comply with our Brethren lying under these sins be not a breach of the bond of love according to that in the Corinths Love rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth And whether it be the union and wisdom of the spirit to hold the bond of peace without purity according to that in James 3.17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable c. So that our present practise seems unto us to be a pressing after that Grace of love in its true end according to the Scripture yea it is counted by the Lord a hating of our brother to see sin upon him and not to admonish him Lev. 19.17 and to withdraw from him in cafe that Admonition bring him not to such an acknowledgement of his sinne as to forsake it 9 9. Whether it be sufficient to excuse us at the great day of the Lord d The occasion of this query did arise from the great outcry made against us by the generality of them charging us with Schism and making division in the Church when our Lord saith that offenees will come but wo be to those by whom they do come And whether the crying evil of the Souldiers hath not justly given offence and Mr. Simpson and some others chiefly abetting of them hath not also added thereunto we leave unto the upright in heart to judge and whether it be not a popish principle and also they do not hereby condemn their own practice in seperating from the National church so called of England in saying There is no withdrawing from a Brother walking disorderly because the maior part of a congregation falls in with them And is it not the argument of the Church of Rome at this day who say we do withdraw from the Mother-church because the grand apostacy first sprang from a true Church in home who in number have all along been the maior part that Wee did cry out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are we when at the same time it will appeare that wee have those amongst us who do defile the Temple of the Lord to the view of the World for the Temple of God is holy and that you should rejoice in such defilement surely all such rejoycing is not good And whether our Lord Jesus by the Evangelist John doth not charge five of the seven Churches in the Revelation for complying with sin yea one of them for their lukewarmness is threatned to be spued out of his mouth as being a Church onely in Name and not in deed and one of the other two to wit Smyrna hath no sin laid to their charge but are exhorted to be faithful unto death and they shall receive a Crown of life for the Devil would cast some of them into prison Now we suppose that the Devil there it taken for some of his Instruments which makes out That their testimony was of such a publike nature that the power in being would take hold of them and yet it cannot be supposed but that they had their sins of weakness though nothing is laid to their charge in regard of their faithfulness to some present Truth 10 10. Whether sin in a Church of Christ we mean sinnes of scandal be not more dishonourable e If the incestuous persons sin or two or three Brethren committing the same or other sins be dishonorable to God then surely if the church whose duty it is to reprove cast out such from amongst them Matth. 18 17. com with 1 Cor. 5.13 should either be guilty of the same or own them that are so their sin would be so much more But to come more home to our present case see Numb chap. 14. chap. 16. where the lesser part of the congregation to wit Moses Aaron Caleb and Ioshua who were pressing on from Egypt to Canaan the work of God in that generation were counted faithful owned by him for that very cause but the greater part of the conregation who said Let us make a captain and return into Aegypt and would have stoned Moses and Aaron c. their sin was so dishonorable to God and did so provoke the eyes of his glory that their carkasses must fall and not see the good Land they were going into yea and their children after them wander in the Wilderness forty years And in Numb 16. The sin of the greater part of the congregation in joyning with Korah and the renowned men amongst them in opposition to the Spirit of the Lord in Moses c. upon the forementioned account see verse 13 14 was like wise so abominable in his fight that he bid Moses and Aaron ver 21 24 26. Separ te from them and also speak to the congregation to depart from the Tents of those wicked men and touch nothing of thews lest they be consumed in all their sins Then surely the wickedness of them in Power who have indeed made a Captain and are gone back to Aegypt and those that uphold them whilest they oppose and persecute the Lords spirit in his little Remnant who are pressing from Monarchy and Tyranny towards the promised Zion and Kingdom of Christ the work of God in this generation doth equal if not exceed the sin of that congregation of Korah his company it is as great an evil to touch with them or receive any of their things upon that account as dishonorable to God to stand by uphold them therein or for Churches or others to own them that do so as it was to have countenanced upheld or touch't with Korah and his company in that day to God then the like in a private brother or two or three Brethren And how can we be said to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly when we quietly sit down with the Church that owns them in their sin as we conceive and do break bread with and prophesie amongst them for we cannot see how this will hold before the Lord when we are to avoid every appearance of evil 11 11. Whether to acquiess in the judgement of a Church concerning sin though a restimony have been born against it be not something of the reliques of the man of sin and in process of time may not bring us under this Maxime To believe as the Church believes though we ought to be very tender and careful how we proceed in such a business that we be upright in heart before the Lord earnestly seeking to him for direction and counsel 12 12. Whether our Brethren that wear the Sword are not to be charged with Schism making a rent in the Church having through their just offence given to many Brethren and Sisters in the Congregation and many other choice Saints in the Nation made division amongst us and as we hear several others standing in the like quality with them have been f There was a mistake about the Souldiers mentionend in this query as cast our of two Congregations in VVales for so soon
as they began to lay their sin to their charge they withdrew themselves and came no more to them as we are since informed otherwise they had proceeded further against them cast out of two Churches in Wales upon the same occasion to wit Mr. Jenkin Jones Mr. Powells Churches and likewise as we hear another in England whose Name at present we have forgotten 13 13. Whether that Principle of the Congregation namely Communion with Saints upon the account of union with the Head be not unduly charged as broken by us when it is not intended by so good and righteous a principle that a Brother or Sister should take a liberty thereby as an occasion to the Flesh to walk scandalously among Saints and sinners for that is the corruption and not the true end of it The consideration whereof we think doth lye with such sorrow upon our souls as we may truly say hath wrung tears out of some of our hard hearts We shall not add more at present fearing it may be thought we have been too large in this already onely this that whereas it is said Nothing would content us but the sudden casting out of our Brethren without an orderly process according to the Scripture to which end we had resolved our present withdrawing before we came to the Church We do therefore desire to leave this with you as before the Lord That it was the least in our thoughts so to do for we hoped that truth would have taken so much place as that our brethren would have been admonished of their sin by the Church and so to have withdrawn from them if happily thorow a more narrow search into their hearts hereby the Lord might please out of his Grace to discover this their sin which hath and doth bring so great dishonor to the Name of the Lord though at present as they say unseen to them and in this Work not to have counted them as enemies but admonished them as brethren but so sudden a vote for communion with them lying under so great sin as we judge by what was offered that day did so amaze us that when we came out of London-House we knew not what to do only some of us did then conclude to meet together to enquire what was the mind of the Lord in this thing in which way of seeking to him we have continued to this day Now we hope you will bear with us and put a brotherly interpretation upon any thing therein that may not seem to carry with it that Love Affection and Gentleness which we desire from our hearts should be it not being our intention to justifie our selves in any evil but rather to lye at the Lords and your feet therein yet would gladly be found faithful to the Lord in such a day as this when they that tempt God are delivered and they that work wickedness are set up yea he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey and a snare is laid for him that reproveth in the Gate Thus we humbly leave these our thoughts to your serious consideration hoping that whatever our failings may be yet we shall not want the guidance and direction of his spirit in every way of truth and we also trust That as you are in some measure pressing after that excellent Grace of Love so you may abound therein more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that you may approve things that are excellent in such a day as this being sincere and without offence until the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God and then it will be our joy and rejoycing to return unto you and in the mean time we judge it our duty to be waiting upon the Lord and you till his mind and Will be further revealed concerning us in whose protection we leave you and remain Dated the first day of the fourth Month 1656. Your poor destitute and mourning Brethren and Sisters in some measure till the Lord restore you to your primitive spirit of Faith Light Love and Zeal for his glory wherein you have been as a Beacon upon the top of a Mountain AFter some solemn waiting upon the Lord this Paper was signed by threescore in number or thereabouts and was intended so to have been given in but was otherwise determined upon for these two Reasons First Because in such an evil day as this we ought not to trust in a Friend no not in a Guide but to keep the door of our mouths from those that lye in our bosome If so then not to trust our hands with those who had so unworthily betrayed the Cause of Christ Secondly It was judged most for the glory of God to go in person all of us being about twelve more then signed it and own the said Paper which would be more authentick and less advantage given against any particular person and therefore an exact Copy was drawn out and carryed unsigned all of us accompanying the Brethren to whom it was chiefly committed unto London-House the next first day after the date thereof when being come a Brother of ours stood up and spake a few Words to this effect That we were here come to present unto them in brotherly love after solemn waiting upon the Lord a Paper containing the evil of those persons amongst them against whom we had been so long contending together with the Grounds and Reasons of our withdrawing to this day which we had the more hastened to give in in regard we were several times urged thereunto by several Brethren sent by their appointment unto us and further desired that liberty might be granted unto one of the Brethren by us intrusted for the reading of it Which was not onely denyed us but much scruple raised by some What Scripture-Warrant we had to give in our dissatisfactions in Writing To which answer was made That we judged it our Gospel-liberty to give it in by writing or otherwise as might be most for the glory of God for by this writing we did give in our joynt Testimony against the present evil with the reasons of our withdrawing which we apprehended could not be so well done by a private brother or brethren in speaking but that we might have had just grounds of exceptions against some things that might be spoken against such brethren Hereupon our Brother Marsh who walks with them said That he thought it was not onely our Gospel-liberty but the Scripture would warrant our practice else Pauls writing to the Corinthians about the incestuous person was not warrantable but if it was then our practice had ground in Scripture and therefore conceived there need be no further discourse about that And by this means was that Scruple in some measure removed and some Way made for the reading of our Paper but not by any one of us which although we judged it a little unreasonable yet for peace sake we condescended thereunto
from them trusting that the promise of grace mentioned 2 Cor. 6.17 18. In these words Wherefore come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and be a Father unto you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty We desire also for their and our encouragement to leave with them that Scripture Psal 9.4 Hos 11.12 to be theirs and our portion also But till then we do also hereby humbly testifie and declare that as they now stand we cannot have Communion with them as otherwise in the uprightness of our hearts we desire to have and should much rejoyce in were they clear from the evil of this day and withdrawn from amongst those disorderly persons till then we have just ground to believe they are in their degree partakers of their evil according to that Scripture 1 Tim. 5.22 Be not partakers of others mens sins keep thy self pure Now to conclude and end this our Testimony we do in the General and to each one say and humbly declare That we cannot discern the power of the Church rests in you as under those sins you are now guilty of and fallen in with each one in their degree but ⋆ Only Moses Aaron Caleb and Joshua c. Who followed the Lord and had truth on their side and separated from Corah the Princes and famous men of the Congregation were owned by him and had the power with them as also to prevail that the greater part of the Congregation might not wholly be destroyed Num. 14.19 20. compare ch◠16 41. to 50 ca. 262 which notably agrees with Matt. 18.18 19. Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven c. Again if two of you viz. having the truth shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall ask it shall be done unto them c. And upon this account chiefly it was that they had the power and this presence with them and not so much because the one was the Leader and the other as it were the Pastor of the Congregation for if with the others they would have made a Captain to return to Egpt as also have stoned Caleb and Joshua in all likelyhood they had perished with them yea we finde that because the did contrary to the minde of the Lord at the waters of Meribah they must die by the way and not go into the good land and the power they had deliver'd unto others and onely Joshua and Calch c. who followed the Lord fully have the power and his presence with them Numb 20.12 24 26. Deut. 3.27 compare Chap. 34.4 By which it plainly appears the Lord would have the power to reside with those who follow him and have truth on their side though the lesser number and not with the greater though the Pastor be with them that are declined and so have not the truth with them We also finde Revel 2.7 9 10. Revel 3.4 to 10. That onely the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia and the few names in the Church of Sardis who followed the Lord fully and kept close to truth and had not desiled their garments and such as overcome and keep close to truth to the end are own'd by Jusus Christ and shall inherit the promises but he threatens to remove the Candlestick from the Church of Ephesus and to come upon all those of the Churches of Pergamus Thyatira Sardis though the greater number as a Thief and to fight against them and kill them with death unless they repent and return from the evil among them And the Church of Laodicea the worst of them all are for their Lukewarmness threatned to be wholly spued out of his Mouth Revel 2.5 16 23. Revel 3. 3. Which things are not written as onely belonging to that time but are also a prohesie of what shall be among the Churches a little before or about the time the promises and prophesies relating to the Kingdom of Christ and Zion shall be fusilled See Revel 2.26 27. Revel 3.10 12 21. in your poor unworthy Brethren and Sisters in whose name this comes though the lesser number Which we desire to mention with all Humillty and not in vain-glory knowing that we have no cause to be high minded but fear that such poor shrubs as we should stand when so many tall Cedars fall It being no where recorded in Scripture that the power of the Church rests in the greater number as under that Denomination but in those who according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ do withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly be they the less or the greater number for where truth is there is the true-Church power according to that in Matt. 16.18 19. in these words Thou art Poter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Whence we desire to observe that although our Lord Jesus speaks to Peter as a single person yet layes the weight of the Church upon him not as Peter but upon the truth whereof he made so upright a Confession whereby it seems plain unto us That where truth is not onely in the judgement but practice there is the Church with the Keys to wit it's power And this our Brother Sympson hath formerly declared saying That he should judge it his duty to joyn with a little number were they but 30 or 40. in number against 500. being perswaded that the Keys of the Church were truly there where the truth appears not onely in the doctrine but practice And yet we would say That where the greater number oppose the truth more caution is to be used more humility and brokenness of Spirit manifested and much looking up unto the Lord to be guided aright by the seffer number wherein we must acknowledge we have been too remiss desire to be humbled before the Lord for the same in the face of Jesus Christ Thus desiring that this out last Testimony may be received in love and be of that use and weight as to provoke you to a godly jealousie as Pauls Epistle did the Corinthians about the Incestuous Person that we may have cause to rejoyce upon the same account as he had which could we once see we should willingly lie at your feet for truths sake and be more glad thereof then of our daily food till then we desire to mourn and pray for your return Signed in the Name and by the Appointment of the whole John Proud Tho. Cary. Caleb Ingold James Chadwick Humphry Hathorn John Portmans Dated the 1. of the 7. Moneth 1657. THis Paper was committed to the custody of six Brethren chosen from amongst us to present and deliver it according to direction and if it might be obtained that some one of the six might have liberty to read it in the presence of them all but when they came they were denied the
upon our hearts to have delivered by word of mouth should be done in vvriting as vvell for your sakes as in discharge of our own duty according to the Rule of the Gospel and therefore vve intreat that you will suffer us hereby to plead a little vvith you for truths sake and vve hope it is unfeignedly upon our hearts to lay your great sin before you from some sense of the great dishonour brought unto the Name of the Lord by you and let these lines be patiently read through before you judge you poor unvvorthy brethren and sisters for we can truly say that we disire to mourn and groan in secret for you as well as for our own vveaknesses and this is some part of our joy That in simplicity and godly sincerity many of us have been by the space of two years and upwards endeavouring to get your feet as well as our own out of the Snare of the apostacy of this day having compassion of you as of our own souls for we are in some measure perswaded that some eminent hand of the Lord wil be manifested in due time to distinguish between those that serve him faithfully and those that serve him not In the first place therefore we pray you to consider the six great and scandalous sins laid to the charâ—g of the brethren amongst you wearing the Sword which for brevity sake we shall here onely mention referring you to our paper already given in for a more particular knowledge thereof wherein We desire the Scriptures in the margent may be diligently perused and some remembrance had of vvhat the Lord did inable us to speak from them when our Paper vvas debated in the Church although it is very vvell knovvn so much liberty vvas hardly obtained First Treason against Christ as King and Prophet of his people and King of Nations also for the latter part of the late VVar did run in that Channel Likewise against the faithful and vvell-affected in this Nation whose Liberties and they are made bond-slaves to their brethren though some blood was spilt and treasure spent to obtain it our of the hands of the late Tyrant Secondly Convenant-breaking and false swearing having engaged before the Lord and his People to perform the good promised on the behalf of Christ his People and the Nation vvhich are novv broken in the face of the Sun Thirdly Oppression by Tythes Taxes c. upon the bodyes and consciences of the Lords People and the well-affected the Nation at this day Fourthly Persecution of Saints many of the Lords people having been and some are still imprisoned for their testimony on the behalf of the Lord his Cause and the Nations liberty and therein the Souldiers are altogether active there being no rule not so much as according to the Law of the Land to justifie their practice by Civil Officers Fifthly Maintaining Antichristian Laws Statutes and Customs contrary to former Engagements and Declarations by vvhich the Saints of old have suffered and some do now suffer at this very day Sixthly Hereby the hearts of the righteous are greatly grieved for that brethren at least professing themselves so to be should be active in abetting and supporting so great vvikedness That these sins were plainly proved against our brethren wearing the Svvord novv amongst you is very manifest not onely in general but also in a great measure particularly and therfore shall leave it unto the Lord vvho judgeth righteously Yet vve do hereby humbly admonish them of their evil as being very great and scandalous After this there is laid down several Queries how vve vvere in duty bound to withdraw from them and by the same Rule to admonish and withdraw from your selves as being partakers with them having made your selves m Guilty for they are hereby encouraged to keep their places whereby the Man in Power is encouraged to go on in his apostacy and to judge himself in pretence at least to be in a good condition for when he hath been told That he had not the love of good people as formerly and that many were grieved at his present actions he replyed They were but a few inconsiderable people who were dissatisfied for the greatest part of honest men in the Army and Churches were for him and approved of what he had done which approhensions are begotten by members of Churches and other professors holding places under him for whilest they do so their tongues are tyed that they dare not openly speak their minds though they really apprehend yea and will to some confess That the present state of things are out of course and are not so honest as in the day of their straits they declared they should be Wherefore doth is not concern the Churches to take heed how they encourage those by continuing them among them who abet and uphold the present apostacy lest they become guilty thereof themselves and incur the Lords displeasure for so doing guilty of their iniquity by your vote of communion with them And this vve do in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ who hath commanded us to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly though herein we would distinguish between such of our Brethren Sisters as do plead for encourage and support them in their evil and others who for want of a true knowledge understanding thereof together with the overawing of some amongst you as we fear are notwithstanding in their degree also become partakers with them in their evil And here desire so far to digress as to answer one objection namely That our brethren the Souldiers desired leave to go off from us before we procceded so far as now we have but we would not To which vve answer That it is to be considered their sins are very scandalous and if so such a practice would be contrary to the Rule directing in such cases That if a brother or brethren offend to admonish them particularly then more publikely as he or they are found to persevere in their sin that if the Lord will they may see their evil and repent and not suffer them to go off without knowledge of their evil for if they should it may prove to the hardening of their hearts and consequently to the ruine of their souls Indeed to have let them gone off would have been much more easie to us and pleasing to the flesh for we did in some measure foresee how hard it would be in this rough path to follow the Lord fully yet we take comfort in this That our Cause is of God and our hearts we trust in the main upright therein Now we shall proceed to give you a short account how the Lord hath led us since our said withdrawing wherin it will be manifest if the Lord give you a spirit of discerning that we have to this day been patiently waiting upon the Lord and you to the end that if it had pleased our heavenly Father it might have put you upon inquiry how far you are become
might according to our Christian liberty in this extraordinary case choose on our part faithful Brethren many of which had hazarded their lives for the Name and Cause of our Lord Jesus Christ so openly betrayed at this day against whom We trust there shall be no just grounds of exceptions as to their lives and conversations and you may proceed to send unto the Churches on your part as you shall think meet Now least the objection you made when the Brethren were last with you by our appointment to wit That by this Answer we do wave that our sleves which we have pressed upon you about sending to the neighbouring Congregations when we were not willing to join therein Which we do plainly deny for we never moved it unto you much less pressed it upon you but your proceeding herein hath been your ovvn voluntary act without us though indeed we excepted against your practice as it was by yourselves without our consent therewith also apprehending your present estate to be no less then the plain fruit of open backsliding from the Cause of our Lord Jesus Christ though we desire to mention it with fear and trembling and due respect unto some amongst you as not so guilty herein as others are likewise we have ground to fear that most of the Churches of Christ in this City are more or less tainted with the sore Apostacy of this day not that we delight in such reflections but desire to speak it with humility grief and sorrow of heart and should be glad there vvere no just ground for such a jealousie This pre-considered it seems more obliging unto you to follow that practice then unto us at this time and may excuse the formality of the practice on our pare and the rather when you proceeded in such a VVork not onely without the consent but without so much as a tender thereof unto your brethren and sisters joyntly concerned therein until this last time which was not so much of your selves as seemingly necessitated thereunto by those Brethren of other Churches who refused to advise you in or hear any thing of the matter in difference till at least you had asked our consent and approbation thereof and therein you may please to remember the stress of their refusal did lye to heare ought you had to say and if so we humbly apprehend it will take off that scandal of hypocrisie and changedness of mind laid to our charge by some amongst you Thus having given you a brief account of our last Message together with what hath passed between us and you since our last Paper was given in having therein unfeignedly and in all plainness opened our hearts unto you we shall not add more onely desiring That in case you do not think meet to receive our tender herein but proceed as formerly yon have done that then you will favour us so far or rather the Truth as to let this Paper be read unto the Brethren you shall send for before any proceeding be afterward the other two in their order as your intention was the last time the Messengers of other Churches were with you Intending here to conclude not having ought considerable to add some of our Brethren inform us of a Message received from you the last sixth day was a seven night to be communicated to us in words to this purpose That you did think meet to offer unto us that there might be a day of solemn fasting and prayer unto the Lord wherein you desire our conjunction the chief end of the duty being upon these three accounts First That both you and we might be deepely humbled before the Lord and be made sensible of all our evils and miscaerriages especially as they do relate to the present difference between you and us Secondly To enquire of the Lord a right way what you and we ought to do for the healing of it Thirdly That if there were any other thing we bought necessary to be put in we had our freedom to add thereto The consideration whereof hath put us upon a further enlargement in writing by way of answer and to which we desire to give this humble Reply That as to the VVork of humiliation it self and a day to be appointed in order thereunto we do fully approve of as being not onely a Gospel Ordinance but also incumbent on the Lords People in this day of sore affliction and time of Jacobs Trouble not onely as it may relate to our miscarriages evils committed since our first withdrawing wherein we desire to acknowledge before the Lord and you that herein we have ground sufficient to lie low before him and cover our Faces with shame in the sence thereof so far as it may not eclipse the riches of Grace in our Lord Jesus Christ but also in respect of the crying evils through the backsliding of professors under so great light which we fear doth fore-run some sore judgement upon this Nation in general and upon professors in particular but how to join with you as the case now stands between us we can see no Scripture-bottom or rational ground for the same it being pre-supposed first That you have amongst you those that are guilty of gross and scandalous sins upon which account We are withdrawn from you Secondly that you have not onely voted communion with such persons notwithstanding their sins but by a second Vote and continued practice justifie them in their evil and so many of you are become greatly partakers with them of their evil deeds and the rest also though less guilty Thirdly That you have so far own'd and approved of them as to forget their evil and charge us your poor brethren and sisters with making a rent and division for doing our duty when they indeed are the persons from whom the offence first came and some chief among you as greatly guilty as they by pleading for and excusing of them and so properly to be charged with making a rent and division in the Church Fourthly You have endeavoured to carry it on against us so as to take upon you the power of the Church without us and thereby would have proceeded to admonish us son making air out as you say in the Church had not the Lord wonderfully frustrated you in all your endeavours that Way though We should have rejoiced therein being comfortably satisfied that it would have been for his Namesake because We are contending for truth against the great iniquity among you and so the persons offending with their Abettors though the greater number to be admonished and withdrawn from by the lesser which if true then the power of the Church resides in the Lesser number and this in effect is no more then according to the practice of all the Congregational Churches in their withdrawing from the Parochial Churches Dear Brethren and Sisters these things are plain and true and therefore bear with us for We have yet longings of heart after you and desire to
liberty of reading it some of the Chief amongst them saying That is ought first to be perused by the Brethren amongst them at their usuall meeting and if they thought meet then to have read it otherwise not or else if we would stay till the next fourth day of the week it was possible we might have liberty to read it our selves But this was not thought meet to be embraced but since they denied us the present reading of it to leave it with them to do therein as they should think fit onley a Brother stood up and declared It was our last testimony of Separation against those scandalous sins and evils which many amongst them are guilty of and that it was our prayer that the Lord would please to sanctifie it unto them After this the Brethren took their leave and departed And so ends this Narrative Signed in the Name and by the Appoinment of the greater Number of the Congregation who have separated from those now walking with Master John Sympson Humphry Hathorn John Seely John Portmans Caleb Ingold A Preambulatory Epistle to seven of the Letters which Master Sympson wrote to the Congregation whilest he was a Prisoner for Truth in Windsor Castle IT doth much concern every true Believer in such a day as this When darkness covereth the earth and gross darkness the people to be watching narrowly to their paths lest they turn aside from the holy Commandment delivered to them as many have sadly done in this day which is to be bewailed with a bitter Lamentation had we a suitable Spirit thereunto when the Father is dishonored Christ reproached and the Spirit blasphemed and all under a form of godliness were we Baptized into Jeremiahs Spirit we should in the sense of the back-stiding of Professors say Oh That I had in the wilderness a lodging place of way-faring men that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterous an assembly of Treacherous men they bend their tongues like a bow for lies but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth Jer. 9.2 3. Many of us have had no small Wrestling in our own Spirits whether these Letters of Mr. Sympsons should be published or no chusing rather to have silently Mourned over him in the sense of the loss of that Spirit he seemed to be anointed with whiles he Continued in Windsor Castle as by his following Letters dated from thence will appear But considering what a Noble and Honourable Testimony he hath born against the iniquity of this day and that from the Spirit of God as he profest and since that to be as highly professing on the other hand saying That it was his errour and evil drying down all his former professions visions as delusions and of flesh Which hath staggerd some as to the very Principles of Godliness Likewise considering how he is fallen in with the present Abominations he hath formerly so witnessed against Adding hereunto that he hath been the instrumental cause of our Breach and Separation by falling in with and pleading for the Souldiers and present Power Which had he not done for ought as we know they might have turned from their evil way and thereby the Congregation having purged out their old Leaven might have become a new and pure Lump to the glory of God and comfort of each other in this evill day Likewise his owning of the Tryers by sending to them as well as others for advice how there might be a proceeding against us for our withdrawing Also to take a Commission from the Person in Power to Preach at All-gate though he hath formerly declared very highly as well against the Tryers with their Practice as the present Power we humbly apprehend may so far silence any Persons as not to Judge any thing before the time lest they be found Judging their Brethren or the work they are upon without a thorow knowledge of the cause or Spirit leading thereunto Yea give us leave humbly to say That the sense of the former Courage Life and Zeal which was in him for the truth wherein we cannot but Judge that the Spirit of the Lord was eminently manifest in him as to the matter of his Testimony though as to the manner most of us in many things were not so well satisfied with it seemes unto us to be rather a provocation then a discouragement in this work for we do not hereby publish his failings but onely by his naked Letters without paraphrasing upon them give a taste of that Spirit which formerly appeared in him for Christ against Antichrist and all evil doers Psal 94.16 And let the Reader Judge though it seemed unto us much like that Spirit the Church is found in Rev. 12.1 Which every true member ought to be Clothed with being Clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feer All sublunary Creatures appeared nothing to him he seemed unto us like unto Paul Acts 20.24 Tell him of troubles likely to fall thorow his faithfulness to Christ and his despised Cause and none of these things move him Moreover we are provoked hereunto considering how much Life and Courage was Administred unto us in the hearing of them read which we trust upon perusal of them by others may be useful unto them as well as unto us And shall truth die for fear of displeasing a man or men that are gone off from the work of Christ in their generation surtly no yea we trust that the publishing of them may be to the reviving of his Spirit again that he may consider from whence he is fallen and do his first works and then we shall rejoyce it may appear that he is in the number of those mentioned Dan. 11.35 Some of them of understanding shall fall to try them c. And we should much rejoyce if the Lord should make this way in any measure Instrumental to eat out that core of Apostacy which more gentle meanes though applied would not do or deliver the feet of any out of the snare who by reason of him are fallen from their own stedfastness however this is our rejoycing the Testimony of a good Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have been exercised herein and not out of malice strife or vain glory Signed in the Name and by the appointment of the greater Number of the Congregation who have separated from those now walking with Mr. John Sympson Humphry Hathorn John Portmans John Seely Caleb Ingold Here follows the Letters themselves JOhn a Prisoner not of Cromwel and his Council but of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the Saints and faithful Brethren which meet at the place which is known by the name of Great All-hallows London Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Blessed be the Name of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who dayly loads you with his loving kindness and tender mercies in Christ and for ever let his glorious goodness be
the Lambs company upon Mount Zion you will never be able to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Rev. 14.4 The very noise and rumout that Christ is going unto a Prison and that we shall not be able to keep Company with him and minde his Interest vigorously unless we are made willing to follow him into a Prison will make some recant and rather blasphemously Father the Issues and births of the Spirit in them upon the flesh then run the hazard of suffering persecution for the Truths concerning Christ and his Interest which they have declared But you will say Why do you send these lines unto us are we not all for Christ and his People their Cause and Interest I answer with Paul to Agrippa I wish that you were not almost but altogether all of you such as I am except those bonds I wish that you were all as really for the Cause of Christ and his people against all Antichristian Spirits whatsoever as you seemed to be when the Churches at the first met at All-hallows But know that men do easily deceive themselves in generals In general Papists carnal Protestants all Professors of Christianity are against Babylon and Antichrist the man of sin who professeth himself to be Christs Vicar will say that he were not worthy to live if he were not against every Antichristian Spirit And therefore come to particulars if you will not be deceived and deluded by your own hearts Again if you will not be deceived by the great Cheaters Jugglers Impostures your own hearts do not onely try your selves in particulars in which all men Saints and sinners agree and which you may agree with them in without suffering persecution but come to particulars in the profession of which you may suffer persecution The word of Christ in our generation may be a word for a while for which we may suffer Christ had never had any Martyrs if there had not been some raised in Spirit to hold forth something in opposition to the judgement of the powers of the world under which they lived It is an easie thing to Preach and maintain a thousand truths without suffering And it may be that Christ would have one truth preached and witnessed unto which will certainly bring persecution at the heels of it You may Preach and speak against ten thousand sins and not suffer the loss of one hair by it And yet there is one sin which Christ will have his People speak against which may cost them their lives which I could easily demonstrate but the messengers departure doth inforce me to break off abruptly The Lord preserve you in wayes of truth and peace and make you more willing to suffer with the Interest of Christ then to raign with a base beggerly and proud Interest of men which shall be the prayer of him who in the Spirit of truth can subscribe himself Your Brother and Christs Prisoner John Sympson Windsor 1. Moneth 25. day 1654. This is a true Coppy of the Originall examined by us Tho. Cary. John Clements Brethren in the Lord IF I am not mistaken concerning the time in which we live the next eminent work of God which will appear upon the stage will be the filling of his Temple with smoke from the glory of God and his power Rev. 15.19 And therefore it will not be an unseasonable word to stir you up to pray for the Accomplishing of it there will not be any great thing done beyond what you have seen with your eyes until the Angell of the Covenant come into his Temple to fill it with the glory of his Spirit surely the Spirit is upon his return to the Churches of Jesus Christ During the raign of the man of sin the Learned Impostures of the world with their Accademical Anointings have ecclipsed the glory of the Saints but when the promised Spirit of glory in Graces and gifts shall dwell among Sions Congregations the learned wisdom and policy of the carnall Church will be confounded As yet as I humbly conceive one vial hath not been poured forth But suddainly a great voice will be heard out of the Temple saying to the seven Angels Go your wayes and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth Rev. 16.1 As when the Temple of Solomon was Consecrated fire came down from Heaven and the glory of the Lord filled the house and the Priests could not enter into the Temple 2 Chron. 7.1 2. So Christ of whom Solomon was a Type is about to Consecrate his New Testament Temple which Antichrist hath profaned and polluted And suddenly the glory of Jehovah will fill his Churches fire will come down from heaven upon his beloved ones The Angel will fly thorow the midst of Heaven preaching the everlasting Gospel and the earth will be enlightned with his glory Hitherto onely some of Antichrists body hath been destroyed but then his Spirit will be confounded and destroyed It was the speech of Luther concerning King Harry the 8 th that he hated the body of Antichrist but loved and lived in his Spirit So there are many in these times who hate the body but love and live in the Spirit of the Whore The Spirit of the Whore is exalted in England and though few can see Spirits yet blessed be God there are some who have Eagles eyes and behold the Spirit of Christ and Antichrist combating upon the stage of England As blinde as I am who am not worthy to be accounted a spiritual Saint from Windsor Castle I descry and behold the Spirit of Babylon gotten upon the throne in England yea I behold a Beast risen in England with two horns like a Lamb but he speakes like a Dragon It was the speech of a Pope concerning an Archbishop of Canter bury That he was a Pope of another world Alterius orbis Papa Meaning of England I tell you the truth there is not onely a Pope of Rome but there is a Pope of another world but by faith I do behold his hornes dropped off And I pray to my God that that may happen unto him which befell the Caldean Lion Dan. 7.4 That his wings may be pluckt and he made to stand upon his feet and that a mans heart may be given unto him Oh that he might cease to be a beast and become a man If the Spirit of Antichrist be in the Pope and his Cardinals he is in this Beast and his Delegates The Lord Jesus hath set in his Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then gifts of healing Helps Governments diversity of Tongues But this Beast by his Ecclesiastical Antichristian power hath set up Commissioners Patrons Parsons Vicars Curates and Lecturers The Lord Jesus doth make Ministers by the Unction of the Spirit But this Beast doth make Ministers by a Sealed Instrument The Lord Jesus hath appointed that his Ministers should live by the free contribution of the People But this Beast will
the accomplishment of what is behind It is sweet to me now in this confinement to consider that I had a hint of these things by Intellectual vision or dreams before they came to pass In a slumber about Worcester Businesse I saw great O lying upon the ground with most of his great Officers and their mouthes stopped with clay by which I was perswaded that they should not be able to act any more for Christ or fetch breath in his cause which is come to passe Before the dissolution of the long sitting Parliament In a dream I beheld some lusty fellowes binding an old man who when he was bound his cords did break but he was so feeble that he could not rise again and presently after they had left him they caught hold of me and apprehended me It was given in that the Parliament was the Old man and that after they had dissolved the Parliament they should persecute me which I charged upon the memories of some friends to remember I scarce know how to speak of these things because some may think that I speak in wrath when I speak upon a more noble account for the glory of God But let truth be spoken though I suffer in the opinions of some Saints I shall conclude with desiring your Prayers for these things first that I may oppose the enemies of Christ as his not mine hating their wayes yet loving their persons as my own Secondly That I may pray in faith with the Psalmist Psal 119.134 Deliver me from the oppression of man so will I keep thy precepts Thirdly That God might strike my strongest corruptions under the fifth rib by this imprisonment Fourthly That God would anoint me with fresh oyl to Preach and Baptize Fifthly That God would teach me to see how far my suffering may be accounted a Martyrdom in relation to Christs good cause and a Judgement in relation to my unprofitable walking before God and his people for the same suffering may be a Martyrdom for Christ and a judgement to our flesh 1. Pet. 4.16 17. The Lord enable you to ask these things in faith and thoroughly enable you to every good work through Christ to whom be glory everlastingly Amen J.S. From the old Steeple 4th Moneth 3d. day 1654. This a true Coppy of the Originall examined by us Tho. Cary. John Clements Severall Objections against the Printing and Publishing of the aforementioned Transactions relating to our withdrawing and separation from the Souldiers and Mr. Simpson c. As also Mr. Simpsons Letters weighed scanned and answered WE finde a certain rule in Scripture that where a Brother or Brethren walk disorderly they are to be adminished and withdrawn from 2 Thes 3.6 And in case of perseverance in their evill after admonition to he saparated from and all Church relation disowned with them according to Mat. 18.15 16 17 18. Cor. 5 5.2 Cor. 6.17.2 Tim. 3.5 And when this is done they are to be unto us as those that are without but we see no Scripture warrant leading us to publish the sins and evill practices of such persons but rather to leave them unto the Lord to be converted or otherwise as he in his secret will hath determined yea it seems to us rather to savour of malice and revenge then of a Gospel frame of Spirit Answ There are two things to be considered for the making a righ answer to this objection which we desire may be weighed First the nature of the sin such persons are guilty of that is to say whether it be of u private or publique concernment for accordingly the Lord is either more or lesse dishonoured and therefore the Apostle speaks concerning some in this kinde I Tim. 5.20 in these words Them that sin rebuke before all that others may fear painly intimating that if persons who are called brethren have such foreheads of brasse as to commit sin in the face of the sun whereby God is not onely dishonoured in respect of the sin it self but others undone thereby as the sin of the Souldiers is by Treason False-swearing Oppression c And that not to the ruine of a few but the whole Nation yea to the crucifying and destroying of the Cause and Interest Christ contended for in the late Wars with the losse of so much precious blood we do then conceive that they ought to be rebuked before all that the Nation against whom they have sinned may know that we disown such wicked practices being contrary to the light of nature much more of grace which is also the more to be weighed in regard that Publique Sinnes brings Publique Judgements so did the sins of the Rulers in Israel upon the whole mation And therefore Pilate himself being forewarned by his wife not to have a hand in the death of our Lord Jesus being an innocent person without doubt did foresee how sad it would be with the Nation upon that account and therefore took water in the presence of the whole Court and published before them all that he would have no hand in his death and what a Judgement hath there been upon the Jews ever since for that publique sin And how did the Apostles afterwards testifie against the Rulers publiquely for their sin in so doing And if lawfull to speak in that manner against them then certainly it cannot but be as lawfull to write In the next place as the sin is to be considered so the Estate Quality and Officer of such persons who commits it And herein also sinne is the more aggravated for when Souldiers or Magistrates have professed before God Angels and Men what they would do for Christ his glory and poor afflicted people in administring of Justice and Righteousness relieving the oppressed and breaking yokes as also to improve all their Military civil power for the same whereunto they were called and intrusted both by God and man shall instead thereof take the Crown from off Christs head and put it upon their own and make use of their Power and Force to oppresse a Nation and do violence to all that will not bow down to their Lusts Also maintaining Antichristian Laws to force the consciences of the Lords People and all this contrary to their professed and declared light which is the more considerable in regard they have been Instruments in the Lords hand to pull down the late King with his Son other abettors for the like abominations now committed by themselves we then do humbly apprehend that not onely a Personal but National reproof is to be given them according to the nature of their offence and the capacity wherein they stand so that it seems to us not onely to be our Gospel Liberty but our Gospel Duty to publish by whriting the sin of the Souldiers with their abettors Objection The aforesaid Scripture although it speakes full as to their being rebuked before all according to the nature of their offence with the capacity wherein they stand which we must
confess doth weigh in the ballane of truth yet this doth not prove that we ought to publish their sins by writing and therefore we would gladly hear what Scripture you have for the same Answer In case it appears that according to the nature of their sin and the capacity they stand in they cannot be rebuked before all but by publishing them by writing then we think it cannot be supposed but that it is our Gospel liberty so to do or otherwise as may most answer the end of the Scripture that their folly being manifest to all they may proceed no further else how came Pauls epistle about the Incestuous Person to be published surely none will Judge that the Apostle did write out of malice or revenge But further we desire more particularly that that Scripture in Isa 30.1 2. and 8. verses together with the Scriptures in the margent may be compared and it will appear that the sin of Israel in that day runs parallel as face answers to face in a glass with the sin of our day as if it were the very time he prophesied of In the first and second verses after he hath laid down their sin with the aggravations of it he is commanded in the eigh verse to write it in a table and note it in a book that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever And the sin of the Souldiers in this day seemes to run in a line with the sin of Israel in that day and without doubt the Propher by the Spirit of the Lord was directed to foresee our very day that what he then writ might be a word of Instruction for after ages For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning c. Rom. 5.4 Object The end of Pauls writing about the Incestuous person was not so much about publishing by writing the sin of such a person or persons in the like maner guilty but rather for direction unto the Churches how they ought to proceed against persons guilty of such gross sins Because a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump And for that Scripture in Isa though it be full unto the purpose for which it is urged yet we conceive he had an extraordinary command for it Also the Church of the Jews being National it was no more then a publishing their sin in the Church Answ We do grant as is laid down in the objection that one end of the Apostle was to give direction how brethren in Church relation guilty of grosse sins ought to be proceeded against yet this doth no ways weaken the other end the Apostle might have in leaving this Epistle upon record that if God may be glorified by it to publish by writing the sins of such persons for generations to come which being compared with that in the 30. of Isa aforementioned seemes unto us strongly to warrant such a practice And although it is urged in the Objection that what Isaiah writ was by an extraordinary Spirit and unto the Jews as a National Church So was all the Scripture writ with an extraordinary Spirit wherein are some things for our positive Rule and the rest as words of Instruction for the people of God in after ages that they might with that ordinary portion of the Spirit given forth unto them with the help of the Scripture be throughly furnished to every good work And for what is further urged That it was a Church Act they being a National Church That we conceive is a mistake or at least much shortning the scope of the Spirit thereby intended for in the 9. verse of that Chapter the Prophet is directed to write down their transgression not onely as a Church but as a Nation in these words This is a rebellious people there is their national state and in the next words lying Children there is their Church State so that we conceive this Scripture stands firm and unanswerable Object Was not Ham Noahs son reproved for uncovering his fathers nakedness though guilty of the sin of drunkennesse Gen. 9.22 And if they should be published this Scripture would reprove us for hath not Mr. Sympson been as a father unto us Answ Noahs sin was private committed in his cent Noahs sin was not Wilful but Ignorantly for he being the first that planted a vine as we read of was drunk with the wine not knowing the strength thereof Also Ham uncovered his fathers nakedness before fore he had humbly laid his evil before his father for else we conceive that if Noah had persevered to justifie himself after admonition once and again as the Souldiers and Mr. Sympson do and continue in their evil Ham would not then have been charged with uncovering his fathers nakednesse Now the sin of the Souldiers is a National sin in turning aside to the old Abominations after many out-goings of God to the pulling them down and solemn Declarations Ingagements and Promises to the Contrary And for Master Sympson We conceive that in publishing his Letters we rather cover then uncover him by holding forth to the view of all what and excellent Spirit was formerly in him for Christ and his Glory But further we meddle not neither in the Narrative preceding otherwise then in our proceeding against the Sonldiers he comes in as their Abettor Object Was not the sin of Judas in betraying Christ a publique sin yet we do not read that the Disciples ever made mention of him except it were in the choice of another Apostle to take his place and therefore we do conceive that although their sin be publique and they in a publique capacity yet it ought not to be published Answ This Objection seems unto us to have no weight in it in case it were so as you assert For Judas went and confessed his sin to the Chief Priests and Rulers and then destroyed himself as the just Judgment of God upon him for his great iniquity in Betraying our Lord Jesus And therefore not so needful to testifie against a person who was taken out of the world by so eminent a Judgment But yet we finde that as the Lord by his Spirit in his faithful ones hath Recorded and published the sins of Asa Jehu Hazael and other Rulers as also the sins of his own people in the old Testament So by the same Spirit hath the Disciples Recorded the sins of Judas in the New and to his perpetual infamy published him to the world as a covetous and treacherous person in betraying our Lord Jesus As also the sins of Demas and Alexander Likewise have the Apostles persevered in their ⋆ publique testimony against the Scribes and Pharises c. for continuing in and justifying of the sin of their forefathers in shedding of innocent blood And do not the Souldiers by their sin in upholding the Oppression Tyranny and Persecution of this day also justifie the former Oppressors Tyrants and Persecutors in their sin adding thereunto more and more to the