Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

But for Men to turn this Spiritual Power to be exercised only by virtue of Spiritual Gifts, into an external coercive Power over the Persons, Bodies, Liberties and Lives of Men, to be exercised by Law-Courts, in Ways, Forms, Manners utterly Foreign to the Gospel, and all Evangelical Administrations, without the least Pretence unto, or Appearance of the Exercise of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost therein; yea, and by Persons by whom they are hated and derided, acting with Pride, Scorn and Contempt of the Disciples of Christ, and over them, being utterly ignorant of the true Nature and Use of all Gospel Administrations, this is to disorder the Church, and in stead of an ⟨p. 202⟩House of Spiritual Worship, in some Instances to turn it into a Den of Thieves. Where hereunto there are moreover annexed earthly Revenues, containing all Food and Fuel of corrupt Lusts, with all things satisfactory unto the Minds of Worldly, Sensual Men, as a meet Reward of these Carnal Administrations, as it is at this Day in the Church of Rome, there all Use of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost is excluded, and the Church is brought into extreme Desolation. And although these things are are as contrary to the Gospel as Darkness to Light, yet the World for many Reasons, not now to be insisted on, being willing to be deceived in this matter, it is generally apprehended that there is nothing so pernicious unto the Church, so justly to be watched against and rooted out, as a Dislike of their Horrible Apostasies in the Corrupt Depravation of all Evangelical Administrations. This was not the State, this was not the Condition of the Primitive Churches; their Life consisted in the Grace of the Spirit, and their Glory in his Gifts. None of their Leaders once dreamed of that new kind of Beauty, Glory and Power, consisting in numberless Superstitious Ceremonies instead of Religious Worship; Worldly Grandeur instead of Humility and Self-denial; and open Tyranny over the Consciences and Persons of Men, in the room of Spiritual Authority, effectual in the Power of Christ, and by virtue of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.

But for Men to turn this Spiritual Power to be exercised only by vertue of Spiritual Gifts, into an external coercive Power over the Persons, Bodies, Liberties and Lives of Men, to be exercised by Law-Courts, in Ways, Forms, Manners utterly Forreign to the Gospel, and all Evangelical Administrations, without the least Pretence unto, or Appearance of the Exercise of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost therein; yea, and by Persons by whom they are hated and derided, acting with Pride, Scorn and Contempt of the Disciples of Christ, and over them, being utterly ignorant of the true Nature and Use of all Gospel Administrations, this is to disorder the Church, and in stead of an