262 The Duchess of Newcastle 



" "Dearly beloved brethren and sisters, we are 

 gathered together in the Lord with purity of spirit to 

 preach his word amongst us. We are the chosen and 

 elect children of the Lord who have glorified spirits 

 and sanctified souls, we have the spirit of God in us, 

 v/hich inspires us to pray and to preach, as also to call 

 upon his name and to remember him of his promise 

 tounite andgather us together unto his New Jerusalem, 

 separating us from reprobates, that we may not be 

 defiled with their presence, for you, dear brethren, 

 know by the spirit, that they are not the children of 

 the Lord but Satan's children, they are the children 

 of darkness, we the children of light, we are glorified 

 and sanctified by supernatural grace, we are a peculiar 

 people, and the holy prophets of the Lord, to fore-see, 

 fore-tell, and declare his will and pleasure, also we are 

 to incourage and comfort the saints in afiiictions and 

 times of tribulation and consolation, and to help them 

 to present their sanctified sighs, tears and groans unto 

 the Lord; but the spirit moveth me to pray and to 

 leave off preaching, wherefore let us pray unto the 

 Lord." 



So after the holy brother had done his prayer, 

 Mr. N. N. who was there, pulled off his peruick, and 

 put on a night-cap, wherein he appeared so like a holy 

 brother as they took him for one of their sect, and 

 he preached this following sermon : 



" Dearly beloved brethren. We are here met in a 

 congregation together, some to teach, others to learn; 

 but neither the teaching nor learning can be any other 

 way but natural and according to human capacitie, for 

 we cannot be coelestial whilst we are terrestrial, 

 neither can we be glorified whilst we are mortal and 

 subject to death, nor yet can we arrive to the purity 

 of saints or angels, whilst we are subject to natural 



