AN EPISTLE TO THE GREEKS. ESPECIALLY To those in and about Corinth and Athens. WITH Certain Queries propounded to the Priests and Doctors, and all the rest of the Members and Officers belonging unto the two Churches of Greeks and Romans, which is of concernment for the view of them all throughout the WORLD. Written in Egripo in the Island of Negroponte, By a Servant of the Lord: J. P. LONDON: Printed for Thomas Simmons, at the Bull and Mouth, within Aldersgate. 1661. To the Reader. Friends THe Word of the Lord is the Proclamation of War, only with the wicked, and the messengers thereof holds not the persons of men in contempt, or scorn; it casteth out the root of envy, which Satan planted in the heart, and fixeth the love of God for the souls inheritance, which floweth in pity, and aboundeth in mercy to others! He that readeth and receiveth, in him also hold 〈◊〉, and he shall bear Testimony to the Truth and witness for God, that the zeal of the Lords House is neither Envy, Emulation, Wrath, or vain Contention. Wherefore I say, God who hath 〈◊〉 mercy, and 〈◊〉 bountifully of the riches of his Grace unto me, hath freed me from the nature of evil towards my neighbour, and hath given me of his Love therewith to seek the lost, from which issues the plainness of my Declarations and Speeches, which without guile, fraud, or flatteries; Love in simplicity holds forth the Truth in nakedness, and this will stand a Yoke to the stubborn, and a Dart in the side of the rebellions; The enmity is 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉; He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. This is verily a character of the same nature of what follows in the succedent Pages. Given forth by a Friend in the Truth, A lover of souls, J. P. The Day will declare the Dreadful and Mighty Work. IN the Council of the wonderful Counsellor, and All mighty Father, and Fountain of Wisdom, (who confoundeth the Councils of the wise, and the wisdom of the Fathers of this world, in whose sight the prudent and learned amongst men, are but as fools plotting in their works, the contrivance and invention of the perpetual evil of their souls.) This is given forth to the only true intent, that the simple hearted may be rightly informed of the way to salvation, life and peace everlasting: For of a truth the Lord God of Heaven and earth is arisen, who for many hundreds of years hath been as a stranger upon the earth: And now in this his mighty day which is broken, and breaking forth by the work of his own hand, he will frustrate the tokens of liars, and make the Diviners mad, and turn wise men backward, and make their knowledge foolishness, who will open a door to the simple, and lead the Wayfaring men, and fools, in the unerring path of Righteousness, and the deceit in the earth, shall no longer stand (without a heavy work) as it did in the days of the ancient Fathers, Doctors, and Lawyers of the world, who took from the people the key of knowledge, who entered not in themselves, but stood in the gap, and set Briars and Thorns in the way, and hindered such as was entering. The flame of the fire of the Lord will finish the course of the former times; for, shall it not burn in a dry Country? And if the Nations post unto Euphrates for water to quench the fire, shall not that River be also dried up before they come there? And if from thence they fly unto Jordan, shall not the utter Consumption be, ere they can have help from thence? Behold the Lord will make a quick work in the earth. Let the Nations therefore repent; and now not in any upbraiding, or rash judging manner, but in the Council of God, as a servant by Commandment, in the work of the Lord, in love unspeakable to all souls, I show unto the people their states, and unto the sons of men how they stand in the sight of God, my testimony reaching that of God in men's consciences, to the measure of the Light in all, desiring only to be made manifest, which, when the sinner is convinced of his sins, and the wicked man converted in his mind, and turned from the evil of his ways, then shall they confess of a truth, the blessed day of the Lord; and say, Surely it was well for us, that the Prophet spared not, to show unto Judah her sins, and unto Jerusalem her transgressions; Yea well sprang forth that day, and that hour, was the certain timely season of the appearance of mercy, and manifestation of loving kindness, wherein Nathan was sent to show unto David the treachery and rebellion of his heart. And now what am I that God should remember me, also with the mercies of David to show me my transgression, that by his word I may be converted and healed? Verily of none other do I make mention, but only of the name of the Holy One, and that which proceedeth from his presence, declaring this Dread, showing unto all people the Door of mercy, the Fountain of life, the Gate of knowledge, & everlasting treasure of undefiled pure wisdom. For as much as the Lord holdeth forth a day of visitation unto all, that the whole world may be left without excuse in the day of God's dreadful judgements, when the complete fulfilling and finishing of the time cometh to pass, of the full gathering of the scattered Seed, in the Fields of the Earth, and full calling of his Remnant from the four winds of the Heavens, throughout all Nations, Kindred's, Countries, Tongues and People's; and the Lord hasteth the Reaping of the Harvest. A warning to the World to repent, and this to the Debtors, and Captives of the house of Israel is sounded, and sounding. The year of Jubilee beginneth in the morning season, yet a little while, and your slumber will be over, and the clouds of the night will pass from the sphere of your low degree, which ariseth, and will quickly pass over the Sun of another exalted Nation: Oh how doth the day change the times, the Children are become Dogs, and the Dogs which were, are become the glory of the earth; and who hath an eye to see, or a heart to believe, that this is come, it cometh, and is at hand, that the Dogs shall eat the children's bread, and no more shall their name be a reproach among the Gentiles, but their day of Sonship shall be the Dread of the Heathen. Who is he now that will set Briars in the way, or Thorns in the breach of the Gap which the Lord hath made, and who is he that contendeth against his maker, saying, why cometh this thing to pass, mine hand is turned against it? Ye despisers, and wonder, and perish, behold I work a work in your days, which if a man shall tell it unto you, ye shall in no wise believe it. And you that resist, are but for the consumption of the fire of God's jealousy, in the day of his wrath. A warning, a warning to the whole world is come, it cometh, it hath sounded, and is sounding. The mighty day of God is at hand; therefore whilst you have time, repent. And although the Gentiles resist, and all the Heathen every where gainsay, yet the Lord will be glorified over all the world, unto whom the Light is the sure message of the Most High, whether they will hear or forbear. AN EPISTLE TO THE GREEKS. I Have heard a rumour in mine ears of a hard cry among the people; Alas, alas! Our glory is defaced, and our ancient praise and renown is utterly defamed; Our wives are made the Vassals of other women, and we are become slaves to a strange Nation; We are no more under the Government of the Sceptre, which swayed our Fathers, but the wills of another people works violence over us; Our houses are but as habitations lent unto us, and our substance and portion, at pleasure may be spoilt by the hand of the Devourer; Our children unto us are not as were the children of our forefathers in their Generations our wives and children, treasure and substance, is but a burden unto us, when the eyes of our Lords looks over us. Alas, alas! our misery is great, and none regardeth it, the sound of our cry hath reached far, yet few have pondered it. And the Lord said unto me, Cry also among the Professors of Christian Religion, even thus it is come to pass in many Regions of the earth, the bondage it great, and the captivity is doubled with violence, and with cruelty; The chains and yokes are twice laid on, and the people are under the indignation of the Lord: The judgements of their adversaries lies heavy upon their heads, and their Loins are banded with the oppressions of their Rulers, as with Iron and with Brass, and they cannot break the Cords to cast off their burdens; and this, and much more, is the misery of the Greeks, which their father's iniquities first brought upon their heads in their days, and the children of their Generations drinking of the Cup of their abominations, unto this present Seed of evil doers; Wherefore the hand of vengeance still toucheth their shoulders, and in this manner God hath seen it equal, to lay the burden upon that man, which with his transgressions hath laden and pressed down the righteous soul of the Lord, as a Cart is laden, and pressed down with sheaves. This is the end of their labours, they ploughed the fields of the pleasure of their own hearts, they sowed the seed of unrighteousness in the depth of the ground of iniquity, who notwithstanding the Lord watered them with the water of adversity, yet returned they not in the day of affliction, wherefore of corruption they have reaped this abundance of misery. YE Greeks unto whom I writ, for the seeds sake, as a husband unto a wife, not covering the diseased parts, or falsely solving up the forest, and most dangerous wounds, not seeking to seal up your states in hidden sentences from your understandings, or your conditions in parables, nor to shut the door of the Kingdom against the seed of the Kingdom. It hath pleased the Lord, (contrary to every part of the natural, and desire of the carnal) to lead me through some of the Countries, wherein as Sojourners you are Inhabitants, among whom I did earnestly seek, but could not find, and then I returned to the Lord, and sought with tears, yet truly could not find one in a City that was worthy; Ye ought to bear with me for the Truth's sake, nevertheless, whether you will hear or forbear; for the Lord's sake, and his seeds sake, I am obliged by that which stretcheth forth love unto souls, in this manner to stretch forth mine hand, to draw back the Curtain, that you may look to the Light which breaks through the Lattice, and to remove the skirt which it folded over your nakedness, that your eye may see your filthiness. O misery, misery, the seed is in bondage, that's your greatest misery within, the burdens of which is the ground of your misery without; Consider, consider, and lay it to heart, use diligence in the search of your hearts, for the Lord God cometh quickly, to try and to search every heart, and to reward and give unto all according to their deeds done in the body, whether they be good, or whether they be evil. Consider your Life, which is the ground, and cause of the mourning of the Land. Jer. 23.10. I have passed through you, and have seen the life of your people; Behold abominable swearing, lying, cheating, coveting, drunkenness, whoredom, adultery, murder; Rom. 1.23.24, etc. Changing the glory of the incorruptible God, into Images, made like unto corruptible man. Wherefore God also hath given you up to uncleanness, through the lusts of your corrupt hearts. Who have changed the truth of God into a lie, and to worship and serve the Image of the creature, more than the Creator. Whose own Image only praiseth him, who is blessed over all for ever, and evermore, Amen. And this is truth in the presence of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, and unto the Light of Christ which shines in all your Consciences, which shows you all your sins, even unto that true Witness in your own hearts I speak. I have been an eye witness of the bowing of the bodies of many of your people, unto the works of your Father's idolatrous hands, unto which your corrupt hearts and deceitful affections are joined, whilst not one of you in a Nation, which mine eye ever beheld, came to bow his heart in Righteousness, and his life in Spirit and Truth before the Lord God who is a Spirit, John 4.23. Whose day cometh, and now is, that the true Worshippers do worship him in Spirit and in Truth. And for as much as Ye, with other Idolaters, do make these few following dark words, the seeming ground of your standing places, saying, Viz. That you are the Roman Catholic Church, and that you believe in Christ, and do believe the Words and Doctrine of Christ, the Scriptures of the Prophets, and writings of the Apostles, and that you hold the Precepts, and do follow the instructions of the ancient Fathers, etc. Answ. You whose Fathers made many Temples, and painted Pictures therein, that they might worship and bow down unto the works of their own hands. Ye see the day in the midst of your calamities, and time of sorrows, how that many of the houses which they built are left unto you desolate. And if now you the seed of the corruption of their generation, were but come to the loss of your Father's natural Image in your carnal hearts and affections; You would also as clearly discern your greatest misery, which through the gross vail of darkness over your hearts, is hid from your eyes. Oh the captivity, the captivity, you are held in the possession of bondage and captivity, under the profession of the name of Christ and Christians, in the lusts of unrighteousness, and the pleasures of sin and iniquity, and this hath brought blindness, and spread ignorance as a thick cloud which covers the understanding part, wherefore you are strangers unto, and as a people not having knowledge of the seed of God, which notwithstanding the hardships of your outward sufferings, and the scourge of your bodies, yet the seed of the Kingdom lies laden with your lightness, and is heavily pressed down with the excessive weight of your numberless oaths, and other abominable sins and transgressions; Ye are blinded, ye are blinded, through the multitude of your corruptions; your whole body is become a lump of misery; You daily add murder unto mischief, without respect, or any regard to the life of the innocent, and after your adulteries, you retain not the thought of the succour of the life of the Virgin Daughter, which ye have abused through the lusts of uncleanness, and so you add sin unto sin, binding yourselves under the perpetual oath and curse of cruelty, in the bondage of your own misery, and captivity. Woe is me for you, the love of my bowels to the seed is made a brook of bitterness in my belly; For your sakes I am as one that hath eaten affliction, and swallowed up sorrows, as in the day of trouble. Oh how hath the night been tedious to my watchful eyes, which the strength of your miseries kept open, when slumber had no power to shut them; wherefore now I call, and with a loud voice lifted over your Land, I cry, Come forth ye careless minds, stretch forth your feet, ye regardless hearts, out of the Bed of the miserable slumber of your starved souls. Awake, awake to the mourning, and arise and come forth to the lamentation, for your loss. O weep, weep for the woe is your own, for your own wickedness. Consider and lay it to heart, should not the hour of distress bring sorrows and mourning upon your hearts? Oh wherefore then hath the Lord looked, and behold your Land hath been filled with lightness, and ye have not forgotten the vain words of the former Generation, but with a foolish confidence have believed and trusted in their lies, as if the credit of the deceitful words of their wicked inventions, should stand the salvation of your miserable sinful souls. Seeing therefore unto this day ye have been grossly deluded and deceived, under the profession of the name of the Roman Catholic Church, I shall answer the vanity of your Faith, with a few words of Truth. God who in the days of old chose unto himself a peculiar people of the seed of Israel, according to his promise unto Abraham, also in the fullness of the dispensation of time, sent his only begotten Son a Light into the world, that the world through him (who is the Light) might believe, and have everlasting life, by whom the Apostles and Saints in them days were gathered unto God, and were made Members of the Heb. 12.23. Acts 20.28. Matth. 16.18. Church of the first born which are written in Heaven, who is the Resurrection of the dead, and of this Church of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, of which Christ is now the Head, as he was in the days of the Apostles, who wrote of this Church, who therefore was, and is the Head; Ephes. 5.13. Coloss. 1.18. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish, and that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. And of this, and none other Church, did the Lord speak, and the Apostles writ; but as for the Roman Catholic Church, neither have I by any testimony heard, or by any writing of the true Prophets, the Declaration of Christ, or in the writings of the Apostles, read of any such Church should be, as of the Truth, or stand as in the Truth, or that unto the Members thereof, the Truth should be only committed; Although this I say, that the Scriptures do make mention, that once there was an assembly of Saints which lived in Rome, as there did also in other places and parts of the earth, among whom the truth was in power received, in the day of the prosperity thereof, until the time of the apostasy came in, and the working of the mystery of iniquity waxed great and spread over the face of the earth, even among all people who received the sound of the Declaration of the birth of a Son in the City of David, Jesus the Christ, whom the Prophets prophesied of, should come; and of this apostasy and falling away, Christ himself, (who is the sum and substance of the Law and the Prophets) spoke of, saying; Math. 24.24. There shall arise false Christ's, and false Prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, in so much that if it were possible, they should deceive the very Elect. And this iniquity began to work in the days of the Apostles, of which John in this manner did write, They went out from us, but they were not of us; 1 Joh. 2.18, 19 by which he knew that it was the last time as they had heard that Antichrist should come, and saith he, 1 John 4.1. even now there are many Antichrists; Wherefore he also exhorted the Brethren, that they should not believe every Spirit, but to try the Spirits, whether they are of God, because many false Prophets were then gone into the world. And Paul, he testifieth his knowledge, saying, Acts 20.29.30, 31. After my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock, and also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw many Disciples after them; therefore watch and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And this in measure came to pass whilst John was; Paul also, John 1.9, 10. 1 Thess. 2.7.8, 9 he bore further witness that this thing must be, even the falling away, else this day, which is now come, and coming could not come: and he said then in his day also, That the Mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, even him whose coming (mark his coming) is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, in them that perish, and for this cause seeing they received not the love of the Truth, God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness; In which state and condition of vanity and unrighteousness, I find the Roman Catholic Churches, as a people miserably spoilt, Coloss. 2.8. through the deceit of vain Philosophy, Walking after the Traditions of men, after the Rudiments of the world, in the unrighteousness and uncleanness thereof, in fornication and covetousness, in drunkenness, pride, malice and murder, lying and swearing, vain jesting, and foolish talking, As a people through the abominable lusts of uncleanness in your lives, void of the knowledge, or at least wise not considering, and laying it to heart, how Ephes. 5.5. That not unclean person, nor Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ, and of God; being as it were stupefied and benumbed in your senses, so far degenerated from the power of Truth, and mystery of Godliness, that ye have lost the general form, and do retain but the least part thereof; wherefore among you, and upon you, the words and prophecy of the Apostle is fulfilled, 2 Tim. 3.13. Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. And yet a little while, and it shall also be shown unto you that desire to understand, wherein you are fallen below the form of the profession of Godliness, as in divers particulars I shall query for the opening of your understandings, that by your diligent search in the Scripture with the Light you may see, which will effectually make for the manifestation of the ground of your customs and practices, in your idolatrous and superstitious worships. And this unto you all is held forth, for the trial of your ways, seeing the Lords mighty day is at hand, which will rip open and make manifest all hearts, and declare and preach that which hath been hid in secret upon the house tops. Many of your Fathers were the worshippers of the works of the Philosophers, until the sound of the fame of Christ came among them, whose Miracles and Resurrection confounded the depth of the working of their wisdom, by which the wise men came to confess a greater than themselves, which suddenly rang through the Nation, and so from Nation to Nation, from the report and credit of the confession of the Philosophers and learned Doctors, the ignorant also in all your Nations joined with the humane learned, and so with one consent they cried up the name (to wit) of Christ, whereof they had received the report, who sometime before that had slaughtered the Apostles, who finished their testimonies in the Life and Spirit of Jesus, holding forth his name in power, whose name in words, as the Apostasy came and grew as the deceivers, and false Prophets, and false Brethren, and false Apostles went forth, your Fathers the Philosophers, and wise men came to confess; mark the time of the coming in of this, which at this time ye stand in, which had not an entrance, by the Doctrine or Example of Peter, or life and preaching of Paul, but by such as was spoken of, should destroy the little flock of Christ, and make havoc of the Heritage of God, concerning whom, I have shown you John's witness, and Paul's testimony, and yet furthermore do write Judes and Peter's prophecies; Judas 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, filthy dreamers, that defile the flesh, murmerers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and their mouth speaking great and swelling words, having men's persons in admiration, because of advantage; Such as the Apostles of our Lord spoke of should come; Mockers, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts, who are sensual, having not the Spirit of Truth. To the Church saith Peter, 2 Pet. 2.1. There shall be false Teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, and many shall follow their pernicious ways, of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of, having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, and hearts they have exercised with covetous practices, cursed children which have forsaken the right way, who are the Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitations, God hath reserved in the everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgement of the great day. Seeing therefore that the Scriptures are true, as is manifest by the coming of these things to pass, according to the words of the Apostles prophecies, and finding you in the cursed ground, and nature of uncleanness, bringing forth fruits of iniquity. Hereby I know, even by your fruits, Matth. 12.33. into what stock you are grafted, mine instrument hath reached your root. And again, I say all men upon the face of the earth, who have the least discerning, may truly understand that ye are in the Apostasy, working the unrighteous works of your Fathers, who were the first Apostates from the true Faith, in whom iniquity wrought in a mystery, who when Satan had his end in destroying to the uttermost, in the slaughter of all the holy Apostles, in like manner as the Jews, after they had slaughtered the true Prophets, garnished their Tombs, in honour of their persons, even so also did the Deceiver set your Fathers a work to build Idols Temples, and to draw out the Saints Pictures, and to do homage to the Pictures of Christ, Mary, and the Apostles, in honour of their Persons, and those things which your Fathers built, ye garnished, wherein ye witness that ye are their children, and are filling up the measure of their iniquity; and thus the Devil gained his dominion in you, and among you, by transforming himself (in a nearer shape) like an Angel of Light, in divers other things and Ceremonies, and wrought in, and among your Fathers, as he did in the days of old among the sons of men, who sought out many Inventions, insomuch that the righteous soul of God was grieved with them, so that God repent that he had made man; for straightway after the spirit of Antichrist had so greatly wrought through the earth, as that Nations came under, and in subjection to the wills of the Philosophers, even to the confessing of the name of Christ outward; Your Fathers they entered into divers consultations, and what they sought out by their Inventions, were set up as Laws and Ordinances, and Statutes in the forms of your worships, and thus came in as I have said, the buildings of Idols Temples, the carving of Images, the painting of pictures, the making of Beads and Crosses of Wood, Bone, Stone, Gold, Silver, and other dead created things, and the Invention of Candles, and Lamps, and Altars, for your sacrifices, and all manner of Surplesses, and deceitful cover, and hood-winking garments, the observations of times and seasons, and weeks, and days, and divers other heresies, and damnable doctrines of Devils, 1 Tim. 4.1, 2.3. Forbidding to marry, and to abstain from meats, which God had created to be received with . All these and many more of your customs, and Idolatrous worships, are neither according to the command of God, or of Christ, or the precedent or example of the Holy Apostles, through the Witness of the Scripture; In few words, the root of these things was the invention and working of iniquity, in the hearts of your Fathers, through the deceitful motions of Satan; and so whereas you say, That you have the doctrine of the ancient Fathers. I answer, It is true, you stand in the error of their ways, I see and savour you in the footsteps of their ungodly lusts, as the Scriptures declares, and not only those in the days of old, but also unto this time you have many Fathers upon earth, whereby your own confession bears witness against you that you have not learned of Christ, who is the way to the Father, which all that believe in him, have but one Father which is in Heaven. Math. 23.9. Furthermore in your prayers to Mary, and supplication to the Saints, to mediate and make intercession for you; O miserable blindness and lamentable darkness, how strongly hath Satan chained your hearts, that you lie under so great a cloud of ignorance? Oh what is your loss, through the vented conceptions of the inventions of your Fathers, how in vain have they professed the Scriptures, and in their words and smooth language owned Christ, and the doctrine of the Apostles, and how desperately wicked, and unspeakably deceitful, did the Devil work in his day? to bind you under the belief and credit of their unrighteousness and falsehood, to hid knowledge from your eyes, by training you up only under the vail of their Traditions, not giving you liberty to read the Scriptures, under the pretence that heresies thereby might not creep into their Church, as if the knowledge of the Scriptures were the ground or cause of heresies; but judge ye whether their doctrine is according to the Apostles instruction. 1 Tim. 2.5. There is one God, and one Mediator, between God and men. Paul doth not say, that it was the woman Mary, which was espoused to Joseph, or that it was an Apostle, which before him was offered up in the witness of the holy Faith; neither doth he say, that he should be the Interceder, when after he should have finished his testimony, and be offered up also, but he truly testifieth of one Interceder, and Mediator, the man Christ Jesus. And likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, Rom. 8.26, 27. but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groan which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints, according to the will of God. Greater Testimony cannot be declared unto you, than the putting you in remembrance of your fruits, which gives the certain savour and sight of your estate; notwithstanding, I know Rome's learning will not fall so quickly, but her Fathers by Sophistry, will hold out, and strive to stretch forth a leaf to cover your misery in iniquity; have not I already heard the Disputer put forth his treacherous, deceitful, critical enquiry, if peradventure his arm might help to make a Fence about the Wall, which the hand of the Lord is digging down, hath it not been already said by some of your Fathers, Viz. Quest. If the Apostasy in that time came in, and since the time of the slaughter of the Apostles, hath stood unto this day, where then in all the time since them days was the Church, which is the Body of which Christ is the Head? If since there hath not been a Church, how then is Christ the Head of the Church? but if since there hath been a Church, we then affirm that we are that Church (who have kept this our Faith of the Church) of which Christ is the Head. Answ. I answer, The woman hath been preserved in the wilderness (mark) in her place in the wilderness, which God prepared for her, Rev. 12.14, 15. and there she hath been nourished for A time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the Serpent, and from the floods which the Dragon cast out of his mouth after her; Your Fortresses and fenced Cities, and strong inhabited places, the buildings of your Idolatrous Temples, is not that wilderness wherein God prepared the woman's place of preservation; In your City Rome, are the streets which spiritually are called Sodom, where our Lord was, and is daily crucified. Idleness and fullness of bread, hath increased your sin in lust and wantonness; Your Land is Egypt, where the Onions, and the Garlic, and the Leeks, and the Milleons grow, and the fleshpots are, unto which your hearts are bound with unreasonable cords of Appetite; It is a mighty hand that must draw you, ere you be delivered out of the Land of bondage, of captivity, and slavery, to come to the knowledge, and to be joined in your understandings and life, to the sore travels of the seed, and Remnant of the Lord in the wilderness; and by how much you are short of this, you are short of the knowledge of Moses, and of his faithfulness in all God's house, Numb. 12.7. and by how much you are short of the life of Moses, you are short of the knowledge of Christ the Head, and of the Church the body; for Moses he was a follower of Christ, who was raised up for the Redemption of the seed, with which your Fathers made war in their days, even with the Remnant, which was spared in the days of the coming in, and spreading of the Apostasy, which now the Lord hath returned, and is returning the captivity of, and hath delivered, and is delivering the woman out of the solitariness of her flight, in a secret place in the wilderness, whose trials and travels, and refuge, and restauration, and redemption, ye are ignorant of; And your darkness through your corruption, and unrighteousness is the cause of your vain contentions against, and stumbling at the highway of truth and peace. Quest. And yet if you further inquire, in what estate and condition your Fathers and Predecessors stood in their day, which ye their successors are entered into, and do stand in these days. Answ. I answer, It was, and is the estate and condition of the world, in the nature of the world, in the abominable wickedness of the world, who cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. 2.14. in the filthy unclean lusts of the world, and in the deceit of Satan, and ignorance of the world, under the pronunciation of the word of John's prophecy. Rev. 12.12. Woe to the Inhabiters of the earth, for the Devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time, and this in brief is your estate, and time in which you stand. Wherefore I am assured in the truth, that as ye remain in the ground and nature of your cursed life, ye have not in the least measure or appearance any good confidence to affirm that you are the true Church of Christ, but rather your arguments assertions, and all manner of disputations do arise from the foundation of impudence, which hath a face to bear out your deceit and fallacies. I know the figure of your Kingdom, (you who are called Jesuits, also mark this your figure) the Chamelian which lives by the Air, which according to the Law is an unclean Beast, which can change himself into all colours, perfect white only excepted; Read your similitude, and see how you who live in your lusts, can without a mock of the Truth, be titled with the name of the Church of Christ Jesus, in which is neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor blemish, nor any such thing as uncleanness or unrighteousness; 1 Cor. 6.11. Although such were some of them, but they came to be washed, and were cleansed, and sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; Which Spirit of truth the light, is this day the Leader of the Saints and servants of God into all truth. Now therefore do ye Read, What is the Chaff to the Wheat? And what relation hath the Spirit of truth unto your life, which is squared and fashioned in the frame of Error? Deceit hath been the Master-builder of the fabric of your habitation, the spirit of Iniquity working in a mystery the foundation of your walls, and the strength of lies, and lying wonders, the pillars of your house, which by the gilded appearance of the beauty of the wisdom of the ancient and learned in Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Sophistry, is covered with many painted tiles of vanity, under the shadow whereof you bow to the Images and pictures, which the unrighteous hearts of your fathers Invented, whose Gods are before your eyes, unto which the affections of your natural senses are joined, whereby with the carnal and natural, according to the motion of the Spirit of Error and Deceit in you, you are led to worship the works of their hands, as is manifest by your bowings and bend to the Image and likeness of the natural, which the natural invented, and the carnal made; And this also came in in the Apostasy, when that was forsaken which the Eternal Spirit did command. And now through the custom of your forefathers, and you in the daily practice of their invented Ceremonies, being settled on the lose of their abominable Idolatries, are come in your generation Matth. 15.9. to teach for doctrine the traditions of men. And therefore in vain is your worship, as saith the Lord: But yet ye have also to speak in the commendation of your father's seniority and wisdom, who gave commandment for such resemblances, by Images and pictures, not as if they were the gods of your worship, but the resemblances of the Lord Christ, etc. whom by these resemblances you teach the ignorant for to worship. Answer. The greatest blindness is in the hearts of your learned Fathers; I speak out of the sphere of their Colleges; in mine Answer to their plea for their sinful Idolatries, and over all your Nations do cry out and lift up my voice as one in mourning, lamenting for the lost seed among you, (which they that should rather in righteousness handle the plough to break up the clods, to uncover the seed, have used the spade and shovel, and have heaped up dirt and stones thereon, to the miserable burden thereof) Oh horrible Ignorance, a people bound with the chains of darkness; can any thing be the resemblance of the Lord, or the likeness of his Image, (who is the Infinite, Eterternall, a pure, holy, glorious, endless, living Spirit) but that which he maketh in his likeness, and formeth in his own Image, by the power of his own Almighty hand; And doth he who is a pure Everlasting Spirit of life, make or fashion any whom he fashioneth, but in the likeness of that, which all the world by wisdom, by Philosophy, or by arguments can never attain to reach unto the sight or understanding thereof? Can any make the resemblance of God, who is Immortal, which the mortal never saw? Can the corruptible, and mortal, which never did, nor never shall see incorruption and immortality, make with their corruptible hands, and changeable unrighteous Idolatrous hearts, the resemblance or likeness of the Incorruptible Spirit. From the Lord God I say and declare unto you all, your bowings to your Crosses and Images and Pictures, praying upon Beads, to Mary, and Saints, is abomination to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth; and in these things you are but a stink to the rest of the Heathen, who with you do stand Enemies to the Doctrine, Gospel, and Cross of our Lord Jesus; for as they in words do hold the name of our Lord in contempt, you with your deceitful shadows do make a mock of truth, and his sufferings: in loathsomeness you are seated, as an abomination in the sight of God who created you, and in the eye and sight of the servants of the Lord, who by the price of blood are redeemed, and with pure water are washed from the pollutions of the iniquity, and the blood and envy which is among you, and the rest of the Nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples of the Earth, and now are the followers of the Lamb whethersoever he goeth. Abundantly do the Scripture bear testimony against your practices (mark) from the precepts and commandments of God, Exod: 20.4. unto Moses through the house of the Prophets, and the life of the Saints, search and then see; Isa: 44.3. might not you with as much confidence make a calf, and say to the ignorant, this is the resemblance of God, worship ye it; and draw the picture of a Monster, and say, this is the resemblance of the wonderful Spirit which was in Paul or Peter, bow ye before it. Read Jer: the 23.11, 12, 13, 14, 15 verses. Oh miserable blindness, and the greatest darkness is the Priest's ignorance, who teach the people lies, and cause them to err in their ways. With the light search and see how far you are from being under the power of the word of the Lord, who contrary to the letter of the Scriptures, Do worship in the form of the traditions of your forefathers. Christ said to his Disciples in those days; Joh: 4.23. The hour cometh, and now is, that the true worshippers shall worship the father, in spirit and in truth; for the father seeketh such to worship him; (mark) such as are in the Spirit, Math: 23.29. having one father, which is in Heaven, but ye being yet in your sins, and in the flesh, are the false worshippers, who have many instructions, and traditions, and observations given to you according to the wills, as the product of the inventions and conceptions of your many fathers; and now as ye shall turn your minds to the light of the Lord Jesus, which will rip open your hearts, you will find that rule to be the equal measure of your ways, which will give you a true fight, that you are not in the truth as it is in Jesus, who is the truth, in whom, and by whom, and through whom, the Prophets writ their prophecies, and the Apostles had their utterance, whose words do stand to the bearing testimony against your Idolatrous ways. And verily the same words which once Paul declared upon Mars hill unto your fathers, Acts. 17.22. now turneth upon the heads of you their children. Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious; for as I passed through your City, I found an Idols Temple, which was abundantly painted with pictures on every side within, which was the Inscription, which I John did read, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD; Which with the bowings of your bodies unto those superstitions Idolatrous Images, ye ignorantly worship, Him declare I unto you; God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and Earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is he worshipped with men's hands, by Temples of Pictures, or the customary and traditional bowings of your bodies unto pictures, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth unto all life and breath, and all things; and hath made of his blood all Nations of men, for to dwell upon all the face of the earth; And hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think, which if we were come to the life of the seed, ye could not then in the least measure imagine or think, that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver, or stone graven, or pictures made or drawn by art or man's device: and the times of this Ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to Repent, because his mighty DREADFUL DAY, is at hand, which he hath appointed, wherein he will Judge in righteousness, the whole world of mankind. Carlo Dessio, Gumene Stephaci, called Greek Doctors of your people in the City of Athens, among whom I was conversant in the power of the Spirit of the Lord, and preached unto you the Everlasting Gospel, in cross to your wisdoms, wherefore ye resisted my testimony, and called me fool, and said, all young men are fools; Acts 13.41. In like manner as your fathers the Philosophers, Epicurians, & Stoics, called Paul babbler; do not you show yourselves herein to be the despisers spoken of; What would you have said to Timothy, 1 Tim: 4.12. if he had come unto you even as I came, in doctrine, and Example? And what would you have said to Jeremiah, Jere: 1.6, 17, 18. would you have said otherwise unto him than you did unto me, if he had come unto you, as in his day he visited your nature in the Jews that sought to slay him? Jere: 26.8. And will you say also that all the young Prophets in the days of old were fools? And when John did write unto young men, 1 Joh: 2.13, 14. did he then write unto fools? Will you call such fools, who knew the Father, who were strong, and had overcome the wicked one? And are you so ignorant, as not to consider these to be the latter days, in which God will fulfil the Prophecies of old, Joel 2.28. Your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions; for God hath said, that he will pour out his Spirit upon them; and are ye not wicked in your words, to call such fools? Consider this also, did not you manifest yourselves to be most ignorant, to seek for a sign and a miracle then from me whom you called fool? Did not that as much manifest your perverse ignorance, as it did your unbelief? Wherein you also shown yourselves to be in the same nature of that generation, which sought for a sign in the days of Christ, whom the Lord answered and said unto them, Math: 12.38. that they were an evil and an adulterous generation; yea your sin is worse than theirs was, who say that you see with a better eye than they did, and by so much the more it remains. Are not you the hypocrites, Math: 16.3. that can discern the face of the skies, but cannot discern the signs of the times? Like as Ionas was three days and three nights in the Whale's belly, and came forth a Preacher of Repentance, Even so are the times at hand. Math: 24.32. Learn ye therefore the parable of the Fig tree, when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, know ye that the Summer is nigh; for as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Lord be. In short words, your faith is fathomed, and your hope is comprehended, your fruits gives the testimony of you, one cluster of your grapes were enough to show the nature of your Vine planted in the Mountains of Sodom; the proverb follows your age, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge; yet I shall also further show you, how that as the Jews stood in the days of Jeremiah, so you do stand in the same nature, perverseness, pride and obstinacy, ruling your hearts now, unto whom God sent Jeremiah, to cry against, saying, Trust ye not in lying words, speaking to yourselves, Jer: 7.4. The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these; and Paul said to your fathers the Athenians, God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands; Yet you contrary to the Scriptures, do assemble yourselves as the Jews did, to worship the works of men's hands, and of your own hands, in the Temples which are made with hands, and so you walk contrary to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles; and touching this matter whereof ye say, that ye follow the Council of the Ancient fathers, you who are called the wisest fathers in these days, show by the best testimony that ye are able, in what manner you esteem the Council of your Ancient fathers, and how that it is greater, and aught more to be esteemed, and followed, than the counsel of our only father, the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, who gave the utterance of his counsel, thorough Jeremiah, Paul, Jer: 26.12. and others, crying against the Temples and against your customs, the traditions of your forefathers; and Christ said, Behold your house is left unto you desolate; and Paul cried against the Temples made with hands. Where had you or your fathers ever a command from God or, from Christ, to build such houses, and to paint them full of pictures? Consider and lay it truly to heart ye men throughout the earth, is not your building of these houses one, and of the very same nature, and the fruits of the very same Spirit in those which made the Calf whilst Moses was with God and not in the Camp amongst them? Exod: 32. In the days of old upon a much more seeming account of assured confidence, was the opposition of the Jews of Jeremiah's testimony than yours possibly can be in these latter days; for as much as their fathers had a commandment concerning the Temple, and they might say unto Jeremiah, who was as a stripling, and as it were a child, Art thou greater than Solomon, whom God appointed to build us this Temple? Nevertheless, and although Jeremiah was as one alone in that work, yet this was his testimony, he knew that he was of God, Jer: 26.15. Whether they would hear or forbear; and they having corrupted themselves in a commandment, he was therefore sent to cry against them, and if they were cried against, as being a people corrupted in a commandment, how much more think ye, ought ye to be born witness and testimony against, who have contrary to the Word, or any command, abused yourselves, and dishonoured God, in and through the works and inventions of your degenerated forefathers; much less therefore, could you in your nature receive my testimony in the name and power of the Lord, if ye were commanded, as the Jews were, or had any example as they had, so suitable with their time, seeing ye slight my testimony, and do make a mock of my witness, against your Temples, pictures, bowings, beads, crosses, and cross, etc. for which ye have neither precept, precedent, example, or the least commandment throughout all the Scriptures of the Prophets, Christ's words, and the Apostles writings, that ever such things were, or should in any age in the Truth come to pass. What benefit therefore do you purchase to your souls, through the exercise of your tongues in smooth words and flatteries, what advantageth it, if you say that you believe in Christ, whilst the words of Christ are not a Law unto you? but the traditions of your Fathers stand the Law of liberty, for your blind hearts to walk in the crookedness of their subversion; What is Christ Jesus unto you, whilst you forsake his way, life and council, and in enmity thereunto are acting, worshipping and walking in the way, life, and councils of men of corrupt, and degenerated minds? which you call the faith of the Roman Catholic Church? what is the Catholic Church, to the Church of Christ? seeing they have not the word, nor council of Christ; And therefore much farther from the work, life, and faithful order of the doctrine of Christ. You may blind the simple, and deceive the ignorant, and destroy the souls of thousands that know not the right hand from the left; Unto you Doctors I speak, unto whom also my words in the Light and Life of the Lord Jesus is a Riddle and a Parable; Ye know not the right hand from the left, and therefore I writ little things unto you, & do speak plain words concerning you, that in all your Countries and Colleges, ye may be no longer the deceived, and deceivers; The deluded, and deluders; The destroyed, and destroyers; And therefore I further say, That it is not a shame unto you, whose long hairs declares seniority without, in the Antiquity of your days, to stoop and bow your necks, for your backs to bear the chastisement of the Rod of your younger in years; and know ye that it was prudence in as many of the aged, whose faces wore a fair show of grey hairs, not to despise the youth of tender Timothy. And remember that little David smote and slew the great Philistine, and the glory was the Lords, and in this also I give the praise and honour unto God, who is arisen to smite the earth, who also hath smitten many Islands thereof, and his word reacheth unto the utmost end of the many continents, wherein the Beasts of the field have an habitation, and the Lord God will hunt the Foxes, and destroy the Wolves, and slay the Lions of the Forests, which have scattered the sheep of the Fold, and preyed upon the Heritage of God. Oh earth where are they devourers hid? they have made merry, but they shall be vexed; they have sported, but they shall be tormented. Ye men of learning, what is your learning? Ye men of strength, what is your strength? Bring forth your Books, and let us put them in the Balance. Rome, Rome, Hid not thy Daughters, but let the whole earth see the Daughters of thy pleasure, and let us come and reason with you a little, to see if thy daughters of delight and ease, which have been born without pain, are meet to make marriage with the Sons of God, for whose birth Zion hath traveled: Yea her children, yea all the daughters of your mother Rome, plead with your mother, and say unto your mother, if thou who hast born us without travel be'st not an Harlot, in thy profane pleasure, then let us know of a truth, also, whether it is not meet that we may be given unto a holy Nation, that a Seed may be preserved to the praise of the name of the Leader of Israel out of Egypt. Oh Italy thou hast a remnant within thee which plague shall not touch, although Pestilence as a Besom shall sweep thy Land; Repent, if peradventure ye may be spared. Ye Doctors, I have not yet left you, having also publicly to proclaim God's controversy with you; take to you the Officers of your two Churches, number your Armies, arm your Hosts, whet your swords, yet behold in the day of battle, God will wound you, when you shall not smite the Lord. I have seen your strength, and have passed by your trust, and at that time the wind of the Lord God did shake the earth wherein I walked. What is your Spear to the Arrows of the Lord? Let Rome's University answer my enquiry. What is your weaver's beam unto David's smooth stones? What are your Silogisms to truth? What is your Philosophy to the Light? What are all your critical Inventions and cunning contrivances, to the word which cannot be changed? You called Jesuits, what are your many colours to white? You Priests, what are your changeable Coats, unto that one without a seam? Oh Athens, Thy Members are in my remembrance, and ye the Pastors of the People (mark) your sheep, yea, your sheep do bear your own mark. The Lord moved me on the 27. day of the 7. Month, in the year accounted 1657. being the first day of the week, the day of Greeks solemn worship. Hear this ye Doctors of Athens, and Priests thereof, who minister in the Idols Temples, and House of Rimmon; The Lord moved me to read in the place of your solemnity, and a witness went with me, to the sealing of my testimony, and at which time, Behold your worshippers did bow to their pictures, giving forth contempt and laughter in our faces, and I said God's hand is against you, and he that fits in Heaven laughs you to scorn. O horrible abomination! Hear this ye Priests, mark the fruits of your ministry ye Doctors; Behold they declared you in the street, and spread your name in the open places, your Temples could not contain their lightness and wickedness, for afterwards in a mock of the Cross of Christ Jesus, even in the streets of your City, the people would meet us, and stand openly against us, and cross themselves, with many bowings, and much scorn and laughter before us; I saw the envy of their hearts, and the murder of their minds, who would have dragged us out of your Temple, whilst the second time in that house we bore our testimonies against your Idolatries, do not these in the nakedness of their practices plainly preach the doctrine of your spirit and life? are not these the testimony of the root of your Ministry? are not these the fruits of your labours? Oh blush! blush and be ashamed of your profession of the name Gospel, and Cross of Christ Jesus, and of your own name and authority among the people, and learn first of the lowest in you, if happily you may come to see the abasing of that which exalteth itself above all that is called God among you; Ponder it, ponder it in your Closets, and shut it not out of your secret meditations, and answer before the Lord in righteousness; With what confidence can you present yourselves, or any one of these the fruits of your labours in the sight of God? Can you offer them as an unspotted sacrifice in the presence of the Lord? Will you call these Lambs of the Flock? what then are the monsters of the earth begotten by an unnatural seed in the womb of a strange Beast? Are not these your people? and are not you their Doctors, Priests, and Prophets? The prophecy is fulfilled, Hosea 4.8, 9 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity, and there shall be like people, like Priest; Mark this you the Heads of the two Catholic Churches, even unto the tails of your Tribes, you that have received the councils of your ancient Fathers, The ancient and the honourable he is the Head, and the Prophet that teacheth lies he is the Tail; Isa. 9.15, 16. For the Leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are lead of them are destroyed. How long will ye stand in the subversion, and not understand the word of the Lord? Have ye not an ear to hear, nor a heart to understand, how that if you had stood in the council of the Lord, and caused the people to hear his words, and not to have harkened to the councils of men, who stood not in the council of the Lord, than you should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their do, but because you have harkened to that council which the Lord did not send, Jer: 23.32. and have taught the people the councils of your Fathers, in the profession of the name of the council of the Lord, which the Lord did not send, nor command, therefore do you not profit the people at all; Behold the people may weigh your lightness, and measure your vanity, have you brought forth any other thing than wind? Have not the people heard your preach and prayings, and partaked of your sacrifices and offerings, some ten, some twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty years, some a longer, and others a less time, and yet unto this time, are as much laden with sin, yea much more pressed down with iniquity, than in the first day that they partaked of your offerings. Is it ignorance that is the ground of your impudence in the practice of your idolatries, or perverseness that binds the people under your wills, in subjection to the affections of your crooked hearts? Are ye void of the understanding of the end of the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ Jesus? Or do ye cover it with iniquity, from the sight of the eyes of the people? Paul the Apostle hath written, Eph: 4.11, 12, 13. Christ gave some Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of his body, until all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; And to this end also saith Paul, the Scriptures were given forth (which ye hid from the eyes of the people) 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction. In righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, to which end also he preached the mystery of the Faith, Col. 1.27, 28. and of the hope of salvation, which was Christ in them the hope of Glory, which he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure, warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that he might present them perfect in Christ Jesus. 1 Joh 3.3. And John also bare the same testimony concerning the Brethren, 1 Joh. 4.17. wherein, said he, we have boldness in the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this present world. Have not you blinded the eyes of the people, and hid these things from their understandings? not walking in the order of the life of the Saints. Paul who renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, 2 Cor. 4.2. did not hid the Scriptures from the ignorant, but charged by the Lord that his Epistle should be read unto all the holy brethren, 2 Thess. 5.27. who walked not in craftiness, nor handled the word of God deceitfully, but by open manifestation of the truth, commended himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 1.23. and he called God to record, that he had not dominion over the faith of the brethren. Although you keep your people under your wills as slaves, with their faith bound upon your sleeves, and thus you starve souls in ignorance, and destroy them in darkness, teaching them to say for their Traditions, that it is the faith of the Church, and the Church cannot err, although you are not the Church of Christ, but a mass of confusion, and not one unerring Member throughout all your Regions; In this manner you make ignorance the staff of your trust, in the dominions of your unrighteousness, and thus you rule in unreasonableness, this is the complaint of the Lord against you; Hosea 4.6. The people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have hid knowledge, I will therefore reject you, and you shall be no Priests unto me, seeing you have forgotten the Law of God, I will also forget your children. Give ear, give ear Oh people, and hear the complaint of the Lord against Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and France; as a Cage is full of Birds, so are their houses full of deceit, therefore they are become great, Jer. 25.28, 29, 30, 31. and waxed rich, they are waxen fat, they shine, they overpasse the deeds of the wicked. Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soul be avenged on such Nations as these? A wonderful horrible thing is committed in their Land, their Prophets prophesy falsely, and their Priests bear rule by their means, (Even them which do lead them, and cause them to err, Isa. 3.12. and destroyeth the way of their path) and the people love to have it so, but what will ye do in the end thereof? Mark this ye people, Hosea 4.9. Behold I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their do. You that have already tasted of God's vengeance, show ye the Cup to your brethren, that if peradventure they may repent, and not taste of that indignation which hath passed over your heads, as a stream of fury, reaching unto your present woe and misery. As concerning the reading of the Scriptures, by the people of several of your Nations, although it be such unto whom the Priests give licence, yet are they not without the limit of the black chain of your Father's Annotations, whose imaginations drew Inferences and conclusions, and have alleged constructions and meanings to hold forth their opinions, and the draught of their Traditions, through their abuse and perverting of the Scriptures, that as they have brought themselves under that promise, so they tie you with themselves, under the condition thereof, which John writes; Rev. 22.18. For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the Prophecy of this Book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book. Under this promise and condition without controversy you are holden, who are bound under the frame and fashion of your father's constructions, whose inventions have the dominion over your faith, and that of God in you hid, under the covert of the product of the iniquity of their life. Wherefore all ye simple souls be awakened, and feel that in you, which with all that ever you have yet heard, your breathing souls are not satisfied; in secret feel the languishing desire, which no man's meanings concerning the Scriptures, could fill or preach life unto; Feel your hunger, that you may come to witness the blessing unto that state and condition; understand also that if you or your Fathers were in the life of that, by which the Scriptures were spoken forth, they could not have written meanings upon them, neither could your eye be turned to read them, or your hearts inclined to receive them, for the Prophets and all the Holy men, they did mean the same thing which they spoke, they were far from corruptions in their declarations, and spoke not words, but such as were punctually according to their intentions, without any Equivocations; and therefore if ye were but in the Life, ye would understand the doctrine, and so your fathers have erred in the order of their Instruction, they have begun at the wrong end, and therefore they cannot perfect, or bring you to a good end. This principal matter concerning your salvation they have neglected, they never touched the feeling part of your heart, whereby the vail thereof should be rend, that you might see with your own eye, and hear with your own ear, and understand with your own heart, but always they bond your senses in the womb of conception of death, and never brought you forth unto life; and the choicest of your Members are but as dead stocks and Images, and how could they lead you unto that, where they themselves never entered? They are not passed through the vail which is the flesh of Christ (as Paul writing to the Brethren, who after the manner of men knew not Christ according to the flesh, saith, 2 Cor. 5.16. Yea although we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more) I say your Priests and Pastors, they never passed through his flesh to the witnessing of the true entrance into his body as Members, joined unto the one Head, which is the new and living way, which Jesus by the power of his coming, Heb. 10.20. hath consecrated for us, who are Redeemed by the purchase of his blood (which sprinkleth our consciences from every evil and dead word and work) from the world, and the unrighteousness of their way, then how far short think you, are ye in the life and practice? if your Doctors, Priests, Pastors and Teachers, are ignorant of the Scriptures, and of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and his Cross, which unto as many as have received is in the true life of the understanding of the truth (that is to say) the Gospel of Christ, Rom. 1.16. 1 Cor. 1.18. and the Cross of the Lord Christ Jesus) is the power of God unto salvation, which if they were Ministers of the true Church, and you Members also thereof, then would you be all in one Life (to wit) in Christ, John 14.6. who is the Life, which if you were in Christ who is the Life, then need you not another thing besides the Life to confirm your understandings in the reading of the Scriptures, which by the Life were given forth. Can your nations therefore look a little way before you? that you may consider it in your hearts, and ponder it soberly in your secret meditations; however, I know the Heathen will kick against, and the high obstinate-hearted will desperately resist, even such in whole sight, the souls of the simple are not of any account, neither the glory of the Lord their delight, whose praise through critical Arguments, and Sophistry, is in gaining dominion, and obtaining such mastery, thereby to make a boast of their vain victory; yet there is a seed, which can receive my testimony, which is the Remnant of the Lord, which under the iniquities of your Leaders, hath been held in Egypt, under miserable bondage, and cruel captivity; I say, look a little way before you, with diligence into that which I writ concerning you. You are not come unto the life of the first principle, which leads to the understanding, and knowledge of the oracles and mysteries of God, and of his kingdom of salvation, and so are fare short of receiving, partaking, and enjoying of the pure life and power of the Spirit of life, in the power and the life in your hearts, which in the particular unto every true member of the Church of Christ Jesus gives the infallible witness and testimony, that they are born of the undefiled womb, and incorruptible seed of promise, unto life everlasting; By which also the Gospel of Christ Jesus was preached to the Spirits in prison, and the Scriptures and Prophecies of old, 1 Pet: 3.19. were given forth and spoken, 2 Pet: 1.21. which came not by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost; Which no mind nor heart of man, or understanding of mankind, without the same Spirit can read aright; No liar, swearer, proud, envious, thief, covetous, nor Idolater, ungodly or profane person can read them, except their own portions from them Mal: 4.1. Psal: 9.17. (viz.) The lake is the portion of the liar, the proud shall be as stubble in the day of the Lord, and the wicked shall be turned into hell; But every member according to the diversities of their measures of the Spirit of life, who are of the true Church, can witness, and read the Scriptures, with the life, in their life, which is hid with Christ in God; Col: 3.3. but you standing only in that which hath written Annotations, and which draweth Inferences, Conclusions, and meanings from the Scriptures, that witnesseth sufficiently concerning you, that you are not in the life of the first Principle of pure Religion, which giveth the understanding of the Scriptures; Ignorance therefore is the cause of your error, Math: 22.29. Math: 13.34. as saith Christ, You err not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God; Wherefore unto you they are parables and hidden sentences from the darkness of your clouded understandings; who is he that seethe your misery, and doth not lament you? who have consented to the blinding of yourselves, through the yielding of your minds captives to the perverse wills of your Instructers, they have trodden out paths in unrighteousness, and you have walked in their crookedness: Verily, I am as one wounded for your sakes, and heavily pressed with the clods which the ploughers have ploughed upon your backs. Oh where is the hand which hath helped you? Have not your watchers forgiven you your sins in vanity, and strengthened your hands, with the strength of their own hearts in iniquity? In what manner have they brought you unto confession, and what will that avail you, if after your confessions, the same and worse sins and iniquities are wrought and committed by you? Are you so ignorant, as to think that their words of absolution, is the covenant of pardon and salvation? Or do you think that bare confession of your sins only, will bring you under the Condition of mercy? Mark the order of the declaration of Solomon's wise sentence, which maketh frustrate the expectation of your vain confidence; Pro: 28.13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy. Oh people, why therefore will ye thus rest, and remain in the night of slumber? when will ye be awakened, to come to see the works of your teachers? how that they have double-girded your loins with the cords of ignorance, and have made that the strength of their renown and praise in the Nations, and your clothing with the clouds of darkness is your Priest's garment of glory over you, by this their power governs in Dominion and Majesty, and you remain as Subjects, chained under the yoke of their iniquity; Oh who can declare your misery? It is my sorrow for the Seeds sake to behold it, and I know that it suits not with the delight of your hearts, to read the explanation of it; But hath the Lord a Remnant, and shall he not visit for the sake thereof? yea verily, and this therefore in love to the souls of the simple, that they may come to the light of the day, each one in the sensibleness of his own heart and life, to read with understanding the mystery of godliness, and Scriptures of truth, which do speak one and the same thing, in the word and intention, and not of many things, as by more than one, but of all things in and by one, through whom the worlds were made, and the Covenant of God stands sure, through whom also grace, mercy and peace is come to as many as are joined to that one, in the clearness of the naked truth, through the relinquishing of the hidden things of deceit, and all the former ways, vanities, customs, traditions, superstitions, and ungodly words and works, and renouncing the counsels of the many fathers and men of the world, (through the spreading of whose spirit, and the fruits of their life, delusion hath a long time reigned in the world,) cleaving to the only sound counsel of the living God, & father of truth, which deceiveth nor deludeth any man, but establisheth all men that come unto it in a holy way, exceeding the errors of man's ways, even in that new and living way, which he hath prepared, wherein the unclean cannot walk, Isa: 55.8. but it is unto those, the way-faring men, though foals, shall not err therein. Wherefore all people be not any longer blinded under the perverse crooked wills of your Instructers and Pastors, but examine and try truly, whether they have lead you in the way of God, wherein the wicked cannot walk. And now in all this will you count me your enemy, in putting you upon diligent inquiry, and also in telling you the truth? Lay it to heart oh people, and you Doctors and Teachers of the Nations, Come forth and consider, assemble, assemble the principal members of your bodies together, and call a full Council of the Magicians of your Lands, and suffer us then to prove you before all men; provide your rods, that you may cast them in the presence of the Nations, and behold ours is ready to be cast also, that it may be known, whether God is the God of Egypt, or of Israel, and that all the Inhabitants of the Earth may have an understanding, who are the people that have stolen the name of Israel, that were never borne of his Seed; and if it shall be seen that the Serpent of our rod, shall eat up the Serpents of your rods, then of a truth it shall be known that God worketh with us, and not with you, but against you; But if the Serpent of our rod shall be swallowed up, and by the Serpents of your rods utterly devoured, then let not the Nations spare to publish, and cry in their streets, that the God whom we worship hath utterly forsaken us. Again, I say assemble your Prophets, and let the work of the Lord, and his word answering by fire give testimony to the Prophets, whether the Prophets of your Lands, are the true Prophets, that the Inhabitants thereof may truly know and understand, that if the Lord be God, then let them follow him, but if Baal whom ye worship he God, then do you continue following of him, no hurt will come unto your Nations through the trial of the Prophets; so that if the Lord answers our Prophet by fire, and kindles the sacrifice of the oblation in your sight, then shall ye know that our Prophet is the true Prophet of the Lord; but if your Prophets shall cut themselves, even to the drawing of blood of their bodies, and no word of answer to their supplications, as the answer of the Lord by fire from Heaven; but afterwards, if in their madness and wilfulness they shall kindle a fire in their wrath, and charge you to kindle fires in your houses to burn this testimony, among whomsoever it comes, then behold that shall be a sign unto you, that God is not among them; for if the Lord be their God, then would he plead for them, or if they be Jealous for the Name of the Lord God of Hosts, then will they stand forth, to plead the word of the Lord, upon the Mount of the Lord, in the face of all the Nations of the earth; Oh people, let this be a testimony unto you, either for you, or against you, that either your Priests and Prophets have deceived you, in prophesying and declaring smooth things unto you, or that they have always taught you Righteousness, and instructed you in the Everlasting Precepts of the undefiled, and un-erring path of truth and holiness. Hear therefore this ye Priests, and give ear ye Teachers of the people, hid not, hid not your faces, but come forth, come forth, that we may try the feeding of your Pastures, that the blind may feel with what they are laden; Have not they given a price for wheat? and have not you laden them with the stubble of the reaped and gleaned fields, and the chaff of the wheat? Was not the price of their money for the clear running water of the Rock; and have not ye filled their vessels with the settled lees of your own Cisterns? Behold, I have seen the deep works of your hands, even the deep wells which ye have digged with your own hands, and the breadth, length, height, and depth thereof I have measured, and the foundations thereof I have discovered; You Doctors of Athens, Remember my rod, which touched your bottom, wherewith your dregs were stirred up, which cast a stink in my nostrils, at which time ye could scarce cover your loathsomeness, in the presence of your Disciples; I have not forgotten the strength on which you took hold, which appeared and proved as a ravelled String of a broken Bow, which could not carry forth so as to send home the shaft; You aimed at my birth, to have trodden upon the simplicity and tenderness of my youth, yet could not your broken spears reach to the hurt of my life. Now therefore search ye further, even unto the uttermost end of the Records of your Books, to find out the first day of my life, which although I am (after the account of the manner of men) but as a seed of the second or third generation of this age brought forth, yet never the lesser is mine age (in a just account more ancient and honourable, than the days of your birth; your age must yet be borne unto Infancy, if ever you come to the possession of the promise of God's Everlasting kingdom, and the glory of your Antiquity must come unto great contempt; and your eyes and your hearts which have boasted in vanity, must pass through the flames of the consuming fire of God's Jealousy, before ye shall enter the Paradise which you made a mock of in ignorance, and so bare witness unto the curse of your kingdom, as a people remaining in the ground, where blessing hath not raised the increase of the earth. Furthermore, hear this ye Priests, Teachers, and Instructers of the people; The cry of the earth is grievous in the ear of the Lord against you, blood hath touched blood in your Lands, the souls of the simple have uttered their groans through the crevisses of the graves, the slaughters in your Cities, and the murders in your streets, the blood which plague hath devoured, and which famine and drought hath consumed, even for these, and more than these, the earth lifts up her voice against you; Have not you cast away the bread, and given stones to the children? Have not you eaten the unclean fish, and spewed out Serpents in the faces of the daughters? Oh how many are the thousands of thousands, whom you have caused to err, and which have perished through your lies and lightness; and will not God avenge himself on the heads of his enemies? As ye have gloried in the days of your pleasure, and made yourselves fat with the joy of your laughter and wantonness, even so shall God's time of visitation be as a snare unto your life in unrighteousness, even as a snare unto the Priest, and a gin unto the Prophets, and as a trap, and clean Instrument, to take hold of the heads of the Churches of your Nations, yet shall it end as the hour of Everlasting mercies, if ye Repent; which if ye resist, behold time shall not bring end to your torment, when God shall stretch your bodies upon the bed of endless trouble and misery. A warning therefore, and a word of Awakening, even the utterance of life sounding through your black doors of the darkness of death; to you Priests, Pope, and Patriarch, of the Lands, who say that you sit in Peter's seat, to pardon the iniquities of the people, and to forgive them their sins, and to bind and to lose things answerable to your pleasures on earth, saying, that this is your Authority, in the place and room of the Disciples, according to the Scriptures, Joh: 20.23. Math: 16.19. It is not the seed, nor the offspring of your root, but the children of another generation, which in the nature of the life of the holy Apostles are their true successors; you are deceitful hearts, and wicked sinners; you are men in the flesh, and your bodies are lumps of sinful flesh; your generation is of the womb and seed of corruption, and your life in the changeable nature; hear ye therefore, God never gave his Everlasting Authority of Righteousness for the Remission of sins, Joh: 20.22. unto deceitful hearts, and sinners: Christ breathed on his Disciples, and gave them the Holy Ghost; by which breath, even by the virtue thereof, and the power of the gift of the Holy Ghost their Authority stood in the work and will of the Lord; But Christ on you, nor on your Pope, or Patriarch, hath not in this manner breathed, nor in like manner filled either you or them with the Holy Ghost; and therefore being without the true virtue, and effectual authority, you sit but as deceitful shadows and Images, in your wicked, wilful, presumptuous resemblances, making a real mock of the true power and substance; Oh how presumptuous are you in your abominable works of iniquity, and as a people settled in the hardness of the ground of your forefather's Apostasy? I have already shown your root, Dan 9.9. how in the degeneration you are departed from the Rock, which in all ages was the ground of the forgiveness of sins, which unto the Lord only belongs, Acts 5.31. and Christ only is this day the Prince and Saviour, granting unto his people, repentance, salvation, and forgiveness of sins, Eph: 1.7. and this was Paul's testimony to the Ephesians, In whom we have redemption through his blood, (Mark the order of Paul's witness, the redemption through the washing of his blood, goeth before) the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, (Read this ye people) according to the riches of his grace, how then is it of works, or by the words of your sinful Pope, Patriarch, and Priests, and Teachers? Seeing therefore ye have turned the riches of the grace of Christ Jesus into an abominable habit of blind shows of unrighteousness, deluding the people, and deceiving the hearts of the simple. Awake, awake to the judgement, Behold the breath of the holy Apostles life, is ready to utter voices in the earth, as thunders against you, destruction to your dwellings, desolation to your habitations. I have seen a dart within your doors which will wound you, and when the day of God as a Thief in the night overtakes you, Remember ye were warned unto repentance, that you might escape the floods which shall overwhelm your Lands, unto the determination of the consummation, and decree of everlasting indignation and vengeance. And furthermore ye Priests, who say that you officiate as Peter's Successors, in the degree and order of your places, I have both seen you, your fruits, and your labours, and that hath plainly declared in the substance unto me, that you have not the least relation unto the life of Peter, being but the dirt and dust which the upright and undefiled spirit of Peter shakes from off his feet, as a witness against your Cities and habitations, even in this day, as a witness against the wickedness and Idolatries of your Generation; and whilst you are professing Peter's power and authority, of binding and losing on earth, your manifold deceits hath blinded your hearts, whereby you are so much ignorant of the word and work of God's power, that your corrupt wisdoms exercised in studies to the end of your evil days, shall never find out the earth, wherein the just life of Peter is this day entered, binding the unrighteousness of your life and spirits, under him as his Footstool, everlastingly to tread and trample upon the glory of your heads, and crown of your deceits. Oh ye Greek Pastors, Priests and people, what can you plead for your Patriarch? Can you not read the deceitfulness of his succession, through the manner of his Election? Dare you say that it is according to the election of the grace of Christ Jesus, in the order of the truth, or power of the true Faith? who contrary to the word of Life, and doctrine of the true faith, doth purchase unto himself that Title and Degree, with the price of a sum of moneys, from the Emperor of the Turks, whom you yourselves do say is Antichrist, and Reprobate concerning the faith of Christ, an enemy to the life of the Saints and spirit of Peter, of whom you say that your Patriarch is his successor: Oh confess, confess your blindness, and blush, blush and be ashamed of your impudence, and obstinacy in ignorance; for behold if your foundation and root concerning the remission of your sins be rotten, what farther prop or post to yourselves can you hue out in your imaginations and inventions, for the support of the deceived walls of your Father's buildings. And again, After one hath paid the price, for the purchase of his Office, if another of your Nation goes with his sum of moneys and gives to the Emperor, he dispossess the first, and gives the Degree and Title to the latter; Oh horrible abomination, who hath a voice and hath withheld, and not cried in the streets, and published it in the open places, even the iniquity and the abomination, and not cried against the loathsomeness thereof, by such desperate mockings of God, through the wickedness of their purchases? Read diligently the Scripture, Acts. 8.19, 20, 21. But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of the Lord. Now compare the practices and see, if the unrighteousness of Simon the Sorcerer who was in the gall of bitterness, doth parralel the strength of the sealed bonds of iniquity of your Patriarches Successors; and finally touching this matter, take this as the sum to yourselves, the original and ground of his deceivable granting, and your receiving the remission of sin according to the truth of the reckoning of your own account, is the Reprobate spirit of Antichrist. Read also, O Italy, France, Ireland, Spain and Portugal, the seat of your Father the Pope, John 18.36. he sits exalted in the Kingdom of this world, contrary to Christ's example, as King upon the highest mountain, over many waters, Rev. 17.15. Matth. 4.8, 9 in the possession of the inheritance of the promise of Satan, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. The abundance of his corrupt honour and vain glory, with the abominable fruits of the worships of his children, and the Priests actions in iniquity gives testimony of the oath of the witness, that he stands principal in the ground of Apostasy; Hester 3.8, etc. haman's decree which he got granted for the slaughter of the Jews, and his Gallows of fifty cubits high, which was prepared for Mordecai, is the figure of your Father's Inquisitions, for the taking away the liberty, Hos. 5.13, 14. and the destruction of the life of such as God sends to declare against your Traditional worships in Superstition and Idolatry. Math. 11.29. How far is his life from Christ's doctrine and example of humility? who in the pride of his heart, sitting on high in the seat and Throne of arrogancy, maketh the comers to see his face, to fall down before him upon their knees to kiss his foot? The abomination and loathsomeness of the nature of these few fruits are sufficient unto all that have the true senses of seeing and savouring, that his succession is not in the Covenant of grace, according to the election of God, whom men in the flesh have elected and chosen unto the glory of the kingdoms of men in this present evil world. And finally touching the vanity of your conceptions, and the deceitfulness of the Pope's practices, this is the sum of the account of the true record, concerning the absolutions and forgiveness of sins, which ye receive from his authorised sons, Your Fathers the Priests, Lucifer which sought a seat above the meek Prince of salvation, is the root and ground of the issues of their grant and warrant of Remission, Zach: 9.9. Math. 21.5. Isa: 14.12, 13, 14, 15, 16. whose figure and resemblance is the revelation of damnation; He that hath an ear to hear let him hear, and a heart to fear, let him fear. I have not in every particular remonstrated your Traditions and customs, wherein you walk contrary to the truth, but having the testimony, shall in short show you how that you are short of the substance, in which the promise is yea and amen of eternal life. Your hearts and minds are not singly and simply joined to the Light of the Lord Christ Jesus, which shines in all your consciences, and that's the cause of the footsteps of your ways, and the birth of your words and works, to proceed and flow forth as the fruits of the womb of darkness. And in how much in all your ways, words and works, you are short of the Life, of the Light wherewith you are lightened, even by so much you are short of the true way of the Kingdom of God; John 14.6. John 8.12. John 1.9. For be it known unto you of a truth, That the way is but one, the truth is but one, and that one is Christ the Light of the world, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Ephes. 4.4, 5, 6. 1 John 1.5. James 1.17. Wherefore be ye not ignorant, that there is only one true body, one spirit, one hope of the true calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, and one communion of the Lords body, one God who is Light, the eternal Father of all who are children born of the Light, wherewith they are lighted (which cometh from God the Father of Light) unto life everlasting. This then is the witness to the whole world, and the message to the whole world, and the trial of the whole world, their ways, their words, their works, and their worships; all whose deeds are wrought in the Light, they in the Light have peace, and their hearts doth not condemn them, but such who profess God and the Truth in Christianity, and yet are Swearers, and Liars, Thiefs, Whores, Whoremongers, Cheaters, Covetous, Proud, Envious, Hardhearted, Mockers, Scorners, Drunkards, Gluttons, Abusers of themselves with mankind, who in worse nature than the beasts nature, change the natural use of the creature into that which is against nature, these walking, working and acting contrary to the Light in all their consciences, with the Light are judged and condemned, and this is the condemnation of all the wicked world, John 3.19. That Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil; And such are not an honour unto God, nor a praise unto Christ, whose life savours not of the Truth, nor of the nature of Christianity; their profession shall in no wise be unto their Justification; But in how much they have professed the name of Christ who is the Light, and made the profession of his name the Cloak of their unrighteousness; even by so much the more, will the Light in all their consciences be the aggravation of their misery, through judgement unto condemnation. Unto this one therefore must all come to be made partakers of the everlasting inheritance of salvation, even unto the Light which cometh from Christ, by it to be led unto Christ, who is the Life and Light of men, John 1.4. Isa: 42.6. Isa: 49.6. Luke 2.32. who is the salvation of the Prophets, whom they prophesied of, saying, I will also give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a Light of the Gentiles, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison house, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth; On whom also the Apostles believed, who through Faith in the Light, and obedience to the Light, wherewith they were lightened, were made partakers of the purchase of the blood, and promise of the Covenant (to wit) the salvation of their souls: And behold this is the Ensign and Standard of the Lord, which was set up for the fall and is now setting and set up for the rising again of many in Luke 32.34, 35. Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against, by whom shall come the revelation and ripping open of all thoughts and hearts. Ye people all upon the face of the whole earth, unto that in all your consciences, which revealeth unto you all unrighteousness, and the profaneness, and rottenness of your own hearts, and the wickedness of your own thoughts, words, and works, which also is the revelation of the terrible indignation, and of the wrath of God against all the ungodly, and workers of iniquity, even unto that light in all your consciences, must ye all be joined, your hearts must be given unto it, to be led and to be ordered, and guided by it, that you may come to witness a new Life, begotten by the Light in you, John 3.3. for except a man be born again, he cannot see, nor enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. As your minds come therefore to be joined to the Light, wherewith you are lightened, you by the witness of perfect subjection and obedience to the pure motions of it, will come to know the true and everlasting testimony of the Lord, and be made partakers of the hope of the heavenly calling, and your confidence (not as in the days of vanity, sin, and death) will be gathered into the one substance of the spirit of Life, in which you will come to see what is the glory of the living body, which liveth by the faith of the Son of God; Your baptism will not be as in the days under the power of the Elements; For as much as the Testimony of the life of Jesus is the fulfilling of Scriptures. John he said that Christ who was the substance should increase, but he who baptised with the Elements (as the figure) should decrease, Math. 3.11. signifying also the baptism of Christ, that it should be with fire and the Holy Ghost, which he testified concerning him, John 1.26, 27. of whom he said, There standeth one among you of whom ye know not, he it is who cometh after me is preferred before me; the same also is he which hath been in the world, John 1.11. as a stranger upon the earth, who came unto his own, but his own received him not, whose life is manifest through the Revelation of the light, wherewith the whole world is lightened, which leadeth unto the knowledge, and witness of his Baptism, Eph: 4.5. Cross, Death, Resurrection, Life, and Communion of his eternal body; and this is the baptism which the Apostle testified, is only One, even the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and with fire, which John said should increase through the decrease of the water; Flesh and blood revealeth none of these things concerning the Kingdom of God, which is a mystery unto all the world; how great therefore is the ignorance of the world, to administer those things which they call Ordinances unto Infants, which things are Parables, and altogether hidden things in the substance, from the wisdom of the world? which if the Revelation and Life of the substance be not unto the elder, what profiteth then the Traditional washings or sprinklings, which neither is by commandment or manifest example in the Scriptures, unto the infancy of the younger? and what can their Infancy through the figures reach, fathom, or feel concerning the substance, let the world's Fathers answer this for them. Unto the cross therefore of the Lord Christ Jesus ye ought to come, which neither is gold, nor silver, nor brass, nor iron, nor any other metal, nor wood, nor stone, nor Image of bone, or any other dead creature; but this is the everlasting testimony of the Cross of Christ Jesus, Luke 22.42. Father not my will, but thy will be done; he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear, and he that understandeth not, nor knoweth this, is yet under his own hour and power of darkness; Understand therefore that the manifestation of the will of God is in and through the Light, wherewith you are lightened which cometh from Christ the true light of the world, which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world, unto which Light in all your consciences your minds must be subject, you must wait upon God with your minds in the Light, your hearts turned to it, that you may witness the power of it ruling and reigning in you, and working through every Member of your mortal bodies, bringing your wills under it, and subduing and subjecting your affections to it; this is the true Cross of Christ Jesus, to take up the Cross, and to walk in Cross unto your wills and affections, which take up Images, and take delight and pleasure in Pictures, and imaginary likenesses of the Cross of Christ Jesus, and to walk as quickened Members in cross to your whole life, as it now stands in the nature and lust of uncleanness, sin and death, in the enmity to the Life and power of God, and mystery of Godliness, in cross to your foolish, airy, childish, vanities, of Beads, Bracelets, and other Traditional Superstitions and Idolatries, which things are but the signification of folly and childishness in the first nature, which receiveth not the knowledge nor things of God; the Light also wherewith you are lightened, Eph: 5.4. must guide your minds, and stay your hearts and thoughts upon God, and lead you also in cross unto the Lightness and wickedness of your lives, which stand in the pleasure of vain jesting and idle foolish talking, Rom. 13 13. in surfeiting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, strife and envying, in the ground of all manner of sin, iniquity and mischief, which produces and yields the fruits of lying, swearing, pride, covetousness, cheating and defrauding, adulteries, and whoredoms, dissimulation, robberies, and desperate murders, even in that evil and cursed ground where man is droven from the presence of God, under the power of the agreement of Hell and death, alienated and estranged from the Covenant of Life, yoked under blindness, and chained with the blackness of darkness, shut out of the Garden of pleasure, and Paradise of God, where nothing can restore the loss which came by transgression, but the power of the Cross of Christ Jesus, which worketh death to the disobedient and carnal; There is none other entrance now unto the tree of Life (which he that eateth not thereof dyeth in, and perisheth unto everlasting death) but through the flaming sword, which is set at Eden's gates, Gen: 3.24. to keep the way of the Tree life; Can your eye read, or your ear hear, for your hearts to receive this ye vain scoffers at the Saint's entrance into the holy City, and Paradise of God? You are witnesses to yourselves that your Inheritance is not in the Kingdom of Heaven, which is like unto a grain of Mustardseed, Math: 13.31. which also is likened unto an Onion seed, whose perfect fruit being taken out of the natural earth, yet quickly perisheth not, but prospereth, yielding growth from the body of the root more than all roots of the earth; This is the work of Life, the Cross, which neither is likeness, imitation nor Image of the things, or nature of death, but the mighty power of God, which bringeth death unto death, which hath passed over all men, Rom: 5.10, 12. and reigneth over all men from Adam unto Moses, even over all that have sinned, who have not known Moses, although their sin hath not been after the similitude of Adam's transgression, from lost Adam therefore unto Moses you must come, to witness an entrance into Moses his house, in whom was revealed the hope of the promise, that should come to pass, which also is come in power, Rom: 8.4. in the substance to them, In whom the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, who have seen the Prophet's day, and are come through the work of John's cry in the wilderness, Math: 3.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. who are no more of the flesh, as in the flesh working the works of the flesh, but through the death of the Cross, are buried in the separation from the worships, words and works of the first nature, risen and born unto Life, unto the inheritance of Redemption and Justification, into the unchangeable Kingdom of the word of the Covenant, where he that is least, is greater than John the Baptist, Math: 11.11. who was the greatest Prophet borne of women; and thus being passed and translated from death to life, (not as any longer under the power of sin, are partakers of the Elements, or subject unto the carnal Ordinances) are altogether under, and one with the power of the ministration of life, in the communion of the Eternal body of the Lord, and from your superstitions and Images, and nature of iniquity, and transgression, by the power of the Cross of Christ Jesus, ye must be changed through obedience to the motions of the Light in all your consciences into the Image of the glory of the second Adam, who is the Lord from Heaven, if ever ye shall come to witness a hope which will not whither, to be Joined unto the heireship of the promise of the Inheritance of the kingdom, which Covenant was made only with Abraham, and with the seed of Abraham, born of the freewoman, Gen: 22.16. which by the one Everlasting Oath of God is confirmed unto all that by the blood of sprinkling are entered into the City, Heb: 12.22. Rev: 22.15. where not any thing that is defiled can come, for without is the curse, even over as many as stand in the ground without the compass of the fence of the Paradise of God, where are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore-mongers, and murderers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Repent, Repent therefore, the mighty day of the Lord God is at hand, wherein he will sift the Nations as with the five of equity, and fan the Inhabitants of the earth with the wind of his wrath, and through all Nations will make an equal separation in Righteousness, the Chaff from the Wheat, the Dross and Reprobate from the refined Silver, the just from the vile, him that feareth God from him that feareth him not; A day of woe to the wicked, and of vengeance to the workers of iniquity; in which cometh to pass the Revelation of the Wrath and Indignation of God, which is even ready to be revealed in flames of burning fire against all the ungodly; A day of howling to the sons of Sodom, and of everlasting lamentation to the daughters of Gomorrha; Strength shall not defend you, nor Art deliver you, where then will you run for a refuge, ye want the wings of the Sun of the Morning, to fly unto the ends of the earth, the rocks will not rend to cover you, nor the mountains move to hid you, so terrible is the day of the dreadful Lord God of Hosts, and none like it, that even his breath shall shake terribly the foundations of the earth, and the Isles of the Sea shall role as ships in a tempest, the Jealousy of the heavens shall send forth their winds, which shall stir up the depth of the Sea, and she shall spew out of her womb, the dead bodies which her rage devoured upon the earth, also the grave shall give up her dead, that all both great and small may arise, and stand before the great Judgement of the Lord; The trumpet of the Lord hath sounded, and is sounding; Blessed is he that heareth the proclamation of the voice of the Angel unto the witness, and have a right, and a part in the first Resurrection, Rev: 20.6. on him the second death shall have no power, but such shall reign with Christ a thousand years, whose day is begun in the earth; he that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith; and when the thousand years are finished, Rev: 20.9. the whole number of the deceivers of the earth shall be utterly devoured with the fire of God out of Heaven: A dreadful found to the wicked I have heard, the proclamation of the voice of the Archangel of God, and the noise of a Joyful shout from Heaven, of which I John bear witness, and do hold the testimony as unto the witness of the Eternal Decree of God, concerning that which was, and is, and of the Judgement which shall come & overtake the wicked, throughout the mountains, and the hills, and the caves, and the dens of the earth; woe shall compass their dwellings, and Indignation and Wrath shall be placed as the bounds of their habitations; who can count the sands which are set for the bounds of the Seas, he also can comprehend the misery of the workers of iniquity; prepare prepare therefore to meet the Lord, by true and unfeigned repentance; for of a truth, the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is arisen, and rising in dread to touch the whole earth; 2 Pet: 3.4, 5, 6, 7. say not therefore in your hearts, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation, as a people willing to yield unto ignorance, and void of the knowledge, How that by the Word of God, the Heavens were of old, and the Earth, standing out of the water, and in the water, whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished; But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement, and perdition of ungodly men. To your own therefore return, departing from your forefather's traditions, examine yourselves, try yourselves, prove your hearts, and see what you have, which will be able to stand in the day of trial, and not consume in the burning fire of the Lord God, whereby the Heavens shall be set as in flames, 2 Pet: 3.10. and the Earth and Elements shall melt with the fervent hear thereof, and all the works that are in the earth shall be burnt up; and seeing then that all these things shall be quickly dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy conversation and godliness. Fear, fear, dread, and tremble, tremble before the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, all ye hard and cruel, high and lofty, bow down ye Cedars of the hills, and come down ye strong Oaks of the mountains, unto the lowliness of the valleys, the Lord God will stop the ways of the Savages of the Forests, and place Strength in the path of the Lions of the Wilderness, and their fierceness shall no longer devour the prey; the strong shall starve with hunger, woe to the Deserts, the Lion for her whelps, and the Bear for her young as being rob, as being spoilt and destroyed, they shall roar together, they shall run and not have remedy, they shall seek and not have rest, for behold the word of the Lord shall be accomplished in the Earth upon the Herds, and concerning the flocks upon the Shepherds, and upon the Pastors, and the end shall be the consumption of all flesh, which hath corrupted its way upon the face of the earth before the Lord; and with this cometh the determination of time, which shall never bring end to the torment of the wicked, and whosoever worketh and loveth a lie. O Earth, Earth, hear therefore thy warning, and all the Inhabitants thereof, give ear to the sound of the voice in the day of your visitation; the commandment standeth not far from you, neither is the Word separate in another Nation, so as that you should say, Our arm reacheth not over the Sea to bring it from thence, and who can touch Heaven to bring it down from thence, but the Word is very nigh unto you, Deut: 30.14, in your mouth, and in your heart, that ye may also hear it, and do it; 2 Pet: 1.19. Therefore unto the more sure word of Prophecy, whereunto ye do well if ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts. The Light which through Judgement and condemnation, in the secret parts of your minds and hearts, preacheth and prophesieth wrath, woe, and the just indignation of God against all unrighteousness; this sure word is nigh you, and with you in your beds, in the fields and streets, and market places, the Light which convinceth you of lying and swearing, and double-dealing, and all manner of wickedness, if you love it and listen unto the checks of it in your hearts and minds, and so come to follow the Light, which convinceth you in secret of lying and swearing, and vain jesting, and foolish and wanton gestures and communication; the Light in all your consciences, wherewith you are lightened, which convinceth you of your sins, will lead you out of your sins, and so will come to witness sanctified hearts unto God, and you will come to feel your hearts given up unto sanctification, and your minds unto the things of God's kingdom; and by the Light also, you will come to discern the two seeds, and the two natures, and you will grow unto the witness of the Judgement of the one, from the promise of Zion, unto the habitation of the heritage of Esau, whose mountains are places for Dragons; And the other unto the Justification of life to be made partaker of the treasure of life, and filled with the virtue of the Lord, in wisdom and a good understanding, which the world cannot receive, unto the true knowledge of the Scriptures, unto the witness of them fulfilled in you, which through faith in Christ Jesus, the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, Eph: 5.13. are able to make one wise unto salvation; for as all things and deeds which are done and wrought out of the Light, are reproved by the Light, even so also that which maketh manifest is light, and the Light wherewith you are lightened, is the measure of the gift of God, which he hath given unto all men, and the grace of God which hath appeared unto all men, which taught the Saints to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, through which (that is to say) by the Light, being Judged as men in the flesh, they became Justified with God in the Spirit; the Light will lead you unto life, if you love it and obey it, according to the voice of it; Isa. 8.20. therefore to the Law and the Testimony take heed, speaking always according to this word. Ye Greeks in all quarters and parts of the earth, read this commandment, as the quick sharp and short message of the Lord unto you, even of the Righteous God, whom your fathers provoked unto wrath, through their Idolatrous superstitions and all manner of abomination, for which cause he brought their necks under the miserable yoke of bondage, to draw under the cords and chain of the same Instrument of cruelty of the Jews captivity; and this came to pass, if peradventure in the time of trouble, they might early seek, and cry unto the Lord with unfeigned hearts, but from generation to generation, even to the evil days of this present generation, he hath not found Repentance in your Land, and therefore could not your Land find nor feel the day of deliverance, and breach of the bows of your yokes, by his hand of Redemption; Repent therefore, lest ye be made an utter spoil, even unto the determination of time, and there come no end of your misery and desolation: Remember the declaration of the days of old, and the sayings concerning the times which are already past; there were a people unto whom the sure testimonies of God were given, but they forsook the mercy, and through hardheartedness, and self-conceitedness departed from the fountain, to ask council of their own wills, in the house of Rimmon, Isa. 49.6. they expected the Covenant in their way; wherefore when Christ the Light came contrary to their conceptions, they rather resisted unto death, than chose to be gathered unto life; they once had the Law and the Prophets, and the testimony of the Law, and the Ark of the Covenant, and the Temple which God gave them, and yet because of their unbelief, God spared not the Jews, which were the natural branches, according to the promise; Hear this all ye Gentiles throughout the earth, Rom. 11.22. If God spared not the natural branches, because of their unbelief, why boast ye yourselves against the natural branches, who are yourselves fallen from the Root? If God spared not the Jews who received not the Light, which testified for Christ, which was, and is the Light, which shined in all their Consciences? Shall he spare you who despise the Light, and in Enmity to Christ, who is the Light, walk contrary to the Light in all your Consciences? Behold the goodness and the severity of God on them which fell, severity, but towards the Gentiles which stood, goodness, and unto as many as now continue in the good which cometh from God, mercy and peace; but as for such as forsake the Light which comes from Christ, even they 〈◊〉 fruitful branches shall also be cut off, and with God there is no respect of persons; And if the casting away of the Jews were the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but your torment, Rom: 11.13. and the resurrection of the life of the seed from the dead, and the redemption thereof from the bondage of the grave, to the glory of God, Amen? Trust ye not therefore in lying words, even as once the Jews did, saying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these; say not in your hearts, the wisdom of God is the council of our fathers, such words shall not save you; or if you farther say, that you have Abraham to your father, that shall not profit you, but rather read your birth of the bondwoman, that you may come to the casting out of her seed and generation of her womb; for be it known unto you, God can out of rocks raise a remnant, and out of stones a seed unto Abraham; for not every one that saith Lord, Math: 7.22. shall enter, for many shall say, we have prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name have cast out Devils; and yet it shall be said ●●to them, depart ye cursed workers of iniquity; and Virgins also loosed the Inheritance, even such as were to seek oil when the Lord came; Math: 25.12. and these are States beyond the conditions of all your Roman members throughout the earth; & the Scriptures are true in the declaration as Christ spoke, although you are false in your words, and ways, and interpretations; and if the door of the kingdom be shut against careless Virgins, how think you that wicked liars, drunkards, swearers, whore-mongers, or harlots shall have an entrance therein? therefore, whilst you have time Repent; This is the sum unto the partaking of the purchase, that you follow the Lamb of God, Christ the Light of the world, which taketh away the sin of the world, He is the highest Priest, Prophet, and King, of whom this is the sign and testimony unto Jew and Gentile, He hath lightened every man that cometh into the world; and this is the message unto the whole world, God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Look therefore to your lives, for behold this day is set before you, death and darkness, life and light, choose you whether, if you perish in your sins, your blood be upon your own heads; henceforth & for ever, prise your time, Heb: 12.17. Remembering that Esau had a time, but Esau neglected his time, so that when he carefully sought a place of Repentance with tears, he could not find it. This is the testimony which we (that do walk in the light, as God is in the light) do hold; we know that whosoever is borne of God, unto the Inheritance of the kingdom of God, he sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God 1 Joh. 3. 6, 9 keepeth himself, that wicked one toucheth him not, and we know that we are of God, and we also know, that the whole world, who are enemies to God, lieth in wickedness; And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, whereby we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ, this is the true God, and Eternal life; Oh all ye Nations abstain from Idols. The Saints by the seed of the Apostated Jew's first in contempt were called Christians, and we who have received the same testimony of Jesus, by the seed of the Apostated Christians in the Northern Islands, are scornfully called Quakers: I: P: SOme Queries propounded to the Greeks' Patriarch, and Pope of Rome, and to their Doctors, Priests & Pastors, Universities, Schools and Colleges throughout the compass of the Regions, of the rule of their two Catholic Churches in all the earth, by them or any of them to be answered, for the sake of truth, and of souls, in how much they are willing to appear lovers of truth or of souls, and are ready to render a reason of the hope that is in them according to the Scriptures. Concerning the Word of Faith. Query 1 WHat is the faith of Jesus? And what is that which begets any into the true faith of Jesus? Whether is it men's Imaginary conceptions of Jesus, and the training up of a people in the blind traditions of men, or only the word of faith, which cometh from Jesus? yea or nay? Query 2 What is the sure word of faith, which gives the true and sound witness of the life of Jesus only unto worm Jacob, and which word is nigh unto all men upon the face of the earth, and yet is that which the sinner cannot receive unto life, but resists unto death? Query 3 Can any person minister the Word, to beget others into the faith of the word of faith, who have not themselves received the word; and have any received the life of the word, who knows not the word, yea or nay? And who amongst you is cleansed with the word, that is not in the state of sin, under death's bonds of transgression, in enmity to the word? Query 4 Whether can any truly know Christ to believe in Christ, who never have heard the word of Christ? And when and where did any of you ever hear the voice of the Son of God? And is not that the Pharisees and hypocrites state, to boast and say that you believe in Christ, and have the word of God, and yet never heard immediately the voice of Christ, yea or nay? Query 5 What is that ear in man which being open cannot hear the voice of Christ, who came to make deaf those that hear, and to give hearing to the deaf? And what is that ear also, which ought to hear, and is stopped? And that eye which seethe and is to be blinded, and that eye which is blinded, which Christ cometh to open? Show plainly the five senses of man, which are senseless of the word of God, and see if you can answer how that man in sense beyond sense, hath the true sense of seeing, hearing, feeling, savouring, by smelling and tasting of the good word of God? Query 6 By what was it that the word of life was ministered and preached unto the Spirits in prison? and what is the Spirit which is the prisoner? and what and where is the prison? and when did ye ever visit the prisoner in the time of his bondage in prison. Concerning the Patriarch and Pope's Power. Query 7 WHat is the key which openeth the prison door? and who hath that key? hath either your Patriarch or Pope that key to open the prison door, and to lose on earth? And what is the matter and subject to be loosed on earth? And in what manner will that also be loosed in heaven, which is loosed on earth? Query 8 What is the key of David, and who hath the keeping thereof? and is there any other key which openeth Heaven or shutteth the door of death, or gates of Hell, besides the key of David? Whether either your Patriarch or Pope, whom ye call Peter's Successor, hath the keeping of that key? seeing that the Scriptures say, That the first and the last, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth, hath the key of David, Rev. 3.7. Rev. 1.17, 18. Query 9 What is the key of knowledge which the Lawyers took away, whereby they entered not themselves, and hindered others from entering, even such as was entering? Did the Lawyers know what that key was then? And do your Patriarch or Pope, Doctors, Priests or Lawyers, know what it is now? Are you in any other knowledge or wisdom then those Lawyers were, who entered not, and hindered others, yea or nay? And wherein you may say that you differ, do you show it forth how you differ in the ground and nature? Luke 11.52. Query 10 What is that Book and the Seals, and Sealing of that Book which no man in Heaven nor in Earth was found worthy to open? And where was Peter then? whether was he in Heaven or in Earth? or was he neither in Heaven, nor on Earth? and the Scriptures not saying, that Peter was found worthy at that time, how then can any of your Catholic Churches with confidence now say, that those whom you call Peter's Successors, the Foundations and Pillars of your Churches, are at this time worthy to do that? or whether can your Pope or Patriarch do that in these days, which John saw in his day no man in Heaven nor in Earth could do, Rev. 5.1, 2, 3. Query 11 Your Members have said that Peter is the Rock and Foundation of your Catholic Churches; I Query whether that was not the Peter who is the foundation of your Churches, unto whom Christ (the Rock and Foundation of our Church which is in God) said, Get thee behind me Satan, and whether is the Patriarch at Constantinople, or Pope at Rome his successor, in his place, yea or nay? Math. 16.23. Query 12 Doth not the virtue of the key of knowledge open all mysteries, and if ye have the key of knowledge of the things of God, cannot ye thereby answer all these Queries or any others concerning the things of God, in the clear understanding of the mystery of Truth in the wisdom of God, yea or my? Query 13 Whosoever committeth sin is of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. What then is the ground of the election of your Patriarch and Pope by sinners, and empowered to forgive sins? And in what standeth their power to forgive sins, who are themselves wicked sinners? Whether is the manner of this practice any other in the substance, than Satan seating Lucifer in the Kingdom of sin, falsely to salve up the wound of sin, yea or nay? Concerning Ordinances and divers corrupt Traditions and Idolatries. Query 14 WHat is the one everlasting Ordinance of God? which is the seal of the Covenant, and assurance of salvation unto every living soul, which hath partaked thereof, which no Element could give the testimony of, which is the sum and substance (really come unto every true born Member of Christ's Church) of all Types, Signs and Shadows, which figured out the substance before it came? Query 15 Whether are your two Catholic Churches, or any of the Members thereof partakers of the one everlasting Ordinance of God, which is the end of all washing, carnal Bread, Wine, and Water-Baptismes, and of all shadows, Types, and Figures, spoken of in the Scriptures, seeing you in contrary manner to all the prophecies, doctrines, and examples written in the Scriptures, do stand in divers invented shadows, vanities, and Idolatries, in the practice of the doctrines of your forefather's traditions, in opposition to the power of God, and Cross of Christ Jesus? Read Coloss: 1, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Query 16 Where doth the Scripture say that to take up Crosses of Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Bone, Wood, or carved Stone, made by the invention of man, is to take up the Cross of Christ, who came not by man, nor according to the will of man, whose Cross came with him, contrary to the will of man? What is the Image to the substance? And whether is that any part of the nature of the substance in you, or doth it not rather stand in enmity to the substance, which taketh up an Image of the Cross among you, yea, or nay? Query 17 Whose doctrine or Commandment was the foundation of your Idol Temples? declare plainly, whether God commanded, or Satan deceived? And what rule have you in the Scriptures, or example from the life of the Apostles, to worship in Idols Temples, altogether by the light of wax Candles, or burning Lamps of Oil, and to keep your wax Candles burning night and day in your Idols Temples? Query 18 Whether is it not great ignorance for a people to seek the Lord out of the habitation and sanctuary of his holiness? Wherefore seek ye to find God in Temples made with hands, Seeing God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands? And whether do you not understand that those Temples which are not God's habitation, are the real Synagogues of Satan, yea or nay? Acts 17.24. Query 19 What rule have you in the Scripture to make a mock of Christ, and the holy Apostles, by carrying about Images (which ye call their Pictures) by day time, with the light of Candles or Torches through your streets, with many persons passing therewith hood-winked and disguised as Thiefs and Robbers, singing and rejoicing, and making merry over the spoll of the innocent? Query 20 What rule have you in the Scriptures, or example from the life of the Apostles, to light the dead Corpse of men and women to the Graves or Sepulchers, with Torches or Wax Candles? Query 21 What precept have you in the Scriptures to call Elements and shadows, or any of those things, which once were figures, Sacraments, and to carry Bread and Wine through your streets, with a Canopy over it, with Torch's or Wax Candles lighted, and one ringing a Bell before it (like the hypocrires sounding Trumpets of their services) and for all people that meets it, to fall down upon their knees before it? Query 22 What rule have you in the Scriptures, or plain example from the life of the Apostles, without adding unto, or diminishing from the Scriptures, or the acts of Christ, or his Apostles, for your sprinkling Infants with water, and calling that an Ordinance of Christ, or Sacrament of your Churches? Query 23 What precept have you in the Scriptures, or precedent from the life of the Apostles, to pray upon Beads, or to pray to Saints, or to Mary, and to cross yourselves with your hands in your prayers, or thanksgivings, or to make bowings before walls, crossing yourselves with your hands, babbling a few words before you go into your Beds? Query 24 What precept or example have you in the Scriptures, to make Inquisitions and Inquisitors, to slay the life of God's witnesses against your Idolatries, and to make Fryaryes and Nunneries, Doctors, Friars, Nuns, Jesuits, lay-brothers, beggars, Queristers, Singers, & Ringers, were ever such prophesied by Christ or his Apostles, should come in the Truth, or were ever such in their days, yea or nay: Query 25 Where did Christ ever teach, or the Apostles practise the wearing of the garments, and long robes of the several Officers of your Catholic Churches, your long Gowns and Surplices, and whipping Cords about your Loins, and other Girdles, and Caps, and other disfiguring garments? Query 26 What rule have you in the Scriptures, or example from the life of the Apostles, for your grey Friars, crown-head shave, and for your other Officers with their great Bottles, Wallets, and begging Bags, and others with many Boxes, in disguised and hood-winked garments, going through the streets, and from house to house a begging? Query 27 What rule have you in the Scriptures, or example from the life of the Apostles, for your observing set times and days of the week and year, to eat Fish or Herbs, or other fruit, and no Flesh, as in your Lents, etc. And to call such day's fast-days, seeing you eat no flesh, but do eat and drink your fill of other creatures, and some with strong drink or Wine, do make themselves drunk upon such days? Query 28 What precept or precedent have you from the doctrine or life of Christ or his Apostles, for some of your members to whip and scourge themselves upon some set days of the year, and to draw blood from their bodies, and to make bruises and cuttings in their flesh, and for others of your Officers to lay heavy burdens upon the backs of some your Members, which they themselves will not touch with one of their fingers; to make poor people go upon their knees through the streets, as far as they please, for the obtaining from them the Remission of their sins; and are not you abominably deceitful as well in the manner, as in the matter of this iniquity, in laying only such shame and punishment upon the poor in the world, and do not lay the same upon a transgressor in the same lust and nature, who is very powerful in the Authority, and rich and wealthy in the world? Query 29 What precept or precedent have you from the doctrine or life of Christ or his Apostles to keep and observe days and times and seasons, which ye call Saints days, saying that ye keep them in honour of the persons of Christ and his Apostles? Are ye not rather a dishonour and slain of their life, who spend such days in Idolatries, in surfeiting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, Coloss. 2.17. Query 30 Whether is there any one among you that do witness Christ come in you? which he that witnesseth not Christ so come in the flesh is Antichrist; and if Christ be come in the flesh, and dwelleth in you, why then do ye with your flesh make Images of the flesh, for your corruptible flesh to bow unto? and whilst the spirit which rules your flesh, doth thus dictate and lead you, doth not your minds in the flesh make a mock of Christ, who is a Spirit, and of God, who will only be worshipped in spirit, yea or nay? 1 John 4.23. Rom. 8.10. John 4.23, 24. In these Traditions, deceitful shadows, and Idolatries, professing the name of Christ, enemies to the power of the Cross, and order of the doctrine and mystery of the life of Christ, ye are a just occasion of stumbling to the Turk, and an offence to the seed in the Jew; and this the Lord God will require at the hands of your two Catholic Churches. Concerning the Mystery of the Holy Faith. Query 31 What is the seed of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is like unto a grain of Mustardseed, and how comes it to grow to a Tree, and how come the birds of the Air to lodge therein, and whether is it fruitful before it be grafted, yea or nay? Query 32 What and where is the field, in which the Pearl is hid? and what is the Pearl to the field, how are they distinguished? and how is the Pearl hid? and by what comes the purchase of the field? and how comes the Pearl to be found? and who are they that have found it, and do keep it having found it, yea or nay? Query 33 What is the seed of God, unto which only the promise of God, of salvation, unto life everlasting, is? Query 34 What was the Image of God which man lost through the disobedience and transgression against the will and commandment of God, and whether all that stand in the disobedient and transgressing state, are not still seated in the lost state, yea or nay? Query 35 How lies the Image of God now in the dust, and what is the dust to the Image of God? and what is the Serpent? and how doth the Serpent feed upon the dust of the ground? and what is that ground which is not at all substantial, but dusty, and that ground whose substance is mountains, stony and rocky, and altogether barren and unfruitful? Query 36 By what comes the change of the ground? Moab also hath been at ease from his youth, & hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel; what is Moabs' seed now, which in the nature stands in the same state that Moab was then? & whether are ye in any other condition or life then as ye were from the beginning? & as ye have grown in years, so you have grown in wickedness; whether therefore do ye believe that it is possible for you to be saved, except the ground be changed, & Moab emptied, & ye become begotten & born of God unto another life? & whether doth he that is born of God commit sin, yea or nay? Jer. 48.11. John 3.3. 1 John 3.9. Query 37 What is the salvation of Jesus? from what doth he first save his people? In plain words show to all people, what is Salvation, Redemption, and Restauration, and from what, unto what, and when? Query 38 What is that life of Christ, which is slain in spiritual Sodom, which is daily crucified upon the Crosses of your Catholic Churches? Query 39 What manner of fruit bore that Almond Tree, of which Jeremiah saw a rod? & what is that seething pot, which Jeremiah also did see? and what is the flesh which for one day must boil therein? and whether a root and fruit ought to be boiled with the flesh? and whether will the Broth of these things be clean food according to the Law, yea or nay? Query 40 What is that new threshing instrument which is prepared for the hand of worm Jacob to thresh withal? how shall he thresh the hills to Chaff, and mountains to dust? and with what shall be fan them? and what is the wind that shall carry them away? and where shall the chaff be carried? and in what quarters shall the whirlwind scatter the dust of the mountains? Query 41 Whether the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Kingdom, which Christ said is like to a grain of Mustardseed, and the seed of Abraham, and worm Jacob, are they in the substance one, two, three or four, yea or nay? & show plainly without deceit, how that two three or all are one in the substance, or otherwise make manifest how in the declaration, so also they differ in the substance? Query 42 What is the new creation of God? whether is it now short of the creation of the first man Adam, whom God made a living soul? do any of you believe that the second is made a quickening spirit? and which of these two is the greater, and most full of glory? are any of ye passed from death unto life, from the dishonour of sin & transgression, to see the beauty of the first Creation, and to behold the honour of the Lord from Heaven? do ye believe the Revelation of the Son of God, yea or nay? Show how Christ hath revealed himself unto any one of you, 2 Cor. 5.17. Query 43 What and where standeth the Tree of Life, which he that comes to eat thereof, shall never taste of death, and which he that tasteth not thereof in this life, shall never see the day of life? have any one or more of you, in all your Nations, and two Catholic Churches ever seen a leaf of the Tree of Life, which healeth the Nations, and describe how, and by what wind any leaf was blown upon any of your Nations, and show forth those that are healed thereby of your Nations? Query 44 Whether do you believe the real, substantial, everlasting virtue of the blood of Jesus? If you answer yea, why then in abominable deceit, and miserable ignorance, do you teach for doctrine an infernal place of purgatory? Read the Scriptures, Acts 20.28. Heb. 9.12. Rev. 1.5. 1 John 1.7. Rev. 5.9. Rom. 5.9. and what advantageth the people's penance, and the Popes and Priests remission of sins, if after penance, repentance, and remission, they must go into the torment of Purgatory to be cleansed from their sins, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven? Query 45 What and where is the Sanctuary of God seated, wherein the Saints of God do daily worship, and what is the equal balance thereof, and the dust of the balance? Declare plainly what is that which measureth justly all words, works, worships, studies, ways and spirits, which reacheth over iniquity, and comprehendeth the mystery thereof, what is that line which measureth the world's ways, and the plummet unto which judgement is laid? and what is that Reed which John had to measure the Temple of God, & the Altar thereof? and what is that Court which he was not to measure, which the Gentiles tread under foot? Concerning the studies in Universities, of Tongues, Ministry, Astrology, Physic, Law and Philosophy. Query 46 WHat is the foundation & chief corner stone of your Universities & Colleges; & do you not reckon Tongues, Rhetoric, Philosophy, to be precedent steps leading unto Theologie, to the completing of a Ministry, & as the principle leaders unto the expert practice of Physic, Law, Astrology? and whether are not these Arts and Sciences, the sum, substance, and end of your studies, yea or nay? Query 47 Whether only the word of God is not the real substance of the ministry of God? & the ground of understanding & true knowledge of all the natural; & whether all Tongues, Arts and Sciences besides the word are not vanity? and whether all that profess the substance yet standing in the natural, and have not the word from God, as from the mouth of God, are not in vanity and deceit, and in utter enmity to the word, yea or nay? Query 48 Who is he of all your Patriarches, Popes, Doctors, Priests or Pastors, let him stand forth and answer by name, which hath received the word as from the mouth of God, to minister it faithfully, as the everlasting Gospel and message of God? Query 49 Who is the Astronomer or ginger, let him stand forth and answer by name, which hath received the word, & dwells in the word, by which the earth & the Sea, & all that in them are, & the heavens the Sun, Moon, & Stars, the habitations of the heavens, & the hosts of the Heavens were made, which made all, & governs all, even unto this day, to building & destroying, to planting & plucking up, which shows the natural causes of all overtures & changes? And let him answer me with the strength of his understanding, whether his predictions are not subject to alter & change, or are they altogether unalterable & infallible? And this will manifest the original to be either the word of the Lord, or the spirit of the Devil; let him tell me whether worm Jacob hath a habitation in his house, or show me how the seed of worm Jacob is governed in his house, which if he knows not that, how knows he in what manner the Planets are governed, and Signs are ordered in and about the house of Heaven, Isa. 44.25. Dan. 4.7, 8. Query 50 What is the ground & cause of every disease which is generated in the nature of mankind; & whether you Doctors do know the infallible Symptoms of the nature of the diseases? and have you the figure of that root in your Herbal, which is the substantial & effectual cure of such diseases, & how & in what manner ought than root to be applied as a Remedy for the cure of the malady, and saving of the sick, which if ye knew the virtue, and were faithful unto all persons, considering their conditions, in administering an equal portion of that root, would not your practices preach a testimony to the discovering of the iniquities of all, that makes a prey upon the people for the love of their moneys, yea or nay? Query 51 What is the ground of a just Law? Let the Judges, Justices, and Lawyers answer, whether they stand in that ground which was the original of the Law given unto Moses, or are any of them in that ground wherein Moses received the Law? Whether are they grafted into the root of righteousness, wherein the good Stewardship of the Laws is testified to be the preservation of peace in the Nations, which if they answer affirmatively: I further Query; What is the little measure of equity which measureth all causes, and dealeth just Judgement unto all without respect of persons, in all manner of differences, suits and controversies between man and man, as in one Law and way of equity and truth, which if the Judges & Justices did Judge by that Law, and the Lawyers plead from the ground of that Law, the Innocent would no longer suffer, nor the oppressed groan under cruelties, through the execution of corruption under the name of a Just Law? Query 52 What is the tongue of the learned; distinguish that which is but one from the tongues of men's learning, which are many in the world? and whether any tongues beside that one, in any measure reacheth to the understanding of the things of God, yea or nay? Isa. 50.4. Query 53 Whether is Philosophy in contrariety unto, or in unity with the tongue of the learned? and what is the original root of Rhetoric, and ground of Philosophy? and can any receive the tongue of the Learned, to speak forth the things of God, in the wisdom of God, in whom the ground of Philosophy, and root of Rhetoric remains? and is not the root known by the branch, leaf, and blossom, which springs from the root, yea or nay? Query 54 What Bottle is that which is only proper to receive in it the old wine of Rhetoric, and dregs of Philosophy? And what Bottle is that which receiveth only the new wine of the kingdom? and whether is it possible, that these two can be contained in one bottle, without breaking the bottle? And what is the old bottle which cannot hold new wine? Whether are not you that old bottle which never was broken, yea or nay? Query 55 What air is that wherein Paul said the Saints shall meet the Lord? whether is it one of the four Elements of which the Philosophers said man's natural body is composed of? Whether is it a natural Element that shall for ever comprehend Christ, and the Saints spiritual life? seeing Paul said, and so shall we be ever with the Lord. But if ye say that that air is not one of the Elements which the Philosophers wrote of, answer then according to the Scripture, and show by the witness of God, what that air is, if not an Element? 1 Thes: 4.17. Query 56 Whether doth not your Philosophy inform you, that if there be a third, of necessity also there must be a second and a first, which ye Doctors of Athens, or other Officers of the two Catholic Churches throughout the earth need not have gone to Rome, or other Colleges or Schools to have learned, seeing most of the mean and vulgar in your accounts could so fare inform you, in your own places and streets; But without controversy, to the ends of the earth you must first go, ere you come in truth to answer this my Query: Paul said that he knew a man which was caught up into the third heaven; what was the first heaven, wherein Paul made his first entrance, coming out of the Jaws and prison of death? And what was the second heaven, and the third heaven, in which he saw the Revelation of things unlawful to be uttered? And whether the first, second, or third heaven is beneath, but equal, or above the air which Paul spoke of? And finally speak plainly, whether can a man in his will, by his wit or wisdom political, his knowledge historical, the exercise of his arts and parts sylogisticall or philosophical, or by any of your studies Theological throughout your Universities and Colleges, Answer these Queries concerning the things of God, according to truth in the wisdom of God, to speak as the Oracles of God, yea or nay? 2 Cor: 12.2. All ye Officers of the two Catholic Churches, if truth be with you, you will be glad of an occasion to Answer, and lay open the deceits and Errors of heretics, for the confirmation of every honest heart, and establishing all simple souls in the doctrine of truth. Be wise in your generation, for your own actions will testify in the hearts of the people, either for you, or against you. Fury may proclaim a fire in your bosoms, and you may order this writing to be burnt with fire, but that will publish your envy, and preach your spirits to be of the author of murder; I tell you in time, such an action will work your own confusion, and afterwards God of a truth will plead with you by fire: Truth is above deceit, and can stop the mouth of the deceiver, and gaine-sayer; but the worker of iniquity seeketh to hid his head with a cover. For the truth sake simply this is given forth, by one who hath counted all things loss, that he might gain the truth. Your answers will savour of the best Zeal, which ye may send directed, to be delivered unto Gerrard Roberts, dwelling at the sign of the Flowerdeluce in Thomas Apostles in London, in England, for him whom men call John Perrott. THough they say the Lord liveth, surely they swear falsely, Jere: 5.2. saith Jeremiah; All Doctors, Priests, and Pastors, that do preach and declare with their tongues Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, and yet walk contrary to the light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, such are liars and false swearers, for Christ unto them is not the way, neither in them is he the truth, or the life, who walk contrary to the light, wherewith they are lightened; Joh: 8.12. Joh: 1.4. I am the light of the world, saith Christ, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, saith John, who was a witness of the way, and of the truth, and of the life, who himself not his words, was neither the way, the truth, nor the life; for his testimony was true concerning Christ, who is the way, the truth, Joh: 14.6. and the life. Paul, Peter, Mark, Luke, Matthew, John and Judas, they also were witnesses of the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, whose testimony was of Jesus the Christ, they were not that Christ, neither were their words, or writings, or Epistles that Christ, which they by their words and writings before all men bare witness of, who is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, which is the way, the truth, and the life, which is the word of God, Joh: 1.1. Isa: 42.6. of whom and by whom, the worlds were made; and the Prophets prophesied of things to come to pass, which are come to pass, and coming to pass, which testified of the light, which is come into the world, and lighteth every one that cometh into the world, Isa: 49.6. according to the word of prophecy. The Scriptures do not say that they are the word, but they say that by the word which was in the beginning, which was with God, and was God, the heavens and the earth was made, which was before the Scriptures was, by which word, the Scriptures came to be written, which saith that the name of Christ, Rev: 19.13. who is the light of the world, is called the word of God. Now all that say that the words of the Prophets and Apostles is the way to life, they are out of the way, speaking in the darkness of this world, their testimony is false, and they are Antichrist, for the way is but one, and Christ is that way to the father, who is the light of the world, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, for the Scriptures and writings of the Apostles they were not before the world was, neither do they say they were written 〈◊〉 Moses was, but the way, and the word, was unto Abel, and Seth, and Enoch and Noah, Joh. 14.6. and Abraham, & Isaac, and Jacob, which was before the Scriptures was; and the Scriptures testifies these things, saying Christ is the way, in witness against those which say the Scriptures is the way; and the Scriptures 〈◊〉 Christ is the word, in witness against those that say the Scriptures is the word; and the Scriptures say that Christ is the life, in witness against those that say the Scriptures is the Rule of life and truth; and the Scriptures say, Christ is the light, in witness against those that say the Scriptures is the light; and the Scriptures say, Joh. 12.46. that Christ is the truth, in testimony and witness against all those that say the Scriptures of truth (which witnesses against all their deceits & lies, which is the sure declaration of truth) is the truth. These things are written in the Scriptures, which declare the way to be one, the truth one, the life one, the word one, all one, Christ who is the one true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world; A measure of which testifieth in every man's conscience, against lying, and swearing, & flattering, and cheating, & double-dealing, & adultery, and drunkenness, & pride, & covetousness, & stealing, & oppression, and envy, and murder, and all sin; the light hath shined in every man's conscience, and this is the Law of God which was nigh unto Moses, which is among the Heathen which have not the Scriptures, the Scriptures is not written in their consciences, but the light hath shined in all their consciences, & the same which judgeth the hearts which hath not the Scriptures, also judgeth those who profess the Scriptures, & yet in their lives walk contrary to the Scriptures. The light which lighteneth Jew and Gentile, is the condemnation both of Jew and Gentile, of as many as walk contrary to the light, wherewith they are lighteneth and this is the condemnation, Joh. 3.19. light is come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Joh. 1.4. But now the light is life to all that love it & follow it, & such as obey the light, the light maketh alive; the Scripture is not the Spirit which quickeneth; you that can but read the letter, do you read the letter, and the letter will tell you, That the letter killeth, but the spirit maketh alive; if you believe that the letter is the life, then that which you believe is the life, tells you that the letter kills, 2 Cor. 3.6. which is, destruction of the life, & what profit have you 〈◊〉 by the letter? Therefore to the light keep your minds, waiting in it, that you may be governed by the Light which cometh from Christ, by it to be led unto Christ, that you may come to know him to be the Captain & leader of Israel unto salvation; Heb. 2.10. let the light rule your hearts, and the affections of your hearts and minds, that you may have feeling of the rule of God, the light is the measure & rule of truth in all your hearts, which will lead you into all truth unto life, Joh. 16.13. if you love it and follow it, but will stand your condemnation even unto the end unto death, if you hate it, and walk contrary to it. Look to Abel's rock, to Enoch his path, to Moses his way, to David throne of Judgement, to the Prophet's hope, to the Saints salvation, wait to receive this as the foundation of your age, 1 Cor. 3.11, 12, 13. for other foundation can no more lay, then that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, the true light of the world, which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world; and the day shall declare every man's work, whether it be gold, silver, or precious stone, wood, hay, dross, chaff, or stubble, it shall all be revealed by the fire of the Lord God, which is already kindled in the earth. Therefore whilst you have time, Repent