an Advocate with the Father for us always even when we sin and pleading his Propitiatory Sacrifice unchangably on our behalf 1 John 1. 2. Compared with Heb. 7. 24. Tho' we vary and change in our Frames and in the Exercise of Grace yet it is well for us he never changeth nor the Righteousness of his Son He is God and changeth not therefore c. Mal. 3. 6. There must be no more Conscience of sin in Believers Such is the Nature of their Sacrifice that it ought to be so this Expression also is Scriptural Heb. 10. 2. they that cavil at me herein cavil at the words of the Holy Ghost pray let them undertake to answer him for it You would mourn You would weep Christ hath mourned Christ hath wept and you have nothing to do but accept his Grace the Righteousness by which you and I must be justified is Christ's fulfilling Adam's Covenant and Mount Sinai's Covenant and the Covenant of Grace I do not remember verbatim what hath been expressed so long since malice it self must have a better memory than I to do it but I will plainly relate my Judgment in the matter 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is according to the Scriptures the End or Consummation of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 14. And he did as it became him to fulfill all Righteousness as their Representative 2ly This offered Righteousness must be most freely accepted as a free Gift Rom. 5. 16. We must bring no Money nor Price in our hands to purchase it Isa 55. 1. 3ly Sinners are prone to mourn and weep by way of satisfaction to Justice but what ever in that nature was Penal and Satisfactory to Justice Christ dath done and suffered Isa 53. 3 4. Heb. 5. 7. When you are discouraged with Unbelief in Duty if you can believe that Jesus is there strongly believing in Heaven for you this raiseth your Faith If you see Christ loveth for you this draweth forth your love First observe this differently Phrased in the Libell so that it seems Mr. King took the same sentence from my mouth divers ways backward and forward even as his fancy pleased to chime it The same observations I have made concerning divers of these Accusations compared with them in the Libell 2. This I affirm that this Report was heard of early by us so that I and others that heard me did recollect what I delivered and we found upon such Recollection that my words were wrested and misconstrued but that I expressed my self to this Effect 1mo That Christ as our Representative fulfilled all Righteousness as is aforementioned That Christ believed and believed as our Representative Dr. Goodwin undeniably proves in his Triumph of Faith 2ly That the Graces of the Spirit he perfectly exercised as man cometh within the Compass of our Imputed Righteousness that all the Righteousness he fulfilld on Earth he carried with him to Heaven when he entred once for all not without Blood where he eternally presenteth them to the Father as the matter of our Justification and they are the Pleas he useth in his Intercession the Faith and Love and other Graces he exercised when on Earth are now in Heaven where he is 3ly Believers may take Comfort by veiwing through Faith not only their Persons but Performances covered in his Righteousness and see all their Guilt done away in his Blood see their Imperfect Obedience cover'd with his perfect Obedience This is the Summ of what was delivered and this I will stand by To fear Sin is the way to increase it The Position I laid down was this That Unbelieving Fears of Sin distrusting the Power of Christ to keep us is an inlett into sin 1 Job 4. 18. He that feareth is not made perfect in Love so divers other places which I need not insist upon now Animadversions on the foregoing Head I Cannot but judge that the Particular Accusations under the foregoing Head do infer a pernicious design against the imputed Righteousness of the Son of God viz. 1. That this Righteousness taketh not in the Active as well as the Passive Obedience of Christ which is a Principle which hath been lately minted in Opposition to the Current of Orthodox Writers to the various Confessions of Faith of the Protestants since the Reformation and to the Word of God which hath been already proved in part Therefore I shall only add this following Argument 1. The Law of God must be either satisfied or defeated in its intents and to defeat the intent of such a Holy Righteous Just Law is Antinomianism with a Witness which puteth a great Affront upon the Law-giver 2ly The Primary intent of God's Law is perfect Obedience and without perfect Obedience the Law of God cannot be satisfied 3ly Unless the Law can be satisfied there is no man living can be justified according to the Tenour of it and unless a sinner is justified he cannot be saved 4ly There is no sinner can plead satisfaction made unto it in his own proper Person therefore he must plead the satisfaction given by his Surety and Representative in his stead who fully satisfied as well the demands of it as the Penalty therefore through Faith we establish the Law Rom. 3. 31. and give it the highest Honour by offering to the Law-giver the perfect and God-like Obedience of his Son thereunto 2dly This last Head seemeth to have a bad intent to eclipse God's Act of Imputation by which this Righteousness is so made over to us for our highest Benefit and Advantages as if we our selves had wrought it out All this resulteth to Believers by virtue of Union to the Person of Christ and accepting the Union of Three Persons in One God and of Two Natures in One Person This Union is most unexpressibly great bating those Two fore-mentioned Unions we may speak as high of it and conceive as high of it as possible By virtue of the First Union God the Second Person is Equal with the Father and so the Third Co-equal with the Two former By virtue of the Second Union the Man Christ Jesus becometh the Redeemer the Mediator the Saviour Head over all Prince of Life Lord of Glory But it is Blasphemy to attribute any of this to any Believer by Virtue of a Third Union it is Blasphemy to say We are Godded with God Christed with Christ or that we become Saviours and Redeemers c. Yet however this 3d. Union conferreth great Titles and Privileges upon Believers according to the Scriptures As nothing can be spoken too high of the Righteousness of Christ so the Holy Scriptures of Truth do speak very magnificently of those that are cloathed with it They are said to be made Kings and Priests to God and the Father Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 6. A Holy Priesthood ver 9. A Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People As to Christ they are called Members of his Body Ephes 5. 30. 1
dependeth wholly upon our Obedience as the condition to which it is promised and therefore it puts us into a condition or State of Life Imperfect and subject to Change as Obedience it self is that we are not perfectly justified till Obedience be perfected 7. That by their Obedience Believers serve God and are fitted for Heaven and their Afflictions are Paternal Corrections to quicken them and to purge them but not inflicted as effects of the Curse 7. That Believers by their Obedience obtain continue and perfect their Right to Heaven and that their Afflictions are Fruits of the Curse of the Law Christ having purchased only that it should not Damn us but left it to the Father to Punish us for Sins in this Life as he shall think fit 8. We are made partakers of Christ's Righteousness and the Benefits thereof by Faith and that Faith is a trusting in the Promise of Life for the sake of Christ's Righteousness 8. That Faith in its whole Latitude is believing and obeying the Gospel that by this we are made partakers of the Benefits of Christ he having only purchased this Grant or Law that they which Obey him shall be Saved not that his Obedience should Save them 9. That Justification is the acceptance of a Sinner with God as Righteous through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to him whereby he hath a full right to Eternal Life 9. Justification is nothing else but the Pardon of Sin i. e. the not exacting the punishment of Sin due by the Law of Works and an acceptance of Man so far and so long as he performeth the Conditions of sincere Obedience These I unfeignedly Assent and Consent to These I Declare and protest against Rich. Davis Richard Davis BEhold the present controversie rightly Stated and tho many of the present Adversaries seem to approve of the Old Protestant Scheme and to be shie of the other yet let their Principles Doctrins and Expressions be persued close and you will catch them in the Neonomian Scheme and many of those they call Anti-Nomian flow genuinely from the Old Protestant Scheme I shall add no more but heartily Pray that the Spirit of Truth would guide us into all Truth as it is in Jesus Amen And that the World may know what my Judgment is in Matters of Faith I do heartily declare my Assent unto and Approbation of these following Articles I. Of the Scripture THE Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God and the only Rule of Faith and Life II. Of God There is but one only the living and true God who is a Spirit Infinite Eternal and unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Goodness and Truth There are three Persons in the God-head the Father eternally begetting the Son eternally begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son the same in Essence equal in all the incommunicable and communicable Attributes of the Divine Nature III. Of God's Decree The Decrees of God are his Eternal Purpose according to the Council of his Will whereby for his own Glory he hath fore-ordain'd whatsoever comes to pass which Decrees he executes in the Works of Creation and Providence IV. Of Creation The work of Creation is God's making all things of nothing by the word of his Power in the space of six Days and all very good and after other Creatures he Created Man Male and Female after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness Holiness with Dominion over the Creatures V. Of Providence God's Works of Providence are his most Holy Wise and Powerful Preserving and Governing all his Creatures and all their Actions VI. The Covenant of Works When God Created Man he entred into a Covenant of Life with him as the common Head and Representative of all Mankind upon condition of perfect Obedience forbidding him to Eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil upon pain of Death which Covenant our first Parents being left to the freedom of their own Will broke and so fell from the Estate wherein they were Created by sinning against God and all Mankind descending from Adam by ordinary Generation sinn edwith him and Fell with him in his first Transgression VII Of Sin by the Fall The Sinfulness of every Man descending from Adam by an ordinary Generation consists in the Guilt of Adam's first Sin the want of Original Righteousness and the Corruption of his whole Nature which is commonly call'd Original Sin together with all Actual Sins whereby he is opposite to all Good and bent to all Evil and liable to God's Wrath the Curse of the Law Death and all Miseries Spiritual Temporal and Eternal The remainders of this Original sinful Nature acts even in the Saints when their State is changed through Grace VIII Of Christ Christ Jesus the Eternal Son of God became Man being conceived in the Womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy-Ghost and thereby taking our Nature upon him continueth to be God and Man in two distinct Natures and one Person for ever IX Our Lord Jesus Christ both in his humbled and exalted state executeth the Office of a Prophet of a Priest and of a King to his Church X. Of the Prophetical Office of Christ Christ executes the Office of a Prophet in the times both of the Old and New Testament in revealing by his Word and Spirit the whole Mind and Will of God for Man's Salvation XI Of the Priesthood of Christ Christ executeth the Office of a Priest in once offering up himself a Sacrifice without Spot to God to be a Reconciliation for the Sins of all them that shall be Saved and in making continual Intercession for them at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High XII Of the Kingly Office of Christ Christ as our Redeemer executeth the Office of a King in calling out of the World a People to himself in Ruling and Defending them and in restraining and conquering all his and their Enemies XIII Of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed and was made manifest by freely providing and offering to Sinners a Mediator and Life and Salvation through him XIV Of Iustification Those whom God effectually Calleth he also freely Justifieth not by infusing Righteousness into them but by pardoning their Sins and by accounting and accepting their Persons as Righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone not by imputing Faith it self nor any other Evangelical Obedience unto them as their Righteousness but by imputing the Obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them They receiving and resting on him and his Righteousness by Faith which Faith they have not of themselves it is the Gift of God And this Faith is not a dead Faith but worketh by Love and is accompanied with all other saving Graces XV. Of Faith Faith in the General is a giving credit
fresh Assault A young Man dark in the Gospel but confident of his own parts missed by Pride and Ignorance sets up the Cry of Antinomianism No term was now too bad for us Disciples of Crisp Saltmarsh and I know not who besides which made many enquire into those Books they had not read nor heard of before I must confess I had not for one However Dr. Crisp's Works sold the better afterwards This young Man made the minds of Professors ill-affected towards us and he had great opportunity to instil his Insinuations by carrying a Pack up and down amongst professing Families Our Tryals thus encreasing our Comforts and Advantages did so proportionably blessed be the Father of Mercies and God of Comforts who comforted us in all our Tribulations with these Comforts wherewith we are enabled to comfort others for several were converted the Saints built up in their most holy Faith Members were daily added the Church greatly encreased spreading wide And over and above all this the Brethren being stirred up of the Lord waxed bold by these Afflictions to feed the Church that was scattered abroad and offer the free grace of God in Christ to perishing Sinners whose labours God was pleased to own very much to the praise of the glory of his own excellent power to which there was added by soveraign grace a holy boldness in the Members of the Church in their profession of and testimony for Christ and his Righteousness so that the Enemy despaired of trampling their Faith under foot This blew up the flame of Opposition beyond all Bounds Now Craft and Despair joined with Opposition to swell up the Flood above all Banks of Christianity Prudence and Morality Monstrous Stories concerning us were invented reported imposed and as credulously received and handed about again Pulpits founded out against us Coffee-houses Ale-houses Taverns and Feasting-Tables rung of us in repeated ridiculous impertinent and notorious Falshoods I have often wished that time had been spent in discoursing of heavenly things and have oftner wonder'd what strange Spirit possest Professors now adays and what would the end of these things be I also with an heart full of sorrow have thus reflected and are these then the effects of a day of liberty About this time Mr. King being sent down headed an opposing Party at Wellingborough which had took the opportunity of a day of liberty to forsake the Communion of the National Church which by deserting their former Profession they had for years embraced and he more vigorously than prudently performs his Work thus First He takes the imperfect Notes of a Sermon which when he had formed as he pleased he communicates to the Elders at London then as he himself confessed to one employed Men to bring in shreds of Sermons either real wrested or meerly invented as might best fit his purpose Besides this he galloped up and down the Country many Miles compass for these two Ends. 1. To incense the Ministers against us that lived many Miles distant from us 2. To rake together all the Accusations he could get either from profligate or prejudiced persons which hath afforded matter for the Libel I do judge Mr. King had better served the Lord Jesus if he had employed his time in preaching the everlasting Gospel He was soon succeeded by a corrupt Party about Keiso who had been detected to have had an hand in keeping that Church in its Ruines and Desolations for divers years These used much the same methods with Mr. King the Lord convince them of this great Evil if it be his blessed Will Then follows Mr. S of Oundle who was rather won over by the importunity of the Confederacy than forced thereunto by any manifest Cause for not long afore he had declared to Mrs. Woolastori That Satan had tryed to create Difference between him and me but that he hoped he should never prevail However being got in he was as active as any in the prosecution of the aforementioned Artifices With these in the opposition coalesced Mr. H Mr. W and divers other Ministers whom I never saw nor they me who notwithstanding were pleased to govern themselves by this Maxim Report and we will report it tho' this is far from being a qualification of a Citizen of Zion Who backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbor nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor Psal 15. 3. At last as the Head-Champion appears the Gentleman at Bedford in greater Fury and Violence to oppose us than either of the former This he did twice or thrice publickly in a Town of great Ignorance and Debauchery where the Gospel had newly got footing and had awakened some of the most Debauched for which piece of Service he had great Thanks given him by the Parson of the place Then he proceeded to write his Letters defamatory against us to London to thunder in the Pulpit against us to warn his Hearers and People from receiving or hearing of us Precibusque minas regaliter addit Which may be Englished thus Like some certain piece of Majesty he mingles Threats with his Requests Modesty forbids me to relate all his injurious Actions yet I hope notwithstanding all I should not only forgive but forget all of them were I but satisfy'd he was truly humbled for them But by this time the Ministerial Confederacy had sucked into itself all the fitted Materials that were round about These now jointly united in repeated Clamors and Letters of Defamation to expose us to the Nation and the dissenting Interest in general throughout the Nation and all this to support that pitiful Idol Self that must tumble at last for he hath said He will famish all the Gods of the Earth and that is one of the greatest of them Besides their being disturbed at the exercising of our gifted Brethren there fell an unaccountable Terror upon them lest we should break their Churches whereas if there be any thing that breaks them it will be their own opposition But surely they must be conscious of some great Defects in themselves and of some irreparable Flaws in their Building when they testifie their Fears of their being overturned by a small handful of despicable People Sure they must be but slightly founded and cemented when they are afraid the preaching of the Gospel will batter them down It was more worthily spoke by a certain Servant of Christ when the same Terror was laid before him That he had not so carried it amongst his People that their Love to him should be soon cooled and he hoped he had not so meanly instructed them in the Truths of Jesus that they were in danger to be so easily shaken and removed by any if they should bring another Gospel or words to that effect I cannot but testify how much I was affected with his admirable Prudence Temper and Moderation and especially his heavenly Conversation which adorned all the rest in a late Journy which I undertook But as to them it
the Soul and antecedent to this Divine supernatural Power which is no other than Arminianism And to allow it one minute before Christ's uniting himself to the Soul is all one as to allow it him from his Cradle or all three together 12. A Man may simply without Self-design or Self-Interest aim at the Glory of God and yet be an Hypocrite still Answ This is attested by judicious or rather malicious N. A. All the occasion that he had for his false Testimony was that there was something spoke to this purpose That some may possibly perform some obedience to the Law not to get worldly advantage thereby or to gain the applause of Men but because God commands it yet seeking to be justified thereby it is not right but hypocritical because it is not done in Faith in the manner that the Lord requireth it and because it is seeking to be justified by the works of the Law The Apostle testifies for his Countrymen That they had a zeal for God viz. in obeying his Law but notwithstanding it was not according to knowledge because thereby they went about to establish their own righteousness and did not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10. 23. 13. The Law giveth 1. A little sight of Sin 2. A killing sight of Sin 3. An impious sight of Sin Answ Here also is a little mistake in the Information for it was not said an impious but an impure sight of Sin Thus I explained these three Heads 1. The Law abstractedly consider'd gives to the Sinner in a state of Nature in meer legal Convictions a short sight of Sin Reason Because they never seek out under the greatest conviction of Sin for any Righteousness better than their own to be justified by whereas if the Law abstractedly consider'd did give to a Sinner in a state of Nature a thorow-sight of Sin he would never so often as he doth lean upon a Justification by his own works nor pacify the rage of his Conscience with his own doings This the Law of God tho' perfect in itself cannot do to a Man in an unregenerate state in that it is weak through the flesh therefore God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the flesh Rom. 8. 3. 2 dly It is but a killing sight of Sin Reason This is plain from Scripture for to this the Apostle witnesseth when he says expresly the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. which killing Letter he calls ver 7. The ministration of death ver 9. The ministration of Righteousness to which may be added as further proof Rom. 7. 9. 3 dly The Law in meer legal Convictions gives an impure sight of Sin First Reason The state is impure therefore all things in that state are impure too For Illustration thereof I may at least safely allude to those passages Haggai 2. 11 12 13 14. but more plainly proved from that as well as other places of Scripture Tit. 1. 15. Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled Second Reason A Conviction of Sin in a state of Nature hath a tendency to irritate Sin the more proved from Rom. 7. 5. For when we were in the flesh i. e. in a natural state the motions of Sin or the passions or ferment of Sin which were by the Law viz. convincing or restraining did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Whence it is evident 1. That the Law in a state of Nature by its Convictions doth ferment and irritate Sin 2. That Sin thus irritated doth work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death To which agreeth what is experimentally recorded ver 7 8. says the Apostle there For I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet But did this Conviction diminish or extinguish his Concupiscence No but rather encreased it for it instantly follows ver 8. But Sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence Yet it is true the Law by God's Ordination oftentimes restrains the outward Acts of Sin even then when Sin defiles the Conscience most with monstrous Unbelief and a violent establishment of a Man 's own Righteousness Now considering all this it is undeniably plain to me that the Law abstractedly consider'd in meer legal Convictions giveth to the Sinner an impure sight of Sin whether we consider the impurity of that state that defileth all things or the effects of such Convictions WE whose Names are under-written being constant Hearers of Mr. Davis in and about Kimbolton do testify and affirm That his Accusers have dealt injuriously with him in wresting his Words and perverting his Sentences that his Account is according to Truth and that the tenor of his Preaching amongst us has been to advance the Free-grace of God in Christ and to promote Gospel-holiness upon Evangelical Principles Witness our Hands Edward Marlin Stephen Richards William Custance John Conquest Samuel Gurrey Thomas Woodham Robert Elum John Wollaston George Hull These are said to be preached at Wellemborough 14. Such as preach up Qualifications are legal Preachers keep People in Bondage and are Enemies to their comfort Answ There has been and is too much preaching of such and such legal Qualifications not only antecedent to but abstracted from Faith Nay Faith itself is made no more of by them than a work of the Law and as for such I continue to maintain they are legal Preachers 15. People must beware of three sorts of Preachers Babylonish Graceless and such as mix the Law with the Gospel Answ Suppose it true I do not see how it can be charged as a Crime nor how can any understand my thoughts so as to know whom I mean But if Mr. King takes it to himself I shall heartily consent thereunto 16. Saints under the Old Testament had no spiritual life but in doing Answ This I asserted viz. That Saints since the giving forth of the Law at Mount Sinai had most of their spiritual life from their obedience thereunto And now I shall give my Reasons for my Assertion 1. Tho' I grant that all before the coming of Christ that were saved were saved the same way that the Saints now are viz. by the blood of Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world yet whether they knew that way of salvation as well as Saints now is to me a Question especially when I weigh these Scriptures 1 Pet. 10. 11 12. Ephes 3. 8 9 10 11. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. From which Scriptures with divers others well consider'd 't is evident to me there is a far greater discovery made now to the Saints in Gospel-days than to them before 2 dly I query whether they had not much of their Peace of Conscience from their Obedience and Sacrifices And this to me is undeniably proved from
notice thereof but he not willing to part with them till he had a louder Call and since it was not in their power to thrust them from the Place they thought they had the liberty in common Equity to make such provision for their own Edifications as they judged most suitable and necessary Accusation 6. He hath declared it to be his Opinion that he is happy who is an Instrument in breaking all the Churches Answer I declared that this was the Judgment of that great Man of God Dr. Owen now in Glory That it would be best for the Interest of Christ if all the Dissenting Churches in England were broken and would gather anew of those that were thorough for Christ Without declaring my own Opinion as will be attested by Mr. Ellis Mrs. Ellis Mr. Watts Mr. Sendall that were then present But I know not but he may be prophetick in his Opinion if God giveth not Repentance Furthermore he hath affirmed That for two years all the Churches are gone a Whoring from Christ I did not remember this when I first saw it but since one present remembred me of it I think I spake something of it yet the same worthy Person assured me it is not rightly reported and indeed I think it was very unfriendly and unchristian like to trumpet to the World in an odious Libel and then publickly to witness what past by way of Lamentation in private Discourse However as to what is alledged I wish it were not too to true They must needs be of a deep Laodicean Spirit that do not observe very great Declensions and Forsakings of their first Love upon the best Churches of Christ in England and this in Scripture Phrase is going a Whoring from the Lord and must it be an Offence to use Scripture-Language I heartily wish that instead of raging against the Truth they would seriously consider it and consider their own Wages He being told how comfortably the Ministers had lived formerly together replied with heat It was the Gospel he Preached made all the Disturbance for which he brought Matth. 10. Christ came not to bring Peace on Earth but a Sword That Passage is falsly father'd upon me That the Gospel I Preached made all the Disturbance The truth of the Matter is this That question being very often and I thought very uncandidly put unto me viz. What was the Reason there was more Disturbance since I came than formerly I made Answer only repeating these words Luke 12. 49. Any unbyass'd Person may see with half an Eye that they are guilty of Mistakes upon Mistakes for they say I named Mat. 10. 34. whereas the words I said were these I am come to send Fire on the Earth c. 'T is also evident what a captious Question it was and with an insnaring Design it was proposed as it hath since more plainly appeared by the Event This must needs in every impartial Judgment justifie me in keeping at a Distance from such Persons and if I be providentially cast into their Company to treat them with extreme Caution However as to the Answer then given it was not in a light and hasty Spirit for I have not seen cause to repent of it since Time the Parent of Truth may make it more and more Manifest Accusation 7. He said that Mr. Shepard was an Enemy to Christ and the Gospel Answ I must needs say I am sorry he has manifested such Enmity divers ways I need go at present no further than the Libel and the Concernment he appears to have in it other actings of his I could Instance in which were not so much against me for I have done him no harm but against the Gospel and Interest of the Lord Jesus That Mr. Medwell had done more Mischief in two Years than he could repair in all his Life I cannot deny but that I said I being provoked thereunto by one that came like them of old feigning himself to be a Just Man for to ensnare I was afterwards very much grieved for speaking these words in a Passion But as to the truth thereof I felt somewhat of it when I was Indicted at the Assizes for Preaching the Gospel but I shall forbear to produce instances to this purpose out of respect to Mr. Medwell but this is generally known That most of our Persecutors and Revilers Prophane as well as Professors take more Encouragement from Mr. Medwell's favouring the Opposition than others to act as they do Others he called Dry Sticks Scribes Pharisees Legalists Baals-Priests It is not proved that I called any so in particular and if I exclaimed against such Evil Persons in general why may not I against them as well as against Drunkards Swearers Whore-mongers Blasphemers and Sabbath-breakers It is past all doubt there have been in all Ages such sorts of evil Men. Africa was never more Fertile in Monsters than this present Age doth abound with such sorts of monstrous Creatures that John the Baptist our Blessed Lord and his Disciples so severely envied against If I have said so I say so let the Guilty in City and Country share it among themselves He said I care not for all the Elders in London they are most of them Arminians Amiraldists and Baxterians This I said in my Haste that the Ministers of London should not be my Judges being many of them Arminians Amiraldists and Baxterians which appeareth to be too true tho no truth ought to be spoken in Passion and in our own Spirits but is it not matter of Lamentation Pudet hoec opprobria dici Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli That late Book come forth with the New Gospel ushered into the World with 16 Names with a Thrasonic Boast of greater numbers ready to join these sufficiently proved me to be no Lyer I wish the Author would have tarried to have took them all in that we might have known the strength of his Party but since we hear they have appear'd in great numbers indeed yet all that will not do Truth may be clamour'd against but can't be overturn'd by Multitudes But it is very remarkable that the Reverend Assembly send such an one to judge of a Church of Christ and of their Faith and Order at Kettering in great State and Pomp when he had newly declar'd himself in Print to be the Admired Head of the Neonomian Sect or in plain English the New-Law-men to wit a Law they had set up in Contradiction to God's Law having clearly abolisht that requiring imperfect sinful Obedience in stead of what is Perfect and Sinless Accusation 8. He with the Church at Rothwell send forth many Illitterate and Ignorant Preachers without Advising with Neighboring Ministers Answ So we do and so we will do in the Name of the Lord we think it very strange we should be compelled to advise with them who by their late Actions have declared themselves to be perverters of the Gospel and favourers of the Neonomian Party clucking under Mr. William's