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
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
no man Doth true honour consist in such hollow deceitfull unwarrantable titles inventions of the beast as are given by the world one to another * Is not your Lordship your Honour your Worship and the like a flattering Title Ester 3.2 How contrary art thou to Elihu who said Let me not accept of any mans person neither let me give flattering titles unto man for I may not give flattering titles unto man in so doing my Maker would soone take me away And Mordecai he would not bow unto Haman though the Darling of a King * Mind that you idolatrous and dissembling complementers who are bowing to and sawning on one another when in your hearts you are fit to murdâ—r one another Psal 2. But while thou feeds thy Magistrates with such food as their crazie carnall stomacks gape after while thou feasts them with such fare I say thou fattens the enemie and pines the pure but read thy reward and take it with thee The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things Psal 123. Thou tells them Full 28 years are run out since thou was called to this City by the general vote of all the godly in it It seems this was all the call thou had'st the vote of men Thy confession makes it manifest thou had'st no call from God How hast thou proved thy generall vote of all the godly in this Citty Must thy bare word be taken when thou hast already been proved a lier Was there not one whose heart was towards the Lord not one Child of God in all the Citty but those that gave their vote to thee The Baptized people will not credit thee in this thing but look upon it as an uncharitable censure a presumptuous Boast and will ranck it amongst the rest of thy Lies Full 28 yeares are run out c. all which time together with my spirits and strength I have pent amongst you and upon you but for about 2 yeares in the heat of the late unhappy broyles when the good hand of providence removed me to a Citty of Refuge to wit Norwich Thou art Master of thy Trade A smooth tongue oylie words thou wantest not But this will not doe thy varnish must be washt off under this painted stufflies Poyson Hast thou spent 26 yeares upon those to whom thy book is dedicated with thy Spirits and strength what 's that which speaks so lustily in the Pulpit and walks so lively in the streets Is it not Edward Reyner his own self Hath the Mayor and divers more to whom thou dedicates thy book lived 26 yeares in Lincolne If they have not and I am sure t is so how hast thou spent thy spirits and strength amongst them and upon them all that time Besides hast thou had no journeys out of the Citty in all these 26 yeares Hast thou spent none of that time in bowling musick feasting at home or abroad If thou confessest then that time was not spent upon thy freinds for the good of their Souls whilst thou was Pampering thy own body Dives like with dainty fare and carnall pastimes not becoming a Minister of the Gospell But if thou denies this many in Lincoln can witness against thee So that turne which way thou wilt the hand of the Lord is against thee thou art found out a lyer in this particular also Wee to the Idoll Shepheard that leaves the Flock c. 11 Zecha 17. verse Then thou talks of the good hand of providence c. Deale honestly with thy own heart was it the good hand of Providence or the left hand of slavish feare and self ends that made the Hireling leave his Flock when the Wolf came What an unkind requitall did'st thou make them for their generall vote to preach amongst them Was thou so honest or so hardy to stay and desire their generall vote to leave them Was there not many a Soul in that Citty who thought well of thee yet knew not of thy flight till the Bird was flowne Hee 's blind that sees not this to be Blasphemy Thou goes on calling an Abridgment of thy Doctrine heart renewing life reforming soule saving truths Here 's three lies in a little roome canst thou prove that the Bible much less thy Babell book can renew the heart reforme the life and save the soule of any sinner Is it not the living God alone can do these things The leaest Child in the Schoole of Christ that reads this stuff of thine sees thy sottish error but 't is just that thy lying spirit should be laid open O that ever such a lying man as thou art should take upon him the name of a Minister of the Gospel What a Saviour is it which thou trustest in cannot he renew the heart reforme the life and save the soule Then surely thou art in a sad condition being so great a sinner and hast so lame a Saviour But if he can then see what wrong hast thou done him to make a meere useless Cypher of him and place salvation in printed leaves and abominable lies But this makes it manifest thy heart is not renewed nor thy life reformed nor thy soule saved were it so thou would'st not have printed such dark Popish stuff in such a time as this when light breaks forth in aboundance Soone after thou begs leave of them to leave that little Peice of thine in their hands as a light to guide them c. John 8.12 John 19. Christ Jesus is the light of the world does not he inlighten every one that comes into the world is he a perfect light or not wilt thou say there is imperfection in Christ Jesus Luke 1. 79. John 16.13 2 Pet. 1.19 What need is there of thy dark Lanthorne when the glorious Sun it self shines so comfortably doth not Christ give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and guide their feet into the way of Peace And John saith when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth and Peter saies we have a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawne and the day star arise in your hearts Away thou blind guide that book which thou begs leave to leave with them as a light to guide them will lead all such as are guided by it into the ditch there 's a multitude of lies contradictions false doctrine and blasphemies in it of the Serpents invention mixt and interwoven with severall places of Scripture which thou wrests and pervertest explicating of them according to that deceitfull principle that is predominant within thee thereby hoping more plausibly to put off thy counterfeit ware and false doctrine for current truth but the light hath discovered thy delusions and thou art seene and judged Is thy book able to preserve from errors in opinion and looseness in conversation as
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
And Paul said when Iames Cephas and Iohn who seemed to be Pillars perceived the grace that was given unto me they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship 2 Gala. 2.9 And by the grace of God I am what I am And his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vaine but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me 2 Titus 12. And the same Apostle saith that the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World a Scriptum est 2 Cor. 13.3 You seek a proof of Christ speaking in me 1 Iohn 9. Know ye not that Christ is in you If not you are Reprobates Hebr. 13.5 1 Tim. 6.9 The seed of singularity is Is this grace any duties or ordinances Scripture or a Scriptum est as thou calls it or Sacraments Is not this grace Christ Iesus himself The light that inlightens every one that comes into the world even the Mystery which hath beene hid from ages and generations but now is made manifest to his Saints Thou goes on using many good expressions in the Scriptures I should rejoyce to see thee live the life of those that writ them then would thy conversation be without covetousness Thou wouldst see he that will be rich falls into temptation and a snare and into many hurtfull and foolish lusts which drown men in perdition and that the love of mony is the root of all evill Ah friend love thy own soul and set thy heart no longer upon silver and gold that lofty Salary thou receivest for thy lying Oratory Do not for the love of money delude the souls of so many as thou dost any longer If thou does it will be bitterness unto thee at the latter end Thou art discovered by the light of God and condemned by that pure principle of himself within thee As yet thou art rich in thy own conceit thou hast built thy nest high in the Airy wisdom of the world which is foolishness with God therefore art thou sent empty away Luke 1.53 Read James 4.6 Psal 138.6 Page 34. As for Verbosity whether that be not a weed in thy own Garden an error thy self art deeply guilty of the very babes and sucklings in Christ can witness against thee In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin Thy vain glorious Prayers and Houre-glasse Oratory do confirm it but he that refraineth his lips is wise Prov. 10.19 Page 35. Thou bids Furnish and fortifie your selves with spirituall weapons out of Gods Armory against your speciall corruptions every morning Dost thou not here set up the Scriptures to be Gods Armory and spiritual Weapons Where are they called so in the Bible Thou would seem to be religious but how short thou comes of brideling the tongue thy Verbosity in thy Book and thy Tautologies in thy Pulpit exercises clearly manifest And therefore is thy Religion vain James 1.26 Let the tender spirits feare with me herein I must deal with him a little in his own Weapon In the 41. page thou playes the Critick with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 3.9 where John sayes He that 's born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not commit sin that is sayes Thou He does not work sin as a man on his Trade c. What 's thy meaning to carp at the Translators rendering of that word Scapula's lexicon approves the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 committere peccatum He shews it to be a word of a various signification as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servare legem and divers others But thy end is seen and thou art judged herein to be under-propping that which the pure and powerful God of Heaven and Earth is throwing down So thou canst not prosper Read Ephes 4.32 The English runs As God for Christs sake but see if it be not in the Greek As God in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is The Sophister would not cavill at this place it was not for his purpose this truly translated But this blind Guid strains at a gnat and swallows a Camel Mat. 23.24 Page 49. Thou directs them to receive Christ as held forth in an Ordinance to wit in the Ministry of the word and in the Sacraments Thou mightest have done well to have shewne who are the true Ministers and what the word is But I know thy meaning and do deny thee and thy Generation who run before you be sent Jer. 23.21 to be Ministers of Christ John 2.9 All his Ministers abide in his Doctrine but so do not you and therefore the Ministers of Antichrist you all are Where dost thou finde the word Sacrament in the Scriptures Thou holdest not fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 Prove thy Traditions to be the Ordinances of Christ if thou canst and that they are appointed as means to convey Christ as thou affirmest Or else thou art so well known thou mayst not be trusted Thou hast an itching desire to be counted and received as an Apostle and be esteemed amongst thy unbelieving Jews as Peter was amongst the faithful and as Paul was amongst the Colossians For thou abidest not in his Doctrine 2 John 9.10 witness thy preaching of Original sin c. For thou sayes He that receives Christs Ministers receiveth him But then they must not receive thee for thou art no Minister of Christ Thou wouldest fain weare the Crown but cannot carry the Crosse yet thou sayes They must take Christ as Wives do their Husbands for better or worse for richer or poorer Does not this expression favour of the Popish Service-Book P. 50. Does it not argue thou still hast an affection to the Traditions of thy Romish Fore-Fathers but secretly for fear of thy Jews Mat. 19.27 Dost thou deserve to be received as a Minister of Christ like Peter and Paul for this Canst thou witness thy willingness to lose for Christ as well as to gain to suffer with him as well as to reign with him Peter could say Loe we have left all and followed thee Canst thou say so Thy Norwich journey will rise up in judgement against thee Peter was imprisoned with two Chains Acts 12.6 Pauls sufferings was foreshewed him and when some heard those things they wept and besought him not to go up to Jerusalem But Paul answered what mean ye to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus O valiant Champion for Christ and his Cause Hadst thou been with Paul not ready onely to be bound but to die for the Doctrine thou hadst delivered thou wouldst have had more colour to have pleaded for Pauls Reception but instead of being ready to be bound thou runs away instead of
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
P. 130. can the Spirit of God be limited to set times Does the Scriptures limit the Saints to pray morning and evening He that prayes without the Spirits help his prayers are an abhomination to the Lord. The Apostle bids pray continually Away thou Legalist thou painted Pharisee blush and be ashamed P. 134. Thou calles the word meaning the letter I know assuredly food for the soul Manna from Heaven but where is thy Scriptum est for this can any thing but the living God satisfie the soul Had not the Scribes and Pharisees the writings of the Prophets the presence of Christs person and his Apostles and their preaching too yet Christ complains that they would not come to him that they might have life They had the letter yet wanted life they Page 134. had the Husk yet wanted the Kernel Whether is the Husk or Shell or the Kernel Meat Is it not said He satisfies the hungry with good things does he call the Scriptures those good things where is it said that they satisfie But the rich he sends empty away Is this the doctrine of Christ to say reading of Scripture is that to the Soul which Dinner and Supper is to the body How many poor pined starved soules in this City will witnesse against thee herein when the book of Conscience comes to be opened Thou goes on calling the Scripture under the name of Gods Word the Christians Armory or Magazine saying Reading of Gods Word is a Means of putting on the whole Armour of God of girding the sword of the Spirit upon the Thigh of the soul And that it 's like an Apothecary shop wherein are healing Medicines for all sorts of Spirituall Diseases Thou pretends one thing and does another thou seems to make the Scripture The Rule for men to walk by but not it seems for thee to talk and prate by who preaches and prints such stuffe as neither thee nor all the Priests in England can prove by plain Scripture P. 140. He that brings any other Doctrine then what was delivered by Christ and his Apostles Is he not accursed Thou calls Conscience a good Monitor and so it is but thou dares not serve so good a Master Pag. 143. Thou calls it a Principle of Joy O that thou wouldst make it thy joy to obey that pure Principle thy joy would be then unspeakable and full of glory but thou treads it under foot and dares not give it the uppermost Room nor let it Rule in the Kingdom of thy Heart It is my witnesse I speak the Truth and lye not P. 145. Thou makes confession against thy self but forsakest not Family-Duries superficially performed cannot kill disorders in thy house Are the best of Your performances any better What means then the reigning of your Headstrong Lusts as Pride Passion Envy Covetousnesse c Art thou not ashamed still to limit Prayer to Morning and Evening The 5. Psal 3. verse which thou brings 1 Thess 5.17 for thy proof mentions Davids exercise in the Morning onely Does thou bring in His practice against a Gospel-precept Pray continually or without ceasing Thy calling that day of the Week thou Worships on the Sabbath shews thy ignorance of the True Sabbath Is this the language of A true Minister of the Gospel Thou sayes all Relations Domestical Ecclesiastical and Political are founded and established in the Law of God and Gospel of Christ But shouldst thou never have penny for thy preaching till thou proves this in that sense thou takest Ecclesiastical Relations The Fox would soon say his Spirits and strength were spent Take the Pulpit who would the Priest would be gone either to Norwich or some such other Place or City of Pecuniary Refuge Thou brings in for a Proof of thy Bold assertion Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours Wife nor his Man-servant nor his Maid-servant c. But what 's this to Ecclesiasticall Relation as thou calls it Is it not like a Spiders Webb finely spun yet so weak that a feather will fell it down Is not this to cast an Odium upon the late Parliament and present Authority for abolishing Bishops Dean and Chapters were not they counted Ecclesiastical Relations Art not thou and thy Generation of Priests built upon the same foundation they were Is not your life in the letter as theirs was Their Doctrine and yours the same Do you not plead for the same maintenance of Tithes they did Did not thee and thy Presbyterian Generation preach against Prelacy because you would be the Prelates your selves Art not thou and thy fellow Priest paid for your preaching out of that yearly Revetiue which was formerly paid to your Elder Brethren the Bishop Dean and Chapter of Lincoln Three hundred pounds a year between you If these Relations had been grounded upon the Law of God and the Gospel of Christ Was it well done of them who abolished them But that Man's blind who sees not thee to be a Minister of Antichrist quarrelling so far as thou dares and shewing thy discontent at what the Lord hath done in hastening the Downfall of the Devils Kingdome P. 156. Thou presses the people with their duty to their Ministers Due respect and love to their persons and thou brings in 1 Thess 5.12 13. We beseech you Brethren to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord. Now prove thy self and the Priests of England if thou canst to be such as Paul was to be in the Lord and fill'd with the Holy Ghost Did ever Paul or any of the Primitive Saints preach such Doctrine as thou and thy Fellow Priests do and live in such pride pomp idlenesse and oppression as you do Thy next proof is 1 Tim. 5 17 18. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double Honour Name me those Elders among you who rule well Old in folly deceit and filthinesse there are many but young and green to any thing that is good Who are they that labour in the Word Thee and thy Generation are not true Labourers in the Lords Vineyard but lazie idle loyterers Greedy shepherds None of you abide in his Doctrine nor hold fast the form of sound words The next is due Maintenance for their pains Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the Word Communicate First prove your selves True Teachers such as Paul and the Apostles were Produce your Commissions from Christ Jesus Prove your Call That you ran not before you were sent That you abide in his Doctrine Till that be done there is nothing due unto you but Judgment And should thy self and the Priests of this Nation who preach for Reward be forced to make but bare restitution of all that they have received and robb'd the people of under the Notion of Christs Ministers they would be the most beggerly contemptible People in the World But observe the word Communicate a voluntary Contribution or free Cift Is this the best prop you have for compulsive
his Servants to wait on God in the Eye of his Ordinances O subtle Antichrist under this paint of thine lies deadly poyson when was the preaching of the letter for thou calles that the word appointed by God for the souls of the people and prove thy self appointed by God to be a Preacher * If thou canst Clear this bold assertion of thine and that thy empty lifeless Ordinances the Traditions of men are the eye of God on which the people are to wait Do this and live without ever being contradicted by my tongue or pen. In the mean time it will not be amiss for the Reader to search the place or foundation whereon the man seems to build his Babel Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God He that hath any understanding in the things of God will say this seeming Saint is wresting and twining the Scripture out of joynt to maintain his tottering Trade of talking in the Pulpit but Dagon cannot stand before the Ark. His Diana must down The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 302. Self-ignorance thou sayes made Laodicea think her self rich And self-love is a false glasse thou sayes men commonly look themselves in which makes all seem good that they are have or do Answ Art not thou and thy flock a Laodicean Assembly that thinks her self rich and hath need of nothing that sits as a Queen and sayes she can never be moved Is not self-love and self-righteousness the fruits of thy Ministry Canst thou and thy Hearers witness in the presence of God a love to and delight in him a fear to offend him or to grieve his holy spirit what means then the loosness of your lives your conformity to the world in your conversations your frowardness pride envy and passion Do you not even in your best performances draw neer him with your lips when your hearts are far from him which of you forsakes the evil of your doings your deceit and dissimulation Every man search and examine his own Conscience and let the witness for God give your answer to me P. 309. Assurance thou sayes does not fear or fly Tryall whether it be sound or no but presumption shuns examination and cannot endure to be searched Is not this your own condition Are you not like him that hath counterfeit Coine which will not abide the Touchstone Or him that puts off bad Ware loves the dark and loaths the light * Didst not thee use these words when a Woman came into the Minister and would have-testified against thy deceit If any Saint of God be moved to come into your Assemblies to testifie against your deceitful Doctrine Do you not bid presently take them away Is not advantage taken by the outward Law against them Or do you not rage revile beat and persecute them Have not some been persecuted in thy Assembly by some of thy own fellowship or hearers If thou hast the impudency to deny it or canst by Plain Scriptures vindicate the Action do it Art thou not ashamed to compare Calvins care with the Apostle Pauls Canst thou boast of Calvins sufferings for the Gospel and equall them with Pauls Did Calvin work with his own hands day and night as Paul did Did he live in such outward want as Paul did Was he filled with the Holy Ghost as Paul was Did not Calvin live in pomp and state at Geneva as thou does at Lincoln But thou matters not it seems what thou sayes so thou mayst advance the Reputation of Calvin because he was of thy own Brother-hood Thy third signe shews thy subtlety contempt of Gods Ordinances of Magistracy Ministry Scriptures Sabbaths When Authority is trampled upon and men sleight hate him that rebuketh or judgeth justly If thou knowes any that do so charge them with it Name that Magistrate that judgeth justly in the Gate and is for so doing hated by that People against whom thy heart in secret shoots the Arrows of its poyson That true Magistrate that would judge justly upon the wicked One is by thee and thy Generation trampled upon and persecuted Then thou tells when Israel mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets Then the wrath of the Lord arose against them Thou and thy Generation have an itching desire to be counted the Messengers of God But what is the Message you deliver Is it not false Doctrine lies and blasphemies witness thy Book and your Pulpit exercises such as the Prophets Christ nor his Apostles never preached nor practised but cryed woe against Isa 56.11 Jer. 5.31 Jer. 14.14 Isa 48.22 Mat. 10.34 Do you not seek for gain from your Quarter prophesie lies unto the people run before you be sent speaking peace to them to whom the Sword is due for there is no peace to the wicked And Christ he came not to bring peace to such but a Sword What are the mockings and misusings thou complainest of who live at more ease in worldly credit and take lesse care and labour for an outward livelihood than the Priests who live upon other mens labours Acts 13.32 Luke 9.3 Acts 20.33 But the true Messengers of God who declare of his word in sincerity preaching the glad tydings of the Gospel without bagg or scrip who covet no mans silver or gold nor make the Gospel chargeable to the world These precious Saints and Sons of the living God are reproached and persecuted by this sinful Generation Who are they that contemn the Scriptures but those who in words seem to make them their Rule but in their life and practice tramples them under foot even thy self and all those that preach for Rewards and they that prize them for Apollo's Thou and the world shalt finde that the contempt of The Word not the Letter though we contemn not that but own it and His Ministers but not the Priests of England is a provoking sin and a presaging Symptom of Ruine to a People P. 322. Thou talks of a Spirit of error and delusion and contradiction Is not error Delusion and Contradiction the poyson poor people suck from the paps of their Pastors instead of Wine Milk and Honey Eccles 2.14 Thou and thy fellow Priests are seen by every one whose eye is in his head to be possessed with that spirit of error delusion and contradiction which thou wouldest cast upon the Saints of God Do you not teach for Christs Doctrine the Traditions of men Mat. 15.3 Mark 7.7 Are you not Antichrists denying Christ to be come in the flesh when you deny the substance of the Deity to be communicable Do you not call sprinkling of Infants the Baptisme of Christ Are you not called of men Masters contrary to Christs Command if you be Christs Disciples that 's a Command to you Mat. 23.10