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Discovery of the Kingdome of Antichrist
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Genre
Controversial Treatise
Date
1653
Full Title
A brief discovery of the Kingdome of Antichrist. And the downfall of it hasteth greatly. With A Difference betwixt the Ordinances of Christ and of Antichrist. 1 Thes. 1.3, 4, 5. The Man of sin, who is exalted above all that is called God, and sits in the Temple of God, as God shewing himselfe to be God, deceiving the Simple Ones. Wisdome now cryeth out in the Streets, calling out of Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, where our Lord hath been Crucified; and spirituall wickednesse ie now committed in high places; therefore return and hearken to the vioce of Jesus Christ, and turne at his reproofe. 2 Thes. 1. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, &c. For the Lord is comming in power and great glory, and Antichrist shall be consumed by the breath of his mouth, and the brightnesse of his coming.
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A Discovery of Antichrists Kingdome,
and the downfall of it
hasteth greatly.
NOw the Kingdome of Jesus Christ is setting up
in the spirits of his people; And at that time shall
Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth
up for the Children of my people, saith the Lord, and there
shall be a time of trouble, such as there never was, since
there was a nation, even to that same time, and at that time
there shall be deliverance, every one shall be delivered, that
shall be found written in the booke of life,in the day of the
day of the Lords power, Dan. 12 1. And it shall come to
passe at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with Candles,
and punish the men that are settled upon their Lees, that say
in their heart the Lord will not doe good, neither will he doe
evill: Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their
houses a desolation, they shall also build houses but not inhabite
them; and they shall plant vineyrds, but not drinke the
wine thereof. The great day of the Lord is neare, it hasteth
greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: there the great
man shall cry bitterly. Zeph. 1. 14. Now the abomination
of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stands up; let
him that readeth understand. Now the man of sinne is
revealed, and revealing, even the Son of perdition, who
opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called
God, and sitteth in the Temple of God, as God, shewing
himselfe to be God, spoken of by the Apostle, in
A2
1
2 Thes. 2. 2, 3. and the vialls are to be powred out upon
the man of sin, spoken of in the Revelation.
The Priests are the greatest persecutors of the truth
of God; now where it is made manifest in the spirits of
the people of God, the Lord hath sent to declare and testifie
against their deceits and deceivablenesse, whereby
they doe deceive the people, and they are raging mad
because they are discovered; and they persecute, imprison,
and petition, and doe all that beastly corrupt
wills can invent, to keep the Israelites of God in bondage,
that they might still be Lords and Rulers over
Gods heritage, but though Gog and Magog joyne in
battel against the Lamb, yet he shal prevail and get the victory,
and the beast and false Prophet shall be cast into
the lake that burneth, Rev 19 20 and they that worship
the Beast and his Image, and receive his marke in
their right hand, or in their foreheads, the same shall
drinke of the wine of the wrath of the Almighty, poured
forth into the cup of his indignation, and shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the
holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lambe, and the
smoake of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever;
and they shall have no rest day nor night that worship
the Beast
,
Rev. 14.9, 10, 11.
Come out of the beastly worships God is a Spirit, and
he will be worshipped in spirit, and the glorious Lord
will be unto his a place of broad Rivers and streames
of leve, and peace, and joy, and rejoicing for ever and
ever, and all the children of the Lord are taught of the
Lord, hee is Teacher alone by his spirit, and causeth
people to profit by his Ministery. Therefore cease
wholly from all your Priests, they are Decivers, and
lead you from the teachings of the spirit, to observe
dreames, and fancies of their owne braine, and are the
upholders of pride, covetousnesse, and oppression, and
never were yet taught themselves; they are in the state
2
and condition that the false Prophets were in, all teaching
for hire, and are Lords and Rulers over the people,
and ran but the Lord did never send them, as those
did, that the Lord sent his true Prophets to cry out against,
as in Jer. 23. and Jer. 5 30,31. and Isaiah 56.
10, 11: Ezeck 34. Micha 3.11. Hosea 6.9. As a troop of
Robbers wait for a man, so the Priests they murder
in the way by consent. Now the Scripture is fulfilling,
the Beast makes warre with the Saints; those beastly
Priests make themselves manifest, that they are of the
generation of Cain, and are of their Father the Devill,
persecuting and imprisoning the servants of the Lord,
as the Jewish High-Priests did. Persecution is begun
here in York-shire, by the Priests of Baal, they cannot
defend their Ministery any wayes, but by an outward
Law, when any are moved by the Lord to speake against
their deceits, they run away, as the Priest of Finningley
did, and the Priest of Arkworth and others did, and
will not stand to their flocks, but leave them, but the
Scriptures is fulfilling, the hireling fleeth because he is
an hireling. See if this be not contrary to that of the
true Shepheard, that layeth down his life for the Sheep,
John 10. 11. and 15, 16, 17. verses.
They take the words of the good Shepheard to
speak of, but deny to live his life; and they walk contrary
to the Scripture. See if this be not errour; the
true Ministers of the Gospel were to take the care of the
flock willingly, not by constraint, but of a ready mind,
and not for filthy lucre; neither were they to be Lords
or Rulers over Gods heritage, but they were to be examples
to the Flock, as in 2 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3.
But these are constrained by great Parsonages, and
fat Benefices, and are Lords and Rulers over Gods Heritage,
being puff't up in scorne and derision, pride, and
ambition, and swell in iniquity, persecuting, and imprisoning
the servants of the Lord, and act contrary to
A3
3
the Scripture, shewing the spirit of errour, 1 Joh. 5.
As the Priest of Tharnisworth, when one of his Heard
that had been from him a while, and went to hear him
againe, that he might have spoken to that which had not
beene according to truth; after that he had done, but
so soone as he came into the Idolls Temple, he
over his speaking, and spoke to him, and had before
beene at his house to bid him come againe to hear him
and when he went, the Priest
begun to examine him
he being asked a question, made an answer, and [f*]
that was he imprisoned
by him, and hath lyen there almost
a yeare, and doth still continue, for speaking the
truth as it was made manifest
to him by the Lord; being
asked the question two or three times before he [illegible]
answered: see if this bee not contrary to that Scripture
in 1 Cor. 4. and see if this bee not errour; when the
whole Church were together all might speake one [illegible]
one, that all might be edifyed; and if any thing was revealed
to him that sate by, the first was to hold [illegible]
peace, 1 Cor. 14.23. 30, 31, 32 but this Priest acts
contrary to the Scripture, and shewes the spirit of [*rour] .
With the Priest of Tickhill, when one was moved to
speake in the Steeple-house, after that hee had ended
his Sermon, he would not stand to vindicate himself
by Scripture, but got him set
into the stocks. See
this be not Antichrist; where ever did Christ or his
true Ministers any such thing? and when he was [illegible]
in the stocks, many people, scoffing Ishmaels were
about him, and the rude multitude; and one was
moved to goe upon the Crosse to speake to the people
and one of those called Church-wardens, threw him
downe some 13. steps high, and then the rude people
threw dirt in his face: see if these doe not act the very
same things that the Jewes did to Paul, when they [hal*]
him out of the Synagogue, and when they struck [P*]
4
and Silas, and set them in the stocks, and threatned
[*ter] and John that they should speake no more the
name of Jesus, and stoned some, and imprisoned others:
and now the same things are acted by those that
professe themselves to be the people of God, as the Jews
did, but they are found to be in the same state and condition
that they were, as their fruits doe make manifest.
This Priest afterwards would not rest till he had imprisoned
the party that spoke to him, and filled a paper
[illegible] flyes, in a Petition that was rejected. See what fruits
these are; and the people at Leeds, with the Priests imprisoned
others, and at Wakefield both stoned, so that
stones flew like bullets in a battell, and slet their doggs,
and none looked to still the rage, not so much as a
Townes Clerke. See what fruits these are, whether of
the flesh or spirit, and it will not be denied, but that
they are of the flesh; then what reformation is there
wrought by the Ministers of the world? for they that
are in the flesh cannot please God: and so the Scriptures
are daily fulfilled; they that are after the flesh,
they persecute them that are after the spirit.
The 2. Priests of Wakefield themselves came by at
one time, and when they were spoken to, they would
not stand to prove themselves. See if these be the Ministers
of Christ, or of Antichrist; a good Shepheard
layes downe his life for his Sheep. There was one Priest
Robbison stood up in the Market at Wakefield to have
maintained himselfe to have beene a Minister of Christ,
but one taking him by the arme, and hee, the said
Priest, being proved a lyar in the open Market, ran away,
and the people set up a shouting: Is this the Ministry
of Christ, or of Antichrist? hold them not up
for shame.
The Priest of Fetherston, when one was moved by
the Lord to go speak to him, he caused that before ever
he spoke word he should be put in the stocks; and the
A4
5
Priest when he had done, one would then have proven
him a Theefe and a Robber, but he got away.
These Priests, with many more in York-shire, which
is too large to expresse in writing, the passage of
with the Priests in Lancashire, Westmorland, Notinghamshire,
Lincoln-shire, and Darby-Shire, where the Lord
hath raised up any to speake against their deceits;
would fill up volumnes, but all ends in persecution,
the Jewish High-Priests did, when Jesus Christ came
in the flesh; so do these now, when Jesus Christ comes
to be made manifest in the spirits of his people, to testifie
against their deceits, wherein they have beene deceaved
by them, that others may not be led to destruction
by them; For the leaders of the people cause them to err
Isaiah 3.12. Isaiah 9.16. And if the blinde leade the [illegible]
blinde, they shall both fall into the ditch,
Mathew
15.14. .
All people, take warning betime, and hold them [illegible]
up, but come out of their dark Ministery, which is Sodome
and Egypt, where the Lord is crucified; they are
committing spirituall wickednesse in high places, both
Priests and People; like Priests, like People,
Hos. 4.9.
Thus saith the Lord, Come out of Babylon my people [illegible]
ye be partakers of her plagues: come out of the Idolle
Temple, and out of the Idolle Worship; come out of Babylon
with [illegible] in your hearts, and touch no uncleane thing, and
the Lord will receive you, 2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18.
The High-Priests were ever the greatest enemies [illegible]
Jesus Christ, and they are yet alive to persecute him
where he is made manifest in the spirits of his people
Christ is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever, Heb 13.
8. The Chiefe Priests are the same that they were, [illegible]
they did then, they shew the same deedes now; see [th*]
Chiefe Priests first begun to joyne persecution with
Herod against Christ, when he was borne. See Math. [illegible]
5. to the 16. see Mat. 16. 21. The Chiefe Priests were
6
sore displeased at him, Mat. 21. 15,16. The Chiefe
Priests and Elders came to question his authority, ver.
23. Mat. 20. 18, 19. The Chiefe Priests condemned
him, and delivered him to the Gentiles, to mock him,
and scourge him: The Chiefe Priests covenanted with
Judas to betray Christ, Mat. 26. 14,15. A great multitude
came with Judas from the Chiefe Priests, with
swords and staves to take Jesus, ver. 47. and Jesus was
led to the High-Priest, where the Scribes and Elders
were assembled, ver. 57. The Chiefe Priests and Elders,
and all the Councell sought false witnesse against
Jesus to put him to death, ver. 59. at last came two false
witnesses, then the Chiefe Priests adjured him to speak,
and when he spoke the truth, the Chiefe Priest rent his
cloathes, and said he spoke blasphemy, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65.
truth is blasphemy to the deceit; when Jesus was condemned
to dye by the Chiefe Priests, Rulers, and Elders
of the people, they spit in his Face, and smote him
on the Cheek, and buffeted him, ver. 66, 67. And thus
the Serpent spued out his venome then against the
truth; and the Jewes, Chiefe Priests, and Elders are
alive yet, to persecute Christ in his Members. This is
the same generation of Cain that persecutes, a seede of
evill doers: see if these doe not deny the Scriptures,
and shew the spirit of errour, and cannot make good
their call, but ran and the Lord never sent them, and
have nothing but what they have studied out of Bookes,
and Studies; and the Hireling fleeth because he is an
Hireling, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled,
John 10. 13.
John Cart, the Priest of Hanseworth, when one was
moved by the Lord to speake to him, he caused him to
be taken prisoner; and so they all act in the same state
and condition that the Jewish High-Priest did, and
are enemies both to Jesus Christ and His; for inasmuch
as they doe it to one of his, they doe it to him,
7
7
and make their refuge to the Popes Law, that was
made to uphold the Popish Clergy by, when they did
uphold the Masse made by Queen Mary; see the Statute
in the first of Mary, 2. Ass. 3. Ch: and againe see if
it be not repealed by Elizabeth, in the first yeare of her
reigne, 2. Ch. last clause. See Coke. pla. fol. 352. Sir
Nich. Hides Chiefe Justice then in England cited, that
it was wholly repealed by that of Elizabeth, in the first
yeare of her reigne, 2. chap. last clause: see Dalton,
103. 104. pag. See if these be the Ministers of Christ
or of Antichrist, that make their refuge to the Popes
Law to imprison by; neither Jesus Christ nor his true
Ministers did ever so. Let truth come to light, and
deceits and deceivers put to shame; God is judge, Lawgiver,
and King.
The said Priest, John Cart, he dealt deceitfully, just
as Pilat did with Christ, who said he would wash his
hands in Innocency, for, said he, I will forgive him,
but Officers, saith he, looke you to your office. Pilat
and Herod both joyne together to persecute Christ
in his Saints; many friends went up to have spoken
with his Priests afterwards, but he would neither come
at them, nor suffer them to come at him, those which
had been the chiefe hearers: see if the deceits bee not
afraid to come to light, for truth seekes no corners;
therefore love that which is good, and hate that which
is evill, every one, and prove your owne worke; so
shall you have joy in your selves and not in others, Gal
6. 4. prove all things, and hold fast that which is good,
but cease from all your Priests, deceivers, blind guides,
Hirelings, Seducers, and Antichrists, they shall never
profit you at all; they ran but the Lord never sent
them, hold them not up, the Lord is against them, Ier.
23. 30, 31, 32.
The Priest of Doncaster, he imprisoned one for asking
him a question, and when he was before the Major
8
and Justices to be examined, the Priest fled into the
further corner of the house typeset error, as one James Nayler spoke
to him, and the Priest did confesse there openly, that
he had not attained to that which the party imprisoned
by him had done, and desired the prisoner to pray for
him; yet nothing will serve but imprisonment. See if
this be not Antichrist, hold them not up, downe with
them all, they are all falne backward, and gone out of the
way of obedience, and selfe-denyall; but they must be
called to account before the righteous Judge, the Lord
of Heaven and Earth, that they may have their tryall:
thus saith the Lord, Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill
with them, and they shall be rewarded according to
their doings, Isa. 3. 10.
The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all those
that forget God, and have their portion in the lake
that burneth. The Lord is sending forth his Angels to
gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend;
then shall the righteous shine forth in brightnesse, in
the Kingdome of their Father.
The vials are pouring forth, and the beast begins to
roare, the Lord is Judge himselfe, and he will plague the
Beast, and burne the Whore, and torment the wicked
for evermore.
Both Gog and Magog is gathering to battell, as the
number of the sand of the Sea, going on the breadth of
the earth, to compasse the Camp of the Saints about,
and the beloved City, and fire will fall downe from
God out of Heaven and devoure them, Revelations 20.
8, 9, &c.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection,
on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
Priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reigne with him a
thousand yeares. Rev. 20.6.
9
This was written by a Thresher, that goeth
about with his threshing Instrument, labouring
where he findes work.
Arise Sion and thresh with a new threshing
Instrument, having Teeth.
Thus saith the Lord, Hearken unto me ye
stout-hearted that are farre from righteousnesse,
I bring neare my righteousnesse, it shall not be far
off, and my salvation it shall not tarry, and I will
place salvation in Sion for Israel my glory,
Isaiah 46.12, 13.
FINIS
10
The Difference betweene the Ordinance of
Christ and of Antichrist
TAke heede of despising the Ordinance of Jesus
Christ, who hath left it upon record, and also writeth
it in the new Law of Righteousnesse, in the hearts
of his people, saying, If ye love me keep my Commandements:
1. love God with all your hearts, 2. forsake your
lusts and vile affections in affecting earthly things, that
[illegible] the Devils Ordinance, saith Jesus Christ, set not your
affections on things which are on the earth, but set your affections
on things in the heavens;
that is the Ordinance of
Christ: forsake your earthly mindednesse, for that is
the Devils Ordinance; to be carnally minded is death,
and the carnall minde is enmity to the Cross of Christ;
Christ saith, Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and his
righteousnesse, and all things else shall be added; and
love thy Neighbour as they selfe, and doe unto all men
as ye would be done by, and feed the hungry, and cloath
the naked, and let the oppressed go free, and deny thy
selfe of thy owne wisdome, and selfe-righteousness and
conceitednesse, and heady high-mindednesse, and thy
selfe-love, and the honour of the world; and forsake all
vaine delights, and vaine pleasures, and take up a daily
Crosse to thy own will and follow me, and learn of me,
for I am meeke, and lowly in heart; and so shall you
finde rest to your soules, following through the streight
way of obedience and selfe-denyall. These things with
many other, thou shalt finde commanded to be done by
the new Law of Righteousnesse in thy heart; leave them
not undone, Christ doth require it of thee, it is his Ordinance.
11
The Priests of the world are carnal and earthly minded,
coveting after great Benefices, swallowing up the
earth like Bell, and the Dragon, never have enough, belly-gods,
that doe consume and devoure the Creation
upon their lusts, pride, pleasures, & heady high-mindednesse,
living in lust and excesse; oppressors they are, oppressing
the poore people, and persecuting the servant
of the Lord; the true Ministers had their conversation
in Heaven, as in Phil. 3. 20. and they did exhort others
to follow their example, and to marke those that did
not follow them in life and conversation, Phil 3. 17.
but these walke contrary to them, and have lost their
example; herein they walke contrary to the Scripture
and shews the spirit of errour. The Priests of the world
doe persecute and imprison, as the Jewish High-Priests
did imprison the Apostles, which were the true Ministers
of Christ, who were blamelesse in their lives and
conversations, and did walk blamlesly, giving no offence
in any thing, that their ministery might not be blamed; but
in all things did approve themselves as the Ministers of
Christ, in much patience, afflictions, in necessities, in imprisonments,
in tumults, in watchings, in fastings, &c..
2 Cor. 6.3, 4, 5. But these are contrary that doe imprison
others, and consume the creatures of God upon their
lusts, living in pride and excesse, and by their cold,
dark, barren Ministery, starve the soules and bodyes of
others, and walk contrary to the Scriptures, as in this
of 2 Cor. 6. 3, 4, 5. &c and that of Tit. 1. 7, 8. and 1 Tim.
3. 1, 2, 3. &c. and that of 2 Pet. 5.1, 2, 3. The Ministers
of Christ are to take care of the flock willingly, of a ready
minde, not by constraint, nor for filthy lucre, not
to be Lords over Gods heritage; but the Priests of the
world are constrained by fat Benefices and great Parsonages;
and if they can but have 10. or 20. l. more
a
yeare in another place, it will constraine them to leave
them where they are to goe to that: see if they doe not
12
act contrary to these Scriptures, and are guided by the
spirit of errour, 1 Iohn 4. 5, 6. The Ministers of Jesus
Christ were to be gentle towards all men, even to those
that did oppose themselves, and were not to be Lords
and Rulers over Gods heritage, but these are, and just
act all those things that are forbidden: that which they
should not be that they are, that which they should be
that they are not, and have lost their examples in
all things: see if this be not Antichrist; who deny
the Scripture but the Priests of the world? and who
cry out of errour more then they? but now they are
found out, they cry as the Thiefe doth, that sayes, turn
Thiefe, turn Thiefe, that he he may not be looked at,
but sets the people to looke out at some others, and not
at him: and see if the Priests doe not so; looke well
to them, they can deceive none now, but blind-men, and
fooles, that gaze abroad, for wise mens eyes are in their
heads, in Christ that doth enlighten them, and so shews
them their deceits; they that walk contrary to the Scriptures
are to be noted, that they may be put to shame,
2 Thes. 2. Now Priests be ashamed of the evill of your
doings, that take the Scriptures to talk of, and make a
trade of them for money, which is your Diana, and
walke contrary to them: but it is fulfilled, the leaders of
the people cause them to erre, Isa. 9.16. Blush for shame, and
give over deceiving of the people. The Priests in the
first Covenant were to live of the sacrifices that were offered
up, which a people brought in freely, and had no
other wayes: they were to wait upon that Ministery,
and they sacrificing and waiting at the Altar, taking of
the things sacrificed and offered up, was a type or figure,
that they that preach the Gospell should live on the Gospell,
and be set apart wholly for that worke. Now the
Gospell is spirituall, and not carnall, and the carnall
man knowes it not, because he doth not understand the
things of God, who is a spirit, and the Gospell is spirituall,
13
and none can preach that everlasting Gospel but
Jesus Christ who lives in our bodyes, that are made the
temples of the Holy Ghost, and he preacheth to the spirits
that are in prison, and he doth it freely, it is his delight
to do his Fathers will, killing all our lusts, that
were sacrificed too when we lived in the lust of the flesh,
and he crucifieth them, and works us out of our selves into
the divine nature, and his life is in doing us good,
being his Fathers will, offering up our requests to the
Father in us, and for us, that he by his own bloud,
the spirit of life in us, killing, slaying, and crucifying
the corrupt nature in us, and working out that which is
evill, being made manifest in us to destroy the workes
of the Devill, taking our mindes and affections into
that which is eternall and invisible, working us into that
which is pure and spirituall, that we may praise and
glorify his great and glorious name, being made partakers
of his divine natur freely for his names sake, and
not for any deserts in us, and being brought out of darknesse
into his marvellous light by the guidance of the
eternal spirit in us, leading us out of bondage into liberty,
sending the spirit of his Son into our hearts crying
Abba Father, which none can do but those that are born
againe, having their Fathers name given them at the
entrance into the new Covenant, which is inwardly, to
the Jewes inwardly, the seed of Abraham after the spirit,
being baptised by the free spirit into that spirituall body:
all that are born againe are redeemed from their
vaine conversation to serve the Lord in newnesse of spirit
in walking humbly before him, being borne againe
of water and the spirit of the family of Abraham the Father
of the faithfull; we are set apart to testifie against
all unfaithfulnesse, for faith worketh by love, and causeth
love to run forth to others, to all creatures, even to
enemies; and so the Gospel comes to be preached to
every creature in living in love with one another, even
14
in Jesus Christ, which is the Son of his love, having
his treasure in earthly vessells: God manifesting himselfe
in our flesh, and dwelling in us, taking away our
stony hearts which was the cause of oppression, which
caused the creation in us to groan under the burden of
oppression by reason of that cursed nature which did
[*ear] rule over the pure seed in us, which now the Lord
of his infinite mercy hath delivered us from by the powerfull
operation of his spirit in us, changing our vile
affections that were set altogether on earth and earthly
delights and vanities, and so ran after covetousnesse, and
to satisfy the earthly lusts did oppress and burden others;
but the Lord by the power of the eternall spirit in
us, the divine operation hath wrought out our corrupt
natures, & engrafted us into the divine nature, being the
workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which is the fruits and effects of the spirit of God
that wrought faith in our hearts, giving us new hearts, doing
good to all, even to enemies; for faith worketh by love,
which love is Iesus Christ the Son of God, who preacheth
the Gospel of his Fathers love in us, that we may bee
what we do profess, not loving in word and in tongue,
as the world doth, that lives in dissimulation, but in
deed and in truth; for he that saith he loves God and
hates his Brother, is a Lyar, and the truth is not in him;
but truth dwelling in us, which is Iesus Christ the
power of God that hath reformed and changed our natures
and dispositions, and hath put in our hearts to execute,
to doe his will, which is to testify against all deceits
and oppressions, that are covered under a cloak of
profession, and no true love but lust, both to pride and
covetousnesse, anger and envy, lying and swearing,
drunkenness, oppression, and grinding the faces of the
poore, living in lust and excess; ye live in pleasures
and wantonness upon earth, ye the proud Priests, and
covetous professors, and heady highminded ones that
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fare sumptuously, feeding upon your dainty [dish*]
Dives like, and grinding the poore to powder in taxations
and oppressions; you that have got a great deal [illegible]
the earth in your hands, which is the Lords, and [illegible]
provides largely for every creature, but that proud Devill
that rules in your proud flesh, doth oppress and grind
the poore to pieces: Thus saith the Lord, What mean
ye to beat my people in pieces, and grind the faces of the poor
Dives fares sumptuously, and poore Lazarus is in want
the rich drink wine in bouls, and the poor starve in the [illegible]
streets: never like was seen in this generation, the [illegible]
Lord is so displeased at it. Professe no more love [illegible]
Christ, ye pround and lustfull ones; if ye did but know
him ye would keep his Commandements, as to do to
men as ye would be done by, and to love your enemies
and seek out the poor & needy, and feed them, and cloth
them, that the oppressed might go free; you consume
more upon your lusts, pride, and covetousnesse, than
would satisfy all that are in wants; pride, and covetousnesse,
and the honour of the world, they swallow
all, as Bell and the Dragon did, and are never satisfyed
thirsting altogether after the earth, and love of [illegible]
world, and the enjoyment of the world for the honour
of your names, as Nebuchadnezar did, and talke [illegible]
God, and Christ. Professe lesse, and practice more
you are wise to do evil, Priests and People, but to [illegible]
good have no understanding; cease to doe evil, and
learn to do well: did you but know Christ you would
not suffer him to want in his Members, you would [illegible]
imprison him to satisfy your lusts;