its own single Witness and denieth to be tryed by Scripture or any thing else but it self You try all your matter by that you call the light vvithin the natural man c. of vvhich light your spirit is the transfotmed Angel 2 Cor. 11.14 and things are like to go on in his side in his ovvn Court. We acknowledge the light vvithin the enlightned man vvhich agreeth with the Scriptures Heb. 10.32 compared vvith 2 Tim. 3.17 but not before illumination this is the light that enlightneth every man but vve must not acknowledge it but where it is It is good to answer Tempters by seeing the image or superscription though Tempters are more general It is certain there is something called a light by Christ that is in the unregenerate man and may be darkness Matth 6.23 Surely this must be yours for you own yours there and vvould have all judged by that and neglect Christ and his Apostles rules in Scripture And now to be short Friend you have not found out one particular in all my Writings whereunto you might apply your self as a just matter of your reproof therefore you fell upon me with many foul revilings onely there is a mistake in the quotation I not being at the Presse my self to correct it the place should have been 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. for which mistake you take him in a Snare that reproveth in the Gate and maketh a man an offendor for a word Isa 29.21 yea and that a word mistaken onely and that you do with most foul insultations In matters of the World he that should prosecute his Neighbor for vvitnessing the truth when he onely mistakes â—he place and â—and upon that point would be known amongst men as a cunning Knave As for the matter you made shew to answer you have given it all the go by yet you will be in Print Well according to Solomon in Prov. 26.5 I have answered you and according to his counsel in Verse 4. I shall not answer you except you shew more Wisdom you have asked me no question but what are plainly prevented in my Writings if you had eyes to see it you might see it therefore I refer all to the judicious Reader that shall read both Books Again you make something of the word Carpenters Son but that is your mistaking ignorance for it was he that the Jews vilified by that Name who is the Saviour of the world and Law-giver to Saints and as they reproached his meaness by that Name so you reproach the meaness of his Laws by the Name oâ— outside Law carnal unspiritual things as not high enough for him that exalteth himself above all that is called God or worshipped Therefore the VVord is a proper allusion to you you and the Jews both vilifying Christ and his Laws as too mean for you Again you play upon the word Taking it upon me as my duty you need not for it is a Scripture phrase Gen. 18.31 and whosoever is a VVitness for the Truth taketh up the Cross and upon him Christs burden which to do is my duty the word you see will warrant the phrase and that is more sure then your As God his movings I write against a Spirit and People in disobedience and I bended my writings against the thing wherein the deceit lay I did personally asperse no man but thou hast missed the point though thou comest forth as a man provoked and one in union with that Error I reproved and hast brought forth my Name and dwelling-place that thou mightest reproach me with railing terms upbraiding me with what men had done unto me and art to be reproved by Psal 50 19 20 and Jude 8 9 10. Is not this personal animosity Have you not need to plead for perfection that do such things Do you think your Spirit that hath set you about this is the spirit of God or no You must needs call this either envy or malice or both Is this any proof for your matter that you give folks to think you answer This is as impertinent as all the rest even so is thy calling that light in the natural man of which Christ saith Matt. 6.23 How great is that darkness the light of Christ and averring that I speak against it the Lord will uphold my good Name though thou wouldst blast it and make me content to go through thy evil report and be glad to see thee penitent and obedient to God that thou and I may enjoy that one life and truth together with the Apostles and Disciples and that God-man that dyed upon the Cross and is now with his Father and our Father in heaven which he gave in the dayes of his flesh and now maintaineth Written by an unworthy Servant of God who in Gods perfect way waiteth for visitations of that Spirit that is sent from the Father and the Son by that Man Jesus who is in Heaven in his eternal and unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 H. H. FINIS ERRATA Pag. 4 line 5. for talents read talands l 6. for peak r. beak l. 2â— for Charts r. Church P. 12 l. 4 after the word Disciples r. truth speaketh l. 20. after the word mouâ—hr when that Statute is as the mouth of some inveteraâ—e Clergy-men to hold mens estates in at their pleasure P. 16. l. 15. for Ecclesiasies r Nehemiah
one body Made ere they knew in infancie But Scripture Baptist doth them all deny For the good old way that Jesus walked in e Ier. 7.16 And the Apostles taught repenters to begin f Acts 2.38 Hereupon the spirit of the beast rouzeth up himself again Yea thinks the Quakers spirit then will I All that is called God or worshiped deny g 2 Thes 2. For where by order * by making false order I can have no place I must exalt my self to the disgrace * viz. in his deceived ones who exalt the sound of name but have being ignorant of the nature of the law of God and Christ Of God opposing order of his face Though God be the God of order Plainness of truth opposite to the beasts mysticall pretences GOD sent his son in flesh to come True naturall blood to shed And did ordain his death to be In simple man bake't bread And Vine fruit wine that men do drink Which God and man doth chear When in his ord'nance spirit joynd The price of Christs blood dear Shown to hold forth his death for sin Until he come again That is gone up true advocate Our cause for to maintain Where holy God and sinful man By Christ a treaty hold Who takes our prayers and there to God Our miseries doth unfold And doth return into our hearts The fruits of his blood shed True pordon strength comfort and joy By spirit witnessed Who doth with blood and water joyn One witness manifested a Iohn 1.5 8. In Gods one way whil'st men obey Repent and be baptised And then expect pardon of sin And holy spirit Gods gift b 2. Acts 38 Whil'st that our loves is prov'd to Christ In making it our striâ—t For to keep all Gods commandments Where Scripture comfort dwells c Rom. 15.4 With Son and Father manifest Where men are not Rebels a Iohn 14 21. Hereupon the spirit of the beast proceedeth Thinks disobedient spirit I have No share in this strong Saviour I l'e cry down Lawes and holier be Then all that formes do favour In the eyes of those that have the love Of simple truth denyde I l'e serve their lusts and them perswade They need not to be ti'd I strong delusion can command Affections into tears b Ezek. 8 14 And cause men for to lean on God And so free them from fears c Mica 5.11 And cause men to protest to God That they 'l obedient be d Ier. 42.6 Yet his commandments to deny And say it is not he e Ier. 43. i 2 For in right steps of humbleness f Ps 17 11 They shall seem after God to press And though by Christs knowledge they scape Through lusts the worlds pollution g 2 Pet 2 20 Yet Gods commandments turning from They 're fast in my possession Although that they his way forsake They holiness may hold * The strength of delusion lieth in their seeming to themselves others to hold forth their formal holiness For I will spirit them my self Whil'st they 're fearless and bold I can my self transforme Into an Angels light And there maintain the light within The disobedient wight a 2 Cor. 11 14 2 Thes 2. Truth speaketh As righteous they must sure appear Whilst they can have the Skill To seem as Christs Apostles right And preachers of his Will b 2 Cor. 11 13.15 These were so far convinc't As to disclaim prophaneness But love of truth did not receive To bring them to obed'ence c 2 Thes 2 Self-love did them provoke Lest they should damned be Or of salvation be deny'd Prophaneness for to flee Doth it avail saith they To save us let us see All other Scriptures they throw by As useless for to bee Delusion speaks Therefore to them I me sent d 2 Thes 2 11. compared with 10 Verse Such lies they shall believe As me their inward Teacher to Prefer though God they grieve e Gen. 6.6 Before that simple Christ That Scripture-writing gave That men might read know his law And sure instructions have f 2 Pet. 1 19 20 2 Tim 3.17 Truth speaks The Man of God to make perfect And furnish him throughout There is a rule to know Gods will None need of it to doubt Delusion speaketh In mans imagination I le frame a lawless Christ And set my selfe up there as God And in his name be hi'st I le cause these to ascribe to me What ere to God is due And to my inward motions To flye from Scripture-view Remember Ahabs case 1 King 21.23 Truth doth and will conclude When beauteous holiness appears In sweetned-soul the dew of youth to bring Psalm 110 In morning womb it never fears To own its Jesus Lord and King That God-begotten Virgin-born That crosfide flesh was crown'd with thorn Hath saving power and law-giving In person place and time No true man can deny this thing And say he 's without crime That doth salvation to himself apply Whilst that obedience he doth clean deny Though faith and bapti'm in one book be writ Yea in one Chapter and in one Verse too Delusion saith he can the faith out pick And leave the bapti'm for some else to do Thus self-love his salvation minds Whil'st love of righteousnesse thinks fit To hate iniquity betimes The Oyle of gladness with his Christ to get a Psal 45.7 And thinks nothing for himself to imbrace To be too low carnal or base That his Jesus to his Apostles gave For Church direction but will tread the trace With Christ and his Disciples to his grave And knowes when 's left his body then that he From 's bodyes worship not before is free If our great God by such a lowly thing As blew in fringe would Israel mind Of their obedience to their Lord and King b Num 15 38 That they might not to their own heart Nor to their eyes be seeking With spirit of disobedience dark Though light calld go a-whoring Then think not baptism breaking bread Mean Lawes by Christ b'ing uttered Flying to holier spirit they think then Christ That doth and will exalt himself the high'st Within the disobedient child That is by spirit but not by God beguil'd To all Law-givers and Magistrates WIth the submission of a poor worm that is under your feet that you may behold what God hath given to my heart to write a warning to men and that you may avoid all provocations to that horrid sin of building up Sim with blood Micah 3.10 I tender this treatise to your view hoping that you will not despise the words of him that is as much your underling as any maid-servant to her Master though they may Contend with some of you Iob 11.13 Being I am heartily engaged by Christ Jesus my master to disswade all men from adhering to mans inventions or devices in and about the worship of God because they are so dangerous
Lord and saviour Rev 15 3 if thou mean to sing his praises in heaven and thou hast no other weapons but the word of thy testimony and the blood of the Lamb and wo wil be to them that sight in Christs quarrel with any other weapons the one is to keep out subjects and spirit of Abaddon who fight with carnal weapons and provoking temptations to destroy one-another which you wil easily see if you compare the 38 of Ezek 10 with Rev 20 8 thy heart being sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb they would destroy thee too if this blood did not keâ—p them out but no child of God can be destroyed though his body perish when his heart is held up in its rejoycing delight in God prisons and enemies and all persecution being but keyes to open the hear to God more abundantly and messengers to bring Gods presence into it to keep his heavenly court there then thou wilt not be provoked at thy enemies further then to pittie them and pray for them and do them good the other is the Scriptures which is the word that Christ thy Captain fought this beasts spirit with when he bare testimony against him with it is written and that is the word of the testimony it is written will find all his members out it will approve the proved perfect way of God and discover every false way and that thou and I may walk in the fear of God and comforts of his spirit with the Churches of Christ Acts 9 31. and also in the comfort of the Scripures our way being there recorded Rom. 15 4 we behaving our selves wisely in a perfect way waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus to us Psal 101 2 may walk with a perfect heart is the desire of thy companion in the faith and under the cross of Christ H H To the Reader REader if thou hast a desire to take him in a snare that reproveth in the Gate Esa 29 21. and endeavoureth to make ie matter for thy hating or persecuting spirit to work upon that these things are written against thee as the Pharisees did against my master Christ unworthy I to call him so yet he having given me grace to be faithful and commanding his loving kindness into my heart and opening my heart to receive his father and himself and ovvned me and caused me to ovvn him I am bound to tell thee that thou mayest shevv thy self of the Pharisees spirit and as one of them by so doing But the children of truth follovving the example of their Lord and Lavv-Giver endureth contradictions of sinners Heb. 12.3 vvithout heart-rising-malice or procuring evil or persecution to them but their rule is to love their enemies pray for them that persecute them the Scripture cannot shevv any Disciple that ran to the Magistrate for help against any disputant the Disciples of Christ have all one spirit even the same that Steven had that the gain-sayers could not resist the vvisdom of it and not the Magistrates svvord at their call neither dare they lay it upon the right eye of their enemies that they neither dare look upon nor speak truth because of it Zach. 11.17 though it be the gain-sayers portion yet it is not from Christs Disciples if they should not be inslaved that are fed and maintained by the Magistrate they could not be idle shephards but vvould break through all difficulties to look upon the light though it cost them vvhatsoever harm the svvord that lieth upon their eye could do them Truth and those that are of it begotten are vvilling to come to the light to have their practises and opinions manifested for it delights to be exactly searched and examined and the more contradictions are endured and the current of them not stopped the more it shineth I advise thee to understand that this little book is not written against any persons but such as are ticntured with the spirit of that beast it is a hunting to discover for this spirit cannot be attributed to Presbyterian or Independant or Quaker or Baptist no not to Pope and Prelate alone or at all except they have the acts and instruments of cruelty mentioned by them which are the cognisance of the fourth beast that hath no certain creatures form Dan. 7.7 as the other of the three had but was dreadful and terrible to shew it was a persecutor it had great Iron teeth ten horns which are instruments of cruelty it brake in peices devoured and stamped the residue viz. all but it self here is acts of cruelty indeed O how like this beast is those religious people that would destroy all religions but themselves by the Magistrates hand for non-conformities sake to themselves but this beast is in every place yea in the very Temple of God 2. Thes 2.1 and wheresoever there is either power of man spirited to be Abaddon and Apollons subjects or of spirit that opposeth either spirit or form that agree together in the true witness and worship of God or wheresoever that opposing spirit maintaineth his breath there will some time or other appear the Tallands or the ten horns or the stamping power or some deceivableness of unrighteousness that is in them that perish yea though it be the very subtilty of him that can transform himself into an Angel of light and these are all members of that self hiding beast Wheresoever or among what people soever this beast hath lost his honour in one form he taketh up another yea and rather then fail of his purpose denyeth all formes so that it may be said he was and upon his hiding himself he is not there where he was as visibly and formally the same and yet is the same spirit of that beast that ruleth in the children of disobedience that alwayes either opposeth the plainness or the spiritualnesse of Christs commands one while saying they are too low or foolish or carnal as water baptism c. for those that look after spiritual light to one another while exalting a false form another while added form without either spirit or life and thus he playeth bow-peep appearing on the one side and on the other here and there when and where he is discovered changing his form or peeping out without any form and it is apparent that he ascendeth out of the bottomless pit because no rule that Christ hath given in his word can measure him he dsiclaimeth that when it would discover him and then telleth you that the place he cometh from is the movings of a spirit and in this it is bottomless because no right reason nor measuring line can declare where or what or when this spirit will make his progress or try his work that refuseth all tryal but himself These things considered let not the Clergy be enraged that this writing hunteth after this beast if it be not amongst the Clergy or Presbitery in England it may be it wil be found in Rome and some other land let them help me to
hunt him out If they do not rather compell by the Magistrates sword into conformity then convince by sound doctrine the gain-sayers Tâ—tus 1.9 2 Tim. 2.25 and not desire them to be rooted out of their dwellings to be cast into prison to have their goods spoiled for want of conformity to them if they be content not to be chief of all that come forth in the name of God viz. not to give Laws to all so that none may preach without their authority and let Gods authority without mans serve the turn if they can be content that any man cast out Devils Mark 9.39 if they can be quiet in mind to see others preach Christ that have not authority from them and rejoyce in it though he be preached of envy Phil. 1.15 if they be without all the forenamed instruments and acts of cruelty nor have no heart to desire nor sue for power to force conformity to them by the Magistrates sword then they are no members of the Beast that this book pointeth at Hovvsoever none can deny but that some Presbyterians and Independants are held in their forms upon account of riches and honour or for some self-engagements sake although most or all may not be so vvhich I am afraid are there is novv so much light abroad according to Daniels Prophesie Dan. 12.4 that if there vvere such a povver upon them as could make their hearts manifest as one day there shal be some of them must needs ovvn some part of the speeches that are spoken in this book to be the very thoughts of their hearts that they take comfort and have their standings maintained from the causes inserted there and other-some the rest and some all hovvever I am excuseable because the spirit of God out of the mouth of Jesus Christ my master in the undvidiing expression said Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites although some of them proved believers they were then the guides though blind ones teachers of Jsrael a people that God loved somtime as wel as ever he did England also Christ reproving Lawyers spake wo to them in general Luke 11.46 though some of them proved good men as Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus c. then it is possible that England may be as blind led as Israel then was for the Pharisees and Lawyers was as learned then as ours now are therefore Reader take heed that thou let not thy heart rise against this book by unconsiderate prejudice read it ponder it to this purpose 1. Take heed of retaining that spirit that thinks himself wise enough to controul plain commands of Christ in Scripture 2. Also if the plaines and simplicity be that that offended thee in Christs Lawes read Mat. 11.6 and seriously consider whether the practise of the Apostles and Disciples for 300. years after Christ be not a good expositer of the Law and that thou need not go to spirits or Angels for a higher exposition against their plain practises 3. Consider in thy mind whether any Statute recorded in the Scripture can be repealed but by a Statute there also recorded and then take heed of changing Christs Laws upon mans authority 4. Do not believe because the falling away is great that therefore the Law of baptising beleivers is cancelled for if the command were not yet in force there could be no falling from it 2. Pet. 2.21 5. Understand that whosoever falleth away yet are religious must needs have some inventions of man by Satans inward working either that the Rule is not exact enough then meditate Eccles 7.16 or that it is too strait then carry thy meditations to the written Word Isa 8.28 and there pitch down thy Standard for truth 6. If truth of God stir thy mind to trouble and the Word carry a sharp edge rightly applyable to thee take heed that Satan work thee not into the rage of revengeful persecution Psal 76.10 and then thou may come to approve thy self to be a Christian Reader which is the desire of the servant of Christ who is a well-wisher to the whole Creation H. H. A true Reproof of W. S. SIR HAving known your discretion in other things I cannot but wonder that you should seem to suppose that you have any thing like an Answer to H. H. in your Book but much more should I marvel that you should say It is hard to draw Wine out of thy Lees Which is as much as to say It is hard to answer that which you go about to answer And though you see your self blundered in what you are about to answer that you would go on viz to heal those that Truth woundeth but that I consider that when once your heart cometh to engage in error then wilful ignorance tempts God and hardens your hearts against evident truth of God then yours ceaseth to be an outward single disobedience but it is an inward heart working God-tempting though ignorant Error which is not charged in this place of Heb. 3.8 9 10 11 12. with ignorance of God but of his Wayes and in this appeareth a heart of unbelief in departing from the living God when men are wilfully ignorant and have a heart set against his Wayes Wherefore herein you prove your selves to be of the shameless generation spoken of in Ier. 6.10 your spirit is not ashamed to take the Name and Title of God and you are not ashamed to say you are moved by God when indeed you are moved by the Evil One you giving and he taking the Name of God or rather the using your lips to exalt himself above God with 2. Thess 2. and also in that he maketh you his voice by his own Authority to proclaim null the Laws that God made by Jesus Christ and without any Warrant from Christ or his Apostles crying down that vvhich they taught and practised either they or you must needs be of Satan being that the Scripture saith If we or an Angel from heaven teach unto you another Gospel then what we have preached to you let him be accursed Gal 1.8 You say in your Book I deny I am made to stand a witness against thee in the power of the Lord vvhilst I hold up that Gospel What self-exaltation is here What proof is here of your matter Here is great swelling Words do you think your Spirits Authority enough so that he need not to use Scripture to prove his matter by when he is questioned Then he seems in this as in other things to be above Christ by his own exaltation for Christ when he met vvith your spirit in temptation though he be the Son of God yet used Scripture saying It is written and in his Word by the mouth of John appealeth to Record saying There are three that bear record on earth the Spirit Water and Blood and these three agree in one but your Spirit is so far from agreeing that it opposeth two of them wherefore it cannot be the Spirit of God your Spirit cometh forth in
that none can open his eye to discover my vanity but a Sword lyeth on it Zac. 11.17 I beseech you also take notice of the good I have done for this part of the world who are my Vassals I have builded their Churches and dedicated them to Christ or one Saint or other that they may be holy I have divided their Lands into Parishes settled Tithes upon them left no means unthought out that may dignifie or distinguish them but have made all conveniences for ease pleasure and safety that the wit of man can invent Tell me now am not I a better Master to mine then Christ was to his Who suffered his to be under cruel mockings scornings bonds imprisonments savings asunder temptings being slain with swords and wandring up and down in sheep-skins and goat-skins Rom. 16.33 Heb. 11.37 And no marvel for he had no Kingdom of this world as I have But wâ—ilst thou lookest on the Saâ—â—s outward condition thou feelest not his 〈◊〉 of â—…t Prov. 1.10 nor whereon to lay his head he was never born to that honour and riches that I and mine are for he was fain to make shift with a Manger at the time of his birth though we arose from out of his Charts Act. 20.30 we have attained to greater riches and intailments and strong settlements in this world then he or any of his had or will have Truth speaketh Prelate what I say to thee I shall say to all thy issue viz. If thou be not found in the Scriptures of truth I cannot own thee for then thou must be of mans invention of lies and must be outed for ever having share of me your Antiquity cannot maintain you you are not older then the Epistle of Jude vers 4. who wrote of your old Ordination and your coming in neither can the approbation of Bishops and Doctors justifie you for Christ Jesus thanketh his Father that he hath hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes 'T is not honourableness that will help you for God will stain the pride of all grory and bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Isa 23.9 Whereas you pleade your Councils I cannot own them for the Scripture of truth concludes them under a wo Isai 30.1 for taking Counsel and not by Gods Spirit One thing wherein your Councils are point-blank against the Scriptures of truth is A Bishop the Scripture proveth must be the Governour of a natural family consisting of wife and children where the spirit of Government must be fruitful in governing his own house well in these words A Bishop must be blameless the husband of one wife c. 1 Tim. 3.2 One that ruleth well having his Children in subjection with all gravity for if he know not how to rule his own how shall he take care of the Church of God Even so must their wives be grave c. vers 4 5. And in Titus If any man be blameless the husband of one wife having faithful children not accused of ryot or unruly c. But your Councils are so shameless that they give out their Must be against the Scriptures Must-be for you say That a Bishop must be unmarried and so are all your Priests to be by your Councils Order Therefore let all men look upon thee as one that vieth it with God himself and indeed if the Scripture had not spoken of a false-dealing shameless Clergie Jer. 13.15 I should have more admired your impudency your daughter Presbytery is not altogether so shameless for she puts her May-be against the Scriptures Must-be for she saith A Bishop may be unmarried And as for your fixing your self in the joynts of honour riches strength cruelty multitudes c. I must by the Scriptures of truth tell thee That the stone the tryed stone the precious corner-stone when he shall lay judgement to the line and righteousness to the plummet the hail shall sweep away all your refuge of lies then your contract with hell and death shall not stand Isai 28.16 viz. All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me He that contracted with you will then prove but a bad Pay-master And as concerning the people that is with you in concord this very thing is the curse that is upon them viz. There shall be like people like priest and both in love with lies if sometimes the Nation that is called Gods people were in this condition it is easily believed that Rome and England may be so It is said of them The prophets prophesie falsly the priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof These things considered I have done with the Prelate Now followeth the speech that may be aptly spokenly sâ—me of that Presbitery that is the Prelates Daughter Truth it is a folly to lye before thee though I may cozen the people with sophistical Arguments my learning being very useful to me for that purpose I have not shaken off my Mothers foundation but have kept her Baptism her sticking to mans Ordination to preach though not wholly in her Order for I tell you truly herein lyeth my pomp my riches my benefice my parish-livings that my Mother Prelate provided for me and is the very Saddle upon which I ride the Beast by the help of my brother Lawyer which Beast some have interpreted to be the great powers of the earth for I know the same spirit that caused the Hierarchies successors to ordain me will cause them to maintain me and all my honours and greatness for indeed I have all the Rulers and great ones power for few or none of the Rulers believe on poor Christ and his poor despised people and therefore I flatter them in their powdered locks and new fashions Rom. 12. gives you no such warrant and their wives in their long trailing Gowns naked Breasts and spotted Faces or if I flatter them not I make my reproofs so soft and so thin as the Tiffany they wear And for their filth of meat and vain talk I smile at them whilst I formally reprove them and I call it not Gluttony and Drunkenness neither do I charge it so strictly upon them to face them with bold reproofs telling them That for every idle word they must give an account at the day of judgment as the poor silly followers of poor Christ do Alas poor souls for their plain dealing the world judgeeth them accursed and turneth them out of doors whereas I can be welcome to great persons and we can call on another godly lying till we think we say truly and both of us together fall upon the back of the poor silly followers of poor Christ by which means it is no disgrace to me upon the earth before the great ones and the lustful ones and the common people though the foresaid poor people by plain proofs cut of Scripture make me naked My Mothet Prelate
compelled maintenance though some of us think our selves happy for having a Levite to our Priest viz. one of those the Clergy were wont to pray for viz. the whole Tribe of Levi by what name or title soever they were dignified or distinguished Judg. 17.13 But because we would not be too far separated from our Mother we love her a little she may strengthen us and we her we would have a little of her worldly esteem though the rude Multitude own us not in time we may be as much honoured for Godliness as our Grandmother and Mother is for their ability to prefer to setled honour and riches and for their flattery ease and lusts but we doubt we have a little of our Mothers pride and willingness to save our skins therefore we will be modestly Godly and that with so much wisdom as may keep as much of our mothers love and our Mothers friends as we can Also we have Pastors of our own chusing and some of us have Pastors that have no Authority from man nor descent from mans Authority yet we have our Grandmother and our Mothers baptism by vertue of the Popes Decree it was given to our Mothers Mother and so we have that from Antiquity and Succession If we should by denyal of that tear our selves from our Ancient Worship and deny the worlds Baptism and unchristian them all at once 〈…〉 we should lose all at once our relation and hopes of worldly promotion Truth speaketh To have a neer Relation to me onely in similitude will not make thee in Union with me to be almost a Christian like Agrippa is to be no Christian Act. 26.28 To be almost in heaven and go no further is never to come there there is many who undertake to counterfeit me but there is no likeness in all things of me but my self but the Counterfeits are in something lame or in something superfluous I agree with all and every command of God in Scripture and there is room for nothing else in me but what Scripture will own The Scriptures of Truth doth not clearly own you the Scripture clearly owneth that upon believing men and women ought to be and were baptized and walk together in Church-order of this there is many witnesses throughout the new Testament as Act. 8. and Act. 2 c. but not one witness that unbaptized persons walked in Church order or that Infants was commanded to be or was baptized of the first there is certainty neither thou nor all the Learned Rabbies in the world can deny it of the second there is but a May-be and that from mans inventions I charge you all and all that reads this writing as you fear God to search the Scripture and see if in this particular you can attain to a better proof then a May-be if thou canst not be ashamed and repent for I look at thee to have more shame in thee then either thy Grandmother or thy Mother and presume not above what is written you need do no more then Scripture warranteth you it hath enough in it if observed in Letter and Spirit to furnish the man of God throughly to perfection and all good works 2 Tim. 3.17 then lay aside all your Ordinances that are grounded upon May-be though the wisest men that ever were in the world invented them O consider God will take Vengeance on inventions though they be of Moses Aaron and Samuel Psal 99.6 to vers 8. Consider also that mans inventions diverteth him from his Uprightness Eccles 7.29 And whereas yon tell me of chusing Pastors your selves let me tell you Pastors and Teachers are given by God and not chosen by men and except it be found in Scriptures of Truth that man is directed to chuse any such Officers take heed lest thou erect an Idol of thine own invention in so doing instead of following Gods direction God knoweth well thou canst nor chuse as God chuseth for man looketh at the outward appearance viz. a man that delivereth well-composed words but the Lord knoweth the heart take heed lest those that thou hast chosen building upon their choice silence those Pastors which God hath given and that are gifted by God Thou art no more able to chuse a Pastor for thy self then a company of School-boyes are to chuse a wise learned Master therefore God no where in Scripture put the choice of Pastor into thy hands I advise thee take it not It is true that a company of men who have followed Christ in the Regeneration in Faith Repentance Baptism and in the Form have the Spirit and Life have heard and learned of the Father and have the Son revealed in them even as the outward skin of the body and the inwards as Heart Mind Members are all imbodied and presented to our Understanding in one Body so Form and Power living Faith and Repentance and prevailing Prayer which makes us as Israel viz a Prince prevailing with God like as the Tree and Fruit the Sap and the Rinde so Gods Order and Life are not to be separated but are one in another brought forth The Form obeyed being the Creatures Duty Life in the Form being Gods owning or acceptance in the Creature like a golden Sceptre stretched forth by God and like a seal of God set upon the creatures heart which maketh his heart merry the joy of the Lord being his strength Ephes 1.13 Eccles 8.10 A company of such men I say that so have entrance into the Kingdom of God viz. that have submitted to his Government receiving the new birth of water and the Spirit in baptism and all the following commands recorded in the written word that great Charter being their Law without mixture of mans inventions and thereby owning Christ to be their Lord and themselves to be inchartered Citizens he ruling over them not like those recorded in Luke 19.14 by the same Charter have authority to chuse two sorts of Officers for ordering of the outward man but a Pastor is a higher thing it is a gift of God a heart-feeding gift viz Bishops and Deacons the one to keep the Church in order the other to take care of the poors necessities to relieve them whose bowels of tender-heartedness have appeared to their natural Relations whose wisdom hath been fruitful in governing by love these may be chosen by mans Election if there be any that have the qualification the Scripture layeth down not else as in Tit. 1.6 If any be blameless c. There is no haste in chusing what God hath not marked out If God hath not given thee men of such qualifications as he approveth on thou hadst better be without Governors longer then to set up Antichrist in Christs chair In this sense He that believeth maketh not haste Isa 28.16 viz. to act without his Guiders rule The name of a Bishop hath the nature of his Office included into it which is ruling and oversight aptness to teach is but a qualification that any other Member may have
in whom the Spirit of God doth or shall breath being a truth-evidencing and forceable constraint and cannot stay for leave of Election by man to utter it self which indeed is a gift of God or Pastoral Spirit as Marriage is another qualification wherein the spirit of government must appear fruitful both in wife and children and that from conjugal and natural love to the Yoak fellow and procreated in which affections Faith appeareth and for want of them infidelity 1 Tim. 5 8. so that children cannot be wanting to a Bishop in whose government the Royal Law Love of Gods Church is resembled Marriage being the Type of Christ and his Church and it is certain that a batchelor or one that hath no children or one whose wife and children are not qualified according to the word cannot be chosen except man will set his May-be against Gods Must-be And so I leave thee Independant warning thee to take the counsel of Christ to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 A Speech that may be aptly spoken by these Quakers who hold forth a stupifying Spirit denying plain Truth and right Reason under the Notion of a higher Mystery and Spirit then plain Scripture and right Reason will admit of which plain Scripture they call Letter and right Reason they call Flesh in contempt notwithstanding that the Spirit of God is promised to be poured into him that turneth at Gods Reproof Prov. 1.23 which Reproof convinceth Reason or else man could not return into Reason among the rest of the Souls Members the Spirit was poured and is wrought upon to order Mans Affairs by Judgement and doth receive wise Counsels when the man of Understanding attaineth to them Prov. 1.5 Truth though we may not talk with thee we are not capable to receive directions by any that is call'd by thy name nor by the writings called Scriptures of Truth for what directions soever we have from without can be but mans teachings and the natural man understandeth not the things of God we are taught by the Light within we are to stand in the will of God and observe the movings and commands of his Spirit Truth speaketh * 〈…〉 resembling God's people 〈◊〉 great humility Psal 17. â—1 As in the vision of Esdras the Eagles heads slept until her Feathers had reigned as in 2 Esd 12 25. These are they that shall accomplish his wickedness and finish his last end even so in Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the whole earth the heads and subtilest and strongest of her delusions she hath kept until her last end which I hope is approaching that thou who wouldst not receive the Truth in the love thereof mightst not hear the reproof of thy walking in false forms any longer in so much that thou couldst not deny that if forms must be owned thou must come out of them and come into the form of godliness Satan hath now cozened thee another way and thy AS GOD he hath perswaded thee that all forms must be cast off and the Law of the Spirit of Life entertained O cunning and subtile but false delusions the words of the Prophets and the Commandment of the Apostles were set in opposition formerly to lusts 2 Pet. 3.1 2. but never to the way of Righteousness by any but these last members of Babylon Peter in Chap. 2. 1. 2. hath these words And many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of Wherein we may perfectly see that their wayes and the wayes of Truth stands in flat opposition one to another Also in the first verse it is testified that to bring in these damnable heresies is to deny the Lord that bought them but he himself is so far from that opinion in verse 21. of the said Chapter that he chargeth the way of Righteousness and the holy commandments as the very Centre from which Apostates fall so that you may behold clearly that it is not a Righteousness they are charged for falling from for that is the secret issues which is betwixt God and the heart but the way of Righteousness which is visible to the understanding of Man Many of their Leaders whilst they were able to hold the Antichristian form they were in the esteem of godly Priests whose infants Baptism and learned specious Pastoral care so much applauded by wise sober rich silken-coated Professors then I say not being able to resist the clear evidence that the true form of Godliness hath because they did not love to be disquieted out of the woman Jezabels bed Rov 2.22 where they lay in pleasure of imagined Godliness amongst a company of wise sober Professors they were then so far from receiving the love of the truth that they grew into disquietness of mind and hatred of that form of Godliness that Christ and His Apostles and their Disciples walked in for many years even till the time that Antichrist grew popular in so high a measure Satan being ready with this Temptation that they struck hands with this strong delusion and so believed the lies thereof 2 Thes 2.11 that they cryed down all forms that they might be shut of yea and avenged of that form the thoughts whereof so much troubled them if they knew their own hearts they would ingeniously confess this Therefore whosoever desireth further satisfaction in this matter is referred to a Book that the Author hath written called The Doctrine of the Light within the natural man leading to eternal Life examined by Scripture Light Baptist speaketh The Spirit of God having instructed me by the Scripture I fell into a course of reasoning which though Mystery Babylon cryeth down in this her last dispensation being the very thing that Isaiah cryeth up and reproveth the neglect of Isa 44. on this manner There is no word for baptizing Infants in Scripture not no regular account from which that invention can arise it is the very door that the god of this world makes all this part of the world called Christendom of one supposed Faith by leaving no man at liberty to chuse his Religion but maketh the instruments of his generation to be that which giveth him right to the Instruments of his Regeneration and as for the new birth he will have his to presume that from imagination and all this to be done when the party supposed to be baptized could neither assent by understanding to what was done nor dissent by doing any thing but crying which he would have done if they had gone about to kill him as to have christened him as they call it Also herein those err that have schism'd from Popery and Prelacy but hold their baptism of Infants saying That Infants of godly Parents may be baptized by which words they acknowledge in effect that the fleshly copulation of godly Parents giveth right to the children of their natural Body to be instruments of Regeneration so that it must needs follow that
there is no need of conversion to make them Christians who are Christians born by the natural flesh of their godly Parents and so the god of this world who hath bâ—inded their eyes maketh them esteem it a great priviledge to have a perfect dead Act of his supposed Regeneration to be done by force upon their children for they can have no meanes to know or guess that the Spirit is joyned with water in their baptism which is the Instrument or outward Act of their Regeneration Consider how fast the poor Infant is lock'd to presumption when they have either presumption or nothing for the Foundation of their Order or rather Mystery Babylon's Order the god of this world knew well that none could be admitted into the Kingdom of God or government of the Gospel without Regeneration of water and the Spirit and his business in Mystery Babylon is to bring man to invent a form in imitation of God and so keep men that when they come to be capable of believing they should not look after Baptism or Regeneration of Water and the Spirit John â— 5 As Christ hath His Disciples made and baptized so Babylon Mystery hath hers supposed to be baptized too and in this the man of sin exalteth himself above God for God is merciful in forgiving sins and receiving into grace and favour upon Repentance every penitent sinner and therefore hath given Order to His Disciples upon confession of Faith and Repentance to baptize but this man of sin will make men believe that he hath more mercy then God by His word holds forth for he receiveth all in Infancy and needeth neither Faith nor Repentance in receiving his subjects the Subjects of Christs Kingdom have heart-pricking Truth to convince them and bring them to Repentance but Babylons Members are so easily made that they neither knew nor felt when it was done And thus the way is broad and easie that leadeth to destruction Also considering that the keeping of Christs Commandments is a proof of our love to Christ and that the receiving of the Spirit is an effect of obedience Joh. 14.15 16. and knowing that the written word is more surely to be taken heed to then an Act of the Spirit in Transfiguration though Christ Himself be present 2 Pet 2.19 to the end because Satan being a spirit can dissemble a spiritual Act but his mouth is stopped and he reproved with It is written And further knowing that Christ taught duty from the written word and it to be believed and practised rather then the words of one which should rise from the dead Luk. 16.22 I stayed not for Revelation to teach me my duty although I expect Revelation to convey unto us and evidence in us Christ our life but turn'd at Wisdom's reproof expecting after obedience Wisdom's promise Prov. 1.23 And now hating every false way knowing They that err from thy Statutes their deceit is falsehood Psal 119.118 and esteeming thy Precepts concerning all things to be right ver 128. I cannot but say of Scripture record Thy word is very pure therefore my soul loveth it verse 140. and upon this account I took the directions of that Scripture which Paul writeth by inspiration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and proveth it by Isa 52.11 viz. I came out from Babylon Mystery the great her Daughter and Grandchild and touched none of their precedent manners Deut. 12.30 But I say laying aside mans learned mists of darkness and his precedent Examples I took the Doctrine of Christ and His Apostles for my Foundation and their Ensamples for following of Christ for my imitation Ephes 2.20 Truth speaketh I tell thee Church of Christ as thy name is the house of God the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of the truth thou art not in thy order reproveable by Scriptures 1 Tim. 3.15 And if any Enemy whatsoever undertake to reprove thee and hath not Christs weapon he fought Satan with vâ—z it is written though he tell thee of standing in the Will of God or being led by the Spirit or of an inward Teacher or of Light within as if there were some secret thing that passed by peeping and muttering which right Reason cannot be used about the understanding of they are no better the VVizards or Familiar Spirits To the Law and to the Testimonies if there they miss any thing viz. in that they hold forth or teach and speak not according to this word though they talk of Light within it is because there is no Light in them Isa 8.19 20. and their light is darkness Mat. 5.19 fear thou no such Enemies but live in the nature of rejoycing there meet thy God there work Righteousness Isa 64.5 viz. That which Christ began and shewed us when he said Thus it becometh Vs c. Mat. 3.5 Take thou notice oâ— the continuance of Gods wayes though the Enemy would tell thee they are ended and so expect thy Salvation And against the fear of those that would set a Spirit which teacheth not to obey Scriptures and follow the examples of Christ and His Disciples in opposition to a Spirit that teacheth to live in obedience to Scriptures and to follow the Examples aforesaid Rom. 15.4 Comfort thy self by Faith in Scripture and there with patience cast the Anchor of thy hope Phil. â— 4 Rejoyce alwayes yea again I say rejoyce And that thy rejoycing may not be in vain take these Cautions First Take heed that thou miss not of a way within a way if thou bless thy self in the high way without the way which is called holy Isa 35.8 which holy way is recorded in Job 28.7 8 9 10. Is the turning up all things by the roots cutting forth rivers among the rocks discovering every pretious thing binding the floods from overflowing bringing forth hidden things to light The high way being thy duty to walk in the holy way being the laying of Gods hand upon Christ thy Covenant and doing all thy works for thee Isa 26.12 holding thee that thou canst not depart from him and quickning the desires of thy soul Psal 18.17 18. In all thy acts of obedience thy Faith must be in the operation of God Col. 2.12 through which our Duties are living Ordinances performed by two co-workers Secondly Take heed whilst you walk into the way of God that your great business be to seek God His Face His strength evermore Psal 105.3 4. where the Psalmist maketh this the ground of his joy therefore if you fail herein your joy is groundless In which search love kindleth more and more as thou comest neerer God so as the soul groweth sick of love and cannot cease to press hard after God Psal 63.8 because it is upbeld by Gods right hand till thou know thy self to be set as a seal upon Christs arm and his heart for ever Cant. 8.6 and then also wilt thou follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Thirdly Take heed thou be not defiled in the way
Psal 119.1 for it is less offence to bring a beastly Creature into a hogstie or any filthy place then to bring it into a Princes presence-chamber or a bed of love where there ought to be nothing loathsome but all to be lovely and love provoking Objects So is it less wickedness to have a mind and conscience defiled in beastly prophaness then to bring such a minde into the House of God the Church of the living God Tim. 1.15 That thy soul may bee deeply ingaged take notice of the whole Order of persons and things wherein thy communion lies with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 4. The whole Order is the innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly of the first-born that are written in heaven unto God the judge of all unto Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel In the first place consider whether the Father and the Son can have communion with thy sins thy worldly pleasures or pursued honours in a condition where right and strong and pure Objects of eternal love forceth the heart to a strong purgation 1 Joh. 3.3 No no all thy pleasures honours c. must be thrust from thee as a menstruous rag Secondly Consider whether such company can delight to talk with thee of good bargains the honour thou hast from great persons the delicates wherewith thy feasts are furnished and thy new fashions No no I tell thee the mind that can feed on these things is too defiled for Gods ways and can take no pleasure in Heavenly food a pure mind is capable of remembrance of the commandments of Christ and his Apostles 2 Pet. 3.2 of the enjoyning the commanded loving kindness of God which hath such warmth and power that it maketh them become one new heart with this new wine and Gods Song with them in the right when God useth their heart their joy and their and his own delight to sing his songs with and their prayer with the God of their life Psal 42.8 As if it were said God the life of his childrens prayer is with them in their act of praying They need not travel hundreds of miles to present their Petitions on pilgrimage the marrying of his body together and the rejoycing over them as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over his bride Isa 52.4.5 proves Gods presence at their heart-working-life Here here I say is perfection when God in a perfect way visiteth a perfect heart the living man is as well able to lay aside his breathing as these are able to forbear pressing on towards the mark Phil. 3.14 or to follow after God having no pattern but the Heavenly Fathers perfection to imitate Psal 36.8 being under the laver of that Blood which was shed by this eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Our perfection is in the life a working it is yet perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and whilst we draw our natural breath the blood of Christ in cleansing will do its work the fear of God its work and our Heavenly Father will stand for our Pattern and our Christ will be our life 1 Joh. 1.7 There is nothing but it may be yet a perfecting in us only our purchase by the blood of Christ is perfectly paid and in that sense it is finished and our salvation undertaken if either the Tempter were dead or we our selves stronger then Adam was in his innocency or the evil day and hour of our temptation past Gal. 6.1 we might speak of such a perfection as admitted of no imperfection but whilst the Scripture is of use let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and we may as the case now standeth with us with Paul speak of perfection and imperfection both in one Chapter Phil. 3. If thou beest undefiled in the way thy soul will be in this frame 1. Thou wilt not endure to see the least defilement in thy self without loathsome apprehensions of thy self and running to that fountain which is set open for sin and iniquity to wash in Zech. 13.1 And 2. If undefiled in the way thou wilt be always a running and not carelesly sleeping Heb. 12.1 but rather weeping with thy face thitherward Jer. 50.5 either for joy shame desire or all these so strongly will thy heart be ingaged to seek the Lord Jer. 30.21 A fourth caution Take heed that every one of you strive by watching begging of God beseeching one another to keep from among you Egyptian bondage this ruling one over another with rigor Exod. 1.13 14. which might not be one brother over another in the time of the Law Reason first because that love which procured the shedding of Christs blood hath caused his poor Members to be set as a Seal on his heart and upon his arm Cant. 8.6 and owned them for his people Isa 51.16 Therefore if thou hast Gods love shed abroad in thy heart to constrain thee afford it them out of thy breast A second Reason why we should not rule over our Brethren with rigour is we are and so was Elias subject to the like passions that any feeble brother is Jam. 5.17 and thou mayest come to be remoted Gal. 5.1 and it is possible thy temptation may be this that Satan may move thee to have low contemptible yea it may be hateful thoughts of thy brother and thou mayest have a Spirit of putting away and covering violence with a cloak Mal. 2.16 therefore take heed of this temptation The third Reason why not with rigour c. Because thou art not godly or Godlike in so doing for he did not take thee at advantages when he might justly have cut thee off but waiteth for thee that he may be gracious unto thee and will wait upon all to that purpose Isa 30.11 He cut none off suddenly in a few days or a week c. nor pressed thine offences to all advantages that he might break thee off he hath given contrary rules to that to his Apostles and Disciples how to move towards their Brethren Luke 17. the five first verses Let my fifth caution therefore be That for no supposed advantage sake or fear of disadvantage to the truth thou darest step from the Rule that Christ laid down one jot for if thou dost it is a judging of the Law-makers wisdom and foresight as if he did not foresee and provide in his rule for all following effects Secondly It is an exalting of thine own wisdom in that thou thinkest thou seest cause to be a ruler further then he hath left a rule to guide thee by Thirdly Thou mayest assay in so doing to prevent the fruit that God bringeth forth by contrary means In this case how far might Abrahams imagination have fought against Gods command He might have said of Isaac he was the son of the Promise and the Promised seed is in his loyns c. Amongst other Scriptures I offer to thy consideration
2.4 and let all who think they know God whilst they despise that which He and His Disciples commanded and practised let them remember this word written in 1 Joh. 2.4 He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not His Commandments is a Lyar. As from this opinion that was sometimes in the Church I desire it lurk not secretly there yet the Ranters and Quakers sprung so also do now those who are zealous in decking their bed of Love which they poor deceived ones under pretence of peace-offerings and reconcilement to God in performing the very Vows of their souls Prov. 7.14 seek to draw Proselites in a bed of solace with love being so enabled as they think and covered sufficiently and beautified as with gifts and graces vers 16. that they can hide themselves and others from the reproof of Truth whilst they are workers of iniquity though they say they preach and cast out devils in Christs Name c. He that knoweth their works will call them so Mat. 7.22 23. And also they have perfumed their bed with divers spices Prov. 7.17 and it is too too true they hold forth the likeness of some of those spices but not all that Jesus Christ in his Visitation of His Spouse cometh perfumed unto His Spouse-Bed Cant. 3.6 7. and these in the good Mans absence will have other pleasures and lusts then to obey their Lord they have contracted a hatred in His absence to his Rule and Government and will not have it Luk. 19.14 and thus these poor deceived ones will be cut off for making a perfume and smelling to it in other places then where God and his People meet Exod. 30.35 to 38. which is in God's wayes while they rejoyce in working Righteousness Isa 64.5 viz. in ruleful obedience where love to Christ is proved by keeping his Commandments and the love of God and Christ together with their manifestation is promised These Libertines tell them of walking in the wayes that Christ and His Disciples walked in and they will reply If God let them see it they will obey May not Solomon's harlots say as well when the good Man of the house is come home who will instruct her for that is Christs practise with His Spouse Psal 32 8. she will forsake all her wooed Proselites and cease to heal defend and cover them and will no more counterfeit a perfume to perswade them that Christs favour of his oyntments is amongst them but but will come to the good man and walk with Him in obedience to His Commandments and abide in His love is He hath kept His Fathers Commandments and abides in His love Joh 15.10 So that if it be truth as surely it is they refuse to obey when the good Man of the house is come home they must then see it though they shut their eyes and blame his absence for their disobedience whose presence would let them see and with this excuse fall fast asleep in the arms of him who rules in the children of disobedience whilst he furnisheth them with all counterfeit evidences of good as if God were in their hearts all this while 2 Thes 2.4 the words are these So that he AS GOD sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God And the first evidence that he furnisheth them with may be this viz. That Christ hath put His beauty upon them for the beauty of Christ may be put on one and that by Christ and yet they play the harlot with it Ezek 16.14 here is the work of the Prince of the air in a disobedient heart to find wayes for Israel to disobey God and give up a soul to Lust and so play the harlot even as if she were opening her heart or her legs for Christ to take His pleasure in her and she in Him A second evidence of him who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience is in the pleasure of the Plant which is but a strange slip It must needs be a strange slip if your wayes be not those wayes which Christ and His Disciples walked in for three hundred years after Him your wayes must then be your own and of your own chusing and strange from Christs Isa 36.34 viz. The teacher with pleasure to thee and himself may plant in thy heart with thy consent or with thy soul a disobedient slip strange to Gods word it being not there to be found and for all thy delight thy portion will be desperate sorrow in the end Isa 17.11 12. here is a deceitful work of the ruler in the heart of the children of disobedience 3. He can make you lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us no evil can come to us Mic. 3.11 he can make thee bless thy self in the name of God with confidence of freedom from evil 4. Whilst thou art asleep he can furnish thee with a flattering spirit that causeth thee to dream and healeth thee in thy disobedience and so in your preaching and hearing one another you have nothing but healing and pleasure and love to tell one to another in disobedience whereas he who hath Gods word will preach it faithfully Jer. 23.28 and for his pains shall be cast out of your Societies so unwelcome is the thoughts of obedience to Christs Commandment to those who dream they shall be saved without it Although the true Saint be not only moved to obedience for salvation sake but for loves sake and thus by maintaining that which Christ neither taught nor practised in his worship or at least by gathering of what Christ taught by pieces and snatches and leaving the rest viz. by taking that which will and leaving that which will not serve the lusts of a proud Society that thou mayest hold some union with them thou fightest against the Lyon of God and at the best in this thy dream dost but think thou eatest when Truth it self shall awake thee and thou be convinced of thy disobedience thou wilt find thy self hungry Isa 29.7 8. And if any strive to awake them out of this their dream wherein they have neither Truth nor Reason for their practise they will say Let me alone with my Religion and I will let you alone with yours Whereas if they would not thus harden their hearts but let Judgement come forth to Victory what violent wrestling would there be in them what asking and enquiring would their hearts be filled with what weeping with their faces towards God and his wayes would melt their souls Jer. 50.5 and not asking as now they do with their hearts set against Gods ways to see if they can find any word which if it do meet them it must be by the spirit of delusion mis-interpreted to defend them from obedience to God and his ways Is it not just that these should have strong delusions that they may believe lies 2 Thes 2.11 Will not this properly one day be said unto them Bring forth the blind people that have eyes Isa
the Apostle We beseech you to be reconciled to God and not opposite to his gracious pardoning mercy in going about to take from man or to make useless the forgiveness of that blasphemy against the Father and the Son by the lips of Christ now in the dispensation of his Gospel granted and proclaimed Mat. 12.31 for without repentance there is no forgiveness and how can any repent when the sword of the Magistrate hath cut him off Concerning this there hath been something in a former Parliament Paul took not that course he did not flie to the Magistrate to have Hymenus and Alexander cut off but he took a course that made them capable of learning to amend 1 Tim. 1.10 which had not been lawful for Paul to have done had not Christ in his Gospel taken away the rigor of that Law which is written in the 24 of Leviticus and the 16. And upon this Gospel account Christ told James and John they knew not of what manner of spirit they were of For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.55 56. when they of Samaria would not receive Christ therefore if any sort of men like these companie of Priests that murder â—n the way by consent that are spoken of in Hos 6.9 for it cannot be thought these Priests took away temporal lives by temporal weapons should tempt you to mend those Lawes that Christ and his Apostles left for Church-government and give punishment for breaking them exceeding the severitie of the merciful Law-givers Edicts which tend to the peoples destruction when Christ the wiser then Solomon and therefore wiser then any prince or Synod that ever was or will be in this world gave only such punishment for breaking his Lawes as tended only to mans salvation neither hurting their persons estates nor liberties The Lord strengthen your hearts and give you courage to resist them who care not that much people perish by youâ— hands yea and by war and bloodshed rather then their Honor and easie fatt-conditions should go down and they should miss to be Lords over mens consciences and Gods inheritance Witness Love's treason There is no fore-sight like Christs nor nothing shall come to pass even to the end of the World which he fore-knew not and upon this account he left sufficient provision for the being and wel-being of his Church The very seed of the Devil when it sprang up Christ would not have his Disciples pull it up lest they should pull up the Wheat also thinking it safer to let manie wicked Imps grow then to venture the destruction of anie poor childe of God Then be not overcome to let anie be destroyed for Christs sake by the petitioners for destruction though those they vvould have destroyed are preseneed unto you for the Devils Ims being you have Christs directions in the case Matt. 13.28 29. I do hereby earnestly supplicate you to consider that England is not more dear in Gods eyes then sometime Israel vvas and may come to be if it bee not alreadie as far falne from grace as Israel vvas vvhen there was four hundred prophets for one Micah 1 King 22.6 When the zeal of Jezabel was such that she maintained four hundred and fifty prophets and four hundred prophets at her table all at once 1 Kings 18 19. and these false prophets that would flatter face-painting Jezabels and wicked Ahabs bare all the sway in Israel at that time when as prisons and threatnings of death for the truths sake was the portion of all the Micah's and Eliah's and to be hid in a Caves and fed with bread and water it is good to have such a holy jealousie as may provoke all that fear God to pray for the Land and the Rulers thereof and to warn our great ones that are Preist-feeders to look to it least their zeal deceive them not and that they be not found of that number that prepare a table for that troope and furnish a drink-offering for that number that are spoken of in Esa 65.11 to 16. and when Christ makes this great discovery their zeal be found no better then Jezabels was it must needs be thought that her Preists were confident else they durst never have joyned issue with Elias about the tryal of their God and his God therefore let the truth advise you not to trust for there is both learned Papists and learned Protestants and one or both of them must needs be in an error but bring all to the law and to the testimonies Esa 8.20 and if they deviate one jot from Scripture and give an invented may be in the room of it beleive them not but take notice that the Scripture is able to furnish a man of God throughly 2. Tim. 3.1.6 and there is no need of mans invented may be to be joyned with it and least our great ones way and their Preists way or peoples way should be a way of wickedness they are intreated to follow Davids example who was as right as any King or great man can come to be now adayes yet he was earnest with God to try him least his way was a way of wickedness Psalm 129.23 It is undoubtedly true that when the Prophets cry out to the Magistrates for harms to their neighbours for religion sake they are not of that spirit of Christ Jesus that came not to destroy but to save mens lives and if poor England or the rulers thereof be willing to hear this complaint then those sad words may bespoken of it as was spoken of Israel Ier. 5.31 viz. The Prophets prophesy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof And so it is that we being under another spirit then Elias was desire no harm to those destroyers from the Magistrate No no he might be quiet in his civil imployment if our enemies would trouble him about matters of religion no more then we do but we desire that none may be welcome to you that tempt you to keep us from the free plain use of the Scriptures of Christ in the simplicity thereof without spoyling us by Phylosophy or learned troops of figures which are vain deceit when they are used against the truth Iob 2.8 to which Scriptures we appeal utterly and that by the help of the same spirit that wrote them from all inventions of men whether brought forth by Synods or Assemblies of Divines or any others and according to my duty in the name of Christ my Master I warn you in the love of God who is love that you suffer the word of God to run and be glorified in the same uncompoundedness that Christ and his Apostles left it without changing the Laws thereof or giving any other punishment for breaking the Laws thereof then Christ and his Apostles left order for in the Scriptures man can as harmlesly endeavour to change the Orgins and light by