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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04844	The case considered & resolved: whether Mr. Brooks his pills to purge malignants were prescribed from ignorance, malice, or both, or, (Mr Tho. Brooks his inside turn'd outward). Wherein all godly, humble, and ingenious Christians, whether in a congregational way or other, are concerned, to inquire into the truth ... presented in generall to the inhabitants of Margarets New Fish-street, but more particularly for the consideration of himself, and those of his congregation ... also friendly advice to an unfriendly neighbour, desiring him for the time to come to abstain from reviling such persons as he never spake word to, nor they to him. / By Richard Parham, a parishoner of the said parish.	Parham, Richard.	1653 (1653)	Wing P356B; ESTC R187021	27,320	39

add not so much to their understandings as the casting a mite into a treasury Secondly I expect the ill will and censure of such as measure other mens writings and arguments not by the standard of the Scripture and Reason but by opinions and practices grounded upon an implicit faith in their Teachers from these I look for an out-cry like to that of Micha Iudges 18.24 And he said ye have taken away my gods which I have made and the Priest and ye are gone away and what have I more and what is this that ye say unto me what aileth thee Lastly that if I were considerable in that which they call Learning I might gain the repute to raise a swarm of such hornets about my eares that if it were in their power would sting me to death I shall not trouble thee further ar present but leave thee to judge the insuing Discourse as thou findest it most agreeable to Scripture and Reason and so rest Thy Friend R. P. To my loving and friendly Neighbours the Parishioners of the Parish of S. Margarets New Fish-street R. P. wisheth you the true knowledge of the Gospel here and eternall happinesse hereafter FRiends and Neighbours having perused a piece presented to the Parishioners in generall entituled Cases considered and resolved or Pills to purge Malignants c. Calculated more particularly as Mr. Almanack-maker saith for the Meridian of Margarets Fish-street hill by a pretended Minister Tho. Brooks And amongst the rest I having one of the hooks sent unto me reading it over J thought it my duty to consider and if I might to be resolved of the case from what spirit such a language might flow for as to my understanding I do not remember that ever I read such an Epistle through all the New Testament either from the Apostles or any other Ministers and by a Pamphlet to have the Parish posted in print through the Nation and to be rendred under such vile termes and foul aspersions by the malice of a Priest or pretended Minister as might justly were they true make all sober honest men refrain our company yea and to destroy us in our trades and livelyhoods by frighting people from dealing with so ungodly persons as he pretends us to be but for him to revile those that he never spake word to nor they to him and therefore not knowing what temper we are of is such a piece of madnesse that I am apt to think he either never read or hath quite forgotten the nineth verse of the Epistle of Jude yet Michael the Archangell when he strove against the divell and disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee Some Considerations on Mr. Brooks his Epistle to the Reader THe beginning of his Epistle he makes an Apology for himself by condemning many books which he saith shew the writers vanity and vex the Readers patience but what a worthy work his is I hope will be made appear in the following discourse He tells us also that what he hath written is out of faithfulnesse to Christ and love to souls 'T is like his zeal might be hot in writing it being of generall concernment to the whole profession but had he not told us of its being out of faithfulnesse he that is no Witch might easily have perceived it to be not only out of faith but also out of charity but not out of ignorance on any termes It is very true which he further speaks in his Epistle to the Reader that those that have the least right to Ordinances and I may add Ministery make the greatest noyse and cry about them so surely there are some such pretended Ministers in our times that like empty vessells make the greatest sound who have onely a studied form of fine words and experience proves are as affectionately zealous in delivering them as those vagabond Jewes the sons of Sceava were Act. 19.13 We adjure you by Christ whom Paul preacheth but read on the next verse and you will find they went not away without a reward fit for their work He saith further though his candle be but little yet he must not hide it under a bushell c. And truly I hope the gentleman will let us have so much care of our selves as not to follow an ignis fatnis or such a light as is reported that when men have followed it all night they are never the neerer their journeys end in the morning And though he desires that the fruit might not be rejected for the trees sake I suppose it were well could he demonstrate unto us what manner of fruit he means for if he means his book to be one of the fruits some are apt to think such fruit to be like the apples of Sodome As for the reasons he brings they being considered something may be said but I desire to be very briefe And for the first which is that the honor truth and wayes of Christ which are dearer to him then his life may be vindicated c. I have read of some who through blind zeal have offered great violence to their own bodies as in the case of the Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18.28 And S. Paul saith though I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing And for the gentlemans charity you have it in the second reason which I shall only name in short and leave both it and those Characters which he is pleased to bestow on the Parishioners as testimonies to prove the truth of his Ministery by which are that the foul months of prophane ignorant malignant and scandalous persons may be effectually stope For the third That the honest just and righteous proceedings of the honorable Committee may be manifested c. I confesse it is a greater mercy then hath formerly been enjoyed by the people of this Nation that those in authority are tender of the consciences of Christians but let me tell you it is little or no thanks to the Priests and farther I find that when ever that Tribe hath been dandled on the knees of Authority they have commonly for a requitall plotted and many times effected the ruine of their Promoters if they have not on all occasions been ready to humor them in executing their malice against pretended Heretikes I could largely instance in this but desire brevity Fourthly that the importunate desires of severall Ministers and Christians might be satisfied especially those to whom he preaches c. Truly if severall Ministers saw it before it was published I wonder none was so kind as to put in Imprimatur to it or to write an Encomium in Praise of the work seeing they desired so importunately to have it published that we might have known the persons but for those other Christians to whom he faith he preaches I should rather judge it to be done by an implicit faith then upon mature deliberation to post it into the world But I

THE CASE considered resolved VVhether Mr. Brooks his Pills to purge Malignants were prescribed from Ignorance Malice or both OR Mr. Tho. Brooks his inside turn'd outward WHEREIN All godly humble and ingenious Christians whether in a Congregational way or other are concerned to inquire into the truth of those mens Commissions who pretend themselves to be Preachers of the Gospel Presented in generall to the Inhabitants of Margarets New Fish-street but more particularly for the consideration of himself and those of his Congregation to undeceive them of those grosse conceits that they may have of him or he of himself that he is appointed by Christ and hath a Commission to preach the Gospel and Baptize Also Friendly advice to an unfriendly Neighbour desiring him for the time to come to abstain from reviling such persons as he never spake word to nor they to him By Richard Parham a Parishioner of the said Parish Matth. 7.15 20 21. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven Qui alterum incusat probri ipsum se intueri oportet London Printed by R. A. for William Larnar at the Black Moor's head neer Fleet-Bridge 1653. To the impartiall Reader Reader I Have observed that many times a good Cause suffers deeply through weak mannagement when some there are who by the strength of perswasive oratory and studied eloquent expressions are able and do commonly perswade most of their Auditors to believe any thing they tell them though contrary to truth and reason How prevailing a smooth and curious stile is to work on the affections it cannot but be obvious to most for who is it that hath not observed divers when reading of histories nay and some of those but fictions have been drawn forth exceedingly both to hope and feare to joy and sorrow accordingly as they have been variously inclined Therfore as from an untun'd Instrument you will not expect melodious musick so from an unlearned Pen you cannot look for delightfull straines or polisht lines But such as is tendred I desire may have as friendly acceptance and favourable construction as it is freely offered and faithfully intended And if you find truth in the Discourse own it though cloathed in rags For certainly were there not an excellency in truth none would be drawn to love and owne it on its own single account I confesse there are many pretenders to truth and the wayes thereof but it is with such pretenders as with those that followed Christ for the loaves How easie is it to find many men zealous to cry up truth Ordinances and the wayes of Christ when a fat Parsonage a Lecture a gathered Congregation and some outward preferment comes in the close But how few if any think you might we have to preach upon Christs allowance to his Apostles Luke 9.3 And he said unto them take nothing for your journey neither staves neither scrip neither bread nor silver neither two coats apiece And upon the same allowance to the Seventy he sent to preach Luke 10.4 Behold I send you forth as lambs amongst wolves c. Reader it is not strange to see because we have been foretold of it that in the last dayes some should arise that should make merchandize of the word And if ever there were a time to trie the spirits certainly it is when that is fulfilled spoken by Christ himself that many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many saying lo here is Christ lo there is Christ but he bids us not believe them and therefore if we are not willing to search the Scriptures to trie who are false there is little hope we desire those that are true And without controversie the Devill is most like to deceive when he is transformed into an Angell of light Why should it be thought amisse to question the truth of the Ministery and commission of those men that are continually questioning the truth of one anothers doctrine not only in forms of worship but in the very points of eternall salvation I need not instance in those that preach universall Redemption or Christ dying for all mankind without exception how hotly are they opposed by those that hold election and reprobation of particular persons in anoaher sense Again some that maintain childrens baptism others baptizing of believers only Again their difference in the manner of administration The cause of my setting pen to paper will be best seen in the following Discourse being briefly by Scripture to unmask the proud boastings of a pretended Minister whose last book many judicious men do conceive to be made up of ignorance of Christ and his wayes and malice towards his Neighbours Secondly that he and others of his stamp may understand that there are divers in and about the City that take good notice both of their doctrine and practise that can so long as they are quiet suffer them to enjoy their freedome in the largest manner they can desire because they plead it upon the account of conscience but if once they break the bounds of modesty in reviling and abusing the Parishioners they can soon strip them of their Canonicall Robes and discover their deceit and hypocrisie to all the world Again that the growing greatnesse of his selfe-conceit may be stopt for if by our silence we should grant him to be as he calls himselfe viz. a Minister of the Spirit we should unavoidably be tyed up to his Dictates as much as the Papists are to the Decrees of the Pope Reader be pleased to take notice what disadvantages I have in presenting this answer to his book when the gentleman boasteth in the nineth page thereof that be hath spent more money at the University in helps to learning then severall of the Parishioners are worth And therefore if the truth of what is written cannot supqort it self it is like to have but little help from my Scholarship not but that I have a high esteem of learning so long as it is used to its proper end but not to have it used as the Magitians did in Pharoahs Court to delude both him and the people onely be pleased to remember that those that were Ministers of the Gospell were fitted for the preaching of it after another manner then studying at the University as you may read Acts 2.4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance c. To conclude in writing this piece I have to the best of my understanding cast up the account what it may amount to and I hope I have not reckoned without my host which in short the reward I expect for my time and paines is First that divers ingenious honest and religious persons will accept it although it

worship and ver 21. Jesus said unto her woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain not at Jerusalem worship the Father c. and ver 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Certainly where much is given much is required and so on the contrary but if by reason of the overspreading of abomination God hath withdrawn those visible gifts from the Ministery must we presently make us Gods to go before us let us rather a little consider what the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 50.11 behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall you have at mine hand you shall lie down in sorrow When Moses for a while had left the Israelites and was gone into the Mountain Exodus 32. as you may read at large it was a woefull worship they performed to their god-calf and surely Aaron made a bad bad exchange of his Priesthood in making an Altar and proclaiming a holy day to it I might instance in divers the like particulars but I hasten yet let me offer one thing to consideration which hath been a brand fixed on divers holy conscientious persons that they are a people that despise the Ministery and live above Ordinances no certainly it is their grief and sorrow of heart that they live below and without them and think you any persons professing Christ Jesus dare be such rebells to him as not to yeeld obedience to his commands especially when he tells them that his yoke is easie and his burden light but blame them not for not believing Michals image to be Davids person 1 Sam. 19.13 And now let us consider what gracious promises are made to such a people that see themselves at so great a losse read Isaiah 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant Isaiah 41.17 18. Ch. 42.7.40.31 that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God chap 30.18 and therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of Judgement blessed are all they that wait for him chap. 42.16 J will lead the blind by a way that they knew not I will lead them in paths they have not known I will make darknesse light before them and crooked things streight these things will J do unto them and not forsake them And did not Christ come to fill the empty to cloath the naked to feed the hungry and to set at liberty those that were bound Without controversie if ever we intend to be partakers of these gifts before spoken we must be first sensible of the want of them Thus have I briefly and faithfully to my own understanding given you a small tast which upon your farther consideration I hope you will enlarge and then I believe you will clearly discerne the shadow from the substance which is to know the difference of the Baptism of Christ from Iohns or of water from the Spirit of speaking from study art and learning or from the gift of the Spirit to Prophecy as 1 Cor. 12.10 and of all the rest of the gifts of the Spirit reckoned up in that chapter and be assured it is a duty that highly concernes us all to try by Scripture the Spirits of those we hear and it was that which was commendable in the noble Bereans that they searched the Scriptures to see whether the things Paul spake were so or not Act. 17.11 Nay it is the high commendation which God himself gives to the Church of Ephesus Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear with them which are evill and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liers Now for those that desire to know and to be throughly acquainted with the practise life and power of Christian Religion may find it laid down in that incomparable Sermon preached by Christ himself in the Mountain Mat. 5. to the 8. chapter wherein the former part of the 5 chapter the qualifications of Saints are discovered to verse 12. and that their Religion might not rest in formality he tells them verse the 20. that except their righteousness exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they should not enter into the Kingdome of heaven and to the end that they might not be unacquainted with the difference between a legall and Gospell obedience he layes it forth in sundry particulars unto the 28. ver of 7. chap. wherein as by a most perfect rule we may be able to judge between Saints in word and notion and Saints in life and power for understanding whereof let us weigh and seriously consider one instance of many where Christ tells the people ver 43. of of 5. chap. ye have heard that it hath been said of old thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy v. 44. but I say unto you love your enemies blesse them which curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which persecute you v. 45. that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven for he maketh his Sun to arise on the evill and the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust for if you love them which love you what reward shall you have do not the Publicans do the same v. 47. and if you be friendly to your brethren only what singular thing do ye do not even the Publicans likewise if then this be the doctrine of Christ and that which his Disciples ought to practise shall we not be ready to cry out with them who then can be saved the world at present is full of Professors and they full of fine words such as may justly be called inticing words of vanity but I desire that we may all weigh our selves at this balance and measure our selves by this Standard so that when we find our selves qualified as is here more at large in Scripture expressed we may justly expect the performance of the promises in being made partakers of the like gifts as the believers were in the primitive time And thus at present I have done with this desiring the Lord in mercy to give us a right understanding in all things A POSTSCRIPT THat the Gentleman and others may not be deceived in thinking those of the Parish who were not Petitioners against him are for him in approving his book if they think so it is a grosse mistake for to my knowledge divers of them did conclude it to be a great abuse to the whole Parish and when I spake of answering it they did presse me exceedingly to it not that I have any thing whereof to glory but considering their earnestnesse which I could not judge but to be in sincerity of heart it put me in mind of a passage which when I was a School-Boy I then learned and have not yet forgotten it is Virgil Liber 2 Aene●d where Aeneas though very unwilling yet being earnestly entreated by Dido Queen of Carthage makes relation of the Trojan warres and give this reason as you may read at large Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros Et breviter Trojae supremum audire laborem Quanquam Animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit Incipiam c. But I shall say the contrary ità finem facio that though I abhorred to discover my mind in print yet a just cause and friends perswasions were two prevailing arguments to do it I shall only add one word more and leave it to the consideration of him that hath most right to it and the riddle may be unfolded hereafter I can assure you that in this discourse I have not to my knowledge made any false Muster neither have I like some Commander scrambled a pack of strange faces together to march through the City with as much confidence and little credit as if they were his own listed company FINIS