'all Mankind are Imperfect and Deformed: Let them 1687. paint, and dress themselves with the Sheep's Clo 'thing, and with the Form of Godliness, of the Pro- Kingston phets, and Christ's and his Apostles Words never fo 'much; yet if Chrift be not in them, they are Uncom'pleat, Imperfect, Deformed, Reprobates. But the Apostle ' tells the Church of Chrift, Ye are compleat in Chrift, 'which is the Head of all Principality and Power, Col. 2.

10. (for he hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given 'to him, Matth. 28. 18.) And fo all the Saints are 'made Perfect and Compleat in Christ Jesus; bleffed 'be the Lord God over all for ever, through Jesus 'Chrift, Amen, Amen.

Kingston, the 15th of the

Ift Month, 1689.

G. F.

Quickly after this I returned to London, and continued there a Month in the Service of the Lord; being daily exercised either in Publick Meetings, or more particular Services relating to the Church of Chrift: as visiting fuch as were Sick or Afflicted, and writing Books or Papers for the spreading of Truth, or refuting of Error. Now as it was a time of general Liberty, the Papifts appeared more open in their Worship, than they were formerly wont to do; and many unfettled People going to view them at it, a great Talk there was of their Praying to Saints, and by Beads, &c. Whereupon I writ a short Paper concerning Prayer; which was as followeth :

Chrift Jefus, when he taught his Disciples to pray, 'faid unto them, When ye do pray, Say; Our Father, 'which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name, &c. 'Chrift doth not fay, that they should pray to Mary, 'the Mother of Christ; nor doth he say, that they 'should pray to Angels, or to Saints, that were Dead, 'Chrift did not teach them to pray to the Dead,

nor for the Dead. Neither did Chrift or his Apo'ftles teach the Believers to pray by Beads, nor to 'Sing by Outward Organs: but the Apoftle faid; 'he would Sing and Pray in the Spirit: for the Spirit 'it self maketh Interceffions and the Lord, that fearcbeth the heart, knoweth the mind of the spirit. To

1687. 'To take Counsel of the Dead, was forbidden by ~the Law of God; but they were to take Counsel of London. the Lord: And he hath given Christ in the New 'Covenant, in his Gospel-Day, to be a Counsellor ' and a Leader to all his Believers in his Light. And 'Men are not to run to the Dead for the Living: for 'the Law and Testimony of God forbids it. Thofe Jews, that refused the running Waters of Shiloh, the 'Floods and Waters of the Affyrians and Babylonians came over them, and carried them into Captivity: 'And they that refuse the Waters of Christ, they are 'overflown with the Flood of the World, that lieth ' in Wickedness. They that asked Counsel of Stocks ' and Stones, their state was in the Spirit of Error ' and Whoredom; and they were gone a whoring from 'God, Hof. 4. 12. And they, that joined themselves to 'Baal-Peor, and ate the Sacrifices of the Dead, pro'voked the Lord's Anger, and brought the Lord's Difpleasure upon them, Pfal. 106. 28, 29. So here ye may fee, The Sacrifices of the Dead were forbidden. The Living know that they shall die; but the Dead 'know not any thing, neither have they any more a Reward: for the Memory of them is forgotten, Ecclef. 9. 5. Wo to the rebellious Children, faith the Lord, that take Counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a Covering, but not of my Spirit, that they

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may add fin to fin, Ifa.

When I had stay'd about a Month in London, I got out of Town again: For by reason of the many Hardships I had undergone in Imprisonments, and other Sufferings for Truth's fake, my Body was grown fo Infirm and Weak, that I could not bear the Closeness of the City long together; but was fain to go a little into the Country, where I might have the benefit of

the fresh Air. At this time I went with my Son-inEfex. Law William Mead, to his Country-House called Goofes Gooses. in Effex (about Thirteen Miles from London;) where I stay'd about Two Weeks: and among other Services, that I had there, I writ the following Paper; being

A Distinction between the True Offering and Sacrifice, 1687. and the False, in the Old and New Covenant.

'The Lord faith, He that facrificeth to any God, Save ' unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed, Exod. 22. 20. So no God is to be minded, nor facrificed 'to, but the Lord God: It is Death to Sacrifice to any other God, save the Lord. The Lord faith also, Thou shalt not offer the blood of my Sacrifice with leavened Bread, Exod. 23. 18. So that four, heavy 'Leaven must not be offered with the Lord's Sacrifice. And again the Lord faith; Thou shalt not build an Altar of hewen Stone: for if thou lift up thy Tool upon it, thou hast polluted it, Exod. 20. 25. Therefore have a care of polluting the Altar with your own Tools, you that profess to offer the Spiritual 'Sacrifice.

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Jonah faid; He would facrifice unto the Lord with the voice of Thanksgiving, when he was in the Fish's. Belly; and there he prayed unto the Lord, Jonah 2. 'For Jonah in the Whale's Belly had no Lambs, nor 'Rams, nor outward Sacrifices to offer.

'The Lord forbids his People to Sacrifice with 'Harlots, Hofea 4. 14. And the Lord forbids his Peo'ple to offer Sacrifice of the Blind, Lame, Sick, or 'that which was deformed, or had any blemish; as 'in Mal. 1. and many other places. So they that 'offer Spiritual Sacrifice, must not offer the blind, 'lame, blemished or deformed Sacrifice to God.

The Scribe faith unto Christ, To love God with all 'the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all 'the Soul, and with all the strength, and to love his Neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt 'Offerings and Sacrifices, Mark 12.33. And when Je'Sus Saw, that be answered discreetly, he said unto bim; Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God, v. 34. 'Now ye may see, to Love God, and their Neighbour as themselves, was more than their whole Burnt'Offerings and Sacrifices in the time of the Law: And therefore, all Offerings and Sacrifices in the 'time

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1687. time of the Gospel, if there be not love to God, and to their Neighbour as themselves, avails noGooses. 'thing.

David faid, Let them facrifice a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and declare his Works with rejoycing, 'Pfal. 107. 22. These are the Sacrifices that the 'Lord requires of his People, more than Outward 'Sacrifices. And David said, Let my Prayer be fet 'forth before thee, as Incense; and the lifting up of 'mine Hands, as the Evening Sacrifice, Pfal. 141. 2. 'So here David looks upon his Prayer to the Lord, ' and the lifting up of his Hands to him, to be ac'cepted with the Lord, as much as the Outward 'Incenfe, and the Outward Evening Sacrifice. Again 'David says, The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spi'rit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt 'not despise, Pfal. 51. 17. (See also Ifa. 57. 15. and Chap. 66. 2.) These be the Sacrifices that David 'faid God would accept, and not despise; which are beyond the unbroken Spirit, and uncontrite Heart, 'with Outward Offerings and Sacrifices.

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'The Adverfaries of the Jews would have joined 'with them towards the building of the Temple, faying unto them; Let us build with you, for we 'Seek your God, as ye do; and we do facrifice unto him. But the Jews refused them, and faid; 'You have nothing to do with us, to build an Houfe unto our God, Ezra 4. 2, 3. So here ye may fee, that God's People refused their building with them, ' and their Sacrifice. And Solomon faith, The Sacri 'fice of the Wicked is an Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15. 8. (See alfo Ifa. 1. 11. and Chap. 66.3.) Solomon also saith, Better is a dry Morfel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of Sacrifices with ftrife, Prov. 17. 1. Now let all People Confider, 'what Good your house full of Sacrifices doth with strife, when a dry Morfel, and Quietness therewith is better And Confider all People, If ye live in Wickedness, your Sacrifice is an Abomination 'to the Lord.

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'Again, Solomon speaking of the Sacrifice of Fools, 1687'faith; They confider not, that they do evil, Ecclef.5.1. 'Fools are such, as do not walk in the Spirit of God, Goofes. ' or begin in the Spirit, and end in the Flesh, like 'the foolish Galatians: for the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, and cannot 'Join with the Sacrifices of the Dead, nor of the 'Fools, nor of the Wicked, whose Sacrifice is Abominable; who grieve and quench the Spirit of God: by which Spirit of God the Spiritual and Righteous * offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by 'Jesus Chrift.

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'The Apostle Paul faith, he was the Minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministring the Gospel of 'God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost, Rom. 15. '16. So ye may fee, that all the acceptable Offerings and Sacrifices to God must be sanctified by the 'Holy Ghoft. The fame Apostle faith to the Corin*thians; Te are bought with a Price: therefore glorifie 'God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are God's, I Cor. 6. 20. And to the Romans he faith; I beseech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that you pre'Sent your Bodies a living Sacrifice, boly, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable Service, Rom. 12.1. Now this is the Duty of all true Christians.

Peter also faith in his general Epistle to the Church ' of Christ, Te also as lively stones, are built up a fpi"ritual house, an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Chrift, 1 Pet. 2. 5. * So every Man and Woman must come to the Spirit ' of God in their own Hearts, if they do offer up Spi' ritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. For as Christ faith, Every Sacrifice shall be falted 'with falt, Mark 9.49. And in the Old Testament ye may fee, All their outward Offerings, they were 'to season them with falt, Levit. 2. 13. a Type and • Figure of Christ, who gave himself for us, an Offer. • ing and a Sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling favour, Ephef. 5. 2. Therefore all his People must be baptized

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