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
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
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