The other thing than the measure of Life.

But that which pretends to ſet up the meaſure of Life as a Teacher, otherwiſe than God hath appointed, and in oppoſition to the Teaching and Miniſtry which he hath appointed, and to his Gift in thoſe Veſſels, which is as well for the building up and perfecting of the Body, as for the gathering: That is another thing in that Veſſel that doth ſo, than the meaſure of Life; another Spirit, another Nature, another Ear than that, that firſt heard. And though it ſeem to cry up the ſufficiency of the meaſure of Life, and to plead for that (and perhaps the creature thinks it is really ſo: yet that is not the intent of the Spirit in the Veſſel, but to cry up itſelf, and to make its voice go for the Voice of the Meaſure of Life : and ſo ſuch err from the Faith, the Truth, the Spirit, the meaſure of Life, and are in the nature, ſpirit and meaſure of another thing, which is indeed Death, though they ſee it not, but look upon themſelves as gloriouſly living, and abiding in the pure Doctrine and Principle above others. View in Source Document

Source: Some Queries Concerning the Order and Government of the Church of Christ

The Way of Independency

Yea, and this I very well remember, that when I walked in the way of Independency (as it hath been commonly called) I had more unity with, and more love towards, such as were single-hearted in other ways and practices of worship (whose spirits I had some feeling of in the true simplicity, and in the life) than with divers of such who were very knowing and zealous in that way of Independency, in whom a wrong thing in the mean time had got up, which had caused them to swerve from the life, and from the simplicity. View in Source Document

Source: The Authority and Government which Christ Excluded out of his Church

Exclusion of all Church Government

View in Source Document Now, this latter part (about church-government) hath been so misrepresented, as if, because the wrong church government was excluded, the exclusion of all church-government was intended by me, there being no notice taken of my owning the true church-government, but only some passages of my disowning the false produced, as if they intended to overturn and deny all church-government, which never was intended by me: for in that very book, which is thus made use of, I did positively affirm the necessity and use of the true church-government, which may more fully appear in that which hereafter follows.

The voice of God in others not to be neglected.

Source: Some Misrepresentations of me Concerning Church Government.

View in Source Document "Yet in none of these dispensations was any testimony from God to be despised; but his voice to be heard in the prophets, in Christ, and in the apostles. And though men are blessedly and gloriously turned, and to be turned to the light within, in these our days; yet they are not thereby taught to neglect or despise the voice of God, in any whom he sends and speaks by, and pretend it is contrary to their light; but to lie low before the Lord, that in the true humility and holy fear, they may know the voice of the Shepherd, both in their own hearts, and in whomsoever he pleaseth to speak. For the great Almighty God is not limited, but he may speak in and through whom he pleaseth. He may speak to me from the anointing in my own heart, and the holy anointing may please to speak to me through others; and so far as I am of God, and sensible of his appearance, I cannot despise the voice of the anointing in my own heart, or through others. Yea, truth teacheth that modesty, temperance, humility, tenderness, and sobriety, that I dare not despise the voice that pretends to the anointg in any, until I have made trial of it. Yea, John Pennyman’s voice and testimony I durst not condemn, until the Lord my God, in the unerring light and pure springing life, manifested unto me that it was not of him, but of the transforming enemy, who had bewitched and deceived him by his strong delusions (he forsaking the rock, which would have been his strength), to receive and believe a lie instead of the truth."

It is antichrist that so vainly pretends to set up Christ, or his light, or Spirit, or power, as to deny those that are sent of him, and minister in his name. View in Source Document

Source: Somewhat Relating to Church Government

Grow above the Church

“Now, if any, in Lucifer’s nature, will hearken to that spirit which despiseth God’s church, and rend from it, and think to grow above it, and expect this growth in their high motions and comprehensions about things, in that exalted mind, should be owned by the church, they will be mistaken: for the true Spirit, which knows all things, and guides the church, will not guide the church to own any such spirit or growth; but to judge and condemn it in its greatest spreading and exaltation. View in Source Document

Source: Somewhat Relating to Church Government

Out of the Spirit of life of the church ...

"But if he intend the growth of any departing from the church, or out of the Spirit of life of the church, who hath her life from the Head, and is in unity with the Head, that growth we cannot but deny, finding it by constant trial and experience to be a growth in notion and comprehension, out of the feeling life and power." View in Source Document

"Now, this kind of growth I do not desire ever to know; the Lord also preserve others out of it, and open their ears to hear the voice of Christ, and of his church, that they may be preserved out of it! For had this been hearkened and kept to, things had been better with many, as to their inward state, and true peace with the Lord, than they have been."

Source: Somewhat Relating to Church Government

The Life itself sufficient in itself to teach.

“Did not the Apoſtles preach up the Meaſure of Life, the Grace of God in their day, Chriſt within, the Word of Faith nigh in the mouth and heart, the Anointing within, its ſufficiency to teach all things, &c. and yet did they ſo preach it, as to overthrow the Miniſtry, or their Gifts or Service, either towards them that were without or them that were within? Had they not power over them in the Lord?” View in Source Document

Source: Some Queries Concerning the Order and Government of the Church if Christ.

The the Life itself in itself as complete Teacher.

"… that which pretends to ſet up the meaſure of Life as a Teacher, otherwiſe than God hath appointed, and in oppoſition to the Teaching and Miniſtry which he hath appointed, and to his Gift in thoſe Veſſels, which is as well for the building up and perfecting of the Body, as for the gathering: That is another thing in that Veſſel that doth ſo, than the meaſure of Life; another Spirit, another Nature, another Ear than that, that firſt heard. And though it ſeem to cry up the ſufficiency of the meaſure of Life, and to plead for that (and perhaps the creature thinks it is really ſo: yet that is not the intent of the Spirit in the Veſſel, but to cry up itſelf, and to make its voice go for the Voice of the Meaſure of Life : and ſo ſuch err from the Faith, the Truth, the Spirit, the meaſure of Life, and are in the nature, ſpirit and meaſure of another thing, which is indeed Death, though they ſee it not, but look upon themſelves as gloriouſly living, and abiding in the pure Doctrine and Principle above others." View in Source Document

Source: Some Queries Concerning the Order and Government of the Church if Christ.

The Sufficiency of the Life itself in itself

"The ſufficiency of the Grace of God, turned to and waited upon, there is nothing in my heart either to undervalue myſelf, or to teach others ſo to do : Nor, when God did appoint a Miniſtry to gather and build up his Church, do I believe he did intend therein to undervalue the ſufficiency of his Grace: Yea, I Verily believe, that the Grace of God turned and hearkened to, and followed by any Soul in the darkeſt part of the Earth, hath ſufficiency in it to ſave, and will ſave that Soul, though there be none outwardly to miniſter to it or help it. Yet this I alſo believe, That as there is a ſufficiency in every meaſure of life, to the Work God hath appointed for that meaſure: ſo there is a greater ſufficiency the growth and fuller proportion of Life; and the leſſer, the weaker, the poor, the afflicted, the babes are to be helped by the ſtronger, eſpecially in their darkneſſes, afflićtions, temptations, &c. And fo the greater and ſtronger in the Life, Spirit and Power of the Lord, is a ſtrength and bleſfing to the weaker, which the weaker making uſe of in the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord (in the ſence and benefit of the ſweet help and relief which often the Lord pleaſeth to give forth there by) will find juſt cauſe and be often drawn to bleſſe the Name of the Lord for."  View Source Document