right and inheritance challengeng them the field and setting vp a flagge of defiance against the Citie of truth and the God of Israell Behold here comes one the least of ten thousand that doth accept the challenge seeing others doe hold their peace and although hee know not how to beare armes in the field as the manner is yet he promiseth in the name of the God of Iacob with a sling and a stone to bring their champion on his knees for all his stout words that his army who trusted in him may be glad to take their flight and you enioy your Citie in peace And thus most noble Citizens farewell Your faithfull friend till death I. H. To M. IOHN SMITH and to the Companie with him at Amsterdam in Holland AH Master Smith I would for your owne sake you had not written with such affirmation Many things which you haue also made so publike the which you can neuer call home againe although you your selfe doe finde them false whereby also you haue made your selfe more vnable and vnwilling to reuoke them though they be proued so Much better therfore had it bene for you to haue left that Paper vnstained by your hand that should paint forth an vntruth and neuer haue set Pen to write but to the vnchangeable truth of God of which you neuer neede repent and whereof the Church of Christ is the piller Considering also how great a danger euery one doth fall into that is found to adde or diminish from or to the intent and purpose of the word of God I would therefore you had beene better aduised before you had published your bookes You thought your selfe as fully satisfied when you were of another minde You know or at the lest there be that know them that haue three foure nay fiue times changed their Religion that thought themselues as fully satisfied euery time as you thnike your selfe now what they are now some of them I wil not say And if euery man should publish bookes so often as they change their mind how many Religions then should spring from one man and he perhaps be author of so many sects what heapes of bookes are there at this day of seuerall opinions Make therfore no more matter for the fire there is straw and stubble enough already Speake truth for the day of burning is at hand And whatsoeuer you do looke to the maine leaue not the foundation as some haue done Hold fast the beginnings least you neuer come to the endes And I pray God deliuer you from the Curse of Sinai and her sonnes Hagars children And bring you all vnto the blessings of mount Sion and into the rest and freedome of her children euen Saraes sonnes and daughters Your friend I. H. ¶ The Contents of that which followeth 1 A Description of the heauenly Ierusalem with her priuiledges and of her stability and of her Commons and intercommoners 2 A veiw or search of Master Smiths Church with a discouery of the vnsoundnesse and Ruinousnes thereof 3 An examination of a principall answere of his wherevpon many of his other reasons doe depend against the Baptisme of Children and the confutation thereof with sufficient reasons and proofe for the lawfulnes of Baptizing them and that the Baptizing of Children cannot be the marke of the Beast 4 Of the Commonalty and Commons of Christians in generall and wherein specially they are to be distinguished and how the Commoners ought to carry themselues toward the little speciall ones and how the speciall do and ought to walke towards the Commoners 5 Of Christian libertie and of the lawfulnes of the Authority of Magistrates and how all subiects are bound to obey 6 Of Faith and Repentance 7 A Reprehension of Master Smith for his bold Challenge 8 An exhortation to him and his company 9 A short description of the contentions of these times 10 Of Sions Restauration the fall of her greatest enemy and of her euerlasting glory To Master IOHN SMITH and to the Companie with him at Amsterdam in Holland ANd least I runne into your fault and fall into the same daunger with you as of my selfe I haue no strength to stand more then you By the grace and assistance of my God I will take heede and though I haue not the skill of the learned Disputers of this world yet I hope the Spirit of Trueth will so direct me that I shall rather say I know not then set downe and affirme that for trueth which shall be found a lie This therefore I say and write not respecting what you haue said nor regarding your many Arguments to the contrarie That the Church which the Lord doth build consisteth of liuing stones 1. Peter 2. Mat. 16.18 And the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against that Church or any one of the stones thereof Reuel 20.6 but it shall stand and preuaile against Hell and the snares of the second death so that not one shall perish that is of this holy Temple For this Church of Christ and euery stone thereof 1. Pet. 2.4 7. is framed and fashioned from aboue he himselfe is the foundation and chiefe corner stone And all the stones of this building are his brethren reborne and made a new not in shew but in very trueth not for a time but for euer not one of them shall euer fall off They are all of them euerlasting as is their foundation whereon they rest and whose strength doeth stay them vp Matt. 16.19 Great priuiledges hath this Church aboue all other for to it hee hath giuen the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to open and shut to binde and loose And where two or three of this vniuersall Church of Christ Matt. 18.18 20. consisting of stones of life are gathered together in his Name hee hath promised and will not faile to be in the midst of them And whatsoeuer they binde in earth is bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose on earth is loosed in heauen And where two of them shall agree in earth vpon any thing whatsoeuer yee shall desire it shall bee giuen you saith he of my Father which is in heauen This Church is one Ephe. 4.5 6. the Faith is one the Baptisme is also one and the same in euery stone thereof not on the skinne but in the heart Their Rocke is Christ that their one Lord he is the Prince of their Faith and Hope and his Father is their one God and Father alone who is aboue all and through all and in them all praised for euer Gal. 4.26 And this is Ierusalem from aboue which Saint Paul saith is the mother of vs all and is free And this and all of them are those little ones whom the Lord said whosoeuer shall offend It were better that a Milstone were hanged about his necke Matt. 18.6 and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea so precious in his sight are they all And whosoeuer shall giue but a cup
thy brethren and seeke his loue as before with all courtesie and meekenesse of exhortation and if he still resist thy loue and vtter wordes of scorne against thee or reuile thee as enuie cannot hide it selfe Then can that one or two witnesse against him and will if that he will not heare them neither but first let them also admonish him that so euery word that he speaketh euill against thee or the light in thee may be confirmed And if he refuse to heare them tell it vnto the Church if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican that is If hee still like a scorner refuse to giue eare and to receiue instruction at the handes of that one witnesse with thee or two tell it to the Church These he hath made Pillars in his house and they shall goe no more out Reu. 3.12 that is to those little ones borne of God being gathered together in my name who onely haue this priuiledge to be my Church and Pillar of truth for if there were fiue hundred brethren more beside the little humble ones yet none can iudge this cause but they This Church doth neuer condemn the inocent and let the guilty goe free This Church neuer decreed lies and condemned the truth And if he refuse to heare this Church let him bee vnto thee no longer as a brother and a fellow partaker in the common things of the kingdome wherein before he did and might take part with thee as a disciple of Christ but let him be vnto thee and vnto all the Church euen as a Heathen that beleeueth not the truth of the Ghospell and as a Publican that professeth the practise of sinne Verily I say vnto you Ver. 18 whatsoeuer you binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen for to you it is to whom I haue giuen the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen as well to binde them that sinne against you and the Conenant of loue written in you with the bond of death and to shut the gate of mercy and loue against them as also to lose the bonds of iniquity and the cords and chaines of their sinnes that do repent and to open the gates of my kingdome of mercy life vnto them so that whatsoeuer ye binde on earth is bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye lose on earth is losed in heauen For if he escaped not that despised him that spake on earth how should he then escape that despiseth him that speaketh from heauen And as he died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses that despised Moyses law Much more lamentable and fearefull is the condition of him that despiseth that law and couenant of grace whereby his soule should liue resisting the voice of the bride and of her children which sought his good How much greater is his bondage and sorer shall his punishment be that is condemned by that Church where the Prince of the couenant doth sit of treason against his bloud by the testimony of two or three witnesses It had been good for that man if he neuer had beene borne And better for him after hee was borne that a milstone had beene hanged about his neck and throwne to the bottome of the Sea before he fell to despise the Lord in his Sanctuarie and to resist his spirit of grace in his little ones Againe verily I say vnto you That if two of you my brethren that beleene in me Ver. 19 agree in earth vpon any thing concerning my word and the meaning thereof either for the sentence of death to the disobedient or mercy and life to the returned sinner whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name if it be life for him that sinneth not vnto death or whatsoeuer else is necessary and good for the kingdome he will giue it you For Ver. 20 where two or three be gathered in my name there am I in the middest of you what will hee not therefore giue you for my sake Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full These are priuiledges belonging only to those little ones that are born of God who haue their parts in the first resurrection against whom the gates of hell shall not preuaile nor yet the second death But there was euermore an Israell after the flesh which persecuted that Israell which is after the spirit and shall be to the worlds end For this generation shal not passe away till the Lord himselfe come Mat. 24.34 And if there were not an Israell not of God Paul would neuer haue said To the Israell which is of God And if there were not an earthly Ierusalem he would neuer haue told vs of a heauenly Yea there were two Ierusalems in all times Two Israels in all ages two mothers two test aments two seeds euen from the beginning As Caine and Abell Ismaell and Isaack Esau and Iacob Two lands of Canaan heauenly and earthly Two rests carnall and spirituall As it is written saying To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts least ye enter not into this rest Euen then while they were in possession of the earthly rest Heb. 3.15.16.17.18.19 which by vnhardning their hearts and hearing his voice they might haue entred into Euen the same way which euer was still remaines and shall doe to the worlds end Euen the same rest the same heauenly Ierusalem the same congregation of the first borne the same holy City the same Church which hath had in it at all times the same power from God to binde and loose to remit and to retain sinnes And this is the bride the Lambs wife This is she to whom is granted to be cloathed in white aray And these are they that watch and are sober attending with their Lampes burning to meete the bridgeroome their husband These all vnhardened their hearts and heard his voice and entred into his rest The rest and peace with God rest to their soules euen that rest which is said to remain to the people of God Heb. 4.9 And whosoeuer entred into that rest did first heare his voice that is receiued the word of faith And whosoeuer receiued that word of faith did first vnharden his heart that is did first repent was lost and dead crying and bewailing with an vn-vtterable desire of life his sinnes death and these are the dead which heare the voice of the sonne of man and liue Ioh. 5.25 And this is that one baptisme spoken of and is called the baptisme of repentance Acts. 19.4 Mark 1.1.2.3.4 and the beginning of the Gospell the preparation to the word of faith That one faith spoken of and they that are borne againe of these two Mat. 3.3 Ephe. 4.5 haue all receiued that one spirit spoken of euen the spirit of adoption and are all seruants vnto that one Lord and children to that one God their
Cor. 13.4.5.6.7.8 And waite with patience laboring to see it by any means they will bring forth fruit euen the fruit of the good tree The good fruitwhich when they see they do reioice imbrace them knowing thereby that they are borne of God their owne father as Children of that holy Church Ierusalem their mother purged and purchased through his eternall Testament in the bloud of that one Lord the Lambe 1. John 3.14 to be an holy habitation to himselfe for euer And here is no loue lost betweene these brethren such loue betweene them as neuer was betweene earthly brethren As the stocke they came of in their new generation doth excell in glory inriches in power 1. Iohn 5.1 in wisedome in bounty in mercy and loue all Fathers and Mothers in nature be they neuer so high in place of this world euen that they can giue Kingdomes and thousand thousands of Gold and Treasure to their Children and possesse them of all the pleasures that the world can afford and with all the signes of loue that nature can expresse I say as the great God of Heauen doth excell the greatest that euer was on earth And as his loue is infinite beyond theirs and his abilitie also to performe the same So doe the gifts the signes and seales of his loue excell theirs And as his children doe come of a more noble stocke then theirs and are more honourablie descended euery way So doe they excell in loue ten thousand degrees for ehey loue for other and greater respects And as loue was the beginning and cause of this happinesse 1. Iohn 4.19 euen the loue of the eternall God as the Scriptures witnesse So loue is the end of their conuersation Heb. 13.8 in and through Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for euer This is that name so secretly written vpon them that no man can Reade or know it but they alone which haue it Reuel 3.12 and vpon them onely is his Name written New Ierusalem as it is written Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God And he shall goe no more out And I will write vpon him the name of my God and the name of the Citie of my God euen the newe Ierusalem which commeth downe from heauen from my God And my new name And this is the ende which whosoeuer endureth vnto is faithfull to the death and shall receiue the Crowne of life Many false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many Mat. 24.11.12.13 and because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall bee cold but he that endureth to the end euen this true and perfect loue the contrarie to iniquitie and to loue that is cold he shall be saued And this is the Baptisme of the holy Ghost and fire Matth. 3.11 euen the fire of Gods loue the coals wherof are fiery coales and a burning flame which much water cannot quench neither the flouds drowne But it breaketh foorth and returneth such a loue to his God and Father â—an 8.7 and to his Lord and redeemer as no man knoweth but he that hath it And such a loue to his fathers Children those little ones his and his Lords brethren as they neuer know nor shall know who are neuer borne againe Yea he returneth loue to al men euen to his enemies Prou. 21.22 Rom. 12.20 21. Psal 15.2 4. If he hunger or thirst he feedes and giues them drink and so heapes coales of this fire vpon his head Hee speaketh the truth from his hart and with his tongue vseth no deceit Hee esteemeth not himselfe but is vile in his owne eyes Hee enuieth not 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6. The Sunne goes not downe vpon his anger Hee reioyceth not in iniquitie but alwayes in the trueth and in doing good to others Loue seeketh not her owne And are not these fruits which may distinguish betweene the good tree and the bad These fruites those righteous men neuer brought foorth which fell away Heb. 3.14 Their blade was neuer like this fruit Their beginnings were neuer like these endings Those first were neuer like these last Matth. 22.14 which are the first euen the first borne For many are called but fewe chosen And this is Ierusalem that poore little sweete holy Citie Reuel 11 2. which hath bene troden vnder feete of those heathen Gentile Courtiers and outside Christians not worth the measuring these many hundred yeres And this is the Hill which once stood vp aboue the Hils whose light did shine from East to West Rom. 1.8 euen to the worlds end To it the Nations flocke to heare and see the things that were of her so famous throgh the world To whom shee cried saying Come whosoeuer will and take of the water of life freely Reuel 22.17 whereat many reioyced beleeued and were Baptised Of which some were made pet takers of her peculiar things And were not onely beleeuers of the trueth and Baptised with the Baptisme which thereunto belonged but were Baptised in heart broken and dissolued into a thousand teares And beleeued in him who also Baptised them with the holy Ghost and fire The other hard and vnbaptised in heart refusing that graceso freely offered them Iudging the common Faith and Baptisme which they had receiued sufficient to serue their turne Supposing that one Talent safely kept would stand them enough insteede when the day of account should come despised the little ones that were borne and Baptised from aboue Acts 20.29 And thus began the mysterie of iniquitie to worke and grew vp in time aboue the Hill of God and like Wolues spared not his flocke tooke possession indeede of the outward Court gathered strength got a head And trode downe that liberall free Citie the true mother and nurse to the Lords lambes and babes This head of theirs is that great Antichrist Reuel 13.1 that beast which rose out of the sea with seuen heads and ten hornes who hath reigned now twelue hundreth and three yeeres and yet still reigneth and shall till seuen and fiftie moe be come And then his dayes his times Reuel 11.3 moneths and yeeres shall be accomplisht euen one thousand two hundred and sixtie and his Crownes puld from his head his Citie burnt with fire and vpon that woman which saith I sit being a Queene am no widow and shall see no mourning shall come shame and confusion howling and crying and vtter desolation euen she which now calleth her selfe by the name of the true mother and like an harlot challengeth the husband of the true spouse to bee hers Mat. 23.35 And these are the ofspring of Caine the race and line of those Pharasies at whose hands the Lord said should be required the blood of all the Prophets from righteous Abell to Zacharias yea these are all one house with them And so are all the assemblies and congregations in the world be they neuer so cleane without doing
ought to learne to be baptised in heart be mercifull to all and bountifull as God is bountifull who giueth his sunne to shine vnto the good and the bad and the raine of his worde to fall vpon the iust and vniust To teach you and me and all of vs what we should doe The spirit saith Reuel 22.17 whosoeuer wil let him come Take you heed adde not to nor diminish from his word giue to all that come whatsoeuer you haue power to giue Christ gaue a greater thing to little children laying his owne handes vpon them seeing their parents came so willingly requested him them parents can now looke for at the hands of baptisme when they come bringing their children and request it Imbrace little children therefore and though you cannot giue them the greater giue them the lesser Did the Lord compare his little returned ones to a little child and dare you compare that child to a stone and a stocke a tree a mad man and a foole and say it is as lawfull to baptise the one as the other If you had liued in the Apostles daies had bin one of them you wold haue bin glad if the Iewes or heathen had come to you with willing minds to haue their children baptised to this end that they might loose the name of a Iew or heathen and be called a Christian But now it is so stale it stinckes with you Master Smith you are so bewitcht with this opinion that baptisme with water doth giue an entrance into the speciall kingdome of Heauen Mat. 18. which the Lord speaketh of when he saith Except ye returne and become as little children yee shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen that you runne into a hundred errors Iohn 3.5 Whereas regeneration onely is the entrance into that kingdome of heauen where into none come but such as shall bee saued And whereas baptisme of water giues but an entrance into the common Kingdome of heauen Mat. 13.47 compared to a net which catcheth fish of all sorts good and bad Mat. 5.45 and the bad haue as much grace conferred vnto them by that baptisme as the good Mat. 7.22 as they haue of his Sunne and raine for the bad are oftentimes more ful of knowledge by the light and can discourse more redily vpon the word of God then the good Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God by the Spirit of regeneration 1. Cor. 3.6 that giues the increase Are you Master Smith and your company the children of wisedome and discerne ye not neither do ye iustifie these things Are you a teacher in Israell and know not what it is to be borne againe Are ye those wise and prudent men of vnderstanding from whom these things are hidden that are reuealed vnto babes Is it not giuen to you to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen what hath God forgot himselfe Mat. 11.25 Mat. 13.11 are you that Ierusalem from aboue and are these things hidden from you doth he not giue to his little ones great things Is hee not the same to day that hee was yesterday and shall he not be the same to morrow againe Yea hee is the same for euer and beholde I am with you saith he vnto the worlds end Mat. 28.20 John 14.16 Mat. 5.18 though Heauen and earth doe passe away yet his word shall not passe away vnfulfilled Beleeue ye not this I know ye beleeue it And I hope better of you though I so speake for God hath enlarged my heart and opened my mouth vnto you which putteth me in great hope that you are of that remnant which shall be saued But yet a little further for I haue somewhat more to say vnto you which is hard to be vttered because I say ye are dull of hearing and because it would take vp much time to set downe all wherein you misse and also it being a course wherin I take no pleasure I wil rather set downe what is the truth then tell of your falshood that by the grace of God beleeuing the one we may escape the other Now if you will know what difference there is yet more betweene the true Spouse and Church of Christ which he doth build himselfe against which the gates of hell shal not preuaile nor yet the second death to whom he hath giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and those her entercommoners I will tell you First let vs consider how things were in the Apostles dayes on earth for then I am sure truth was in place and practise both and I wil not labour to make it agree with these weake times but much rather labour and desire that we which liue in these corrupt times might agree with and become like it I say whosoeuer then gladly receiued the word as it is written were baptised Heb. 3.1 and were called of the Apostles generally by the names of holy brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation c. Insomuch as they were made partakers of the holy Ghost and consented to that heauenly calling Heb. 6.4.5 6 Heb. 10,29 being enlightened tasting of that heauenly gift were called holy in regard of these good beginnings which was wrought in them whereby their olde life was reformed And therefore the Lord compareth them that receiue the seed of his word some to the high way side some to stonie ground and some to thornie ground some to good ground which brought forth fruite Insomuch as they were sanctified and purged of some vncleannesse of spirit wherefore they are said by the Lord to be swept and garnished and by Peter said to be washed and to the Hebrewes sanctified and all this is wrought in them by the ministration of the good word of God which they had tasted of and by the operation of the holy Ghost whereof they were made partakers whereby also some of them wrought miracles and some cast out diuels Now these things are all cōmon Except the good fruite as well to those vncircumcised in heart the vnregenerate As to the circumcised in heart the little ones borne againe And although these things be effected by the Ministerie of the word and of the holy Ghost and do tend to his kingdome for the Lord doth nothing against his owne kingdome any more then Sathan doth worke against his kingdome yet it is not regeneration Mat. 1◠26. Ioh. 3,5 the birth of water and the holy Ghost spoken of nor yet the first resurrection And though this sowing of the word of the Lord and these effects of the spirit do tend to the kingdom yet is it not sowen in the high wayes nor in the stonie ground nor in the thornie ground to the end it should bring forth fruit like the good ground Thirty sixty and a hundred fold And although these foure sorts of ground are Communicants in these commons together and little difference can be discerned betweene them by these first
and embracing the little ones knowing that he that is the greatest shall be as the least and he that is cheefe as him that serueth then shall they bee worthy of double honour Now let vs speake a little of some of the greatest things that God requireth at our handes the which we haue greatest neede to looke after to practise and performe and that is to bee borne againe of water and the holy Ghost I hat is to say the true teares of repentance and the fire of Gods loue by the power of the holy Ghost without the which we shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of heauen And though we should giue to Caesar the thinges that bee Caesars yet are we neuer the neerer to the Kingdome of heauen except we giue vnto God the things that are Gods The first effect of the spirit in vs is to beleeue that God is and is to be found Heb. 11.6 The second effect of the spirit for which the promise and word of faith is made and giuen is repentance First therefore whosoeuer commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is also a rewarder of them that seeke him for no man commeth vnto God to be borne againe and reconciled vnto him but he must first beleeue that he is euer was and shall be and is onely able to saue and willing also and ready to be found of them that seeke him Now then the first worke which the Lord doth worke in vs effectuall to saluation is repentance and is the beginning of our regeneration and the first steppe of seeking God after wee beleeue that hee is and is to bee found And this repentance is an vnspeakeable sorrow for sinnes desire of reconciliation with God with such a moulten and dissolued heart as yeeldeth forth thousands of teares from the deepe digged well of water broken vp from the bottome of that his sorrowfull heart Act. 19.4 washing and baptising it therin bewailing his wofull and lost condition in his father Adam and the loathsome vncleannesse of his owne life which the righteous law of God had most iustly condemned him for Sighing and sobbing beeing borne and become euen as water crying and calling for mercy night and day Iohn 3.5 neuer giuing ouer till God takes pitty vppon him and send downe the comforter vnto his oppressed soule The third effect of the spirit is peace loue The assurance of Gods fauor forgiuenes of our sinnes with the fire of his loue to kindle peace therein and to purge the same according to his promise made in the slaine Lambe the onely mediator betweene God and all such heauy loaded sinners prepared digged and powred full of water like Elias his Sacrifice which fire of heauen doth so consume and licke vp this wette and well prepared Sacrifice Rom. 8.26 that the odor thereof is carried vp by the comforter the holy Ghost the Angell which the Lambe did send vnto him who doth carry and recarry from heauen to earth and from earth to heauen who with golden censure doth receiue and present with much odors that is giuen him the prayers Reu. 8.34.5 cryes and teares of this poore sighing soule offering them vpon the golden Altar which is before the throane of God where the fire of his loue dooth burne night and day and the smoake of the odors with their requests the cries and teares of this dry thirsty soule Ascend vp before God out of the Angels hand who maketh intercession for him in the mediation of the Lambe Requesting grace and fauour for him for the mediators sake and that hee would regard and pitty his soule whose messengers Mat. 18 1â— these cryes and teares are standing before the face of God among his Angels to beseene which grace and loue God doth grant vnto his Angell for him who with speed taketh the Censer and filleth it with the fire of the Altar and hasteth downe to power it vpon this and all such like poore thirsty soules The ioyfullest messenger that any man can haue bringing peace and comfort loue and ioy Assuring him it is decreed in heauen that he shall liue And this is to be borne of water and of the holy Ghost and this is it which Iohn meaneth when he saith Mat. 3.11.12 I baptise you with water to repentance but he that commeth after me shal baptise you with the holy Ghost and fire Psal 51.17 The sacrifice of God saith one is a broken and contrite heart Esa 42.3 A broken and contrite heart oh God thou wilt not dispise Thou wilt binde vp the brused reed and giue fire to the smoaking Flax. Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them seeke him yea of them that seeke thy face oh God euen Iacob my beloued Psal 27.8 Seeke yee my face my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy face The secrets of the Lord are opened to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding Psal 25.10 This is the man that can not onely giue Caesar the things that are Caesars But to God also the things that are Gods he offereth eueryday the sacrifice of a broken heart sighing and weeping to see his sinnes looke on him Rom. 7.35 which hee hath cast behinde him mourning to see how his flesh doth serue sinne whereas his minde doth loue and delight in the lawe of God his louing father who hath his heart night and day attending on his grace thinking on his mercies still neuer putting out of minde what hee hath done for him alwaies thinking where euer hee goes of his most pretious promises wondring at his great loue Vttering most ioyfull voices by himselfe alone vnexpressable ioyes in the holy Ghost hath hee often times and peace past vnderstanding thus doth hee walke with God and please him The night watches doth hee preuent and the Sun rising to giue thanks vnto his God and doth salute him before the day spring Thus doth God possesse him and he him Are not these thinges true Master Smith well time wil tell peraduenture you will obiect that I say but prooue nothing If heere bee nothing prooued you may the more easily disprooue for no man will gaine-say that which he taketh prooued if he be not possest with an euill spirit But it may bee you thinke scorne to fight with one that hath no weapon counting it no praise nor tryumph in such a victory well though you will neither fight nor yield as one that disdaineth so meane an offer yet truth shall winne though ye dispise to learne of her and scorne to speak vnto her But if you doe yet bethinke your selfe least you shold be thought to be put to silence by a foole and take heed I pray you kick not against the pricks let not the wisedome of the flesh ouer-rule you It is better a wise man should yeild a little to a foole then that the wise man should die at the point of
with all his trash is quite abandoned where all is reformed both life and doctrine And that is here with vs for we haue cast off all and haue beganne a new we baptise none but men of yeares and that doe make confession of our faith and are of vpright life wee haue strooke the right Couenant with him therefore he is here Then steppes vp the fift with a high spirit controuling al epecially the three last accusing them for wranglers and blasphemers saying ye are all lyers you are iangling contentious spirits ye seeke Christ without you seeke him within you you good thinking wise-ones you doe not so much as know what Christ is nor yet what Antichrist is you condemne that holy auncient father the Pope of Rome to bee the Antichrist the beast and man of sinne and all the holy orders of their Archpriests Priests and offices of good intentions hauing all names of good signification and all Images Sacrifices and Ceremonies of good information to bee all blasphemus Idolatrous and superstitious and so blaspheme the holy thinges vsed in the Catholicke Church of Rome Not knowing that as God did teach the world by the orders Sacrifices and Ceremonies vsed among the Iewes tell Christ came in the man Iesus So it pleased him also to teach the world by those Orders Images Sacrifices and Ceremonies vsed in the Catholique Church of Rome vntill the Christ came againe now in the end of the world according to his promises in his obedient man H. N. by whom hee hath appointed to iudge the world according to the Scriptures Not with fire and brimstone vpon mens heads as we suppose but with wise sentences with darke and parabolous saying deliuering high things with a high spirit teaching reproouing and condemning the whole word being the eight and the last breaker of the light The Archangel and the last Trumpe none in this third and last day wherein Christ is perfitted And is that Angell flying in the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach to them that dwell vpon the earth Saying Christ is not nor was not a man as yee suppose but holinesse is Christ And he that doth beleeue it is possible to keep all the ten commandements hath the right faith in Christ and they that doe attaine to the perfect keeping of them are risen from the dead according to the Scriptures and as holines is Christ and the sonne of God So sinne is Antichrist and the sonne of the diuell fight therefore against the Antichrist in your selues ouer come the beast which is the sinne and put on holines which is the Christ Put away therefore all your good thinkings and all your Scripture learnednese and come hether naked for here is cloathing enough for you for I tell your whosoeuer comes to learne at his schoole must be as simple and hold himselfe as ignorant as a little child for the tree of knowledge is the tree of death wherefore if ye will liue come hether did not the diuell tell you you should be as gods and will yee beleeue him still did he deceiue you once and will you not beware wherefore become fooles that yee may be wise And here take this booke but keepe it close for H. N. hath many enemies especially among this wrangling crue And therein thou shalt finde an interlude which if thou marke well shall teach thee all and harken no loner to those disturbing spirits who feed thee with nothing but the forbidden fruite Learne to liue againe in innocency wherein thou shalt not not be ashamed though thou shouldest goe naked as thou didst before and thou shalt know nothing but loue which shall neuer fade away and when thou hast attained to this thou shalt be in Paradice againe and then take of the tree of life and eate and liue for euer And tel me now Is no here Christ indeed and the very true Christ and haue I not also tolde thee what is the Antichrist and many other worthy thinges wherefore stay heere and thou shalt see wonders in the end These are strange and wofull times Are not these the dayes which the Lord fore-told here is Wolfes in sheepes cloathing on euery side and yet heere are not all but let others tell the rest for my part I am weary telling of these But which way is it possible for the little sheepe to escape these Wolues euen through a very narrow way and a straight gate which their Lord hath appointed and made easie for them for they must escape It is not possible the Elect should be deceiued the know them by their fruites These are the contentions of our dayes who shall end the cōtrouersie This we are sure of he that hath the bride is the bridegroome and shee which hath the bridegroome is the bride wheresoeuer shee be She hath begun to shew her face already a little and her voice hath beene heard euen in our land but the Wolues came so thick about her that shee was glad to retire a little into the wildernesse againe but when her appointed time and yeare is once come she shal come forth and end this controuersie whereby her little ones are so much dismayed in the meane time let her poore little children reioyce and be glad for her light shall shine euery day still more and more and as light comes in darknesse shall goe out howsoeuer things seeme to goe The night is euen passed the day begins to break it is but a little while the Sunne will shine for the morning and euening sacrifice must bee restored againe as in the former time and in the dayes of old And yet a little while and the King of Babell and his City both with all his army shall be ouerthrowne And the song of Moses shall be sung againe for the great City Rome shall be burnt with fire and like the great mill-stone which the Angell cast into the See be throwne downe and shall be found no more Then shall Israell sing in daunces as before saying Haleluiah Saluation and glory and power be to our God for hee hath triumphed gloriously The horse with his stately Rider is ouerthrowne and his pompe turned to the graue And then a very little while and that day so long looked for shall shew it selfe wherein that poore distressed and desolate woman tossed with tempest too fro who hath so long attended with many a wet eye and watchfull looke and her lamp alwaies ready burning for the cōming of her husband to the wedding day wherein he wil giue her a crowne of life and wipe her eyes for euer weeping more and giue her ioy and gladnesse in steed of mourning and beauty and euerlasting life and glory in stead of dust and desolation Great and meruailous are thy workes Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgements King of Saints who shall not feare thee oh Lord giue glory to thy name for thy iudgements are made manifest Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue glory to him for the mariage of the Lamb is come his wife hath made her selfe ready Esai 14. 4. 8. How hath the oppressor ceased and the gold-thirstie Babell rested Since thou wast laid low no hewer came vp against vs. FINIS To the Reader ANd if any man thinke heere is not so much said against them as their faults deserue Let him consider if one should lay open to others all his faults at once with their due deserts he would take it very vnkindly and very hardly euer receiue an admonition at his hands in good part that should so serue him Therefore to preuent this euill I haue rather laboured to tell them what they should be then to lay open what they are for loue hopeth the best till it see the worst And this I assure both thee them that no man euer was more forward and strict in outward obseruations nor more ready to contend about the forme and manner of religious exercises and carnall washings and all other commons of the Kingdome then the very hippocrite that neuer intended the purging of his heart nor yet to partake in her peculiar things though vnder the cloake of the one he doth pretend the greatest part in the other Make cleane then the inside first and the out-side shall bee cleane for whosoeuer is cleansed in heart neede not bee taught to wash his hands