sing all the admonitions of scripture, and the infallible exam-1 ple of Christ and his saints.

O, you backsliding children! reflect how grievously you disgrace the holy Moses, who teaches and speaks to you out of the mouth of God. He says: I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deut. 18.) This is repeated by Peter and Stephen in Acts 3, 7.

What do you do with all the great prophets of God, as David, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who, in so many places, with such plain words, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, direct us to Christ and his word? (Ps. 2, 22; Isa. 7, 9, 28, 35, 40, Jer. 23, 30, 33; Ezek. 34.) They must either testify to lies, or your prophets must be deceivers and false teachers this is indisputable.

Did not holy Paul say: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach unto you any other gospel, than that which we have preached, let him be accursed or anathematized? You must be aware, and admit that your prophtes with their kings, dominions, poligamy, sword, &c. agree not with the doctrine of Paul and the apostles; it therefore, follows, that they with their doctrine and conduct, are cursed and anathematized. (Gal. 1.)

Say, my beloved, what do you do with the revealed and infallible word and testimony of the Almighty Father, which he himself of his Son has testified, and said: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him? (Matt. 17.) Him shall you hear; but since you reject his spirit word, and example, you follow and hear those, who, with their spirit, doctrine and conduct are from the bottomless pit-yea, manifestly anti-christs and false prophets.

Know you not, that the Son of God has himself commanded us that we should observe all that he has enjoined, and that he will be with us until the end of the world? (Matt. 28.)

Will you then say, that Christ's and the apostle's doctrine was imporfect, and that your teachers bring forth the perfect instruction? I answer, that to teach and believe this, is the most horrible bl sphemy, the most mocking perversity, that can be uttered against the Most High; for you thereby declare that

Christ is not the true Son of God, the perfect teacher, and the true image of righteousness. You deny the whole scripture, you reject the testimony of Moses and all the prophets, who directed to the only and true Christ, as has been shown; you disparage the Father's word, and reject Christ Jesus, with his spirit, word, kingdom and spiritual government, and raise your hearts and hopes upon lying, mortal flesh, and upon earthly, sensual things, which, as the scriptures teach, must be dispersed like dust before the winds. Examine the scriptures in the fear of the Lord and reflect if such is not a gross blasphemy against the Almighty?

Say, you deceived children, where is there a syllable in the whole doctrine of Christ and the apostles, (according to which spirit, doctrine, conduct, and usage all scripture must be understood,) by which you can prove and establish one of all your erring articles?

Would you then appeal to the literal understanding and transactions of Moses and the prophets, so must you also become Jews, receive circumcision, literally possess the land of Canaan, again erect the Jewish kingdom, and build the city and temple, and after the law, offer sacrifices, and attend to the worship of God, and declare that Christ, the promised Savior has not yet come, who has changed the literal and figurative ceremonies into new, spiritual and abiding substances.

There

You miserable, erring sheep, (John 19,) observe, I have before remarked to the magistrates, that the kingdom of Christ is not of this visible, perishing world, but that it is an eternal, spiritual and abiding kingdom, (Luke 1; Heb. 1;) Where there are no eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Rom. 14; Isa. 6; Dan. 7.) no king reigns, but the true king of Zion, Christ Jesus. (Ps. 2.) He is the king of righteousness, (Jer. 23, 33,) the king of peace, (Heb. 7,) the king of kings, (Rev. 1, 17, 19,) who has all power in heaven above, and on earth beneath; (Matt 28,) before whom every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess. (Phil. 2.) The true king David in spirit, (Ezek. 34, 37,) who through his righteousness, merits and crimson blood, has ransomed the sheep from the mouths of the lions and bears of the pit, and has slain the terrible Goliah, and obtained for the spiritual Israel of God, eternal welfare and peace. Neither the king nor his servants bears any sword, but the sword of the spirit-the word of God, which cuts

asunder the spirit, body and soul. With this he brings forth, builds, extends and governs his kingdom, guards and defends it under the pressing cross, in all trials and temptations, from all the gates of hell, onsets and powers, (Matt. 16; Eph. 6; Rev. 12, 19; Heb. 4; Mark 16; 1 Cor. 4; 1 Pet. James 1,) and not with iron or steel as the rude, vindictive world does; for his kingdom and dominion are spirit, and not letter, as has been shown.(a)

Again, under this kingdom, and under this king, no other wedlock must be tolerated, except between one man and one woman, as God had in the beginning established in the union of Adam and Eve; (b) and Christ has further said, that these two are one flesh, and that they may not separate themselves, except on account of adultery. (Matt. 5, 19; Mark 10; Luke 16; 1 Cor. 7; Eph. 5; 1 Tim. 3; Tit, 1.)

This is not a kingdom in which we make a display with gold, silver, pearls, silk, velvet and costly pride. And your teachers also acquit and teach you with this deception, to wit: that you are guiltless if you do not desire these things in your heart! Thus might satan approve his haughtiness, and make pure and good the desire of his eyes. But this is the kingdom of all humility: wherein (I say) not the outward adorning of the body, but the inward adorning of the soul, zeal, sincerity, a broken heart, and contrite spirit, are sought and desired. (Matt. 22; Rev. 19. c)

Here is known no lying, eating, drinking, or hypocricy; here none conforms himself to a drunken, luxurious, idle and idolatrous world, nor lays from him the cross of Christ, as you do, but all are upright and godly in heart and deed. (Matt. 5.) They speak the truth from the heart.(d) (Ps. 15; Col. 3; Eph. 5.) They lead a circumspect, temperate life, (Tit. 2; 1 Pet. 5,) they shun all idolatry and false doctrine from within and without; they avoid all appearance of evil; (Matt. 7, 15, 16; John 10; Rom. 16; 1 Tim. 6; 2 Tim. 3; Tit. 3; 2 John 1; Thess. 5;) they perform the true worship of the heart;

(a) It is not an iron sword, but the spirit and word of God which preserves the church. (b) From the beginning it was taught that marriage should be between one man and one woman, and also by the New Testament the same is taught. (c) All unrighteousness and transgression, fleshy lusts and uncleanness can find an excuse and a shelter. (d) The true christian shuns all hypocricy, for his heart and professions and works agree.

(Rom. 12; Heb. 12; James 1 ;) they abide firmly in Christ's word and ordinances; (Matt. 28; John 8; 2 John 1;) they lead an unblamable life before the whole world; (Matt. 5; Phil. 1, 2;) they testify of Jesus Christ, with the mouth, with works, with possessions and with blood, as the divine honor requires it. (Matt. 10; Mark 8; Luke 14. (a)

Here that confession is unknown to which some of you pretend-Here we confess only to the true God before whom we have sinned, and to our neighbor against whom we have trespassed,(Wis. 23; Matt. 18; Col. 3; Eph. 4; James 5.) (b) Here modesty, rectitude, and honesty are taught and practised, but not immodesty, disgrace and uncleanness. I think you understand well what I mean.

In short, here the spirit, word, will, commands, prohibitions, ordinances, customs, and examples of Christ are taught. The whole scriptures direct to these, and not to the opinions of men who invent words, enchanting appearances, pompous speeches, dreams, visions, lying wonders, of which God's spirit in the holy scriptures, warn and dissuade us on all sides, (Matt. 24; Mark 13; 2 Cor. 11.)

Dear children, reform yourselves. Every one who teaches you otherwise, than is testified by the word of the Lord, even though he were one who could dry up the bottom of the sea, and hurl the stars down from heaven, let him be abandoned, and let his doctrine be regarded as deceiving and erroneous, for, to all eternity there may no other foundation be laid, than that which is laid, Christ Jesus. (1 Cor. 3.) He is the corner stone and foundation in Zion, (Gal. 1,) on whom all the building fitly framed together (according to his will, spirit and word,) groweth into a holy temple unto the Lord, (Eph. 2.)

O ye backsliding children, hear God's word and make haste, for your way is in darkness, and your path leads to death. Embrace the truth and learn wisdom, for your comforters have destroyed you and rendered uneven the way in which you must go. (Isa. 3.) Munster and Amsterdam may well be to you an eternal warning and example. When a prophet, (said Moses) speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken. (Deut. 1.) (c)

(a) Here note what the christian confession is. (b) Proof of the Prophets. (c) The test of the Prophets.

O dear Lord! How many innocent hearts have they ruined -how many poor souls have they deceived-what gross shame have they cast upon the word of the Lord; (a) what great abominations have they committed under the appearance of good-and how have they made the poor blind magistrates, who are destitute of a correct understanding of the holy scriptures, to be guilty of innocent blood.

I believe it is time you should see and learn to know your faithless, lying and deceiving prophets. (b) They are the Foxes which destroy the Lord's vineyard. (Cant. 2.) These are the thieves and murderers of your souls (John 10,) false prophets who deny the Lord that bought them, (2 Pet. 2; Jude) and have directed you, poor erring sheep, by their own lying visions, and dreams and thoughts of their hearts, and have led you against all the scriptures upon a false and loose ground. (c)

How like you are to those, of whom it stands recorded by Eusebius, that they walked according to their lusts, as the prophets foretold; they denied Paul and the New Testament, and carried about them a book, of which they boasted, that it had fallen from heaven, and had come down to them as a present !!

Also, by you, O ye insane (bear with me for it is the truth which I write) the prophets are read according to the understanding of the Jews. Yon say the doctrine of Christ and the apostles is at the present time fulfilled; and pretend that there is now another dispensation, &c. and observe not that you thereby, deny the son of God, and gainsay the whole scriptures you comfort yourselves with mere lies, as also did disobedient Israel in their time. (d)

Oh dear Lord! how long shall these sore plagues endure? (e) How long shall the Lord's name through you be blasphemed, and his holy word through you be disgraced? Is it not a griev ous error a mad phrenzy, that Christ, the Son of the living God (who brought in eternal righteousness, and has reconciled heaven and earth by the blood of his cross) with his word of truth, and with the counsels of eternal life, is rejected from your hearts, which he so dearly bought, and which should, so properly be the dwelling place of Christ; and an arm of sinful (a) Shame and disgrace done by the false Prophets. (b) They must be taught of God who know these laws. (c) Such deny Christ, who do not abide by his word and spirit. (d) Here note the deception and errors of the false Prophets. (e) Here note what gross dishonor and shame the false Prophets put upon Christ.