conformity But were this snare of the destroyer and murderer once discovered and broken which is under a specious and religious pretence of doing God good service to oppress and slay his innocent servants and children and to force men to that which their minds and consciences are not perswaded unto which is worse than Idolatry or at least would it please the most high to help the Kings and Rulers of the earth to take King Davids counsell Psal 2. which is to kiss tâ—e son lest be angâ—y and in his anger smite thâ—â— glorious Image which Nabuchadnezzer saw in his dream Dan. 2. 31 32 33 34. upon his feet that were part of iron and part of clay and so break them to peeces that the iron the clay the brass the silver and the gold be broken to peeces together become as chaff and so vanish away that there should no place be found for them And would it please the most high to put it into their hearts to manage that power and sword of steel which he hath put into their hands and takes out again at his good pleasure so that it might onely attend the very thing for which it is bestowed upon them which is to do justly and to shew mercy as those that walk in such eminent places humbly before the Lord which are things more pleasing to him than such burnt offerings and sacrifices although they amounted to thousands of rams or ten thousands of rivers of oyl especially being such as he hath not required at their hands how soon would the earth which now is moved exceedingly reels to and fro like a drunkard and is removed like a cotâ—â—â—â— â—â—ome a quiet and peaceable habitation for if there were neither fear on one hand nor hope on the other that this sword should be drawn forth to maintain the carnall interests of some which they enjoy upon religious pretences and to suppress the understandings and consciences of others to the hazard of their proper and lawfull interests and outward enjoyments and all men should see the Rulers as resolute in this point as Galio was so that men of all sects and religions which now are various were become hopeless of any other help to support themselves and their way or to draw others thereto than what by the word of God they can attain unto how soon would these tumults cease the enmity in point of Religion be slaâ—n and all things in peace and for my part I cannot expect that the swords should be beaten into plowshares and the spears into pruning hooks that nation shall not rise against nation neither shall they learn war any more which is a thing which the mouth of the Lord hath spoken of untill that be accomplished which should occasion it which is expâ—eâ— by the Prophet in these words For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Micha 4. 3 4 5. And as this forcing of men for their conscience sake cannot stand with the peace of a Nation or Commonwealth so neither can it stand with the liberty thereof as those two instances Rev. 13. 10. and 15. 16 17 together with daily experience doe lively demonstrate in which Scriptures it is plain to be seen that whilst the Beast reigneth through the power of the Kings of the Eath all are restrained of their liberty and brought to conformity they cannot buy nor sel unless they conform to the Beast no not the great ones Kings and Rulers themselves they shall rather cease to be Kings than cease to conform when once they have given their power to him for then they have not been able to stand before him as Emperors Kings Princes and Governors have by wofull experience through a sad hand of God found to be true And as by the righteous judgement of God they that have upon this accompt killed with the sword must have a time also to be killed with the sword so they that have led into captivity must also be led into captivity so that by this it appears it cannot stand with the liberty of a place and Nation And that it cannot stand with the prosperity and safety therof will appear from a twofold consideration the first whereof is with respect to piety the second to policy That which is taken from piety is this If the matter be duly considered and weighd it cannot be expected but that this outward constraint or restraint of men in matters of conscience for the worship of God in this present evill world and by the powers therin much chiefly reflect and light upon such as being called out of the world can neither conform to worldly vanities nor worldly worships but to the pure voice and word of God and to the testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord which if true as indeed it cannot be denied then it will easily appear to be both unsafe and unprosperous for a state or nation to be found medling herein for as much as the Lord of hosts hath said he that toucheth you toucheth the aple of mine eye Zach. 2. 8. and again Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm 1 Chron. 16. 22. and King David had well observed concerning the Israel of old that the Lord suffered no man to do them wrong but even reproved Kings for their sakes Psal 105. 14. And if the Lord of hosts who is full of bowels of compassion be so taken with the oppression of the poor and sighing of the needy that â—e will not long forbear but will arise relieve him and set 〈…〉 safety from him that pusseth at him or would insnare him Psal 12. 5. shall he not much rather avenge his own elect which give him no râ—â—t but câ—y night and day unto him Luk 18. 7. yea I tell you saith Christ he will a venge them speedily And now how unsafe and unprosperous it is for a Kingdome or State to ly thus open to the vengeance of God which if it breaks forth is like to overturn overturn overturn it as the prophet speaks Ezek. 21. 25 26 27. will not be a hard thing to discern Again it cannot well stand with the prosperity and safety of a State or Nation upon a politick ground or consideration For it best suits with policy be the power in the hands of Kings and Princes but especially of States and Commonwealths 1. To engage not only one party or sect alone but all parties therein to the present power and to the supporting thereof 2. To do this not by giving away any part of the power to any party or sect to oppress or inforce others to their way for their carnal and private respects for that as hath been shewn is the way to lose it themselves except they conform yea to be brought to conformity but to afford its protection equall to all without respect unto any at least in this 〈◊〉 keeping them thereby safe under God in respect of their persons names and estates 3 And to engage them all upon the strongest engagements which are not carnal outward advantage they being of tentimes so far from advancing the same that they prove notable means to make the obstruction but this wherein one man may be as wel assured that he shall not be forced to another man understanding and conscience as that another shall not be forced unto his Which indeed is an engagement that is stronger than death the voice of each manâ— conscience being to him as the voice of his God by this means shall all parties be deeply obliged to the utmost of their lives and estates to beaâ— up that power without which they cannot expect to enjoy peace liberry and safety themselves so shall the rulers also have somewhat more vacancy to consider what it is that the Lord of hosts doth require at their hands which is to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly before the Lord Mic 6 7. 8. And whereas it is added every man being such c. which is to shew that whether such liberty as this should be granted or 〈…〉 in this present world yet it concerns and also well becomes the servants of Câ—â—â—â—t not to alter their course but to be still found keeping the commandments God and the testimony of Jesus and to beating in mind what is said Rev. 12.11 And they overcame him by the bloâ—d of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death hâ—â—kning also for his voice who saith Rev. last 20. Surely I come quickly with the like closing therewith as there is exprest Amen Even so come Lord Jesus FINIS * A Wampon Peague is the sixâ—h part of a penny with us Heb. 1. 3. 8. 1. Heb. 8. 6. 10 11 12. Act. 10 43 Jo. 1. 45. Acts 3. 21. 7. 37. Matth. 17. 12 13. Matth. 11. 11 12 13 14. Eph. 1. 1. Col. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 2â— 7. 23. 1 Cor. 12 13. Col. 2 19 2 Eph. 20. 21 22. 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Heb. 12. 2. Acts 9. 6. Ps 85. 8. Io. 10. 5. 4 â—o 23 24.
ILL NEWES FROM NEW-ENGLAND OR A Narative of New-Englands PERSECUTION WHERIN IS DECLARED That while old England is becoming new New-England is become Old Also four Proposals to the Honoured Parliament and Councel of State touching the way to Propagate the Gospel of Christ with small charge and great safety both in Old England and New Also four conclusions touching the faith and order of the Gospel of Christ out of his last Will and Testament confirmed and justified By JOHN CLARK Physician of Rode Island in America Revel 2. 25. Hold fast till I come 3. 11. Behod I come quickly 22. 20. Amen even so come Lord Jesus LONDON Printed by Henry Hills living in Fleet-Yard next door to the Rose and Crown in the year 1652. To the Right Honorable the House of PARLIAMENT and COUNCEL of STATE for the Commonwealth of ENGLAND The author humbly craves of that mighty Counseller that Prince of peace a large donation of the spirit of Counsell and of the spirit of courage with a suitable and happy success for the Peace Liberty and enlargement of these three Nations MAy it please you right Honorable in some of those few vacant hours which it pleaseth the most high whose rod and staff you are to afford unto you from those many weighty difficult and distractfull incombrances and affairs that do flow in and press upon you daily to cast your eye at least for recreation sake upon this Treatise and the rather because it contains in it matter of no small concernment as in it self so especially to your honoured selves for in the first part which is the narrative you may please to read a tragicall story wherein I hope your eye will not a litle affect your tender hearts to see such a discurteous entertainment of strangers and wayfaring-men that were passing by and tarried but for a night or two and that by their neighbours men professing the fear of the Lord as they also do who together for liberty of their consciences and worship of their God as their hearts were perswaded long since fled from the persecuting hands of the Lordly Bishops your adversaries and ours unto those utmost parts of the World to the extreme hazard of their lives the wasting of their estates and upon the point to the totall loss and deprivation of their neer and deer relations and the comforts thereof in this their native land and the rather to see this acted by that sword that hand which from your honored arm they are betrusted with and so to see your sword your power your hand misused therein In the second part which is the confirmation of my testimony by the word of God and testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord and especially in the later part thereof you that count it your greatest honour and highest preferment in this world to be servants of Christ who is indeed the Lord of Lords and King of Kings whose Sword-bearers you are as was also that Caesar although he knew it not you I say I hope shall find that he hath not required such things at your hands as generally they that have been his Sword-bearers before your selves have been apt to conceive and thereupon have been too deeply engaged in the shedding of much innocent bloud in this Land being also perswaded thereunto by their teachers who to maintain their superstitious humane invented religion and worship for filthy lucres sake it being the only curious art and craft by which they had their wealth and livings as those of old not having the two-edged sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to defend themselves and to maintain their craft against the poor illiterate and despised servants and witnesses of Jesus Christ have been forced to call for the sword of stell the power of the Magistrate to help to stop their mouthes to cut them off and so to take them out of their way and by casting a mist before their Rulers eyes they have still perswaded them That this is their office and duty to do and that hereby they did God best service with that sword with which they were betrusted whereas indeed they did but make their sword guilty of the blood of the innocent and thus were they taken off from attending upon the very thing for which this sword was put into their hands to attend upon their private and carnall interests and so were brought into a double transgression By whose errataes Right Honourable I hope the Lord will teach you to beware and by giving you a clear discerning of his mind and will in these more bright sunne-shining daies wherein the Earth begins to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea will give you to understand that as all power in earth is given to him so he to the glory of God his Father whose power and wisdome he is doth wisely manage the same by a two fold administration of power suitable to the two fold state or being of man whom in the earth and in the things thereof he hath appointed Lord that one may be called an earthly and outward administration which suits the outward man and all those outward and visible things in reference unto man that do belong thereto as he is Lord thereof and is managed by an outward visible sword of steel and by a carnall or audible voyce or word of him or them that holds it in their hand and to an outward and carnal end yet righteous just and good which being diligently attended to tends to the peace liberty and prosperity of a civil State Nation and Kingdom so far as it concerns the outward man and visible state thereof which end is the preservation of it self the whole and every particular part and person belonging thereunto safe in their person name and estate from him or them that would rise up visibly to oppress or wrong them in the same Thus in the general and to instance more particularly in case by the caution of a wholesome Law and just penalty annexed thereunto which by a carnall hand or way is presented to a carnall and visible eye or ear the Oppressour takes not warning and will not be deterred from offering violence to the person name or estate of his neighbour then by this power shall he be made responsible and be forced nolens volens so far as he is able to make it good and to restore in case any be impoverished or faln to decay in their outward man and estates by age sickness fire or by some other way or hand of GOD so far as their present strength extends by this power they are to be employed and where it fails to be relieved and that by an equall and just levy of their neigbours estates to be taken also by force in case there be not so much love and charity in them towards their poor distressed neighbours to constrain them thereunto and by the same way also to maintain itself and all other just undertakings
and powerfull instructing there is none to him in point of instruction for he it is in whose hand is the Key of David and he openeth the heart to understand the scriptures and to shew a lively experiment of his powerfull instructing when he was here upon Earth he past by the wise and learned Rabbies and called the illiterate and foolish Fishermen and to this day doth choose not many wise nor many learned but the poor foolish and despised ones that as a teacher he may shew his abilities thereby giving understanding to the simple speaking words of light and life and spirit to them and by them to confound the wise and learned and mighty yea he indeed is the light of the Gentiles which sate and still in a great measure sit in darkness and is that true light that enlightneth every one that cometh into the World see 24 Luke 45. 1 Corinthians 1. 26 27. Iohn 6. 63. Acts 13. 47. Iohn 1. 9. And as he was the Prophet opening his Fathers Bosome and shewing the things that were past and present so the things also that were to come he tells them how many things he must suffer of the Elders and Chief Priests and Scribes and be killed and raised again the third day and therein foresheweth his Office of Priesthood he also foretells how after he is risen as a Lord he will set his House in order and so depart to his Father to receive his Kingdom and to return and what shall befall his Servants in the time of his absence by the reign and rage of the Beast and Spirit of Antichrist and what will be each ones portion at his return as appears in the book of the Revelation which is surrounded with blessings to him that readeth Chapter 1. 3. and curses to him that addeth to it or taketh from it Chapr last 18. 19. Wherefore seeing there is no Prophet or Teacher to Christ and his Spirit in point of instruction both for excellency of matter and efficacy in teaching it well suites with Christians to be still cleaving close to this Prophet and concluding with the Disciple that first trusted in him Whither shall we go thou hast the Words of Eternall life But to proceed he is The Anointed King who is gone unto his Father for his glorious Kingdom and shall ere long return again That Jesus of Nazareth is the Anointed King could not be hid in the day of his humiliation as appears Luke 23. 2 3. Chapter 19. 38. The Majesty of a King did to appear in that lowly and meek form while he rode upon an Asse that if the multitude of the Disciples had not confest him but had held their pâ—ace the stones would cry out yea and then his word had a powerfull efficacy like the word of a King among Men and Devils the winds and Seas so that he speaks but the word and the blind see the lame walk the deaf hear the dumb speak the dead are raised the Devills are cast out the poor receive the Gospell when he is at the weakest then is Pilate fore'd to confess that he is King of the Iews and to propagate this confession as far as Latin Greek and Hebrew will cary it this appears more evident since he was raised and sits as Lord at the right hand of the Father at least in the hearts and lives of his Servants by powring forth that Spirit or oyntment received Acts 2. 33 34 35 36. So that the Kings of Israel were but his types and the Kings of the Nations are but his Sword-bearers for he is King of Kings but most lively shall this truth be made manifest when all enemies shall become his footstool and he shall appear indeed in the form of a King with thousands of his Saints and ten thousand times ten thousand of the heavenly Hosts and shall in the powerfull word of a King command the Earth and the Sea to give up their Dead and both wicked men and Devills to go together into torment and they shall be tormented and the Saints to enter into the joy of their Lord and it shall be unspeakably glorious 25 Mat. 31. 32. Luke 9. 26. John 5. 28 29. And that he is gone unto his Father to receive his Kingdom and shall ere long return again will be made manifest by these scriptures Io. 20. 17. Lu. 19. 12 13. Heb. 9. last 2 Tim. 4. 1. Rev. last so that as certainly as he hath had a time for his Propheticall Office and for his Priestly so shall he have a time for his Kingly and as the dream of Nebuchadnezzer hath been found certain and the interpretation of Daniel sure concerning those four Monarchies or Kingdoms of men which should come to pass in the Earth so certain and sure it is that the day is aproaching that the God of Heaven will set up his Kingdom by that despised yet Corner-stone that was cut out without hands Dan. 2. 44. 45. That this Iesus Christ is also the Lord none to or with him c. That he is the Lord appears 2 Cor. 4. 5. We preach Christ Iesus the Lord saith Paul and Acts 10. 36. saith Peter he is Lord of all and hence it is that he is called Lord of Lords Rev. And that there is none to him by way of commanding and ordering with respect to the worship of God the household of Faith will evidently appear if the nature of the household of Faith the worship of God and the commanding and ordering power that suits therewith be considered with respect unto him For the nature of the household of Faith they are a company of faithfull ones that are bought with the price of his blood knit together in one by his Spirit founded wholly upon himself built up by him to be a holy habitation of God and therefore not in the least measure to be defiled with the inventions and commandements of men from whence it is that they are still with their ey fixt upon him whom they look upon to be as well the finisher as the author of their faith still in their hearts calling on him that hath bought them and saying Lord what wilt thou have me to doe and still standing upon their watch to harken what this Lord will speak for the voice of a stranger they will not hear so that by this it evidently appears that there is none that hath so much right unto this household of Faith by way of ordering it not yet freedom in it by way of commanding as hath Christ Iesus the Lord And from the nature of the worship which is spirituall to be performed by a spirituall worshipper and after or in that true manner that the Father of spirits hath appointed it will as evidently appear that there is none to him by way of commanding and ordering in this matter who is the only begotten of the Father came out of and yet is in his bosome and hath declared him the true way of his worship and
pre-suppose to have power over his spirit and conscience to cause it to conform likewise or else he cannot attain unto his Religious intent 2. This is but a forcing of servants and worshipers upon the Lord and I say at the best for it is more likely to force worshipers from him And this will cleerly appear because the true worshipers and such as the fathe seeks for are such as worship him in Spirit and in Truth See John 4. 23 24. who having received from Christ the Spirit of life and love have his word stand in their heart as the word of a King so that thereby they become a willing people to do him service and stand not in need of such outward force to compell them thereto they therefore that stand in need to be and therefore are by outward force compelled to the worship of God to the faith and order of the gospel of Christ they I say are such servants and worshipers as are forc'd upon the Lord whom he seeks not for This outward forcing men in the worship of God is the ready way to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and men which wise men abhor the truth of this will be thus demonstrated for if they be spirituall true and willing worshipers such as the Father seeks for then what need is there of a constraint or restraint such are a law of life to themselves but if they be not then what make they there before him who calls for the heart and wisheth men to look to their spirits for he is a Spirit and will be sanctified of all those that draw neer unto him See Prov. 23. 26. Mal. 2. 15 Rev. 10. 3 4. Then as they are forced upon the Lord against his will and without any warrant from him so are they also against their own and therefore although their bodies may be present and through fear of the stroke or hope of reward may seem to conform yet their hearts and minds not being changed and the strong holds thereof not being beaten down as by such carnall weapons they are never likely to be they I say are absent and far from the Lord so then while their hearts and confciences still cleave to their Idols and yet their bodies are caused to conform what is this but to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and man and that it is the way to put men upon the profaning the name of the Lord is also evident understand by name his attributes word ordinances worship they are all profaned by such a person that stands in need to be forc'd to Religion See Hag. 2. 13 for him to call upon the name of the Lord is to profane the name of the Lord for their prayers are abomination to him Gen. 4. 26. Prov. 28. 9. Isay 1. 13. And a calling the name of God or Christ upon such is counted by him a blaspheming his name See Rev. 2. 9. 13. 1. 5 6. and unto the wicked saith God Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or to take my CoVenant in thy mouth Seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee By all which it doth evidently appear that the second proposition doth also stand firm A sixt argument against the forcing of men against their understandings and consciences is taken from the prohibition of Christ and stands thus 6. Arg. If Christ Iesus the Lord hath expresly forbidden his servants by such a force to seek to constrain or restrain another mans conscience or his outward man against his understanding and conscience in things appertaining to God although his understanding and conscience be cleerly discerned to be erronious and evil then can no servant of Christ Jesus have any liberty much less authority from him so to practise This cannot be denied But Christ Jesus the Lord hath expresly forbidden his servants so to practise and for the proof hereof take two or three instances Mat. 15. 14. where Christ speaking to his disciples touching the Pharisees who were blind guides seducers hypocrites strong opposers of Christ yet seemingly full of zeal and devotion and such as brought a vanity upon the worship of God and made his commandements of none effect by their traditions as appears V. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. of the same chapter yet V 14. saith Christ to his disciples let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind and so leaves them to that sad event which is their falling into the ditch or perishing together See the parable of rhe wheat and the tares Mat. 13. 24. interpreted by Christ himself V. 37 38. And he that soweth the good seed saith Christ is the Son os mâ—n The field is the world the good seed are the children of the Kingdome which being sown by the son of man must needs be meant faithful land sincere-hearted professors of the truth of the gospell But the tares saith he are the children of the wicked one and the enemy that soweth them is the deVill which being the children of the wicked one and sown by the devill after the children of the Kingdome must needs be meant such as crept in unawars and were sent in as Paul speaketh See Gal. 2. 4. to spie out the Saints liberties that they might bring them into bondage and so were formall Professors of Christ at the first but afterwards discovered to be Hereticks Schismaticks Apostats Blasphemers such as was Hymiâ—â—us Phyle us Alexander Demas and such false teachers as Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 2. 12. That should bring in damnable heresies eVen denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction whose pernicious wayes many should follow by reason of whom the way of truth should be evill spoken of but to go on the harVest saith Christ is the end of the world and the reapers are no other than the angels Now the question for our instruction in righteousness being made by the servants unto their Lord when the tares were discovered whether it was his will that they should go and gather them up and take them out of the field his first answer V. 29. is nay and the reason he renders is this lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them And the next answer V. 30. is an express word of command that they should let both grow together in the field which is the world and untill the time of the harvest which is the end therof and then his purpose is to speak to the reapers which are not men but Angels to gather them up and bind them in bundles to burn them I shall produce but one instanee more to shew that our Lord Jesus forbids such a practice as this among his Disciples or servants 2. Tim. 2. 24 25 26. The serVant of the L Lord saith Paul in the word of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach not to strike patient in meekness instructing those that
that may be presented for the preservation of the whole And this in brief is the sum of that administration of Christs power in earth so far as it meerly concerns the outward man with respect to others that may uphold it or molest it and is managed by that sword of steel which in reference unto him is called in scripture the rod of iron by which he rules the nations and breaks them to peeces like a Potters vessel and with this administration of his power on Earth Right Honourable hath he who is the Lord of Lords and shall ere long appear as King and Judge of all betrusted you in these three Nations having as a manifest token thereof put into your hand that iron rod and to admiration hath strengthened and upheld your arm for the subduing and ordering of the same There is yet besides this another administration of Christs power on Earth which compared with this may be truly termed heavenly and spirituall it being that which suiteth with and principally is exercised about the spirituall or hidden part of man to wit his spirit mind and conscience which is indeed the most naturall Lord and commander of the outward it and all things belonging thereunto being but naturally subject and readily obedient from which very consideration it is that it is more safe and also more honourable for the powers on earth to have one thousand souls to be subject to them for love and conscience sake than to have ten thousand times ten thousand bodies seemingly subject for wrath sake and for fear of revenge this spirit and great commander in man is such a sparkling beam from the Father of lights and spirits that it cannot be lorded over commanded or forced either by men devils or angels but onely leaving its first station wherein it came so neer to the light and glory of God it is now caused to possess death and darkness and by that means is in a capacity by men and devils to be deceived and so by perswasion to be mis-led This spirituall administration of Christs power in and over the spirits and consciences of men as it extends to all the inward and hidden motions and actings of the mind so to all the outward manifestations of its powerfull commands in the outward man in reference unto God and especially unto such as appertain to the visible worship and service of God who hath declared himself to be a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and seeks such and onely such to worship him This spirituall administration so far as it concerns the outward man is managed not by a sword of Steel which cannot come neer or touch the spirit or mind of man but by the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of his servants the word of truth and especially as to the efficacy and to the inward man by the two-edged sword of the Spirit that spirituall law and light with which these candles of the Lord are enlightned and that by himself who is that light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world and this spirituall administration of Christs power on earth in and over the spirits minds and consciences of the sons of men and also over the outward man as to worship meerly is committed into the hands of the Spirit of Christ who is his vice-roy here on earth and is only able to deal with spirits by way of convincing converting transforming and as it were a-new creating of them and so to translate them out of the Kingdome of darkness in which they are by nature into the glorious â—iberty of the Saints in light Who is pleased also to make use of the mouths of his servants and through them as empty reeds and crooked rams-hornes to overturn the spirits and spirituall strong holds of men and devils and by them to convict avenge and execute the sentence written which upon such as manifest the emnity that is in their minds in the highest degree even against the holy Spirit himself the only sin unpardonable for all other sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven I say the written sentence that is to be executed upon such is anathema maranatha that is accursed with this intimation our Lord cometh leaving them untill he meet with them and otherwise than thus the servants of Christ cannot proceed having express command not to strive but to be patient apt to teach in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves to wait if God at anytime wil give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth Thus if it please the Father of lights to give you Right Honorable to distinguish between these two administrations of Christ's power here on earth and to leave that part to himself in the hand of his Spirit which cannot be conferred on others nor yet rightly managed but by the two-edged sword of that Spirit and wholly give up your selves to improve that part which belongs unto and well suits with that sword which you are now betrusted with it will much conduce to his glory your own praise and the peace and settlement of these three Nations over which the Lord hath set you And whereas Right Honorable it is in your hearts to propagate the Gospell of Jesus Christ the thing is excellent that is in your hearts and I hope the way to effect it is before you which is sith the Lord of hoasts hath said that works of this nature are carried on not by might nor by power but by his Spirit therefore to give way to his Spirit for the effecting thereof and to this end I humbly propose that your way to further this glorious design as to the might and power this Lord of Hoasts hath betrusted you with is 1. Not so much as to touch his Anointed and to do his Prophets no harm their ointment being the Spirit of prophecy and this Spirit of prophecy the testimony and witness of the Gospel of Jesus And 2. As obedient and dutifull servants to that Lord of Lords to suffer the Tares which being by the adversary sown after the Wheat must needs be ment erronious hereticall and antichristian persons professing the Gospel I say to let these tares alone in that part of the field or world over which the great Lord of the harvest hath placed your Honors sith it is his pleasure they shall there remain to the time of the harvest being the end of the world and that out of his tender respect to the Wheat lest in plucking up the tares though evidently discerned by his servants the Wheat should be rooted up also And 3. To the same end not to give your sword or power to the beast nor yet to suffer your power neither in these three nations nor yet in any forreign part of the world to be so misused by any to whom 't is committed as by vertue thereof out of an ignorant zeal and blind devotion pretending to pluck up the tares which yet is contrary to the express
mind of the Lord to root up the wheat also 4. To countenance and incourage as through Gods mercifull hand on your hearts in some measure you do such as are faithful and upright in the land by this means shall a wide and effectual door be opened and so shall the word of the Lord which is the Gospel of Christ go forth run and be glorifyed through all those parts of the world that acknowledge your power and that which is of God shall stand encrease and be propagated and that which is not of God shall fall decay and come to nothing Thus shall you also accomplish the words of the Prophets of old in becoming nursing fathers unto the servants and children of God who under you shall lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty and shall be greatly obliâ—ged to improve their interest in the father of mercies by their presenting to him constant and earnest petitions supplications intercessions and giving of thanks on your behalf And for the furtherance of those worthy thoughts of your hearts they shall not cease to preach and declare to great and small what they have seen and felt and heard touching the Gospel of Christ and to pray the lord of the harvest to send forth faithful and painful labourers into his harvest which is also the constant hearty and earnest request of Your humble and faithful Subject JOHN CLARK To the Honored Magistracy the Presbytery and their dependency in the Mathatusets Colony in New-England The Author wisheth repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ HOnored Friends for so without scruple or dissimulation can I call you some of you I honor for your parts others for your places sake and both for many good things I see in you and for evils reformed by you I call you friends for my love to you in truth is unfained neither are there I bless the Lord notwithstanding the discourteous usage which I and my friends received from you any evill thoughts in my heart towards you because I judge you were put upon what you did by a zeal I would not think unto private or caanall interests but towards God thinking thereby to do him service although I confidently believe and therefore boldly do affirm that his soul abhors it And that I may deal plainly with you as a friend I will tell you what in my heart I think and judge that such a zeal of God is not according to true knowledge or knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus Christ which would soon take you off and free you from that soul murdering and blood thirsty lie I hope you will not be offended to see this Narrative brought forth into the publick view it being upon the point forst from me by your friends agent here seeing also the matter which is contained therein is of no less than of publick concernment was not done in a corner is the fruit of your zeal and that wherin I suppose you glory and count your selves herein a worthy pattern for all that sear the Lord to follow you and withall their might to be conformed to which if a truth I then save you a labour and further your design yea I publish your praise and glory but my own disgrace and shame but if a mistake and falsehood I shall then hereby give occasion unto your faithful friends whose words may be of more prevailing power and force than mine through prejudice for present are like to be to tell you friendly and yet plainly that you do but glory in your shame so that the time may come if so be the will of God that you may smite upon your thigh and say within your selves what fruit had we then of those things whereof we are now ashamed neither let it be offensive to your spirits to see my testimony for which thing sake among you we were shamefully entreated being also strangers to you and belonging to another jurisdiction where and by whose means divers of you and yours and such as have been of chiefest note and most highly esteemed by you have enjoyed curtesies with far greater liberties in point of conscience no man gainsaying let it not offend I say to see this testimony when none of you upon the oft repeated motion would come forth to oppose it then to be made yet more publick by the word of God and testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord to be brought forth into the open view of all confirmed and justifyed neither take it ill that fith I could not with freedom and upon equal terms speak with you and discuss these points for which we have been sentenced that then I have made bold to write unto you some few lines that thereby I might remind you least you let it slip that we were brought before you as by a hand from beneath so not without a speciall and good hand from above and that to be a testimony against you in these two weighty particulars first to bear testimony against your standing with respect to the worship of God appointed by Christ which in plain terms for it is not now a time to dissemble seeing the Lord is at hand is false and evil not the order of the Gospel of Christ as you pretend and therefore disorder confusion and that which in Scripture language is called Babel And secondly to bear testimony or witness against that way by which you maintain it which being chiefly as it appears by carnal weapons which cannot reach to the heart or spirit of a man which is the principal part and upon the point the whole in the worship of God without which there is no acceptance with him this I say must needs also be fals but yet far worse it being no way appointed or approved of Christ nor yet groundedly expected or practised by Christians who first trusted in Christ and therefore upon due examination will prove most unchristian yea Antichristian I shall use but these two arguments in this place to convince you The first wherof standeth thus That order and way to maintain it which neither hath precept from Christ and his Apostles in his last will and testament nor yet president or example among those that first trusted in Christ that order cannot be the order of the Gospel of Christ nor that way his way to maintain it But the order which you call the order of the Gospel of Christ and the way which you say is his way to maintain it hath neither precept nor president in his last will and testament The first proposition I suppose none of you can deny unless you can find a later than that which is called his last will and testament and as for the second the truth thereof will as easily appear if you bring your order and way to maintain it to the precept of Christ and practise of those that first trusted in him and first for your order what precept from Christ or
avoid a greater and further declares that the servant of the lord must nor strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach not to strike patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will according to which precepts of Christ we find the primitive Christians were meek and gentle and yet able by sound doctrine both to exhort convince the gainsayers who called not for carnall weapons to mannage their warfare but declared their weapons were mighty through God and either by the word and a good conversation wonne men to the acknowledgement of the truth as it is in Jesus or else left them wiâ—hout excuse together with the world unto the judgement of the great day of the Lord but now all men may see that your way is not only different from but contrary unto this precept of Christ and president of Christians and therefore cannot be esteemed any better than unchristian yet Antichristian Let not your adversary and mine Dear Countreymen fill your hearts with indignation and thoughts of revenge against him who in a faithful discharge of his conscience both towards God and you have made bold to deal plainly with you least my God to whom vengeance belongs repay it upon you and smite you with blindness of mind and hardness of heart that cannot repent but rather set before your eyes that memorable practice and worthy pattern of those noble Bereans and laying profits honor and prejudice aside if it be possible peruse my testimony and search the scriptures diligently to see whether the things contained therein be so or no if you find them so viz. confirmed and justifyed by the word of God and by the testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord then consider not I but the Lord from heaven calls upon you to break off your sins by repentance and let me hereby give you warning to take heed that you dispise not him that speaketh from heaven As touching the wrong and injury done to us you having thereby much more wronged your own souls in transgressing the very law and light of Nations doing as you would not be done unto it is in my heart to pitty you rather and to petition my Lord in heaven not to lay this sin to your charge than to complain against you or to petition your lords and ours here on earth for justice herein no no we have better learned Christ than so having also given up our hearts to be led by his spirit and to walk in his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed his case to him that judgeth righteously and who knowes but that the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning hath been or may be ere long in your hearts whereby you may be made affectedly sensible that the cause is the same or very little differing from this A poor innocent traveller passeth along the Countrey upon his occasions a man having strength in his arm findeth him frames himself offended with him for no cause he hath given him and because he cannot draw him unto his party either to rob or to kill or to say amen to his practises he therefore binds him and casts him into a pit and declares himself resolute there to keep him till he hath his blood unless he will deliver him his purse the man either hath not a purse about him or a heart to deliver it and being unwilling either to part with his blood or that the other should be so deeply guilty in taking it from him he meekly and earnestly thrice moveth the strong man for a discourse and humbly entreats him that he would not seek by the strength of his arme but by the force of some arguments to convince his understanding and conscience and so to draw him as a man to his party but the strong man delaies him and so puts him off whereupon a good tender hearted Samaritan passing by and perceiving how the case stood and that the strong man would have his purse or his blood without any dispute being moved with compassion to redeem this innocent blood from the handof the strong man he delivers him his own purse and so the man is released Take it not ill that I have used so much plainess of speech for my studie is now to speak plainly and neither flatteringly nor invectively and to use plain dealing with all men although I verifie the Proverb and die a begger for as I told some of your selveâ— and that in publick I abhor dissimulation neither can I account him a wise man who doth not hate dissembling or that doth love to dissemble and therefore saith Solomon rebuke a wise man and he will love thee c. and David the King saith on this wife let the righteous smite me and it shall be a precious balm I know instruction is grievous to him that is out of the way but what saith the wise man he that hateth instruction shall die Consider I pray what hath been spoken and turn not away your eye nor your ear nor your heart from instruction least that which was said by the prophet of old Isa 9. 14 15. 16. be in you verified which to prevent is the humble and earnest request unto the fathers of mercies of Your loving friend and Couutreyman JOHN CLARK To the true Christian Reader THou maist herein Christian Reader see and peruse thy destiny in this present evill world which seems in a great measure to be subjected unto devils through which thou art to pass unto that purchased possession and promised inheritance of the Saints in light which is in that better world which is not subjected unto Angels but unto the Sonne of God himself thou maist herein also observe and take notice of the hand by whom from thy heavenly father thou art to receive that bitter cup which he drunk off when he was here below for thy sake chiefly was this treatise brought forth into the publick view I hope not to discourage thee but to strengthen thine heart that thou mightest not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer either from men or devils for thy testimony that Jesus is the Christ it being that which will shortly appear the only prevailing and victorious truth in all the world for herein shalt thou also see that worthy saying lively accomplished If ye suffer for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of the Lord and of glory resteth upon you thou hast a worthy name called on thee My hearts desire and prayer to God on thy behalf therefore is that thou maist enjoy such a plentifull pouring forth of that holy spirit into thine heart that thereby thou maist be inabled to walk worthy of it and having so bright a beam of the Fathers glory in thy
soul it may so shine forth before the sons of men that they seeing thy good works may have cause administred to glorify our father which is in heaven It is not words now Christian although they were spoken with tongues of men and Angels when that worthy name is every where well spoken of but faith that works by love and love by works that will distinguish a heady from a hearty Christian Say not in thine heart that Christs Comands are low and his appointments carnall legal injunctions and at the best but neat for babes least hereby thine heart be declared to be vainly puft â—p in thy carnall or fleshly mind and to have too low and carnall conceits of Christ himself who is the injoyner appointer and commander thereof and shall ere long appear as Judge yea least hereby thou be declared ignorant or at the best forgetful of this one thing that it is the great design of God in Christ as to glorifie himself to admiration in poor sinful flesh so whilest he doth it to hide pride from man and therefore as he hath chosen not many wise mighty nor noble of this world but the foolish weak base despised nothings thereof so hath he suited his commands and appointments thereunto and intends through these foolish things so to cause his wisdome to shine forth as thereby to confound the wise through these weak things so to cause his power to appear as thereby to confound the things that are mighty and through these base dispised things that are not to bring to nought those noble glorious and excellent things of the world that are Thou mayst herein see gentle Reader that I have rather chosen to bear witness to the faith and order of our Lord and to shew unto the world but especially unto thee what is the mind of Christ in this time of his absence as to faith and obedience to shew I say rather what is truth which is but one than to bear witness against the ly which is so various knowing that the truth once established shall discover the falshood and light breaking forth shall scatter the darkness And whilest I lead thee forth to seek him whom thy soul loveth and longeth after who is also thy joy and thy Crown while I lead thee I say by the footsteps of those flocks that first trusted in Christ and were fed by such pastors according to his own heart as he gave them God forbid that thou shouldst be as one that wilt turn aside by the flocks of his companions and shouldst be found remaining either on the left side in a visible way of worship in deed but such as was neither appointed by Christ nor yet practised by them who first trusted in him or on the right in no visible way of worship or order at all either pretending that the outward court is given to the Gentiles and the holy City is by them to be troden under foot that the Church of Christ is now in the wilderness and the time of its recovery is not yet or else pretending that God is a spirit and so will in spirit be worshipped and not in this place or that in this way or that Well if thou beest in these waies misled I can no longer forbear in tenderness of spirit and compassionate bowels of love to stretch forth a helping hand thereby to try whether it be the good pleasure of God at this time to drop down a word of light and life and power into thine heart that thou mayest be there by awakned and quickned to be still saying within thy soul Lord what wilt thou have me to do so shalt thou hear such a saying as this Come out from among them Oh my people and be ye separate from them and touch no unsanctifyed thing and I will receive you and be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty and also such a saying as this Blessed are they that do his commands for they have right to the tree of life and shall enter in through those gates of pearl into that glorious City Rev. 22. 14. and know that these are the commandments of Jesus sci As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him and behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast yea hold fast till I come And such as may be under the later disceptions let me intreat thee to ponder these words in thine heart sci That prophecies although marvelous plain and easy to be understood cannot warrant a pure conscience to neglect much less to cast off the commandments and oppointments of Jesus neither can the spirit of Christ direct or incourage the heart of a Christian to cast off his lordship no no the spirit of Christ is hereby distinguished from that of Antichrist in that he shall unfainedly confess that Jesus is the Christ and that this Christ Jesus is come in the flesh and when he is come according to promise into the heart of a Christian he shall not speak of himself but as a messenger his office is to gloryfie Christ by taking of him and his and shewing it unto yea writing it in the heart of a Christian so that I dare boldly say there is none for the exaltation of Christ Jesus the lord according to his last will and testament and for the nourishing a lively hope in the heart of a Christian concerning his glorious return I say there is none to that holy spirit of promise who being also the spirit of truth shall guide the souls of the Saints to worship the father as in spirit so likewise in truth and therfore that spirit that speaks of himself and is so far from taking of Christs to exalt and gloryfie him according as he hath foretold and his father intended that he takes from Christ laies him low and diminisheth his glory that spirit cannot be the spirit of Christ or that holy spirit of promise and for asmuch as the spirit speaketh expresly that in these later daies there shall be seducing spirits that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect of God whose incounter will not be so much with flesh and blood but with wicked spirits in high places let me therfore exhort thee in the words of that beloved disciple of Christ beleive not every spirit but try the spirits and that by this rule whether they be of God or no bring them to the wholsome words of the holy Apostles Prophets and son of God ye erre saith Christ not knowing the scriptures and the power of God let it be thy care Christian therfore to search the Scriptures and therein to wait for the power and glory of the spirit of God And look to thy spirit for as immediately before Christs appearing in flesh Satan in a large measure possessed the bodies of men that by his casting them out his power in flesh might appear So before his coming again in glory I have grounds
my self requesting also M. Williams to go to Plymouth to know how the case stood so we did and the Magistrates thereof very lovingly gave us a meeting I then informed them of the cause of our coming unto them and desired them in a word of truth and faithfulness to inform us whether Sow-wames were within their Patent for we were now on the wing and were resolved through the help of Christ to get cleer of all and be of our selves and provided our way were cleer before us it were all one for us to go further off as to remain neer ac hand their answer was that Sow-wames was the garden of their Patent and the flour in the garden then I told them we could not desire it but requested further in the like word of truth and faithfulness to be informed whether they laid claim to the Ilands in the Naraganset Bay and that in particular called Acquedneck they all with a cheerfull countenanre made us this answer it was in their thoughts to have advised us thereto and if the provident hand of God should pitch us thereon they should look upon us as free and as loving neighbours and friends should be assistant unto us upon the main c. So we humbly thanked them and returned with that answer So it pleased the Lord by moving the hearts of the natives even the chiefest thereof to pitch us thereon and by other occurrences of providence which are too large here to relate So that having bought them off to their full satisfaction we have possessed the place ever since and notwithstanding the different understandings and consciences amongst us without-interruption we agree to maintain civil Justice and judgement neither are there such outrages committed mongst us as in other parts of the Country are frequently seen The Narrative declares 1. How those three strangers were apprehended imprisoned sentenced and for what 2. How the motion was made for a publique dispute often repeated and promised and yet disapointed 3. How two escaped and the third was cruelly handled 4. How two for taking him but by the hand after his punishment were apprehended imprisoned and sentenced to pay forty shillings or be whipped In their Testimony laid down in four conclusions is opened and proved In the First 1. That Jesus is the Christ i. e. the Anointed Priest Prophet and King of Saints 2. That Christ is also the Lord of his Church in point of ruling and ordering them with respect to the worship of God In the Second 1. That Baptism is one of the commandments of Christ and to continue till he come 2. that visible Believers are the proper subâ—ects thereof 3. That they are as well to wait for the promise of the Spirit as for the presence of Christ. In the Third That every believer ought to improve his talent both in and out of the Congregation In the Fourth That no servant of Jesus hath any authority from him to force upon others either the faith or order of the Gospel of Christ Wherin are produced 8 arguments against persecution for case of Conscience A Faithfull and True Relation of the Prosecution of Obediah Holmes John Crandall and John Clarke meerly for Conscience towards God by the principall Members of the Church or Common-wealth of the Mathatusets in New-England which rules over that part of the World whereby is shewn their discourteous Entertainment of Strangers how that Spirit by which they are led would order the whole World if either brought under them or should come in unto them Drawn forth by the aforesaid John Clarke not so much to answer the Importunity of Friends as to stop the mouthes and slanderous reports of such as are Enemies to the Cross of Christ Let him that readeth it consider which Church is most like the Church of Christ that Prince of Peace that meek and gentle Lamb that came into this World to save Mens lives not to destroy them the Persecuted or Persecuting IT came to pass that we three by the good hand of our God came into the Mathatusets Bay upon the 16 day of the 5th Moneth 51 and upon the 19th of the same upon occasion of businesse we came unto a Town in the same Bay called Lin where we lodged at a Blind-mans house neer two miles out of the Town by name William Witter who being baptized into Christ waits as we also doe for the Kingdom of God and the full consolation of the Israel of God Vpon the 20th day being the first day of the week not having freedom in our Spirits for want of a clear Call from God to goe unto the Publike Assemblie to declare there what was the mind and counsell of God concerning them I judged it was a thing suitable to consider what the counsell of God was concerning our selves and finding by sad experience that the hour of temptation spoken of was coming upon all the World in a more eminent way to try them that are upon the Earth I fell upon the consideration of that Word of Promise made to those that keep the Word of his Patience which present thoughts while in Conscience towards God and good will unto his Saints I was imparting to my Companions in the house where I lodged and to 4 or 5 Strangers that came in unexpected after I had begun opening and proving what is meant by the hour of Temptation what by the Word of his patience and their keeping it and how he that hath the Key of David being the Promiser will keep those that keep the word of his Patience from the hour of Temptation while I say I was yet speaking there comes into the house where we were two Constables who with their clamorous tongues made an interruption in my Discourse and more uncivilly disturbed us than the Pursivants of the old English Bishops were wont to doe telling us that they were come with Authority from the Magistrate to apprehend us I then desired to see the Authority by which they thâ—s proceeded whereupon they pluckt forth their Warrant and one of them with a trembling band as conscious he might have been better imployed read it to us The substance whereof was as followeth BY virtue hereof you are required to go to the house of William Witter and so to search from house to house for certain erronious persons being Strangers and them to apprehend and in safe custody to keep and to morrow morning by eight of the Clock to bring before me Robert Bridges When he had read the Warrant I told them Friends there shall not be I trust the least appearance of a resisting of that Authority by which you come unto us yet I tell you that by virtue hereof you are not so strictly tyed but if you please you may suffer us to make an end of what we have begun so may you be Witnesses either to or against the Faith and Order which we hold to which they answered they could not then said we notwithstanding the Warrant
or any thing therein contained you may neverthelesse if you are streightned in respect of your understandings and consciences in point of hearing doe but withdraw your selves before the door the timewill not be long which when they refused we told them then here we are let our Lord doe with us what he please So although there were that profered to be bound body and goods for our appearance before Mr. Bridges the next morning according to the Warrant they apprehended us and carried us away to the Ale-house or Ordinary where after Dinner one of them said unto us Gentlemen if you be free I will carry you to the Meeting to whom was replyed Friend had we been free thereunto we had prevented all this Neverthelesse we are in thy hand and if thou wilt carry us to the Meeting thither will we goe to which he answered then will I carry you to the Meeting To this we replyed because we perceive thou hast not long been imployed in this thine Office and that may follow hereupon which thou expectest not we will inform thee That if thou forcest us unto your Assembly then shall we be constrained to declare our selves that we cannot hold Communion with them the Constable answered that is nothing to me I have not power to command you to speak when you come there or to be silent to this I again replyed Friend know a little further Since we have heard the word or Salvation by Iesus Christ we have been taught as those that first trusted in Christ to be obedient unto him both by word and deed wherfore if we be forc'd to your Meeting we shal declare our dissent from you both by word and gesture after all this when he had consulted with the man of the house he told us he would carry us to the Meeting so to their Meeting were we brought while they were at their prayers and uncovered and at my first stepping over the threshold I unveiled my self civilly saluted them turned into the Seat I was appointed to put on my hat again and so sat down opened my Book and fell to reading hereupon Mr. Bridges being troubled commanded the Constable to pluck off our hats which he did and where he laid mine there I let it lye untill their Prayer Singing and Preaching was over After this I stood up and uttered my self in these words following I desire as a Stranger if I may to propose a few things to this Congregation hoping in the proposall thereof I shall commend my self to your Consciences to be guided by that wisdom that is from above which being pure is also peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated and therewith I made a stop expecting if the Prince of Peace had been among them I should have had a suitable answer of Peace from them but no other voice I heard but of their Pastor as he is call'd and their Magistrate Their Pastor answered swered by way of Quaery Whether I was a Member of a Church c. Before I could give an answer Mr. Bridges spake saying If the Congregation please to give you leave well if not I shall require you silence for said he we will have no Objections made against what is delivered c. To which I answered I am not about for present to make Objections against what is delivered but as by my gesture at my coming into your Assembly I declared my dissent from you so lest that should prove offensive unto some whom I would not offend I would now by word of mouth declare the grounds which are these First from the consideration we are Stangers each to other and so Strangers to each others inward standing with respect to God and so cannot conjoyn and act in Faith and what is not of Faith is Sin And in the second place I could not judge that you are gathered together and walk according to the visible order of our Lord which when I had declared Mr. Bridges told me I done and spoke that for which I must answer and so commanded me silence when their meeting was done the Officers carryed us again to the Ordinary where being watched over that night as Theeves and Robbers we were the next morning carried before Mr. Bridges who made our Mittimus and sent us to the Prison at Boston The words of the Mittimus are these To the Keeper of the Prison at Boston BY virtue hereof you are required to take into your custody from the Constable of Lin or his Deputy the Bodies of Iohn Clark Obediah Holmes and Iohn Crandall and them to keep untill the next County Court to be held at Boston that they may then and there answer to such complaints as may be alleged against them for being taken by the Constable at a Private Meeting at Lin upon the Lords day exercising among themselves to whom divers of the Town repaired 〈…〉 with them and that in the time of Publick exercise of the Worship of God as also for offensively disturbing the peace of the Congregation at their coming into the Publique Meeting in the time of Prayer in the afternoon and for saying and manifesting that the Church of Lin was not constituted according to the order of our Lord for such other things as shall be alleged against them concerning their seducing and drawing aside of others after their erroneous judgements and practices and for suspition of having their hands in the re-baptizing of one or more among us as also for neglecting or refusing to give in sufficient security for their appearance at the said Court hereof fail not at your perill 22. 5. 51. Rob. Bridges We being by virtue hereof committed to prison upon the the 5th day sevennight after were brought to our tryall in the forenoon we were examined in the afternoon without producing either accuser witness jury law of God or man we were Sentenced in our examination the Governour upbraided us with the name of Anabaptists To whom I Answered I disown the name I am neither an Anabaptist nor a Pedobaptist nor a Catabaptist he told me in hast I was all I told him he could not prove us to be either of them he said yes you have Re-baptized I denyed it saying I have Baptized many but I never Re-baptized any then said he you deny the former Baptism and make all our worship a nullity I told him he said it moreover I said unto them for therefore do I conceive I was brought before them to be a testimony against them If the Testimony which I hold forth be true and according to the mind of God which I undoubtedly affirm it is then it concernes you to look to your standing The like to this affirmed the other two so after much discourse we were committed again to prison and in the afternoon towards night we were called forth again and immediately after the Court was set my Sentence was read which was as followeth The Sentence of Iohn Clarke of Road-Iland 31. 5. 51. FOrasmuch as
you Iohn Clarke being come into this Iurisdiction about the 20th of Iuly did meet at one William Witters house at Lin upon the Lords day and there did take upon you to Preach to some other of the Inhabitants of the same Town and being there taken by the Constable and coming afterward into the Assembly at Lin did in disrespect of the Ordinances of God and his worship keep on your Hat the Pastor being then in Prayer insomuch you would not give reverence in valing your Hat till it was forced off your head to the disturbance of the Congregation and professing against the institution of the Church as not being according to the Gospell of Iesus Christ And that you the said Iohn Clarke did upon the day following meet again at the said Witters and in contempt to Authority you being then in the custody of the Law and did there administer the Sacrament of the Supper to one excommunicate person to another under admonition and to another that was an Inhabitant of Lin and not in fellowship with any Church and upon your answer in open Court you affirmed that you did never Re-baptize any yet did acknowledge you did Baptize such as were Baptized before and thereby did necessarily deny the Baptism that was before to be Baptism the Churches no Churches and also all other Ordinances and Ministers as if all were a Nullity And also did in the Court deny the lawfullness of Baptizing of infants and all this tends to the dishonour of God the despising the ordinances of God among us the peace of the Churches and seducing the Subjects of this Commonwealth from the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and perverting the strait waies of the Lord therefore the Court doth fine you 20 pounds to be paid or sufficient sureties that the said sum shall be paid by the first day of the next Court of Assistants or else to be well whipt and that you shall remain in Prison till it be paid or security given in for it By the Court ENCREASE NOWELL After my Sentence was read the Sentence of the other two were likewise pronounced the Sentence of Obediah Holmes was to pay by the aforesaid time 3â—li or be well whipt and the sentence of Iohn Crandall was to pay 5 pounds or be well whipt this being done I desired to know whether I might not speak a few things to the Court to which the Governour replied your sentence is past I told him that which I was to speak was in reference unto a promise that was made us by Mr. Bridges when we were first apprehended and brought before him then said the Governour speak on When we were at first apprehended and brought before Mr. Bridges said I I said unto him we are Strangers and Strangers to your Laws and may be transgressors of them before we are aware we would therefore desire this curtesy of you as Strangers that you would shew us the Law by which we are transgressors But then no other answer could we have from him than this when you come to the Court you shall know the Law now we have been before the Court in the forenoon upon examination this afternoon we have heard our Sentence read yet have we not heard the Law produced by which we are condemned we therefore now desire to see the Law in which our Sentence may be read and the rather because we find in the beginning of your Laws this provision for the security of your own and we hope you are not less regardfull of strangers viz. That no man shall be molested but by a Law made by the generall Court and lawfully published or in defect of a Law in a particular case by the Word of God When this was spoken Mr. Bridges could easily turn to the Law by which we might be freed but none were able to turn to the Law of God or Man by which we were condemned At length the Governour stept up and told us we had denyed Infants Baptism and being somewhat transported broke forth and told me I had deserved death and said he would not have such trash brought into their jurisdiction moreover he said you go up and down and secretly infinuate into those that are weak but you cannot maintain it before our Ministers you may try and discourse or dispute with them c. To this I had much to reply but that he commanded the Iaylor to take us away so the next morning having so fair an opportunity I made a motion to the Court in these words following To the Honoured Court Assembled at Boston WHereas it pleased this Honoured Court yesterday to condemn the Faith and Order which I hold and practise and after you had past your Sentence upon me for it were pleased to expresse I could not maintain the same against your Ministers and thereupon publickly profered me a dispute with them be pleased by these few lines to understand I readily accept it and therefore do desire you would appoint the time when and the person with whom in that publick place where I was condemned I might with freedom and without molestation of the Civill Power dispute that point publickly where I doubt not by the strength of Christ to make it good out of his last Will and Testament unto which nothing is to be added nor from which nothing is to be diminished thus desiring the Father of Lights to shine forth and by his power to expel the darkness I remain From the Prison this 1. 6. 51. Your well wisher Iohn Clarke This motion if granted I desired it might be subscribed by their Secretaries hand as an Act of the same Court by which we were condemned It was presented on the sixth day and after much ado upon the last day it was concluded it should be granted and the disputation should be upon the fifth day following and so by one of the Magistrates information was given me in prison upon the second day when their Elders were come together there was no small stir as I heard about the businesse and afterward about the stating of the Question we should dispute upon whereupon in the closure of the day the Magistrates commanded the Iaylor to bring me before them into the Chamber which when he had done they drew forth the motion and shewing it to me asked me if I owned that paper I answered yea they quaeried further whether I was of the same mind touching a disputation I told them I had not the least reluctancy in my mind touching the thing provided my motion might be granted and the grant subscribed with the Secretaries hand as an act of the same Court by which I was condemned they answered that was but reasonable c. Then they demanded of me what the question was that I would dispute upon whether I would dispute upon the things contained in my Sentence and maintain my practice for said they the Court Sentenced you not for your judgement or Conscience but for matter of
fact and practice to which I replyed you say the Court condemned me for matter of fact and practice be it so but I say that matter of fact and practice was but the manifestation of my judgment and conscience and I make account that man is void of judgment and conscience with respect unto God that hath not a fact and practice suitable thereunto and for the things contained in my Sentence they are rather collections which the Court was pleased to make and draw from my words than my words themselves nevertheless I do not say they were unduly collected for in truth if the Faith and order which I profess do stand by the word of God then the Faith and order which you profess must needs fall to the ground and if the way you walk in remain then the way that I walk in must vanish away they cannot both stand together to which they seem to assent therefore I told them that if they please to grant the motion under the Secretaries hand I would draw up the Faith and order which I hold as the sum of that I did deliver in open Court into three or four Conclusions which Conclusions I will stand by and defend untill he whom you shall appoint shall by the word of God remove me from them in case he shall remove me from them then the disputation is at an end but if not then I desire like liberty by the word of God to oppose the Faith and order which he and you profess thereby to try whether I may be an instrument in the hand of God to remove you from the same they told me the motion was very fair and the way like unto a disputant and thereupon concluded in my hearing and directed also their speech to me saying because the matter is weighty and we desire that what can may be spoken when the disputation shall be therefore would we take a longer time whereas therefore the time appointed was the next fift day by reason of the commencement which will be the next week and the meeting of the Elders we must defer it now untill the fift day come fortnight and so I told them to be brief I was their prisoner and should at-attend their pleasure so I returned with my keeper to prison again drew up the Conclusions which I was resolved through the strength of Christ to stand in defence of and through the importunity of one of the Magistrates the next morning very early I shewed them to him having a promise I should have my motion for a dispute granted under the Secretaries hand The Conclusions were as followeth The Testimony of Iohn Clarke a prisoner of Iesus Christ at Boston in the behalf of my Lord and of his people is as followeth 1 I Testifie that Iesus of Nazareth whom God hath raised from the dead is made both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say is the Christ in English the Anointed One hath a name above every name He is the Anointed Priest none to or with him in point of attonement The Anointed Prophet none to him in point of instruction The Anointed King who is gone unto his Father for his glorious Kingdom and shall ere long return again and that this Iesus Christ is also The Lord none to or with him by way of Commanding and ordering with respect to the worship of God the household of Faith which being purchased with his Blood as Priest instructed and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet do wait in his appointment as he is the Lord in hope of that glorious Kingdom which shall ere long appear 2 I Testifie that Baptism or dipping in Water is one of the Commandements of this Lord Iesus Christ and that a visible beleever or Disciple of Christ Iesus that is one that manifesteth repentance towards God and Faith in Iesus Christ is the only person that is to be Baptized or dipped with that visible Baptism or dipping of Iesus Christ in Water and also that visible person that is to walk in that visible order of his House and so to wait for his coming the second time in the form of a Lord and King with his glorious Kingdom according to promise and for his sending down in the time of his absence the holy Ghost or holy Spirit of Promise and all this according the last Will and Testament of that living Lord whose Will is not to be added to or taken from 3 I Testifie or Witness that every such believer in Christ Iesus that waiteth for his appearing may in point of liberty yea ought in point of duâ—y to improve that Talent his Lord hath given unto him and in the Congregation may either aske for information to himself or if he can may speak by way of Prophecie for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole and out of the Congregation at all times upon all occasions and in all places as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends may yea ought to walk as a Child of light justifying wisdom with his ways and reproving folly with the unfruitfull works thereof provided all this be shown out of a good conversation as Iames speaks with meekness of wisdom 4 I Testifie that no such believer or Servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty much less Authority from his Lord to smite his fellow servant nor yet with outward force or arme of flesh to constrain or restrain his Conscience no nor yet his outward man for Conscience sake or worship of his God where injury is not offered to the person name or estate of others every man being such as shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ and must give an account of himself to God and therefore ought to be fully perswaded in his own mind for what he undertakes because he that doubteth is damned if he eat and so also if he act because he doth not eat or act in Faith and what is not of Faith is Sin These Conclusions being seen at least by one of the Magistrates notwithstanding the Message to the prison answer to my self in the Chamber promise by him that came for the Conclusions common report abroad that a disputation was granted the Court broke up and did nothing and the next second day following a Messenger was sent to the prison from the Magistrate with a release to the keeper which having received he speedily put me forth The words of the release follow To the Keeper of the prison BY Virtue hereof you are to release and set at liberty the Body of Mr. Iohn Clarke and this shall be your discharge for so doing Given under my hand the 11th of the 6th Month 1651. WILLIAM HIBBINS To be brief c. Vnderstanding that some friends had laid down the Money although contrary to my Counsell when formerly at severall times and by severall persons I was moved thereunto and perceiving now that the Countries expectation which was not a little raised touching a disputation was utterly frustrate and being
Sword of that Spirit which is the Word not of man but of God to effect much lesse to conform their outward man contrary to their minds and consciences in the Worship of God and therefore that Sword and Power ought to take heed how they meddle herein lest they attempt to take the place enter upon the Throne and Kingdom of Christ either to force such as be conceived to be true Worshipers to the true Worship and service of God for it is written Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts And again In the day of thy power thy people shall be a willing people much lesse to force such as are no Worshipers or false to that Worship which is true and yet much lesse to force false to that which is false or true to that which is false and hence it is that although the Kings of the Earth have been deceived and through the righteous judgment of God have given their power to the Beast to their own dishonor and detriment who have improved the same to bear up the Whore and to bear down and crush the Spouse of the Lamb so that Babel hath for a long time rejoyced and Sion hath mourned yet when the time appointed is come at the voyce of her King Sion shall deliver her self from the Daughter of Babel though all the powers of this World seek to withstand it neither shall the gates of Hell prevail against it for it is written concerning those that keep the Commandements of God and the Testimony of Iesus that they overcame him sâ—il that great Red-Dragon called the Devill and Satan who also gave his power to the Beast they overcame him I say by the Blood of that Lamb and by that word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Now touching Iohn Crandall aforesaid to whose charge they had also nothing to lay but his being with us owning the same Faith and Order of the Gospell and therefore refusing to stoop to that likenesse thereto which they had set up yet as is said they sentenced him to pay 5 pounds by the next Court of Assistants or else to be well whipt Whereupon the day following he inquired of the Keeper when that Court of Assistants would be being resolved not to chuse his punishment they being not able to make it appear by the Law of God or Man that he was a Transgressor so to be punished and being by him informed that it would be a quarter of a yeer before that time came and also that if he were so resolved he might put in Bail for his appearance at the time aforesaid and so depart he forthwith put in Bail and so departed to visit his Family being distant from thence threescore and ten miles He was no sooner at home but his Spirit was unsatisfied in what he had done in leaving us behind in the Prison though with our consent and counsell he did what he did whereupon leaving his Harvest upon the spoyl within a few dayes he returned to us again and tendered his person unto the Keeper who refused it saying Since your departure I perceive your Sentence is That you should not depart the Prison without either paying the money or putting in security for the payment of it wherefore now either you or your Surety must pay it To whom Brother Crandall replyed you informed me otherwise before I went and upon other termes I departed wherefore for my own part I am resolved I will not pay it and for my Surety he is at his liberty being no otherwise bound than for my appearance and here I am and am your Prisoner neverthelesse when I was released and turned out of Prison and could no longer upon that account there remain I counselled him to put the matter quite out of doubt wherefore he said to the Iaylor Let me know what I shall trust to for if you accept me upon the former account well I shall willingly tarry and remain your Prisoner but if not I shall now repair home with my Friend to my Family so after the Jaylor had advised with the Magistrate he friendly told him If he would promise to appear at the time appointed he would take his word become his Surety and he might be gone whereupon I being doubtfull though he was confident concerning the time there being an other Court between desired him to send us certain word to the Iland when that Court of Assistants would be so having his promise we thankfully accepted his kindnesse so departed And being at home we waited for a word from the Keeper for a return but the first word we heard touching that matter was that the Court was past which was that Court I suspected that Brother Holmes had had his tryal by cruel scourgings that the Iaylor being Brother Crandals Surety by reason of his non-appearance was constrained to pay the money hereupon not long after Brother Crandall went to Boston and charged the â—aylor with his mis-information and neglect of his promise and moreover declared that he had told him That being Innocent he would not make himself a Transgressor by chusing his punishment and therefore had resolved as he also knew not to pay them a penny and further he told him that there was no necessity he should lay down the money it being but through a mistake and he being but Surety when the Principall was present and was able through the strength of Christ to answer the penalty and thus having argued the case with the laylor he left him without any grounds of hope to have it repaid neverthelesse if advantage will be so strictly taken upon the Keepers mistake neither Conscience nor Equity will suffer us it appearing to be a meer mistake and no plotted thing not to suffer him to bear it and thus it appears how a second came off and escaped a scourging Now as concerning the third by name Obediah Holmes what is laid to his charge this Sentence under their Secretaries hand a Copy whereof is here under written will plainly expresse The Sentence of Obediah Holmes of Seacuck the 31 of the 5th M. 1651. FOrasmuch as you Obediah Holmes being come into this Iurisdiction about the 21 of the 5th M. did meet at one William Witters house at Lin and did hear privatly and at other times being an Excommunicate person did take upon you to Preach and to Baptize upon the Lords day or other dayes and being taken then by the Constable and comming afterward to the Assembly at Lin did in disrepect of the Ordinance of God and his Worship keep on your hat the Pastor being in Prayer insomuch that you would not give reverence in veiling your hat till it was forced off your head to the disturbance of the Congregation and professing against the Institution of the Church as not being according to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and that you the said Obediah Holmes did upon the day
did of paying the 30 l. in reference thereunto I told them moreover the Lord having manifested his love towards me in giving me repentance towards God and Faith in Iesus Christ and so to be baptized in water by a Messenger of Iesus into the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit wherein I have fellowship with him in his death buriall and resurrection I am now come to be baptized in afflictions by your hands that so I may have further fellowship with my Lord and am not ashamed of his sufferings for by his stripes am I healed And as the man began to lay the stroaks upon my back I said to the people though my Flesh should fail and my Spirit should fail yet God would not fail so it pleased the Lord to come in and so to fill my heart and tongue as a vessell full and with an audible voyce I brake forth praying unto the Lord not to say this Sin to their charge and telling the people That now I found he did not fail me and therefore now I should trust him for ever who failed me not for in truth as the stroaks fell upon me I had such a spirituall manifestation of Gods presence as the like thereto I never had nor felt nor can with fleshly tongue expresse and the outward pain was so removed from me that indeed I am not able to declare it to you it was so easie to me that I could well bear it yea and in a manner felt it not although it was grievous as the Spectators said the Man striking with all his strength yea spitting on his hand three times as many affirmed with a three-coarded whip giving me therewith thirty stroaks when he had loosed me from the Post having joyfulnesse in my heart and cheerfulnesse in my countenance as the Spectators observed I told the Magistrates you have struck me as with Roses and said moreover Although the Lord hath made it easie to me yet I pray God it may not be laid to your charge After this many came to me rejoycing to see the power of the Lord manifested in weak flesh but sinfull flesh takes occasion hereby to bring others in trouble informs the Magistrates hereof and so two more are apprehended as for contempt of authority there names were Iohn Hazell and Iohn Spur who came indeed and did shake me by the hand but did use no words of contempt or reproach unto any no man can prove that the first spoke any thing and for the second he only said thus Blessed be the Lord yet these two for taking me by the hand and thus saying after I had received my punishment were sentenced to pay 40 shilling or to be whipt Both were resolved against paying their Fine Neverthelesse after one or two dayes imprisonment one payed Iohn Spurs Fine and he was released and after six or seven dayes Imprisonment of Brother Hazell even the day when he should have suffered an other payd his and so he escaped and the next day went to visit a Friend about 6 miles from Boston where he the same day fell sick and within 10 dayes he ended this life when I was come to the Prison it pleased God to stir up the heart of an old acquaintance of mine who with much tendernesse like the good Samaritan poured oyl into my wounds and plaistered my sores but there was present information given what was done and inquiry made who was the Chirurgion and it was commonly reported he should be sent for but what was done I yet know not Now thus it hath pleased the Father of Mercies so to dispose of the matter that my Bonds Imprisonments have been no hinderance to the Gospel for before my return some submitted to the Lord and were baptized and divers were put upon the wayof enquiry And now being advised to make my escape by night because it was reported that there were Warrants forth for me I departed and the next day after while I was on my Iourney the Constable came to search at the house where I lodged so I escaped their hands and was by the good hand of my heavenly Father brought home again to my neer relations my wife and eight children the Brethren of our Town and Providence having taken pains to meet me 4 miles in the woods where we rejoyced together in the Lord. Thus have I given you as briefly as I can a true relation of things wherefore my Brethren rejoyce with me in the Lord and give all glory to him for he is worthy to whom be praise for evermore to whom I commit you put up my earnest prayers for you that by my late experience who have trusted in God and have not been deceived you may trust in him perfectly wherefore my dearly beloved Brethren trust in the Lord and you shall not be ashamed nor confounded so I also rest Yours in the bond of Charity Obediah Holmes Three things would be well minded in this relation 1 that God gave me Power to confess his name before the Sonnes of Men. 2 That he kept my tongue that I did not speak evill of men nor of Authority 3 That he gave strength to weak Flesh that it failed not This Tragedy being thus acted in the face of the Country must needs awaken and rouse up the minds and spirits of many cause sad thoughts to arise in their hearts and to flow forth at their mouthes as men offended to see Strangers professing Godliness so discourteously used for no Civill Transgression but meerly for Conscience and that by their hands who pretended that Liberty of Conscience was also the cause of their flight together with the other to the hazard of their lives by hard hearted cruell and savage Barbarians and other mischiefs which a vast and howling Wildernesse is apt to produce wherefore to stop their mouthes and to lull them asleep the old subtile Serpent as his custome ever hath been raised up a cloud of disgrace thinking thereby to darken the truth he profest and to obscure the glory that appeared in his sufferings giving out that he was but an Excommunicate and so an accursed person and that it was vehemently suspected that he was notoriously given to that filthy lust of uncleanness which God will judge and that the same was hinted in open Court and that by persons of no mean credit wherefore againe to resist the adversary who hath been a lyer from the beginning and thereby a destroyer and murderer and to deliver the Children of truth at least from his snare whereby they might be taken captive at his will he drew up and sent a letter unto the Governour of the Mathatusets Colony and desired it might be published so that the Sons of Men so far as the lye and slander might spread might be acquainted therewith The Letter followeth The 12 of the 7th M. 51. To the Honoured Governour Honoured Sir HOwever you may judge of me yet am I dayly waiting to stand before him who shall
judge quick and dead and now because I am under reproach and sensure by many and the more by reason of some words spoken by your self as though I were an evill person in life and conversation and although I may be accounted as a fool yet hear me a little to plead mine innocency and I hope you will not too far condemn me untill you hear me speak Sir I acknowledge only free grace and that by his power alone I have been kept and what my life and manner of conversation was for six or seven years while I was with you I appeal to your self and the experiences you have had of me and to your Elders and to the whole Church who ever reproved me of evill and ye recommended me to others and for four years time I walked with them at Rehoboth who also should have reproved me if under Sin but when it pleased the Lord to cause me to hear his voice and I separated from them which was occasioned by an unrighteous Act of theirs as I judged which was that seven of the Brethren should pass an Act of Admonition upon a Brother without the Consent of the rest we being 23 in number who might all in one hours space if in health have come together so when I heard of it I went to Mr. Newman and told him of the evill which he and the other six had done he told me they were the Church Representative and if 4 of them had done it it had been a Church Act when this comes to the Congregation with much a doe he got five more to himself and then they were 12 and we eleven then they owned themselves to be the Church and so began to deal with me for saying they had abused the Church and had took from them their power whereupon I told them I should renounce them and not have any more fellowship with them till either they saw their Sin or I further light after which divers others to the number of seven or eight fell off from them and we met once a week and every first day and so continued for a long space of time yea and the day was known when we intended to be Baptized and there were many Witnesses observing our Faith and Order and yet not one Man or Woman of Mr. Newmans company that ever came to deal with me for evill neither in Judgment nor Practice untill a long time after that appointment of our Lord was dispenced Thus I say when I had separated from them and a long time after I understood by their Messenger that they intended to proceed against me so I desired the messenger to tell me for what evill he told me I should know when I came there so I sent one of their own Brethren to tell them from me though I owned them not as Brethren yet if any Man or Woman had ought against me I would come to them although they had not delt with me according to any rule but none came to me nor charged me with any evill and when upon occasion I came before all the Congregation and strangers I demanded for what cause it was that they proceeded against me seing I had sent to them before and no man accused me Mr. Newman told me it was for non appearance and now judge of the evill in your own way and that for my Excommunication as you call it I am by you rendred that wicked person as for the suspition of that most abominable evill of uncleanness and Adultery which many think I am guilty of by reason of some persons speeches I desire to bless my Lord who hath caused me to deny all uncleanness and wickedness and God forbid that I should take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot and I challenge all Men and Women that dare stand before the judgment seat of the Lord to come forth and say if they ever heard unclean words proceed out of my mouth or any unseemly gesture much less action to any in my life at Salem Seacunck or elswhere yea let them come forth before any to meet me in private or publick upon any friends request without the Magistrates Warrant but I remember my Lord was called Belzebub and what though I be called an Adulterer or Witch or Blasphemer and every one saith what he pleaseth yet I stand before the judgment of my Lord And whereas it was also reported I Baptized Goodwife Bowdish naked I bless the Lord he hath taught me to do that which is comly and of good report yea and I know a Man or Woman may be drowned in their Cloathes or buryed in earth with their Cloathes but that she had comly garments from the Crown of her head to the sole of her foot many being present with her husband can testifie and if any be pleased to reproach me behind my back and not to speak to my face let them know the Lora knows how to deliver the innocent unto whom I commit my self with my prayers for you and am Yours still as formerly to command in all Lawfull things Obediah Holmes Whilst he through the spirit of the Lord that rested upon him bore these bloody strokes with so cheerfull a spirit as if he felt them not divers of the standers by beholding it were so affected with joy that when he was loosed could not forbear to come to him and to shake him by the hand thereby to manifest their rejoycing with him that the Lord had supported him but information hereof being given to the Magistrates warrants were sent forth as is reported to the number of 13 whereupon some through fear were fain to hide themselves and being strangers to hasten away or change their habit two of them were taken as aforesaid that is to say John Spur and old Iohn Hazell and committed to prison as the Warrant herewith declares To the Keeper or his Deputy BY virtue hereof you are to take into your custody and safe keeping the body of Iohn Spur for a hainous offence by him committed hereof not to fâ—il Dated the 5th of the 7th Month 1651. Take also into your safe keeping Iohn Hazell By the Court INCREASE NOWEL John Spur profest to me and before many Witnesses that his heart was so taken with what he saw and heard that he could not but go to him take him by the hand and blesse the Lord who had been so present with him but to save me a labor his own words here followeth Mr. Cotton saith he in his Sermon immediatly before the Court gave their Sentence against M. Clark Obediah Holmes and Iohn Crandell affirmed that denying Infants Baptism would overthrow all this was a capitall offence and therefore they were soul-murtherers when therefore the Governor M. Iohn Indicot came into the Court to pass Sentence against them he said thus you deserve to dy but this we agreed upon that Mr. Clarke shall pay 20 li. Fine and Obediah Holmes 30 li. Fine and Jo.
doe as they doe and say as they say or else say nothing and so may a man live at Rome also IT is ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof That no mans life shall be taken away no mans honour or good name shall be stayned no mans person shall be arrested restrained banished dismembred nor any wayes punished no man shall be deprived of his wife or children no mans goods or estates shall be taken away from him nor any wayes indamaged under colour of Law or countenance of Authoritie unlesse it be by vertue or equity of some expresse Law of the Country warranting the same established by a General Court and sufficiently published or in case of the defect of a Law in any particular case by the word of God And in capitall cases or in cases concerning dismembring or banishment according to that word to be judged by the General Court see p. 1. For the suppressing of Anabaptists It is ordered by this Court and Authority thereof that if any person or persons within this Iurisdiction shall either openly condemn or oppose the baptizing of Infants or goe about-secretly to seduce others from the approbation or use thereof or shall purposely depart the Congregation at the administration of that Ordinance or shall deny the Ordinance of Magistracy or their lawfull right or authority to make war or punish the outward breaches of the first Table and shall appear to the Court wilfully and obstinately to continue therein after due means of conviction every such person or persons shall be sentenced to Banishment see pag. 2. Against Blasphemy being a capitall transgression It is ordered that if any person within this Iurisdiction whether Christian or Pagan shall wittingly an willingly presume to BLASPHEME the holy Name of God Father Son or Holy-Ghost with direct expresse presumptuous or high-handed blasphemy either by wilfull or obstinate denying the true God or his Creation or Government of the world or shall curse God in like manner or reproach the holy Religion of God as if it were but a politick device to keep ignorant men in awe or shall utter any other kind of Blasphemy of the like nature and degree they shall be put to death Lev. 24 15 16. See p. 5. To raise money for Publick charges in Church and Commonwealth It is ordered by this Court and the Authority thereof that every Inhabitant shal henceforth contribute to all charges both in Church Cōmonwealth whereof he doth or may receive benefit and every such Inhabitant who shal not voluntarily contribute proportionably to his ability with the Freemen of the same Town to all cōmon charges both Civil and Ecclesiastical shall be compelled thereto by assessment and distress to be levyed by the Constable or other Officer of the Town as in other cases and that the lands and estates of all men wherever they dwell shall be rated for all Town charges both Civil and Ecclesiastial as aforesaid where the lands and estates shall lye their persons where they dwell See p. 9. Lawes Ecclesiasticall 1 All the people of God within this Jurisdiction who are not in a Church way and be orthodox in judgement and not scandalous in life shall have full liberty to gather themselves into a Church estate provided they doe it in a Christian way with due observation to the rules of Christ revealed in his word Provided also that the General Court doth not nor will hereafter approve of any such companies of men as shall joyn in any pretended way of Church fellowship unless they shall acquaint the Magistrates and the Elders of the neighbour Churches where they intend to joyn and have their approbation therein 2 And it is further ordered that no person being a member of any Church which shall be gathered without the approbation of the Magistrates and the said Churches shall be admitted to the Freedom of this Common-wealth 3 Every Church hath also free liberty to excercise all the Ordinances of God according to the rules of the Scripture 4 Every Church hath free liberty of election and ordination of all her Officers from time to time Provided they be able pious and orthodox Now the question is who shall judge of these words of restraint Christian way rules of the Scripture word of God able and orthodox 13 That if any Christian so called within this Iurisdiction shall contemptuously behave himself toward the Word preached or the Messengers thereof called to dispense the same in any Congregation when he doth faithfully execute his Service Office therein according to the will and word of God either by interrupting him in his preaching or by charging him falsely with any errour which he hath not taught in the open face of the Church or like a son of Korah cast upon his true doctrine or himself any reproach to the dishonour of the Lord Iesus who hath sent him and to the disparagement of that his holy Ordinance and making Gods wayes contemptible and ridiculous that every such person or persons whatsoever censure the Church may passe shall for the first scandal be convented and reproved openly by the Magistrate at some Lecture and bound to their good behaviour And if a second time they break forth into the like contemptuous carriages they shall either pay five pounds to the publick Treasurie or stand two hours openly upon a block or stool four foot high on a lecture day with a Paper fixed on his brest written in Capitall letters AN OPEN AND OBSTINATE CONTEMNER OF GODS HOLY ORDINANCES that others may fear and be ashamed of breaking out into the like wickedness 14 It is ordered and decreed by this Court and Authority thereof That wheresoever the ministry of the word is established according to the order of the Gospell throughout this Iurisdiction every person shall duely resort and attend thereunto respectively upon the Lords dayes and upon such publick Fast-days and dayes of Thanksgiving as are to be generally kept by the appointment of Authority and if any person within this Iurisdiction shall without just and necessary cause withdraw himself from hearing the publick ministry of the word after due means of conviction used he shall forfeit for his absence from every such publick meeting 5 shillings All such offences to be heard and determined by any one Magistrate or more from time to time 15 It is ordered by this Court That the civil Authoritie here established hath power and liberty to see the peace ordinances and rules of Christ to be observed in every Church according to his word As also to deal with any church-member in a way of civil justice notwithstanding any church relation office or interest so it be done in a civil and not in an ecclesiastical way Nor shall any church censure degrade or depose any man from any civil dignity office or authority he shall have in the Common-wealth It is ordered that from henceforth all lands cattle and other estates of any kind whatsoever shall be lyable
to be rated to all common charges whatsoever either for the Church Town or Cōmon-wealth in the same place where the estate is from time to time see pag. 18 19 20. Heresie Although no humane power be Lord over the Faith and Consciences of Men and therefore may not constrain them to beleeve or profess against their Consciences yet because such as bring in damnable heresies tending to the subversion of the Christian Faith and destruction of the soules of men ought duly to be restrained from such notorious impiety It is therefore ordered and decreed by this Court That if any Christian within this Iurisdiction shall go about to subvert and destroy the christian Faith and Religion by broaching or maintaining any damnable heresie as denying the immortality of the Soul or the resurrection of the body or any sin to be repented of in the Regenerate or any evil done by the outward man to be accounted sin or denying that Christ gave himself a Ransom for our sins or shall affirm that we are not justified by his Death and Righteousnesse but by the perfection of our own works or shall deny the morality of the fourth comandement or shall indeavour to seduce others to any the heresies aforementioned every such person continuing obstinate therein after due means of conviction shall be sentenced to Banishment see pag. 24. Disturbing of Churches It is ordered and decreed by this Court and the Authority thereof That if any person whether in Church-fellowship or not shall goe about to destroy or disturb the orders peace of the Churches established in this Iurisdiction by open renouncing their Church Estate or their Ministry or other ordinances dispenced in them either upon pretence that the Churches were not planted by any new Apostles or that ordinances are for carnall Christians or babes in Christ and not for spirituall or illuminated persons or upon any other such like grounded conceit every such person who shal be found culpable herein after due means of conviction shall forfeit to the publick Treasury forty shillings for every moneth so long as he continues in that his obstinacy Torture That no man shall be beaten with above forty stripes for one Fact at one time Nor shall any man be punished with whipping except he have not otherwise to answer the Law unlesse his crime be very shamefull his course of life vitious profligate see p. 50. The Testimony of John Clarke Obediah Holmes and John Crandall Prisoners at Boston in New-England concerning the faith and order of the Gospell of Christ Iesus the Lord as the same was laid down in four Conclusions and proffered to be openly and publikly defended against all gain-sayers when none would comeforth thus to oppose it now again by the aforesaid John Clarke reviewed particularly and strictly examined by the Word of God and Testimony of Iesus and thereby as is here at large to be seen confirmed and justifyed The first Conclusion ITestifie that Iesus of Nazareth whom God hath raised from the dead is made both Lord and Christ you may see this testimony clearly and plentifully witnessed and confirmed by the Scriptures of Truth for First that God raised him from the dead appears by the testimony of 12 chosen Witnesses Acts 2. 24. 32. This Jesus say they hath God raised up whereof we are Witnesses so also chap. 3. 15. And being alive again he was seeen of above 500 Brethren at once being faithfull Witnesses Children that will not lie see 1 Cor. 15. 6. And last of all he was seen of Paul whom he sent to the Gentiles see 1 Cor. 15. 8. Acts 22. 18. 21. And this is layd by Paul as the foundation of the hope of the Israel of God that they shall be raised and shall share in that glory that shall then be revealed yea it is that word of Truth as Peter witnesseth by which the Father of mercies doth again beget such as had sinned faln short of the glory of God were without hope unto a lively hope of the glory of God in an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away and is reserved in heaven for them see 1 Pet 1. 3. 4. And in the second place that God hath made this Iesus whom he hath raised from the dead both Lord and Christ see it also confirmed Acts the 2d the 36. 10. 36. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Acts 18. 5. This Iesus I say is the Christ in English the Anointed One hath a name above every name that he is not onely said to be a Christ and an Anointed one which although it be a name of eminency among men yet may there be sound many both before the time of Reformation and since upon whom this worthy name of Christ or Anointed one may be worthily called as were those names of eminency among the Israel of old as King Priest and Prophet and such as being washed in the blood of the Lamb are also Anointed and made Kings and Priests unto God and Prophets to men compare the 2 Cor. 1. 21. 1 Io. 2. 27. with Rev. 5. 10. 19. 10. I say he is not onely a Christ but that he might appear in this eminent name to have the preheminence he is called the Christ see Mark 8. 29. Io. 11. 27. 6. 69. 20. 31. which in English is the Anointed one as will appear 1 Io. 41. We have found saith Andrew to Simon the Messias being the Hebrew word which being interpreted into the Greek Language is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Christ but rendered in English as in the margent is the Anointed and hence he is called in the 9 Luk. 20. the Christ of God or in more plain English the Anointed of God suitable to this are such expressions of the spirit of God in the Scriptures of truth as these Him hath God Anointed and that with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes see Acts 4. 27. 10. 38. 1 Heb. 9. And that he hath a name above every name doth evidently appear for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell yea all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily that in all things or as it is in the Margent among all he might have the preeminence see Coll. 1. 18 19. 2. 9. so Phi. 2. 9. Wherefore saith the Apostle God hath also highly exalted him and given him a name above every name he hath a name above the Anointed Kings Priests and Prophets of old they being but types and shadowes of him and yet were the highest names in Israel which was a Family that had a name above all the Families of the Earth and so a name above all the names on the Earth and yet this is not all for he hath a name above all Principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not in this world only but also in that which is is to come Ephe. 1. 20 21 22. Phi. 2. 10 11. He is the Anointed Priest none to or with him in
who are such worshippers as he seekes for who as a Lord faithfull over his house before his departure gave order thereto commanded his Servants to watch and to hold fast till he come and in his absence being at the right hand of his Father is mindefull to shed abroad of that holy Spirit of Promise whereby the true worshippers shall be led from truth to truth untill they be brought into all truth And if the nature of the commanding and ordering power that suits both with the worship and with the worshippers which the Father of Spirits seeks for be also considered which is not a law of a carnall commandment seconded with carnall weapons or an arm of flesh but a spirituall law or as the Apostle cals it Rom. 8. a law of the Spirit of life from Christ Jesus spoken unto or rather written in the heart of a Christian by the Spirit of Christ by reason whereof he obeyes from the heart readily willingly and cheerfully that form of doctrine which is engraven and laid up therein Heb. 8. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 3. Rom. 6. 17. If this I say be considered that the worship is spirituall such as must begin in spring up and rise from the heart and the spirit and so be directed to the Father of spirits and so the commanding power that suits herewith must speak to the heart and spirit of a man then is there no Lord in this matter to Christ Jesus the Lord who speaks to the heart in the Spirit and his words are as commands from the head to the members which conveigh together spirit and life to obey them by reason of which his commands are not grievous for where the Spirit of this Lord is there is liberty and they by beholding the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same Image from glory unto glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. And that there is none with him he is the onely Lord and law-giver of this spirituall building and so of the spirits in this sense appears by such scriptures as say One is your Lord and law-giver James 4. 12. Ephes 4. 5. Mat. 23. 8. 10. and by such as say ye are bought with a price be ye not therefore the servants of men and the Apostles that had greater authority in this point than any men living yet they acknowledge they had not Dominion over mens faith and therefore declare this to be the express mind of God that the servants of this Lord must not strive as if they were Lords but be patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves or as the word imports that set themselves by covenant in opposition to that living Lord. And whereas it is declared in the testimony that this houshold of faith was purchased by his blood as Priest instructed and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet c. this will all evidently appear to be true Acts 20. 28. John 16. from the 7. to the 16. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Rom. 8. John 1. 2. 26 27. Rev. 2. 11. 17. 29. 2 Thes 14 15. 1 Cor. 11. 2. and 1. 7. And so is the first part of the testimony by the word of God confirmed and justified 2. I testifie that Baptism or dipping in water is one of the commands of this Lord Jesus Christ That this commandment of Jesus is by way of dipping and as it were by drowning overwhelming or burying in water and not by sprinkling with water appears many waies 1. In that although there be frequent mention made of that appointment of Christ in his Last Will and Testament yet is it never expressed by the word that may be rendred rantism or sprinkling but by the word that is rendred baptism or dipping 2. In that the word by which it is so frequently exprest doth in proper English signify to dip to plung under water and as it were to drown but yet so as with safety so that the party as to the manner may be drowned again and again see the instance of Naaman he dipp'd himself seven times in Jordan 2 Kings 5. 14. and to this sense of the word at least in that place both the Greek Latine and English Churches agree 3. In that the phrase in which there is mention made of such an appointment of Christ doth necessarily import such a thing and therefore when mention is made of baptizing there generally followeth that word the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly translated in or into which suits with dipping and not the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies with and so suits with sprinkling And therefore it may be as well rendred I baptize you in water and he shall baptize you in the holy Spirit Mar. 1. 8. as it is rendred Iohn did baptize in the wilderness and in the River of Jordan verse 4 5. or that Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. and they were baptized in the cloud and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10. 2. yea it may as well be rendred I baptize or dip you into water as it is rendred they were casting a net into the Sea Mar. 1. 16. for the words are the same and it would be an improper speech to say Iohn did baptise with the wilderness and they were casting a net with the sea 4. That this appointment of Christ is by way of dipping and not sprinkling appears in that for the resemblance and likeness hereunto the Israelites passing under the cloud and through the sea where the Aegyptians that were their Lords and commanders their pursuers and enemies that sought their destruction were drowned left behind and seen no more is by the holy Spirit called a baptism 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. they were baptized in the cloud c. Where observe it is not here rendred with the cloud and with the Sea as in the other place Mark 1. 8. with water because it suits with sprinkling although the word be the same but in the cloud and in the Sea which suits with dipping or overwhelming and so with the appointment of Christ they passing through the midst of the red or bloudy Sea on dry land which stood on both sides as a wall and being under the Cloud were as men in a carnall eie overwhelmed and drowned and yet truly saved and safe from their enemies 5. That this appointment of Christ was not by sprinkling but by dipping or putting the person into or under the water appears by Philips baptizing the Eunuch It is said They went both down into the water both Philip the baptizer and the Eunuch that was the person to be baptized and being there in the water Philip baptized or dipper him in that water as John did Jesus in the river of Jordan and then it is said as they descended or went down into the water so they ascended or went strait way up out of the water see Acts 8. 38 39. Mat. 3. 16. mark the expression And Jesus when he
was baptized went up straitway out of the water therefore had he been down in the water 6. That this appointment of Christ was not by sprinkling but by dipping or as it were a drowning appears in that Iohn the Baptizer his work being to baptize remains in the wilderness by the river of Iordan and afterward in Aenon and the reason that is rendred by the Spirit of God why there he abode was because there was much water there which need not have been if that appointment could have been performed by sprinkling and not by dipping See Luke 3. 2 3. Iohn 3. 23. 7. That this appointment of Christ was not to be performed by sprinkling but by diping c. appears from the nature of the Ordinance it self for it is such an ordinance as whereby the person that submitteth thereto doth visibly put on Christ Iesus the Lord and is hereby visibly planted into his death holding forth therein a lively similitude and likeness unto his death whereby onely through faith he now professeth he hath escaped death and is in hope to obtain life and peace everlasting and so to have fellowship with him in his death as to be dead with him and thereupon to reckon himself to be dead indeed unto sin Sathan the law and the curse See Gal. 3. 27. Rom. 8. 2. 3. 5. 7 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 29. But the planting of a person into the likness of death is no waies resembled by sprinkling but by dipping it is lively set forth and demonstrated therefore 8. This appointment of Christ sci Baptism is an ordinance whereby the person that submitteth thereto doth hereby visibly and cleerly resemble the buriall of Christ and his being buried with him so as in respect of the old man the former lusts and conversation like the Egyptians to be taken out of the way and seen no more See Romans 6. 4. 6. Col. 2. 12. But sprinkling doth no way lively resemble the buriall of Christ or the persons being buried with him as dipping doth therefore 9. This appointment of Christ sci Baptism is an ordinance wherby the person that submitteth thereto doth visibly and lively hold forth herein the resurrection of Christ declares him whose life was taken from the earth to be alive again who although he died and was buried yet was he not left in the grave to see corruption but was raised again and behold he liveth for evermore and as hereby he holds forth the resurrectiof Christ so doth he also his own being planted into the likeness therof so as to reckon himself to be in his soul and spirit quickned and risen with Christ from henceforth to live unto God the fountain of life and to Christ Iesus the Lord who died for him and rose again and so to walk in newness of life in this present evill world being also begotten unto a lively hope that in the world to come he shall be raised and quickned both in soul and body to a life everlasting See Rom. 6. 4 5. 8. 11. Acts 8. 33 35 36. Col. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 3. but sprinkling doth no way lively resemble the resurrection of Christ or the souls or bodies rising or being raised by him as the way of dipping doth Therefore this appointment of Christ was and still is to be performed by way of dipping or putting the person into or under the water and not by sprinkling And that this dipping in or into water in the name of Iesus is one of the commandments of this Lord Iesus Christ doth evidently appear Mat. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15 16 compared with Acts 2. 38. 41. 8. 36. 38. and 10. 47 48. And that it is also to be observed by all that trust in Christ as other of his commands as he is the Lord untill he come again is likewise expresly manifested to be his will Mat. 28. 20. Gal. 1. 7 8. Jude 3. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Col. 2. 5 6. Rev. 2. 25. 3. 11. Hold fast till I come Rev. 22. 14. 19. Heb. 12. 25. But to proceed That a visible believer or disciple of Christ Jesus that is one that manifesteth repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ is the onely person that is to be baptised with that visible baptism or dipping of Jesus Christ in water That a visible disciple or Scholar of Christ one that manifesteth himself to have heard him to have been taught by him and to have yielded up himself to him as his teacher is the only person c. will be made manifest 1. By the commission it self and the argument stands thus they and they onely have right to this ordinance and appointment of Jesus Christ whom the ordainer himself sci Christ Jesus the Lord hath in his Last Will and Testament appointed it to but Christ Jesus the Lord hath appointed it to Disciples and to Believers and to such onely Therefore The first proposition cannot be denyed and the second will easily be proved see the commission by which the Apostles were warranted to administer this ordinance and so must all that baptise or they will appear but usurpers Mat. 28. 18 19. All power is given unto me in heaven and in Earth saith the Lord go ye therefore and discipulize or make disciples not among the Jews only but among the Gentiles and Nations and baptize them so that if the question should have been made Lord whom shall we baptise of the Nations among the Jews and Gentiles his answer was given in the words before and he would have given no other you shall baptize amongst the Nations Jews and Gentiles such as first have been taught and by teaching have been made my disciples so Mar. 16. 16. Go ye into all the world saith the Lord and preach the Gospel to every creature to the Gentiles as well as the Jews he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved c. So that if the question here again should be propounded who among the religious and strict Jews and the loose and profane Gentiles should be baptised the answer is plain those to whom the Gospel first hath been preached and they through that Gospel have also believed 2. By the practice of the Commissioners who were faithful unto their Lord and to the charge which he gave them and the argument stands thus Such as the faithful Apostles and first Commissioners of Christ Jesus the Lord administred this ordinance of baptism unto such and such only ought to be made partakers thereof But the Apostles and first Commissioners of Christ administred not this ordinance unto carnal babes infants of daies such as are by the testimony of the Scriptures declared to be conceived in sin to be brought forth in iniquity and being born of the flesh to be but flesh and so by nature the Children of wrath one as well as another being also untaught But to such as first were taught and were ordained by the immortal seed of the word to be born
again and as new born babes in Christ having tasted of the sincere milk of the word desire still more of the same that they might grow up thereby and such as appeared to be converted and to become as little ones such little ones as believed in Jesus The first proposition I suppose none that own Christ and his Apostles will dare to deny And the second which is more questionable will also be proved See Acts 2. 38 39 40 41 42 c. Although Peter with the 11 calls upon the convicted Jews to repent and to be baptized every one in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins and tells them that then they shall be made partakers of the holy Spirit and that they should not need to distrust it he shews them the largeness of the promise that was made concerning the pouring forth of the Spirit it being promised to be poured forth upon all flesh as they had exprest in the beginning of their discourse out of Joel v. 16. and 17. and therefore â—aith t is to you and to your Children and to all that are a far off even as many of you your children and such as are a far off as the Lord our God shall call yet he baptizeth none but such as were called by the holding forth the word of salvation by Jesus Christ as appears in the words for they that gladly received his word were baptized and they only for they that were baptized were added and continued together in the Apostles Doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer and continued dayly with one accord in the Temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praising God all which cannot be understood of infants of daies And therefore this place if rightly considered will be so far from affording a ground for the baptizing of the children of believing parents because here it is said the promise is to you and to your children that it will sufficiently evince the contrary for indeed such an apprehension is accompanyed with 2 or 3 evident mistakes there is a mistake in the promise in the parties to whom the promise belongs and the manner how it is to them and their children c. 1. There is a mistake of the promise in that it is looked at as the covenant of Grace which doth ingratiate the soul into and gives it an interest in all the privileges of the Gospel of Christ and so in order doth go before baptism or any other visible ordinance and appointment of his whereas in very truth by promise there is meant that holy Spirit of promise which they which believed in Christ and obeyed him should according to promise receive after he was ascended unto the right hand of the father as appears Joh. 7. 39. 14. 16. 16. 7. That which he had here shed a broad in a powerfull manner upon the Apostles and that which these Jews also in believing and obeying the Gospel of Christ should also receive and therfore saith Peter repent and be baptized and ye shall receive c. and was no other than that which was of old prophecyed of by Ioel as is declared v. 16. and so is a promise that follows faith and obedience and not such as goes before to give right to this appointment of Christ 2. There is a mistake in the parties to whom this promise belongs for whereas it is said to you and to your children and the reupon it is conceived to be meant believers and their infants of daies which upon that accompt are to be baptized it is plain and evident when the Apostle spoke these words to them they could not be looked upon as believers forasmuch as they being prick'd at the heart and only convinced of their evill in murdering the Lord of life propounded what they should do to be saved which is farre from believing to which the Apostle replies repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sinnes and to conceive that by their children were meant infants of daies it may be as well so understood by your Sonnes and daughters which should so receive of the promise of the Spirit as to prophecy mentioned in the seventeenth verse of this chapter to which these words are related and to make it appear that the promise was not so either to them or their children as yet manifested to give them right unto baptism after many more words used by the Apostle to perswade them to save themselves from this adulterous generation it is said but as many as gladly received his word were baptized and but only such and not their infants of daies for they that were baptized continued together in such appointments of Christ as infants are in no measure capable of 3. There is a mistake in the manner how this promise is to them their children not spoken to them now as believers their children as having right and interest peculiar by them but indeed to them and their children no otherwise than to all that are a far off which if taken in the generall cannot be understood but with respect to the general promise which is to pour forth his Spirit upon all flesh but if with the restriction which is even as many as the Lord our God shall call then parents and children Jews and Gentiles such as are neer and such as are a far off must be called by the word of his grace before they can have a peculiar right and interest in this spirit of promise and so a child that is called to believe and obey the Gospel may have this promise made good unto him before his father and a Gentile that is a far off before a Jew that is neer This will appear also by other instances as of Philip baptizing in Samaria they were men and women that he baptised there such as believed and received the word with great joy Acts 8. 8. 12. and when the Eunuch seeing the water asked what should let him to be baptised Philip intimates that although he had been taught yet the want of a manifestation of faith would be a let v. 36 37. And whereas there is mention made of whole houses that were baptised that the Commissioners might appear faithfull unto their Lord and keep close to the very words of their Commission you shall find they were first taught and by teaching were made his disciples and gladly received his word See it in Cornâ—lius houshold Acts 10. 33 34. compared with the 44. 47. the Iaylors houshold Acts 16. 32. 34. they spake unto him the word of God and unto all that were in his house and he set meat before them and rejoyced believing in God with all his house see it also in Crispus houshold Acts 18. 8 9 10 11. Stephanus houshold 1 Cor. 1. 16 17. compared with chap. 16 v. 15. And as for Lydias houshold Acts. 16. the Spirit of God being more silent
therein they that cannot interpret it by the other four nor yet by the Commission it self nor by the Commissioners faithful observance thereof in all other instances let them prove if they can these three particulars 1. That Lydia ever had a husband 2. In case she had that ever she had any children by him and if so then in the 3. place that they were not dead or so grown up that they might hear and receive the word gladly as well as their mother 3. A third argument to prove that a visible believer is the person that according to the mind of Christ is to be baptized in water may be taken from the order which the Spirit of Christ laies down faith and baptism in the scriptures of truth putting faith still in the first place witness Mark 16. 15 16. Mat. 28. 19. Heb. 6. Eph. 4. A 4 argument may be taken from the nature of the ordinance and a 5 from Johns Baptism Yea much more might be said to this point but this may suffice And also the only person that is to walk in the visible order of his house and so to wait for his comming the second time in the form of a Lord and King with his glorious Kingdome according to promise That he is the only person that is to enter into and walk in the visible order of his house will evidently appear if the order in which our Lord left his house when he went to his Father to receive his kingdome be duly considered for in his last will and testament we shall find it thus recorded when our Lord was about to be gone he gave order unto his Apostles whom he made stewards in his house of the mysteries of God to make him Disciples of all Nations and that such as were so made should then be baptized and so visibly planted into Christ and put on Christ and having so received him should walk in him observing all things whatsoever he had commanded the first thing wherof as touching order was to be added or joined one to another in the fellowship of the Gospel by a mutual professed subjection to the Scepter of Christ and being a company thus called out of the world from worldly vanities and worldly worships after Christ Jesus the Lord which is the proper English of these words the Church of Christ and is in other terms called the Houshold of faith should steadfastly continue together in the Apostles doctrine sci the consolation reproof and instruction thereof in Fellowship sci mutual support both inward and outward in Breaking of bread thereby remembring the death of our Lord whose soul was made an offering for sin as his flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed by the help of the Spirit to nourish our souls and spirits up unto eternal life and in prayer one with and for another And that this is the absolute order which the Lord hath appointed in his last Will and Testament doth evidently appear both by his own precept and command and by the practice of such as first trusted in him and if so then neither infants of daies nor yet such as profess themselves to be believers in Jesus but refuse as a manifestation thereof according to the practice of such as first trusted in Christ to yield up themselves to be planted into the death burial and resurrection of Christ and so visibly to put Christ on as did the Christians of old I say such have no visible right to enter into or walk in the order of the Gospel of Christ and to conclude the point the argument stands thus They and they only have visible right to enter into and walk in the visible order of Christs house and so to wait for his comming whom Christ Jesus himself being the Lord of the house hath appointed and his Apostles being his stewards have approved of But such as first have been taught and made disciples or Scholars of Jesus and believers in Christ and afterwards have bin baptised or dipped and therby visibly lively planted into the death burial and resurrection of Christ are they and they only whom Christ hath appointed and the Apostles have approved of See his Commission peruse their practice Ergo They and they only have visible right to enter into and walk in the order of Christs house and so to wait for his comming the second time in the form of a King with his glorious Kingdom according to promise See for a farther confirmation of the last clause in the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. 7. 1 The 1 10. 2. The. 3. 5. But to proceed He is the person that is also to wait for his Lords sending down from the right hand of his father in the time of his absence the holy Ghost or holy Spirit of promise and all this according to the last will and testament of that living Lord That this living Lord did promise when he left this present evil world that is in a great measure subjected to devils and went to his Father not only to return again but in the time of his absence as a testimony of his great love unto such as are called to be his disciples manifest the same by loving him keeping his commandments and as a teâ—â—imony of his loving acceptance at the right hand his Father to send down the holy Spirit which should be in them as a well-spring of living water flowing forth unto eternall life who being a Spirit of truth and sent by Christ who is the truth which God will exalt shall glorifie him take of him and his and shew unto them and so lead them from truth to truth until he hath brought them into all truth as a comforter or Spirit of comfort shall fill their hearts with joy in believing by bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God and by revealing unto them the precious things w ch God hath prepared for them that love him which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive and as a holy Spirit shall set them apart that are justifyed by the blood of his Son unto the holy God and sanctifie them throughout in soul and spirit and body and as a Spirit of supplication shall help them to speak unto God and as a Spirit of prophecy to speak unto men that this Lord I say did promise unto his disciples who love him and keep his commandments in the time of his absence the presence of such a Spirit as this which hath supplies in him beyond what the â—oul lacks and that therfore they are to wait for this promise and for these supplies in his appointments will clearly appear 1. Out of the words of the Lord himself See Iohn 14. 15 16 17. so v. 26. chap. 15. 26. chap. 16. 7 8. so v. 13 14 15. five times in that night in which he was betraied doth he repeat that promise to his Disciples
that loved him and kept his commandments and that he intended the same unto other visible disciples that should love him and keep his commandments unto the end of the world will also appear for if the appointment of Christ sci the supper that went before and is exprest chapter the 13. and the prayer of Christ that followed after and is exprest chapter 17. did belong unto them that should believe through their word till he come again then this promise that is so often repeated between doth as well belong unto them as to these but the former is true See Iohn 17. 20. 1. Cor. 11. 26. therefore the later If the consequence be denied it will still be proved out of Christs own words See Iohn 7. 37 38. and the consideration even in reason of Christs exceeding love and tender care towards all his disciples that love him and keep his commandments and their sensible wants of the same supplies of the Spirit will clearly evince it 2. It will clearly appear out of the words of the Apostles of Christ See Iohns interpretation of these words of Christ Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he saith Iohn of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the holy Spirit was not yet because Iesus was not yet glorified John 7. 29. See also what they all say with one mouth after they had received this holy Spirit with power whereby they were furnished as Apostles or Embassadors of him that had all power in heaven and earth in his hand to go forth with the embassage of peace into all Nations and could deliver the mind of their Lord unto them in their own language Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Iesus for the remission of sins ye shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit for the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far off as many of all these as the Lord our God shall call sci to repentance from dead works to faith in Christ Iesus to this visible manifestation thereof by being baptised and so visibly planted into the death buriall and resurrection of Christ for the remission of sins 3. This will also appear by the enjoyments of those that first trusted in Christ and visibly manifested their faith and love in and to the Lord by keeping his commandments The Disciples which were also called Apostles waiting in the appointment of their Lord at Jerusalem received and were filled with that holy Spirit with power according to promise See Acts 1. 4. compared with 2. 2. So that great number that were about three or rather five thousand souls that believed through their word and were baptized in Jerusalem and waited in the appointments of the same Lord that is to say together steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer they also enjoied this holy Spirit according to promise See Acts 4. 31. The like may be found among the Saints in Samaria Acts 8. 17. in Ephesus Acts 19. And the same may be found among the Saints that thus put on Christ and walked in him among those that first trusted in him in all places See it in the Romans chap. 5. 5. and chap. 8. at large See it in the Corinthians Epistle 1. chap. 2. 10. 12. and 6. 11. 19. and ch 12. at large In the Galathians ch 3. 2. 4. 6. In the Ephesians chap. 1. 13. In the Philippians chap. 3. 3. In the Colossians chap. 1. 8. In the Thessalonians Ep. 1. chap. 1. 5 6. and chap. 5. 19. This promise is also found true in the litle children that Iohn writes to and is often repeated 1 Iohn 3. 24 4. 13. and in the 2. 27. he speaks unto them after this manner but the anointing speaking of this holy Spirit of promise which ye have received of him abideth in you and such is his supply that you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him And now litle Children abide in him c. And Iude telleth us that the very ground why some that had made a profession of the faith and order of Iesus caused divisions and offences contrary to that doctrine they had received and separated themselves was because they were sensuall not having this Spirit Iude 19 And as all this hath been proved by the last Will and Testament of that living Lord so is it also clear that his Will is not to be added to or taken from compare Gal. 3. 15. with Rev. 22. 18 19. which notwithstanding if any man shall attempt to do let him know this Lord is alive and will ere-long appear sufficiently able to avenge it 3. I testifie that every such servant of Christ Iesus may in point of liberty yea ought in point of duty to improve that talent which his Lord hath given unto him That it is their duty to improve the talent the Lord hath given unto them and that for that end it was also given will appear by those two instances of the Lord himself the first is Mat. 5. 13 14 15. Ye saith the Lord to his Disciples are the salt of the earth the light of the world c. neither do men light a candle and put it under a hushell but on a candlestick whereby he intimates that if it be far from the intention of men who are but weak and foolish in their intentions and actions to sight a candle which is for use and then to put it under a bushell and so make it useless then much further from the purpose and intention of God who is the father of lights to enlighten the spirit of a man which is the candle of the Lord and then to have that light concealed and with-held therefore it follows let your light saith the Lord so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven The other instance is in the 19 th chapter of Luke 11 12 13 14 15 16. to the 27. verse in which Parable is lively declared by the Lord 1. That that glorious Kingdome of God that shall certainly appear should not so immediatly appear as some thought it should for which end is the Parable spoken verse 11. and the first words of the Parable will prove the same thing for the Noble-man which is Christ Iesus the Lord must first go into a far counâ—ry to receive his Kingdome which is to the right hand of the Father there to sit untill all his enemies become his footstool and so return 2. Here is declared the order in which this Lord left this houshold when he went to receive his Kingdome he bestowed gifts or talents upon them and commands them as his servants in their severall places to occupy till he come
verse 13. which proves that for which I produced this scripture and for further encouragement unto a servant of Christ to improve that Talent in his Lords service that he hath bestowed upon him 3. In the third place is declared the exceeding great countenance and rich reward which this Lord will bestow upon a faithfull servant that hath thus improved his Talent when he shall have received the Kingdome and shall return in the glory of his Father the countenance I say appears in these words he will say well or as it is in the 25 of Matthew well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in a few things the rich Reward appears in these Enter into the joy of thy Lord or have thou Authority in my Kingdom over ten Cities be thou also ruler over five Cities c. But to proceed And in the congregation he may either ask for information to himself This was a liberty amongst the Jews in their synagogues or congregations as appears Luke 2. 46. where Christ being about twelve years old is found by his parents among the Doctors in the Temple not only hearing them but asking them questions and when he also taught in the Temple or elsewhere the people did not only hear him but asked him questions yea made objections against what was delivered without interruption and it cannot be conceived but this is much more a liberty in the congregations and Churches of Christ and therefore 1 Cor. 14. 35. where women are directed to ask their husbands at home if they will learn and the reason is given because it is a shame for them to speak in the Church it is plainly declared that men that will learn may ask in the Church for it is not a shame for them to speak there But to proceed Or if he can he may speak by way of prophecy for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole by prophecy here I mean a plain and brief declaration of the mind and counsel of God in words significantly and easie to be understood confirmed by the words of the Apostles and Prophets of God and brought forth for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole The 14 of the 1 Cor. will plentifully clear this truth and make this liberty good unto the Saints in the Churches of Christ and it cannot be shut out but by the spirit of Antichrist See verse 1. 5. 12. 24. 26. 30 31. 39 40. So 1 Thes 5. 19 20. Quench not the Spirit is the exhortation to him that is therby moved to speak and despise not prophecyings is the exhortation to them that are present to hear But to proceed And out of the congregation at all times upon all occasions and in all places as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends which is not only to the utmost parts of the Earth but also to heaven See Mat. 28. 18. Heb. 1. 2. Ephes. 1. 20 21 22. May yea ought to walk as a Child of light justifying wisdome with her waies and reproving folly with the unfruitful words therof provided c. For a warrant here see Deu. 6. 7. Mat. 5. 14. 16. 10. 32 33. 11. 19. Eph. 5. 11. Act. 4. 20. Jam. 3. 13. And so have I done also with the 3d. Conclusion the fourth followeth 4. I testify that no servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty much less authority from his Lord to smite his Fellow-servant This will be evinced to be a truth many waies from the mouth of the Lord. 1. In that it is the great commandment of this Lord to his disciples and servants to love one another and so to bear one anothers burdens who ought to have their love stronger than death so as to lay down their lives for the bretheren See John 13. 34. 15. 17. 1 John 3. 23. 4. 21. Gal. 6. 2. 1 John 3. 16. Now to smite one another is a breach of that Law of Love in a very high degree Therefore 2. The servants of Christ are called upon by their Lord to learn of him to be meek and lowly and are put thereby into a capacity to be further taught the way and fear of the Lord to increase their joy and they are such as shall inherit the earth and also heaven for they shall find rest for their souls and this meek quiet and gentle Spirit is declared by the Spirit of the Lord to be an ornament of very great price See for a proof of all this Mat. 11. 29. 21. 5. Psalm 25. 9. Isaiah 29. 19. Mat. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 4. but to smite is an argument of a domineering proud and lofty spirit which is far from a Spirit that is meek and lowly Therefore 3. The servants of Christ are called upon by their Lord to be so far from smiting their fellows that in case they should be smitten by others for his and the Gospels sake meerly on one cheek they should rather turn the other than seek to revenge it See Luke 6. 20. Rom. 12. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 7. why do ye not rather take wrong saith the Apostle why do you not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded but this is far from smiting one another Therefore c. 4. This Lord being also that Prince of Peace doth so far dislike such practices as these among any servants of his that belong to his house that he hath absolutely and expresly declared that he by no means will have a striker to supply the Office of an Elder or Steward therein no nor one that is of a Lordly or domineering spirit nor yet one that is froward and will be soon angry See in the first Epistle of Timothy 3. 3. Titus 1. 7. Peter 5. 3. Therefore c. 5. That no servant of Christ hath such authority from his Lord to smite his fellows doth plainly appear in that Parable Mat. 18. 34. where it is said The Lord was so wroth that he will have that wicked servant delivered to the tormentors that did but take his fellow by the throat and him that fell to smiting his fellowes in his Lords absence Mat. 24. 51. it is said The Lord shall come upon in a day when he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not awar of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrits where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But to proceed in the testimony where it is said No nor yet with outward force or arm of flesh to constrain or restrain anothers conscience nor yet his outward man for conscience sake or worship of his God c. That this is a truth will be made out by the Scriptures of truth and that many waies The first argument to prove it standeth thus 1. Arg. If any Servant of Christ Jesus be he high or low rich or poor have any such liberty or authority from his Lord so to do then he is able to shew it as that which may be his warrant so to
act either out of the words of the Lord himself or out of those that were spoken or writ by the Apostles which were his Ambassadors and were furnished from their Lord with commands for his Servants observance until he come again But no servant of Christ I suppose is able to shew either out of his own words or out of the words of the Apostles any such liberty or authoriâ—y from the Lord as that which may be his warrant so to do Therfore The first Proposition cannot be denyed which is this If any servant of Christ Jesus have any such authority from his Lord he is able to shew it either out of his own words or from the Apostles And indeed for a man to act in the name of the Lord and not to have a word or warrant from him is high presumption and so will it appear if these these things be considered 1. In that it is plainly declared That all power in heaven and in earth is given unto Christ and therefore must all authority in heaven and in earth be derived from him and hence it is that it concerns the feet and the toes of that great image if it be possible to stand clear of him who is that little stone cut out without hands and shall ere long become great mountain and fill the Earth 2. In that it is as plainly declared that the living God hath in these last daies spoken by Christ Heb. 1. 1. hath made him the heir of all things and thereupon hath called upon every one that hath an ear to hear him hath threatned that soul that will not hear him that he shal be cut of therfore it concerns every servant of his to take heed he use no such authority over another which he hath not heard and received from Christ 3. In that it is declared that Christ Jesus the Lord is that one law-giver and that they are blessed that do his commandements yea so blessed that the Apostle saith he is become the author of eternall salvation to those that obey him and that he is also the Judge unto whom the living God hath appointed a great and notable and terrible day in which and by whom he will Judge the world in righteousness yea the very secrets of mens hearts according to his gospel See James 4. 12. Rev. 22. 14. Heb. 5. 9. Acts 10. 42. and 17. 31. Rom. 2. 16. From which consideration it also appears that it concerns the servants of Christ that they despise not such a Law-giver and such a Judge as he is in taking such liberty or exercising such authority over other mens consciences which cannot be made out from his words that he hath given them all which as so many arguments will prove the first proposition And as for the second which is this sci No servant of Christ can shew a warrant from Christ for such an authority either out of his own words or his Apostles if that be denied we must then call for the warrant which must be shewed either out of the Evangelists the book of the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles or the Revelation of Jesus but I suppose it cannot be shewn out of any of these If the 13. of the Romans be produced for a warrant no man can deny that the power there spoken of was such as belonged to a heathen and I think no man will acknowledge that he had such an authority from Christ to order mens consciences or outward man with respect to the worship of God and therefore that word cannot be their warrant If the words of Paul Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you be produceed for a warrant let the words be considered and in the first place there is no mention made of outward force or outward affliction and therefore no warrant for any outward or carnall hand so to afflict but 2. The words were spoken to the Churches in Ga atia which were spirit all societies and concerning spirituall transgressors and therefore their cutting off must be from that spirituall relation and union which hitherto they enjoyed and how that is done compare 3. Acts 23. with Mat. 18. 8. 17. Rom. 11. 17. 19. 20. 22. And the carnall cutting off from the carnall Israel before the time of reformation was but a type of this spirituall cutting off and casting out from the spirituall Israel of God since And thirdly consider the words were spoken by the Apostle Paul who would have us to know as he declares it 2 Cor. 10. 4. that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall he was not wont to strive with them that opposed themselves with carnall weapons and therefore if he speaks to such persons as these Galatians were that had received such power from the Lord touching a cutting off which is a business that belongs to a sword it would be too carnall an understanding of the place to conceive that this should be done by any other sword than by the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and can reach to their Spirits and is the only offensive weapon the Saints are to take in such cases as this against their spirituall opposers and so have I done with the first Argument A second to evince this is taken from that law wherewith Christ Jesus that Sonne of Righteousness hath more or less enlightned the Nations which I may therefore call the law of Nations being that law by which the Lord will Judge those which may otherwise be said to be without law the Law is this Do as thou wouldst be done unto which is also as Christ speaks the Law and the Prophets The argument standeth thus 2. Arg. If every servant of Christ Jesus have a commandement from his Lord as he will answer it before him when he shall appear as Judge to do to others as he would have others to do unto him then no servant of his can have either liberty or authority from him thus to force another mans conscience or his outward man meely for conscience sake But every servant of Christ hath this command from his Lord viz. Do to others as ye would that others should do unto you Therefore c. The second proposition is undeniable See 7. Mat. 12. Luk. 6. 31. The consequence of the first proposition can scarce be denied but if any should rashly deny it then I appeal to that mans conscience not being seared which also knows but in part in the fight presence of God whether he can be willing that another who is further informed in the things of God and is also stronger than he whether he can be willing I say that he should by such a force constrain or restrain his conscience although in smaller differences but how much less in things that do so vastly differ 3 Arg. The third argument standeth thus If Christ Jesus the Lord instructed his servants to be meek lowly and gentle yea kind and curteous to all sent forth
the chiefest of them and told them that they should be as lambs in the midst of wolves yea holds them and us and all that shall reign with Christ when he shall appear with his Kingdome in a continuall expectation of a persecuted and afflicted condition in this present evil world then it cannot be expected that they should have any such liberty much less authority from him thus to persecute prosecute or inforce others But the first is true See Mat. 11. 29. 1 Cor. 13. 4. Eph. 4. 34. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Mat. 10. Tim. 2. 3. 12. All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus saith Paul who well discerned the spirit that was abroad that which should remain and increase in the world shall suffer persecution and theservant is not greater than his Lord saith Christ Mat. 10. 24 25 So that by this it appears that the first is true and therefore the second which is this That no servant of Christ can expect any such liberty or authority from his Lord thus to persecute prosecute or inforce others A Fourth argument against forcing men against their consciences ' in the things and worship of God is taken from the nature of the conscience of man and of the worship of God which are both spiritual and it standeth thus 4. Arg. That which the Lord hath reserved in his own hand and hath intended to mannage as part of his own Kingdome by his own power or Spirit and by another manner of ministery and sword than that which is put forth in the Kingdoms of men his being such as fuits with the understanding and conscience of man as it 's a spiritual thing and with the worship of God which is also spiritual that I say can no servant of Christ have authority from him by an other sword or arm of flesh to undertake mannage or think to effect But the Lord hath reserved this great work of ordering the understanding and conscience which is the spirit of man by way of constraint or restraint and also the outward man with respect to the worship of God I say he hath reserved this great work in his own hand and in the hand of the Spirit and hath intended to mannage it as a part of his Kingdome by his own Spirit and by another manner of ministery than that which is put forth in the Kingdoms of men Therfore c. The first proposition I judge cannot be denyed because if it be by him reserved in his own hand and power then by his authority it cannot be in the hand of another and if intended by him to be mannaged by another manner of ministery and sword than that which is put forth in the Kingdomes of men then not by the same And as for the second it will appear to be a truth by these following testimonies 1. That the great work of ordering the understanding and conscience which is the spirit of a man by way of constraint or restraint and also the outward man with respect to the worship of God is reserved as a part of his Kingdome the spirits of men being the throne of the Lord in his own hand and in the hand of the Spirit doth appear Luke 17. 26. Rom. 11. 32. Isa 45. 22. Zach. 4. 6. Prov. 2. 6. Iam. 1. 5. 10. 1. 9. Luke 24 45. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Eph. 1. 18 19. Act. 2. 47. 11. 21. And 2. That he hath intended to mannage it by another manner of sword or ministery than that which is put forth in the Kingdoms of men is also evident in that he did neirher speak to nor yet make use of the Kings of the earth to make him discipies nor yet call for their sword to constrain them or others to the worship of God or to restrain them from their own although it was performed to dumb Idols and so unto devils but made use of the sword of the Spirit which is his own word the ministery of his Apostles and servants to hold it forth to the world and tl ereby were disciples made unto him and so by him brought from their own to the worship and service of God See lo. 16. 8 9 10 11 26. Acts 15 16 18. 1 The. 1. 8 9. ch 2. 13. Heb 4 12. The fifth Argnment against forcing mens consciences or rather the outward man for conscience sake in the worship of God standeth thus 5. Arg. That which presupposeâ—h one man to have dominion over another mans conscience and is but a forcing of Servants and worshippers upon the Lord at the least which he seeks not for and is the ready way to make men dissemblers and hypocrites before God and man which wisemen abhor and to put men upon the profaning the name of the Lord that can no servant of Christ Jesus have any liberty much less authority from his Lord to do But by outward force to seek to constrain or restrain an others conscience in the worship of God c. doth presuppose one man to have dominion over another mans conscience and is but to force servants and worshippers upon the Lord which he seeks not for and is the ready way to make men dissemblers and hypocrites and to put them upon the profaning the name of the Lord. Therefore c. The first proposition is undeniable because it is evident that it is not the will of the Lord that any one should have dominion over another mans conscience no not such as had the largest power and presence of the Spirit of God and the largest interest in the hearts of his people as had the Apostles Elders and Brethren See 1 Cor. 8 11 12. 10. 29. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Phil. 3 15. 2 Cor. 1 23 24. chap. 4. 5. for this indeed would be to enter upon the throne of Christ to sit in the Temple of God and is the very highest design of the spirit of Antichrist See â— Thess 2. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 10. And for any man to enter upon the throne of Christ to set a foot into the Temple of God is to defile it and he that defiles the Temple of God saith the Apostle him shall God destroy And for a man to put servants and worshippers upon the Lord when he would not have others to put servants upon him and make men dissemble when if he be a wise man he cannot but hate dissembling must needs be much more abomination to the Lord so that the first proposition as I said cannot be denied The second will easily be proved in each particular thereof As 1. This so cing of all to conform in the worship of God doth presuppose one man â—o have dominion or Lordship over another mans conscience for who knows not that the worship of God is a case of conscience and that that worship and service that is pleasing to him must have the spirit and conscience the chief in it and therefore that man which by outward force would cause others to conform in point of worship must
oppose themselVes which word signifieth a setting a mans self in an opposition to the truth in a more than an ordinary manner even by way of covenant or resolution of spirit yet are they still to be waiting with meekness upon them if God at any time will giVe them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may recoVer themselVes out of the snares of the deVil who are taken captiVe by him at his will Another argument that there can be no warrant from Christ for such a practice as this is taken from such expressions of his wherein he shews his dislike thereof and it standeth thus 7. Arg. If Christ Jesus the Lord have sharply reproved and checked his servants when he hath espied such a spirit as this but breaking forth in them then can no servant of his have any countenance much less authority from him so to practise But the first is true he hath sharply reproved them when he espied such a spirit as this but breaking forth witness his words Luke 22. 24 25. c. Joh. 18. 10 11. Mat. 26. 51 52 53. 54. Luke 9. 46 47. 49 50. 52 53 54. 55 56. where it is said when the Samaritans perceived that Christs face was towards Ierusalem they did so envy him for Ierusalems sake which was the place of Gods worship that they would not receive him nor afford unto him such common curtesie as belonged unto strangers for which discurteous repulse of their Lord and master James and John in a preposterous zeal judged that they deserved to dy and thereupon moved the question to Christ in these words verse 55. Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them but what is the answer of Christ it is said he turned and rebuked them saying ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of They were scarce awar that they were hereunto moved by no other spirit than the spirit of Antichrist for saith he The Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them and if he came into this world to save mens lives and not to destroy them and will have his Servants to learn of him meekness and mercy and to be as he was in this present evil world I say if he came to save mens lives even the rebellious then no servant of his can have any authority from him for such cases as these to destroy them The last Argument standeth thus 8. Arg. That which of it self is inconsistent with the civil peace liberty prosperity and safety of a Place Commonwealth or nation no servant of Christ Jesus can have liberty much less authority from his Lord to do But this outward forcing of men in matters of conscience towards God to believe as others believe and to practise and worship as others do cannot stand with the Peace Liberty Prosperity and safety of a Place Commonwealth or nation Therefore no servant of Christ can have any liberty much less authority so to do The first proposition can scarce be denyed if these things be considered sci That Christ Jesus the Lord is the Prince of Peace Isa 9 6 Heb 7. 2. and the more a man is made partaker of and led by the Spirit of the Lord which is the Spirit of Peace the more peaceable and quiet is he like to be towards all men with whom he hath to do for this Prince of Peace hath given express command unto all his Servants who are the Children of Peace in whose hearts his word stands with power as the word of a King to be at peace among themselves 1 Thes 5 13. To live in peace 2 Cor. 13. 11. To follow peace with all men Heb 12. 14. To seek peace and ensue it 1 Pet. 3. 11. To follow after those things that make for peace Rom. 14. 19. If it be possible as much as in them lyeth to have peace with all men Rom. 12. 16. Yea not to seek their own but every man anothers wealth 1 Cor. 10. 24. To seek the peace of the place where God hath bounded his habitation yea and to pray unto God for it and for the rulers thereof Jer. 29. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 2. By all which it doth evidently appear that that which of it â—elf cannot stand with the peace and prosperity of a place and nation that can no servant of Christ have by the authority of this Lord unless by a just judgement from him upon the rulers of this world for giving their power and sword to the beast thus to be abused and made drunk with the blood of the Saints which his tender heart cannot but avenge upon themselves and upon the Nations for their loving to have it so And as for the second Proposition which is this that this outward forcing of men in matters of conscience towards God to believe as others believe and to practise and worship not as themselves but as others are perswaded cannot stand with the peace liberty prosperity and safety of a Place Nation and Commonwealth this will as plainly appear in the examination of each particular thereof And first it cannot stand with the peace of a Commonwealth for as there could be no peace expected in the Israel of old so long as that harlot Jezabel who thirsted after innocent blood could at her pleasure obtain the seal and power of the King to effect her bloody design upon the servants of the Lord who withstood her Idolatrous Priests and that Idolatrous way and worship which they had set up so likewise as long as that spirituall Jezabell among those that account themselves the Israel of God who is seen in Rev. 17. 3. to ride upon that scarlet-coloured beast and to own her self as the City and spouse of that great King the King of Saints so long I say as she can by her glorious deckings and splendours so deceive and allure the Kings and Rulers of the earth to commit fornication with her and to give their sword and power to the beast that bears her up there can be no expectation of peace in the earth but still of wars and rumours of wars untill mens hearts fail them for so long as there is an outward force or power to be had to maintain and uphold the carnall interests and advantages of some upon religious accounts and to persecute others who for conscience sake towards God dare not yea cannot conform to their way What hopes are hereby begotten and nourished in some what jealousies suspicions and fears in others what revengfull desires in most yea what plottings and contrivings in all and as a fruit and effect hereof what riding running troublesome and tumultuous assemblings together and â—idings yea and outragious murderings and bloodshedings are hereby produced in a Nation to gain that power and sword to their party either to crush suppress or cause the other to conform or at the least and best to save themselves from being crushed suppressed or forced to