thou hintest does not that which guides into all truth preserve from all errors in opinion and loosness in conversation John 16.13 and is it not the spirit of Christ that guides into all truth O the impudency of this Antichristian Minister Would be not fain be counted infallible that dares thus arrogate and assume that to him and his lying Legend which is onely due to the infinite God of life and love does not this clearly demonstrate that the Papall honour is eagerly pursued by this purblind Preist Children of the night may be misled but the Children of the day do discern them But this doting Dreamer is through the goodness of God discovered to be a twig sprung from the root of old Antichrist and there 's none but Bats and Owles will beleive the lies and blasphemies which he hath written in his book At last he concludes his Epistle with a lying complement I am your servant Hypocrisy is spun with a fine thred and yet thou suffers them to call thee Master thou paintest thy self with Pauls language as if thou had'st been and still wert desirous to seek them not theirs and willing to spend and to be spent for them blush and be ashamed of thy deceitfull mystery art thou guided by that pure principle that unerring spirit which Paul was That of God in thee knowes thou lyest hast thou that pure love to thy Auditory which he had to his Corinthians be ashamed thou Hypocriticall lying blasphemous man repent repent Hints that Now I am come to Edm Calamies Epistle or approbation commendation of this mans doctrine who hints that Edw Reyner is excellent in picking out choyce subjects to write upon are lies contradictions blasphemies such choyce subjects to write on to write much in a little the man indeed hath writ three grosse lies in three lines in his Epistle Dedicatory where he calls an abridgment of his doctrine Heart-renewing life-reforming soule saving truths there is much Antichristian deceit discovered in that little Letter He goes on saying The subjects he viz Edward Reyner treats on are very usefull seasonable and spirituall but t is in advancing of Antichrist and his Kingdom And his manner of handling them very solid substantiall accurate and succinct and calls it much plaineness and much satisfaction to the godly learned But babes and sucklings in Christianity discerne this Orator to be a lying wretch He saies I have read it considered it and approved it more shame for thee but Simeon and Levi will take part one with another and so he hopes will every juditious and pious Reader But the hope of an hypocrite shall perish See how one Preist paints another with flattering commendations he saies Edward Reyner will appeare like Bezaliell and Aholiab who were fill'd with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the cunning workman c. Were they fil'd with more wisdom of heart than this Fox is with deceitfullness A cunning workman he is seene to be but the Mystery of his iniquity is laying open Read it saith Edmond Calamy and it will make thee very holy here and perfectly happy hereafter Is not this a Chicken of the Serpents hatching can lies contradictions and blasphemous Doctrine make very holy here and perfectly happy hereafter And now he concludes with an old Sacerdotal Complement Your Servant in the work of the Ministry Your Teacher thou mightest more truly have said in the Mystery of Iniquity His Letter is short but I cannot say sweet yet he hath a notable faculty of writing much in a little many filthy lies are laid down in his little letter Babylon he loves Babylon he lives in and in Babylon I leave him The God of life and love be merciful unto him The next thing I meet with is Edward Reyners Preface to the Reader where he sayes After serious consideration and consultation with flesh and blood what consult with flesh and blood about the things of God Did Paul so Gal. 1.16 Nay he conferred not with flesh and blood but it seems thou didst whether Paul or thee better deserves the Name of a Minister of the Gospel in this particular let the wise man judge Yet thou sayes thou found thy heart inclined thou hopes by the good hand of God to take those ten Rules into second thoughts upon two grounds especially That in the review of them they appeared to thee too short and defective The other was that notwithstanding the tenuity and imperfection of them God hath as thou was informed its likely by such flatterers as Calamy made them instrumental for the good of others But it is the good hand of God to make it clear thy hope was the hope of an Hypocrite desiring to seem what thou wert not a Minister of the Gospel Hadst thou been a true Minister of the Gospel thou wouldest not have consulted with flesh and blood Thou couldest not have preached that which was defective and imperfect did ever any of the Apostles deliver such Doctrine as thou hast done How wert thou guided by what Rule not by that Rule which Paul was Could the Holy Ghost give out that which was defective and imperfect Wilt thou make that pure spirit the Authour of that filthy Book He that is so weak as to believe thee or thy Dreams is not guided by wisdom so I pitty him Thou beseeches the Reader to take thy ten Rules out of thy Book into his bosom Thy meaning is to believe and practise them What believe lies contradictions and blasphemies live and die in ignorance They have little reason to answer thy request otherwise than Get thee behind me Satan John 16.13 1 John 3.9 What if a man could repeat all the Bible that 's larger and better then thy Book yet if the Vnction within the spirit of Christ live not in him all will avail him nothing If that seed remain not in him how can he be guided into all truth how can he keep himself and not sin Pen and Inck shall never make a sinner become a Saint Calling it a Delusion and they that are guided by it thou countest deluded The true Rule but not thy ten Rules will if observed keep from wandring stumbling falling and halting But thou art not yet in the way to Heaven for Christ is the way He is the light and him thou lovest not but to thy power dost persecute him both in print and Pulpit He is the Guide into all truth and him thou followest not but flyest from He is the Rule and him thou walks not by but delightest in the dark Dungeon of self-inventions Luke 13.24 The way seems to thee so narrow and strait thou dares not Amos 1.6 strive to enter in but takes pleasure in the broad way because its easie to the flesh But woe be to them that are at ease in the flesh Thou art not come to the brideling of the Tongue witness the many lies in thy
THE PROUD PHARISEE Reproved OR The lying Orator laid open IN AN EXAMINATION OF Some Passages in a Book Entituled Precepts for Christian Practice Or The Rule of the New Creature New Model'd Written by one Edw. Reyner who calles himself a Minister of the Gospel in Lincoln But is found a Lyar by a Child of the Light who is known to the World by the Name of Martin Mason LONDON Printed in the Year 1655. To my Friends and Acquaintance in the Flesh in Lincoln who yet love the Garlick and Onions of Egypt better than the Milk and Hony of Canaan I Am not ignorant what Aspersions will be cast upon me for writing this ensuing Treatise But I have learnt to passe through evil Report and good Report as a Deceiver and yet true 1 Cor. 6.8 All the Reproaches and persecutions of the World cannot rob me of my Jewel of my comfort of my Crown And so truth be but exalted I matter not for all the poysoned Arrowes which Men of Envy shoot against my Person I can as freely expose my naked Breast to receive them chearfully as they are forward to dart them spightfully and when they have done forgive them freely All this I can do through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 4.13 But come poor hearts You who lie stretching your selves upon the Bed of Ease and delight in the broad way you are in because it gives ease and liberty to the flesh Tarry there no longer I beseech you for though the way seem right unto you yet let me tell you the End thereof are the wayes of Death And if you will not take my word Loe I bring you no lesse than a King for my Surety even Solomon himself Prov. 14.12 Rev. 15.3 And if that will not do here 's a greater than He Christ himself the King of Saints Math. 7.13 How many years have you been feeding upon the bare Commons your Shepherds having no better Pasture for you than their formal Prayers and Houre-glasse Sermons studied and hammered upon the Anvil of thâ—ir own Imaginations painting them over with the pleasant Title of Christs Ordinances but had their Prayers and preaching proceeded from that pure Fountain of living water the Trees would have born better fruit But their connterfeit Coyn can now no longer passe for pure Gold for the light hath discovered them 1 John 5 1â— He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked One toucheth him not He that can witness this condition that Man hath his Divine within him The light is his Guide and he needs not Jer. 27.9 Jude 8. Jer. 23.21 Jer 27 10 the dark Lanthorn of an eight and twentie years Dreamer While you rest poor souls where you do you dwell in darkness come therefore out of Babylon seek the good of your own souls and forsake the Priests grope no longer in the dark loe now its day dote no more upon your filthy Dreamers who run before they were sent and prophesie lies unto the people 't is they who draw you into delusions and your souls unto destruction if you draw not back from them for while you go from the pure the light in your Consciences you run into the puddle of mens humane inventions the streams of the Sea of Rome Own therefore the pure teachings of that pure principle of God within you the light which convinces you of sin and evil when no eye sees you Heb 12 14 Take councel there and do not fear to be deluded by it for it will draw you if you are willing to be led by it from impurity unto Holiness without which no man can see God 'T is but a Romish mist your Teachers cast before your eyes when they render the light a delusion least it should discover to you their Mystery of Iniquity But the Lord hath a Controversie with them and is throwing their Diana down do not you therefore set to your shoulders to hold it up any longer least you be found fighting against God 2 Pet 1 19 But know we have a more sure word of Prophecie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place until the day dawn and the day Starre arise in your hearts Remember you have warning in your life prise it Martin Mason THE Proud Pharisee Reproved OR The Lying Orator laid open WHat means the Man to give his Book such a Boasting Title as The Rule of the New Creature new modeld Were he himself in that happy condition a new Creature is he would have manifested more Modesty and Moderation and have been cloathed with that sweet smelling Garment of Humility without which Iewel no man shall ever weare the never fading Crown of Christianity 1 Pet. 1.5 For God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble O the difference betwixt Truth and Deceit betwixt the Ministers of Christ and Antichrist Paul boasted not of things without his measure but according to the measure of the Rule which God had disâ—ributed to him Paul said 2 Cor. 10.13 Let us walk by the same Rule Was this Rule the writings of the Prophets or Evangelists Gal. 6.16 Was this Rule any Epistle written by some of the Apostles Was not Paul a new Creature when he writ to the Galathians Acts 13.9 was not Paul filled with the Holy Ghost was not the Holy Ghost his Rule Can the Holy Ghost be new model'd Rom. 8.9 Again Paul sayes If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Is that Man a new Creature that hath not the Spirit of Christ living in him Hath that Man the Spirit of Christ living in him or is he a new Creature that so undervalues that holy soul-satisfying Spirit by preferring his own Inventions before it by giving that Honour to lifeless leaves that is due to the infinite God of life and love whether the Spirit of Christ be the Rule of a new Creature yea or nay let that soul judge in whom the Spirit of Christ lives and whether that Rule can be new model'd by man or not But what must become then of Edward Reyners Rule Let it return from whence it rose This is his first lie The world hath a Proverb 'T is ill stumbling at the Threshold He that begins his Book with a lie is likely to have more of the same stamp before he comes to his end Here I charge him with blasphemy let him clear himself as he can In his Title Page he stiles himself a Minister of the Gospel but a lyer and a blasphemer is not to be trusted I shall therefore with the Lords leave examine him a little further His first Ordination sprang from the Romish Root That foundation being built upon the Sand. The Man grew ashamed thereof and relinquished it and now derives his Ministry from those of his fellowship so now he presumes hee 's built upon the Rock but let him that thinketh he stands
take heed least he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 When he proves his Call to be from God And that those People had power to make him a Minister of the Gospel He may then be believed Paul was an Apostle not of Men neither by Man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father Gal. 1.1 but Eaward Reyner is a Minister of Men and by Man for he abides not in the Doctrine of Christ Jesus not by Jesus Christ and God the Father Mat. 12.33 The Tree is known by its fruit Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost is this Man so that makes lies his refuge Isa 28.15 Paul sayes Ye remember Brethren our Labour and Travel labouring night and day because we would not be chargeable to any of you 1 Thes 2.9 And even to this present houre we both hunger and thirst are naked and buffetted and have no certain dwelling place and labour working with our own hands being reviled persecuted made as the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things to this day 1 Cor. 4.11.12 Canst thou Edward Reyner or any of thy Generation who preach for Rewards witness such a condition How often have ye laboured with your own hands night and day that you might not be chargeable to your Hearers Have you not certain dwelling places Instead of suffering hunger and thirst being naked and persecuted do you not live in plenty and pomp never yet tasting of such persecution as the Apostles suffered What contrariety between you and Christs Ministers The Ministers of Christ Jesus have the spirit of Christ Canst thou and thy fellow Priests witness that holy Spirit living within you James 2.9 Nay for then you would not pamper your selves and satisfie your lusts with the lofty and unrighteous wages ye receive nor live in respect of persons and so commit sin complementing the rich with hat and knee Sir Forsooth but not doing so to the poor are not such partial Hadst thou the spirit of Christ living in thee and he that hath not is none of his thou wouldest not have sent thy Sonne to the old Popish Plantation in Cambridge there to be trained up in the Serpentine subtlety of Romish Sophistry Rom. 8.9 Would not that expences thy Son there puts thee to have been better bestowed in putting forth some poor fatherless Children to honest Trades 2 John 9. Hadst thou the Spirit of Christ living in thee thou wouldest abide in his Doctrine and not instead thereof teach the Traditions of Men nor suffer Drunkards swearers lyers proud persons and such like to sing Davids Psalms in thy Assembly as they do and thou never reprove that sinful practice which is not to the prayse and glory of God Didst thou speak from that pure Spirit thou wouldest not use such long vain glorious Prayers as thou dost nor limit that holy One to thy Houre-glasse 2 Tim. 1 1â— I deny not the Relation of Master and Servant but that in Men which would be called Master by those that â—â—ve them not is of the Serpent and accursed Nor call sprinkling Infants the Baptisme of Christ or a peece of bread and a little wine Sacraments where is the precept or precedent in all the Bible for that practice of sprinkling Children where dost thou read that unsavory word Sacrament in all the Scriptures Art thou a Minister of Christ who holdest not fast the form of sound words who calles men Masters whom thou servest not and art so called by others contrary to the Commands of Christ if thou art one of Christ Disciples that of Math. 23.10 is a Command to thee When did Christ repeal that precept after he commanded it and when didst thou refuse that word Now whether thou art a Minister of the Gospel yea or nay let all who love and live in the Gospel judge I cannot passe by another peece of notable Policy of this painted Preacher he hath playd the Thief and robbed Paul very smoothly who in Gal. 6.16 sayes As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God This Proof the Man pâ—ts into the Title Page of his Book As who should say His Book was as perfect a Rule for people to walk by as Pauls was A presumptuous Pharisee verily he is yet let him take this along with him Mat. 5.20 Except his Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees He shall not enter into the Kingdom of God Pauls Rule was no Book or Writing with Pen and Inck but the Holy Ghost Till thou ownest the light Post thou compare thy Babel Bundle thy Babylonish Book to the Spirit of Christ which was Pauls Rule Neither thou nor any of thy Hearers while they give such preheminence to thy Papers and believe thy lies shall ever wirness nor shall ever finde that peace and mercy which Paul pronounced in that Epistle And now I come to thy Epistle Dedicatory wherein thy Language discovers thee what Nation thou art of Is not bending and bowing of the body a worshipping with the body Joh. 5.41 42. Psal 4.4 All Authority that is of God I own him that does Justice my heart loves â—â—â—ugh I give him not the Worlds flattering Language A Roman thou art though an Englishman born for thou writes thus To the right Worshipful the Mayor and Aldermen c. He that runs may read thee a Babylonian Is not all Honour Glory and Worship due to God alone what Worship is then left for thy Mayor and Aldermen Is not God only to be worshipped where is thy warrant in the Scriptures for giving them or any one such a Title Did ever any of the Prophets or Apostles give that Title unto any person Did not Christ himself a true pattern for all the pure in heart say I receive not Honour from men and How can ye believe that receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that is of God onely But thy heart is corrupted with flattery and therefore canst not follow Christ Commune with thy own Heart and see the end of thy giving that Title to that People Is it not to flatter and please proud flesh that delights therein I know it is and that thou knowes it would cross proud flesh to want such proud titles and thou dares not take up the cross therein and the Principle of God within thee is my witness in this particular Solomon saies t is not good to have respect of persons for for a peece of bread that man will transgress Prov. 28 21. Iames. 2.9 Rom. 2.11 I honour him in my heart whose love is to the Lord be he rich or poore in Authority or not though my hand move not my hat Iob 32.21.22 And Iames saies It ye have respect to persons ye commit sin and Paul saies There is no respect of persons with God Yet I honour all men in the Lord and out of him I honour
being willing to die for thy Saviour thou chusedst to live in thy sins shall such a cowardly Priest claim the priviledge of a Paul Thou talks of erecting Christ a Throne and giving him a Crown and Scepter in your hearts Priviledge Was it Christ or Antichrist that had a Throne erected and a Crown and Scepter in thy heart when thou fled from thy flock P. 51. Does not Antichrist reign in the Kingdom of thy heart while thou pins thy sheep on thy poor Commons and poysons them with thy corrupt Doctrine both in Pulpit and print P. 61. Thou sayes You dwell in Christ and Christ in you as a man in his house and p. 65. Christ toucheth the soul by his spirit Is not his spirit of the essence of the Deity Dost thou not say p. 72. The substance of the Deity is incommunicable P. 67. Thou queries what kind of union is this between Christ and a believer and thou answers it is a reall or substantial total and spiritual union and that it is a union of substances essences and persons Can this be true and yet the substance of the Deity be incommunicable P. 69. Thou sayes Christ is in a believer and a believer is in Christ and in-being is mutual and conformable between them and Christ and a believer are in one another really And yet thou sayes the substance of the Deity is incommunicable 2 Cor. 13.5 Col. 1.27 Thou goes on saying Christ himself is in a Believer not his graces onely so is the spirit it self in a Believer dwells in him not his fruits or operations onely yet thou sayes the substance of the Deity is incommunicable is not this to make the spirit not to be of the substance of the Deity Thou runs on saying This union of Christ and a Believer is a totall Vnion the whole person of a believer is united to the whole person of Christ both Soul and Body with his Deity And that whole Christ both his God-head Manhood is united to the whole Christian both his soul and body And yet for all this thou shames not to say The substance of the Deity is incommunicable Page 70. Then thou brings in Rom. 8.11 saying That the spirit of Christs unities the body of a Believer to Christ as well sa his soul and inhabites or dwells in his body as well as in his soul and that the Saints bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost And yet thou blushes not to say the substance of the Deity is communicable An infallible signe thy body was never yet the Temple wherein that pure Spirit hath lived in Certainly some of thy Hearers will not credit thee in this particular and if they will any longer be led by such a filthy Lyer and Blasphemer if they will still dote upon thee and thy Dreams I shall pitty their sad condition that they are thus given up to believe such strong delusions P. 79. A fourth obstruction in receiving Christ thou sayes is fear of suffering for Christ of bearing his Crosse that Christ may prove costly or his wayes and cause cumbersome that you may leave or lose Father Mother Wife Children House Lands Goods c. And Selfeness stands thou sayes in Diametrall opposition to Christ and must be receded from and renounced before Christ can be approached or received Deal honestly with thy own soul was not fear of suffering for Christ of bearing his Crosse the cause that made thee leave Lincoln and go to Norwich is not fear of losing House Lands Goods Gratuities yearly Revenue reproach of the world the losse of the name of a Minister of the Gospel the cause that hinders thee from taking up the Crosse of Christ Canst thou not say from thy own experience as in p. 80. O the difficulty of self-deniall and mans naturall aversness to it it is next to ceasing to be himself especially thou sayes when a man hath a great Self to deny as great parts power and wealth But what 's thy meaning to call the Idolls Temple a Church and breed and wine a Sacrament as thou dost in thy 80. page How many rest sayes thou in comming to the Church and not to Christ in receiving the Sacrament but not Christ Fond man how should they finde him where he is not Away with this Popery thou painted Priest thy Tongue is tipt with Romish poyson Thou tells of Peters prohibiting Cornelius p. 82. when he worshipped him but when dost thou forbid thy flatterers when they come bending and bowing before thee curtesing unto thee Thou wants that true humility Peter had thy counterfeit stuffe shall yield no contentment That self-pleasing Mantle called the Custom of the Nation shall contribute no comfort to thee in the time of thy Tribulatiō when the book of Conscience coms to be opened Thou often hintest to the people they should readily receive Christs Ministers and counts thy self and the Tithe-taking Priests for Christs Embassadors I am sure But that covetous griping Generation who are alwayes crying give give who love the flock meerly for the fleece are none of the Ministers of Christ Jesus Read Isa 56.10.11 and see if that place be not a pretty Representative of the Priests of our time Isa 56.10.11 worth reading Page 56. Thou tells of Christs Proclamation of himself and his Commodities free access to all commers and of all plentifull supply to all hungerers and thirsters after him and his good things wine and milk c. to come and buy of him without mony and without price Page 80. Why dost not thou and thy fellow false Ministers make Christ your pattern O the difficulty of self-denial and mens naturall aversenes to it Yea even such men who would be counted the Ministers of Christ Jesus These are so farre from calling people to take their counterfeit ware without mony or price that they think they can never get money nor price enough Are such the Ministers of Christ Priest Thou Queries whether it be not the great condemning sin that Men will not receive Jesus Christ seeing that is the great command of the Gospel and Christ sayes thou will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel This is the great salvation tendered to you in the Gospel which if you refuse how can you escape great damnation Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evill What will become of thee and thy generation of teachers who doe not receive the light but reject it Who instead of yeilding up your selves to it you set your selves to preach against it Ye will neither obey it your selves nor are willing that others should Math. 23.13 Wo and misery will be the portion of such men who instead of opening shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men and neither goe in themselves nor suffer them that are
Isa 56.11 Mat. 23.14 Do you not seek for gain from your Quarters and use long vain glorious prayers in your Synagogues fashioning your selves Rom. 12.2 2 Tim. 1.13 according to the world not holding fast the form oâ— sound words suffering poor souls to commit sin in the best of their sacrifices by telling lies when they sing Davids Psalms Do they not preach against pride yet who more proud then the Priests Matth. 7.3 Do they not talk much against covetousness yet who more covetous than themselves Are not these the Pharisees of our age that can spy a mote in their Brothers eye but cannot see to pull out the beam in their own Jer. 23.21 These run and never were sent And for division and Contradiction let twenty speak all from one place of Scripture and you shall have so many men so many mindes and meanings opinions imaginations and contradictions Then for a spirit of giddiness who more giddy unsolid and more unstable then themselves Twenty or thirty pound a year more and some other conveniencies is a Call sufficient with most of them from one place to another To leave a poor flock for a richer fleece is an ordinary thing And as for bitterness and perversness let them preach where they will if their Tithes be not payd or their Doctrine be publiquely opposed let them shew patience and moderation that can The Priests have not such pleasant flowers growing up in their Gardens And as for falshood and deceit 't is too well known by some that they live in that Mystery of Iniquity and delight therein but this will be bitterness in the latter end when Conscience-Book comes to be opened Page 329. Phil. 2.16 Thou bids Be willing and ready to suffer for the Churches of Christ and Children of God as Paul was for the Philippians Not as Edward Rayner was for the Lincolners If I be offered upon the Sacrifice and service of your faith That is sayes thou if I seal my Doctrine with my blood and confirm your faith by my death I count it matter of joy both to you and me Page 330. But thou never hadst yet such Christian courage nor never wilt while thy heart dwells where it does Have not those Heathens thou tells of who suffered and dyed for the prosperity of the Publick shewed themselves better State-Martyrs as thou calles them then thou hast been a Gospel-Minister P. 333. Priest Thou complaines what a poor Account can rich men give of their goods who have done little or no good to others with them Can learned men give of their gifts Can Magistrates give of their power who have born the sword in vain who have taken to themselves the honour but not performed to others the duty of their place Should any of the Saints have spoken this language Thou wouldst presently have branded them with the Name of Busie-bodies and Contempt of Authority should have been cast upon them P. 318. A little before thou was muttering out and hinting That Authority was trampled upon that men sleight and hate him that rebuketh or judgeth justly in the Gate and here thou complaines of his bearing the sword in vain But no better can be expected from thee than thy bottles be fill'd with P. 335. Thou sayes it's a Mark of dishonour and a Brand of infamy to be a Self-seeker to be like a Hogg that does no good till he dyes and scarce then with his good-will Search and see how many such Hogs thou hast in thy Herd and thou shalt find more such Cattle than thou canst truly call Christians P. 339. Thou tells of Dorcas dying full of good Works and Paul full of Ministeriall Labours not full of filthy lyes Blasphemies and contradictions as thou art and of good successe or Gospel-fruits full of the Seales of his Ministery How many such Dorcasses hast thou in this City Wert thou now on thy Death-bed instead of good successe of thy Ministry mightst thou not justly complain as thou did a little before What a poor Account can rich men give of their goods learned men of their gifts and Magistrates of their power A vast difference between Paul's successe and thine And indeed it must Needs be so Paul was fill'd with the Holy Ghost and thou with the spirit of Deceit and Delusion Pag. 350. Speaking of the Return of Gods presence and his favour thou usest those words In giving you the Liberties of his House Acts 7.47 48. Act. 17.24 25. 1 Cor. 6.19 Thy end is seen in the use of that Language But the Lord dwells not in Temples made with hands The Saints Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost Then thou talks of tasting the sweetnesse A fine expression if there were Truth in it and feel the power and efficacy rather the Flatness deadness and dulness the Beauty and Glory the uncomeliness and raggedness of all his holy Ordinances thy filthy Dreams and Traditions Rags of the Romish Whore and of the Assemblies of his people a mixed multitude of Presbyterians Independents and Cavaleers so called O that I could truly call you an Assembly of Gods people O that your hearts were upright before the Lord My soul pities all such who are thus led and nuzzled up in ignorance by a painted Pharisee who will neither enter into the Kingdome of God himself nor suffer them that would Matth. 23.13 And I hope ere long their Eyes shall be opened and they shall see his deceits discovered and escape them P. 356. Thou tells thou hast heard some say God hath used to resolve their doubts by the Ministry of the Word thy meaning is by such Priests as thy self And then thou Presumptuously and Blasphemously boastest saying Thus God fulfills this promise Isaiah 20.21 Thine Eares shall hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk in it when thou turnest to the right hand or to the left hand P. 399. Observing the Soul the affaires of it and Gods dealings with it will make a man thou sayes A Divine to Himself and observing a mans course well and how God hath led him will make a man under God a Guide to himself Ah Friends Be your selves and dote no longer upon this filthy Dreamer when every one of you by his own Doctrine may be a Divine to Himself and a Guide to Himself Will you be so foolish to be led any longer by such a false Prophet Exod. 21.5 6. Will you have your Eares bored through with an Awle in token of perpetual bondage Do not inslave your soules for ever Mind that Divine Principle of God within you and if you be willing to obey that faithful Counsellor it will be a True Guide to you it will be whispering the pure Counsel and Will of God unto you Ah yield up your selves to the light of Christ in all your Consciences Love it I beseech you Ezek. 21.26 27. This is the Right Heir give him the
And Paul said when Iames Cephas and Iohn who seemed to be Pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship 2 Gala. 2.9 And by the grace of God I am what I am And his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 2 Titus 12. And the same Apostle saith that the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World a Scriptum est 2 Cor. 13.3 You seek a proof of Christ speaking in me 1 Iohn 9. Know ye not that Christ is in you If not you are Reprobates Hebr. 13.5 1 Tim. 6.9 The seed of singularity is Is this grace any duties or ordinances Scripture or a Scriptum est as thou calls it or Sacraments Is not this grace Christ Iesus himself The light that inlightens every one that comes into the world even the Mystery which hath beene hid from ages and generations but now is made manifest to his Saints Thou goes on using many good expressions in the Scriptures I should rejoyce to see thee live the life of those that writ them then would thy conversation be without covetousness Thou wouldst see he that will be rich falls into temptation and a snare and into many hurtfull and foolish lusts which drown men in perdition and that the love of mony is the root of all evill Ah friend love thy own soul and set thy heart no longer upon silver and gold that lofty Salary thou receivest for thy lying Oratory Do not for the love of money delude the souls of so many as thou dost any longer If thou does it will be bitterness unto thee at the latter end Thou art discovered by the light of God and condemned by that pure principle of himself within thee As yet thou art rich in thy own conceit thou hast built thy nest high in the Airy wisdom of the world which is foolishness with God therefore art thou sent empty away Luke 1.53 Read James 4.6 Psal 138.6 Page 34. As for Verbosity whether that be not a weed in thy own Garden an error thy self art deeply guilty of the very babes and sucklings in Christ can witness against thee In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin Thy vain glorious Prayers and Houre-glasse Oratory do confirm it but he that refraineth his lips is wise Prov. 10.19 Page 35. Thou bids Furnish and fortifie your selves with spirituall weapons out of Gods Armory against your speciall corruptions every morning Dost thou not here set up the Scriptures to be Gods Armory and spiritual Weapons Where are they called so in the Bible Thou would seem to be religious but how short thou comes of brideling the tongue thy Verbosity in thy Book and thy Tautologies in thy Pulpit exercises clearly manifest And therefore is thy Religion vain James 1.26 Let the tender spirits feare with me herein I must deal with him a little in his own Weapon In the 41. page thou playes the Critick with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 3.9 where John sayes He that 's born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not commit sin that is sayes Thou He does not work sin as a man on his Trade c. What 's thy meaning to carp at the Translators rendering of that word Scapula's lexicon approves the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 committere peccatum He shews it to be a word of a various signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servare legem and divers others But thy end is seen and thou art judged herein to be under-propping that which the pure and powerful God of Heaven and Earth is throwing down So thou canst not prosper Read Ephes 4.32 The English runs As God for Christs sake but see if it be not in the Greek As God in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is The Sophister would not cavill at this place it was not for his purpose this truly translated But this blind Guid strains at a gnat and swallows a Camel Mat. 23.24 Page 49. Thou directs them to receive Christ as held forth in an Ordinance to wit in the Ministry of the word and in the Sacraments Thou mightest have done well to have shewne who are the true Ministers and what the word is But I know thy meaning and do deny thee and thy Generation who run before you be sent Jer. 23.21 to be Ministers of Christ John 2.9 All his Ministers abide in his Doctrine but so do not you and therefore the Ministers of Antichrist you all are Where dost thou finde the word Sacrament in the Scriptures Thou holdest not fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 Prove thy Traditions to be the Ordinances of Christ if thou canst and that they are appointed as means to convey Christ as thou affirmest Or else thou art so well known thou mayst not be trusted Thou hast an itching desire to be counted and received as an Apostle and be esteemed amongst thy unbelieving Jews as Peter was amongst the faithful and as Paul was amongst the Colossians For thou abidest not in his Doctrine 2 John 9.10 witness thy preaching of Original sin c. For thou sayes He that receives Christs Ministers receiveth him But then they must not receive thee for thou art no Minister of Christ Thou wouldest fain weare the Crown but cannot carry the Crosse yet thou sayes They must take Christ as Wives do their Husbands for better or worse for richer or poorer Does not this expression favour of the Popish Service-Book P. 50. Does it not argue thou still hast an affection to the Traditions of thy Romish Fore-Fathers but secretly for fear of thy Jews Mat. 19.27 Dost thou deserve to be received as a Minister of Christ like Peter and Paul for this Canst thou witness thy willingness to lose for Christ as well as to gain to suffer with him as well as to reign with him Peter could say Loe we have left all and followed thee Canst thou say so Thy Norwich journey will rise up in judgement against thee Peter was imprisoned with two Chains Acts 12.6 Pauls sufferings was foreshewed him and when some heard those things they wept and besought him not to go up to Jerusalem But Paul answered what mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus O valiant Champion for Christ and his Cause Hadst thou been with Paul not ready onely to be bound but to die for the Doctrine thou hadst delivered thou wouldst have had more colour to have pleaded for Pauls Reception but instead of being ready to be bound thou runs away instead of
entring to go in how can such escape the damnation of Hell Prov. 28.13 John 8.12 Not without confessing and forsaking their sins and receiving the light of the world Christ Jesus P. pa. 89. In tâ—e 89 page thou tells of a fulness of force and efficacy in the death of Christ to crucify the Old Man and destroy the whole body of sin and page 90 Thou brings in this Scripture 5 Iohn 18. He that is begotten of God keeps himself and that wicked one that is Satan who is the worst of all bad ones toucheth him not This keeping of Satan and his temptations out of the Soul thou saies conforms a Christian unto Christ who said the Prince of this world that is Satan comes and hath nothing in mee he cannot tempt me to sin I have no dry tinder of corruption within me to kindle with the sparks of his tentations all this is thy owne language thou hast here said enough to shake thy own Kingdom and confound all the Preists in England who preach against perfection Prov. 25.13 Jer. 2.13 Be your selves O people darken not your understandings by doating any longer upon these dreaming Preists who are Clouds and Winds without raine Cisterns that hold no water Judge O ye wise in heart whether he that is begotten of God that keeps himself and that wicked one the Devill cannot tempt or overcome him to commit sin whether that man be not perfect and free from sin yea or nay Was not Christ perfect and without sin Whether he that is conformed unto Christ be not perfect yea or nay and without sin whether he that hath no dry tinder of corruption within him to kindle with the sparks of Satans temptations be not perfect and free from sin yea or nay whether such a Soul I say hath not attained to that perfection which Christ commanded and Paul perswaded the Hebrews to press after Math. 5.48 6 Hebr. 1. Hebr. 12.23 4. Ephes 13. Is not the spirit of that just man made perfect Is not he then come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Read this without prejudice and consider that as the tree falls so it lies And 1 Iohn 4.17 As he is so are we in this world Was not Christ Jesus perfect Was not he without sin In the 91 page thou bids others not set their affection on things below nor to love the world or the things of it Learne this lesson thy self then preach it to others page 93. Thou talks of patient suffering the evills of the world to overcome them as persecution famine Nakedness Perill sword c. Is not he a cowardly Captaine that bids his Souldiers adventure further than he dares goe himself should not such a commander be Cashierd p. 94. 95. Thou bids them goe to Christ for his spirit to dwell in them to lead them as a guide in all their waies and into all truth To teach you all things as a Master bring al things as a Monitor into your remembrance What need is there then for thy defective and imperfect rules Why didst thou beg leave of thy Mayor and Aldermen and freinds to leave thy book with them as a light to guide them as a staff to stay and strengthen them If thou wouldst have them goe to Christ for his spirit to dwell in them to lead them as a guide in all their waies and into all truth to teach them all things as a Master and bring all things as a Monitor into their remembrance Is not this confused stuff But Babylons Brats can work no better Thou talks of self emptying and sense of emptiness makes Souls hungry and thirsty after the spirit Why then dost thou fill them with so many filthy-lies and contradictions as be in thy book The bottle that is full of bad liquor thou saies must be emptied to the bottom before it can be filled with the good Is not thy bottell full of the airy windy stuff of Popular applause of the filthy muddy waters of pride covertousness and self conceit of thy humane parts empty it soone that thy bottle may be fill'd with the sweet water of life for as thou saies if Laodicea do not know she is poore blind and naked her vessell is neither empty nor open but full and stopt or corkt up Now thou presses people to the conduit-pipes of the ordinances as thou calls them Especially word Sacraments and communion of Saints Thou maiest blush and be ashamed to call thy self-invented lifeless performances the ordinances of Christ Jesus where dost thou read in the Scriptures that the two Testaments as thou calls them are the two breasts of Christian consolation Are not the Saints bodys the Temples of the Holy Ghost Tell me does not a man draw and receive his consolation from the in-dwelling and living of the holy Ghost within his Body Is not this to rob God of his honour to attribute that to the letter which is due to the living God Thou saies Christ is a well of living Water didst thou live upon that living water thou couldst not delight in these dirty pudles of false doctrine and deceitfull devices of mans Braine as thou does Then thou comes to the Word which thou calls the Scriptures and bids them waite on God therein for the blessing of regeneration and growth in grace Both Priest and people have the Scriptures yet which of you can witness in your selves the blessing of regeneration and growth in grace He that 's borne of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot commit sin because he is borne of God And dost thou not acknowledge that he that is begotten of God keeps himself and that wicked one toucheth him not 1 Joh. 3.9 Dost thou not goe on saying This keeping out of Satan and his tentations out of the Soul conforms a Christian unto Christ Art thou or any of thy hearers able to witness the new birth that you commit not sin that the wicked one toucheth you not that his tentations are kept out of your Soul and that you are conformed unto Christ Then thou goes to thy Sacraments and brings a peece of Scripture for thy sprinckling infants which plainly confounds the practice of thee and all thy generation of Preists He that believeth is and is baptized shall be saved Does not beleiving goe before baptizing Can a new borne Child beleive Produce either precept or president in the Scriptures for thy practice of sprinkling Infants or be ashamed Did the primitive Church when they brake bread receive a bit of Bread and a sup of Wine as the people in fellow-ship with thee and all those who live in formes do from the Preists Is not this a Popish invention they brake bread from house to house eating their meet with singleness of heart Was not this a full meale Did ever Christs Apostles use Prayer with preaching as you doe The Jews indeed had certaine