turn the Jews from their Prejudice and Superftition, and the Gentiles from their Vanity and Idolatry, to Chrift's Light and Spirit that fhined in them; that they might be quickned from the Sins and Trefpaffes in which they were Dead, to ferve the Living God in the Newness of the Spirit of Life, and walk as Children of the Light, and of the Day, even the Day of Holiness: For fuch put on Chrift, the Light of the World, and make no more Provifion for the Flesh, to fulfil the Lufts thereof. So that the Light, Spirit and Grace that comes by Chrift, and appears in Man, was what the Apostles miniftred from, and turned Peoples Minds unto, and in which they gathered and built up the Churches of Chrift in their Day. For which cause they advised them not to quench the Spirit, but wait for the Spirit, and Speak by the Spirit, and pray by the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit too, as that which approved them the truly begotten Children of God, born, not of Flesh and Blood, nor of the will of Man, but of the will of God, by doing His Will, and denying their own; by drinking of Chrift's Cup, and being baptized with his Baptifm of Self-denial: The Way and Path that all the Heirs of Life have trod to Bleffedness. But alas! even in the Apoftles Days, (thofe bright Stars of the first Magnitude of the GofpelLight) fome Clouds (foretelling an Eclipfe of this Primitive Glory) began to appear, and feveral of them gave early Caution of it to the Chriftians of their Time; that even then there was, and yet would be more and more, a falling away from the Power of Godliness, and the Purity of that Spiritual Difpenfation, by fuch as thought to make a fair fhew in the Flesh, but with whom the offence of the Crofs ceased: Yet with this comfortable Conclufion, that they faw beyond it a more glorious Time than ever, to the true Church. Their Sight was true, and what they foretold to the Churches, gathered by them in the Name and Power of Jefus, came fo to país: For Chriftians degenerated a-pace into outfides, as Days, and

a 4

Meats,

Meats, and divers other Ceremonies. And which was worfe, they fell into Strife and Contention about them, feparating one from another, then Envying, and, as they had Power, Perfecuting one another, to the Shame and Scandal of their common Chriftianity, and grievous Stumbling and Offence of the Heathen, among whom the Lord had fo long and fo marvelously preferved them. And having got at laft the Worldly Power into their Hands, by Kings and Emperors embracing the Chriftian Profeffion, they changed what they could the Kingdom of Chrift, which is not of this World, into a Worldly Kingdom, or at least stiled the Worldly Kingdom that was in their Hands the Kingdom of Chrift, and fo they became Worldly, and not true Chriftians. Then Humane Inventions and Novelties, both in Doctrine and Worship, crowded faft into the Church; a Door being opened thereunto. by the Groffnefs and Carnality that appeared then among the generality of Chriftians; who had long fince left the Guidance of God's meek and heavenly Spirit, and given themselves up to Superftition, Will-worship, and Voluntary Humility. And as Superftition is Blind, fo it is Heady and Furious; for all muft ftoop to its blind and boundless Zeal, or Perish by it: In the Name of the Spirit, perfecuting the very Appearance of the Spirit of God in others, and oppofing that in them, which they refifted in themfelves, viz. the Light, Grace and Spirit of the Lord Jefus Chrift; but always under the Notion of Innovation, Herefie, Schifm, or fome fuch plaufible Name. Though Chriftianity allows of no Name or Pretence whatever for perfecuting of any Man for matters of meer Religion; Religion being in its very Nature, Meek, Gentle and Forbearing; and confifts of Faith, Hope and Charity, which no Perfecutor can have, whilft he remains a Perfecufor; in that a Man cannot believe well, or hope well, or have a charitable or tender regard to another, whilft he would violate his Mind or perfecute his Body for matters of Faith or Worship towards his God.

Thus

Thus the falfe Church sprang up, and mounted the Chair. But though fhe loft her Nature, fhe would keep her good Name of the Lamb's Bride, the True Church and Mother of the Faithful; conftraining all to receive her Mark, either in their Forehead or Righthand, publickly or privately: But Indeed and in Truth The was Myftery Babylon, the Mother of Harlots: Mother of those that with all their show and outfide of Religion, were adulterated and gone from the Spirit, Nature and Life of Chrift, and grown Vain, Worldly, Ambitious, Covetous, Cruel, &c. which are the Fruits of the Flesh, and not of the Spirit.

Now it was that the True Church fled into the Wilderness, that is, from Superftition and Violence, to a Retired, Solitary and lonely State; hidden and as it were out of Sight of Men, tho' not out of the World: Which, fhows that her wonted Visibility was not Effential to the Being of a True Church in the Judgment of the Holy Ghoft; the being as True a Church in the Wilderness, though not as Vifible and Luftrious, as when fhe was in her former Splendor of Profeffion. In this State many Attempts She made to return, but the Waters were yet too high, and her Way block'd up, and many of her excellent Children in feveral Nations and Centuries fell by the Cruelty of Superftition, because they would not fall from their Faithfulness to the Truth.

The laft Age did fet fome fteps towards it, both as to Doctrine, Worship and Practice. But Practice quickly failed, for Wickedness flowed in a little time, as well among the Profeffors of the Reformation, as thofe they reformed from; fo that by the Fruits of ConverSation they were not to be diftinguished. And the Children of the Reformers, if not the Reformers themfelves, betook themselves very early to Earthly Policy and Power to uphold and carry on their Reformation that had been begun with Spiritual Weapons; which I have often thought, has been one of the greatest Reafons the Reformation made no better Progress, as to

the

the Life and Soul of Religion: For whilft the Refor mers were Lowly and Spiritually-Minded, and trufted in God, and look'd to Him, and lived in his Fear, and confulted not with Flesh and Blood, nor fought Deliverance in their own way, there were daily added to the Church fuch as, one might reafonably fay, fhould be faved. For they were not fo careful to be Safe from Perfecution, as to be Faithful under it.

Being more concerned to spread the Truth by their Faith and Patience in Tribulation, than to get the Worldly Power out of their Hands that inflicted their Sufferings upon them; and it will be well, if the Lord fuffer them not to fall by the very fame way they took to ftand. In Doctrine they were in fome things fhort, in other things, to avoid one extream, they run into another: And for Worship, there was for the generality, more of Man than God. They owned the Spirit, Infpiration and Revelation indeed, and grounded their Separation and Reformation upon the Senfe and Understanding they received from it, in the Reading of the Scriptures of Truth; and this was their Plea, The Scripture was the Text, the Spirit the Interpreter, and that to every one for himself. But yet there was too much of Humane Invention, Tradition and Art that remained both in Praying and Preaching, and of worldly Authority and worldly Greatness in their Minifters, efpecially in this Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, and fome Parts of Germany. God was therefore pleafed among us, to fhift from Veel to Veffel: And the next Remove bumbled the Miniftry, fo that they were more Strid in Preaching, Devout in Praying, and Zealous for keeping the Lord's-Day, and Catechifing of Children and Servants, and Repeating at Home in their Families what they had heard in publick.

But even as thefe grew into Power, they were not only for whipping fome out, but others into the Temple: And they appeared Rigid in their Spirits, rather than Severe in their Lives, and more for a Party, than for Piety: Which brought forth another People, that

were

were yet more retired and felect. They would not communicate at large, or in common with others; but formed Churches among themfelves of fuch as could give fome account of their Converfion, at least, of very promifing Experiences of the Work of God's Grace upon their Hearts, and under mutual Agreements and Covenants of Fellowship they kept together. Thefe People were fomewhat of a fofter Temper, and feemed to recommend Religion by the Charms of its Love, Mercy and Goodness, rather than by the Terrors of its fudgments and Punishment; by which the former Party would have terrified into Religion.

They alfo allowed greater liberty to Prophecy than thofe before them; for they admitted any Member to Speak or Pray, as well as their Paftor (whom they always Chofe, and not the Civil Magiftrate.) If fuch found any thing preffing upon them to either Duty, even without the Diftinction of Clergy or Laity; Perfons of any Trade, be it never fo Low and Mechanical. But alas! even thefe People fuffered great lofs: For tafting of Worldly Empire, and the Favour of Princes, and the Gain that enfued, they degenerated but too much. For though they had cryed down National Churches, and Miniftry and Maintenance too, fome of them, when it was their own turn to be Tryed, fell under the Weight of Worldly Honour and Advantage, got into profitable Parfonages too much, and outlived and contradicted their own Principles: And, which was yet worse, turned fome of them abfolute Perfecutors of other Men for God's Sake, that but fo lately came themselves out of the Furnace, which drove many a Step farther, and that was into the Water. Another Baptifm, as believing they were not Scripturally Baptifed, and hoping to find that Prefence and Power of God, in fubmitting to that Ordinance, which they defired and wanted.

Thefe People made alfo Profeffion of Neglecting, if not Renouncing and Cenfuring, not only the Neceffity, but Ufe of all Humane Learning, as to the Ministry;

and