A Spiritual or Heave …

A Spiritual or Heavenly SALUTATION To all the Tender-hearted in CHRISTENDOM, That are seeking the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof, which I desire and intreat them to Read over these following Lines, in the love of God, in which they are sent to them from him that desires the good of all Mankind here, and their Eternal hap­piness hereafter.

GEORGE FOX.

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Northcoot in George-yard in Lumbard-street 1690.

A SPIRITUAL or HEAVENLY Salutation, &c.

TO all the tender Hearted in Christendom, whose Faces are turned towards Heavenly Jerusalem, and whose Minds are turned and drawn by the Spirit of God to Christ, who is the new and living way to God, and the one Mediator betwixt God and Man; who enlightneth every one that cometh into the World, with his Heavenly Divine Light, which is the life in Christ the Word, by whom all things were Made and Created; Christ saith, Believe in the Light, that ye may become Children of the Light, so Christ who is not of the World but from above, hath given us his Light to believe in, and to walk in, that we may have the Light of life, and he that believeth is a Child of Light and born of God, and overcomes the World; and passes from the Death that came by Adam, and is engrafted into Christ the life, the second Adam, and so are living Stones or Members of him the living Head; and the Children of this Light that walk in this Light, have fellowship with the Son, and the Father, and one with another; and all Christendom that walk not in the Light that Christ hath given you, are not in this Heavenly Divine fellowship. But this Pro­phesie we do witness fulfilled and fulfilling concerning Christ; God said, I will give him for a Covenant of the People, and a [Page 4] Light to the Gentiles, and he shall be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth, Isa. 49.6, 8. So that they that come to know their Salva­tion, and into Covenant with God, they must come into the Light of Christ which giveth the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus, which Light shines in their Hearts, the Heavenly treasure in the Earthen Vessels; and if all that is called Christendom, had believed in the Light, the life in Christ, which Christ giveth and teacheth to Believe in that which he giveth them, then had they been all Children of the Light, and of the Day of Christ, in Unity and Fellowship in the Light, and then they had not made so many Faiths and Beliefs which they have destroyed one another about. And if all Christendom had observed the Apostles Doctrin to the Church of Christ, who exhorted them to look to Jesus the Author and finisher of their Faith, then they would not have made so many Faiths, about which they have Persecuted one another: Whereas no manner of Men below, can make a Catholick Divine Faith; for I say, that Christ Jesus is the Beginner and Finisher of our Ho­ly, Divine, Precious, Catholick or Universal Faith, which he the Holy one, doth reveal from Faith to Faith; and the Mystery of this holy Faith is held in a pure Conscience, and not in an impure one; and it purifies the Heart and gives Victory over that which displeases God, and separates from God, in which holy Faith, which we have from the holy One, we please the holy God which gives us the Victory over that which displeases him, and separates from him, and have access to him: In this holy Divine Faith is our Unity; so Christ has the honour, who is the Author of our Faith, and Finisher of it, and likewise gives us his Light; the Life in himself; so he is the Author of our Belief to Believe in. —And happy had all Christendom been, had they kept to the Apostles Doctrin, to the Church of Christ, who said, the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all men, and teacheth us, namely Christians, then and now, to live Godly, Righteously, and Soberly, and deny Ʋnrighteouness and Worldly Lusts. Now I say, happy had all Christians been since the Apostles days, if they had kept to this Grace of God their teacher, which would have brought their Salvation, and would have brought them into Favour with God; if they had, [Page 5] then there would not have been so many itching Ears, and have set up so many Schools and Colledges to make Teachers, which brings Christendom into confusion one against another. Some may say, is this Grace sufficient? God said to Paul, it was sufficient, when he was in his Tryals and Temptations; and Thousands can Witness, that the Grace of God is sufficient, and doth teach them what to deny, and how to live, and doth bring their Salvation; for as the Law came by Moses, in the Old Testa­ment, and the Jews were to live under it; and Grace and Truth is come by Jesus in the New Testament, and this Grace and Truth is in the Hearts of Gods People, and they are under Grace's teaching, and in the Covenant of Grace; for Christ by the Grace of God tasted Death for every man, that they may all come out of the Death in Adam, to the Light and Life in him; by his Light, Grace, Truth, and Faith in their Hearts; that he is the Author of; for there is a Prophecy in Joel, That God would pour out his spirit upon all flesh, which the Apostles, in Acts 2. shew the fulfilling of to the Jews; and now, what is the matter that all the Sons, Daughters, Servants, Hand-maids, and Old-men in Christendom, have not their Heavenly Pro­phecies, Visions, and Dreams? Is it not because they have erred from the Spirit of God, and vex, quench, and grieve it, that he hath poured upon them, and become like the Jews; to whom God gave his good Spirit, but they Rebelled against it? there­fore is not all Christendom on heaps one against another, out of fellowship? therefore the means by which all Christendom, and all People are to come into Unity and Fellowship in the Spirit, is, that they must Come all into the Spirit that God hath poured upon them, by which Spirit they must be Circum­cised; and have the Body of Sin and Death cut off, which they came into by Transgression in Adam, who had none before he fell; and they must be Baptised with the Spirit, to plunge down Sin by this Spirit; I say, all must be Baptised into one Body, and so all to Drink into one Spirit; this Spirit of God brings all into Fellowship and Unity, for the Spirit of God is the bond of Peace, and in it is the profiting; and it openeth the Heavenly Prophecies, Visions, and Dreams to Gods People now, as it did in the Apostles days. Christ Jesus set up a Worship [Page 6] above Sixteen hundred Years agoe, in the Spirit and in the Truth, when he put down the Jews Worship at Jerusalem and the Samarinus at Jacob's-Well, and said; The hour cometh, and [...], that they that worship the Father, must worship him in spirit and in truth, for such he seeketh to worship him; and therefore all must come to the Spirit of God and his Truth in their Hearts, by which Truth and Spirit in their Hearts, they must know the God of Truth an infinite Spirit, and in his Truth and in his Spirit, to Worship and Serve the God of Truth. And if all Christendom had kept to the Truth and Spirit in their Hearts, they had kept to the Worship that Christ, the Lord from Hea­ven had set up (for none can set up a better than he) and then they had not set up so many Worships, and Persecuted one ano­ther about them; but all People must return to the Spirit of God and the Truth in their Hearts, if they will Serve and Wor­ship God their Creator; for God is come to teach his People himself, by his Son; for as the Apostle saith, God at sundry times and in divers manners, spake to the Fathers by the Prophets, but now in these last days God hath spoken to us by his Son, who bruises the Serp [...]ts head, who hath been the head of all false Speakers and false Religions, Churches, Ways and Worships; but God is the Speaker now to his People, by his Son, who was the Speaker to Adam in Paradise, but when Adam forsook Gods Teaching, and followed the Serpents, he lost his happiness, so have the Jews and the Christians; therefore all must return by the Spirit, Light, Grace, and Truth of Jesus, to Christ Jesus the great Prophet, Shepherd, Bishop, Leader, and Counsellor, that they may hear God speak to them by his Son, and he that hath the Son hath Life, and he that hath not the Son hath not Life, though he may make a profession of all the Scriptures: And none can re­ceive the Son, but by the Light, Grace, and Truth that comes from him, in their Hearts. Why are not all Christendom the Sons and Daughters of God, which make a Profession of Christ? Is it not because they do not receive Christ, in his Grace and Truth in their Hearts, which comes from him? For Adam and Eve, by eating of that which God forbid, brought Death on them and their Posterity; and now Christ the second Adam, saith, That he is the Bread from Heaven, and except they eat this Bread [Page 7] from Heaven, &c. that he gives, they have not Life in him; so by eating came Death, and by eating comes Life again, it is not by talking. And he gives his Bread from Heaven now, for he is the Heavenly Bread, Rock, and Foundation, Christ the same to day as yesterday, and so for ever, to all his People, who was Dead and is alive again, and Lives for evermore, and Reigns in his People. And now in this Gospel day, of Christ the new Covenant: God writes his Law in the Hearts of his People, and puts it in their Minds, that all should know him from the great­est to the least, and none need say to his Brother, know the Lord, which thousands do witness this Law of Love, Faith and Life, that all may read what God puts in their Minds, and writes in their Hearts, and such are heavenly Jerusalem's Children, who is the Mother of them all; and no Mother can they own below the heavenly Jerusalem, as the Christians did in the Primitive Times, and such are the Church of the first Born written in Heaven, cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet, all changeable Churches, Ways, Worships, Religions and Teachers, all which change as changeable things, for the Moon changes, but the Sun doth not change but cloaths his living Members, who is over his House; the Royal Priesthood offer­ing up spiritual Sacrifices to God (not Carnal) by Jesus Christ.

And when Christ sent his Disciples to preach the Gospel to every Creature under Heaven: It was not with the Penalty of Prisons, Gallows, Fire, and spoiling of the Goods of them that would not believe and receive them. And therefore it is time for all that profess Christianity, to put up the Carnal Sword concerning Religion, and obey Christ's Command, who said he came not to destroy Men's Lives, but to save them; and there­fore love God and Christ, and one another, and Enemies, for Love and Charity is the most Excellent way above all tinkling Cymbals, and sounding Brass; for they that dwell in Love dwell in God.

POSTSCRIPT.

AND all you Teachers that make a Scoff and a Mock at the Motion, or moving of the Spirit of God; but you had never had the Holy Scriptures which you make a Trade of, had not the Holy Men of God spoken them forth as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God, and this shews that you are erred from the Holy Spirit of God, that the Apostles were in, and the moving of it, and fellowship in it, which proceedeth from the Father and the Son: And as the Apostle said to the Church of Christ, That I may know him, and the Power of his Resurrection, and the Fellowship of his Sufferings, being made conformable unto his Death, Phil. 3.10. This is the right Knowledge of Christ, and the true Conformity.

[...] they that are conformable to Christ, who faith, he is from above and not of this World, such are not conformable to this World.

And now all you that go under the Name of Christians, Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.19. And if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his, Rom. 8.9. And the Apostle tells the Church of Christ, That no Man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1. Cor. 12.3. And the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son, John 15.26. And again the Apostle saith to the Corinthians, Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith, prove your own selves; know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates, 2 Cor. 13.5. And again the Apostle saith to the Romans, The Word is nigh thee, even in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart, and this is the Word of Faith which we preach, Rom. 10.8. And again the Apostle saith, The Mystery which hath been from Ages and Generations, but now is manifest unto the Saints; to whom God would make known what is the Riches of

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amabo oscultate: Salemque quo cuncta quae sapiunt dignoscatis in vobismet retinete; nec minus Oleum in lampadibus vestris semper habete, ut fatuis virginibus absimiles sitis: Talenta vo­bis concredita occupantes Pigri servi censuram evitabitis; decla­ratio enim Spiritus Dei unicuique ad proficiendum datur: Nec sitis locutores, aut verbi Dei tantum auditores, verum illius vo­luntatis Executores ne vestras seducatis animas semper vosmet perhibete: Religiosus enim cultus & incontaminatus apud De­um & Patrem hic est, invisere Orphanos & Viduas in afflictione ipsorum & immaculatum sese conservare a mundo: Omnes qui Christianam professionem profitentur hunc cultum Religiosum a mundi maculis immunes reddentem colere oportet; haec enim Religio omnibus mundi Religionibus maculosis prestantior, suum cultorem mitem, tenerumque efficit; in quem statum, ut omnes dicti Christiani tandem perveniant, Deum omnipotentem ob­nixe rogatum habeo.

Apostolus Christianis veris pronunciavit, vos estis Templum Dei viventis, sicut dixit Deus, habitabo in eis & inambulabo, & ero illorum Deus & ipsi erunt mihi Populus. An ignoratis Corpus vestrum esse templum Spiritus Sancti qui est in [...]bis, quem habetis a Deo, 1 Cor. 6.19. & 2 Cor. 6.16. Christianitatis Professores ubivis gentium hanc notitiam sibi ratam debent habe­re, quod nimirum Corpora earum sint templa Dei viventis: In vetere testamento Judaei externum teplum habebant, Stephanus vero in novo ait, Excelsissimus ille in manufactis templis non ha­bitat, Act. 7.46. Sicut ante dictum, Deus dixit, habitabo in eis & inambulabo, & ero ipsis Deus, & illi erunt mihi Populus, Corpora enim vestra sunt templa Dei viventis, & Spiritus Sancti. Hanc itaque notitiam Christiani sibi fide familiarem reddere de­bent, Paulus ad hunc modum loquitur, An ignoratis vos esse Templum Dei, & Spiritum Dei in vobis habitare? siquis Tem­plum Dei violat, hunc perdet Deus, nam Templum Dei Sanctum est, quod estis vos, 1 Cor. 3.16.17. Omnes itaque qui Christi­anitatem profitentur inhabitantem in se Dei Spiritum simulque ipsorum Corpora esse Dei viventis templa vere cognoscere de­bent quae ne polluantur summa cura est adhibenda: Ne Dei ma­nu pereant qui Sanctus est, qui & sanctitatem ab omnibus suis ex­pectat. Christus Pharisaeis summis veteris Testamenti Cultoribus dixit, regnum Dei non venire ut observari posset, neque dicent, [Page 10] ecce hic aut ecce illic, ecce enim regnum Dei intus habetis, Luc. 17.20, 21. Hinc discite, vosmet Explorate an Regnum Dei in­tus in vobis sitis experti: Christi sententia est, Regnum Coelo­rum simile esse fermento, quod acceptum mulier, indidit in fa­rinae sata tria usquequo fermentaretur tota, estque simile Reg­num Coelorum grano sinapis quod acceptum quispiam sevit in agro suo: Hoc igitur pacto, vos qui Christiani appellamini vos­met tentate, num Regnum hoc Margaritam pretiosam in agro vestro abditam offenderitis. Agite candela accensa, versaque domo, thesaurus hic vasis vestris terrenis indubitanter a vobis est inveniendus qui eum extra vos hactenus quaesivistis. Inde fiet ut fermentum Regni ad animas corda & mentes in Massam Coelestem fermentandum cognoscatis, ut est apud Matt. 13. & Luc. 15. Apostoli quoque sententia est, neminem nisi Spiritum Dei, quae Dei sunt percipere posse: Nos vero non Spiritum Mun­di accepimus, sed Spiritum qui est ex Deo, ut sciamus quae Deus nobis gratificatus est, 1 Cor. 2.11.12.

Si modo Christiani Deum, Christum, & quae Deus ipsis gratis absque mercede aut pretio largitur, rite cognoscere velint, Spi­ritum Dei in semetipsis operantem, testari necesse habent. Je­scha [...]us proclamat, Heus, quis uis sitit, venite ad aquas istas, & vos quibus nulla est Pecunia, venite, comparate absque Pecunia & absque Pretio, Vinum & Lac: Cur expenditis pecuniam pro nullo cibo, & laborem vestrum pro re minime satiatura? Auscul­tate indesinenter mihi & comedite bonum, atque oblectet se hac pinguedine anima vestra; inclinate aurem vestram, & venite ad me, audite ut vivat anima vestra, Jesch. 45.22. Deus enim Spi­ritum suum in omnem carnem effudit, ut per eum, Dominum re­spiciant, salutemque suam adipiscantur. Deus item dicit Omnes Terrae fines Salutem intuebuntur Dei, quod futurum est per Spiritum, nam Deus Spiritus est: Inquit Dominus, Justitia mea in saeculum erit & salus mea in omnes Generationes, Jesch. 51.8. Proclamat Deus per Jeschaiam, fortitudinem Populi sui in hoc esse, ut maneant, nempe in Spiritu & Potentia Dei, Jesch. 30.7. Huc pertinet & illud expectantes Jehovam, mutant vires, ascen­dunt pennis velut aquilae, currunt neque defatigantur, pergunt ne­que defetiscuntur; In hoc situm est Solamen expectantium Je­hovam, quorum fortitudo in consistendo sive manendo ponitur, nam hoc pacto Dominum salutem ipsorum intuebuntur; omnes Filii tui edocti erunt a Jehovah, amplaque erit pax Filic [...] tuo­rum, [Page 11] in Justistia stabilientur, Jesch. 54.13. Multa item arma in Filios Dei conficta non prosperabuntur, omnesque linguas in judicium adversus ipsos insurgentes qui a Domino edocti erunt, condemnabunt: Nos qui a Domino edocti sumus (quae est sua erga nos Clementia) arma multa linguasque varias adversum nos in judicium insurgentes Dominum compressisse testamur: Deus enim suos ad linguas fallaces judiciaque mendacia confutandum potentia imbuit Filiolos.

De ratione Canendi & Precandi.

Pauli Apostoli sententia de ratione Canendi & Precandi haec fuit, Orabo Spiritu, sed orabo etiam intelligentia, psallam Spiri­tu, sed psallam etiam intelligentia: Judae Apostoli ad Ecclesiam Christi adhortatio fuit, ut Spiritu Sancto orarent, Jud. 20. 1 Cor. 14.15. Libros vero unde oretur nulli commendabat Apo­stolus, Spiritu orare & intelligentia, librorum usum nullo modo implicare videtur: Apostolus dicit, Spiritus sublevat infirmita­tes nostras, quid enim oremus ut oportet non novimus, sed ipse Spiritus intercedit pro nobis suspiriis inenarrabilibus; qui vero scrutatur corda, novit quid sapiat Spiritus, quia secundum De­um intercedit pro sanctis, Rom. 8.26, 27.

Ut omnes Spiritum Sanctum in cordibus, quo pro seipsis & omnibus aliis Deum rite orent, percipiant, & Dominum sum­ [...]is prosequantur laudibus pro omni sua erga se bonitate, quae [...]n saecula est, exoptat mihi animus sincerus.

Apostolus, dixit Deus, arcana sua nobis per Spiritum retexit, Spiritus enim omnia scrutatur, etiam profunditates Dei, 1 Cor. 2.10. Ab eodem quoque Apostolo dictum est: Justitia Dei per illud revelatur ex fide in fidem, Rom. 1.17. Huc pertinet & il­lud: Notum vobis facio fratres, Evangelium quod est a me E­vangelizatum, non esse secundum hominem, neque enim ego ab homine id accepi, neque edoctus sum, sed per revelationem Jesu Christi, Gal. 1.11, 12. Quod hinc quaerendum venit est hoc: Num quis Justitiam Dei, fidem Christi, Profunditates Dei, & Evangelium Christi, nisi Spiritu Dei, haec sibi ut olim, diebus nempe Apostolorum retegantur, praedicare rite valeat? Aposto­lus dixit: Quando vero libuit Deo qui separavit me ab utero Ma­tris meae, & vocavit per gratiam suam, revelare Filium suum, [Page 12] in me ut Evangelizarem ipsum in Gentes, Gal. 1.15, 16. Christus similiter dicit, nemo novit Filium nisi Pater, neque Patrem quis­quam novit nisi Filius, & cuicunque voluerit Filius ipsum rete­gere, Matt. 11.27. An igitur quisquam verus Filii aut Patris Minister aut Praeco esse potest absque Revelatione Divina? nam Christus aperte asserit, neminem Patrem aut Filium nisi Spiritu revelante dignoscere posse: Hinc seqitur, neminem nec Deum nec Christum absque Spiritus Divini revelatione Patrem & Fi­lium retegente praedicare posse, quam quidem revelationem ho­minum millia sibi patefactam ad Dei perpetuum honorem testan­tur; qui & gratis Patrem Praedicant, qui in luce illius sicut ipse est in luce ambulant, communitatem cum Patre & Filio & seinvi­cem mutuam obtinentes, ob quam Gratiae immortales Deo in saecula saeculorum hoc nomine debentur & exhibentur.

Testimonium Scripturis consonum, Persecutio­ni vero Religionis causa maxime contra­rium. Sive consilium de abrogandis legi­bus Conscientiam teneram Dei, Proeroga­tivam, constringentibus Christianis propo­situm & oblatum.

HAMANƲS Judaeos stirpitus evellere cupiens, eo quod Cultus eorum Religiosus Ahasuero Regi contrarius esse vi­deretur, ipse de medio fuit sublatus, hac pronunciata Sententia Regi in rem non esse ut viverent: Regi vero aliter visum erat, qui ipsis vitam permisit quod in rem suam cedere liquido cer­neret.

Christus increpatis de Coelo ignem advocantibuts ad illos perdendos qui Christum accipere nolebant, dixit, nescitis cujus­nam Spiritus estis: An igitur Spiritum suum percipiebant qui jam inde ab Apostolorum diebus necandis hominibus Religionis causa incumbebant, qui non solum ignem de Coelo ad alios peri­mendos sunt comprecati, verum etiam rogos in Terris construen­dos ob id ipsum curarunt. Annon qui talia perpetrant majore increpatione sunt digni utpote animis magis coeci quam qui ig­nem de Coelo advocabant ad illos cremando, qui Christum reci­pere nolebant? Legimus Christum flagello e funiculis facto Emp­tores & Venditores ex Templo Dei ejecisse, nunquam vero ad intrandum adegisse: Christus quoque dixit sinite Zizania & tri­ticum una crescere usque ad messem, qui finis Mundi est, ne triticum eradicetur, & in fine Mundi Christus Angelos suos, Messores emittet, annon Angeli Spiritus sunt & non homines? Christus Petrum, Gladium in vaginam recondere jussit, addens, omnes qui Gladio usi fuerint, Gladio peribunt.

An vero postea Petrus aut Apostolorum quisquam, stricto Gladio Carnali aut armis Carnalibus, quibus Ecclesiam Christi, Cultum religiosum aut fidem defenderent, usi sunt? Contra vero Petrus Christi jussu gladium recondidit & Christus auriculam servi Pontificis amputatam sanavit, quod Evangelium salutare aperte designabat. Apostoli dicebant, Arma nostrae militiae non sunt carnalia, sed spiritualia, & quod nec adversus carnem nec san­guinem luctemur. Annon omnes Christiani (nomine tenus) ab Apostolorum diebus Ecclesias, Cultum rationes, armis Car­nalibus utentes, adversus Carnem & Sanguinem colluctati sunt? Annon arma militiaque eorum Carnalia, non vero spiritualia, cujusmodi arma Apostolorum, Ecclesiaeque Christi Primae­vae, fuere? Qui igitur gladium quo Cultuuum rationes fideique formulas defendant, eduxerunt, non eodem quo Apostoli spiri­tu praediti fuerunt, Apollyonis vero spiritum sapiebant.

Annon qui hanc Scripturam producebant ad Persecutionem re­ligionis causa protegendam eadem abusi sunt, quae sic se habet, omnis anima Potestatibus supereminentibus subjecta esto; pro­inde subjecti estote cuivis humanae ordinationi propter Domi­num ad ultionem facinorosorum destinatae, hos etlam facinoro­sos nominat nempe Homicidas, Patricidas, Matricidas, Perfi­diosos, &c. non tamen dicit, omnis anima Potestatibus superemi­nentibus, [Page 14] & cuivis humanae ordinationi subjecta esto, ut inde occasio arripiatur homines Religionis causa morte mulctandi, quod hujus vel illius Coetus religiosi communitate non utantur. Si enim Apostolus ita sensisset: Cur, ipse Judaeorum Caesarisque Romani Imperatoris Religioni, ut & Dianae Ephesinae semet non submisit? Apostolus Ecclesiae Christi dicit diserte non esse tan­gendas aut gustandas Doctrinas, praescripta & ordinationes ha­manas; tantum absuerunt Christiani ut sese iis aut Ethnicis sub­jicerent, cum in mandatis haberent talia non esse tangenda aut gustanda, quae omnia ipso usu sunt corrumpenda: Legimus in Apocalipsi Johannis Bestiam Draconis Potentia stipatam fu­isse, qui omnibus in unum a summo ad infimum vi compulsis Ip­sum, ipsiusque imaginem receptam, suam & Religionem colere adegit, Bestiam vere ibidem in lacum igne ardentem detrusam fuisse, non minus observare licet.

Johannes ibidem testatur sanguinem Prophetarum, & Jesu mar­tyrum inventum fuisse in Babylone Mysterio, Scortationum Ec­clesiaeque Adulterinae Matre sanctorum Sanguine, & Martyrum Jesu inebriata, incolas Terrae suae scortationis vino infatuante, ebrios fuisse; unde tanta in sanctos rabies Martyresque Jesu pro­manavit, quem vero exitum sortita sit Meretrix illa ab eodem Johanne-literis proditum est.

Durantibus decem Persecutionibus, legimus quantum Christi­anis excidium ab Ethnicis Regibus & Imperatoribus sit illatum, eo quod religioso eorum cultui sese adjungere aut conformes esse negarent. Annon plurimi interest Christianorum, ut se positis armis Carnalibus, Gladiisque materialibus in vaginas recondi­tis quibus Cultus religiosi ab interitu, sed frustra hactenus, vindi­carunt, & armis spiritualibus quibus Apostoli usi sunt, uti? nec esse immemores Veteris Caini in Exemplum propositi, qui erra­bundus factus, fide vera posthabita Abelem justum occidebat; nec minus Ishmael memoria est removendus, qui sobolis legitimae in­sectator fuit Lethalis: Apostolus testatur, qui ex Carne natus est, ex spiritu natum persecutus est, ita & nunc est; Nusquam vero legimus quemquam, secundum Spiritum natum alios perse­cutum esse: Christi Consilium fuit: Inimicos diligite; mutuum amorem colite: Hinc innotescet vos esse Discipulos meos; qui enim Christianitatem profitentur, debent praecepta Christi ob­servare: Nebuchadonozor, Praeconem clamare jussit, ut si quis [Page 15] imaginem a se erectam incurvatus non colat, in fornacem igne ardentem conjicitor: Deus vero frustrato hominis proposito Po­pulum suum incolumem servavit: Dominus deinde & palam fe­cit Altissimum in regnis hominum regnare. Nullus dehinc prae­co inter Christianos sub poena concremationis, suspendii, Incarce­rationis, bonorum abripiendorum proclamet recusantibus sese incurvare, aut abnegantibus Ideam Religionis a sua alienam ad­orare: Haec enim non potest esse Religio vera, quia Christus nihil tale uspiam praecepit, qui Discipulos ad Evangeliz [...]ndum omnibus Gentibus emisit, sed non sub poena Concremationis, su­spendii, Patibuli, incarcerationis, aut honorum abripiendorum eis denunciata, qui id aut ipsos recipere respuebant. Pulvis vero Pedum eorum die novissimo firmum ad id evincendum Testimo­nium esse voluit.

Pharaoh cum exercitu suo ingenti Persecutor, liberorumque Enecator Crudelis fuit, quem vero finem ille cum exercitu habu­erit, palam est; Annon in mare divinitus immisso sui Populi su­spiriis a Jehovah auditis, peribat?

Nec minus atrox Domini cultorum Persecutor fuit Herodes, qui infantulos necandos curavit, nec defuit voluntas Christum ipsum mortis supplicio afficiendi; Deus vero ipsum ex ipsius ma­nu eruit: Tempus nunc postulat ut seposita Religionis causa Persecutione, utpote Dei voluntate contraria Apostolo dictanti auscultemus, qui ad hunc modum loquitur: Qui fratrem odio prosequitur, homicida est, nec habet vitam aeternam in se ma­nentem, qui vero in Charitate habitat in Deo habitat, nam De­us Charitas est. Davidi olim Templum externum aedificare ne­fas fuit, quod sanguinem in bellis externis sub veteri foedere effu­disset: Quomodo ergo vos spiritus pacifici ductum ignorantes, quorum opera tot caedes personarum, violationes bonorum Re­ligionis causa, direptiones perpetratae fuere, Templum spirituale sub novo foedere condere potestis? Zion sub veteri pacto sangui­nis dispendio non erat construenda; an igitur versimile est, Hie­rosolimam Coelestem sub novo foedere a Christianis, ita dictis sanguinis effusione, Persecutione, Carceratione, bonorum abrep­tionibus aedificatum iri, quum Christus ipse palam eis testatus est, qui ignem de Coelo ad homines necandos advocabant: Nescitis inquit quem Spiritum sapiatis. Quo pacto igitur dignoscere po­testis quem spiritum vos sapiatis, qui occiditis, ad necem in [Page 16] carceribus, bonis abripiendis, idque de rebus fidei, Ecclesiae & Cultus religiosi insectati estis atrociter?

Quam igitur periculosum est illis, vel corporum nedum anima­rum curam concredere, qui quem spiritum sapiant, ignorant. Jesus Christus turbam saepissime allocutus est, qui aures habet ad audiendum, audiat; neminem vero auditu Orbatum, nec illos qui aures obdurabant, ne audiant, nec Oculos praecludentes, ne videant & convertantur, persecutus est; nec ullum a Cultu suo religioso, aut Religione abhorrentem, in Carcerem detrusit: aut quod cultui ab ipso instituto minime conformes essent, bona abripienda praecepit: Saepius vero dixit, qui aurem habet, au­diat, & ita auribus ipsos commendabat: Johannes in Apocalyp­si septem Ecclesiis dicit, qui aurem habet, audiat quid Spiritus dicat Ecclesiis, non vero dicit, qui aurem non habet, ad audi­endum, quid Spiritus dicat Ecclesiis, aut conformis esse respue­rit; in Carcerem conjicitor, bona istiusmodi hominis abrini­antur, vel in exilium mittatur; neque enim Christus, neque ab illo Apostoli, nihil tale uspiam praeceperunt: Christi mandatum sic se habet: Vosmet mutuo amore prosequimini: inimicos dili­gite, qui enim in amore habitat in Deo habitat, & qui fratrem odit est homicida, nullus vero homicida vitam habet aeternam in se manentem: Johannes itidem in Apocalypsi dicit Bestiam fuisse Draconis potentia munitam, qui omnes a minimis ad maximos ad se imaginemque suam colendum adegisse: Annon ibidem le­gere licet Bestiam, Draconem, eorumque Asseclas & Cultores in Lacum flagrantem deturbatos fuisse? Annon igitur magni inter­est Christianorum ut Apostolorum armis spiritualibus, sibi as­sumptis, quibus solummodo fides, Ecclesia & Cultus Divinus propagatur, & resipiscant, & ad frugem meliorem sese recipi­ant?

FINIS.

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