the strict profession of it is so meane contemptible and burdensome a thing in the blinde and darke eyes of the World and lyes under the reproach and ignominy of the men thereof the great Rabbies doe stumble at it and doe not imbrace it 1 Cor 1 19 20 for it is written saith God I will destroy the wisdome of the wise and wil bring to nought the vnderstandings of the prudent where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world Isa 29.14 33 18. Oba verse 8. Therefore in regard the great Doctors of the world doe not imbrace the ways of God the multitude stumble at them likewise being ready to say with them Io 7 haue any of the Rulers or of the Pharises beleeued on him but this people who knoweth not the law are accursed Even so say men in these daies of the naked truths and waies of God do any of the Rulers or Nobles or do the great learned Doctors famous Divines imbrace and practice these strict and rugged waies but onely a companie of Brownists who are the base and obscure fellowes of the world and a companie of foolish singuler people contemning and censuring all besides themselues as though none should be saved but they onely To you Oh yee spirituall blind people whose vnderstandings are darkned with the smoake of the bottomlesse pitt and whose braines are intoxicated and drunke with the glittering and gilded Cup of spirituall fornication abhomination of the scarlet whore Reuel 17. To you J answere and know you that the way to heaven is narrow and straite and Christs fold and flocke but a small little company in comparison of the world Math 7.14 Luke 13.24 Also know that God hath not called many wise men after the flesh nor many mighty nor many noble but God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of this World to confound the things that are mighty and the base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to naught things that are And he himselfe gives the reason of it that no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.26.27.28.29 And Iames tells us that God hath chosen the poore of this World rich in faith and heires of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him James 2 5. And what though the Rabbies and great Doctors be learned yet it is but Earthly and humane learning which Paul had before his conversion for he was a Pharise brought up at the feete of Gamaliel a great learned Doctor of the Law had in reputation among all the people Acts 5.34 and 22.3 But yet when he came to the true spirituall knowledge of true spirituall learning indeed which is taught to all Christs Schollers lesse or more that are brought up in his Schoole he renounced his humane Schollership and accounted it no better then dung or dirt Phil 3.5.7 8. But besides him we read of none of the Apostles that were learned in that learning which the blinde world accounts learning and Schollership for they were all or most of them poore men brought up in obscure and base callings many of them being no better then poore Fishermen yet when Christ called them he indued them with spirituall learning which is the true learning indeed Acts 2.1 c. And those in the new Testament that are commended for their learning it was because they were filled with the gifts of the Spirit and were mighty in the Scriptures Iohn 7.38.39 Acts 18.24 1 Cor. 12.3.7.8.10 and 14. By all which places of Scripture we see that the learning which made the Apostles famous was not human learning for none of them had it but Paul and he renounced it but it was heavenly learning which came from God being the gift of his Holy Spirit And for all the rest of those which they ordained by the power and Authority which they had from Christ to officiat in the Churches and to administer the sacred and holy things of God to his chosen and sanctifyed ones for none but them have true right to Christs ordinances it was spirituall knowledge divine learning and insight into the Scripture which are the gifts of the spirit of God as is before proved which made them fitt for those Offices that they were chosen to by the Church and ordained by the Apostles for they were not to be Novices in the Mysteries and wayes of God but sound in the Faith and also of a holy and Godly life and conversation which the Apostle calls a good report and to have the rest of those qualifications which he layes downe in 1 Tim. 3. and 5. Chapters and Titus 1. And whosoever have not these qualifications are not fitt according to the Apostles command there to beare Office in the true Church which is the spirituall Sion Citty House of God Psal 87.2.3 and 132.13.16 Esay 3â— 20.21 and 52.1 Heb. 12.22 Rev. 20.9 and 12.2 Now that Heavenly learning and gifts of the spirit which the Lord under the time of the Gospell doth bestow upon his chosen and holy ones doth fulfill the Prophesies of the Prophets in old time who Prophesied of the same things Esay 44 3.4 and 54.13 Ier. 31 Ioel 2.28 saying And it shall come to passe afterward that I will poure out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreames and your young men shall see visions and also upon the hand-maids in those dayes will I poure out my spirit Oh! the simplicity sweetenesse and pleasantnesse of the wayes of God if we had but inlightened spirituall understandings to see behold and looke into them which if we had they would ravish our soules rejoyce our spirits and fill our hearts full of gladnesse But they are sealed and will be hid from us till the Lord in his rich mercy loving kindnesse be pleased to anoynt our eyes with spirituall Eye-salve and take away these Foggie Mists of darknesse scales of ignorance that hang upon our understandings 1 Cor. 2. Oh! that the Lord would be pleased to deale so gratiously with us that we might be fooles Idiots emptie vile in our own eyes that so we might nakedly lye at the footstoole of Iesus Christ and seeke for wisedome spirituall understanding from him him alone according as it is our duty the the command of wisedome Prov. 1.4.8 and 9. Chapters But alas alas we have haughty hearts proud spirits our owne and seeke to be something in ourselves and doe not labour to be weaned from all things in our selves as is our duty for we should nakedly goe out of our selves and this we shall know to be true if ever the Lord come truely and throughly to instruct and teach us in
let the stone Walls and iron grates convince him for we dare not meete him in the plaine feild in a publick dispute though he be but an unlearned youth And if it be possible keepe him in darknesse and obscuritie And if you can doe it handsomely that the World can take no notice of it starve him for we command you to let nothing be brought unto him Oh! you Satyrs Vultars Owles and Scritch-Owles for so the Holy Ghost calls you Esay 13. two last verses Esay 34.14.15 Rev 18.2 The Roman spirituall State being that Cage of filthinesse that holds you who are as the Holy Ghost there speakes a Company of Dragons Devils and foule Spirits Oh! you Night-Owles and Birds of Darknesse and uncleanes that dare not come to show your crooked faces in the bright Sun-shining light and cleare Crystall glasse of Gods sacred and unspotted Truth It sheweth demonstrateth to all the World that you are a Company of deformed Creatures and Sonnes of Darknesse impiety wickednesse ungodlinesse Or else you would lay aside your Cowardly Clubb-Arguments and come into the face of the open Sunne that there you may be seene whether you be rotten or sound or whether you be true gold or nothing but durt drosse which is good for nothing but the dunghill or whether your Kingdome be the Kingdome of Christ or the Kingdome of the Divell for of necessity it must be one of these for there is no more spirituall Kingdomes in the world but these two Or whether you your selves be servants of Christ or the servants and true subjects of the Divell But your hating of the truth and blaspheaming of it calling it the Refuge of Heritickes as you did in your open Court at the Censure of that worthy Doctour Doctour Iohn Bastwicke And also your hating and bloody persecuting of them that loue it doth vndenyably declare and manifest what you are and of whom your Kingdom doth depend For Christ saith every one that doth evill hates the sight neither cometh to the light least his deedes should be reproved Iohn 3.20 Truely you plainelie shew that you are men of darknesse and workers of wickednes and iniquitie for you cannot endure the light for it is too cleare too bright for you to come nakedlie and openlie and shew your selues before it because you are men of darknesse and evill doers and therefore you hate the light but if you were men that were workers of righteousnesse and walked in the waies of truth you would not be affraide to be tried by the light of it but would desire to be brought vnto it And in the former place Christ saith he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God and therefore to conclude this point I will say no more then Christ saith you may know the tree by the fruit for a bad tree doth not bring forth good fruit nor a good tree corpupt fruit Math. 7.18 Luke 6.43 But to goe backe againe to Iohn 8. In the second place Christ saith The Divell abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a ly he speakth it of his owne for he is a lyar and the father of it Here Christ shewes that the Children of the Divell abide not in the truth but haue their soules filled with lyes And whether you the Prelates be not such I appeale even to your owne writings sayings doeings the most of whose writings are stuffed with many vntruths having almost as many lies in them as pages And for the vntruths delivered in your Court Sermons Worthy Doctour Bastwicke in the third part of his Letany hath painted out in there colours yea what damnable Doctrines are there taught saving some few agreeing with the Filthy Whore Strumpet of Rome as that forenamed Doctour doth proue in the second part of his Letany with which he doth most truely paralel you that you are in a manner both of one corruption yea among all the rest he there proues that you hold and maintaine that monstrous and horrable Doctrine of Transubstantiation that is to say That the Body of Christ is reallie corperallie and essentiallie in the Sacrament of his Supper And this also may be proved out of the great Prelats speech made before the honorable Lords at the Censure of the three late worthies Yea whole Vollumes may be made of those damnable Doctrins that you hold are not ashamd to publish them to the view of the whole world Cum Privilegio especialy in your late printed Bookes By all which you proue make good this portion of Scripture that you are of your father the Divell because you do not abide in the truth but speake preach write and maintaine false lies wicked and damnable Doctrines Thus haue I by the strēgth of my God a litle deciphered you in a brief way But it may be you will be like a nest of Wasps which being stirred will flie about my eares with your Scorpion stings but if you do it will manifest you to be part of those Locusts as you are indeede and in truth that came out of the bottomlesse pitt Revel 9.2.3 of whom the Hoy Ghost saith that they had tailes like Scorpions and there were stings in there tailes and they had power to hurt men verse 10. But be it known vnto you that I am not in the least affraid of you for I neither feare an Axe at Tower hill nor a Stake in Smithfield nor a-Halter at Tyburne nor Whipping at a Carts-arfe nor a Pillary in the Pallice-yard nor Gagging nor Cutting of eares and nose nor Burning in the forehead or cheeks nor yet Banishment with Iohn to Pathmos For I verilie beleeve if you should send me thither I shall there finde Christ which by his spirit will vnfold the Revelation vnto me and then J would write it and send it abroad into the world and it would vex you as ill as Sampson did the Philistims proue as fatall to your decaying tottering spirituall Babilonian Antichristian Kingdome as his Foxes with fire-brands at their tailes were to the Philistims Corne. And therefore as you loue your almost ruinated Kingdome looke to it and knowe that the faster you kicke the harder I will spurre you the more you fling the closer will I sticke cleave fast vnto you for you are plants which I groundedly know the Lord never planted therfore vndoubtedly he will plucke you up Mat. 15.13 And therefore by the might power and strength of my God Psal 118.14 Esa 12.2 who is the worker of all my works in mee and for mee Esa 26.12 For I am resolved come life come death seeing you by force crueltie haue called me to it to shewe my selfe valiant for the truth of God Ier. 9.3 I alreadie made three Challenges to dispute with you but you are so Cowardlie that you dare not to come into the plaine and open field but you fight with tyrant-like weapons namelie with crueltie And therefore to see whether you haue any manhoode in you or noe J make send forth this fourth Challenge to you Bishops Prelates which is this That I will if you please dispute with you all face to face before the King and State for life and libertie vpon these ensueing Propositions First To proue that the Popes Power is from the Divell Secondly That your Calling Power Authoritie Iurisdiction is from the Pope Thirdly That all Gods people are bound vnder paine of eternall damnation to withdraw their spirituall obedience and subjection from your spirituall law and Kingdome Now vnpon these propositions will I dispute with you all and venter life for life before the King and State vpon these tearmes First That you shall lay aside Club-Arguments which is take him Iaylour and lay him in Irons and locke him up close Prisoner and keep him in safe custodie Secondly That the Booke of God which is an infallible truth shall be the sole Iudge of the Controversie Thirdly That J may haue libertie without being Gagged to speake my minde freelie and boldlie Fourthly That J may haue the vse of some books which I shall chuse And if you dare grāt me these 4 things if I be not able to proue all the fore said Positions by demonstrable and vndeniable arguments that you shall not be able in the words of truth to gainsay or deny thē I wil be willing to lose my head and life therefore take notice of what J haue now the fourth time said and challenged you to your faces for I intend to send you this that in the presence of the King and Nobles you will make it good and therefore if you be not Cowards fitt yourselues to come into the open pitched field face to face Also be it knowne vnto you that I will at Pauls Crosse dispute with all your Priests and Deacons vpon these Propositions First That they are all of them Servants Ministers of Antichrist Secondly That in the place and standing they are now in at this present they haue no authority from God to preach his word nor administer any of his sacred ordinances to the peole nor the people any ground or warrant out of the word of God to heare the word from or pertake with them Thirdly That the Church of England as at this day it stands is Antichristian both in Power in Matter in Ministrie in Forme and in Woshirppe Fourrhly That all Gods people are bound in duty conscience to separate away from it to haue no communion with it All which things if J be not able to proue against them all laying aside as I said before all Club law and letting the word of God be the sole Judge of the controversie I will be bound to preach a Recanting Sermon in every Citty in the Kingdome JOHN LILBURNE FINIS
may though all the power of darknesse set themselves against them yet that they may cleave close to God our Saviour Christ and the purity of his Gospell for we must looke for fanning and sifting and for the fiery tryall therefore let us sit downe and reckon what it will cost us and if we be not willing to lose all for his sake yea and to hate all even Father and Mother riches life c. if they stand in our way to keep us from him we are not worthy of him Math. 10.37 and 16.24 Mark 8 34. Luke 9.23.24 and 14.26.27 And for my owne part the Lord himselfe hath so firmly by his owne enlightening Spirit so fully convinced me and setled my soule so unmoveably in his truth that I assuredly know that all the power in Earth yea and the gates of Hell it selfe shall never be able to move me or prevaile against me for the Lord who is the worker of all my workes in me and for me hath founded and built me upon that sure unmoveable foundation the Lord Iesus Christ and I know if ten thousand deaths for my conscience and the cause of my God for which with courage and rejoycing I now beare witnesse to and am close prisoner in bonds lying day and night in Fetters of Jron both hands legges should be inflicted upon me I should sing rejoyce triumph in them all For my God makes me glory in my tribulation and my soule is filled so full of that sweetnesse and joy that it findes in my God alone that my tongue and penne is never able to the full to expresse utter it to his praise I desire to speake it and I doe beleeve that it is not possible for any man in any condition whatsoever whose neck in the best doth stoope to the yoake of Antichrist to have his heart and spirit elevated and lifted up above it selfe in that high degree with spirituall joy and comfort divine and heavenly strength and supportation that mine is for the Holy Ghost saith they have no rest night nor day who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the marke of his name And I doe beleeve it to be true as I am able to speake by my owne experience For they may have some spirit of rest and peace and sudden Flashes of joy and comfort but when a storme or Tempest doth arise they are so possessed with base and cowardly feare and distraction of spirit that they are like men without hearts and are ready to runne into every hole to hide their heads from the face of man a poore worme being ready to say when a tempest ariseth with them in the 6. Rev. 16.17 Let the Mountaine and Rock fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand When as on the contrary the Righteous is as bold as a Lyon though the wicked fly when none persueth Prov. 28.1 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous runneth unto it and are safe And Psal 91. he that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shaddow of the Almighty and he shall be safe from the feare of all danger as the Holy Ghost there doth declare So that we see the feare and terrour that possesseth the hearts and spirits of all those whose necks are either in part or in whole under the spirituall yoake and bondage of the Beast And also the rest and peace and holy security that they are in that submitt alone to the Lord Iesus Christ for their spirituall Lord and King And are willing to follow him whersoever he goes not loving their soules to the death Rev. 12. but keepe close and hold fast the name and faith of Christ even where Satan hath his Throne Rev. 2.13 for he hath said and promised unto his people that keepe close to him because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keepe thee from the houre of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth Rev. 3.10 And this have I found by experience since the Lord in great mercy and rich loving kindnesse by his strength and power inabled me to withdraw my soule totally and finally from the greatest spirituall yoake and bondage that ever any mortall man groaned under namely the spirituall yoake and bondage of the Beast or Roman State unto which whosoever is hated of the Lord and doth not belong unto him doe submitt yeeld Rev. 9.4 and 12.7.9 13.8 But the Lord from all eternity hath loved me with his everlasting love hath delivered my soule from it and set me at liberty and in a large place and hath given me rest and ease and hath put a song of prayer and thanksgiving into my mouth unto the Lord of glory and the Lamb that sitts upon his Throne who is blessed for ever and ever and my God hath filled my soule so full of Heavenly matter that had I but a current vent I could ex tempore write an hundred Sheetes of paper to you filled full of Heavenly expressions of the Lords goodnesse faithfulnesse loving kindnesse and Truth for my soule is ravished with that fulnesse sweetnesse aimeablenesse and beautifulnesse that I finde in my God Oh that my soule were altogether with him that I might be satisfyed with his fulnesse and might solace my soule face to face which I most confidently know I shall in his due time But Oh I say againe and againe that J were with him for he hath crucifyed the World and all things here below unto me and hath enabled me to account and esteeme all things besides himselfe as dung and durt not being worthy of casting any affectionate eye upon them Philip. 3.8.9 and he hath pitched my soule upon himselfe as a naked and a single object in whom alone the quintessence of delight beautie and satisfaction is to be had enjoyed and possessed and for my shackled condition that I am in it is most sweete and 〈…〉 I am as merry yea more chearefull then ever I was in any condition in my life and can sleepe as soundly in my Boots and Irons as Peter did betweene the two Souldiers when he was in prison who when the Angell of the Lord came to him to deliver him He was faine to smite him before he awaked Acts 12.6.7 And I doe sing Psalmes and J am as merry as Paul and Sylas were when they were in the Stocks and in prison who sung Psalmes and Prayses at midnight so that the Prisoners heard them Acts 16.24.25 for the Lord hath so strengthened me with divine power and strength for the Lord of Hosts is my confidence And in the Lord Iehovah there is everlasting strength And there is no torments that the greatest Tyrans in the World can inflict
when the Prelates by vertue of his power bids them and Authorize them to preach they doe preach And when they command them to hold their peace they are silent and let their flock runne at randome when as a good and true Shepheard layeth downe his life for his Sheepheard Object But many object and say it is true that their calling as it comes from the Prelates is unlawfull but they have an inward calling for they are fitted for the worke of the Ministerie Answ To which J answer and say I reade of no inward calling that any of those Officers had that Christ or his Apostles did institute in the New Testament for the Apostles had their calling from Christ and the other Officers had their calling from the Churches where they themselves were members and over which by the Lawes and power of Christ they were made Officers But if the Ministers of Antichrist have an inward calling I desire to see it proved by the Scripture And as for their qualifications and fitenesse for the Ministrie J deny and say that they are not qualified according to the command of Christ by Paul to Timothy Titus And I doe affirme and will maintaine it that no man ought to be Elected for the worke of the Ministrie unlesse he have all those qualifications that is by the Holy Ghost set downe in the 1 Tim. 3. and the first of Titus Now there is none of them yea the best among them that hath the qualification for a Bishop a Pastor or an Elder which is all One must not be a Novice least being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devill Also he must hold fast the faithfull word as it hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainesayers But none of them have either of these for they are so farre from being able to convince gainesayers by sound Doctrine that they are but novices in many things and either wilfully or ignorantly are blinde of the naked wayes of God being darkned with the smoake which came out of the bottomlesse pitt Rev. 8.2 and J will justify it to the faces of the best of them that they are enemies to the Kingly Office of Iesus Christ and the right government of his Church both in practise and in judgement and therefore are not fit take them at the best to be Pastors over Christs Sheepe Neither can any of them say as Paul did Acts 20. That he was cleare of the blood of all men in that he ceased not to declare unto them the whole Counsell of God which every faithfull Pastor ought to doe but none of them have done it nor are able for as I said before they are ignorant of it and are enemies to it as they doe witnesse in their Pulpits where they preach against the naked and pure wayes of God and the Professours of it but none of them dare to enter the list of a Publick set dispute Object I but say others they preach the Word of God and that cannot be corrupted by their calling but remaine the Word of God still therefore we may Lawfully heare it from them Answ I answet they preach the outside of the Word it is true but the marrow and pith of it they meddle but little with for the best of them are yet ignorant of the marrow of many choice Truths of God for their understandings are so overspred with the Foggie Mists of the darke and black Kingdome of Antichrist that they want spirituall eyes to see it And behold it untill the Lord in mercy if so he please to open their eyes And what though they doe preach the Word they have no authority from God so to doe if they have let them stand up and show it and prove it Not with human learning but by the authority of the Scripture It is true the Devill himselfe preached Christ and made a glorious confession of him saying I know that thou art Iesus the Christ the Son of God Mark 1.24 This if it had come from one of Christs owne servants it had been most acceptable and well pleasing to him but in regard it comes from the Devill he will not owne it but commands him to hold his peace It is very true the Word of God is good and sweete and a comfort to the soules of his servants if it be preached by any that hath authority from Christ we are bound to heare it But the best of the Ministers have no authority or warrant from Christ to preach the Word nor we to heare it from them Iohn 10.2.3.5 Hoses 9.4 Psal 50.16 But to the wicked saith God What hast thou to doe to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth Now looke upon all of them to be such as God here speakes off in regard of their institution and standing being visible members of Antichrists Kingdome I doe not nor will not meddle with their persons nor no mans else but only with their sinfull and wicked station and standing Which as I am a subject to Christs Kingdome and a prisoner in bonds and fetters of Iron for his cause I am bound in conscience for to doe it Iudg. 5 23. Curse ye Meroz saith the Angell of the Lord yea curse ye bitterly the inhabitants therein because they came not forth to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty Yea the Spirit of God saith That they are blessed and happy that takes Babels Bratts and dash them against the stones Psal 137.8.9 But they are all Sonnes and Children of Spirituall Babell or Babylon Rev. 11.8 and 14.8 and 18.2 Now by vertue of their being members of his Kingdome we have no ground or warrant out of the Word of God to heare them for it is impossible to be a servant and a subject both to Christ and Antichrist But they are subjects to Antichrists Kingdome Therefore cannot be said truely to be subjects and servants to Christ For is not he properly a subject to the King of Spaine that submits to his Lawes and beares Office under him by vertue of his authoritie And can such men while they doe so be said and truely to be esteemed to be subjects to the King of England unto whose Lawes they doe not submit Without doubt they cannot Even so can the Ministers or Preists for so is their institution who submit unto the Lawes of Antichrist and beare Office under him and execute their Office by vertue of his power and Authoritie and therefore are his Servants and Subjects and cannot truely be said to be the Servants and Subjects of Christ unto whose Lawes they doe not submit Therefore we are not to heare them or to have any thing to doe with them Rev. 18.4 2 Cor. 6.17 Againe Mount Sion that is to say the Church of God is the place which God hath chosen and hath promised his presence and blessing Psal 132.13.14.15 and 88.17 2 Cor. 6.16 Now
hath wrought in my heart And for this I will spend and be spent and be puld in ten thousand peices before I will in the least deny my God and his naked truth or the least tittle of that which he himself by his holy spirit hath made known vnto me 1 Cor 2.10.11.14 And further knowe that all my kindred according to the flesh hath deserted and forsaken me in my present condition But if all my friends yea and Christian Brethren also in the the world should be offended with me for sticking close to my good cause and if they should all forsake me and leaue me naked to the world yea though I starue rott in Prison as I know I shall not for as long as there was a peice of bread in the bakers street Ieremiah wanted not in his distresses and I know Ieremiahs God is my God wil do the like for me as he did for him if need require But if J should be like to starue in Prison yet wil I never in the least by the strengh might of my God feare my enemies or loue my friends so much as to deny the least of his truths for their threatnings or cruelty or for their faunings flattering and deceiueable perswasions for I know if my friends do leaue me and forsake me yet the Lord will stand by mee support and vphold me in the midst of the greatest of my tryalls distresses and afflictions and in due time deliver me from the mouth of the Lyon for he did thus with Paul when he was to answer before Nero for his and Doctrine at which time all forsooke him yet the Lord stood by him and delivered him 2 Tim. 4 16.17.18 And I know he will doe so for me too for he hath filled my soule so full of his strength to strengthen me in my greatest tryalls and of his presence comfort to comfort me in my present afflictions that I know I can liue by faith in every condition whether in hunger of nakednesse in want scarcity in prison or in dungeon or exile or in banishment And in my present afflicted and chained condition I haue and do possesse all that my soule can desire for I haue God Christ his holy spirit and haue rest true peace and ease and though I be in bonds fettered with Irons lockes and chaines yet I am at liberty for my heart spirit is mightily inlarged also I haue full satisfaction contentednes yea the world all 1. Cor 3.22.23 for my outward condition I haue not a troubled thougt about it for it doth not in the least molest me for I can truly with Withers in the beginning of his Motto say Nec habeo Nec careo Nec curo I neither haue nor want nor care for When I haue the least then I haue a feast and I hauing that I know God will cotinue it and for my owne part I neither long for nor earnestly desire more dainties varieties then there is at a feast and I feast every day and therefore haue no want of good things yea did but my enemies truely know in how rich and plentifull a condition I am in they would bite off their fingers ends for to heare of my prosperous and happie estate in the midst of their cruelties for I haue found and got such riches since J came to Prison that I thinke the like is not to be got abroad in the world And of all conditions vnder heaven in my judgement a prison and an afflicted condition for the truth and cause of Christ and the testimonie of a good conscience is the most happie and rich condition for then Gods holy ones grow in I grace and Godlinesse like tall Ceadars in Libanon and get great large experience of Gods goodnesse faithfulnesse and kindnesse as I am able to speake it by grounded experience And though my Adversaries are learned in the Phariseicall Philofical deceiuable learning of the world Act 5.34 22.3 compared with Phill 3.5.8 Coll 2. and haue studdied and beat their braines in their Vniuersities and else where for many yeares together yet in one sixe moneths in a Prison and fettered condition I haue got more true spirituall learning and and knowledge in the misteries of Godlinesse then is amongst them all therefore when they sent me to Prison they did more for me then if they had given me ten thousand pounds for they haue sent me to a heaven vpon earth for so J haue found it And so farr I am from being overcome by their vnheard of cruelty to submitt and make a base recantation as they would haue me which they haue do still exercise vpon me in a high degree that I am ten times stronger then I was at the first and the next act of cruelty that they shall inflict vpon me will make me twenty times as strong as I am and the next act of cruelty after that will make wee as vnmouable as Mount Sion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever Psal 125. 1. Pro. 10.30 And as the hatred dispeasur of my friends which is the greater tryall of the two which J haue incurred from them by reason of my judgment and Conscience I will carrie my selfe by the help assistance of my God like an innocent harmelesse lamb of Christ yet will I never in the least either for their love or displeasure forsake or renounce the least Truth that the Lord in great mercy hath manifested and made known unto me since I came to prison For before J was not only a Novice but a very Idiot in the right wayes of God having muddy affections but wanted inward principles having fiery zeale but it was without grounded spirituall knowledge But now the Lord hath made knowne to me by his spirit the way wherein to serve and worship him And he hath made me by his power and strength as unmoveable as an Iron Pillar or a Brazen Wall And if they doe not in matters of Religion returne unto me J shall I hope fullfill that command of God given unto Ieremy in the 15. Chapt 19. that I shall not in the least returne unto any of them though I be ever accounted by them as an allien and stranger to them Againe I desire to lett you know that upon the pillary I challenged all the Bishopps in England to dispute with them upon this proposition to prove the Popes power and authority from the Devill and that their power authority and jurisdiction and calling in which they stand at this day is from the Pope and so originally from the Devill as well as his But these Episcopall Rabbies who are Cheife members of the Kingdome of Darknesse had no other Argument to convince me with then to put a Gagg in my mouth least I should have shaken the foundation of their Antichristian Kingdome publickly at the Pillary and least the people forsooth should be infected with my speeches which in their account and estimation
his spirituall heavenly wisedome It is the greife of my soule to see people take such paines for that which will not profitt And to lay out their silver for that vvhich is not vvorth the buying Esay 55.2 Beeing very zealous in professing the seeming way of God and yet are full of ignorance blindnesse in the true wayes of God wanting that true spirituall sanctifyed knowledge and cleare insight into the Scripture which is taught by the spirit of God that being true of them which is said in Esay 59. That they grope for the vvall like blinde men yea and grope as if they had no eyes stumbling at noone-day as in the night being in desolate places as dead men not knowing that a deceived heart hath turned them aside being not able to say that there is a lye in their right hand as the Prophet in another place speakes But unto all such in the words of the spirit of God I say behold all you that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that you have kindled But saith God this shall you have of my hands Ye shall lye downe in sorrow Esay 50.10 Because that it is a shame even in the eyes of the World for a man to be of no Religion Therfore people take upon them the outward forme of Religion but are destitute of the inward power of godlinesse going on in a formall way of Religion with muddy earthie and unsanctified affections but doe not strive studdy labour as they ought to get inward principles true grounds in their owne soules that so they may be built upon that sure unmooveable foundation that never can be shaken But build upon sand hay and stubble as the Apostle speakes And therfore that building will come to ruine when stormes Tempests doth arise as too true experience hath doth will manifest declare for when men are not soundly setled in the true ways they can̄ot possible have that true inward peace which God hath promised to his faithfull ones But their spirits hearts are full of feares distractions in time of danger and calamity I appeale even to the hearts and spirits even of people themselves that are not as yet convinced and settled in the right and true wayes of God Sure I am I am able to speake it by my selfe and doe speake it in the presence of my God who knowes my heart and trieth my reines Rev 2.23 that I have found it true by former experience for the Spirit of God saith there is no peace to the vvicked Esay 48.22 and 57.21 Now while a man is out of the true wayes of God and is in the by-wayes of sinne and wickednesse he cannot truely according to the revealed will of God be tearmed any otherwise then a wicked man Though notwithstanding his soule may be precious to God But we are not to judge according to the secret will but only to judge according to the revealed will of God for secret and hidden things belong to God but revealed things to us and to our children as Moses saith But all those that are members of the Kingdome of Antichrist as all that submit to the Prelates and their Lawes are are out of the true wayes and pathes of God and are in the bye and crooked way of sin and wickednesse And therefore we have no grounded warrant out of the Scripture the revealed will of God to judge or esteeme of them any otherwise but as wicked men who in that estate cannot be possessours of that true and setled peace and spirituall comfort and joy that God doth bestow vpon his faith sevants Now as for the proofe of this argument t is every branch part of it proved in the foregoing discourse but on the contrary I can truelie speake it that my soule had never before that true rest quietnesse and sweete inward spirituall peace that I haue been and am still possessour of since my God gaue me strength might power to shake of that Antichristian yoake and all communion with his lawes subjects And my soule is filled so full of true rest and peace that all my torments and sufferings and the greatnesse and potency of my adversaries the chiefe of which is the Divell the prince of this world working in and by his sonne the Prelate of Canterbury doth not in the least terrifie or trouble mee but I am merry and cheerefull in the midst of the veriety of my sufferings for the Lord makes me to triumph over them all and I know and beleeue that if all the Divels in hell and all his Limbs vpon the earth do bend themselves against me to overthrow me yet they shall never make me sadd for the Lord hath given me a cheerfull and merry heart which whosoever hath Salomon saith hath a continuall Feast Prov 15.15 nor make me feare or be affrayde of them for God is my salvation I will trust add not be affrayde of them for God is my salvation the Lord Iehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Esay 12 12. And though the youths doe fainte and be weary and the younge men utterly faile yet they that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall runne and not be weary and they shall walke not be faint Esay 40.30.31 For the Lord is a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in his distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heate when the blast of the terrible one is as a storme against the Wall Esay 25.4 and the spirit of God saith that he will keep him in perfect peace whose minde is staied on him therefore in the Lord will I trust for ever For in the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength Esa 26.3.4 and the Lord saith he keeps his Church and will water it every moment least any hurt it yea J will keep it night and day saith he Now I am a true member of it and therefore haue right and share of the benifitt of this promise and assuredly knowe that the Lord will so keep me though I be in the midst of the fire that mine enemies shall not prevaile nor hurt mee though all men forsake me yet hee will take care of me and provide for me the young lions shall want suffer hunger but they that loue and feare the Lord shall want no good thing But my loving friend am I become your enemy because in publicke I haue spoken the truth let not your anger and displeasure be further incensed against me when you haue read this that is here written J hope you would not haue me who haue begun in the spirit to be made perfect in the flesh Oh God forbid that ever I should so much as entetaine the least thought of that and therefore know that this is my setled resolution which the Lord