John Rogers, a servant of Jesus Christ, to any of the flock of Christ that may be scattered among the churches of New-England, greeting. Giving a description of the true shepherds of Christ's flock; and also of the antichristian ministers; according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and his apostles, in the Holy Scriptures. : As also something touching baptism and the Lord's Supper.

JOHN ROGERS, A SERVANT of JESUS CHRIST. To any of the Flock of Christ that may be scattered among the Churches of New-England, Greeting.

I WISH you grace and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath called us with an holy calling, and hath revealed his everlasting Love (in and through Jesus Christ his beloved Son) unto us by his own spirit.

WHEREFORE, brethren, I beseech you to walk worthy of this holy calling, not fashioning yourselves according to the former con|versation in the time of your ignorance, when you were ignorant of the true God; but now being translated out of a state of darkness into a state of light, now walk as children of light, bringing forth the fruits of God's spirit, seeing he hath sowed the seed of righte|ousness in your hearts, be ye now the followers of them, who through faith and patience, come to inherit the promises which God hath made to them that love him; for though you may have a great and terrible wilderness to travel through before ye come to inherit that blessed promise, yet, through faith and patience, you may be led through the great deep, and see your enemies drowned in the depth of the sea, and you stand and rejoice in the God of your salvation; yet did those afterward perish that believed not in their journey toward the land of rest, but fell short of it.

I HAVE seen and learned by experience, that it is a needful thing, that patience should have its perfect work, in the day of tempta|tion, and that without believing in God, in all trials, it is impos|sible that we can enjoy it, without being led by his spirit; there|fore

it is written, as many as are led by the spirit of God, are the sons of God; and if we be the sons of God, then are we heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chirst, of that inheritance which our heavenly fa|ther hath promised us, even that inheritance which is everlasting; but take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God, and so you come to fall short of that rest; for there remains the keeping of an everlasting sabbath of rest, to the people of God.

BUT the people, after they were delivered out of Egypt, perish|ed in the wilderness, because of their unbelief, and so fell short of that rest, which was a figure of the true, unto whom the gospel was preached; but they not being united to it by faith, they perished in the wilderness.

BELOVED in the Lord, I am greatly sensible, though you are not, how that you are entangled in the evil net of antichrist, and miserably bewildered in the traditions and delusions of a wicked and an adultrous generation, who have gone a whoring from God, and is become an harlot, and her teachers are such as have not en|tered into the sheepfold by the door, but have climbed up another way, that is, they are not sent from God, but have their call and authority from an earthly power, according to what was before told us by our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and his holy apo|stles, how that in the last days there should come false, teachers, as there had been of old false prophets; and how that they would deceive ma|ny by reason of which the way of truth should be evil spoken of; and how that many should follow their pernicious ways; therefore it is written, they shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and shall t••rn away their ears from the truth, and shall give heed unto fables: Now the truth which they shall turn their ears from is Christ himself, although they confess him in words, yet deny him in works; for Jesus Christ is a quickning spirit, and this spirit is in all God's children, and is the truth according to Christ's words, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; he that is in this spirit is in the truth, and he that is led by it is in the truth; and it is the life of Christ in you, and you need not that any man should teach you, for you are compleat in Christ, who is the head of all power and authority whatsoever. I cannot say to you as once the apostle ••d to a church of Christ, beware lest any man spoil you through phi|losophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ, because you are entangled already

in the evil net of antichrist, in following after the traditions of men, and not being lead only by the spi•• of Christ; this is the very grounds of your walking in darkness, and not in the light of assurance; but I can say to you as he did to them in the very next words, for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are compleat in him, and you need not be taught but as that spirit of truth teacheth you; and if ye be followers of it, it will lead you into all truth, even that spirit whom the world cannot receive, because the world doth not see it, nor know it, but ye know it, for it dwelleth in you, and it hath given you an understanding, to know him that is true; you that are of Christ's sheep, have heard his voice speak|ing in you, in the voice of the spirit of truth, which hath taken of his righteousness, and revealed it unto you; and if this spirit abide in you, ye also shall continue in the Father and in the Son; for to be led by the spirit of truth, is the path of the just, which will lead unto a perfect light, and by this means you will be able to try the spirits of false prophets, and also of the true; for many false pro|phets are gone out into the world, which in words confess Jesus Christ to be their king, but sin rules in them; they will confess Christ to be their priest, but never yet was freed from the guilt of sin, through the sacrifice of himself; they will say he is their pro|phet, but never yet heard the voice of his spirit speaking in them; yet they will pray, preach, and make a great outward show, when the spirit of Christ is not in them. These are the antichrists and deceivers that we have had fore-warning of, that should come, that have not the spirit of Christ in them; but saith the apostle John, ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things: I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it. This unction is the spirit of truth, which all God's chrildren are annointed with; it is the immediate teaching of Christ, who dwells in his own children, as the spirit of the wicked one dwells in his children; and it is the spirits that we are exhorted to try, and not to believe every spirit; for many false prophets were gone out into the world in the days of the apostle John, but have now spread over nations and kingdoms, who set light for darkness, and dark|ness for light, who call evil good, and good evil: These are not called or sent of God, neither hath Jesus Christ revealed himself to them; their call is only from an earthly power, and through co|vetousness; with feigned words, they make merchandize of you, and their preachings is only their own imaginations or studyings.

AND I have written unto you the way and manner of God's call|ing and sending his messengers, in all ages, as the penmen of the

holy scripture have left upon record, whose writings are as a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts; which will certainly be, if you order your con|versation aright, and become fruitful branches in Christ the true vine; for the goings of the Lord towards his people (that are led singly by his spirit) is like the morning light, which shines more and more even unto the perfect day. And there is no writings of the holy prophets or apostles that is of any private interpretation; for the scriptures of truth came not in old time by the wisdom or learning of the world, but holy men of God spake as they were im|mediately enlightened by the spirit of Christ which was in them; and it is the same spirit that gives us an understanding of their writings, according to what is written. Luke xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 1 John v. 20, 21. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may 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. Little children keep yourselves from idols.

An EXPOSITION upon ACTS ii. 39.

For the Promise is unto you, and to your Children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

HERE ariseth a question in the first place, what this promise is? Which question is resolved in the 17th verse; which was the promise that God made by the prophet Joel, saying, and it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy. So that this promise is the gift of the Holy Ghost. The second question is, to whom is it promised, and upon what conditions? Answer, it was promised to all that was there present, which were both Jew and Gentile, yea, of every nation under heaven, verse 5. And upon what condition is shewed in the 38th verse? Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptised, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call: As much as if he should say, this promise is not made only to you that are here this day present, but to your children af|ter you, and to all that are afar off; for so did God before promise,

by the prophet Joel, not only to pour out his spirit upon their sons and daughters, but also upon all flesh, that is, so many as God shall call, both far and near, they repenting, believing, and obey|ing; so that this promise is made (both to father, son and daughter, upon their repentance, and being baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ) that they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and also to all afar off, not only to Jews, but also to Gentiles; as saith Paul, Eph. ii. 17. And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, that is the Gentiles; and to them that were nigh, that was the Jews; for both Jew and Gentile have an entrance into God's love and favour, only by Jesus Christ, and that through the blood of Jesus, who was that lamb of God that taketh away that sin of the world.

NOW the outward washing with water by the ministers of Christ, is but an outward sign to the world; and there is no virtue at all in it; for all divine virtue is only from the divine power, for every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from God; and that is not the baptism that is outward with the element of water, but that is the baptism that washeth the heart and inward parts, from the defile|ment of sin, James i. 17. Matt. iii. 11. 1 Cor. xii. 13. which is the work of God, done only in the name of his son; and by a divine water, which is the water of life, and doth quicken the dead sinner, that repents and believes in the God that raised up Jesus from the dead, he also is raised up by the same spirit with Christ. And this outward sign, acted by the ministers of Christ, is a figure of this death, burial, and resurrection with Christ, which is seen and felt by every one that is Christ's; for they have the im|mediate witness of God in themselves, 1 John ii. 20. 1 John v. 10, 20. 2 Tim. iii. 5. But the antichristian world, that hath not this immediate inspiration of God, which is a holy unction, they idolize the outward signs, and are enemies to godliness, but know nothing of that mighty power that worketh in us; as it is written, Eph. iii. 20. Col. i. 29. 1 John iv. 4.

An EXPOSITION upon 1 COR. vii. 14.

For the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife, and the unbe|lieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband; else were your Children unclean, but now are they holy.

THE first thing that we are to take notice of is this, that this chapter is an answer to what this church wrote to Paul about, and is to resolve their doubt about marriage; as verse 1, they be|ing such as had newly turned from dumb idols to the living God, and questioning whether it was lawful for the believer to have com|munion with the unbeliever, as man and wife; to which doubt Paul gives his judgment, as in the 12th verse, but to the rest speak I, not the Lord; for though he had not any immediate commandment from the Lord, yet he gives them his judgment, saying, If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away, ver. 13. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. And the reason that he gives, why the believer should not put away the unbeliever, is this, that the unbeliever is sanctified to the believer; for it is evident, though the marriage was made in the belivers unconverted estate, yet to be kept by the believers; for marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled, Heb. xiii. 4. But the question here ariseth, only by the believer; now if the unbe|liver be not sanctified to the believer, then of necessity the children must be so esteemed also, as unclean, and not holy, to the beliver; as in Ezra x. 3. and so both wives and children to be put away, not being sanctified, but unclean to the believer: For this sanctifi|cation and holiness, that the unbeliver and belivers children is to the beliver, comes not in by the redemption of Christ, to which baptism is a figure of, but by the covenant of marriage, which is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; for the children's holiness comes as well from the unbeliever as from the believer; for if the unbeliever be not sanctified by, or to the believer, then the children are unclean to the believer also; for these children's cleanness to the believer, comes in by the unbelievers being sanctified to or by the believer; so that both wife and children are clean to him, or hus|band and children clean to her; but if the one be to be put away, then the other also; for if the one be not sanctified, then is the other unclean also, and not holy, and so both to be separated from the believer, as not clean; so that if the unbeliever be not first sanc|tified to the believer, then are the children unclean also to the

believer, and not holy; so that the unbeliever bears the root of this holiness, as well as the believer, which is the cause of the branches, or children are holy. Why do ye not baptize, and receive into your churches, in the first place? And so when you have baptized, and received the unbelievers into your churches, then their children which come to be holy, by their being sanctified to the believer? For ye fools and blind, whether is greater, the child's holiness, or the unbeliever's being sanctified by, or to the believer, by which the children come to be esteemed holy? else saith the scripture, they would be unclean; for which is the greatest, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? for so it is in this case.

QUESTIONS founded upon the Holy SCRIPTURES.

WHETHER the first day of the week be a sabbath, by God's appointment, or an invention of Antichrist?

1st Question. Whether the holy scriptures be a perfect rule of in|struction, as to the way of righteousness?

Ans. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in|struction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2d Quest. Doth the scripture teach who is the law-giver, as to true religion?

Ans. James iv. 12. There is one law-giver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another. Isa. xxxiii. 21. The Lord is our law-giver.

3d Quest. Doth God impute sin where no law is? Or can there be transgression where no law is?

Ans. Rom. iv. 15. For where no law is, there is no transgression. Rom. v. 13. But sin is not imputed when there is no law. 1 John iii. 4. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.

Seeing that the scripture is profitable for instruction in righteots|ness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished un|to all good works, and that it teacheth us that there is one law-g••er, who is God; and that where no law is, there can be no trans|gression.

4th and last Quest. Whether God hath any law to forbid work on the first day of the week? Or is it an invention of the Devil, by which the antichristian world is deceived? If of God, quote chapter

and verse for it; for if they speak not according to this word, it is be|cause there is no light in them, Isa. viii. 20. For if it be but the com|mandment of men, Christ teacheth us, it is but vain worship to at|tend it, Matt. xv. 9. Hos. v. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. Psal. xciv. 20, 21, 22, 23. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the Lord is my defence, and my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.

Concerning ABRAHAM'S Covenant.

AS to the covenant that God made with Abraham, it contained in it, spiritual promises as well as temporal; and the tem|poral promises were figures of the spiritual, or signs. Now when God made this covenant with Abraham, he was ninety-nine years of age, and had no child but Ishmael; and being affected with God's gracious promise, in promising and covenanting with him, to be a God to him, and to his seed after him; and to give unto him, and to his seed, the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I say, and having no children but Ishmael, he breaks forth into supplication and prayer to God for Ishmael, saying, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. As for Ishmael (saith the Lord) I have heard thee, &c. but my covenant will I establish with Isaac; so that Isaac was the son of promise, not being yet born, to whom God promised to establish his covenant saying, In Isaac shall thy seed be called; shewing to Abraham, when as yet Isaac was in his loins, that he would establish his covenant in Isaac, and in his seed, pointing at Christ, who was in the loins of Abraham, and after in Isaac; for this covenant made with Abraham, was in Christ, and he alone was intended of God, who is the natural heir of that inheritance, for God doth not covenant with Abraham, saying, to thy seeds, as speaking of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ; and if we be Christ's, saith the Apostle, then are we Abraham's seed, and heirs according to pro|mise; for we come to be heirs of this inheritance, by adoption in Christ, and God comes to be our God and father by adoption; for we are heirs but by adoption in Christ, of this inheritance; for we are

the children of God by faith in Christ, upon which the covenant is founded; for the children of the flesh, though Abraham's seed, are not counted for the seed, nor intended in the covenant; but it is the children of promise, saith the apostle. Now, we, brethren (saith the apostle to the Gentiles) as Isaac was, are the children of promise; and Abraham is the father of all them that believe. So that the covenant as it is spiritual, and a gospel covenant, it is made to Abraham and his seed, counting them only to be Abraham's seed, who are Christ's by adoption, and that through faith, and so come into this covenant, Gal. iii. 16, 29. Rom. viii. 15, 16, 17. Eph. v. 11, 13, 14. 1. Pet. i. 3, 4. Rom. ix. 8. Gal. iv. 18, 29. Rom. iv. 11.

NOW as the covenant was temporal, it contained only temporal promises, which had a temporal token annexed to it, which was the outward circumcision that was made in the flesh; but to relate it in order as it was temporal, it was thus, God was a God to Abraham's fleshly seed, begotten by Isaac and Jacob, in that he brought them out of Egypt, and led them forty years in the wilder|ness, and gave them the earthly Canaan, read Gen. xv. begining at the 13th verse to the end, for there the covenant was first made with Abraham.

BUT the gospel covenant was preached to Abraham by these tem|poral things, as thus; God is a God to Abraham, and to his seed, through faith in Christ, in delivering them out of the bondage of sin, and leading them safely through the wilderness of of affliction, till he brings them to the everlasting inheritance purchased by Christ, and there gives them rest from all their enemies; which in|heritance is everlasting, world without end. And the token of this covenant (as it is spiritual) is the circumcision of the heart, wrought by the spirit of God, in cutting off our sins, by the circumcision of Christ; and this circumcision of the heart is the seal of this coven|ant, as it is a gospel covenant; and therefore it is written, That is not circumcision that outward in the flesh. And again, saith the Apostle, Abraham received the sign of circumcision, calling the out|ward circumcision, the sign of circumcision, That he might be the father of all them that believe; so that only them that believe by scripture account, are reckoned for Abraham's seed: And another scripture saith, After that ye belived, ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance; Rom. ii. 29. Col. ii. 11. Phil. iii. 3. Eph. iv. 30. 2 Cor v. 5. Eph. i. 13, 14. Rom. ii. 8. chap. iv. xi.

Concerning BAPTISM.

BAPTISM is an ordinance of the New Testament, and it is a visible figure of the death, burial, and resurrection of Je|sus Christ, and of our death, burial, and resurrection by Jesus Christ; for the Lord Jesus did ordain, that the excellent virtues of his sufferings should be held forth by outward figures, which have no virtue in themselves, but are outward signs of real bene|fits and virtue that we have received by Christ. For as Christ of|fered himself a sacrifice for sin through the eternal spirit of God, a•• a lamb without spot and without blemish; so the repenting sinner that believes in him, and comes to God through faith in him, God sends forth his holy spirit into the sinner, in the name of his be|loved son, and so condemns sin in the sinner; that the sinner feels sensibly a death to sin in himself; that he hath an inward witness immediately from God; that Jesus is the Christ and Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world, Gal. iii. 1. 1 John v. 10. And can give as true a witness of the death of Christ as they that did behold his sufferings with a mortal eye; and can set to his seal that the holy scriptures are true by an immediate inspiration of God, 1 John ii. 20, 21. For the sinner is now born again, and is become a saint, and doth see by the eye of faith, that the body of sin, which he before carried about with him, is crucified with Christ, dead and buried with him; so that the old man, or body of sin, is put off by the power and spirit of God; so that he sees by the spirit of faith which dwells in him, that he is put to death in the flesh, as to sin, by the virtue of Christ's death, applied to him by the spirit of God; and he hath not only a wit|ness of Christ's death, but also of his resurrection; for by the re|surrection of Christ, a resurrection out of sin is brought to light, and also a resurrection of the body; for what is lost by the first Adam is recovered by the second; for upon repentance and faith in Jesus Christ there is not only a death to sin, but the very spirit that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead hath quickened us also together with him, and raised us up to a new life, 1 Pet. iv. 1, 2, 3. So that we are recovered by Christ out of a state of sin al-already, and brought to a state of innocency; and hereby is brought to light a resurrection of the body, and an eternal life, by the immediate witness of God's spirit in us, by which we have a lively hope. And thus the sinner hath an entrance into the love of God by Jesus Christ, and stands and rejoices in hope of eter|nal life, seeing he is born of God even by the spirit of truth, by

which spirit he is purified and washed from the guilt and filth of sin; and his body, which before was a body of, in which the prince of the power of the air did rule, is now become the temple of God, even a sanctified body, being baptised by the spirit of truth, and thereby made a fit habitation for God to dwell in by his spirit, John iii. 5, 6, 7. Heb. x. 22. 1. Cor. iii. 16, 17, chap. vi.xix. 2 Cor. vi. 16.

NOW this great work, which is the workmanship of God, is in|vinsible to the world, and therefore God hath ordained that it shall be preached by an outward and a visible figure, ministred by his messengers, in burying the repenting and believing sinner into the likeness of Christ's death, and raising him up in the likeness of Christ's resurrection; so that the death and resurrection of Christ is figured out, and our death and resurrection by Christ, in that ordinance; and this is the reason why we are buried with him in baptism, Rom. vi. 3, 4. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? There|fore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Jesus Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Col. ii. 12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead, 1 Cor. xv. 29. Else what shall they do, which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? So that this ordinance of baptism, being administred according to the form and pattern delivered to us by the scriptures, doth by a visible sign, preach and shew forth the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, with our death to sin by Christ, as also our resurrection out of sin by him, and also the resurrection of the body.

BUT as to the antichristian foppery, who have a bason of water brought into their meeting-house, is a sign of nothing else but their own delusions, an idle of their own invention and blasphe|mously, in the administring of it, take the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in vain; and yet will pretend the scripture to be their rule, although they walk as contrary to it, as light is to darkness; for the scripture of the apostles teacheth them otherwise, although they may be wholly blind, as to any divine light by God's quickening spirit, and therefore cannot discern the things that are spiritual, as God's children can, who have an unction from the Holy One, and know all things, 1 John ii. 20. The scripture doth plain|ly

tell us, that there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptised of him in the river of Jordan, Mark i. 5. And ver. 9, it is said, that Jesus was baptized of John in Jordan. And in acts viii. 38, 39, it is said, that they both went down into the water, and came up out of the water. As also John iii, 22, 23, after these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptising in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there. Which scripture fully confutes and condemns the antichristian foppery, for the apostle testifies that it was because there was much water there: But a little in a bason will go a great way with an antichristian minister. And for any to make this outward sign, although ministred never so exactly according to scripture, to be the baptism, it is also ••n idolizing a figure of the true baptism: For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body; for there is but one baptism that washeth us from the defilement of sin: For it is not the washing the filth of the flesh outwardly with water, but it is the answer of a good conscience towards God, that we have by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with whom we are risen; which conscience is purified by the spirit of truth, 1 Cor. xii. 13. Matt. iii. 11. Mark i. 8. Eph. iv. 5.

Concerning the LORD's SUPPER.

THE supper of the Lord also, the bread and wine, is a visible sign of that which is invisible to the carnal eye, and it is no more the body and blood of Christ, than the baptism of water is the baptism of Christ, for they are both but outward signs of gospel truths, and they are revealed by the scriptures of the apostles; but that which is signified by them, is revealed by the spirit of truth immediately by God, so that every one that believes hath the wit|ness in himself, and can set to his seal, that the scripture is true, according to what is written, 1 John ii. 21. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it: For the children of God have their understandings opened by the spirit of truth to understand the scriptures, Luke xxiv. 45. Now the scripture of truth gives u••n account, that the same night in which our Lord was betrayed, he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he break it, and said, take eat, this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. This also is an ordinance

of the New Testament, whereby the man Christ Jesus, who through the eternal spirit offered himself a sacrifice for sin, who was fore-ordained of God to be the Lamb that should take away the sins of the world; and through the blood of this Lamb of God, which is the blood of the New Testament, the guilt of sin is taken away by free pardon and remission of sin. So that the blood of the New Testament is drink indeed; for the free pardon and re|mission of sin through the blood of Christ, is revealed immediately by the spirit of God in the sinner, where remission and forgiveness is: And there is no remission of sin but only by the blood of this Lamb of God, for this is he that came by water and blood. By his blood we have free remission of sin, and by the divine water we are washed or sanctified from the defilement of sin, and it is the spirit of truth that applies the virtue of his blood to us. So that we being now sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Jesus Christ, we can draw nigh to God with a true heart, in the full assurance of faith, which causeth joy unspeakable, yea, greater than the joy of wine that makes the heart glad; which wine is ministred only in remembrance of his blood shed for sin. And his body that was offered a sacrifice for sin, by the application of the spirit of God, is the true bread of life by which we live; for Jesus Christ is both God and man; for he took our nature and laid down his life, and hath taken it up again, and of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace, and because he lives we live also; for he hath given us of his spirit, even of that spirit which raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, and hath given us life through him, who were dead in sins before. And it is the spirit of Jesus that quickens us; for saith Christ, John vi. 63, It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing: And saith Christ, he that eat|eth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. So that the spirit of Christ is the true bread of life, that quickeneth and strengtheneth us in righteousness, and dwelleth in us; and this true bread of life is given us through the sacrifice of himself, as he was the seed of David, whom God raised from the dead; for it is he that was dead and is alive, and lives for evermore.

AS to the bread which he brake the night in which he was be|trayed, after he had given thanks, and gave it to his disciples, saying, take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you, this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped, saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. And saith the apostle, as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do

shew the Lords death till he come. So that this ordnance of bread and wine is to shew forth his death, who was raised from the dead, af|ter that he had offered himself a sacrifice for sin, and shall appear a second time in glory, as to his divine presence we now enjoy, for he dwells in us, and is the object of our hope of glory; so that it is to be done in remembrance of that man Christ Jesus (whom God hath raised from the dead) till he come, John xiv. 16, 17, 21, 23. Col. i. 27. And every worthy receiver doth discern the virtue of that body, and that blood of the New Testament; for by it they are purged from the guilt of sin, and thereby do discern the Lord's body. But whosoever shall partake of this visible sign of the body and blood of Christ, which was offered for sin, being un|der the guilt of sin, crucifies the Lord afresh, and so becomes guilty of the body and blood of Christ, and doth but eat and drink judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body, which is distributed to every worthy receiver, by the spirit of truth, which is Christ's divine nature.

BUT the antichristian minister, who confess the scripture to be their rule in words, but in works are always denying it, they ad|minister an imitation of it at noon, calling it the sacrament of the Lord's supper, when as they, contrary to the scripture, make a dinner of it, or rather idolize the ordinance than attend the rule of the scripture, as Matt. xxvi. 20. Now when the evening was come, he sat down with the twelve. Mark xiv. 17, 18. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, &c. 1 Cor. xi. 23. For I have received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, &c. for as the lamb of the passover was al|ways to be offered in the evening, which was the figure of Christ, the real Lamb of God, who was betrayed the same night in which it was offered, and then he left this ordinanance w•• his church, to be done in remembrance of himself, when he offered up himself a sacrifice for sin; and every believer is a partaker of his body and of his blood, but not the antichristian world.

A Description of the true Shepherds of Christ's Flock, and also of the Antichristian Ministers, according to the Testimony of Jesus Christ, in the Scriptures.

JOHH X, 1.

Verily, verily I say unto, he that entreth not by the Door into the Sheepfold, but climbeth up some other Way, the same is a Thief and a Robber. Verse 2. But he that entreth in by Door is the Shepherd of the Sheep.

THIS was a parable spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ when he was upon the earth, but the hired shepherds of Israel that he put it forth to, understood it not, as in ver. 6, compared with ver. 12. Now a parable is to set forth another thing, and hath always a meaning to it, as in Prov. i. 6. Now this parable of Christ hath an interpretation to it, which we are to search into. In the first verse we read of a sheepfold, and a door to enter into the sheepfold, also, they that enter not into this sheepfold by the door, but climeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. In the second verse we read, that he that entreth in by the door, is the shepherd of the sheep.

NOW these things raise questions, and an enquiry, what this sheepfold is? And what the flock is? And what the door is? And who the thief and robber is? And who the shepherd is that enters in by the door?

TO which I answer: The sheep is Christ's flock, the fold is the place where they rest, the door is Christ, as in verse 9; the thief and robber were those shepherds which the world hired, and not sent by Christ, as in verse 12; and the shepherd that enters in by the door, are those shepherds that go not into the fold till Christ sends them; so that they enter in by him, who is the good or chief shepherd of his own flock, as verse 14.

BUT some may say, I desire to be farther informed in this mat|ter, how Christ calls and sends his shepherds, so that it may be truly said, they enter into the sheepfold by the door, which is by himself? And also, how the thief and robber that climbe up some other way into the sheepfold, may be found out who he is, that so the true shepherds may be discerned from the false, and that by scripture testimony? To which I answer: I cannot give fight to the blind, but Christ can; as you may see in the former chapter

all this discourse arose about the blind man, whose eyes were opened by Christ, the chief shepherd; but, for several reasons, they did not believe aim to be the chief shepherd, but rather took him to be the chief deceiver, or Belzebub; one reason was, because he hid the man carry his bed on the Sabbath day, and also mingled clay and spittle on the Sabbath day; therefore (said they) this man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day, as in chap. i••. verse 16. Others said, do any of our rulers believe on him? Chap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verse 48. So that we may see they built much upon their wise and learned men, being those that judged godly, who sought to put him to death as a deceiver; but these were deceiving reasons.

NOW we shall come to describe, by the scriptures of truth, which way the true shepherds come into their ministry; and then 2dly, how the thief and robber climbs up another way, which is the hireling. In verse 8 saith Christ, all that ever came before me are thieves and robbers; so that here in this verse the thief and robber is said to be thieves and robbers, that is, the hirelings, or hired shep|herds. Now to look with a carnal eye at Christ's words, where he saith, all that ever came before me, it might be objected and replied to him, that Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the like, were true shepherds, and came into the sheepfold before thee, yet were no thieves nor robbers, but entered in by the door. Christ would have answered, they did not come before me, for before Abraham was, I am; and Abraham did not go before I called him, and sent him, Gen. xii. 1, 4. Isa. xli. 2. And so Moses did not go before, till I appeared to him in the bush, and called him, and sent him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 people Israel, to be their shepherd. Yea, it may truly be said, that Christ was in them, and went with them, and that it was his voice which spake; and that no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, Heb. v. 4; if they do they are thieves and robbers, though men and devils or|dain them in their office, and teach them all the learning that the world can afford; to preach and to pray with all the excellent words they can study, and that the devil can suggest into them; yet if Christ have not called them, and sent them, they do but de|ceive the world, and a devil is in them, that transforms himself as an angel of light. Now such shepherds as these come not in by the door, but come in as a thief, only to kill and steal, as in verse 10, not being called nor sent by Jesus Christ, who is the door, but climb up another way. They come to cloath themselves with the wool, and to kill them that Christ hath fed, according to what is written, Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3, Wo be to the shepherds of Israel that do

feed themselves. Ye eat the fat, and ye cloath you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed. These are the hirelings that have no faith in God, but, contrary to the scripture, take thought what they shall eat, and what they shall drink, and how they shall be cloathed, be|cause they have no ground of faith in him, not being called nor sent by him, but climb up another way into the sheepfold.

NOW all the true shepherds of Christ come in by the door, that is, by Christ; for they are called and sent by him into the sheep|fold, and so enter in by the door, not to kill nor steal, but to feed the flock. They do not go before he comes to them, and calls them, and sends them, and delivers to them the key of know|ledge; so that they enter in by the door into the sheepfold, that is to say, by Christ himself. And being thus called and sent by Je|sus Christ, having their authority from heaven as John the baptist had, and not from an earthly power, they come in the name of Jesus Christ, in opposition to the world, and to those hireling shep|herds that have their authority only from men, and so have entered into the sheepfold another way, and not by Christ, who is the door.

NOW consider the cloud of witnesses that have left record in the holy scriptures, after what manner Christ called and sent his shepherds into the world to feed his flock, and to bear witness against the thieves and robbers that climb up into the sheepfold, and enter not in by Christ the door, who have their call and authority from an earthly power, and have not seen Christ nor heard his voice at any time; for tho' he was in the world, and the world was made by him, yet the world knew him not; neither doth the world know his shepherds, and therefore saith the scripture, the world knoweth us not, because it knew not him; as Christ saith to his shepherds, If ye were of the world, the world would love you, but because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you.

BUT those hirelings, as Christ calls them in ver. 12. or thieves and robbers, as he calls them in ver. 8. who have their call and authority from an earthly power, and are not called nor sent by Christ, they are of the world and therefore the world heareth them, saith the scripture. They have their call and commission from the world, and therefore the world heareth them; and they have their reward and their honour from the world. They do not nor cannot deliver any message from Christ, for he hath not sent them with any; but to deceive the world they study a message of their own heart, and not from the

mouth of the Lord, according to what is written, Jer. xxiii. 16. Hearken not unto the words of the Prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord. Ver. 21. I have not sent these Prophets, yet they run; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. Ver. 22. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Ver. 32. Therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. Now these Prophets were looked at in Judea and Jerusalem to be the true Prophets and messengers of God, and Jeremiah to be the false Prophet, as in Jer. xviii. 18, chap. xxix 26, 27, chap. xliii. 2. Thou speakest falsly, the Lord our God hath not sent thee. Thus they refused to hear the voice of Christ by his messenger whom he sent, not believing that he was sent, but inclined their ears to the false Shepherds, and would not believe the true. Now this Prophet whom they did not believe, but reviled and persecut|ed for a deceiver, was sent, and did not run before he was sent, though he had no call from the earthly power, yet was he called by Christ, sent with the key of knowledge, and so entered in by the door, Jer. i. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19. Now when Christ sends his messengers thus into the world, it is to be a witness against them that enter into the sheepfold, but not by the door, and to be a wit|ness against Kings and Governors for setting these up, and main|taining them whom he hath not sent. Thus Christ comes by his messengers, not to send a message of peace to these intruders, thieves and robbers, or hireling Shepherds, as Christ calls them, but to bear witness against them, and against their upholders; and there|fore it is written, You shall be brought before Kings and Governors for my sake, for a testimony against them. And saith Christ in another place to his brethren that did not believe on him. The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify against it, that the works thereof are evil. And thus Christ comes, not to send peace to these intruders, who are the chief men of the world, but to send a sword and to kindle a fire; and therefore the Prophet Jeremiah, chap. xv. 10. saith, Wo is me, my mother, that thou hast born me a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth; for Jesus Christ's messengers always meet with but coarse entertainment in the world, for they are strangers to it; as Christ saith to the world, I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; that is, his messengers were so to the world. Now these intruders that come into the sheepfold, and not by the door, but climb in another way, that is, such as are call|ed of men, and ordained of them, and not called nor sent by Christ, those the world will reward and respect, they will feed, and they

will cloath, and they will visit: these can look every one for his gain from his quarter, as saith Isaiah, chap. lvi. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are Shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Thus it is with these Shepherds that have their call from the world, and are not sent by Christ: But the Shepherds whom Christ sends to feed his flock, who are faithful, they come not for gain, nor for reward, but to feed the flock of Christ. They covet no man's silver or gold, or apparel, but labour with their hands night and day, that they may not be chargeable to any, They consider Christ's words, who said, when he was upon the earth, It is more blessed to give then to receive Acts xx. 33, 34, 35. These are reviled, reproached, and persecuted for the sake of him that sends, according to what is written, Acts xxviii. 22. For as con|cerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against; but saith Christ, wo be unto you, when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers of the false prophets; but blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you, and the like; for so did their fa|thers the prophets that are before you. Thus they did to Jeremiah, chap. xx. 1, 2, and xxvi. 11, and xxxii. 2, and xxxvii. 15, and xxxviii. 6. Isa. l. 6. Yet these their persecutors made a great shew in the world of seeming worship to God, by which they de|ceived the world and themselves: They would fast, and make prayers, and keep sabbaths, and have solemn meetings; thus they garnished their outside with a high profession of the name of God, but their inside was full of pride, and covetousness, and wicked|ness. But the messengers of Jesus Christ, they are sent by him with a message of peace and reconciliation to those that repent and believe in God; for God will wash such from the defilement of sin: And his messengers were always sent with this message, viz. that it is purity and cleanness in the inward parts that God looked at, and not a flattering of God with the mouth and lips, when the heart is defiled and full of sin; and therefore saith Jeremiah chap. iv. 14, O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayst be saved. And Isa. i. 16, wash ye, make you clean. This hath always been the doctrine of Christ's messengers, to make clean the inside of the cup and platter: To worship God in spirit and in truth, in the inward man. But this doctrine is grievious to the world, for they never saw a clean inside washed from the guilt and filth of sin, neither will they believe this message, because their lives are always with the unclean; the strong man of sin hath ever kept his throne in them, and they never yet saw a stronger than ••e; for their bodies are the habitation of sin, where the prince of

the power of the air rules. Now these are not of Christ's sheep nor of his fold, neither will they believe his shepherds voice. B•• all Christ's shepherd that ever were, or ever shall be to the end o•• the world, are immediately called, inspired, and sent by him, a•• it is his voice speaking in them, for he is present with them to t•• end of the world, and it is not they that speak, but it is his spir•• speaking in them. They never run before they are sent, for a•• that do so, enter not by the door, but climb up some other way in|to the sheepfold.

BUT we have a cloud of witnesses as is before mentioned, to the way and manner of God's calling and sending his messengers, a•• hath been already shewed, by Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, as also Ezekiel, chap. ii. 1, 3. Hos. i. 2, 3. Joel i. 1, 2. Amos vii. 14, 15. Jonah i. 1, 2. Hag. i. 3. Yea, they we•• all called of God, as was Aaron, and did not take this honour upon themselves by any earthly call or institution of man, b•• came all into the sheepfold by the door, and looked for no reward or revenue from the world, but passed through great tribulation and sufferings, testifying against hireling shepherds that came into the sheepfold, but not in at the door, as might be abundantly in|stanced: Every one seeks for his gain from his quarter, saith one. Another saith, they are all given to covetousness, from the priest to the prophet. Another saith, the judges judge for reward, and the priests teach for hire, and the prophets prophesy for money. And ano|ther saith, wo to the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves; ye eat the fat, and ye cloath you with the wool. Another, his shepherds are blind, yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough. Now I must confess these are offensive words to be spoken to them that are in authority in the world, and honourable men.

HAVING had an account by the scriptures of the prophets, that were before Christ (the great shepherd of the sheep) came into the world, how that they were called of God as was Aaron, and so entered into the sheepfold by the door. And also, having had an account, how that the hirelings or false shepherds had no call of God, but came into the sheepfold by climbing up another way, and not in at the door, who came only to feed and to cloath them|selves with Christ's flock; and how that these intruders had good entertainment in the world, and were honoured with great gifts and rewards; and how that they attained these things by a wile, in that they appeared to the world as ministers of righteousness, by their prayers, prophesyings, or preachings, keeping Sabbaths,

days of fasts, and solemn meetings, which had a fair outside shew to the world, but their inside was the habitation of sin and unclean|ness, which the world could not discern.

IN the next place, let us come to the following generations, which were in the days when Christ and his Apostles were in the world; for reason will afford us, that the world had got better experience, in seeing how their fathers had been deceived, and that by these intru|ders that climbed up into the sheepfold, and how that God punished their fathers with sore judgments, for the abuse of his messengers, as it is written, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16, 17. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and send|ing; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and mis|used his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who slow their young men with the sword, in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young men or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gaue them all into his hand. Reason will afford that one should think, that this might be a sealed instruction to the succeeding generations, seeing also that it was a pure church that came out of Babylon, for there God refined his church, and pur••fied it in the f••ce of affliction, and brought it forth as gold tried in the fi••e; so was she once before, when God had purified her in the wilderness of affliction, as it is written, Jer. ii. 2.3. Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, thus saith the Lord, I re|member thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the first fruits of his increase; all that devour him, shall offend, evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord. Isa. i. 21. How is the faithful city become an harlot! Thus the church of God, that was a holy people at the beginning, began to be a declining people, till little by little she became a harlot, and only kept an outside form, but lost her inward purity and fellow|ship with God's spirit, and then she began to expect instruction from the wise and learned men, whom they did adore, and so the intruders entered into the sheepfold, being approved teachers by the judges, and so became persecutors of God's messengers, and took upon them to deliver messages of their own imaginations, which they studied, and not from the mouth of the Lord, Isa. iii. 14. and ix. 16. and xxviii. 14. and xxix. 14. Mich. iii. 1, 2, 3. Amos v. 10, 11.

But I say. it was a purified church that came out of Babylon, and

her shepherds were the messengers of God, immediately called and sent of God, as in Hag. i. 13. Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people. Zech. i. 3. Therefore say thou unto them, thus saith the Lord of Hosts. These were now true shepherds that entered into the sheepfold by the door; for they were called and sent by Jesus Christ, and his flock knew his voice, while they were in a state of purity and holiness while they were an inclining people, and not a declining people, therefore saith Christ, my sheep hear my voice, and the voice of a stranger they will not hear, for they know not the voice of strangers. However, it was not long before this people came to be a declining people, and yet retained and upheld an outside profession; but God that searches the heart and the reins, did see what his church began to be in her inside, in the days when he sent his messenger Malachi; she was then much corrupted and declined, yet I do not say, but that she kept a fair outside profession, so that she could not come to have a right judg|ment and discerning of herself. She was so far gone from God, and declined, that she reasoned with God's messenger, in a justify|ing way of herself; for God had sent a curse upon the fruits of the ground, and she could not discern the reason why it was, she hav|ing attended those ordinances commanded in the law, which were signs and figures of heavenly things, as sabbaths, sacrifices, and the like; yet notwithstanding her exactness in these things, and all outward rules whatsoever was commanded in the scripture, yet while Christ sees the love of his espousals grows cold to him, and that her heart begins to go after other lovers, after the world, and the things of the world, Oh! how this wounds the Lord's spirit! jealousy••s a grievous thing! for Christ to look upon his Church, his spouse, and to see her flatter him with her tongue, but sees her heart is re|moved from him, and set upon other lovers, this is grievous to be born; this was the state of her mother, who had a bill of divorce, Isa. l. 1. Thus saith the Lord, where is the bill of your mother's divorce|ment, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? behold, for your iniquities have you sold yourselves. Psa. lxxviii. 36, 37. Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongue. For their heart was not right with him. Now this pure and sanctified church of Christ that came out of Babylon, begins to be enticed with the love of the world, and her priests and teachers were in a declining state, yet not so far gone as to persecute God's messenger, yet to be so careless and negligent of the flock, that they were in great danger of thieves and robbers entering in upon them. But they reason with the prophet, Mal. i. 7, Ye offer poluted bread upon mine altar;

and ye say, wherein have we polluted thee? Mal. ii. 1. And now, O ye Priests, this commandment is for you. Ver. 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. Ver. 8. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law. Thus the Lord sent his messenger to reprove both priests and people for their de|clention. Now they were not so far declined as to persecute him, for she was not yet become a harlot, but began to be bewilder|ed, as in Mal. iii. 14. Ye have said, it is vain to serve God; and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? Yet here was a remnant that feared the Lord, and obeyed the voice of his messenger, and spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of rememberance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name, ver. 16. Here we see God's church did hearken to his messenger, though she was far declined, and her teachers so far declined, that they caused many to stumble at the law, yet were stirred by God's messengers, so that they spake often one to another; and then God made them gracious promises, how that he would send his messenger, that was John the baptist, and a pro|mise, that the Lord whom they did seek should suddenly come, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, chap. iii. 1.

But now let us turn and look upon her again, now these messen|gers (before prophesied of) be come, even John the baptist, a man sent from God, and also the Lord Jesus Christ himself: Alas! she is now become a wicked and adulterous generation, and thieves and robbers are got into the sheepfold, garnishing the sepulchres of the prophets, whom their fathers slew, and appeared as Angels of light to the people, and said, If we had been in our fathers days 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ould not have partook with them in the blood of the prophets. They pray and they preach, and they extol the scriptures of the prophets (whom their fathers slew) very highly; yea, so highly, that in them they thought to have eternal life, John v. 39. They are very strict in keeping sabbaths, and attending their solemn meetings and it is like enough, that they stood in the meeting house, and under a pre|tence of duty to God, they made long prayers; for Christ shewed to his disciples, That that was a custom of hypocrites, to pray, and to fast, and to give alms publickly in view of men; but he teaches his disci|ple•• to do these things in secret, looking only for a reward from him that sees in secret; and that they should live in the world without care, and free from covetousness, taking no thought for their lives, what

to eat, or what to drink, or how to be cloathed: But hypocrities can|not do so, to live without care; and if their praying, their sabbath keeping and their singing David's Psalms, for so we read, they chau•• to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instrument of musick, like David, take but this cup of an outward shew out of this churches hand, and look but into the inside of it, and it is full of the abomi|nation of the filthiness of her whoredom; for thus it is with a church that is gone a whoring from God, they know no freedom form sin, neither will they endure such a doctrine; all that they do, is to be seen outwardly, but their heart and inward parts is full of defile|ment, when Christ told this adulterating generation, John viii. 34. Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin, promising to make them free, ver. 36. If the son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free in|deed. Ver. 45 saith Christ, And because I tell you the truth, ye be|lieve me not. But this was a grievous doctrine to them, to tell the•• of a freedom from sin. In the beginning of this chapter they were very forward to accuse the woman taken in adultery; but whe•• Christ saith to them, ver. 7. He that is without sin, let him first cast a stone at her, they all appeared guilty, being convicted by their own consciences. After this, he declares unto them his power and willingness to make them free from sin, but this doctrine they can|not bear. What answer do they make? Ver. 48. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a Devil? And after this we find that they cautioned o•• another of the danger of hearing him, see chap. x. ver. 10. And many of them said, he hath a Divil, and is mad; why hear ye him! But Christ tells them, ver. 26. Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. For those that are under a form of godliness, but have not the power of godliness in them, these are not the sheep of Christ, for the power of godliness they deny, because it is not in them; for as the prince of the power of the air rules in sinners, and they feel no greater power than the power of sin in them, so Jesus Christ, as he is a great King, rules inrighteousness in the saints, and they feel no greater power than the power of righteousness, so that they can say, Jesus Christ is my King, and rules and reigns in me, in righteousness, and my body is the habitation of God, to dwell in by his spirit, and can truely witness what the Apostle John saith, 1 John iv. 4. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. And in another place, It is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I that live, but Christ that liveth in me. If these outside professors would but come to a serious self-examination of themselves, accord|ing to scripture direction, to see whether they are in the faith which they cannot be, except Jesus Christ be in them; and if Jesus Christ

be not in them, they are reprobates, that is dross, and not silver, o•• sinners, and not righteous, or unclean, and not clean; yea, re|probate silver or counterfeits, shall men call them.

Now are we come to the age and persons to whom Christ put forth this parable, and tho' it speaks to all times and ages past, pre|sent, and to come. As to the time past, hath been shewed, how that always the true shepherds entered in by the door into the sheep|fold, they did not run before they were sent, and Jesus Christ, as he was God, was present with them, and it was his voice that spake in them; but those that were not of his sheep, could not under|stand his voice by his shepherds, as in ver. 26. but his own sheep could, as in ver. 27. but his flock is very small, Luke xii. 32. Matt. vii. 14. And we shall find, that this great shepherd of the sheep did not run before he was sent, as in John viii. 26. I have many things to say, and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true. And ver. 29. He that sent me, is with me, the father hath not left me alone. Thus we see the great shepherd of the sheep did not run before God sent him, but followed his calling, till he was about the age of thirty years, Luke iii. 23. But when he was called and sent of God, he went into the meeting-house and taught, but it was great|ly offensive to the people that were brought up under the hirelings, which they hired to teach them, Mark vi. 1, 2, 3. And he went from thence, and came into his own country, and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath-day was come began to teach in the synagogue; and many hearing him, were astonished, saying, from whence hath this m•• these things; and what wisdom is this which is given unto him? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? and they were offended at him. So we may see that these goats that are brought up under the thieve••, robbers, and hirelings, as Christ calls them, they are taught and instructed by their shepherds, that none are fit to teach but the scribes and learned men of the world; and because they saw their elders or shepherds persecute Christ, they judged him to be a de|ceiver, that they were cursed that did believe on him, John vii. 48, 49. For these shepherds, which were intruders, never had any vision from the Lord, therefore the people under their teaching, always perish; their flock ever did and ever will be a depending upon their wisdom, and their learning, and their study, and there|fore never did, nor never will believe any that come from God by an immediate call and sending. This is the reason of all the per|secution that ever was; for these intruders never had, in any age, any revelation from God, nor never would believe there was any

that is to say, in their day: They would acknowledge that the pro|phets, whom their fathers slew, had immediate revelation from God, but would not believe any in their day, in no age of the world, and therefore always persecuted God's messengers with a confident boldness, That they were false reachers, and seducers, and pestilent fellows, and troublers of Israel.

BUT let us now take a description of them from the mouth of of Christ, the great shepherd of his flock, for he is the best able to give a description of these hirelings, thieves and robbers, as he calls them; and when we have a description from Christ's own mouth, we shall have no reason admire why they were offended at him, to take it upon himself, as they judged, whom they knew to be a tradesman, viz. a carpenter, for going into the meeting-house to teach; for those that are in their state and condition, are liable to the same error and censure. For, first, consider their mini|sters were wise learned men, not brought up to trades, or work, but to learning, to the end that they might be able to teach others; for they did not expect nor believe any immediate call from God; a false church and false teachers never had nor never did expect any revelation immediataly from God, neither did they believe that any had in their day; they also looked at themselves to be God's church and ministers, not considering that they had gone a whor|ing from God, were degenerated, and so were not now his church.

BUT to come to the description that Christ gives of the stewards or intruders into the sheepfold: They are such stewards as cannot work for their living, and to beg they are ashamed, for they are the learned men of the world. Now when they come to be turn|ed out of their stewardship [it is bad times with such then] these bad stewards will certainly be as Luke xvi. 3. Then the steward said within himself, what shall I do? for my Lord taketh away from me my stewardship, I cannot dig, and to beg I am ashamed. For these intruders lay heavy payments upon the people, but the receivers bear none of it, according to Christ's words, Matt. xxiii. 4. For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be born, and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fin|gers. Here is two descriptions of these stewards, thieves, robbers, or hirelings, as Christ calls them; the one is, they cannot dig, and to beg they are ashamed, which shews they are the honorable men of the world. The second is, they are such as lay heavy burdens on the people, but bear nothing themselves. Well, let us see what further description Christ gives of them, viz. they are such as expect the up|per

rooms at feasts, and that men should greet them in the market, and to sit in the uppermost seats in the meeting-house, and to be called of men, master, master. These are very notable descriptions that Christ gives of them, which will stand good to discover them in any age or time of the world, whenever they shall appear to deceive them|selves or others, Matt. xxiii. 6, 7. But that which these deceive the world with, is, they will sit on Moses's seat, or climb up into the sheepfold, under a pretence of expounding Moses law, and the prophets writings; and under a pretence of duty to God, they will make long prayers, and be very strict in Sabbath-keeping, judging Christ and his apostles for being short in their duty. And thus these blind guides will make clean the outside of the cup and platter by an outside show of seeming worship to God, by which they deceive the goats, but kill and steal Christ's flock from him; and by this means they feed and cloath themselves, but their inside is full of extortion and excess: Yet Christ shews that these mini|sters, by these outside pretences, appear righteous to men, Matt. xxiii. 28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. But these thought in themselves, that if they had been in the days of their fathers, they would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets; but they are punishing and putting to death them that they judge to be evil doers, blasphemers, perverters of the nation, and deceivers; but it may be, they may be deceived as their fathers were before them, for thus they judged of Christ and his apostles; but they do ignorantly as their fathers did, as it is written, Acts iii. 15. Ye killed the Prince of life. Ver. 27. And now, brethren, I wet that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. And saith Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8, But we speak the wisdom of God in mystery, which none of the Princes in this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But however, they thought themselves to be in the right way, and those they perse|cuted, they thought to be in the wrong way, as always a wicked and an adulterous generation doth. Upon this generation will be re|quired all the righteous blood shed from the foundation of the world to this very day. Now it is to be observed, that the false prophets al|ways keep in friendship with the judges of the earth, and make an image of worship to the earthly power; and they command all, both small and great, rich and poor, to worship that image, or form of godliness, and that no man must buy or sell, that refuses to worship the said image, that is, they must not meddle with the ordinances of Christ, though they are sent of God, but must be

judged; for these will always get into the seat of judgment, which is Christ's place, and judge those that are sent of God. as deceivers and troublers of the world; and indeed God's mes|sengers be, and ever were, offensive to the world: Yea, the scripture saith, that Christ is a rock of offence, and a stone of stum|bling. For the world always was, and ever will be offended by his messengers, because they are witnesses against their false wor|ship. When the world sees such poor objects appear, and do not see him that sent them, they cry, Do you think so stand against the whole world? Or who is able to make war agaidst the beast? That is, the earthly power that sets up false worship.

NOW we have had a view of the state of the church in the time of Christ and his apostles, and find, that they were as much de|ceived as their fathers that were before them, for all their high conceits and opinions of themselves, but is a declining church, like to be deceived the third time, yea, so often as she declines; for though she keeps all the outward rules of the scripture, as exactly, and as strictly as these scribes and Pharisees did in Christ's ••me; for it is purity in heart that gives a true sight of God▪ It it the p•• in heart that shall see God, and it is the path of the ju•• that is a shin|ing light. It is not an outward form that makes a Christian, but it is the spirit of Christ in the heart that makes a Christian, and to be led by it; for so many as are led by the spirit of God, are the sons of God, and no more: These are Christ's sheep, and know his voice. Now when Christ's church is so far declined, that she is become a persecuting church, yea, an adulterous generation, then Christ, after she hath had her time and space of repentance, and doth not repent, then he discovers her delusions, by the bright|ness of his appearing in his messengers, and discovers her scarlet colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. Now though she be thus beautified and glorified with outward ornaments, enough to win the affection of the whole world, yet shall she be stripped naked, and made bare of all her outward or|dinances, and her scarlet coloured garments shall be seen to be only coloured with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, and that she drunk only with the blood of the saints whom she con|demned for deceivers and deluded persons, and that the scarlet-coloured beast that she rid upon, was only an earthly power that upheld her, and persecuted the flock of Christ, and so became a scarlet-coloured beast, being stained with the blood of saints and martyrs of Jesus, and that her teachers were only com|missionated

and instituted, defended and maintained by an earthly power.

IN the next place, let us come to view the cautions and warn|ings that Christ and his apostles give to the children of God, to be|ware of these outside gilded deceivers, that are garnished with an outside profession, but inwardly are ravening wolves; they will be very ready to judge sinners, and look upon their own fine gar|ment of ordinances of praying, singing, expounding of the scriptures, keeping their Sabbaths, fasts, and the like; are forward to accuse the woman taken in adultery, although they are every one of them guilty sinners themselves. Thus they look upon their outside pro|fession, as if they did some service to God, without any consider|ation that it is all sin and wickedness, and burdensome to God, according to what is written, Isa. i. 13, 14. Your Sabbaths, so|lemn meetings, and the like, they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them. Amos v. 21, 22, 23. I hate, I despise your fast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. I will not accept your offerings. Take away from me the noise of thy songs; for they invent|ed to themselves instruments of music like David, as in chap. vi. ver. 5. And chap. ii. 13. I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. Prov. xxi. 27. Psa. l. 16. But unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shoulast take my covenant in thy mouth? Yet these sinners will se|parate themselves from other sinners, because they deceive them|selves with an outside profession, according to what is written, Isa. lxv. 5. Stand by thyself, come not near me, for I am holier than thou. Thus these outside worshippers deceive the world, and many times God's children too, when they are in a declining state; therefore saith Christ to his desciples, Luke xii. 1, 2. First of all, beware of the leaven of the pharisees, which is hypocrisy: For (saith Christ) there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known. For the bright shining light of God's spirit in his messengers, always discovers these outside professors, who are all sinners, and defiled within, not having the spirit of God dwelling in them, yet separate themselves from other sinners, into church fellowship. These will pray, preach, sing, fast, keep sabbaths, and thus deceive themselves and others. These are those anti|christs which Christ and his desciples have given warning to the little flock of Christ, to beware of. These are they that Jude speaks of. ver. 19. These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit. These are they that spread the antichristian

world over, that went out of the true church, according to what is written, 1 John ii. 19. They went out from us, but were not of u••▪ for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us.

THESE four following descriptions Christ and his Apostles give of the anti-christians, which they foretold of, that should come in the latter days, yet no other ways than the false prophets did of old, will inform us who they be.

• THE first is, They shall be persecutors.
• The second is, They shall be known by their covetousness.
• The third is, Their form of godliness to deceive the world with.
• And the fourth is, Their call should be from men.

FIRST. John xv. 20. If they have persecuted me, they will also per|secute you. Chap. xvi. 2. They shall put you out of the synagogues 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service. Ver. 4. But these things have I told you, that when the time cometh, ye may remember that I told you of them.

THE next is, covetousness. 2 Pet. ii. 1, 2, 3. But there were many false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you; and many shall follow their pernicious ways: [Note the words; he does not say few but many] And through covetousness shall they, with feigned words, make merchandise of you. Jude 11. We unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, (that is, bloody per|secutors) and ran greedily after the error of Balaam, for reward; that is, covetousness, to get a reward for their teaching.

THE third is, 2 Tim. iii. 5. Having a form of Godliness, but deny|ing the power thereof; that is, the powerful working of God's spirit in his people, they shall deny.

And the fourth is, 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall he turned unto fables. Thus the Apostle shews, that these anti-christs have their call from men [They shall heap to themselves teachers] he shews they shall be plenty enough, but it must be money that must hire these teachers that the world heaps up to themselves.

BUT the Apostle John saith to Christ's sheep, 1 John ii. 20. But ye have an unction from the holy one; as much as if he should say, but

ye are anointed with the spirit of the holy one, and ye knew all things; that is, by this immediate inspiration of God. Now these deceivers began to deceive the church in the apostles days, and to teach them to observe days, and months, and years, and to judge the church for not keeping sabbaths, and new moons, and the ••ke, as it is written, Gal. iv. 10, 11, Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you la|bour in vain. Gal. v. 12. I would they were even cut off, which trouble you. Col. ii. 16, 17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath da••; which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. Thus the apostle endeavours to keep the church from these things, which were shadows (under the law) of Christ, and written by a hand-writing in the book, so that Paul call it a hand-writ|ing of ordinances, in the 14th verse: Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances, that was against us, nailing it to his cross. And in Eph. chap. ii. 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in ordianances. And saith John to the true church of Christ, when these deceivers appeared in the world, to deceive them with sabbaths and holy days, which were command|ed under the law of Moses, and were shadows of Christ, and were all abolished at his coming; and therefore saith the apostle John, when these antichrists and deceivers appeared in the world, to de|ceive the Gentile church, as they had done the church of the Jews, 1 John ii. 24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning, shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the son, and in the father. Ver. 26. These things have I written unto you, concerning them that seduce you. Ver. 27. But the anointing which ye have riceived of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you But, as the same the anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. Now these thieves, robbers, and h••rel|ings, as Christ calls them, and those that are not his sheep, they have not this immediate teaching of God's spirit, neither know they what this immediate teaching is, that the holy scriptures b•• witness to; for all the holy bible directs to this immediate teach|ing of God, which anti-christs know nothing of, neither would they ever believe God's shepherds that were thus inspired by this spirit of truth, as it is written, Neh. ix. 30. Yet many years did▪ thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets; yet they would not give ear. Christ also tells these ••ireli••gs, and their flock, this very thing of God's teaching, John vi. 45. And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard,

and hath learned of the father, cometh unto me. And this teaching is by the immediate word of God speaking in his people, which word is not in the anti-christians, as saith Christ, John v. 38. And ye have not this word abiding in you. Now all God's children have this word abiding in them, even that very word that was made flesh, John. ••.14. This very word is ingrafted in all God's children, which word is the divine nature of Christ, ingrafted into every saint's human nature, according to what is written, 2 Pet. i. 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. Ver. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature. Thus the divine nature of Christ, which is the liv|ing word of God, is grafted in all God's children, and gives them faith and strength against the devil, as it is written, 1 John ii. 14. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you. This is that powerful word that is in all God's children, that gives them strength against sin, and the author of it, which is the devil; but those that are not of Christ's sheep, have not this word of God abiding in them, neither were they ever taught by it, and therefore know not his voice, as his sheep do the follow him; for he is their King, Captain, and lead|er, even this word of God, which the whole book of God teacheth, and is Christ's divine nature in his saints Rev. xix. 13, 14, 16. And he was cloathe•• with a vesture dipt in blood; and is name is called, the word of God: And the armies which were in heaven followed him. And he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written. KING of KINGS, and LORD of LORDS.

NOW it may be asked, what the scarlet-coloured beast is? And what is the woman arrayed in scarlet-colour, which is upheld by the beast?

I ANSWER: The beast is the earthly power, the woman is the declining church, that is become a harlot, let her be in any age or time of the world whatsoever, and let her be under what form so|ever it will, and never so exact according to scripture, as to ordi|nances, the beast and the woman's scarlet-coloured robe is coloured with the blood and martyrs of Jesus; and he that hath his vesture dipt in blood, whose name is the word of God, is Jesus Christ, who kills with the sword, the worldly power, and the false church, who killed the saints, so that their blood is sprinkled on his vesture, and hath stained all his garments, according to what is written, Rev. xiii. 10. He that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints. James v. 6.7. Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.

NOW this immediate divine teaching, which all God's children are taught with, the whole antichristian world, nor their teachers, know nothing of, for it is the immediate voice of Christ teaching every child of his; for they are all in covenant with him, not in the covenant of works (that covenant was written in tables of stone) but in a covenant of free grace, which is written upon their hearts, not with ink, the bible that bears witness to the truth of it, is written with ink; nor yet upon tables of stone, though the old covenant, or covenant of work, was writ on tables of stone, to wit, the ten commandments, but this covenant is writ on the fleshly tables of the heart by the spirit of God, 2. Cor. ii. 3. And all Christ's shepherds are ministers of this covenant, as ver. 6. Not of the letter but of the spirit. Now the Lord is of that spirit, ver. 17. And teacheth the righteousness which is of faith, and is written in the heart by the spirit, and are not letter teachers with|out the spirit. Now all that are in covenant with Christ, are all immediately taught by him, accoding to what is written, Heb. viii. 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for all shall know me from the least to the greatest: They shall be all taught of God; and as the apostle John saith, They need not that any man teach them, but as this anointing teacheth them, as before was said. The word that was made flesh is in all God's children, which is Christ's divine nature, even that word which was in the beginning of this world, and all things were made by it, there is not any thing that our eyes behold, that was made without it; for in that word is life, and this word is in all God's children, and is their teacher, and this word is God, 1 John v. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. Now this is the commandment of God, that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another, and he that keepeth these commandments dwelleth in God, and God in him; and by this we know that Jesus Christ dwelleth in us, by the spirit he hath given us, and this spirit of God witnesseth to our spirits, that we are his children. So that all God's chil|dren, which have received his spirit, and are led by it, walk in a perfect light, and a clear sight, that they are the children of God, for all such have the witness of God in themselves, even his spirit witnessing to their spirits, that they are his children, and these can draw nigh to God, in a full assurance of faith, for there are no clouds of darkness comes betwixt God's spirit and theirs, while they are obedient children, being led singly by his spirit, they come under no condemnation, but their inward joy and peace

is full, and there is a good judgment in their going. But these teachers that come n•• in this spirit of Christ, they know not the way of peace, neither is there any judgment in their goings, let them attend their traditional prayer as much as they will, let them keep their Sabbaths as strictly as they will, and let them preach and sing David's psalms as often as they will, all will not give them any true peace, nor free them from the guilt of one sin. Seeing then that it is the heart and inward parts that God looks at, and a clean inside, which is cleansed by the blood and spi|rit of Jesus Christ, then we ought to beware of false prophets that come in sheep's cloathing, not having Christ's spirit in them, but a ravenous spirit, even the spirit of a wolf, and not of a lamb; and therefore saith the apostle John, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God; for many false prophets are gone out into the world. Thus we are taught to try the spirits of these prophets, and not their profession only, for they may say, and do not; therefore examine them, whether Jesus Christ be come into them (and cast out the strong man of sin that rules in the antichrists) and whether they can say with Paul, It is not I that live, but Christ that liveth in me, and Christ in me is my hope of glory; and as John saith unto the children of God, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, that is, the false prophets, as in the foregoing verses; for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world; for he that is in the children of this world, is the prince of the power of the air; but he that is in God's children, is Jesus Christ, who rules in them in righteousness, and is their King, who hath offered himself a sacrifice for their sins, and hath purged them from the guilt and filth of sin, and therefore is their priest; and he hath sent his spirit into their hearts to teach them, and therefore is their prophet, or teacher, and they need not that man teach them, but as that spirit teacheth them. And so I shall conclude with Paul's good exhortation to all that are under the profession of the name of Christ: Not to deceive themselves with a bare profession of his name, but to examine themselves, whether they be believers or not, by looking in their own hearts, to see whether Jesus Christ be in them; for if he be not, then are you but dross, and not silver, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves; know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobrates? Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. ii. 19.

THE END.