for religious meetings which they called Conventicles and for opening shops upon Popish Holy-dayes which themselves popishly idolized and suffered Ryots Tumults and Insurrections to be made upon the people who then were up stirred to bear testimony against those abhominations And how wickedly fierce and cruell they were in the time of the late Wars persecuting imprisoning and destroying the lives liberties and estates or those called flound-heads contriving and imposing pernicious oaths upon the people to ensnare the innocent as by their own Record it may appear which if any through tendernesse refused how crully they were persecuted and tormented is not easily forgotten And although for a season the people of God were delivered from the jawes of the oppressorâ— and the oppressed ruled over them yet since by the change of times wickednesse is exalted and opportunity is administred for the oppressors to appear how soon and how zealously are they acting as before against an innocent people who feare the Lord and in obedience to him cannot how to their wills and lusts but as they are moved of the Lord do declare his Counsell and assured judgements against false worships and worshippers and other abhominations bearing true testimony for the name of the Lord against it â—â—ld the world that the works thereof are evill yet how cruelly they have for this persecuted them under the name of Quakers as formerly they did under the name of Round-heads Puritans and Sectaries is not forgotten nor the numbers that have been imprisoned to satisfie their wills and lusts when no lavv of the Nation vvas broken nay nor the shedding the righteous blood of severall of them by cruel whippings in their Prison houses c. like the enemies of God in former ages Who eate up the Lords people as bread and accounted them as sheep for the slaughter And whose Minister then is he like to be who by such a generation is sent to preach a Gospel And whose servant is he like to prove that glories in his Call by such a people And where is his rule or example for this except in Balaam the false Prophet and Diviner vvho erring from the Spirit by vvhich he savv the goodly Tents of Jacob and blessed Israel being sent for by the Rulers of Moab the enemy of God for the love of promotion the revvard of divination and the vvages of iniquiry out of severall high places endeavoured to curse the people vvhom God had blessed And vvhereas he declares his consenting to and helping on the accusations vvhich he cals admonitions sent to me and others I say Alas poor man hovv vvilling is Diotrephes to have prâ—-eminence and therefore meddles in things in vvhich he is not concerned prating against us vvith malicious vvords not receiving the Saints but forbidding them that vvould And according to your ovvn principles vvhat hath he to do in consenting to or helping on admonitions in the Independent Church so called in Bristoll vvho is himself an Anabaptist and a member as he saith of another Church in London and vvas never admitted a member by those of Bristoll onely by them vvas sent for to preach for hire And by the Mayor some Aldermen Councellors Gentlemen and Commissioners as he calls them had the revvard of Divination promised vvhich as I remember vvas a 100 l. or 120 l. a year vvith promotion to the honour of a publique Lecture so called in the middle of the City But I say what hath this man to do being a meer hireling and never admitted nor received a member to trouble himself in helping on accusations against â—hose who have denyed him and never approved his carnall observations nor large principles only like Balaam his elder brother being sent for as aforesaid hath a minde to comply with the Rulers of Moab in cursing those whom God hath altogether blessed And blessed shall they be of the Lord whose living presence they know and feel in the midst of them And neither the Rulers of Moab nor all the false Prophets in Bristoll nor England shall be able to reverse it and this may you all know in the day wherein ye will desive to ayâ— the death of the righteous and that your latter end may be like thens And whereas he tells of many who can say the Lord is with his Ministry comforting refreshings and quickning their souls c. I say the blinde may lead the blinde till they all fall into the ditch But how can it be that the Lord is with his Ministry who himself is no Minister as he hath confest And how can there be comforting and refreshing administred from him who hath not received the Spirit to comfort and chear drooping souls and fill them with refreshment as he gives it under his hand But this I say I knew many poor souls who before he came had some sensibleness of their conditions moving in them by which they began to be awakened out of that security and deceit in which they had been aâ— ease who after they had suckt in and embraced his deceit he dawbing them with untempered motter strengthning the hands of evill doers by promising them peace healing the hurt of the people lightly crying peace peace to them while they walk in the imaginations of their hearts perswading them to believe lyes and that their sins are pardoned forgiven and blotted out when their lives and conversations declare the contrary quenching and grieving the good spirit of God and crucifying afresh the Son of God who is the faithfull and true witnesse who is come and doth convince the world of sin and bears true testimony within against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousness of men which by him was called the temptations of Satan I say after this wofull Doctrine came to be received and embraced they again fell asleep in ignorance and security and now live in pleasure and much wantonnesse whose last estate is worse then the first And this is for some amongst you to observe for your good And how well might he save his labour in many pages in which he so vainly boasts and commends himselfe for a Preacher and publisher of the glorious Gospel that needs no proof of man c. And the many hundreds that can say the Lord is with his Ministry c. I say how well might he be silent in this his own commendations who presently gives it under his hand that he much questions whether he hath received the Spirit of the New Testament to open and reveal the mysteries of the Kingdome which to the Saints is given to know For that Gospel which the Ministers of Christ did and do preach and is indeed glorious is the Gospel of the Kingdom and that Gospel was and is a mystery hid from ages and generations but was and is manifested and revealed to them by the Spirit which Spirit he having not received the mysteries of the Kingdome and of the Gospel thereof to him are not opened but are hid as it was from ages and
humours of pride high-mindedness and giving heed to lying Spirits violent headiness in stead of well tempered zeal for God and godliness c. All which it's like ye speak from good experience and if ye had added much more of that kind to which ye are subject I know and bear testimonie that it is true But if by mystical bodie ye mean the Church of Christ of which he is head and hath washed from all her sins in his own blood and redeemed from all iniquitie and presents holy and unblamable without spot or wrinkle then do ye speak falsely and wickedly blaspeming the bodie of Christ which is holy in which dwell no lying spirits nor windie homours as ye call it of pride and high mindedness c much lesse is it subject to those things but is more than Conqueror over it and is subject onely to Christ who is the head where other Lords have not dominion but being made free by the Son of God is free indeed while such as you are subject to such distempers and wicked spirits and humours by which ye are overcome and in bondage and never came to witness redemption and freedom by the Son of God who gave himself for us as Paul saith that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people Now if Pauls words be true as indeed they are then is your mystical distempered surfeited windie humorous proud high minded feavorish bodie which gives heed to lying spirits no Church of Christ but an absolute Harlot And so have ye your selves manifested your own bodie as filthy as ever I declared it And so what wrong have I done ye ye say in my former book there is contained many things too low and beneath you to read peruse or answer thereby manifesting your Pride for his soul that is lifted up is not upright And the Harlot sits as a Queen and counts it beneath her to answer what is spoken to her in truth But I perceive ye are making good the title of your book covering your selves with such filthie stuff where ye cannot answer and yet he that reads and understands would think ye little regard what ye say or into what confusion ye run so ye can but think to hide your heads for notwithstanding ye said but now it was below and beneath a Christian much more a whole Church to read or answer my book yet presently ye say ye shall take the Lords Counsel and answer the Author Is it beneath and too low for you to read or answer and yet doth the Lord Counsel you to answer or doth the Lord Counsel you to answer what is beneath you to read Why should ye thus take the Lords name in vain to cover and hide your deceipt Know ye not that ye cannot be by him held guiltless But this is pitiful stuff to come from a whole Church as ye call your selves need enough ye have to seek a covering to hide your folly Ye say my Pamphlet is stuâ—t in the middle and both ends with many unsavoury and unchristian like expressions and speak of vain boastings absurdities and untruths but mention not the particulars nor make it appear and so I shall let it pass as one of your lying refuges Ye say how sadly is that Scripture Acts 20.30 fulfilled both on us and you c. I answer nay not on you who are far from the condition of the elders of the Church of Ephesus to whom Paul spake whom the holy Ghost had made overseers of the flock of God which he with his own blood had purchased and they did feed who were turned from the darkness to the light but I say this belongs not to you who love darkness and hate the light of which they were children and came to see with open face as in a glass the Lords glorie which condition is witnessed in measure by thousands at this day of those whom ye call miserable deluded people Neither is it fulfilled in me who do not speak perverse things to draw people from the truth which is the light but have declared the truth concerning you Ye say when ye had read the title of my book and considered the people included and intended by me ye could not but stand amazed c. I answer yea and well ye might and be ashamed and confounded that ever a people professing themselves the Church of Christ should be so notoriously found in the Harlots steps without so much as a shew of a true covering in which to hide themselves from the rebuke of what was spoken of them as in your book the Reader may perceive but are driven to so many lying refuges to vindicate your selves and all in vain for your covering is short Ye say Is it not an high degree of Luciferian pride for a poor Creature to set his foot upon the neck of all the assemblies and Churches of the Saints calling them the wâ—ore And then put your silly interpretations upon my words us some of you use to do upon the Scriptures and draw your mistaken meanings thereon and then tell me of Shimei's cursing David and of your resolutions c. To which I reply The assemblyes and Churches of Saints oh how lovely are they unto me because the living presence and power of God is there manifested In which I have chosen rather to be a door-keeper and to suffer reproach with the people of God which was Davids portion than to dwell with you in the ungodly Tent where Shimei that Curser is But the voice of the Lords thunders being heard in the earth and his lightenings gone forth and his just visitations come and coming upon the Harlot or great whore whose judgement is now come I doe according to my measure bear testimony against her your surfeited bodie though she call her self a Church and cover her self with scarlet as with a veil yet upon her neck do I tread and all her glorie do I despise and upon all her pride and Luciferian spirit do I trample for just and true is he that hath judged her And notwithstanding ye begin to wail and lament like them Rev. 18. whose merchandise was destroyed saying O how do the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce and the uncircumcised triumph will not every prophane person that seeth us go in the streets say Lo there goes one of the skirts of the whore one of the synagogue of Satan one of the cage of unclean birds c. And if we reprove them will they not say one of your selves have written and published it And then tell how your enemies will scourge you with the tongue and condemn you c. Reply If this be so and the Philistines and prophane persons in whose nature ye are and with whose spirit ye agree do thus behave themselves towards you yet know and see the Scriptures fulfilled and as ye have loved cursing reproaching or reviling so it is unto you and the measure which ye have meted is measured
up to the commandments of Christ in obedience and conscience and yet be found so rebellious and stiff necked neglecting and disobeying that which themselves have published to be the institutions of Christ Yea those institutions which are blessed which he in his own person practiced and left as a standing ordinance of the New Testament to all Generations c. Know ye not that rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft and to hearken is more acceptable than sacrifice and if he that knowes not his Masters will is worthy of stripes what will your portion be who profess ye know it and can admonish others for neglecting it and yet your selves be found in the utter disobedience I know in this ye will need a vail but it will never hide nor cover your shame And for me to tell such a people they are not a Church of Christ but a harlot a Synagogue of Satan c. is not to blaspheme God and his Tabernacle of both which ye are ignorant and in your blindness worship ye know not what neither is it a writing contemptuously as ye say against any who in conscience are obedient to Christ but it is for your advantage and profit if to it ye give ear And for the accompt ye can give of your faith of which ye boast I say that where true faith is it purifies the heart from lying hipocrisie and deceit and is a mistery held in a pure conscience And Thomas Ewine acknowledgeth in the 52 53 54 pages he doth very much question as I know he hath cause whether ever himself or many of you have received the spirit to establish and confirm or to open and reveal the misteries of the Kingdom or to beautifie and adorn you with gifts and grace to purge purifie cleanse and sanctifie and make you holy or to fill you with the spirit of faith and prayer and when all this is wanting amongst you ye are sure in a very bad condition such as the Church of Christ under the new Testament was never in and so might forbear boasting either of your faith or obedience till another spirit from the Lord is powred upon you And ye might forbear so much washing the outside of your vessel in rivers and brooks tel your infide comes to be cleansed sanctified and made holy In your fifth page ye seem again displeased that I call you a mingled people c. and say if some with me had been faithful to their light and practized baptism they might he mingled too and that but one of those that haue practised that Ordinance as ye call it with you are fallen away Reply It seemeth then ye acknowledge there is a light which convinceth to which people ought to be faithful how dare ye then to reproach and speak evil of it and are not obedient when by it your evil deeds are reproved And if it be the light as ye grant it is that convinceth of the need of your water Baptism how comes it to pass ye were once so near casting out of Hannah Taylor as aforesaid for embracing it and what great glory is it that but one of your Baptists are convinced of truth and turned from darkness to the light c. Know ye not that Christ Jesus the light of the world said Publicans and harlots shall enter into the Kingdom before the Hypocrites And what advantage was it to the priests and their generations when Christ came a light into the world that but few of them believed in the truth and were obedient to that which the world with themselves opposed and said it was the Devil But if ye were able truly to manifest that but few of your company were proud cocovetous envious back-biters oppressors extortioners unjust dealers c. living in the customes and manner of other Heathens but by the power of God were turned from it this had been something and so had not ye been mingled as now ye are Ye say Hath not Christ called and owned you his Church and that I can testify ye were at first rightly constituted and have profest that Christ hath manifested his presence amongst you c. To which I say That ever Christ called such a surfeited bodie as yours a Church of his is denyed and testimonie is born against it But that his presence was amongst you and manifested to many who by the power of it are drawn and separated from amongst you is granted though ye have neither known nor received him but cast him off and were not obedient but have rebelled and vexed his spirit so that by the weapons of his power is he fighting against you with whom it is but the beginning of sorrowes and if ye turn not he is whetting his glittering sword and his hand takes hold of vengeance c. And if as ye say ye were at first rightly constituted then are ye your selves not I nor others with me Apostates and backslidden from that in which at first ye were gathered For then ye did disown those called Anabaptists and their practices in which ye were so zealous that ye did often admonish and reprove and were near the casting out Hanna Taylor as I have said now called Hanna Packer because she owned it But now ye do own the Anabaptists and their practices and ye your selves become Practizers thereof as ye confesse and do admonish and reprove others who in conscience and obedience to the light of Christ cannot conform to your customes and traditions but by his power reproves them standing in that by which at first they were convinced and gathered out of the world and all its pollutions so far as to them it was made manifest And therefore all your feigned words of backsliding and back-sliders Apostatizing and Apostates both in your title page and other places in your book is clearlie turned upon your selves who are the Apostates and back-sliders of which ye speak and to whom belong all the reproofes and admonitions ye pretend to others who are obedient to the light by which the deceipt of your will-worships and inventions is made manifest and denied as was that of Parishes and other assemblies before And as for the Churches of Galatia and Asia Alas what have ye to do with them in whose life ye are not and are shut and cast out an◠〈◊〉 the cursed ground where the briars and thornes grow and the beasts of prey feed and with the persecutors of the life of God which they witnessed are ye joyned against the truth and proudly have ye laboured to trample upon and cast it to the ground but all in vain for over your heads it is exalted and life and immortality is brought to light and reigns for ever more Ye say Those who were stiled a synagogue of Satan were a company of proud boasters that said they were Jewes and Apostles and were not but did lye I answer just so are ye who boast your selves the Church of Christ but are not and his commands to observe
and say ye will prove every tittle and now ask me if I did not speak it at the Red-lodge in the Garden-house which was at a meeting of those ye call miserable deluded people who are wandring as ye say in the dark At which time say ye one of us was by So then by your own confession either those ye call miserable deluded people who are wandring in the dark must be the Church or else ye a company of lyars And let me tell you these things are not only aequivocations and mental reservations of which ye speak but downright lying and deceit And because I asked where the Scripture called it self the Word of God ye say for answer ye shall give me four plain places instead of many three of which places have not these expressions in them viz. the Word of God much less that the Scriptures calls it self so and the fourth place saith for laying aside the commandements of God ye hold the traditions of men and full well ye reject the commandement of God that ye may keep your own traditions and again making the Word of God of none effect thorough your traditions Now although in this Scripture the Word of God is mentioned yet doth the Scripture therefore call it self the Word of God Or rather do not ye manifest your selves to be those that do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the Word of God which was before the Scripture was written and from which the Scriptures were given forth who through your own traditions and the traditions of other men do go about to make the powerful Word of God by which all things were made and forever are upheld of none effect And therefore ye say what shall we go to light a candle to the Sun Have not many judicious and godly Writers proved that the Scriptures are the Word of God To which I reply Many men have both said and written it from whose traditions not from the Scriptures ye have received it and amongst others those ye call Popes Papists Priests and Jesuits as well as other ignorant and unlearned men who wrest the Scriptures as ye do have asserted and do affirm it and in their printed books called Catechisms and Christian doctrine have laid it down as principles and fundamentals as they as well as you call it to be learned of all good Christians in which ye may find also the ground of your word mystical body Sacraments and some of that ye call institutions and most if not all your invented and carnal observations used in and about the worship of your God for which no ground being in the Scripture ye and others have by tradition received it from the Popes Cardinals and Priests and other Heathens that know not God But those that knew and ministred of the Word of God which was not a dead letter but quick and powerful commanded that men should not say Who shall ascend into heaven to fetch Christ from above c. for the word of faith which they preached was nigh even in the mouth and in the heart And this is that which against your selves ye have rejected that ye may hold your own and other mens traditions received as aforesaid and so do bear the character of those wicked men of which ye speak that cast the Word of God behind their backs who hate to be reformed thereby And so having in your blind minds without the fear of God rambled thorough what ye had to say in pretence of proof of that ye call your admonition which indeed is but studied accusations and from the father of lyes and invented by his instruments amongst you as before I said In the close ye say Ye have proved every tittle to be true and clear so that ye are no lyars nor false accusers but must turn that back again upon me professing to all the world I have wronged you in what I have written To which I reply I wish ye had been found innocent before the Lord and both true and clear and no lyars nor false accusers then I needed not so to have spoken but instead thereof ye are found more and more guilty adding iniquity to iniquity so that were it needful I could reckon up many more of the lies slanders and false accusations of which ye stand guilty To close this particular for I profess to all the world ye are become such a Synagogue and Cage of false lying and deceitful spirits that to my remembrance I never met with the like nor did believe was to be found upon the earth under the title of a separated Congregation of whom the Parish Assemblies may say as ye say they will they were better to remain as they are then come amongst you except they intend to be made twofold more the children of hell then they are already for instead of proving your selves no lyars nor false accusers and the things ye charged me withal to be true and clear how clearly and truly are ye proved yea have proved your selves by many degrees greater lyars then before so that what is justly charged upon you and said of you in the skirts of the whore stands over your heads in that authority and power of truth that ye shall never be able to return it back nor free your selves of it for it is your portion and ye must bear it and labouring to acquit your selves being guiltie ye have brought upon your head much more of the same righteous judgement so that notwithstanding all your consultations with all those lying spirits to which ye have given heed for whose entertainment in your mystical windie humour'd bodie ye plead the better to recover your veil and hide your shame yet is your vail removed your coveting ript off and your shame manifested more then before and your selves in your imaginations confounded which from God is the portion of those that hate the light and bring not their deeds thereto In pages 18 19. I find a parcel of deceitful stuff scarce worth answering yet can hardlie let pass something without rebuke I find you blaming me for flattering and commending my self as ye say when your selves have published a whole book mostly to vindicate flatter and commend your selves and one anothor in your evil wayes till your iniquity is found out to be abhorred Why had ye not cast the beam out of your own eyes before ye had meddled with motes in mine and better considered the Scripture ye mention viz Let another man praise thee and not thy own lips Again ye say Amaziah was not blamed for the good he did but because he did it not with a perfect heart yet your selves speak contemptuously of perfection and those that labour to attain it Ye say ye knew my spirit and what I did pretend to and observed my gross mistake but were not willing to offend me c. which is deceit and hypocrisie for the true Church cannot bear them that are evil but testifies against them And whereas I had said
witnesse as within the Kingdom of God is within the light which gives the knowledge of the glory of God shines within even in the heart 1 Joh. 2.27 1 Joh. 5.10 1. Cor. 4.6 Christ is within God is within who dwells and walks in them whose bodies are his Temples yet this blinde ignorant and unlearned man is not ashamed to publish that he is no preacher of that Gospil viz. the light within but declares it pernitious doctrine and that he never read or heard that any of the Prophets Apostles or holy men of God did preach such a Gospel c. And for his speaking of Sarah Latchet asking how I can stile her a Servant of Jesus who is an Apostate and an excommunicated person going on in such rayling and calling him a deceiver Another time saying the prayers of the wicked are an abhomination to the Lord. And another time let fly at him with a multitude of rayling and reviling terms such as he saith they use to give to the Ministers of the Nation c. To this I say In that she did bear true Testimony against him I own it as a service in the Truth and her being excommunicated as he cals it by those who deny the true light proves nothing to the contrary nor her calling him deceiver or saying the prayers of the wicked are abhomination to the Lord for so are their services and sacrifices and to deny and bear Testimony against it is no Apostacy upon a true account and to be hated and separated by such from their company and by them to be reproached and to have ones name cast out as evil for the Son of mans sake who is the light of the World is a blessed thing rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets Luke 6.22 23. and his word excommunication is turned back into his bundle of Popish or Heathenish ignorance as that which was never used by the Ministers of Christ And if Sarah Latchet be excommunicated as he calls it then it s like those that did it are ashamed of their work for she knew it not but saith he she let flie at me with such railing termes as they use to give the Ministers of the Nation To which I say why should not he be testified against as well as they being at least in many things found in their steps and practices But for reviling speeches let him look at home He saith she called him Deceiver and said the prayers of the wicked were abhomination to the Lord and this by him is termed rayling and reviling though it be according to the Scriptures which proceeded from those that spake as they were moved of the holy Ghost But he in his answer to Ralph Farmer saith the in-let and out-let the fore-door and back-door of much of Englands misery and consequently of Bristols is an ignorant ungodly lazie proud scandalous soule-murthering Ministry who have made themselves contemptible and base in the eyes of all good men and in the consciences of many bad Now if this be so the Quakers as he calls them did not all the mischief in Bristoll as he falsly saith they did for now he saith the in-let and out-let the fore-door and back-door of much of the misery of England and Bristol is an ignorant ungodly lazie proud scandalous soule-murthering Ministry And so hath he proved himselfe a lyar and a false accuser which the Ministers of Christ were not But who is the rayler and reviler now They that bear true testimony against him and his generation according to Scripture or Thomas Ewins in speaking his own corrupted words out of his polluted and unsanctified fountain who by his own confession questions whether ever he had received the Spirit to purge and purifie cleanse and sanctifie believers and make them holy But if it be so that the misery of England and Bristoll is such a Ministry as he hath before exprest and which he terms the Ministry of the Nation ought they not to be testified against and he also so far as he is found in their condition And may it not well be said that it is the great misery of many poor souls in Bristoll that such ignorant and blinde guides as ye are are followed which is the in-let and out-let the fore-door and back door of so much confusion as is at this day amongst you one bearing with the other in your darknesse and in your streight and large principles till ye become all quite blinde and stark drunk in your imaginations reeling and staggering so that many poor people are even at their wits end and have followed you so long till their soules are even famished and they fallen into misery But glory to the Lord God of life who hath caused light to shine out of darknesse and out of obscurity by which the deceitfull veiles and coverings of the soul-murthering Ministry are made manifest And were those savoury words for Thomas Ewins to say It were fitter such an idle huswife were whipt and sent to Bridewell to worke then to goe about rayling at people as she did Let shame cover his face for ever when he looks back on his own words which are so well like the words and deeds of the Ministers of the Nation which himselfe calls the soul-murthering Ministry that he which reads may easily perceive them to agree and that one and the same spirit leads and guides them all And did not Thomas Ewins let flye at her in envy when he spake such words and hath thus confest it to his shame among those that are not willing to joyn hand with the wicked and to take part with evill doers And for his saying that she cursed and rayled that is but the invented refuge of his lying spirit for the words he sets down as hers are no such things And for his charging her to be idle that is from the same root of lying she having been known to be diligent in an honest employment and lives not by others labours as do the soul-murthering Ministers as he calls them who preach for hire and divine for money and against those that put not into their mouths they prepare war And take liberty to themselves from their high places to reproach revile slander and belye them that feare the Lord and are obedient to Christ the light of the world But if any who feel the burthen of the word of the Lord and witnesse it as a fire in their bones and being weary of holding it in are made to pour it out against the soul-murthering Ministry c. For this they must to the whip to prison to Bridewell c. And in this Thomas Ewins is discovered And for his saying ô be ashamed and confounded poor deceived man because I said she testified from the Lord I say his own words are turned upon his own head and to bear witnesse in truth against his
deceit I call a testifying from the Lord And it 's apparent it reacht him and his bottome was stirred up to give forth such filthy unsavoury words more like a persecuter then a Minister of Christ so that he may well blush to write his own folly and confusion for me his words reach not But he would devise a thing of his own and make a little Logick as he calls it to shew his skill and to evade the thing in hand And when he hath uttered his abhominable lyes asks is this good Logick I say it is his own and not being good he may be ashamed of it for they that read his lines may read his folly He saith in my letter I endeavour to parallel her with Paul and her sufferings with Pauls sufferings him with Pauls persecutors All which is so notoriously false and from the father of lyes that were he not past feeling a man would marvail how without blushing he can write such plain lyes and untruths when nothing like such a thing appears in my letter to him as the Reader may see In which letter I do not so much as once mention her name much lesse do I endeavour to parallel her with Paul or her sufferings with Pauls sufferings But that which I did was to reprove Thomas Ewins for his unsavoury words and practices in opposing the truth and them that come to witnesse against his deceit whom he threatned with Bridewell with whipping c. And by his fruits I tryed him according to the Scriptures found him out of the practice of the true Ministers of Christ and directly in the steps and practices of the enemies of Christ and his Gospel and therefore plainly told him it was the Devill that cast the Saints into prison It was wretched Pilate that scourged Jesus It was those Masters whose gain came in by divination joyning with the rude multitude that carryed Paul and Silas before the Magistrates and caused them to be beaten and cast into prison It was Jesus that told his Disciples they must be so used by the world the generation of vipers c. It was Paul the able Minister of the Spirit and not of the Letter that proved himselfe the Minister of God in patience in tumults in stripes in imprisonments c. But it was Thomas Ewins a Minister of the letter and not of the Spirit that is threatning the servants of God witnesses of Jesus with stripes with whips with Bridewel Now let all that read but honestly consider hovv from these expressions and the like a man vvho hath any fear of God vvithin him can be so knovvingly wicked as to affirme in print that I endeavour to compare her with Paul and her sufferings with his And hovv vvofully it is like by vvicked art he can corrupt the Scriptures and bely the Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God that gave them forth vvho are deceased that dares to affirme things so directly false and untrue as done and published by a man vvhom he knovvs to be yet alive and able enough to see and discover his vvickednesse And hovv blinde and like to fall into the ditch are all those that vvill believe or receive for truth all that comes from so false a speaker vvho I might easily prove is far out of Pauls condition vvho vvas a Minister of Christ and Preacher of the Gospel and called to the vvork But Thomas Ewins hath denyed that he is a Minister either called constituted or ordained And therefore is he no Preacher of the Gospel Paul vvas sent to turn the Gentiles from darknesse to the light But Thomas Ewins saith to bid people turn to the light vvithin is to cause them to cease from believing in the person of Christ And he is no Preacher of that namely to bid people turn to the light Therefore is he no Preacher of the Gospel Again Paul and the Ministers of Christ in meeknesse instructed those vvhich opposed themselves But Thomas Ewins vvhen one came to oppose him in his deceit said It were fitter such an idle huswife were whipt and sent to Bridewell Paul vvent into the Temple and Synagogues to declare against them that held up the Idols Temple and shadovvs from vvhence he vvas haled out imprisoned and abused But Thomas Ewins stands up in the chiefe place of the assembly and Pharisee like he stands praying in the Idols Temple and some that bear vvitnesse against him he threatneth vvith vvhips and Bridevvel and some are haled out and imprisoned for he confesseth pag. 58. in the margin that one is novv imprisoned for disturbing him Therefore Thomas Ewins and Paul are not alike Again Paul vvas not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel and to turn to the light But Thomas Ewins doth either baptize as he calls it that is to say wash the outside of the people in brooks and rivers when the inside is full of hypocrisie deceit and wickedness not being sent or else he was sent to do it and from the light doth hee turn And of that Gospel is he no Preacher therefore no preacher of that Gospel which Paul preached Again it is the work of the Devil the god of the World to blind the minds of those that belive not in the light lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them and into their hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God And Thomas Ewins is no Preacher of the light but lest the light which God commanded to shine out of darkness should shine into peoples hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ he labours hard to blind their minds with prejudice against the light telling them it is pernicious doctrine they that preach it shut up the Kingdom and take people from believing in the person of Christ Therefore is Thomas Ewins a Minister of Satan and a Co-worker with the Devil in blinding peoples minds and turning them from the light And now all this being considered will it be unequal for me to couple him with Ralph Farmer though he would couple me with him and say he wondred that I and they who are so different in other things can all agree to cast stones at him which is a lye for I joined not with Ralph Farmer to cast stones at him whose blood-thirsty spirit I do deny and with it have I no union but in soberness and seriousness I write the truth concerning him But he asketh me if I be not joined a brother in bitterness with him that is to say R. F. I answer nay I am no brother in bitterness with him but all brotherhood and affinity with that bitter envious bloody persecuting spirit with which ye both are acted and ruled I do utterly renounce and disclaim who in my measure have unity with that meek and gentle spirit which with God is of great price and therefore hated and persecuted by Satans instruments but
helps on with his strength and so doth his company And something it was that he confesseth Ralph Farmer gave him the right hand of fellowship and was satisfied in his call By all which and much more that might be said it is manifest that one and the self same spirit guides them both onely one hath a larger measure and the other a straighter about which they need not differ But however as Pilate and Herod in some things they do disagree and are at odds yet in one are they joyned against the Lamb who is the light of which the servants of God do bear witness and although their light hit not in every thing yet are they joyned hand in hand against the true light and although Thomas Ewins in word hath denied himself a Parish Minister yet by his fruits is he manifested to be amongst them and of the same spirit with them and the day hath discovered him and sufficiently is he proved in confusion and truly your covering is the Lord ripping off and your skirts are discovered and the mingled people in the midst of Babylon where are some misbaptized people wanting light to see right administrations but think their Infant-baptism sufficient Others are thorough-paced Anabaptists some walking in straight principles others in large one thinking one thing and another another and yet you differ not Now is not this child like the mother and will not such a son help to recover the veil to cover his mothers skirts that ye may all bear with one another in darkness that your works may be hid but the Lords wayes are not yours and therefore must your skirts be laid open and your heels made bare for the year of the redeemed is come and the glory of the Lord is arisen upon his people as in dayes of old Therefore must Babylon where the darkness and confusion is be troubled and recompenced amongst which your lot is now fall'n And for the answers to the 16. quaeries which I published and he mentions I own them and not a word therein hath he disproved but tells me he might commend my wit in putting them forth after the man is dead To which I say its like he writes one thing and thinks another which with him may be an usual practice But how can I commend his honest dealing upon a just ground who had the answers delivered to him in writing some moneths before the quaeries were published And was that honest or commendable for him to be the conveyer of 16. Antiquaeries to me and in short time received an answer from those to whom the Antiquaeries were directed and either conceal them himself from John Pendarvis or else he neglect to take notice thereof and in his book several moneths after published the said Antiquaeries by the name of quaeries as if they had never been answered now if he had not printed the quaeries or printing them had also printed the answers and so had replyed thereto or if they could have disproved them it had been something like men but to print the one and conceal the other is so absolutely foul and deceitful that it was the cause of publishing those answers that he with all that were concerned in that deceit might be manifested And if Thomas Ewins will clear his fellow which is dead he may and then his own hypocrisie will the more appear And whereas he confesseth those quaeries were once answered by another and pretends the answers agree not And that if four more had answered them they might perhaps have come as near in their answers as sixe of the Preachers of England might do in their interpreting a place of Scripture To this I say wherein do the answers differ or how doth it appear that they agree not for he manifests nothing of it And since he could manifest nothing why doth he give his tongue and his pen to slandering But doth one answer build up that which another throws downe or doth one confesse that which another denies It 's true one answer may be larger then another and good reafon for there was something in the Antiquaeries which was lest out when they were printed by the name of Quaeries and was not that a difference among themselves one while to send them by the name of Antiquaeries and after they were so answered to print them by the name of Quaeries Besides did Matthew Marke Luke and John differ and not agree and therefore reproveable by him because of the thing of which they all declare they use not one and the self-same words and no more but one is larger in his Declaration then another And whereas he seemeth to compare the Antiquaeries to the Scripture and the answers to the meaning or interpretation the Priest put thereon I say his comparison will not hold for the Antiquaeries in which were lyes and deceit are not to be compared to the Scriptures of truth And if he be not wilfully blinde and ignorant he may see his own confusion and his companions who are of differing principles as much as is betwixt streight and broad and yet saith he we differ not and yet himselfe would slander others in secret for differing but no wayes makes it appeare wherein And so in this as well as in other of his works hath he manifested his owne folly and all the said answers stand uncontrolled by him in the least But why appears he in pag. 44. 63. ashamed of his call by those called a Church and saith he that is Ralph Farmer dealt dis-ingenuously in telling how they sent for him out of Wales c. when he knew he was sent for by the Mayor some Aldermen many of the Councill and other Gentlemen and Commissioners of the City of Bristoll For were he not blinde he might be silent and not have declined his Call by those himself calls a Church and claimed it from the powers of the earth who in the gainsaying generation are found from whom the servants of God who beare testimony to his name and in his power are sent and moved to declare against the abhominations and false worships of the times have and do receive the like measure now as the Prophets and Ministers of the Lord in former ages did from the Rulers and false worshippers of their times when of the Lord they were sent and moved to declare against the same And what friends to the Gospel and power of godlinesse the generality of those aforesaid have been is not unknown vvho in their several dayes appeared as bad as they durst under the powers that controlled them persecuting not onely the life and power of godlinesse but even the forme of it also a more particular accompt whereof in due season may be given as occasion is ministred to the shame and everlasting contempt of the persecutors whose names must rot 1641 1642 But can it be forgotten how they in former dayes persecuted imprisoned indicted arraigned and bound to good behaviour the people called Puritans and Sectaries
generations past And then poor man what hath he to preach or to minister or with what can he quicken comfort and refresh poor souls and turn them to God as he speaks Well may he feed them with ashes winde and confusion with lying visions with a vision of his own heart And by a spirit of Divination may he cause them to erre from the right way like Balaam But with the bread of life the immortall food the power of God the life and quickning of the Spirit the hidden mysteries of the Gospel in which the glory of God is manifested he is not intrusted neither of it can he at all minister to whom it is hid and not opened nor revealed And are not all those blinde and like to fall into the ditch that are led by such a guide expecting to receive joy peace establishment comfort refreshment from him who is out of it all can do nothing vvell but is dry barren and empty in the pollution and defilement not purged cleansed nor sanctified nor adorned with spirituall gifts but is himselfe out of it all and gives it under his hand that it is so And how dares he say his record is on high and that many soules that lay weltring in their blood of ignorance before he came are now turned to God For although the children of the night and of darknesse may flatter and please themselves in their imaginations and lying visions yet how can he be an instrument to turn souls to God who himselfe is out of all c. as is before mentioned and can do nothing well nor knows that God to whom he pretends to turn souls for God is light and in him is no darknesse at all and those that turn souls to God turn them to the light for God is light but of this is he no Preacher but accounts it pernicious doctrine to bid people turn to the light And whereas he saith page 59. it is his daily care and work to preach the Kingdome of God freely to sinners and the Lord Jesus Christ as the vvay to the Kingdome and to invite and encourage poor soules to come into it I say his ignorance both of the Kingdome of God and of Christ the light which is the way is seen and comprehended For the Kingdome of God cometh not with observation but saith Christ who is the true light and the vvay to the Kingdome the Kingdome of God is within you and in his Kingdome he is vvho is light and he that is the vvay and the truth the same is the light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world And all that are invited and encouraged to come into the Kingdome are invited and encouraged to come into it vvhere it is and that is within and not in outvvard observations and those that are encouraged to vvalk in the vvay that leadeth into the Kingdom are encouraged to receive and vvalk in the light vvhich is the vvay Christ Jesus the light of the vvorld and so all that preach the Kingdome of God preach it vvithin and all that ever preached Christ the vvay to the Kingdome preached the light for he is the true light But against all this hath Thomas Ewins declared not only his ignorance but also his enmity and saith to bid people turn to the light vvithin is pernicious Doctrine of it is he no Preacher and those that preach this Doctrine do shut up the Kingdome against themselves and others Alas poor blinde man vvhat a pittiful thing of a Preacher is he vvhose eye is so utterly darkned and made blinde by the god of the World to vvhom he turns or vvith vvhom he keeps multitudes of souls that novv the day is so much appeared he cannot see but is groping as in the night vvearying himself in his imaginations stumbling at the light which is his condemnation but the glory of Gods Israel vvho receive and believe in the same And whereas he saith he preacheth that Gospel of glad tydings which Christ gave Commandment to be preached to all Nations in which the everlasting love and good Will of God in Christ is declared to lost sinners I say that Gospel of which the Apostles of Christ were not ashamed is the power of God to salvation to all that receive his love and believe in the light but against all that walk after the flesh according to the course of this world in the imaginations of their hearts not believing in the light nor to it are obedient but hold the truth of God in unrighteousness the wrath of God is revealed and thorough the Gospel which is the power of God is tribulation and anguish ministred to every soul that doth evil and against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and the Gospel of the grace of God teacheth to deny it which Gospel according to the Commandement of Christ is now preached not onely thoroughout this Nation of England and the domions thereof but in most or all other Nations I know in the world so that the chief Cities and Seats of the Pope and Turk are not exempted and the Ministers thereof have not loved their lives unto the death nor accompted any thing too dear or too much to suffer so they may but finish their testimony and the Ministry which by God is committed to them for the Elects sake and from other Heathens do they receive the like measure abroad as they do from their own Country-men at home and account it not grievous to suffer for the name of Jesus whilst the Ministers of Satan that work deceitfully destroying souls for dishonest gain are at ease in their wealthy Parishes and Lectures living in pleasure and idleness not serving the Lord but their own bellies and by pleasing words deceive the souls of the simple speaking evil of that they understand not persecuting the truth and evilly entreating the Messengers thereof for which they must give an accompt And for what he speaks of Mary Prince which he calls Mrs. Prince accusing her of envy hypocrisie railing reproaching jeering scoffing c. I say Alas poor man why had he not first pulled the beam out of his own eye before he had sought motes in anothers eye for Mary Prince for many years past hath had and still hath so large a witness not onely in his own conscience but in the consciences of many other her enemies of her meek sober and good conversation beyond many which he himself accompts the people of God that I need not say a word in her behalf but let wickedness be upon the head of the wicked and false accuser But for what is she accused as aforesaid why for this namely bearing true testimony against his deceit and as he saith called to the people at his Lecture and bid them beware of him for she had heard him say that he had not the Spirit of God To which I say I never read of any of the Ministers of Christ that were owners of a thing called a Lecture
keep the whole Law for to say we are bound to one Ceremony of the Law and not to others is no reasonable thing for saith he we are bound to all or to none And so he goes on shewing how our Priests were one with the Pharisees leaving off the ceremonies of the Law keeping onely the Commandement of Tythes And how plain it is that Christ was a Priest after the order of Melchisedech of the Tribe of Judah not of Levi and gave no new Commandement of Tything any thing to him and his Priests And when his Disciples said We have left all to follow thee what shall we have He did not say Tythes shall be paid you and that since neither by the Commandement of Christ nor his Apostles people were to pay Tythes it is saith he manifest and plain that neither by the Law of Christ nor of Moses Christian people are bound to pay Tythes but by the traditions of men c. The like testmony is born again Tythes by that valiant Martyr William Thrope of whom the Reader may read more at large in the foresaid Book of Martyrs where the largeness of his testimony the greatness of his sufferings and the resolution of his spirit for the Lord against the Priests and Tythes as well as swearing is recorded in p. 693. It appears he was accused to the Archbishop of Canterbury by the men of Shrovesbury for saying 1. That the Sacrament after consecration was bread 2. That Images should in no wise be worshipped 3. That men should not go on pilgrimage 4. That Priests have no title to Tythes 5. That it is not lawful to swear in any wise And in pag. 700. the Archbishop accuseth him for deeming holy Church to have erred in the Ordinance of Tythes and other duties to be paid to Priests To which Thrope answers That Tythes were given to Levites and Priests by the old Law that came of the linage of Levi but our priests came not of that linage and that Christ all the time of his preaching lived by pure alms and so did the Apostles by his example or by the travel of their hands and that every priest that Christ approveth knows that the Disciple is not to be above his Lord c. Upon which said the Archbishop Gods curse have thou and mine for this teaching c. To which Thrope answered in the words of one of their Doctors which he supposed was St. Jerome That those priests that now under the new Law do challenge Tythes do in effect say that Christ is not become man nor suffered death And also that since Tythes were the wages limited to Levites and priests of the old Law for bearing about the Tabernacle slaying of beasts and other observations pertaining to their Office those priests that now challenge or take Tythes deny that Christ is come in the flesh and do the office of the old Law or else they take Tythes wrongfully Upon which the Archbishop said They inforce people to expugne the freedom of holy Church To which Thrope answers Why call ye the taking of Tythes and other duties that now priests challenge wrongfully the freedom of holy Church Since neither Christ nor his Apostles challenged nor took such duties and therefore saith he all such giving and taking ought to be called and holden the slaverous covetousness of men c. And when the Archbishop demanded why he did not speak against Lords Knights and Esquires as well as against priests he declares that since Chrysostom saith that Priests are the stomack of the people and since by the vitiousness of the Priests both Lords and Commons are most sinfully infected and because the pride and covetousness of priests and the boast they make of their dignity and power destroyes not onely the vertue of priesthood in priests themselves but stirreth up God to take vengeance both on Lords and Commons that suffer them it 's needful saith he to be busie about them Famous Wickliff also bears testimony against Tythes priests c. who as the History declares had by his doctrin born so large a testimony against the proud covetous oppressing generation of priests and persecutors in his days that they greatly persecuted him whilst he lived but by the power and wisdom of God was preserved to dye in his bed and so not being able to reach his life they proceeded to judgement and condemnation of his Books and certain articles they had collected against him some of which were that he held that Tythes or tenths are pure alms and that the parishoners may for offence of their Curate detain and keep them back and bestow them on others at their own will and pleasure and that the priests are bound to get their living by the labour of their hands and he that gives any alms to them is accursed or in danger thereof against whom the rage of the persecutors was such that 41. years after his death they digged up his bones and burned them Much more might be mentioned of these and others of the Martyrs and holy men of God who in their several times suffered grievously manifold torments and miseries and loved not their lives unto the death bearing testimony for the Lord against the corruption in doctrine and practice of the priesthood of England and particularly against Tythes and swearing at all And should I but mention all that is there recorded and how they suffered imprisonment yea death it self bearing testimony against swearing upon a book and swearing at all in any case in any wise by the creature or by the Creator and against Tythes and covetous wickednesse of priests Curates and Vicars time would fail me and what I have said may suffice for a taste And by it may Richard Fowler and his Elders be tryed yea may try themselves in whose steps they are and whether they are one with the Saints and Martyrs of God who were evilly entreated imprisoned and persecuted by the wicked generation for not swearing at all and withstanding the payment of Tythes oblations and dues claimed by priests or else one with the priests and persecutors that murthered the Saints spoyling and imprisoning those that stood faithful to God testifying against such evil things and whether it is not as deep hypocrisie in them outwardly to seem to approve the Martyrs and condemn their persecutors whilst themselves are doing the same things as it was for the priests and Elders Scribes and pharisees that murthered Christ and persecuted his Saints that then were alive to approve the prophets and condemn their persecutors saying Had we been in the dayes of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets c. And whether in honesty Richard Fowler and his people ought not to deny and disclaim the Martyrs and justifie their persecutors or else repent and own the shame of their present practices which by the testimony of Martyrs is condemned And if Richard Fowler thinking to excuse himself shall pretend