the people therfor were necessarily bound over vnto them otherwise they could not find the Lord his truth which was only at Ierusalem in the New Testament the Church Ministery VVorship Government are so constituted by the Lord as that in them ther is no Succession nor alligation of tyme place person c. But when the Church is become false by impenitency the faithful may Seperate cary the truth with them if but two or three Mr. Bern. the L open your eyes the eyes of al his people in England to see this blessed truth of the Lord then the cause of Separation wil be evident vnto your consciences in the meane tyme you cannot but be ignorant A south reason whereby you would prove that to joyne to the Holy things in the communion of obstinate impenitent persons is no sinne is for that the Scripture teacheth the contrary as you say two wayes 1. by acquitying the Godly from the transgression of others 2. by declaring it to be a sinne to leave the Holy things of God for the wickednesse of others this you say cutteth deepely I answer you Mr. Ber. that we do not feele this cut at al for the iron is blunt you had need put to more strength your reason hath in it no cutting quality at all For I doe acknowledg that the Godly if they consent not to nor approve not the sinne of others are by the Lords sentence acquit from the transgression but I would learne of you if the Holy Ghost in the Scripture doth not account the principal the accessary in the lame condition though not in the same degree of sinne what say you to the sinne of Achan the sinne of the men of Gibean concerning the Levites concubine The feare of the Israelites in respect of the Altar built in the border of the Land of Canaan by Iorden These places are evident that consent to sinne polluteth the person consenting the places by you quoted do not prove any thing contrary to this assertion of ours but rather they prove this vndoubted truth of the Lords the place Ezech. 33.9 proveth that as the watchman that dischargeth his duty is acquit so if he discharg not his duty he shal be accessary to the sinne partaker of the punishment as may be seen vs. 6. the place Ezech. 18.14.17.20 doth declare two things that if the child follow not the sinne of the parents he shal be guiltlesse if he partake in ther sinnes he shal be partaker of the. punishment the place Ezech. 14.18.20 sheweth that Noah Daniel Iob shal deliver their owne soules by their righteousnes but al those that are polluted with other mens sinnes shal partake of their plagues Revel 18.4 So that you see these places of the old testament quoted by you do not only not help you but vtterly overthrow your conceipt The places of the new Testament alledged by you also make as litle for you Tit. 1.15 teacheth that al thing are pure to the pure yet the intent of the place is not to shew that sinne is pure to any man although I may lawfully vse the Holy things of God being my self cleane yet being partaker of another mans sinne by consent I polute al the holy things to my self have no title to vse them so the Apostle saith presently to the impure is nothing pure the place Revel 3.4 teacheth that so many of the Church at Sardi as defiled not their garments by consenting to the polution of the rest of that Church but that stood out against their corruptions to the vtmost shal be innocent the other place Revel 2 22-24 sheweth the same thing but for these two places I say you must prove Mr. Ber. that your assemblies are true churches as these were againe you must prove also that these persons neglected their duty of admonishing standing forth against the Church that the church was convinced by them yet did joyne with them in communion of Holy things For otherwise we say we are not to Seperate till wee have done our vtmost endevour neither are we poluted til then your last place is Gal. 5.10 wher the Apostle teacheth that he that troubleth the Galatians shal beare his condemnation whosoever he be yet the Apostle telleth them vs. 9. that a litle leaven leaveneth the whole lump that is to say if you consent to this false doctrine of joyning circumcision to Christ the person that perswadeth you shal beare his burthen whosoever he be yet you also shal be punished receaving the false doctrine but I hope otherwise of you this is the meaning of the Apostle Secondly you say the Scripture teacheth it to be a sinne for to leave the holy things of God for the wickednes of other for this purposes you alledg 1. Sam. 2.24.17 wher you say the wordes are plaine cannot be avoyded by another exposition of the word gnabarwell although the word doth as properly signifie to passe vppon or to passe by as to trespasse that it is so expounded by Pagnin yet I will not plead it at this tyme sith it needeth not Therfor take the place according to your construction that the Sonnes of Ely by their sinnes caused the people to sinne by abhorring the L. offering through occasion of ther wickednes I answer thus in the old Testament no man was to forsake the Sacrifices for other mēs sinnes if they were ceremonialy cleane therfor that the people did abhorre these ordinances of God vppon the wickednes of Elyes Sonnes was ther transgression the L. taught no such thing in the old Testament in the typical communion therof but now in the new Testament we having the truth that was then signified by the old Testament the ordinances therof it followeth necessarily thus that as in the old Testament the communion therof which were typical persons typicaly cleane might not have communion typical with persons typically vncleane without polution ceremonial So in the new Testament the cōmunion therof which is the truth persons moraly cleane may not have Spiritual communiō with persons moraly vncleane without polution moral which is sinne so you are answered according to your exposition of the place yet I deny it to be necessary to expound the place so as you doe Your fifth reason proving it lawful for the Saints to hold communion in the holy things though persons obstinate in sinne be present is For that in the word we have liberty given to come to partake in the holy things if wee look to our selves to reforme our owne wayes mat 5.23.24 1. Cor. 11.28 the Corinths did partake in the holy things with them that were once twise admonished 2. Cor. 12.21 go so may we do I answer The place of Christ Mat. 5.23.24 teacheth that a mā must first reconcile him self to his brother before he offer his gift truth but it must be for al the sinnes he
wel to follow the Holy Ghosts prophecy Revel 17.16 even to make the whore of Babylon desolate and naked to eate her Flesh and burne her with fire and not to suffer her wares that is her vessels of wood Ivory Brasse Iron marble to be bought any more which I am perswaded shal in due tyme be accomplished that as the goodly buildings of the Abbayes Monasteries Nunries are already destroyed made barnes stables swineslyes jakes so shal it be done with al the Idol Temples when the howre of their visitation shal come whereas you object for the justifying of the vse of the Idol Temples that seing Antichrist sitteth in the Church of God that therfor when the Idol Temples were built the Church took possession of them to keep possession for the Lord in his creatures therby concluding a lawful vse of them now for the Church restored I answer you your ground is faulty therfor your building tottereth the place of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.4 wher it is said that Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God is falsely by you conceaved interpreted for it doth not import that as you would have it Antichrists Church the true Church of Christ are one the same that the same company of men can be and are both the true visible Church of Christ at that same tyme the Church of Antichrist this is impossible for the true Church is not the false Church But this is the meaning viz either that Antichrist shal sitt in the consciences of men which is properly the Temple of God Or that Antichrist shall arise vp out of that company of men which once were the Temple of God as Rome was or that the Church being true in the constitution Antichrist shal foyst into it by litle and litle his false ministery VVorship and Government as experience teacheth he hath done For a true Church may have Antichristian ordinances retayned raised vp in it this being the true meaning of the Apostle how can you hence conclude soundly that the true Church tooke possession of the Temples which the false Church of Antichrist built Seing the true Church is not the false Church seing that the temples were built in the palpable darknes of grosse popery some of them perhaps dedicated to heathen Idols some of them to Antichristian Idols as ther Hee shee Saints al of them to Devils For if Ieroboams Preists were appointed for Devils 2. Chron. 11.15 if the Antichristian preists are the Spirit of Devils Revel 16.14 the worship of Antichristians the worship of Devils Revel 9.20 the Antichristian Churches the habitation of Devils Revel 18.2 then the Temples are dedicated to Devils not that they intended so to dedicate them but for that they are so indeed the Lord accounting that to be done to the Devil which is not done to him as he hath commaunded the Devill substituting himself in Gods place when men go a whoring after ther owne inventions Therefor the Apostle saith plainly that the Gentils Sacrifice to Devils 1. Cor. 10.20 to conclude this point therfor so to leave you to meditate vppon these things Seing the Gentils Sacrifice to Devils seing the Antichristians worship Devils seing Ieroboams preists were appointed for Devils yet al these intended to worship God even the true God then it followeth that though the Antichristians did intend to dedicate their Temples to the true God which yet is not granted neverthelesse they were dedicated to Devils therfor are to be raced downe converted to the habitation of Iim Zijm Satyres Shrich â—â—yles Raveas as the Prophet speaketh Esay 34 8-15 The eighteenth Section Your first point now commeth in the last place to be considered viz. 1. In seperating from al the reformed Churches you say we do il Let vs consider what we hold Surely we say the Churches are of two sorts false Churches such as yours of worksop is al others of like fashion 2. true Churches those also of two sorts pure wherin no open knowne sinne is suffered corrupt wherin some one or more knowne sinne is tolerated to the true Churches which are pure wee may wil joyne to the true Churches which are corrupt we cary our selves thus First we labor to discover their faults vnto them admonishing them to reforme which wee are bound to doe bicause they are our brethren Secondly if they wil not reforme after we have convinced their errors vnto them we depart from them lest wee should partake with their sinnes this is our judgment practise if you can reprove it let vs heer from you wee pray you Paralleles Censures Observations aperteyning to the eighteenth Section Heer I desire the Gentle Reader not to be offended that wee endevouring to walk in the liberty of the gospel do not tie our selves to any Church or Churches whatsoever but only to the rules of Gods word therfor howsoever it may seem odious that wee Seperate from al churches yet the causses being indifferently considered the matter wil seme reasonable for we Seperate from al Churches vppon several reasons 1. From some such as are the English Churches we Seperate for the Falsehood of them that is a just cause in any indifferent mans judgment 2. from other such as are the Reformed Churches wee Seperate not for that they are false but for that being true they are corrupt herein our Seperation is not total but for a tyme til we have performed our dutyes vnto them wheÌ„ we have therfor admonished them of their corruptions they repent then we joyne in communion with them if they repent not wee leave them to the Lord we must needes keep our selves vnspotted take heed that we partake not with other mens sinnes The nintenth Section And now Mr. Bern. suffer me a litle to deale with you as with one of whome I have thought so wel as I have done it greeveth my Soule for you to see you so straungely seduced by Sathan so violently carryed in your boysterous robustious disposition against the truth the professors therof it hath greeved me heretofore to see you arrogant proud ambitious cariage preferring your self in place before men both more auncient holy learned then your self in the judgment of al that know you them it hath greeved mee to hear such calumnies as you have in the bitternes of your wrath vttered against divers of vs which I could relate to your eternal infamy but I spare you it hath greeved me to heare your formality that you are become an absolute conformitaÌ„t in judgment that you would be so in practise if some persons hindered you not it greeveth me exceedingly to see some Letters of yours wherein you your Disciples lying at the advantage take all things in the evil part pervert misconstrue mens writings manifesting therein much perversnes of Spirit it greeveth mee above all that you should support the
Kingdome of Antichrist by your writings against the truth by your vntruth vttered of mee others You have now two writings of myne in your hands this theother you know of wherein our cause is discovered which I have especially directed to you for your good I beeseech yoâ— in the name of the L. look to your self search into this truth I wonder you should not see it it is clearer to mee then noone day or if you see it as it seemeth you once did by your confession then I wonder much more that you who seem so holye as you doe should dare to continue in your evil way if you have any thing to say in answer to this theother writing let vs heer from you take heed of wresting misconstruing my writings you shal gaine nothing by it I assure you at my handes set your conscience vppon the wrack before the Lord examine your hart what hindereth you from the truth know this that if any sinister respect hinder you you therein shal find litle peace to your conscience declare lesse thankfulnes to God know it would bee the greatest honour ever befel you to be one of the Lords witnesses it wil be the greatest disgrace that can possible light vpp on you to be found one of those that fight against the lamb Iesus Christ in resisting his truth the witnesses thereof assure your self Gods truth wil prevaile in despight of al the gainsayers remember that our cause is the same in a manner with the Puritane cause onely they dare not practise as wee doe remember that the Lord hath had those that have spilt ther blood in this testimonie ther blood testimony hath stirred vs vp to this our witnesse consider that this truth prevayleth daily shal prevayle it was opposed in the Queenes dayes it hath prevayled standeth in despight of al the gainsayers consider that though the Prelates you with your fellow Preists oppose against it yet it hath growne to this head as you see what are you Mr. Bern. to oppose against it you are a simple man in comparison of them that have delt against it have taken the foyle All the Oxford Doctors Mr. HildershaÌ„ Mr. Iacob Mr. Bredwel Mr. Giffard could not with ther writings overthrow this truth doe you think that you can batter it with your mediocrity nay you are to yong to deale against this cause al your rage wrath choller revendge shal never bee able to daunt vs or to diminish the credit of Gods truth you had need more then any maÌ„ I know in your way to walk in this way with vs For you have so many vagaries to froe so many rebellious courses so many distempered affections speeches that so long as you are not vnder the L. yoke vnhampered by the L. ordinances the censures of the Church you shall find litle rest to your Soule wee for our part care not for your help for our gaine wil be litle by you if any thing at all but wee respect your own good God hath no need of you you see he can work his work without you Let these things work vppon you take heed you bee not deceaved by the applause of the multitude nor by the Prelates fayre wordes nor by his angels Remember that if you receave not the love of the truth God may deliver you over justly to beleeve lies to your owne overthrow think not much that I write thus vnto you I doe it out of compassion and love to you vnto whome I wish so well David was content to bee smitten by the righteous and flatterie I think overthroweth you your Parasites have robbed you of your wisdome beleeve mee I speak the truth So requiring your answer to both my writings I bid you farewell Heer endeth the letter which was written to Mr. B. divided into 19. Sections with the Paralleles Censures Observations aperteyning to every particular Section therof Thus have I Mr. Bern. passed through the substantial part of your book which conâ—erneth the cause it self which although you have placed in the last place namely from gag 78. forward yet I thought meet to make answer to it in the first place bicause it is the most material part of your book and heerin you have vsed a notable peece of Sophistical Rhetorick first to draw our persons into dislike with your readers and so to prejudicate forstal ther myndes against our cause For so it falleth out customably that the person being dislliked the cause cannot bee entertayned wherfor after you had collected al your superficial stuffe al the accidental conjectures which you heape vp in your book from pag. 21. to 78. and had cast them in the Readers way whereat he might stumble theÌ„ you come from pag. 78. to the end to the matter varnish that also as wel as you can therby thinking vtterly to pervert your Reader from the truth well Mr. Bern. I have through the mercy of God answered al the substantial points of your book not omitting one to my knowledg that is worth answer but especially I have labored to manifest the mayne cause of our Seperation the first fondacion rock of truth which is that Christs ministerial powre is given to two or thre Faithful ones who are the true seed of Abraham to whome the promises the covenant of the New Testament Christ al the holy things are given For this is the groundwork Foundacion of the L. truth this I beseech al the land al the faithful of the land especialy to look vnto if they yeeld this ground they must needes Seperate if they deny this ground then ther is no footing for them but in Succession the Popes chayre So that heer is the controversy heer is the state of the Question whither the holy things with Christ be given originally to the body of the Church to the Faithful or whither the holy things with Christ bee given to the Ministery originally that the Church hath al from the ministery that is the point of succession I beseech you Mr. Bern. all the honest harted people of the Land to waygh determine this point in their owne harts then your book wil be found to be but froth now having answered your mayne matter I come to answer your probabilities against the Sep. schisme From the pag. 21-44 you propound 7. Likelihoods that the way of the Seperation is not the truth which probabilities may be framed into these formes of reasoning The first Likelyhood against the Sep. is thus framed Novelty is not the truth The Seperation is Novelty go not the truth For answer to this argument I ask whither Luthers Calvins opinions were false bicause they were new For popery had the prescription of a thousand yeers against Calvin but Calvin hath not had the prescription of an hundreth yeeres against the Seperation nay I suppose not above fifty yeeres
Protestants are prospered in their course Ergo The English Protestants have the truth I answer That this is false doctrine For the wiseman saith Eccles 9 1-3 That prosperity or adversity are no signes of love or hatred Ierem. 12.1 2. that the wicked are in prosperity and 1. Pet. 4.17 judgment beginneth at Gods howse This your reason therfor is most absurd false is fit to breed Atheisme overthrow the whole truth of the Scriptures but let vs see what judgments are vppon the Seperation you frame them thus If Mr. Bolton that Apostated did hang himself if Mr. Harison Mr. Browne did differ one fel back if Mr. Barrow Mr. Greenwood for calling you serpents generations of Wipers were martyred by the persecuting Prelates if Mr. Iohnson pronounced excommunication against his brother if the Church excommunicated the Father if Mr. Burnet died of the Plague if Mr. Smyth was delivered twise from the Pursivant was sick allmost to death doubted of the Seperation for 9. monethes space then the Seperation is not the truth But al these things befel Mr. Bolton Mr. Browne Mr. Harison Mr. Iohnsons Mr. Burnet Mr. Smyth Ergo The seperation is not the truth I answer The Churches of England have had thousand thousands of such accidents as these are befalling their Officers and Leaders and yet as it were folly in vs to alledg them against you as the Papists doe so it is no wisdom but weaknes of judgment in you to mention them in your book against vs VVhat is it good reasoning to say Iudas hanged himself Christ was Crucified for blasphemy Demas embraced the world Nicholas the Deacon proved an Heretique Paull and Barnabas fel out Paull chardged Peter and Barnabas with dissembling Peter denyed Christ All the Apostles were put to death for heresy Ergo the Christian Religion is 〈◊〉 bee false yours false yet this is your goodly reason if this bee a good argument wher is your Faith 〈◊〉 But in this Likelyhood you have a sting at me in particular Mr. Ber. charging me with divers vntruths which I wil manifest 1. That I doubred 9 months I acknowledg but that ever I did acknowledg the seperation for truth seperated from the English assemblies then returned againe vnto them which you say I do vtterly deny I appeale to the towne of Ganesbrugh those ther that knew my footesteps in this matter therfor herein I indite you as a publique slaunderer 2. VVhereas you say I became satisfied at Coventree after conference had with certayne Ministers and herevppon kneeled downe and praised God I answer I did not conferre with them about the seperation as you they know wel inough in your consciences but about withdrawing from true Churches Ministers and VVorship corrupted VVherein I receaved no satisfaction but rather thought I had given instruction to them and for kneeling downe to praise God I confesse I did being requested to performe the duty at night after the conference by the Ministers but that I praised God for resolution of my doubts I deny to death and you therein are also a slaunderer I praised God for the quiet peaceable conference such like matters desired pardon of the L. for ignorances errors weaknes of judgment any disordered caryage if the ministers that heard my prayers praises of God did misconstiue my meaning let them look vnto it 3. VVhereas you impute an absurdity to mee as yet vnanswered viz that I should affirme the spit whereon the passeove was rosted was the Altar I say seing the passeover was a sacrifice Marc. 14.12 that every sacrifice hath an altar either the spit was the altar or els it had no altar Now â—el me which is the Likeliest of the two if this be a reasonable speech that the wooden crosse was the Altar whereon Christ was sacrified why may not by a good reason the spit be the altar of the passeover the sacrifice was not slayne vppon the altar but it was burnt vppon the altar so that was not the altar wherevppon the passeover was killed but wherevppon it was burnt or rosted Mr. Bern. I doe confidently affirme against you that the spit was as much the altar to the passeover as the crosse was an altar to Christ let me heare what you in your best Logick can say against it The 7. Likelyhood against the Sep. is framed thus The truth increaseth in short space into a multitude The Seperation doth not increase but is kept vnder Ergo the Seperation is not the truth I answer you Mr. Bern. that this is but a popish argument Christ saith his Flock is but a litle Flock but how very many yeeres hath the cause of the Seperation had il successe Forsooth 20. or 30. yeeres alas as Mr. Be. what increase hath the Prelacy gotten in the world this hundreth veeres they say that is the truth against the Presbytery what increase hath puritanisme gotten this 20. or 30. yeeres in England yet they say that is the truth against the Prelacy is not the cause of the Reformists almost dead and buryed but know Mr. Bern. that the cause of the Seperation being the same in the mayne groundes and essentiall parts with the Reformed Churches it hath had infinite increase ever since Luthers tyme and whereas you object heer that wee leave our country without leave I answer that you know the Law of the Land doth banish vs all and if Abraham did lawfully passe from one country to another people Iâ—se no reason that wee may not doe so though Israel could not get from Egipt nor Iudah from Babylon being deteyned by violence in captivity yet the Lord in working ther deliverance declareth that he will have his people depart wher they may freely professe it without let or disturbance besides you doe pervert the Prophet Ezechiell his speeeh Cap. 3.6 For was not Ionas sent to Nineveh were not the Iewes caryed into captivity were not the Apostle sent to al Nations did al the Corinths speak with straunge Tonges is it vnlawful to send men to convert the Pagans but the meaning of Ezechiell is that though the Iewes vnderstand his preaching yet they wil not beleeve the straungers viz them of Tyrus Sidon as Christ saith would sooner beleeve him then the Iewes for a Prophet is not without honor save in his owne country so the place is misconstrued by you Finally whereas you object that the L. leaveth a curse behind vs in the Land I say that is an argument that it is the truth we professe which bicause it is not intertained doth therfor prove the savour of death vnto death and hardeneth the hart of that people where it hath been offered and is refused thus much breefly of your froth In the next place you bring vs reasons of more force then bare probabilityes wherby you confesse that your 7. Likelyhoods are of litle force which I desire
wilful persisting in Schisme joyned with contempt scorne of others I answer doe not you wilfully persist in your Schisme from Rome contemning scorning of them you will say they are in error wee say you are in error that the difference betwixt you vs is more then betwixt you them For your constitution ministery Government is one with theirs but wee are opposite vnto you in all these If it be no finne in you thus to deale with Rome it is no sinne in vs thus to deale with you but I deny vtterly that wee Schisme from you For ther can bee no Schisme from a false Church ministery worship Government except it be Schisme to depart out of Babylon Againe we do neither contemne nor scorne any man only we single the truth leave their corruptions errors refuse to build our Faith vppon men or Churches or false expositions of Scriptures we desire no man to come to vs further then wee have the truth which whither we have or not I referre it must doe to the conscience of every one that loveth the truth who shal live by his owne Fayth and dye for his owne sinnes 5. Synne you cast vppon vs is Rayling Scoffing and blaspheming this you exemplify in two particulars 1. Mr. Barrowes sharp speeches in the discovery 2. our approbation of it in him I answer First that Mr. Barrowes Scripture phrases whatsoever I doe approve justify them fitly to be applyed to your false Church Ministery worship Government til you have forsaken al that falsehood they doe deservedly lye vppon you Secondly The phrases which Mr. Barrow alledgeth borroweth els where I dare not either alow them or reprove them bicause I know not what particular motion of the Spirit guided him so to write but the things signified by those phrases declaring the Idolatry of your Church Ministery VVorship and Government I approve Thirdly that Mr. Barrow eironically vpbraydeth the preaching and VVorship of the assemblies following therein Elias his example I dare not censure that as an vngodly act of his though I doubt not but you doe performeÌ„ these Religious exercises in the honesty of your ignorance as I my self somtyme did Fourthly that he specially inveigheth against the Reformists he doth it not for that they are the worst men but for that by their doings the Lords truth is most hindered they being like the Pharisees aptest to deceave Finally I wil not vndertake the defence of Mr. Barrowes tartnes neither dare I absolutely condemne it seing the Prophet Esay is as sharpe against the true Church as ever was Mr. Barrow against your false Church whereas you alledg my writing vppon the Lords prayer before I saw the Seperation as a confutation or contradiction to Mr. Barrow I say you may aswel alledg against St. Paul his Pharisaical practises persecutions blasphemies befor he came to the truth as evidence to confute Christian Religion which afterward he embraced 6. Synne you lay vppon vs is our opinions the matter of our Schisme Brownisme as you call it which I have already cleered to be the vndoubted truth of God wherto I require youâ— answer or els I affirme before the Lord that you are not able that being convinced your mouth stopped either you must yeeld to the truth or els woe be vnto you from the Lord. And so lend my answer leaving your advertisements counsels of peace vntoucht as matters nothing perteyning to the cause of the Seperation they being like Apollos Oracles apt to bee expounded eyther way or like Delphos sword fit to be vsed for any purpose for they may fit eyther Papist Protestant Reformist or the Seperation An advertisement to the Reader It may happily be thought that this treatise by reason of the tartnes of some speeches phrases censures passed vppon Mr. Be. the ministers Church of England may passe the bounds of Christian wisdom charity especially considering that we of the Seperation cannot be ignorant what great offence ther is taken at Mr. Barrowes bitternes in his discovery that we know how greatly the forward preachers professors of the land desire to be mildly gently handled to have a charitable censure paste of them in respects of their Religious dispositions to the truth wel For Mr. Be. let him know for his part that he is fallen into a deep pit of Apostacy from his formerly seeming sincerity if men may be judged by that which is visible I see no reason why the forward preachers professors of the Lands should not esteem of him as they do of Mr. Merbury sith Mr. Be. is now fallen to his gracious Lords as wel as the other only Mr. Ber. case is somthing better in this respect that he wanteth some of Achitophels pollicy Rabsakeh his rayling of Tertullus Rhetotick to oppose the truth in respect whereof ther is hope that Mr. Be. sinning through infirmity simplicity weaknes of judgment violence of affection may by some sharpe effectual ingredients having vomited vp al his choler purged out al his evil humors be reduced eyther to as good or to a better constitution then wherin he formerly was â—o this purpose is al the sharpe phisick administred vppon him in this prescript so the Author doth intreath Mr. Ber. in his best love to interpret it to remember what Nathan said vnto David thou art that man what David answered Nathan I have sinned what comfort Nathan presently annexed The Lord hath put away thy sinne This condition we vnfeynedly wish to Mr. Be. our old kind frend for the forward preachers professors of the Land they must vnderstand that our censure must be is only according to that which is visible in their communion now in that respect seing the Church Ministery VVorship and Government of the English Ecclesiastical assemblies is judged proved false Antichristian how is it possible that wee should speake otherwise of them as they are ministers and members of that Antichristian body then as of false ministers false Christians what would they have vs speak as the false Prophets did Peace Peace where ther is no peace would they have vs proclayme The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord to the Synagogues of Antichrist this were to deceave them to daube the wal with vntempered mortar but if the forward preachers professors of the Land do imagine that we condemne them as persons voyd of grace as excluded from salvation by Christ or the like censures we give them to vnderstand that the Scripture teacheth vs no such thing but rather forbiddeth such censures for we are not to judg before the tyme therfor concerning this particular we absolutely leave them to the Lord not doubting but he hath his thousands among them desiring them to remember that it is one thing to apply the Scripture to lay the salve to the
wil I adventure further to prove before any witnesses vppon the hazard of my life if I may have audience do not you now as you have once done in your Letter to Mr. H. take it granted that nether he nor his leaders as you speak can answere your arguments you see it is otherwise I pray you doe not oppose against this truth in your pulpits till you have throughly scanned all thinges til you have had further passages with mee about it I did thinke that I ought to doe many things against this way but it pleased the Lord at the length to reveale his truth vnto me for the which I blesse my God for ever I know if you once interest your selfe in opposition against the cause publiquely it will be very hard for you afterwards to deny your doinges to pul downe that which you have built Therefore be advised raise vp your hart to enter into the cause be not afrayd of it deny al even wife children life also els you are not capable of this truth I pray you commend mee to Mr. B. and to your selfe most kindly The Lord of his mercy vouchsafe to enlighten you with the evident brightnes of his truth and the Lord open your hart to entertayne it in love and the Lord guide your feete into the way of peace so in all kindnes I take leave of you bidding you most hartely farewell FINIS A Lettre written to certaine brethren in S. By Iohn Smyth Mercie and peace be multiplied vnto you RethteÌ„ I am excedingly rejoyced in my soule hearing of the grace of God bestowed B vppon you althongh you are but few in nomber yet considering that the Kingdome of heaven is as a graine of mustard seed smal in the beginning I do not doubt but you may in tyme grow vp to a muâ—titude and be as it weere a great tâ—ee full of Fruitful branches which I vnfeignedlie desire brethren in your behalf at the Lords handes I have receaved your lettre long since I had seÌ„t you answer ere this if I had had a coÌ„venient messenger but now having fit opportunity offered I doe willingly of duty to you my brethren to the L. Iesus his truth make answer to your motion whereas Mr. K. is a man famous in the Churches of England for learning sincerity being now growen aged in them both it might therfor be thought boldnes in mee to deale with him yet being provoked therevnto by you by himself by my place which I susteyne in the Church of Christ I durst not refuse but choose rather to incure the vndeserved suspitioÌ„ of arrogaÌ„cie if any man dare so deem it by manifesting the truth then the deserved reproach of the denyal of the truth which is committed when the tâ—uth is not defended vppon due calling thervnto First therfor I doe professe before al men that the truth wee professe is maniâ—ested already sufficiently to all that wil but open there eyes in the writings of those worthy witnesses of Iesus Christ who have gone before vs in the Testimonie of this truth wee hold out to the world therfor I shal by this my writing only doe that which is already done therfor this my labor might wâ—l have been spared Secondly neverthelesse bicause things may be further explaned manifested by several gifts I thought it not amisse to shew myne opinion also The rather being called thervnto by your selves as also by Mr. K. breefly therefore to come to the matter the two points to be proved are these First that such matters as aâ—e excepted against in the Church of England are contrary to the word of God Seâ—ondly That they are in such sort opposite therevnto as thereby it is become no Church meet for any good Christian to Remaine in and to communicate with These two points shal be manifestly proved by these Scriptures following 1. First your Church is not of the Apostolique constitution but framed according to the invention of man which is proved thus Deut. 14.2 compared with 1. Pet. 2.9 Roman 1.7 1. The Churches of the Apostolique constitution consisted of Saints only The Churches of England consist not of Saints only Therfor the Churches of England are not of the Apostolique constitution therfor are framed according to the invention of man The major is proved by the former Scriptures for Moses calleth the Iewes an Holy people ceremonially typing that the people of the new Testament should be truely holy as Peter doth expound it and Paull exemplifie it to the Romanes and in all his Epistles The minor is manifest for all sorts of persons Atheists Papists adulterers theeves c. who not are compelled to be are members of the English Churches Ergo. 2. Againe from that Church which is not of the Apostolique constitution but of mans invention al the faithful must make Seperation 2 Chron. 13 5.-13 30 5-12 compared with Revel 14.9.10 18.4.5 The Churches of England are not of the Apostolique constitution but of mans invention Therfor the faithful must make Seperation from the Churches of England The major is proved thus as Ezechiah perswadeth the Israelites to Seperate from the Church of Ieroboams invention to joyne to the true Church of Iudah which was of Moses constitution so Iohn by vision is commaunded to pronounce a woe to them that give homage to Antichrists ordinances and to perswade all the faithfull to Seperate from Babylon which is by interpretation a confusion Now all mens inventions are Antichristian seing that as Christ Antichrist are opposite so are Christian Antichristians if ther for the constitution of the Churches of England be not of Christs that is of the Apostolique primitive frame it is of man of Antichrist so woe be to them that doe not Seperate from it 2. Secondly your ministerie is not of the Apostolique primitive institution but framed according to mans invention which is proved thus Heb. 5.4.5 Levit. 8. compared with Esay 66.20.21 Act. â— 3 -6. Act. 14.23 1. The true ministerie of the Apostolique institution was by election approbation ordination of that particular holy people wherto they did administer The ministery of the assemblies of England is not so but after the invention of man Therfor the ministerie of the assemblies is not the true ministere of the Apostolique institution but devised by man The major is proved by the former scriptures for as that only was the true preisthood which Moses by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of the L. apointed in the old testameÌ„t therfor that of Ieroboams was false 1. King 12.31 2. Chron. 13.9 So it the new Testament that is only the true ministerie which is of the Apostolique institution viz by election ordination approbation of that faithful holy people wherto they administer The minor is evident For the ministerie of England viz the Prelacie Preisthood Deaconry like thre vncleane Spirits proceed out of the month of the