Psal 81.12 Job 19.20 Rom. 1.21 23 24. When God speaks to man there is no similitude of Himself in the wisdom parts and excellency of Man or the Righteousnesse of the first Adam to be seen The ambition and industry of the Creature is to bring down the Creator into the lower region of sensible appearances to cloath and compasse the incomprehensible Diety and Mystery of the Lord Jesus and the glorious Gospel of God in visible formes and the Wisdome of the flesh and when men have made a God like themselves and fashioned a Religion and Worship after the invention of their own fancies they are ready to cry out with the Lystrians in Lycaonia God is come down to us in the likenesse of man Act. 14.11 The longest largest and widest form Order and Ordination of man is too short strait and narrow to circumscribe and limit the blessed teaching of the infinite Spirit of the Holy one of Israel He hath learning enough that can speak a word in due season to him that is weary Esa 50.4 Mr. Baker You go about to bring in a boundlesse and unlimited Independency to give liberty to any that doth but pretend unto the Spirit to preach you open a door to let into the Ministry every mechanicall fellow tinker shoemaker such an one as is at Nottingham weaver amp c. And if such as these may be permitted to vent the frothy humors of their shallow braines under pretence of being qualified by the Spirit for the Ministeriall function and office then we are to have a goodly wise and learned ministry indeed Answer 1. Did the Bishops or will the Presbyters keep all Dolts Drones and Dunses out of the ministry 2. Why may not even an exorbitant Episcopacy and a boundlesse Independency as you call it be as good as a groundles proud tyrannicall and domineering Presbytery I stand no more for an established form of Independency then for a setled government by Presbytery for neither any more then for a reformed Episcopacy 2 Cor. 5.16 to let this passe for though once I had this fleshly knowledge of men yet henceforth know I neither men nor C. so any more but rather seek to know as I am known in the Spirit 3. As for the shoemaker at Nottingham which you spake of and other mechanicall men R. J. as they are termed I know nothing to the contrary but that they may sit in the chair as wel as many of your great Rabbies I gave you instances of divers who having performed the priests office in his Canonical vestments have been saluted for currant divines both by Parliament men and Synod men too they no Independents neither Jerome speaks of it as the glory not the shame and makes it the commendation not the dishonour of those times that the Scripture was familiarly known to taylers semsters delvers shoemakers c. why should not we rejoyce of all the Lords people were Prophets and to see the Spirit powred out upon all flesh I approve not any more then you do of precipitate rash ignorant fools that run before they are sent into the ministry If any pretend to have the qualification of the spirit hath it not reject that man as a Pharisaical hypocrite but if any have the gift take heed you throw not water in his face to quench the spirit of prophesy in him If God bid any one go about his work let no man discourage or forbid him to do it Christ wil not alow his own beloved disciple to forbid nother to do his work although he hath not the same formall and verball commission and doth not walk in the same external call and ceremony of Discipleship with the other He that never had hands of Men layd on him Luk. 9.49 50. may cast out as many Divels and convert as many soules as he that goes out with never so many spels and charms of fleshly Ordinations and Institutions of Men. Mr. Baker In your discourse concerning the blind man Joh. 9. you said that when eyes were fully opened we never read that afterward he prayed to receive his sight whereby yon seemed to glance at such a state of Perfection here in which there should be no need of Prayers but a continuall rendring of prayses Answer 1. I say againe that mercies received should cause returnes of prayses one of the ten lepers returned to Christ what to do to pray unto him to be cleansed Luk. 17.15 16. or to give him thanks for being cleansed when you have bestowed your almes do you expect the beggar should lie at your gate begging or go away thankfull 2. I know there is such a state of Perfection attainable here wherein there shall be continuall prayses Is not death sorrow crying curse and payn removed and all teares wiped away in the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.4.22.3 and what will there be left then but matter of incessant prayses this is the condition which some I do not say all are in do I therefore deny the spirit of supplication to those that are in doubts wants straits bondage and have not yet the pokession of their desires and hopes Do I hold prayer uselesse and needlesse in every condition Mr. Baker You give me cause to think so for when you preached last year at Derby you never made confession of sin nor prayer for the pardon of it before your sermon though it were on a fast day whereby I guesse you are against fasting and humiliation Answer 1. If I had followed the form and pattern of your private spirit I should have given you content but I am not bound to take my dictates from man 2. You say that I did not then confesse nor pray for the pardon of sin no though it were on the fast day hence you inferre that I deny confession and prayer for pardon of sin to be lawfull I do not well remember what I sayd so long since But let me follow you in your reasoning When I met with Mr. Baker I heard him plead much for prayer but little or nothing for prayses Ergo Mr. Baker denyes praysing of God to be lawfull I pay you in your own coyn you must not refuse or dislike it Mat. 11.25 Christ gave thanks to his Father but did not then pray for any thing we find there ergo he never prayed at all as holding it unlawfull so to do I did not confesse c. when you heard me therfore I say that none ought so to do or I never did or may do so my self I never had so much Logick to understand your argument And whereas you conclude also that I am against the duty of humiliation I reply as before If you had the disposing of my spirit I should please you 3. I forbid not the Disciples of John and the Pharisees to fast and pray often 4. I grant that the children of the bride-chamber may and cannot do otherwise but mourn when the Bridegroom is absent Mat.
way Then I came through the coasts to visit my friends among whom I was silent though I had great disputes still in my selfe and was at much uncertainty in my spirit whether to fir still or no. I durst not discover my minde unto you and the rest of my friends for feare that either I should grieve you or that you would perswade mee contrary to my owne will So I came to London where I acquainted some friends with my thoughts and workings of heart and desired them to find out some way of employment for me for I was not weary of the Army onely but such as it was of my Ministry too They told mee I was under a temptation and wished me not to give place to the Devill With much love and good intention they perswaded me to proceed not considering that the Lord is blasting and breaking downe this Antichristian and Babylonish forme of Ministry now so much magnified in England and that he will put a more pure faithfull andeffectuall ministry into the hands of his Saints Many worldly and carnall arguments they urged to me such as my owne covetous and deceitsull heart had laid hold on before but now stucke more closely unto being prest againe by friends So I tooke up new resolutions and did returne againe to the Army to that which I had lately vomited up my dogged nature barking at the approach and appearing of God But God who is just and holy in all his wayes pursued me with a strong winde his spirit wrought trouble and disquiet in me and rai sed a continuall tempest in and round about me all the while I lay and remained in this broken barke and splitted ship unto which I had committed my selfe for security ease and perfect honour for such like were the motives of my returne and entrance againe into the Army onely for a little season I had some calme in my spirit when the Army was marching to London with engaged resolutions to follow truth and righteousnesse and to oppose oppression cruelty violence corruption and injustice among men in the earth though of place power and abused authority herein I was carried with all freedome peace clearnesse and cheerfulesse of spirit But when men began to neglect their under takings to falsifie their vowes to turne aside and corrupt their wayes before the Lord I was at a stand But my dull and dark heart could not see the end of the Lord till hee sent a voice into the Wildernesse and after that a Vision into his Temple then I discerned the way of the Almighty While I walked in my confusions and distractions as in a wildernesse the Voice cryed by Mr Sedgwick and Mr Saltmarsh Forsake Forsake and come out of these crooked and carnall wayes and pathes and come into more strict and spirituall courses and enjoyments I heard the sound of words as of a mighty rushing winde but could not tell whence it came I did not clearly understand that it was of the Lord but thought it had been the strong workings of their own melancholly and private fancyes nor could I tell whether it would goe I did not know that the Lord would breath into my heart the same or the like evidences which were given to them nor did he as yet But after this winde came an Earthquake which shaked my earthly carnall and worldly frame the oppositions disputes and reasonings of my earthly heart began to be moved objections came in amaine and my distractions encreased Sometimes the flesh and Satan together would put me forward with motives of pride vain-glory singularity popular applause getting a name becoming famous eminent and be taken notice of as Mr. Sedgwick Mr. Saltmarsh were and why sbould not I say somthing as well as they By and by I was discouraged upon the same grounds and thus the temptation wrought Why should I so play the hypocrite and seek the the prayse of men And thus I was tortured between two and lay in a trembling condition the two seeds the two Nations Flesh and Spirit strove in the wombe of my heart together fleshly fear and discouragements fleshly pride and boldnesse striving which should come forth first Fleshly fear discouragements pride and boldnesse one Seed the spirit the other Seed But before either could come to the birth the the Spirit caught it by the heel and made it halt that it could not rise to its height nor run to its end This earthquake within me removed me from London Decemb. 11. 1647. I could not rest till I went to Windsor to ease my thoughts before the General and some others Decemb. 13. I came thither my objections and confusions followed me and lay sore upon me The next day I prest into the Generall Counsell of War where I was tormented between fear and boldnesse My time was then fain I would have spoken and was almost angry with God because he would nor suffer me but the Lords time was not yet and an answer was given into me that the Commissioners o Parliament being there to whom I haf no word from the Lord it was not seasonable When I was thus silenced a fire followed the earthquake and entred into my bones and bowels for that an occasion being offered by L. G. Cromwell seeing me there and coming to me with much courtesie and respect I spake a few words unto him but not to his satisfaction nor mine because of the present businesse of the Councell interrupting This fire or new wine of the Lord wrought in my body beyond the usuall and accustomed manner and measure after my travell and change of ayre Still I endeavoured to disbur then my thoughts to the Generall or some others of the Army but I found no convenient opportunity for that end for the Lord was not in the winde earthquake or fire so as to bring forth what he had formed in me I thought that was not the time nor place nor way wherein God would speak by me and therefore resolved to return to London and send my minde in writing to the Army As I was resolving thus to do a small still voyce and but small and very still Came unto me set me upon my legs composed my spirit silenced all my carnall reasonings and disputes made me sir down in quiet assurance and confident expectation from the Lord bid me go yet again to the Generall and told me Dec. 18. He would be with me So I went in a dark misty morning and as Iwas going it was said unto me that I should speak unto them in a day like their condition full of clouds and darknesse When I came to the Generals Quarters I found him in the orchard alone with all reverence and respect I addressed my selfe unto him though it is reported that I never put off my hat nor gave him any honour at all I told him that I had a message to him and must intreat his patience to hear it Hedesired me to walk into the house
but the shadow not the Image Heb. 10.1 Secondly In the lively though dimme and dull semblance of man in which thicke earth the divine majesty had but a little weake splendour and luster Nor did the eternall power of the Godhead stampt on Adam make him divine or of an eternall power like it selfe Neither did the image of Gods spirituall Righteousnesse and Holinesse in man make him spiritually righteous and holy The Kings image stampt upon a piece of Clay doth not make the Clay to be Gold nor living Clay Thirdly In the living substance Christ Jesus who is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and the very character of his being Joh. 1.17 Heb. 1.3 This and this onely is that Son that onely begotten Son that came out of the bosome of the Father which alone can spiritually declare and make known God as he is a Spirit and bring forth abundance of Grace Righteousnesse Life and Immortality to light Rom. 5.17 18. 2 Tim. 1.10 Immortality comes by Christ Adam was not Immortall nor Spirituall Abraham had two sonnes one after the flesh the other by promise the elder was after the flesh and was not to inherite with the younger which was by promise Gal. 4.22 23 30. Our Abraham also God the High and Holy One the Eternall Father hath two Sonnes one after the flesh as I may say the naturall or first Adam the other after the spirit Christ the promised seed The elder Son or first Adam had not the Inheritance of Righteousnesse Life and Glory setled upon him but Christ the second Adam was appointed heire of all things Ishmael though he was the first-borne of Abraham Heb. 1.2 had no possession of Abrahams heritage the promised Land was not entalyd on him neither was he counted for the seed And why should we thinke that Adam though he was the first-born of God by creation had an hereditary right to heaven righteousnesse or Divine holinesse seeing he is not counted for the Seed The inheritance of true divine righteousnes c is conferred and confirmed on Christ the spirituall Isaac and those that are his Gal. 3.14 16 29. Mr Baker We are exhorted Eph. 4.24 to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse And Col. 3.10 the Apostle tels them That they had put on the new man which is renewed after the image of him that created him What else doth the Apostle there meane by the new man but the first Adam recovered from his fall and reduced to his pristine and primitive state Answer 1. Looke upon those Scriptures againe and tell me whether the Apostle speaks of putting on the new man or the old Now if you will have the new man there to be meant of the first Adam then you confound the two Adams For the first Adam in his pure naturall as well as in his lapsed estate and those that are of his race are every where in Scripture that I know distinguished by the name of Old Adam from Christ and those that are his seed who in opposition to the first Adam is called the New Man 2. It is said Col. 3.20 that that New man which we are to put on is renewed in Knowledge after the image of c. Which cannot be understood of the first Adam for me never reade that knowledge is called the image of God in the first Adam There is therefore a two-fold image of God 1. Of Life In this Adam was formed when he was made a living soule This life and the righteousnesse perfection and glory thereof though it be but naturall is so precious unto man that skin for skin and all that he hath will he give for it Gen. 2.7 Job 2.4 It is the master-peice of Satans temptations and the last plot usually that he hath on man to set upon him as he did on Christ Mat. 4.8 9. The Devill will carry a man to the highest pitch of the first Adam as to the top of an exceeding high mountaine for Adams created state was farre more exceedingly high then any present naturall and worldly condition of man now and there shew him all the dominion that Adam had over all that earthly creation and what a glorious state he was in And then this old serpent tempteth and entiseth man to looke upon this golden ball of vanity and accept of it tels him he shall be As God But the spirituall man Christ discernes and foresees the danger espies the serpent under the hearbe knowes there is death in the apple and therefore despiseth all the pompous vanity of the first creation When Satan by despaire cannot breake a mans necke from the fall of Adam he will bring him to the brinke and brow of his created state and from thence endeavour to call him downe as the Jewes did to Christ and make him runne headlong to his flattering ruine Luk. 4.29 V. 5 6. When the Devill cannot drive a man away from God by the corrupt Adam hee will draw him to himselfe by the pure Adam and there hold him as a close prisoner in fetters of Gold as he did before in shackles of Iron The Kingdome Power Glory of this creation is delivered to the God of this world The Serpent tooke away mans excellency and glory the Serpent offers it him again upon tearms Surely that cannot be worth the taking up which the Devill proffers and if Satan have dominion and be Lord over mans riches to give and take at his pleasure I can hardly be perswaded that it is spirituall The enemy of man hath laid his earthy honour in the dust Sic transit gloria mundi and trod his life to the ground I wonder that we should so much dote upon the painted Beauty of man T is a sign our eyes are weak and that we are dim-sighted not able to behold the Beauties of holinesse in God Besides what hope is there for us to recover Adams State For if there was a totall privation as doubtles there was of Adams life a privatione ad habitum non datur regressus there can be no more regresse to it Adam is not said to swoūd or faint but to die in the day he did eat not the death of the body for he lived many hundred yeers after but the death of that State to which he was not to return again And therefore we are bid to mortify the old man not labour to recover him to his health and strength Nor will it serve the turn to say that as we dyed in Adam so we are made alive by Christ as though our reviving by Christ were no more then a restitution to the life or the first Adam for our life which we have by Christ is by resurrection not by regression not a returning to the same life but a raysing to another life There is also the image of God as it consists in knowledge Col. 3.10 And this image I do not find attributed to Adam but
finde fault too with that earthy Adam neverthelesse who shall reply to him Rom. 9.19.20 or ask a reason of him why he did so Was it not one and the same piece of clay in the hand of God of which he made Man beast And did it imply want of skil in God because he did not make the bruit beast a reasonable Creature as well as man t is at the potters pleasure to form his vessel as he will whether for honour or dishonor In a great house saith the Apostle there are vessels not only of gold and silver but also of wood earth 2 Tim. 2.20 some to honour and some to dishonour It doth not argue want of skill in the workman nor want of wisdom in the master of the house in that every vessel is not of gold But what if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his pleasure known dashed in pieces the vessel of dishonour that earthen vessel of the first Adam and his created State sitted to ruin and destruction and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of Mercy which he had afore prepared in Christ not in Adam unto glory what if the wisdom of God which ordereth all things disposed so of these things have you any thing to say against it what if God would make way for the magnifying of his heavenly riches of grace in Christ by undermining the earthy treasure of man in the first Adam It is rather a prudent plot then an improvident folly and the admiration of divine Wisedome no detraction from it to make darknesse first and then command light to shine out of it The earthy man in the beginning of his created state was without forme and void of divine righteousnesse and then darknesse was upon the face of the deepe things of God and when God by his spirit in the Eternall Word Christ Jesus had as now he doth brought forth light Gen. 1.2 1 Cor. 2.10 John 1.3 4 5. yet he did and still doth divide and distinguish betweene the light and darknesse Gen. 1.4 5. 1 Thess 5.5 1 Cor. 15.40 44 47 47. Light and Darknesse Earth and Heaven the first and second Adam and their righteousnesse are not all one yet God did not want art and skill when he made all these though he did not make Earth Heaven nor the first Adams righteousnesse spirituall and heavenly If you exclaim thus against me for error and heresy when I tell you but of the earthy man how would you cry out blasphemy if you should be told all that may be said of the heavenly man Christ Jesus himselfe in respect of the fleshly knowledge of him If you tremble and stagger thus at an earthquake what perplexity would you be in if you should see hear the heavens passe away with a great noise the elements melt with fervent heate If you cannot endure to see the earth and the workes therein to be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10.12 how will you be able to behold the dissolution of the heavens by fire and the melting of the elements by a scorching heate If you cannot beare the ruine of the earthy Adam but are so moved at the shaking of the foundation of his state He. 12.27 how then will you undergoe the dissolution of the heavenly Adam when hee shall resigne his Kingdome 1 Cor. 15.24.28 Gal. 4.3.9 Glory Dominion and State to a higher Dispensation When the Apostle wrote of these things viz these weake and beggarly Elements which were to passe away and not to returne againe these things these Elements were hard to be nnderstood 2 Pe. 3.16 And because you discovered your weaknesse to beare the one I shall forbeare to burthen you with the other _____ Mr Baker You goe against the judgment of all Divines contrary to the opinion of Orthodox learned and godly men Answer 1. I respect honour and reverence godlinesse in every man in all men Yet am I not to regulate bound or modulate my faith by the wisedome notion or measure of any mans apprehensions no though the most godly and most learned among men And therefore we are not to enquire what this or that mans thought opinion or judgment is of such or such a point but what the Scripture doth say determine or conclude of this or that particular Our faith is not to stand in the wisedome of men 1 Cor. 2.5 1 Th. 2.13 this were to lay the foundation upon sand Nor are we to receive the Word it selfe in the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God Truth is not Truth because man saith it but because it is so in it selfe neither is it so to any man till it come unto him in the power and demonstration of the spirit The Scriptures themselves were given not by tradition of men but by inspiration of God Scripture is not Scripture to a man till it come to him in the same spirit by which it was dictated at first 2. Whereas you urge the opinion of godly and learned men as contrary to mine and they preachers too among whom you made mention of Mr Ball in his Catechisme t is more then I know or care to enquire what he saith in this matter but be it granted that he and others too are contrary-minded What then I could produce many that are on my side and soe oppose godly and learned men against your godly and learned yet then there would be but man against man Let the matter be brought to the Test let the Touch-stone distinguish between the gold and the drosse to the Law and to the Testimony If the Scripture cast the truth on your side I will subscribe I cannot bee satisfied because some of your Authors are in print the publishing of an opinion in print wil not make it Orthodox 3. By what Councell or Synod am I convicted and condemned for an Heretike Produce it if you can But if you cast mee by your owne single vote will it not savour of too much arrogance and pride to ascribe unto your selfe a definitive sentence and power to determine what is truth and what is errour And may not I upon the same ground and by the rule of your owne practise raile upon and defame you as you have served me Or if you take in others to joyne with you or rather prostitute and give up your faith to their judgement as you seemed to doe may not you and they be mistaken as well as I and those that are of my judgement Yea grant that what I hold to bee condemned and exploded for heresy I am not therefore to dissert and relinquish my opinion because a Convention of men doth eliminate exterminate and eject it for an errour And you who are led so much by the determinations of men will confesse what I say to be true and when you see my authority you will not censure mee of singularity It is the saying of
one eminent for godlinesse and for learning inferiour Mr. Reynolds in Exposion Psal 110. in fallor I thinke to few or none that we are not to build our faith upon the authority of men or counsels whether Papall Episcopall or Synodicall I have not his Booke by me these are his words I am sure So that if this present deliberate and long-considering Synod should put it as an Article of their Faith into their New Creed and enjoyne all to subscribe to it under paine of Anathema viz that the first Adam was made spiritually holy and righteous Yet I am not bound to believe it The results of humane counsell are not infallible and one Paphnutius may be in the right when the whole counsell is in the wrong Mr Baker I cannot yet be perswaded that what you say is true though you may seeme to make any thing good by your Schollarship Answer 1. T is not the worke of man but of God to perswade the heart Act. 16.14 Paul may plant in the ear of Lydia but God must give the encrease in her heart Paul other men may sow the divine seed in the letter thereof in the sense of hearing and the rationall fadulty of the understanding but God must breake and pierce those clods of earth flesh and naturall reason he must throughly open the carnall heart before there can be any encrease or fruit springing up in the spirit before there can be any improvement of that seed unto the knowledge of the Divine Mystery And therefore as the King said to the woman in another case 2 Ki. 6 27 If the Lord helpe you not to understand and receive the mystery of the two Adams whence shall I helpe or perswade you 2. I see you are very prone to mistake and too ready to run into extreames for whereas at first you did me too much wrong now in a Complement you would doe me too much right If you ask all that knew me both in the Country and University there is none that can say I ever had so much learning as might give the denomination of a Schollar 3. But how doe you entangle your selfe For you confessed and I did believe you without an oath that you had but little learning your selfe and yet you affirmed with much confidence that learning was necessary indeed you did not say absolutely necessary for the understanding of divine Truth Immediate revelations you said are not to be expected now adayes Necessarium est sine quo res non possit se habere How then can you judge betweene truth and falshood or soe peremptorily conclude me to be in an errour seeing you acknowledge your ignorance in humane learning which you say is necessary to the better understanding of spirituall things If you rely on other mens opinion and jurare in verba resolve to be of their judgement your fairh will stand in the wisedome of men not in the power of God and why may not one man the wisest man deceive you as well as another If humane learning and the wisedome of this world be so necessary what then is the meaning of that in Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 1.18 c. and Chap. 2. It may be said of learned as well as of great men that they are not alwaies wise Concerning humane learning I gave you my judgement at our meeting I look upon it as the flourishes of flesh an handsome fashion a neate dresse a comely ornament of the creature It is as studds and barbes the externall furniture and trimming of the outward man It is Phallera ad populum Gay and gaudy trappings to make an ugly Jade or a dull Cart-horse looke like a good mettled and well-bred Beast a block-headed Dunce in the mystery of God and the Gospell in this Canonicall habit may passe Vervecum in patria amongst a generation of Idiots and silly animals for a most Reverend Grave and Orthodox Divine It serves to scratch the pruriginous humour of the sensuall part and principle to tickle the itching eare of a nice quaint and curious man Yet good still in its kinde and to be allowed in its place and spheare so long as it moves regularly and in order but but when once it begins to usurpe and tyrannize it is no rebellion to oppose and disclaime it Humane learning is of an Heroicke Race well descended of noble bloud and birth in natures family but a most profuse and prodigall Steward in the mystery of God Maxima quaeque domus servis est plena superbis not fit to be entrusted with the Heavenly Treasure It will ever be aspiring to precedency like a new raisd servant or some proud encroaching Gentleman in a great House who hath nothing to subsist by but the courtesy and bounty of the Master of the House and is but as his Almes-man yet if he can but insinuatingly collogue and play the Parasite with one that beares rule he will be ready to domineere over the home-born Children and the naturall heire of the Family Such base and degenerate spirits may be found as too many presidents to the shame of our Nation here in England who can but cliena jactare boast of other mens worth and do aliena vivere quadra live on other mens wealth who live and lurke like Dorres and Drones in a Common-wealth without care and calling and have no cloake or covering for their sloth and idlenesse Phil. 3.5 Act. 22.3 but that they are Gentlemen whereas a truly generous Nature loves to be active and industrious and hates a supine and sottish sluggishnes as the most sordid and odious kind of life Cha. 18.3 20.34 Paul was as well born and bred as most men yet he did not scorne or think it any disparagement to him or his family to earn his living manu ac tela with the labour of his hands when he might have lived upon the sweat of other mens browes in respect of his own bodily pains 1 Cor. 9.12.15 If humane art and Wisdome can but once flatter the favour and steal into the friendship of the Naturall Will the carnal reason and understanding it will soon inveigle the heart and alienate the affections of a man from the holy seed the Spirit Jesus Christ the true heir of salvation I deny not but that godlinesse and the mystery of God may be bestowed upon men of learning but I say also that it is not committed to the learning of men so as that thereby they should be more qualified for the dispensation of the everlasting Gospel But if mans Wisdom be set in the chaire and called Rabbi Father Master or Doctor if it be any wayes ascribed unto either for generation or education of the new Man I detest and abhorre it as the vilest off scorning in the world and as a thing so bad as that I want a word to expresse my utter hatred of it You will ask me how I could have had the Scriptures
9.14.15 must they therefore fast and weep and mourn when he is present 5. Dayes of humiliation are ordained by men now and observed by such as are subject to men in the manner notion and nature that they are injoyned Men may commend the observation of dayes they cannot command the sanctification of them they may propose the form and time of fasting they cannot dispose the frame and affections of the heart It may be seasonable for one man to pray when it is more sutable for another to be singing of Psalmes Nationall communion seldome or never hath its Union in the Spirit If Principalityes or Powers cannot separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus Ro. 8.38 if rulers and Magistrates of this present world cannot estrange or take away the Bridegroom from the Saints they cannot impose upon them the bewayling of his absence Civill powers may command the corps they are not captains of the conscience I hear what will be objected Did not the Jewes say some observe those dayes and times which were appointed for fasting Ob. feasting c. and enjoyned by their Kings and Civill Magistrates who were but men 1. They did so so may the Jewes doe still let those that are under the dispensation of the Old Testament walke in it If the civill Magistrate make decrees and send forth his edicts let them be obeyd by those that are bound by conscience thereunto but let not conscience be bound or enforced by them The outward Jew hath no King but Caesar the inward none but Christ let both these exercise their respective power and jurisdiction and all strife will cease 2. The whole Paedagogye and Policy of the Jewes people and all were an externall and typicall Ceremony which yet had in them and contained an internall and Anti-typicall equity and morality The Law in the letter was by Moses the Law in the Spirit is in Christ The children of Israel would needs have a King over them like other Nations whose Kings exercised Lordship over them and were called benefactors the the children also of Israel in the Spirit have Christ their King over them the Government is upon his shoulders He reignes over the House of Jacob He exerciseth lordship over the conscience yet so as that he may well be called a Benefactor He breaketh the earthen formes customes Principles Religion Worship c. in pieces with his iron rod of the Spirit like a potters vessel but withall doth erect and set up such a divine and spirituall discipline that He may wel be called a Gracious Lord because of the Word of Truth Meeknesse and Righteousnesse the scepter of Grace Mercy and Love with which he ruleth and the terrible things which his right hand doth in shooting his sharp arrows into the heart of his enemies Psal 45. lust sin flesh and corruption He it is that can kill and cure destroy and make alive confound and comfort make sad or rejoyce command a feast or fast T is no good way of arguing to make up the conclusions of one science from the Principles and Proemises of another Transitus a genere ad genus That which was done under the law and in a type or ceremony will not hold under the Gospel in the verball and litteral sense of it what things the Law saith it saith to them that are under it and what things the Spirit saith it saith to them that that are led by it But we are commanded by the Apostle Rom. 12.15 to weep with those that weepe and to mourn with those that mourn even now under the New Testament was not this present fast injoyned for Irelands sad conditition whose miseries yet continue T is all confest and granted but doth that imply a constant and continued observation of a set and fixed time Sol. Is any man sure to have his heart in a fit and sutable temper for fasting against the last Wednesday in every moneth are not the preparations of the heart and answer of the tongue wholly from the Lord Pro. 16.1 God may dispose one man for singing at the very self-same instant of time that another is stirred up to prayer If the Lord give a cheerful heart to offer up prayse and thanksgivings will it be convenient at that time to sacrifice the oblation of a dul and pensive spirit received from the injunctions of Man He that hath his heart dispos'd to mourn let him mourn who doth forbid him and he that hath his spirit drawn forth to rejoycing let him rejoyce who ought to hinder or judge him One man may have his heart in a frame fit to keepe the monthly fast another man may be more fit to fast at another time yet this man may truly bewail and condole the miseries and afflictions of Ireland and England as well as the other and so fulfill the command or exhortation rather of the Apostle in weeping with those that weep He that doth fast upon Monday or Tuesday without an Ordinance of Parliament may be as tauly humbled as he than keepes the Wednesday-fast and more truly it may be for those duties which flow from the more immediate suggestions of God unto the soul are more sound and cordiall then those that are irritated and provoked by the instigations of mans precepts He that observeth a day let him do it to the Lord and he that observeth not a day let him not be judged and condemned by men Read the 14. Chap. to the Romanes Mr. Baker Hitherto I have contended for truth not for tryumph I shall now let fall the discourse and leave it before the judge In all that I have here set down the most High God my conscience and yours can beare me witnesse that in nothing you are wronged by me Your name is prefixt to nothing but what for matter and substance was spoken and asserted by you when you justified your charge and carriage and maintained and defended your slanderous reports and defamation of me you provoked me to a sharp reply and to tel you that you had done very uncivilly dishonestly and most unchristianly at which you took great snuffe but let others judge whether I had not cause I told you also that I might as well rayl against you behind your back as you had done by me but that I scorned such basenesse and thought it not sit to render rayling for rayling this I sayd to your face and more then this nor so much you shall never prove that I spake behind your back Nor did I intend to put these passages and proceedings between us in print when I told you at our parting that I resolved to require a more publike account from you supposing that a fair free and friendly debate of the matter among some friends in these parts might have been sufficient to have taken up and composed the difference But when I heard about three weeks since that you had divulged and blazed it abroad into other parts I thought it as convenient just and reasonable for me to make the vindication of truth as publike as you have made the imputation of an error Your practise in this kinde I doubt hath been a bad President to others for two or three Parish-preachers hereabout have since accused me of poysoning the people at Hener with error false doctrine Mr. Cr. of Br. Mr. H. of Wes but by that time their covetous practises common tipling excessive gaming c. are fully examined and layd open to the world they will appeare to be such Antinomian Independents such Independent Antinomians as will make them altogether incapable of the office of a Bishop I cannot charge you of being active with them but I suspect and fear that you have been exemplary to them Sir Before I take my leave I shall as a friend suggest one thing unto you i. e. When the shadow of the first Adams excellency is so bigge and long upon the earth it is too cleare a signe that the Day-starre is very low and little in the Horrison of mans heart the second Adam that Heavenly Sunne of Divine Righteousnesse Christ Jesus is declining and drawing near the solstice of Capricorne He is in a weak and low appearance known too much after the flesh when the glorious light and day of the blessed and eternall Spirit is so short and Dark I have not endeavoured to shame you but to sift out the truth and to give you and others occasion to exercise your thoughts upon the mystery of God and man Christ and Adam When your meditations are ripe and perfected let publike profit be made of them I have layd down nothing but my experiences and what I have heard and seen as I have received the Lord Jesus and been taught the truth in Him I have no more to say to you or any man else but Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum FINIS Mr. Calvert I Hear it is reported by some that I am sad melancholike sick and keep my chamber by some that I am dead by others that I am mad and out of my wits since I was with the Generall at Windsor This as I am informed is reported by my friends When Christ began to set forward his Fathers work his friends thought he was beside himselfe Mar. 3.21 and when Paul carried on that work he fell under the same censure Act. 26.24 and what of all that so long as it is to God 2 Cor. 5.13 I blesse the Lord of whom I have obtained mercy and from whom I have received the spirit of power of love and of a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.7 I enjoy that which is better then my self or the life it self which maketh me to scorn and overlooke the reports and reproaches of men Here it is said of me as of others heretofore that I am a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition one that poysoneth and deceiveth the people c. I am not ashamed of the blessed and glorious Gospell of my Lord Jesus Christ nor afraid of the bonds of the Gospel or of persecution for the Spirituall Divine and Heavenly Righteousnesse-sake of God I have therefore sent you these few sheets of paper desiring you to make them publike to the view of all men I am Your assured friend Henry Pinnell Risly in Derby-shire Octob. 14. 1648. FINIS