ground of our seperation and with-drawing to this day so as that the name of the Lord is greatly reproached thorough these Misreports concerning us it might therefore hereby appear that the cause why we do so is for such sins as are publikely scandalous and sinful that so whatever becomes of our persons the truth may be vindicated Reas 3. That all who fear the Lord in uprightness of heart may consider and see it 's their duty to with-draw and seperate from all such persons For what saith the Apostle Know you not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Purge out therefore the old leaven c. And may it not be spoken with grief of heart that the lump or generality of the Churches in this day are much leavened with a luke-warm sensual selfish spirit seeking the honor and favor of men for their own advantage rather then setting the Lord before them and approving their hearts to him and indeavouring after the advancement of his glory in the world which comes to pass in a great measure for want of doing their duty to such persons in this particular Reas 4. That if it should please the Lord to call any or all of us further to suffer herein or upon such like account it may appear we suffer for his Name sake and not as evil doers the mouthes of many professors having been already opened in this respect though wee could wish it hath not rather been to palliate and cover over their own Apostacy Reas 5. Because thus saith the Scripture Them that sin to wit in the sight of all men as these have done and that against the light of Nature and Grace rebuke before all that others also may see and fear and do no more so wiâ—kedly for as Jannes and Jambres Korah Dathan and Abiram with their company withstood Moses in the work of GOD in their day so these likewise do resist his cause and truth in our day proceeding from iniquity to iniquity Reas 6. That so such as are unknown to us and have been already engaged in this work of seperation may bee incouraged and not discouraged and may know that whatsoever their afflictions and trialls are thereupon the same are also accomplished in others of their Brethren upon the same account that so from a spirit of love to truth we may be strengthning one anothers hands in so blessed and honorable a work Rea. 7. If Pilate was so sensible of the innocency of Jesus Christ that he could do no less but in the presence of the Court and the whole multitude take water and wash his hands saying these words the better to clear himself from being guilty of his blood I am free from the blood of this just man look ye to it Doth it not much more concern us in such a day as this when our Lord in his members and cause contended for in the late warrs is again crucified afresh put to open shame to take this water of our publike testimony in the presence both of Saints and Sinners and testifie our dislike of and seperation from so great iniquity as also the persons guilty thereof And if our Lord Jesus could charge upon the Jewes all the righteous blood shed from Abel to that day and Peter Act. 3.13 and so Stephen Act. 7.51 52. likewise charge them for retaining their forefathers wicked spirit though they pretended otherwise manifested in denying betraying delivering up and killing of Christ and the Saints who were witnesses to the truth in that day May not wee justly fear that if we should be silent in this day the guilt of their blood which was shed in the late wars as also of the sufferings of the Saints formerly and yet imprisoned for their faithfulness to the despised cause and interest of Christ who did and do offer themselves so willingly may be found upon us when the Lord makes inquisition for the same and we come to be partakers of that judgement which we are perswaded will lye heavie upon all that shall be found guilty more or less Reas 8. Because of the so plain discovery through a generall silence of a Laodicean or luke-warm spirit for Christ in this day which the Lord loaths and threatens to spue out of his mouth But on the contrary commends the Churches of Ephesus and Smyrna c. for their zeal and faithfulness in discovering of and not bearing with sin nor sinners yea the Lord delights in such who offer themselves willingly And the Inhabitants of Meroz are cursed with a bitter curse not because they appeared against Gods cause and people but for standing Neuters and not coming forth when an opportunity was offered to his help against the mighty So in Psal 94.16 there seems to be another plain word of instruction in this case where the Prophet by way of Proclamation hath these vvords Who will rise up for me against the evil doers Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity He doth not say as some say novv Sit still and let God alone for he will finde out wayes and means to do his work in his appointed time himself for he hath power at command why do you trouble your selves more then a great many wiser men No So the Lord seems to speak in this day as once Iohn said Who is on my side who And although such poor creatures as vve are can adde nothing to him yet he loves to see us shevv our good affection and to do vvhat vve are able and he hath so appointed that the foot yea the feet of the poor and the steps viz the indeavours of the needy shall tread down the lofty City And the least of the Flock shall draw them out c. And it may not be forgotten how that the Parliament in the time of the late war as they took notice of Neuters by way of dislike on the one hand so they did very kindly resent the constant good affections of others on the other hand Reas 9. When sin comes to be National First in respect of the sin it self Secondly in respect of the persons committing it being in a National or publike capacity Thirdly And contrary to professed and declared light as the sin of this day is and persisting therein after many admonitions so as that we may truly say of the transgressors of this day as the Spirit of the Lord by Isaiah said of Israel of old Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel but not of me that cover with a covering but not of my spirit that they may add sin to sin that walk to go down to Aegypt and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharoah and to trust in the shadow of Aegypt c. Now as in verse the eight the Prophet is commanded to go write is before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for
it shall appear that it is groundlesly division and therefore we should have no vote with them neither should there be any vote in the Church except we would withdraw Which not a little grieved our spirits But notwithstanding so foul an aspersion we made little reply but waited to heare what others would say but a general silence continuing we concluded that the major part were of his mind Whereupon we departed and waited patiently for some time to see whether they would send us their thoughts about the Souldiers since they would not let us have a vote with them and least if should be laid aside which Mr. Sympson endeavoured all along to do We did by Messengers remind them several times likewise to know whether those Words then spoken by Mr. Sympson were the sense of the whole which they disown'd as being Mr. Sympsons Words alone but to the other We could get no return to this day as by our next Paper given in to them doth more at large appear Likewise before the delivery of the ensuing Paper having spent some particular time to seek the Lord for direction and counsel and also to enquire into his Will at this time it was judged a duty incumbent upon us to go to our Brother Sympson lay his evil before him in abetting the Souldiers and declining the Testimony of Christ he had suffered for in Windsor Castle as by several Letters from thence being read amongst us did appear some Copies whereof the Reader may peruse in the close of this Book and accordingly six Brethren in the Name of the whole were sent unto him and with all humility to intreat his hearing of what by them we had to say which accordingly they did but how unkindly they were received will appear by the eusuing Narrative being the substance of what then passed between him and them The 11th of the 9th Month 1656. A briefe account of some Passages between our Brother Sympson and the Brethren appointed by us to meet with him about some Letters he wrote to the Congreation during the time of his imprisonment in Windsor Castle it being apprehended he is very much fallen from the truths therein laid down to the great dishonour of the Gospel and the grief of many of the faithful in this day THE six Brethren appointed to this Work met at a Brothers House in Coloman-street the day abovementioned about two in the Afternoon to commend their present Work unto the Lord and desire his blessing upon them therein and then made their repair to our Brother Sympson where after a little waiting for the coming of our Brothers Shrimpton and Marsh who desired as the Brethren were informed to hear what should pass in relation to the Letters This motion was also made by Brother Powell being also present That before any progress be made there might be a word put up to the Lord for a blessing To which end another brother made answer That it would be necessary the naked ground of their coming should be first laid down that we might pray with understanding Which being done the Brethren sent by us declared their readiness to joyne therein Hereupon one of the Brethren proceeded to declare the ground of their coming to this effect That several of our Brother Sympsons Letters from Windsor Castle being presented to several Brethren who met at our Brother Caryes house intentionally upon another account but those Letters intervening we spent our time in perusing them which in the reading did so work upon their hearts that they throught meet to present unto the Brethren Sisters in whose Name they were then come the said Letters and to offer Whether some Brethren should not be chosen in the Name of the rest humbly to lay the matter contained in them before him that if it were the Will of the Lord he might be convinced wherein and how far he had declined the Cause and Interest of our Lord Jesus and be provoked to that old Spirit of Life and Zeal in testifying to so glorious a Cause and accordingly upon reading of them we were of one heart that the Brethren aforementioned in the Name of the whole be desired to lay them before him with as much love tenderness as could be and that we were also reproved in our own spirits as having missed of the Will of the Lord that we had it no more upon our hearts to beg mercy for him at the Throne of Grace that the Lord would restore unto him that primitive spirit for the cause of Christ that many of our hearts were broken on his behalf at the reading of his Letters After an account thus given it was offered that a Word should be spoken to the Lord in prayer before any discourse should be Our Brother Sympson then spake to this effect That having had some knowledge of their coming from some of us and the occasion of their coming from some others before their meeting here he had privately commended the business they were come about unto the Lord as he did suppose they also had done likewise he judged that if any of them should speak unto the Lord in prayer he could not freely joyne with them so neither if he should speak there might be that spoken wherein they could not freely joyn with him which being pre-considered be judged it most convenient to proceed to the work without prayer and thereupon spake further to this purpose That since they profest they had in all plainness declared the ground of their coming he would give them as plain an Answer which that he might the better do he should lay down his Answer under three heads 1. As to themselves and those whom they represented 2. As to the Church meaning those with whom he walked 3. As to the Letters about which our Brethren came As to the first They were to know that he could not have discoursed with them in regard that the Church had dealt with us and not onely declared their dissatisfaction of our withdrawing from them but also that he had in the Name of the Church admonished us of our evil therein that they had waited upon us a great while to the end we might repent and return but we persisting in our sin and refusing to hear the Church we were thereby cut off from the priviledges of the Church and therefore he could not look upon us as Brethren but as heathens and publicans and so to refuse discourse with them upon account of the Brotherhood according to that in Matth 18. Which though they might look upon as very harsh and a manifestation of little love yet it being the Rule of Christ in the Gospel he therefore was not to dispute the reason of it but rather to judge That obedience to the commands of Christ in this as well as in other things is the only rule of love and therefore did declare That the Church having so proceeded against us he could not entertain any debate with
upon our hearts to have delivered by word of mouth should be done in vvriting as vvell for your sakes as in discharge of our own duty according to the Rule of the Gospel and therefore vve intreat that you will suffer us hereby to plead a little vvith you for truths sake and vve hope it is unfeignedly upon our hearts to lay your great sin before you from some sense of the great dishonour brought unto the Name of the Lord by you and let these lines be patiently read through before you judge you poor unvvorthy brethren and sisters for we can truly say that we disire to mourn and groan in secret for you as well as for our own vveaknesses and this is some part of our joy That in simplicity and godly sincerity many of us have been by the space of two years and upwards endeavouring to get your feet as well as our own out of the Snare of the apostacy of this day having compassion of you as of our own souls for we are in some measure perswaded that some eminent hand of the Lord wil be manifested in due time to distinguish between those that serve him faithfully and those that serve him not In the first place therefore we pray you to consider the six great and scandalous sins laid to the charâ—g of the brethren amongst you wearing the Sword which for brevity sake we shall here onely mention referring you to our paper already given in for a more particular knowledge thereof wherein We desire the Scriptures in the margent may be diligently perused and some remembrance had of vvhat the Lord did inable us to speak from them when our Paper vvas debated in the Church although it is very vvell knovvn so much liberty vvas hardly obtained First Treason against Christ as King and Prophet of his people and King of Nations also for the latter part of the late VVar did run in that Channel Likewise against the faithful and vvell-affected in this Nation whose Liberties and they are made bond-slaves to their brethren though some blood was spilt and treasure spent to obtain it our of the hands of the late Tyrant Secondly Convenant-breaking and false swearing having engaged before the Lord and his People to perform the good promised on the behalf of Christ his People and the Nation vvhich are novv broken in the face of the Sun Thirdly Oppression by Tythes Taxes c. upon the bodyes and consciences of the Lords People and the well-affected the Nation at this day Fourthly Persecution of Saints many of the Lords people having been and some are still imprisoned for their testimony on the behalf of the Lord his Cause and the Nations liberty and therein the Souldiers are altogether active there being no rule not so much as according to the Law of the Land to justifie their practice by Civil Officers Fifthly Maintaining Antichristian Laws Statutes and Customs contrary to former Engagements and Declarations by vvhich the Saints of old have suffered and some do now suffer at this very day Sixthly Hereby the hearts of the righteous are greatly grieved for that brethren at least professing themselves so to be should be active in abetting and supporting so great vvikedness That these sins were plainly proved against our brethren wearing the Svvord novv amongst you is very manifest not onely in general but also in a great measure particularly and therfore shall leave it unto the Lord vvho judgeth righteously Yet vve do hereby humbly admonish them of their evil as being very great and scandalous After this there is laid down several Queries how vve vvere in duty bound to withdraw from them and by the same Rule to admonish and withdraw from your selves as being partakers with them having made your selves m Guilty for they are hereby encouraged to keep their places whereby the Man in Power is encouraged to go on in his apostacy and to judge himself in pretence at least to be in a good condition for when he hath been told That he had not the love of good people as formerly and that many were grieved at his present actions he replyed They were but a few inconsiderable people who were dissatisfied for the greatest part of honest men in the Army and Churches were for him and approved of what he had done which approhensions are begotten by members of Churches and other professors holding places under him for whilest they do so their tongues are tyed that they dare not openly speak their minds though they really apprehend yea and will to some confess That the present state of things are out of course and are not so honest as in the day of their straits they declared they should be Wherefore doth is not concern the Churches to take heed how they encourage those by continuing them among them who abet and uphold the present apostacy lest they become guilty thereof themselves and incur the Lords displeasure for so doing guilty of their iniquity by your vote of communion with them And this vve do in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ who hath commanded us to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly though herein we would distinguish between such of our Brethren Sisters as do plead for encourage and support them in their evil and others who for want of a true knowledge understanding thereof together with the overawing of some amongst you as we fear are notwithstanding in their degree also become partakers with them in their evil And here desire so far to digress as to answer one objection namely That our brethren the Souldiers desired leave to go off from us before we procceded so far as now we have but we would not To which vve answer That it is to be considered their sins are very scandalous and if so such a practice would be contrary to the Rule directing in such cases That if a brother or brethren offend to admonish them particularly then more publikely as he or they are found to persevere in their sin that if the Lord will they may see their evil and repent and not suffer them to go off without knowledge of their evil for if they should it may prove to the hardening of their hearts and consequently to the ruine of their souls Indeed to have let them gone off would have been much more easie to us and pleasing to the flesh for we did in some measure foresee how hard it would be in this rough path to follow the Lord fully yet we take comfort in this That our Cause is of God and our hearts we trust in the main upright therein Now we shall proceed to give you a short account how the Lord hath led us since our said withdrawing wherin it will be manifest if the Lord give you a spirit of discerning that we have to this day been patiently waiting upon the Lord and you to the end that if it had pleased our heavenly Father it might have put you upon inquiry how far you are become
the time to come for ever and ever that this is a rebellious people c. so ought we to do the same if we would be found faithful to the Lord his despised Cause People in our day as the Prophet Isaiah was in his the sins and persons committing them in our day being very like the sins and persons guilty thereof in that day And though to bear up a sutable testimony in this day be as irksome unto us as it was to Jeremiah chap. 20.8 9 10. yet when we consider what encouragement he had from the Lord to hold on his way and not to return to them and though they might lay many snares for him he would stand by him and make him as a fenced City and brazen walls against them and be with him to save and deliver him We are comfortably perswaded that he will likewise be with us his poor nothing creatures in this our testimony if we be found faithful herein unto the death as he was For these forementioned Reasons among others that might be given are we encouraged to publish our proceedings from the day of our first withdrawing to the day of our separation being the substance of three years labouring or thereabouts for the Name and Cause of our Lord Jesus and therefore give us leave to contend earnestly for the faith of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus once deliver'd to the Saints and for common Justice and righteousness which hath been sealed unto with so much of the Saints and others blood in the late Wars though now it be very unworthily betrayed not by Enemies but professed Friends many of whom are Brethren in Church-Relation We hope we can as in the presence of the Lord that searcheth all htarts however others may judge of us profess our selves very disirous to follow after those things which makes for peace so far as the shooes of the Gospel will carry us but to have peace with Dishonesty Injustice Unrighteousness Lying Deceit or Oppression c. is contrary to the mind of the Gospel of peace any of which sins should Paul himself been found guilty of were ground sufficient by his own Argument for the Church of Corinth and so by consequence for any other Church to refuse Communion with him therefore to have peace upon this account is to have peace where God would have war and to bring our selves under that wo pronounced against those who call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness c. And if any shall yet blame us for appearing in this publike way give us leave to say unto them as David said unto his brethren when he came into the Camp of Israel What have we now done is there not a cause Adding hereunto also the report gone out amongst many of those from whom we are separated saying That if we could prove any thing against the Souldiers they were ready to do their duty towards them as well ae we Wherefore it is very requisite that others should see the matter of fact and judge whether from the whole we had not just ground for this our withdrawing and separation and we also hope that such among them who are sensible of the evil testified against will bear with us in what we have done therein But if any shall say of us deridingly as Michal said of David How glorious was the King of Israel to day who uncovered himself in the eyes of his servants as one of the vain fellows shamelesly uncovereth himself c. Give us leave for answer to say as David said It is for the Lord otherwise we had rather be silent then displease any much less those whom we dearly love in the Lord. But if this be to be vile we shall yet be more vile we hope in our own sight also and although flesh may in some respects be ready to shew it self in this case yet if all things be duly considered there is little reason for it for where flesh would shew it self it is for some advantage but it seems to us as if there were little fleshly advantage to be reaped by it for flesh naturally loves a good report of all especially among the generallity of professors but do we not hereby yea have we not already lost the good report of men and of Brethren too Again flesh loves the Rulers favour where there is hopes of honor profit or preferment c. But on the contrary do we not hereby hazard our Estates and lives and all But admit that flesh will be shewing it self as we have sufficient cause to fear and as we have experience and may too sadly complain thereof in our own souls in the best and most warrantable Work the Lord may require of us yet this ought not to be matter of discouragement but of caution Pray therefore for us all ye faithful ones in the Work Kingdom and patient expectation of our Lord Jesus to whom this especially is directed and on whose behalf in a great measure this Testimony comes We humbly intreat that you would beg of the Lord that flesh may receive a rebuke every way What temptations we have and do meet withall none knows so well as our selves it being sometimes suggested to us That it were better to lay down our Testimony and venture no further then run the hazard that may follow thereupon but when we think of that Scripture Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a little I will make thee Ruler over much enter thou into thy Masters joy c. It is then matter of encouragement to us to persevere therein considering also how easie a thing it is for us to lose the Crown of our Testimony Rev. 3.11 by declining the Cause of Christ we through Grace have been and yet are engaged in although we may not lose the salvation of our own souls which puts us in mind of Barnabas of whom it was said He was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost exhorting the Saints at Antioch to cleave unto the Lord with full purpose of heart yet afterwards this good man received a check by joyning with John whose Sirname was Mark who left Paul in the Work at Pamphilia that Paul testifies against him for so doing and afterwards we do not hear of Barnabas in any further Work for Christ as formerly he had been so good it is to stick close to Christ in an Evil day And have we not also this further promise Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keepe thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth It would have been too long and tedious to have inserted the whole matter as it was publikely debated in the whole Congregation drawn from those six scandalous sins laid to the charge of the Souldiers then amongst us
party in Parliament true to God and their Trust did bring to justice and cause to be executed the late King did lay aside the House of Lords and for the good of the people resolved the Government into a Common-wealth and removed the King and Kingship And that it might appear the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ was in the womb of all their undertakings they cause more particularly to declare for the same see Decl. Aug 1 1650 say they And having these things singly in our eye namely the destruction of antichrist and the advancement of the Kingdom of Iesus Christ c. and being perswaded in our consciences that the King and his Monarchy was one of the ten horns of the beast spoken of Rev 17.12 13 14 being witnesses to so much innocent blood of the Saints he had shed in supporting the beast considering the loud cryes of the souls of the Saints under the altar we were carryed forth to desire justice upon the King c VVe are not souldiers of fortune nor meerly the servants of men we have not only proclaimed Christ to be our King by profession but desire to admit him to the exercise of his royal authority in our hearts and to follow him whither soever he goes it is our prayer dayly that those that seat the Lord in England and Scotland may become one in the hand of the Lord joine together in the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ and throwing down and trampling upon the seate of the Beast why should not Scotland as well as England rejoice to see the horns of the beast cut off that we may join together to hate the whore burn her flâ—sh with fire c in another Decl. pag. 54 of the same Book they desire the people might forget Monarchy See their speech to the little Parliament pag 55 61 62 63 of the aforementioned book where much is spoken to this purpose And what interest is now exalted but self-interest how is antichrist destroyed but in changing Bishops for Triers VVhat Church and people delivered but the National Church and such as are willing quietly to walk under the former abominations what means the present Monarchy at whole doore will the blood of the Saints shed in opposition to the late King lye yea and the blood of the King and his party lyespunctel Give leave to instance Hos 1 4 Yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Jezrel upon the house of John Are not our brethren and the army souldiers of Fortune and the servants of men now if not so would they crouch to such abominations as these Have they not chosen another King besides Jesus Surely these Declarations and Engagements stare them in the face and at which they could not but blush if their consciences were not feared see what is the mind of the Lord concerning this thing in the following Scriptures Numb 30.2 Eccles 5.4 compared with Psal 66 13 14. Deut 33 2â— Isa 5.9 3 Hos 10.4 Mal. 3 5 Gal 3 15 2 Tim 3 3 June 14. 1647. likewise another upon the Armies going into Scotland dated July 10. 1650 wherein they do voluntarily and without compulsion declare unto the World that they will not set up a single person over the Nation though he were such a one as they could most confide in looking upon that form of Government not onely to be tyrannical but antichristian And many more reasons are there laid downe to ground their judgements upon truth according to the Scriptures whereby it plainly appears to us they are no less then guilty of Covenant-breaking and false swearing whatsoe're may be said to the contrary by objecting That me can not prove their hands were to any such Declarations or Engagments for it is all one if they being then in or belonging to the Army did in their place prosecute the ends of those Declarattions and Engagements against the Stuarts Party and other opposers never in the least declaring against the matter and ends thereof Thirdly For one sin doth not go without its Concomitants the Lords people their own Brethren are oppressed first Because they cannot pay Taxes n Besides the forementioned particulars the very same and greater arbitrary powers which they declared should not be exercised by any much less by themselves viz. a negative voice the costly pomp of a Court of which the man in power once said He abhor'd that way of government for nothing more a House of Lords of whom he said It would never be well whilest there was one Lord left in England and till the Earl of Manchester was called Mr. Montague Keeping men in prison without bringing them to tryal Injustice in proceeding at Law Paying Taxes whilest Oppression remains Forming a balancing party in the Parliament for his interest Forcing â—rebble damages from those who refuse to pay Tythes Locking up Printing-Presses against whom they please Vpholding Monopolies Which is as in other things so now up on the Bible with many other particulars that might be named all practised in this day which the Army the generality of the Churches and other godly prodeclared against as may be seen in the several Declarations Remonstrances Petitions and Letters of the army as also the large petition presented to the Parliament by thousands well affected people in and about London in pag. 9 13 14 18 19 20 21 25 29 32 33 37 38 39 40 41. of Book called The Looking-Glass And yet for our Brethren and the Army after all to be upholding not onely the same but greater oppressions and chiefly among themseves it can be no less then open apostacy And to demand much more force the Lords people and others to pay Taxes to maintaine them herein it being evident they ventured their Estates Lives and all with them whilest prosecuting the cause of Christ it can be no other then Oppression in a hign degree With those Scriptures in the Margent see Obad. ver 13. to maintain them in their present standing of apostacy and backsliding Secondly Tythes o To demand much more force the payment of tythes for maintenance of parish-Ministers or others upon that account is against the dispensation of the Gospel Heb. 7.12 The Levitical priesthood being changed so is the Law Heb. 7 13. Christ sprang from Judah of which Tribe was no priest to receive tythes the National Ministers pretend to receive their Commission from Christ who sprang from Judah and not from the Priesthood which was of the tribe of Levi There is no New-Teltament-Rule for any dwelling within such a compass of ground to build a Steeple-house to preach the Gospel in or to compel all or any within that bounds to come to hear that Minister which is either appointed by themslves or by others imposed upon them whether they come or no to demand much less force a contribution to help maintain that House and Minister and in case they refuse to hale them before Magistrates and cast
them about those Letters Which brought in the third Head to which he spake to this effect That the Letters about which they came were directed to the Church meaning those with whom he walked and if he had written any thing therein contrary to sound dectrine or otherwise he must appeal unto the Church as Paul did from Agrippa to Caesar and if the Church thought meet upon perusal to call him to an account for any thing therein he should be ready to answer it before them but he could not give way to the debating of them by our Brethren for the reasons aforementioned besides he could not in this case bring himself under the judgement of his adversaries or Words to that purpose and thereby also give away the priviledges of the Church into the hands of such whom according to the Rule of the Gospel be must look upon as Heathens and Publicans but if they or any other would come in their own k Mr. Sympson did not mean by coming in our own Name to receive us as Brethren but as Heathens and Publicans Name he should be ready to discourse with them yet herein it was to be weighed whether the Church would give away so much of their priviledge as that any Letters directed to them should be questioned by any person without their consent at least After this our Brother Cary one of the six said It was somewhat strange to him that he could so considently assert an untruth to wit That we should lye under the Admonition of the Church when there was never any Admonition from those Brethren and Sisters from whom we were withdrawn much less from the Church Which the said Brother further made out thus That himself with some other Brethren were appointed in the Name of the Whole to go to the other part of the Congregation from whom We were withdrawn who went to Allhallows and met with a considerable number of those Brethren in the Vestrey to know of them Whether those Words spoken by Mr. Sympson that day our Paper was debated to wit That the Holy Spirit had set a mark upon us for such as had made division were the sense of the whole with them To which they answered It was not theirs and Mr. Sympson also said They were his own words After this our Brother Cary was silent and then our Brothers Marsh Shrimpton and Powell being present as aforsaid said They never remembred any such Admonition Mr. Sympson said It was so which he endeavoured to make out thus That the Brethren who were entrusted with the Government of the Church did agree that we should be admonished as having sinned in leaving the Congregation and turning out backs upon the Ordinances of Christ and that they had committed it to him to declare the same which he did at that time when brought in our paper containing the grounds of our withdrawing through at that time we were not admitted to read them the Church not disowning of it he looked upon it as an admonition of the Church After this other of our Brethren spake in few Words to this purpose That they were come as brethren and they hoped in much love and singleness of heart to discourse with him and to have laid down wherein we judged he had missed of the Will of God and declined the Cause of our Lord Christ comparing the present frame of heart he is in with what it was when he lay a prisoner in Windsor Castle when they could not but look upon him as having an excellent spirit for Christ but since he did refuse they would turn unto the Lord who would hear and mourn for him And so those Brethren departed returning the said account unto us Being thus unkindly yea may We not say unchristianly entertained by Mr. Sympson We still continued vvaiting upon the Lord in our estate of vvithdrawing our spirits being grieved by this carriage of his And after some time seeking the Lord and enquiring into his mind and Will We came to this conclusion as a present duty lying before us That in regard We did find no repentance in the Souldiers but rather hardness of heart as also Mr. Sympson hardened in his evil in excusing and abetting of them vvhich encouraged others to do the like and the rest vvho vvere some vvhat sensible of the evil amongst them much darkned in their understandings by reason thereof We should unanimously go unto them and lay before the Souldiers their ovvn evil and the evil of the rest as abetting of them in their degree and to admonish them in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ vvith as much brotherly love as the Lord should help us And that We might have the greater avve of the Lord upon our souls and be more orderly in this Work vve did agree to send unto the Brethren hereafter mentioned to intreat them in brotherly love and for the glory of God to accompany us as Witnesses therein vvhich was accordingly done and persons chosen from amongst us to speak unto them The Names of the brethren sent unto are these Mr. Cann Mr. Clark Col. Danvers Mr. Bland Mr. Barbone Mr. Waters Mr. Squibb Mr. Luxford Mr. Barret Mr. Ireten Having given notice to the other part of the Congregation the VVeek before our coming That vve intended upon the next first day after to come offer something to them All these brethren except Mr. Barbone who vvas not vvell being members of other Congregations and Societies came according to our request and accompanyed us to Lodon house upon the said first day of the VVeek in the Afternoon vvhere being come the said brethren vvere not vvillingly admitted but after our coming in vvith them one of our brethren stood up to acquaint them with the occasion of our coming at this time but Mr. Sympson and two or three more speaking together very confusedly cryed out No no we should not speake except those Brethren that came along with us would depart To which answer was made That we desired their company to testifie to the Truth of vvhat we had to say And then the brother vvhich spake first would have gone on but several of them cryed out together very confusedly as before to which vve replyed That having sought the Lord therein before our coming we could not give way thereunto but since they did refuse to hear vve vvould depart And in a short time after vve sent them the substance in VVriting of vvhat was then intended to be spoken A Copy whereof is as follows Dear Brethren and Sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ SInce your unkindness towards us the last l We mean that time wherein we intended to deliver this Admonicion by word of mouth and had testified thereunto according to the Rule of the Gospel Math. 18 16 17. time we vvere with you after some seeking unto the Lord vvhat might be our duty yet further this is gathered to be his mind and vvill That the substance of what was then
the like liberty with those chosen by you to speak what might be upon their hearts as to the matter in difference But in case they were not so chosen although they might be Church-members yet they might not have liberty to speak any thing as to the matter in difference yet he said it was very likely that upon our request some liberty might be given in that kinde But in case any chosen by us should not be actuall Church-members though it may be granted for them to hear what was Controverted yet no liberty for them to speak any thing at all Likewise such persons so chosen their names should be given in to you for approbation as to their Principles and Conversations Now the Reasons why we cannot condiscend hereunto are these following 1. As being directly contrary to the end of our message more at large contained in our last paper not having therein exceeded our Gospel-liberty 2. It is altogether needlesse to make choice of persons to hear a matter in controversie and deny them liberty to speak unto it if they have any thing upon their hearts to say 3. To bind us up not onely to Church-members but also in a great measure to the Churches for their choice when it is very plain that the Apostacy of this day hath reached to the generallity of the Churches whereby there are few Zealous in the cause of Christ though many faithful ones in other things is to exalt the form above the power of Godliness 4. That it seemes to us directly contrary to the Principle of the Congregation you so much pretend unto which is To receive Saints as Saints and not as bound up to this or that form 5. To condescend hereunto is to undervalue the Spirit of the Lord breathing in severall of his servants who are not enemies but friends to Church Communion though not formal Church-members by reason of the foulnesse of the waters of the Sanctuary at this day and whom we desire to esteem far better then our selves 6. As there is no command in joyning us to Churches alone in this Case neither is there any against it therefore we humbly conceive our Gospel Liberty cannot be denied us Moreover there is but one example in all the New Testament as we can remember which was in the Church at Autioch sending to the Church at Jerusalem Asts 15. About the matter of Circumcision neither was there any visible Apostacy among the Churches at that day as now is else we conceive that the Church at Antioch would not have sent unto them about it These Reasons being premised and the substance of our last paper relating hereunto considered we do humbly declare That we can in no wise condiscend to a debate upon those conditions received from you neither upon any other terms then is mentioned in our last paper and upon which account we refused at first not that we desire to stand upon terms of advantage for our selves were we not groundedly perswaded the name and cause of Christ we are ingaged in would very much suffer thereby Thus desiring to hear a return from you if a debate of the matter in difference be really intended And that we may have our free choice without any bonds imposed upon us or them we shall chuse provided they be men fearing God and working Righteousness any more then we desire to impose bonds on you or whom you shall chuse for which we shall wait 14. dayes from the date hereof and in case of no return by that time we shall be in no longer expectation thereof We remain Your unworthy Brethren and Sisters mourning and praying for your return yet apprehending that as truth is with us so the power of the Church rests in us Dated the 4. of the 6. Moneth 1657. Signed in the Name and by the Appointment of the whole John Proud Caleb Ingold ACcording to our promise we waited for a return till the expiration of the time mentioned in the said paper but having no Answer neither any intention thereof so far as we could understand but rather an aversness thereunto considering that they had committed our said paper to the perusal of the Pastors and Elders of several Congregations to whom they said they had given up our business and to be directed according to their advice Who upon perusal thereof apprehended our desire and tender therein to be but reasonable Yet was their advice and proposition refused also A coppy of the agreement of the messengers of the Churches met at Allhallowes the II. of the 6. Moneth 1657. At the request of those from whom we are withdrawn about our paper Dated the 4. of the 6. Moneth 1657. 1 1. That Persons of approved Godliness may be endowed with wisdom to advise and to help to heal breaches as well as others 2 2. That the Persons that the dissenting Brethren had chosen which were not Church-members were well approved of for Godliness 3 3. For peace sake which we are to follow after we judge it not unlawfull but convenient that such Godly and approved persons as are mentioned in the last paper Dated the 4. of this Moneth may freely be admitted to hear and advise in the matter propounded with the like number of such as the Church with Mr. Sympson did choose 4 4. Our advice is that the number of Persons so chosen should not be many not exceeding ten of a side at the most Now it being so obvious that they not onely refused our tender but theirs also to whom as on their parts they had committed the matter in difference we judged it our duty to wait no longer upon them being without hope after so many denialls and therefore the Brethren to whom the orderring and managing the affairs of the Congregation was commited were appointed to perfect the draught of Separation intended and present it unto us with all expedition which was accordingly done a Coppy whereof is as followes Our last Testimony or separation from the Souldiers of the Army being guilty to six scandalous sins likewise from Mr. John Sympson their chief Abettor and others with him As also from the rest of those Brethren and Sisters we formerly walked withall whom we desire to mourn for yet as they hold Communion with those scandalous sins and Persons must separate from them IT is we trust some grief and trouble of heart unto your poor unworthy Brethren and Sisters that notwithstanding the Lord hath cast us into dayes of so great light and profession wherein he calleth upon all to repent without excuse or pretence of Ignorance you should to this day not onely hold Communion with but be justifiers of severall persons amongst you that are guilty of such sins as are not commonly named amongst men which is the more considerable in regard they are the sins of the last times into which we are fallen yea your continuance therein seemes to speak unto us as if the custom of sin had taken away the conscience thereof in
Promises and Prophesies and therefore should lift up our hears and rejoyce however if there were neither promise for this nor prophesie we should covet and endeavour after the best things and do speak as to purity in Magistracy and Governments as if none but who had the Spirit were fit to Act upon Christs account at this day And likewise hint as if themselves were a part or at least had the Spirit of the Stone which shall break and consume all other Kingdomes c. And as if the Call of the Little Parliament was a fruit of the Stones smiting quoting Dan. 2.44 With many other excellent good words relating to the Calling of the Jews and the glory that will be in that day See his speech to them either by it self or in pag. 56. to 63. of book called the Looking-glass Now what did this hold forth but that they would endeavour to bring things as near as might be before Christ comes to what they shall be when he is come Isa 32.1 2. Mich. 4.1 2. Psal 72. But all this as we have too just ground to fear and by what hath since appear'd was but to cover the designe of self Advancement For when those who were faithful in the Little Parliament came to do those good things and to take away all Antichristian and Oppressive Lawes and Customes that were and are yet remaining among us Several self intrested men among them and others easily led by them perceiving that if they went on it would go ill with be Lawyers Clergy and other Corrupt Intrests took Counsel together how they might dissolve that Parliament and in Order thereunto came to the Parliament House in a morning two hours sooner then usually and moved tho resigning their Power But some of the other party coming in opposing it they durst not venture to put it to the vote but with the Speaker rose up and went away leaving a considerable number behinde them who were soon after turn'd out by Collonel Goff Lieunant Collonel White and Musquetteers thereby putting a stop to the Work of God and the aforementioned Persons going to White-hall and signing a Paper whereby they pretended to resign their Power to the Man who is now in Power Is the foundation of this present Government and so of the Apostasie and Customs any ways intrenching upon the Consciences of the Lords people in their publike Worship Secondly To prevent making any such Lawes for the time to come Thirdly To pull down all lawes in any measure oppressing the bodies of the Lords people or any others that violence may be no more heard in our Land Fourthly to deliver the Spiritual Church of Christ from the like oppression of Body or Spirit in any of the Dominions of Antichrist Fifthly To execute the Judgements written upon the great Whore who is drunk with the blood of the Saints Sixthly That Christ might be King in these Nations and his Lawes our Rule to walk by Seventhly that Monarchy or the power in one single Person might be extirpated because opposing Christs Dominion and utterly inconsistent with Common Freedome Eighthly That men fearing God and hateing Covetousnesse might be in Authority and no other Now whether Treason be not comitted in all these respects at this day and our Brethren therby become Traytors in abetting thereto with their swords in their hands we shall leave unto the Lord who judgeth Righteously and one day will make it known when the thoughts of all men shall be revealed Secondly Covenant breaking and false Swearing there being many Engagements and Declarations of the Army wherof our Brethren were and now are Actual Members for removing the evil and establishing the good mentioned in the foregoing Head Thirdly Oppression of the Bodies and Consciences of the Lords People and others well affected in this Nation by Tythes Taxes and Illegal Imprisonments The Latter of which the Army formerly Declared so much against as being very Oppressive that any man should suffer Imprisonment without any Legall cause ⋆ See Looking-glass pag. 7. Say they that no man be kept in Prison above a moneth but in that space to be brought to Triall by a lawfull jury of his equalls or else be discarged of Course There are many the like expressions in other of their Declarations shewed for it and keeping them there at will and pleasure and how frequently this hath been practised since this last Apostacy and is still continued we leave to all unbyassed persons to judge Fourthly Persecution of Saints two of them having been jaylors to their Brethren and the rest standing by in the day of their Brothers Calamity and Justifying the Persecutors by saying It is possible a Saint may suffer for evil doing Fifthly Maintaining Antichristian Lawes by which the Saints of old have suffered and do now suffer though so much blood and treasure hath been spent for the abolishing of them Sixthly Hereby they are the cause of sadning and grieving the hearts of the Righteous whom the Lord would not have sadned though our Brother Kelzey was and herein is more particularly guilty above any of the rest as hath been plainly proved which at first he denied yet afterwards confest at Brother Sampsons house much more then could be proved against him not with any sense of his evill therein but said It was his Judgement and Conscience to do what he had done And Notwithstanding that many of us had been labouring to Convince them and inform the Brethren to whom the ruling part of the Congregation was committed of their evils upwards of a year and half before our withdrawing who at first joyned with us and were more ready to be active herein then our selves yet afterwards declined for no other reason as we know but because their sin being of a publique nature was like to receive more then an ordinary countenance and so the more difficult and hazardous if they with us should be found doing our duty impartially not fearing the faces of men but it being to our labor proved fruitlesse and those who before were forward in the work of the Lord now became backward and not onely so but many of them excusers and Abettors in a very great measure to the grief of many of our hearts However that we might keep in the Lords way it was after solemn waiting upon him judged our duty to bring their evils before the Church that so if possible they might thereby have been brought to the acknowledgement thereof And here we hoped that iniquity shold have bad it's mouth stopped and truth have had the preheminence in such a Congregation as this had been for so many years being like a Beacon on the top of a Mountain but instead thereof the greater part votes Communion with them notwithstanding their evil laid before them which is to be mention'd not with joy but with grief and sorrow of heart though we conceive that vote was chiefly occasioned by our Brother Sympson thorow his constant pleading for and
from them trusting that the promise of grace mentioned 2 Cor. 6.17 18. In these words Wherefore come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and be a Father unto you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty We desire also for their and our encouragement to leave with them that Scripture Psal 9.4 Hos 11.12 to be theirs and our portion also But till then we do also hereby humbly testifie and declare that as they now stand we cannot have Communion with them as otherwise in the uprightness of our hearts we desire to have and should much rejoyce in were they clear from the evil of this day and withdrawn from amongst those disorderly persons till then we have just ground to believe they are in their degree partakers of their evil according to that Scripture 1 Tim. 5.22 Be not partakers of others mens sins keep thy self pure Now to conclude and end this our Testimony we do in the General and to each one say and humbly declare That we cannot discern the power of the Church rests in you as under those sins you are now guilty of and fallen in with each one in their degree but ⋆ Only Moses Aaron Caleb and Joshua c. Who followed the Lord and had truth on their side and separated from Corah the Princes and famous men of the Congregation were owned by him and had the power with them as also to prevail that the greater part of the Congregation might not wholly be destroyed Num. 14.19 20. compare ch◠16 41. to 50 ca. 262 which notably agrees with Matt. 18.18 19. Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven c. Again if two of you viz. having the truth shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall ask it shall be done unto them c. And upon this account chiefly it was that they had the power and this presence with them and not so much because the one was the Leader and the other as it were the Pastor of the Congregation for if with the others they would have made a Captain to return to Egpt as also have stoned Caleb and Joshua in all likelyhood they had perished with them yea we finde that because the did contrary to the minde of the Lord at the waters of Meribah they must die by the way and not go into the good land and the power they had deliver'd unto others and onely Joshua and Calch c. who followed the Lord fully have the power and his presence with them Numb 20.12 24 26. Deut. 3.27 compare Chap. 34.4 By which it plainly appears the Lord would have the power to reside with those who follow him and have truth on their side though the lesser number and not with the greater though the Pastor be with them that are declined and so have not the truth with them We also finde Revel 2.7 9 10. Revel 3.4 to 10. That onely the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia and the few names in the Church of Sardis who followed the Lord fully and kept close to truth and had not desiled their garments and such as overcome and keep close to truth to the end are own'd by Jusus Christ and shall inherit the promises but he threatens to remove the Candlestick from the Church of Ephesus and to come upon all those of the Churches of Pergamus Thyatira Sardis though the greater number as a Thief and to fight against them and kill them with death unless they repent and return from the evil among them And the Church of Laodicea the worst of them all are for their Lukewarmness threatned to be wholly spued out of his Mouth Revel 2.5 16 23. Revel 3. 3. Which things are not written as onely belonging to that time but are also a prohesie of what shall be among the Churches a little before or about the time the promises and prophesies relating to the Kingdom of Christ and Zion shall be fusilled See Revel 2.26 27. Revel 3.10 12 21. in your poor unworthy Brethren and Sisters in whose name this comes though the lesser number Which we desire to mention with all Humillty and not in vain-glory knowing that we have no cause to be high minded but fear that such poor shrubs as we should stand when so many tall Cedars fall It being no where recorded in Scripture that the power of the Church rests in the greater number as under that Denomination but in those who according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ do withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly be they the less or the greater number for where truth is there is the true-Church power according to that in Matt. 16.18 19. in these words Thou art Poter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Whence we desire to observe that although our Lord Jesus speaks to Peter as a single person yet layes the weight of the Church upon him not as Peter but upon the truth whereof he made so upright a Confession whereby it seems plain unto us That where truth is not onely in the judgement but practice there is the Church with the Keys to wit it's power And this our Brother Sympson hath formerly declared saying That he should judge it his duty to joyn with a little number were they but 30 or 40. in number against 500. being perswaded that the Keys of the Church were truly there where the truth appears not onely in the doctrine but practice And yet we would say That where the greater number oppose the truth more caution is to be used more humility and brokenness of Spirit manifested and much looking up unto the Lord to be guided aright by the seffer number wherein we must acknowledge we have been too remiss desire to be humbled before the Lord for the same in the face of Jesus Christ Thus desiring that this out last Testimony may be received in love and be of that use and weight as to provoke you to a godly jealousie as Pauls Epistle did the Corinthians about the Incestuous Person that we may have cause to rejoyce upon the same account as he had which could we once see we should willingly lie at your feet for truths sake and be more glad thereof then of our daily food till then we desire to mourn and pray for your return Signed in the Name and by the Appointment of the whole John Proud Tho. Cary. Caleb Ingold James Chadwick Humphry Hathorn John Portmans Dated the 1. of the 7. Moneth 1657. THis Paper was committed to the custody of six Brethren chosen from amongst us to present and deliver it according to direction and if it might be obtained that some one of the six might have liberty to read it in the presence of them all but when they came they were denied the
honoured who at all times and in all ages hath doth and will hear the prayers of his faithful ones in Christ we have cause mutually to rejoyce that God hath heard your prayers for my fellow Prisoner and me and that God hath heard our prayers for you At my meeting with you I shall see more of God in some of you then ever I saw though some may wither away and come to nothing and I am confident that you shall behold the Image of Christ more plainly in me then ever formerly you beheld it God doth still notwithstanding many infirmities in me shine upon the Soul of his unworthy Servant in the face of Jesus Christ I shall grow in grace my faith is quickned my repentance shall be encreased my love will abound to you to all Saints my hope shall be lively and my joy shall be full And I shall never be ashamed that I have given you an Alarm of Christs comming in the Spirit among his People I do yet by free grace glory that I shall receive more of the Spirit in gifts and graces then yet is given unto me Isa 45.11 God hath commanded me to ask him of things to come Christ hath perswaded me that this Prison is a Jerusalem where I must wait for the promise of the Father Acts 1.4 Pray therefore for me for your selves and for all Saints that they and we may be Baptized with the holy Spirit not many dayes hence The Spirit will return again unto believing Saints and the Churches of Christ according to the New Testament institution shall be the Schools of the Prophets Universities as now they stand upon an Antichristian foundation must be tumbled down Antichrist hath set up those Cages of unclean Birds that they who go thither may learn to sing the whores songs but not the songs of Zyon what the Spirit shall be to the Spiritual Church those places have been to the Carnal Church when Antichrist forced the Woman into the wildernesse and taught men to believe that the Spirit was not to be expected any more but that was to cease in his gifts and to supply the want of the Spirit which was in the true Church he laid the foundation of Universities and from them and not from the Churches and Spirit of Christ he taught Men to expect a Ministry But these Monastries must down Down with them sweet Jesus and lift up thy self in thy Spirit among the Congregations of thy Saints The Ministry likewise must down which stands upon a Popish foot and Antichrists foundation yea the best of Ministers must be thrown down so far as they stand upon an Antichristian Bottom though God will own what is of his own Spirit in them And God will most eminently appear against those sons of Hophnye and Phineas as he did against their fathers the Archbishops and Bishops 1 Sam 2.16 Who say unto the People as they did Nay but ye shall give it me now and if not I will take it by force The Judgement is gone forth from the Mouth of the Lord against them and all the Babylonish Protectors in the world shall not be able to defend them and to maintain them in the enjoyment of their Antichristian maintenance But Jehovah shall Arise and have mercy upon Zyon Psal 103.13 For the time to favour her yea the set time is come for thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favor the dust thereof The Spiritual Saints which are the stones of this Zyon begin to delight in one another and as they do abhor what is most glorious and seemingly Spiritual in Babylon so there is nothing so mean no outward Ordinance of Zyon so base and contemptible but they do honor it and thus they favor the Dust thereof Wherefore my Brethren if you are perswaded that this will be the work of God in this Generation night and day pray down those things Persons and Places which are Antichristian and yet standing in England Come out and be seperated from the wisdom and Spirit of the world and come up with me into the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Labor to practise the Lesson of self denial in opposing those Errours and sins which are pleaded for by the world and some Saints in these times as truths and vertues and so with Noah you shall be upright in your Generations Indeavour to know what are those truths which God will now bring forth to Light and not suffer them any longer to lie under the Cloud of Antichrist and resolve to overcome your enemies either by doing or suffering And not loving your lives unto the death give all diligence that you may be Christians in power and not in form onely disclaim your own strength every day value not a faith repentance love or hope of your own working it is not worth a rush But look up unto Jehovah to work all grace in you by the operation of God Pray for me that I may have a more glorious Mission and Commission from Christ to Baptize and Preach the Gospel Isaiah had a more glorious Call at the second time then he had at his first calling Isai 6.1 though to the glory of grace I do acknowledge that I have had a sufficient call yet for the exaltation of grace I beg a more glorious Call to Preach the Gospel Oh that I might Preach as one having Authority and not as Vniversity men Oh that I might have more of the Spirit that I might serve you better then ever I have done and might in some measure be enabled to requite you for those pledges and expences of love which I have received from you I am for many favors in the Spirit engaged unto you Particularly for your great gift of love which you sent the last week by some of our Brethren you have obliged me unto you beyond my desires and expectations The Lord knoweth that I sought no such thing from you directly or indirectly I was very well content to spend onely out of my own purse in this Prison but seeing God hath drawn you forth to express your love this way I am bound thankfully to accept your gift and do profess that if I know my own heart I am more taken with your love then with your gift or should be taken with it if it were a hundred thousand times more then it is and shall pray that my God may supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen Windsor the 12th Moneth 4th day 1653. This is a true Copy of the Originall examined by us Tho. Cary. John Clements Brethren of the Lord Jesus SInce I did write unto you as the Lord did move Elijah to write unto Jehoram so I do apprehend that the Lord did stir me up to write unto the Lord General and contrary to my own resolutions the Lord did presse me to put my life into his hands by dealing
for a time have acted their parts with applause upon this stage How bravely did Judas act his part in praying preaching working of miracles by Christ and afterward betrayed his Master How well did Demas manage his businesse before he embraced this present world Alexander the Copper-Smith who did much wrong unto Paul and against whom he prayed in the Spirit of the Gospel that God would reward him according unto his works had almost suffered death as a Martyr for Jesus Christ Acts 19.33 May we go so far in paths of light and righteousness and afterwards prove like the Renegado Turks the greatest Persecutors of Christians in the world Oh! Then how ought we to examine our works our prayers our hearing our speaking of the things of God lest there should be any root of bitternesse in them which at length springing up should discover us to be Liars Impostures Mamonists Hypocrites before God Angels Saints and sinners My Letters unto you as yet have been as suits of clothes made up but not fitted for any particular person if they fit any Men and their guilty Conscience do apply particularly unto themselves the things spoken and prophesied of in them in general I shall begin to be perswaded that I do not drop Ink upon paper in vain give me leave therefore to come home into your bosoms hearts and consciences in a word of Trial of your works gifts duties actions professions performances and the like First try the original of your Actions if the spring of your Actions be poysoned the streams cannot be healthy if flesh be the fountain whatsoever proceeds from it is fleshly If the tree be evil the fruit cannot be good Ask thy soul this question dost thou pray and speak of spiritual things by a gift or by the Spirit of regeneration the prayers of the Formalists though never so well guilded are abominable unto Jehovah because they are not from the spirit of the New Creation Secondly Try the rule of thy Actions Christians are to walk exactly by rule and by line darest thou bring thy heart and thy Actions to be tryed by the good light of the word of God Thirdly Try thy wayes by the good example of Saints and prophets Take my brethren the prophets for an example Jam. 5.10 Not the court Chaplains and Temporizing Demases of this backsliding generation Fourthly Try thy Actions by thy faith two men may do the same thing Abel and Cain the one doth the will of same thing it is not the same thing which they do One man Preaches Free-grace and the Interest of Christ and Saints in the flesh and then abhors his own Preaching the other doth Preach the same things in faith and hath the smile of God for the present and his Crown of glory hereafter for a reward Fifthly Try thy wayes by the sincerity and uprightness of thy heart upright walking is sure walking Let Jehu say Come see my Zeal for the Lord of hosts But be thou able to say with Hezekiah Lord thou knowest that I have walked uprightly before thee Sixthly Try thy Actions by thy affectionate willingness to do or suffer for God Gods people are a willing People in the day of his power Psal 110. Christ loveth chearfull and obedient Servants Seventhly Try thy Actions by the Testimony of a pure and enlightned Conscience Beloved if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight 1 John 3.21 22. Lastly that my Letters may not be burthen some try and search your wayes by your aims and ends do nothing as to man or to your selves but all as to God and the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 I put you not to a harder task then by the help of Christ I have done many times since I came into this place And after my most exact scrutiny and search into my own heart the Spirit of truth bearing me witness To me it is given not onely to believe but to suffer as a Prisoner for Jesus Christ By the light of the Spirit I do like my Cause in which I suffer every day better and better I do rise higher in my faith for obtaining promises Heb. 11.33 That God will bring down Tyrants and Persecutors new and old I do not repent but rejoyce in the things which I have delivered and am confident that within a few years not to say moneths I shall be found without Cromwells timely repentance as true a Prophet unto him as I was to the long sitting Parliament In the mean while abstain from all appearance of evil abhor Jezabels Fasts pray down the Antichristian Clergy and their Nasty Nests the Universities Believe down Antichrists High Commissioners with Patrons Parsons Vicars Curates Lecturers and their Tythes and all things belonging to that New Hierarchy wait for the pouring forth of the Spirit in grace and gifes and the power of God and the grace of Christ shall be with you and him who is Christs Prisoner John Sympson Windsor the last day 1. Moneth 1654. This is a true Coppy of the Original examined by us Tho. Cary. John Clementa Brethren in Christ GOd hath brought you upon the stage of this world to live in such times in which the hearts of many Hypocritical Professors shall be discovered and the inward parts of all Saints shall be very much tried And thereofre it doth concern you all to be much in Trying and Examining your base deceitful hearts lest any of you having walked a great way hand in hand with the Saints should at Lengt shamefully and wrectchedly forsake them and with Demas imbrace this present world If ever the Devil had an advantage against Professors he hath an advantage against them in these times He cometh unto them as he did unto Christ with his last and strongest temptation Matth. 4. 9. These things will I give you How many eminent Professors doth the Devil swallow down his wide throat and doth bury them alive in the belly of this world Secondly How evident doth that truth of Christ shine forth at this time Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Your gilded Mamonists in London will not be able to hold long their profession without wavering but will basely and unworthily desert the Cause and Interest of Christ and his People for a morsel of Bread You will finde that many who were very Zealous for the interest of Christ when it was calm will not be able to hold it out in a storm They that pleaded for Christ and his Interest in the Sun-shine day will in the clouldy rainy and stormy day plead against him and his People such Christians who have not learned to deny themselves daily and to take up their Gross and follow him will forsake him The whole world will wonder after the Beast and his horns Rev. 13.3 If God doth not put you among
shame of Profession not onely in this but other Nations also Wherefore it is much upon the hearts of some of us That if our Transactions in this kinde had not been published we should not have been able to free our selves from the guilt of the blood shed in the late Wars In regard we have hereby a price put into our hands and so are called to serve the Lord there with Object Notwithstanding what hath been spoken we are not satisfied as to the Printing and publishing of the said papers for it seemes to us to savour of vain-glory at the least and therefore were desire that 2 Sam. 1.20 concerning the death of Saul may be considered where David makes use of these words concerning him Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph Now if Sauls iniquity ought not to be published who had so foully backslidden from the Lord lest the enemies of the Lord should triumph then surely the Souldiers evil ought not to be published which we think doth not exceed Sauls though we are satisfied that the Lord is greatly dishonoured by them Answ For a right understanding of this Scripture and thereby a due answer unto this objection we desire that 1 Sam. 31.8 and 9 verses may be weighed Where it will appear that the Philistines the next day after the battel finding Saul among the slain of Israel out off his head and sent it into the Land of the Philistines round about to publish it in the house of their Idol Gods and among the people so that Sauls death was alreadly published all over the land of the Philistimes and therefore as it ought not so it needed not to be published by Israel for he had not sinned against the Philistines But the Souldiers have sinned not onely against the people of God but the whole Nation and in this wickedness keep the Nation under their oppressive power and not onely so but cover their evill to many Godly as well as Carnall men saying They have done no evil and therefore their iniquity ought to be published to undeceive the people and many gracious hearts who still follow them as some did Absolom that rebelled against David In the next place though Saul had back-slidden in a particular command about saving Agag alive and preserving the Cattell of the Amalekites to offer Sacrifice with yet still he fought the Lords battells and rul'd by the same Lams as before so that though his sin was known in the Nation where he dwelt yet it was not as we can read known to any other Nation for Israel held correspondency then with no Nation but were a distinct people separate from them all so that it would indeed have savoured of vain-glory to publish his evill to such But the Souldiers have ingaged to stand by the grand Apostate who hath sworn to maintain the body of the old Beastly Antichristian Laws contrary to the end of the Lord and his people in the late War and their own Declarations and Ingagement so solemnly made in the day of their straits Also they fight Antichrists battells and not the battell of our Lord Christ and so their sin exceeds Sauls and if they persist therein so also wil thei Judgement And therefore may and ought to be published within the bounds of our own Nation against whom they have sinned Moreover Saul was Gods anointed and therefore he was ingaged to stand by him against his enemies had he not back-slidden so that had they published his death it was in a manner to have disowned the Lords Anointed upon which account it was as we conceive that David mourned for him after his death as being the glory of Israel but we hope there is none will be so void of understanding as to make such a comparison between the Souldiers and Saul Adding hereunto also that Saul by his death as the just hand of the Lord upon him was removed from any further dishonouring of his Name by his Apostacy And so there needed no testifying against him which was not in being no more then against Judas after the just hand of the Lord had reached him for his inquity But the Souldiers have the Power of the Nation in their hands and stout it out against the Lord and his People persevering in their evil and adding more and more to the dishonor c reproach they have already brought to the name of the Lord by covering their iniquity under a Form of Godlinesse and therefore their iniquity ought to be published to unvaile their hypocrisie and discharge a good conscience by a sutable testimony against them FINIS [a] Rev. 15.2 [b] Rev. 15.4 [c] Rev. 18.10 11. [d] Rev. 16.5 compared with ch 19.2 [e] Isa 8.18 [f] 1 Cor. 5.6 [g] 1 Tim. 5.20 com with Deur 19 20. [h] 2 Tim 2.8 comp with Num. 16.3 12 13 14. [i] Mat 27.19 24. [k] Mat. 23.34 35. [l] Mat. 23.30 [m] Rev. 3.15 16. [n] Rev. 2.2 3 10. [o] Judg. 5.9 â—3 [p] 2 King 9.32 [q] Isa 26.6 comp with Jer. 49 20. [r] Isa 30.1 2. [s] Jer. 15.19 20 21. com with chap. 1.17 18 19. [t] 2 Cor. 6.14 Phil. 4.8 [u] 2 Cor. 7.2 [⋆] Isa 5.20 [x] 1 Sam. 17.29 [y] 2 Sam. 6.20 [z] Luk 11.43 [a] Prov. 29 26. [b] Rev. 1.9 [c] Mat. 25.23 comp with Luke 12 from 35 to 45. [d] Acts 11.22 23 24. [e] Acts 15.38 [f] Rev 31.10 [g] 2 Tim 2 19 com with Jude 23 [a] Isa 26.21 [b] Isa 33.14 comp with chap 4.4 5. [c] Isa 4.4.5 [d] Psal 149 4. Gal. 2.18 Rom 21.32 Rom. 2.3 Phil 4.8 Mic. 2.2 Zeph. 3.4 comp with Ezek. 22.27 Ezek. 46.18 Pro. 22.22 Zech. 7.10 Neh. 5. v. 9 to 14. Iam. 2.6 2 Chron. 36.16 Matt. 23.30 31 34. 2 Chro. 19.2 Esther did otherwise chap. 8.3 5. com with chap. 7.3 4 6. yea she desired that the ren sons of Haman the persecutor might be hanged also Esth 9.13 Luk. 11.23 Mic. 6.16 2. King 10.29 30 31 32. Isa 29.13 14. com with Matt. 15.8 9. Lam. 2.15 16. Rom. 2.23 24. com with Isa 52 5.6 Psa 79.4 Dan. 9.16.2 Sam. 12 14 2 King 19 3 Jam. 2 7 Psa 69 9. Ezck. 13.22 Isa 10.1 ⋆ This also was by Kelzeys Order ⋆ To wit the time allowed them to look after their own occasions Matth. 18.19 20. Jam 1.5 chap. 5.16 Mal. 3.16 Luk. 24.14 15 17 32. Matt. 18.7 Rom. 16.17 1 Cor. 13.6 Matt. 18.16 17. [g] Gal. 5.13 ⋆ Brethren of the other part of the Congregation ⋆ The man in Powerbid Mr. Jessey others call him Iugler if tythes were not taken away by the third of Septem 1654. ⋆ Mal 18 16 ⋆ It being as he said so great a case of Conscience And which indeed is so to us [q] Isa 64.5 ⋆ Viz pag 38. of this Book [s] Those two Admonitions are contained in our first second paper delivered in unto them ⋆ Note ⋆ Captain Harrison kept Master Sympson Major Strange kept Major Generall Harrisou ⋆ To wit Mr Ecak at that time a Prisoner there for the same cause of Christ with him ⋆ The Man in Power judged the Ministry of England stood upon a Popish Bottom and none to be Christs Ministers but those who had received the Spirit for that use See his speech to little Parliament in Looking-glass Pag. 60. Note Note ⋆ The Man in Power was of this minde also See his Speech to Little Parliament Looking-glass p. 62. ⋆ Note ⋆ Note ⋆ Note Note ⋆ Note ⋆ Note Note Note Note ⋆ Note ⋆ Note Note ⋆ Note who doth so now VVho doth so now Note Note ⋆ Note Note Who is a Lecturer now Note ⋆ Note Note ⋆ Is not Kelzye Strange Harrison Ducker Sumner whom we have charged with this And others the willing Traytors according to his own words ⋆ Among other Scriprures see 2 Kings 21.11 12. Jer 15.4 Hos 1.4 (c) Mar. 27.19 24 (d) As by their Declarations doth appear ⋆ Isa 31.1 Hos 8.3 4 Hab. 2.6 9 15. Amos 6.1 3 4 5 12 13. Hos 5.7 Isa 19.15 21. Isa 30.9 10 11 12 16. 2 Chr. 36.16 Mat. 2.24 48 49. ⋆ The Judgements against Judah were written in a Roll and published in the Lords house and abroad to the people And their fins likewise the cause of those Judgements were there with declared see Jer. 36.2 4 6 28 31 32 comp with chap. 35.13.15 17. ⋆ Gen. 9.21 22. ⋆ Matth. 26.15 16 25 47 48 49. Mark 14.10 11 43 44 45. Luke 6.16 Chap. 22.47 48. John 18.2 3. 2 Tim. 4.10 14. ⋆ Acts 7.51 52. ⋆ Rev 17.13 14. compared Jer. 51.56 57. ⋆ 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5.