Evangelist whence Philip was called Evangelista that being the very thing made him an Evangelist and not his Deaconship besides which he had no other office because he did Evangelizare no man can give a reason why the scattered disciples that did Evangelizare or preach the Gospel with him should not be denominated Evangelists as well as he and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ no more then a Preacher and he that preaches and though every Pastor be both an Evangelist and a Prophet yet he that saies every Evangelist and Prophet is a Pastor or an ordained officer qua sic or that either of these are nomen officii or sounding forth more then a person thus or thus gifted viz. the Evangelist to preach the Gospel for the conversion of such as are yet without the Prophet to speak to the exhortation edification and comfort of the Church and people already converted and both these occasionally only and not as by vertue of an ordination to an office may say it ten times over before the Scripture rightly understood will furnish him to make proof of it once And as these ordinary disciples for the Apostles abode still at Ierusalem Act. 8.1 went every where as well as Philip pro suo modulo Evangelizantes preaching Christ according to their abilities so the hand of the Lord was with those occasional preachers that a great number believed and turned to the Lord by their means and were baptized also undoubtedly by their hands yea the famous Church of Antioch had its foundation from this and grew into a Church which they could not do without baptism before any actual officer came neer them for though Paul and Barnabas walked with them for a year and improved their gifts for their edification yet neither of these were yet actually any more then Evangelists and Prophets though before by God intended and not long after by the Church visibly ordained to their Apostleship i. e. men of excellent gifts and this will appear Act. 11. from verse 19. to the end with Act. 13. v. 4. and backward to the beginning you do therefore greatly err not knowing the Scriptures which tell you also plainly that though Paul converted all the Corinthians yet his own hands baptized but a few committing that dispensation as an inferiour work to his preaching to the hands of inferiour disciples as Mr. Baxter himself also confesses to your confutation asserting it from 1 Cor. 1 17. so though Peter converted the company in Cornelius house yet surely he baptized them not all if any at all with his own hands but left the administration to the hands of others some one or more of the brethren that came with him And the manner of speech implies plainly no lesse for he commanded that they should all be baptized in the name of the Lord yea so far is the word from tying up the dispensation of baptism to an office that we have much more president and proof after Christs ascension of comon disciples then you have of officers baptizing You therefore make much more a do in this then needs you strain indeed at a goat and swallow a camel and busy your self so about the truth of administrators that you have lost the truth and substance of the administration it self were your baptism true baptism indeed there is no necessity that ordained Ministers must administer it but unlesse it were truer then it is no matter if it were never administred at all Know therefore Sirs I beseech you that the verity worth weight and efficacy of baptism depends not upon the quality of the person administring but upon the truth of the subject to whom and the true form wherein t is administred the Scripture prescribes plainly who they are that shall and in what manner these shall but not at all by whom they shall be baptized t is the duty of them that believe to be baptized and his duty that baptizes to baptize indeed not rantize only and to baptize such as being taught the Gospel do believe it but who they must be that are to baptize those is neither here nor there to the baptism for ought I find in the word so they be but Masculine disciples nay though the person baptizing be not only no officer but in the case above named as yet unbaptized himself yet if the person baptized be not only a believing disciple but also baptized really and indeed his baptism is never the worse for the other Experience tells me and I believe many more that have been baptized according to truth that t was drawing neer to Christ with true hearts in his true ordinance that made us accepted in his sight not the qualifications of the baptizers whose baptism and ministerial functions were they invested with both could add never the more validity nor verity to our baptism as neither could the non-entity of either of those in them have possibly made the baptism so sincerely submitted to be in any measure void and of no effect the placing so much in persons administring as to think our selves ere the better for that was that fantastical fopery of the Corinthians for a while one saying I am of Paul another I of Apollo another I of Caephas i. e. I was baptized by such or such which made the Apostle Paul who with his own hands baptized but some of them well nigh wish he had baptized none of them at all when he saw their carnall glories in the persons administring and blesse God that he baptized no more least they should have thougt the better of themselves and of their baptism for its dispensation of it by his hands The administrators therefore being baptized or not baptizd minister or no minister maketh the baptism if elsewise warrantable neither better nor worse of it self all this I speak all this while not as granting that our baptism is by unbaptized persons and that my self am no minister of the Gospel for neither of these shall be yielded by any meanes unlesse you were more able then you are to prove them I speak it suppositively that if these were both so yet both my baptizing and being baptized may be warrantable enough notwithstanding or else if we deemed it worth while to seek out what succession our baptism hath had from the Apostles in a series without interruption t is possible there were some disciples in all ages that owned the truth though so few and despised that their generation can scarcely be declared for who can declare his generation whose life in himself and his was still cut off from the earth but we go by the word that is above all Church and Ministry in our account of our baptism and ministry and not by succession in either and as for your selves that hold so much on succession and boast of a lineal descent of your ministry and Rantism from the Apostles t will pussle you no lesse to prove that if we put you to
even therefore no true visible Church of God because it Rantizes Infants for that being undoubtedly a stragling from the truth and an undue administration of that ordinance not only as to the form of it but the subject also the name of the true visible Church of God is ipso facto destroyed from it were there no more error in it but barely that if Doctor Featly to whom you send us in your Review define the true Church of God aright for while he saies that meaning that only is a true Church where the word is truly taught and the Sacraments duly administred consequently that is no true Church where baptism is unduely administâ—ed and so it is or rather Rantism instead of it not only at Rome but in England also whilst to Infants therefore as the Church of Rome is but a false Church so the Church of England is no true one I utterly do therefore yea and did then deny that Infant-Baptism is at all practised by the Church of God and yet O full of all fallacy as if your Respondent were agreed with you in 't that the true Church of God did baptize Infants how finely have you foisted in this Epithite to the baptism of little children viz. practised by the Church of God and that in this very Account you give of our agreement about the very form and terms of the question that was yet to be disputed between us Report Thirdly That the Arguments used in the disputation should be only express Scriptures or arguments of necessary consequence from them All Authorities of Fathers and Churches laid aside though the practise of the Church was pleaded for yet would not be yielded to Reply 1. I agree with you that the Arguments should indeed have been such only by agreement but that one of those you then used or any of these few material ones for the immateriall being of no account with your selves you Account not for which you here expose to be perused is grounded upon express Scripture or any good consequence therefrom I deny as will I hope be manifested in my ensuing Re-review of them and Review of your Review it self Secondly if by Fathers whose authority you hang so much on you mean those that were some hundreds of years after Christ and were canonized more lately for such as Father Origen Father Chrysostome Father Ierom Father Cyprian Father Austin and the other objects of the Clergies Dotage and if by Churches you mean those that were in the ages when and places where these Fathers lived or any other since the primitive times which were the purest it is but a follie to stand arguing from them whose words and waies are no more the rule of truth to us then ours are to be to them that succeed us for verily they might and did speak sometimes not according to the word and then they were as Heterodox as others and our selves are in as good possibilities as they to speak according to the word and then we are as Orthodox and Authentick to the full as themselves I did therefore utterly disown all authority of these Fathers and Churches for I knew none they had to be a Standard to after ages yet though I counterpleaded your Plea from their practise it was not least your cause should be advantaged thereby for even the Testimonie of those Fathers is against you but because as they were subjected to the word so were they as subject to error as our selves but if by Fathers you mean the Primitive Prophets and Apostles to whom all your Fore-fathers are but Children viz. Father Peter Father Paul Father Iames Father Iude Father Iohn whose Doctrine was the foundation to the Churches and by Churches those that were then built upon their doctrine as that of Ephesus Corinth Philippi Rome c. before the falling off from the truth the Authority of these Fathers and practise of these Churches is pleaded for as seriously by us as the other superstitiously by your selves Report Fourthly Here you tell us t was propounded That the form of the Disputation should be Syllogisticall which I after many reasons alledged by you the Ministers to inforce the same at last yielded to Reply A very fit phrase for it for 't was inforced by you indeed yet more by strength of resolution than reason that 't was yielded to by my self is as true yet I must profess it was because the Disposition of your wills did put me 〈◊〉 as we say to Hobsons Choise for I saw you so desirous to draw your necks out of the coller and to make any thing an excuse to break off the Discourse that I must choose either that way or none and therefore rather than the work of that day should â—all as it must have done altogether else for you to the total failing of the expectation and hindering the edification of the people I could not but give way to your desires Nevertheless your many reasons which were but two and those as reasonless too as if you had said nothing were counter-mand with as many more and those also of so much weight that because you began to feel them sit heavy upon your Scholastick skirts you would have obstructed my delivery of them to the people for what great matters did you alledge whereby at that time and place to prove the expediency of such a form First that 't was given out as my desire to them is it never may be again by them of our party that I was a Scholar and durst meet with Scholars in discourse and therefore seeing I now was before Scholars it was expected that I should dispute in the way that 's most usual among them Secondly That the way of Dispute by Syllogisms for which some of you had little need to dispute considering their illogicall and un-syllogisticall doings that day wherein they were all-to-be-puzzled in their matter by fumbling so much about that form was the clearest and most compendious to the proving of things and the preventing of extrravagancies and disorder much what in such a manner did you utter your selves in order to inforcing your Proposition to which the reply was to this purpose Namely First that though I had been in the Vniversity and a Graduate there yet I pretended to no great Scholarship yea that I was a Dunce and a fool which very terms and no other I repeated again in my Position and was contented to be counted for no other as to that kind of learning of much of which I was willingly forgetful that I might know more of Christ and the plainness of his Gospel Secondly that I came not thither to dispute nor did I the Lord is my witness in that formal way you stood upon but in plainness to give an account before all to as many as should ask it according to my ability and what liberty you should allot me thereunto which yet was well nigh none at all of the way you call Heresie after which I and many others
are true ones unless I can prove a lineal succession of them from the Apostles times to these let me see what lineal succession is of your Churches from the Apostles daies if I ask you Praelatick Priests as the Masse Priests do where was your Church before Luther and you Presbyterians where was your Church before Calvin in both whose daies you cannot deny but that of those that denyed infant-baptism there were abundance must you not needs see both your Churches swallowed up in the Sea of Rome and for ages and generations together making one with that were not the two little heads of the Roman Eagle spoken of 2 Esdras 11.12 which are the two smaller kingdomes of the Clergy i. e. Prelacy and Presbytery making one head with the great one i. e. the Popedome till of late they separated from him First sure I am you may labour till you are weary and look till your eyes fail before you find a series of visible protestant Churches before Luther and as universal as you Protestant priesthood do proclaim your selves and your Church to have been yet I tell you t will puzzle you to derive your pedigree from the Apostles if the Pope put you to prove it by induction and ennumeration of Churches succeeding without interruption unless you will own him to be your father as to your Clericall function you are fain to do Whereupon in the book stiled Luthers predecessors or an answer to the question of the Papists viz. Where was your Church before Luther p. 3.4 I find it ingenuously acknowledged by the nameless Author thereof in his undertaking to answer that question That if the Papistry the Protestant to assign any visible constituted Church which might have been known by the distinction and succession of Bishops Elders Deacons c. the task is unequal and that records of such a thing are wanting insomuch that he puts it off in replying to the Papists thus That they cannot prove that the Church must alwaies be in such manner visible that in Elias time there were 7000 unknown to him much more to Ahab that in Christs passion some papists say the Church was in Mary the Church being like the Moon allwaies lasting yet not alwaies in the full And then in resolution to the quaere it self alledges not any one protestant Church at all but onely here and there a Protestant professor as Wickliff and such mostly as were after him inlightned by his Doctrine and did suffer for giving testimony thereto so the Iesuitish question is thus answered I find it also thereupon the file that in a conference which was once held upon the same question by Dr. White and Dr. Featley against two others viz. Fisher and Sweet Dr. Featley chose rather to prove a continual succession of protestants by the truth of their doctrine then the truth of the Protestant Churches and doctrine by a perpetuity of succession and so doth that Author himself who ever it was that wrote the answer to that papistical question as well aware that protestant Churches cannot prove themselves true by succession p. 1.2 What saith he if we could not prove that the English Church was before Luther Must it needs follow that the doctrine we hold is untrue or shall the doctrine of Rome be ever the truer because of Antiquitie only No certainly And why not because the Church must be proved and allowed by the doctrine and not the Doctrine authorized by the Church which the Papists a people wise in their generation well knowing have overturned the course of Nature and will have the Scripture and all doctrine to hang upon the determination of the Church hoping that if once they have amazed any one with the name of the Church and driven him from title and interest in the Church before Luthers time they shall easily call in question the whole frame of the doctrine of the reformed Churches So that we see the Protestants are fain to fence off the papists arguments from universality Antiquity perpetuity in which Rome outstrips the reformed Churches with pleading only the verity of their doctrine and its being persecuted in some few professors of it before Luther Yea verily if universality perpetuity or antiquity either I mean that post primitive Antiquity of the fourth or fifth Century may pass for president more current then the primitive the Pope and his priesthood may prove the protestant priesthood to be but upstart Novices to them by this way of arguing from the antient perpetual universal practise of their Church I write not this as taking the Papists part against the Protestants for so far am I from justifying the Iesuites that I rather fight with Dr. Featley and his friend against them in this case holding with them that no succession of true visible and rightly constituted Churches can be shewn of either your way or ours in all that time of popish unity and universallity but I do it to this end onely ut hos suo Iugulensus gladio as Dr. Featley saies of us p. 88. that I may fight against Featleys followers in the point of infants baptism with Featleys own Fauchin i. e. saâ—isfie them concerning the narrownesse novelty and invisibility of our Church in times of popery when they say where was our Church before Nicholas Stock the very same way and no other then that wherin they excuse the non-appearance of their Protestanâ—s Churches then to the Iesuits when vaunting in their own visible universallity they ask them where was your Church before Luther for verily if it must be taken from you by the Papists as evidence good enough that your Churches are the true Churches and lineally descended from Christ though none of them ever visibly appeared before Luther in all that time of the Popes Peterdome ore his fellows because your doctrine is truer then that of theirs and specially since several witnesses successively held it out against Romes contradictions then I hope it shall be taken from us by you Protestants as good evidence that our Churches are yet truer then yours and such as have been as much as yours have been in visible constitution from the time of the treading down till this modern resurrection because our doctrine and practise is that of the primitive and purest times specially since we can evince it as clearly that many witnessed the truth of it against infant-baptism in times of priestly tyranny as you can that any have witnessed yours at all For howbeit you say your infants baptism was not so much as questioned till of late if you had your wits so well about you as you should you could not but see that t was almost ever opposed for though it were never heard of in the first Century yet that it hath been ever withstood since it came up is most evident by the conflicts of corrupt times for it for what made such controversies among the fathers about it what mâ—de Cyprian and his 66 Bishops conven'd in councel lay
Iesus not one jot of Philips sermon unto him is set down but the next newes we hear is this v. 36. that coming to a certain water in the way the Eunuch desired to be baptized saying see here is water what hinder why I may not be baptized doth not all this plainly import howbeit what Philip preached to the Samaritans and the Eunuch is not extant expressely in any particulars thereof yet he preached the ends and â—uses of bapâ—ism to them and prest the practise thereof upon them how else could they have known it why else did they both do and desire it we see then how the first preachers of the Gospel Ananias Philip Peter Paul are said all along to preach Christ and Jesus and the things concerning the kingdome of God and the name Jesus Christ and the word of the Lord and peace by Jesus and things that we must do and that are appointed for us to do and what we ought to do and the things that were commanded them of God to command us in his name and yet preacht baptism still as well as faith repentance and salvation and so he seems to me to this day to preach Christ but by the halves that preaches salvation by Christ faith in Christ and not baptism in the name of Christ for remission of sins And as this doctrine of water baptism was thus universally preached in Christs name as his will concerning those that were converted and discipled in obedience punctually to Christs Commission in that kind Mat. 28.18.19.20 in those primitive ages of the Gospel so was it as universally imbraced and obeyed by them that were made disciples in those dayes not onely before but also after Christ crucified for as in the dayes before Iohn the baptist was beheaded and before Christ crucified all those multitudes of disciples which by each of them were made by teaching were universally baptized either by Iohn confessing their sins or by Christs disciples who dispenst in Christs name for he dispenst not himself in Enon or Iordan or some other places that were convenient Mat. 3.5.6 Iohn 3.22.13.4.1.2 so even long after Christ crucified raised and ascended were the people that were discipled and converted to the faith before ever they joined in visible Church-fellowship in one body in breaking of bread and prayers baptized all without exception for as it s said Act. 2.38.40.41.42 of that first Church of the Jews or Hebrews to whom that Epistle was after written they were bid to be baptized every one of them so as many of them as did gladly receive the word of the Lord i. e. as repented and imbraced the Gospel were baptized and then continued in the Apostles doctrine who surely taught them all the six first principles of the oracles or holy things of God at that time Heb. 5.12.6.1.2 and what more they saw occasion for for with many more other words then those that are recorded did Peter then exhort that people v. 40. and in fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers so it s said 1 Cor. 12.13 of the whole Church of Corinth in way of sacramental metonymy whereby that is very familiarly spoken of the thing signified which can be spoken properly onely of the outward sign et retro by one spirit we are all baptized into one body Iewes or Gentiles bond or free none excepted and have been all made to drink into one spirit Yea as these Churches in Iudea Ierusalem and Corinth were all baptized before bailt up in a body so which of all the Churches were not to whom the Apostles directed afterward those several Epistles All the Romans to whom Paul wrote were baptized all the Galatians were baptized the Ephesians which at first were but 12 disciples that imbraced the truth were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus the Colossians were baptized the Philippians were baptized as we see by Lydia and the Iaylor and all those that believed with them which was the beginning of the Church at Philippi and that the Thessalonians were not baptized is more then bruitish to imagine for surely Paul and Silas that went immediately thither from Philippi where the Iaylor and Lydia and many more were baptized had not got a new doctrine of no-baptism to preach before they came to Thessalonica nay it is evident by the Jews accusation of them Act. 17 6. that what doings and disturbance they were occasion of through their preachings and baptizings at Philippi the same they were by the same means no causes but occasions of at Thessalonica therefore of them say they these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also yea Paul himself hints that to us 1 Thess. 2.2 that after they had suffered and were shamefully intreated at Philippi they yet were bold to speak to the Thessalonians the Gospel of God the same Gospel sure that they preacht at Philippi for what he did and ordained in one Church the same he did and ordained in all the Churches 1 Cor. 16.1 with much contention By all which foregoing considerations the Minor of the third main argument above is cleared which assure baptism to be commanded to all without exception therefore a duty from which we are not exempted What Christ commanded to be taught and observed not only in and among all nations of the world but also in all ages and generations thereof even to the very end the same is not ad placitum but de jure not at mens own pleasure but of right to be taught and observed as Christs will and their duty in all nations to this very day Buâ— Christ commanded Baptism in water to be taught and observed not onely in and among all Nations of the world but also in all ages and generations therof even to the end Ergo Baptism in water is not at mens own pleasure but of right to be taught and observed as Christs will and their duty in all nations to this very day The Minor which only needs proving needs none neither to him that will but observe how plain it is to every mans understanding in the text For first if baptism be to be taught to and observed as duty among all nations and by every creature therein that hears and believes as t is clear it is both here for teach them saies Christ i. e. all nations to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and did he not command them in the very verse above the observation of that administration of baptism and also Mark 16.15.16 where he bids that the Gospel of salvation be from thenceforth tendred on terms of faith and baptism to all the world to every creature capable of being preach to then of necessity in all nations and generations to the worlds end for all nations were not then extant but many nations are risen since that the world then knew not all the world every creature was not in actual being
one foot out saying yet I may go on the other in saying yet I may go back bespeaking its patrons to be in a twitter in a temper between Hawk and Buzzard afraid to dispute too downrightly for disputation least that should ingage them another time ashamed too directly to dispute down disputation least it be thought they have no mind to it any more But to come to the thing it self I confesse you have spoken Bonum but not Bene Rectum but not Rectâ— it is a moddle of for the most part right good true and honest matter onely made use of either very simply or very subtly to a bad end viz. the provoking of the Priesthood no need to bid mad folks â—un to preach up a false and oppose the practise of the true baptism Secondly most miserably misapplied if conscientiously and not cunningly it is the better to an improper subject and perverted the wrong way viz. to the fastning of the name Hereticks and Schismaticks for non-conformity to the Clergy upon those true Churches of Christ for non-conformity to whom in opinion and practise if miscariage about baptism may properly be so stiled the Clergy are in very deed the trust Hereticks and Schismaticks in the world I shall therefore in a serious survey and examine of what Heresie and Schism is discover plainly First that the people whom you call Anabaptists upon account of meer dissent and separation from you in the point of baptism are no Hereticks nor Schismaticks but the truest visible Church that Christ hath upon the earth Secondly that you the PPPriesthood of the Nations who dissent from them in that point are as to that point at least the veriest Hereticks and Schismaticks your selves Thirdly after some pathetical expostulation with your selves addresse my self by way of Peraphrase upon your own pathetical and paraenetical passages pathetically to exhort the true Pastors and paraenetically to perswade all people as you do yours to beware of us to beware of you the spirituallity by whom the way of truth is dispited who though you disguise your selves under the name of Gods Clergy or Heritage for a while yet will appear to be but cruel crushers of his true Clergy in the end First then let us see what Heresie and Schism is and then who is a Schismatical Heretick in the doctrine of baptism Heresie as to the Gospel is held and that truly by all manner of men I think the holding or maintaining any erroneous opinion in the faith and doctrine of the Gospel contrary to that doctrine delivered by Christ and his Apostles in the primitive times obstinately and pertinacously against all meanes that can be used towards conviction of the truth Schism is division or making of a rent fraction or faction in or separation from the true Church and from walking with them in the truth by the holders or maintainers of such false doctrine or opinion and consequently Schismatical Hereticks who ere they be are such as are bewitched from the simplicity of the truth as it is in Jesus and from the doctrine that was once received by the Church from him and his immediate Apostles so as both to believe and practise contrarily thereunto against all manifestations of the truth whereby to reduce and reclaim them and do also rend from and make a head against the true Church and true head thereof Christ Jesus separating themselves so as to have no fellowship or communion i. e. nor union of action nor unity of affection with them that walk in truth Now whether it be you O PPPriests who rantize infants or we who baptize believers that are thus gone off and divided from the primitive faith and practise from the true head of that Church from the true foundation i. e. the doctrine of the Apostles Eph. 2.20 Heb. 6.1.2 and from fellowship with and conformity to the true Church in baptism and otherwise is evident to him that is not blind or blear-eyed for verily the water baptism which we dispense is abundantly shewed above to be that one baptism Eph. 4. which was used in the primitive times then which there is no other water baptism enjoined or exemplified in the word as Christs ordinance to his disciples viz. the burying of new born babes i. e believers in water and bringing them up again in token of Christs death burial and resurrection and of their dying to sin and rising to newnesse of life this I say is that one onely baptism the Churches then practised and thus and no otherwise do we at this day for which the word is our warrant yea it is that faith which was once delivered unto the Saints that we now contend for and the words which were spoken before by the Apostles of the Lord as we are specially injoined to do in these latter daies by both Peter and Iude who foretold how they would be sleighted as we see they now are by the two Spiritualties viz. the Rantizer and the Ranter the one Hereticizing in the excesse by adding a new thing the other in the defect by owning nothing both Schismatizing accordingly from the way of truth and howbeit after that way which you call Heresie Schism separation from the Church and such like so worship we God yet as sure as the coats upon your back you shall first or last to your weal or wo find that as to the point of baptism Churchfellowship and the supper also it is no other then the way of truth we walk in yea so far are we from erring and Schismatizing from the Church that we of all men do stand for a full reformation in faith practise doctrine discipline worship manners government and baptism according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches i. e. those mentioned in the word according to which we are all sworn to endeavour to reform as we will not be justly charged with Perjury Perfidiousnesse and Prevarication the guilt of all which how little the Orthodox protesting covenanting Clergy are clear of in the sight of God and man is good for them to consider yea conformity in all things to the primitive practise is that we plead for presse after and persue and howbeit to the shame of his ignorance be it spoken Orthodox Mr. Baxter is pleased among other sectaries to charge the Anabaptists so he calls us that baptize aright as the Authors and approvers of the horrible wickednesse of these times and speaks of us as dispappointing and destroying their hopes in point of reformation to the grief of his heart yet with grief of heart that the way of truth should be evil spoken of by him by reason of such as do wickedly indeed yet those lascivious waves he laies to our score are lesse approvvd on in our Churches then in the purest Parish Church in all Christ'ndom Kederminster not excepted yea I tell him and God I hope will one day seal it home upon his heart to the grief of it another way that
may read as it were in text letters your own abstract from that of mine when you please and signing the Titles of the CCClergy whether true or surreptitious with three letters in the front as C. C. C. PPP c. most commonly when I speak of â—hem in the lump to denote the three PPParts into which that great City B B Babylon which they make stands divided I proceed as followeth That Heresies must be the Apostle hath said yet it makes no more for a tolleration of them in the true Church I mean though others mean in the civil state than that of our Saviour of offences saying foreseeing no question how by means of the Clergies crying out Heresie Heresie Schism against the way of truth being once turned aside to Heresie themselves the world would be offended at his little ones for walking in it They must come but wo to the man by whom they come the Apostle reckons Heresies among the works of the flesh Idolatry Witchcraft c. Gal. 5.20 which alone is argument sufficient against the Patronage and Invitation of them unless withal license in the true Church should be given to all other carnal sins why should the Church of God upon Earth make much of those against whom the Kingdome of Heaven shall be shut her pale is not so strong to keep them out from breaking in upon her like wild bores and wolves to spoil and wast her but her good will should not be so great to them as to wellcome them in to her fellowship till they repent from their dead works of superstition bloody tenet of persecution for cause of conscience worshipping God after mens traditions blaspheming the name of God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven trampling the holy City Heresie Schism from the primitive truth c. Neverthelesse howbeit to tolerate and harbour Hereticks in communion with them whilest they oppose the true way of Christ would be an error and an evill too intollerable in a true Church of Christ yet I hold that opinion of the C C Clergy not onely intollerably Heretical in it self but intollerably hurtful also to themselves that Hereticks may not be tolerated in a civil state for if Fines Prisons Banishments Racks Wâ—ips Tortures headings hangings burnings and such like punishments with the civil sword were the due of every Heretick and Schismatick in the faith as the C C Clergy have for ages and Generations born the world in hand that they are to the causing of all these their national Church censures to be inflicted on the Saints when they have once blindly sentence them to be Schismaticks to the civil power if this I say were the due of every Heretick or Schismatick and every true Heretick and Schismatick had his due too good Lord how have the C C Clergy condemned themselves out of their own mouthes to devastation when the civil powers shall find them to be the Arch-Hereticks in the world if taking them at their word they shall do with them as they say they ought to do in this case concerning others but God forbid that with what judgement they judge they should be judged and with what measure they meet it should be measured to them again at our suggestion if their own Cheek-by-jole carriage to the Stern-men of the State do not pull it unavoidably upon themselves yea verily though as far as those that oppose themselves against the truth of Christ they may well challenge the name of Schismaticall Hereticks and though Amen might justly be said by the Magistrate in this point to the opinion of Gangraena and his Gang and might Amen be said to his wise wishes as concerning us who teach and practise baptism in its primitive fashion we could expect to be suffered in the Common-wealth no more then High-way Murderers yet dare we not desire their exâ—irpation out of any of their native rights in the several states wherein they are nor such uncivill suppression of them meerly for their erroneous Tenets as they have sollicited the higher powers to concerning us we have not so learned Christ nor would they if they had heard him and had been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus for howere it comes to passe that the C C Clergy whose own the worst would he if that were true and execution done accordingly are so besotted as to believe that Hereticks and Schismaticks from the faith men of false waies worships religions though elsewise never fo peaceable and innocent must not onely be dischurched but discommunicated also from the patronage of the civil power and cut off from the priviledges of other Subjects yet neither Christ nor any of his Apostles as from him gave any order for such rigid rejection indeed the Apostle Paul wills in his Epistle to Titus cap. 3. who was a Church officer that a Heretick after a second and third admonition be rejected i. e. from the Church and Gal. 5.12 wishes that they were cut off from the Church that did trouble the Church and Rev. 2.20.21 the Church of Thyatira was reproved for suffering that woman Iezebel which calleth her self a prophetesse to teach and seduce his servants to fornication i. e. false worships c. but it will noâ— follow therefore that such may not have license to live civilly in civil states for the weapons of the Churches warfare wherewith she is to fight against Heresies and which she is ever to have in readinesse to revenge all disobedience to Christ by are noâ— carnall 2 Cer. 10.4 5 6. not such as are used by the officers of States but onely spirituall as admonition reproof and in case of obstinacy putting out from among them delivering up to Satan and not delivering up to the secular power as the Popish Priesthood used to do when any of their creatures specially of their Clerico-creatures turned Hereticks i. e. departed from their Heresies to the truth saying pray take him into your power and be merciful to him meaning hang or burn him for a Heretick The Church I say is neither to use the carnal weapons of the State nor yet to stirr up the State so to use them on her and truths behalf as to imprison fine hang burn or banish false worshippers unbelievers misbelievers or Hereticks further then they are withall as by meer unbelief they are not offenders against the civil State I find the Lord Christ foretelling by himself and his Apostles that for the most part the more is the pitty the Rulers Kings Governours and Princes of the world would be such enemies against his Gospel that his Disciples should be â—ald before them as evill doers for his names sake Matth. 10.18 that not many mighty and noble men would own his truth 1 Cor. 1.26 that rich men would oppresse the Church and draw them before their Judgement seats and blaspheme that worthy name wherby the poor in this world which commonly are the richest in faith are called Ia. 2.6 that the Kings
immediately under the Popes supremacy were priviledged so far as to stand exempted from the reach of the civill law and to save themselves the trouble of being hanged when they had deserved it as much as other men by a businesse called the benefit of the Clergy i. e. the immunity of the Clergy from the civil law some relikes of which benefit the Clergy once had and still hath in some places seem to me to remain in our civil Courts wherein we see in some capital crimes the malefactour si legat ut Clericus if he can but read like a Clerk or Clergy man he escapes execution when else he should have died without remedy which favour is also called the benefit of the Clergy yet we desire that no manner of men may have exemption from the course of civil Justice yea if we whom they call Anabaptists do any thing at any time worthy of death by the civil law rightly regulated we refuse not to die but as we desire that others should so are we willing our selves in civil matters to stand at Caesars i. e. the civil Magistrates judgement seat where we ought to be judged in such cases and thus did Paul when accused by the Priests as a Pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition meerly for preaching the Gospel To the Jews saith he have I done no wrong nor yet against Caesar have I offended c. therfore no man may deliver me to them I appeal unto Caesar Act. 24.5.12.13 14.20.25 8.11 where we see that in case of civil injury charged upon him as committed by him he appeals to Cesar to judge though Cesar was a heathen and he a Christian and not of Cesars Religion which he had been a mad man in doing had the question been simply about the right Religion yea when any question a roâ—e in the Church about Religion as in the point of circumcision Act. 15. the Apostles Elders and brethren considered of it among themselves consulting the mind of the spirit in the word and had they not agreed it they would not have referred it nor had any not conformed to their determination in that point would they have complained of them to Cesar and as Paul would not stand at Cesars judgement seat in Religious as he desired to do in civil so Cesars Deputies would not meddle at all as Magistrates in Religious cases for when the Jews set Paul before the judgement seat of Gallio deputy of Aâ—haia and complained saying This fellow perswadeth men to worship God contrary to the law Gallio said if it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdnesse O ye Iews reason would that I should bear with you but if it be a question of words and names of your law look ye to it for I will be a judâ—e of no such matters and he drave them from the judgement seat as who should say we are set to keep civil peace and right among you but not at all to determine you in your worships Oh therfore that the Magistracy would consider it that they are set not to force men to submit all to one worship nor yet forcibly to suppresse either Heresie or truth but to prevent tumultuousness about either If Demetrius and the craftsmen of like occupation who make shrines for Diana have a matter of wrong against any let the civill law be open and let them plead each other there but if the enquiry be concerning other matters as namely setting at nought their craft prophaning the Temples of their Goddesse and destroying their false worships by plain preaching of truth what 's Heredox what Orthodox in worship c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let that be determined in a lawfull Assembly i. e. as the word is in the Greek insome lawful Church congregation or select meeting for that purpose Last of all though the Lord prohibit the standing of Idolators c. in the Church 2 Cor. 6. Rev. 2. yet he himself who could presently root them out if t were his mind permits not onely true but also false worshippers Hereticks c. to have a being in the world and therefore me thinks Gods Vicegerent should not be against it It is according to the will of God himself permitting not approving them that heresies do arise but its according to his good will approving and in his woâ—d appointing that they shall stand in the world when risen further then they can be annihilated by the word And as the Scripture shewes how far he himself tolerates them so the Divines themselves as shy as they are of having them tollerated do Give these good Reasons of Gods suffering of Hereticks 1 For the discovering of the sound that Gold and Silver may be known from hay and slubvle that by the Devills sitting of us the good corn may be discerned from chaff it is the Apostles Reason 1 Cor. 11.19 that they which are approved may be known for who they are that with the weapons of the Churches warfare are valiant for the truth indurers of hardship as good Souldiers of Christ c. would not appear if there were no Hereticks False worshippers Antichristians Truth treaders c. to try them true love to Christs truth can never be seen if never tryed nor tryed if truth never opposed hated hunted and that to death too sometimes by the fierce wrath and cruel malice of its enemies 2. That truth may be discussed and fetcht out as fire from the concussions oâ— flint and steel Truth had not been fetcht half so far out of the dark nor from under that Popish Smoother of traditions at this time as it is had not the CCClergy so hotly hunted it and so fiercely clasht against all that came out to clear it If there had not been an Hereticall CCClergy crying out Heresie against all truth the world had never heard so much of it in these latter daies as now it hath and I verily perswade my self that as the day breakes and the shadowes fly away the way of truth in the hearts of the Just and in the eyes of the of the world by how much the CCClergy calls Heresie upon it shall shine more and more still to the perfect day if Luther and Calvin had not been and that so fiercely flung at by Popish Priests because they preached against indulgencies and selling pardons for money and against the Lordlines of the Popish Hirrachy they had not heard so much against them but that they might have sold more pardons then they have done since and the 2 latter litters of Spiritual lords that qua CCClergy came out of the Popes loins the two PPriesthoods of the Protestant party might have lorded it longer like their father who will never be dead as long as they are alive had they not been as iron and steel against truth and true worshippers whom God makes as hard as flint against their faces that by their concussions against it he may the more fully fetch it forth the
the committee to be able godly and Orthodox which Independent proposition I hardly know what to make of it is so odd what Sits does the denomination of a right constituted Church depend upon the Pastors being approved to be able godly and Orthodox a right constituted Church is that which is built upon the foundation or principles of the word of Christ and the Apostles Heb. 6.1 2. Ephes. 2. some of which you Independents yet want but go on in your light for me till you see it darknesse I can speak but obiter to you here yet know that if you settle not upon all the foundation even your Church will be a come down castle too ere long a right constituted church is that which hath right matter viz. baptized professors right â—orm i. e. free fellowship of such together in one body in breaking of bread and prayers whether they have yet a Pastor over them yea or no for the churches were rightly constituted first and had elders after ordained among them as they were found gifted yet with you the church that hath no Pastor and he not approved Orthodox is yet not to be declared a right constituted church what if the Pastor prove Hetâ—rodox does the church loose its true constitution or I would I knew what you mean by constitution for perhaps I do not and why do you talk in singulari so much of the Pastor and Pastor of a Church as if you were of the mind that a church might have no more Pastors and Overseers over it but one whereas t is most evident that there may be more Elders Pastors Overseers these are all one 1 Pet. 5.1 in one Church and that not without need neither when that one flock or congregation grows numerous for then they oft grow out of the observation too much of one eye see Act. 20. Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus whether any Church ever had but one Pastor or Overseer in it or no if any at all I know not but I am sure the use was to ordain more then one to one Church Act. 14.23 Tit. 1.5 but one cannot Lord it so well if others be i th traces with him but however why must all this business of declaring which be right constituted Churches Orthodox Pastors which not hang upon the Committees approving or not approving of the Pastors what if the Committee should chance to be Heterodox it self or the Major part of it or the Major part sitting at that time when this Pastor comes for approbation what shall a true constituted Church lose or keep her name of a true constituted Church at a venture upon the vote of a Committee and what need at all that the Committees be so cumbered with the care of such affairs and what vanity to venture the determination of which be true Churches of Christ which the Scripture declares plain enough whether the Committee see it yea or no upon the verdit of a Committee to whom other affairs are most properly committed let all the Churches come before the Committee and all people declare their ways and their God and he whom the Committee saies is God let him be God and not the rest will you have it so if you will I will not take truth upon trust from the vote of any Committee man under the Sun and if you would not have it so you were better never trouble Committees with such matters at all then not commit them finally to them so as to agree to act at a venture as they determine in matters meerly of Religion and that the true Churches of Christ who know no King but Jesus in church and conscience will never do but prove themselves to be true constituted churches of Christ and preach the Gospell too as it is in Iesus where ere they see people ignorant of it whether they will hear or forbear though all the Committees yea and all the Kings and Popes and Priests and People in the world should declare against them Beloved Friends me thinks you look too like a national Ministry to be of the right stamp yet I had hoped Independents would never have turned State Ministers and have lookt so much after State honour State help State approbation State preferment State Maintenance for ministering to either their Churches or to the purblind nation as I see they do but Sirs if you be true constituted Churches of Christ indeed I do not say you are nor is it my businesse here to prove you are not though you are not till you own his baptism but if you be as you imagine you are know that Christ hath set in his Church Apostles or Messengers to be sent forth not by the State but by the Church it self to preach his Gospel to the world at the Churches and not the worlds charges and to preach the Gospel to the Parishes without pilling the poor parish people making way for the Gospâ—l and the truth by force and law whether they be free to have it to buy aâ—d receive it on such terms as you tender it on yea or no therefore send forth and maintain your messengers among your selves you are rich enough and let them preach the Gospel to them gather Churches but alas now I think on t how can they preach the Gospel by the halves and gather true constituted Churches that yet own not as ye O Independents yet do not all the principles of the oracles of God nor all the first doctrines of Christ as that of baptisms laying on of hands upon which together with the rest the true visible Church stands as on her foundation and are yet not onely unbaptized but unwilling to be baptized or to baptize with any other baptism then that Rantism that ran down hither through Rome You propound that when any of the Pastors of right constituted Churches dye or leave them to take up some other imployment they choose and present another Pastor within six moneths and may have one settled among them within 12 moneths by approbation from the said Committe or to dissolve or disperse themselves into other Churches Good Sirs what mean you by this shall the Parliament and their Committees never have their liberty to attend onely and perfectly the true liberties of the subject nor be at quiet from this wearisome work of approving and setling of ministers that are men mostly so unsetled in their minds that they 'l never if they have such liberty to leave as you here allow them settle longer in one place then till they have more means or be more to their minds in another had this piece been propounded by parish ministers and people it had become them as sounding somewhat sutable to their posture and principle for t is the usual tone they talk in when one Pastor having left them to take up another call from Christ or imployment somewhere else to his advantage they addresse to the Committee for the approbation or settlement of
bearers onely and doers of all that you know and not some things onely as some do and patient both hearers and doers of what God and not what man saies Temptation hardly prevails against that soul that is built upon the practise of Gods commandements but as is shewed above and exemplifyed in the parish people that are so built and no otherwise and whose fear toward God is taught after the precepts of men the soul that is built on the practise of mens commandements in his religion faith worship is easily prevailed with to be of any Religion the State pleases as well a false as a true as well Popish as Episcopall or Presbyteriall 4. To beware of the ordinary converse and needlesse society of these Schismatical Seducers the PPPriests that have drawn the whole world into a deep dotage after themselves and desperate departure from the plain doctrine of the primitive Churches and Apostles not to frequent groundlessely their popish parochial Antichristian Assemblies that say they are Jewes i. e. the Churches of Christ and are not but do ly and are the Synagogue of Satan and if any of the disciples or others think themselves strong enough to encounter with them or if they be so indeed yet to take heed of being foiled and spoiled throw their philosophy and vain deceit after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ 2 Col. 8. and however of offending weak ones by their example The Arguments of some nay of all these HHHierarchian Hereticks have not prevailed half so much to the perverting of the saith of so many millions of men and women as in all ages of their reign have been perverted from the truth as it is in Jesus as the examples of some shall I say nay of wellny all the Great ones in all nations the gentry the mighty the wise the noble not many of which can submit to own the Carpenters son in the homely ordinances mean waies foolish and base things he hath chosen 1 Cor. 1. yea the Kings of the earth that falling into folly and committing fornication with this cunning women the CCClergy were besotted to sacrifice all their Crowns and the wealth and power and strength of their whole kingdomes to her will and to set up her waies Rev. 17.2.17 Who perhaps onely for noveltie or curiosity at first but at last after some few ages and generations out of principles of foolish custome and pretended antiquity have been present themselves and not by their own example onely but extremity of Lawes and Statutes which the Saints onely in each age have smarted for the breach of enforced others to be present at their will worships superstitious services extravagant dispensations and erroneous exercises and yet the bare example of great ones in a false faith without other enforcement is inforcement great enough amongst Parochiallists and the carnal commonalty who commonly live and believe much more by example then sound reason the faith of he Rulers right or wrong is usually the rule of their faith and Rex sum such a convincing reason with them as seldome receives other reply then nil ultra quaero plebeius 5. Not to be too rash to believe every Spirit nor to receive any more implicitly the spirit of the spiritualty the PPPriesthood no though it come â—n never so ghostly shapes and gorgeous pretences of piety humility zeal prayers tears c. for she is a mystery and this is the very mystery of the Whores iniquity that she hides all her guile with a godly garb In nomine domine incipit omne malum saith the old Proverb and I wish that in homine domini occidat omne malum may be a new one if it prove a true one i. e. that in thy fall O man of God there may be an end of all mischief yet surely a worse mischief to the true Church sharp and short will arise out of thy ashes yet before the end false prophets muâ—â— come in the name of the Lord as well as true ones How gloriously did Balaam profess As Austin saith of Pelagius whose doctrine he counted devillish that his life was like a Saints so I say the Sancti Sanctorum of all Christendome in pretence have been in doctrine the veryest devils Alexander of â—ales writes say some of Bonaventure that Adam did not sin in him and yet of all the Papists none leâ—t more blasphemy behind him the Crocodile weeps till he hath got his prey the Priesthood won the world to it self with the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and then set up the trade of being Lords and Lawgivers themselves and rooted out his from off the earth 6. having once found out and fallen into fellowship with the true Church that is rightly constituted upon the true foundation of the Prophets and Apostles or principles of the doctrine of Christ to be stedfast and unmoveable in the way of truth not suffering themselves to be swayed aside in any wise by any deep devises or perverse pretences Satan of whatsoever and in order to their standing to avoid a weak and querrulous conscience misliking finding fault complaining taking offence at every thing where there is no cause streining at a gnat giving over the company of the flock for every â—ub forsaking the assembling of themselves together as the manner of some is seperating from the Congregation not so much for a ceremony as through a crooked and carnal conceit that t is but a meer ceremony to assemble and meet or meddle with any outward ordinances at all a matter in force onely for that small moment of the primitive age of the Gospel and now of no moment to us weak worships low things carnal ordinances unprofitable dispensations empty elements bodily exercises beggerly rudiments c. like bruit beasts depraving the precious precepts of Christ even those holy matters of his which they understand not the weight and worth of these and such like have made such as of old Jude speaks of and we see so doing at this very day to depart and seperate themselves from Saintship to sensuality from Church-fellowship in the faith to fellowship in filthynesse thus the Seeker seeks to subvert himself and others and all that holy law of Christs own giving as foolishnesse to overturn all that is of Christ whilest Christ is overturning all that is of man he scruples every thing till he is satisfyed to own just nothing as if because there is some waies of error therefore there can be no way of truth he is weak in the faith believing nothing to be good till he believes every thing to be so and nothing to be bad or naught at all And wheresoever his weaknesse is at first it thrives into wickednesse at last so that how ere he seems modest against the truth a while yet after there will be raâ—â— censures arrogant and bold speeches and Iudgements condemning or at least contemning both of good persons and holy things Thus this man runs up to ranting
by little and little circumcising away all flesh for so he now stiles the waies of the word and spirit crucifying all that flesh of Christ till he becomes welnigh as spiritual as the devil 7 To endeavour after the true temper of a son of the Church which consists especially in these two qualifications 1 Humility or self denial 2. Charity or love humility is a being low in your own eyes Christ bids you learn it of him Nothing hath broacht Heresie and Schism so much as self conceit and self love as is shewed above in the case of the PPPriesthood who conceive themselves to be those unerring orracles from whom the law for Religion and faith is to go forth to the people throughout the several Nations this makes men these spiritual men especially to stand out in their own odd opinions as if all were heresy ipso facto that jumps not with them obstinately defend them utterly untractable to any argument though never so clearly urged out of the word it self that shall be brought against them resolved never to yield to any Iudgement nor willingly be in much lesse embrace any company that holds contrary to them proudly prohibiting any but such as are approved of by themselves disdaining to be discipled by any but men in orders as if that poor people and those babes to whom God delights to reveal the Gospel rather then such prudent ones as they are in their own sight were all as they said of old of such a people that know not the law and are accursed for which things sake the Lord suffers blindnes to happen to them leaves them to live in error as men lea ing to their own understanding but true humility as she is ever conscious of her own weaknesse and darknes so when she is most sure that in the Lords power and light she sees light and is most diffusive of it and desirous that all others should see it also and very zealous of promoting it yet is she far from glorying over others or boasting as if she had not received what she hath much lesse is she so impositive as by compulsion or otherwise then by plain proposal round reproof or earnest intreaty to inforce her faith as a rule for all people to believe by and howbeit it submits not as some say she does is the judgments of others sooner then its own for that verily is no other then that humble ignorance and implicit knowledge into which the PPPriesthood hath beguild the earth who as much as they perswade men to expresse their humblenesse by a voluntary submission of themselves to others judgements yet are as far from that expression of their own humility as men can be that would have all men see with their eyes swear into their faith and resign up themselves to their judgement against their own yet she submits her judgement as proud Papacy Prelacy and Presbytery never did to such free examination by others judgements as to leâ—d free leave to such as judge it wrong and are not satisfied to close therewith to decline and reject it and both to believe and worship as they find occasion and howbeit she must contend sometimes she dares not contend with any much lesse her superiours as the Priest does with his whole parish now and then about some trifle or remnant of tithes for so small a matter as a smal matter of means or maintenance but for matters of much more moment and of eternal consequence viz. that faith and Gospel which was once delivered unto the Saints for here indeed she gives place by subjection neither to ghostly father nor holy mother no not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel may continue and as t is Christs things she seeks and strives for and not her own so she assaults not without strong and evident and convincing reason from Scripture for her assertion not such butterflies and brown paper reasons as mans tradition 1500 yâ—â—rs profession nor meer internal imagination and spiritual perswasion which the Rantizer and the Ranter render and even then too she prosecutes her cause with such candor and dociblenesse as to be ready to receive what ever is made manifest in the conscience to the contrary without such arrogancy as appears in some Divines when they dispute who are more ready to call them sawcy fellows that dares affront their false assertions then to clear what they hold to be the truth and without the Spirit of contradiction that is wont to shew it self in every haughty heart which is more asham'd to seem ignorant then to be so most specially in the Priesthood when the truth tendred is such as if it be acknowledged will not onely crack his credit but certainly pare his profit also As for Charity alias love it is the very cognizance of a Christian the property of it is to blow out the coals of contention not kindle them in the true Church of Christ though it contend sharply with the false Churches for the truth to seek what in it lies to prevent not foment rents Schisms divisions and offences therein contrary to the doctrine at first delivered the love of which occasions offences in the world it is the very rafiers that hold all the house of Christ whose house they onely are that are built upon the foundation or form of doctrine delivered by the first Apostles the principles of which are set down Heb. 6.1.2 together in most comely frame and order Oh that the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ of those Churches that walk in truth would among all yea and above all those pretious things commended Col. 3.12 ad 16. to be put on would put on this which is the very bond of perfectnesse this is that which will make them endeavour in all lowlinesse and meeknesse and forbearance and forgivenesse of each other to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.2.3 the love of the Brotherhood within it self which is hinted to us by Peter Pet. 2.17 and harpt upon more then any other string by that beloved Disciple Iohn 1 Ioh. 2.9.10.11.3.10.11.12.13 c. ad finum 4.7 ad 13.20.21.5.1 2. Ep. 5.3 Ep. 1. is that more excellent way which the Apostle Paul so magnifies to the Church of Corinth as that without which all other gifts tongues of men and angels prophecy understanding of mysteries knowledge faith of miracles liberality to the poor exposing the body to be burned can make a man no better then as sounding brasse and a tinkling cymbal yea knowledge puffs up and so plucks down the true Church but love edifieth buildeth it and pulls down nothing but BBBabylon 1 Cor. 8.1 love sufereth long and is kind love envieth not love â—aunteth not it self rashly is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseeemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh none evil rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth beareth all things believe all things hopeth all things endureth all
also Senior Mr. Simpson one of you my Ashford opposers who in a letter under his hand to a neighbor of his much of which is partim directe verbatim partim oblique collateraliter out of Mr. Blake so that it stands or falls in him and of the rest that is not translated thence into his turn some already is and some that is not yet is to be spoken to as I go along tells us that there was not any water in Jerusalem wherein so many as were there baptized in so short a time at that time of the year when water was more scanty could possibly have been dipped What a strange conceit is this what not water enough in nor yet about all Ierusalem to dipp a man over head in for sith he saies not so many the same water course I hope that one can be dipped in may also serve to dipp a thousand shall we think that in the greatest drought that could happen all those brooks the Scriptures mentions viz. Cedron and Siloam and the fountain of Gyhon and the Conduit of the upper pool which ran with several streams and were at one place all coincident with Cedron were dryed up so that not a place could be found of any competent depth for men to dip in But perhaps what Mr. Baxter saies concerning Aenon upon the report of travellers viz. that even the River Aenon it self where Iohn baptized because there was much water is found to be a small brook that a man may almost step over or as I find it expressed to me in a letter to a neer and deer friend of mine upon the credit of eye witnesse historians Aenon was but a small purl scarcely knee deep at the deepest so Mr. Simpson may say but it is on his own head if he do concerning these brooks that were about Ierusalem to all which I shall for brevities sake dispatch this answer here now I am about it And first I intreat Mr. Simpson to consider that this serves not his turn howe-ever if Cedron and Siloam and the rest that were without the City and the stream also that ran through the City from the fountain of the old pool into Cedron should be all such as Aenon is supposed to be sith the fishpool Bethesda at which lay a great multitude of impotents and into which one amongst the rest desired to be put or cast for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but could not was both deeper and broader then so and convenient for many to dip in at once for if we may credit Bethesda it self the very name instructs us in no lesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in english no other then the house of flowing down so called for the concurrence and confluence of many waters thereinto see Calvin upon the place who tells you that it was a pool he thinks into which water did flow down continually through either channels or pipes that the Priests for it was neer the Temple might as well be furnisht with water for their sacrifices as the people were with sacrifices themselves in the sheep market wherein it was others think and as I take it Beza in his Anotations that it was a pool at which cattel drank and in which they used to be plunged whereof saith he there could not but be great store in Ierusalem so much may well serve without any more to salve the sore eyes of Mr. Simpson As for Mr. Baxter I le bate him his almost and yet he will not get much by the matter for as I have seen others baptized by totall dipping in the like so was I seen to be baptized my self in a place of so little latitude that an active man might make shift to step over not almost but altogether in which yet there is water enough left behind to baptize a thousand if not a million more in the same manner and so not to say how possible it is if not a thousand to one that Aenons eye witnesses never sounded Aenons depth in all places nor secondly how possibly a brook might be much swerved up since then somwhat shallowed in so many Generations nor thirdly how possible it is to deepen the shallowest stream that is very easily in order to such a purpose for I have seen ancle deep streams so ordered as I speak of more then once or twice for a need though that Aenon had need to be made deeper in those places where Iohn did baptize may be twenty times told by some Travellers that love to hear themselves talk before I shall believe it once Not to say any thing I say of these let Aenon be but knee deep if you will experience hath so taught the expedience of knee deep to dip in to my self and other Baptizers that I know that as we have dipt persons oft where it hath not bin so deep so except in such a channel where we cannot well avoid it we choose now not to go in much deeper See Fourthly how all your three Worthies Mr. Blake Mr. Baxter and Mr. Cook do deceive you as being indeed deceived themselves and that in a manner so plain that none but Blind Seers can look beside it for though each of the three were alone in each of those other errors which they severally utter in your last joint quotation and confident commendation of them yet wo is me may England say that my leaders are so mifled the whole Trinity of them is at unity but against all verity in this even in the very thing in which principally you would have us mind them for whereas as an instance that baptism was not by dipping they all alledge that the Iailor was baptized at midnight in his house and therefore probably not in such a way as dipping that he was baptized about midnight is true enough but that he was baptized in his house is so contrary to truth that a very child may find the falsenesse of that assertion for howbeit Mr. Cook saies plain-ly it s like the waters they had within doores at midnight sufficed and Mr. Baxter more plain-ly that the Iailor was baptized in the night in his house and Mr. Blake most plain-ly t is sure there was not many waters nor rivers in the Iailors dwelling and it is as sure that they i. e. the Iailor and the Apostles went not out in the night to any such places as were fit to dip in yet what saith the word in plain truth no lesse then this that the Iailor after he was baptized brought them into his house and set meat before them and rejoiced for it is said first that upon the earth-quake and Pauls crying out to him that he should do himself no harm the Iailor hasted into Paul and Silas and brought them out secondly that they upon his then inquiry told him what he should do to be saved and preached the word to him and all his whereupon in this intertime i. e. between the time of the Iailors bringing them
once before all the principles of the doctrine of Christ whereof this laying on of hands is said to be one and not only so but secondly from these words you ought to be teachers that by this time they should have been of ability to teach these principles to others which also shews that these principles ought all along still to be taught Moreover if it be queried where or by whom these Hebrewes were at first taught this A B C these principles of the oracles of God there spoken of is it not as clear as the sun to any serious understanding considerate spirit that it was by Peter at Ierusalem in his first preaching there in obedience to Christs commission Mat. 28. after power was come upon him from on high in Act. 2. which I direct to as a second place wherein we may find it preached did not Peter there lay this foundation of the principles of the doctrine of Christ among them in preaching as they did themselves in practising Heb. 6 2. and howbeit the whole form of the doctrine he there delivered is not set down as none of the doctrine that Philip preacht at Samaria is nor of that Paul preacht at Philippi Act. 16.14 nor at Corinth Act. 18.8 yet is it not by sundry passages as evident that he taught that principle of laying on of hands among all the rest as it is and how evident that is is shewed above that they in those other places preached baptism shall we think that Peter taught the principles of the doctrine of Christ all which he was to lay as one foundation among them by the halves did he build them upon one part of the foundation and not on the other part did he constitute them partly upon it and partly beside it did he teach them all the rest of the principles every of which its said Heb. 5.12 they had been taught viz. faith repentance baptism resurrection and judgement and did he leave out that one onely of laying on of hands specially since it s said that with many other words he exhorted that people who are said there also to continue in the Apostles doctrine what man that devotes himself to the comparing of Scripture with Scripture can imagine it and if not why not be satisfied that it was preacht by some at least of Christs Apostles to all baptized believers A third Scripture I direct the inquirers unto is Act. 8.5.12.14.15.16.17 whence first its evident from the Apostles administring and the Samaritans submission to it that the doctrine in the purport and tendency of it was first declared unlesse we shall judge the Saints at Samaria were such idiots as to act by implicit faith as men were not to do but by comparison of what they said with the Scriptures under the ministry of the Apostles themselves Act. 17.22 and to yield blind obedience to they knew not what the Apostles also justifying them in it which if they did then you that professe your selves to be yet ignorant in that service and that you know not the meaning of it may submit to it as safely though as senslessely as they from the hands of such as do which yet when all is done I am sure you may not but Secondly more evident yet if you weigh some passages of that text it self the words whereof are on this wise viz. then went Philip down unto Samaria and preached Christ to them v. 5. and when they believed the things spoken by Philip pertaining to the Kingdom of God they were baptized both men and women when they at Ierusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God they sent unto them Peter and John who when they were come prayed for them that they might receive the holy spirit for as yet he was fallen upon none of them onely they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus then laid they their hands on them and they received the holy spirit It s said that Philip preached Christ and spoke of the things pertaining to the the Kingdome of God and that they received the word of God which they did not surely so much as to believe what was to be done till he had preached it now can any rationall man think that he preached Christ and the things pertaining to his kingdome and the word of God and not preach so much as all the principles of the oracles of God not so much as all the first Rudiments or whole beginning word of Christ but left out imposition of hands onely among all the rest as none of the word of Christ nor of the things pertaining to his kingdome as not to be preacht no not in that juncture wherein immediately after it was to be and accordingly was so universally submitted to by them and dispenst unto them or if you say they received not that word of laying on of hands from Philip but from Peter and Iohn I answer t is true practically from the hands of Peter and Iohn dispensing it but by faith so as to believe it to be a practicable doctrine that was their duty to own from the mouth of Philip dispensing the doctrine of it or suppose that Philip spake nothing of it till Peter and Iohn came which is non supponendum yet is it likely that the Apostles that were sent to them from Ierusalem though nothing is said of that they said that therefore they said nothing to them at all yea will right reason ever receive this for truth that the Apostles were sent to Samaria upon the account of some service whether solely that of prayer and laying on of hands it matters not so long as that was one part of it at least and yet neither acquaint them whether before acquainted with it or no to what end and purpose they came and what was the end and purport of that service they onely or mainly came for he that can receive this let him receive it for my part I professe I cannot A fourth place from whence it is easily gathered that the doctrine of laying on of hands in order to their receiving the holy spirit was wont to be preached to all baptized believers is Act. 19.1 2.3 where Paul speaking to the whole company of disciples that he found at Ephesus the number wherof were then but about twelve among whom the doctrine of laying on of hands in order to the receiving the holy spirit had not been preached at the time of their baptism seems to reprove and blame the neglect of it enquiring whether they had not received the holy spirit supposing surely at least that the promise of it had been to them and prayer made for them in the usual way with laying on of hands that they might receive it but marveiling much that they being baptized believers had not been informed about these matters nor had so much as heard of the holy spirit have you received the holy â—pirit saies he no nor so much as heard of it say they no unto what then
fifteen hands that subscribe to those Questions not one of them did find occasion to subscribe his dissent to this for whereas t is supposed and proposed so publiquely for truth by the Enquirers that Heb. 6.2 speaks not of any one laying on of hands onely but plurally as of the doctrine of baptisms its most palpably apparent to such as are not a sleep in their reading of that text that it speaks in the singular number of one laying on of hands alone and not of layings on of hands as it must have been expressed for so you are fain to expresse it your selves when you speak plurally of it in your fifth question had he meant more kinds of imposition of hands then one for though hands be the plurall number yet laying on which is the phrase you speak to or else you speak nihil ad Rhombum is a substantive of the singular number both in the English and in the Greek and suppose the spirit had spoken plurally of more imposions of hands then one must that that was Act. 8 17-19.6 on baptized believers be ever the more excluded or the more incuded rather in all likelyhood among the rest and because the Apostle does not speak particularly enough nor distinguish nor expresse plainly enough what he means by shewing the end purpose and event of the imposition here spoken of therefore belike he meant that no body should ever own this principle at all but the truth is he speaks of no more impositions then one Therefore to conclude with the Enquirers question propounded thus to themselves we desire to know what safety it is for any man to conclude that question to be worthy of an answer that is so falsely grounded as this of the Enquirers is and to conclude that Heb. 6.2 is meant of more layings on of hands when it expresly speaks but of one And so dear Friends whom I love too well to spare speaking plainly to you in a case wherein upon occasion of your putting on too too rashly in print little lesse then against it a precious truth of Christ lyes at stake between us since you are pleased to urge and importune us so earnestly at the close of your questions by the opportunity that you have thereby put into our hands to justify our practise viz. laying on of hands upon all baptized believers as we love the glory of God and the promoting of that which we so highly esteem and hold to be truth as we will declare our love to the truth by countenancing men who diligently make search after it as we tender the union and communion of the Churches c. that we would discharge our duty and try if we could make it appear by the word of God which I confesse with you is able to instruct us in all things and therefore though much might be said from the constant practise of the Churches in and bordering upon the primitive times to the further clearing up of the truth in this point yea men far better studied that way then I am who yet see sufficiently to my satisfaction tell us that all Antiquity teacheth laying on of hands after baptism yea and some that never practised neither it nor true baptism yet I wave all such Arguments as of no weight without the word Since also you promise us that if we so do then you shall acknowledg the truth thereof to the glory of God and your own shame in being ignorant so long and speedily imbrace it if God so assist you by his word professing you will to that purpose expect our faithfull care to be expessed with chearfullnesse without making delaies in a matter of so great importance which may unite and establish us in one mind hereupon I could not in conscience but take so much notice of your questions they meeting me also just in the mouth whilest I was musing to say some little but not a quarter so much as here is to evince the noncessation of this service as well as that of baptism as to give this transient answer as I travel along being bound also as you hint to me to give to every one that asketh it a reason of the hope that 's in me with meeknesse and fear so desiring the Lords blessing upon it towards you and upon you in your examination of it and as you have light your execution according to it that such excaecation as the Ranter who is run out of the reach of reason hath by little and little queried himself into may never overtake you I remain both yours and every ones servant for Christs sake Thus much concerning the continuation of that practise of laying on of hands now as to the present use of the ordinances of breaking of bread and church-fellowship I shal speak but briefly to that forasmuch as these are services the continuance of which to the end is denied doctrinally by none for ought I know but the Ranter that is run up above all saving that the Rigid Presbyterians though in words they own the supper yet in works do deny it for many if not most of them live in the neglect of that administration of the supper in their parishes some four some five some six seven eight years without any use of it at all as if there were no such matter as that now in being for others I mean a certain mixt sort of Independents that are rife in these dayes they own and practise it and Church fellowship too more then enough unlesse more orderly in respect of that Antecedency to these of all the principles of the doctrine of Christ which ought to be now as it was in the primitive times which times they pretend to reform by taking in Omnium generum an Omnigatherum of persons men and women whom they take to be believers into fellowship in one visible body in breaking of bread and prayers some whereof having renounced their Rantism as null are truly baptized some as yet but meerly Rantized yet supposing themselves sufficiently baptized because of that which can be of no use to them as a sign for they remember it not some hanging in the air between both not satisfied whether they were truly baptized in infancy yea or no some doubting whether any water baptism at all be needful to be used in these times some convinc't that they ought to be baptized but not yet finding any Administrator that fits their fancies some resolved to be baptized but Christ who expects it from them must wait their leasure none reproving their procrastination nor saying to them as Ananias to Paul and now why tarriest thou arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord or as Peter to the Iews repent and be baptized Some resolving never to be baptized but roundly renouncing all water baptism as nothing concerning them yet leaving them at liberty to act according to their light that have a mind to submit to it and who see
nominally yet not really Christians obeying the pure word of Christ would not endure sound doctrin but having itching ears that loved to be tickled not grated upon grew weary of the plaines of the Gospel saying to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecy not prophecy not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophecy deceits get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us despising his word and rufusing to hear the Law of the Lord as they of old Isa. 30. then the Lord gave them their own hearts lusts and sent leanes withall into their souls granted them heapes upon heaps of such Cater-pillars as should dwel at their own doors and devoure their soules and delude them with Heresie and false divinations and as their pay for so doing should devour also the tenth of their labours nay the sixth in all parishes through the Nations he removed the candlestick out of his place and because they walked not in the light thereof whilst they had it let darkness come upon them he gave them Priests that should teach for hire and Prophets that should divine for money and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Mic. 2.11 he gave them like people like Priest a people not willing to be taught and a Priesthood not able to teach he removed their truth-teachers into a corner so that their eyes should see no more such teachers nor their ears hear any voice behind them saying this is the way walk in it and so opened the flood gates for all manner of horrible Heresies to flow in upon them he powred upon them the spirit of deep sleep and closed their eyes the Prophets their Rulers their Seers he covered so that the vision of all became unto them as the words of a book sealed which if delivered to their learned men saying read this I pray they cannot for it is sealed if to their ignorant people saying read this they cannot for they are not learned t is for their Orthodox Divines and not for them to read and expound the Scripture forasmuch as the people drew neer to God with their mouth and with their lips did honour him with Gloria Patries c. but removed their hearts far from him and would have their fear towards him taught by the precepts of men therefore the Lord proceeded to do a marvellous work in all Christ'ndome yea a marvellous work a wonder for the wisdome of their wise men perisht and the understanding of their prudent men was hid and the Lord left them to do their works in the dark and to turn all things upside down and to put a bridle upon the jawes of the people and ride them from Ierusalem unto Babilon even to all manner of Heresie blindnesse and confusion for ages and generations together Lastly to provoke the Pastors to diligence and watchfulness to prove them whether they be hirelings or not such as will flie when the wolf comes or lay down their lives for the sheep therefore the Apostle Paul speaking specially of that very time wherein the insolency and obstinacy of Hereticks and Schismaticks should increase to such a height as not to indure sound doctrine but rather to turn from the truth and turn to fables and heap false teachers to themselves to tickle them up in their lusts preach down and act no patience but rather persecution toward those that preach up the truth in consideration thereof charges Timothy to whom he left the oversight of the Church at Ephesus in order to the making full proof of his ministry to stand to it then with so much the more diligence to preach the word and be instant in season and out of season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long suffering and doctrine to watch in all things indure the afflictions that should befal him from the hands of wolvish spirited men 2 Tim. 4.1 ad 8. And indeed this is that which should move the Pastors of the several congregations of Christ and such whom the holy spirit hath made Overseers of that little flock of his in these daies to take good heed both to themselves and all that flock for throw the negligence of the Pastors turning Hereticks yea wolves themselves in former dayes the sheep have been most miserably misled and rul'd over with force and cruelty and this will be a proof of their love to Christ above their lives if they shall give all diligence to the feeding of the sheep and lambs of Christ not flying for fear of men from that worthy work not forbearing nor shunning to deliver unto them the whole councel of God at this day though there be so many CCClergy men to croak against them for it And here let it be well noted that whether here or wherever throughout this discourse I dilate on the duty of the Pastors and put them on to performance of it I mean the Pastors of the Churches which are commonly called Anabaptists which are among the Nations as sheep among wolves as the lilly among thornes rent and torn for their Testimony to the Truth and not YYYou the PPPriesthood YYYou the PPPastoralty of the Parishes for verily he is blind that beholds you not to be no Pastors but rather Hâ—relings yea Wolves Persecutors then Pastors of the sheep of Christ yea even you Presbyterian Pastoralty as well as others Indeed you have the boldnesse to stile your selves the Ministers of Christ but you are wrapt up in a cloud of confusion and contradiction about the proof of your Pedigree as from him yea when its closely quaeried whence you came I mean as to your ministerial function and capacity seeing you cannot derive your ordination by a lineal succession from the Apostles otherwise some of you and I judge the most do not deny but that remotely you receive your orders from the Pope who as you say not as Pope but as Presbyter ordained those Bishops which not as Bishops but as Presbyters ordained you Presbyters though t will prove but Priests when all is done if the Antients among you consult the common-prayer book and form of your ordination a pretty series for the Ministers of Christ to descend in why Sirs are you not ashamed of this to cry out against the Pope as Antichrist and Rome as an Apostate strumpet and yet to hold all you have as a Ministry from and through these and that too since they Apostatized from the truth shall we think that all Christs ministers descend lineally from the loines of Antichrist ye are witnesses then against your selves that your Grand-father is the Pope and so that you descended one and the same way with those locusts even popish Priests Iesuites Monks and Friers and that you are no better born as to your being men in holy orders then the veriest Scoundrel among them that depends together with you upon that Hierachy Mr. Rutherford saies Diotrephes
matters of the law and Tithes offerings and things that came by Moses and now are not at all but who hath robbed him in matters of grace and truth and ordinances and things that came by Christ one tittle of whose Testament shall not be contradicted by man nor angel under pain of cursing you talk of golden cups and vessels in which the whore fills out her abominations and filthinesse of her fornication to the whole earth but who hath taken away the key of the Kingdom of heaven i. e. from the people and Church in whom the power lies fundamentally and primarily for t is but derivatively from the church under God secondarily executively and ministerially in the Officers not onely Papa but PP too see Rutherfords Presbytery wherein he wrests the power of the Keyes from the people who hath taken away the key of knowledge and shut up the Kingdom of heaven against men as neither willing to go in themselves by the right way and baptism nor to suffer them that would who but ye O Priests have been in these things more sacrilegi church-robbers then sacerdotes or givers of holy things yea what evil of this kind YYYou have wrought in the sanctuaries of God how you have laid them wast throughout the whole earth how you have defiled the pure waters thereof and did so Claudere rivos shut down the floodgates that the people could have none of these to drink and caused all discourses and all places to overflow with muddy and brackish waters if I should hold my peace the stones out of the wall even those living stones out of the true Temple that are living monuments of Gods mercy at this day in that they are alive from the dead even the dead night of your errors will proclaim to the everlasting infamy of that generation that have been the neerer the church the further from God Thou makest thy boast of God O PPPriesthood and wouldst seem to approve of the things that are most excellent and art confident thou thy self art a guide of the blind and a light of them that sit in darknsse an instructer of the foolisâ— a teacher of babes but indeed thou art a blind guid a dark lantorn a foolish instructer and hast need thy self to be taught by those babes which live upon the sincere milk of the word which be the first principles of the oracles of God thou hast a form of knowledge and of truth as it was in the Law that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long since abolished according to which thou Enthusiasts to thy self a Iudai al Pontificall Politicall Pollitical Religion of thy own but thou art grossely ignorant of the truth of the Gospel and that form of doctrine that Rome obeyed from the heart of old before it came to be a mother of harloâ—â—y and of such a crew of corrupt children as have since then come from her to the corrupting ing of the earth thou teachest another but thou teachest not thy self thou preachest a man should not steal but thou stealest thou saiest a man should not commit adulâ—tery but all the Kings and their people in the christian earth have committed adultery with thee thou seemest to abhorre it yet thou more then any committest sacriledge yea thou o PPPriesthood art that holy harlot that holy thief that hast fingred the most holy things yea even the holy Scripture it self which is the store-house and under Christ the treasury of truth and hid it from the world under unknown tongues and a heap of unsound sences which thou hast put upon it therefore thou art inexcusable O woman when thou judgest the now churches of sacriledge for wherein thou judgest them thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest doest the same things which thou saiest they do but they do not and therefore is he now killing thy children with death and we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them that do such things Yea wo unto you O ye blind guids ye strein at a gnat and make it sacriledge and church robbing to take Fonts and railes and pipes and pictures and altars c. out of your stone Temples and keep a do about cleansing and hallowing and having these outside decencyes and orders and offerings but swallow a camel and demolish the true temple of God and the vessels of the sactuary i. e. the ordinances thereof which is holy indeed which Temple the Saints are that are built together a spiritual house unto him and your selves are full of ravening extortion and excesse you are as graves that appear not and the men that walk over you are not aware of you nor how they are rid over by you nor how very well to be rid of you wherefore the wisdome of God even Christ Iesus now sends you prophets and Apostles and wisemen and Scribes to warn you yet these you kill and crucifie and scourge and persecute as your enemies because they tell you the truth that the blood of all the Prophets that have prophesied in Sack cloth and tormented you and your forefathers and your people that dwell on earth for 42 moneths may come on this generation and so your house be left unto you desolate for ever And fourthly there needs no more to prove you to be what you say of us that we are viz. a lying and blasphemous sect then all these forenamed falsities which are asserted of the Anabaptists when of right they belong more properly to your selves Yea great need indeed and good reason that you should be the Plantiffs in this businesse of loaâ—ing with disgraces belying and blaspheming who have bin your selves nex and immediately under Satan Supreme false accusers of the brethren to the world and the powers Courts and consistories thereof civil and ecclesiastical for Hereticks Schismaticks Sectaries seditious deceivers hypocrites blasphemeâ—s enemies to Caesar trouble Townes and what not with which kind of nicknames you the false kingdome of the Priests have overwhelmed the true royall Priesthood as with a flood the burden of whose scandals blasphemies tales and disgraces wherewith you have loaded the saints per mille ducentos sexaginta annos 1260. years exceeds any id genus that the saints have loaded you with in number weight and measure per millies mille ducentas sexaginta Lias 1000000260 l. You have cloathed the pretious sons and daughters of Sion as the persecuting Emperors did of old with the skins of wild beasts and so cast them to the dogs to be devoured i. e. with the names of Monsters and so exposed them to the hatred of the world with the which kind of sport not onely Dr. Featley and Mr. Edwards while they lived made themselves merry and their friends too by bestowing Legends a piece towards the support of their severall false wayes as one great Benefactor did a Legend of lies on the Papistrey to the maintaining of that which they call the golden Legend but others also bely the nicknamed Anabaptists
himself and in no commission from Christ to make his Ministers could not secundum te O Presbyter make those true Ministers that made those that made them that made these that make you and so what ere you are as from him yet as from Christ you are no Ministry at all but in very deed the very same that I cal you viz. of the Beast and of the Dâ—agon as also the three fold CCChristendome of whom you say that they are Jewes i. e. Christians when they are not are no other then the Synogogue of Satan In all which so far am I from reviling that I speak the words of sobernesse and truth which whoever does may not unlikely be reviled as a reviler by you but is a faithfull reprover indeed for it is not simply vile terms spoken that make a reviler if spoken both seriously and in season but their non agreeablenesse to them they are spoken of for else undoubtedly not onely your selves who spake as vilely of the Pope as I of you but Iohn Baptist Peter Paul yea and Christ Iesus himself none of which reviled at all though upon occasion of their enmity against God they called men whom else they respected well enough too by the name of Satan evil and adulterous generation Generation of Vipers children of the devil enemies of all righteousnesse bruit beasts Foxes Doggs Swine c. must all be revilers with you too This take therefore from me and let it satisfy viz. that I le never fasten any terms upon you which by your works you first fasten not on your selves yet know that persisting as you have done under the notion of Christs Ministers in pride and perversenesse against his Gospel though I should never call you Deceivers Antichristian and the WWWhore of BBBabylon yet you l prove your selves to be so in the end Now therefore Oh HHHarlot hear and fear for I have heard from the Lord of Hosts a consumption determined upon thee throw out the whole earth thou hast being well mounted harnased and attired upon the back of thy beast made warr against the Lamb in his Saints thy Hereticks for fourty two moneths a time times and a half or 1260 years and power hath been given thee and the beast which thou spurrest to overcome them and over kindreds tongues and nations so that all that dwell upon earth have worshipped him and thee on him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world yea thou hast opened thy mouth in blasphemies and caused thy beast under thee to blaspheme the name of God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven yea thou hast spoken great words against the most High and worn out the Saints of the most high and thought to change times and lawes and they have been given into thy hand so that who was like to thee and thy beast who was able to encounter and make war with him but now behold thy proud times are ended and the Lamb will overcome thee for he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful and thou that hast led into captivity shalt go into captivity and thou that hast killed with the sword must be killed by the sword here is the patience and faith of the Saints And the very ten hornes themselves even all the kingdomes of Christendome into whose hearts it hath been put to give thee all their power and strength as well as the tith of all their glory and riches and carnall things upon thy pretence of ministring to them in spiritual all which thou hast swom upon been born up and fortifyed by as Babylon of old by the River Euphrates and with all which thou hast as with so many hornes of a savage beast tossed bruised gored the sides of Saints under the name of Sinners even these shall now turn upon thee and unhorse thee yea they shall hate thee O Whore and make thee desolate and naked and burn thy flesh with fire so that all thy lovers great and small and thy Merchants that have been rich by trading as in other things so especially in bodies and souls of men shall bewail and lament when they see the smoak of thy burning saying Alas Alas for thee whilest Gods people that are first come out of thee yea whole heaven and all the holy Apostles and Prophets who now suffâ—r under thee for telling thee the truth and shall be avenged of thee shall rejoice over thee at thy downfall You will hardly give audience O ye Priests to this word but some of you rather cry out against me as multitudes of your Churches good children did some few dayes since in Smithfield when by one of the City Marshals meerly for preaching the Gospel to thousands there assembled to hear it I was betrayed into their hands to be abused saying away with him away with him hang him t is pitty but he should be stoned and such like hue and cryes as were heard of old others of you Seers may be ready to call to me scoffingly out of your mount Sier watchman what of the night watchman what of the night but whether you will hear or whether you will forbear I tell you Sirs the morning cometh and also your dead night therefore if you will enquire enquire quickly return and come to the truth before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you or if it may not be said as of old it was that many of the Priests were obedient unto the faith yet Oh that many of your people would know in their day the things that make for their peace before they be hid from their eyes and partake no more of your sins least they partake of your plagues but if IIIezebel and her lovers will lie in bed together and not repent when God gives them space to repent of their fornications then me thinks I hear a noise among them as of those that are in hellish tribulation yelling out from beneath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alas Alas whilst from above a voice of much people in heaven saying Hallelujah Hallelujah for now our Lord will raign And judge that Scarlet WWWhore who still doth fain Her self to be Christs Spouse and so maintain Her self a Qeen the world her slaves in chain Though like a Quean she doth the whole earth stain Wiâ—h Whoredomes and Saints blood whom she hath slain Three PPParts three CCCrowns three HHHeads of subtle brain A TTTripple TTTribe Rides Christndom t is plain And like Hells three mouth'd Monster stands to strain Souls that scape thence and bark them back again Yet when t is told this Minx this whore in grain Frowns Frets Hates Teares Fumes Threats Storms Fomes amain But IIIezebel wo to thy house refrain Thy pride thy lies thy wrath like that of Cain Thy filth thy self thy greediness of gain Else as thy mirth hath been shall be thy pain This