they and you pretended who took and taketh the dishonest gaine but we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ as a lambe without blemish 1 Pet. 1.18.19 20 21 22 23. The Papists they say they believe in one God three persons in your Agreement in the exposition of the Creed you say the same but neither you nor the Papists believe in that God that freeth from sin without your tradition vaine imagination who say you are in miscariages growing worse and running yet further from Him but by what part of Scripture the Papists and you prove your three persons I know not for the Scripture speaketh not so but saith there is three witnesses which three agree in one are one Joh. 14.20 1 John 5.7.8 Joh. 7.21.22.23 he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 Joh. 9. and the holy Ghost remaineth within Joh. 14.15 16 17. 1 Joh. 3.24 which you have shewed your ignorance of and both of that doctrine union and faith that in the same power doth stand where the flattering and entising words of mans wisdom like yours and the Papists are judged and condemned Statute 2. Mariae 1. Chap. 3. as well as shut out by that which doth the world comprehend The Papists they call Steeple-houses Churches and there sell their inventions and brain-imaginations for their own ends deceiving soules with their traditions and vaine observations Stat of 2. 3. Edw 6. Chap. 1. who wrong them and Christ himselfe and do not you the same and such as are in ignorance of the foundamentals of true religion being ignorant of and out of the way of salvation in the vaine traditions familiar and personall instructions arising out of the miscarrying nature It seemes that which is callâ—d Communion or the Sacraments so called were commonly called the Masse as appeares by the Stat 2. 3. Edw. 6. Chap. 1. and are in sin and sleepy security as you and your hearers as you say are therefore in that are not you and the Papists both one The Papists they sprinkle their Infants and holds that infants baptisme as they call it came in the roome of Circumcision and you hold the same therefore in that as well as persecution and other things are not you and the Papists both one but what Scripture proofe without your imaginations have you for the same and seeing that in the order of Circumcision they did but circumcise the male Children onely and not the female and if Infants baptisme as you and the Papists affirme came into the roome why do you breake that order c. in baptising not the males onely as you call it but the femnles also what trick hath the Pope taught you and them to make a cover for that And do not the Papists worship that which they have received by tradition from their fore-Fathers and also set up an image according to their fansie and imaginary worship in their own wills and the miscarrying nature contrary to God binding all they can to submit to their fansies and worship their Image and vaine conceivings Banbury Bristoll Exetor Maidstone Colchester Bedford c and those that cannot for conscience sake towards God submit with them to the same but oppose their deceipt and false worship those they persecute and imprisson and cause them to suffer affliction distresse and necessity c. and did not you so at Kedderminster Worcester and Evesham as well as they in your nature do at Northampton Oxford and Cambridge and other places who do and have done the same Therefore in that are not you and the Papists both one or guided by one Spirit and in union together with the deceipt c and would cast it upon the innocent whom you persecute that denieth the Popes wayes and your false worships and stands a witnesse against all deceipt in Pope and Papists and all the false worshippers who are jarring and jangling about words and formalities ioyneth together to oppose and persecute the life and power of truth but it is in vaine for you to strive against the streame or hard for you to kick against the prickes Statute 1. Mary 1 Cap. 3. without getting an inward wound or mayme if not broken and dasht to peeces by so doing The Papists have sacraments and sacramentalls as they and you call them which there is no Scripture for and you have the same then wherein do you and they therein differ except in the manner and agree in the matter and so therein become one and yet you cry out of those who ranking you with the Papists deny both you and them and your will worships and the deceipt and miscarriages which you and all such live in who are wrongers of God and Men and worships their fancies formed up in the dark minde and the imaginations of their own braine and so are without Scripture proofe and warrant from God for the same as you and they therein are John Stelham Preacher of the Gospel at Edenborough as he saith in Scotland P. E. c. Doth not the Papists hold that the bread which they receive at a Sacrament so called that though it be bread before in the nature substance yet notwithstanding would they not have it to be Spirit and Life in the institution at the receiveing after their consecration and if they do so there is of those that call themselves Preachers of the Gospel at Edenborough in Scotland which Church you speake of that holds the same as I can produce under their hands and if you own it with them do you not go against the oath of Abjuration and also agree and joyne with the Papists therein and though you may differ in manner yet owning that is there not an agreeing in the matter and if so then do not you and the Papists agree therein and are you not one in the maine and yet are not ashamed some of your generation as well as you to accuse others for Papists and Jesuits that deny all their wayes and false worships in manner and matter and denies their deceipt and yours and stands to witnesse against the same turning that upon you and them againe that you may see your casting the name of Papists and Jesuits upon them that denies both their deceipts and yours neither proveth them to be as you say they are nor cleares your selves from the old reliques of Popery and if you take the oath to renounce it all and yet live in it are you not forsworne and perjured persons or any that do so consider well of it And what difference is there betwixt the call of the Papists Priests Mimisters Rectors and Curates c. to the Ministry which they live in and the call of you the Priests Ministers Pastors Teachers and Rectors as you call your selves to the Ministry which you live in Are not they called of men And is not your calling the same For had not they
people by casting a mist before the eyes of their understanding seeking to insinuate into them by flatteries and garnishing your flatteries with colourable glosses to cause them to think that your reviving that which hath been used amongst them with out-side Matth. 23.27 28.30 31 c. will now from you receive life to do that which it could not do neither by the Pope or Bishops nor by you their off-springs And with the Light are you seen at your witts end and troubled that you cannot have your wills fulfilled who are the enemies of the Living truth and wrongers both of men and God as you also in your Agreement acknowledge and therefore all your Evasions and Colourable glosses must fall with your Image and Imaginary worships as in your fore-fathers before you and the Ministry that stands out of mans will which you are yet Ignorant of must through the crosse cut down and crucifie and kill that which your Ministry doth not nor your fore-fathers or the Pope or Bishops before you and that Ministry which comes forth from the Light and power of the Spirit of God is for the discovering and killing of the Error Heresie and Miscariages which yours hath and doth leave people in and so as it kills that and the Ignorance Gala. 3.4 5. Eph. 2. Iohn 8.12 1 Iohn 3.8 9. 1. Pet. 1.18 19 22 23 1 Iohn 4.16 17 Iohn 14.20 it quickeneth and raiseth the soul out of death destroying the Ignorance Error Heresie and Miscariages and all the works of the Devill and so bringeth soules out of death and from under the power of darknesse to live in the life of the Eternall truth in the Injoyment of the Fathers love and to Enjoy and walke in the liberty of the Sons of God And saith John We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is true God and life eternall 1 John 5.20 Whose Ministry without your familiar personall Instruction discovereth and killeth sin Error and Miscariages which you live in unkilled and therefore out of his Minstiry who killeth that and quickeneth the other that hath suffered under it raising that and them together with it saving them by grace and causing them as they at Ephesus did to sit with Christ Jesus in the heavenly place Ephe. 2.1 2 4 5 6. For by grace were they saved ver 8th Through faith and not of themselves nor of works lest any should boast Eph 2.8 9. As Paul the Gospel-Minister doth witnesse in his Affirmation who did not as you do in your confusion set up a form of words without Spirit and Life grounded upon the Popes practice or generall Councell held at Trent or at Trull And bid people get these to say and be catechized c. And say them over to the Pope or Arch-bishops Persons Preists Rectors and Curates upon pain of damnation neither doth his words warrant you so to do Therefore are they not your warrant from God for that work Neither did Paul go and write out a few words out of the 20. Chap. of Exodus and the 6. Chap. of Matthew and set the people to get them upon pain of damnation and salvation Which words he had before you and witnessed the life in the spirit and power of Christ for the killing of Ignorannce Sin Error and Miscarriages Eph. 5.13 Eph. 6.10 11 12 13 14. Gal 2.19 20. and to quicken the mortall body Rom. 8.10 11. as well for the purifying of the heart and the soul 1 Pet. 1.22 23. Which you have shewed your Ignorance in and to be out of And therefore Pauls words is not your warrant from God who are out of that righteous life And Paul said they were delivered from the law that being dead wherein they had been held their service stood in the newnes of the Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the Letter Rom. 7.6 But your service stands in the oldnesse of the Letter and the old Law and not in the Gospel and newnesse of spirit Rom. 1.16 16. as your fruits and Agreeement doth manifest Therefore you that serve in your wills and set people to serve in theirs and in the oldnesse of the Letter without the Gospel and power of God to salvation and the newnesse of Spirit Clo. 2.21 22 23. Eph. 2.14 15 16. Rom. 1.26 you are not by Pauls words warranted from God to do it who was himself a minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit as he hath witnessed 2 Co. 3.6 c. Therefore your garnishing your selves with his words and wanting his ministery and spirit to guide in the ministration and worship of God that spirit John 4.23 24. 2 Cor. 3.17 18. you are but as founding Brasse and tinkling Cymbals being in the envy and out of love the of the Father as the false Prophets was therefore let Pauls words rest where they are 1 Cor. 13. H s 16.9 Mic. 3.11 Iude 11. till you depart from your lusts and go make restitution for the Lord is against you and all such who are yet without warrant from God for all your stealing of words to garnish your selves as your fore-fathers did But thus saith the Lord therefore behold I am against them that steal my words from his neighbour I sent them not nor commanded them Therefore they shall not profit the people at all Ier. 23.30 c. And now that you are without warrant from the Scripture being out of the life of truth and reviving your fore-fathers works taking a ground from the sixth-Generall Councell held at Trent or at Trull in the time of the Pope or Bishopps Matth. 7.15 16 17 20 22 22 26 27. ver 2. and are you not also left without warrant from them then where are you now and what ground do you stand on are you not without ground or bottom and on the Sandy foundation ready to be washed away when the floods come c. Whose fall as Christ saith therefrom is like to be great and as may be Read Math. 7.26 27. Let the Priests minde and see If they know From whence they came BEhold and see from whence you came and minde your return was not your Original I head root and foundation the Pope or Arch-bishops and Bishops amongst which was not the Bishop of Rome called the Pope Chiefe Supreame head c. Untill the time or raign of Henry the 8. Late King of England as by the Lawes of this Nation may appeare c. And the Called Arch-Bishopps and such as received Orders from them to be Priests Ministers Deacons and Clarks c. Were they not called the body Spirituall and were and are they not called the English Church c. And after the Pope was put out of Tythes and that which he had begott by Henry the 8 the Arch-Bishopps your fathers Priests Ministers Deacons Rectors Clarks
for the killing of ignorance which your preaching could not do And yet it hath been used by the Popish Race and your forefathers the Bishops and Prelates and were not killed thereby but is found living amongst you their children and off-spring And you are found in the deceit and would keep people in the same by your flatteries and inventions which will all be to no purpose that is acted by the spirit of deceit and miscarrying nature which you are in And leaves the same ignorance unkilled by your familiar and personal Instructions as your forefathers have done you being in the miscarriages wronging men and Christ and not guided by the true spirit but by the false as your fruits as well as your Agreement maketh it manifest Concerning your warrant You have gathered certain verses of the Apostles words and calls them your warrant from God when you are found our of the Apostles practice and order and not at all warranted by them to wrong men and Christ as you have done and confessed the same you also are in the miscarriages and disobedient nature neglecters of the great works of God and therefore you being in that deceit are out of the counsels of God and liars like the false prophets whose examples ye follow that stole the true prophets words and were ready like you to call them their warrant from God or saying they spake from the Mouth of the Lord when the Lord did not warrant them in it no more then he doth you but witnessed against them by the true Prophet And said he had not spoken to them but they ran unsent as you have done and therefore they should not profit the people at all no more then you shall though they spoke the true Prophets words as you may do yet they was not guided by the true Prophets spirit no more then you are And though they spake their words for their own ends as you do yet for all that they were without Warrant from God as well as you are and also found out of his Counsel in their inventions and speaking for their own ends and for mony as you do and they caused the people to erre by their lies and by their leightnesse as you do and the Lord by his Spirit in his Servants witnessed against them as he doth against you saying I sent them not nor commanded them and so they were without warrant from God as you are though they could speak the true Prophets words as you do yet running unsent as you have done The Lord said they should not profit the people at all Jer. 23.16.21.30.31 32. Mi cah 3.5.11 No more do you who are as you say neglecters of the works of God and in the miscarriages unpardoned as well as wrongers of men and Christ as you your selves in your Agreement have all so acknowledged therefore your gathering of Pauls words and the true Prophets words being out of their life and spirit to paint and garnish your selves withal and are found persecuting the truth as your forefathers the false Prophets and Scribes and Pharisees did their words gather together with your dark minds and no warrant to you from God so to do nor to be called of men Masters Matth. 23.8.10 Nor to preach for tithes or hundreds a year Paul did not do it but preached freely coveting no mans silver or gold but hath shewed an example which you refuse to follow Act. 20.33 34 35. therefore his words is no warrant for you to do as you do As in pag the 1. or 2. of your Agreement neither did Paul go to take a ground from the Pope or sixth general Councel held either at Trent or Trull and say from thence that they that are baptized ought to learn the Belief and on the fifth day of the week say it over to the Bishops c. as you do which you lay down as the ground of your Catechisme and familiar and personall instruction and so build upon the Bishops and old popish root as you have done But Paul as he was a Minister of Christ Act. 26.16 17 18. he was sent to turn people from darknesse to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God and not to keep them in darknesse and sin unturned to God as you and your Minister doth therefore you are out of this life and not guided by the Spirit of God as he was And Paul as he was a Minister of Christ and the Gospel he were called of God and appointed to preach by the power of the holy Ghost Gala. 1.1 Gala. 1.11.12.15 16. Act. 13.2 3 c. Act. 18.9 10 11 c. Act. 16.9 10. Colo. 1.25 26 27 28. who was not made a Minister by the will of man as you are but by the Will of God Gala. 1.1 2. in which his Ministry stood who had the mystery of godlinesse and Christ the Son of God revealed within him Ephe. 3.2 3. c. Gala. 1.15 16. And so had his warant from God and after Christ and the Ministry were so revealed in him then he went forth immediately and not before for to preach him as he hath certified to the brethren Gala. 1.11 12. And he preached the Light 2 Cor. 4.5 6. Law Rom. 8.3 Hebr. 8.10 11. And heavenly treasure within 2 Cor. 4.6 7. And the word in the heart Rom. 10.8 by which faith is wrought and Christ the Mistery and hope of glory within them Col. 1.25 26 27. And they that believed and were baptized into him they put him on Gala. 3 27. As Paul the Gospel-Minister hath certified but he did not make a ground of Catechisme and familiar personal instructions from the Pope or general Councels held at Trent or Trull as you do for the cutting down of Ignorance Heresie and wickednesse as you pretend you will do but Paul was to turn people from the darknesse in which errour heresie and wickednesse was and so turning them from that he turned them to the light and power of the Spirit of God which was the way and means whereby Ignorance Errour and wickednesse was to be cut down crucified and killed which you are yet ignorant of as your Agreement doth manifest as well as your fruits who lives in ignorance Miscariages Error Heresie and wickednesse uncrucified or killed And was not the same way and meanes which you pretend to kill it by used by the Pope Bishops Prelats c. or at the Councell at Trent or Trull and by your fore-fathers the old out-rooted Bishops and Episcopals before you and yet it left the Ignorance Errors Miscariages Heresies and wickednesse amongst you Living and had no power to crucifie the same and you say your preaching this many years hath not yet killed it and therefore you have agreed to use the same Antidote or means for the killing of it as they did and if it could not expell and kill it by them useing the same before you as you also have done do you think to blind
refined subtilty who pretends much in words but brings forth the same evil fruits from the same old birth and evil Spirit as they and such did that drew neer to God Isa 29.10.11 12 13 14 15 16. Isa 59.23 4. c. with their mouthes and lips when their hearts were farr from him and devising mischief and bringing forth cruelty and wickednesse like you and your hearers that are asleep or in the sleepy security and in Ignorance in sin unturned to God and you their teachers neglecters of the work of God and in the miscarriages wrongers of them and of Christ as you say and yet in your self commendation you are not ashamed to call your selves the Lords labourers when you are wrongers of him and the people and neglecters of his work also living in the miscarriages and where you tell of a land of light and a garden you are found to be out of both and in darknesse and the field of wickednesse in whose hearts the miscarriages and weeds grows and where you say The Lord hath not dealt so with every Nation I say Mark 7.21.22 22. Rom. 1.28 29 c. not so much yet as to discover to the inhabitants their teachers abominations and miscarriages and cause their own mouthes to utter and their pens to write the same against themselves and their fruits to confirme it as in this Nation you and yours doth and hath done which is but the fore-runners or first discovered and so much made manifest before other Nations who have not yet heard and seene what we have done Most of the world you say page the 17. do lie in the darknesse of Heathernisme Idolatry Infidelitie and Mahometanisme and too much of Christendome in the darknesse of Popery and Heresie True all the world lieth in wickednesse I say and so saith the Scriptures I Joh. 5.19 but we know that we are of God and you in that wickednesse and Popish darknesse that are in the miscarriages are of the world c. And what can Heathenisme Idolatry Infidelity Mahometanisme Popery and Heresie though by pretended Christians bring forth more against the honour of God c. then to live in the miscarriages keep alive in killing ignorance wronging both men and Christ and neglect the work of God according to his word c. growing worse and yet run further from God as you do and if Papists Idolaters Infidels Mahometans and Heretiques can bring forth nothing more against the honour of God and destruction of souls then to live in killing ignorance unkilled and in miscarriages unpardoned and in sin unturned to God in sleepie security wronging both God and men and neglecting the work of God according to his word growing worse and running yet further from God then you and your hearers are found in the same and so agreeing in that old nature from whence ariseth negligence miscarriages Idolatry Poperie Infidelity Heathenisme and Mahometanisme Heresie c. and being out of the new birth in the old guided by that nature and Spirit do you not with Heathens Popes Turks Heretiques and Infidels agree in the maine for they can but live in the miscarriages asleep in security works of darknesse in sin unturned to God in killing ignorance unkilled neglecting the work of God according to his word to wrong Christ men growing worse and running futther from God which you and your hearers are found in and doth the same as your fruits and book called Agreement doth against you stand witnesse c. and here by your fruits spirits and your words you are left amongst your own with infidels idolaters Popes Turks and Heretiques that are of the old birth and wicked seed out of the way of salvation neglecting Gods work and persecuting or doing the work of the Devill in a high measure amounted so high as to turne wrongers of Christ and of men and so are deceivers of souls and therefore instead of a pardon expect judgment greater condemnation like such Mark 12.38.39.40 Math. 23.31.32 33. c. Behold are you not left desolate being shut out of Christs Ministry and from amongst Christians and are in the nature of Popes Papists Idolaters Infidels Heretiques and the Mahometans c. that are upon the same evill root living on the evill tree and bringing forth the evill fruit though you differ in some words and Colourable Glosses Math. 7.15.16.17.18.16.20 Isa 29.14.15.16 you are of the cursed root and beares that fruit that is aâ—cursed and can deceive none but the deceived such as are of that evill seed bearing evill fruit who are strangers to the new birth and without the true knowledge of the living God and now your vizors or covers are too narrow and all your garnishing and Colourable Glosses will not maske nor hide you Act 20.28.33.34 ver Act 26 26. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.7 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3 2 Cor. 6.3.4 5.6 but leaves you naked and bare In that which you call your Warrant you say the Holy-Ghost made you overseers c. but you have proved your selves liers for the Holy-Ghost makes those overseers that do not neglect the work of God and such as are out of miscarriages that shun not to declare the Counsel of God freely and covets no mans Silver nor Gold who are not persecuters nor wrongers of God but such as are blamelesse as the stewards of God c. Tit. 1.7 But you that are wrongers of men and of Christ and neglecters of the work of God according to his word growing worse and running yet further from God 2 Cor. 41.2 2 Tim. 3.10 11.12.13.16.17 1 Thâ—s 4.7 you never were made overseers by the Holy-Ghost therefore you have lied of or against the Holy Ghost so are liers against God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for in page 3.4 you tell of your unfaithfulnesse or negligence and are bewaileing the same as you say and wanting a pardon and yet you confute your selves in uttering your lies for your own ends where you are seeking your praise in that called your Exhortation c. page 17.18.19 c. Saying it hath pleased the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into this part of his Harvest though you confesse too weake and imperfect yet more numerous and faithfull and diligent then most of his Churches elsewhere proportionably can show That God hath sent forth labourers into his Harvest is true and they are strengthened by him to labour against your deceipt and they are both diligent and faithfull in his work who neither wrong Christ nor men but if you meane that you are those labourers or would have people to believe that you are your own words and fruits do witnesse against you that you ave not labourers in the Lords Harvest nor sent by him that are neglecters of his worke and in miscarriages not pardoned for the same and then not sent neither are you faithfull and diligent that are in the miscarriages and negligent your own
these promises cleanse your selves from all filthinesse of flesh and of Spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of the Lord. And Christ prayed to his Father for those that were given to him that they might be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 And all these had grace and Christian experience that both received the doctrin of perfection and walked in it and some preaching it and some pressing after it and some attaining it their words and fruits and the Spirit by which they were guided who had grace and Christian experience with such as received the doctrin of the Father and the Son having grace and abiding therein doth witnesse against thee Richard Baxter and thy false doctrin who garnisheth thy self with their words and calls them thy Warrant from God when thou and you 42. Priests are without their life and not in their practice but are in your miscarriages wronging others and growing worse c. Therefore are you without your warrant from God and are none of Christs ministers but enemies of the truth and are against the doctrin of the Lord Jesus but you are made manifest and your deceit and false doctrin is denyed by the Children of Light and in and with it you are reproved and against testified You say you receive the publike maintenance to this end that you may be enabled to lay out your endeavours for the good of the whole parishes from which you do receive it c. page 13. of your Agreement But have you not made it manifest to have received the publick maintenance of your parishes whom you receive it for your evil endeavours that are men of miscarriages unpardoned growing worse and runing further from God whose work is by you neglected according to your own sayings and your people understanding little you have said or many yeares preached to them who can scarse as you say speak a word of sence concerning the matters of their salvation and here you are witnesses against them for their Ignorance c. as well as you are witnesses against your selves for your miscarriages and wrong done to Christ them and is not your negligence one chief cause of their Ignorance and Ignorance the cause of destruction and for runner of eternall perdition who say you have wronged Christ and them page 19. Therefore may it not be concluded from your own confession that you are a chiefe cause of souls destruction and by your confusion have you not run into self-contradictions and makes it manifest that you take the publike maintenance of your parishes not for good endeavours but for your miscarriages and so for evil endeavors who hath not profited the people that are so Ignorant of the work of God and their soules good that they can scarce speak a word of sence in matters of salvation as you say and you are the wrongers of them and of God according to your own sayings and so deceives souls for your own ends but the Lord hath shaken his hand against your dishonest gain and such as through covetousnesse maketh merchandize of people Ezek. 22.12 23. your Judgment of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not that with you are such as you may read 2 Pet. 2.3 13 14 15. But let me aske you From whence you and those that pretend themselves ministers of the Gospel who receives Tythes or Hundreds a yeare c. tooke their first example and by whom to receive Tythes by compulsion and that which they and you call their publick maintenance c. had you your example so to do from the practice of the Apostles of Christ Observe Though Priests was very scant after the rot or pestilence spoken of in the time of Edw. 3. yet then the parish Priests was not by any manner of colour to receive above 6. marks wages by the yeare without the Bishops dispesnation and suspension the pain of people of holy Church so called giving above 5. or 6. Marks wages a year to a Parish Priest they was to pay the doubble of that which they gave more to any parish priest then 5. or 6. Marks wages in the yeare and it was to be converted to the use of Almes at the arbitrement of the Diocesan c Anno. 36. Ed. 3. Chap. 8. or from the constitution and decretall epistle of the Pope c. For the ministers of Christ had no command to take Tythes nor hundreds a yeare for preaching the Gospel but freely they received and freely they gave according to Christs command And I read in the law of England that Tythes after the Apostles time were free for the people was not bound to pay them so farr as I see till the Councell of Lateran in Pope Innocents time and then by his constitution and decretall epistle c. the Tythes it seems became bound c. and were to be paid by the subjects of the Realm and so came Parochiall rights as they call them c. to the Priests or Patrons of the Churches so called Then it is cleare to me that you have your ground to take Tythes and maintenance of the World for preaching c. not from the Apostles practice and order but from the Popes c. And that mist of Popish darknesse is not so farr dispelled or expelled from you as to cause you to forsake the Popes Constitutions or your Tythes and maisteries and follow the example of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ and to leave your Miscarriages great parsonages and give over wronging God and men for your own ends and to deny your selves and your preaching for filthy lucre and cease bearing rule by your meanes And if any of you receive the word and command from God become servant to all and minister freely as the ministers of the Gospel who dwelt dwell in the Light do afore-time did but before you do so you must turn from the broad way where the Lust Pride Pompe Covetousnesse earthly-mindednesse and vain glory of the world hath so much liberty in you and cease persecution take up the crosse to your wills Learn to know the bridle for your tongues And let the Issue of lyes and slanders be stopped c. that the stone may be set upon the neck and head of deceit Cook in his second part Institutes saith Before the Councell of Hateran Tythes were free or then any man might have given his Tythes to what spirituall person he would and it was provided at the Councell of Laterean c. that Tythes c. should be given to the Rector or Parson of the parish c. under pretence that he that gave spiritual food should reap temporal so farr as I gather see Cookes second part Institute about fol. 641. Here the Popes and their Priests Rectors c. it seemes like you they could call themselves spirituall men and Ministers Rectors c. as you do and they claimed or took Tythes and publick maintenance under pretence of Ministring spirituall things as
10. And you say page the 9. it is undenyable that the everlasting perdition of multitudes is caused by their ignorance and I say are not you the untaught teachers the cause of their ignorance and then are not you guilty of the blood and losse of those under you and the soules of those multitudes that through ignorance go into perdition whose negligence and wrong done to God and them is a great cause of that ignorance c. Therefore you say you are brought to a deep consideration of mens ignorance through your neglects and now you say you apprehend you have wronged Christ and them page 19 but what are they mended by your confession if they go into perdition and wherein do you amend since your confession but seeing your preaching to be uselesse or profit little or nothing but to deceive soules keep people in ignorance and wrong Christ and them you pretend that you will use some personall and familiar Instruction as a meanes to prevent that killing ignorance Page the 9. and that you call Catechisme setting the people to get the Creed Lords prayer ten Commandements or any Orthodox Catechisme with your expositers the same meanes which hath beene used by Bishops Prelates Episcopals your fore-Fathers if not by the Pope and yet the killing ignorance is left unkilled amongst your hearers and you the untaught teachers and when they have followed you in that you will leave them where they are and so the ignorance being unkilled amongst you and them is left and doth remaine c. To the People c that are put upon it to get the Lords Prayer Western Creed and Ten Commandements c and are yet in sin unturned to God in the selfe separation Jer. 4.25.27.28 29 30 31. Isa 9.14.15 16 17 Isa 59.2.3 4 5 6. MInd the light in your consciences that reproves for sin and evil Joh. 1.9 Math. 5.20 Job 3 3.5 Ephe. 5.11.12.13 Col. 3.5.6 Joh. 8.12 and obey that to be led out of deceipt and filthinesse for if you get all the words your Preists requireth of you and do not come to forsake the evill and imbrace the good and so witnesse the crucifying of the old nature and be borne of God it will little or nothing availe therefore mind the light of Christ in your consciences that discovereth ignorance error and miscarriages to you to follow the light that thereby the ignorance may be killed or works of the Devill destroyed and you by following the light end Counsel of Christ may be led out of darknesse ignorance and miscarriages into the light of life Joh. 8.12 And remember that the Ambassador of Christ 2. Cor. 5.20 the Councellor that declared the Counsel of God Acts 20.27 in his message and counsel co the Church said to them Pray with the Spirit and with the understanding c. 1 Cor. 14.12.13 14 15 therefore when you pray and say our Father and be not begotten by and borne of the Spirit of God how can you pray with the Spirit and true spirituall understanding for some are bastards and not sons Heb. 12.8 therefore if the bastards pray to God as their Father they are without the true understanding 1 Joh. 5.20 and without the true Spirit guiding therein and though your 42 Priests Pastors Rectors and untaught teachers and in the miscarriages let you to act in your own wills and bid you get these words to say over and some other which they have gathered together promising you salvation thereupon and they themselves without pardon for their wrong done to Christ and to you as they themselves say yet let me tell you that the Lord Jesus hath said Math. 7.20.21 that the tree is known by its evill fruits wherefore saith he By their fruits you shall know them Math. 7.15 c and to you I say that the Lord Jesus hath said that it is not every one that saith Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven so that you may get words and yet be without the life and not one jot nearer Heaven and it is at postible for you and hypocrites and evil doers to get words to repeate without spirit and true spirituall understanding and live still in the killing Ignorance in you unkilled as before though you may get all the words and have them ready to say over which your Priests and Pastors in their miscarriages untaught teachers or Popish Rectors hath imposed upon you and yet for all that remain hypocrites Bastards and be Ignorant both of the new birth and out of the way to salvation and yet ye may say Lord Lord and use the words saying Our Father which art in Heaven when your hearts are from him Isa 29.13 14 15 16. And may also for all that be Bastards Heb. 12.8 and neither sonnes servants nor Children of God but like such as Christ said was of their Father the Devill and be for condemnation as it is said John 8.44 Matth. 23.33 Mark 12.38 39 40. And yet may use scripture words and be Proud Covetous Persecuting Envious Mat. 6.5 Mark 12.38 39 40. and Children of the Devill John 8.44 1 John 3.15 Math. 4.5 6. For all that not being born of God and being out of the eternall life and without the true spirit and spirituall understanding and also may be under the wrath of God And in a stare of condemnation and being unrighteous shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven and so go into perdition take notice of that 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 17. Job 1.6.7 8 9 Jer. 23.1 Jer. 21.30 Joh. 8.40 41 42 43.44 45.47 48. And it is possible for the Devill to preach the letter of the Scripture in his disciples Proud Covetous Persecuting and Self-seeking Priests Pastors and Rectors and set people in the evil nature to get the same and not change it by repeating them over in the Miscarrying and wrongfull nature and being in the old birth and under the curse untaught of God and without the true spirituall understanding or the good spirit guiding them and may be for condemnation for all that Did not the Devill preach Scripture to Christ when he came to tempt him and say As it is written c. Matth. 4.5 6 Yet Christ rebuked him knowing his voice and said Get thee behind me or Go hence Satan Matth. 4.10 11. So ought all Christians to say to the Satanicall Ministers knowing their voice and their fruits to be from the Serpent that lives in Miscarriages doing wrong to God and Christ as yours say they do witnesse their own words in their Agreement page 4.19 c. But when Christ reproved Satan and denied him then he fled from him who came to have wronged him 2 Cor. 6.17 Math. 7.23 Eph. 5.11 2 Joh. 9.10 11 2 Pet. 2.3 Jude 11. as your teachers do him and you but your duty is to deny them and bid them depart because they
day of the 11th month in the yeare 1655. Richard Farnsworth To the Catechisme c. Set forth by the 42. Priests c. ANd in your Catechism you say you believe there is one only God in 3 persons I answer That there is one God is true and you are proved and have confessed that you are wrongers of his Son Christ Jesus and then of him for he and his Father is one Joh. 10.30 And there is three that beare witnesse in Heaven the Father the word and the Spirit and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 but where is those three persons you speake of are you not liers therein for he that abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son 2 Joh. 9. and the Holy Ghost remaines within in the Saints Joh. 14.15 16 17. and these three are one and agree in the unity 1 Joh. 5.7 8. and as Christ hath said I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17.23 and the unity stands in the eternity which is shut out of the reach of your carnality that are out of the unity and in the enmity and selfe separation wrongers of men and of Christ as you say you are therefore you speake of things which you are not in the true knowledge of and feeds peoples fancies with your conceivings and imaginations you say also that God made man for himselfe but you are gone farr from the end for which you were made that are turned wrongers of him in wronging people and his Son and in running further from him as your selves confesse and so under the curse for you say that he gave a law requireing perfect obedience upon paine of death and if he requires you perfectly to obey him upon paine of death are you not under that penalty and lyable to that paine and punishment that instead of yeilding perfect obedience denieth it in denying perfection and so perfect obedience who live in miscarriages growing worse and worse and running further from God and saying that the doctrine of God the Father and his Son viz the doctrine of Sinlesse perfection were bred by the Devil and detested by Christ and never received by any that had grace c. When the same doctrine was preached and commanded both by God and Christ and both believed in and received by such as had grace guiding them and such as yeild perfect obedience to the divine will and law of God them you revile and are not ashamed to call them heretiques and cast them into Prison if they do but walke up into the same things which you preach in words and speake of and seeing you out of the life of the same tell you of it though now you have confessed it that you are of what you set others to get instead of owning perfection and yeilding perfect obedience to the law and will of God you persecute them that do and lives your selves in the disobedience to the divine law and will of God and are in your covenant with sin and imperfection in the miscarriages and as you say wronging both Christ and men as thou Richard Baxter and you 42 hath done but thou and you all are seen and your covers will not hide you but leaves you bare who are out of the doctrine of Christ and under condemnation and in danger of stverlasting paine and death due to the disobedient except you consider betime and truly repent give over deceiving of soules yeild perfect obedience as you say that you may come out of imperfection and persecution and forsake your miscarriages and give over wronging Christ and men make restitution and humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and make it manifest not by your flatteries and excuses serpent-like and still continue or grow worse and worse in the miscarriages and wronging God men c. but by ceaseing your persecution and your preaching for hire and beareing rule by your meanes c. and turning to that of God which reproves in secret for your miscarriages and forsake them and your lusts and make your amendment and returne manifest by your fruits and live not in your flatteries but as you have confessed your wrong to the people and promised your amendment make good your word and go make restitution for them for the same and give over your trade of dâ—ceit there is many Scriptures which you have summed together and set people to get over mixing your deceipt and imaginations amongst them and hath not the Pope and Bishops as you do garnished and painted themselves in their masse books Pulpits and Catechisms c. with the Saints words when they was as farr from the Saints Spirit life and practise as you are and you for all your painting and garnishing your selves are as farr from the Saints life and practise as they were And if the people get all your words to say over will that change their nature which hath not yet changed yours and did not your Fore-fathers use it before you and yet left you where they was except more painted outwardly and grown more subtle but within full of venome cruelty and persecution and out of the life and power of truth as is made manifest for you say in your third Answer where you speak your own condition that as men did willfully sin and fall from God and happinesse you say in your 19 page that you are wrongers of Christ and men and in the neglect of the work of God and in miscarriages c page 3.4 in your Agreement then are not you in that condition entered willfully into them through Satans temptation and are not you in that condition under the wrath in the fall under the curse nay do I say any more herein then you have confessed for you say that man being tempted did willfully sin and I say you that are wrongers of Christ and of men you have done the same and so fell from God and hapinesse into miscarriages persecution and wickednesse under the wrath of God and curse of the law and the power of the Devill through disobedâ—ence as you are so say you in your third answer we are by nature dead in sin I say then you are not by grace yet quickened who are from the divine life and what can dead men act in that death and life of sin for God but against him and is not that the cause that the killing ignorance you speake or remaines yet unkilled amongst you and your people that are asleep as you say in security in sin unturned to God ignorance of that which concernes their salvation and therefore doth make it appeare that you are strangers from the life of Jesus and the covenant of promise and knoweth not the life of truth nor the quickening of the soule nor yet how to kill the killing ignorance that remaines amongst you unkilled and dead men that are dead from the divine life set up dead Papers and dead words without life
yet taught or have not submitted to the teachings of Christ your selves and your bare sayings that you are Ministers of Christ is not sufficient to prove you to be so when your fruits witnesse the contrary against you as well as your words and self-accusations who sayes you are wrongers of Christ and are growing worse and running further from God and as you run further from God you run further from grace and goodnesse into persecution wickednesse and your Miscarriages which is by your fruits daily made and will be more and more Manifest There was no necessity that you should have told us of it for we knew it before and the tree on which that evill fruit growes but seeing you have done so and also accused and confuted as well as contradicted your selves your words will serve to witnesse to succeeding ages against you with your fruits as they are left upon record c And in your tenth answer of your Catechisme you tell of secret duties of holinesse but you make it manifest that you are out of them and so are sayers and not doers and therefore hypocrits and they serve you to talk of but still lives and goes on in your miscarriages as well as in hardnesse of heart Pride worldly mindednesse flesh-pleaseing and hypocrisie which you speak of in that answer and so have laid open some of your fruits therein arising from that evill nature in which you grow worse who are the flesh-pleases will-worshippers and time servers And where you tell of watching against temptations instead thereof do you not for the love of money fall into temptation and so watch for large augmentations and how to ensnare and imprison such as are sent to tell you of your miscarriages which you now have confessed but are running yet further on in them and thosâ— private duties you say is in your 11 Ans that Masters Parents must teach their Children Servants the word and feare of God hinder them from sin the which if they could do I say it were well but before they do that they must know another spirit guiding to teacth and hinder them from sin who are yet without the feare of God that are yet asleepe in security and in sin unturned to God and untaught as you are who lives in miscarriages therein growing worse c. And how should they teach that to wit the word and feare of God to others whil'st they are untaught yet themselves as well as you their untaught teachers And in your last answer you tell of the necessarie duties of righteousnesse but it appeares that you are out of them that are in miscarriages growing worse and therefore are servants of sin and unrighteousnesse 1 Tim. 6.9.10 ver Rom. 13.3 4. Isa 56.9 10 11. ver But you say superiors must rule for God so say I and then they will feare God and hate covetousnesse as saith the Scripture Exod. 18.20 21 22. and also be ready to relieve the oppressed and punish evil doers and then how should you escape the punnishment that are in the miscarriages and doing wrong to others and you say it is your duty to love your neighbour as your selves but I say such as are wrongers of them are not lovers of them no more then for their own ends but you are wrongers of them according to your sayings as well as your doings and therefore it is manifest that instead of loving them you are wronging their soul's and from your quarters are seeking your own ends and earthly gaines as your brethren the false Prophets the blind watch-men and greedy dumb doggs as well as both the beasts of the field and the forest that came to devour did and do wrong to others then in their times as you do now in yours that are in the miscarriages wronging Christ and men who neglects that necessary duty you speak of and therefore be conviced that you leave undone that which you say is your duty as well as necessary and needfull and ought for to be done and so according to your own sayings you leave that undone which you ought to do and so you say it is your necessary duty to do as you would be done by then I say if you did your duty which you say is needfull to be done you would not perfecute and cause the innocent causelessy to be cast into Prisons and Dungeons nor to suffer such hard usage by your meanes as they do for you would not be so done unto your selves and not doing to them and others as you would be done unto your selves you both transgresse the royall law and also neglects and leaves undone that necessary duty you speak of but it serves you to talk of hypocrit-like though you leave it undone and regard not at all to performe the same as by your fruits is now largely made mâ—nifest and you say it is your duty to behave your selves towards all men in lowlinesse then I say you must forsake your miscarriages and lay aside envy pride and haughtinesse if you intend to performe your sâ—yings who also saith It is your duty soberly to behave your selves in meeknesse and harmelesly not wronging any in their bodies c. Then I say you must come out of your suttlety if you come into harmelessenesse and you must come out of your wrath and passion before you learne meeknesse and if it be your duty not to wrong any in their bodies then you leave it undone by filling of your Prisons who instead of being lowly and meeke are proâ—de covetous and haughty filled with envy and cruelty as your fruits doth demonstrate who instead of being harmelesse are wrongfull and growing worse in the miscarriages and instead of not wronging any in their bodies you both wrong their bodies that without cause by your meanes are made to suffer in Holes Prisons and Dungeons as well as to be beaten stoned and abused in your streets that in obedience to the Lord are sent to witnesse against your deceipts and as you cause wrong to be done to the Saints bodies according to your sayings in your Agreement and as you do wrong to them in their bodies so likewise do you wrong to the soules you deceive under your unprofitable ministry that saies you are not wrongers of them only but of Christ himselfe also Therefore you leave undone that necessary duty who leaveth that undone which you say you should do and instead of doing that necessary duty you make it your businesse to wrong Christ and men so doing that which you ought not to do according to your own sayings and therefore do you act against the Scripture as well as neglect your necessary duty you tell of makeing it your work to live in flatteries and miscarriages growing worse therein as well as to run further from God and do wrong to Christ and men as your fruits with your words against you do witnesse and also in a large measure doth shew forth the same Take notice