are treating with for our liberty which we charge you to preach up for 't is the year of Jubile that is come Lev. 25. 10. Sions captives some Psal 126. 1. of them we are yea we warn you by the Trumpet of the Lord so to do Noah being warned of God prepared an Ark Heb. 11. do you do the like yea prepare an Ark of protection from my Lord Protector for us and your selves especially we fear not the Lord and his Word will save us yea his Arm shall save us for we are children that will not lie Isa 63. 8. nor do not lye for it is the truth we stand for nor can ye do any thing against it if ye would This Rock will break and dash yee all in pieces set you up who will yea this truth hinted will prick you to the heart if ye kick against them that maintain it Why should ye that are for God and have been so all your daies many of you fight now against him take heed and take that Scripture Acts 5. 39. Yea again take heed lest ye be found so doing through pride self-hastinesse or any thing Men Brethren and Preachers we babes and children warn you old men and Fathers 1 John 2. 12. Yea we write these things unto you Fathers because ye have known him and owned him all your daies that was from the beginning yea we know ye know him and this to be his minde yea a Truth according to his minde that we now stand and plead thus for your conscience tells you it is so we know it doth so and before the Lord we think most of your consciences know it but something or another troubles fear of errors fear of slighting meanes and maintainance honour and esteem from men which if you be pleasers of you know what is said Iohn 5. 44. But fear ye none of all these things do not perplex your hearts this way fear him whom ye should fear our King and yours the King of Saints great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almightie Just and true are thy wayes O King of Saints who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name all nations shall come and worship before thee Rev. 15. 4. A sweet Scripture but to the point fear not Errours which we think is one of your great and main feares fear not that God is wiser than man ye than the wisest of the sons of men we nor you never play the fools more than when we set our wisdomes to his minde what we say Ye may think to save the truth of Christ as Vzzah did the Ark by putting out your counsel take Gamaliells counsel we have done ye that of the Ark which erring ye turn against us Vzzah was forbid to touch the Ark we are bid to build up one another and covet the best gifts yea to Prophesie 1 Cor. 14. 1. Iude 20. which we do men of old ordained unto condemnation creep forth with us Iude 4. not without the minde of God and broach damnable Errours yea denying the Lord that bought them In zeal as you think for him to save his truths Word and Ordinances it may be your selves yea all from falling ye put your hand power policy and humane wisdome against these men and us with them in true zeal as you think to save these truths well if ye do we think what we know and we know what we think and tell you too of the Texts 1 Chron. 13. 9 10. Acts 5. 33 39. A Word to the well satisfied sanctified and Godly of the Nation who are in Christ Jesus Saints by Calling 1 Cor. 1. 2. ANd for you of all formes and Judgements that are good and sound we have a word to each and first for you Churches and holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly calling Heb. 3. 1. We shall need to say but little to you about our Modell or Petition Yea nothing at all but straight choose ye out from amongst your selves men that are full of the holie Ghost like Stephen Acts 6. 3. zealous as Paul self-denying as John the Baptist who alwaies pointed to Christ denying himself that like to the other John may preach nothing but love love to God and all his wayes love to Saints in all their formes such men there are such men choose from amongst your selves yea and be sure they be so to promote this work in the publick places But first call a meeting ye that are in fellowship have many pray spend one or two in a serious consultation in and about this Modell for your next Petition I mean not for words but substance ye that I pray consult the minde of God is amongst the light of God in and the truth of God professed by you lay the golden Rule the Reed of the Temple the Word or the Modell and Petition to this Rule trie see search and find if it be not so But herein you are satisfied already Yea I think scarce a man otherwise What then Up and be doing for the Lord is with and hath laid this as a present work before you Yea do not you see it on your Tables as you sit and in your Bibles too Yea is it not and was it not in your hearts long ago well you had never such a nick of time as now to promote so good a work One man can do more than fifty could formerly you know who we mean you have the ear of God Yea you his little Church and Churches have so and the heart of this man too Pray what should hinder It is but ask and have two humble lines from one of your Society doth this work we will warrand you but for company sake which is good yea exceeding good in a good matter You may all draw a line or two of love and liking to the Work and when he that hath our hearts as well as we his shall be humbly presented with these desires we shall then see what a gracious answer we shall soon find believe it the Lord our God nor the Lord protector our true old Friend and good Friend under him can denie nothing to the Saints and little Churches scarce himself especially such a thing as this as tends so much to the good of all souls peace and welfare of the Church and State the glorie of both which is most under his care now so then it is but to seek and find ask and have one knock by a Petition and this door of Liberty flies wide open beating down all that stand against it Well is the Work before you yea on your Tables in your hearts Yea and put into your hand by God and his poor sinning servants do not delay time it requires haste post-haste therefore do not delay because ye know not what they are nor where they are nor of whose judgement all which concernes just nothing The work is the Lords and before you by his Providence so we say again do not ye be busie Paul once complained
one for an Antinomian and the other for a Flyer Yea sometimes a Lyer to make up the number of the Hereticks because you for the present it may be do not see them yet trulie for my part I do love exceedingly to see a Preacher as well as hear him yet I must confesse they flye sometimes higer than I can well tell yet or see where they are or hear either what they say understandingly which I do not well like not dare not too hastily judge I know but in part Yea saith Paul we all know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. But when I do consider Christ and the Apostles most of which slew very low Yea preached according to the understanding and best advantage for the people that is a good rule but to flye to high is dangerous and unprofitable one may get a fall and the other two be dazled Yea stagger in his judgement and misled it may be in judgement from the Lord for want of love to plain truths 2 Thes 20. 11 12. and too much too high Disputes the fruit of spirituall pride so I like not men too high but as heavenly as they will in Emblems Divine things and Meditations Yea I say I love to hear men so Preach and they take us up like John in the Spirit Rev. 1. 10. or Paul in his rapture but these are still in New-England Old-England hath but few so many changes have been of late and every change distempers some Ministers halfe a year at least after Mr. Loves head how long before the Presbyterians settled right to the work of Preaching Christ up down self Yea are they yet at it especially the latter I do not know but I have heard a little But will you hear a fool and Friend gladly by way of advice Iob and David did so of you know whom will you lift up Christ more in Prayer Yea your selves and the Saints in what God hath done for us in a way of praises Eph. 1. 34. 56. as well as what we are by nature and that is bad enough in our selves yet in Christs righteousnesse we are still righteous Minde that however confesse no more then you are guilty and in that confession distinguish between men and men and this hint to in your preaching and I shall presume no more Lift him up there who is the true brazen Serpent Iohn 3. 14 15. for every eye to look on Spread upon the pole of the Crosse with his Crown of thornes fast nailed to the Law yea justice of God for satisfaction and so let his side run freely yea tell the world of his Speech Wâ—man behold thy son Iohn 19. 26. Yea sinner sinner thy Saviour for it is thee he calls as well as she and when ye have clearlie so done by right distinguishing between the Law and Gospel what he hath freely done for us Yea to the uttermost farthing and what he requires of us more then he hath given or promised to us and so ye give us the very man that once looked down from Mount Olives Luk 19. 41. with soul-longings for us Yea ye give us then the very names of Christ Jesus the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of of the world Iohn 1. 29. before Repentance and from thence gives right repentance never to be repented of world without end Amen Will ye try a little this Doctrine and give us this wine reserved for the latter age Iohn 2. 2. at least one cup full now and then and you will draw the hearts of all men more then you do unto Christ and your selves and off from all sin and sorrow yea our lives will be better and our stirrings quicker when you pour this oyl of gladenesse upon our heads and hearts And now you that have it come away to the old work and Petition for our Liberty to preach the Scapegoat Lev. 16 21. the Paschall Lamb Exod. 12. 21. the brazen Serpent but some a little scruple at this namely our Call if it be but so a little scruple come away never be too nice in a good Work for an honest heart 't is for thousands indeed it is so Oh but it is divelish and damnable saith many of our Brethren honest sincere and godly ones say and think so happily because they have been taught so that they have been the truth of it is too much but for these that thought so and was once of that judgement will you still maintain it therefore I hope not so again many see and will not see but are sinfully silent marry pray God some great Ministers be not so well when one comes t'other will the people yea both in time how many of the latter would not come to a meeting till they found the sweetnesse but then like some cattell having tasted sweet corn how did they run and cry come husband come wife let us go to such and such a place to day there is a very sweet meeting ten or twenty of them in a Parlour they begin and end with Prayer two or three speak but one at a time all to one point I am sure by the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. it was so sweet and did warm my very heart and soul saith one that hath tryed Well will ye try now you that are against the publick exercisings of the People Oh but I am not for that yet Why A private life is good but a publick Saint is best if a Private meeting of ten or twenty Believers and others be so sweet the latter saying nothing nor the former but about forgivenesse faith and Repentance how God pardoned them and how sweet it was what now they will do and how much through grace love again this God and that the Lord is gracious in himself in his Son and Promises he is good to all yea all his works saith one yea to Saints and the worst of sinners Yea saith a third or else I had been in hell believe you saith a fourth Saint to the Sinners then Yea you may believe now look unto him and be saved straight from that Text Look unto me all the ends of the earth and be saved Isa 45. 22. Leave and loath your sins after this home runnes the sinner and cryes God was amongst them makes restitution straight crying out with David Away from me all ye workers of iniquity Psal 6. 8. which another hearing of cryes this was good if it were so alwayes when they meet to Preach but they wrangle much fall out and judge one another very seldome we assure you aâ— our set meetings carried on by a knot of true lovers sober able Christians but from whence comes the Errours some cry we have none amongst us we answer for our selves in two or three meetings that we know but do hold the same truths with our Ministers in every particular Yea we are baptized into one and the same faith with them by the same Spirit through the same blood 1 Cor. 12. 13. Yea we
differ in nothing in the world but that we would be setting up and converting sinners too thinking it is our duty When thou art converted strengthen thy brother Luk. 22. 32. Oh but from whence then comes your Errours Most from Ministers scandalous not knowing the truth sometimes through falshood and the Ministers fancy they say such a thing and such a thing is abroad and spread them in their Pulpits Errours which the people who are ever heavy in hearing to good and sound truth often catch the badd 't is good in some cases to see and not to see we think it is in this especially not to say we see what we hear from three or four hands every one adding or diminishing through weaknesse or wickednesse but the Errours and erroneous are none of us nor of the settled meeting Christians whose liberty we plead for but rather some giddy headed gadding Christians that runs up and down peeps in here and peeps in there no where out of love but in every place to object and wrangle and make a little way for an old Errour or a whimsie according to the rule of Paul First in love we check him once or twice Tit. 3. 10. if they be not too grosse however they are gone or else ever silent and converted from their sin Yea many times we gain some that are just a going by underpropping them when they lean a little from the truth by neglecting good Ministers hearing bad Our meetings to hear bad Disputes who nor where we neither own nor know nor love these things yea we love nothing but what may tend to the edification of one or another nor will do nothing else in your publick place when we come about a moneth hence some I hope will provide room or matter for us but you shall never come while you breath saith a Formalist one that hath every thing of a Saint but the reall life power gifts joyes and graces and these men will envy this light life and power least other men should expect as much from them because they have past all along under the same names and notions of good and godly men and so we shall be slighted say they and in time loose our esteem for our godlinesse though we have followed them in their very steps truly they that seem to have something and are nothing will in time loose that that is certain To him that hath shall be given and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which be seemeth to have Mat. 13. 12. But be this far from a good heart so to think be his gifts or graces as small as they will have not the members of the Church their peculiar gifts Are all the Lords people Prophets or have all the gifts of light knowledge grace and power alike No but every one hath as God hath given nor is it requisite it should be so John speakes of babes young men and old 1 John 2. 12 13 14. Every Member need not be an eye nor every Saint a Prophet yet every one is to covet the best gift especially this of Prophesying 1 Cor. 12. 31. or expounding Scripture but he that cannot may be as much humble yea as much usefull in another way therefore let not honest men and humble walking Christians fear the losse of this esteem but subscribe to the Modell Legall men and Pharisees and hypocrites will be offended more than any if every man preach thus It was so in Christs time and after Acts 4. 2. but we stand not for every man but for some able men judged to be so by some that are able so to do What if godly Christians should upon a summons from among themselves or from a Magistrate choose two three or four as the place can afford to be as publick speakers as your Burgesses are chosen one two or three for such a Town and two or three for such a Parish not too many at the first by no meanes better one old speaker then three or four young ones coming on for the present will ye take a fools advice 't is but a hint not a platform or a rule for all that were high presumption Yea to make ones self St. Peter but let me say what we think would do well leave your young speakers coming on to the private we can bear with one anothers weaknesse there and gain â—â— much by one as t'other many times but still for the present able to divide the word batter down sin yea the sinners and raise up the Saints especially the mourners of Sion Isa 40. 1. answer all objections bravely preach bold and humbly put out these first and the other forward as much as may be and hereto we who cannot well tell what to say in this nice point would not be too strait laced in giving leave to any to speak or object a little desiring every mans Light may be held forth most where his life and conversation is known to be good and godly yet we think they may do as Parsons do speak one for another that are well known And what if it were by a kind of Commission we mean the approbation of the Saints thereabouts yea and it would be very good to have as much love leave and liking as may be from others and we hear of many that are free and willing to hear us before or after Sermon every day we hope to gain more and more yea we have gained much already this way And this we add further You that chuse these men improve your Interest with your Minister of the Parish giving him to know who it is what it is when it is and why it is he should speak in the Publick this request of yours his love or liking of the man or mens Spirits may put him himself upon the breaking of the ice and recommending of the work to the people once or twice then the thing is done laughing jeering standing up the Newes and talking of it and all kind of hubbubbs are husht and gone for ever and we have our Liberty without the losse or mischief of an hair to any man living Ministers our hearts hands purses we feast them they sometimes us yea and we will better all their meanes be it Tythes be it what it will be yea we will look to their charge in case of death own them and do for them as our own Brethren yea and a thousand times more in requitall of their love to us and the truth which then they have to purpose manifested to the world round about yea and then every eye shall see that they are not in the least what too many are to prone to think yea and hastily to judge But yet a word more to our setters up in case such a one or more should through weaknesse and the divell which will not be wanting every way to tempt and try fall into any scandalous sin one or more yea or in case he do not but grow proud and
seems to be given us for this very purpose 1 Cor. 12. 6 7. again is it not Prophesied we shal be able so to do Joel 2. 1 Thes 4 8. Rom. 8. 16. 1 John 46. 13. Is not this Spirit that thus dwels in us a teaching Spirit as well as a pleading or a preaching Spirit as wel as a praying yea are not we bid to covet and desire that it may be so Minde those Texts wel and give a Sermon on one of them if you dare at White-Hall 1 Cor. 14. 1 5 30. but ye are all of you to shie this way yea I think scarce any of you good men that can freely say as Moses Num. 11. 29. I would all the Lords people were Prophets and with Paul I rejoice that Christ is preached though it be of ill will Phil. 1. 15 15. But you grieve although we preach Christ of good will judge us to be selfish proud and self-conceited the Lord pardon we do and in his presence professe what we do we do in love and obedience though you say in pride the Word of Christ which we preach thus in good will seems to be committed to our care and charge as well as yours Contend earnestly for the faith Jude 3. once delivered to the Saints that is the doctrine of the Scripture which we are to dispute pray and preach up you tell us of Corah Dathan Vzza's staying of the Ark 1 Chron. and would fain frighten us from the Work of God What things the people were forbidden they might not do but what we are commanded we may and must do and we are bid to build up one another pray with and for one another admonish and Prophesie to one another yea all Prophesie one by one 1 Cor. 14. 31. meaning not in an extraordinary way but in an ordinay way of opening Scriptures Prophesies and Promises to one another you tell and fright us with what men were forbidden to do we tell you of what we are bidden and commanded thou shalt not suffer sin upon thy brothers head but come ye and tell us what judgement did befall upon Apolos or Priscilla and Aquilla that preached unto him Acts 18. 26 28. Pray tell us if you can in the next the meaning of this Scripture 1 Cor. 14. 24. But you object and cry out this kinde of Doctrine and if all might preach will fill the Church with Errors from whence comes that Christ is of another mind Math. 22. 29. We are called not you sayes the Preachers to one place and people in an outward way they are so yea some to two or three but that we know no warrant for nor well which flock they are charged withall we are not with any not is it our duty to make it our whole businesse as it is yours and not to write newes make strife accuse us to or the Magistrates to us you say the Priests lips were to preserve knowledge now the Spirit is poured out upon the people breaths in and from the people this is a better help to us then the gift of tongues The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God and that learning cannot 1 Cor. 2. 14. yea this Spirit leads us into all truth when men leads us by many times but here comes in the great one If ye preach ye will baptize in a little while No no we deny that and it may be are not for it as you are or the baptized Churches either more of Mr. Dells judgement the Spirit Baptism but we think some of us thinks so that believers may break bread together though it be most convenient for a Pastor and Preacher in office yea the dead may bury the dead and who will unlesse he be a fat hog or rich Saint yea the best Text in the Bible is scarce good enough for either this in practice you alow and now cryes some we will have no Preachers at all within a little while God forbid we should say so and yet will we bake brew and dresse meat for our selves yet do we not destroy the Trades nor your peculiar calling in all that we stand for nor do we ever intend to set it up more then he the profession of a Lawyer that studieth the Lrwes for the good of himself and some few friends or many for whom he freely pleads now and then but you like not that neither Well we have hinted at our judgement as well as we can in a sheet or two and what have we said to offend you ourself denying godly Pastors truly nothing we should think but now happily we may and yet we will hide our Fathers nakednesse with the mantle of modesty minding our distance you cry out for our affections we for our affliction yea all of us for our Liberty the truth is you rob us and chide us but loosers best may speak you cry out for honour we freely give you double our dutie it is and yours to be diligently in the Word of Christ withholding nothing of his minde from us Acts 20. 27. But however see you be John the Baptists self-denying men John 3 30. and such as give all your glorie to Christ owning his Members and the gifts of his Spirit every where and God will give you honour He that honours me him will my father honour John 12. 26. yea and all the Saints too Again would you honour us now and then in our meetings where we may erre and do what we please for all you we should honour you more in your Pulpits yea this condescension would bring the world to a love and liking of the Saints Assemblings Heb. 10. 25. which now they throw dirt on you not commending them so much as in your Pulpits but revile them too often you cry out of Errors more then needs many times yet too many are we do confesse but to put the Divel Pope Jesuites Anabaptists Antinomians together meaning Gospel Ministers I think as a great Presbyterian Minister lately did in his Prayer then cryed out the Lord confound the designes of them all or worse seems something bitter and why might not liberty be given to object in such a case without offence Sermon being ended you would weigh the more what you sometimes pray and preach yee too often read from a Paper and we grieve the lesse when we hear such kind of things but we will wind up all lest we should offend too much where we love honour Our request is in the name of Christ our Lord and yours that ye would be faithful in this controversal points and iâ— in truth our desires be according to the minde of God as certainly they are for the glory of his Name the exaltation of his Son and Spirit and against sin and Satans Kingdom wicked men divels and the works of darknesse yea if it be against ignorance the mother sin of the Nation whereby souls perish Hos 4 6. and go down to hell every hour in the year one where or