and allowe of some that hold and mainteyne no faith concerning where Christ had his Flesh and so do you approve and mainteyne them in their sinne for whatsoever anie holds or mainteynes not of saith is sinne and to be ignorant of anie part of that the scriptures hath manifested is sinne and to determyne to remaine ignorant and so to continewe unto the end is death for without repentance anie one sinne is death as Thappostle Iames sheweth Iam. 2.10 VVho soever shall kepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is giltie of all Deceyve not simple soules then by noriushing them in their sinne which you do in saying it is not needfull to salvation to knowe whence Christ had his Flesh as though there were anie part of the law or gospell not needfull to salvation And if there be anie part of the law not needfull then Christ need not to have come to fulfill the whole law which he did as he saith Mat. 5.17 And if there be anie part of the gospel of salvation which Christ hath purchased with his blood Ephe. 1.13.14 not needfull to salvation then Christ hath purchased more then is needfull In the feare of God walke not thus by your owne inventions leading and suffering simple soules to walke in the waies of death and condemnation Of the day of rest The second is that manie among you and how farr you are all poluted wee knowe not but have great cause to feare do professe practice not to kepe the seaventh day a day of rest holy vnto the lord abolishing herein the law which was given in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assemblie and which was written in the Tables with the finger of God as is shewed Exod. 20.8.9.10.11 and Deut. â— 10 Of all wch whole law our saviour Christ saith Maâ— 5 17.18 I am not come to distroy but to fulfill for truely I say vnto you till heaven and earth perish one jotâ— or one title of the law shall not scape till all thingeâ— be fulfilled not with standing all the spoken by God the father Iesus Christ his sonne manie of you with an high hand 〈◊〉 out and distroy one of these Ten Commandements written by the finger of God Exod. 34.28 and you will have but Nyne renâ—g a sunder the law of God and casting away what is not pleasing vnto you Not holding the examples of the disciples of Christ a sufficient rule of direction for you who as is shewed Act. 20.7 and 1. Cor. 16.1 2. The first day of the weake came together to breake bread Vpon euery vvhich first day of the weeke when they were come together Paul ordeyned in the Churches that every one should lay aside for the necessitie of the Saincts that there might be no gathering when he came How will you be able to stand before the lord hereinâ— Hâ— hath established a law the which it is more easie that heaven and earth should passe away then that one title of the law should fall Iuc 16.17 And if you now be able to shewe which God forbid that anie should be so wicked as to enterpâ—ise that all these words spoken and written by God himself Remember the Sabath day to keepe it holy be no part jot nor tittle of this law then you have some cullor for the evill you practice and professe herein but dare anie moueth of blasphemy speake it or anie hand of blasphemy write it wee hope no why then give glory to God repent of this your sinne and pray the lord that if it be possible the thoughts of your harts the blasphemy of your mouethes and the wickednes of your hands may be forgiven you And sinne not as you do against God in turning away your feet from the Sabath of the lord and doeing your owne wills on his holy day wherein also you do wronge to man and beast to whome the lord hath in mercie given a speciall day of rest But yet further to shewe you that wich you shall never be able to annswere Our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24.20 speakeing of the distruction of Ierusalem which was to come to passe did long after his death saith Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabath day sheweing vndenyably that ther should still remaine a speciall day of rest for the people of God to worship him on vpon which day Christs bidds them pray that their flight be not that they might not be forced to flie wheÌ„ they should rest and worshipp God And if our Saviour Christ had ment that his disciples should have bene of your iudgment it had bene all one vpon what day their flight had bene God give you grace to see your great error herein that you may not still be hate full to God and men and Beasts And thus much of this except further occation be offered Omitting to shewe you all the confusion you bring into the Church when there shal be no day certen whereon the disciples ought to come together to edifie one an other to breake bread to pray and to gather for the Saincts if your rule be true which is as false as God is true they chuse whether they will come at all except you have authoritie to make a law to bind them which sure you have not from God even so do you confound hereby all due proceeding in the rule of admonition by the Church if there be no certen day when the Church are bound to meet But wee wiâ—l passe by this hopeing you will fall vnder the former ground and then you will easily see through the grace of God all these thinges and manie moâ—e which accompanie that your error that do vtterly destroy all godlines Religion and the holy communion of Saincts Therefore repeÌ„t and forsake this your error for if you do thus distroy the lawe of God there can be no Religion of God in you Of Succession T◠〈…〉 your Leaders are 〈…〉 them that mainteyne a Succession and that 〈…〉 and you will have all 〈…〉 and tongues to come to you and 〈…〉 Ordinances of Christ and 〈…〉 administer in the holy 〈…〉 to you and 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 power and all the holy 〈…〉 with the man of sinne 〈…〉 called oâ— God and 〈…〉 vnder the 〈…〉 vnder the 〈…〉 Rom. 3.1.2 〈…〉 because 〈…〉 of God 〈…〉 your 〈…〉 manner of way 〈…〉 of credit to 〈…〉 but 〈…〉 confess◠〈…〉 and the 〈…〉 vnto 〈…〉 proceed from 〈…〉 Ierusalem 〈…〉 call your 〈…〉 you and 〈…〉 do to your 〈…〉 them to it and to them everlasting distruction in so dâ—ing and suffering them selves to be to draâ—n Thus then 〈…〉 speake of the heavenly 〈…〉 And 〈◊〉 people shall 〈…〉 vp to the mountaine of the 〈◊〉 to the 〈…〉 of the God of 〈…〉 will 〈…〉 Sâ—on and 〈…〉 manner speaketh 〈…〉 â—rd shall send the 〈…〉 these Prophecies 〈…〉 〈…〉 become 〈…〉 you this 〈…〉 〈◊〉 taught the 〈…〉 when he said 〈…〉 word of
denie and vvee speake to men of vnderstanding And came your first beginner in the power of the spirit in this measure and was all warantable and according to the truth that he did in his ministery will anie affirme that all was warrantable that he did or can anie affirme it and that he could not err-God forbid that anie fearing God should be so foolish nay was he not a man coming furth in some smale measure of the deepe mist of the mistery of iniquitie being then in much error and ignorance yea even in that administration of baptisme orels you haue bene vnprofitable disciples of his And would you tye all the world from the East to the west to come fetch the holy ordinances of Christ from him you his successors through all your errors ignorances and grevious corruptions where of wee knowe so manie and have cause to be jealous of you for maine moe VVhat truth pietie or godlines is there in this that you should seeke to make men either presently swallowe vp all your errors ignorantly to be washed of you with water or els stay vntill they have learned them otherwise they must not be baptized at all And further that men must be forced to learne your language and so vntill the poore disciples of Christ that would followe him English men or aine other nation can speake dutch they are debarred from the holy ordinances of God the meanes of their salvation by this your rule a fearefull mistery of iniquitie Hereby you have wrought such wickednes amongst vs and brought such desolation vpon vs the poore people of God as wee have cause to wish that in our heades were floodes of water and our eies were fontaines of teares that wee might power out a complainte against you for this your abhomination wich you have set vp whereby you have wrought such destruction and ruine in the Church of God seeking to pull it downe to build vp your selves Hereby have you glorified your Church sett hir vp to sitt as a Queene takeing vnto your selves all power authoritie yea even to shutt the gates of the holie Cittie the heavenly Ierusalem saieing that none may enter but by your authoritie Oh that you could see your great sinne herein the lamentable evill that you have wrought First against God in destroying his Temple which is built truely though exceeding weakely vpon the foundation the word of God And you have caused the enimies of God to blaspheme to make a mock at the profession of Iesus Christ And you have caused them that were more indifferently mynded to doble their doubtings and rather stepp backward then come forward Thus have you sinned with an high hand against the God of heaven who is able and will fill you the duble for this your iniquitie if you repent not And for vs you have brought much sorrow greife vexation of soule spirit vpon vs. The Lord doth knowe wee speake truely and great hath bene our cause of greife to see the Church of Christ which is his body whereof wee are though vnworthie members thus rent and torne in pecces and our profession and wee made a scorne of men who have wished and wayted for our overthrow and have taken vpon them to foretell of these evills that have come vpon vs which being come to passe according to their foretelling they have triumphed against vs blessed themselves as though their foresaâ—eings must needs come to passe Thus have our enimies reioyced at our miseries but the Lord hath wounded them vpon their right eie and made them a reioyceing to their enimies VVere this all our woe it were at full enough but you have by this your great sinne brought a further evill vpon vs then to make our enimies reioyce over vs saying there there so would wee have it for you have made our frends our enimies yea our familier frends with whome wee tooke sweet counsell went together to the house of God And such is the enmitie betwixt vs and them whereof you have bene cheife instruments as it can neuer have end whilst anie of vs live for it is that enmitie which the Lord put betwene the seed or the woman and the seed of the serpent which can have no end in them except wee fall into the same destruction for there is no pâ—ace to repentance to be found for their trangression For they were once enlightned and had trusted of the heavenly gift and were made partâ—â—â—s of the holy ghost And had tastied of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come and are fallen away it is impossible they should be renewed againe by repentance seeing they crucifie againe to themselves the sonne of God and make a mock of him Heb. 6.4.5.6 Now to shewe how they were once enlightned First Mr. Iohn Smyâ—h 〈◊〉 vpon whose head the blood of all this people shal be hath by his profession in all his practice and by word and in his sundrie writings with such force of argument and strength of protestation with ground of truth as his writings shewe manifested himself to be enlightned with this truth of God That wheresoever two or three are gathered to gether into Christs name there Christ hath promissed to be in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 and therefore they are the people of god and Church of Christ haveing right to Christ and all his ordinances and need not seeke to men to be admitted to the holie thinges but may freely walke together in the waies of god and enioy all the holie thinges From this truth of god wherewith he was enlightned is he fallen denying the words of our Saviour Christ That saith wheresoever two or three are gathered togither c. And holdeth that the first two or three that are gathered togither have onely right to Christ and all his ordinances and that after all men must come to them restraning the wordes of Christ wch are generall so anie two or three onely to the first two or three and so hath sett vp a SuccessioÌ„ against the wch he hath formerly by all wordes writinges practice sett himself with all detestation And this man like Balaam hath consulted with you and hath putt a stumbling blocke before the people of God who were also enlightned and so are manie as you knowe fallen with him to the same sinne and vnder the same condemnation And M. Iarvase Nevile haveing witnssed not onely this but divers other truths for the which he hath bene long imprisoned and condemned to perpetuall imprisoment yea expecting death for the ame yet notwithstanding all his former fidelity and constancie whereby his bondes were famous through the whole land falling with M. Smyth vpon this your blind Succession forsakeing the rock whereon he stood is now returned beyond his vomytt exclayming against your Succession and strives to build vp the Succession oâ— Rome which he hath formerly with all zeale and holines pulled downe so is
their â—aith agree with mens mynds This overthrowes the first beginings of the Religion of God when men will chuse to walke with that people and in that profession of faith that â—est pleaseth their mynds not so much regarding the truth of their faith nor theâ— holy walkeing therein although they may mislike some thinges yet if some please them well they will not differ for smake matters and when they are once gathered and knâ—t together in a multitude then though error after error be discovered and sinne after sinne comitted there may be no breaking vpon anie conditions And this overthrowes all growth of Religion VVee wish you and all great congregations to looke to your selves that you be not more carefull to mainteyne your multitudeâ— theÌ„ the lords truth It is not a multitude in error sinne that can please God Noe a fewe walking together in the truth with holines shal be acceptable in his sight if they be but two or three he will be in the midst of them Therefore please not your selves in your multitudes walking in so manie errors as you do for if you repent not of these whereof wee have made mention and of all other your errors and false doctrins mainteyned amongst you the lord will assuredly make you desolate for thus hath he threatned and executed his judgment vpon Pergamus and Thyatira because they repented not and he threatnes and will execute the same judgment vpon you which sinne after the like manner of transgression of you repent not And your gifts and grates being manie lesse then the gifts and graces of those Churches and your false doctrines and sinnes already manie moe the greater and more spedily will his jugdments be vpon you if you repent not which wee vnfainedly disire the lord to give you Grace to do Be warned you that are leaders whilst it is to day harden not your harts why should you perish in your sinnes lead so manie simples soule to destruction with you Thus praying all the gratious harted amongst you to remember that the wise man saith Open rebuke is better then secreet love and the wounds of a lover are faithfull Pro. 27.5.6 And wee will hope that though wee reprove you wee shall at length find more love which is all wee require of you then they that so flatter you with their tougnes The grace of our lord Iesus Christ be with you Amen Cant. 4.8 COme from Lebanon even come from Lebanon and looke from the topp of Amanah from the topp of Shenir and Hermon from the Denns of the Lyons and from the mountayns of the Leopards To all the most vvorthy Governors Learned Teachers and Godly people of all estats and conditions in these vnited Provinces Grace and peace from God the father and our lord Iesus Christ VVEE amonge the rest of the people of God that professe the gospel of Iesus Christ have great cause to praise the lord for the freedome libertie that wee have in these Provinces to professe speake in the name of Iesus and wee are bound and do with all humblenes of hart thankfullie acknowledg it And wee beseech the lord in mercie to recompence it seaven-fold into the bosome of those that are in aucthoritie by whose great fauour wee enioy this blessed and comfortable libertie the which libertie wee have not the least thouhts to abuse neither by the grace and mercie of God will ever willingly do And wee humblie crave now that wee may with favour and good acceptance vse this ChristiaÌ„ libertie thus fair as to propound the ground of Religion by way of question and demaund wee doubt not through the grace of God but it being throughly and faithfullie debated and tryed by the Godly wise â—e learned it will put a short end to that longe continewed controversie of Gods eternall decree of life and dâ—ath to salvation and condemnation And thus with reverence and due respect vnto all degâ—ees of persons wee proceed Our first question and demaund is 1. VVether God decreed not that if Adam did obey he should live Our second 2. VVhether God did not according to this his decree create Adam in his owne jmage Gen. 1.17 In righteousnes true holines Ephe. 4.24 giveing him thereby free will power in and of himself that he might obey live Our third 3. VVhether God did not according to this his dâ— wâ—rke of creation give Adam his comaundement 〈◊〉 obey live Gen. 2.16.17 Our fovvrth 4. God then decreeing that if Adam did obey he 〈◊〉 live and giveing him freewil power 〈◊〉 of himsâ—lf that he might obey live and 〈…〉 him to they live Our demaund 〈…〉 â—nderstanding it can be 〈…〉 that God decreed Adam should disob◠〈◊〉 were not this to make God in his de◠〈◊〉 worke in his comaundment contrary to himself doth God decree that if Adam did obey he should live decree that he should disobey dye doth God create Adam after his owne jmage with power will to worke righteousnes decree that he should worke vnrighteousnes sinne doth God comaund Adam to obey decree he should disobey wee demaund how these thinges can agree Our fift 5. VVhether God ever made anie other decree with man-kind concerming life death salvation condemnation but that he made with Adam Then God not decreing Adam to sinne by whome sinne entred Rom. 5 1â— Nor Adam to be condemned by whose sinne condemnaton came on all men Rom. 5.18 hovv can it be said that God hath decreed anie man to sinne or anie man to condemnation Our Sixt. 6. VVhether Gods decree vvas not froÌ„ before all beginings That if Adam desobeyed sinned he should dye Gen. 2.17 hovv then is it said that it vvas Gods decree that he should disobey dye both these cannot stand can the first be denyed Our Seaventh 7. If anie should through vnadvisednes not knovving God or of vvilfull vvickednes deny Adam before his fall to have freevvill povver to vvorke righteousnes vvee demaund of them vvas not his vnderstanding holy his vvill holy and all the faculties povvers of his soule bodie holy had he not povver to vse them holily If all these thinges vvere not so hovv is that true vvhich God hath said In the jmage of God created he him Our Eight 8. VVhether Adam before his fall did not vse all the faculties povvers of his soule body vvholy to Gods glory vvhen the lord brought vnto him all the foule of heaven every beast of the feild to see hovv he vvould call them and he gave names vnto all cattle to the foules of heaven to every beast of the feild as also vvhen the lord brought the vvomaÌ„ he had made to AdaÌ„ Adam said this novv is bone of my bone flesh of my flesh she shal be called vvoman because she vvas taken out of man VVee demaund vvhether it be not heare most evident plaine
not have Magistrats administer with the sword for Sathan deceaves you thereby and makes you more pitifull then god therein you sinne most greviouâ—ly when you reioyce in your selves and thinke you do exceeding well But the thinge that miâ—leads you all is this because you can see no sworde but the sword of the spirit and no armor but spirituall armor in the kingdome of Christ and therefore the disciples of that kingdome say you must have no other weapons nor put on no other armor and then can there be no putting to death nor anie warr neither ought to be but all spirituall Suffer our folishnes if wee seeme as fooles to speake thus vnto you Even so in the kingdome of Christ there is no treasure but spirituall treasure no baggs but spirituall baggs Luk. 12.33 No buildings but spirituall buildings No apparell but spirituall apparell 1. Pet. â— 3 No meate but spirituall meate Rom. 14.17 If then you will cast away all weapons and armor but such as the disciples of Christ vse in his Kingdome so must you also cast away all your baggs and treasure and all your buyldings and houses and you must weare no apparell but spirituall apparel eate no meate but spirituall meate If to all this it be answered that in the new Testament the lawfull vse of al these things be allowed wee answere even so is the lawfull vse of Magistracie with the sword to punish evill doers allowed and approved in the new Testament as is proved from Rom. 13. which no man with anie good conscience shall ever be able to gain say To conclude wee in love beseech you to see what an extreame straite you are brought vnto wee meane all these that hold Magistrats may not be of the Church of Christ and retaine their Magistracie that you must say that Magistracie is not an holie ordinance of god and that all that is done by the power and aucthoritie thereof is sinne and therefore Magistrats may not be admitted to be of the Church of Christ except they cast away their Magistracie for if you confesse that it is an holie ordinance of god and that the administration and execution thereof and whatsoever is done by the power and authoritie of the same according to the word of god in the punishing of evil doers and praising rewarding the weldoers be good and holie iust in the sight of God then may Magistrats be of the Church of Christ and retaine their Magistracie for no man may be debarred out of the church of Christ for doeing of that which is holie and iust good But to deale yet more plainely with you that the vttermost depth of your error may be discovered that you and all men may vtterlie detest and abhorr it If you will say that Magistrats are no otherwise the ministers of god but as the devills are which one of our owne countrimen the forenamed Mr. lervase Nevile falling vpon this and others your errors most blasphemously hath affirmed except you will also hold the same which god forbid that anie child of god should do you can never deny Magistrats for being of the Church of Christ for if you confesse that they are the holie and good ministers of god applieing then selves there vnto then how can you deny them as vnfitt to be members of the Church of Christ and that onely because they the holie and good ministers of god retayne that their ministerie office and calling wherevnto they are appointed of God And now may you see that wee had iust cause in the begining of this question to endeavor to shewe that the lord requireth a diligent faithfull willing obedience of Magistrats But the devills obey of force and against their will And God doth never make them ministers of his mercie to anie but wee see heere God hath ordeyned Magistrats his ministers for good both in mercie and justice aswell to reward the weldoers as to punish the evill doers Of all the people vpon earth none have more cause to be thankfull to God for this blessed ordinance of Magistracie then you and this whole countrie and nation in that God hath by his power and aucthoritie given vnto you magistrats who have so defeÌ„ded deliuered you froÌ„ the haÌ„d of a cruell distroyer will you not withstanding contemne this his holie ordinance and accounte it as a vile thinges far be it from you to continewe in this your so great evill Thinke not that in the handling of this point wee seeke to bring your persons in question or contempt with the higher powers the lord knowes wee have no such intent wee knowe their worthie patience in bearing with your great weaknesses herein but to bring this error into contempt amonge you that you might forsake it that is it wee seeâ—e and that the simple harted might not be betrayed with it as they are not knoweing how farr that deâ—pfull opinion leads them and all vnder a shewe of Godlines Much more might be said then wee are able to say and wee would willingly have said something◠〈…〉 this point of others but that it is so difficult to get it sett over into you 〈…〉 say thus much more vnto you 〈…〉 you to tread vnder foote this vnholie disposition that seemes to be so holie and makes you flatters your selves and thinke your selves most holie herein and that is in that you would not have evill doers punished with the sword You please your selves much in your pittifull dispositions herein and thinke you please God when it is most evident that you sinne greviously herein for it is the good will pleasure and comaundement of God that evill doers should be punished by the sword and to that end he hath given power and aucthoritie to Magistrats and you contrarie to the good will and pleasure of God would not have evill doers punished with the sword Is not this your great sinne to be contrarie mynded to God take heed least by this your disposition you could also wish or disire that wicked men dieing in their sinne might not be damned whereby you should wish the vtter dishonor of God for then should the enimies of God triumphe over him and then would they much God to scorne and have him in great derision but God shall laugh at their distruction and mocke when their feare cometh Pro. 1.26 And all the Saincts of God shall reioyce with him Reuel 18.20 And if the Saincts in heaven reioyce and praise God when he punisheth and taketh vengance on the wicked ought not the Saincts vpon earth to reioyce and praise God when they see or heare that the evill doers are punished heere on earth by such power and aucthoritie as god hath appointed And they are the more to praise God seeing the holie ghost doth testifie that it is for their wealth what great sinne of ingratitude and vnthankfulnes is this then in all you that so disaprove of Magistrats and of their punishing of evill doers by the
sword the which Ordinance if it were not all the Godlie on earth should be destroyed and the most Godly first Now wee know that God is able to defend his without the sword but in that he hath appointed this holy ordinance of Magistracie for the preservation and defence of all good men for the subdueing keeping vnder and cutting of the evill doers let none make the selves more wise and more holie then God which you all do that disaprove of Magistracie Repent for your sinneing with a high hand herein in dishonoring God by disaproveing his holie ordinance of Magistracie which he hath comaunded should be honored with all godly feare reverence and obedience And if you will repent and truely obey god herein then must you being comaunded by the aucthoritie of the Magistracy be ready with your owne persons and all that you have to support defend that sword of justice which they beare and wherewith they administer by that power and aucthoritie which they have from god for who are fitter to support and mainteyne the holy ordinance of god then they that professe to be the children of god and who are fitter to feight iust and good battells then good and iust men and what simplicitie is this to thinke that it is more lawfull to hier men to feight a battle then to feight it them selves The people of Israell that were the people of god never did so but they fought the battles of the lord them selves and theÌ„ the lord went farth with their armies and gave them victory over their enimies and put their adversaries to flight and if magistracie be a holy ordinance of God now as it was then it is as lawfull for them to defend their countries and people as it was then and so is it is lawfull for the servants of god and they ought being comaunded by the magistrats to go to warr as well now as then and the servants of god might with better consciences and more comfort 〈◊〉 to battle them selves being comaunded by the higher powers that â—e of god although they died in battle then to hier meÌ„ to be slaine for them to whome the cause belonges not There is no religion in this that magistrats by reason of your vnwillingnes to go to battle for the cause of god and for your owne safeties preservation should be forced to hier men to feight for you although you pay for it and in all this you pretend Religion and conscience but it is evident by the word of god that if magistracie be a holie ordinance of god it is to be supported by all holy and good men and meanes And if it be not a holy Ordinance of god then are magistrats but the ministers of god as the devills are then are they not to be obeyed for conscience sake not to be honored for wee are not bound of conscience to honor and obey the power aucthoritie and ministery of devills but to resist it and so Th-appostle Pauls doctrine Rom. 13. and Th-appostle Peters doctrine 1. Pet. 2.3.17 Is all made false and erronious But far be it from anie that have anie touch of true godlines to deny that holy ordinance of magistracie and so to overthrowe the holy doctrines of Th-appostles Let the godly bewarr of such Th-appostle Peter hath foretold of them and of their manner of proceding for First he sheweth that there shal be false teachers which privilie shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the lord that hath bought them and by their followers the way of truth shal be evill spoken of And these are they which shall dispise gouerment which are bould and stand in their owne conceipt and feare not to speake evill of them that are in dignitie 2. Pet. 2 1-10 let vs applie this to the persons and cause in hand These men that most stifely stand against magistracie have they not brought in damnable heresies do they not deny the lord that hath bought them are not these they that deny the true humanitie of Christ denying him to have had a true earthly naturall bodie wherewith he bought them which they that deny or are ignorant of that he had a true naturall earthly bodie they deny and are ignorant that the lord hath bought them VVee will not now speake to the rest of their damnable heresies but to come to this which is one of them they dispise goverment and speake evill of them that are in dignitie Can there be greater dispisers of goverment then they that deny it to be lawfull to punish evill doers with the sword for take away the sword and where is goverment will evill doers be governed with a â—od of reed do wee not see daylie that manie feares not the sword and if the sword of justice were taken away all goverment were overthrowne and can there be greater dispisers of goverment then they that would altogether over throwe it And they speake evill of them that are in dignitie and aucthoritie Do not thâ—se men speake evill of them when then teach and condemne them for evill doers in their execution of justice against offenders and can they speake greater evill then to say they are 〈◊〉 evill doers as are not worthie to be members of the Church of Christ what greater evill 〈◊〉 â—â—tempt can be cast vpon them both before God and 〈◊〉 people 〈◊〉 hereby they are absolutely 〈◊〉 to be the ministers of god but â—s the devills are Can there greater evill be spoken then this To make it more plaine that you which touch these thinges against Magistracy are these false The achers that the Appostle Peter heere speaketh of This is one â—peciall maâ—ke that you do it privilie for can false 〈…〉 teach more privilie then you that teach this 〈◊〉 you do not vnderstand teaching privily to be in corners and privie places Th appostle she 〈…〉 meaning 〈◊〉 for he speakes of bringing in heresies privily in teaching of doctrine and is not this heresie against Magistrats most privily brought in vnder a culler from our Saviour Christs owne words where he saith It shall not be so among you And from Th-appostles words The weapons of our warfare are not carnall Is it not privily done to wrest the scriptures so deceitfully from a shewe of words leaving the true sence of the place and hereby concluding most privilie and deceitfully that Magistrats bearing the sword may not be of the kingdome of Christ not of his Church but let that suffice which is spoken before of the misvnderstanding of these Scriptures And see further how vnder this first damnable heresie of denying Magistrats to be of the Church most privily is this heresie brought in that Magistracie is vtterly vnlawfull and all that is done by the power and aucthoritie thereof is sinne for as wee have shewed there is nothinge but sinne debarrs anie from being members of Christs Church they then that hold that Magistracie debarrs men from being members of Christs Church must needs hold that
that Adam had free povver over his vnderstanding vvill affections vvhen he did these thinges to the glory of God Our Nynth 9 Adam haveing then freevvill povver from God in by his creation to obey live hovv can it possibly be said that God in his eternal decree decreed him or anie man to condemnation VVee disire a Godly carefull consideration reveivving of these things for vpon this ground depends the vvhole cause of Predestination and gods decree coÌ„cerning salvatioÌ„ coÌ„deÌ„natioÌ„ for if AdaÌ„ had freevvil povver to obey vvhich never maÌ„ that knevve God yet denyed then hovv could God decree anie man to condemnation and if Adam had not freevvill and povver to obey then God decreed he should disobey sinne then hovv can it be denyed but God hath decreed men to condemnation so is vniuersall redemption vtterly overthrovvne for hovv could Christ redeame all God decree some to be condemned But if Adam had freevvill and povver to obey then God decreed no man to condemnation and if God decreed no man to condemnation before the begining of the vvorld then the lambe slayne from before the begining of the vvorld must needs be given a Redeamer for all men And then are all men bound to glorifie God in that he hath given a Saviour and meanes of salvation for them But if he be not given a saviour for all men then the greatest part of men in the vvorld have no cause to glorifie God therein And vvee demaund vvhether this be not greatly to rob god of his honor herein And let vs yet requier one thinge more at your hands that baptize infants vvhether you do not of faith baptise theÌ„ as being redeamed by Christ in that you declare them as appeareth in your forme of baptisme to be sanctified in Christ and therefore that they ought to be Baptized as meÌ„bers of the Church vvhich is the bodie of Christ Surely it cannot be but that you faithfullie beleeve that all the infants you Baptise are redeamed by Christ or els you vvould not Baptise them into the name of Christ acknovvledg theÌ„ members of his bodie And if you do hold all the infants you Baptise to bereadeamed by Christ then if your rule of perticuler Redemption perticuler Predestination be a true rule you must needs hold that all Dutch-land must be saved and no one of them can be condemned and so must you hold the like of all England all France all Scotland and generally of all the Nations vvhose Baptising of infants you approve of And in that you approve of the Baptising of all the Turkes and all the Heathens vvhat soever their infants if they should come vnto the acknovvledging of the faith of Iesus Christ vvhich vvee hope none can say but they may do you not 〈…〉 plaine shevve that you hoâ—d Christ haâ—h Râ—ed theÌ„ also thus you hold that Châ—ist hath Redeâ—med all the vvorld if you 〈…〉 vndestaÌ„d yourselves in your ovvne 〈…〉 vvee beseech you to 〈…〉 on be able through Go 〈…〉 of your faith herein Oh that wee might on Christs be half require you with Godly carefull advisednes throughly to consider of these few thinges so simplie and plainely set downe That al the honor and praise that is due vnto Christ for that his great worke of Redemption might freely be given vnto him and that none that profeâ—e and feare his naâ—e would sâ—â—ve to lessen his vnspeakeable worke of mercie herein whereby they do not onely lessen the honor and praise due vnto him for that his so gracious worke of redeaming all without respect of 〈◊〉 but they do also depri◠〈…〉 of God of 〈◊〉 vnderstanding of Gods 〈…〉 and mercie vnto all being all but vnderâ—d the â—me transgression in Adam by whose 〈…〉 condemnation went over all the which 〈…〉 Christ was for given Adam and then must it needs be forgiven to all his posteritie seeing God doth nor punish the Child for the fathers sinne espeâ—ially forgiveing the father that sinne Let men beâ—re how they take from the word of God and so fleeâ—e vengeance that is to come vpon all those that shall so do Grace be vvith you Amen ANd whereas it is suspected that they which hold vniuersal Redemption do or must hold freewill wee desire to testifie vnto all for the cleering of our selves from the suspect of that most damnable heresie that god in mercie hath thus farr given vs grace to see That who soever holds vniuersall redâ—ption by Christ they cannot hold frewill if they have anie vnderstanding ffor freewill dâ—th vtterly abolish Christ and destroy 〈◊〉 and set 〈◊〉 workes for freewill is to have absolute power 〈◊〉 mans self to worke righteousnes and obey god in perfect obedience And such men need no Christ and if anie shal be so blind as to thinke that Christ restored man into his former estate of Innocencie theÌ„ must there needs be a new tree of knowledg of good and evill for there is no other way shewed in the Scriptures for a perfect man that is restored to Adams estate to sinne but by eating of that tree and if man be restored to perfection or if all men fell not in Adam as the scriptures testifie they did Rom. 5.12.18 then man hath power in himself to obey and then some may yet obey and so stand no need of Christ VVe knowe not anie certentie of these mens opinions therefore wee will not enter into them onely one man once told vs he had freewill but wee found him to hold so manie other horrible opinions wherein he was so obstinate as wee had no faith no have anie further conference with him To these men onely thus much do wee say that thus speaketh the word of god Gen. 5.2 God created Adam in the likenes of god made he him and vers 3. Adam lived an hundreth and thirtie yeres and begat a child in his owne likenes after his jmage If meÌ„ cannot see heare that Adam begat not a could in the likenes of god but in his owne likenes and that the likenes or jmage of god which is Perfection righteousnes and true holines doth differ and is cleane contrary to the likenes and jmage of sinfull Adam who when he began â—heth his sonne was of himself an imperfect vnholy vnrighteous man If they cannot see this then are they void of all knowledg of god And thus much wee leave for a remembrance to all those that stand for freewill that they may looke backe in whose jmage and likenes they are begotten and if their fathers begatt them in the jmage of God then are they certenly perfect â—oly and righteous and so have freewill but if then 〈◊〉 begatt them in their owne jmage and likenes as Adam begatt Sheth his sonne then let them with David cry out and confesse Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceived me Psal 51.5 And if they confesse that they were borne in iniquitie conceived in sinne as the holie man David was how doth the devill bewitch them to make them thinke that they are perfect and have freewill For our selves wee confesse with Th-appostle Rom. 7.18 wee knowe that mvs that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thinge And Christ hath taught vs Io. 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and therefore must needs onely do the workes of the flesh that which is borne of the spirit is spirit and therefore all that are borne of the flesh must be borne againe before they can be spirituall And wee confesse with the same Appostle 1. Cor. 1.30 That wee are of God onely in Christ Iesus who of god is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption Eph. 2.8.9 By grace onely are wee saved through faith and that not of our selves but of the gift of god not of workes Let it heere be observed that faith is a Created quallitie in man as knowledg is which being sanctified by the spirit of grace is knowledg to salvation and faith to salvations And therefore our saviour Christ sheweing that knowledg is not sufficient saith Not the knowers of my will but the doers are justified And the holy ghost speakeing of faith saith Faith without works is dead sheweing that the devills beleeve Iam. 2. And therefore faith is not a new gift but it is Grace in Christ which Th-appostle saith in this place is the gift of God whereby mens knowledg and faith are sanctified to salvation and so are saved by grace onely through faith sanctified by that grace of god in Christ And this grace of god which is his mercie by Christ hath god given to all ffor that grace of God that bringeth salvation vnto all men hath appeared Tit. 2.10 but all receive it not as Paâ—â—e and Barnabas testifie against the Iewes Act. 13 4◠〈◊〉 Yee put from you the word of God and 〈◊〉 yourselves vnworthy of everlasting life And Stephen â—â—ith to them Act. 7.51 Yee 〈…〉 the holy ghost Now wee pray that the great 〈◊〉 of such as by the dâ—ceâ— Satiâ—â— and 〈…〉 carried into these errors before spoken of and wee knowe not into how manie 〈◊〉 grevious damnable may not be a stumbling block to hinder aâ—â—e gracious â—att from seâ—ching seekeing after â—â—raccing 〈…〉 of god they hold Let the blâ—â—ed truth of god be never the lâ—sâ—e beloved liked of because manie that proâ—eâ— it hold fearefull errors but rather embraceâ— and vse all godly diligence to bring them out of their errors if it be possible least they perish in them which is greath to be feared in manie of them THE END The Helvvys