the ploughman, by this Word, was ma de a prophet, and forsook his plough; and by the Word reproved the idolatry in his age of priests and people.

And by this Word was Ezekiel made a prophet; by which Word he reproved the shepherds of Israel, that made a prey upon the people, and taught them for the fleece. And by the Word he saw that God would bring the people from under them, that they should be made a prey upon no longer; and would gather them from their mouths, and set one Shepherd over them, even Christ.

And by this Word Daniel was made a prophet, and saw Christ and his kingdom, and how the saints should take his kingdom; and by the Word he saw such that should rise up against the people of God. And by the Word he numbered the years of Christ to his time, four hundred and ninety nine years, and of his death, and how he should end the sacrifices; and how that Christ should bring up everlasting righteousness, and put an end to sin, and end their prophets, and seal up their visions.

And by the Word was Micah made a prophet, by which he cried against the priests that preached for hire, and the prophets that prophesied for money, and the judges that judged for rewards, and such as preached peace to the people that put in their mouths (like the priests in these times) and when they did not, they prepared war against them, and chopped their flesh and broke their bones.

And by the Word was Amos the herdsman made a prophet, who was a gatherer of fruits; and likewise all the rest of the prophets, who spoke forth divine things, and reproved the superstition and idolatry in their time and day. And this was the word that made so many fishermen preachers of the gospel, which is the power of God.

And this was the Word which made Matthew the toll-gatherer, Luke the physician, and Paul the tent-maker, ministers and preachers of the gospel, and power of God. And this was the Word which made Peter to see Joel's prophesy, how that God would pour out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and sons and daughters should prophesy, and young men should see visions, and old men dream

dreams; and the pouring forth of the Spirit upon servants and handmaids, that every one should have something to speak to the glory of God. And, now priests, and proud prelates, and bishops, and popes, though you have made a trade of the saints' words, and the apostles and prophets' words, and gotten a great deal of money by them; yet, nevertheless, if a company of shepherds, herdsmen, fishermen, tent-makers, and toll-gatherers I should come amongst you to preach, you would say--Away with these mechanic fellows! they have not served seven years apprenticeship at the colleges, which were set up to make ministers: therefore they are not to set up, because they have not served their apprenticeship. What say the shepherds, herdsmen, fishermen, tent-makers, physicians, and toll-gatherers? Do you make a trade of our friends' words, who were of our occupation, that never served apprenticeships in colleges, before they spake forth the words you make a trade of? What! will you make a trade of our friends' words, who were of our occupation? away with you to work, and away with your colleges; for our brother Paul the tent-maker said, He that will not work must not eat. For, would you own Christ if He

had come in your day, who was called a carpenter's son? You popes with your tripple crowns, and you lord bishops, with your coaches and pampered horses, and gorgeous apparel, with your black coats, and white coats, and silk girdles—are you like to entertain Him who was called a carpenter's son; or to cast Him and his mother into the manger in your stables?

This was the Word by which John the evangelist saw Christ, who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, and saw how He became flesh, and came to his own, and that his own did not receive Him; but to as many as received Christ the Light, that to them he gave power to become the sons of God. And by this Word, the minister of the Word preaches Christ's word, life, death, and resurrection. And therefore, as John saith in his epistle, That which our eyes have seen, our hands have handled, and our ears have heard of the Word of Life, do we preach unto you; that which was from the beginning: in the beginning was the Word; but since the beginning were the words and letters; for the Scriptures of Truth are the words of God, and the words of Christ. So

the Word was in the beginning, and Christ's name is called, the Word of God; but Christ is not called the Scriptures. So, in the beginning was the Word, And this is the Word that lives, and abides, and endures for ever, by which the saints are born again of the immortal Seed and Word of God, into a Divine life, wisdom, and understanding; and by this Word they do see all flesh to be: as grass, and as the flower of the field that fadeth; and the Word of God that lives, and abides, and endures for ever, is Christ, whose name is called, the Word of God.

Concerning the Worship of God.

1667.

There was a worship at Jerusalem; and a worship at the mountain, where Jacob's well

was.

Jacob went down into Egypt with his family, and he died in Egypt, and his sons carried him out of Egypt, and buried him in the land of Canaan, in his grandfather Abraham's burying-place; and after several hundred years the children of Israel came out of Egypt into the land of