the laws of the one were written outwardly in tables of stone the laws of the other were to be written in the heart That is the book wherein the laws of the new covenant were promised to be written and there they are to be read So that he that will read and obey the Laws of the covenant of life must look for them in that book wherein God hath promised to write them for though in other books he may read some outward descriptions of the thing yet here alone can he read the thing it self Christ is the way the truth and the life What is a Christians rule is not the way of God his rule is not Gods truth his rule and is not the truth in Jesus where it is taught and to be heard and to be received even as it is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 Is not he the King the Priest the Prophet the Sacrifice the Altar the way to God the truth of God the life it self the living path out of Death yea all in all to the believer whose eye is opened to behold him The Scriptures testifie of Christ but they are not Christ they also testifie of truth and are a true testimony but the truth it self is in Jesus who by his living spirit writes it in the heart which he hath made living And so a Christians life is in the Spirit if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 The whole life and course of a Christian is in the volumn of that book as the Lord opens the leaves of it in him The gift of God the measure of faith given him by God that 's his rule that 's his rule of knowledge of prophesying of obedience Heb. 11. Rom. 1.4 and 12.6 if he keep there if he walk according to the proportion of it he errs not but out of the faith in the the error in all he knows in all he believes in all he does The new Creature that which God hath new created in the heart in which life breaths and nothing but life breaths which is taught by God and true to God from its very infancy that 's his rule whereby he is to walk the Apostle expresly calls it so Gal. 6.15 16. That which is begotten by God is a Son and the Son as he is begotten by the breath of the Spirit so he is preserved and led by the same breath and such as are so led are Sons and none else for it is not reading of Scriptures and gathering rules out thence that makes a Son but the receiving of the spirit and the being led by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 15. And being the whole worship of the Gospel is in the Spirit there is a necessity of receiving that in the first place and then in it the soul learns to know and wait for its breathings and movings and follows on towards the Lord in them The Spirit cannot be with-held from breathing on that which he hath begotten and that breath is a guide a rule a way to that which it breatheth upon Now this is most manifest even from the Scriptures themselves they expresly calling Christ the way the truth c. the new creature the rule the faith grace or gift given to be the rule testifying the heart to be that which God hath chosen to write his laws in but where do they call themselves a perfect rule of faith and obedience They are they saith Christ which testifie of me and ye will not come to me that ye might have life Iâ—â— 5.39 40. Life cannot be received from the Scriptures but only from Christ the fountain thereof no more can the Scriptures give the rule but point to the fountain of the same life where alone the rule of life as the life it self can be received The Scriptures cannot ingraft into Christ nor give a living rule to him that is ingrafted but he that hath heard the Testimony of the Scriptures concerning Christ and hath come to him must abide in him and wait on him for the writing of the law of the Spirit of life in his heart and this will be his rule from the law of sin and death even unto the land of life Now if men have mistaken in the night of darkness and put the Scriptures out of their place even into the place of the Spirit and so have become Ministers not of the Spirit but of the letter whereas the Apostles were made able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 Let them not be offended at the Spirit of God for teaching us otherwise nor at us for learning as the Spirit of God hath taught us the Scriptures also testifying that this is the rule but no where setting up themselves for the rule And it is the same Spirit which would now fix men in the Scriptures to keep men from Christ the living rule and only way to life eternal as formerly kept men by traditions from the Scriptures though it is hard for them who are intangled in this deceit to see it Now for the proof of these things thus barely here charged the reader is referred to Mr. Norton's as they stile him Tractate against the Quakers Concerning the validity whereof I refer the Reader to Francis Howgils Answer thereto wishing him to read both in the fear and dread of the Almighty waiting for his counsel to guide him in the true discerning which of them savours of mans wisdome and which of them writes from acquaintance with the truth it self In which Answer of his he recites such errors of that Norton as would make a great sound against the Quakers if any such could justly be charged upon them I shall mention only two or three of them viz That God is a distinct Subsistence from the Son and Spirit and That the Son is a distinct Subsistence from the Father and the Spirit and because it is said the Father shall give you another Comforter this another he saith is intelligible of the Essence Are there then three distinct infinite Essences or Beings That the Spirit of God without the Letter is no Spirit He was before the Letter he was never limited to the Letter he will be after the Letter and he is what he is without the Letter That Christs words John 17.21 give an uncertain sound where have any of the Quakers cast such a blemish upon any portion of Scripture Surely this man had more need to seek to have his own vessel cleansed than to accuse others of Errors or Blasphemy And if he have no other way to overthrow them than by maintaining such kind of things as these against them he will never get victory over them any other wayes than by the outward sword but by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of his testimony and not loving their lives unto the death they will easily overcome all such kind of Champions 4. The fourth and last instance which they give of the
that will rest upon the persecutors though they use never so much art to make the Lambs appear guilty and themselves guiltless Their Spirit Nature manner of fighting which is with Lamb-like weapons which hurt not flesh and blood their whole course and conversation and manner of suffering c. manifests them to be Lambs this is of much more force than a bare saying they are Lambs None of this is mentioned on their behalf but only that they say they are Lambs But let us see how fairly that is overthrown Against this that place John 5.31 is alledged If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true whereupon it is said thus Had not Christ been God the reason of the Jews had been good against him Answ Doth not the Spirit of God dwell in the Sons of God and doth not the spirit of God bear witness in them that they are his Children and is not this witness true Iohn saith We know that we are of God 1 Ioh. 5.19 Was not this witness true in John because John was not God Was not the Prophets testimony true that they were his Prophets and that God had sent them and that it was his message which they brought because they were not God Shall the spirit of God work wonders in the heart and shall he not testifie concerning his own work at his pleasure Ah friends how do ye understand Scriptures and raise inferences from it thus to condemn the generation of the righteous Search the Scriptures do not the Prophets still testifie that the Lord sent them and that it was his word which they spake though they themselves were not God but persons moved by the spirit of God who stirred in his servants under the Law but dwelleth resteth and abideth in his people under the Gospel and what he testifieth is true though fleshly wise Israel who seem to themselves very skilful in the Law and letter of the Scriptures could not receive his testimony either then or now Ah friends ye had need take heed and consider lest the bastardly birth in you hath taken up an habitation in the letter without knowing the mind of the spirit whose presence killeth the carnal part and shutteth out the wisdome of the flesh from medling with the Scriptures And whereas you seem to refer all to the tryal of the Scripture both station doctrine and practise surely if ye had done so in truth ye would have more patiently heard their testimony according to the Scriptures Every man pretendeth Scripture but none truly honour it but they who are guided by that spirit which it testifieth of And they who are not guided by that spirit walk not according to the Scriptures but according to reasonings of the fleshly part which windeth it self into the letter of the Scriptures that by some kind of conformity thereto it may avoid the dint of the spirit And this is the way of Antichrists revilings by getting the form crying up that winding his own fleshly spirit into that and sheltering it self under that Thus the Jews cryed up the Temple of the Lord the Sabbath the Law of Moses and writings of the Prophets and under this cover with great zeal persecuted Christ he was looked upon as a blasphemer as one against Gods Temple his Sabbath his Ordinances c. And since the daies of Christ the Antichristian spirit speaks great words of Christ his Death Resurrection Ascention Intercession c. and of Church-order and discipline that under this cover it may fight against the comforter the spirit of truth who alone can lead into truth and which is the proper way of Gods Ministration since Christs ascention And this hath been the way of opposing truth ever since and still is and here is the Antichrist he that holds these in the wrong part and by these fights against the true spirit But if there be any truth in this that ye are willing to be tryed by the Scriptures let it yet come to a fair tryal this way and let them have free liberty to manifest among you what they have to say from the Scriptures why your Church your Ministry your order and government your whole way of teaching and worship is not of God nor according to the Scriptures but an invention and imitation set up in the way of resemblance of what once was truly so If this cannot be made good against you ye will have much advantage of shaming them and of setling your people much firmer than by prisons whips cutting off of eares banishment and death which no mans heart seriously considering it in true soberness can possibly believe to be the proper engines of setling or preserving the Gospel of peace But that the Scripture is the rule of tryal under the Gospel I read not in Scripture but that the things of the spirit are to be known in by the spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 The Apostle John speaking of Antichrists seducers and erring spirits which were to be tryed doth not bid them try them by the words which he wrote or by the other Apostles words or by the Prophets words but by the anointing which keeping close to they need fear no seducers 1 John 2.26 27. The word which was in the beginning being received abode in and kept close to tries all words and spirits That which begets to God is the spirit the great gift which is given to him which is begotten is the spirit and this being given is to become the fountaine of life to the believer John 7.38 And in this spring of life he is to live and receive milk and knowledg and here he is to walk and here he is to try all other waters even by this water And this is more to a believer and more enableth him to try than all the words of truth that ever were written though he that hath this cannot despise or undervalue any thing that the spirit ever wrote but yet the spirit it self is more to him and more certain then any words concerning the spirit Men may make false glosses and mudd and make void the Scriptures by their reasonings and interpretations and traditional apprehensions but this water ever runs fresh clear no foul spirit can defile it Moses gave the Law which directed to and ended in Christ Christ in the flesh finished the work which the Father gave him to do and directed to the comforter to be the leader into all truth yea the spring of life to the believer and here the believer is safe but the Antichristian spirit ravening from this cries up the letter in the stead of this and doth not see how the letter points to and centers in this God hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament saith the Apostle not of the letter but of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 he overlooked the letter that was not the thing he was chiefly to minister but the spirit the power to turn men from darkness to light that they might feel him that is
but of the World this seed the World hates and the vessels in whom it bubbles up and through whom it giveth forth its testimony against the World Object But in the new Testament Luke stiles Theophilus most excellent and Paul speaking to Festus said most noble Festus which are terms or expressions of honour and reverence Answ Christ did promise his Disciples and Ministers that he would be with them and give them what to say Now if nobility and true excellency did appear in any persons and he led them by his Spirit to acknowledge it this is no sufficient warrant for men to do the like in their own wills or to give such titles to persons being in authority whether they be such persons or no. Luke knew Theophilus to be excellent and he was led by the Spirit of God to stile him excellent for by the Spirit of God he wrote that Scripture Luke 1.3 wherein he so stiles him And for Festus he that shall strictly observe his carriage will find it to be very noble in that he would not be won by the importunity and informations of the high Priest and chief of the Jews and of the multitude also against Paul but applyed himself to an upright consideration of the cause Acts 25.2 24. to the end The same Spirit which shewed the unworthy carriage and ignobleness of the high Priest zealous professing Jews might move Paul to set this mark of honour upon Festus The Lord loveth truth in the heart and truth in words and the following of the guidance of his Spirit into truth but to give a man high titles meerly because he is great and high in the outward without discerning that he is such and without the leading of Gods Spirit so to do this is of the flesh according to the will of the flesh out of the faith and not according to truth and righteousness and in the fear of the Lord there is a watch set over our spirits in these things lest we should esteem and honour men according to the will of the flesh and not in the Lord. Titles of office or of relations as master father c. we find freedome to give but titles which tend towards flattery or exalting man out of his place and the lifting up of his heart above his brethren we have not freedome in the Lord to use and Eliah also found a restraint upon him in this respect Job 32.21 22. Object It is noted as a brand and reproach of false teachers that they despise dominion and speak evil of dignities 2 Pet. 2.10 and Jude 8. Now it is well known that the practise of the Quakers is but too like those false teachers c. Answ It were worth a narrow search and enquiry what the dominion and dignities or glories are which the false teachers speak evil of or blaspheme c. Search the Scriptures where do ye find the false teachers speaking evil of the earthly authorities nay they still cling close to them exalt them get them of their side and cry them up and will be sure enough never to fail in pleasing the Magistrate with cringing and bowing or any thing of that nature But there is the dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ in the heart there is the rule of his spirit over the fleshly part there is the truth in the inner man there are spiritual dignities or glories these the false teachers in all ages did despise and were not afraid to speak evil of though they should have feared to speak evil of the movings and guidings and lowest appearings of the spirit of God which excel in nature and worth the greatest earthly dignities yet they have not but have blasphemed the holy life and appearances of God in his people nay they have not spared his more eminent breakings forth in his very Prophets holy Apostles or Christ himself Mark what they spake evil of they spake evil of the things they knew not vers 10. What were the things they knew not The inward movings and vertue of his spirit the inward power life glory and dominion of truth in the heart they knew not it was against Christ in his people their evil deeds and hard speeches were vers 15. But as for the high and great ones the dominions and dignities of the earth they knew them well enough and did not speak evil of them but had their persons in admiration because of the advantage they had by them vers 16. They have alwayes had a double advantage from these both of gain to themselves and of overbearing the lambs of Christ by their great swelling words The Lord hath still so ordered it in his wisdome both before the coming of Christ at his coming and since that the false Prophets and Teachers should still have the advantage of the outward authorities and his people be a poor afflicted despised persecuted remnant whose glory is inward and cannot be discerned by the outward eye no not of Gods Israel See the dignities particularly expressed Revel 13.6 The name of God his holy power in his people the Tabernacle which is sanctified and made honourable for him by his spirit them that dwell in Heaven who are redeemed out of the earth and have their conversation above these are dignities which the earthly authorities nay the false teachers themselves never knew the worth of and so they are not afraid to blaspheme them The first beast on which the false church rode with the second beast which are of the very race of these false teachers making an image to the first beast because of advantage all join together in blaspheming these dignities Rev. 13. and chap. 17. To open this a little further John said in his days that it was then the last time For there were many Antichrists then come 1 Iohn 2.18 From whence came they They went out from us saith he but they were not of us ver 19. They were sensual they had not the spirit and so could not abide the presence life judgement and power of the spirit but seperated themselves Jude 19. But whither went they when they went out from the true Church why they went out into the world 1 Ioh. 4.2 They got the form of godliness which would stand well enough with the lusts ease of the flesh and went and preached up that in the world And now speaking the things of God in the worldly spirit the world could hear them v. 5. Thus having got a great party into the form of truth now they blaspheme the power now they mock at the movings of the spirit the leadings of the spirit the living name the true tabernacle the true inhabitants of heaven who have their conversation above in the heavenly nature in the heavenly principle in the pure spirit of life for as they are begotten by the spirit so they live in the spirit and walk in the spirit This the false teachers who have got the form of doctrine and the form of discipline
house as Moses and if such a course had been necessary for the preservation of his Church surely he would not have with-held it But Christ overcomes the Devils kingdom by his spirit by that he wins souls and gathers into and builds up his Church and by that he is able to defend them By his spirit he preacheth the truth and soweth the seed of the kingdome and by his spirit he upholds and maintains it This is his way of overcoming all the mists of darknesse and false doctrines and not a Magistrates sword The weapons of our warfare saith the Apostle are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 Are there strong holds of darkness are there false doctrines broached against the truths of Christ Who are the warriers against these Are they the civil state the Magistrate the earthly powers or are they the Ministers and servants of Christ And what are the weapons that are mighty to overthrow these Are they Stocks Whips Prisons cutting off of ears banishment death or are they of a spiritual nature The spiritual weapons are sanctified by God to this end and are mighty through him able to effect it throughly whereas the carnal weapons are weak and unsanctified and can reach only the carnal part but the strong hold remains untouched by these And it is only the carnal part which desires to have the use of such carnal weapons in the Church the spiritual man would conquer by his own weapon or not at all Christ came not to destroy mens lives nor never gave order to have men killed about his truths If his People be disobedient and broach doctrines never so contrary and destructive to his kingdom he hath a spiritual way of fighting with them now and hath appointed his servants to have his mighty spiritual weapons in a readinesse for the revenging every disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 and he hath likewise a time of dealing with them hereafter but he hath no where appointed that his subjects if they could get the command of the sword in a Nation or Country should kill such Abundance of blood hath been shed upon this pretence which the Lord will make inquisition for it would at length be seriously inquired into what truth there is in this bloody doctrine for under this cover all the persecutions and sheddings of the Saints blood shelter themselves O consider at length how cruel and bloody men have made the Gospel of peace by this principle and what an advantage it gives to the carnal part in those that are persecuted if once they can get the command of the outward sword to forget their own sufferings and suddainly turn persecutors of such as differ from them though upon as weighty grounds if not more weighty than they differed from others upon But this they that are uppermost will not yield to that the grounds of such as differ from them are sufficient even as those that they differed from would not yield that their grounds were sufficient Thus still they whose arguments go forth under the shelter or by the command of the present authority they are looked upon as most weighty and the others cause is trampled upon though never so just innocent upright and weighty in it self and the meek of the earth the humble-hearted the tender-conscienced towards God they are still made the offenders and sufferers and their enemies are still made their Judges I do think these of New-England would have once thought it hard measure that the Conformists whom they differed from should have been the Judges whether their grounds were sufficient or no and yet they ever since they have had the power in their hands have taken upon them to be the judges of the sufficiency of the grounds of such as differ from them and have as freely condemned all that differed from them and been as sore a curb upon the tender conscience as ever the Bishops were So that it is plain that which they sought was their own liberty they did not like to be oppressed and inthralled contrary to their judgments but not the liberty of the tender conscience towards God but rather the yoaking inthralling of it to their judgments and arguments and interpretations of Scripture which he that differs from must be an offender with them even as they were once accounted offenders for differing from the Conformists and so are all become transgressors of the Law of God in doing that to others which they would not that others should do to them 2. It is requisite also to make manifest that the Doctrine of this sort of people is destructive to the fundamental truths of Religion For if it be not so then they are injured and mis-represented and both their banishment and death and all other punishments inflicted upon them on this account will prove to have been unjust There are four instances given or four particular fundamentals mentioned to which their Doctrines are said to be destructive First the sacred Trinity Secondly the person of Christ Thirdly the holy Scriptures as a perfect rule of faith and life Fourthly the doctrine of perfection Now for the making the thing clear and manifest to every sober mind it is requisite first to consider what the Quakers hold in these several particulars and then whether that which they hold in these respects be contrary to the truth of these things as they are plainly related in the Scriptures for if that which they hold be according to the naked voyce and proper intent of the Scriptures then they are not to be blamed but the blame will light on their accusers who might easily be found guilty of injuring both them and the Scriptures both in these and many other things were they not Judges 1. Concerning the sacred Trinity They generally both in their speakings and in their writings set their seal to the truth of that Scripture 1 John 5.7 That there are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit That these three are distinct as three several beings or persons this they read not but in the same place they read that they are one And thus they believe their being to be one their life one their light one their wisdome one their power one and he that knoweth and seeth any one of them knoweth and seeth them all according to that saying of Christs to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father John 14.9 Three there are and yet one thus they have read in the Scripture and this they testifie they have had truly opened to them by that very Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures in so much as they certainly know it to be true and own the thing from their very hearts But as for this title of Sacred Trinity they find it not in Scripture and they look upon Scripture-words as fittest to express Scripture-things by And surely if a man mean the same thing as the Scripture means the same
words will suffice to express it but the Papists and School-men having missed of the thing which the Scripture drives at and apprehended somewhat else in the wise imagining part have brought forth many phrases of their own invention to express their apprehensions by which we confess we have no unity with but are content with feeling the thing which the Scripture speaks of and with the words whereby the Scriptures express it Now whereas they call this a fundamental we do not find it so called in Scripture nor do we find the Disciples themselves understanding therein but knew not the Father John 14.8 9. and Christ going about to inform them does not tell them of another distinct being or person but hast thou not seen me and believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me vers 10. And so the believers at Ephesus had not so much as heard that there was an holy Ghost Acts 19.2 So that if ye will make this a fundamental truth yet it is such a fundamental as true faith did stand without both in believers afore Christs death and in believers after This is the great fundamental that God is light and in him is no darkness at all 1 John 1.5 and the great work of the Ministry is to shew men where this light is and to turn men from the darkness wherein is the power of Satan unto this light wherein is the power of God Acts 26.18 And he that comes into this light and into this power is owned in the light and in the power wherein is the life of all the Saints and the true fellowship both with the Father the Son one with another 1 John 1.3 and 7. And the true trial of Spirits is not by an assent to Doctrines which the hypocrite may assent to on the one hand and the true believer may startle at on the other hand but by feeling of them in the inward vertue of the light in the Spirit and in the power This was the Apostles way of trial 1 Cor. 4.19 20. I will know not the speech of them which are puffed up but the power for the kingdome of God is not in word but in power A man may speak high words concerning the kingdome and get all the Doctrines about it and yet be a stranger to it and quite ignorant of the power and another may want divers Doctrines concerning it perhaps some of those which men call fundamentals and yet be a Citizen of it and in the power But now under the Antichristian Apostacy men wanting the feeling of the life and power wherein the true judgment is they own or disown one another upon an assent or dissent to such and such Doctrines and so fall into this great error of owning many whom Christ disowns and of disowning many whom Christ owns and if they find persons not assenting to or dissenting from any of those things which they call fundamentals then they think they may lawfully excommunicate and persecute them So by this mistake they cut off that which is green they persecute that wherein is the living sap and cherish the dry and withered That which is most tender towards God and most growing in the inward sensibleness which causeth it to startle at that which others can easily swallow lies most open to suffering by this kind of trial 2. Concerning the Person of Christ They believe that Christ is the eternal light life wisdome and power of God which was manifested in that body of flesh which he took of the virgin that he is the King Priest and Prophet of his people and saveth them from their sins by laying down his life for them and imputing his righteousness to them yet not without revealing and bringing forth the same righteousness in them which he wrought for them And by experience they know that there is no being saved by a belief of his death for them and of his resurrection ascention intercession c. without being brought unto a true fellowship with him in his death and without feeling his immortal seed of life raised and living in them And so they disown that faith in Christs death which is only received and entertained from the relation of the letter of the Scriptures and stands not in the living power and sensible experience of the begotten of God in the heart Now they distinguish according to the Scriptures between that which is called the Christ and the bodily garment which he took The one was flesh the other Spirit The flesh profiteth nothing saith he the Spirit quickneth and he that eateth me shall live by me even as I live by the Father John 6.57 and 63. This is the Manna it self the true treasure the other but the visible or earthen vessel which held it The body of flesh was but the vail Heb. 10.20 The eternal life was the substance vailed The one he did partake of as the rest of the Children did the other was he which did partake thereof Heb. 2.14 The one was the body which was prepared for the life for it to appear in and be made manifest Heb. 10.5 The other was the life or light it self for whom the body was prepared who took it up appeared in it to do the will Psal 40.7 8. and was made manifest to those eyes which were able to see through the vail wherewith it was covered John 1.14 Now is not this sound according to the Scriptures and is it not a good way to know this by unity with it by feeling a measure of the same life made manifest in our mortal flesh 2 Cor. 4.11 This we confess is our way of understanding these things and likewise of understanding the Scriptures which speak of these things And we have found it a far surer kind of knowledg namely to understand the Scriptures by experience of that whereof the Scripture speaks than to guess at the things the Scripture speak of by considering and scanning in the earthly part what the Scriptures speak of them Such a kind of knowledge as this a wise man may attain to a great measure of but the other is peculiar to him who is begotten of God whose knowledge is true and certain though it seem never so different from his who hath attained what he hath by the search of his wisdome 3. Concerning the holy Scriptures being a perfect rule of faith and life The new covenant is the covenant of the Gospel which is a living covenant a spiritual covenant an inward covenant and the law or rule of it cannot be written outwardly Read the tenour of the new covenant Heb. 8.10 I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts If God himself should take the same laws and write them outwardly yet so written they are not the new covenant at most they would be but an outward draught of laws written in the new covenant And mark this is one difference given between the new covenant and the old
destructiveness of their Doctrine to the fundamental Truths of Religion is That opinion of theirs of being perfectly pure and without sin which say they tends to overthrow the whole Gospel and the very vitals of Christianity for they that have no sin have no need of Christ or of his satisfaction or blood to cleanse them nor of Faith Repentance c. Answ That the Lord God is able perfectly to redeem from sin in this life that he can cast out the strong man cleanse the house and make it fit for himself to dwell in that he can finish transgression and sin in the heart and bring in everlasting righteousness that he can tread down Satan under the feet of his Saints and make them more than Conquerors over him this they confess they steadily believe But that every one that is turned to the light of the Spirit of Christ in his heart is presently advanced to this state they never held forth but that the way is long the travail hard the enemies and difficulties many and that there is need of much Faith hope patience repentance watchfulness against temptations c. before the life in them arive at such a pitch Yet for all this saith Christ to his Disciples Be ye perfect directing them to aim at such a thing and the Apostle saith Let us go on unto perfection and Christ gave a Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints and they do not doubt but that he that begins the work can perfect it even in this life and so deliver them out of the hands of sin Satan and all their spiritual enemies as that they may serve God without fear of them any more in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of their lives Now how is this Doctrine or how is this People because of their believing and holding forth this Doctrine guilty of all this great and heavy charge that is laid upon them here as that they have no need of Christ his satisfaction his blood nor of faith repentance growing in grace Gods Word and Ordinances nor of watchfulness and prayer c. Let us consider the thing a litttle further First The Doctrine of Perfection if it should be granted to deny all this yet cannot be supposed to deny the need thereof until the state of Perfection be attained Nay they that truly believe that such a state is attainable cannot deny the use of those things which are proper to lead to that state but will conscientiously apply themselves thereto and press all others thereto who desire to attain that state And they that have either heard them speak or read their Writings with any equality of mind may abundantly testifie for them against the unrighteousness and injury of this charge Their life lies in Christ their peace in his satisfaction for them and in a sensible feeling of his blood sprinkled in their consciences to cleanse them from sin and by that faith which is Gods gift they feel and wait further to feel the righteousness of Christ imputed to them for justification And as for being perfectly just in themselves it is a very unrighteous charge upon them for their justice and righteousness is in Christ for ever and not of themselves but in the denyal and crucifying of self are they made partakers of it which is bestowed by the free grace mercy and power of him who hath mercy on them and not by any willing or running of theirs And as for Repentance they feel the need of it and find a godly sorrow wrought in them and a bitter mourning over him whom they once pierced and still pierce so far as they hearken to the Tempter and follow the motions and lusts of the transgressing nature And they do both watch and pray against sin and feel what a bitter thing it is to have the watch so slackened whereby the temptation prevails which would lead to sin And as for purifying themselves dayly and putting off the old man and putting on the new it is that which their hearts delight to be continually exercised about and all this with an hope that it may be effected that the vessel may be made holy to the Lord a fit spiritual Temple for him to dwell in that he may display his life glory power and pure presence in them But if the belief that this may be attained in the way wherein God leadeth them towards it and an hope to attain it with an acknowledgment of it so far as it is attained I say if this make them guilty of so great a charge then they are indeed guilty for they cannot but believe it wait for it hope for it and acknowledge it so far as they feel it wrought in them But how can this possibly make them guilty of denying these things seeing the exercise of these things not only standeth with but is increased by such a belief and hope Secondly The state of Perfection it self doth not exclude these things in such a way as this charge seems to intimate For in the state of perfection the blood is not laid aside as useless but remains to keep pure for ever It is the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 both the Covenant and the Blood last for ever and are useful even to them that are perfect And there is need and use of the Faith in the Blood to believe the preservation As the Covenant it self lasts so that which lets into and keeps in the Covenant lasts also That which unites and ties the soul to Christ the life abides in the soul for ever even as the union it self abides And there is a growing in the life even where the heart is purified from sin even as Christ did grow and wax strong in spirit for a state of perfection doth not exclude degrees And so there is also need of watching against temptations in a perfect state for Adam was perfect and yet he needed a watch and Christ was perfectly pure and without sin and yet he did both watch and pray So that if any were brought to the state of a perfect man even unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which the Ministry was given to bring all the Saints unto Eph. 4.11 12 13. if any were taught and enabled so to walke in the light as to be cleansed by the blood from all sin and to have such fellowship with the Father and the Son as might make their joy full 1 Joh. 1.3 4 7. If any were brought to that state of glory as to be chast Virgins 2. Cor. 11.2 without spot or wrinkle of the flesh but holy and without blemish Ephes 5.27 If any should be made perfect in every good work to do his will which was a thing the Apostle prayed for Heb. 13.21 If any should have so put off the old man and have put on the wedding garment as to be made ready and fit to be marryed to the Lamb Rev. 19.7 Yet this would not exclude faith
upon pain of death yet if the Lord require them either to stay or return they know whom to fear and obey which delivers them from the fear of them who can only torture and kill the body and they had rather die in obedience to the Lord than feel the weight of his hand upon their souls for their disobedience It is not in this case as it is in ordinary banishment upon civil accounts where it is in mens will and power to abstain from the place from which they are banished but they must fulfil the will of their Lord not at all regarding what befals them therein 4. The fourth Ground or Consideration to justifie their Law of Banishment and Death against the Quakers is drawn from their right and propriety which every man hath in his own house and land and from the unreasonableness and injuriousness of anothers intruding and entring into it having no authority thereto yea and when the owner doth expresly prohibit and forbid the same And that if any presume to enter thus without legal authority he might justly be impleaded as a thief or usurper and if in case of violent assault he should be killed his blood would be upon his own head Whereupon it is argued thus that if private persons may in such case shed the blood of such intruders may not the like be granted to them that are the publick Keepers and Guardians of the Common-wealth have not they as much power to take away the lives of such as contrary to prohibition shall invade or intrude into their publick possessions or territories And that the Quakers do thus invade and intrude without authority they urge thus For who can believe that Quakers are Constables to intrude themselves invade and enter whether the Colony will or no yea contrary to their express prohibition If in such violent and bold attempts they lose their lives they may thank themselves as the blamable cause and authors of their own death Answ It is no invasion nor intrusion for any Messengers and Servants of the Lord to enter into any part of his earth at his command upon his errand and about his work And if any should be so sent to the house of a particular person to deliver a message from the Lord and the owner of the house instead of hearing and considering his message in meekness and fear whether it were of God or no should be rough and violent with him and command him off before he had delivered his message and either upon his not immediate going off or his return with another message for the Lord if he please may send him again should fall upon him and kill him upon whose head would this mans blood light 2. If men will needs have it go for an invasion it is an invasion of a spiritual nature and the defence from it cannot be by carnal weapons Killing of mens persons is not the way to suppress either truth or error How have the Papists been able to defend their Kingdome or suppress the truth by their bloody weapons They may prevail in their Territories against mens persons for a season but the truth will have a time of dominion and will in the mean time be getting ground in mens minds and consciences by the sufferings of the Witnesses to it Nay my friends if ye will defend your selves from this invasion ye must get better weapons 3. Is this your rule concerning any that shall come in the name of the Lord that if they be not Constables or other earthly-Officers ye will banish them and put them to death Is the Lord of heaven and earth limited to send none but Constables among you Well ye may judge by your Law while your day lasts but the Lord in his day will clear his Servants and Messengers though they have not been Constables and lay it upon the head of them who have unrighteously shed it 5. The fifth Ground or Consideration whereby they justifie their Law of Banishment and Death against the Quakers is this Corruption of mind and judgement is a great infection and defilement and it is the Lords Command that such corrupt persons be not received into the house which plainly enough implies that the houshoulder hath power enough to keep them out and that it was not in their power to come if they pleased whether the housholder would or no. And if the father of the Family must keep them out of his house the Father of the Common-wealth must keep them out of his jurisdiction they being nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers by the account of God So that what an housholder may do against persons that are infected with the plague or pestilence who may kill them if otherwise he cannot keep them out of his house a Magistrate may do the like for his Subjects And if Sheep and Lambs cannot be preserved from the danger of Wolves but the Wolves will break in amongst them it is easie to see what the Shepheard or Keeper of the Sheep may lawfully do in such a case Answ It is granted that Corruption of mind and judgment is defiling and infectious and therefore every heart that knows the pretiousness of truth is to wait on the Lord in his fear in the use of those means which he hath appointed for preservation from it but that killing the persons is one of the means God hath appointed this is still the thing in controversie and is still denyed to be either proper in it self or sanctified by God to this end The Apostle sayes there must be Hereticks that they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.19 but he doth not say hereafter when there are Christians Magistrates they must banish or cut off the Hereticks as fast as they spring up but God hath use of these things for the exercising of the spirits of his people and the truth gains by overcoming them in the faith and power of the spirit And so as touching Wolves the Apostle Paul called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and told them that after his departure grievous Wolves should enter in among them not sparing the flock Acts 20.28 29 31. The Lord hath put into the hands of his Shepherd a sword which will pierce to the heart of the Wolf he standing faithful in the power of God in the life of righteousness need not fear any Wolf but by the power of the spirit and presence of the truth shall be able to preserve the consciences of his flock pure to God What kind of Shepherd is he that cannot defend his flock without the Magistrates sword but take away that the Wolf breaks in preys upon his sheep Surely the true Shepherd who knows the vertue of the sword God hath put into his hand will never call to the Magistrate for his sword of another nature which cannot touch the Wolf the Heretick the Seducer but only flesh and blood with which the Ministers of Christ never wrestled nor fought And this is
not the way to preserve the hearts and consciences of the flock it may perhaps strike terror into the fleshly nature but their consciences are so much the more apt to be wrought upon by the doctrines patience and sufferings of those who are thus dealt with The Magistrates sword being thus used doth not at all preserve that which is tender but hurts it dis-ingages it stirs up a Witness in it against those that thus go about to defend that which they call truth that build up their Jerusalem with blood and govern their flock with force affrighting them from that which they call errors and affrighting them into that which they call truth with an outward sword whereas the true Temple is built in peace governed in peace maintained in peace defended by peace and Errors and Hereticks dispelled by the power of the spirit manifesting the deceit to the conscience and not by the sword of the Magistrate dealing with them as with worldly Malefactors Now this I say as before the Lord The true Shepherd who hath received the sword of the Spirit and hath tried the vertue of it cannot distrust it cannot desire the Magistrates help by outward force against errors or heresies he that looketh upon it as insufficient and calleth to the Magistrate for his sword plainly discovers that he hath not received or knoweth not the vertue of the true one and dishonoureth both his Masters work and weapon For that place of 2 John 10. It is one thing for a man not to receive a man into his house and another thing for him to kill that person who offers to come against his will Do ye believe in your hearts that the Apostles intent was to direct the Christians to whom he wrote to keep them out by violence and to kill them if they could not otherwise keep them out Though the parrallel is not proper for God hath often sent his Servants into countries cities places of resort against the will of the rulers Priests and false Prophets but never to break violently into any mans house The Magistrate keeping in his place cannot but be a nursing Father to the Church for let him draw out his sword against that wickedness which is proper for him to cut down it will exceedingly help to nurse up the Church but where hath the Magistrate commission to meddle with any of the spiritual shepherds work Nay his sword was never appointed to cut down errors or heresies or hereticks but the sword of the Spirit in the hand of the spiritual Shepherd God hath set up an hedge between these two powers which he that breaketh down layeth both waste as to their true use vertue and order and this Antichrist hath long done in many appearances The bringing of these two to rights setting each in their proper place will give such a wound to his kingdome as he will not be able to recover And mark this by the way Antichrist hath all along made use of the Magistrates sword to slay the Lambs under the name of Hereticks Sectaries Wolves Blasphemers but Christ comes with the spirit of his mouth to slay Antichrist 2 Thes 2.8 That 's the sword all the Hereticks Seducers and false Prophets were slain with in the Apostles dayes before the Apostacy and that 's the sword that Antichrist who hath made use of the other sword against Christ all along the Apostacy shall be slain with after the Apostacy When Christ comes to fight against Antichrist who hath cruelly torn rent and butchered his people under the name of wolves he will take his own sword which is the words of his mouth That did the work at first that must do the work again But in the middest between these two seasons there hath been bad work made with the Magistrates swords the witnesses upon every appearance and breaking forth of Gods truth in them having been liable to feel the smart of it 6. Their sixt and last ground and consideration whereby they justifie their law of banishment and death against the Quakers is this It was the commandment of the Lord Jesus unto his Disciples that when they were persecuted in one City They should flee unto another and according it was his own practise and the practise of the Saints who when they have been persecuted have fled away for their own fasety This they say reason requires that when men have liberty unto it they should not refuse so to do because otherwise they will be guilty of tempting God and of incurring their own hurt as having a fair way open for the avoyding thereof but they needlesly expose themselves thereto Whereupon they argue thus If therefore that which is done against the Quakers were indeed persecution what spirit may they be thought to be acted and led by who are in their actings so contrary to the commandment and example of Christ and of his Saints in the case of persecution which these men suppose to be their case Plain enough it is that if their case were the same their actings are not the same but quite contrary So that Christ and his Saints were led by one Spirit and these people by another for rather than they would not shew their contempt of authority and make disturbance amongst his people they chuse to go contrary to the express direction of Jesus Christ and the approved example of his Saints to the hazard and peril of their own lives Answ Afflictions tribulations tryals persecutions are not to be fled from but to be born and passed through to the Kingdome into which the entrance is through many of these Acts 14.22 and Christ saith he that will be his Disciple must take up his cross daily and follow him Luke 9.23 Now persecution for Christ is part of the cross which the Disciple must not run away from but take up and follow Christ with Yea the Apostle is very express 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution It is the portion of all and all must bear it The World hateth and persecuteth in some degree or other all that are not of the World and all must be content with their daily portion thereof waiting on God for strength to bear the cross not flying it and the Apostle commends the Hebrews for enduring the great fight of afflictions Heb. 10.32 33 34. The Jews were zealous for the Law and Ordinances of Moses and grievous persecutors of the Christians especially of such as had been of them before now the Christians are commended for standing the shock for bearing the brunt for not fearing the loss of name goods life or any thing but eyeing the heavenly treasure So Christ warning of persecution bids the Church to fear none of those things which she should suffer but be faithful unto the death and he that thus overcometh should not be hurt of the second death Revel 2.10 11. and the Apostle Peter sayes if ye suffer for righteousnest sake happy are
ye and be not afraid of their terror neither be troubled 1 Pet 3.14 and the Apostle Paul bids the Philippians stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God And the same Apostle who commended the Hebrews as having done well in bearing the great sight of afflictons encourages them to go on still and not be weary or faint in their minds but resist even to blood eyeing Christ who endured the contradiction of sinners to the very last Heb. 12.3 4. And he practised as he taught for he was not terrified with bonds or afflictions nor accounted his life dear unto him but that which was dear unto him was the serving of his Lord and Master in preaching and witnessing to his truths as his spirit led him Acts 20.23 24. trusting on the Lord to uphold him in enduring of them or to deliver him out of them as he pleased 2 Tim. 3.11 but that which he and the rest of the Apostles and Saints of Christ applyed themselves to in case of persecution was to suffer 1 Cor. 4.12 And whoever they are that will be Christs faithful Disciples now must look to meet with the same cross as they did not only from the prophane World but from the worldly professors also for there were not only zealous worldly professors in that age but the same spirit hath remained in every age since which still gets into the best form it can when need requires to oppose the power thereby And they that are in the Spirit and in the power must expect to be persecuted by such and they are to bear it and not to flie from it unless by a particular call and dispensation from the Lord for a particular service which is not the rule as it is here made but rather an exception from the rule So Christ sending his Disciples in hast to preach the Gospel bids them not salute in the way Luke 10.4 nor be stopped by persecution but hasten to publish the sound of Christs coming in the Cities of Israel for the harvest was great but the laborers few Mat. 9.37 and yet notwithstanding all the hast they could make they should not have gone over the Cities of Israel before the Son of man come Mat. 10.23 There is a time to suffer persecution and a time to flee from persecution and both these are to be known in the Lord and to be obeyed in the leadings of his Spirit but to lay it down as a general rule for Christians to observe that when they are persecuted they should flee this is expresly contrary to the Scriptures afore mentioned which shew that Christians are not generally to flee but to stand in the service and work to which they are called bearing witness not only by believing and publishing but also by suffering for the testimony of the truth They are Christs Souldiers and their duty is to stand in the battel and bear all the shot and persecutions of the enemy if God call them off to any other service that is a sufficient warrant for them but flying upon other termes may prove a great dishonour to their Master and to his cause and truth and may be the occasion of a great loss to their Spirits who are so tempted to flee Neither is this bearing the brunt of persecutions and standing in Gods work and service notwithstanding them all even unto death any tempting of God but an obedient taking up of the cross according to his will and command And whereas you plead that reason requires it what kind of reason is it which bids avoid the cross of Christ and flee for safety And what kind of Spirit is that which preacheth this Doctrine laying it down as a general rule for Christians to flee when they are persecuted Is it not that Spirit which fain would be at ease in the flesh in so much as it self will rather persecute than be disturbed of its fleshly liberty though its very unwilling to bear the reproach of being accounted a persecutor Ah how did the Jews cry out against their Fathers for killing the Prophets and verily thought if they had lived in their dayes they should by no means have done it and yet the same Spirit was in them though they saw it not but thought themselves far from it That which blinded them was a wrong knowledge of the Scriptures and a great zeal and devotion about their Temple worship and Ordinances without a sensible feeling of the guidance of Gods Spirit The same Spirit that deceived them layeth the same snare in these dayes and men swallow it as greedily with as great confidence as they did the zealous professors of religion for the generality still becoming persecutors of the present appearance of truth not knowing what they do Thus in the fear of the Lord God and in love to your souls with a meek and gentle spirit not being offended at what ye have done but looking over it to the Lord who bringeth glory to his name and advantage to his truth by the sufferings and death of his Saints have I answered your grounds and considerations and in the same fear love and meekness have I some things further to propose to your considerations which are of great concernment to you and deserve to be weighed by an equal hand in the equal ballance without prejudice or partiality 1. Consider meekly and humbly whether the Scriptures be the rule of the Children of the new covenant for if the Scripture was not intended by God for the rule and ye take it to be the rule then ye may easily mistake the way to eternal life and also err in your understanding and use of the Scriptures making such an use of them as they were never intended for and so missing of the true use and intent of them Now that the Scripture was not intended nor given forth by God to be the rule of the Children of the New Covenant besides our faithful Testimony from the sight of the thing in the true eternal light weigh our arguments from the Scripture many are mentioned in our writings consider at present of these three 1. The Scripture is an outward rule or law but the Scripture saith the law of the new covenant shall be an inward law It is written in the Prophets that all the Children of the new covenant or new Jerusalem shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 who teacheth them inwardly by his Spirit and writeth his law in their hearts Jer. 31.33 34. and after this manner did the Lord take his people into covenant with himself and teach them in the Apostles dayes 1 John 2.27 The covenant is inward the teacher inward the writing inward the law inward and there it is to be read learned and known where the Spirit teacheth and writeth it 2. Scripture or the writings
them The natural man understandeth not the things of the spirit of God the spirit of the Lord alone understandeth the meaning of his own words and he alone gives the understanding of them which he gives not to the wise Searcher and Disputer nor to the prudent professor Mat. 11.25 but to the babe which he begets to which he gives the kingdom and opens the words which the Scripture speaks concerning the kingdome The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God and if that search into the Scriptures it will gather only a knowledge suitable to its enmity Thus the Jews were great enemies and strong enemies by the knowledge which they had gathered out of the Scriptures written to them and the same spirit hath also wound it self into the Scriptures written since And as then that spirit fought against Christ and his Apostles with those very Scriptures which the spirit of Christ had formerly written so the same spirit fights now against the Lambs and witnesses of Christ with the Scriptures which were written since Yea the great strong hold of Antichrist at this day is Scripture interpreted by the fleshly wisdome for Antichrist comes not in a direct denial of Christ or Scriptures he is too cunning to be found there but bends them aside by the fleshly wisdom to serve the fleshly will and thus undermines the spirit and exalts the flesh by a fleshly understanding and interpretation of those very Scriptures which were written by the spirit against the flesh And through this mistake it is that some innocently cry up things practised at the first springing up of truth not seeing of what nature they were and upon what account they were done and what of them were cast off by the same spirit which before had led to the use of them though the Scripture expresly testifieth thereof For Rev. 11.1 2. there was the measuring of the building which Gods own spirit had built part whereof was reserved for God part given to the Gentiles or uncircumcised in heart who are now the Gentiles since the breaking down of the former distinction betwixt Jew and Gentile That which God reserved for himself was the Altar the Temple the worshippers therein all these are inward The outward Court was given to the Gentiles to those who would be worshippers under the Gospel and yet had not the circumcision of the Gospel to them the Court which is without the Temple is given and this they get and cry up and then tread under foot the Holy City trampling upon the inward and undervaluing it Christ within the Spirit within the Law within the power within becomes a reproach and this they have power to do even to keep down the inward and cry up the outward all the time of the forty two months and to persecute and slay the witnesses whom God raised up to testifie for the inward and against the outward as it is now in the Gentiles hands and made use of by them to keep down the inward and so the building being thus taken down the Church flies out of it into the wilderness where she had a place prepared of God for her Rev. 12.6 Mark she is not where she was before that building was measured taken down and disposed of by God but she hath been and is all the time of the 42. months or 1260 daies in another place prepared by the spirit of God for her whither she fled and where she was nourished from the face of the Serpent who was seeking after her and making war with the remnant of her seed ver 14. c. And they that seek for her now in her former building will miss of her and may meet with another woman which in several appearances and disguises and practising of ordinances appertaining to the outward Court blasphemes the holy City the true Temple Altar and Worshippers Happy is he that can read this for it is the mystery of this book sealed from all the Gentiles and Worshippers in the outward Court Many sorts cry up the Scriptures for their rule but which of them is taught by the spirit to keep the carnal part out of the Scriptures Which of them keeps out their own will and understanding receiving their knowledge of Scriptures from that Spirit which wrote them Do not men rather gather a knowledge in the flesh and then grow strong and wise and able to dispute and confident in their own way and become feirce despisers of those who cannot own their interpretation of these Scriptures and thus the mind of God the true meaning of the Scriptures is not their rule but an image which they have formed out of it a meaning which their wit hath strongly imagined and fenced with arguments and the real mind and intent of the spirit is hid from them So by this means many both deceive their own souls and help to deceive the souls of others missing of the plainness and simplicity of the spirit and gathering sences in the wit and subtilty of the fleshly part where the serpentine wisdom lodgeth and twines about the tree of knowledge Now what do these men do whom do they serve and whither do they run themselves and lead many other poor souls whom they pretend to be helpful to save 3. Consider whether ye did not flee from the Cross in your transplanting into New-England and so let up that part in you there which should have been kept down by the Cross here and gave advantage to that spirit to get ground in you which ye outwardly fled from The safety is in standing in Gods counsel in bearing the Cross in suffering for the testimony of his truth but if at any time there be a fleeing of the Cross whether the inward or the outward without Gods direction the evil Spirit is thereby let in his part strengthened and the life weakned That Spirit which would save it self from the cross is the same with that which would persecute that which will not save it self Mark how sharply Christ speaks to Peter upon this account when he would have tempted him to avoid the cross get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savorest not the things of God c. Mat. 16.23 The seed offers up all to God in his service will suffer any thing for his names sake even the loss of liberty goods yea life it self for the testimony to the least truth now that which sayes to the seed when sufferings come for the testimony of truth avoid it save thy self let not this be unto thee or the like that 's Satan and if Satan be not cast behind but that counsel hearkned unto which leadeth from the cross Satan is followed And if ye fled your proper cross in your removal from hence unto New-England though ye might meet with many others there yet hereby ye lost your proper advantage of serving and honouring God in your generation yea ye lost that which would have kept your Spirits tender and
powerfully leads us from it this is not right nor justifiable in the sight of God Ah take heed of reviling persecuting and speaking all manner of evil against us falsely for his name sake whom we are called to serve and whom we do serve in following and obeying the light of his Spirit in us which hath led us to the true knowledge of God and to life and peace with him About the close of this argument for the further strengthening of it it is said Duty is not opposite to duty passiveness for the truth and activeness against the enemies of the truth are both duties in their season Answ Every kind of activeness against the enemies of the truth is not duty for some kind is sinful There is a lawful fighting and an unlawful fighting Such a kind of fighting against an enemy as may hurt a friend and cannot hurt the enemy is unlawful Now the Magistrates sword may hurt a friend may affright the tender conscience from its duty towards Christ but it cannot reach the falsehood which lodgeth in the heart nor draw the party from that but rather hardeneth him in it So that it is not a duty to have the Magistrates sword drawn out against that for which it is not proper where it may do hurt and not good The housholder would not permit his own servants to gather up the tares lest they should root up the wheat with them Mat. 13.29 Did Christ deny his Disciples that liberty and doth he grant it to the Magistrates Is the Magistrate out of danger of hurting the wheat while he is smiting at the tares nay is he not in danger of smiting and rooting up the wheat instead of the tares Surely this is the Magistrates duty to keep in his place and not to extend his sword beyond his commission and beyond what it is proper for And let me put this to all the Magistrates of the earth who have been drawing out their sword against tares as they might think are ye sure that ye never touched any green thing Revel 9.4 did ye never pluck up any wheat ye must give an account of this to Christ one day Here in Old England in the Bishops dayes the best were liable to be excommunicated and weeded out of the Church and also to be struck at by the Magistrate how it hath been in New-England I leave it to your consciences to consider of do not slubber it over but make up a just account What Moses did Levit. 24. in case of blasphemy he did by immediate direction from God vers 13. and he was a type of Christ who inwardly and spiritually fulfils all his outward shadows And Christ doth not say that every blasphemer under the Gospel shall be put to death but all blasphemy or speaking against the son of man shall be forgiven but there is a kind of blasphemy which he will not forgive And the Church by his Spirit are to try and deal with blasphemers even to the cutting of them off by the sword of the Spirit that they may repent and learn not to blaspheme 1 Tim. 1.20 but the Magistrace is not now appointed to cut them off in their blasphemy and so to take away that time of repentance from them which Christ hath allowed them Christs Ordinances and institutions do not clash one with another he doth not bid the Church cut off a Person from the unity with the sword of the Spirit that he might feel the loss of life and be made sensible of what a condition his blasphemies have brought him to and so come to mourn and repent I say Christ doth not do this on the one hand and on the other other hand bid the Magistrate banish him or cut him off with the sword and so take away his time of repentance from him Nay this device sprang from the false Church to make her excommunication outwardly terrible and dreadful which hath no inward vertue or cause of terror and dread at all in it So as touching Nehemiah he was both extraordinarily stirred up by God and his time was under the law so that the argument from his example is not valid to them who have not such a warrant as he had for he saith himself that God had put in his heart what he had to do at Jerusalem Nehem 2.12 and where the state and ministration is changed The Priests did that under the law which is not now to be done but typified what Christ the unchangeable Priest was to do So likewise Kings Judges and Governors of that People did that under the law towards them which is not now to be done outwardly towards any by any King Ruler or Magistrate but typified what Christ was inwardly to do in the Spirits of his people and how he would gather preserve and defend his Church and wound and subdue his enemies even by his rod and Scepter which is the sword of his Spirit the word of his mouth And as for Ephesus and Thyatira's not suffering false Apostles and the Woman Jesabel We do not say that any errors or erronious persons are to be suffered by the Church but to be dealt with in Christs power and authority But the delivering up of these to the secular power we know to have been an invention of Antichrists and a great dishonour to Christ as if his Rod and Scepter were not sufficient to defend his subjects and kingdome and to beat down his enemies and also a ground of much affliction persecution and bloodshed of the Saints yea and of suppressing the truth of God for a season For the persecutor having once gotten this cover then he can do that openly and boldly which otherwise he would blush and he ashamed of To persecute Christ to put his people to death and that for professing and publishing his truths God forbid saith the Antichristian Spirit in every form and way of Religion that we should do this but in every age calls the witnesses to the truth of that age blasphemers wicked persons persons that by their tenents overthow the fundamentall truths of the Gospel and their Doctrines destructive c. And now what zealous people or Minister or what Christian Magistrate can suffer such as these By this artifice the sufferings of the Saints come to abound in every age and their blood is made havock of and what is thus done easily passeth as an act of justice against offenders and not as indeed it is persecution of the truths and people of God The after-age can see what it is and cry out against it but still it is the subtilty of the persecuting Spirit to hide the persecutions of the present age under an appearance of zeal for God and of justice against offenders 3. In the next place it is said on the Quakers behalf that they are the Lambs of Christ Indeed this is a considerable thing for if they be Christs Lambs then they are innocent and cannot be the causers of their own sufferings but
authority But he was a servant he made use of the gift of the spirit of the power of life wherewith the Father filled him to minister and serve with He did never Lord it over the consciences of any of his disciples but did bear with them and pitty them in their infirmities what can ye not watch with me one hour The spirit said he is willing but the flesh is weak He did not hold forth to them what ever he knew to be truth requiring them to believe it but was content with them in their state and waited till their capacities were enlarged being still satisfied with the honesty and integrity of their hearts in their present state of weakness Nor did he strive to reign over the world or call for fire from heaven when they would not receive him or express indignation when they desired him to depart out of their coasts or pray for twelve Legions of Angels when they came to betray â—im and most unrighteously sought his life but the life he had received of his Father he gave up as a ransom for his disciples yea and for his enemies Mark he did not make use of what was given him to raise himself up above others to make his word to stand for a Law and be received but he waited till that was opened in his disciples and in people which was able to receive his testimony and he made use of his power of life and the fulness of the spirit to inable him the more abundantly to serve and to wait in patience for the fulfilling of the will of the Father And though Israel was not gathered by him yet was he meek and patient and at rest in the will of him that sent him and instead of reigning over all could serve all and give that life whose due it was to reign a ransom for many ver 28. His kingdom was not of this world nor did he seek any greatness or authority according to this world neither over the Jews nor over the Gentiles nor over his own disciples but he served all he sought the good of all the life in him which was to reign over all yet here served all suffered for all and from all and that was his way to his crown who having finished his course fulfilled his service perfected his sufferings is sit down on the right hand of the Majesty on high where now he reigns over all and is made a King by God in righteousness And this is the pattern which all his disciples are to walk by The more life they receive the more they are to minister the more they are to serve They must not lift up themselves by their gifts they must not hereupon Lord it over others or hold forth their knowledge or doctrines and think to make others bow thereto but wait in their service till the Lord make way into mens hearts and plant his truth there and upon him also must they wait for the watering and growth of it Quest But is there to be no greatness no authority among the disciples of Jesus or in the Church of Christ Is every one to do what he will to be subject to his own fancies and imaginations to the inventions of his own corrupt heart what a confused building will this be Sure this will not long remain a Zion but soon become a Babylon even an heap of disorder and confusion Answ There is to be no such kind of greatness no such kind of authority Yet there is both a greatness and authority suitable to the state of disciples suitable to that kind of kingdome whereof they are There are Laws there are Governments there are Governors there is ruling and there is subjection but all in the spirit all suitable to that which is to bo governed but no government of or according to the flesh As Christs kingdom is not of this world so the government of his Church and people is not according to this world but as that which gathers is his spirit and that which is gathered is spiritual so that which is governed is the spirits of his people and they are to be governed by his spirit and spiritually and not after a fleshly manner Thus Christ himself though he ministred to his disciples yet he also was their Lord and Master and in the spirit and life of the Father ruled over them and thus the Apostles and other ministers of Christ had likewise in the spirit the care of the Churches and authority in the Lord by his spirit to govern the spirits of his people not to govern after a fleshly manner by their own wills not to prescribe them in a Lordly way either what they should believe or practise but in the light and in the power of the spirit to make their way into every ones conscience in the sight of God ministring to every one in the spirit according to their capacity and growth and waiting patiently for God to convey the food and nourishment and to build their spirits up in the faith thereby The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets Here is the government here is the law of rule and subjection in the life Every one feeling a measure of the Spirit in himself is thereby taught to own and subject to a greater measure of the same Spirit in another He that hath no measure of the Spirit of God he is not of God he is none of Christs and he that hath received a measure of the Spirit in the same spirit feeleth anothers measure and owneth it in its place and service and knoweth its moving and cannot quench it but giveth way to it with joy and delight When the Spirit moves in any one to speak the same spirit moves in the other to be subject and give way and so every one keeping to his own measure in the spirit here can be no disorder but true subjection of every spirit and where this is wanting it cannot be supplyed by any outward rule or order set up in the Church by common consent for that is fleshly and lets in the flesh and destroyes the true order rule and subjection The Apostles and Ministers of Christ come from Christ with a message of life and salvation with a testimony concerning the good will of God and his love to mankind pointing out the way from death to life from bondage to liberty from wrath and destruction to peace and salvation What they have seen what they have felt what they have tasted what they have handled what they have found redeem and deliver them that they declare abroad to others as they are moved as they are sent as they are guided and assisted Now that which they preach to is mens consciences in the sight of God They open the truth which they know they give their testimony in the moving leading and power of the Spirit and they leave it to the same spirit to demonstrate it to mens consciences as it pleaseth They are nothing they
can do nothing they cannot convert any man to God but the power that speaketh by them the same power worketh in other mens consciences at its pleasure And here is the beginning of the government of Christ in the heart when his truth carries conviction with it to the conscience and the conscience is drawn to yeild it self up to him then he layes his yoak upon it and takes upon him the guiding of it he cherisheth it he cleanseth it he comforteth it he ordereth it at his pleasure and he alone preserveth it pure chast gentle meek and plyable to the impressions of his Spirit And as the conscience is kept single and tender to Christ so his government increases therein but as it becomes hard or subject to mens wills so another spirit gets dominion over it Therefore the great work of the Minister of Christ is to keep the conscience open to Christ and to preserve men from receiving any truths of Christ as from them further than the spirit opens or to imitate any of their practises further than the spirit leads guides and perswades them For persons are exceeding prone to receive things as truths from those whom they have an high opinion of and to imitate their practises and so hurt their own growth and indanger their souls For if I receive a truth before the Lord by his spirit make it manifest to me I loose my guide and follow but the counsel of the flesh which is exceeding greedy of receiving truths and running into Religious practises without the spirit Therefore the main thing in religion is to keep the conscience pure to the Lord to know the guide to follow the guide to receive from him that light whereby I am to walk and not to take things for truths because others see them to be truths but to wait till the spirit make them manifest to me nor to run into worships duties performances or practises because others are led thither but to wait till the spirit lead me thither He that makes hast to be rich even in religion running into knowledge and into worships and performances before he feel a true and clear guidance shall not be innocent nor the Lord will not hold him guiltless when he comes to visit for spiritual adultery and idolatry The Apostles were exceeding tender in this point for though they certainly and infallibly knew what was to be believed yet they were not Lords over mens faith but waited till he who is Lord of the faith would open the way into mens consciences They did not take upon them to be able to turn the key to let in truth and conviction into mens spirits as men in these dayes have been too apt to undertake but directed them to him who had the key there to wait for the conviction and illumination of their minds and so to receive in as they found him give forth to them Let every man saith the Apostle be fully perswaded in his own mind take heed of receiving things tâ—â— soon take heed of running into practises too soon take heed of doing what ye see others do but wait for your own particular guidance and for a full perswasion from God what is his will concerning you Though I know this to be a truth yet do not ye receive it till God make it manifest to you receive truth from his hand stay till he give it you Indeed the main matter in religion is to keep out the wrong part the forward part the bastardly birth from running into duties catching of openings and laying hold of promises and to feel the heir born of the immortal seed to whom all belongs and that the other birth never afterwards get up above him but be subdued and brought into subjection Again saith the Apostle take heed of doing any thing doubtingly be not forward be not hasty wait for the leading wait for the manifestation of the Spirit Be sure thou receive what thou receives in the faith and practise what thou practises in the faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin being an error from the principle of life which is to guide and thereby thou loosest ground and dishonourest Christ and comest under condemnation And so the Apostle warns believers to take heed of drawing one another on too fast or of judging one another in such things as some of them might have light in others not He that eateth not to judge him that did not eat and he that did not eat not to judge him that did eat Yea in matters of worship he that observed a day and kept a Sabbath not to judge him that observed not a day or kept not a Sabbath for the Jews which were truly converted yet were hard to be drawn off from the observation of their Sabbath and could hardly bear with the believing Gentiles who were never taught to keep their Sabbath with them but were taught to esteem every day and sanctifie it to the Lord Rom. 14.5 And these who esteemed every day and dedicated it to the Lord ceasing from sin and resting to him for under the Gospel we are not to set up a new type but to enter by faith into the true rest which is the substance of what the other signified could hardly bear with them who observed a day Even in the Apostles dayes Christians were too apt to strive after a wrong unity and uniformity in outward practises and observations and to judge one another unrighteously in these things And mark it is not the different practise from one another that breaks the peace and the unity but the judging of one another because of different practises He that keeps not a day may unite in the same spirit in the same life in the same love with him that keeps a day and he who keeps a day may unite in heart and soul with the same spirit and life in him who keeps not a day but he that judgeth the other because of either of these errs from the spirit from the love from the life and so breaks the bond of unity And he that draws another to any practise before the life in his own particular lead him doth as much as in him lies to destroy the soul of that person vers 15. This was the Apostles rule for every one to perform singly to the Lord what he did and not for one to meddle with the light or conscience of another undervaluing his brother or judging him because his light and practises differed from his vers 10. of that 14. chap. but every one to keep close to their own measure of light even to that proportion of faith and knowledge which God of his mercy hath bestowed on them And here is the true unity in the Spirit in the inward life and not in an outward uniformity That was not necessary in the Apostles dayes nor is it necessary now and that eye which so dotes upon it overlooks the one thing which is necessary Men keeping close to God the Lord will
imagining mind which first builds up with apprehensions about Church Religion and worship without the spirit and then is offended with that which cannot bow to those images But be it known unto you O Nations and Powers of the Earth that the Lord hath raised up a people whose knees can alone bow at the name of Jesus and whose tongues can alone confess to him And if Nebuchadnezzars spirit should heat a furnace of affliction seven times hotter then it hath yet been heated all this dâ—y of the cruel sufferings of Gods dear people and threaten all with it that will not bow to the image or form of worship which he sets up yet this we know assuredly that the Lord hath begotten a seed which he can deliver and which we do not doubt but he will deliver let Antichrists Sea Waves roare never so loud against them But however bow to any image they cannot for they have tasted of the living truth it self which hath made them free from such images and idols wherein they were before intangled and the spirit of the Lord calleth aloud to them to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set them free and not to receive any more the yoke of bondage upon their necks but to draw under the sweet gentle yoak of his Spirit O England England how sad is thy state how great mighty things hath the Lord done in thee but thou still overlookest his hand and art offended with the work of his Spirit because it sutes not with thy fleshly desires and interests O England England what will become of thee the Lord hath kindled his sire and thou addest fewel daily The Lord is arisen to make inquisition for the sufferings and blood of his people and thou instead of repenting of what thou hast done art greedy of more Thou hast deeply drunk of the whores cup of fornication and that makes thee thus thirsty after the Saints blood Thou cryest out against those that put the Martyrs to death as the professing Jews did against those that put the Prophets to death and yet persecutest their Spirit wherever it appears in further prosecution of the work of reformation at this day even as the Jews did persecute the Spirit of the Prophets in Christ and his Apostles O mourn to the Lord to open thine eyes that thou maist not thus stand any longer in his way Let him bring forth his Church let him set up his truth let him advance his people and do not thou go about to limit the spirit of the holy one in them There 's none of these will harm thee but bring blessings upon thee Let thy Governors keep within their bounds and be a defence upon all people in their just rights and liberties and see if from that day he do not bless thee But if there be one thing in the Lords heart concerning his people and another thing in thine if he resolve to bring them forth to his praise and to give them their liberty in their obedience to his Spirit thou resolve they shall come under thy yoaks and bonds how can ye agree your wrath by this means must needs be kindled against each other and he that hath most strength will carry it For as the day of your wrath is come to see the people of God so increase and grow bold in his truth and power so the day of his wrath is come to see his people so reproached hated hunted and persecuted for his names sake Revel 11.18 And take heed lest upon that spirit which in this generation still continues persecuting the sufferings persecutions and blood of all the Saints and Martyrs shed all the time of Antichrists raign be not required The blood of all the Prophets from Abel to Zacharias was required of that great professing generation of the Jews who spake such great words of Moses and the Prophets but persecuted Christ and his Apostles Mat. 23.35 And the blood of all the souls that lie under the Altar crying how long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth They were bid to rest a little season and then the blood of all that ever was slain since the Apostles dayes is to be required on that generation of professors who are found even to the very last in the persecuting spirit Revel 6.10 11. I do not write this to reproach any sort of professors but in true love and bowels of compassion that such among them as ever had any tast of God and of his sweet meek spirit but are now grown hard and found smiting their fellow servants may if it be possible hear the Lords voyce which yet tenderly calls after them that they may not be cut in pieces and receive their portion of wrath with Babylon Mat. 24.49 50 51. Revel 18.4 As for me I am poor and weak a worm and no man one who hath been a mourner and wanderer in a strange land all my dayes yea I have been that fool who though I have often been very neer yet still knew not the way to the city of my God Eccles 10.15 and at present I am very unworthy and unfit to be an instrument in the Lords hand for the reclaiming of any man from his wanderings Yet this I can in truth and uprightness say concerning the Lords gracious dealings with me that in the bowels of his mercy he hath visited me and turned my face towards his Zion and in his life and Spirit as he pleaseth to keep me fresh and open I know both my way and my leader and also that which is mine enemy which continually endeavoureth to betray and devour me And I speak the truth in Christ I lie not I know also what I have felt wrath and misery upon and that what the Lord hath so long and so severely smitten in me he will not spare in others O that men could hear and avoid my bed of torment where I suffered a most dreadful and terrible hell for many years bear with me for I cannot call it less though without either guilt upon my Spirit or fear of wrath being justified before God in my own conscience till afterwards under long continuance of misery and thick darkness some guilt was contracted and having a secret root of hope concerning good from God if once I might appear in his presence to plead my cause there Who can possibly believe the misery I endured if it were related and yet it had not the least mixture of either of these in it for a long time But after this through the ignorance and thick darkness wherewith I had been long overwhelmed not knowing what had been and still was present with me the tempter by his subtilty got in and led out my mind from what had visited and sought after me all my dayes to wait and hope for some great appearance to set me to rights and here my loss was very great my soul being hereby
open to the voyce of Gods Spirit and then no marvel if afterwards ye grew hard and fit to persecute who first had shewed your selves unfit and unworthy to suffer Ye might meet with many crosses afterwards which might neither be able to humble you nor keep you tender having once lost that cross which was appointed of God to do it for all crosses do not break humble or keep the heart low and meek but such as are sent and sanctified by God thereunto 4. Consider when ye came to New-England whether tenderness grew up in you and was abundantly exercised towards such as might differ from you or whether ye were as eager for the way that ye thought to be right as the conformists you fled from were for the way they thought to be right When Israel came out of Egypt into their own Land they were to be tender even toward an Egyptian much more towards their own brethren Now when ye were out of danger of being persecuted your selves did ye lay a foundation of tender usage towards all that should differ from you or did you lay a foundation of persecuting such as differ and would suffer none differing from you but persecute them just as the Bishops persecuted you Did ye flee the having of your selves persecuted or did ye flee the persecuting Spirit For if ye did flee only your own persecution and not the persecuting Spirit in your selves no marvel though it fell a persecuting so soon as the fear of your own persecution was over In this fleshly part there is a persecuting Spirit which if it be not kept down by the power of God though it loves not to be persecuted yet will soon be persecuting 5. Did you feel your selves to grow in the inward life upon your coming into New-England or did that begin to flag and wither and your growth chiefly consist in form and outward order in which ye might easily be mistaken too for many who have given a true testimony and have been faithful in helping to pull down yet have erred when they came to build up That Spirit which is kept low by persecution and gives forth its testimony against things in fear and trembling is many times exalted when it is out of the fear of persecution and can weigh debate consider and resolve things in that part which cannot build for God Ephraim under the rod spake trembling but the rod being off he could exalt his own wisdome and offend in Baal That worship and way of government and order which a man takes up in the fleshly reason and which falls in with the worldly interest he serves not the true God in but Baal This is that destroyes and eats out the life of Religion in many namely the mixing of it with their worldly interest for then the offence of the cross ceases to them and they begin to be offended at others on whom the cross is still laid by God thinking that they may comply with them in joyning their religion and worldly interest together and so avoyd the cross as well as they Nay he that will follow Christ must take up the daily cross even that cross which God daily layes upon him who will still be requiring somewhat which is contrary to his own fleshly part and contrary to the fleshly part of those with whom he converses And as this cross is taken up the worldly part is offended and the life grows cutting down worldly interests and wayes of Religion daily but as worldly interests are followed and kept up the fleshly part thrives and the life decayes and suffers even till at length it come under death and then death hath the dominion 6. Consider whether your chief strength of setting up your Church Government order at first of bringing persons into it and of preserving them in it lie in the spirit and spiritual weapons or in the flesh and carnal weapons if in the spirit and spiritual weapons then ye will be able in God to perswade mens consciences to it and to preserve them by the same vertue and strength which perswaded them and this ye will still have the main recourse to but if in carnal then ye will have recourse to the carnal and there will be your main confidence of keeping up your Church For if it was built by that power it must be upheld by that power so that take that away it falls This is Antichrists strength he sets up a form in the wisdome and maintains it by the outward sword Take him off from this and put him to gaining ground by the demonstration of the Spirit to mens consciences as in the sight of God or to preserving his ground so here he is at a loss and his Kingdome daily falls even in the most refined parts of it Let every Church and people that nameth the name of Christ depart from the wayes of Antichrist and make the Spirit of Christ their strength for that is indeed the only strength of the true Religion both of the inward and outward part thereof In that it begins by that it is preserved and there also it grows and is perfected 7. Consider for it lies upon me to press it yet further and lay it yet more home to you for your good whether the persecuting Spirit did not take its advantage of assaulting you upon your getting from under the cross here into New-England and whether it did not soon find a place in you there and grow up in you and bring you from step to step to that degree of hardness that ye could at length even drink the blood of the Saints That it was then the proper time of the persecuting Spirit to seek to get an entrance into you that is very manifest but whether it did get entrance or no that belongs to you narrowly to search and examine When ye were under the hatches while ye your selves were persecuted then there was little room for that Spirit in you then was not a proper time for your entertaining of it but when ye were at liberty to chuse a way and form of worship then was a proper time for this temptation to prevail with you of setting up your own way as the chief or only way and under a pretence of zeal for God to persecute the breakings forth of his light in others for it could not be expected that that Spirit should directy tempt you who had suffered so much by persecution suddainly to become persecutors of others but to hide its bait under a cover and under a pretence of zeal for God his truths and way of worship to blind your eyes and draw you aside into that which is indeed persecution of it Sin is very deceitful and seeks covers and of all sins persecution has most need of covers it is of so contrary a nature to the tender Spirit of the Gospel Now when sin hath got its cover then by degrees it hardens the heart both from and against the truth Take heed
c. saith the Apostle least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.12 13. and persecution most hardens of any sin How cruel how bloody doth it make it even unmans men Prisons Whips cutting off of ears Banishment Death all is little enough if not too little And what reviling doth it fill mens pens and tongues with making them so hot and passionate that they cannot equally consider the cause but misunderstand it misrepresent it strive to make it appear another thing both to themselves and others than indeed in truth and plainness it is Look over your writings consider the cause again in a more meek and upright Spirit and ye your selves will easily see how in your heat ye have mistaken and dealt more injuriously with others than ye your selves were ever dealt with There is a time of righteous judgment wherein the most inward covers shall be ripped off and the sinner appear what he is and then the persecutor shall bear that shame that burthen that misery which is the portion of that Spirit It is but a small advantage to it to cover its iniquity for a little moment If ye could make all the world believe that ye are not persecutors what would this profit you if in the day of the Lord ye should be found such But having proceeded thus far it is hard for you to consider and retreat That Spirit hath great advantage over you to make you accept of any cover it can now offer you to hide your selves under Oh that ye could see how ye have wrested Scriptures and what strange kind of rguments ye have formed to make that which ye have done pass with your own hearts and to make it appear somewhat plausible to others Yet all this will not do the eye of the Lord sees through you and that light which ye reproach makes you manifest to be at present in subjection under the bloody dark power who will hold you as long as he can and furnish you with such weapons as he has against the Lamb and his followers But ye come forth to the battel in a bad day for the light is arisen to conquer and is not now to be overcome with the darkness And though ye meet the Woman and her seed with a floud of reproaches and persecutions yet that will not stop her from coming forth out of the Wilderness to shew her beauty and innocency again in the earth Consider these things and come out of this hard Spirit into tenderness if it be possible that the still meek gentle Spirit of life may be your leader from under all false covers into the truth it self where there is a gentle lying down with all that is of God and not so much as an offence because of any difference much less heart-burnings and persecutions but a sweet waiting on the Lord for every ones growth in their several ranks and stations Since my waiting on the Lord for the presence and guidance of his Spirit in the examining the foregoing Grounds and Considerations there came forth an Appendix to John Norton's Book wherein are laid down some further Grounds by way of justifying of their proceedings which for their sakes and likewise on the behalf of the truth and people of God I may also say somewhat to 1. FIrst they insinuate an argument concerning the not suffering of evil which they say is common to all that fear God with themselves Answ Evil is to be resisted but in Gods way according to Gods will and not according to the will of the flesh Spiritual evils are to be resisted by and in the faith with spiritual weapons which God hath appointed and sanctified thereto Earthly evils outward evils transgressions of the just law of the Magistrate are to be resisted by the sword of the Magistrate Here are the bounds which God hath set which he that transgresseth sinneth against the Lord and his own soul But the believer is not to step out of Gods way to resist the Magistrates evil nor the Magistrate to step out of Gods way to resist spiritual evil but both are to wait on the Lord for his blessing on the means he hath appointed and it is better for each of them not to resist evil but let it grow upon them till the Lord please to appear against it than to overcome it by an unrighteous weapon Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help and stay on horses and trust in Chariots Isa 31.1 2. A second argument is taken from the sole cause of their transplanting which they say was to enjoy liberty to walk peaceably in the faith of the Gospel according to the order of the Gospel Answ That there was an honest intent in many of them in transplanting into New-England I do not doubt though whether they had a sufficient warrant from God to transplant was doubted and objected against them by many of their conscientious fellow sufferers here in old England who testifie them that they did believe it to be their duty not to fly but stay and bear their testimony for God and his truth by suffering and this had been a better way of resisting that which was manifestly evil than of resisting by the sword that for evil which in due time they themselves may see and acknowledge not to have been so But if they did truly desire liberly did not the enemy tempt them to be selfish to seek it so far as might comprise themselves excluding such as might differ from them upon as just grounds as they themselves differed from others Did not they set bounds to the truth and bounds to the spirit of God that thus far it should appear and no further Whereas God hath degrees of discovering and leading out of the Antichristian darkness and he that opposeth the next discovery of truth the next step out of Babylon is as real an enemy and persecutor as he that opposed the fore going In that they testified against the Bishops they did well but if they will now set up a stand either to themselves or others and not follow the leadings of the Lamb their life may be withered and they may perish in the Wilderness while others are following the guide which they left when they set up their stand towards Canaan And as for walking peaceably That they might be free from the fear of outward powers having liberty to try what ever pretends to be of God and if it appear error be out of danger of having their consciences forced this is a great mercy But if they would live so peaceably as that no discovery of God further should ever start up among them nor the Lord himself be suffered to send any of his servants with any further discovery of light unto them this is not a peace which God allowes to any man nor which his people desire but only the carnal part which loves to be at ease and not to be at the pains of tryal in the fear