To all that want peace with God to the sheep everywhere not brought home, ... plainly published, concerning the way of life, and of the gradual comings forth of death through law ... / ... Humphry Smith.

Secondly, Concerning Christ and his Ministration, (when he was upon earth) and his work which he finished.

ANd when he cometh, which Moses commandeth to hear∣ken unto, even Christ the true Prophet, the Light of the World, the living Minister, the end of the Law, who had a body prepared to do the will of the Father, which was in him the man Christ Jesus; he saith, follow me, and he took up his Cross and passed through the death & the vail; & so being made perfect through sufferings, attained that glory, which he had with the Father before he had a body, which body, was prepa∣red to do the Fathers will, whose will was, that all men should be saved; therefore Christ tasted death for every man, and rose again for the Justification of those that believe in him, who said, I am the Light, and is sate down at the right hand of God, who is a Spirit eternally in the Heavens, ascended up out of the sight of them, which gaseth after that body, which is gone out of their sight, even he, Christ, the Ministry, hid from ages and genera∣tions,

now made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil, being meek and low in the heart, he saith learn of me: Then not of the Priests, nor any longer of Moses, for the Law is the School∣master to Christ, who being come, calleth one from the Custome, another from going to bury the dead, another from questoning and reasoning what this man, or another should do, that he might not stand looking out at others, but himself to follow the Light, saying, follow thou me.

And those that followed him when he was upon earth, saw his miracles, and heard his parables, and eat of the outward bread and were filled, (though many now eat and are not filled) and they had his body among them, and they came to the Baptisme and the Supper, but Christ himself Baptised not; and when he was upon earth he said, I go to the Father, and I go to prepare a place for you, and he said, whether I go ye know; and he said be∣fore, follow me, and except a man deny himself aud take up his Cross and follow me, he cannot be my Disciple; and he said, my sheep hear my voyce, and they followed me, and he entred within the vail, (and the vail is over the heart) and was made perfect through sufferings, and is sate down in the Majesty on high, glo∣rified with God the Father, and the Father was in him, even the fullness of God, and that which may be known of God is mani∣fest in thee; and he said, he had finished the work that the Father gave him to do, and so the Fathers will was accomplished and done, for which the body was prepared; he said, now glorifie me Father, with the same glory which I had with thee from the be∣ginning; and he that spake in the body abideth for ever, who sad, a body hast thou prepared me, which body being crucified, he took up his life again, and then those that did know him thiree dayes before, knew him not, and he ascended, and a cloud received him out of the sight of certain men, who never found him unto this day, for he remaineth out of the sight of most that profess him, and as the lightening in the Clouds of Heaven doth he come again, and every eye shall see him, that condemneth sin; and the Kingdome of Heaven is within you, and yet the blind cannot see, nor the deaf hear.

And this was he that Moses commanded to hear, who said, he that is with you shall be in you, & he that was with or without, was to go away; and that which was to be received within, he

said should abide with them for ever, and the Spirit of truth, was to lead into all truth, for though the body was prepared to do Gods will, yet they by it were not led into all truth, but some∣times understood it not, though he spake Spirit, and Life; and moreover they went away and some fled from the truth, and Peter denyed him that was the truth; and so such as have got a profession of the truth without them, and not the Spirit with∣in to lead into all truth, such fly in the day of tryal, from that truth they profess, and some deny it rather than suffer with, or for it, and herein, them called Baptists also, have not come short; and some of them have bowed to the Beast, and so it is with many who profess Christ, and truth without them, even as with those who understood not the Parables; nor could not cast out the unclean Spirits, so that Christ was and is grieved, when he hath been so long with, and professed, and followed without, and yet not come to that faith which purifieth the heart, whereby to cast out the unclean within, as thou maist read in thy self.

And therefore Christ, when he was upon earth, did often speak unto them, of what was yet to come, and I do seldome read or take notice, that he did so often Preach, and repeat any one thing unto them, as that of the Spirit to come, saying that it (mark the Spirit) would lead into all truth, and seeing their weakness, and unbelief, Mar. 16. 14. he by the often repetition thereof, did as it were the more chiefly to ingage their hearts to wait for, & seek after the incomes of that which should comfort them, and abide with them, when his body was gone from them, whether they could not come; and to this one thing doth he di∣rect them in various expressions, as of his going to the Father, & coming again, and saith he, I will pray the Father, & he shall give you another Comforter, even the Spirit of truth, whom the World cannot receive, John 12. 16. and many things Jesus did, which if it should be all written, the world might not contain the books, John 21. 25. and many things he spake unto them, Acts 2. 40. and ••et there was something to come to be waited for, and af∣ter to be received, which was more than all this, for said he, these things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you; but the comforter, mark the word, but intimateth something grea∣ter, or more than what was spoken to them, whilst he was with

them, for he saith, he that is with you shall be in you, John 14. 17. and said, but the comforter which is the holy Spirit, whom the Fa∣ther will send in my name, he will teach you all things (mark what that is, that teacheth all things) and bringeth all things to your re∣membrance whatsoever I have said (and so that is within which bringeth the words of spirit and life to remembrance) John 14. 25. 26. and having spoken of other things, he saith again, But when the comforter comes, even the Spirit of truth, John 15. 26. and if I go not away, the comforter will not come, but if I depart I will send him unto you, John 16. 7. and I have many things to say un∣to you, but you cannot bear them now, howbeit when he, the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, John 16. 12, 13. here it may be seen that they who followed Christ without, and not received the spirit within, could not bear what he had to speak unto them, and also, it may be seen that when the Spirit was come, it would be better with them.

And much more might be mentioned, how Christ foretold, what was to come, and be received, and revealed in that day, John 16. 23. when the spirit should be poured forth according to the Pro∣phets; all which plainly declareth, and most evidently sets forth, how Christ in his Ministry, when he was upon earth, did most thief∣ly direct, unto the ministration of the spirit of Truth, which was then yet to come; and that they might not run to teach others (as ma∣ny do now) before they had received the spirit of truth in them∣selves, by, & with that to be led into all truth, but might receive the power of truth in themselves, from the life thereof, to convert others into the same, therefore said he further, after he was risen again, but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high, Mark 24. 4. so that, though they had seen his body before, & had now seen him after his resurrection, yet that, and all the rest was not enough without the power, and the spirit, which was to come, which they were to wait for, and so now men should tarry, wait, and stand still, to see the salvation of God, and until they re∣ceive the spirit, for it is the spirit (not the body) which searcheth all things, and sheweth plainly of the Father.

And by this before written in short, I have a little endeavoured, to shew unto the meek and single bearted, That Moses when he was upon earth, directed unto Christ; As in these words,

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet, from the

midst of thee, of thy Brethren, like unto me, unto him shall ye hear∣ken, Deut. 18. 15.

And Christ when he was upon earth, directed unto the Spirit, which was to come, in the like words, saying,

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you, but the Comforter which is the holy Spirit, whom the Fa∣ther will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, John 14. 25, 26.

And then, what if I did write after the manner of men, and say, if Moses were now upon the earth, and Christ in his own bo∣dy upon the earth, and Moses with all his Priests, Tyths and Of∣ferings, and Religion, which discovers sin, but makes nothing per∣fect, which Paul profited much in; if he I say, should command and exhort all people under his Ministry, to go to Christ, and hear him.

And if Christ were now upon earth, and notwithstanding his outward Miracles, Circumcision, Baptism, Supper, and Death, yet he should command and exhort all, (that come through the Law or Ministration of Moses unto him) to look, and tarry, and wait for another Comforter, That they might receive the Spirit in them, and say unto them, that that should teach them all things, and lead them into all truth.

Then whether or no, people were to continue following Moses Priests, with their Tyths, and long prayers, and still be seeking the Law at their mouth, or to come to Christ, to seek the Gospel? for Moses himself did not say, that they should seek the Gospel at the Priests mouth: And then, when did the Priests ever preach the Gospel?

And then, whether those obey not Moses, who leave the Priests and come to Christ, (the Light) and whether such when they are come to Christ, should alwayes be looking and following after his Body, Miracles, Baptism, or Supper, without them, or tarry and wait to receive the Spirit within them?

And then, which of these now, should all people that profess Christ, be led by in these dayes, either Moses, or the person of Christ, or the Spirit of Truth? And, whether such as have received, and are truly indeed led by this Spirit of truth, and know that to be their Teacher, and follow it, and are ruled, governed, and guided by it, according to the command of Moses and Christ, do not hereby o∣bey

the command of Moses and of Christ, and fulfil their Do∣ctrine? And whether any other people or professors whatsoever, do obey the command of Moses and Christ, but only such? And whether this be not a thing of great concernment to be known and learned, by all which profess Christianity?

But why then do people follow these Priests of England any lon∣ger, which are contrary to Moses, and also to Christ; who have no Store-houses, but suffer the poor to want within and without, and the Widdow and Stranger ready to perish, and moreover de∣vour, and can never have enough of the spoil of others mens goods?

And why do others dispute about, and talk of the Body so much, which they never saw nor knew? And is it not better be silent, and know God, who dwels in his people, and the Spirit of Truth, which he requires in the inward parts, and to feel after God, even the life in themselves, because the Apostle said, they were saved by his life, being before reconciled by his death, Rom. 5. 10. and until the life came, there were many things, which they were not saved from by his Body, for the Body was before the death, and the death which reconcileth, was passed through, before the life was received again to save and justifie.

And why then, are people so much busied about that which was before the reconciliation, (and so therein much short of the life) and for outward Bread, Wine, and Water; Are not these, things which are seen? And are not the things that are seen temporal?

But Christ the true Prophet being come, of whom Moses did write, who is the end of the Law, and so the end of that Ministry, whereby that is done away for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof, and Christ coming after John, of whom John bare witness, that he was before, and greater, and came after him; and Christ also having finished that which he himself came to do; and likewise so largely and often exhorted to wait for another Comforter, even the Spirit.

Then what Ministration is it, that now standeth and remaineth, which is according both to Moses, Christ, and the holy Scriptures? and what Ministration is to be expected or waited for, but the Mi∣nistration of the Spirit? And whether all they be not compassed a∣bout with a cloud of error, who are upholding that Ministry of the Law, (or a worse) which Christ is the end of, and the Apostles said was done away; and likewise such as are upholding, and keep∣ing

up that which Christ said he had finished? And, whether the up∣holding of such things now, be not quite opposite, both to Moses Christ and Scriptures?

And being that Moses, nor indeed his true Ministers of the Law, are not upon earth, neither that Body of Christ, (which by the Professors was murthered at Jerusalem) visibly to be seen upon earth; then what was it that those have to follow, who have not received the Spirit to be led by? and if they will say, they have the writings of Moses and the word of Christ; I say if that be all, then they that forsook and denyed Christ, had more than them; for they had the words from his own mouth, which was Spirit and life, and yet they understood not; (and then what do those understand who have not so much as they had?) therefore after he had suffer∣ed, and rose again, he opened their understandings.

And so, what is all their Religion worth, who are not come to the Spirit? And whether Moses Ministration being ended by Christ, and Christ also having finished his work, are not all people in the first place, now to wait for the Spirit, and to receive the Spirit by it, then to be led into all Truth; and so being first led into the Truth, then in the same Truth to worship God in the spirit, who is a spi∣rit? And whether there be now any true worship standing, which God accepteth but only this? And whether this alone be not agree∣able to Moses, Christ and Scriptures? And then whether all o∣ther worship now upheld, be not contrary to this true worship of God, and contrary to Moses, Christ, and Scriptures; and indeed chiefly opposite to the spirit of God, whereby he is grieved? And if so, whether all such worship, way, practise, performances, du∣ties, and Ordinances, (so called) be not better left undone than per∣formed, until Gods Spirit be received to guid therein?