of all Controversies and sole and absolute and only Judge of all Matters of Faith and of all Matters that âver have been or ever shall be in Controversie to the End of the VVorld without the Spirit of God neither am I of that ignorant Mind as some are that the Letter and the Spirit are inseparable as that whosoever hath the Scripture must needs have the Spirit or whosoever hath the Scripture must needs be infallible without the Spirit all that are of the aforesaid Judgment are but VVranglers for the most Part about VVords and Contenders against the Power of God and Godliness and bring the VVords to oppose the Life and them that have the Spirit and walk in it for a natural man may read the Scriptures and yet not perceive the things of God neither perceive the Mind of the Spirit but wrest to their own Destruction as Peter saith because they are unlearned and untaught by the Spirit 's Teaching though otherwise learned enough in Languages Tongues and Speeches Secondly Yet I cannot detract from them neither undervalue them or dis-esteem them as uncertain or of no Use or of little Use but whatever themselves declare themselves to be that I own them to be to wit the Words of God the Words of Christ the Words of the holy Prophets and Patriarchs and Apostles who were endued with the holy Ghost and spake forth the Scripture as they were moved thereby in several Ages of several things and unto several States and Conditions as they were led thereto by the holy Spirit and they are a certain Declaration of things that were done and believed and practised by the Jews under the first Covenant and by the Apostles and primitive Christians in the New Covenant and contain many precious and holy Precepts and Commands Doctrines Examples Exhortations Admonitions Reproofs and Instructions and are as lively Examples and holy Patterns for all the Saints in Light to follow by which we are given to understand what Faith what Hope what Patience what Love what Mercy what Long-Sufferings what Consolation what Virtue and what Inheritance the Saints in Light were made Partakers of through Faith in Christ Jesus likewise what Doctrines were held forth and what Practice they used in the primitive times when they walked in the Order of the Gospel and had Fellowship with God the Father and the Son and one with another in the Light of the Gospel which is the Power of God through which they witnessed Salvation Remission of Sins and published it unto others that they might believe Thirdly The Scriptures testifie of Christ and were written that they might be believed and received and read that thereby every one that believed might be made wise to Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. and instructed in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished with all good Works and whosoever doth teach any Doctrines contrary unto the holy Men of God who spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God which dwelt in them the Scriptures are Witnesses against such that they have not the Spirit of God but are led by another Spirit which brings forth contrary Doctrine and another Faith then was once delivered among the Saints and whosoever brings in sets up other Precepts Constitutions Orders and Practices in Point of Worship in Opposition and contrary unto those Practices which were held forth in the primitive times and would set up other Traditions then the Apostles delivered either by Word or VVriting such are manifest to have the Spirit of Error and are Innovators and Bringers in of other things as necessary in Point of VVorship among Christians which the Apostles and Ministers of Christ did not see necessary then and yet they wanted no Part of the Counsel of God for Paul said He had declared the whole Counsel of God and furthermore they said We have the Mind of Christ and Christ's Mind is not variable Fourthly Though divers of the VVritings of the Prophets and Apostles be lost doubtless as is evident by divers Places of Scripture yet blessed be God that there are those preserved which do bear VVitness of the one thing absolutely necessary unto Salvation of the Ministrations that were appointed of the Lord for the Church of God to observe both in the first and second Covenants so that Christians of this last Age are not lest without Example and President which all ought to have an Eye unto and a diligent Regard and though there be divers Copies of that which is called the Original Tongue and divers Translations yet he unto whom the Spirit of God is given and waiteth in the Measure of Christ's Light shall receive it doth âee and shall see the Mind and VVill of God in every Age and the Mind and Intent of the Spirit in them that spoke forth the Scripture and can receive the Matter therein contained as though they had heard them speak that spoke it at the first and though the Translators were Men yet I have such an honourable Esteem of their Labour that I believe they have not varied wittingly and willingly from the best Copies that were extant in their Age neither that they were altogether void of the Spirit of God in such a good VVork which conduced to the Benefit of Mankind but were assisted by it for so good VVork and there be many Figures and Tropas Improprieties of Speech Mysteries and Diââiculties yet all these come to be made easie and plain to them that are Witnesses of the same Spirit that gave them forth and though there be Diversity of Judgments Professions of Religion one clashing against another thwarting and contradicting another all will seem to bring the Scripture for their Proof which yet cannot maintain and prove every thing good especially when their Doctrines contradict one another this is granted it is only their private Interpretation and not the Scripture and for Wânt ãâã âhât Spirit that gave it forth for that alone gives the true Understanding of iâ and they that are without this are like to kill one another about Words and Names Sounds Tittles and Jottas but still want the Key that opens and gives an Entrance into the Knowledge of the things of God which alone is the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures Last of all R. E. after he saith The three former Props which are the Basis of the whole Foundation and glided over as slightly as he possible could although he hath never stated the Matter right indeed as to remove all things out of his Way which might hinder him in his Cause which he drives so hard on in to wit to set up a certain Company or Multitude of men Visible and Universal as he saith to be the only infallible Judge to convey Faith to the World and to be the certain and infallible Judge in all Matters that either pertain to the Worship of God and to be believed under Pain of Damnation as
the first Covenant which pertained to the changeable Part that was above the Seed but they typed forth more heavenly Things which were to be revealed in due Time and when the Seed came to be manifested and raised up they had an End and the Cloud passed away and the Day did spring forth in Clearness and he brought forth which restored all that believe unto God viz. Christ Jesus then did God more clearly manifest himself in the Earth through his Son who had the Will of the Father and declared it who rent the Vail and put an End to the Shadows and blotted out the Hand-writing and ended the Types and Figures and all that believed in him who was the End of them and the Sum of all he overthrew the Nature in them which was changeable unto which they pertained until the Time of Reformation which was when he was sacrificed up a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World and they that did believe and received him came to be the Sons of God and declared the Mind of God as it was revealed and as the Spirit gave Utterance and many did believe and did grow up and became of one Heart Mind and Soul and worshipped God with one Accord and in the Spirit and in the Power of the Father and separated from the Jewish Worship and the Form thereof and met together in the Power of God and glorified God and spoke of the Things of his Kingdom unto all that waited for it freely and the Lord was honoured by them and glorified in them But soon after the Mystery of Godliness was brought forth the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and opposed the Work of the Lord and transformed into the Similitude and outward Appearance and Form and yet lived in the Flesh and there began to be an Apostacy and a Deviation from that Glory and Power which was once revealed and Anti-christ wrought with Signs and lying Wonders and got the Words and hated the Life and Power and them that appeared in it and then they that were under his Government and Reign hated the Reign of Christ and said in their Hearts We will not have him to rule over us though in Words they confess him and then persecuted and drove the true Church into the Wilderness and set up Imitations and Inventions and Traditions and vain Customs which they have called Apostolical and holy Institutions which are contrary unto primitive Institutions and Ordinances only brought in by them when Darkness began to spread over the Earth when the Bishops in the first three hundred Years after Christ began to contend about Dayes and Times and Meats and Drinks and Rome began to claim Superiority over all Churches call'd Christian the Pope became as a Law-giver I have led thee through divers Ages and Times as briefly as possible may be to single out the Original and Beginning of those things and who were the first Ordainers of them betwixt this and the Apostles Dayes which are now accounted as holy Institutions The State and Glory of the true Church in this Treatise thou wilt see before the Apostacy and the State in the Apostacy how she fled into the Wilderness and how Mystery-Babylon was raised and the false Church called her self visible many of her Doctrines and Practices which are contrary to the primitive Church are here discovered and the Authors and Formers made known whereby thou may'st come to see a Difference in the Ordinances of the true Church and the Traditions and Inventions of the false Church which are too much contended for in this Day by them who say They are come to the true Reformation according to the Primitive Times but thou wilt see as thou comparest their Practices with the Primitive times to be quite contrary and to be but Smoak and that which has darkened the Air clouded Peoples Understandings and hath led them into Ignorance and Darkness so that the Way of Truth hath not been discovered unto many but the Lord is arisen and that which comprehends time is made manifest and all that which hath got up in the Apostacy is viewed and seen and laid open to the View of all that they may depart out of these things which are but the Inventions and Traditions of Men in which Eternal Life is not to be had Read with Meekness and in that which is spiritual in thy self through which the things of God are made manifest for with that I have Unity and in that as thou livest and walkest I bid thee farewell F. H. The principal Heads treated upon in this following DISCOURSE 1. THE State of the Church from the Manifestation of Christ in the Flesh to the End of the Apostles briefly discovered 2. The entring in of the Apostacy and the Declination from that Purity and Doctrine Worship and Practice downward unto this present Age and Time 3. The Reformed and Separated Congregations called Parochial proved in the Apostacy compared with the Primitive Times in Worship and Practice 4. A few Words unto all how they may come out of the Apostacy to the true Church which is in God the Lamb's Wife 5. Concerning Baptizing or sprinkling Infants 6. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parishes and Parochial Churches 7. Concerning Swearing by the Gospel as it is called and Kissing the Book and Bishoping of Children the first Authors shewn 8. Concerning Fasts and Feasts and Holy Dayes their Institutions and Foundeâs in the Apostacy 9. Concerning Priests Vestures and Garments and Bells their Authors Shewen which are Practised amongst Christians as Apostolick Institutions 10. Concerning the Mattens and singing of Psalms by Course in Musical Tunes and Supplications and short Prayers called Letanies their Authors shewn 11. Concerning the Passover and the Lord's Supper and the Ceremonies about it 12. Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and under the Gospel 13. Concerning the Ten Persecutions under the Heathen Emperours and how divers Vain Traditions and Institutions got up among the Christians in those Times and Constitution among the East and Western Churches after the Apostacy was entered in the first 300 400 Years after Christ. 14. Of the Decrees of the Church of Rome and Ordinances which are held as Apostolick Institutions 15. Concerning the General Councils since the Apostles Dayes which belonged to the Church of Rome their Decrees not infallible but are contradicting one another 16. Concerning the Worship of God and whether Kings and Rulers ought to compel in Spiritual Things declared and some Scriptures cleared and divers Objections answered about this Thing 17. Concerning Oathes in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the Unlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in the Gospel-times though the Apostates mingle Ordinances of both together 18. Tythes in their first Institutions unto whom they were one according to the Command of God declared and that Tythes are no Way lawful to be received neither sought for by any who are Ministers of the
insomuch that many Papists abhor the very Name and Mention of it and to the Death withstand the bringing in of this Slavery amongst them the Extremity and Rigor of this Inquisition until the year· 1609. In Philip the third King of Spain's Time notwithstanding though the Moors did make a Shew of the Papists Religion because of the Inquisition yet eleven hundred thousand of them were forced to quit the Country it was so dreadful And all these kind of Ordinances and Institutions before-mentioned compare them with the Scriptures and the Cruelty and Severity which hath been exercised towards them who could not receive them none who have their Eyes open in any Measure but must needs conclude that all this is in the Apostacy and so all who profess Reformation flee from these things and from this Spirit and from this Church who forces and kills all them that oppose who are under his Power and why should any plead for the holding up of those Practices as good and warrantable whereas so many have been killed about them and so many have been led from the Life and Power of Godliness while they received and practised these humane Inventions and vain and customary Traditions for the Doctrine of Christ and for Apostolick Ordinances and must it not needs be concluded them who would tye People up and bind Men to observe such and such things as are mentioned before in this Book and persecute for not observing that they are they who draw back to Perdition and keep People from laying hold upon eternal Life Many more vain Practices and Doctrines which have been brought in since the Apostles Dayes might be mentioned but in that which is said already the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy both in Life Doctrine and Practice from the Apostles Time downward until now and that which is called the Catholick Church in Rome is in it and likewise divers of them who are separated from her stick too much in these Things because of the Custom Tradition and Antiquity of them In part I have shewn their Antiquity and their Rise and also shewn that which is more ancient then they from which they have swerved to the Intent that all may come out of Babylon and drink no more of the Cup nor buy no more of the Merchandize nor wear no more the Harlots Cognizance nor the false Churches Attire but that all may come to see before this Heap of dark Confusion and beyond the vain Obervations which have been introduced which make no Man through the Observation thereof more acceptable unto God but rather two-fold more like Children of the wicked one who abode not in the Truth CHAP. XIV Something further of the Decrees and Ordinances of the Church of Rome which are holden out for Apostolical Ordinances POpe Paul about the Year 757. condemned the Council at Constantinople for condemning worshipping of Images he wrote a Book of the worshipping and Utility of Images calling them the Lay-mens Calender Pope Adrian about the Year 770. cloathed the Image of St. Peter with Silver and covered the Altar of St. Paul with a pall of Gold and condemned them for Hereticks who kept Peter and Paul's Doctrine which declared against Idols Pope Nicholas about the Year 858. enlarged the Popes Decrees equalling them to the Writings of the Apostles he decreed that Service should be said in Latine And although by the Emperor the Pope was first elected yet now having got Head did climb up so high in Power and Pride and Arrogancy endeavoured that no Emperor should be crown'd without his Leave in Germany And Pope Clement the fifth excommunicated Andronicus Peleogus Emperor of Constantinople as an Heretick because he would not suffer the Greek Church to appeal to Rome And when any Kings or Princes had displeased him he hath excommunicated them and given away their Kingdoms to some other teaching their People to rebel and also instigating other Princes to make War against them and to kill one another for trifles and if any displeased him he caused many Kings to do Penance and to pay great Sums of Money to get an absolution from Excommunication and the Rule and Power of the Empire which gave him first his being to be Universal Bishop and to be called Pope he hath raised War often against and if he like not the Election of the Emperour he hath deposed them and one he brought into such Subjection that he caused him to hold his Sirrop a thing that the Emperour was not accustomed with he happened to hold it on the wrong side for which he received a sharp Reproof by his holiness Likewise some difference being between Pope Innocent the fourth in the Year 1250. and the Emperour Frederick the second the Pope would not be Reconciled though the King of France strongly interceeded and offered full satisfaction for all pretended Wrongs would go out of his Empire if the Pope could not endure him there never to return into Europe again so as that his Son with the Popes Approbation might but Succeed him in the Empire which the Pope would not do And how England and divers Nations have been troubled with his Oppression is well known and what exactions and great sums of Money âhere have been enhausted and squeezed out of his Dominions where he ãâã Power the Nations well remember to maintain the Pride of his Court at Rome which abounded with all manner of Vitiousness insomuch that it was grown to that height that Vincentius Clement the Popeâ Legate said it was now too late and past reforming But to take the Legate's own words as follow against his Master the Pope and his Court W. H. in his Book called a Description of England in the 136 page saith thus that this Vincentius Clement in the year 1452. being Legate for the Pope was here in England about the Pope's business and hearing that the Clergy had given the King two tenths for the repaying âf his losses which he had sustained in France and for the recovering of Bourdeaux this Legate Vincentius coming into the Convocation House he earnestly required the Clergy to be no less favourable to their Spiritual Father the Pope and their Mother the See of Rome then they had been to his vassal and inferiour meaning the King and in his Speech in the Convocation he shewed them how that his Holiness the Pope was much disturbed and daily in danger of his Life by Cut-throats Varlots and Harlots which did much abound as he said in Rome but the Clergy in the Convocation slighted his Speech and said how should we contribute towards the Suppression of such whereas he and such as you continually uphold them I grant saith the Legate that there wanteth just Reformation of many Things in the City of Rome which should have been made sooner but now is it too late and past reforming never the less I beseech you send the Legate to write unto his holiness the Pope to request him that
Ishmael Judas and all the Seed of Evil-doers as well as the Image of Christ or Peter Paul or Mary for any thing that they know which they have but received by Story and is but as Old Wives Fables which Paul to Timothy reproved And hath the Church of Rome no better Thing to put them in Mind of the Saints Life then a dead Picture or Image made by the Hand of the Crafts-man upon a Wall or a Board or Parchment or Paper this is Idolatry for Christ promised to his Disciples and to the true Church That he would send his Spirit to lead them into all Truth which is an invisible Thing and to bring to Remembrance whatever Christ had spoken and whatsoever was necessary as to Salvation whether the Saints Life and holy Practices which they lived in or whatsoever else as conduced to their Peace and Justification with God and what Images did God make Use of to shew his Miracles by This is but an old Fable formed by the Apostate Christians whose Minds are turned after Shadows and vain Shews and are erred from the invisible Life and worship the Works of mens Hands 2. Though Moâes did put off his Shoe 's according to the command of the Lord where God appeared in Power and Glory to him What is this to your purpose as to Create and form places and Consecrate them as Holy and then command Reverence and Honour unto them this is but to Worship the work of your own Hands and though David say in the 99 Psal. 5 vers Exalt the Lord God and worship at his foot-Stool for he is Holy What of all this doth God call Reliques or Images his Foot-stool And if the Author do judge that it was spoken of Zion and Jerusalem outward where Aaron and the rest of the Priests Worshipped doth not Christ say It âs not at Jerusalem c. But they that âorship God Worship him in spirit and Truth What! doth not the Church of Rome profess Christianity and Apostolick Doctrine and will now turn Jews or âmitaters of them What is Rome Jerusalem or Zion And must Pictures invented and dead Pieces of Bones and Wood be recommended unto the Nations as holy things This is contrary to the Apostolick Church and with the Life of God is judged and the Life of the Saints whom you honour in Words and make Pictures of and worship the Works of your own Hands and Crucifie the Life where-ever it appears that they lived in and teach a contrary Doctrine 3. Confession may be made in Words of the true God and talk may be of his wonderous Works and yet People Idolâters the church of the Jews who acknowledge the true God and had seen and heard of his wonderous works they eat and drank and rose up to Play and these were Idolaters and such is the church of Rome who take Peoples minds up with Garments and Vestments with Altars and Canales with Crucifixes and Agnus Dei with Images formed by Painters with a piece of Bread called a Holy Host and Eucharist an Unbloody Sacrâfice who neglect the Life and him that is the Head of the Body and his witness in their Hearts and consciences and lead them to worship and honour visible and carnal things and to busie their minds in the exercise of outward things which profit little or nothing at all and so are Idolaters Worshipping the works of your own Hands which Christ and the Apostolick church bore Testimony against for that which the creature's mind goes out after besides or without that which may be known of God in the Heart is made an Idol of and the true God is not minded and them that Honour God's Friends and Saints walk in their Foot steps live their Life and honour their sayings but your church is contrary who would Kill and have killed about these invented Fopperies which is contrary to the Apostles Doctrine God accepts not Prayers by number or tale nor for multitude of Words which are without understanding and without the Spirit this Christ counted as Evil and reprehended the Pharisees and said It was like the vain repetitions of the Heathen who thought to be heard for their much babling and the Salutation which the Angel gave to Mary is no prayer And that which is called the Apostles Creed is no prayer and them that are unconverted unto God may prattle and prate over the Words in the unbelief and never have any acceptance of God And though the Prophet did pray seven times a day it was according to the motion of God's Spirit in his own Heart which shewed him his State and necessity and what is this to imitators when they pray not with the same Spirit neither in the same words And what if Mary lived threescore and three Years who gave commandment that Hail Mary should be said threescore and three times over The rest of the Saints are like to have but small shares of worship and honour if she go with all this in a day And what five wounds is that which the Church of Rome dreams of that five Pater Nosters must be said for the honour of With Deceit and Ignorance you wound him every day and your Pater-Nosters do not honor him at all pattred ãâã over with your polluted Lips who are given to speak Lyes and yoâr Tongues to speak Mischief which Christ accepteth not What are you all new creatures that say Our Father which art in Heaven Are you born again Are your Natures changed Sin you not Do you hallow his Name who do not love that which shews your Evil deeds Would you see his Kingdom come which stands in Righteousness Where will you appear Or how will you stand when he appears in his Power and Glory to take Vengeance on all them that will not that he should rule in their Hearts who is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World Would you see his will done on Earth as it is in Heaven when you walk contrary to his Doctrine which the Apostolick Church walked in and set up a numberless number of Traditions and Inventions of Men instead thereof which the Lord accepteth not and you pray not with Understanding 5. As for your Beads which are neither Jewish nor Christian but meer Heathenish as to reckon the number or tale of that which you call your Prayers by and though Kings Popes Cardinals and Bishops do the same this is but a small proof as for Authority Kings have drunk of the Whore's Cup and Popes and Cardinals have usurped Power that Christ never gave as to exercise Lord-ship and be Law-givers unto others for the Lord is the Saints Law-giver and the Saints Life and Judge and he will not give his Glory to another for Kings have drunk of the Whore's Cup of Fornication and Popes have usurped Authority and Cardinals have exercised Lord-ship over mens Consciences yea and over great Kingdoms and States too And if they pray by Beads as others do set
which are but fabulous Stories and now let them who are lightned with the true Light of Christ judge who are in the Delusion and now let all judge whether these be not satisfactory Resolutions unto the aforesaid Doubts or Questions which may convince them that have erred from Christ the Power of God and gone in their own Traditions and Inventions and have forsaken the straiâ Way and the narrow Path that leadeth to Life and all are exhorted to come unto him who is the Light and Life of Men that their Souls may live and that they may witness Assurance of the Love of God unto them by his Spirit 's Manifestation And now let us see whether the Author will keep to his Word whether the Church of Rome will all turn unto our Way which is Christ the Way the Truth and the Life or whether follow their Visible Head the Pope who is changeable and doth not abide forever who leadeth only to an Observance of outward things but neglect the weightier things to walk in And now I shall come to some Propâsitions which the Author saith have been propounded which are unanswerable and the Propositions are against all Sectaries and the Propositions are laid down by Francis Costerus as the Author saith of the Society of Jesus which have been laid down fifty Years ago and they are in Number eight and with them eight Propositions the Author sâith he hath put all the ablest Ministers of Germany and the Low Countries unto their Wits End now I hope some will be able to give an answer and yet keep both their Faith Wit and Reason 1. The first Poposition is this That never since the Apostles Time till the Year 1517. wherein Luther began his Doctrine were any found in the World who did consent with either the Lutherans Calvinists or Anabaptists or other Sectaries Opinions nor ever shall any of the Sectaries prove that any of the Apostles or Evangelists were of their Faith and so by Consequence the Sectaries are without Faith and they are the Men whom the Scriptures in several Places affirm that should come In the latter times false Prophets c. Answ. As I said before any Opinion which Luther Calvin or the baptized People do hold I shall not stand to vindicate it because they have so holden yet in many things they are separated from you upon good Ground and their Doctrine and Worship was far more consonant and agreeable unto the Apostles Dayes then yours are but I am one that own my self a Protestant who deny the Church of Rome and I do say this Proposition is silly poor and feeble and I do not believe that any were so hard put to it as to be brought to their Wits End by answering of it for what need he talk of since the Apostles time till such a Year we shall come to the Apostles time and age and if any Society of People now are found the same in Faith in Doctrine in Worship in Life Practice and Conversation then they are the true Church and let Francis Costerus with the rest of the Roman Merchants take that Faith to themselves and that Doctrine to themselves and those particular Points of Worship and Tradition to themselves since all the World hath wondered after the Beast and hath worshipped his Image and this was since the Apostles Dayes And if the Church of Rome pleads the whole World as for a Proof John saw that Anti-christs false Prophets Deceivers were entered in then fifteen hundred Years ago and the World went after them and he saw the whole World wonder after the Beast and the Whore sit upon the Waters Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and this comprehends the World the Whore's Seat and we matter not for her Consent neither to Doctrines and Principles nor Opinions nor for the Approbation of them that have drunk of her Cup But if we can prove a People which are gathered by the Word of God and through the preaching of the Gospel into the same Faith Hope Doctrine Life and Practice which the Apostles walked in then this is the Church which is coming out of the Wilderness again where she hath been preserved while the Mother of Harlots hath sit as a Queen and hath been so visible as over all the VVorld and hath made the Nations drink her Cup of Fornication and therefore your Unity in this thing and in this time is clear that the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ but there are some whom Rome is pleased to call Sectaries that own the same Practice the same Doctrine the same Faith which the Apostles walked in and therefore this great Proposition is false That all that have separated from the Church of Rome have no Faith or a new fancied Faith and now I come to his second Proposition 2. Proposition The Religion and Faith of the Roman Church hath not been any Way changed in any Article that belongs to Religion by any Pope Councils or catholick Bishops but it is the very same Faith hath remained intire and inviolate from the Apâstles to this present Day There were churches planted before there were any at Rome and the Faith which they received was that which did overcome the World and gave them Victory over Sin and Death and the Religion which the churches of Christ professed as Corinth Galatia Thessalonica and the rest of the churches which the Apostles planted is no more like the Faith and Religion of the church of Rome now then Black is to White as for instance Prove us out of the Scripture what Foundation you have for Purgatory for selling Indulgences and Pardons for Sins and what Scripture have you for Auricular confession for an Unbloody Sacrifice for Prayer to Saints for worshipping of Images in the New-Testament for observing of Lent consisting of so many days what Scripture example from the churches that were in the Apostles days before Rome was called a church concerning Prayer for the Dead for your crosses your tapers and candles for anointing with Oyle and cream in Baptism which was only invented by Pope âlement which another Pope Pope Silvester confirmed 315. Plat Volat. Sabil And what example from the true church of Baptizing of Infants and for God-fathers and God-mothers in Christ's day when he planted the church And that Infants should be Baptized and only at Easter and Whitsuntide was not this ordained by Pope Leo in the Year 676. Lib. Council Volat. Pol. Chron. and was not Transubstantiation which you call the Body and Blood of Christ after the consecration when the Priest hath Whispered over the Bread and Wine a few Latine Words as Hoc est Corpus meum Hic est enim sanguis meus c. The Bread is turned into the Natural Body of Christ's Flesh Blood and Bone was not this ordained by Pope Innocent held at LATERAN by Twelve Hundred Romish Priests Monks and Fryars in the Year 1215. decret de summa Trinitate Cap. Firmiter And whether
there and we know he was no Hypocrite but the same Faith and Gospel which he had preached over the Regions he would preach there and his Gospel and Doctrine we find contrary to the Church of Rome be condemned divers Doctrines which the Church of Rome holds as forbidding Meats Marriage New Moons and Sabbaths and voluntary Humility and worshipping of Angels and praying unto them and praying for the Dead and if you brought the Christian Faith so called into the rest of the Nations first and the aforesaid Doctrines mentioned and preached them up for apostolick Institutions then you brought in a Doctrine and a Gospel that is accursed which you have received of your Fore-fathers who wondered after the Beast and received his Mark and have been drunken with the Whore's Cup to wit the Universe which you lay claim to and none but you called Christians So that it is manifest your Visible Universal Church is the Harlot and hath brought in another Gospel and other Doctrines then the Apostles and so are anathâmatized for the Apostles preached the Power of God to be the Gospel and you have preached Traditions Inventions old Wives Fables and outward Ceremonies for the Gospel and so have deceived the Nations and now when they begin to dislike your Traffick you are angry but the Day is made manifest whiâh discovers all your Deceit And now I have answered the substance of the Book and also the eight Propositions proposed by the Author and there and I am not yet at the wits End as thou sayst the Ministers in Germaây and the Loâ-Countries have been neither at Wisdom's end but am in it and ready if you will lây down your carnal Weapon âo begin with thee and to Vindicate the Truth as it is in Jesus against the Doctrines of the Church âf Rome whenââever I shall hear of thee or any that pertain to your Church mâke such another bold attempt as to condemn all since the Apostles days for Sectaries Hereticks and Schismaticks who have dissented from you and shall endeavour in the strength of Christ to Vindicate and ãâã though not with Cain's Weapons for the Faith and Doctrine whiâh was ânce delivered to the Saints before the Apostacy and now is manifest agâin in us and is with us when the Apostacy is coming to an End and the Everlasting Gospel is to be Preached again to them that dwell on the Earth and to the Nâtions Kindreds Tongues and People that they may come to the true Foundation again and to the Rock of Ages again that they may be established in Righteousness forever the joyful Sound whereof is going into the Borders of Babylon which will make the Inhabitants thereof to abhor their City in which they have inhabited and they shall return to Zion with Songs of Deliverance and everlasting joy upon their Heads because the hâur of God's Judgment is come and coming upon the Harlot and the Year of Redemption is proclaiming to the Captive and the Dead shall be raised to Life and shall hear the Word of Life and their Graves shall be opened and they shall have Victory over it and they that hear the Voice of the Sân of God in themselves shall live and shall deny the Voice of many Waters and the Voice of your church Mystery-Babylon whose Seat hath been upon them And as for Doctor Bayly which the Author efforts for his proof and layes down his Reasons wherefore the church of Rome hath been and ãâã still the true church by way of Demonstration He saith That the Churâh of Rome was an excellent flourââhing Mothâr-Church thâs Church ãâ¦ã to be such but she must fall either by Apostacy Heresie or Schiâm Now Apâstacy saith he is a renouncing of the Faith of Christ and no man will say that the church of Rome had ever such a Fall 2. He saith Heresie is an adhering to some private anâ singular Opânion ãâã Errour in Faith contrary to the approved Doctrine of the church Answ. Whatsoever the author is pleased to boast of the church of Rome we do not find flourishing for Faith wholâome Doctrine and ãâ¦ã more then other churches that were plânted before her ãâ¦ã both by Scripture and the ãâ¦ã the church of Rome her self will allow of and ãâ¦ã hath and a Fall and prove it ãâã by Apostacy ãâ¦ã As First she is fallen from hâr first Love and ãâ¦ã Doctrine of Christ who taught to love Enemies and to do goâd ãâã that hate them and to pray for them that Persecuted them ãâã the church of Rome hath not loved their Enemies neither ãâ¦ã but have Persecuted them to Death and ãâ¦ã who did not receive their Doctrine and this is renouncing âf that Faith which was ãâã delivered to the Saints by Christ himself who taught to love Enemies and if they beat them upon the one cheek turn the other but the Church of Rome is out of this Faith and Doctrine and hath renounced this Faith of Christ and hath denyed the Power of God and placed it into a Man to wit the Pope that Infallibility is in him And this is in the Apostacy 2. If Heresie be an adhering to some private Opinion or Errour in Faith then the Church of Rome is in the Heresie for the Faith that was held among the true Churches was that which did overcome the World and gave Victory over Sin and Faith in Christ was that which only gave an Interest into the Kingdom of God but Cardinal Bellarmine a chief Pillar of your Church hath asserted this for the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That a Man hath a two-Fold right to the Kingdom of God first by the merits of Christ Secondly by the merits of man's good Works or Works of Supererogation And this is an adhering to a singular Opinion and is an Error in the Faith that was generally held in the true churches of Christ as Witness He worketh in us to will and to do viz. Christ. So that there is nothing appropriated unto the creature as a creature 3. This is an Error in the Faith of the church of Rome who teach and are taught That there is a place called Purgatory in which Men are cleansed from some light faults or venial Sins and this is contrary to the Faith of the true christian churches and is no less then Heresie for the true church or churches of Christ taught That the Blood of Christ alone cleanseth from all Sin and that he is to wit Christ the Propitiation for Sin and the everlasting Sacrifice and Offering but you have other Offerings as the Sacrifice of the Mass which you call an unbloody Sacrifice which is contrary to the Faith of the christian church in Christ's and the Apostles dayes and therefore is Heresie Again praying for the Dead and praying to Angels and Worshipping of Images is absolute Heresie and contrary to the Faith and Doctrine of the true church of Christ. 4. And as for Schism the church of Rome hath separated from many other churches
delivered unto the Saints is vindicated and the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles against the pretended Faith and false Doctrines which have been held forth by the Church of Rome among Christians as infallible By a suffering Member of that Church which fled into the Wilderness when Mystery-Babylon sate as a Queen upon the Waters F. H. THE TRUE Rule Judge and Guide OF THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD DISCOVERED c. AFter Variouâ reports and upbraidings and insultings of divers men in my heââing of a certain great Pillar and a leading man among the Non conformists who it was said had reliâquished his Errors and had conformed and also written and published a Book for the convincement of all others to Uniformity and Conformity also the Weekly Intelligencer willing to take advantage sometime when there is little or no occasion doth signifie to the whole Nation in his News book of the Conversion of a great Non-conformist for the strengthening and Supporting of those desires only in People who are willing to make Shipwrâck of all Faiâh Hope Religion and whatsoever also that is of the greatest moment for a little ease and Liberty in the Flesh and the imbracement of this present World is willing to joyn with that which is the upper mâst and to Sail with Wind and Tide not minding the Harbour nor the way which they are passing but only present enioyment and such whose Faiâh is builded upon men and not upon God and chuse rather to run with the Multitude to do Evil then with a few despised and afflicted who keep Faith and a good Conscience such flashes and airy ungrounded Rumours stagger'd their mind and make them afraid and troubled when there 's no cause At last this great and magniâicent Piece of Conversion came published in the News book boasted on by the Clergy and divers other great Mountains of Earth came to my hand providentially unlooked for unsought for or desired which is Titled An Epâstle to the several Congregations of the Non-confrimists Subscribed by Captain Robert Everard as he stiled himself a Member of the Catholick Church which Book hath been spread up and down the Counties ât seems as some rare Weighty and great matter to induce others to be of the same mind But why the Members of the Church of Eâgland should extoll this and reâoyce in this great Convert I know not except they have a mind to shake Hands with the Roman Church to receive their Catholick Faith so called as unquestionable but Deceit loves to sport it self and to make merry and triumph over any who do but relinquish the seeming Appearance of Truth to turn into the common Road of Darkness they hug such a one for a while and set him out as an Ensign to Glory in and over against others After the said Book came to my Hand amongst divers others I was wiling to take a Survey and to make inspection into those things contained in it and to see what demonstrative Grounds and solid and Weighty matter was contained in it which I have diligently weighed and without a Prejudiced Spirit read finding the matter in it chiefly to set up a Council of men to be absolute Judge of all matters of Faith and Doctrine though never so Repugnant unto the Doctrine and Practice once delivered and received and walked in by the Saints setting up this both above the Holy Spirit of God which is the only and Sole tryer of all Spirits but also above the Scripture wherein I have taken notice his own Eye being blinded he would Captivate all others and make them Blind also and lay waste the Spirit of God and its office the Scriptures and their Translation making them as uncertain as much as in him lyes as the Turkish Alcoran and all solid and weighty Arguments and Reasons that have been produced these many Years by many Godly and moderate Dissenters in divers Ages from the Church of Rome this he strikes over all by whole Sail labouring to set all a jarr and to make every thing look with a Face contrary way to represent them uncomely and at last he hath concluded that the Catholick visible Church is the absolute Judge and Director both in matters of Faith and Doctrine without distinguishing of their abiding in the Faith or falling from it as though the Promise of God had been intailed to a certain place as Rome or to a certain sort of Men that may call themselves Peters Successors and Ministers of Christ though they walk as far wide both in Doctrine and Practice as Heaven is from Earth from Peter and would assume the Title of Name and Office for honour and profit's sake but do none of Peter's Work feed not the Flock of Christ but worry them and kill them that Christ Feeds and shear off the Wool from off their Backs and pull off the Skin too and instead of saving have Destroyed hundreds of mens Lives in Europe and America some under the Name of Hereticks and some under the Name of Infidels have been most mercilessly and cruelly destroyed by the Power of this Holy visible Church as â E. calls it as the true Chronologies of Ages past do testifie so that the Nations have been made like Akeldama by that Mystery Babylon which hath drunk the Blood of the Saints and slain the Prophets and Martyrs under the Name of Hereticks quite out of the Doctrine of Christ and erred from his infallible Spirit who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them and to save People from their Sins But this false visible Church hath destroyed their Lives under the Name of Heresie and so hath destroyed them in their Sins if they count that Heresie be a Sin But of this something more afterwards may be said if God permit But it is a great piece of Confidence in R. E. that after fifteen hundred years as he saith this Church hath continued as a Judge a Director unto which all Christians are to submit Page 20 th that he that is but a man of yesterday should be so stout a Champion as to make a flourish and seem to over-ride all the weighty Things that have been spoken by the Blessed Martyrs and Sufferers for Christ and Righteous dissenters from this Român Church at one clap and again to exalt his own feeble things that he hath brought forth and exhibit them so confidently to all Non-conformists as unanswerable matter or how he judged in himself that his Reasons or Arguments should be of that weight to Convince or Convert any seeing he hath rendered himself they that know him can testifie he hath alwayes been a changeable man and unstable in all his wayes tossed up and down like the Waves of the Sea and now at last fallen into the black Gulf of Darkness but it seems by his own Writing in his Epistle that it hath been his former Method being filled with a scribling Humour in the days of his Ignorance as he saith when the
them that bring them forth like them in Bedlam and what though Turks Jews Pagans Mahomet and the false Christians do pretend to the Spirit and guidance by it and yet bring forth the Fruits of the Flesh doth this make the Spirit of God void or the certainty of it to them that believe or do make their Fruits of none effect God forbid thy Ignorance is manifest but here thou ceasest not thy Tongue being thy own and thou being at liberty and speakest thy own words which in the end shall become thy Burden Thou vapours and vants over them to wit all the Nonconformists and saist What can you say for your selves any of you which these Enthusiasts who have gone before you to maintain their Errours but the Rule and judge and then thou concludes That which God hath appointed to be rule and judge to all the World and capable of being known and heard by all and cannot contradict it self nor must be contradicted by any under pain of Damnation if you cannot shew it to have been your Rule you ought to lay aside your Folly as destructive to human Society and them that have pretended the Spirit the strongest party and Sword upon the vote will prove it self the most convincing Spirit and force the weaker Spirits to submit or cry for thou concludes the Nonconformists have no other Testimony to try your contradicting Spirits in matters of greatest moment but force and success if you have I pray you inform me what it is Answ. If the Wind had not turned into another door divers Non-conformists believe we should have had another Song from thee if time had but favoured thee so far as to have granted thee priviledge of thy Troop to be Captain which Name thou holds up yet in the pride of thy Heart though thou hast lost thy force success and Pay which was the greatest plea when time was with thee and not long since too which makest thee measure every Man's Foot by thy Last and thou might receive information before thou hadst made a Conclusion had been the part of a Wise man before thou hadst set thy self as Judge over all thy former Fellowships which thou fianedly pretends so great love to and before thou hadst discovered their nakedness if it be nakedness to all the World in such a publick insulting bravado as this like Goliah of Gath and as for whatsome Non-conformists both of the Church of Rome and to the Church of England to which thou creeping and sneakingly flatters and saist it 's established and therefore thou will not meddle thou might have said dare not for thy Spirit is well enough seen by them only to have the Spirit of a Slave and not a free Member of the true Church of God and it 's no part of a Vertue nor Honour for thee to insult and glory over them who are in suffering and Adversity whenas thou darest not meddle with them who are as contrary to thee as the former this is but the Spirit of a Coward and is ignoble and base and ever so to be accounted by all the Children of Light who dare put all to venture which they do enjoy on this side of Immortality and to suffer the loss of all visible things for their Testimony and the Truth which they believe and for bearing witness against that which is contrary unto their Faith as did the valiant Primitive Christians of old and that which some Non-conformists can say is more then thou canst believe although demonstrated in the evidence of the Spirit of God with sound reason and evident Example from the Scriptures of Truth and though thou and thy former fellowships then and thy new fellowships now have made this vapour which for ought I know might lay your Hands upon your Mouths all considering what contradictory Doctrines and Fruits have been brought forth since the Night of Apostacy entred in and all the World wondered after the Beast some have this to say He that pretends to the Spirit and the thing cometh not to pass that they speak or Prophesie let him be accounted a false Prophet again they that pretend guidance of the Spirit as some formerly have done and yet bring forth the Fruits of the Flesh as variance Hatred Emulation Strife Contention Heresie false Doctrine Persecution force and violence let them be counted as truly they are Deceivers and Delâders which have gone out into the World and deceived a great part of Mankind of which Rome hath not had the least share clear it when thou canst Morever he that pretends to have the Spirit of God and layes down another Foundation to build upon in matter of Faith in matter of Rule in matter of Judgment in matter of Doctrine then that which the Lord of Life and Glory hath laid down he is a Deceiver and an Anti-christ but R. E. hath laid down another Rule another way another Judge another Foundation for Faith and let himself make the Conclusion if he once dare joyn to true Judgment other Foundation can none lay then that which is âlready laid to wiâ Christ Jesus the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and of the Church of God by which they were all builded up as a holy Habitation for God to dwell in through the Spirit Again the Apostle saith All Judgment is committed to the Son both in Heaven and Earth and again he saith himself I am the Way the Truth and the Life and none can come to the Father but by me and again the Spirit of Truth shall lead and direct hââ Disciples into all Truth and sealeth unto them their Justification Redemption and Salvation And this R. E. would lay all waste and void and why because many have pretended to it and have fallen short therefore all the aforesaid things must be laid aside as uncertain and not to be trusted unto and a certain sort of Men called the Apostles Successors who have sought their gain and worldly Interest and to enlarge their Dominions and to make themselves Lords over mens Faith and over mens Consciences whatsoever they say though never so contradictory to the Primitive Doctrine delivered in Christ and the Apostles dayes yet all must be received upon pain of Damnation as R. E. saith and this he calls the Visible Church and the infallible Judge and Rule and Director and hath laid waste the Office of Christ and turned the Spirit out of doors and made it ineffectual and would perswade all others to look to this from the Foundation and so is a deceiver and an Anti-christ Again we have this to say he that teacheth a contrary Doctrine then that which was once delivered unto the Saints is a Deceiver and deceived and this was Christ's Doctrine once delivered unto the Saints Swear not at all and love your Enemies pray for them that Persecute you do good to them that hate you And many more precepts which this visible Guide to wit the Roman Church holds not but hath made void
the Nations and blinded the Eyes of the People but the time is come and Light and Life is broken forth that the Skirts of the Whore must be discovered and her nakedness must appear and her Fornications and Adulteries shall be manifest unto all so that you shall not proceed much further And I hope by this time in R. E's Words it will appear evident to all whose Eyes God in any measure hath opened That this Catholick Church so called is manifest in what hath been said to R. E. not to be the Church of Christ neither their Doctrine and Practice divinely propounded neither she taken from henceforth as the only infallible Judge Rule and Director in all matters of Faith which all are to receive upon pain of Damnation as R. E. saith though she sit as Queen and hath known no Sorrow but on the contrary she to be a blind Guide that hath bewitched the Kings of the Earth and the Nations which are Waters which is the Universalâty R. E. boasts of with her Inchantments Sorceries which from hence forth shall not be taken as infallible but fallible and as that Church that hath not conveyed the true Faith which was once delivered to the Saints but rather hath spread abroad Error and false Doctrine and the Traditions and inventions of Men instead of the Doctrine of Christ and would put off all thâs under the Name of Authority and Power from God and sufficiently propounded and infallibility and under the Penalty of the highest curse upon not receiving it but the Sun is risen which hath disovered all your deceit lay down your carnal Weapons Cain's weapons and your human Power by which you have prevailed more by force and cruelty upon the Nations then by sound Doctrine or that plea of being Peter's Successors I say come forth with your spiritual Weapons which the Church of God had in the Primitive times and prevail as far as you can but Oh! you want these and therefore you are necessitated to take up force and Violence the Dragons Power to compell all to come to your Church Further R. E. in his Postscript hath been confident of what he hath declared That it is of such force what he hath said for the Roman Catholick Church so called that he believes what he hath said cannot be answered and he saith his confidence doth not mis-become him and that it is improbable to be Answered and that he hath not yet done his All neither in his first nor second Edition but hath some-what more yet of great moment to speak as to prove the Church of Rome this only and infallible Guide Unto whom I say it had been good not to have boasted when he put on his Armour but when he puts it off and methinks having been so unstable and unsetled as he hath been formerly he should not have been so confident in opposition to Wisdom as to give such a challenge and make such a vapour of as that it is improbable to be answered and it is more then any of you or all of you can answer as his own Words are page the 9th these words are not becoming a Man indeed who saith He hath learned meekneâs and humility of Heart and hath such great bâwels of Charity as he professeth he hath page the 86th The substance of what he hath said or written which he reckons so profound and unanswerable and to be more then any or all the Non-conformists can answer they have been Answered over and over again before R. E. was born by many Learned sufficient and good Men whose Reasons and weighty Arguments about the Premisses have not been made void unto this day but have prevailed with many not only to the Convincing but also to the turning of many from that usurped Authority of the Roman Church and hath discovered the Errors false Doctrine and evil Practices notwithstanding their pretended infallibility which R E. will not be able to answer if particulars should be descended unto and though R. E. may reckon the reasons thât he hath ãâã down when he haâh the most what taken at the gainest and reckon them as impregnable yet I hope they will not appear so to an understanding Eye which is enlightened by the Spirit of the Lord nor to them who are of a sound Judgment what others have done to answer his bold Challenge I know not because I am shut up in a Corner for the Testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God but methinks them that are concerned should not let such Boasts go unreproved neither such false Doctrine nor false suggestions as R. E. hath made to viâifie and debase and set at nought all things and every thing that seems contrary unto the Judgment of this pretended Catholick Church and seeing that he shuts out all Non-conformists as to be Members of the Church or God and to be without all Rule all Order all Government and to come under the great penalty of damnation by not submitting unto whatsoever this pretended Catholick Church doth impose how Repugnant soever it be unto the Doctrine of Christ and how contrary soever it be unto the Spirit of God yet all must be received without question though it be that which the Spirit of God sometimes called the Doctrine of Devils but how it must become holy and of divine Authority and sufficiently propounded and so received because as R. E. saith Thâs Church cannot Err I say unto him and unto all men and to the Witness of God in every man either the Church in the Apostles dayes did Err and teach false Doctrine or this pretended Catholick Church because they teach contrary one to the other and do walk by a contrary Rule and as R. E. saith Infallibility cannot contradict it self and he hath granted that the Apostles and Primitive Christians had an infallible Spirit and did not Err then let R. E. and all take a view of the Roman Doctrine and compare it with theirs and they shall find it as far wide one from the other as the Heavens are from the Earth or Light from Darkness so that for the Truth 's sake and for the Doctrine and Faith sake that was once delivered among the Saints and for the Non-conformists sake who cannot bow their Knee to Baal neither submit to the Injunctions of changeable Men instead of the Doctrines of Christ. I could not do less then give Answer unto the substance of R. E. his Epistle which he boasted of To be more then any could answer and to reprove his false Doctrine and Error which he would perswade all unto and not to question because the Church of Rome hath propounded it as infallible most of all those Doctrines are denyed and I cannot but give my Testimony against them as to be false and that which leads People into Error and let R. E. when he brings forth his All prove to us that Infallibility as intailed to the Pope by succession and Prayer for the Dead Worshipping of
take you into my Rest and Peace out of the Reach of the Oppressor Sixthly For the frustrating of the Purpose of them who decreed that unrighteous Decree for Banishment that it may not profit them neither answer their End and Unrighteousness the Lord the Lord hath cut them short of their Purpose and will cut them short of their Hope and in the End bring their Council to nought for that which is formed against the Lord shall not prosper Seventhly For the hardening the Hearts of this Generation who have devised Mischief from the Womb and have gone astray as soon as they were born after so many Warnings and evident Tokens of his Hand against them and of his Displeasure which have been set at nought and yet are resolved to go on to root out the Heritage of God I say that their Hearts might be hardened and their Eyes closed that they may not discern betwixt the End of the Righteous and the Wicked nor see a Difference in their States but as one dyes so dyes the other as to the outward Appearance though you beloved know a Difference both in Life and Death and I do believe many who have laid down the Body and put off this earthy Tabernacle have given great Testimony of God's Love unto them of his Favour Peace and Acceptation in the latter End in this which I have said I am satisfied and therefore could not but signifie the same unto you that we might not sorrow concerning them that dye in the Faith and sleep in Christ as them who are without Hope for these rest from their Labours and their Faith Works and Life shall live and we have and enjoy their Spirit and Life so it is only personal Absence of this earthly Tabernacle that we want so in that be comforted Last of all The Wayes of the Lord are unsearchable but as he reveals them to them that fear him and whatever may be manifest to any other this I am certainly perswaded of that God will have Honour and Glory through all these things as it shall be in the End for the Prosperity of the Gospel of Truth and I am perswaded of this though the Lord should permit many to be destroyed outwardly of all they enjoy yet they are resolved to trust in him forever And though the Day be dark and gloomy and the Devil be let loose to try the Faith of them that dwell upon the Earth and the Wrath of the Wicked be great yet the Bond is set that they cannot pass and though we that yet remain alive to this Day were all dissolved and rowled together in the Dust which is the End of all Flesh yet that Life and Power which we have believed in and that everlasting Truth which we have testified of and suffered for shall never be extinguished or rooted out but shall take up other Persons and Bodies from Generation to Generation while Sun and Moon endureth in this be all assured and comforted in the Lord and chearful in your Sufferings and comfort and strengthen one another in the royal Seed of God all live and dwell which cannot bow to the Seed of the Bond-woman which hath the Promise of Life and Immortality and everlasting Blessedness and all look unto the Lord over all and above all the Rage and Wrath of the Enemy and the Afflictions of this present Life and feel that which is without End The God of Power be with you comfort your in the midst of all your Tryals and preserve you that your Faith fail not is the earnest Desire of him whose Heart is knit unto the Lord and all his suffering People in the everlasting Covenant of Life and Peace pray all unto the Lord without ceasing that you may be able though through the Valley of the Shadow of Death the Peace of God fill all your Hearts that you may rejoyce in the Lord and trust in him forever The 16th of the 8th Moneth 1665. Yours in Life or Death F. H. OATHS NO Gospel-Ordinance But prohibited by CHRIST BEING IN ANSWER TO A. SMALLWOOD D. D. To his Book lately published being a Sermon preached at Carlile 1664 wherein he hath laboured to prove Swearing lawful among Christians his Reasons and Arguments are weighed and answered and the Doctrine of Christ vindicated against the Conceptions and Interpretations of Men who would make it void By a Sufferer for Christ and his Doctrine F. H. Because of Oaths the Land mourneth Jer. 23.10 11 12 c. By Swearing and lying and kâlâing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and Blood toucheth Blood therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish Hosea 4.2 3. TO THE READER TRuth never had that Advantage nor Countenance from the Men of this World though Wise in their Generation since Sin entered into it to have the Approbation of the World neither of the Powers and Potentates thereof for it alwayes hated the Truth because it bore Witness against the World and the Deeds and Works thereof which ere evil for Wisdom is only justified of her Children and Truth is justified of her Children neither indeed doth it need any other Patron to shelter it self under but the God of all Truth from whence it proceeds neither shall I seek a Shelter neither run to any Mountain or Hill for Safety or Protection nor to the mighty of the Earth as many of latter Dayes have done to patronize their Labours and to make them the more acceptable and to be the sooner and more readily received But seeing the Apostle saith Not many Wise not many Rich not many Noble are chosen but he hath chosen the Weak and Poor and despised of the World who are Rich in Faith and good Works who are Heirs of the Promise and of the the World to come I chuse only to be approved to the Witness of Christ's Light in every Man's Conscience and to the Measure of his holy Spirit which he hath placed in every Man to that only I desire to be either approved or else by it reproved for wholly unto the Judgment of that in every Conscience I appeal and do commend this ensuing Discourse in the Sight of God and the Answer unto A. Smalwood's Book who hath sought to make void Christ's Command for to obey the Command of Men as is manifest in his Epistle Dedicatory to the Gentlemen of Cumberland for it seems by his Epistle they put him on Work to preach and print this Sermon whether upon this Subject or not I shall not determine but however he saith He hath obeyed their Commands though he hath laboured as much as in him lyes to make the Command of Christ void and the Apostles Doctrine by his Arguments which he hath raised to prove Christ's Doctrine one thing and his Intention another and so would blind the Minds of People only to establish the Doctrines of Men and the Traditions of Men in the Apostacy and hath put divers Constructions upon the
good Behaviour and shall so continue but it seems a hard thing to me and full of Severity that seeing I am obliged to appear to answer an Indictment of so high a Nature if prosecuted against me which tends to the Loss of my Liberty for Life and my Estate forever I hope the Court will not envy my Liberty for five Moneths Judge Turner said We do not desire your Imprisonment if you will be of good Behaviour And F. H. pressing further that they would not put him upon giving Bond to be of the good Behaviour knowing himself to be bound by the Truth that he could not mis-behave himself One Daniel Flemming another persecuting Justice had framed another Indictment against him for meeting and stood up fearing the Snare of giving Bond would not hold and said as followeth D. Flemming My Lord he is a great Speaker it may be the Quakers cannot want him Judge Let him be what he will if he will enter into Bond. F. H. said he had nothing to accuse himself of for his Conscience bore him Witness that he loved Peace and sought it with all Men. Judges both spake What do you tell of Conscience we meddle not with it but you contemn the Laws and keep up great Meetings and go not to Church F. H. We are fallen in a sad Age if meeting together peaceably without Arms or Force or Intention of Hurt to any Man but only to worship God in Spirit and exhort one another to Righteousness and to pray together in the holy Ghost as the primitive Christians of old that this should be reckoned Breach of Peace and Mis-behaviour Judge Twisden Do you compare these times with them they were Heathens that persecuted but we are Christian Magistrates F. H. It is a Doctrine alwayes held by us and a received Principle as any thing we believed that Christ's Kingdom could not be set up with carnal Weapons nor the Gospel propagated by Force of Arms nor the Church of God built with Violence but the Prince of Peace was manifested amongst us and we could learn War no more but could love Enemies and forgive them that did Evil to us Philip Musgrave stood up and said My Lord we have been remiss towards thââ People and have striven with them and put them in Prison again and again and fined them and as soon as they are out they meet again Then stood up John Lonther called a Justice and said My Lord they grow insolent notwithstanding all Laws and the Execution of them yet they grow upon us and their Meetings are dangerous Philip Musgrave stood up and produced a Paper and Justice Flemming so called seconded him in great Capital Letters and gave the Judge it he told the Judge That it hapned some Quakers were sent to Prison and one of them dyed at Lancaster and they carryed his Corps through the Country and set that Paper upon his Coffin This is the Body of such an one who was persecuted by Daniel Flemming till Death Judge We have spent much time with you I will discourse no more F. H. I acknowledge your Moderation towards me allowing me Liberty to speak I shall not trouble you much longer I shall be willing to appear to answer to the Indictment at the Assizes and in the mean time to live peaceably and quietly as I have done if that will satisfie Judge You must enter into Bond to come at no more Meetings F. H. I cannot do that if I should I were treacherous to God and my own Conscience and the People and you would but judge me a Hypocrite They weare loath to commit him yet at last they did F. H. turning about to the Country People said the Fear of God be amongst you all The Hearts of People were tender towards him and some were very loving and affectionate to him Being thus committed on the 23d of the 1st Moneth 1664. he was detained a Prisoner about five Moneths and a great Part of the time of his Imprisonment kept very strictly and a Charge was given from the Justices several times that none should be suffered to speak with him and the Goaler being a cruel Man was ready to execute their Orders to the utmost and kept him so close that none were suffered to come to him or speak with him but who got secretly to him without the Goalers Knowledge all which the said F H. bore patiently and never opened his Mouth to complain And when the time of the Assizes came he got Liberty to speak with the Clerk of the Assizes who told F.H. that he must prepare himself to come to a Tryal he said he was prepared but thought that all he could say would little avail he believing they purposed to prosecute him with all Severity which proved so as will appear by the Relation following for indeed the County Justices who began to prosecute him had incensed the Judges against him before hand however F. H. endeavoured all he could to convince them of his Innocency and to that End drew up the Substance of the OATH into several Heads which he could SUBSCRIBE to though he could not SWEAR and delivered it to the Court and drew up another Paper to Judge Turner shewing him and the Court the Cause of his first Commitment and the former Proceedings against him and how unequal it was that they waved the other Statutes lately made against Non-conformists and prosecuted him upon a Statute formerly made against Popish Recusants in the same Paper he also signified that he was a Man of a tender Spirit and feared the Lord from a Child and had never taken any Oath but once in his Life and that was twenty Years since and that his refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance was not in any evil Intent to the King's Person or Government neither in Thought Word or Deed but meerly upon a spiritual and conscientious Account and that he could not swear being otherwise perswaded of the Lord. 2. That he could not swear seeing it was against the Command of Christ and the Apostles Doctrine 3. He declared that he was able to make it evident to be against the Example of the primitive Christians for divers hundred Years and so no new Opinion 4. That he did neither in Wilfulness nor Obstinacy refuse it being sensible of the Dammage that would come thereby if they did prosecute him upon that Statute he having a Wife and Children and some small Estate which he knew lay at Stake in the Matter but said if it were his Life also he could not revolt from or deny that which he had most certainly believed in but if any could convince him either by Scripture or Reason in the thing he had an Ear to hear and therefore all those things considered he desired he might be dismissed from those his strait Bonds and from their Persecution of him upon that Account Both which Papers his Wife delivered to the Clerk and he to the Judges and they to the Justices before
to me I have a Wife and Children and some Estate which we might subsist upon and do Good to others and I know all this lyes at Stake but if it were my Life also I durst not do but as I do lest I should incur the Displeasure of God and do you judge I would loose my Liberty wilfully and suffer the spoiling of my Estate and the ruining of my Wife and Children in Obstinacy and Wilfulness sure nay Judge Jury you see he denyes the Oath and he will not plead to the Indictment only excepts against it because of the Form of Words but you see he will not swear and yet he saith he denies the Indictment and you see upon what Ground And then they called the Goaler to witness and swear that the last Assizes F. H. did refuse c. which he did and the Jury without going from the Bar gave in their Verdict Guilty and then the Court broke up that Night The next Day towards Evening when they had tryed all the Prisoners Francis was brought to the Bar to receive his Sentence Judge stood up and said Come the Indictment is proved against you what have you to say why Sentence shall not be given F. H. I have many things to say if you will hear them 1 st As I have said I denyed not out of Obstinacy or Wilfulness but was willing to testifie the Truth in this Matter of Obedience or any other Matter wherein I was concerned 2 dly Because Swearing was directly against the Command of Christ 3 dly Against the Doctrine of the Apostles 4 thly Even some of your principal Pillars of the Church of England as Bishop Usher sometime Primate of Ireland he said in his Works The Waldenses did deny all Swearing in their Age from that Command of Christ and the Apostle James and it was a sufficient Ground and Doctor Gauden late Bishop of Exeter in a Book of his I lately read he cited very many ancient Fathers to shew that the first three hundred Years Christians did not swear so that it is no new Doctrine To which the Court seemed to give a little Ear and said nothing but talked one to another and Francis stood silent and then the Judge said Judge Sure you mistake F. H. I have not the Books here Judge Will you say upon your honest Word they denyed all Swearing F H. What I have said is true Judge Why do you not come to Church and hear Service and be subject to the Law and to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake F.H. We are subject and for that Cause we do pay Taxes Tribute Custome and give unto Caesar the Things that are his and unto God the Things that are his to wit Worship Honour and Obedience and if thou mean the Parish Assembly I tell thee faithfully I am perswaded and upon good Ground their Teachers are not the Ministers of Christ neither their Worship the Worship of God Judge Why it may be for some small things in the Service you reject it all F. H. First it is manifest they are time-servers one while preaching up that for divine Service to People that another while they cry down as Popish superstitious and Idolatrous and that which they have preached up twenty Years together make Shipwrack of all in a Day and now again call it divine and would have all compelled to that themselves once made void Judge Why never since the King came in F. H. Yes the same Men that preached it down once now cry it up so they are so unstable and wavering that we cannot believe they are the Ministers of Christ 2 dly They teach for Hire and live by forced Maintenance and would force a Faith upon Men contrary to Christ and the Apostles Rule who would have every one perswaded in their own Minds and said Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin and yet they say Faith is the Gift of God and we have no such Faith given but yet they would force theirs upon us and because we cannot receive it they cry You are not subject to Authority and the Laws and nothing but Confiscations Imprisonment and Banishment is threatned and this is their greatest Plea I could mention more Particulars then the Judge interrupted Judge Well I see you will not swear nor conform nor be subject and you think we deal severely with you but if you would be subject we should not need F. H. I do so judge indeed that you deal severely with us for Obedience to the Commands of Christ I pray thee canst thou shew me how that any of those People for whom the Act was made have been proceeded against by this Statute though I envy no Man's Liberty Judge Oh yes I can instance you many up and down the Country that are premunired I have done it my self pronounced Sentence against divers F. H. What against Papists Judge No. F. H. What against the Quakers so I have heard indeed so then that Statute which was made against Papists thou let'st them alone and executest it against the Quakers Judge Well you will meet in great Numbers and do increase but there is a new Statute which will make you fewer F. H. Well if we must suffer it is for Christ's sake and for well doing Francis then being silent the Judge pronounced the Sentence but spake so low that the Prisoner though near to him could scarce hear it The Sentence was You are put out of the Kings Protection and the Benefit of the Law your Lands are confiscate to the King during your Life and your Goods and Chattels forever and you to be Prisoner during your Life F. H. A hard Sentence for my Obedience to the Commands of Christ the Lord forgive you all So he turned from the Bar but the Judge speaking he turned again and many more Words passed to the same Purpose as before at last the Judge rose up and said Judge Well if you will yet be subject to the Laws the King will shew you Mercy F. H. The Lord hath shewed Mercy unto me and I have done nothing against the King nor Government nor any Man blessed be the Lord and therein stands my Peace for it is for Christ's sake I suffer and not for Evil doing And so the Court broke up the People were generally moderate and many were sorry to see what was done against him but Francis signified how contented and glad he was that he had any thing to loose for the Lord 's precious Truth of which he had publickly born Testimony and that he was now counted worthy to suffer for it As for the time of F. Howgil's Sickness which he endured with much Patience and Cheerfulness it begun the 11th of the 11th Moneth 1668. and continued till the 20th of the same Moneth and then he departed this Life having then for the Testimony of Jesus been Prisoner four Years and eleaven Moneths he was not unsensible of the Decay of his outward Man sometime before which
that wills in the Light and works in the Light and reveals Sin by the Light and declares Righteousness through the Light and here the coming of Christ comes to be seen and his Day comes to be known which Abraham saw but through Death this comes to be read and known And so turn all to this here the Word you will hear which is pure and powerful it separates as you hearken unto it and divides between the precious and the vile in you all who love it and it 's nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart and discerns thy Thoughts and here thou wilt learn as thou waitest in Patience of the Son in whom the Father is well pleased and if thou hearkenest to any other it 's the false Prophet which leads thee to Error and so the Displeasure of God will come against thee forever until thou return Blessed is he that hears receives considers and prizes the Offers of Grace and the Day of God's everlasting Love and owns the Gift of God in him revealed which leads to Repentance and works a Change in the Heart and Mind of all that believe in it and gather up into its Nature all that wait in Diligence and believe in it and so the Day of Redemption comes to be seen and known out of Death out of the grave and Immortality comes to be brought forth and Incorruption comes to be put on and they that witness this can truly say we have found him whom our Souls love and do not look for any other Blessed is he that hears and considers and waits to be made Partaker of God's Righteousness revealed that Justifies all that receive it and believe in it they by it come to be Pillars in the House of God forever follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes where pure Peace is enjoyed forever and ever THE Measuring Rod OF THE LORD Stretched forth over all NATIONS AND THE LINE of TRVE JVDGMENT Laid to the Rulers thereof Wherein all Governours Rulers Potentates Powers are measured and all Governments and Laws weighed in the true Weight wherein they all may see how far they are degenerated from the Law of Righteousness and the Rules of Wisdom which was in the Beginning before Tyranny Persecution and Rebellion shewed it self Also shewing the End that will come upon all those Rulers and Governments Rules and Laws that have been made in the Apostacy which is to be all overthrown and all that which is acted out of God's Power to be thrown down by him unto whom all Power is committed Shewing also that they in whom the power of God is made manifest cannot be subject to any Usurper or to that Power which is gone from the Life of God Also an Advertisement to all the Rulers upon the Earth that they may wait for the Restorer to be revealed in the Nations to make up the Breaches and to crush that down which hath made the Breach that so Righteousness may cover the Earth and Gladness of Heart may possess the People Published for the Information of all the Rulers upon Earth By one who waits to see the Kingdoms of the World to become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ that he alone may rule forever and ever F. H. Printed in the Year 1673. THE Measuring Rod OF THE LORD Stretched forth over all NATIONS LIsten oh World hearken O Earth and all the Inhabitants thereof give Ear oh all Nations that are therein and all the Isles thereof draw near ye Potentates thereof ye Emperours Kings Earls Dukes Nobles Principalities and Dominions my Mouth shall speak the Thing that is right and my Lips shall utter forth Understanding my Tongue shall declare unto you the Counsel of the most high and what he is bringing to pass in the latter Dayes he that is higher then the highest hath said he that is greater then the greatest hath spoken the whole World lyes in Wickedness and thick Darkness is over the World his Way is perverted his Counsel is despised and all Nations are out of Order notwithstanding the Multitude of their Counsellors and notwithstanding all their Wisdom yet Folly is brought forth in the midst of the Nations Because they have asked Counsel and not at the Lord and taken Advice and not at the holy One therefore Violence is set up as an Ensign and Wickedness runneth down as a River and Cruelty and Oppression as a mighty Stream the whole Earth is full of Folly and Madness and all the People thereof are degenerate and grown out of the Image of God into a monstrous and strange Nature the Prophets are all Fools the Diviners thereof are mad and they being degenerate themselves from the Life of God have led them into further Blindness Darkness Ignorance and Deceit and have made the Word of Truth of none effect through their Traditions and have taught for Doctrine the Precepts of Men and the Traditions of them who are out of the Faith and out of the Life and out of the Power of God and the Counsellors they have established Wickedness by a Law they themselves being estranged from the Life of God therefore Violence is broken forth into the Earth as a Flood And now all Kings Rulers and Potentates of the Earth who have given their Power to the Whore who sits upon many VVaters and the VVaters are Kindreds Tongues People and Nations yea all Nations have been drunk with the Cup of her Fornication and being all gone forth from the Life which the Prophets and the holy Men of God lived in and were established in Nations and become as VVaters reeling to and fro hither and thither unsetled unstable there the VVhore hath her Seat and all having drunk of her Cup of Iniquity and Fornication even of Mystery Babylon's Cup and are inflamed therewith and so reel to and fro as the VVaters and are as the Waves of the Sea unstable by her who hath made all Nations drunk and by them who have been made drunk with her even all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People have the Prophets been slain and the VVitnesses slain and none to bury them not in Mystery Babylon who is drunk with the Blood of the Saints and they that have drunk of her Cup of Fornication even all the Kings Nobles and Potentates of the Earth they have acted the like and have slain the Appearance of God whereever it hath been brought forth and the red Dragon hath stood ready to devour the Heir which is born of Mystery Jerusalem which is the Mother of all who are born from above who are Heirs of the Promise of eternal Life and the Powers of the earth have joyned their Power to the Dragon who cast out Floods of Venome after the Child which is brought forth by the Woman which is clothed with the Sun and now the Powers of the Earth take Part with the Dragon and their Authority and Dominion that they execute is by his Power which arises out of the bottomless Pit
though with the best of all our Commodities though with Cinamom and Odours and Oyntment and Frankincense yet they will buy none of our Ware nor there 's no Hope of trading with them any more for they are come to know the Pearl which is more precious then Rubies and the heavenly Treasure that doth not rust and the Word which is sweeter then the Honey and the Honey comb there 's no Hope of them but this is the Misery they will not be content with what they have found but impart it to others and so beget a Dislike in other Peoples Minds to the best of all our Merchandize However them that are gone from us and deny our Mother and her golden Cup and deny all her Merchants great and small not only them that trade in Wood and Vessels and Brass and Iron but even them that trade with the best Merchandize as Gold Silver precious Stones Pearls fine Linnen Purple Silk and Scarlet however let us excommunicate them and give them up to Satan and let us call to the Beast with his seven Heads and ten Horns who is scarlet-coloured dreadful and terrible and let us accuse them of Heresie Schism and Blasphemy and call them Seducers Deceivers and false Prophets and let us brand them with Names of Reproach as Sectaries and say they are seditious and rebellious and mutinous and they are Enemies to Church and State and all good Government Peace-breakers factious and pestilent Fellows that bring all the Nations into an Uproar and if that will not do let us petition to Kings Princes Dukes Parliaments Protectors and Councils that some speedy and effectual Course may be taken for suppressing of these Hereticks and for stopping of these blasphemous Doctrines as that the Steeple-house is not the Church and sprinckling of Infants no Ordinance of Christ and singing of Psalms by Tradition no Part of the true Worship of God and it may be shall get some Law or Act of Parliament against them or call them Vagabonds and get them whipt abroad and put in Prisons while we take away their Oxen and Goods at home and so by this Means it will stop others whom we traffick withal that they will not dare to hearken unto them for if they will not buy our Wares and take our measures by a Glass in Love to it yet because of Fear of Imprisonment or Loss of their Goods or Estates they will be constrained to trade with us But alas it is otherwise with us now then it was in Queen Mary's Dayes when Mass Mattens and Even-songs Processionings Ave-maries Creeds and Pater-nosters took up most Part of the Time and went off among People for spiritual Worship at a good Rate neither is it with us now as it was in the Dayes of Bishop Laud our great Metropolitan and the rest of our Mother's Merchants then would Common Prayer translated out of the Mass-Book into the English and Creed Letany Pater-noster with a Lord have Mercy upon us or we beseech thee to hear us good Lord forty Times over in a Quarter of an Hour with some of David's Psalms turned into Meeter by Hopkins and Sternhold Masters of Musick sung with Organs with Choristers and Boyes with bowing to the Altar and such like Merchandize which was then precious in the Eyes of our Mother's Children then whosoever would not be obedient to all the Rites and Ceremonies we branded them with the Name of Puritans and Non-conformists and haled them before Sessions Courts and Magistrates cited them to appear before the Bishops served them up to the High-Commission-Court before the Lords Spiritual and Temporal falsly so called and there the Flesh was gnawn to the Bone and Ears cut off stigmatizing and burning with Irons Imprisonment and Banishment Now as People came nearer the Day they began to suspect all this as not to be the spiritual Worship of God having no Ground nor Footing from the Spirit of Truth nor Example from the Scripture nor from the primitive Churches then they over whom our mother once reigned began to question her whether she was the Lamb's Wife yea or nay And whether our Predecessors and Brethren were the messengers sent out by the true Church yea or nay And whether the Ordinances and Practices were the Institution of Christ and his Apostles yea or nay in the primitive Times And the Day dawned upon them and the Spirit came to be revealed and did shine into their Hearts and they began to search the Scriptures and to compare the true Church which was cloath'd with the Sun and crown'd with the Crown of twelve Stars with our mother Mystery Babylon and they began to compare the Apostles and ministers in the primitive Times with our Predecessors Babylon's merchants and also compared the Institutions and Ordinances which were delivered to the true Church with the Institutions Rites Ceremonies and Inventions of our mother Mystery Babylon and so they found all out by the Revelation of the Spirit and by searching of the Scriptures they found out the Rise of our mother after the Woman was fled into the Wilderness and that she sate not as a Queen upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples till after the Woman did fly away upon the Wings of an Eagle into the Wilderness for a Time Times and half a Time and likewise they found out that our Predecessors and Fellow-merchants were not like the ministers of Christ in the primitive Times neither our Doctrines and Ordinances like the Ordinances and Doctrines which were once delivered to the Saints before ever we merchants set sail or floated in a Ship on the Sea And so finding our City to be raised up in its Glory since the Glory of God was lost in the Earth and finding our Queen Mystery Babylon ruling in our City since the Lamb's Wife fled and finding us merchants to receive her Traffick from her City since the Faith was lost that once was delivered to the Saints and did see our Creeds and Beliefs and Pater-nosters our Prayers and our Hymns that they are quite another Thing which was Part of her Traffick they have concluded and that upon infallible Grounds warranted by a Cloud of Witnesses in the Prophets and Apostles that our mother is a Whore and her Predecessors are her merchants and that our Ordinances are and Traffick hath been invented by some of our mother's children which are Apostates and they have found us out And now alas a Ship will be hardly able to ride any more upon the Waters nor the Sea will hardly bear up our Vessels any more the Nations the Kindreds the Tongues and the Peoples are almost dryed up especially in the North Regions they will not buy our merchandize any more our Ships are like to stand still and our merchandize is like to be all shipwrackt therefore let us take counsel lest all the Sea dry up and we all sit down in Solitariness and our Song be turned into wo worth the Day misery and alas Therefore now it
here was Worship but it was the Beast's Worship and idolatrous Worship and the Dragon's Worship who sought to destroy the man-child which all the Angels are to worship all this Worship is in the Apostacy So let all take notice of this compelling causing forcing killing and destroying about Worship all they that so do yet are worshipping the Beast on which the Whore rides and this is that Generation who slew the Lamb and they are of the World and this is the Dragon's Brood who sought to devour the man-child and this is the Serpent's Seed and a Seed of Falshood who made War with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman through all Ages unto this Generation and so all that which is called Christendom is more or less under the Beasts Power and hath his Image even to this Day and yet some of them are professing the Saints Words and imitating their Actions who were Followers of the Lamb and kept the Faith now this that John saw as come in did grow Deceivers Anti-christs false Prophets who were before and troubled the Churches Galatia and Corinth and made Havock brought in Deceit and infected many as Coloss. Pergamus Sardis and Laodicea Rev. 3. But now all Nations were erred and gone from their Maker their Husband and did drink of the Cup of the Whore and were adulterated from the Life Faith and Power and now worshipped the Beast and the whole World went after him there was some of his Adultery Whoredom and Fornication in the Apostles Dayes and some had drunken then but now Nations Kindreds Tongues and People drunk the Cup of Fornication and now Jezabel who slew the Prophets and drunk the Blood of the Saints she reaches out her Cup Kings Merchants noble men great men Nations Kindreds Tongues and People were made drunk the man-child sought to be devoured Floods cast out after the Woman the Saints Blood drunk the World worships the Dragon and the Beast and his great Authority and wonders after him now Jezabel the VVhore who made the Nations drunk she prophesies all the Nations made drunk with her Cup of Fornication and drinks in all her false Doctrines and devised Fables now she is as a Queen now the Nations worship after a Beast ariseth she gets upon him and rides she and the Beast become one she drinks the Blood of the Saints the Beast makes VVar compels kills being of one mind with the VVhore none to buy or sell but they that have his Mark or his Name or at least some of the Number of his Name and who were not defiled were killed or sought to be killed this is since the Apostles Dayes So now we have found the Whore her Beginning in the Apostacy having lost the Faith and Power that the Saints were in we have found out the Rise of the Beast in the Apostacy since the Apostles that all the World wondred after and worshipped Now Rome we have found thy Foundation and the Beginning of thy Rise and see how thou art elevated we have thee and all that sprang out of thy Stock and Root betwixt this time and the Apostles and we read beyond thee though thou boast thy self of Antiquity and glory in thy Councils and Convocations for thy Proof we have sounded thy Bottom I have thee and all the Apostates sprang from thee betwixt me and the Apostles the Anti-christs false Prophets Deceivers false Apostles they began they laid thy Foundation who went out from the Apostles and denyed the Cross of Christ and the Power of God and the Apostle prophesied of their Increase here thy visible Members began to gather and they went out into the World and the World received them according to Christ's Saying out of the Light out of the Power out of the Faith out of the Life that the holy men of God were in being ravened from the Spirit whored from the Life they went out in an outward Dress had a Shew a Form of Godliness the Nations received the Cup and Kings of the Earth the Nobles and the mighty men thou boasts of they drank of thy Cup and were inflamed with Adultery after thee and then the Nations over which the Whoredoms spread Kindreds Dominions Tongues Nations and Peoples became Fornicators all became as a Sea rolling tossing foming raging casting up Mire and Dirt unstable reeling then the Kings the great men thy Nobles who were Rulers over the People being drunk with the Nations Cup of Fornication they sprang up as a great Beast with so many Heads and Horns and their Teeth became as Lyons their Feet as Bears and then thou begannest to ride in the Nations and to sit as a Queen then thou associatedst they drunken Fornicators together then thou began to usurp Authority and sitedât as Judge over the Heritage of God and of the Saints of the Apostles and of them that kept the Testimony of Jesus then thou beganedst to kill and destroy and suck the Blood of the Saints and to be drunk with it and then thy Kings whom thou callest Converts and Christians having drunkken thy Cup they formed Laws and made Laws to guard thy Whoredoms and Adulteries and Idolatries then thy became they Executioners and what thou saidst was good the Beast maintained and what thou condemnedst by thy Councils for Heresie they became Executioners of then came in compelling to worship by the Beast that rose out of the Sea and then thou cryedst Hereticks and condemnedst the just and then thou got'st a Cover thou wouldst not kill but the Beast must upon whom thou ridest then if there were any that kept their Virginity and the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which was in the Apostles Dayes then thou condemnedst them for Hereticks then the Beast compelled and caused to worship but if they would not bow to his Image then thy Merchants cry up they despise Governours and Rulers when thy Doctrine and thy Lawes are corrupt then the Beast must kill then he blasphemes the God of Heaven and his Tabernacle and then thou sayedst thou killest none but the Beast must upon which thou rides and shall have a whole Council to confirm it to be lawful and now thou call'st thy self the Catholick and Apostolical Church and thy Seat the Apostolical Chair and the Rulers and Leaders Defenders of the Faith Nay we find thee contrary to the primitive Church and thy Seat and Chair is raised up since and thy Bed of Whoredoms made since and the Kings and Rulers in thy Dominions are become Defenders of thy Idolatries and VVhoredoms and are indeed the Beast that makes VVar with the Saints and hath prevailed and Truth overcome but he is risen who is able to make VVar with the Beast and to take the VVhore and to burn her Flesh with fire for he is able to judge her and the Beast's VVeapons and thine are carnal but the Lamb's and the Saints are spiritual and so thy Doctrine and Practice is quite another thing patched Stuff some brought in from the
first Priesthood some borrowed from the Jews as thy Altars thy Vestiments that thy idolatrous Merchants wear when they celebrate thy great Idol the Mass and the rest borrowed fragments from the Heathen and the rest invented in the Night of Darkness and all that you have is invented Trumpery as bad as the Heathen all your Crosses Altars Crucifixes your Cells your Lent your Fasts your Feasts your Hair-cloth your Images Pictures your Reliques of dead mens Bones your Tythes your Offerings Oblations Obventions your Tapers Beads your holy VVater your baptizing of Infants your Purgatory your praying for the Dead your visiting of old VValls and old Tombs and rotten Sepulchres your Pilgrimages your Inquisition all this is come up since the Apostles Dayes and thy consecrated Bread and Wine which thou callest the Body and Blood of Christ about which Idol thou and all that have drunken the Cup of Fornication and the Beast hath slain Thousands of men in your Blood-thirsty Cruelty and all your Works you call meretorious they are all dead and will be sentenced by the Lamb who is risen to be self-Righteousness and so we have found out your visible Church had no being but since the Apostacy since the Apostles Dayes and you are erred both in Doctrine and Practice and all your Ordination of your Ministers your Schools and Colledges are all in the Will of man all this is in the Fall in the Transgression and under the Curse Obj. Some of the Protestants or reformed Churches so called may say We like this well that you declare against Popery we agree with you in that but we have renounced the Whore's Cup and have denyed all the Powers of the Beast long since Answ. Although many of you Priests have denyed your Mother because some Kings and Rulers or Dukes and Magistrates have cast off the Yoak and they protect you and give you Maintenance yet we cannot but remember you of your Genealogy and Descent and your Doctrine and Practice shall prove it and make it manifest and that you take Part with the Beast and worship his Image shall be evidenced more and more even before this Generation pass away are not you a Stem sprung from the same Root do not the Fruits you bring forth evidence it and Pracrice demonstrate it If you grant that Rome is apostatized from the Faith which the Apostles were in and their Practice you must not deny your Fathers who made the Bishops and ordained them did not the Pope who ordained you Ministers of Priests did not the Bishops who set up your Mass-house with all the Pictures and Crosses in and upon them which you call your Church who established Tythes Offerings Oblations Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues did not the Pope first and them that were subject to his Power who invented Schools and Colledges to fit you for the Ministry and qualifie you for the Ministry as you say is not this set up in and since the Apostacy began your set Wages your baptizing of Infants your consecrated Bills which the Pope hallowed or his Emissaries do not you preach up the Letter for the VVord and the Letter for the Gospel and are not you calling your Bread and Wine a Sacrament which Word you have received from Rome your Pulpits and your Hour-Glasses your Cushions your black Robes and long Robes false Prophet like your funeral for the Dead like the Popes Exequies for the Dead your devouring Widdows Houses and suing men at the Law your haling them to Courts and Prisons your taking away mens Goods by force three-fold yea ten-fold that which you claim and from them that you work not for neither dare you say this was the Apostles Practice or any of the primitive Churches if you say yea all that know the Scripture or the least of God in them or to open their Understandings they will see you nearly related to Rome and to the Apostates and Deceivers and false Prophets of old and that you are greatly inflamed with the Whore's Cup and did not the holy men of God speak as they were moved by the holy Ghost and divine Inspiration and as the Spirit of Truth revealed it self in them and do not you all Head and Tail deny any such thing to be now and further conclude that it 's a great Error to look for any such thing then be convinced in your selves you are Apostates and apostatized frâm that Faith Hope and Spirit that was in the primitive Times and now read old Authors it may be twenty or thirty Books before you can get an Hours Discourse patched up to hold you dreaming till the Glass be run and dare you be so impudent and confident as to say that you are not Apostates and are you not Followers of the Beast and have you not his Mark and bear you not his Image do not you count that Disorder which the Apostles and the Churches counted Order If any Thing was revealed to him that stands by let the first hold his Peace are not you apostatized from this Order and cry Take him away and yet you would be called Apostâlical well these things being true and obvious enough to behold to any who know any thing of God I need not say much more in this thing but all wise men will come out from among you and out of Babylon the Mother of Harlots which hath made you and your Root and Genealogy drunk with her Fornication and this is my Call to separate from her and you that are in the Apostacy and wait to know the Word which was in the Beginning and the Gospel which was preached to Abraham which endures forever whose joyful Sound is come forth in Power and great Glory which will shake the foundation of your great City even Mystery Babylon and not leave one Stone upon another which shall not be thrown down and then the holy men of God shall rejoyce and the Saints of the most high shall sing they that have been as Sheep for the Slaughter shall reign over the Earth and shall say The Lord God Omnipotent reigns and let us rejoyce and be glad and he hath taken to himself great Power and is coming to gather his Lambs out of your Mouthes and to feed in a Pasture you never saw which was manifest to the Saints in Light before you Apostates sprang and shall be again when you and all your dark muddy Traditions and Inventions are gone down into the Pit where there is no Remembrance Object But it may be the pure Reformed Church of Scotland as it hath been called and the old Episcopal and Prelatical Priests of England who have borrowed their Images to set up here will be ready to say We have denyed the Whore and the Beast and the Apostacy and we have pure Reformation we have denyed Bishops which were made by the Apostate the Pope and now we have setled all things according to the primitive Church Answ. There never did spring up any Deceit since the Apostles or before
and the Son of God according to the Spirit is glorified with the Father the man Christ Jesus he is sate down at the right Hand of God But if tho meanest by Human a carnal Body or the same Flesh that thou hast on deal plainly with us and nakedly the next time thou or any of thy Teachers write and prove us by Scripture where the Church is called his mystical Body or where hast thou got these new coyned words as Human Nature and mystical Body Correct thy Pen and let no such Popish Phrases come in Print again lest thou shamest thy self more instead of shaming of us And thou concludest If any say here he is or there he is on Earth believe them not Where learnedst thou this Article of Faith I pray thee shew me Is he not both in Heaven and Earth How should he restore the Earth and all things into their purity if he must not be manifest in the Earth What! wilt thou confine him to or in a place Doth not his Presence fill Heaven and Earth Is he divided from his Presence But may be thou wilt say as thy Generation doth that he is in the Earth by his Spirit and in Heaven in his Body or Person distinct from his Spirit If so then you divide Christ and a Person without a Spirit and not Christ. I will aske thee a Question No man hath Ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven Where was the Son of man or the Man Christ when this was spoken If thou canst see this thou mayst be ashamed to shut Christ out of the Earth or from among his Saints where his Presence his Arm his hand and his Power is which is not divided from his Body but I know thou art deaf and canst not hear what I say and thou bringst Heb. 10 12. After he had offered one Sacrifice sate down at the right hand of God that is saist thou In his human Nature The shame is come upon thy self who hast added thy own Imagination and let all see whether the Scriptures speak of Human Nature but thy folly must be manifest to all Thy third Particular that thou namest and as thou sayest shamest is If we say we are without Sin we deceive our Selves Thou hadst better have enquired perfectly whether we said so or no before thou hadst undertook to reprove upon so doubtfull terms and thou bringst Prov. 20.9 For who can say my Heart is clean He can say so and speak Truth whose Heart God hath cleansed by the Blood of Christ from all Sin And then thou bringst Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own Mouth shall condemn me That 's true we justifie not our selves neither self but deny self and self is condemned and Christ God's Righteousness is become our Justification And then thou bringest Paul Phil. 3. Not as though I had already attained but follow after that I may apprehend What of that he was in his growth and was come to that which was perfect and did believe to attain to the Stature of a perfect man And then thou saist I tell you you are not perfect your contempt of the Ministers of Christ and perverting the Doctrine of Christ are characters of Sin That shall stand for thy self and thy Masters whom thou art joyned with who set up Popish trumpery instead of the Ordinance of Christ and set up the precepts of men introduced in the Apostacy for the Doctrine of Christ And then thou concludest the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin all in the first Adam but I hope the Scripture doth not conclude all under Sin in the second Adam neither doth conclude him under Sin that 's born of God who Sins not And if thou makest any such conclusion thou givest thy verdict for the Devil and not for God then thou sayest I am not pleading for Sin Thou art pleading for nothing else but for Sin and Imperfection in which the Devil's Kingdom stands and thou sayest thou hast cause to cry out O wretched man that I am So thou hast indeed hast thou repented of thy Drunkenness How long is it since thou fell'st off a Bridge being Drunk and broke thy Leg but it is like for thy good Service done to thy Master in writing this lying scrole he will give thee an Absolution for that Transgression The fourth Particular which thou call'st our Tenet is That we deny the Scripture to be the Word of God And thou hast brought many Scriptures to prove that they are but they are as impertinent to the thing as thy former about the Steeple-house or Mass-house Thou hast brought many Scriptures Jer. 37.8 how they are called the words of the Lord who ever denyed that but the Word spoke the words and the Word is greater 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by divine Inâpiration I deny that some was spoken by the Devil and some by wicked Men and I hope thou wilt not call that divine Inspiration Then thou may be wilt conclude I deny the words of Paul to Timothy I deny the Word Is it is an Addition of the TRANSLATOR which Word alters and varies in the true sense of that Scripture but all Scripture given by Inspiration of God is profitable for Doctrine c. But knowest thou no dinstinction between Inspiration and Tradition You have it by Tradition the Saints by Inspiration It 's a dead Letter in it self and as it is spoken from your Mouthes who speak of it by tradition but from them that were Inspired the living Spirit uttered forth living Words But what is all this to prove the Scripture or writings to be the Word of God And then thou cites 2 Cor. 2.4.7 Not handling the Worâ deceitfully What doth this prove nothing at all and all the rest that thou hast ciâed is nothing at all but what we have answered over and over many times wherein all that have any understanding in the Knowledge of God are satisfied That which thou shouldst have proved by the Scripture is where the Scripture or writings or Letter doth title it self the Word of God It is granted they are the words of God and the Words of Holy men Inspired So in thy own words I say take thou notice though thou art confident and presumtuous in this thou hast shamed thy self and not us the Word was before either Scripture Writings or Bible was which Word is greater and gave them a Being And thou that wouldst set that which is brought forth by the Father above the Father art out of the Apostles wisdom speaking a similitude He that builds a House receives more Honour then the House Now to call the Scripture the Word is to give as much honour to the House as to him that builded it but in a word this I say whatever the Scripture doth testifie of it self or call it self that I own it to be And if any man call it another thing it shall testifie against him and
bad Proof for R. I. for the Collossians were circumcised with the Circumcision made without Hands and they were buried with him in Baptsim baptized into the Death and Sufferings of Christ such a Baptism as the Priests never Administred with their Hands and the Spirit of the Lord was wont to be the Seal of the Covenant to them that do believe but now it must be turned out of doors for visible Water hath taken up its Place in R. I. his Judgement which is currupted how doth sprinkling answer to Circumcision the Males only were circumcised and not the Females and why do you sprinkle Females if Baptism must answer to Circumcision and if the Extent of the one must be as large as the other And as for Mortification of the Flesh and Remission of Sins that which mortifies the deeds of the Flesh hath Life in it and that gives a living Testimony within Remission sins of is in the Blood of Christ and the Seale thereof is by the Spirit unto them that believe but this popish tradition hath taken up all in R. I. his Account if his Argument be true nay the Papists themselves who are as zealous for sprinkling of Infants as R. I. or any of his Brethren can be yet one of their own Bishops at a Council in France of both Protestants and Papists at Pisoy 1561. Claudius Espencius saith many Things are to be believed by Tradition only as the Baptism of Infants which cannot be proved from Scripture but this R. I. would have the Scripture to be a cloak and a coveâ not only for Popish traditions but for his own invented imaginations which he hath set forth to blind the People withal The next Thing that R. I. goes about to vindicate is Swearing which their Ministers teach Men to swear which ought to be in Rightousness and Truth and for his Proof he brings Deut. 10.20 and saith Christ only prohibits rash and vain swearing and superfluous Oaths Answ. Unto this much hath been said and answered already by many pens and so that in the Answer thereof I shall be brief in the first Covenant it was lawful to swear in Truth and Righteousness and likewise all rash and vain Oaths under the Law were forbidden but Christ who is the End of the Law for Righteousness who is greater then the Prophets and greater then Moses and Solomon and greater then the Angels unto whom they all worship he saith expresly Swear not at all now whereas R. I and ther 's have said Christ only in these Words prohibits vain Oaths or false Oathâs then he had reproved nothing but what the Law had reproved but he saith it hath been said of old Time thou shalt not forswear thy self but saith Christ I say swear not at all so that it is manifest that all Oaths are forbidden by him who is the Oath of God and why saith R. I. it is not contrary to the Gospel of Christ for to swear and yet doth account the writings which is called the New Testament the Goâpel wherein Christ hath expresly forbidden it and therefore those Ministers that teach men to swear are not the Ministers of Christ but teach those things that are repugnant to the Gospel of Christ For he that breaks one of the least of the Commands of Christ and teacheth others so to do is least in the Kingdom of God The next thing that R. I. would vindicate is their of singâng David's Psalms in invented Tunes such as pleaseth the carnal Mind and for his Proof he brings Mat. 26.30 They went out and sung a Hymn and Paul and Silas sung in Prison and singing is divine Worship for the Praise of God and the Comfort of our Souls and it is a Soul-ravishing and Heart-raising Ordiâance Answ. It is acknowledged and alwayes hath been by us that Praises belongs unto the Lord and that they that are made alive whose Souls are raised out of Death can and do praise the Lord and they that siâg with the Spirit and with Understanding are acceptable unto God and they that are in the Spirit do that which the Spirit moveth unto and so worship in the Truth and are accepted of God and Christ and Paul and Silas and many more praised the Lord and many now do praise the Lord and he that hath a Psalm may sing but what of all this what doth this prove for R. I. and the Mass-house-fingers and what doth this prove as to the singing of them that are void of Understanding who sometime sing I go mourning all the Day long and just at that moment are singing and what doth R. I. think it cannot be a Psalm except it be in Meeter or doth he think it is not accepted except it hath a Tune with so many stops and to sing David's Prayers and call it Praises is this with Understanding and even to return R. I. his Words upon himself A more ungrounded Opinion was never invented by the Devil for them to sing or to pretend to praise God whose Souls lye in death and do not know what it is to partake of God's Benefits neither the unsearchable Gift this kind of singing and Immitation doth not comfort the Soul but burden it and this doth not raise the Witness but killeth it and you make merry over it and this kind of singing must be turned into howling and lamentation And saith R. I. Our Worship doth not differ neither in whole nor in Part in matter or in manner from the Saints Worship in the Primitive Times Answ. This Man's Confidence or rather Impudence is in Opposition to Knowledge and Wisdom for it were easily proved that it neiâher in whole nor in Part neither in matter nor manner agreeth with the Primitive times as for Example it is no where recorded in the Scripture that any Apostle Minister or Ministers did take a little Water and did sprinkle a few Drops on a Child's Face called this an Ordinance of God and say it is a Seal of the Covenant and Mortification and Remission ãâã Sins neither any such Doctrine did they declare neither did any of thâ Ministers and Apstoles of Christ cause People to buy them Bread anâ Wine and then give it the People back again a Bit of Bread and a Sup ãâã Wine at the middle of the Day and call this the Lord's Supper or a greââ Sacrament neither had they Bells in their Churches to call People togââther neither had they soft Cushions and Pulpits and a Hour-glass ãâã by them neither did the Primitive Churches prohibit or limit thâ Spirit of the Lord God amongst any but if any was moved to speak any thing or had any thing revealed from the Lord the first was to hold his Peace These and many more things you differ in both in matter and manner which largely hath been declared by other Pens and so in this I shall be brief neither had the Ministers of the Gospel their Maintenance by force neither had they Easter reckonings
Doctrine and further say'st Charity though shooting at Random cannot miss the right Mark Answ. It is one thing what God accounteth true Honour it is another thing what R. I. counteth Honour True Honour is to obey the Commands of Superiours who rule in the Power of God and this the Quakers do submitting to all the just and equal Commands which are required of them that rule in the Power of God and this is not to blaspheme the Name of God and his Doctrine but this Fellow would have accused the Apostles as his Generation did who put them out of the Cities charging them to speak no more in the Name of Jesus and then when the Apostles return'd plead their Authority saying Did not we command you to speak no more in his Name and now you are disobedient blaspheming the Name of God and his Doctrine Is this Good Reasoning R. I. And Charity shoots not at random neither misses the Mark but it is pure and singles out its Obâect to joyn unto and joyns not unto Deceit but this is R. I. his Charity to think well of them that are doing Evil and joyn to them who are doing the Devil's Work but this Man honours Charity as he doth the Scriptures he saith Charity shoots at random and the Scriptures are the true Cards as hereafter thou shalt see And saith R. I. F. H. labours to disgrace if not to deface our Churches he like a cunning Gamster knows how to alter the Course of true Cards the Scripture as R. I calls them Answ. Because F. H. would have them to take away their Crosses and Pictures and Images which were set up in the time of gross Idolâtry this R. I. counts graces and adorns their Churches and so he is joyned to Idols I shall let him alone and the Reader may see how R. I. honours the Scriptures when in one Place he pleads for the same Titles to be given unto them which are given to God and saith No Man can dâshonour Christ by giving as honoura le Titles to the Scriptures as to God or Christ then by his own Argument he hath brought a great Dishonour to God and Christ and the Scripture by giving them so base a Title as the Name of Cards and so in going about to exalt his own Imaginations he hath vilified the Scriptures of Truth And saith R. I. To call Steeple-houses Churches is no Addition to the Scripture but a true Exposition thereof and what if there be some Reliques of Idolatry in our material Temples is there are some Reliques of Sin in our living Temples ãâã they therefore be called Idol-Temples Answ. The Temple in which the Jews worshipped was builded by the Command of God which all these Steeple houses cannot be compared unto which were invented and set up in the Apostacy since Men have departed from the Faith and ruined into Formalities and Idolatry when Christ was offered up the everlasting Offering them that did believe in Christ âeparated from the Temple and the Gentiles who believed separated from their Idols Temples and they met together in Houses which we do not read of were filled with Pictures Images and Crosses and Steeple-houses were not then invented and the Council of Nice divers hundred Years after the Apostles decreed that Images and Crosses were to be placed in the Churches and also worshipped and there is the Original of those things which R.I. saith do grace and adorn their Church And if some of the reliques of Idolatry do abide in your Temples then it demonstrates that you are in the same Spirit they were that set them up And if your Temples take their Denomination from the People that meet therein as R. I. saith in page 32. then they may be truly called Popish Houses and Mass-houses from the People that meet therein and if the reliques of Sin abide in your living Temples and bear rule there then they that defile the Temple will God destroy for Holiness becomes the Habitation of his Hâuse forever and 1 Kings 8.11 will be but a bad Proof for thee For the Glory of the Lord shall fill the House of the Lord for that is the Temple blind man which was commanded by God and the Glory of God did appear there but if this will not serve we must have another Proof Psal. 76.2 In Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling-place in Sion which may be understood allegorically of our Temple saith R. I. Doth the Glory of the Lord fill your Mass-houses you glory in Deceit and in Pride and your Glorying is not good and thy Allegory is false though his Tabernacle was in Salem and his Dwelling in Sion and his Presence in the Temple is yours the Temple or Salem or Sion or the Tabernacle if not for Shame pervert not the Scripture nor bring it to cover your idolatrous Practices which R. I. pleads for and saith Images Pictures and Crosses may be continued in some Places and it is like R.I. would count it Sacriledge to take them away he is far from the Exhortation of the Apostle Abstain from every Appearance of Evil and hate the Garment that is spotted with the Flesh. And R.I. saith I plead not for Baal nor for proud phantastick Spirits and yet a little while after saith that putting off Lace Ribbons and costly Apparel may be putting on of Pride Now who will believe this R.I. that he pleads not for Baal when he pleads for Pictures Crosses and Images for Cuffs Ribbonds Lace and costly Apparel Now Reader thou may'st observe by R.I. his Decorum how the Wheels go within And further R. I. saith It is utterly unlawful for any Christian whatsoever gifted or not gifted to preach the Word in the Name of the Lord before the Church publickly assembled unless they be ordained and set apart by the Church for such a Work Answ. this man is far from Moses's Spirit who wished that all the Lord's People were Prophets and would not forbid Eldad and Medad to prophesie in the Camp which was a publick Assembly and Israel then the Church of God and R. I. hath made too hasty a Conclusion who would prohibit all from speaking the Word of God if they wanted outward Ordination then Paul was a great Transgressor who consulted not with Flesh and Blood neither with any other of the Brethren nor went not up to Jerusalem for Orâination but preached three years the Word of God and then afterward went up to Jerusalem and saw none except Peter and James and no Ordaination as we read of and afetrward went into Syrâa and Cilicia and furthermore saith he that was not known by Face to the Churches of Judea So who ordained him all this time for there were no Churches of the Gentiles but what he had planted then and so they could not ordain him Gal. 1.17 18 19 21 22. And who ordained Apollo but it may be that R. I. will say that Paul was ordained at Antioch Acts 12.2 but I would have R. I. to
understand that here was seventeen years that he preached publickly before that and where was his Ordination Many of the Brethren who were scattered abroad in the Persecution that was at Jerusalem went every where preaching the Word of God and when or where were these ordained And who ordained the Brethren that were persecuted after Steven's being put to death who travailed as far as Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch preaching the Word and the Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and were turned unto the Lord Acts 11.19 20 21. yet these things I bring not as to deny but that many went out with the consent of the Church and many were ordained and many were ordained Elders who were grown up in the Truth and established who had received the holy Ghost by whom many were confirmed and strengthned in the Faith but what is all this R. I. to your Ordination and who ordained you the Pope a Bishop or a Council or a Parliament and what are they you ordain Such as learn the Art of Speech seven years at Oxford who have read Homer and Aristotle Plato and Diogenes and learn to play on a Fiddle these are no Mechanicks but gifted Men indeed and qualified and fit to be ordained and made Ministers Pastors and Elders to carry abroad the Traffick of Mystery-Babylon but this R. I. is very peremptory and saith it is utterly unlawful for any that are gifted to preach the Word contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine who saith as every one hath received the Gift so let him administer and not such as R. I. would have to be Ministers who have learned an Art to speak and this must be called a Gift and a Qualification and a fit Man to be a Pastor and thus they have ordained one another and have set up a Trade of preaching and with their confused Stories have filled the World with Darkness And as concerning an infallible Spirit saith R. I. None except Christ who was without sin can challenge it or lay claim to it and I may say of such Runnagates and wandering Stars as this F. H. and the Quakers are as John did 1 John 2.9 They are gone out from us because they were not of us Answ. However this R. I. hath cleared himself and the rest of his Brethren for being Ministers of Christ for they do not only deny an infallible Spirit neither look to be made Partakers thereof but quite shut out all the Saints from enjoying it and though in Christ the fulness of the Godhead dwelt who was full of Grace and Truth he is the Root from whence all that believe come to be made partakers of his Virtue and so many of his Members may lay claim to it as they have received it by a free Gift according to the Promise of Christ I will send you the Spirit of Truth whâch shall lead you into all Truth and the Apostle had received the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus who had freed him from the Law of Sin and Death and the Sons of God had received it and they were led by it and the Ministers of Christ were made Ministers of it who hath made us able Ministers as it is written not of the Letter but of the Spirit and that Spirit was infallible and true and that Spirit which they declared of was an unerring Spirit and as they were led by it they erred not but were kept by it that the Evil one touched them not and they spoke from it and ordered the Church in it in the wisdom of God But what do these Men minister from who wait not to be made Partakers of this but deny that ever any had it or ever shall have so are but a company of Dreamers and tell their dream that they dreamed in the Night or at best steal the Words from their Neighbour and say Thus saith the Lord when God hath never spoken to them And though thou mayest say we are Runnagates because we sit not dreaming over thirty or forty Families twenty years but travail from City from Country to Country to publish the Word of Truth freely as the Apostles Ministers of Christ did we must by such as this R. I. and his Brethren who have gotten Holes and Nests in the Earth to creep into be counted as Runnagates though John said They are gone out from us because they were not of us this he spoke of them who went out of the Light in which he and the rest of the Disciples had Fellowship with God and one with another and they that went out from this went into the Spirit of the World and you are such as they that are gone out already and blasphemously call the Light of Christ Ignis fatuââ and so all that fear the Lord will come out from you and out from Babylon where the Blood of the Prophets hath been shed and the Witnesses killed you who deny an infallible Spirit are like to be in blindness and follow the Spirit of Error for you have nought else to cleave unto And further R I. saith when the Lord said by Joel that he would pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and his Daughters should prophesie the Prophet speaks not of a ghostly Power to open the Kingdom of Heaven given by Christ to his Apostles and Successors but of an extraordinary Measure of enlightning Grace and a more copious effusion of the Spirit and also to Pastors to whom more is given more is required and this Text doth not prove that all Sheep shall be Pastors and all Schollars Teachers An. Nay this Text doth not prove all Sheep to be Pastors neither all that are taught to be Teachers for all are not Prophets neither Pastors nor Teachers for as Christ said the Labourers are but few but this Man 's afraid that there should be too many indeed there are too many hireling Loiterers that are ready to supplant one another for filthy Lucre though many may be said to believe yet all have not received the Spirit of prophecy or a Gift to be Pastors but only they to whom it is given of the Lord for the Work sake yet notwithstanding they who have received it ought not to be limited either Son or Daughter for they who do quench the Spirit and dââpise Prophecy as this R. I. doth and how should he do otherwise seeing he hath denyed the infallible Spirit from which all the Ministers ministred and all the Prophets prohesied and spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost but R. I. saith the Prophet spoke not of a Ghostly Power to open the Kingdom of Heaven if by ghostly Power he means the Spirit 's Power as I believe he will not deny then was it not by a spiritual Power Sons Daughters prophesied and did not this Power open the Kingdom of Heaven and if it be a more copious Effusion of the Spirit which is given under the Gospel then the Law
the Apostle's Doctrine and so this R. I. is tryed by his own infallible standard to be a Deceiver who teaches contrary to that which he calls his Law and Testimony and the Law which is outward is the Law of the first Covenant which made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better Hope did by which we draw nigh unto God Heb. 7.19 Therefore the Lord sââd by the Mouth of the Prophet Behold the Dayes come that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel not according to the Covenant I made with them when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt when I was as a Husband and unto them which Covenant they brake but I will write my Law in their Heart and put my spirit in their inward Parts I will be to them a God and they shall be unto me a People Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.9 10. Now this blind man who gropes as at noon-day saith This is imperfect which is written in the heart and so faulty with him and therefore to be ruled over and the other which is outward is perfect and faultless and so ought to be a rule but saith the Apostle contrary to R. I. If the first covenant had been faultless there had been no place for the second which second the Apostle saith is a better Covenant and stands upon better Promises but yet saith R I. this is not the rule nor fit to be a rule And furthermore the Apostle said as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and this was their Rule and the Law of the Spirit of Life made the Apostle free from the Law of Sin and Death and the new Creatures Rule by which they were led into all Truth and as many as did walk in it out of all Sin But nay saith R. I. It is not fit to be a Rule for this is imperfect and is that thing to be ruled and for his Proof brings Psal. 17.4 By the Word of thy Lips I have kept me frâm the Path of the Destroyer and how doth this prove that the Law in the Heart is to be ruled thou ignorant man who utterest forth nothing but Deceit and Error and so the Scriptures declare against thee for they say The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the Eyes Psal. 19.7 8. For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light Prov. 6.23 and the Commands of the new Covenant are spiritual and not carnal and they are perfect and fit to be a Rule Guide to all them that believe in a perfect Way and not as this R. I. saith unfit to be a rule because of their imperfection and would in his blind Distinctions cast a mist before Peoples Eyes And all may judge not only of this R. I. his Mistake but of his wilful Impudence in preferring that which is visible and outward and may be seen which was given forth in time viz. the Commands outward and the Letter outward above the Law of the Spirit of Life which is invisible spiritual and eternal And as I said to S. S. so I may say to thee Lean Souls are they like to be who receive such damnable Doctrine as this for Atticles of Faith but however Reader thou mayest take notice of R. I. in his Epistle to the Reader he saith the Quakers Money is counterfeit Coin which he hath nailed on the market-post and instead thereof hath tendred other Money and that thou mayest see what kind of other Money the Priests is and what Image it bears by the Principles here discovered which is altogether Tin and Dross and reprobate Silver which will be received by none but them whom the God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of that they should not see the things that belong unto their Peace And Edward Dod being sensible that he and all his Stuff or he and all his Arguments were carried captive and became a Booty and a Prey he is glad that any will step in and rescue him and flattereth R. I. and saith I am engaged to you to imbrace you as a precious Friend that of so weak Principles as mine have raised so perfect a Structure so absolute rational and demonstrative that more need not to be done Answ. R. I. his Vindication hath not redeemed E. D. his Principles at all but rather hath laboured in vain and spent his Strength for naught and hath brought forth such a Birth as sober men will blush at made up of Ignorance Blasphemy Derision and Lyes which they that have the least Moderation will abhor and detest and the Principles of E. D. and R. I. are not only weak and feeble but wicked and impious as is manifest in what hath been declared and the Structure that R. I. hath made is but builded with untempered Mortar Lyes Falshood Error false Doctrine which the stormy Wind of the Lord will rent and scatter and confound and exalt his Truth above it all But Edward Dod saith What can be said to reduce such a People I know not since so many convincing Arguments cannot prevail alas poor Men whether would you reduce us or bring us back to the slime Pits of Sodom where Edward Dod fell with his Stuff or turn us back again to Images Pictures and Crosses to Mass-houses Hirelings and Tythes to Lace Ribbons and Cuffs which both E. D. and R. I. have strongly pleaded for as faithful Servants to their Master who would not have him loose a Foot of his Territories however Edward Dod hath resolved to continue one in Life and death with R. I. who hath shaken Hands with the Prince of darkness and made a Covenant with death which must be broken and though S. S. E. D. and R. I. joyn Hand in Hand yet the wicked shall not go unpunished fore-very one shall receive a Reward according to their Works And so I have done with R. I. his Book called Ignis fatuus whose Arguments false doctrines errors and lyes are disolved into nothing his ãâã made void his Ignorance made manifest his false doctrine brought to Light and reproved by the Word of Truth only I shall return him a few of his Lyes back again for him ãâ¦ã the second time and repent of them and remember the Sentence for all Lyars is The Lake that burneth Rev. 22.15 First That their Worship differs not in whole nor in Part in Matter nor in Manner from the Churches in the Primitive Times Secondly According to the Scriptures their whole Worship is framed Thirdly That Jezabel was never more madder against the Prophets then these Quakers are against Christ's Ministers Fourthly The Quakers contemn Magistracy and infect the Common-wealth with Faction Fifthly That the Quakers burnt some Houses at Oxford Sixthly That Timothy and Titus were setled in a Parochial Way in their Quarters Seventhly That F. H. complains of the Darkness of the Sun when the Fault is in his own Eyes Eighthly
false Prophets that shall come unto you in Sheeps cloathing which are inwardly ravening VVolves ver 16. ye shall know them by their Fruits and in Mat. 24.11 But many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many and this came to be seen and fulfilled in the Age of the Disciples and Johâ testified 1 Jâhn 2.18 Little Children it is the last times as ye have heard hat Antichrist should come even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last times they went out from us but were not of us chap. 4.3 So they entred in then and went out from the Light from the Power of God which the Apostles preached for the Remission of Sins and Jude testified against such as were entred in who were in Cain's way that were degenerated and killed and in Balaam's way for Gifts and Rewards and yet preached up the words which the Apostles spoke but for filthy Lucre and had Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage And Peter said that false Prophets and false Teachers should arise that should bring in damnable Heresies that should deny the Lord that bought them and many should follow their pernicious Wayes 2 Pet. 9.22 And the Apostle wrote to Timothy the Bishop or Overseer that the Spirit spoke expresly that in the last times some should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lies in Hypocrisie forbidding to marry and abstain from meats c. 1 Tim. 4. And again Paul in 2 Tim. 3. saw the Apostacy coming in and perillous times should come that men should be lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters without natural Affection Truce-breakers false Accusers despisers of them that are good Traytors heady high-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then Lovers of God men of âoârupt minds reprobate concerning the Truth having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power and as the same Apostle saith in another Place were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and these went out into the World and this is 1400. Years ago and upwards Then the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and wrought and they went out and did not preach up the Jews Religion the Ordinances of the first Covenant but they preaâhed Christ in Words and transformed into the Form of the Apostles Words but denied the Cross and spoke those things they ought not for filthy Lucrâ Sake and there was the Beginning of the Hirelings that care not for the Flock and those went out into the World and many followed their pernicious Wayes and there held the Form but denied the Power and âo indeed preached another Gospel and they lived in the Liberty of the Flesh held people in the Liberty yet proselyted them into a kind of Faith which was feigned and these kind of false Apostles and deceitful workers led many after them and there was the beginning of the Apostacy and they published these things in the World and when the Name of Christ came to be in Reputation and the preaching of the Gospel to be in Request then they for filthy lucre went out with the Words and retained the Form not the Jewish Form altogether but the Form of the Saints worship and practice which were in the Church of Christ which were elect and precious and they grew to such a Head and to such a Body and became such a Number and yet Gainsayers and in Cain's Way for they were out of the Power and out of that which mortifies the Deeds of the Flesh and they spread themselves over Nations and Kindreds over Tongues and peoâple and Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and people have now got the Name of a Church and the Seat thereof came to be great the false Church the Harlot Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots which had denyed the Husband Christ the Power of God her Seat was set upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and these were her Seat and John said these were the Waters which he saw the Whore or false Church sit upon and she turned and all her Children against the free Woman the Lord's Spouse the Lamb's Wife and made her flee into the Wilderness for a Time Times and half a Time and she reached forth her Golden Cup a fair out-side but full of Fornication within and she claimed Christ to be her Husband and sate as a Queen and the Kings of the Earth John saw in the Revelation drink of her Cup and bewitched by her Sorceries and then all the Nations becoming Water and unstable being drunk with Fornication staggered up and down and reeled up and down and stood in nothing being out of the Power which should have stablished them and then a great Beast arose out of these Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People which are these Waters with seven Heads and ten Horns and then these Apostatized Disciples or Ministers which preached for filthy Lucre and them that believed them sheltered them under the Beast and cryed who is able to make War with the Beast And the Kings of the Earth gave their Strength to the Beast which arose out of the Waters and now the false Church gets upon him these that had the Form of Godliness out of the Power and rides upon the Beast and he carries her and hath done this many Years and she hath travailed in the greatness of his Strength and then Laws began to be made about Religion and then began compelling we heard of none in the Primitive times nor in the true Church but now the false Church calling her self by the Free-Woman's Name and getting on the outward Dress and Habit and Attire saith I am she have I not the Form and Ordinanes which were practised in the Apostles Daves who doubts of that may look into the primitive times and see that I am conformable to the Form which was amongst the first Christians in things that are outward and thus she hath deceived the Nations Rev. 18.23 Now Rome look to thy Beginning and read thy Original and view thy Antiquity VVe will grant thee every Dram and every Hour of time these thirteen hundred Years and prove thee to be in the Apostacy in Doctrine and Practice from the primitive time after the first hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh And Christendom look about thee for thou art measured and thy Compass is seen If Natioâs and Kindreds and Tongues and People have drunk the VVhores Cup since John's Dayes as will be made manifest then what Cause hast thou Rome to boast of Antiquity and Universality for that doth the sooner prove thee to be a Harlot then the true Church and thy Universality which hath long been boasted of proves thee no more to be the true Church of Christ then the Sea can prove it self to be a Rock for if Nations Kindreds and Tongues and Languages and People universally be the Waters that the Whore sits upon and the Beast rose out of the Waters Now read thy self we have measured thee as in
the Hollow of a Hand and we have thee in the Apostacy clear thy self when thou canst if the Beast compelled all both small and great to worship him and made War with all that bore not his Image then we have thee between us and the Apostles time as in a press for no such compelling was in the true Church by any Ecclesiastical or Secular Power instance if thou canst from the Apostles writings any such thing or where Cain's weapons were lifted up or Creatures Men and VVomen killed by the Sword or destroyed with lingring Torments in the time of the Apostles Now in that it hath been said the Church hath been universal to that more might be said Europe or some Parts adjacent is not all the Earth and it is no where found since the Apostles that killing and compelling and forcing hath been but by thee and them that are at the best but in the Suburbs of thy City which afterwards I shall in brief descend to And so it is evidently known that thy church so called hath been upheld more by cruelty and force then any sound Doctrine or Practice agreeable to the Apostles Dayes though thou mayst wipe thy Mouth and say I am clear we persecute none to Death we have a Beast to ride upon and will make war for our City and will compel to our VVorship and Institutions we will cry him up for the higher Power and we will frighten People that who resists this resists the ordinance of God and he will kill and destroy and compel and force and we shall be clear and he will call us the holy church and we will call him the higher Power and so it is clear and evident by what hath been said that thou art in the Apostacy as hereafter shall be manifested by Name and Practice First Thy Ministers are not according to the Ministers of Christ in the primitive times their call not such their practice not such They were made Ministers in the primitive times by the holy Ghost and by the Spirit but yours by natural Parts Tongues Arts Philosophy and Study and packing up old Authors together to make a little discourse of and this must be called the Gospel Secondly the Ministers of Christ they preach freely not for Gifts and Rewards and Tythes but you have brought in Judaism Tythes which belonged to the first Priesthood your Oblations Obventions your Mortuaries and these Invented and introduced things to maintain your Ministers by Thirdly The Ministers of Christ did not compel any at Corinth Thessalonica Macedonia or any other Church to give them such and such maintenance by Force who received not their Doctrine but you compel and force and have made that which you call the Gospel chargeable to the Earth where you have Power 1 Cor. 9.18 Fourthly Your Doctrine is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the primitive times as that the real and substantial Presence of Christ's Body Blood after the Consecration of Priests is in the Bread and Wine which may corrupt so doth not the Body of Christ you do contrary to Christ's Doctrine who saith he that eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood shall live forever John 6.56 but you that eat that which you call his suâstantial and real Body and Blood both it and you shall corrupt Fifthly Of the unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass this Sacrifice doth no good at all for where there is no Blood there is no Life and where there is no Blood there is no Remission saith Paul Heb. 9.14 and so your Sacrifice is abominable and an Idol and such an one as there is no mention made of in the Scriptures Sixthly Of your Litturgy and publick Prayers in an unknown tongue this is an unprofitable and a vain Worship and this is like your unbloody Sacrifice herein you are like Barbarians one to another and how should they that worship with you say Amen when they know not what you say your praying in an unknown tongue is contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine who said 1 Cor. 14.18 I thank my God I speak with Tongues more then you all ver 19. yet in the Church I had rather speak five Words with my Understanding that I might teach others also then ten thousand in an unknown Tongue Seventhly Your Doctrine of Purgatory an invented and an imagined thing as to cleanse from Sin this is contrary to the primitive Doctrine The Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin John 1.7 and your distinctions of mortal and venial Sin is to blind People withal For the Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6.23 Eighthly Of worshipping and invocation of Angels and Saints as Mediators between us and God this is contrary to the Primitive Doctrine there is one Mediator between God and man even the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 and he alone makes Intercession for all them that believe Heb. 7 25 and the Angel reproved John Rev. 22.8 9. when he would have Worshipped him and said unto them See thou do it not for I am thy fellow Servant c. and the Prophet said thou art our Father though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us Isa. 63.16 Ninethly Of Reliques and sacred Images this is contrary to âhat the Lord spake by the Prophets Lev. 26.1 Ye shall make you no Idols nor graven Imaâe neither rear you up a standing Image neither shall you set up any Image of Stone in your Land to bow down unto it Deut. 6.22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any Image which the Lord thy God hateth Ezek. 6.4 and your Images shall be broken and Rom. 1.23 there they were Condemned that changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man c. Thus you may plainly see your Idolatrous Image Worship is forbidden and condemned in the Law Prophets and New-Testament and as for your Relique worship you have neither command âor Example for it from Christ nor his Apostles Many more things might be enumerated which are found among you in the Apostacy as your Voluntary poverty and feigned Humility and your wilful Vows and many more things which are âound to be coâtrâry to the Church of Christ which must be turned from and denyed if ever you come to know the everlasting Gospel which is to be preached again to the Nations by which they must be brought out of all this Apostacy Furthermore as to the practice and Discipline of the Catholick Church as it is called which pleads for Authority we find it not consonant and agreeing to the Church in the Primitive times the first hundred Years after Christ. As for the vestiments your Priests wear at certain times one on this manner another on that your Ecclesiastical men or Church Officers of several Ranks and orders such we find not in the Primitive times in that which may be truly called Primitive And for the invented Holy-dayes and their Eves for Fasting and Feasting we find no such in the Primitive Times and such
a Service for such a Day and such a Worship for such a Day we find not in the first hundred Years after Christ. And for your Lent which one of your Fathers invented and this was his Ground because God had the tenth of the increase of Tythes due to himself and for his Ministers under the Law therefore it was necessary that the tenth part of Dayes should be allowed as Tythes to the Lord Oh! Gross ignorance and palpable Blindness mid-Night it self came upon you in the time of your Visibility when the True Church was fled into the Wilderness As though the Lord was not the Lord of all Dayes and as though all dayes were not his and to be used to his Glory And your prohibiting Meats and distinguishing of Meats one Holy for such a day another for such a day Flesh one day and Fish another day as though there were not the Flesh of Fish or one thing were clean and another Unclean And this invented Trumpery hath been observed for Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine but by whom we must needs tell you by the Nations Kindreds and Tongues and People upon which the Whore sits and out of which the Beast rose And we will grant you antiquity enough this many hundred Years and yet we will prefer the Primitive Times before you and bring their Doctrine and Practice to reprove you though we do not desire to go in Cain's Way and to kill Creatures that are out of the Doctrine of Christ and contrary to Apostolick and Catholick Doctrine which wrestled not with Flesh and Blood but with spiritual wickedness whose Weapons were not carnal but spiritual and yet they hâd great might in them and threw down by these weapons that which never could be by carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 Again your forbidding to Marry which is reckoned by the Apostles Doctrine to be a Doctrine of Devils and contrary unto that the Apostle's Doctrine was Marriage is Honourable in all Estates the Bâd undefiled Heb. 13.4 And seeing you plead Peter was at Rome and Peters Chair and that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed him and hath the Keys as Peter had Why do you exclude the chief Bishops as you account them from Marrying and divers other Orders seeing Peter had a Wife and seeing that it is Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine before you could claim the Name of visible Church that a Bishop should be the Husband of one Wife and should not be Covetous nor no striker nor given to Wine nor filthy Lâcre c. But since the Bishop of Rome hath Appropriated to himself to be the Head of the Church and the chief-Bishop over all âhe Catholick Church it hath been manifested how much covetousness and covetous Practices have been Acted as Money for Pardons and Indulgences and get Money for the living and the dead and the invented Purgatory hath filled your Coffers and your Meritorious works have been Sold at a dear rate Insomuch that a poor Woman who hath lost her Husband and he deceased must pay ten Shillings for a mortuary that he may be Prayed for or some of your Merits may be accounted to him which you have in store as a Stock to sell to any who come with a Prize in their Hands And from whence have you all these Tythes have you not borrowed them of the Jews and yet you are no Jews and such things we do not read among the Jews were Tythable Pigs Eggs Hens and Geese to omit greater matters and the Smoak passing up the chimneys and that which you call your Peter-Pence And this is contrary to the Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine which Peter would have been ashamed to ever have mentioned either amongst Jews or Gentiles And now I would ask you a Question or two seeing John saw the true Church flee into the Wilderness the Woman that was cloathed with the Sun who brought forth the Man-child what cause have you to boast of Visibility or Universality Now when were you in the Wilderness if your Church hath not been so then it Demonstrates that your Church is not the Woman cloathed with the Sun for she did fly into the Wilderness as with the Wings of an Eagle Secondly Whether hath your Gospel been universally publickly preached these sixteen hundred Years or nay And is it the very same that was Preached in the first hundred or two hundred Years seeing that John saith that all Nations did drink of the Whore's cup of Fornication And then Nations were Waters seeing he saith the Gospel shall be preached again to Nations Kindreds and Tongues which clearly demonstrates there was a time when the everlasting Gospel was not preached to the Kindreds Tongues which are the Waters upon which your Church is Situated And it is evidently manifested that yours hath been another Gospel then that which was preached in the Apostolick Church and in the Catholick Church the first hundred or two hundred Years after Christ was manifested in the Flesh Much might be said to Demonstrate the Truth which is in Hand that there hath been an Apostacy the Beginners thereof came forth in the Apostles dayes and afterwards grew into a Body and became like a great Sea which according to the best Ecclesiastical writerâ which have given a Narrative of the first five hundred Years declared that there was great loss within 300. Years but in five hundred Years or less the very Power of Godliness was denyed and very much of the Form And though your pleads Antiquity for a Thousand Years for these things aforementioned which they would be hard to prove For although it should be granted them yet we will joyn issue with them in this thing and are able to prove all these Doctrines and Practices not to be as it was in the first two hundred Years except they will own such as taught the Doctrine of Balaam and taught the Doctrine of Devils and went in Cain's and Chore's Way for an Example It were not hard to prove the introducing of all these things before mentioned and how they have come in by degrees one Council that rose out of the Waters ordaining this another ordaining that and so have risen up into this great Body of Darkness some of the Practices borrowed from the Jews and some from the Heathen and some invented of themselves in latter Ages so that the Worship that was in the Spirit and in Truth in Christ's and the Apostles dayes is turned from and such a numberless Number of vain Traditions Ave-maries Creeds and Pater-nosters and such a deal a do as there is about their unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass that they are glad to be counted by their beads on strings as many very well know By all that which hath been said may easily be Collected that there hath been a great Deviation and Apostacy from the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive times thus far as I am descended I leave it to the Reader to judge and compare these things with the Churches Doctrine and
is the mighty Power of God alone which must be waited for and believed in and received and made manifest in the Hearts of the People or else they cannot come out of the Apostacy nor see to the End of those Things that are to be abolished and this is that which must be witnessed by every Man that comes to be a living Stone of the holy City and a living Son of the free-Woman and true Member of the Heavenly Jerusalem which God hath caused to descend which is the Mother of all the Saints and the Womb that brings them all forth and the Breast at which they all suck and are satisfied and nourished up to everlasting Life These Sayings are faithful and true and blessed is he that heareth believeth and receiveth them And this is a Testimony of the People called Quakers whom God hath brought out of the Apostacy to the Beginning again to see the Brightneâs of the Day of the Lord wherein there is not a Cloud Furthermore it is manifest how many Things have been introduced and brought concerning Worship and Ordinances and are taught to be Doctrines of the primitive Times whenas they be brought in by Men of corrupt Minds in latter Ages which had lost the Faith once delivered to the Saints and had lost the Gospel-Order and compelled People by outward Law to submit unto them and yet all those Things they would fasten upon the Scriptures and bring some Scripture which they pervert as a Cloak and a Cover to blind People withal but I shall descend to some Particulars CHAP. V. Concerning sprinckling Infants AND first concerning Baptizing or Christening Infants as it hath been called which is without prescribed Command or Example commanded or ordained by Christ or his Apostles although many in these latter Ages have wrested the Scriptures thinking thereby to make their own Inventions to be reckoned or accounted to be the Ordinances of God and the main Ground which the greatest Rabbies have given hath been from these or the like Scriptures Go teach and baptize all Nations Mat. 28.19 But this is nothing at all to prove baptizing of Infants here Teaching was to go before Baptizing or Discipling as the Words may be rendered for they were not like to be Discipled which were untaught now Infants not being capable of teaching so are not capable of being made Disciples now to baptize Infants or sprinckle them with Water which are untaught and not capable of being Disciples is a ridiculous Thing and to do it so as the Church of Rome uses it and they who are separated from them is contrary to the Scriptures and there is no mention made of Water at all nor Infants and their other Scriptures they have offered for Proofs to prove this an Ordinance of Christ and why only because Christ took up Children into his Arms and blessed them and because he said Whosoever enters into the Kingdom of God must enter as a little Child these Scriptures have been tendered for good Proofs but the spiritual-minded will judge of the Weakness of them who offer these Things for a Proof But again it hath been said and accounted Orthodox that Baptism came in the Room of Circumcision but how they will prove it is yet unknown to many for the Scriptures make not mention of any such thing for one Type did never type out another but every Type typified a Substance Now Circumcision was a Type or a Figure and cutting off the Fore-skin was a Figure of Circumcision and cutting off the Fore-skin of the Heart now Baptism with Water is a Type or Figure 1 Pet. 3.21 which typed out the spiritual Washing or Regeneration and if Baptism of Infants came in the room of Circumcision then how do they agree in a Parallel the Males were only circumcised and why are the Females now baptized if Baptism came in the room of Circumcision Another Thing which hath been alledged for a Proof is that which Christ spoke to Nicodemus John 3.5 Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God from whence it hath been inferred by many that Baptism of Infants was absolutely necessary to Salvation Christ spoke of that which did regenerate and make anew and cleanse the Heart and of the clean Water which the Prophet Ezekiel spoke of which he would pour upon his People visible Water cleanseth not the inside neither doth regenerate but the Water which Christ giveth to every one that thirsteth to drink is the Water of Life and this washeth the inside and cleanseth the Heart and this is the washing of Regeneration which whosoever comes not to know cannot enter in the Kingdom of God because that which is deââled is shut out but they thaâ do not loâk after the Substance have made an Idol of the Figure but the Church of Rome themselves which were the first Invenâers and Setters up of this human Institution have said That this mâst be received by Tradition and not from the Scriptures because it could not be approved as a Commandment witness Claudias Espontiââ a Popish Bishop at a Council at Pysoy in France 1500. and yet this Doctrine hath been held out to the Nations for Catholick and Apostolick which the primitive Churches made no mention of neither the Apostles taught any such Doctrine but was preached up by such who went out of the Light and from the Power into the Nations which became as Waters for the first Ordainer of Baptism of Infants and that they should have a God-father and God-mother was Ignatius Bishop of Rome long after the Apostles Dayes when Rome was got up into Pride claimed Authority over all Christian Churches to impose upon them whatever they listed for Doctrine and such dark things as these have been brought forth whereof mention might be made of many Things and what unsavoury Words as God fathers and God-mothers are used not only amongst them but also amongst the Protestants to this day who is God's Father or who is God's Mother is this Apostolick Doctrine as though God was begotten by Generation indeed is it not Blasphemy to affirm such things and also to hold up such things all which demonstrates these things to be in the Apostacy And therefore you who profess your selves that you are come out of the Apostacy and are reformed Churches for Shame leave off practising and pleading for the upholding such things which the Scriptures do not own or else the Practice of the Saints in former Ages will judge you And it hath been reckoned as absolute necessary to Salvation and therefore Victor Bishop of Rome did institute that the Children might be christened by a Lay-man or Lay-woman in time of Necessity because Infants were often in Danger as Polydore makes mention Lib. 4. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parish Churches LIkewise the Sign of the Cross and the Chrisme are invented things which are in the Apostacy and therefore
you who Profess your selves Reformed for shame leave off these things and come out of them and deny them Secondly Parishes and Parish-Churches which were Ordained and builded in the Apostacy and dedicated unto Saints which stand to this day both in the Church of Rome and in the reformed Churches so called and Church-Yards which they call Holy and Consecrated Ground to bury their Dead in this is an invented thing and Superstitious and yet it stands as an Apostolick order both among Papists and Protestants in the Primitive times in the dayes of the Apostles the Scriptures make mention of the Jews Temple at Jerusalem and of the Gentiles Idols Temples in which they Worship the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who published the Word of Reconciliation and Christ the substance of all Figures they gathered them that did believe of the Jews from the Temple and Temple-worship and the Gentiles from their Temples and Idols to Worship God in the Spirit and they met together in Houses we read of no Parish-Churches dedicated to Saints nor Consecrated Ground for they knew the Earth was the Lord's and the fulness thereof and was clean and good and Blessed to them that believed and there was no dividing into Parishes then nor no compelling then Corinth was not divided into a Parish Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia and Smyrna and the rest were not all made into Parishes neither were them that believed not compelled or forced to come to the Christians Meeting at Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia or any other place that we read of in the Scriptures and the Apostles were not confined nor their Spirits were not so strait as to stay over one hundred or fifty Families twenty Years and call that their Parish between such an Hedge and such a Ditch and such a Water and such a Way as Parishes are now divided into though I say they had Houses to meet in and preached the Word and brake Bread from House to House and sometimes by the Sea-side they Congregated and sometimes on an Hill and at certain places they met together to Worship God they went not back to the Jews Temple nor Gentiles Idols Temples neither forced any of their Maintenance as to minister unto them by which all may see that these invented Churches and Church-Yards for Holy ground and Parishes are not Apostolical nor was no Catholick nor Universal thing then in the Primitive times neither was there any command given to the Christians to do any such thing neither Reprehension for not doing such things The first Church or Temple that we read of was consecrated by Pius Bishop of Rome in honour to the Virgin Prudentia and afterwards Calistus made a Temple to the Virgin Mary a place beyond Tibris and instituted a Church-Yard in Apius his Street and called it after his own Name And Dionysius in the Year 267. divided both in Rome and other places Churches and Church-Yards to Curates and made Parishes and Diocesses to Bishops commanded that every man should be contented with his Prescript Bonds and there was the Beginning of Parishes Churches and Church-Yards consecrated Ground and in Process of time when all Nations had drunk of the cup of Fornication the Nations began to imitate their Mother and to build and consecrate Temples and Churches and Church-Yards to this Saint and the other Saint as is too too manifest through Christendom to this Day And here 's the rise of Holy Parish Churches which of late have been preached up for the House of God and the House of Prayer which bears the Name yet by which the Pope Baptized them Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Mary Saint Hellen Saint Katharine Saint Gregory Saint Maudlen Saint Alnban Saint Anthony Saint George Saint Margret Saint Dunstans Saint Clement Saint Christopher Saint Giles Saint Martin and Painting and Garnishing these Houses with Images and Pictures and hanging of Flowers and Boughs and Garlands this came from the old Heathen who Sacrificed to Saturn and Pluto and this hanging up candles and their Candlemas dayes this came of the Gentiles and Pagans who Honoured their false God Saturn and their Altar which they have builded in this Temple and their Tables upon which they offer and set their Sacrifice these Boniface the third commanded that they should be covered with Linnen clothes and here was the Beginning of these kind of Orders so that as I said before most of these things in and about the Worship which hath been since the Reign of Anti-chirst and since the Whore hath sat as a Queen they have been either borrowed from the Jews or else from Pagans and Heathens and the Mother of Harlots hath put these things off for Apostolick Institutions these many hundreds of years and divers other Things which are in and about the Parish Churches your many Crosses in and about them of Wood and Stone your Baptized Bells and consecrated Pulpits and Fonts and hour-Glasses and soft Cushions to Preach on all these the Scriptures make no mention of not in the Christian Churches the first two hundred Years after Christ. Now Protestants who have denyed the church of Rome and their Practices which was contrary to the Primitive and the Scriptures look about you and see how you are sticking in Babylon and buying yet the Merchandize thereof and as for your Holy Ground called your church-yards which you only judge fit to bury the Dead in and would compel all to come thither because there are many Officers in and about this Temple who are greedy of rewards so that they would not miss any thing that might be commodious unto them and so would compel all to come there for their Gain but Abraham was the first we read of that made any place of burial in Hebron which he bought of Ephron an Hittite for thirty shekels of Silver and there was he and his Wife buried and this was no Parish-Yard neither did he leave any Priestor Clark that we read of to receive Wages Fees for Ringing a Bell and reading and singing over the Dead and so for shame you who Profess the Scriptures and the Apostolick Order Institutions of Christ come out from among all this Trumpery and wait that you may come again into the Order of the Gospel and the Primitive order which hath been talked of these many years and yet not known CHAP. VII Concerning Swearing by the Gospel and kissing a Book and that which is commonly Confirmation or Bishoping Children things invented contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and are in the Apostacy IN the first Covenant the Jews were commanded to Swear by the Lord and Oathes were observed by the Jews that were in the first Covenant which was faulty Heb. 8.7 which Ordinance did not make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience and so there came to be an End of that Covenant and the better was brought in which stood upon BETTER PROMISES and then the Priest-hood Law first Covenant and the Ordinances thereof
which were only to continue till the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 by Christ the everlasting Covenant came to be made manifest the everlasting Offering who perfected them that are Sanctified who is the Oath of God the end of Oaths and of all strife and contention his Doctrine was Swear not at all Mat. 5.33 34 35 36 37. neither by the head nor Feet nor Books nor Gospel nor any other thing but that yea should be yea and nay nay in all things and James an Apostle of Christ Jesus who knew the New Covenant which was everlasting which saw over the Ordinances of the first Covenant of the Jews saith above all Things my Brethren Swear not at all neither by heaven neither by the Earth nor by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your nay Nay lest you fall into Condemnation James 5.1 2. and this was Apostolical and Catholick Doctrine in the Primitive Churches But afterwards the Faith being lost which once was delivered the Saints and the Power lost they began to set up Oaths again imitating the Jews and bringing the commands of the Jews who were under the first Covenant as their Ground But this was in the Apostacy And Justinian the Emperour appointed first that men should Swear by the Gospel or Book called the Gospel and lay their Hands thereon and Kiss it saying So help me God and here Christendom may see who are in the Apostacy and who were the first instituters of this Swearing and the manner thereof which the Teachers of these latter Ages do Ignorantly Press for an Ordinance of God In the Primitive Times they that had the Word of Reconciliation who had received the holy Ghost and Gift of prophecy and were made able Ministers of the Spirit who had discerning and saw by the Spirit who were fitted for the Work of the Ministry and fit to be Elders and Helpers in the Church they laid hands on them in God's Power and they received the holy Ghost but now since the Apostacy came in this kind of Imagination of laying on of hands one Hypocrite upon another who are out of the Power who have not received the holy Ghost neither they upon whom their hands were laid but afterward it came to be a custom and a holy Rite to be performed upon Children Silvester Bishop of Rome ordained that all that were christned Churches and Chalices should be anointed with Oyl and Fabianus commanded that it should be renewed every Monday and Thursday Clement the first ordained that Children that were christned should be anointed with Chrisme and he also instituted the Sacrament as it is called of Confirmation or as it is now called Bishopping and did suppose that no man was a perfect Christian if this Rite and Ceremony was omitted and for this cause it hath been judged and looked upon as catholick Doctrine both by the Church of Rome and the Protestants that the holy Ghost is more plentifully given them by the hands of the Bishop and on this wise in the first institution thereof it was only administred by the Bishop First he asked the Name of the child making the Sign of the Cross in his Forehead saying I sign thee with the Token of the Cross and confirm thee with the Chrisme of Salvation in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. and smote the Child on the cheek softly but if of greater Age which was to be confirmed the Bishop gave a sharper Stroke that he might remember this great Mystery and here you may see how these things came in and the Traditions and Inventions and Precepts of Men have been and are taught for Doctrine and Apostolick Institution many of which are upholden in the reformed Churches so called unto this day and so People are kept in Blindness in a Multitude of Traditions and heathenish customs and their minds led out from seeking after the living God CHAP. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and Holy-dayes THE Jews in the first covenant had many Fasts and Feasts and Holy-dayes as the Sabbath and Feasts of the New Moon and Passeover and Feasts of unleavened-bread Pentecost the Feasts of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication which are largely shewed in the Books of Moses all which things as the Apostle saith to the Hebrews were but Shadows of things to come and not the things themselves which only continued till the time of Reformation and till the better Hope which brought in the better Covenant which stood vpon better Promises Now in the Primitive Churches they came to see the End of these things and were brought to him that was the Substance in whom all Figures and âhadows do end Col. 2.16.17 Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink or in respeât of a holy day which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is Christ Now afterward when they minded the Form more then the Power they ran out into those things with many additions some borrowed from the Heathen and some by their own Invention and then press them as Apostolick Ordinances upon Christians which things stand in force with many until this Day too too much among them that are called reformâd Victor Bishop of Rome about the year 196. decreed that Easter should be celebrated and kept on the Sunday from the 14 th Day of the first Moneth which is March to the 22 d. of the same now the Jews kept it sooner and so it is without ground from the Jews Practice and meerly an Invention of their own which led People back into dayes and about what time they judged any thing to be done which Christ or the Apostles did they invented a day and time to keep for it as to reverence Sunday in Advent Nativity Circumcision and Epiphany Purification of Mary called Candlemass Lent Palm-Sunday Monday and Thursday on which Christ washed his Disciples Feet as it hath been imagined Good-Fryday Easter Pentecost was kept by the Jews and this they would hold out for an Apostolick Example to Christians and for all the former Dayes they were invented with many more which have been brought in since and so they were decreed and ratified at a Council at Lyons in France that such days as either the holy Saints departed this Life or did any notable deed a day should be kept holy as they said in that Council for the encrease of their Religion there were also other days instituted the Feast of Saint Stephen and Innocents by Pope Boniface the fourth and likewise John-Baptist and that which they call Lady-day Laurence Michael and Martin and generally of all Saints and these were his Institutions which are practised by the Church of Rome and practised among the Protestants to this Day Likewise that which is called Corpus-Christi day this was made a holy-day and dedicated by Urban the fourth Silvester assigned the day of Advincula Sancti Petri commonly called Lammas in memorial of Peter's pains and persecution Felix the first
to magnifie the glorious commendation of Martyrs made a Statute that a yearly Oblation should be had in memorial of them and Gregory would that Mass should be said over their Tombs or Graves now Priests read the original of your service over the Graves of the dead and see if this be Apostolical The Fast of Wednesday and Fryday was appointed the one day Christ was crucified and on Wednesday Judas purposed in his Mind to betray him Gregory was he that ordained that neither Flesh Gregory appointed nor any thing that had affinity with it as Cheese Milk Butter Eggs should not be eaten on such days as were Fasts and here came in this Doctrine of Devils Soul-mass-day this was begun by Odilo that was Provost or Provincial of Cluniacensis Order upon the Occasion he heard about Etna the burning Mountain of Sicily oftentimes great Lamentations and Cryings and Weepings were heard which he supposed to be the Weepings of evil Spirits that bewailed because the Souls of dead men were taken from them by the Petitions and Sacrifices of well-disposed Christians therefore he appointed his Covent to make a general Oblation for All-Souls the next Day after the Feast of All-Saints and this great Institution was ordained about the Year 1002. and so all whose Eyes God hath opened will see all this Heap of Invention hath been practisee since the Beast rose out of the Sea and the Whore hath sate upon the Waters which is since the Apostles Dayes CHAP. X. Concerning Priests Vestures and Belâs which are practised among Christians as Apostolick Institutions THE Jews high Priests had Vestments and the rest of the Priests who offered Sacrifices and Oblations at the Temple and Tabernacle Lev. â 6 7 8 9. 13. And Aaron the Priest had a Coat girded with a Girdle and clothed him with a Robe and put a linnen Ephod upon him and put a Breast-plate upon him and a Mitre upon his Head and Aaron's Sons had Coats with Girdles and Bonnets as was commanded by the Lord and in chap. 16.4 and he put on a linnen Coat and linnen Breeches with a Coat and Mitre and girded it with a Linnen Girdle and these were the holy Garments and these Garments were to be put off in the Holy Place and divers other Garments and Vestments which were worn by the Priest about the Temple-Worship and Sacrifice which were Shadows of better things and of more holy Garments but this was in the first Covenant that made nothing perfect which was faulty and was to continue until the time of Reformation But Christ being come and offered up all Shadows had an End and they preached up the everlasting Offering and him who offered up himself once for all Now Christ sent out his Disciples without great Provision as to Attire for they were to take neither Staff nor Sârip nor Shoes nor Money nor Brass in their Purses and yet they were to go among them that were like Wolves renting and tearing devouring and destroying and there was no great Likelihood of obtaining any earthly thing from such while in that Nature but the Apostles liâed by Faith Mat. 10.9 10. and Luke 10.3 4. and they were not to take two Coats and the Apostle in his Travails was often in Necessities in Hunger and Cold and Nakedness and did not go in costly Array nor in disguised Habits but in his old Age wore sometimes a Cloak among the Churches which he sent for to Troas an ordinary Garment 2 Cor. 4 8 9 10. 6.4 to ver 11. 2 Tim. 4.13 and John the Baptist who was a great Prophet had a Coat made of Hair and a leathern Girdle about his Lyons Mat. 2.3 and the primitive Christians wandered up and down in Sheep-Skins and Goat-skins being destitute of whom the World was not worthy Heb. 11.37 38. But after the Apostles Decease deceitful Workers and evil Beasts and they that abode not in the Doctrine and Ordinances of Christ went out into the World and the World went after them and so lost both Power and Form of Godliness and invented things some from the Heathen and much from the Priests under the Law Sextus the first commanded that the Corporis should be of linnen Cloath only and that of the finest and purest and forbad that Lay-men should handle the hallowed Vessels and namely Women were prohibited hallowing the Priests Vestures and Altars and Cloathes Diversity of Vestures of sundry Orders were much what taken from the Example of the Hebrew Priesthood was practised and ordained by Stephen Bishop of Rome and Sabinianus decreed first that the People should be assembled together to hear Service at certain hours by ringing of Bells and John the 22d Bishop of Rome ordained that Bells should be tolled every day three times and that then every man should say three times Ave-Mary as Polidore saith Lib. 6. The Invention of Bells was from Imitation of the Hebrews because the high Priest had in the Skirts of his uppermost Garments little Bells to ring when he was in the holy Place within the Vail And the Banners and Trophies which are hung up in Churches were taken from the Heathen which did bear them to signifie the conquest of their Enemies these have been set up in the Churches so called by some of the Bishops of Rome to declare as they said the Triumph of Christ over Death and Hell Now all Nations who are called Christians look to your original and from whence these Practices have risen and those things are continued even amongst the Protestant Churches are either from the Jews or from the Heathen or from the apostatized Bishop of Rome long after the days of the Apostles and so these Hoods and Surplices and Caps and Bonnets and Cowls and Tippets and Miters and Canonnical-Coats and Girdles and divers strange attires it is like to prove these things we must have Aaron's Breeches brought in and the linnen Ephod and his Son's Girdles and Coats and Bonnets and the high Priest's Mitre and all these Candlesticks for a Gospel-proof CHAP. X. Concerning Mattens and âinging of Pâalms by course in musical Tunes and Supplications and short Prayers called Letany THE Jews under the Law had many Officers which belonged to the Temple-Worship among which were Singers as the Sons of Corah and the Sons of Asâph and Eârahites and the chief Musicians c. and divers Psalms were given forth by the Spirit of God by David and others upon several occasions sometimes after Victories and sometimes when he felt the Presence of God and the working of his Power and who were Eye-witnesses of his wondrous Works as the rest of Israel were many times as at the Dedication of the Temple and also when they came out of captivity Neh. 7.44 12.27.42 43. Psal. 149.3 150.3 4. and all these singers of Songs pertain to the Temple and the first Covenant and to that Priesthood which could not continue by reason of the Faultiness thereof Heb. 8.7
helpers in the Work of the Gospel and all that were ordained were ordained by the holy Ghost although it is true they had the consent of the Brethren and the church in that thing and there were also Deacons ordained which served to look to the Widows and for the Ministration of the poor and these were faithful men and had also a Gift Stephen was one full of the holy Ghost and these were helps unto the Apostles also there were some faithful Widows who were Examples to the younger Women and to instruct them and to be Patterns unto them and were as a Body knit together in Love and served the Lord and strengthned one another in the Faith and served one another in Love and all these forementioned served the Lord freely and willingly and not for Rewards and Gifts and Benefices and earthly things ân short this was the State and Glory of the church in that time and these are the Minâsters we read of in the primitive times But since the Apostacy hath entred in and the power of Godlinesâ hath been denyed there is such a numberless number of Names crept in we never heard of them and so many Offices and yet none of that Work done which the ministers of Christ did but certain new invented things ârought in for Worship and Service and the Power despised and men seeking Offices and great Titles and great Benefits and great Revenues and the Heritage of God is laid waste and the Earth become like a Wilderness unplanted with good and the Sheep and scattered And so all may compare these ensuing Names and Offices with the Apostles dayes and the primitive Church and see if they be alike First of all the Pope his Holiness Christ's Vicar Universal Bishop Metropolitane Bishop Lord Cardinals which were but Priests at the first ordained to baptize the Heathen who came to Rome when the Seat thereof began to be had in Honour but now they are swelled big and become Princes and the only Men to govern States also Monks of divers Orders and Fryars of divers Orders Hierom's order of Austin's Order Gregory's order Carmalite Fryars Cross or Crouchet Fryars of Dominiââs order of St. Francis's order Bennet's order and all of these orders sprââg up and were ordained in the midnight of darkness within this four hundred Years at the most as were easily proved and Trinity order and Brigandine order of Jesuites and Hermits and Anthony's order and Clunisencies order and Nuns sprung up first of one St. Clara one order then Brigidia a widow to the time of Urban the fifth in the Year 1370. And all these kind of orders were destitute of the true order of the primitive Church and their Service was appointed by them that ordained them and these practised the patched Inventions that were given them for Worship which have not concord with the primitive Doctrine but borrowed from the Jews or Heathen all these kind of Offices and Officers have been acting their parts this many years and have led People into superstitious Blindness and further from the Lord then ever But to come to the reformed Churches so called and there is so many Officers and Names but few that do accord with the Apostles times either in Name or Nature as Metropolitan-Bishops Arch-Bishops Lord-Bishops we heard not of Lord Timothy or Lord Titus Bishops before mentioned but to come on to other orders Arch-Deacons Deans and Chapters Preâenââ and these must attend on some old superstitious Buildings call'd Cathedrals or Minsters and there perform a Service somewhat like the former and these are enjoyned their Service like the Levites and Priests of old by turns and course as once in a moneth or two it may be and have a hundred or two hundred pounds in the year for the same and hardly stir from thence till they dye except some greater advance offer it self also Commâssaries Procters and Apparetors and these are subsârvient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batâhellârs of Divintty Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchellors of Art Graduates Under-Graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsins Vicars Priests Curates and Church-Wardens all which Titles and Names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning Office Work or Doctrine And notwithstanding all these Orders and Sorts who are fitted by humane Learning or natural Study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the Word of Righteousness neither have the Tongue of the learned to administer a Word in Season to the weary nor to turn the Sinner from his Sins and thus the Form of things Titles and Names are holden up but who seek after the Power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Litteral Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the Ministââtion of the Spirit few are acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if he be not persecuted so in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dâyes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and Practice divers of which I have touched upon to the Intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the midst of Ignorance and come to worship Gâd in Spirit and Truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevail not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their Life neither walk after their Example so take but a few more Institutions which are called Apostolick to this Day among them called Christian Churches Cletus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this Title that is Greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop of Rome ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sixtus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained holy water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in christian Houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the communion should be laid upon an Altar and that lay-People should not touch the holy Vessels nor the holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the nineth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147. after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that chrisme should be ministred as baptism and that children should have God-fathers and God-mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on
lying and hereby they did give sufficient caution against all inconveniences which may come thereby as to Government in general for where a Testification or Assertion is made without an Oath is as sure as if it had been sworn to And Bishop Usher doth esteem that place of Matthew the fifth Swear not all to be a sufficient plea for the Waldenses against Swearing and therefore they who have any Esteem of the aforesaid Authors and of their Doctrine must not condemn the Quakers as for Novelties or for Broachers of new Doctrine for Reynerius one of the popish Inquisition saith amongst all the Sects which are or have been there is not any more pernicious to the Church meaning the Church of Rome then the Waldenses and that for three Reasons 1. Because of their Antiquity 2. Because of their Universality 3. In that they did profess iâ no Way lawful for a Christian to swear on any Occasion which Doctrine was contrary to the Church of Rome which made Rinerius and Jânsenius two Papists so much envy the Waldenses in this thing about keeping the Commands of Christ and yet notwithstanding all this Cloud of Witnesses both in primitive times and after Ages divers who suffered as Martyrs did hold the same and also the many Testimonies of them who have dyed in the Faith yet many are so wilful and so peevish and so envious against every thing which they cannot joyn unto as that they will brand this Doctrine for Novelty and Heresie let such consider how they will condemn this Doctrine and yet justifie Christ's Words and them that have been reckoned as Fathers and Martyrs and as Orthodox and found in the Faith by all except the Church of Rome who too much imitate the Jews and yet are no Jews and they have been the chief Cryers up of Oathes and Swearing and afterwards give Dispensations to them that break them And therefore all who reckon your selves as Christians keep to the Docrtine of Christ and the Doctrine of the Apostles who were Followers of him and run not back to the Jews Ordinances which continued but till the time of Reformation and you that reckon your selves as Protestants for Shame leave off that Doctrine which hath been brought in by the Apostates who have mingled things together without having Respect either to Time or Age or People and so have run back to the Jews and bring those Commands and Injunctions which pertained to the Jews and lay them as Yoaks upon the Necks of Christians remember what the Apostle said to the Galatians concerning the Works of the Law and concerning Types and Figures Gal. 1.2 If you be circumcised Christ profits yâu nâthiâg and an Oath was a Type as well as Circumcision to the Jews and what if I say of all Swearers who have no better Ground for so doing then the Jewish Oathes which were Types and testifie unto every one that he that takes an Oath and swears at all is bound to keep the whole Law Christ profits him nothing And so let all People who fear the Lord and do believe that they have received Christ in their Hearts the End of the Law for Righteousness not turn back to the changeable Covenant again lest he who is the everlasting Covenant say unto them who hath required these things at your Hand and also raise up his swift Witness to condemn them who transgress his pure and holy righteous Commands and would compel others so to do CHAP. XVIII Tythes in their first Institution unto whom they were due according to the Command of God declared and that Tythes are no Way lawful to be received neâther sought for by any who are Ministers of the New-Covenant and the everlasting Gospel proved out of the Scripture and Antiquity TO omit Abraham's giving Tythes or the tenth Part to Melchizedeck after the Overthrow of his Enemies and Jacob's vowing to give the tenth when he should inherit the Land of Canaan because a voluntary Promise only bindeth him that promiseth and a free Gift from one to another is no Command neither binding to all Generations because Abraham gave the tenth Part to Melchizedeck freely of the Spoil he had taken and that but once not of his Family's Labours or Industries but of the Spoil this was a voluntary and a free thing both in Jacob and Abraham if Jacob had not vowed he had not sinned and if Abraham had not given the tenth Part of the Spoil he had not sinned so this is no Command or binding Example unto future Generations especially of them that pretend they are Ministers of the second Covenant and the Gospel but a very feeble and a poor thing for them to alledge Tythes were never commanded to be paid by the Lord to any but Israel whose Law was given forth 400 Years after the Promise as saith the Apostle neither were ever payable but by the Jews in the Land of Canaan and to Levi's Tribe only and to the Jewish Priests that had no Inheritance allotted them by the Lord of all the Land of Canaan or beyond Jordan but only Tythes or tenth Part among the Brethren and that only according to the Command of the Lord Deut. 18.4 Ezek. 25.13 for the Office of the Priesthood and for the Service of the Tabernacle At the giving forth of the Law after Israel came out of Egypt God chose Aaron and his Sons for the Office of the Priesthood and the rest of the Tribe of Levi for the Service of the Tabernacle God gave unto the Levites by Commandment all the Tenth in Israel for an Inheritance for their Service and the Levites out of their Tythes were to offer up to the Lord a tenth Part of the Tythes and give it unto Aaron the Priest for himself and his Sons and no other portion had the Levitical Priests out of the Tythes but the Tenth of the Tenth as for the rest of the Tythes they were for the Levites that did serve at the Tabernacles and for Strangers for Fatherless and Widdows Moreover the tenth of the Tythes the Priest had the first ripe Fruits of the Ground of Wheat of Barly of Figs Grapes and Olives of Pomegranatâs and Dates at what Quantity the Owner pleased a Heave-offering also of Corn Wine and Oyl Fleece were given to the Priests at the 60th part sometime the 50th at the Devotion of the Owner But how comes it to pass that they that pretend another Priesthood then this should receive the tenth of all of unclean Beasts as Pigs and Foâls aâd of such things as we never read of tythable under the Law of Eggs Geese and Turnips and the tenth of the Wood for Faggots for the Fire and yet are not of this Priesthood but pretend to be Bishops and Elders in the Christian Church so they cannot distinguish of the Time neither of the Ministration neither of Service and Worship that belongs to each Covenant else they would be ashamed to claim Title to Aaron's Tythes and the Levites
in Unconsecrated Ground forsaking the Sepulchers of their Fathers Hospinian saith that at last it became so Superstitious in being buried in order near the Church that they judged it material even to their Salvation De Orig. Temple Lâb 3. chap. 1. The Waldenâes said the use of Church-Yards is Superstitious and invented only for Lucre sake and it is no matter in what Ground any one is buried see Usher de Succes Eccles. Christ. chap. 6. And how much there is of this Superstition in England now and what excessive rates are paid for breaking up Ground all is sensible of that it is only one of the Popish Nets which is holden up to get Money by And so I shall conclude these things and say with John Come out of Babylon and be not partakers of her Sins lest you partake of her Plagues for the Hour of her Judgment is come and the time wherein her Filthiness and Loathsomness shall be made manifest to the Nations and her Skirts shall be uncovered and her abominable Practices discovered of which in part I have declared unto all in this discourse that all may see the Abominations and depart out of the Snares that led to Death and these Practices which tend to Destruction THE Rock of Ages EXALTED ABOVE ROME's Imagined Rock ON WHICH HER CHURCH IS BUILDED She proved not to be the only Church of Christ her corrupt Doctrines proved not to be Apostolick but contrary to the true Church of Christ in the Apostles Dayes Also divers Arguments answered which may convince the Papists that they are not the true Church wherein a Book is also answered called A Catechism against all Sectaries newly published by C. M. in the Year 1661. By F. H. a Member of that Church which is coming out of the Wilderness A TABLE of the principal Things contained in this BOOK COncerning the true Religion what it is and where it ãâã demonstrated The Church of Rome proved to be the false Church The Pope proved not to be the Head of the true Church aâd Christ proved to be the Head of the Body which is his Church and the ãâ¦ã which ãâã Church is built Purgatory proved to be an erroneous Doctrine which is held forth by the Papists and their praying for the Dead proved to be another false Doctrine not commanded nor practised by Christ or his Apostles The Papists Doctrine which saith Christ is really and personally in the Mass and in the Eucharist proved to be Blasphemy and great Idolatry The Papists Mass and their Ceremonies proved not to be Apostâlical The Papists honouring of Reliques and Images of Saints and praying by Beads proved to be but the Inventions and Traditions of Men and contrary to the Doctrine which the Apostolick Church held forth The Doctrine of forbidding certain Kind of Meats and forâidding the Scriptures to be read by all answered Câncerning Miracles Answers to eight Propositions set forth by C. M. in his Catechism aforesaid THE Rock of Ages EXALTED ABOVE ROME's Imagined Rock ON WHICH HER CHURCH IS BUILDED GReat hath been the Havock and Spoil that the Beast which John saw rise out of the Waters made against them in destroying them who received not his Mark in their Foreheads and the Cry hath been long Who is able to make War with the Beast and great hath the Suffering been these many Ages of the Children of Light and still is of the Members of the true Church of Christ which is in God which hath proceeded from her who sate as a Queen upon the Waters which are Nations Kindreds Tongues and People which have been the Seat of Mystery-Babylon the Mother of Harlots who hath held out her golden Cup of Fornication full of Abomination false Doctrine and Error which the Nations have drunk of and the Kings of the Earth have been made drunk with and all have been in Instability and have reeled and staggered up and down in the dark in the Night of Ignorance and have wildered in the Mists of Error and lost the true Foundation and are gone from the Rock upon which the true Church is builded which is neither Peter nor his Successor but Christ the true Foundation which abideth sure and all that believe in him and have their Minds staid upon him know Settlement and Establishment in that which the Gates of Hell prevail not against But blessed be the Lord he is come revealed and made manifest who is able to make War with the Beast and his Followers and a Discerning is given unto his Servants that they can distinguish betwixt the Cup of Fornication and the Cup of Blessing and betwixt the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils betwixt the true Church the Lamb's Wife and Mâstery-Babylon the Mother of Harlots betwixt the heavenly Treasurâ which is communicable to the Saints in Light who are Members of the ãâã Church and the Merchandize and the corrupt Treasure of the Harlot which the Nations Kindreds and Tongues have been forced to buy ãâã Reason of the forcing and compelling Power of the Beast and so the Nations have been begotten into a strange Nature into the cruel Nature killing one another about the Forms of Worship and Shadows and the Substance hath been known but to a few neither the Lamb's Nature which is meek and innocent and the Leaves of the Tree of Life which heal the Nations have been known but to a few which is the Cause of all the ãâã Murders and Massacrees Imprisonments and cruel Torments which the Nations have afflicted one another with who have professed Christianity but have been out of the Life and out of the Nature of the true Church which Christ is the Head of which is Wife unto the Lamb and herein is the true Church manifest from the false the false Church hath propagated and encreased her Number of Members by Force and Awe and Cain's Weapons and many have been forced into a Belief and a feigned kind of Profession rather then by sound Doctrine or answering God's Witness in Peoples Hearts and Consciences but the true Church who is of the Husband's Nature her Weapons have been are and will be spiritual and yet are mighty through God to beat down strong Holds of Sin and Wickedness in People and hath by sound Doctrine and a good Example answered God's Witness in peoples Consciences without forcing to any thing but recommended themselves to every ones Conscience in the Sight of God and would have every one perswaded in their own Hearts by the Lord of the Truth which they believed and not to take things by Tradition and Hear-say as the false Church and her Members have done and so have had no Assurance of God's Spirit in their Hearts for what they did and so Doubts have arisen in the Mind because whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But God is Opening the Eyes of many and enclining the Hearts of many to seek after the Assurance of God's blessed Spirit in their Hearts for what they
do believe And now Reader I shall present thee with a great Fardel and Bundle of the Whore's Merchandize and of the counterfeit Ware which she hath long deceived the Nations with which hath long laid as mouldy and rusty in this Nation but now new trim'd up and presented again to this Nation as for precious Treasure and it is not to be concealed in a narrow Corner nor put off under-hand so that this Merchant of Babylon hath presented it to publick View with a great Confidence that People that have been tossed up and down and have found no Rest for their Souls at lâst may come to make a trial of this Merchandize and see what it will do but lest any should be cheated and deceived with such counterfeit traffick I could not chuse having the Knowldge thereof but declare against the Deceit thereof and to give Warning unto all to beware how they touch taste or handle it lest they be defiled and corrupted by it and their Understandings darkned and their Consciences defiled and the Merchandize is thus tituled A short Catechism against all Sectaries by Way of Question and Answer wherein all the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome are asserted for Infallible and Apostolical wherein also is holden out that the Church of Rome is the only true Church out of which there is no Salvation and some Arguments to prove the same also in this said Book all that are not of the Church of Rome are condemned already as Hereticks and Sectâries wholly to be without Salvation newly published and translated by C. M. and London printed for P. S. 1662. And though we have given publick testimony both in Word and Writing in divers Nations in Doctrine and Practice yet such hath been the Envy of many Professors who have denyed the Church of Rome that they have accused us for holding Popish tenets yet now on the other Hand by this Popish Author we are condemned as Hereticks and Sectaries and to be without Salvation And thus they who have been under the Beast's Power in the Apostacy have tost us upon their Horns from one to another and have pushed us this Way and that Way and every Party and Sect hath reckoned us and joyned us with them whom they judged to be Transgressors but it is a small thing to us to be judged by Man's Judgment for our Judgment is with the Lord and he judgeth in Righteousness and unto him we appeal who in his own Day when Righteousness comes to be revealed in Peoples Hearts they shall come to know us as we are and the Truth which we believe and walk in as it is in Jesus But that such a Heap and Bundle of false Doctrine and superstitious and idolatrous Practices may not go unreproved God hath put it into my Heart to bear my Testimony against it and all the confused Heap of Darkness which is laid down for Catholick Doctrine and to discover the Deceit thereof lest any should be beguiled and led into the dark Paths of Ignorance and Error and should become an Inhabitant of that City which hath shed the Blood of the Prophets and Martyrs where now Christ is crucified First of all the Author saith There is but one true Religion wherein any can be saved Answ. 'T is true there is but one true Religion in the which Salvation is witnessed which is confessed by all who profess Religion and every one will needs lay claim to it and many have contended even by Force and Arms since the Apostacy entered in and have killed and destroyed one ather about the Name or Sound without the Thing it self and all Professors of Religion who are in that Nature are not in the true Religion in which Salvation is witnessed The true Religion standeth in the Power of God and to be exercised in those Things which the Power of God directeth every one in who believe in it and to be obedient unto the Commands of Christ and to keep his Sayings and to follow his Example in Righteousness and Holiness and in that which overcometh the World and giveth Victory over it and keepeth out of the Pollutions of it and this is the pure Religion which purifies the Heart and Conscience from dead Works and teacheth to love Enemies Now the Church of Rome is manifest not to be in the one true Religion but hath departed from this Faith and this Doctrine let all Nations bear Witness where your Religion hath been professed how you have kept this Faith and walked in this Religion if any have dissented from you these many hundred Years and that upon good Grounds as Luther and Calvin which thou art so angry at ând bring'st many Calumnies against and slanderous Things and Lyes âf which thy Vessel is full Now they with all others that dissent from you you have reckoned and do as Sectaries and Hereticks and in case it were really so if you were in the true Religion and in the Faith of Chrisâ yâu would not destroy so many mens Lives as you have done within these thousand Years I appeal to all Nations where your Authority hath been exârâised how many have you killed tortured burnt to Ashes and destroyed the Workmanship of God but it may be thou âudgest such a Distinction as this will cover a little as To hate their Heresie and to love their Person but how you have loved their Persons I hope Englând hath not yet forgotten instance John Wickliff whose Bones you took up and burnt forty one Years after his Decease and how many Hundreds more have been burnt to Ashes in England in later Years as Hereticks and Sectaries whose Blood yet speaks and cryes for Vengeance upon that City that Church or Religion which hath drunk the Blood of the Prophets and Martyrs So in what I have said the Church of Rome to all unbiasâed Spirits will appear to be out of that one true Religion and that Faith and Doctrine which Christ delivered and so Salvation is not to be looked for amongst Killers and Destroyers And so what I have said may convince the Author of this Book that they are not in the one true Religion in which Salvation is witnessed And this Roman Church hath been alwayes visiâle and universal since the Apostles Dayes and Infidels have alwayes been obliged to joyn unto her yet one cannot be bound to seek that which is invisiâle and the Marks and Signs of thiâ Roman Church are four comprized in these Words I believe in the True Church which is One Holy Catholick and Apostolick Answ. That there was a Church at Rome in the Apostles Dayes is not denyed so there was at Antioch at Philippi at Thessalonica at Corinth and divers other Places that I might instance which were as visible as Rome was and as much a City set on a Hill as Rome was and not inferiâr in Doctrine Gifts and good Works to Rome at all but as to Prââedâncy and Antiquity may claim Priority before Rome and if
should be the greatest and said unto them The Gentiles exercise Lordship one over another but it shall not be so amongst you and though Peter and the rest of the Apostles who were in the Power of God had that which did open into the Kingdom of God and shut out that which did defile yet this we are sure of he sold no Pardons nor Indulgences for Gain and filthy Lucre as many have done whom you call Peter's Successors and Christ's Vicar and Universal Bishop and visible Head but it is manifest how the Pope became visible Head and Universal Bishop not because of any Work or Labour in the Doctrine of Christ or the Work of the Gospel but by means of the Roman Emperor for while the Christians were under Persecution and Suffering there was no talk of visible Heads or much of Universal Bishop for then Rome had no more Priority then the rest for the Churches at Constantinople at Jerusalem at Caesaria at Cyprus and Alexandria for the first three hundred Years they had as much Power in their several Churches as Rome had and often the Elders or Bishops of the afore-said Churches did reprove sharply the Bishop of Rome but at last above five hundred Years or upwards Phocas to aspire to the Empire of Rome he murthered his own Master Mauritius and his Children to attain unto the Empire so at that time Boniface the third was Bishop of Rome and Phocas somewhat fearing and willing to have Boniface his Favour condesceâdeth to all his Petitions and grants him to be Universal head-Bishop over all Christian Churches and there was the first rise of Rome âs visible Head for this frivolous Reason of being Peter's Successor could never have raised him to that height but then the Emperor's Power and Authority became to be the more forcible Plea for before that time the Bishops of Rome were chosen by the Emperor's consent but after he had got Power Emperors could not be chosen but by the Popes consent and then came the Bishop of Rome to be a visible Head and be called Universal Bishop Christs Vicar a Lord spiritual over all the Churches and in process of time Lord temporal over all the Empire And thus your Church of Rome became magnificent and great to sit as a Queen upon the Waters Nations Kindreds and Tongues as you acknowledge your Church of Rome hath spread over and here is a Head and a Body which are joyned together in Union Christ is the Head of the true Body which is his Church and his Wife and Antichrist he is the visible Head of his visible Church and Wife Mystery-Baâylon The next piece of Merchandize which the Authâr brings forth to view is Purgatory and prayer to be made for the dead and also prâyer unto Saints and the Authors proof is 1 Cor. 3.15 wheâe he Apostle speaks Every mans Work shall be tryed and that Work whâch will not abide the Fire must be Burnt and this the Author calls The Fire of another World and Prayer for the Dead he proves out of 12 of Maccabees and prayer to the Saints he sayes it's lawful to Pray in this Wârld unto good People and Paul while he lived did Pray for others and also did beg their Prayers And the Angel in the first of Zachary prayed for Iârael and there can be no harm in Praying to them that can Pray for us Answ. They that dwell in the shadow of death are lik to speak out of thick darkness they that have made a Covenant with Death are loath to have it broken and they that have a mind to continue in Sin while they live have a mind to put the Evil day afar off Judgment afar off Evil-doers will never have it time to give account for their Evil deeds and so put it off till they are Dead and to another World and let âhe Devil have Prehemience in their Hearts while they live and reckon their Sins venial and Light faults this is contrary to the Doctrine of the true church of Christ and contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said The Wages of Sin is death and there is no Sin goes Unpunished nor Unjudged and Sion is redeemed through Judgment and by the Spirit of burning and Purgatory is a Fiaction falshood and a Lye and there is no cleansing from Sin in another World Solomon saith As the Tree falleth whether to the North or to the South so shall the Tree lye and the Word of God who have received it in their Hearts which is as a Fire that purifies and the Blood of Christ is that which cleanseth from all Sin and there 's not any cleansâng from any Sin but by it and there is no cleansing in another World but Purgatory hath been invented and Prayer for the Dead that thereby the Pope might be enriched and sell the invented Prayers and Aâe Maââes and so cheat People of their Money and there 's no Sacrifice to be offer'd for the Dead who dye in their Sins nor no Remission after this Life And as for praying to the Saints the Scripture makes no mention of and though Paul did Pray for others and beg the Prayers of others yet he prayed not for them when they were dead neither did beg the Prayer of the deâd but prayed for them who were Believers in the true Church and desired the Prayers of them that were living Members and were alive and lived in the World and were redeemed out of it and the Angel prayed not for the People of Israel when they were dead and that which thou calls Jeremy's prayer in the Maccabees was never spoken by the Spirit of the Lord nor the Offering was not made in the Will of God and the Prophet saith Though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us yet thou O Lord art our Father And the Lord said unto David Seek my Face and call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear and Answer Not upon Mary Peter and Paul Dominick and Anthâny Again it 's contrary to the Practice of the Saints in the Primitive times and contrary to the Doctrine of Christ who said unto his Disciples Whatsoever you ask in my Name the Father shall give it to you He doth not speak of any other Name neither is any Prayer or Supplication accepted of the Father but in the name of Christ alone So these Doctrines are false and Doctrines of Devils never commanded nor Practised by any of the Saints in the Primitive time but only have been invented and practised by the Apostatesâ who have Erred from the Faith and Practice which was onâe delivered unto the Saints which the church of Rome hath made Ship-wrack of in many things which I have made appear and I shall proceed to more particulars to manifest it lest any should be beguiled with such deceitful Babylonish Merchandize which the Nations are too much corrupted with already The next false Doctrine which the Author layes down is That
as well as that which is unconsecrated then we will deny our Faith and confess that you are the true Church Lastly If you be not Idolaters there were never any in the World who say that to adore or worship the Bread and Wine after Consecration is no more Bread but whole Christ your God and Redeemer who placeth himself there upon the Altar by Miracle it 's a miraculous Thing indeed that that which is given unto you by the Priest which enters in at the natural Mouth and goes into the Belly should be the Body of Christ and whole Christ and very God and Redeemer as thou say'st that one Person should contain whole God seeing the Scripture saith that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him for he is the very Fulness that filleth all Things Oh gross Darkness and palpable Ignorance which you have led People to believe and call this Idol that Rats and Mice may eat whole Christ God and Redeemer and you have destroyed and burnt to Ashes many for Hereticks who could not believe this Doctrine Therefore all People it 's Time to look about you and see where you stand and what you joyn unto if you cannot receive this Doctrine for Holy and Apostolick by the Church of Rome not worthy to live and without Doubt might not if this Church had but that Authority which sometimes it hath had in England but I hope the Eyes of many are open to see and detect this damnable Doctrine The Author sayes That Ceremonies were used by Christ at his last Supper and they excite People to their Devotion during the Sacrifice but for Proof you must expect none from this Author and the Scripture is silent in the Thing and Ceremonies and Formalities are so far from stirring up the Mind to God that they ândeed draw the Mind to be busied in the Exercise of them from waiting upon God and from worshipping him in the Spirit and such Worshippers are only accepted of him The Mass is said in Latine and the rest of Divine Service for if it were not ignorant People might easily be mistaken if these Mysteries were done in the vulgar Language and because the Scripture hath been written in Latine Greek and Hebrew and these three Languages were written upon Christ's Cross and therefore these three Nations ought to use them at their Mass and Divine Service but the Priestly Garments and Ceremonies gâve enough to understand what is done at the Mass and Divine Service Answ. This looks with a black Visage to be Apostolick Doctrine but however I shall search into it and examine it by the Apostle's Doctrine before it be condemned it 's a good Shift indeed to keep People from Mistakes not to let them know what they say or do but this is contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine 1 Cor. 14.7.8 9 10 11 14 15. If a Trumphet give an uncertain Sound who can prepare to Battel and except Words uttered be understood how shall it be known what is spoken If the Meaning of the Voice be not known unto him to whom it is spoken the Speaker and the Hearer are Barbarians one to the other And when one understands not what is spoken how can he be edified And all Services ought to be done to Edâfication So your Church is erred from the Apostolick Doctrine and your Mass and your Service doth not edifie at all but you are as Barbarians one to another for your Worship goes on in such a back Road that the vulgar People would soon learn it and know it and it may be slight it if they should know the Worthlesness of it and therefore the only Way you âudge is to keep them in Ignorance And what Mystery is there in the Mass and your Service seeing that it stands in Crossings Cringings and Abundance of endless Ceremonies and Reiteration of Words which are patcht up by many Authors contrary to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine But it seems the Priests Garments and Ceremonies give Understanding enough to the Auditors a dumb shew is enough for them like a Poppet-play to make them understand the Mysteries of your Mass an unbloody Sacrifice indeed in which there is no Remission nor Acceptation And here thou hast acquainted us with a Mystery indeed Because Latine Greek and Hebrew were written by Pilate upon the Cross of Christ therefore they are called sacred Languages sure the Church of Rome hath lost both Faith and Reason will any that hath a Friend that should be crucified upon a Cross and an Enemy who condemned him should set over him Words in Latin Greek and Hebrew in contempt that therefore a man should count the Cross holy and the Language sacred as the Church of Rome doth is great Ignorance and Idolatry of which she is full and therefore is not Apostolick nor the one true Church in which Salvation is to be looked for as the Author would make People believe The next false and superstitious Doctrine which this Merchant of the Church of Rome holds for Apostolical is the Reliques and Images of Saints and also Prayer by the Beads by Number and Tale as Brick-makers sell their Bricks and this the Church of Rome would put off unto us as Apostolical Doctrine The Reliques and Images of Saints are honourable in Regard of the Saânts which they have Relation unto and God himself makes Use of them for his Mâracles Moses was enforced to honour the holy Ground where the Angel appeared Exodus 3. And David commanded the Ark to be adored because it was God's Foot-stool Psal. 99.5 And to honour the Reliques and Images of Saints is no Idolatry for that is Idolatry to worship false Gods and Châist doth not take it ill that we honour his Saints and Friends And to number our Prayers if Hail Mary be said upon Beads threescore and three Times it 's because Mary lived so many Years and the Prophet prayed seven Times a Day and Christ three Times in the Garden and it 's not evil to say our Prayers by Number and if five Pater-nosters be said it 's in Honour of the five Wounds and what would there be amiss in this And it 's not Idiots that pray ây Beads but Catholick Kings the Pope Cardinals and Bishops make Use of them an Variety delighteth the Mind and there are no better Prayers then the Pater-noster Ave and the Creed Answ. The Reliques or that which remains for all the Saints and Members of the true Church of Christ to follow and to honour is to live in the same Life that they lived in and to honour him who was their Life by whose Power they fulfilled the Will of God and to walk in the same Foot-steps is to honour him that was their Life and them also who walked as Examples of Righteousness and that Power by which they became Examples of Holiness and Righteousness but for the Church of Rome to worship Pieces of cloth dead Bones painted Images which may as well be called the Images of Cain
Forms by number and Tale they are as much Idiots as the rest are who know not the Spirit to pray by And so this is no Authority to prove your Practice Apostolical and holy as for variety of Prayers and Worships it delighteth the carnal mind indeed but they that worship God in Spirit and Truth they Pray by the Spirit and in it as David and Christ prayed whether seven times five times or three times and with understanding and that which they prayed in was not various but one and it 's by that one Spirit which is not various by which the Sons of God cry Abba Father and the variety of your formed charms Bablings upon your Beads God hath no regard unto but is a Smoke in his Nostrills all day And they that have exercised themselves in these things have not the Witness of God in their own consciences that they are accepted of God and so I shall proceed to another Doctrine called Apostolical and Holy and that is about Meats whether they may be lawfully eaten at all time The Author confesseth they forbid certain kinds of Meats but it is but aâ certain times and they are forbidden not as they are Evil and the Creatures of God but because they are forbidden by the Church and his proof is the Apple which Eve and Adam eat was not Evil in it self but being prohibited so to eat that which is good of it self is not ill but to eat contrary to the Superiors mind and order this is Evil. The Bible and Scriptures ought not to be read but leave is to be asked of the Superior because there are many hard Passages which they which have little or no learning as Peter testifies in hâs second Epistle chap. 3. some ânderstands it one way and some another and therefore it is the fittest for Learned men to judge of them and they must judge whether People be in a capacity to read them Answ. And why are Meats forbidden aâ certain âimes is this like Apostolick Doctrine are not all Times and Seasons in the Hand of the Lord and are all good to them that believe and to the pure all Things are pure all Times and Seasons all Meats and Drinks being sanctified by the Word which made them all holy unto all that do believe And if you forbid them not as they are Creatures of God but because they are forbidden I say who did forbid them or when were they forbidden by Christ his Apostles or the true Church of Christ in their Dây but on the contrary Christ taught That which goeth in at the Mouth and ân at the Belly doth not defile the Man but that which proceedeth out of the Heart which is corrupted And Paul said What is sold at the Shambles may be eaten and no Question made for Conscience sake for to the clean all Things are clean and to the believing all Things are pure and who hath limited such Meats for such Dayes and such Times the true Church No but the Church of Rome âho are going on in that Doctrine the Apostle spoke of 1 Tim. 4. which he reckoned a Doctrine of Devils but here is your Argument that must bring you off because you forbid it not at all Times I say if it be a Doctrine of Devils to forbid at all Times then it is some Part of the Doctrine of Devils to forbid at any Time seeing Time and Things are all good in the Hând of the Lord but if this Doctrine should hold what would become of your Dog-dayes and of your Lent which has been patched up Week by Week by divers Popes and of your Wednesday Friday and Saturday Fast so by this Account of yours half of the Year is either unholy or else some Meat is unholy for half of the Year but there are few but see your Blindness that in this much need not be said but only thus that which may lawful in it self when it is prohibited by the Lord unto any particular then it becomes evil for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But Christ alone unto whom all Power is committed hath the sole Power over the Heart and Conscience and for any to make Injunctions and Prohibitions contrary to him the same is Anti-christ and so the Practice which your Church commands is not Apostolical but you bring Yoaks upon the true Disciples Necks which they that are made free by the Son cannot stoop unto neither joyn with for whosoever doth goes into Bondage And Christ is the supream Power unto whom all Power is committed and when he justifies what superior can condemn And there is no need of asking leave of them that are Superiors which reckon themselves as so seeing every man stands clear in the Sight of God when he transgresses not against the Supream Law of Christ in his Conscience and to offend any Superiors who lay any Injunction contrary to the Command of God is not to offend God neither to break his Command 2 dly It seems all Parts of Religion are monopolized by Mystery-Babylon in which Rome is comprized not only Patents and Pardons sold for eating of Meat but Authority and License must be given to every one that reâds Scripture a Thing which the Apostolick Church before the Pope had a Being knew nothing of but on the contrary some were exhorted to read the Scriptures and some were commended for reading of the Scriptures and for searching whether the Things were so as Paul testified and in this they were counted more Noble then they ât Thessalonica but now it is become an ignoble Thing and not at all to be ãâã to read the Scriptures without Patent or Licence in the Church of Rome's Account who have laid down Ignorance to be the Mother of Devotion but the Danger is because there are hard Passages which are not understood when the People have little or no Learning as the Author saith was it for Want of natural Learning that Peter complained they wrested the Scriptures and therefore is it for Want of Natural Learning that the Scriptures are not understood and for Want of this they must not be read as the Author saith Ignorant Man what was Peter such a great learned Man a poor Boat-man of Fisher-man whom the Scripture saith was illiterate in the Acts When they beheld Peter and John and that they were illiterate Men and saw their Boldness and took Notice they had been with Jesus What! was it Want of Natural Learning that Peter spoke of then he spoke against himself for he was illiterate but it was such a Learning that they wanted as this Author wants who is untaught by the Spirit and unlearned in the Doctrine of Christ and such wrest the Scriptures and do not understand hard Sayings because the deep Things of God are revealed through the Spirit of God and not by natural Learning as this Author who would sell Licences and Pardons for reading the Scriptures as they have done for eating Flesh in Lent but a Story
1. As first That Church is not to be heard whose Authors and Doctors are Cozeners and Impostors 2. But all are Cozeners and Impostors but the Church of Rome Again That the Church of Rome hath the Marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity Miracles holiness of Life Universality Again That the Church of Rome takes the narrow Way that leads to Life Again Because the Church of Rome keeps Sunady instead of Saturday by Tradition therefore she is the Church of Christ. To the first If that church is not to be heard neither her censures regarded whose Authors and Teachers have been cozeners and Impostors then the Church of Rome is not to be heard nor her censures regarded because the chief Authors have been Cozeners Cheaters and Impostors who have been out of the Power of God and have taught for Doctrine the Traditions of men as Purgatory Prayer for the dead only to cozen and cheat by to fill the Bags and Coffers of the Popish Clergy which Doctrine is contrary unto the Doctrine of Christ the Apostolick church therefore the church of Rome is not to be heard 2. That the Church of Rome hath the Marks of the true Church and no other as Antiquity holiness of Life Miracles and Universality This is false there were Churches before Rome that had these Marks and there have been since and are now more then the church of Rome Antiquity some of them called Sectaries will allow you a Thousand Years to be called a Church and yet prove you apostates both in Doctrine and Practice Your Miracles are but cheats deceits and lying Stories if your own Authors be serched you confess most of your Miracles are wrought by your Images Works of your own Hands 2. Antiquity without Truth proveth nothing and Holiness of Life if your Church be holy which is prophane tolerating as I said before Whoredoms Stage-plays vain Sports and Pastimes which draw People from the fear of God and many foolish fopperies which I shall not now mention so that there are them that have dissented from you which are more ancient in the Faith more holy in Life and Conversation more agreable in Doctrine and Practice to the true Primitive Church then you are And as for Miracles which are wrought by the true Power and Finger of God there have been and are more amongst them called Sectaries then in the Church of Rome The blind have received their sight the Lepers have been cleansed the Lame have been made to walk and the deaf have heard and the Dumb have spoken the dead have been raised and many that have bound by Satan fourty Years are loosed and there are thousands that are Witnesses of it and can testifie the Truth thereof even in this time and in this Year in Scotland England Ireland Germany and America 1662. So there is a true Church which hath the Marks of the true Church of Christ more then the Church of Rome therefore the Roman church is not the alone true Church 3. To the third Argument That the Church of Rome keeps God's Commandments and walks in the narrow way of Christ's Counâel therefore she is to be head How she keepeth the Commandments of God is known if he mean the ten Commandments Thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image nor the likeness of any thing that is in Heaven or Earth neither bow down to Worship them Now you make Images of things in Heaven as of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost and of Mary and as for things in Earth you have Images of all sorts witness your Mass-Houses called Churches your Cloisters Fryaries and Covents so that every place is filled full and Worship unto them is taught by you for Doctrine contrary to God's Doctrine and your distinction of Latria and Dulia will not serve for it 's meer Deceit he that Honours an Image and bows down before it in his Heart whether you may judge it represents this or that is an absolute Idolater and knoweth not the Spirit which Christ said he would send to the true Church which should bring all things to their remembrance both what he did and said and the Saints Life and Example to remembrance without your Pictures And how you are in the narrow Way is known to many thousands that you do not walk in it at all neither take up the Cross of Christ which is to crucifie the Lusts affections and desires of the Flesh but taketh up outward Crosses and bear them on your Necks or Pin them on your sleeves or hang them about your Necks and all because Christ was crucified on the Cross And here you are honourers of Pilate and the Jews who crucified Christ upon the Cross as a Blasphemer rather then honourers of Christ and the strait and narrow Way you are ignorant of and Christ's sufferings you are all strangers to What! your Popes are as Emperors your Cardinals as Law-givers your Ecclesiastical Officers as Lords of great Possessions in the Earth except some begging Fryars which you have prest into a Voluntary humility without necessity And how do you love your Enemies How many Indians have you destroyed and killed as Dogs and how many that have professed the Name of Christ have you Burned destroyed as though they had been Wood and only Fewel for the Fire And how can you say your Pater-Noster about which you make so much ado and say Forgive our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us if the Heathen have trespassed against you if them you call Sectaries have trespassed against your church how do you forgive them and how do you fulfil the Law of Christ and keep his counsel seeing that you are out of his Doctrine away with such Deceit and Hypocrisie God hath found it out and is judging it by his Saints who rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh nor in fleshly Traditions and Imaginations but live in the Power of God and walk in the Spirit and therefore because you walk contrary to the command of God and Christ's Counsel and are out of the narrow Way that leads to Life your church is neither to be heard minded nor heeded The fourth Argument That the Church of Rome is the true Church because they keep their Sabbath of the Sunday by Tradition and not upon the Saturday as the Jews did and therefore the Church of Rome is to be heard because they have Tradition and solid Reason on their side Thy Speech bewrayes thee which bespeaks thee rather a Heathen then a Christian for the Heathens had a day that they celebrated to an Idol made like the Sun caled Sunday and another day which they celebrated to an Idol called Saturnus called Saturday and in this your Church is not to be heard who is out of the form of sound Words but the Seventh day was the Jews Sabbath which none that profess Christianity ought to keep seeing that Christ put an End to the shadows and the
Saints Sabbath is a stranger to the church of Rome he that hath overcome the World and the Devil only knows God's rest and the true Sabbath of which the Jews was a Figure and the Sunday thou callst it is no more a Sabbath reckoned by the Lord of Life then that which thou callst Saturday for every day is kept Holy to the Lord by him that witnesses the work of Redemtion and this is according to the Apostolick Doctrine and if because of example the Christians whom you are pleased to Stile Sectaries do observe the first day of the Week in the Power of God for his Worship then they are as much if not more to be heard then you and have as much Solid reason on their side as you and thou must not think to carry the Matter on with such frivolous Arguments as this to advance Mystery Babylon for this is a knowing Age blessed be the Lord wherein the Wisdom of God is revealed and that which comprehendeth all shadows Types Dayes Times Years Meats Drinks Washings and other Figures they are all seen over and he is come manifest which is Head of the true church and not the Pope who was is and is to come Life it self Truth it self Power Strength and everlasting satisfaction to thousands and ten thousands who have believed and to a numberless Number which are yet to be gathered into God's Sheep-fold and into the narrow way of Christ which will deny and doth deny upon good Grounds and infallible Testimony from the Eternal Spirit that the Church of Rome is either in whole or in part any part of the true Church of Christ. And seeing this valiant Champion hath made so fair a Proffer That ãâã their Priests Jesuites and Catholicks over all the World will turn to the Sectaries Way as he calls them if they can but get a clear and satisfaâtory Resâlâtion to the following Doubts Answ. I am one which do acknowledge my self to be reckoned by him as a Sectarian yet as a Sectarian is reckoned by the true Church of God in the Primitive Time in the Apostles and Christ's Dayes I do not reckon my self as such and that I am a Minister of the everlasting Gospel I dare not deny seeing a Necessity is laid upon me to acknowledge the same yet herein I do not glory but in him who hath call'd me for the Work sake and I know the Teaching of Christ Jesus and his Doctrine and no other Thing these many Years have I published but that which I received of the Lord and from him by his Spirit which is according to the true Faith and Godliness which was in the primitive Church before ever Rome did lay claim to be the only true catholick Church excluding all others but her self to be in the Way that leads to Salvation I which am as one amongst many Thousands which God hath manifested his Mind unto shall answer in clearness and according to Apostolick Doctrine and the Manifestation of his Spirit but when I have so done I am afraid this Champion with the rest of the Priests and Jesuits and the rest of the Catholicks over the World will hardly own his Challenge or confess that Doubts are answered yet however if it satisfie but one of a Thousand I have my Reward and shall put it to Tryal The first thing the Author who it seems knows the Mind of the Church of Rome in all things both as to Doctrine and Practice which they do allow of and the contrary they will deny he knows to the full or else he would never sure have made such a bold challenge The first thing that they would be resolved in is Whether any can clearly shew that any Teachers Doctors or Ministers are sent of Almighty God to preach and reform the Roman Catholick Church and that they are not some who say the Lord saith when the Lord hath not spoken unto them neither sent them Ezek. 13.2 Answ. What the Roman Church and their Members will take for a satisfactory Resolution as to themselves I sometimes question and do doubt the resolving of the most but however by the same Commandment that the Apostles did evidence their commission that they were sent to reform the Church of the Jews also them that had made Defection from the Faith amongst the Gentiles this may be shown 1. The Apostles of Christ Jesus did declare their Commission which they had received from Christ and for other Proof they sought none amongst them that were Auditors or Hearers but the Witness and Testimony of God unto which they desired to be approved in the Sight of God 2. They shewed the Jews that they held the Types and Figures but did not receive or believe him who was the Substance in whom they all ended they were sent to bear Testimony to the true Light that lightetâ every one that cometh into the World and to preach down Dayes Times Moneths Years Fasts Feasts Sabbaths Circumcision Temples and Offerings the Priesthood and the Sacrifice which were but to continue until the time of Reformation and the bringing in of a better Hope by which they drew nigh unto God and had an Access unto him and they declared their commission against a voluntary Humility and worshipping of Angels all which things the Church of Rome do stick in and vindicate for Apostolick Doctrine and many more things which the Church of Rome is run into contrary to the true Church of Christ and therefore had need of Reformation So that which is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and Practice of the primitive Church in the first hundred years is in the Apostacy but Rome is in many Practices and Doctrines contrary to the true Church therefore needs reforming And so God hath manifested himself in this his Day of Power and hath discovered the Church of Rome to be contrary in Doctrine and Practice to the true Spouse of Christ and hath stirred up and moved many by his Power and Spirit to preach the everlasting Gospel and to declare also against the Defection of the Church of Rome and her apostatizing from the Faith and they are not of those whom the Prophets spoke of which ran and the Lord sent them not for them were the false Prophets in Israel and they were manifest by their Fruits of which there are great Store in Rome who are manifest by their Fruits and they are such as are in Cain's Way who would kill and such as are Seekers of Gain from their Quarters and such as take the Jews Tythes and these the Lord nâver sent to be Teachers or Ministers to bring to the Knowledge of Christ but we deny all these things and your Church in the very Ground and Foundation and know that it will be swept away when the Beast is taken alive upon which your Church now rides then shall you see that that which you long put off among People as Apostolick Doctrine will not be received any more
are not these Articles of the church of Rome yea or nay If I should traduce the church of Rome in their Bishops and Councils these 12. hundred Years and upward I might bring a âloud of Witnesses that the church of Rome is not the same in Articles of Faith in Religion but divers Popes I might prove have made distinct Articles and divers Councils and Bishops so that I might clearly prove and can and shall if God permit me with Life if I hear any more of the church of Rome or the Author of this Book that I shall prove that the church of Rome in the articles of her Faith is not the same that the church of Christ was in before Rome was Planted a church 2. I shall prove if need require her Universal Councils as she calls them to vary and her Bishops to be different in their Decrees and that her Faith in points of Religion is not the same from the Apostles day to this time as the author of this Book would make People believe but what I have said to this unanswerable Proposition as he calls it may be sufficient to convince both the author and them that are doubtful in their mind about this particular 3. Proposition is That neither the Sacraments nor Ceremonies or any Doctrine of the Church of Rome contain any thing that is contrary to the Scriptures but learned Doctors maintain the same and that there is no alteration in any article of Faith and then the Author makes a conclusion though full too hastily That they which dissent from the Church of Rome which he is pleased â Stile Sectaries and Hereticks have no reason to withdraw from the Catholick Church Answ. As for that which you call the Catholick church of Rome we find such diversity of Orders and constitutions one distinct from another that to begin to enumerate them all would take up much time before one ended and would prove tedious to the Reader to view over the Variety of Constitutions and Decrees that have been made concerning the Ceremonies Sacraments as they call them and other Doctrines of the church of Rome which at this time is not my intention but Pope Alexander commanded that unleavened Bread should be used in the Supper in the Year 1119. Lib. Concil grat Sabil Before that time the outward Bread was indifferent whether it was leavened or unleavened notwithstanding the Greeks do use leavened Bread unto this day in that which is called a Supper and they use Wine only in the Cup but the church of Rome mingles Water with Wine according to the Pope Alexander's Decree And the Doctrine of Transubstantiation of turning the Bread into the Body of Christ and Wine into Blood as they say was an unknown Doctrine in the Apostles dayes and also among the Greeks until Pope Innocent the third 1215. Likewise Honorus the third he made a new Ordinance that the Sacrament of the Altar as the Church of Rome terms it should be Worshipped and kneeled unto of the People and also it should be born unto the Sick yea and that with Candlelight though it be at noon-day in the Year 1214. D. 3. Tit. cap 10. Lib. Council Pant. And Innocent the third ordained the Sacrament of the Altar should be kept under Lock and Key that such as were like to dye might not want Spiritual comfort at the time of their Death Lib. Council Cron. Pant. Pope Innocent the 8th permitted that the Priests of Norwegia might sing Mass with Water for lack of Wine in the Year 1484. Math. Falm Pant. And as about the Ceremonies about the Sacrament or Mass in a Council held at Rottomage it was decreed that the Sacrament should not thenceforth be given to Lay-men nor Lay-women in their Hands any more but the Priests should put it in their Mouths contrary to the use and practice of the Primitive Church yea of the church of Rome it self many Years after Lib. Council c. And so here the Church of Rome in contrary to the former Churches and to their own Church of Rome in former times though C. M. would elevate the Propositions of Francis Costerus a Jesuit unanswerable 4. Proposition The Author saith It cannot be proved that any have been admitted Priests but were duely consecrated by Bishops Whence we infer That Lutherans Calvinists and other Hereticks are no true Ministers neither are of Divine Priest-hood because they give to People a meer piece of Bread and nothing else and they have no Power to absolute People from their Sins but send them away entangled with Sin as when they came to them Answ. As for the Consecration of the Priests of Rome you have consecrated many who are out of the Doctrine of Christ who are Traytors to Kings and Governments and it 's a Maxim and a thing Meritorious in your Church to slay a Heretick that is one dissenting or not consenting to your corrupt Principles and as one Deceiver hath ordained and admitted another so hath your Bishops and Popes ordained the rest to Execute their Drudgery and corrupt Traffick and as I have offered unto thee before if it be not a piece of Bread and Wine except mingled with water according to your changeable Ordinances before mentioned put it to Trial upon the terms I before mentioned that you may be made manifest to be Deceivers or else we to all People And as for your Absolutions and Pardons it hath been that which you have sold for Money which made Luther and divers of your own Church to deny you because it hath been contrary to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine And as for forgiveness of Sins it properly belongs to Christ and to them that are in the same Power to them that confess forsake and turn from Sin to Pronounce forgiveness and Mercy but the Members of your Church confess from day to day unto your Priests that are as much entangled in Sin as they who do confess and neither do Repent nor find Mercy at the Hand of the Lord and your confessors and they that do confess they are defiled as much with Sin when they End their Work as when they began 5. Proposition It cannot be found in the holy Scripture that nothing is to be believed but what is clearly and expresly contained in the same Hence follows the overthrow of the Ground-work of the Sectaries who say that nothing is to be believed but what is expresly set down in the Scripture Answ. What others have said as to this particular I shall not now stand to Vindicate because it is not my Work to Vindicate every particular Judgment Person who believe contrary to your Church but I say many are of that mind that are not of your Church that things may be believed to be true according to the manifestation of Godâs Spirit though the Scripture in express words doth not declare the same yet you to bring in fabulous Stories which you call unwritten Verity that are to be believed though never
so Repugnant unto the Scripture and to the Truth contained in it this we cannot receive neither believe and this will never be attributed by the Lord unto any for Unbelief although you say it 6. Proposition The Author saith He would fain have Luther and Calvin and the other Sectaries to shew where Matthew 's Writing is called holy Scripture more then Nicodemus his Gospel and seeing they cannot prove the one no more then the other they must needs believe something that is not written in the holy Scripture Answ. I shall let Luther and Calvin alone they were Men that God did honour and I do honour and many more as in their Day they are at rest in the Sepulchres of their Fathers where your reviling cannot touch them they prevailed in their Doctrine and Faith so much against you as you have not recovered in an hundred and thirty Years neither I believe ever will so long as the Church of Rome will have any Cause to call her self Christ's only visible Church upon Earth And I do not believe Matthew's Writing only because it is reckoned by you and us for holy Scripture but becaâââ we feel by the Spirit of God that gave forth all Words that it is a Declâration of those things which were brought to pass in his Day and likewise Mark John and Luke testifie unto the same Matter but for Nicodemus his Gospel as you are pleased to call it the Spirit of God doth not testifie in us unto the same but that it is repugnant unto the Mind of the Spirit and is a meer patcht up thing in the Corruption of time wherein many things are contained that are in Opposition and contrary to Matthew Mark Luke and John their Declaration And so thy feââle Argument is answered which thou concludest hath not been alâerable these fifteen hundred Years and let not him that puts on his Armour beast but him that hath overcome and puts it off 7 Proposition is That it cannot be shewn for these fifteen hundred ãâã that there hath been any Catholick that held that the Pope of ãâ¦ã or that did rail at the most holy Sacrifice of the Mass or Inâocation of Saints and Angels and usual praying for the dead and such like Worââ of Piâty âelongââg to our Faith and Religion which the whole World hath laudably practised and reverenced for fifteen hundred Years It is a Wonder that this Author belonging to the Church of Rome is not ashamed of his Arguments and the silly Propositions that he hath propounded from another Hand It seems neither this Author nor Francis âesterââ whose Propositions the Author hath vaunted in and boasted of know the Apostles Doctrine who said The whole World lay in Wickedness and if any Man love the World the Love of the Father dwells not in him and Christ said to his true Church Ye are not of the World therefore the World hates you and again I have chosen you out of the World and John in his Day saw through the Spirit all the World wondering after the Beast and worshipping his Image and not the Image of God and saw all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People to be Waters and the Nations Kindreds Tongues and People to drink the Whore's Cup and these the two Aâthors bring in for a great Proof and for an unanswerable Proposition as that the whole World lyes in Wickedness in whom the Love of God dwells not and thây that have drunk of the Whore's Cup of Fornication and they that have wondered after the Beast to wit the whole World these are his dark Cloud of Witnesses to prove that the Pope was never called Anti-christ will they that have received the Roman Faith and accounted the Pope Christ's Vicar and the visible Head call him Anti-christ which hath exalted himself and the Church of Rome's Faith over the whole World as the Author boasts That the whole World hath laudably practised and reverenced Invocation of Saints and prayâng for the dead for the Piety Faith and Religion of the Church of Rome for these 1500 Years This proves the Church of Rome to lye in Wickednesâ aâd to be contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostleâ and this doth not clear the Pope at all but rather mâkes him to be an Anti-christ and your Church to be the ill-favoured Harlot and not the true Church of Christ Hast thou forgotten how John Bishop of Constaââânople would needs be chief Bishop over all the rest of the Chuâches about the Year two hundred fifty and upwards and how the other Bââhops cryâd out against him for to be Anti-christ but your Bishop he got to be called chief Bishop over all Christian Churches not by Consent of the Elders nor Churches but by the Means of Phocas an Heathen Emperor as before I have said and is not he much more an Anti-christ And as for the Sacrifice in the Mass Invocation of Saints and praying for the Dââd which thou say'st is a laudable Practice I say none have or do reckon it worthy âf Praise but they that worship the Beast and his Image and have drunk of the VVhore's Cup and are erred from the Faith and Religion that the Apostles and true Church of Christ were in which all the World did that wondered after the Beast Lastly This I say he that teaches a Faith a Religion a Doctrine contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles is an Anti christ but the Pope these fifteen hundred Years hath taught a contrary Doctrine therefore he is an Anti-christ The 1st Proposition is evident from divers Testimonies of Scripture who teach only to pray unto the Lord in the Name of Christ and for them that are alive in the Body and not for them thât are dead The second is proved by the Author 's own Testimony that the Pope and Church of Rome have prayed unto the Saints and prayed for the dead these 1500 Years to his Shame be it spoken therefore the Consequence must necessarily follow The Pope ãâã an Antâ-chrâst 8. and last Proposiâion is this That the first Authors of the Christian Faith in Germany Italy Spain France England and Low Countries have acknowledged no other Faith nor brouâht any other to them then the Catholick Roman Faith which the whole Universe hath acknowledged which we have learned of our Fore-fathers therefore they that have brought in another are accursed That which the whole Universe hath acknowledged in the Apostacy which lyeth in Wickedness seeing all have wondered after the Beast and drunk of the Whore's Cup since the Apostles Dayes is but a lame and pitiful Argument as to prove the Church of Rome the true Church and as for the Faith delivering such as it was to the Nations before-mentioned only excepting Spain because it 's probable that the Apostle Paul spread the Faith there seeing that he said he had a Purpose to come there into Spain which if he did thy Boast may cease as for the planting of Religion
in Heresie in Schism so that there is an absolute Defection from the Life and Power of God which was manifested in the Apostles dayes and therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church What I have said as to the Doctrines and Grounds which have been laid down by the Author I shall refer it and the Answer unto God's Witness in every Man's Conscience and if I hear any more of the Author his great Boasts or ambitious Challenges which may reach to all that do dissent from the Church of Rome as to be Hereticks I shall engage in the Strength of the Lord to vindicate the Truth however opposed and shall further if God permit be ready to give a more large and full answer unto the Doctrines and Practices and Worship of the Church of Rome and prove them to be contrary to the Scriptures and the Apostolick Doctrine and the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints So in what I have said I hope may convince the Author of his vain Assertions and them that are enclined towards Babylon it may put a Stop to that which would too readily close with every thing which goes under the Name of Antiquity But in what I have said upon the whole Matter I hope will be sufficient unto all who read with a single Eye without Prejudice and unto such I say the Lord give them an Understanding that they see and discern the Way which leadeth to Life and Felicity from that which leadeth to the Chambers of Death and the Pathes that take hold on Destruction A GENERAL EPISTLE TO THE Seed of God DEar Friends every where who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ and called with an holy Calling to the great Salvation of God which is manifest in this the Day of his Power keep your first Love and let not the Threats of Men neither the Browns of the World affright you from that which you have prized more then all the World now the Sun is up and a time of scorching is come and that which hath not Root will wither now every Ground will be tryed and blessed is the Good that brings forth the Seed which must inherit the Promise Oh let not the Cares of this present Life choak that which God hath begotten and seeing the Lord hath so marvelously wrought for us hitherto in the midst of great Opposition let not your Faith fail nor your Confidence in God who delivered Jacob of old out of his Adversity and Israel out of all his Troubles whose Care is over his People now and having seen the Emptiness of the World and its Way and Worship let nothing blind your Eye again and let not the things present nor things to come separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus and mind not them that draw back to Perdition but let it teach you all more Diligence to be as those that press after Glory Immortality and Everlasting Life the Way of God was ever hated by the World and the Powers thereof never heed the rough Spirit nor the heavy for their Bound is set and their Limit known but mind the Seed which hath Dominion over all and forsake not the assembling of your selves together in which you have found God and his Promise and Power amongst you and Blessing your Understandings opened Oh rather suffer all things then let go that which you have believed fâr whoso doth will loose the Evidence of God's Spirit in them and their Peace and Joy will be lost the Lord God preserve you all unto the End faithful Your Dear Brother for the Testimony of Jesus F. H. Aââelby Goal the 10th of the 3d Moneth 1664. A Visitation of Love Peace and Good-will from the Spirit of the Lord sent unto the whole Flock of God now in this their Day of Tryal and Hour of Temptation DEar Friends and Brethren who have been called to believe by the holy calling of the Lord unto Sanctification and Holiness that ye might inherit the Promises of God and that your Souls might live in the Land of the living and partake of his Goodness that you might admire him and praise his Name forever And seeing the Lord out of his rich Love and Mercy hath visited you who sometime sate in the Region of the Shadow of Death and were cast out of his Presence in the time of Unbelief seeing he hath caused his miraculous Light to shine upon you in his gracious Visitation of you and hath given you to believe in his Name prize his Love unto you and let not his gracious Benefits slip out of your Minds lest your Hearts be filled with other things that will corrupt your Hearts and make you an unmeet Habitation for the Lord to dwell in and among Dear Friends hear my Brotherly Admonition and Exhortation for the Lord moved in my Heart to write unto you and in the Bowels of his kind and tender Love and Motion of his heavenly Spirit to stir up your pure Minds and Consciences unto Stedfastness in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and so much the more that you all be watchful seeing the times be perilous for now the Adversary goes about roaring and ravening on the right Hand and on the left to destroy and devour that which God hath brought forth in you that so he might regain you too under his Power and Government and that ye might revolt from the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that stands in Power and Righteousness which is come and hath been of a Truth manifest in great Glory and this is an Hour the Power of Darkness is let loose to try the Faith and them that dwell upon the Earth and he is let loose for a Season blessed are they that hide themselves under the Shadow of the Almighty and under the Wings of Christ Jesus who is given for a Redeemer a Saviour and a Preserver of Men that the wicked One touch them not and now the Devil rages because he knows his Kingdom is but short and but for a small time is like to stand in many because a stronger then he that rules in the World is come and hath began to dispossess the strong Man and bind him and cast him out and now he rages and stirs up all the Temptations within and without and all his Instruments to joyn with him to make War for him that he might not rule who is the Heir of all things and given for a Leader and to be the Head of the Body his Church in which alone he hath Right to rule because the Lord of the whole Earth yea of Heaven and Earth hath put all Power into his Hands to bind and to lose to bring out of Captivity and to lead Captivity Captive that Life and Immortality might again inhabit in the Sons of Men that Truth and Righteousness might sway that Mercy and Love might sit on the Throne that his Salvation might take hold on the Ends of the Earth and his Power made known
to discern the same lest they decree and uphold that which in this Case they ought not to wit Tythes lest the Lord be angry for their so doing it being so repugnant to the Testimony of Truth And so let every honest Reader weigh and diligently and seriously consider whether he ought to uphold Truth or Error Light or Darkness I assume he will say that he ought to uphold and maintain the Truth and to stand by it and for it then let me ask him a Sober Question in the Sobriety and Calmness of Spirit and I desire that in the Coolness of the Day he may answer it according to the Witness of his Conscience my Question is this whether he doth not believe after that he hath had a serious View of this Piece that he meets with such valid Arguments such Clearness of Demonstration as may or doth convince him that the Imposition of Tythes now in Gospel-dayes is absolutely out of the Doctrine of Truth and ought not so to be and if so convinced whether he ought not to side and adjoyn with that of God in his Conscience in a Testimony of this Nature and so partake with Truth which is a duty ought to be and is incumbent upon every Christian Man's Heart which is the desire of him who is a Well-willer to Sion's Prosperity E. G. THE Great Case OF TYTHES AND Forced Maintenance ONCE MORE REVIVED SInce the Seat of Anti-christ hath been set and his Throne Exalted so high as it now is and he himself exalting himself above all that is called God and not only so but he hath laboured to make void the Laws and Commands of the Lord and his Christ concerning his Church and likewise to set up his own Institutions and Commandments which are repugnant and eontrary to the commands of Christ and the Practice and Example of the Apostles and Holy Martyrs of old who laid down their Lives for the Testimony of that Doctrine and Faith which they had received of the Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of Man-kind and knowing the Practice and the examples of Christ and his Apostles and holy Witnesses they continued in their Doctrine to hold forth still the same in Purity and to keep it unviolated even to their Death that they might shew themselves forth to be followers of their Master Christ Jesus and to abide in his Doctrine and walk according to the Primitive Example notwithstanding all the Opposition and contradiction of Anti-christ and his Followers which hath been great through many Ages since the Nations have drank and the Kings of the Earth of the Wine of the Whore's Fornication and the way that Anti-christ and the false Church have had to exalt themselves hath been by Policy Craft and Deceit in perswading the Nations that that which was once given and offered freely unto the Lord for his Works sake is now made of necessity and claimed as Divine right to them and their Ministers notwithstanding both the Doctrine the Worship and Practice be altogether inconsistent with the Primitive times truly so called But seeing the Ministry of the false Church who abode not in the Doctrine of Christ but hath violated it and now hath turned against the Saints the Ministers and Seed of the free Woman hath not had Power by vertue of their Doctrine to work upon the Hearts and consciences of People so as to open them and make them freely willing to minister earthly things to their Ministers because indeed most People in the Nations ãâã not perswaded that they have ministred Spiritual things And therefore the false Church hath perswaded the Powers of the Earth who have drunken of her Cup that is their duty to force and compel all to give ãâã her and her Ministers as of divine right whether People be perswaded ãâã no that they are sent of God and make the Scripture a Clââk to cover their force or Injunctions and produceth the Example of the ãâã Christians for a cover though they do nothing at all of the Work of the Apostles or Ministers of Christ in converting of Souls but rather Ministring their own Inventions and vain Traditions of men instead of the true Ordinance of Christ yet however Maintenance they must and will have though they do none of Christ's Work and are so Imperious and Arrogant as to reckon Tythes the tenth part of the encrease of the Earth whatsoever and of every man's labour and Merchandize yet this they would perswade all People is by divine right and a Gospel-institution And this hath been received by many in our last Generation whose minds have been darkned with the cloud of Ignorance for a Truth and for any to withstand or deny it hath been counted Error and Heresie no less then a curse from Mystery Babylon did come upon all such as did Gain-say also some with loss of lives as Hereticks upon this account and in this last Age many Imprisoned for divers years even until Death and many have suffered great Spoiling of their Goods ten or twenty Fold more then that which they pretended due and yet all this People must believe is Gospel institution and divine right The consideration of which thing hath been an inducement unto my Heart of late to make a true and a narrow search of the Lawfulness or unlawfulness of this particular thing not only enquiring the true State of Tythes amongst the Jews but also in the Primitive time and amongst the ancient Fathers of the Church whose Doctrine hath been approved among the most faithful Members of the Church of Christ downward untilâ this last Age. First of all to speak of the tenths which were given before the Commandment was given forth to the Jews Abraham in his return from redeeming his Nephew Lot after the Pursuit of Chedâlaoâer the King of Elam with the rest of the Kings âoyned with him having recovered his Nephew Lot with all his substance and all the substance of Sodom Gomorrah was met by Melchizedeck King of Salem and Priest of the most high God who blessed Abraham and brought forth Bread and Wine and gave unto ãâã and to the rest who were with him unto whom Abraham gave the Tythes of all the Spoil that he had taken from the aforesaid Chedorlaomer and the rest of the Kings Chryââstome understands the Text only to âe of the Spoils whereof Abraham made Melchizedeck a partaker by giving him the first fruâts of his Martial performance And Jerom often stiling it Decimas spoliorum praââ and Victoria that is the tenth of the Spoil of the prey and of the Victorâ And this is made one of the main basis or Ground for probation of Tythes due before the Law which is but only a free gift of Abraham to Melchizedeck of the Spoil he had taken and that but once that we read of take notice of that not of his Familys Labours or industries but of the spoil of what he had taken And it is very clear that it was a
profess themselves to be Christians who dare not stand to Christ's Doctrine and allowance in respect of their Maintenance But in the fulness of time God raised up another Priest Christ Jesus who was not of the Tribe of Levi neither made after a carnal Commandment as the first Priest was neither was he Consecrated after the order of Aaron for he pertained to another Tribe of which no man gave attendance at the Altar viz. to Judah he obtained a more excellent Ministry and of a greater and more perfect a tabernacle not of the former building he being the Sum and Substance of all shadows under the first Covenant hath thereby put an End to the first Priest-hood with all its shadows and carnal Ordinances and changing the Priest hood which had a command to take Tythes of their Brethren there was a necessity also of the change of the Law and a disannulling likwise of the Commandment which went before Now after Christ Jesus was manifest the end of the Law for Righteousness to them that do believe the End of the Covenant first Priesthood Tabernacle Temple Tythes Offerings Oblations and in a Word all the Worship of the Jews and all their Shadows Types and Figures and representations All the Sabbaths Fasts Feasts and their divers washings and Purifyings which all were but as Shadows of things to come and he was the sum and Substance of them all and ended them all and whosoever will plead a necessity of all or anyone of the former things mentioned in the first Covenant that was faulty Christ profits him nothing and he denyes the Faith of Christ and his Apostles and Ministers for Circumcision was once commanded of God and as real a Type as any other and yet they that would needs hold it up after the Substance was manifest to wit Christ Jesus the Apostle Paul concludes that Christ profits them nothing though he elsewhere calls it the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith unto Abraham which he had before he was Circumcised The like I also say of all the former Ordinances which pertained to the first Priest-hood and Covenant and holds them up as of necessity denyes the Faith of Christ and Christ profits them nothing and do make themselves thereby as debtors to the whole Law and he that fails in the breach of one is guilty of all Therefore of how much necessity is it for them that do profess Christ and the Faith that was delivered to the Saints to stand fast in that liberty wherein Christ hath made them free and not to be entangled with the Yoak of Bondage but to keep the Ordinances and Commands of Christ unviolated for that they lay claim to Tythes and would cause us to pay Tythes they themselves do not keep the Law but would constrain us that they might glory in our Flesh and would confound the Ordinances of the first and second Covenant together without putting any difference to the time and ministration unto which they did belong The Apostles and Ministers of Christ who were made partakers of the Divine Nature and of the Word of Reconciliation did not look back nor draw People back to the former Ordinances of the Jews and their Priest-hood but testified against them their Temples Fasts Feasts and New-Moons and for these things Paul and Stephen and divers others suffered great Persecution and Christ the everlasting high Priest though he was the Son of God the Heir of all things and the first born of every Creature and the Bishop of Souls though he was the Lord of all he made himself of no reputation nor did not lay claim to the Possessions of the World but said The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his Head He laid no claim to Tenths nor Offerings nor Oblations neither to Lands where he travelled in the Work of the Father though he laboured for the conversion of Souls in divers places as the true Bishop thereof He laid no claim to any such Places as to be his Diocess neither did look for any gifts and rewards from any place but as he was sent of the Father and was the free gift of Righteousness he ministred freely and likewise when he sent out his Disciples and gave them Commission to Teach all Nations and Disciple them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost he said unto them As my Father sent me so send I you And again Freely you have received freely give And again Take with you neither Staff nor scrip nor Money nor Brass in your purses but into what House or City ye enter enquire who therein is worthy and abide ye there till you go thence And whatsoever is set before you that do you eat and drink for the Labourer is worthy of his meat And though he sent them out as is before said when they returned again he said unto them Lacked ye any thing And they said Nay Though they were sent out as Sheep among Wolves yet they preaching the Word of the Kingdom freely and turned People to Christ the new and living Way whereby there Hearts were opened to Minister unto them which serv'd for their necessity in the Work of the Gospel they did not desire or require any Stipend Sallary Augmentation or settled Maintenance but were Ministred unto them only by them who had believed their report and were made Partakers of Spiritual things they never complained of want nor never had any cause nor did not give over Preaching of the Gospel because they had not settled Maintenance like our latter Generation of Priests who if their Maintenance do cease their Gospel ceaseth which demonstrates only they minister for Hire and filthy Lucre and so are out of the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for the Apostles they often denyed that which was freely proferred them lest they should make the Gospel of Christ chargeable and their Work of no Effect Here was no Tythes spoken of that we read on commanded or commended either to the Jews or Gentiles who believed in the Age of the Apostles that we find mentioned either in Scripture or any other Ancient Records And after many Christians were converted unto the Faith such was the liberality and bounty of believers in the Beginning of Christianity that their bounty to the Evangelical Priesthood was so large as that it far exceeded what the tenth could have been or if you look to the first of the Apostles times then the unity of Heart among them about Jerusalem was such that all was in common and none wanted And as many as were possessors of Lands and Houses sold them and brought the price of that which was sold and laid it at the Apostles Feet and it was distributed to every man according as he had need So the whole Church both Ministers and Believers liv'd in common of that which was freely brought in and ministred for the Service of the
Morale is in it then what commands a competency of means to be given to the Priest-hood but they are mingled and confoundâd among themselves and the best bottom they have is either from the Popes Authority or from the Jews and also many Divines and School-men were at great contest and their Judgments are Various as the former The Divines about this time have had several determinations and Doctrines about this Point some have held it that the tenth considered quoad quotam Partem or as it is determined part devoted from that number is only due by Law Positive and Ecclesiastical but as it is for the sustentation of the Clergy it is due by the divine moral Law as they call it and so they interpret it from the Levitical Commandment of Tythes but others say it is a Judicial or Ceremonial as some will have it and that it hath been brought into the Law of the Gospel by Ecclesiastick Doctrine and Constitutions others say it is by the imitation of the Jewish state ordered by the Almighty and not in that regard per vim obligativam viz. by a continued force of it under the Gospel and that the Church was not only bound to this part but might as well have ordain'd the payment of a ninth or eleventh this is commonly taught by the old School-men Hales and Aquinas Henricus de gandavo Cardinal Caietan and divers others The second Opinion among the Divines is of those that held tythes to be meer Alms and not to be payed to the Ministers of the Gospel by any Parochial right as a necessary duty to the Evangelical Priest-hood but that they might be detained and disposed of at the owners will especially if the Pastor did not well perform his Office of this were both some of the Religious Orders in their Preaching and also others opposite enough to them in Doctrine The Dominicans and Franciscans who began about the year 1210. and had in their Monasteries great store of School-mens Writings made it a gainful Doctrine to themselves though there was a Truth in it they determined that it was not due by divine right but only due as Alms or due of Charity not of Justice or Judicial Law but to be arbitrarily disposed of accordingly to such as took any spiritual labour and with them agree the Mendicants Likewise about 800. 900. and a 1000. and after that tythes were called the Lords goods and the Patrimony of the Poor whenas also the Council at Nantz declared the Clergy were not to use them as their own but as commended to their trust they were not then given to the Clergy but to be disposed of to the use of the Poor Furthermore at a General Council held at Lyons under Pope Gregory the tenth in the Year 1274. when the Religion was only made a Cloâk for covetousness and they sought their Gain and not the good of Souls it was then constituted that it should not be lawful thenceforth for men to give their tythes at their own Pleasure where they would as it had been before but pay all their tythes to the Mother-Church by which it may be seen that though the People who then generally were Papists and in the mid-night of Popery did believe they ought to pay tythes then yet were rather willing to dispose of them where they pleased till the Pâpistâ Councils restrain'd their Liberty But the great Decree that speaks most plain and till which nothing was given forth which did directly constitute them but rather still suppos'd them as a due by some former right was made at the Council of Trent in the year 156â and yet that great Council followed the Doctrines of their Fathers and said they were due to God but had no nâw Authority for their great decree which they commanded to be obeyed under the Penaltie of Excommunication Having thus briefly past over the Ecclesiastical state first of the Jews secondly of Christ and his Apostles time thirdly of the State of the Church near to their time and the Judgment of them which are reckoned the most learned and Orthodox Men and Fathers of the Church in every Age till the very height of the papal Domination and hath given some true understanding in every Age to the point in Hand It will be requisite that something be said more particularly concerning this Nation and the Practice thereof and what hath been said with or against this particular concerning Tythes About the Year 600. or soon after Gregory the first who was the first Pope of Rome sent over Augustine the Monk into England who was a Canon regular by whom Ethelbert King of Kent was converted as they call it but it was but to Popery he and his Clergy a long time after followed the Example of the former Ages and imitated the Practice of the Apostolick Primitive Church living in common upon the offerings of their converts and those that received them joyn'd into Societies and with the receipt of the offerings they maintain'd themselves they repaired the Temples of the Gentiles which by the advice of Pope Gregory were not to be destroyed but to be converted to Christian Service and builded some Houses which they called Churches in which the Priests exercised their shrivings for then the whole Diocess of Canterbury was indeed the only limitted Parish in regard of profits and whatsoever was received through the Devotion of good Christians as they were called made up a common treasury for the whole Diocess so that it was no matter of what place the bounty was offer'd so that it was within the Diocess the Truth of this is confirm'd by that of Augustine in his question to Pope Gregory touching the Bishops whereunto the Pope answers The custome sayes he is generally to make four parts viz. for the Bishop for the Clergy for the poor and for the repairation of Churches but he doth admonish him in tenderness to the English Saxon Church that he and his Clergy should use the community of all things as was in the Primitive times in the Apostles dayes but afterwards having brought a great part of the Nation to their Faith they began to preach up the old Roman Doctrine That Tythes ought to be payed to God and holy Church as the phrase was and having taught the People that Pardon of Sin and the joyes of Heaven were merited by good Works and the Torments of Hell evaded by charity it was no hard matter to perswade them to give their tenths and Lands but also their outward Riches to those called Religious Houses then here and elsewhere may testifie in this Nation they and the Clergy had almost gotten the third part of the whole Land so wonderfully besotted were the poor ignorant People that had not a Law been against such excessive gifts a far greâter part of the Nation had been in their Hands But how long this community amongst the Clergy continued amongst them and the free Offering fully appears not that it was
c. And the first Scripture they bring in is Luke 11.41 You pay Tythe of Mint and Rue and all Manner of Herbs As also Mat. 23.23 You pay Tythe of Mint and Annise and Cummin Also Luke 28.12 I am not as this Publican I pay Tythes of aâl that I possess c. It is answered that Christ spake this to the Jews and Pharisees in the time when the Levitical Priesthood was not ended and they were bound by the Law whilest it was of Force to observe this Ordinance amongst the rest which were in the first Covenant which was faulty which continued until the time of Reformation viz. till Christ was offered up and said It is finished and was the End of the Law for Righteousness unto all that believe but it is manifest that the Jews then unto whom Christ spoke were not Believers but were such as withstood the Son of God and did not receive him who was the Sum and Substance of all the Types and Shadows of that Covenant and so this is great Ignorance to conclude that because these Scriptures are written in the New Testament so called that therefore Tything is a Gospel-Ordinance for it is manifest that these Scriptures had Relation to the Jews who were under the Law and not under the Gospel and so their Plea as to this is made void But though Divine Right hath been long pleaded and is yet by some but few are now left that will only stand to it for if Tythes be absolutely due as by the Law of God no Custom Prescription Priviledge Exemption Dispensation Law or Constitutions of man or men can acquit any from the utmost Penny of the tenth Part but scarce the tenth Person in England payes Tythes in kind and many plead that they are Tythe-free and pay none at all but if any will stand to this and plead Divine Right then they are to be payed and received for the End and Use for the which they were commanded for the Levites Strangers Poor the Fatherless and Widdow and then where is the Impropriator's Share And some Lawyers of late of very good Fâme in England have given their Judgment that Tythes are not due by the Law of God Other Scriptures they seem to plead for the receiving of their Tythes as Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due And Mat. 22.21 Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar 's and unto God the things which are God's Answ. Herein is a clear Distinction betwixt the things which are Câsar's and the things which are God's this speaks only of Tribute and Custom or Taxes or Assesments which the Civil Magistrate doth claim by Law and by Custom for the Preservation of a Nation or Conservation of every man in his proper and particular Right and herein every one ougât to render Subjection and Obedience not only for Fear of Wrath but for Conscience sake but these Scriptures have no Relation to Tythes at all nor forced Maintenance for Priests Object But it may be objected Hath not the Magistrate Power to command or make Laws for the Payment of Tenths or what other Part he will to the Ministry Answ. This was answered before if God disanulled his own Command Heb. 7. for the Payment of Tythes who or what is Man that he should make a Law as well to contradict that his Command as also on the contrary to establish them And seeing the Work of the Ministry is the Work of the Lord for Conversion of Souls and that he is the Lord of the Harvest he provideth for his Labourers and Harvest-men whom he sends ãâã so that there need not any outward Law be made in this Particular the Ministers of old needed not though Believers were but few and the Ministry of this Age reckons whole Nations to be Believers and yet they dare not relye upon them for their Subsistance but run to the temporal Powers to make them a forcing Law to establish their Maintenance which demonstrates they are not true Believers whom they reckon to be so or else that the Lord of the Harvest never sent them forth or else that they do distrust the Lord of the Harvest who they say sent them out to preach Other Scriptures are brought to plead for Tythes or at least some Part of them and forced Maintenance as 1 Cor. 9.9 Thou shalt not muzzel the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn c. Ver. 7. Who plants a Vineyard and eats not of the Fruit thereof and who feedeth a Flock and eateth not of the Milk of the Flock Ver. 11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things Answ. Unto all which I answer that they which do believe and have received spiritual things indeed that they are enjoyned by the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and not only so but even from natural things all that believe are largely taught their Duty therein to distribute and communicate freely unto them who labour in Word and Doctrine and are sent out in the Work of the Lord that they be comfortably provided for by them that are Partakers of heavenly and spiritual things from the Lord as to go in the Warfare of the Lord and to plant in the Vineyard of the Lord yea and it is agreed that the Ministers of Christ did not do these things at their own Charge but if they might not be muzled that tread out the Corn yet they may be muzled that tread out no Corn but run ramping through the Lord's Fields and spoil the Corn these ought to be muzled Again they that watch over a Flock though they may eat of the Milk of the Flock yet they that kill them that are fed and feed themselves with the Fat and cloath themselves with the Wool and worry the Lambs they ought not to eat of the Milk of the Lord's Flock and of such as they reckon Unbelievers and Hereticks and they look upon belong to another Master and not to the Fold of Christ they ought nât to cliâ and shear other mens Sheep But in short all the aforesaid Scriptures make nothing at all for Tythes or any Part thereof either from Believers or not Believers and these Scriptures also grant that every man is the sole Owner of his own Labour and Possession yet ought every one freely to glorifie God with his Substance and to communicate to him that teacheth in all good things needful and such Sacrifice God doth well accept Again other Scriptures they bring in which there is as little Ground or Footing as in the former but that they are necessitated to get a Shelter and a seeming Cover for their Practice to blind People withal that they may get their Money and so they bring 1 Cor. 9.10 13 14. For it 's written or saith he It 's altogether for our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in Hope and he that
Vail of Pride and folly hung between his Eyes which appears to hang there yet for any thing I can see having condemned himself and also repented as he saith for being in the head of a Troop of the Rebellious Army a Captain and yet after Conversion and Illumination and Repentance as he saith Subscribes himself Captain Robert Everard argues both Pride and Folly and gives but a small shew of Repentance but rather Argues feignedness and flattery and him to be a time-server and a man-pleaser And whether he intend by his Epistle to all the Non-conformists to the Church of England or all the Non-conformists to the Church of Rome is doubtful for then the Church of England hath to conform in part as wel as others though I believe the Church of Rome will claim a good part of her Discipline to be theirs only it wants the formality of Language somthing might largely be spoken as in return of Answer to the things contained in the said Book but that it may be supposed some of those People with whom he hath formerly conversed which he now calumniates wiâh notorious Error will not receive his Epistle as an infallible and Heavenly Oracle but rather will return him some publick Answer for the Vindicating of their own Principles and also shewing him his Weakness how soon he was turned aside with and for a thing of nought and also that he should be so bold as to turn in a moment their Instructer Teacher when he hath but newly learned within a Year or two the Principles of his own Religion which he saith he adores God in and so is but a novis and unskilfull in the word of Righteousness though his Web be very long of Linsie Woolsie and his Words be many which will pass away as Wind and have small effect I hope of gaining many Proselytes to be Members of that visible Church which hath ruled over Nations Kindreds and Tongues which are the Waters upon which the great Whore sits I take my self little concerned or that People with whom I am joyned in the Fellowship of the Gospel of Christ Jesus who are Nonconformists to the World and ever resolve to be according to the Apostles Doctrine and to all Hypocrites and Time-servers and them that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies of which this Generation is full who will Transgress for a morsel of Bread and conform to any thing and every thing for the smiles of the World ease and Liberty in the Flesh but the Followers of Christ have not so learned Christ for whoso will Reign with him must suffer with him Neither should I have said much if the Quarrel had been Personal or about some Circumstantial matters which a man may be with and without and they neither add to nor diminish from his Goodness and Vertue but seeing it is a Quarrel not only against us that are alive but against the Faithful Sufferers who laid down their Lives in Flames of Fire and the very Foundation of God which is the most sure thing is struck at and the Spirit of God turned out of doors in regard of its Office of certainty and infallibility and the Scriptures of Truth laid aside as an insufficient thing except the Interpretations of Men be added to it for its Authority and the Constitutions of fallible and Erring Men set up for Rules and Men as Men set up as Law-givers and Judges over mens Consciences and Lords over Faith and to be the most certain thing for any Christian Man to rely upon and to believe as the old phrase is as the Church believes to pin ones Faith upon others Sleeves and to hang ones Hope of anothers Shoulders to put ones Eye out that God hath given them to see with and then see by anothers may be led into any Hole or Ditch and this to be published with such confidence as the only infalliable Guide to which all Christians are to submit would make a Man half Dumb to speak and stammer forth some thing as a Testimony against such palpable Error and manifest Darkness put off with such confidence and Usher'd in among Christians in such an Age as this when Light and Life is broken forth as a Morning without Cloudes in Goshen where Israel the true Seed inhabits I could not but say something in Vindication of that certain sure everlasting Truth which the Devil is out of by which the Saints are made free indeed in their inward man from Sin and Non-conformists to the World its Error ways and Worship and also to shew the mistakes of the Author and how easily he hath been drawn aside to lean upon a broken Reed all his particulars which are of any weight or moment shall be considered and weighed in the Righteous Ballance of equity and answered in their due place for the Confirmation of them that do believe and for removing the stumbling Blocks out of the way of them that doubt to Stagger lest they fall in such dark Pits as these viz. as to deny the Spirit of God to be a sufficient Guide and take away its infallibility and place it in Men that have Erred do err and may Err and call them the only sure infallible guide for all Christian men to follow But to speak something to the seeming weighty matter which weighed down R. E. his Judgment and cast the Scales so far as that all his Hope Faith Foundation and Religion was weighed down at one draught and by such feeble things as put him to silence which he heared from his Lay-catholick as he calls him argues a very weak and a poor Foundation and a sândy which was so soon driven away but one thing is to be minded because he hath minded it himself of his Conversion as to matter of time this Conversion happened to fall out since the happy Restauration of our Gracious Soveraign to his Crown and Dignity as he saith this to some will render his Conversion somewhat suspicious whether he name this time as only accidental or the Restoration of the King the cause somewhat of his Conversion I shall not determine but however he having been behind before in Conformity resolved to make a good step to before the next time to avoid suffering loss and Reproach But to speak a little as to the Discourse which R. E. hath published as the weighty matter whereby he was Convinced their Judgments now it seems becoming one the Lay GENTLEMAN he mentions and himself speaking to one speaks to both First Whether that any can be certain that the Christians in General are more true then the Turkes Jews or any other and whether any can be infallibly assured of this that it is possible for one to mistake in this and again the answer amounting to no more then this you conceive you are in the right you hope and believe you are not mistaken but it is possible you may be mistaken in this for every Man is a Lyar and every
Man and all Men and every Church is fallible and subject to Error and with these and the like Words R.E. was extreamly troubled as he saith and knew not how to answer without shuffing Answ. The true Christian Religion stands not only in Name nor in Words nor in conforming or Transforming to this or that outward Practice which the Disciples of Christ were exercised in which divers in the latter days in their old corrupt minds not having their Hearts renewed have taken on the outside and have got the Form and want the Life and the Power and are not partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ and such a bare Profession as this has no certainty nor infallibility in it neither the assurance but that they may be mistaken and may be subject to Err as well as Turks or Jews or any other but the true Christians Religion indeed whom Christ will own as true Worshippers of him stands in Power in Life and in being obedient unto his living commands and precepts which he giveth forth unto his Disciples and manifesteth by his Spirit his Sheep hear his Voice and know it from the Voice of a stranger And he giveth the Knowledge of his will to all that believe in the measure of his eternal Spirit which he hath given every one a Measure of to profit withal and by it to be guided into all Truth out of all Error and this Spirit is infallible and gives certain assurance to all that receive it that they are in that way which is acceptable to God and they feel Comfort unto their Souls coming daily from the presence of Christ who is the Rock of Ages and the sure Foundation upon which his holy Church is founded which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and they that are living Members are not Grounded upon a fallible certainty or upon a conâectural supposition or a vain hope which is without bottom but upon that which is sure and stedfast lasting everlasting and all men in the unregenerate Estate are Lyars but they that are Born from above are of the Truth and Lye not and are not subject to mistakes because the Seed remains in them and walk in the pure Religion which keeps unspoted of the World and they that have no other Ground for their Religion but only without them and from the report of others are short of the true Foundation for that may be Truth in it self indeed which is not true to another nor he truly partakes of it and here is all the supposing conjectures and mistakes and fallible certainties which it seems R. E. and his lay Gentlemen too when the Axe is laid to the Root of the Tree indeed and notwithstanding all the laying claim to infallibility and certainty its but grounded upon a report without and the Traditions of men from Generation to Generation For them that believe but only because of the true report without and cometh not to Witness the thing assured in their own Hearts by the Spirit of the Lord these will not be long of that Faith 't is true many did believe because of the Apostles âeclaration and report but at last came to feel the Witness of God in their own Hearts testifying the same in somuch that they could say and truly too though we have believed through your Words at the first yet now we have heard him our selves that which giveth perfect assurance which admits of no doubts nor fallibleness for such evidence all true Members of Christ's Church have in themselves which carries divine Authority and satisfaction in it to every particular Believer and so I say with P. E. in this it seems unreasonable to perswade any to receive this or that for a Truth when they that so perswade are uncertain in themselves neither dare say their Judgment is infallible which is that old Protestant Principle indeed and also the Principle of many Sects who differ from the pretended Catholick Church of Rome who Persecuted one another about outward things even as the Heathen about their Idols and yet will needs sit as Judge in Mens Consciences with their fallible Spirit though I speak not of every individual Person neither can I justifie the Roman Catholick Church so called who lays claim to infallibility and whatsoever they Judge to be Heresie must be reckoned as such though never so manfiest a Truth and to place infallibility in men that may Err and have erred from the Spirit I like not neither for this is to give that to men that belongs to God and to make the Judgment of fallible men above the Judgment of the infâllible Spirit of God and this I look to be great Ambition and Pride in any to lay claim to the greatest things as infallibility and certainty of assurance and the most free of Error and yet fall the shortest of it of any as hath been made appear by many Learned and Grave Men of former Ages and also if a necessity were might be made appear that the Church of Rome who saith she cannot err have been as uncertain both in their Doctrine and Worship as any yea more one Pope contradicting and throwing down that which another did establish and one Council Decreeing and another disanulling as I could easily make appear but that I would not be Tedious to the Reader in things that have been so manifest neither do I desire to wade out into diversity of matters in so short a Discourse But that which R. E. and his Catholick instructer calleth late wild and loosâ Opinions that men of different Faiths may be saved and this countenanceth schism and breeds Rebellion as it is said 't is true Faith is but one which is saving and there is no difference in that for the difference is among Men where that is wanting and only have words and Name of Faith and want the Life and Power Neither am I so narrow Spirited as R. E. and his Catholick as to exclude all out of the Faith who may differ in their perswasions in some Circumstantial things if yet they hold Christ the Head and what makes R. E. so virilent as to judge all in Errour and to be out of the true Faith seeing the Protestants and all sorts of separates profess Justification and Salvation only through Faith in Christ Jesus as well as the Church of Rome and it were unreasonably judged in me if I should conclude a man to be no man because he is not so tall as another but I see R E. and his Catholick would have all Shoes made by their Last though they will not fit every mans Feet Faith is the gift of God there are divers Decrees and measures accoding to the mind and good pleasure of the giver so that he that hath received any measure or degree must not be excluded as having no Faith though he attain not to that degree that some do enjoy and the Apostle's Doctrine was That ãâã one should be perswaded in his own mind and if
suffered thy self to be made blind and carried Captive with another Man's Judgment neglected the measure of God's Spirit in thy self at home through which alone the secret things of God are Revealed in which true certainty and infallibility is Witnessed and not in Men who are fallible and changeable If an Arian Jew or Turk should urge their own interpertation of Scriptures which is of no private interpretation contrary to the mind of him that gave it forth I would say he perverted the Words of the Scripture which ãâã in Harmony Unity one with another as to the states and conditions they were spâken to and are plain and are only read by that Spirit that gave them forth except it be in some Historical or Chronology or Genealogy of Names and Generâtions which might be some gathered from anothers Hands and different hands taking notice of them as to Record them there might be some variation yet the substance of the report is true but what is Calculation of Years or Dayes or reckoning up of Genealogies as to the matter of Salvation and what if we had never had them no more then we have other Histories and things that fell out among the Jews but if there be any contradiction for ought I know we may blame the Church of Rome the most of any who will needs affirm they received all or most of the things from the Apostles and if the Translations differ or be some-what uncertain what have they been doing this fifteen hundred Years with their infallible Spirit that they could not have rectified them according to their first Original and if any the foresaid Sects should pretend the certainty of the Spirit and yet not have it I should answer the Spirit is known by its Fruits and the Fruits of the Spirit are manifest and they that pretend to it and bring forth contrary Fruits are manifest to be Deceivers and deceived but their States are different and therefore require different Answers which time will not now permit to insist upon but over and beside all other Arguments perswade any man to or from any thing the witness of God in the party unto whom he speaketh is to be reached and that is beyond the understanding of Man and greater then it and more convincing then any Arguments that can be used without and he that cannot speak to this is not skilful in the Word of Righteousness That Christ was an infallible Guide who is the way the Truth and the Life is granted by all Christians and that the Apostles received the Promise of the Father and the infallible Spirit of God which led them into all Truth and this infallible assurance the Christians had that lived in the Apostles time thuâ iâ granted and the Apostles were infallible Guides not as Men meerly but as Men full of the Holy Ghost as Men who were filled with the Spirit of God and therefore the Apostle said be Followers of us as we are Fâllowers of Christ and if any controversie did arise as some there did and doubts among the then Christians the Apostles and Elders meeting together in the Power of the Holy Ghost did write their minds and Letters to the Christians to pacifie all and good Reason that they that had believed through their Word should Suâmiâ unto the Holy Ghost and unto them by whom they were begotten unto God by the word of Life for the ending of strife about Words and Shadows and outward things and they whose minds were outward then in Ages since and now ran into contention about outward things and such for the most part do Err from the Spirit of God in themselves But I would have thee to take notice of this and all you Catholick Members so called The Apostles of Christ only did exhort and did not force their Decrees by Penal Statutes and to be observed under the penalty of loosing Life and Limbs as since their pretended Successors have done who have Erred from the Spirit and have goâ the Saints Words and turned against the Life and Power but the Decrees as you call them are not many nor burdensome which the Apostles wrote at Jerusalem as the many Counsels since have made they are so endless and numberless and burdensome and so contradictory one to another in divers things who will but look into the Decrees of the Counsels since the Apostles dayes that we can find little certainty in any of their Decrees but rather as thy Instructer saith the Sword of the Flesh and not the Spirit hath been the Rule and Law to Christianity but the Masters of great wit and Power and Interest have framed and made parties unto themselves and have Wars been raised among your selves about deciding your Controversies hath not the Pope Warred against the Emperour and the Emperour against the Pope were noâ Wars raised about the Decrees when Pope Eugenius was deposed as a Heretick by the Council of Bazell and one while the Pope must be infallible as Peter's Successor and above all Councils and Churches another while the Council is above the Pope Excommunicates him as a Heretick and excludes his Infallibility and now where is the certainty and whether should one go or appeal for true Judgment so though the Church of Rome boast of Unity yet how hath one Nation made War against another and yet Professing the same Faith at divers times and in sundry Ages And to tell thee plainly and to speak the naked Truth according to the Apostles Prophecy after their Departure there was a great Apostacy and a great Falling away from the Faith and a giving heed to Lying Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and many were suhverted from the Faith by them that spake Lyes in Hypocrisie and took up the Priests Office for filthy Lucre and they went out into the World and the World wondred after them and they had the Form and the Sheeps Cloathing and the Saints Words but were Enemies to the Cross of Christ and to the Power of Godliness and the Kings of the Earth were bewitched with her Sorceries and then forced all and compelled all to receive and believe such Decrees and such Articles as were then set forth by a Pack of those Hirelings who minded their own Profit and their own Bellies who mingled their own Inventions and Traditions with the Doctrine of Christ and brought the Scripture for a Cloak and the Apostles Practice for a President and could âay falsly as the Apostles said in Truth It seems good to us and the holy Ghost that these our Decrees be observed for God hath placed us as Judges and directors as them that are appointed of God himself to which all Christians are to submit and none to question and if any do question and will not obey it is the Kings and Princes Duty in all Countries to cause all to submit to these our Decrees and Orders or else to be punished as Hereticks with Death for we are the Apostles Successors and
had not that Sufficiency which many look upon now they have to wit natural Tongues and Languages yet it was sufficient in them to give them Wisdom to declare the things of the Kingdom of God to the Salvation of many that did believe through their Words it was sufficient to comfort Paul and Silas when they were shut in the inner Room and their Feet fast in the Stocks when there was no outward Cause of Joy but rather of Sorrow yet they were made to sing and rejoyce because of the great Comfort and Joy that the Spirit of God filled their Hearts with again it was sufficient in the midst of great Conflicts and Tribulations which Paul and the rest suffered for the Gospel's sake and for Christ's sake and yet as Suffering did abound it was sufficient to make Consolation to super-abound to ballance the Suffering and to make it easie Fifthly It is that everlasting Covenant which the Lord promised by the Mouth of his Prophets in âormer Dayes that he would fulfil in the latter Dayes or after times That he would write his Law in their Hearts and put his Spirit in their inward Parts and that they should not teach every Man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest and again in another Place I will pour upon them the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and they shall see him whom they have pierced and again I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and my Sons and my Daughters shall prophecy c. And this was fulfilled at Pentecost in Jerusalem when the Disciples met together and the Promise of the Father came to be fulfilled and the Unbelievers said They were filled with new VVine and the Lord hath a Care of his People through Ages and hath not left them comfortless not without a Guide and a certain and sure one too which Spirit is manifest among some Non-conformists whom thou takest Liberty to call Sects and the Sufficiency of it is witnessed praised be the Lord in our Assemblies both as to convince to convert to save to judge to guide to instruct to comfort and is that alone in which all true Christian Men can worship God in the Silence of all Flesh fleshly Motions Thoughts it 's that that giveth Assurance also of Acceptation with God and is that which makes the Prayers of the Saints as sweet Incense in the Nostrils of the Lord it is that which makes the Words of him like Butter as pleasant as Hony or sweet Oyl who speaks by it through it and from it whereby the Hearts of many have been pricked and the Thoughts of many have been revealed and many have been comforted with Joy unspeakable and filled with pure Love from the sensible Feeling of the Sufficiency of its Power operating in the inward Man even as when the Harvest had been gathered in and the Press been full of Grapes and the Fat 's had overflown with Abundance so that they could have rejoyced and sung and danced for Joy as sometimes David did when the Ark of God was brought from the House of Obed-Edom and placed in Jerusalem when David danced for Joy and all Israel was filled with Gladness what might I say for the Certainty Sufficiency and All-sufficiency of this holy Spirit of God I might fill my Mouth with Arguments and time might fail me in Speech to speak of the Excellency Certainty and Infallibility thereof against all Opposers and Quarellers In a Word it is that alone means through which God conveys Eternal Life to all Man-kind and it is that Rule by which all the Sons of God were led Rom. 8.14 It is that only sure Guide Judge Way Rule in which there is Certainty and Assurance of the Love of God to Man-kind it is that by which the Deeds of the Flesh are mortified and men quickened and enlivened unto God in their Hearts in which the Saints are accepted by which they are regenerated and through which they become Heirs of the Promise what shall I say but this let all Flesh be confounded before it and all Deceit stop its Mouth and all the Sons of Men bow before it all Councils and Churches all Rulers and Elders all Reason and Comprehension all Words and Writings of Men and holy Men yea of the Scriptures of Truth it gave them all a Being it was and is and is to come and will remain when all visible things are past away it is that by which God will plead with all Flesh and bring a Consumption upon all the honourable of the Earth and burn up the Mountains and make the Hills to melt and make all a Plain before him therefore make room make room make way ye Potsherds and cease all your contending and babling and bow to it and learn of it in your Hearts which R. E. like an ignorant Man calls a private Spirit that your Souls may be saved in the Day of the Lord and you may escape his Wrath which is to come against all Resisters of it Sixthly Your Catholick Church falsely so called who hath Erred from the Spirit the infallible Guide though you much boast of it both in Doctrine and Practise abundantly insomuch that your Faces seem altogether to look another way and your course to arrive at another Haven then the Apostles and all the Primitive Christians attained unto to wit everlasting Happiness and Rest of their Souls and acceptation with God in their performances and Sacrifices which they offered unto him in the Spirit of which they and all that believe in it and have received it received perfect assurance in their Hearts by the immediate Spirit of God and likewise the Protestants in general whether Lutherans or Calvinists or other Sects known by denomination are of so narrow and a pinching Spirit as that you would Pinch and shut up the Universal love of God unto all Mankind in a narrow Corner and monopolize the free Grace of God that hath appeared unto all Men that teaches all Men that receive it to deny all Heresie Falshood Opinions and Humours private Spirits and Spirits of Error which leadeth from all these and is sufficient to lead out of all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to do that which is acceptable in the sight of God and this all Sects since the Woman cloathed with the Sun fled into the Wilderness viz. the true Church and all parties have laid claim to and excluded all other that were not of the Opinion as from having any share in it as though it were given only to such a company of Men that succeeded the Apostles and by Arts and parts and Natural Language in the Course and Term or Years and at such such places as the Apostles were sometime conversant at and other Sects besides you who have kept more nearer in Conformity in Doctrine and Worship and unto the Apostles then you have done they have laid claim to the Spirit of God and to
Devil did when he brought it is written to Christ and left out half the words so R. E. hath left out the Conditions on the Disciples part and that which was their duty teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you and then lo I am with you c. But R. E. likes not obedience it seems unto Christ's commands and yet he will needs be a sharer in the Promise and of the Power that was given and bind God unto that and he and his Church to be loose to do and to teach what they will but as to all the Scriptures he hath brought and minced them and cut them in piece-meal and all the inferences he makes this we acknowledge without multiplicity of words that whatsoever was promised to the Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ as the Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ the same Promise of Christ doth belong to the Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ in every Age and stands upon the same condition viz. Obedience unto hâs will and that they still do teach and no other thing but what he commands them then he is with them according to his Promise but let not R. E. nor his Roman Catholicks look if they teach things repugnant to his mind and contrary to his will and press upon others to believe that which Christ hath never taught that then the Promise of God will be so intailed to them as that they cannot Err and here the deceit of thine and your Hearts hath led you aside and this is one of the cunning sleights of Men and craftiness whereby you lay in wait to deceive and by this you have deceived many because God hath made such large Promises unto his Church how that they should be led into all Truth and preserved out of Error and you are their Successors and must needs Inherit this Promise by way of intail and you cannot Err you cannot be deceived because the Apostles were infallible therefore you must needs be infallible though you Err and go aside never so much from the infallible Spirit the true Guide and Judge of and in the Church of God as though you had been born to infallibility and the Spirit of Truth had come by succession but the inward Light which thou scoffs at and the Spirit of Truth which thou calls a private Spirit often hath discovered you and your Spirit though thou boastest of fifteen Ages that your Doctrine hath been held by the Pastours and Teachers in your Visible Church as in the fifty seventh Page of thy EPISTLE suppose I should grant the fifteen hundred Years which I neither can nor will but I will lead thee to the sixteen hundred years and try thee your Doctrine that you have held this fifteen hundred Years if it be so as thou saist but this thou likes not but seeing thou plead'st Antiquity let us come on and joyn issue prove us Transubstantiation in the first hundred Years nay I will give thee five hundred more and if I give thee five more thou would'st hardly prove it before the Council of Trent prove us the Doctrine of Purgatory in the first hundred Years and if thou take two it shall not offend me prove us the forbidding of Ministers to marry in the first hundred years and abstinence from Meats as though they were unclean which are created by God for the use of Believers prove us that Man hath a two-fold right to the Kingdom of Heaven as your great Bellarmine saith the one by Christ the other by a Man 's own Works prove us Invocation of Angels and Prayer and Sacrifice for the Dead the first hundred years after Christ prove us their selling of Pardons in Christ's and the Apostles dayes for Money prove us setting up of Images as to put Men in mind of the Saints deceased and of their Works prove us Baptism of Infants with Cream and Spittle and singing with the Cross and God-fathers and God-mothers and let us have some example beyond bare report for we dare not relie upon your infallible Spirit in these things therefore convince us for we are Gain-sayers and upon good Ground and we do look upon all these Doctrines and many more not to be of such a great Age as thou tells on neither to have any affinity or congruity with the Church of Christ in his or the Apostles time nor sundry Years after but rather look upon them as Doctrines of Devils and a very novelty a further Scripture R. E. urges 1. Tim. 3.15 the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth and may we not relie of that Pillar that God hath erected for us saith he and he that hears you hears me and go teach all Nations and I am with you alwayes and yet if after all these Promises if the Church may not be believed except she teacheth according to the Scriptures and be only infallible but when she doth her duty then the Church hath no more priviledge then the Devil hath for so long as he teaches conformable to the Scripture he may be believed and so long as he teaches Truth he may be believed saith R.E. in page 58 59. Answ. The Church is in God 1 Thes. 1. and is the Pillar and Ground of Truth she is in the World though not of the World and though the Members thereof be visible in the World yet the world that lies in Wickedness never owned them as such either saw the Glory of this Church but alwayes Persecuted it and was so far owning it as Rule and Judge as it altogether gain-sayed its direction but they that did believe in the word of Life and were separated from the World and hated by it were willing to hear the Counsel to receive the instruction of the Church of God and the Church only medled with their own Members as in matter of Judgment and not of the World further then by preaching Repentance in it for the Apostle saith What have we to do to judge them that are without and this Church as in God was secure to relie upon for she had the Oracles of God committed unto her every one may relie upon this Pillar if they dare trust it which I see R. E. dares not because he likes not to be tyed to their Doctrine declared of in the Scriptures but would have all to take what they say for granted without the Scripture or the Apostles example or Spirit and is not this unreasonable in thee that would'st have the Church to be believed or that which calls it self so by Name when she teacheth not conformable to Scriptures and to the Faith which was once delivered among the Saints and wouldst thou have a Church reckoned infallible and to be believed when she doth not her duty the Churches priviledges are in speaking Truth and judging Righteously and the Devil was a Lyer from the beginning and is out of the Truth and where hast thou read that he teaches
of Faith for that had been contrary to the Apostles Commission and their Doctrine for saith the Apostle We have not preached our selves but Christ the Lord and our selves your Servants for his sake And I may say to thee R. E. as Paul said to the Corinthians when they were striving about Men Cor. 3.21 Therefore let no Man glory in Men for all Things are yours or as he saith in Chap. 1. Ver. 13. was Paul crucified for you or were you baptized in the Name of Paul were they not carnal that so glorified was Peter crucified for us or were we baptized in the Name of Peter is not your visible Church carnal who thus judgeth that Christ intended Peter to be the Foundation of his Chruch for what was he or the rest of the Apostles but Ministers by which many believed ãâã and if thou hadst been present it is very like would have instructed Christ what to have said and bidden him have spoken after the Grammer Rule and Construction upon that Rock I will build my Church for Peter 's Faith in Christ is too mediate it seems and his Confession too remote and antecedent to be the Rock meant in Mat. 16.18 and therefore Peter must be immediate and the Rock upon which Christ hath doth and will build his Church but as immediate as he was and as sure a Rock as he was when he began to rebuke Christ he turned him about and said unto Peter Ver. 23. Get thee behind me Satan thou art an Offence unto me for thou savours not the Things of God and so say I to R. E. and his Catholicks they savour not the things of God but it is thy private Spirit and your own Interpretations and not the Mind of Christ and how far antecedent is Peter's Confession of Christ the Son of the living God is it not in Vers. 16. and wherein was Peter blessed but in this that it was revealed to him that Christ was the Son of the living God the Rock of Ages and the Foundation of his Church and as for thy visible Church with its two Heads independent Head and dependent Head which sure must have two Bodies where they can be found but that I shall leave to R. E. and I hope from the Grounds that thou hast here laid which did appear so clear to thee that none will be afraid nor judge that such a visible Church with two Heads is to be Rule and Guide to all to whom all are to submit under Pain of Damnation which is to have Peter for its Rock which if he had been living he would have denyed you all as Setters up of Men and Slighters of Jesus Christ the Rock of Ages the Foundation of the Church the Head of the Body the Rule of Life the Judge of Quick and the Dead the Law-giver Director Instructer and Preserver of his Church forever but R. E. goes on and saith It only remains that we consider which among all these Congregations now on Earth which pretend themselves to be this Church of Christ for having once found her and knowing that she is so assisted with the holy Ghost that she cannot teach us an Error we shall no more dispute the Verity of her Doctrine then we would have questioned the Articles of Faith taught by the holy Apostles or the Words of Christ himself wherefore if this Church this infallible Guide shall teach us that Infants ought to be baptized and that it is as lawful to desire the Saints departed to pray for us as to desire the Prayers of them that are alive and that the Body of Christ our Saviour is really and truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar or any other Article of Faith we shall no more doubt it then the first Christians did the Verity of what the Apostles taught them Among all those Congregations on Earth that look upon themselves to be the Church and Spouse of Christ there is one if thy Eye could behold or if thou could'st discern it but before thou canst there is an Eye in thee must be put out and there is a Wisdom in thee that must be confounded and turned into Foolishness before thou canst discern it in its Glory as it is but however that is it undoubtedly which is begotten into the Faith through the Publication of the immortal Word of Life and who are translated from Death unto Life and who have received the Power and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ and meet in his Name and Power and do witness his Presence among them and have received a Measure of that infallible Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth and out of the Pollutions of the World and are dead unto the World and baptized into the Sufferings of Christ and are crucified with him who keep unviolated his Statutes and Commands without adding to or diminishing from who walk in the Order of the Gospel and are not conformable to the World nor to that which fallen Men set up but to the Power of God that worketh in the Hearts of all that believe to the framing of them a meet Habitation for God to dwell in and abide in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and are Sayers and Doers speak the Truth and do the Truth and hold the Truth in Righteousness and the Faith once delivered to the Saints in a pure Heart and a pure Conscience who pray in the Spirit and with Understanding who publish the Truth and declare it in the Spirit reaching to the Consciences and to the Witness of God in all that hear who rejoyce only in Christ Jesus the great Power of God and the Wisdom of God and have no Confidence in the Flesh nor fleshly Performances whose Faith stands not in Words but in the mighty Power of God which she hath received according unto the Promise of God this Congregation or Congregations which is one and doth hold the one Head by which all the Members of Christ are knit together in the one Faith by which they overcame the World this undoubtedly is the Church of Christ and the Spouse of Christ But whether R. E. will not dispute against the Verity of her Doctrine I question notwithstanding all his Submission in Words and if this Church should teach that Infants are to be baptized with Cream and Spittle and signed with the Cross as absolutely necessary to Salvation or that it is the Duty of the Saints alive to pray to the Saints departed this World or to teach that Christ's Body which was broken for us and hanged upon the Tree at Mount Calvary that this should now be in a Morsel of Bread and a Sup of Wine and conveyed thither by the Priest and this to be really the Body of Christ if this Church should teach any such Doctrine there were good and weighty Reason to Question seeing that R. E. before hath said that they cannot be infallible who contradict one another and teach two contrary Doctrines and yet say they are both
infallibly directed so to teach I hope R. E. will grant that the Church in Christ's time and the Apostles was infallible it taught no such Doctrine but to the contrary therefore that Church which pretends infallibility and yet teacheth such Doctrines as before mentioned contrary unto Christ and the Apostles cannot be infallible neither led by the infallible Spirit all have good reason to Question the Verity of these things more then what the Apostles taught seeing they are contradictory to Christ and the Apostles teaching and contrary to Scripture and contrary to the witness of God in all Consciences and as I said before this Church of God whereof I have spoken now though not denominated by any other name then the Church of God is and hath been assisted so by the Holy Ghost as she hath not erred when she only hearkened to its instruction and direction but when the Wisdom of the Flesh and the Worldly part and States and Governments and Policies and Princes have been minded more then the Spirit of God then Error hath been taught and the greater Part in a Council have overswayed the rest established Error by Decree and have enjoyned it under Penalties to be received as Sacred and Holy and Infallible of which we find the Church of Rome exceedingly guilty and therefore do conclude notwithstanding the promise of God to his Church that kept in Covenant with him that this Church of Rome hath erred and doth err both in Faith Doctrine and Practice of the infallible Church in the Apostles dayes and therefore their Doctrine is more to be questioned then the Apostles and they not fit to be this Rule and Guide and director unto which R. E. saith All are to submit under pain of Damnation Scar-Crows will hardly affright Men of understanding but unreasonable Creatures they may And last of all R.E. saith He will conclude his whole Proof with an Argument from Heaven of the highest Nature make it evident That the Roman Church must be this Guide and Judge which God hath appointed because of the Gift of Miracles cites John 15.24 If I had not done among them the work that no other Man did they had not had Sin And now I say that the Roman Church hath done Works and Miracles such as no other Church hath done therefore if we refuse to believe her we shall have Sin and shew our selves haters of God And he instances St. Ber. St. Mal. St. Dom. St. Fra. which wrought Miracles and of Austin the Monk which taught Christian Faith first in England and his fellow Monks which was then confirmed by wonderful Miracles from Heaven not in confirmation of those Points and Articles of Faith which you had with us but of those which you call Popish and Superstitious as the Sacrifice of the Mass and about Respect and Veneration which is given to Saints Reliques and Images and about the Doctrine of Purgatory and Payment of Tythes and R. E. concludes if we will not believe what you have not seen you destroy Faith which is an evidence of things not seen Although R. E. makes a great boast of the Miracles of the Church of Rome which no other Church hath wrought the like therefore concludes that she is this Rule and Guide which all are to give Ear unto under pain of Damnation and these Miracles he saith are an Argument from Heaven and proof of the highest Nature believe him who can If time would but permit and the Reader have patience to read most or many if not all the Miracles he so much cries up might be declared to his and their shame the very report and relation thereof cannot but be reckoned as fabulous and fained Stories and proceed from that lying Spirit which was in the faâse Prophet which wrought Miracles before the Beast and deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast and them which Worshipped his Image which must be taken alive and cast into the lake of Fire Rev. 19.20 It is an adulteroâs Generation that seeks a sign and yet did not believe when they had Miracles wrought by the Finger of God amongst them yet they said it was by Beelzebub The Scribes and Pharisees said If he be the King of Israel let him come down from the Cross and we will believe but the Power of Christ was not to be shewed at the Blind will of the Phariâees neither would they have believed if he had come down Though Miracles have been wrought by the Power of God and are according to his Heavenly will and are not limited either to Men time or place yet it is not so sufficient an Argument from Heaven as R. E. saith to prove the Church of Rome this true Church seeing that the Devil and Satan and Anti-christ shall come with Signs and lying Wonders and if it were possible deceive the Elect And Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses in working Lying Miracles before Pharaoh to the hardning of his Heart And Chrysostome in his Hom. upon Mat. 19. saith In the end of time Power shall be given to the Devil to work Signs and Miracles So that the Ministers of Christ cannot be known by working of Miracles but by working none at all And Augustine saith though some said Prayers at the Tombs of the dead and obtained their desires as they said Away with these things they be either juglings and mockeries of deceitful Men or else delusions of lying Spirits Chrysost. in his Hom. upon Mat. 49. In old time it was known by Miracles who were the true Christians and who the false but now Miracles are rather among them that are false Christians And as for your great Miracles which thou sayest the Chronologies and Histories speak of J. L. as Bed and Holingshed Stow and others we look upon them not at all as material in this thing seeing they have had the Reports from other Hands and Pens of certain Mânkiâh Stories which they have found scattered here and there published themselves and left their Fables upon Record to deceive poor People withal for their own advantage and most of the Miracles that we hear of are either wrought about your Tombs and Sepulchers and your holy Mass and your Reliques and Images I have heard indeed how that from the skirt of an Image of yours which one in a Bloody Flux did but touch and immediatly vertue came from it and Water and Blood issued forth whereby the party was made whole by washing therein Also I have heard of the Image of the Virgin Mary first honoured by Christians in Nazareth afterwards Translated into Sclavonia and when Images began to be vilified there and dis-esteemed it removed it self from place to place as discontent did arise in it it seems at the place and People where it was situated sometimes and at lâst it removed a whole Island with it nearer Rome now call'd Loretta and commonly known by the Name of Our Lady of Loretta to which all the Pilgrims
before-mentioned and see if thou canst receive them because the Church of Rome saith they are true and must not be questioned for if thou do thou art like to come under a hard censure by the verdict of R. E. and his Catholick Church first to be reckoned as an Unbeliever secondly to be a Hater of God and thirdly in not believing these Miracles or whatsoever else shall be declared unto thee by the said Church or else thou comest under no less Penalty then Eternal Damnation as R. E. saith in the 80th page of his Epistle but it is a small thing to be judged by man and especially such a man who hath gadded abroad and changed his way so oft so that he hath forgotten the true Path of Righteousness to walk in or else never knew it and hath turned and wheeled about and now at last doth as the poor Indian doth with his Deer-skin hangs it upon one Shoulder and so upon the other shoulder to shelter him from the Wind and Tempest that comes of that side But the day is dawned and mens Spirits are discovered beyond their Words and all the turnings and wheelings of things upside down is but as the Potter's Clay for God measures every man not by his Words but by his Heart and Spirit and Works and will judge every one in Righteousness according to their deeds And R. E. goes on as confident that his Arguments and Reasons laid down have prevailed and almost takes its for granted that it must needs be evident to all that the Roman Church is the true Church and saith He knows but one single Point between the Catholicks and them that stand divided from them and that is saith he That we follow a several Rule to Guide and Judge in the great affairs of Faith for all sides are bound to believe all Truth sufficiently propounded to them to be revealed of God and therefore if the presence of Christ in the Sacrament Purgatory Worshipping of Images Invocation of Saints and Prayer to the Dead and for the Dead If these or any other Point of Faith be sufficiently propounded by denying them God's Veracity is denyed and God thereby made a Lyar. The difference stands betwixt you and them that are divided from you in more particulars then thou art aware of or ever wilt be able sufficiently to propound them to be revealed of God though it is true some are divided from you in Circumstantials and Ceremonies and some others in some points of Faith and Worship yet some deny you in the very ground though 't is true the different Rule by which each party are directed is a great and a main thing Thou sayest This Cathâlick Church is the Rule but I say and am not alone that Christ is the Way to the Father and the Way to the Kingdom and the Rule and Means by which his Church is Governed and he is the Law giver and the Judge and all Judgment is committed to the Son and it is he alone that propounds Truth sufficiently and they that are in him are new Creatures and that which is the New-Creature Rule Guide and Judge is the Rule Guide and Judge of the Church of God and Christ is the Author of Faith and it is nothing that avails any thing with God but the New-Creature and as many as walk according to this Rule Peace is to them Gal. 3.16 And Christ hath not left his People without a Guide for he said Lo I am with you to the End of the World so as to commit the guidance thereof to fallible men who may assume Authority without his Power and to fasten those things upon God as to be revealed from him when the Lord hath spoken nothing and we are so far from looking that the main grounds that thou lâyest down to prove your Church to be this Rule Guide the many Doctrines propounded by you are not sufficiently propounded to be revealed of God but rather they are the Imaginations of your own Brain and things packt up since the Apostles dayes by different Popes and different Mutations and Alterations in your Church âor filthy Lucres sake and so to deny them is not to deny God's Veracity neither to make God a Lyar as thou falsely sayest but thou and you are the Lyars as to propound those things to be revealed from God and to be received by all under pain of Damnation when God hath revealed no such thing but the contrary and so thy own Words at last shall turn to be thy burden because thou sayest the Lord saith and hath revealed and sufficiently proposed the real presence of Christ in your Sacrament of the Altar as a divine Revelation Worshipping of Images Prayer to the dead and for the dead and all âhese foolish Imaginations which you have brought in and introduced and thrust upon People by force and these are sufficiently propounded as thou sayest as divine Revelations and the Father Son and Holy Ghost or the incarnation of Christ Silence deceit and for shame blush so to say the Prophets who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and Prophesied of things to come they declared of the Father Son and Holy Ghost all and prophesied long before that a Virgin should bring forth a Son whose Name should be called Emanuel God with us and the Government should be upon his Shoulders This the Pope hath usurped and you put it upon his Shoulders but your invented Doctrines aforesaid are meerly the Imaginations of your own Brain which neither the Prophets nor Apostles bore Witness unto but against And therefore it is thy and your great Presumption to make God Christ and Apostles the Foundation of all this Rubbish Straw and Stubble which thou would'st put off as divine Revelation and as sufficiently proposed as the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles was nay blush for shame they brought in the Prophets for the Peoples sake to prove that they had testified of the same before and had declared the coming of the Just One besides they commended themselves to the Witness of God in every man's Conscience and upon waiting upon the Lord and in the measure of his Spirit they found the things even so and by searching the Scriptures as the Bereans did found the things even so as had been declared of but upon due consideration we find not these foresaid doctrines so propounded as to have the Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles neither doth your Doctrine and Worship answer the Witness of God in every mans Conscience and so to deny you is not to make God a Lyar but God true the Prophets and Apostles and the Witness of God true and you Lyârs who contradict them and their Testimony and the Power of God and would assume it to your selves though you be erred from the Spirit and would put all under the Name of Infallibility and by such Heavenly Arguments as R. E. calls them to wit the Miracles aforesaid by which you have deceived
and Vexation unto the Spirit of God in any in the Spirit of Christ which is but one in all I am burdened with them and do bear a Part of their Grief I speak without Ostentation or Glorying for what have I to glory in any but the Lord or to rejoyce in but that which all the World hates because it testifies against it and therefore we are become the Objects of Scorn and Hatred in this World by them that are of it who glory in Sin who rejoyce in Iniquity whose End is Destruction and perpetual Misery and their Rejoycing shall be turned into endless Sorrow and Grief Elected of God our Portion in this World is to be Sufferers in it and by it because God hath chosen us out of it and its Nature therefore we are hated despised and persecuted in our Generation like as all the People of God were in former Generations we cannot be exempted from drinking of the same Cup which Christ the Heir of all things drank neither be exempted from being baptized into his Suffering and therefore Christ told his Disciples In the World ye shall have Trouble and the Apostles and Ministers and Believers in Christ did drink of the same and were baptized into the same Baptism and therefore testified That them that will live godly in Christ must uffer Persecution for the World loves only the Children of it but alwayes hated the Children of God and them that were redeemed out of it and they bore Witness against it and the Works thereof it 's no new thing or strange thing for it 's that Portion which all the Prophets and holy Men of God were Partakers of Christ and the Apostles and all true Believers in every Age and the nearer any came to be unto God in their Life and Practice the more they were hated and the more vilified slandered and evil spoken of sometime by the Jews sometime by the Heathen and now by the Apostatized Christians for the Nature is one through all Ages and Diversity of Names in Profession do not at all alter Man or Men at the Heart the Jews who professed God in Words and cryed up the Temple and Moses and the Law in Words slew the Prophets and laid false things to their Charge Jeremiah when he prophesied against Jerusalem and spake to the Princes and Rulers when they were revolted from God in the Dayes of Zedekiah and denounced Evil against the City and People because of Transgression they put him in the Dungeon and where his Feet sticked in the Mire and said He was fallen away to the Caldeans and did alienate the Hearts of the Jews from them and their Law and despised their Government Christ was accounted a Friend of Publicans and Sinners and had a Devil a Transgressor of Moses's Law though he came to fulfil it and an Enemy to Caesar and a Blasphemer and what not who said so the Elders the Doctors the Rabbies and Rulers of the People and they crucified him as an Evil-doer though none could convince him âââin the Apostles of Christ as seditious Men Ring-leaders of Sects Authors of Uproars Turners of the World upsiâe down as disobedient Enemies to Peace as discontented Men with the present Laws and Customs then established and judged as not fit to live And therefore many suffered long for holding out their Testimony faithfully they had received and last of all suffered Death not as Saints and Prophets but as Evil-doers at last some by the Jews some by the Heathens The primitive Christians of whom the World was not worthy were falsly accused by the Romans Heathens and Pagans in the great Persecutions that arose were evil spoken of and falsly represented and rendered odious and as Objects of Hatred through the Envy of the Devil because they opposed his Kingdom of Darkness Tertullian saith The Heathen commonly reputed the then primitive Christians incestuous men Killers of Children Enemies of all Mankind Enemies against the Gods against the Emperours against the Laws they made an Out-cry upon them it 's not lawful they should live And when any Judgment did befall them Augustine saith it was become a Proverb Our Rain fails us because of these Christians and Eusebius saith The Religion of Christ was called the Heresie of godless Christians Likewise after the Name of Christ and Christians became in Repute and Esteem many Hypocrites and Formalists took on the Name when it was countenanced by the Kings and Princes of the Earth and then turned against them that were more in the Life and Power then they were as the Bohemians and the Waldenses and first Protestants in Germany how were they branded with Heresie and Schism as seditious factious Enemies to the Laws Church and State and to the Princes and how was the Hatred of the Pope and Emperour kindled against them and War raised upon them and many suffered Death in their Account as Evil-doers who persecuted them Likewise come nearer our own Age in the Dayes of Queen Mary how were the best of Men and the best of Christians in that Age censured as Enemies to the Queen 's Lawâ and Government Enemies to the Church seditious Hereticks and such as were not fit to live and therefore many suffered in the cruel Flames of Fire and did undergo many great Torments and Sufferings and last of cruel Deaths many suffered and by them called Christians and yet slew him and persecuted him in his Members Last of all God hath brought us forth in our Age to bear witness unto him and unto that Life Power and Light by which we are quickned and raised out of the Grave of Sin and Death to live unto him and serve him in Newness of Life and to confess unto his holy Name and Power by which we are saved illuminated and directed and to worship him in Spirit and Truth according to the Manifestation of his Spirit to us and in us and according to the Scriptures of Truth for the Lord God of Heaven and Earth judge and all his holy Angels and all just Men that are anointed with the holy Unction that know Truth from Error whether we hold any thing either in Doctrine or Practice but that which the primitive Christians bear Witness of and also the Scriptures bare witness unto and that which we are perswaded in our Consciences by the unerring Spirit of the Lord which doth give us Assurance of his Acceptation and Peace in our Hearts And how often have we declared our selves both by Word and Writing which is sufficiently manifest unto all who have not wilfully closed their Eyes and stopped their Ears against us that we are of no other Faith Hope or Religion but that which Christ and his Apostles and primitive Christians were of which they did hold forth both in Doctrine and Practice as in Respect of Worship and how peaceably and humbly we have walked towards all Men without seeking the hurt or detriment of any thou righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth knowest and
Gospel and what the Gospel allows of in this particular the Apostle Paul a Minister of the Gospel not of the Letter as he saith himself which some interpret to be the Law citeth this Prophesie of Isa. 45.23 compare it with Rom. the 14 ver 11. for it is written where in Isaiah before cited As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow unto me and every Tongue shall confess to God and in Philippians the 2.10 11. That at the Name of Jesus whom the Father hath sent whom all is to obey unto whom all Power is given in Heaven and Earth the Apostle citing again the very words of the Prophet says unto him viz. Jesus every Knee shall bow and ver the 11. and that every Tongue shall confess to the Glory of God the Father so that it cannot be reasonably thought or judged that if God had required Swearing by his Name among Christians as among the Jews that the Apostle thus should alter the words as to put confessing instead of Swearing seeing he sayes he used always plainness of Speech for this had not been plainness and we have better reason to believe the Apostle unto whom the Gospel was committed whom the Son was revealed in who declared the whole Counsel of God and yet never either commanded or exhorted any to Swear or reproved them for not Swearing by the Name of God as the Jews did in all his writings that are extant I say we have better Ground to believe him and his rendering of the words of the Prophet to be according to the mind of Christ where he puts in confession to the Christians which before was Swearing to the Jews as being acquainted with the command of Christ Mat. 5.23 Swear not at all and what-ever A. S. look upon it as to be Heresie and derogatory both to the Sâriptures and God himself it is not much matter of Man's Judgment he might as well accuse Christ and the Apostle the one forbidding to Swear and the other for deminishing from the Scripture and altering the Prophets words and though it seems strange to A. S. yet it is not to us that some Men were commanded in the Old Testament for observing some things yea many things which are condemned in the New and yet God is not dishonoured neither the Scripture broken if we see the end of every command and the time for which it served and the Service for which it served as this about Oaths hath been sufficiently declared before to keep the Jews from Idolatry to end Strife among them where it was but among true Christians indeed Strife is ended and Peace is come and they seek it with all Men and that is done away for which the Law was added to wit Sin and Transgression diffidence and Unbelief and Strife and no necessity of them among them and all the morality that doth remain is confession or saying or Testimony in true words in any matter is that which is equivalent with an Oath and is that which is the most conform to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine under the Gospel but I come to his last Argument Twelfth and last Argument The consent of the Christian World the practice of Emperours Kings Princes Councils Bishops and People of all sorts confirm this Truth that Christ notwithstanding these Words Swear not at all had never forbidden Swearing as altogether unlawful 'T is true some of the Fathers in their Homilies and to the People inveighed much against Swearing as though it had been altogether unlawful but it was only against Customary Oaths Chrysostome in his Homily to the People of Antioch preached so much against Swearing that the People were offended he told them he would never leave that Sermon till they would leave that prophane Custome of Swearing but the Fathers were less cautelous but with great Vehemency enveigh'd against common Swearing in ordinary Discourse but not at all intending to take away necessary Oaths but Origen in his first Book against Celsus God is witness of my Conscience and Athanasius yet vehemently declaimed against prophane Swearing yet in his Apology to the Emperour Constantius he Sware again and again the Lord is witness and his Christ is witness All whith clearly shews they did not disallow the voluntary taking an Oath much less in Judical proceedings and the Reformed Churches and the Church of England and the whole Catholick Church in all times and places approved this Doctrine that all Swearing is not unlawful so that it follows that the Church in all Ages was so ignorant as not to understand Christ's meaning or so wicked as to Teach and Practise quite contrary or else Christ never meant to forbid all kind of Swearing to assert the former were to profess all that went before either Dunces or Devils Reply Whatever A. S. concludes thinks he hath not such a consent among Christians as he makes a great flourish of it 's manifest by what hath been said Christ prohibited it amongst his Disciples Swear not at all and likewise James the Apostle agrees in the same Doctrine and the rest of the Apostles also all the Primitive Christians were esteemed so strict exact and cautious of their asserting or promising that there was no need of an Oath among them they kept up the sactity credit of their Posession yea among Unbelievers that it was security enough in all cases to say Christianus sum I am a Christian as Justin Martyr asserts and if they were urged any further to any Oath for matter or manner they repeated this as the only satisfaction they could give there needed no more then the Veracity of their bare record and thus much Bishop Gauden confesseth and also in the 36. page of his Book he says The Ground or Foundation for Swearing now is the Wickedness and unbelief of Men but Christians truly such are brought out of Evil and Wickedness Unbelief and Distrust and there is no necessity among them either publick or private to Swear at all Polibus observes in the better and simpler Ages of the World Oaths were seldom used in Judicatures but after Unbelief and Lying increased Oaths increased as a only remedy to cure and restrain those Evils but let it not be said that those are Christians that name Christ's Name and depart not from Iniquity and since the perilous times came on that the Apostle spoke that Men would not abide sound Doctrine but be lovers of themselves that should have a Form of godliness and deny the Power thereof such went out of the Truth and went into the World and the world went after them and the false Church began to rise to dignity and have the Name of Christian though she consented not to the wholsome Doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Swear not at all but perverted this as she hath done many other Doctrines and beguiled thc Kings of the Earth and held out her Golden Cup of Fornication and made Emperours Kings and Princes drunk with her Fornication Rev.
Persecute you Mat. 5.44 and the Apostle exhorted give no offence to Jew or Greek so that his Doctrine went beyond the Law put up pass by forgive forbear again you have heard it hath been said of old time where Exod. 20.7 Deut. 5.11 Numb 30.2 Mat. 5.33 Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oathes but I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is God's Throne nor by the Earth for it is his Foot stoole neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou Sweare by thy Head because thou cannot make one hair white or black but let your Communication by Yea yea and Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of Evil It 's most evident that Christ prohibits somewhat more here then was forbidden under the Law yea what ever Oaths were lawful under the Law therefore it must be all Swearing at all or else none at all either all such Swearing as was used lawfully and allowed as a Type for a time in the Law Oaths made lawfully and acceptably to God or else nothing more at all then what was forbidden in the Law for all false Swearing and forswearing and all Swearing by Creatures or breaking of solemn Oaths made as unto God were forbidden in and by the Law therefore Swearing it self is forbidden or nothing but saith A. S. The grand objection falls of it self which is either all kind of Swearing is forbidden or else Christ forbids nothing which was not forbidden before which is utterly improbable saith he and he grants that God had formerly prohibited all false and vain Oaths and all Swearing by Creatures saith he which I grant to be true then how is the grand Objection fallen for is not Heaven Earth Jerusalem the Head Creatures and this is the most that A. S. and divers others affirm that it is only Oaths by Creatures such as before mentioned that Christ only prohibits and vain Oaths and Swearing by Creatures A. S. sayes Christ reckons among sinful Oaths then if so as they are indeed had not the Law forbidden this before in general terms wherein all Creatures are included therefore the reason stands still in force and the Objection that either Christ forbad all Swearing or else he forbids nothing but what the Law had forbidden before It 's manifest it stands still in force for Christ forbad even those Oathes the Law required and all vain Swearing and Swearing by Creatures and all Swearing whatsoever Mat. 5. Ye have heard it hath been said by them of old time not of late by the Scribes and Pharisees only putting their false Glosses on the Law as A. S. intimates Pareus and others in his Annotations and hence conjectures that by them of old time is only meant the Scribes and Pharisees and not Moses and the Law and of old time must be meant a good while ago or not very long as Commentators understand it less then twenty Years and thus he twists and twines to make the true sense of Christ's words void it 's evident of them of old time is Moses time the place before cited Numb 30.2 is the place Christ alludes to you have heard it said thou shalt not forswear thy self so saith the Law in forty places but perform unto the Lord thine Oaths But I say unto you Swear not all no not by any Oath at all note the opposition in the particle but which is between the old lawful legal Swearing and no Swearing at all not between no Swearing and such prophane Swearing as was unlawful under the Law the whole sum is this the Law said break no Oaths but I say take none for if Christ intended no more in these phrases Swear not at all not by any Oath then thus Swear not vainly prophanely ordinary or by Creatures in your Communication forswear not your selves what forbids he more then the Law forbad for Heaven and Earth Jerusalem A. S. says Christ reckons among sinful Oaths and these are Creatures and Swearing by Creatures was forbidden by the Law I grant quoth A. S. Then this reason stands still good he either forbad all Oaths or he forbad no more then the Law forbad and though it be granted that the Jews Swore by the Creatures as the Temple Altar Jerusalem and therefore Christ prohibits them and reproves them for these things and likewise all Swearing whatsover what doth A. S. gain by this for it 's evident in divers passages of his Sermon in the 5 th Chap. of Mat. that he teaches a Righteousness which exceeds that of the Law as I have shewed before which he came to fulfill and not to destroy by taking away the Ceremony of Swearing and establishing the substance in its stead which is speaking the Truth as in the sight of God in uprightness of Heart yea we say a-again what saith he more to his Disciples else then the Scribes and Pharisees to theirs they said Swear not falsly prophanely but by God only Swear not falsly For Bishop Gauden cites for his Author Drusius among the Jews all thing sin Judicials were confirmed by the Religion of an Oath wherein the name of God was interposed therefore Christ says more unto his Disciples in express terms Swear no Oath at all otherwise how would their Righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees which except it did they could in no case enter into the Kingdom of God the Perfection and Righteousness of the Law therefore in this point of Swearing was not forswearing the Perfection and Righteousness of the Gospel in the same is not Swearing at all so though the Gospel be not against the Law yet the Gospel exceeds the Law in every point the Law said kill not the Gospel be not angry the Law commit not Adultery the Gospel look not on a Woman lust not so in all the prohibitions of Christ the Commandments of Christ went beyond the Law also in this of Swearing yet it did not if now there be any Swearing at all among Christians and Disciples of Christ yet we shall also with A. S. agree that Christ not only forbad all Swearing even that commanded by the Law sometime lawful but he also forbids and reproves and condemns Swearing by Creatures and vain Swearing in all Communication and their perverting of the Law and too much loosing it by Traditions and making it void by their false Glosses and counts them blind Guides which said To swear by the Temple by the Altar by Heaven was nothing he pronounced a Wo against them and concluded they were bound to keep those Oaths though they ought not to have Sworn them for as much as he that swears by the lesser swears also by the greater as he that Swears by Heaven swears by the Throne of God and him that sits thereon Mat. 23.16 17 18 19 20 21 22. We confess with A. S. this was but a sinful prophane Creature Swearing an irregular form of Swearing by the Name of
lawful only there and yet can bring no better Proof under the Gospel for them nor of their Right to impose them upon Christians more then others among the many false Instances they bring of Paul Swearing frequently to the Churches in his Letters and such pitiful Proof as A.S. offers of Christ being charged by the high Priest as he sayes to Swear though he Swore for I deny that I adjure thee proves not that Christ Swore it being not his but another's Charge upon him and it 's silly to think that Christ who said Swear not at all no not by Heaven for it's God's Throne which whoso Swears by Mat. 18. Swears by God that sits thereon that he should Swear by the living God he was the Christ at the Command or Charge of the High Priest who was his Inferiour though he had been a better Priest then he was as being but the Type of himself but indeed there was no such matter as A.S. and others have affirmed for when the High Priest barely asked him only whether he were the Christ or not he answered I am besides the Law was not in the Shadow of it fully ended although Christ had instituted divers Things among his Disciples which were not in the Law and yet not against it but all these Instances which A. S. with many Opposers hath brought of the Apostles and Christ's Swearing are but Shrouds and Shelters they make for themselves because they have a Mind to obey the Commands of men rather then Christ's Doctrine for avoiding of Persecution and Suffering and therefore would make all Things they take in Hand look like their own Image but having discoursed of this before I come to A. S. his last Part of his Discourse and his Interpretation upon Mat. 5. and Jam. 5. In his 41 Section he sayes If any still urge the Universality of the Expression Swear not at all and that of Jam. 5.12 Above all Things my Brethren Swear not neither by Heaven nor by Earth neither any other Oath To the first he sayes It 's plain that they that thus argue break off our Saviour's Sentence in the middle and suffer him not to come to his Period for he saith not Swear not at all there fixing a Point but Swear not at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth c. and for that of James must of Necessity by understood with Restriction quotes Austin upon the Text it cannot be that Swearing is worse then Forswearing Theft Adultery Murder these are hainous Crimes nulla autem culpa est verum jurare but if no Sin to Swear the Truth why then Above all Things Swear not not that Swearing is so great an Offence as many others but lest we contract a Habit thereof then probably by rash Oaths we shall offend God by false Swearing which is no more then in an especial Manner forbear forswearing and any other Oath must be restrained in a limited Sense for there is not meant any Oaths whatever but such as the Apostle speaks of neither by Heaven by Earth nor any other Oath that is any Oath taken by other Creatures for so must they be understood unless we interpret his Words to make them contradict God's and seâ the Servant in a manifest Opposition to his Master Reply We who are of a contrary Judgment to A.S. do still urge the Universality of the Text Mat. 5.33 34 c. and we shall not break off Christ's Sentence in the middle Swear not at all c. but shall render it as it is neither was it ever intended otherwise but for Brevity sake because the Enumeration of Heaven and Earth c. are only inclusive in the Prohibition and we shall speak on and what Christ hath joyned we shall not separate but read the Words as they are Ye have heard it hath been said of old Time thou shalt not forswear they self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths but I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is God's Throne neither by the Earth it 's his Footstool neither by Jerusalem for it 's the City of the great King neither shalt thou Swear by thy Head because thou cannot make one Hair white or black but let your Communication be yea yea nay nay whatsoever is more then these cometh of Evil. James 5.12 But above all Things my Brethren Swear not neither by Heaven neither by Earth neither by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay lest you fall into Condemnation In which two Texts we say in the Affirmative all Manner of Swearing is forbidden for the Truth of which many Reasons have been and may be given First Because all Manner of Swearing is here expresly instanced in these two disjunctive Clauses which are expresly conclusive and consequently because spoken by Way of Prohibition exclusive exceptive of all Swearing that can be thought on Swear not Swear not at all sayes the Text yea that none may imagine as A. S. would make men do that this general Rule admits of any Exception but all know the Prohibition is so strict as to allow of no Permission in the Point to swear by any Thing but God he adds neither by Heaven neither by Earth neither by Jerusalem neither by thy Head and these are only more ample Expressions of that Prohibition and are not exclusive or disjunctive from the Prohibition but conclusive of the Prohibition of all Swearing whatever But lest any should think he forbids only and no more then extravagant Oaths of such as swear by Creatures as Earth Jerusalem the Head and such like whenas whosoever swore lawfully under the Law was to swear by none but God himself but that there be no Root at all for any reasoning for Swearing against the flat Prohibition of it James 5. he concludes and shuts up all in these universal Terms and excludes all Oaths and all possible Pretence of Plea at all for any Swearing adding neither by any other Oath what Words more plain Words can be uttered or can be more expresly exclusive both of all Kinds or Sorts of Swearing and of all sorts of particular Oaths of every Kind and by Heaven and by Earth and by Jerusalem are so far from signifying that those Oaths by Creatures are only the Oaths that Christ prohibits that they are but only Enumerations and Amplifications of the former Part of the Prohibition Swear not at all which we grant were spoken to reprove the Pharisees and the Jews Practice about their vain Swearing And why must those Words of James 5. needs be understood with Restriction Above all Things Swear not neither by Heaven neither by Earth c. why St. Austin scruples at the first Words Quare ante omnia jurare est quam furari c. quam adulterare c. quam hominem occidere it cannot be that Swearing is worse then forswearing then Adultery Theft Murder we do not say it is but if it be not or that be not
Estate and Dominion and Vnity with God and all the Creatures and how the Lamb came to be sâain and the World that lay in Wickedness came to be framed in Man after the Tempter entred how endless Misery came in upon all after the Transgression p. 185. VI. How Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and how Man is dead while he lives and all are dead Works that he acteth and the States of all the Sons of Men and their Works may be seen in the Fall p. 177. VII Three Objections answered about this Particular p. 189. VIII Self Righteousness Deeds of Darkness also and dead Works are to be condemned also and Man who acteth them in the Fall p. 191. IX An Objection answered as to the present State of the Ministry of the Nations their Practice and their Worship p. 192. X. How all Men in the Degeneration and in the Fall have corrupted themselves and been Idolaters in every Administration being gone from the Life and Power of God in themselves and having lost the Power of God Man can neither Worship Honour nor Obey God aright p. 196. XI How the Woman that travailed in Birth who was clâathed with the Sun and brought forth the Man-Child fled into the Wilderness when the Dragon had Power and the Man-Child was caught up to God p. 211. Darkness and Ignorance expelled by the Light shining forth and the Appearance of the Day p. 217. The Popish Inquisition newly erected in New England wherein their Church is manifested to be a Daughter of Mystery-Babylon p. 237. The Works of Darkness brought to Light and reproved In Answer to John Wells concerning the Word the Gospel and the Way to Christ p. 262. The Mouth of the Pit stopped In Answer to a lying Story called Hell broke loose p. 275. The Heart of New-England hardened through Wickedness In Answer to a Book entituled The Heart of New-England rent p. 299. An Information and Advice to the Army and Committee of Safety p. 324. One Warning more unto England before she give up the Ghost and be buried in the Pit of Darkness p. 333. One of Anti-christ's Volunteers defeated and the true Light vindicated In Answer to a Book called Ignis satuus p. 344. To all Friends and Brethren who have been called of the Lord into that Place of New-England to bear their Testimony for the Lord to the answering of his Witness in every ones Conscience p. 369. The Deceiver of the Nations discovered and his Cruelty made manifest p. 372. Some Openings of the Womb of the Morning to all the Princes of Germany and People who profess the Name of Jesus Christ in those Dominions p. 383. The Glory of the true Church discovered as it was in its Purity in the primitive Times also a Manifestation how and when the Apostacy came in p. 401. I. The State of the true Church from the Manifestation of Christ in the Flesh to the End of the Apostles Dayes p. 407. II. The entring in of the Apostacy and the Declination from the Purity of Doctrine Worship and Practice and when it began p. 411. III. The Reformed and Separated Congregations called Parochial proved to be in the Apostacy compared with the Primitive Times in Worship and Practice p. 417. IV A few Words shewing unto all how they may come out of the Apostacy to the true Church which is in God the Lamb's Wife p. 422. V. Concerning baptizing or sprinckling Infants p. 424. VI. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parish-Churches p. 426. VII Concerning Swearing by the Gospel as it is called and kissing the Book and Bishopping of Children p. 427. VIII Concerning Fasts Feasts and Holy Dayes their Institutors and Founders in the Apostacy p. 430. IX Concerning Priests Vestures and Bells which are practised amongst Christians as Apostolick Institutions p. 431. X. Concerning the Mattens and singing of Psalms by Course in Musical Tunes and Supplications and short Prayers called Letanies âhâir Authors shewn p. 433. XI Concerning the Passeover and Lord's Supper and the Ceremonies about it p. 436. XII Concerning Ministers and their Office under the Law and under the Gospel p. 438. XIII Concerning the Ten Persecutions under the Heathen Emperors how divers vain Traditions and Institutions got up among the Christians in those Times and Constitutions among the Eastern and Western Churches after the Apostacy was entered in the first Three and Four Hundred Years after Christ p. 443. XIV Of the Decrees and Ordinances of the Church of Rome which are holden out for Apostolical Ordinances and Institutions p. 457. XV. Concerning the General Councils since the Apostles Dayes which belonged to the Church of Rome their Decrees not infallible but contradicting one another p. 460. XVI Concerning the Worship of God and whether Kings and Rulers ought to compel in spiritual Things declared and some Scriptures cleared and several Objections answered about this Thing p. 463. XVII Concerning Oaths in the first Covenant and the Lawfulness thereof and the Vnlawfulness thereof discovered in the New Covenant in the Gospel-Times though the Apostates mingle Ordinances of both together p. 469. XVIII Tythes in their first Institution unto whom they were due according to the Command of God declared and that Tythes are no Way Lawful to be received neither sought for by any who are Ministers of the New-Covenant and the Everlasting Gospel proved out of Scriptures and Antiquity p. 476. XIX Respecting of Persons and complemental Bowings and worshipping one another and flattering Titles are no good Manners but are in the Transgression and have been anciently reproved and condemned p. 487. XX. Vniversities and Schools of Natural Learning were of no Vse as to the making of Ministers of Christ in the Primitive Times but a Thing introduced and brought in in latter Ages by the Apostates who had erred from the Spirit and then admired and set up Natural Languages and Philosophy that thereby they might be furnished to make Discourses Speeches and Sermons to get Money by and as they are holden up at this Day are made an absolute IDOL p. 490. The Rock of Ages exalted above Rome 's Imagined Rock on which her Church is builded p. 497. I. What the true Religion is and where it is demonstrated p. 501. II. The Church of Rome proved to be the false Church p. 502. III. The Pope proved not to be the Head of the true Church and Christ proved to be the Head of the Body which is his Church and the Rock upon which his Church is built p. 505. IV. Purgatory proved to be an erroneous Doctrine which is held forth by the Papists and their Praying for the Dead proved to be another false Doctrine not commended nor practised by Christ or his Apostles p. 507. V. The Papists Doctrine which saith Christ is really and personally in the Mass and in the Eucharist to be Blasphemous and great Idolatry p. 508. VI. The Papists Mass and their Ceremonies proved not to be Apostolical p. 511. VII
but it called it self by the best Name as for the Priests of Scotland their Doctrine and Practice is made manifest and their Reformation by their Principles which I refer the Reader to intituled The Principles of the Priests of Scotland their Reformation and discipline is nearly related to the Spanish Inquisition for their Doctrine they say Grace is not free and Faith is not without Sin and the Letter is the word of God and that they are Cursed that say there is Light within which will lead up to God and as one said although it meant Christ and if any will not submit to their words and conform to their Practice and Traditions then they call a Counsel together as their fore-fathers at Trent and pronounce him a Heretick and within these few Years Banished them or else took their whole substance outward from them and if any out of Conscience could not submit unto their Invented Tradition then if he ever came to have any converse with them again he must have a Pennance before he could get an Indulgence from them like the Pope and furthermore if any deny them because they are out of the Doctrine of Christ and are contrary to the Scripture then as I said they Excommunicate them and charge all People neither to buy nor sell nor eat nor drink with them nor work for them and so the Beasts Power is exercised compelling to come to their Mass-houses and as for the denying the Bishops then you have denyed your Fathers that begat you and Ordained you then you have no Ordination but may be you have Cryed so for setling your Gospel you have got a Committee to ordain you or one Company to lay Hands on another but when receive ye the holy Ghost Oh that is an error in your Church but are not you got into the old Cathedrals so called and into the Steeple-houses and the old Mass-houses and where you had may be 20 Pounds or Forty in the Year now you have gotten a Hundred it may be two here 's Reformation indeed well we must needs remember you of your race and Stock the Apostates since the Apostles dayes and the former Practices which is found among the old Protestants and Papists is among you and you are still Drunk with the whore's Cup and are crying for Cain's Weapons to guard you well I say you are part of the Dragon's Tail that draws to the Earth and to the Pit which will be the end of all Idolaters and Apostates except they come to Repent And as for the Independants Churches so called you are a Branch of the same Root you have declared against the Bishops and court Prelates and said they were in error and many of you declared against them for Pluralists because they had too great Benefits and declared against Tythes as to be Anti-christian and whoso received Tythes denyed Christ come in the Flesh who are wheeled about and now take them your selves and Creep into the old Mass-houses and have taken that up which you condemned in others and so have made your former Testimony void and all sober People see your Hypocrisie and Deceit who have gathered a company together which you call Select People or Members of your Church and you exclude the rest who have as good right to your Ordinance as you for they profess Christ in Words as you do And yet you will receive their means whom you judge not capable of your Ordinance and your Church will no more maintain you then it would maintain them that you have denyed in Words if you had not the Beasts Power to compel your Vineyard would Starve you your Gospel and your Preaching is one with the former and the People is the same in Nature they were before you have got Bishops Lands Augmentations and Stipends more large then your fore-fathers had for the most part and sue Men at the Law and hale them before Judgments Seats and take away their Goods whom you loook upon to be in error yet this stands as good with you as any Article of your Faith to force to compel to Sue to hale into Prison to take away their Goods and get a Scripture for your Cover and say He that Preacheth the Gospel must live of the Gospel and them that neither hear you nor receive you neither believe your Gospel yet you conclude it 's lawful to take their Goods and if you cannot get them hale the party into Prison are not you drinking still the Whore's cup and do not you follow the Beast and do not you own that Law to be Just that compels People to pay Money to you who deny your Ministry and are none of your Sheep and are not your Ordinances and Worship Imitated Things from the Scripture the Saints words and yet out of their Life and Practice are not you in the Apostacy have you not your Profession and Confession of Faith to make year after year as the Magistrate changes doth not this Evidence that you are Unstable and are yet in the Waters upon which the whore Sits and situated in Babylon the Mother of Harlots who yet makes you Drunk and that makes all the Filth and Vomit appear in the Earth that Stains the Earth and your Idols corrupt the Earth all Separates under what Name soever who have not denyed the Ground of Apostacy but are in the Apostacy for all Sects since the Apostles dayes have taken up some part and left another since the Life hath been lost and the Power lost all hath been in the Idolatry and the Protestants who have denyed the Papists yet they have not denyed them in the Ground of their worship but have retained some part and have kept some part of their worship and all Sects sprung out of the Protestants in them all there is some part remaining for they have not denyed the Ground of the worship set up in the Apostacy the Whore's cup is Drunk of and the Dragon hath Power which sought to destroy the man-Child and made war with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman who was Clothed with the Sun you all stick yet in Babylon and the best of you all are but yet in the Suburbs thereof For since the Apostles dayes their Foundation hath been either Traditions Imitations Inventions of their own or Borrowed things from the Jews in the first Covenant or at the best the Letter hath been the ground of their Faith and their Foundation which they have twined and translated this way and that according to the wit and Reason of every particular Sect and Opinion and according to the understanding of their private Spirits now all these buildings and Towers that mân have builded up in the Apostacy they would fasten upon the writings of the holy men of God and so have raised an Imagination of their own and so would have the Scripture prove what they say and the writings of the Apostles theâ all call the Gospel and the word of Faith and the Light
none effect by your Traditions and as for Rom. 10.8 The Word is nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart and this is the Word of Faith which we preach here the Apostle saith the word is nigh thee in thy Heart but he doth not say the Scriptures is nigh thee in thy Heart which is the Word of God And 2 Cor. 2.17 For we are not as many which corrupt the Word of God he doth not say we are not as many that corrupt the Scriptures which are the Word of God or the Word of God which is the Scriptures And as for 1 Pet. 1.25 But the Word of the Lârd endures forever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto yâu he doth not say the Scriptures endures forever or this is the Word the Scriptures which by the Gospel is preached unto you And as for 1 Thes. 4.15 For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we whâch arâ ãâã and remain unto the coming of the Lord shâll not prevent them which are asleep he did not say this we say unto you by the Scriptures for there was not such a Scripture written before and therefore we sây this unto you by the Word of the Lord And what a foolish Mân is this to assert his own Imaginations and then imagines the Scriptures will prove it and what ân improper speech were this to call twenty âhousââd Sentences one word and it is called a Declaration and what a Declââation would that be thât consisteth but of one word but enough of this hath been published before concerning the particular by divers hands so I shall be brief however R. I doubts his proof already that it will not satisfie F. H. and therefore he thought good to make this Conclusion upon him That he doth not believe the Scripture at all and though F. H say that these Sciptures are nothing at all to prove that thing to deny his Imaginations is not to deny the Scripture but F. H. believes what the Scriptures say of themselves and doth not deny the Scriptures at all but R. I. his Lye and also his false Conclusion And further saith R. I. The Scripture was delivered to the Church in writing that it might be an infallible Standard of true Dâctrine and a determiner of Controversies and the Saints rule of knowing God and living to him Answer Reader take notice here is no room for the Spirit at all the Scriptures and writings have taken up the room of it in R. I. his account for it hath lost its Office if his Doctrine be true the Letter is become the infallible Judge and standard to try Doctrine and a Determiner of all controversies and of the Saints Rule of knowing God and living to him and indeed is become all in this man's Account then what doth R. I. bring Esop's Fables Oviâ's fictions Plato's and Diogenes Stories in this Controversie to joyne with this infallible rule and because he hath the Scriptures so high to be a tryer of Doctrines without the Spirit doubtless is the Cause here is no mention made of it and so he shall be Judged by his Rule in the 42th page take his Exposition upon the Words of Joel I will pour out of my Spirit upon Sons and Daughters and they shall Prophesie This is not meant of a ghostly Power but of an extraordinary measure of enlighting Grace Ignorant man is not Ghostly Power or spiritual Power an Extraordinary measure of enlightning Grace and was it not a spiritual Power and an extraordinary Light the Prophets Prophesied by But it is this Mans meaning that must be the Standard when all comes to all and the Determiner of Cases and he speaks contrary unto his own Rule as may be seen through his whole Book who hath either added to the Scriptures or perverted them or otherwise given his false Interpretations or Villified them in calling them the True Cards and so though he extolled them in Words he denyes them in Practice The Jews tryed Christ's Doctrine by the Scriptures and âudged him a Blasphemer and a breaker of the Law and the Apostles Seditious and so though a man have the Scripture and have not the Spirit it is all as a sealed Book wherein such Unlearned men as this R. I is cannot read and therefore he saith in his 55th page That it is a great fault in us because we say the Law of the Spirit of Life is the Rule and so like him will not say it is imperfect as he doth and so saith R. I. it is not fit to be a rule so Blasphemously he detracts from the Authority and Power of the Spirit and like Anti-christ and his Ministers sets the Letter above it and calls it Living and an infallible standard and saith Thâ Scripture inclines the Heart unto obedience and like a Drunken man this R I. reels up and down and contradicts himself Before he said The Law of the Spirit chiefly gave Power to conform to the Rule and wiâhin four Liââs Contradicts himself and saith The Scriptures incline our Hearts to the Oâedience of the Rule and the Scripâures it self hath caused us to know it as we have it from the Church it is a probable aid and yet giveth but a confused Belief with a light Impression Answ. It is probable enough indeed that thy Faith is confused and the Faith of your Church and that makes thee utter forth all this confused Heap but in what hath been said the Spirit of this man and his Doctrines will be manifest to all whose Eyes God hath opened and so will depart out of his Paths and not give heed to his fabulous Stories It is true saith R. I. There iâ an inward Law written in our Hearts called the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 And there is the outward Law written in the Scriptures now the outward and external Law is properly the rule of a christian Life and not the inward and internal Law for the outward is perfect in that it declares in what is the Will of God and in what it is not but the inward Law received and written on the Heart is imperfect and therefore unfit to be our rule the Law within is that thing that is to be ruled Psal. 17.4 The outward Law is therefore the rule Answ. This Man would set the sun by his Dial as it might be said although he confess in the very same page that the Law of the spirit of Life giveth Power to the Creature yet now it is become imperfect and not fit to be a rule this man like one unlearned sets the Law which was written in Tables of stone which the Apostle calls the Ministration of Condemnation and was glorious this he sets above the Ministration of the spirit of Life which the Apostle saith is much more glorious but nay saith R. I. the Law written in the Heart is iâperfect and not fit to be a rule but to be ruled contrary to
neither Traditions nor Inventions of Men for the Worship of God The second Doubt which the Author would be resolved in is whether we can make good what Luther and Calvin with all Protestants have boasted that they would do to reform convincingly one of the silliest Roman Catholicks that is and to begin do it in the Matter of the real Presence after Consecration What Luther and Calvin have said unto you as about your Worship Doctrine and Practice hath been made good by themselves while they were living and in the Body and what they said did not only inform the Minds of many of the Roman Catholicks but reform'd them too which were not of the silliest amongst you not only one but thousands did see your Error and Deceit though they in some Particulars did but differ from you But now that is manifest which denyeth your Foundation in the very Ground And what I have said as about the real Presence of Christ's Body being in the Bread and Wine after Consecration if thou dare put it and endeavour the Trial thereof according as I have in Reasonableness propounded unto thee it will convince many of the Roman Catholicks of their Error or else many of the Protestants of their Error and so if thou darest adventure it make no more Boasts but let come to Tryal as before is propounded unto the Church of me if she or any of her Agents dare admit of it 3. The third Argument which he promiseth If it can be proved from the Scripture which he calls God's written Word that the Sabbath-day is commanded by God to be kept on Sunday and that little Children are to be baptized Answ. What others have said as to these two Particulars who were but departed a little Way from you in divers things as to their Judgments I shall not stand to vindicate because the Church was rather but a coming out of the Wilderness rather then come already into her first Purity but I am one of those amongst many thousands in Europe who deny the Chârch of Rome as to be the Bride the Lamb's Wife and yet I shall not vindicate either the one or the other but deny both as amongst Christiâns viz. as to keep the Jewish Sabbath upon Sunday as the Author calls it and sprinkling of little Children is like the other an Invention in the Apostacy never that we read of commanded commended or practised in the Apostles Dayes as such The first Day of the VVeek the Apostles met together and worshipped God not by Virtue of the Jews Commandment but in the Power of God and you only have them both and keep them both by tradition and custom without commandment and so are out of the Power of God and out of the Saints Life 4. The fourth Argument Can the Sectaries with Reason and Ground sufficient condemn all Catholicks that were so many Ages before Luther and Calvin for being no better then Heathens and convince me that adhering to you I shall be more secure in my Salvation then injoyning to them that have Time out of Mind been of the only saving Religion Answ. The Sectaries have not gone about to condemn every individual man before Luther and Calvin for no better then Heathens we believe some were and we believe many were as bad if not worse they that walk in the Practice of the Heathen and bring forth Fruit but not unto God are in the Heathens Nature but the Generality of the Church of Rome have for these many hundred Years brought forth no better Fruit then the Heathen and therefore are in the Nature of the Heathen for like as the Heathen persecuted the Christians in former Dayes even so hath the Church of Rome persecuted the true Christians in their Day aâd in this are no better then Heathens instance the Blood-shed Murder cruel Deaths you have put many unto since you have had the Name of a Church and therefore are no better then Heathens in Nature and for Antiquity it proveth nothing without Verity And there can be no Assurance in your Church seeing that it stands upon Tradition and Hear-say and outward Performances and bodily Exercises that profit little but some whom you call Sectaries have more Assurance for it 's the Spirit of God that gives it and as there is Obedience yielded unto the Lord that Spirit he giveth them Assurance and them that are born of it do overcome the World and his Spirit beareth Witness to their Spirit that they have overcome by which they cry Abba Father and this Spirit of Truth that leadeth into all Truth bringeth more Assurance unto them that are led by it and worship in it then can be had in all your outward Formalities Ceremonies and Traditions 5. Can you make evident at least that in your Flock and Luther and Calvin their Guides there is more Holiness and Virtue then can be found among the Catholicks and that you go the narrow way that leads to Life I answer yes I am one among many thousands who are not of the Church of Rome yet am of Christ's Flock which he hath cleansed by his Blood and revealed his Virtue in and his holy Life and it 's made manifest that they are in the narrow Way more then the Church of Rome they are in the Way that leads to Life and abide in Christ's Doctrine we love them that hate us we bless them that curse us we pray for them that persecute us but so doth not the Church of Rome but kills them and persecutes them that oppose her we say without Righteousness and Holiness be revealed and wrought in our Hearts we can bring forth no Fruit unto God neither can be Members of the true Church but if any conform unto the Practice of your Church in outward things he is counted a good Member of your Church though Righteousness and Holiness Self-denyal Humility and Love be wanting Therefore we are the Church in which there is more Holiness Virtue and Life enjoyed then in the Roman Church 6. Can you shew us any Miracles that ever were wrought in Testimony of your Religion or that the Catholicks Miracles are wrought by Beelzebub and now thou hast askt us a resolution of the Doubts and let all that are Illuminated judge how we are deluded Answ. It 's an adulterous Generation that seeks a Sign and what Christ wrought was reckoned as no Miracles by them that are in the Unbelief yet these Signs have accompanied the Gospel which is the Power of God the blind have been restored to Sight and the dead have been raised and the deaf have heard and the lame have been made whole and this hath been witnessed by many and we have a cloud of Witnesses which your Church knowâ not of and by the effectual working of God's Power these things have been done which do give Testimony and confirm our Religion And for your Miracles the most that ever I heard of have been done by Pictures and Images as you have testified
17.18 Councils Bishops and People Err in their Judgments by Tradition one Age after another have holden that lawful which Christ did not prohibit but what doth all this prove for it 's manifest that most of the Ancient Fathers of the Church as Origen Chrysostome Theophilact Hillary Athanasius Jerome Theodoret Laurentius and others in their Sermons and Homilies to the People vehemontly and frequently enveighed against all Swearing without any Limitation without any reserve amongst Christians Swearing as to private Conversation yet they did not disallow the voluntary taking an Oath much less in Judicature he says but those are but therms of his own shuffling in and what he speaks only of his own Head by mingling his own words with theirs for his own ends for there is no such distinction made by them as he makes as lawful Swearing and prophane Swearing and voluntary Swearing and Swearing in Judicature and it 's to be desired that A. S. had but produced their Testimonies and have cited only their own Words without adding to them that they would have made much against him for it 's plain their Judgment and Witness was against all Swearing what-ever But A. S. tells us Chrysostome in his Homily to the People of Antioch preached so much against that prophane custome of Swearing that the People were offended and he told them that he would never leave that Sermon till they did leave Swearing It were to be desired that more in this Age who pretend to be Christian Ministers would follow his example for the like I believe hath not been in any Age Oh! what customary vain rash prophane ungodly Oaths in their Acceptation take God's holy Name upon every trivial Occasion in vain in their Mouthes and daily inventing new Oaths and Execrations even daring God to confound them and damn them yea it grieves my Heart to think and the Spirit of the Lord in me to consider what sounded in my Ears not long since which I mention with Detestation and Abhorrency that some when they had sworn even all the customary Oaths and all the new invented Oaths did proffer ten Shillings to any that could invent ten new Oaths even glorying in Sin and making a Mock at it and indeed it is fearful to hear how without any Reverence unto God or Dread of his Majesty Oaths these late Years are broke out like a Land-flood over all the Banks and no where so much to be found nor no where so common as among them that reckon themselves conformable Men Loyal and Members of the Church of England which is one crying Sin that draws down the Judgment of God upon this Land and what Credit can we give to such Men in Judicature shall we not say as St. Austin sayes It disposes Men to false Swearing and gross Perjury nor can indeed much Credit be given any more then to a Lyar to any Man that swears never so solemnly and in Judicature who is a common Swearer but instead of beating down that for which the Land mourns Jer. 23. 10. many are even Propagators of it and Pladers for it and glory in it and it 's become almost the only Mark of a conformable Man Oh what a sad Time are we fallen into and what a sad State that they that depart from this great Iniquity are become a Prey I say it had been more time for A. S. to have used his utmost Endeavours this Way rather then to have opposed Christ's Doctrine and added Affliction to the Bonds of conscientious Sufferers who dare neither swear nor lye But not to disgress A. S. he would make the Fathers as he doth with Christ and the Apostles he would make all dance after his Pipe and make them all of his Mind and construe and interpret all their Words unto his End though never intended and therefore he sayes they were not cautelous enough and so doth with them as he doth with Christ he makes their Words one Thing and their Intentions another though saith he Origen in his 25th Tract upon Mat. sayes that Christ did forbid all Swearing yet he himself swears in his Book against Celsus for he said God is Witness of my Conscience and Athanasius though he declaimed against Swearing yet in his Apology to Constantius he swears again and again and why he wrote as the Apostle did the Lord is Witness and Christ to Witness and these must needs be Oaths and voluntary Oaths it 's not probable that they should use voluntary Oaths when they declaimed against all Oaths and therefore Origen saith It behoves not a Man who lives according to the Gospel to swear at all and Jerome the Gospel Truth admits not of an Oath likewise Chrysostome who was Bishop of Constantinople in Commendations of whom much is said in the Ecclesiastical Histories Acts and Monument vol. 21. fol. 72. blames them greatly who bring forth a Book to swear upon charging the Clerks that in no wise they constrain any Body to swear whether they think a Man swear true or false saying it 's a Sin to swear well so that not only Swearing upon a Book was reprehended but even all Swearing such as A. S. calls lawful Theophilact upon the Place in Controversie Learn hence that under the Law it was no Evil for Men to swear but siâce the coming of Christ it is evil as Circumcision and in sum whatever is Judaical to omit Wickliff John Hus and Jerome of Prague who were faithful Men and righteous in their Generation which the reformed Churches are beholding to for their Testimony in other weighty things against the Church of Rome though A. S. will not own them in this but rather takes Part with them who burned his Bones 41 Years after his Decease and burnt his Books and these Articles condemned by the Council of Constance who also burned John Hus and Jerome of Prague who maintained his Articles that all Oaths that be made for any Contract or civil Bargain betwixt Man and Man be unlawful under the Gospel and Walter Brute whose Testimony with many others was that as the Perfection of the old Testament was not to forswear themselves so the Perfections of Christ was not to swear at all because they are so commanded of Christ whose Commandment in no Case must be broken the Testimony of many worthy Men and godly Sufferers at this time are suitable to many of the Fathers before-mentioned but this A. S. calls Error who said so the Church of Rome and the Council of Constance with whom A. S. joyns rather then the Sufferers of Christ and they who hold it an Error not to swear at all and yet no Error to break when they have a Mind and dispense with it as the Papists do to this very Day and these Fathers of the Church doubtless were the best of Men in that declining Age and were neither Dunces nor Devils but understood by the Signification of God's Spirit in them the Doctrine of Christ and that which was consentaneous