An alarm to the false shepheards sounded forth before the indignation of the Lord be poured out upon them ... : here is also my testimony concerning the word of God, in the behalf of my self and brethren, against both from a lover of the souls of all people, who am called, Thomas Greene.

An alarm to the false shepheards sounded forth before the indignation of the Lord be poured out upon them ... : here is also my testimony concerning the word of God, in the behalf of my self and brethren, against both from a lover of the souls of all people, who am called, Thomas Greene.

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Title page

AN ALARM TO THE False Shepheards, Sounded forth before the Indignation of the Lord be poured out upon them.

This is my Testimony concerning the VVord of God.

§

§

[Page] [Page] AN ALARM To the False SHEPHEARDS: Sounded forth before the Indignation of the Lord be poured out upon Them. This is the Word which I received from the Lord, the 24th. of the 12th. Month, 1659. in the night season, as I lay upon my Bed, when deep sleep was upon me, saying, Write my Controversie with the false Pastors, as I shall shew thee, who have scattered the Sheep of my Pasture, for I will gather them from their mouths, and they shall make a prey no longer of Them, saith the Lord. Here is also my TESTIMONY concerning the Word of God, in the behalf of my self and Brethren, against both Teachers and People, who make a noise in the Nation, and tell People the Quakers deny the Word of God. Here also is declared, that the Word of God is our life, yea the same Word which the Scriptures of truth testifieth of, which Word abideth and endureth for ever.

From a lover of the Souls of all People, who am called, THOMAS GREENE.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my People as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord; There were they in great fear, for God is in the generation of the righteous,

Psal. 14. 4, 5.

LONDON, Printed for Robert Wilson, at the Sign of the Blackspread Eagle and Wind-Mill in Martins, Le-grand, 1660.

AN ALARM TO THE False Shepheards, Sounded forth before the Indignation of the Lord be poured out upon them.

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WO, Wo unto the Pastors that destroy the sheep of my Pasture, (saith the Lord) my controversie is with you; and I will pour our my fury upon you, and you shall in no wise escape my Ier. 23. 1, 2 hand, because you have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord: yea this was the cry against the false Shepheards of Israel, and this is the cry of the Servant of the Lord against the false Shepheards of England; yea, woe be to the Shepheards that do feed Ezek 34. 2, 3, 4. themselves, should not the Shepheards feed the flocks? ye eat the fat, and ye cloath with the wooll, ye kill them that are fed, but yee feed not the flock; the diseased have you not strengtbened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost, but with force and cruelty have ye ruled them; and [Page] they were scattered because there was no Shepheard, and they became meat to all the Beasts of the field, when they were scattered: my sheep wandred through all the Mountains, and upon every high hill, yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the ver. 5, 6. earth; and none did search nor seek after them: But have caused my people to erre, that bite with teeth, and cry peace, peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths they even prepare war against him, as did the false Prophets of old: therefore night shall come upon you that ye shall not have a vision, and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the Sun Mich. 3. 5, 6. shall go down over you, and the day shall be dark over you. Yea verily you are such Prophets as they of old were, who built up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity; and telleth my people they must commit sin so long as they live, and tell them Mich. 3. 10. they shall not be freed from sin on this side the grave, and so deny my Son Christ Jesus, which is made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil, and to finish transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to present unto me a holy people without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; for I have given him to be a leader to my people, and to be my Salvation to the ends of the earth: saith the Lord. But as for you Oh Shepheards! you have run, and I have not sent you, neither have you profited my people at all, neither have you caused them to turn from the evil of their wayes, but the hands of the wicked have been strengthened by you, and have made spoile of my heritage, and have done as much as in you lyeth, to lay them as a vineyard without a hedge; and have bid the wicked go on and prosper, and have gloryed in the strength of an Army, and have made flesh your arme; and you bear rule by your means, and exercise tyranny over my people, yea the heads of you Judge for reward, and the Priests preach for hire, and the Prophets Divine for money; yet you lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord amongst us? no evil can come upon us; as the false Prophets did, Mich. 3. 11. yea, are you not such Prophets as the Lord complained of by Ieremiah the true Prophet, who said, A wonderful and a horrible thing is committed in the Land, the Prophets prophesie falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to Ier. 5. 30. 31. have it so; but what will you do in the end thereof? And are [Page] you not such Shepheards that Isaiah declared of, as their fruits made them manifest? Isa. 56. 11. They are greedy, dumb dogs which can never have enough, and Shepheards that cannot understand, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Now have not many of you been such who have sought your gain from your quarter, and if any who lived in your quarter, could not for conscience sake pay you, have not you caused many to be put in prison, some until death? and have took trible damage of their goods that fears my name, who are obedient to what I command them; and so you bear rule by their means: So ye eat up my people as ye eat bread, and tread the residue under your feet, and so my heritage lyeth opressed, and none layeth it to heart; thus saith the Lord: Behold I am against the Shepheards, and I will require my flock at their hands, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock, neither shall the Shepheards feed themselves any more, for I will deliver Ier. 33. 10. 11. my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them, for thus saith the Lord; Behold I even I, will both search my sheep and seek them out, as a Shepheard seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the Cloudy and dark day; and I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the Countries, and will bring them into their own Land, and feed them upon the Mountains of Israel; yea I will feed my flock and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord, and I will set up a Shepheard which shall feed them, and they shall fear no more nor be dismaid, neither shall they be lacking; but as for these Prophets who have caused my people to erre, behold I will feed them with worm-wood▪ and make them drink the water of gall; for from the Prophets is prophanness gone forth into all the Land, for I have not sent these Prophets, yet they ran, I have not spoken to them, yet they Prophesied: therefore great is my controversie Ier. 33. 21. with them, Ezek. 13. 22, 23. Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life. Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations, for I will deliver my [Page] people out of your hands, and ye shall know that I am the Lord; yea in the covenant which I promised to the House of Israel will I gather my people, and I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: and they shall teach no more every man his Ier. [...]. 33, 34. neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, saith the Lord: And I will be unto them a father, and they shall be my Sons and Daughters, and they shall be all taught of me, & in my righteousness will I establish them; & great shall be their peace, Revel. 7. 15, 16, 17. And they shall serve me night and day in my Temple, and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them, they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, or any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. And I will bring my seed from all the Countries where they have been driven, and bring them to my holy hill of Zion, with joy & gladness upon their heads, & sorrow and sighing shall flee away; and they shall walk in the light of the Lamb, and there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the Sun; for I the Lord giveth them light, and they shall raign for ever and ever: and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light, and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour unto it, they shall dwell on high, their place of defence shall be in the munition of rocks; bread shall be given them, their waters shall be sure, yea I will Isa. 33 21. be unto them a place of broad rivers, and the streams wherein no galley with oars, neither gallant ships pass thereby. And my everlasting Covenant shall be with them, and in them, even the sure mercies of David, and they shall never more depart from me, for they are my portion and the lot of my inheritance, and I am their portion; they are my sheep and I am their Shepheard, and the Sheep of my Pasture are men.

And all my dear friends whom the Lord God hath called in this day of his mighty power, from amongst the false Shepheards and hirelings, who have had your money for that which have not been bread, and you have laboured for that which satisfied [Page] not: Rejoyce in the Lord for evermore, and be exceeding glad; praise him for ever, who hath chosen you above all the Families of the earth, to place his Name in you▪ even the Name that is above every Name: Oh Friends, let his loving kindness never be forgotten, who hath made a way in the Wilderness, and a path in the desart, and hath raised his own seed up in you, unto which partaineth the promise of life and peace: Oh dear Friends, who have tasted of the Word of God, and of the power which hath no end; praise ye the Lord, durable praises and endless dominion be given unto him, of all my dear Friends; Haljlujah be unto him for evermore, who is come to raign, whose right it is, God blessed for ever; unto him be everlasting praises for evermore.

This is my Testimony concerning the VVord of God.

VVHereas there is a great Cry in this Nation of England, with Priests and People, saying, the Quakers deny the Word of God; here I shall declare on the contrary, that the same Word which the Scriptures of truth declareth of, we own, for it is our Life; yea the same Word which was glorified with the Father before the World began, by which the world was made, as John 1. 1, 2, 3. saith he, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God; All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made; in him was life, and the life was the light of men; Mark, in the Word was life, and this Word we own according to Scriptures, and it is our life, yea Christ Jesus the Word of God, as Revel. 19. 13. and who was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood, his name is called the Word of God; and this word we own, which Word was in the beginning of the Creation of God, which was, [Page] which is▪ and is to come; This is he who was the first and the last, which was dead and is alive, and liveth for evermore: and this Word is true from the beginning, as saith David, Psal. 119. 160. Thy Word is true from the beginning, and every one of thy righteouus Judgments endureth for ever: and David said, Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths: and by this Word was Davids steps ordered, which Word he hid in his heart, and in this Word he meditated; and saith David in a certain place, I rejoyce at thy Word, as one that findeth great spoil; and this is the Word which we bear Testimony unto, in which is life, and he that hath this word hath life, and he that hath not this word hath not life; so he that hath this word may speak it, as Jer. 23. 28 29. He that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully; What is the Chaff to the Wheat, saith the Lord? for saith the Lord, Is not my Word like a fire, and like an hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? and we know the Word in us as the Scripture declareth, that cutteth down and burneth up that which is contrary to God in us; and we know him who sits as a Resiners fire, to burn up all that is contrary unto him; for who amongst the sons of men can dwell with the devouring fire? or who can dwell with everlasting burnings? Now this is he that can dwell with everlasting burnings, he that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppression, that shaketh his hands from holding of Bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil; he only can dwell with the Word of God▪ and this is the Word of God which Judgeth the wicked man for his wickedness; and this is he which was in the beginning with the Father, before the Heavens were framed, or the foundations of the Earth were laid; and this Word we bear testimony unto, which became flesh and dwell amongst the Apostles, as the Scripture of truth declareth; and by the same Word is the World kept to this day, standing in the water and out of the water, and all things are upheld by him, Heb. 1. 3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the Word of his power; and this Word we bear testimony is nigh people, as the Scripture of truth declareth; in the heart, and in the mouth.

[Page] But it may be said, did not the Apostles preach Christ in the Scriptures? or did they not bid people look for him?

Answ. Nay, the Apostles preached Christ the word, nigh in the heart and in the mouth, and said, there is no need to say, who shall descend, or who shall ascend, or go beyond the Seas, but what saith it? the word is nigh in the heart and in the mouth, that you may hear it and do it; and this is the more sure word of Prophesie, which you will do well if you take heed unto, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place; and there was them who had the word of God abiding in them, to whom John writ, 1 John 2. 14. I have written unto you young men, because you are strong and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one; and this word is to be known within the anointed of God, as, 1 John 2. 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same 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. And the word of God which Paul was a Minister of, we bear testimony unto, which word he did not preach till he was revealed in him, as Gal. 1. 15, 16. saith he, When it pleased God who seperated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen: So now people may plainly see, that Paul did not preach Christ, who is the word, till he was revealed in him, and this was the end of his Ministry, and of his travail, who said, I travail in birth again till Christ be formed in you; he did not say he travelled till they professed Christ or Scriptures, or talking of him, but till he was formed in them, for he was in them, as saith Paul, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves, whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves, know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates: and when he writ to the Colossians, Col. 3 16. said, Let the word dwell in you richly in all wisdome; and this word we bear testimony unto, which we know St. Paul declareth, Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit, and of the joynts, and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart: so this is the word of God which divides between [Page] the pretious and the vile in people, that which cuts down the unruly nature, that is the word of God, yea the sword of the spirit is the word of God, and so that which cuts down the wicked one in people, the same reconcileth to God, and this word was committed unto the Apostles, for saith Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 19. He hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation; so the same word which cutteth down the man of sin in people, the same reconciles to God, as the Scriptures of truth declareth.

Yea, but it may be said, Christ said, search the Scriptures, then cannot we find Christ if we search them?

Answ. The Jews searched the Scriptures, and thought in them to have eternal life, for they are they which testifie of me, (saith Christ) but you will not come to me, that you may have life: so friend whosoever thou art, I do not deny but thou maist search the Scriptures which testifieth of Christ, but thou can never have life till thou come to that which Scripture testifieth of, which is Christ Jesus the word of God.

Yea, but it may be said, we had thought the Scriptures had been the Word.

Answ. Nay Friend, by the Word the World was made, which was before Scriptures was, which Word abideth and endureth for ever; the Scriptures did not make the World, but the Word which the Scripture testifieth of, which he that hath it hath life, he that hath not the Word, hath not life; so it is the ingrafted Word which is able to save the soul.

Then some may object and say, if thou sayes Christ is the Word, and the Word is but one, then thou denies Scriptures.

Answ. Nay, the Scriptures of truth I own, which was spoken forth as the holy Men of God was moved of the holy Ghost, which are good in their places; yea, let my Pen fall out of my hand, and my arm from my shoulder, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, rather then I should deny the Scriptures of truth, for they I truly own, which testifieth of the Word; but the Scriptures are Words, as Exod. [...]0. 1. And God spake all these Words, saying; &c. for the Scriptures were called Words before Christ Jesus the Word of God was made manifest in the flesh; and this Word came unto the Prophets, which [Page] came out from the Father, as you may read in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other of the Prophets, who said, The Word of the Lord came unto them, saying; they did not say, the Scriptures came unto them, saying, but the Word, from which they spake forth Scriptures; and so the Scriptures declareth and testifieth of the Word, from which Word the Scriptures were spoken forth by the Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles; and they were given forth to be believed in, and to be fulfilled; and so the Scriptures of truth we own, which was spoken forth from the Spirit of God, as the holy men of God was moved of the holy Ghost: and this is writ to stop the mouths of them, who say we deny the Word, and for the information of the simple hearted, who desire to know what we believe, as conconcerning that thing; I have by plain Scriptures, laid down that we own no other Word, but that by which the World was made, and by which the Scriptures were spoken forth; which Word abideth and endureth for ever.

Written the 5th. day of the first Month, near 1660.

From one who waits to see the Redemption of Mankind from under the bondage of Corruption; who is called, Thomas Greene.

THE END.

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Title statement

An alarm to the false shepheards sounded forth before the indignation of the Lord be poured out upon them ... : here is also my testimony concerning the word of God, in the behalf of my self and brethren, against both from a lover of the souls of all people, who am called, Thomas Greene.

Greene, Thomas, 1634?-1699.

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1660

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2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A42001

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Wing G1839

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ESTC R2044

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12411332

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61529

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A42001)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61529)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 278:2)

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— An alarm to the false shepheards sounded forth before the indignation of the Lord be poured out upon them ... : here is also my testimony concerning the word of God, in the behalf of my self and brethren, against both from a lover of the souls of all people, who am called, Thomas Greene., Greene, Thomas, 1634?-1699..

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11 p.

Printed for Robert Wilson ...,. London :: 1660.. (Reproduction of original in University of Michigan Libraries.)

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