Lord shewed you with all the evidence of truth that wee are for the present able to do that your distinction betwixt a false Church and no Church is vaine and fained aÌ„d that the word of God admits of no such distinction in the Lords Ordinances but that which is a false Ordinance is no Ordinance off God for God hath no false Ordinances You must therefore now be forced to hold and say off the assemblies off England that they are either true Churches of Christ or no Churches of Christ and if you hold them no Churches of Christ then can you not with anie manner of shew of truth say that you may retaine your baptisme which you have received in no church of Christ but in a church or congregation of infidels and vnbeleevers which you must needs account them if they be no Church of Christ for now al people in the world are either of the world or chosen out of the world and those are Christs disciples Ioh. 15.19 And al people are either with Christ or against Christ He that is not with me is against me saith Chr. Mat. 12-30 It is now high time to leave of halting betweene opinions and â—aâ—â—ering one another in our sinnes It is time now to leave of talking of Seperation and to seperate indeed and to tel the people of God their sinnes and shewe them their transgressions and not to account them Christians that by the hearing of the word doe become almost Christians as King Agrippa did but to shew theÌ„ that if they do not become altogether Christians they must bee content to be accounted infidels as Agrippa was for al the world are either beleevers or infidels If there be anie knowledg of God in men they wil graÌ„t thus and who will not grant that all that beleeve in Christ Iesus are holy and Elect and shal be saved if they continew to the end Concerning England therefore you must either make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree evil and the fruit evil If the faith off the Church of England be a true faith then is the Church of England a true Church and if the faith bee a false faith then it is a false Church that is no faith of Christ and no Church of Christ and if their faith be no faith of Christ theÌ„ are they al infidels and vnbeleevers of whome although you have so accounted by your walking towards theÌ„ yet by your words you declare them to bee otherwise wheÌ„ you are vrged to speake plainelie though in your writings you shew them to bee infidels when you affirme that God never made Covenant with them But you have too long walked deceitfullie in this point therefore wee presse you to it if you professe vprightnes either to God or men to manifest in all plainenes whether you hold the assemblies off England beleevers in Christ Let vs have no respects no duble respects nor no putting off difference off persons for all the Church off England are one body seeing they all drink of one Cup 1. Cor. 12 And if you hold them beleevers in Christ and truelie baptized into his name then are they your brethren aÌ„d you may not account them as enimies but admonish them as brethren 2. Thess 3.14.15 Then is your seperation most wicked and your building of new Churches contrarie to all rule of Scripture and you have falslie appiâ—ed the voice of the Angel Crieing against England Babilon is fallen she is fallen Come out of hir If they bee beleevers in Christ Iesus the voice of this Angel can not bee applied vnto them you must walke towards them by an other rule even by that rule which Christ hath appointed that all should walke by towards their brethren iff they sinne Mat. 18. and not seperate from them and build Churches vpon new foundations If in this our writing concerning you called Brownists wee bee iudged to convince sharplie wee hold it lawfullie done because you are a froward generation and great deceivers of mynds makeing a glorious vaine shaw to come out of Babilon but do not and notwithstanding that we have written in some thinges sharplie we could desire to be feâ—ed from froward suspects which you might free vs from the rather because there are divers off you both neare and deare vnto vs whome we require in love as wee do all to applie the sharpest reproofes to themselves for they had need And touching you Mr. Ro. remember that you have a letter of most loveing respect in your hands concerning these thinges to which you have not made answere whereby to prevent the publishing of this that especiallie concerne you Now as we have said vnto you called Brownists in this point so say wee to England and to the Presbitary If the Pope and they off that profession bee beleevers in Christ Iesus and bee truelie baptized into his name then have you of England and all the Nations off the Earth sinned greatlie to seperate from Rome in that you were al off one bodie and members one of another and being beleevers in Christ Iesus they are your brethren and you ought to walke towards them as brethren and ought not to seperate from Rome as you have done and do and build new Churches everie one vpon several foundations Iff you of England and the Presbitary and you called Brownists did make anie conscience to walke by the rules of Christ herein you would not walke towards Rome as you doe Iff you hold them beleevers in Christ Iesus and truelie baptized into his name which if they bee then are al the scriptures that are applied against Rome to prove hir Babilon and that Great whore that sits vpon manie waters and vpon the scarlet cullored Beast and Antichrist al these scriptures are misapplied to Rome these cannot bee applied to anie Persons or People that are beleevers in Christ Iesus and have put on Christ by baptisme And there is no voice of the Lord that cals to come out from beleevers in Christ Iesus the scriptures teach no such thinge Therefore Brownists must returne to the Church of England and the Church of England and the Presbitary must returne to Rome and bee al Sheepe of one sheepfold and repent of your vniust seperation from the bodie whereoff you were and are all members wee say are all members because by one spirit you are all Baptized into one bodie and though you say you are not off the bodie with the Church of Rome are you therefore not of the bodie 1. Cor. 12.13.15 You have and do al by one baptisme put on Christ aÌ„d you al have brought that your baptisme from Rome and so are you all Christians and beleevers by succession from Rome and you al account Rome beleevers in Christ Therefore though you say you are not off one bodie with Rome yet you are all members of one bodie with Rome Furthermore if Rome bee beleevers in Christ Iesus then are these Prophesies of scripture no where to
Iudah a falfe Church Iff therefore you hold or account England as Israell then must you hold aÌ„d account England a true Chur. for it is but your devisings to say Israell was a false Church and iff England bee as Israel a true Chur. then are al your sinnes exceeding great who have made such a seperation as you have And if you bee come from Babilon then looke the whole booke off God throughout and you shal find that no Babilonian circumcision could be admitted into the house of the Lord. And let all behold in the booke of the Revelation what the estate and condition off Babilon is and of al them that are in hir and how the voice off the Lord is come out of hir my people and if any shal worship the Beast his image receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand or receiveth the print of his name he shal drinke of the wine of the wrath of God Therefore there may nothinge bee reteyned that is brought from Babilon no marke nor print off name And will you bring the Print seale and name of your Christianitie from thence what vaile of darknes overspreads your harts herein you are deceived through the vaine ymaginations of your owne harts supposing that although you come out of Babilon yet you were not Babilonians but if you hold the assemblies of England Babilon as you declare you doe then except you can shew your genealogie that you with your vessel of baptisme which is your baptizing were brought from Ierusalem and out of the house of the Lord iff you cannot prove this which were duble follie to go about â—hen must you be conâ—ent to knowe your selves that you were Babilonians aÌ„d yet are in that your seale of Christianity is the seale of Babilon and so are you but Babilonian Christians and servants of the Beast bearing the beasts marke title and name in your foreheads And whereas you and all the rest of the false Prophets of your professioÌ„ do in flatterie aÌ„d dissimulation not knowing the misterie of Godlines affirme and acknowledg of the assemblies in England that there are thousands amoÌ„g them that truelie feare God alluding to the seaven thousand in Israell you make them beleeve thereby that they stand in the estate of grace and salvation so do you prophesie peace and salvaâ—ion where the lord prophesieth destruction for the Lord prophesieth that al that come not furth of Babilon shal be partakers of hir plagues and that whosoever yeilds anie obedience or braces anie marke of the Beast shal bee tormented with fire brimstone Reve. 14. but you prophesie that there are thousands in England which you acknowledg to be BabiloÌ„ who receives not the beasts marke and that are careful to keepe the comaundements off God and faith of Iesus and that truelie feare God if such bee not in the estate of salvation then no flesh is or can bee but this cannot be the estate of anie one in Babilon which if you vnderstood the misterie off Godlines you might easilie see for the bondage of Babilon is spiritual bondage and all that are in Babilon are in spiritual bondage aÌ„d none that are in spiritual bondage can bee in the estate of grace and salvation For all that are in the estate of grace and salvation must stand faâ— in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made them free and may not bee intangled with the yock of bondage Gal. 5.1 And where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3.17 Add vnto this that which is formerlie shewed that al that come not furth of Babilon must perish with Babilon Deceive not your selves therefore and flatter not them off England for there is no one person either of them or you we speake off persons of vnderstanding that are in the estate of grace or salvation or shal ever bee saved if you come not furth of Babilon and cast away the marke of the Beast wherewith you are al marked Revel 19.20.21 Wee exhort you all therefore that by grace in Christ you worke out your salvations with feare and trembling or els you perish from the highest to the lowest The King off Kings the Lord of Lords hath said it that Babilon shal bee destroyed withall that are found in hir Ier. 51.6 Revel 18.4 Wee wil now conclude with you putting you in remembrance that seeing no distinction nor differeÌ„ce can be made betwixt a false Church and no Church but they are both one For a false Church are they that say and make shewe they are a true Church but are not as false Apostles are they that say and make shewe they are Apostles and are not 2. Cor. 11.13 and false Iewes are they that say and make shewe they are jewes aÌ„d are not Re. 2 This your distinction being vtterlie overthrowne so as you shal never bee able to open your your mouthes to maintaine it But the simplest soule amongst you shal bee able to discover your deceit Your whole false building is at once fallen to the ground for a false Church being no Church then England being by you all adiudged to bee a false Church is no Church so is your baptisme brought out of no Church aÌ„d your false Baptisme is no Baptisme and thus shal the simplest amongst you bee able to say to you is our baptipsme that wee had in England a false baptisme then is it no baptisme then are we not Baptized and to this you shal never bee able to answere them although you should set your selves to vercaie Gods truth and their soules so likewise if you tell them that England is a false Church they shal say vnto you then is it no Church and you shal not knowe which way to contradict theÌ„ in that the scriptures do teach that a false Church is no Church as a false God is no God a false Christ no Christ a false Appostle no Appostle so is a false Ordinance no Ordinance off Christ a false Baptisme no Baptisme off Christ Thus wee doubt not but through the grace of God wee shall see by the brightnes of Christs coming that your darke deceitful waies wil be discovered to the simplest and you shal bee ashamed to speake of a false baptisme and to say it is partlie the true baptisme of Christ and partlie the baptisme of the Devil and so ioine Christ and Beelzebub together and make them partners in one baptisme Wee hope the feare off God wil teach you better wisedome â—hen thus still to blaspheme for the supporting of your kingdome off darknes And if you were not a stifnecked people aÌ„d of vncircuÌ„cised harts and races you would not thus long with contempt and violence have resisted the truth of God as you have done and do persecuting it with bitter envyings and raylings for the which the Lord may iustlie give you vp to hardnes of hart but the Lord in great mercie shew mercie vpon you al that do it ignoratlie we haveing from the word of the
be found fulfilled vpon the whole earth First the prophesie off Christ Mat 24. Off the Abhomination of desolation set in the holie place is not to bee seene the days of such great tribulation as was not from the begining of the world in which daies no flesh shal bee saved except they should bee shortned al flesh should bee condemned these daies are not yet heard of And the Prophesie off Daniel the Prophet 9.27 and 12.11 Who prophesied that the Sacrifices and the oblations shal cease and the daylie sacrifices shal bee taken away this Prophisie cannot yet bee come to passe if Rome bee beleevers in Christ and that their sacrifices and oblations bee the true sacrifices and oblations for Romes sacrifices ād oblations have never ceased and the Prophisie of thapostle 2. Thes 2. Who Prophesieth that there shal come a departing this prophesy is in no part fulfilled if Rome bee beleevers except it be fullfilled in them that have departed from Rome and then the Church off England and all the Presbitarie had need to looke to it who first departed But iff Rome and England and the Presbitarie and the Brownists bee al beleevers and of the faith of Iesus then hath there bene yet no departing from the faith but a great increasing far beyond the primitive times in that the scriptures no where shewe of whole Nations Kingdomes and Countries to bee of the faith off Iesus as now there is yea a great whole part of the world the like was never heard off nor Prophesied of iff all you bee beleevers as you either are all beleevers or al infidels for you are al of one faith ād baptisme But iff you bee beleevers there is no departing yet heard off neither is the man off sinne yet disclosed or reveiled nor exalted nor sits or hath sitten as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God there is no such prophesie yet come to passe And iff Rome bee al beleevers in Christ that prophesie Revel 11. Where it is prophesied that the people and kindreds and tongues and Gentils shall see the Corpes of the two witnesses of the Lord killed and lye in the streets of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome Egypt and that the inhabitants of the earth shal reioyce over them this prophesie cannot yet bee accomplished nor begun And if Rome bee beleevers then that prophesie of the first beast to whome is given a mouth to speake great thinges and blasphemies and to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and to whome power is given over every kindred and tongue and Nation so that all that dwell vpon the earth shal worship him And that Prophesie of the where that sits vpon many waters with whome have comitted fornication the Kings of the earth all the inhabitants of the earth are made drunck with the wyne of hir fornication All these prophesies ād manie moe cannot in anie measure bee fulfilled or begun iff the Church of Rome be beleevers and of the faith off Iesus And if these prophesies be not fulfilled nor begun then hath the misterie of iniquitie that began to worke in Thapostles daies to the exaltacion of the man off sinne givē ever working which were contrarie to the prophesie of Scripture and that may not bee Let Rome therefore and al that profession see and consider that al these prophesies of exaltations are fulfilled in that profession ād thus is their glorie their shame for they glorie in nothinge more then in their exaltation and great power aucthoritie and magnificencie of their Church and al that is true and thereby is this also true that all these prophesies are fulfilled in that their exaltation the which you of the Church of England and the whole Presbitarie confessing and protesting against them for the same you must needs hold them al infidels and vnbeleevers except you wil fal into great blasphemie and say that they are beleevers who execute the power of the man of sinne and cause the sacrifices and oblations to cease and to be taken away from the alter of the Lord so as there are no sacrifices offered vnto him Wil anie say that these are beleevers that take from the Lords alter his daylie sacrifices causing that none shal be offered vnto him if these be beleevers that vtterlie overthrowe the worship of the lord then can there be no infidels Further you cannot say the church of Rome are belevers except you wil say they are belevers that depart away frō the faith and are the ministers of the man sinne exalting a power above the power of God and setting vp this power the ministers whereof they are to sit as God in the Temple of God makeing shewe of that power that it is the power of God when it is the effectual working of Satā with al his power and signes ād lying wonders and they that are subiect in this power are such as the holy ghost testifieth receive not the love of the truth which beleve not the truth Cā you of the church of Englād ād you of the Presbitarie and you that are called Brownists that hold this Prophesie is fulfilled in that exaltation of the Romish profession can you hold these to be beleevers in Christ of whome the Lord saith they receive not the truth nor beleeve nor the truth but have pleasure in vnrighteousnes and exalted a power against God to bee worshipped as God wha◠wickednes and blasphemie is this to say these are Christians and beleevers in Christ Moreover you cannot say that the Romish Professors are beleevers except you wil say they are beleevers that set vp the first Beast and are the ministers off that power or Beast which Beast or Power hath 7. heads and 10. hornes and vpō his hornes 10. crownes and he is like a Leopard and his feet like a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon to whome the dragon gives his power throne authoritie all this doe they of that profession and not this onelie but they also worship the dragon which giveth power to the Beast they worship the Beast saying who is like the Beast who is able to feight with him and they being the ministers off this Beast or Power do in their ministration opē their mouthes to blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwel therein and by this Power they have made warr with the Saincts and overcome them Can you without great blasphemie against the holie one off Israel the most high God say that these are belevers in Christ Iesus and Christians That do these fearfull thinges seeking to destroy God and the faith of Iesus and all his Saincts that hold the faith of Iesus if you cannot say that they which do such thinges are beleevers and Christians then cannot you say that they of the Romish profession are beleevers or Christians but that they are infidels and vnbelevers seeing you confesse this Prophesie
is fulfilled in the Romish profession so are al these thinges done by theÌ„ And moreover to these the prophesie Revel 17. of the woman and the Beast and the Ten Kings that give their power and authoritie to the Beast these feight with the Lambe Can you say that anie of theâ—e are beleevers and Christians that feight against the lambe No the Spirit off God testifieth in this place that they which are called and chosen faithful are on the lambes side They then that feight against the lambe are those that are not called nor chosen nor faithfull therefore must they needs bee infidels aÌ„d vnbelevers Al these prophesies being confessed of you to be already accomplish by and vnder that Romish profession how shal you of the church of England and the Presbitarie bee able to say that they of the church of Rome are beleevers and Christians and if they bee not beleevers and Christians then are they infidels and vnbeleevers and so is your baptisme and ministâ—rie off England and the Baptisme off the Presbitarie and al the ordinances that you have received from Rome to be cast away as the markes of the Beast and most abhomâ—nable to the Lord. But it shal not bee a misse seeing there ariseth so iust an occasion to shewe the Lord directing vs the ground and roote of all this evill and sinne against the maiestie and holines of God against all which you off England and the Presbitarie sinne in accounting Rome and all them of that profession Christians although all these abhominations which wee have shewed in al these prophesies and might be shewed in manie moe bee committed and to this day maintained by them to the highest dishonor of God in exalting the man of sinne to sit as God in the Temple of God and to the vtter polluting of al the holie ordinances of God in abolishing the witnesse of the Lord his word and Spirit and killing the Saincts feighting against the Lambe makeing all the Nations of the earth to worship the Beast and to drincke of the wine of hir fornications that sits vpon many waters notwithstanding al this these you account Christians vpon this ground and from this roote because when they are infants they are washed with water in the name off the Father ere and you approve that they are Baptized when they are infants because they are the seed of Christians and of the faithful What words might we take to our selves to make your madnes and the madnes of al the world herein to appeare who pretend that al the seed of Christians and of the faithful are to bee Baptized onely aÌ„d vnder this preteÌ„ce baptize aÌ„d approve of the baptizing of the seed of al the wicked and vngodly in these parts of the World yea those that have beene wicked to the third and fowrth generation and to the tenth generation enimies of God and bloody persecutors of his truth destroying the faith of Iesus and advanceing the man of sinne The seed of all these are baptized and by reason of this Baptisme they are all held and accounted Christians by you although they walke in the stepps off their fore-Fathers Is there anie knowledg of God in these thinges Or do men thinke that now vnder the Gospel they may doe and approve off what they wil will men neither walke by the Law of God nor by the law they propound vnto themselves Do you set downe a Law to your selves that the infants off the faithfull are to bee Baptized and do you approve off the Baptizing of the infants of the enimies of God that feight against the lambe and the infants of some also that have not so much faith as the Devils who beleeve and tremble In the word of vnspeakable wisedome hath the holy Ghost said that the Nations shall bee drunck with the Wine of hir Fornications Who may not see this Prophesie fullfilled For if men were not druncke so as they can neither see their way nor tell what they say they would not walke thus and speake thus like druncken men The Church of England and the Presbitarie doe allowe of the Baptizing of al the Infants of Rome whose Pope aÌ„d Cardinals aÌ„d al their whole ministery that administer the baptisme and the parents of the infants that are baptized and those infants being alreadie come to be men of yeres would destroy their Kings and Princes and Countries and al them for professing Christ as they do are these the seed of the faithful and is this to baptize and allowe of the baptisme of the seed of the faithful Wey wiâ—h your selves what truth their is in this And the Brownists they approve of the baptisme and baptizing of theÌ„ whose parents persecute their owne children for walking in their way are these the seed of the faithful What blindnes and invprightnes is this to professe a ground and walke by no ground You must agree iff you can among your selves aÌ„d make a new law this you se wil not serve your turne for if you allowe none to bee baptized but the seed of the faithful you wil not have whole Countries and Nations all Christians as you have It is apparant therefore whatsoever you say that you hold that al infants whether their parents bee faithful or vnbeleevers shal be baptized your rule then is that both the seed of the faithful and vnfaithful shal bee Baptized and that is your practice what warrant caÌ„ be found for this or it is no matter whether there be warrant or no You alledge circumcisioÌ„ for your ground that because infaÌ„ts were circumcised therefore infants must be Baptized but yet you cannot find that the infants off anie people were to bee circumcised and if anie were circumcised but those that God commaunded he Lord nor his faithful servants never approved off it And wil you now approve of anie Baptisme and make it good aÌ„d yet make circumcision your example The Lord perswade your harts and the harts of all men to begin while it is day to examine the grouâ—d of your pâ—actice herein that you may stand before the Lord in the last day and through Christ be able to approve that you have walked by the strict rule off Gods word and not by the vaine inventions of men which God hates and let al Gods people hate but his law let them love which is a perfit Law and converteth the soule and it is pure and giveth light to the eies Psal 19. But by this your practice it is made a most inperfect law when you say that the infants of the faithful are to bee Baptized onelie and when you have laid that downe for your law you both Baptize and approve for good the Baptisme off the infants of he vnfaithful and vnbeleevers and enimies off God and his truth this is neither perfect nor pure law therefore it is not the law of God You ther that wait for salvation by Christ Iesus may not walke by that imperfect and impure lawe but must seeke
hath so long bewitched you who lies in wait for you knowing that you cannot stand vpon these grounds but you must bee forced either to cast away your baptisme or els returne from whence you had it except you wil bee the most wilful blind people vpon the whole Earth that have anie knowledg off Christ of the which you give iust cause off iealousie Therefore in Gods feare take heed and perish not in your stifnecked perversnes To shew yet further that you are false Prophets and prophesie lies wee produce out of your Booke subscribed with general subscription your Apology Pag. 110. Where you gainsay Mr. Bilson for saying you affirme by consequence their Sacraments no Sacraments Church no Church To cleare your selves of this imputation you teach that wee must bee careful in al such causes alwaies to discerne and distinguish betwene a true Church a false Church and no church Betwene true Sacraments false Sacraments and no Sacraments Your proofe and example is Iudah a true Church The Ten Tribes of Israel a false Church The Philistimes and others the like no Church and so at this day the Turks and Pagans may be reputed no Churches The Romish Synagogue and al hir daughters false Churches The Christians which bee set in the true faith and order true Churches Thus you say the difference may bee put but you are al false Prophetts herein and teach lies these are but the devices of your owne harts these are your schoole distinctions where by you pervert the holie word of truth and we exhort all the people of God to take heed of you when you distinguish and when you bring your matters about with in a respect and in a duble respect not but that we hold it lawful to vse distinctions and to shew respects but because you vsually deceive thereby there is no truth off God so evident but with your distinctions and respects and twofold respects you wil pervert it and when you are not able with evidence off truth to mainteyne your false waies then your distinctions and respects must make it good whereby you insnare the simple and compasse them about as with a thick mist wherein they cannot see which way to go but are faine through hardnes of hart and infidelitie which are the causes of their ignorance and blindnes to give their harts to you to be led and you like deceiptful blind guides lead them into the pit as in this pecticuler in hand wherein if you bee overthrowne and discovered your whole cause is thus far destroyed as you are al yet once againe proved infidels and vnbeleevers And wee doubt not but by the gracious aid and helpe of our God we shal bee able by his word to convince you al herein without whose great helpe and aid wee in humilitie confesse we are not able to withstand such stronge and wise adversaries of his truth as you are who do exercise your selves to deceive our owne experiences and knowledg of you causeth vs thus to speake wee hope you do it ignorantlie or els there were no hope of your repentance and salvation To the point in hand wee say and prove by the word off God that you can in no ordinance of God distinguish or put difference by the warrant of Gods word betwixt false and none and your vaine distinction will hold onelie in worldlie things and you are carnall herein and sold vnder sinne blame vs not though wee reprove you sharplie for this because you have deceived your selves and the whole World hereby so far as your voices have sounded and you have and do daylie destroy the faith of manie Wee proceed to prove that you cannot by Gods word distinguish nor put difference betwixt false and nons in Gods ordinances and this the eternall word of truth doth shew Revel 2.2 Where the holie ghost speaking of false Appostles comends the Church off Ephesus for examining them which said they were Apostles but were none and were found lyars And vers 9. I knowe the blasphemy of them which say they are Iewes but are none but are the Synagogue off Sathan And Revel 3.9 The same words are vttered by the holie Ghost Thus doth the spirit of God teach vs that a false Church is no Church but a Synagogue of Sathan and false Appostles are no Appostles so then are false Sacraments no Sacraments and so false and none in Gods ordinaÌ„ces are al one and you cannot distinguish nor put difference betwixt them And for further manifestation of the truth hereof let vs referr the thinges that are of God to God and so shall it appeare to all but those that will not see that there is no difference nor distinction to bee made in Gods ordinances betwixt false and none as thus A true Church of Christ a false Church and no Church of Christ if now a false Church bee not no Church of Christ then it is a false Church of Christ so is there two sorts or kinds of Churches off Christ and so should Christ have two bodies a true bodie and a false bodie what blasphemie is this when thapostle saith there is but one bodie so likewise iff you say there is a true faith of Christ a false faith and no faith of Christ if a false faith and no faith bee not all one then there are two faiths of Christs a true faith and a false faith of Christ but Thapostle saith There is but one faith In like manner if you wil say as you doe that there is a true baptisme a false baptisme and no baptisme if a false baptisme and no Baptisme bee not al one then is there two baptismes but Thappostle saith there is but one baptisme and of all these there is but one as there is but one God and Father off al which is above all and rhrough all Ephes 4.4.5.6 Who if he were in you all you would submitt to this his truth and never open your mouthes more against it Cast away these your logical distinctions which are fit to distinguish betwixt a false houreglasse and no houre glasse and a false looking glasse and no looking glasse and not fitt to distinguish betwixt a false Baptisme and no Baptisme a false Church and no Church betwixt which the holie ghost admits of no distinction nor difference Wee conclude therefore with the word of truth against al these your deceitful distinctions and lying prophesies that a false Church is no Church of Christ at all for Christ haâ—h no false Church Therefore you holding EnglaÌ„d a false Church it is no Church of Christ and so your false Baptisme is no Baptiâ—me off Christ and so are you all infidels vnbelevers and false Christians that is no Christians and you are they that say you are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogues off Sathan And lett this suffice for the overthrowe of your most false and deceitfull distinction And whereas you bring for your proofe of a true Church a false Church and no Church
naturall men and your selfe as in this point in hand because with your carnall eies and eares you see and heare water and washing with such words to bee vsed in the administration off the Lords Baptisme therefore you according to your naturall vnderstanding iudg these thinges to bee the essentiall causes of spirituall Baptisme and teach simple soules that these things being once truely done they are not to bee repeated or done againe when they are whollie natural actions and prophanelie done as you confesse and therefore can in no respect be said to be the Baptisme off Christ which is whollie a spirituall action aÌ„d ought holilie to be performed and done Thus do you make the ignorant beleeve that you can put the spirit off grace into naturall actions formerlie prophanelie done and make the same actions Spirituall and acceptable to God Thus do you make Mid-wives baptisme good and the holie ordinance of God in the essential causes so can you make al the prophane praiers and sermons in playes which are vsuall holie and good actions and the Ordinances of God This then is your rule denie it if you can everie washing with water into the name off the Father etc. is the true Baptisme and Ordinance of Christ in the essential causes thereof by whome soever administred and vpoÌ„ what person or thinge soever This may bee good in lodgick and Philosophie but this is blasphemous cursed doctrine in divinitie and woe are wee for you that ever such abhominations should bee vttered by you wee are a shamed to follow you in the perticuler application of these things which if they should be vrged to the ful it would make everie hart that had anie grace and knowes you tremble and greive for you This hath your Lodgick and Philosophie brought you to whereby you have confounded manie a simple hart and weake vnderstanding and whereby you thinke you have a Privilege to vnderstand the meaning off God in the Scriptures before them that are ignorant of these Arts But now hath the Lord confounded you in them glorie to be his Name and the Lord give you a hart to acknowledg it and to repent and denie your selfe and give glorie to God Wee will omit to speake off your vnproper speach saying that Baptisme must be clothed with a right person vpon whome it must be administred Thus to make your maâ—ters to agree you speake preposterous things for the party must put on and bee clothed with baptisme and not baptisme bee clothed with the partie The next thinge that by the helpe of our God wee will endeavor to discover you to bee a false Prophet and a deceaver in is in a stronge ground you have wherevpon you much relie and often repeat it in your booke and that is this You say Baptisme is the vessel off the Lord as when the house of the Lord was destroyed the vessels thereof together with the people were caried into Babilon they remained stil the vessels off the Lords house in nature right though prophaned by Belshazzar and made quaffing bowles being brought againe out of Babilon to the house of the lord were not to bee new cast but being purified might againe be vsed to holie vse So this holie vessel Baptisme though prophaned in Babilon being brought againe to the house of the Lord remaines stil the holie vessell off the Lord. This is a strong doctrine from example both with you and al the rest of the false Prophets off your profession and no marvil though you deceive greatlie hereby because the doctrine and example is good but most deceitfullie misaplyed of you for you preteÌ„d hereby as though your baptisme were brought from the house of the Lord as the holie vessels were will you iff there bee anie vprightnes in you shew how and from what house of the Lord your holie vessel of baptisme was brought you shew vs plainlie from whence you have brought it againe out of Babilon that is England But out of what house of God came it before it came into Babilon that is England that is not shewed how deceitfully do you faine these things These are the imaginations off your owne vaine harts far have anie of you brought your Baptisme from the house of the Lord into England have you anie other roote or foundation for your baptisme then England do not all men knowe that your vessel off Baptisme was composed formed framed and made there How shal anie man bee able to open his mouth to denie this Why then your holie vessel falflie so called was made in Babilon Thus are you found false dissemblers to say and faine that your baptisme is a vessel brought out of the house of the Lord into Babilon as the vessels of the Temple were wheÌ„ it is most evident that it was molded and made in the Church of England which you confesse is Babilon Mr. Rob. had not you and al your Congregation the true matter as you cal it and true forme of your baptisme in England and was it not administred vpon you al in the assemblies of England then was your vessel off baptisme made there see your deceit herein if there bee anie grace or vnderstanding in you How have you blinded the eies of the simple herein and how hath Sathan seduced you and your owne hart deceived you Now the Lord Iesus give you a hart to repent and in the name of the Lord wee beseech you repent for you have bene and are a malicious adversarie of Gods truth and you lead manie soules in the way to destructioÌ„ The lord for his Christs sake deliver you out of these and all the snares â—f Sathan and the Lord deliver his people out of the net wherein you have like a cuning fowler taken theÌ„ and overthrowne them And wee pray you that you wil with patience suffer vs to shew you how you are al deceived in this point in saying baptisme is the vessel off the Lords house and brought from thence and so applie it to your owne baptisme which you may see iff you do not both winck and cover your eies never came out of the house of the Lord except you wil say The Church of England is the house of the Lord which wee hope the Lords word hath convinced to al your consciences that it is not therefore your baptisme can not be the vessel of the Ls. house but it is the true doctrine or Ordinance of baptisme that may bee said or called by way of comparison the vessel of the Lords house and this we and al must needs confesse is the vessel of the Lords house whether soever it is carried either to Rome or England and though it be polluted and prophaned there as both it and manie other doctrines and ordinances of the Lord are yet being purged from those errors aÌ„d abuses wherewith both they and you have and do pollute theÌ„ they may aÌ„d ought to bee brought into the house of the Lord againe and remaine holie vessels