who being defamed did entreat and being persecuted did suffer it and not flee as thou didst for fear of a whipping threatned against thee for thy mis-behaviour in reviling cursing and damning the chosen Witnesses of the Spirit annointed and sealed of God did not so but being reviled did blesse and by the Doctrine of their Commission said Bless and curse not 1 Cor. 4.12 Rom. 12.14 whereby it is evident that thou art not a chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth neither art thou annointed and sealed or sent by the God of Truth thy pretended Commission and the doctrine thereof and Judgement performed thereby is erroneous and false which is Antichristian and it is no railing to tell thee the same and reprove thee and thy deceit 10. The true Witnesses of the Spirit and Ambassadors of Christ by the Father of mercies and God of all comfort they were comforted themselves in all their tribulations that they might be able to comfort them that were in any trouble by the comfort wherewith they themselves were comforted of God 2 Cor. 1 3 4. but so art not thou by thy reviling cursing and damning them who are blessed beloved and justified of God wherein thou hast exceeded Balaam as aforesaid whereby it appears that thou art nothing like an Ambassador of Christ or the chosen Witnesses of the Spirit who were annointed and sealed of God neither is there the like Truth Power Virtue and Consolation in the doctrine of thy pretended commission that were in theirs Thou hast grievously lyed in saying That the Doctrine of thy Commission is as true and of a more higher nature then the Prophets and Apostles was in their time but hast made no such proof of thy sayings or Doctrine as they did of theirs But thou art reprehended and the truth and power of the Commission and Doctrine of the annointed and sealed of God is defended and the truth of the Gospel is over and above all thy errors lyes and false judgement ascended By all which hath been said it remains true 1. That thou art no chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth 2. That thou art not the chief Judge in the World ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead 3. That God may without John Reeves and thy self make able Ministers of the New-Testament 4. That they who are made able Ministers of the New-Testament whose sufficiency is not of self but of God they may officiate the Offices of Ministers Messengers or Ambassadors of Christ without the appointment of John Reeves and thy self who hath nothing to do to appoint to so great and glorious Work 5. That thou art not annointed sealed and sent of God to revile curse and damn the beloved people of God 6. That thou art no Ambassador of Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness 7. That thou hast received no Commission from the God of Truth to pass the sentence of eternal death and damnation upon the souls and bodies of men 8. That the only knowledge and right of interpreting Scripture belongs not to thee 9. That thy Judgement and Doctrine is erroneous and false And 10thly That thy Judgement and Doctrine ought not to be entertained by any but to be reversed and denyed by all that love the Lord Jesus And whereas thou saist Thou art the chief Judge in the World and in passing the Sentence of eternal death and damnation upon the souls and bodies of men saist Thou goes by as certain a Rule as the Judges of the Land do when they give Judgement according to Law I say Thou hast lyed therein and hast born a false testimony in that respect as well as the rest as hereafter is evident First Because thou art both Judge Accuser and Witness thy self and dost condemn and give Judgement at thy will and pleasure contrary to Truth having no certain known Laws either of God or the Land as a rule of direction to guide and lead thee in the wayes of right Justice to give Judgement upon the bodies of men and women nor cannot manifest a commission to put any known Laws in execution upon them thou goes not by so certain a Rule in so doing as the Judges of the Land do when they give judgement according to Law for they neither are nor pretend to be both Judges Accusers and Witnesses neither do they go without certain outward known Laws as a rule of direction to guide and lead them to give Judgement accordingly and they can produce a commission whereby they are impowered to put the same in execution but so canst not thou Whereby it is evident that thou hast not cognizance or lawful authority to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women Therefore thou art no true and competent Judge in that matter take notice of that 2. Thou goes not by so certain a Rule when thou presumes to pass the sentence of death and damnation upon the souls and bodies of men as the Judges of the Land do when they give judgement according to Law for Cook upon the confirmation of the Charters of the Liberties of England saith This Clause is worthy to be written in Letters of Gold viz. That our Justices Sheriffs Mayors and other Ministers which under us have the Laws of the Land to guide them shall allow the said Charters in all their points which shall come before them in Judgement and here it is to be observed That the Laws are the Judges Guides and Leaders according to that old Rule Lex est exercitus Judicum viz. The Law is the Judges Army Tutissimus Doctor Viz. The safest Teacher Or Lex est optimus Judicis Synagogus viz. Their best Synagogue And Lex est tutissimus Cassis viz. Their safest fortress There is an old Legal word saith he called Guidagium viz. Guidage which signifieth an Office of guiding Travellers through dangerous and unknown ways Here it appeareth that the Laws of the Realm hath this office to guide the Judges in all causes that come before them in the wayes of right Justice who never yet mis-guided any man that certainly knew them and truly followed them Cook part 2. Inst fol. 566. Whereby it is apparent That the Judges of the Land have certain outward known Laws as a Rule of direction to guide and lead them to Judgement when they give it according to Law but thon Lodowick hast no certain outward known Laws either of God or the Land as a Rule of direction to guide thee in the ways of right Justice and to lead thee to give judgment upon the bodies of men accordingly whereby it is evident thou hast nothing to do to pass the sentence of death and damnation upon them And the souls in the Fathers hands thou hast nothing to do withal neither dost thou go by so certain a Rule to give judgement upon the bodies of men as the Judges of the Land do when they give judgement according to Law Mind how thou art confuted and taken with a
if he owned Moses Law and if he had denyed it then they would had an occasion against him which they sought for They pleaded Fact saying Master This woman was taken in Adultery in the very act Joh. 8.4 Then they pleaded Law saying Now Moses in the Law commanded that such should be stoned Joh. 8.5 But what saist thou This they said tempting of him that they might have to accuse him John 8.6 And they continued asking of him John 8.7 shewing how earnest they were to have had an accusation against him they tempted him for that very end and to see if he would deny putting Moses Law in execution upon that woman which they had taken in Adultery and brought before him to accuse unto him But Jesus himself who was chief Judge ordained of God and had power or authority given him to execute judgement John 5.22 27. he did neither accuse the offender nor countenance those bloody accusers that brought her before him though they pleaded both Law and Fact unto him as aforesaid who teacheth by his example in that case That it is not the duty of a Court to accuse any though a known offender nor to countenance bloody accusers but rather to mollifie their rigour as Christ did in the same case who in great wisdom answered their question and said unto them He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her Joh. 8.7 or put Moses Law in execution upon her but those accusers were none of them without sin because they sinned in tempting of Christ and the Witness of God in their own conscience testified the same unto them whereby they were convicted and thereupon went out one by one beginning at the eldest even unto the last and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst John 8. ver 9. First By which wise answer of his he put a stop to their cruelty against the offender and thereby he delivered her from their cruelty and took her into his mercy who knew better how to deal with her then they would have had him Secondly He by that gracious wise answer unto them put a stop to their subtilty and crost their intent which they had in their minds in their temptation against him Thirdly He hath shewed by that wise answer unto them That criminal persons are no competent Judges to condemn others for that which themselves are guilty of 4. He also by that wise answer unto them preserved himself out of their snare for he thereby owned Moses Law in its time and place which if he had then denyed they thought to have had an occasion against him or whereof to have accused him and having preserved himself out of their snare and taken the woman sinner out of their cruelty into his mercy as aforesaid He then as a gracious and merciful Judge looked upon her with an eye of compassion saying Woman where are all those thine accusers Hath no man condemned thee Joh. 8.10 She answered and said No man Lord. And Jesus to manifest his mercy and the pardoning power which remained with the God-head he said Neither do I condemn thee go and sin no more Joh. 8.10 11. And as a merciful Judge he forgave her that offence and set her free and gave her commend to abstain from sin for the time to come saying Go and sin no more as much as to say let mercy held forth in forgiving thy offence that is past engage thy heart against sin and unto God for the time to come But though thou Lodowick pretend to be the chief Judge in the World thy example doctrine and practice teacheth quite contrary to the doctrine and example of Christ whereby it appears and is plainly made manifest That thou art not ordained chief Judge in his stead First Thy Example Doctrine and Practice teacheth to be both Judge Accuser and Witness contrary to the Law of God and the Law of the Land Secondly To condemn at a distance without any due course of Law or orderly proceedings before thou have the parties and their Accusers face to face before thee to hear what they can say Thirdly To condemn at will and pleasure contrary to any known Law either of God or the Land 4. It teacheth not the preservation of any known Law but rather the destruction of all known Laws both of God and the land 5. Thy example doctrine and practice teacheth to condemn the bodies of men and women without any known law either of God or the land as a rule of direction to guide and lead in the ways of right Justice to give judgement upon them accordingly Lastly Thou teachest thereby That if judgement or sentence be given pronounced or past though never so contrary to truth it ought not to be redressed or reversed undone and holden for nothing which is quite contrary to the law of the land And we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth Rom. 2.2 but thine is not so whereby it is evident that it is not the judgement of God It appears and is evident first That thou art an unlawful Judge because thou presumes to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women without cognizance or lawful Authority so to do 2. That thou art a foolish unwise Judge because thou passest the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and woman at a distance from thee without having them and their answers face to face before thee Thirdly That thou art an unjust Judge because thou passest the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women contrary to truth without any known laws either of God or the Land as a Rule of direction to guide and lead thee in the ways of right justice to give judgement upon them accordingly 4. That thou art a cruel unmerciful Judge because if thy sentence be once pronounced and past though it be never so erroneous and false thou wouldst have it impossible for any God to reverse and undo the same or to deliver therefrom Seeing that it is so it remains certainly true That thou art no true and competent Judge neither ordained of God nor man to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women and it remains as true That the souls in the Father's hand thou hast nothing to do withal First Because Christ giveth to them eternal life and they shall never perish John 10.28 Secondly Because no man is able to pluck them out of the Father's hand as it is written John 10.29 And thirdly Because the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against them Likewise it remains true That thou art not the chosen Witness of the Spirit of Truth and that thou hast not received thy pretended Commission from the God of Truth to do as thou hast done and pretendest to do by colour thereof First Because thou denies Almighty God himself Secondly Because thou denies Christ Jesus of his Offices Thirdly Because thou denies him of his Officers
lye in thy mouth Behold how the pretended most knowing and wisest of men is taken in his own craftiness Let no man deceive himself for the wisdom of this World is foolishness with God for it is written He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and again The Lord knoweth the thoughts of tht wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3 18 19 20. Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth thou art taken with the words of thy mouth Prov. 6 2. The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips Prov. 12.13 and so art thou take notice of that 3. Thou goes not by so certain a Rule to give judgment and sentence of death and damnation upon the souls and bodies of men as the Judges of the Land do when they give judgement according to Law for by the Law which is a Rule of direction to them it is enacted That no man from thenceforth shall be attached by any accusation nor fore-adjudged of Life nor Limb c. against the form of the great Charter and the Law of the Land 5 Edw. 3.25 Edw. 3. Cook part 2. Inst fol. 48. But thou Lodowick fore-judges the souls and bodies of men from the presence of God elect men and Angels to Eternity contrary to the Law of God and the Law of the Land whereby it appears that thou goes by no Legal Rule neither according to the Law of the Land nor the Law of God for thou saist That the sentence and curse which thou pronouncest upon the souls and bodies of men is not from the Scriptures or Light within then not according to the Law of God and as before is proved it is quite contrary to the Law of the Land What then is thy Rule of direction to give judgement upon the souls and bodies of men seeing thou pretends to be the chief Judge in the World and gives not thy judgement and sentence according to the Law of God Produce us thy Law and commission if thou canst now thou art put to it for thou neither goes by the Law of God either without or within nor by so certain a Rule as the Judges of the Land do when they give judgement according to Law therefore thou goes not according to the Law of the Land and it is evident That thou goes not according to the Law of God as aforesaid Seeing then that the Judges of the Land have certain outward known Laws as a rule of direction to guide and lead them to give judgement upon the bodies of men and an outward commission to impower them to put the same in execution and thou pretends to be a Judge to pass the sentence of death upon men and women and pretends in so doing to go by as certain a Rule as the Judges of the Land do when they give judgment according to Law and hast no certain known Laws either of God or the Land as thy rule of direction to guide and lead thee in the ways of right justice to give judgement upon them nor can manifest no true commission to put any known Law in execution It remains certainly true That thou art no competent Judg to pass the sentence of death upon men and women thy pretended Authority is but an usurped thing whereby thou wouldst destroy and oppresse them and it 's said That every oppression against Law by colour of any usurped Authority is a kind of destruction and it is the worst oppression that is done by colour of office Cook 2. par Inst fol. 48. And thy proceedings are no better then oppression against Law both of God and the Land and is done by colour of Office under pretence of chief Judge and in obedience to thy pretended Commission Therefore the acts of injustice done by thee in condemning the souls and bodies of men as aforesaid is oppression against Law and the worst kind of destruction And if injustice be so hateful a thing in the eye of the Law that it deserves to have judgement in a high measure turned backward upon it especially when it is done by colour of office to make the parties offending examples to others that Justice may also turn back into its course how much more hateful a thing is iujustice then in the eye of the Lord especially when it is done by colour of Office Doth it not deserve to have his just and righteous judgement in a high measure turned backward upon it to make the parties offending examples to others that they may fear to do the like and that his Justice may stand and remain in its course but we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things Rom. 2.1 2. And by the Law of God it is declared That if a false witness do but rise up against a man to testifie against him that which is wrong then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the Lord and before the Judge that shall be in those dayes and the Judge as his duty is shall make diligent inquisition to find out the truth or falshood of the evidence and behold if the Witness be found out to be a false Witness and hath testified falsly against his brother then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother so shalt thou put away the evil from among you and those which remain shall hear and fear and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you thine eye shall not pity but life shall go for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand Deut. 19.15 16 17 18 19 20 21. or the like judgment was to be executed on a false Witness that had been due to the nature of the offence of him that he was an evidence against if his Testimony given in evidence against him had been true whereby God hath signified his high displeasure against injustice done by colour of office for if a false evidence had been taken for truth and the judgement grounded upon the evidence it had been false judgment as thine is and false judgement is not owned by the Law of God who commands to execute true judgement and to shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother Zech. 7.9 Mic. 6.8 and forbids to wrest judgement Exod. 23.6 saying also by way of command Thou shalt not raise a false report put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous Witnesse Exo. 23.1 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement Exo. 23.2 Keep thee far from a false matter the innocent and righteous slay thou not for I will not justifie the wicked Exo. 23.7 Likewise see Moses charge to the Judges Deut. 1.16 17. they were commanded to judge the people with just judgement Deut. 16.18 they were forbidden to wrest judgement and were not to pervert the words of the righteous Deut. 16.19 And that which is
Truth Ascended OR The Annointed and Sealed of God defended IN AN ANSWER Written by Richard Farnsworth AS A TESTIMONY AGAINST A Conterfeit Commission And all Injustice and false Judgement done and pronounced under pretence of the same LONDON Printed in the Year 1663. Truth ascended or the Annointed and sealed of God defended c. Lodowick Muggleton THough thou pretend to be the chosen Witness of the Spirit and the last that ever shall speak by Commission from God and to be the chief Judge in the World ordained of God to give sentence upon men and women spiritual and eternal and what shall become of them after death and saist That in obedience to thy Commission thou hast already cursed and damned many hundreds of people both body and soul from the presence of God elect men and Angels to Eternity and pretend'st to go by as certain Rule in so doing as the Judges of the Land do when they give Judgement according to Law and saist That no infinite Spirit of Christ nor any God can or shall be able to deliver from thy sentence and curse c. as appears in a Sheet of paper dated Aug. 10. 1662. written by thee in answer to Edward Bourns to Dorothy Carter and also four sheets dated Novemb. 3. 1662. written by thee and directed to Thomas Highfield in Nottingham for Samuel Hooton and W. S. I am bold on the behalf of the Lord once again to bear my Testimony against thee and against thy pretended Commission and the Doctrine thereof and shall make it appear that it ought not to be entertained by any man or woman upon earth because it is contrary to truth and that thy judgment ought by all to be reversed undone and made void because it is contrary to truth and that thy judgement ought by all to be reversed undone and made void because it is erroneous and false for thou art no chosen Witnesse of the Spirit of Truth neither hast thou received any Commission from Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witnesse as hereafter appears 1. That there were chosen Witnesses of Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witnesse is certainly true Acts 10.38 39 40 41. Acts 5.31 32. Acts 1.8 2. That they had a Commission from Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness or that he Commanded them to preach to the people is as true Acts 10.42 But that thou either art or dost so I do deny 3. They who were chosen Witnesses of Christ whom God the Father annointed sealed and sent and had a Commission from the Spirit and Power of Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness in testifying on the behalf of Christ their Testimony stands as an evidence against thy pretended Commission and the Doctrine thereof because they say on the behalf of Christ that he commanded them to preach to the people and to testifie to them that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 10.43 But thou dost not so by thy pretended Commission and the Doctrine thereof who instead of preaching to the people and testifying to them that Christ is chief Judge ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead thou wouldst dis-throne him to set up thy self in his stead whereby it appears That thou art not a chosen Witness of the Spirit of Truth and that thy pretended Commission is a counterfeit thing by which thou presumes to give judgement contrary to Truth which makes it evident That thy doctrine and judgement is false and being so it ought not to be entertained or received by any but to be denied and against testified by all that love the Lord Jesus 4. By their Commission they were to preach to the people and by the same Commission and the Doctrine thereof they were to testifie to them that Christ was ordained of God to be the Judge both of quick and dead but thou art not Christ to whom all the Prophets gave witness therefore it is evident that thou art not chief Judge ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead though thou presume to say that the dead after death shall never see any other God or Judge but the remembrance of that sentence which you the pretended Witnesses of the Spirit did pass upon them in this life which is a false Doctrine and contrary to the Doctrine of Truth left upon record in Scripture where it is said That the Father hath given authority to the Son to execute judgement and all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation as it is written John 5.26 27 28 29. and Christ shall give judgement upon them Matth. 25.31 32 33 34.41.46 And as thou wouldst exclude Christ from that great office and work and assume it to thy self so thou wouldst exclude his Officers and deny him of them to set up thy self alone in their places and stead because thou falsly saith No man knows the Scriptures but thy self and that no man can truly interpret the Scriptures but thy self and that none ought to officiate the Office of a Minister Messenger or Ambassador of Christ but such as are appointed by John Reeves and thy self which assertions or doctrines of thine are false and not true for this I say That the only knowledge and right of interpreting Scriptures belongs not to thy self but to the Lord Jesus and his blessed Spirit who is the true Judge and hath power to open mens understandings and can give them the true knowledge and right understanding of Scriptures Luke 24 32. 24.45 And the Gospel is preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven as it is written 1 Pet. 1.11 12. and the holy Ghost hath a true power and right Authority without John Reeves and thy self to make overseers over the Flock of God to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Acts 20.28 and to appoint Ministers Messengers or Ambassadors of Christ and to call to the work of the Ministry Acts 13.2 4. And they who by the Holy Ghost are called to the Work of the Ministry may with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven preach the Gospel without the appointment of John Reeves and thy self Take notice of that for as every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God if any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ as it is written and left upon Record in Scripture 1 Pet. 4 10 11. 5. The chosen Witnesses of Christ who had a Commission
altogether just they were commanded to follow Deut. 16.20 But thou dost not so 1. Consider then that thou hast not only done injustice both in the eye of the Law and of the Lord but also thou hast done the same by colour of office First in the eye of the Law thou hast done it because thou presumes to pass the sentence of Death upon the bodies of men and women as a pretended Judge and hast no certain outward known Laws as a rule of Direction to guide thee in the ways of right Justice to give judgement upon them nor can produce no commission to put any known Law in execution or impower thee so to do and are therefore no competent Judge in that matter And secondly injustice in the eye of the Lord thou hast done and also by colour of office under pretence of chief Judge in the world and by a pretended commission of the Spirit pretended to be received from a God without thee that spake thou saist by voice of words to the hearing of the ear 2. Consider the nature of thy offence how far it extends it self and that is to pass the sentence of eternal death and damnation both upon the bodyes and souls of men and women and that to Eternity 3. Consider that thy injustice done by colour of office deserves to have a punishment proportionable to the offence and can the offence in the eye of the Lord be any less then sin against the Holy Ghost because thou hast pretended to do it in the Name of the Holy Ghost and so wouldst make the holy Ghost the Author of thy offence which it is not And seeing thou art guilty of sin against the holy Ghost there is a punishment already proportioned for such an offence and also thou art punishable by the Law of the Land for presuming under pretence of a commission and as a Judge to pass the sentence of death upon the bodies of men and women and pretends to go by as certain a rule in so doing as the Judges of the Land do when they give Judgement according to Law which thou hast no cognizance or right unto neither hast thou done so as before I have proved and I had not medled with the outward Laws of the Land but that I have such a pretended chief Judge to deal with to shew him his folly and injustice done by colour of office as I have done thee which thou Lodowick maist for ever be ashamed of for presumptuously doing as thou hast done who hast also erred in thy judgement and hast given it contrary to truth and against the Law of the Land And it 's said That if any Judgement be given contrary to the points of the great Charter it shall be undone and holden for nought 25 Ed. 1 2. and by a Statute made Anno 25. Ed. 3. it is declared That if any thing be done against the Law it shall be redressed and holden for none as thine is and is therefore reversed undone and holden for nought Take notice of that And whereas thou saist That in obedience to thy Commission thou hast already cursed and damned many hundreds of people both soul and body to eternity I say the greater is thy presumption and sin who hast no Right nor Authority to do the same thy judgement is contrary to truth and is against the Law of God and the Law of the Land and is therefore reversed and holden for none as aforesaid Whereas thou saist That no infinite spirit of Christ nor any God can or shall be able to deliver from thy sentence and curse I say That is false or no less then blasphemy and there is a punishment due to the nature of the offence Thou hast hereby denied Christ as he is the Advocate with the Father and the propitiation for the sins of the whole World 1 John 2.1 2. What a miserable condition art thou in And how great is thy sin of presumption and folly Wouldst thou have the great King of Heaven the Lord who is a great God and a King above all Gods Psal 95.3 and Christ Jesus who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 to commit their whole power solely to thee who may abuse it as thou hast done under pretence of a Commission and reserve no power in the Eternal God-head to pardon offences committed against them and preserve and save poor penitent offendors by shewing mercy unto them and forgiving of them And wouldst thou have no power reserved in the Eternal Godhead to correct and punish thee and such as thou art for abusing the Power and People of God as thou hast done Wouldst thou make the Eternal Power and Godhead inferior to the Kings of the Earth Do not they reserve a pardoning and punishing power in themselves besides what they give to their Judges by their commission But notwithstanding thy pretended Commission false Judgement and Doctrine This I affirm on the behalf of the Lord and the Eternal God-head That there is a pardoning and a punishing power in them reserved beyond thy pretended Commission First as to the pardoning power it is declared by them that were sent of the Lord God and his Spirit saying Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Seeing it is so it remains certainly true that there is a pardoning power reserved and remains in the Eternal God-head and it also remains true That the unrighteous and wicked upon the forsaking of their evil thoughts and wicked ways and returning to the Lord according to his requirings are objects of mercy and pardonable as aforesaid which is contrary to thy false doctrine and judgement Secondly As to the pardoning power that remains in the God-head is manifested in Christ whom God the Father hath exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto Israel and forgiveness of sins and we are his Witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him Acts 5.31 32. Thirdly Christ Jesus who is the chief Judge ordained of God to judge the quick and the dead Acts 10.40 41 42. he hath manifested the pardoning power that remains with the God-head by shewing of mercy and forgiving offences The Scribes and the Pharisees sought an occasion against him because he was merciful and forgave sins and they took a woman-sinner and brought her to Christ and set her in the midst First They brought her before Christ and set her as an offender before the Judge Secondly They accused her unto him of the act of Adultery John 8.1 2 3 4. Thirdly They pleaded both Law and Fact to make their case good and to have shut up Christ's mercy and compassion against her to have moved him to give judgment upon her who it's like thought he could not otherwise have done