and meanes for sleeping therein and as you confesse have not awakened them out of the same nor yet turn'd them from darknesse to light that have them yet unturned from sin unto God as your Agreement doth witnesse therefore be not offended at others who are sent from the Lord to tell you the same and for that your work of deceiving and wronging Christ and them take you the shame and give over deceiving soules for your own ends and earthly gaines for you are those that labour in vaine being wrongers of God and Men and idle and negligent as you say in the great work of God according to his holy word and so you have proved your selves to be none of Christs Minister but enemies and cursed deceivers for it is written cursed be such as do the work of the Lord deceitfully or negligently and as you have done therefore that curse stands upon you and them that with you remaine under the same Jer. 48.10 Jer. 11.3 And now that you are discovered witnessed against and made manifest to be deceivers wrongers of God and wrongers of Men and to be idle negligent and the unprofitable servants you have also confessed since you say you were your selves awakened unto the same yet you make flatteries and excuses and false glosses to hide your deceipts under Promising amendment but doth not regard to forsake your false Ministry and worships and turne to the truth in the life of it being found out of the life in the lust and miscarriages wrongers of God and Men and hath your people asleepe in security c. But if any should have beene sent of the Lord into your market places or steeple-houses where you sell your ware and use your trade of deceipt to deceive soules and wrong Christ and them for your own ends and if they had but told you that which you have confess you would have beene all on an uproare and have had your disciples ready to fight for you with clubs and fists and after have sent the messenger of God to Prison for it as at Kidderminster and Worcester were made manifest when there was not so much spoken against you Titus 1.16 2 Tim. 3.8.9 and 12. as since in your Agreement you have confest but yet continue in and rather grow worse and worse as deceivers like you evil men and seducers in former ages did 2 Tim. 3.12 but your folly is made manifest as theirs was who professes God in words but in works deny him as such did that did so before you who were reprobate concerning the true Gospel purifying faith as you are and to every good work abominable and reprobate therefore behold your blindnesse and folly made manifest and for the time to come beare your reproofes and take shame to your selves if any be moved againe by the Lord to come into your steeple-houses and tell you that you have confessed the same and that your own mouths witnesse against you and your hearers as in your Agreement is also made manifest That you are wrongers of God and of your hearers page 19. and in the miscarriages liven formerly in page 4. unpardoned and that you are bewailing your negligence or idlenesse in the great work of God according to his word page 3. and saying you will amend and begg pardon for the same And if any be moved of the Lord to come amongst you seeing you still continue as you was and asks why you do not come out of your miscarriages and give over deceiving of souls and cease to wrong God and Men for your own ends and say unto you why do you not performe your promise but say and do not as hypocrits and the false Prophets do and aforetime did as the Scripture witnesseth or if there come any amongst you and aske you If you have yet got a pardon c. granted for your former negligence miscarriages and wrong done to Christ and to Men or to aske you seeing you go on in the same if you have any toleration or warrant from God so to do c. Will you not cause them that so do come to aske you or speak as the Lord shall more them to be haled out of your Steeple-houses and had to prison for the same as formerly some of you have done and If any be moved of the Lord to come to your Steeple-houses and ask If your hearers be awakned out of their sleepiness and to aske also If you be turned out of your Miscarriages from preaching for hire and being called of men masters and from wronging others and also from your Idle Lazy Negligence John 16 2 3. Act. 17.5.6 c. Act. 22.27 28 29 30. c. Will you not be offended at them for it as Richard Baxter was with me when I spake to him in the Steeple-house in Worcester who caused me to be haled out as Anti-Christian-Ministers afore time did and afterward the same day when he was spoken to in the Street would not stand but fled as the Hireling useth to do John the 10. And suffered the prison to be a place of security to keep truth shutt up into those bonds rather then to be at liberty to reprove his deceipts which is evident by his fruits which now also under a cover he hath confessed and is in that Agreement of his and 40. odd Priests Pastors Ministers Preachers Rectors and Curates and Teachers further made manifest And Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord Negligently but Richard Baxter thou hast done it Negligently this many yeares and above 40. Priests with thee according to your Confession in your Agreement and therefore you are under that Curse And now O ye Priests this Commandment is for you If ye will not heare to give glory to my name saith the Lord of hosts I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already therefore will I make you contemptible and base before the people according as ye have not kept my wayes Mal. 2.1 2. and ver 9. Mal. 2.1 2 3 4.8 9. Behold saith the Lord I will corrupt your seed and spread dung upon your faces even the dung of your solemn feasts and one shall take you away with it Mal. 2.3 Your agreement in which you have confessed your wrong to Christ and to men and your former miscarriages then continued in and in which you have confessed your negligence c. It was dated the 4. of May 1655. And then you wanted your pardon both for your wrong done to God and men and your negligence in the work of God also as also for your former miscarriages c. as you have confessed and therefore are guilty and must come under condemnation for the same but To flatter and dissemble with the people you say you will resolve for the time to come to amend but doth not yet do it being still in the old nature and will-worships perfection miscarriages and doing wrong as you did
refined subtilty who pretends much in words but brings forth the same evil fruits from the same old birth and evil Spirit as they and such did that drew neer to God Isa 29.10.11 12 13 14 15 16. Isa 59.23 4. c. with their mouthes and lips when their hearts were farr from him and devising mischief and bringing forth cruelty and wickednesse like you and your hearers that are asleep or in the sleepy security and in Ignorance in sin unturned to God and you their teachers neglecters of the work of God and in the miscarriages wrongers of them and of Christ as you say and yet in your self commendation you are not ashamed to call your selves the Lords labourers when you are wrongers of him and the people and neglecters of his work also living in the miscarriages and where you tell of a land of light and a garden you are found to be out of both and in darknesse and the field of wickednesse in whose hearts the miscarriages and weeds grows and where you say The Lord hath not dealt so with every Nation I say Mark 7.21.22 22. Rom. 1.28 29 c. not so much yet as to discover to the inhabitants their teachers abominations and miscarriages and cause their own mouthes to utter and their pens to write the same against themselves and their fruits to confirme it as in this Nation you and yours doth and hath done which is but the fore-runners or first discovered and so much made manifest before other Nations who have not yet heard and seene what we have done Most of the world you say page the 17. do lie in the darknesse of Heathernisme Idolatry Infidelitie and Mahometanisme and too much of Christendome in the darknesse of Popery and Heresie True all the world lieth in wickednesse I say and so saith the Scriptures I Joh. 5.19 but we know that we are of God and you in that wickednesse and Popish darknesse that are in the miscarriages are of the world c. And what can Heathenisme Idolatry Infidelity Mahometanisme Popery and Heresie though by pretended Christians bring forth more against the honour of God c. then to live in the miscarriages keep alive in killing ignorance wronging both men and Christ and neglect the work of God according to his word c. growing worse and yet run further from God as you do and if Papists Idolaters Infidels Mahometans and Heretiques can bring forth nothing more against the honour of God and destruction of souls then to live in killing ignorance unkilled and in miscarriages unpardoned and in sin unturned to God in sleepie security wronging both God and men and neglecting the work of God according to his word growing worse and running yet further from God then you and your hearers are found in the same and so agreeing in that old nature from whence ariseth negligence miscarriages Idolatry Poperie Infidelity Heathenisme and Mahometanisme Heresie c. and being out of the new birth in the old guided by that nature and Spirit do you not with Heathens Popes Turks Heretiques and Infidels agree in the maine for they can but live in the miscarriages asleep in security works of darknesse in sin unturned to God in killing ignorance unkilled neglecting the work of God according to his word to wrong Christ men growing worse and running futther from God which you and your hearers are found in and doth the same as your fruits and book called Agreement doth against you stand witnesse c. and here by your fruits spirits and your words you are left amongst your own with infidels idolaters Popes Turks and Heretiques that are of the old birth and wicked seed out of the way of salvation neglecting Gods work and persecuting or doing the work of the Devill in a high measure amounted so high as to turne wrongers of Christ and of men and so are deceivers of souls and therefore instead of a pardon expect judgment greater condemnation like such Mark 12.38.39.40 Math. 23.31.32 33. c. Behold are you not left desolate being shut out of Christs Ministry and from amongst Christians and are in the nature of Popes Papists Idolaters Infidels Heretiques and the Mahometans c. that are upon the same evill root living on the evill tree and bringing forth the evill fruit though you differ in some words and Colourable Glosses Math. 7.15.16.17.18.16.20 Isa 29.14.15.16 you are of the cursed root and beares that fruit that is aâ—cursed and can deceive none but the deceived such as are of that evill seed bearing evill fruit who are strangers to the new birth and without the true knowledge of the living God and now your vizors or covers are too narrow and all your garnishing and Colourable Glosses will not maske nor hide you Act 20.28.33.34 ver Act 26 26. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.7 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3 2 Cor. 6.3.4 5.6 but leaves you naked and bare In that which you call your Warrant you say the Holy-Ghost made you overseers c. but you have proved your selves liers for the Holy-Ghost makes those overseers that do not neglect the work of God and such as are out of miscarriages that shun not to declare the Counsel of God freely and covets no mans Silver nor Gold who are not persecuters nor wrongers of God but such as are blamelesse as the stewards of God c. Tit. 1.7 But you that are wrongers of men and of Christ and neglecters of the work of God according to his word growing worse and running yet further from God 2 Cor. 41.2 2 Tim. 3.10 11.12.13.16.17 1 Thâ—s 4.7 you never were made overseers by the Holy-Ghost therefore you have lied of or against the Holy Ghost so are liers against God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for in page 3.4 you tell of your unfaithfulnesse or negligence and are bewaileing the same as you say and wanting a pardon and yet you confute your selves in uttering your lies for your own ends where you are seeking your praise in that called your Exhortation c. page 17.18.19 c. Saying it hath pleased the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into this part of his Harvest though you confesse too weake and imperfect yet more numerous and faithfull and diligent then most of his Churches elsewhere proportionably can show That God hath sent forth labourers into his Harvest is true and they are strengthened by him to labour against your deceipt and they are both diligent and faithfull in his work who neither wrong Christ nor men but if you meane that you are those labourers or would have people to believe that you are your own words and fruits do witnesse against you that you ave not labourers in the Lords Harvest nor sent by him that are neglecters of his worke and in miscarriages not pardoned for the same and then not sent neither are you faithfull and diligent that are in the miscarriages and negligent your own
words are your contradictions and selfe confutations and if ignorance be the cause that thousands perish if your people perish are not you the cause of it that hath your people in such ignorance that though they can talk understandingly about the matters of the world yet they can scarce speake a word of sence about the matters of salvation as you say page 19. and upon the experience of their ignorance you have been bâ—ought to consider of your negligence and to know how you have wronged Christ and them in feare least God should require their blood at your hands though you would put off with flatteries and excuses be sure the Lord will call you to a swer before his judgment seate for it your triall is not yet past and your pardon you have not and where you say he hath wonderfully dispelled or expelled the mists of Popery I answer yea that he hath and therefore those that dwell in his light sees you in those mists undispelled that are such deceivers and wrongers of men and of Christ page 18.19 and you say many of Gods servants have laid down their lives in flames in witnesse against it I answer so they have but what is that to you that are in the miscarriages and wronging Christ and men growing worse and running as you say yet further from God c. who are casting or causing to be cast into Prison and persecuting the Lords faithfull witnesses that are sent to witnesse against your deceipts and gaainst all the Popish mists of darknesse in which mists and darknesse are such as are wrongers of God and men in the heresis and miscarriages as you are who being in that mist of darknesse and the miscarrying nature which hath taught you to lie against God and his work page 18. saying he writes his law in the hearts of his living witnesses imperfectly I say you are ignorant of the living witnesses being your selves dead branches and persecuters of his living witnesses as the filling of your Prisons cruell usage at worcester Evesham Banbury Oxford Northampton and other places may witnesse which persecution and cruelty proceeds from that Popish mist or the miscarring nature being works of darkness and are reproved by us Ephesians 5.11 and as you have showed your ignorance of the living witnesses in whose hearts the law of God is written so have you showed that you are ignorant of the writeing of the law in the heart and ignorant of the law written therein that accounteth the work of God an imperfect worke and accounteth God to be an imperfect writer of the law in the heart If he have written his law in the heart of his living witnesses imperfectly as you say who must perfect it would not you be the perfecters of it or make people beleive in you to do it who are the transgressers of it being in the miscarriages growing worse c. And as you say you are wrongers of men and of Christ so are you wrongers of God himselfe that calls his work an imperfect work and accounts God himselfe to be an imperfect worker and to do his work imperfectly when he is a perfect worker and his works are perfect and so doth he write his law perfectly in the hearts of his faithfull living witnesses as both they and the Scripture beare a true testimony though yours be false and not true therein And here I charge you 42 Priests Teachers Pastours Ministers Rectors in the presence of the Lord to be false witnesses and lyers against God and his work and his law which he writes perfectly in the hearts of his living witnesses as the Scripture witnesseth Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.10.11 The Lord is a perfect worker and his law is perfect so doth he write it perfectly to do its work Give eare ô ye Heavens and I will speak saith the Lord God whose words witnesseth against you and all false witnesses that are knowne by your false testimony therefore saith he heare ô earth the words of my mouth Deut. 32.1.2 my doctrine shall drop as the raine my speech shall distill as the dew as the smal raine upon the tender hearbs and as the showers upon the grasse because I will publish the name of the Lord ascribe ye greatnesse unto our God He is the Rock his work is perfect Deut. 32.34 As for God his way and work is perfect the word of the Lord is tried he is a buckler to all those that trust in him for who is God save the Lord or who is the Rock save our God It is God that girdeth me with strength faith David and maketh my way perfect Psa 18.30 31 32. And this the living witnesses in whose hearts the law of God were perfectly written witnesseth against you 42 false witnesses that saith It is imperfect but your folly is made manifest as well as your false testimony in your Agreement But this is but like thy former writing Richard Baxter in that deceitfull booke of thine which James Nayler answered in print as I did in writing and sent to have come to thee before I knew of the printing of thine or James his answer to that called the Quakers Catechisme wherein thy deceipt was to some purpose made manifest in which thou poured forth the venome and filth out of thy old bottle And did'st thou not say that when such as you the Ministers were overtaken with a lazie fit they could preach without study as well as a woman fit for the gumble stoole and hath not the lazie fit overtaken thee and you 42 Ministers that you have declared your lazinesse or negligence and preached in your Agreement or therein declared your ignorance of God and the truth and of the law in the heart perfectly written in the heart by the true and perfect writer of the same in his faithfull witnesses who beares testimony against your deceipts and filthinesse which you daylie make manifest who as you say grow worse and are running yet further from God You say in your Agreement page 26. that repentance is a through turning from the flesh and the world to God c. then they that throughly turne from the flesh and the world to God they turne out of imperfection unto perfection and art not thou here in words become a Preacher of that which thou Richard Baxter in thy book called the Quakers Catechisme there called the doctrine of the Devil for thou called the doctrine of perfection in that booke the doctrine of the Devil and here in thy agreement thou Acknowledged covertly that which thou therein denied openly and saith in that called your Warrant that you are to present every man perfect c And if it was the Devils doctrine to preach perfection and the Papists dung to feed on as therein to wit the booke called the Quakers Catechisme thou said it was Then art not thou either denying in your agreement what in the other thou asserted and so art thy own confuter and selfe contradicter or else if
these promises cleanse your selves from all filthinesse of flesh and of Spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord. And Christ prayed to his Father for those that were given to him that they might be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 And all these had grace and Christian experience that both received the doctrin of perfection and walked in it and some preaching it and some pressing after it and some attaining it their words and fruits and the Spirit by which they were guided who had grace and Christian experience with such as received the doctrin of the Father and the Son having grace and abiding therein doth witnesse against thee Richard Baxter and thy false doctrin who garnisheth thy self with their words and calls them thy Warrant from God when thou and you 42. Priests are without their life and not in their practice but are in your miscarriages wronging others and growing worse c. Therefore are you without your warrant from God and are none of Christs ministers but enemies of the truth and are against the doctrin of the Lord Jesus but you are made manifest and your deceit and false doctrin is denyed by the Children of Light and in and with it you are reproved and against testified You say you receive the publike maintenance to this end that you may be enabled to lay out your endeavours for the good of the whole parishes from which you do receive it c. page 13. of your Agreement But have you not made it manifest to have received the publick maintenance of your parishes whom you receive it for your evil endeavours that are men of miscarriages unpardoned growing worse and runing further from God whose work is by you neglected according to your own sayings and your people understanding little you have said or many yeares preached to them who can scarse as you say speak a word of sence concerning the matters of their salvation and here you are witnesses against them for their Ignorance c. as well as you are witnesses against your selves for your miscarriages and wrong done to Christ them and is not your negligence one chief cause of their Ignorance and Ignorance the cause of destruction and for runner of eternall perdition who say you have wronged Christ and them page 19. Therefore may it not be concluded from your own confession that you are a chiefe cause of souls destruction and by your confusion have you not run into self-contradictions and makes it manifest that you take the publike maintenance of your parishes not for good endeavours but for your miscarriages and so for evil endeavors who hath not profited the people that are so Ignorant of the work of God and their soules good that they can scarce speak a word of sence in matters of salvation as you say and you are the wrongers of them and of God according to your own sayings and so deceives souls for your own ends but the Lord hath shaken his hand against your dishonest gain and such as through covetousnesse maketh merchandize of people Ezek. 22.12 23. your Judgment of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not that with you are such as you may read 2 Pet. 2.3 13 14 15. But let me aske you From whence you and those that pretend themselves ministers of the Gospel who receives Tythes or Hundreds a yeare c. tooke their first example and by whom to receive Tythes by compulsion and that which they and you call their publick maintenance c. had you your example so to do from the practice of the Apostles of Christ Observe Though Priests was very scant after the rot or pestilence spoken of in the time of Edw. 3. yet then the parish Priests was not by any manner of colour to receive above 6. marks wages by the yeare without the Bishops dispesnation and suspension the pain of people of holy Church so called giving above 5. or 6. Marks wages a year to a Parish Priest they was to pay the doubble of that which they gave more to any parish priest then 5. or 6. Marks wages in the yeare and it was to be converted to the use of Almes at the arbitrement of the Diocesan c Anno. 36. Ed. 3. Chap. 8. or from the constitution and decretall epistle of the Pope c. For the ministers of Christ had no command to take Tythes nor hundreds a yeare for preaching the Gospel but freely they received and freely they gave according to Christs command And I read in the law of England that Tythes after the Apostles time were free for the people was not bound to pay them so farr as I see till the Councell of Lateran in Pope Innocents time and then by his constitution and decretall epistle c. the Tythes it seems became bound c. and were to be paid by the subjects of the Realm and so came Parochiall rights as they call them c. to the Priests or Patrons of the Churches so called Then it is cleare to me that you have your ground to take Tythes and maintenance of the World for preaching c. not from the Apostles practice and order but from the Popes c. And that mist of Popish darknesse is not so farr dispelled or expelled from you as to cause you to forsake the Popes Constitutions or your Tythes and maisteries and follow the example of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ and to leave your Miscarriages great parsonages and give over wronging God and men for your own ends and to deny your selves and your preaching for filthy lucre and cease bearing rule by your meanes And if any of you receive the word and command from God become servant to all and minister freely as the ministers of the Gospel who dwelt dwell in the Light do afore-time did but before you do so you must turn from the broad way where the Lust Pride Pompe Covetousnesse earthly-mindednesse and vain glory of the world hath so much liberty in you and cease persecution take up the crosse to your wills Learn to know the bridle for your tongues And let the Issue of lyes and slanders be stopped c. that the stone may be set upon the neck and head of deceit Cook in his second part Institutes saith Before the Councell of Hateran Tythes were free or then any man might have given his Tythes to what spirituall person he would and it was provided at the Councell of Laterean c. that Tythes c. should be given to the Rector or Parson of the parish c. under pretence that he that gave spiritual food should reap temporal so farr as I gather see Cookes second part Institute about fol. 641. Here the Popes and their Priests Rectors c. it seemes like you they could call themselves spirituall men and Ministers Rectors c. as you do and they claimed or took Tythes and publick maintenance under pretence of Ministring spirituall things as
c And yet after you have taken upon you such names to compasse your ends would you not throw off your names when your ends are accomplished and if you be called by them art you not ready to be offended till you have need of them for your selfe ends and will you not then take them upon you againe rather then take up the daily Crosse therein to follow Christ and both deny your Tithes preaching for hundreds a yeare c and also deny for to be any more selfended and as you are and have been and yet for your own ends and earthly gaines though you be offended at the name of Preists c you will rather stick to your names then forsake your selfends and earthly gaines Tithes Easter-reconings c. and seeks to take upon you a cover from the Levitical Preist-hood to hide you under saying The Preists lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts Mala. 2.7 8 9. But I say that such as are in miscarriages wronging Christ and men growing worse and yet run further from God they are not those whose lips preserves knowledge neither are they those that the people should seeke the law at nor they are not the messengers of him and growing worse in miscarriages and yet are as you say running further from him and they that run from God run not for God and such as are in the miscarriages and neither amend nor yet come out of them and so are unfit to be the Lords messengers but you are in miscarriages growing worse you say and so you make it manifest that you do not amend nor come out of them that râ—ns on in them and growing worse therefore are you unfit to be the Lords Messengers and such as are in miscarriages growing worle and run further from God they run from grace goodnesse and from the law and preservation of true wisdom and knowledge and such are not to be enquired at neither doth their lips preserve knowledge nor keepe the law of the Lord who is to be enquired at and obeyed but they living as you do in miscarriages growing worse and yet running further from God such are out of the way as you are and also corrupters of the covenant as well as transgressors of the law of God and therefore their lips doth not preserve true knowledge neither keepe they the law therefore unfit to teach others in it no more then you are that cast it behind your backs to run into miscarriages and grow worse and still run further from God such was those that the Lord sent his Prophets to cry out against And in the leviticall Preisthood God did ordaine Preists under the law by which they were then made and were set apart for the service of God under that dispensation and the Lord had a covenant of life and peace with them the law of truth was in his viz Priests Levi's mouth whilst he walked herein iniquity was not sound in his lips but he walked with the Lord in peace and equity and did turne many away from iniquity and then the Preists lips that with God did walke and abide in that covenant or life and peace in whose mouth the law of truth was did preserve knowledge and the people sought the law not the Gospel at his mouth under that legall dispensation abiding in Covenant according to ordination c. he was the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2.5.6.7 but you are not such Preists and yet pretends to preach the Gospel not the law but lives in your miscarriages and Legal transgressions growing worse and running yet further from God you do not go on in iniquity onely but leads others therein and teacheth them to plead for sin tearme of life then you do not turne others from iniquity but runs further into it that runs into your miscarriages and growes worse neither do you walke with God that runs as you say further from him therefore you are not his messengers neither are you those Preists whose lips preserves the true knowledge and at whose mouth the people sought the law in that Legall dispensation and administration for they walked with God in a Covenant of life and peace and the law of truth was in their mouths so was the feare of God in their hearts and turned many from their iniquities but such as transgressed the Covenant and went from the life thereof and from the law and the truth they went into miscarriages and grew worse and run further from God preached for hire bare rule by their meanes caused many to stumble and corrupted the covenant as you do and such the Lord was against and he is against you Jer 5.25.27 28 29 30 31. and their lips did not preserve true knowledge though they was Preists and Preached for hire Mica 3.11 and bare rule by their meanes and lived in miscarriages Jer. 5. as you do neither doth your lips preserve true knowledge though you be Preists and preach for hire and beare â—ule by your meanes and lives in miscarriages as you say and as they did that corrupted the covenant and so you may see where you are you would beare the name of Priests for your own ends and yet both be offended at them which call you so and tell you of your miscarriages which you now confesse but instead of forsaking run further in them in running from God therefore your mouthes instead of preserving true knowledge utters your confusion and your peoples ignorance and sleepie security that are as you say so carnall and ignorant that they can scarce speake a word of sense in matters of salvation and so it is manifest by their and your fruits cruelty end persecution that you are ignorant of the Gospel and knoweth not the way to salvation ANd unto you 42. Preists who are found in this state of separation from God and in those workes upon which his curse remaines from the Lord I-say unto you and to all your generation who are found in the same state and working the same workes with you Returne and repent and seeing you have confessed the same viz. your miscarriages and wrong done to God to Christ and to men it is your duty to amend and come out of the same make it manifest by your returne not in flatteries and faigned hypocrisie but by ceasing persecution and cruelty give over preaching for hire and beareing rule by your meanes forsake your covetousnesse Pride Pompe and vaine glory and cease seeking your own ends and make not a prey upon the innocent and harmelesse but give over your wronging Christ and men and learne to feare him do not go about to make pleas for sin and covers for your miscarriages but deale honestly and come out of them for it is hard for the Camel the rich mans figure to enter the eye of a needle except he be broken and bruised c so is it as hard
for the rich man to enter the Kingdome except he be stripped of his riches Pride Pompe and Vaine-glory and be thereunto fitted to enter by being made poore in Spirit and so it is said Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God therefore before you enter the Kingdom you must be stript of selfe righteousnesse and come out of your miscarriages Math. 5.3 Math. 5.20 cease wronging Christ and men and be borne againe before you can enter the same Joh. 3.3.5 Joh. 3.9.10 therefore do not seeke to cover your selves and hide your miscarriages now that you have confessed them but come forth and forsake them for he that hides his sin shall not prosper and it is not sufficient for you to confesse your miscarriages and run on in them but after confession to forsake for he that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mery but so shall it not be with them that only confesse and grow worse who do not forsake them but run further on in them therefore consider and let truth and equity enter and do not account and reckon your selves to be dead unto sin and alive unto God whil'st you are naturally dead in sin and alive in persecution lust and miscarriages therein growing worse who are running yet fâ—rther from God least you make a wrong account and reckon amisse and though the man be blessed to whom the Lord doth not impute sin what is that to you to whom sin is imputed who are bewailing your negligence miscarriages and peoples ignorance who are growing worse and râ—nning further from God except you forsake your miscarriages and obey that which convinceth you of them that you may be led out of sin and turned to God and do not account the righteousnesse of Christ to be yours whilst you are holding the truth in unrighteousnesse which the wrath from God is revealed against for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse therefore turne to the light which shews you your darknesse sin and miscarriages and come out of fellowship with sin and unrighteousnesse as well as forsake your miscarriages and waite upon the light to know the righteousnesse revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1.18 2 Cor. 6.14 2 Coâ— 4 5 6 Rom. 16.17 Coll. 3. Rom. 5. â—7 Isa 55.6 7. for you must put off the old man with his deeds and come out of unrighteousnesse and put on the new man which after God is Created if you intend to be made partakers of his holinesse and the righteousnesse which is the gift of God therefore let the wâ—cked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turne to the Lord and he will have mercy on them but if you run on in your miscarriages and grow worse you run on in unrighteousnesse and forsake the mercy who instead of turning to God runs further from him therefore do not seeke to hide your sins any longer but come out of them and forsake them and thinke not to hide your selves and to make a cover for your miscarriages that you may grow worse and continue therein with saying Peter denied his Master and after found mercy but remember that when the Cock crew to put Peter in remembrace of what he had done he wept bitterly and made his returne manifest by coming out of his sin who did not afterward run on in the same nor any more deny Christ as he had done therefore if you take Peter for your example minde to follow his practice now that you are made sensible of your miscarriages weepe bitterly as Peter did humble your selves under the mighty hand of God be seperate from your sins and touch not the uncleane thing make your returne manifest as Peter did and cease doing wrong any more to Christ and men and instead of running from God turne to him that you may stand in awe and not sin and this is love to your soules if you can receive it The Vizard and Cover plucked off from the Wolves back under which he deceived and spoiled the sheep so that his envy and fury appeares or The tree is clearely knowne by the fruit which it beares c. You guilded Tombes and whited walls who have heaped up all the imaginations of all the generations of disobedience that have gone before who exceed in Arts and Notions and changeable religions who in your Townes have set up your severall likenesses so that of Images you have choice which you contend about and fight for and some of them you have set very high above the Gods of your Fathers their Surplesses Tippits and Alters Math. 7.15 16 17 18 19 20. c. But when will you behold what you haue brought forth more then another forme and likenesse in the same power is this all that you have been doing all this while to throw downe one Image and set up divers in the stead but no more life if theirs had lesse shew and as much life shall not they be your Judges when will you begin to judge the tree by its fruit Jer. 23.10 11.12 Isa 3.15 Jer. 5.1 2. Jer. 5.25 27 28 29 30 31. and manifest your God in power and not in words only when shall it appeare that your God is not an Image that he hath power in you over your wills and perverse wayes your lusts and pleasures and cursed covetous practices that the land may no longer mourne because of oathes not the poore groane because of oppression that the works of God may praise him through you in the streets and that it may he once said againe intruth The Lord liveth even the Lord our righteousness Immanuell who worketh all our works in us and for us and not your practices to testifie against you to your faces And you Teachers of all sorts who are trying one another in your selfish natures when will you try your own hearts Isa 56 9 10 11. and Judge and suffer the light of Christ to lay open your abominations to your faces that you may see and forsake that for which you have been so often reproved Mica 3.11 Jer. 29. Ezek. 34. Math. 23. and for which you are so much offended to heare of you that pretend to be in place to reprove others do you not reprove your own selves who are in the steps of the false Prophets Scribes and pharises Is it no sin to be called of men Masters nor to seeke for your gaine from your quarter to beare rule by your meanes to preach for hire and p ophesie for money will you live in these things which did ever burthen the Spirit of God And is this all your confession amendment to call them railers who tell you of it Are these wayes lesse horrible since the Scriptures did witness against them then they were in your fore-fathers which had none or is it more raling now then it was before the Scriptures were written can you stop the cry of God
for the killing of ignorance which your preaching could not do And yet it hath been used by the Popish Race and your forefathers the Bishops and Prelates and were not killed thereby but is found living amongst you their children and off-spring And you are found in the deceit and would keep people in the same by your flatteries and inventions which will all be to no purpose that is acted by the spirit of deceit and miscarrying nature which you are in And leaves the same ignorance unkilled by your familiar and personal Instructions as your forefathers have done you being in the miscarriages wronging men and Christ and not guided by the true spirit but by the false as your fruits as well as your Agreement maketh it manifest Concerning your warrant You have gathered certain verses of the Apostles words and calls them your warrant from God when you are found our of the Apostles practice and order and not at all warranted by them to wrong men and Christ as you have done and confessed the same you also are in the miscarriages and disobedient nature neglecters of the great works of God and therefore you being in that deceit are out of the counsels of God and liars like the false prophets whose examples ye follow that stole the true prophets words and were ready like you to call them their warrant from God or saying they spake from the Mouth of the Lord when the Lord did not warrant them in it no more then he doth you but witnessed against them by the true Prophet And said he had not spoken to them but they ran unsent as you have done and therefore they should not profit the people at all no more then you shall though they spoke the true Prophets words as you may do yet they was not guided by the true Prophets spirit no more then you are And though they spake their words for their own ends as you do yet for all that they were without Warrant from God as well as you are and also found out of his Counsel in their inventions and speaking for their own ends and for mony as you do and they caused the people to erre by their lies and by their leightnesse as you do and the Lord by his Spirit in his Servants witnessed against them as he doth against you saying I sent them not nor commanded them and so they were without warrant from God as you are though they could speak the true Prophets words as you do yet running unsent as you have done The Lord said they should not profit the people at all Jer. 23.16.21.30.31 32. Mi cah 3.5.11 No more do you who are as you say neglecters of the works of God and in the miscarriages unpardoned as well as wrongers of men and Christ as you your selves in your Agreement have all so acknowledged therefore your gathering of Pauls words and the true Prophets words being out of their life and spirit to paint and garnish your selves withal and are found persecuting the truth as your forefathers the false Prophets and Scribes and Pharisees did their words gather together with your dark minds and no warrant to you from God so to do nor to be called of men Masters Matth. 23.8.10 Nor to preach for tithes or hundreds a year Paul did not do it but preached freely coveting no mans silver or gold but hath shewed an example which you refuse to follow Act. 20.33 34 35. therefore his words is no warrant for you to do as you do As in pag the 1. or 2. of your Agreement neither did Paul go to take a ground from the Pope or sixth general Councel held either at Trent or Trull and say from thence that they that are baptized ought to learn the Belief and on the fifth day of the week say it over to the Bishops c. as you do which you lay down as the ground of your Catechisme and familiar and personall instruction and so build upon the Bishops and old popish root as you have done But Paul as he was a Minister of Christ Act. 26.16 17 18. he was sent to turn people from darknesse to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God and not to keep them in darknesse and sin unturned to God as you and your Minister doth therefore you are out of this life and not guided by the Spirit of God as he was And Paul as he was a Minister of Christ and the Gospel he were called of God and appointed to preach by the power of the holy Ghost Gala. 1.1 Gala. 1.11.12.15 16. Act. 13.2 3 c. Act. 18.9 10 11 c. Act. 16.9 10. Colo. 1.25 26 27 28. who was not made a Minister by the will of man as you are but by the Will of God Gala. 1.1 2. in which his Ministry stood who had the mystery of godlinesse and Christ the Son of God revealed within him Ephe. 3.2 3. c. Gala. 1.15 16. And so had his warant from God and after Christ and the Ministry were so revealed in him then he went forth immediately and not before for to preach him as he hath certified to the brethren Gala. 1.11 12. And he preached the Light 2 Cor. 4.5 6. Law Rom. 8.3 Hebr. 8.10 11. And heavenly treasure within 2 Cor. 4.6 7. And the word in the heart Rom. 10.8 by which faith is wrought and Christ the Mistery and hope of glory within them Col. 1.25 26 27. And they that believed and were baptized into him they put him on Gala. 3 27. As Paul the Gospel-Minister hath certified but he did not make a ground of Catechisme and familiar personal instructions from the Pope or general Councels held at Trent or Trull as you do for the cutting down of Ignorance Heresie and wickednesse as you pretend you will do but Paul was to turn people from the darknesse in which errour heresie and wickednesse was and so turning them from that he turned them to the light and power of the Spirit of God which was the way and means whereby Ignorance Errour and wickednesse was to be cut down crucified and killed which you are yet ignorant of as your Agreement doth manifest as well as your fruits who lives in ignorance Miscariages Error Heresie and wickednesse uncrucified or killed And was not the same way and meanes which you pretend to kill it by used by the Pope Bishops Prelats c. or at the Councell at Trent or Trull and by your fore-fathers the old out-rooted Bishops and Episcopals before you and yet it left the Ignorance Errors Miscariages Heresies and wickednesse amongst you Living and had no power to crucifie the same and you say your preaching this many years hath not yet killed it and therefore you have agreed to use the same Antidote or means for the killing of it as they did and if it could not expell and kill it by them useing the same before you as you also have done do you think to blind
people by casting a mist before the eyes of their understanding seeking to insinuate into them by flatteries and garnishing your flatteries with colourable glosses to cause them to think that your reviving that which hath been used amongst them with out-side Matth. 23.27 28.30 31 c. will now from you receive life to do that which it could not do neither by the Pope or Bishops nor by you their off-springs And with the Light are you seen at your witts end and troubled that you cannot have your wills fulfilled who are the enemies of the Living truth and wrongers both of men and God as you also in your Agreement acknowledge and therefore all your Evasions and Colourable glosses must fall with your Image and Imaginary worships as in your fore-fathers before you and the Ministry that stands out of mans will which you are yet Ignorant of must through the crosse cut down and crucifie and kill that which your Ministry doth not nor your fore-fathers or the Pope or Bishops before you and that Ministry which comes forth from the Light and power of the Spirit of God is for the discovering and killing of the Error Heresie and Miscariages which yours hath and doth leave people in and so as it kills that and the Ignorance Gala. 3.4 5. Eph. 2. Iohn 8.12 1 Iohn 3.8 9. 1. Pet. 1.18 19 22 23 1 Iohn 4.16 17 Iohn 14.20 it quickeneth and raiseth the soul out of death destroying the Ignorance Error Heresie and Miscariages and all the works of the Devill and so bringeth soules out of death and from under the power of darknesse to live in the life of the Eternall truth in the Injoyment of the Fathers love and to Enjoy and walke in the liberty of the Sons of God And saith John We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is true God and life eternall 1 John 5.20 Whose Ministry without your familiar personall Instruction discovereth and killeth sin Error and Miscariages which you live in unkilled and therefore out of his Minstiry who killeth that and quickeneth the other that hath suffered under it raising that and them together with it saving them by grace and causing them as they at Ephesus did to sit with Christ Jesus in the heavenly place Ephe. 2.1 2 4 5 6. For by grace were they saved ver 8th Through faith and not of themselves nor of works lest any should boast Eph 2.8 9. As Paul the Gospel-Minister doth witnesse in his Affirmation who did not as you do in your confusion set up a form of words without Spirit and Life grounded upon the Popes practice or generall Councell held at Trent or at Trull And bid people get these to say and be catechized c. And say them over to the Pope or Arch-bishops Persons Preists Rectors and Curates upon pain of damnation neither doth his words warrant you so to do Therefore are they not your warrant from God for that work Neither did Paul go and write out a few words out of the 20. Chap. of Exodus and the 6. Chap. of Matthew and set the people to get them upon pain of damnation and salvation Which words he had before you and witnessed the life in the spirit and power of Christ for the killing of Ignorannce Sin Error and Miscarriages Eph. 5.13 Eph. 6.10 11 12 13 14. Gal 2.19 20. and to quicken the mortall body Rom. 8.10 11. as well for the purifying of the heart and the soul 1 Pet. 1.22 23. Which you have shewed your Ignorance in and to be out of And therefore Pauls words is not your warrant from God who are out of that righteous life And Paul said they were delivered from the law that being dead wherein they had been held their service stood in the newnes of the Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter Rom. 7.6 But your service stands in the oldnesse of the Letter and the old Law and not in the Gospel and newnesse of spirit Rom. 1.16 16. as your fruits and Agreeement doth manifest Therefore you that serve in your wills and set people to serve in theirs and in the oldnesse of the Letter without the Gospel and power of God to salvation and the newnesse of Spirit Clo. 2.21 22 23. Eph. 2.14 15 16. Rom. 1.26 you are not by Pauls words warranted from God to do it who was himself a minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit as he hath witnessed 2 Co. 3.6 c. Therefore your garnishing your selves with his words and wanting his ministery and spirit to guide in the ministration and worship of God that spirit John 4.23 24. 2 Cor. 3.17 18. you are but as founding Brasse and tinkling Cymbals being in the envy and out of love the of the Father as the false Prophets was therefore let Pauls words rest where they are 1 Cor. 13. H s 16.9 Mic. 3.11 Iude 11. till you depart from your lusts and go make restitution for the Lord is against you and all such who are yet without warrant from God for all your stealing of words to garnish your selves as your fore-fathers did But thus saith the Lord therefore behold I am against them that steal my words from his neighbour I sent them not nor commanded them Therefore they shall not profit the people at all Ier. 23.30 c. And now that you are without warrant from the Scripture being out of the life of truth and reviving your fore-fathers works taking a ground from the sixth-Generall Councell held at Trent or at Trull in the time of the Pope or Bishopps Matth. 7.15 16 17 20 22 22 26 27. ver 2. and are you not also left without warrant from them then where are you now and what ground do you stand on are you not without ground or bottom and on the Sandy foundation ready to be washed away when the floods come c. Whose fall as Christ saith therefrom is like to be great and as may be Read Math. 7.26 27. Let the Priests minde and see If they know From whence they came BEhold and see from whence you came and minde your return was not your Original I head root and foundation the Pope or Arch-bishops and Bishops amongst which was not the Bishop of Rome called the Pope Chiefe Supreame head c. Untill the time or raign of Henry the 8. Late King of England as by the Lawes of this Nation may appeare c. And the Called Arch-Bishopps and such as received Orders from them to be Priests Ministers Deacons and Clarks c. Were they not called the body Spirituall and were and are they not called the English Church c. And after the Pope was put out of Tythes and that which he had begott by Henry the 8 the Arch-Bishopps your fathers Priests Ministers Deacons Rectors Clarks
10. And you say page the 9. it is undenyable that the everlasting perdition of multitudes is caused by their ignorance and I say are not you the untaught teachers the cause of their ignorance and then are not you guilty of the blood and losse of those under you and the soules of those multitudes that through ignorance go into perdition whose negligence and wrong done to God and them is a great cause of that ignorance c. Therefore you say you are brought to a deep consideration of mens ignorance through your neglects and now you say you apprehend you have wronged Christ and them page 19 but what are they mended by your confession if they go into perdition and wherein do you amend since your confession but seeing your preaching to be uselesse or profit little or nothing but to deceive soules keep people in ignorance and wrong Christ and them you pretend that you will use some personall and familiar Instruction as a meanes to prevent that killing ignorance Page the 9. and that you call Catechisme setting the people to get the Creed Lords prayer ten Commandements or any Orthodox Catechisme with your expositers the same meanes which hath beene used by Bishops Prelates Episcopals your fore-Fathers if not by the Pope and yet the killing ignorance is left unkilled amongst your hearers and you the untaught teachers and when they have followed you in that you will leave them where they are and so the ignorance being unkilled amongst you and them is left and doth remaine c. To the People c that are put upon it to get the Lords Prayer Western Creed and Ten Commandements c and are yet in sin unturned to God in the selfe separation Jer. 4.25.27.28 29 30 31. Isa 9.14.15 16 17 Isa 59.2.3 4 5 6. MInd the light in your consciences that reproves for sin and evil Joh. 1.9 Math. 5.20 Job 3 3.5 Ephe. 5.11.12.13 Col. 3.5.6 Joh. 8.12 and obey that to be led out of deceipt and filthinesse for if you get all the words your Preists requireth of you and do not come to forsake the evill and imbrace the good and so witnesse the crucifying of the old nature and be borne of God it will little or nothing availe therefore mind the light of Christ in your consciences that discovereth ignorance error and miscarriages to you to follow the light that thereby the ignorance may be killed or works of the Devill destroyed and you by following the light end Counsel of Christ may be led out of darknesse ignorance and miscarriages into the light of life Joh. 8.12 And remember that the Ambassador of Christ 2. Cor. 5.20 the Councellor that declared the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 in his message and counsel co the Church said to them Pray with the Spirit and with the understanding c. 1 Cor. 14.12.13 14 15 therefore when you pray and say our Father and be not begotten by and borne of the Spirit of God how can you pray with the Spirit and true spirituall understanding for some are bastards and not sons Heb. 12.8 therefore if the bastards pray to God as their Father they are without the true understanding 1 Joh. 5.20 and without the true Spirit guiding therein and though your 42 Priests Pastors Rectors and untaught teachers and in the miscarriages let you to act in your own wills and bid you get these words to say over and some other which they have gathered together promising you salvation thereupon and they themselves without pardon for their wrong done to Christ and to you as they themselves say yet let me tell you that the Lord Jesus hath said Math. 7.20.21 that the tree is known by its evill fruits wherefore saith he By their fruits you shall know them Math. 7.15 c and to you I say that the Lord Jesus hath said that it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven so that you may get words and yet be without the life and not one jot nearer Heaven and it is at postible for you and hypocrites and evil doers to get words to repeate without spirit and true spirituall understanding and live still in the killing Ignorance in you unkilled as before though you may get all the words and have them ready to say over which your Priests and Pastors in their miscarriages untaught teachers or Popish Rectors hath imposed upon you and yet for all that remain hypocrites Bastards and be Ignorant both of the new birth and out of the way to salvation and yet ye may say Lord Lord and use the words saying Our Father which art in Heaven when your hearts are from him Isa 29.13 14 15 16. And may also for all that be Bastards Heb. 12.8 and neither sonnes servants nor Children of God but like such as Christ said was of their Father the Devill and be for condemnation as it is said John 8.44 Matth. 23.33 Mark 12.38 39 40. And yet may use scripture words and be Proud Covetous Persecuting Envious Mat. 6.5 Mark 12.38 39 40. and Children of the Devill John 8.44 1 John 3.15 Math. 4.5 6. For all that not being born of God and being out of the eternall life and without the true spirit and spirituall understanding and also may be under the wrath of God And in a stare of condemnation and being unrighteous shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven and so go into perdition take notice of that 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 17. Job 1.6.7 8 9 Jer. 23.1 Jer. 21.30 Joh. 8.40 41 42 43.44 45.47 48. And it is possible for the Devill to preach the letter of the Scripture in his disciples Proud Covetous Persecuting and Self-seeking Priests Pastors and Rectors and set people in the evil nature to get the same and not change it by repeating them over in the Miscarrying and wrongfull nature and being in the old birth and under the curse untaught of God and without the true spirituall understanding or the good spirit guiding them and may be for condemnation for all that Did not the Devill preach Scripture to Christ when he came to tempt him and say As it is written c. Matth. 4.5 6 Yet Christ rebuked him knowing his voice and said Get thee behind me or Go hence Satan Matth. 4.10 11. So ought all Christians to say to the Satanicall Ministers knowing their voice and their fruits to be from the Serpent that lives in Miscarriages doing wrong to God and Christ as yours say they do witnesse their own words in their Agreement page 4.19 c. But when Christ reproved Satan and denied him then he fled from him who came to have wronged him 2 Cor. 6.17 Math. 7.23 Eph. 5.11 2 Joh. 9.10 11 2 Pet. 2.3 Jude 11. as your teachers do him and you but your duty is to deny them and bid them depart because they
and gain-sayes the Counsel of God in refusing to deny their miscarriages but only tell of them and the wrong they do to Christ and men refusing to deny the same and to amend and make restitution to whom they have wronged and cease wronging any and refusing to forsake the evil and cease persecution to turn unto God they refuse to deny their wills that they might obey the will of God and therefore such are resisters of the will of God as your untaught teachers are and the Jews in nature like them was whom Christ would often have gathered and they would not Matth. 23.27 therefore saith he ye that depart not from Iniquity Pride Coveteousnesse Vain-talking foolish Jesting will-Worships the love and honour of the world persecution and miscarriages ye will not come to me that ye might have life Joh. 5.40.44 and saith he Why call ye me Lord and do not the things that I say Luke 6.46 And whereas you say Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts or trespasses as we forgive our debtors or them that trespasse against us c. I say that they that Christ teacheth to pray and them that he taught that prayer and did him obey exhorted others to do so but when your wills are crost are you not ready to destroy and devour such as crosses your wills and yet you pray sort your forgivnesse upon that account and so if you do not forgive others you pray for no forgivnesse according to that account and if you would have God to forgive you as you forgive others see that you do forgive them that trespasse against you or else if you seek revenge persecute c. and do not forgive them if they do trespasse against you do you not pray that God may take vengeance of you and not forgive you when you trespasse against him because you do not forgive them that trespasse against you and prayes for your forgivnesse of God as you forgive men and so when you do not forgive them you pray that God may not forgive you but do to you as you would do to them that offend and trespasse against you and you that do not cease your persecution and also forgive them that trespasse against you you do not act according to the will of God nor regard your own words and vowes made to God in Prayer and if instead of forgiving those that trespasse against you you rather seeke their destruction and ruine do you not pray that God may destroy and ruine you and to do by you as you think to do to them and is not all this according to your Prayer Consider well of it and If you do not forgive them that trespasse against you doth it not appeare that you are not of Gods elect that you have not yet learned the doctrine of the Apostles and of Christ for saith Christ to such as he taught if you forgive men their trespasses your Heavenly Father will forgive you your trespasses Math. 6.15 And if you would follow that you might cease persecution quarrelling and jangling and put on as the elect did do bowels of mercy humblenesse of minde long suffering forbeareance forgiving one another and if any have a quarell against any even as Christ forgiveth learne of him and do ye so for the elect and such as are taught of him and abideth in his doctrine doth so Col. 3.12 13 and exhorts others to do the same but it appeares that you or such as do not so viz. forgive them that trespasse against you in obedience to the will of God and doctrine of Christ and his Apostles you show thereby that you resist the will of God and are not of the elect but out of both the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and doth it not plainly appeare that you and persecuters that wrongs God and Christ and are not yet forgiven and therefore you do not forgive nor regard what you pray for as to performe your vowes c. Therefore doth your hypocrisie more appeare and so you make use of the Scriptures only to talke of and garnish your selves withall as the Scribes and Pharises did that you may oppose the truth and paint your selves with the words as they did but comes not to the life of truth to walk in but are shut out as they was and now it is manifest for the light is risen and sprung up in the hearts of many praised be the Lord and your deceits and deeds of darknesse must be found out and laid open the Lord hath his fanners and he will fift the Nations and the day declareth every mans work of what sort it is and now the Lord looks for fruits for that tree is cursed that makes a great show in leaves and brings forth no fruit unto Christ as the figg-tree was read and understand if you can I desire of the Lord for you that you may and to your soul's profit but let the Serpent be famished dust is his meate but the Father Almighty feedeth his Children and their soules doth taste of his Manna and knowes the daily bread and the sacrifice which is offered up and is the living sanctified soul's nourishment and daily food for which he is not only prayed unto but also praised for glory and honour be to him for evermore And when you say Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evill for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen Concerning Temptation c. I say God doth not lead into Temptation neither doth he tempt any with evill Jam. 1.13 but he suffereth Temptations to come that he may try his Joh. 1.12 and blessed is he that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him but you are hardly sensible of a Temptation who are asleepe in security and ignorance that can scarce speak a word of sense in matters of salvation as your teachers say and in carnality deepe in the iniquity or in sin unturned to God c. but such as are convinced with the light of Christ in their consciences and are awakened out of security having their minds turned with the light from darknesse and sin towards God to wait upon him who are taught by Christ the true Teacher of his they are by him supported and taught from a true sense how to pray and they know that he whose the Kingdoms true power and glory is Math. 11.27 28. who giveth them rest doth teach them to watch and to pray that they by his power may be kept for entering into Temptation as they take his Counsel and abide therein Heb. 2.18 who himselfe was Tempted Luke 22.28 but did overcome and did not enter into the same Math. 4. who is the way to lead out such as him follow Joh. 14.6 Joh. 8.12 and obey Heb. 5.8.9 and it is no sin to be Tempted but to enter into the Temptation which
for dead minds to feed on which will neither kill sin nor quicken the soul and so your dead Catechismes will work as little effect as your dead Sermons have done and that is so little and as you say that people are so ignorant that they can scarse speak a word of sence abort matters of salvation and how should untaught teachers teach to perfect who manifest you are not sent of God that are as you say in the third Answer of your Catechisme you say you are by nature dead in sin and therefore not quickened by grace for they that are quickened are not dead but you are not quickened and so dead but those the Lord sends he quickens before he send them but you are not quickened and therefore not sent who are Children of wrath and naturally are as you say in the present time dead in sin so servants to divers lusts and pleasures and from thence proceeds miscarriages and persecution wrong to Christ and men which are the fruits of wrath and disobedience and how should it be otherwise whil'st you continue therein seeing you are naturally dead in sin and so the naturall men who knowes not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14.15 neither do you receive them because they are spiritually discerned and that is known after quickening for they that are quickened by grace discernes in the gift Eph 1.4 5 6. 1 Joh. 5.20 whereby they understand salvation and happinesse therefore saith the Apostle to such as were quickened and knew the salvation By grace you hath he quickened who were dead in sin and are raised up together and made to sit with Christ Jesus in the heavenly places who gave them an understanding to know the same that wore so quickened and knew the matters of salvation which you and your hearers are ignorant of which things are known after quickening but you are not quickened and therefore to you they are not known but as you say in your third answer you are not only dead in sin but you are prone to do more evill continually and so are Children of wrath and servants of divers lusts as is afore said and so growing worse then where is your amendment ye flatterers and hypocrits that do not grow only worse and worse but you say you depart further from God also And I say â—hat needs not to be for you are far enough from him allready that are dead in sin wronging Christ and men living in Miscarriages promising amendment and yet sayes you grow worse and so are of those that oppose themselves saying and unsaying confuting and contradicting your own sayings in your Agreement and growing worse and running further from God Jer. 5.27 28 29 30 31. Jer. 6.13 14 15. you must needs be of those that turns the grace of God into lasciviousnesse Jude 4. and of them that runs further from Goodnesse into Miscarriages and wickednesse Jer. 5.25 And so dead men cannot quicken and how should they that run from God lead unto God but you run further from God as you say then how can you lead unto God And how should they that live in Miscarriages grow worse lead others out of them into the truth to grow in grace so become better but you live in miscarriages and grow worse as your selves confesse in your Agreement and your fruits make manifest who are naturally dead in sin c. And how should the blind and dead lead others into the way of truth and into the life thereof that are out of it themselves as you are and how should you lead others from under the curse whil'st you are in the fall under the wrath c. and how should you turn people from darknesse and from the power of Satan that are yet in and under the same according to your third Answer And how should you be examples and leaders of others to come out of the Miscarriages and evill who your selves are in the miscarriages and prone you say to do more evil continually and to grow worse and depart yet further from God and then whilst you are doing that and departing from him you are not amending not yet leading to him and therefore you are very unfit to disciple the undiscipled and to be leaders of others from evill unto good that are your selves dead in sin and not alive in grace being in the self-separation and in Miscarriages continually prone to do mere evill and grow worse and depart further from God therefore you are very unfit to lead out of the evil unto God and that is the cause your people are so Ignorant as you say and in sin unturned to God because their teachers are so and the Scripture fulfilled which saith like Priest like people Hos 4.9 Whose teachers instead of turning to God run further from him and therefore you being untaught to come out of Miscarriages c. and abide not in the Doctrin of Christ are very unfit to teach others the way of God or lead into the covenant of lite and as you say you grow worse continually it appeares so by your fruits daily your actions doth declare it as well as your words but how should it be otherwise whilst you continue therein and run on in the same seeing as you say you yet depart further from God and so from grace and goodness into persecution and your Miscarriages c. And are you not under that saying of the Prophet like such that are greivous revolters Jer. 6.28 30 walking with slanders where lie saith Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them who trusted in lying words and were given to wickednesse and though they said The temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord they did not amend their wayes and their doings but lived in oppression Wrath Envy and the Miscarriages growing worse and worse and ran further from God tor they neither obeyed the voice of the Lord nor received correction truth was perished and cut off from their mouthes as appeares by the saying of the prophet Jer. 7. Chap. Jer. 7. Chap. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousnesse and from the Prophet unto the Priest every one doth falsely Jer. 6.13 Like such as you who live in miscarriages growing worse and prone to do more evil continually and running further from God as your Agreement doth witnesse against you therefore thus saith the Lord I will lay stumbling blocks before this people and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them and the neighbour and his friend shall perish Jer. 6.20 And in your fourth Answer you tell of Gods love and giving his onely son to be a redeemer c. I answer yea so he did though you be Ignorant of it that are dead in sins and not quickened then not redeemed yet such as are quickned and taught by him to come out of Miscarriages and out of the