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
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
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
Book James 1.26 therefore thy Religion is vain After Edmond Calamies Approbation and thy Preface follows a beg'd letter of commendation from one Thomas Manton witness his own words towards the latter end of that Epistle which are these Having thus signified and that upon Request the pleasure I took in this undertaking I take my leave c. Is it the property of a Minister of the Gospel to use such left-handed courses for a commendation Did ever any of the Apostles use such a practice But if thou hadst ten thousand such hands to thy Book as his they might dazle the eyes of the weak but not adde one grain of true worth to thy Book when it comes to be weighed in the ballance The Flatterer begins in a soothing strain Good Reader and tells of intimations in Scripture of a libertine spirit that shall prevail in the latter dayes That 's true And how this is accomplished by thee Manton and thy Genetation all honest hearts do see to their sorrow Who takes more licentious liberty to live in pride oppression and satisfying the lusts of the flesh then the Ministers of England and their Favorites that maintain them He talks of a Note found in Luthers study after his death wherein was written That within a small space of time the temper of the world should be for breaking yoaks what does that trouble thee thou shews what thou art insomuch that they should not only cast off the Canons and Traditions of men but the very Lawes and Ordinances of God And that a sort of men should arise that would be under no other Law and Rule but their own lusts and interests It seems Manton and Edward Reyner are sory Luthers words prove so true concerning the casting off the Canons and Traditions of men And no marvel-great is your Diana the Tithes of England or other set maintenance instead thereof But it must down for it s not a Plant of my Heavenly Fathers planting and therefore shall be rooted up Heb. 8.10 Now who is it that casts off the Law of God written in the Heart that slights the pure Counsel of the living God the light in the Conscience but the Ministers of the World and Men of that Generation pretending to walk by the Scriptures calling them their rule yet walk clear contrary to them and live under no other Law so far as they dare but their own lusts and interests I know they that are Libertines in opinion are in the road way to turn Libertines in practice if there be not something to restrain them But 't is seen who they are that be Libertines both in Opinions and practice an untoward Generation of deluding Priests and their flatterers countenanced at present by some great Ones in the world who throwe the Odium upon the Innocent But this is no new thing for Christ himself was counted Belzebub Mat. 12.24 Order and Rule I own and all such who walk contrary to the Law of God or any just Law made by man such I utterly disown be they Priest or People Dan. 4.30.31 Rev. 18.2 Isa 1.20 Thus having past the Porch I am entred into the Palace Babylon or building which this Nebuchadnezer hath built by the might of his Power for the honour of his Majesty as he vain gloriously hath conceited But this mans Kingdom is departed from him Babylon is fallen is fallen The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it His first Rule is Be sensible of Original corruption whereby you are deprived of the Image of God and of Communion with him and wholly defiled and depraved in all the powers and parts of soul body with a proneness to all evil and averseness to all good continually and made subject to the wrath of God to bondage unto sin and Satan and to all Gods judgements here and hereafter A sad sentence if it were as thou sayes but he that runs in the dark may stumble Dost thou teach another man not to steal and wilt thou play the Thief Dost thou preach and perswade others to walk by Rule and wilt thou walk without where hast thou brought one proof out of Scripture for any one of thy expressions above mentioned Is there such a word as Original Corruption in all the Bible How dares thou thus impudently blaspheme the infinite goodness of the living God as to set him forth so severe a God as to make man subject to his wrath to bondage to sin and Satan and to all Gods judgements here and hereafter before he actually commit sin How many millions of sweet innocent Children would this mans Doctrine damn to all eternity O thou bloody minded blasphemous man blush and be ashamed of this detestable Tenet Ezek. 33.11 Is it not written As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel Is there one syllable of original sin mentioned in this place Wilt thou make God a lier like thy self and forsworn too Ezek. 13.20 O the height of blasphemy Is it not elsewhere said the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of his Father And again the soul that sinneth it shall die Rom. 4.15 And where there is no Law there is no transgression Do not these places throwe down the Babel of thy soul-destroying God-blaspheming Doctrine of original sin Is not that place fulfilled in thee Prov. 10.19 In the multitude of words there wants not sin who but a foolish man like thy self would have brought in that Ephes 2.12.13 for the proof of original sin Paul in that Chapter sayes thus You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the Prince of the power of the Aire the spirit that now worketh in the Children of disobedience Amongst whom also we had our conâ—ersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh Does not he all this time speak of actual sin is there one word of original corruption verse 11. Remember saith he That ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh c. at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel having no hope and without God in the World But does Paul say this was because of Original sin does not the Chapter make it manifest it was their sinful lives Thou sayes Paul calles this corruption of Nature which thou countest Original sin the old man and body of sin Rom. 6.6 Is the corruption of Nature named in that verse why dost thou adde to the Scriptures He sayes indeed thus Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin This place speaks of a body of sin but does it not imply a living in and a serving sin Does it once mention Original sin for
shame man be silent thou brings in Pauls warfare A Law in the Members c. Rom. 7. A state or condition of sin it does hold forth A Combate between flesh and Spirit betwixt the seed of the Woman and the Serpent but does it mention that Original sin does deprive of the Image of God and of Communion with him That original sin makes subject to the wrath of God and to all his judgements here and hereafter Thou brings in Psal 51.5 David saying Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me He makes a deep confession of his sins and acknowledges the weakness of his Parent Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me she was a sinner when I was shapen conceived in her wombe 1 Cor. 2.14 Gen. 40.8 Isa 29.11 But that spirit by which thou art guided cannot give the interpretation of Scripture The same that gave it forth must open it To thee and thy Generation it is sealed but to the Saints it is given to understand Thou asks Who could sleep in the night that carrieth a Toad in his breast to bed with him and sin is as full of poyson as a Toad O minde thy own condition see how many Toads thou bearest-about thee in thy own breast Page 4. How full of poyson is the Doctrine thou delivers Of Originall sin and such like stuffe page 5. Thou sayes Every beloved sin or Master lust is a Belzebub or Prince of Devils Ah how many Belzebubs dost thou harbour in thy bosom as pride applause desires of silver and gold and a great estate See if these and a Nest of such like Serpents be not within thee if these be not the Dalilahs thou delightest in Thou sayes God joyns pardon of sin and power over sin together c. Page 18. Page 21. That sin makes ugly in Gods sight That it kisseth and stabbeth putteth out your eyes cuts your throats c. Art not thou and thy Generation of Pulpit-talkers the Devils seeds-men that sowes his tares among the wheat his Servants to put off his cheats and false counterfeit ware of original sin sprinkling Infants taking a bit of bread and a sup of wine roaring and singing in your Synagogues Pharisaical Prayers Hour-glasse Oratory and the like Do you not with such as these kisse and stab the people and with the hony fine names of Christs Ordinances Gospel-duties coming to Church the Baptism of Christ and the supper of the Lord which you put upon them sting the people to death for which of them can witness the life of a Christian Do you not by these put out the eyes of the peoples understanding that they see not the sun of righteousness the light so they live in Egyptian darkness under the Priests their Taskmasters Do you not set them to grinde at your Mills as the Philistins did Sampson puts them upon Pharisaical duties at set times coming to your Steeple-houses using hypocritical prayers promising them liberty but brings them into snares suffering lusts and sins to lie in their bosom unreproved and cut their throats do they not draw the people backward from Christ the light of the world in every mans Conscience and so hales them to Hell while they think they are going to Heaven See the end O friends of this praying and preaching if it be not to preach up the Priests to make them your Masters and you their Servants that they may live upon other mens labours Come but to them on their Market dayes do as they do eat drink and be merry with them in their Idols Temple and pay them Tithes for their Heathenish Oratory Then they 'l account you good Christians But if you withhold your hand and draw back feed them not with Tithes or other allowance The Priests will Laban-like cry out Gen. 31.30 wherefore have you stolen our Gods and sue you at the Law till by their Ordinance for troble dammages they have drawn blood But surely the eyes of those Gentiles shall over long be opened The dead shall hear the voice of the Sonne of God and live and no longer be deluded by those doting Babylonish Dreamers Acts 26.19 But the City of Lincoln hath a paire of proud Pharisees two subtle Antichristian Foxes who pretend they minister not for money yet either of them can dispence and dispose of one hundred and fifty pounds a year for their vain babling John 5.25 They seem as if they mattered not Tythes what need they when they have so much mony a year duly payd them without any cost or care of theirs Do they not preach the same Doctrine and tread in the same steps which the tyrannizing blood-sucking Tithemongers do Do they not account them their Brethren in the Ministery when do they publiquely preach against Tithes or disown them in print or Pulpit Is it enough to mutter out a word or two sneaking in holes and corners as if they could not digest their unrighteous Mammon If they are convinced of the unjustness of the thing Why do they not proclaim it on the house top In so doing they should offend their ungodly Brethren bar themselves for the time to come in case their present pay should be taken from them Page 23. The man writes thus Hare sin perfectly perpetually then you will not spare it but kill it presently till sin be hated it cannot be mortified Do they so with Tithes and yearly maintenance hate them perfectly and thou wilt preach against them presently O thou teacher of others first cast out the beam in thy own eye away with thy Pharisaicall righteousness begin at Christs Crosse and practise that unpleasant Sermon of self-denyal what sin soever thou lovest though it be thy Absolon either the maintenance of thy Son at the seminary of Satan or thy repute of a godly Minister thy lofty wages of unrighteousness thy deluding the ignorant and proyhesying lies unto the people the pampering of thy body with superfluous dainties what ever it be that is thy Dalilah deal not gently with it but hate it perfectly and perpetually for till it be hated it cannot be mortified Page 28. Now thou art got to thy old trade againe talking of holy duties or ordinances improved as weapons edgewise to cut and kill your lusts How these unholy duties and ordinances of thine have cut and killed lusts in thee or the people your lives make it manifest Have these as Antidotes for so thou hintest expeld the Poyson of sin The impurity of your lives your lusts being still living speaks the contrary Pag. 302. But self-love as thou saies in another place of thy book is a false glass which you commonly look your selves in that makes all seeme good you either have or doe But thy painted language can deceive non but the silly Nahū 3.4 The vizard of the welfavoured harlot must be puld off that her ugliness may be seene and
abominated Thou saies A Scriptum est Thou begins with that which thou calls the word of God viz. the Scriptures Thou bids heare it read it As it is written will put sin and Satan to flight and hide it in your hearts There are words many but the Word is but one Iohn 1.1 The Scriptures I own more truely than thou does or any tithe taking Preist in England yet I deny it to be that which thou callest it but protest not In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Are the Scriptures God Were they in the beginning Was not Moses the first Man that writ Scripture Is it not Christ that 's clothed with a vesture dipt in blood is not his name called the Word of God Are the Scriptures Christ Rev. 19 13. 2 Pet. 3.5 Doth not Paul say the Word of God is quick and powerfull sharper than any two edged sword peircing even to the dividing a sunder of Soule and Spirit and of the joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Can the dead doe all this Is the letter quick and powerfull Hath it the vertue force and operation written in that verse Or is it the work of a God Is any printed book a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Peter saies by the Word of God the Heavens were of Old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water Were the Heavens and the earth made by the Scriptures or by God Paul saies every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God Luke 1.1 Can any thing sanctify a creature but the Omnipotent God and Creator of all things 2 Iet 1 2â— Whether does he owne the Scripture who calls it his rule and lives contrary to it or he that calls it not soe yet lives according to it Yet I own the Scriptures as they are a declaration a record the writings of the holy Men of God who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost But I dare not Deifie or equall them with God nor pretend to make them my rule and walk contrary to them as thou and all thy generation doe Thy second Antidote thou calls the Sacraments A word of an old stamp coyned by thy Fore-Fathers at the Romish-Mint which it seems thou reservest as a holy Relique for its Antiquity not for any Sanctity that is in it I am sure Art thou not ashamed to use such rusty dark language at this time of the day P. 28.29 Thou saies Sacraments are instituted to be instruments for conveyance of vertue from Christs death into your Soules to mortifie your sins How many sins can the people truely say are mortified in them by thy Sacraments If thou wilt not answer for them say for thy self speak and lye not Channels through which streams of blood flow from the sides and heart of Christ into your hearts to carry away your sins Name what sins thou canst witness either of thy owne or the peoples that are carried away by those pretended streams flowing through the Sacraments Then thou bids make use of Sacraments against sins as men doe of Assizes against Malefactors get them condemned and cut off He that drinks at the pure Fountaine savours thy muddy language to streame from the corrupted Sea of Rome But all this while thou hast been talking of Sacraments thou hast lost thy Scriptum est What old Authors hast thou been ransaking up for this Sacrament all stuff Dares thou come into the feild thus to fight against the Lamb and his Saints and not bring one weapon out of thy Scripture Magazin to defend thee How canst thou hope to return a live to thy Camp Is the name of a Minister Armour of Proof to secure thee Dost thou not say the Word is a sheild to defend you against all the assaults of Sin and Satan or Batteries of Yentations The heart fenced with it thou saies is Cannon Proof I know thy meaning is the Scriptures Thou counts it the Word Ah silly blind Soul that art thus groping in the dark when the Sun of righteousness shines so gloriously Art not thou and the people provided of Bibles How are you defended against the assaults of Sin and Satan t is seene how open you are to the Batteries of tentation And for all thy flourishes thy heart is not fenced with one Scripture for all this folly thy tongue hath uttered concerning thy second Antidote Therefore thou art neither sword nor pistoll-proofe much less Cannon-proofe by thy owne confession Prov. 12.22 Pro. 28.9 Thy third Antidore is Prayer to God of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord when ye come to appeare before me who hath required this at your hand the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with * It is iniquity even the solemne meeting when ye spread your hands I will hide my eyes from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not heare Isaiah 1. and what 's the reason of this your uncleaneness Wash ye make ye cleane put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evill learne to do well seeke judgement Releive the oppressed judge the Fatherless Plead for the Widdow Loe here 's work for thee and thy Mayor and Aldermen O that you would set your hearts to doe it till then all your Prayers are but vaine babling till then there is no reasoning with God If ye be willing and obedient yee shall eate the Fat of the Land but if ye rebell ye shall be devoured with the sword for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it page 30. Speaking of the spirituall combat thou saies The life or exercise of grace puts sin to death in the duell betweene Flesh and Spirit as humility doth Pride and sincerity doth hypocrisy Ah poore Soul that it were so with thee and where there is no opposition there is no restraint where there is no contrary Principle of grace to cross and curb sin there sin overflows like a River without Bancks Grace thou saies will drive out sin as one pin doth another yet for all this page 28 thou calls Duties and Ordinances Weapons edgewise to cut and kill lusts Antidotes to expell the Poyson of sin especially the Word that is saies thou Scriptures Sacraments and Prayer for dost thou not say a Scriptum est As it is written will put sin and Satan to flight Here thou laies all the weight and power of killing sin upon duties ordinances and the letter and page 30. thou saies 'T is the life of grace puts sin to death and grace will drive out sin but what that grace is thou hast not mentioned 1 Cer. 12.9 The Lord saies to Paul my grace is sufficient for thee