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
A SHORT DECLARATION of the mistery of iniquity Ier. 51.6 Flee out of the midst of Babell and deliver every man his soule be not destroyed in hir iniquity for this is the time of the lords vengeance he vvill render vnto hir a recompense Hosea 10.12 Sovv to your selves in righteousnes reape after the measure of mercie breake vp your fallovv ground for it is time to seeke the lord till he come raine righteousnes vpon you Anno 1612. To the Reader THE feare of the almighty through the vvorke of his grace having novv at last over vveyed in vs the feare of men vvee have thus farr by the directiō of Gods vvord and spirit strecthed out our harts and hands vvith bouldnes to confesse the name of Christ before men and to declare to Prince and People plainly their transgressions that all might heare see their fearefull estate and standing and repent and turne vnto the lord before the decree come furth and before the day of their visitation be past and that the thinges that belonge to their peace be altogether hid from their eies and vvhereas in this vvriting vvee have vvith all humble bouldnes spoken vnto our lord the King our defence for this is that vvee are taught of God especially to make supplications praiers intercessions and give thankes for our lord the King and wee are taught that the gracious God of heaven by whome the King reignes would that the King should be saved and come to the knowledg of the truth and therefore wee the Kings servants are bound especially by all the godly endeavors of our soules and bodyes to seeke the salvation of the K. although it were with the danger of our lives for if vvee savv our lord the Ks. person in dāger either by privy conspiracie or opē assault wee vvere bound to seeke the Ks. perservation delivrance though it werewith the laying downe of our lives which if wee did not wee should readily and most worthily be condemned for traytors hovv much more are wee bound to seeke the preservation and delivrance of the soule and body of our lord the King seeing wee see him in such great spirituall danger as wee do And if anie shal be offended at vs for so doeing they therein love not the King and if our lord the King should be offended at vs his servants for so doeing the King therein loves not himselfe and if all men and the King should for this be offended vvith vs which God forbid yet herein wee are sure our God wil be well pleased with vs in that wee have with our best strength and faithfullnes obeyed him who comaunds and teacheth vs to admonish all men every where to repent and this is our sure vvarrant and our assured hope and comfort Now as wee have according as wee hold our selves bound thus farr confessed Christs name before men by writinge so wee shall the lord assisting vs be ready as wee hold our selves bound to confesse Christ before men by vvord of mouth not fearing through Gods grace them that kill the body and after that are not able to do anie more In this duty to God and his people wee must needs confesse wee have hitherto greatly fayled but wee will novv be ready the lord strengthning vs rather to be sacrificed for the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and for the service of your faith then to faile as vvee have done both in our dutyes to God and you This vvee readily vovve to God and promisse to you and to vvill to do this good is present vvith vs but vvee find no meanes in vs to performe this duty and service vvee see a lavv in our flesh strongly rebelling against the lavv of our mynds but our assured trust confidence is that Gods grace alone is sufficient for vs to make vs every vvay able vnto these thinges vnto the vvhich of our selves vvee are no vvay able yet wee vvill say with the holy Appostle Paul If God be on our side vvho can prevaile against vs vvho shall seperate vs from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecutiō or famin or nakednes or perill or svvord no the lord vvee trust in these thinges vvill make vs conquerors and though our outvvard man should perish or suffer many afflictions vvhich vvee vvere most folish if vvee should not vvait for yet let the people of God looke vnto the truth vvee vvitnes consider vvith holy and vvise harts vvhether vvee have not good vvarrant yea direct comaundement to do that vvee do though vve be vnfitt and vnvvorthy for such a service Shall vvee heare the lord say Come out of hir my people and shall the Spirit of God comaund him that heareth say Come and shall not vvee say Come Shall the vvord of the lord comaund to Call vp Archars against Babell and all that bend the bovv to beseig it round about and let none escape to recompence hir the dubl Ier. 50.29 Reuel 18. And shall vvee spare our arrovves though they be vveake and shall the Spirit of God say All yee that are myndfull of the lord kepe not silence Esa 62.16 And shall vve hold our peace because vvee are not eloquent No no vvee have too long neclected our duties herein and novv through Gods grace vve dare no longer do so and therefore do vvee thus cry vnto you the people of God saying Babilon is fallen she is fallen Come out of hir Come out of hir for if you still partake with hir in hir sinnes you shal certenly be partakers of hir plagues and therefore also vvee say Let him that is a thirst Come and let vvhosoever vvill take of the vvater of life freely and vvee call vnto all valiant Archers that bend the bovv to come to the seige against this great Citié and vvee pray all that are myndfull of the lord not to kepe silence nor to give the lord rest till he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the vvorld And our continevvall praiers vnto the lord are and shal be that the lord vvill enlighten your vnderstandings and raise vp all the affections of your soules and spirits that you may apply your selves vnto these thinges so far as his vvord and spirit doth direct you and that you may no longer be deceived and seduced by those false Prophetts who prophesie peace vnto you vvhen vvar and destruction is at the doore vvhich the lord give both you and them to see that you may all flie vnto the lord for your delivrance and salvation Amen Tho Helvvys The principal matters handled in the Booke A Declaration vvith proofe that these are the days of greatest tribulation spokē of by Christ Mat. 24. vvherein the abhominatiō of desolatiō is seene to be set in the holy place That there hath bene a generall departing from the faith and an vtter desolation of all true Religion That the Prophesie of the first Beast Reuel 13. is fulfilled vnder the Romish
spirituall povver and Gouerment That the Prophesie of the Second Beast is fulfilled vnder the spirituall povver Gouerment of Arch-Bishops lord Bishops Hovv Kings shal hate the vvhore make hir desolate VVhat Great Povver and authority vvhat honor names titles God hath given to the King That God hath givē vnto the K. an earthly kingdome vvith all earthly povver against the vvhich none may resist but must in all thinges obey vvillingly either to do or suffer That Christ alone is K. of Israell sitts vpon Davids Throne that the K. ought to be a subiect of his Kingdome That none ought to be punished either vvith death or bonds for transgressing against the spirituall ordināces of the nevv Testamēt and that such Offences ought to be punished onely vvith spirituall svvord and censures That as the Romish Hyrarchy say in vvords they cannot err so the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. shevve by their deeds they hold they cannot err herein they agree in one The false professiō of Puritan-isme so called the false Prophet is thereof discovered Their tvvo deceitfull excuses for their vndergoeing of all those thinges they cry out against made manifest The false professiō of Brovvnisme so called plainely laid open vvith their false Prophetts and vvith their false supposed seperatiō from the vvorld The vanity of their most deceitfull distinction betvvixt a false Church and no Church vvherevpon their vvhole false building stands made evident Some perticuler errors in Mr. Robinsons booke of iustification of Separatiō laid open That no mā iustifying anie false vvay or anie one error though of ignorance can be saved The perverting of those vvords of our Saviour Christ Mat. 10. vvhen they persecute you in one Citie flee into another contrary to all the meaning of Christ plainly shevved What Godly Reader can without mourninge affections read the great destruction and overthrowe of Ierusalem ◠with the house and people of God Prophesied of by the Prophett Ieremyah And what hart is not much affected to see the exceeding great sorrowe of the Prophett when he uttereth the prophesie thereof and declareth the sinns of the people Ier. 9. And when al these thinges were come to passe according to the word of the Lord and that the Prophet saw it with his eies who could not yet sit downe and lament to heare the most greivous lamentations that he poures out for that so great desolation and destruction wherewith the Lord had destroyed and made desolate that his owne Citie House and people Lam. 1.2.3 chap. Nay they that gave no regard to the wordes of the Lord spoken by the Prophet concerning these thinges Ier. 37.2 Yet when they saw the prophesie accomplished thē deepe sorrowe tooke hold vpon them then the Elders of the Daughter Syon sate vpon the ground kept silence cast dust vpon their heades girded themselves with sackcloth the virgines of Ierusalem hanged downe their heades to rhe ground Lam. 2.10 And who so readeth cannot deny but their was iust cause of al this sorrowe and therefore wel might the Prophet say Behold see if there bee anie sorrowe like vnto my sorrowe Lam. 1 1◠And if it cannot bee denyed but that the hearing and seing of this prophesie of so great desolation fulfilled was iust cause of this so great sorrowe Where are then the eies and eares of men that might heare and see farr greater tribulations and desolations then these prophesied of by a greater Prophet then Ieremiah and even now fulfilled in the feirce wrath of iudgment by the most Highest and that in the sight of al men and yet who considers of it Or who takes vp a lamentation for it are mens hartes vtterly voyd of mourning affectons or are they destitute of vnderstanding in the cause off sorrowe or do men thinke the danger is past Surely one of these must needes be the cause or els mens hartes would abound with sorrowe and their eies would power out floodes of teares and they would vtter with their tongues and penns lamentations of great woe Now if it can bee shewed by the word of truth that deepe error of darknes doth possesse the two last that is those which through ignorance thinke in themselves there is no such cause of sorrowe and those that through ignorance do thinke that the danger is already past then the first that cannot mourne must needes fall vnder the sharpe censure of great hardnes off hart and incensible deadnes of all affections Wee in the humilitie off our soules confesse that this worke is too great for our abilities but our strength is off the Lord who is able to make vs sufficient for these thinges iff wee by faith in Christ depend vpon him the which our faith being so full off infidelitie it must needes followe that our strength is full of all weaknes which would beate vs to the ground for vndertakeing this or anie such worke off the Lord but that the Word off God compells vs. which commaundes vs strickly to shewe our selves faithfull in a little Mat. 25 19-30 From which ground by the grace off God wee have beene drawen to doe that little wee have formerly done and vndertake through the Lordes gracious assistance now to doe that wee shall doe beseeching and trusting off his mercie towardes vs herein that all the praise may bee given onely to the glorie of his name First then to shewe vnto them their error that through ignorance doe not see there is great cause off lamentation and woe we require them to turne their eares to the prophesie of that great Prophett Christ Jesus Mat. 24 4-28 and Luke 21 8-31 Where hee foretelleth that when men shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophete set in the Holy places then shall bee great tribulation such as was not from the begining off the Creation to this time nor shall bee And except those dayes should bee shortned there should no Flesh be saved Hath the like Prophesie ever bene heard off Or can there bee anie desolation like vnto this desolation Wherein no Flesh shall bee saved No from the begining off the World there hath not bene the like nor shall bee saith our Saviour Christ Who can remaine ignorant off these daies and times and what ignorance is it not to knowe that these are even the dayes and times here Prophesied off Have not warrs and rumors of wars beene heard off Hath not Nation risen against Nation and Realme against Realme Hath there not beene famines and pestilence and earth-quakes in divers places And have not manie beene offended and betrayed one an other and hated one another And have not manie false Prophets arisen Doth not our Saviour Christ say these are the begininges of sorrowe Now all these thinges being come to passe which are the begininges of sorrow it must needes bee that the dayes of the hight of sorrowe are now come And doe not men now see the abhomination of
pray when to pray and where to pray and what to put on when they pray Because you made â—o manie Preists and have so manie yet among you as niether knowe what to pray where nor when to pray nor what to put on when they pray in so much as if you did not allowe them a sume of made praiers they had beene and yet would bee altogether without praiers and this doth the misterie of iniquitie with the deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes hide from the simple and from the great and wise by your made order of praiers For take your Common booke from them and then would the impudent bee ashamed of such a ministery Oh that ten of the best and cheifest off a thousand of those your Preists might bee debarred from you booke and bee set in a Congregation off verie partial herers of their side to shewe their best abilities for the Office of the ministery Baals Preists were not more discovered 1. King 18. Then they would bee for the fault was in their God in that hee had no care to heare But your Preists fault would be found in themselves in that they would have no one word to speake to Gods glory nor to edification How can you but knowe this as well as you knowe your right hand from your left How will you aunswere this when you come before the righteous iudg shal you be able to staÌ„d in his presence the Lord give you harts to repent otherwise how shal you thinke to escape the feirce wrath of the Lord. Did the Lord bring evil vpon the house of Ieroboam swept it away as a man sweeps away doung til al bee gone and did The doggs eate him of Ieroboams house that died in the Citie the foules of the aite eate him that died in the feild Because hee set vp Calves to worship and make Preists of the meanest of the people which were not of the sonnes of Levi. 1. King 14.10.11 and 12.31 And do you thinke to escape with lesse iudgments that set vp the image of the Beast and such a blind Preisthood to support it For you knowe that it is blind ignorance that supports the misterie of iniquitie And therefore shall the Lord by the brightnes of his coming abolish it What shall wee say of your bare-headed and bare-footed white sheet pennance wherevnto to mocke the Almightie is ioyned a written repentance Thus do you device mens praiers and device mens repentances and they must pray and repent as you by your power appoint them Have you power also to appoint the Lord to accept these praiers and repentances Or do you not care whether the Lord accept them or no so that you bee submitted vnto therein then do you seeke your owne Worship and not the Lords Iudg your selves and let all iudg betwixt the most Holy Lambe and the most poluted Beast and confesse and testifie whether these thinges bee of the Lambe or off the ymage of the Beast The like off these thinges are without our numbring and there would bee no end made iff wee should followe them But wee wil drawe to an end hopeing that they that see these wil see al. Yet let vs speake some thinge of your excomunicatioÌ„ by the power whereof are cast out those that most seeke to serve God in sinceritie and if the most wicked fal vnder it â—hey may bee remitted submitting to the power by paying large fees especially iff they bee rich and simple or meane off degree And whosoever withstands the power off this fortie days then vpon a writt off signification hee is to bee cast into prison without bale or maynprise Is this learned off the Lambe or off anie off his Apostles Wee read that Thappostles suffered such violences and tiranies but the word off God teacheth not the Disciples off Christ anie such administrations and this is not the meekenes off the Lambe but the ymage off the cruel power off the Beast The power off this excomunication is off another especial vse off profit in that by the power thereof are brought in al duties Tithes and Court fees What horrible prophanation off the holy ordinance of Christ is this to make it an instruement to compell men to bring in exacted fees and dueâ—ies and tithes Wee read 1. Cor. 16. That Paul appointed in the Churches gatherings for the Saints and 1. Tim. 5. giveing direction for the releife off widowes hee also gives a speciall charge for providing for the Elders and especially for those that labor most The Elders saith Thapostle that lead go before or rule well let them bee had in duble honor especially they that labor in the word doctrine First here is shewed the power whereby they must lead go before or rule that is by the word and doctrine TheÌ„ thapostle proves by two reasons from the scriptures that such Elders are worthie off duble honor because the Scriptures say 1. Thou shalt not mousell the mouth off the Oxe that treadeth out the corne 2. The laborer is worthy of his wages And here is shewed what thapostle meanes by honor that is mainteynance But al this is from a voluntary liberal distribution as is shewed 2. Cor. 9.13 How vnlike is this â—o your ruling power and to your duble honor and maintenance Here is no imprisoning by power nor excommunication for feeâ— tithes and duties Wee confesse our Lord the King may give you what his pleasure is but it were to be wished that al those goodly Pallaces and possessions with al the previleges and prerogatives belonging to them were preserved for the maintenaÌ„ce of the Kings State and dignity and they were much more be fitting for the King and his posteritie to support them in their due pompe and Royalty then to support the pride and pompe of such as pretend to be ministers of the Gospel Thapostle Paule was better worthy off duble mainteynance then you and al the Preists in al your Provinces and dioces aÌ„d yet he labored with his hands although he had the care of mo and more worthy churces theÌ„ are now vpoÌ„ the earth that would willingly have administred vnto him but he would make the Gospel free Oh that we might live to see al them that preach the gospel if they stand in need to live off the gospel that is of the free liberalitie off the Saincts those Pastors would not devoure the flock but feed it And wee pray that the Lord would put into the hart of the King to take into his owne hands al those possessions and tithes wherewith those devouring shepherds that destroy the flock feed themselves That day shal be the most happiest day to the whole Land that ever was since it was a Land and that in these 4. thinges First it would overthrowe that high pride and crueltie off the image of the beast and misterie of iniquitie Secondly it would make a way for the advancement of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ in the sincere and humble profession thereof Thirdly
it would in-ruch the Crowne and fill the Kings coffers vpheaped with such a yerely revenewe as no peace nor war should ever be able to make theÌ„ half emptie and all this may be done by a holy good just and lawful meanes Fourthly it would in-ritch the whole land above measure and that in disburdening the land of al those Courts with al the suites aÌ„d services that belonge vnto them the taxations fees and penalties whereof are without number And the King would stand no need of taxes and subsidies although we would not wish the Kings people to with drawe the shewing off their loyale love to our Lord and King in those things Oh what a ful and ready consent would there bee in the kings people to these things how profitable would it be vnto them the Lord perswade his hart to it seing it would be for Gods glory his owne benefit and the so great good of his whole land and it would be the greatest and cheifest benifit of all to them to whome it may seeme the greatest losse for they should be disburdened of those things which although they he pleasant for a season yet they wil be most bitter in the day of account which wil come let them be sure and it would make them live moderately of that they have and vse good and honest endeavors to support themselves and there would be true comfort in such gaine Lastly to make it appeare plainly enough that this Hyrarchie of Arch Bishops and Lord Bishops is the image of the Beast let al behold the names off blasphemie which it bears and they are these so farr as wee knowe the number of them Arch-Bishops Prymâ—ts Metropolitanes Lords Spirituall Reverend-Fathers Lords Grace What names of blasphemy are here they are the titles and names of our God and of our Christ What words of detestation were sufficient to bee vttered against such blasphemous abhomination who is able to keepe silence If men professing Christ wil not speake the stones shal speake rather theÌ„ the lord wil be without witnesses Shal men be afraide to speake for feare of losse of goods of Lands or for feare of imprisonment banishment or death No no let them take al life and all Let them shed blood vntil they have enough and let the servants of God reioyce in the saieing of the Angel of the waters Revel 16.5.6 Lord thou art iust which art which wast which shal bee because thou haist judged these things for they shedd the blood of the Saincts Prophets And therefore haist thou given them blood to drincke for they are worthy This hath the Lord fulfilled vpon all those that are dead and have not repented of this abhomination and this wil the Lord fulfill vpon al that are alive if they repent not Is it not sufficient to dispoyle aÌ„d rob Christ of al his power but you wil also take froÌ„ him the rules of honor due vnto his name To passe by your derived Grecian names which wee to speake the truth are not able to our owne satisfaction to declare the interpretatioÌ„ of aÌ„d that no way lesseneth the iniquitie of them but rather shewes it more that you should get you names of such hidden blasphemy that simple men cannot vnderstand without an interpreter let vs speake with fearefulnes off that name which you might al tremble to heare off and that is Lords spiritual The verie artribute of the God of al spirits for he onely is the Lord spiritual and the spiritual Lord. And give vs leave to shewe you how you are hedged in that al subtile sophistry shal not helpe you out Beare you not this title by reason off your spiritual power and aucthoritie and do you not by this your spiritual power and aucthoritie make spiritual Canons and decrees and are not al your Courts spiritual Courts and do you not require spiritual obedience in al these things is not your title aÌ„d power a differing title and power from al other Lords see how the stile doth hedg you in which goes thus All the Lords Spiritual Temporal So that you cannot say you are spiritual Lords becaÌ„use of your professioÌ„ for you wil not deny but the temporall Lords are spiritual Lords in profession as wel as you Therefore must it needs bee that you are spiritual Lords because off your spiritual power and spiritual power is over the spirits off men so then as Temporal Lords have power over mens bodies so must spiritual lords have power over mens spirits but there is onely one spiriritual Lord which is the Father of spirits and therefore whosoever taketh this title and this power vpon themselves they take vpon them the name title and power of God and this is the maÌ„ of sinne that sits as God sheweing himselfe to bee God which herein the second Beast doth according to or in the image of the first Do you thinke that God hath forgotten to bee iust and are his judgments gone for ever Can you see and condemne in your words and writings the exaltation off the man of sinne in the Romish profession and can you not see and condemne it in your owne to such saith thapostle Paul Rom. 2.3 O thou man that condeÌ„nest theÌ„ that do such thinges dost the same thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the IudgmeÌ„t of God And for that duble degree of Reverend-fatherhood which you take to your selves some of you being most Reverend and some Right Reverend Fathers how might wee find out vnder what condition you beare this name It is plaine that you beare not that name because you have begotten all that people in Christ for most coÌ„monly you are their Reverend Fathers in God before they ever heard your voices then must it needs bee in you a name by inspiration seeing it is not by operation or worke So are you inspired with a Reverend Fatherhood vpon the instant time of your entrance before you have wrought anie worke amonge that people When you shall meet Christ in his coming what will you answere him for the breach of his strait commaundement herein where he saith Cal no man your Father vpon the earth for there is but one your Father which is in Heaven Are you not exalted above your brethreÌ„ by this name then you are they of whome Christ speakes of in this place and whome he wil bring follow Mat. 23.9.10.11 For thus takeing vpon you the name of God and exalting your selves above the brethren And iff you have not sold your selves to worke wickednes which God forbid and if you thinke it robbery to make your selves equall with God let your harts tremble and your hands shake to subscribe to such names of blasphemy and let your eares tingle when you heare theÌ„ vttered and red in your presence and observe but what magnificency is vpon you when you sit vpon your high places aÌ„d heare your selves thus intituled and remember that hee sitts over you that will tread you vnder foote for thus
from the people and they kepe the spirit of God in bondage then is the word of God of no effect debarring the people of God thereof tying them to their spirits in the vnderstanding of the scriptures which none may try whether they be of God or no but must beleeve and obey or els go to prison and if they will not yeild either he hanged or banished Iudg O King is this a rule of direction and ordinance of the Lambe That comaund Bishops to be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evill men patiently instructing them with meeknes that are contrary mynded proveing if God at anie time wil give them repentance that they may acknowledg the truth and come to amendment c. 2. Tim. 2.24.25.26 By these fruits may our lord the King his people knowe the Bishops of the lambe that is lowly and meeke and bids learne so to be of him Mat. 11.29 but to pull men that are contrary mynded out of their houses by Pursevants to cast them into prison and cause them to lye there at excessive charges vtterly vndoeing them their wives and children and bringing them to all out ward misery and causing them to be banished from vnder their natural Prince to whome they are most true subiects furth of their native country and from their fathers houses and all their frends and familiars Will not our lord the King say that these are the Bishops of the Beast who is like a leopard and his feet like a Beares and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon Reuel 13. of whome they learne to be proud and cruell And all these eviles and manie moe have come vpon the Kings people because they will not vnderstand the scriptures by the spirit of the lord Bs. and pray in their worship to God by the direction of their spirit Will our lord the K. heare the earnest complaint of his people herein and grant redresse that as the Ks. people by the meanes of the Kings most noble predecessor enioy that blessed liberty to read and heare the word of God in their owne language and to pray in their publique worship in their owne tongue that so by our lord the Kings meanes the Kings people may enioy this blessed liberty to vnderstand the scriptures with their owne vnderstandings pray in their publique worship with their owne spirits and then if men err their sinne shal be vpon their owne heads the Kings hand shal be innocent cleare from their transgression which it cannot be if the K. shall willingly suffer his power to be vsed to compell men to pray and vnderstand by the direction of the Lord Bs. spirit and if the King shall give his power to the Lord Bs. but to compell meÌ„ to eat meates which through our lord Iesus Christ are all cleane yet to him that iudgeth them vn cleane to them they are vncleame Rom. 14.14 in which case if a man freely of his owne accord do eat and doubt he is condemned because he eateth not of faith why then if a man in this case be forced by the Kings power whether he will or no to eat when he doubteth and so he be condemned vers 24. is not this to wound the weak conscience and to sin against Christ 1. Cor. 8.12 and can our lord the Kings hand be innocent herein When by the Kings power men shal be compelled to sin Oh that the King would then see that if he may not give his power to rule mens coÌ„sciences in the least things that are indifferent much lesse hath the King power to comaund mens consciences in the greatest thinges betwene God and man This being so wee the Kings servants with all the humility reverence that can or may be given to anie earthly Prince do out of the true Loyalty obedience faithfulnes of our harts thus speake vnto the King Let it suffice our lord the King and let it not seeme a smale thinge that the God of Gods hath made our lord the King a mighty earthly K. over divers nations and hath given our lord the King an earthly power to make lawes ordinances such as the King in his owne wisedome shall thinke best and to change alter them at his pleasure to rule and governe his people by and to appoint Gouernors Officers to execute the Kings will and all the Ks. people are bound of conscience to God and duty to the King to obey the King herein with their goods bodies lives in all service of peace warr and who soever shall resist the King herein they resist the Ordinance of God and shall receive iudgment from God besides the punishmeÌ„t with the sword of iustice which God hath given to the K. to punish evil doers that traÌ„sgresse the K. lawes And God hath also honored the K. with titles and names of Maiesty that are due vnto himselfe Psal 82.16 Dan. 5.18 hath comaunded honor to be given vnto the K. 1. Pet. 2. â—7 And God hath comaunded all his people specially to pray for the K. 1. Ti. 2.2 Let this Kingdome power honor fully satisfie our lord the Ks. hart let it suffice the K. to have all rule over his peoples bodies goods let not our lord the K. give his power to be exercised over the spirits of his people for they belong to another Kingdome which can not be shaken Heb. 12.22.23.28 differing from all earthly Kingdomes for our lord the K. knowes that the cheife of earthly Kingdomes are compared to gold silver brasse iron Dan. 7.37.46 But this is the Kingdome which the God of heaven hath set vp which shall neuer be destroyed this Kingdome shall not be given to another people but to the holy people of the most nigh God all powers shall serue obey him daÌ„ 2.44 7.27 Therefore in this Kingdome let our lord the K. give vs his servants leave againe to tell the K. that he must be a subiect that our lord the K. hath no power nor prerogative as a King to make lawes for in this Kingdome there is but one law-giver who is able to save to destroy Iam. 4.12 neither hath our lord the King power to appoint Officers in this Kingdome and much lesse to make spirituall lords over this Kingdome to bring all mens spirits in subieccion to their spirits in the vnderstaÌ„ding of the scriptures and worshipping God Wherein least wee may seeme to speake vntruely to the K. wee humbly beseech our lord the K. that it may be law full for his servants with his Princely fouour to shew the K. some few perticulers out of a multitude And first wee shew the K. that whereas our Saviour Christ Mat. 18.15 â—0 gives a rule of direccion to admonish a brother if he sin not speaking perticulerly of some sinnes but generally of all or anie one sinne as wee the K. servants vnderstaÌ„d with all the vnderstanding that God hath giveÌ„ vs. The
cry out of the thinges that are amisse among you and sue and supplicate and yet still continew in your former waies you testifie hereby against your selves that you are vnreformed and that there is a way of reformation wherein you would be if you might have leave or license to enter thereinto which seeing you cannot obteyne you iustify it lawfull to walke in an vnreformed profession of Religion vpon this ground because you may not have leave by act of Parliament to reforme What falser profession can be found vpon the earth then this of yours who professe that you knowe a way of much truth where in you would walke but you do not because you cannot by the superior power be permitted Let this suffice in this place to prove that you walke in a false profession of Christ by your owne acknowledgment calling dayly for liberty that you might reforme your selves but seing it will not be granted you go on in the false way you disaprove of Your grounds and reasons wee shall hereafter by Gods assistance try but in the meane time let Gods people knowe that there will never warrant be found to give men liberty for anie time to deferr to eschew evill and to refrayne to do good for feare of men or in obedience vnto men or vnder anie pretence what soever Most wicked and false is that profession and most false Prophetts are all those that professe and teath such a doctrine that men are not bound without anie delay al respects laid aside with all speed to eschew evil and do good as that true Prophett David did and taught who saith Psal 119.60 I made haist and delayed not to keepe thy comaundements And so wee proceed to shew that all your Puritane Prophetts so called are false Prophetts and such as our Saviour Christ fortells of who say Loe Here is Christ but comaunds beleeve them not And although wee might prove you all false Prophetts because you teach manie false doctrines yet wee hold it the most easy and plaine way for the vnderstanding of all to shew you to be false Prophetts because you are not sent nor called of God herein shall you have the least deceaveable shewe for your selves But before wee speake of your not being called sent of God which must appeare by your Election and ordination vnto the Office or worke of a Bishop or Pastor for other Prophetts wee knowe none amongst you wee will set downe the gifts and graces wherewith they are to be qualified that are to be elected and ordeyned and vndertake that Office as also how their wives childrē are to be qualified And these are the words of him that said Let there be light and there was light And of him that said thou shalt have no other Gods before my face and of the Law-giver all whose lawes are perfect lawes These are his words and this is his law Let a Bishop or Pastor be the husband of one wife watching temperate modest harborous apt to teach and able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and to convince them that say against it nor given to wyne no striker not given to filthy lucre but gentle no fighter not covetous one that can rule his owne house honestly haveing children vnder obedience withall reverence Let him not be a yong Disciple or newly planted in Let him be well reported of even of them that are without Let his wife be honest no evill speaker sober faithfull in all thinges This is the law of God 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. according to this law in every perticuler must a Bishop or Pastor and his wife and children be qualified for it is the law of the perfect law-giver And thou shall have no other Bishop or Pastor before his face This wee set downe to put you and the people of God in mynd to looke first that you their Bishops or Pastors be thus qualified for all that are not so both in them selves and their wives and children are not sent of God to be Pastors of his flock but are false Prophetts in the first degree for God sendeth none but those that are according to his owne rule and hereby may you see that every holy man and excellent preacher may not be a Bishop and Pastor over the house of God And now Election and Ordination which is the doore and way whereby the true Bishops and Pastors of the flock do enter The holy ghost doth teach Act. 14.23 that election and Ordination were performed in and by the Church or Congregation with fasting and praier this is the doore way and all that have entred by anie other way are theves and robbers as our Saviour Christ testifieth Ioh. 10. Are you not all now at once convinced and must you not all be forced to confesse that you have no such Election nor Ordination is your purchased Election of Patrons either perticuler men or of deane and Echapter or some Colledg or the private Election of some frend like vnto this holy order of Election which Christ hath appointed in his Church to be made with the gracious free full consent of every hart tongue in the whole congregation how woefull and wretched is the estate of you all if you repent not that joyne in this great wickednes to deprive the Church of Christ of such a blessed and comfortable ordinance of Christ how blessed and confortable a thinge were it for a holy people so to Elect their Pastors that should lead them and feed them with the wholesome word of doctrine and Exhortation and watch over their soules in the lord And what a blessed comfort were it for a holy man to be so elected of a holy people so should a Godly people have holy Pastors over them whom they would all love and reverence and so should Godly Pastors have a holy people to followe them whome they would carefully feed and cherish and this is the Ordinance of God and law of Election but to get an Election for monie either of a mans owne or of his frends or by private favour or frendship or beholdinges to men and so corruptly to become a Pastor over a flock of people diversly affected and manie openly prophane and wicked here is an vnholy Election of an vnholy Pastor over a corrupt and vnholy flock this is not to enter in by the dore but to clyme vp another way which seeing you all do not anie one of you entring by that holy Election which Christ hath appointed Christ him selfe hath adiudged you all not to be the shepherds of the sheepe but to be theeves and robbers And thus are you all false Prophetts how shall you be able to stand before the lord in this matter or how can you iustifie your selves before men will you make the word of the lord of no effect and blesse your selves in your owne waies if you shall still do so as you have long done yet shall you not be blessed of the lord in that you do herein
is this to take vpon you to dispence with the false administrations in the ordinances of Christ thus do you runne into darke places whilst you forsake the lanterne that should light your pathes which light of truth teacheth you and all men that the baptisme of Christ is the Baptisme of amendement of life for the remission off sinnes Mark 1.4 And our Saviour Christ saith Except a man bee borne off water and off the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3. and Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neare with a true hart in assurance of faith our harts being pure from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Here is the true Baptisme set downe which is the Baptisme off amendement off life for the remission off sinnes And here is the true matter where with men must bee washed which is water and the Holie Ghost that is pure from an evill conscience and washed with water Therefore can you not devide the water and the spirit in this Baptisme Christ hath ioyned them together and he that denies washing or is not washed with the spirit is not baptized and hee that denies washing or is not washed with water is not Baptized because wee see the Baptisme of Christ is to bee washed with water and the Holie Ghost And to take away a subtile exception if a man bee in prison or anie place and bee coÌ„verted to the lord aÌ„d would be baptized with water but cannot he is accepted with God who accepts the will for the deed 2. Cor. 8.12 and herein is the Lords mercie equal with his iustice for if a mans hart consent to evil he is giâ—â—ie before the Lord although he do it not Mat. 5.27.28 Thus much to discover the great deceitfullnes off your waie in the first respect of your false distinction wherein you would prove onelie the essential matter water and washing with water and words he essential forme Wee passe by your forme of words because wee thinke you wil not stand vpon it in that you see there is no certen forme of words held Act. 10 48. and 19.5 And take this with you to consider of that if there were anie truth in your distinction and respect then were anie washing with water with those words the true matter and forme of Christs Baptisme and so if one Child baptized another with water and those words it is true baptisme in that respect and let that Child come aÌ„d ioyne to you ad you can make it good in al respects Passe not these things over as you have done for you are not able to answere them with anie true vnderstanding from Gods word and so wee come to your second respect Secondly you say baptisme is to be considered clothed with such appurtenances as wherewith the Lord hath appointed it to bee administred as for example a lawful person by whome a right subiect vpon which a true Comunion wherein it is to bee administred dispenced in which regard you say you do not approve it to bee true Baptisme either in Rome or England If darkest error did not possesse your hart you could never have written such thinges but that wee knowe your stifnes in your false waies wee should pittie to point out your palpable ignorance in these thinges did ever man of anie vnderstanding in religion write thus You are lighter then vanitie herein Will anie man that hath anie knowledg of God bee so blind as not to see how the spirit of error doth lead you to iustifie that a baptisme where there is neither the spirit off God lawful minister right subiect nor true comunioÌ„ is the true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in the essential parts thereof Hath the like ignorance appeared in these daies esspecially amongst men that will â—rie out for proofe by Scripture in all things If this your ground were true then a Turk baptizing a Turk with water and those words in anie assemblie whatsoever is the true Baptisme of Christ in the essential parts thereof see what rocks you runne vpon whilst you forsake the waie of truth it may now appeare no marvil though you would have baptisme to bee nakedlie considered you have made a most naked baptisme and ordinance of Christ of it First where there is no spirit of God no lawful minister no right partie to bee baptized no true comunion it may wil be called a naked baptisme and you a naked man of al grace and godlie vnderstanding to maintaine it for a true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in anie respect If al this wil not serve to convince you wee will yet smite you with the rod of froÌ„ aÌ„d breake you like the potters vessel in this point You professe and acknowledg that Baptisme comes in the fâ—ead off Circumcision then let all men iudg whether if Circumcision being administred by an vnlawfull person vpon no right subiect and in no true Comunion could ever have beene approved for the true ordinance of God in the essential causes thereoff and whether one so Circumcised could vpon anie conditioÌ„s have bene admitted to the passover you wil we hope be destitute of al devices to aÌ„swere this al those that are anie waie indifferent betwixt you and vs wil see your great error herein that iff a Babilonian had circumcised a Babilonian in their babilonish assemblies that Circumcision had not bene in anie respect the Ordinance of God and such a one could vpon no condition have bene admitted to the passover by that Circumcision Now to shew that you hold England Babilon in your booke throughout it appeares but wee especiallie hold you to these Pag. 277. and 338. where you affirme that Rome and England were never within the covenant of God as Iudah was So have you debarred your selff from bringing your circumcision and so your baptisme from Apostate Israel and therefore you must hold your selfe to this to prove circumcision administred in BabiloÌ„ by an vnlawful person vpon a wronge subiect and in no true Comunion you must prove such a circumcision the Ordinance of God in anie respect aÌ„d that one so circumcised might bee admitted to the passover prove this and wee will confesse that your skill is above all mens herein and Ezra and Nehemiah shall bee reproved off you for causing the people to put away the Children that were borne off the straing Wives in Babilon Ezra 10.3 Nehem. 13.23.24.25 Off whome if you make question whether they were circumcised you cavell without cullor for then had the Israelites bene giltie of the breach of the Lords covenant whereby they were commaunded to circumcise all their males in their houshould But wee will leave you to prove your Babilonian Circumcision to bee in anie respect the Ordinance off God and prove it by Scripture and by sound reasoning from the ground off Scripture and not by Lodgick and Naturall Philosophie shewing things in nature to bee true which will not in Spirit bee proved true And thus do you deceive
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
diligentlie with your whole harts the law and statutes off the Lord that you may keepe them which lovâ— when you shal diligentlie aÌ„d faithfully search into through out you shal no where find it once mentioned that anie infants are to be Baptized and therefore it is but the meere vaine invention and tradition of men which who so followeth can never have favour nor acceptance with God because they make the Law off God of no authority Mark 7.13 In this great and waighty cause wee wil not through the grace of God burden you with manie grounds or arguments but lay downe before you some few things withall the plainnes and evidence of truth wherwith God shall make vs able And first wee pray al those whose harts God hath inclined to seeke his truth and who desire in vprightnes to walke in the light that they wil duelie consider what the CovenaÌ„t of the Gospel is and with whome it is made and thus hath the Lord set it downe This is the Covenant saith the Lord that I wil make with the house of Israel I wil put my law in their inward parts and write it in their â—aâ—ts and I wil bee their God and they shal bee my people Iere. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 And our Saviour Christ declares this more fullie Mark 16.16 Where he saith Go ye into al the World and preach the Gospel to everie Creature he that shal beleeve and be baptized shal bee saved Thus doth the Lord by his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel put and write his law in the harts of men according to the Parrable of the sower Mat 13.23 And they shal beleeve in him and bee Baptized Thus they shal be his people and he wil save them and so is he their God Here is the new Covenant set downe by the Holie ghost both on Gods behalf and on their behalf with whome it is made and here is it plainlie declared and expounded by Christ himself The Lord on his behalfe doth Covenant that he wil put and write his law in mens hâ—res by the power of his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel and he wil bee their God and save them and the Covenant on his peopls behalf which they are to keepe and performe is to beleeve the Gospel and bee Baptized Let al men now that have anie willingnes of hart to bee enformed by the word of God and whose harts are not wilfullie set to go on in their igno◠〈◊〉 â—old waies without trying their waies whether they bee of God or no let them wee say search examine and try by what shewe of truth it can possibly bee conceived that vnder or by this Covenant of the new Testament infants should be baptized where the Lord requires no such thinge in this Covenant of men to baptize their infants and if you wil but see and consider with wise and gracious harts how the Lord doth set downe the Covenant which he made with Abraham Gen. 17. You shal see with what evidence the Lord in mercie doth set it downe Thus saith the Lord to Abraham I wil establish my Covenant betweene thee and me thy seed after thee in their generation for an everlasting Covenant to bee God vnto thee and thy seed after the and I wil give to thee and to thy seed after thee all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I wil bee their God this is on the Lords behalf and saith the Lord This is the Covenant that thou and thy seed after thee shal kepe Let every man-child amonge you bee circumcised yee shal circumcise the foreskinne of your Flesh and every man-Child at eight days old aswel he that is borne in the house as he that is bought with monie this is the Covenant on Abrahams behalf and his seed Thus doth the lord declare in every perticuler his Covenant with his people aswel what he wil do for them as also what he requireth them to do in obedience to him aÌ„d here wee see God hath comaunded Abra aÌ„d his seed to circuÌ„cise al the males in their house And now this Covenant is disanulled and all the Ordinances thereof as is shewed Heb. 7.18 And the Lord saith he wil make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not like the old teaching vs that wee should not forme and frame it according to the old but that wee should receive it according to the new forme and frame wherein he delivers it vnder which Covenant the Lord doth not commaund or require of his people that they should Baptize all their houshold and infants both borne in their house and bought with monie according as vnder the old Covenant he commaunded that they should circumcise them How dare you then thus contend against the Lord and whereas he saith he wil make a new Covenant not according to the old you wil say and have it according to the old for you wil have it that according as infants were circumcised vnder the old Covenant so you will haue infants Baptized vnder the new is not this to set yourselves against the lord and to change his Covenant which he hath sealed with his blood and after your owne wils in what you thinke good to make it according to the old Covenant directly contrary to the Lords owne word aÌ„d saying and you have no way to mainteyne the baptizing of infants but by saying the new Covenant is according to the old and this is to say directly contrary to the saying of the Lord who is the Covenant maker and who saith in plaine words the new Covenant which I wil make with Israell shal not bee according to the old Here it is made evident to al that wil not resist the truth that your baptizing of infants is contrary to the new Covenant of the Lord. Thus do you to make your owne tradition good make the new Covenant like the old which the Lord saith is not like the old how can you possibly oppose the word of the lord more directly Furthermore the holy ghost by the Author vnto the Heb. Chap. 9. endeavoring by al evidence to prove that the new Covenant is not like the old sheweth that the old Testament or Covenant had a worldly Sanctuary and that the service of that Tabernacle onely stood in meates and drincks and divers washings and Carnall rites which purified the Flesh but purged not the Conscience and the holie Ghost sheweth there that the new Testament or Covenant hath not a worldlie Sanctuarie and that the service of that Tabernacle stands not in carnal rites which purge not the conscience but 〈◊〉 is a perfect Tabernacle the sacrifice where of doth purge the conscience from dead workes to serve the ljveing God Thus doth the scripture shew that the ordinances of the new are not according to the ordinances of the old and for this cause saith the holy ghost Christ is the Mediator of the new Testament that is because the new Testament or Covenant and Cabernacle
house or bought with his monie which were not of his seed were al to bee circumcised because it was the Covenant that God comaunded Abraham to kepe to circumcise al his males and not because they were al vnder the Covenant of circumcision by Abrahams faith this is but a vaine invention of the man of sinne and a mistery of iniquity to deceive them that have pleasure in vnrighteousnes haveing no shewe nor warrant of scripture to say they were circumcised because they were vnder the Covenant by Abrahams faith al evidence of Scripture is against it in that the lord doth plainly declare in his word that they were to be circumcised that were noâ— vnder the Covenant even all Abrahams houshold whereoff there was no one vnder the Covenant but himselff when the commaundement was given Now theÌ„ you haveing no cullor shew nor warrant from the scriptures for the baptizing of infants but a deceitful consequence from the example off circumcision we beseech al that hope for salvatioÌ„ by Iesus Christ to see the deceit of your consequeÌ„ce thus you say and this is all your hold that as the seed off the faithful were circumcised so the seed of the faithfull must be baptized proofe for this your ground you have none but your strong perswasions and long custome wherein no one of you have faith but to shew yet againe the deceit of your consequence First it is not drawne by due proportion which is a most deceitful way to deceive the simple for thus ougt your consequence to be drawne as Abraham beleving was circumcised aÌ„d al the males of his houshold both meÌ„ and childreÌ„ of eight daies old bond aÌ„d free so now anie man beleving must be baptized withal his houshold both men and childreÌ„ of eight daies old bond aÌ„d free Secondly the deceit of your consequence is because it is not a necessary consequence for you must prove nothinge by consequence but that which must off necessity followe but this doth not off necessity followe neiâ—her can it followe that because infants were circumcised with circumcision in the Flesh vnder the Law therefore infants must of necessity bee baptized with the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes vnder the Gospel with which baptisme they cannot be baptized as all of anie vnderstanding must needs confesse aÌ„d there is but one baptisme and therefore most blindly ignorantly and deceitfully is this consequence drawne being neither draweÌ„ by due proportion neither can the rule possibly follow by true consequence neither shal you be able to tel what to say when you shal bee required to prove it a necessary consequence If therefore you will not wilfully go on in the waies of everlasting destruction forsake this roote off error which overthrowes the Covenant of the Gospel of Iesus Christ in the first foundation thereof bringing in the seed off the flesh off the faithful by carnal generation for the seed of the promisse in steed of the seed of the faith of Abraham by spiritual regeneration making the infants that are begotten of the faithful after the flesh members of the body of Christ and heires of the Covenant of the new TestameÌ„t which is the Covenant of faith and repentance through the faith of their parents and by this meanes you have and do daylie bring all the wicked and vngodlie in these parts of the World to bee members off Christs bodie and heires off the Covenant by natural birth which our Saviour Christ saith Ioh. 3. Can no way be but by new birth that is by being borne againe of water and the Spirit which is by beleeving and being Baptized Thus do you vtterlie destroy and overthrowe the holie Covenant of the Lord the holy baptisme and the body off Christ makeing them Comon to all yong and old wicked and prophane blasphemers persecutors murtherers adulterers and witches and al their ChildreÌ„ but let all knowe this such as the members are such is the body and such is the baptisme aÌ„d such is their Covenant the Covenant of death and condemnation vnto al that are vnder it and not the Covenant of life and salvation which is onely made with them that beleeve and are baptized and the Lord perswade every honest hart to ground their faith vpoÌ„ this rock that as vnder the Law none were circumcised but those that were expresly commaunded by rule or exaÌ„ple so vnder the Gospel none may bee baptized but those that are expresly commaunded by rule or example and keeping to this true ground no simple soule shal bee deceived and so wee leave this point with Godly care to be considered of beseeching the Lord to give you vnderstanding harts Thus have we with our most willing though most feeble endeavors manifested vnto you these two salse professions of Christ and the false Prophets that mainteyne them amongst you with divers perticuler errors and strong delusions whereby they deceive you transforming themselves as though they were the Prophets off God but they are all deepe deceivers and Prophesie lyes as wee have proved wherein they shal never bee able to iustifie themselves neither before God nor his people and wee much rather disire their repentance then that they should go about to approve themselves in their evil whereby they shal heape sinne vpon their owne heads and bring shame to their owne faces seeing the time is come that the lord wil reprove the foolishnes of such false Prophets who make shewe off Godlines but denie the power thereoff who lead captive simple wemen which are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg off the truth These are they that Thappostle foretold of 2. Tim. 3. Who like Iannes Iambres resist the truth who are proud boasters in exalting themselves and challenging to themselves speciall power to knowe and vnderstand the counsels of God when they are meÌ„ of corrupt knowledg aÌ„d mynds and to be reproved concerning the faith but saith Thappostle they shall prevaile no longer for their madnes shall bee evident vnto al men aÌ„d we exhort you with the words of thapostle turne away therefore from such It followeth that we speake some few words of the second prophesie which is of the days of the Sonne of maÌ„ in the brightnes of his comeing for the consuming of the man of sinne spoken of 2. thes 2. the which days our saviour saith shal be as the lightning that cometh out of the East is sene into the west mat 24. wherein is set furth vnto vs that the Lord shal make his truth to appeare with vnspeakeable evidence of light so as his people shal plainly see the way and light thereoff according as the Lord by the Prophet Esa speaketh 42.16 I wil bring the blind by a way they knew not lead them by pathes they have not knowne I wil make darknes light before them crooked thinges straight and the lord wil not speake in secret neither in a place of darknes in the earth and Esa 30.26 the light
they do God good service therefore they shal bee accepted with God if the Lord shal not in his iustice iudg these that thus sinne and transgresse against him then is the righteous iudgment off the Lord overthrowne and the Ordinances of Christ vnder the Gospel made of none effect and if men knowe them and do them they shal doe wel But if they bee ignorant and walke in false waies mainteyning divers errors they being perswaded in their consciences that it is the truth they also shal be accepted of what vse thē are the ordinances of Christ thē is truth and error al one if men be aswel perswaded of the one as off the other This destroys al the religion of God if every one may take liberty to thēselves to walke according to the perswasion of their mynds though it bee error yet if they knowe no better so long as they confesse the name of Iesus al is wel if they be so perswaded they shal be saved then not onely they that walke in the way of life but they that are perswaded they walke in the way of life shal also be saved though they walke in error Thus as you have set open the doore of the Kingdome of heaven and let al in that confesse the name of Iesus with their infants makeing them as you thinke members of the body of Christ so now you wil also set open the gates of the Kingdome of glorie and let in al that cōfesse the name of Chr though through ignorance they walke in much darknes and make thē as you ymagine in your foolish mynds fellow heires with Christ in his glorious inheritance and yet the Holy ghost saith If we walke in darknes say wee have fellowship with Christ we lye doe not truely 1. Io. 1.6 Therefore you shal al be deceived with the foolish virgins who were overtaken in their foolishnes who though they hoped ād were perswaded they should have bene let in yet were shut out and so shal al you be that through ignorance iustifie false waies although you should begin to say we have eaten and drunken in thy presence thou haist taught in our streets and we thought we had done wel ād we knew no better yet the Lord shal say vnto you I tell you I knowe you not depart from me yee workers of iniquity then shal you see if you wil not learne before that though you should plead you had done it ignorantly wil not serve the turne yea though you should say you had sought to enter in at the strait gate but through your ignorance you were not able notwithstanding your seeking to that you have not sought aright the doore shal be shut vpon you and whē you shal knock and say Lord Lord open to vs the lord shal answere and say I knowe you not whence you are Luk. 13.27 Then shal you see that your deceitful harts have seduced you and that your good meanings were not according to Godlines but according to your owne mynds and perswations then shal you see that you casting downe destroying and reiecting the holy ordinances of Christ and setting vp the vaine inventiōs and traditions of your Elders as you doe thinking you do God good service you shal no more be excused therein then they that have reiected and killed the disciples of Christ thinke they have done God good service Your sinnes being much greater then theirs for they ignorantly kil destroy and reiect the disciples of Christ for keeping the ordinances of Christ and you ignorantly destroy ād reiect the ordinances of Christ that none should keepe them and set vp other Ordinances abolishing Christ thereby Wil the lord thinke you hold you giltles for these things although you do them ignorantly especially you iustifying your selves and saying you do that which is good in Gods sight and that you sinne not therein heare what the Lord saith to his owne people who iustified themselves in their waies of wickednes saying they were giltles Be hold saith the lord I wil enter with thee into iudgment because thou saiest I have not sinned Ier. 2.35 evē so wil the L. enter into iudgmēt with every one of you that say you see when yet you are blind and continewe in the works of darknes and say you sinne not therein heare vs with patiēce ād cōsider what we say the iudg al harts knowes that wee earnestly disire the salvatiō of your soules Will the iust God forgive anie one sinne vnrepented of Or can he iustifie them that iustifie themselves in anie one evil Who so knowes God knowes this cannot be for he that is gilty of one sinne being gilty of al Iam. 2.10 Ezec. 18 11-13 iff God should forgive anie one sinne vnrepented of he must needs forgive all sinnes vnrepented of but there can no sinne bee pardoned without repentance ignorance shal not excuse anie For a furtherful proofe whereof take the words of our Saviour Christ who saith He that is ignorant and knowes not his maisters wil and sinnes or doth things worthy of stripes shal be beaten or receave punishment Therefore let the ignorant never plead their ignorance more the Lord hath iudged them they shal al perish except they repent and come to the knowledg of the truth and is it not iust with the Lord to condemne all the ignorant seing the Lord hath given them al meanes of knowledg and they will not seeke for it nor aske after it no further then they themselves thinke good What thinke you with your selves Iff a King make lawes iust and good and bind himselfe by oath that without respect of persōs whosoever shal breake anie one of those lawes he shal certenly dye except he acknowledg his fault and repent and whosoever shal keepe them shall bee advanced to great dignity and honor and these lawes the King causeth to bee written so that al men may have them And yet further the King in his great mercy because hee would have none of his subiects perish for want of the right vnderstanding off his lawes the King to prevent thē of that danger appoints in every place such a one as shal alwaies bee ready truely to enforme his people in the right vnderstanding of every one of those lawes and statutes and charging them to bee directed by no other for the vnderstanding thereof if notwithstanding the commaundement and al this love and care off their Lord and King over them to perserve them from falling vnder the iudgment off death his people and subiects shal either carlesly neclect to bee enformed or shal thinke thēselves wise enough to enforme themselves or shall go to bee enformed for the vnderstanding of those lawes to anie other then the King hath appointed and resting vpon their information breake any one of those lawes of the King and do not acknowledg their fault and repent shall their ignorance excuse them When they had one ready at hand alwaies to enforme them before they offended and yet