Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	write_v	1,911	5	5.7275	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44783	The beast that was, & is not, & yet is, looked upon: or, The bo-peeping beast pointed at: or, He that hideth himself hunted because of whom truth complaineth, and is spoken to by Pope and Prelate, by Presbyter, by Independent, by Quaker, by Baptist: together with her several answers to them all. Also one description of the beast. Also the coming forth and progress of the beast hitherto. Also an epistle to magistrates and law-givers, likewise, to take off prejudice if any be. Two epistles, one to the reader, and another to the Christian reader. VVith a true reproof to W.S. a Quaker, who in his book called The lying spirit in the mouth of the false prophet, wherein he endeavours to make men believe that he had answered H.H. his book, called The doctrine of the light within the natural man leading to eternal life, examined by Scripture-light.	Howet, Enoch.	1659 (1659)	Wing H3151; ESTC R215400	46,109	67

there is no need of conversion to make them Christians who are Christians born by the natural flesh of their godly Parents and so the god of this world who hath b●inded their eyes maketh them esteem it a great priviledge to have a perfect dead Act of his supposed Regeneration to be done by force upon their children for they can have no meanes to know or guess that the Spirit is joyned with water in their baptism which is the Instrument or outward Act of their Regeneration Consider how fast the poor Infant is lock'd to presumption when they have either presumption or nothing for the Foundation of their Order or rather Mystery Babylon's Order the god of this world knew well that none could be admitted into the Kingdom of God or government of the Gospel without Regeneration of water and the Spirit and his business in Mystery Babylon is to bring man to invent a form in imitation of God and so keep men that when they come to be capable of believing they should not look after Baptism or Regeneration of Water and the Spirit John ● 5 As Christ hath His Disciples made and baptized so Babylon Mystery hath hers supposed to be baptized too and in this the man of sin exalteth himself above God for God is merciful in forgiving sins and receiving into grace and favour upon Repentance every penitent sinner and therefore hath given Order to His Disciples upon confession of Faith and Repentance to baptize but this man of sin will make men believe that he hath more mercy then God by His word holds forth for he receiveth all in Infancy and needeth neither Faith nor Repentance in receiving his subjects the Subjects of Christs Kingdom have heart-pricking Truth to convince them and bring them to Repentance but Babylons Members are so easily made that they neither knew nor felt when it was done And thus the way is broad and easie that leadeth to destruction Also considering that the keeping of Christs Commandments is a proof of our love to Christ and that the receiving of the Spirit is an effect of obedience Joh. 14.15 16. and knowing that the written word is more surely to be taken heed to then an Act of the Spirit in Transfiguration though Christ Himself be present 2 Pet 2.19 to the end because Satan being a spirit can dissemble a spiritual Act but his mouth is stopped and he reproved with It is written And further knowing that Christ taught duty from the written word and it to be believed and practised rather then the words of one which should rise from the dead Luk. 16.22 I stayed not for Revelation to teach me my duty although I expect Revelation to convey unto us and evidence in us Christ our life but turn'd at Wisdom's reproof expecting after obedience Wisdom's promise Prov. 1.23 And now hating every false way knowing They that err from thy Statutes their deceit is falsehood Psal 119.118 and esteeming thy Precepts concerning all things to be right ver 128. I cannot but say of Scripture record Thy word is very pure therefore my soul loveth it verse 140. and upon this account I took the directions of that Scripture which Paul writeth by inspiration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 6.17 18. and proveth it by Isa 52.11 viz. I came out from Babylon Mystery the great her Daughter and Grandchild and touched none of their precedent manners Deut. 12.30 But I say laying aside mans learned mists of darkness and his precedent Examples I took the Doctrine of Christ and His Apostles for my Foundation and their Ensamples for following of Christ for my imitation Ephes 2.20 Truth speaketh I tell thee Church of Christ as thy name is the house of God the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground of the truth thou art not in thy order reproveable by Scriptures 1 Tim. 3.15 And if any Enemy whatsoever undertake to reprove thee and hath not Christs weapon he fought Satan with v●z it is written though he tell thee of standing in the Will of God or being led by the Spirit or of an inward Teacher or of Light within as if there were some secret thing that passed by peeping and muttering which right Reason cannot be used about the understanding of they are no better the VVizards or Familiar Spirits To the Law and to the Testimonies if there they miss any thing viz. in that they hold forth or teach and speak not according to this word though they talk of Light within it is because there is no Light in them Isa 8.19 20. and their light is darkness Mat. 5.19 fear thou no such Enemies but live in the nature of rejoycing there meet thy God there work Righteousness Isa 64.5 viz. That which Christ began and shewed us when he said Thus it becometh Vs c. Mat. 3.5 Take thou notice o● the continuance of Gods wayes though the Enemy would tell thee they are ended and so expect thy Salvation And against the fear of those that would set a Spirit which teacheth not to obey Scriptures and follow the examples of Christ and His Disciples in opposition to a Spirit that teacheth to live in obedience to Scriptures and to follow the Examples aforesaid Rom. 15.4 Comfort thy self by Faith in Scripture and there with patience cast the Anchor of thy hope Phil. ● 4 Rejoyce alwayes yea again I say rejoyce And that thy rejoycing may not be in vain take these Cautions First Take heed that thou miss not of a way within a way if thou bless thy self in the high way without the way which is called holy Isa 35.8 which holy way is recorded in Job 28.7 8 9 10. Is the turning up all things by the roots cutting forth rivers among the rocks discovering every pretious thing binding the floods from overflowing bringing forth hidden things to light The high way being thy duty to walk in the holy way being the laying of Gods hand upon Christ thy Covenant and doing all thy works for thee Isa 26.12 holding thee that thou canst not depart from him and quickning the desires of thy soul Psal 18.17 18. In all thy acts of obedience thy Faith must be in the operation of God Col. 2.12 through which our Duties are living Ordinances performed by two co-workers Secondly Take heed whilst you walk into the way of God that your great business be to seek God His Face His strength evermore Psal 105.3 4. where the Psalmist maketh this the ground of his joy therefore if you fail herein your joy is groundless In which search love kindleth more and more as thou comest neerer God so as the soul groweth sick of love and cannot cease to press hard after God Psal 63.8 because it is upbeld by Gods right hand till thou know thy self to be set as a seal upon Christs arm and his heart for ever Cant. 8.6 and then also wilt thou follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Thirdly Take heed thou be not defiled in the way

to prince and people in the land of my nativity as is proved in the 106. Psalme the 29. Vers and Psalm 99.8 Isa 66.5 and many other Scriptures And from declining the exact rule of Christ and his Apostles laid down in the bookes of the New Testament only under which grace we are and not under the Law of terror Heb 12 21. This poor Supplyant of yours to whom God hath given grace to be faithful is willing I hope amongst many others to stand in the Gap by shewing to you and all England and praying to God for you and it Ezek. 22.30 compared with the 28. Verse the very way by which an end must be put to the proceedings of the resisters of the truth 2. Tim. 3 9 Viz. by the discovering their folly to all men to which purpose this poor-servant of Christ Jesus hath written this treatise against this first Beast that ariseth out of the Sea viz. the Church that hath his power maintained and his worship exercised by the second Lamb-like horned beast that is more like a Lamb then the first and ariseth out of the eatrh viz the world and yet he holdeth up the first beasts power and worship by Magistrate sword the place that the first arose out of yeeldeth no such power his Lamb-like horns being the strength that prevaileth with the Magistrate to uphold him viz a repute of holyness and innocency in which he exceedeth therefore as a Lamb or as one in sheeps cloathing and in the pretended name of the Lamb Christ he taketh power by the Magistrate to constrain rich and poor small and great bound and free to worship c. Revelations 15. therefore where there is a constraint upon all into one worship we may well suspect that it is the power of that beast who is the very powerful life-giver to the bare Image of the first beast which Image if it had not the Magistrates power to constrain it it were life-less and therefore called the Image because it hath neither Scriptures authority to provoke nor power to constrain so that this beast is but a D●agon at the best that cannot stand without mans art or power to uphold it and shall certainly fall when Gods arke of testimony is brought to it and this is the last beast that shal be at enmity with my Master Christ Jesus and this is the same spirit with the first who is the old Serpent and Satan whose whole body consisting of beast whore and false Prophet as head body and taile shal in the end perish together Revelations 19.20 The beast was once wounded by my Masters providence and power when he died upon the Cross where he spoiled principalities and powers and made show of it openly Col. 2.15 the vertue whereof is his deadly wound to this day and no Salve that the beasts healing flatterers hath though for a time it giveth ease to the blind sleepy conscience can make this deadly wound unmortal viz. those Prophets spoken of in Ezek 13.9 But when triumphant truth the beasts mortal foe shal appear to make manifest what this wounded beast is that can never look upon Gods word to examine his own standing but he so much feeleth there the soarness of his mind as that he dare not in it prosecute his examination he shall be dead by that act and taken out of the way 2. Thes 2.7 and by how much truth looketh forth by so much this beast is sick of his wound ask your selves when truth appears where is lyes are they not all dead and gone then impudencie and out-faceing of lyes must needs cease when God shall destroy the face of the covering of all people and the vail that is spread over all nations Ezek. 25.7 the very discovery of him is his wounding therefore let those of the Clergie that loves to be Masters of all people upon the account of godliness contrary to Christs counsel Math. 23.10 look about them for Christ Jesus woundeth the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation to the neck Selah Hab. 3.13 for then their standing will appear whether it be of God or no then their begging for liberty to persecute those that dare not feed them and honour them will be at an end when Gods out-casts are visibly provided for and the oppressor ceaseth Esa 16.4 then those that made lyes their refuge vvhen they fled from the written word to mens invented may bees will be utterly undone when the patient Heb. 10.36 not hast-making beleivers Esa 28.16 is upon their sure foundation then the Hail shall sweep away all the refuge of lyes and the water shall overflow the hiding places Esa 28.17 So that it must needs follow that the weapons of our war-fare are not carnal 2 Cor. 10.4 5. but mighty through God so that the sword of the Magistrate hath no such strength against this beast as mighty truth hath therefore be wise O ye Kings and Rulers of the earth as it followes in the second Psalme 10.11.12 Verses take heed of persecuting any for Gods sake although they be presented to you as deceivers Mat. 27.36 and seditious Acts 24.5 For was not Christ and his Apostles so presented to their persecutors it is better to take Christs counsel viz. let both grow together till Harvest then that the blood or distress of any one persecuted Saint should lie at your door Christ disclaimed any intrest in your kingdom in the dayes of his flesh and set an example of obedience to God in being under your authority and his Apostles commanded submission to you and to pray for you and we are yours subjected to you in all civil obedience so do you refuse to have authority in Christs Kingdom and be you there subjected to him and as he saith My Kingdome is not of this world so say you that your Kingdome is not over his Church and let his Laws be in your eys as they are in truth so wholly by which he governeth his Church that man cannot add to them or amend them it is possible to help forward a delusion by persecution making the erronious presume that they are martyrs for Christ when they perish in prison upon religious accounts and then if you do that to them for Christs sake or for Religions sake for which you have no rule in Gods Word it will be then if God give you not repentance till the day of Judgement that hee will come to say to you Who hath required this at your hands but never to provoke them to love the truth or make them willing by mans but by Gods power Psal 110. Yet if you go about to drive them that Christ is a wooing and beseeching them by the mouth of his Apostles 2 Cor. 5.20 you may come at the trouble of your conscience in the hour of death too too late to repent but we as our duty is do pray indeavor that no such thing may fal upon you And in the words of

that none can open his eye to discover my vanity but a Sword lyeth on it Zac. 11.17 I beseech you also take notice of the good I have done for this part of the world who are my Vassals I have builded their Churches and dedicated them to Christ or one Saint or other that they may be holy I have divided their Lands into Parishes settled Tithes upon them left no means unthought out that may dignifie or distinguish them but have made all conveniences for ease pleasure and safety that the wit of man can invent Tell me now am not I a better Master to mine then Christ was to his Who suffered his to be under cruel mockings scornings bonds imprisonments savings asunder temptings being slain with swords and wandring up and down in sheep-skins and goat-skins Rom. 16.33 Heb. 11.37 And no marvel for he had no Kingdom of this world as I have But w●ilst thou lookest on the Sa●●s outward condition thou feelest not his 〈◊〉 of ●…t Prov. 1.10 nor whereon to lay his head he was never born to that honour and riches that I and mine are for he was fain to make shift with a Manger at the time of his birth though we arose from out of his Charts Act. 20.30 we have attained to greater riches and intailments and strong settlements in this world then he or any of his had or will have Truth speaketh Prelate what I say to thee I shall say to all thy issue viz. If thou be not found in the Scriptures of truth I cannot own thee for then thou must be of mans invention of lies and must be outed for ever having share of me your Antiquity cannot maintain you you are not older then the Epistle of Jude vers 4. who wrote of your old Ordination and your coming in neither can the approbation of Bishops and Doctors justifie you for Christ Jesus thanketh his Father that he hath hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes 'T is not honourableness that will help you for God will stain the pride of all grory and bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth Isa 23.9 Whereas you pleade your Councils I cannot own them for the Scripture of truth concludes them under a wo Isai 30.1 for taking Counsel and not by Gods Spirit One thing wherein your Councils are point-blank against the Scriptures of truth is A Bishop the Scripture proveth must be the Governour of a natural family consisting of wife and children where the spirit of Government must be fruitful in governing his own house well in these words A Bishop must be blameless the husband of one wife c. 1 Tim. 3.2 One that ruleth well having his Children in subjection with all gravity for if he know not how to rule his own how shall he take care of the Church of God Even so must their wives be grave c. vers 4 5. And in Titus If any man be blameless the husband of one wife having faithful children not accused of ryot or unruly c. But your Councils are so shameless that they give out their Must be against the Scriptures Must-be for you say That a Bishop must be unmarried and so are all your Priests to be by your Councils Order Therefore let all men look upon thee as one that vieth it with God himself and indeed if the Scripture had not spoken of a false-dealing shameless Clergie Jer. 13.15 I should have more admired your impudency your daughter Presbytery is not altogether so shameless for she puts her May-be against the Scriptures Must-be for she saith A Bishop may be unmarried And as for your fixing your self in the joynts of honour riches strength cruelty multitudes c. I must by the Scriptures of truth tell thee That the stone the tryed stone the precious corner-stone when he shall lay judgement to the line and righteousness to the plummet the hail shall sweep away all your refuge of lies then your contract with hell and death shall not stand Isai 28.16 viz. All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me He that contracted with you will then prove but a bad Pay-master And as concerning the people that is with you in concord this very thing is the curse that is upon them viz. There shall be like people like priest and both in love with lies if sometimes the Nation that is called Gods people were in this condition it is easily believed that Rome and England may be so It is said of them The prophets prophesie falsly the priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof These things considered I have done with the Prelate Now followeth the speech that may be aptly spokenly s●me of that Presbitery that is the Prelates Daughter Truth it is a folly to lye before thee though I may cozen the people with sophistical Arguments my learning being very useful to me for that purpose I have not shaken off my Mothers foundation but have kept her Baptism her sticking to mans Ordination to preach though not wholly in her Order for I tell you truly herein lyeth my pomp my riches my benefice my parish-livings that my Mother Prelate provided for me and is the very Saddle upon which I ride the Beast by the help of my brother Lawyer which Beast some have interpreted to be the great powers of the earth for I know the same spirit that caused the Hierarchies successors to ordain me will cause them to maintain me and all my honours and greatness for indeed I have all the Rulers and great ones power for few or none of the Rulers believe on poor Christ and his poor despised people and therefore I flatter them in their powdered locks and new fashions Rom. 12. gives you no such warrant and their wives in their long trailing Gowns naked Breasts and spotted Faces or if I flatter them not I make my reproofs so soft and so thin as the Tiffany they wear And for their filth of meat and vain talk I smile at them whilst I formally reprove them and I call it not Gluttony and Drunkenness neither do I charge it so strictly upon them to face them with bold reproofs telling them That for every idle word they must give an account at the day of judgment as the poor silly followers of poor Christ do Alas poor souls for their plain dealing the world judgeeth them accursed and turneth them out of doors whereas I can be welcome to great persons and we can call on another godly lying till we think we say truly and both of us together fall upon the back of the poor silly followers of poor Christ by which means it is no disgrace to me upon the earth before the great ones and the lustful ones and the common people though the foresaid poor people by plain proofs cut of Scripture make me naked My Mothet Prelate

Psal 119.1 for it is less offence to bring a beastly Creature into a hogstie or any filthy place then to bring it into a Princes presence-chamber or a bed of love where there ought to be nothing loathsome but all to be lovely and love provoking Objects So is it less wickedness to have a mind and conscience defiled in beastly prophaness then to bring such a minde into the House of God the Church of the living God Tim. 1.15 That thy soul may bee deeply ingaged take notice of the whole Order of persons and things wherein thy communion lies with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 4. The whole Order is the innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly of the first-born that are written in heaven unto God the judge of all unto Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel In the first place consider whether the Father and the Son can have communion with thy sins thy worldly pleasures or pursued honours in a condition where right and strong and pure Objects of eternal love forceth the heart to a strong purgation 1 Joh. 3.3 No no all thy pleasures honours c. must be thrust from thee as a menstruous rag Secondly Consider whether such company can delight to talk with thee of good bargains the honour thou hast from great persons the delicates wherewith thy feasts are furnished and thy new fashions No no I tell thee the mind that can feed on these things is too defiled for Gods ways and can take no pleasure in Heavenly food a pure mind is capable of remembrance of the commandments of Christ and his Apostles 2 Pet. 3.2 of the enjoyning the commanded loving kindness of God which hath such warmth and power that it maketh them become one new heart with this new wine and Gods Song with them in the right when God useth their heart their joy and their and his own delight to sing his songs with and their prayer with the God of their life Psal 42.8 As if it were said God the life of his childrens prayer is with them in their act of praying They need not travel hundreds of miles to present their Petitions on pilgrimage the marrying of his body together and the rejoycing over them as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over his bride Isa 52.4.5 proves Gods presence at their heart-working-life Here here I say is perfection when God in a perfect way visiteth a perfect heart the living man is as well able to lay aside his breathing as these are able to forbear pressing on towards the mark Phil. 3.14 or to follow after God having no pattern but the Heavenly Fathers perfection to imitate Psal 36.8 being under the laver of that Blood which was shed by this eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Our perfection is in the life a working it is yet perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and whilst we draw our natural breath the blood of Christ in cleansing will do its work the fear of God its work and our Heavenly Father will stand for our Pattern and our Christ will be our life 1 Joh. 1.7 There is nothing but it may be yet a perfecting in us only our purchase by the blood of Christ is perfectly paid and in that sense it is finished and our salvation undertaken if either the Tempter were dead or we our selves stronger then Adam was in his innocency or the evil day and hour of our temptation past Gal. 6.1 we might speak of such a perfection as admitted of no imperfection but whilst the Scripture is of use let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and we may as the case now standeth with us with Paul speak of perfection and imperfection both in one Chapter Phil. 3. If thou beest undefiled in the way thy soul will be in this frame 1. Thou wilt not endure to see the least defilement in thy self without loathsome apprehensions of thy self and running to that fountain which is set open for sin and iniquity to wash in Zech. 13.1 And 2. If undefiled in the way thou wilt be always a running and not carelesly sleeping Heb. 12.1 but rather weeping with thy face thitherward Jer. 50.5 either for joy shame desire or all these so strongly will thy heart be ingaged to seek the Lord Jer. 30.21 A fourth caution Take heed that every one of you strive by watching begging of God beseeching one another to keep from among you Egyptian bondage this ruling one over another with rigor Exod. 1.13 14. which might not be one brother over another in the time of the Law Reason first because that love which procured the shedding of Christs blood hath caused his poor Members to be set as a Seal on his heart and upon his arm Cant. 8.6 and owned them for his people Isa 51.16 Therefore if thou hast Gods love shed abroad in thy heart to constrain thee afford it them out of thy breast A second Reason why we should not rule over our Brethren with rigour is we are and so was Elias subject to the like passions that any feeble brother is Jam. 5.17 and thou mayest come to be remoted Gal. 5.1 and it is possible thy temptation may be this that Satan may move thee to have low contemptible yea it may be hateful thoughts of thy brother and thou mayest have a Spirit of putting away and covering violence with a cloak Mal. 2.16 therefore take heed of this temptation The third Reason why not with rigour c. Because thou art not godly or Godlike in so doing for he did not take thee at advantages when he might justly have cut thee off but waiteth for thee that he may be gracious unto thee and will wait upon all to that purpose Isa 30.11 He cut none off suddenly in a few days or a week c. nor pressed thine offences to all advantages that he might break thee off he hath given contrary rules to that to his Apostles and Disciples how to move towards their Brethren Luke 17. the five first verses Let my fifth caution therefore be That for no supposed advantage sake or fear of disadvantage to the truth thou darest step from the Rule that Christ laid down one jot for if thou dost it is a judging of the Law-makers wisdom and foresight as if he did not foresee and provide in his rule for all following effects Secondly It is an exalting of thine own wisdom in that thou thinkest thou seest cause to be a ruler further then he hath left a rule to guide thee by Thirdly Thou mayest assay in so doing to prevent the fruit that God bringeth forth by contrary means In this case how far might Abrahams imagination have fought against Gods command He might have said of Isaac he was the son of the Promise and the Promised seed is in his loyns c. Amongst other Scriptures I offer to thy consideration

one body Made ere they knew in infancie But Scripture Baptist doth them all deny For the good old way that Jesus walked in e Ier. 7.16 And the Apostles taught repenters to begin f Acts 2.38 Hereupon the spirit of the beast rouzeth up himself again Yea thinks the Quakers spirit then will I All that is called God or worshiped deny g 2 Thes 2. For where by order * by making false order I can have no place I must exalt my self to the disgrace * viz. in his deceived ones who exalt the sound of name but have being ignorant of the nature of the law of God and Christ Of God opposing order of his face Though God be the God of order Plainness of truth opposite to the beasts mysticall pretences GOD sent his son in flesh to come True naturall blood to shed And did ordain his death to be In simple man bake't bread And Vine fruit wine that men do drink Which God and man doth chear When in his ord'nance spirit joynd The price of Christs blood dear Shown to hold forth his death for sin Until he come again That is gone up true advocate Our cause for to maintain Where holy God and sinful man By Christ a treaty hold Who takes our prayers and there to God Our miseries doth unfold And doth return into our hearts The fruits of his blood shed True pordon strength comfort and joy By spirit witnessed Who doth with blood and water joyn One witness manifested a Iohn 1.5 8. In Gods one way whil'st men obey Repent and be baptised And then expect pardon of sin And holy spirit Gods gift b 2. Acts 38 Whil'st that our loves is prov'd to Christ In making it our stri●t For to keep all Gods commandments Where Scripture comfort dwells c Rom. 15.4 With Son and Father manifest Where men are not Rebels a Iohn 14 21. Hereupon the spirit of the beast proceedeth Thinks disobedient spirit I have No share in this strong Saviour I l'e cry down Lawes and holier be Then all that formes do favour In the eyes of those that have the love Of simple truth denyde I l'e serve their lusts and them perswade They need not to be ti'd I strong delusion can command Affections into tears b Ezek. 8 14 And cause men for to lean on God And so free them from fears c Mica 5.11 And cause men to protest to God That they 'l obedient be d Ier. 42.6 Yet his commandments to deny And say it is not he e Ier. 43. i 2 For in right steps of humbleness f Ps 17 11 They shall seem after God to press And though by Christs knowledge they scape Through lusts the worlds pollution g 2 Pet 2 20 Yet Gods commandments turning from They 're fast in my possession Although that they his way forsake They holiness may hold * The strength of delusion lieth in their seeming to themselves others to hold forth their formal holiness For I will spirit them my self Whil'st they 're fearless and bold I can my self transforme Into an Angels light And there maintain the light within The disobedient wight a 2 Cor. 11 14 2 Thes 2. Truth speaketh As righteous they must sure appear Whilst they can have the Skill To seem as Christs Apostles right And preachers of his Will b 2 Cor. 11 13.15 These were so far convinc't As to disclaim prophaneness But love of truth did not receive To bring them to obed'ence c 2 Thes 2 Self-love did them provoke Lest they should damned be Or of salvation be deny'd Prophaneness for to flee Doth it avail saith they To save us let us see All other Scriptures they throw by As useless for to bee Delusion speaks Therefore to them I me sent d 2 Thes 2 11. compared with 10 Verse Such lies they shall believe As me their inward Teacher to Prefer though God they grieve e Gen. 6.6 Before that simple Christ That Scripture-writing gave That men might read know his law And sure instructions have f 2 Pet. 1 19 20 2 Tim 3.17 Truth speaks The Man of God to make perfect And furnish him throughout There is a rule to know Gods will None need of it to doubt Delusion speaketh In mans imagination I le frame a lawless Christ And set my selfe up there as God And in his name be hi'st I le cause these to ascribe to me What ere to God is due And to my inward motions To flye from Scripture-view Remember Ahabs case 1 King 21.23 Truth doth and will conclude When beauteous holiness appears In sweetned-soul the dew of youth to bring Psalm 110 In morning womb it never fears To own its Jesus Lord and King That God-begotten Virgin-born That crosfide flesh was crown'd with thorn Hath saving power and law-giving In person place and time No true man can deny this thing And say he 's without crime That doth salvation to himself apply Whilst that obedience he doth clean deny Though faith and bapti'm in one book be writ Yea in one Chapter and in one Verse too Delusion saith he can the faith out pick And leave the bapti'm for some else to do Thus self-love his salvation minds Whil'st love of righteousnesse thinks fit To hate iniquity betimes The Oyle of gladness with his Christ to get a Psal 45.7 And thinks nothing for himself to imbrace To be too low carnal or base That his Jesus to his Apostles gave For Church direction but will tread the trace With Christ and his Disciples to his grave And knowes when 's left his body then that he From 's bodyes worship not before is free If our great God by such a lowly thing As blew in fringe would Israel mind Of their obedience to their Lord and King b Num 15 38 That they might not to their own heart Nor to their eyes be seeking With spirit of disobedience dark Though light calld go a-whoring Then think not baptism breaking bread Mean Lawes by Christ b'ing uttered Flying to holier spirit they think then Christ That doth and will exalt himself the high'st Within the disobedient child That is by spirit but not by God beguil'd To all Law-givers and Magistrates WIth the submission of a poor worm that is under your feet that you may behold what God hath given to my heart to write a warning to men and that you may avoid all provocations to that horrid sin of building up Sim with blood Micah 3.10 I tender this treatise to your view hoping that you will not despise the words of him that is as much your underling as any maid-servant to her Master though they may Contend with some of you Iob 11.13 Being I am heartily engaged by Christ Jesus my master to disswade all men from adhering to mans inventions or devices in and about the worship of God because they are so dangerous

the Apostle We beseech you to be reconciled to God and not opposite to his gracious pardoning mercy in going about to take from man or to make useless the forgiveness of that blasphemy against the Father and the Son by the lips of Christ now in the dispensation of his Gospel granted and proclaimed Mat. 12.31 for without repentance there is no forgiveness and how can any repent when the sword of the Magistrate hath cut him off Concerning this there hath been something in a former Parliament Paul took not that course he did not flie to the Magistrate to have Hymenus and Alexander cut off but he took a course that made them capable of learning to amend 1 Tim. 1.10 which had not been lawful for Paul to have done had not Christ in his Gospel taken away the rigor of that Law which is written in the 24 of Leviticus and the 16. And upon this Gospel account Christ told James and John they knew not of what manner of spirit they were of For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.55 56. when they of Samaria would not receive Christ therefore if any sort of men like these companie of Priests that murder ●n the way by consent that are spoken of in Hos 6.9 for it cannot be thought these Priests took away temporal lives by temporal weapons should tempt you to mend those Lawes that Christ and his Apostles left for Church-government and give punishment for breaking them exceeding the severitie of the merciful Law-givers Edicts which tend to the peoples destruction when Christ the wiser then Solomon and therefore wiser then any prince or Synod that ever was or will be in this world gave only such punishment for breaking his Lawes as tended only to mans salvation neither hurting their persons estates nor liberties The Lord strengthen your hearts and give you courage to resist them who care not that much people perish by you● hands yea and by war and bloodshed rather then their Honor and easie fatt-conditions should go down and they should miss to be Lords over mens consciences and Gods inheritance Witness Love's treason There is no fore-sight like Christs nor nothing shall come to pass even to the end of the World which he fore-knew not and upon this account he left sufficient provision for the being and wel-being of his Church The very seed of the Devil when it sprang up Christ would not have his Disciples pull it up lest they should pull up the Wheat also thinking it safer to let manie wicked Imps grow then to venture the destruction of anie poor childe of God Then be not overcome to let anie be destroyed for Christs sake by the petitioners for destruction though those they vvould have destroyed are preseneed unto you for the Devils Ims being you have Christs directions in the case Matt. 13.28 29. I do hereby earnestly supplicate you to consider that England is not more dear in Gods eyes then sometime Israel vvas and may come to be if it bee not alreadie as far falne from grace as Israel vvas vvhen there was four hundred prophets for one Micah 1 King 22.6 When the zeal of Jezabel was such that she maintained four hundred and fifty prophets and four hundred prophets at her table all at once 1 Kings 18 19. and these false prophets that would flatter face-painting Jezabels and wicked Ahabs bare all the sway in Israel at that time when as prisons and threatnings of death for the truths sake was the portion of all the Micah's and Eliah's and to be hid in a Caves and fed with bread and water it is good to have such a holy jealousie as may provoke all that fear God to pray for the Land and the Rulers thereof and to warn our great ones that are Preist-feeders to look to it least their zeal deceive them not and that they be not found of that number that prepare a table for that troope and furnish a drink-offering for that number that are spoken of in Esa 65.11 to 16. and when Christ makes this great discovery their zeal be found no better then Jezabels was it must needs be thought that her Preists were confident else they durst never have joyned issue with Elias about the tryal of their God and his God therefore let the truth advise you not to trust for there is both learned Papists and learned Protestants and one or both of them must needs be in an error but bring all to the law and to the testimonies Esa 8.20 and if they deviate one jot from Scripture and give an invented may be in the room of it beleive them not but take notice that the Scripture is able to furnish a man of God throughly 2. Tim. 3.1.6 and there is no need of mans invented may be to be joyned with it and least our great ones way and their Preists way or peoples way should be a way of wickedness they are intreated to follow Davids example who was as right as any King or great man can come to be now adayes yet he was earnest with God to try him least his way was a way of wickedness Psalm 129.23 It is undoubtedly true that when the Prophets cry out to the Magistrates for harms to their neighbours for religion sake they are not of that spirit of Christ Jesus that came not to destroy but to save mens lives and if poor England or the rulers thereof be willing to hear this complaint then those sad words may bespoken of it as was spoken of Israel Ier. 5.31 viz. The Prophets prophesy falsly and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof And so it is that we being under another spirit then Elias was desire no harm to those destroyers from the Magistrate No no he might be quiet in his civil imployment if our enemies would trouble him about matters of religion no more then we do but we desire that none may be welcome to you that tempt you to keep us from the free plain use of the Scriptures of Christ in the simplicity thereof without spoyling us by Phylosophy or learned troops of figures which are vain deceit when they are used against the truth Iob 2.8 to which Scriptures we appeal utterly and that by the help of the same spirit that wrote them from all inventions of men whether brought forth by Synods or Assemblies of Divines or any others and according to my duty in the name of Christ my Master I warn you in the love of God who is love that you suffer the word of God to run and be glorified in the same uncompoundedness that Christ and his Apostles left it without changing the Laws thereof or giving any other punishment for breaking the Laws thereof then Christ and his Apostles left order for in the Scriptures man can as harmlesly endeavour to change the Orgins and light by

its own single Witness and denieth to be tryed by Scripture or any thing else but it self You try all your matter by that you call the light vvithin the natural man c. of vvhich light your spirit is the transfotmed Angel 2 Cor. 11.14 and things are like to go on in his side in his ovvn Court. We acknowledge the light vvithin the enlightned man vvhich agreeth with the Scriptures Heb. 10.32 compared vvith 2 Tim. 3.17 but not before illumination this is the light that enlightneth every man but vve must not acknowledge it but where it is It is good to answer Tempters by seeing the image or superscription though Tempters are more general It is certain there is something called a light by Christ that is in the unregenerate man and may be darkness Matth 6.23 Surely this must be yours for you own yours there and vvould have all judged by that and neglect Christ and his Apostles rules in Scripture And now to be short Friend you have not found out one particular in all my Writings whereunto you might apply your self as a just matter of your reproof therefore you fell upon me with many foul revilings onely there is a mistake in the quotation I not being at the Presse my self to correct it the place should have been 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. for which mistake you take him in a Snare that reproveth in the Gate and maketh a man an offendor for a word Isa 29.21 yea and that a word mistaken onely and that you do with most foul insultations In matters of the World he that should prosecute his Neighbor for vvitnessing the truth when he onely mistakes ●he place and ●and upon that point would be known amongst men as a cunning Knave As for the matter you made shew to answer you have given it all the go by yet you will be in Print Well according to Solomon in Prov. 26.5 I have answered you and according to his counsel in Verse 4. I shall not answer you except you shew more Wisdom you have asked me no question but what are plainly prevented in my Writings if you had eyes to see it you might see it therefore I refer all to the judicious Reader that shall read both Books Again you make something of the word Carpenters Son but that is your mistaking ignorance for it was he that the Jews vilified by that Name who is the Saviour of the world and Law-giver to Saints and as they reproached his meaness by that Name so you reproach the meaness of his Laws by the Name o● outside Law carnal unspiritual things as not high enough for him that exalteth himself above all that is called God or worshipped Therefore the VVord is a proper allusion to you you and the Jews both vilifying Christ and his Laws as too mean for you Again you play upon the word Taking it upon me as my duty you need not for it is a Scripture phrase Gen. 18.31 and whosoever is a VVitness for the Truth taketh up the Cross and upon him Christs burden which to do is my duty the word you see will warrant the phrase and that is more sure then your As God his movings I write against a Spirit and People in disobedience and I bended my writings against the thing wherein the deceit lay I did personally asperse no man but thou hast missed the point though thou comest forth as a man provoked and one in union with that Error I reproved and hast brought forth my Name and dwelling-place that thou mightest reproach me with railing terms upbraiding me with what men had done unto me and art to be reproved by Psal 50 19 20 and Jude 8 9 10. Is not this personal animosity Have you not need to plead for perfection that do such things Do you think your Spirit that hath set you about this is the spirit of God or no You must needs call this either envy or malice or both Is this any proof for your matter that you give folks to think you answer This is as impertinent as all the rest even so is thy calling that light in the natural man of which Christ saith Matt. 6.23 How great is that darkness the light of Christ and averring that I speak against it the Lord will uphold my good Name though thou wouldst blast it and make me content to go through thy evil report and be glad to see thee penitent and obedient to God that thou and I may enjoy that one life and truth together with the Apostles and Disciples and that God-man that dyed upon the Cross and is now with his Father and our Father in heaven which he gave in the dayes of his flesh and now maintaineth Written by an unworthy Servant of God who in Gods perfect way waiteth for visitations of that Spirit that is sent from the Father and the Son by that Man Jesus who is in Heaven in his eternal and unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7.24 H. H. FINIS ERRATA Pag. 4 line 5. for talents read talands l 6. for peak r. beak l. 2● for Charts r. Church P. 12 l. 4 after the word Disciples r. truth speaketh l. 20. after the word mou●hr when that Statute is as the mouth of some invetera●e Clergy-men to hold mens estates in at their pleasure P. 16. l. 15. for Ecclesiasies r Nehemiah