therfore complained of all yt was but an error But wheras Gods word is imbraced and multitudes abhorr idolatrie and labour with sorowfull teares to be purged from their sinnes it is intollerable pride presumption of men to set themselues in Gods iudgment seate and to condempne all of wilfulnes and obstiâ—acie Let it be shewed that anie led by Gods Spirit haue dealt in this sort and especially in chardging them whom they condempne most falslie as shall appeare HERE you verie vehemently chardge vs with intollerable pride presumption intrusion into Gods iudgment seate to be voide of Gods Spirit to chardge and condempne you most falslie as you say shall appeare How iustly you chardge vs with these crimes and dischardge your self and these assemblies of these present transgressions vpon the scanne of your answere shall appeare In the meane time the holy Ghost sheweth vs what spirit you are led by at the writing therof and hath foretold how vvell you shall endure and reforme at the manifestation of your sinnes and at the powring out of the cuppe of the Lords indignation where he saith They shall drinke and be moued and be madd because of the sword that shaâ—l come vpon them And in another place And the fift Angel powred forth his viall vpon the Throne of the Beast and his kingdome waxed darke and they gnawed their tongues for sorowe and blasphemed the God of heauen for their paines and their sores but repented them not of their workes It suffised you not to cauill and spurne against the manifest truth of our former Articles but you must in this not only leaue out our words at your pleasure but abuse them that remaine after your owne lust Our Article speaketh of the assemblies as they generally stand in England You retort our words to Gods secret election which we acknowledg and daily see and praise Gods name for it Yet no multitudes but a litle poore remnant as the beries of a beaten Oliue tree the grapes after the grape-gathering one of a Citie two of a Tribe in respect And it is to be doubted those multitudes you speake of will shrink when they come to his assâ—ye whose furnace is in Sion and fire in Hierusalem But if it should be so as you say the heauie wrath of God haÌ„geth ouer your heades that haue a people so redie and fit for the kingdome of CHRIST and suffer them to continue in this confusion false worship antichristian bondage euen the snare of the Deuil and not only not leade them out of it but not suffer theÌ„ that would to depart and thus slay them that should not dye Yea you smite the PhisitiaÌ„ that seeketh to heale you and are enimies to them that shew you your traÌ„sgressioÌ„s iudging them voide of the spirit of God But if you had but considered that Prophets zeale as you remembred his error you should haue found him zealous â—eruent against Baalls Priests in Gods quarrell It were long to recite the number of Gods faithfull seruaÌ„ts which are euerie where coÌ„mended in the scriptures for their zeale diligeÌ„ce herein Or againe the Lords iudgments not onlie vpon perticular men but whole Contries nations for the contempt neglect therof So then if it fall out that the lawe and word of God condempne you of these transgressions what are we that we should iustifie you in your iniquities nay rather proude hawtie and scornfull is his name that worketh in his arrogancie wrath c. To blazon your transgressions as they deserue requireth rather a quire then a shead of paper And to say the truth it is an yrksomnes vnto anie godly conscience either to heare or recite them Yet because ther is no cause so bad which shal not finde as bad a patrone we will only examine your answeres and brieflie shew their insufficiencie THE first fault is That we worship the Lord after a false maner because our worship is said to be made of the invention of man yea of the man of sinne erronious imposed vpon vs. I answere that our worship is the imbracing of the holy Bible by the doctrine therof we seeke to belieue in God to call vpon him and to doo all good workes Manie Ministers ther be in England which haue not approued the booke of common praier further then they are perswaded it is consonant to Gods word hor vsed anie thing therin which they iudge corrupt But you say all read prayer is idolatrie But you must bring better stuffe to proue yt then your spirituall fantasies so directly ouerthrowne by the holy scriptures howsoeuer they may be cauilled against with fond distinctions as the hereticks haue done in other matters THE first Transgression we chardge your assemblies with is That you worship God after a false maner your worship being made of the invention of man euen of the man of sinne erronious and imposed vppon you You answere your worship is the imbracing the holy Bible Thus begging the question you neither proue your worship by the Bible nor answere one of these 4 apparant reasons which we bring in our Articles whie yt is false contrarie to the Bible For the furder manifestation of your worship in perticular let that great Idoll the booke of your coÌ„mon prayer which is so full of errors blasphemies and abhominations be examined by the word of God See if you can finde in the new Testament your Romish Fastes your Ember dayes Sainctes Eaues Lent or your Idoll Feastes your Alhallowes Candlemasse your seuerall Lady dayes Saincts dayes the dedicating of your Churches to Saincts your Comminations Rogations Purifications Titheâ— Offrings Mortuaries your maner of visiting the sick housling them with the Sacrament your Absolution your blasphemous Diriges and funerall sermons ouer and for the dead your corrupt maner of administring the Sacraments your Font crossing in baptisme your Baptising by women Gossippings the blasphemous Collects you vse in this Sacrament your Bishoppings with all your hereticall Collects in that Booke which is a wearines to vs to repeate though not in you to vse tollerate and defend But all this geare must be swallowed vp This candle may not be lighted lest the people looke into the abhominable ingredients which you their antichristian Ministers giue them or rather sell them in the whore of Babilons Cupp to the destruction of their soules But you know some Ministers in the land which neither vse nor approue the Booke further then they are perswaded in conscience it is consonaut to Gods word But you know none that vse not the Booke You know neuer a Minister in this land which either is authorized by the state or standeth in puplique place which standeth nor vnder this Idoll or that hath throwne yt out by the power of the word or withdrawne the people from yt with al their preaching these 29 yeares but ioyne their Gospel to yt minister to that people that vse yt c. Neither can the conningest
Idols be placed together If they that worship the Beast his Image may be said to be in the Church of God and their seede outwardly within the couenant TheÌ„ the most abhominable and execrable may be said in this estate members of Christ washed purged with Christ his bloude sanctified and led by his Sprit in assurance of saluation For none can be said to be within the Church but the members of the Church And whomsoeuer we may affirme to be within the Church those so longe as they contynue in that estate we are also to iudge assuredly saued for anie thing to vs reuealed or knowen to the contrarie But if al these be most diuelish heresies directly contrarie to the whole truth of God if they be most execrable blasphemies such as christians abhor but to heare TheÌ„ let the aucthors and spreaders of these doctrines tremble for feareful iudgments remayne them HIs slie distinctioÌ„ or euasion rather wherby he diuideth the Church of Rome into two parts the Pope and his adherents And the nations vnder the tyrannie of the Pope doth rather bewray the thick darcknes of his heart wherin he is held with chaynes vnto iudgment and his giddye amazednes then anie way cleaâ—e him of these heresies and blasphemies aforesaid His first vnderstaÌ„ding of the Church of Rome is the Pope his lawes his worship which hath bene deuised by himself his adherents and al that worship him or receiue his marcke These he saith are the Apostasie seduced to damnation and not the Church of CHRIST otherwise then thus that the Pope the Cardinals and al that worship the Beaâ—t be false christiaÌ„s by profession bredd in the Church and contynuing in yt their seede not excluded from the Couenant What a delphick Orakle is this What strange repugnancie contradiction is here betwixt euerie worde of this his cleare Proposition How can the Pope and his adhereÌ„ts be said to be that Apostasy seduced to damnation not the Church of CHRIST and yet by the same mouth in the same sentence at one and the same instant be pronownced to contynue in the Church and their seede not be excluded from the outward couenant Can they be said to be vtterly departed from the faith from Christ from his Church which is meant by this word Apostasy and yet to remaine in the Church How hangs this together May they be pronounced seduced to damnation and not the Church of Christ and yet both they remayne in the Church and their seede not to be excluded from the seale of the couenant There ought none to remayne in the Church but such as are by outward profession and obedieÌ„ce members of the Church Neither ought the childreÌ„ of anie be baptized in their infancie except one of their Parents be a member of the Church The Pope then his Cardinals and adherents remayning in the Church their seede thus baptized as members seing none ells may either remayne in the Church or be baptized How may they thus be pronounced seduced to damnation and not to be the Church seing they are confessed to be outward members of the Church THe second vnderstanding of the Church of Rome is of al those compaines of people ouer whom the tyraÌ„nie of the Pope hath hertofore extended and doth at this daye Or those things which were giuen by CHRIST which remaine in the same this he saith is not the Church of Rome but the Church of God If by the people and tyrannie he here meane such persons as though their bodies were vnder the cruel haÌ„des of the Pope his Bishops or Prelates yet they kept their bodies soules vndefiled with their idolatries and abhominations and free from their antichristian yoke counterfeite Ministrie and ministration and haue on the other side faithfully kept practized the things which are giueÌ„ by our Sauiour CHRIST in his Testament these people indeed can at no hand be said the Church of Rome these are the true Church and seruants of Christ witnessing fighting through the faith of the Gospel against the Pope the Church of Rome and al their antichristian cleargie and religion But what is this to proue the kingedome of ENGLAND or other nations which haue beene and are defiled with the idolatries and abhominations of the Church of Rome in that estate to be the true Church of God but rather the quite coâ—trarie seing these faithful witnesse against them and haue no fellowship or communion with them The Church of Rome we reade Reuel 17. to be caled that great whore that sitteth vpon manie waters That great Babylon the mother of whoredomes abhominations of the earth with whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication and th'inhabitants of the earth haue bene droncke with the wyne of her fornications mingled vnto them in her golden cup. We reade there verse 15. that the waters where the whore sitteth are people multitudes natioÌ„s tongues We reade also that the Beast the false Prophet shal deceaue y e people of the earth and cause theÌ„ to set vp worship the image of the Beast and to slaye al that wil not so doe And cause al both smale and great riche poore free bonde to receaue a marcke in their right haÌ„des or in their fore-heades And that no maÌ„ might buy or sel saue he that had the marcke of the Beast Wee reade furder more That all that receaue the Beastes marcke that worship him or his image shal drincke of the wyne of the wrath of God With what shame then caÌ„ this marcked Priest goe about to proue the Church of Rome to be y â— true Church of God Or those nations which haue coÌ„mitted fornication with her receaued her Ministrie wares abhominations that haue receaued the marcke and erected the image of the Beast and worshipped the Beast and his image in this time of their poperiâ— to be esteemed the true Church of CHRIST His 3 stowte reasons wil not al proue this poynte Though they held many poyntes of true and sounde doctrine yet the many heresies they held those as this man himself in an other place of his booke confesseth Fundamental doe poyson and leauen the whole lumpe There is no heretick that holdeth not some truth As to their holy Sacrament of Baptisme yt being deliuered by a false ministrie after a false maner with new adulterate elements of salt oyle chreame c with their magical incantations signes c and that to opeÌ„ idolators can no waye giue them christendome as this Popish Priest supposeth Or if this Baptisme in the Popish Church be an holy Sacrament true seale of the couenant then would we knowe of Mr. GIFFARD or his learned abettors whie their other Sacrament of the Supper or Altare should not also be held in the same accompt Or how the Church may be said to haue one true holy and auaileable Sacrament to be receaued an other so blasphemous and execrable as is
can be more vntrue that these multitudes of prophane rebells were not separated out of the hoste yet except he can proue that they were receiued during these sinnes vnto the Tabernacle of the Congregatiō which he can neuer shew because it were so directlie against those lawes prescribed vnto and by Moses yt can help him nothing The wicked may remaine in the common wealth which yet ought to be caste out of the Church In that he alleadgeth the seed of the wicked were not reiected we first answeare that we find an outwarde repentance made by the offenders in the places aboue recited Furder we find that circumcision ceased al the tyme they traveyled in the wildernes vntill they came to Gilgal 40. yeeres Iosh. 5. Wherfore this example nothing helpeth their wilful sacriledge in the Church of England As to the other tymes when idolatrie was publickly set vp by the kinges of Iuda Ahas Manasses Amon Iehoiachim Zedechiab we haue alreadie proued that they were not in that estate the true visible Church of God and that those faithful amōgst whom the Lord preserued his Church neither might neither did communicate with them in their publick worship and idolatrie Which those places of Isay Ieremias Ezechiel doe euidētly proue both in manifesting the sinnes of those tymes and taking awaye all vaine titles and pretextes shewing that the name of Temple Couenant Ierusalem c could no more aualye them then the Arck at Shilo and the like titles did them in the tyme of the Iudges The Prophet Ieremiah in his lamentations doth no where iustifie their publick estate so much as euerie where lament the desolation of Sion which name may much rather be vnderstoode of the former prerogatiues and dignity of that natiō place and people which were chosen and separated to the Lordes seruice and worship then of that most corrupt estate of that sinful generation As to the tymes after their returne out of captiuitie whē they mixed themselues with the heathen and brake the Sabaoth we reade they made notable repentance when they were admonished Ezra 10. Nohem 9. and 13. So that these tymes verie euil fit Mr. Giffard Fvrder if vve come to the tyme that our Sauiour was exhibited in the fleshe vve reade at the tyme of his birth of sundrie iust holie men both Priestes and others and how al thinges were performed by them according to the lawe of the Lorde But afterwardes when they would not be instructed nor reformed by our Sauiour Christ but with one consent despised blasphemed reiected and persecuted him and all that belieued on him Then were they not the true Church of God but the persecuting malignant Synagogue Except Mr. GIFFARD hold not our Sauiour Christ his Disciples the true Church Or that there may be two true Churches one opposite vnto an other ledd by two diuers contrary spirites Or that God may be diuided from Christ Or the Church in Couenant with him without Christ. Also in that he affirmeth That our Sauiour Christ commanded his Disciples to worship together with them in this estate to heare the Scribes Pharasies teach expounde the lawe although they taught corruptly leauened the doctrines therof though they were hypocrites blinde guides couetous and ambitious and verie reprobates yea though some of them vvere not of the tribe of LEVI only because they were Ministers sate in MOSES chayre What execrable heresies and horrible blasphemies doth this wretched man runne into whilest he seeketh to iustifie their heynous sacriledge opē idolatrie and confusion by our Sauiour Christes example Doth he not hereby make our Sauiour Christ guiltie of the open breach of Gods lawes and the destruction of al the people Doth not God in as manie places as he commandeth to heare true Prophets forbid to heare false Prophets as he commandeth to obey his lawe and commandements forbid all humane deuises traditions Is there not a prescript lawe Deut. 13. That they ought not to hearken to the wordes of that Prophet that teacheth other doctrine and seeketh to seduce though he had the power to do miracles worke wonders Doth not SALOMON by the holie Ghost cōmand all the children of the truth not to hearken to th' instruction that causeth to erre from the wordes of knowledge Prou. 19. 27 And againe in the first Chap. of his Song is not the Church councelled by Christ himself not to staye in the steps of that flocke but to feede her kiddes aboue the tentes of those Shepheardes How plentifull are all the Prophets in this argument Ieremie 23. Ezech. 13. zecha 13. To which concorde all the Doctrines of the new Testament Math. 7. 15. and 15 14. and 16. 6. Iohn 10. 5. Rom. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 8. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 2. Iohn 10. 2 Peter 2. Was there not also expresse lawes that the Priestes which drawe neare vnto the Lorde should be holie and not such open reprobates as he now acknowledgeth these to be And also that the Lorde had only separated chosen to himself the tribe of Leui to serue administer before him in the Tabernacle of the Congregation and that no stranger might presume into that office yet is not this blinde guide afraide to affirme That the Pharasies not being of the tribe of Leui were Ministers and sate in the chaire of MOSES and therfore our Sauiour commandeth his Disciples to heare them were they neuer so wicked of life or corrupt teachers Math. 23. In which place our Sauiour hauing to deale with the persons of the corrupt teachers first seketh to reserue the dignitie of his Fathers lawe ministrie then sheweth these present teachers to be degenerate from both being fallen into all maner of vice pride vayne-glorie hypocricie sectes schismes calling them false teachers corruptours of the lawe blinde guides such as shut vp the kingdome of heauē before men neither entring in themselues nor suffring them that would deuowring widdowes houses cunning seducers making their proselytes the children of Hel like themselues Killers and murderers of the seruants of God that are sent vnto them so that in conclusion he there leaueth sondrie woes all the bloode of the righteous euē the Maranatha vpon them Now is yt likely or may it without blasphemie be thought that our blessed Sauiour CHRIST would cōmit his Fathers Lawe Ministrie vnto these wretches or the soules of his deare Disciples to be instructed kept by these murderous blinde guides yet these blasphemies doth this wicked man publish his Ordinarie all the Cleargie of England allowe suffer to passe in print Againe if the Disciples in that place be commanded to heare the Ministerie of the Pharasies then are they there commanded to obserue all the humane deuises traditions so contrarie to the lawe of God which they most zealouslie taught and enioyned which our Sauiour himself openly brake reiected and gaue often warning vnto his Disciples or them and such
Martyres will not approue the antichristian offices gouernment of these Prelates nor yet iustifie the publick worship ministrie confusion sacriledge of the Church of England Mvchlesse wil these two lame propositions of M r. G. his final argument beare vpp his forged conclusion where he concludeth the Brownistes hereticks c Because they condemne a Church as quite deuorced separate from Christ For such imperfections corruptions in Gods worship as are not fundamental nor destroy the substance For that wicked men come with the godly to the publicke exercises of religion For some wantes in calling ordayning Ministers And for some wantes in ecclesiastical discipline If M r. GIF had taken the wise mans councel he should not haue answered a matter before he vnderstood it much-lesse would he if he had bene ledd by the spirit of God haue blasphemed the truth or cōdemned the innocent without cause But as he began his booke without councel cōtinued it without grace and ended it without truth so hath he herebie but purchased to himself shame and brought vpon his owne head the iudgments due to an accuser a blasphemer a false witnesse and iudge What opinion the Brownistes hold of the Church of England their worship people ministrie gouernment we neither knowe nor regard neither is there cause whie we should be chardged or condemned for their errors faultes For which themselues and this Church of ENGLAND that receiueth and nourisheth all sectories hereticks wicked and abhominable persons whatsoeuer shall accompt For vs whom it pleaseth M r. G. to terme Brownistes and whome he endeuoreth to confute in this treatise we neuer condemned any true Church for anie fault whatsoeuer knowing that where true faith is there is repentance where true faith and repentance are there is remission of all sinnes Far be it from vs to condemne anie whom CHRIST iustifieth 1. And for the Church of ENGLAND we neither did or doe condemne yt as this accuser suggesteth for such imperfections and corruptions in their worship as be not fundamentall or destroy the substance but we condemned the publick worship of their Church of ENGLAND presently inioyned receiued and vsed as deuised by men popish superstitious idolatrous abhominable not such as God commandeth requireth or accepteth and therfore not such as anie faithfull christian may offer vp vnto God be compelled or consent vnto This wee shewed in the first PRINCIPALL TRANSGRESSION this we haue proued in the first part of this treatise 2. Secondly wee condemne not the Church of England as separate from CHRIST for that wicked mē come with the godly to the publick exercises of religion But rather as neuer rightly gathered to CHRIST for that al the prophane and wicked ar receiued and retayned as members of their Churche Wee gladlie acknowledge that CHRIST came a light into the world to offer saluation vnto all men to haue built his Church vpon an hil there to be lifted vp by the preaching of the word as a standard to al people and passengers there to haue made a feast to al natiōs and thither to inuite them Neither were we euer so enuious of the saluation of others or of the glorie of God as hauing founde mercie and being entred our selues to shut the doore or stop the fountaine of Gods grace against others yea God is witnesse with what heartie desire we long after them all that they euen our greatest persecutors might be partakers of the same saluatiō ioy comfort happines with vs And howe wee intermit not much-lesse exclude anie meanes thervnto that God putteth in our power though it were with the hazarde of our owne lyues to bring them of the water of the wel at Bethelem But now though we affirme that al the vnbelieuing prophane not onlie may but ought to resort to the publick exercises of religion in the Church as the most excellent meanes to call them to the faith yet do we not therfore belieue or affirme that the prophane or vnbelieuing may be receiued or admitted as mēbers of the Church before they haue made voluntarie publick profession of their owne faith and obedience Or being entered by such profession be permitted longer to stand or remayne of the Church then they contynue orderlie to walke in the same faith and obedience And therfore we blamed these parish assemblies of England as consisting of a confuse multitude of al sortes of prophane and wicked people in differentlie where they are al receiued nourished and retayned as mēbers of y e Church though they were neuer called gathered by the power of the worde entered receiued by the profession of their owne faith neither walke orderlie in the faith or in anie duties either publick or priuate And so are al guiltie of most high sacriledge prophanatiō of the holy things of God No such assemblie or communion of Sainctes as Christes faithful seruantes ought to repaire or ioyne vnto This wee shewed in the second PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION This we haue lardgly proued in the secōd part of this treatise 3. Thirdly we condemne not the Church of England for some wantes in calling and ordayning Ministers But for hauing maintayning and retayning a false and antichristian ministrie imposed vpon them with a false antichristian calling ordination euen the self same that the Pope vsed left in this Realme which false offices and ministrie cannot be ioyned vnto or exercised in the true Church of CHRIST This wee shewed in the thirde PRINCIPAL TRANSGRESSION this we proued in the third part of this treatise And therfore with an euil and corrupt conscience hath Mr. G. sought to hide this transgression vnder some vvantes in the calling and ordaining Ministers and thus boldlie and falselie thervpon to accuse vs. Wee knowe there may be faultes either of ignorance or negligence in the calling ordination c yet these not to disanul the action much-lesse the Couenant so longe as they are not obstinatlie held and persisted in But our assertion and controuersie here is not of a faultie ministrie caling ordination c but of a false ministrie caling ordination c which we haue proued theirs to be and that no such belongeth vnto may be imposed receiued or retayned in the Church of CHRIST 4. Fourthly in like maner wee reason not of some wantes in the gouernment and order of their Church but of a false and antichristian gouernment set ouer the Church Neither condemne we the Church of ENGLAND for some faultes in a true ecclesiasticall gouernment but for hauing and standing vnder a false and antichristian gouernment euen the self same Hierarchie Officers Courtes Cannons Customes Priuileges Proceedings that the Pope vsed and left This wee also haue shewed in the 4 TRANSGRESSION and haue nowe in this fourth parte and through this booke fullie proued their present ecclesiastical gouernment to be To which fower principall transgressions a willfull obstinacie an open reiecting resisting the truth al reprofe a violent and most hostile
discription of that sinne Hebr. 6. 10. where there is dispyting of the spirit accompting the blood of IESVS an vnholy thinge persecuting the light they haue sometimes tasted of and such like notes which are degrees further then presumption for there is presumption of ignorance of rashnes of hope of mercy and many times do the Prophets charge the people with rebellion against God so that all presumption cannot haue the curse maranatha pronounced vpon it or the persons not to bee prayed for But sure I grant that presumption is neere to that sinne and there cannot bee that high sinne without presumption But now if all sinne but sinne of frayltie were vnpardonable your Clergie were in a wofull case that thus maynely resist the truth and persecute Gods seruants Neither is this doctrine anye way contrarye to that I delyuered namelye that the regenerat man cannot bee sayd to stande in bondage to sinne after regeneration and the seruant of God at the same time by outwarde profession for none are in bondage to sinne after their calling to the faith to our iudgment but suche as contynue obstinate in their open knowne sinne after due admonition that such stande not by outwarde profession the seruants of CHRIST but of sinne and are to bee excommunicate hee willingly granteth and herevpon merueileth how I shoulde gather that obstinat grosse sinners shoulde not bee excommunicat which hee might playnlye perceiue if hee had eyes for if al the regenerat bee in bondage to sinne and so the seruants of sinne and of Satan howe should they cast out an other for bondage out of their fellowship by the power of CHRIST If Mr. GIFF. say because the obstinate is in greater bondage then the other this proueth not that the bond can cast out the bond by the power of CHRIST Againe if all bee in bondage then none can bee holden without for being in bondage to sinne so that none shoulde bee excommunicat none without the worlde and the Church light and darknes CHRIST and Beliall should bee mingled together To all which hee hath made no answere but demandeth certeine questions and maketh such a formal conclusion as if all were in bondage vnto sinne His questions I grant al affirmatiuely yet denye his coÌ„sequence Let him plainely proue therfore by euidence of scripture that all that do sinne are bondslaues of sinne and when hee hath so done I shall therevpon conclude him a flat Anabaptist in the cheif ground of their profession Verye gladlye therefore vvoulde hee leaue out the worde bondage and falslye accuseth and sclandereth mee in saying I holde that men can not outwardly appeare sinners and stand the seruants of CHRIST both at a time vvhich is an open vntruth Yt is hee that cannot put differeÌ„ce betwene sinning and bondage vnto sinne so that in one vvorde all his questions are answered If anie bee in bondage to sinne hee standeth a seruant thereof Now for the 7. to the Romanes the Apostle setting forth the strift betwene the flesh and the Spirit speaketh somtimes in the person of the one if I may so speake and somtimes of the other somtimes of the newe man or regenerat part or of himself so far as hee is regenerat somtimes of the olde man which is not wholly slaine but full of rebellion striueth for maisterie Nowe I must demand of him whether of these two haue the preheminence dominion and rule in the regenerat the graces of the spirit or the rebellions of the flesh The same Apostle saith the spirit and that part of the man renewed therewith which wee call the inner maÌ„ In the 8. Cap. hee maketh it playne The lawe of the spirit of life in CHRIST hath freed mee from the lawe of sinne and of death What is the lawe of the Spirit but the powre rule and dominion of the Spirit of God in vs And what is the lawe of sinne but the powre of sinne and bondage wherewith wee were somtimes led headlong by Satan at his pleasure but are nowe freed that it no more doth reigne or beare rule in vs vnto condemnation Againe whosoeuer are ledd by the Spirit of God are the sonnes of God and in the 7. Cap. 4. and 6. Cap. 16. knowe you not that to vvhome you exâ—ibit your selues seruants vnto obedience his seruants you are to vvhome you giue your selues obedient DAVID feeling the great assaultes of sinne in his flesh and his inhabilitie to keepe the Lawe of God earnestlye prayeth vnto the Lorde Direct my steppes in thy vvorde saith hee and let none iniquitie haue dominion over mee After the stronge man is cast out CHRIST beareth the rule ouer vs and in vs by his Spirit So the scripture euerye where pronounceth vs Saincts by calling Kinges and Priestes a people set free not that wee sinne not in thought word and deede howrely and daylye but that sinne hath not dominion ouer vs If then wee were in bondage to sinne wee are the servantes of sinne and of death which God forbid Where Mr. GIFF. therfore reasoneth thus the regeneration is imperfect therefore the freedome is imperfect therefore there is some bondage yt is blasphemie For first our freedome is perfect in CHRIST ells his death is not sufficient Then though our sanctification bee not perfect yet is there no bondage but a rebellion of sinne which if yt shoulde reigne wee were not the seruantes of CHRIST And while it seemeth for a time to reigne and wee obstinatly to cleaue vnto yt wee are iudged soe far as men can iudge the seruantes of yt and so gyuen ouer from CHRIST vnto Satan till the grace of the Spirit againe to our iudgement againe appeare to beare rule As for DAVID in the whole yeare after hee had commytted adulterye and murther hee neuer pleaded for his sinne when hee was reproued nor did no longer cleaue vnto yt Soe likewise though wee fall and sinne and bee â—edd awaye with sinne yet are wee not in bondage therevnto vntil wee obstinatly and wilfully giue our selues vnto yt from CHRIST which you finde not in the 7. to the Rom. but resisting of sinne a hatred of sinne a will to doe good a repentance and continuall recouerye of himself and flying vnto CHRIST Soe that your doctrine is false to saye the Apostle stoode in some spirituall bondage and my Argument still firme that these Ministers and people which stande in a professed bondage to a false gouernment their prayâ—rs are an abhomination vnto the Lorde till they repent and submit themselues vnto CHRIST and his lawes and ordinances Whiche the Lorde gyue them grace to doe euen speedely to depart out of the house of bondage and from all subiection of his Antichristian Hierarchie CHRISTS vnworthie vvitnes for the truth and freedome of the Gospell IOHN GRENVVOOD FINIS Math 2 4. Mar. 13. Psa. 74. Dan. 7. 9. 11 Cap. 2 Thes. 2. 2 Tim. 3. Reuel 6. Reuel 8. Reuel 9. Reuel 13. Reuel 17. Reuel 16. Reuel 18. Reuel 19. â—â—uel 12. 14 Reuel