or Scripture and if that will not do then you look to be Justified by the Righteousness of one you have heard of without you and even then when you your selves are found Sinners and so would make Christ a Minister of Sin How long will you speak these Things and how long shall the Words of your Mouth be as a strong wind doth God pervert Judgment or doth the Almighty pervert Justice Job 8.2 3. shall not he that 〈◊〉 dye and is not he that commits Sin of the Devil doth God justifie him that 's of the Devil nay he shall condemn him the Gospel is not preached to that Seed but the Day of Vengeance and Tribulation and Wrath upon every one that doth Evil and whom he Condemns he Justifies not and whom he redeems he redeems out of Sin and creates them that they may walk to the Praise and Glory of his Grace them that praise Grace and glorifie Grace walk in it and are under it and it hath Dominion over them and their Ungodliness and worldly Lusts are denyed and Holiness and Righteousness is brought forth and the Image of God is restored Oh! how long shall Death talk of the Fame of Wisdom how long shall a deceived Heart lead you aside how long will ye be bind how long will ye hearken to your Imaginations is any redeemed out of Sin where sin rules and where it is acted Grace reigns not is not this the Grace of God which Condemns man's Will and Self and the Lusts of the Flesh and you that are in your Wills and Self in every thing standing doth not the Grace Condemn you how then or by what are ye Justified but this hath been a Piece of your Divinity when that in your Consciences Condemned you looking up to Christ Justified at a Distance Oh you vain minds is not the Light of Christ one with Christ is Christ divided from his Spirit or against himself or in himself when that his Light Condemns and his Spirit reproves thee for Sin doth he Justifie doth not his Spirit bear VVitness in the Spirits of them that are sanctified and is not this the Spirit which Convinceth for Sin and as thou actest Sin it reproves thee and bears witness against thee then how should it bear witness to thee and so you may see all of you who tell of Justification by Faith that you are in a Dream and not in the Faith that Justifies for he that is Justified by Faith which is true he hath the VVitness in himself now if thou be reproved in thy self for Sin by the Light of Christ where is thy witness in thy self shew it For them that are saved by Grace and justified by Faith self and self-will and the Lusts of the Flesh and Disobedience to the Grace of God is judged and condemned and self-Righteousness Tit. 3.5 6. Not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Ephes. 2.8 By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it 's the Gift of God and them that receive and believe in the Gift of God are justified and Grace is the Gift of God which teacheth to deny Ungodliness and them that are taught by this it teacheth and leadeth out of all Sin and so Redemption from Sin is witnessed and Justification is witnessed and the Gift of God which is the Spirit of Promise sâ—als the Assurance in the Heart but where Sin is committed Grace reigns not through Righteousness and thou that art here art under the Law and under Wrath and Condemnation and art not under Grace that justifies through Faith and so your Cover being taken off see your Shame all and blush and repent The Difference betwixt the Faith which is feigned which is the Worlds and the Saints Faith NOW your Faith which leads you not to believe that you can ever be freed from Sin this Faith is Reprobate and brings forth no good Works but dead Works and is not the Life of the Just but tâ—e Life of the Unjust which leads not to overcome the Evil and the Works of the Devil nor leads not into the Rest which is in God for you speak your own WORDS and think your own THOUGHTS and have not ceased from your own Works but worship in your Wills act in your Wills speak in your Wills and are your own and do notice an overcoming of Sin but a growing into it into Deceit more and more and looking all is done for you and you believe Christ hath done all and hath fulfilled the Law for you and yet do witness nothing done in you nor the Law fulfilled in you nor Sin destroyed in you and yet you say you lay hold upon the Righteousness of Christ by Faith Oh! what Righteousness is that you lay hold of which is imperfect leads not out of Imperfection that is not true Faith that layes hold on a Righteousness which is imperfect and all of you say all that is in you there are Defects and Imperfections in it yea even the Graces and Gifts of God you say they are imperfect then consider if you see Imperfection in all those Things you have laid hold on and have received then you know not Faith nor Grace nor the Gift of God which is perfect but believe in a Dream of a thing done and an Apprehension of a Thing at a Distance without you imagining you are eating but when you awake you are hungry imagining you are saved but when you enter into your Hearts see nothing witnessed nothing done nor redeemed from nothing your Faith and Hope stand in Words and that is all preaching the Letter over and proving that which is proved and was proved in them that witnessed the Life of those Things in them that are written but nothing is proved in you but apply their Righteousness which was the Righteousness of Faith and of Christ which was in them wrought through Death to you that are alive in Sin Lust Pride Enmity Malice and Deceit yea even to the Head of the Serpent and so would be covered in your Iniquity and saved from Guilt Condemnation and Wrath but to be cleansed from Sin you regard not for if you own that Word Faith and Hope which is of God it will slay and kill that Life forever and destroy all your Wisdom which stands in the earthly Nature and therefore I say unto you repent and cease from your Way from your vain Conceivings and all be uncovered and you will see the first Principle you have to learn So all your Faith which is out of the Light is seen which you gather in from the Letter and not wrought in the Light it leads not out of the World nor to above the World but all who have Faith work in the Light and Mortification Sanctification and Holiness is brought forth in Purity Uprightness Meekness Temperance Patience and the Fruits of Righteousness
that wills in the Light and works in the Light and reveals Sin by the Light and declares Righteousness through the Light and here the coming of Christ comes to be seen and his Day comes to be known which Abraham saw but through Death this comes to be read and known And so turn all to this here the Word you will hear which is pure and powerful it separates as you hearken unto it and divides between the precious and the vile in you all who love it and it 's nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart and discerns thy Thoughts and here thou wilt learn as thou waitest in Patience of the Son in whom the Father is well pleased and if thou hearkenest to any other it 's the false Prophet which leads thee to Error and so the Displeasure of God will come against thee forever until thou return Blessed is he that hears receives considers and prizes the Offers of Grace and the Day of God's everlasting Love and owns the Gift of God in him revealed which leads to Repentance and works a Change in the Heart and Mind of all that believe in it and gather up into its Nature all that wait in Diligence and believe in it and so the Day of Redemption comes to be seen and known out of Death out of the grave and Immortality comes to be brought forth and Incorruption comes to be put on and they that witness this can truly say we have found him whom our Souls love and do not look for any other Blessed is he that hears and considers and waits to be made Partaker of God's Righteousness revealed that Justifies all that receive it and believe in it they by it come to be Pillars in the House of God forever follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes where pure Peace is enjoyed forever and ever THE Measuring Rod OF THE LORD Stretched forth over all NATIONS AND THE LINE of TRVE JVDGMENT Laid to the Rulers thereof Wherein all Governours Rulers Potentates Powers are measured and all Governments and Laws weighed in the true Weight wherein they all may see how far they are degenerated from the Law of Righteousness and the Rules of Wisdom which was in the Beginning before Tyranny Persecution and Rebellion shewed it self Also shewing the End that will come upon all those Rulers and Governments Rules and Laws that have been made in the Apostacy which is to be all overthrown and all that which is acted out of God's Power to be thrown down by him unto whom all Power is committed Shewing also that they in whom the power of God is made manifest cannot be subject to any Usurper or to that Power which is gone from the Life of God Also an Advertisement to all the Rulers upon the Earth that they may wait for the Restorer to be revealed in the Nations to make up the Breaches and to crush that down which hath made the Breach that so Righteousness may cover the Earth and Gladness of Heart may possess the People Published for the Information of all the Rulers upon Earth By one who waits to see the Kingdoms of the World to become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ that he alone may rule forever and ever F. H. Printed in the Year 1673. THE Measuring Rod OF THE LORD Stretched forth over all NATIONS LIsten oh World hearken O Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof give Ear oh all Nations that are therein and all the Isles thereof draw near ye Potentates thereof ye Emperours Kings Earls Dukes Nobles Principalities and Dominions my Mouth shall speak the Thing that is right and my Lips shall utter forth Understanding my Tongue shall declare unto you the Counsel of the most high and what he is bringing to pass in the latter Dayes he that is higher then the highest hath said he that is greater then the greatest hath spoken the whole World lyes in Wickedness and thick Darkness is over the World his Way is perverted his Counsel is despised and all Nations are out of Order notwithstanding the Multitude of their Counsellors and notwithstanding all their Wisdom yet Folly is brought forth in the midst of the Nations Because they have asked Counsel and not at the Lord and taken Advice and not at the holy One therefore Violence is set up as an Ensign and Wickedness runneth down as a River and Cruelty and Oppression as a mighty Stream the whole Earth is full of Folly and Madness and all the People thereof are degenerate and grown out of the Image of God into a monstrous and strange Nature the Prophets are all Fools the Diviners thereof are mad and they being degenerate themselves from the Life of God have led them into further Blindness Darkness Ignorance and Deceit and have made the Word of Truth of none effect through their Traditions and have taught for Doctrine the Precepts of Men and the Traditions of them who are out of the Faith and out of the Life and out of the Power of God and the Counsellors they have established Wickedness by a Law they themselves being estranged from the Life of God therefore Violence is broken forth into the Earth as a Flood And now all Kings Rulers and Potentates of the Earth who have given their Power to the Whore who sits upon many VVaters and the VVaters are Kindreds Tongues People and Nations yea all Nations have been drunk with the Cup of her Fornication and being all gone forth from the Life which the Prophets and the holy Men of God lived in and were established in Nations and become as VVaters reeling to and fro hither and thither unsetled unstable there the VVhore hath her Seat and all having drunk of her Cup of Iniquity and Fornication even of Mystery Babylon's Cup and are inflamed therewith and so reel to and fro as the VVaters and are as the Waves of the Sea unstable by her who hath made all Nations drunk and by them who have been made drunk with her even all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People have the Prophets been slain and the VVitnesses slain and none to bury them not in Mystery Babylon who is drunk with the Blood of the Saints and they that have drunk of her Cup of Fornication even all the Kings Nobles and Potentates of the Earth they have acted the like and have slain the Appearance of God whereever it hath been brought forth and the red Dragon hath stood ready to devour the Heir which is born of Mystery Jerusalem which is the Mother of all who are born from above who are Heirs of the Promise of eternal Life and the Powers of the earth have joyned their Power to the Dragon who cast out Floods of Venome after the Child which is brought forth by the Woman which is clothed with the Sun and now the Powers of the Earth take Part with the Dragon and their Authority and Dominion that they execute is by his Power which arises out of the bottomless Pit
this Life was Death to him and to his Nature and so all who are out of the Faith are dead while they Live Now after the Transgression in Process of time when the Seed of fallen Adam began to increase in the Earth being driven out from that Presence of the Lord they spread over the whole Earth and sought many Inventions being gone from that of God in themselves by which they were united unto him having broken his Covenant and joyned in Covenant with Death Death acts forth it self against the Seed which is not of its Nature and alwayes sought to imbondage it and to kill it as Cain did Abel and Esau Jacob and Ishmael did unto Isaac and unto his Seed Now the Seed unto which the Promise was received the Law from the Mouth of the Lord and they that persecuted the Seed invented and made Laws of their own according to that Nature in which they lived and so became Heathenish in their Fashions Laws and Customs and Cruelty grew up as it was nourished and leavened into its own Nature and Unbelief grew into a mighty Stature and Monsters were brought forth in such a strange Shape in every thing that the Enmity did appear in as had not been seen in the Earâ—h before and so man being gone astray from the Life of Righteousness every thing is abominable and of a stranger Nature that he brings forth yet take notice of this that as the Seed unto which the Promise was who were in the Faith and obeyed through Faith they had a Law so they in Unbelief had also a Law as the Seed worshipped the living God through a lively and a living Faith and so sinned not in so doing the Seed of the Serpent imitated a Worship and worshipped in Death and Unbelief and as the Laws of one were equal such as David and Solomon the other were unequal such as Jeroboam and Rehoboam and as the one set up Equity by a Law the other made a Law to set up Iniquity And the Seed sought not their own Honour but the Honour of him who was their Reward but the Seed of the Evil-doer sought himself and his own Honour and as the Spirit of the Lord breathed forth it self and spoke the Truth in the Power of God Deceit uttered forth Lyes in Hypocrisie and in the Power of Death and as the upright lived unto God in the Spirit Deceit lived unto the Flesh and unto him who hath the Power of Death which is the Devil and as they fulfilled the Law of God who were led by the holy Spirit of God into all Truth the other followed their own Imaginations and answered the Deceit and foolish Mind and they whose Understanding was darkened loved them and had Pleasure in them So it may be truly said Many Nations Rulers and ruled sit in the Region of the shadow of Death and the living God is forgotten among them and one against another they are seeking one anothers Ruine and all in the Violence and in the Cruelty Therefore all Rulers and Potentates of the Earth Magistrates and Governours under the whole Face of Heaven hearken unto the Words of my Mouth and listen unto Understanding that you may be Partakers of the Happiness and Felicity which God is shedding abroad now in the â—â—â—ter Dayes that so the Restorer you may know in your Regions and the Deliverer in your Nations and the Maker up of the Breach in your dominâ—ons that he who is the desire of all Nations may be revealed among you He which must restore is not born of man nor cometh not to a People or a Nation in the Will of man neither seeks he himself but the Glory of the Father who hath sent him to seek and to save that which is lost and to heal the Breaches and to destroy that which hath made the Breach that so all Nations who receive him and believe in him may be reconciled unto him and one to another that the Earth may enjoy Rest and the Regions Quietness therefore all be warned not to look forth in your Wills for there you will not receive him but slight him as many before you have done and so lye down in Sorrow and weary your selves in Vanity and lye down in Infamy and never come to see his dignity Now he of whom I declare unto you is the Son of God who is the Light of the World and the Life of Man and hath lightned every man that cometh into the World which Light wherewith all men are enlightened is not contrary to the Law of God which indures forever but one with it and this will let you see Violence Treachery Murder Envy Wrath Maliciousness Drunkeness Whoredom Lying Cursed speaking Stealing Defrauding Cheating Cozening Riotousness Pride Arrogancy Emulation Contention Strife Hatred Persecution Cruelty Oppression I say the Light which comes from Christ by whom the World was made will shew you that all these things is Sin and evil in the sight of God and also will let you see there is a ground from whence these and all other evils proceed which ground is in all the Sons of men in the Transgression till it be removed and these things before mentioned be the fruits that grow from it and bud forth themselves in all Nations and in every man in every Nation so the Earth is filled with Violence and the Grapes are as Sodom and the Fruit as Gomorrah whom God overthrew and till these things be done away and these fruits wither and the root from whence they arise be removed out of every particular man who is a Ruler he cannot be a Blessing to a Nation neither rule for God in a Nation neither will he or can he be a Terrour to all these things before mentioned While he himself is in those for he cannot destroy his own Life neither will Iniquity set up Righteousness nor the Worker of Iniquity advance Christ. Therefore listen to the words of my Mouth and despise not Counsel lest you perish among Fools and go down to the horrible Pit where there is everlasting Misery unto all Perpetuity Now God that made both Heaven and Earth and all things that therein are he is Light and with him is no Darkness at all he never changes his Purity nor alters his righteous Decrees his Eye is pure and alwayes fixed to behold all the Works of the Sons of men and he searches the Heart of man with his eye and pierceth through the secret places and is near to every man although man do not see him he is invisible and eternal and his Law indures forever and the unalterable decree by which Sin is judged and reproved in the World and in every particular man and every man who hearkens and hears the Words of the pure Law which judges all Sin in man receiveth the Sentence of Death in himself and is judged by the righteous Words of his Mouth and so Sin in the particular comes to be condemned and all these changeable things
should be the greatest and said unto them The Gentiles exercise Lordship one over another but it shall not be so amongst you and though Peter and the rest of the Apostles who were in the Power of God had that which did open into the Kingdom of God and shut out that which did defile yet this we are sure of he sold no Pardons nor Indulgences for Gain and filthy Lucre as many have done whom you call Peter's Successors and Christ's Vicar and Universal Bishop and visible Head but it is manifest how the Pope became visible Head and Universal Bishop not because of any Work or Labour in the Doctrine of Christ or the Work of the Gospel but by means of the Roman Emperor for while the Christians were under Persecution and Suffering there was no talk of visible Heads or much of Universal Bishop for then Rome had no more Priority then the rest for the Churches at Constantinople at Jerusalem at Caesaria at Cyprus and Alexandria for the first three hundred Years they had as much Power in their several Churches as Rome had and often the Elders or Bishops of the afore-said Churches did reprove sharply the Bishop of Rome but at last above five hundred Years or upwards Phocas to aspire to the Empire of Rome he murthered his own Master Mauritius and his Children to attain unto the Empire so at that time Boniface the third was Bishop of Rome and Phocas somewhat fearing and willing to have Boniface his Favour condesceâ—deth to all his Petitions and grants him to be Universal head-Bishop over all Christian Churches and there was the first rise of Rome â—s visible Head for this frivolous Reason of being Peter's Successor could never have raised him to that height but then the Emperor's Power and Authority became to be the more forcible Plea for before that time the Bishops of Rome were chosen by the Emperor's consent but after he had got Power Emperors could not be chosen but by the Popes consent and then came the Bishop of Rome to be a visible Head and be called Universal Bishop Christs Vicar a Lord spiritual over all the Churches and in process of time Lord temporal over all the Empire And thus your Church of Rome became magnificent and great to sit as a Queen upon the Waters Nations Kindreds and Tongues as you acknowledge your Church of Rome hath spread over and here is a Head and a Body which are joyned together in Union Christ is the Head of the true Body which is his Church and his Wife and Antichrist he is the visible Head of his visible Church and Wife Mystery-Baâ—ylon The next piece of Merchandize which the Authâ—r brings forth to view is Purgatory and prayer to be made for the dead and also prâ—yer unto Saints and the Authors proof is 1 Cor. 3.15 wheâ—e he Apostle speaks Every mans Work shall be tryed and that Work whâ—ch will not abide the Fire must be Burnt and this the Author calls The Fire of another World and Prayer for the Dead he proves out of 12 of Maccabees and prayer to the Saints he sayes it's lawful to Pray in this Wâ—rld unto good People and Paul while he lived did Pray for others and also did beg their Prayers And the Angel in the first of Zachary prayed for Iâ—rael and there can be no harm in Praying to them that can Pray for us Answ. They that dwell in the shadow of death are lik to speak out of thick darkness they that have made a Covenant with Death are loath to have it broken and they that have a mind to continue in Sin while they live have a mind to put the Evil day afar off Judgment afar off Evil-doers will never have it time to give account for their Evil deeds and so put it off till they are Dead and to another World and let â—he Devil have Prehemience in their Hearts while they live and reckon their Sins venial and Light faults this is contrary to the Doctrine of the true church of Christ and contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said The Wages of Sin is death and there is no Sin goes Unpunished nor Unjudged and Sion is redeemed through Judgment and by the Spirit of burning and Purgatory is a Fiaction falshood and a Lye and there is no cleansing from Sin in another World Solomon saith As the Tree falleth whether to the North or to the South so shall the Tree lye and the Word of God who have received it in their Hearts which is as a Fire that purifies and the Blood of Christ is that which cleanseth from all Sin and there 's not any cleansâ—ng from any Sin but by it and there is no cleansing in another World but Purgatory hath been invented and Prayer for the Dead that thereby the Pope might be enriched and sell the invented Prayers and Aâ—e Maâ—â—es and so cheat People of their Money and there 's no Sacrifice to be offer'd for the Dead who dye in their Sins nor no Remission after this Life And as for praying to the Saints the Scripture makes no mention of and though Paul did Pray for others and beg the Prayers of others yet he prayed not for them when they were dead neither did beg the Prayer of the deâ—d but prayed for them who were Believers in the true Church and desired the Prayers of them that were living Members and were alive and lived in the World and were redeemed out of it and the Angel prayed not for the People of Israel when they were dead and that which thou calls Jeremy's prayer in the Maccabees was never spoken by the Spirit of the Lord nor the Offering was not made in the Will of God and the Prophet saith Though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us yet thou O Lord art our Father And the Lord said unto David Seek my Face and call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear and Answer Not upon Mary Peter and Paul Dominick and Anthâ—ny Again it 's contrary to the Practice of the Saints in the Primitive times and contrary to the Doctrine of Christ who said unto his Disciples Whatsoever you ask in my Name the Father shall give it to you He doth not speak of any other Name neither is any Prayer or Supplication accepted of the Father but in the name of Christ alone So these Doctrines are false and Doctrines of Devils never commanded nor Practised by any of the Saints in the Primitive time but only have been invented and practised by the Apostatesâ— who have Erred from the Faith and Practice which was onâ—e delivered unto the Saints which the church of Rome hath made Ship-wrack of in many things which I have made appear and I shall proceed to more particulars to manifest it lest any should be beguiled with such deceitful Babylonish Merchandize which the Nations are too much corrupted with already The next false Doctrine which the Author layes down is That
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
I deny them and they and all vvho act in Uncleanness And thou goest on and shevvest as thou hast stollen from other mens VVords from the Prophets and Moses That the Judgment of the Lord was against all Idolaters and false Prophets and Dreamers and how they and them that served strange Gods were to be put to Death Wo unto them saith the Lord that steal my Word every Man from his Neighbour and say thus saith the Lord whenas the Lord hath never spoken unto them thou hast stoln other mens VVords and shalt be judged by thy ovvn mouth and thy ovvn Lavv that thou never hadst the VVord of the Lord made manifest nor never did the Lord speak to thee and therefore thou art that false Prophet and art that Dreamer and he that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream he that hath the Word of the Lord let him speak it novv them that speak the VVord of the Lord from the Mouth of the Lord as the true Prophets did and do then thou callest to the Magistrates to put them to Death And as for the Worshippers of strange Gods many in the County of Durham and many other Places let them declare vvhether they vvorshipped any but a strange God at a Distance and vvent after dumb Idols even as they vvere led vvhile they follovved the ministry vvhich vvas never sent but novv is the Lord made manifest and the strange Gods are put avvay and broken and the false Prophets are seen and the Prophet is raised up vvhich Moses spoak of and vvhosoever hear 's not his Words shall be slain vvith the Svvord And further thou tellest the Magistrates That if any Hypocrite shall presume to speak a Word in the Name of the Lord which he hath not commanded even he shall dye and it is an old Statute unrepeal'd Rep. If thou knevv vvhat thou spoak thou hast given Sentence against thy self I charge upon thee in the Presence of the living God that thou never heardst his Word nor spake his Word but in thy ovvn Name and I charge it again upon thee when did he ever speak to thee that Spirit by which the Prophets of the Lord spoke thou dost deride and call'st it a miraculous Infusion and so thy Spirit is another and not the same and that it is an old Statute thou shalt know that thou hast spoken in thy own Name and what thou hast learned by Tradition but in Christ all the Law and the Prophets is fulfilled and all Statutes who come to witness him he is the Law-giver Judge and King and all is fulfilled as he comes to be witnessed and all strange Gods put away even the Idols of Gold and Silver and all false Prophets by him come to be seen judged condemned and slain and thou that would'st put it upon the Magistrate without to kill Men by a Law and so to usurp the Power which is given to the Son and so make them guilty of innocent Blood thou art a Murderer And now further who must judge of the false Prophets of Heresie Schism and Blasphemy I know thou denyest Revelation and the rest of the Priests in England who trade with other mens Words and I know thou darest not say thou art infallible and thou hast not discerning of Spirits the Apostle exhorted them who dwelt in the Light to try the Spirits but he bad not them who are led by the Prince of the Air and were Children of Disobedience as thou art of a covetous earthly Mind he bad not them to try nor them who were carnal and therefore stop thy mouth thou canst not discern a Lamb from a Dog not a Kite from a Dove And let all Magistrates who fear the Lord either in this Nation or else-where take heed how they judge of Heresie and Blasphemy not that I am ignorant but that there is Heresie and Blasphemy but that none can judge who they are but who have an infallible Spirit therefore it is now as it hath been many have suffered as Hereticks as Christ for a Blasphemer and the Apostles as Setters forth of strange Gods and were persecuted to Death and many do and are like to suffer by this Spirit that dwells in Thomas Ellyson And therefore all you who are Magistrates that sit as Judges and Rulers take heed what you do and take heed of Zeal without Knovvledge for so Paul persecuted and so the Jews slevv Christ the Heir and so many vvould have their Will satisfied but thou must be judged by all vvho dvvell in the Light thou that sittest as Judge over another see that thou be judged in thy self for to take your Knovvledge and Direction from such as these men instead of planting you vvill be Destroyers And thou art offended at some that hold forth new Lights and Gifts which thou say'st the Word of God never taught us Rep. All vvho are taught by the Word vvhich is eternal are guided in one Light for the Light is but one and this is no nevv Light but the same that ever vvas but thou that callest the Letter the Light and the Word thou art blind and art a Hater of the Light from vvhich the Scripture vvas declared And in the Conclusion thou beggest That Schollars and Universities may be preserved for the breeding of able Ministers to preach the Word and hold out the Sacraments Rep. And this is the Sum of all that thou and the rest of false Shepherds may be carryed in the Bosome of the Magistrates and so to preserve you and destroy all that oppose you As for Learning it is Natural I ovvn it in its Place but that it makes and breeds able ministers I deny it and all those ministers for many filthy Frogs and unclean Spirits have come out of the Universities that have spread over the Nations as Locusts vvithout a King and all their Preaching and their Sacraments is carnal and all their Ability that is got by their Trading leads People to be seven-fold moâ—â— the Children of the Devil I speak vvhat I vvas a Witness of vvhile I follovved the chiefest of them And therefore I say unto you vvho are Governours Hold not that up which the Lord hath cursed for that which is Natural cannot lead up to God And therefore be ye all vvarned That you turn not back to build again that which God is destroying who threw out one Power after another because they would needs limit the Lord a Way to walk in And truly God vvill pour you out from Vessel to Vessel till you be emptied of all and till you give him all Power and Honour to rule over his Church and People that they may serve the Lord in Freedom of Spirit and not in the Flesh and if any vvalk disorderly and break any righteous Lavv and vvalk in the Flesh them execute your Lavv upon there is your Place but that you should prescribe a Way for God to vvalk in he cannot he vvill not be bound and you that go about to
false Prophet and Babylon came into Remembrance in that Day the Mother of Harlots and the Sea dryed up and all the Merchants that traded with her stood afar off for the Cup of Fury was poured forth and Cain was seen and Judas that had betrayed the Lord of Life and I would have run any Way to have hid my self but nothing but weeping and gnashing of Teeth and Sorrow and Terrour and I roared out for the Disquietness of my Heart and the Kingdom was full of Darkness I knew not the right Hand from the left I became a perfect Fool and knew nothing and as a Man distracted all was overturned and I suffered Loss of all in all that ever I did I saw it was in the accursed Nature and then something in me cryed Just and true is his Judgment my Mouth was stopped I durst not make mention of his Name I knew not God And as I bore the Indignation of the Lord something rejoyced the Serpent's Head began to be bruised and the VVitnesses which were slain were raised and stopped Heaven that it rained not in the Dayes of their Prophecy and a great Famine there was and the Sun was darkened and the Moon turned into Blood and the Stars did fall and all the Grass of the Earth withered and every green Tree and all the Springs were dryed up and a great and noysome Smell and a Plague fell upon the Earth and the VVaters became as the Blood of a dead Man and the Heavens passed away with her Noise and the Elements melted and the Earth was scorched with the Flame which proceeded from the Throne of God and the Judgment-Seat of Christ was seen and an Account was to be given and then Esau was cursed and Cain and Judas and Ishmael and all the Cananites and the Egyptians went to the left Hand and as the Judgment was pronounced something cryed Just art thou oh Lord in all thy Judgments And as I did give up all to the Judgment the Captive came forth out of Prison and rejoyced and my Heart was filled with Joy and I came to see him whom I had pierced and my Heart was broken and the Blood of the Prophets I saw slain and a great Lamentation and then I saw the Cross of Christ and stood in it and the Enmity slain upon it and the new Man was made and so Peace came to be made and so eternal Life was brought in through Death and Judgment and then the perfect Gift I received which was given from God and the holy Law of God was revealed unto me and was written in my Heart and his Fear and his Word which did kill now makes alive and so it pleased the Father to reveal his Son in me through Death and so I came to witness Cleansing by his Blood which is Eternal Glory unto him forever and am a Minister of that Word of eternal Life which endures forever Glory unto his Name forever and have Rest and Peace in doing the Will of God and am entred into the true Rest and lye down in the Fold with the Lambs of God where the Sons rejoyce together and the Saints keep Holy Dayes Glory unto him forever And these few things have I written for your sakes who walk in Darkness that you may see where you are and also ye high Cedars who trust in the Arm of Flesh that you may cease your Boasting and come down from off the Pinacle where you are exalted for the same must come upon you if ever the Lord you know in Truth and Righteousness even through the Death of things in the Curse of all Knowledge and Wisdom which is from below yea through the Death of Death that rules in you which must be slain upon the Cross of Christ Jesus if ever you come to true Peace and witness eternal Salvation And therefore cease you Diviners and Imaginers who have feigned a Faith and a Christ and a Salvation in your Imaginations and yet that you may live in the Lust and Filth of the World and the Customs and Fashions which perish I say your Expectations shall fail and you will lye down in Sorrow for where Salvation is witnessed the Life of Christ is witnessed but you would have Salvation and the Life of the Devil brought forth and lived in But unto all such I say This will be your Sentence Depart into the Lake Therefore take Warning for it is not your good Words without the Life of Godliness nor your swelling Speeches that are accepted with God for he accepts nothing but what is of himself and by him wrought in the Creature by his own Will and Power and this destroyes the carnal Will Power and Righteousness and this work which he worketh of himself and by his Power and in his Covenant is perfect and is accepted of God and so it s no more the Creature but Christ who is all in his Saints and so he brings all that follow him out of his Works of Condemnation which are acted in the disobedient Nature and are accursed whether praying or plowing or whatsoever while Cain lives which is in the Banishment out of the Acceptance of God and all who follow him who is the LIGHT and leads all that believe and follow him into the living Works of Righteousness wrought by Christ through Faith and is accepted and well pleasing unto God and here all boasting is excluded for all is of him and from him that works both the Will and the Deed and here the Lord is admired in all his Works and his VVorks praise him Wherefore all honest hearted who travell and are weary and have found no Rest for your Souls I say unto you Arise and come away lye not groveling in the Earth like Moles nor seek not to know God in your fallen Wisdom for the Well is deep and if you know nothing but the old Wisdom which is corrupt and natural you cannot come to one Drop of the living Water therefore dwell no longer among the Graves and Tombs where the unclean Spirits dwell which trouble and vex all that pass in their Way neither dwell among the Pits where there is no Water he is risen he is not there look upward mind that which draws you from the Earth the Covenant of Life is made manifest Glory unto him in the highest his Proclamation is Ho every one that thirsteth come freely and receive of him freely without Money or Price or any thing of yours or self nay self must be denied and that you must deny if you will receive of him that he may be all and you nothing for he gives freely and his Gift is perfect and pure without Spot Stain or Mixture and all that receive his Gift come by it to be presented perfect to the Father And this is making manifest to you also who wait upon him who is given for a Covenant of Light and Peace and Life and all that receive this gift shall come to hear glad-tidings Peace on Earth
witness they had in them that they pleased God and were accepted of God and this Righteousness was wrought in them and is now the same which is wrought in the Saints by him who is their Light and Life and this was the Righteousness of Faith and that which was wrought by Christ in the Saints as they believed in him and in the Measure of Grace received from him which saâ—ed them from Sin which was not of themselves he perfected his own VVork in them through and by Faith and justified them and sanctified them and became their VVisdom by which they were led into all Truth out of Failings and Imperfections and VVeaknesses and he became their Strength and Rock and they were builded upon him and as they stood upon him the Rock they were preserved when the VVaves did beat and when Temptations came and were sure and stedfast and immoveable and so overcame the Armies of Aliens and quenched the Violence of Fire and resisted the Devil and quenched his fiery Darts and had Victory over the Heathen and reigned as Kings over the Beasts of the Field and over the Deceit and by the receiving and believing of the VVord of him who was and is called Jesus by which Faith came by the hearing of they overcame the Enemies of their Souls and him who hath the Power of Death by the Blood of him who is eternal who is Jesus the Mediator of the new and Living VVay they overcame the Dragon even by the VVord of his Testimony which was revealed in them which Word of Faith Paul who was a Minister preached unto them even to them who had the Word in them and turned them to it and as they believed in it they were sanctifâ—ed by it and cleansed by it made perfect and then they witnessed the bringing in of a better Hope which perfects and makes perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which while they stood without looking at Elementary things and divers VVashings and those things which were Figures of the true Tabernacle made without Hands which stood until the time of Reformation and then done away to wit the Hand-writings and them that witness the new Covenant now they see them done away and the time of Reformation is come the same which they witnessed Glory for evermore And therefore all you Professors who have builded high Towers and Castles in your Imaginations and have told of Reformation these many Years but you have nothing but a Hand-writing to establish your Building upon and all your Reformation hath been but the washing of Cups and pulling down one Thing and set up another beggarly elementary Image and do not witness the better Hope brought in nor the time of Reformation nor cannot abide that any should declare it unto you nor believe it nor hear it nor while your Eyes are without and not in the Head you cannot see when Good comes but are as Heathens in the Desart and although you are among the Brambles and Bryars yet you would be counted Kings and Heads over others and one making an Image in this Manner and another in that of all Sorts high and low but all stand in the Earth and all in one Ground and what do they avail you for they cannot save for your highest Enjoyment is imperfect you say what then serve these for only for you to talk on and this is all they serve for and to contend and strive about one with another and all in your Wills while the Will of God in you is not hearkened unto but cast behind your Backs and so the Way of true Peace you never come to attain unto Oh when will you be weary of feeding upon the Wind and of Husks among Swine and upon that which dyes of it self and when will you enquire after the living God who is Power how long have you talked of his Power to come many Years and you are still as far of if not further then you were before and have told of the Glory of the Lord to be revealed and of his Law being written in the Heart and of God teaching his People himself and of his Spirit being poured out upon his Sons and Daughters and you cannot see that you have obtained nothing and you have prayed and what have you obtained nothing for you have asked amiss and one comes hungry and is still complaining and then you that are full feed them with the old Dregs and Lees which you are setled upon and the old Leaven of airy Notions and Conceptions and Wine of the sour Grape which sets on Edge the Childrens Teeth and fills them too full that when the living Bread is broken they cannot eat nor relish it nor taste and so cannot enter your selves nor suffer others to enter and when these things are witnessed in the Life which you have talked on so long you cannot own them that do declare it and when the Power of God is declared unto you what it is and where it is to be waited for you cannot own it this is too low for you and except the Lord will come in your VVay that you prescribe unto him you will not look upon him but as the Jews did whose Eyes were without and your fallen VVisdom cannot receive him nor compass his eternal VVisdom And yet you will say The Jews did require a Sign and were in the Adultery and the Greeks sought after Wisdom and they stumbled and yet you cannot see your selves in the same State Did ever God reveal himself to the fallen VVisdom which is learned from that Principle which is erred and gone out from God or to the VVill of Man which is at Enmity against God Nay nay he never did nor will reveal his Counsel but to that which is of himself which is the least of all Seeds in the VVorld and it is he that is born of God that heareth God's VVord and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit and is nourished by the Spirit and led by it and so the spiritual God reveals his Law and his Statutes to him and his Testimony which is sure How long have you talked of the Spirit and worshipping in Spirit and yet indeed deny its leading and teaching and live in the Oldness of the Letter and crying up and setting up things that are carnal visible and elementary and VVashing is not known from Sin nor cleansing and so you may see what Operation your Spirit you have talked on hath when you are still what you were Now the Spirit of God is operative and works a Change in the Ground and translateth all that follow and hearken unto it into its own Nature when all those things you so much strive about were but a Shadow for the Word was in the Beginning and gave Life and is spiritual and when it 's known and witnessed within in the Heart it separates from Death and gives Life to all that hear and believe in it What Christ what Gospel is this you preach
Now that which shews a man Evil after it be committed is the pure Appearance of God And that which shews a man the Temptations when they arise that is the same now this they call Common and that which preventeth a man and keeps him back that he lend not his Heart nor put forth his Hand to commit Evil but restrains a man from it is not that saving out of evil and that which stops the Adversary in his Way that he enter not but preserveth the Creature out of Defilement and saves him from it is not this saving is not this the same thing that the Apostle who was well acquainted with the Grace of God and of its Operation wrote of to Titus That Grace of God which brought Salvation which had appeared and doth now appear to all men which taught them self-denyal to deny worldly Lusts and also to live godly or like unto God in this present World and now doth the same is not this sufficient to believe in and sufficient to save Now I do not say but there is a greater measure let out unto them that are converted unto God then is to them that are convinced of their Evil by the same Grace yet still it is one and the self-same thing one Gift yet a greater Measure of one and the same pure Vertue and Power which is given to them that obey the Life which is already made manifest by its Appearance unto all Object But some will be ready to say that this is Errour and that which is contrary to the Scripture and to orthodox Teachers that the Grace which is saving is near all men and hath appeared to all men To that I answer Though grace be saving in it self even the grace that hath appeared to all men and may be truly called saving grace yet to them that believe not in it neither are taught by it it convinceth and shews Evil and checks and judges for it yet there is no Variation nor Change in the Gift of God but as it worketh upon different Objects for Faith and Unbelief are two different things as Light and Darkness are different and so the Word of his Grace is the Savour of Life unto Life that is to say unto them that believe and is the Savour of Death unto Death unto them who are in the Unbelief who indeed are dead while they live yet here is the same Grace and the same Word of Grace yet here are different Operations so the Lord killeth and maketh alive yet the same Lord the Spirit convinceth of Sin and reproveth for Sin and also consolates and comforts here is Diversity of Operations yet the same Spirit which never alters Object But further some may say If that it be saving Grace or at least a degree and a Measure of saving Grace that hath appeared to all men then how is it that all are not saved by it Answ. Because I would all stumbling blocks were removed away that the Path might be made plain that all might come to believe in that which is God's Gift in which there is Power and Sufficiency therefore I am constrained by the Grace of God to declare of it and to bear witness to it thus largly which I know will be to the Edification of all that hunger after Righteousness All are not saved by it because they believe not in it neither are taught by it yet its Validity Power and Vertue is nevertheless in it self and though them that are careless and heedless say We feel no Power nor Sufficiency in it to save us from Sin yet this makes not void their Confidence who have receiâ—ed it and know its Power which hath given them Power and also Sufficiency to do the Will of God what though Unbelievers who are in the Alienation say there is no Beauty in Christ neither Fâ—rmnor Comliness this makes not his Glory void who is the express Image of the Father full of Grace and Truth the Disciples saw it and bore Record of him who were in the Faith and the Pharisees said he had a Devil who were in the Unbelief but in brief this is my Testimony that the Grace of God the perfect gift of God which shews Ungodliness and leads from Ungodliness all that are taught by it is a sufficient Teacher of it self I mean as the Power of Christ through it is made manifest unto all them that hearken to it Paul a Minister of the word of Reconciliation who was rapt up into the third Heaven where he saw things unutterable came to be tempted and buffetted with the Messenger of Satan and Fear and Doubting rose up in him and he prayed unto God thrice and this answer was given unto him my grace is sufficient for thee so this is evident to all Understandings who are opened by the Lord that which shewed him the Temptations and Satan's Messengers and Satan's Buffetings was sufficient to preserve him and so is it for all who singly are kept to it and in it sufficient to shew Ungodliness because of its Purity and to lead from worldly Lusts by its Power and to teach the Will of God and to live like unto God in this present World and this Testimony I bear of it and to it even what I have felt and tasted and handled of its Sufficiency and Vertue and Power of its Operation for the Confirmation of the same Truth which is believed by many Brethren and also for the Information of them who thirst after the Lord and for the Opposition of all the Gain-sayers and Opposers of it which Testimony I commend to that of God in every man which will witness me herein in the Day of God when all Hearts are opened and all Falshoods and Truth is made manifest in the mean time shall rest in that which I have declared of in which there is pure and perfect Peace A Word to you wise Men of this World who are glorying in the Sound of Words and worshipping outward Appearances to all wise and literal Professors who think you are worshipping God aright who think to search into the deep Things of God by your natural Wisdom Learning Parts and Study GOD hath broken open the Seals of the great Deep where the wonderful unalterable things of God are revealed from whence eternal Wisdom is flowing forth to his little Ones whom he hath sanctified from the Womb and his Power and Glory he is shedding abroad and making it to flow forth as though it issued out of a Womb by which Power and Wisdom you are all weighed even by one who is swadled about with Righteousness and girded up with the Girdle of Truth you are all measured as with a Span and are all weighed as with a Scale all your Parts Tongues Languages Interpretations Significations Wisdom that are come to be enjoy'd by them who have believed in the true Light that lighteth every Man which rounds you all as an Heap and measures you all as with a Line your Breadth Length
setting up and conforming to a visible Practice without that will justifie you while that which is in the Transgression and hath transgressed the Life and hath disobeyed the Light in your Consciences is Head in you and above the pure that will not recommend you unto God neither can you have any Access or Acceptation with God in that State till you come out of the Waters upon which the Whore sits which are unstable and boisterous and reel to and fro and unsetled which are all to be dryed up and all the Springs cut off that nourish and you must come to the Rock before you know any thing that will endure to build upon which Rock is Christ who abides for ever but you are all gone from that which should give the Knowledge of him in your selves and do not retain him in your Knowledge neither that which gives the Knowledge of him the Light of his Spirit which shineth in your Hearts making manifest in your Hearts the Intention of your Hearts when Motions unto Evil do arise this must you all come to before God's Salvation or Redemption you come to know in your selves or have the Witness of God's holy Spirit without which there is neither Seal nor Evidence nor Assurance enjoyed or felt of the Love of God The Time of restoring is come and many are restored again into God's Covenant and are delivered out of the Jaws of Death and feel him who is the Healer of the Nations and the Restorer of the desolate Places to dwell in but first you must come to see those Places made desolate wherein the wild Nature lodges before you come to have a Share in the Restoration come off these barren Mountains where you are feeding to Christ the Life of Men who hath lightned you and wait in it that you may feel his Mind in your selves and the Signification of the Spirit of Truth from your own Spirits or else you will still err for Lack of Knowledge and perish for Want of Understanding and so lay down your Heads in Sorrow The Kingdom of God and of his Christ declared in some Measure as it is revealed what it is and where it is to be waited for and how it cometh to be revealed to them and in them that believe that all who are waiting for it may know wherein it consists and so receive the End of their Hope and the End of their Expectation and know the Dominion which hath no End THE Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion and without End God is a Spirit his Kingdom is spiritual his Habitation is sutable to his own Nature he is immortal his Kingdom is so he is Light his dwelling Place is so a pure Situation in which there is no Uncleanness nor ever shall be It 's eternal Dignity it is an immutable Being that remaineth alwayes in its Purity and Pleasantness Eternally glorious it consists in Power in Righteousness in Purity in Joy in Hope in Peace in Life in Vertue eternal in Quietness it 's a quiet Habitation it is a incomprehensible unsearchable and indeclarable Words are too short they are but as Sounds as Vails It is unexpressible in its is the Treasure-House of Wisdom out of which all that believe in him who is the King of eternal and immortal Glory come to receive of his Wisdom of his Life of his Power Vertue Righteousness and come to enjoy him who is the Fulness that filleth all things whether visible or invisible whether terrestrial or coelestial his Power is over all his Dominion is over all who is eternally Blessedness it self and Felicity it self who makes all that believe in him to partake of his Kingdom of his Grace of his Power of his Dignity of his Dominion and of his Glory caelestiall but these things are hid from the World who are not redeemed from the Earth neither never look to be while they are in the Body Unto such I say God's Kingdom you shall never see nor enjoy while you are in that Faith which is reprobate but may be truly called Unbelief although you imagine a Glory and a Kingdom in your earthly Minds and dream of a thing to come sutable unto that wherein your Glory now standeth but that will all fail and those Imaginations will be confounded and dissolved into nothing because they are centered in that which is out of the Truth Christ and so are without Ground or Bottom and are out of that which should give you the Sight and Knowledge of God in your selves and his Kingdom Christ when he taught them that followed him exhorted them that first of all they might seek the Kingdom of God even while they were in the Body Mat. 6. and 39. the Pharisees were gazing abroad in their earthly Knowledge although they had the Scripture that declared of Gods Kingdom yet they knew it not and this Generation is the same who are in the same Nature and in the same Wisdom which is earthly and litteral and they are imagining as the Jews were and are lo here and lo there in this Observation and the other and look to see it there Nay Christ said The Kingdom of God is within you to the Pharisees And he bad them and others seek it first what strange Doctrine was this might the Pharisees say he saith The Kingdom of God is within us and yet bids us seek it Need we seek that which is in us may Professors say Yea it 's like a Pearl hid in the Field it 's like a Grain of Mustard-seed among many great Seeds which is not easily found it 's like a Piece of Silver lost in the House among much Rubbish till that be swept away thou wilt not find it thou must dig deep sweep clean search narrowly before thou find it although he said to the Pharisees The Kingdom of God is within you he did not say they were Possessors of it or that it was theirs but to the Disciples whom he taught to pray in Faith thy kingdom come and they came to find it that which they prayed for that Pearl that Groat that Grain of Mustard-seed which it was like and having found it and believed in it he said unto them Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God And in Luk. 6.20 And he lift up his Eyes on his Disciples and said blessed be ye poor for yours is the Kingdom of God They had seen it and were Possessors of it it was theirs And Christ said unto his Disciples There are some of you standing that shall not taste of Death till ye see the Kingdom of God come in Power And his Words were fulfilled they declared what they had felt and seen and some of them say The Kingdom of God is not in Word but in Power And Paul to the Romans writes Rom. 14.17 who were also made Partakers of the same Power and the same Kingdom he
Fellow-merchants denyed the Mass-book or publick Profession Doctrine and Discipline and joyned to the book of Common-Prayer and the Letany as the publick Profession of the Worship of God and now of late Years we have denyed it our selves and so we which are of this Order can dispence well enough with this seeing that we trade with some of our Mother's Merchandize under another Name and so the Matter is less grievous because the Orders and Ceremonies about Worship are retained still in our Directory under another Habit and Guise and having these Witnesses before mentioned for our Example and if any seem to contend with us this will take the Edge off People seeing it 's no new thing with us to set our Sails which Way soever the Wind blows and it may be we may bring them a Scripture or two and an Inference from it for a Cloak as to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and let every Soul be subject to the higher Power so Henry the 8th while he stood he was the higher Power and so Mary Elizabeth James and Charles they were the higher Power while they stood and they did ordain that sometime the Mass-book should be the publick Worship and some time the Common-Prayer-book should be the publick Worship and now the Directory a Plat-form of publick Worship it may be these and the like Arguments to them that are dim-sighted will take Place for some time But there is one thing above all which ought to be considered of by us who are allowed to be publick Merchants seeing that we must go under the name of Reformation for that is our Flag we carry in our Ships seeing that generally People of the most understanding will not allow of any preaching to be effectual to the converting of Souls but that which is ministred by or from the Spirit for the reading of old Homilies which served in our Predecessors Dayes will not serve now or if we should speak some Hebrew or Greek or Latin in an unknown Tongue they will conclude that is rather the Wisdom of the Flesh and from natural Wit rather then from the Spirit and therefore it is not much amiss if we conclude to let some of the Ancient Fathers pass and not mention them because it is holden generally that they lived in an Apostatizing time and so it will not be effectual in the Audience of People And so for Austin and Cyprian Jerom and Beda Origen and Damazin their Traffick will hardly go off for they will conclude it 's rather by Art and Study that we preach then by the Spirit and so we being fallen into such a dangerous time as this is now in the break of Day when men begin to be quick-sighted and will not onely espie Hills but also Motes therefore all we which are Merchants of this Order and Rank to our Mother Mystery Babylon had need to trade with the best Merchandize as Gold and Silver and precious Stones and fine Linnen and silk and Scarlet and so let this be agreed upon by us all that we study hard and read the Scriptures and other modern Divines which are Orthodox that so if need require every one may preach extempore for else it will not go upon the Account of the Spirit and so have Words to fit at all Times Occasions and Seasons as before Protectors Parliaments and Councils or Noble men or Classis or Synods or the like and every one labour by Study and Art to raise many Doctrines from one Scripture and make many Uses and Tryals and Motives and so carnal people's minds will be affected with such dex-Tterity and Readiness so that we shall clear our selves from Clamour which some of our Merchants have fallen under because of their Negligence and if any should accuse us for studying and patching up our Sermons out of divers Authors mixt with Scripture and our Inventions then bring such a Scripture as that 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God it may be some blind People will take that for a good Proof and such a word as that Study to be quiet and because the word Study is found in Scripture therefore with a Consequence or two we may prove in the Ears of people that studying of Sermons is lawful and if any question our set Wages and Heir be sure that all with one accord do study to vindicate this for this is the Life and Sinnews of the Propagation of our Gospel And now Reader I shall give thee an Account of the principal and chief Traffick which is established for the Publick Worship amongst those that are called Gospel-Professors the general heads whereof are laid down in a Directory of the Publick Worship in these three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland and the general Heads of that which they purpose to traffick with is laid down in their Directory so called and what Traffick is of less Moment may be ushered in time will make manifest and in their Preface to their Boâ—k they say as follows Directory That the Liturgy hath been a great Means to encrease an idle Ministry from puttâ—ng forth themselves for putting forth the Gift of Prayer which Christ pleaseth to furnish all his Servants with whom he calls to that Office Answer So then by this Conclusion all their former Fathers and Fellow-merchants were not sent out by Christ because they contented themselves with set Forms of others made to their Hands and if all whom Christ called to this Office be furnisht with the Gift of Prayer then this must needs follow that they that have no Gift of Prayer are no Officers of Christ well their Part being acted and the Exit being come let him go off the Stage and thou shalt see the gifted men come on next Direct In the assembling of the Congregation together the Direction is that the People do reverendly compose themselves to joyn in the Ordinance of God which is then coming in Hand as it is written in the 11th Page of their Book Answ. Here they are putting Self to perform the Ordinance of God which whosoever comes to perform aright or joyn with the Assembly of the righteous they must deny themselves and all their own composings Direct The next Thing is about reading the Scriptures and Expâ—sition of them and in their expounding they are to take heed that preaching and other Ordâ—nances be not streightned Answ. As for reading the Scripture it is a thing so harmless honest just and good that I wish that all their whole Ordinances so called had been all waved and given Place to this and if it were read oftener to the People without adding or diminishing the Understandings of People would be more opened then by their cloudy and dark patched up Speeches which is called preaching but preaching I am not against that is to say to declare the Mind of God as it is revealed by his Eternal Spirit to and in them that speak and why do you prefer
Grave nor after men be Dead for they that have served Sin in their Life time served the Devil as long as they live and have yeelded their Bodies to be Temples for Uncleanness while they live upon the Earth eternal Misery will be their Portion and not redemption Think on this you who are holding this forth for an Article of your Faith in the World among poor Ignorant People that they must not expect redemption from all Sin in this Life and so leads them on to Perpetual Misery Misery will be your End and in the day of the Lord you shall Witness this to be true But to return to the Beginning again where there was no sorrow but pure Joy and Peace both in Heaven and Earth but I go hither and thither as the Spirit leads and shall speak as it gives Utterance though but here a little and there a little yet shall it be in Truth and Righteousness How Peace Joy and Delight possessed every Thing that God had made every Thing which he had formed glorified God their Maker with one Consent in the Beginning before the World was framed that lay in Wickedness NOW the Lord rejoyced in all the Works of his Hands which he had made and rested and all that he had made rested in the Power whether Caelestial or Terrestrial and rejoyced in him walked in him in the Motion of the Power of the Life they were happy and partook of the Life that endures forever and Happiness immortal and knew no Evil for there was none there was no Hell yet prepared Tophet yet was not ordained neither the Devil had yet any Being at all there was no Wrath no Sorrow no Condemnation no Death Vexation Grief or Perplexity no Pit of Darkness no Angel of the bottomless Pit no Shame no Tribulation no Anguish nor Pain no Misery and in a Word there was nothing that did destroy but all in Quietness in Peace in Life in Power in Wisdom glorifying him which sate upon the Throne the Lamb who was living and the Life of the Male and the Female and of every Thing that God had made by the Power subsisted in the Power and in the Motion thereof was good purely good and here was the Goodness of him who was eternally good manifest in all above all and over all God blessed forever even then the Heavens rejoyced and the innumerable Company of Angels were hearty glad and all the holy Host sang for Joy with a living Voice which none that stand in Time ever yet heard or can learn then the Earth and all Things therein that moved and had Life were in pure Solace and Mirth and pleasant Joy unspeakable all knit together in Unity and Harmony in one Consent as one Family and were one Body and there was Health in the Body and it was pure and comely and perfect and pleasant to behold crowned with Dignity covered with Righteousness beautified with the Comliness of the Lamb who was the Life of all and now Man had Right to the Tree of Life while he moved in the Power and went not out Oh happy State oh beautiful State oh admirable State eternal Felicity oh glorious State Life it self the Life of all and all in the Life moving in the Power and man had right to the Tree of Life while he lived in the Lamb's Power had Unity with his Maker and with all the Creatures that God had made and was in God's pure Dominion and Authority and ruled all over all things that God had mâ—de in God's Wisdom thus in short was the State of all things in the Beginning as they were created and brought forth and these be the Generation of the Heaven and of the Earth and of all Things that therein are in the Day when God created them when the Father was glorified when the Son was glorified and when Man was in Glory and Honour and in Dominion created in the Image of God and yet there was no Evil Time would fail to speak of the State of all Things in the Beginning as it was and as it is revealed by the Spirit of Truth but in that which I have declared they who have a good Understanding may take a Glimpse of the happy State of all Things as God hath revealed them by his Spirit which I never received of nor from man but by the Holy Spirit of God which was in the Beginning with God which saw all this and was an Eye-Witness of this before the World that lyes in Wickedness began and he that hath an Ear let him hear and blessed is his Ear. How Man lost his State and Dominion and Unity with God and all the Creatures and how the Lamb came to be slain and the VVorld that lyes in Wickedness came to be formed and founded and how the Curse came and the Wo upon the Serpent which was blessed before and upon Man and Woman and the Ground that received the Temptation which was blessed before in the Motion of the Power came to be cursed and how endless Misery came in upon all in the Transgression declared to them who have a good Understanding NOW the Serpent was more subtil then all the Beasts of the Field for that was his Nature in which he was created and it was good in the Motion of the Power and therefore Christ said Be wise as Serpents yet as harmless as Doves and though the Serpent was wise and subtil more then all the Beasts of the Field till he acted moved without Commandment and out of the Motion of the Power he was not cursed he that can receive it let him but he moved in the Subtilty and Wisdom out of the Light out of the Power and went out of the Truth out of his Place without Commandment or Authority from the Power and acted and spâ—ke of himself out of the Power and out of the Truth as it is written Joh. 8.44 When he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it now he knew there was a Law and Command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for God had forbidden it now he went out of the Power without Commandment of his own Accord without Motion now he went and talked with the Woman and she was good before being in the Motion of the Life and Power she also looked out and not in the Power and reasoned with him out of Power contrary to Commandment beyond the Command or before the Power and said unto the Serpent We may eat of all but the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil we may not eat lest we dye this she knew and the Serpent knew now the Tree of Knowledge was good in the Powers Motion though not to live upon or for Food for it was not good for Food therefore God the Truth the Life the Power did forbid to taste of it or to eat of that Tree but the Serpent out of the Power and the Woman
and Justices with Persecution falls flat to the Ground We are no Boasters but rejoyce in our sufferings for Christ's sake neither are we weary but are willing to bear and suffer till the Lord arise and plead our Cause and our sufferings are Recorded and the Lord hath considered them though men would not and hath overturned many and Rebuked many for our sakes and it is he that Justifies us and who art thou that Condemns us the Testimony of our Innocency and the causeless suffering hath a Witness in many thousands Hearts who are not like thine as Flint and what uncivility hath any to lay to our charge as against Mâ—gistracy whom have we wronged or what Violence have we done to any except thou Judge that incivility because we do not Complement Bow and flatter and make feigned Addresses like thy Generation and this your Highness and the other your Excellency and another my Illustrious Lord and the next Week or next Month call them Traytors Tyrants and Usurpers and as I told thee before that which was order among the Churches is accounted Disturbance by thee which evidently manifests that you are in the Apostacy and out of the Christian Religion which was Professed and Practiced among the Primitive Christians and for any known wickedness among us I am out of all doubt if thou hadst any thing thou wouldst preach it upon the House top known wickedness hath God redeemed us from which thou yet Wallowst in and yet takest delight in And therefore all these known Wicked abominable falshoods Lyes are come forth besides the abusing of our words and false representing what we have written as our Doctrines to the World and this thou hast done sometimes added to our Words and sometimes detracted from them and sometimes addest thy own Collections then presentst them to publick view as our Errors and Blasphemies and as for Courts and Justices Magistrates and Rulers many of them hitherto have ruled by the Dragon's Powers and not by the Power of God in that many have incouraged the Evil-doers and have not listned to the cry of the Oppressed therefore hath the Lord God overturned them and their day is past and our charges against their Wickedness and Persecution neither our Testimony neither our sufferings have fallen to the Ground but stand as a Record against them And thou saist It is high time for all the redeemed Ones and sanctified Ones and Children of Grace the Favourites of Heaven Honest Godly sincere Christians Children that will not Lye to improve their intrust in God for this sinful divided Nation What dost thou own any to be redeemed and Sanctified or to be Children of Grace or that do not lye and yet cryest out of Perfection as Blasphemy or that any should come to or live by that which is perfect if thou excludest the Quakers to be any of these they will not findm any redeemed Sanctified Honest Godly sincere Christians and all your Improvement and your intrust which you have in God and in Christ will but amount to a small dram you all of you hitherto as you have said have improved your intrust and have sought God as you have said by your Prayers and Humiliations for the suppressing of that which you call Heresie and yet you have had no answer neither hath he listned nor will he listen nor bow down his Ear unto because your Hearts are full of Abominations and as for relapsing into Popery you never came out of it witness the Priests Popish Ordination their Popish Attire your Popish Mass-houses your Cross and Bells your Popish Tythes Easter-reckonings and Mid-summer dues your Popish Colledges your Popish Crosses and your Popish Images in and about your Idols Temple and because of the holding up of these things the Hearts of many of God's People are made sad and because you would hold up your Religion by Swords and Clubs and Persecute others who dissent from you in this you are one with the Papists And is this all thy Reformation that thy godly Ministry can bring forth You have travailed in vain and spent your strength for nought and because of these things the Hand of God is against all in the Nation who hold them up and who is he that can alter the Counsel of the Lord and God will not be reconciled to the Nation till these things be done away because of these things and many more grievous Oppressions which have been holden up therefore God hath broken them in the midst of their Counsels and confounded them in the midst of their devices and will confound and overthrow all deceitful Workers and unprofitable talkers such as thou art and one Hill shall fall after another till there shall be a great plain that the ransomed of the Lord may walk over and Worship the Lord together in Spirit and Love and Truth in Joy and gladness of Heart even as when Israel kept the Feast of Tabernacles And now I shall come to let the Reader see how thou hast falsified our Words which thou hast added thy own Imaginations to and then hast quoted our Books to make People believe they are our words whenas they are thy own forged lyes the which I shall return upon thee First Thou sayest George Fox In Truth defended saith that Preaching the Word Praying and singing are no Appointments of Christ whenas he saith no such thing but the Hireling Priests divinations and feigned Prayers and other mens words in Rhime and Meeter are the Inventions of men and not the Ordinances of Christ. Secondly Thou saist E. B. In Truth defended saith The Priest taking Tythes in the time of the Law was Evil and proved them to be false Prophets and Deceivers Whenas he saith quite contray that the Priests took Tythes under the Law according to the Command of God but now the Priesthood was changed and the Law was changed and them what Preach for Hire and seek for their Gain from their quarter or take Tythes are in the steps of false Prophets and Deceivers and no Ministers of Christ. Thirdly That it 's dangerous for the ignorant and Unlearned to read the Scripture and the Ministers of it are the Ministers of Death Now thou hast detracted from the Words There it is said that it is dangerous for thee to take the Scripture to War against the Saints withal and to make a trade with it and give carnal Exposition and then sell them for Money Fourthly Thou tellest of one Master Kellet in Lancashire and his Queries Whether did not Christ Institute his last Supper with Bread and Wine and R. H. saith the Bread which Christ called his Body is his Church which words thou hast mangled and perverted as thou hast done the most thou hast medled with and there is no such man as Master Kellet the words are these in Truth 's Defence p. 103. Christ did not â—peak of Bread and Wine but he took Bread and brake it and said This is my Body and we
a Company of wild Bears rending and tearing and stop Gloves and Napkins and bind Keys over their Mouthes that they may not speak the Word of Truth amongst yâ—u contrary to Primitive Order And as for the Doctrine of the Quakers many who know it better then thee know it to be dâ—structive to nâ—â—hiâ—g but to the Doctrine of Anti-christ and such ungodly Doctrines as thou hast laid down in this Book as that that Light which Christ hath enlightned every one withal is gross Darkness and worse then gross Darkness and that the Supper of the Lord is a visible Political Ordinance and suâ—h black Doctrines as these our Doctrines are destuctive unto And further thou goest on and tellest The Work against Order is Policy against Policy the Policy of Hell against the Policy of Heaven Answ. It seems your Order stands in Policy both in your Church and State and in Craft Fraud and Deceit and thou judged that Heâ—ven stands in Policy too but he that sits in Heaven laughs you to Scorn with all your Deceit and Policy And now thou comest to thy Proof and say'st That Doctrine that denyes Obedience to Magistracy in his due Subject in Effect denyes the Order of Magistracy but their Doctrine denyes Obedience to Magistracy in its due Subject therefore their Doâ—â—rine denyes the Order of Magistracy Answ. The Major and Minor are both false for we own Magistracy in its due Subject which stands in the Power of God and in the higher Power and that which leads into Order and out of Confusion and Destruction and thou must not think to fasten Stork and Munâ—er upon us for thy Proof what they did stands upon their Account and not upon ours and that mischievous Spirit of thine is that which presseth on the Magistrate to abuse his power and to intrude into those Things which belong not to him to keep up your confused Babel which thou callest a Political Church which must all be scattered with the Breath of his Mouth and with the Brightness of his coming whom thou yet judgest to be gross Darkness In thy 18th page and in the 44th page thou speak'st That visible Political Church Church-Officers and Church-Ordinances are Gospel Institutâ—ons appointed by Christ to continue to the End of the World and that Command which Paul gave to Timothy is to be kept and that visible Political Church Estate is to continue to the End of the World Answ. I see thou art ignorant of God Christ Heaven Church Church-Officers Ordinances and Institutions the Churches of Christ were established by and in the Power of God and the Ministers thereof ministred walked and ruled in the Power of God and the Ordinances and Institutions of the true Church of God are pure and spiritual but the Church that thou art pleading for the Continuation thereof is a Political Church Political Ordinances Political Officers Political Institutions Political Pastors and Teachers the Lord's Supper a Political Ordinance Bâ—ptism a Political Ordinance the spiritual Counsâ—l which Paul gave to Timothy about the Elders of the Church and about the Holy Practice which they were to walk in and the godly Conversation this thou calls Political nay furthermore thou saist Heaven stands in Policy and in thy fourth Chap. say'st To Christ belongs the Prerogative of being the only Politician these and the like damnable Doctrines and Heresies thou hast uttered forth and these must be proved from the first of Tim. 3.15 and Chap. 4. did Paul when he wrote to Timothy when he gave him direction about Elders and such as took care of the Church of God did he say a Bishop is a Political Officer and must be blameless or did he say a Deacon is a Political Officer and must be grave And therefore Reader thou may'st read these Scriptures 1 Tim. 9.14 1 Cor. 14.33 and thou maist see this Sophister and this man that is void of understanding who cryeth up the Scripture for a Rule of Life and yet holds such a Church such Pastors such Officers such Ordinances such Institutions which the Scripture makes no mention of and therefore this man having made a Monstrous Body a Politick Church he imagines a Head like it and therefore Blasphemously saith Christ is the greatest Politician much I need not say unto this black Dark stuff which is to be confounded which is imaginary and Deceit which the wrath of God must scatter but this I say to thee there were no Officers in the Church of Christ but they were Ministers made so by the Spirit and were made so by the Holy Ghost and were Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and some were Elders and Ruled in the Church and Churches which was Sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus and these were spiritual and not Political but thou hast cleared and quitted your selves from being any such Church and that which you call the Sacrament which thou callst Visible and Political and bringst 1 Cor. 12. for thy proof did Paul say as often as ye eat this Political Bread and drink this Visible Political Cup shew forth the Lord's Death till he come and did Christ when he sent his Disciples to Preach and to Baptize in the 28th of March 16. which thou plead must continue until the end of the World did he send them and say go and Teach and Preach the visible and Politick Word of the Kingdom and Baptize them with visible Political Water and that this should continue to the End of the World And little marvel if the Throne of Satan be exalted among you and such Ministers as thou who Ministers deceit and Unrighteousness and Ungodliness art set to be a Teacher and appointed so by the General Court who canst not speak a Form of sound Words but like a Phylosopher a Star-gazer an Astrologian or a Stage-player which them that read thy Book will see thy Tract frothed with such black dark Sentences which are like Enchantments As for Beckold and Knipperdâ—lling and Quintinius and Poquius thou mightst have taken up thy Pen ere now and not have brought all this rambling stuff out of the History of the Germans which thou wouldst cast upon our Backs the Bishops used to cast it upon your Backs and you upon the Baptists backs but now we must bear all and thou in Envy unto us that thereby thou mightst represent us Odious to the World hast made them all Quakers and saist they are our Predecessours take them to thy self and joyn them to your Political Church and your Political Ordinances and your Politick Doctrines which is of the same Nature with theirs which you maintain and uphold with carnal Weapons as they did theirs And last of all thou art coming to the Magistrates Power in matters of Religion under the Gospel and thou saist Notwitstanding manifold Evils prevail and the Wiles of the Devil are great and malignant and Heresie which is a horrid aspect yet thou saith There is Balm in Gilead a Physician
ready to bury thee in Silence that thee and all thy Glory may be trampled upon and that thy Memorial may dye and rot and thy Renown be shut up in the Pit of Oblivion the Fellers stand ready to cut thee down as an abominable Branch and to cast thee into the Fire to consume thee and to make a final End of thee and to destroy all thy pleasant thing the Lord is grieved for thee and the Spirits of his People are made sad for they feel the Weight of Iniquity and the Load of Transgression which will sink the Nation if it be not turned from but the Lord will ease him of his Enemies and avenge him of his Adversaries and will sweep away the Refuge of Lyes and the Lovers of them into the Pit of Destruction and the Day hastens when they that exalt themselves high even upon Pinacles shall be brought low and many Hills hath God made one with the Plain and many more yet shall be made a Plain that the Glory of the Lord and his Interest may be exalted Oh England consider thy former Dayes and call to Mind thâ— Years past and consider in what State thou wast twenty Years ago and what Complaints filled every Corner of the Land by Reason of the heavy Yoaks that were lâ—id upon the People by Reason of mâ—ny wicked Laws which were made by Men of corrupt Minds not only upon the Estateâ— of Men but also upon their Persons and Consciences and the Cry of many innocent People was great and reached through the Clouds And what Innovations and Impositions were made upon tender Consciences by those called Bishops which the very Land groaned with the Burden thereof who were but a Stem sprung from that corrupt Root of Rome and most of their Worship Canons Constitutions they had from thence â—nd what Intrusion and Popish Stuff was ushered in daily upon the People â—n this Nation which they groaned under and compelling and forcing about the superstitious Rites and Ceremonies and foolish Fopperies which â—hey brought in as religious Matters and what lazy Drones they upled reading a Piece of the old Mass-book in English and calling it Divine Service and judged them Hereticks who opposed all this muddy dark Stuff which the People were vexed with and their Souls grieved and the Lord grieved and vext insomuch that the Lord heard the Cry of the Oppressed and did appear in his Power and Strength in many People to bear witness against the aforesaid Evils which were growing upon the Nation which tended to Bondage and Thraldom both as concerning Mens Persons and Estates and also their Consciences which Bondage they were weary of which Yoaks the Lord brake and gave a total Overthrow both of the one and of the other and many upright in Heart did rejoyce and with unwearied Pains did travail through a Sea of Troubles not minding the present Difficulty but rather eying the End Freedom and Liberty and many precious Men ventured their Lives and lost their Blood and consumed their Estates and offered willingly of their Substance in the Time of need that they might accomplish the aforesaid End Liberty and Freedom as Men according to the equal just Law of God and Freedom as Christian without being imposed upon either by Men or Laws which was a Prize which the Lord did intend should be put into the Nations Hand as a Recompence for their former Sufferings in which all the upright would have been satisfied and therefore they who have been Obstructors and Hinderers of this Thing have the greater Sin and Load upon their Backs which hath sunk many of them But alas when the Obstructions were taken out of the way and there was a little rest Covetousness did get up and Pride in the Hearts of the Rulers and them in Authority in the Hearts of the Souldiery especially the Officers of the Army most of which God had raised from a mean Estate to a great Dignity You forgat the Lord and did divide the Spoil amongst you and so became full and Fat and then kick'd against the Lord and neglected his Service to pursue that which God had put into your Hands but getting into Places of Honour became as bad if not worst then many that were cast out before you and then laboured to set up your own Interests and not the Interest of the Nation and to set up a Form of Religion and another deceitful Image and not the Interest of Christ Jesus for he could have no room among you It grieves my Heart and 〈◊〉 the Spirit of the Lord God in me to consider what Tenderness and â—â—â—vency and love there was in former Years to the appearance of Gods Truth Life and Light and now it 's become the chief Object of 〈◊〉 Scorn and the whole bent is to turn Christ's Interest out of the 〈◊〉 and to destroy the Sheep of his Pasture whom he hath Redeemed 〈◊〉 his most precious Blood to lay your Sins before you and your Transgâ—â—â—sions in your sight that you may see what you have done Oh People of England Was it only a Form of Government or such and such a Government in Name that ye pursued after or was it not the Thing it self Freedom it self Liberty it self Righteousness it self thâ—â— the heavy Yoak might be done away which as to any of the last I doâ—â— say but they might have done it if they had stood in God's fear and 〈◊〉 his Counsel for it is not this or that Title or Form of Government which is only Essential to the well-being of a People or a Nation 〈◊〉 have had tryal of many Names and what do you enjoy yet that which you look'd for Oh nay you are defrauded you are cheated you are â—â—â—bed and Spoiled of that which the Lord God did intend you by Treâ—â—â—erous and false-hearted Men whose Words have been smooth 〈…〉 and their Hearts full of rottenness and through fair Pretences 〈◊〉 Liberty and Freedom and Sanctity and Holiness People have been led up and down like Horses and tossed up and down like a Tennis-ball Or was it a Form of Religion which might be set up by this or that Party that tender People did seek after so as to be Bound to this or that Form by an outward Law by compelling and forcing Was it not Reformation according to the Scriptures which was spoken of and intended by the upright-hearted and behold how have we been Cheated here Was this the Liberty of Conscience that was pursued after to set up Popish Tythes which no true Christian can Pay for Conscience sake Or to set up a Company of Men to be Teachers to learn seven Years the Art of Speaking to borrow their Words from Homer or Aristotle and Heathen Authors or to take up a company of Errors decreed at Chalcedon Nice Latren or Trent for Articles of Faith or to get words from Astrologers and Southsayers and mingle this with the Scripture and call them The Goâ—pel and to have set Wages
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
understand that here was seventeen years that he preached publickly before that and where was his Ordination Many of the Brethren who were scattered abroad in the Persecution that was at Jerusalem went every where preaching the Word of God and when or where were these ordained And who ordained the Brethren that were persecuted after Steven's being put to death who travailed as far as Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the Word and the Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and were turned unto the Lord Acts 11.19 20 21. yet these things I bring not as to deny but that many went out with the consent of the Church and many were ordained and many were ordained Elders who were grown up in the Truth and established who had received the holy Ghost by whom many were confirmed and strengthned in the Faith but what is all this R. I. to your Ordination and who ordained you the Pope a Bishop or a Council or a Parliament and what are they you ordain Such as learn the Art of Speech seven years at Oxford who have read Homer and Aristotle Plato and Diogenes and learn to play on a Fiddle these are no Mechanicks but gifted Men indeed and qualified and fit to be ordained and made Ministers Pastors and Elders to carry abroad the Traffick of Mystery-Babylon but this R. I. is very peremptory and saith it is utterly unlawful for any that are gifted to preach the Word contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine who saith as every one hath received the Gift so let him administer and not such as R. I. would have to be Ministers who have learned an Art to speak and this must be called a Gift and a Qualification and a fit Man to be a Pastor and thus they have ordained one another and have set up a Trade of preaching and with their confused Stories have filled the World with Darkness And as concerning an infallible Spirit saith R. I. None except Christ who was without sin can challenge it or lay claim to it and I may say of such Runnagates and wandering Stars as this F. H. and the Quakers are as John did 1 John 2.9 They are gone out from us because they were not of us Answ. However this R. I. hath cleared himself and the rest of his Brethren for being Ministers of Christ for they do not only deny an infallible Spirit neither look to be made Partakers thereof but quite shut out all the Saints from enjoying it and though in Christ the fulness of the Godhead dwelt who was full of Grace and Truth he is the Root from whence all that believe come to be made partakers of his Virtue and so many of his Members may lay claim to it as they have received it by a free Gift according to the Promise of Christ I will send you the Spirit of Truth whâ—ch shall lead you into all Truth and the Apostle had received the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus who had freed him from the Law of Sin and Death and the Sons of God had received it and they were led by it and the Ministers of Christ were made Ministers of it who hath made us able Ministers as it is written not of the Letter but of the Spirit and that Spirit was infallible and true and that Spirit which they declared of was an unerring Spirit and as they were led by it they erred not but were kept by it that the Evil one touched them not and they spoke from it and ordered the Church in it in the wisdom of God But what do these Men minister from who wait not to be made Partakers of this but deny that ever any had it or ever shall have so are but a company of Dreamers and tell their dream that they dreamed in the Night or at best steal the Words from their Neighbour and say Thus saith the Lord when God hath never spoken to them And though thou mayest say we are Runnagates because we sit not dreaming over thirty or forty Families twenty years but travail from City from Country to Country to publish the Word of Truth freely as the Apostles Ministers of Christ did we must by such as this R. I. and his Brethren who have gotten Holes and Nests in the Earth to creep into be counted as Runnagates though John said They are gone out from us because they were not of us this he spoke of them who went out of the Light in which he and the rest of the Disciples had Fellowship with God and one with another and they that went out from this went into the Spirit of the World and you are such as they that are gone out already and blasphemously call the Light of Christ Ignis fatuâ—â— and so all that fear the Lord will come out from you and out from Babylon where the Blood of the Prophets hath been shed and the Witnesses killed you who deny an infallible Spirit are like to be in blindness and follow the Spirit of Error for you have nought else to cleave unto And further R I. saith when the Lord said by Joel that he would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and his Daughters should prophesie the Prophet speaks not of a ghostly Power to open the Kingdom of Heaven given by Christ to his Apostles and Successors but of an extraordinary Measure of enlightning Grace and a more copious effusion of the Spirit and also to Pastors to whom more is given more is required and this Text doth not prove that all Sheep shall be Pastors and all Schollars Teachers An. Nay this Text doth not prove all Sheep to be Pastors neither all that are taught to be Teachers for all are not Prophets neither Pastors nor Teachers for as Christ said the Labourers are but few but this Man 's afraid that there should be too many indeed there are too many hireling Loiterers that are ready to supplant one another for filthy Lucre though many may be said to believe yet all have not received the Spirit of prophecy or a Gift to be Pastors but only they to whom it is given of the Lord for the Work sake yet notwithstanding they who have received it ought not to be limited either Son or Daughter for they who do quench the Spirit and dâ—â—pise Prophecy as this R. I. doth and how should he do otherwise seeing he hath denyed the infallible Spirit from which all the Ministers ministred and all the Prophets prohesied and spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost but R. I. saith the Prophet spoke not of a Ghostly Power to open the Kingdom of Heaven if by ghostly Power he means the Spirit 's Power as I believe he will not deny then was it not by a spiritual Power Sons Daughters prophesied and did not this Power open the Kingdom of Heaven and if it be a more copious Effusion of the Spirit which is given under the Gospel then the Law
Madness and Fury in which he lives envying the Happiness and Felicity of them who worship the true God hath laboured to deceive and lead the Hearts of the Sons of mâ—n aside from the holy Commandment of God to believe a Lye and to trust in lying Vanities and to lead them into his Kingdom of Darkness and into his own devilish and hellish Nature and hath prevailed over many and overcame them and hath made them subject to his Power to fulfil his Will and to do his Work and multitudes have been led into the broad Way in the Paths of Darkness and into the Region of the Shadow of Death and Death covers them as a Garment and the Shadow of Death as a Pavilion and the Works they work are the Works of Darkness and although they live as Creatures upon the Earth yet they are dead whilest thy live unto any Good being wholely swallowed up of Death and that acts in them and he who hath the Power of Death who is called the Devil the Evil-doer contrary in all his Actings unto God and all Goodness and he having wrought in the Hearts of disobedient Children his Works and begotten them to his Nature and filled them with Unrighteousness which is the Food of Evil-doers they bring forth his Work and work his Work in the Earth and labour to destroy the Creation and to subvert it from that End for which it was made and also to deface the Image of God and to destroy it wherever it appears and the Creature in whom it is and bears rule and thus since the Transgression when he hath prevailed he hath filled the Earth with Darkness and with Violence and hath set up the Seat thereof and strives that it might be exalted forever and in former Ages he hath wrought in his Instruments Ministers and Subjects and then they did his Work and brought it forth and opposed the Servants of the Lord and did Violence unto them that fulfilled his Will and testified against the World that their Deeds were evil Evil-doers who hate reproof have sought to destroy them that testified against their evil Deeds as Cain that wicked One begotten in the Transgression yet a Worshipper and an Offerer of Sacrifice rose up and slew his Brother and many have gone in his Way and then the Devil's Kingdom began to increase and grow great and then they that were Subjects of it made the Just to suffer as all along till now is manifest by the Scripture of Truth and yet them who made them to suffer would never acknowledge that it was for well-doing but for evil-doing and thus the Devil hath covered himself as not to be known by the Name of evil-doer and thus hath he blinded his Subjects in making them believe they were doing good when they acted all manner of Unrighteousness and they that suffered for the Truth 's sake were accounted as Evil-doers by this blind Generation and so all the Holy Men and faithful Witnesses of God in former Generations all the Prophets and holy Martyrs who loved not their Lives unto the Death by the Seed of evil-doers were counted evil-doers and killed as such in their Account and such is the mysterious working of Satan the next Generation will take up the Words of them that have been killed before and suffer his Messengers to take their Words and admire them that are gone before while they are doing the same Work and killing and destroying the righteous Seed as before as the Pharisees garnished the Sepulchres of the Prophets and crucified the Son of God as a Blasphemer unto whom all the Prophets bore witness and yet adored and cryed up the Law and the Prophets in Words and hated their Life and so the Apostles Ministers of Christ after Christ's Ascension were accounted Blasphemers seditious tumultuous pestilent and factious and were stoned and censured as Evil-doers by Councils and Rulers and Heads of the People and many suffered as Evil-doers in the Account of them who made them suffer and as Transgressors of Laws and Customs and Statutes were accounted alwayes such by the Seed of Evil-doers And so the Devil having got the Name of higher Power and of chief Ruler hath made many wicked and ungodly changeable Laws and them that could not be subject unto them for Conscience sake although they do Violence to none they must be judged and condemned as seditious and Traitors and mutenous And since Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots hath been exalted as a Queen riding upon the Beast in Majesty and hath gotten a golden Cup in her Hand and the Name of a Church and her Children have got on the outside the Sheeps Clothing and hate the Life she hath drank the Blood of the Saints and so did never the Lamb's Wife nor never will So under the Name of higher Power and holy Church all the Blood of the righteous hath been spilt and the dear Servants of God have suffered in this time of Anti-christ's Reign as Traytors and seditious and tumultuous and Peace-brâ—akers in the Account of the Dragon and Beast who sits in the Seat of Violence and in the Throne of Iniquity and crowned Pride and Cruelty which hath got the Name of higher Power without being in it and so live in Deceit and a Lye And the false Worshippers and abominable Sacrificers whose Hands are full of Blood and Hearts full of Rottenness who have taken up the outward Dress and Attire of the free-woman and painted themselves withal that they might deceive the Nations this hath got the Name of Holy Church as though she were the Lord's Spouse when indeed on her Head are written the Names of Blasphemy and she hath drunk the Blood of the Martyrs and censured them who have kept the Testimony of Jesus to Death Exile and Banishment and hath made Havock of the dear Servants of the Lord and hath vilified the Lord's Spouse and made the Lamb's Wife fly into the Wilderness whilest she hath raised her City with Blood and hath laid the Foundation thereof in Iniquity and hath raised her self into Honour by slaying and killing and by her Sorceries and Inchantments and hath made the Nations drunk therewith and they admire thee but thy Downfall is coming and the Day hastens that Calamity shall take hold of thee and thy secret Parts shall be discovered and thy Loathsomness shall appear and thy Lovers shall hate thee and shall drink in no more of thy bewitching Inchantments and thou shalt no more be called holy but abominable and prophane and thy Glory shall be turned into Dung and thy Excellency into Mire and thy Decrees shall be made void and utter Misery shall be thy End and them that have suffered shall triumph and rejoyce over thee forever for God is risen who judgeth righteously and will reward her double according to her Works and the Beast that hath arisen out of the bottomless Pit who hath arrogated unto himself the Name of higher Power shall be taken and
by the Light of Christ so keep in all your Minds to this and stop all other Motions in your Minds and keep down all Thoughts and Reasonings in the mind and so keep to few Words and be slow to speak and swift to hear then will you come to know the heavenly Voice of Christ the quickning Spirit which divideth assunder and separateth betwixt the precious and vile in THOUGHTS WORDS or DEEDS and shews you the Ground of each and as you love this Light which Christ Jesus hath enlightned you withal and bring your Deeds to the Light which Christ hath placed in your Consciences which is God's faithful Witness if unto it you take heed then you will feel his Power in you at all Times near at Hand to help you and to subject every vain Thought and every vain Desire and bring them into Captivity and this is the Word of Faith which is nigh in the Heart which doth discern the Thoughts and Intents and Purposes of the mind before ye act or speak them forth I say hearken ye unto this that Faith may be begotten in you and here you will all know your Teacher present and Shepherd and him that said Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden who will give Rest unto your Souls and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart saith Christ and then you will come to see the Differences between the motions of the Flesh and the motions of the Spirit within and come to know each Birth and know what must enter and what must not enter and all who follow this Light which Christ the Light hath enlightned them withal shall come to know the Immanâ—el and Bishop of their Souls for he that hates the Light which he is enlightned withal he hates Christ and he that hates the Light hates that which is the Gift of God in him and he that believeth not in the Light is reproved by the Light and judged already in himself by the Light of the Word and Justification cannot be witnessed where there is Reprehension and Reproof by him that is the Justifier And whoever receiveth Christ must receive him as the Father hath tendered him for he is given for a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles in whom the Gentiles should trust and to rejoyce at the Brightness of his rising and the Isles should be glad and wait for his coming a Leader of his People and Justification is not felt in the Heart of any man but where his Leadings are known and obeyed and none can come out of the Regions and Shadows of Death but as Christ is closed with the true Light who hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World for he is appointed of the Father a Leader out of the World and all that follow the Light that they be enlightened withal deny themselves for it judges self-Love and self-Actions and self-Righteousness and here the Cross of Christ you will come to know which slayes the Enmity that which crosseth the carnal corrupt Part in man and takes it up and bears it and herein you will come to know what it is to be crucified to the World and the Lusts and Affections thereof and the World within and the Cross being known and loved which is the Power of God the carnal Mind which is Death cometh to be slain within and dyeth to the Fashions of the World and the goodly Noise thereof that passeth away but that which maketh it pass away endures forever the Word of the Lord which was in the Beginning So mind that which endures forever and take diligent heed and watch against the carnal Mind and worldly Thoughts and keep them down and so Power you will come to receive in the Light to rule over all that which hath ruled over you and then you will come to know a transforming of your Minds and that which quickens and enlivens your Hearts to God and crucifies you to Evil and here is the Way in Part declared by which all must come to the Father to the Kingdom to the Power and to the Glory there which is by Christ the true Light who hath enlightned every man that cometh into the World who is the Way the Truth it self the Love it self who is one with the Father And here you will come to know the Minister of the Tabernâ—cle which God hath pitched and not man and his Ministry and the Operation of his Spirit that which reproves for Evil is the Spirit of God wait all that you may receive it for it is given unto all but all have not received it God is kind and bountiful unto unto all and herein is every man left with out Excuse he that receives it receives Power to come out of that which it reproveth for and thus it is known by its Operation and as any errs from it and takes not heed unto it it checks him but as it is loved and closed with it gives Peace and Joy and brings Comfort and this is another Operation And now cease from all Teachers which are only Ministers of the Letter and Ministers of others Words made ready to their Hands for such can never turn any to God and from all such who preach for Hire Gifts and Rewards these are all out of the Doctrine of Christ in Balaam's Way and the false Prophets Way and not in the Apostles and Ministers of Christ's Way who testified Freely of that which they had received Freely and from all such Teachers as take Tythes which deny Christ come in the Flesh for that Priest-hood is changed and the Law is changed and the Jewish Priest in the first Covenant which had a Law to take Tythes of the People is changed and a better Hope is brought in and there is not another Law to be given forth which commandeth such a Maintenance for Gospel Ministers and though such Ministers may tell you of the means of Grace and that you must attend upon their Teachings and Discourses which they call means which are but dead Stories and feed but the corrupt part in the carnal Mind the Grace is near you even the free Grace of God the saving Grace of God that hath appeared unto all and yet all are not saved by it because they have not received it nor love it but all they that love it are taught to deny all Ungodliness and improving of it is the means to obtain more of it and whenever you are Tempted unto Sin the Grace of God which sheweth you the Temptations will save you that you enter not into it nor defile your Consciences thereby and this Grace is God's free gift unto all mankind and is in man and is the means whereby he that loves it comes to be saved from the Power of the wicked One that he touch him not And all must come into silence for the Earth must keep silent and all Flesh must be silent before the Lord be known within or his Voice heard and so all
they bore for God I believe they were accepted and had peace with God The tenth Persecution began under the Reign of Dioclesian which was in the year 289. this was the last Persecution against the Christians which was horrible and grievous that never was any Persecution before or since comparable to it for the time which it continued which was the space of ten years together though there were more Emperours which had a Hand in this Persecution yet Principally it beareth the Name of Dioclesian this Diocletian the Emperour took unto himself Maximinius to be Partner with him in his Empire those two Emperours chose two others to themselves that is to say Gallerius and Constantius whom they called Cesars Gallerius was sent into the East-parts against the Christians and Constantius to the West to Britain these two last Reigned moderately and did not Persecute the Christians for about 19 years so they Prospered in their Wars abroad but afterwards by reason of their Victories were puft up with Pride in their Hearts they Ordained a triumph at Rome after which triumph Diocletian gave Commandment that he himself should be Worshipped as God and said he was Brother to the Sun and Moon and so commanded the People to kiss his Feet which afterwards when the chief Bishop of Rome got up into Pride and claimed Superiority over all the Christian Churches having got the Authority of the Dragon commanded the Emperours and Kings then to kiss his Feet and so in this the Pope hath imitated the Heathen Emperour who was the greatest Persecutor that ever we read of But to return to Diocletian he began a great and grievous Persecution of the Christians which was the nineteenth year of his Reign in the year of Christ 103. he commanded all the Meeting places of the Christians to be Spoiled and the Books of the holy Scriptures to be burned he sent out a Proclamation for casting all the Bishops and Elders into Prison in his Empire and constrained them by several Torments to Worship Idols and so great Persecution there was among the Christians and grievous Torments they suffered because they would not offer Sacrifice to Idols one Noble man at Nicomedia pluckt down the two Emperours Proclaimations against the Christians not fearing the Emperours who were then in the City for which Act he was put to most bitter Death afterwards they were so mad that they sought to destroy all the Christiâ—ns in the World it can hardly be expressed with Words what numbers suffered and what Blood was shed throughout all the Regions and they cast the Christians among the Lyons Bears and Leopards who were kept hungry for that purpose and them that the wild Beasts would not devour they slew them with the Sword and threw them into the Sea Cerena the Wife of Dioclesian he killed because she was a Christian two thousand were Burnt in one place many suffered in Phrygia and were burnt with the whole City in this Persecution likewise in France Spain and Britain so that some Rivers were Coloured with Blood one thousand slain sometimes in one day and they slew them by ten twenty sixty and sometimes an hundred Men Women and Children Damasius Beda Oratius Honorus and others do testifie that there were slain in the space of one Month seventeen thousand Persons likewise Peter Bishâ—p of Alexandria and three hundred more were slain with Axes there Mauritius was slain with 6666. Victor with 360 were slain in the City of Troy the Christians notwithstanding all this Persecution did increase and though a Cloud was over many and Darkness entred in in part respectively to what had been in the first Century yet they were the best Witnesses for the Lord in their Generation and the Christians did increase so that the two Heathen Emperours were tryed with Persecuting and gave up their Empire and led a private Life having Reigned one and twenty Years which was in the Year 305. these two latter Emperours Maximinius and Constantius who were called Caesars now became the Emperours of the whole one in the East and the other in the West Maxentius was set up Emperour by the Souldiers and goes against Maximinius the Emperour who sent Severus his Son to War against him which Severus being slain Lycinus Caesar was chosen in his room so that Maximinius Constantius and Maxentius continued the tenth Persecution after Dioclesian and his partner had given over saâ—ing Constantine and especially his Son Constantius were kind to the Christians Constantius chused those who refused to offer Sacrifice and commit Idolatry to be in his Court and Banished the Heathen Idolaters as unfit for his Service that were Traytors to God and this was about â—he year 311. On the other hand Maximinius the Emperour and his partner were very Wicked in Idolatry and Cruelty God struck him with a great Plague in the Belly and secret Parts which putrifying broke out with Swarms of Lice which caused such a stink that the Physician could not endure the same wherefore he slew the Physician and by the anguish of his Disease he slacked Persecution making confession that his Persecuting of them had brought this upon him and so acknowledged his Offence and the Infidels divers exalted the God of the Christians yet afterwards being incensed against the Christians this Emperour set up Decrees afresh to Persecute the Christians whereby many Bishops others were Martyred here was no titles of Lord-Bishops Arch-Bishops not yet in the first three hundred Years neither was there any Pope then that did lay claim to Supremacy over all the Churches neither had these Bishops whole Countries and Provinces for their Maintenance neither all Rome Constantinople Antioch and Jerusalem and all People therein for their Diocesses but them only of the Christians who believed in each of those places but afterwards in the great Persecution there followed great Famine and Pestilence on the Heathen whiâ—h caused the Persecutiâ—n to cease and caused Maximinius to revoke his Decrees and punished the Inchanters that incensed him against the Christians Maximinus who was joyned in the Empire with Dioclesian who laid down the Government of the Empire endeavoured to have slain Constantius the Emperour that he might have got up again into the Empire but failing of his enterprize was slain of Constantius Maxentius this time Reigns wickedly and Tyrantly at Rome which caused the Romans to intreat Constantine to come against Maxentius for his Wickedness who made War against him and upon a Bridge made of Boats over the River Tyber he was intrapped by Constantine and drowned in Tyber and thus the Righteous Judgment of God at last came upon them for their Blood and Cruelty as a Recompence and a reward for their Deeds but Constantine set forth Decrees of favour to the Christians Marcelliuns was Bishop of Rome about the tenth year of Dioclesian in the Persecution he Sacrificed to Idols was excommunicated by three hundred Bishops but afterwards was killed in the Massacre of Dioclesian
many poor and that her own Diet was sparing and plain and her Expences full of Frugality Prosper saith also That a Minister able to live of himself ought not to desire any Thing to be given unto him and he that receiveth it doth it not without great Sin The Council at Antioch Anno 340. finding that much Fault had been among the Deacons to whom it properly belonged to distribute the Offerings or free Gifts where there was nâ—ed which they detained for their own covetous Ends the Council did ordain that the Bishop might distribute the Goods but required that they took no Part thereof to themselves nor to the Use of the Priests using the Apostles Words having Food and Rayment be therewith content Chrysostome notes who lived about the Year 400. â—hat Christian Converts joyned in Societies and lived in common after the Example of the former Saints at Jerusalem by whose Writings it doth appear that there was not the least mention made of Tythes in that Age the Church at this time living altogether by freâ— Offerings of Lands Monies and Goods the People were much pressed to bountiful Contributions for holy Uses as may be seen in the Writings of Hierome and Chrysostome who brought the Liberality of the Jews in their Payment of Tythes for an Example beneath which they would not have Christians determine their Charity Chrysostome saith I speak not these Things as commanding or forbidding they should give more yet as thinking it fit they should not give less then the tenth Part. And Hierome also doth admonish them to Bounty and Charity towards the poor not binding at all to offer this or that Part leaving them to their own Liberty yet pressing them not to be shorter then the Jews in their Tenths Ambrose who was Bishop of Millain about the Year 400. preached up Tenthes to be offered up for holy Uses as the Phrase was then but his Authority he produceth wholly from Moses's Writings likewise Augustiâ— Bishop of Hippo joyns and agrees with Ambrose in this thing but from the Law given to Israel take their whole Doctrine threatned them with great Penalties and heavy Judgments from God that did not give their Tenths but yet take Notice to what End they requir'd them that the poor might not want and say God hath reserved them for their Use so by this time Love did grow cold in many and the Power of God was much wanting which would have kept the Hearts of People open in Love and Mercy to their Members and therefore they were much prest and threatned by the Bishops to give their Tenths not that the Bishops had any better Ground but the Jewish Law for their Foundation and so in process of time this Doctrine came to be received many following he Opinion of the ancient Fathers yet hitherto it was not laid down as a positive Doctrine to pay them as the Jews did but only brought the Jews for an Example that Christians should not pay less Leo called the great about the Year 440. who reigned twenty Years he was very earnest in stirring up Mens Devotion to offer to the Church but speaketh not a Word of any Quantity Severin also 470. stirred up the Christians in Pannonia to give the Tenth to the poor Likewise Gregory not only admonished the Payment of Tythes from Moses's Law but also the observing of Lent which he reckoned as the Tenth of time in the Year and this he would have given unto God saying We are commanded in the Law to give the Tenth of all things unto God and thus Ignorance began to enter in and Judaism among the Christians brought in by their Leaders and from the Opinions of these and other ancient Fathers who took their Ground from the Law Tythes Easter Pentecost and other things came to be introduced and brought into the Church Yet notwithstanding the Doctrine and hard Threats of some of the great Bishops of that time It was not a General received Doctrine that Tythes ought to be paid till about the Year 800. Neither was any thing by the then Church determined or ordained touching the quantity that should be given though no doubt in many places the offerings of the devouter sort tenths or a greater part of their increase were given according to Ambrose's Doctrine and others And then at thâ—s time the Offerings or gifts to the Church were disposed of in this wise being received into a common Treasury one fourth part to the Priests out of which every one had his Portion another fourth part to the relief of the poor and sick and strangers A third to the building and repairing places of publick Meeting And the fourth to the Bishop and generally the Bishop lived in some Monastry and his Clergy with him from whence he sent them to Preach in the Countries and Diocesses and there they received such ofâ—â—rings as were made and brought them to the Treasury So that by the way the Readâ—â— may take notice that the Priest had no such peculiar Interest in that which was given but now they claim all Their Meetings places since called Churches were builded out of the gifts of People and the Poor were received and the Widdow But now Tythes taken by force three or four Fold and People compelled to build and repair their Houses or Temples by force and the Poor and the Widdow have no share nay have not many Poor been cast into Prison and Widdows goods Spoiled by the Priests of this Generation and how unsutable these Practices are unto the Apostles let all judge nay they are proud of the ancient Fathers and their Words but they will not so much as come near them in Example in any thing thâ—t is good So for shame you Protestants leave forcing of Maintenance and forcing of your Wages and forcing to repair your Houses of Worship and do not tell us of Church and Antiquity when you are far enough 〈◊〉 their practice though they were in a declining State in this Age I have been speaking of And although divers of the Fathers and Bishops and Popes in this Age did declare that Tythes were due and ought to be paid their Ground onâ—ly taken from Moses yet none of the first eight general Councils did 〈◊〉 much as ever mention the Name of Tythes or declare them a duty The ninth general Council held at Lateran under Pope Calixtus the second 1119. mentions Tythes but speaks only of such as had been given to the church by special consecration for at that time people being led to believe that their Tythes ought to be given to the Poor did dispose of them to the Heads and Rulers of religious Houses who kept open hospitality for the Poor and for strangers they were esteemed Holy and good treasurers for the poor who took care of distribution of them as is testified by Cassian But the Council held under Pope Alexander the third Anno 1180. Seeing much given to the Poor and little to the Priests
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
which saves you not from Guilt and Condemnation for the Word of the true Christ where it is owned cleanseth and takes away Sin and blots it out and destroyes the Root from whence it flows forth and works a new Creation in Righteousness and the Lamb of God takes away Sin in which the Churches of Christ believed and is Glad-tidings to all that do receive it now none can witness Gladness of Soul where there is Guilt which you all affirm is in every Christian while in this World and so you might see that it 's not the true Christ nor the everlasting Gospel you preach but this you cannot bear yet you say he hath taken away your Sin how much is Sin taken away if you say all how comes the Guilt and Trouble that is in you for if it be taken away and his Justice satisfied this was to make God unjust to charge it upon you again but I tell you when his Witness in your Conscience convinceth you and manifests unto you that you commit it and reproves for it I say you cannot witness his Justice satisfied for the Light is just which is one with God and when this condemns you there is no God that will justifie you but you use to say It 's all done in Christ I ask where if it be not taken away and unless you have the Witness of it in you your Faith is vain for he that believes hath the Witness in himself which none hath which walks contrary unto the Light the pure Witness of Christ for this convinceth you of Sin and bears Witness against you Now shew your Witness within you and your Assurance I say unto you while the Testimony of Jesus bears Testimony against you it bears not Witness unto you and so see your Confusion but after you have believed in Christ as you say and have received all his Ordinances if any thing after did judge you and bring Trouble upon you this you used to call a Temptation and so put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light I say there is no Guilt where Sin is taken away and crucified but Peace and Rest in the holy God who is unchangeable and so his Witness is unchangeable which judgeth and condemns the changeable but you use to say His Love is uncâ—angeable and whom he loves once he loves to the End yea but it is to him who is begotten by the Immortal Word which was in the Beginning which Word leâ—ds to the Beginning again before the Hatred was the Promise is to this Seed not Seeds as to many but the Seed of the Covenant there he loves from the Womb yea the Womb that bears the Seed of Jacob and the Paps that give them suck and where this is known as to Enjoyment Esau is cast out and Ishmael and the Seed of Abraham inherits the Promise and Edom and Moab is laid waste and Amaleck is slain by the Edge of the Sword and the Seed of Evil-doers cut off blessed are they that can witness this in Truth and till this be known the everlasting Love of God is not known which is stronger then Death and Sin is Death and where it is acted and conceived Love is not witnessed nor its Strength but VVrath comes upon the Children of Disobedience are you not Children of Disobedience while you break the holy Law of God in which is Power which is in the Heart and bears witness against you and in you and yet say You cannot believe that ever you shall be able to fulfil it if you fulfil it not you break it and then the Wrath of God abides upon you but then you say If we must fulfil the Law what Use is Christ of I say he who abides forever fulfilled it and fulfils it in them who know him and his Work and this the Scriptures bear witness of and herein Man comes to be justified in God's Sight by Christ who works all our VVorks in us and for us and self becomes dead and because he lives we live also Glory unto him forever and therefore we cannot but lay open the Deceit of Satan and exhort all to come up to Christ out of the VVorks of Condemnation Oh foolish People and unwise when will ye seek after Wisdom and hearken that your Souls may live How long will ye trust to the Imaginations of your own Hearts Verely verely I say unto you The Time is coming your building shall fall and there shall not one Stone be left upon another that shall not be thrown down and the Shame of Ethiopia and Egypt shall come upon you and your old Garments shall be torn off you and you shall walk naked and bare and shall see your Shame and the holy Nation of the Lamb shall rejoyce and your Sorrow the Lord hastens upon you who will not own the Cross of Christ nor the Word of Life which would turn you from Unrighteousness and out of the World and its Nature but you harden your Hearts and bend your Bowes and shoot your Arrows against the Lord and his anointed Ones and take your Paâ—t with all the uncircumcised in the Nations in the Confederacy in the Nation against the Lamb yea even with them against whom you your selves have declared and many of you who have been a Reproach now reproach O! tell it not in Gath never let it come to other Nations shame shame and blush at this you who thus requite the Lord Evil for Good Hath the Lord broken the Band of the Oppressour without And have you not seen the Hand of the Lord against them that were Oppressours cut off in his Wrath and overthrown And are not many of you the highest Professors both in England and Ireland now acting in their Footsteps Even you who profess Separation from the World who have been taken from the Sheep-fold and as you were seeking the Asses and raised from a low Estate in the World now to Places of Dignity and Honour and to bear Rule and to sit as Judges among the People and now have you forgotten that you were Servants under Pharaoh but now have taken up his Power and have forgotten the Afflictions of Joseph and your Fingers are becoming heavier then your Fathers Loyns and now you are joining your Strength with the Canaanites and Egyptians against the Lord where is the Liberty of tender Consciences you have told of and what is become of your Reformation Is it ended in this like Absolon when you are come to be Judges in the Gate act in open Rebellion against the Lord and now would be Judges of him every where and would limit him and ' set a Bound unto him and would break his eternal Decree which stands forever Oh if they who had professed no Love to God had done thus it might have been born but ye treacherous Hearts your Ingratitude and Hypocrisie cannot be born but the Lord God will visit for these Things that you should now act by those Laws you cryed out