knew the practise of that Church of Christ under his government or was acquainted with the wholsome counsell he gave that part of the Church which went for New-England at their departure and afterward might easily resolve the doubt and take off the aspersion For his Doctrine â— living three yeares under his Ministery before we began the worke of Plantation in New-England It was alwayes against separation from any the Churches of Christ professing and holding communion both with the French and Dutch Churches yea tendering it to the Scots also as I shall make appeare more particularly anon Ever holding forth how wary persons ought to bee in separating from a Church and that till Christ the Lord departed wholly from it man ought not to leave it onely to beare witnesse against the corruption that was in it But if any object he separated from the Church of England and wrote largely against it I acknowledge hee wrote largely against it but yet let me tell you hee allowed hearing the godly Ministers preach and pray in the publick Assamblies yea hee allowed private communion not onely with them but all that were faithfull in Christ Jesus in the Kingdome and else where upon all occasions yea honored them for the power of godlinesse above all other the professors of Religion in the world nay I may truly say his spirit cleaved unto them being so well acquainted with the integrity of their hearts and care to walke blamelesse in their lives which was no small motive to him to perswade us to remove from Holland where wee might probably not onely continue English but have and maintain such sweet communion with the godly of that Nation as through Gods great mercy we enjoy this day 'T is true I confesse he was more rigid in his course and way at first then towards his latter end for his study was peace and union so far as might agree with faith and a good conscience and for schiâ—â—â— and division there was nothing in the world more hatefull to him But for the government of the Church of England as it was in the Episcopall way the Liturgy and stinted prayers of the Church then yea the constitution of it as Nationall and so consequently the corrupt communion of the unworthy with the worthy receivers of the Lords Supper these things were never approved of him but witnessed against to his death and are by the Câ—urch over which he was to this day And if the Lord would be pleased to stir up the hearts of those in whom under him the power of Reformation lies to reform that abuse that a distinction might once be put between the precious and the vile particular Churches might be gathered by the powerfull preaching of the Word those onely admitted into communion whose hearts the Lord perswades to submit unto the Iron rod of the Gospel O how sweet then would the communion of the Churches be How thorow the Reformation How easie would the differences be reconciled between the Presbyterian and Independent way How would the God of peace which commandeth love and good agreement smile upon this Nation How would the subtle underminers of it be disappointed and the faithfull provoked to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving Nay how would the God of order be glorified in such orderly walking of the Saints And as they have fought together for the liberties of the Kingdome Eccleâ—iasticall and Civill so may they joyn together in the preservation of them which otherwise 't is to be â—eared will not long continue and in the praises of our God who hath been so good to his poore distressed ones whom he hath delivered and whom he will deliver out of all their troubles But I have made too great a digression and must return In the next place I should speak of Mr. Robinsons Apology wherein he maketh a briefe defence against many adversaries c. But because it is both in Latine and English of small price and easie to bee had I shall for beare to write of it and onely refer the Reader to it for the differences between his congregation and other the Reformed Churches The next thing I would have the Reader take notice of is that however the church of Leyden differed in some particulars yet made no Schisme or separation from the Reformed Churches but held communion with them occasionally For we ever placed a large difference between those that grounded their practise upon the Word of God tho differing from us in the exposition or understanding of it and those that hated such Reformers and Reformation and went on in Antichristian opposition to it and persecution of it as the late Lord Bishops did who would not in deed and truth whatever their pretences were that Christ should rule over them But as they often stretched out their hands against the saints so God hath withered the Arm of their power thrown them down from their high lofty seaâ—s and slain the chiefe of their persons as well as the Hierarchy that he might become an example to all those that rise against God in his Sabbath in the preaching of his Word in his Saints in the purity of his Ordinances And I heartily desire that others may heare and feare withall As for the Dutch it was usuall for our Members that understood the language and lived in or occasionally came over to London to communicate with them as one Iohn Ienny a Brewer long did his wife and family c. and without any offence to the Church So also for any that had occasion to travel into any other part of the Netherlands they daily did the like And our Pastor Mr. Robinson in the time when Arminianisme prevailed so much at the request of the most Orthodox Divines as Poliander Festus Homlius c. disputed daily against Episcopius in the Academy at Leyden and others the grand champions of that error and had as good respect amongst them as any of their own Divines Insomuch as when God took him away from them and us by death the University and Ministers of the City accompanied him to his grave with all their accustomed solemnities bewayling the great losse that not onely that particular Church had whereof he was Pastor but some of the chief of them sadly affirmed that all the Churches of Christ sustained a losse by the death of that worthy Instrument of the Gospel I could instance also divers of their members that understood the English tongue and betook themselves to the communion of our Church went with us to New-England as Godbert Godbertson c. Yea at this very instant another called Moses Symonson because a child of one that was in communion with the Duâ—ch Church at Leyden is admitted into Church-fellowship at Plymouth in New-England and his children also to Baptism as wel as our own and other Dâ—etch also in communion at Salem c. And for the French Churches thâ—â— we held and do hold communion with them take notice of our
but actually and substantially onely at the Comming of Christ in the flesh therefore deale plainely with those that depend upon you for instruction as your Ancestours in the papacie have don and proclaime a place of purgatorie provided for them in the meane without which your Doctrine hath no foundation For if you raise up a shaddow without a substance and the substance of him that dwelleth in light without a shaddow you play the part of Wisards or Necromancers not the part of true Naturalists in the things of the Kingdome of god So that as farre as these men are from beinge honourable and loyall subjects so farre are you from being voluntaries in the Day of Gods power and from yeelding subjection unto the Beauties of holiness Such also is your professed Rule and Government in the things that concern the Kingdom of our God they are infinitly beyond and out of the Reach of that Spirit which is gone out amongst you the Capacity wherof can no wayes comprehend the breadth of the land of Emanuel nor enâ—reth it within the Vale Therefore it cannot know those Cherubims of glory neither can it hâ—re the voice of that lively Oracle speaking onely from off the covering Mercy-seate and not elsewhere to be heard We speake not but what wee know these things are out of its Jurisdiction Therfore dumb in telling Justice nor speakes it any of that Righteousnesse and glory comprysed in another circuit then ever you were yet made Lords of Long therfore may you boast of your Jurisdiction before ever you attaine unto a Iurisprudentia in these things In that you tell us wee offer you wrong by a pretended purchase you are as much mistaken in the purchase as in the wrong For it is right that we are about to do neither is our purchase a pretence but precedentiall not onely in this Civill respect but may also admonish all men to take heed how they depend upon false and self-seeking interpreters when both themselves and they that have the vision are ignorant of the Contract and Covenant of God Thence it is that you teach that the spouse of Christ upon Contract with her Lord may conceive the seed of immortalitie and bring forth fruit unto God when as yet the day of mariage that great Feastivitie and solemnization of the Consolations of God is not yet comne witnesse your prorogation thereof if not to the Descension of Christ from heaven unto the earth to Raigne certaine years yet to the Calling of the Jewes whom yee your selves are according to the flesh and to the destruction of that Man of sinn whom yee so stoutly maintain What is this but to proclaime unto all the world that Audacious spirit of whoredoms professing Conception and bringing forth before the Nuptiall day In that you conclude your Clyents Right to arise out of foure years possession wee have no such order if you meane the Right of Conquest onely held in that tenure the true owners were never yet subdued for that is the right they expect to injoy by you for some of them committed part of their supposed right unto us professing it was that they might have help to injoy the rest But when they saw wee would not be Abetters unto them without much lesse contrary unto Covenant then they flye unto you for help Their possession beeing a meere intrusion as all the Natives know and ever exclaymed against them for the same And so may our Countrymen also whose eyes are not dazled with envie and eares open to Lyes as we know yours are else you had heard both sydes speake before you had Judged But wee profess right held according to no such interest but upon the ground of Covenant onely knowne in its nature In the parties 'twixt whom it is plight In the possesser and the possessed with the nature of all fruit arising from their accord and concurrencie together with their Distinct Harmonicall Reciprocall and Joint properties and operations of them both Such is the tenure wee hould and maintain before men and Angels and oppose it against man and Divell Not in taking up unto our selves certaine offices and officers which wee can teach children to bee and to perform and from thence presently to conclude the possession of the Kingdome Crying out our peace offerings are upon us this Day we have payd our vowes But when that Dark cloud descended upon the Tabernacle becomes the light and glory of all Israell there being nothing acknowledged amongst them but what ariseth out thence then and then only are the orders as also the men of Israell derivâ—d from the true fountaine which no tongue can confess but it is salvation and then not else is the heritage of our Lord in possession yea even the wayless wilderness knowes how to afford them an habitation which had its being before the hills and mountaines were borne which men begin to flye unto for refuge to hide them from the presence of the Lamb this is a possession which no man can intrude himselfe into it is onely Covenanted withim thorow an inlightned eye and boared eare which man performeth not nor can it be received from him For wee know that Cloud of thick darknesse that hides and covers the whole frame and fabrick of the work of God to be the cleâ—ring and evidencing of every point and particular therof yea to us It is even that cloud of witness which testifies unto us they like workes to appeare when ever the world hath occasion to make use of us Never doth it shine but in the night never is it dark to Israel but in the day but in the one and the other the only glory and sastie of all the tribes but how you know not nor can you with all your libraries give the interpretation thereof but have lost it in the wilderness and accordingly have made the whole way and will of our Lord the ouldnesse of the letter both to your selves and to all that have an eare to lissen unto you Thence it is that the day of Lord is a day of Darkness and Gloominess unto you but of Joy and gladness unto us yea it lifts up our head onely and then is our salvation neere For wee know the worthies of David doubled about the bed of Solomon which expell all feare in the night handling the sword with sucess making the adversaries nothing but meat to feede upon so that the tyme of your feares is the time of our Courage and Conquest for when you feare errour schisme Rents and Confusions in Church and â—late then do wee know the Messenger of the Covenant the Lord whom Wee seek is speeding his passage into his holy temple For who under the terrors of your spirit may abide his Coming hee being like a refiners fire and Fullers sope In that you invite us unto your Courts to fetch your equall ballanced justice upon this ground that you are becomne one with our adversaries and that both in what they have and what
wee exercise the power of your ministrations against none but such as are Delinquents whereby we cleer the innocent and establish peace in all our borders Wee demand what think you of those two witnesses prophecying in Sackcloth a thousand two hundreth and threescore Dayes those two olive trees and two candlestickes standing before the God of the earth are thesegu ltie and vile persons out of whose hands by the power of your ministries you are delivering and releasing the world then indeed are your wayes justifiable But if these bee the Just Chosen and peculiar friends of God yea such as without which his truth and Righteousnesse are not justified his wisdom and holinesse maintained and upheld in the world in point of salvation by Christ then are your wayes wicked and to bee abhorred for in your professed Course you are they by whom these are â—laine and put to Death and all your glory is to keepe their Corpes unburied in your streetes and yet you know not what you are doing no more then you know what these witnesses are whom you are altogether ignorant of for your Libraries never saw them and you see not but by their eyes for these are two and never more nor yet lesse yea ever the same they are olive trees else no witnesses and also Candlesticks else both the former faile yea are not at all Wee must tell you what these are else wee cannot declare how you kill them for it is not our intent to open unto you the house of the treasures the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oyntment nor the house of our armour because you take all as execrable and put all to a profane use that commeth from us but these two witnesses are the life and death of our Lord Jesus or in the true language of heaven also the strength and the weaknesse of Christ for hee was crucified through weaknesse but hee liveth by the power of God this is the word of the Lord in Zerubbabel Not by an army nor by power and so deprives him of all strength but by aspirit that the greatest mountaine or loftiest hill in the world cannot stand before but becomes a plaine which with facility and ease hee passeth upon thence it is that hee doth not onely lay the top or the head stone of all but also the lowest in the foundation and then onely is the voice of shouting heard Grace grace in the house for ever and then doth the day of small things become the day of joy and triumph yea of parting the rich spoiles and prey of all the world for then hee that doth but turn and lift up his eyes he cannot looke besides that great flying book of the Curse that is gone forth over the whole earth Without these two witnesses jointly uttering themselves in every particular Scripture undertaken to bee divulged by any no evidence nor testimony of God is given or brought in at all but a meere refuge of lies for the soules of men to betake themselves unto without these two pipes of the olive trees emptying themselves into the bowle of the candlesticks no unction nor oyle at all is found in them and that being wanting the light of the Sanctuary is gone out so that the light appearing amongst you is onely the light of Balaâ—m whose eye was open which you may read either Sâ—etâ—um or Sethum for that opening is nothing else but the shutting up of the holy things of God so that in seeing you see not but communicate onely in the light of that beast who puts the witnesses to death as Balaam did in the sight of that dumbe beast of his whose eyes were opened to see the angel before him so that while you thinke it is our wisdome to stoope unto you for light wee never come amongst you but see our selves in a regiment of grosse and palpable darknesse and discern you very plainly how you scrabble upon the wall to finde the doore of Lots house and cannot As also how you toil your selves to climbe up into the sheep-fold another yea so many other wayes and have no fight nor discerning of us the Door at all by the which whosoever entereth becomes a true feeder of the flock of God yea none entereth in thereat but the true Shepheard himself Most impious it is to put to death two such Noble witnesses that have power to shut heaven that it raine not in the dayes of their prophecying to turne the waters into bloud and to smite the earth with all manner of plagues as oft as they will whom that spirit that is amongst you kills on this wise the life or power of the sonne of God as above which is infinite not admitting of circumscription or containment for the heaven of heavens cannot containe him yet have you not dared to graspe and inviron that power in the heavens and therefore have resolved and concluded that hee onely rules upon the earth in these dayes by his Deputies Lievtenants and Vicegerents whereby you limit and so destroy the holy One of Israel for give him that in one time or place which afterwards or elsewhere you deny him and you make a nullity of him unto your selves and in so doing you kill that other witnesse namely the death or weaknesse of the Lord Jesus for you must have man to bee honourable learned wise experienced and of good report else they may not rule among you yea and these things are of man and by man as appeares in that they onely officiate so as man may disanull and take it away againe witnesse your change of officers constantly speaking for us herein thus have you slaine also the death or theweaknesse of Christ who professeth himselfe to bee a worm and no man the shame and contempt of the people and these faith full and true witnesses thus slaine you must of necessity deny buriall and keep them both in open view in your streets or other wise all your pompe and glory falls to the dust whence it came and on which it feeds Nor can you send your presents one to another of your acts of Justice power to protect wealth honour and friends where with you gratifie each other and where these are thus slaine and their corps lie in open view none of the gentiles peoples tongues and kindreds suffering their carkasses to bee put in graves there is that great City which spiritually is Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is crucified but after there dayes and an half the spirit of life from God shall enter into them and they shal stand up upon their feet to the terrour of you all Nor doe you thinke that wee onely inveigh against the great ones of this world for thus doing for wee know that the basest peasant hath the same spirit with the greatest Princes of this world and the greatest of the Princes of this world hath the very same spirit wherewith the basest peasant hath laid himselfe open in the view of all