monstrous men in India Non loquntur sed latrant they do not speak but bark by positive Assertions reproachful Epithites rayling Speeches conquering the modest and civil and indeed by their black mouthes become like the Basilisk killing the Birds of the Air in their very flight by their very breath for if once reason begin to traverse their black Indictments thou art Carnal Antichristian Devils and the like must stay the Process and confirm the sentence Many ways I might manifest the darkness of their pretended light but I must not now stand on an History of them but leave them to the view of their carriage the witness of such who have been seduced by them and the writings of such as have withstood them amongst which I here commend to thee this small Tract written in a plain simple and rustick stile like unto its Author a plain simple country-man in a private Calling possessing an honest heart and publick spirit filled with zeal to plead the Cause of Truth to his power and to prevent his Country-men and Neighbours from being seduced by this Fanatick Generation and following a plain Ignis fatuus into a wilde Wilderness of pretended light within only before I part with thee give me leave to prescribe to thee these few Rules for thy preservation 1 Set Reason in its Throne I mean not reasons Dictates which yet as thou art a man thou must observe and follow though they are too short to guide thee to Heaven but the rational faculty and power of discerning discoursing and determining things which God and Nature hath given thee for observe the Devil blindes this Eye and dethrones this Judge when he advanceth this pretended light when you are mad you may be brought to any thing 2 Stick close to Scripture as the Light unto thy feet and Lanthorn to thy paths by this the light exhibited by Christ and his Apostles was manifested and by this the Spirit of Light will be judged whilst Reason doth sit Judge see that it sentence by the Law of Scripture therefore in the right use of Scripture see that thou do own and embrace First Scripture sentences not words this sort of men do speak words and but words leaving sentences and so making the Word of God of none effect Secondly Sense of Scripture not meerly sentence the sentence may be figurative and to be understood otherwise than the words do simply shew as This is my Body and other like expressions do evidence Thirdly Sense rationally inferred as well as positively asserted reasoning from the Scripture is suitable to an enlightned rational being Fourthly Sense plainly flowing from the scope and circumstances of the text not strained by allusion unto Allegories and the like 3 State to the Soul standing Principles of Christianity see some things to be true and out of all controversie not to be admitted to debate but retained with all resolution against all temptation know that a Sceptick is a Quakers Gentleman-usher 4 Shun their Society especially solemn Assemblies how shouldest thou chuse but learn a lesson in the Devils School if thither thou resort day by day if their air bee infectious and Inchantments only Spiritual which on good ground and I beleeve experience too are found to bee natural canst thou accompany with them without danger it was once the Churchesery Cant. 1.7 Why should I turn aside by the flocks of thy companions 5 Sue by fervent prayer for the spirit of a sound mind now that thou art faln into a fanatique age prize the many helps thou hast to keep thee in thy wits and know that spirit of sobriety is the blessing of God but thereby effected in special use this Tract unto its especial end and that thou by it and helps of the like nature may be delivered from the error of the wicked is and shall be the constant prayer of Thine in and for the truth of the Gospel Zach. Crofton April 17. 1656. THE QUAKERS Paper truly copied out as it was by them written and sent to the Ministers and People in and about Walton and Liverpool To which the following Treatise is an Answer To the Priests and people of Walton and Liverpool and thereabouts FOr as much as there was a Dispute at the Greave-house near Walton betwixt the people called Quakers and the aforesaid Priests before mentioned In which Dispute the Priests was to prove the lawfulness of receiving of Tythes which by Scripture they could not do but one Scripture they brought in for their own ends which makes nothing for their purpose in Luke 11.42 to prove the receiving of Tythes for this was before he was sacrificed up when he said Woe unto ye Pharisees for ye tythe Mint and Rue and all manner of Herbs and pass over judgement and the love of God These ought yee to have done and not to leave the other undone Now let all people who have any understanding consider and see whether this be any ground or command for the Priests to take Tythes of the people after his being sacrificed up for he said These ought ye to have done but he gave no commandement to continue in them for he was the end of the Priesthood and the end of the Law by which the Priests took Tythes for the Priesthood being changed there was of necessity a change of the Law and a disanulling of the Commandement going before as Heb. 7.12.18 But in the time of the Law they was to take Tythes of the people according to the Law Heb. 7.5 and those that did not bring their Tythes into the Store-house whilst that Law and Commandement was of force robbed God Mal. 3.8.10 And the Lord commanded that all the Tythes should be brought of the increase and laid up and the Levite because he had no part nor inheritance with the people and the stranger and the fatherless and the widows should come and eat and be satisfied Deut. 14.28 29. And this was in the first Priesthood and before Jesus Christ was sacrificed up the unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 8.1 The everlasting Treasure Col. 2.3 In whom dwells all fulness vers. 9. Who hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances and took it out of the way and nayled them to the Cross triumphing over them vers. 14 15. Then the Apostle denied all Ordinances that were hand written and said the Law was changed and the Priesthood was changed Heb. 7.12 and the Commandement disanulled so the Law now being changed by which the Priesthood was made and the Commandement disanulled by which they took Tythes of the people of God himself and the hand-writing of Ordinances blotted out therefore who art thou O man that goeth about to build again set up allow write for and uphold that which God put down disanulled and blotted out and nayled to the Cross Gods enemy thou art whoever thou bee for the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Psal. 24.1 And all are commanded to honour God with their substance who are his Stewards
Prov. 3.9 Take heed how yee dishonour him by giving his goods to his open Enemies who uphold and maintain that which he hath disanulled and witnessed against for you that do so are unprofitable Stewards and hee will call you to an account of your Stewardship And hee that is unjust in the least is also unjust in much Luke 16.10 11. And if yee be not righteous in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches And if yee have not been faithful in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your own hee that hath an ear to hear let him hear and understand And if your Priests will take Tythes as they did in the time of the Law see ye do the office of the Priests that took Tythes they kept a Store-house and the widows and the fatherless and the strangers which was within the Priests gate was fed And if they do thus they must own themselves to bee Ministers of the Law and not of the Gospel And if they do not thus they rob the poor the fatherless the widows and strangers and neither are Priests of the Law nor Gospel so from the Law and Gospel do wee shut them who are neither in the steps of them who were under the Law nor in the steps of Christs Ministers who was the end of the Law so from being Ministers of either Law or Gospel yee have cleared your selves and shut your selves out by your practices And thou Priest Fogge of Liverpool who said They that hold forth the way of perfection holdeth not the way of God but from under this thou canst not get but under the condemnation must come for the way of God is perfect which way is Jesus Christ for saith hee I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by mee So thou that saith The way of perfection is not the way of God art out of the way of God and thy condemnation thou must own So confesse thy error to the people who hast spoken against Christ who is the way of God and the way to God which way is perfect and indures for ever So for the simple ones sake have I given this forth who was at the meeting and received not satisfaction because of the disorder that day That they might come to see their Teachers who hath long deceived them taking their goods from them contrary to the Law of God written in mens hearts so with the light which comes from Christ which convinceth you of sin shall you see them to bee such as the Prophet speaks of and saith Put into their mouths and they cry Peace Peace but put not into their mouths and they prepare War against you Mat. 3.5 And this is fulfilled by many of the Priests of England this day who sue many at the Law and cast many into prison because they put not into their mouths so to the light of Christ in you all take heed which is your way and Teacher and from all false wayes and Teachers doth lead Given forth by him whom in scorn is called QUAKER Thomas Holme QVAKERS Principles quaking Friend and Friends I Have perused your written Paper directed to the Priests as you are pleas'd to call them and people in and about Walton and Liverpool and you adde in one Clause of it that for the simples sake you sent it forth it was my purpose that one of those simple ones should return you an Answer and I humbly beg upon the bended knees of my Soul that the Answer I shall return may be so full of Gospel simplicity that God may have the glory my duty may be discharged and your judgements rightly informed and then I doubt not but some of you at least will consider from whence you are fallen Rev. 3.3 and repent and do your first works and so prevent the Lords coming against you in fury and in wrath for I seriously profess I look upon it as a very dangerous peece to break our selves off and rent our selves from the Church of God for as Gen. 9.1 c. Noahs Ark was a clear Figure and Type of the Church of God so Noahs Dove is a clear embleme of such as through affectation of new and unknown paths do stray from the Church of God and forsake the assemblies of the Saints as the manner of some is Heb. 10.25 And I pray you observe with me what became of Noahs Dove whilst she was out of the Ark and you shall finde she found no rest for the sole of her foot till she return'd to the Ark Gen. 9.9 and Noah took her in again and let me tell you this Scripture as well as other Scriptures Rom. 15.4 was written for our learning consider what I say and the Lord if it be his good pleasure give you understanding 2 Tim. 2.7 But before I come to the Answer of your Paper let me tell you at what I very much wonder viz. That you should make use of the Scriptures to prove what your deluded Fancies would hold forth and yet will not acknowledge them to be the Word of God I know what you are ready to say viz. That Christ is the Word and I through Gods mercy know it as well as you and am I bless God able in some measure to distinguish between the Word of God and God the Word yet let me tell you if I did not beleeve really that Jesus Christ and the Scriptures speak one and the same thing or that Jesus Christ the internal Word and the Bible or Book of God the external word were both one I would as soon prove my Tenents from the Turkish Alchoron as from the Scriptures which were Blasphemy for me once to imagine And now to the answer of your Paper in which I have observed and seriously considered three things 1. From whence it came 2. To whom it is directed and 3. The subject matter of it which indeed savours so much of rayling and reproach than I dare not answer you in your own Language least I should betray my self not to be guided by the Spirit of God which is a spirit of meekness But to the First of these viz. from whence it came I have only this one word to say viz. it came from a people that I look upon as objects of much pity not of envie a people that I have sometimes been very intimate with at least some of you A people with whom I have taken sweet counsel when we have walked to the House of God together as friends a people that I have dearly loved with Christian love a people that I have often prayed with and shall not yet cease to pray for Luk. 10.20 Luk. 15.4 5 that as many of you as have your names written in Heaven may be brought back upon the shoulder of Gods power to the Fold of Christ from whence yee are gone astray 1 Pet. 2.25 and thus much I am confident of with which I
unchangeable Priest-hood and if so they must needs of Divine right belong to the servants of Melchisedecks order but the Ministers of the Gospel are Servants of Melchisedecks order therefore to them of Divine right Tythes belong for Christ is a Priest nor after the Order of Aaron but after that unchangeable Order of Melchisedeck And methinks that practâ—ce of Jacob Gen. 28. is full for this present purpose he was going about a weighty business in pursuance of a command received from Isaac his Father God is with him and in his journey appeareth to him in a Dream le ts him see a Ladder reaching from earth to Heaven upon which the Angels ascended and descended Jacobs eyes are opened and he cries out The Lord is in this place and I knew it not vers. 16. He is terrified at the Lords presence and saith How dreadful is this place it is none other but the House of God and the gate of Heaven vers. 17. And observing these things he vows a vow vers. 20. saying If the Lord will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up for a pillar mentioned before in vers 18. shall bee Gods House and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee It is clear to me from this Scripture that Jacob acknowledgeth a tenth part of his substance to be of Spiritual right due unto the Lords House and he enters into a vow to perform his duty herein And if it was a Spiritual right belonging to Gods House it must needs of Divine right belong to Gods Servants that waite upon the service of his house these servants not being servants to such a Priest-hood as was subject to change for Aarons Priest-hood was not then erected but servants to an unchangeable Priest-hood even after the Order of Melchisedeck which endeth not for Christ continues a Priest for ever after the same Order all along in these Scriptures held forth viz. the order of Melchisedeck See for this Heb. 7.16 17. who is made not after the Law of a carnal Commandement but after the power of an endless life for he testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck So then wee see it pleased the most wise God whose is the earth and the fulness thereof to appoint such a proportion as the tenth part both before the Law and under the Law and never after expresly to take it off Who art thou oh man that dare say it is an unmeet proportion unless thou wilt acknowledge thy self to be wiser than God But since the legal proportion is displeasing to some I desire those that are displeased therewith strictly to observe the charge of the Apostle Paul who was an Apostle to the Gentiles and I doubt not but all truly godly Ministers of the Gospel will be well satisfied the charge is this Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Gal. 6.6 now Tythes are good things they are the fruits 〈◊〉 â—ne earth which fruits are called precious fruits Jam. 5.7 And in truâ—h the Apostle gives not this charge without good cause for the Ministers are commanded to give themselves to study to approve themselves unto God Workmen that need not to bee ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Tim. 2.15 and their care ought to bee laid out for the Churches of God 2 Cor. 11.28 so as that it must needs follow they cannot lay out such care for their Temporal provision as others whose call is not so immediately to the Lords work as theirs is And it seems to me the good Lord of the house who careth for his 1 Pet. 5.7 took special care that they that minister in the Word and Doctrin should bee comfortably provided for without this care though I confess it was to Timothy that Paul writ when he affirmed that if any provide not for his own especially for them of his own house he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 18. that text formerly mentioned Deut. 14.22 Deut. 25.4 is again quoted by the Apostle as if he would again and again couple Law and Gospel together to speak one and the same thing in point of comfortable provision for the Ministers of the Gospel and argues it from good reason viz. The labourer is worthy of his hire and proves this Argument from our Saviours own words Mat. 10.10 And but once more with which I will conclude this Section I find our Saviour promising ample reward to any that shall put forth a charitable hand towards any of his Ministers in a case of being fallen into poverty Matth. 10.42 Whosoever shall give to drink a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward and at vers. 41. more pregnant to our present purpose He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward I may say on the contrary hee that shall take from a Prophet the right of a Prophet as he is a Prophet or he that shall refuse to give entertainment to a Prophet into his house or into his heart as a Prophet may expect a Prophets Curse and what that is you may see if you please to turn to Zech. 11.17 But you may perhaps say If this provision bee made for the Mâ—nisters how should they fall into poverty and yet let me tell you such a thing once was and Gods great care put forth concerning it 2 King 4.1 c. the Prophet was dead and had left Wife and Children in debt but which is worth our observing rather than the Prophets debts shall be unpaid the Lord will work a Miracle viz. empty vessels shall be filled with Oyl and the Oyl shall be sold and the Prophets debts paid Thus we see Gods provision made for his Servants the Ministers cleared from the Word of God both out of the Old Testament and the New the Old sets out the proportion viz. the tenth part the New is silent as to the proportion but full for a comfortable furnishing of them with all good things his care is held forth for them to the working of a Miracle his promise made to any that shall receive them and minister to them though but in a Cup of cold water and if any yet out of a sinister end shall plead that it is not by all this clear that they ought to receive Tythes I have only one word more to say and so conclude Secondly It is not only clear by Scripture but the Law and customs of Nations hath made choyse of this proportion and of our Nation amongst the rest it hath been and still is established by the Laws of the Land and
methinks upon very good ground in regard a way more agreeable to Gods Word could not be found Besides which way could a more equall way be imagined for doth not the Minister as well as the people in this thing depend upon Gods blessing or cursing the earth whether his allowance shall bee more or less plentiful or scarce so as both Minister and people shall be in one capacity either to bless God for plenty or to wrastle with God in times of famine and scarsity for the removal of the Judgement Now seeing it is thus agreeable to the Law of God and Nations and so full of equity who art thou O man that dare so desperately set thy self against both the Law of God and man sure I am in my own experience since I knew the right hand from the left I never observed any that made a scruple of pretended conscience of paying Tythes but they fell by little and little not only to the denial of all maintenance to the Ministers but even to the despising of them though they cannot but know that he that despiseth them despiseth their Lord and Master the Lord Christ I profess I cannot conceive any reason why you should with such vehemency set your selves against the maintenance of the Ministry unless it bee either First to bring them into reproach and ignominy and so make them contemptible that God commands us to account worthy of double honour and so on set purpose contradict God 1 Tim. 5.17 or Secondly which indeed I rather judge to be the ground of it viz. The cunning policy of Sathan that knows well enough that this Doctrin will bee readily received of all that out of meer covetousness are loath to part with that which God requires and it may be your deluded fancy to make use of this Doctrin to increase the number of your Proselites for there is not a covetous worldling but he will be ready to joyn with you in this Doctrin seeing so fair a pretence made for it viz. a case of Conscience though he shall one day know that this very Conscience shall rise up in Judgement and condemn him as a meer covetous wretch I remember towards the close of your great Argument against Tythes you draw towards what you chiefly aim at and by your own rate of Argument go about to argue the Dispensors of Gods Word and Ordinances to bee neither Ministers of Law nor Gospel and usurp to your selves that power that was proper and peculiar to the Apostles of Christ and indeed is now to the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.20 viz. That great power of Excommunication for say you from the Law and Gospel do we shut them which is indeed the highest degree of Excommunication but you have utterly disenabled your selves from having any thing to do in this matter by breaking your selves off and renting your selves from the mystical Body of Christ which is his Church in whose hand this power lyes 1 Tim. 1.20 with 1 Cor. 5.4 5. and whereas you adde That the Ministers had excluded themselves if you mean those of them that gave you the meeting I utterly deny it for they have not rent themselves from the Church neither hath the Church cast them off you afterwards enjoyn them Confession and Repentance and indeed I do and they will acknowledge it a necessary duty for the best of Gods people have sin enough to make confession of and to bee humbled for except those like your selves who say they are whole and need not the Phisitian but let me tell you if I hear a man crying out Keep at a distance come not near for I am holier than thou Isa. 65.5 I would get as farre from that man in judgement and practise as I could though I would be as near to him in affection as I durst for fear of displeasing God I cannot but before I leave this point answer you in one of your reproachful expressions that you make use of in your Paper I call it reproachful because you would from it cast reproach upon Gods Ministers otherwise I acknowledge the words you bring in are the words of a Prophecy and are these Put into their mouthes and they cry peace peace but put not into their mouthes and they prepare warre Micha 3.5 and this you say is fulfilled in many of the Priests of England who as you say Sues many at the Law and casts many into Prison because they put not into their mouthes I confess I know not one president of this nature but if any be I hope there is not a godly Minister in England that would steer this course towards any that were not well able to pay their dues and indeed for those that are well able to pay but out of a refractory gain-saying and contradicting minde will not pay I think the Minister should sin if he did not Sue such at Law and my reasons are those two Fâ—â—st sâ—e should sin in tollerating an evil example that all covetous wretches would be ready to follow Secondly He would hereby frustrate that great end for which the Law was made and ordained The Law was not made for the good and gentle and obedient but for the stubborn refractory disobedient and lawless that can and will not answer to their duty so as to perform it It is true it is desired that Christian Brethren would dwell so together in love and unity each one striving who should go before another in ready performance of every just and equal thing that there needed no going to Law according to that we read 1 Cor. 6.1 c. most of which Chapter is laid out on this very thing But whilst we live in this world there will bee Tares among the Wheat there will be such men as Christians could not live amongst were it not for the Law for all you so much disclaim the necessity of it and not only so but the very use of it But further I have thus much to say in vindication of godly Ministers they both preach against and often times deny themselves in point of their own right to avoyd this unchristian work of going to Law and utterly set themselves against any that shall go about to fleece the Flock of Christ and neglect the performance of their duty and in their Sermons upon occasion preach against careless Shepheards blinde Watch-men and dumb Doggs as you can yet for all this if there be any that are not faithful in discharge of their Office as Moses was faithful in all his house Numb. 12.7 shall we for such a ones sake condemn all the Lords Embassadors God forbid we might as well condemn all the twelve Disciples and Apostles of Christ because one of them was a Devil which none that fears God dare assert And now if any be not yet satisfied in this point I refer him to the Labours of a learned Divine in his time viz. Bishop Hall who in a little Treatise of his called Practical Cases of
come to Judgement but my meaning is if we judge our selves we shall not be so judged as to be condemned of the Lord But to the matter in hand If the Law you speak of be the Law of God it cannot be repugnant to the Law of God lest as a standing Rule for men to walk by to the end of the world I need not prove what I mean here viz. Gods immutable and unchangeable Word the Scriptures which have been so clearly proved to bee one with God that I need not say any more than what I have already said but this I affirm that whatever pretended colour you put upon it if it be not Law and Testimony proof I shall give no credit to it for to the Law and to the Testimonies if they speak not according to this word it is because they have no light in them Isa 8.20 Secondly If it were the Law of Nature for all there might bee differences in judgement there would not be in Natural affection and therefore disciphering out some that Sathan had gotten into his power so as to bee led Captive by him at his will he sets this mark or brand upon them that all men might know them viz. without Natural affection Again if it were the Law of Nature it would lead us to acts and expressions of Human Civility for the best of Gods Saints were always ready to give civil Language and modest expressions to the worst of Gods enemies even to their Persecutors nay our blessed Saviour speaking to Judas saith Friend betrayest thou me with a kiss Matth. 26.49 50. But you dare not afford Civil deportment and Language to godly and holy men no not to the Ministers and Embassadours of the Lord Jesus Christ for fear of offending against this Law you say men ought to be guided by but the good Lord guide me by his Law written in the Scriptures and if it be his will give you both will and skill to judge aright of that Law written within and if it bee not according to Gods Law to look upon it as the delusion of the strong man armed that will be sure to keep the House till a stronger than he come in his power and throw him out Mark 3.27 I come now to the Second Admonition concerning that Light you say is within a man to which he only is to look I conceive it must either be First The light of Nature or Secondly The light that cometh by the illuminating Spirit of God or else no light at all but darkness put for light Isa. 5.20 But for the first of these viz. The Light of Nature you utterly disclaim it for you are no more Natural but Spiritual and that not only in part but in perfection I say as I said before I judge you not you stand and fall to your own Master But that you and I may the better judge our selves and of this light within us I conceive it will be our wisdom to try of what kind it is by observing whither it leads us and First If it lead us with joy and delight to the Assemblies of the Saints to the place where God hath promised his more special presence to the Church of God the ground and pillar of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 I should then look upon it as sometimes David did Even as a Lanthorn to my feet and a light unto my paths Psal. 119.105 but if any mans soul draw back Gods soul will have no pleasure in that man and If any man put his hand unto the Plow and look back he is not apt to the Kingdom of God But it may be you will object the thing I aime it viz. The joyning of your selves to our Churches you dare not do because there is corruption in them I answer it is truly desired of all Gods people that there were none But we know there will bee Tares among the Wheat though the Servants of the Lord of the Harvest would gladly have them plucked up and weeded out yet it is the Lord of the Harvest his Decree that they shall grow together till the Harvest not that hee hath an eye upon the Tares but lest whilst his servants going about to pluck up the Tares should pluck up the Wheat also Mat. 13.28 29 30. Secondly If this light lead us to the imbracing of Gods whole intire and individual word in the love of it if it lead us to close with Christ in sweet communion in those his Ordinances that are by him appointed not only for the begetting but also increasing and strengthening of Faith and all other Graces of his Spirit I mean the Sacraments of the New Testament so as we can receive Soul-refreshment and Grace-strengthening thereby I say if this light lead us this way I should be assured it were the Spirit of God otherwise I cannot but look upon it as a delusion of Sathan to which God had in Justice given me up because I would not embrace him in the tenders of his love in the Gospel and because I would not receive his Word in the love of it he had given me up to beleeve a Lye and to hearken to the Father of Lyes who though he transform himself into an Angel of Light yet goes about by all deceiveableness of unrighteousness to delude poor souls to their utter destruction and perishing I therefore desire that you and I might bâ— careful to try the spirits whether they be of God or no for many false spirits as well as false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 Joh. 4.1 I have but one word more and I have done methinks it should not bee the work of the Spirit of God to revile Gods Ministers and â—oyse Sâ—â—vants for indeed I finde it ranked amongst the works of the flesh Galâ—th 5.21 And else-where the Spirit of God ranks Revilers amongst such as shall not inherite the Kingdom 1 Cor. 6.9 10. and indeed your inhuman Raylings false and slanderous Accusations unchristian Judgings and Censures that you ordinarily pass upon all that are not of your Opinions what do they but render you to be a people that take to your selves that boldness that an Angel of God durst not do when hee was to deal in dispute with the Devil of Hell for saith the Text He durst not bring against him a rayling accusation but said the Lord rebuke thee Jude 9. I pray observe what a strange expression the Holy Ghost makes use of here an Angel of God an Arch-Angel the best of Created Creatures disputing with the Devil worse than the worst of men yet durst not I say durst not bring against him a rayling accusation but it is too apparent that men below the Angels of Heaven dare bring rayling accusations against those that are farre enough above Devils For God made man a little lower than the Angels Psal. 8.5 6. If I had not just occasion to blame you for your rayling accusations against them that cannot be denied to be your Fellow-Creatures if no more could be said for them But your bolt is shot against Gods choycest Servants and which I desire may be seriously considered Sathan is called The Accuser of the Brethren Revel. 12.10 these things considered I desire you and I may in good earnest examine our selves and if we finde our selves guilty judge our selves and a farre as you are found in fault I heartily with if it be the good pleasure of God you may bee truly sensible of it and return and joyn your selves to the Communion of the Saints in the Publick Ordinances of God that we may have as sweet Fellowship and Communion with the Father and the Son and with one another as ever we had before your going out from us by which you have declared your selves not to be of us for had you been of us doubtless you would have continued with us 1 Joh. 2.19 And with which I will conclude if either you or any man or men teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrin which is according to godliness let him pretend as much humility as he can He is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envie strife raylings evil surmisings 1 Tim. 6. â— 4. I desire this and all other Scriptures that are written may be as effectuall to you as sometimes the readâ—ng of the thirteenth Chapter to the Romans was to Saint Augustin and it shall rejoyce my heart I charge you that this Epistle be seriously read of all that you account to be the holy Brethren FINIS * Thi sense you seem â—o â—avoâ—r in your Paper