conformable to Scripture and so may be believed is not the Promise of God to his Disciples as they continued to the End and as they kept his Commandments and were they not known to be the Church of God and Disciples of Christ by this and was not the Promise to them that hungred and thirsted after Righteousness and to them that did overcome and was not the Exhortation to the Church of Philadelphia hold fast that which thou hast that none take thy Crown Rev. 3.11 12. Was there not a possibility of letting go that which they had and of loosing the Crown or else why is the Exhortation But I see R. E. would lay claim to Promises and Priviledges without all condition and will not be tyed to keep the commands of Christ nor would not have the Church tyed to follow the Doctrine of the Primitive Church noâ— will not admit of any possibility or probability of failing or Erring nay not so much as a mistake but as to infallibility and certainty I have said enough before and the confidence or rather the impudence of R. E. is easily seen and to make up all he concludes the Apostles as Men were subject to error in their private affairs yet were they by the assistance of God's Spirit infallible in delivering matters of Faith I say as they were assisted by the holy Spirit of God they neither erred in private affairs nor matters of Faith but as they were not assisted by this they were subject to Err for in this stood their only Ability to Teach Instruct Exhort and judge and as they were guided by this Spirit they were infallible and so R. E. saith That the Prelates â—f the holy Catholick Church as Men they are fallible in their own private actions and affairs yet when they are assembled in a general Council with their supream Pastor they are still made infallible in determining matters of Faith It is well that R. E. will grant that there is any possibility for their Prelates to fail either publick or private but I say he that is not faithful in his own actions affairs can never be faithful in the Lord's but it seems â— General Council cannot faâ—l when the supream Pastor the Pope is there but if he be not it seems by R. E's discourse it is more doubtful the like he also judges if the eleven Disciples and the seventy too with the Brethren and Elders if they had all been to define matters of Faith if Peter had been wanting which this Catholick Church calls the Prince of the Apostles there had been some doubt of their infallibility in point of Faith as though the Promise of God and the Spirit of God had not been with the rest of the Apostles as well as Peter but a word or two and more hereafter of the infallibility of General Councils the Nicean Council decreed flat Idolatry about Worshipping of Images the Council at Constantinople condemned their Proceedings and made void their Decrees yet both these in R. E's account must needs be infallible the Council at Basil as Albertus Phigious saith Decreed against all Reason and against Scriptures the Council of Calcedon which was one of the four that Gregory the great compares to the four Gospels that their Decrees were as certain and infallible yet Pope Leo did not stick to condemn it and all them as unadvised Stephanus Bishop of Rome made void the Decrees of Formosus and Sabinian the Pope commanded that Pope Gregory's Mass and all his Writings should be Burned Leo the fourth abrogated and made void the Acts of Adrian the Basil Council determined that the Council of Bishops was above the Pope but the Latteran Council under Leo determined that the Pope was above the Council and they decreed also that he that should think otherwise should be held for a Heretick but the Council of Basil aforesaid decreed that they that judged that the Council was not above the Pope they were Hereticks Innumerable more instances I might give but that I will not trouble my Reader with such unprofitable Stories and all these Popes said They were Peter's Successors and had the Keys of binding and loosing and all these Councils and many more which were of the Roman Faith which in R. E's account could not err but must needs be infallible and yet are as contradictory one to another as Light is to Darkness and black to white and look with their Faces several ways like Sampson's Foxes and therefore let not R.E. nor none of his Catholicks think that the Church of Christ now coming out of the Wilderâ—ess again can receive all their contradictory Decrees and invented Fopperies Constitutions of Men for infallible the Day is broken the Light hath taken hold of the Ends of the Earth the Sun is risen which shall make all Foggy mists of Darkness Clouds of Ignorance to fly away But R. E. ceases not here but heaps up one Peice of Darkness upon another till Blackness of Darkness appears and he tells of a Visible Church Mat. 16. which is builded upon Peter that Visible Rock for that Rock there spoken of is not Christ saith he but Peter for immediately after he names Peter whereas saith he if he had meaned himself or Peter 's Confession for that saith he is too remote or mediate and antecedent for if Christ had meaned himself or Peter's Confession he should have spoken according to the Grammar Rule and Construction Upon that Rock or upon this Rock I have built I do build and not I will build In the 63d Page and in the 64th Page he tells of a Church Visible having two Heads of an Independent Head and a Dependent Head and in the 66th Page he saith He hopes that it will appear clear to all as it did to him that the Visible Church is that Rule and Judge appointed by God and all upon Pain of Damnation are to submit unto it Where R. E. hath read of a visible Church with two Heads I know not and to take it for infallible I intend not and where is Peter called a visible Rock and the chief Pastor among the Apostles doth not this contradict Scripture doth not Christ say The Gentiles exercise Dominion one over another but it shall not be so amongst you he that will be greatest among you let him be your Servant and he that will be chief let him be your Minister and as for thy visible and militant Church we read no such Words in the Scriptures of Truth we read of a Church of God of the first-born whereof Christ was the Rock and the Foundation and another Foundation can no Man lay then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 And Paul saith in ver 10. As a wise Master-Builder I have laid the Foundation I hope R.E. will not be so impudent as to say he had laid Peter or that he had preached up Peter to believe in for Remission of Sins nor for the Foundation
by Tradition in their ovvn Wills God abhors that And thou bringest in the Old Covenant vvhich vvas given to a particular People the Jews but novv the Priesthood is changed and the Lavv is changed and as for thy Lavv vvhich thou vvouldst have the Governours of this Nation to make for suppressing of Sects and Schismaticks that vvorship at Dan and Bethel and thou sayest this is charged upon them But thou mightst have told them who they had been and where Dan and Bethel is lest they be mistaken as thou art that callest Darkness Light and Light Darkness But all that thou art troubled at is this that the Light of Christ in the Conscience should have Liberty and here thou art he which is born after the Flesh and art that Egyptian thou speakest of which persecutes the Righteous Seed It is true there are Sects and Schisms too many and Opinions they stand all in one Ground and thou and they come out of one Land Babylon is the Land of your Nativity in the Light you are seen that thou and they are turned from the Light of Christ and so are gone into Sects and Opinions and Imaginations and all the Powers without in the World cannot suppress the Root from whence these flow none can overcome the Root from whence Heresies and Opinions come And therefore vain Shepherd and blind cease thy Divining those that thou would'st have supprest are those that break Bread from House to House and meet together in the Name of the Lord as the Saints ever did and this thou callest Dan and Bethel because they will not come to an Idols Temple where all the deceived in the Nation worship an Unknown God I say unto thee thy Steeple-house thy Idols Temple which God never commanded where all Lyars Fighters Swearers Night-Birds and Scriech-Owls meet and call it the House of God and where they speak nought but the Imaginations of their own Hearts and call them the Ordinances of God and it the Church that is Dan and Bethel And as for the Magistrates which thou tellest they ought to suppress the false Prophets thou mightest have declared who they had been But for the honest-hearted Magistracy and People I shall declare a little when they came in and who they are Christ sayes Many False Prophets shall arise and Paul Peter John and the rest they saw them come already then many Anti-christ's and Deceivers and then they came in as the Scriptures witness and they have deceived the Nations since and Christ saith By their Fruits you shall know them and they are such as he cryed Wo against which laid heavy Burdens upon the People and such as were got into Moses 's Seat and were called of Men Master stood praying in the Assemblies and had the chiefest Place in the Synagogue and Peter saith They followed after covetous Practices and Jude saith They went after the Error of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards and Isaiah saith They sought for their Gain from their Quarter and Ezekiel saith They were such as fed of the Fat and Zachary saith They were as Evening Wolves and Paul saith They were covetous Men heady high-minded and Lovers of Pleasure and fierce Despisers of those that are good and had a Form of Godliness and they were Witches that turned them back to Circumcision and false Prophets when the Substance was come And are they not so now who sue for Tythes maintain the first Priesthood and bewitch People and deny Christ come in the Flesh Now let all judge where these are many in the North taking away the Peoples Cows their Pots Kettles and Bedding and one Priest sued one for Two Pence and two in York-shire sued one for One Penny and another for a Penny Half-penny and these are they that call themselves the Ministers of the Gospel shame shame blush howl ye Caterpillars the Hand of the Lord is against you and yet I would not have their Lives taken away as thou would'st have theirs that thou callest Sectaries but to that in thy Conscience I speak which will let thee see that thou hast a busie Mind and abidest not in the Doctrine of Christ but art among the false Prophets And thou and the rest of them which are Merchants and trade with other Mens Words which must have your Gospel and Worship defended with Swords and Staves and the Power of the Earth you are they that spread Nets at Mispeh and Tabor for it 's neither in Jerusalem nor this Mount but they that worship the Father worship in Spirit and Truth And thou that would'st confine God to a Place to a Day to a Time and have him bound by a Law and how the Saints should worship him thou art carnal and thy Petition carnal and all who have any Honesty in them or Light will see thee to be in the Generation of the Pharisees that said They had a Law and by that Law he ought to dye And whereas thou art comparing thy self and the Priests of Newcastle and Durham to Sarah the Mistress and them who oppose you to Hagar Answ. Sarah never brought forth Sons of Bondage as you are but you are truly Hagar the Egyptian who genders unto Bondage for you and all the Children that ever you have begotten or brought forth are in Bondage till now and the Lord hath raised up a People out of the Dust to confound you and your Wisdom and to declare against your Profession in laying heavy Burdens upon the People and taking their Money for that which is not Bread and be ye all ashamed ye high Oakes ye fat Bulls ye Diviners that cannot maintain your Gospel with all your Parts and Wisdom that you boast of against those contemptible Things in your Eyes but you must run to a carnal Sword or to a Justice of Peace or Constable to preserve you or to have them imprisoned Stocks and Mockings and Reproaches this is all we have or expect from the Powers of the Earth because we speak the Truth Be ye ashamed and lay your Hands upon your Mouthes what Gospel is this they have preached what Worship is this you give unto God that must be defended with Clubs and Staves Stocks and Whips Stoning and haling before Magistrates and yet thou would'st have them accounted Ministers of the Gospel they who were Ministers of the Gospel their Weapons were not Carnal but Spiritual and they were Mighty through God but the Mightiness of this Generation lyes in the Magistrates Sword to defend them and drive the People to pay them money for nought And therefore let all Magistrates consider in this Nation and else-where that you be warned how you make any Laws against the Innocent and how you uphold those that Christ cryed VVo against and such as the Lord sent his Prophets to declare against lest that come upon them which the Prophet spoke that they that help and them that are helped shall fall together And whereas thou further flatterest them and tellest them That they are
Jews under the first Covenant had the Scriptures the good and wholsome Words of God and the Prophets and read the Law and the Prophets on the Sabbath dayes and yet the Vail was over their Hearts and though they did perform many things commanded yet they being erred from the Spirit did not understand of what the Scripture spoke nor know him nor his mind to wit Christ of whom the Scriptures spâ—ke neither were they accepted of God but reproved and Rejected by Christ himself who said they erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the Power of God doubtless they did know the words naturally and read them but the Spirit 's mind in so speaking they knew not and Jude reproves all such and said what they knew they knew naturally as â—worâ— it Beasts and in that Knowledge they corrupted themselves and therâ—foâ—e Peter well said many things were herd to be understood which the unlearned wrested they that were ignorant of the Spirit of the Father and had not learned of God who is a Spirit they I say perverted and wrested the good and wholsom Words of the Scriptures and were no more accepted of God then if they had never heard the Words nor read them at all and as for the Jews conforming to the outward Commands when the Vail was over their Hearts and their Hearts Uncircumcised these things did not make them any whit more accepted then the Heathen so the Christians since Christ's time in the Apostles days and after the Apostles dayes who held the form of Worship and the form of Godliness and the outward part of Worship and hold and retain it in that part which is above the Seed and deny the Power this no more makes a Christian inward then outward Circumcision made a Jew inward neither any of these things do recommend any unto God but are covers made and rests formed from that part which is above the Seed and so man comes to be Counselled in those things when alas he is Miserable and Naked and hath not the righteous Garment on which should make man accepted of the Father through the beloved God's Righteousness How all men upon the Earth in the degeneration and in the Fall and in the Transgression have corrupted themselves have been Idolaters in every administration being gone from the Power in which man had the Ability Power and Wisdom to Worship God aright and honour the living God of Heaven and Earth IN the State and Condition which man was created in when he was the Image of God and lived in the Power of God in which he was created he in that Power which was his Life had Wisdom and Understanding and Power to worship the living God and to glorifie his Maker the which thing I have treated on before but being gone from the Power grew in Knowledge without the Power his Thoughts became vain his Imaginations vain and his Desires earthly and corruptible and so the Creatures were worshipped in his Heart and not the Creator the Life of the Creatures and he bowed to the Creatures and they had Dominion over him and that Nature began to grow and multiply in all the Earth and that Seed that was at Enmity with God and against the Seed which is Christ and few there were that called upon the Name of the Lord in Truth and Righteousness although some yet few one in a Nation or a few in an Age nay in many Ages and men multiplyed in the Earth and Wickedness multiplied also and Idolatry and the Seed of the Serpent grew great And God saw the Wickedness of man that it was great in the Earth and that the Thoughts and Purposes and Imaginations of his heart were only evil continually Gen. 6.5 And the Earth was filled with Violence Cruelty and Oppression and the living God forgotten and not worshipped but on the contrary they followed the Imaginations of their own Hearts and bow'd down to every corruptible thing and to every Creature and did not worship the Lord God in their Hearts till the Lord was grieved at the Heart and repented that he had made man and this was before the Flood and after the Flood when the Earth was a little multiplyed Iniquity grew in the Earth and the cursed Seed sprang from Ham's Stock of whom was Nimrod the Hunter before the Lord the Beginning of his Kingdom was Babel of the which became great Idolaters and of this Seed came the Philistians who were uncircumcised who were Heathens and the Jebusites and Gargasites and the Canaanites and Hivites and their Generations were great in the Earth and they were great Idolaters and committed Idolatry with Stocks and Stones and with Brick having forgotten the Lord they began to work exploits in the Earth and to build Cities and Babel having forgot the Name of God they would have got a Name in the Earth and builded a Tower whose top might have reached to Heaven but the Lord whom they had forgot scattered them and this was the Seed of evil doers whom God scattered and drove out of Canaan who were great Idolâ—ters and gave it to Abraham who feared the Lord and to Jacob and to his Seed to possess And when Transgression grew he added a Law the Sence of God's Power and Wisdom was so lost in man and they so gone from his Wisdom that a Law was added after Israel came out of Egypt which was outward and written in Tables of Stone wherein was the Statutes and the Commands that they should only worship him and that they should not make them Gods of Gold and Silver neither the Likeness of any thing in Heaven and Earth yet nevertheless that uncircumcised Part which kept the Seed in Bondage and that corruptible earthly Nature that ruled in them made Gods like the heathen Egyptians and they made a Calf and bowed to the molten Image and forgot God and provoaked him to Anger till many of them were consumed in his sore Displeasure and tempted him and lusted and eat and drank and rose up to Play and committed Whoredoms with the Creatures and abused them and therefore the Lord sent his Prophets and rebuked them they abused the Gold and the Silver the Stone and the Wood which were good Creatures but not to make Gods of nor Images thereof nor Idols to draw away their Minds from the Lord but they in whom the Seed was not made manifest they worshipped deâ—d things and Likenesses of things which were not Life it self and so transgressed the Law acting from that Part and living in that Nature which the Law was against which was added because of Transgression to limit the Transgressor and to slay him and to bruise that under till the Seed came up that fulfils the Law but the Seed of the Serpent had so much Rule in them whom God had often delivered out of the Hands of their Enemies so that many perished Corah and many Princes and many Thousands of Israel who followed their own Inventions and were cut
Grace and the Light enlightening is either the Word considered as the second Person or Christ the Son consiâ—ered as Incarnate Answ. It seems that thou knowest not which it is but Guessest like a blind-man and like a wild Archer shoots at Randome and why dost thou make such distinction betwixt the Word the Son of God and Christ the Son of God thou madest but three Persons in the Trinity before but it seems by thy arguing thou wouldst now make four And as for thy Câ—lle â—ive and distributive Light the distinctions is that which would cast a Mist before People Eyes and thou bringst the Judgment of Calvin Beza and Piscator and others that as concerning Man endued only with the Light remaining since the Fall they conclude him to be Darkness and unable to comprehend the Light or to improve it to Salvation their Judgements are more sound then thine though thou wouldst bring them to strengthen thee that the Son of God hath not enlightned every man they confess the Man in the fall is in Darkness and Darkness is over him and in that he is not able to comprehend the Light which is in him and as to the Improvement of it in the Darkness man hath not Power to improve it to Salvation but what doth this invalidate the Light which is in Darkness the Power of improving is in the Light being turned to again and received and what if I say it is the Light of Life in its self though thou deny it I knowest what I speak for in him was Life and is Life and that Life is the Light of men and the Light of the World and so that Light which every man is lighted with is of the Life and from the Life and so may truly be said to be the Light of Life in it self though man in the Transgression doth not feel it so as to him but may truly say it is the Light of Condemnation because he feels it so in the Operation thereof being in the Transgression it convicteth reproveth accuseth and condemneth for Evil and therefore it cannot be the Light of Life to him till it be received closed with obeyed and followed and then the back is turned upon the Transgression and man is come out of the Darkness and therefore the Apostle spoke well and understandingly according to Knowledge that which was ordained for Life wrought Death in him that was because the Law was against him and he in the contrary Nature to it the ignorance of many wise Men so accounted in this Generation is such that when they see or feel contrary Effects they judge there must needs be contrary Subjects or Objects because there are different Effects for now the same Light which shews Evil and accuses for it and Judges for it there is one Operation and excuses him that loves it and obeyes it here is another Operation that which Convinceth the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment and that which consolates and gives Peace to the Believer is the self same Spirit so here is not two Spirits or two Lights so that he which kindles a Fire in the Earth and appears in flames of Fire and rendereth Vengeance upon all them that obey not the Gospel which is the Power of God here is one Work or operation of Christ the same bringeth Peace Joy and gladness and refreshment and makes the springs of Life to bubble up in them that believe here is another Operation yet the same Christ these things I write to inform thee and all where this may come that that is truly an Appearance of Christ which sheweth Sin and condemns it in a measure and he alone is the Judge of the Quick and the Dead and if all Judgment be committed to the Son then to be Judged for Lying for Stealing and for wronging any man it is the Work of Christ and the Work of the Son Oh man thou hast much to Repent of and thy Ignorance is great which hast called Christ the Light or the Light of Christ or the Light of Life Darkness and contra-distinct to the Spirit and worse then gross Darkness so this is thy conclusion against the first of John the 9th that Christ hath not enlightned every man or all men that come into the World but all men so qualified of every sort so then by thy conclusion the first of John and the 6. verse gives an uncertain Sound like the 17th of John and 22th so then its Qualifications of men that procures Light from Christ and so it s not of Grace but of debt but if it be of debt which is owing unto a Person so qualified then it is not of Gift but thou err'st in thy Judgement for it is by the gift of Righteousness that Justification comes upon all that believe it is not this or that Qualification before their conversion which is any cause of God's enlightening them but it is the free Love of God unto man without Exceptions or respect of Persons that he hath lighted every man to the intent that all and every man might see his Error and depart from it and turn to him that shews him it who would have all men saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth and such is the large Love of God unto whole Man-kind which thou wouldst restrict and bind up to such and such Persons so Qualified as though Qualifications of Persons were a Meritorious cause wherefore Christ was Bound to give them Light this is rank Popery and not according to the Doctrine of Godliness And thou citest 2 Pet. 1.19 We have a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts hence it is inferred thou say'st that after the Reception of the Spirit there is no need to attend to the Scripture and so thou goest on and say'st the Word of Prophecy is the Scripture of the Old Testament that thou art to take heed unto until the Day dawned and the Day-star arised in their Hearts and that until signifies forever Answ. And here thou art in Confusion I know none that make any such Inference but thy self for the Scripture is seen most clearly who know the Day dawn and the Day-star arisen in their Hearts and first thou say'st We are to understand the Word of Prâ—phecy the whole Scripture and then in the same Page say'st That Peter expounds the Word Prophecy of the old Testament only so then Peter's Exposition by thy Account and thine is different thou say'st he spoke of the old Testament and thy Interpretation is of the whole Scripture but thou hast mist it both of Peter and thy self for Peter wrote to People in that Epistle in several States yet they all might be said to be Believers according to a Proportion of Faith given unto them and in that which thou hast cited 1 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more
Whoremongers Adulterers Cozeners Cheaters Defrauders and Violent-doers and the Sword is to be turned against all these things and to keep down such things in every Nation and Government and that every Punishment be in Equality sutable to the crime and Fault not exceeding it and thus Princes and Rulers whoso rule rule for God and this is an Ordinance of God but Mysteryâ—Babylon the false church is far from these things who hath perswaded Rulers Princes and Nobles that they must rule as Magistrates in the Church of God and in Christ's Government in things appertaining to the Conscience hath taught them to usurp Authority in those things but God hath anointed Christ to be Lord and King and hath given him to be Head of the body which is his Church and to rule in the Hearts and Consciences of the Sons of Men and he is the alone Lord and King there and no outward King nor Prince nor Governour upon the Face of the Earth hath any thing to do there Object But some may say Ought not they who denyed Christ's Commands be compelled to worship and obey according aâ— he taught Answ. As Salvation belongs to him alone so Vengeance belongs to him also and as he communicates Power to them which believe and obey the Gospel so also by the Breath of his Mouth will he slay the Wicked and Vengeance is his and he will repay it and all they who will not have him to rule in their Hearts and unto the disobedient it shall be said and shall be done they shall be brought before him and slain and that by which he slayes the Disobedient is by the Breath of his Mouth which is sharper then any two-edged Sword which reacheth to that which the outward Sword and forcing Power cannot reach unto Object But farther it may be objected Were not the Kings of Israel and Judah to compel Men to keep the Commandments and Statutes of the true God and to restrain them from worshipping of false Gods and to stone to Death false Prâ—phets and Blasphemers and may not the Kings and Princes of the Earth do the same now Answ. To which I answer it is true the Kings of Israel and Judah were to do so under the first Covenant which made nothing perfect who did not see to the End of Things that were to be abolished and as the first Priesthood and Sacrifices and Offerings were Figures and Shadows of the good Things to come even of the everlasting Sacrifice and of the everlasting Offering so the Kings of Israel and their Governments were Types and Figures and Shadows of the King of Kings and King of Saints and their Government a Shadow of the Government which was to be without End and their compelling outward and punishing outward of Christ subduing all his Enemies and killing Blasphemers and stoning of them and slaying of them with his spiritual Sword that would not have him to rule over them but now the King of Righteousness being come his Law is inward his Kingdom is spiritual his Service spiritual his worship spiritual his Weapons spiritual with which he slayes his Enemies the Glory which the Father hath given to him he will not give to another and herein the Kingdom the Power the Authority the Weapons are of a more excellent Nature then the others were and his Soveraignity and Greatness excelleth the other and it is Truth as it is in Jesus and so all Kings and Princes now are in another State then the Kings of Israel and Judah were for the Substance is come and the King of eternal Glory the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World hath all Power committed to him so for any to intrude or take upon them to do that which the Father hath committed unto him is absolute Usurpation and though the false Church and the Merchants thereof and many which would be counted Rabbies in it have spurred on and pressed on Princes to their Hurt as to usurp Authority over mens Consciences in Faith and Doctrine this will be their Reward certainly from the Hand of the Lord at the last VVho hath required this at your Hands For Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ whose Power and Authority was great as to the Things of God went far beyond any temporal Prince who had begotten many to the Faith who said that he and some others were not Lords over their Faith nor over mens Consciences but as it is said left every Man to be fully perswaded in his own Mind by God's Spirit him which he had testified of which he said God had given a Measure of to profit withal and none knows the Things of God but by the Spirit of God then good Reason it is that all should be left to that which is the absolute and only means by which God and the Things of God and the Worship of God comes to be known what will the Church of Rome say to this or the Pope say unto this who sayes that he is Peter's Successsor Are not Things imposed upon People as to be believed which are contrary to the Scriptures for which there is no Scripture nor Example but only because Peter's Successor hath said so and the Church said so and if another believe not so he is then counted an Heretick and hath been proceeded against as an Heretick instance that one thing about Bread and VVine which is called a Sacrament which the Church of Rome hath held for Doctrine these many hundred Years to wit That after VVords of Consecration by a Priest the natural Bread and VVine becomes substantially the real Body and Blood of Christ which Doctrine is so inconsistent with the Faith of God's Elect and so contrary to the Scriptures and also to sound Reason that none but they who are wilfully ignorant can believe and yet because many could not believe this Doctrine of Transubstantiation many have been racked tortured burned and put to cruel Deaths and is not this to be Lords over mens Faith and to Lord it over mens Consciences and so intrude and rule in mens Hearts and regulate mens Judgments which only belongs to God the Judge of Heaven and Earth And therefore all Princes Governours and Rulers learn Wisdom and Understanding to rule with the Wisdom of God which comes from above and cumber not your selves with that which God expects not from you neither doth he require of you to be Lords over his Heritage neither do you meddle nor intrude into those Things which he would not have you to meddle withal neither let any perswade you under any Colour to drive on their own Deceit promising to you in so doing therein you do God good Service or press you on to persecute any about spiritual Matters Now I say unto you in the Name and Power and Authority of God's Spirit they that compel to any Worship or force to any Worship whether true or false or punish and put to Death any for not worshipping truly or for
he pleadâ— that Peter was at Rome and as he saith was Christ's Vicar and Bishop and if becauâ—e of this Rome doth excell which the Scripture is silent in Jerusalem might claim Priority before Rome in this for he we read of was more conversant at Jerusalem and a Minister of Circumcision and Paul ministred to Gentiles who preached two whole Years both to Jews and Romans which were Gentiles but it seems the very imagining Peter to be Bishop of Rome hath made Paul's Work void and hath turned his Work out of Doors but however he which hath usurped the Name of Christ's Vicar hâ—th turned both Peter and Paul their Life Doctrine and Practice out of Doors to set up Pride and Deceit But what Blindness and Ignorance is this to judge that God hath bound himself so by Promise to any Place thâ—t â—e will alwayes continue with them whether they abide in his Dâ—ctrine 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 And though Christ said The Gates of Hell should not 〈…〉 the Church had this only a Limitation to one Place if i◠〈…〉 understood of a Place outward because of these Words afore mentiâ—ned theâ— why is it not extended as well to Antâ—och and the seven Châ—rches 〈◊〉 Asiâ— and the rest afore-mentioned have not the Gates of Hell and 〈◊〉 of Dâ—rkness prevailed agâ—inst them Places and the Turks taken Pâ—sâ—ession thereof And as for your Church at Rome which thou say'st 〈◊〉 err and hath alwayes been visible and universal what sayâ—st thou to Marcilianus Christ's Vicar as you judge whether did he not loose his Key when he sacrified to Idols in the tenth Year of Dioclâ—sian But it may be then thy Church must not reside in Christ's Vicar but in a general Council but hereafter we will consider whether they have been alwayes one and could not err Secondly That whereby the Roman Church gives us a Mark and Sign to be the true Church to wit Universality and Viâ—ibility makes her clearly to be an Harlot for John saw the true Church fly into the Wilderness for Time Times and half of Time now if yours hath been visible and universal all this Time Times and a half then you are not the true Church for Universality comprehends all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and if this be the Seat of your Church then absolutely your Church is Mystery-Babylon and not the Lamb's Wife for she sate upon Nations Kindreds Tongues Peoples and Languages which were Waters And here is your Catholick Visible Church measured with God's Measuring-rod First To be the Harlot because she was never in the Wilderness Secondly Because her Seat hath been so universal and catholick as Nations Kindreds Tongues Peoples and Languages have been the Seat of your Church which are the Waters which John saw and so truly may be called the great City And as for Infidels being oblieged to joyn to you this hath been because you have forced and compelled by your Power and outward Force where you had Dominion and to escape your Tortures rather then by sound Doctrine or an holy Example Or Secondly Because your Religion hath stood in so many Formalities and Ceremonies which have been very pleasing and so near unto the Heathens Nature And thou say'st That one cannot be bound to seek that which is invisible I say through Faith God hath been seen who is invisible and Christ said Seek and ye shall find and the Kingdom of God is spiritual and invisible and the natural and visible Eye never discerned it for the Church is in God and God is a Spirit and Christ is the quickning Spirit who is the Head of the Church which is his Body and the spiritual and invisible Eye is that which discerns the Head and the Body and you that look gazing after Things that are visible have never discerned the Members of the true Church of God as such neither have known them but have condemned them as Hereticks in all Ages as your Generation hath done who have been in Cain's Way Secondly If Unity Holiness Universal and Apostolick be the marks and signs of a true Church then yours is not the true Church no more then they you count Sectaries and Hereticks which thou saist are no more one then Cats and Dogs The comparison is odious and like a Snâ—rling catching Spirit who would tear every one that cometh nigh thee And what if there be Protestants Puritans Anabaptists Independents and Quakers these Titles are but nominal and there is not one amongst all there but they acknowledge one God and Jesus Christ to be the Head of the Body which is his Church and one Spirit by which the Saints are Sanctified and they acknowledge Christ's Doctrine in Words and his Worship thâ—t it is in Spirit and in Truth and walketh nearer to the Practice of the Apostles and the Church in their dayes then you do And if in some things they do vary why may not variety be allowed by thee where it is only nominal and Circumstantial as well as thou canst allow Variety of Ave Maryes Creeds Pater Nosters which thou saist delighteth But why hast thou not judged at home Thou must not think to lead us like Animals by the Head as your Church doth poor ignorant People to receive every thing for Apostolick Doctrine because the Church of Rome calls it so and cryes Unity Might not the Sectaries as thou callest them return this upon your selves that you are not at Unity and not one What meaneth the diversity of Orders in your Church which may be called Sects that is Jerom's Order Austin's Order Gregory's Order Carmelites Crouched Fryars Francâ—â— Anthony's Bennet's Dominick's Trinity Bâ—sil Brigandine's Orders All these kind of Orders and many more with every one their distinct Service Formalities and ceremonies what a heap of Sectaries are here and yet Rome cryes Unity Besides what contradiction in your Councils may hereafter be made manifest and in your Vicars one throwing down condemning that which others have set up for Apostolick Doctrine So if Unity be a mark for the true church then you are without this mark and sign more then they which you call Sectaries Thirdly If Holiness be a sign of the true church you are without this sign also more then the Sectaries as you are pleased to call them What cruel Murthers Massacres Tortures Blood-sheds have been acted by your church and that by Commission from his Holiness so called Christ's Vicar against them that have dissented from you upon good and warrantable Ground only upon the account of Religion because they could not acknowledge the Pope to be the Head and Christ's Vicar and receive all Decrees though never so repugnant unto the Doctrine of Christ yet because for Conscience sake many have denyed such things nothing but Fire and Sword hath been threatned and the force thereof hath been known in many Nations as for instance in Germany and the Low-Countries France Pyedmount Holland England and Ireland of late years many Thousands Massacreed not in War
Forms by number and Tale they are as much Idiots as the rest are who know not the Spirit to pray by And so this is no Authority to prove your Practice Apostolical and holy as for variety of Prayers and Worships it delighteth the carnal mind indeed but they that worship God in Spirit and Truth they Pray by the Spirit and in it as David and Christ prayed whether seven times five times or three times and with understanding and that which they prayed in was not various but one and it 's by that one Spirit which is not various by which the Sons of God cry Abba Father and the variety of your formed charms Bablings upon your Beads God hath no regard unto but is a Smoke in his Nostrills all day And they that have exercised themselves in these things have not the Witness of God in their own consciences that they are accepted of God and so I shall proceed to another Doctrine called Apostolical and Holy and that is about Meats whether they may be lawfully eaten at all time The Author confesseth they forbid certain kinds of Meats but it is but aâ— certain times and they are forbidden not as they are Evil and the Creatures of God but because they are forbidden by the Church and his proof is the Apple which Eve and Adam eat was not Evil in it self but being prohibited so to eat that which is good of it self is not ill but to eat contrary to the Superiors mind and order this is Evil. The Bible and Scriptures ought not to be read but leave is to be asked of the Superior because there are many hard Passages which they which have little or no learning as Peter testifies in hâ—s second Epistle chap. 3. some â—nderstands it one way and some another and therefore it is the fittest for Learned men to judge of them and they must judge whether People be in a capacity to read them Answ. And why are Meats forbidden aâ— certain â—imes is this like Apostolick Doctrine are not all Times and Seasons in the Hand of the Lord and are all good to them that believe and to the pure all Things are pure all Times and Seasons all Meats and Drinks being sanctified by the Word which made them all holy unto all that do believe And if you forbid them not as they are Creatures of God but because they are forbidden I say who did forbid them or when were they forbidden by Christ his Apostles or the true Church of Christ in their Dâ—y but on the contrary Christ taught That which goeth in at the Mouth and â—n at the Belly doth not defile the Man but that which proceedeth out of the Heart which is corrupted And Paul said What is sold at the Shambles may be eaten and no Question made for Conscience sake for to the clean all Things are clean and to the believing all Things are pure and who hath limited such Meats for such Dayes and such Times the true Church No but the Church of Rome â—ho are going on in that Doctrine the Apostle spoke of 1 Tim. 4. which he reckoned a Doctrine of Devils but here is your Argument that must bring you off because you forbid it not at all Times I say if it be a Doctrine of Devils to forbid at all Times then it is some Part of the Doctrine of Devils to forbid at any Time seeing Time and Things are all good in the Hâ—nd of the Lord but if this Doctrine should hold what would become of your Dog-dayes and of your Lent which has been patched up Week by Week by divers Popes and of your Wednesday Friday and Saturday Fast so by this Account of yours half of the Year is either unholy or else some Meat is unholy for half of the Year but there are few but see your Blindness that in this much need not be said but only thus that which may lawful in it self when it is prohibited by the Lord unto any particular then it becomes evil for whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But Christ alone unto whom all Power is committed hath the sole Power over the Heart and Conscience and for any to make Injunctions and Prohibitions contrary to him the same is Anti-christ and so the Practice which your Church commands is not Apostolical but you bring Yoaks upon the true Disciples Necks which they that are made free by the Son cannot stoop unto neither joyn with for whosoever doth goes into Bondage And Christ is the supream Power unto whom all Power is committed and when he justifies what superior can condemn And there is no need of asking leave of them that are Superiors which reckon themselves as so seeing every man stands clear in the Sight of God when he transgresses not against the Supream Law of Christ in his Conscience and to offend any Superiors who lay any Injunction contrary to the Command of God is not to offend God neither to break his Command 2 dly It seems all Parts of Religion are monopolized by Mystery-Babylon in which Rome is comprized not only Patents and Pardons sold for eating of Meat but Authority and License must be given to every one that reâ—ds Scripture a Thing which the Apostolick Church before the Pope had a Being knew nothing of but on the contrary some were exhorted to read the Scriptures and some were commended for reading of the Scriptures and for searching whether the Things were so as Paul testified and in this they were counted more Noble then they â—t Thessalonica but now it is become an ignoble Thing and not at all to be 〈◊〉 to read the Scriptures without Patent or Licence in the Church of Rome's Account who have laid down Ignorance to be the Mother of Devotion but the Danger is because there are hard Passages which are not understood when the People have little or no Learning as the Author saith was it for Want of natural Learning that Peter complained they wrested the Scriptures and therefore is it for Want of Natural Learning that the Scriptures are not understood and for Want of this they must not be read as the Author saith Ignorant Man what was Peter such a great learned Man a poor Boat-man of Fisher-man whom the Scripture saith was illiterate in the Acts When they beheld Peter and John and that they were illiterate Men and saw their Boldness and took Notice they had been with Jesus What! was it Want of Natural Learning that Peter spoke of then he spoke against himself for he was illiterate but it was such a Learning that they wanted as this Author wants who is untaught by the Spirit and unlearned in the Doctrine of Christ and such wrest the Scriptures and do not understand hard Sayings because the deep Things of God are revealed through the Spirit of God and not by natural Learning as this Author who would sell Licences and Pardons for reading the Scriptures as they have done for eating Flesh in Lent but a Story
are not these Articles of the church of Rome yea or nay If I should traduce the church of Rome in their Bishops and Councils these 12. hundred Years and upward I might bring a â—loud of Witnesses that the church of Rome is not the same in Articles of Faith in Religion but divers Popes I might prove have made distinct Articles and divers Councils and Bishops so that I might clearly prove and can and shall if God permit me with Life if I hear any more of the church of Rome or the Author of this Book that I shall prove that the church of Rome in the articles of her Faith is not the same that the church of Christ was in before Rome was Planted a church 2. I shall prove if need require her Universal Councils as she calls them to vary and her Bishops to be different in their Decrees and that her Faith in points of Religion is not the same from the Apostles day to this time as the author of this Book would make People believe but what I have said to this unanswerable Proposition as he calls it may be sufficient to convince both the author and them that are doubtful in their mind about this particular 3. Proposition is That neither the Sacraments nor Ceremonies or any Doctrine of the Church of Rome contain any thing that is contrary to the Scriptures but learned Doctors maintain the same and that there is no alteration in any article of Faith and then the Author makes a conclusion though full too hastily That they which dissent from the Church of Rome which he is pleased â— Stile Sectaries and Hereticks have no reason to withdraw from the Catholick Church Answ. As for that which you call the Catholick church of Rome we find such diversity of Orders and constitutions one distinct from another that to begin to enumerate them all would take up much time before one ended and would prove tedious to the Reader to view over the Variety of Constitutions and Decrees that have been made concerning the Ceremonies Sacraments as they call them and other Doctrines of the church of Rome which at this time is not my intention but Pope Alexander commanded that unleavened Bread should be used in the Supper in the Year 1119. Lib. Concil grat Sabil Before that time the outward Bread was indifferent whether it was leavened or unleavened notwithstanding the Greeks do use leavened Bread unto this day in that which is called a Supper and they use Wine only in the Cup but the church of Rome mingles Water with Wine according to the Pope Alexander's Decree And the Doctrine of Transubstantiation of turning the Bread into the Body of Christ and Wine into Blood as they say was an unknown Doctrine in the Apostles dayes and also among the Greeks until Pope Innocent the third 1215. Likewise Honorus the third he made a new Ordinance that the Sacrament of the Altar as the Church of Rome terms it should be Worshipped and kneeled unto of the People and also it should be born unto the Sick yea and that with Candlelight though it be at noon-day in the Year 1214. D. 3. Tit. cap 10. Lib. Council Pant. And Innocent the third ordained the Sacrament of the Altar should be kept under Lock and Key that such as were like to dye might not want Spiritual comfort at the time of their Death Lib. Council Cron. Pant. Pope Innocent the 8th permitted that the Priests of Norwegia might sing Mass with Water for lack of Wine in the Year 1484. Math. Falm Pant. And as about the Ceremonies about the Sacrament or Mass in a Council held at Rottomage it was decreed that the Sacrament should not thenceforth be given to Lay-men nor Lay-women in their Hands any more but the Priests should put it in their Mouths contrary to the use and practice of the Primitive Church yea of the church of Rome it self many Years after Lib. Council c. And so here the Church of Rome in contrary to the former Churches and to their own Church of Rome in former times though C. M. would elevate the Propositions of Francis Costerus a Jesuit unanswerable 4. Proposition The Author saith It cannot be proved that any have been admitted Priests but were duely consecrated by Bishops Whence we infer That Lutherans Calvinists and other Hereticks are no true Ministers neither are of Divine Priest-hood because they give to People a meer piece of Bread and nothing else and they have no Power to absolute People from their Sins but send them away entangled with Sin as when they came to them Answ. As for the Consecration of the Priests of Rome you have consecrated many who are out of the Doctrine of Christ who are Traytors to Kings and Governments and it 's a Maxim and a thing Meritorious in your Church to slay a Heretick that is one dissenting or not consenting to your corrupt Principles and as one Deceiver hath ordained and admitted another so hath your Bishops and Popes ordained the rest to Execute their Drudgery and corrupt Traffick and as I have offered unto thee before if it be not a piece of Bread and Wine except mingled with water according to your changeable Ordinances before mentioned put it to Trial upon the terms I before mentioned that you may be made manifest to be Deceivers or else we to all People And as for your Absolutions and Pardons it hath been that which you have sold for Money which made Luther and divers of your own Church to deny you because it hath been contrary to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine And as for forgiveness of Sins it properly belongs to Christ and to them that are in the same Power to them that confess forsake and turn from Sin to Pronounce forgiveness and Mercy but the Members of your Church confess from day to day unto your Priests that are as much entangled in Sin as they who do confess and neither do Repent nor find Mercy at the Hand of the Lord and your confessors and they that do confess they are defiled as much with Sin when they End their Work as when they began 5. Proposition It cannot be found in the holy Scripture that nothing is to be believed but what is clearly and expresly contained in the same Hence follows the overthrow of the Ground-work of the Sectaries who say that nothing is to be believed but what is expresly set down in the Scripture Answ. What others have said as to this particular I shall not now stand to Vindicate because it is not my Work to Vindicate every particular Judgment Person who believe contrary to your Church but I say many are of that mind that are not of your Church that things may be believed to be true according to the manifestation of Godâ—s Spirit though the Scripture in express words doth not declare the same yet you to bring in fabulous Stories which you call unwritten Verity that are to be believed though never
Likewise the Law Deut. 42.1 2. When a Man takes a Wife and it comes to pass she finds no favour in his Eyes because he hath found some uncleanness in her then let him write her a Bill of Divorcement and send her out of his House and when she is departed out of his House she may go and be another Man's Wife But Christ saith Mat. 5.32 who shall Marry her that is divorced commits Adultery Which is a clear prohibition of that which the Law allowed and what A. S. will call this whether a new moral command or promulgation of a new Law I know not but it is evident enough that some things were prohibited by Christ which the Law commanded or at least allowed and therefore we conclude from the 23. and 24. Verses of the 5th of Matthew that Christ did prohibit all vain Swearing and unlawful Swearing which was disallowed before under the Law but even all Swearing which was commanded or at least permitted under the Law for the reasons and ends given before and this will stand as Truth notwithstanding A. S. his Argument His tenth Argument is That if the hiâ—h Priest charged Christ to Swear and he without exception answered upon Oath and that some Years after he had said Swear not at all from hence follows that when the Magistrate imposeth an Oath the Person charged to Swear may lawfully answer upon Oath as Christ did notwithstanding his prohiâ—ition of Swear not at all Reply First that was a time when the administration of the first Covenant was not fully ended for Christ was not yet offered up and so the high Priest as being a Jew might from the Commandment or permission of the Law as being one that sate in Moses Chair might require Christ to speak upon Oath as presuming he had Authority so to do being he looked upon it as a Work of God and what though it was some Years after Christ had said Swear not at all what doth A. S. infer from this Christ knew that the high Priest and Pharisees were about the work of their Father the Devil and though the high Priest did say I Adjure which A. Smallwood tells us is I command thee to Swear to us Christ answered in his own Authority and in the Power and Wisdom of the Father and if he had answered as taking notice of the high Priests adjuring who was about to Crucifie the Just which was not the Work of God neither was jurations or Oaths ever intended to be instrumental in the Devil's work then I Argue that if Christ had answered to his adjuring knowing the end was to ensnare him the Son of God then Christ had consented unto his Evil work which were blasphemy to think or speak and therefore as it was Prophesied of him he was led as a Lamb to the Slaughter sometimes he opened not his Mouth the other sometimes he did in the Authority and Power of the Father which was with him and in him and though the high Priest charged Christ By the living God that thou tell us whether thou be Christ the Son of the Living God Mat. 26.63 64. Jesus answered thou hast said and what is this the Oath that Christ Swear A. S. tells us before that an Oath was an attestation of God to the Truth of what was said but now the Words thou hast said barely of themselves without any attestation of God is an Oath if the high Priest had said art thou Peter or art thou John that was with Jesus of Gallile and Peter and John had answered I am Peter and I am John that was with him what will A. S. conclude now that Peter and John hath Sworn away with such perverting and straining screwing of the Scriptures from their genuine sense only to uphold that which was added because of Transgression now when Sin Trangression is finished the end of Christ's coming is Witnessed to uphold that which Christ came to end to wit Sin and also an Oath which was added because of Sin and Unbelief and the hardness of their Hearts only to remain till that part was done away and until the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 to wit the bringing in of everlasting Righteousness and it cannot be reasonably concluded that because Christ answered the high Priest thou hast said that therefore he took notice of commanding to Swear or at least approving of his adjuration knowing that he was about an Evil work and doing the Work of the Devil which must needs be judged that Christ did neither approve of nor consent unto what ever A. S. may say or think but only in his own Authority spoke the Truth made a good confession as he did before Pontius Pilate to the Glory of the Father who had sent him whose will he came to do And Luke 22.70 Art thâ—u then the Son of God and he said unto them ye say that I am and Pilate was as much a Magistrate as the high Priest and he asked Art thou the King of the Jews and he answered him and said thou sayest it And Herod was as much a Magistrate as either Pilate or the high Priest and he questioned with him in many Words but Christ answered nothing so that he did not so much take notice of their Questions or examining or charging or adjuring as A. S. would make seem of it but according to the Wisdom and Power of God which was in him spoke and answered in his own Authority without taking so much notice of them as he would infer he knowing what they were going about though they had the Name and bore the title of Magistrates yet were out of the Power of God in the Persecuting Nature which is the Ground and Foundation of all Authority which is of God but A. S. sayes Mark 14.62 relates plainly that Christ answered I am but yet neither Mark Luke nor John take so much notice of the high Priests adjuring or make so much for A. S. his Argument as he would have them Maâ—k saith only Mark 14.61 The high Priest asked him and said unto him art thou Christ the Son of the blessed he doth not say I adjure thee or I charge thee to Swear unto us as A. S. would have it but though Mat. 26.63 say I adjure thee to tell us whether thou be Christ the Son of God is not much material for A. S. hath made more matter about it then is to any great or good purpose but I say he was as much bound to answer Pilate or Herod as the high Priest and as much directly to one as to another we see his Answers were not all alike but I would not have A. S. nor my self neither sit as Judges over Christ's Answers and squeeze and serue them beyond or contrary to Christâ—s intention for the sum of the matter is this thou hast said I am and thou sayest I am a King and is Christ's answers to the high Priest and Pilate and nothing to Herod and A. S.