A brief account of what we are, and what our work is in the world.
WE are a People whom God hath converted to himself; a People in whom God hath raised up the Seed of his own Life, and caused it to reign over the eartly part in our selves; a People whom God hath divorced from the spirit of whordom, and joyned to his own Spirit. We, many of us, sought truly and onely after God from our childhood (our consciences bearing us witness in the sight of God) but the honesty of our hearts was still betrayed, and we led aside by the Whorish spirit, and knew not how to turn to that of God in us, which inclined us toward God. By this means we came to great distress and misery beyond all men, not but that all men were in as great a want of God (his Life, Power and Presence) as we; but the sence therof was not so quickened in others, as in us. Now it pleased the Lord at length to pitty us, and to inform our minds towards himself, to shew us where Life lay, and where Death lay, and how to turn from the one, and to the other; and he gave us his helping hand to turn us. And by being turned to h [...]m, we have tasted of the Truth, of the true Wisdom, of the true Power, of the true Life, of the true Righteousness, of the true Redemption: and by receiving of this from God, and tasting and handling of it; we come to know that that which the world hath set up in the stead of it, is not the thing it selfe. Now mark, we are not persons that have shot up out of the old root into another appearance, as one sect hath done out of another till many are come up one after another, the ground still remaining the same out of which they all grew: but that ground hath been shaken & shaking, destroyed & destroying, removed and removing in us, and the old root of Jesse hath been made manifest in us, and we have been transplanted by the everlasting power of Life, and a real change brought forth in us out of that spirit, wherin the world lives and worships, into another spirit, into which no [Page 2] thing which is of the World can enter. And hear we have met with the call of God, the Conversion to God, the Regeneration in God, the Justification, the Sanctification, the Wisdom, the Redemption, the true Life and Power of God, which the World cannot so much as bear the name of. And what we are made of God in Christ, we know to be truth and no lye: and when we testifie of this to the World, in the measure of the life of God in us, we speak truth and no lye; though the World which knoweth not the Truth, cannot hear our voice.
Now our work in the World is, to hold forth the virtues of him that hath called us to live like God; not to own any thing in the World which God doth not own: to forget our Country, our Kindred, our Fathers house; and to live like persons of another Country, of another kindred, of another family: not to do any thing of our selves, and which is pleasing to the old nature, but all our words, all our conversation, yea every thought in us to become new. Whatever comes from us, is to come from the new Principle of Life in us, and to answer that in others, but we must not please the old nature at all in our selves, nor in any else. And walking faithfully thus with God, we have a reward at present, and a crown in the end, which doth and will countervaile all the reproches and hardships, we do or can meet with in the World.
We are also to be witnesses for God, and to propagate his Life in the World; to be instruments in his hand, to bring others out of Death and Captivity unto true Life and Liberty: we are to fight against the powers of darkness every where, as the Lord calleth us forth. And this we are to do in his wisdom, according to his will, in his power, and in his love, sweetness, and meakness. We are not to take wayes according to our own wisdom (but there must be a strict watch, set in the Life, least that get up again:) nor must we speak such words, as mans wisdom would call wise: nor may we go in our own will to seek any, but the Lord must go before: nor may we make use of our own strength, but feel his arm in our weakness: nor may we go forth in that love, sweetness, or meakness which is pleasing to the fleshly mind: but we must be true to God handling the sword skilfully and faithfully, judging and cutting [Page 3] down the transgressor in the power and authority of God▪ and when the meek, the lowly, the humble thing is reached and raised, then the true love, the sweetness, the tenderness, the meekness must go forth to that. The Lord God is rough with the transgressor, and all along the Scripture heweth and judgeth him: and if we come forth in the same spirit, we shall find the same leadings, where we meet with the same thing: for the Lord God will never be tender there; nor can that which comes from him, lives in him, is lead by him, be tender there whe [...]e he is not.
Now the very root of this severity is good, and of God, and hath love and sweetness at the bottom of it: yea in pitty, love, and bowels do we use the sword. It is in pitty to the poor captived creature, that that might be cut down, which keeps it in bonds and captivity. And though we seem enemies to all sorts of men, for the Lords sake: yet we are not enemies, nor could do the least hurt to them any way, but are true freinds to their soules and bodies also: and our only controversie is with that which captives and maks them miserable: for we fight not at all with flesh and bloud, but with the principallity and power which led from God, and rules in it against God, to the poor creatures ruine and distruction. Yea if we had all the powers of the earth in our hands, we could not set up our own way, (if, after the manner, of men I may so call it) or so much as disturb others in their way thereby, but should wait in patience, till God gave us an entrance by his power.
Now let not men run on in heats against us, but let them seriously consider, whether we be of God or no: and let them consider; not with the reason and understanding which is alienated from God, but with the witness which lies hid in the heart. There is one great palpable argument that we are of God, which, is this, all the World is against us, the Worldly part every where lights with us, the Worldly part in every sort and Sect of men opposeth us, the rage of man every where riseth up against us; But those that are so hot against us, if at any time they become but meek and calm, patiently considering our cause, and consulting there upon with the testimony that they, find in their own hearts concerning us, they soon become pacified, [Page 4] and see that we are no mans enemies, against no righteous Law, not against Relations, not against Governments, not against any thing in the world that is good, but only against that which is evil and corrupt. And of a truth, the corruption of things God hath shewed unto us, and daily cals us forth after an immediate manner to witness against.
Therfore let men be sober, and take heed what they do, least they be found fighters against God: for the reproaches the scoffs, with other persecutions, which seem to be cast at us, light on him. It is not as we are men, but as we are obedient to him, as we stand witnesses for him, that we meet with these things. Now, as it is not we our selves that do these things, but the life and power of God in us; so it is not we that are struck at, but the Life and Power: if it were not for that, we might be as acceptable as other men. It is because we are not of the World, but God hath called us out of the World, that we are so hated of the world. This is the true cause, though the world will no more now acknowledge it, then it would in former ages. Yet I do not speak this for my own sake, to avoid my share in the Cross: for the reproach of Christ is our riches, yea far greater treasure then is to be found in the pallace of Egypt: Yea the Presence of God, the sweet power of Life makes up all our losses, so that we have no cause to complain. It is very sweet, pleasant, and profitable for us to be found Sufferers for God; but we know it will not be profitable for you to be found Persecutors: and this is told you in true love and good will, by one who wishes no evil to you, for all the evil that ye have exercised towards the dear and pretious People of God for these many years. O that God would open your eyes, that ye might see whom ye have opposed, and against whom ye have hardened and strengthened your selves, that ye might bow to him, and receive life from him, and not perish in your gainsaying and opposition.
Grounds and Reasons why we deny the worlds Teachers
FIrst, they are such shepheards that seek for their gain from their Quart [...]rs, and can never have enough, which the Lord sent Isaiah to cry out against, who bid all come freely, without money and without price, and, was not hired, but spake freely; and these make marchandise and a trade of his words; and therfore we cry out against them, and deny them, Isa. 56.11. and 54.1.
They are such Shepherds that seek after the Fleece, and cloath with the wooll, and feed on the fat, which the Lord sent Ezekiel to cry wo against; who made a prey upon us; and the Lord said, he would gather his Sheep from their mouths, and that we should be a prey to them no longer; and we do witness the promise of the Lord fulfilled; and therfore we deny them, Ezek 54.34.
They are such Priests as bear rule by their means, which was a horrible and filthy thing commited in the land, which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry out against; while we had eyes and did not see, we held up such Priests, but the Lord hath opened our eyes, and we see them now in the same estate that they were in, which Jeremiah cryed out against, who did not bear rule by his means; and therfore we deny them, Jer. 5.31.
They are such Prophets & Priests that divine for money, and preach for hire, which the Lord sent Micah to cry against; and whilst we put into their mouths, they preached peace to us, but now w [...] do not put into their mouths, they prepare war against us; and therfore we deny them, Micah 3.11.
They are such as are called of men Masters, & call men Masters, and have the chiefest place in the Assemblies, and stand praying in the Synagogues, and lay heavy burdens upon the people which Jesus Christ cryed wo against, and bid his Disciples not to be so; Be ye not called of men Mast [...]rs, for one is your Master, even Christ, and ye are all Brethren; so we do witness Je [...]us [Page 6] Christ our Master, and see them to be in the steps of the Pharisees; and therfore we deny them, Mat. 3.10. Mat. 20.3.
They are such teachers, that with fained words and th [...]ough covetousness, made merchandize of us, and do upon the People; who by Oppression maintain themselves and Wives in pride and idleness, in hoods, veils, and changable suits of apparrel; who go in the way of Cain, to envy, murder, and persecute, and after the e [...]ror of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, following after gifts and rewards, which the Apostles cryed against; and therfo [...]e we deny them, 2 Pet. 2. Jude. 11.
They are such Teachers as have told us, the Steeple-house hath been the Church, when as the Scripture saith, the Church is in God; and the [...]fore we deny them. 1 Thes. 1.1.
They are such Teachers that have told us, the Letter was the Word, when as the Letter saith, God is the Word; therfore we deny th [...]m, Joh. 1.1.
They are such Teachers as have told us, the Letter was the Light, when as the Letter saith, Christ is the Light; therfore we deny them, Joh. 1.1.19. and 8.1 [...].
They are such Teachers as sp [...]inkle Infants, calling it an Ordinance of Christ, and baptizing into the Faith, into the Church, when as the Scripture saith no such thing; and therfore we deny them: but the Baptism by one Spirit, into one Body we own, 1 Cor. 12.13.
They are such Teachers as tell people of a Sacrament, for which there is not one Scripture, and so feed the people with their own inventions; and therfore we deny them; but the Table and Supper of the Lord we own, 1 Cor. 10.
They are such Teachers as tell people, that Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, is the Gospel, which are but the Letter. The Lamb of God which takes away the Sins of the world, is glad tydings to poor Captives: glad tidings we [...]e promised before the Letter was written, The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serp [...]nts head, and H [...] shall be a Light unto the Gentiles: the Letter is a Declaration of the Gospel, and many have the Letter, but not Christ; but we having received the Gospel, know them to be no Ministers of it; and therfore we deny them, Gen. 3.15. Luke. 1.1.
[Page 7]They are such Ministers as go to Oxford and Cambridge, and call them the well-heads of Divinity, and so deny the fountain of living mercies, and there they study, and read books, and old Authors, and furnish themselves with Philosophy, and fine words, and other mens matter; and when they come again, they sell it to poor people; when as the Apostle saith, He was not made a Minister by the will of man, and that the Gospel which he preached was not of man, nor had he received it from man, neither was he taught it; and denyed all his learning which he had got by the will of man at the feet of Gamaliel; and so finding them in the will of man, preaching by the will of man; we cannot but deny them, Gal. 1.
They are such Teachers, that tell people that Hebrew and Greek is the O [...]iginal, when as the Apostle spake in the Hebrew tongue to the Hebrews, who heard him in their own Language, and yet persecuted him; and the Greeks, who had the Gospel in their own Tongues, said, The Cross of Christ was foolishn [...]ss; these who had the Scripture, in their own Language, were as ignorant of the Life of them, as our naturall Priests, who spend so much time in learning a natural Language, to find out what those meant that spake forth the Scripture; who make poor people beleive that to know a natural Tongue is the means to understand the Original; the VVord which is the Original was before all Languages were, the VVord was in the begining which VVord was made manifest in all the Children of God, who spake forth the Scriptures; holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. Now all ye learned ones, where is your Original? he [...]e you and your Original is razed out f [...]om the word, which is the Original which the Apostles preached amongst the Hebrews and Greeks, which was before Tongues were and your Original, which will break all your Tongues and Original to peices. Pilate had your Original of Hebrew Greek, and Latine, who crucified Christ; he that draws back into many Languages, as into Hebrew, and Greek, draws back into the naturals, and so draws into confusion; but the Ministers of God, who preach the Everlasting Gospel which endures for ever draw up into one Language, and so the Priests, and all that trade in natural Languages we utterly deny; Act. 22. 1 Cor. 1.13. John. [...]9.2 [...].
[Page 8]They are such Teachers as have told us, that the Steeple-house is the Temple, when as the Apostle said, Your Bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost; and Stephen was stoned to death for witnessing against the Temple, who said, God that made the World dwells not in Temples made with hands; and here finding them in the Generation that hold up the Figu [...]es, and deny the Substance, and to be ignorant of that Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures; we cannot but deny them, 1 Cor. 6.19. Acts. 7.
They are such Priests that take Tythes, the Tenth of mens Labours and Estates; and those that will not give them, they sue at Law and hale before Cou [...]ts and Sessions, yea even those they call their own People, their own Parishon [...]rs. Levy according to the Law receiv [...]d Tythes, and he had a command to set open his gates that the St [...]angers and the Fatherless should come within his Gat [...]s, and be satisfied and filled; but we find none more pittiless of the Fatherless and Widdows then they; and the Strangers they complain against to Justices, and persecute, (though they neither seek to them nor others for any outward thing) as wanderers; and he [...]e they walk contrary to the old Law: and the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews said, The Preisthood being changed, there must of necessity also be a change of the Law, and we witness both the Priesthood and the Law changed; but they that take Tythes, and they that pay Tythes, according to the old Covenant, deny Jesus Christ the everlasting Preist to be come in the Flesh; and he [...]e these Priests sh [...]w themselves to be Antichrist, that are entered into the World, and opp [...]ess the Creation, when as Jesus Christ said, Freely ye have received, freely give; and the Apostle said, was there a wise man amongst them that went to Law one with another? here they are evil examples to the people, to sue, w [...]angle and cont [...]d, and walk out of the steps of Christ, and all the holy men of God; yea they exceed all the false Prophets in wickedn [...]s, for we do not read that ever any of them sued men at the Law; and therfore we cannot but utterly deny them, Deut. 14.29. Heb. 7.12.
They ar [...] such Priests as beside their Tythe of Corn, Hay, Beast, Sheep, Hens, Pigs, Geese, Eggs, Cherries, Plumbs; take ten shillings for preaching a Funeral Sermon, more or less, as [Page 9] they can get it, and ten shillings for the death of a man; and Money out of Servants Wages, and Money for Smoke passing up the Chimneys, and Easter reckonings, and Midsummer dues, and Money for Churching of Women, and thus by every device get Money, (and burthen poor people that labour very hard and can scarse get Food and Raiment,) to maintain them in idleness and pride: these are they that have hearts exercised with covetousness, burthening the Truth, and making the free Gospel chargable: if the Apostle was here, he would be ashamed of them, and so are we, and therefore turn from them, and deny them, 2 Pet. 2.3.
They are such Priests as not only take Tyths and Money for many other things of their own Hearers, and sue them at Law for it; but they take money of them they do no work for; but only raile against them, and say, They that wayt at the Alter, are pertakers with the Alter, but live of them who are not of the Alter, and say, The Labourer is worthy of his hire; but take Wages of them that have not hired them, and if they will not give it them, cast them into Prison, or take their Goods by Justices Warrants; these are they that Christ cryed wo against, who lay heavy burthens upon the people, who oppress tender Consciences, that own the Everlasting High Priest; where do they find any of the Ministers of Christ bargaining for so much a year? here they abide not in the Doctrine of Christ, but are Hirelings, and therefore we deny them. Mat. 23.2.
They are such Preachers as have told us, They have been gifted men, and we find in the Scriptures, that the gift of God is free, and not to be bought and sold for money; and Job said Wisdom is not to be purchased for money nor Gold; but they will not sell their gift under 200 l. 100 l. 80 l. or 50 l. a year, more or less, as they can get it, here we find they have not received the Gift of God, but are like Simon Magus, and therefore we deny them. Acts 8.20. Job 28.
They are Babylons Merchants that make a trade of Scriptures, and the Saints conditions, which the Prophets and Apostles spoke forth freely, without money, and without price, and bad all come freely. How many hundred thousand pounds in England is gained by the Scripture, and humane Authors joyned to it? Where is there a more profitable trade? Here they make [Page 10] Scriptures their Cloak and colour to get Mnoey by, and so make an Idol of it; and if any come to witness it fulfiled, as it was in them that gave it forth, they cry out to the Magistrates against them as Blasphemers and Deceivers: And if they answer, He that administers spiritual things ought to reap carnal, let him consider, the Apostle wrote not that to the the World, but to those that they had gathered out of the World, to whom the ends of the World were come; and let them gather people out of the World, and then they shall not need to bargain with them for things of the World; but their trading is with the World, and therefore we deny them, Isa. 55.1.
They are such Teachers as take a Text out of the Saints conditions, and take a Weeks time to study what they can raise out of it, adding to it their own wisdom, Inventions, Imaginations, and heathenish Authors, and then on the first day of the week go amongst the people, having an hour glass to limit themselves by, and say, Hear the Word of the Lord, and for Money tell people what they have scraped together.
These are they that speak a divination of their own heart, and not from the mouth of the Lord, which the Lord sent Jeremiah to cry out against, Jer. 23.
These are they that use their tongues, and say, The Lord saith, when as the Scriptures say so, and the Lord never spake to them, Jer, 23.30.
These are they of whom the Lord speaks, I am against all such as steal my word every one from his Neighbour: and so we are against all such as Jeremiah was sent to cry wo against, the Pastors that now steal the words of the Prophets, of Christ, and the Apostles; the Lord hath shaken his hand at their dishonest gain, and to them belong the Plagues that are written in the Book they make a trade on, for adding to it their own inventions, therefore do we come out from amongst them, and deny them. Jer. 23.31.
These are they of whom the Apostle speaks: That creep into Houses leading silly women captive, which are led away with divers lusts, which be ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth, though some have learned 50, 60, or 70 years, covetous, proud, high-minded, self-willed, lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God, who have gotten a form of [Page 11] godliness, but deny the power thereof, from which the Apostle bad turn away, and so do we, 2 Tim. 3.6.
They are such Teachers as gave us, and give people, Davids conditions in Meeter, and when we had no understanding we sung after them, as ignorant people do now, his tremblings, his quakings, his weepings, fastings, prayers, prophesies; and when we sung we put of our hats, and when they read them, we kept them on, and so they caused us to worship the works of their own hands; here they shew the spirit of Error, making wicked people to sing, O Lord I am not puft in mind, I have no scornful eye, I do not exercise my self in things that are to high, when they are puft in mind, and have scornful eyes, and do exercise themselves in things that are to high, and are full of Filth, Pride and Loftiness, and can scarce look at one another: here they make poor people to offer a Sacrifice of Lyes, and make them Hypocrites, deceiving themselves, saying what they are not: But the Singing with the Spirit and with understanding we own, and therefore the Priests that Sing without understanding we deny, 1 Cor. 14.15.
They are such Teachers as deny the conditions that the Saints witnessed, viz. trembling and quaking: when as we find the Holy men of God that gave forth the Scriptures witnessed such things. Moses who was Judge over all Israel, feared, quaked, and trembled exceedingly: and the Son of man was to eat his bread with quaking; and Daniel the man of God trembled, and was sore astonished: and Jeremiah the Prophet of the Lord reeled to and fro like a drunken man, and all his bones did shake; and David who was a King trembled and quaked; and Ephraim when he trembled was exalted in Israel; and Habakkuk who was a Prophet trembled, and his belly shook, his lips quivered: and Isaac in whom the seed was called, trembled exceedingly; and Paul a Minister of Christ trembled; but they make a scorn of trembling and quaking, and shew themselves ignorant and strangers to the Life and Power of God, as their Generation ever was, who still made a scorn and reproach of the holy men of God that trembled and quaked; but the Seed of God, and the Prophets, and the Servants of the Lord we own, and their conditions we witness; and therefore all the Priests, and them that deny the holy men of God, we utterly deny, Heb. 12.21. [Page 12] Ezek. 12.18. Dan. 10.10. Jer. 23.9. Psalm. 119.120. Hos. 13. [...] Habbak. 3.16. Acts 9.6. Gen. 27.23.
They are such Teachers as tell the people that Christ hath not enlightened every one that comes into the world, when as Christ saith; He doth enlighten every one that comes into the World: and hear they go about to make Christ a lyer, and John Baptist a false Prophet, and deny the Scriptures; and they say, God hath not given every one a measure according to his ability when at Christ saith, He hath done it, Christ is the light of the World, and by him the World was made, and he came into the World, and the World received him not; it is so now, Light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not; and this is the condemnation, That Light is come into the world, the one he loves the Light, and brings his deeds to it, that they may be made manifest, and walk in it, there is no occasion of stumbling in him; the other, he hates the Light because his deeds are evil, and this is his condemnation; and we witness the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened every one that comes into the world, and by obedience to the Light, he is become our Master, our Teacher: and all who stumble at the Light, and deny it are ignorant of the Foundation Stone, and know not the first Principle, but are shut out from knowing any thing of God; and therefore the Priests and all their followers we deny, Joh. 1.9. and 3.19, 20. Mat. 25.15.
They are such Teachers as walk out of the Doctrine of the Apostles, and practise of all the Churches▪ Paul saith, If any thing be revealed to him that sits by, let the first hold his peace, for all may prophesie one by one, that God in all things may be glorified, and you edified: and the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets: and God is the Author of Peace, and not of confusion: and this was in all the Churches of the Saints: But now if any man come among them, while they are speaking, or when they haue done, and be moved to speak any thing, them of their Church, the rude multitude, fall upon him with Staves, Fists, and Punches and Knocks him down with Stones, shewing themselves to be of that generation that stoned Stephen to death, and the Priests call to the Officers to take him to the Stocks, and to carry him before the Magistrate, and from thence he is sent to Prison, and called a disturber of the Peace: here they shew themselves to be [Page 13] no Ministers of Christ, and their Assembly to be no Church, but in confusion, for that which was order among the Saints, is disorder amongst them; the Church of Christ was never Fighters, nor Quarrellers, nor Scorners; such Churches are the fruits of the Ministry of ENGLAND, who were made by the will of man, and never sent of Christ, and therefore they do not profit the people at all, but are Persecutors of the Messengers of Christ, and therefore we deny them, 1 Cor. 14, 32.33. Acts 7. Ver. 23.32.
They are such Teachers as have told us, we should never be made free from Sin while we are upon earth; when as the Apostle saith, They were made free from Sin, he thanks God, and had put of th [...] body of Sin; so we find they had told us lyes contrary to the Scripture, and the Apostle saith, While we were servants of sin we were free from righteousness; so in that state we find them; and therefore we deny them, And they have told us, none shall ever be Sanctified, nor the body of Sin destroyed, nor cleansed from Sin while they are upon earth, when as the Apostle said, They were sanctified, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all Sin; and the Ministers of God said, they reigned as Kings; and here they deny the Scriptures, and therefore we deny them. And they deny the begotten Son of God, which Sinneth not, and calleth it blasphemy for any to witness that born which Sins not, when the Scripture saith, He that is born of God Sinneth not, neither can he Sin, because he is born of God, and the seed of God remaines in him; and he that commits Sin is of the Devil, and hereby are the Children of God made manifest, and the Children of the Devil; and as he is, so are we in this present world, and a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; if the root be holy so are the branches, and one Fountain cannot send forth sweet water, and bitter: he that can receive it, let him; but the cheif Priests, and Elders, and Pharisees, and Sadduces, and Rulers, at this stumbled then, and so they stumble now at the Light, from whence these words were given forth, which doth enlighten every one that comes into the world, and therefore we deny them, Rom. 6.18. and 6.6. Rom. 8.10. 1 Cor. 6.11. 1 Joh. 1.7. 1 Joh. 3.6, 9; 10. 1 Joh. 4.17.
And they a [...]e such Teachers that have told us, none shall ever be perfect while they are upon the earth, when as Christ saith, [Page 14] be ye perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect; and the Apostle saith, By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. And the Ministry of Christ is for the perfecting of the Saints, till they all come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, to a perfect man. Here we find them to deny the Scriptures, and the everlasting offering, and all such we cannot but deny; and we witness the everlasting offering, which perfects for ever them that are sanctified. Praises to the Lord for ever, who hath sent forth his Son in the likeness of Sinful flesh, to condemn Sin in the flesh, that in him we might be made the righteousness of God; and all that deny perfection and sanctification, deny this offering, and the gift of God, which is perfect, and the Ministry of God, which is for perfecting the Body; and such Ministers are not Members of the Body, nor can present any man perfect in Christ Jesus, and therefore we deny them, Mar. 5.10. Heb. 10.14. Eph. 4.12, 13. 2 Cor. 5.21. James 1.17.
They are such Teachers as deny the everlasting Covenant, and the anointing, for if any come to witness that they are taught of God, and that he hath written his Law in their hearts, and put his Spirit within them, and that none need say to them, know the Lord; then they cry out to the Magistrates, and ignorant people, these are the Deceivers and false Prophets that shall come in the last times, they deny the means; and when any witness they have received an unction from the holy one, and need not that any man teach them, but as the anoynting teacheth them of all things; then they cry out, these are Seducers and Seduced: and so here they deny the Covenant of God, and the Promise of God, and shew themselves to be the great Seducers, that draw from the Anointing, and finding their spirits contrary to the Scriptures, we cannot but deny them, Jer. 31.33. Heb 11.8. 1 Joh. 2, 20, 27.
They are such Teachers, that say, Revelations are ceased, and deny Revelations and so deny the Son, for, no man knows the Father, but he to whom the Son reveals him, and no man knows the things of God, but the Spirit of God, and he to whom the Spirit reveals them: and the Apostle said, It pleased the Father to reveale his Son in him: and so he that denies Revelations, denies both the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit; these are the Priests who talk of Religion, and have gotten a form to trade [Page 15] with, and have received things by traditon, but are ignorant of God, and of the Spirit, by which all Saints were ever guided; and therefore we deny them, Mat. 11.27. 1 Cor. 2.11. Gal. 1.16. Phil. 3.15.
Therefore all people, consider what you do, and hold up, and worship, for the Worship is but one, and the Word is but one, and the Baptism is but one, and the Church is but one, and the Way is but one, and the Light is but one, and the Power is but one; but they that are without have many Teachers, many Ways, many Opinions and Judgments, and many Sects; but we have but one Priest, which is over the houshold of God, and therefore are all of one heart and soul.
Moved of the Lord, written from the Spirit of the Lord for the cleansing of the Land of all false Teachers, Seducers and Deceivers, and Witches, who beguile the people, and Inchanters, and Diviners, and Sorcerers, and Hirelings, and which is for the good of all people, that fear the Lord, and own Jesus Christ to be their Teacher.
From them whom the world scornfully calls Quakers; but quaking and trembling we own, else we should deny the Scriptures, and the holy men of God; but the Scriptures we own, and the holy men of God; Therefore we deny all them who deny quaking.
If you say these things are frivolous things, which you have taught us, then we have been taught frivolous things all this while; but we find all these things frivolous things, wind and air, and therefore we deny them.
All people that read these things, never come ye more at the Steeple-house nor pay your Priests more Tythes, till they have answered them, for if ye do ye uphold them in their Sins, and must partake of their plagues,
Some PRINCIPLES of the Elect People of God, scornfully called, QUAKERS.
A Salutation of Salvation to all People throughout the Christian World, that they may Enter in by the Door which is Christ the Light, by which Every man is enlightened that cometh into the World, by Christ the Light, which is the Way to God, and the Door by which they must enter into the Father, from the World, from Darkness and Death, and its Power, into Covenant with God, by Christ the Door. And this is the Light, by which ye see all the evil Actions which ye have evilly acted, and all the ungodly works which ye have ungodlyly commited, and all the ungodly thoughts which ye ungodlyly have thought, and all the hard speaches and ungodly words which ye have spoken. The Light wherewith Christ hath enlightened you; is that which maketh manifest all that is contrary to it. The same Light maketh manifest the Saviour, from whence it comes: and it maketh manifest that Christ is the Covenant of Light and Life, by which you come to have peace with God. The same Light maketh manifest to you (if you love it) that Christ is the Mediator between you and God. The same Light maketh manifest that Christ is the Offering for your Sins, and the Sins of the whole World. The same Light doth manifest that Christ is the way, the truth and the Life, and the word of God by which all things were made and Created. And the same Light manifests that Christ is the Wisdom of God, and Power of God, and Sanctification, and Justification, and Redemption. To Sanctifie, Justifie and Redeem from that which the Light manifests to be Evil; and that which lets, and keeps in the seperation from God.
And this Light is within, by which all these things are seen; and you that love this Light you will se all these things Love mentioned: Christ the Mediator, Christ the Way, the [Page 17] Life, the Wisdom, the Sanctifier, the Redeemer, the Offering for your Sins, and the Sins of the whole World. In this Light ye will have his Testimony; and so he that believes shall have the Testimony and Witness in himself, and so ye all being enlightened with this Light, receiving it, you receive Christ, then you do not receive Darkness, nor the Prince of Darkness. And as many of you as receive Christ, he will give you power to become Sons of God (mark) ye shall have power by which you shall know Son-ship to stand against sin and evil, and become the Sons of God.
Now if you hate this Light, and go on in sin, and in evil thoughts, and evil words, works and actions, and do not come to the Light which reproves you, but love Darkness rather then Light, it will be Your condemnation. And this is the Light which maketh manifest to every one of you what you have done, spoke, thought and acted amiss, and reproves you for it: and if you love the Light, you love Christ, and you love your Saviour, Redeemer, Sanctifier and Offering for Sin. And you see him who puts an end to sin, and destroyes the Devil who brought it in, and his Works; he that destroyeth; and brings in everlasting Righteousness in you. But (as above mentioned) if you hate this Light, and go on in sin and evil, it will be your condemnation.
This Light is with you in your Labours, and in your Beds, and when you are about your Business, Trades and Occupations; shewing to you all your words, and all your thoughts, works and actions. Which Light (if you love it) will lead you from the Old into the New Life, and from the Alienation and Degeneration from God, his Life and Image.
And with this Light you will see Christ a King to Govern you, who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given to him; And with the Light you will see him a Prophet to open to you, and a Priest to offer for you to the Father; and in this Light you will see more Light, the same shining in your hearts, it will give you The knowledge of the Glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus your Saviour: And with the Light you will see the Kingdom of Heaven within, which never gave consent to Sin and Evil, like to a grain of Mustard-seed, and to a Leaven which leaveneth into a New Lump.
[Page 18]And with the Light you will see the Field, which is the World, placed in your hearts, where the Pearl is hid, and with what you must dig to find the Pearl, the Power of God; and what you must sell for its sake, to purchase the Field, And waiting in this Light, you will receive the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, to to lead you into all Truth, and to bring the Words which Christ hath spoken to your remembrance; and it will shew you things to come; and it shall receive of those which are Christs, and give it unto you. So loving the Light you love Christ, and receiving it you receive Christ, the first and the last; For in the Light Christ is seen and handled, his Voyce is heard and he is followed. So in the Light you will see Christ to be your Teacher, who saith, Learn of me, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; by whom Life Eternal is given. And you are brought again to Christ the Shepherd, who draws you out of the Fall to God, into his Image, where the Green Pastures of Life are known and fed upon. And no man commeth to the Father (saith Christ) but by me: who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World, that by the Light all may believe. And, saith Christ, Believe in the Light whilst ye have the Light, that you may be Children of the Light. So you being enlightned with the Light, which if you believe in it, you come to be Children of the Light, and Heirs of Promise, and Mercy, and of the Power of a Life that hath no End. And believing in the Light, you pass from Death to Life, from Darkness to Light; and you come to know a Translation from Darkness to Light, and from Satans Power to the Power of God; and to know the begotten of God, into his own Image, by his Power, as you have been degenerated from God, and have lost his Image, by the Prince of Darkness, and so translated from the Image of God, into the Image of Satan, from the Power of Christ, into the Power of Darkness; so you must come to the Light, that ye may have another Conversion, from Satans Power to God, from Darkness to Light, to be renewed into the Image of God; and this is felt within, and as you feel this within, you will know the Word of God within in your hearts, which is the Word of Faith, which the Apostles preached to the Romans; which they were to hear, obey, and do: And that is the Word which seperates the pretious from the vile; your pretious thoughts, affections, motions and words [Page 19] from your vile: So the Word is in your Hearts, and Mouthes, to obey it, and to do it; And it is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged Sword: And you shall not need to say, Who shall bring it from Heaven, or who shall fetch it from beneath? But it is in the Heart and Mouth; and this is the Word of Faith which the Apostles preached.
And the same Word is called a Hammer, a Sword, and a Fire to beat down, to cut down, and to burn up whatsoever is contrary to it. So it is the same Word which sanctifieth, and purifieth, and reconcileth to God, as beats down, and cuts down, that which is contrary to God and which seperates betwixt you and God. So you may hear, obey and do the Word, for it is with you in all places, and in all your occasions, dividing good thoughts from bad, good words and motions from bad: For if all Christendom would hear and obey the Word in their Hearts, which is pure, and lives, and remaines, and endures for ever, by which they would come to be born again of the Immortal Seed, this Word would keep them from evil Actions and Words which are spoken and acted by them: And so by the Word every one should be taught, and should know the engrafted Word, which is able to save the Soul, which beats down, and cuts down, and burns up that which wars against it, and keeps the Soul from the enjoyment of God. And so in this Word they should know the annointing in themselves to teach them, so that they should not need any man to teach them, but as the same annointing teacheth them, which teacheth Truth in all things.
And in this Light and Word, which is in the heart, they should know the New Covenant of God, the Law written in the heart, and put in their mindes, by which they should not have need to say one to another, Know the Lord; for all should know him from the least even to the greatest.
And those are true Christians who come to witness this, as thousands in England do witness it in this his Day; among whom the pretious Pearl is found, and the Field is bought, among whom the Law of the Spirit of Life, sets free from the Law of Sin and Death: Who witness the Ages to come, of which the Apostle spoke, In which the kindness and exceeding riches of the Grace of God should be manifested again, which the Lord in the Primitive Times made manifest amongst the Apostles, who [Page 20] sat together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. In which places▪ thousands are now come to sit; Glory be to him for ever.
I. Concerning WORSHIP.
The Promise of Redemption is from that State in which Adam and Eve, their Sons and Daughters are in the Fall driven from God, into a State in which they were before they were driven from God, to the Church in God. Now they that sit down in a State driven from God, are People far off from the Church in God. Our Worship is in Spirit and in Truth, in which the Devil abode not, but is out of it, who is the Author of strife and unrighteousness amongst People, which Truth maketh the Devil to bow, and cringe, yea, and destroys him; and it is the Spirit that mortifies sin, which makes the Separation from God. Now we say, that if all Christendom had worshipped God in Spirit and in Truth, they had all been in Him, out of which the Devil is, and had been in the holy Mountain, and had felt the Spirit ruling them in their own particulars, and had felt the Spirit of Truth guiding and teaching them in them, in their own hearts.
II. Concerning the CHURCH.
Our Church is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he Redeems with his own blood, without spot, or wrinkle, or deformity, or any such thing, which blood we feel in our Hearts, purging us from all sin; with which blood we feel our Consciences cleansed from dead works to serve the Living God. So this blood is witnessed in us, and the excellency thereof, by which we come to know the price of Redemption.
III. Concerning the WAY.
We say that Christ is Our Way, which is Light, which enlighteneth you and every man that cometh into the World, that [Page 21] with this Light you may see him, the Way, and may come to walk in the Way of Peace and Life, which is the Way to God, and which is the New and Living-Way, in which the Apostles were, out of which Christendom is gone, erring from the Light in their own particulars, into their own Inventions and Imaginations, which is the cause that there are set up so many Wayes among them, changable Wayes, and changable Worships, among them (I say) who have erred from the New and Living Way. So whosoever comes to the Light in themselves, they come to Christ, they come to the New and Living Way, out of the Old and Dead Wayes which are in the Fall from God, out of his Image and Power; So whosoever comes to his Image and Power, they must come to the Light, wherewith Christ the Way hath enlightened them all in their own particulars, and hear his Voyce and Doctrine. So there is not another Way to the Father but Christ the Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World, which is the Way, yea, the New and Living Way. So, who love the Light, they love the Way, and they love Christ; but they who hate the Light, they hate Christ the Way.
IV. Of the CROSSE.
The Cross of Christ is the Power of God, which is contrary to the World; which Cross of Christ, the Power of God, was among the Apostles, which Crucified them from all outward Figures, Types, Shadows and Inventions of Men. So they who are gone from the Power of God, since the dayes of the Apostles, have set up many Crosses, who have lost the true Cross, which is the Power of God. The Cross of Christ, which is the Power of God, Crucifies that state in which Adam and Eve, and all their Posterity were in, in the degeneration, in which Cross is the Power of God; by which Cross they come to a state in which they were in before their Fall. And in this Power of God, the Cross is the Fellowship, which is a Mystery, which brings to the Beginning, in which is Endless Life; and this Mystery is in it.
V. Of the True COMMUNION.
The True Communion is in the Gospel, which is among us, as it was among the Apostles, in the Spirit and Light, by which we have Fellowship with the Father and with the Son.
VI. Of the GOSPEL.
The Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation; for he that believeth receiveth Power, receiveth the Gospel, by which Life and Immortality is brought to Light; and the Power of God expels that which keeps Life and Immortality from people, and captivates their soules spirits and mindes, and keeps them in Bondage; which Power of God expells it all and sets them Free, and gives them dominion over that, which burdens them and gives them to feel and to see before that was which hides Life and Immortality from them. And by this Power of God, Life and Immortality comes to Reign, in which is the Saints Fellowship, and Church-Fellowship, in which they come to be Heires of the Power of God, Heirs of the Gospel, Heirs of the Fellowship, Membrs of the Church, and Membrs of one another; in the Power of God, the Gospel wich was before the Power of Darkness was.
And now the Gospel must be preached again to all Nations, Kindreds, Tongues and People, who dwell upon the Earth; that by this Gospel, Life and Immortallity may be brought to Light among them, and expel away that which hides it from them, by which Power, the Gospel, which is Salvation, which frees the Soules, Spirits, and Consciences from that which burdens them, and to them this is Glad Tydings.
VII. Of FAITH.
The Faith is one which purifieth the heart, which giveth victory, and which brings to have access to God, and which [Page 23] giveth victory over that which seperates from God; in which Faith was the Unity of the Saints in the Primitive Times, in which also stands our Unity; which Faith is the Gift of God.
VIII. Of BAPTISME.
There is one Baptism, by one Spirit, into one Body, which plungeth under all the corruption which got up since Transgression, which hath made the Separation between Man and God; which Spirit leads into one Body from the many Bodies, and into one Head from the many Heads of those many Bodies, which are in the Fall from God. So Baptized with one Spirit, into one Body, which plungeth under all that which makes a separation from God. We are made to drink into one Spirit, and this Spirit is within, plunging under all the corruptions which are within; And the Cross of Christ, which is the Power of God, is within, crucifying the mind which did walk in those things which hides from God, and which keeps in the World, in the lust of the Eyes, the pride of Life, and the lust of the Flesh which are not of the Father. Now they that mind Earthly things, they go from the Power of God within, and are Enemies to his Cross, which is the Power of God (as Paul saith) and so, many Heads, many Bodies, many Baptisms, are among them, who are out of the Power of God, the Cross of Christ, and out of the One Baptisme with the Spirit, into one Body, into one Head, Christ Jesus, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, and the Head of his Church, which is his Body, and he is the Saviour of it; of which Church we are.
IX. Of PERSECUTION.
Now concerning the divers Faiths, and divers Worships, which are in the World, and the Persecution about them, such Believers and Worshipers are out of the one Faith which giveth victory, and have lost the spiritual weapons and are run into the carnal, and so are out of the true Worship which is in Spirit and [Page 24] Truth; out of which (as I said before) the Devil is. And here are all the carnall weaponed men, fighting for their Worship, and for Trifles.
When as the Spiritual weaponed men, who have the Word of God, and the Sword of the Spirit, they strive not with flesh and blood, destroy not Creatures by calling to the Powers of the Earth to help them. When as carnal minded men, who are out of the Church, which was in the begining, and its weapon and Spirit: who deform, kill and slay Creatures about their invented Worships, Faiths, Baptisms, Churches, Croses, and such like; which were not the Fruits, neither the Works of the Apostles, nor of the spiritual weaponed men. So all ye that persecute and kill about Religion, Church and Worship, are not Worshipers of God in Spirit and Truth: They are not in the fellowship of the Gospel, the Power of God, Which was before the Power of Sathan was, and they are not in the true faith which giveth victory over that which seperates from God, neither are they in the Cross of Christ, the Power of God, which was before Sathan was, which crucifies the flesh, and the world, and their carnal weapons. So all ye who Persecute and kill about Religion, you are out of the New and Living way, Christ Jesus, which saith, Love Enemies; and commands to give the check [...], back and hairs to the Smiters: ye are in Cains way who Persecute and Kill your Brother Christians, as Cain did, and so in this you do not well, neither doth God respect your Sacrifice for if you and Cain had done well, neither you nor Cain had killd your Brothers about Worship, Church, Sacrifice and Religion, and then God would have had respect unto you, but you doing not well, sin lyeth at your door, as it did at Cains, and its gotten in your House; so that now, neither his nor your Sacrifice God accepts or regards, neither stand you in an acceptable state, where now you are, but in a way, in which together with Cain you walk, which is not the New, nor the Living Way. For Adam neglected to hear the Voice of God, and Cain neglected to hear the Voice of God, and the Jews they neglected to hear the Voice of God, and you neglect to hear his Voice, and the Devil who went from the Truth, lyeth at the door of such who neglect the Voyce of God, and so sin entreth into the House and defiles them, and so their hearts are hardned, for which [Page 25] cause they turned against their Brethren. So they neither do well, neither doth God accept their Sacrifice, for they go from the path and the way where God respects and accepts People, and so becomes Fugitives and Vagabonds in the Earth, and hath not an habitation in God, and in this Fugitive State, those Baptised Nations are worse than the Nations not Baptized; and many of them are much more Children of the Devil than before, like the Jews Proselites, killing and persecuting, doing the Devils work, who is out of the Truth. For both Christ, his Ministers and Apostles came to save mens Lives; but the Devils policy was to cloath his Ministers, Apostles and Messengers with the Sheeps cloathing, and keeps People always under them, that they may alwayes pay them, but destroys and persecutes such as refuse. And this is not according to Christ the Way, who destroyes the Devil and his works, who led Man from God, and maketh Man unclean; and Christ, who destroyes the Devil, maketh Man clean again, and brings Man to God, who is the Justifier, Sanctifier, Redeemer, and the Captain of their Salvation; and Persecution is alwayes blind. So every Religion, Church, Worship, Ministry, Maintenance, which is set up by Carnal Weapons, Clubs and Swords is from Cain and Judas, and from the Jews, and from Anti-christ, and is Anti-christianism, and not from Christ, neither in the Way which is the Way to Life. For he is the Life which saveth Mens Lives, but he is of the Prince of Death that destroyeth Mens Lives, and of the Prince of Darkness, out of the Light, and out of Christ the Way, who was before he was, and his workes, and who lives and remaines when he is gone (to wit, the Devil) and all his Instruments and Works: Let the Glory be to God alone for ever.
And all the vain Jangles and Contentions, and Disputes concerning the Scriptures of Truth, with the divers Meanings and Interpretations thereof, from whence they arise, because they are not in the Power and Spirit in which they were that gave them forth; So they are not in Fellowship with God, from whence they came, neither with the Spirits of Just Men, who gave them forth, neither are in Ʋnity one with another, for they are out of the Spirit, in which Spirit we are, by which Spirit we know God, we know the Spirits of Just Men, we know the Scriptures, with which we have Ʋnity one with another, and the Spirit [Page 26] of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets; and this is witnessed amongst us which God said, viz. That he would pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and Sons and Daughters should Prophesie. And now both Sons and Daughters do Prophesie in our Age, as formerly among the Apostles.
And now there are Women-helpers and Labourers in the Gospel, and such who for its sake can lay down their Lives.
X. Of the SCRIPTURES.
Now concerning the Scriptures we say, That they were not given for this end that Men should make a Trade of them for a Maintenance, neither to keep People alwayes learning, and alwayes teaching of them to get their Money, this proceeds from the Earthly Wisdom, Knowledge and Ʋnderstanding, which shall perish, and be confounded, and brought to nothing; and not in that Wisdom which cometh down from above, which is pure and peaceable; but in that Wisdom which is from beneath, which is Earthly, sensual and Devilish, which will destroy them who are not of their Opinions and Judgments; such are not in the Spiritual understanding, which giveth Dominion over sin, and which giveth a discerning by which they can discern one thing from another, and are out of that Knowledge by which God is known, which is Life Eternal.
So they who make a Trade of the Scriptures, and serve themselves by them, they are such as are out of the Life, neither can they bring People to it, and so they keep people learning all their Life time; and this is the State of the Merchants of Babylon, who are building up and plucking down.
Now this is the end and right use of Scripture, viz. for all to read them, and believe them, and to wait in the Light, to feel the Power and Spirit which was in them, who gave them forth, by which they may know them, and have the Revelation of them in themselves, and so feel Christ who is the Voyce and the Corner-stone, by which they are fulfilled, and so to receive him, and live in him, who fulfills them, who is the end of the Prophets, and of all Types, Figures and Shadows.
So (I say) the Scriptures of Truth were given forth to be [Page 27] believed, read, fulfilled, performed, and that People might enjoy that of which they spoke, to wit, Christ Jesus the Substance.
The Scriptures of Truth are the Words of God, which comes from God the Father of Truth, and cannot be broken, but must be fulfilled, and he who fulfills them is Christ, by whom all things were made and created; who is called, the Word of God.
XI. Concerning TYTHES.
Tythes have been held up among Christians (so called) by Force and Violence since the dayes of the Apostles, and Christs Incarnation, by whom not any Example was given about Tythes, for among them all things were done freely in Charity and Love.
Tythes before the Law, by Abraham, and Tythes, &c. Offerings, &c. under the Law, were for the Priests, Widows, Fatherless, and the Poor; which Law of God commanded Tythes by reason of the encrease to be offered for his Service, but Christ in Gospel-Times, redeems from the Ninths, and puts an end to the Law that gave the Tenths, and to the Priesthood that took them, and to the Commandment that gave them, and puts an end to the Offerings.
And although Abraham paid Tythes to Melchisedeck in time of War, those were only Tythes of the Spoil, and not by a Command; And Christ was according to the Order of Melchisedeck, who puts an end to War, and destroyes the Devil its Author, and redeems out of the Earth. And although we are many thousands, yet there is not a Beggar among us, neither do we read there were any Beggars in the Primitive-Times, which Church denyed Tythes, and said, The Priesthood was changed that took them, together with the Law by which they were set up, and also the Commandment which gave them. So they who take Tythes, and they who pay them, are both Anti-christs, and deny Christ to be come in the Flesh.
XII. Of the HIGHER POWER.
Moses, who had the Law, saw over all Transgression, and before it was; he saw the state which Adam had in the Garden before he Fell, he saw his state in the Fall, and how Death reigned from Adam to Moses, who received the Law, which Law passed over all Transgression; which Law did answer to the Witness of God in all, which was a Command to people that they might not sin, and that they might be kept from sin, and so from Death, which raigns from Adam to Moses, which Law passeth over both sin and Death. And this was the Higher Power (higher than the Transgression) which answereth to the Witness of God against the Rebellions, which Witness is true, holy, righteous, and equal, which Law is just, holy, and good; a true Measure, and just Weight; this is called the Higher Power; this was added untill the Seed came, which is Christ; and this Law they were to hear, even Moses: To whom Wisdom was given to make the Pattern, and to set forth Figures and Shaddows under the Law till Christ should come. Of which Moses said, The Lord will raise up a Prophet like unto me, him shall ye hear in all things.
And when Christ himself came, he put an end to all those Types, Figures, and Shaddows, and changable things; for in him there is no Shaddow, who is called Gods Righteousness. So the Law was in use untill the Seed came; and Moses who had it said, God shall raise up a Prophet like unto him, and now he is come, which we hear, (to wit, the Seed) who is the end of all the Prophets, who Prophesied of him; and so He is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believe. So Believers are Members of the true Church, of which Christ is the Head. So Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth. Which Christ purgeth his Floor, and burneth up the Chaffe, commeth with his Fan, Baptizeth with his holy Spirit and Fire, and bringeth his Wheat into his Garner. And Christ is the end of all Oaths which were under the Law, and which was before the Law, viz. of Oaths which put an end to strife among Men.
XIII. Of the KINGDOM of CHRIST, how it is held up, and how not.
The Kingdom of Christ is not held up by Carnal Weapons, for saith Christ, My Kingdom is not of this World, therefore his Servants fight not. Now all you that profess your selves to be Christians, and bringers of glad Tydings, yet ye are Fighthers with Clubs and Swords about Religion, you are not the Servants of Christ, who are fighting for an Earthly Kingdom; for in Christs Kingdom we must fight with Spiritual Weapons in Patience and Long-suffering; And Christ said to his Disciples, (who would have had fire to come down from Heaven to consume those that were contrary to them, as it was in the dayes of the Prophet Elias) That they knew not what spirit they were of. So they who destroy Mens Lives, and doth not save them, they are not according to the mind of Christ, nor the way of Christ, but are under the Condemnation of it, neither do they know what Spirit they are of. And so they who are Spiritually wise cannot commit their Souls, Bodies nor Spirits into the hands of such.
XIV. Concerning Teachers, Prophets, Pastors, Bishops, Presbyters, &c.
Teachers, Prophets, Pastors, Presbyters and Bishops, ought not to be such as are given to filthy lucre, nor covetous, nor given to wine, nor strikers, nor brawlers, nor covetous of earthly things, nor to teach for filthy lucre, nor to contend about words and fables, and vain Phylosophy, and beggarly Rudiments, and Traditions and Doctrines of men, nor their Commandements, neither ought they to compel People to observe Dayes, Meats, and Drinks, nor such like things, nor to bear Rule by their Means, nor they ought not to be such who seek their gain from their quarter, such were forbidden; and such as teach for money and handfulls of Barly, and pieces of Bread, and such as teach for lucre, [Page 30] were forbidden and opposed by the true Prophets, Teachers and Apostles, and such as wore long Robes, and were called of Men Master, and followed and loved Salutations in Mark [...]ts, and the uppermost Roomes at Feasts, and such like, all such are out of Christ, and against such Christ himself cryed, Woe, woe, who said, Ye have one Master, even Christ, and ye are all Brethren: And that it should not be so among them, as it was among the Gentiles.
And so all they who have the Scriptures of Christ, of the Apostles and Prophets, and not in the Power and Spirit that gave them forth, and do not obey it, which reproves them that they may come into it, but stop their Ears, and shut their Eyes against it, such are like the Pharisees, these cannot worship God in the Spirit, neither can they pray in the Spirit, nor sing in the Spirit, but quench it, and burthen it, and vex it. These are out of the Fellowship of the Spirit, and out of the Fellowship of God the Father of Spirits. Those erre, not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God. And such go hither and thither to change their Way, and go from the Spirit of God in their hearts, which would lead them to Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. So all such who have the Form of Godliness, and are not in the Power and Spirit in which they were in who gave forth the words; such are to be denyed. And the true Praying is in the Spirit, and the true Worship, true Praysing, and true Singing must be in the Spirit: So they who grieve and vex the Spirit, and quench it, they cannot Worship God in the Spirit.
XV. An Exhortation to all Christendom, to mind the Grace of God, to wit, the Light.
All ye People in that part of the World which is called Christendom, come to the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned you, that with it you may see your Salvation, and may know Christ you Teacher, the Captain of your Salvation, and the Grace which comes by him, which brings your Salvation; which Grace teacheth us, which Grace is sufficient in weakness and temptations, which brings the Salvation, and by it we are [Page 31] saved. And this Grace teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to live soberly and righteously; and this is our Teacher that brings Salvation. So you may have all the loynes of your mind girded up, to wait for the Grace which is to be brought to you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ, according to Peters Exhortation.
Now they who turn from the Grace, and walkes despightfully against the Spirit of God, they set up Teachers according to their own hearts lusts, and such makes Merchandize of them, alwayes learning of them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth, but still remains in earthly mindedness, covetousness, and temptations, and weaknesses, where is mournings and complaints, and where there are very many mourners and complainers, among such as turn from the Grace of God into wantonness, and set up Teachers (as aforementioned) according to their own hearts lusts, &c.
Therefore come ye to the Grace of God, and it will give you to see your ungodliness, your unrighteousness, and your worldly lusts and intemperance. This Grace is your Teacher continually, who brings Salvation; if you take heed, and have regard to it, and love it, but if you turn it into wantonness, the sudden judgement of God will come upon you.
So take heed to the Grace of God, your constant Teacher, which brings Salvation, by which Grace you will see your Salvation brought in; For, The mighty Day of the Lord is coming upon all unrighteousness of men. The Son of the Lord God will appear against you, he who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given to him, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords. So take heed to the Light and receive it, wherewith he hath enlightned, so you receive the Lord himself. Open ye your Gates, that the King of Glory may enter in, who stands at the door and knocketh, turn ye to the Light, and then you open the door where the coming in of the King of Glory is discerned. And come from all the barren Mountains, who are in the Fall, alienated from the Image of God, Life and Power. Come from all those Wells without Water, and Clouds without Rain, who are as Ʋagabonds tossed up and down like a Tempest.
Come to the Light, and receive the Light, that in the Light ye may receive Christ, and be his Children, that by the same [Page 32] you may see the Day-Star appearing, where the Sons of God sing together. For, Woe is to the World that lyeth in iniquity, for the Lord is coming to judge it, and to render to every one according to their works, whether they be good or evil. And with the Light every one of you knows whether your works are good or evil, for what is to be known of God is manifest in you, (for God hath manifested it to you) when you do any thing that is naught, or unjust, or worthy of Death, by that which is of God in you, you know it.
And when you go from this, which is of God in you, you do not glorify God as God, but are alienated from his Life, and Strangers from the Covenant of Life and Peace which is in Christ, and so your foolish hearts are darkned, and filled with unrighteousness, and upon such comes the judgments and displeasure of God.
Now they who are delivered from the wrath to come, they come to that which is of God in themselves ( viz.) to the Light, and so they see Christ the Covenant of God; so Man is brought into peace with God, and saved from the wrath to come, and from all false Wayes, false Doctrines, false Worships, and false Churches, Commandments, Traditions, Rudimenus, Will-worships, Inventions, and from Hand-Worship, and Lip-Service. So come to the Light and Spirit of God in your selves that by it you may be converted to God, and may Worship him in Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, in Christ Jesus, who was before sin was.
For since Man fell from God, from his Power and Image, all the false Wayes, false Worships, false Churches, have been set up; and by that Spirit, and Power, and Wisdom which is out of Truth, from below, which leads men to kill one another about them.
So the Light is the Way by which Life is to be found, and this is the Light which enlighteneth you. So come to the Light and you come to the Way, which was before the power of Death was. And Christ is called the Way, and he is called the Light, and who are out of the Light they are out of Him, the Way, in the wayes of Death, and Darkness, and Bondage. For as the Jews outward were in Bondage and Captivity under Pharaoh in Egypt, so the Jews inward in the Spirit, are captivated [Page 33] in Spiritual Sodom and Egypt. They who do not take to the directions of the Spirit, and heareth what it saith, for every man ought to hearken and hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches, and not to mind nor hear any visible thing. And in it, (viz. the Spirit) they Edifie, build, and gather together, and meet together in Ʋnity and Fellowship.
XVI. Of PERFECTION.
He who leads man into Imperfection is the Devil, and his work who leads from God, for Man was Perfect before he fell, for all his works were perfect; So Christ who d [...]stroyeth the Devil and his works, makes Man perfect again (destroying him who made him imperfect) which the Law could not do; so by his blood he cleanseth from all sin, and by the One Offering he perfecteth for ever them that are sanctified. And they who do not believe in the Light which cometh from Christ (by which they see the Offering, and receive the Blood) they are in unbeliefs concernig it.
And the Apostles who were in the Light, Christ Jesus, who destroyes the Devil and his works, they spoke wisdom among them that were perfect, although they could not do it among them that were carnal. And their work was to perfect the Saints (and for this end they had their Ministry given them) until they all came to the knowledge of the Son of God, who destroyeth the Devil and all his works, and who put an end to the Prophets, and to the first Covenant, Types, Figures and Saddows. And the Apostles work was to bring people to the Ʋnity of the Faith, which purified their hearts, which gave them Victory over that which seperates them from God, in which they have access to God, by which Faith they please him, by which they are justified, and so at last they come to a PERFECT MAN, to the measure of the Statrue of the fulness of CHRIST. And so the Apostle saith, We preach Christ in you, the hope of Glory; Warning every man, that we may present Every Man Perfect in CHRIST JESUS.
XVII. Of the RESURRECTION.
We say that Christ is the Resurrection and the Life, to raise up that which Adam lost, (who hath all Power in Heaven and in Earth given to him) and to destroy him who deceived him ( viz. Adam) So Christ is the Resurrestion unto Life, of Body, Soul, and Spirit, and so renews Man into the Image of God, and brings Man into an higher condition than that in which Adam stood before the Fall, even to himself, who never changed, and never fell, nor never will fall. And so they who forget God and do wickedly, they are to be turned into Hell; For they who forget God and do wickedly, they go from the Life and Power of God, into the Seperation from him, and out of his acceptance; for in the Life is the acceptance; and so the Power, Light and Life, goeth over them, who go into sin and iniquity, which leades from God, who was before Transgression was.
XVIII. Concerning ELECTION and REPROBATION.
Reprobation is an Alienation from the Life, and from that which is of God within, and from his Voice and Command, as Adam and the Jews did; and such who despise that which is of God within, they despise their Birth-right; Such are concluded to be out of true Ʋnderstanding, and true Knowledge, and the Witness of God within is grieved, and such are dead in their sences from the Life and Covenant of Peace with God, and from the Seed which is called the Elect, in which the Elect, and the Election is known, in the Seed Christ, before the Foundation of the World, which World slew him, and they who slew him, and now slayes him, they were and are Reprobated from the Life, who go from the Command of God, and they have lost his Image, they have lost his Power, which keeps over, and above, and out of the Reprobation. And so they who [Page 35] come into the Election, the Seed, they come out of the State in which Adam was, in the Fall, into the state in which he was in before he Fell, and into an higher state than that, into Christ, the Seed, the Elect. And so they in the Seed, in the Elect, in Christ, the Wisdom of God, they comprehend and see the state of Election before the World was laid, and the State of Adam before the Fall, and the State of Adam in the Fall, in the Reprobation, and the state of Adam restored again out of the Fall, and a State which is higher than that in which Adam was in before he Fell, into the Election (which is a thing beyond that) and the state of the beloved of God is seen in the Seed, the Wisdom of God.
Cain was the first Birth, Esau was the first Birth, Ishmael was the first Birth; Cain killed his Brother about Religion, Ishmael was a Scoffer, Esau bore the Sword, he despised his Birth-right, he fought against his Brother Jacob. So Christendom, read your Reprobation, the first Birth, which is born of the Elesh, for the first Birth will persecute him who is born of the Spirit; So the most part of Christians are seen to be of the first Birth, and to remain in the Reprobation from God. Cain departed from the Voyce of God, and Esau from his Birth-right, and Ishmael in his scoffing nature, they went from the Good, and so from faithful Abraham, who was in the Election. And so they who are in Cains, Ishmaels and Esaus nature, are in the first Birth, which is not Elected.
Now as to the Love of God towards one, and his Hatred to another, before either had done good or evil, all this consists in the first Birth, who despised his Birth-right, which God foresaw, which was not the Seed, unto which the Love of God is to for ever. Therefore know thy self ( O Christendom) and thy Birth, that that which hates the Principle of God and his Voice, is reprobated, he that rebells against Gods command and his Voyce, God turneth against such, neither doth he hear such who hates the Election, and are in the Reprobation from the Seed, yea, even from the Law it self, for the Law keeps a man from sin; But the Law it self doth not say that it destroys the Devil, but the Seed, viz. Christ, who is higher than the Law, who is the Election, and destroys the Devil.
So who knows the Election, they must know the Seed, they must know the Birth born of the Spirit. Now if all Christendom, [Page 36] know the Election, they must know the Birth born of the Spirit, which will not Persecute. For the nature of Cain, Ishmael, and Esau, is one (of which the Apostle spoke in the Primitive times) which we now also say is one, and the Election is one which standeth in the Seed, which was before the Foundation of the wicked world was. And the Reprobation is one, which standeth in the unjust world, out of the Truth and the Life in disobedience to the Command of God. Therefore know the one Reprobation, and the one Election, then ye shall know the Seed, in which is the Wisdom of God, and ye shall know that which goes from his Voyce, Power and Command, out of the Wisdom of God; so whom God loves, he loves for ever: Know Jacob, and know Esau. Esau, Cain and Ishmael were the first-born; and is not Christendom of the first-birth, who Persecutes, who departs from the good, and despises the pure, and persecutes the Birth born of the Spirit, which God hates. And such act out of his Life in the Reprobation, out of his Power and Wisdom, and out of the Election, Christ, the Seed, the second Birth, who was before the Carnal Birth was, and remains when he will be gone, unto which the Love of God is for ever, and unto whom is the Promise, which goeth over the outward Birth, and destroyes the Devil and his works, who went from Truth, and led man from God, by which the Curse, Wrath and Woe came upon Man, which Christ the Seed, brings the Blessing, and gives man to see the blessed state of all things, how they were in the beginning, and how they were blessed in the beginning; and through Christ, Man comes up into the power, which is his Throne, where there's Blessing and no Curse at all.
XIX. Concerning FEAR and TREMBLING.
The strong Man hath kept the House long, and his Goods have been at Peace, but now He is come who is stronger than he, Christ Jesus the Stronger, who doth dis-inherit and cast him out, and spoil his Goods, and makes Man the Temple of God; that [...]e himself may dwell in him, an holy Temple, and an Habitation for himself to dwell in; who maketh the Keepers of the [Page 37] House to Tremble; by which power of Christ the Salvation is wrought out with fear and Trembling. And so we can say, That it is God that worke [...]h in us both to will and to do, according to his will and good pleasure. In the dayes of the Prophets, the Prophet he trembled and staggered like a Drunkard, for the Iniquity of the Times, and because of the holiness of the Word of the Lord; He trembled when he heard his Voyce, and when the Lord spake to him he feared grea [...]ly. This is the Man whom God regards (saith the Prophet Isayas) who is of a broken and contr [...]ie spirit, and trembleth at his word: Who have been cast out by their Brethren, who said, let the Lord be glorified: Who will appear for those that tremble at his Word, and for those that are of a contrite heart; who were for Signes and Wonders to both the Houses of Israel, when they shall be confounded, ashamed and astonished. And before you know sin rooted out, and wasted out of your flesh, and the Earth shaken and removed out of its place, and ye brought into that state which Man was in before he Fell, you must know the trembling and shaking of that which is to be shaken, and the removing of that which is to be removed, before Christ the Seed will appear, who is the foundation of many Generations, and the Rock of Ages, who is the First and the Last; Who cannot be shaken, neither can be changed. So that the whole unjust wicked World hath much to suffer before they come to this, they must know the Devils to tremble, the Heavens to be shaken, and the Earth also, before he who cannot be shaken will appear; by whom the World was made.
XX. Concerning the BODY of DEATH.
Its evident that they who plead for a body of Death and Sin, about which the world so earnestly jangle, and which they plead for as long as they live upon the earth, that they also plead for its Author, viz: the Divel, and this is not to plead for Christ who destroyes him who is the Author of sin, and the Body of it.
Now if you Object, that John hath said, If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us▪
John saith, If we say we have not sinned, we make him a lyar: (mark) but if we confess and forsake our sins, the blood of Jesus Christ, the son of God, cleanseth us from all sin.
Further he saith, He that is born of God sinneth not, neither can he: because the Seed of God remains in him. Because of which Seed he cannot sin, for that Seed keeps the Holy; so that the Evill one cannot touch him: In this the children of God and the children of the Divel are manifest: Whose children of both kinds contends and pleads for his own; so there is a time in which men may say that they have sinned, and have sin, and a time to confess and to forsake sin; and then a time to know the blood which cleanseth from all sin; and then the Birth born, which doth not commit sin; and the Seed which remaines in him; so that he cannot sin, for, (as I said before) it keeps the Holy that the Evil cannot touch him.
And though Paul cryed out of a Body of Death, and of a Warfare, yet afterwards he gave thanks to God, that he had gotten Victory, through Jesus Christ, over the Body of Death, and that the Law of the Spirit of Life, had freed him from the Law of Sin and Death. And afterwards the Apostle never complained of a Body of Death, but he thanked God, that he had obtained Victory through Christ, who destroyes the Devil the Author of it, who destroys Death and its Body, and said that he was freed, and that there was no condemnation to them who were in Christ Jesus: and that the Life that he now lived, was by the Faith of the Son of God; which Faith gives Victory over Sin, Death and the Devil; which sin separates from God, by which man hath displeased him, by which Faith man is purified, and hath victory, and pleaseth God, and hath access to him, and is justified and saved, Amen.
XXI. Concerning the word THOU to a Single Person.
It is the manner among us to use the word [ Thou] to a single person, and [ You] to more than one, as in the Primitive times among the Saints, according to Scripture and the Principle of God placed in every man, which distinguisheth many from one, and hath the proper word both to singular and plural; to wit, the singular word to a single person, and the plural word to more than one, according to the true understanding and Spirit of God in every man, and the Testimony of all the Prophets. But they are degenerated from the Spirit of God, they are degenerated from the Scriptures, and from their own Translations, calling this manner of speaking ( Thou, to one, and You, to many) nonsence, and improper; when they themselves are gone from the true understanding, which whosoever are in it, comprehends them who are degenerated from it.
XXII. Concerning putting of the HAT, and Bowing the KNEE, and Cringings, and Complements.
To put off Hatts, bowing Knees, Cringing and Complements, are from below, and Customes and Manners of the World, which shall pass away, and never came from God, neither is that honour wherewith men ought to honour one another; for if all men had honoured and esteemed one another, they had been of an higher Spirit than the Spirit of the World, and of a more noble and generous Spirit: Then neither Man nor Woman throughout all Christendom had received wrong or injury if they had esteemed and honoured one another; for he that honours men, will in no wise hurt them, in this consists Breeding and Civillity. And every Knee shall bow to me (saith the Lord.) For this is the cry, Worship God, and Fear him, and Reverence him.
[Page 40]And if you Object, That some in times past bowed themthemselves to an Angel, but in the time of the Gospel, which is the Power of God, which was before the Fall, in the state of Reformation and Restauration, John was forbidden to bow to the Angel, and the Apostels reproved them that bowed to them. And although Jacob bowed for a time to his Brother Esau; yet it is not said, that he bowed to him all his Life time. For it is written, The Elder shall serve the Younger; So the Elder shall bow among the Cringers and Knee-bowers, one to another, who will kill and envy one another; and to them this is a Mystery.
XXIII. Concerning GOOD MANNERS.
Evil Words, and Evil Communications corrupts Good Manners; And if Christendom would learn good Manners, they must all come to the Light of Christ Jesus, to the Spirit of God in themselves, and to the Word of God in their hearts and months which will teach them to leave off Evil Words, and will lead them from them, and to deny them, and this is the way to come to Good Manners; But they who live in high Expressions and Complements, and full of Evil Words, and Flatteries, and Dissimulations, and call such Good Manners; their Words and Works testify and manifest that they are Evil and Corrupt, and such whose Manners are evil and corrupt, they quench, grieve and vex the Spirit of God in themselves, and hate the Light, and will not come to it, because it reproves them of their evil words. Such do love envy, wrath, vanity, pride, rashness, hastiness, and yet they are found in flattering Expressions, and bowings one to another; and they call it Good Manners, and Honour, when all such things are altogether out of that Honour that comes from above; and are those things which the Witness of God in themselves testifieth against, and testified in the Name of the Lord, that he will bring such honour in the dust, and that which he will condemn as unjust.
The Apostle saith, That Women ought not to adorne themselves, with gould, silver, pearls, costly attire, platting of the hair, [Page 41] but to be adorned with a meek and a quiet Spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price; and the hidden man of the heart, &c. And if Christendom had minded this, it had been more virtuous, and more sober, and less envious towards one about their Manners.
XXIV. Concerning Objections of the World against the Preaching of CHRIST.
The World Objests, and saith, That some Preach Christ of Envy, and some of Good-will, and some of Strife and Contention; And that Christ commanded to hear the Pharisees: So we may hear (say they) our Teachers although they be wicked.
He that hath the Form of Godliness and denyes the Power, from such turn away. The Apostle bid turn away from Envious men, and Contentious men, and men of Strife: Although there was a time when the Name of Christ was first spread abroad, in which time he permitted Envious men to spread his Name abroad. But when his Name was spread abroad, then he forbad such Envious and Contentious men to Preach, and exhorted Timothy to withdraw from, and avoid such, for they could not bring People into the Power. For Envious and Contentious men may Preach the Form, and have it, but they cannot bring People into the Power. And so there came a time (before the decease of the Apostles) to turn away from such. Now as to the hearing of the Pharisees, this was before Christ was Offered up, and before the fulfilling of the Law; for they were Ministers of the Law; and so people ought to do as they said, but not as they did, but when Christ was offered up, he commanded them to Preach the Gospel, and not to hear the Pharisees, and it was the work of the Apostles to bring People to the end of the Law, to the Seed, into Gospel-fellowship, [Page 42] into the Power of God, which was before the Power of darkness was.
XXV. Concerning BREAD, WATER and WINE.
Bread, Water, and Wine are earthly and perishing things; for the Bread and Wine which Christ gave at Supper in the Evening, which the World takes at Noon, those things Christ and the Apostle gave for a shewing forth and a remembrance of his death until he should come. And after some of the Disciples had receiv'd it, they doubted, Whether he was the Christ or not. And after the Apostle had given the Supper to the Corinthians, in his first Epistle, he bad then Examine themselves, and so to eat in the remembrance of Christ. But in the second Epistle he bad them examine themselves, and try themselves, whether Christ [except they were Reprobates] were in them or not. Now they may be Reprobates, who have taken the Bread and Wine, and have had the Water; They were Reprobates if Christ was not in them; For Bread and Wine is not the Flesh and Blood of Christ, which came down from Heaven, which flesh, whosoever eates, lives for ever. For People may eat of Bread made of Grain, and may drink Wine make of Grapes, and yet may dye Reprobates.
Now they were to take it in remembrance of his Death, this was one State, and than they were to come to dye with him and this was a nearer state than the taking of Bread and Wine in remembrance of his Death, and then they were to arise with him, and then to seek those things which were above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God, but Bread Water and Wine are all earthly things, and they are not Christ, and they who have him, they are not Reprobates, neither do they need outward things to put them in mind of his Death; whenas they are dead with him, and risen with him, to live with him. But they who will not dye, and suffer with him, such live in the Old Nature, and desire to have outward things, continually to put them in mind of his Death, and such live in Strife and Contention [Page 43] about outward things and shaddows and do not come to Christ the Substance, who was before the world was made in whom there is no strife at all, but only Life and Peace.
XXVI. Of the SABBATH DAY.
The Jews they kept the Sabbath-Day, a Type and Sign of Rest, that both the Man-servant, and Maid-servant, and Strangers, and all Cattel should rest within their Gates; a sign of Christ, who destroys the Devil the Author of Oppression, and gives rest to Man and Beast, and to the whole Creation, and brings it again into that blessed condition which it was in in the beginning before the Fall. Now as to the Saints Meeting together on the first Day of the Week, this practice is not denyed, but owned by us, for who are come to the First Day, as they Jews on the Last Day. But there is more in the Word.
XXVII. Concerning God-Fathers, and God-Mothers and SPRINKLING of INFANTS.
Concerning God-Fathers, and God-Mothers, and Sprinkling of Infants, and such like things, the Scriptures make no mention, yet the Scripture saith, Repent, Teach and Baptize.
XXVIII. Concerning the Word TRINITY.
Of this word [ Trinitas] there is no mention made in Scripture; yet the Scripture speaks of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and of Water, Blood and Spirit, and all these are, one among us, as in the Primitive time among the Apostles, who gave no such outward Names to them as Trinity, as the World now doth.
XXIX. Concerning the MINISTRY.
They that receive from Christ, they receive freely, and they give freely, they pray freely, and preach freely; and the Ministry is the gift of God, and is to be exercised freely; and of a free People of their earthly things it is to be Administred freely. Heavenly men and bringers of glad Tydings of a Kingdom of which they are Heirs, must Minister to the Eternal condition of People. And this is the highest Love in the Life.
XXX. Concerning Dayes, and Times, and Meats and Drinks.
The Kingdom of God consists not in Dayes, Times, Meats and Drinks, and such like things, but in Power, Righteousness Faith and Joy in the holy Ghost; and People ought not contend and Persecute one another about such things, for the Apostles gave not any Commandment or Example that any should do so, but on the contrary reproved them who did so, and keep People in such things.
XXXI. Concerning MARRIAGES.
Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder; and those which he joynes he joynes with his Power, even by his Immortal Power, with a Band over and above the State which is in the Fall, where Men joyn and put asunder, about outward and earthly things, and jangle and fight about them, but this is all in the defiled Bed, out of the honourable state which was in the beginning, where there was no hardness of heart. And Marriage in it self is not condemned but owned, and among all them who are in the Power, I say it is honourable.
So forsake and come out of all vain Words, and all vain Customs, and all unprofitable and idle Communications and [Page 27] Talkings, for which you are judged and condemned with the Light, viz. the Light in your Consciences which reproves you, and come into the the new Life, in which God is served, that your words may be seasoned with grace, that by it your hearts may be established, that no corrupt communication may proceed out of your mouthes, for whatsoever is corrupt is contrary to the Witness of God in your Consciences, to Christ the Light which reproves you.
Therefore away with all the Customes and Fashions of the World which grieve and quench the Spirit of God, and repent while ye have time, and spend not your time like a Tale; come to the Light, and sleep not in sin, in darkness, in seperation from God; but prize the time while you have it, lest in the end ye come to say, we have had time but now it is past; but so mind the Power of God, the Light of Christ Jesus, by which you may redeem it.
XXXII. Concerning False Prophets and Antichrists.
False Prophets and Antichrists are much condemned in this part of the World called Christendom, and they bring the 7th, Chapter, and the 24th Chapter of Matthew, and say, that they are but now come.
To which I Answer, that Christ said, They should come, viz. Antichrists, and False Apostles; he said to his Disciples, that they shall come, i. e. to his Disciples, and he gave them markes how they should know them; A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit: nor a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. —And if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect, for they have the Sheeps-cloathing. And he commanded his Disciples that they should not follow them, for they were inwardly ravening Wolves, having the Sheeps cloathing. And those were Antichrists and False Prophets, false Christs and Deceivers who were inwardly ravend from the Light, and so from the Seed, viz. the true Christ. And Christ told his Disciples those should come, and before the decease of his Disciples they came; as we may read [Page 46] in the first Epistle of John, the second Chapter, and fourth Chapters, he saith, Little Children, ye have heard that Antichrist should come, and even now there are many Antichrists, and false Prophets come into the World. So Christ had spoken before that they should come, and his Disciples said that they were already come; who went out from them, inwardly ravend from the Spirit; and this was above sixteen hundred years since. And John who saw them already come, he directed the Saints to this annointing in themselves, and said to them, that they had not need that any one should teach them, but as this annointing taught them, they should abide in the Father and in the Son. And so those Anti-christs, false Prophets, Wolves, false Christs, inwardly ravend, they bear Pryars, Thornes and Thistles, which Christ said, shall come, and his Disciples said they were come, and who went out from them into the World. And in the Revelations it is said, The whole World went after them. So they went out from the Church, Fellowship, Gospel; they went out from the Fellowship of the Spirit within, being ravend from it; they went from the annointing within, which should teach them; they went from the Law in the heart, to wit, from the New Covenant; and they went from the Kingdom within, and they went from the Word which is in the the heart to obey it, and to do it; they went out from the Light in the heart, which gives the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and so they lost the Pearl hid in the Field, viz. the World in their hearts. And so the false Prophets went out from the Disciples, and, as was said before in the Revelations, its said, the whole World went after them. So John wrote to the seven Churches which erred, by permitting Jezabel to teach, and to set up Idols, and such who said they were Jews, and were not, but were the Synagogues of Satan. So he goes on in the Revelation till he comes to the eleventh Chapter, where the Witnesses are slain; the two Olives which carried the oyl to the annointing of the Nations, the two Candlesticks which holds the Light. And in the 12th Chapter, the Woman, viz. the true Church, fled into the Wilderness, prepared for her of God, that there she should be nourished, for a time, times, and half a time. And in the 13th Chapter, The Dragon gives his Power to the Beast, and the Beast with the Dragons power makes [Page 47] war against the Saints▪ and killed them who were l [...]ft of that Seed who kept the Testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophesie; who were in him, from whom the ravening Wolves had departed. Then all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped the Beast, and worshipped the Dragon, and both caused and compelled all, both small and great to fall down and worship. And from hence arose this compelling power to Worship: Then the false Prophet and the Whore, through the Dragons Power, got upon the Beast, and caused all Nations to drink of her Cup. So thus the whore arose, which went from the Apostles, and from their Life, Power and Spirit, and committed Fornication; before the Nations were married to Christ, they took the Cup of Fornication of this Whore. And she drank the blood of the Saints and Martyrs, who were not inwardly ravend, and who could not drink of her Cup. Yea, she drank the blood of the Saints and Prophets who kept the Testimony of Jesus, who were not inwardly ravend. And so such doings and works they have set up for the space of fifteen hundred years, viz. Killing and murdering; and they have dispersed themselves into all Nations, as the Apostles they were to go into all Nations. And such works the Wolves have wrought in the Sheeps cloathing, yea those who are inwardly ravend from the Spirit of God, whose fruits are Brambles, Bryars and Thorns, and such like works those Raveners have done since the dayes of the Apostles, being ravend from their Life and Power; having the Words of the Sheep, the Scriptures, but not in the Power and Life which gave them forth; therefore Bryars and Thorns appear: who devour and kill the Lambs, and compels them to worship and use violence upon them and their outward things about Religion, which was not the work of the Apostles.
And so John saith, Again the Beast and the Dragon, and the False Prophets (which hath deceived the Nations which Christ said should come, and John said was come; who went out from them; from which time the World hath gone after them, for the space of fifteen hundred years) is to be taken: Which Beast and false Prophet shall be taken and cast into the Lake of fire, and the Nations shall be deceived no more, and the Whore the great Whore, which hath compelled the Nations to drink the [Page 48] Blood of the Saints, is to be taken, and her flesh burnt with fire, and Babylon shall be confounded, and all Merchants which have Merchandized with her, shall howle, and lament, and cry, Alas, alas, How is this great City fallen! For there hath been a merchandizing in this great City, which must be thrown down; and all the Merchants of this great City, have been those that inwardly ravend from the Spirit of God, who have built up and plucked down.
So unto this from which they have Apostatized, you must all come before the Sheeps Life be known, and so the Witnesses are raised, and shall be raised, who hold the Light, and carries the Oyl to enlighten the Nations, and to annoint them; yea, the Spirit, and Power, and Fellowship, and Worship in which the Apostles were formerly in. And the Cry is begun, Fear God and give glory to him. —Come out of her, my People, lest you be pertaker of her Plagues. —And the Mourners shall go forth, and the Prophets prophesie. Who witness the Spirit of God fallen upon them, as formerly among the Apostles. And the Everlasting Gospel shall be preached to all Nations, Kindreds and People.
XXXIII. Concerning an OBJECTION of PEOPLE.
But many people speak after this manner. Have not we had the Gospel all this time till now?
We say, No, You have had the Sheeps-cloathing, while you are alienated from the Spirit, and so not living in the Power, which is the Gospel; And the Bride, the Lambs Wife, is coming out of the Wilderness, which hath been nourished of God for a time, and times, and dividing of times, preparing for her Husband; and the Man-Child is risen to rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron. And the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory, [Page 49] (Glory to the Highest) and people shall come into Gospel-Fellowship, and to the Church of God, and Church-Fellowship in the Gospel, the Power of God, which was before the Power of Satan was; which Gospel was among the Apostles, in which their Fellowship was, and this is Gospel-Fellowship; and in the Power of God they are over all false Prophets, false Worshippers, over the Dragon, over the false Church and his Worship, (which are begotten betwixt us and the Apostles) and are gotten beyond them, and see their rise, who are inwardly ravend from the Spirit, and are gone from the Truth, as the Devil and the Whore heretofore, who set themselves against them who are in the Truth, But here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints, who seeth the destruction of the Whore, the Beast, the Dragon, and the false Prophet, by the hand and power of God, who know the Seed of God to raign over all, viz. he who is the First and the Last.
XXXIV. Of the JEW Inward and Outward, and of a CHRISTIAN in the Power and out of the Power.
The Uncircumcised Gentiles, which have not the Law, and yet do those things contained in the Law, are better than the Circumcised Jews which have the Law, and are more Sober and Moderate; and so the Jew within in the Spirit, is more Excellent than the Jew without in the Flesh. And so a Christan in the Light, and Power, and Seed of God, is more excellent than a Christan in the Form of Godliness, and yet out of the Power; and more Moderate and Patient.
XXXV. Concerning CHRIST the COVENANT of GOD.
Christ, the Covenant of God, was foretold by the Prophet, who said, I will give him for a Light and for a Covenant to the Gentiles, and he shall be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth: [Page 50] yea, the New Covenant to the House of Israel, and to the house of Judah. So this Covenant is made to all People, to them who were called the People of God, and to the Gentiles also. And this is that Covenant of Light unto which John came to bear Witnesse, which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World; which giveth Power to all, who receive it, to become the Sons of God, from him who hath all power in Heaven and Earth given to him, And this is the Light in which people must believe, by which they become Children of God, and this is the Light which shineth in Darkness, and out of the Darkness, which is in the heart which giveth the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus, from whence it comes; and this is that Light, which they who love darkness hate, and will not come to it, because it reproves them. And by this Covenant of Light to the Gentiles, which is Salvation to the ends of the Earth. Now we who are Gentiles, are become Christians, and we obtain Salvation, and by Faith in this Covenant we become Children of the Light, and by receiving it, we receive Power to become the Sons of God: But they who hate this Light and love Darkness rather than the Light, and do not come to it because it condemns them, even this Light is their Condemnation.
XXXVI. Concerning Plots and Conspiracies.
Plots, Conspiracies, Insurrections, Tumultuous Meetings, we utterly abhorre, who live peaceably, and seek the peace and good of all People upon earth.
There were about thirty of the fifth Monarchy men who made an Insurrection in England, which Insurrection was wickedly laid to the charge of the People of God called Quakers, from which Insurrection, the Monarchy men themselves declared when they were to dye, That we were Innocent; yet nevertheless, the Diurnals and News-Books have joyned us together with the Monarchy men, in that Plot and Insurrection, and have published us to the Nations as Plotters, though we are Innocent. And we say, The Lord forgive them for wronging of us.
[Page 51]The lying Priests and Professors say, That we deny the Scriptures, and that we deny the Resurrestion, and Christ and his Body, and that we foame at the mouth, and that we bewitch men, and bind Ribband about their Armos; which are altogether false and lies, and from their Father the Devil, the Author of them, who is out of the Truth, in which Truth we are however scandalized by them, who are of the Father of Lyes. And what evil soever they may bring against us, yet we are in the Truth, and can rejoyce; Praised be the Lord, who lives for ever.
XXXVII. Concerning Original Sin.
The Devil is the Original of Sin, which Christ destroyes; God is the Original of Righteousness, and Christ is Gods Righteousness, which endures for ever; but the Worlds Original is the many Languages (whose Original is Babel) which makes Divines (as they call them) with many Languages set a top of Christ: And the Whore sits upon the Waters, (as its spoken in the Revelation) And John saith, The Waters are Nations, Multitudes, People and Tongues: which Tongues they call their Original. To which Waters the Gospel must be preached before they can be established.
And ye are to be redeemed from Tongues, and Tongues shall cease, (saith the Apostle) and so from this Worlds Original, the beginning of which is Babel, and which keeps in Babylon, the Saints are redeemed. And this hath been set up as an Original among them who are alienated from the Spirit of God, in Babel, where the Original of Tongues was in the dayes of Nimrod, that Heretick, who began to build Babel.
So Tongues do not make any man a Divine, neither a Minister of Christ, for that which makes a man Divine (as they say) is the Word (which redeems out of Tongues) which was before Babel was, and in the beginning before the Fall, which knocks down all that which corrupts mans Nature, and renews again into the Divine Nature.
And whosoever are Ministers of the Word, and Preachers of the Gospel, they are in the Power and in the Word which was [Page 52] before Tongues were; This Word brings into the Church-Felowship, which is in God, into which they are not brought by the Worlds Original, which they call the Tongues, which shall cease, and out of whom we are redeemed; neither do they bring into Fellowship with God, neither into his Worship, nor further than Babel, where the Tongues stop.
But who comes to the Word of God and the Gospel, they come to that which was before many Tongues were, and shall remain when they shall all pass away.
XXXVIII. Concerning OATHES.
The Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Apostles, of the Martyrs is risen again, which gives Testimony against Swearing and Oathes.
There were no Oaths at all imposed upon Man before the Fall, but only since the Fall, for under the Law after the Fall; and among the Jews; Oaths and Commandments were given. To which Christ (by whom the World was made, which was before the Fall, which is the Oath of God, which Oathes in the Fall were Types) who put an end to strife, and brings into quietness and peace, and bindes to God without Oathes, which Christ put an end to.
And, Christ himself, the Oath of God, puts an end to all Oaths, and brings into the Land of quietness and rest, the Spiritaul Canaan, and puts and end to strife, and destroyes the Devil the Author of strife, he who is the Rest, the Way, Truth and the Life, who brings again to God, and is the Covenant of God in man, hath peace with God, which destroyes that which led from God and from Christ; and he himself said, Swear not at all, neither by Heaven, nor by the Earth, nor by any other Oath. He who restores man into that state in which he was in the beginning before the Fall, who restores into the Image of God. And so in the Restauration there are no Oathes to be used, nor Swearing, according to his own Doctrine; But Yea, yea, nay, nay, was to be used among men in all their Communications, and what is more then this, is evil; So that Swearing now is evil. And this is the Doctrine of him who restores People [Page 53] into that state in which man was in in the beginning; who is the Substance, who put an end to Figures. And his Disciple Jeams in the 5th Chapter of his Epistle, who followed his Counsel (who is an Everlasting Counsellor) saith, Above all things, my brethren, Swear not, neither by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other Oath, lest you fall into Condemnation: but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, be nay. And this was the manner among them who followed the Doctrine and Command of Christ in the Restauration, who were built upon the true Foundation, which was first laid in the Primitive times among the true Brethren; and was publickly held forth which Manner and Custome, Doctrine and Command of Christ Jesus and the Apostles in the Primitive times, many of the Martyrs followed, held forth, and practised among those who were Degenerated and Apostatized from the Life and Power of Christ and the Apostles, although they profess the Words. And now the Spirit of Christ is risen again, and of the Apostles, and Saints as in the Primitive times, and the Spirit of the Martyrs, who bear witness against all Oathes and all sort of Swearing whatsoevever, that were used among the Heathens, Jews, and Apostatized Christians, both privately and publickly, and bindes to yea, and nay, in all manner of Communication, as Christ and the Apostles taught, and and the Saints and Martyrs practised, knowing, that whatsoever is more than yea, and nay, is evil; and such who Swear, are condemned according to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine.
So we say again, That the Spirit of Christ, the Apostles, and Martyrs is risen again, who hath been dead, and is dead, in and among the Apostates, who have the Form, but deny the Power, from whom we have turned away. But now its ri [...]en again, and lives amongst us: Glory and Honour be given to God through Jesus Christ, who hath restored to the beginning, into the Image of God in which Man was in before he fell, before Oathes were.
For Example.
Read the Book of Genesis, and there you may see that there was no Command given to Adam and Eve before the Fall, concerning Swearing, neither from Christ, who Restores Man again, and who puts an END to OATHES, before the Law, and under the Law, and Prophets both, [Page 54] whom the Angels (which sware) worship, for Christ saith, Swear not at all, who is Lord and Master, so it is better to obey him than man, and in all your Communication let your yea, be yea, and your nay, be nay; for whatsoever is more than this cometh of Evil, saith he who restores, even Christ.
And in the second Example, consider the Apostles, who did according to the Command and Doctrine of Christ, who said, Above all things, my Brethren, Swear not at all, lest ye fall into condemnation, Jam. 5. But let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay, in all your Communication.
And although there was Swearing among the Jews, and other Nations and Heathens, before the Apostatized Christians used to Swear, nevertheless the Apostles and the Brethren obeyed, and they must obey the Doctrine and the Command of Christ, for if Christ command one thing, and Man another, It is better to obey the Lord Jesus Christ, the Life, who is the Restorer, Saviour, and Redeemer, than men.
This is the WORD of the LORD GOD to you all.
Concerning the WORD of GOD, and the Original, what it is.
BLessed are all those whose mindes are staid upon the Lord, for they shall be kept in perfect peace; so where the mind is staid upon the Lord, there is a perfect peace, for it is a whole peace which cannot be broken: So here is not only a perfect peace, but a blessing; a perfect peace which comes from the God of all peace, that bruiseth the Serpents head under your feet, (the troubler) and the blessings which comes from the blessed God. So all imperfect peace may be broken, that is when the mind is staid upon any Creature, or in any Creature (and not upon the Creator) or in any outward things. Goods, Houses, Lands or Inventions of the Vanities, in the foolish vain Fashions, which the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life go into, which will defile it and corrupt it, when any of these things [Page 55] fail, and are not according to your mind, it being in them, then your peace is broken, and you are cross, and brickle, and envy gets up; so this is not a perfect peace, but is a broken peace, and then you have the trouble and not the blessing; and the reason is, because your minds are in the Creatures, and the outward things, and are not staid upon the Creator, where the perfect peace is, and the blessing, where nothing can get betwixt you and the Lord. And this is below Job to have the mind in the Creatures, and visible things, for when you are tried, and Creatures fail you, you are crost, and troubled, that shews an imperfect state; for God said, that Job was a perfect man: and when that the Lord suffered him to be tried, and when that his Goods and Houses were thrown down, and driven a way, and servents killed, he said, Blessed be the name of the Lord, for the Lord gave and the Lord taketh; here his mind was stayed upon the Lord, and he retained his peace. And when that his Children were destroyed, and his wife said to him, what, dost thou continue in thy Integrity still? Curse God and dye; he rebukes her, and calls her, A foolish woman: and said unto her, Shall I receive good of the Lord and not evil? Naked came I out of my Mothers womb, and naked I must return again. Here Job kept his integrity still, and did not all this while offend with his Lips. Now many of you who think your selves high, and above Job, if that your Goods and Children should be after the same manner taken away (whose mind is in them) you would be found in a troubled brickle state, far below Job. And when that Jobs Friends came to reason with him, who kept his integrity, and would no way yeeld to them, they called him an Hypocrite, and said, he denyed Prayer, and filled his Belly with East-wind, and said, what shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? Shall man that is born of a woman be Just? God chargeth his Angls with folly, and the Heavens are not clear in his sight. And these are the Scriptures the Priests use to bring against Friends (who keep there Integrity) as Jobs Friends did against him; but at the last the Lord commanded Job to offer a Sacrifice for his Friends, because they had sinned, and spoken not right, as Job had, who was perfect and kept his Integrity. And the Apostle said to the Saints, That he had learned in all conditions to be content. Mark, in all conditions, but this was when he was Paul, not when he [Page 56] was Saul, running up and down with his packet of Letters, halling the Saints before the Rulers like a Paritor; then he was not content, neither with his own condition, nor others: But when he came to learn of Christ, which destroys the Devil and his works, which teacheth to know all things, then in all things he learned to be content; so that you know that there is learning, learneth, and learned; as a Child when he is learning, learneth, and learned is three stats; so Paul he had learned in all conditions to be content; and who was his School-Master but Christ, by whom all things were made, not of man, nor by man (out of the Truth;) so while he learned of men, and by men, he was not content, neither are any others.
Therefore all are to learn of Christ the Light, the Life, and the Truth, that you may come to that condition, to have learned in all conditions to be content, and not to trust in uncertain Riches, for they have wings and will flee away; and so he is never counted a wise man that will put any confidence in that which will flee away from him: for those are the Heirs of the Earth and the World that l [...]ad themselves with thick clay, that they may set their nests on high; but they that be Heirs of Christ, and of the Power of an Endless Life, trust in the Living God, and come to possess an Everlasting Inheritance of the Power of an Endless Life, and come to increse in the Riches of the Everlasting Inheritance, and there lay up Riches that are Everlasting, which will abide for ever. And so therefore mind every one Gods word in your Hearts, and in your Mouthes, and obey it and do it; and be not of them that are saying in their hearts, Who shall ascend or descend to fetch him from above? Keep down that sayer under reproof, and then your eares will be open to that which the righteousness of Faith saith, The Word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and in thy mouth, so thou needest not to say, who shall ascend or descend, and that was the Word which the Messengers of God preached, and do preach, and rebuke the Gainsayer.
And so all people seeing the Devil hath made the World like a Wilderness, and there is so many wayes in it, that they do not know which way to come out, nor which to follow: Therefore this is my Answer to you all, Take Davids Lanthorn and Candle; you may say, What is that, and where is it? I say it is within you, the Word of God: you may say, People do not [Page 57] use to carry Lanthorns and Candles in the day time, but in the night.
I say, you be in the Night of Darkness, and therefore the Word is called a Lanthorn and Candle to you, by which you may see the Way of the Lord which is perfect, from all mens wayes which are imperfect; by which ye may see the path of the just to be a shining Light, from all the unjust paths that be in the Darkness; for by this Word did David come to outstrip his Teachers, who was made wiser then them all, so it will you, if you obey it; for by this Word he saw Christ, and called him Lord: therefore he loved the Word and hid it in his heart; for by it he spake so many glorious expressions, which the World since hath turned into Meeter, and made Songs or Ballads of them; and this was the Word that came to Abraham, which made him forsake his National Religion and Worship, and Obey the Lord; and this was the Word that came to Jacob the Shepherd; by which he saw Christ, and Prophesied of him to his Sons on his Death-bed, when he said to Judah, The Law should not depart from betwixt his feet till Shilo came, (meaning Christ) and the gathering of all Nations should be to him, as it is at this day, the gathering is to Christ, and this was the Word that came to Moses the Shepherd, when he was keeping sheep, which he Obeyed, and went to Egypt, and brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt; by which Word he was made a Minister; and when the Children of Israel were come out of Egypt into the Wilderness, told them, They need not go for the Word beyond the Seas, &c. for it was nigh them, in their hearts and mouths, to obey it and do it. And this was, the Word that made Moses a Prophet, who prephesied of Christ, and said, Like unto him God would raise up a Prophet, him should they hear in all things: mark, (in all things) we are to be ordered both inward and outward, for hearing Christ, by whom all things were made; And every one that would not hear this Prophet (Christ) should be cut off; for how should they continue or reign?
And this was the Word that came to Samuel, and made him a Prophet, who spake to Ely the Priest, and reproved his Sons, and the Children of Israel: and this was the Word that made Saul to Prophesie, and Balaam, though they erred from it: And [Page 58] this was the Word that made all the Prophets to prophesie, and to reprove the kings of Israel, and their Priests, of their Superstition and Idolatrous ways, in seting up Groves, and Images in High places; and reproved all their Monthly Prognostications, who spoke and acted from them, and not from the Lord.
And this was the Word that came to Isaiah, by which he Prophesied of Christ, and of his Preaching, and of his Sufferings, and by which Word he reproved the Shepherds, which were as greedy dumb Dogs, could never have enough, seeking their gain from their Quarter: and by this Word he saw, that all the Children of God should be taught of God, and established in Righteousness and Peace; and though many tongues should rise up in Judgment against them, yet those that were taught of God should condemn them all, this power should be given to his children. And many weapons formed against them should not prosper, God would restrain them: And also he saw them that were cast out, that trembled at Gods Word, to whom God would appear to their Glory, and to the shame and to the confounding of them that cast them out for his Names sake, as it is at this day.
And this was the Word of God that made Jeremiah a Prophet, by which he saw the New Covenant, by which Word he was said to reprove the People and Princes, of the filthy and horrible thing commited in the Land, that the Priests Preached for Hire, and the Prophets prophesied falsly: and for reproving them for their Superstition and Idollatry, they struck him, and put him in the Stocks, and Prison, and persecuted him in the Dungeon, till his Persecutors were carried into Captivity. And by the Word Jeremiah saw the number of Seventy yeares of his Persecutors being in Babylons Captivity.
Elijah by the Word was made a Prophet, and by the Word reproved Ahab and Jezebel for their Idolatry, and worshiping of Images. For which Words sake they persecuted him, and the rest of the Prophets; and was not he fed of the Ravens by the River; And did not they seek to take away his Life; and did not he think all the Lords Prophets had been killed, and he left alone? yet did not the Lord say to him, he had reserved so many Thousands that had not bowed the knee to Baal? And Elisha the Plowman by the Word was made a Prophet, and forsook his Plough; and by the Word reproved the Idollatry in his Age of Priests and People.
[Page 59]And by the Word was Ezekiel made a Prophet, by which Word he reproved the Shepherds of Israel, that made a prey upon the people, and taught them for the Fleece; and by the Word he saw that God would bring the people from them, that they should be made a pray upon no longer; and would gather them from their Mouths, and set one Shepherd over them, Christ, which is witnessed; and by the Word he reproved false Prophets, that taught for handfuls of Barly, and peices of Bread, and daubed with untempered Morter, and sewed Pillows under the Armholes; and by the Word he saw the Patern of the Temple, and the return of the Jews.
And by the Word Daniel was made a Prophet, and saw Christ and his Kingdom, and how the Saints should take his Kingdom; and by the Word he saw such that should rise up against the People of God; and by the Word he numbred the yeares of Christ to his time 499 yeares, and of his, Death and how he should end the Sacrifices; and how that Christ should bring up Everlasting Righteousness, and put an end to Sin and end the Prophets, and Seal up their Visions.
And by the Word Micah was made a Prophet, by which he cryed against the Priests that preached for Hire, and the Prophets that prophesied for Money, and the Judges that judged for Rewards, and such as preached Peace to the people, that put in their mouths, (like the Priests in these times) and when they did not, they prepared war against them, and chopt their flesh and, gnawed their Bones, (as the Priests in this day and time have done) but Micah saw by the Word that the Sun was gon down upon such Prophets and Priests, and they should have no Vision nor Answer from God; therefore such are against Revelations and Visions, on whom the Sun is set, and gon down upon, and then the Night comes upon them.
And by the Word was Amos the Herdsman made a Prophet, who was a gatherer of Fruits, and likewise all the rest of the Prophets, who spoke forth Divine things and reproved the Superstition and Idolatry in their time and day. And by the Word did all the Prophets speak forth Divine things, which Word brought them into the Divine Nature and Mind, which Word Hammered and Cut down that which corrupted their natures; [Page 60] and this was the Word that made so many Fisher-men Preachers of the Gospel, which is the Power of God.
And this was the Word which made Matthew the Toll-gatherer, Luke the Physitian, and Paul the Tent-maker, Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel and Power of God. And this was the Word which made Peter to see Joels Prophesie, how that God would power out his Spirit upon all Flesh, and Sons and Daughters should Prophesie, and Young men should see Visions, and Old men Dream Dreams, and the powering forth of the Spirit upon Servants and Hand-maids, that every one should have somthing to speak to the Glory of God. And now the Priests and proud Prelates, and Bishops, and Popes, though you have made a trade of the Saints words, and the Apostles and Prophets words, and gotten a deal of money by them, (which were fishermen and shepherds words, from the Word) Yet nevertheless if a company of Shepherds, Herdsmen, Fishermen, Tent-makers, and Toll-gatherers should come amongst you to Preach, you would say, Away with these Mechanick Fellows, they have not served seaven yeares Apprentiship at the Colledges, which we have set up to make Ministers; therefore they are not to set up, because they have not served their Apprentiships.
What say the Shepherds, Tentmakers, Physitians and Tolegatheres? Do you make a Trade of our Friends words, who were of our Occupation, that never served Apprentiships in Colledges, before they spake forth the words you make a Trade of? what, will you make a Trade of our Friends words, who were of our Occupation! Away with you to Work, and away with your Colledges: for our Brother Paul the Tentmaker said, If you will not work you must not eat. For, would you own Christ if he had come in your day? who was called, A Carpenters Son. You Popes with your Triple Crowns, and you Lord Bishops with your Coaches and fat Horses, and gorgeous Aparrel, with your Black Coats, and white Coats, and Girdles; Are you like to entertain him who is called, A Carpenters Son? or to cast him and his mother into the Manger in your Stables?
This was the Word by which John the Evangelist saw Christ, which did enlighten every man that came into the world, and saw [Page 61] how he became flesh, and came to his own, and his own did not receive him: but to as many as received Christ the Light, to them he gave power to become the Sons of God; which all they that are Ministers of the Letter, made by the seven years Colledges, and not the Word, hate the Light.
And by this Word, the Minister of the Word preacheth Christs Word, Life, Death and Resurrection: And therefore as John saith in his Epistle, That which our Eyes have seen, our Hands have handled, and our Ears have heard of the Word of Life, do we preach unto you; that which was from the beginning, in the beginning was the Word, though since the beginning were the words and letters: for the Scriptures of Truth are the words of God, and the words of Christ; and he that adds to these words (saith John in the Revelations) God shall add unto him the plagues, that are written in this book.
So the Word was in the beginning, and Christs Name is called, The Word of God, but Christ is neither called Scriptures nor Writings, for Scriptures signify Writings. So, In the beginning was the Word, since the beginning were Writings and Scriptures. In the beginning was the Word, since the beginning were all false Wayes, false Churches, false Teachers; and in the Word ye comprehend them all. The Priest saith, That Hebrew, Greek and Latine were the Original, the many Languages, and the many Languages began at Babel, which Nimrod the Hunter before the Lord, (began to build) after God had destroyed the Old World with water: then would he go build a Tower which should reach to Heaven; then God came down and confounded them into many Languages: so he hunted before the Lord, but the Lord followed him, and confounded him in all his work, as he will do all the Builders that run before him; and so all the Priest that have gotten the many Languages, which began at Babel, they tell simple ignorant people, that they have the Original, and are the Orthodox men, and get in a different habit from them, and say the Quakers are a simple people, and despise the Learned Orthodox men who have the Original.
Give ear O people, if these Languages which came up at the confounding of Babel are the Priests Original that makes them Orthodox and Divine, then Pilate that crucified Christ was as good an Orthodox Divine as they: for when he crucified Christ [Page 62] he writ a Paper in Hebrew, Greek and Latine, and set a top of him, he was as ignorant of Scripture and of Orthodox and Divine matters as you, and you as he; and the Apostle saith, That Tongues must cease, then that which makes Orthodox men and Divine, as you say, must cease, according to the Apostles Doctrine; and so then Tongues neither are the Original, nor make Orthodox nor Divine: and John that gave forth the Revelations saith, That the Whore and the Beast are set upon Tongues, and the Everlasting Gospel must be preached again to all Kindreds and Tongues; which were before Babel was, who was the first beginner of Tongues.
Now it is clear that the Gospel must be preached to all Nations and Tongues, and that Tongues are not the Original, neither do they make Divines or Orthodox men; but it is clear that it is the Word which was in the beginning which makes Divines; yea, Tradesmen, which are base and contemptible in the eyes of the proud, and them that have gotten Babels Tongues, who are confounded by the ministers of the Word, which was in the beginning before Babel was; for all the Earth was of one Language and Speech before Babel. And you that call your selves Orthodox men made by Tongues, and say that is your Original, who are so blind and cannot see that there was an Original before Babel was; for did not Enoch the Prophet, the seventh from Adam, who prophesied in the Old World before it was destroyed, and long before Babel was, concerning the coming of Christ in Ten thousand of his Saints, as in Jude; and Lamech prophesied in the Old World concerning Noah, and Adam and others might be instanced, before your Tongues which you call your Original were: and so we say that the Word of God is the Original, which doth fulfil the Scriptures, and the Word is it which makes Divines, which is called a Hammer, but it is a living Hammer, and a Sword and Fire, but a living Sword and a Fire, to hammer, cut, and burn up that which separated and kept man from God, by which Word man is reconciled again to God, which is called The word of Reconciliation; by this word are men and women sanctified and made clean, and this is the Word that makes both men and woman Divines, and brings them into the Divine Nature, which hammers and cuts down that which corrupted their nature; [Page 63] and by this Word a [...]e they brought into a Divine Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledg, Spirit and Power. And this is the Word that lives, and abides, and endures for ever, by which the Saints are born again of the Immortal Seed and Word of God, who feed upon the Milk of the Word, up into a Divine Life, Wisdom and Understanding, and Divine Nature; and by this Word they do see all Flesh to be as Grass, and as the Flower of the Field that fadeth; and the Word of God that lives, and abides, and endures for ever, which is Christ, whose Name is called, the Word of God.
And so to Keep the Word of Patience, which is over all the impatient Spirits, and then you will know the Word of Life, the Word of Patience and Word of Wisdom is Everlasting, and abides and endures for ever; which all they that be in the Letter, out of the Life and Word, have neither Patience to themselves nor others; for the Word of patience, and the Word of Life, which is to be kept in all Tribulations was before Death and impatient Spirits were.
Concerning the Heathen Idolaters naming their Dayes and Moneths.
THE old Pagan- Saxons in their Idolatry, Were the first that brought in the names of the Days, which those called Christians, have retained to this day; for they adored Idols, and unto them offered Sacrifices, and Worshipped the Planets. See Vestigans Antiq. and Cambdens Brit.
As touching the Idols which these Saxons adored they were divers; and though they had many, yet seven among the rest, they especially appropriated unto the seven dayes of the week.
That day which is the first day of the week, they worshiped the Idol of the Sun, which was placed in a Temple, and there Sacrificed unto, and to the special adoration of which Idol they gave the name of Sunday.
The second day of the week, they dedicated to the Idol of [Page 64] the Moon, and from whence, these called Christians retain the name of Monday instead of Moonday.
The next was the Idol of the Planets, was the Idol of Tuisco, who was the first and chiefest man of Name among the Germans, unto whom the name of Tuesday was especially dedicated.
The next was the Idol Woden, whom the Saxons honoured for their God of Battel; And after this Idol, these called Christians do yet call the fourth day of the week. Wednesday, instead of Woddensday,
The next was the Idol Thor, from whence the name Thursday, is retained, instead of the fifth day of the week.
The next Idol was the Goddess Friga, to which Idol they dedicated the sixth day of the week, and called it Fryday; which is retained to this day.
The last was the Idol Seater, from whence is called the seventh day, Satureay.
And as these called Christians, have followed the Heathens Examples in naming their Days, so they follow them in nameing their Months; for the Heathen they called Mars the God of Battel, and from thence they called the first Month March. And Venus they called the Goddess of Love and Beauty, and from thence they called the second Month April. And Maja a Heathen Goddess called Flora and Cloris, were called the Goddesses of Flowers, unto Maja the Heathen Idolaters used to sacifice; from thence was the third Month called May: And upon the first day of the same Month, they used to keep Floralia Feasts to the two Goddesses of Flowers (viz.) Flora and Cloris; and Flora was a Strumpet in Rome, that used on the first day of that Month, to set up a May-pole before her door to intice her Lovers; from whence came May-poles and May-Day to be since observed, by these called Christians.
And Juno whom the Heathen called the Gooddess of Kingdoms and Wealth, from this Juno, the forth Month was called June.
And Julius Cesar a Roman Emperor, in honour to him, was the fifth Month called July.
And in honour to Augustus Cesar, an Emperor, was the sixth Month called August.
[Page 65]And four of the other Months are called after the Latine Names, as September for the seventh Month, October for the eighth, November for the ninth, December for the tenth.
And one Janus a King of Italy, was for his wisdom pictured with two faces, whom they honoured as God; and from this name Janus, was the elventh Month called January.
And Saturnus, Pluto, Februs, were called the Gods of Hell, who the Heathen said, had the Rule of evil Spirits there; and from Pluto Februs, was the twelfth Month called February. And by all these Idolatrous Names, do these called Christians, call their Days and Months, to this day, which is contrary to the Scriptures, the Prophets and the Apostles.
The Saxons also had a Goddess, (whom they sacrificed to in the Month of April) called Eoster; hence they called April, Eoster Month, and hence in process of time came Easter. Page 135. Camb. Brit.
Concerning Singing of Psalmes.
PSalms began to be sung about three hundred eighty three years after Christ, brought in by Damasins Bishop, though not turned into Meeter.
Benedistus an Abbot of the Monastery of Peter and Paul at Wirr, brought with him from Rome one John the Arch-Chanter, who first taught in England how to sing in the Quire, after the manner of Rome. Act. & Mon. vol. 1. page 164. Anno, 724.
Laws made by the Saxon Kings in England, concerning singing Psalms.
In the year seven hundred forty seven, at the beginning of King Edgberts Reign, the Synod of Bishops disputed the profit of singing of Psalms in the Church, and made a Decree, that with a modest voice, they should sing in the Church so called.
[Page 66]In the year nine hundred twenty four, King Ethelston, alias, Atelston, made a Law that fifty Psalms should be daily sung in the Church, as he called it, for the King.
Beza being much diverted with Poetry, made his pastime to become a part of the vulgar devotion; hence they have been stiled by some Geneva-Jigs. These are the express words of the Injunction, given to the Clergy and Laity by Queen Elizabeth.
A Warning to all to keep out of the Fashions of the World, which lead them below the serious Life; and not to fashion themselves according to the World.
FRiends keep out of the Fashions of the World, let not your eyes, and minds, and spirits run after every fashion (in Apparel of the Nations) for that will lead you from the solid life, into a full stomack, with that Spirit that leads to follow the Fashions [Page 67] of the Nations, every Fashions of Apparel that gets up; but mind that which is sober and modest, and keep your Fashions; therein you may judge the World, whose minds and eyes are in that, what they shall put on, and what they shall eat; and Friends that see the World so often alter their Fashions, and follow them, and run into them, in that they cannot judge the World, but the World, will rather judge them: Therfore keep all in the modesty, and plainness, and fervency, and sincerity, and be circumspect; for they that follow those things the Worlds spirit invents daily, cannot be solid; and many Fashions might be instanced, both of Hats and Clothes of men and women, that daily are invented, which they that run into them, are near unto the Worlds Spirit, and their eyes are gazing after them, when they should be upon the Lord, from whom they should receive judgment: Therefore all keep down that Spirit of the World that runs into so many Fashions to please the lust of the Eye, the lust of the Flesh, and the Pride of Life: And Fashion not your selves according to your former Lust of Ignorance; and let the time past be sufficient, which you have lived according to the Lusts of men and the course of the World, that the rest of your time you may live to the will of God, taking no though what you shall eat, what you shall drink or what you shall put on; therein your lives may judge the Heathens and that you may be as the Lillies; for nothing you brought into the World, neither any thing shall you take out: and therefore, while the Eye is gazing after every new Fashion, and the mind and desire is thirsting to get it, when it has it, it lifts up its mind, and so brings himself under the judgment of them that be in the sober Life, and of the World also, and to be like one of them: Therefore take heed of the Worlds Fashions, lest ye be moulded up into their Spirit, and that will bring you to slight Truth, and lift up the wrong Eye, and wrong Mind, and wrong Spirit, and hurt and blind the pure Eye, and pure mind, and quench the Holy Spirit; and through such foolish Toyes, and Fashions, and fading things, you may lose your conditions: And therefore take heed of the World, and trust not in uncertain Riches, neither covet the Riches of this World, but Seek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof and all outward things will follow; and let your minds be above the costly and vain Fashions of attire, [Page 68] but mind the hidden man of the heart, which is a meek and quiet Spirit, which is of great price with the Lord, and keep to Justice and Truth in all your dealings, and tradings; at a word, and the form of sound words, in the Power of the Lord, and Equity in Yea and Nay in all your dealings, that your Lives and Conversations may be in Heaven, and above the Earth, that they may preach to all that you have to deal withal; so that you may be as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid, and as Lights of the World, answering the equal Principle in all, that God in all things may be glorified; So that you may pass your time here with fear, as Pilgrims and Strangers, and Sojourners, as having an eye over all things that be uncertain, as Cities, Houses, Lands, Goods, so, as things below, they that possess, as if they did not; and they tha [...] marry▪ as if they did not; yet as having a City whose Maker and Builder is God, and a Possession of an Inheritance that will never fade away, in which you have Riches that will abide with you Eternally.
Some QUERIES given forth to the Priests or People to Answer if they can.
1. HAve any of you the same Spirit and Power as the Prophets and Apostles had?
2. Or have you the same Revelation and Inspiration, and Spirit of Prophesie, and pouring forth of the Holy Ghost; or do you own the pouring forth of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters, and is not this the last time in which it should be poured out, and the Sons and Daughters should Prophesie, and Old men dream Dreams, and Young men see Visions?
3. Or have you heard Gods voice, and Christs voice immediately fro [...] Heaven, or are you some of them the Lord never sent, nor spake unto? Answer me these Queries.
4. Do you own that Christ that died at Jerusalem to be the Light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world; and are not all enlightened by him either to their Salvation or Condemnation?
[Page 69]5. What and where is that which must give the knowledge of God, is it within People or without them? Answer me according to plain Scripture.
6. Do you teach or preach, that whilst a man is upon the Earth, he may be freed from sin, and the body of death, and imperfection, and shall be perfect whilst he be upon Earth; or do you keep People in the state of your Father Adam and Mother Eve in the Fall, or do you bring them to the state before they fell, and so to Christ that shall never fall, which of these states do you bring them to, and keep your flock in, in Adam and Eve in the fall, or Adam and Eve before they fell, or in Christ that shall never fall; you must keep your flock in one of these three states, and which of them is it? Have you brought any of your flock whom you have driven to that condition and state, they need no man to teach them, that is to the anointing in them, the Law in their hearts, whereby they need not say one to another, know the Lord, that is to the Light of Christ that shines in their hearts to give them the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus, and how many have you brought hither?
7. What is the Mother of Harlots, and what is the Beast she rides upon, and what are the People, Nations, and Multitudes, and Tongues the Whore sits upon, and what is Mystery Babylon, and what is the Woman that went into the Wilderness, what was her time she was to be there, and what is the Beast and Dragons Worship, and what is a Will-worship, and what is it to worship Angels, and what is that which leads Nature into its Course, and so to the glory of the first Body, and what is the glory of the second Body, and what is that which leads Nature out of its Course, and so sets the whole Course of Nature on Fire?
8. What is the ground of that which keeps in good manners, and what is that which corrupts them, and what is the Righteousness the World is reproved off, and what are the Judgments, and what is that which leads the Saints into all Truth, and hath every one the Spirit of God; and whether bowing, bending, dossing hats, scraping, cringing, saying you to one, be the honour that comes from above, or what is it, and whence comes it, and whether this before mentioned do not stand in that Nature, [Page 70] part and principle, which is on fire, if it hath not these things, and therefore whether or no these things do proceed from that which leads Nature into its Course, or out of its Course, and what is it that defaces the glory of the first body?
9. Whether or no you own Trembling and Quaking at the Word of God?
10. Seeing you look upon your selves to differ from many, and to be above them, let us see wherein, and in what it is manifest?
11. What is self-Righteousness, and what is Man's Righteousness, and the Righteousness that is as filthy Rags, distinguish these one from another, or whether they be all one, for our Righteousness is that which was before Adam was, whom ye in scorn calls Quakers?
12. Whether ever any came to see so far as Balaams Ass, who saw the Angel of the Lord?
13. What are the Graves, and the Tombes, and the Sepulchres, and the Fowls of the Air, and the Nests they sit in, which Christ spake of? Answer.
14. Whether or no to pay Tythes or receive Tythes, is not to deny Christ Jesus to be come in the flesh, and to deny Christ to be offered up, the offering once for all; and was not theirs of the Tythes a heave-offering, and was not that Offering to be ended by Christ offering up himself, and had not the Priests a Commandment to take Tythes of the People, of their Brethren, and do not you transgress the Law of God which take them of those you do not call brethren; and was not the Widows, Fatherless, and Strangers to have a part of the Tythes, and was every Priest and Levite, and them that was to have a part of them, to have a particular Tythe-Barn, and was Tythes to be sold, and was there any Impropriators, and whether they do not hold up the Priests of the Jews, and their Law and Commandments, that take Tythes and give Tythes, and so denyes Christ the Priest, in holding up the Jews Priests.
15. And whether or no MELCHISEDECK did ta [...]e Tythes of all other Nations that were under him, or any other Spoil, but once of ABRAHAM, and whether he had a Command for doing it, or whether it was an Example?
[Page 71]16. And whether the Jews did take Tythes of the Canaanites, or any of those Nations that lived among them, or of any People where ever they came, that they had the power over, that was not of them?
17. You that speak so much of Christs Reigning, whether or no Your Swords are beat into Plowshares, and your Spears into Pruning-hooks, that you do not learn War any more; that Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation; And whether or no this Ministration should be amongst Christians, seeing that it was Christs Doctrine, That they should love one another, and love Enemies; And he bad Peter put up his Sword: And the Apostle said, Their Weapons were Spiritual.
Secondly, Doth not Peter say, That the Heavens must receive Christ Jesus until the time of Restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets since the World began, Act. 3. Now do you look at restoring of things, then by what doth Christ restore, whether by his Light and Power within People or without them, seeing the sin is within them, and whether or no Christ doth not remain in the Heavens untill all things be restored; and whether or no Christ doth not now Reign; and whether or no he is not restoring; and then by what (as I said before) doth he restore seeing he is in the Heavens, and must remain in the Heavens until all things be restored, and whether or no some was not restored, when they sate in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephes. 2. And whether or no he that remaines in the Heavens, be not also manifest in man, that is restored and lives, and walks, and reigns in him?
Answer this you that talk of a Personal Reign.
18. What is that Voice of Christ which his Sheep hears and knows from all false Voices, and all that hear cannot endure any more to hear the Voice of a Stranger, Hireling or Thief?
19. What or where is the Word that People shall hear behind them, saying, This is the Way, Walk in it, when they turn to the right hand or the left; or what the Word of Faith that none needs to say, Who shall ascend to Heaven, or into the depth to seek [Page 72] Christ f [...]om above or below, but was nigh in their hearts; and Is not the same now?
Answer in Writing the thing Queried.