insomuch that many Papists abhor the very Name and Mention of it and to the Death withstand the bringing in of this Slavery amongst them the Extremity and Rigor of this Inquisition until the year· 1609. In Philip the third King of Spain's Time notwithstanding though the Moors did make a Shew of the Papists Religion because of the Inquisition yet eleven hundred thousand of them were forced to quit the Country it was so dreadful And all these kind of Ordinances and Institutions before-mentioned compare them with the Scriptures and the Cruelty and Severity which hath been exercised towards them who could not receive them none who have their Eyes open in any Measure but must needs conclude that all this is in the Apostacy and so all who profess Reformation flee from these things and from this Spirit and from this Church who forces and kills all them that oppose who are under his Power and why should any plead for the holding up of those Practices as good and warrantable whereas so many have been killed about them and so many have been led from the Life and Power of Godliness while they received and practised these humane Inventions and vain and customary Traditions for the Doctrine of Christ and for Apostolick Ordinances and must it not needs be concluded them who would tye People up and bind Men to observe such and such things as are mentioned before in this Book and persecute for not observing that they are they who draw back to Perdition and keep People from laying hold upon eternal Life Many more vain Practices and Doctrines which have been brought in since the Apostles Dayes might be mentioned but in that which is said already the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy both in Life Doctrine and Practice from the Apostles Time downward until now and that which is called the Catholick Church in Rome is in it and likewise divers of them who are separated from her stick too much in these Things because of the Custom Tradition and Antiquity of them In part I have shewn their Antiquity and their Rise and also shewn that which is more ancient then they from which they have swerved to the Intent that all may come out of Babylon and drink no more of the Cup nor buy no more of the Merchandize nor wear no more the Harlots Cognizance nor the false Churches Attire but that all may come to see before this Heap of dark Confusion and beyond the vain Obervations which have been introduced which make no Man through the Observation thereof more acceptable unto God but rather two-fold more like Children of the wicked one who abode not in the Truth CHAP. XIV Something further of the Decrees and Ordinances of the Church of Rome which are holden out for Apostolical Ordinances POpe Paul about the Year 757. condemned the Council at Constantinople for condemning worshipping of Images he wrote a Book of the worshipping and Utility of Images calling them the Lay-mens Calender Pope Adrian about the Year 770. cloathed the Image of St. Peter with Silver and covered the Altar of St. Paul with a pall of Gold and condemned them for Hereticks who kept Peter and Paul's Doctrine which declared against Idols Pope Nicholas about the Year 858. enlarged the Popes Decrees equalling them to the Writings of the Apostles he decreed that Service should be said in Latine And although by the Emperor the Pope was first elected yet now having got Head did climb up so high in Power and Pride and Arrogancy endeavoured that no Emperor should be crown'd without his Leave in Germany And Pope Clement the fifth excommunicated Andronicus Peleogus Emperor of Constantinople as an Heretick because he would not suffer the Greek Church to appeal to Rome And when any Kings or Princes had displeased him he hath excommunicated them and given away their Kingdoms to some other teaching their People to rebel and also instigating other Princes to make War against them and to kill one another for trifles and if any displeased him he caused many Kings to do Penance and to pay great Sums of Money to get an absolution from Excommunication and the Rule and Power of the Empire which gave him first his being to be Universal Bishop and to be called Pope he hath raised War often against and if he like not the Election of the Emperour he hath deposed them and one he brought into such Subjection that he caused him to hold his Sirrop a thing that the Emperour was not accustomed with he happened to hold it on the wrong side for which he received a sharp Reproof by his holiness Likewise some difference being between Pope Innocent the fourth in the Year 1250. and the Emperour Frederick the second the Pope would not be Reconciled though the King of France strongly interceeded and offered full satisfaction for all pretended Wrongs would go out of his Empire if the Pope could not endure him there never to return into Europe again so as that his Son with the Popes Approbation might but Succeed him in the Empire which the Pope would not do And how England and divers Nations have been troubled with his Oppression is well known and what exactions and great sums of Money â—here have been enhausted and squeezed out of his Dominions where he 〈◊〉 Power the Nations well remember to maintain the Pride of his Court at Rome which abounded with all manner of Vitiousness insomuch that it was grown to that height that Vincentius Clement the Popeâ— Legate said it was now too late and past reforming But to take the Legate's own words as follow against his Master the Pope and his Court W. H. in his Book called a Description of England in the 136 page saith thus that this Vincentius Clement in the year 1452. being Legate for the Pope was here in England about the Pope's business and hearing that the Clergy had given the King two tenths for the repaying â—f his losses which he had sustained in France and for the recovering of Bourdeaux this Legate Vincentius coming into the Convocation House he earnestly required the Clergy to be no less favourable to their Spiritual Father the Pope and their Mother the See of Rome then they had been to his vassal and inferiour meaning the King and in his Speech in the Convocation he shewed them how that his Holiness the Pope was much disturbed and daily in danger of his Life by Cut-throats Varlots and Harlots which did much abound as he said in Rome but the Clergy in the Convocation slighted his Speech and said how should we contribute towards the Suppression of such whereas he and such as you continually uphold them I grant saith the Legate that there wanteth just Reformation of many Things in the City of Rome which should have been made sooner but now is it too late and past reforming never the less I beseech you send the Legate to write unto his holiness the Pope to request him that
Lord Jesus their Saviour and Teacher there was Truth and Life by them And after Henry Cromwel the Deputy of Ireland banished him and Edward Burroughs out of Ireland through the Instigation of the Priests and other Magistrates but the Lord overturned them his Adversaries also And so continuing in the Labour of the Lord till the Year 1661. he was imprisoned at London when the Monarchy People rose with many others though clear and innocent from that bloody Act for his and their Weapons were spiritual and they sought another Kingdom And after he and they were set at Liberty he still continued in the Work of the Lord travailing up and down the Nations and coming into the North at Kendal the Magistrates sent for him out of the Market and tendred him the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy and because for Conscience sake he could not swear in Obedience to the Command of Christ his Saviour they committed him to Appleby Goal in the Year 1664. and there they kept him from Sessions to the Assizes in a smoaky Hole and at last they premunired him and his Body being almost spent in the Service of the Lord being a weak man there did he offer up his Life as a Sacrifice of his Faith for the Lord Jesus Christ's Truth and dyed a Prisoner for the Name of Jesus in the latter End of the Year 1668. and so laid down his Life as a Testimony against the Persecutors Breakers of the Command of Christ and his Blood doth cry for Vengeance though he could say The Lord forgive all hâ—â— Persecutorspunc who having the Mind of Christ desired the Good of all yea the worst of hâ—â— Enemies and in that Desire of the Good of all did he labour travail seeking their Good and their Eternal VVelfare in the Inheritance of Life that fades not away of which he was an Heir and is entred into Rest and the Possession of the same And now this peaceable Man the persecuting Priests and Magistrates have gotten their Desire to shut up in Prison this Servant of the Lord to Death for obeying the Command of Christ but how they will answer it before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the great Judge at his Tribunal Day which hastens apace let them consider with themselves for if they went into everlasting Punishment that did not visit Christ in Prison what wâ—ll become of such as cast him into Prison in his Members And so they made his Wife a Widdow and his Children Fatherless who have none to cry unto but the Lord who will relieve the Widdow and help the Fatherless The Place of his outward Habitation was in Greying in Westmorland a man known to be of good Report before he received the Gospel freely from Jesus which he declared freely and great Sufferings and Tryals and Reproaches and Scorns and hard Labours in the Work and Service of the Lord he went through and many vain Disputes Priests and Professors of all Sects rose up against him but the Lord in his Power gave him Dominion over them all Who ended his Dayes in Peace in the Truth of God and the Lord's Service and Testimony for his Name and for the keeping of and obeying the Command of Christ his Lord and Saviour And therefore all Friends and Brethren that are begotten by him through the Word of Life and others live in the same Word that lives abides endures forever that is a Hammer a Fire as a Sword to all that is contrary to that which is holy and pure so that in the Truth Power and Word of Life the Lord God may be glorified in you all the Dayes of your Life And blessed are all they that aye in the Lord they rest from their Labours and their Works will follow them G. F. Richard Pinders Testimony CONCERNING Francis Howgil AS concerning our dear Brother in the Lord Francis Howgil the Author of these ensuing Writings he was a Man so well known through the Churches of Christ in his Day that much need not be writ concerning him as by Way of Testimony to those that knew him and his Spirit and Manner of Life and Conversation yet I having had a full Knowledge of him especially in the time of his long and tedious Imprisonment in the Town of Appleby in Westmorland where for his Testimony sake he ended his Dayes and laid down his Life as a Testimony for that Truth that he had testified of so largely both in preaching the Gospel and in these ensuing Books which he writ at several times according as the Lord put it into his Heart and as there was Occasion to answer Truth 's Opposers and after many Years Travails and Labours in the Work of God he through the Envy of some great Persons in that Country was made Prisoner at the foresaid Town of Appleby they having nothing justly to lay to his Charge yet knowing that it was his Principle not to swear at all Christ having forbidden it they put the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance unto him and only for refusing to swear he was premunired they in the least laying nothing of Misdemeanour to his Charge and when the Judge pronounced the Sentence of Premunire against him he only replyed It is a hard Sentence being only for the Exercise of my Conscience but the Will of the Lord be done and prayed the Lord might forgive them all that had any Hand in it and so after the said Sentence being committed Prisoner he continued a Prisoner several Years in which time I was very conversant with him and I must give this Testimony for him that I never heard him in the least murmur or repine in all the time of his Imprisonment but alwayes appeared as a Man wholly given up inâ—o â—he Will of God and when at any time we had been speaking of his long Imprisonment constantly he would have said The Will of the Lord be done and such was his godly Behaviour and Conversation in the time of his Confinement that he greatly gained the Hearts and Love of the Goaler's whole Family and all others of the Town that knew him and had any Acquaintance with him and even to this Day when his Name is mentioned they are all ready to say he was a Man that truly feared God so that he left an exceeding good Savour behind him in that Place And as for the Course of his Time and Dayes in this World I have this to say he was born of honest Parents and brought up to some Learning according to the usual Custom of the Country and in his Youth and tender Years was one that sincerely thirsted after the Knowledge of God and the Lord was good unto him and gave him Discoveries of divine things unto his Soul 's great Comfort and he was an early Owner of the People of God called Quakers and walked with them and was alwayes ready to suffer with them as at any time called by the Lord thereunto he was one greatly
Children of Sion do not fear thee neither do they regard thy Revilings for they dwell in a safe Habitation and 〈◊〉 at perfect Rest and are above all thy fiery Darts which in thy Envy 〈◊〉 shootest against them and thy Reward shall be according to thy Work and the multitude of men shall not be able to deliver thee from the Wrâ—th that cometh against thee from the Lord and all the false Prophets and Wolves in Sheeps Clothing with whom thou hast taken Part against the 〈◊〉 and his Fâ—llowers they shall be a broken Reed for thee to lean 〈…〉 why Alas the Determination of the Lord is against them and the Day of their Sorrow is approaching and hadst thou been wiâ—e for Gâ—d and for thy own Soul thou would'st not have endangered thine own Sâ—ul on Report and I am not altogether unacquainted with Ecclesiastical Histâ—riâ—â— their Defence and though we have no Goals Prisons Stocks nor Whips nor yet any unjust or cruel Way of dealing towards you as you have 〈◊〉 against us yet we have the Lord to be our Armour and he is the only Rock of our Defence and he is stronger then man and in him we trust and what are all thy Lyes and Slanders unto us And what though Balaam for a Gift may seek Enchantment against us yet there is no Divination found against the Elect Seed and seeing thou hast gone in Balaam's Path thou shalt reap his Reward who art an Enemy of Righteousness and a Perverter of the right Way of God whose End will be Wo and Misery Wherefore consider O thou vain mortal man that must dye and come to nothing wherefore hast thou set thy self against God and heaped up thy Multitude of envious Words Lyes and Slanders against his People What is the Fruit of such a Work but eternal Vengeance from the righteous God And though thou art come in the End of the Battel and hast helped Gog and Magog according to thy Strength yet Friend our City cannot be shaken its Foundation cannot be removed and what art thou vain ignorant Creature that hast fought against God and his People THE HEART OF New-England HARDENED THROUGH VVICKEDNESS In Answer to a Book entituled The Heart of New-England rent published by John Norton appointed thereunto by the General Court The Doctrine of the Quakers Vindicated his Arguments made void his Ignorance manifested and his lying Doctrine brought to Light and judged with the Word of Truth and Truth cleared from his Aspersions and Slanders By him that waits to see the Throne of Righteousness exalted above all Deceit F. H. And the rest of the Men which were not killed by the Plagues repented not of the Works of their Hands neither repented they of their Murders nor Sorceries nor worshipping of Devils Rev. 9.20 21. NOW when the Lord of Life and Glory is appearing in his Power as in the Dayes of old and his Goodness Mercy and Truth as in the Years past and the Riches of his Grace and Salvation which he maketh to flow forth and spring forth from the great Deep now when he is manifesting his Light from his holy Habitation and his saving Health from his dwelling Place that the Sons of Men might be Partakers thereof and praise him who liveth forever and ever who is the Author of Eternal Salvation unto them that believe the Pit of Darkness hath also opened its Mouth and out of it many Unclean Spirits do arise and Fogs and Mists of Darkness Ignorance and Error are also arisen out of it to hinder the Light from shining and to darken the Air that the Sun of Righteousness might not be beheld and would dam up the Way that the Springs of Life might not refresh the City of God and his tender Plants that so the Prince of Darkness and the King of the bottomless Pit might not lose his Dominion for this End hath he mustred up and is mustring up all his Men of War with their several Weapons and all the Engines of Wickedness to resist the Lamb of God who is risen to make VVar in Righteousness that so the Kingdom of Darkness might still be established and the Subjects thereof live at Ease and Peace in Egypt and Sodom where Christ and the VVitnesses are slain I say for this End hath he sent out his Men of VVar to resist the VVork of the Lord which is to destroy the Devil's VVork one of his Champions more stout then his Fellows is come out with his VVeapons of VVar which are most of them borrowed and not his own and the City in which he hath encompassed himself is a Refuge of Lyes but however he appears with the Face of Authority and subscribes himself John Norton Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England who was appointed thereunto by the Order of the General Court his Book he calls The Heart of New-England rent at the Blasphemies of the present Generation or a brief Tract concerning the Doctrine of the Quakers shewing the destructive Nature thereof to Religion Churches and State Now whether John Norton was appointed of the General Court to be Minister of Boston or he was appointed by the General Court to tell Lyes how the Heart of New-England is rent whether he intends should be believed the Reader may judge for his VVords may be understood of both However John Norton hath manifested his Master that it was not Christ who appointed him to be Minister at Boston but the General Court that appointed him neither was it Christ oâ— his Spirit that set him to work to publish Lyes to the VVorld that the Heart of New-England was rent but the General Court neither was it Christ nor the General Assembly that ordered him to write this Book which he calls A Tract concerning the Doctrine of the Quakers but the General Court they have ordered thee to tell Lyes and thou hast received thy Commission and actest it and shewest it to the World and the Sign thereof is By the Appointment of the General Court before we go any further men of Understanding will judge whose Minister whose Souldier whose Warriour John Norton is and at whose Appointment and Commandment he ministers and wars and hath cleared himself to be no Souldier of Christ no Minister of Christ but appointed to minister and to war at the Appointment of the General Court and so what will be brought forth by him in his Tract as he calls it afterwards as to minister Grace to the Hearers and Readers the Reader may judge seeing that he is a Minister by the Will of Man and his Work is appointed by the General Court And doth John Norton believe that People will receive his Testimony as that the Heart of New-England is broken and rent whenas the Blood-thirsty Cruelty and barbarous Actions and inhuman Act of Cruelty and the noisome Smell and a bad Example have you given to the World and the LAVVS and APPOINTMENTS and ORDERS of that General Court of BOSTON and NEW-ENGLAND
moved him to a Disposal of his outward Estate and the setting of his House in Order his Love was very dear to his Brethren and Fellow-Labourers with whom he had laboured and travailed in the Work of the Ministry in Testimony whereof he left to each of them something as a Remembrance of his Love and also was mindful of the Church and left a Legacy to be distributed amongst the poor of the Houshold of Faith in the Parts where he lived And though the time of his Departure did draw nigh and his Sickness encreased yet in all that time he was in perfect and good Remembrance and oftentimes very fervent in Prayer and uttered many comfortable Expressions to the great Refreshment of those who were with him And about two Dayes before his Departure being attended by his dear Wife and several Friends he begun to say unto them Friends as to matter of Words you must not expect much more from me neither is there any great Need of it as to speak of Matters of Faith to you who are satisfied only that you remember my dear Love to all Friends who enquire of me for I ever loved Friends well or any in whom Truth appeared and truly God will own his People as he hath everhither to done as we have daily witnessed for no sooner had they made that Act against us for Banishment to the great Suffering of many good Friends but the Lord stirred up Enemies against them even three great Nations whereby the Violence of their Hands was taken of I say again God will own his People even all those that are faithful and as for me I am well and content to dye I am not at all afraid of Death and truly one Thing was of late in my Heart and that I intended to have writ to G. F. and others even that which I have observed which Thing is that this Generation passeth fast away we see many good and precious Friends within these few Years have been taken from us and therefore Friends had need to watch and be very fâ—iâ—hful so that we may leave a good and not a bad Savour to the next succeeding Geneâ—ation for you see that it is but a little time that any of uâ— have to stay here And often in the time of his Sickness he said He was content to dye and that he was ready and praised God for those many sweet Enjoyments and Refreshments he had received on that his Prison-house-Bed whereon he lay freely forgiving all who had a Hand in his Restraint And he said This was the Place of my first Imprisonment for the Truth here at this Town and if it be the Place of my laying down the Body I am content Several Persons of note Inhabitants in Appleby as the Mayor and others went to visit him some of which praying that God might speak Peace to his Soul he sweetly replyed He hath done it and they all spoke well of him And a few Hours before his Departure some Friends who lived several Miles from that Place came to visit him he enquired of all their Welfare and prayed fervently with many heavenly Expressions That the Lord by his mighty Power might preserve them out of all such Things as would spot and defile And a little after he was saying something concerning Weeks or a time after which Persecution should be ended but his Weakness was so great and his Voice so low that it was not fully heard A little Season after he recovering a little Strength further said I have sought the Way of the Lord from a Child and lived innocently as among Men and if any enquire concerning my latter End let them know that I dye in the Faith in which I lived and suffered for And after these Words he spake some other in Prayer to God and sweetly finished his Course in much Peace with the Lord. George Fox's Testimony CONCERNING Francis Howgil NOW concerning Francis Howgil who was one of the Lord's Worthies that preach'd his everlasting Word of Life from about the Year 1652. until the Year 1668. He was convinced of God's eternal Truth and received his Gospel in the Year 1652. the same Day that he had been preaching in the Morning in Furbank Chappel in the Afternoon he was convinced by a Messenger of the Lord and several others that had been Teachers were convinced by him as John Audland and others He had a great Acquaintance with the highest Sort of Priests and after he did receive the Lord's Power and the Word of Life he was a Torment to them and he did confess to some of the Priests that the Knowledge of God and his Truth he knew no more of whilest he was amongst them as to the inward Enjoyment of it then a Child of five Years old And he and John Audland that had received some Money for preaching at a Parish called Colton in Fornace Fells in Lancashire when they had received the Gospel freely and the Word of Life from Christ they were commanded of the Lord to go and return that Money back again to the Parish and People from whom they had received it which they did and this made the Priests more to rage and the Professors So as the Son of God came to be revealed in him he began to know his Command and powerfully and freely to preach him and his Word of Life this did he and John Audland all the Dayes of their Life after their Convincement preached Christ Jesus freely as they had received him and turned many unto God And no sooner was his Mouth opened but the Priests Magistrates and Professors began to rage against him and began to be offended at the Word of God and the Gospel and sometime after cast him into Appleby Goal in a nasty stinking Prison in the County of VVestmorland and there they kept him for a time in the latter End of the Year 1652. but the Lord God delivered him out of the Mouthes of those Lyons whom God after overturned both Priests Magistrates and Professors And so after he was set at Liberty he grew valiant and bold for the Name of the Lord and travailed up and down on Foot preaching the everlasting Gospel and went to many Steeple Houses to warn both Priests and People of the Day of the Lord that was coming upon them and directing of them to Christ Jesus their Teacher and Saviour and travailed a foot through the Countries to London and was moved of the Lord he and John Cham to go and admonish O. Cromwel after he was newly made Protector and went to some of the Steeple-houses in London and other Meetings declaring to them the Day of the Lord and the Word of Life and where they might find it And after this he travailed through the Countries to Bristol preaching the Word of Life and after went into Ireland with Edward Burroughs and preached the Word of Life there to both Magistrates Priests and People under great Sufferings and many were begotten to the
I was moved to call thy Name Abigail which signifies the Father's Joy or Delight for in thee I was comforted that did mitigate my present Trouble and my Counsel unto thee is That thou remember thy Creator in the Dayes of thy Youth and fear the Lord in thy Youth and learn to know him and serve him all thy Dayes first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof it 's not far from thee it 's within thee it consists in Life and Power and it stands in Righteousness Truth and Equity Justice Mercy Long-suffering Patience Love Light and Holiness this is the Being and Center thereof therefore seek not lo here or lo there without thee in this or that outward Observation for mâ—ny seek there and never find it but seek and thou shalt find wait and thou shalt receive if thou enquire in what must I seek and what must I wait in how must I seek I inform thee thou must silence all thy own Thoughts and thou must turn thy Mind to that which is pure and holy and good within thy self and seek and wait in that in the Light of Jesus Christ wherewith thou art enlightened which shews thee when thou dost Evil and checks and reproves take heed unto that and it will shew the evil Motions and Thoughts and as thou lovest it it will subdue them and preserve thee for the time to come out of Evil for though thou be born into the World a reasonable Creature yet thou must be born again and be made a new Creature or else thou canst not enter into God's Kingdom thou must know the Seed of the Kingdom in thy self of which thou must be born and formed again into God's Image I have told thee God hath sown it in thee a Grain of it a Measure of it a Portion of it a Measure of Light and Truth of Righteousness and Holiness keep in thy Mind to that and love it and thou wilt feel the heavenly Father working in thee â—nd begetting thee to Life through Jesus Christ that hath enlightned thee and thou wilt feel the Power of the Lord strengthning thee in thy little and make thee to grow in the Immortal Seed of his Kingdom and out grow and over grow all Evil so that thou wilt daily dye to that and have no Pleasure in it but in the Lord and in his Goodness and Vertue shed abroad in thy Heart which thou wilt tast and feel within and have Joy and Comfort therein love the Lord with thy Heart and Soul even him that made thee and gave thee a Being and all things in Heaven and Earth and still wait for the Knowledge of him in thy self he is not far from thee but near unto thee and unto all that call upon him in an upright Heart and do thou enquire of thy dear Mother she will inform thee she knows him and the Way to Life and Peace and hearken unto her Instruction God is a Spirit a pure Spirit of Light and Life and Power he that searcheth the Heart and shews thee when thou dost Evil or think'st Evil or speak'st Evil and shews unto Man and Woman their Thoughts that which shows the Evil is Good and that which shews a Lye is Truth this is within take heed to it this is called God's Spirit in the Scripture believe in it love it and it will quicken thy Heart to Good and it will subject the Evil here is thy Teacher near thee loving it and if thou act contrary it will condemn thee therefore take heed unto this Spirit of Truth and it will enlighten and enliven thee and it will open thy Understanding and give thee to know what God is and to do that which is good and acceptable in his Sight this Spirit never errs but leads out of all Error into all Truth O Abigail believe my Words they are the Words of God and Truth be not wanton but sober minded in thy Youth and wait on the Lord within hearken unto him God is Light immortal Life immortal Truth immortal an everlasting eternal Spirit he speaks spiritually and invisibly within the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women hear what he speaks and obey his Voice and thy Soul shall live fear to offend him or sin against him for the Wages of Sin are Death therefore prize his Love in thy young and tender Years and do thou read the Scriptures and Friends Books and take heed unto what thou readest to obey it as far as thou understandest and pray often unto the Lord that he will give thee his Knowledge and open thy Understanding in the things of his Kingdom search thy Heart often with the Light of Christ in thee manifest and bring thy Deeds to it that they may be tryed and examine thy self how the Case stands betwixt the Lord and thee and if thou seest thy self wrong humble thy self and be sorry and turn unto him and he will shew thee Mercy and take heed for the time to come that thou run not into the same Evil again keep thy Heart clean watch against the Evil in thy self in that which shews it therein there is Power and thereby thou hast Power to overcome all Evil And dear Child miâ—d not the Pleasures of Sin which are but for a Moment and the End is Misery but keep under and cross thy Will and Affection so thy Mind will have no Pleasure in the Evil but in Good and thou wilt feel the immortal Seed springing up in thee which God's Peace and Love is to O Abigail these are great and weighty things not to be slighted accompany thy self alwayes with them that fear the Lord and fear and worship him in Spirit and Truth and lead a holy and a blameless Life and Conversation deny not them but love them and suffer with them take heed that thou follow not the hireling Teachers who preach for Gain and Lucre and abide not in Christ's Doctrine believe them not heed them not they do People no Good but thou wilt see them thy self they have an outside Shew of Godliness sometimes but deny the Power of God and true Holiness remember I have told thee who have had perfect Knowledge of them but be sure that thou let nothing separate thy Love from God and his People those are his People that keep his Law and obey Christ's Voice and lead a holy Life and they were ever hated and belyed and persecuted and evil-spoken on alwayes by bad and evil loose People these are God's People and his Love and Peace and Blessing is with them do thou grow as a natural Branch up among them of the living Vine and continue all thy Dayes in Obedience unto God's Will and thou wilt feel Joy and Love in thy Heart which above all things covet after and thou shalt attain and obtain everlasting Peace which the Lord grant unto thee according to the Riches of his Mercy and Love which endure forever and ever Amen And now Abigail concerning thy well
by Tradition in their ovvn Wills God abhors that And thou bringest in the Old Covenant vvhich vvas given to a particular People the Jews but novv the Priesthood is changed and the Lavv is changed and as for thy Lavv vvhich thou vvouldst have the Governours of this Nation to make for suppressing of Sects and Schismaticks that vvorship at Dan and Bethel and thou sayest this is charged upon them But thou mightst have told them who they had been and where Dan and Bethel is lest they be mistaken as thou art that callest Darkness Light and Light Darkness But all that thou art troubled at is this that the Light of Christ in the Conscience should have Liberty and here thou art he which is born after the Flesh and art that Egyptian thou speakest of which persecutes the Righteous Seed It is true there are Sects and Schisms too many and Opinions they stand all in one Ground and thou and they come out of one Land Babylon is the Land of your Nativity in the Light you are seen that thou and they are turned from the Light of Christ and so are gone into Sects and Opinions and Imaginations and all the Powers without in the World cannot suppress the Root from whence these flow none can overcome the Root from whence Heresies and Opinions come And therefore vain Shepherd and blind cease thy Divining those that thou would'st have supprest are those that break Bread from House to House and meet together in the Name of the Lord as the Saints ever did and this thou callest Dan and Bethel because they will not come to an Idols Temple where all the deceived in the Nation worship an Unknown God I say unto thee thy Steeple-house thy Idols Temple which God never commanded where all Lyars Fighters Swearers Night-Birds and Scriech-Owls meet and call it the House of God and where they speak nought but the Imaginations of their own Hearts and call them the Ordinances of God and it the Church that is Dan and Bethel And as for the Magistrates which thou tellest they ought to suppress the false Prophets thou mightest have declared who they had been But for the honest-hearted Magistracy and People I shall declare a little when they came in and who they are Christ sayes Many False Prophets shall arise and Paul Peter John and the rest they saw them come already then many Anti-christ's and Deceivers and then they came in as the Scriptures witness and they have deceived the Nations since and Christ saith By their Fruits you shall know them and they are such as he cryed Wo against which laid heavy Burdens upon the People and such as were got into Moses 's Seat and were called of Men Master stood praying in the Assemblies and had the chiefest Place in the Synagogue and Peter saith They followed after covetous Practices and Jude saith They went after the Error of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards and Isaiah saith They sought for their Gain from their Quarter and Ezekiel saith They were such as fed of the Fat and Zachary saith They were as Evening Wolves and Paul saith They were covetous Men heady high-minded and Lovers of Pleasure and fierce Despisers of those that are good and had a Form of Godliness and they were Witches that turned them back to Circumcision and false Prophets when the Substance was come And are they not so now who sue for Tythes maintain the first Priesthood and bewitch People and deny Christ come in the Flesh Now let all judge where these are many in the North taking away the Peoples Cows their Pots Kettles and Bedding and one Priest sued one for Two Pence and two in York-shire sued one for One Penny and another for a Penny Half-penny and these are they that call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel shame shame blush howl ye Caterpillars the Hand of the Lord is against you and yet I would not have their Lives taken away as thou would'st have theirs that thou callest Sectaries but to that in thy Conscience I speak which will let thee see that thou hast a busie Mind and abidest not in the Doctrine of Christ but art among the false Prophets And thou and the rest of them which are Merchants and trade with other Mens Words which must have your Gospel and Worship defended with Swords and Staves and the Power of the Earth you are they that spread Nets at Mispeh and Tabor for it 's neither in Jerusalem nor this Mount but they that worship the Father worship in Spirit and Truth And thou that would'st confine God to a Place to a Day to a Time and have him bound by a Law and how the Saints should worship him thou art carnal and thy Petition carnal and all who have any Honesty in them or Light will see thee to be in the Generation of the Pharisees that said They had a Law and by that Law he ought to dye And whereas thou art comparing thy self and the Priests of Newcastle and Durham to Sarah the Mistress and them who oppose you to Hagar Answ. Sarah never brought forth Sons of Bondage as you are but you are truly Hagar the Egyptian who genders unto Bondage for you and all the Children that ever you have begotten or brought forth are in Bondage till now and the Lord hath raised up a People out of the Dust to confound you and your Wisdom and to declare against your Profession in laying heavy Burdens upon the People and taking their Money for that which is not Bread and be ye all ashamed ye high Oakes ye fat Bulls ye Diviners that cannot maintain your Gospel with all your Parts and Wisdom that you boast of against those contemptible Things in your Eyes but you must run to a carnal Sword or to a Justice of Peace or Constable to preserve you or to have them imprisoned Stocks and Mockings and Reproaches this is all we have or expect from the Powers of the Earth because we speak the Truth Be ye ashamed and lay your Hands upon your Mouthes what Gospel is this they have preached what Worship is this you give unto God that must be defended with Clubs and Staves Stocks and Whips Stoning and haling before Magistrates and yet thou would'st have them accounted Ministers of the Gospel they who were Ministers of the Gospel their Weapons were not Carnal but Spiritual and they were Mighty through God but the Mightiness of this Generation lyes in the Magistrates Sword to defend them and drive the People to pay them money for nought And therefore let all Magistrates consider in this Nation and else-where that you be warned how you make any Laws against the Innocent and how you uphold those that Christ cryed VVo against and such as the Lord sent his Prophets to declare against lest that come upon them which the Prophet spoke that they that help and them that are helped shall fall together And whereas thou further flatterest them and tellest them That they are
ye high Cedars and mighty men put on your Strength and gather together all your Forces which you have trusted in call upon your Gods and all your Southsayers and Diviners together for now he is come and the Daughter of Sion now laughs you to scorn and Jerusalem the free Citizens do wagg their Heads at you for he will now plead the Cause of the Poor against you who have been too strong for them and now all that hear this shall tremble For he will make Jerusalem a Praise in the Earth and from it do the Law and the Prophets come forth Awake Oh Arm of the Lord and put on Strength as in the dayes of old to redeem thine own Inheritance which hath long been by the Heathen laid waste and hath been trampled upon by the Uncircumcised art not thou he which was and is and is to come who wilt not give thy Glory to another Arise and shine forth in thy Brightness thou Star of Jacob and Sun of Righteousness and let the Earth be filled with thy Light and Glory that Generations to come may call thee blessed Dry up the Tongue of the Egyptian Sea confound the Wisdom of this World which never knew thee neither would own nor receive thee make the Diviners and Sorcerers mad who have scattered thy Sheep from the everlasting Fold and have healed the Hurts of thy People deceitfully and have caused them to err in telling them thy Power nor thy Arm was not to be looked for now as in the Dayes of old nor thy immediate voice nor word was to be looked or waited for now in the Earth and so have deceived the People with their lying Divinations which they have spoken from the Imaginations of their own Hearts and have laid a stumbling-block in the Way as the Son of Nebat did who made Israel to sin But Oh Lord thou seest how thy own Seed lyeth scattered and ravenous Beasts make a Prey upon it and the Devourers swallow it up therefore hast thou appeared in thy Love and Power for thine own Name 's sake and wilt not suffer thy Seed to be trodden upon any longer by the Prince of Darkness nor his Children whom he hath begotten in his own Image Arise shine forth thou everlasting Covenant of Light and Peace by which and in which all our Fathers believed and so obtained a good Report and were redeemed out of Captivity to serve the Lord forever with one Heart and Mind and worshipped in one Spirit in which Faith they laid hold upon the Perfect Righteousness of Christ made manifest in them and were justified but hath been hid for many Generations in the time of Anti-christ's Reign and all the world hath wondered after the Beast and hath received his Mark but now is the Night far spent and the Day is at hand wherein all that hath been hid shall be made manifest and the Number of the Beast is read and known by all that are redeemed from under his Power and now the Beast and the False Prophet is seen and the Man of sin is made manifest in this the day of his everlasting Power and the brightness of the Sun of Righteousness who is the Light of the world hath made him manifest who is come and coming Glory unto him for evermore who alone is worthy to take the Kingdom Wherefore all honest-hearted in and under all Forms of Professions who have travailed and are weary and all you that have kindled a Fire and have warmed your selves at the Sparks thereof and yet still you lye in Sorrow Oh all ye that have panted and thirsted after Righteousness who have wearied your selves in seeking among the dead Graves and Tombs for a Saviour but have found no Rest and who have followed Lo here and there in this Grave and the other Sepulchre builded on this and that Sand and still swept away your State I know you have no Peace in the eternal Rest I say unto you while you look without you your Eyes may consume in your Holes and your Expectation fail and you will be still complaining For your sakes who are weary and have found none to direct your Way a few Lines I am moved in Compassion to write unto you and if you will not receive it you will not believe if one should rise from the dead for I have obtained Mercy from Christ through his free Grace who is risen from the Dead and saw no Corruption by which Grace I am saved from Sin and cleansed from Unrighteousness after long and sore Labour and Travail under Pharaoh the Oppressour from under whose Dominion I am brought to worship the living God in Spirit and Truth in his Temple where he dwells in Righteousness forever And for the simples sake who have erred for Lack of true Knowledge as I did in Times past I shall declare unto you a little in short of my Travails in Egypt's Land where Darkness is so thick that â—f ye wait but diligently to see your selves you will fell it also From twelve Years old I set my Heart to know that God which the World professed and which I did read of in the Scripture which Abraham Noah Moses and the Prophets and the rest of the Fathers worshipped and I did fall into the strictest Worship that was in that Part wherein I lived and often I desired to be alone and attended much to reading and Meditation and then as I was sober and serious alone I began to see that all the Sports and Pastimes and such as Youth delight in naturally were Vanity and they lasted but for a Moment and while I was in Folly and Wantonness doing of them the Nature which was run into Transgression had Pleasure in them but as soon as I was come from among them I was judged in my self for what I had done and often made me weep then I resolved in my Will that I would never do so again and for some time did restrain from the common Practice of those things that I had walked in but as soon as I came amongst those again I acted those things again which before I did see to be Vanity but long before that I was checked for many things and so I walked often condemned in my self when I was serious and had no Peace and then not knowing what to do in much Sorrow when I was alone I had a Desire to be alone where I might not hear nor see any Folly acted and did not go to the former Exercises although something in me hankered after it but when I yielded not unto it I was glad and had Peace and then I began to oppose my Fellows with whom I had walked in Wantonness and then they began to revile me and hate me and scorn me yet notwithstanding I mattered not then I read much and prayed in Words often three or four times a day but I knew not where God was but in my Imagination imagined a God at a Distance and so went on and then
Life to come into it F. H. Cork the 18 th of the 11 th Moneth 1655. A LAMENTATION FOR THE Scattered Tribes Who are exiled into Captivity and are now mingled among the Heathen and are joyned to the Oppressor and refuse to return Presented unto all the separated Congregations under what Name or Form soever in Love to the Lost. SHEWING The Difference betwixt them that were separated by the word of Faith and them who have separated themselves in Immitation from the Letter And how they differ both in Doctrine in Matter in Form and so not the same with the Churches of Christ in the Unity The Difference between the true and false Ministry The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned and the Saints Faith The Difference betwixt true and false Hope A few words to the Ministry in all Sects and to all the mingled People who dwell in the Land of Darkness and are tossed up and down and know not where the Power is which is of God which gives victory A few VVords for your Information Thy Prophets have seen vain and foolish Things for thee and they have not discovered thine Iniquity to turn away thy Captivity but have seen for thee false Burthens and Causes of Banishment Lam. 2.14 By a Servant of Truth and a Friend to Righteousness who suffers with the Seed which is held in Oppression waiting and labouring for its Return F. H. Printed in the Year 1675. THE CONTENTS Concerning the Word of Christ which the Apostles and Ministers preached who had it in them revealed which did gather them into one that believed in it and its Effect and Operation that it had The Difference shewed betwixt that Ministry and the Ministry of them that preach the Letter for the Word The Difference between them that were separated by the VVord and them who have separated themselves The Difference shewn betwixt them that are taught of Christ and them that follow the Principles of Darkness that lead into Error The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned which is the VVorld's and the Saints Faith Concerning Hope and the Difference betwixt true and false Hope True Faith how it s wrought and what it is and its Operation A VVord to all the Ministers of the World in all Sects and to all People in every Sect. A few words to all you who put out the eye through long accustoming unto Sin who are near utter Darkness With some Information to them who are tossed and find no Rest nor know not where the Power of God is that gives Dominion over Sin the Power declared and the Way to Peace A LAMENTATION FOR THE Scattered Tribes TO all you who profess the Name of our Lord Jesus in Words and make mention of his Words and of his Ministers Words who had the everlasting Gospel and the Word of Reconciliation and of those Practices which the Churches of Christ had in their Day committed unto them after they were gathered out of the World and had denyed it and its Nature and were not comformable to it but were changed in their inward man and fruits of Righteousness were brought forth and they were as Lights in the World and did bear witness against the World that they were evil and said they were of God and had the Witness in themselves and were bold to say the whole World lay in Wickedness To you who are called separated Churches and Fellowships under this or that Name to you I write my Soul pities you above the rest of the World and in Love to those Desires which were once among you I write that so if it be possible you may come to see your selves and the Foundation on which you stand that those Desires which were after God begotten may not wholly be slain extinguished and betrayed through the Subtilty of the Serpent whose wayes are crooked and whose Subtilty is great to keep man under his Power This I have to say unto you There was and is a Zeal in you but not according to Knowledge bear my Words and judge that in your selves which would be angry There was that which shewed you the National Way of Worship under Episcopacy and Prelacy and Presbytery which is one in the Ground and Nature that this was the broad Way and not according to the Mind of the Lord neither was it according to Precept nor the Practices of the Churches of Christ which is clear from the Scripture Now you seeing this was not accoding to Christ nor his Ministers nor the Churches you began to separate from them into this or that Body under this or that Name as a Body separate from the World and their Worship because you found in the Writings of that which is called the Gospel People be gathered out of the World now your Eyes being still without you conformed to their Practices as you judged both in matter and manner and Practising those things which you read in the Scripture that the Churches Practised and so some Zealous did go forth and gather people together in this or that Form and here was your beginning and so here you set up your Rest that you walk according to the most exact Pattern that is Visible or Written yet since this you do not agree but are divided in your selves one sets up this and another that thing which you in your Reason judge right Now many things I might write unto you which you cannot bear but rather in Love a few Words that you may see the vast Difference betwixt your Assemblies and Churches and the Churches which you say is your Example And first of all I will shew in the Ground how far you fall short although it may be you may hate my instruction yet I say Suffer me a little for I am one who have obtained Mercy after a long and a sore Travel and tossed up and down in great Tempests but at last entered into the everlasting Rest and do not desire to contend with you for out of Debates carnal I am brought but rather in love to the Honesty in you all which is not of this World I speak First they received Power from on high and Commission given to preach the Gospel to all Nations I speak of the Ministers of Christ and those things which they had heard and seen and felt and tasted of and had handled of the Word of Life which Life was manifest in them this they preached and were sent to turn People from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power unto God's Power and as many as received and believed the Word which they preached which was the Word of Faith and Faith was begotten by the Preaching of it and they heard and learned of the VVord of Life Faith came by hearing that VVord and this VVord which they preached unto them was nigh them in their Mouth and in their Heart which as People turned to it and received it and believed so a Change was wrought in the Hearers of it and they were
turned from dead VVorks unto the Measure of the living God and they separated from the Temple and left Circumcision and all those things of the first Priest-hood which were commanded by God and out of the VVorld's VVayes Fashions Customs and VVorships and came to see the worshipping in Spirit and in Truth was that worship God required and the Ground of their Separation was not from any literal Command or Precept for all that was written there was flat against it but they which were Ministers of Christ which had believed in him preached him the Substance and the Measure of him and of his Grace which was in them unto whom they preached and this was the Apostles Witness in their Hearts unto which they did commend themselves in the Sight of God which is a great Mystery and they are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit Now in these few words before written with much more I could write compare your Ministry and your Members gathered and you will see you differ in the Ground in the first for your Command you take from the Letter and so are Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit 2. Ye preach the Letter for the Word of Faith which they did not as is plain in their own Writings without adding 3. Them whom you gather it 's but into Conformity to the Letter and to that which is visible which all may be done in the Will of man which is fallen from God and see if it be not so with you both Pastors and Members not witnesses of that VVord which they preached which did beget Faith in them that received it and believed in it which Faith was in them wrought by the Power of God which gave them Assurance and their Assurance was in them and their Hope in them brought in and wrought by the Operation of the Spirit which the preaching of the Letter Sound or Declaration only of that which was in them never works Assurance nor true Faith nor Hope And now consider where had your Ground of the Knowledge of God been and your Gospel and your Faith and Hope if you had not had the Letter I speak not to upbraid you but to the Light of Christ Jesus I speak which will let you see how far short you are and that you must come back again to the first Principle and now you may see if it had been the same Word or Command it would have the same Effects as it had and Change into its own Nature all that received it now see whether a Change be wrought in you or not some of you yea many running back after the Foot-steps of the Priests preaching for Hire and upholding the Idols Temple if you can get into them and in the Customs of the World nay most of you not come to yea and nay in your Communication but one with the world in all or most of things differ only in Words and Names and your Gospel you have preached hath not begotten such a Faith as was in them that had the Gospel not to respect Persons nor none dare own cleansing from Sin in the Body but call that a Delusion but the Word and Faith which they preached and received gave them Victory over the World Sin and Death and by its Power made them more then Conquerors and their Hope purified their Hearts but you cannot believe that ever you shall be made free from Sin nor have not hope in that and therefore are ignorant of the Body of Christ you so much talk of which made them clean and free from Sin Secondly your Doctrine is the same with the World your Hope your Faith your justification is all at a Distance grounded upon the Report of Christ dying at Jerusalem and of their Report that knew him and believing this you call it Faith and so are one with the Faith and Hope which the World hath for the Report of Christ's Righteousness what he did suffer and wrought in the Saints if this be the Ground of Salvation then why have you separated from the World If you say Because the world hath not right to the Ordinances I say Doth not Faith in Christ give Interest to all his Ordinances And if this be onely your Faith the World hath as good an Interest as you so why do you separate from them And so you shall see the Matter is the same with the VVorld of which your Fellowships consist and the Name of Christ is a great Mystery which they were sent to baptize in who knew his Name his name is not Letters and Syllables and using these this with the lips speaking over is not to baptize into his Name And so Friends in Love I speâ—k unto you There was such as separated themselves and were sensual and had not the Spirit and so there was no Difference betwixt them and the World for they are Clouds without Rain appeared VVells but hâ—d no VVater in them seemed something but were but a Shew Friends your foot-steps I know your ground I know and your Compass and your Measure yet I shall not glory over you nor boast my self against you but rather to inform your Minds that you may not build upon a Foundation which will moulder away And now boast not your selves in your Ordinances as VVater bread and Wine which is but elementary and was never but a Sign and in the Day of Appearance of Christ the Elements shall melt with servent Heat and while you stand here and have Confidence in these things your Sun will set in Obscurity and you shall know the old Heavens and Earth will pass away with a Noise which when you come to know and hear your Hearts will fail for Fear for this I say to the highest of you If you build upon any thing or have Confidence in any thing which stands in time and is on this side Eternity and Being of Beings your Foundation will be swept away and Night will come upon you and all your gathered in things and taken on and imitated will all fail you Many more things I might write time would fail me to utter but these few among many I have written that you may compare your selves with the Ministers of Christ then and the Gospel which they preached which were separate from the World in the Ground and Nature and if you see your selves in the Light of Christ in your Consciences not to be the same neither in Matter nor Manner let not a deceived Heart lead you aside any longer Further I say they were sent out for the gathering in of the Saints some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers yet all was by the Spirit Now if you deny the Command of the Spirit or cannot witness it but from the Letter take it up and talk of it because the Scripture speaks of it then your Ministry is not that Ministry Again this End was the Ministry sent forth for for the perfecting of the Saints which it did which not
are trodden under foot which are acted and brought forth from the changeable mind of man and so all Laws Constitutions and Decrees which are made in the Will of man come to be thrown down by his righteous Law which proceeds out of the Mouth of the righteous God who is Light and so as his unchangeable and unalterable Decree comes to be set up in every particular Ruler and Governour and himself judged with the just he comes to bear his rule for the just and answered that which is just in every man and no longer can he act against well doing but is a Leader and an Incourager of it in all and is a terrour to the unjust and so comes to know the Dominion again which man lost through Disobedience and Transgression Now all you Powers of the Earth wait that you may come to see that and feel it revealed in your selves to wit the Law of God from the Mouth of God that so you following it Sin may be judged in your selves and you come to know the one Lord the Lawgiver which leads man back out of Sin and Transgression by his Son whom he hath sent into the World that all men through him might believe in the Father and be restored out of Sin and Transgression unto Life eternal where Death hath no Entrance And so all who wait upon the Light of the Son of God and are obedient to it they come to feel his Power and his Decree which cannot alter its Property or Verity and all who come to be guided by it you will come to see that which unites you unto God and one Nation to another in the Covenant of God Oh! that all your Eyes were opened that you might see that which belongs to your Peace and the well-being of all Nations that so the Power of the Flock might be refreshed among you and this I speak unto you a Change must be witnessed in your selves before you will cease acting in the changeable Mind now the time draws near the Lord will try you for the Earth must be lest without Excuse and he will have all warned for God will no longer be limited and therefore take heed how you gainsay any or resist any who may declare unto you the Counsel of God and cause them not to be persecuted or hurt but all be calm and moderate and learn Wisdom from above from him who hath enlightned you that you may come to deny your selves and follow him who condemns all Self-actings and Self-will in man and all Customs Laws Worships and Traditions that are made in the Will of man that so he unto whom all Power is committed may be feared and worshipped in Spirit in Life Truth and Righteousness that so all Sedition Rebellion Treachery and Unrighteousness may be cleansed out of the Earth and that all quarreling fighting contention may end and people come out of that which the sword is against that so the Swords may be beat into Plowshares and the Spears into Pruning-hooks that so Violence may be done away and Cruelty swept out of the Nations that the Dominion of God may be set over all and his Truth advanced above all that the Kingdoms of the World may become the Lord's and his Christ's and blessed are they that stoop unto his Scepter who judges the Nations in Righteousness and the people with Equity who is the Salvation of all his people for evermore and a hiding Place in the day of Trouble LONDON the 20th of the 2nd Moneth 1658. SOME OF THE MYSTERIES OF God's Kingdom DECLARED As they have been revealed by the Spirit THROUGH FAITH For the Information of all such who have erred for Lack of true Knowledge in their Judgments and have perished for Lack of Understanding to the Intent that they may for the Time to come wait in that which gives the true Knowledge of God and of his Kingdom and of the Mysteries thereof which come to be revealed through Faith to the upright in HEART Also for the Confirmation of such who are made Partakers of the like precious Faith By one who is made Partaker of the Riches of his GRACE and of the SALVATION which is in Christ Jesus revealed through the SPIRIT F. H. The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him The Particulars treated on in the following DISCOVRSE I. WHat the Day of the Lord is and to whom it hath appeared and how it is seen and discovered II. What it is and what it will be to the wicked declared III. What it is to the Righteous and how he appears to them and whether we are to look for it while in the Body resolved IV. Where it doth appear and how it cometh and how it is to be looked for declared V. What the Spirit of the Lord is and how it comes to be received which discovers the Things of God VI. How the Spirit of Truth worketh and operateth in them who are convinced and yet have not obeyed it shewed VII How the Spirit of the Father worketh in them who hearken to it and are in some Measure made Partakers of its Power shewn VIII Unto whom the Spirit of the Father bears witness and seals Assurance of the Father's Love and of Justification with God declared IX What the Grace of God is which is free and to whom it hath appeared and where all are to wait to receive it X Whether all have received the Grace of Godor no and whether it be a sufficient Teacher in it self demonstrated XI Some Objections answered XII A Word to the wise Men of this World who are glorying in the Sound of Words XIII Also another to them who are glorying in outward Appearances and worshipping visible Things instead of the Life XIV The Kingdom of God and his Christ declared in some Measure as it is revealed by the Spirit what it is and where it is to be waited for and how it comes to be revealed in them that believe XV. Divers Objections answered TO THE READER Reader IN Times past in the Night of Ignorance when Men groped in the dark as blind Men since the Apostles Dayes and out of thick Darkness have spoke darkly of the Things of God and of his Kingdom and written many things about the Things of God and of his Kingdom which have fed the dark Minds of many who are unconverted unto God And seeing how many People are confused in their Minds and err in Judgment and have lost the Key of Knowledge which should give an Entrance into the Mystery of God's Kingdom and open their Hearts therefore in Compassion unto them who are thirsting after the Lord to find him these few Things I was moved to write for the sakes of those who have no Place to rest in or upon to the Intent that all may wait in that through which God reveals his Mind and manifests his true Knowledge in Man and these Things that I have written as they were revealed to me and in me by his
in that which is pure that it may be received and there the Operation of it comes to be known and its Vertue partaken of by all that do believe in it and receive it and are subject to it they see and feel God's Salvation revealed through it to their Souls and know where their Strength lies not in self-acting but in the free Gift of God the Gift of Righteousness the righteous Gift by which Justification cometh upon all that believe Whether all have received the Grace of God or no declared and whether it be a sufficient Teacher in it self to wit that Grace that hath appeared to all if it be received demonstrated THis wise Generation whose Wisdom is below the Wisdom of God have confounded Peoples Minds with Distinctions as that there is a two-fold Grace First That which they call common which they say hath appeared to all men Secondly That which thy call Special and Saving which hath only appeared to the Saints And by giving heed to these Distinctions in Times past many Years ago I lost my self and my Guide and went from the Appearance of it in my self to hearken to a thing at a Distance from me and heeded not that at home which was near because it was called common and insufficient and so suffered great Loss and there I am moved by him in whose Sight I have found Favour and Mercy and Grace to declare the Truth as the Lord hath made it manifest to me and in me that all who seek after the Lord may be informed and know where to wait upon the Lord for unto that Grace which shewed me Evil and Temptations unto Evil I was made to go back unto after many Years Profession which they called common and insufficient before ever I found the Lord or felt his living Power again For the first they ground upon the Letter as they judge where it is said He causeth the Sun to shine and the Rain to fall upon the Just and the Unjust and where it is said In him we live and move and have our Being Health and Strength and an Understanding in things natural and by which men come to see gross Sins and Evils but that which they call Special is that which the Saints are saved by and are established in in Righteousness and receive the Remission of Sins Now he that causeth the Sun to shine and the Rain to fall and giveth Health Strength and Nourishment to all things living that are visible in the outward visible Creation and that discovereth gross Sins and open Evils to man the same is he who is the Life of the Soul the same is he that sanctifies and purifies and saves them that believe and it 's the same Virtue and Power that upholds the natural man in his pure Nature that upholds the spiritual Man and by which he liveth unto God it 's the same Grace I do not say the same Measure for the same Virtue and Power by which all things that are visible and living were made alive and subsist in their Station and Covenant and Bound where they are set and placed the same Grace Strength Power and Sufficiency upholdeth the heavenly Bodies and moveth and acteth in a higher Sphere or Degree and preserveth all that believe and are quickened by him who is the Power of God in heavenly Places and the same Power and Virtue that discovereth the dark Places and hellish Places and the horrible Pit it 's the same Power Life Strength and Virtue that leadeth all that believe into the Land of the Living into the holy Place into the peaceable Habitation into the holy Mountain and into the heavenly Tabernacle made without Hands And in few Words he that discovereth open Sins the same Grace and the same Purity discovereth hidden and secret Sins though the Measure of its Purity shine in one more then another because them that are in the Unbelief the Darkness overshadows and the Mountains are high and the Vail is thick and the Clouds are many and the Air dark so that its Resplendency and Brightness is not seen because of the Vail which shadows it that it hath not much Entrance but in them that believe and have received that Grace and are joyned to it in which they believe it renteth the Vail and maketh the Shadow to fly away and scatters the Clouds and breatheth forth it self in Purity and makes the Air clearer so that its Brightness shineth more purely forth to them in them because the Heart is more open to receive its Virtues in yet the same Purity and Virtue remains still and the same Grace keeps its Purity and Property in it self and its Power and Sufficiency is alwayes the same though it do not appear so to the Creature So this I say and is my Testimony of the Grace of God which is the Gift of God which hath appeared in some Measure more or less unto all men and convinceth and shews gross and open Evils even the same Grace by its Virtue and Power leadeth from the least or impurest Thought and shews the secretest Evils that lodge in the Heart Unbelief and also every Temptation unto Sin and this shall be witnessed to be Truth by the whole Earth in the Day of the Lords Appearing and is now witnessed by all the Children of Light who believe with whom I have Fellowship in the pure living sufficient perfect Grace of God which is God's free Gift which in some Measure hath appeared to all whereby all are left without Excuse and herein is the wonderful Love of God made manifest to all Mankind and all that turn to his Grace will see he hath long waited to be gracious in his Grace which is near that all Mankind might be Partakers of his Bounty Love Mercy Favour and free Gift by which Justification cometh upon all that believe Therefore my Bowels and Heart are more open in this unto all because many have erred for lack of Knowledge and have wandred aside because they have not found a true Guide Therefore in dear Love unto all upon the Face of the Earth where this may come I write and let out my Bosom into this thing that they may also be Partakers with me of the free Love of God and the free Grace of God by which I am saved and know the Wall which is Salvation and the Gates which are Praise which the Saints are compassed about with and entered in at and for the sake of such who thirst after God and the Knowledge of him I write for their Information and not to satisfie critical men nor them who are in the Philosophy and vain Deceit who are swollen big in their fleshly Understanding and puffed up in their earthly Minds for by such I desire not any Testimony neither Acceptation But now to come to speak of that which many are doubting about that is to say the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation which hath appeared to all Men whether this be a sufficient Leader
Merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her for no Man buyeth her Merchandize any more Rev. 18.11 And every Ship-Master and all the Company in Ships and Sailers and as many as trade by Sea stood afar off and they cast Dust on their Heads and cryed weeping and wailing saying Alas alas that great City wherein were made rich all that had Ships on the Sea for in one Hour she is made desolate Rev. 18.17 19. Mystery Babylon THE Mother of Harlots DISCOVERED Her RISE and when With many of Her SORCERIES IN the End of the primitive Times when the Apostles had finished their Testimony committed unto them and had gathered many out of the World and converted many unto God and many were established in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which purifieth the Heart and giveth Victory over the World and were led to the Beginning before the World was made and the Churches which were in God which had received the Anointing by which they knew all things even the invisible things of God and the Mysteries of his glorious Kingdom which God through the Spirit did reveal unto them which Spirit they had received being begotten of God by which Spirit they called him Father and by which Spirit of Truth which was manifest from the God of Truth in their Hearts they were led into all Truth and became Sons of God and Heirs of the Promise and this Spirit was their Direction and led them to worship God aright to obey and glorifie him and his Name which brought Salvation unto them and into this Spirit they were all baptized by the one Spirit into one Body and in this one Spirit they met and worshipped God and were of one Heart and of one Mind and did know their Director near them and in them and the Time did come when they worshipped neither at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but in the Spirit and in the Truth wherein the Father was glorified and came to see that fulfilled which the Prophets bore Witness of even him in whom all the Prophets end in Christ made manifest in them the Hope of Glory whose Voice they heard from Heaven by which they were quickened and raised from Death to Life by the effectual working of the mighty Power of God which wrought in them that did believe and they were in the Unity of the Faith by which all their Hearts were purified who held it which is a Mystery held in a pure Conscience by which they received an Assurance and were made Partakers of the Promises and became Inheritors of Life Light and Immortality and Heirs of the Promise and Joynt-heirs with Christ and they sate together with him in Heavenly Places and eat with him and drank with him in the Kingdom of God which stood in Power and in Righteousness Joy and Peace and did not look like the Pharisees lo here or there but first felt it as a Grain of Mustard-seed in themselves or as a Corn of Wheat which afterwards springs up as a Blade or as a Ear of Wheat to Ripeness to a full Corn and they did walk from Faith to Faith from Strength to Strength and did appear before God in Sion and the Hebrews were come to Mount Sion from whence God shined out in perfect Beauty who became their Satisfaction and Peace who had revealed his Son in them whom God had made unto them Justification Sanctification and Wisdom and so they knew one God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and one Faith one Hope one Baptism the one Spirit into which they were all baptized into which they all did drink by which all that did believe were sanctified and did receive the Inheritance among the Saints in Light and this was the Church that was in God which was begotten by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus in the lively Faith and in the lively Hope by which their Souls were anchored and they established in the Truth that made free and they had received the Spirit of Prophecy and did speak one by one according to the Revelation of the Spirit which led out of Confusion into Order and they being in the Power of God did walk by its Order in the Order of the Gospel And now was the Woman cloathed with the Sun who had the Crown of twelve Stars upon her Head and the Moon under her Feet who stood in that which was unchangeable and immutable and now was the Man-child brought forth which was to rule the Nations and was revealed to the Church which was in God and he was the Head by which all the Members of the Body were united together in one and reconciled to the Father in one and by his Obedience Justification did come upon all that did believe But since the Woman fled into the Wilderness and the Man-child was caught up unto God the Midnight of Darkness came upon the whole World and the Sincerity was lost and the Image of God lost the Heir caught up out of the World's Sight Faith was lost Hope lost the Spirit lost the Saints Rule and Direction and then the Whore appeared and made all Nations drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and they staggered and reeled to and fro hither and thither having lost the Spirit became all Waters and unstable and all the World wondered after the Beast which then arose after the primitive Times and after the Apostles Dayes and admired him and worshipped him who killed the Woman's Seed and made War against it And then the Whore made Decrees who was gone from the Law-giver and she made Confessions of Faith and Articles of Faith being out of the Power of God who is the Author of true Faith being guided by the Power of the Dragon she made Orders of Worship and gave Directions for Worship having gotten on the free Womans Attire the Outside the Scriptures the Form of Godliness but afterwards became more abominable having both lost the Power and the Form worshipped the Devil's Power and the Dragon's Power and came forth in the Image of him and reached out the Cup of Fornication and made the Nations drunk with her Inchantments and Sorceries and she drunk the Blood of the Martyrs the Blood of the Prophets and them that kept the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy and then prescribed Forms of Worship Forms of Prayer and made Creeds and Faiths and Articles of Faith and many Faiths having lost the Order of the Gospel she made many Orders and sent out many Merchants to carry abroad her Traffick and her Merchandize to the Nations and whole Ships were filled full of it Vessels full of it which went upon the Sea and rode upon the Waters upon Kindreds Tongues Nations and Peoples who received of her Merchandize and bought of several Sorts of Merchandize which the several Merchants traded with who had several Orders prescribed then as Popes Cardinals Jesuites Fryars of many Orders and Monks of many Orders Jesuites of many Orders and all these
nourished with the VVater of Life which is not an Element nor elementary but is caelestial and springs up in them that believe unto everlasting Life and come to be born of the Water and the Spirit and enter into God's Kingdom Dominion Power Life Wisdom Excellency and eternal Glory happy is he that believes and abides in Patience unto the End Now since the Dayes of John the Kingdom of God hath been preached and as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed and many in the Day when Christ was manifest in the Flesh believed unto whom he declared the Mind of the Father and by him was the Father glorified he fulfilled the Law and did many Works and Miracles by the Power of the Father and herein was the Father glorified and them that did believe in him their Faith was strengthned and he opened the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to his Disciples and bore witness and prophesied the Destruction of Jerusalem and of all their Worship and said No more at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but the Time was coming when they that worshipped the Father should worship him in Spirit and Truth and declared against the Pharisees Righteousness and said to his Disciples Except their Righteousness did exceed the Pharisees they could not enter the Kingdom of God and yet the Pharisees performed all the outward things commanded but were in the Idolatry and did not believe in the Life Now he declared of his Suffering many things and also how he would go away and how he would come again and would not leave them comfâ—rtless but these things were hart to be believed then by his Disciples and further he told them he must be betrayed and suffer and rise again and when the Hour was come that he was betrayed when he was with his Disciples even the same Night he was betrayed he took Bread and broke it and blessed it and said take and eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in Remembrance of me and after he took the Cup and after he had supped saying this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood as often as you drink it do it in Remembrance of me 1 Cor. 11.23 24. And Matthew Mark and Luke delare the same and this was real Bread and real Wine which was a Representation of that which was to be enjoyed in the Spirit and never intended for any further thing but as a Figure or a Representation of the Bread of Life and of the Cup of Blessing which afterward they came to be Witnesses of and as oft as they eat and drank they did shew forth the Lordâ—s Death till he came Now this was practised among the Disciples after he was risen from the dead and did converse with them at many times and exhorted them and comforted them and instructed them and told them that they should be Witnesses of his Name unto the Ends of the Earth and gave them Commandment to teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and did promise to be with them to the End of the World and told how the Comforter would come and that the Father would send him in his Name even the Spirit of Truth which was with them and should be in them to be their Teacher Leader and Guide and bring all things to their Remembrance Now that which he gave them as a Figure and to be a Sign unto them of the clearer Manifestation of himself which afterward came to be fulfilled and they Witnesses of it who grew up in the pure invisible Being and did see the Mystery through the Revelation of the Spirit which did more clearly shew unto them the Mysteries within the Vail for as I said of Water it was a Sign of a good thing to come so the Bread and the Cup was also a Sign of a good thing to come as all outward Figures were but they that did believe and grew up in the Faith in the Seed Christ they came to see the Substance in whom all Figures end and had Communion with him within the Vail after he was ascended where he was before now the Apostle he spoke as to wise men judge ye what I say 1 Cor. 10.15 16. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And Ver. 17. For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread mark all they that did believe though they were many yet they were one Bread and one Body and were all Partakers of that one Bread which Bread was the Flesh of Christ. Joh. 6 48. I am the Bread of Life And Joh. 6.51 I am the living Bread that came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this Bread he shall live forever and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World Now I speak unto wise men and let the Wisdom of God in them manifest judge what I say for where the Body of Christ is witnessed and the Flesh of Christ known they know that which all the Figures end in the Manna that God gave no Israel in the Wilderness they dyed that did eat thereof which was as pure a Type of the hidden Manna as lively a Type as Bread outward which was but a Type of the Flesh of Christ and both they that did eat the Manna and they that eat the Bread outward and drank the Cup outward are both dead but he that eats the Flesh of Christ and drinks the Blood lives forever and he that eats the hidden Manna hath overcome Death and lives forever and feeds upon the Bread of Life feeds upon eternal Life Now this is a Mystery to the Papists who are Idolaters who have sprung up in the Apostacy though they have Scriptures as it was to the Jews John 6.52 who strove among themselves and said how can this man give his Flesh to eat And so the Papists who strive about the Flesh of Christ and his Blood and yet have the Scriptures and they say it 's in the Bread and in the Wine after Consecration and so they worship the Imaginations of their own Hearts not discerning the Lords Body and have Killed thousands and taken away the Lives of thousands because they would not confess their Idol to be of God And the Protestants they are setting up the Bread and the Wine and contenting themselves therewith and are making an Idol of it and come not to discern the Body of Christ but one saying he hath a carnal Body and another a Fleshly Body another a Mystical Body and another sayes his Body is divided from his Members and so speak out of thick Darkness their own Imaginations and have no communion with the Body of Christ neither know the Flesh of Christ which is the Bread of Life which is given
and this Spirit rules the most in those men who are so full of their Complements that begets one another into Pride and Deceit and provoke one another by their bad Example into deceit like Drunkards drinking one to another to make one another Drunk it 's like thou wilt call this civility too And if thou wilt plead it s the Custom of the Nation doffing Hats and Bowing The customs of the Heathen are vain and many in Israel who feared the Lord were not to walk after the Customs of the Nations for this Deceit was not from the beginning and who ever comes to be a follower of Christ who received no Honour of men neither respected Persons will deny this deceit Take him for thy example rather then a company of Fidlers and Roysters and Ruffins who are without the fear of God and Christ who is the Saints Example he said How can you believe that seek and receive Honour one of another So then they were Unbelievers who sought and received Honour one of another and wouldst thou and the rest who live in deceit bring the custom of Unbelievers and the practice of Unbelievers among the Saints who are believers and follow Christ their example I say we have no such Custom nor the Churches of Christ. The next piece of Deceit thou art pleading for is bowing to one another the Knee and Titles of Honour wherein the Devil hath a great hold among people Gen. 44.14 This thou bringst to prove Bowing Judah and his Brethren came to Joseph's House and they fell on the Ground This is an example indeed Wilt thou take another the same Brethren of Joseph sold him when he was a Boy was that a good act If thou sayst nay I say one is as much commanded and commended as the other for that same that doth Violence it 's the same that respects Persons but Abraham bowed to the Children of Heth what of that So did Joseph Swear by the Life of Pharaoh and both Joseph and Abraham were good men but they were never the better for these Actions neither the one nor the other But then thou brings a Scripture and thou saith it must stop our Mouthes Gen. 49.8.10 And thou saist this may Teach us if we be of Jacob's Seed and houshold To bow to the God of Jacob our King and why should this stop our Mouthes But the Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet till Shilo come So he was to Rule to wit Judah till Shilo came why should this stop our Mouths Shilo is come and hath opened our Mouths and the Scepter is departed from Judah long since both them that bowed to Judah and Judah that was once Bowed unto they are both Bowed under and Shilo is set above and now he must be bowed unto go learn what that means It was answered agaiâ—st Bowing the second Commandment prohibits it Thou shalt not bow down to them but the answer satisfies thee not Thou saist Doth thâ—s forbid civil respects or Idolatrous worship That which callst civil respects is Idolatrous worship putting off the Hat and bowing the Knee to a man with a gay Cloak or a Gold Ring or a company of Ribbons or a long Gown To bow down to such because of the Attire is respecting of Persons and Idolatry but you are fallen into a far worse state then respecting of Persons for you respect Cloaths and doff your Hats and bow your Knees to them with fine Rayment And let the man in vile Rayment or poor Attire go by without either Cap or Knee and for all thy civility thou so greatly pleadest for and courtesie if he put not off his Hat to thee it may be thou wilt call him Sirrah Rogue or Clown for all thy civility Again put on the Poor man good Attire and a fine Cloak and a gold Ring then you change your note and say If it please your Worship or liâ—e your Honour your humble Servant Sir Now here is not only respecting of Persons which is Commission of Sin but respecting the Creatures and Worshipping the array which is upon a man's back which is idolatry and not civility which is to be condemned Yet civility and courtesie I own which is so indeed and in Truth but that which the World calls civility and courtesie is Hypocrisie and Idolatry And for Salutation thou saist we seldom use and thou bringst Scripture to prove that Christ and the Saints saluted one another Their Salutations are owned and such Salutations are practised by us in uprightness of Heart and true Love without Feignedness but we cannot do as you do bid a man God-speed when he is not doing the work of God nor say Farewell to them who are in their Evil deeds nor as the Wâ—rld doth with thier Good-evens and Good-morrows and takes God's Name is Vain and if one do not answer them according to their Light Vain Mind they will fall a Rayling and Beating all such Spirits we deny and their Salutations In thy second Observation Thou saist Do not we prove that places of Christian Assemblies to be a Church and thou bringst many Scriptures to no purpose Thou bringst the first of Kings vers 8. and 1 Cor. 11. For the Glory of the Lord shall fill the House of the Lord. And thou answerest and saist not the Steeple-house but the Church There thou hast added to the Scripture and divers other Scriptures thou bringst wherein the Temple was called the House of God and the Store-houses were called the House of God Mal. 3.10 All which Scriptures I own but they are nothing to thy purpose that the Temple was called the House of God and the Tabernacle the House of God and the Store-houses the House of God this is granted These were made and builded according to the Command of God wherein the Lord's Treasure was which sed the Poor the Fatherless and the Widow and the Priests and Levites that Ministred unto him which Temple Priests Store-houses and Tythes were Figures and shadows of good things to come which when the good things did come the Figures ended But when did God command your Idols Temples to be built and what are they a Figure of That which thou shouldst have proved is that your Steeple-houses where you meet any where in Scripture are called the Church of God Thou and thy Master Smith art offended that we call the place you 〈◊〉 in a Steeple-house and say Take heed that no such Languaâ—e be spâ—kâ—n again as Steeple-house Why nâ—t Have not these Houses Steeples But we shall call it truly and properly as it is the Mass-house which hath the Crosses standing upon them yet or an Idol's Temple which was 〈◊〉 for the Idolatrous Worship and for the Idol Mass and other superstitiâ—â—â— Ceremonies your Windows full of Pictures your Walls full of Images and Monks faces and bear the Popish Names as St. Anthony St. Clemenâ— St. Dunstâ—ns and St. Patrick and St. Maryes and the like You blind
not come to Dan or Amos cry against Bethel Amaziah will cry to the King He hath uttered Sedition and Rebellion among the People and he hath conspired against the King and the Land cannot bear his Words And is not this the same Language They will not come to our Church our Assemblies but they meet of themselves and oppose us and breed Mutenies Sedition and Rebellion in the Government These Priests of New-England and Rulers would have banished all the Apostles and have killed Paul and Steven who said God dwelt not in Temples made with Hands neither was worshipped in Temples made with mens Hands and drew People out of the Temple into private Houses Fields and by the Sea side and these men would have killed Christ the same Generation did in whose Foot-steps they are he said Neither at Jerusalem nor at Samaria but they that worship the Father worship him in Spirit and Truth might the Jewâ— have replyed Was not the Temple builded by the Command of God And is it not so agreed upon by the whole Nation of the Jews And wilt thou say that God is not worshipped thou art mutenous and rebellious And the Samaritans might have said Thâ—s is the Mount we met in and it is agreed upon by our Ruâ—ers and our People and it is the laudable Custom of our Country and our Assembly and dost thou teach thy Disciples to separate from Jerusalem from this Mount then thou art seditious and a Mutiner and a Stirrer up of Rebellion an Enemy to our Nation and Country and wilt thou respect no man's Person Nay said the Pharisees tempting we know thou respects no man's Person what say'st thou of Caesar they might have said What wilt not thou respect thy Equals and Superiors then thou art not civil and art against the laudable Custom of our Country which all our approved Orthodox Men do allow of thou must be banished and if thou return Death â—or by adhering to or approving of any known Quaker and the Tenets and Practices of the Quakers that are opposite to the Orthodox received Opinions of the Godly and endeavouring to disaffect others to civil Government and Church-orders or condemning the Practice and Proceeding of this Court against the Quakers Now if any lie Nicodemus would come but by Night who are yet no Quakers if the Rulers and Priests of New-England know of you you must out of the Synagogue and be Banished and if return be put to Death for this is an Orthodox received Opinion to banish and kill them that come not to their Assembly and put not off the Hat then the Orthodox received Opinion of the Church-Members of New-England is Banishment and if return Death and he that justifies the Practice and Proceedings of that Court is not justified of God What Whippers Robbers Spoilers Killers and Destroyers Marrers of the Workmanship of God Wrestlers with Flesh and Blood Blood-suckers He that justifies you is condemned of God he that condems your Court and Proceeding and Practices will God and all the holy Angels justifie and the Church of God It may be you will call this Rebellion and so it is against the Prince of Darkness from whence you have received your Authority Manifesting thereby their complying with those whose Design is to overthrow the Order established in Church and State every such Person upon Conviction before the said Court of Assistance in Manner as aforesaid shall be committed to close Prison for one Moneth and then unless they chuse voluntarily to depart this Jurisdiction shall give Bond for their good Behaviour and appear at the next Court where continuing obstinate and refusing to retract and reform the foresaid Opinions shall be sentenced to Banishment upon Pain of Death and any one Magistrate upon Information given him of any such Person shall cause him to be apprehended and shall commit any such Person to Prison according to his Discretion until he come to Tryal as aforesaid And here is an End of their wicked Law which must come to an End You that build up a Nation with Iniquity and a Church so called with Blood who lay Traps for the Feet of the Innocent and make Laws to destroy mens Estates and to banish Men from the Earth which is the Lords and the Fulness of it and further more make Laws to destroy mens Lives and shed Blood Wo and Misery is to your Church and State and the righteous God of Heaven and Earth will plead the Cause of the Innocent and Needy and overthrow that which you have established and if they will not recant as you call it which is to deny Christ before Men then Banishment and Prisonment and their Estate wasted and they destroyed then you think you are secure your Laws are cursed your Religion cursed and your Enterprizes cursed what is not your Gospel able to defend it self but you must take up the Beast's Weapons Cain's Weapons the Murderer the Devil's Weapons to defend your Church and State carnal Weapons hellish Weapons the Dragon's Weapons Hath your deceitful Merchants the hireling Priests made you believe that this is an Orthodox received Opinion They received this out of the bottomless Pit and the Weapons with all that handle them shall go down thither again and the Lamb shall reign over the Beast and his Followers though you have established Wickedness by a Law and think your selves secure yet God will provoak you that the Rottenness of your Hearts may be brought forth and that all your Deceit may be made manifest that all that fear the Lord may come out from amongst you for Wo and Misery shall compass your Tabernacle and the Dread of God is against you AND the next thing whereby the Devil and his Ministers fortifie themselves are certain Articles exhibited by them like the Pope's Inquisition although they are full of Ignorance and Blasphemy and these they intend to impose upon any man and if they answer not according to their blind Understandings then they say They are convicted as Hereticks and must be sent to Prison and if they do not retract banished and whipped in the mean Time and his Estate made Havock on and then banished not to return upon Pain of Death and if he do return to be put to Death and this is the Fruit of their Orthodox received Principles and of the laudable Custom of New-England And now I come to the Articles 1. If any Person or Persons besides their refusing to come to the publick Assembly of divine Worship shall either deny the blessed Trinity of Persons in the divine Essence Answ. And is this one of your Orthodox received Articles Then the Pope is as Orthodox as you and what is there to be found or can be expected in your publick Assemblies amongst a Company of envious Men whose Hearts are filled with Envy whose Hands are defiled with Blood Divine Worship say you like Wolsey Bonner and that bloody Crew Divine Service said they but you might more truly have
and his Power amongst and their Adversaries will God rebuke for their Sake Therefore O Nation consider and take this one Warning more that thou proceed not further to thy Hurt and thou repent when it is too late ONE OF ANTICHRISTS VOLUNTIERS DEFEATED AND THE TRUE LIGHT VINDICATED In Answer to a Book called Ignis Fatuus published by one R.I. wherein he vindicates Edward Dod and Samuel Smith of the County of Salop in their Lyes Folly and Wickedness and hath added more of his own with divers of his false Doctrines Lyes and Slanders c. brought to Light and reproved As that the Law of the Spirit of Life is imperfect and not fit to be a Christian Rule and also Human Nature may be taken for the regenerate Part of Man and the Soul c. and likewise calls Idolatry Civility and Heathenish Complements Courtesie His Vindication made void and his Weapons broken and he taken Captive and left with E.D. and S.S. among the Slime-pits of Siddim near Sodom with his Ignis fatuus By F. H. a Witness to the perfect Law of the Spirit of Life The Wicked are estranged from the Womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking Lyes AMâ—ngst all the Opposers of the Truth that yet have appeared among the black Army of the the old Dragon who like the Philistians have alwayes defied Israels God and also their Camp through their ostentation and Boasting and with their Clamorous loud Cryeâ— in the Ears of the People like Rabshekah to dish earten and dismay Israel none hath appeared more out-ragious and virulent then one who Subscribes himself R. I. who in Vindication of his Brethren in Iniquity Eâ—ward Dâ—d Drunkard and Samuel Smith an uprofitable Talker otherwise called a Minister at Cressage who hath preached that which he calls the Gospel these divers Years and yet sees no Fruit at all and yet this impudent R. I. whom I believe to be another Dreamer like him for his Language doth manifest him to belong to Mystery Babylon the great City the Mother of Harlots he saith One may Minister and preach the Gospel and the People not be profited at all as Samuel Smith hath done at Cressage And he saith further that they are barren Professors yet saith R. I. that S. S. need not be abashed at it And for instance he saith Was Pauls Preaching of less credit because there were many Runnagates in the End shewed themselves Hypocrites yet this comparison will not excuse S. S. neither E. D. nor R. I. who would cover them with an old patched Cloak some Pieces he hath scraped up out of Esop's Fables a Book full of Lyes and altogether compacted and patched up of fictions and some out of Oviâ— and Seneca Heathens in their own account and the like frivolous Stories and Plato and Diogenes they must serve for a covering if it will to the two former Opposers of Truth but stay R. I. Did Paul stay seven Years in any place and saw no Fruit And though there were many Unbelievers among the Jews notwithstanding the publication of the Word and the miracles of Christ yet some believed and though the Apostles and Ministers of Christ laboured in the Work of the Lord yet some believed and clave unto them but there is no Fruit at Cressage at all but they barren Professors as R. I. saith but if thâ—s will not serve tâ—ke another of R. I. his arguments that God sends his Word sometimes for the hardening of People and upon this account S. S's teaching and Ministry must be kept in credit A sad thing for the People of Cressage that they should Hire a man for seven Years together and pay him Wages for hardening of their Hearts and for counting them barren Professors yet I judge S. S. E. D. and R. I. counted them fruitful and abounding in Zeal and fervency to God when they came into the Meeting of the Quakers some ringing Pans some Candlesticks and Frying Pans and throwing Water like People void of Understanding and saith this R.I. these yielding a better sound then the Quakers So that thou mayst see what will not this R. I. Vindicate and what Wickedness as can be acted and spoken here they may look for a shelter rather then they shall want a Guardian as Pictures Images Crosses Cuffs Ribbons Laâ—e and such other like things invented by the Devil to draw People from serving and Worshipping the living God R. I. will Patronize them all being brought forth and when they are not brought forth he will reach forth his Hand to help to elevate Iniquity and to under prop the Devil's Kingdom which is exalted in the Children of Disobedience as all along may be seen in his Fabulous Scrole called Ignis Fatuus when like his two Brethren before him he goes about to Vindicate Idolatry Images Hirelings Mass-houses Cuffs and Ribbons Tythes Flattering Titles and vain Customs and Popish Practices Pride Persecution and Lying all those things he pleads for and hath used many vain Arguments and false Interpretations of Scripture so that the two former it may truly be said they have done wickedly but this R. I. Exceeds them all who is so stout-Hearted against the Truth and Power of God that whatsoever he can invent in his corrupt Heart against it and gathers up the rest of the Priests lyes that they have Vomited up before and cast in the Face of Truth and â—enders them as good proof and some Scriptures perverted with Eâ—op's Fables and Ovid and Diogenes's Stories and upon such materials he hath framed his Book called Ignis Fatuus which he hath writ in Vindication of E. D. his Book called A pair of Spectacles for a Dark siâ—hted Quaker and S. S. Malice Stripped and Whipt three Pamphlets whose Title will discover what the Substance of their matter is and whose Work they drive on so that I need not say much some of them Vindicating Persecution and incouraging the Rude behaviour of the People another mocking at Innocency and scorneth them who Tremble at the Word of the Lord and last of all R. I. who hath made a Fortress for both the other and hath cast up a heap of confused Darkness to guard his Brethren he mocks at the Light within and calls it Ignis Fatuus and the Law which is Light which God hath Promised to write in his Peoples Hearts this he calls an Imperfect thing and therefore to be ruled and not fit to be a rule of the Saints as may be seen in the 55 th page of his Book and so hath spoken contrary to the Spirit and Scripture of Truth Prov. 6. and the Law of the Lord which is the Law that endureth forever this saith R. I. is imperfect and the Letter or Law without written is perfect and is a standard as R. I. saith for all Controversies then if it be so perfect and so fit to decide all Controversies why doth R. I. borrow his proofs and raise his Arguments from Esop's Fables Ovid's Stories
to Lighc in the Hearts of the Sons of Men that they may see his saving Health and feel him and have Union with him who is the Author of Eternal Salvation in all that believe which Salvation God hath shed abroad richly in the Hearts of his People and his plenteous Redemption which many are made Partakers of and therein their Souls are satisfied and their Flesh rests in Hope and their Hearts are filled with Joy and Gladness and he which hath revealed this will perfect his own Work which he hath begun in them that believe and keep the Faith unto the End shall see the Top-Stone brought forth with Shouting and Victory with Joy Therefore Dear Friends and Brethren look not out neither faint when you are tempted and tryed but eye the Lord who is near to deliver and to administer Strength in Weakness of which I do not doubt but you have felt whose Arm is made bare to save and to defend all the upright in Heart in the Hour of Tryal and in the Time of Temptation and your Work shall not be in Vain for that whâ—ch is ministred from the Life shall not pass away unfulfilled but every one shall answer and bear Witness unto it in the Day of the Lord So in the Long-suffering and in the Patience and Meekness all dwell and in Love with one another and bear with one another and strengthen one another and be subject one to another in the Truth knowing your Works are one and the Message one which you have all to bear Witness of impose not upon one another but leave every one free to the free Spirit of the Lord in himself to be directed and guided in his Service and judge all that down which would beget into Strife for that Spirit will not gather unto God but scatter there hath been Hurt done already in that Place in striving and Contention which hath done Hurt for they that should be Builders should not bite one another and devour one another and so come to destroy them selves and others for that which would be greatest must be least and he which is least and Servant of all shall be exalted for with the humble God dwells and the lowly he leads in the Way of Peace for we are not sent to preach our selves neither to set up our selves but the Lord 's Christ who humbled himself to the Death of the Cross and gave his Life a Ransom for many and he is our Example and he alone is to be exalted and to have the Preeminence and they that exalt him he will exalt and they that honour him he will honour and self is excluded and glorying and boasting excluded by all the Children of Wisdom and that alone to be gloryed in which crucifies to the World and leads to Unity with God and Fellowship with Christ in the Eternal Rest. The Arm of the Lord be wâ—th you all and keep you in hâ—s Wisdom that you may finish your Testimony in Faithfulness and be clear of the Blood of all Men and so lay down your Heads in Peace when the Work is finished which the Lord hath appointed unto you that you may come to inherit the Crown of Glory which fadeth not away and be Partakers of God's eternal Excellency which doth excel eternally all the Glory of the World and the Renown thereof which fadeth away We have received divers Letters from divers of you and also we have heard how two dear Brethren have given up their Lives as a Sacrifice unto the Lord whose Life and Death was precious in his Sight in which I heartily rejoyce that they suffered so valiantly and boldly for his Names sake who laid down his Life for them and by it they are redeemed up unto God to live with him in that Life and Love which is everlastingly pure and satisfactory of which I am most certainly perswaded they had an Enjoyment of and Assurance and thereby had Joy and Peace and strong Consolation in him who hath reconciled all Things unto himself in one who is the Head of the Body which he hath redeemed which is his Church by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant by which every Member thereof is compleated and presented Perfeâ—â— in Jesus Christ our Light and Life our Crown and Rejoycing to whom be Glory forever and ever Amen And be tender and watchful over them that are convinced and let all your Lives preach before them and be their Example in all Things and keep them all down to their own that they may feel the Power of the Life immortal which you have born Witness of and exhort all to Stedfastness and not to look out at the Rage of the Enemy for that hath appeared which must conquer which cannot be subject to the Wills of corrupt Men Christopher Hâ—lder is arived here who declared unto us the Affairs of the Gospel in those Parts and all the Letters which came over unto our Hands will be sent carefully as they were directed So the everlasting God of Life Power be with you all is the Prayer of him whom God heareth Who is your dear Brother in the Suffering and Long-Suffering of God and in the Fellowship of the Gspel of Peace F. H. THE DECEIVER OF THE NATIONS DISCOVERED AND HIS CRUELTY Made manifest How he hath deceived the Nations and wrought his Works of Darkness more hiddenly under the Mask of Higher Power Holy Church and so persecutes the Righteous Seed and makes them suffer under the Name of Evil-doers in these latter Dayes More especially his Cruel Works of Darkness laid open reprov'd in Mariland in Virginia and the Sad Sufferings of the Servants of the Lord there by his Cruel Instruments Sent back unto them again that they may view their Work again and repent and be ashamed lest the Wrath of God sink them into the Pit as it hath done many before them who have opposed the Lord. GReat and many have the Tryals and Sufferings been of the Faithful Witnesses of God in all Generations by the Seed of Evil-doers who would not that Righteousness should reign and Truth have the Dominion because then the Glory of their Kingdom that standeth in Falshood and Deceit would be stained and blasted and not be had in Honour and Admiration Therefore the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murderer and an Oppressor from the Beginning hath labour'd by all his Power to deceive Mankind that he might exalt his Throne and Kingdom which consisteth wholely of Iniquity in the Hearts of the Sons of Men that so he might be honoured and worshipped and his Unrighteous Decrees fulfilled and himself admired above the true God which made both Heaven and Earth and all things that are therein who alone ought to be worshipped and honoured above all who is blessed forever whose Kingdom stands in Righteousness Equity Truth and Peace forever Therefore Satan being cursed and banished from the Presence of the Lord forever being full of Enmity Wrath and Rage Murder
Uncircumcised over the Nations again for the 〈…〉 re more justifiable in the sight of God then these who Profess him in Words and yet are Reprobate unto every good VVork Therefore come out of Babylon all People and Potentates of the Earth and drink no more of her Cup of Fornication and receive no more of her Traditions nor inventions for the Ordinances of Christ and partake no more of the Sins of this false Church which hath drunk the Blood of the Prophets and slew the Saints under the Name of Blasphemers and under the Name of Hereticks as the Jews of old did who had the Words of the Prophets without the Life and were in Error themselves and in the Blasphemies who killed the just One and Crucified Christ as a Blasphemer and the Members of his Body as Hereticks Plagues and Woes are prepared of the Lord God and Thunders Storms and Tempests are to be poured upon the Seat of this Whore and the Seat of the Beast for dreadful is the day of the Lord which is coming upon all Flesh which shall wither as Grass and the hâ—lls shall melt and the Rocks shall cleave the high and lofty shall bow the strong Men shall be afraid Terror shall come upon all Hypocrites and fearfulness and weakness upon all the Mighty and Valiant and upon all that have Warred and striven with carnal weapons and all Worshippers in the Flesh the Sword of the Lord shall come over all which is ready furbished and brandished which shall be soaked in the Blood of Bulls and the strong and the Fat and the Mighty and the slain of the Lord shall be many for the notable Day of the Lord God is appearing such a day as hath not appeared since the Apostacy for God's Controversie shall be with all the Inhabitants of the Earth at the Sound thereof the Nations shall be afraid and the Isles shall Shreek and the Mighty men shall fail for God hath determined to cleanse the Earth of all the fruitless Trees that cumber the Ground and to makeâ—h overflowing Scourge pass throw the Nations to sweep away the Refuge of Lyes Idolatry and Superstition Will-worship vain Human Traditions of men and to make all Flesh to bow before him Therefore all People who look to escape the Judgement of the Lord God which is coming upon the Nations flee flee for your lives out of Babylon out of Sodom and Egypt spiritually so called hasten and come out to meet the Lord God lest you be overthrown in those cursed Cities whose Sins have reached up to Heaven make haste and come out and be not upon your reserves and consult not with Flesh and Blood partake no more of her Sins lest you partake of her dreadful Plagues and of the Cup of the Lord 's fiery Indignation which is the Portion of all the Inhabitants of that City for they shall drink it And all ye Princes and People in Germany who are called reformed who have denyed the Church of Rome in some things and who judge you are come to a good Degree of Reformation I must needs say unto you that the Reformation your Departure from her is yet but weak poor and feeble and you are come but a little way I may say unto you as the Prophet said you must rise and go from that which you are now in which you judge to be the Worship of the true God for it is not your Rest indeed you have departed and cast off some things which are but circumstances you stick still in the old Ground and if you take not heed the Leaven of the Whore's Sorceries which is yet among you may quickly leaven you all again into one Lump and bring you back again within the Walls of that bloody City and you that are Princes will not want Temptations to draw you back to associate your selves again with the Church of Rome that now thereby you may be strengthned against the heathen for if you should enter into any Association with them or give any consent unto such Temptations you do but go down into Egypt for Help then will your latter End be worse then your Beginning and your Bondage and Thraldom will be greater then it was before and I must tell you plainly the Lord will pare the Heathen and exalt their Horn and they shall be as a Scourge and as the Lord's Battle-axe to bring down the Pride and Haughtiness of that blâ—ody City which hâ—th drunk the Blood of the Saints and they that have yoaked others shall now be yoaked and they that have cruelly tyrannized over others shall be tyrannized over and that which hath led others into Captivity Bondage and Thraldom shall go into captivity bondage and thraldom and the Heathen shall rule over it Therefore ye that are called Protestant Princes or Reformed and to all People within your Dominions look not back for help from spiritual Sodom Oh let it never enter into your Hearts you are yet in the Suburbs of that City therefore come further off and out from it for you still retain too much of the Government of that City and too much of their Form Ordinances Institution and Doctrine and judge them to be Apostolick and Catholick but wait you to know the Power of God in your Assemblies which changes the Mind and Heart within for bodily exercises profiteth little you have had Tryal enough of that but what Life and Power do you enjoy which was from the Beginning before the World began Is there no forcing and compelling amongst you about Religion and Hire for your Ministers And do you not limit and stop that which the generality cannot agree unto and brand it for Error and Heresie and is there no killing about Religion nor making men suffer about matters in Religion may every one speak freely of the things of God what he hath received freely of the Lord as they did in the Primitive Times when the Church was in Purity Forcing ought not to be amongst you and you put too great a Price upon outside things which at the best are but Shadows of spiritual things which are to be revealed in the Heart and know you this that they that worship the Lord aright worship him in Spirit and in Truth and they who come to witness the New Covenant come to know the Law of the Spirit of God and the Life revealed in their Hearts by which the Sons of God are led into all Truth and they need not go back to the Tables of Stone nor to literal Precepts for a Rule for their Rule is within to wit the Spirit of God which the Father hath promised to pour forth upon his Sons and Daughters by the Mouth of his Prophets and that they need not say know the Lord for all shall be taught of him from the least to the greatest who are come to the everlasting Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling which purifies the Heart and sprinkleth the Consciences which speaks better things to all
false Prophets that shall come unto you in Sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening VVolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their Fruits and in Mat. 24.11 But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the Age of the Disciples and Johâ— testified 1 Jâ—hn 2.18 Little Children it is the last times as ye have heard hat Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last times they went out from us but were not of us chap. 4.3 So they entred in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the Remission of Sins and Jude testified against such as were entred in who were in Cain's way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaam's way for Gifts and Rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage And Peter said that false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious Wayes 2 Pet. 9.22 And the Apostle wrote to Timothy the Bishop or Overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lies in Hypocrisie forbidding to marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. And again Paul in 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural Affection Truce-breakers false Accusers despisers of them that are good Traytors heady high-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then Lovers of God men of â—oâ—rupt minds reprobate concerning the Truth having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power and as the same Apostle saith in another Place were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and these went out into the World and this is 1400. Years ago and upwards Then the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and wrought and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the Ordinances of the first Covenant but they preaâ—hed Christ in Words and transformed into the Form of the Apostles Words but denied the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucrâ— Sake and there was the Beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the World and many followed their pernicious Wayes and there held the Form but denied the Power and â—o indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the Liberty of the Flesh held people in the Liberty yet proselyted them into a kind of Faith which was feigned and these kind of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in Reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in Request then they for filthy lucre went out with the Words and retained the Form not the Jewish Form altogether but the Form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a Head and to such a Body and became such a Number and yet Gainsayers and in Cain's Way for they were out of the Power and out of that which mortifies the Deeds of the Flesh and they spread themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and peoâ—ple and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and people have now got the Name of a Church and the Seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denyed the Husband Christ the Power of God her Seat was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her Seat and John said these were the Waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her Children against the free Woman the Lord's Spouse the Lamb's Wife and made her flee into the Wilderness for a Time Times and half a Time and she reached forth her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of Fornication within and she claimed Christ to be her Husband and sate as a Queen and the Kings of the Earth John saw in the Revelation drink of her Cup and bewitched by her Sorceries and then all the Nations becoming Water and unstable being drunk with Fornication staggered up and down and reeled up and down and stood in nothing being out of the Power which should have stablished them and then a great Beast arose out of these Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People which are these Waters with seven Heads and ten Horns and then these Apostatized Disciples or Ministers which preached for filthy Lucre and them that believed them sheltered them under the Beast and cryed who is able to make War with the Beast And the Kings of the Earth gave their Strength to the Beast which arose out of the Waters and now the false Church gets upon him these that had the Form of Godliness out of the Power and rides upon the Beast and he carries her and hath done this many Years and she hath travailed in the greatness of his Strength and then Laws began to be made about Religion and then began compelling we heard of none in the Primitive times nor in the true Church but now the false Church calling her self by the Free-Woman's Name and getting on the outward Dress and Habit and Attire saith I am she have I not the Form and Ordinanes which were practised in the Apostles Daves who doubts of that may look into the primitive times and see that I am conformable to the Form which was amongst the first Christians in things that are outward and thus she hath deceived the Nations Rev. 18.23 Now Rome look to thy Beginning and read thy Original and view thy Antiquity VVe will grant thee every Dram and every Hour of time these thirteen hundred Years and prove thee to be in the Apostacy in Doctrine and Practice from the primitive time after the first hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh And Christendom look about thee for thou art measured and thy Compass is seen If Natioâ—s and Kindreds and Tongues and People have drunk the VVhores Cup since John's Dayes as will be made manifest then what Cause hast thou Rome to boast of Antiquity and Universality for that doth the sooner prove thee to be a Harlot then the true Church and thy Universality which hath long been boasted of proves thee no more to be the true Church of Christ then the Sea can prove it self to be a Rock for if Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Languages and People universally be the Waters that the Whore sits upon and the Beast rose out of the Waters Now read thy self we have measured thee as in
a Service for such a Day and such a Worship for such a Day we find not in the first hundred Years after Christ. And for your Lent which one of your Fathers invented and this was his Ground because God had the tenth of the increase of Tythes due to himself and for his Ministers under the Law therefore it was necessary that the tenth part of Dayes should be allowed as Tythes to the Lord Oh! Gross ignorance and palpable Blindness mid-Night it self came upon you in the time of your Visibility when the True Church was fled into the Wilderness As though the Lord was not the Lord of all Dayes and as though all dayes were not his and to be used to his Glory And your prohibiting Meats and distinguishing of Meats one Holy for such a day another for such a day Flesh one day and Fish another day as though there were not the Flesh of Fish or one thing were clean and another Unclean And this invented Trumpery hath been observed for Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine but by whom we must needs tell you by the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People upon which the Whore sits and out of which the Beast rose And we will grant you antiquity enough this many hundred Years and yet we will prefer the Primitive Times before you and bring their Doctrine and Practice to reprove you though we do not desire to go in Cain's Way and to kill Creatures that are out of the Doctrine of Christ and contrary to Apostolick and Catholick Doctrine which wrestled not with Flesh and Blood but with spiritual wickedness whose Weapons were not carnal but spiritual and yet they hâ—d great might in them and threw down by these weapons that which never could be by carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 Again your forbidding to Marry which is reckoned by the Apostles Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Devils and contrary unto that the Apostle's Doctrine was Marriage is Honourable in all Estates the Bâ—d undefiled Heb. 13.4 And seeing you plead Peter was at Rome and Peters Chair and that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed him and hath the Keys as Peter had Why do you exclude the chief Bishops as you account them from Marrying and divers other Orders seeing Peter had a Wife and seeing that it is Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine before you could claim the Name of visible Church that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife and should not be Covetous nor no striker nor given to Wine nor filthy Lâ—cre c. But since the Bishop of Rome hath Appropriated to himself to be the Head of the Church and the chief-Bishop over all â—he Catholick Church it hath been manifested how much covetousness and covetous Practices have been Acted as Money for Pardons and Indulgences and get Money for the living and the dead and the invented Purgatory hath filled your Coffers and your Meritorious works have been Sold at a dear rate Insomuch that a poor Woman who hath lost her Husband and he deceased must pay ten Shillings for a mortuary that he may be Prayed for or some of your Merits may be accounted to him which you have in store as a Stock to sell to any who come with a Prize in their Hands And from whence have you all these Tythes have you not borrowed them of the Jews and yet you are no Jews and such things we do not read among the Jews were Tythable Pigs Eggs Hens and Geese to omit greater matters and the Smoak passing up the chimneys and that which you call your Peter-Pence And this is contrary to the Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine which Peter would have been ashamed to ever have mentioned either amongst Jews or Gentiles And now I would ask you a Question or two seeing John saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness the Woman that was cloathed with the Sun who brought forth the Man-child what cause have you to boast of Visibility or Universality Now when were you in the Wilderness if your Church hath not been so then it Demonstrates that your Church is not the Woman cloathed with the Sun for she did fly into the Wilderness as with the Wings of an Eagle Secondly Whether hath your Gospel been universally publickly preached these sixteen hundred Years or nay And is it the very same that was Preached in the first hundred or two hundred Years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the Whore's cup of Fornication And then Nations were Waters seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds Tongues which are the Waters upon which your Church is Situated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh Much might be said to Demonstrate the Truth which is in Hand that there hath been an Apostacy the Beginners thereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterwards grew into a Body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writerâ— which have given a Narrative of the first five hundred Years declared that there was great loss within 300. Years but in five hundred Years or less the very Power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the Form And though your pleads Antiquity for a Thousand Years for these things aforementioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyn issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred Years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cain's and Chore's Way for an Example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Council that rose out of the Waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great Body of Darkness some of the Practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter Ages so that the Worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christ's and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless Number of vain Traditions Ave-maries Creeds and Pater-nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be Collected that there hath been a great Deviation and Apostacy from the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches Doctrine and
not been spoken and preached bought and sold as a Gospel not only in the church of Rome but also among them that are separated from her even until now this hath been preacht to Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and if the writings be the everlasting Gospel then how doth John say or why did he so say that the everlasting Gospel should go forth again and be preacht again after the Apostacy or to bring out of the Apostacy But it clearly implies the Word had been preached and published and the temporary Writings which were given forth at divers times had been preached up for Gospel these many Hundred Years which many have received by tradition but the Power of God and the Gift of God by which and from which the Ministers of Christ in all Ages ministred hath been wanting if not altogether lost for the most part among them that are called Christians then what is the Quarrel betwixt you and the Romanists it is but in translation at the most and while words translations and Versions have been contented about the everlasting Gospel hath been hid therefore all People are upon heaps and the Nations like waters rowling up and down in Instability now the reformed Ministry so called are in many things in the same practice with the former You deny an immediate Call and set up an outward Ordinatiâ—n and a Form of laying on of Hands without the holy Ghost ordaining such and such who have some Skill in natural Tongues or some Words of Oratory to be a subject matter to make Ministers upon and that which they preach in Words which hath been long held in the Form without the Life you call the Gospel and these are confined to a Parish as the former to such a Cloyster and such a Monastery and these preach for hire and Gifts and Rewards and for Maintenance and kept up all the aforesaid Wayes and maintenance as lawful and will make People believe it is according to Gospel-Institution when alas it is but the Pope's Tythes Oblations Obventions Mortuaries and Prayers for the dead keeping up the Wages but deny the Work And Tythe of all things as Pigs and Geese Hens and Egs Apples and Cherries and Turnips and all nothing excepted this is a feeble thing as to hold out to People for Gospel-maâ—ntenance and the Preachers of the Gospel are ashamed of it Furthermore they that will not give it sue them at Law throw them into holes till they dye take away ten-fold that which is claimed say the man is not subject to Gospel order denieth Ministers Maintenance this hath been Crime enough to take away the Estates and Lives of Men all this is in the Apostacy And seeing it is said we are under a Gospel Administration and Ordinances what do you wiâ—h Organs Whistlers and Pipes in any part of your Services this pertained to the Jews and not to the primitive Church and what do you do with Surplices Tippets and Hoods and other strange kind of Garments it may be the high-Priest's Garments or the Priest's Linnen Ephod or linnen Breeches must be brought in for a Gospel-proof and for an Apostolick Ordinance and what do you with the Pope's Lent and why should the Pope's Lent be among the reformed Protestants churches forbidding Meats and Drinks and why forbidding Marriage in Lent and who ordained these Dayes what have they been borrowed from the Heathen or are they looked upon to be such Dayes as used to be cited in the Calender for the Dog-dayes which have been brought from the Heathen stand to this Day in too much credit among Believer so called And why is one Day preferred before and above another and some counted holy-Dayes as though some others were unholy-dayes and why such a Collect and such a Gospel and such a Chapter and such a Psalm mincing and cutting and severing the Scripture in Pieces and Shreds Is this like Apostolick Doctrine truly Friends many things we have to say if you had an Ear to hear and that upon good Ground we can speak that we look upon all these things to be feeble and poor and beggerly things and have no agreement or congruity with the primitive times And should People be limited or stinted to such a certain Form of words called Service or Prayer and divine Worship was that ever reckoned divine Worship that was not from the divine Spirit But it may be you will say the Words are good or some of them I am not speaking about Words but the Spirit from which every Service ought to be performed to the Lord God and the primitive Christians prayed in the Spirit and with Understanding and sung with the Spirit and with Understanding 1 Câ—r 14.15 And there were some that knew not what to pray for as they ought but the Spirit helped their Infirmities Rom. 8.26 But you know what to pray for and how much must be said on such a Day or such a time and if there be a Homily or a Sermon Letany must be missed Now I say if it be divine Worship or any thing wherein God is honoured and the People bettered nothing of it ought to be wanting But these things the primitive times do not countenance but when the power was lost and the Life gone from and the Spirit erred from these things have come into the latter dayes which have been very perillous times as to them who have kept the Apostolick Faith and in the Order of the Primitive Church Many more things we could instance which are practised as for Discipline and Order and some for Necessity which have no Affinity or union at all with the primitive Churches but rather are things which are too near of kin unto her that sits as a Queen upon the Waters whose Flesh must be burnt with Fire who hath drunk the Blood of the Saints and how many of the Lord's servants have suffered in and about these things not only in the Church of Rome but also by them which have been called reformed many have known and are living Witnesses thereof And all these Temples Bells Hour-glasses Pulpits and Cushions Altars Tables and Fonts which are things that pertain not to them that look they are come out of the Apostacy but the spiritual minded see over them and beyond them and before these things and also see through the Spirit of prophecy the time when they shall be no more adored worshipped and honoured but God shall be feared in the hearts of the Sons of men and Glory shall be given to him and he shall be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth as he was in the Primitive Times when the Beast and the false Prophet and they that wrought Miracles before him and all they that have cryed who is able to make War with the Beast and have cryed worship him all must be taken alive remember that alive in their Strength and cast into the Lake and the Mother of Harlots shall be made desolate her Cup of Fornication thrown
helpers in the Work of the Gospel and all that were ordained were ordained by the holy Ghost although it is true they had the consent of the Brethren and the church in that thing and there were also Deacons ordained which served to look to the Widows and for the Ministration of the poor and these were faithful men and had also a Gift Stephen was one full of the holy Ghost and these were helps unto the Apostles also there were some faithful Widows who were Examples to the younger Women and to instruct them and to be Patterns unto them and were as a Body knit together in Love and served the Lord and strengthned one another in the Faith and served one another in Love and all these forementioned served the Lord freely and willingly and not for Rewards and Gifts and Benefices and earthly things â—n short this was the State and Glory of the church in that time and these are the Minâ—sters we read of in the primitive times But since the Apostacy hath entred in and the power of Godlinesâ— hath been denyed there is such a numberless number of Names crept in we never heard of them and so many Offices and yet none of that Work done which the ministers of Christ did but certain new invented things â—rought in for Worship and Service and the Power despised and men seeking Offices and great Titles and great Benefits and great Revenues and the Heritage of God is laid waste and the Earth become like a Wilderness unplanted with good and the Sheep and scattered And so all may compare these ensuing Names and Offices with the Apostles dayes and the primitive Church and see if they be alike First of all the Pope his Holiness Christ's Vicar Universal Bishop Metropolitane Bishop Lord Cardinals which were but Priests at the first ordained to baptize the Heathen who came to Rome when the Seat thereof began to be had in Honour but now they are swelled big and become Princes and the only Men to govern States also Monks of divers Orders and Fryars of divers Orders Hierom's order of Austin's Order Gregory's order Carmalite Fryars Cross or Crouchet Fryars of Dominiâ—â—s order of St. Francis's order Bennet's order and all of these orders sprâ—â—g up and were ordained in the midnight of darkness within this four hundred Years at the most as were easily proved and Trinity order and Brigandine order of Jesuites and Hermits and Anthony's order and Clunisencies order and Nuns sprung up first of one St. Clara one order then Brigidia a widow to the time of Urban the fifth in the Year 1370. And all these kind of orders were destitute of the true order of the primitive Church and their Service was appointed by them that ordained them and these practised the patched Inventions that were given them for Worship which have not concord with the primitive Doctrine but borrowed from the Jews or Heathen all these kind of Offices and Officers have been acting their parts this many years and have led People into superstitious Blindness and further from the Lord then ever But to come to the reformed Churches so called and there is so many Officers and Names but few that do accord with the Apostles times either in Name or Nature as Metropolitan-Bishops Arch-Bishops Lord-Bishops we heard not of Lord Timothy or Lord Titus Bishops before mentioned but to come on to other orders Arch-Deacons Deans and Chapters Preâ—enâ—â— and these must attend on some old superstitious Buildings call'd Cathedrals or Minsters and there perform a Service somewhat like the former and these are enjoyned their Service like the Levites and Priests of old by turns and course as once in a moneth or two it may be and have a hundred or two hundred pounds in the year for the same and hardly stir from thence till they dye except some greater advance offer it self also Commâ—ssaries Procters and Apparetors and these are subsâ—rvient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batâ—hellâ—rs of Divintty Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchellors of Art Graduates Under-Graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsins Vicars Priests Curates and Church-Wardens all which Titles and Names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning Office Work or Doctrine And notwithstanding all these Orders and Sorts who are fitted by humane Learning or natural Study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the Word of Righteousness neither have the Tongue of the learned to administer a Word in Season to the weary nor to turn the Sinner from his Sins and thus the Form of things Titles and Names are holden up but who seek after the Power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Litteral Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the Ministâ—â—tion of the Spirit few are acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if he be not persecuted so in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dâ—yes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and Practice divers of which I have touched upon to the Intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the midst of Ignorance and come to worship Gâ—d in Spirit and Truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevail not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their Life neither walk after their Example so take but a few more Institutions which are called Apostolick to this Day among them called Christian Churches Cletus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this Title that is Greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop of Rome ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sixtus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained holy water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in christian Houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the communion should be laid upon an Altar and that lay-People should not touch the holy Vessels nor the holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the nineth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147. after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that chrisme should be ministred as baptism and that children should have God-fathers and God-mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on
Temple at Jerusalem to be Worshipped as God Herod who Mocked Christ with his Souldiers and set him at nought was banished and died miserablely he likewise put forth Caiphas the High Priest and afterwards in the forth Year of his Reign Caligula was slain Claudius Nero succeeded him and Reigned thirteen years a grievous Tyrant and an hater of all Good by him was James the Son of Zebedee Martyred and Simon and Parmenâ—s the second of the seven Deâ—cons Martyred and Thomâ—s who preached to the Medes and Persians was slain with a dart in his Reign about this time Simon Zelotes who Preached in Africa was crucified Andrew and Matthew the one crucified and the other slain with a Spear Matthias and Philip the one was crucified and the other Stoned to Death About the 62 year after Christ James the Son of Alpheus called the Brother of Christ was Stoned to death with many more and Mark slain at Alexandria Domitius Nero began his Reign about the sixty seventh year after Christ he Reigned fourteen years Emperour of Rome under him was the first of the ten Roman Persecutions he caused the Christians of all Ages Sects and sorts to suffer he commanded Rome to be set on Fire in twelve places and to avoid the infamy thereof he accused the Christians with it and caused them to be persecuted and put to Death and in the latter end of his Reign Paul was put to Death for the Testimony of the Faith of Christ. In the year sixty nine this Nero was afterwards proclaimed by the Senate of Rome an Enemy to all Mankind and condemned to be drawn through the City and to be Whipt to Death for fear of which he fled and afterwards slew himself and the Church had Rest for a season from Persecution after him In the ninety sixth year began Domitian the Emperour to Reign who began the second Persecution who was a Blasphemer against God and an Idolater In his dayes was Simon Bishop of Jerusalem crucified and John the Evangelist banished into the Isle of Patmos but after the Death of Domitian he was released by Pertinax this Domitian the Emperour fearing the coming of Christ again commanded that all that could be found of the stock of David in Jewry should be slain and many false Accusations were brought against the Christians and the Inquisition was this Swear the Truth whether thou art indeed a Christian and if they confessed they were condemned and put to Death for that alone Clement succeeded Anacletus the Bishop of Rome and after him Everistus who was martyred under Trajanus in the 102 year after Christ. In the Reign of Trajanus the Emperor began the third persecution of the Christians Simon who was said to be Christ's kinsman was Bishop of Jerusalem and Ignatius Bishop of Antioch who suffered Martyrdom in the Reign of Trajanus in the year 111. with many other of the Christians who were destroyed in this persecution the churh of Rome was not so highly exalted as afterwasd she usurped Authority neither were the Officers thereof nor Bishops so corrupt as afterwards they came to be both in Doctrine and Practice Marcus Antonius Verus began the forth Persecution in the year 162. in whose time a great number who professed Christ suffered cruel Deaths in Asia and in France and other parts among whom was Polycarpuâ— the Bishop of Smyrna this persecution continued thirteen years The church had some rest under the Reign of Lucius Antonius Comadus and then the Christians began to wrangle and jangle about the celebration of Easter and about Observations of Times and Feasts and run into things outward and contended about them and so weakned themselves and hurt one another Alexander Bishop of Rome succeeded Everistus and Telesphorus succeeded him likewise and Higinus and Pius and Ansatus Soler and Elutherius all these were Bishops of Rome but many things began to creep in in their time but being kept under by the Roman Emperors they did not get much outward Power because they had no outward compelling Laws to force their Institutions in divers things which were contrary unto the former Apostles Practices yet notwithstanding there was something of Truth and of the Power of it kept and they testified against the Idolatry of the Heathen and so suffered death Severus succeeded in the Empire about the year 195. under whom was the fifth Persecution against the Christians who reigned eighteen years in the beginning of his reign he was somewhat favourable to the Christians but afterwards through the malicious suggestions and accusations of wicked men he was so enraged and incensed against the Christians that by proclaimation he commanded through the Empire that no Christians any more should be suffered whereby a great number were destroyed and killed as Eusebius saith in his 6 th Book about the year 205. This Severus the Emperor was slain in Brittain about the year 214. and was buried at York Aurelius Alexander Severus began his reign about 224. at this time the Church had gotten some rest from Persecution at this time the Christians had gotted some House or Place to meet in in this time of rest in Rome and the Cooks and Tiplers challenged it to belong to them the matter being brought before the Heathen Emperor Severus he judged it to be more honest and reasonable that this Place should be continued to the Christians to worship God in then that the Cooks and Victualers and Tiplers should enjoy it by this all may understand that there was no great Minsters Steeple-houses or Places called Churches erected in Rome unto this time for the Christians although there is so much ado in this time about Steeple-houses and Minsters and Parish-churches within this latter Age by them that are run into visible things have been so strongly pressed for a house of God and a holy Church so that in this time the Christians had no Mass-houses with Steeples and Crosses and Bells and Organs standing East and West which are pleaded for to be decent and holy Institutions yet notwithstanding the Moderation of this Emperor Galistus and Urbanus Bishops of Rome were put to death but yet the Bishops of Rome did not arrogate to themselves to be universal and these were not called Popes though divers superstitious things crept in and were allowed by the said Bishops and they were declining from the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles in the first century and this was about the year 226. Maximinius the next was chosen Emperor rather by the wilfulness of Souldiers then the Will of the Senate he caused the sixth Persecution which was great against the Christians especially against the Leaders and Teachers hoping that when they were smitten the Sheep would soon be scattered this was in the year 237. Pontianus Bishop of Rome was banished by this Emperor and many more christians suffered under this Emperor and were put to death and more it is likely would have suffered but the Lord shortned his dayes and his Tyranny for he
people into Distraction and Madness and this Canon and the other Institution one while it's Idolatrous another while Sacred and Holy And thus people have been led up and down many Generations to and fro up and down and Persecution about changeable mutable and alterable things and the Life which redeems out of the World up unto God hath been sought after and so all that look to have Peace and to enjoy the Testimony of God's blessed Spirit come out of this Babylon this City of Confusion whose Seat is erected upon the Sand whose Foundation is laid in the Waters and Faith upon the human Institutions of men which are variable and subject to Mutation and come to know the Rock of Ages and the unalterable Council of the Lord and the Wisdom of the most high to rule in your Hearts and wait in the immortal Light of God which is within that you may see overall these Mountains of Darkness which are risen up in the Apostacy and over all the Institutions Decrees Statutes Ordinances and Inventions of men to be before all these things were and come 〈◊〉 him who is the Beginning of the Creation of God who is that quickning Spirit by which all that believe are raised out of Death to be Partakâ—â—s of the Life which is immortal which fades not away and the Lord 〈◊〉 be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth away with all Types and Figures Shadows and Vails human Institutions and Ordinances of men Câ—â—â—mâ—nies and vain superstitious Traditions which God hath no Pleasure 〈◊〉 which God hath no Pleasure in which do not profit at all and whatsoever leads the mind into visible things from the invisible God is to be thrown aside as a mestruous Cloath and as the Breath of abominable things which God will confound because he hath no Pleasure in them for the Life is risen and the Vail of the Covering is rent which hath been spread over all Nations the Night is gone the Day is come and appeared in Brightness the Shadows are past away and the Morning of Righteousness is appeared the Son of God is come who hath given his Flock an Understanding in whom Life and Blessedness and Peace and everlasting Consolation resideth and resteth upon his people for evermore CHAP. XVI Something concerning the Worship of God whether that Kings and Rulers now in Goâ—pel-times have any Power from God to compel or force about spâ—ritâ—al things declared and some Scriptures answered which have been perverted by them who are in the Apostacy to maintain the Beâ—sts Power and the false Church's Worship under the reign of Antichrist WHen the Lord brought Israel out of the Land of Egypt by a strong Hand and an outstretched Arm he made a Covenant with them gave forâ—h a Law at Mount Sinai by the Hand of Mose the Judge of Israel and Statutes and Ordinanâ—es which Israel should walk in who were as a Family who came of one Stock and the Laws and Statutes which were then given forth were concerning civil things as concerning man and man and betwixt a man and his Neighbour and for the Government of whole Families and the Camp of Israel and likewise Laws and Statutes which concern'd the Worship of the true God which may be read at large in Exodus Numbers and Deuteronomy and they that worshipped not the true God according to the command given in the first Covenant which was outward were to have Judgment executed upon them according to the Law and Moses and the rest of the Judges over Iâ—rael were to see the Laws and Statutes executed upon the Transgressors and if any were an Idolater and worshipped a false God or a Blasphemer were to be stoned to death or Sabbath-breaker was to be stoned to death and this was according to the Law of God and their Blood was upon their own heads and when Israel-lusted after a King he gave them a King and they had many Kings who were anointed of God by his appointment who were to rule in the same Manner as Moses Joshua and the rest of the Judges had done and whosoever was disobedient unto the aforesaid Command of God whether in things civil or things concerning the Worship of God several Punishments were to be inflicted by them for several Transgressors as Blasphemers Sabbath-breakers false Prophets and Wizzards and Witches were not suffered to live this was before Christ the Seed was manifested in the Flesh this was the Old Way the old paths that Israel were to walk in but this Covenant was faulty as the Apostle saith and the Ministers thereof could not continue by reason of death the Law was changed and the Priesthood was changed and the Ordinances and Worship was changed when Christ came to be manifest the end of the Law for Righteousness now as Aaron and the rest of the high-Priests were but Types and Figures of the everlasting high Priest so the Judges and Kings of Israel were Types and Figures of Christ the King of Kings and King of Saints and Law-giver and Judge and their outward Power which continued but for a time in compelling to the true Worship under that Covenant or restraining from Idolatry did but continue until the time of Reformation was but a Type and a Figure of Christ and his spiritual Power and Weapons and spiritual execution upon his Enemies who are not subject to his Government or Power seeing the Father hath committed all Power unto him in Heaven and in Earth and Moses the Mediator of the first Covenant which stood in outward Ordinances both the Mediator the Covenant the Ordinances had an end when the better Covenant was given the Covenant of Light and Christ the Mediator thereof was manifest this Covenant Ordinances pertained unto the Jews and the compelling unto the Worship and punishing for Idolatry pertained unto the Jews only who were under that Covenant and not to the Gentiles as it was written To Jacob he gave his Law and to Israel his Statutes to every Nation he did not so So they which would bring People now under this Covenant and the Power thereof deny the second the everlasting Covenant and his Power and they that would preach up compelling and forcing to worship and bring those Scriptures of the first Covenant to be their Ground are ignorant of the times unto which they were spoken and upon this false Foundation hath the false Church persecuted about Worship this many hundred years and this Doctrine is in too much credit with many in these dayes who say they are under the Gospel and this hath made People to hate and persecute one another And the Ministers of Antichrist have pressed it upon Kings and Rulers that God hath required it of them to enforce and enjoyn all People unto a Worship although they themselves are divided among themselves one while for this thing and another while for that and because the Kings of Israel did so and had Power to do therefore they have concluded that Princes
but for Conscience sake for so the Lord requires which will be acceptable and pleasing in his Sight And all Magistrates who are Christians ought to be Paterns of Holiness and Righteousness to their people and to admonish exhort and reprove the prophane and ungodly and to the Worship of the true God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in the Spirit and in Truth it is the Duty of every true Christian who is a King and a Priest unto God CHAP. XVII Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the unlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in Gospel Times Though Apostates mingle the Ordinances of both together denying all Oaths proved to be no new Doctrine IN the Beginning when God Created the Heaven and the Earth and all things that are therein by the Word of his Power and set the Bounds and the Habitations thereof and separated betwixt Light and Darkness And when man was created in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Male and Female created he them Now the Image of God consists in Righteousness Holiness Equity Long-suffering Patience Goodness Mercy and Truth the Glory thereof is unspeakable man being in this Image there was no Transgression nor Sin nor Sorrow man was bound unto his Maker by the Power in which he was made yea he was in a capacity to Fear Love Honour obey and Worship his Maker from the virtue of that Power and Principle which God had placed in him which some ignorantly call the Law of Nature but that is not the intention of my discourse to contend what it was but to shew that man was at Union with God and bound unto him by that which God had placed in him in which his Wisdom Power and dominion stood to rule over all Creatures Life was in him there was no Death then in this the Obligation stood not in outward written commands or Ordinances but it stood in that which was eternal and Invisible this was before the Transgression here were no Oaths yet nor outward Covenants made nor outward Ordinances But after man had Transgressed and eaten of the Tree of Knowledge of good and Evil and gone from the Power and broken the Covenant he lost his Wisdom and Folly entred he lost his Dominion and Weakness entred he lost his Knowledge and Ignorance entred and an earthly part and a mutable came to have Dominion not that this was Evil in it self being subjected by the Power and Word in its place and in the State wherein it was good but Man being gone from the power and from the Covenant joyned to something out of it and out of the mind and listened to that which should have been ruled over that became a Leader which God never appointed and this led man's Heart from the invisible God of Life and Light who is immutable to lust after Visible things and mutable and earthly things and into instability And so his Heart and mind and affections became more and more to be alienated from the Lord and his understanding more darkned yet such was the love of God unto mankind that he did not wholly cast him off here but followed him with his Mercies and Promised the Seed of the Women shall bruise the Serpent's Head and so it did yet the Adulterers Generation in the Transgressing Nature were great and fast and there were but few before the Flood in comparison to the Multitude who bore the Image of God and few in a Generation as Abel Enoch Seth and the rest went after the Imaginations of their own Hearts and set up Images and Idols and also after the Flood when the Earth began to be replenished the cursed Seed grew faster and many great Nations were ignorant of the True God and made Idols and Images of Wood and Stone of Gold and Silver according to the minds of the craftman and Worshipped them and became in Love with them and swore by them Yet Abraham the Father of the faithful feared the Living God of Heaven and Earth and God was with him in all his Wayes and he hearkned unto his Voice and obeyed it and followed the Lord where he led him and God made a Covenant with him and his Seed forever and gave him a Son in his old Age and said unto him In blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee and this was fulfilled for Isaac begat Jacob and Jacob begat the twelve Patriachs and Jacob in the time of Famine went into Egypt and sojourned in that Land he and his Sons and all that pertained to his Family increased and became a great People But after many years the Egyptians afflicted them and multiplyed their burdens insomuch that God considered them and the Covenant he had made with Abraham and his Seed and sent Moses his Servant as a Leader to be a Guide unto them out of that Land and they were brought forth by an out-stretched Arm and great was their Deliverance and he led them through the Wilderness and fed them with Angels Food and at Mount Sinai gave forth a Law and made a Covenant with them sutable to the State wherein they were for their minds were outward and the covenant was outward their minds were changeable and mutable and the Covenant was so also And all these Statutes Ordinances pertained to a party which was aboâ—e the Seed yet they were shadows of good things to come aâ—d every Ordinance in this covenant was but a Figure or shadow of a more Heavenly thing which was but to be in force to wit these Ordinances until the Seed came to be made manifest which ended them all So all Priests Offerings Sabbaths Fasts Feasts Oaths though they were real in their time and all Vows yet the Law was changed which pertained to the changeable party when the Seed of Christ was revealed who is unchangeable The first had an end and continued to the time of Reformation take notice of this this covenant was made to wit the first after the Transgression but when and wherein Christ is revealed and manifest the great Reformer and the restorer they end and he leaves all to the Beginning again out of deformity to be for Transgression to that in which man was bound unto God at the first before Sin entred and to be for shadows was all for the new Moons Offerings Oathes and Sabbaths were given forth to man when there was a Cloud and a Vail and a 〈◊〉 over within that the Glory of the invisible God could not be 〈◊〉 this State nor this Naked and clear Glory but as that part comes to be done away and crucified and subjected and the cloud scattered the Shaâ—ow and clouds outward pass away the Apostle calls the Ordinances outward Shadows And Paul to the Corinthians calls them a Cloud they were 〈◊〉 Baptized into Moses in the Cloud And when the day appears and Chrâ—â—â— who is the Light is manifest the clouds are scattered and ended
made a Decree to restrain peoples freedom and indeed by this time much Wickedness was crept into these Houses as Histories relate There was no Law Canon or Constitution of any General Council as yet found that did command Tythes or expresly supposed them a duty of common right before the Council of Lateran held in the Year 1215 under Pope Innocent the third about which time the Pope's Power was grown great and powerful But still the People had greater mind to give them to the Poor then to the Priest and made Innocent complain and cryed out against those that gave their Tythes and first fruits to the Poor and not to the Priests as hainous Offenders At a Council held at Lyons under Pope Gregory the 10 in the year 1274. it was constituted that it should not thenceforth be lawful for men to give their Tythes at their own pleasure as they had done before but to pay all to the Mother-Church But the great Decree which speaks most plain and till then nothing was given forth which did constitute them but rather supposed them as by former right was made at the Council of Trent under Pope Pius the 4th about the Year 1560. They commanded Tythes to be paid under the penalties of Excommunication about the Year 800 900 1000 and after Tythes were called the Lord's Goods the Patrimony of the Poor according to Ambrose Jerom and Chrysostom's Doctrine only borrowed from the Jews So thus in short I have shown that Tythes were never reckoned as due to the Clergy for a thousand Years but they did give them as they would and how much they would and that without compulsion till the height of Popery and the power of Darkness spread over all and since forâ—ing Constitutions have been made by Councils of Priests And so you who look upon your selves to be Ministers of Christ and to follow the Doctrine of the Primitive times for shame cease from those things of takeing tythes and giving tythes which was ordained and Constituted in the mid-Night of Popery when the Power of God was lost which should have opned peoples Hearts both to the poor and to the Ministry and then this false Church began to force and compel or else they could not have subsisted for the Doctrine had little influence upon Peoples Hearts About the year six hundred or soon after Gregory the first then the Pope of Rome sent over Augustin the Monk into England by whom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted as they call it but it was but to Popery he and his Clergy long time after followed the Example of former Ages living in common upon the offerings of their Converts and those that received them joyned into Societies according to the primitive Practice by Gregories order and that they should in Tenderness to the Saxon-Church still imitate the Primitive times that that might not make their Religion burdensom but afterwards having brought a great part of the Nation to their Faith they began to preach up the old Roman-Doctrine that Tythes ought to be paid and having taught People that Pardon of Sin was merited by good works and the Torments of Hell avoided by Charity then it was no hard mrtter to perswade them to give their Tenths and Lands but also their outward Riches and the Clergy had almost got a third Part of the Land into their Hand As concerning Laws and Canons for Tythes among the Saxons in England it is reported that in the Year seven hundred eighty six two Legates were sent from the Pope Adrian the first to Offa King of Merceland and Ethelwolf King of Northumberland who made a Decreee that the People of these two Kingdoms should pay Tythes by this it may be seen that Tythes were not reckoned as due for many hundred Years and indeed were never due in the second Covenant So these things that are so pleaded for by these hireling Priests of this last Age which have no better plea then Antiquity for their tythes and forced Hire may be convinced that Antiquity without Truth is nothing and yet the Antiquity of the Churches in the primitive times condemns these practices so that let all Protestants deny these introduced Institutions and the Popes Wages forced tythes and hire which is Antichristian A cloud of Witnesses might be brought out of the Ancient Fathers who testified against them and divers Martyrs as Walter Brute and John Wickliff who suffered Martyrs for testifying the Truth against the Idolatry and Superstitions of that Age. Selden in his History of Tythes saith that before the Year eight hundred or there abouts there is not any general Law that yet remains in publick and is of credit which ordained any payment of Tythes in the Western-Church for the Eastern never any Law that hath been observed mentions them So the first giving of tenths was by the perswasions of some of the Fathers fore-mentioned for the poor and Service of the Church and they were only the free Offering or free Gift of the people as Alms which were brought into the common treasury first disposed of by Deacons for the Service of the Church but they being sound faulty it was ordered or decreed in a Council that the Bishop or Overseer should dispose of them to wit the Offerings but they were not compellable who did not offer this or that part but were left to do as they had Freedom only exhorted and threatned with the Judgements of God if they suffered the poor to lack or be in want The Predecessors of the Protestants the Bohemians being descended from the Waldenses fore-mentioned did profess that all Priests and Ministers ought to be poor and to be content with the free Gift or what the People freely offered them so saith Eneas Silvius in his Bohemian History and it is one of John Wickliff's Articles for which he was censured viz. That Tythes were a free Gift as among Christians or only pure Alms and that the Parishiâ—nerâ— may for the offence of their Curates detain and keep them back and bestow them upon others at their own will and pleasure And this proposition aforesaid is maintain'd by Jâ—hn Hâ—s in the said Bâ—â—k of Martyrs page 461. That the Clergy are not Lords or Possessors of Tythes or other Ecclesiastical Goods but only Stewards and after the Necessity of the Cleâ—gy is once satisfied they ought to be tranâ—ported to the poor At Geneva Tythes of all Sorts are taken up for the use of the State and laid up in the publick Treasury Ambrose Bishop of Millan as zealous a Man for Church Priviledges as we hardly read of the like Ambrose Epist. 23. saith If the Emperor have a mind to Church Lands he hath Power to take them there is noâ—e of as interposeth the poor may sufficiently be maintained by popular Collections let them not create us envy by taking of those lands let them take them away if they please It may be observed at this time that the Ministers were not maintained by settled
Ishmael Judas and all the Seed of Evil-doers as well as the Image of Christ or Peter Paul or Mary for any thing that they know which they have but received by Story and is but as Old Wives Fables which Paul to Timothy reproved And hath the Church of Rome no better Thing to put them in Mind of the Saints Life then a dead Picture or Image made by the Hand of the Crafts-man upon a Wall or a Board or Parchment or Paper this is Idolatry for Christ promised to his Disciples and to the true Church That he would send his Spirit to lead them into all Truth which is an invisible Thing and to bring to Remembrance whatever Christ had spoken and whatsoever was necessary as to Salvation whether the Saints Life and holy Practices which they lived in or whatsoever else as conduced to their Peace and Justification with God and what Images did God make Use of to shew his Miracles by This is but an old Fable formed by the Apostate Christians whose Minds are turned after Shadows and vain Shews and are erred from the invisible Life and worship the Works of mens Hands 2. Though Moâ—es did put off his Shoe 's according to the command of the Lord where God appeared in Power and Glory to him What is this to your purpose as to Create and form places and Consecrate them as Holy and then command Reverence and Honour unto them this is but to Worship the work of your own Hands and though David say in the 99 Psal. 5 vers Exalt the Lord God and worship at his foot-Stool for he is Holy What of all this doth God call Reliques or Images his Foot-stool And if the Author do judge that it was spoken of Zion and Jerusalem outward where Aaron and the rest of the Priests Worshipped doth not Christ say It â—s not at Jerusalem c. But they that â—orship God Worship him in spirit and Truth What! doth not the Church of Rome profess Christianity and Apostolick Doctrine and will now turn Jews or â—mitaters of them What is Rome Jerusalem or Zion And must Pictures invented and dead Pieces of Bones and Wood be recommended unto the Nations as holy things This is contrary to the Apostolick Church and with the Life of God is judged and the Life of the Saints whom you honour in Words and make Pictures of and worship the Works of your own Hands and Crucifie the Life where-ever it appears that they lived in and teach a contrary Doctrine 3. Confession may be made in Words of the true God and talk may be of his wonderous Works and yet People Idolâ—ters the church of the Jews who acknowledge the true God and had seen and heard of his wonderous works they eat and drank and rose up to Play and these were Idolaters and such is the church of Rome who take Peoples minds up with Garments and Vestments with Altars and Canales with Crucifixes and Agnus Dei with Images formed by Painters with a piece of Bread called a Holy Host and Eucharist an Unbloody Sacrâ—fice who neglect the Life and him that is the Head of the Body and his witness in their Hearts and consciences and lead them to worship and honour visible and carnal things and to busie their minds in the exercise of outward things which profit little or nothing at all and so are Idolaters Worshipping the works of your own Hands which Christ and the Apostolick church bore Testimony against for that which the creature's mind goes out after besides or without that which may be known of God in the Heart is made an Idol of and the true God is not minded and them that Honour God's Friends and Saints walk in their Foot steps live their Life and honour their sayings but your church is contrary who would Kill and have killed about these invented Fopperies which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine God accepts not Prayers by number or tale nor for multitude of Words which are without understanding and without the Spirit this Christ counted as Evil and reprehended the Pharisees and said It was like the vain repetitions of the Heathen who thought to be heard for their much babling and the Salutation which the Angel gave to Mary is no prayer And that which is called the Apostles Creed is no prayer and them that are unconverted unto God may prattle and prate over the Words in the unbelief and never have any acceptance of God And though the Prophet did pray seven times a day it was according to the motion of God's Spirit in his own Heart which shewed him his State and necessity and what is this to imitators when they pray not with the same Spirit neither in the same words And what if Mary lived threescore and three Years who gave commandment that Hail Mary should be said threescore and three times over The rest of the Saints are like to have but small shares of worship and honour if she go with all this in a day And what five wounds is that which the Church of Rome dreams of that five Pater Nosters must be said for the honour of With Deceit and Ignorance you wound him every day and your Pater-Nosters do not honor him at all pattred 〈◊〉 over with your polluted Lips who are given to speak Lyes and yoâ—r Tongues to speak Mischief which Christ accepteth not What are you all new creatures that say Our Father which art in Heaven Are you born again Are your Natures changed Sin you not Do you hallow his Name who do not love that which shews your Evil deeds Would you see his Kingdom come which stands in Righteousness Where will you appear Or how will you stand when he appears in his Power and Glory to take Vengeance on all them that will not that he should rule in their Hearts who is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World Would you see his will done on Earth as it is in Heaven when you walk contrary to his Doctrine which the Apostolick Church walked in and set up a numberless number of Traditions and Inventions of Men instead thereof which the Lord accepteth not and you pray not with Understanding 5. As for your Beads which are neither Jewish nor Christian but meer Heathenish as to reckon the number or tale of that which you call your Prayers by and though Kings Popes Cardinals and Bishops do the same this is but a small proof as for Authority Kings have drunk of the Whore's Cup and Popes and Cardinals have usurped Power that Christ never gave as to exercise Lord-ship and be Law-givers unto others for the Lord is the Saints Law-giver and the Saints Life and Judge and he will not give his Glory to another for Kings have drunk of the Whore's Cup of Fornication and Popes have usurped Authority and Cardinals have exercised Lord-ship over mens Consciences yea and over great Kingdoms and States too And if they pray by Beads as others do set
1. As first That Church is not to be heard whose Authors and Doctors are Cozeners and Impostors 2. But all are Cozeners and Impostors but the Church of Rome Again That the Church of Rome hath the Marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity Miracles holiness of Life Universality Again That the Church of Rome takes the narrow Way that leads to Life Again Because the Church of Rome keeps Sunady instead of Saturday by Tradition therefore she is the Church of Christ. To the first If that church is not to be heard neither her censures regarded whose Authors and Teachers have been cozeners and Impostors then the Church of Rome is not to be heard nor her censures regarded because the chief Authors have been Cozeners Cheaters and Impostors who have been out of the Power of God and have taught for Doctrine the Traditions of men as Purgatory Prayer for the dead only to cozen and cheat by to fill the Bags and Coffers of the Popish Clergy which Doctrine is contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ the Apostolick church therefore the church of Rome is not to be heard 2. That the Church of Rome hath the Marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity holiness of Life Miracles and Universality This is false there were Churches before Rome that had these Marks and there have been since and are now more then the church of Rome Antiquity some of them called Sectaries will allow you a Thousand Years to be called a Church and yet prove you apostates both in Doctrine and Practice Your Miracles are but cheats deceits and lying Stories if your own Authors be serched you confess most of your Miracles are wrought by your Images Works of your own Hands 2. Antiquity without Truth proveth nothing and Holiness of Life if your Church be holy which is prophane tolerating as I said before Whoredoms Stage-plays vain Sports and Pastimes which draw People from the fear of God and many foolish fopperies which I shall not now mention so that there are them that have dissented from you which are more ancient in the Faith more holy in Life and Conversation more agreable in Doctrine and Practice to the true Primitive Church then you are And as for Miracles which are wrought by the true Power and Finger of God there have been and are more amongst them called Sectaries then in the Church of Rome The blind have received their sight the Lepers have been cleansed the Lame have been made to walk and the deaf have heard and the Dumb have spoken the dead have been raised and many that have bound by Satan fourty Years are loosed and there are thousands that are Witnesses of it and can testifie the Truth thereof even in this time and in this Year in Scotland England Ireland Germany and America 1662. So there is a true Church which hath the Marks of the true Church of Christ more then the Church of Rome therefore the Roman church is not the alone true Church 3. To the third Argument That the Church of Rome keeps God's Commandments and walks in the narrow way of Christ's Counâ—el therefore she is to be head How she keepeth the Commandments of God is known if he mean the ten Commandments Thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or Earth neither bow down to Worship them Now you make Images of things in Heaven as of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost and of Mary and as for things in Earth you have Images of all sorts witness your Mass-Houses called Churches your Cloisters Fryaries and Covents so that every place is filled full and Worship unto them is taught by you for Doctrine contrary to God's Doctrine and your distinction of Latria and Dulia will not serve for it 's meer Deceit he that Honours an Image and bows down before it in his Heart whether you may judge it represents this or that is an absolute Idolater and knoweth not the Spirit which Christ said he would send to the true Church which should bring all things to their remembrance both what he did and said and the Saints Life and Example to remembrance without your Pictures And how you are in the narrow Way is known to many thousands that you do not walk in it at all neither take up the Cross of Christ which is to crucifie the Lusts affections and desires of the Flesh but taketh up outward Crosses and bear them on your Necks or Pin them on your sleeves or hang them about your Necks and all because Christ was crucified on the Cross And here you are honourers of Pilate and the Jews who crucified Christ upon the Cross as a Blasphemer rather then honourers of Christ and the strait and narrow Way you are ignorant of and Christ's sufferings you are all strangers to What! your Popes are as Emperors your Cardinals as Law-givers your Ecclesiastical Officers as Lords of great Possessions in the Earth except some begging Fryars which you have prest into a Voluntary humility without necessity And how do you love your Enemies How many Indians have you destroyed and killed as Dogs and how many that have professed the Name of Christ have you Burned destroyed as though they had been Wood and only Fewel for the Fire And how can you say your Pater-Noster about which you make so much ado and say Forgive our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us if the Heathen have trespassed against you if them you call Sectaries have trespassed against your church how do you forgive them and how do you fulfil the Law of Christ and keep his counsel seeing that you are out of his Doctrine away with such Deceit and Hypocrisie God hath found it out and is judging it by his Saints who rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh nor in fleshly Traditions and Imaginations but live in the Power of God and walk in the Spirit and therefore because you walk contrary to the command of God and Christ's Counsel and are out of the narrow Way that leads to Life your church is neither to be heard minded nor heeded The fourth Argument That the Church of Rome is the true Church because they keep their Sabbath of the Sunday by Tradition and not upon the Saturday as the Jews did and therefore the Church of Rome is to be heard because they have Tradition and solid Reason on their side Thy Speech bewrayes thee which bespeaks thee rather a Heathen then a Christian for the Heathens had a day that they celebrated to an Idol made like the Sun caled Sunday and another day which they celebrated to an Idol called Saturnus called Saturday and in this your Church is not to be heard who is out of the form of sound Words but the Seventh day was the Jews Sabbath which none that profess Christianity ought to keep seeing that Christ put an End to the shadows and the
to discern the same lest they decree and uphold that which in this Case they ought not to wit Tythes lest the Lord be angry for their so doing it being so repugnant to the Testimony of Truth And so let every honest Reader weigh and diligently and seriously consider whether he ought to uphold Truth or Error Light or Darkness I assume he will say that he ought to uphold and maintain the Truth and to stand by it and for it then let me ask him a Sober Question in the Sobriety and Calmness of Spirit and I desire that in the Coolness of the Day he may answer it according to the Witness of his Conscience my Question is this whether he doth not believe after that he hath had a serious View of this Piece that he meets with such valid Arguments such Clearness of Demonstration as may or doth convince him that the Imposition of Tythes now in Gospel-dayes is absolutely out of the Doctrine of Truth and ought not so to be and if so convinced whether he ought not to side and adjoyn with that of God in his Conscience in a Testimony of this Nature and so partake with Truth which is a duty ought to be and is incumbent upon every Christian Man's Heart which is the desire of him who is a Well-willer to Sion's Prosperity E. G. THE Great Case OF TYTHES AND Forced Maintenance ONCE MORE REVIVED SInce the Seat of Anti-christ hath been set and his Throne Exalted so high as it now is and he himself exalting himself above all that is called God and not only so but he hath laboured to make void the Laws and Commands of the Lord and his Christ concerning his Church and likewise to set up his own Institutions and Commandments which are repugnant and eontrary to the commands of Christ and the Practice and Example of the Apostles and Holy Martyrs of old who laid down their Lives for the Testimony of that Doctrine and Faith which they had received of the Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of Man-kind and knowing the Practice and the examples of Christ and his Apostles and holy Witnesses they continued in their Doctrine to hold forth still the same in Purity and to keep it unviolated even to their Death that they might shew themselves forth to be followers of their Master Christ Jesus and to abide in his Doctrine and walk according to the Primitive Example notwithstanding all the Opposition and contradiction of Anti-christ and his Followers which hath been great through many Ages since the Nations have drank and the Kings of the Earth of the Wine of the Whore's Fornication and the way that Anti-christ and the false Church have had to exalt themselves hath been by Policy Craft and Deceit in perswading the Nations that that which was once given and offered freely unto the Lord for his Works sake is now made of necessity and claimed as Divine right to them and their Ministers notwithstanding both the Doctrine the Worship and Practice be altogether inconsistent with the Primitive times truly so called But seeing the Ministry of the false Church who abode not in the Doctrine of Christ but hath violated it and now hath turned against the Saints the Ministers and Seed of the free Woman hath not had Power by vertue of their Doctrine to work upon the Hearts and consciences of People so as to open them and make them freely willing to minister earthly things to their Ministers because indeed most People in the Nations 〈◊〉 not perswaded that they have ministred Spiritual things And therefore the false Church hath perswaded the Powers of the Earth who have drunken of her Cup that is their duty to force and compel all to give 〈◊〉 her and her Ministers as of divine right whether People be perswaded 〈◊〉 no that they are sent of God and make the Scripture a Clâ—â—k to cover their force or Injunctions and produceth the Example of the 〈◊〉 Christians for a cover though they do nothing at all of the Work of the Apostles or Ministers of Christ in converting of Souls but rather Ministring their own Inventions and vain Traditions of men instead of the true Ordinance of Christ yet however Maintenance they must and will have though they do none of Christ's Work and are so Imperious and Arrogant as to reckon Tythes the tenth part of the encrease of the Earth whatsoever and of every man's labour and Merchandize yet this they would perswade all People is by divine right and a Gospel-institution And this hath been received by many in our last Generation whose minds have been darkned with the cloud of Ignorance for a Truth and for any to withstand or deny it hath been counted Error and Heresie no less then a curse from Mystery Babylon did come upon all such as did Gain-say also some with loss of lives as Hereticks upon this account and in this last Age many Imprisoned for divers years even until Death and many have suffered great Spoiling of their Goods ten or twenty Fold more then that which they pretended due and yet all this People must believe is Gospel institution and divine right The consideration of which thing hath been an inducement unto my Heart of late to make a true and a narrow search of the Lawfulness or unlawfulness of this particular thing not only enquiring the true State of Tythes amongst the Jews but also in the Primitive time and amongst the ancient Fathers of the Church whose Doctrine hath been approved among the most faithful Members of the Church of Christ downward untilâ— this last Age. First of all to speak of the tenths which were given before the Commandment was given forth to the Jews Abraham in his return from redeeming his Nephew Lot after the Pursuit of Chedâ—laoâ—er the King of Elam with the rest of the Kings â—oyned with him having recovered his Nephew Lot with all his substance and all the substance of Sodom Gomorrah was met by Melchizedeck King of Salem and Priest of the most high God who blessed Abraham and brought forth Bread and Wine and gave unto 〈◊〉 and to the rest who were with him unto whom Abraham gave the Tythes of all the Spoil that he had taken from the aforesaid Chedorlaomer and the rest of the Kings Chryâ—â—stome understands the Text only to â—e of the Spoils whereof Abraham made Melchizedeck a partaker by giving him the first fruâ—ts of his Martial performance And Jerom often stiling it Decimas spoliorum praâ—â— and Victoria that is the tenth of the Spoil of the prey and of the Victorâ— And this is made one of the main basis or Ground for probation of Tythes due before the Law which is but only a free gift of Abraham to Melchizedeck of the Spoil he had taken and that but once that we read of take notice of that not of his Familys Labours or industries but of the spoil of what he had taken And it is very clear that it was a
not this it that confounded all the Roman Monarchs and brought them all to a miserable End because they would not suffer Christ to be Head among the Christians and also how many Princes though otherwise wise have lost their Crowns and Kingdoms because they would not suffer Christ to have dominion in his Peoples Hearts but Persecuted them for keeping his Statutes and then his Power turn'd against them as sad experience hath Witnessed in many Nations and chiefly by the instigation of the Ministry of every Age since the Apostacy entred in have stir'd up the temporal Kings and temporal Princes to make Laws and to compel all to obey them and have pressed it upon the Magistrates as their duty when their Gospel would not maintain them to make Laws for them to compel People to give them Tythes and forced Maintenance and Hire or else most dreadfully complain upon the Magistrates as that Christ was little beholden to them if they would not compel and force according to the Priests mind they have then judged them as luke-warm and irreligious Persons and such as had no care of the Church of God at all and thus the Pâ—pe and Prelates of every Age downward until this very time have put on the Magistrates and Rulers to Work drugery for them and intermeddle in those things which properly and solely belong to Christ Jesus or else have stir'd up the Princes of the Earth to make War one against another only to Vindicate their Covetous and Ambitious quarrel which was only a self seeking and Pride and not the Honour of God nor the Prosperity of his saving Truth so greatly Wrong'd the Princes of the Earth busying and troubling them with their own Covetous and self-seeking affairs falsely calling it the Church-affairs and for the honour of Christ when they have neglected their own necessary and urgent affairs in many Nations and Kingdoms to the great harm of Princes and detriment to the Nations and trouble to the People as is evident in the History of divers Christian Princes from the time of Constance until this very day 1664. Oh it is sad and Lamentable to behold how Emperors and Princes have been gull'd and cheated by these pestiferous worldly and carnal Priests who have not minded the Law of Jesus Christ nor the Conversion of Souls but their own Bellies and to be chiefly medling in State matters and Princes affairs which did not neither do belong unto them rather then the Flock of Christ iâ—somuch that they are grown to that height and pride and imperiousness that no King or Potentate could keep his Crown or prâ—rogative and Kingdom in quiet nor possesâ— his own Dominion in peace except he was subject unto them Instances I might bring many of Emperors and Kings whose Kingdoms have been introduced and the King and his people Curst and Excommunicated because of some Factious Legate Bishop or Prior who have complain'd to the Pope and upon every small complaint was ready to hear them and to give Sentence and Judgement against Princes and all under pretence of Vindicating Church-priâ—iledges and what a mischief and stir the former Bishops of Canterbury Priors Monks and others what Stirs and Broiles they have made in this our English Nation and what trouble they have put the Princes thereof unto and iâ—volved them in and the whole Nation only for their own particular Interest our own Chronicles and Histories of the Nation do sufficiently testifie unto which I refer the Reader rather then to trouble in this discourse and since the Pope's Yoke hath been thrown off how have the Nations been involv'd in trouble and Princes disturbed with the Covetous priests affairs as about Tythes Glebe-Lands Augmentations forced Maintenance Hire and Mortuaries and about their Caps and Tippets and Hoods and Altars and Tables and Crosses and unholy Râ—â—â—â— and Bells and Fonts Surplices and Girdles and such other like trumpery how hath the Nation been troubled and Peoples Consciences been burdened and one dis-joynted from another in which God hath not been Glorified at all nor his People edified and all this and much more the Magistrates have been pressed upon and very much troubled And for being afraid of offending their worldly Priests they have become their Servants and Drudges to Work their Slavery and yet all is too little and great commotion and strife hath been and is in the Nation this day about these trivail yet troublesome things by which the Hearts and Consciences of good people are troubled and the Nation vexed and all under the Name of vindicating the Church-priviledges O all ye Mngistrates and Potentates of the Earth arise and stand upon your own Legs and shake your selves and these things from off you and trouble not your selves with that which is too Ponderous â—nd Weighty for you to bear which you are never able to wade through keep Peace in your own Dominions and Execute Justice and Judgment among all People without having respect to this or that particular Judgment fâ—r that 's â—he way and the only way to preserve the Nation and Peâ—ple in Peace and quietness and let Christ's Kingdom alone and his Churâ—◠〈…〉 him thâ—â— is the Head thereof who gave his Liâ—e for it and hath a care of it and let Christians alone as Christians and as Christ's Subjects to be governed by Christ who is the King Law-â—iver and Judge of his People who only hath right to Rule in the Hearts and Consciences of the Sons of men who doth Teach hath taught and yet will teach his People as is Witnessed by the Prophet Isaiah And this Glory and Power he hath not given to any man as man whatsoever but he himself teacheth how he will be Worshipped to wit In Spirit and in Truth And whosoever would arrogate unto themselves that power then doth the power of the Lord Jesus Christ turn against them And therefore be warned all ye Potentates of the Earth and let your earthly Wisdom cease and carnal policy cease and earthly contrivance cease and Worldly consultations cease make room all give place and give way to him who is risen and come in his second Appearance in his Saints who must have way and will have way or else will force his way though not by Bow Spear Bâ—ckâ—er or Shield or carnal Weapons of War for out of his Mouth goes the two-edged Sâ—ord and hot Coals of Pire are kindled by the breath of his Mouth And the â—reath of the Lord shall slay the Wicked and burn up all Mountains and Hills before it Consider what God did to Amalecâ— of old whose King was Aga a miâ—hty Prâ—nce and to Sion and Ogge King of Bashan who was of the Râ—â—e of the Gaianâ—â— mighty for fortitude and moreover Ammon and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very great Nations all these rose up to stop the Lord in his way and Israel unto whom the promise of God was made And what was the Issue thereof when the Lord was glad to force his
Devil did when he brought it is written to Christ and left out half the words so R. E. hath left out the Conditions on the Disciples part and that which was their duty teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you and then lo I am with you c. But R. E. likes not obedience it seems unto Christ's commands and yet he will needs be a sharer in the Promise and of the Power that was given and bind God unto that and he and his Church to be loose to do and to teach what they will but as to all the Scriptures he hath brought and minced them and cut them in piece-meal and all the inferences he makes this we acknowledge without multiplicity of words that whatsoever was promised to the Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ as the Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ the same Promise of Christ doth belong to the Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ in every Age and stands upon the same condition viz. Obedience unto hâ—s will and that they still do teach and no other thing but what he commands them then he is with them according to his Promise but let not R. E. nor his Roman Catholicks look if they teach things repugnant to his mind and contrary to his will and press upon others to believe that which Christ hath never taught that then the Promise of God will be so intailed to them as that they cannot Err and here the deceit of thine and your Hearts hath led you aside and this is one of the cunning sleights of Men and craftiness whereby you lay in wait to deceive and by this you have deceived many because God hath made such large Promises unto his Church how that they should be led into all Truth and preserved out of Error and you are their Successors and must needs Inherit this Promise by way of intail and you cannot Err you cannot be deceived because the Apostles were infallible therefore you must needs be infallible though you Err and go aside never so much from the infallible Spirit the true Guide and Judge of and in the Church of God as though you had been born to infallibility and the Spirit of Truth had come by succession but the inward Light which thou scoffs at and the Spirit of Truth which thou calls a private Spirit often hath discovered you and your Spirit though thou boastest of fifteen Ages that your Doctrine hath been held by the Pastours and Teachers in your Visible Church as in the fifty seventh Page of thy EPISTLE suppose I should grant the fifteen hundred Years which I neither can nor will but I will lead thee to the sixteen hundred years and try thee your Doctrine that you have held this fifteen hundred Years if it be so as thou saist but this thou likes not but seeing thou plead'st Antiquity let us come on and joyn issue prove us Transubstantiation in the first hundred Years nay I will give thee five hundred more and if I give thee five more thou would'st hardly prove it before the Council of Trent prove us the Doctrine of Purgatory in the first hundred Years and if thou take two it shall not offend me prove us the forbidding of Ministers to marry in the first hundred years and abstinence from Meats as though they were unclean which are created by God for the use of Believers prove us that Man hath a two-fold right to the Kingdom of Heaven as your great Bellarmine saith the one by Christ the other by a Man 's own Works prove us Invocation of Angels and Prayer and Sacrifice for the Dead the first hundred years after Christ prove us their selling of Pardons in Christ's and the Apostles dayes for Money prove us setting up of Images as to put Men in mind of the Saints deceased and of their Works prove us Baptism of Infants with Cream and Spittle and singing with the Cross and God-fathers and God-mothers and let us have some example beyond bare report for we dare not relie upon your infallible Spirit in these things therefore convince us for we are Gain-sayers and upon good Ground and we do look upon all these Doctrines and many more not to be of such a great Age as thou tells on neither to have any affinity or congruity with the Church of Christ in his or the Apostles time nor sundry Years after but rather look upon them as Doctrines of Devils and a very novelty a further Scripture R. E. urges 1. Tim. 3.15 the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth and may we not relie of that Pillar that God hath erected for us saith he and he that hears you hears me and go teach all Nations and I am with you alwayes and yet if after all these Promises if the Church may not be believed except she teacheth according to the Scriptures and be only infallible but when she doth her duty then the Church hath no more priviledge then the Devil hath for so long as he teaches conformable to the Scripture he may be believed and so long as he teaches Truth he may be believed saith R.E. in page 58 59. Answ. The Church is in God 1 Thes. 1. and is the Pillar and Ground of Truth she is in the World though not of the World and though the Members thereof be visible in the World yet the world that lies in Wickedness never owned them as such either saw the Glory of this Church but alwayes Persecuted it and was so far owning it as Rule and Judge as it altogether gain-sayed its direction but they that did believe in the word of Life and were separated from the World and hated by it were willing to hear the Counsel to receive the instruction of the Church of God and the Church only medled with their own Members as in matter of Judgment and not of the World further then by preaching Repentance in it for the Apostle saith What have we to do to judge them that are without and this Church as in God was secure to relie upon for she had the Oracles of God committed unto her every one may relie upon this Pillar if they dare trust it which I see R. E. dares not because he likes not to be tyed to their Doctrine declared of in the Scriptures but would have all to take what they say for granted without the Scripture or the Apostles example or Spirit and is not this unreasonable in thee that would'st have the Church to be believed or that which calls it self so by Name when she teacheth not conformable to Scriptures and to the Faith which was once delivered among the Saints and wouldst thou have a Church reckoned infallible and to be believed when she doth not her duty the Churches priviledges are in speaking Truth and judging Righteously and the Devil was a Lyer from the beginning and is out of the Truth and where hast thou read that he teaches
and Vexation unto the Spirit of God in any in the Spirit of Christ which is but one in all I am burdened with them and do bear a Part of their Grief I speak without Ostentation or Glorying for what have I to glory in any but the Lord or to rejoyce in but that which all the World hates because it testifies against it and therefore we are become the Objects of Scorn and Hatred in this World by them that are of it who glory in Sin who rejoyce in Iniquity whose End is Destruction and perpetual Misery and their Rejoycing shall be turned into endless Sorrow and Grief Elected of God our Portion in this World is to be Sufferers in it and by it because God hath chosen us out of it and its Nature therefore we are hated despised and persecuted in our Generation like as all the People of God were in former Generations we cannot be exempted from drinking of the same Cup which Christ the Heir of all things drank neither be exempted from being baptized into his Suffering and therefore Christ told his Disciples In the World ye shall have Trouble and the Apostles and Ministers and Believers in Christ did drink of the same and were baptized into the same Baptism and therefore testified That them that will live godly in Christ must uffer Persecution for the World loves only the Children of it but alwayes hated the Children of God and them that were redeemed out of it and they bore Witness against it and the Works thereof it 's no new thing or strange thing for it 's that Portion which all the Prophets and holy Men of God were Partakers of Christ and the Apostles and all true Believers in every Age and the nearer any came to be unto God in their Life and Practice the more they were hated and the more vilified slandered and evil spoken of sometime by the Jews sometime by the Heathen and now by the Apostatized Christians for the Nature is one through all Ages and Diversity of Names in Profession do not at all alter Man or Men at the Heart the Jews who professed God in Words and cryed up the Temple and Moses and the Law in Words slew the Prophets and laid false things to their Charge Jeremiah when he prophesied against Jerusalem and spake to the Princes and Rulers when they were revolted from God in the Dayes of Zedekiah and denounced Evil against the City and People because of Transgression they put him in the Dungeon and where his Feet sticked in the Mire and said He was fallen away to the Caldeans and did alienate the Hearts of the Jews from them and their Law and despised their Government Christ was accounted a Friend of Publicans and Sinners and had a Devil a Transgressor of Moses's Law though he came to fulfil it and an Enemy to Caesar and a Blasphemer and what not who said so the Elders the Doctors the Rabbies and Rulers of the People and they crucified him as an Evil-doer though none could convince him â—â—â—in the Apostles of Christ as seditious Men Ring-leaders of Sects Authors of Uproars Turners of the World upsiâ—e down as disobedient Enemies to Peace as discontented Men with the present Laws and Customs then established and judged as not fit to live And therefore many suffered long for holding out their Testimony faithfully they had received and last of all suffered Death not as Saints and Prophets but as Evil-doers at last some by the Jews some by the Heathens The primitive Christians of whom the World was not worthy were falsly accused by the Romans Heathens and Pagans in the great Persecutions that arose were evil spoken of and falsly represented and rendered odious and as Objects of Hatred through the Envy of the Devil because they opposed his Kingdom of Darkness Tertullian saith The Heathen commonly reputed the then primitive Christians incestuous men Killers of Children Enemies of all Mankind Enemies against the Gods against the Emperours against the Laws they made an Out-cry upon them it 's not lawful they should live And when any Judgment did befall them Augustine saith it was become a Proverb Our Rain fails us because of these Christians and Eusebius saith The Religion of Christ was called the Heresie of godless Christians Likewise after the Name of Christ and Christians became in Repute and Esteem many Hypocrites and Formalists took on the Name when it was countenanced by the Kings and Princes of the Earth and then turned against them that were more in the Life and Power then they were as the Bohemians and the Waldenses and first Protestants in Germany how were they branded with Heresie and Schism as seditious factious Enemies to the Laws Church and State and to the Princes and how was the Hatred of the Pope and Emperour kindled against them and War raised upon them and many suffered Death in their Account as Evil-doers who persecuted them Likewise come nearer our own Age in the Dayes of Queen Mary how were the best of Men and the best of Christians in that Age censured as Enemies to the Queen 's Lawâ— and Government Enemies to the Church seditious Hereticks and such as were not fit to live and therefore many suffered in the cruel Flames of Fire and did undergo many great Torments and Sufferings and last of cruel Deaths many suffered and by them called Christians and yet slew him and persecuted him in his Members Last of all God hath brought us forth in our Age to bear witness unto him and unto that Life Power and Light by which we are quickned and raised out of the Grave of Sin and Death to live unto him and serve him in Newness of Life and to confess unto his holy Name and Power by which we are saved illuminated and directed and to worship him in Spirit and Truth according to the Manifestation of his Spirit to us and in us and according to the Scriptures of Truth for the Lord God of Heaven and Earth judge and all his holy Angels and all just Men that are anointed with the holy Unction that know Truth from Error whether we hold any thing either in Doctrine or Practice but that which the primitive Christians bear Witness of and also the Scriptures bare witness unto and that which we are perswaded in our Consciences by the unerring Spirit of the Lord which doth give us Assurance of his Acceptation and Peace in our Hearts And how often have we declared our selves both by Word and Writing which is sufficiently manifest unto all who have not wilfully closed their Eyes and stopped their Ears against us that we are of no other Faith Hope or Religion but that which Christ and his Apostles and primitive Christians were of which they did hold forth both in Doctrine and Practice as in Respect of Worship and how peaceably and humbly we have walked towards all Men without seeking the hurt or detriment of any thou righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth knowest and
Ease Hardness of Heart is generally over People and clearly to me it doth presage Judgment Tenderness of Heart and Spirit is generaly lost among people and the most have made Shipwrack of all their Hope Faith and Profession to please the time and men of this Generation who are perverse and froward they have been treacherous to God and to their own Souls and cannot do Good to his People keep as much as in you lyes out of their Spirit Manners for they are corrupt and though God's Judgments be abroad in the Land and his Anger kindled and broken forth yet few enquire the Cause or say What have I done but if any do enquire it is generally in that dark Spirit that leads them to Evil which God hides his Counsel from and will not be found of and yet they make Conclusions and give Judgment as the Heathen of old if any Pestâ—leâ—ce Famine or Drought or Judgment came upon them thâ—y said The Christians were the Cause and so stirred up Persecution against them the like and Dreamers of this Age in their Mock fasts and Humiliâ—tions they say Heresie the Cause and because all dâ— nâ—t conform and are not willing to submit to the changeable Institutions of men though never so repugnant to the Law of God they tell the Magistrates The I hanaticks and Quakers are the Cause and so they fast for Strife and to kindle Debate and to stir up Persecution and they seem to cleave so close to the Magistrates that will force and exâ—ct Gain for them and give them large Pay they will cry them up as the higher Power that all are to submit unto in all things under the Pain of Condemnation and they will cry them up and dance and clap their Hands and rejoyce as Israel did about the Calf when they had forgotten God so the Lord is provoaked more and more and they think by rooting out his People if possible will stay his Judgments it 's lamentable to see what Blindness is over the Hearts of the Seers of this Generation who cry Peace Peace and how Peâ—ple are given up to believe their Lyes and to Hardness of Heart and never consider their own Estate neither the Afflictions of Joseph is remembred Another thing also hath been in my Heart many Weeks and a Query hath been in my self and I know hath been on many Spirits why in this common Calamity and in God's Visitaâ—ion of the City of London and many other Places of this Nation that they that have suffered so greatly so long and so faithfully and have born such a Testimony for the Lord why also they should be taken away among the rest seeing the Lord was able to deliver and also command his destroying Angel to pass over as it pleased him and spare and take away as he pleased and why it should not be wholly upon his Enemies and upon them that called not upon his Name in Truth and Righteousness I had many sad Thoughts of Heart and have waited upon the Lord concerning these things with Supplications and Tears concerning his afflicted Peâ—ple and concerning his Name and Truth and this Satisfaction I have received in my self and do communicate unto you First of all it is said That Paul stayed and preached the Gospel at Ephesus two Years so that not only them of Ephesâ—â— but all Asia heard the Word of God both Jews and Greeks and many were gathered unto God and believed and the rest were hardened When I considered this that not only two Years but twelve Years that City of London hath heard the Word of the living God declared and published plentifully in it and the everlasting Gospel of Christ in the Demonstration of the Spirit and with Power insomuch that the Sound went through and through and many believed and the rest were hardened having lost the Day of their Visitation but alas it was but a few considering the Labour and Travail and considering so many Thousands who counted the things of God a slight Matter and for them that were worthy and did believe they were hated and despised and evilly entreated with the most and shut up in Holes and miserable Bonds and Prisons and lingring Torments which oftentimes were the Cause of their Death whose Lives God is requiring at the Hands of that Place and the Messengers of God were mocked abused and evilly entreated and shut up in Bonds till Death and Wickedness did abound and Peoples Hearts grew hard in Ease Riches Pride and vain Glory till the Wrath of God broke forth and cut down Thousands in his Displeasure and this was seen and foreseen full three whole Years and upwards by some of the faithful Servants of God who laid down their Lives in Bonds in that City and are gathered unto the Lord and also some who remain in the Body unto this Day and it was prophesied of and the City was warned thereof Rulers and People but the most made a Mock of it till the just Judgment of God seized upon it Secondly The Lord took away these faithful Men of God Edward Burroughs Richard Hubberthorn and George Fox junior who had been much conversant there who were faithful Watchmen and prevailed often with the Lord till they were shut up in Bonds for all their sore Travail and Labour amongst the Inhabitants thereof and that Place being unworthy of them any more he delivered them and took them away to himself from the Evil to come that they had seen and prophesied of that they might see none of that Misery that is now come Thirdly They were gathered unto the Lord as a Token and Sign unto them that believed of many following after and of their Dissolution Fourthly The Lord did fore-know and fore-see and also had determined Evil against that City and that which is now come to pass and that this Generation notwithstanding all the Entreaties Woings Warnings and Exhortations which they had and slighted and they would proceed on to more Mischief and Persecution in presumption against God and his people and are yet determined and have said in their Hearts Though the Bricks be fallen down we will build with hewn Stone to fortifie themselves that their End might not fail which the Lord God will blast and confound and though Friends have born their Iniquity they shall at last bear it themselves and know the Reward thereof and have none to help so the Lord hath taken away many in his Love and Mercy from the Evil to come and hâ—th freed them from further Misery and hath translated them out of the Reach of all their Enemies Fifthly Seeing they have suffered long and faithfully in that plaâ—e and and elsewhere and have born a living Testimony many to the Loss of their Lives and to their ruinating in this World against the Abominations that did abound and their righteous Souls were vexed as Lot's was with the Sodomites the Lord hath considered and hath said It is enough your Afflictions I will end and
were good as they stood related to the end wherefore they were commanded instance the Worship at Jerusalem and the Service there and the place where God had promis'd to place his Name yet Christ said as foreknowing the End of all the aforesaid Worship which appertained to that Covenant and therefore he said to the Woman Joh. 4.23 but the Hour cometh and now is when the true Worshipers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth for the Father seeks such to Worship him and 24. vers God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and Truth 2. Cor. 3.17 From hence it is clearly evident for this was before he was offered up that then was the time that neither at Jerusalem nor in the Mountain of Samaria it shall be only said they worship the Father though at Jerusalem was the place Deut. 1.1 2 5. of Worship formerly and the Jews held it then and the Worship was that which was commanded to wit Sacrifices and Offerings and many other legal Services which belonged to them to perform according to the command of God and if Swearing or Oaths was any part of the Service of God as in that Covenant as we with A. S. do grant Deut. 10.20 You shall fear the Lord and serve him and Swear by his Name then I say that Swearing amongst the rest of the Worship is included but saith Christ neither at Jerusalem nor this Mountain but they that worship shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth so that the time was then but came on more afterwards to be fulfilled that both the place and the worship and Service that belonged to the place they should no more Worship the Father with and in but in the Spirit and in the Truth and this may be in Answer to that which A. S. makes a great adoe with in his Book how that Christ said Swear not at all it was before his Death and therefore they that Argue saith he That swearing was prohibited only and ended in Christ's death cannot plead that all Oaths were prohibited but that command of Christ Mat. 5. because he spake this in his Life time I say â—o did he this Jo. 20.21 22 23. And he may as well Argue that Christ destroyed the place of Worship at Jerusalem and the Worship also and came not to fulfill it as he saith he did and why but because he spoke this before he was Crucified and so did he Swear not at all and why may not A.S. conclude with us that this is a commodious place to interpret and explain Christ's meaning in those words in the 5 th Mat. 23 and 24. and so the Words may truly be understood thus ye have heard that it hath been said of old time thou shalt not forswear thy sâ—lf but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths Exod 20.7 and Deut. 5.11 but the Hour cometh and now is when I say unto you that say more then the Law hath said Swear not at all neither â—y Heaven nor by the Earth but let your Yea be yea and your Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of Evil and yet whatever may or can be said A. S. will needs conclude That all Swearing is not forbidden and why because it hath been the praâ—â—ice of holy Men and also an Angel this Argument is of little force so was it the practice of holy Men to offer Sacrifice and burn Incense and as for the Swearing of the Angel Dan. 12. and Revel 10.6 to prove the lawfulness of some Swearing these have been answered over and over and over again though A. S. will take no notice of it though I perceive he hath read the Arguments that have been used as Answers to these things though he will not seem to take notice nor to reply to confute the Arguments but rather minds his own and to assert what may seem to mâ—ke for his purpose as to the matter he hath taken in Hand but as for good Men's Swearing and the Angel's Swearing if their Example would â—uâ—tifie the lawfulness of Swearing yet they could not be any president to us who are under the Gospel of the Son that is greater then the Angels by the dispensation of whom the Law for Oaths Tythes offerings oblations and other legal Rights and Rudiments were given which Son also all the Angels of God are bid to Worship for the Apostle saith Hebr. 2.5 For unto the Angels hath he not put into subjection the World to come but that is committed unto the Son under whose Ministration and subjection we are who said Let your Yea be yea and you nay nay and speak the Truth and do the Truth and bear witness to the Truth who said Learn of me and these things we have learned of him unto whom all Power is committed for he is counted Hebr. 3.3 more worthy of Glory then Moses though Moses was faithful in his House as a Servant but Christ as a Son which is that great Prophet that Moses Prophesied of which all are to hearken unto with whom the Father is well pleased being made so much better then the Angels Hebr. 1.4 as he hath â—y Inheritance obtained a more Excellent Name then they vers 5. for unto which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee vers 6. Again when he bringeth the first â—egotten into the World he saith let all the Angels of God Worship him of the Angels he saith he makes them minâ—strâ—ng Spirits and a Flame of Fire but unto the Son he saith thy Throne oh God is forever and ever the Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom for if the Words spoken by Angels wer stedfast and every Transgression received a just recompence of reward how shall they escape Hebr. 2.3 who do not only neglect the command of Christ but labour to pervert through their Strengâ—h of their own reason the ministration of the Son who is the sum and substance of all Shadowy and Typical Ministrations and therefore A. S. and all concerned look â—o it who would introduce Judaism and the Mosaical Observations upon the Neck of Christs Disciples and as Laws in his Kingdom and whether would not this prefer the Servant before the Son yea or nay and his Ministration before the Ministration of the Son though the one is not against the other but the one pointing at the other and in the latter the first is fulfilled the Truth declared the Truth spoken the Truth lived in and the Truth confessed in every matter wherein any Christian is concerned which is the sum and the matter which all Oaths in their highest and greatest Ordination could or can effect In the 40 th page of his Book he saith our Saviour saith Amen Amen 24. times in John's Gospel which he saith St. Ambrose will needs have to amount unto an Oath and he cites Apoc. 3. These things saith the Amen compares it with Isa.
and are ready to answer all these necessary ends and as well and this is as good and expedient to be put in practice among Christians as interposition of Oaths enjoyned by God in the first Covenant and far more Evangelical and therefore shall conclude with that of Jerome The Gospel Truth admits not of an Oath His eighth Argument is That Christ did never any things without some Ground of reason but no reason can be shewed why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden in a due manner and upon a just and necessary occasion and therefore we may well believe that such Swearing was neither here or any where else forbidden Reply We shall not much dissent or disagree about terms with A. S. that Christ did never any thing without some Ground or Reason but yet we must deny his Conclusion that no Reason can be given why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden first of all there was a time since Man had a being in this Creation when he was in the Image of God and stood in the Covenant of God when there was no Oath neither any necessity thereof Man being endued with Power from God which was placed in him so that he was in a capacity to fulfill obey and serve and believe his Maker without an Oath for unbelief or Sin had not entred and this was before the Fall Gen. 1.26 27. Secondly Christ the unspeakable gift of God who is the Mediator of the everlasting Covenant yea the Covenant is self who is given for a Leader to the People and who is made a Propitiation for Sin and Transgression to end both Sin Transgression and Unbelief which was the cause of the Addition of the Law who leads to the beginning again all that truly do believe and are worthy to be called true Christians or by the Name of Christ to have Union with God again in that Life Power Truth Righteousness and Wisdom in which the Image of God truly consists which was before Sin and Transgression and before the Law which was added because of it which was commanded four hundred and thirty Years after the Promise was made Gal. 3.17 Thirdly After Sin was entred and Death by Sin an unbelieving part got up in all the Sons of Adam so that they could not believe God nor his Promises and yet such was his love unto Mankind considering the State into which they were plunged for confirmation of his Word unto Man he Swore by himself this was the Lord's condescension unto their low and unbelieving Estate all that time and no way exemplary for Christians truly such who are come into the Faith and to the Truth in it self who do believe that all the Promises are fulfilled in Christ yea and Amen who is the Author of Faith and of eternal Salvation to them that believe Heb. 9.12 who prohibited that by his command Mat. 5.23 which sometimes was permitted yea and commanded yea and added because of Transgression and for which the Law and the command for Oaths was only added which he did not destroy because he leads from under the Power of that which the Law came against which is just and good and Holy and the Seed fulfills it and hath Unity with it and with him who is the Judge and Law-giver and Saviour of all that do believe in him from Sin and Transgression Fourthly At that time when the Law was given forth at Mount Sina Exod. 19.20 generally all the Nations were given to Idolatry and to serve and Worship strange Gods as Baal Ashtaroth Chemosh Rimphan and many others as the Gods of Samaria which were said to be according to the number of their Cities and their Idols were called the Sin of Samaria Amos saith They Swear by the Sin of Samaria that did say thy God O Dan lives and the manner of Barsheba lives even they shall fall and never rise again Amos 7.14 Which was no other then the Calves which Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel which they feared Worshipped and Swore by therefore God having chosen a peculiar People to himself to Worship and serve him and honour him who should not walk after the manner of the rest of the Nations who knew not God he commanded them to serve him and Worship him and Swear by his Name as Jerome saith well to keep them from Idolatry and that they should not Swear by the Gods of the Heathen as the rest of the Nations did round about yet still this must be considered that this State of the minority of the Jewish Church wherein God gave them Ordinances suitable to their State but it doth not follow neither can it be reasonably concluded that these Ordinances were to be perpetually binding unto all future Generations especially when Christ the Seed unâ—o whom all the Promises are in whom the Law is fulfilled and in whom the former Ministrations end that his Disciples and true Christians should always be bound to these things once commanded especially seeing Christ their Master in whom the Father is well pleased hath prohibited this about Swearing and also did Prophesie of the time to come after his Resurrection and his Ascension that those Visible things which were as a Ministration for a time should end as to the outward exercise and Typical and Figurative appearance of them and that all these things should be revealed within by the Spirit and felt in the Power of God in all that did believe when the Holy Ghost should be poured forth and the Promise of the Father be made manifest Fifthly Now considering that the Name of God is believed in and he is confessed unto and his Christ and that there is not that Idolatry especially outward as there was in the Nations before and after the Flood especially in that which is called Christendom though we dare not conclude that all are Israel that are of Israel or that all are Christians that have the Name yet generally I say the Name of God and his Christ is acknowledged and worshipped and not Idols and false God's therefore there is no necessity of Swearing by the Name of God as there was at the time of the giving forth of the Law but especially among them that the Father will reckon as truly his subjects and Disciples of Christ who are partakers of his divine Nature here is not that necessity among them for they through the Law being dead to it it hath no more Power over them and therefore no reason that they should be kept as under Tutors and Governours seeing that the Age and Ages is come which the Apostle spoke of Eph. 2.7 wherein Christ is revealed the hope of Glory and whom he makes free are free indeed Joh. 8.32 36. Sixthly and lastly The command of Oaths was given for the ending of Strife and Controversies among Men Heb. 6. which hath relation to the Law and to the State of the Jews and their Political proceedings the Apostle brings but that in as an instance or an example and
Likewise the Law Deut. 42.1 2. When a Man takes a Wife and it comes to pass she finds no favour in his Eyes because he hath found some uncleanness in her then let him write her a Bill of Divorcement and send her out of his House and when she is departed out of his House she may go and be another Man's Wife But Christ saith Mat. 5.32 who shall Marry her that is divorced commits Adultery Which is a clear prohibition of that which the Law allowed and what A. S. will call this whether a new moral command or promulgation of a new Law I know not but it is evident enough that some things were prohibited by Christ which the Law commanded or at least allowed and therefore we conclude from the 23. and 24. Verses of the 5th of Matthew that Christ did prohibit all vain Swearing and unlawful Swearing which was disallowed before under the Law but even all Swearing which was commanded or at least permitted under the Law for the reasons and ends given before and this will stand as Truth notwithstanding A. S. his Argument His tenth Argument is That if the hiâ—h Priest charged Christ to Swear and he without exception answered upon Oath and that some Years after he had said Swear not at all from hence follows that when the Magistrate imposeth an Oath the Person charged to Swear may lawfully answer upon Oath as Christ did notwithstanding his prohiâ—ition of Swear not at all Reply First that was a time when the administration of the first Covenant was not fully ended for Christ was not yet offered up and so the high Priest as being a Jew might from the Commandment or permission of the Law as being one that sate in Moses Chair might require Christ to speak upon Oath as presuming he had Authority so to do being he looked upon it as a Work of God and what though it was some Years after Christ had said Swear not at all what doth A. S. infer from this Christ knew that the high Priest and Pharisees were about the work of their Father the Devil and though the high Priest did say I Adjure which A. Smallwood tells us is I command thee to Swear to us Christ answered in his own Authority and in the Power and Wisdom of the Father and if he had answered as taking notice of the high Priests adjuring who was about to Crucifie the Just which was not the Work of God neither was jurations or Oaths ever intended to be instrumental in the Devil's work then I Argue that if Christ had answered to his adjuring knowing the end was to ensnare him the Son of God then Christ had consented unto his Evil work which were blasphemy to think or speak and therefore as it was Prophesied of him he was led as a Lamb to the Slaughter sometimes he opened not his Mouth the other sometimes he did in the Authority and Power of the Father which was with him and in him and though the high Priest charged Christ By the living God that thou tell us whether thou be Christ the Son of the Living God Mat. 26.63 64. Jesus answered thou hast said and what is this the Oath that Christ Swear A. S. tells us before that an Oath was an attestation of God to the Truth of what was said but now the Words thou hast said barely of themselves without any attestation of God is an Oath if the high Priest had said art thou Peter or art thou John that was with Jesus of Gallile and Peter and John had answered I am Peter and I am John that was with him what will A. S. conclude now that Peter and John hath Sworn away with such perverting and straining screwing of the Scriptures from their genuine sense only to uphold that which was added because of Transgression now when Sin Trangression is finished the end of Christ's coming is Witnessed to uphold that which Christ came to end to wit Sin and also an Oath which was added because of Sin and Unbelief and the hardness of their Hearts only to remain till that part was done away and until the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 to wit the bringing in of everlasting Righteousness and it cannot be reasonably concluded that because Christ answered the high Priest thou hast said that therefore he took notice of commanding to Swear or at least approving of his adjuration knowing that he was about an Evil work and doing the Work of the Devil which must needs be judged that Christ did neither approve of nor consent unto what ever A. S. may say or think but only in his own Authority spoke the Truth made a good confession as he did before Pontius Pilate to the Glory of the Father who had sent him whose will he came to do And Luke 22.70 Art thâ—u then the Son of God and he said unto them ye say that I am and Pilate was as much a Magistrate as the high Priest and he asked Art thou the King of the Jews and he answered him and said thou sayest it And Herod was as much a Magistrate as either Pilate or the high Priest and he questioned with him in many Words but Christ answered nothing so that he did not so much take notice of their Questions or examining or charging or adjuring as A. S. would make seem of it but according to the Wisdom and Power of God which was in him spoke and answered in his own Authority without taking so much notice of them as he would infer he knowing what they were going about though they had the Name and bore the title of Magistrates yet were out of the Power of God in the Persecuting Nature which is the Ground and Foundation of all Authority which is of God but A. S. sayes Mark 14.62 relates plainly that Christ answered I am but yet neither Mark Luke nor John take so much notice of the high Priests adjuring or make so much for A. S. his Argument as he would have them Maâ—k saith only Mark 14.61 The high Priest asked him and said unto him art thou Christ the Son of the blessed he doth not say I adjure thee or I charge thee to Swear unto us as A. S. would have it but though Mat. 26.63 say I adjure thee to tell us whether thou be Christ the Son of God is not much material for A. S. hath made more matter about it then is to any great or good purpose but I say he was as much bound to answer Pilate or Herod as the high Priest and as much directly to one as to another we see his Answers were not all alike but I would not have A. S. nor my self neither sit as Judges over Christ's Answers and squeeze and serue them beyond or contrary to Christâ—s intention for the sum of the matter is this thou hast said I am and thou sayest I am a King and is Christ's answers to the high Priest and Pilate and nothing to Herod and A. S.
might as reasonably have concluded that the high Priest rent his Cloaths and cryed Blasphemy not so much at thou hast said or I am as of this the next words nevertheless I say unto you ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven for then the next words are then the high Priest rent his Cloaths and cryed Blasphemy and then A. S. goes on It was enough that Christ denyed not to Swear and the sum of all or the most that he can make when he hath twined about with many Circumstances to prove that he did Swear or consented to Caiaph is adjuring and answered his adjuring this is all I am and thou hast said and therefore what either may or can be said A. S. hath concluded Christ did Swear yet Sect. 27. he tell us that the essence of Swearing is in calling God to Witness and how or where did Christ call God to witness then this overturns his own Argument seeing we do not read that Christ saied any more in his answer then as is aforesaid I am and thou hast said and he sayes To alledge that Christ Swear not because he laid not his Hand upon a Book or kissed or lifted up his Hand is but to trifle yet he says that Ceremony is Ancient as Chrysostome tells him that it 's above 1250. years since if it be but to trifle why are so many Conscientious People in bonds this day in England under a Premunire for these trifles a very shame to Christianity for where any or all of these have been denyed though they have answered the Truth and the whole Truth and as much as A. S. calls an Oath yet this hath been counted insufficient and we know Justinian the Emperour ordain'd the Ceremony that Men should Swearly the Gospel or Book and lay their hands thereon and kiss or the like and though it be so many Years since it was ordained as A. S. sayes this adds nothing to the warrantableness thereof but Custome is proof enough to such a Ceremonious Age as this when Formalities Ceremonies Gestures and Postures are more regarded then the power of God and Godliness and we say such a Ceremony about Swearing is not without the Appearance of evil for the Bible is a Creature made up of many Creatures and laying the Hand and kissing and ordering it in such manner is I know looked upon by many to be Swearing by it and so the most takes it and this were unlawful and therefore better to be wholely avoided then so many suffer because thy cannot do it besides as I said the evil appearance of it for it is not any Gospel Institution but an innovation since the Apostacy entred in and if God had ever judged any necessity thereof or that it had rendred an Oath more solemn the Law would have said something of it and it was never a practice among the Primitive Christians and therefore a vain Humane tradition crept in since which ought to be avoided and and though A.S. says to reply that Christ Swore not though Caiaphas adjured him is vain for an examinate is to answer both in matter and Form according to what is proposed I say it 's A. S. his vain supposition and presumption without Ground so to judge that Christ Swore I say sometime he held his Peace that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet of him before that he should be as a Lamb dumb before the Shearer as sometime he was both to the chief Priests and Elders to Pilate and to Herod which were all in some Authority and sometime he answered them in the Wisdom of God and sometime he spoke and bore witness to that and Prophesied unto them which was not at all either as to the matter or form of the high Priests adjuring for the very next Words but thou hast said nevertheless I say unto you hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven Mat. 26.64 and therefore these show A. S. his Argument to be frivolous and vain and Mark saith the chief Priests accused him of many things Mark 15.3 but he answered nothing either to their accusations or took notice of the high Priests adjuring to answer him in matter and form as A. S. would have it neither did he look upon himself so oblig'd but answered sometime and spoke the Truth alwayes when he spoke and that which alwayes displeased and dissatisfied the Jews when he answered and for ought can be perceived by his arguing that every Examinate is to answer directly to every matter and form to any that pretends Power to administer an Oath or to adjure he goes about to establish the Popes Inquisition and create matter as sometime they did here in England in the height of the Popes domination forged matter out of their own wicked Hearts to ensnare the Lambs of Christ and then to require them to Swear that they might destroy them and accuse them out of their own Mouths even as the high Priest sought to destroy Christ and to ensnare him which methinks A. S. hath said too much in Vindication of his adjuring and will needs have Christ to be of his mind and at last concludes that Christ Swore but it s but upon his own presumption and supposition and is more then ever he is able to make evident from what is written And A. S. tells us over and over again Swearing was a part of God's Worship wherein God's wisdom Power and justice is acknowledged and then incommunicable to any Creature or false God as is answered before so was Circumcision then and the Oblations and Burnt Sacrifice and Offerings and new Moons to be performed only to the Lord and were peculiarly to be performed unto God and not communicable to any Creature and we say and prove Deut. 6.13.10.20 that these were a part of the service and Worship of God and which as we shall grant that an Oath under the Law was commanded as well as these Services or in his own terms an Oath was equally commanded with his Service as is proved above In this he hath no Adversary but what doth this prove in respect of his Argument which makes it more then equally commanded for he will yield that these services were but temporary but Swearing is perpetual and so he hath given it a priority above the rest his Argument all along hath been chiefly drawn from the Mosaick Law that it was joyned equally with Fear and Service under the Law and so hath striven without an Adversary but now it must needs be above the service of God then and yet from the same command he would only prove it for he hath no better strength nor Ground and we may as well alledge as he doth and say consequently to this sort of Service that was commanded by the Lord as well as Swearing for God hath joyned
them together in the Text above said and obligeth equality at all times as well under the Gospel as under the Law yet then A. S. would call this absurd if it be so as it is indeed then we may as well conclude the other absurd because one is standing as well as the other and binding as well as the other by the vertue of this command although he tells us that an Oath in its Substance hath not any Type at all so we say for the substance is Christ the Oath of God in whom all the Promises and Oaths are fulfilled and this is its substance but as under the Law it was a Type of the Substance and not the substance it self and that Circumcision the Passover and the legal Offerings under the Law had as much goodness in them as Oaths had what-ever A. S. sayes and served to as good ends and purposes in that Ministration as they were ordained and conduced as much to the Glory of God and were subservient to but not against the morality of the Gospel for the shadows were not against the substance nor the Ceremonials against the Morals though the Apostle says the Law is not of Faith yet not against it for as ministerial as the Ordinances of the Law were to the Gospel then yet the Gospel may be and now is without it But to conclude this Argument A. S. Were it so indeed that Oaths were Ceremonial then it follows that Christ in this Text did not forbid them for he did not forbid the Ceremonial Law but observed it all his Life eating the Passeover with his Disciples the Night before his Death unless some would Interpret his Words I command you that you do not Swear yet I am content for a Year or two you may Swear by Heaven or Earth as you have been accustomed but after my Crucifixion and Resurrection Swear no more and there let these that disallow Swearing as a part of the Ceremonial Law Argue no more the unlawfulness of Swearing from these Words Swear not at all Reply Though Christ did observe the Ordinances of the Law as being that Ministration appointed by God until the time of Reformation and the bringing in of a better Hope Heb. 9. It became him to fulfill all Righteousness so was he Circumcised and eat the Passover and was Baptized washed the Disciples Feet which were not enjoyned by the Law though not against it and that Ministration not fully ended though he see it must end and spoke of a further thing and of the time then and also it should be ministred more afterward after his Resurrection Joh. 4.20 21 22 23. The time cometh and now is neither at Jerusalem nor this Mountain but they that Worship the Father shall worship him in Spirit and Truth so that he Prophesied of the end of all those things and of the cessation of them which were sometime commanded respecting both the place and the Worship and to them that did believe the Disciples unto whom it'was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God then was the time to them it was come even then before Christ suffered and therefore A. S. his Consequence is not true that Christ did not forbid all Swearing from this Text and though he had both Prophesied of a clearer Ministration and laid down in Doctrine a more Evangelical precept then the Law yea and more strict obedience yet notwithstanding many did still hold up these things which the Law commanded though they believed well of Christ yea after his Suffering and Resurrection and that a long time though that the Apostles told them the Substance was come and that there was no more Offering for Sin nor Oblations neither legal Observations to be minded any more yet still many observed them and doubtless as to that formal Swearing that was among the Jews and that vain Swearing too many did continue in it afterward notwithstanding Christ's command but then not submitting made not his command void in it self and there is no necessity to make such an absurd Interpretation as that he permitted them to Swear for a Year or two by Heaven and Earth and then at his passion to Swear no more for after he gave forth the command there was no Permission and yet afterward as I said the Apostles declared against the Shadows and preached up the Substance and as A. S. confesseth the types ceased of themselves but let him know there was a time of Dying to them and they ceased not all at once to them that had observed the Law neither were the Mysteries revealed all at once but as they grew in Faith and Knowledge for the Righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith and though the legal Observations were observed in Christ's time so were they after by many but by right ended in the substance and when he was come though many did not see it till afterward But I come to his 11th Argument Eleventh Argument No exposition of the Text oâ— any other is to be admitted that puts inconsistency betwixt the Old Testament and the New seeing both are Inspired by the same God who is incapable of falshood or alteration whereupon if we be not so atheistical as to deny the veracity or immutability of the most high Tit. 1.2 it must be granted that his word is of eternal Truth Jam. 1.17 his Promises yea and Amen his precepts more unalterable then the Laws of the Medes and Persians nor did our Saviour come to destroy but to fulfill the Law thereupon he enjoyns obedience to the commands of the Pharisees as sitting in Moses 's Chair Mat. 23.2 3. from all which it is apparent that the Old Testament is so far from being contradicted that it is fully confirmed in the New therefore I may well draw this conclusion that these words Swear not at all ought not to be interpreted as to render all Swearing unlawful Deut. 6.13 Psal. 63.11 not without Promise of reward Jer. 12.16 and it was Prophesied before by Isaiah that Christians under the Gospel should Swear Isaiah 19.18 and 4. and 23. and I look upon it as a piece of Manichisme and extremely derogatory both to the Scripture and God himself therefore what moral duty one Man was commanded in the Law another should be condemned in the new Reply 'T is true no exposition of this Text or any other is to be admitted that puts such a difference betwixt the old and new Testaments in matter of Substance but shall agree with Austin The Law is the Gospel vailed and the Gospel is the Law revealed and what was Prophesied and typified in the first is fulfilled in the latter but what shall be thought of them that hold up the Types and Figures of the first as though they were not fulfilled or as though the Promise was not come and he made manifest in whom all Shadows end and though God be unchangeable in himself and incapable of falshood or alteration and I know none who
God's Creation when all was blessed and at Peace and in Unity and Harmony one with another when Man was the Image of God and you through the rich Mercy and Love of God being called to believe in the Hope and Promise of God and having waited and obtained Life through Jesus Christ whom the Father hath given for Life and the Covenant thereof and of Peace unto all that believe I say it being given unto you of the Father to believe and receive him whom the Father hath sent to restore again all even all receive the free Gift and close therewith according as the Father tenders him unto all believing and obeying his Voice they come to witness Restoration and to be delivered from Darkness and Death and every evil Way and Work into perfect Freedom in due time and to serve the living God in Righteousness and Holiness and to be made Partakers of his precious Promise and of the Kingdom Power and Glory of God that fades not away and of Life eternal and Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost now and forever and makes all his chosen Ones who believe in his Name Partakers of his piteous and long Suffering and of his heavenly and spiritual Blessings in Christ Jesus to whom be Glory forever and ever Amen I say because the Lord hath chosen you and hath wrought Change in you and brought you out of their Pathes whose Habitations are full of Cruelty all that are in Bondage hate you and your Freedom and your Life and Way and there can be no Reconciliation no Concord in the Ground for as it was of old time even so now since Cain slew his Brother so all the Children of the Flesh of the Bond-woman and of the World hated them that were born of the Spirit and were redeemed up unto God to live unto him and glorifie him forever by shewing forth by a holy Conversation that they were so called and chosen of God I hope the Consideration of these things and the Knowledge of them dwells with you and in your Hearts and you see you are joyned to a blessed Company and an holy Assembly who are gone before and are entred into Rest and have precious Fellowship with them who now remain alive unto this Day who have Fellowship with the Father and the Son and in all our Trials and Afflictions are afflicted with us although you have had Exercises above many and have walked through the Region and Shadow of Death inward and outward yet the Lord hath upholden you unto this Day that you may bear in Mind his great and dreadful and wonderful Works and fear before him land honour him and speak Good of his Name and worship him in the Beauty of Holiness which he hath led you into and glorifie him in his Temple comfort and strengthen one another in the Truth and let not the World neither the fading Glory of it overcome your Hearts but in the Dominion of God stand over the World and its Temptations lest you be entangled that you cannot run with Patience and follow the Lord in the Cross the Dayes of our Pilgrimage go on apace the time is short all outward Suffering will have an End and Wrath shall cease to be any more happy are they that continue in the Patience for this Moment of time we have to follow the Lamb here through the War and Tribulation Victory is at the End thereof in the mean time God by his holy Spirit gives daily Hints of his Love in the inward Man unto all stay'd Minds and Assurance of the Victory which makes me often overlook present Suffering and forget the Afflictions that are past and little to heed present things though they seem to frown because the Light of God's Countenance is lifted up and his Favour and Love and strengthning Power felt in the inward Man which ballances all and weighs down the Scale of present Trouble and Affliction so that hard things are become easie and ponderous things light look not out at Trouble and Hardship but rather admire the great Goodness of God that hath so much restrained the Wrath of Men which was great and hath made some of it to turn to his Glory he hath made void the Intention of the prudent and hath turned Counsel backward and hath frustrated the Expectation of the proud and lofty who took Counsel together even as of old against the Lord and his anointed yet for all this God hath established his Son on the holy Hill of Sion and his Saints reign with him sure you cannot but have taken notice of these things and of the Out-goings of the Lord and have considered his handy-Works and say with me the Lord hath created Deliverance upon Mount Sion and hath appeared to the Joy of the Righteous and his Enemies he is making as the Dust under his Feet and is scattering the Devices of the Sons of fallen Adam and making them as the Chaff of the Summer Floor which the Wind scattereth Friends what shall I'say unto you that I love you ye know that it 's no less neither diminuished to the faithful I now give you to know I often remember you upon my Bed and not only so but before the Lord whom I know hath a Regard unto the Supplications of the upright and their Prayers are as Incense and from whom he smells a sweet Savour and gives them to feel and know it in their Hearts so that they come unto him with Confidence having Access through Jesus our Life and Joy unto whom be Glory and Honour forever and ever Amen Dearly beloved what shall I say to comfort your Hearts and stir up your Minds to the Exercise of his Grace in you but the plenteous Harvest of the Lord is come wherein they that have sown to the Spirit and have walked in Obedience thereunto do reap the plenteous Fruits of Righteousness Peace Joy Assurance and pure and perfect Consolation so that all Cause of Complaint is taken away Glory to the Lord forevermore the Vintage is ripe the Press is full and many Fatts overflow because of Plenty and many are filled with the Fatness of God's House the new Wine is drunk that comes from the pure and living Vine Christ Jesus Clusters of heavenly Grapes are possessed better by far then them the Spies brought from Eshcoll which may animate all your Hearts and encrease your Faith and Hope and further this I say unto you God is ready to give bountifully unto all if you be ready to receive and meet to digest his heavenly Food and I am sure you cannot want any good thing neither will his Consolation be withhâ—lden from you but that which the Prophet Hosea prophesied concerning Israel and the Blessings that should come upon them The Lord shall hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl and they shall hear Israel the same you shall feel inwardly to the Satisfaction of all your Souls the
delighted in Concord and Unity and greatly delighted in the Company of such whom he knew truly feared the Lord and nothing did rejoyce his Heart more then to hear the Truth prospered and that the Churches did encrease in the blessed Fellowship of the Gospel of Christ Jesus And when his Dayes were near spent that Sickness and bodily Weakness came upon him he endured it with very great Patience unto the latter End and his dear Wife and some other Friends being with him he spoke forth heavenly things as one that had obtained the full Assurance of an heavenly Crown and as one whose Heart and Soul was fully fixed upon the Lord who was mightily seen to be with him to his very last End his Soul magnifying of him for his infinite Goodness unto him all his Life long and so he laid down his Head in Peace being he had faithfully served the Lord in his Generation And this is my Testimony for that faithful Servant of God who to the Hour of his Dissolution bore Testimony unto the Truth and my Soul's Desire is his Blood in the Day of the Lord may not be laid to the Charge of some who had a great Hand both in causing him at first to be made Prisoner and also in the continuing of him so to the very last but we leave things with the Lord as knowing Vengeance belongs to him and that he will give a Reward to every one according to their Works By one that loves the Name of the Righteous which shall never rot though the Wicked go down to the Grave and are remembred no more and by one that was a Friend and Country man of the Author of the ensuing Writings R. P. A funeral Verse or Verse in Remembrance of that pious Patriot and Christian Sufferer for the Testimony of his God and his Truth Francis Howgil who faithfully willingly and readily gave up his Life to the Death for the Record which he did bear concerning the Things of Jesus and for obeying the just Commands of Christ. Christian and Moderate Reader IN Silence I had sate and stay'd my Pen Yea as one not appearing till O then Great Pressures suffered me to take no Rest Till that unfolded was which in my Breast Lay cabined then with a mournful Eye Constrain'd I was to wring mine Elegy Love mix'd with Tears made Verse of this my Theam Tears mix'd with Love made tickling Eyes a stream Bedewed Cheeks they then did represent Symptoms of Sorrow weeping Eyes have sent But yet methinks I am not as alone There 's many with me that do make a Moan Yea there are Thousands that do sympathize With me they joyn and stand in watry Eyes When they at first do hear this sorrowing Sound That dear F. H. his Body is laid in 'th Ground But stay what 's need of mourning he 's at 's Rest Perpetual Joyes enjoyes forever blest Redemption from all Pain and Sorrow he Is now attain'd into Eternity Heaven's Joy yea his Soul in solacing The doubled Allelujah now to sing Who was adorn'd who richly beautifi'd Who valiant was for Truth when he was tryd Who stoutly did persist unto the End A Champion like for Christ his Life to spend Like a brave Warriour fighting in a Field Like to a Martyr he his Life did yield O glorious glorious everlasting God Praises to thee Praise sounds to thee abroad Who through thy great Power and wondrous Love Who through thy great Mercy didst approve And him didst call even in his tender Years So that he sought thee daily shedding Tears O this doth speak thy Praise thou living God Who didst so early lay on him thy Rod To bring him home lest he should go astray And step aside from thee another Way Yea this I know that Record he did give That from a Child he sought in God to live Then in process of Time thou by thy Light Remov'd the Darkness of his darksome Night Terrors O Lord from thee took hold of him And Judgment just upon the Man of Sin Thou cut him down with sharpness of thy Word Which was more sharp then a two-edged Sword Thou hewedst him all in Pieces and him try'd That thou mightst cause him to be purifi'd And then O Lord the dawning of thy Day To him appeared in Beauty to array Then did thy bright and glorious Morning-star Yea in his Heart arise and shine right clear Then Lord thy Comliness to him appeared Then Lord thy Mercy to his Soul was heard Speaking great Peace his Soul did consolate Thou madest him happy in a blessed state An Instrument of Praise Thousands give thee Thanks Lord that they his Face did ever see Thou fed'st him in the Valleys where t' was green Where fresh springs run thy Love was therein seen Thou led'st him nigh the Brooks and VVaters still VVith Joy and Gladness thou his Cup didst fill His Ministery in the Truth was great His VVords were piercing powerful and sweet Yea they were soft and tender gentle calm They were as Ointment as a precious Balm To heal to consolate to cure the smart Of many a swooning sorrowed wounded Heart Great was thy Love O God who oft instill'd Thy VVisdom living Vertues of him fill'd Who through thy inspired spirit bright Who with the Glimpses of thy glorious Light Who with the joyous splendour of thy Day Who with thy comely Beauty didst aray Who many Graces didst to him impart Yea Lord great Things revealed in his Heart Let these speak forth thy everlasting Praise By all who know thee now yea and alwayes That thou O living God descended down Into his Heart and there to take up Room So that O Lord nothing to him more dear Was then thy Truth when once it did appear Yea Lord his Life his Liberty his all He gave up freely when of him they call To Prison he resign'd till 's dying Day Truth ballanc'd all and had the greatest Sway Oh shall I now omit and not rehearse His Travails Prisons Perils in my Verse His Beatings Woundings which mine Eyes have seen His Stocking Threatnings Mockings which have been All which for Truth 's sake in his Time did bear Which did confirm his Testimony clear Rest then dear Francis rest in thy glorious Rest Rest in the Lord rest now forever blest Farewel my late dear Friend farewel my Dear Thy Absence causeth me a dropping Tear Thy Countenance thy Comliness to me More joyous was then outward Harmony Thy good Advice thy sound and Serious Words Thy many Writings which to Truth records The loving Aspect which from thee I had When now I do remember O I 'm sad That sweet Salute that from thy dying Lips I did receive in my Remembrance is Thine Eyes my Hands did close thee to thy Rest Once more I bid farewel forever blest Farewel farewel forevermore farewel Thy Habitation's Heaven there to dwell A Well-willer to the Truth who seals his Testimony that he dyed in and for the Truth E. G. Thomas Langhorn's
Thomas Carlton's TESTIMONY CONCERNING Francis Howgil MAY we lament for the Death of any Man Whose Dayes and Years and Life is as a Span Then sure for this our Friend that 's now remov'd Who was so universally belov'd And if we may his Praise in Poems speak Who universally Mens Good did seek Of what we know we 'll only testifie Because we saw him live and also dye To Appleby this innocent Man was brought The Cause was Envy Malice or else nought By such as thought to had him ruinated And in his Interests themselves have stated But God who hath the Righteous in Protection Nulls and frustrates the Wicked Ones Projection Now our Intent in brief's to give a View What of his Life since that time we well knew Being thither brought a Trap they soon prepared Because he could not swear he was ensnared They so delighted that Oaths should abound That they resolv'd to force Men Nation round And if deny then Prisonment during Life And thus they ruinated Man and Wife And did expose whole Families to Distress Making Wives Widdows and Children Fatherless Yea all confiscate that they did enjoy They by this Edict thought for to destroy I well remember when this Trap they laid And in the same this innocent Man betray'd They did insert it in their weekly News Giving the World their Aâ—l for to peruse And vauntingly to elevate their Glory Said they had snapp'd him in a Premunire Like shameless Men deluding their own Act With their vain Glory when their Trap had snapp'd And if they knew a Man to swear was loath Then call him in and tender him the Oath Thâ— they made Crime enough for to deprive A Man of Liberty Estate and Life Oh inhuman sure they are no Men indeed ' Tâ— Pity England any such should breed They needed not for Oaths they have anew Such as preceding Ages never knew Judge Turner he this wicked Sentence past On him and others whose Bonds yet do last Thinking thereby to terrifie the Just Who could not live in their Excess and Lust But their Designs and Weapons prove but vain Their Purposes and Ends for to obtain Lest I digress I shall return to that Which at this Time I principally aim'd at That is to give a certain true Relation And that indeed with little Reiteration Of this my Friend unto the World's View Who worthy is as after I shall shew My Heart is sad this Subject to indite So is my Hand and Pen the same to write Yet in the Lord I Contemplation find Augments my Joy and satisfies my Mind Because his faithful Course he finished As sacredly as he his Life had led He was a Man with Vertues pure endued He chose the Good all Evil he eschew'd And from a Child religiously affected He many a Soul to the Way of Peace directed The Secrets of God's Kingdom he well knew And them to many a tender Heart did shew He did delight of heavenly things to speak In 'th Fellowship of such as them did seek He lov'd the Company of Man or Child That was not with Iniquity defil'd The Fellowship of such as God did fear He in his Heart and Soul did love right dear He was a lowly meek and humble Mind In that I known no Man he came behind With Wisdom Patience Faith and Vertues pure He was possessed and them retained sure God's everlasting Gospel he did preach his Witness pure in many he did reach A pratling scribling Quaker they him call'd Because he did confound their wise Men all For grave Deliberation he exceeded As grave within as outwardly gray-headed His mild Deportment unto every one Makes many an Heart now sad when he is gone Yea many a Soul to Righteousness he turned Yea as a Star he shone or Light that burned He was well learn'd in the Way and Work of God To what he knew he alwayes faithful stood He was a valiant Souldier for the Lord And well knew how to handle his spiritual Sword Of any Man he never turn'd his Back Nor of his Faith he never made Shipwrack Yea when he shot his Bow abode in Strength His even Hand did bit for Breadth and Length These Things I say and what I say I know For he to me my secret Thoughts did show He was the Minister of Christ to me And did resolve my Doubtings inwardly When not a Word to him I did express Nor he before had never seen my Face Surely he was God's Oracle to me And spoke as though my inward Thoughts he see And since that time I never sought a Priest Neither was troubled with itching Ears at least True 't was the Gift of God in him did open He surely hit if that his Tongue had spoken He was no Accademian as he said But in our Northern Regions he was bred Whereby this Observation may accrew That Jeremiah prophesied true Because he said out of the North should come A Nation that should ruine Babylon Confound her Gods and break her Idols many And desolate make her Land as ere was any As Warriors expert at Babylon they aim Their Arrows sharp and keen shall not return in vain And this my Friend of whom I speak was one Amongst many Worthies more that shot at Babylon Which out of the North arose a Climate that 's so cold Wherein Ezekiel saw a Fire it self unfold Which surely will consume Babylon that whorish Woman And all her Spots unvail by the Brightness of its Coming The Work this Man hath wrought with others moe Ages and Tears to come the Effect will shew The Arrows they have shot right sharp and keen When they are gone will sink in 'th VVhore and Queen Succeeding Ages the Effects may see Her deadly Wound incurable to be Then their Memorial shall blessed stand Who died Captives in their Native Land And now dear Francis thou thy Life compleated A Martyr true that never Foot retreated Thy Fame thy VVorth thy Praise I cannot note Who stood so true and stagger'd not a Jote Children unborn shall praise the Lord for thee When thy heroick extant VVorks they see Now from their nasty Goal thou art released To where thy Joy and Peace shall be encreased Though thou in Mesech for a long Time sojourned And as a harmless Dove in private mourned Being constrain'd in Kedar's Tents to dwell No Mate whereto thy Grievances to tell Nor add Relief to thy oppressed Soul With their vile Deeds and Words that were so foul Was Lot with wicked Sodomites sore vexed Was not thy righteous Soul as sore perplexed Had David greater Cause for to complain Then thou hast had in Appleby to remain Or was the Prophet Jeremiah more oppressed Then thy poor Soul with them hath been distressed But that thou hadst the Lord for thy Relief Who satisfied thy Mind and eas'd thy Grief And now hath heard thy Cry and thy Complaint And thee set free from under their Restraint Let now the Teeth of the Persecutors grind Thee for