against you with these words or do his messengers delight more in these words in repeating these abominations then formerly Or which of the Prophets Christ or the Apostles that could be silent in the sight of such wickednesse Mica 3.5 11. Hos 6.9 and will this excuse you to say you love not these things and yet live in them and contend for them and imprison your brethren as you have called them and spoiled their goods if you have them not are ye seeking their souled while you are casting them into Prisons Had Christ ever such a ministry and yet your hearts be filled with rage and madnesse that you cannot beare it to be told of it Joh. 15.18 19 20. Math. 6.24 25. c. John 16.1 2 3. Heb. 11.36 37.38 1 Cor. 9.16.17 18 19. 2 Cor. 1.4.5.6 2 Tim. 3.10.11 1 Pet. 3.18 19 1 Pet. 4. by such as seeke your returne and not your destruction And all the returne you make is to complaine to the magistrates that you are disturbed and that they must protect you in your peace which is not in the doctrine of Christ nor way of his Ministers but if any of you be Christs Ministers come forth in his life and power and do his worke and receive of him what is meete and not from the world and so make proofe of Christ in you by his fruits and then let him be accursed that railes against you come out of your stately houses your tithes and great parsonages and with Christ and his Ministers wander in the desolate places of the Nations and preach to the people that sit in darknesse who have souls but no parsonage leave your master-ships and come to be servants to such for Christs sake cease bearing rule by your means and rule by the spirit of the lambe seeke the souls and not the gaine cloth your selves with Christs suffering and not with the wooll cease to hale their bodies into Prison and minister to the soules in Prison to the opening that eye your Fathers have blinded with their daubing and to the quickening that which they have quenched and slaine that you may present them living to God Ephe. 5.4.5 6. 12. 1 Pet. 1.4 5 6 7 8 9. Act. 17.16 17 c. Act 17.24 25. Act. 7.47 48 49. Math. 6.25 26. spirituall men and women that you may become makers up of the breach that is made by the lying divinations of those that went before you let us see you in the streets of your Townes and Citties declaring against wickednesse who are not ashamed to act abominations before the Sun come out to witnesse against your stage plaies and curious arts which you call pastimes and recreation the Devils invention to steale away the minds of people from their God come into your markets and concourse of people and witnesse against all sweareing lyinâ— idle words and foolish jesting which to heare doth vex the soule of the righteous and all that know the condemnation that must come upon such things this was the Ministry of Christ in Prophets and Apostles which if you were called to and faithfull in you would cease to lay snares for him that doth reprove sin in the gate nor will you then counâ—â—â— breaking the peace cease casting one another out of your livings to put your freinds or some of your forme in their stead and goe forth and declare against all the Idols worship performed in the Idols Temple and all formes crept in by the man of sin since the Apostles and lead to the same forme and foundation without adding diminishing or wresting that the Saints were who were led out of the Idols Temple to cry out against them and the hirelings therein then will you cease to beate in your Synagogues and hale before rulers and partake with them that are so used then the Scriptures will justifie your practise and preaching without meanings and the life will answer the words which came from it and when the sheeps clothing is on the sheeps back and the nature of the sheepe guiding in the inward parts then such as call you wolves your practise will prove them liers and the Scriptures will to you witnesse and you to them without meanings then may you lay by your Heathenish expositers and commentators and imitaters too when with the same Spirit you are acted in the same way and so become examples to the people in somthing of selfe-deniall besides your words you have long told your hearers of your faith and beleiving God for your soules but let them see how farr you have learned to trust God for your bellies and that you have some faith at present and not all in another world for that faith which leadeth not to cast all care upon God for the body ill but do little good for the soule in time of need for the body is more then rayment and the life more then meate Math. 6.25 26 so that which will not carry above the carnall will never bring you to the eternall and little do they know of faith who take that for it and now let your faith be tried in the life before the world to whom you preach for the truth is come and tried you must be and that faith which wil not over ballance the world wil be found too light in the sealed ballance and so will that practise that will not hold with the Scriptures without wresting for the evill tree cannot bring forth the good fruit Math. 7.15.16.17 18. nor will that which was spoken by the Spirit of Christ beare witnesse to the waies worships and works of Antichrist and herewith are you tried all you Parish Masters Teachers of the Nation your doctrines your meanings your means your maintenance your preaching and profiting of the people and how the Scriptures is your standing rule to walke by and whether you be of the unchangeable Preist-hood that changeth not as the times change according to the preferment and estates politique or you be of those who have no other rule for your way of worship then people have for the forme of their habit and so you are rightly called nationall Ministers as every Nation hath its severall kinde so this also and all pretend Scripture and by wresting it can make them all lawfull in their account and count all heretiques that speaks against them so long as the eatthly powers takes their part but when they change the face of that Ministry falls and thus it is with all sorts whose Ministry the Scriptures will not own both in matter and forme and maintenance without the least adding diminishing or wâ—esting Reve. 22.18.19 for the Ministry of the Gospel changeth not and whosoever God appointeth to rule in the Nations or what lawes ever they set up the law of Christ stands in his servants who have received the law giver in Spirit so when the wicked raigne such rather suffer then change from the truth who worship and serve the Creatour more then
people by casting a mist before the eyes of their understanding seeking to insinuate into them by flatteries and garnishing your flatteries with colourable glosses to cause them to think that your reviving that which hath been used amongst them with out-side Matth. 23.27 28.30 31 c. will now from you receive life to do that which it could not do neither by the Pope or Bishops nor by you their off-springs And with the Light are you seen at your witts end and troubled that you cannot have your wills fulfilled who are the enemies of the Living truth and wrongers both of men and God as you also in your Agreement acknowledge and therefore all your Evasions and Colourable glosses must fall with your Image and Imaginary worships as in your fore-fathers before you and the Ministry that stands out of mans will which you are yet Ignorant of must through the crosse cut down and crucifie and kill that which your Ministry doth not nor your fore-fathers or the Pope or Bishops before you and that Ministry which comes forth from the Light and power of the Spirit of God is for the discovering and killing of the Error Heresie and Miscariages which yours hath and doth leave people in and so as it kills that and the Ignorance Gala. 3.4 5. Eph. 2. Iohn 8.12 1 Iohn 3.8 9. 1. Pet. 1.18 19 22 23 1 Iohn 4.16 17 Iohn 14.20 it quickeneth and raiseth the soul out of death destroying the Ignorance Error Heresie and Miscariages and all the works of the Devill and so bringeth soules out of death and from under the power of darknesse to live in the life of the Eternall truth in the Injoyment of the Fathers love and to Enjoy and walke in the liberty of the Sons of God And saith John We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is true God and life eternall 1 John 5.20 Whose Ministry without your familiar personall Instruction discovereth and killeth sin Error and Miscariages which you live in unkilled and therefore out of his Minstiry who killeth that and quickeneth the other that hath suffered under it raising that and them together with it saving them by grace and causing them as they at Ephesus did to sit with Christ Jesus in the heavenly place Ephe. 2.1 2 4 5 6. For by grace were they saved ver 8th Through faith and not of themselves nor of works lest any should boast Eph 2.8 9. As Paul the Gospel-Minister doth witnesse in his Affirmation who did not as you do in your confusion set up a form of words without Spirit and Life grounded upon the Popes practice or generall Councell held at Trent or at Trull And bid people get these to say and be catechized c. And say them over to the Pope or Arch-bishops Persons Preists Rectors and Curates upon pain of damnation neither doth his words warrant you so to do Therefore are they not your warrant from God for that work Neither did Paul go and write out a few words out of the 20. Chap. of Exodus and the 6. Chap. of Matthew and set the people to get them upon pain of damnation and salvation Which words he had before you and witnessed the life in the spirit and power of Christ for the killing of Ignorannce Sin Error and Miscarriages Eph. 5.13 Eph. 6.10 11 12 13 14. Gal 2.19 20. and to quicken the mortall body Rom. 8.10 11. as well for the purifying of the heart and the soul 1 Pet. 1.22 23. Which you have shewed your Ignorance in and to be out of And therefore Pauls words is not your warrant from God who are out of that righteous life And Paul said they were delivered from the law that being dead wherein they had been held their service stood in the newnes of the Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter Rom. 7.6 But your service stands in the oldnesse of the Letter and the old Law and not in the Gospel and newnesse of spirit Rom. 1.16 16. as your fruits and Agreeement doth manifest Therefore you that serve in your wills and set people to serve in theirs and in the oldnesse of the Letter without the Gospel and power of God to salvation and the newnesse of Spirit Clo. 2.21 22 23. Eph. 2.14 15 16. Rom. 1.26 you are not by Pauls words warranted from God to do it who was himself a minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit as he hath witnessed 2 Co. 3.6 c. Therefore your garnishing your selves with his words and wanting his ministery and spirit to guide in the ministration and worship of God that spirit John 4.23 24. 2 Cor. 3.17 18. you are but as founding Brasse and tinkling Cymbals being in the envy and out of love the of the Father as the false Prophets was therefore let Pauls words rest where they are 1 Cor. 13. H s 16.9 Mic. 3.11 Iude 11. till you depart from your lusts and go make restitution for the Lord is against you and all such who are yet without warrant from God for all your stealing of words to garnish your selves as your fore-fathers did But thus saith the Lord therefore behold I am against them that steal my words from his neighbour I sent them not nor commanded them Therefore they shall not profit the people at all Ier. 23.30 c. And now that you are without warrant from the Scripture being out of the life of truth and reviving your fore-fathers works taking a ground from the sixth-Generall Councell held at Trent or at Trull in the time of the Pope or Bishopps Matth. 7.15 16 17 20 22 22 26 27. ver 2. and are you not also left without warrant from them then where are you now and what ground do you stand on are you not without ground or bottom and on the Sandy foundation ready to be washed away when the floods come c. Whose fall as Christ saith therefrom is like to be great and as may be Read Math. 7.26 27. Let the Priests minde and see If they know From whence they came BEhold and see from whence you came and minde your return was not your Original I head root and foundation the Pope or Arch-bishops and Bishops amongst which was not the Bishop of Rome called the Pope Chiefe Supreame head c. Untill the time or raign of Henry the 8. Late King of England as by the Lawes of this Nation may appeare c. And the Called Arch-Bishopps and such as received Orders from them to be Priests Ministers Deacons and Clarks c. Were they not called the body Spirituall and were and are they not called the English Church c. And after the Pope was put out of Tythes and that which he had begott by Henry the 8 the Arch-Bishopps your fathers Priests Ministers Deacons Rectors Clarks
are Satanical for all their colourable glosses being in the miscarriages charging God with an Imperfect work page 18.19 of their Agreement wrongers of him of men and of Christ his Son but they are seen and made manifest and wo will be your portion that knowingly in their deceits joynes with them doth uphold them and did not the cheif Priests or the Devill in them and in the Scribes and Pharisees preach the letter of the Scriptures Isa 9.15 16. Isa 3.11 Hos 6.9 Joh. 5.39 40. Isa 2.12 Luke 20.12.19 20 21 23 27 28 45 46 47. verses but wanted the life of them as your Priests do who are wrongers of Christ and of you as they say and made use of it to tempt Christ withall but they and such like were and are for the greater condemnation as Christ hath said Marke 12.38 39 40. And doth not the Devill now in the chief Priests Persecuters Proud Covetous Envious ones and their disciples preach the letter of the Scripture and are out of the life of them seeking honour one of another as the enemies of Christ did that had the letter but wanted the life Joh. 5.39 40 41 42 43 44 And do not they make use of the letter that are out of the life make use of it to oppose the naked truth withall Do not Proude ones preach the letter of the Scripture yet live in Pride and Coveteousnesse or in union with the life of the Devill who is the King of Pride and enemy of all unrighteousnesse c. And doth not the Devill in Proud and Covetous ones as well as Envious and persecuters c. teach them to wrest the Scriptures for their own ends and to plead for pride c under such covers which are not with the spirit of the Lord though the woe from God be against them denounced Isa 3.11 Isa 20 Isa 30. 2 Pet. 3.16 Isa 30.1 c. And doth not the Devill in Covetous ones teach them to break the command of God which forbids covetousnesse And doth not the Devill in Covetous ones and self-seekers c. 2 Tim. 3.1 2. c. now in these latter dayes teach them for their own ends to make use of and preach the letter of the Scripture when they are transgressors of the commands of God and persecuting and killing the Innocent for he that persecutes and Envies the righteous seed he is a murtherer and is out of the life of the Spirit of God as faith the Scriptures 1 Joh. 3.22 15 And so in the lust of the Devill Joh. 8.44 And in union with the Image of Pride in proud flesh and bowing to it with capp and knee as well as worship an Imaginary and false worship and transgresseth the commands of God and therefore must drink deep of his wrath Rev. 14.9 10 11. And if covetousnesse is Idolatry then both Covetous Priests and People are Idolaters and therefore are they and all false worshippers and bowers to the Image of Pride one in another who are persecuters of the righteous seed both transgressors of the commands of God and out of the new bath new nature and out of the new Covenant and life of God and in old envy Wrath Lust Self-Love pride vain glory and then are they not still in union with the life of the Devill which evill fruits floweth there from and doth not the Devil in Pope Papist as well as in prelates persecuting self-seeking Priests Pastors Vicars Rectors and Proud painted Antichristian Ministers make use of and preach the Letter of the Scripture being without the life of truth and in the nature of the Devill and are not you that are wrongers of Christ and in Miscarriages c. and they guided by an evil spirit Joh. 8.39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48.52 verses and in union with that evil nature as the Jews and cheif Priests and such was that persecuted Christ Jesus yet they preached the letter and spake of Moses and the prophets for their own ends by the Spirit of the Devill Joh. 8.39 and would not receive the truth nor forsake their Sins Pride Will-worship Self-love Covetousnesse Self-righteousnesse vain glory and honour of the world but refused to deny self take up the daily crosse and come unto the life and power of truth so that Christ complained against them Joh. 5.40 and letting their visitation slip he wept over them Joh. 5.40 41 42 43 44. and therefore that you may come to understand the truth learn to pray and preach aright minde to be obedient to the Light of Christ in your consciences which reproves in secret for evil and doth convince you of sin self righteousnesse unbeliefe Pride Covetousnesse Persecution the love and honour of the world unrighteousnesse and your Miscarriages and of the wrong you do to Christ and men and as your duty is to depart from iniquity so you are to yield unto the light and follow the same that you may come out of your miscarriages and cease doing wrong to Christ men forsake the evil of your wayes by the light discovered cease to do evil and learn of that which is good for to do well which reproves you for the evil that you may come out of the wrong way unto the right and know the power of truth manifested and Christ at work in your hearts and soules destroying the Pride Lust Covetousnesse Self-love vain glory unbeliefe and so all unrighteousnesse as it is discovered to you and also beget you obeying and following the light into righteousnesse pure unfained love and out of the Hypocrisie into the faith unfained and true patience perfecting his work that it may possesâ— your soules and dispossess impatience and distrust that your soules may come into joy and peace through the working of the power of God killing sin and quickening you by his spirit begetting and bringing forth that which is pure holy just and good to be your rule and guide as in such it is where the birth is known that is of the spirit of Gods then might you call him Father by divine right and so in truth and righteousnesse with the spirit and true spirituall understanding might you pray with such a right as of Christ are taught and are guided by the Spirit of God c. to say Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy name and then would you hallow and so Sanctify the name of the Lord God in your hearts and be ready thereby without your Miscarrying priests to give an answer to every man that shall aske you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknes and fear 1 Pet. 3.15 having a good conscience as the Saints and Children of God the Father hath and aforetime had 1 Pet. 3.16 in which the mystery of faith is held 1 Tim. 3.9 and not in your Miscarrying nature or a piece of paper from your untaught teachers that know not God nor his eternall Living word but are wrongers
for the killing of ignorance which your preaching could not do And yet it hath been used by the Popish Race and your forefathers the Bishops and Prelates and were not killed thereby but is found living amongst you their children and off-spring And you are found in the deceit and would keep people in the same by your flatteries and inventions which will all be to no purpose that is acted by the spirit of deceit and miscarrying nature which you are in And leaves the same ignorance unkilled by your familiar and personal Instructions as your forefathers have done you being in the miscarriages wronging men and Christ and not guided by the true spirit but by the false as your fruits as well as your Agreement maketh it manifest Concerning your warrant You have gathered certain verses of the Apostles words and calls them your warrant from God when you are found our of the Apostles practice and order and not at all warranted by them to wrong men and Christ as you have done and confessed the same you also are in the miscarriages and disobedient nature neglecters of the great works of God and therefore you being in that deceit are out of the counsels of God and liars like the false prophets whose examples ye follow that stole the true prophets words and were ready like you to call them their warrant from God or saying they spake from the Mouth of the Lord when the Lord did not warrant them in it no more then he doth you but witnessed against them by the true Prophet And said he had not spoken to them but they ran unsent as you have done and therefore they should not profit the people at all no more then you shall though they spoke the true Prophets words as you may do yet they was not guided by the true Prophets spirit no more then you are And though they spake their words for their own ends as you do yet for all that they were without Warrant from God as well as you are and also found out of his Counsel in their inventions and speaking for their own ends and for mony as you do and they caused the people to erre by their lies and by their leightnesse as you do and the Lord by his Spirit in his Servants witnessed against them as he doth against you saying I sent them not nor commanded them and so they were without warrant from God as you are though they could speak the true Prophets words as you do yet running unsent as you have done The Lord said they should not profit the people at all Jer. 23.16.21.30.31 32. Mi cah 3.5.11 No more do you who are as you say neglecters of the works of God and in the miscarriages unpardoned as well as wrongers of men and Christ as you your selves in your Agreement have all so acknowledged therefore your gathering of Pauls words and the true Prophets words being out of their life and spirit to paint and garnish your selves withal and are found persecuting the truth as your forefathers the false Prophets and Scribes and Pharisees did their words gather together with your dark minds and no warrant to you from God so to do nor to be called of men Masters Matth. 23.8.10 Nor to preach for tithes or hundreds a year Paul did not do it but preached freely coveting no mans silver or gold but hath shewed an example which you refuse to follow Act. 20.33 34 35. therefore his words is no warrant for you to do as you do As in pag the 1. or 2. of your Agreement neither did Paul go to take a ground from the Pope or sixth general Councel held either at Trent or Trull and say from thence that they that are baptized ought to learn the Belief and on the fifth day of the week say it over to the Bishops c. as you do which you lay down as the ground of your Catechisme and familiar and personall instruction and so build upon the Bishops and old popish root as you have done But Paul as he was a Minister of Christ Act. 26.16 17 18. he was sent to turn people from darknesse to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God and not to keep them in darknesse and sin unturned to God as you and your Minister doth therefore you are out of this life and not guided by the Spirit of God as he was And Paul as he was a Minister of Christ and the Gospel he were called of God and appointed to preach by the power of the holy Ghost Gala. 1.1 Gala. 1.11.12.15 16. Act. 13.2 3 c. Act. 18.9 10 11 c. Act. 16.9 10. Colo. 1.25 26 27 28. who was not made a Minister by the will of man as you are but by the Will of God Gala. 1.1 2. in which his Ministry stood who had the mystery of godlinesse and Christ the Son of God revealed within him Ephe. 3.2 3. c. Gala. 1.15 16. And so had his warant from God and after Christ and the Ministry were so revealed in him then he went forth immediately and not before for to preach him as he hath certified to the brethren Gala. 1.11 12. And he preached the Light 2 Cor. 4.5 6. Law Rom. 8.3 Hebr. 8.10 11. And heavenly treasure within 2 Cor. 4.6 7. And the word in the heart Rom. 10.8 by which faith is wrought and Christ the Mistery and hope of glory within them Col. 1.25 26 27. And they that believed and were baptized into him they put him on Gala. 3 27. As Paul the Gospel-Minister hath certified but he did not make a ground of Catechisme and familiar personal instructions from the Pope or general Councels held at Trent or Trull as you do for the cutting down of Ignorance Heresie and wickednesse as you pretend you will do but Paul was to turn people from the darknesse in which errour heresie and wickednesse was and so turning them from that he turned them to the light and power of the Spirit of God which was the way and means whereby Ignorance Errour and wickednesse was to be cut down crucified and killed which you are yet ignorant of as your Agreement doth manifest as well as your fruits who lives in ignorance Miscariages Error Heresie and wickednesse uncrucified or killed And was not the same way and meanes which you pretend to kill it by used by the Pope Bishops Prelats c. or at the Councell at Trent or Trull and by your fore-fathers the old out-rooted Bishops and Episcopals before you and yet it left the Ignorance Errors Miscariages Heresies and wickednesse amongst you Living and had no power to crucifie the same and you say your preaching this many years hath not yet killed it and therefore you have agreed to use the same Antidote or means for the killing of it as they did and if it could not expell and kill it by them useing the same before you as you also have done do you think to blind
yet you say you and all the adjacent-churches will set apart a day publickly to fast and pray for a pardon c. I say the church in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 1.1 Which is the pillar ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 doth deny you and all wrongers of God and men and persecuters of the Innocent and such as are called of men masters professing themselves Christs-Ministers and all such as deceive souls for dishonest gain and lives in perfection and such and the like miscarriages as you and your generation do and the prayers of the wicked are sin such as turneth their care from hearing the Law in the heart and of God Jer. 31.33 their prayer is an abomination to the Lord God Pro. 28. and 9. ver And such as you that neglect the work of God and lives in persecution the work of the Devill and in the miscarriages wronging God and men as you do they are those that turnes their care from hearing the law and their hearts from receiving the truth standing in opposition aganst it as you do and therefore their prayers are abomination to the Lord as yours and all that work such wickedness as you do is for thus faith the Lord unto such Isa 1.15 when ye spread forth your hands I will hâ—de mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I will not heare your hands are full of blood and hearts as well as houses are full of deceit and over passeth the deeds of the wicked Ier. 5.26 27. and such like and they that neglect the work of the Lord are cursed children having hearts exercised with covetuous practices 2 Pet. 2.3 13 14. And what Churches are you and you that are such who are in the cursed nature and wicked practices in sin and unturned to God Isa 59.2 What is your fasts worth that lives in strife and debate persecution and wickednesse behold in the day of your fasts do you not find pleasure And are you not bringing forth persecution as in this Nation is manifest as well as you exact all your labours Isa 58.3 behold do not ye fast as hypocrites and persecuters do that fast for strife and debate Matth. 23.4 5. c. who smite with the fists of wickednesse causing your voice to be heard on high afflicting the soul for a day and hanging down the head as a bullrush and instead of loosing the bands of witkedness you strengthen the hands of evil doers instead of undoing the heavy burthens you bind them Pharise-like upon mens shoulders and will not your selves touch them with one of your singers sueing some for Tythes and taking treble dammages c. And instead of letting the oppressed go free you and your generation cast the Innocent into prisons-holes and dungeons as your prisons in these parts against you may sufficiently witnesse and are not these the fruits of Jezabel and of the Hypocrites fast and not that which the Lord doth require Isa 58.3 5 6 7. Wherefore be ye witnesses against your selves that you walk in the false Prophets and Pharisees your fore-fathers steps as your fruits make you manifest and as you may read Math. 23.31 32 33 34. c and you have under a cover confessed the same who wants a pardon for your negligence in the work of God as you say for your former miscarriages which was before the 4. day of May as aforesaid and therefore you want a pardon for your perfecting and imprisoning of Tho. Goodaire once in Kiderminster twice in Worcester before that time and some others hath been imprisoned at Worcester and in Worcest Anne Himing Richard Keâ—bey for Tyths c. and many at Evesham since your hypocriticall false hearted and deceitfull confession promising amendement and rather growes worse and worse so manifesting your hypocrisie and filling up your measure of iniquity as your forefathers did leaving both your words and actions to be standing witnesses against you as they did that it may appeare for all your Evasions and Colourable glosses that you are their off-spring and beareth their marks by which you are known Maâ—th 7.20 Matth. 7.15 c. And seeing that your ministry takes little place in working any good effect in your hearers but leaves them ignorant in matters of salvation page 19. of your Agreement you are resolving in your wills and miscarrying wombe or nature and Spirit from whence your continued miscarriages proceeds to revive your fore-Fathers worke and set up a forme of words for them to get to say over to you as was used to be done to the Bishops at Trent or at Trull and you promise salvation upon the performance and threatens damnation upon the refusall Pope-like saying that that way of using Cathechising familiar and personall instruction and to have the people to get the Creed the Lords prayer and ten commandements or any other * And is not those which you call any other Orthodox Catechisme such as were set out by he old Bishops and their off-spring that were in the miscarriages as you also are c. And confesse page the 4. of your Agreement Orthodox Catechisme and your expositions to say over to you and so that will be a meanes you say to kill ignorance But the same meanes hath been used by the Bishops and Prelates and yet it hath not done that which you would have it to do and do you think that if it did not do it by your fore-Fathers applying that it receives any more vertue or power from you to do it by your revieing their work and useing the same meanes and with the same miscarrying nature and wrongfull Spirit which they did make use of it with all but your covers are too narrow and leaves you bare and ignorance remaines still amongst your hearers Math. 11.27.28.29 Act 4.11.12 Heb. 7.25 and the miscarriages amongst you their untaught teachers as it did with your fore-Fathers And you say the diligence of Papists and Sectaries will condemne you if you will not do halfe so much in a right way to save mens soules Math. 6.24 Math. 7.13.14 â—5 16.17.18 â—9 28 as they will do in a wrong way to pervert them would you not here have people to set you up as their saviour and so cause them to neglect coming from you to look unto Christ for teaching who is a true Saviour and teacher of his people and perfectly able to save all that come unto God by him without you but your designe is seeme and all your covers will not hide you who seeks to cast that off from you to the Papist and Sectaries which your selves are guilty of and found in for if the way of neglecting the work of God and living in miscarriages wronging Christ and Men growing worse and running yet further from God as you do and have done be not the wrong way and destructive to mens souls what is for there is but two waves the right and
the wrong c. If you walk in that wrong way wherein you miscarrie and wrong God and Men growing worse and running further therein do not the Papists the same and are not you and they therein one and so walk with them in that way whose actions proceed from one ground and Spirit though in some words and formalities you differ but in the evill and wronging God and Men c. are Joyned together and therefore may stop your mouths of condemning others for that which you are found guilty of your words as well as your actions beare witnesse against you and your bitternesse and persecuting the servants of Jesus as your Prisons and barbarous or cruel usage at Evesham and other places may witnesse for the truth and against your deceit and wrong done to men and God as you say in your agreement therefore you and the Papists goes on in one nature together the Papists you say bring all â—he people to confesse their most secret sins unto their Priests and do not you labour to bring the people to do so unto you the Parish Masters idle Shepherds and hireling Preists and then are not you and the Papists therein both one in nature and property Ezâ—k 3â— â—â— â— though differing a little in words and colourable clauses And where you tell of creeping into houses who more then you creeps into the Popes houses which you with and from them call Churches but let me aske you that run so out of them from whence you sprung wherein do you and they differ in worships and practise therein Whether in manner or matter if in manner onely you differ and not in matter then do you not agree in the maine if so then are not you and the Papists in religion and worships as well as nature and property one though differing in some words formalities c. but both in the vaine traditions and observing your fancies and braine imaginations as the Serpents seed did in all ages You resolve in your wills to set on a worke in your imaginations promising salvation upon the performance and damnation upon the refusall page 30. and so would merit Heaven by your actings in the nature from whence ariseth negligence and miscarriages page 3 4. and wrong to men and to Christ page 19. and do not the Papists hold the same thinking to merit Heaven by their own actings in that nature and spirit of deceipt which guides them to neglect the work of God and also into miscarriages and to wrong men and God like you and persecuters and seed of evill doers If so then are not you and the Papists one therein and why do you crie out against that so much in others your selves being guilty of and found in the same and doing their work onely differing here and there in words formalities some colourable glosses c. You say page 23. you have all need to joyne heart and hand to help one another safe to heaven and all little enough you say I answer yea and too little too for in that nature in will not be done which teacheth you to wrong Christ and Men for if in that nature you could do it why might not the Papist in the like nature with you do the same and are not you therein with the Papists one or if any get out of your ignorance and come from under the wrong and out of the miscarriages in obedience to the teachings of Christ the true teacher and Saviour whom you wrong that they get into Heaven before you or sit with Christ Jesus in heavenly places whilst their bodys are on the earth as the Saints at Ephesus did whil'st their bodys were there and such as are saved by grace having their souls purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit where selfe is denyed are not you through ignorance of the way that leads out of error heresie miscarriages Popery and darknesse ready to call such hereticks as are come out of that and into the glorious light and injoyments of the sons of God to worship the Father in Spirit I say are you not ready to call such hereticks who are come out of it viz the darknesse Eâ—he 1.6 Co. 1.13 1 Pet. 1.22.23 24. Reve. 21.3.23.24 Joh. 4.23.24 2 Cor. 3.16.17 Gal. 4.4 5 6 7.8 1 Cor. 4.6.7 and heresie which you live in and would rank them with the Papists under that denomination to cover and shelter your selves thinking to cast that upon them which they are freed from and you and the Papists are found in union with and guilty of being both of you out of the right way and in the wrong that are neglecters of the work of God and wronging God and men and living in the miscarriages and so in the heresies error and disobedience to the truth following your own Spirits and obeying the imagined fancy formed up in your own wills and living in the vaine traditions and customes of the Heathen as you and they do but your mist dazels the eye of none but the willfull blind and such as are in sleepy security and in sin unturned to God who are already deceived and the eye covered or blinded by which they should see both delusion and heresie in which you and they therein agree who grow worse and run yet further from God c. For the Papists believe they shall never be free from sin here in this life and therein they are reprobate concerning the true Gospel soul-saving and purifying faith and you believe the same viz that you shall never be freed from sin here in this life and then must not you with the Papists have a purgatory seeing that nothing which is uncleane shall in any wise enter into the holy City Rev. 21.27 and the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God as it is said and by the Ambassadour of Christ declared 1 Cor. 6.9 10. and are not you reprobate concerning the true Gospel Gal. 5.20 21. soul-saving and purifying faith who denieth the property of it in denying purity of heart and abiding in darknesse and the nature opposite to the true light believing or saying you believe you cannot or shall not be free from sin here in this life and therefore are not you and the Papists both one and your faith and theirs in nature and property being dead and corrupt therein agreeth together but I deny the Papists and you the wrongers of Christ and Men and that faith which doth not purifie the heart witnesseth that faith and power which doth Act. 15.89 Hâ—b 2.10.11 and as the Saints did as the Scripture witnesseth and God which searcheth the hearts beareth me witnesse as he did them who giveth the holy Ghost that purifieth the heart by faith and we know that we were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from that vaine conversation which had been received by tradition from your fore Fathers c. Who received Silver and Gold and did not the work which
they and you pretended who took and taketh the dishonest gaine but we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ as a lambe without blemish 1 Pet. 1.18.19 20 21 22 23. The Papists they say they believe in one God three persons in your Agreement in the exposition of the Creed you say the same but neither you nor the Papists believe in that God that freeth from sin without your tradition vaine imagination who say you are in miscariages growing worse and running yet further from Him but by what part of Scripture the Papists and you prove your three persons I know not for the Scripture speaketh not so but saith there is three witnesses which three agree in one are one Joh. 14.20 1 John 5.7.8 Joh. 7.21.22.23 he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 Joh. 9. and the holy Ghost remaineth within Joh. 14.15 16 17. 1 Joh. 3.24 which you have shewed your ignorance of and both of that doctrine union and faith that in the same power doth stand where the flattering and entising words of mans wisdom like yours and the Papists are judged and condemned Statute 2. Mariae 1. Chap. 3. as well as shut out by that which doth the world comprehend The Papists they call Steeple-houses Churches and there sell their inventions and brain-imaginations for their own ends deceiving soules with their traditions and vaine observations Stat of 2. 3. Edw 6. Chap. 1. who wrong them and Christ himselfe and do not you the same and such as are in ignorance of the foundamentals of true religion being ignorant of and out of the way of salvation in the vaine traditions familiar and personall instructions arising out of the miscarrying nature It seemes that which is callâ—d Communion or the Sacraments so called were commonly called the Masse as appeares by the Stat 2. 3. Edw. 6. Chap. 1. and are in sin and sleepy security as you and your hearers as you say are therefore in that are not you and the Papists both one The Papists they sprinkle their Infants and holds that infants baptisme as they call it came in the roome of Circumcision and you hold the same therefore in that as well as persecution and other things are not you and the Papists both one but what Scripture proofe without your imaginations have you for the same and seeing that in the order of Circumcision they did but circumcise the male Children onely and not the female and if Infants baptisme as you and the Papists affirme came into the roome why do you breake that order c. in baptising not the males onely as you call it but the femnles also what trick hath the Pope taught you and them to make a cover for that And do not the Papists worship that which they have received by tradition from their fore-Fathers and also set up an image according to their fansie and imaginary worship in their own wills and the miscarrying nature contrary to God binding all they can to submit to their fansies and worship their Image and vaine conceivings Banbury Bristoll Exetor Maidstone Colchester Bedford c and those that cannot for conscience sake towards God submit with them to the same but oppose their deceipt and false worship those they persecute and imprisson and cause them to suffer affliction distresse and necessity c. and did not you so at Kedderminster Worcester and Evesham as well as they in your nature do at Northampton Oxford and Cambridge and other places who do and have done the same Therefore in that are not you and the Papists both one or guided by one Spirit and in union together with the deceipt c and would cast it upon the innocent whom you persecute that denieth the Popes wayes and your false worships and stands a witnesse against all deceipt in Pope and Papists and all the false worshippers who are jarring and jangling about words and formalities ioyneth together to oppose and persecute the life and power of truth but it is in vaine for you to strive against the streame or hard for you to kick against the prickes Statute 1. Mary 1 Cap. 3. without getting an inward wound or mayme if not broken and dasht to peeces by so doing The Papists have sacraments and sacramentalls as they and you call them which there is no Scripture for and you have the same then wherein do you and they therein differ except in the manner and agree in the matter and so therein become one and yet you cry out of those who ranking you with the Papists deny both you and them and your will worships and the deceipt and miscarriages which you and all such live in who are wrongers of God and Men and worships their fancies formed up in the dark minde and the imaginations of their own braine and so are without Scripture proofe and warrant from God for the same as you and they therein are John Stelham Preacher of the Gospel at Edenborough as he saith in Scotland P. E. c. Doth not the Papists hold that the bread which they receive at a Sacrament so called that though it be bread before in the nature substance yet notwithstanding would they not have it to be Spirit and Life in the institution at the receiveing after their consecration and if they do so there is of those that call themselves Preachers of the Gospel at Edenborough in Scotland which Church you speake of that holds the same as I can produce under their hands and if you own it with them do you not go against the oath of Abjuration and also agree and joyne with the Papists therein and though you may differ in manner yet owning that is there not an agreeing in the matter and if so then do not you and the Papists agree therein and are you not one in the maine and yet are not ashamed some of your generation as well as you to accuse others for Papists and Jesuits that deny all their wayes and false worships in manner and matter and denies their deceipt and yours and stands to witnesse against the same turning that upon you and them againe that you may see your casting the name of Papists and Jesuits upon them that denies both their deceipts and yours neither proveth them to be as you say they are nor cleares your selves from the old reliques of Popery and if you take the oath to renounce it all and yet live in it are you not forsworne and perjured persons or any that do so consider well of it And what difference is there betwixt the call of the Papists Priests Mimisters Rectors and Curates c. to the Ministry which they live in and the call of you the Priests Ministers Pastors Teachers and Rectors as you call your selves to the Ministry which you live in Are not they called of men And is not your calling the same For had not they
refined subtilty who pretends much in words but brings forth the same evil fruits from the same old birth and evil Spirit as they and such did that drew neer to God Isa 29.10.11 12 13 14 15 16. Isa 59.23 4. c. with their mouthes and lips when their hearts were farr from him and devising mischief and bringing forth cruelty and wickednesse like you and your hearers that are asleep or in the sleepy security and in Ignorance in sin unturned to God and you their teachers neglecters of the work of God and in the miscarriages wrongers of them and of Christ as you say and yet in your self commendation you are not ashamed to call your selves the Lords labourers when you are wrongers of him and the people and neglecters of his work also living in the miscarriages and where you tell of a land of light and a garden you are found to be out of both and in darknesse and the field of wickednesse in whose hearts the miscarriages and weeds grows and where you say The Lord hath not dealt so with every Nation I say Mark 7.21.22 22. Rom. 1.28 29 c. not so much yet as to discover to the inhabitants their teachers abominations and miscarriages and cause their own mouthes to utter and their pens to write the same against themselves and their fruits to confirme it as in this Nation you and yours doth and hath done which is but the fore-runners or first discovered and so much made manifest before other Nations who have not yet heard and seene what we have done Most of the world you say page the 17. do lie in the darknesse of Heathernisme Idolatry Infidelitie and Mahometanisme and too much of Christendome in the darknesse of Popery and Heresie True all the world lieth in wickednesse I say and so saith the Scriptures I Joh. 5.19 but we know that we are of God and you in that wickednesse and Popish darknesse that are in the miscarriages are of the world c. And what can Heathenisme Idolatry Infidelity Mahometanisme Popery and Heresie though by pretended Christians bring forth more against the honour of God c. then to live in the miscarriages keep alive in killing ignorance wronging both men and Christ and neglect the work of God according to his word c. growing worse and yet run further from God as you do and if Papists Idolaters Infidels Mahometans and Heretiques can bring forth nothing more against the honour of God and destruction of souls then to live in killing ignorance unkilled and in miscarriages unpardoned and in sin unturned to God in sleepie security wronging both God and men and neglecting the work of God according to his word growing worse and running yet further from God then you and your hearers are found in the same and so agreeing in that old nature from whence ariseth negligence miscarriages Idolatry Poperie Infidelity Heathenisme and Mahometanisme Heresie c. and being out of the new birth in the old guided by that nature and Spirit do you not with Heathens Popes Turks Heretiques and Infidels agree in the maine for they can but live in the miscarriages asleep in security works of darknesse in sin unturned to God in killing ignorance unkilled neglecting the work of God according to his word to wrong Christ men growing worse and running futther from God which you and your hearers are found in and doth the same as your fruits and book called Agreement doth against you stand witnesse c. and here by your fruits spirits and your words you are left amongst your own with infidels idolaters Popes Turks and Heretiques that are of the old birth and wicked seed out of the way of salvation neglecting Gods work and persecuting or doing the work of the Devill in a high measure amounted so high as to turne wrongers of Christ and of men and so are deceivers of souls and therefore instead of a pardon expect judgment greater condemnation like such Mark 12.38.39.40 Math. 23.31.32 33. c. Behold are you not left desolate being shut out of Christs Ministry and from amongst Christians and are in the nature of Popes Papists Idolaters Infidels Heretiques and the Mahometans c. that are upon the same evill root living on the evill tree and bringing forth the evill fruit though you differ in some words and Colourable Glosses Math. 7.15.16.17.18.16.20 Isa 29.14.15.16 you are of the cursed root and beares that fruit that is aâ—cursed and can deceive none but the deceived such as are of that evill seed bearing evill fruit who are strangers to the new birth and without the true knowledge of the living God and now your vizors or covers are too narrow and all your garnishing and Colourable Glosses will not maske nor hide you Act 20.28.33.34 ver Act 26 26. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.7 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3 2 Cor. 6.3.4 5.6 but leaves you naked and bare In that which you call your Warrant you say the Holy-Ghost made you overseers c. but you have proved your selves liers for the Holy-Ghost makes those overseers that do not neglect the work of God and such as are out of miscarriages that shun not to declare the Counsel of God freely and covets no mans Silver nor Gold who are not persecuters nor wrongers of God but such as are blamelesse as the stewards of God c. Tit. 1.7 But you that are wrongers of men and of Christ and neglecters of the work of God according to his word growing worse and running yet further from God 2 Cor. 41.2 2 Tim. 3.10 11.12.13.16.17 1 Thâ—s 4.7 you never were made overseers by the Holy-Ghost therefore you have lied of or against the Holy Ghost so are liers against God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for in page 3.4 you tell of your unfaithfulnesse or negligence and are bewaileing the same as you say and wanting a pardon and yet you confute your selves in uttering your lies for your own ends where you are seeking your praise in that called your Exhortation c. page 17.18.19 c. Saying it hath pleased the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into this part of his Harvest though you confesse too weake and imperfect yet more numerous and faithfull and diligent then most of his Churches elsewhere proportionably can show That God hath sent forth labourers into his Harvest is true and they are strengthened by him to labour against your deceipt and they are both diligent and faithfull in his work who neither wrong Christ nor men but if you meane that you are those labourers or would have people to believe that you are your own words and fruits do witnesse against you that you ave not labourers in the Lords Harvest nor sent by him that are neglecters of his worke and in miscarriages not pardoned for the same and then not sent neither are you faithfull and diligent that are in the miscarriages and negligent your own
these promises cleanse your selves from all filthinesse of flesh and of Spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord. And Christ prayed to his Father for those that were given to him that they might be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 And all these had grace and Christian experience that both received the doctrin of perfection and walked in it and some preaching it and some pressing after it and some attaining it their words and fruits and the Spirit by which they were guided who had grace and Christian experience with such as received the doctrin of the Father and the Son having grace and abiding therein doth witnesse against thee Richard Baxter and thy false doctrin who garnisheth thy self with their words and calls them thy Warrant from God when thou and you 42. Priests are without their life and not in their practice but are in your miscarriages wronging others and growing worse c. Therefore are you without your warrant from God and are none of Christs ministers but enemies of the truth and are against the doctrin of the Lord Jesus but you are made manifest and your deceit and false doctrin is denyed by the Children of Light and in and with it you are reproved and against testified You say you receive the publike maintenance to this end that you may be enabled to lay out your endeavours for the good of the whole parishes from which you do receive it c. page 13. of your Agreement But have you not made it manifest to have received the publick maintenance of your parishes whom you receive it for your evil endeavours that are men of miscarriages unpardoned growing worse and runing further from God whose work is by you neglected according to your own sayings and your people understanding little you have said or many yeares preached to them who can scarse as you say speak a word of sence concerning the matters of their salvation and here you are witnesses against them for their Ignorance c. as well as you are witnesses against your selves for your miscarriages and wrong done to Christ them and is not your negligence one chief cause of their Ignorance and Ignorance the cause of destruction and for runner of eternall perdition who say you have wronged Christ and them page 19. Therefore may it not be concluded from your own confession that you are a chiefe cause of souls destruction and by your confusion have you not run into self-contradictions and makes it manifest that you take the publike maintenance of your parishes not for good endeavours but for your miscarriages and so for evil endeavors who hath not profited the people that are so Ignorant of the work of God and their soules good that they can scarce speak a word of sence in matters of salvation as you say and you are the wrongers of them and of God according to your own sayings and so deceives souls for your own ends but the Lord hath shaken his hand against your dishonest gain and such as through covetousnesse maketh merchandize of people Ezek. 22.12 23. your Judgment of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not that with you are such as you may read 2 Pet. 2.3 13 14 15. But let me aske you From whence you and those that pretend themselves ministers of the Gospel who receives Tythes or Hundreds a yeare c. tooke their first example and by whom to receive Tythes by compulsion and that which they and you call their publick maintenance c. had you your example so to do from the practice of the Apostles of Christ Observe Though Priests was very scant after the rot or pestilence spoken of in the time of Edw. 3. yet then the parish Priests was not by any manner of colour to receive above 6. marks wages by the yeare without the Bishops dispesnation and suspension the pain of people of holy Church so called giving above 5. or 6. Marks wages a year to a Parish Priest they was to pay the doubble of that which they gave more to any parish priest then 5. or 6. Marks wages in the yeare and it was to be converted to the use of Almes at the arbitrement of the Diocesan c Anno. 36. Ed. 3. Chap. 8. or from the constitution and decretall epistle of the Pope c. For the ministers of Christ had no command to take Tythes nor hundreds a yeare for preaching the Gospel but freely they received and freely they gave according to Christs command And I read in the law of England that Tythes after the Apostles time were free for the people was not bound to pay them so farr as I see till the Councell of Lateran in Pope Innocents time and then by his constitution and decretall epistle c. the Tythes it seems became bound c. and were to be paid by the subjects of the Realm and so came Parochiall rights as they call them c. to the Priests or Patrons of the Churches so called Then it is cleare to me that you have your ground to take Tythes and maintenance of the World for preaching c. not from the Apostles practice and order but from the Popes c. And that mist of Popish darknesse is not so farr dispelled or expelled from you as to cause you to forsake the Popes Constitutions or your Tythes and maisteries and follow the example of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ and to leave your Miscarriages great parsonages and give over wronging God and men for your own ends and to deny your selves and your preaching for filthy lucre and cease bearing rule by your meanes And if any of you receive the word and command from God become servant to all and minister freely as the ministers of the Gospel who dwelt dwell in the Light do afore-time did but before you do so you must turn from the broad way where the Lust Pride Pompe Covetousnesse earthly-mindednesse and vain glory of the world hath so much liberty in you and cease persecution take up the crosse to your wills Learn to know the bridle for your tongues And let the Issue of lyes and slanders be stopped c. that the stone may be set upon the neck and head of deceit Cook in his second part Institutes saith Before the Councell of Hateran Tythes were free or then any man might have given his Tythes to what spirituall person he would and it was provided at the Councell of Laterean c. that Tythes c. should be given to the Rector or Parson of the parish c. under pretence that he that gave spiritual food should reap temporal so farr as I gather see Cookes second part Institute about fol. 641. Here the Popes and their Priests Rectors c. it seemes like you they could call themselves spirituall men and Ministers Rectors c. as you do and they claimed or took Tythes and publick maintenance under pretence of Ministring spirituall things as
10. And you say page the 9. it is undenyable that the everlasting perdition of multitudes is caused by their ignorance and I say are not you the untaught teachers the cause of their ignorance and then are not you guilty of the blood and losse of those under you and the soules of those multitudes that through ignorance go into perdition whose negligence and wrong done to God and them is a great cause of that ignorance c. Therefore you say you are brought to a deep consideration of mens ignorance through your neglects and now you say you apprehend you have wronged Christ and them page 19 but what are they mended by your confession if they go into perdition and wherein do you amend since your confession but seeing your preaching to be uselesse or profit little or nothing but to deceive soules keep people in ignorance and wrong Christ and them you pretend that you will use some personall and familiar Instruction as a meanes to prevent that killing ignorance Page the 9. and that you call Catechisme setting the people to get the Creed Lords prayer ten Commandements or any Orthodox Catechisme with your expositers the same meanes which hath beene used by Bishops Prelates Episcopals your fore-Fathers if not by the Pope and yet the killing ignorance is left unkilled amongst your hearers and you the untaught teachers and when they have followed you in that you will leave them where they are and so the ignorance being unkilled amongst you and them is left and doth remaine c. To the People c that are put upon it to get the Lords Prayer Western Creed and Ten Commandements c and are yet in sin unturned to God in the selfe separation Jer. 4.25.27.28 29 30 31. Isa 9.14.15 16 17 Isa 59.2.3 4 5 6. MInd the light in your consciences that reproves for sin and evil Joh. 1.9 Math. 5.20 Job 3 3.5 Ephe. 5.11.12.13 Col. 3.5.6 Joh. 8.12 and obey that to be led out of deceipt and filthinesse for if you get all the words your Preists requireth of you and do not come to forsake the evill and imbrace the good and so witnesse the crucifying of the old nature and be borne of God it will little or nothing availe therefore mind the light of Christ in your consciences that discovereth ignorance error and miscarriages to you to follow the light that thereby the ignorance may be killed or works of the Devill destroyed and you by following the light end Counsel of Christ may be led out of darknesse ignorance and miscarriages into the light of life Joh. 8.12 And remember that the Ambassador of Christ 2. Cor. 5.20 the Councellor that declared the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 in his message and counsel co the Church said to them Pray with the Spirit and with the understanding c. 1 Cor. 14.12.13 14 15 therefore when you pray and say our Father and be not begotten by and borne of the Spirit of God how can you pray with the Spirit and true spirituall understanding for some are bastards and not sons Heb. 12.8 therefore if the bastards pray to God as their Father they are without the true understanding 1 Joh. 5.20 and without the true Spirit guiding therein and though your 42 Priests Pastors Rectors and untaught teachers and in the miscarriages let you to act in your own wills and bid you get these words to say over and some other which they have gathered together promising you salvation thereupon and they themselves without pardon for their wrong done to Christ and to you as they themselves say yet let me tell you that the Lord Jesus hath said Math. 7.20.21 that the tree is known by its evill fruits wherefore saith he By their fruits you shall know them Math. 7.15 c and to you I say that the Lord Jesus hath said that it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven so that you may get words and yet be without the life and not one jot nearer Heaven and it is at postible for you and hypocrites and evil doers to get words to repeate without spirit and true spirituall understanding and live still in the killing Ignorance in you unkilled as before though you may get all the words and have them ready to say over which your Priests and Pastors in their miscarriages untaught teachers or Popish Rectors hath imposed upon you and yet for all that remain hypocrites Bastards and be Ignorant both of the new birth and out of the way to salvation and yet ye may say Lord Lord and use the words saying Our Father which art in Heaven when your hearts are from him Isa 29.13 14 15 16. And may also for all that be Bastards Heb. 12.8 and neither sonnes servants nor Children of God but like such as Christ said was of their Father the Devill and be for condemnation as it is said John 8.44 Matth. 23.33 Mark 12.38 39 40. And yet may use scripture words and be Proud Covetous Persecuting Envious Mat. 6.5 Mark 12.38 39 40. and Children of the Devill John 8.44 1 John 3.15 Math. 4.5 6. For all that not being born of God and being out of the eternall life and without the true spirit and spirituall understanding and also may be under the wrath of God And in a stare of condemnation and being unrighteous shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven and so go into perdition take notice of that 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 17. Job 1.6.7 8 9 Jer. 23.1 Jer. 21.30 Joh. 8.40 41 42 43.44 45.47 48. And it is possible for the Devill to preach the letter of the Scripture in his disciples Proud Covetous Persecuting and Self-seeking Priests Pastors and Rectors and set people in the evil nature to get the same and not change it by repeating them over in the Miscarrying and wrongfull nature and being in the old birth and under the curse untaught of God and without the true spirituall understanding or the good spirit guiding them and may be for condemnation for all that Did not the Devill preach Scripture to Christ when he came to tempt him and say As it is written c. Matth. 4.5 6 Yet Christ rebuked him knowing his voice and said Get thee behind me or Go hence Satan Matth. 4.10 11. So ought all Christians to say to the Satanicall Ministers knowing their voice and their fruits to be from the Serpent that lives in Miscarriages doing wrong to God and Christ as yours say they do witnesse their own words in their Agreement page 4.19 c. But when Christ reproved Satan and denied him then he fled from him who came to have wronged him 2 Cor. 6.17 Math. 7.23 Eph. 5.11 2 Joh. 9.10 11 2 Pet. 2.3 Jude 11. as your teachers do him and you but your duty is to deny them and bid them depart because they
day of the 11th month in the yeare 1655. Richard Farnsworth To the Catechisme c. Set forth by the 42. Priests c. ANd in your Catechism you say you believe there is one only God in 3 persons I answer That there is one God is true and you are proved and have confessed that you are wrongers of his Son Christ Jesus and then of him for he and his Father is one Joh. 10.30 And there is three that beare witnesse in Heaven the Father the word and the Spirit and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 but where is those three persons you speake of are you not liers therein for he that abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 Joh. 9. and the Holy Ghost remaines within in the Saints Joh. 14.15 16 17. and these three are one and agree in the unity 1 Joh. 5.7 8. and as Christ hath said I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 and the unity stands in the eternity which is shut out of the reach of your carnality that are out of the unity and in the enmity and selfe separation wrongers of men and of Christ as you say you are therefore you speake of things which you are not in the true knowledge of and feeds peoples fancies with your conceivings and imaginations you say also that God made man for himselfe but you are gone farr from the end for which you were made that are turned wrongers of him in wronging people and his Son and in running further from him as your selves confesse and so under the curse for you say that he gave a law requireing perfect obedience upon paine of death and if he requires you perfectly to obey him upon paine of death are you not under that penalty and lyable to that paine and punishment that instead of yeilding perfect obedience denieth it in denying perfection and so perfect obedience who live in miscarriages growing worse and worse and running further from God and saying that the doctrine of God the Father and his Son viz the doctrine of Sinlesse perfection were bred by the Devil and detested by Christ and never received by any that had grace c. When the same doctrine was preached and commanded both by God and Christ and both believed in and received by such as had grace guiding them and such as yeild perfect obedience to the divine will and law of God them you revile and are not ashamed to call them heretiques and cast them into Prison if they do but walke up into the same things which you preach in words and speake of and seeing you out of the life of the same tell you of it though now you have confessed it that you are of what you set others to get instead of owning perfection and yeilding perfect obedience to the law and will of God you persecute them that do and lives your selves in the disobedience to the divine law and will of God and are in your covenant with sin and imperfection in the miscarriages and as you say wronging both Christ and men as thou Richard Baxter and you 42 hath done but thou and you all are seen and your covers will not hide you but leaves you bare who are out of the doctrine of Christ and under condemnation and in danger of stverlasting paine and death due to the disobedient except you consider betime and truly repent give over deceiving of soules yeild perfect obedience as you say that you may come out of imperfection and persecution and forsake your miscarriages and give over wronging Christ and men make restitution and humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and make it manifest not by your flatteries and excuses serpent-like and still continue or grow worse and worse in the miscarriages and wronging God men c. but by ceaseing your persecution and your preaching for hire and beareing rule by your meanes c. and turning to that of God which reproves in secret for your miscarriages and forsake them and your lusts and make your amendment and returne manifest by your fruits and live not in your flatteries but as you have confessed your wrong to the people and promised your amendment make good your word and go make restitution for them for the same and give over your trade of dâ—ceit there is many Scriptures which you have summed together and set people to get over mixing your deceipt and imaginations amongst them and hath not the Pope and Bishops as you do garnished and painted themselves in their masse books Pulpits and Catechisms c. with the Saints words when they was as farr from the Saints Spirit life and practise as you are and you for all your painting and garnishing your selves are as farr from the Saints life and practise as they were And if the people get all your words to say over will that change their nature which hath not yet changed yours and did not your Fore-fathers use it before you and yet left you where they was except more painted outwardly and grown more subtle but within full of venome cruelty and persecution and out of the life and power of truth as is made manifest for you say in your third Answer where you speak your own condition that as men did willfully sin and fall from God and happinesse you say in your 19 page that you are wrongers of Christ and men and in the neglect of the work of God and in miscarriages c page 3.4 in your Agreement then are not you in that condition entered willfully into them through Satans temptation and are not you in that condition under the wrath in the fall under the curse nay do I say any more herein then you have confessed for you say that man being tempted did willfully sin and I say you that are wrongers of Christ and of men you have done the same and so fell from God and hapinesse into miscarriages persecution and wickednesse under the wrath of God and curse of the law and the power of the Devill through disobedâ—ence as you are so say you in your third answer we are by nature dead in sin I say then you are not by grace yet quickened who are from the divine life and what can dead men act in that death and life of sin for God but against him and is not that the cause that the killing ignorance you speake or remaines yet unkilled amongst you and your people that are asleep as you say in security in sin unturned to God ignorance of that which concernes their salvation and therefore doth make it appeare that you are strangers from the life of Jesus and the covenant of promise and knoweth not the life of truth nor the quickening of the soule nor yet how to kill the killing ignorance that remaines amongst you unkilled and dead men that are dead from the divine life set up dead Papers and dead words without life
to God who scarse can speak a word of sence as in your accusation against them you say about the matters of Salvation and you are the wrongers of Christ and them page the 19. who ate dead in sin and prone to do more evil continually promising amendment but instead of amending are accusing your selves and sayes you grow worse and depart yet further from God Answer the third of your Catechisme therefore you do not truly repent that doth not heartily return out of your Miscarriages and from the flesh and the world unto God then you do not believe nor receive Christ by an effectuall faith who are turned wrongers of him and therefore in not loving the good and forsaking the evil to turn out of your Miscarriages and from the world unto God you that are wrongers of men and him and lives in such disobedience you are not doing all that which your selves say is to be done the which being neglected and undone is cause of damnation then are not you in that condition consider of it that neglects the work of God and leaves it undone and instead of doing it continues in your miscarriages the works of the Devill growing worse as you say and are running further from God therefore you are not running for him nor doing his work take notice of that And if your people get the words which you set them to get will those sayings bring them into the effectuall faith and out of their Miscarriages unto repentance and throughly to forsake the Devill the World the Flesh and heartily turn them therefrom unto God c Or may not an Hypocrite and a dissembler get the words to say over and for all that remain an Hypocrite and a dissembler still and so be a child of the Devill and if you and they get the words to repeate or say over and tell of forsaking the Devill the World and the Flesh and of turning from them unto God and do not turne from them unto him nor come out of Miscarriages but grow worse doing wrong to men and Christ as you do who are also running further from God c. saying in words and faigned flatteries they will turn from the evil to the good c. and do not forsake the Devill the World the Flesh Joh. 8.34 Math. 23.14 16 but refuses to turn from them unto God are not such Hypocrits and Dissemblers who are sayers and not doers And are not such three-fold more the servants of sin and children of the Devill consider of it and deceive not your selves with shewes and pretences flatteries colourable glosses And do not you both tell the tale and give the answer and must not the people be bound by you to say as you say and speak your condition whether they be so or no for you speaking your own conditions saying you are dead in sin continually prone to evil growing worse yet runing further from God you would have all others to be or say so if they be not so but if they through the experience of grace and goodnesse received from God make reply and say we are quickened by grace and are growing in the same having received Christ by an effectual faith which purifieth our hearts and therefore we have forsaken the Devill the World and the Flesh and are unfainedly turned from them unto God and being born of God 1 Pet. 1.22.23 and guided by his Spirit we are made the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 and so are heirs of Salvation Rom. 8.14 and are made pertakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light for which we give thanks unto the Father who made us meet to be pertakers thereof Col. 1.14 and are come to the Spirits of just men made perfect and as we have received Christ Jesus the Lord so we walk in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as we have been taught Heb. 12.22 23. Col. 2.6 7. Col. 1.3 9 10. verses a-abounding therein with thanksgiving in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge for in him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily and the Saints are compleat in him who is the head of all principality and powers as the Scripture witnesseth and if they say so and say they witnesse with them would you not call such hereticks and say it were delusion or blasphemy and the like c And do not you in your Catechisme preach up the same in words as the condition of the obedient c. and if any witness the same condition which you tell them of and say I am a Son of God and heir of Salvation grow in perfection say you are out of the life of what you exhort to but are as you confesse wrongers of Christ neglecters of his work and therefore have not received him by the effectual faith neither have you forsaken the Devill that lives in perfection nor the flesh that are in Miscarriages nor the world that are prone to do evil and growing worse continually neither are you heartily nor in the least me a sure turned from them unto God who are as you say running yet further from him and therefore running from him are not sent of him and so cannot profit the people at all and in disobeying his law and wronging of him in wronging his Son and being still in the Miscarriages and growing worse c. you are not doing what you say is to be done upon pain of damnation and therefore not doing it but neglecting and leaving the same undone may it not be concluded from your own words being found in the neglect that you are for the damnation you speak of in your Agreement but would you not persecure them which witnesse the same in life and power which you speak of as the condition of the obedient who are Sons of God c. and tell you that you are out of the life of the same and are neither Sons nor Servants of God but wrongers of him and his who are in your Miscarriages and growing worse c. To speak Truth against deceit is no rayling And this is but according to what your selves say who are witnesses against your selves both accusing your selves your people in that called your Agreement who have fully laid open your deceit if you did but see it but is not the Serpent now as blind as ever he was Ignorant in the things of the Spirit of God Joh. 8.44 doth not well know his Fathers work and what he bringeth forth who assumed to call Abraham his Father when Christ sharply reproved him for it and said to the Serpents seed You are of your Father the Devill and his works you will do yet though he so said he did neither rail not revile neither were his sayings un Gospel like being thereunto guided by a Gospel-Spirit yet you will be ready to call that railing which is in reproofe to your deceit which