you have others that the Scripture speaks not any otherwise then by the * Rev. 17.3 names of blasphemy But for the power and worke of the Ministry which you say is answerable to that of the Apostles by your gathering of the Saints together taking it for granted that you say from what do you convert them If from the power of darknesse as you would seem to imply into the Kingdome of Christ as ‡ Col. 1.13 did the Apostle then by your own grant in the power of darknesse you found them and the truth is that where you found them there you leave them when you found them before their conversion you professed of them that they were regenerate and born anew to what then do you convert them or have you conversion after regeneration you also bade these persons before to take and eate in remembrance that Christ dyed for them and foâ—give them the seales of life and salvation and yet after all this you being ministers to them come to justifie the truth of your Ministry by your conversion of these people that have by these things no need of amendment and yet when all is done that you plead for they still abide in the same Church under the same Ministry in the same worship that they were conversant in before whenas I have declared before that whenas the Apostles converted any those converts left their former places turning from dumb Idols to serve the living God Now it hath been long since acknowledged and professed that the Worship of your Church and the Ministry of it came out of the Popes shop and must needs be reformed or else the judgement of God cannot but light upon you as hath bin manifested in the first and second admonition to the Parliament in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth and all know that yet it continues the same that then it was and if it were so bad then as it is reported that a thousand Ministers said it was small cause have any to plead conversion whenas they shall continue in such abhominations as that the plagues of God cannot by their own confession be withheld seeing that the Scriptures and Spirit of God teacheth us that the * Psalm 119.101 feare of the Lord teacheth mâ—n to refrain their feet from every evill way and to cleanse our selves from alâ— filthinesse both of flesh and spirit and to grow up unto full holinesse in the feare of God or the worship of God as our Saviour ‡ Mat. 4. 2 Cor. 2.1 interprets it and to hate the very ‡ Iude 23. garment spotted by the flesh Now these things well considered it will appeare that the several Scriptures that are continually brought for the maintenanc of your Ministry are but as so many flourishes by which the word of truth is wrested and wringed like to a nose of wax contrary to their proper intents and scopes to serve your own turnes which who they be of you or others that are the perverters of them God knows and one day will judge betwixt the righteous and the wicked and give to every one according as his workes shall be In the mean while to me it appeares plain that men destitute of Gods holy Spirit be they as learned as may be in Mans-Learning yet they do pervert all Scriptures to their own destruction whenas the unlearned one simple men and women having the Spirit of truth in them shall rightly know them and Gods mind in them for their great comfort 4 Vse Again seeing this is so that such men do thus pervert the Scriptures this should provoke all that are made able Ministers of the Spirit as saith the § 2 Cor. 3.2 Apostle that they take the same Apostles †1 Tim. 4.6 advise saying if thou put the Bretheren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ If thou put the Bretheren in remembrace of these things What things those things mentioned ‡̶ from the 1. verse before how that the Spirit hath foretold of Doctrines of Devils how that men should speeake lyes through hypocrisie c. as Zachary also foretold that the * Zach. 13.3 Father and Mother of the Prophet should say that he told them lyes in the name of the Lord If thou put the Bretheren in remembrance of these things because they are subject to forget them and thou shouldest be their remembrancer which if thou do thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ which hast bin nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine then marke these things are not errors nor lyes nor he a false-teacher that speakes of them but a good Minister that hath bin nourisht up in faith and good doctrine which was continually taught of Paul and heard of Timothy and to this is to be added what the Apostle * Tim 6.3.4 saith further in this matter declaring that he that consenteth not to wholsome doctrine that is according to godlines is puft up and knows nothing but dotes about words and is such a one as is so farre corrupted by the flesh as that he is to be separated from Therfore Gods good Ministers as we see should be carefull of these things as knowing of whom they shall receive their reward and what shal also be their portion from men of the world in that which is ‡ Rev. 11.7 death in the world but ‡ Rev. 14.13 life with the Lord Be Faithfull therfore to the death and you shall have a § Rev. 2.10 5 Vse crown of life declaring the power of the Spirit of the Lord in you Now in the last place I will conclude with the exhortation of the †2 Pet. 3.17.18 Apostle in the words following Ye therfore beloved seeing ye know these things before what things among others those that worldly learned men are Gods unlearned men being destitute of his Spirit beware and take heed least ye also aswell as others you being subject to it be plucked away before you be aware into the errour of the wicked to thinke that Gods Mysteries cannot be attained to by mans learning and so you fall from your own stedfastnes which is ‡ Rom. 11. through Faith for by Faith ye stand and by the Spirit for by it ye are also ‡ Psalm 51. establisht and for a preservative against this errour as opposite to it grow and increase in the grace of God and the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ which is that that will preserve you from errour Now to Him be glory not to us nor to Man but to Him our Lord Iesus Christ both now and for evermore Amen I SAY 44.25 The Lord frustrateth the tokens of the lyars and maketh diviners mad turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse FINIS
it doth further appeare by the 13th Chap. and the 3. verse that it was so great power and glory as that all the world wondered and admired it and yet this Iesus Christ accounts a great wo and plague to them Rev. 16.10.11 Now part of this woe I beleeve is this learning which we have here in question for as we have before manifested the Sun light of the Gospel of Iesus Christ alows not for the glory of Christs Doctrine is that it is of the Spirits teaching for when we behold the glory of the Lord in the most perfectest measure 2 Cor. 3.12 so as we are changed thereinto from glory to glory yet all is from the Spirit of the Lord seeing that he is the promised Comforter that is to teach us all good things belonging to our perfection Then it must needs follow that is a smokey power and glory flowing from the Kingdome of Sathan and so a part of the tayle that the § Rev. 12.4 Dragon drew the Starres withall after him and hence comes it to passe that now instead of the Spirits teaching according to Peters prophesie here are a generation that doe arise 2 Pet. 2.1 which privily bring in damnable errours and so for that end forsaking the Spirit of truth they speake lyes through hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4.2 as Paul also witnesseth they should doe pretending now that the true and right way for understanding the Scriptures and mind of God was that men for that end must learne a part from others onely for that worke and so to be taught in Tongues and divers Languages and have their wits exercised in Arts and Sciences humane and so such a flourish beares this in mans conceit as that it seems the onely way that can be for a man to be made fit for this worke so that before while the Angels kept their station in heaven the Spirits simple teaching was judged sufficient without these things for this worke they now being fallen from thence to the earth Rev. 9.2 and having the key of the bottomlesse pit thence it being opened now ariseth up * See Iohn Bale on Rev. 9.1 Plato and Aristotle and a multitude more of Heathen Philosophers These are the foure Angels that stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure winds that they should not blow on the Earth neither on the Sea neither on any Tree Rev. 7.1 as being those that have the whole power of Preaching in their hand not suffering any to blow but who they please and so doe withold the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 declalaring thereby they be under the wrath of God and they seem to yeeld these Starrey Principles very fitting in their own understanding better to furnish them with fitnesse to open the mind of God then His Spirit can doe whereas before whenas the perfect teachings of the holy Spirit was in force these men of all others were by reason of their learning and wisdome the most untutablest men that were in the world for the receiving of the truth as appeares by the testimony of Luke Act. 1.18 and is not yet for all the great Sun light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which these men professe they have these blacke smokey principles still so stiffly stood for as that there is no removing of men from the high conceit that they have of them And doth not this sufficiently declare as the Apostle saith that God hath blinded the minds of men so as they cannot see but are so much the blinder because they say they see and hence came it to passe 2 Cor. 4.4 Ioh. 9.41 that I for mentioning Plato and Aristotle and such like was demanded how I came by the knowledge of that Object if not by Human-Learning with contempt cast upon it as if that which I had from them being Humane Learned Men was of it selfe sufficient to overthrow the matter which I had there delivered Answ I answered then as I doe still it was none other but as Paul mentioned to the Athenians their own Poets and yet for all that he was as great an enemy to Human-Learning as I and greater too Act. 17 And it is to be minded as I have before declared that I doe not oppose the knowledge of Humane things nor yet deny but that we may be acquainted with their sayings as the Apostle himselfe and our Saviour was yea and that somtimes we make use of them too as occasion requires as I have done here though sparingly and but seldome and when it is that it be of great use as it was at those 3 times that Paul did use them and no more Act. 17.28.1 Cor. 15.33 Tit. 1.12 that I remember in all the Scripture Now this you see the Spirit teacheth and therefore it cannot properly be called Human-Learning especially in my sence that I have to doe withall which is to oppose that which is maintained to make men fitting to open the mind of God in his word which is by the learning of tongues and arts as of necessity wheras this is used but by the by and not to find out the Truth with but it being sufficiently before proved by themselves also It is the Spirits order to gaine there acknowledgement of it and this is no other learning but what every man without any Scholership as ye call it may attaine unto wheras that that is so much gloryed in is that a man is able aptly to speak according to art and knowledge in the Sciences and this is it by which men yet still are hatched and bred up Rev. 12.16.1 Tim. 6. to 12. Rev. 12.4 and this I beleeve was the meanes of bringing in all those abhominable errours that the Earth hath drunke in both in Doctrine and Practise and so have occasined those noysome lusts that drown men in perdition that the man of God is to flie as best beseeming the tayle of the Dragon and suting with this great woe which is further manifested by comparing the Ministers of Iesus Christ and those together Now what marks they be known by you may read in 2 Cor. 6. from the the 3. to the 11. verse where as in a Looking-glasse you may behold the true picture both of the one and of the other By them we approve our selves as the Ministers of Christ and give none occasion why our Ministry should be reprooved saith Paul In much Patience in Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses in strips in Imprisonments in Tumults in Labour in Watchings in Fastings by purenes by knowledge by long-suffering by kindnesse by the Holy Ghost by love unfeigned by the word of truth by the power of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left by honour and dishonour by evill report and good report as dâ—ceivers and yet true as unknown and yet known as dying and yet behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull and yet alway rejoycing
revealing must needs be by the Spirit according to that 1 Cor. 2.10 And on this manner is it that our Lord comfort his Disciples telling them that all things were given him of his Father to reveale and so in that regard he tells them that blessed are the eyes that see that that they saw which was as the Apostle saith God manifested in the flesh which many wise men and Kings desired to see but could not see it and so that was now made manifest to them which before was hid from Wise-men and Scribes and so was at the present also for few of the Wise could attaine to the knowledge of Him and his Doctrine as they did Now with this also agrees what our †Mat. 22.23.29 Saviour further affirmes to the Sadducse who by reason of their Wisdome and Learning thought to have intangled him he tells them that they erred not knowing the Scriptures for all their great Learning being destitute of Gods Spirit Now by these Scriptures this poynt being thus confirmed good Reason also may by Gods word be brought for the futher justifying of it as First 1 Reason Because it is the good pleasure of God to place our salvation in great contempt and enmity to mans wisdome hence is it that the Apostle saith that he preached Christ crucified to the Iewes a ‡ 1 Cor. 1.23.24 stumbling blocke and to the Gretians foolishnesse for the Jewes we read in great contempt refused him as Pilate bid them behold their § Ioh. 19.19.21 King presently they cry away with him away with him Crucifie him and so when Pilate had wrote on the Crosse that he was King of the Jewes they tooke it as a great prejudice to them and therfore wished him to write that he said he was the King of the Iewes And so as Peter tells them in Acts 3. they denyed him and desired a murtherer to be given them and to this agreed the Gentiles for they had their hands also in his death and we find that whenas Paul preached him at Athens Act. 17.18.23 that then this saying of the Apostle here is made good both of Jewes and Gentiles and indeed they both agree to hang him betwixt heaven and earth as being in their esteem worthy of neither and yet even in this Crucified Iesus lyes contained the salvation of ‡̶ Act. 4.12 all both Jewes and Gentiles that are saved and in this despised Ieâ—us are all to rejoyce with the * â— Cor. 2.2 Gâ—â— 6.14 Apostle to salvation for in him thus dishonourable and unmeet in mans wisdome lye hid all our heavenly * Col. 2.3 1 Cor. 1.20 treasures of wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption for he is the wisdome of God and power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 Another Reason why such as have Gods Spirit destitute of Humane-Learning come thus to know Gods mind is 2 Reason that as the ‡ 1 Cor. 1.29 Apostle declares no flesh should rejoyce in Gods presence now this learning is but fleshly and carnall Now the Apostles advise is though we had known ‡ 2 Cor. 5.16 Christ Iesus after the flesh yet now comming to be after God we should henceforth know him so no more and here is a sufficient Reason because knwledge is subject to puffe us up as saith the § 1 Cor. 2.8 Apostle Whenas love and the Learning of the Spirit keeps us low in our own eyes and causeth as Solomon saith our minds to be good making us sutable to the Apostles exhortations †Rom. 12.16 saying Be not high minded but make your selves equall to them of the lower sort be not wise in your selves but ‡̶ Phil. 2.3 let every man esteem others better then himselfe and if any glory let him * 1 Cor. 1.31 glory in the Lord. Now he that hath these things as Humane-Learning and Wisdome more then another let him weigh and consider duly with himselfe whether he doth not think and conclude that he in regard of these things is not more to be respected then they that are without them now then ‡ 1 Cor. 5.6 this rejoycing is not good for it is a rejoycing in the flesh and sutable to ‡ Rom. 4.2 works and so not of God and yet so is it that for our hearts we cannot but think better of our selves for these things then of others without them so we may see the Apostles words fulfild that the wisdome of the § Rom. 8.7 flesh that is whatsoever the flesh is excellent in it is enmity to God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Anotder Cause why the Spirits teaching is sufficient without Humane-Learning is because as the Apostle saith 3 Reason we are compleat in him that is perfect and full in him and this he strengthens yet further from this consideration that he is the head of all Principalities and Powers so that if there were any thing else to make us compleat he being the Head of all we should have it but he hath given nothing but his †1 Cor. 12.7 Spirit to profit withall therfore we are compleat by it alone and therfore is it that Paul * 1 Tim. 6.20.21 exhorts Timothy to keep that which was committed to him which was the Faith taught by the Word and Spirit and wisheth him to avoyd and beware of Science that is all knowledge naturall which is comprehended under ,, Col. 2.8 phylosophy learned prophane and vaine bablings and oppositions to the Faith of Christ and so much is by the Apostle there declared saying which while some have lusted after they have erred from the Faith so that it is most plain and cleare that these things are so farre from perfecting men or helping of them in the knowledge of the truth as that they hinder and cause such as professe them to erre from the Faith even all the seaven Liberall Sciences for all be but Science and all this Science or knowledge is falsly sayd to be of use in the Gospell Profane and vaine bablings are farre better names for them and oppositions according to Pauls teaching and he saith of himselfe I thinke I have the Spirit of God and so indeed he had without doubt and so our ground remaines good that we are compleat in Christ Iesus Another consideration confirming this Conclusion 4 Reason is from the Apostles * 1 Cor. 3.18 advise let no man deceive himselfe and that in the true way of attaining wisdome he declares what it is in these words that such a one is to become a foole that he may be wise and how â—s that but by knowing that indeed there is nothing in all mans wisdome to be any whit helpfull but hurtfull to him in attaining and comprehending the wisdome of God in Christ Now what is more foolish to a man then to know that there is nothing that all the wits of man can reach unto that
and living on meere almes they cannot brook but they be so farre from working with their own hands for their own necessities as the Apostle requires that the “ Acts 2.33 34 35. Ministers of the Gospell should doe as that they wrest the Scriptures of the Law and the Prophets haling in as it were by the hayre of the head the Scriptures to speake for them and their delicious living faring like Dives deliciously every day wheras the Elders of Iesus Christ should ‡ 1 Pet. 5.1.2 feed the flock of God not caring for it for filty luâ—re but of a ready mind But leaving these things and such as these are which declare them to be more sutable for Moses and the Law which tends unto wrath and bondage then such as are Ministers of Christ and made partakers of the liberty of the servants of God Object 1 with the Answer I will speake of some few things that are in difference among them and us You know it is usually objected against us because of our departure out of the ‡ Ioh. 6.68 words of Peter to our Saviour being these Whether shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life from whence is concluded against us if the text be not perverted that we in leaving them doe forsake Iesus Christ wherin they take it for granted that He is with them and not with those that forsake them wheras the text is cleare to prove that the words of eternall life are in him as * Ioh. 6. himselfe saith also the words that I speake are spirit and life and this who 〈◊〉 but that he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Sonne hath not life But let not the text be wrested yet what proofe is here that Antichrist hath the words of eternall life and that there is no forsaking of him and yet all that know wherin the difference lyes know that this is the contraversie and how that these persons thus forsaking goe to Christ and to the word of eternall life seeing that the Lord * Isa 8.16 binds the testimony and sealâ—s up the Law among his Disciples so that till it can be proved that these leave Christ and forsake the words of eternall life the text must be taken for none other but to be perverted and a vayle drawn over it to beguile the simple Object 2 Upon this same head hangs another great exception against us Where we had our Conversion if we have any if not among themâ— and so taking it for granted that we had it among them a great outcry is made against us as if we had stolen their gods and done them great wrong and for this purpose this amongst other things is alledged that that Church which is able to beget is able to bring up Answ Now for Answer hereunto it is to be minded that conversion doth properly belong to the * Psal 19.7 Rom. 1.16 1 Pet 1.3.23 word of the Lord Now this word by which we are all begotten is the proper portion of the Church of God as ‡ Psal 147.19.20 Mat. 13.11 1 Cor. 3.22 divers Scriptures declare hence then must it needs follow that whosoever are converted to the Lord those by vertue of their conversion belong to the true Church because as is before said the word is hers and therfore they are to cleave to her and forsake those places where they were converted and that for this Reason because the Lord himselfe is ‡ Psal 78.6 said to count whenas he writes the people that this man was born there that is in Sion the Church of God though that the man were converted in mans account in Babel and Palestina yet the Lord when he counts shall write the converted man to be born in Sion his Church Now all Gods people should count and write as God doth and give Babel no honour at all of their conversion because the Lord doth not give her any and the same thing is abundantly seen in the converts that they are “ Act. 2.40 exhorted to leave those places where they were converted and so they did as the †Act. 2.44 17.4.34 Scripture manifests in many places which might be noted Againe it is to be minded that God himselfe counts all the faithfull to belong to the * Rev. 12.4.5 Woman the Church of God as appeares in the Revelations where the Man-child as is evident by “ Exod. 4.22.23 other places containes all the faithfull even the whole Church of God This Son of God and his Man-child is called his ‡̶ Exod. 5 1. people The like appeares in Isay 66.7 8. where the Man-child is interpreted to be a whole Nation of Children including all the faithfull Now this woman is said to be in travaile crying and if yours be that Church that is in this travaile crying and in pain according to the Scriptures I am content the Child shal be acknowledged yours but if it be in jollity and without sorrow putting the others to pain and ready to cut the living Child in pieces how then can I acknowledge it for the true Mother whenas also the Apostle saith that Ierusalem that is from above is the * Gal. 4.24 Mother of us all and she is not one that gendereth to bondage but to freedome as saith the Apostle and therfore me thinks it appeares that every ones conversion strongly binds him to make speed to that Church which consists of such as are faithfull in Iesus Christ aâ— being the proper inheritance to which they all belong and to know that all such places as are aledged to conclude otherwise be but wrested and perverted though never so faire a glosse be set upon them for God ever since the beginning hath put enmity betwixt the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent and accursed shall all they be that shall joyne those together that God hath so farre separated and therfore let none of Gods servant stand with one foot on Mount-Sion and another on Babylon least that which is halting be turned out of the way Heb. 12. Object 3 Another Objection against us is brought in the defence of your Ministry aâ—ter this manner That Ministry that doth the worke of the ministry of Iesus Christ spoken of in Ephes 4. for the pâ—rfitting of the Saints is a true Ministry but your Ministry you say doth the same worke c. Answ Was it the worke of the Ministry of the Apostles c. to read divine service Church Women Marry and bury the dead and such like services as there are Did the Apostles perfit the Saints after this manner For who knows not but that this is the substance of what your Office of Ministry binds you unto as for preaching that may be dispenced withall and a little now and then may serve the turne Besides as is granted your Offices are not the same there mentioned that Iesus Christ from on high gave gifts unto for