where looking up to the top of the Steeple I returned thanks that I came over so dangerous a place without hurt but passing towards my business methoughts I was discouraged and given to doubt that at that time I should be frustrared of my intent and was moved to go home with Content there to settle my self to the work I should find my self most concerned in and afterwards I should have my Expectation as in relation I mean to the Confirmation of the Patent This dream I confess I did little heed though it ofâ— came into my thoughts till such time as the day of hearing before the Lord Keeper came who upon their false Allegations was pleased to put a stop to my business and then home I came where I not only found how these Conspirators had Alarm'd the Country with news of the great things they had done one of them boasting as I was told that they were promised That if I did go any more to private meetings It should cost me every time 100 pound But also that my pretended Brethren were lifted up above measure beginning to boast that they were Justifyed on all hands and that they were glad they had done it viz. Excommunicated me before that time All which Considered together with the premifes herein before declared I was then and not till then fully Convinced That it was my duty to Publish their Acts of Injustice and defend my own Innocency thus beyond measure abused Whereupon I did apply my self to the Lord by Fasting and Prayer several days Desiring that he would assist me in the work or otherwise withhold me from it by what means best pleased him yea I did desire the Lord to bring upon me those Evills which that false Apostle did predict Should befall me rather than that I by this means should dishonour his glorious name But the work lay before me and as well as I could I then drew up the greatest part of what is here presented to publique view And then to London I went with a full Intent to Printthe same and and also to move for a Rehearing of my Case concerning the Patent About which makeing some Inquiry I found all things seemed to smile upon and in order to obtain a Rehearing I went to the Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftsbury then Lord High Chancellor of England and without Petition Bribe or Fee was admitted to treat with his Honour who after several times discoursing the matter was pleased to Confirm what His Majesty had gratiously granted unto me under the Great Seal of England But the cause of my not publishing this Narrative at that time I have truely declared in my Epistle to the Reader Thus part of my last dream being accomplished in such good success in my Business of the Patent after I had applyed my self with diligence to make a discovery of the Usurpers Wickedness why may I not rationally Imagine that no part of the rest will pass unfulfilled in its kinds Yet cannot I boast any Certainty nor dare pretend to Divine Revelations acknowledging that what I have related were really dreams but whereas this false Apostle as I hinted before hath prophesied saying to me at a time when I was not well in Health That if I would not be ruled by him and decline the said business of the Patent I should not prosper in Body nor Estate and to another That I should not be able to subsist or to that effect my Condition would be so strange Blessed and for ever Blessed be the most High God Even the God of my Salvation I have found him a false Prophet and though at his Instigation I was Cast out by my pretended Loveing but deluded Brethren saying Let the Lord be Glorified I comfortably hope That be will appear to my Joy when they shall be Ashamed If. 66. 5. Oh! What shall I say unto you my most unkind yet pretended tender Loveing Friends May I flatter you as your seducer hath done whereby to Engage you on my part No I dare not the matter is weighty A Soul Concern and most dangerous it is to play with Thunder-Boults and Jest with things that are sharp and burning Did you not believe that what your pretended Apostle with your consents hath done on Earth was also done in Heaven I know that you did believe it And yet how easily were you drawn to Consent to this horrible Cruelty though youhad no Command for it Why would you to that degree punish where no Law was Transgressed Why would you Condemn where no sin was proved As for my offending weak Brethern I have I suppose sufficiently proved that to be a meer pretence and Juggling Stratagem to Engage you to Joyn and become ignorantly his instruments to accomplish his designe before resolved upon And yet even in this I was ready and earnest to have given you Satisfaction if he like an Enemy to Peace and good Order had not perpetually disturbed our Reasoning together as aforesaid Let not I beseech you a fond veneration for him or prejudice against me any longer prevent your laying to heart this Act of rash Cruelty and your dealings equally unjust and unkind towards a person who can with a good Conscience say That he hath been and is still ready to be kind to you all according to his Duty Consider I say my Beloved what was become not only of mercy and Compassion Christian Love and mutual pitty but even of Justice and Common right in that day when you Condemn'd me so that I could not find so much as a little Heathenish Equity I speak not this to insilt over but to regain you and Convince you of your Condition for whatever you may think I cannot but Believe That without Repentance for such unjust and uncharitable deeds you must be in danger And think not my friends That I am such a son of Belial that in a way of Love you may not without Interruption speak unto me for I can truely say I have longed for an opportunity to Converse with you so as the Usurper be not present to disburb our friendly Reasonings continually with his Clamorous interposeings Nor should I after this manner have spent one hour in this work had I not believed that it was indispensably my Duty to endeavour by this means to make you senfible of your Delusions And I pray God that it may prove effectual to that purpose so that henceforth you may say of him who like a seducer hath Caused Confusion and Disorder What have we to do with thee Ob full of all Subtlety c. For untill you Repent and acknowledg your Acts of Injustice practised under pretence of Authority how shall you and I be reconciled For my self I am always ready to do my part so far forth as it Concerns me declaring hereby That upon the performance of your Duties I am as ready and willing to forgive the worst of you that hath hated me most as you can be willing that I should
his party there without whom he well knew as is evi 〈…〉 hand that it could not be done and though he did do 〈◊〉 was not â—o civilly honest as to let me know thereof that so I might 〈…〉 and unnecessary Charge which he knew would be consiâ—â—â—able 〈◊〉 the consideration of all which and for that all means of Reconcili 〈…〉 said M. C. and his Associates contemned and their ill 〈…〉 acts practised and defended by pretended Au 〈…〉 but now at last conclude it highly my duty to make 〈…〉 that so those who are concerned may at their next 〈…〉 I do appeal by these presents take it into 〈…〉 consideration and doing right may clear themselves and the Profession in general from the imputation of such mischievous errors whereunto otherwise they may be thought accessary leaving it to them to judge whether this pretended Apostle be not an Usurper and whether his Government be not Arbitrary Tyrannical and dangerous both to the Church and Civil State and also whether he be not a partial and unjust judge a deluder and seducer of those who otherwise would he innocent and a contemner of the Authority of all that are above him Lastly whereas some sober persons think it strange that I do not withdraw my self from the Baptized Congregations my answer is that I know not any other Congregation of that perswasion corrupted with any of those errors but that their actions and conversations are according to their Profession in the judgment of Charity And forasmuch as I do upon safe and Scripture grounds believe That the way they prosess is the way to Grace and Glory I therefore dare not desert it but desire to be found persevering therein with Heart and Affection And that all good people may do the same is the hearty prayer of him who is a lover of Truth Righteousness and Peace and of those who imbrace the same under what Notion or Form soever they be Richard Haines A word to the Ingenious and Learned Perusers Honoured Sirs SInce neither Nature nor Education have furnisht me with those 〈◊〉 and Accomplishments which I must acknowledge necessary to all such as expose their writings to the Publick eye let me intreat and not be denyed your favourable Construction in the ensuing Leaves as often as you find me unskilfull in Language or Methodical Order for as I have never been exercised in such publick endeavours so should I not now have appeared to the world in this manner had not the Conscience of my duty constrained me therèunto nor had I been thus tedious and burthensome to the Reader but out of a desire to regain my poor deluded Brethren who pretend great love unto Your humble Servant R. H. NEVV LORDS NEVV LAVVS HAving some time since received much Injustice and Abuse from Matthew Caffin a Pretended Apostle of Christ and Elder of a Congregation together with some other of his deluded Confederates who without any Authority or Example and for a matter not proved to be any Sin or Crime by any Text of Holy Scripture procecded to pass Sentence of Excommunication against me and still persist in and justify the same and endeavours yet further to render me Infamous It is therefore the design of the following discourse for the several causes and Reasons mentioned in the Epistle to the Reader to make a full discovery of all proceedings in that affair that so innocence may be cleared Friends at a distance truly informed and these Lordly Spirits if possible made ashamed of and so repent for such their wicked and erronious courses All which I shall endeavour by relating plainly and sincerely First The Cause or pretended Crime Objected Secondly The most partial unjust and cruel proceedings thereupon againâ—t me And Thirdly The unreasonableness of both in several Circumstances and the mischievous consequences of such Anti-christian Popisâ—e Principles and Practises The occasion or thing for which I was Excommunicated was as follows I having by my Industry found out and invented a way to cleanse a certain sort of Grass Seeds by some called Trefo le by other Nousuâ—â— and by others Hop-clever but properly may be called Yellow-clover because it beareth a three leaf'd grass and yellow flower from its husk and course Grass Seeds which course Grass was very destructive to the other so that the same by means of such invention is become better then it was before as some of my Adversries themselves confess Now forasmuch as it did evidently appear that such a way of cleansing the aforesaid Seeds was a thing that would be for a General benefit to all should make use of the said Seeds I then considered that it was reasonable I should have the benefit of cleansing the same according to the Statute in such cases made and provided which priviledge of invention I did understand by Councel Learned in the Law The King by his Royal Prerogative might lawfully grant and confirm by his Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to the first and true Inventer And I being the same as one of my chiefest Adversaries declared at their Meeting publickly that he verily did believe I was did and still do conceive that I might lawfully endeavour to obtain it as my lawful and just priviledge Forasmuch as by this means I should prevent no person enjoying any of their former Rights and Priviledges which they enjoyed before this my doscovery for as they bought sold sowed and improved it before so they may still without the least interruption nor have they cause to complain that by the Kings Letters Patents they are prohibited from cleansing the said Seeds seeing every person may have the priviledge of sowing the Seeds which I thus cleanss so that every one may â—eap the profits of my labour and the greatest profits too for if the cleansing of it were free to all the advantage would be very little wherefore I did on good grounds hope that no honest man would be offended with the Kings Letters Patents nor with me for attaining them except it were a generation of self ended men who envy my prosperity nor could I believe that I for this thing should be condemned by those who are my pretended tender loving Brethren since I have not hereby transgressed any known Law for where there is no Law transgressed I do belive there is no Law to punish unless it be under that Government where Usurping Tyrants beare rule All which considered I did proceed in my endeavours to obtain his Majesties Gracious favour for the grant of his Letters Patent for my aforesaid Priviledge But being willing to let some of my friends know of my design therein before I had finished my business and judging Matthew Caffin most Faithful I therefore thought him most worthy to be trusted with secret things Some other also I declared my mind â—â— to who did promise secrefie nor did they report it to any that I know of but he the said Matthew Caffin whome I thought most faithful was
Nevv Lords Nevv Lavvs OR A DISCOVERY OF A Grand Usurpation In Opposition to the Holy Laws of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Good Laws and Royal Prerogative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supream Magistrate as it hath been lately practised by the Lordly MATTHEW CAFFIN A Pretended true Apostle of our Blessed Lord and Saviour and Ruling Head of his Congregation usually meeting at Southwater near Horsham in Sussex By R. H. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether it be 〈◊〉 the King as Supream Or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doers and for the praise of them that do well As free and not using your Liberty as a Cloak of Maliciousness but as the Seâ—â—â—â—…of God Honour all Men Love the Brother-hood Fear God Honour the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. v. 13. 14. 16. and 17. London Printed in the Year 1674. THE AUTHOR TO THE READER Christian Reader HAving certain knowledge of the many Scandals and Abuses cast upon those who are the Faithful Professors of the ways of truth I should be most heartily Sorry to give any just occasion of encreasing the same yet do believe it my Duty to do my part for the Defence and Vindication of the Innocent And conceivng my self as will appear by the following Discourse to have received no small injustice from a pretended Apostle of our Blessed Lord and Saviour by Name Matthew Caffin though his Acts of Vsurpation Tyranny and Partiality have in part already made manifest to the world that he is far otherwise and for that his and his deluded confederates Tyrannical dealing with me by way of Excommunication was for my doing a thing which is so far from being any transgression of any known Law That both the Law of God and the Law and Royal Prerogative of the Supream Magistrate of this Nation and as I am informed all Neighbour Kingdoms do allow of and justifie the same I therefore think it my duty to publish to the world his Usurped Authority his new Laws strange Prerogative and acts of Injustice all which are to my certain knowledge utterly disowned by all the Officers of the Baptized Congregations both in Country and City that I have as yet had the opportunity to treat with those only that are under this pretended Apostles awful wings excepted All which I am not only induced but constrained to publish for thâ—se Reasons following First because it doth appear to me and others that the Authority by which he and his Consederates have executed such his new laws and inventions is an Usurped Authority and therefore the timely Publication of the matter is to prevent the like errors from creeping into the Church of Christ as heretofore have done being brought in by such Lordly Spirits whereby the Church of Rome once the Spouse of Christ is Apostatized and become an Harlot as he the said Matthew Caffin hath said on which account I conceive it my duty by this means to do my part in order to the suppressing this growing and dangerous Distemper which otherwise like a Gangrene may destroy the whole body Secondly that the Truth and honest Professors thereof may be preserved from those reproachful abuses and Censures which by this means are apt to be cast upon them That so the burthen may be laid on the right shoulder and a whole Profession not be condemned for the proud Extravagancies of 〈◊〉 or some few more particular men for so it is that some otherwise judicious and sober persons hearing of such strange Carriage daily say that these Professors are a crooked and perverse generation running into a thousand errors that their pretence of Holiness is but deceit to cover a design of mischief And some persons of good quality and repute no enemies to the Truth or its Professors have by this means been provoked to entertain hard thoughts and open their mouths against them to say both in words and writing that we are of dangerous opinions accompanied with rancour and malice against all that will not go along with us be it right or wrong For say they we can expect no better fruit from them then what you have had from your Saint meaning the Lordly Apostle aforesaid all which and much more of that nature doth abound to the great dishonour of the Gospel and the Professors thereof wholly upon the account of this Busie-body The third reason for Publication hereof is because all other Admonition and Advice which was publickly given him in full Meeting by several Church Officers of known integrity to wit Mr. G. Mr. W. Mr. P. Mr. C. and Mr. T. and divers others the most or however the most Eminent in London was and still is wholly slighted and could no way incline his mind to Humility but he still goes on to justifie his Practise of Tyranny notwithstanding this meeting was singly for the hearing and determining of his case only Fourthly Because I would thereby have the World to know that I know not one Professor in the way of the Baptized Congregations to be of the like quarrelsome and dangerous principle unless it be those who are at his own dispose or in servise subjection to his own Laws as aforesaid And now Impartial Reader this one thing I humbly beg of thee and I pray deny me not viz. That thou wouldst not by means of any thing contained in the ensuing discourse accuse or condemn the Innocent with the Guilty nor the peaceable Loyal and Obedient with the Peace-breaker Contentious and Disobedient For although it may appear in thy Judgment that we are both unworthy yea although I my self through the Instigation of the Devil should become an Adversary to all good for I dare not hoast of my future Perseverance though I can through mercy say I have more than a little Confidence notwithstanding I say thy worst Imaginable should happen yet be intreated I pray ever to love and â—â—ver to be offended with the honest godly and peaceable 〈…〉 walk in the ways of truth which according to the Holy 〈…〉 the Royal Road and Kings high-way to Life and Glory which Profession I hope I may say I never in all my Life did yet despise And if I know my heart I had rather a thousand times suffer the â—â—proaches and Censures of him who now through malice and a lying Tongue may abuse me at his pleasure than that the way to Glory and those that humbly and devoutly walk therein should be corrupted abused and evil spoken of And this I pray further take notice of that I do declare that the Publication of the ensuing matter to the world in this manner was wholly contrary to my own will and desire neither had I so much as the laise thoughts of so doing had not they to wit Mr. Caffin or his Confederates first published my Excommunication to the World and particularly to such as they had reason to believe did hate me most and this they did within less than three
am perswaded it must be otherwise then in the way of Regeneration There is an old Proverb Kissing goes by favour But suppose an honest Widdow or Maid should marry with one that is not in fellowship be he of the Church of England Presbitery or Independent and notwithstanding he be of a more honest life and conversation than he that was fain to marry his own Favorite yet for this thing according to his Law she shall be accused as an offender and no humility to be accepted of but excommunicated she must be and she not to be forgiven to the hour of death except they part or he be converted to them but in the mean time she is to be adjudged to live in Forincation and so their children are Bastards but this Doctrine is opposed by the Congregations in London and elsewhere and by what Authority he doth maintain it I know not but this I with others do believe that persons fearing God ought to match with those that do agree with themselves therein if they can to their contentment One thing more is observable which is this that before this meeting he had certain knowledge of this disorder and yet at the meeting signified that he was ignorant of it But to smooth up the matter possibly he may pretend that the cause of his bearing with this Female Favorite was because she was his nearest or dearest Kinswoman and therefore this thing was suffered without pulick rebuke contrary to order for publick Sin To which I answer that if the Case be so and this sufficient then it may be concluded that if a man will but purchase a Kinswomans favour of him he then may keep a Concubine without any publick rebuke But to all this I know that some whose eyes are blinded with Idolatrous zeal will yet say that I do not well to censure him for say they I am CONFIDENT that he hath holy good ends in what he doeth and that he designs the good of all To which I answer so did others as honest as himself pretend and that without doubt Pope Clement the first did as soberly and seriously pretend the same thing and those that idolized him did believe that he designed the good of the Church when he made pardons and Indulgences saleable for seeing said he that one drop of our Saviours blood had been enough to have saved all mankind and yet that all his blood should be spilt he perswaded himself that the overplus was given as a Treasure to be dissposed of by the chief Officer of the Church But say you these things are not according to the Law of God and the holy Scriptures which we own for the unerring Rule and I say so is not Usurpation Tyranny Rebellion conniving at sin and partiality the Case is as broad as long sin is the same think among the Baptists where it is allowed of as it is amongst the Papists whom you condemn and seperate from What think you of it when a man shall be thus publickly charged with cruelty and cursing by many creditable persons and yet connived at whilst another man hath spent all his days so as to commit scarce any publick evil to the dishonour of the Gospel or the Church of Christ as ever yet was proved and yet that an Accusation should be received and Credited against him and that from the mouth of one person and he one of the world too and doth speak in his own Case and for his own Ends all that he saith is not this partiality I leave it to all the world for to judge But forasmuch as I am blamed by some of my pretended brethren for calling them Idolators I must confess it is very ill done of me if it be not true But if I can make it appear that they do give more homage to their new Lordly Officer than they give to the most high I suppose they not I deserve the blame Now that it is so doth it not appear by this viz. one of his chiefest adherents soon after they had practised their Tyranny without any the least shew of mercy I at a meeting at this mans house did take an occasion to interrupt him in his discourse and said that they preached one thing and practised another he having not wherewith to defend their practise declares publickly that I had lived in transgression these several years but would name nothing and said he I have convinced you thereof and yet you have continued in it and further said that I deserved to be excommunicated for that very thing now Sirs I pray observe that if this dangerous thing without name which he accuseth me with to render me odious to the people were true and that he knew it to be so which if not is he not a lyar and a false Accuser of his Brother but if true pray Sirs how hath he done his duty have we not often been both at the Lords Table since that time have we not ear and drunk several times to our greater condemnation if it be as he said I pray sirs observe all that could be swallowed up very well notwithstanding it was to the great dishonour of God and tending to the damnation of us both Now all this he can suffer without the least disquiet of Conseience doth it not therefore appear that he is more zealons to do the will of his new Lord than the will of him that is in Heaven if not why did he not rebuke â—e before this time and disowned to have fellowship with me if I was obstinate but that the thing for which he condemned me was as a sin as doubtless he would have the people to believe it was a most intollerable one I utterly do deny and also do affirm that he never did convince me that it was so and therefore I leave the Reader to judge whether he be not a Iyar and an abusive false accuser for saying that he did Again if I did confess it to be a sin and yet to his knowledge I did live several years in it why then did he not admonish me according to order but inasmuch as he did not I pray what condition is he in by neglecting his duty and having fellowship and Communion with it if as he said I deserved excommunication for the case was only this A certain person from year to year was often a Trespasser upon me by his Cattle lying in my Corn and Pasture which said person at a certain time dealt dishonestly with his own Brother in a Case that was injurious to my self also by which means I was provoked the more to require satisfaction for the wrong which he did unto me his Cattle at that very time lying on my Corn and because I did take money of him in satisfaction of all the injuries that he had done me for the time past And notwithstanding I never troubled him nor in any wise hurt or abused his Cattel nor did take half so much as the damage did amount unto
yet for this I am accused this is the whole case and for this very thing I in this pretended charitable mans judgement deserved to be excommunicated certainly this pretended loving brother must believe that excommunication extends no further than to Purgatory or if he believes it reacheth further I then do believe that his brotherly charity is turned into that love which is of a hellish nature But this of the Story I cannot forget viz. That as the thing in his conceit was a sin by which I dishonoured God and wronged my Neighbour yet he never tells me I deserved this punishment until I had displeased his new Lord and Master so that sin commited against God may be born with several years without rebuke but a pretended sin against this new Lord cannot be suffered nor born with one whole day doth it not therefore appear in his conceit that this Lordly person is equal if not more than equal with the most high which is most horrible blasphemy to conceive Now judge ye which in this loving brothers conceit was the greatest sin my sin against God or my sin committed in refusing to bow to the Image which they had set up whose Law forbids to buy and sell so that of the two be serveth his Idol God rather than the true Bear with me I pray you oh my pretended loving Friends you have your Infirmities as well as I know you not that I was not suffered to clear with you in place convenient surely if I had there should not have been occasion for this thing especially if your New Lord had been honest but he proving to be an Usurping Tyrant and you to be his Confederates and adherents to him and all other lawful means for Reconciliation by me offered being by you scornfully Rejected I therefore according to my duty to convince you of your delusions shall take the boldness to speak a little farther And therefore further to shew wherein your Idolatry doth appear as thus when this your New Lord had declared that Patents were of the Devil and to be of that damnable Nature so that according to his New Laws none might justifie them upon pain of suffering his High displeasure which in his and your judgments is punishable with no less then eternal Damnation unless they submit He having thus seduced the Brethren one who is very often a Preacher amongst them being asked the question what he thought of their proceedings against me and whether he thought Patents were such dangerous things to which he answered and said He could as freely Steal a Horse as to have a Patent I pray Sirs observe how great Zeal appears in this Deluded Person for the observation of the New Laws and Precepts of this his New Lord for rather than to sin against and transgress his Commands he had rather sin a against and transgress the Commands of the most high God in such degree as to incur his Wrath and Indignation for do you not know that by stealing you transgress both the Law of God and good Men and by the transgressing of these do you not know that you endanger your Souls to damnation together with the loss of your Life and Estate and will you do this rather than sin against or displease your New Lord and yet is he not your Idol Judge oh ye that are not seduced Again another person who was not at this Meeting to whom I said that this New Lord was an Usurper and Tyrant c. To which he said I do not nor cannot believe it to whom I replyed and said That if it be not true then I am the Lyar and have done him greater wrong and it is impossible for me to give him satisfaction nevertheless said I it is my duty to acknowledge my sin and to desire mercy is it not yea said he it is so but said I suppose that all that I have said be true and that I prove it to be so how then ought not he to do the like Now to this take notice I could not by all the means I could use get any answer though often provoked him thereunto do not all these things prove that you Idolize him in a high degree or otherwise that you believe he is Infallible and cannot Erre Again another person who at the last Meeting that I was at before they thus dealt with me called me to go with him and being at a little distance from the people he then standing still said nothing to me I therefore said to him what hast to say to me he answered with a soure countenance and said I am sorry that your Condition is so bad and said he it doth exceedingly trouble me that you cannot see it I pray said I what do you mean he answered the Patent To which I replyed why how doth it offend said he it doth offend every body wherefore shall I name any To which I said That to my knowledge that was not true for it did not offend every body no said he that 's true well said I who then doth it offend he answered The weak Brethren then said I which of them he would not at present tell me but through much importunity he told me who they were and that was Matthew Caffin and that person that said I deserved to be Excommunicated for taking mony of a man for wrongs he had done and these two who are the most knowing men and able to Preach too and deceive the honest weak Brethren but as for those who were really weak upon honest account and conscientiously were oppressed or grieved by it I never yet could find or hear any to be amongst them to this day I then put the Question saying what hast thee to say against it to which he said I do not know what a Patent is nor what it means To which I replyed I am sorry that thou shouldst be so weak as to be under so much sorrow and trouble for that which thou knowest not nor dost understand yet could he not but must believe that it was but a very bad thing and why because he must believe as his Popeship believes and do as he commands and who more zealous and earnest against me at the time appointed for the Condemnation of Patents Now if this man had not been more zealous for the Adoration of his New Lord than he was to do the Will of the most high God Why should he be so urgent for to punish me in Hell for that which is no Transgression of the Law of God what think you of it Sirs Hath not this Idol eat up all love and swallowed up all mercy and compassion for doth it not appear that Transgression committed against this New Lord is unpardonable and doth it not plainly appear that he in their judgment is Infallible if not why do you do these things without any other Rule or Scripture authority and that before it was proved that I had transgressed any known Law of God or the King or
would be so corrupt and base as to give their consents with such a Judg that a man should be executed for that which is no transgression For this reason I say let him ever lay his hand on his mouth and speak no more of others rigidness c. since he hath reason to fear that the worst of them may rise up in judgment against him another day What you think here of I know not but I do verily and upon good grounds believe That the most high King of Kings is angry and also that you may not expect mercy until you are reconciled to him whom you have thus abused with your Acts of Injustice cruelty I also do believe That the Party who hath suffered the wrong ought not to be reconciled unto his causeless yet unmerciful Adversaries until they have done their duties by acknowledging and repenting of their wickedness so as to give reasonable satisfaction which if through Grace they should do then let me tell you that if I my self am the person who have received the injury I ought readily and in love freely to forgive them when they confess their debt although they have not wherewith or cannot make satisfaction But in the mean time to give some brief answer to his late accusations 1. Whereas he hath been pleased to report that I am very angry with him I answer and declare That I have as great respect and kindness for him as I have for the greatest Ecclesiastical person in the world and know no reason for the contrary but that all good people should love them both a like For I hope no honest man will hate the Pope as he is a man but as he is an Usurper Tyrant c.. So in like manner as M. C. is a person reformed he is to be beloved and in that regard notwithstanding all his uncharitable thoughts unchristian acts and all that I have said however you may construe it yet I solemnly declare That if you my pretended friernds were ten times more my Adversaries than what your actions have shown you and He ten times worse than the worst of those that hate me most yet if you and He would but acknowledge your evil with demonstrations of godly sorrow making reasonable satisfaction I should as freely as willingly and from my Heart forgive all such persons as I would eat drink or sieâ—p at a time when for want of those natural refeshments I were ready to perish But otherwise know ye that it is as easie for you to perswade the Idol of Rome to come to Horsham and kiss the great Toe of him who is the Idol of Southwater as to perswade me on any other unwarrantable terms or means whatsoever to reconciliation 2. Whereas he with open mouth exclaimed against me in the Assembly at London for comparing him to the Antichristian Beast it may not be impertinent to let you know I had some reasons for so doing and I hope better than any he can produce for dooming a person to Hell for that which is no trangression 1. Because 't is said That the Beast shall forbid and prevent Persons the priviledge of buying and selling Revelations 13.17 And accordingly this new Lord with the advice and consent of his Adherents hath by usurped Authority agreed and inacted That no person that is of the Church although my Servant may buy or sell for me If it be objected that this was intended in the Case of buying and selling of Seed only I answer suppose it so But why may not he and you who have thus Decreed as well Decree the same in all other Cases whatsoever since the Law of God forbiddeth the one no more than the other 2. Because 't is said that the Beast shall forecast his devices and think to change time and Laws that so he may have the sole commanding power over all Now consider whether this new Lords principles do not look the same way For saith he contemptuously what have we to do with the Laws and Statutes of men And speaking of honest christian Brethen we do not own them c. With respect to which Texts of Scripture and other the like passages I did indeed by way of allusion and similitude compare him to the Beast beforementioned But that he is strictly and properly the Beast there intended that shall wear cut the Saints of the most High c. I was ever far enough from believing though I must acknowledge his looks to be more stout than his Fellows and am more than a little confident If he had but power as some other Usurpers have had He would be as cruel and unmerciful to those that resist his pleasure as any of those his Predecessors have been and the ground of my so believing is this to wit his sending both Soul and Body not to the Inquisition but but to Hell Torments unto all eternity For disobeying not the Law of God but the Law of himself only And yet must it be my sin because I will not conceal these things Let me tell you Sirs had it been a piece of wickedness confest and repented of or had it been a sin committed through weakness it had doubtless then been evil in me to bring it to publick view But forasmuch as I am convinced it is otherwise know ye That if I should hold my peace and pass it in silence I should be accessory to it and do assuredly believe that as I have the high displeasure and indignation of the Lordly Vsurper against me on the one hand so should I then be sure to incur the displeasure of my blessed Lord and Saviour whose favour is better than life on the other hand therefore durst I not omit what I have done and for as much as I have seriously endeavoured otherwise for peace and reconciliation and all is slighted together with the Christian advice of the honest peaceable Brethren I shall not value the displeasure of those that for this Cause may prove my Enemies no more than that holy man Luther did the rage of the Pope and his Idolizers when it pleased God to open his Eyes to see the Church of Romes wickedness Yet one thing more there is which I and others cannot but much admire at viz. That notwithstanding all his barbarous partial and tyrannical dealings he the said pretended Apostle would have every body believe that All that he hath done and said concerning my self is of unsained Love I do wonder faith he how any can think otherwise For I have received more profit or kindness of him than of any other person whatever and therefore none may believe I can hate him but Love him above all others To which ingenious hypocritical pretence of mighty Love which on all occasions he is pleased to enlarge upon I answer First That then certainly his love is according to his nature viz. Cross and diverse from all others for if these his dealings with me be the fruits of his Love then most true it
Conscience of my Duty and that I accuse younot as you are the Servants of the most high God nor him as an holy Apostle Minister or Messenger of Christ For all such I truly love and honour as they are faithful and so I did him whilst his wickedness lay covered with Sheeps cloathing But now I justly must and cannot but Accuse him as an Vsurper a Rebel against God a Tyrant to his â—rethre â— as he is guilty of partiality and wickedness Not that these Crimes are committed through weakness or Infirmities or acknowledged and Repented of But as they were done willfully persevered in and still endeavoured to be justified by Authority And therefore know ye that if it be any thing it will be his own words and deeds not mine That shall Condemn him But whereas he hath said to me that what he and you have done against me is also in like manner done in Heaven except I submit I answer That the thing for which you have Excommunicated me is none other but my contempt of his Lordships usurped authority and therefore as I am not convinced of any sin therein committed so I cannot nor shall repent thereof until you do by Scripture authority prove it to be the transgression of a righteous Law or that his unlimitted power is equal to or greater than the holy Scriptures or till he have so proved that such his usurped authority is more lawful than the Royal prerogative of the Supream Magistrate and that he or his weak Brethren whose part at least pretendedly he hath taken be infallible in the mean time for as much as I was not conscious of any known sin by me committed but what through Grace was repented of so as that with a good conscience I through mercy do and then did to my great comfort believe that I whom you have unmercifully condemned my Lord and Saviour doth and will justifie and therefore I believe and that upon good grounds to that such his sentence of Excommunication is no more then as though his Triple-Crown'd Brother beyond the Seas with his Bell Book and Candle had done it And so my unkind Friends As you are erred from Truth and Righteousness to conceal and defend wickedness I must tell you that according to what is my farther duty I am resolved to prosecute what I have undertaken against him as though I never knew him but as an usurping Tyrant for I do believe if a godly man transgress a righeteous Law he ought to suffer as an other man much rather such an one who is so far from godliness as to justifie and by Lies and deceit defend his Acts of Impiety Therefore let none think that I am become a persecutor of those whom I own to be my Brethren or that I oppose any but as the oppressed may lawfully endeavour for the execution of Justice upon the unmerciful and tyrannical oppressor For if I should persecute the People of God in their Innocency doubtless as the holy Apostle in another Case said I then of all men should be most miserable For I verily believe heartily wish that all good people were of the same Faith from the King on his Throne to the meanest Subject That to persecute and afflict the People of God in their Innocence for doing that which upon Scripture Authority they ought to do is a great and most dangerous sin and of the highest provoking nature that can be committed it appearing in my judgment so grievous to the most High That he can in no wise bear therewith For saith he the Lord to his persecuted Children He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of my Eye whence I observe that the Lord hath not by any Metaphor expressed any such intollerable provocation to him as that of persecution And oh that none would give entertainment to that dangerous persecuting spirit until they can bring their Commission from Christ himself and until they see and have an infallible knowledge that it is the will of their Maker and that themselves be without sin and errors for the Almighty ordaineth his Arrows against Persecutors and be sure he will not miss the Mark He will not do as men shoot at a rebellious or stubborn Sinner and kill an humble penitent Saint Besides I observe and wish it might be the observation of all That many through Grace in time and others too late have repented of this grievous Sin But never did I hear of any good man nor scarce any so wicked As to repent because they had not been Persecutors or that they had not persecuted more than they did Oh! that due consideration might swage the judgments of all Persons who are inclin'd to this Evil which is subject to so great danger Nevertheless Wickedness ought not to be tolerated anywhere much less in the Church of Christ especially when practised and defended for doubtless in such Case great will be the Sin of him that shall know it a not endeavour to the utmost of his Power to Oppose and Reform it Wherefore since you have again and again Contemned my other Lawful Means and Endeavours that so Iustice might be wrested and Wickedness justified saying All Excommunicated Persons will Complain and that 't is nothing if I do so let me tell you It had bin good for all such Confederates that they had at first hearkened to the voice of the Oppressed and done their Duty But seeing there is no probability thereof I hope not to omit any lawful means whereby I may discover whether you do not ldolize your New Lord to that degree as to love him more than God and your own Souls by defending him with Lyes or by refusing to speak the Truth where by his wicked VVords and Deeds may be discovered and made manifest And whatever you may think yet may you not expect any Favour upon the Account of your outward Profession of Holiness but as you are Loverg of Truth and Kighteousness therefore be advised to take heed how you make your solemn Proteâ—ations when called to bear Withess to the Truth lest you sell Heavens glory and purchase to your selves Hells eternal misery For Lyers Idolaters c. shall have their Portion in the Lake Beware likewise of False Accusations As for my own part I have not nor will Accuse you or him with any thing but what I know is true or can make appear by those who were never known to be false Accusers But for my own part this I say That as I would not part with my Just Civil Temporal Priviledg to gratifie the quarrel some boundless Humour of that unjust Judge whose part you have taken so will I not God assisting part with my Spiritual Priviledg or sell my Birthright in Heaven purchased for me by the precious Blood of my dear Lord and Saviour only for a Mess of Pottage or that by which I may only please my self or any other Beware my Friends how you sin against light and your own knowledge to desend
But if you shall will fully neglect the means and we be not Reconciled what will ANSWER when God ariseth up and in Iudgment shall say who hath REQUIRED this offering or Sacrifice at your hands Oh! forget not VVhat manner of measure you have made Therefore if you expect mercy and pardon for your Sins and Trespasses If you desire your iniquities to be Covered with the imputation of the Righteousness of JESVS If you would find Deliverance in Distress or Grace to help in time of Tryal are you not in the Exercise of your faith To offer up your prayers and performances of your Duties unto the Lord as a means in order to obtain these mercies But my Beloved When thus you do Then remember that Obedience is better and more acceptable than such your Sacrifice and forget not to remember your own Evil ways and to consider VVhether your abused Brother hath not ought against you Knowing that your Prayers are unacceptable to the Lord until you have done your Duty that is to say To be reconciled to your abused Brother If you will not perform this your first work or do not Believe it your Duty so to do Tell me I pray how can you believe that you shall obtain mercy Is not the Case Plain He shall have Judgment without Mercy that hath Shewed no Mercy If therefore you believe the VVord of God and that he will be as good as his VVord have a care you add not Sin to Sin but hast for Reconciliation that so the obstruction which hinders the acceptation of your Duties may be removed out of the way But there is yet one Objection behind for possibly you may say That he Preacheth up Holiness and Godliness of life and Conversation and Rebuketh and Admonished Persons many times that are worthy of Blame and therefore we cannot but in Charity Judg the best of Him and accordingly must Love Him To which I Answer That I know all this may be true for the most Counterfeit Coyn is guilded all over with some good mettal and the greatest Hypocrisy walks in a Masque of sanctity so is his Lordly Tyrannical Authority vailed with the fairest pretences of the greatest degree of Love and Humility I accuse him not for those things which are good But be not deceived what if he had Faith so as to remove Mountains Suppose he gave all his Goods to relieve the poor or which is more than all that should he give his body to be Burned If he hath not Charity what will all this avail him and do you not know that true Charity and solid Honesty are both wanting Are not all his plausible pretences like rotten wood in the dark of more shew than Substance A Pharisaical Holiness like painted Tombs finely varnished over but within nothing but stench and Putrefaction Let not then shews and outsides Words Titles and Gestures deceive you bring all his Practises to the Touchstone Compare all his motions with the Sacred Dyal and weigh his pretended Gold in the Ballance of the Sanctuary but let neither Superstition nor prejudice touch the Scales And let Sound Iudgment not your Affections hold the Ballance And then as you find him regard him still remembring that the before mensioned wicked Seducer Hacket did express as great Zeal for Gods glory as much Care to reforms the Church and defend it against its Adversaries nor was there any one thing whereby he might shew himself Famous omitted by him nor doth your Leader go beyond him in any respect But well do I know that he cannot be idle but will use all means Just and Unjust to maintain his interest in your affections But though he sould raise a thousand Reasons or if it were possible for him to make fire come down from Heaven in your sight to make you believe that his practises are approved of by the Lord on high yet if they are not warranted in Scripture Let it Signify no more to you than if he had a Thousand Leggs without Ground to stand upon For if he should venture to walk over the Sea notwithstanding all his Leggs he must sink to the Bottome So if his mighty reasons have not the word of God for their sure Foundation they cannot stand but in a little time must Sink into the bottomless Pit from whence he had them Nor think it my Friends notwithstanding your great Confidence a thing impossible or incredible That so many of you sould be mistaken 't is no new thing for a Congregation to be deluded And why may not you as well as others conceit That you are rich and have need of nothing and yet whilst you insult over others and justifie your selves take heed lest you appear in his presence who seeth not as man seeth wretched and miserable poor blind and naked Consider the state of the Laodicean Church and remember that if your Zeal for God be more then Lukewarm yet considering what you have done you may perceive your Zeal hath been much more servent for the Adoration of your Idol Be not overwise in your own conceits why should you who call your selves weak think your selves wiser than those knowing and eminent Brethren who at London had the hearing of the matter and though they knew not of half his Devices declared their dislike of his illegal practises Asking him How he dared to do such a thing having not one VVord of God for it How can you now call me obstinate because I will not conform when your selves slight all Admonition anb Advice and rather then acknowledg your Errors will create a Schism and Division so far as to contemn our City Friends and disown them Why should your Envy my Brethren be thus stirred up against me Have I been such an one as have to your discredit and the dishonour of the Truth which I have professed lived in any notorious Sins or have I through infirmities transgressed against my God and refused to be reformed Have I ever despised any orderly rebuke if any such hath been given slighted any Christian Counsel or cast Admonition behind me Have I not been careful to make good my Place at the Meeting to which I usually went insomuch that some in time of Persecution said If they could but perswade me not to come or were it not tor me they would not spare you but by means of my constant being there your Meeting was never yet disturbed whilst all those round about were visited Have I failed to supply your wants or came short of any one therein Have I carried my self loftily to the meanest or would I not willingly be in peace with those who without cause are my Enemies and envy my prosperity Or can you think that I now neglect my Business and spend my Time and Labour hereby to make a Party or for any self-ends to engage you to my self Be not mistaken my Friends it is the knowledg of your dangerous Condition into which you are betrayed that moveth me to perform my Duty of Love unto you These things my Beloved according to what I believe I am bound to do have I endeavored to lay before you and all others whom it may concern That it may if possible awaken and convince you and that the Iniquities before mentioned may not be laid to my charge for concealing thereof nor to the charge of the Innocent who do not allow of but abhor the same And now whether you my deluded Friends will hear or whether you will forbear I know not But if the Case should be with you as it was with the Church of God in the days of the Prophet who rebuked them for that they embraced Idols And you through hardness of Heart and blindness Eyes should Answer as they did and say There is no hope no we have loved strangers and after them we will go Yet I have discharged my Conscience and I hope done my Duty to my Ability which I trust may be-profitable to you and my self and all read it feaâ—ing the Lord so as they in spirit and truth do serve and obey him according to his own Word which is the alone infallible and unerring Rule But if notwithstanding all I have said and all the Admonition Chrisian Counsel and Advice of the faithful Ministers and Officers of the Church Of Christ you still persist in and justifie your Acts of Vsurpation Oppression Tyranny Cruelty c. or shall endeavour to defend or excuse what hath been done by Lyes Falshood and Deceit or by refusing to Testifie the Truth of the Case then again must I say Adieu to you my dearly Beloved although deluded and unmerciful Brethren whom my Soul mourneth for Adieu to you who were my Beloved Ones and to Him whom you have Adored and by your Actions declare to be Infalling I bid Adieu for ever unlesa he shall Repent and Acknowledg his VVickedness FINIS