12.12 John 14.19 though a Saint may be so called also Christ being in every one and every one in Christ so Antichrist appears most visibly in particular Churches or in Saints joyned in that fleshly fellowship where the Spirit of Christ or Manifestation of the Spirit not appearing the Church must now be called Antichrist the Man of sinn the great Whore How the Church came to be thus Apostate and when the Apostacy began I have not time at present to declare this secret depending much on what the mind of the Spirit shall make out in the Saints and what may be learnt by Ecclesiastick History by both it is manifest that the manifestation of the Spirit in manifold gifts given to the Church ceasing with the Apostles was the first beginning of Apostasie the Apostle John lived about one hundred years after Christ and the seven Churches of Asia types of the apostate Churches stood up a little longer but before the two hundred years compleat the wisdom and power of man so prevailed in the Church the inventions and traditions of Men were so many superstitious and childish ceremonies in Churches that of the British in Wales being the first Christian Church in the world long before the Papall Church in Rome I say the Apostasie of those Churches was so visible the pride of their Ministers so vile Spelmanantiq Britanic the power of their Synods in Glamorgan and Monmouth-shire so prevailing over the Gentry and petty Kings of that Country the canons of their Clergy so potent yea the Churches there and then so carnall in all superstitious Ceremonies both Jewish and Heathenish as never was more gross in the midst of Popery afterward How this Apostasie prevailed and became so powerfull History will tell you that Antichrist never came to be great till Kingdoms began to be Christian and Christian Kingdoms because they were Christian would needs appear and act as Churches call Councels and Synods condemn Heresies Judg of the Truth and Mysteries of God by the gifts of Men. When Kingdoms came thus to be Churches then Churches began to be Kingdoms That is the mysterie of Antichrist and Man of sin was then also working when nothing but the Spirit nothing but the wisdom and power of God appeared in the Churches of Christ I say then the Mysterie of Man the Man of Sin did work then the Churches did begin to act as Kingdoms yea the very Apostles aspiring to a Prelacy would needs exercise authority as Kings and Rulers of the Nations Luk. 22.24 and the Elders not only to seek preheminence as Diotrophes but to Lord it over Gods heritage or Clergie for so the Church was called 1 Pet. 5.1 3. though afterward the Elders or Ministers appropriated that name to themselves for they indeed alone would be the Church as the Pope with his conclave Prelates in their Convocation and Presbyters in their classis call themselves the Church yea the Elders of Independent Churches also have all the power and doe Lord it over their Churches though the Churches carry the name But after that when He that did let was taken out of the way 2 Thess 2.7 that is when the Spirits presence and power from on high in manifold gifts then appearing which did let and hinder the wisdom and power of Man to be so prevalent in the Primitive Churches I say when that manifestation of the Spirit that which did then let was removed then the Man of sin was revealed then the wisdom and power of man appeared visibly in the Churches I will not mention now the Papall Churches where the Popes save raigned as Kings and Emperors yea were called Gods Neither will I mind the Episcopall Churches when Prelates domineered as Lords not only Lording it over Gods heritage but as spirituall Lords in the Civil State I pass by also the Presbytery their Sun being set at noon day their Directory of Worship Confession of Faith Classicall Government their large and little Catechism with all those great works being even at an end The Independent Churches are those my spirit hath been most carryed out against these two last years but could not come forth in a publique contest till now they are come to power carryed up in pomp and state and fleshly glory wherby they discover themselves by their delicacies to be indeed the Great whore deceiving a world of men their Forms being more refined and her flesh fairer for they are men of great Gifts and Grace too this being that purple and skarlet and precious stones Rev. 17.4 the golden Cup wherein they carry their abomination and cause the Kings of the Earth men of highest place and choicest parts to drink the wine of her fornication i. e. Their false worship and Forms of Doctrine which are the Fornications or flesh of the Whore I wil not repeat all that I have written but this with God I shall make good to the world that These are no true Churches of Christ not Zion but The whore though they seem and speak as the Spouse yet are they not like the Gospel-Churches neither in Spirit nor Form No Ordinance among them in the letter much lesse in spirit according to the Gospel For indeed the first Gospel-ordinance or that which constituted the Church in a Gospel Order was the baptism of the Spirit this being not the bare presence of the Spirit for so all the saints under the Law had the Spirit but the spirit in a Gospel-sense was not yet come or as it is in the Greek The Spirit was not yet John 7.39 til Jesus was glorified Again the abundance of the spirit was not this baptism of the spirit for the Prophets had thus the spirit of Christ and Christ breathed the holy spirit on his disciples after his Resurrection but the baptism of the spirit was not till after the Ascension 1 Pet. 1.11 Jhon 20.22 Act. 1.5 The Apostles with all the disciples 120 by name were assembled together yet were they not in a Church-state not constituted in the order of a Gospel-church till they were baptised with the holy spirit Act. 1.15 2 47. yea the Apostles themselves who had a call and a commission from Christ to teach all Nations and to baptize beleevers could not go forth to perform either till the baptism of the holy spirit was come upon them Act. 2.38 Therefore the baptised churches are very carnal in crying out to their ignorant disciples Oh you must obey the command of Christ and Christs command is that beleevers should be immediately baptized c. Act. 8.6 38. Act. 9.18 True if there were a Minister who had the manifestation of the spirit as all who baptized had But again the first command of Christ before baptism was this He commanded them that they should not depart out of Jerusalem till they were baptized with the holy spirit not many dayes hence Act. 1.5 If the saints could stay a while and wait for the spirit not
Take them in order First some did not shame Loose irreligous to vote thy name Arraigning thee Champion t' impiety But thy strict life gave such reports the lye 'T is true uncasing formal righteousness Which decks it self in strictest letter-dress Thou didst some waies prefer the open sinner Apposing course offenders to the finer Yet thou herein didst countenance the prophane No otherwise then Christ the Publican He that for this shall judge or censure thee Is of his brother-sect a Pharisee Item Thou didst not Prayer methodize As Jews to morning and evening sacrifice Devotions â—â—m'd from hours and minutes date Speak an embondag'd and a legal state Free was thy spirâ—t pray'd alwaies alwaies praised Proyer is desire not uttered but raised Pesides thy sacred skill held it not fit To make the souâ—s outgoings Things Or Languag'd eloquence 'T is prayers wrong To prostitute it to a common Throng Thy sighs not voyc'd or worded were yet praid Moses most fervent was when nothing said Thirdly thy knowing soul could not espie True Gospel-order Faith or Ministry brought forth in power how can the Sun be seen When Customs and Traditions cloud between 'T was thy lifes toyle thy choicest interest To bring such false professions to the test Launcing corroding deep the formal man Yet meant'st not Satyre but Physitian Some froward patients wracking thine intent Fear'd Persecution whence 't was never meant 'T was an ill comment wrath and ire t' expound when Text was Love and healing of the wound Caetera desunt TO THE MINISTERS of the Church of ENGLAND and NEW-ENGLAND CHVRCHES THe two great Mysteries read in Scriptures which the Spirit is now revealing are Christ and Antichrist the Mystery of Godlinesse Rev. 10.7 Rev. 13.18 and the Mystery of Iniquity Christ is the Mystery of God Antichrist the Mystery of Man God manifest in the flesh Immanuel Jehova-Tzidkenu the Lord our Righteousnesse God with us The wisdom and power of God in us is the Mystery of Christ Christ in us Christ in a Mystery men know not and godly Christians will not acknowledge This also is the Mystery of Antichrist Man manifest in flesh Man with us Mat. 16.23 Isay 2.22 and in us the Righteousness of man Man magnified and exalted Flesh and the goodliness thereof set up in us is Antichrist indeed for as the number of the Beast is the number of a Man so Man alone exalted in the goodlinesse of flesh is the Man of sin the Woman upon the waters the great Whore the wisdom and power of Man is the Mystery of Antichrist within us which men know not yet but God is now manifest in flesh and beginning to appear in Men that neither Man nor flesh may appear any more but that all being swallowed up in God God may be all in all The time was when Kingdoms and Churches were the two Temples in which these great Mysteries dwelt and were discovered Man was most manifest in Kingdoms when Kingdoms were meerly civill the wisdom and power of man appeared most in Kingdoms So God was most manifest in Churches when Churches were wholly spirituall the wisdom and power of God was all in all in Churches But when Kingdoms came to be Christian then Kingdoms began to be Churches yea Churches came to be Kingdoms and Nationall Churches began then also Antichrist came to be great Babylon the Great the great Whore began to appear when the world might see Man sitting in the Temple of God 2 Thes 2 4. and the Man of sin worshipped as God when the wisdom and power of Man was set up as the wisdom and power of God the in Churches of Christ and Christian Kingdoms because they were Christian would needs appear and Act as Churches to judge of the things of God and to order all things in the worship of God whereas they had nothing to do but with the government and outward good of Man Thus the Man of sin was revealed for though God be all in all and there is no wisdom nor power in Man but the wisdom and power of God yet man at his best being but a Beast Psal 49.20 Jer. 10.14 and every man brutish in his knowledge Man I say misapprehending himself apprehending himself to be something and not God in him to be all and his Being in God alone but willing to be wise and as God to know good and evill having had his eys open to see some power and strength in himself is immediately stript made naked and appears nothing now indeed but a Man of sin a meer man made naked not clothed with God Act. 8.9 2 Cor. 3.18 19 20. nor God all in all for the man of sin is man deceiving himself seeming to be something to be some body to have some wisdom and knowledge in himself whereas God in truth is the wisdom and knowledge of Man and man is nothing but a beast as the Beast is the number of a Man and there is no difference indeed between Man and beast but as God is pleased to appear variously in both for as both were of one dayes making so God can so appear in man that man shall appear as a beast and eat grasse like an oxe as Nebuchadnezzar was and God can so appear in a beast and be manifest in an Asse that an Asse shall speak as a man Dan. 4.33 yea wiser then the wisest of men as Balaam's Asse Num. 6.22 28 that spake so rationally that it reproved or convinced the madness of the Prophet what is man then 2 Pet. 2.16 even the wisest as the Prophet all his wisdom and knowledg is but as a brute a Beast as the scriptures speak yea Prov. 30.2 more foolish then the Ox or Ass only as God is acknowledged by Man to be that wisdom and knowledg in Man Else 't is but a man of Sinn the Great Whore a sinfull Woman for sin is nothing but the deceit and transgression of Man deceiving himself as the Womans sin was in being deceived and first in the transgression This Man I say deceiving himself is the Man of sin or the sinfull Woman the great Whore who seems to be the wife and to her husband alone as man should be to God and as the Church should be to Christ but as God not being all in all with Man that 's the Man of sin So the adulterous Woman the great Whore is none else but the Apostate Church which seems to be the Spouse of Christ and one flesh with God in her her head and husband but joyning with Man and with forms invented by Man cleaving to the traditions teachings of Man to the wisdom and power of Man the Spouse becomes a harlot the Church the great Whore Indeed the mysterie of Antichrist the mysterie of Man is manifested in every Saint but the mysterie is most manifest and appears visibly in every particular Church for as the Church being in Spirit was thereby called Christ 1 Cor.
so the Saints under the Law had the spirit yea our Gospel Churches at this day come far short of the Legall Church 1 King 13.4 2 Kings 1. 2 King 2. c. for there were some gifts of the Spirit manifest as of prophecying and gifts of healing of signes and miracles but the Baptism of the Spirit was that manifestation or pouring forth of all the gifts of the Spirit not on every believer but on every Church of Christ that the Church came short in no gift 1 Cor. 1.7 This was the true constitution of a Gospel-Church the Baptism of the Spirit the manifestation of the Spirit in manifold gifts without which no Church can be in the order of the Gospel 1 Cor. 12.6 7 28. 〈◊〉 6.2 For as the doctrine of Baptisms not of water only but of the Spirit especially concerned the Church in her members so the next doctrine The laying on of Hands did concern the Ministery who received a gift by the laying on of Hands Independent Ministers make a meer ceremony of this never looking for any gift thereby as Papists and Prelates did but the Presbyterian Ministers of Scotland are a little wiser then ours for there being no Gift they lay aside the laying on of Hands altogether in ordaining their Elders Secondly The Breaking of Bread or Communion that was in the primitive Churches was not as 't is in the present Churches by taking a piece of Bread or tasting a sip of wine from the Ministers hands a meer popish superstition to put such pomp and reverence on sacramentall Bread and Wine but breaking of Bread was a full Meal for the word is so and The supper of the Lord shews the same to be a ful Meal or Feast of Love Jude 12. Acts 1.46 for both is one though old childish Fathers make a difference between the Feast of Love and Supper of the Lord so often used even daily that is every First day the Church meeting to break Bread Feast in Love to Feast on the Lord together on the Lord in them the Bread broken being the Communion of his Body 1 Cor. 12.22 Ephes 5.30 for the Church indeed was that body of the Lord the Church was Christ This the Church knows not nor confesses how fully the Godhead is embodyed in their flesh how perfectly one with the Father as Christ They are afraid of this therefore as if there were but a part of God and part of Christ in them they take a piece of Bread thus they discern not the Lords Body yea they doe not shew forth the Lords death that is dying to all things but to God as Christs purest flesh was crucified to the Father but this communion and mystery of Christ Hebr. 9.14 and of his death is not known nor taught by the Churches alass these are heavenly things too high for them who live in dead Forms nay they scarce know the earthly thing the Form of Breaking bread this being as I said a full Meal for they did break Bread from house to house Acts 2.46 eating their meat with singleness of heart praising God yea they drank also to the full for some drank too much or were drunk 1 Cor. 11.21 which could not be with a sip of wine the abuse that was in the Lords supper shews the use to be not to eat and drink to themselves for so they had Houses to eat in ver 22. but to tarry one for another till all being come together sate down in that spirituall Feast feasting on the Lords crucified body which the breaking of bread being a full Meal did signifie as we shall shew more fully hereafter Thirdly the next Ordinance was Church-prayers these being as peculiar and proper to the Church and for the Church alone as Breaking of Bread Acts 2.42 They continued together in the Apostles doctrine in fellowship breaking of Bread and Prayers The Churches of Christ could no more pray with the world then break Bread or have church-fellowship with the world Therefore neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever pray with preaching Christ prayed only in private or with his Disciples apart Luke 11.1 And the Apostles preaching to the world never prayed with the world for after Peter and John had been in the Temple at the houre of Prayer preaching to them in publique they returned to their own company in private to pray Acts 3.1 Acts 4.23 The Jews indeed had certain houres of prayer of publique prayer the Church being Nationall so there was a certain place appointed for preaching in the Synagogue or Temple just like our Churches now who are the Jewes indeed to be converted they have none but common prayers still houres of Preaching and houres of praying yea such Forms of Prayer praying before Sermon and after Sermon a meer popish custome with the Lords prayer after the first and a Priestly benediction after the second Prayer For Blessing the people last of all is both Popish and Priestly it being a legal Ordinance ending in Christ the great High-Priest Numb 6.23 Luke 24.50 who ceased this ceremony when he blest his Disciples and afterward came in Spirit to bless his people Acts 3.26 But the mysterie of Iniquity and Man of Sinn is not manifest in any thing more then in those Forms of prayer publique and private We know the whole power of popish Religion is in their much praying so Protestants could not be taken from it till their common Prayer was taken from them by force I cannot commend this Reformation for what are Men the better to be beaten from one Form of Prayer to another which is as bad if not worse then that before because seemingly more spirituall yet having not the power The Churches prayers how powerfull were they not full of words and fine expressions but there was a mighty power and appearance of God in their publique prayers see Acts 4.31 Acts 12.5 12. 1 Cor. 14.25 James 5.24 15. Besides that long praying which Ministers glory in is both legall and heathenish 2 Chron. 6. Nehem. 9. Dan. 9. Mat. 6 7. The Lords prayer the prayers of Christ and the Apostles prayers were very short succinct plain and to the purpose without such preambles abundance and vanity of words and vain-glorious enlargements Act. 1.24 25. Act. 4.24 The cause why the Churches err in all these after Ordinances is because they continue not in the First which is the chiefest Ordinance continuing in the Apostles Doctrine and holding forth the form of sound words Act. 2.42 2 Tim. 1.13 And this we shall prove another time that the Doctrine of the Apostate Church is not the Doctrine of the Apostles but the Doctrine of Devils and yet these Devils being not evill spirits but good Men great in Gifts are those Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those heathenish Heroes of old were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4.1 so our knowing men our Christian Heroes Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes
himself in John John was all in the spirit his flesh fell down as dead ver 17. as Isaiah and Daniel were both undone when they saw the Lord in glory appearing in them Isa 6. Dan. 10. But how comes the Lords day to be the first day of the week or the fourth Commandment speaking of the seventh day prove the sanctifying of the first day Who can prove the change of the day by Christ or that the Apostolick Churches kept holy the first day as God sanctified the seventh especially seeing the next succeeding Ages even the primitive Churches of the first 300 yeers kept the seventh day as the Sabbath yea celebrated the Lords day and Sabbath together for a long time for the Apostacie presently succeeded the Apostles departure Ignatius being but about 100 yeers after Christ sheweth the same After the Sabbath day saith he let every one that loveth Christ celebrate the Lords day the Queen of dayes for the Sabbath day was King or chief as one expounds Ignat. Epist ad Magnes The celebrating of the Lords day alone was first instituted by Constantine the Great Hosp cap. 9. pag. 27. anno 300. Afterward it was established by the Laodicean Councel an 364. commanding Christians not to Judaise in keeping the Sabbath but to work on that day and keep holy the Lords day Hosp Orig. Fest cap 9. pa. 27. In all this 't is observed that the Eastern Churches which were the most part of Christendom did celebrate the Sabbath as I said and the Lords day together Socrates cap. 8. lib. 6. and cap. 21. lib. 6. Mr. Brierwood on the Sabbath against Mr. Bifield pag. 77. Perk. 1 vol. on the fourth Commandment But the Romish or Western Churches would not have their Church-Assemblies on the Sabbath as in all other Churches of the world so the Centuries report Cent. 4. c. 6. p. 477. I am the more large in this that Independent Churches may see their Judaisme in their strict observance of an outward Sabbath their simplicity in sanctifying the first day of the week as the Lords day Their ignorance or connivance not cleering those things which are so certain Their conformity with Popish Churches Their carnal complying with the Protestant State Religion Their Laodicean condition thinking they are rich and have need of nothing that they need no Order nor Ordinance nor Officer whereas they are so poor blind and naked that they have no Gospel-Ordinances nor a Day at all but walking in the dark deceive themselves and others The observation of the Lords Day therefore depends much on Popish Churches and the command of Christian Princes to which the Independent Churches are as conformable as ever Prelates were What I conceive of the Sabbath I shall in a few words declare 1. That the fourth Commandment is mystical as wel as moral for there is a mystery in the four first commandments even the mystery of God is there manifest In the first Commandment God the One onely true God even the Father is acknowledged In the second Ephes 4.6 Col. 1.15 Heh 1.3 the same God and Father is known in the Son the expresse or graven image of his substance and no other graven image is to be made of God but the Man Christ In the third God even the Father so known in the Son cannot be acknowledged Ephes 2.18 nor worshiped in spirit and truth but by the Spirit without this whatever men think of God and Christ they take his name in vain The fourth Commandment holds forth mans spiritual rest in God alone so known in the Son by the Spirit And this indeed is the morality of the fourth Commandment the Ceremoniall part thereof being the sanctifying of the seventh day which was so commanded to the Jewish Church not as a law natural to all Nations as other commandments are written in every mans heart but as a positive law to that particular people now not a Sabbath or a seventh day but the Sabbath and the seventh day from the creation is that which the command speaks contrary to all our Protestant Interpreters who teach that the Christian Sabbath or Lords day is grounded on the fourth Commandment Now this Sabbath or the seventh day was meerly ceremonial as 't is called a signe between God and his people the Jewes that I the Lord sanctifie you and that you are a people sanctified and set apart onely for God Therefore that God is all in all to us and in us and that we are to rest in God onely and alone in the true mystery and morality of the Sabbath Prophets and Apostles witnesse The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Sabbath saith thus Isa 58. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath doing thy pleasure on my holy day and shalt c all the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord c. Observe that the Sabbath indeed is nothing else but the Lord God rested on and rejoyced in by us when we turn away our foot from the Sabbath and turn to God onely else he had said rather If thou turn thy foot to the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy dâ—y but this last is not so read as we do from doing c. as if we were forbidden to do our pleasure on his holy day on the Sabbath Nay we are there commanded to do our pleasure as the words read For the Sabbath should be our delight the holy of the Lord honourable and we shall honour him For he himself is the Sabbath that is so honorable the holy day of the Lord is the Holy One the Lord himself only whom alone we are to honour in all our wayes workes and words for if God be all in all in us t is not our words that are spoken nor our workes that are done but as Christ saith The words that I speake I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he does all the workes yea verily the sonne can do nothing of himself John 14.10 John 8.28 but as my Father hath taught me I speak these things this indeed is the sanctifying the Sabbath not to abstain from worldly thoughts and words and from working on the seventh day of the week but to sanctifie the Lord alone when he onely is our All when we are nothing but he is our Being and our being in Him when we do nothing but the Father dwelling in us doth all our works When we thus find not our own wayes nor speak our own words nor speak words as 't is in the Hebrew Man neither speaks nor does any thing indeed but God does all and is all in us This the Apostle holds forth to be the Rest or sabbath-keeping of the people of God Hebr. 4.9 not as if this were â—o rest to be entred into in this life ver 1. for we which
eat abundantly but when they awake their soul is hungry for indeed their best food is but ashes the fire of the spirit having consumed all that was substance strength and life in the means For behold the Lord the Lord of Hosts doth take away from Judah and from Jerusalem the Stay and the Staff the whole Staff of bread and the whole stay of water Esay 3.1 Judah and Jerusalem are all the Churches the purest of them bread and water are the least and lowest means of sustenance as breaking of bread and baptism of water hath been the best support of Churches the stay and the staff upholding their fellōwships and some food they have found formerly in those means though far short of their primitive institution but now the Lord even the Lord of Hosts God appearing in wrath as a man of war against them takes away all their provisions even the whole staff of bread and stay of water there shall be nothing in any means of grace to do them good or give them strength and not only the means but the men of strength men of parts and arts yea all the gods of the earth shall be famished the Lord takes away the mighty man and the man of war the Judge and the Prophet and the prudent and the Ancient and the Captain and the Counceller and the cunning Artificer and the eloquent Orator and the honourable all shall be so famished that neither gift nor grace shall appear nor gift to govern or rule others for they shall be babes and children in knowledg v. 4. nor grace to govern themselves for they shall be oppressers one of another v. 5. This is the extremity of Famin when men oppress and feed one upon anothers flesh when such want of food when mens gifts shall fail that they shall swear to be no Officers nor bear any rule nor take upon them ony place of preferment yea though they be sought unto yet shall they swear I will not be a healer make me not a ruler over his people for in mine house is neither bread nor cloathing 'T is much that men judged fit to rule and bear sway in the world should be so poor and naked as not to have bread nor cloathing This famin and scarcity may come in the letter upon those who are in highest places who are fullest fed and walk in Scarlet but sure 't will be in the spirit fulfilled on all the Churches and upon all their ruling Elders who knowing that all Authority and Power and Rule is going down at the coming of Christ yet contend still about Government the government of the Church is the onely controversie among the Churches not the great Mystery of Godliness God manifest in flesh no matters of Doctrine or worship are questioned by them but the Government of the Church whether the Church or Elders shall rule This the Independant Churches deny though their ruling and teaching Elders be as proud as Presbyters but sure the time is come that men who are so much for Government and Rule shall swear they will be no Rulers nor Ruling Elders any more for I have neither bread nor cloathing in mine house that is they shall confesse that they have scarce enough for themselves scarce so much knowledg and spiritual understanding as to satisfie and instruct themselves muchless to convince and teach others And as there is a famin on their gifts so in grace they are so famished that they fall to oppresse one another that is to eat each others flesh That 's the extremity of famin which comes upon the Churches as another Prophet phraseth it they shall eat every one the flesh of his brother Zaoh. 13. this is spoken of the whole Church and of all the Pastors or Shepherds v. who are called three Shepherds for that was the number of those that were eminent Teachers in the Jewish Church as Junius shews and these three the Prelatick Presbyterian and Independaut Ministers are the only men that have been Teachers in this Church and Kingdom now God will cut off all three in one moneth How By setting them one against another to oppresse and vex and eat the flesh one of another for as the Prelates have formerly eaten up the Priests and all that maintenance for the Popish Church which was in the Land so the Presbyters have eaten up all the livings and livelihoods of Prelates The Independant Ministry are now the third that feed on the flesh of Presbyters whose Preferment Places Priviledges and Parsonages is now become food for Independant Churches Yet the Famin is soarer for not only mothers eat the flesh of their tender babes but the Fathers eat their children and the children their parents Ezek. That the fathers eat the children is plain in the Churches for whereas the Apostle saith that the fathers ought to provide for their children as he himself would rather work and labour night and day with his hands then that the Gospel should be chargeable to the Saints especially the weak now not only the weak but the world must be at charge to provide for the Fathers of the Church for our Preachers of the Gospel But how the children can eat the flesh of their fathers is very strange seeing the flesh of elder men is wrinkled with age and watry humours and worse for food then the flesh of children But so it is though not in the Church yet in the Kingdom there are men counted children who eat up the flesh of fathers Divines Doctors Pastors Teachers and the flesh of Elders all their forms of Doctrine and worship with their professed holy walking is but food for babes and young beginners in the Lord to feed upon but to consume as fire which is fed with the fuel that it devours For indeed there is none whom the Lord feeds with understanding and knowledg there is scarce a knowing Christian this day that grows in knowledg though he be small simple yet he sees the vanity of Churches the emptinesse of their Ordinances then in the fall of their Officers their famin appears For as the Lord before takes away the whole staff of bread and stay of water so they eat their bread by weight and their water by measure This is much that water which is so common should be drank by measure and the measure so small but the sixh part of a hin a hin being no more then a pint Yea the Prophet himself the only Minister of the Church must eat his bread baked with mans dung which must needs make the bread unsavory and unclean v. 12 13. and though the Prophet complains of this to the Lord as a hard thing for him to undergoe to eat bread leavened with mans dung yet nothing is granted to him but this that instead of mans dung he might prepare and leaven his bread with the dung of a beast this was but little better All this shews thus much that the reprobate Churches eat their bread and drink their
water with measure whereas the Churches of Christ had the spirit given without measure so the chiefest Ministers have nothing bâ—t what comes of man to make and bake their bread withall therefore their bread which they break must needes be unclean or as the Prophet cals it the bread of mourners This mourning and famin of the Churches we shall speak of once more when we come to shew the judgement of the great whore but now our businesse is only to make her naked for this man chosen before to be a Ruler swore that as he had not bread so neither cloathing in his house to cover his nakedness This naked estate which the Laodicean Church could not see is nothing but the discovery of her shame and secret parts For this we shall see anon not only Babylon the great whores leggs made bare as that which is much spoken of by the Prophets to make bare her skirts but even Zyon's secret parts must be made bare also These secret parts are those spiritualities in men of parts as we call them their Parts and Arts and all their ability shall appear to be nothing but emptinesse and vanity for that 's the nakednesse that the Famin also foretold What is this famin or hunger 'T is the vanity and vexation of spirit out of the darknesse of understanding whereby the Churches vex and fret themselves that they cannot destroy all others who conform not to their forms This definition is clearly delivered in Scripture and applyed also here to the Churches as was shewed in part before of Ephraim feeding on the wind that 's vanity or emptinesse and upon the Eastwind that 's vexing and annoying the grouth of corn As by hunger is there an emptinesse of the stomack and a fretting of the guts with wind besides in famin men will feed on anothers flesh yea eat their own at last That which we said of the Churches eating the flesh one of another is that which we speak of here their seeking to destroy each other and others who conform not to them and this out of a darkness of understanding All is clear Isa 8.18 Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are signes and wonders in Israel Israel is the Church-state as those who are given to the Prophet are Saints carried forth to that glory which the Prophet speaks of even to God himself from all dead forms false Teachers and teachings of men v. 19. that such Saints are secretly wrought against by strong confederacy of the Churches is proved before v. 7. for sure according to man here is much cause of fear dread and destruction to such Saints who will not conform to their forms of Churches The Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of his people That is the Prophet could scarce forbear to walk in Church-fellowship with them had not God spoken by a strong hand and which held him from their societies for who would not walk with so many thousands in association joyned and gathered together But those who are instructed of the Lord know that the gatherings of the Nations yea of National Saints is for no other end than as sheaves are gathered to be thresht or as dry sticks are gathered to be broken Both these are Scripture expressions Mich. 4.12 Zeph. 3.8 the breaking in pieces of Churches is that which is here spoken of Zech. 11.10 For as Judah and Israel are by Ezekiel called two dry sticks dead bones so the Prophet here breaking his staffe Beauty shews that the Lord is breaking his Covenant that he made with all the people that is all the Churches are broken for their Covenant which once they thought and taught to be essential to the Church that Church-Covenant is now broken they are ashamed to call it so any longer 'T is now an Agreement or Association For as Church-fellowship is now called an Agreement of Saints to walk in the ways of Christ so when Saints differ or some great controversie ariseth here is an association of Churches nothing differing from a Classical or Provincial Presbytery though the Independant Elders are not pleased to call it so But what saith our Prophet Isay 3.8 Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces c. Formerly there was a gathering of Churches but the everlasting Gospel shall be yet preached by an Angel flying in the midst of heaven with more freedom and fulnesse of salvation with more light and glory then the first Apostles who preached the Gospel with the holy spirit sent down from heaven which the present Churches have not received yet conceive they can preach the Gospel having not the gift of the spirit to manifest the mystery but when Christ shall come again in spirit when Christ shall appear the second time without sin to salvation surely then death shall be quite abolished and that last enemy destroyed and utter destruction shall be no more for sin and evil shall be seen no more but salvation only and life shall be again brought to light with more glory then ever as I shall shew another time in another Treatise with God But now two parts of the Lords Land shall be cut off and die two parts of Gods people I count are scattered from God in gathered Churches these shall be cut off and die till they come out of Babylon till they return to God that is till they be gathered up to God such Saints are said to live whose life appears in God The next Judgements are Mourning and Famin this the Churches make to be the excellency of a Christian to be mourning for sin and complaining for the want of grace whereas this is but the weakness of a Saint the weak low and legal estate of Christians the Churches shall have enough of mourning and famin to the full while the Saints in the spirit shall be filled with joy joy in God and feast on the God-head dwelling in them My servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall howle for vexation of spirit and ye shall leave your name as a curse to my chosen for the Lord God shall slay thee and call his servants by another name Esa 65.13 14 15. These whom the Lord God will slay are the Apostate Churches which seperate themselves having not the spirit which say not only to the world but to Saints not in fellowwip with themselves stand by thy self come not near me for I am holyer then thou v. 5. These are said to remain among the graves and lodg in the monuments v. 4. because they are dead and the dead are there as in the Whores house before yea though they would build a house for God Esa 61.1 yet all their sacrifices and ordinances are but as the cutting off a doggs
neck or slaying of a man because they see not God dwelling with men the great God appearing in the least and lowest Saints v. 2. whom yet they hate casting out their brethren for his names sake that is because of God manifest in them but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed v. 5. they shall leave their name their name is a curse to my chosen that is the legal Churches shall be left as accursed lying under the curse of the Law But the chosen or elect of God as they are called Esa 65.22 not saved persons for such may be deceived by false Christs that is by false Churches for the Church is Christ in truth such elect or chosen persons I say for whom it is impossible to be deceived by those false Prophets and Apostate Churches not deceived by all the fairest forms and flesh of the Whore these servants of God wait on God only who wait for the appearance of God in them these that wait thus on God shall not be ashamed but God shal appear in them to their joy yea God shal call them by another name not the shamefull name of a Church but the name of Christ yea the name of God shall appear in them they shall feast on God and all the Gods of the earth shall be famished that is all men and members of Churches also men of highest parts and purest graces shall be famished by God by Gods appearance in men for man shall be nothing and God shall be all in all Next to Famin to Judgement of the great Whore shall be fire she shall be utterly burnt with fire There is nothing so formidable and dreadfull to Churches and to all their fleshly forms as fire This fire is the spirit this spirit shall burn up all the flesh and forms and fellowship of churches The fire which first set up the churches in the first appearence of Christ the same fire shall burn down churches at the second appearing of Christ God shall appear with more yower in the Saints So that as God spake to the church of Israel They shall goe from one fire and another fire shall devour them so the christian churches have gone from one fire and another fire shall devour them or as 't is in the Hebrew they shall goe from fire and fire shall devour them 't is the same spirit is the first and second appearing of Christ the churches have gone forth from that fire in the first appearing of Christ the fire that comes forth in the second appearing of God in scattered Saints shall burn and devour all gathered churches only the fire of the last day is greater then before that is the manifestation of the spirit shall be more at last then ever in former ages To cleare up this know that all outward formes and Church-Ordinances at the best are but flesh but these forms defiled are called the flesh of the Whore the defilement of these forms and ordinances came by the loss of that fire and baptism of the spirit which did first constitute the Churches of Christ and kept their Ordinances pure for as Christ in flesh foretold that every one should be salted with fire so it came to pass that afterward the Church was baptized with the holy spirit and with fire The Apostles themselves though they had a call and a Commission before to go forth to all the world to teach and baptize yet they could do neither till they were baptized with the spirit and with fire They had the spirit at first and Christ breathed the holy spirit on them after his resurrection but the baptism of the spirit was not till after the ascension till Jesus was glorified 't is said the spirit was not yet given or as 't is in the Greek the spirit was not yet the spirit was before yea abundance of the spirit in some but the baptism of the spirit was not till afterward till then t is said the spirit was not yet and therefore this was the first command not to baptize or be baptized as baptized Churches cry but to wait for the spirit not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the baptism of the spirit and of fire This was the first Command which these last Churches will not obey 'T is confest they have been in Babylon and called to depart but yet they should not depart in haste or go by flight not fly out of their Country nor hasten into Churches till the Lord should go before them and the God of Israel should gather them up as the Hebrew reads 't was nor man but God that gathered the first Church of Christ the Apostles and primitive Saints were assembled and gathered together in company 120 at first but they were not gathered into Church-fellowship till the baptism of the spirit came upon them Acts 2. no preaching the Gospel nor baptism with water in a Gospel way could be but by the holy spirit sent down from heaven The spirit as I said was in them before and God was in men from the beginning God was manifest in the Saints with power also that 's spirit God powerfully appearing in the Saints and this is in Jerusalem indeed and in this sense the Disciples at first were commanded not to depart from Jerusalem and so the Saints in these last daies are commanded not to depart out of Jerusalem but to abide still in God to stay and wait on God in them till he should come forth in power and spirit till the appearance of the great God should be There was the appearance of Christ then when God did powerfully appear in the Church in manifold gifts there were not only gifts of the spirit but the spirit was so given to the Churches that the spirit did appear visibly among them as first in tongues of fire so still afterward the spirit said to the Churches of Antioch Separate me Barnabas and Saul Again the spirit spake to Philip and to Peter plainly so the spirit spake expresly to Paul many a time likewise to John He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith the Churches Rev. 1.10.12 Rev. 2. and Rev 3. But the Churches are deaf of that ear they will not hear of the spirit they are sore afraid of fire but this was the baptism of the spirit and of fire which did set up the first Churches of Christ in a Gospel order the manifestation of the spirit in manifold gifts The Church under the Law had some gifts of the spirit manifest among them as the gift of prophesie the gift of healing yea raising the dead with signes and miracles and the Angels moving the waters of Bethesda wherein all diseases were healed at an instant this continued in the Jewish Church to the last this is more then present Churches have having less of the manifestation of the spirit then â—hat under the Law therefore must needs be more in bondage in Babylon not having one gift of the
spirit to continue their Church-state to be of a Gospel-glory wherein was the baptism of the spirit and all the gifts of the spirit were poured forth as rivers of living water on all the Churches of Christ for though every believer had not the baptism of the spirit nor those rivers flowing out of his belly because many believers then being carnal not spiritual had not a Gospel-faith faith in Christ yet every church of Christ was baptized with the spirit and had those manifold gifts manifest among them as the church of Corinth being most carnal yet came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.5 6 7. the church was adorned with all the gifts of the spirit and the manifestation of the spirit was given to every one to profit withall the spirit dividing to every one severally as he will 1 Cor. 12 7. to 12. and that his was the Gospel order which God set up in the church is plain v 27 28. now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular and God hath set some in the church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. This was the Ministry of the church and gifts of Christ not extraordinary as men say for that time as if Pastors and Teachers were the onely Ministers to continue in the churches to the last For though Teachers are last named Eph. 4.11 yet Teachers are also mentioned with the first with Apostles and Prophets 1 Cor. 12.28 and if God did set this order this ministry if Christ gave those gifts to the church how could the Church be wanting of those gifts of the spirit or gifts of Christ but by the spirit of Antichrist and Apostacy of the Church whereby the spouse became an harlot and the Christian church the great whore For what Scripture speaks of those gifts as extraordinary the gifts of the spirit were as ordinary for the church as the Ordinances why should Ordinances continue and not the gifts why should baptism and breaking of bread abide more then the baptism of the spirit and all those gifts seeing the spirit was given to abide with them for ever who promised that indulgence and dispensation that though the first churches of Christ were set by God in that order with manifold gifts of the spirit yet the churches afterward might stand in a Gospel order without any one gift manifest among them who made those Apostolike commands Apochrypha desire spiritual gifts be zealous of spiritual gifts that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church Where is a Psalme or a Doctrince or a Tongue or Interpretation or Revelation all being unto edifying and how is the church edifyed or built up now unless unto a Babel what confusion of tongues must needs be when there is no gift of tongue either to translate Scriptures truely or truely to interpret them in the gift of the spirit or to reveal the secrets and spiritual mysteries in them that have been hid from Ages and Generations since the Apostacy and is there not as much need of the spirit and power to restore all things that have been lost as to confirm the Gospel when 't was first published by the Apostles And is not the Ministry of Apostles as necessary now to preach the everlasting Gospel to the world seeing Pastors and Teachers must only attend their particular churches But where are there those Pastors and Teachers and Elders whom Apostles were to appoint and ordain where are the Apostles hands with the laying on of hands of the Presbytery Was it not the Apostles Office in chief to ordain Elders in every church and were not Evangelists designed by them to ordain Elders in every City were not Apostles only to set in order things in the church What church then can be in order without an Apostle were not the Apostles the only speakers who concluded and did all in Synods what can a Christian Synod do without them how can a church excommunicate or cast out but by the spirit of an Apostle who is still said to deliver to Satan In a word what Gospel can be in the world or Government in the church without an Apostle yea what ordinance can be in order without them for the very baptism of water as it was not to be before the baptism of the holy spirit and of fire on the church the doctrine of Christ being not baptism but the doctrine of baptisms so none could baptize but the Apostles or such who had a special commission confirmed with gifts of the spirit as Philip and Ananias For not every one that could preach but he that could teach all Nations was to baptize and that could not be but by the gift of tongues yea none could baptize but with the promise of the gift of the spirit annexed as none could preach the Gospel but by the holy spirit sent down from heaven which the baptized churches have not attained to nor can promise to their dipt believers Next to Baptism the Doctrine or Ordinance of laying on of hands follows whereto as the Apostles hands must be joyned so the gift of the spirit was ever with it without which the laying on of hands is but an empty ceremony as 't is in all the churches only the church of Scotland is more subtile and wise not to use that foolish complement but to ordain without any laying of hands knowing no gift is now given thereby unless it be a good Parsonage as in the English Presbytery but in the primitive there was a gift given by the laying on of the hands of the Eldership with the Apostles on the Elders to be ordained who also received the gift of healing by the laying on of their hands on the sick anoynting them with oyl signifying the spirit which was given indeed as the hands laid on did shew the same thing even the spirit and power from on high given to those who were ordained and approved for the ministry Now where are such administrations or such a ministry where is that manifestation of the spirit in these last Laodicean churches who are just like the church of Laodicea in this first that they are last of all the churches that have been or shall be Secondly that as Laodicea in the Greek imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the judgement of the people or Nations so not only the National churches but the separated ones are now judged by Christ Thirdly as the church of Laodicea thought best of her self being therefore the worst of all the churches the former six churches though some evils and failings were condemned in them yet were commended for some good which was not to be found at all in Laodicea that thought she was rich and had need of nothing whereas she was blind and naked So Presbyterian churches may justly be condemned of much evil and failing yet are to be commended that they pretend still Reformation but the last reformed and most refined churches of the Separation say they are rich and have need of nothing