therein they that cannot interpret it by the other four nor yet by the Commission it self nor by the Commissioners faithful observance thereof in all other instances let them prove if they can these three particulars 1. That Lydia ever had a husband 2. In case she had that ever she had any children by him and if so then in the 3. place that they were not dead or so grown up that they might hear and receive the word gladly as well as their mother 3. A third argument to prove that a visible believer is the person that according to the mind of Christ is to be baptized in water may be taken from the order which the Spirit of Christ laies down faith and baptism in the scriptures of truth putting faith still in the first place witness Mark 16. 15 16. Mat. 28. 19. Heb. 6. Eph. 4. A 4 argument may be taken from the nature of the ordinance and a 5 from Johns Baptism Yea much more might be said to this point but this may suffice And also the only person that is to walk in the visible order of his house and so to wait for his comming the second time in the form of a Lord and King with his glorious Kingdome according to promise That he is the only person that is to enter into and walk in the visible order of his house will evidently appear if the order in which our Lord left his house when he went to his Father to receive his kingdome be duly considered for in his last will and testament we shall find it thus recorded when our Lord was about to be gone he gave order unto his Apostles whom he made stewards in his house of the mysteries of God to make him Disciples of all Nations and that such as were so made should then be baptized and so visibly planted into Christ and put on Christ and having so received him should walk in him observing all things whatsoever he had commanded the first thing wherof as touching order was to be added or joined one to another in the fellowship of the Gospel by a mutual professed subjection to the Scepter of Christ and being a company thus called out of the world from worldly vanities and worldly worships after Christ Jesus the Lord which is the proper English of these words the Church of Christ and is in other terms called the Houshold of faith should steadfastly continue together in the Apostles doctrine sci the consolation reproof and instruction thereof in Fellowship sci mutual support both inward and outward in Breaking of bread thereby remembring the death of our Lord whose soul was made an offering for sin as his flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed by the help of the Spirit to nourish our souls and spirits up unto eternal life and in prayer one with and for another And that this is the absolute order which the Lord hath appointed in his last Will and Testament doth evidently appear both by his own precept and command and by the practice of such as first trusted in him and if so then neither infants of daies nor yet such as profess themselves to be believers in Jesus but refuse as a manifestation thereof according to the practice of such as first trusted in Christ to yield up themselves to be planted into the death burial and resurrection of Christ and so visibly to put Christ on as did the Christians of old I say such have no visible right to enter into or walk in the order of the Gospel of Christ and to conclude the point the argument stands thus They and they only have visible right to enter into and walk in the visible order of Christs house and so to wait for his comming whom Christ Jesus himself being the Lord of the house hath appointed and his Apostles being his stewards have approved of But such as first have been taught and made disciples or Scholars of Jesus and believers in Christ and afterwards have bin baptised or dipped and therby visibly lively planted into the death burial and resurrection of Christ are they and they only whom Christ hath appointed and the Apostles have approved of See his Commission peruse their practice Ergo They and they only have visible right to enter into and walk in the order of Christs house and so to wait for his comming the second time in the form of a King with his glorious Kingdom according to promise See for a farther confirmation of the last clause in the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. 7. 1 The 1 10. 2. The. 3. 5. But to proceed He is the person that is also to wait for his Lords sending down from the right hand of his father in the time of his absence the holy Ghost or holy Spirit of promise and all this according to the last will and testament of that living Lord That this living Lord did promise when he left this present evil world that is in a great measure subjected to devils and went to his Father not only to return again but in the time of his absence as a testimony of his great love unto such as are called to be his disciples manifest the same by loving him keeping his commandments and as a teâ—â—imony of his loving acceptance at the right hand his Father to send down the holy Spirit which should be in them as a well-spring of living water flowing forth unto eternall life who being a Spirit of truth and sent by Christ who is the truth which God will exalt shall glorifie him take of him and his and shew unto them and so lead them from truth to truth until he hath brought them into all truth as a comforter or Spirit of comfort shall fill their hearts with joy in believing by bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God and by revealing unto them the precious things w ch God hath prepared for them that love him which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive and as a holy Spirit shall set them apart that are justifyed by the blood of his Son unto the holy God and sanctifie them throughout in soul and spirit and body and as a Spirit of supplication shall help them to speak unto God and as a Spirit of prophecy to speak unto men that this Lord I say did promise unto his disciples who love him and keep his commandments in the time of his absence the presence of such a Spirit as this which hath supplies in him beyond what the â—oul lacks and that therfore they are to wait for this promise and for these supplies in his appointments will clearly appear 1. Out of the words of the Lord himself See Iohn 14. 15 16 17. so v. 26. chap. 15. 26. chap. 16. 7 8. so v. 13 14 15. five times in that night in which he was betraied doth he repeat that promise to his Disciples
soul it may so shine forth before the sons of men that they seeing thy good works may have cause administred to glorify our father which is in heaven It is not words now Christian although they were spoken with tongues of men and Angels when that worthy name is every where well spoken of but faith that works by love and love by works that will distinguish a heady from a hearty Christian Say not in thine heart that Christs Comands are low and his appointments carnall legal injunctions and at the best but neat for babes least hereby thine heart be declared to be vainly puft â—p in thy carnall or fleshly mind and to have too low and carnall conceits of Christ himself who is the injoyner appointer and commander thereof and shall ere long appear as Judge yea least hereby thou be declared ignorant or at the best forgetful of this one thing that it is the great design of God in Christ as to glorifie himself to admiration in poor sinful flesh so whilest he doth it to hide pride from man and therefore as he hath chosen not many wise mighty nor noble of this world but the foolish weak base despised nothings thereof so hath he suited his commands and appointments thereunto and intends through these foolish things so to cause his wisdome to shine forth as thereby to confound the wise through these weak things so to cause his power to appear as thereby to confound the things that are mighty and through these base dispised things that are not to bring to nought those noble glorious and excellent things of the world that are Thou mayst herein see gentle Reader that I have rather chosen to bear witness to the faith and order of our Lord and to shew unto the world but especially unto thee what is the mind of Christ in this time of his absence as to faith and obedience to shew I say rather what is truth which is but one than to bear witness against the ly which is so various knowing that the truth once established shall discover the falshood and light breaking forth shall scatter the darkness And whilest I lead thee forth to seek him whom thy soul loveth and longeth after who is also thy joy and thy Crown while I lead thee I say by the footsteps of those flocks that first trusted in Christ and were fed by such pastors according to his own heart as he gave them God forbid that thou shouldst be as one that wilt turn aside by the flocks of his companions and shouldst be found remaining either on the left side in a visible way of worship in deed but such as was neither appointed by Christ nor yet practised by them who first trusted in him or on the right in no visible way of worship or order at all either pretending that the outward court is given to the Gentiles and the holy City is by them to be troden under foot that the Church of Christ is now in the wilderness and the time of its recovery is not yet or else pretending that God is a spirit and so will in spirit be worshipped and not in this place or that in this way or that Well if thou beest in these waies misled I can no longer forbear in tenderness of spirit and compassionate bowels of love to stretch forth a helping hand thereby to try whether it be the good pleasure of God at this time to drop down a word of light and life and power into thine heart that thou mayest be there by awakned and quickned to be still saying within thy soul Lord what wilt thou have me to do so shalt thou hear such a saying as this Come out from among them Oh my people and be ye separate from them and touch no unsanctifyed thing and I will receive you and be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty and also such a saying as this Blessed are they that do his commands for they have right to the tree of life and shall enter in through those gates of pearl into that glorious City Rev. 22. 14. and know that these are the commandments of Jesus sci As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him and behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast yea hold fast till I come And such as may be under the later disceptions let me intreat thee to ponder these words in thine heart sci That prophecies although marvelous plain and easy to be understood cannot warrant a pure conscience to neglect much less to cast off the commandments and oppointments of Jesus neither can the spirit of Christ direct or incourage the heart of a Christian to cast off his lordship no no the spirit of Christ is hereby distinguished from that of Antichrist in that he shall unfainedly confess that Jesus is the Christ and that this Christ Jesus is come in the flesh and when he is come according to promise into the heart of a Christian he shall not speak of himself but as a messenger his office is to gloryfie Christ by taking of him and his and shewing it unto yea writing it in the heart of a Christian so that I dare boldly say there is none for the exaltation of Christ Jesus the lord according to his last will and testament and for the nourishing a lively hope in the heart of a Christian concerning his glorious return I say there is none to that holy spirit of promise who being also the spirit of truth shall guide the souls of the Saints to worship the father as in spirit so likewise in truth and therfore that spirit that speaks of himself and is so far from taking of Christs to exalt and gloryfie him according as he hath foretold and his father intended that he takes from Christ laies him low and diminisheth his glory that spirit cannot be the spirit of Christ or that holy spirit of promise and for asmuch as the spirit speaketh expresly that in these later daies there shall be seducing spirits that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect of God whose incounter will not be so much with flesh and blood but with wicked spirits in high places let me therfore exhort thee in the words of that beloved disciple of Christ beleive not every spirit but try the spirits and that by this rule whether they be of God or no bring them to the wholsome words of the holy Apostles Prophets and son of God ye erre saith Christ not knowing the scriptures and the power of God let it be thy care Christian therfore to search the Scriptures and therein to wait for the power and glory of the spirit of God And look to thy spirit for as immediately before Christs appearing in flesh Satan in a large measure possessed the bodies of men that by his casting them out his power in flesh might appear So before his coming again in glory I have grounds
Seat and cursed me saying The Curse of God or Iesus goe with thee so we were carried to the Prison where not long after I was deprived of my two loving Friends at whose departure the Adversary stept in took hold on my Spirit and troubled me for the space of an hour and then the Lord came in and sweetly releeved me causing me to look to himself so was I stayed and refreshed in the thoughts of my God and although during the time of my Imprisonment the Tempter was busie yet it pleased God so to stand at my right hand that the motions were but sudden and so vanished away and although there were that would have payd the money if I would accept it yet I durst not accept of deliverance in such a way and therefore my answer to them was that although I would acknowledge their love to a cup of cold Water yet could I not thank them for their money if they should pay it so the Court drew neer and the night before I should suffer according to my sentence it pleased God I rested and slept quietly in the morning many Friends came to visit me desiring me to take the refreshment of Wine and other Comforts but my resolution was not to drink Wine nor strong drink that day untill my punishment were over and the reason was lest in case I had more strength courage and boldnesse than ordinarily could be expected the VVorld should either say he is drunk with new VVine or else that the comfort and strength of the Creature hath carried him through but my course was this I desired Brother John Hazell to bear my Friends company and I betook my self to my Chamber where I might communicate with my God commit my self to him and beg strength from him I had no sooner sequestred my self and come into my Chamber but Sathan lets flie at me saying Remember thy self thy birth breeding and friends thy wife children name and credit but as this was sudden so there came in sweetly from the Lord as sudden an answer 't is for my Lord I must not deny him before the Sons of men for that is to set men above him but rather lose all yea wife children and mine own life also To this the tempter replies Oh! but that is the question is it for him and for him alone is it not rather for thy own or some others sake thou hast so professed and practised and now art loth to deny it is not pride and self in the bottom surely this temptation was strong and thereupon I made diligent search after the matter as formerly I had done and after a while there was even as it had been a voyce from Heaven in my very Soul bearing witnes with my Conscience that it was not for any mans case or sake in this world that so I had professed and practised but for my Lords case and sake and for him alone whereupon my Spirit was much refresht as also in the consideration of these three Scriptures which speak on this wise Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Although I walk through the valley and shadow of Death I will fear none evill thy rod and thy staff they shall comfort me And he that continueth to to the end the same shall be saved But then came in the consideration of the weaknesse of the Flesh to bear the strokes of a whip though the Spirit was willing and hereupon I was caused to pray earnestly unto the Lord that he would be pleased to give me a spirit of courage and boldnesse a tongue to speak for him and strength of body to suffer for his sake and not to shrink or yeeld to the stroaks or shed tears lest the adversaries of the truth should thereupon blaspheme and be hardned and the weak and feeble-hearted discouraged and for this I befought the Lord earnestly at length he satisfied my spirit to give up as my soul so my body to him and quietly to leave the whole disposing of the matter to him and so I addressed my self in as comely a manner as I could having such a Lord and Master to serve in this businesse And when I heard the voyce of my Keeper come for me even cheerfulnesse did come upon me and taking my Testament in my hand I went along with him to the place of execution and after common salutation there stood there stood by also one of the Magistrates by name Mr. Encrease Nowell who for a while kept silent and spoke not a word and so did I expecting the Governours presence but he came not But after a while Mr. Nowell bad the Executioner doe his Office then I desired to speak a few words but Mr. Nowell answered it is not now a time to speak whereupon I took leave and said Men Brethren Fathers and Countrey-men I beseech you give me leave to speak a few words and the rather because here are many Spectators to see me punished and I am to seal with my Blood if God give strength that which I hold and practise in reference to the Word of God and the testimony of Iesus that which I have to say in brief is this Although I confesse I am no Disputant yet seeing I am to seal what I hold with my Blood I am ready to defend it by the Word and to dispute that point with any that shall come forth to withstand it Mr. Nowell answered me now was no time to dispute then said I then I desire to give an account of the Faith and Order I hold and this I desired three times but in comes Mr. Flint and saith to the Executioner Fellow doe thine Office for this Fellow would but make a long Speech to delude the people so I being resolved to speak told the people That which I am to suffer for is for the Word of God and testimony of Iesus Christ No saith Mr. Nowell it is for your Error and going about to seduce the people to which I replyed not for Error for in all the time of my Imprisonment wherein I was left alone my Brethren being gone which of all your Ministers in all that time came to convince me of Error and when upon the Governours words a motion was made for a publick dispute and upon fair terms so often renewed and desired by hundreds what was the reason it was not granted Mr. Nowell told me it was his fault that went away and would not dispute but this the Writings will cleer at large still Mr. Flint calls to the man to doe his Office so before and in the time of his pulling off my cloathes I continued speaking telling them That I had so learned that for all Boston I would not give my bodie into their hands thus to be bruised upon another account yet upon this I would not give the hundredth part of a Wampon Peague to free it out of their hands and that I made as much Conscience of unbuttoning one button as I
that may be presented for the preservation of the whole And this in brief is the sum of that administration of Christs power in earth so far as it meerly concerns the outward man with respect to others that may uphold it or molest it and is managed by that sword of steel which in reference unto him is called in scripture the rod of iron by which he rules the nations and breaks them to peeces like a Potters vessel and with this administration of his power on Earth Right Honourable hath he who is the Lord of Lords and shall ere long appear as King and Judge of all betrusted you in these three Nations having as a manifest token thereof put into your hand that iron rod and to admiration hath strengthened and upheld your arm for the subduing and ordering of the same There is yet besides this another administration of Christs power on Earth which compared with this may be truly termed heavenly and spirituall it being that which suiteth with and principally is exercised about the spirituall or hidden part of man to wit his spirit mind and conscience which is indeed the most naturall Lord and commander of the outward it and all things belonging thereunto being but naturally subject and readily obedient from which very consideration it is that it is more safe and also more honourable for the powers on earth to have one thousand souls to be subject to them for love and conscience sake than to have ten thousand times ten thousand bodies seemingly subject for wrath sake and for fear of revenge this spirit and great commander in man is such a sparkling beam from the Father of lights and spirits that it cannot be lorded over commanded or forced either by men devils or angels but onely leaving its first station wherein it came so neer to the light and glory of God it is now caused to possess death and darkness and by that means is in a capacity by men and devils to be deceived and so by perswasion to be mis-led This spirituall administration of Christs power in and over the spirits and consciences of men as it extends to all the inward and hidden motions and actings of the mind so to all the outward manifestations of its powerfull commands in the outward man in reference unto God and especially unto such as appertain to the visible worship and service of God who hath declared himself to be a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and seeks such and onely such to worship him This spirituall administration so far as it concerns the outward man is managed not by a sword of Steel which cannot come neer or touch the spirit or mind of man but by the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of his servants the word of truth and especially as to the efficacy and to the inward man by the two-edged sword of the Spirit that spirituall law and light with which these candles of the Lord are enlightned and that by himself who is that light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world and this spirituall administration of Christs power on earth in and over the spirits minds and consciences of the sons of men and also over the outward man as to worship meerly is committed into the hands of the Spirit of Christ who is his vice-roy here on earth and is only able to deal with spirits by way of convincing converting transforming and as it were a-new creating of them and so to translate them out of the Kingdome of darkness in which they are by nature into the glorious â—iberty of the Saints in light Who is pleased also to make use of the mouths of his servants and through them as empty reeds and crooked rams-hornes to overturn the spirits and spirituall strong holds of men and devils and by them to convict avenge and execute the sentence written which upon such as manifest the emnity that is in their minds in the highest degree even against the holy Spirit himself the only sin unpardonable for all other sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven I say the written sentence that is to be executed upon such is anathema maranatha that is accursed with this intimation our Lord cometh leaving them untill he meet with them and otherwise than thus the servants of Christ cannot proceed having express command not to strive but to be patient apt to teach in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves to wait if God at anytime wil give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth Thus if it please the Father of lights to give you Right Honorable to distinguish between these two administrations of Christ's power here on earth and to leave that part to himself in the hand of his Spirit which cannot be conferred on others nor yet rightly managed but by the two-edged sword of that Spirit and wholly give up your selves to improve that part which belongs unto and well suits with that sword which you are now betrusted with it will much conduce to his glory your own praise and the peace and settlement of these three Nations over which the Lord hath set you And whereas Right Honorable it is in your hearts to propagate the Gospell of Jesus Christ the thing is excellent that is in your hearts and I hope the way to effect it is before you which is sith the Lord of hoasts hath said that works of this nature are carried on not by might nor by power but by his Spirit therefore to give way to his Spirit for the effecting thereof and to this end I humbly propose that your way to further this glorious design as to the might and power this Lord of Hoasts hath betrusted you with is 1. Not so much as to touch his Anointed and to do his Prophets no harm their ointment being the Spirit of prophecy and this Spirit of prophecy the testimony and witness of the Gospel of Jesus And 2. As obedient and dutifull servants to that Lord of Lords to suffer the Tares which being by the adversary sown after the Wheat must needs be ment erronious hereticall and antichristian persons professing the Gospel I say to let these tares alone in that part of the field or world over which the great Lord of the harvest hath placed your Honors sith it is his pleasure they shall there remain to the time of the harvest being the end of the world and that out of his tender respect to the Wheat lest in plucking up the tares though evidently discerned by his servants the Wheat should be rooted up also And 3. To the same end not to give your sword or power to the beast nor yet to suffer your power neither in these three nations nor yet in any forreign part of the world to be so misused by any to whom 't is committed as by vertue thereof out of an ignorant zeal and blind devotion pretending to pluck up the tares which yet is contrary to the express
practise among those that first trusted in him have you for baptizing of infants who are declared to be but flesh and by nature the Children of wrath one as well as another for rantising and sprinkling them and not baptizing or dipping them for accepting such as were sprinkled with superstitious hallowed water and by the hand of as superstitious consecrated a ministery of Antichrist and for receiving of such as are sprinkled by your selves to the ordinance of baptism as you call it but yet to deny them communion in the Apostles doctrine and in breaking of bread And if you cannot find either precept from Christ or his Apostles or example among those that first trusted in Christ for none of these then will you be aâ— loss for the rest and neither find precept or president for your joining together or for your imitation of those that fiâ—st trusted in him in their ministery of continuance togegether in the Apostles doctrine and fellow ship and breaking of bread and prayer And touching your way to maintain it what have you a precept and president in the last will and testiment of Christ for such a gathering together with respect to the order of the Gospell of Christ in the name and by the leave of the Magistrate so as to make it a thing unlawful for the servants of Christ to do it without him by the civil sword to correct errour heresies and all false worships to constrain all Church-members and such also as are without and so cannot but by you be looked upon to be without faith without which it is impossible to please God outwardly and hypocritically to conform to your worship or to restrain them in like manner outwardly and hypocritically from enjoying their own when according to that rule to which is annexed the promise of peace to such as walk thereby the greatest Apostacies and Blasphemies that unpardonable fin it self not excepted were but punished with a delivery of the person that was guilty thereof unto Satan the God of this world that he might learn not to blaspheme the God of heaven and so to leave him to the coming of the Lord who shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon such and so much is signified by the word anathema Maranatha And I pray consider whether this be not to place the Magistrate too high or too low too high in case you make him the chief and upon the point the only Judge in spiritual things â—uch as appertain to the mystery of godliness that is so great and such as belong to the mystery of the Kingdome of Christ that is so wonderful so as to judge and determine what is truth and what is error and heresie what is the right way of the worship of God who being a spirit hath declared that he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and what is not who are the worshippers he seeks for and who are such as his soul abhors and again too low in case you make him but the executioner only of other mens judgements which indeed is the ordinary practise And so I have done with the first argument the second stands thus 2. Arg. That order and way to maintain it which is not only different from but contrary unto the precept of Christ in his last will and testament and the practise of Christians that first trusted in him that order cannot be the order of the Gospel of Christ nor that way his way to maintain it But the order which you call the order of the Gospel of Christ and the way which you say is his way to maintain it is not only different from but contrary unto the precept of Christ and the practise of Christians that first trusted in him The first proposition it undeniable and the second will easily appear to be true if your order and that way by which you seek to maintain it be brought to and compared with the precept of Christ and his Apostles and the example of those churches that first trusted in him and first compare but your order with either precept or president and it will evidently appear not only to be differing from but contrary unto the order of the Gospel of Christ for according to the precept of Christ every creature to whom the Gospel was to be preached was by the preaching thereof to be made a disciple before he was to be baptised and then being so made and baptized he was to be taught to observe all things which Christ had commanded which was in reference to a sober righteous and godly conversation in the order of his house according to which precept was the practise of those that first trusted in him for they and they only that gladly received the word of salvation by Jesus Christ were baptized Acts 2 and they and all they that were baptized were joined without the leave of the Magistrate and continued together steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer but your joining together not at the command of the Lord but by the leave of the Magistrate and your continuing together in imitation of the first Churches and appointing a ministery before your selves be baptized and so visibly planted into the death of Christ as they were and your administring baptism as you call it to such as are not the true subjects thereof before they are taught or made disciples and after a false manner viz. by sprinkling which no way resembles the death burial or resurrection of Jesus Christ being that which his baptisme is appointed to do and your admitting some unto baptism as you own it which you refuse to admit unto breaking of bread and your receiving such to breaking of bread which yet were never baptized with the baptism appointed by Jesus Christ the Lord and your shutting out the exercise of the gift of prophecying which in the Church of Christ doth admirably tend to edification and your introducing a mixt confused way of singing which fills the ear rather with a loud sound of words than the heart with any thing that is truly edifying all which is not only differing from but contrary unto both precept and president and so cannot be the order of the Gospel of Christ and therefore is no better than disorder confusion and a part of that which in Scripture language is called Babell And compare that way by which you maintain it either with the precept of Christ or with the president of primitive Christians and it will as evidently appear not only to be different from but contrary unto them both for first the precept of Christ was to learn of him who was meek and lowly and to expect trouble and persecution from others and not to persecute neither to force the Jews that would not follow him nor yet to fire the Samaritans that would not receive him yea he expressely commands his Servants to let the rares alone with the wheat and suffers no small inconvenience thereby to
following meet again at the said William Witters in contempt to Authority you being then in the custody of the Law and did there receive the Sacrament being Excommunicate and that you did Baptize such as were Baptized before and thereby did necessarily deny the Baptism that was before administred to be Baptism the Churches no Churches and also other Ordinances and Ministers as if all were a Nullity And also did deny the lawfullness of Baptizing of Infants and all this tends to the dishonour of God the despising the ordinances of God among us the peace of the Churches and seducing the Subjects of this Commonwealth from the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and perverting the strait waies of the Lord the Court doth fine you 30 pounds to be paid or sufficient sureties that the said sum shall be paid by the first day of the next Court of Assistants or else to be well whipt and that you shall remain in Prison till it be paid or security given in for it By the Court ENCREASE NOWELL And now because his sufferings and the sence which his Soul felt of the Lords Support according to promise is affectionately set forth and commended as a token of his love in a Letter written with his own hand and sent unto those that have obtained like precious faith in London or elsewhere whereby by an experiment which God hath been pleased to give to him and us they may evidently discern that Iesus Christ is in point of tender compassions touching those that confess his name before the Sonnes of men the same to day that he was yesterday that as yesterday so to day it may be said as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ so that they which keep the commandements of God and Testimony of Iesus Christ may be hereby incouraged to fear none of those things which they shall suffer before they come nor when they look them in the face and begin the incounter with them be soon weary and wax faint in their minds but faithfully and hopefully expect they suffering for the name of Christ and as Christians that the spirit of their Lord and of glory shall rest upon them The words of his Letter followeth Unto the well beloved Brethren Iohn Spilsbury William Kissin and the rest that in London stand fast in that Faith and continue to walk stedfastly in that Order of the Gospell which was once delivered unto the Saints by Iesus Christ Obediah Holms an unworthy witness that Iesus is the Lord and of late a Prisoner for Iesus sake at Boston sendeth greeting Dearly Beloved and longed after MY hearts desire is to hear from you and to hear that you grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and that your love to him and one unto another as he hath given commandment aboundeth would be the very joy and great rejoycing of my Soul and Spirit had I not been prevented by my beloved Brethren of Providence who have wrot unto you wherein you have my Mind at large and also by our beloved Brother Clarke of Road-Iland who may if God permit see you and speak with you mouth to mouth I had here declared my self in that matter but now I forbear And because I have an experimentall knowledge in my self that in members of the same Body while it stands in union with the head there is a sympathizing Spirit which passeth through and also remain in each particular so that one member can neither mourn nor rejoyce but all the members are ready to mourn or rejoyce with it I shall the rather impart unto you some dealings which I have had therein from the Sons of Men and the gracious supports which I have met with from the Son of God my Lord and yours that so like Members you might rejoyce with me and might be encouraged by the same experiment of his â—ender mercies to fear none of those things which you shall suffer for Iesus sake â—t pleased the Father of Light after a long continuance of mine in death and darknesse to cause life and immortality to be brought to light in my soul and also to cause me to see that this life was by the death of his Son in that hour and power of darknesse procured which wrought in my heart a restless desire to know what that Lord who had so dearly bought me would have me to do and finding that it was his last will to which none is to adde and from which none is to detract that they which had faith in his death for life should yeeld up themselves to hold forth a lively consimilitude or likenesse unto his death buriall and resurrection by that Ordinance of Baptisme I readily yeelded thereto being by love constrained to follow that Lamb that takes away the sins of the World whither soever he goes I had no sooner separated from their assemblies and from Communion with them in their worship of God and thus visibly put on Christ being resolved alone to attend upon him and to submit to his will but immediately the adversary cast out a flood against us and stirred up the spirits of men to present my self and two more to Plymouth Court where we met with 4 Petitions against our whole company to take some speedy course to suppress us one from our own Plantation with 35 hands to it one froÌ„ the Church as they call it at Tantoâ— one from all the Ministers in our Colony except two if I mistake not and one from the Court at Boston in the Mathatusets under their Secretaries hand whereupon the Court straitly chargeth us to desist and neither to ordain Officers nor to Baptize nor to break bread together nor yet to meet upon the first day of the week and having received these strait charges one of the three discovers the sandy foundation upon which he stood who when the flood came and the wind blew fell yet it pleased the Father of mercies to whom be the praise to give us strength to stand to tell them it was better to obey God rather than man and such was the grace of our God to us-ward that though we were had from Court to Court yet were we firmly resolved to keep close to the rule and to obey the voyce of our Lord come what will come Not long after these troubles I came upon occasion of businesse into to the Colony of the Mathatusets with two other Brethren as Brother Clark being one of the two can inform you where we three were apprehended carried to the prison at Boston and so to the Court and were all sentenced what they laid to my charge you may here read in my sentence Vpon the pronouncing of which as I went from the Bar I exprest my self in these words I blesse God I am connted worthy to suffer for the name of Iesus whereupon Iohn Wilson their Pastor as they call him strook me before the Iudgment
that loved him and kept his commandments and that he intended the same unto other visible disciples that should love him and keep his commandments unto the end of the world will also appear for if the appointment of Christ sci the supper that went before and is exprest chapter the 13. and the prayer of Christ that followed after and is exprest chapter 17. did belong unto them that should believe through their word till he come again then this promise that is so often repeated between doth as well belong unto them as to these but the former is true See Iohn 17. 20. 1. Cor. 11. 26. therefore the later If the consequence be denied it will still be proved out of Christs own words See Iohn 7. 37 38. and the consideration even in reason of Christs exceeding love and tender care towards all his disciples that love him and keep his commandments and their sensible wants of the same supplies of the Spirit will clearly evince it 2. It will clearly appear out of the words of the Apostles of Christ See Iohns interpretation of these words of Christ Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he saith Iohn of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the holy Spirit was not yet because Iesus was not yet glorified John 7. 29. See also what they all say with one mouth after they had received this holy Spirit with power whereby they were furnished as Apostles or Embassadors of him that had all power in heaven and earth in his hand to go forth with the embassage of peace into all Nations and could deliver the mind of their Lord unto them in their own language Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Iesus for the remission of sins ye shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit for the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far off as many of all these as the Lord our God shall call sci to repentance from dead works to faith in Christ Iesus to this visible manifestation thereof by being baptised and so visibly planted into the death buriall and resurrection of Christ for the remission of sins 3. This will also appear by the enjoyments of those that first trusted in Christ and visibly manifested their faith and love in and to the Lord by keeping his commandments The Disciples which were also called Apostles waiting in the appointment of their Lord at Jerusalem received and were filled with that holy Spirit with power according to promise See Acts 1. 4. compared with 2. 2. So that great number that were about three or rather five thousand souls that believed through their word and were baptized in Jerusalem and waited in the appointments of the same Lord that is to say together steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayer they also enjoied this holy Spirit according to promise See Acts 4. 31. The like may be found among the Saints in Samaria Acts 8. 17. in Ephesus Acts 19. And the same may be found among the Saints that thus put on Christ and walked in him among those that first trusted in him in all places See it in the Romans chap. 5. 5. and chap. 8. at large See it in the Corinthians Epistle 1. chap. 2. 10. 12. and 6. 11. 19. and ch 12. at large In the Galathians ch 3. 2. 4. 6. In the Ephesians chap. 1. 13. In the Philippians chap. 3. 3. In the Colossians chap. 1. 8. In the Thessalonians Ep. 1. chap. 1. 5 6. and chap. 5. 19. This promise is also found true in the litle children that Iohn writes to and is often repeated 1 Iohn 3. 24 4. 13. and in the 2. 27. he speaks unto them after this manner but the anointing speaking of this holy Spirit of promise which ye have received of him abideth in you and such is his supply that you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lie even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him And now litle Children abide in him c. And Iude telleth us that the very ground why some that had made a profession of the faith and order of Iesus caused divisions and offences contrary to that doctrine they had received and separated themselves was because they were sensuall not having this Spirit Iude 19 And as all this hath been proved by the last Will and Testament of that living Lord so is it also clear that his Will is not to be added to or taken from compare Gal. 3. 15. with Rev. 22. 18 19. which notwithstanding if any man shall attempt to do let him know this Lord is alive and will ere-long appear sufficiently able to avenge it 3. I testifie that every such servant of Christ Iesus may in point of liberty yea ought in point of duty to improve that talent which his Lord hath given unto him That it is their duty to improve the talent the Lord hath given unto them and that for that end it was also given will appear by those two instances of the Lord himself the first is Mat. 5. 13 14 15. Ye saith the Lord to his Disciples are the salt of the earth the light of the world c. neither do men light a candle and put it under a hushell but on a candlestick whereby he intimates that if it be far from the intention of men who are but weak and foolish in their intentions and actions to sight a candle which is for use and then to put it under a bushell and so make it useless then much further from the purpose and intention of God who is the father of lights to enlighten the spirit of a man which is the candle of the Lord and then to have that light concealed and with-held therefore it follows let your light saith the Lord so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven The other instance is in the 19 th chapter of Luke 11 12 13 14 15 16. to the 27. verse in which Parable is lively declared by the Lord 1. That that glorious Kingdome of God that shall certainly appear should not so immediatly appear as some thought it should for which end is the Parable spoken verse 11. and the first words of the Parable will prove the same thing for the Noble-man which is Christ Iesus the Lord must first go into a far counâ—ry to receive his Kingdome which is to the right hand of the Father there to sit untill all his enemies become his footstool and so return 2. Here is declared the order in which this Lord left this houshold when he went to receive his Kingdome he bestowed gifts or talents upon them and commands them as his servants in their severall places to occupy till he come
avoid a greater and further declares that the servant of the lord must nor strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach not to strike patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will according to which precepts of Christ we find the primitive Christians were meek and gentle and yet able by sound doctrine both to exhort convince the gainsayers who called not for carnall weapons to mannage their warfare but declared their weapons were mighty through God and either by the word and a good conversation wonne men to the acknowledgement of the truth as it is in Jesus or else left them wiâ—hout excuse together with the world unto the judgement of the great day of the Lord but now all men may see that your way is not only different from but contrary unto this precept of Christ and president of Christians and therefore cannot be esteemed any better than unchristian yet Antichristian Let not your adversary and mine Dear Countreymen fill your hearts with indignation and thoughts of revenge against him who in a faithful discharge of his conscience both towards God and you have made bold to deal plainly with you least my God to whom vengeance belongs repay it upon you and smite you with blindness of mind and hardness of heart that cannot repent but rather set before your eyes that memorable practice and worthy pattern of those noble Bereans and laying profits honor and prejudice aside if it be possible peruse my testimony and search the scriptures diligently to see whether the things contained therein be so or no if you find them so viz. confirmed and justifyed by the word of God and by the testimony of Christ Jesus the Lord then consider not I but the Lord from heaven calls upon you to break off your sins by repentance and let me hereby give you warning to take heed that you dispise not him that speaketh from heaven As touching the wrong and injury done to us you having thereby much more wronged your own souls in transgressing the very law and light of Nations doing as you would not be done unto it is in my heart to pitty you rather and to petition my Lord in heaven not to lay this sin to your charge than to complain against you or to petition your lords and ours here on earth for justice herein no no we have better learned Christ than so having also given up our hearts to be led by his spirit and to walk in his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed his case to him that judgeth righteously and who knowes but that the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning hath been or may be ere long in your hearts whereby you may be made affectedly sensible that the cause is the same or very little differing from this A poor innocent traveller passeth along the Countrey upon his occasions a man having strength in his arm findeth him frames himself offended with him for no cause he hath given him and because he cannot draw him unto his party either to rob or to kill or to say amen to his practises he therefore binds him and casts him into a pit and declares himself resolute there to keep him till he hath his blood unless he will deliver him his purse the man either hath not a purse about him or a heart to deliver it and being unwilling either to part with his blood or that the other should be so deeply guilty in taking it from him he meekly and earnestly thrice moveth the strong man for a discourse and humbly entreats him that he would not seek by the strength of his arme but by the force of some arguments to convince his understanding and conscience and so to draw him as a man to his party but the strong man delaies him and so puts him off whereupon a good tender hearted Samaritan passing by and perceiving how the case stood and that the strong man would have his purse or his blood without any dispute being moved with compassion to redeem this innocent blood from the handof the strong man he delivers him his own purse and so the man is released Take it not ill that I have used so much plainess of speech for my studie is now to speak plainly and neither flatteringly nor invectively and to use plain dealing with all men although I verifie the Proverb and die a begger for as I told some of your selveâ— and that in publick I abhor dissimulation neither can I account him a wise man who doth not hate dissembling or that doth love to dissemble and therefore saith Solomon rebuke a wise man and he will love thee c. and David the King saith on this wife let the righteous smite me and it shall be a precious balm I know instruction is grievous to him that is out of the way but what saith the wise man he that hateth instruction shall die Consider I pray what hath been spoken and turn not away your eye nor your ear nor your heart from instruction least that which was said by the prophet of old Isa 9. 14 15. 16. be in you verified which to prevent is the humble and earnest request unto the fathers of mercies of Your loving friend and Couutreyman JOHN CLARK To the true Christian Reader THou maist herein Christian Reader see and peruse thy destiny in this present evill world which seems in a great measure to be subjected unto devils through which thou art to pass unto that purchased possession and promised inheritance of the Saints in light which is in that better world which is not subjected unto Angels but unto the Sonne of God himself thou maist herein also observe and take notice of the hand by whom from thy heavenly father thou art to receive that bitter cup which he drunk off when he was here below for thy sake chiefly was this treatise brought forth into the publick view I hope not to discourage thee but to strengthen thine heart that thou mightest not fear any of those things which thou shalt suffer either from men or devils for thy testimony that Jesus is the Christ it being that which will shortly appear the only prevailing and victorious truth in all the world for herein shalt thou also see that worthy saying lively accomplished If ye suffer for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of the Lord and of glory resteth upon you thou hast a worthy name called on thee My hearts desire and prayer to God on thy behalf therefore is that thou maist enjoy such a plentifull pouring forth of that holy spirit into thine heart that thereby thou maist be inabled to walk worthy of it and having so bright a beam of the Fathers glory in thy
to expect that the minds spirits of men shall be strongly possessed and that as this fundamentall conclusion Thou art Jesus the son of the living God shall be improved to the utmost by the holy Spirit of Christ in the hearts and lives of the sons and daughters of God so shall the same conclusion be improved to the utmost by way of a bewitching deception in the hearts and lives of the sons of men by the spirit of Antichrist which mystery being brought to the height then shall Christ Jesus consume him with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming Therfore Christian stand thou upon thy watch and know that if Christ be formed in thee thou canst not but be transformed by him and the best form that thou canst be found in when thy Lord shall appear will be in that form and so doing as he hath appointed walking wisely and in peace toward all men Consider what hath been spoken to thee and the God of truth and peace give thee to understand and do his will which is the constant and earnest supplication and prayer of thine in Christ Jesus JOHN CLARK A brief discourse touching New England as to the matter in hand and to that part of it sci Rode Iland where my residence is together with the occasion of my going out with others from the Mathatusets Bay and the many providentiall occurrences that directed us thereto and pitched us thereon As also the Contents of the whole Treatise NEw England is a name as is generally known that was and still is call'd upon that place in reference to Old yet not so much because it is peopled and planted from thence for so are many other Plantations of the English in those Western parts but because it resembles the same as the daughter the mother It resembles it in the climate in the times and seasons of the year in the fruits which the land naturally produceth in the fouls and the fish that are there in abundance It resembles it in their politicall affairs for their governments laws Courts Officers are in a great measure the same and so are the names of their towns Counties and in point of good husbandry that w ch is raised and produced in New England more substantiall and whether it be for food or raiment it is the same with that which is here produced in Old It is a place in the largest acceptation that contains in it all the Plantations of the English upon that coast of America that lie between the Dutch Plantation on the West and the French on the East and extends it self upon the Sea coast above one hundred leagues In it is contained the four Colonies which call themselves the united Colonies The Colony called by the name of the Province of Providence Plantations lying on the South South-East thereof and two or three more lving on the Easter North-East in Agamenticus Saco Casco-Bay Pema juid where is that treasure of Masts for Ships The names of the united Colonies are these in point of precedency first Mathatusets c. but in point of antiquity first Plymouth then the Mathatusets then Conectecot and last Quinipiuck The chief Towns of these Colonies and seats of their Government are these Boston of the Mathatusets Plymouth of Plymouth Hereford of Conectecot and of Quinipiuck New-Haven Now as the name New England in the largest and truest acceptation extends to all the Plantations of the English between the French and the Dutch so in a scanty and improper acceptance of the word especially when it makes for advantage it is taken for these four united Colonies by reason of the precedency they have of others and for the same cause and upon the point as well it may be taken for the Mathatusets and the Town of Boston therein When I speak of New England understand it of that part which hath got the precedency by reason of shipping and start of the rest sci the Mathatusets as both in my Epistle and Narrative is plain to be seen which I have here also inserted for fear of mistake In the Colony of Providence Plantations in point of antiquity the Town of Providence is chief but in point of precedency Rode-Iland excels This Iland lieth in the Narraganset Bay being 14 or 15 miles long and in breadth between 4 and 5 miles at the broadest It began to be planted by the English in the beginning of the year 39. and by this hand of providence In the year 37 I left my native land and in the ninth moneth of the same I through mercy arived at Boston I was no sooner on shore but there appeared to me differences among them touching the Covenants and in point of evidencing a mans good estate some prest hard for the Covenant of works and for sanctification to be the first and chief evidence others prest as hard for the Covenant of grace that was established upon better promises and for the evidence of the Spirit as that which is a more certain constant and satisfactory witness I thought it not strange to see men differ about matters of Heaven for I expect no less upon Earth But to see that they were not able so to bear each with other in their different understandings and consciences as in those utmost parts of the World to live peaceably together whereupon I moved the latter for as much as the land was before us and wide enough with the profer of Abraham to Lot and for peace sake to turn aside to the right hand or to the left The motion was readily accepted and I was requested w th some others to seek out a place which accordingly I was ready to do and thereupon by reason of the suffocating heat of the Summer before I went to the North to be somewhat cooler but the Winter following proved so cold that we were forced in the Spring to make towards the South so having sought the Lord for direction we all agreed that while our vessell was passing about alarge and dangerous Cape we would cross over by laad having Long Iland and Delaware-Bay in our eie for the place of our residence so to a town called Providence we came which was begun by one M. Roger Williams who for matter of conscience had not long before been exiled from the former jurisdiction by whom we were courteously and lovingly received and with whom we advised about our design he readily presented two places before us in the same Naragansets Bay the one upon the main called Sow-wames the other called then Acquedneck now Rode-Iland we enquired whether they would fall in any other Patent for our resolution was to go out of them all he told us to be brief that the way to know that was to have recourse unto Plymouth so our Vessell as yet not being come about and we thus blockt up the company determined to send to Plymonth and pitcht upon two others together with