert That we have just and lawful Right and Title as such to possess and enjoy our Lives Liberties and Estates both by the Laws of God and Man having never unto this day since we were a People forfeited our Birth-right as men by any Rebellion Sedition Contempt or otherwise but have alwayes been and are a People exercised in the Law of our God by walking justly towards all men and doing to others as we would be done unto and have been and are a Peaceable People under every Government and Authority that hath been over us since the Lord raised us up And I do hereby declare That we now are and shall be Faithful Innocent and Peaceable in our several Stations and Conditions under this present Government of King Charles the second whom we acknowledge supream Magistrate and Governour over this Kingdom and for Conscience sake we are obedient and submissive to him as such in all his Commands either by doing and performing of what he justly requireth or by patient suffering under whatsoever is inflicted upon us in the Matters for which we cannot be obedient for Conscience sake when any thing is required of us different from the just Law of God And to this Subjection to the King and his Government we are bound by the Law of Righteousness and such hath ever been our Principle and Practice and is unto this day even to be Quiet and Peaceable and Patient under every Authority that is set over us and not in Unrighteousness to Plot or Contrive or Rebel against any Government or Governours nor to seek our own Deliverance from Injustice and Oppression in such a way And we are perswaded to seek the Preservation of the King's Person and Authority by all just and lawful Means and not to Rebel against him with carnal Weapons and so far as his Government is in Justice Mercy and Righteousness we declare true and Faithful Subjection and Obedience thereunto and wherein it is otherwise we shall be subject by patient suffering what is unequally imposed upon us and yet not Rebel in any Turbulent way of Conspiracies and Insurrections For our Principles are not for War but for Peace with all men so much as in us lie neither may we render Evil for Evil to any but are to be subject to the King and his Government Actively or Passively upon the Conditions aforementioned And we renounce all Forreign Authority Power and Jurisdiction of the Pope or any else from having any Supremacy whatsoever over the King oâ— any the good Subjects of England And this we Declare Acknowledge and Testifie in the Fear and Presence of God to whom we and all Mankind must give an Account and that without secret Equivocation or any deceitful mental Reservation 2. But as for all Oaths and Swearing we utterly deny for Conscience sake towards God because Christ Jesus hath commanded Not to Swear at all Mat. 5. And the Apostle saith Above all things my Brethren Swear not Jam. 5. And it was the Principle and Practice of divers holy Martyrs even some of the Protestant Church since the Apostles dayes in all Ages Not to Swear at all in any Case so for Conscience sake and according to the Example of Saints in former Ages we do refuse to Swear in this Case of Allegiance to the King and in all other Cases whatsoever and we cannot Swear at all Though the Truth and Verity of all Things in all Cases so far as known to us and as Occasion requireth we can acknowledge and testifie with Yea and Nay as in the Fear and Presence of God and with true Intent and Meaning to discover the Truth as is needful to be known And in this manner we acknowledge just Allegiance to the King and his Government that we shall live Peaceably and not Plot nor Rebel against him according to the Law of God and a safe Conscience but without any Oath or Swearing at all for we may not break the Command of Christ nor walk contrary to the Example of the Apostles and Saints by Swearing though we suffer the Loss of all because thereof And it is our known Principle and Practice ever since we were a People that in no Case whatsoever though of great Dependancy oft times to our selves both in respect of Advantage to us and also in avoiding of Sufferings we have not taken any Oath nor Sworn at all whereby it is manifest that our refusing chiefly to take the Oath of Allegiance is not because it is that Oath but because it is an Oath and for Conscience sake we cannot Swear at all 3. And thus the state of our present Case about this Oath of Allegiance is different from some others from all such who can swear and take Oaths in other Cases to whom taking of an Oath in it self is not matter of Conscience but as for us we make Conscience of an Oath in it self and that upon just Ground as we are able to demonstrate and therefore our Refusal of this Oath of Allegiance gives no Ground at all of Doubt or Suspition concerning us as if we would not live peaceably and quietly under this Government or as if we would Rebel against or Plot to destroy the King's Person or Authority and so deny to take this Oath as if we would leave our selves clear to proceed in such wayes this Judgment cannot justly be given of us because we deny to Swear at all in all Cases which if it were not so but that we could Swear in other Cases and not in this then we might justly be the more suspected
though some may profess good Conscience and cry for Liberty thereof in their false Sect and Religion not taught them by the Spirit of Christ yet the Civil Magistrate ought not to punish and use Violence to such for their Religion but if they do they persecute and the Lord will lay it to their charge But yet this is safe for all first to obtain true Liberty of Conscience to God-wards and to receive the Spirit of Christ to be taught only by it in the Exercise of Conscience and Religion that they may not err in Conscience and Judgment in spiritual Matters nor suffer Wrongfully under pretence of Righteousness sake whenas it is not truly so CHAP IV. Concerning the Diversity of Iudgments in Religion TO all ye that are of divers Judgments and Opinions in and concerning Spiritual Matters who are divided about Faith Doctrine Worship and Church Government some of you holding one thing some another different and contrary to that being diversly divided in mind and heart concerning the matters that are one in themselves to which you all assent as to the things in themselves and yet are different contrary minded about the self-same things To you all I am moved to write that so ye may be informed perfectly First What the Cause is of your Divisions and why it is thus amongst you And Secondly Of the bad Effects and Fruits such Divisions have brought forth And Lastly The Meant and Way of Reconciliation that ye may come into Love and Peace and Unity with God and one with another in all things pertaining to his Kingdom First The Cause of your Divisions and of the Diversities of Judgments and Opinions that are amongst you concerning the Things and Matters of God's Kingdom is Because you want the Spirit of God to guide you and it is not the Rule of your Knowledge and Iudgment and you wanting the Spirit of God in which is Unity among Saints therefore is it you are so divided and divers and different and contrary one to another in these things it is because ye want the Spirit of God I say which only teacheth the true Knowledge of God and gives an Understanding in all his Wayes and Matters It is the Spirit of God that teacheth true Faith true Doctrine and true Worship and all things about Church Ministry and Religion and if that you had the Spirit of God in you and were taught and guided by it it would teach you into one Faith and one Truth and into the true Worship and into the true Church-Government and you would be in Unity and Peace And if you all had the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and by which Spirit the Saints of God were guided in dayes past it would teach you into Unity and to be of one Mind one Heart and one Soul in all the Matters pertaining to God's Kingdom in Faith Worship Doctrine and all things else If you had the Spirit of God I say and were taught by it then you would have Unity with God and one with another in all his Wayes and there would have been no Division nor Contention amongst you about spiritual Matters but because you want that therefore you have Strife and Division amongst you even throughout all Christendom Here 's a Nation and a Kingdom holding such a Faith and Worship and there 's another People holding Faith and Worship contrary to that and here 's one Sect of People and there 's another different in Faith Judgment and Opinion and this is a Shame to whole Christendom That all should profess Christ Iesus and Faith in him and Salvation by him and his Doctrine and Worship and yet be in strife division and in great contentions concerning the same some holding and practizing one manner of Faith Worship and Doctrine and others holding contrary and different and this shews that ye are all fallen from the Life of Christianity as it was held in the Apostles dayes amongst the true Churches for they were of one heart mind soul and spirit as it is written they were of one Faith of one Worship of one Doctrine and had one way of Church-Government and this continued amongst the Churches of Christ till there were some that had Erred from the Spirit of God in their own Consciences and then they also Erred in Faith in Doctrine and in all other things relating to God and these were the Apostate Christians that had erred from the Spirit and divided themselves from the true Church and differed in Judgment amongst themselves and this was because they had erred from the Spirit of God which would have kept them in Unity with God and one with another for the Spirit is the Bond of Peace and the Seal of the Covenant of Love amongst the Saints So now All ye who are divided in your Knowledge and Iudgement and are in contention one with another about the matters pertaining to God's Kingdom you are the apostate Christians and you are without the Spirit of Christ The first apostate Christians erred from the Spirit and so became divided from the true Faith and from the true Worship and also among themselves and you never yet received the Spirit of Christ that you might come into Unity and Fellowship with God and one with another and that is the Reason of all your Divisions in Religious matters because you have not received the Spirit of Christ to teach you and to unite your Hearts to God and one to another but you having the Scriptures traditionally by discent through Ages which do describe and declare of that Faith and Doctrine and of the Worship and Church-Government which were among the Saints of old which they held and practised and from the Scriptures which declare of the things from thence you take up a Conceit and false Judgment and an Imitation and a false Conformity and then each sort of you call that your Faith and Church-Government and some after one manner of form and some after another and thus you are divided because you want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit did work true Faith in the hearts of them that gave them forth in dayes of old and it taught them Worship Faith Doctrine and all things concerning Gods Kingdom for the Spirit led them into all Truth and now you wanting the same Spirit that wrought in them and taught them and you having but their words to wit the Scriptures from thence in the Wisdom which is below and in the carnal Reason and in the first mans understanding each Nation takes up a conceit that it is so and so and takes up an Imitation of Worship and Church-Government according to their own sensual wisdom and according to the breadth and depth of their Conceits and then imitates and that severally and diversly and in a divided manner and this is amongst Kingdoms and amongst Neighbours and Brethren this Division in matters of Faith Worship and Doctrine and Church-Government
Scriptures and this is true Christianity and the other is the way of all Apostate Christians all Imitations from the Letter without the Spirit as gave it forth for there is a great deal of difference between making a Conformity in the Imitation of a Worship and Church-Government from the Scriptures without the Spirit and between the Spirits teaching and leading into the same Truth and same Worship and Church-Government which the Scriptures speak of the one is of Christ and is in unity peace and everlasting fellowship the other is of Antichrist and is in division strife and contention so you must all wait for the Spirit of Truth that you may receive it to work in your hearts to teach you and lead you or else you will never come to true Union and everlasting Fellowship with God and one with another neither can you be of one true Faith in one true way of Worship nor in one way of Church-Government except you receive the Spirit and walk in the Spirit And these be the words of the Lord God unto you all Now as concerning the Way of Uniformity in Faith and Church-Government imposed upon Nations and Countries and Cities by cruel Laws of Kings and Rulers as hath been the practice through Christendom to cause a whole Nation and Kingdom to bow and conform to such Principles of Faith and Worship and Church-Government according to the Will and Pleasure of a King or a Ruler such Uniformity and Union and Fellowship among Christians hath not been of Christ where people have walked by Imitation and conformed to the Commands of Men in such a Faith or to such a Worship or Church-Government this hath not been of God neither could this Unity stand or remain forever but it hath perished and will perish where-ever it is and that Faith and Worship and Church-Government which is so set up and so held will never save the Soul nor comfort it but it is blasted of God Whilst a Nation or a Kingdom or a People have Uniformity or hold Faith Worship or Religion either in the ignorance of their Consciences or contrary to their Consciences by the force of mens commandments and not by the perswasion of the Spirit of God in their own Consciences such Conformity I say is of Antichrist not of the Father neither can it stand in the Day of the Lord but the Fire of his Wrath will consume it All the apostate Christians in their uniformity of Faith Worship and Church-Government which is some other way or by some other means than only by the Spirit of God is of Antichrist and will be confounded for there is no true Unity and Fellowship in the ways of God and his Truth and Worship but what is in the spirit and that Unity will stand forever for it is in God not feigned neither because of the Love and Fear of this World as the other is That Uniformity in Faith and Worship which is forced upon people is all but Hypocrisie and Deceit both to God and man and God will judge it in the Imposers and Imposed Therefore no true Unity in Faith nor Worship nor in Religion but what is in and by the Spirit of God for as Christians come to divide themselves into many Ways and into divers Sects when they went from the Spirit of God and lost it and whilst they have been without the Spirit they have remained in Division Strife and Contention about Religion so now the means and way to come into Union and Fellowship and Faith is by receiving the Spirit of God again and not any otherwise and as Christians are brought again to receive this Spirit and walk therein all Division and Strife about Religion will cease and the cursed Fruits Effects thereof will also wither and be no more but then Unity Peace Blessedness Everlasting Fellowship and Comfort with the Lord and one with another in all his Wayes will be witnessed amongst all People By a Servant of Truth E. B. The FIFTH GENERAL EPISTLE Being A Tender Salutation OF PERFECT LOVE Unto the Elect of God the Royal Seed the Saints of the Most High who have Believed the Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and Walk in the Light that hath enlightened every man that comes into the World IN the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ blessed forever the Tender Salutation of my Immortal Life is daily abounding towards you who are the true Flock of the Father's Love and Care who hath begotten you to himself by his Word that lives forever in us and with us that ye should be a People Chosen and Elected of him unto Eternal Blessings and to be a Praise and an Honour to him throughout the World by and through the vertue of his Life and Power and in the Fruits of his Spirit brought forth by you all who are the only Children of that Birth which is only the Lord's Well Dearly Beloved My Heart at this time is filled in the Father's Love with the dear Remembrance of you whom the Lord hath gathered with his Arm of Power and in his Spirit do I desire the encrease of all Mercies and Peace and Blessings unto you that you may be Rich and Strong and Wise and Mighty through the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving daily of his Grace may ever be preserved constant and faithful in the Heavenly Calling unto the End And forasmuch as the Lord hath began his Glorious Work in the midst of you and gathered you out of the Darkness and Ignorance and Unbelief of this World where some time your Converse hath been while ye knew not the Lord and raised you up into the Light and Power and Wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ having largely tasted of the same in the Experience of his Leadings through divers Operations and Manifestations of his Spirit so that many of you have attained to a good measure of Peace and Rest with the Lord in your inward Man Dearly Beloved seeing it is thus these things the Spirit of the Father in me travelleth to bring forth unto you for the End to Comfort you and to Confirm you and to Edifie you in the saving Truths of the Gospel of Peace 1. Consider what your former Estate hath been an Estate scattered like Sheep without a Shepherd some of you dispersed into one false kind of Profession of Religion and some into another walking in such Wayes as the Lord led you not in but ye were Driven from God into the pathes of Death and Darkness and were led by blind Watch-men in the Hypocrisie and false pretences towards God Honouring Him with the Lips while the Heart was far away this was the Condition of some of you and others of you were wallowing in the open Prophaneness of the Sinful World and such was your Estate wherein you were all Strangers to God and were without him in the World and served the spirit which leadeth Captive to Destruction and in that Way you were strayed even in the
together wherefore be faithful to perform your duty to God in that particular whatsoever sufferings should be infflicted upon you by the men of this World And as concerning refusing to take any Oath ye know it hath been our Principle and practise so to do since the Lord hath given us knowledge of his wayes and the spirit of the Lord that dwels in us perswadeth our hearts to deny all swearing both as it was practised under the Law according to the command of God and in the Types and Figures and as it is practised among the Christians since the Apostles daies which is as now practised Idolatry and Superstition And I say the Spirit of Christ doth confirm our hearts in this trutâ— even to deny all swearing and also we have the express command of Christ and of the Apostle Iames forbdiding all swearing by Heaven and Earth and all other Oaths which bears witness to the truth of our refusing to swear at this day likewise we have the Testimony of many holy Martyrs and Prophets since the Apostles daies who denied to swear on any wise who suffered for such their Testimony All which evidences may justly confirm the hearts of Gods people at this day faithfully to hold out their Testimonies of refusing to swear at all seeing we have a cloud of witnesses that testifie with us the express Command of Christ and the Apostle thâ— Testâ—â—â—â—â— of 〈…〉 divers â—ges who suffered for the same and the present 〈…〉 Spirit of Christ in our own Hearts All which are sufficiâ—â—t to give Courage and Boldness under all Sufferings and Afflictions that we may 〈◊〉 withal for refusing to Swear Well Friends Be faithful to God in these and all other things which God hath given you Light and Knowledge in and I do 〈…〉 Conscience and not to sin against the Light and Knowledge that God hath given you either by denying to profess and practice that Truth which the Lord hath perswaded your Heart of or by conforming to anything which ye know is not of the Truth and this is the Way of Eternal Peace with God But if any shall through the Temptations of the Adversary and for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this World deny the Lord and renounce good Conscience â—… such must bear the Burden of the Lord's Anger because 〈…〉 Revoltings from the Wayes of God True it is This is a Day of great Tryal yet the Lord is strong and gives Strength unto all his People that 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 And let us be mindful what our Controversie is and â—… this Day our Controversie is for the Lord and his Truth to Do Faithfully and Suffer Patiently whatsoever the Will of the Lord is unto us and not to renounce and deny the exercise of our pure Consciences in those things that God hath perswaded our Hearts of the Truth of For if any this Day should be Unfaithful either by doing what they should not or leaving undone what they know they should do If any deny the Lord and his Truth and conform to the false Ways and Worships of men such lose the Controversie and give the Cause of God into the hand of your Enemies which is a fearful Abomination and the Controversie is with that spirit which opposeth us in these things which we know are of the Lord. It is with that spirit that we must contend contend I say by the Spirit of the Father in Long-Suffering and Patience and Good-will towards all men and not with the Weapons of this World in envy to any even with that spirit which doth oppose our meeting together to worship God and would impose Oaths and Things upon us contrary to our Consciences And these things are the main Matters of Controversie this day which the Spirit of Christ in us must oppose being imposed on us by the spirit of the World So all Friends are to mind to be Faithful to the Spirit of Christ and its perswasions and against that spirit which is not of him For the Opposition is between the two spirits and none must say the things required to be forborn or to be done are but small matters in themselves and may be done or not done without Offence this kind of Reasoning may be dangerous and may easily divert from the Obedience of Christ for we are not to look so much at the things in themselves which are required to be done or to be forborn as at the spirit which doth impose upon us in such cases against pure Conscience if the spirit be not of God we must not obey it in the least things for this is indeed the matter of Conscience not so much particular things or actions as the spirit that is not of God where it requires things against good Conscience for whatsoever that spirit requireth be it little or much in respect of the Action it must not be obeyed and that for Conscience sake for this is a good Conscience that cannot do nor conform to any thing which the spirit that is not of God enjoyes though therefore suffering be inflicted on the outward man And last of all I do advise and exhort That ye have Love and Unity in the Spirit of the Lord and one with another that oneness of Heart and Soul and Spirit may be amongst us being bound up in the holy Covenant of the Father even willing to do or suffer one for another and in this Spirit of Unity the Lord will bless us and make us strong and able to go through joyfully all our Afflictions but if any Strife or Division be in the Body it weakens the whole if one Member vex another through discord this is not of the Father but contrary to him this is not for the safety of the Body but bruises it and wounds it and maâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—fflict the Sâ—… 〈◊〉 the Righteâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outâ—…d Enemies â—nd Stâ—…â—…d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may sooner work 〈◊〉 â—…throw than 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from men O◠〈◊〉 therefâ—… 〈◊〉 Brother to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to many and 〈◊〉 Servant to all let me entreat and beseech That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fo◠〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisâ—…â—…ed you and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…minded in all things even one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ther 〈◊〉 the Son are one and so shall 〈◊〉 Blessings o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frâ—â— yâ—◠〈◊〉 deâ—…r 〈◊〉 The Lord haâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…ll 〈◊〉 with his Riches and Treasure â—nd are noâ— we Veâ—…s of Honour is not his Name in ou◠〈◊〉 heads 〈◊〉 not we the Flock of â—is Foâ— therefore let us Honour him by the Works of Trâ—â—h 〈◊〉 Love of Mercy and all the Works of Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—…o the 〈◊〉 thereby proving that we are true â—â—â—ches in Christ the 〈◊〉 let 〈◊〉 give up to suffer all things Patiently for the Testimony of his Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Hearts if we Live let it be to him only and if we Dye let
it be for hiâ—… hâ—…g the Sâ—… of â—â—is Good Spirit in uâ— That whether we Live or Dye we are the Lord E. B. Antichrists Government JUSTLY DETECTED OF Unrighteousness Injustice Unreasonableness Oppression and Cruelty throughout the Kingdoms of this WORLD Wherein Antichrist hath had his Seat and great Authority for many Generations in the Apostacy from the Spirit and Life of True Christianity Shewed and Declared First In the Case of Imposing upon Conscience in Matters Religious by Force of outward Violence or Pains and Penalties on the Persons and Estates of Men which is proved Unrighteous and Dangerous and of Antichrist c. Secondly In the Case of Heresie shewing what it is in it self who a Herteick is who are the true Iudges of it and what Punishment pertaineth to such as are truly convicted thereof and that To Kill Burn Bannish or to punish Hereticks as such corporally is of Antichrist c. Thirdly Concerning Antichrist and his Mystery of Deceivableness what he is in himself and how he appears in the World what his Works are and what his Government is and where it is and who are the Subjects of his Kingdom The EPISTLE Dedicated to all the Rulers of what degree soever in the so called Christian World O Friends in the perfect Love of God Almighty towards your Souls and Bodies and towards all Mankind which Love is as a Fountain opened in my Heart and kindly issueth forth in Soul-breathing-desires of Good unto the whole Creation In this Love joyned with an Humble Meek and Lowly Temper of Spirit do I present this little quantity of Substance unto you not so much for your approof of my Work as if I craved your Licence and Approbation for this small Piece to pass under your Iustification as is usually the manner of such Epistles thus directed but much more for your serious and weighty Considerations of the Cases though Briefly yet Truly unfolded which are things of very great moment to you and wherein all of you from the Least to the Greatest are less or more concerned And I do present this Work unto you as Wholsome Advice and Good Councel for you which ye ought verily to read and receive as such rather then to Flatter you by begging a Pass-port from you that this may be read and received where it shall come for the Truth and Verity of it the Weight of the Matter contained and the Soundness and Substance demonstrated shall plead its own Worth for acceptation in the Hearts and Consciences of all sincere Men. The Truth and Verity Weight and Substance of Matter I say these Termes I may justly present this small piece under the denomination of unto you and all the World True it is I do not study pleasing Stile nor have I endeavoured to clothe and trim the Matter with Flattery Curious Termes Words of Man's Wisdom or some Rare Method that it might appear more in Shew than in real Substance as the way of too many Writers have been in such Cases Nor do I promise to please the Wordly Wisdom in Men by a Delightful Sound so much as to answer the sincere Consciences of Men by Sound Truths declared more in Homely broken Terms of Speech than in the rarity of Phrase or well-compacted Rhetorick For I have alwayes desired to be known and approved of God and those that fear him in Sincerity Humility and down-right Truth and for this I study daily and labour alwayes even to have Praise Peace and Comfort of God rather than men in what I am and in what I do And therefore it is my desire that ye would look beyond the Method containing to the Matter contained and that your Eye may be fixed on the Substance intended which is verily and in Truth That ye may be informed the Way of your Peace and Happiness in this World and in that which is to come and may never hereafter Impose by Force and Violence in the Matters of Faith and the Worship of God upon the Consciences of any through Penalties and Punishments upon Men's Persons and Estates but that ye may allow and tollerate freely Liberty of Conscience in all Religious Matters and may not by Cruelty Destroy Men in their Persons or Estates upon the account of their being supposed to be or if really Hereticks and because of difference in Iudgment and Practice in Spiritual Matters These are the Particulars for substance held forth unto you and all the World and I have judged it most proper to direct these Cases to your View and Consideration as being the Persons most chiefly though not wholy concerned Therefore blame me not but rather receive my Love though but little in Quantity yet real in Quality and that ye will find one day when ye have truly tryed the Effects of the two Cases plainly laid before you which are Imposition upon Conscience and Free Liberty of Conscience These are the two Causes which will have their different and contrary Effects upon all the Rulers in the World Peace Blessings Prosperity and Happiness are the Effects of the one Cause and Wars Tribulations Contentions Misery Sorrow and the Curse are the Effects which have and will unavoidably follow the other Cause and this ye will all find in the Experience of Time and Transactions coming to pass in the World And therefore I cannot but in homely plain words as my manner is assert the Causes and the Effects of the Causes unto you again and again for the very End to Inform you Advise you and Warn you to follow the Good and to forsake the Evil to do the Right and hate the Wrong that the Effects of Righteousness and Liberty of Conscience even Peace Love Mercy and Prosperity may ever be with you and the Effects of Cruelty and Oppression and Imposition upon Conscience which will be your Misery Downfal and Destruction if ye continue in the Cause which works this Effect may be turned away and ye delivered Wherefore O ye Men Be Advised be Warned this is the Day of the Lord's Dawnings we have seen his Power and Glory he hath wounded us and healed us he hath killed and made alive he hath Proclaimed Liberty in eur Squls and Consciences from Death and Darkness from the Grave and Hell and he hath set his People free from Bondage to serve Him with a pure and perfect Heart And if ye Mortal Men made of the Dust of the Ground whose little measure of Breath is in your Nostrils will not approve of and joyn with this Blessed Work of the Lord but shall gain-say his Doings and set your Power against his Power and will not let the People go free in the Exercise of their Consciences in Holy Performances whose Consciences God hath made free then shall the Most High reward your Opposition with his Cup of Vengeance and he will make you know He is the Lord against whom ye thus raise Contention and he will dissolve your Substance and bring down your Glory and subdue
Righteousness Truth Faith and Worship without the Power of God even likeness of the things that the Apostles and Saints held in the Power of God And hereby is the World deceived though Antichrist hath taught them to Plead Scriptures and Prove by Scriptures â—…t the Apostles did the same things and held the same Profession yet being now held and professed out of the Power of God and not in the same Spirit that the Apostles were in 't is but of Antichrist and deceivable and leads captive the souls of men into destruction Oh therefore that the World and all that dwel therein would consider the danger of that deceivable Spirit of Antichrist and how he deceiveth mankind and would turn from him and forsake the wayes and works of Antichrist that they may be saved and not destroyed Oh! all ye called Christians 't is time to consider what Spirit ye are of and what Spirit leads you and how ye may escape his delusions for the Day of the Lord is come and he is gathering People out of the wayes of Antichrist and setting them free from his cruel Bonds to serve the Lord in Liberty and Freedom of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and blessed are all they that witness this where Christ reigns and Antichrist is subdued with his works and fruits and discovered and destroyed by the Spirit of the Lord and the brightness of his Coming who comes to judge the World in Righteousness and Truth 11. These things are said in general of Antichrist Now it remains to be shewed What the Government of Antichrist is in it self and where it is in beeing and who the Subjects of his Kingdom are That Antichrist the Man of Sin hath a Government a Kingdom a Power an Authority a Rule and a Dominion which is indeed his Government this is not doubtful to any but acknowledged by all but what this Kingdom and Government is many are Ignorant Now the Kingdom and Government of Antichrist is not the Government and Authority of some particular man in some particular Countrey and Nation upon Earth distinct from all other persons and Nations as if such a particuler visible Kingdom and Authority were Antichrist's Government and none besides But the Authority Kingdom and Government of Antichrist is more invisible more hidden as it were more spiritual and undiscernable unto the sons of men then any visible outward Kingdom is And indeed the Kingdom of Antichrist is the Authority and Power of Spiritual Wickedness of Spiritual invisible Iniquity or the Rule and Dominion of the Son of Perdition of the Man of Sin exercised in the hearts and Spirits of all ungodly men This is the Kingdom and Government of Antichrist an Authority of Spiritual Wickedness a Power of the Mystery of Iniquity and of invisible prevailing of the Son of Perdition in and over the hearts of the Sons of men not onely of one person or in one Nation or Kingdom of the World but in all sinful persons and over all Nations of the Earth Antichrist's Government is such throughout Kingdoms of this World even a Spiritual Power of Wickedness a Dominion and Authority of the Mystery of Iniquity ruling and raigning in the hearts of many men even of all sinful men of all unjust men of all unconverted men through all Nations in the World So that it may not truly be said that Antichrist's Kingdom and Government is onely the particular Authority of any particular man in a particular Nation of the Earth and all others Men and Nations are free but it is as I have said the Authority Power and Rule of the Spirit of Wickedness of the Mystery of Iniquity in the hearts of all evil men in all Nations through the World And this is truly the Kingdom of Antichrist in it self 12. This Government is placed and set up and chiefly the place and beeing of it is not only in all Nations at large but in the Hearts even in particular Hearts of the Sons of men in the Heart and Inward Parts of man is the place where Antichrist's Government is his Authority Power and Dominion is in the Hearts of the Ungodly in the inward Parts of Transgressors in the Heart Antichrist that Man of Sin dwells and works according as it is written 2 Thess. 2. 9 10. speaking of the Man of Sin Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all lying Wonders and with all Deceivableness of Uurighteousness in them that perish His dwelling and working is in them that perish in the Ungodly in the Hypocrites in all â—…aters in all false Worshippers Thus it is manifest That the Government of Antichrist is in the Heart not only to one man in some Nations but in the Hearts of all such men mentioned in all the Kingdoms of the World even the Mystery of Iniquity the spiritual Wickedness the authority and power of that spirit that is against Christ and contrary to him which is the Rule Kingdom and Government of Antichrist dwelleth and worketh in the hearts of the Sons of men even like as Christ Jesus dwelleth and walketh in his Saints as it is written so accordingly doth Antichrist dwell and walk in all that are the Subjects of his Kingdom Yet notwithstanding the Government of Antichrist is in the hearts of men originally there as having got dominion and Power over the seed of God and placed it self in the heart which is its seat and where Christ should reign yet the Government of Antichrist is not so spiritual so hidden and invisible in the heart but that it appears outwardly and visibly in the actions and fruits of men so that the outward actions and works of men are 〈◊〉 and sinted with the spirit of Antichrist and his government apaears visible in Antichristian Ways and Works brought forth by men the Sinfulness of men the Hypocrisies of men the Idolatries of men and the false Principles and Doctrines of men which appear visibly are the Works of Antichrist and his Government stands in these things in these Works he Governs men and to the doing of them he leads and rules men by his authority and power which is in the Hearts of men And thus Antichrist's Government appears visible and outward and is in the outward Actions and Works of men to be seen in the World as well as the working of his Power and Authority is in the Heart inwardly And also Antichrist's Government is extended not only as first dwelling and working in the Hearts of the Ungodly nor secondly as over the Works of men particularly but over the Governments of many Nations and Countries in general is Antichrist's Power and Rule extended so that the Governments of the World are leavened and tasted with Antichristian-power and authority in many Nations even the spirit of Antichrist hath possessed many hearts many Works and not only so but many Governments amongst men and this hath appeared and broken forth visible in all the works of Unrighteousness Injustice Oppressions and Persecutions brought forth in
the City Country challenged and invited and ingaged to Disputes by the high Priests and Church-members so called and written against printed against by the chiefest of men accounted wise and religious which of any Sect and who of all the wisest in profession and the most zealous in practices of Religion so called have not at sometime or other beset us and encountred with us in high Disputes and Controversies opposing of us to our Faces and gain-saying of our Doctrines and Practices and denying of us and resisting of us wholly and crying against us to be Deceivers Deluders and Hereticks and Blasphemers and such like and that our Doctrines were deceivable and error and factious and what not and that our Practises were destructive to Men Laws and Government these things in the worst nature have been spoken against us without ceasing by the wisest and men of greatest Parts and most religious falsly so accounted for this certain years in the South as well as in the North besides what loss have we sustained other wayes in the South by Beatings and Strikings and Abuses and Slanders and false Reproaches and haling before Magistrates and Imprisoning and all the like dealing from Priests Rulers and People as we did in the North yea the same hard dealing and cruelty from all sorts of people we have suffered and do daily as we did in the North insomuch we are now accustomed to the Yoak and well acquainted with Sorrow and Griefs from all sorts of people and were not the Lord on our side our Enemies would swallow us up quick and we had been long since devoured by the Teeth of the Ungodly so that I may call to witness all the Goals and Prisons in the South as in the North and all the Magistrates Judges and Rulers and all Officers of the Law what sufferings we have sustained and what cruel and hard dealing we have undergone and what injustice and unequal and false Judgment hath been executed upon us in these five years time which of the Goals may appear free where some of us have not suffered the loss of our Liberties unjustly and who of any justice of the Peace or any other Officer from the Judge to the Constable that can clear themselves from guilt in this matter and that they have not had a hand in our unjust sufferings and to the Witness of God in all people of all Sorts through this whole Nation and some other I do appeal concerning this matter how we have been dealt withal and what we have sustained in our persons and in our names how many Acts and Words of Cruelty and Injustice we have born suffered and these Priests have been as the Fountain and Cause of all this and the formost in all this Iniquity and Injustice by all what they could do to incense the Rulers and people against us by Preaching and Praying and Writing and Printing for the space of this seven years yet notwithstanding all this the Mighty Power and Presence of the Lord hath been with us and perserved us from Dangers great and many and carried us through Trials and Perplexities and Sufferings and not onely so but he hath increased us in number so that Thousands and Ten Thousands have and may own us and the Truth which we give witness of and live therein for the eyes of all people are beginning to be opened and the deaf Ear is unstopped and the Way of Life Eternal is made manisest and the Lord is gathering his Flock which hath been scattered in the cloudy and dark day whilest these false Idle-Shepherds these Priests and Teachers I mean have fed themselves with the Fat and cloathed themselves with the Wool and laid down in slumber and not gathered the Flock nor fed them but scattered them and driven them away and with Force and with Cruelty have they ruled over the Heritage of the Lord woe woe unto these Shepherds saith the Lord God they shall be confounded and put to shame perpetually and they shall be broken down and never builded any more and the Lord will pluck them up by the roots and they shall never again be planted And besides all their Petitioning the Magistrates against us and preaching and praying against us and all the evil and wickedness in Work Word and Desire brought forth against us from time to time yet here sober Reader thou hast a Catalogue and whole number of Books printed and written against us abundance of their Doctrines uttered against us and in opposition to us gathered up in this Volum in a sum with our Answers to them and if thy heart and mind be single thou mayst hereby understand in measure the difference in Doctrine between them and us and compare each of them with the Scriptures and see whether their Doctrines and Principles laid down as the Subject of their Books or our Doctrines and Principles laid down in answer to theirs be according and agree with the Scriptures and if thou be impartial in this business and single in this search and judgement I doubt not but thou wilt in a great measure satisfie thy self and be resolved concerning their Priests and Professors of England and us who are called Quakers and then when thou thus hast done own and deny whether them or us as the Lord shall perswade thee for thou mayst fully perceive we differ in Doctrines and Principles and the one thou must justifie and the other thou must condemn as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles and I wish also thou wouldst measure us and compare us in Lives and Conversations and truely judge whom of us whether they or we do the more follow Christ and his Apostles in Practise and Conversation and in all things lay us and them to the Line of true Judgement and with an upright heart judge accordingly for know this there is not any Principle we hold nor any Work which we practice in our Religion and Worship but we are willing and fully desire we might be brought to the Bar of true Justice together and in every Particular of Principles and Practices examined and tryed to the full and each of us judged in Truth and Equity whether it be they or us that are of the true Religion and true Faith and true Worship of God that the Apostles were in and which of us it is that are in a wrong Way and in a false Religion false Faith and Worship and in this we will joyn Issue with them in the sight of the whole Nation if they will come forth to tryal if what already is brought forth by them against us and by us against them for this seven Years in Disputes and in Printing and otherwise be not sufficient for all People to try us in and judge us by whether they or we be in the right and whether in the wrong And now to all People in the Nation I do appeal to that of God in all their Consciences to
or in the day of Judgment when we and all Man-kind shall appear and come sorth to tryal and every mans work shall be tryed and all shall receive according to their deeds And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World if that after the reading of this Book any be unsatisfied still in this matter And if any especially of the Heads and Rulers have doubts or Jealousies raised in them concerning us and the Priests and that they further would be satisfied and resolved for that end let any Wise-men propound for full satisfaction of all sorts of People that we with the consent of the chief in Authority that have power in this Nation who may preserve peace and safety among people and thereby to stop all Jealousies may freely and chearfully Four Ten Twenty Thirty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for dispute at any place in England at what place time and for what continuance as they shall ascribe and consent unto and to dispute and controvert betwixt us and them any such thing and every such particular as shall or may be objected by any of the Heads and Rulers or other Grave Understanding Men wherein they are doubtful betwixt us and would thereof be satisfied that by such Dispute and opening of such causes objected full and real and toal satisfaction may be given to the whole Nation and every particular man and member therein Otherwise Let the Priests or Professors or any of them object what they can against us in our Principles Profession Faith and Practice and our whole Religion And if they shall affirm and alledge any one or more things against us that any Principle we hold or Practice we profess in any part throughout all our Religion are false Principles and false Practices and not according to Truth nor the Scriptures but shall affirm that our Religion is not the true Religion nor we of the true Church of Christ and they shall have free liberty to give their best proof and reason for what they affirm and alledge yet by the Strength of Christ and in the power and authority of God and according to the Scriptures we shall confute all their Proofs and strongest Reasons and on the contrary we shall joyn our Principles Doctrines and Practices and all our Religion and every part and particular thereof to be the very truth and agreeing with the Scriptures according to that shall maintain by lawful Arguments and plea that our Religion and Worship and all that we profess and Practice is according to the mind of the Lord and justified of him and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us upon that account is utterly false and to be condemned and upon this we will ingage with them and with any of our Enemes of what Sect and Profession soever to the intent onely that Truth may be manifest and embraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denied And also upon such an Engagement we should agree to have the liberty freely and soberly to object against the Priests concerning their Ministry their Call their Practice their Maintenance and their Fruits and Effects and concerning their Church and Principles and Worship and whole Religion and shall hear patiently all that can be said in defence thereof by any or all of them and shall prove by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures that their ministry is not the true Ministry of Christ nor they true and lawfull Ministers of the Gospel but shall manifest by evident Arguments that their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects are not according nor agreeing but contrary and differing to what the true Ministry was and its Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects were in the true Apostles and among the true Churches and furthermore by the Grace of God we shall prove their Church their Worship and their whole Religion in all parts thereof to be degenerated from what the true Church was the true Worship and true Religion in the days of the Apostles and true Churches of old and these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound Arguments according to the Scriptures that all the Earth may know and all people perceive who is in the Truth and of the true Worship and Religion and who are in the contrary and whether the Priests and that which they profess and practice for Religion or the Quakers and that which they profess and practice for Religion be of God and according to him and whether are contrary that the end of this long Travel and War and controversie may be desided and justly ended between us and all people may be resolved and satisfied concerning us and them that do oppose us And let all the Priests and Professors lay aside and give over their Houses of Correction and imprisoning people and whipping of them and stocking of us and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty as for years by-past they have done in defence of their Religion and resisting of ours and let them lay aside their carnal Weapons and fighting against our persons and imprisoning of us about our Religion and let them come forth in sound Arguments the best they have and let us see what spiritual Weapons they have to resist us and defend themselves and let us try whether their spiritual Weapons or ours be the strongest and the most powerful and mighty and let theirs that are so prevail against the other be it ours or theirs and this is the way to try the truth and to make all things manifest and to deside and end all the whole controversies between us and them which hath been great this many years and let the Truth be set up and exalted where ever it is and all Deceit thrown down to the Ground and let us war with the Weapons of the Spirit against Errour and false Religion one in the other but le ts not hurt Creatures nor imprison Persons nor stock and whip Creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh Deceit and whip and beat that and all false Opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the Weapons of the Spirit that are spiritual let them fight no longer with such cruel carnal Weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcome appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the Error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deal with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true Worship and true
Counties at divers Meetings and divers particular Friends he took his leave of them saying to very many That he did not know he should see their Faces any more exhorting them all to faithfulness and stedfastness in that wherein they had found rest for their Souls And said to some I am going up to the City of London again to lay down my LIFE for the GOSPEL and suffer amongst Friends in that Place as having some sence of his Suffering before And a little after his return to the City at a publick Meeting which the People of the Lord have kept these many Years to hear and speak of the things of God to Edification at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate by certain Souldiers under the Command of Richard Brown then General of the City of London he was violently plucked down and haled away in a barbarous manner and carried to the Guard and so committed to Newgate not for Evil-Doing but for testifying unto the Name of the Lord Jesus and for the Worship of God as though this were become a great Crime worthy of Bonds and at last Death He was had to the Sessions in the Old-Baily and his Accusers were Witnesses against him and them that had abused him violently their Testimony was received as good Proof against him And at last after two or three Sessions he was fined by the Court One Hundred Marks which at last was reduced to Twenty Marks and to lie in Prison while payment where he continued a pretty long season about Eight Moneths with Six or Seven Score Prisoners besides upon the same Account many being shut up among the Fellons in nasty Places and for want of Prison-room the Natures of many were suffocated and corrupted till at last many grew Weak Sickened and Dyed At last this same Young Man grew Weak and though a special Order from the King was sent to the then Sheriffs of London for the Release of him and the rest that were left in Prison yet such was the Emnity of some of the Rulers of the City that they did what in them lay to obstruct the Execution of the Order that he should not be released And so Weakness grew upon him daily though in much Patience he was carried through all In the time of his Weakness he was very fervent in Prayer and that often both Day and Night unto the Lord as concerning himself and also his People and at several times he spoke several precious words from the sensible feeling of God's Spirit in his Heart and said I have had the Testimony of the Lord's Love unto me from my Youth and my Heart hath been given up to do thy Will And he said I have preached the Gospel freely in this City and have often given up my Life for the Gospel's sake and now Lord rip open my Heart and see if it he not right before thee Another time he said when he had a little ease There is no Iniquity lies at my Door but the Presence of the Lord is with me and his Life I feel justifie me Another day afterwards he said Thou hast loved me when I was in the Womb and I have loved thee from my Cradle and from my Youth unto this day and have served thee faithfully in my Generation And he spoke to Friends that were about him To live in Love and Peace and love one another And at another time he said The Lord taketh the Righteous from the Evil to come And he prayed for his Enemies and for his Persecutors and said Lord forgive Richard Brown he may be forgiven And though the Distemper and the Disease was violently upon him yet he was preserved sensible And in the morning before he departed this life being sensible of his deaâ—h he said Now my Soul and Spirit is centred into its own Beeing with God and this form of person must return from whence it was taken And after a little season he gave up the Ghost and died a Prisoâ—er and shall be recorded and is in the Lambs Book of Life as a Martyr for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus for which onely he suffered and gave up his life whose death was pretious in the Eyes of the Lord. But now he ever liveth with God and his Work follow him and his Labours shall testifie of him in Generations to come and thousands beside my self can bear witness his Life and Death was to the praise honour and glory of the Grace of God unto whom be the glory of all his Works for ever Amen ANd oh thou City of London who hast been a professing City of the Name of God and Christianity so many years must it be said of thee as Christ said of Jerusalem that a Prophet cannot perish out of thee Oh how many Warnings hast thou had and how dost thou remain in obdurateness and impenitency Oh thou art not worthy of those Heavenly Tydings of Salvation which hath been proclaimed in the midst of thee these many years by this faithful Messenger of God deceased with many more who is taken away in judgment unto thee because many of thy Inhabitants despised and set at nought that in which the blessedness of all Nations consisteth Oh how is thy Gold become dim and how is thy glory stained How is thy Countenance marred How is all thy Profession became dead and like a withered Tree without Sap The Symptomes of death are upon thee Your Sun is set your Glory is passed away Night is coming and Darkness is surrounding you and you shall have enough of Darkness and your Paths and Ways shall be filled with it because you have hated the Light and would not have him who is the Light of the World to rule in your hearts but have chused Darkness rather then Light because your Deeds are evil and in the end thou shalt be made to see you have chosen lying Vanities and have taken Pleasure in the Flesh and have forsaken your own Mercies Repent repent if any can find a place while it is called to Day lest you be shut up in everlasting Darkness and Truth be hid from your Eyes for ever â—ake warning cease from Persecution and afflicting the Lord's People who desire to live quietly and peaceably and to worship God in Truth and Righteousness with a pure heart It is too too much that you have done already the suffering and death of many Innocent Righteous Men who have suffered these Winters past will lie as a load upon your City in Summers to come Remember what God did to Amaleck the first of the Nations and to Moab when Israel would have passed to their own Land and Countrey that God had promised them and have eaten their own Bread and Drank their Water and have passed on peaceably but they rose up and fell upon the Poor and upon the Hindmost and Weak God was Glad to Force his Way though it proved the ruin of Amaleck and the Misery of Moab We would glad walk on
now I am but praised praised be the Lord for evermore who hath separated me from the World and worldly glories and hath made me a partaker of his Love in whom my Soul hath fall satisfaction joy and content Thus have I travelled through the World even unto the end and am now come to the beginning of that which never shall have end which the dark mind of man knows not E. B. I Am a Prisoner for the Truth sake and for Declaring to man of his Wickedness and of his Transgression of the spiritual Law of God which is spiritual and for writing of a Letter which was written from God to shew to man of his wicked ways and how he stood in the presence of God as by the spiritual Light of God which shines in the hearts of his servants was discovered and made manifest unto me for who Speaks Writes or Declares from the Light of God which doth discover all the dark paths of fallen man and all his spiritual Wickedness Speaks Writes and Declares not as from man whose light is only natural and carnal which is darkness in the pure Light which is eternal but as from God whose Light is spiritual and doth make manifest the secret Whoredom of fallen man and from this Light did the Prophets and Ministers of God who were sent by him to reprove Sin and Transgression Speak Write and Declare and in this Light did the true Prophets Ieremiah and Hosea discover Israel to be adulterous and in the presence of God to be guilty of Whoredom from whose presence they declared And all now who are sent of God to reprove for Sin and Iniquity declares from the same Light of God and by the same Spirit which Ieremiah and Hosea did For the pure Light of God is but one from generation to generation in all generation which discovers Sin and Iniquity the same Light now as in the time of the Prophets and Apostles and from this Light which is not carnal but eternal did all the holy men of God Write and Declare And all who are sent of God now witnesses the same Light and Speaks from the same Light now as they did then for who cannot witness this Light are no Ministers of God neither ever were sent of God to Declare the Truth from God but are Deceivers and blind Guids and speaâ—â— from the natural and carnal light the imagined and supposed light which hath not seen the living spiritual God for Declaring by Writing to a man that he is guilty of all manner of wickedness naming pride drunkenness and whoredom I am imprisoned I wrote not as from man whose light is only natural and carnal and doth only make manifest carnal Transgressions of a carnal Law but as from the eternal and spiritual light which doth make manifest spiritual Transgressions of a spiritual Law And in this Light is he to whom I wrote guilty of all manner of Wickedness Now this which I declared from God who is spiritual is above the reach and comprehension of the carnal and earthly Law for by the natural light through the earthly Law is no natural man able to judge of that which is spoken or declared from that which is eternal and spiritual for darkness cannot comprehend the light which light all the Servants and Ministers of God are guided by to Act Speak or Write and therefore do I deny to have this Cause put into the Judgement of carnal Lawyers who judges by the natural light through the earthly and carnal Law yet willing I am before any Authority to Answer for my self that whereof I am Accused but to the Judgement of earthly Magistrates I do not stand but to the Judgement of the Living and Eternal Judge who Judges not according to the sight of the eyes and hearing of the ears but who judges with Equity and Righteousness thus rather I chose to suffer imprisonment in the Body yet free as to God in the Truth waiting to be Redeemed not by the earthly Powers through the earthly Law but by him who is Eternal whose Law is Eternal who orders all things by his mighty Power to which Power I give up my self to be kept in it and ordered by it continually Here I have given to all People the ground of my Imprisoment in the particular of it though I might in few words have declared the thing for between the feed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent is Enmity put and he in whom the Seed of the Serpent is Ruling seeks the destruction of him in whom the Seed of the Woman is Raised And here is the Ground of all the Saints Imprisonment now as ever was the envy of the Devil working in Fallen man against the living Truth of God where it is made manifest By one who is a Labourer in the Vineyard who is not known to the World though named of the World EDWARD BURROUGH THE Walls of Jericho Razed down to the GROUND OR An Answer to a Lying Book called The Quaking Principles dashed in pieces Wherein one called Henoch Howet which goes under the name of an Anabaptist doth falsely accuse and maliciously belye us his seven Principles which he calls ours I shall lay down and what we own is vindicated and what he hath belyed the Truth in is turned upon his own head NOw is the time wherein the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is setting up a Kingdom and exalting his Name in the Earth and is exalting his own Son upon the holy Hill of Sion and is discovering the Mother of Harlots who hath made all Nations drunk with her Fornication and Iezabel shall be cast into a Bed of Torment and the fire of the Lord God is come down from Heaven and is kindled in the Earth to burn up and destroy and to consume to ashes even all those that have worshipped the Beast and hath his Image and the false Prophets that have deceived the Nations and they both shall be taken alive and cast into the pit for the Lord is grieved and wearied with this adulterous and viperous Generation who are offering up that which stinks in his nostrils and strange fire and are professing him and his Resurrection who crucifie him and put him to open shame and they deny the end of his coming and are offering in Cains nature while they slay the Just and are in the gainsaying of Corah who perished in it and so shall all those that gainsay the Lord in his Way and now the Lord of Heaven and Earth is proclaming War with the Dragon and his Angels and they shall be cast out and whosoever doth resist him in his way shall be broken to pieces as a Potters vessel and thou Henoch Howet who would limit the holy One of Israel and bind him up in thy carnal reason and stint him in his Way and Form up things in thy imagination from the Scripture and walks by Tradition thou art accusing us among the Papist but let it stand for
who saith in your hearts you are the onely people but your lying hearts deceives you and you are found naked and without a covering All ye that desire after the way of the Lord of all sorts of people who are simple and honest hearted whether prophane or professor you have a day of visitation from the Lord yet stretched forth unto you Come ye unto the Lord and forsake all your lovers lay aside your evil hearts which hath led you aside from the way of salvation and now learn the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and mind the one thing needful which is of great prize even the salvation of your souls press after and come out of the broad way of perdition wherein the world goes on to destruction and enter into the strait-way where the unclean walks not cease from all the deceitful wayes and worships of the world and love truth and walk in simplicity Cease from all your Idoll Temples for God dwells not in them but his Saints are his Temples wherein he dwells and walks cease from all your Idoll worships and feigned prayers and praises for God is not worshipped in vain traditions as in observing dayes and times and outward things but in Spirit and truth is he worshipped and such he seeks to worship him and a broken spirit and an upright heart is accepted with him Cease from all your Idol Shepherds and Priests of Baal that preaches for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter for they profit not the people at all who are ever learning while they live upon earth and none able to come to the knowledge of the truth therefore cease from man and wait upon the Lord who is now risen to teach his people by his Spirit in his way of truth and righteousness in his peace and purity where his blessing is received from his presence which is with all that fear him Therefore awake awake out of darkness and love not to slumber in the dark night which long hath ruled over you this is the day of your return and of your visitation wherein the Lord would gather you Therefore resist not the love of the Lord wherein he calls you to repentance from dead works to serve him in righteousness but every one turn your minds inward to the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith every one of you is lightned which light is it which convinceth you of sin and lets you see your evil deeds and whom you have served and how you have spent your time the Light shines in darkness and reveals unto you the secret intents of your dark hearts and doth secretly reprove the wicked purposes of your minds with this light in your consciences your sins are written and all that ever you have done is recorded and this light shall be the swift witness and the condemnation of the wicked in the day of the Lord and by it all your works will be brought to remembrance and your sins will be set in order before you to receive judgement by Christ Jesus And here is the free love and gift of God unto you who hath given you a light to guide you in his way if you own it and wait in it it will manifest the judgements of God against sin in you and will condemn sin in your flesh and will reveal the righteousness of God to be your covering if you dwell in the light it is your Teacher and way unto life eternal and if you bring all your deeds to it it will reprove every evil word and work and give you discerning of things that differ it will manifest the secretest deceit of your heart and winding of the Serpent and will be judge thereof till unrighteousness be taken away and a birth brought forth from above and born of another nature and Seed which if you be not born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore in the fear of the Lord all consider and search your selves in tender love to all your souls I write You must be judged in the flesh that you may be justified in the Spirit and you must be made poor and emptied of all your knowledge and wisdom that you may be filled and made truly wise So if you believe in Christ Jesus the Light and life of the world your hearts will be cleansed by the word of God which endures for ever and the Covenant of peace will be established with you where sin is no more remembred being condemned so â—ow you have all time this is to you all a warning as I was moved of the Lord. Repent the dreadfull day is at hand and meet the Lord by confessing and forsaking your sins and prepare the way of the Lord his coming draweth near lest his Judgments come upon you unawares and his Wrath sweep you away in fury and your Nation become more cursed then the rest all your applying of Christ's Righteousness whilst your selves are Sinners is to no purpose for no Hypocrite can enter into Life nor none that work wickedness have Eternal Life abiding in them but are in the death which hath passed over all men and the curse remaineth upon the Disobedient and all in the first nature are Children of wrath Therefore every one wait in the Light that you may be changed and take up the daily Cross of Christ that your own wills affections lusts and desires may be crucified and you may become dead to the World and may live unto God in his Nature and Likeness that your souls may be satisfied therewith and all that hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled with the true Food Therefore wait all you that fear the Lord and meet together in his Counsel and wait for his Law that you may walk therein and lay aside the works of Darkness which are made manifest by the Light and also condemned in all that come to Sion Spend not your time in the vain deceits of the World nor follow noâ— the delights thereof for according to your works must you be judged in the day of the Lord. Depart from Iniquity and all the works of the Flesh Pride and Cotousness Lying Swearing and Double-dealing and all the fruits of unrighteousness let them be judged and let the time past be sufficient that you have wrought evil and now return and work Righteousness in God by the Light which all that love works in God And deceive not your selves with a deceitful covering of self-making and self-righteousness professing Scriptures in your carnal minds which was given forth by the Spirit and is not understood but by the same Spirit Whilst the first nature stands alive in you you cannot please God but are in the emnity against him Humble your selves and come down to the Light and search your hearts thereby Wo unto the Lofty and High-minded who will not be instructed but hatâ—â— reproof Wo is unto all Lyars and Swearers and Whoremongers and Vagabonds and prophane Persons
you filled with confusions and thus it is justly come to pass upon you because of your transgressions Again you say In the sâ—â— neglect and wâ—â—t of Activity Resolution and Integrity in Magistrates and others impowered therein for the punishment and suppression of Vice and crying Enormities I answer True it is a sad neglect and want of Activity and Integrity in the Magistrates hath been and is to punish and suppress vice and therefore it abounds in all fulness in the very Streets and it hath been wholly contrary for Vice hath gone at liberty while the Magistrates and such who have been impowered have been active and full of rigour and no neglect found in them to punish or rather to oppress and suppress the Innocent and Meek of the Earth and even they have done violence to the Harmless witness most parts of Prisons this day in England how many have been beat and abused and haled and knocked down with Staves in the sight of some of the Magistrates and how many have been imprisoned for passing on the High-wayes and through their Towns and some for declaring against Vice and crying Enormities which one day must be laid to yours and their charge for a sad neglect hath been for want of Justice and true Judgment and they that have been impowered have turned their power against the Lord and have been active to lay their Sword upon the guiltless while the guilty have gone free witness many who have been beat in your Steeple-houses by violent men and afterwards committed to Prison while the Peace-breakers and Violent have gone free and indeed it is time to lay these things to heart for till you purge your selves from these iniquities you shall never be established nor your Dominions in peace for these things and such like abominations are you filled with distractions and fears compass you about and that justly from the hand of the Lord as the Light in your Consciences shall answer in the dreadfull day of account which cometh suddenly upon you Again you say In the abominable blasphemies vented and spread of late through the Apostacy of and the abuse of liberty by many professing Religion Answ. No doubt but Blasphemy is a crying sin whereof the Land is guilty if you were able to judge thereof but rather indeed this cause is not rightly stated for you call that Blasphemy which is Truth such is the grievous ignorance of some of you And this I am sure is your greater sin condemning the guiltless rather then suffering the guilty in this particular Friends beware lest your judgment be so corrupted that you call evil good and good evil and thereupon approve the evil and reprove the good being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind and such were the sins of the Rulers in Israel who persecuted the true Prophets under the account of Blasphemy and such like and approved of the Prophets that prophesied falsly and of the Priests that bore rule by their means for the People loved to have it so Ier. 5. My soul wisheth that you Rulers may be wise and ye Judges may be learned in this particular lest you go in the way of your fore-fathers to destruction persecuting the Innocent without cause through false judgment of the way of Truth which may be called by you Heresie and Blasphemy who in the blindness of your minds cannot discern of the things of God for in that way which the wisdom of the World calls Heresie do we worship the God of our Fathers and verily so much the more I may warn you herein to take heed for the time to come because you have some of you been highly guilty of this transgression of late even in condemning the guiltless concerning this offence so that thus for you I may more truly state the particular In the abominable violence and oppressions acted of late upon the Innocent and them who have worshipped God in the Spirit through the wickedness of some Rulers and the abuse of liberty by them which have professed love to God and his Way through the false judgments and unsavoury opinions of many who have called Truth Error and the Way of God Blasphemy And this is your sin of which if you that are guilty repent not and turn from it and beware of it for time to come your honour shall fall into the dust and your fall shall be more deeper into confusion and destruction then any that have yet gone before you for of late the Lord powerfully hath begun to work and to vent his Truths through the Mouthes of his Servants and to bring out of the Apostacy and Blasphemies which hath reigned since the dayes of the Apostles the true and pure Religion which stands in the exercise of a pure Conscience Again you say In the little love and tenderness which is even amongst Professors themselves towards one another who whilest they contend for things disputeable lose thâ— which is certain even charity without which they become as sounding Brass or tinkling Cymbals Answ. This is also your sin and the sin of the Nation want of love and tenderness in Professors towards God and one towards another and that love which appears is but the shew and in the form and likeness of things and not from the true ground of love and peace and these are they that hate the Light and walk not in the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath lighted every man that comes into the World in which the unity of the Saints doth stand and in which their love is one to another and they that are out of the Light are without charity which is the bond of perfection and these that know not the Light of Christ to guide them in the Wayes of God are in all their profession and words and actions as sounding Brass and as a tinkling Cymbal and these are they that are in the Disputes and Contentions and Strife about the Letter drawing their own Consequences and Deductions from it in their own wisdom and knowledge and sensual understanding and those lose the Substance and know not that which is certain Christ Jesus in them to be Ruler over them but are as dry Trees to be plucked up and all their Profession will wither and all their pretended love will perish and their shew of things in the outward appearance will be confounded who know not the Light of Christ to guide them which Light is the ground of true love and tenderness and brings to the knowledge of things certain out of the contention of things disputable But further you say In allowing difference in Forms more power to divide Christians then Agreements in fundamentals has to unite them one of the dangerousest and fruitfulest seeds that hath been sown by the envious One Answ. Christians are they that follow Christ Jesus who are not so only in name but in practice and they are one and cannot be divided as they walk in the Light which comes from Christ who is
Apostacy then began men to study from Books and Writings what to preach and say not having the holy Ghost received in them without which none are Ministers of Christ mark that and when men had lost through ignorance the Knowledge of God dwelling in them and that their Bodies were his Temple and that he dwelled and walked in his People then began they again to build Temples without and to set up their false worships in them for having lost the sence of Gods true Worship which the Saints worshipped in in the Spirit and in the Truth then they began to worship in set Dayes and set Times and set Places and outward Observances which is not the worship of God in the Spirit and in the Truth but Superstitious and Idolatrous and when the Word of God was not received immediately from his Mouth nor the Gospel by the revelation of Jesus Christ as it was in the dayes of the Apostles then darkness being come in they used their tongues when the Lord had not spoken to them as the false Prophets did before Christs time and long have they said the Letter is the Word and that the Letter is the Gospel and that it must be received by the Scriptures and by natural Learning and Arts and that none can be Ministers of Christ but such who are learned in the Languages and knows the Original of Scriptures Latine and Greek and Hebrew nor any of these have received the Gospel by revelation or the Word of God from his mouth And when singing in the Spirit and with the Understanding was ceased and not known then began People to get the Form of singing of Davids experiences in Rime and Meeter and when the pure power of Godliness was lost which was in the days of the Apostles manifested and known then in the Apostacy the deceit grew into the Form of every thing which the Saints had enjoyed in the Power and so were Shadows set up instead of Substance and Death instead of Life and the Form without the Power which in many Branches sprang forth some into one appearance and some into another but all under the power of the Beast with his many heads and horns defended and until this day since the dayes of the Apostles thus it hath been and those very Teachers and supposed Ministers which now are in this and other Nations are of that very Root which sprang forth in the dayes of the Apostles and they are under the dominion of the Beast and moveable like unto the great Whore and this may easily be proved that they are of that Generation of Teachers and false Prophets which Christ prophesied of should come which the Apostle saw was coming in in their dayes of those which Iohn saw the world to run after for Christ said That by their fruits they should be known and the Apostles they described their fruits them by their fruits and so we seeing their fruit to be the very same now which the Apostles described was the fruit of them that then were come and coming from whence we do conclude according to sound judgment that these very Teachers are of the same Generation and Branches of the same Root which sprang forth then And in Pauls Writings you may read such they were whom he saw of whom he bad people to beware and said perillous times would come and men should be Lovers of themselves Covetous Proud Blasphemers Disobedient to Parents Unthankfull Unholy without Natural Affection false Accusers Fierce Despisers of those that are good Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power and such of whom people were ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth for people were laden with sins and led away with divers lusts and these did resist the Truth as Iannes and Iambres who withstood Moses by making likenesses without Life and they were men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the Faith Now it is plain that these Teachers in this Generation are of that very Stock which Paul describes such he saw would come and such we see are come and by their fruits we know them as Christ said and Pauls words are fulfilled for these Teaâ—hers are lovers of themselves and covetous and proud this is plain to all people and Blasphemers who denies Christ to have lighted every man that comes into the World and therefore they deny Scripture and so are disobedient and unholy men and without natural affection who many of them have caused the Innocent to be imprisoned and some have died in Prison and they the chief cause of this and this is without natural affection to the Creatures and they are false Accusers and Lyars and fierce in their Books and Preaching as is manifest through all this Nation and they greatly dispise those that are good and prepares war against such as do not put into their Mouthes and they aâ—â— heady and high-minded and lovers of vanities and pleasures this is evident without proof and they have a Form of Godliness they say all should be taught 〈◊〉 God but when any comes to witness it and deny their teaching they cry agaiâ—… such as Hereticks and thus they have the words and the Form but deny thâ—… Power and they are ever teaching twenty and forty years and more but noâ—… able ever to come to the knowledge of the Truth by them but all in blindness aâ—â— darkness still and people cries out who have been learning many years froâ— them that they do not know the Truth and its plain that these Teachers are of that sort that Paul spoke of who brings none to the knowledge of the Truth people that follows them are laden with sins and led away with divers lusts 〈◊〉 these have and do resist Truth every whore they deny that Christ hath lights every man that comes into the world and so resists Truth and denies Scripture and the truth as you may read Iohn 1. 9. And they are corrupt minded ever wicked Persecutors and Suers at Law and earthly minded and covetous and oppressors and are wholly rebrobate concerning the faith and thus it is plain that the root of these Teachers was springing in the Apostles dayes and hath grown ever since in this dark night of Apostacy and hath filled the Nations Again the Apostle saw that many should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in hypocrisie haviâ—â— their Consciences seared as with a hot Iron Now these Teachers are of the Stock which is departed from the true Faith for they are without true Faith and reprobate concerning it who are in iniquity and sin and the works of the World which are evil now Faith purifies the heart from all this but their hearts 〈◊〉 not purified but polluted with Covetousness and preaching for Hire and Persecution and Envy and therefore they had not Faith and so are of that Generation which
them like to the Beast none upon Earth hath bought or sâ—â—d or judged or given evidence or been respected in all the World that 〈◊〉 not had the Mark of the Beast and the number of the names of Antichrist rich and poor small and great have receive his Mark as a Seal of their subjection to the Beast whose many heads and many horns have subjected all by the force of his arm and he hath blinded the eye lest men should see him and cast darkness over all faces and the false Prophet hath deceived many a Christ hath said and all the Earth hath been wandring in the Wildernâ—… of Wickedness and the Long-suffering of the Lord hath been wearied and he continually provoked to destroy the Nations who have followed Antichrist who hath shewed himself in the Seat of God to be God and hath sat in the Seat of God in the Seat of Justice Righteousness and of Mercy and the Abomination of desolation hath long stood in the place where it ougâ—â— not for many Ages and length of Times and his many Heads and many Horns hath swayed the World through the terror of the Beast who haâ—… made all worship him and they that would not he hath killed who hath carried the great Whore who hath made all men without exception and all Nations without respect to any wholly drunk with abomination and all hath staggered and fallen into grievous iniquities and the Dragon hath stood ready continually to devour the Child of Righteousness as soon as it was born and the Woman hath been forced to flee into the Wilderness that hath brought iâ— forth and hath fed there for so many dayes and for a long season hath the Lâ—â—d been blasphemed even the Name of God and his Tabernacle and them thâ—â— dwell in Heaven But now hath the Lord considered and looked down from his Habitatiâ—n and of a truth he is risen and hath taken to him his great Power that he may reign and put all things under his Feet and subdue the power of the Beast and Antichrist and all their Government and Rule and Laws and Decrees shall be overthrown and confounded all their worship shall be broken for great Babylon is come into remembrance before the Lord to render her according to her works the Lamb is now risen and advanced with his Bow and his Sword and he is going forth Conquering and to Conquer the Beast and all that have worshipped him and they that are with the Lamb are called and chosen and faithful they love not their lives unto death and they shall overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of his Testimony the Dominion of the Lamb is setting up and his Power is made manifest and the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hand is a dashing at the feet of the Image and against the Beast and his Power and against all his Laws and Decrees is he risen and he will change Times and Laws and Powers and the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever for now the Spirit of Life from God is entred into the Witnesses which have been slain and they begin to stand upon their feet and great fear falls upon the great men of the World and the Devil is cast out into the Earth who hath sitten in Heaven in the Temple of God and deceived the whole World and his wrath is great against the Saints and against the Lamb because he knoweth his time is but short and the Man-child shall grow and shall rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron if any man hath an ear to hear let him hear he that leadeth into Captivity shall go into Captivity he that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword the Purpose of the Lord shall stand who is now gathering and bringing back such as have been driven away and deceived by the Generation of false Prophets who have deceived the whole World and all that dwell therein and the Lord will take vengeance upon them upon the Beast and upon the false Prophet and great Babylon shall be thrown down and shall be no more at all but shall be made desolate and the voice of Harpers and Musitians shall no more be heard at all in her but her Glory shall wither and fade away in a moment for he that hath a true Weight and Measure is appeared to divide and to give due weight and measure unto every one and all the wicked who will not come from under the worship of the Beast shall have their part in the Lake that burnes with Fire and he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still here is the dividing of all things as they were in the beginning the Glory of the Lord is risen whose name is called the Word of God and out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword and with it be smiteth the Nations and he shall rule them with an Iron Rod for his Name is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he is gathering his Saints together to the Supper of the Great God to eat the flesh of Kings the flesh of Captains and the flesh of Horses and them that sat thereon the Purpose of the Lord shall not be disannulled though the Beast and the Kings of the Earth gather together their Armies to make war against him that sits upon the Horse who is already gone out to conquer and the numberless number of the Saints are gathering together before the Throne of the Lamb and they have no guile found in their mouthes And the day is now dawned and the night is far spent Wo unto the World and to all the Inhabiters of the Earth who have worshipped the Beast the Lord is coming to plead with you and ye that have partaken of the sins of the great Whore shall partake of her Plagues and she shall be rewarded double according to her works for her sins have reached unto Heaven The Day of great tribulation is at hand of Anguish and Destruction men shall seek death and shall not find it but it shall flee from them when the Lord ariseth and the Lamb standeth upon Mount Sion and his Saints with him who shall tread down the Heathen and cast them out even as they have trodden down the holy City and the Worship thereof and the Kingdom of the Beast and his Seat and his great Authority which he hath received from the Dragon shall all be thrown down and the Kingdom of the Son of God with his Government Scepter and Rule shall be established in all the Earth and the utmosts part thereof shall be given him to possess this is the Promise and this shall come to pass and through the whole World Laws and Decrees Ministry and Orders shall be changed and renewed the Law and Decree of the Most High shall rule over all and the
Heaven and Earth all Nations upon Earth are but as the drop of a Bucket before him and the hearts of all men are in his Hand and by him Kings rule and the Princes of the Earth are at his disposure and you are all weighed in the Ballance of Equity and found too light before the Lord for all flesh hath corrupted its way before him Be awakenened ye that have long slept in Darkness and been at ease in the flesh ye that have had peace in this World and pleasure in the vanity thereof the Lord is coming to make war against you his Trumpet hath sounded and his Sons and Daughters are gone forth to bear witness of his Majesty and Power and Dominion and the Lord hath spoken Who can but prophesie he hath given the Word and many are they that publish it Let your ears be open to Instruction and kick not against the Lord neither harden your hearts against him but make way for him and prepare his Path for he cometh to judge the World in Righteousness and the People with equity and the Testimony of the Light of Jesus in you all shall witness for him your princely Powers must become subject to the Power of the Kingdom of the Most High and your glory must be vailed and darkned before the Glory which â—he Lord is causing to shine forth and we the Servants of the Most High do give you warning of the day of your Visitation which is upon you and all the World for the Lord is now risen who hath long winked at the time of great ignorance but now â—e warns you all to repent therefore bow down ye Stiff-necked and tremble ye Stout-hearted and be abased ye Lofty-looks our King is above you all our dominion is over you all and the line of true Judgment are you all measured with and your wayes are not found perfect in the Sight of the Lord nor your hearts right before him his Kingdom hath not been known in your dominions neither hath his Laws and his Judgments born rule but you have every one been doing that which is right in the sight of your own eyes and the counsels of your hearts have been nought but vanity before the Lord Vain-glory hath abounded among you which the the Lord's Soul hath been burdened by the honours and pleasures of the flesh have been your delight and strife and enmity hath been among you and wars and quarreling and fighting one against another and you have rejoyced in the overthrow one of another and in destroying one another and you have taken pleasure in gaining one anothers dominions you have striven who should have been the greatest and greatly oppressed the Poor you have exalted your selves one against another and drawn up your Armies one in defiance of another and the blood of Thousands have been shed to satisfie the humours of your proud hearts all this hath been evil in the Sight of the Lord and his Spirit hath been grieved and his Soul vexed by all this and he hath forborn till he hath been weary for he hath been dishonoured by all this and his Law hath not born rule and his Judgments have had no place you have been cruel-hearted one towards another and merciless and without pitty and ouy have not done to others as you would be done unto but you have rendred evil for evil and sought occasions of evil one against another and vexed one another through the pride of your hearts therefore now is the Lord risen to make war against you all and to dash you to pieces the Feller comes up amongst you he that will not spare to slay and to devour who will not be afraid of your lofty looks he will spoil you of your Treasure and lay waste your strength all ye Kingdoms of the Earth and your gathering together against him is but as Briers and thorns for he will exalt his own Kingdom over you all and all ye Kings of the Earth shall know that the Kingdom of the most high must rule in your Kingdoms and your Laws shall be changed and the poor shall no more be oppressed for he is come thâ—t proclaims liberty unto the Captives who will remove oppression far away who will change Times and Worships and Ordinances and there shall be no Law but the Law of God nor no light but of the Lamb nor no worship but the Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth for all your Worships which the Nations are full of is nought but vanity and a lye immitations and superstitions brought forth in hypocrisie and not in an upright heart vanity of vanities have abounded both in civil and spiritual affairs The root in which you stand is wholly corrupted and no good fruit springs from it but cursed fruit which must be 〈◊〉 down and cast into the fire ye have been evil and could not bring forth any good you are corrupted and your fruit is of a bitter taste a day of sorrow of lamentation and misery is coming upon you all ye that have been high and lofty and stouthearted fearfulness shall surprise you and the terror of the Lord of Hosts shall compass you about I am moved to salute you all with this as a warning and when it comes to pass remember you have been told ye that know not the Kingdom of the most High ruling men but are saying in your hearts this hath my hand done in a moment shall you be smitten and know there is one above you which must rule for it is his right to rule over all Nations and there shall be no King but Jesus thâ— Aâ—oinâ—eâ— oâ— God â—oâ—â—o Government but the Government of the Lamb there shall be no more war but war against the Dragon who hath stood to devour the Man-child which is now bringing forth and he must rule with his Iron Rod and shall subdue all under his feet We whom God hath warned cannot but warn you of these things which 〈◊〉 come to pass he is coming to separate between the Just and the unjust he will gather from among you that the wicked may be consumed from off the face of the Earth All you Rulers in the World I warn you all take heed how you persecute such as comes to warn you who brings this Message to you lest you add sin to sin till there be no place found for repentance for ye shall all know our God is the true God that made Heaven and Earth before whose presence all â—â—esh must come to Judgment By one who hath measured the Times who is come to the Day that hath made all Things mâ—…ifest EDWARD BURROUCH A General Epistle and Greeting OF THE Fathers Love tâ— all the SAINTS Called and chosen to faithfulness in Christ Jesus the Light of the World in which they believing and their faith standing in his Power many suffer for his Name sake And this is to all such as are found worthy to suffer and is an Exhortation to the strengthning of their
in that nature which is to be famished and glories in what hath been done by it as though it had not received power from the Lord and is exalted as though it bare the Root not knowing that it is born of the Root and that spirit spends its Treasure which it received in the Fathers house amongst Harlots and despises the poor and seeks occasion to glory over the weak that it may be renowned beware of that spirit I charge you all for it is not of the Father nor to be followed but to be condemned and resisted unto death Again believe not that spirit neither follow it which preacheth not from the measure of God received and to be manifest to it in you and approved by it only but speaks above the measure and reaches not to the measure of the Grace of God that spirit leads after words and outward shews and cries peace to the Rich and judgment to the Poor and the Word of God is not divided aright but heals up falsly and daubs with untempered morter and cries peace where God speaks war and cries war where God speaks peace and that Spirit is a Deceiver and a Betrayer and feeds but the Ear and not the Life and darkens the Counsel of God by words without knowledge and is not of the Father but of the World and to be denied and condemned Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is not subject to rule and order and is not meck and diligent and long suffering but heady and high and untoward seeking occasions against the Just and Watcheth for evil that spirit will not bear reproof but is idle sloathfull and careless and surmising evil and backbiting and conforms in appearance making a fair shew but is not unto God as appearing unto man and that would go and is not called and will not go when it is called and seeks for the praise of men more then God and that is fruitless ground and brings forth Bryars and Thorns in secret which choaks the Seed of God beware of that spirit it is a Lover of this World have no fellowship with it for it is not of the Father but a Deceiver and is to be a denied Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is tossed and unsetled and is given to change and is not established with Grace that is an Adulterer and hunâ—s for the precious Life and seeks by flattery to beguile the Innocent that spirit is zealous for a moment but is soon overcome and is stony ground and brings not forth fruit to perfection but withers and its latter end is worse then the beginning That spirit is exalted into presumption in peace and cast into desperation in trouble and the double minde lodgeth in it and it is unstable in all its wayes and is a ground for the Seed of Satan and to it there is no peace from God and beware of that spirit for it is not of the Father but to be condemned Again Believe not that Spirit neither follow it which is more zealous then knowing whose zeal is without true knowledge and stands in that which is corrupted that flourisheth for a moment but cannot endure for ever it hath no root in it self but is furious and passionate and not long-suffering that spirit knows not its self but would devour its Adversaries with bitterness and not gain by long-suffering that is not the spirit of the Father but must be denied in all Again Believe not that spirit which draws back into the World into its lusts and liberty and fashions which passe away that spirit forgets God and draws back for his Soul hath no pleasure in it but is vexed with it where the Cross is made of none effect and the false liberty is walked in which murders the Life that spirit is of the Devil and is to be condemned And now all Friends of God every where who knows him and are known of him whom he hath gathered out of this untoward Generation be diligent in your Callings and keep your Meetings in faithfulness waiting upon the Lord that you all may receive of his fulness to be filled with it and may be nourished up unto himself as trees of righteousness the planting of his own right hand to spread forth his Name and Glory as a people saved by him and to whoâ— there is none like besides And this know and understand that spirit is not of the Father which confesseth not the Son to be come in the Flesh who destroys the works of the Devil and takes away sin and that Spirit believe and follow whiâ—â— condemns sin and destroys it and takes it away and so gives peace with God iâ— your own Consciences and leads you into all Truth and keeps you from all evil and you that witness this the Son you know and the Father you know to dwell with you and in you and this is the first and the last believe in him and follow him and look not for any other and in this the Father of Life and Glory whose Dominion is without beginning and end establish you and preserve you Amen and Amen I a beloved Brother and a Companion unto all the Saints in suffering and in rejoyciâ—â— who have received this Testimony from the Father do with it in this Epistle salute tâ—â— whole Church in the Love of the Father as moved of him by his Eternal Spirit whiâ—â— beareth witness to me that we are of God and the whole World lieth in wickedness 〈◊〉 that all that are of God heareth us And this Testimony I give of the Father 〈◊〉 of the Son and of the Truth and of the Salvation of which I am made a Witness and against all that ever shall deny it or turn from it And this is thus far the 〈◊〉 of my Testimony by the Spirit of the Father not knowing when the time comes it 〈◊〉 be finished and the night may come when no man can work E. B. To all that suffer for the Testimony of Iesus and foâ— his Name sake THe glorious God of Truth hath appeared and made known his Way aâ—â— Truth perfectly in this our day and hath chosen unto himself faithfâ—… Witnesses to testifie of his Name and of his Truth before Rulers and People and hath brought forth a Seed which is not of this World which cannot boâ— to the Devil but is Heir of Gods Inheritance though a Sufferrer in this World under the Powers thereof and many in this Generation who are called and faithfull and chosen bear witness unto the Name of the Lord in Sufferings and Tribulations whom he will honour because they honour him who is exalting his Truth and his People through Sufferings And now all Friends who are called to suffer for the Testimony of Jesus and foâ— the exercise of a pure Conscience which you hold be valiant for the Truth upon Earth and faint not but finish your Testimony with joy for the Lord aâ—â— against all your Enemies and look
they seek their Gain and through Covetousness make Merchandize of souls â—he false Prophets of Israel were their Example and they follow in the Path of Unrighteousness having run and were never sent of God and therefore the People are not profited at all nor turned to God but from year to year and time to time ever learning but cannot come to the knowledge of the Truth Ignorance abounds in thy old Men and Rudeness and Wildness in thy Youths and thy People are without the knowledge of God and perish for lack of Knowledg Thou art even as a wild untilled Garden which bringeth forth no plesant Fruit thy Vines are as the Vines of Sodom and thy Fruit is loathsome to the Lords Taste wild Grapes and sour Grapes are brought forth in thee which the Lord hath no pleasure in ye bring forth fruit unto your selves and not unto the Lord ye kindle a Fire and warm your selves with your own sparks ye sacrifice to your own Net and ye think to be heard for your much Babling and your many Performances Aboundance of the first mans wisdom is among you it leads you and guides you and not the Spirit of God and through your own wisdom which is devillish you conform to the Saints words and to theiâ— practises in outward appearance and make your selves like the Saints and bow unto your own Images and Likenesses which ye make and are grown wise and full of knowledge but it is not the Wisdom of God nor the Knowledge that will endure for ever for you neglect the one thing which is only needful to Eternal Life Your Buildings are high but they are not upon the true Foundation for many of you stumble at the Corner Stone your sprinkling Infants is a vâ—ry Cheat and all that believe therein are deceived and your singing of David's â—â—periences in rime and meeter is a very Lye unto you your Worship is but Idolatry and it will not cover you in the Day of the Lord though none be like unto thee O London in Profession nor any City hardly can compare with thee in respect of the Multitude of thy gathered Assemblies and self Separates yet all this will not availe thee when the Lord searcheth thy heart which is found not perfect beforethe Lord but full of vain glory and lust and pleasures of the flesh and dissimulation and guile which the Wrath of God will be revealed against A single and an upright Heart is of greater price with the Lord then all the Performances of Self-righteousness that is done in thee while your hearts are given to vanity and continue therein Wherefore O London this is a Warning to thee Let thy Inhabitants repent the dreadful Day of the Lord is coming I have heard the voice of War against thee and not of Peace the cry of Howling and bitter Lamentation and not of gladness nor joy of heart What wilt thou do in the day of thy Visitation when the Lord stretcheth forth his Hand to smite thee To whom wilt thou flee And where wilt thou be hid when the Lord shews himself thy Enemy and appears to take an account of thee What will become of all thy Treasures How will thy vaine glory become a stink How will the dayes of thy mirth be turned into grâ—evous sorrow instead of thy pleasures and delicacies and mirth and wantonness shall be Sighing and Mourning and woful Lamentation all thy gods shall not be able to deliver thee nor all thy Profession shall not justifie thee nor all thy self-separating People shall not be able to stand in the gap to stay the hand of the Destroyer none of thy carved Images shall stay his fury nor none of all thy several Sects shal be a mountain to hide thee when the Lord strips thee naked and layes thee bare and gives thee to know what is in thy heart which will come upon thee in a day not looked for Wherefore repnet all sorts of People and turn to the Lord if there may be mercy found Cease your Wickedness ye Wicked and learn to live Righteously Wo unto you Drunkards Wo unto you Whormongers Wo unto you Covetous Wo unto you Lyars Swearers and Scorners Wo unto you Dissemblers and deceitful Dealers Wo unto you Proud and Vain-glorious Wo unto you lustful People The Lord will plead with you all and give unto you the fruit of your doings and reward you according to your works his hand shall not spare nor his Eyes shall not pitty in the day that he comes to Judgment when he takes vengeance upon all the seed of Evil-doers and to pluck up the wild branches and to cast them into the fire Sackcloth shall be put on instead of gay Apparel and all thy Idols shall vanish away as for all thy Profession where is it All thy many Sermons and long Prayers what is become of them And all thy publick and private Duties where are thy shall it be said Ye shall all know that there is a God that will execute judgment and justice and that will plead with all flesh and in his sight shall no flesh be justified And all ye who thirst for the Lord and desire after the knowledge of his Wayes unto whom iniquity is a burden by you desired to be freed from who have long sought the Lord and have not yet found him who have prayed and had no answer and have been weary and heavy laden and found no rest I say unto you Save your selves from this untoward Generation come ye out of these abominations that you may be delivered from the Wrath Fear ye the Lord and do not offend him in any thing stand in awe and transgress not love Righteousness and Truth touch no unclean thing and the Lord will receive you meddle not with their Worships bow not to their Images nor sacrifice not to their Idol gods have no fellowship with them in their prophanness nor yet in their hypocrisie but hearken ye to the Voice of the Lord that ye may know his Judgments in your hearts and his Law and Covenant established with you depart from all iniquity and cast away all your Idols and forsake all your Lovers Give not your selves to the wayes and pleasures of this World but give your selves to Chastity to Soberness and Meekness and above all things be upright in heart towards God and towards man speak the truth one to another and let no Guile dwell in your Lips nor a deceâ—tful Tongue in your Mouth And cease from all Vain-glory and vain Customs and Fashions of the World which are evil And cease from all Men-teachers which deceive the People by flattering words who cry Peace when the Lord hath not spoken peace daub with untempored Morter such have not profited you at all but your soules are starved under your Ministry and leanness is upon you though you ever learn of them yet you cannot come to the knowledge of the Truth by them Cease from them all and from all your gathered and
it 〈◊〉 evident that their hearts are exercised with covetous practises who sue poor Pâ—â—ple at Law some for Twelve Pence which they are more able to give to 〈◊〉 they whom they sue to receive from and they follow the Error of Balâ—… and run after him greedily who went for Gifts and Rewards as do these 〈◊〉 have unrighteous Wages cause people to pay them money for whom they do not work and this is unrighteous Wages these are Wells without Water and Clouds without Rain they make a shew of Godliness and Righteousness when as they are prophane and unrighteous and they speak great swelling words of vanity professing themselves to be Orthodox Divines and such like which are no more but words of vanity without Truth and they seek to allure all people to follow them in their way of Idol Worships and so they are deceived and deceiving and while they promise liberty to others by Christ from sin when they are dead themselves are the Servants of corruption and live in sin to this day and in all things which the false Apostles were guilty of these come not behind but these do shew by their works that they are guided by the same spirit which was in the Deceivers of old and so they agree and concur one with another in unrighteousness Again the false Prophets and Deceivers which were come and coming in the dayes of Iohn they were of the World and the World heard them And they were them which Christ prophesied of should come into the World which should deceive many and such were they which the Apostle saw coming in 2 Tim. 3. and he said after his dayes greivous Wolves should come in which should not spare the Flock such as were departed from the FAITH and spake Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences sâ—â—â—ed with a hot Iron and such were they Covetous Boasters proud Blasphemers Unthankful Unholy without natural Affection Truce-breakers false Accusers Incontinent fierce Despisers of those things which were good Traytors Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasure more then Lovers of God they have the form of Godliness but deny the Power therereof and People by them were ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth of this sort the Apostle saw was coming and would come more fully and such are the Teachers of this Age for they are of the World living in Pride and the Wickedness of it and the World hears them such as themselves proud and wicked People for they that fear God and walk in his Wayes are departed from many of them and they shew that they have no Faith but are departed from it for FAITH keeps from evil from the wayes of sin and death which they live in and Lyes in aboundance they speak in hypocrisie and their Consciences are seared that is plain else they could not do as many of them do who cause innoâ—ent People to be put in prison and make havock of their Goods who will not pay them Tythes or maintain them and they are the proudest of men and as Covetous as any and Unthankful and Unholy they shew themselves to be and they are false Accusers and Truce-breakers for they hardly make any Conscience of belying the People of God in the Pulpits or to the Magistrates and they are Heady High-minded and if some of them be not Treacherous judge ye who have turned divers wayes in their judgments according to the times and they have a Form of Godliness but not the Power pray and sing in a form and preach in a form and method and people are ever learning by them sixty Years or more or less and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth but dye in ignorance and blindness without knowledge under them And herein do they agree also with the false Prophet and Antichrist which Iohn saw to be come in and such as the Apostle saw which were then coming in and they shew the very same spirit by the same works and the same fruits which appear from them men of understanding may compare them in all these things They do agree and appear to be of that very Stock and Generation which the Apostle prophesied of for they were grievous Wolves which should not spare the Flock which the Apostle saw and these do not spare the FLOCK but even devour them and no less then grivous Wolves can they be said to be For if a poor Woman hath but ten EGGES in all the World they will have one in many parts of this Nation or but ten Chickens they will have one or but a Fire in their House they will have a Penny for the Smoak and such like wolvish devouring wayes and if these be not grievous Wolves let all the World judge And here is their Treachery made manifest while they say they preach the Gospel in love to souls yet its manifest they preach for love of Money for few or none of them preach where there is no money and People are absolute blind that do not see them for in all things they agree with the Deceivers and false Prophets of old and shew that they be of the very same spirit and thus you see their own Rule condemns them and because they say the Scripture is their Rule therefore I have thought good to lay them to it and measure them by their own Line and all People may see wherein they are quite contrary to the Ministers of Christ and wherein they wholly agreâ— with the Deceivers Let them hide themselves from this blow if they can and let them bring their Arguments against this sentence and let all their Friends appear for them and see if they can reverse this judgment which their own line hath judged them by let them bring in their Plea and defend themselves from this if it be possible for in those things which I have named and many other it is manifest that they fully agree with the Deceivers and disagree with the Ministers of Christ and by their fruits they are perfectly made manifest Again Christ spake in his dayes and the Apostles in their dayes that false Prophets and Deceivers should come into the world and after them and they gave descriptions what such they should be and what fruits they should bring forth as I have before mentioned in that 1 Iohn 2. and it is plain that these Deceivers and false Prophets did come in according as was prophesied for Iohn said By this we know it is the last times for now are they come which was many hundred years ago I say the Deceivers and false Prophets which Christ prophesied of to come Matth. 24. came into the World many hundred years ago as you may read 1 Iohn 2. And with this I shall conclude this particular The Teachers of this Age by their â—ruits are proved already to be of that stock and succeeders in the same works by the same spirit of them which Christ said should come and which the Apostle saw was
that who will not have hire for preaching nor be hired by great sums of money from one Country to another such as makes the Gospel of Christ free and without charge who will not be burdensome to any but walks in all wisdom as examples of righteousness to all people whose conversations are in heaven and holdeth forth in life and practice unto all men what they profess in words and by doctrine and conversation holding forth the Light of the glorious Gospel which they have received from God being Partners of all holiness of Peace and Long-suffering of Meekness and Patience unto their Flocks even such who walk in Christ and shew forth good works and the fruits of his spirit causing his Light to shine forth among men in humility and soberness and in all the fruits of peace and Truth and such are approved of God and of the Saints even they that preach Christ freely to all people and hold forth the Light of the World which lighteth every one in the World the free gift of God to all mankind that all may believe and come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved and such Ministers respect not the person of any man for advantage neither respect dayes nor places nor things but worships God in Spirit and in Truth and teach that worship unto all people and they gather people into the new Covenant where Christ is the High Priest and our Bodies the Temples of God and the Circumcision in the Heart and in the Spirit for such are Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and they divide the Word of God aright they feed the Hungry and the Rich are sent empty away they cry not peace to the wicked neither do justifie the Unconvered neither do they condemn the Righteous nor such as are of an upright Heart but Christ they preach to justifie all that do believe and are obedient to him and do condemn all that believe not but are disobedient and such Ministers have the Word of Reconciliation and their Ministry is made effectual to accomplish the work of God Sinners are converted and brought to God thereby and to be taught of him alone and the Saints through that Ministry may obtain to the Holy Ghost and to need no man to teach them but as the Anointing within them which they receive through the Ministry whose labour is and the end of it to present every man perfect in Christ and this Ministry and such Ministers we approve of and they are approved of Christ and we would have them established and who are such will not take care for an outward maintenance neither what to eat or what to put on neither will they petition to Magistrates for Tythes and Augmentations but are without care as for a Lively-hood in this World they will not remove from one Town to another for a better Parsonage â—r Place for such as do so are not the lawful called Ministers of Christ but have run and were never sent for Christ's Ministers take not though for an outward maintenance but approve themselves in Patience in all Conditions and â—omtimes are in Want and in Cold and Hunger and Nakedness and in Persecutions and Tryals and Afflictions and suffered all things for the Name of Christ and yet we do believe and know That such have power to eat and to drink and may receive carâ—â—l things where they sow spiritual things but as a free Gift and not by compulsion or force we do allow that the Ministers of Christ may eat of the Milk of the Flock which they keep and feed and they may eat of the fruit of the Vineyard which they have planted and which they labour in and they may supply their necessities from them whom they have begotten of the Faith and whom they labour among 〈◊〉 Life and Doctrine who are Sheep of the Fold and Plants of the Vineyard of Christ Jesus but I say as a free gift may they receive the fruits of their labours and not as a debt nor any title claimed thereto by the Law of the Nation neither may they receive it by force or compulsion but who are the truely called Ministers of Christ are so far from this of forcing maintenance from any that they will not make use of their power in taking what may be freely given them for they will not make the Gospel burdensome by any means and this is the maintenance we do allow the Ministers of Christ they may eat such things as are set before them in any house which they enter into which is worthy and they may supply their necessities in food and raiment as a free gift from them who are gathered out of the world who are the Church of Christ over whom the Ministers are made Stewards to watch over them to exhort them to instruct them and to edifie them but not from the world who continues in unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel may they receive any outward maintenance by compulsion or by a free gift neither may they receive great sums of money by the year or tythes or other offerings to maintain themselves and their families in pride and idleness and lust and excess and superfluity in meats and apparel such a maintenance if by free gift much less by force is not allowed by Christ and his Saints but is the maintenance of Antichristian Teachers which never were sent of Christ and such cannot be content with his allowance and wages but lives in pride and pleasures of this world and in vanity and maintained they say they must be and if they be so they care not from whence it comes nor by what means and that is the reason wherefore so many hundreds of honest people are so spoiled in their Persons and Estates the Bodies of some being cast into prison and many others having their Goods taken from them by force and distraint and all this is to maintain Antichrists Ministers who neither care how they have it or from whom or to what evil use they improve it and this plainly appears in this Nation by many evidences but the Ministers of Christ do deny such a maintenance and such practises and are come to that Life which judgeth all these things And as concerning COMPELLING of Maintenance and forcing of iâ— from people this is utterly against the Law of Christ and condemned by him and denied by the Saints for it is unreasonable and no equallity in it that people should be compelled to maintain a Ministry especially such a one as they know 〈◊〉 not the Ministry of Christ neither is profitable to them and which they receiâ—â— no fruit from for the Ministers of Christ do not desire maintenance from the people of the World neither can receive any from them neither in justice and equity should the Ministers of the World receive or compel Maintenance from the Saints by force and cruelty but this we would have and this is reason and equity let all Ministers be maintained by
the true God that made Heaven â—nd Earth in the Spirit and in the Truth he hath placed his Name amongst us â—nd made his everlasting Covenant with us and established it that it cannot be â—oved he hath given us his Spirit and poured it upon us and we are taught of him according to his promise and are established in his holy Mountain where â—one can make us afraid for he hath armed us with his power and strength to defend us from all our enemies that we should bear witness of his Name in all the world and declare unto all Nations of his power and Dominion of his Salvation and Redemption that is in Him and in his Son of which we are made â—artakers and witnesses and by him have we received the heirship of the everlasting inheritance and we are of God and he that is of God heareth us whom the Father hath chosen and redeemed out of kindreds tongues and peoples to stand before the Throne of God and the Lamb and we have sought and do finde a City whose builder and maker is God and we are known to the Lord God Almighty and approved in his sight Our light is the light of the Lamb and our government the government of Jesus and our Law the Law of the most high and our Way is the way of peace and truth he that can receive it let him This is the Testimony which the Spirit of the everlasting Father witnesseth in us and witnesseth of us unto the whole world CHAP. I. Concerning the true God this Testimony I give to all People upon the Earth THe true God he is a Spirit and is infinite eternall and everlasting the Creator of all things and the life and being of all things and the power by which all things stand all Creatures have a being in him and by him and without him no creature is or doth move upon the face of the earth this is he whom we worship and fear and doth obey and he brings to pass by his counsel whatsoever he will and nothing can prevent the purpose of his mind but his counfel stands for ever and he is the righteous Judge of all things and before him must all mankinde come to Judgement and the living and the dead by him must be judged he is a rewarder of every one according to their deeds whether they be good or whether they be evil His Greatness Power Majesty and Dominion is over all and beyond all ruling above all in the power of his own will and who may say what doth he his eye seeth all and his presence filleth all and no creature can be hid from his sight he is near at hand and afar off he searcheth mans heart and and tryeth the reins and shews unto man his own thoughts he justifieth the righteous and condemneth the wicked he is light it self and in him is no darkness at all This is the true God whom we worship and this Testimony I give of him unto all people upon the face of the whole Earth CHAP. II. Concerning the Son of God this Testimony I give unto all the World THE Son of God who is called Christ the Prince of Peace and Righteousness he is one with the Father in power and dominion and was with him before the world was and by him the Father created all things and without hiâ— was not any thing made that was made he is Heir of all things and is the Priâ—â—â— of the Kingdom of Righteousness of Peace and Truth and he is the Word aâ—â— Power by which all things doth consist and is the Salvation of mankind and thâ— very life of the World he inherits life and immortality and is the Redeemer Saviour Deliverer and Restorer of the Children of men he is the very Wisdom and Poâ—er of the Creator and the Father doth nothing without the Son and by him anâ— through him the Father brings all things to pass by him the Father will judge the whole Earth and all the Children of Adam therein and this Christ Jesus the Son of God is the Life and Light of the world and hath enlightened all mankind every 〈◊〉 that cometh into the world is lighted by him with the true light of life or condâ—â—nation and what the Son doth the Father doth also and he is at his right 〈◊〉 exalted and is the very express Image of the Father and is the Fathers gift iâ—â—â— the world and is given to all mankind that they may have life by him and all 〈◊〉 receives him hath life and salvation but many receives him not and they 〈◊〉 receive him not perish even because they do not receive him whom the Father 〈◊〉 given into the world for he is the arm alone of Gods salvation and he is the â—â—â—der of his people CHAP. III. Concerning the Spirit of God this Testimony I give unto the whole World THe SPIRIT is with the Father and with the Son and its present eveâ—â— where and filleth all places and is for ever and ever and trieth all thinâ—â— and revealeth the things of the Father and of the Son unto all that doth belieâ—â— in the Son and makes manifest and searcheth into the deep things of God 〈◊〉 it witnesseth the Salvation of the Just and the condemnation of the Unjust it is not absent from any place nor contained in any one place the Father and the Son works all things through it and brings all things in Heaven and Earth to pass by it and it works in the Hearts of the Children of men and in every one it witnesseth of the Father and of the Son to the Justness Greatness Righteousness and to the power of the Eternal Creator that made all things by the Son through his Eternal Spirit which is one with the Father and with the Son and is the Worker of their will and mind in all things it worketh in the Wicked to reprove them and to witness against them and that God is angry with them 〈◊〉 sheweth and it worketh in the Righteous and witnesseth the Love and Mercy and Peace of the Father unto them He that can receive it let him this is the Testimony of the Spirit of God and it leadeth into all Truth and out of all Evil all that are guided by it and it is given to be the Guide and Rule of Life to the Children of God CHAP. IV. Concerning Man and all Mankind this Testimony I give unto all Nations and People MAN was created and brought forth in the Image of God and was without sin or evil brought forth to do the will of him that created him and was Lord over all Creatures to use them to the glory of the Creator and all Creatures were to serve him but man transgresseth against his Maker and offended him and dishonoured him and became degenerate and grieved his Maker continually and was drove out from the Presence of the Lord and he is now a Child of Disobedience and of Wrath and an Enemy in his mind
against the Lord that made him and he is doing and fulfilling daily the will of the Devil and grieveth the Spirit of God and vexeth his righteous Soul and is subject unto the Curse of Wo and Destruction being ignorant of the Life and Power and Wisdom of the Creator to lead him to guide him and to preserve him but follows the counsel of hisown heart which is evil altogether though he was made upright yet hath he sought out many inventions which are continually abominable unto the Lord the ground in which he stands is corrupted and all his fruit is unpleasant even bitter and evil unto the Lords Taste Man is fallen into the Pit of Misery and Sorrow compassed about with desolation and is left without a Helper from himself or from any other Creature and this in short is the state of all mankind upon the face of the Earth who was planted a noble Vine wholly aright Seed to bring forth good fruit unto his Maker but he is turned into a degenerate plant bringing forth cursed fruits which the Creator hath not pleasure in his best works are not accepted and his evil deeds are condemned because the ground in which he stands is accursed because of disobedience CHAP. V. Concerning the World in general and the state of things as they have been and as now they are this Testimony I give to the whole World DArkness hath been over the face of the Earth and thick darkness hath covered the people for many ages the Beast hath reigned upon the face of the whole Earth and all Nations have been subject to his power and dominion even the Kings and Princes of the Earth have given their power unto him all the World hath wondred after him as it is written and the whole World hath worshipped the Beast and his Image he hath power to kill all that would not worship him both small and great rich and poor even all have been subject to his Government and he hath had power to war against the Saints and to make war with them and to overcome them even all that would not worship him he hath had power to kill The Rule and Government of the SON of God hath not been witnessed among men for Ages nor the true God known nor manifestly worshipped in Spirit and Truth but he hath been as a Stranger among men and they have been ignorant of his Wayes and Judgments and all People have been doing that which is right in the sight of their own eyes and God hath been forgotten dayes without number the Living Fountain hath been forsaken and many broken Cestern have been hewen out which have not holden pure Water Great Evils and continual Abominations have been acted in the sight of God and the measure of iniquity hath been fulfilling through many Generations and it is grown nigh to the full The Law of God hâ—th been made void and his Grace hath been turned into wantonness and all things have been out of good order Kings Princes Rulers Governments Laws and Decrees have been corrupt and not right in the sight of the Lord Oppressions Tyranny and Vain-glory hath abounded in the Nations and Justice and true Judgment have been neglected and Mercy and Truth have been Strangers and the World hath been filled with violence and the whole Earth stained and polluted with Oppressions Injustice and Cruelties and the cry of the poor hath not been heard every one hath sought themselves and not the Lord nor the good one of another the Kings and Princes of the Earth have not been perfect nor upright before the Lord but Vain-glory hath abounded and superstitions and Idolatries hath reigned over them and unrighteousness hath abounded and Self-seeking and they have risen up one against another in quarrelling and destroying one another and to gain one anothers Dominions by Craft and Pollicy and strong hand and the poor have been oppressed and troden down and thousands of thousands destroyed to fulfil the wills and lusts and pride of their hearts all this hath been evil in the sight of the Lord and his soul hath been weary with it by the destruction of his Creatures one by another even Rulers Teachers and people have all been out of the Way and subverted from that wherein God hath pleasure and the Prince of Darkness hath ruled in his dominion swaying all under his Government and even all things both of civil and spiritual concernment hath been out of the Counsel of the Lord. Oh what cruel Injustice and Tyranny in civil Government Oh what abominable Superstitions and Idolatries have been in supposed Church-governments It s a vexation to the spirit of the Lord to consider it and the Righteous soul hath long cried out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord of Heaven and Earth now risen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all Tyranny and Oppression under which the poor have groaned and â—e will change Times and Laws and Governments there shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no Government of force but the Government of the Lamb noâ— no Law of effect but the Law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder the Kingdom of the Most High shall rule amongst men and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and the Lord shall be known in the Earth to be the God of Truth of Righteousness Justice and Mercy and Truth shall be exalted and true Judgment shall be set up in the Nations and the Worship in Spirit and in Truth shall he established for the Lord is gathering his numberless number to stand before his Throne without Guile in their Mouthes and without Fault before him CHAP. VI. Concerning mans Restauration Redemption and Salvation what they are and by whom they are wrought this Testimony I give unto all People MAns Restauration is a repairing and giving again that which he had lost by transgression and Redemption is a recovering and a winning again and setting free from that wherein man hath been held even all the sons of Adam because of disobedience and Salvation is a saving keeping and preserving from sin and death and disobedience and all the ways thereof and also a saving from wrath and misery and condemnation which are the effects thereof and by the Son of God Christ Jesus is all this wrought manifested and witnessed and Restauration Redemption and Salvation is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam and not in any other and it is wrought by him and by no other and they are the free gift of the Father unto the sons of men no way purchased by the works of the Creature or desert of him but are freely given unto the Creature through the Power and Wisdom of the Creator and onely by Jesus Christ the Son of the eternal God and by the eternal Spirit are they witnessed in all
that believe and through the word of Life are they handled tasted seen and felt near at hand in power and not in words onely Many professes them in words and what others enjoyed of these things but have not felt in themselves the working of the eternall Spirit neither have the witness in themselves of being restored to God again and of being redeemed by him from under the Devils power neither are saved by Christ from sin and transgression and so are not nor cannot be saved from condemnation and wrath for who abide in their sins and in the state unreconciled to God hath not any part or portion in these things which belongs to their peace and without the knowledge of which by the working of the eternal Spirit all mankind is everlastingly miserable CHAP. VII Concering true Religion and the true Worship of the true God this Testimony I give unto the whole World THis is true Religion to be kept pure and clean from all evil and from all that which would defile in the sight of the Lord and to walk in his fear in all things this is Religion to do good and to do no evil and to speak the truth and to do the truth in all things and to do unto all men as a man would be done unto and to love God withall the heart and the neighbour as self and not to love the world and ways and pleasures of it nor to use deceit in words or actions this is true Religion and the true Worship of God to be led with his Spirit in all things and to be guided in the truth at all times on all occasions this is acceptable and well pleasing unto God above all words and outward conformity and set times and days and observances for the Worship of God is not in these things but is without respect of days places or things this Religion and Worship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam who hath lighted every man that comes into the World that all men through him might believe and by him have their consciences purely exercised towards God and towards man in all things whatsoever and this is our Religion and Worship of the True God he that can receive it let him CHAP. VIII Concerning Justification and Sanctification this testimony 〈◊〉 give unto all People JUstification is freely by Jesus Christ in the sight of the Father and not by the works of mans own righteousness and such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the ways of truth and righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfil by him and it is the new man that is justified and not the old he that is born of God and none that are born of the flesh such cannot please God neither can such be justified by him for they are not taught of him nor saved nor restored nor redeemed and therefore are not justified nor cleared from condemnation in the sight of the Lord but who lives in iniquity and sin and the wayes and works of the World which are evil by Christ Jesus are condemned and not justified though in words they profess him yet of justification by him they have no part and sanctification is by the working of the eternal Spiri◠in the heart of the Creature which purgeth out and taketh away all unrighteousness and all the works and fruits of darkness it witnesseth against and witnesseth unto Jesus who takes away all sin and destroyes the works of the Devil that man may be holy and pure in the sight of his Maker and every one that hath the witness of his justification hath the operation by the eternal Spirit of sanctification and all that receives Christ Jesus who hath lighted every man that cometh into the World receiveth sanctification and justification by him and he unto us is made so of the Father he that can receive it le◠him CHAP. IX Concerning the Kingdom of Christ and how it is to be set up this testimony I give unto all the World THE Kingdom of God and of his Son is not of this World but is fro◠above and stands in righteousness and in truth in mercy and in peace i◠true judgement and justice and this Dominion is from everlasting to everlasting and it reacheth beyond all the World and its Government is love and unity and everlasting peace and is perfect liberty to the Just and bindeth and chaineth the Unjust in it there is on oppression but perfect freedom from all unrighteousness and it consists not in word but in power to the bringing down of the Kingdom of the Devil and to the breaking off the bonds of all injustice and all ungodliness which is the Kingdom of Satan which hath long ruled i◠the World that Kingdom whereof Christ is King which stands in Righteousness no unclean thing can have any part therein and this we believe it shall be set up and advanced in the earth but not by might of man or arm of flesh nor the multitude of an host neither by policy nor craft nor by revenge but by the arm of the Lord alone through the suffering and patience of his people and by faithful witness bearing unto Jesus Christ by doing and by suffering by doing his Will in all things in a pure Life and Conversation and upright walkking in the sight of the Lord and by patient suffering under the injustice and oppression of men and of their unjust Government and Laws till they be overturned and confounded and further we give testimony that suffring in patience under the cruelty and oppression of the Devils government and kingdom more reaches to overthrow them than the rising to rebel in any way of outward offence toward them or defence from them and the Kingdom of Christ is near to come and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and none shall have any part therein but they that are redeemed out of kindreds tongues and people this we believe he that can receive it let him CHAP. X. Concerning Governours and Governments and Subjection to them this testimony I give to the World GOvernours Rulers and Magistrates we own and do respect in the Lord and yet cannot respect any mans person whatsoever such as be a terrour to all evil in their Government and that fears God and hates covetousness and delights in Equity in Justice and true Judgement and gives diligent heed to try the cause of the poor and will judge justly without respect of men who justifies the good and gives praise to the Well-doer such Government and Governours we reverence where Sin and Iniquity is kept under Drunkenness Swearing Murther Quarrelling and all the ways and works of the flesh are terrified and a Wel-doer praised and justified this Goverment of men reaches to the witness of God in every man and that answers to the justice and righteousness of all such Governours and Government and these witness that
who have done evil against the Lords People as a gift unto them from a Friend OF a truth the Lord is arisen and he hath caused the Light of his countenance to shine forth upon his people his day is dawned and the brightness of his glory is shining forth as the Sun at noon day hâ—… everlasting Arm is stretched forth to lead out of Captivity his oâ—… chosen the days of perfect freedom is approaching he that brings Health Peace and Liberty to all Nations is come and coming who will restore the breaches and subdue all things under himself that he may raign for ever and ever who alone is worthy for he hath all Power in his hand and he bringâ— to pass whatsoever he will that all Men and Nations may fear before him and tremble at his dreadfull Presence who hath power in his hand to change Timâ—… and Laws Orders Decrees and Governments the hearts of all men he câ—… turn what way he listeth and he pulleth down one and setteth up another and whatsoever is in his heart to do his power can bring it to pass who would not fear before him and reverence his Name Who would not be afraid to offend him who giveth unto man Breath and takes it away in a moment all Nations are as the drop of a bucket before his eternal Eye he dwells in the high and holy place and his habitation is high above the World be inhabits eternity forevermore and yet abideth and walketh and dwelleth with the children of men that fear his Name and tremble at his Word he hath been as a stranger as one not known for men have been seperated from him by transgression and have been ignorant of his ways he hath been as one hidden for many ages and hath been worshipped ignorantly and hath winked in the time of ignorance but now he calleth all to repentance every where Blessed are they that wait upon him that they may know him and their souls may live and now the purpose of his heart is to bring in his scattered people into the fold of peace where Christ Jesus is the shepherd and his people shall dwell in safety and shall be a free people to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth and every yoke of bondage shall be broken and the oppressed shall be set free and Christ shall feign and his Government above shall be established over all the World mans honour shall be laid in the dust the pride of all flesh shall be stained and the Glory thereof shall wither as a flower the loftiness of all flesh shall be laid low and the Lord alone shall be exalted and his people which now are oppressed shall replenish and fill the Earth All corrupt men and Rulers their strength and might shall utterly fail them and men that fear God and love righteousness shall take their place and all things shall be changed and the World shall be turned up-side down But because of this is all the World troubled and the Heathen is on a rage and the people do imagine vain things and men of high degree and low degree and of all sorts have set themselves against the Lord that they might stop the purpose of the most high and their hearts within them burn because of envy and the Devil hath stirred up all sorts of people to work for him and to uphold his kingdom and his power he is come down in great rage knowing that his time is but short and hath filled the hearts of all his servants with despite and ravening envy against the Seed of God The heads of the people they have conspired together against the Lord and against his Truth and have decreed unrighteous decrees that they might pervent the purpose of the most High Many of the Rulers and Judges as members of the beastly power rather than of Jesus Christ have unjustly judged and falsly imprisoned and trodden under foot the meek and upright who fear the Lord and walk in his way even such who have come from under the subjection of the worship and power of the Beast which all the World had wondered after â—ath the Beast raised his force against How many hundreds in this Nation have been imprisoned falsly and suffered grievous abuses unjustly for righteousness sake and not for evil doing as a testimony against this Generation of Judges and people and for a testimony that they are of God who have in paâ—ience born the sufferings and the cruelties of the wicked many have suffered â—he loss of Liberty and riches and some the loss of life for the exercise of a â—ure conscience towards God and for the Kingdom of Jesus many have â—uffered under the power of wicked men for declaring against sin and iniquity 〈◊〉 Townes Steeple-houses or high wayes and for crying against pride and â—anity and idolatry and coveteousness and the wickedness of Rulers Priests â—nd People whose deceits and transgressions hath abounded in this Generation â—nd others have deeply suffered grievous cruelties because they could not swear â—nd respect persons with hat or knee and so were witnesses for the Lord and his Kingdom which stands in righteousness and against the power and kingdom â—f the Beast which stands in iniquity in fainedness and flattering titles and â—isobedience to the Son of God and many hundreds are woful unjust and opâ—ressed sufferers at this day by false imprisonment and spoiling of goods because they cannot pay Tythes that abominable and crying oppression by which the Beast chiefly maintains his false Prophets and because the unchangable Priesthood is witnessed and the changable denied and Christ the Light of the World followed therefore is this suffering laid upon the just and many are sufferers under hard tasks because they cannot maintain the Idol temples and Idol worships and Idol Priests which the power of Antichrist upholds against the Power of the Son of God and against the new Covenant of life where God in Spirit and in Truth is worshipped without respect of places days or men or things and the True Worshippers they Worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and cannot be subject to days places or things appointed and ordained by the power of men and false prophets and how many unjust fines and false indictments have been most illegally charged upon the Innocent in many Courts and Judicatories through this Nation and all in the defence of the kingdom of the man of sin lest his authority should be abated and the Authority of Christ Jesus exalted many cruelties have been done and injustice acted both by Rulers and People against such which no evil could justly be charged against nor yet the transgression of any just law by any one of them O! horrid grievances and cruel oppressions hath been brought forth in this Nation by such who should have eased the oppressed and set at liberty the captives such who should have judged justly the cause of the Poor and heard the call oâ— the oppressed have turned
prove the Light of Christ which thou confesseth every man hath to 〈◊〉 contrary to the Spirit of Christ I shall say every man hath that which is one 〈◊〉 union and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure these are my words Page 18. and I own them and thy answer to them is no contradiction nor just confutation of them but lyest 〈◊〉 saying I call Conscience and Nature it self the Spirit of Christ this is falsâ—… never spoken by me so that thou hast uttered a pack of railing words withâ—… any knowledge or fear of God instead of a sober Answer the blasphemy aâ—… great deal of ignorance and presumption appears not in my words they aâ—… truth and thou hast not proved that the Light of Christ is contrary to the Spirit of Christ Nay thy simple policy is too short when thou hadst done so then had been a time to have cast these opprobrious speeches at me like venome from a Viper but the weakness or strength of error and blasphemy and the great deal of ignorance and presumption c. is fallen at thy door and there I leaâ—… it clear thy self from it as thou art able who without any confutation of thâ—… words falls impudently to charge me thus highly and falsly from the words 〈◊〉 thou silent while the Reader judges Then thou goes about to defend thy first wickedness in that thou said the Devil doth deceive poor Souls by bidding them listen wiâ—… and turn the minde within and see if there be not that which doth convinceâ—… sin c. And my Answer to this is sound and stands over thee and unreproved by thâ—… though many words thou speakest yet from the Scripture doth not prove or 〈◊〉 honest Arguments that the Devil doth deceive any by bidding them to turâ—… the Light within which convinceth of sin if thou wouldst have cleared thy 〈◊〉 thou shouldst have proved thy assertion according to my desire I asked thâ—… was ever such a thing spoken that the Devil can deceive any by the Light 〈◊〉 Christ but to this not a word in proof but saith Every man hath not the Spirit 〈◊〉 Christ c. But further then I Query Doth the Devil deceive any by bidding theâ—… 〈◊〉 turn in and listen to that Light spoken of Iohn 1. 9. for that Light am I contending for and not any other contrary to it then thou sayst thou denyst beyond thy reach either to understand or contradict thou wants that Spirit which can examine of truth be it known unto thee and what are those unseemly expressions wilt thou slander always in secret without evidence and if these be they in that I said our innocency will appear when thy black vaile of Lyes is taken away and this is truth and is no way but seemly to be spoken to thee who art an Enemy of God then thou wouldst justifie thy former slander who said we wrest that Scripture Iohn 1. 9. And my answer is we take it without adding or diminishing which is true and no Lye nor wresting of it neither in thy Reply can I find that thou provest it though many words uttered little to the purpose with adding to thy former slanders in saying We would hold that that Light is the Spirit of Christ this is not spoken in all my Book but that it is one in union I say and not contrary to the Spirit of Christ but witnesseth of it and to it And thou further saith We say many things which thou knowest to be Blasphemy This is another Lye prove one Blasphemy And further thou sayst Christ as he is Mediator doth not enlighten every one that comes into the World c. Reply Well thy ignorance and wickedness vents it self forth apace let any man read that first Chapter of Iohn and see whether he doth not speak of Christ as Mediator he saith He was in the beginning with the Father and was made flesh and dwelt with the Disciples and his Life was the Light of men and the Light shined in Darkness and that was he which lighteth every man that comes into the World and he came to his own but they received him not but as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God c. What sayst thou Was not this spoken of Christ as Mediator Consider and be instructed rather then let thy Blood go for it however I leave thy Doctrine and Errors herein to be judged by them that are spiritual and for shame cease such Doctrine the more I rake among the filth the more vilely and odious it appears and for thy proof of this Doctrine thou bringst Mat. 11. 25. and sayst here the Father and the Son are speaking one to another but what doth this prove though it be so doth it any way follow that Iohn did not speak of Christ as Mediator Iohn 1. what vain productions thou bringst from thy impertinent proofs let them be weighed and taken notice of honestly and thou bidst me understand thus much That nature which is Conscience is the Light of God I understand thy blindness if this be so as thou sayst then mans nature is pure without sin as the Light of God is and this is error abominable contrary to the Scripture which saith All by nature are the Children of Wrath are all by the Light of God as thou sayst nature is Children of Wrath see thy Divinity and take it as it is truly interpreted I desire not to wrong thy words thou givest me to understand the greatest ignorance from those things that lately I have heard no not the like in England and it is very true as I said thy folly appears by thy much medling Then thou askst me What I will have the Light called wherewith every man in the World is lightned and because I do not call it the Spirit of Christ thou as it were murmurs because I have cut of thy occasion and thou canst not bend thy tongue with any seeming advantage against the Truth but in that I say the Light of Christ convinceth of sin which is true thou on a sudden produces thy bad consequences and askes if I call nature the Light of Christ and such like c. But they all do not prove the contrary so that which convinceth of sin is worth minding and taking notice of by all that ever are saved and as to that where I say that which may be known of God was manifest in them even in them that were given up to work unrighteousness c. I said the truth which thou are not able to contradict in equity though thou very ignorantly bendst thy answer as if I had said the Knowledge of God was made manifest in them when I say plainly in my Book that they 〈◊〉 turned from the Knowledge of God and yet that which might be kâ—… of him was manifest in them and this thou canst not deny And though 〈◊〉 words as layed down
the Assembly and stood praying in the Synagogues and loved the uppermost rooms at Feasts and that were called of men Master and such like and the Apostle said such were Deceivers to take gifts and rewards and lucre and that loved unrighteous wages and that were Back-biters and false Accusers and Covetous and having a form of Godliness but denying the Power who ever taught and the people were not able to come to the knowledge of the truth with many other such like Now this is my appeal to all mens Consciences in the sight of God whether thou art not found under some of these Charracters at least or whether thou art not one in union and fellowship with such who act these things yea thou are among them and not crying against them and so art guilty of their sin though not as fully in the act as are some may be so that I doubt not but they who have not hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes will see how thou hast condemned thy self in confessing the truth and the time is coming that further it will be made manifest concerning thee only at present thou art sufficiently discovered to be out of the truth in the way of perdition and however though thou hast covered thy self as much as is possible from the stroke of thy own hand and from the guilt of thy own confession yet Ioh. Burton thou hast condemned an hundred I think of Independant Ministers so called thy brethren who are known to be found guilty of those things all or most of them which thou confessest are marks of a false Prophet and while thou bidst us examine our selves thou art the man or among them that are proved truly guilty He saith He is not come to one of the dayes of the thousand years of Satans being chained and this is truly confessed and so he is in the Reign and Government of the Devil and Satan is not bound but at liberty in him as it well appears and Christs reign is not known and so it must needs be true that he is of the Army of the Dragon against the Lamb. Some of the same Members with him said in Bedford That they scorned that Light which convinceth of sin which the Quakers speak of Further most falsly I am charged by him with railing against the Lord Jesus which is absolute false my words are spoken in fear and reverence of the Lord Jesus Reader these things I leave to thee to be judged of his false Slander and his Damnable Doctrines and wicked lying Accusations and Contradictions which his nine sheets of paper is filled with as if he had set himself to lye and slanders and speak wickedly against the truth which is over him and is a testimony against him and though opposed by him yet not confounded but him it confounds and by it he shall be judged and condemned and the time comes when further he may be made manifest if this be not sufficient out of the abundance of his heart hath his wicked Tongue uttered these things which are but a little of what lodges in him but let him prove these things first and then utter more AND now Iohn Bunion thou and thy false Witnesses and all thy Company and brethren in iniquity Remember and repent for the day of your visitation is upon you blessed were you if you could receive it before it be spent not to be recalled and before the long suffering of God come to an end and you be shut up in utter darkness And indeed friends the day hastens wherein every man shall receive according to his deeds he that hath done evil shal not be cloaked and he that hath done good shall not be uncovered in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid open and searched with the eternal Eye the end of my work is to clear the Truth and the Way thereof God is witness from thy slanderous and lying and perverting Tongue and only I reprove thee by the Spirit of the Lord and so leaves thee to receive thy reward from the Just God of righteous Judgement who upon thy head wilâ— render vengeance in flames of Fire in his dreadfull day which upon thee comes suddenly even when thou and you cries peace peace then shall destruction come as an armed man from which thou shalt not fly to escape though now you all be hardened against the Lord and his Way and Truth and hath even bent thy Tongue for Lyes and hath reproached the Innocent to the piâ—â—cing of thy own soul and one day shalt thou know it therefore bow and tremble before the Lord God thou and all thy Companions a Lyar and Slanderer thou art a Perverter and Wrester of the right Way of God and of the Scriptures a Hypocrite and Dissembler a holder forth of damnable Doctrines an envious man and false Accuser condemning another falsly in what thy self is fully guilty of these things I lay to thy charge justly in the presence of the Lord God and upon thy account are they reckoned by him and proved by testimony in the sight of man and may be more fully hereafter if any thing be wanting and one day shalt thou feel the burthen of them though now thou be above shame and all thy Lyes Slanders Deceits Confusions Hypocrisies Contradictions and damnable Doctrines of Devils with impudency held forth by thee shall be consumed in the Pit of Vengeance and then shall the Witness in thy Conscience justifie the Lord in condemning thee and me to be true in reproving thee and this I say to thee and you all the Living God you know not nor his Son Jesus Christ but are Enemies to God and * persecuters of the Lord of Life and shall perish among the Uncircumcised Ye false Witnesses and wicked Helpers you may be ashamed of your testimony subscribed at the beginning of his lying scribble will you yet say through Grace those things are true the rather stop your mouthes in the dust who hath offended the Lord more then defended him or your selves and be ashamed in the presence of God and man much more may be said hereafter to lay you further open if you yet harden your hearts in your wickedness but I do rather reprove you then strive with you and rather desires your return to God then your Condemnation by him and with this I shall end and by what is said in short is sufficient to manifest you and Iohn Bunion to all honest people what Generation you are of and that you are guided by a lying and unclean spirit and that you are doing the Devils works in gain-saying the Way of Truth and Righteousness by your multitude of Lyes and Slanders and damnable Doctrines and what ever you account or falsly judge of me yet am I true though as a Deceiver and the Lords Servants and a Witness for him and against all your Lyes and Slanders and Wickedness hatched amongst you and brought forth by a lying Orator whom you have
and not reconciled to God upon whose shoulders the Government lies and the execution of the Law in their power who cannot minister true Judgment nor discern of different Causes amongst Men. And therefore all Magistrates are to weigh and be considerate in all these things and so to act and judge among men as they may give a good Account unto God and all men and when a Cause is brought before them to give Judgment of or any accus'd unto them that they should execute the Law upon they should by the Spirit of the Lord first try into the Ground and Nature of such matters to know whether it be a wilful and supposed Wrong or Injury done between man and man or it be of Ignorance or want of better Knowledge or such like or whether it be a Matter of Conscience or about Religion or the Worship of God whereupon the Controversie dependeth and if it be a matter of wilful and purposed Wrong or of Ignorance then good Reason and Iustice will teach a Magistrate to defend the Innocent from Wrong or to restore his Wrong by true Judgment that his Person and Estate be freed and preserv'd from all Wrong and that the Wrong-dealer be restrain'd and punish'd and judg'd justly according to his Offences but if it be a matter of Conscience about Religion or the Worship of God then the Magistrates with their Law ought not to meddle therein or to judge of such Matters for these things concerning the things that are Spiritual are out of their Jurisdiction and not in their power to judge of And if the Controversie between man and man depend about such Causes not having reflection upon Persons or Estates but only about Spiritual Matters then Magistrates with their Laws ought not to judge in these Causes but Spiritual Men ought only to give their Judgments hereof as they have receiv'd from God And though men be in controversie about Religion and the Worship of God yet if they be men of Peace not wronging one another in their Persons and Estates they ought to be both protected in a good Government by the just and righteous Laws And here the Sword of Justice is laid only upon the Evil-doer to be a Terror and a Punishment to him and to limit and restrain him from Wrong-dealing and this is the End wherefore it was ordain'd of God to be among men and not to be laid upon the Conscience to oppress and afflict the tender Consciences of the Upright whose Minds are exercis'd in the Law of God for such should have Praise that do well by the Sword of Justice while it is a Terror to all Evil-doers whatsoever and this is the perfect End wherefore the Law was added and the practice of it herein by faithful and just Executors is Well-pleasing and Acceptable to the Lord. And now as concerning this one thing which is Oppression in the Nation brought forth through the unjust and false Execution of the Laws whereby many tender Consciences are afflicted and not for any Wrong or Evil-doing but for the Exercise of a pure Conscience Whereas many for a pure Conscience sake do deny and cannot pay any thing to maintain a Steeple-House or Place of Worship which the people of the World do worship in and where they commit Idolatry neither can they for Conscience sake pay any thing to uphold such Worship and such a Ministry and Ministers which are not of Christ nor ever were sent of him but of Antichrist and such by which the people are led in Blindness and Error as manifestly doth appear through the whole Land And yet the Magistrates some of them being as blind and ignorant as the people do compel many people by their Writs and Orders and Judgments to maintain a Priest and Steeple-house which for Conscience sake they deny to maintain and yet by Authority from the Magistrates are the innocent Men's Goods spoyl'd by Distress and great Oppression Exercis'd upon many poor People to maintain and uphold the Ministry and Worship of this Generation which is not of God but against him and many hereupon are cast into Prison and others have their Goods taken from them by Violence and great Havock is made in the Countries about this matter Now first it may be consider'd That to deny to uphold and maintain a Steeple-house and Place where ignorant people in Tradition do meet to Worship is not a matter of wilful and purpos'd Wrong-dealing or the breach of any Bargan or Contract between man and man but it is a matter of Conscience to the People of God and for a good Conscience sake they cannot do such a thing as to maintain a place of Worship which Abomination is committed in by ignorant and rude people who are without the Fear of God as daily is manifest and it is not manifest that by denying of this they injure any man's Person or Estate in any thing which belongs unto him by lawful Bargan and Contract or otherwise Neither is there any Reason or Equity in this matter That any should be forc'd and compell'd by Injustice and Oppression to uphold a house of worship which others worship in and not they and they knowing that worship to be Abomination to the Lord also and not the True Worship of the True God and there is no Justice nor Religion in it that any should be caused by force to uphold a House for other people to commit and practice Idolatry in if the house were for any good purpose or honest practice as for poor or impotent people to dwell in or such like who had not Houses of their own because of their poverty then that were a deed of charity to uphold it and the people of God would not deny it but could freely give their money to such a use or end but because it is not to such a use but only a place to commit Idolatry in and to worship God ignorantly in superstitions therefore it is a matter of Conscience unto many and for a good Conscience sake they rather suffer the spoiling of their Goods and affliction upon their Bodies then to pay their Money for such a use or end and herein the Magistrates do great injustice in the sight of God and his Saints and contrary to Reason and a good Conscience in causing innocent mens Goods to be spoiled by cruelty to uphold a place of idolatrous worship contrary to mens tender Consciences for as I have said they do no wrong to any man but only peoples wills are offended and their blind zeal turned into rage and fury against the Just who worship God in Spirit and in the Truth and cannot uphold the Houses of false worship and it is a shame unto the people and Ministers themselves who cannot uphold their own worshipping Houses and it is a reproach upon their God and their Religion who cause others to maintain their worshipping Houses by injustice and great oppression and will not themselves maintain their Houses where they
partake of his Works or Labours neither hath any benefit thereby but rather loss and disadvantage because of his labours which he doth for others and not for him nor by any order from him for he knows his Labour to be nothing but Vanity and a Cheat and deceiving of People and for him to be compelled to maintain such a man in such ill imployment against his Conscience this is unjust and unreasonable and what man in the World would do it or be compelled thereunto without crying out of great Oppression as to maintain a Man with great Wages as his Labourer and Servant who doth not Labour for him nor serve him but labours against him as much as is possible and this is the very cause between the Priests of England in their Maintenance in claiming of it and receiving of it and the people of the Lord who do deny to maintain them or confess any lawfull due they have to challenge any of them And also it is a very shame to the people of this Nation for whom such Ministers do labour who cannot maintain their own Ministers themselves who labours for them and of whose labours they do partake but others are compelled by injustice to maintain them who do not partake of any of their labours nor set them to labour but denies them and their labour on that account and yet are forced to pay them Wages and this is unjust and unreasonable that men should be constrained by force to pay other mens Servants which works and labours for other and not for them and what man in the World having reason in him would do it or be forced to do it without complaining of heavy injustice as to maintain another mans Servant with Wages who works for others and not for him neither was hired by him nor set on work nor receives any benefit by him but another hires him and partakes of his labours and yet he is compelled against all reason and equity to give him his Wages all will conclude this were unjust and not according to God but against him and this is the very cause between the people of God who cannot pay to maintain false Teachers and the people of the Nation who hires such Teachers and receives of their labours and teaching and yet compells others to give them Wages contrary to good reason and Justice and against the excercise of a pure Conscience And above all the Magistrates blindness and Ignorance and the unjustness and wickedness of some of them doth appear to their shame by whose authority these things are done reaching out their power in those things further than they have received power from God and abusing the Law and just government and subverting it to another end then wherefore God hath ordained it for the Magistrates power and authority is not to be laid on mens Consciences to Oppress and Imbondage the tender Consciences of the Lords people in forcing things to be done contrary to good reason and against a good Conscience and by these things is the Land filled with violence and oppression and the Innocent and Just do deeply groan till the Lord arise to plead their cause and to bring deliverance unto them through the destruction of all their Enemies and he will break down all the bonds of Cruelty and Oppression and will take away every yoak that doth burden and oppress the upright that his people may be a free people from all unjust men and the people of the Lord do claim this as their Priviledge belonging to them by the just Laws of God and men to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth and to uphold and maintain that Worship onely without being compelled by force to maintain any other whatsoever and they claim as right unto them to maintain what Ministers and uphold what ministry as they know is sent of God by which people are profited and which they have received the knowledge of God through by his Spirit and to be free to maintain how and as the Lord leads them unto without being forced by any Law or unequall authority to maintain the false Prophets and Hirelings and Deceivers who live in pride and excess through the Oppression of the poor and Innocent and such as Ministers of the Gospel of Christ the people of the Lord cannot maintain but rather give themselves to suffer heavy and cruel things by unjust and wicked men who violates the just Laws of God and man and the suffering is for a good Conscience sake and for righteousness sake and not for any wrong or Evil-doing and for a Testimony that they are of God and for a witness against their Enemies that they are of the Devil who do his works and these make war against the Saints and the Lamb and the Beast seeks to kill all that will not worship him for he hath been great in the Earth and his seat upon Nations and who have been able to make war against him for many Generations again there is another suffering great and grievous which is unjustly laid upon the people of God which suffering is not for Evil-doing but for a good Conscience sakes as is manifest as because many are moved of the Lord by his Spirit to go into the Steeple-houses and Meeting-places or other places to reprove sin and among people or to exhort them unto good and to follow Christ and to deny the wickedness of this World or such like as they are moved some are moved to reprove a Hireling Teacher who deceives the people and walks in the steps of the false Prophets and lives in Pride and Vainty and evil contrary to the Doctrine and Practise of Christ and the Apostles and this Practise of the Servants of the Lord in reproving evil and exhorting to good is called a disturbance of the Peace and an unlawfull Practice and such like it is falsly judged by unjust men who know not the Spirit of the Lord nor the moving thereof and because of this many innocent men are caused deeply to suffer contrary to a good Conscience and some are sent to the House of Correction there suffering cruel things from hard-hearted men and some are put in the Stocks and Whipped and others Fined and cast into Prison and such like Sufferings are unjustly imposed upon them and not for Evil-doing as I have said for though they reprove sin in Teachers or in People or exhort them to good whether in Steeple-houses Markets or other Places yet they do not hereby wrong any mans Person or Estate neither is this any matter of wilfull wrong or to such an intent neither doth it disturb the Peace nor is any unlawfull Practice but onely out of a good Conscience to God and man is it done and it is a matter of Conscience to the Servants of the Lord to do so and they cannot leave it undone lest they would transgress the Law of God in their own Consciences because they are commanded of God so to do that people may
all are not to be condemned that cannot swear or take an Oath for many of the Servants of the Lord who are Followers of Christ cannot swear for Conscience sake because Christ hath commanded Not to Swear at all though such do deny the Pope and all his Authority and Doctrines and whatsoever else is signified in that Oath who cannot justly be suspected to be any way adherent to the Pope in Doctrines or Practices except through wicked Envy you seek occasion against them thereby and you abuse your Power and subvert the Law if you judge such to be Popish Recusants because they will not Swear because they cannot for Conscience sake but walk in Christ's Doctrine who commanded not to Swear and follow the Apostle's Example who said Above all things my Brethren Swear not at all And such cannot justly be suspected or judged for Popish Recusants who are Followers of Christ and keep his Commands Therefore you must be considerate and search deep into those things that are thus weighty lest you cause the Guiltless to suffer and thereby vex the Lord against your selves And you must make a special difference betwixt such as will not Swear because they are guilty and such as cannot Swear for Conscience sake though they are not guilty but clear and free in the sight of the Lord of such things as may be falsly suspected and charged against them by envious men which may watch for Evil and give Information against the People of God unto you But let your Eye be single in all these things that you may save your selves from Wrath and Condemnation which will be a Reward of all such who subvert good Laws to a wrong End and seek to cover themselves in their Persecution of the Innocent by making the Law a Cloak but such Coverings will not hide in the Day of the Lord. And my Friends In the Execution of these and other Laws let the Fear of God guide you and true Judgment and sound Discerning that you may try into the Nature and Ground of every thing and may not judge only by outward Appearance but judge Righteous Judgment And this is a great Transgression in the Sight of the LORD at this Day even the false Execution of Good LAWS and the subversion of them to wrong Ends and Uses by some wicked men who are in Authority to whom the Law is committed And this we know by Experience Be the Law never so just and good yet if the Executioners of the Law be unjust and unrighteous true Justice and Judgment is turn'd backward and for want thereof the Harmless and Innocent daily suffer which kindleth and encreaseth the fierce Anger of the Lord against these Nations And likewise All you that are in Power and Authority you ought not to command any thing of any man which the Law gives you no power to Command for doing so you make your selves Transgressors as for instance You have no Power by any Law to command men to put off their Hats when they come before you neither by any Law can you justly punish them if they do it not neither can you justly punish such by any Law who deny to Swear because for Conscience sake they cannot But what hath been inflicted upon some in such cases hath been by Will and Malice and not by any Law and the Lord doth account such things against the Wicked who cause such Sufferings And of these things I have given you Warning and it is in perfect Love unto you all as to inform you truly lest you cause the Innocent to suffer I am a real Friend to the Common-wealth and a Lover of Iustice and true Iudgment and fully affected towards Iust Government and wish well to Magistrates E. B. The 9th Moneth 1657. AN EPISTLE To go abroad Among Friends IN WESTMORLAND and CUMBERLAND And elswhere among the Flock of God FRiends my love and life which is not of this World but which is in the living God doth reach unto and salute all you that are in the Light of Life and in the Truth it self which changeth not which endureth for ever which we receive of God the everlasting Father through the Gospel which came unto us in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power to the changing of us from Death which reigned over us to Life in which we have power over Death and to the turning of us from the power of Satan wherein we were held unto the power of the living God wherein we became fruitful and a good savour unto him through Nations Dearly Beloved in the same Truth be faithful unto death in that which cannot sin nor be overcome of the Tempter which Satan hath nothing in wherein only our fellowship and union standeth one with another as we abide in the living Vine Christ Jesus the Light of the World in which you have believed unto Eternal Life and have entered into the Rest which is prepared as you continue therein you cannot be moved or shaken but are as Mount-Sion established in the Power and Life and Wisdom of the Everlasting God which condemns Darkness and all its works and gives dominion and rule over all the powers of Death and Hell which worketh in the Children of Disobedience who know not God nor receive the Truth much more in them who turns from the Light and Knowledge of the Truth into the Liberty of the Flesh to serve sin having made shipwrack of Fear and of Faith and a good Conscience who shall bear their own shame and condemnation in the Sight of God man and shall have no part with us in the Inheritance of Peace and Righteousness but the later end of such is worse then the beginning Wherefore you that are in the Covenant of Peace where sin is not remembred nor committed nor the unclean thing touched dwell and abide in the Life of God and in his Strength which reigns over all the World with its temptations and over all false Brethren and over all deceitful Workers whose Eye becometh darkned and heart hardned through the deceitfulness of sin turning the Grace of God into wantonness and giving liberty to the unclean thing which is accursed and joyned to the Harlot and become one Flesh but in the Counsel of the Lord God walk before him and keep your selves pure and undefiled and partake not of the deeds of the Wicked neither give place to the Devil to be perverted by him from the Truth of the living God which is Truth in it self for ever though the Backsliders despise the Way of it and every one abide in your own and know a measure of the Strength of Christ Jesus in you to defend you from the Enemy who seeks to beguile and to devour and to divert from the perfect Way of Life and Peace and dwell in your own measure of the Grace of God which is perfect which is sufficient to teach and lead and preserve in all the Wayes of God which the Unclean cannot walk
but one the same to day yesterday and forever who is the Foundation of God and abides forever was preached unto you all to be the Way the Truth the Life and Salvation and there is none besides him why then are there Divisions amongst you and some for one and some for another And herein are you carnal and your minds abroad and not'staid upon him which gives the increase and all this is to be judged with the Life of God Wherefore I beseech you in the Fear of the Lord as you love him and his Glory yea as you love your own souls Come to the Light which lets you see all this and condemns it and strive not one with another nor exalt not your selves one above another but let all that be condemned and all your evil Surmisings and foolish Jealousies separate Worshippings Backbitings be brought to Judgment and let condemnation pass upon it all never more to appear to hinder your Fellowship with the Lord and know the Life of God in you all which is but one which is not at strife nor divided and let that arise that all Vails may be taken off and Hardness of heart judged and the Countenance of the Lord may shine upon you when that exalted spirit which has appear'd in some is brought down of which I charge you all to beware lest there be a total departing from the Lord and his Name be reproached through you among the Heathen and it had been better for such they had never been born Therefore I say unto you all lay it to heart till the Judgments of the Lord take it away and purifie your hearts from all these things which ariseth out of that which is not of the Father that my joy may be renewed who have been in travel for you tell Christ be formed in you that he alone may rule in you over all those things which are at enmity against the Life and hinders your growâ—â— And if you yet harden your heart against Reproof who are stubborn well the Lord will ease him of his Adversaries and break you as a Potter's Vessel And though you oppress the Life of God for a moment yet my Peace with him â—â—â—ll these things never take away but over all these things I tread am not offendâ—â— in him who is my Peace forever And though those things cause sadness of heart yet the Lord giveth no cause of Sorrow to them that are faitful to him but will arise to confound all Deceit and Deceitful Workers who err from his Way and count the Knowledge of his Wayes a Burden and of you all though you perish I am clear who am not hated of the Lord though falsly judged by his Enemies over whom I trample as the Dust and the Living God gives Victory over you all I am not of this World E. B. Something of TRUTH Made Manifest In Relation to a Dispute at Draton in the County of Middlesex in the first Moneth last In Opposition to the False Account given of it by one Philip Taverner in his Book stiled The QUAKERS ROUNDS OR A Faithful Account c. FOrasmuch as one who hath I suppose ambitiously stiled himself Mr. Philip Taverner hath taken in hand to set forth to the view of the World an Account and Relation of a Dispute hapning in the eleaventh Moneth last at Draton near Colebrook to which Relation I am a little engaged to write something by way of answer thereunto that all people may know the Truth and being the Truth is somewhat concerned herein that is the Reason wherefore I have taken in hand to write a little by way of answer to his Relation being without any prejudice towards the man as concerning any Wrong he hath done to me though me as well as the Truth he hath wronged as may appear to such who desire to know the Truth It 's true a publique dispute I had the time and place mentioned with a company of Priests and this same Philip Taverner was one of them and the occasion of the Dispute was thus I being a few weeks before at a Meeting with some Friends in the said Town one Richard Goodgroom in his relation mentioned was present at the hearing of what was spoken but at that time did not object any thing though afterwards in London and other places he went up and down in a backbiting manner and gave forth That I had held forth blasphemous Doctrines or the like whereupon I much desir'd a Dispute for the tryal of those things and it was accomplished and that day the Truth was much made manifest and Deceit confounded And as to all the things objected against me by Richard Goodgroom which he would have seemed to have taken great occasion thereby as if some great matter of Heresie and Error had been utter'd by me I say the very Truth of all these things was demonstrated according as I had laid them down and his Arguments against them made of none effect And though such as hardened their Hearts might go unsatisfied and in greater Unbelief then they came yet I am sure the Upright-hearted and such as desired the knowledge of the Truth were wholy satisfied and this many can give Testimony of with me And though by his Relation it may appear otherwise to some yet wherein he hath related falsly it shall fall upon his own head and his Folly shall truly more appear in the End then he would have or seem to cause any in me to appear at this present and so he might with more Credit to himself been silent then to have meddled in that wherein he hath shewed himself so imperfect For I believe That this same Philip Taverner hath given a Relation of four times as much as he did speak at that Meeting and hath related as though he spake that which he never uttered by so many times fo much as I have said and hath not related so much by many times as was spoken by me and them of my part as many may witness Which Work of his seems not to be perfect neither yet altogether honest as sober Men may judge but such a thing must redown more to his own Dishonour then to the Truth 's Disadvantage And first As to the Title of his false Relation which is stiled The Quakers Rounds or A Faithful Account c. To this I answer That the very Frontispiece and Title of his Book savours of a vain light scornful spirit and so every Spiritual Man may judge of it to be so But why dost thou Philip Taverner say A Faithful Account but that to confirm Falshood with audacious words having a shew of Confidence upon it thereby the more easily to enter ento the Hearts of the People as if it were irreprovable coming also from the hand and under the hand of a Mr. Philip c. having so stil'd thy self to make thy Fame great and to publish thy Work under a seeming Authority but hadst thou had more Humility less
unless saith he I have more then an ordinary Art of hiding my self c. To which I answer Iesuites I deny and all of that Fraternity and whatsoever savours of Popery yet am I hidden from people and what I am he knows not neither the World for from that Wisdom am I hid neither can I manifest my self to that Wisdom that is devilish and knows not God nor the least of his Sons and Servants for in all those things of which we then discoursed the depth thereof could hardly be spoken of because of the darkness of peoples understandings And especially concerning Justification I was very sparing and could hardly freely declare my self yet what I spoke was a great satisfaction to many then present though the one half that I spoke is not truely related though so much as is related shall stand a sufficient Witness for me and against them that oppose me and that my words and meanings were honest This was the thing charged upon me That no man was further justified then he was sanctified Now my intent and meaning in this was honest and as about this Particular much was spoken which now I do not recollect to repeat onely P. T. hath hinted in short at things how they passed and my words shall be for ever witnessed That Sanctification is a Witness of Iustification and no man can further know himself to be justified then he is sanctified nor justified then he is restored And had P. T. but laid down my full answers as I spoke them at that Dispute there would have been no need to have written any thing in answer onely I do remember I did stand to manifest that the New Birth Sanctification and Justification were all agreeing in one and not one without another and that Christ wrought Righteousness perfectly without us and also fulfilled Righteousness in all that believe and no man is justified by the one of these without the other and that hath not the other and they hold the contrary and R. G. did publickly affirm that a man was justified by Christ excluding the New Birth and the work of Sanctification which I denyed and must always deny that any man who is not born again but is in the old nature and not sanctified but is in the Pollutions of the World is justified by Christ's Righteousness neither can he in that State till he be born again and Sanctified have any benefit or manifestation of Justification by Christ and this all men shall witness though because of this I now may be falsly judged And though R. G. did openly testifie that Christ justified Sinners as Sinners yet say I all that are justified are justified through Faith and Faith doth purifie the Heart as was largely spoken by divers of us at that Meeting which is not particularly related which definition of our Justification they could not except against for we never were nor are ashamed to declare what we hold concerning Justification which is through Faith in the Blood of Christ the Seed of the Covenant and though at that time they made much jangling yet to no purpose as to convince us of any Error or any sober men there present of any Error in us as concerning that thing And whereas it is related as if I should say We are men brought up at Plow-tayle and understand not Schollar-like terms my words were not thus spoken but upon the occasion of their speaking words which is not in Scripture Language as inherent Righteousness or the like Whereupon I desired them to keep to the Form of sound words and of Scripture Language that people might understand what they spoke for said I ye are Schollars as you profess and some of us were brought up at Plow or Cart and may be do not understand Schollar-like terms though I did not mean all of us and what some of us do understand as to that I shall not now speak yet this I say the least of us do understand betwixt Truth and Error and betwixt that which is Righteous and that which is Unrighteous and in that is more peace then in the knowledge of Arts or Tongues and our knowledge in that is as Dung and Dross in comparison of the other And as to Justification upon which Subject we contended a long time though they foolishly charged us with it we do deny utterly the works of man and the works of man's righteousness as in relation to our Justification and that it is only and wholly by the Grace and Gift of God and the Righteousness of Christ who is revealed in all that believe in him by which Justification comes yet say we That Faith without works is dead and will not justifie a man but by that Faith which brings forth works even the works of God in us and through us by that Faith are we justified and according to the Apostle's words so we believe not by works of Righteousness which we have done nor by a dead Faith without Works but by a living Faith which worketh in us are we justified let vain men deduct what they may this is truth in the sight of the Lord and all men These indeed are the Particulars upon which the Controversie depended and having been some hours together they were willing to depart and R. G. would give little hearing to me when I charged him with something uttered by him at divers times in my hearing which I should have proved to be unsound Doctrine and Error had he had that patience to have stayed and whereas P. T. doth speak of having a Pope in our Bellies with such like scornful words which a discreet man would not have defiled his Mouth withal but that he must shew himself to be of that Generation of Priests who persecuted the Innocent in every Age and for his telling of our Error and recovering of our feet out of the Snare and delivering us from the Delusion its true his words stand but upon a supposition and that supposition stands upon the Report of others as he seems to intimate which is but a thing far off true credit for what Error and Snares and Delusion did P. T. convince us of in five hours discourse not any at all but the rather was forced to confess to the most part of what we delivered then what need was there to utter these his words in writing as if he had heard some great Matter of Delusion or Error but all these his words I do bear and if he hath harboured such thoughts of us as it appears too much by his words let him cleanse his Heart by Repentance lest his intended evil bruise his own head And whereas he hath commented upon a Book called A Standard lifted up which Book I own and that which is therein written and himself is forced to own what himself objects against and comments upon If saith he E. B. means so and so then his words are truth but if so and so then it is Pope-like or such like Alas
shall justifie us and condemn our Enemies Again he queries whether I make the Holy Ghost and the Eternal Spirit two I answer no they are one neither do I seem to make them two it is want of knowledge in him who cannot understand but raiseth Objections where there is no cause Again from my words this is acceptable and well pleasing to God above all words and outward conformity c. from this he questions whether the doing the greater things of the Law is acceptable where the less are neglected I answer no for every tittle of the Law less and greater must be fulfilled by Christ in us in whom we are accepted and thus I have returned a few words to the consideration of people and particularly to the people of Draton and the Country there about to whom I direct my speech thus All ye people who are scattered as Sheep without a Shepherd and know not Christ the Everlasting Shepherd to lead you and to rule you Cease oh cease from all your Teachers without you who are dumb Shepherds which do not gather you to God such are they that preach for Hire and divine for Money and that take Gifts and Rewards for preaching who through Covetousness by feigned words do make Merchandize of Souls Such do keep you alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth under their Teachings your Souls are starved under them and you perish for want of true Knowledge and Death raigns amongst you and many are in the broad way that leadeth to Destruction but few in the strait Way that leads to Life and Iniquity and Wickedness abounds amongst you and like Teachers like People for from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness Jer. 6. 13. Great Ignorance hath blinded your Minds and great Darkness is over your Hearts and your Teachers do deceive you and they cause you to err and you give your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which doth not profit even as the people of Israel did so do you and in their Transgressions do you walk and your Teachers are in the steps of the Pharisees they are called of men Master as the Pharisees were they stand praying in the Synagogues and Temples as the Pharisees did and they have the chief Seats in the Assemblies as the Pharisees had and they even shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men as the Pharisees did and will not enter in themselves nor suffer them that would Cease from all your outward Priests and hearken to the Voice of the Lord which breaks down that nature which is contrary to God and raiseth up the Seed which is Heir of God's Kingdom and turn your minds to the Light in you which Christ hath lightened you withal which Light shines in your Consciences and convinces you of your evil Deeds it reproves you for Vain words and Ungodly speeches it will let you see what your hearts go after and what your love goes out unto and if you love that it will lead you to Christ and he will be revealed in you to teach you and to give you the Witness of Peace and Reconciliation with God The Light is your Eye by which you may see God it will lead you out of all idolatrous worships and works and from your false worships which are an Abomination to the Lord and you must be converted and changed into a new Nature and you must put off the Old man and his Works before you can worship God aright for he is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth only and such the Lord is now seeking to worship him Therefore cease from your steeple-house-Steeple-house-worship which is in the Traditions of men and not in the Spirit of the Lord and that worship must be confounded for its Root is corrupted and its Branches will wither and the Breath of the Lord is kindled against it If you love the Light of Christ and walk in it there is your Teacher and if you hate it there is your Condemnation The next day after the Dispute this was written and sent in a little time after to Draton and up and down that ways Richard Goodgrom FRiend hath not thy Ignorance Folly and Wickedness towards me now appeared And is it not manifest in the sight of many people And now thou mayest cease to boast and also to backbite for the time to come and no more secretly to surmise behind my back to the raising of unruly spirits against me so much as in thee was possible and hadst thou been more crafty and more subtile more Mischief thou mightest have done but the Innocent is delivered and thou art taken in the Snare thou laidst for another and false doctrine is prov'd to proceed forth of thy mouth And thou and thy Company may be ashamed when you consider the managing of your Work against me who many times appeared immoderate in speaking many at once confusedly and also were unreasonable in not being satisfied with just Answers but it shews your Blindness and Unbelief who cannot understand the Truths of the Gospel of Christ but contend against them though in the end you are forced to confess to them as was sufficiently witnessed that day of the Dispute and thou in particular who reproachedst me behind my back in divers places where I have heard of it by my Friends whom thou judg'dst had not been so yet they have discover'd the naughtiness of thy heart both in the Country and in the City Thou hast given forth that I had preached false doctrine and such like wicked reproachful back-biting language behind my back not like a man faithful to God and thy Neighbour but one that hath surmised Evil against the Harmless And thou mayest remember all these things thou objectest against who wouldst have made a great matter of them against me yet are they sufficiently prov'd to the Understanding of many honest People And if thou and thy Company will be blind it is because you harden your hearts against the Truth and I am clear in the sight of the Lord and all shall know that have an Ear to hear That what I profess preach and practice are the saving Truths of Iesus Christ though they may be branded to be Heresie by such as thee who may call Light Darkness and Darkness Light and put Good for Evil and Evil for Good And at a convenient Opportunity I may take in hand to prove That thou thy self hast held forth that which cannot be justified by the Scripture but are condemned thereby Many things fell from thee in my hearing which I may object against and prove the contrary and I shall not go behind thy back as thou hast done to slander thee but I shall rest contented and wait the opportunity to lay open thy Nakedness and Weakness in the sight of all people And whatsoever thou judgest The Scriptures the Writings and the things written of are two things
ever obtain any thing â—…t concerning this Great is the Degeneration of Christians in this Geneâ—…n for now the Ministers amongst you Christians are maintain'd by an â—…rd power through compelling Maintenance of Tythes and other Set-Wâ—… from the people even from them that do not receive their Ministry and they do not preach freely but makes their preaching chargeable to whole Nations and the maintaining of Christian Ministers is become a burâ—…n to whole Nations and great Oppressions upon the poor and now the â—…ers seek mens money and gold and it doth not appear that they only seek a people to God but on the contrary they seek peoples mony to themselves and it doth not satisfie the Ministers now to eat and driâ—…k such things that are set before them in a House that is worthy but they must have so much a year and so much a Sermon and so much for every particular man of his Parish be they worthy or unworthy to the value of a hundred or two hundred pounds by the year whereby poor people are greatly oppressed and they will reap carnal things by force and violence from them to whom they sow no spiritual things for they are suing at Law and putting in Prison and distraining peoples Goods by Force and Cruelty to maintain them and their Families in Pride and idleness which things the Christian Ministers formerly in the dayes of the Apostles never did but were often under great Sufferings in Fasting often and in Cold and Nakedness often Lâ—…ring with their hands 2 Cor. 11. 27. Wherefore ye Christians behold how you are fallen and how your Ministry 〈◊〉 generated both in its Call and in its Maintenance being diverted quite contrary to what the Christian-Ministry was once Behold I say how you are fallen and your Ministry quite subverted from what the Ministry 〈◊〉 in the dayes of the Apostles Then the Maintenance of Ministers was by a free Gift from them that received their Ministry and they would not make their Ministry chargeable to any But now the Maintenance of Ministers is by Force and Cruelty and great Oppression of many people and their Preaching is chargeable to many Nations Then they sought no man's Gold nor Money nor fought Riches from the people but only sought the people to God But now men's Money and Riches are sought and taken from them by Violence without regard of seeking people or bringing people to God Then to eat and drink in a house that was worthy such things as were set before them and to reap carnal things as Meat and drink and Necessâ—â—â—es by a free Gift from them that received their Ministry this 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 Christiâ—â— Ministers now maintain'd which is manifest 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 you are weighed and are found too light you are measured and are found wanting what the Christians once were in their Purity you are not in many things but the contrary which sheweth that you have the Name of Christians only by Tradition but are withoâ—â— the Life and being paralell'd with the Christians who truly follow'd Christ you are no whit equal to them in any thing but wholy contrary in all things shewing you follow another spirit then they who were Followers of the Spirit of Christ so witnessing to the whole World that you are degenerated out of Christ the true Vine and are Branches in a degenerate stock which brings Fruit forth through you which hononreth not God but grieveth his pure Spirit And be Witnesses against your selves that you are fallen and degenerated 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 Spâ—… 〈◊〉 in Truth And saith the Apostle We are the Circumcision that worship God in Sâ—… rit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no Confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3◠〈◊〉 these were Christians And also Rom. 6. 7. They worshipped God not in the Oâ—…ness of the Letter but in the Newness of the Spirit and the Spirit guided them iâ— all things and was their Teacher in all their Worship for the Spirit 〈◊〉 them to pray and they pray'd in the Spirit and they knew not what they should â—ray for as they ought but the Spirit made intercession for them Rom. 8. 26. And the Christians were exhorted to pray in the Holy Ghâ—st Jude 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 preâ—h 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 sometimes in the Fields and sometimes 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 I will sing with the Spirit and with Understanding And he exhorted the Christâ—… To speak in Psalms and spiritual Songs singing to the Lord and making Melody in their Hearts to him Eph. 5. 19. Now this is the Testimony concerning what the Worship of Christians was its manifest that it was in the Spirit and by the Teaching of the Spirit their preaching praying and singing were in the Spirit 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 said to the line of Judgment is proved contrary for first the Christians nâ—w are diviâ—ed in their Worship and have many Forms of Worship some worshipping after one manner and others after another so that amongst the Christians therâ—… divers Forms of worshipping and they are striving and conâ—â—ding about thâ— 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 one 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 Worships of Christians are many and divers and divided one from another and they are not in unity in their Worship 〈◊〉 in strife and division and herein you are apostatized from the Life oâ—…â—…ristianity and its manifest that the Worship of Chrâ—…s now is not in 〈◊〉 Sâ—…t and in the Truth but in vain Traditiâ—… learned in natural knowlâ—…ge by people that are not converted unto God and any part of the Worship which is now practised amongst Christians whether amongst Papists of any sort or Protestants of any sort I say every part of the Worship now practised amongst Christians through the World may by taught unto and learned of and exercised in by a man that knows â—â—t 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 not is yet converted to the Knowledge of God nor is not in any measure guâ—â—ed by the Spirit of God is not the Worship of the true God which is in the Spirit and Truth but as I have said any part of the Worship now prâ—…sed amongst Christians may be done and practised by aman that is out of the Spirit and out of the Truth and unconverted to the Knowledge of God 〈◊〉 therefore the Worship now practâ—â—ed amongst Christians is not the true worship of the true God which is in the Spirit and in the Truth and which câ—â—not be practised without it Many more things might be said as to prove the Worship of Christians now 〈◊〉 practised by them is not the true Worship of the true God but this is 〈◊〉 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 Christiansâ—â—ow â—â—ow generally pray some after one Form and some after another in their own wills and times and know not the movings of the Spirit of the Father tâ—ereunto nor guiding them therein but in such a manner as they set unto themselves or as the custom of the Country instructs them therein and know not the intercession of the Spirit of the Father in them nor know not 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 gather out of the Scriptures â—ome 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 is this from the teaching or moving of the Spirit of God but by humane Art and humane Craft knowing before-hand what and how much to speak so much as they have collected in their thoughts from such a Verse and how long to preach till a Glass be run and know what to have for preaching and this and such like is the manner of the Preaching now among Christians which hath no savour in it of God's Spirit or of the Teachings and Leadings of God's Spirit in it but altogether contrary to wit This Practice savours of Idolatry and of vain Traditions and Superstitions And in short This Practice of Preaching among 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 do not go as they are moved of the Lord up and down from Country to Country to convert people to God as the Christian Ministers did then But enquire for places of great Maintenance where there are great store of Tythes and Set-Wages and if they can there they settle themselves and preach 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 Christian 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 noâ— amongst Christians it is not in the Spirit nor with a good Understandiâ—… but in a vain Form and Tradition and not in the Spirit of the Lorâ—… 〈◊〉 now the Christians many of them in a Form sing the Conditions 〈◊〉 as David's Prayers and Praises Troubles and Afflictions when as themselves are in a condition quite contrary to what David was and so sing 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 all which singing of Christians now hath no savour of the Teachings of God's Spirit in it neither is it according nor by the same Spirit as the singing of the Christians once was A woful Apostacy is fallen upon you ye Christians through the World and you are fallen you are fallen from the Life of Christ and the true Praâ—… of Christianity as the first Christians were in then their praying was in the Spirit and 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 at such a Place for so much a Year an Hour by a Glass what they have gathered by study upon other mens Works Then 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 exercis'd 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 and in many coâ—trary spirits Alas oh ye Christians consider how great is your Fall and how woâ—â—l 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 err from the pure Way wherein the true Christians walked and being truly paralell'd with them and measur'd with the Spirit of true Judgment you are found not equal to them in any measure but rather contrary altogether shewing you are guided
Singings their Baptisms and Breaking of Bread and even all that which you perform as unto God as the Worship of him is not accepted but Abomination unto him and his Soul is burdened with all these things you not being led with the Spirit of Christ And even your practizing of these things which the Saints and Christians once practiced and were accepted of the Lord in so doing while they were led by the Spirit of Christ I say The very practice of those things now by the Christians being degenerated is become Idolatry and Abomination to the Lord. And this I declare in the Fear and Presence of the Lord Even all your Praying and Preachings and Profession all your Sabboth-keeping and Set-dayes of Humiliation and even all your Practices of Religion which you do and perform are Idolatry and a Burden to the Lord's Soul in the state that now you stand not being led by the Spirit of Christ but being from it departed and your works not brought forth by it but by another spirit And now saith the Lord unto you Christians who are degenerated from the Spirit of Christ To what purpose is your Preaching Praying and Singing They are a Vexation and Burden to the Righteous Soul and the Lord hath no delight therein away with it away with it Your Profession and Practices stincks in the Nostrils of the Lord All your Baptisms and your Sacraments which ye perform in a vain Tradition and not by the Spirit of the Lord they are hateful in his sight away with them away with them they shall crumble to the dust and immediate Desolation in one day the Lord will break them down and never build them up again Your Preaching by a Glass for so much a Sermon or so much a Year what you have gathered out of Books and studied for from other mens words town with it down with it it is 〈◊〉 Abomination to the Lord. And your Ministry which is made and sent forth at Schools and 〈◊〉 natural Learning through the attainment of such Arts and Sciences and being approved of such and such men and sent forth to such and such a Parâ—… 〈◊〉 have so much Money by the Year for preaching what hath been studied foâ—… and not by the Gift of the Holy Ghost away with this Ministry 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 Rhyme and Meeter and their Conditions which your selves never knew this is Abomination to the Lord and a Practice which his Soul hater away with it the Lord is risen to confound it Away with all your Worship which is not in the Spirit nor in the Truth but in vain Traditions of 〈◊〉 practiced by you in a vain Form and not the Power of God The Lord will being it down to the ground restore and establish his own Worship which 〈◊〉 in Spirit and in Truth and he will give and hath given his Ministry again by the Gift of the Holy Ghost which hath been lost for many Ages while this Night of Apostacy hath over-spread the World and the Lord shall 〈◊〉 longer be worshipped in vain Traditions of men but his people shall be reâ—â—red and renewed to worship him in Spirit and Truth and the Christianâ—ife â—ife 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 Lord's Visitation is again revived for togather 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 â—…erning you You have been fallen and degenerated from the Life of Righteousness and from the true Way and Worship of the true God and you have long been slumbring and sleeping in this long Night of Darkness which overshadow'd you and darkned that glorious Appearance of the 〈◊〉 of God which once shined upon the Christians and in Blindness and Dâ—… have 〈◊〉 walked for many Ages and your Worship hath been subscribed 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 are gone from your Husband and follow'd other Lovers and you have been â—…ed in Iniquity and altogether poluted by Transgtession and the state in which you now stand is a state seperated from God a state of great Ignoraâ—… and Darkness and a state of hainous Rebellion against God whose Soul and Spirit is greatly oppressed and grieved because of your Degeneration who 〈◊〉 become more ignorant of God then the Ox is of his Owner oâ— the Ass of his Master's Crib and even the very same Vision is seen concerning you as the Prophet saw concerning Israel Therefore hear 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 rebell'd against me and the Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Master's Crib but the Christians do not know the People do not consider Ah! sinful Nation a people laden with Iniquity a seed of Evil-doers Children that are corrupted that have forsaken the right Way and provoke the Living God to Anger and ye are gone away backward the whole Head is sick the whole Heart is faint and from the sole of the Foot even unto the Head there is no Soundness but your Conditions are Wounds and Bruises and â—…fying Sores you are not closed neither bound up neither mollified with Oyâ—…ent and your Country is desolate and your Cities are burnt as with Fire your Land Strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate and overthrown by Strangers and but that the Lord of Hosts has left us a soul Remnant even a Seed ye Christians would have been as Sodom if any man hath an Ear to hear let him hear This Vision is as true unto you Christians throughout all the World as ever it was unto the seed of the Iews 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 he cherished them and they grew unto a goodly state and were â—…pleat in Christ Col. 2. 10. And they were come to the 〈◊〉 of â—…st Men made perfect and unto Mount Sion the 〈◊〉 of the Living God the Hâ—…ly Jerusalem and to an innumerable 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 Hebrews 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 forever and they were sanctified and purified and
force for the Day of the Lord hath now appeared and the Light is sprung forth which hath made all things manifest and now the difference is known between the worship of the Beast and the worship of the true God And concerning the state of Christianity to come this I know and believe a glorious Restoration thereof shall appear throughout the whole Christendom and Christianity shall again be restored to its former purity and Christians shall and may receive the same Spirit from which the Christians have been degenerated and the same Life the same Power and the same Worship and Unity shall be revived amongst Christians in the Restoration even the same that was in the beginning before the Apostacy and the Glory of God shall again appear among his people and they shall again worship him in Spirit and in Truth only as they did before the Apostacy and all this traditional worship and false imitations which hath been set up since the Apostles dayes shall be overthrown and confounded the Lord is risen and will dash down and overthrow all this Idolatry now practized amongst Christians And a great shaking and confounding shall suddenly come among Christians for the Lord will break down that which hath been builded because it is polluted and he will pluck up that which hath been planted because it is defiled and a mighty work will the Lord work in the Earth the Kingdoms of this World will he change into the Kingdoms of Christ and Christ shall reign in and among his People and his Spirit shall be the Teacher and Leader of his People and all false Teachers will the Lord confound and consume all these Hirelings who go for Gifts and Rewards and all this manner of Preaching and Teaching which are come up since the Apostles dayes all this Preaching which they study for and by a Glass and for so much Money a year all this shall be tumbled down into the Pit God's Vengeance shall come upon it all and the Anointing shall be received and it shall dwell in People as it did in the Apostles and the people shall need no other Teacher but as that Anointing teacheth all things and for this Spirit and Anointing all that fear God may wait to receive it in this present Age which Spirit brings into the same Unity and Life into the same Worship and Fellowship that was amongst Christians in the beginning before the Apostacy and this State may Christians be restored to and for this State all that fear God and love him are to wait for this shall come to pass in the World And as concerning the Ministry I know and do believe it may be and is received again as the Apostles and Christian Ministers first received it to wit by the eternal Spirit and Gift thereof through the Revelation of Christ Jesus in them and such may and do preach the Gospel freely as they do receive is freely and without natural Learning and Languages For by that can none be made Ministers of Christ nor by any thing without the Gift of the holy Spirit and Christ's Ministry shall again be received thereby this I believe and all this Ministry made and sent forth by natural Learning and without the Gift of the holy Spirit the Lord will confound it in this Age for this is come up since the Apostles dayes to make Ministers by natural Learning and it stands in the Apostacy from the Life and Spirit of Christ and its call and work and maintenance savours not of the Kingdom of Christ and the Lord will bring it down and the Gift of his Ministry will he restore by his Spirit and this is and shall come to pass and it may be waited for in this present Age and the Lord will restore his Ministry as in the beginning and his work shall be glorious for many there are is and shall be converted to God and brought out of the degeneration and to that shall people come which all Christendom hath been apostatized from and shall receive the same Spirit and the same Anointing which was amongst the Christian Churches and life and immortality shall again be brought to light through the Gospel which hath been hid for Ages while darkness hath been over the minds of people And I say and testifie before all the World That Christianity shall be restored to its former state Life shall spring forth and Truth shall be encreased and Faith shall wax strong even the same Faith that the Apostles had which gave them Victory over all the World which shall again give People the same Victory and this shall be known in the Earth For the Marriage of the Lamb shall come and all his People shall be joyn'd unto him and there shall be one Way and one Worship and one Teacher and every one shall sit under Christ's Vine and none shall make afraid Yea and more then a Vine shall he be known and more then a Door and more then a Shepherd shall he be known to be to his People and greater then a Rock shall he be witnessed to be and more then a Teacher in the Wilderness If any man have an Ear to hear let him 〈◊〉 more and greater is he becoming to his People then is lawful yet to utter Eye hath not seen nor it hath not entred into the Heart of man but it is revealed to us by his Spirit The joyful Day is approaching the Lamb's Wife is making her self ready the Wedding Garment is putting on and all that which is polluted is to be done away And Blessed is he that cometh to the Marriage of the Lamb that he may become one Spirit with the Creatâ—r Here is Glory and Rejoycing forever when this is known That the Wife hath not power over her own Body but the Husband nor hath the Husband power over his own Body but the Wife Where this is known Death is swallowed up of Life and Sin is overcome of Righteousness and the Inheritance of Life Eternal comes to be possessed and Death and Hell is cast into the Lake and he which hath deceived can deceive no more And blessed is the Eye that sees this and the Heart that understandeth Wherefore all ye Christians upon Earth Awake awake and put away your Whoredoms cast off your Idolatries and strip you and make you clean of all your Adulteries drink no longer of the Cup of Fornication nor eat no longer of the Abominable Flesh nor wear no longer your Garments of Unrighteousness but strip ye strip ye make ye bare all your old Garments must be put off before you can appear before the Lord. A great Work will the Lord work amongst you he will shake and overthrow all your Altars Images and Idols which you have set up and worshipped The Lord hath uttered his Voice the Beast that hath many Heads and many Horns shall tremble and one Head and one Horn only shall be exalted and the Government shall be set up of whose encrease there shall be
meant not Ours by enjoyment but Ours 〈…〉 the Prophet speaks when 〈…〉 Righteousness that Christ works in us by his Spirit and the Power of his 〈◊〉 is Ours by enjoyment in the second Adam as the Gift of God to us but 〈…〉 in the first Adam in the Righteousness of the Law in the 〈…〉 and that was the strength of my Query where that Righteousness 〈…〉 us by the Spirit and Strength of Christ and not in our own is called our â—â—â—â—teousness ours as in the first Adam But I see thou hast not understood 〈…〉 of my Query for weakness of Understanding and then how should 〈◊〉 rightly answer it Also I Queried How Christ working Righteousness in us by the Power of 〈◊〉 not by our own strength can be called the Righteousness of the Law 〈…〉 Now I meant the Righteousness of the Law in the Flesh and not 〈◊〉 Spirit I know the working of Christ 〈◊〉 in us to will and 〈◊〉 do by 〈…〉 and Strength and power of Grace is the fulfilling the Righteouâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 the Law 〈◊〉 Christ in us but it is not the Righteousness of the Law in the 〈…〉 But to this thou hast not answered 〈…〉 conceiving and not the innocency of my Queries And whereas he stumbles and is offended because I said No 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 in any word or work but what they are led unto by the Spirit and those Words 〈◊〉 the Spirit leads unto 〈…〉 no other words or works And from 〈◊〉 would falsly 〈…〉 Iâ—â—â—ification by Works and by something 〈…〉 I say No 〈…〉 shall no Flesh living be justified 〈…〉 that moveth and leadeth 〈…〉 and Works of Truth and Righteousâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 Words and Works which he is 〈…〉 and this is not 〈…〉 Apostle's words which he seem◠〈…〉 against me 〈…〉 While we were sinners Christ dyed for us 〈…〉 justified by his Blood â—… This is not 〈◊〉 what I say for we do 〈◊〉 the Blood of Iesus to justifie but yet not 〈◊〉 are not cleansed by it and 〈◊〉 by the Spirit into all Truth but it is 〈◊〉 are justified only who are led into all Truth by his Spirit such are 〈◊〉 by his Blood in the Spirit and 〈◊〉 from Wâ—â—â—â— who are born of the 〈◊〉 Word but they 〈…〉 are not justified nor saved â—… Then he Querieth Whether I 〈◊〉 Pardon of Sin out of Doors 〈◊〉 I answer No for they that are 〈◊〉 into all Truth by the Spirit 〈…〉 are pardoned and forgiven and 〈◊〉 no more but blotted 〈…〉 cannot be read for they are â—leased from it and commit noâ— sin Then he asketh Whether 〈…〉 Causes of Iustification the one â—… Reâ— I say 〈…〉 and the Work of Righteousness is in God 〈◊〉 free Love and Mâ—â—â—â— which is ovâ—◠〈…〉 Works and they receive the 〈◊〉 of it and the Gift of it that are led by the Spirit as the Effect thereof 〈◊〉 none else Though he asketh Whether Forgiveness of Sin hath its rice from 〈◊〉 Christ worketh in us or from what Christ hath done and suffered for us I say 〈◊〉 soever Christ hath done and suffered with 〈…〉 while man hath not receâ—â—â—â— Christ nor the Work of Christ in him but remains in the first Adam in Traâ—â—gression the true Work and Ground of Iustification he knows not nor 〈◊〉 not neither knows the Mediator-ship between God and him Then 〈◊〉 the conclusion of this matter P.T. saith 〈◊〉 for to â—â—ow E.B. 〈◊〉 the Truth are not so 〈…〉 forsake 〈◊〉 c. Rep. Hold Friend come back again What 〈◊〉 thou proved yet any thing against me save that I hold the Tâ—â—â—â— Thou hast 〈◊〉 a Coâ—â—â—â—sion too soon without sound Evidence and thou 〈◊〉 not be Iudge in thy own Cause neither hast thou prov'd me and the Truth to disagree 〈…〉 may judge It appears thou art the man that seemest to be Righteous in thy own eye 〈◊〉 none falsly herein for who can clear themselves from the Guilt of it of that Generation if any I condemn them not but can P. T. do it ask his Neighbours Hath not he sums of Money by the Year Tythes or other Wages for preaching try him a little give him nothing for a Year or two and then if he preach to you and never complain for want of Wages and Money then I 〈◊〉 believe he is clear and then he may better boast than he can now And as for 〈◊〉 vers of that function in that Country they have casâ— men into Prison where they yet lie and taken suit of them at Law and taken their Goods because some could not for Conscience sake give you Hire and Tythes and Money and 〈◊〉 â—hese free or guilty of my Charge let the Lord judge and all his Saints He saith He doth not plead for all who go under the name of Ministers in England he fears there is many of them no better then Wolves in Sâ—â—ep's Clothing â—â—c Then why doth he not come out and cry against them but remain â—â—â—â—â—gst them 〈◊〉 their Practice For wherein can he clear himself of anyone thing which they are guilty of which he confesses are Wolves in Sheep's Clothing Was not his Call the same 〈◊〉 theirs â—â—d is not his Practice in Ministry and Maintenance genâ—rally the same with theirs If he hath ought to say to clear himself we will answer further 〈◊〉 otherâ—ise all men shall Judge That while he accuseth some of England's Ministers to be VVolves in Sheep's Clothing himself is found also guilty except I say he can make appear a perfect difference between â—his Call Practice and Maintenance and theirs which he is never able to do or to justifie that he is not of the same nature and by the same spirit but contrary to theirs that he accuses and 〈◊〉 to be â—â—lves in Shâ—â—â—â— Clothing and I have as much groâ—â—â— to suspect him to be one of the Wolves in Sheeps Clothing as he has ground to suspect his own Companions and 〈◊〉 to be such And in that he saith 〈◊〉 of the Quakers have been found guilty of Blasphemy and that some of them are found vain light Personâ— or â—eady and high-minded Rep. He doth here secretly charge and prove nothing for Blasphemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come out of and have deny'd all lightness after the Flesh and High-mi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if any such come among us they are deny'd and are not of us till 〈◊〉 be converted to God and turned from all evil But this his secret charge against others is but that himself may seem clâ—â— Then he asks Are all guilty of preaching for Hire and divining for 〈◊〉 and â—â—ds me Not condemn the Generation of the Righteous and then â—â—nfesses 〈◊〉 take that 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that which they have given by Persons and justifies it and saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Preaching for Hire c. pag. 19. of his last Râ—p All that I 〈◊〉 to be guilty are so for I charge not the 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 the Country People ask them how many of their Teachers are 〈◊〉 and have not Money
bring People to your Way and Worship and Religion upon these Ingagements and by the Authority of the Almighty I lay it upon you to answer and for you to return your knowledge and opinions to the Particulars following which I am moved by the Lord to query and demand of you that your Doctrines Practises and Worships and whole Religion in every part thereof may be viewed and examined and measured according to the Saints and Apostles writings and may thereby be cleared or otherwise reproved and condemned And if your Profession and Practises in Religion be sprung from the true Grounds and true Spirit and your Church be indeed the true Church that can prove her pedigree truly descended from the Church of Christ before the Apostacy and clear her self from all degeneration in every degree and that she is perfect in the faith and worship and practises of the holy Church and Apostles of old then shall all that love God and fear him and hopes for life eternal separate themselves from all Sects and Apostates separated from you and come in and return again to you as to a faithful Mother and joyn with you in all things and add themselves to your Church only and renounce and deny all the contrary that is not of you and so shall your names and honour be increased through all the Earth But and if after lawful trial and just examination and searching out the matter it be proved against you that you are degenerated from what the true Church and Apostles were and are not builded upon Christ the true Rock and Foundation but diverted from the Power Life and Spirit and true Religion which the Apostles were in and that your Church is not the true Church but a false Sect and your original cannot be fetch'd from the Apostles but is of a latter and more corrupted Race then shall you deny all your Religion and Church and renounce your Profession and Practises and come to them and joyn with them that can prove their Church to be the true Church and can fetch their original from the Spirit of the Apostles and that is builded upon Christ the everlasting Foundation whoever this shall be proved to be wherefore appear and come forth to trial upon this condition joyn issue with us and answer these things in plainness and let us know your Judgements that a return you may reâ—â—ive First Whether you are indeed the only true Church of Christ his Body of 〈◊〉 Fleâ—â— and of his Bones called and gathered and united by the eterâ—… Spirit of Jesus perfect in the Faith of Christ perfect in Doctrine and perfect is â—…ip as were the Churches of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 the Eternal Spirit dwell in every particular Member of your Church and doth lead each one of you into all Truth insomuch that you need now no 〈…〉 teach any one of you but as that same Spirit that dwells in you answer 〈◊〉 â—…inly yea oâ— nay 2. â—…ther are you not in any particular of your Faith Doctrines Praâ—… Worships in any degree degenerated nor deviated from what the 〈◊〉 â—…ne Practice and Worship were that the true Church was in in 〈…〉 the Apostles And whether will you admit of tryal in all things you pâ—… and practice by the Scriptures the Writings of the Saints yea or â—y 3. Wâ—…ther your Church of Rome doth receive the pouring-down of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters immediately and every Member receive the Holy â—…st and is â—â—lled therewith and baptized therewith as in the true Câ—… Acts z. Anâ— whether you have received the Holy Ghost and Eveâ—… Comforter immediately as did the true Church iâ— the dayes of the Apostâ—… Answer me these things in the Truth of your Hearts that you may be own'â—… 〈◊〉 denyed 4. Wâ—…er the Faith you profess hath perfectly purified your hearts from all 〈◊〉 and hath given you Victory over the World that now the body of sin is 〈◊〉 and you are free from sin and do not commit sin but are every Memâ—… 〈◊〉 you without Spot and Wrinkle and cleansed from all Unrighteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servants of Righteousness and not of Sin and whether you believe 〈◊〉 Condition to be attainable in this life upon Earth and to be enjoyed and â—…d for yea or nay 5. What is your ground of sprinkling Infants with Water and whether he thâ—â—â—…st instituted it had the Gift of the Eternal Spirit and was led thereby for we know it was first ordain'd at Rome in your Church and all the Protestants received it from you who are not able to give us a sufficient Reason thereof but we are not satisfied therein therefore tell us Whether are people thereby made Meâ—…rs of the Body of Christ and baptized into his true Church and is it a perfect Seal and Sign of the new Birth and Regeneration as is professed and doth that give all Children that are sprinkled a Right to the Kingdom of God and to be Members of the Church of Christ and satisfie us plainly Is the sprinkling of an Infant never having heard the Gospel but while unconverted and â—â—thanged in Nature the true Baptism into the true Faith of Christ as it is professed answer me plainly yea or nay 6. Whether the Body and Blood of Christ that is Meat indeed and Drink indeed be carnal and visible things to be seen felt and known visibly and carnally and whether Bread and Wine that is Mortal and will corrupt be the very Body and the very Blood of Christ Jesus and whether Christ hath any other Body and Blood to be known in any other way or manner then what is professed to be visibly and carnally known by you and is that Bread after Consecration the very Express Image of the Father and was with the Fatheâ— before the World began else it is not the Body of Christ answer me plainly 7. Again We are not satisfied concerning your Burning and Torturing and Imprisoning in cruel Inquisitions and Goals such as dissent from you and cannot believe in your Church which ye call Hereticks whether is not this done by your Church or any Member thereof and do you justifie the doing of it by the Authority of your Church and we demand of you to give us Example for such Practices in Scripture ever Practised by the Apostles or true Church or any Member thereof to Burn or Kill or Imprisâ—â— such as would not own them or were Hereticks otherwise we must coâ—… it and judge you eternally for it And whether such Practices done a◠〈◊〉 and in her Dominions be not Murder and Cruelty and Tyranny 〈◊〉 shedding of Innocent Blood and of the Devil the Wicked One 〈◊〉 me plainly and satisfie us herein that we may know how to deal with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 controversie 8. Again We are not satisfied concerning the abundance of 〈◊〉 of the Saints set up and bowed to amongst you and your praying 〈◊〉 them and to the Saints and by Beads and in Set-Forms such thâ—…
Heart and tries the Reins who is a God Great and Mâ—…ty and giveth unto all Creatures Life and Breath and he will change at 〈◊〉 〈…〉 all the Children of Men and bring them to an Account before his 〈…〉 Seat wherefore let all Flesh tremble before him and let all the earth 〈…〉 〈…〉 his Presence who changeth and subdueth and over-turneth at his Pâ—… and brings men to destruction who have rebell'd against him â—…fore thou Pope chief Bishop at Rome this is unto thee from the Mouth of â—… Come down come down lay down thy Crown subject thy self 〈…〉 before the Lord God of Vengeance lest 〈…〉 come upon thee and crush â—… and thou shalt know that this hath the Lord spoken in the day â—…ry flaming Sword which is already drawn enters into thy Bosom 〈…〉 thy Honour and Renown Behold I have heard the Voice of Houlâ—…er Lamentation I have heard the Voice of War and not of Peace I 〈…〉 I have seen the Strong become Weak and the Mighty become Miserabâ—â—â—…ud and Honourable brought into Contempt yea I have seen her thâ—… a Queen and has said She never shall see Sorrow I have seen the losâ—â—…n and Widdowhood come upon her even in one day I have seen her Bâ—…â—…ed into Bitterness I have seen her Honour brought into Contempt I 〈…〉 Whore that has made all Nations drunk with her Fornications tâ—… the Golden Cup in her hand I have seen the Cup of Indignation pâ—… her to drink I have seen her cast upon the Bed of never-ceasing â—… I have seen the City that was full of people that was the Glory of I â—… that made all Nation rich with her Traffick and Merchandize I 〈…〉 that City laid desolate and dis-inhabited and made the Sorrow of the 〈…〉 Earth and I have seen the smoak of her burning ascend forever and this is 〈◊〉 must shortly come to pass and if thou hast an Ear to hear thou mayst 〈…〉 and these things are true and faithful and they shall not fail but the Wâ—… shall know the Majesty Dread and Terror the Vengeance and Indigâ—… of the Almighty This is assented unto by many and written and subscribed by one that hath a Nâ—… not seen nor known of the World but known among Men by the name of Edward Burroughs Return your Answer to me or any of the People called Quakers for me in London from whence this is sent being written the 24th of the 8th Mon. 1658. A FAITHFUL TESTIMONY Concerning the True Worship OF GOD VVhat it is in it self and who are the True WORSHIPPERS In Opposition to all the False Worship in this Nation which is Idolatry which is discover'd in its Foundation and in its Manifestation not to be ever commanded of God or practized by his Apostles and Saints but it is declar'd to consist chiefly of such things and practices as had their first Beginning and Ordination in the Church of Rome whereby the Hypocrisie of this Generation doth appear in denying and crying against the Papists Idolatries and yet are found in the practice of the same thing in their Church Ministry and Worship which were first instituted by the Pope's Authority FOrasmuch as there is in the World a great Controversie among people concerning the Worship of God one crying This is the right Worship another That is the right Worship And people in these Nations are divided about the Worship of God and divers one from another in their Performances and Practices of Worship one sort worshipping after this manner another after that and there is great strife through the whole Nation about this matter and a great dis-satisfaction among people which is the right Worship and who are the right Worshippers and Thousands are desiring after the right Worship of God and to become Worshippers of him as he requires Therefore now it is upon me to shew unto all the World what the true Worship of God is in it self and who are his true Worshippers First The Worship of God in it self is this It is a walking with God and a living with him in Converse and Fellowship in Spirit and Truth for he is only worshipped therein and to do the Truth and speak the Truth This is the True Worship of God where the Mind is guided with the Spirit of Truth and the Presence of the Lord felt at all times and his Fear in the Hearts of people and his Councel stood in and his Covenant felt which unites to the Lord in Spirit this is the True Worship of God and it is without respect of times or things And now none upon Earth can thus worship God but who are changed and renewed in heart and mind and born of the Spirit and led thereby where the Body of Sin and Death is put off such as are redeemed out of the World and out of all its wayes and nature such only can worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and such is the Father seeking to worship him now in this present Age And there is never a one upon Earth that can worship God as he requireth who remain unchanged and are in the Transgression unrenewed and unconverted such cannot worship the True and Living God but that which they perform and practice as the Pretence of his Worship is Idolatry and Abomination and the Lord hath not required it at their hands for none can walk with God nor have unity with him but who are renewed and changed nor none can do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things but such who are led by the Spirit of Truth and such are in the Covenant of God and true Worshippers of him and all that is contrary is not the Worship of God but Idolatry as I have said And now as concerning this Worship practiced in England in these Steeple-Houses Churches so called it is not the Worship of the Living God but Superstition and Idolatry for people have not learned it by the Teachings of the Spirit neither doth the Spirit lead them therein but it standeth in Form without Power and in the Inventions and Traditions of the Fathers and there is not in it the manifest Presence of God neither do you Worshippers meet with the Lord nor enjoy his pure Life and Presence in your Practices and the substance of your Worship as it is now practized is made up of Inventions some part of your own and some part brought along from the church of Rome And is it not great Hypocrisie in you to profess a denyal of the Church of Rome and yet be found practizing some of the same things as your Worship which the Church of Rome first instituted and practized as her Worship Shall we instance unto you some particular things Was it not by the Authority of the Church of Rome that these Houses in which you worship which you call Churches were first set up and made Worshipping-places for them And is it not a little while since that the Mass and old Popish stuff was therein
exercised with as great Zeal towards God if not with as good Sincerity as you practice yours at this day And are there not the very Signs and Symptoms of the Romish Idolatry yet upon these Houses being full of Images on the Walls and on the Pillars and on the Glass-Windows and Crosses about them and many other things which were Popish Inventions as also the Names given unto them and consecrated Bells in them and such like stuff And was it not a little while since there were the Altars and the Rails and the Font and other such like things which lately were broken down But however though something there may be altered and changed and converted to another use and something taken away and other Inventions brought in instead thereof yet still they are the same Houses which you worship your Godd in which Houses were set up by the Authority of the Pope and there remaineth yet the Pope's Sign and Symptom of the Romish Church upon them and these Houses you call your Churches and Thousand of Thousands of blind ignorant people esteeming and respecting in their minds of these Places more then of any other supposing them to be more holy and that other Places are not so good to worship in Alas poor blind ignorant people that deceive your own Souls in the Traditions and Inventions of man which you live in the practice of supposing it to be the very Worship of God which is no other in it self but Idolatry and you Idolaters for do not all Unconverted People and Unrighteous People such who are not taught of the Lord nor led by his Spirit but daily rush into Iniquity and into evil are not such found Worshippers here in Steeple-Houses conforming themselves to these things and these practices And can such worship God Or is God worshipped by such I tell you nay the Lord God is pure and they that worship him must be sanctified and led by his Spirit which leadeth into all Truth But now as concerning your present Practices which your Worship consisteth of they are not such as ever the Lord instituted but such as men have set up in their own wills and wisdom and not in the Lord's As for your sprinkling of Infants which is a chief Practice of your Worship was not this first ordained at Rome read the Records And was it not a Popish Invention which you are thus zealously reforming as if it were indeed required of the Lord Can the Unconverted and Unregenerated be truly baptized into the Faith of Christ No But the Unconverted and Unregenerated are Partakers of your Baptism into the Faith which you profess There was no such practice in the Christian Church before the Apostacy but when the Apostacy came in then came up these Inventions Immitations which you practice as the Worship of God when as he never required it neither did his Saints and his Apostles ever give you Example for it and by it nor in it God is not worhsipped neither is in it self nor as practized by you any part of the Worship of God but stands in the Inventions of man and is after their Traditions and not after the Commandments of the Lord. And as for your singing of David's Experiences in the form and manner as you do practizing it as another main part of your Worship This is the same with the former neither ever commanded of the Lord nor in the course and manner as you do it was it ever practized by the Saints of old and is it any better then a Popish Invention For was the Nation in any better state then Popery when that practice was first instituted and begun to be performed you your selves will confess that it was in the time of Darkness and through the Ordination of the Bishops and Prelates whom you your selves say were little better then Papists in their Worship and Practice and yet this you practice at this day as a part of your Worship which hath no better beginning then as I have said and from them you have received it to wit From the Bishops and Prelates Yea the chief part of your Worship consisteth of the performances of such things as you have received Traditionally from them and from Rome for all these things they instituted And as concerning your Ministry Is it any other with that then with these particulars as I have mentioned Is it not the same Ministry in substance though in some particulars altered as was in the dayes of Popery and Prelacy Have not your Ministers the same Call to their Ministry Practice in their Ministry Maintenance at this day as was in Generations past when this Nation was under the cloud of darkness Ignorance as your selves will confess are not they made Ministers now by natural Learning receiving Ordination from man through the attainments of such Arts and Sciences and Degrees through natural Learning and humane Policy not having their Ministry by the Gift of the Holy Ghost no more then the Papists and Prelates had before them who were made Ministers by the same Power and after the same manner as these are And it was the Church of Rome and by the Popish Authority that Colledges and Schools to make Ministers by them were first ordained and set up and as that Ministry was sent forth in the time of Popery by the same way and means generally are as to substance are your Ministers now sent forth though in some particulars differing in matters of Form yet the same for substance But Christ's Ministers in the time of the true Church were not thus sent forth but had received Power from on High and the Gift of the Holy Ghost whereby they were made able Ministers and not by any other thing nor by any such means or way as your Ministers now are set up and established and this Ministry is differing from the true Ministry which Christ sent forth and is not according but contrary in all things and it is not the Ministry of God neither brings people to God for by this Ministry people are not converted but are such as they that the true Prophet cryed against saying They have run saith the Lord and I have not sent them therefore they shall not profit the People at all And as for this Maintenance of the Ministry of the Church of England is it not the same as was in the dayes of Popery and Prelacy was it not by the Pope's Authority that Tythes were first established and set up to be the Maintenance of his Ministry And did not the Romish Church first ordain that the people should give the tenth to the use of Religion and to maintain their Ministry if you search the Records you will find it so And was it not the very practice of the Papists and Prelates Ministers to have Hire and great sums of Money by the Year and Stipends and large Benefits for preaching and the same things are practised by these Ministers which they have borrowed from the
Mark of the Romish Whore and have her Symptoms and Characters remaining upon them unto this day as it is manifest Object And though some may object and say That God commanded a Temple to be â—â—ilded for the worship of his Name and Ordinances to be practised in the time of the old Covenant To which I do say yea it was so a Temple was builded by Solomon for the Seed of the Iews to worship in and to come to Sacrifice to the Lord in and there was an outward Worship and Ordinances but it is many hundred years since this Temple was destroyed and Worship and Ordinances thrown down which God once commanded and his people once practiced and Christ the Life the Power and Wisdom of God was the Substance thereof and unto whom he was made manifest and in whom he was revealed in the Spirit they utterly renounced and denied the Temple and the worship therein though once God had commanded it and the Saints after the manifesting of Christ to them in Spirit and after that the Holy Ghost was given we do not find through all the Churches of the Saints that they worshipped in the Temple of the Iews but witnessed against it and said That God dwelt not in Temples made with hands neither was he worshipped in Temples made with hands but in the Spirit and in the Truth their Worship consisted and therefore were persecuted but they bare Testimony against the Temple and the Worship and those Ordinances which God once had commanded and which once his People practized though it was to the peril of their lives But as for these Temples and these Ordinances and this Worship which are now on foot they were never brought forth by any Ordination or Commandment of God but the Foundation of them is the Inventions of Men and Mens Traditions taught them and not the Spirit of the Lord and therefore against those things those Temples and those Ordinances and Worships much reason have we to cry against them all as being neither Sign nor Substance of good but wholly Inventions of men The Iews Temple and Ordinances were Signs of good things to come and when the Substance was come the Saints deny'd the Shaddows and the Figures but as for these they are deny'd wholy as being Idolatry and Abomination from the beginning to the end of them for as I have shown These things which are the matter of which your Worship and Ordinance doth consist had their rise and beginning in the dayes of Darkness and Ignorance since the Apostacy came in and so in the Name and Authority of the Lord we do declare against them even against your Temples and whole Worship to the intent to bring you to the true Worship that is in Spirit and in Truth and that you might know your bodies the Temples of God and that he might dwell in you and walk in you according as be hath promised in the New Covenant Wherefore all people awake and come out of your Idolatry and idolatrous Worships separate your selves touch no more of it that the Lord may receive you and that you may come into his Covenant which is Life and Peace for your souls for in those Worships and Temples and all your Practices therein you have not true peace with the Lord nor the Refreshments from his pure Presence but Sin and Death reigns amongst you and great ignorance is over your hearts and Idolatry corrupts your minds and the Lord hath been forgotten by you dayes without number God is not well-pleased neither hath any delight in your Worship for your worship of him and fear towards him is but taught by the Precepts of men and by the Traditions of the Fathers in the dayes of Popery and if ever he opens your Eyes you will see it for it is with the humble and contrite in heart that the Lord dwells him that trembleth at the Word of the Lord whose heart is right in his sight and hath learned his Judgments and Fear and such as are changed and renewed and born of the Seed of God and begotten by his powerfull Word such are the true Worshippers whom the Lord is seeking and such will he find to worship him And whereas there is a great cry amongst you and among many people at this day about Deceivers and being deceived you say and your Cry is one to another Take heed you be not deceived by false Teachers and false Doctrine This is the Cry of Parents to Children and Children to Parents and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sters to Servants and of Servants to Masters and chiefly it is the Cry of 〈◊〉 Priests to the people Take heed yoâ—â— be not 〈◊〉 c. Now to all this I do say That there are many Deceivers and many are 〈…〉 ved this is certainly true and plainly manifest But now to shew 〈…〉 Deceiver is and what it is to be deceived and who they are that ar◠〈◊〉 ceived First That is a Deceiver that Person that spirit or that thing that 〈…〉 eth or inticeth the Minds of people into something to do or practce 〈◊〉 speak something which the Lord by his Spirit doth not lead to I say That which leads the Creature to take up a Joy or a Delight 〈…〉 Happiness in something of this World which is under the Sun to place 〈…〉 fidence or felicity in such a thing that which thus leadeth or draweth the 〈…〉 whether it be person or spirit it is a Deceiver and deceiveth the Soul 〈…〉 or they that do follow this and give up themselves into the obedience 〈…〉 to do or speak something that is contrary to God or which his Spirit 〈…〉 not lead unto nor guide in this person is deceived of the Presence of the 〈◊〉 and of the Comfort and Joy and Happiness that is in him and hath pleâ—… and joy in something of the Creation that is not of him but besides 〈◊〉 and this Person is deceived and in Deceit who hath placed a Joy and Happiâ—… and Confidence in some Creature or thing that is not perfectly the Lord 〈…〉 another spirit besides the Spirit of the Lord hath seated it self in the 〈◊〉 and taken possession of the Mind and the Mind and Heart is thereby caâ—…ted by that way in the works and pleasures of this World and this is a â—…ved estate and thus much of a Deceiver and Deceiving in the ground in 〈◊〉 declared But now You that are crying one to another Be not deceived be not 〈◊〉 Are you not such as are deceived already and lie wallowing in the Deceit and Vanity and Evil of this World For while sin hath power over you and that Spirit that is not of God doth lead you you are deceived and thus it is with you being unchanged and unrenewed in Mind and Heart are not you deceived For you want the feeling of the Presence and of the Comfort of the Lord God and you are deceived of that for that you have not and another thing possesseth your minds and the
Joy and Pleasure of this World and in your Exercise spiritual and temporal the spirit that is of this World doth lead you and guide you the spirit of Unrighteousness that leadeth contrary to him and can you be otherwayes deceived or more deceived For you are without God already and want his Peace and the Inheritance of Life Eternal that is in him you want the possession thereof and you are following dead Idols and Vanities which steal away your minds whereby it is manifest that you are deceived For all people upon Earth that are not led by the Spirit into all Truth that have not received the Promise of the Father they are all deceived and cannot be more deceived then they are And so is the Cry in general among people if any one forsake and deny their way of Worship and Religion and Profession be it of what manner or nature soever presently there is a Cry chiefly by the Priests Take heed you be not deceived and you are in Heresie and Error and such like Thus have the Papists cryed against them that have dissented from them and the Prelates cry'd the same and now yoâ— cry the same to them that dissent from you But your Zeal is not so much against Heresie and Error simply so as it is to have your own Sect and Worship upheld and against them that do dissent from you and it hath been Antichrists way since the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles to cry Heresie and Error and you are deceived to all that did decline and dissent from him for you may read in the Scriptures Power was given to the Beast to compel all to worship him and all that would not he made War against and had power to kill them and 〈…〉 have the Papistâ— done 〈…〉 against 〈…〉 that denyed their church 〈…〉 the Prâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your cry 〈◊〉 Heresie and Error 〈…〉 deceived who do 〈…〉 church and your ministry and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have you learned â—f your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 church 〈…〉 â—…se all sorts of people â—… That 〈…〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 arâ— is 〈…〉 and see how your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of Unrighteoâ—sness â—…ness and Ignorance and a Cloud of Error is over you and 〈◊〉 â—… and the Son of God who is â—…ring now in Majesty and Renoâ—… to 〈…〉 Name over all the Earth and Antichrist's way you have been in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have all to how under his power unto his worship But noâ—… eyes of 〈…〉 are opened and Life and Rigâ—…ness and Truth it self 〈…〉 â—…ung 〈…〉 â—…he Clouds of Dâ—…ness and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Unknown God and him you ignorantly worship afâ—… of men 〈◊〉 not afâ—… 〈◊〉 Comâ—…s of God 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of the Fore-fathers is seated in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Witness and â—… and quencheth the Spirit your old 〈◊〉 Traditiâ—… and 〈…〉 your Exercise therein 〈◊〉 thaâ— part which iâ— carnal and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 others and your Worship which is out of the Spirit of God 〈…〉 Spirit of God in others to 〈◊〉 â—ny truly to the Living 〈…〉 〈…〉 will destroy your Worship and confound it and no more is tâ—… 〈…〉 â—…shipped iâ— Stâ—â—ple-Houses they are left desolate of God's Preâ—… 〈◊〉 more in Dayes and Tiâ—es and Things but they that worshâ—… 〈…〉 〈◊〉 in the Spirit changed by it and led by it into the Truth So 〈…〉 doth open your Eyes you will see the Worship of God to be 〈…〉 thing then you suppose it you cannot be educated naturally in the Worship of God nor learn it by Traditions for it stands only in the Spirit and is taught by the Spirit unto all them that are born of the Spirit and who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be born of that are the true Worshippers of God in which the Father is well pleased And as for your Worship in Steeple-Houses God hath no Delight in he â—…th it not but it is an Abomination to him it is not pleasing to him beâ—…e you be out of his Spirit and worship after your own Traditions 〈…〉 after his Spirit And this worship hath stood all this long time of Anâ—… while the Whore and the Beast hath ruled over Nations and so one Tradition after another hath been brought in and one false Worship hath risen out of another and what people have had it hath been by Tradition and not from the immediate Spirit of God and so the True God hath not been woâ—…d in his Spirit And now all the World have been pleading for theâ—â— Traditions and they be in respect above the Commandments of God among ye that worship in Steeple-houses you are even mad against them that 〈…〉 â—…inst the Steeple-houses and plead the Antiquity of your Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Traditions and Ordinances now they are ancient even as anciâ—…â—s since the false Prophets and Antichrist came in and did put on the Shâ—… Clothing but inwardly ravening Wolves these killed the Life and slew the Prophets and they set up Inventions of their own and your Traditioâ—… and Worships are as ancient as since power was given to the Beast over Kindreds and Peoples and the Lord God is bringing down your Worship the Original of which came up when Antichrist went out into the World as you may read in Iohn's Epistle and so you may plead Antiquity yet not as ancient as the True Church is for when the truâ— Churches were apostatized then came up your Worship and your many Traditions and this hath been while the Woman hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Man-child caught up to God which when the Woman returns again your worship ordinance will be over-thrown and the True Worship again established and Liberty but first you must know the Spirit to teach you before you can worship in it and the Spirit must purifie your Hearts and make them 〈◊〉 before you can offer to God an acceptable Sacrifice for your Sacrifices are not acceptable but they are stained and polluted in the fight of the Lord who 〈◊〉 hath beheld what you are a doing and you are in that which his Soul hath no Pleasure in and in the Day of your â—…ation the Witness in your Consciences shall answer it so you are to know God by his Spirit before you can worship him the Word of the Lord must be 〈◊〉 in your Hâ—â—rtâ— as a 〈◊〉 as a Hamâ—… and 〈◊〉 muâ—â— be crâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—d have 〈…〉 Spirit â—…ore ye can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So all you false Worshippers you are called that you may return and may come into the True Worship which is in tâ—â— Commandment of God and not the Traditions of 〈◊〉 and in that Law written in the Hearâ— is God knownâ— who worketh man's Salvation 〈◊〉 which leadeth in the true and perfect Worship of the True and Living God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord 〈…〉 all in aâ—… Thâ—…efâ—… retuâ—… Why wiâ—… yoâ—…ye aâ—â— perish 〈◊〉 your 〈…〉 A 〈…〉 â—…n is taâ—â—n uâ—â—… Oâ—… why 〈◊〉 you â—â—rish â—…ough 〈…〉 yoâ—◠〈◊〉 Sâ—… tiâ—… Câ—… into the Spâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth that you may â—…ship
that they have ran and not been sent but left Peoples and Nations unsetled as the Waters notwithstanding all their preaching and ministry for so many years yet it seems there wants still a settlement in Religion and seeing their preaching hath had no effect to do it but their Ministry hath been all in vain and people are not learned in Religion not yet established therein whereby their Ministry is proved not to be Christ's Ministry for the Apostles did settle people and the Churches in Religion which theirs have done no such thing and therefore it is that the Powers of the Earth are called to that they may force by Violence and by violent Laws that by that means a Worship and Religion may be settled as they say and their Ministry hath not drawn people by Love and therefore would they have people forced and compelled to be of such or such Religion but this is not Christ's Way nor the Way that his Apostles and true Churches were in for the Spirit of the Father led each one of them to be religious and that same Spirit settled and established them in it and not external Laws nor Powers of the Earth but that was Antichrist's Way and the Beast's and the false Prophets Way for when they had killed the Saints and slain true Religion then the Beast and false Prophets they established a Religion or Worship by outward Laws and it s written That he caused and compelled all both small and great bond and free to worship the Beast and his Image and here was a settled People in a Religion and Worship by an outward compelling Power And thus it was then and is now the same false Churches and false Religions are settled by an outward Authority and it was Nebuchadnezar and his wicked Princes that settled a Religion or Worship by an outward Power and by an earthly Authority but that was not the Worship of true Religion but was the Worship of Antichrist and so it hath been for Ages that Worship that is settled and that Religion which is established by an outward external Power and the Laws of men is but the Worship of Antichrist and not the true Religion nor the Worship of the Living God which is in Spirit and in Truth but it must all be overthrown and brought to nought both that Religion and Worship that is out of the Spirit and that Power that upholds it and now the Lord God is risen to confound the thoughts of mens hearts and he alone will settle and establish Religion by his own Power and by his own Law and through his own Ministry and as people come to that of God in them to feel the Spirit and Power of the Lord God to change them hereby will every one particularly be settled in Religion and by no other way nor means and this I know from the Lord. But how should people be settled in Religion for Peoples and Nations have been and are as Waters which have been driven with the Winds this way or the other way and the great Whore sits upon the Waters and the Beast hath carried her and born her up false Worships and Churches and an outward Power and she hath ruled and made all Nations drunk with her Cup of Fornication and the true Religion hath been lost for many Ages and the Sects and false Churches have been set up and established upon the Waters and as for true Religion it cannot be established while Nations are Waters under the Whore's Dominion and so the many Sects which have been the many Horns upon the Beast and one hath risen after another and one diverse from another and they have been striving one with another and persecuting one another and one subduing another and each one of them hath cryed for help from the Beast and from the Powers of the Earth to be defended from the Power Malice one of another least one should prevail against another get the better one of another and so that Sect that could get Authority from the Powers of the Earrh and have them of its side that Sect hath thriven and hath been settled more then another which hath not gotten the Powers of the Earth to defend it and so as the Powers of the Earth have been changeable so hath Religion been changable and what Sect the Rulers have been on that have they highest tollerated and most defended against all other but all this hath not been the true establishment of true Religion But now some may suppose and query whether I speak this as if I would have Religion not at all settled and as if I were against the establishing of Religion and so thereby may be accused as if I were an Enemy to all Religion and would not have Religion be established c. To all this I answer I am a Friend to true Religion and seeks the establishing of it in the right way and by the Ministry of Righteousness by turning peoples minds to the Spirit and to receive the Anointing that they may be all taught of God and true Worshippers of him in Spirit and Truth and may be settled in the true Religion and this true Religion would I have established in the World and in the Nations and would have all people therein established by the Ministry of Righteousness thereunto ordained But I am against the establishing of Sects and the settling of one Sect above another by the Powers of the Earth and I would not have one set up and an other thrown down by the Laws of men for that brings forth nothing but Tyranny and Oppression and Strife and wickedness in a Nation and amongst People though thus it hath been for many Ages false Sects and false Churches have been established by the Earth and external Laws and that Sect which the King or Queen or Ruler hath been of that hath been set up and tollerated above the rest and the rest despised and persecuted and set at nought for when and where a Prince or a Ruler is of the Papists Religion then that Religion is the most established and settled in that Government and if at any time a Ruler change to be of the Protestant Sect or one come to govern that is of that Religion then that Sect was the most established and upheld thus it is through Nations and in England particularly within these late years when King Henry the eighth turned from the Papists to be a Protestant then that Sect was established and all other thrown down and persecuted and when Queen Mary rose to govern which was a Papist then she established that Sect and false Church by Laws and the rest were limitted and thrown down then when the next Queen arose being a Protestant she established that Sect again by outward Laws and cast all others down and thus it hath been for many Ages throughout all Nations of what Sect and Religion the Governor and Ruler hath been that Sect was onely established and all the rest persecuted as I
I say would not many Sects ere this day have prevailed one against another had not the Powers of the Earth stopped and limitted whom they would and given liberty to set up whom they would But now the Light of the Day is arisen and hath appeared and the Lord is making a Way to establish his own Religion by his own Power and he is gathering his Seed who shall wax stronger and stronger and shall prevail through all Opposition through all false Sects and false Worships of the Earth and they shall wax weaker and weaker and shall never be established in Righteousness but they and the Power that upholds them shall be broken together and this will the Lord bring to pass in his Day And thus I have shewed you what true Religion is and how it cannot be established and how it may be and what the Authority of earthly Rulers is and how far it extends and do shew that true Religion cannot be settled thereby but by the Lord alone it must and that it is the Work of Christ's Ministry and not of earthly Power by violent Laws to establish Religion And this is a testimony from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to ye Rulers and Parliaments that make Laws and minister Laws meddle not with Religion to establish one Sect or Sects and to limit and throw down others but fear the Lord God and wait for his Wisdom and remember that that hath been a Rock whereupon many before you have been split and brought into confusion even when they have gone about to limit or stop or establish Religion how have they been confounded and never had success from the Lord to such endeavors for the Lord hath never shewed countenance for many Generations to such as have attempted to make men religious by outward Laws and to settle Nations therein by outward Laws Wherefore now be wise ye Rulers and kiss the Son for the Wrath of the Lord is already kindled and he will break in pieces and dash Babylon's Children against the Stones and confound the great Whore the false Church and all false Sects her Daughters who have been brought forth and set up in Nations ever since the Woman the true Church hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Beast hath carried the Whore born her and upheld her and she hath journeyed through Nations upon the Beast and the Beast hath defended her if any man hath an Ear let him hear and this is a Visitation to ye Rulers and to all that make Laws and minister Laws By a Friend to Righteous Men. E. B. Satan's Design DEFEATED In a Short Answer to a Manuscript sent by a Priest out of Sussex to a Member of this present Parliament full of railing Accusations whereby he hath secretly smitten the Innocent by a secret desiring the Persecution of the People of God But herein his Folly and Madness doth appear that while he hath accused others falsly himself is found guilty of the same thing With Invitations of Love to the present Authority that they may save themselves from being the Executioners of the Priests malice least the Lord destroy them A Certain Paper being come to my hand which is said to be written by one Priest Iackson and sent to a Member of Parliament containing divers Particulars charged as Errors upon the dispised People called Quakers wherein he saith he hath set down some of their Tenents which they maintain unto which Manuscript I am moved to write something in answer as to clear the Truth from his foul Aspertions which he casts upon it to the intent that the said Member of Parliament and the whole House may be better satisfied and resolved wherein they doubt of every Particular that the Truth may appear when as the foul Vail of the Darkness and Slanders is removed That the Holy Scriptures are not the Word of God nor the Saints Rule of Faith and Life neither is it the duty of every one to search them Answ. The Holy Scriptures that were given forth by the Spirit of the Lord as holy men of God were moved they are the Words of God and a Declaration and a Treatise Luke 1. 1. and that which the Saints had handled and tasted of the Word of Life that they declared forth in Words and Writings Acts 1. 1. and the Scriptures as they were given forth by the Spirit of God are a true Declaration of what is to be believed and practised in relation to eternal Salvation It is a true Testimony concerning God and his mighty Works and of Truth and Righteousness and it is a Testimony also of the Devil and what he is and of his Deceits and Errors and Uâ—righteousness so the Scriptures are Words given forth by the Spirit but Christ is the Word that was before the Scriptures were for in the begining was the Word of God and the World was made by it and the Word shall endure for ever and Christ's Name is called the Word of God And though the Scriptures are profitable and were given forth to be read and to be fulfilled yet they are not the Rule and Guide of Faith and Life unto the Saints but the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures that is the Rule and Guide the Teacher and Leader into all Truth and them that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and if you walk in the Spirit saith the Apostle you shall live and as many as walk acording to this to wit of the Spirit Peace is upon them and so the Spirit of God is the Rule of the Saints Faith and Life and the Spirit leads them to walk in the fulfilling of the Scriptures and according to them And as for all the Priests in England who do profess the Scriptures to be their Rule out of their own Mouthes will God judge them who are found walking contrary to the Scriptures in Life and Doctrine and Practises while they cry it up for their Rule and condemn all that will not say as they â—ay And the last part of this Proposition is utterly false for we never do assert that it is not the duty of every one to search them but we bid every one search the Scriptures and every one ought to search them but yet we say that none understands them but who have the Spirit that gave them forth nor none can profit thereby but by the Spirit that gave them forth which works the same Truth in the Heart which the Scriptures without declare of and this I do affirm they are the Words of God and the Spirit of God is the Rule of Faith and Life to the Saints and all men ought to search the Scriptures and to believe what is therein written and to receive and enjoy Christ who is the Substance and the End of all Things the first and last the beginning and ending and in him the Scriptures are fulfilled and finished They do deny the Doctrine of the Trinity and that Christ
upon me many dayes I passed to Dunkirk And that which I found upon me chiefly was to visit and warn the Papists the Iesuits and Fryars and that Company of Idolaters and to sound the Mighty Day of the Lord among them and to proclaim it in the Pope's Borders and to warn them of the Day that is at hand upon them by the Word of the Lord and to sound forth among them the Everlasting Gospel of Truth and against all their Idolatrous Wayes Worships and Practices which I have often felt the weight and burden of before ever I saw outwardly what their Wayes or Practices are which when I saw their Idolatrous Practices and Worships and heard their Doctrines and what they profess I found it to be according to what I had seen and felt in the Light that trieth all things And about the sixth day of the third Moneth 1659. I with Samuel Fisher who was moved to go with me shipped from Dover and came into Dunkirk the next day and being Strangers upon Earth as the Generation of the Righteous Seed ever was we waited in the Will of the Lord to be guided by his Wisdom what to do and how to be guided to act and speak to his Glory So the next Morning the Town Mayor came to us in the Street and required an account of our coming and our Names and from whence we came to which we gave him sober Answers and a reasonable Account And that day it much spread over the Town of our being come thither which wrought no small Cogitations in the Hearts of many as what our Business was and wherefore we were come so that the Deputy Governour Colonel Alsop with the Council of Officers sent for us that Night the chief Governour not being in Town so we went to them who did kindly intreat us and examine us concerning our coming thither and what our Business was there and such like to which we gave them Answers and staid with them in Discourse some Hours and the Deputy Governour much pleaded to us the Danger of our staying in the Town and feared the Division that might grow amongst them through us and withal much desired us to depart the Town supposing as he said the great Danger that might incur unto the Garrison through our stay But our Answer was in much plainness If he desired us we could not receive any such Desire and if he commanded us we could not obey his Command in that case neither could we depart the Town but in the Will of God according to which Will we came thither and having many words and much reasoning with them that Night we parted from them And the next Morning I was moved to write this Letter following and to give them all a sober Account of our coming and what our Work is in this World wheresoever we come which Letter was delivered to them and read by many of them but to it we received no Answer according as the latter part did require as may be seen Dunkirk the eleaventh of the third moneth English account 1659. To the Deputy Governor and the Officers of the English Army in Dunkirk these FRiends we the Servants of the Lord are Lovers of all your Souls and wisheth well unto you in the Lord that Truth and Peace and Righteousness may be among you and in your Hearts and we are Travellers in the Labour of the Gospel of Christ Jesus for the Elect Seed â—ake having received the glad Tydings of Life and Eternal Salvation into our Hearts through the Revelation of Christ in us who is our Hope of Glory and the Lord hath manifested greatly his Power amongst us and revealed the Riches of his Grace in our Souls to our own everlasting satisfaction and peace with God and also he hath made us Ministers of his Grace and of his Word to many others to the turning of many from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God and of him we are called and ordained by his Spirit into this his Work to preach the everlasting Gospel to the Nations and to war against Antichrist the Whore and false Prophets who came up since the dayes of the Apostles and have reigned over all the World for many Generations and this is our work in the World to fight the Lamb's Battel with his Spiritual Weapons and Armour and to follow him whithersoever he goeth and to give up our â—elves in his Service to do or suffer for him whatsoever he calleth us unto and in this hitherto hath the Power and mighty Presence of the Lord God been with us and is with us unto this day and great is his Name amongst us his People and to be praised for evermore And of this hath God given us the sure Witness in our selves even the Testimony of his good Spirit which bears us witness in our own Consciences that these things are true whether men believe or reject our Testimony for we are not Ministers of Man nor by man's will neither do we stand to man's Judgement to be approved or disapproved thereby but to the Witness and Testimony of God's Spirit in every Conscience we do commend our selves where ever any of us do come in the simplicity of Truth in the demonstration of the Spirit and not by words of Man's Wisdom and in the Day of the Lord shall we be justified herein by him and by his Witness in all mens Consciences and in the mean time we do suffer all things patiently and in the meek and quiet Spirit of the Lord And as for us two in particular who are now come into the Town of Dunkirk as we have in some part declared unto you already and so here I again say unto you not being ashamed nor unwilling to give you an account of our coming for we came to be made manifest openly in the sight of all men in our Doctrines Principles and Practises which are of and from the Lord and fully agreeing in all things with the Scriptures of Truth which were given forth by the Spirit of Truth as the holy Men of God were moved and as we have said to you we still testifie we were moved of God and by his Spirit to come unto this Place in love to the Souls of People and it is the Lord God that hath sent us and not Man and whether you believe us herein or do reject us the Testimony of God is sure and remains with us and for the Truth hereof we are not afraid to do and suffer but can do and suffer in the strength of Christ whatsoever is put upon us though chiefly our coming was so far as the Lord shewed us in relation to these Popish Idolaters to discourse with their Iesuites Friars and Priests and to discover to them the Errors óf their Wayes and the falsness of their Worships and to testifie unto them in the Fear and Power of the Lord concerning their Church that it is not a true Church of Christ but a false
Church come up in the Apostacy and these things we have to argue with them if the Heads of them will admit dispute otherwise to charge these things upon them from the Lord and by his Authority and if they do any of them receive our Testimony and turn from their Idols and be converted unto the Truth they may be happy but if they shall reject our Testimony and not believe the Truth then shall they the more be fitted for Destruction and the Day of their Destruction the sooner approacheth and the Lord shall be clear of their Blood and our Reward shall be with us from God for our Testimony shall not return to us in vain but shall accomplish its end wherefore it is sent and the Word of the Lord by us shall either convert to God and to the Truth that they may be saved or shall through rejecting of it harden the Heart against God and against the Truth that they may the more justly be condemned and the Lord and his Servants be the more clear and no other thing saving this do we promise to our selves as the success of our endeavours and not so much in relation to the men of our English Nation are we come though the Gospel of Salvation is freely come to them also that they may be freed from the Captivity of Sin and Death and we may not work nor cause any disturbance or grief to any of them further then what they may take at us for the Truth 's sake or for declaring it in the fear of God and without any just cause given by us to any of you or them though we dare not promise to you nor our selves what we will do or what we will not do onely this we say if the transgression of any just Law can be charged upon us we refuse not to suffer what shall be imposed and this we do believe that the Lord will so keep us and order us by his Spirit of Truth and carry us in Meekness and Righteousness towards you while we stay amongst you be it weeks or moneths that you will have no just occasion against us by any Offence justly ministred by us and if you do take occasion against us without any just cause given be it upon your selves to your own Shame and Condemnation in the sight of God and men for we are clear onely this we do give unto the Lord and cannot unto Men the exercise of our Consciences and to be obedient unto the Teachings of his Spirit in all things as he shall guide and lead us and if he commands to do or not to do any thing and you the contrary we must obey him though we disobey you for its better to obey God then Man and when he bids speak in what Place or Season soever we may not be silent for to keep our Consciences clear in the sight of God in all things by Obedience to him is our care and study and that which we are given up to do and if you set your selves to gain-say this it will turn to your own destruction for no other promise then this can we make for our selves but to do and speak amongst you as the Lord our God shall move us and lead us and this Testimony we do bear for the Lord he doth not move us nor lead us to any thing saving to what is Just Good and Holy which may tend to the Happiness and Peace and Welfare of your Souls and Bodies also and in the Father's will we stand and as we came in his Will so we cannot submit to stay or go at any Man's will save the Lord 's alone And as concerning our coming and staying and Work here this is a sober account to you which may satisfie you and any sober and reasonable men And as concerning our being with you yesternight many things passed from some of you and your Ministers chiefly to which I had a great desire to have answered and to have cleared the things objected against us but time and his patience afforded not the opertunity therefore now this I do propound about the Call to the Ministry which was the thing in dispute to which I then could freely have spoken whether he will give me and us a fair meeting in some publick Place that is convenient for your selves to hear and be judge between us to discourse this Matter viz what the true Call to the Ministry is which is truely according to the Scripture and that to be laid down first and then to compare his Call to his Ministry and also his Call to Dunkirk with what the true Call is which is allowed of and approved in the Scriptures and also to compare our Call to the Ministry and even our call to Dunkirk with what the true Call of Christ s Ministers was as declared in the Scriptures that it may be seen whether his Call or our Call is the most different from or agreeable to the Scriptures and even the Light in your own Consciences shall be Judge between us in this Cause and upon such an Issue upon a just Determination would we gladly joyn tryal and such a Meeting upon such Grounds and Proceedings may tend to satisfie your selves and many more and such a Meeting I do fully desire with your consent and concurrence who may preserve the people in Peace and Soberness that all may be â—dified in the things of so great moment as this is For if he can prove his Call to the Ministry to be such as was the Apostles and Ministers in the true Christian Churches before the Apostacy then shall we own him and not deny him but if he cannot do this and if we can do it on our own behalf in the Power and Spirit of the Lord then may you and all men judge who are the true Ministers of Christ and who are the Deceivers And this manner of proceedings would deside all Doubts in you about us and we shall be clear in manifesting the Truth concerning the true Ministry and the false and the difference between them in their Call in their Practice and in their Maintenance And this is sent to you to read and consider of in the Fear of God as the Testimony of our Love to you and the Truth that you may take heed to your wayes and we would receive first your Answer whether you do consent and will allow such a Meeting and secondly his Answer whether he will undertake such a Dispute and we further are ready to clear all Doubts that may remain in you about us who are your Friends and desire your Prosperity and Faithfulness in what the Lord calls you unto By Edward Burroughs Samuel Fisher. And the same day we went to the Capuchine Fryars and had some Discourse with the chiefest of them in their Garden concerning the Light of Christ that every man is lighted withal and we did declare to them of the Mighty Day of the Lord that was at hand upon them and the Lord
charged against them whereby the Lord hath been offended But all things and places of men must be new moulded and corrected and purged and regenerated that true Judgment may flourish and Righteousness and Truth prosper as in the Beginning and this will the Lord suddenly bring to pass by his own Power and if thou opposest it thou shalt not prosper but be cut off and taken out of the way For the Spirit of the Lord hath been provoked to Wrath because of these things and his Anger is kindled against the Nations and he hath overthrown and yet will once more overthrow till he comes whose Right it is to Rule whose shall be the Government and Kingdom and all his Enemies shall be slain And as for the publick Ministry as now it is in its present estate we certainly know and testifie from the Lord unto thee and to the whole Nations that it is not the same Ministry of Christ which the Apostles had nor by the same Power and Spirit but is wholy degenerated in Call in Practice and in Maintenance and in all things from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the true Churches before the Apostacy and it is as now it stands in degeneration not of God nor in the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus nor hath it the same End and Effects as the Ministry of Christ once had but it s tasted and tainted with the Spirit of Antichist which long hath ruled in the World and it s become a grievous Oppression in the Nations and people are not converted nor turned to God from their evil wayes but remain unprofited and to say no more of it though much I might say what I affirm of it I may prove by the Scriptures against the wisest of them before thee if thou pleasest viz. That as now the Ministry stands it is not perfectly the same Ministry the Apostles had but is degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches before the Apostacy and if ever God toucheth thy heart thou wilt see it so when the Spirit of Christ is chief Judge in thee thou wilt witness this to be true and then may not thy Power uphold any thing which is contrary to God when Government is purged and made pure from all its present Degeneration Again There are many and divers sort of Sects and Gatherings of People and Professions in Reliigion of several contrary Judgments and Opinions Worships in these Nations and these People over whom thou art set to rule are divers and divided in their Wayes and Minds and Professions of Religion some looking for and seeking after Christ in such a manner and others after another manner all crying Loe here is Christ and thus he will come and loe he is there and so will he appear and some are inventing and supposing such a Government to be best and others contrary to that and many are as distracted in their thoughts not knowing what to seek or what to look after some are for such a Government and Religion and others for another and peradventure each one of these may seek to thee for Protection against such as oppose them commending and justifying their own Way and Sect and Form and Religion against all others and craving Laws to maintain themselves and their Sect and to stop and limit all other Ways as Heresie because differing from them and they will each of them turn and rest the Scriptures from the mind of the Spirit that gave them forth to prove their own Opinions and Professions to be right against all others but now thou mayst know that the Scriptures were given forth by the one Spirit of God and is the Testimony of one Truth of one Saviour of one true Worship and one only true Religion and not many and diverse Wayes and them that are of divers Judgments and Worships and Religions and yet all plead Proof from the Scriptures for what they profess and practice all such pervert the Scriptures and wrest them who are thus divided and unsettled in Religion and they shew that none of them have the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit leads into all Truth and in it is the true Worship of God and the true Profession and Practice of true Religion and that Spirit only understands its own words in Scripture but all these divers Sects and Heaps of People that are divided in Worship and about Religion have not the Spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures to lead them into all Truth and guide them in the perfect Way and pure Religion which the Apostles and Churches of Christ were in in their dayes but all these many Sects that are thus divided are risen up since the days of the Apostles and are of another spirit and of a false Religion And as for such called Ministers they will be hurrying about thee and flattering thee with fair and crafty words and smooth Petitions and Requests for Protection and Establishment from thee and for large Maintenance and Stipends and Tythes and possibly they may complain to thee against such as cannot give them Hâ—re and Tythes but may reprove their Evil and Covetousness and Wickedness begging for Laws against such and crying out against Error Herisie because some may be mov'd to cry against their Deceits Oppressions and for the like causes they will run about thee and seek their own Advantage and this we know their nature and spirit is such and hath been for many Ages But now Friend Do thou stand in God's Authority out of and over all such Teachers and Sects and come not under any of them that have the Form of Godliness but want the Power who are in the Apostacy from the Life and pure Religion that the Apostles were in nor believe them not that shall say Lo Christ is â—â—rt or Lo he is there or Who shall ascend to fetch him from without or When shall be come from far to save his People Go not thou after any of these but he arken to the Word of God in thy heart and know that Christ is within thee else thou art reprobate neither do thou take in hand to exalt any one of these Sects or some of them above others neither defend maintain any of them against others of them nor tollerate not one of them above another for if thou dost it will betray thee and the Nations Peace and set all spirits on Fire about thee and while one is pleased and may pray for thee others will be vexed against thee and curse thee wherefore be not troubled about these things nor cumber not thy self about Religion how to establish it for it is God's Hand only to establish his Worship and Religion it belongs to him as he will and not as man by his Policy and Wisdom but stand free from them all and neither establish any nor persâ—â—ute any Sect whatsoever but let them all have their couâ—se and
Slow-Bellies these names and tearms did Christ the Apostles and Prophets use unto such as are some of the Ministry of this Nation and not with Revilings and Reproachings but with the Spirit of Authority from God that reproves the Wickedness of Prophets Teachers and People And tell me Have not some of you sued men at Law and cast them into Prison in this City because they would not give you Money and Tythes and Hire though such as have not heard you nor receiv'd you as Ministers nor received any thing from you and such as you did never any Work for have you sought Wages from and caused them to be imprisoned that would not give you And tell me in good earnest Can any less be said of such who thus walk but that they are insatiable Hirelings and as bad as Beal's Priests and even Cheaters and greedy dumb Dogs let the Witness in your own Consciences answer and you shall have a Reply Now I come to your third Particular which are other Causes and Symptoms of God's Wrath hanging over your heads the frequent disappointment from time to time of all Hopes of coming to any settlement in Government in the Nation occasioned by strange Confusions which is a clear Evidence that God hath in Displeasure darkened our Eyes and hid Counsel from us say you Answ. It is very true that from time to time of late dayes the Lord hath disappointed the purposes of men even concerning settling of Government and there have been almost strange Confusions in Changes But to what can this be attributed Have not your sins been as great a Cause of it as any others And have not you and your Generation been the Counsellors in all these Matters Were not some of you or your Brethren in Oliver's dayes and in Richard's dayes and in the Army's dayes and in the Parliaments dayes and are not you and your Brethren busie at this day in ordering a Settlement in Government in this Nation But the Lord hath hitherto disappointed you and them that you have counselled and he hath broken you into Confusion and Distraction and turned back even the proceedings of Rulers and Teachers and the spirit of deep Sleep and of Slumber is poured upon you all and the Vision of these things is as a sealed Book unto you even because of God's displeasure against you And in that you say Your Eyes are darkened and Counsel is hid from you In that you say true though to your own shame And what trust can be put in such Watchmen What Confidence can be placed by your people in you whenas you acknowledge that your Eyes are darkened and Counsel is hid from you The Scriptures mentioned by you do prove there was darkness upon the Land but Isaiah doth not say nor David that Counsel was hid from them or that their Eyes were darkened neither did ever the Apostles say so but witnessed That the Lord was their Light and in him their Eyes were opened and Counsel was revealed to them Secondly you say This sadly presages of Unchurching the Nation or the Departing of the Glory of God from you Answ. By Unchurching the Nation I suppose you mean making the Church no Church which if this can be done then the Gates of Hell may prevail against the Church contrary to the words of Christ who said The Gates of Hâ—â— should not prevail But I must tell you The Nation of England as to the general part of it hath been long and yet is unchurched that is ungathered by the Eternal Spirit into the true Fellowship in the Body of Christ for the Night of Apostacy and Darkness hath been over the World since the Apostles dayes and over this Nation in particular and your Churches have been no true Churches nor the people under your Ministry truly joyned and united in true Church-Order and under true Church-Government though I do not say but that there are Thousands of sincere People that love the Lord yet remaining among you And the Day of the Lord is appearing which will confound the Whore the false Church which hath been set up in this Nation and through the World and Assemblies which have had the Name of the Churches of Christ will be found to be otherwise in the Judgment of the Lord and all the false Ordinances Practices and Ministers must be thrown down that the Glory of the Lord may again appear Further You seem to charge your selves With leaving your first Love and former Zeal for the Truth and worship of God but the present Coldness and Indifferency in the things of God together with your Barrenness and unanswerable walking to the Gospel of Christ c. say you Answ. Though to your own shame yet do I believe this is truly acknowledged that you have lost your first Love and Zeal which once was in you in the dayes when you were persecuted under the Bishops you were full of Love and Zeal for the Truth and Worship of God according as it was made manifest and then you were sufferers your selves but now you are Causers of others to suffer and there is indeed much Coldness and Dryness and Barrenness amongst you and your People I do truly desire you may repent you thereof that if so be the Lord may heal you and your Walking indeed is Unanswerable to the Gospel of Christ to wit Your taking of Tythes and so much by the year for Preaching and suing people at the Law that will not give you Wages though you do no Work for them these with many other things which you practice is an unanswerable Walking to the Gospel of Christ and seeing you have confessed your sins in some measure Repent and sin no more that your Iniquities may be blotted out Again You complain of the prevalency of Atheism and doting upon Error Endless separations Common Ignorance Unbelief Prophaneness the Prejudice against wholsom Doctrine and all Order of Discipline in the Church and many other Confusions are upon us c. say you Answ. Alas so it is but where is the Blame Oh you Watch-men should not you have better preserved your Flocks should not you have fed them with Living Food should not you have been Examples of Righteousness and Truth unto them and should not you have nourished them with Knowledge and Understanding But because the Shepherds have been lazy and idle and fed themselves and not their Flocks but the Shepherds have rul'd over their Flocks with Force and Cruelty and their Ministry and Preaching hath been a very Burden and Oppression upon the People and therefore it is that their Flocks are divided into many Sects and Separations and great Confusions are in your Assemblies and among you even the sin of the people in some measure will be charged upon you their Teachers whose Flocks are run into Errors and Atheisms and despise wholesome Doctrine and are out of true Order and Church-Discipline even in the Traditions of Men Therefore oh that you Ministers would consider and
especially in this day wherein there are so many Ways and Professions of Church-Ministry and Worship and yet all professing the Scriptures are their Rule of Faith Worship and Practice and seeing that all Sects do profess Proof from Scripture for what they hold forth what Ground have the people to believe you more than others or others more than you for where people receive Doctrine or Religion by Report from others without the Evidence of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts this is not receiving of the Truth unto Eternal Life wherefore I exhort your Congregations That every one amongst them may wait upon the Lord to have a feeling and discerning in their own hearts and that each one may be led and taught oâ— the Spirit of God which leads into all Truth that they may deny all false Ministers and false Worships and may worship God in Spirit and Truth though the ministration of his own Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences and thereby will they discern between Truth and Error and will love the one and hate the other Thirdly You exhort That they keep themselves unspotted from the prevailing Corruptions of these back-sliding Times c. Answ. Concerning the Times many are ignorant but this is certain at the present Time wherein we are is the Lord disquieting of men and its the latter dayes of Antichist's Raign and Government that hath been in full Power and Authority for many Generations and Babylon that great City her Ruin is threatned because of her Abominations that have been many and great for the whole Earth hath been corrupted as it s written and now the Call of the Lord is That every man come out of Babylon and deliver himself that he may not partake of their Plagues and happy are they that are made clean unspotted from their Sins that they may not be found covered with her Garments for the Day of the Lord is come and coming upon Babylon and all Back-sliders from God and his Wayes Now Babylon is that great City which hath ruled over the Kings of the Earth and in her hath the Blood of Souls and of all just Men been found Fourthly You exhort To endeavour a Healing of those sad Breaches and Divisions which have been amongst you c. Answ. Now the sad Breaches and Divisions which are indeed at present in this Nation cannot be healed but as the Cause and Ground thereof be removed which is the Sins of Rulers Teachers and People and this is the Cause wherefore the Lord hath brought Distraction amongst them Oh what Ambition and Self-seeking hath been among the Rulers What judging for Gifts and Rewards What neglect of Mercy and Judgment amongst them And oh how have they oppressed the Poor and trodden down the needy and because hereof is the Righteous God vexed And oh what Covetousness and Greediness of Gain â—re the Teachers guilty of How do they Preach for Hire and Divine for Money How have they unreasonably caused men to be imprisoned and their Goods to be spoiled for Wages and Tythes and Hire Oh how hath Covetousness and Idolatry and Superstition abounded amongst the Teachers in this Nation Oh abominable have been their Sins their Oppressions and Self-seekings and because of these things hath the Lord brought Distractions amongst People and the Sins of Rulers and People cry for Vengeance from the Lord and till these Iniquities be removed by Repentance and forsaken the Fruit and Effect thereof shall never cease but Breach upon Breach will the Lord make till the Rulers and Priests repent them of their Iniquities God's Hand will be upon them both in Judgment and for their sakes that divine for Money and preach for Hire and judge for Rewards will the Lord make the Nation as Heaps and as a Ploughed Field Therefore let all people Repent of their Iniquities and return to the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and become Followers of the Lamb and this is the perfect Way of healing of all Breaches inwardly and outwardly Fifthly You exhort To be diligent in the Spiritual and Conscientious Performances of Family-Duties c. Answ. Men must first be awakened and enlivened unto God before they can act for God in Holy Duties and as for Duties performed in pretence unto God traditionally and without the Teachings of the Spirit of God is but Idolatry and the Nation is weary of such a Religion which they have received and held traditionally for thereby the Soul Immortal cannot be nourished unto Eternal Life and while you teach Duties towards God by that Rule while you teach Praying Singing Repeating Catechizing by Tradition and Immitation without the Leadings of the Spirit of Christ in them you do but teach Idolatry as long hath been taught in the Christian Nations the doing and performing such and such things as Christian-Duties and Practices and the Forcing and Compelling of doing such things upon People in the unregenerate state and unconverted nature this Religion and such Performances of Duties have been of Babylon and of Antichrist and a Cheat upon Peoples Souls whereby many have been murdered and slain in that great City and the Form of Godliness without the Power hath been practiced while Duties have been performed unto God without the Teachings of the Spirit of God and such their Consciences are blinded and the Lord abhors their Sacrifices And people must first come to feel the Word of God in their Hearts to regenerate them before they can perform any acceptable thing to God and therefore do not teach People to be Hypocrites do not teach them such and such Performances in the corrupt Nature without the Teachings of the Spirit of God in their own particulars for if you do you make them but two fold more the Children of the Devil and such Duties performed in that nature shall not cover nor hide from the Wrath of the Lord which is coming upon all Hypocrites Sixthly You exhort That they would cause their Children and Servants to submit to Catechizings and train them up in the reverence of Godly Ministry c. Answ. It may be enquired into what you mean by cause them to submit how cause them by Force and Imposition upon their Consciences by outward external personal Punishments or Threats Is this your Meaning Will you set up Religion by Violence And must Children and Servants be compell'd by Restraint and Force This is not the right Way to promote Religion and the Worship of God nor to make Children and Servants truly Religious it was the Beast that received power from the Dragon that caused all to worship both Small and Great Children and Servants and this causing to worship was in the time of the Apostacy when the true Church was fled into the Wilderness and all the time ever since have Nations been caused and compelled to such and such performances and practices of Religion and Worship and such causing I am jealous your Meaning is whereby you would force and compel such manner
worships and Idolatrous Practices and Ordinances and in her false Ministry and false Doctrines and she was set up in Nations by the force of cruel and violent Laws and men and is upheld by Oppression and Injustice at this day and yet all this she doth under the Name of Holy Church and useth the Name of Christ as if she were his Wife and yet hath other Lovers and by such means hath this great Whore deceived the World But now the Day of the Lord is come upon her and the hour of her Judgement is at hand and all that have taken pleaâ—â—â—e with her shall mourn and bitterly lament because of her Judgements which cometh in a day but we are delivered from her Judgements because the Lord hath called us from her abominations and we can no more drink her Cup of false Doctrines and Practices all which are Idolatry and to be Judged of the Lord though she should drink our Blood as she hath done the Saints before us But I say the Lord hath led us out of this Babylon He hath delivered us from this great City and made us Spiritually free from its abominations and Idolatries though not outwardly free from her oppressions and cruelties And though this great City hath Ruled over the Kings and great men of the earth and subjected many Nations through its wickedness and violence yet certainly its ruin is near to come Else my Hope is lost my Life is smitten and the Lord hath not spoken by me And the Lord will Reward this false woman this false Church that hath deceived the Nations even according to her deeds as she hath done to others so shall others do to her measure for measure and much more might we say concerning her but the Lord hath opened our eyes and we see her abominations and she cannot deceive us And this is the loving kindness of the Lord unto us for which he is worthy to be praised by us for evermore And in that ye have received the Truth and do know the Truth live in it and walk in it in all faithfulness and be not fearful and unbelieving as though the Lord were not with you though ye suffer much for his Names sake for he is not wanting unto that man that doth fear his Name and that walks in his Way but for the deliverance of all such will he appear he will free the oppressed and the afflicted people he will save even by his out-stretched Arm Wherefore let our eye be unto the Lord in all estates and conditions whether of sufferings or otherwise for from him Salvation cometh and not from the Mountains of the Earth and keep your Meatings in your several places and be faithful in all things that your Consciences may be kept void of offences both towards God and men that no disobedience nor load of iniquity may be upon you but that in the sight of God you may feel clearness and freedom of Soul and Spirit from the burden of all transgression that you may know the Remission of all sin and all iniquity may be blotted out and no guilt of transgression may lie upon you but you may enjoy Peace in your Consciences in the Sanctification and Justification of the new man and this is the heavenly Life even upon Earth And when you are met together in the Name and Power of the Lord mind his presence amongst you for that is life and will make your Meetings profitable and full of Vertue to your Souls and the Lord will instruct you in all that which is good and Christ will be your Minister of Peace and Comfort and his Spirit will lâ—â—d you into all Truth and by his Word even the speech of God in your hearts you will be quickned in Spirit and your strength and Peace in God will be renewed day by day and walk in all Wisdom and in the fear of the Lord one towards another and towards all people that your Righteous and innocent life and your Holy Wayes and Works of Truth may have Evidence in the hearts of your Enemies that you are of God by the shining forth of your light before them and that the Devil nor all your Enemies may have ought against you saving concerning your God and the Worship of him and the matters pertaining to good Conscience and then if any suffer afflictions and tribulation by wicked men if it be for Righteousness sake and concerning the Law of your God and the matters of his Kingdom in such suffering the Lord will be with you and not forsake you but he will give you Dominion and carry you through it all in Patience and Faith which gives you Victory over all Enemies And nothing shall come to you nor happen on you in the anger of God but all afflictions shall be turned to your Comfort and by Persecutions and Tribulations the Lord will but try you and not destroy you you being delivered from his wrath and from that which is the Cause of it And therefore Friends it being much upon my Spirit I do lay it upon you to be mindful in this very thing that you walk in all Wisdom so that your Enemies have nothing against you to cause you to suffer for but onely for Truth and Righteousness sake and concerning the Law and Worship of your God and then if the wicked one take occasion against you to inflict his wrath upon you by wicked men because of the exercises of your Consciences towards God thereby shall the Lord take occasion against your Enemies to destroy them in his season and he will deliver you and for this Cause doth the Lord plead with the wicked in his wrath even because of the unjust sufferings of his People for that alwayes drew down the wrath of the Lord upon Nations and Rulers and for this Cause hath many been destroyed and in our sufferings must be filled up the measure of the iniquities both of Rulers and people in this Nation that the Lord may over-turn them with his hand when their measure of oppression is finished and the burden of its guilt falls upon them Therefore let us have Patience towards all men in all Conditions and Faith towards God at all times for therein is our Armour of Defence and our Weapons to resist all our Enemies and giving up into the Eternal Will of the Father whether in Life or Death in Tribulations or in Rejoycing and giving our Power wholly to the Lord and nor unto any other knowing That not one Hair of our Head can fall without him whose Power is over all and through â—ll So that if we Live it may be unto him alone and if we suffer and dye it may be for him and herein Peace shall be with us in whatsoever cometh to pass upon us if we can receive all things as from the hand of the Lord and Live in the feeling of that Power which doth all things or suffereth all things to be done And blessed is he that is not
and divers practises thereunto pertaining it is not the true Worship of the True and Living God though never so zealously practised because it cannot be believed that the Authors and Composers of it were moved led and guided by the Holy Spirit of God in their very Institution and forming of it and whatsoever is brought forth whether in Faith or any practise in any kind of Profession and practises in any way of Religion and not onely by the Spirit of God is not the true Worship of God which is only in Spirit and Truth and consists onely of such practises moved unto and guided in by the Spirit and the true Worship of God is not otherwise neither for matter nor manner but in what things and after what manner as the Spirit of God leadeth unto and guideth in for the Father seeketh such to Worship him as Worship in Spirit and Truth 4. As for the Method and Form of the matter it is not according to the example of the Holy Scriptures nor agreeing to the practise of Worship held forth by the Apostles but different from and partly contrary to the Spirit that was in the Saints and their example of Worship as in many circumstances pertaining to the orders of Common-Prayer-Book might be instanced but even some of the Practises themselves and the manner of performing them are for the most part Invention and Tradition traduced into the World long since the Apostles days and they are not according to the Scriptures nor example of the Saints Worship in the Church of Christ in their days and therefore the Matter in it self partly and the Method of it are not the true Worship of the Living God which is not after the traditions of men as the manner of performance of Common Prayer-Book is when as the Worship of God is in and by the Spirit of God as before witnessed 5. And as for the Practice of it in this Nation as by Imposition and force upon pains penalties as it was practised for many years together as so held forth it was not the Worship of God but Abomination to him as I have shewed and that Worship which is practised by any people being forced upon them is but Hypocrisie and deceit and outward conformity in such Worshippers and God requires it not of them and such was the Worship in the Common-Prayer so called for there were many who did bow and conform thereunto even because of the terror of men even many in the Ignorance of their Consciences and some against their Consciences and contrary to the Light thereof and some were persecuted because they could not conform all which was Abomination in the sight of the Lord even the consequence of the thing was as evil as any part of either matter or manner also even while many conceited themselves in their Ignorance that they had Worshipped God and done well while they had onely performed such Worship forced upon them and which the Lord never required at their hands and that cannot be the true Worship of the true and Living God which can be performed by a People without the Spirit of God by which alone and without it God cannot be Worshipped and the practise of Worship after the order of Common-Prayer did many thousands if not most perform without the Spirit of God whereby it fully appears that in the practise of the Book of Common-Prayer the Worshippers did not Worship the true and Living God but walked only in a part of the Form of Godliness but had not the Power 6. But as for the Practise of it as now in England without Imposition upon all by force and penalty but by some out of supposition that it is the best way of worship and that willingly and neither forced upon them nor they forcing it upon others as thus practis'd is not so great Idolatry nor of so bad effects as if it were violently forced upon all but if any suppose it to be the best way of worship and be so perswaded such may more equally have their Liberty in the exercise thereof while they allow Liberty to others to follow what worship as they are preswaded and as it is unjust to impose by violence that or any other Form of worship upon people so it is unjust to impose penalty or punishments on the Bodies or Estates of any for their conformity to the Book of Common-Prayer or any other kind of Worship for as it is contrary to God to compel by force to that Practise of Worship so it is unjust to stop by force from that Way of Worship or to inflict Penalties upon the Persons or Estates of any because thereof for though many exceptions may be justly made by sound Arguments against that way of Worship in matter manner and effects as I have said yet none ought to be afflicted in Person or Estate for the error of their minds while their error extends not to destroy the Person and Estate of another for all force by violence that hath been put on the Bodies and Estates of men about Church-Worship Ministry and Religion of any kind hath been Antichristian and not of God even for many Generations 7. And therefore them that read the Book of Common-Prayer and all other sort of Worshippers that are either perswaded by the Spirit of God or suppose in their hearts of the Verity and Truth of their Way let them all have their Liberty in their way of Worship without force or restraint by outward Laws while they impose not one upon another violently for the true Worshippers ought not to be persecuted for their Worship but if they are it will confirm them in the truth of their Way the false Worshippers ought not to suffer affliction of Persecution nor loss of Estate though they do err in their Minds and Judgments about Worship in spiritual things but if they are afflicted because thereof it will harden them in their evil wayes and not convert them nor turn them from the evil of their wayes for men are converted to the right way and out of that which is evil by the Spirit of God and through perswading of the Conscience inwardly and not by force or violence put upon their Bodies or estates outwardly never any were converted to God by such means And this is my Answer to the Objection and my judgment of the case inquired into The Book of Common Prayer so called partly the Matter it self and the Method of it and the Manner of its performance is not the true Worship of the True and Living God no not the free Practise there of without Imposition much less the Practise of it by Imposition and force for that is altogether Abomination and hath with it woful effects upon whatsoever People it hath been or shall hereafter be forced and violently Imposed This is given forth for the Satisfaction of all that desires in this Matter The 5th Moneth 1660. E. B. A Postscript AND some set up the Institution
of Calvin or Form of Prayer as these have now the Common-Prayer and both the one and the other have cast off the POPES Form and brought in their own get into a Form of words a Forâ— of worship without either Life or Power The PAPISTS in some things that they begin to do will say In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And the Protestants or them who call themselves of the reformed Church that are come off from the Papists some of them when they go about to do a thing will say Our help is in the Name of the Lord which made Heaven and Earth Here both the one and the other have a Form of words but out of the Name the one as well as the other out of the Life out of the Power and Authority of our Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore what they do how can it be done in his Name which themselves are out of Though they may be in the words and do a thing in the words But that is not a doing it in the Name for to do things in so many words in their own Time and Will that which themselves have brought in is one thing But to do it in the Name Power and Authority of the Lord Iesus Christ is another for words is not the Name nor the Power and the Kingdom stands in the Power not in words Therefore all people see what you do that it be done in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the true Light of the World who lighteth every man that cometh into the World in his Light in his Power then that will bring you to cease from your own words and following your own ways doing it in his Power in his Strength out of your own words your own ways and your own wills in his Name For what hath form or words either one or the other hitherto produced or brought forth without Life or Power Hath your long Profession and Forms of the words brought any of you yet into the possession of the things Or will it ever do If not What serves it to Who hath required it to have it done And is it not his right alone who is to be worshipped to direct himself how he will be worshipped Or is not all other service and worship in the will And so Will-worship that is not of his own direction or appointment And the Scripture saith John chapter 4. as you may read God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth Mark that He who is a Spirit will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth that which the Devil abode not in for into a Form of words Drunkards Swearers Lyars Prophane Persons unrighteous which are shut out of the Kingdom may get into words in such a worship out of the Spirit but that is not the worship which God requires And is it not equal that he alone direct how he will be worshipped that is to be worshipped And thou art so to perform thy service towards him that of him it may be accepted and so it is rightly done when done as he hath appointed it as he hath directed And Obedience is more than Sacrifice whom thou art to obey if thou wilt do him service who is worshipped or served in the Spirit and in the Truth whose Will then comes to be done and not thine who will be so worshipped and so served But otherwise is it not thine own will and not his that is done Therefore whosoever will come to worship the KING the LORD of HOSTS must come to worship him in his own way not in their ways to bow down to his Light to bow down to the measure of his Spirit in them for the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal Otherwise will not People Teachers and Professors be always in the profitless condition Ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth E. B. TO THE BELOVED and CHOSEN of GOD in the Seed Elected Particularly in LONDON And elsewhere who have seen the day of Christ and received the Message of Peace and Reconciliation in these last Dayes of his Glorious Appearance THe dear salutation of my life salutes you all in the most pure and dearest love with which I am beloved of the Father and with which also at this present my Heart is filled and issueth forth towards you and the whole Body of the elected Ones and the remembrance of you in the Lord is very precious unto me as I see and behold and have fellowship with you in the Immortal Life which the Father hath begotten in you and in me and in which my knowledge is of you and my unity with you and therein only is the remembrance of my dearest love unto you and in which I hope I am also known and remembred of you even in the spiritual Relation and Heirship of Immortality being fellow Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem and Children of her conception and bringing forth Now my dearest Friends seeing you have believed in the Light and Life of men even in him that was and is and is to come and have also tasted of that all Fulness that is in him you have a Witness in your selves even of the Spirit of the Father which is greater then all and you need no other Testimony but that of the Spirit That the Lord is good and full of Grace Truth Mercy Peace and Joy even the Fountain and Treasure of all Vertue and Blessedness in this present time and hereafter I say If you have tasted and felt of Immortal Life and if the Fountain hath been opened in you and you have seen his Glory and received of his Treasure then the Evidence dwells in you of eternal blessedness and no man needs to teach you of these things nor to say unto you know the Lord if you dwell in him and go no more forth yet bear with me a little that I may speak and be refreshed not to diminish from what Testimony you have in you but the rather to add towards it for my witness is not another but the same which ye enjoy which is faithful and true and this I say Oh how great how mighty and powerful is the Lord our God everlasting and infinite he is that eternal Spirit that filleth all the Creator and beeing of all things that are the life and vertue in all and the invisible Substance greater then all he is in himself the immeâ—â—rable and infinite Fulness the Fountain of Life of Mercy and Righteousness and Peace and of all Vertue and of every good Thing who can declare his beginning or end he is without Time Place or thing yet gives beeing to all and is present in all yet not known saving of himself and by his own Spirit yet he effecteth all things and worketh whatsoever he will who can utter his wonderous Works Who can number his Mercies Who can account his Infiniteness who can
in your own Consciences you are in a condemned condition and you cannot be justified of the Lord while you are accused by the Light within you of such and such sins and that you are guilty of them and sorsake them not for the God of Heaven condemneth and justifieth men according to the Witness of the Light in their own Consciences for it is Gods Evidence to bear witness for God and to accuse or excuse every man in his sight and according to its evidence God justifieth or condemneth all the Children of men III. Again Whosoever will be saved must be born again of the seed of God and must be changed and renewed in Mind and Heart and Spirit and old things must pass away and all things must be made new and a new Nature must live in you and the Image of God must be brought forth which is in Righteousness and true Holiness which is like unto God and this is the new Creation which every one must witness to be wrought in them that ever â—â—â—â—ers into Gods Kingdom For saith Christ Except a man be born again he canâ—â—â— enter into the Kingdom of God for it is not a profession of Religion made with the Lips nor the practises of Duties and Ordinances taken on and performed in the old nature and a holding of truth in unrighteousness this is not the way of Salvation but it is the regenerating and making like unto God being his Image of Justice Truth and Righteousness it is this in which men may be saved everlastingly IV. Again Whosoever will be saved must receive the Spirit of God and it must dwell in them even the Spirit of the Father and they must be taught by it and led into all Truth to do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things even the spirit of Truth must be received to teach and to lead in all the wayes of God it alone must teach and all the Hireling-Teachers of the World must be turned away from by whom peoples souls have been deceived all such as have run and God never sent them that have cryed up Tâ—â—ching and Ministry and through whom people have not received the Spirit of thâ— Father all such Teachers must be denyed their Church and Ministry and the Spirit of the Father must only teach and lead and you must walk in the Spirit and not after the Flesh for if you walk after the Flesh in the wayes and works of it you are in the state of Condemnation and not of Salvation and the Spirit of God doth not teach you but you are out of the New Covenant of God in which Covenant all are taught of the Lord and in Righteousness are they established the Spirit of God is put within them and the Law of God is written in their hearts and they need no man to teach them but as the Spirit teacheth and this is the New Covenant of Peace with God into which all must come to witness this or else they cannot be saved V. Again all that will be saved must be sanctified cleansed and purified from all Unrighteousness by the Spirit and Word of God whereby every Heart must be made clean and every Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb and the body of sin and death must be put off and the bondage of Corruption must be broken and Iniquity must be forsaken and turned from and siâ— must be judged in the Flesh and Purity Holiness and Righteousness must live and reign in all that will be saved and Sin and Transgression and the guilt of it must be removed and you must shew forth the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness and must be pure as he is pure in kind and quality and you must walk in Holiness and Righteousness being freed from Corruption and from the Wayes of Sin and Death being sanctified in Body Mind and Spirit by the Word of the Lord and Sin must be blotted out and Transgression must be covered and Iniquity must be remembred no more and in all things you must cease to do evil and learn to do well if ever you will be saved VI. Again whosoever will be saved must witness Christ revealed in yoâ— â—â—d â—e must live in you and you must be Followers of him wheresoever he goâ—s â—â—d your Bodies must be the Temples of the Living God and God must walk 〈◊〉 you and dwell in you according to his Promise and he must be your King your Judge and Law-giver your Teacher Father and Master and he must be 〈◊〉 in all unto you even God the Father who is blessed for ever you must â—â—ow him near you and feel his Presence in you to be your Joy Life and â—eace and you must have fellowship with him in spirit and must worship him 〈◊〉 Spirit and by the Spirit without respect of Dayes Times or Places every one that will be saved must come into this and witness it for this is the way of the Salvation of God VII Again whosoever will be saved must live in the Power of Godlinâ—ss and must deny all Forms of Religion without the Power all Profession of Scriptures Ordinances Church-member-ship Praying and Preaching which is not in the Power of God and by his Spirit must be denyed and that part that holds it that holds the Form of Godliness without the Power must be crucified and every one must come into the Power of the Spirit of God and must witness that to work in them to will and to do and no more professing the Things of God but as they are witnessed by the work of his Spirit in their hearts you must not hold Truth any longer in unrighteousness nor make a profession of it in your your unrighteous minds no more talking of Justification and Redemption nor of any of the matters of Gods Kingdom but according as they are witnessed by the working of the Spirit of God in the heart and every one must feel in himself the evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of God to witness the Truth in his heart or Conscience of what he professeth with his mouth VIII Again Whosoever will be saved must witness the Scriptures of Truth fulfilled in themselves the things that they have read of without them must be wrought within them wrought in their hearts by the same Spirit as gâ—ve forth the Scriptures they must pass through the same conditions as the holy men of God did and the same truth that the Scriptures declare of must be revealed in the heart by the same Spiâ—it that gave forth the Scriptures and none must profess more than they do enjoy from God and all flesh must be silent from speaking of the things of Gods Kingdom which they have not seen handled rasted and felt by the working of the Spirit of God in their Consciences and this is to witness the Scriptures fulfilled when you have experience of the same conditions and of the same operations and manifestations which the Servants of the Lord passed through
not read that the Iews persecuted them for so doing And will you that have the name of Christians persecute the People of God though they meet together in private houses and their own hired houses and cannot come to your Temples and Steeple-houses And will not you suffer such to meet together out of your Publick Places but you will persecute them and call them Hereticks and such like Is not this worse than ever the Iews did to the Apostles And so you are out of the Example of the true Christians who met together and preached and prayed often and not in a Synagogue or Publick Place but you cry against them that do so and threaten to persecute for it and thus you shew your selves out of the true Christian Example and in this you are worse than the Iews and more cruel if you should persecute People for meeting to wait upon the Lord in their own houses or in what place or time as the Lord should move their hearts but if you proceed in this way and will not permit the People of God to meet together in their own houâ—â— and not in your Idol-Temples then the Power of the Lord will confound you and God will break you to peices and you will feel his heavy Wrath upon your Consciences and God will smite you with his Judgements inwardly and outwardly Now for your restraining of people from one way of Worship and forcing them to another and compelling them about Religion by cruel Laws and Commandments of men this is of Antichrist for you to do and of the Devil for all forcing of People to this kind of Worship and from another 〈◊〉 posing upon their Consciences in matters of Gods Kingdom this is also of â—…tichrist and contrary to Christ and his Way for he won People by sound Doctrine and by Love and by a good Conversation and so did his Disciples for they never forced any by outward violence to their Worship nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church-Government and Ordinances but it was the practice of the Beast and the Dragon that first forced People and compelled them 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ship since the dayes of the Apostles Rev. 13. It was Antichrist that first 〈◊〉 upon People in the Ignorance of their Consciances and contrary to their â—…ences by the Commandments of men false Faith false Worship false Ministry false Doctrine and false Religions so that now if you should force any contrary to their Consciences to your Steeple-houses to 〈◊〉 and say your Form of Prayers we shall say then you are Antichrist 〈◊〉 of the Devil if so be you should endeavour to compel any either against 〈◊〉 Consciences or in the Ignorance of their Consciences to your way of Worship or Religion Therefore take heed how you meddle in these things lest God confound you And as for us we are the People of God we fear his Name and worship him and cannot bow to the Devil and we need not be forced to worship the Lord for his Spirit leads us into all Truth and we need none of your outward Prescriptions or Form of Prayers for the Spirit of God teacheth us in all these things when and where and how we should worship the Lord God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth which is free and not by outward force and all the Worship that is otherwise and not in the free Spirit of Christ is of great Babylon whom the Lord will confound and destroy Another general Objection answered Object 2. Again whereas it is said by some Now there must be no more private Preachers unlearned men and men not ordained must not now preach anymore Lay-Persons must not be Preachers that are not so qualified nor so and so ordained and this is the present talk among some People Answ. To this I also answer and say Wo to them that would stop or quench or limit the Spirit of God in Sons or Daughters for such are Denyers of the Scriptures and the Power of God and such bring guilt upon their own Consciences and work fearful Abomination against God And what must not the Spirit of the Lord speak now where it is in this Age as it did in the dayes of old as you may read in the Scriptures for was not Elisha a Plow-man and was not he called from the Plow 1 King 19. and became a Prophet of the Lord unto the House of Israel and had the spirit of Elijah poured upon him and would not you have said he was a Lay-man a Plow-man unordained not fitting to preach if you had lived in his dayes And was not Aâ—â—â— called from following the Flock who had been no Prophet nor no Prophets Son but an Herds-man Amos 7. 14 15. and it was lawful for him to preach the Word of the Lord though he was but an Herds-man and had been no Prophet nor Prophets Son which if he had lived in your dayes you would have called him a Lay-man an unfit Person unlearned and one not ordained for the Ministry and you like Amaziah the wicked Priest of Bethel would now quench the Spirit as he would have done in Amos who was a Trades-man and such a one as you call Lay-men who are not as you say fitting to preach And did not Christ Jesus himself chuse Fisher-men and sent them forth to preach the Gospel and such as were men of Trades and unlearned in Books as it is written Act. 4. 13. When the Ruâ—â—â—s saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were Unlearned they â—â—velled and these were Ministers of Christ and preached the everlasting Gospel whom you would have called Lay-men and men unfit to preach 〈◊〉 you lived in their dayes And Paul himself by Occupation was a Tent-â—…er it is said and he laboured with his Hands and yet was a Preacher of the Gospel and there are multitudes of Witnesses in the Scriptures of these things how that men of Trades and unlearned in Letters and Books and never were brought up at Schools and Colledges but followed the Plough and were keepers of Cattel and some followed Fishing such as these in old 〈◊〉 had the Spirit of God given them and they preached the Gospel And what if the Lord at this day give his Spirit to such as these and send them 〈◊〉 to preach the Gospel even to such as were brought up and educated 〈◊〉 â—ay be at Handy-craft Trades and are labouring men and are not 〈◊〉 at Schools and Colledges will you limit the Lord and quench his 〈◊〉 and reproach his Wayes and Servants and now call them Lay-perâ—… and say they are not fitting to preach for they are not Learned nor â—…ed say you and calling them Mechannicks and private Preachers and 〈◊〉 they must not now be admitted to preach the Gospel and in this you 〈◊〉 the Scriptures and the Example of the Saints in former Ages and so neither 〈◊〉 the Scriptures nor the Spirit that gave them forth though you say 〈◊〉 own the Scriptures yet
blessed us unto this day and hath he preserved us hitherto through many Tribulations and Dangers hath he shewed infinite Love and Favour unto us to this hour And will he now suffer us to be destroyed from being a People surely no Will he give our Enemies their hearts desire to cut us all off that they may blaspheme his Name surely no and if it be the Pleasure of the Lord that some of us should seal our Testimony with our Blood good is the Will of the Lord not ours but his Will be done for the Testimony that we have born for these divers years hath been so excellent in it self and in its Fruits and Effects that the finishing of it deserves the best Seal that possibly we can signe it with which is indeed our hearts Blood and this dwells upon my spirit and yet though it should be thus my confidence is sure that the Work of the Lord shall prosper and our Testimony shall be glorious forever and this People shall never be extinguished from being a People And I know not any thing that remains upon our part at this day but that we commit our selves into the Hand of the Lord living in the Seed of God wherein our Election is sure before the World was and forever and let us remember one another and pray one for another and let us stir up all the Children of our Father to Faithfulness and Patience while we have time I say let us walk to the Glory of the Lord keeping Faith and a good Conscience to our last end our Testimony shall never dye nor our Memories never perish when we are ceased to be and though we suffer now the loss of Life and all we have yet the Effects thereof will be glorious in Ages to come and our present Sufferings will hasten the Glory of God's Work throughout the World Receive this as my Salutation to you all It is now eight dayes since I left Ireland where my Service hath been precious for the Lord for full six Moneths all which time the Lord carried me in much Faithfulness and Diligence in his Service to the confirming of many in the Truth of God and to the converting of others and through and because of the Presence of the Lord which was with me I had a very precious time and was wonderfully preserved through many Dangers and Tryals and I travelled near two thousand Miles to and fro in that Land and had very free passage in the principal Cities and Towns till my work for present was fully ended there having more time then could be expected to clear my Conscience to all People and it would be too large to mention every particular Trans-action wherein I perceived the Eminent Hand of God with me and also many things I observed concerning the present state of things which I shall not now mention for what have we to do with the Affairs of worldly Kingdoms but as for Friends it was well with them they grow and increase in the Blessings and Fulness of the Father and when I came thence all was quiet and very few in Prison though I suppose the Tydings of things as they are here will produce the same Sufferings upon them But I hope they will be bold and valiant for the Truth in giving their Testimony by faithful Sufferings till these things be finished Thus I remain in Life and Death and when I am no more in everlasting remembrance your dear Brother and Companion by doing and suffering for the Name of the Lord and his Truth I am well and at liberty as yet E. B. 11th of the 12th Moneth 1160. A JUST and RIGHTEOUS PLEA Presented unto the King of England And his COUNCIL c. Being the true State of the present Case of the People called Quakers Truly Demonstrated and Justly Pleaded on their Behalf for the true Information of the King and his Council that they may well understand the Truth and Verity of doubtful Cases and may shew Just Judgment and Mercy And this is laid down in Six Particulars viz. 1. Concerning Swearing at all and particularly of the Oath of Allegiance 2. Concerning Meeting together to Worship God 3. Concerning Tythes among the Jews and among the Christians and why we Refuse to pay them at this day 4. Concerning giving Security by Bond to live Peaceably or to answer Accusations then and there c. 5. Concerning Government it self and particularly of this present Government 6. Concerning Persecution what it is in it self and how great an Enemy it is to the King and his Government laid down in ten Particulars All which Cases are truly Stated and pleaded and the Cause of the Innocent Vindicated And this for the King and his Government that they may be Just and Righteous and perfectly according to God The Epistle to the King and his Council OH Friends this is your Day that God hath given you to try you and to prove you what you will do and whether you will Rule and Iudge and Exercise your Power for God or against him and this is the Hour of your tryal and the living God that made Heaven and Earth beholds you and his Eye is upon you and he waites for Iustice true Iudgment Mercy Righteousness and Truth to be brought forth by you in the Land that he might bless you and prosper you but and if the contrary be abounding and brought forth and exercised thorough you Blessings shall be turned into a Curse and the Iust God will deal with you after your deserts for the Reward of the Almighty is Iust and Equal unto all the Sons of men even according to their ways and works and the judgment of you nor of any is determined by him but according as He is served obeyed and feared or the contrary And seeing you have a day to do good and to forsake all evil to do Iustice Mercy and Truth in the Earth and to subdue the contrary if that you do the things you ought not and leave undone what God requires of you to do and trifle away your time in matters of less value and spend your days in Pleasures and Vanities and neglect Mercy and Iudgment in the Earth and have no regard to the Cry of the Poor and the Oppressed to deliver them from their cruel Persecutions if it be thus with you in this your day Who shall stand in the Gap to prevent the Anger of the Lord from breaking out or who shall plead for you in the day of your Reward when God himself ariseth unto just Iudgment to judge all Flesh and to deliver the Innocent Oh Friends is this nothing to you Is there no cause unto you of consideration in this matter Ought you not to lay these things to heart Why surely you are but men and your Breath is in your Nostrils and your Substance but dissolvable clay and the God of Heaven and Earth can do what he will with you and concerning you if ye please him it
to say Occasion is Wrongfully taken against us to destroy us and we are proceeded against contrary to the End of Just Government which is To preserve the Peaceable and not to destroy them and contrary to the KING 's former Promises who hath said We should not suffer for Matters of our Religion and Conscience living Peaceably in the Land And if we suffer because we cannot Swear at all such our suffering is for our Conscience sake and we are therein Persecuted Unrighteously as Innocent People and without just Cause And we must commit this our Cause to God who regardeth the Oppressions of his People and will avenge their Cause in his season And for the present this is all I have to say and present concerning this Case of Swearing and concerning the Oath of Allegiance CHAP. II. The Case Stated and Pleaded concerning our Meeting together to Worship God 1. WE do Meet together in the Name of Jesus Christ and in his Power and Spirit and we do come together in the Fear of God to wait upon him and to receive the Teachings of his Holy Spirit and his Council to direct us in all our Wayes how to walk Righteously towards God and Men and in our Meetings we practice our Hearts and Minds in Godliness and speak of the Things of the Kingdom of God in Preaching the Word of God and in Prayer to Him according as his Holy Spirit guideth us which is given us of God to lead us into all Truth according to his Promise Iohn 16. 13. and that we may edifie one another in the Wayes of Holiness and Truth for the benefit of our souls and this is according to the Scriptures For they that feared the Lord met often together and spake one to another and edified one another And this is our Principle That it is our Duty to God-wards to meet together and that he requires it of us and for the exercise of our Consciences to him it hath been alwayes and is our Practice to meet together in the Exercise of the worship of God as aforesaid and not for any other End as in Contempt of Authority or to Plot or Contrive or to Meditate Evil against the King or his Government or any of his Subjects we have no such end I say in meeting together But our alone only and absolute End in our Meeting is to worship the Lord our God and to serve him and to wait upon him in obedience to his Will and for good Conscience sake as our Duty towards him 2. And this our Practice of Meeting together for the End and Cause mentioned if it be in publick Houses or more private in Upper Chambers or in the open Fields on what day soever is Lawful and Just in the sight of God and is according to the Example of the Primitive Saints and provable by the Scriptures as in Acts 1. 13 14. And when the Disciples and Saints returned from Jerusalem they went up into an upper Chamber both Men and Women and Waited upon the Lord and continued with one accord in Prayer and in Supplication And in Acts 20. 7. 8. The first day of the â—…k the Saints met together and Paul preached unto them and continued his Sermon till Midnight holding forth the Matters of the Kingdom of God And they were met in an upper Chamber from whence Eutychus fell down And Acts 28. 30 31. And Paul remained two full Years preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in his own hired House in Rome and he exhorted the Saints Not to neglect meeting together as the manner of some was whom he reproved Heb. 10. 25. By which Testimonies with divers others that might be given it is manifest that the Saints of God in former Ages did meet together to worship God and to wait upon him in Prayer and Preaching as the Spirit of the Father taught them that dwelt in them And sometime they met publickly and sometime more private and sometime on the day time and some in the night season and they met separate from the Synagogues and wayes of publick Worship among the Iews according to the Will of God and as it was ordered amongst them And thus it is manifest That our Meeting for the Worship of GOD at this Day though they are separate from the Way of Publick Worship of the Kingdom and are in more private Houses are justifiable being after the Example of the Saints and according to the Scriptures of Truth and therefore our Meetings are according to the LAW of GOD Just and Lawful 3. And forasmuch as by Reason of the late Insurrection of some few Persons in London our Lawful Assembling of our selves together in the Worship of God is under present Restraint and Prohibition and by Proclamation forbidden under the Denomination of Seditious and Unlawful Meetings and our Friends Imprisoned and persecuted for that Cause of Assembling themselves to wait upon God Now in this Case this I plead unto the King That we are no manner of way guilty of that Insurrection upon which the Proclamation of forbidding our Meetings was grounded and therefore ought not to suffer with the guilty being Innocent from the very Occasion of that Proclamation And for the King to prohibit our Meetings for and because of the ill Use that others made of theirs this seems a Condemning of the Innocent with the Guilty which is no way just in the sight of God nor men but altogether unequal that we should suffer for other mens Fault though such did abuse their Liberty and pervert the End of their Meetings into rising up with Carnal Weapons against the King so did not we neither in Intent nor Action and therefore our Meetings ought not to be prohibited for the Cause of other mens Faults and Miscarriages in that Case And also We have the King's Promise divers times That we should not suffer for our Religion while we acted nothing against the Peace of the Kingdom and Government which yet we never have done nor made any ill use of our Meetings nor of the King's Promises nor forfeited them and therefore according to his own Promises we ought to have our Meetings and enjoy them without Restraint because we have not forfeited the benefit of his former Promises in that behalf nor ever made use of our Meetings to Plot or Conspire against the Government to its Harm or Detriment and because of our Innocency herein the Benefit of his former Promises are yet in force unto us to protect our lawful Meetings and not to prohibit them And though upon Suspition only our Meetings have been Restrained and our Friends Imprisoned by the late Proclamation yet we being proved Innocent and without Guilt of that which occasioned it the KING and Council may and ought in Justice and good Reason to Reverse and Revoke that part of the Proclamation related to us as being Innocent that we may enjoy our lawful Meetings according to the Scriptures and Example of Saints and according to
the Church of ROME who are in the said Book Villified and Reproached by the Name and Term of Antient Phanaticks And this is sent forth as an Answer thereunto to Pursue it Apprehend it and Condemn it as a Pamphlet of Calumnies and Slanders against the Protestants both of former and present Dayes who are all of them Scorned in the said Book the one as Ancient the other as Modern PHANATICKS Which is sent abroad as a Warning to ENGLAND to beware of the spirit of the Church of ROME lest it Exalt it self in Cruel Persecution against the PROTESTANTS and all that differ from it HOW Great and Miserable hath been that Darkness and Ignorance which hath over-spread the Nations and Kingdoms of the World since the Apostles dayes And how manifold is that Error into which many have been fallen even as into a Snare of Destruction And how woful is that Strife Division and Contention about Religion that hath highly abounded among the Christian People so called For the whole Christendom have been divided and in Opposition one part against another about the True God and his Worship and concerning the knowledge of Salvation by Jesus Christ And divers kinds of Religion Church-Government and Practices of Ordinances of Faith Worship have been extant in the World and Nations Countries have been all in Division Strife and Contention about these Matters and have been also persecuting one another violently unto Bonds and Death for and because difference in Judgment and Practices concerning Spiritual Things Papists against Protestants and Protestants against Papists and one sort of Christians so called against another and the men of such a Judgment and Faiâ—â— and Way of Religion have been persecuting and seeking to destroy all that have been contrary minded to them And thus have been the woful Divisions and evil Effects thereof in the World among Christians about Faith and Worship and Religious matters this has come to pass because of the spirit of Error Darkness that hath possessed the minds of men since the falling away from the Truth as it was once manifest among the Apostles And thus it s come to pass because of the erring from the Spirit of God and because that hath been wanting amongst men therefore have People been divers and divided about Matters of Religion each one sort following their own Invention and Traditions of men and also persecuting one another and killing and imprisoning one another because of the same and all this because the Spirit of Truth hath not dwelt in the Hearts of Christians as it did in the Apostles not led guided and taught them in true Unity and Fellowship as it did the true Christians in the dayes of old And while the Spirit of Christ hath been wanting and is not received into the Heart to mortifie guide rule and teach in all the Wayes of God and the whole exercise of Religion and Duty towards Him and while there is any kind of imposing and forceing of Religion by Laws of men upon Penalties and Forfeitures and setting up Worship and Church Government by that means and in that way without the immâ—… Teaching of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience I say while this hath been and is continued nothing but Division Strife Contention Persecution and Nations and Peoples destroying one another about Religion hath been is or can be in the World amongst Christians And of this same to wit of Division and Contention about Religion with the Enmity of such as are so divided one against another to the persecuting and killing one of another that are contrary minded as it hath been brought forth in the World for Generations past we have here a sufficient large Testimony lately published in a Book called Semper Iidem or A Paralel of Phanaticks c. wherein is made mention of what Strife and Contention there hath been in former dayes among the false Christians and how they have cruelly Persecuted Burned and Destroyed one another in this Cause only for and because of the difference in Maters of Judgment and Religious Things and these Persecutions and Cruelties effected contrary to the Example of Christ and his Doctrine who hath exhorted to Love and Peace and not to Kill and Destroy and that a man should love his Enemies and not Kill and Destroy them contrary to which Doctrine the false Christians of all kinds have walked and acted since the dayes of the Apoâ—… who have been Apostatized and fallen from the very Life and Power of Godliness as held amongst the primitive Saints into Forms and empty Shadows being all in strife one with another about such things and have wanted the Spirit of Christ which should have led and guided into all Truth and exercised them in the true Worship of the true and living God who is a Spirit and is only truly worshipped in Spirit and in Truth but out of this Spirit and spiritual Worship the false Christians have been erred and so all divided and in Centention aâ— aforesaid and persecuting one another because thereof each one sort justifying their own Way 〈◊〉 Right and condemning that which hath differed as the Wrong and all as Hereticks that have been otherwise minded But as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Book Semper Iidem c. I would gladly animadâ—… 〈◊〉 conâ—…ing it and do intend to write a few things by way of anâ—â—er thereunto and this is the present Occasion of my present work for having met with the said Pamphlet and perusing of it I found divers Considerations on my spirit to send forth in Answer to pursue the said Semper Iidem up and down the World till it returns again unto the place from whence it came to wit Unto the bottomless Pit out of which it lately arose and in reading the same Book I have principally observed the Mischievout End and secret Evil Intents of the Nameless Author more than the Matter it self contained and though the Author be Nameless yet is his nature and spirit known by his Book and for what end he hath concealed his Name I know not except he was ashamed of his Work and durst not Authorize his Matter by his Name but however the spirit end and intent of the said Nameless Person is perceived and known as much as any Tree can be distinguished by its Fruit and he is of an Envious Disposition of Heart and of Malicious Countenance and in nature and stock of the descent of Cain for his spirit is of an evil constitution hot and fiery and enclinable to destroy all that are not like-minded with himself in the Iudgment of Religious Matters and his proceedings and the end of his work is of an Intent and Purpose wicked enough if every Effect answers the Cause appearing and be not diverted from the End proposed by the Author and this I find by Calculation of his Birth and the Temper of his spirit and of the Time wherein his Book is published and by the Cause and End and Intent of the
of Conscience and their Hearts will be dis-engaged in Love and Affection to you-wards and this will be infallibly the Effect of Persecution for Conscience sake as King Charles the first saith in his Meditations A charitable Connivance and Christian Toleration often dissipates their Strength when rougher Opposition fortifies and puts the Dispised and Oppressed Party into such combinations as may most enable them to get a full revenge on those they count their persecutors c. 10. Consider if ye force Worship and Religion and cause men to conform against their Judgments how dangerous is this to destroy mens souls and to lead 〈◊〉 even to destruction For seeing ye affirm not the Infallibility of your Worship and Religion and yet will impose them and so engage mens Souls in depandancy for Salvation upon things and wayes uncertain and which GOD giveth not the Faith to believe in I say how dangerous is this to ruin souls for in no way can the soul be secure but in the faith which God works in the heart in the Obedience of Infallible TRUTH So ye 〈◊〉 mens souls upon a Rock and it is unreasonable as before mentioned that men should be forced into the profession and Practice of uncertain and fallible Religion and that they should be forced by you into that which may be evil for which not you altogether but themselves must bear the punishment in the Day of the Lord and except ye could affirm and prove the infallibility of your Church which is impossible there is no Equity nor Right Reason for it That you should impose upon others any more than others should impose upon you For as King Charles the First said in his Meditation He desired not any should be further Subjects unto him then he and all of them might be subject unto God c. 11. Consider if ye allow not liberty of Conscience but persecute about the same ye walk in the way and after the example of some of the Heathen Rulers and of the false Christians and shews that ye allow of the cruel persecutions by the Church of Rome and ye follow their example who persecute unto death such as they call Hereticks and if ye do persecute for matters of Conscience then ye allow the very deeds of the Heathens who persecuted the Christians for their Religion sake and ye justifie Papists in persecuting the Protestants and ye plainly demonstrate unto all the World by your works and fruits that ye are of Antichrist if ye impose on mens Consciences by force in the matters of Religion and persecute good Conscience about the same for it was the Antichrist and the Beast that first forced all to worship and violently engaged all into a conformity and killed and persecuted all that would not worship according to the Image Rev. 13. as ye may read And it was not Christs way nor the practice of any of his primitive Churches to impose and force on the persons and Consciences of men concerning their Church and Religion to cause all into a conformity thereunto and destroy and persecute all that would not This was not the way of Christ and his Apostles in their daies but they left Religion free and said they were not lords over mens faith nor lords over Gods Heritage neither did impose upon any in doubtful cases of conscience much lesse compel against mens Conciences for the Apostle left the practice of doubtful things as every one was perswaded in his own mind to do or not to do without imposing by force or directions of persecution about the same Therefore if ye do not allow free liberty of Conscience ye are out of the Doctrine Example of Christ and his Apostles and follows the way and example of Antichrist Heathen Rulers and cruel Papists to your great dishonour 12. Consider if ye allow not liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion but impose and persecute about the same It must inavoidably tend to destroy and expel Trading Husbandry and Merchandize in these Kingdoms for a great part of Trading and Husbandry depends upon such kind of persons whose principles are for toleration in Religion and hates persecution and violence in that case this ye will find true on examination and if liberty of Conscience be not allowed such will be exposed to great afflictions some to imprisonment and some to poverty and some to flee into other Countries to the destruction of their Callings and Trading and the hands and industriousnes of such people will be weakned in these Kingdoms if they cannot enjoy their just liberty in temporal spiritual cases and the effects thereof will work wofully in this very respect even to dis-enable both the hearts and hands of Husbandmen and Trades and expose these Nations to want and poverty and to enrich their enemies 13. Consider If Liberty of Conscience be deny'd and Persecution be introduc'd about the same all these and many more woful Consequences and Effects will follow infallibly to the ruin of these Kingdoms even Wars and Bloodsheds and Discontents and Murmurings and all evil things will be the Product of the aforesaid Cause viz. Of denying Liberty of Conscience in Religious Matters for in a word it will tend to and may effect the Overthrow of you and Ruin your Government and Authority for the great and mighty God of Heaven and Earth will be provoked against you and his Wrath will go out like a Devouring Flame upon you if that ye limit the Holy One and will not suffer him to exercise his proper Right in being King in mens Consciences to exercise them in all the Wayes of his Worship and Matters of his Kingdom but do oppress impose and persecute about the same this I say will infallibly work the Kingdoms ruin and expose you and your Government to the Indignation of the Holy Lord God who is tender of his Honour and will not give it to another and he loveth and effecteth the Cause of such whose Consciences are truly tender towards him and though ye persecute such and seek to destroy them and for a time exercise great Afflictio and â—â—â—ressions upon them for the matters of their Conscience yet the God of Heaven will appear for such in his season and deliver them and avenge their â—ersecuâ—ors And therefore all ye Rulers consider and lay these things to heart lest ye provoke the Lord against you by destroying the People whom he regards and that not for evil doing but for the Caâ—es of Conscience and because they cannot relinquish their profession and principles of their Religion and how and conform in things against their Light and Knowledge 14. Consider If ye allow not Liberty of Conscience what exceeding danger 〈◊〉 run your selves into even to destroy just men and righteous as Hereticks and erroneous and may promote Hereticks as Church-members both which are great Abominations in the Sight of God and this Danger ye bring upon your selves for ye are not infallible Judges who are Hereticks and
into Bondage in Conscience to God-wards by Laws or Men but enjoyeth Freedom and Liberty therein as much in Sufferings and in Persecutions under all the Cruelty of Men as in doing and practices when they are not persecuted for in Sufferings the Conscience is exercised and hath its Liberty in Patience and Forbearance and at Liberty of Persons in practice it is exercised and hath its Liberty in doing and performing whatsoever the Spirit of the Father moveth and leadeth unto And thus where God hath freed the Conscience and it is Free and at Liberty in him and to him nothing without can bring it into Bondage or Captivity but in all Conditions and in all Exercises whether doing or suffering the pure Conscience is in Liberty in it self and in perfect Freedom in God through all over all and beyond all But now there hath been a great Cry among many that have professed Righteousness and Religion For Freedom of Conscience and begging and craving from the Powers of the Earth to Tolerate Liberty of Conscience and that they might have the Liberty of their Conscience in Religion And thus some have been looking too much without for Liberty of Conscience from Men and from Powers without them before their Consciences were set free by the Lord within the Bond of Iniquity broken and that Burden of Iniquity and Guilt done away which hath been a Burden Bondage upon the Conscience For as I have said No Man nor Powers of the Earth can truly Free or give Liberty to the Conscience which is bound by the Cord of Iniquity within But 't is evident The Cry for Liberty hath not been so much for the Exercise of Conscience truly so as for the freedom each one of their Sect and for their Liberty in the practice of their own Worship and Conformity and thereupon have divers men of divers Sects sought to the Powers of Men and of the Earth to grant them Liberty of their Consciences whenas it hath been rather for the Freedom to and Defence of their Sect and of their Practices in their Worship than for Liberty of Conscience truly so for while they have cryed for Liberty from without yet Sin and Iniquity and Transgression have lain upon their Conscience within and they have sought from Men for the Liberty of their Sect to practice their own Worship which they have called Liberty of Conscience And to this Intent by some hath been the Cry for Liberty of Conscience that their Sect and their own Wayes of Worship might be defended from the Violence of others who have opposed their Practices and Worships for People of divers Wayes of Worship and of divers Sects have all been at Strife one with another and divided one against another and yet all professed good Conscience and cryed for Liberty thereof from the Powers of the Earth not but that the Powers of the Earth ought to grant free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of every Sect of Religion and to suffer all to profess and practice their Religion while they walk justly and Peaceably in a Land But here hath lodged the Deceit and Deceivableness of the spirit of Satan in the Hearts of men from the least to the greatest of all those divers false Sects and Worshippers they have therein zealously gone on and pleaded for their Sects and Worship though never so gross or dark and contrary to Truth under the denomination of Freedom and Liberty of good Conscience and the very Title and Name hath been the Colour and deceived many while a false Worship and false Sects have gone under the Name of Liberty of good Conscience and Thousands have been deceived and blindly led into such a false Sect and into such a Profession to act and perform with great Zeal false Practices in a false Worship falsly supposing it to be out of a good Conscience and that they have acted in the Liberty thereof yea and many may suffer great and grievous things and some the loss of their Lives for the very Practice of false things and false worships in a false Sect and yet under the name of good Conscience and for Liberty of Conscience as they may profess and believe But this may seem strange to be spoken to some who may enquire how it comes to pass and how this may be That many may suffer great and grievous Cruelties and some the loss of their Lives for the Practice of false Things and the Exercise of false Worships which they may suppose to be out of good Conscience and for good Conscience sake whereas it is not truly so nor rightly so But how happeneth this may some say I Answer This cometh to pass after this manner Because Conscience is made of that and of the Things and Performances which God requires not and so there is a great Zeal in the doing and performing of such a Practice and such a Worship whenas the Lord doth not require these things at their Hands and this is because the Mind and Heart and Conscience is dark and not truly informed nor guided with the Spirit of Truth and of the Father but a false spirit ruleth and leadeth the Conscience and it is not exercised with the Spirit of the Father that leadeth into all Truth So I do acknowledge that Conscience may be mis-led and mis-guided and mis-informed and Conscience may be made of doing such and such things which the Lord doth not require and there may be a Fear not taught of the Lord nor received by the sence of his Presence but only received into the Heart by the Precepts of men Example of others Custom of Times or the like and here the Conscience being not truly informed nor guided by the Spirit of the Lord there is a false Fear and Zealousness in the performing of such things which the Lord doth not require nor his Spirit lead into the practice of but only the Traditions and Precepts of men hath placed a false Law and Commandment which requires a false Obedience which many whose Understandings are blinded and being without true Knowledge they zealously perform and practice as the Worship of God thinking themselves bound in Conscience to practice such things and not to leave them undone whenas the Lord and his Righteous Spirit leadeth not to them nor yet his Just Law doth require the doing thereof but only a false Law and Commandment is received by Precepts and Traditions of men or from looking upon the Practice of others By such means as this there is a false Fear in a blind mis-guided Conscience and a Zeal without true Knowledge And thus it was amongst the Iews in the Prophets dayes They Sacrificed their Children and cut themselves and caused their Children to pass through the Fire and did many things zealously whenas saith the Lord Who hath required these things at your hands for they come not into my heart And Paul witnesseth the same of the Iews in his dayes and bore them record that they had a Zeal
but it was not according to True Knowledge And thus the Iews were zealously performing that as their Duty and as out of a Good Conscience which the Lord required not at their hands and so they made Conscience to do that which the Lord required not and their Consciences were mis-led and not righly informed and as it was amongst the Iews in this case in the dayes of old so now is it amongst the Christians in the Apostacy their Consciences being mis-guided by a false spirit they are doing and performing the things in great Zeal and for the exercise of their Consciences which the Lord doth not require of them Thus do the Papists they do and practise the things in great Zeal and through a false Fear in their blind Consciences which things are in themselves Idolatry and not commanded nor required of the Lord as in many particulars I might shew even in many parts of their Worship and Religion which out of a Fear and blind Zeal and mis-guided Conscience they practise which is in it self but Idolatry and not required nor accepted of the Lord. And many things in relation to the Protestants Worship and amongst all the several false Sects upon Earth which are done and practised in great Zeal and out of a false Fear and as in pretence of a good Conscience and yet are things in themselves Idolatrous as done and practised by them And this comes to passe as I have said because the Conscience is mis-informed and a false spirit guides and rules in the exercise of Conscience and the understanding of the People is blinded and they know not but they do well though their minds are captivated and their minds and judgments in error and though there be a sincerity to God-wards and a desire of Him in the bottom among some People of all Forms and Sects and some of all are zealous towards God in their practices in their Religion and Worship yet among all People and the Churches that have been for many Generations there hath been great Error in Judgment and much blindness in mind and the Conscience falsly exercised towards God and the Superscription hath been To the Unknown God and He hath been ignorantly worshipped and the Spirit of the Lord hath not truly exercised Peoples Consciences nor guided their Zeal nor been Ruler in the Judgment And by this means the sincerity and humility towards God hath been eaten out and always quenched and the bare practice of things and profession of Religion in the outward appearance hath been more lookt at than the presence of God felt in the Practices and the Zeal hath been more for the performance of such things than for God purely enjoyed through them And thus it hath been through Christendom in the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches Many have erred in their Judgments and the Zeal for God hath proceeded out of the error of Iudgments and out of mis-information of Conscience some other things than only the Spirit of God hath ruled in the Iudgment and been the exercise of Peoples Consciences And this is a hint of things about true Liberty of Conscience and about the Error in Iudgment and the blind Zeal in captivated sincerity Now it may be objected What is the only absolute Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience and when are Mens Consciences truly guided To this I answer The only chief and perfect Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience both to God and all men is The Spirit of Christ for it is only that which can truly guide the Conscience in Faith Doctrine and Worship and in all things towards God even the Spirit of Christ which is the gift of the Father it only leadeth into all Truth as it is written and all whose Consciences are guided and exercised by it are in unity and Peace in their Worship Doctrine and Religion for the Spirit of Christ is but one in it self and guideth the Conscience into the exercise of one Truth and Faith and in this same Spirit is true â—nion and Communion of SAINTS in Religion and Worship and this is manifest through the Scriptures for the Apostle exhorted To walk in the Spirit and by it and as many as walked by the Rule of the Spirit Peace be upon them and it is the Spirit of Christ the Everlasting Comforter that teacheth all Truth and the Holy Anointing of the Spirit that dwelt in the Saints taught them all things and they need no man to teach them but as the Anointing that dwelt in them And then are mens Consciences truly guided in all the Ways of Righteousness when the Spirit of God guides the Conscience and is the Rule of all Faith Doctrine and Practices So that Traditions of Men Prescriptions of Councils Antiquity of Time Commandments of Men nor Example of others without the Spirit of Christ cannot be the only true Rule of the Exercise of Conscience for all these things are changeable alterable and subject to variations and therefore cannot infallibly guide the Conscience in the Duty towards God nor rightly exercise the Conscience in Unity and Peace but while a Nation or Kingdom or People walk by the Rule of Traditions Prescriptions Commandments of Men Example of others or the like they err in Judgment in Faith Doctrine and Worship and are all divided in Contention about these matters because their Rule of Conscience and Judgment is doubtful and alterable and not infallible and therefore they have no perfect assurance of Gods acceptation to them in their Faith and Religion nor perfect Peace and Unity in their Faith and Worship But as the Rule of their Consciences in their Duty towards God is divers some make one thing and some another their Rule so are they divers and divided in what they hold profess and practice and are but of great Babylon in their Religion And because that something besides the Spirit of God exercises the Conscience therefore it is that here are so many Wayes and Sects of Religigion and kinds of Worship in Christendom and amongst Christians while the Spirit of Christ only is not the Rule of Iudgement and Exercise of Conscience to God and Man for the only perfect Rule of Conscience in the Exercise to God is the Spirit of Christ and not any other thing And now Whosoever shall persecute the Exercise of Conscience when guided by the Spirit of Christ such persecute Christ Jesus And this is Persecution for the Name of Christ when Sufferings are inflicted as Reproaches Imprisonment or whatsoever for the Exercise of Conscience towards God by his Spirit but and if any are persecuted for Religion-sake only so if that in such their Exercise of Religion they are not guided by the Spirit of Christ yet that suffering is a kind of Persecution also if I say the Suffering be only for and because of their Religions-sake and they walk Justly and Righteously as men so that as is signified about the middle of this Chapter
Hereby and in this Way is true Conversion wrought in the heart to the turning men from all Error unto the Truth and from all false Worships and Heresies and Evil Wayâ—s unto the true Christian-Worship and Conformity to holy Church and Religion This I say was the Way among the primitive Christians â—…d Apostles of old and is the same among the true Christians in this Age and they that would conform others and are conformed themselves otherwise in this Case of Religion and Worship to God-wards are not in the Example of Christ and his Saints but out of the Life and contrary to the first Christians and President of the Holy Scriptures as hereafter is manifested The Way and Practice of Imposing Religion and Conformity in Worship and Church-Government by Force as aforesaid is so far from being according to the Practice and Example of the Apostles and the primitive Churches of Christians that they are even contrary to the Commands and Exhortations of CHRIST and his Apostles and Example of the Scriptures 1. As in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Mat. 13. when it was desired of the Servants that they might go and gather out the Tares that the Enemy had sown from among the Wheat it was commanded to the contrary by the Husbandman even that they should suffer the Tares to grow among the Wheat till the Harvest and not pluck them up lest they hurt the Wheat thereby Now though there be an invisible Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven secretly signified in this Parable more then may here be said yet 't is also clearly signified That Christ would have no Imposition nor Violence used upon thâ— Tares nor that they should pluck them up by Force but that the good Corn and the bad 〈◊〉 grow together in one Field till the Harvest And thus much this Parable bears the Proof of Suppose there be Heresies and Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are not in the Truth but in Errors who are bad Corn even as the Tares to the Wheat in that Kingdom City or Family where there is also converted Saints and holy Persons and true Members of Christ who are as the Wheat to the Tares yet such Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are in Error ought not to be plucked up violently to wit Imprisoned Bannished and put to Death Burned and Destroyed from amongst the Righteous though they grow amongst them even in the sâ—… Field The converted Saints ought not I say to destroy by â—â—nnishment or Death the Hereticks and Unconverted and Unconformable Persons from amongst them but they are to let them live even grow amongst them in the same Field in the same Kingdom City or Family till Harvest And thus much the Parable may truly signifie Even a Liberty to live for the Tares the bad Corn the evil Persons among the Wheat the Righteous Persâ—… without being imposed upon by Cruel Force and Outward Violence to compel into Conformity 2. As in the Case among the Saints and true Believers where some believed 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 others did 〈◊〉 Hâ—…s and some esteemed one day above 〈◊〉 â—nd otheâ—â— esteemed every day alike Rom 14. Here was some difference in Judgment and Practices amongst the Believers about Mâ—â—ts and Dâ—â—es abouâ—â— which thiâ—… there hath been much Imposition and Force used in the World since the Apostle dayes Well But what doth the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 and advise in this Case Doth 〈◊〉 threaten Violence towards any of them or signifie any forcible Commands or Impositions to be used to bring them into Conformity and Unity in the things and Matters about which they were divided No no but this is his advice to the Church of Christ of which he was a true and able Minister Iudge not one another about such things nor do not impose any Practice upon thy Brother for to Christ Iesus â—…is Master every Believer stands or falls And saith the Apostle Lâ—â— every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind vers 5. And hereby it is manifestly proved That in the Churches of Primitive Christians the Saints and true Christians were not imposed upon by Commandments of Mâ—n or outward Laws in the matters of their Religion and Practice of Conscience there was no signification of force to be used for Conformity but whâ—â—y contrary even every Believeâ— had the Liberty of the Spirit of Christ and as he was by that perswaded in his own mind to do or leave undone in such cases and every one was to mind the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in himself for to that he was to stand or fall and not to impose upon another no not so much as to judge his Brother in any case of difference in Judgment or Practice but they were to leave one another to the Perswasions of the Spirit of Christ in their own minds 3. As in the Case where the Apostle exhorted the Saints to be Like-minded â—â—il 3. But saith he If any 〈◊〉 Otherwise-minded God shall reveal even this unto you By which Saying it is mâ—nifest That the Unity and Conformity of Saints in Mind and Practice was not by Imposition or any outward Force threatned or exercised upon their Persons or Estates but contrary-wise if there was any Difference in Mind and Practice amongst any of them that was to be amended and Unity made up when God revealed the same Truth in all as he had done in some if any were not so minded in any thing as others were they were not to be imposed upon but let God reveal the same and bring into Conformity this was the Apostle's Counsel And vers 16. Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule that is to â—â—y so far as the Rule of the Spirit of Christ is made manifest or in whâ—â— measure the perfection thereof is attained unto let every one walk in the same measure and by the same Rule and if any have not the self-same measure of the Spirit and know the self-same things let such alone without imposing upon them leave them to walk in the measure of Light and knowledge that they have received though it be not the self-same measure that others have received and if they want any Knowledge or be in any thing otherwise-minded God shall reveal the same unto them even the same thing as they grow in the same measure of Grace and Knowledge And here is the perfect Way of Unity and Conformity as the Primitive Christians were exercised in the true Faith and Worship and true Christian Religion in their dayes And so to impose by Force upon Paint and Forfeitures in Religious Matters is clearly contrary to all these Scriptures and to many more in the New Testament 4. In that Case 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. where the Apostle exhorts the Elders To take â—â—e Overâ—â—ght of God's Flock not by Constraint or Force but Willingly not for 〈◊〉 by Lucâ—â— but of a ready Mind neither 〈◊〉 being Lords â—ver God's Heritage which câ—…ly signifies against
Imposers which is to make people true Worshippers of God is utterly frustrate and void and none are made true Worshippers of God by such Imposition and Force but many are made Hypocrites thereby and sinners against God for what any performs to God-wards by Force and not of Faith given into the heart by God it is sin For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin as saith the Scriptures and that which is the occasion of hypocrisie and sin is unrighteous and temptation but such is imposing on Conscience by force in religious Matters 7. It is Unrighteous and Unreasonable to Impose by Force upon Conscience because it is the Occasion of absolute Eâ—…remity put upon many that are Dear and Precious to the Lord even such aâ— Extremity as may force unavoidably the ruin of either Soul or Body or both in this World and hereafter For suppose such Laws be made for the forcing of Conforâ—ity to commâ—… men to Worship upon the Forfeiture of whole Estate Banishment oâ— Death which is contrary to the Spirit of Christ and good Conscience And if such Laws be not obeyed and such Conformity made but the Conscience kept clear to God then the outward Man in his Person Estate and Family is ruined in this World and if such Laws be obeyed and such Conformity yielded contrary to good Conscience then the Inward Man is ruined and the Soul and Conscience wounded and grieved because God is Offended and Christ is Denyed and the Law of Men obeyed rather then the Law of God and this is by an Extremity occasion'd through imposed force in the Cases of Conscience by Authority and Laws of Men. And that which is the Occasion of such Ruin and Destruction to the Souls and Bodies of such as fear the Lord is an Unrighteous Thing which administers that woful Extremity To deny God and so to be liable to his Wrath and Judgments or to deny the Authority of Men and so to be liable to Destruction of Person and Estate in this World and such is Imposing of Worship 8. It is Unrighteous and Unreasonable because it may destroy the Faith of some even of such upon whom Imposition is laid against their pure Consciences For Suppose a Person or People being truly perswaded by the Spirit of Christ in the true Way of Religion and Worship of God having therein true Peace with God in a clean Conscience and by force of Law and through cruel Imposition should be forced from that Way of Worship which they have had Peace with God in and which the Spirit of Christ perswaded them of the truth of unto such a Way of Worship which they could not have Peace with God in nor the Comfort of his Presence in such Conformity forced upon them this were certainly Unrighteous and Unreasonable that a People or a Person should be forced by Laws from that way wherein they have Peace and Blessings with God to that Way wherein their Souls are famished for want of the Presence of the Lord Like as if a Person of such a Calling following the same in a certain City or Town whereby he maintained himself in all good things and wanted nothing and yet the chief Magistrate of the said City or Town should forcibly compel by Violence the said Person of so good a Calling from that his Calling whereby he so well maintained himself in the World and should force upon him to follow another Calling of which he could not live in the World but by it he might Perish and Starve Would not all reasonable men conclude the same Imposition of the said Magistrate upon the said poor Man were Oppression Cruelty Unrighteous and Unreasonable And the case of imposing Religion as aforesaid is the greater Oppression and Cruelty inasmuch as it respects the Immortal Soul which is more worth then the Body and the other respects but the Body which is of less worth with all that concerns it then is the Soul which is Immortal Lastly 'T is Unrighteous inasmuch as it is contrary to the Scriptures of the New Testament in the Dispensation of the Gospel which are before cited and contrary to Christ and his Apostles Example in the Primitive Churches of Christians And thus it is manifest That Imposing by Force upon Conscience in Religious Matters is Unrighteous and Unreasonable and is not of Christ but of Antichrist as is by plain Reasons demonstrated And now I shall in a few words shew The Danger of Imposing Worship 〈◊〉 aforesaid and how Dangerous it is to any King Prince or outward Authority that are or may be the Imposers on the Consciences of Men by Force in the Case of Worship and Religion 1. It is Dangerous to cause the People to sin to cause them to conform in Appearance when the Heart is not devout to God and this makes them Hypocrites Dangerous to cause People to perform Duty to God-wards without Faith in God and this makes them Sinners against him For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Dangerous to cause some to deny Christ before men for the Fear of this World and Terrors of Violent Men and to forsake that Way which they know is of the Lord and to follow that Way which they know is not of him and this denying the Lord of Life and a great Abomination against him And the Cause of that cause is Imposing by Force upon Conscience in Matters Religious and the Reason of all this is The Imposers such as make and Execute such Force and this Danger all such are involved in even the Danger of causing People to sin against God of Denying Christ of making Hypocrites and so even in the Danger of Destroying Souls which is a desperate Danger Oh! that all the Imposers of Religion by Force would consider it and look upon the Danger which they are deeply fallen into and involved in by reason of such their Imposing upon Conscience Alas they are in the Danger of destroying Souls of causing a Nation and People to sin against God and to deny the Lord of Life And how great is such a Danger even to be avoided of all if they love their own Souls and not to be the Occasions and Cause of destroying Souls by causing People to sin and this Danger all the Imposers upon Conscience are captivated in And 2. It is Dangerous to be a Means to destroy that Kingdom City or Country and the Rulers thereof by begetting and nourishing Discontents Heart-burnings and Envying among the People one against another and against their Rulers because of such Unrighteous Force and Violence exercised by Imposition upon their Consciences Dangerous I say to raise into Contentions Strifes Broyles and Blood-shed it self in a Kingdom amongst People And this is a Danger violently impending upon such Rulers or do impose as aforesaid even a Danger to ruin their own Power and Authority and to ruin the People under their Dominion by raising the People into Discontents and Broyles through the Cruelty of the Oppression of
Imposing Religion and the Example hereof may be read in Nations and Countries at this day what Discontents and Contentions have arisen dangerously among people one towards another and towards their Rulers upon this Cause and Occasion of Imposing Religion by Force Unrighteously and 't is a Danger this day that all the Rulers of the World are exposed unto and deeply involved in where this Cause of Imposing Religion is extâ—nt in Force 3. It is Dangerous to Impose Religion by Force because it must needs produce Oppression Persecution Violence and Hatred in the prosecution thereof and this is dangerous to any Kings Rulers or Governours to be reputed Oppressors Persecutors and Violent Men this is Infamous and of bad Report amongst men and Abomination and Wickedness in the sight of God for any Rulers upon Earth to be Oppressors Persecutors and Cruel Men and such consequently must they be that are Imposers upon mens Consciences in Matters Religious And this Danger all the Rulers of the World are in that do Impose Religion by Force even to render themselves Infamous by Oppression in the sight of men and to render themselves Sinners against God and this Danger falls upon the Imposers of Religion because of such their Impositions by Force upon the Consciences of men Lastly 'T is Dangerous because 't is of Antichrist and not of Christ as before proved and all that do Impose by Violence on the Consciences of Men in Religious Cases are of Antichrist in so doing and because thereof liable to God's Indignation and Heavy Wrath in this World and hereafter and 't is Dangerous to bring the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Men that are guilty thereof for God will be avenged upon such his Enemies that exercise Violence and Persecution upon Men for their Conscience sake And this is a Danger unavoidable which all that impose Religion are liable unto even to be Cut Off in the Wrath of the Lord and to undergo his Indignation for all the Reasons before shewed These with many other Dangers are they involved in that are Imposers in Religious Matters Therefore Oh that the Rulers of this World would be Wise now in their last day and would consider the Unjustness and Unreasonableness of their Imposing Religion and the many Dangers that attend the same Oh that they would learn God's Counsel and Rule only for him in Justice Mercy Truth Equity and true Judgment exercising the same in the Meek and Lowly Spirit of Jesus among men and over whom they are set to Rule in this World and would give to God Almighty his Due and Right and Priviledge in exercising the Consciences of Men by his Spirit in all Cases of Christ's Kingdom for it only belongs to him to be Ruler in the Inward Man Oh! that the Rulers of this World would give this Power and Dominion unto God and would from henceforth never more exercise Lordship over Conscience by Imposing Religion through Force but would only Rule well over the Outward Man in the things pertaining to Man and would leave to God the Rule and Exercise of Conscience Oh! then would it go well with them and Happy and Blessed should they be in such their Authority and Peace should be unto them if that they only took the Government as appointed of God over the outward Man and did not impose upon the inward man by Force in Religious Matters but committed that Authority to God Then I say should Peace and Blessings be unto them But while it is otherwise even while they exercise Dominion and Lordship over Conscience as aforesaid they do unjustly and Unreasonably and bring upon themselves many Dangers and are liable to Contentions Oppositions Wars and many Mischiefs in this World and to the Anger and Wrath of God in the World that is to come CHAP. II. Concerning Heresie the Case Stated What it is in it self and who a Heretick is and who are the absolute true Iudges of it and what Punishment pertains to such as are truly convicted of Heresie 1. THere is such a thing as Heresie in it self even many Heresies and Errors abounding amongst the Sons of Men in the World at this day and there was Heresie in the dayes of the Aposties and amongst them brought in by such as erred from the Truth after they had once known the Truth and received it as ye may read the Iews they cryed out of Heresie in their time which caused the Apostle to say to them Acts 24. 14. After that Way which ye call Heresie do we worship the God of our Fathers And the Apostle said 1 Cor. 11. to the Church There must be also Heresies amongst you that they that are approved of God may be made manifest And 2 Pet. 2. 1. it is spoken of some who should privily bring in Damnable Heresies into the Church By all which it is manifest there was in the Apostles dayes Heresie and Heresies as there is at this day even many Heresies and Errors in the World held professed and maintained by the Apostate Christians that are gone into the Form of Godliness without the Power and are turned from the Spirit of Christ and the soundness of his Doctrine into the formal Profession of Religion and of the words of Christ and his Apostles and among such are the Heresies and Errors 2. Heresie is somewhat believed and professed in Practice of Worship and in Point of Faith and Doctrine that is either contrary to or different from the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ something I say held and practiced in Point of Worship Faith and Doctrine which is not justly according to the pure Truth of Jesus but either in whole or in part different from and contrary thereunto and whatsoever Practice of Worship or Point of Doctrine as is so held professed believed or practiced is Heresie and Error because it is different from and contrary to in whole or in part the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and because thereof it is Heresie and such is Heresie in it self different from and contrary unto the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ though as for the particular Parts and Points of Heresie in Worship Doctrine and Practice which are at this day held professed and believed among Apostate Christians are so very many that they would be too large here to ennumerate but my present Intention is only this To shew at large what Heresie is in it self and who is a Heretick 3. A Heretick one that is properly so is such a Person as hath sometime believed in the Truth and made Profession and Acknowledgment of the Way of true Christianity and hath received and held the true Faith of the Gospel of Christ and been in some measure united to Christ and a Member of his Church but is fallen and degenerated in whole or in part from the said Faith and Acknowledgment of Christ Jesus and the Way of Christianity and hath erred from the Truth of the Gospel once believed and
that you would learn more Wisdom and that your people would come to receive the Spirit of the Lord into their Hearts whereby they may be led into all Truth and into the Covenant of God where there is no Unbelief Ignorance Prophaneness nor Confusion but Peace Love and Unity altogether and if you and they did come into this you might be happy and the Judgments of the Lord would be removed Now I come to some Particulars which you do promise for your selves First That you will use all holy Endeavours to keep Cod and his Truth among you Secondly That you will be more diligent in watching over your Flocks Thirdly That you shall endeavour the Establishment of your Congregations against Popish Delusions To all which I Answer You must first make clean your own hearts and you must first Repent of your own Iniquities before you can heal others and you must first learn Obedience to God in your own hearts before you can truly instruct others therein And indeed there is need enough for you to mourn before the Lord and to fast and to confess your Sins as you say for the Lord has been long departed from you and his Presence from your Assemblies and that is the Cause of Deadness and Dryness and Barrenness among the people because God's Presence is wanting among you and you had indeed need to be more diligent in watching over your Flocks for you have been negligent therein and have fed your selves and not them and you have sought theirs and not them it s partly evident and it is time for you now to amend and to put away the Evil of your Doings but first before you dispence the Word to others you must feel the Word in your own Hearts to be as a Fire and as a Hammer in you and you must know another Foundation for Ministers than you have long stood upon even the Lord Jesus Christ must be your Foundation and you must cease to Preach for Hire and to Divine for Money and then should it be better with you and your Flocks would have comfort in you if you had received freely from the Lord and ministred freely to them but while you do it for Ends to your selves they can have no good Hopes nor Confidence in you And whereas you exhort your Congregations in divers Particulars First To take heed of false Teachers trying their spirits and holding fast that which is good especially to beware of Popish Insinuations c. say you Ans. Your Exhortation is good in it self but you should have demonstrated more plainly how false Teachers should be known comparing their Fruits now with what they were in the dayes of old when the Scriptures were written and that had been a good way to have discovered false Teachers That Mat. 16. mentioned by you bids them beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Christ said They were such as were called of men Master stood Praying in the Synagogues loved uppermost Rooms at Feasts went in long Robes and of such Christ bids beware and of such now the People in London are to beware where-ever they are for such as do these things are in the steps of the Scribes and Pharisees which Christ cryed Wo against and the true Prophets cryed against such in their days as preached for Hire and that sought for their Gain from their Quarter and such you ought to cry against now as seek for their Gain from their Quarter except the guilt of these things in your selves stops your Mouthes from crying against them in others and the Apostles cryed against such as went for Gifts and Rewards such as taught for Filthy Lucre and such as made Merchandize of People for Gain for themselves such the Apostles and Christ declared against and such you ought to declare against But the People of your Congregations may say Who are such now and Where are they That I leave to their Consciences to judge who they be and where they are now and whether there be any of them in this City now and in the Nation that are called of men Master and love uppermost Rooms at Feasts and that preach for Hire and Money for Gifts and Rewards seek for their Gain from their Quarter teach for filthy Lucre and Gain who are found in these things now such are false Teachers who ought to be taken heed of I shall not now say it is any of you but I shall leave it to you and to your Peoples Consciences to whom your Exhortation is And as I have said before let all Popish Inventions and Popery be first cast out of this Nation and then if you joyn with us against it through the Spirit of the Lord we will endeavour the keeping of it out and that it shall no more enter in amongst us into this Nation And you say That your Knowledge here and all other Graces here are imperfect To which I say Then you are imperfect Saints imperfect Ministers But what do you mean by here I suppose that you mean upon Earth Now there are none of the Graces of God that are imperfect but the Grace of God is perfect in it self and the Spirit of God is perfect and every Gift of God is perfect as say the Scriptures Now that you should say the Graces of God are imperfect this is Error even abominable Error and you shew unsoundness in Judgment even in the things of God and hath belyed the Graces and Gift of God which in their measure are perfect And thus I have looked over your Exhortation and thus I have returned to you again not but that I know it is the Duty of Christ's Ministers to exhort their Flocks and that Exhortation in it self is good but when I find where Lyes and false Accusations are against the Quakers whom I dearly love and own upon that account and not otherwise have I engaged with you and what I have done it is not rendring Evil for Evil but rather to reprove your Evil and to undeceive your Congregations who might otherwise take all for true that you have said if it were not reproved Again You exhort your Congregations That they manifest Sincerity not only by hatred of Error but by a Love of the Truth c. Answ. Sincerity of Heart is indeed precious especially where the Spirit of the Lord is the rule of Judgment and doth mannage that Sincerity but where a false spirit rules in the Judgment the Sincerity is often betrayed into a Zeal against the Truth and against the Wayes of the Lord rather than otherwise and thus it was with the Iews whose Sincerity through their Error of Judgment was turned into Zeal and Bitterness against Christ And thus it is to be feared it is with many in your Congregations who may have a Zeal without Knowledge and be short of true Discerning between what is Truth and what is Error I speak not this of all but of some for it s no small thing to discern between Truth and Error