Spirit and principle of persecution contrary to the great command of Iesus Christ which he calls the Royall Law of love and to the great duty of Christians love which is termed the fulfilling of the Law by this saith Christ shall men know ye are my disciples i. e. Reall Christians if ye love one another this is the duty which in Scripture is every where pressed and was slighted and neglected generally by all before our troubles and sorrows came upon us the want of this was the true cause of that bitter and cruell persecution of the godly in regard of their consciences by the Bishops and their adherents in their Popish and Antichristian Courts of High Commission Commissaries and Chancellors and the want of this love was the cause too of our oppressions in our estates in the other Courts of the Kingdom both legall and illegall so that all these were turned into gall and wormwood and our Laws by wresting of them were instead of remedies no better then nets and snares unto us and the further men went this way commonly the more were they insnared and entangled But you will say these Courts are now removed with their judges there is now no more fear of these these yokes are taken from off our necks wherefore do you yet complain I answer Though we have fought and sworn down Archbishops Bishops with all their rabble and dependents and so are likely to receive no further damage by them and these yokes which they created for us are castaway yet if the same Spirit and principle remain within us and amongst us it will act the same things though in another form and shape and Persecutions Fines and Imprisonments to the utter ruin of Families shall yet be the portion of the Saints in this Kingdom the beginnings whereof as they are felt by some already so are they feared almost by all and are too visible to every discerning eye And if you yet further demand of me what this Spirit and Principle is which will thus manifest it self to the persecution and destruction of the innocent and faithfull in this Kingdom I answer It is that very spirit of Satan and Antichrist most contrary to the Gospel spirit of love which is described by the Apostle in 2. Thes. 2.4 which is yet remaining amongst us even this that some of the sons of men sit as God in the Temple of God exalting themselves above all that is called God or is worshipped Every Saint is a Temple of the living God 2 Cor. 6.10 Whoever then whether a particular person or a collective body in this temple exalts himself above God or that which is worshipped which is nothing else but God for God only is to be worshipped this is the Antichrist the meaning is when God hath given Commands Rules and Directions in his word to those that are his in Iesus Christ for his worship and service and Iesus Christ hath sent his spirit into their hearts to perswade them of the force of these commands and of the manner of this worship For his sheep hear his voice and will not follow a stranger if there be any man sort or rank of men whatever that take upon them to judge of these commands and to interpret these rules for others so as to enforce obedience from others to their interpretations this I conceive is the Antichrist who sits as God in the Temple of God the Spirits and consciences of men and so exalts himself above all that is called God or worshipped i. e. will be obeyed in the place and stead of God and above him God commanding one thing to the conscience and He another This is Popery and the very top of all Popery the very life blood and spirit that runs through the whole body of it for what makes the Pope but this that he takes upon himself to be the infallible Interpreter and judge of the Scriptures and all the Papists that do not acknowledge him so to be yet place this Infallability some where either in the Church or in a Generall Counsell and when that cannot be had the Pope with his Consistory are in the place of it so that the Papists do all of them professe an infallibility of judgement and interpretation of the Scriptures and this makes them to impose upon men according to their own pleasure yet with some shew of truth and reason But for other men amongst us who do in their own words deny this infallibility of interpretation and yet to impose upon others what they do interpret as if they were infallible as it is in it self ridiculous so is it in my thoughts an aggravation of the crime and makes it more Antichristian in them then in the Pope himself who peradventure acts in this according to what he holds but these just contrary to what themselves believe and professe I could tell you of a people who deny themselves infallible yet use to determine all their Ecclesiasticall controversies and they are very large for In Ordine ad Spiritualia i. e. in reference to the Church they can take in much by a Nationall Assembly and in a vacancy of that by a Committee or Commissioners chosen from amongst them with a Chair-man or a Consistory rather answering that of the Cardinals with the Pope to whom if obedience be not yielded processe is made to Excommunication and after that to confiscation banishment and death whether this copy do not answer the originall pattern at Rome you that know judge and tell me if it be not as like it as ovum ovo and one apple to another Now if this be that Reformation which men so earnestly pursue that which is the very spirit life soul of Popery which hath given denomination and being to it by which it hath grown up and come to his full height strength by which it is upheld to this very day whereby it brought into the world all its Hereticall hellish doctrines all its damnable Paganish idolatries all its apish childish Fopperies Ceremonies Superstitions and from which it acted all its cruel burnings hangings imprisonings murthers massacres Rebellions Treasons Powder-plots and what ever men can call detestable and Devilish If I say this spirit must yet be kept amongst us put it into what form or beautifull shape you please call it by what name you will let it act out under what notion of Religion or Reformation you can imagine it is the same Antichrist still no other And now fellow Covenanters I think it is time for us to lay our hands upon our hearts and consider where we are what we are doing and whether we are going if instead of having our faces Sion ward we be not posting back again to Rome though not in the old road If it be so as alas it is too true be not deceived God is not mocked it s not crying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Reformation Government suppressing
Saviour Christ hath commanded that the tares and the wheat should grow together till the barvest what cruelty is this toward such men 〈…〉 live peaceably among men unblameable in their conversation pay you tax and tribute and in a word doe in all things which the Apostle Paul exercise themselves to keep faith and a good conscience towards God and men what cruelty I say is it that the Citâ—… Magistrate should be incensed against them should by all wayes be solicited not to give them a toleration that it not to suffer them when they have so faithfully engaged for them The field in the Parable must have some interpretation it must have reference to Church or State Christ would have them suffered some where but their adversaries who pretend so much for Christ are indeed in this particular as in many other things Antichrist i. e. against Christ he saith let them grow together these men say nay let them be pulled up lamentable will the condition of many people in this Kingdome and other places be if many choise young men and others who are ordained by Iesus Christ to eternall life and glory and have received a large portion of the spirit of Jesus Christ the only teacher of his people whereby they may edifie and build others up in the most holy faith if the mouths of these must be stopped for want of that empty and fruitlesse as is conceived Ceremony of Ordination which the doctrine peradventure of the Presbyterie of Scotland hath tought their consciences to startle at and deny for in the I. booke of the Disciplin of the Kirke of Scotland commanded to be practised in the same Kirks Anno Dom. 1641. under the head of Admission this they teach pag. 31. Other Ceremony then the publick Approbation of the people and Declaration of the chiefe Minister that the person there presented is appointed to serve the Church We cannot approve son all be it the Apostles used Imposition of Hands yet seeing the miracle is ceased the using of the Ceremony we iudge not necessary If any gift were conveyed who would deny nay who would not rejoyce to be partaker of it but whilst men see that this is but a vain Imitation of that primitive Apostolical Presbytety who had received from Iesus Christ and could convey to others such gifts of the Spirit for the Ministry of the Gospel as have been lost whilst we have been under the power of Antichrist and such as none of the Sons of men have received at this day and therefore cannot bestow on others they are exceedingly troubled in their Spirits can iudge the ceremony at the least but a taking of Gods name in vaine Let my counsell then wise Counsellors be acceptable touching these men that as in all your Declarations whilst you had any need of them either in their Persons or Estates 〈…〉 have ingaged to be tender towards them which Tendernesse they could conceive to be no lesse then a continued liberty in 〈…〉 severall wayes of worship which they then enjoyed and not after the lesse of many of their lives and a parting with a good part of ther lively hoods for your preservation an imprisoning of their persons and a wasting of the remainder by Attendance Suites Fees Fines and such other charges as necessarily attend such a condition And all this for the practise of those very things you seemed then to allow in them when you thus time after time declared Tendernesse towards them oh doe not doe not thus keep promise with them let not this â—e the recompence you give them for all the labour of love they have shewed unto you doe not for the gratification of a few men who from Sion Colledge either vent their considerations contrary to your Ordinances when they like them not or send you Votes Orders and Ordinances though Subâ—illy and mediately by the Assembly at their pleasures which you must confirme or be rayled at in every Pulpit in the City and have the 〈…〉 against you and seâ—t crying 〈…〉 you for 〈…〉 such things as I dare say not one of a thousand of them knowes or understands having a strong influence also by their Emissaries upon the adjacent Counties that they may concur with them in their destructive wayes and actions if these men can 〈…〉 you thus already before they have any power in ther hands consider I pray what they would doe if power should be given them according to their desire we have too lately bought repentance from their predicessors the Bishops at too dear arate al which I lay before you and if you please to peruse this tract you shall see these men proved the greatest Hereticks and Schismaticks in the Kingdome at this day And as touching these men who are so much reproached by them you shall find them to be according to what they understand pure in religion having not the forme but the power of godlinesse in their publique and private meetings dayly praying the Lord for you innocent in their lives inoffensive in their conversations peaceable in the places where they live and obedient to your iust power Our Lord Iesus Christ in all his goings out with them in thâ—se few last yeares not only opening their purses buts their very bowels and hearts making them ready and willing to spend to be spent for you hath given both to your selves al the world in all ages to come a sufficient demonstration of their harmlessenesse integrity faithfulnesse unto you and if you wil not beleeve these speaking out on their behalfe neither would yee if an Angel from heaven should come and witness for them Now the God of wisedome give you to disâ—erne betwixt truth and errour betwixt good and evill friends and enemies Saints and Hereticks and to hearken to the wise counsell of Gameliel a great Statist concerning the Sectaries of those times Acts 5. 35. 38. 39. with which I shall conclude take heed to your selves what you intend to doe at touching these men refraine from these men and let them alone for if this counsell or worke be of men it will come to naught but if it be of God yee cannot overthrow it least happily yee be even found fighters against God I verily thought I ought to doe many things against the name of Iesus And many of the Saints did I shut up in prison I punisht them oft and compelled them to blaspheme and I persecuted them even to strange Cities To every Reader I Have endeavoured in this discourse so farre as the present opportunity and time would give me leave to undeceive thee however to hint out Truth and a way to others who have more leisure for prosecution the stile is without quaintnesse plaine and familiar that I might not speake to the meanest for whom I mainly did intend it as a Barbarian If you please to cast your eye upon this word of distinction following it may give you some light for the better understanding of
in the field But to stop the rage of these unstable waters For the waters upon which the Whore sits are multitudes and people and to still this out cry if possible let us consider who these people are and whether or no indeed truth any such persons may be found amongst us who are so called We will first then inquire after the Names themselves and see what they hold forth unto us and what may be concluded thence Secondly We shall prove that though the Presbyteriah Churches were truly constituted and ordered according to the rule of the Word as indeed they are not yet maintaining any errour either in judgement or practice that the rest of the Christians in the Kingdome who joyne not themselves to them cannot truly and properly be termed Schismaticks for this Thirdly we shall clear it we hope to every reasonable understanding that in case these names of Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks be truly to be applied to any persons in this Nation that themselves no others do so properly deserve that name and that they onely make the rent and division that is amongst us For these names we shall speak of them according to the Scriptures onely that foundation upon which if we build we shall stand fast like to mount Zion which cannot be removed and from which if we turn aside we cannot but be shaken into dust being built upon the quick-sand of every unstable mans fancy of whom the holy Ghost hath said Psal. 30. 5. Verily man yea every man at his estate his best estate is vanity nay altogether vanity and that to be laid in the balance he is lighter then vanity nay plainly he is a lie Beware then of men especially such men wo be to them who shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men Who love the uppermost seats at feasts VVho tithe Mint and Anise and Comin and passe over judgement mercy faith and the love of God our too much doting upon men hath forced this expression to return then Heresie is a Greek word having its derivation from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies to chuse so that it holds forth in the generall no more then the choice of any opinion either good or bad So it was used amongst the Heathens Vt non sum in eadem tecum haresi i e. opinione I am not in the same opinion with thee Learned Passor saith it s used in a good sence Act. 24. 14. After the way which men cal Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers the Religion of the Apostles appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ was then called by those who were the strictest professors of that time the great Rabbies and Doctors of the People but blinde leaders of the blinde Heresie or a Sect I wish that now that which comes neerest to Christs Institution and his Apostles were not so judged by the most of men and those who think themselves the wisest too but the world by wisdome knows not God and this wisdome is no better then foolishnesse with God You see briefly what the name Heretick Imports the choice of an opinion not generally received Though sometimes it falls out to be the truth even the truth it selfe the Way the Truth and the Life even Christ himself The next word which is Sect whence comes the common name Sectaries a word now so much in use and this is no other then the Latine of the former Greek word made into English as you may see Acts 5. 17. Chap. 15. 5. And elsewhere where you finde mention made of the Sects of the Saduces and Pharisees and the Originall word is still {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Heresie of the Saduces and Pharisees and so in the place fore quoted Acts 24 14. the choise of Christ and the true christian Religion is called a Heresie so that these two words signifie but one and the same thing only one is the Greek Word and the other is the Latine of it as you may see further in the 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. Which place I alleadge that we may finde out fully the meaning of the last word which is Schisme hath its Etymologie from the Greek word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Findo to cleave or rent asunder as you may finde it used in Matth. 9. 16. Chap. 27. 51. Luke 5. 26. and many other places so that Schisme is properly a seperation or division in a body whose parts were before united and in Scripture signification holds forth a division or discention in Judgement or opinion from others in what was before received and maintained together with them there must be a Vnion or Conjunction before this parting and division according to the true and proper sense of the word or else it cannot be a Schisme the full understanding of the word you may have in Iohn 7 43. and 10. 19. compared with 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. the two first texts tels us there was a division among the people and in the last the tearms Heresie Sect and Schisme are used promiscuously and seem to signifie but the same thing as in ver. 18. I heare there are Schismes among you and I partly beleeve it and in the 19. the Apostle renders the reason of this beliefe for there must be Heresies or Sects or it must be so for this cause that those that are approved may be made manifest So here you have all together and hold out but the very same to us or at most that one is the cause and the other the effect because the choice of an opinion differing from others is oft and hath been an occasion to those that entertain that opinion to divde from others in their practise also thus Heresie hath usually in the ordinarie sense of men referred to the Judgment and Schisme to the practise And because the Churches of the New Testament were every way true and sound both in respect of their Foundation Members Ministry Doctrines Institutions and Censures in their primitive Apostolicall planting therefore those that were once joyned to them and then chose out any opinion to themselves differing from them and upon that opinion made a division and seperation in their practise were in the true genuine signification of the words truly and properly Hereticks and Schismaticks so called but because the Churches of Iesus Christ straight after even in the Apostles time begun to decline from their first purity every way to wax worse and worse till the man of sin mentioned 2 Thess. 2. 3. 6. came fully to be revealed which hath now been for many hundred of yeares therefore such could not be Hereticks and Schismaticks who after the Apostles time and in succeeding ages took up opinions which were contrary both to the Doctrine and Practise of those declining Churches which were now no longer the true Churches of Iesus Christ according to their originall Institution and Plantation but the falfe and faigned
according to them and require no more of others but to do so who doth not see sith all necessary truths are plainly and evidently set down in Scripture there would of necessity be amongst all men in all things necessary unity of opinion unity of love and a spirit of mutuall toleration By which means all Schisme and Heresie would be banished the world and those wretched contentions which now rend and tear in pieces not the coat but the Members and Bowels of Christ which mutual Pride Tyranny cursing killing and damning would fain make mortall should speedily receive a most blessed conclusion By this means indeed should the Lord be one and his name one in the Nations which onenesse is not meant of any outward form but of the onenesse of love and affection in the spirit Doubtlesse at this day the most vehement Accusers are the greatest Schismaticks and those who talk of Uniformity do drive at Tyrannie and will have peace with none but their slaves and vassals By a late learned Antagonist of the Church of Rome and that whilest the Prelates were in their pride it was truly said Nothing is more against Religion then to force Religion Humane violence may make men counterfeit but cannot make them believe and is good for nothing but to breed form without and Atheism within Besides if this means of bringing men to embrace any Religion were generally used as if it may be justly used in any place by those that have power and think they have Truth Certainly it cannot with reason be denied but that it may be used in every place by those that have power as well as they and think they have truth as well as they what could follow but the maintenance perhaps of truth but perhaps only of the profession of it in one place and the oppression of it in a thousand what will follow but the preservation perhaps of unity but perhaps only of uniformity in particular States but the Imortalizing of the great and lamentable division of Christendom and the world Therefore what can follow from it but perhaps in the judgement of carnall policy the Temporall benefit and tranquility of temporall States and Kingdoms but certainly the infinite prejudice if not the desolation of the Kingdom of Christ and therefore it well becomes them who have their portions in this life and serve no higher State then that of England Scotland or Ireland nor this neither no farther then they may serve themselves by its to maintaine by Worldly power and violence their State inframent Religion But they that the indeed lovers of Christ of Truth of the Church of mankinds ought with all courage to oppose themselves against it as Antichristian and a Common enemy to all these They that know there is a King of Kings by whose will and pleasure Kingdoms stand and fall they know that to no King or State any thing can be profitable which is unjust our experiment is too neer us at this day The desolations of our State are witnesses hereof and that nothing can be more evidently unjust then to force weak men by the profession of a Religion which they beleeve not to loose their own eternall happinesse least they loose their temporall Estates and quietnesse there being no danger to any state from any mans opinion unlesse such by which disobedience to authority or impiety is taught unlesse this bloody Doctrine be joyned with it that it is lawfull for the Magistrate by humane violence to enforce men to his own Religion Oh let not our Magistrates in this take part with the scarlet Whore who for these many Ages hath daily sacrificed thousands of poor innocent Christians under the name of Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks Doubtlesse if our Lord Jesus Christ himself would have submitted to the expositions and interpretations which the Priests and Doctors had at that time given out upon the Scriptures they had never crucified him and put him to such open shame But because that he and his apostles after him would according to that new light which they had received endeavour to set up a Reformation all which was yet no other then a clearer and fuller Declaration of what the Scriptures did hold forth above and beyond the light and understanding of these men who were no other then the Divine Presbyterie of those times therefore received they such hard measure from them and suffered as Blasphemers and Hereticks under them and by their censure We have a law and by this law he ought to die Joh. 14. 7. Pilate though the supream Magistrate was no other but their Executioner then as the Civill powers have been in all Generations since to this sort of men who under a pretence of holinesse have daily embrewed their hands in innocent-blood Before I end there are some Texts of Scriptures which seem repugnant to what hath been asserted and would be answered as Object That in Tit. 3. 10. Him that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject this Text placeth a power somewhere both of judging Hereticks and proceeding against them Answ I answer True it is in the Primitive and Apostolical Churches amongst the rest of those gifts which were powred forth by Jesus Christ upon the Saints this was one discerning of spirits 1 Cor. 12. 10. but this gift amongst others in the Apostacy and falling away of the Churches which was foretold by the Apostle 2 Thes. 2. 3. and 1 Ioh. 4. 3. where the holy Ghost saith expresly that instead of the Spirit of Christ the spirit of Antichrist should come and was already was lost and because of the want hereof the Saints whom God hath stirred up to bear witnesse to the truth in their severall Ages ever since have unrighteously suffered been persecuted and put to death under this notion and name of Hereticks Secondly In case some Heresies may be so grosse that even to this day he that runs may read and the Saints according to that small measure of the spirit which they have received might judge them so to be yet this text belongs to the Church as their portion and not to the civill Magistrate as a Magistrate and what censure or punishment soever this rejection was it was to be executed by the Ecclesiasticall and not by the Civill power so that to apply such texts as this to the power of the Magistrate is one of the most grosse and palpable wrestings of Scripture that can be and yet is too common amongst the Gentlemen of the Jus Divinum Tribe in their discourses printed and unprinted as I my self not long since before the House of Commons at a Publique Fast heard that of Rev. 2. 20. Because thou sufferest that woman Iezabel c. which was written to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira either weakly or wilfully alledged to justifie their power viz. the Magistrates in spirituall things by which you may take a scantling of that gift among them Thirdly Supposing Churches with this
gift of discerning and so this power among them yet can it not be lawfull for them to proceed against men who hold Heresies nor indeed can they be properly so called unlesse they have acknowledged and profest the contrary thereunto before and so have departed from that truth which in their Communion they maintained which appears from this next verse to that we have in hand Tit 3. 11. where the Apostle saith that a Heretick is self condemned {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. that light which he had formerly received doth now judge him condemn him as it was in Iulian the Apostat who was forced to confesse at last vicisti Galilee I conceive men who never made any more profession of Christian Religion then what they have been passive in from their forced Baptisme and education having at no time attained to any thing which hath been so much as like a New birth or change in them and so were never reckoned or esteemed by Saints among the number of Saints or admitted into their fellowship or communion such men what Tenets or Errours soever they take up are rather to be accounted prophane persons or Atheists then Hereticks As it were improper to call either a Jew or Turk a Heretick in Scripture-sense though they deny Christ to be the Son of God which I confirm from that place of 2 Pet. 2. 1. where the Apostle mentioning false Teachers which should being in damnable Heresies he saith they were such as did deny the Lord that bought them i. e. though their Consciences had received such Convictions from the spirit that Iesus Christ was the Lord and Saviour of the world and so had given themselves up to him as such yet they afterward brought in those Doctrines which denied this again Object The next place Objected is Rom. 13. 4. where the Magistrate is said to be a Minister of God for wrath upon him that doth evil Now if you adde to this Gal. 5. 10. it appears that Heresie is an evil work being there reckoned among the deeds of the flesh and so punishable by the civill power Answ These places thus united I suppose do enforce the Objection and make it stronger then I have yet anywhere met with it But I answer there are in the same Gal. 5. 20 21. severall other works of the flesh numbred up together with Heresies which yet I conceive the Civill power cannot possibly take cognifance of as hatred emulations envyings and the Civill Magistrate can no more draw his sword against the One then against the Other no more against Heresie then against hatred emulation and envy Secondly for that place of the Romanes it was a Scripture written to the Christians living under heathen Magistrates thâ—se surely had no cognizance of the severall controversies or opinions which might fall in amongst the Christians in the profession of their Religion which the Heathens so much hated and therefore Heresie cannot fall under the power of the sword there mentioned and if so let all men judge how truly and properly these men apply the word and whether this be not a wringing of the Scripture like a nose of wax and a perverting of it to their own and other mens destruction I should have spoken more fully to this point but that I finde my self prevented by Mr. Iohn Goodwin in his late book called Hagâ—â—mastix from pag. 58. to paâ— 66. A piece worthy the sight of such men who enquire after Truth One great question yet remains to which I shall speak a word or two and so end Q. If Heresie Schism be of such a doubtfull nature and so hard to be found out if Hereticks and Schismaticks prove to be such whom we least suspected if that gift of discerning whereby they should be known be lost in the Apostacy of the Churches if the imposing our own fallible thoughts and expositions upon the consciences of other men be Antichristianisme and a setting up of the man of fin what shall be done in regard of our Solemn League and Covenant whereby we are engaged to endeavour the extirpation of Hâ—râ—sta and Schisme and to bring the Churches in the three kingdoms to a Vniformity c. Answ. I say concerning the Covenant in reference to the Presbyterians as they sometimes spake of the Church in reference to the Prelates they dazle the eyes and astonish the senses of poor people with the glorious name of the Covenant This is the Gorgans head that hath enchanted them and held them in bondage to their Presbyterian Errours All their speech is of the Covenant the Covenant neglecting in the mean time God and the Scriptures It matters not for other things in the Covenant as you may see in the next answer so as men will but walk according to the same in their interpretation in an outward uniformity of Religion and in a visible form of Church Government and worship then which nothing can be more against the power of godlinesse which consists in an invisible and internall breathing panting working and acting of the soul toward God for God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth All outward Forms imposed do but ordinarily and commonly breed Atheisme and hypocrisie It were well therefore that the Civill powers would be carefull how they engage carnall men in Religious Covenants and about spirituall things I answer we seem very zealous for extirpation of that which is neither in our cognizance nor power and for prophanesse and such things as are against the power of godlines which in the same clause we covenant against and against which the laws of God and men are in force and which are certainly and undoubtedly in the cognizance of the civill power and for which he must give an account to God how doth every one cry out upon the neglect of these whose eyes and ears are not full of the Reelings Railings Belchings Vomitings Swearings Cursings Lyings Stealings Brawlings and Fightings of Drunkards Liars Adulterers Whoors Prophane Gracelesse Godlesse persons and yet these are altogether or in a great measure unpunished due execution of Laws against these were a right Reformation indeed acceptable to God and all good men Sin open grosse palpable sin doth so abound every where that no just man can walk up and down without vexing his righteous soul for the unclean conversation of the wicked Remember who those men are reproved by our Saviour Matth. 23. 24 that thus strain at a gnat and swallow a camel I answer That we are in our severall places and callings to endeavour against these in like manner Art 2. now God calls us out against these men in case we could discern them infallibly not with a sword of steel but the sword of the spirit the word of God which is mighty through God to convince gain-sayers and the servant of the Lord must strive no otherwise then thus as I shewed before If men will but truly and