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
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
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
houses of Prayer that Church being nationall and so there was a certaine place appointed for that purpose but were they not unconverted do not you by imitating them therein and by your lives make it manifest you are the Jews now who are unconverted Doe you not hold up the letter * In opposition to the Spirit calling the letter your Rule and persecute Christ in spirit Have you any other than common or formal prayers before and after Sermon a meer Popish Custom And when that is done then comes a formal benediction or blessing the people a meer cheat wherewith you delude the ignorant but the light hath discovered that and all the rest or your deceits What the people are better for that blessing their lives make it manifest Acts 3 2â— Did not Christ that High Priest cease this Ceremony when he blest his Disciples and afterwards came in spirit to blesse his people were not Christs and his Apostles prayers very short plain and to the purpose are not yours long vain glorious without the spirit and understanding Does that pure spirit live in you when you perform such lifeless exercises and deliver such deceitful Doctrine and is not your singing a confused noyse of lying Thou tells of Christs invitation of all poor souls to him who feele a need of him then see from henceforth thou hinder none keep none back let all that will go freely Does Christ call them and wilt thou by the ringing of a Bell call them to thy self Art thou Christ art thou the way the truth and the life Thou sayes Christ stood and cryed so does he still if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink so let him that is a thirst come But canst thou and thy fellow Priests satisfie the thirsty souls of poor sinners with the water of eternal life if thee canst not call them no longer to thee but send them to Christ the light of the world that pure Fountain and delude them no longer by letting them drink of the long standing corrupted putrified pool of mens traditions Christ sayes Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will ease you Can thee and thy Generation give ease to that soul that labours under the heavy load and burthen of his sins Do ye not instead of taking off the burthen lay more weight on Christ he gives ease and you sell what 's a Burthen Page 117. Thou talks of Christs cheapness of all soul Commodities as Grace Peace Spirit joy you may buy them without money or mony worth Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money for coming is buying and thirsting is the price I will give to him that is a thirst of the Fountain of water of life freely Now see the difference between Christ and Antichrist Christ he gives grace peace spirit and joy freely Antichrist he sells his graceless inventions deluding deceitful Doctrines and Traditions the enioyment whereof brings no peace his dead performances wherein is neither spirit nor life his loud singing wherein is no joy nor comfort These he sells at as great rates as he can either by payment of Tithes or so much a year be it one hundred and fifty pound a year more or lesse what he can get Yet he tells you that your not comming to Christ for what ever you want is your condemnation and he bids you Take it out of Christs own mouth Ye will not come to me that ye might have life but the Serpent is so subtle He would have you take Him in your way make him your Guide but while you do so ye shall never see your Saviour Well friends the Priest hath told you plainly your not going to Christ is your condemnation Luke â—1 21 Now unlesse ye be Reprobates past reproof you may know that Christ is within you The Kingdom of God is within you therefore turn aside from your worldly Teachers and turn to the pure light of God in every one of your Consciences Take counsel of that trusly faithfull and most wise Counseller yield obedience unto him Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken better then the fat of Rams You shall never witness the life of a Saint never truly loath all manner of sin till you be in perfect love with the pure light of God within you And that will give you power over your corruptions abiding in it being obedient to it The least measure thereof if you be faithful to it shall make you experience this for truth if you say to this or that Mountain or hill of sin Be removed it shall be removed and leâ—ei'd Christs precept is thou sayes when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut thy door This thou calles his Rule for private prayer Shew then his Rule for thy long vain glorious publick prayers before and after Sermon where do the Scriptures mention any Rule for private publick prayer such as thine then thou talks of praying with others c. 1 Cor. 14.15 'T is an easie matter to patter out many words but which of you prayes with the spirit and understanding Thou confesses before They that have not the spirit of Christ are none of his And they who have that spirit living in them need none of thy Rules or direction how when or with whom to pray The spirit he helpeth our Rom. â— 26 infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered P. 124. Thou plainly shewes thy self a Son of the Church of Rome Houses thou sayes as well as Temples were and are to be dedicated to God Thou sayes the Jewes were commanded to do it Hee 's as blind as thy self who knowes not that but what of this After the Destruction of the Temple was there ever any other commanded to be set up Acts 7.47.48 Acts 17.24.25 John 4.23.24 Prove this if thou canst God dwells not in Temples made with mens hands And ye that worship in the Idols Temple ye worship ye know not what for God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth 1 Kings 18.27.29 Should I say to you concerning your worshipping in your Steeple-houses as Elijah did would you not be angry Cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing Or he is in a journey or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awakened But is there any voice any to answer or any that regardeth Anos 6.1 Rom. 12.2 Where is the man or woman amongst you that turneth from the evil of his wayes that ceaseth to do evil and learns to do well that lives not at ease and woe be to them that live at ease that fashions not himself according to the World that can truly witness self-deniall that takes up his daily Crosse and follows Christ