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<NAME>Kayla Ondracek</NAME>
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<P>VVATER UPON THE FLAME: BY XX. QUERIES Propounded in the Spirit of LOVE and MEEK|NESSE, To the Serious Con&s;ideration of all GODS PEOPLE; Principally to the <HI>FIFTH MONARCH MEN,</HI> commonly &s;o called.</P>
<P>By One that loveth the Truth, and all Good Men; And One that neither hath, nor ever had, nor never intendeth to have the lea&s;t <HI>Place</HI> of <HI>Profit,</HI> or Worldly <HI>Advantage</HI> by any <HI>Change</HI> of <HI>Government</HI> what&s;oever.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed in the Year 1659.</P>
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<HEAD>Water upon the Flame, OR, QUERIES Propounded in the Spirit of Love and Meekne&s;&s;e to the &s;erious Con&s;ideration of all Gods People, principally to the FIFTH MONARCH|MEN, commonly &s;o called.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. _WHether you are not &s;ubject to the like Infirmi|ties with other men, and con&s;equently &s;ub|ject to Errours and Mi&s;takes as other men? 'Tis certain they that know mo&s;t, <HI>know but in part,</HI> 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 13.9. And whether the experi|ence you have had of your pronne&s;&s;e to erre, and be confident without cau&s;e, in &s;ome things as well as others, do not rationally call for the&s;e two things? Fir&s;t, To hold your pre&s;ent differing thoughts, humbly remembring, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.2. He that <HI>thinketh he knoweth any thing, knoweth nothing as he ought to know.</HI> Secondly, To be alwaies ready to look on other mens things as well as your own, remembring 2. <HI>Phil.</HI> 4. <HI>Look not every man on his own things, but every man al&s;o on the things of others.</HI> And 3. Prov. 6. <HI>Lean not to thine own under|&s;tanding.</HI> And 12. Rom. 3. <HI>Let every man think &s;oberly of him&s;elf.</HI> Remembring, 12. Rom. 16. <HI>Be not wi&s;e in your own conceit.</HI> Remem|bring, 1. Pet. 5.5. <HI>Yea all of you be &s;ubject one to another, and be clothed
<PB N="2" REF="3">with humility,</HI> and 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14.32. <HI>The Spirits of the Prophets are &s;ub|ject to the Prophets.</HI> Wherefore, You that are but few in compari&s;on of all the Godly, to adapt a particular Opinion, differing from the gene|rality of al Chri&s;tians that either do now, or ever did live in the world: and to hold it with a high and impo&s;ing Spirit, can po&s;&s;ibly con&s;i&s;t with obedience to tho&s;e Scripture Exhortations, or a due &s;ence of the pre|&s;ent darkne&s;s, blindne&s;s, and ignorance, that poor mortalls groan un|der?</P>
<P N="2">2. Whether the &s;aying of <HI>Tertullian,</HI> be not rational and wor|thy your con&s;ideration: <HI>A few dark and ob&s;cure places of Scripture ought to receive expo&s;ition agreeable to the current of Scriptures?</HI> Now whether the Scriptures of the Prophet <HI>Daniel</HI> and the <HI>Revelations,</HI> whereupon you ground your differing Opinion and high Purpo&s;es, be not dark Scriptures in compari&s;on of other Scriptures of the New Te&s;ta|ment; I leave to your con&s;ideration.</P>
<P N="3">3. Whether any interpretation of <HI>Daniels</HI> Prophe&s;ie, or any other which contradicteth the plain &amp; expre&s;s Doctrine and Practice of Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles, ought to be admitted for Truth, or the Ground of any Practice,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ohn</HI> 3.31. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ohn</HI> 5.37. <HI>Acts</HI> 3.23. <HI>Acts</HI> 1.2.</NOTE> much le&s;s the Ground of War and Blood. The Quere&s;t conceiveth No. For that, Fir&s;t, <HI>Chri&s;t came from above and is above all,</HI> the annointed Prophet of the whole world, whom the Father him&s;elf hath born Witne&s;s to, by an audible Voyce, and Summoned the whole world to hear him upon pain of death, and becau&s;e the Apo&s;tles of Chri&s;t received &s;pecial Orders from Chri&s;t, for the good Government of the New Te&s;tament Churches, until he come again, and tho&s;e in very plain and ea&s;ie tearms. And Thirdly, becau&s;e to accept of any interpre|tation of their Doctrine, which contradicteth his own Doctrine, and per&s;onal Practice, would &s;et Chri&s;t again&s;t him&s;elf, the ill con&s;equence whereof, is not perhaps pre&s;ently, or ea&s;ily apprehended 'Tis certain the Prophets &s;pake by the &s;ame Spirit; 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.11. therefore nothing contradictory to him.</P>
<P N="4">4. Whether that Expo&s;ition of the Prophets, and <HI>Revelation</HI> of Saint <HI>John</HI> whereon you ground the lawfulne&s;s of private per&s;ons running into arms and all your &s;miting re&s;olutions be not directly con|trary to Chri&s;ts, and the Apo&s;tles Doctrine, and Practice, let the Scrip|tures Judge, <HI>Matt.</HI> 5.38, 39, 40, 43, 44. <HI>You have heard it hath been &s;aid, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I &s;ay to you re|&s;i&s;t not evil, but who&s;oever &s;hall &s;mite thee on the right cheek turn the o|ther to him, you have heard that it hath been &s;aid, thou &s;halt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy; but I &s;ay unto you, love your ene|mies
<PB N="3" REF="3">ble&s;s them that cur&s;e you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that de&s;pitfully u&s;e you and per&s;ecute you,</HI> and by this doctrine he taught nothing but what he lived to. <HI>He was oppre&s;&s;ed, and he was afflicted,</HI> &s;aith the Prophet, I&s;a. 53.7, 9. <HI>yet he opened not his mouth, he is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a &s;heep be|fore the Shearers is dumb, &s;o he openeth not his mouth,</HI> 50 <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 6. <HI>I gave my back to the &s;miters, &amp; my checks to them that pluckt off the hair, I hid not my face from &s;hame and &s;pitting.</HI> When <HI>Peter</HI> conceived with &s;miting thoughts, <HI>John.</HI> 19.11. Chri&s;t &s;aith to him, <HI>Peter put up thy Sword.</HI> When Tribute was demanded of him, by a Heathen King, though he could have pleaded excu&s;e, cho&s;e rather to work, a Miracle to pay it, and mark, <HI>Le&s;t I &s;hould offend, Matt.</HI> 17. from 24. to 27. When <HI>Peter</HI> &amp; <HI>John</HI> would have revenged the unkindne&s;s of the <HI>Samaritans</HI> to Chri&s;t, by calling for fire from Heaven to de&s;troy them, <HI>He rebuked them,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>you know not what Spirit you are of, Luke</HI> 9.55. <HI>For the Son of man came not to de&s;troy mens lives, but to &s;ave them.</HI> Thus we &s;ee how far Chri&s;ts Spirit, Doctrine, and Practice differeth from yours. Now let us harken to Saint <HI>Paul, Rom.</HI> 12.18. <HI>If it be po&s;&s;ible, and as much as in you lyeth, live peaceably with all men. Ble&s;s them that per|&s;ecute you, ble&s;s, and cur&s;e not. Let us follow after things that make for peace. Put them in mind to be &s;ubject to principalities and powers, to obey Magi&s;trates, TO SPEAK E&V;IL OF NO MAN,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 14.19. 3 <HI>Tit.</HI> 1, 2</NOTE> TO BE NO BRAWLERS but gentle SHEWING ALL MEEKNES TO ALL MEN.</HI> Yea more then all this, he exhorteth, that Prayers, Inter|ce&s;&s;ions and giving of Thanks, he made not only for Kings, but for <HI>ALL that are in authority,</HI> yea for &s;uch that they might have cau&s;e to fear, would hinder them in godly living, and di&s;turbe their Chri&s;tian peace. Why el&s;e mu&s;t that be the &s;ubject of their Prayer, that they may live peaceably and quietly under them? and doth he not &s;ay, that thus to do, is <HI>both good and acceptable in the &s;ight of God</HI> our <HI>Saviour?</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Whether, the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t did not intend to become an Exam|ple to all private Chri&s;tians both in Spirit and Practice, in all things of a Morral nature? Such as Gentlene&s;s, Meekne&s;s, Love, Humility, and the like; (though not in &s;uch things which he did, as God, King, Prie&s;t, and Prophet, of the Church) that he did intend his own Spirit, and Pra|ctice, in &s;uch things to be Exemplary is plain, by <HI>Luke</HI> 9.55. he cor|recteth the intemperate Spirit of his Di&s;ciples by &s;hewing them his own. <HI>You know not what Spirit you are of, for the Son of man came not,</HI> &amp;c. The extraordinary practi&s;es of the Old Te&s;tament Prophets, was no Pattern to them, but His. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.17. <HI>He that is joyned to the Lord</HI>
<PB N="4" REF="4">is &s;aid to be <HI>one Spirit.</HI> And 2. Phil. 6. <HI>Let the &s;ame mind be in you which was in Chri&s;t Je&s;us.</HI> Chri&s;t calleth upon all his di&s;ciples to learn of him, to be <HI>meek and lowly,</HI> Mat. 11.29. <HI>Paul</HI> calleth upon all Chri&s;tians, to <HI>walk in love as he did,</HI> 5. Ephe&s;. 2. to <HI>&s;elf-denial,</HI> as he did, 15. <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. <HI>Let every one of you plea&s;e his neighbour for his good,</HI> for, <HI>even Chri&s;t plea&s;ed not him&s;elf. Peter</HI> calleth upon all per&s;ons, to Bear Wrongs patiently, as he did, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.21. and &s;o to tread in his &s;teps, which, he &s;aith, they were thereunto called, from his example. And <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 2.6. <HI>He that &s;aith he abideth in him, ought to walk even as he walked.</HI> And <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>We are prede&s;tinated to be conformed to the Image of the Son,</HI> 8. Rom. 29. And it was his Glory, that looking into the Gla&s;&s;e of the Go&s;pel, he became tran&s;lated into that Image, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3.18. So then <HI>Chri&s;ts Image, Chri&s;ts Mind, Chri&s;ts Spirit, Chri&s;ts Steps,</HI> is of right the Image of all his Saints, the Mind of all his Di&s;ciples, the Spirit of all his Friends, and the Steps of all his faithfull Followers. Is it not then above an ordinary won|der, that you &s;hould pretend to &s;o much of his Spirit, even at the &s;ame time, when your violent motions proclaim the contrary with a loud voice? Chri&s;t was all Smooth, and you &s;eem to be all Rough. Chri&s;t was all for putting up of Swords, you are all for pulling them out. Chri&s;t was all for Saving mens Lives, and you &s;eem to be all for De&s;troy|ing them. Chri&s;t was for Binding up of Wounds, and you are for Making them.</P>
<P N="6">6. Whether the Commandments and imitable Practi&s;es of Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles, before mentioned, be not as long liv'd, as other of his Commandments, and binding upon all his di&s;ciples, till he come again in Per&s;on. As the People of God under <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> was &s;hut up, as <HI>Paul</HI> expre&s;&s;eth it, 3. <HI>Gal.</HI> 23. under his Laws, till Faith, or the Go&s;pel of the Me&s;iah come; So are the People of God, under the Go&s;pel, &s;hut up under Chri&s;ts Laws, till He come again in Per&s;on to di&s;anull them. on&s;ult, 2. <HI>Rev.</HI> 25. <HI>That which thou ha&s;t received hold fa&s;t:</HI> How long? <HI>TILL I COME.</HI> 1 Cor. 11.26. <HI>As ought as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do &s;hew forth the Lords death,</HI> Marke, <HI>TILL HE COME.</HI> So 1 Tim. 6.14. <HI>I give thee charge that thou keep this Com|mandment without &s;pot, unrebukable.</HI> How long? <HI>&V;NTIL THE APPEARING OF O&V;R LORD JES&V;S CHRIST.</HI> So that all the Po&s;itive Precepts and Examples of Chri&s;t and the Apo&s;tles, Practi&s;ed and Commanded upon a Moral Rea&s;on, la&s;t as long as this pre&s;ent world la&s;teth, except we &s;hould interpret the&s;e Scriptures, or rather abu&s;e them with the Quakers, and from them fancy another appearing
<PB N="5" REF="4">and Coming of Chri&s;t before his coming to Judgement, but to &s;hew the vanity of their conceit. His coming to Judgement is called his Se|cond coming, 9. <HI>Heb.</HI> 28. Whereas then it would be the Third. Con|&s;ider I pray, Is there any Time &s;et by our Saviour or the Apo&s;tles, how long men &s;hall be of his Spirit? Humble, Meek, Gentle, <HI>Obedient to Ma|gi&s;trates, no brawlers,</HI> but <HI>&s;hewing all meekne&s;&s;e to all men.</HI> And when his Di&s;ciples may lawfully turn into the quite contrary Spirit, from Lambs to Lyons, from &s;ubjection to Magi&s;trates, to de&s;troying them? Tis true there cometh a Time when the Saints &s;hall Judge the World, Bind Kings in chains, Rule over Nations, <HI>Rev.</HI> 2.26. but it is the re|ward of Overcoming all Temptations, and keeping Chri&s;ts works to the end, even Till He Come. At which time Chri&s;t promi&s;eth al&s;o, to give &s;uch Overcomers <HI>the Morning Star,</HI> 2. <HI>Rev.</HI> 28. Look the place. Now as you go to work, you catch at the Reward before you have done your Work. The Apo&s;tle <HI>James</HI> enjoyneth upon all the Chri&s;tians, patience, <HI>James</HI> 5.7, 8, 9. <HI>Be patient therefore Brethren,</HI> &s;aith he, How long? <HI>unto the coming of the Lord.</HI> The mean Time is the Time of Saints &s;uffering not Raigning, in the Judgement of S. <HI>James,</HI> And is not <HI>Paul</HI> one with him, Marke 3. <HI>Colo&s;.</HI> 4. <HI>WHEN CHRIT WHO IS O&V;R LIFE &s;hall appear THEN &s;hall ye appear with him in glory.</HI> Mark that <HI>THEN,</HI> and not till then, for he &s;aith, in the mean Time, <HI>they are dead, and their life is hid.</HI> Now, How are they dead, and their Life hid, if they mu&s;t pull down Princes, and be the Earths Governours?</P>
<P N="7">7. Whether doth not <HI>Daniel</HI> the Prophet tell us plainly in the 7^t^h of <HI>Daniel</HI> 21. <HI>That the Horn that &s;pake great things, and who&s;e looks were more &s;tout then his fellows, that this horn &s;hould make warre with the Saints, and prevail again&s;t them untill the Ancient of Days come:</HI> If &s;o, and that it appears by the 13. <HI>Ver&s;e</HI> as it plainly doth, That the Time of the Ancient of Daies coming, and the Son of Mans coming in the clouds of Heaven take place together. Mind the words <HI>Behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of daies, and they brought him near.</HI> If &s;o, then how vain a thing is it to expect the Kingdomes of this world to become Chri&s;ts till he come in the clouds of Heaven, and the Ancient of dayes with him?</P>
<P N="8">8. Some of you make <HI>Dan.</HI> 7.18. (The words the&s;e, <HI>But the Saints &s;hall take the Kingdome</HI>) the ground of pre&s;ent fighting with world|ly Powers in order thereunto, now the Query is, Whether this be not a wild inference from the Premi&s;es, becau&s;e tis clear from the 27. <HI>Ver&s;e</HI> that when ever they take it, <HI>it &s;hall be fir&s;t given them,</HI> and that's not till
<PB N="6" REF="5">the Ancient of days come: So &s;aith the 22. <HI>Ver&s;e, &V;ntill the Ancient of daies come, and Judgement was given to the Saints of the mo&s;t High, and the time came that the Saints po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed the Kingdom.</HI> Nay Chri&s;t him&s;elf hath it not actually given him, till his coming in the clouds of Heaven, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 13. Marke the words, <HI>Behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of daies, and they brought him near before him, and there was GI&V;EN HIM Glory, Dominion, and a Kingdom.</HI> Can any one with any &s;hew of rea&s;on con|ceive that God would have the Saints to take the Kingdom before it be given Chri&s;t, Is not this then a &s;trang piece of Religion in the People of God: Now in the dayes of their conformity to Chri&s;t in his humiliati|on, to leave the Rode of all Gods Saints to leap over the Hedge of all po&s;itive Laws, and break down the Wall of mo&s;t plain Precepts, to pull down Kings and Princes in order thereunto?</P>
<P N="9">9. Doth not the Apo&s;tle <HI>John</HI> in&s;truct us, that the Time of Chri&s;ts Reign over the Kingdoms of this world, taketh place with the &s;ound|ing of the la&s;t Trumpet, <HI>Rev.</HI> 11.15. Mind the words, And the <HI>Seventh Angel &s;ounded and there were great voyces, in heaven &s;aying, The King|domes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Chri&s;t.</HI> And the 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15.52. &s;aith thus, <HI>In a Moment in the Twinkling of an eye at the la&s;t Trumpet, for the Trumpet &s;hall &s;ound and the dead &s;hall be rai&s;ed.</HI> So then, if the Time of Chri&s;ts Reign over the Kingdomes of this world take place, with the &s;ounding of the la&s;t Trumpet, which is <HI>Johns</HI> Doctrine; And the &s;ounding of the la&s;t Trum|pet be at the Time of the Re&s;urrection of the Dead, which is <HI>Pauls</HI> do|ctrine; Then how vain a thing is it to expect the Fifth Monarchy of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t till after the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection?</P>
<P N="10">10. Whether by the Stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands be not meant <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> with the Hou&s;e of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> onely, or at lea&s;t Princi|pally? Becau&s;e the &s;ame Work that <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;aith the Stone &s;hall do, <HI>Dan.</HI> 2.3.4.35. The &s;ame Work the men of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> &s;hall do: See al&s;o and compare the 41. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 14, 15, 16. Who 12. <HI>Zach.</HI> 3. are called, <HI>a bur|then&s;ome &s;tone.</HI> And is it not har&s;h dealing in the Interpretation of Scripture, to put that upon the <HI>Gentile</HI> Saints, which the Scripture fix|eth on the men of <HI>J&s;rael,</HI> where do we find the <HI>Gentiles</HI> called <HI>the men of I&s;rael,</HI> in all the Word of God?</P>
<P N="11">11. Whether the de&s;truction of the Whore of <HI>Rome,</HI> is not plainly declared to be the work of the Ten Hornes, and not the Saints as Saints, Though the Saints in common with the World may be u&s;ed in the Work, as they are Members of tho&s;e Common-Wealths, over whom tho&s;e Horns have Power, <HI>Rev.</HI> 17.16. <HI>The ten horns which thou SAWEST,
<PB N="7" REF="5">The&s;e &s;hall hate the Whore, and make her de&s;olate and naked, and &s;hall eat her fle&s;h, and burn it with fire.</HI> For the Saints as Saints to go about it then, is to cro&s;s the word of God, and I fear to run before they are &s;ent.</P>
<P N="12">12. Whether you are not in a great Errour, when you &s;ay,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Banner of Truth,</HI> p 19<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> that the Stone &s;poken of <HI>Dan.</HI> 2.44. you find it to be Chri&s;t Je&s;us in the pure &s;anctified and refined <HI>Gentile</HI> Chri&s;tians. To prove this, you urge in the fir&s;t place, <HI>Mal.</HI> 3.2, 3. The words are as followeth, <HI>But who may abide the day of his coming, and who &s;hall &s;tand when he appeareth? For he is like refiners fire and fullers &s;ope, and he &s;hall &s;it as a refiner and purifier of &s;ilver. And he &s;hall purify the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and &s;ilver, then &s;hall the offering of Jndah and Jeru&s;alem be plea&s;ant unto the Lord, as in the dayes of Old.</HI> But how you &s;hould conclude the Text &s;peaking of the <HI>Gentile</HI> Chri&s;tians is &s;trange. Are the <HI>Gentile</HI> Chri&s;tians called by the Name of the Sons of <HI>Levi?</HI> The Per&s;ons of the Text are Sons of <HI>Levi,</HI> Sons of <HI>Jacob, v.</HI> 6. &s;uch as then were under the Law of Tithes, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 8. and are &s;aid to rob God in not paying of them, Therefore not <HI>Gentile</HI> Chri&s;tians.</P>
<P>A &s;econd Text you urge to prove, the Stone in <HI>Daniel</HI> is meant of Chri&s;t in the <HI>Gentile</HI> Saints, picked not out of the World onely, but Churches al&s;o is the 14. <HI>Revel.</HI> 4, 5. but very impertinently in my ap|prehen&s;ion; Becau&s;e the picked holy per&s;ons there &s;poken of, are &s;aid to be, <HI>One hundred fourty and four thou&s;and,</HI> which if we will &s;uffer <HI>John</HI> to tell us who they are, we mu&s;t needs under&s;tand them, of the Sealed <HI>Jews,</HI> of the Twelve Tribes of the Children of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> &s;poken of <HI>Rev.</HI> 7.4. and not the <HI>Gentile</HI> Chri&s;tians. Mind the Words, <HI>And I heard the number of them that were &s;ealed, and there were &s;ealed One hundred fourty and four thou&s;and:</HI> Now mark who they were, <HI>OF ALL THE TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL;</HI> and &s;o goeth on to the 8. <HI>ver&s;e,</HI> to mention tho&s;e Tribes particularly; Therefore not the <HI>Gentiles.</HI></P>
<P>But Thirdly, to prove that the &s;tone, <HI>Dan.</HI> 2. that &s;hall break in pieces and con&s;ume the Kingdomes of the Earth, is not to be meant of Chri&s;t with the <HI>Jews,</HI> but of Chri&s;t in the <HI>Gentile</HI> Saints, you urge Chri&s;ts words in the 21. <HI>Mat.</HI> 42. where he is &s;poken of under the Metaphor of a &s;tone. And where Chri&s;t telleth the <HI>Jews,</HI> that the <HI>Kingdom of God &s;hould be taken from them &amp; given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.</HI> From hence you conclude, that the &s;miting work of the Kingdomes of the world will be done by the <HI>Gentiles</HI> fir&s;t, and not the <HI>Jewes.</HI> Here your Error lieth in the mi&s;take of the &s;ence of tho&s;e words, <HI>The King|dome
<PB N="8" REF="6">of God,</HI> &s;poken of is the 21. <HI>Math.</HI> In that place it noteth onely the Go&s;pel of the Kingdome, <HI>Mat.</HI> 4.13. which <HI>Luke</HI> 10.9. Chri&s;t &s;aid, was come nigh to them; And 17. <HI>Luke</HI> 21. Chri&s;t &s;aid, was among&s;t them: And in this &s;en&s;e, the Kingdome of God was taken from them, <HI>Acts</HI> 13.46. according to Chri&s;ts threat: But you u&s;e the words, to note the Kingdome of his vi&s;ible Power and Dominion, as a vi&s;ible King over the <HI>Jewes,</HI> which they were not in po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of: Therefore not capable of a Threat to have it removed. Yea though Chri&s;t had the Right of all Power given to him by the Father, <HI>Mat.</HI> 28. yet not the right of actual exerci&s;e of all that Power at the &s;ame time: There|fore,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb.</HI> 2.8.9.</NOTE> when <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Hebrews</HI> had &s;aid, <HI>He hath put all things under his feet,</HI> pre&s;ently &s;ubjoyneth, <HI>But we &s;ee not YET all things put un|der his feet.</HI> Yea Chri&s;t telleth his Di&s;ciples, <HI>Acts</HI> 1.7. That the Time of Re&s;toring the Kingdome to <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> was not for them to know. And finding &s;ome of his Di&s;ciples, &s;uppo&s;ing his Kingdome, in your &s;en&s;e would immediately appear, <HI>Luke</HI> 19.11. He putteth a Parable on pur|po&s;e to rectify them, the Sub&s;tance whereof is, that he mu&s;t go to Hea|ven and receive Orders for it, and return again before he execute it: Which directly an&s;wereth to 7. <HI>Dan.</HI> 11. <HI>Rev.</HI> 15. and 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 4.1. where his Kingdom and appearing are put as taking place together.</P>
<P N="13">13. Whether, when Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>My Kingdome is not of this world,</HI> or, <HI>from hence,</HI> as he expoundeth him&s;elf, <HI>John</HI> 18.36. giving this for the Rea&s;on why, his &s;ervants fight not for him: Doth not this Text reprove with a high hand, all humane force to enthrone him, and con|&s;equently condemn your practi&s;e, becau&s;e he &s;aith. <HI>My Kingdome is not from hence,</HI> that is from the World, or worldly Powers, as the Kingdomes of other Monarchs were,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iohn</HI> 8.31. <HI>Mat.</HI> 21.25. 1 <HI>Iohn</HI> 2.16.</NOTE> but from above; from his Fa|ther. Things of and from the world, from men, and from the earth, are oppo&s;ed in other Scriptures, to being from above, from heaven, from the Father? Here then &s;eemeth to be Chri&s;ts Argument, if he were to come by his Kingdome, as other Kings ordinarily come by theirs, His &s;ervants would Fight for him, as the &s;ervants of other Monarchs fight for them, but &s;ince he was to come by his, from another Power then that of men, his &s;ervants need not be bu&s;ie with Armes for him, as other Kings are for them.</P>
<P>But it &s;eemeth, &s;ome of you are of opinion, that the word <HI>NOW,</HI> is Emphaticall, in that 18. of <HI>John</HI> 36. where Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>But Now my Kingdom is not from hence,</HI> implying, there would come a Time when it would be from the World, and that before his per&s;onall ap|pearing. To that I an&s;wer, Fir&s;t, The word <HI>NOW</HI> is ordinarily
<PB N="9" REF="6">u&s;ed in Scripture, without any Empha&s;is at all; as 8. <HI>Rom.</HI> 1. And there is this rea&s;on why it &s;hould be &s;o under&s;tood here. 1. Be|cau&s;e to under&s;tand it to point at the Time pre&s;ent onely, that Chri&s;ts Kingdome was not then, at that Time of the World, and to make it im|ply there would be a Time before his coming, wherein it &s;hould. I &s;ay, thus to under&s;tand it, would make more Divi&s;ions of the World, then the Scripture owneth. We read of three, and but three. The fir&s;t from the Creation to the Flood, called <HI>the Old World,</HI> 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2.5. Secondly, from the Flood to Chri&s;ts Second coming,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luk.</HI> 20.3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> called <HI>THIS WORLD:</HI> And Thirdly, from Chri&s;ts Second appearing to the end of his Raign, called 2 <HI>Heb.</HI> 7. <HI>The World to come.</HI> Now your Interpre|tation of the word <HI>NOW,</HI> maketh a Fourth, Namely, one between the time of Chri&s;ts &s;peaking tho&s;e Words, and his Second coming, which is not found in Scripture. But again, Secondly, I an&s;wer, Though it were admitted that the word <HI>Now,</HI> &s;hould be Imphatical, and &s;ignifie a time wherein Chri&s;t Kingdome would be of the World, or from the world, yet it cro&s;&s;eth your doctrine; becau&s;e you &s;ay, the Saints as Saints mu&s;t fight for him, to enthrone him, you know the Saints are contra-di&s;tingui&s;hed from the world, and &s;aid to be cho&s;en out of it, <HI>John</HI> 15.19. So that which way &s;oever you turn this text, it fighteth again&s;t you, not for you. Thirdly, if there had been any time between that expre&s;&s;ion of his and, his Second coming wherein he would have his Servants turn de&s;troyers of men in&s;tead of Saviours, and walk &s;o contrary to him&s;elf and the plain Laws he had given in <HI>Matt.</HI> 5 to all his followers; &s;urely he would have been very plain in telling us when that time &s;hould begin, and when a period &s;hould be put to tho&s;e po&s;itive Laws given in that mo&s;t excellent Sermon on the Mount</P>
<P N="15">15. Whether you are not commanded in the, 12. <HI>Rom.</HI> 17. To provide things hone&s;t in the fight of all men, and was not this <HI>Pauls</HI> care, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8.21. <HI>Providing for hone&s;t things not only in the &s;ight of God, but in the &s;ight of men,</HI> And is not that a Scripture exhortati|on to be obayed by all Saints, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10.33. <HI>give no offence neither to the Jew, nor to the Gentile, nor to the Church of God,</HI> and if &s;o; Whether it is po&s;&s;ible to give a greater offence both to the one and to the other; and do any thing more di&s;hone&s;t in the &s;ight of every man, then for private per&s;ons under the notion and name of Saints, that can work no more Miracles then other men, to countenance what they pretend to,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2.11. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5.1. 11. <HI>He<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> 16.</NOTE> who&s;e profe&s;&s;ion is to be <HI>&s;trangers and Pilgrims on earth,</HI> to expect a <HI>building of God, a hou&s;e not made with hands, eter|nal in the Heavens,</HI> after the example of <HI>Abraham</HI> the Father of the
<PB N="10" REF="7">faithful,
<NOTE PLACE="marg">12 <HI>Rom.</HI> 17.12. <HI>Rom.</HI> 19. 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 6.8.</NOTE> <HI>not to mind high things nor to avenge them&s;elves, not to &s;trive but to be gentle towards all men, meek and lowly, having food and ray|ment therewith to be content;</HI> Now for &s;uch to turn head upon all the great principles of Chri&s;tian Religion, according to the Judgment of all men upon the Scriptures, to grow impatient, heady, high-minded, to do that to others which they would not that others &s;hould do to them; and without any re&s;pect to the po&s;itive Law of God, and natural rights of men, to force the Thrones of Kings and worldly Powers, and to give Laws to the Nations; Saying under Chri&s;t we mu&s;t raign; I &s;ay, Whether is it po&s;&s;ible for men to be more &s;candelous, and do things more di&s;hone&s;t in the &s;ight of every man?</P>
<P N="16">16. Whether is there not a great appearance of evil in your pretend|ing to fight, that Chri&s;t may raign, whereas Chri&s;t doth not per&s;onally appear to raign, and utterly di&s;claimeth as you have heard his king|dome to be of this world, &s;ome of your &s;elves doubt whether ever he will vi&s;ibly appear on earth at all or no, what then will the thoughts of men be of you, if ever you &s;hould run upon any boy&s;terous engage|ment, but that through &s;ome bitter root or other, you would pull down tho&s;e in power to advance your &s;elves and for a cloak, talk of Chri&s;t &amp; his raign or at be&s;t that you are &s;piritually intoxicated through &s;ome enthu&s;ia&s;tical fancy, this mu&s;t needs be the thoughts of the mo&s;t except you could &s;hew a Commi&s;&s;ion from Chri&s;t, to take the King|domes of this world under his hand and &s;eal, that all men may know you deputed by Chri&s;t thereto from all others <HI>that make no &s;uch pre|tence.</HI></P>
<P N="17">17. Whether your judgment, being that the per&s;ons u&s;ed in this &s;miting work &s;hall be of an extraordinary qualification for goodne&s;s, pure, &s;anctified, refined, purged as gold and &s;ilver, as the text you urge from <HI>Malachy</HI> &s;peaketh, And as <HI>John;</HI> undefiled <HI>Virgins, re|deemed from among&s;t men, from the earth, And in who&s;e mouth is found no guile, and &s;o without fault before the Throne of God;</HI> I &s;ay, do not you by this de&s;cription of the men that &s;hal be u&s;ed in this work either bewray the intemperate opinion you have, of your own good|ne&s;s and worth, or el&s;e publi&s;h to the world with a loud voyce, that you are not the men, for the pre&s;ent fitted for the work; is there any one man among&s;t you; or indeed in the whole world, able to &s;ay I am pure refined, purged as gold, undefiled, redeemed for the earth, I am without fault before the Throne of God, if you &s;ay you cannot &s;ay &s;o, why then do you entertain one thought, to engage in &s;uch high and mighty work, which is proper only to &s;uch by your own confe&s;&s;ion.</P>
<PB N="11" REF="7">
<P N="18">18 Whether height of confidence, boldne&s;s to &s;uffer, &s;ence of comfort, be any Argument alone of being in the Truth, <HI>Paul</HI> was high in confidence, that he plea&s;ed God, when he draged the Saints to pri&s;on, <HI>Acts</HI> 26. <HI>I verily thought, I ought to do many things con|trary to the Name of Je&s;us.</HI> Doth not Chri&s;t &s;ay, <HI>they &s;hall kill you</HI> and think <HI>they do God good &s;ervice?</HI> 9. <HI>John</HI> 40. The Phari&s;ees,
<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Iohn</HI> 16.2.</NOTE> <HI>Are we al&s;o blind?</HI> And yet who &s;o blind? Are any more bold to &s;uffer, more confident of being in the Truth then the poor deluded <HI>Quakers?</HI> If the&s;e things alone be no &s;olid Argument of being in the the Truth, then be intreated to found your notions &amp; practi&s;es upon the never erring Word of God, rationally interpreted, or let them go, 8. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 20. <HI>To the Law and to the te&s;timony, if they &s;peak not according to this word, it is becau&s;e there is no light in them.</HI> 6. <HI>Gal.</HI> 16. <HI>As many as walk according to THIS R&V;LE peace be on them,</HI> who ever &s;indeth peace in a way contrary to Go&s;|pel Rule, may be &s;ure tis not the Peace of God, <HI>Phil</HI> 4.7. but the peace of Satan, which he is wont to give poor creatures that he hath in fa&s;t po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, <HI>Luke</HI> 11.21.</P>
<P N="19">19. <NOTE PLACE="marg">John Be|caldus <HI>Redivium.</HI> Or the <HI>En|li&s;h Quaker</HI> you may read at large.</NOTE> Whether that Spirit that worketh mightily in you in the&s;e &s;mighting re&s;olutions, be not the &s;ame that wrought in <HI>Mun&s;ter,</HI> and others, that at la&s;t i&s;&s;ued in all manner of ungodline&s;&s;e, and confu&s;ion, which I believe is farre from your hearts to de&s;ign.</P>
<P>Do you complain of Princes Tyranny, and Luxury to the People? So did they.</P>
<P>Do you cry up the Kingdome of Chri&s;t on Earth, and pretend for Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e? So did they.</P>
<P>Do you cry up your &s;elves for the little remnant, the refined People that are appointed to &s;miting work? So did they.</P>
<P>Do you revile the reputed Orthodox Mini&s;tery for Antichri&s;tian, Carnall? So did they.</P>
<P>Do you open the Pulpit to common men of all Trades? So did they.</P>
<P>Do you go much by inward impul&s;es? So did they.</P>
<P>Do you u&s;e the Scripture In&s;tances of <HI>Jonathan</HI> &amp; his Armour-Bear|er, <HI>Gideon</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Midianites,</HI> &amp; <HI>David</HI> again&s;t <HI>Goliah,</HI> to heighten the Peoples Spirits to fight. So did <HI>Mun&s;ters,</HI> in his Oration before the fight with the Princes, u&s;e the &s;ame?</P>
<P>Do you abound with comfort, peace, confidence of &s;ucce&s;&s;e, &s;o did they? <HI>Mun&s;ter</HI> to encourage the People to fight, told them he was &s;ure of Victory. Now then con&s;ider in the fear of God, whether this &s;imilitude doth not evince, that <HI>they then,</HI> and <HI>you now,</HI> are acted much by oneand the &s;elf-&s;ame Spirit, and if &s;o, Whether you have not cau&s;e to
<PB N="12" REF="8">judge that you have gotten the wrong Spirit for your guide, and your foot in a mo&s;t dangerous &s;nare, (notwith&s;tanding all your confidence to the contrary) &s;ince not only Gods Word, but Gods fearful Judgements upon the Ringleaders of the <HI>German</HI> Rebellion, did, &amp; do with a loud voice declare his di&s;like of their actions, there not being one Head-manamong&s;t them, according to the Story, but proved for&s;aken of the good and ho|ly Spirit, and &s;truck with Blindne&s;&s;e of Mind, and Hardne&s;&s;e of Heart. And whether you have not ju&s;t cau&s;e to fear the like fearfull judge|ments of God to befall you, if you &s;hould per&s;i&s;t in obedience to the mo|tions of that evil Spirit, that now prompteth you to leap out of your Places and Callings, to meddle with Per&s;ons and Things you have no|thing to do with: Since <HI>God</HI> is the <HI>God of order and not of confu&s;ion;</HI> And <HI>the Father that without re&s;pect of per&s;ons judgeth every mans work</HI> 1 Pet. 1.17.</P>
<P N="20">20. Whether your Contempt of the godly learned Mini&s;try of the Na|tion be not evidently of the <HI>evil Spirit?</HI> &s;ince all the great ends for which Chri&s;t ordained a Go&s;pel Mini&s;try, is not onely endeavoured but actually effected, by many of them, and con&s;equently the Marks and Characters of the Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t are upon them, &s;ince it is impo&s;&s;ible &s;uch work &s;hould be done, but by the concurrence of Gods holy Spirit with them. For <HI>though Paul plant and Apollo water,</HI> Tis <HI>God mu&s;t give the increa&s;e.</HI> If you could &s;hew half &s;o much for your Go|verning the World, as they can for their Mini&s;try, you might the bet|ter expect Subjection by the Inhabitants of the Earth. There are Four things chiefly to which the work of the Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t, by divine appointment, may be reduced. Fir&s;t, Conviction of Sin &amp; Righteou&s;n&s;s, <HI>Joh.</HI> 16.8.18. <HI>Act.</HI> 28. Secondly, Conver&s;ion, 26. <HI>Acts</HI> 18. Thirdly, Edifi|cation. 4. <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 12. Fourthly, Protection, 20. <HI>Acts,</HI> 28, 29. None of which can be denied to be wrought by many of them. The truth of which is manife&s;t. 1. By the multitude of bils of &s;piritual complaints, reque&s;ts and thanks givings made evident daily by &s;uch as wait on the Publick mini&s;try. 2. Particular addre&s;&s;es of per&s;ons to their hou&s;es, to be re&s;olved in ca&s;es of con&s;cience upon their Mini&s;try. 3. The con|&s;tant, early, chearfull attendance of multitudes of Chri&s;tians, upon their Mini&s;try daily, to receive their Fathers bread by their hand. 4. The holy Conver&s;ation of many that are fed by them. 5. The freedome of &s;uch from the grand Here&s;ies of the Time wherewith divers others are infected, Hereticks having little to do with any but &s;uch as have fir&s;t fal|len in their affection to them, and at la&s;t turned their backs upon them. 6. The tears &amp; &s;ad hearts of many godly &s;ouls at the death of them, as late|ly
<PB N="13" REF="8">at the death of Mr. <HI>Jacombe.</HI> Now then, if they do all the work of the Miui&s;ters of Chri&s;t, and all the ends for which Chri&s;t ordained the Mini&s;try be accompli&s;hed by them, which could not be done without God, why then God owneth them, Chri&s;t owneth them, and the Spirit of God owneth them; Whence then can it be but from the evil Spirit that you di&s;own them, and pour contempt upon them?</P>
<P>Now the Lord give you to con&s;ider this, and in the &s;pirit of love &amp; meekne&s;s I &s;peak to you, remembring what poor weak creatures we are all, and that I my &s;elf have been in the like kind tempted, &amp; to &s;ome de|gree overcome, for which I abhor my &s;elf in du&s;t and a&s;hes. I further intreat you to con&s;ider if God peradventure will give you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, that as in the contempt of the god|ly learned Mini&s;try, you fall <HI>O&V;T</HI> of the company of God, <HI>O&V;T</HI> of the company of Chri&s;t, <HI>O&V;T</HI> of the company of the Spirit, as hath been &s;hewn, <HI>O&V;T</HI> of the company of the ble&s;&s;ed Martyrs and glorified Saints who greatly reveren&s;ed the godly Mini&s;try of their time, <HI>O&V;T</HI> of the company of almo&s;t all the people of God, upon the face of the whole earth at the pre&s;ent time, &s;o on the other hand, I intreat you con|&s;ider who&s;e company you fall <HI>INTO</HI> even all &s;orts of per&s;ons enmpt|ty of the good, and full of the evil &s;pirit, comrades of Satan; who are like to be throne into the lake that burneth with fire and brim&s;tone for ever, the&s;e all as one man, hate the godly Mini&s;try, and mo&s;t vi|olently &s;et them&s;elves again&s;t them, yea, 'tis remarkable, that the fur|ther men are from God the greater is their hatred of them, and can you find in your heart to be found in &s;uch company.</P>
<P N="1">1. All &s;orts of prophane wretches, in who&s;e Souls the good &s;pirits never lodged, &s;uch as re&s;i&s;t the holy Gho&s;t, and will not that Chri&s;t &s;hould raign over them, the&s;e all hate a puritan Mini&s;ter, becau&s;e he can|not Prophe&s;ie to them of Wine or &s;trong drink, or any thing that will plea&s;e them; Secondly, all Apo&s;tates from the faith of Gods elect, out of who&s;e &s;ouls the good &s;pirit is <HI>departed,</HI> as the <HI>Ranters</HI> and <HI>Qua|kers</HI> that have let go the <HI>head,</HI> there are no per&s;ons &s;o venemou&s;ly &s;et again&s;t them as the&s;e: as appeareth by their Pamphlets and <HI>WHY</HI> but becau&s;e tho&s;e greevous Wolves cannot devour the Lambs of Chri&s;t; &s;o freely as they would, while the poor people, have the wings of godly and learned men to &s;helter them? Thirdly the Pope with his Col|ledge of <HI>Je&s;uites,</HI> the&s;e &s;trive all they can to hinder the &s;ucce&s;s of their Mini&s;try, and indeed to ruin both them and their &s;tanding, in&s;inuate|ing to the people, that they are no Mini&s;ters, only lay-men; Their &s;tanding in the Mini&s;try naught, becau&s;e they have not their Ordina|tion
<PB N="14" REF="9">from Rome, while you on the other hand &s;ay their &s;tanding is naught, becau&s;e <HI>they have</HI> their Ordination from Rome. But be&s;ides all this, <HI>HE</HI> by all ba&s;e means reproacheth them, as carnal, vitions, and if he can light of them he burneth them, and why doth be all this? Is it becau&s;e their Mini&s;terial &s;tanding is Antichri&s;tian think ye, as you &s;ugge&s;t, or the quite contrary, the Pope and you are of two minds in this, were the Mini&s;ters of <HI>England,</HI> bone of his bone and fle&s;h of his fle&s;h as you are apt to think, he would nori&s;h and cheri&s;h them, not bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">n ruin and de&s;troy them, no man ever hated his own fle&s;h, but nouri&s;h|ed and cheri&s;hed it, the truth is, his hatred to them is founded upon his knowledg of the quite contrary: Namely, that if he cannot procure them to fall off their &s;tanding (wherein you work hard to help him though not intentionally) he is never like to get up his in <HI>England,</HI> he know|eth well enough that as they ever have been, &s;o &s;till are, under God, the Walls, and Bullworks of the Prote&s;tant Religion, and that be&s;ides them he hath no con&s;iderable adver&s;ary hear; there not being many be&s;ides able to read one line; nay not one word of the Bible, but by their help, now then if they have God, Chri&s;t, Spirit, with them, and the generality of the godly, over the face of the whole earth with them: and again&s;t them, all &s;orts of ungodly wretches as in a con&s;piracy, me|thinks it &s;hould rationally put you to a &s;tand and make you tremble when you or any other go about to &s;peak evil of &s;uch dignities: Again is it <HI>Satan</HI> in them? that's certain; becau&s;e they have no other guide, and becau&s;e he &s;eeketh the de&s;truction of Souls, and can it be God in you to de&s;troy the Saviours of Souls. You cannot &s;wear with them, norly with them, nor be drunk with them, nor commit uncleane&s;s with them, nor bla&s;pheme God, nor commit Idolatry with them: how cometh it that you can revile the Godly learned Mini&s;try with them? For the Lords &s;ake, the Go&s;pel &s;ake, the poor divided Church &amp; people of Gods &s;ake, and for your own eternal Savlation &s;ake, con&s;ider what you do in this great matter, le&s;t you be found fighters again&s;t God, whil&s;t you think to fight for him, and fighters for the Pope whil&s;t you think to fight again&s;t him.</P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q>Ble&s;&s;ed are the Pace-makers, for they &s;hall be called the Children of God:
<BIBL><HI>Matt. 5.9.</HI></BIBL></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<TRAILER>FINIS</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
