set free from all spirituall bondage whatsoever Satan could not reigne in this land by these his forenamed ordinances if he brought not truth with him it is no marveil that he bringeth trueth unto us rather then lose his kingdome He can transforme himselfe we knovve into an Angell of light but vve must not receiv him or his merchādise vvhat glasse soever he casteth over them or in vvhat vveed soever he cloth himselfe And therefore let it not be thought vvonderful that vve reject that preaching those Sacraments and those Ministers that by their preaching ministerie and sacraments vvould dravve our consciences to be subject unto the povver of Satan Nay rather vve may vvonder vvith astonishment hovv they dare presume to minister before Iesus Christ in the garments vveeds and offices of the Locustes of the bottomles pit hovv they dare presse to offer before the God of Israel being strangers from the Tabernacle by vertue of their office It vvas a positive lavv under Moses that the stranger not being of the line of Aaron yea or not called to the holie office that vvould intermedle vvith the office of the Preist should dy the death for it Much more if he vvere an Eckronitish or an Ashdodean Preist in his office And is not this man vvorthie of more honour then Moses his ordināces to be yet more reverenced then Moses his vvere Oh then vvhat a fearful presumption is it for the Preachers of this land I speak nothing all this vvhile of the Idol-readers the Prelates the Cōmissaries the Chancellors the Deanes the Archdeacons c to take his vvord in their mouthes his Sacramentes in their hands to minister in his sight being not Ashdodeans or Eckronitish but Antichristian Preists which is more horrible by vertue of their office calling The sensible presidents of Gods fearefull iudgements upon Corah and the two hundred fiftie Captaynes of the Congregation being men that held and taught such of them as were teachers as many points of truth as our preachers can hold or teach time time being counted together The fretting consuming leprosie of K. Vzziah are written for their instruction ours that they should not presume to intermedle with the holy things of God especially by vertue of a false Antichristiā office If it be here said that we have nothing to do what office they have so they preach the truth I answer that this is it which Satan would have to wit that his ordinances his power his Ministerie should be received of vs without any scruple or doubt what we do therby Graunt him this once and he wil soon overthrow all religion I have shewed before that a good conscience will beginne with a lawfull calling and office especially in this holy work and therfore if men have not forgotten to be ashamed let them not use this gracelesse uncolourable shift any longer to iustifie their uneven walking For if their outvvard office and calling wil not abide the fire of the word they are but wolves and vsurpers whosoever they be And if they be ashamed or think themselves too good to derive their office authoritie and power from Iesus Christ the Church of Christ and every member therof ought to be ashamed and afraid to receive them Nay the Church cannot receive them without high treason against the head thereof Christ Iesus vnto whose power alone we must submit our selves for we have none other head but him and therfore wil acknowledge no other power but his to have authoritie to work vpon our consciences They know what penaltie was to be executed vpon him under Moses that spake in the name of other Gods unto that people how dare they then go about to thrust us away frō the Lord our God who hath redeemed us from the power of the grave and to bring us into subjection unto the ordinances of that godlesse Mauzzim Do they not know that that Christ is not a true Christ but an Antichrist whatsoever truth he teacheth whatsoever miracles he worketh which cannot prove his outward office and calling unto us out of the written word of God What Ministers then can they be but Antichristiā whose office calling cannot derive the genealogie therof out of the same booke of the written undoubted veritie Christ Iesus telleth us that the Scriptures are they which testifie of him that his power even to preach and not his preaching onelie is in the verie conscience of his adversaries from heaven and not from men Hee tooke not the honour of his office unto him selfe but he that said unto him this day have I begotten thee gave it him as the Apostle teacheth Iohn Baptist confirmeth his office out of the written word namely that he was that voice of him that crieth in the wildernes whereof the Prophet Isay had foretold the Church The holy Apostles confirme their office out of the written word For they wil not onelie prove that they preach nothing but the truth administer no sacramentes save the true sacramentes onely but also wil shewe that they derive the power authority to do this from him who hath all power in his hand that is from Iesus who did not onely instruct them what trueth the Church was to receive but also gave them a Cōmission to do the same from his owne mouth in saieng Go yee therefore c. Nay they durst not presume to choose any to supplie the roome of Iudas among them except they had bene able to bring the warrant of the written word for their ground that an office was void in the house of God and that another was to supplie that roome Paul the Apostle is able to proue his office unto us out of many places of the written word The Spirit of God testifieth that he is an Apostle of Iesus Christ not at his own hand but by the wil of God What wil the Preachers of our time then say for them selves why they should not do the like Many of them go about to deceive them selves the simple people by the place of Paul Yee are the seale of mine Apostleship We have called many say they But by vertue of what office say wee If they allege we have nothing to do to examine that truth nay cōmon sense wil answere them that then they are wicked intruders that they are Lawlesse theeves that they are false Prophets nay that they are Anabaptists and that we may know them by this bitter presumptuous fruite which cōmeth out of their mouthes For wil they presume to take the word of Iesus Christ in their mouths to intermedle with his Sacramentes to rule in his house and wil they not shewe us how they come in by what office they doe these things wil they under pretense of an inward power bragge of an outward office nay exempt themselves from the charge of of an office in the house of God under the vaile of their outward giftes and so breake into the same in steed of
Num. 28.4 especially their spiritual whordome with the ordinances of Antichrist and their proud reiecting of Iesus Christ Touching reformed Churches we are to walk by the line of the word and not after the iudgements of men When they have answered swered the reasons set downe in this treatise and have learned aright in what staâ—e the assemblies of the land do stand we wil give some better doome vnto their opinioÌ„s In the mean time we have a sure word of the Prophets wherevnto all those are to give eare 2 Pet. 1.19 who purpose to folow the light of the true day starr If men speak not according to this word but wilfully runne from the light therof to see what cloak they may have from Churches or men to cover their nakednes we must needs tel them with the holy Prophet that they do this Isa 8.20 because there is not a glimse of light in them And that they do not suffer themselves to be tried by the light of the word because their works are in darknes The case is marveilous strange that we having the written word of God at home and the things accused by the same to be out of order present before our eyes shall runne from the word and from common sense so farr also from home to ask the iudgements of men in that case which on the one side they know not aright and therfore cannot pronounce an equal sentence therof yea when their iudgements are gotten there is no more had but the conclusions of men against the direct warrant of the word The hierarchie hath so long time fought with this weapoÌ„ as it is a wonderfull case that those who have dulled the edge therof by the buckler of the word ar not ashamed to take it vp themselves But what shift can there be so mean that Satan wil not vse for the covering of his shifting polluted marchandise Yet is he and his vtterly besides the mark if they think that we regard the persons of men in this truth which we have in hand Nay if they were Angels from heaven accursed be they if they go about in the least point to seduce vs from the truth and word of Iesus Christ our Maister In whose behalf at this instant I do here in his presence before heaven and earth arraigne and convince the whole parish-assemblies of this Land and the members therof as traytors and conspiring with Antichrist against his Maiesty and consequently as being such at this present as from whome every member of CHRIST is to separate himself vnder paine of Gods everlasting wrath Wherfore hearken ye ô heavens and hear thou ô earth let posteritie bear witnes seing this age stoppeth her eares that I accuse these parish-assemblies of being guilty of a greater conspiracy against the Maiestie of Iesus Christ then that of Corah Dathan and Abiram was against Moses And therfore also of being in danger of the Lords indignation in a more fearful sort theÌ„ were those who abode with Corah and his company The case with Corah Dathan and Abiram was thus There were three especiall prerogatives belonging vnto the sonnes of Israel Gen. 49.3.4 1 Chron. 5. I. the kingdome 2. the birthright 3. the holy office of the Priesthood Reuben the first borne should have bene excellent in some of these as the Spirit of God recordeth had he not defiled his fathers bed but for this his sinn he lost his preferment Symeon being the next lost the same in like manner for his slaughter of the Schecemites in such sort as he was dispersed in Iacob scattered in Israel having never any proper tribe or inheritance after their owne name Levi being a brother in mischeif with him was also scattered yet the Lord in mercy vouchsafed him the dignity of the Priesthood 1 Chron. 5.1 as he did the Kingdome vnto Iuda and the Birthright vnto Ioseph who had two tribes and so a double portion amongest the children of his people Now at the comming out of Aegypt Moses by the commaundement of God I know conveighed both the kingdome that is the chief power of the civil authoritie as also the priesthood vnto his own fathers house And in regard of the priesthood he established it for ever in the line of Aaron his brother by a covenant of salt And to this purpose enacted that not onely the whol tribe of Levi even Gershom the elder brother and his sonnes should be vnder the iurisdiction and commandement of Aaron and his sonnes in the holy service of the tabernacle but also that none Aaron and his sonnes excepted either of the Levites Num. 3.10 4.10 or of any other the tribes of Israel should intermeddle with the holy office of the priesthood under paine of death Herevpon certain famous men of the congregation Corah of the house of Levi Dathan and Abiram of the house of Reuben the first borne Num. 16.10 17.5.8 with other two hundred and fifty captaines of the assemblie even all men of renowne charged Moses and Aaron of collusioÌ„ evil dealing with the Lords people in that they had transferred the priesthood vnto their fathers house without warrant so the Lord was faine to decide the controversie between them not onely by his iudgements vpon the chief conspirators and such as abode in their tents but also by the budding of Aarons rodde Now touching the controversie between Moses and Corah it was not whether the God of Israel was to be served or not for Corah and his company granted that as well as Moses It was not whether forreigne Idolatrie should be brought into the house of Israel for that would Corah and his company withstand as wel as Moses breifly it was not concerning any fundamentall point of religion as men now vse to speak but onely touching those offices Num. 16.10 and those officers wherby the worship of God was to be performed even touching the Priests office as Moses saith In regard of the persons it may seem to be somthing tolerable they were all of them members of the true visible Church before their conspiracie all famous men in the congregation 1 Chon 6.39.37.38 And Corah in particular brought vp his children in the fear of God in such measure as they wil have a famous name in the Church for evermore Num. 26.11 as being those who consented not vnto their fathers sinnes and therfore also perished not with them but were afterward imployed in the holy offices Wel the case of Corah being thus tollerable in the iudgement of flesh and blood yet was it vtterly vnlawful for any man either to preach the truth or to heare the truth taught within their tents And therfore much more unlawful to preach the same or to heare the same taught within any of the assemblies of England this day Because all these assemblies are not within the tents that is vnder the iurisdiction and of the conspiracie which Corah Dathan Abiram raised
her sinnes and that yee receive not of her plagues And here I would know what it is that keepeth them here If they say the word and sacraments they are answered againe that they traffique in other merchandise of Antichrists meere invention besides these For they go unto Corahs owne Courts and are at Abaddons commaundement in the things which he himself hath invented as well as in those points wherin he turneth himself into an Angel of light and becommeth like the Minister of righteousnes And if it be for the Word and Sacraments onely that they remaine then I trust they wil hold it vnlawful for them selves or for any other to communicate in the merchandise which is meerly whoorish and Antichristian as resorting to the Prelates Courts to be censured by them comunicating with them c. It is the Priest onely or the Deacon that administreth the word and the Sacraments If they continue within these tents onely for the love that they have vnto these things then I trust they will have nothing to do with the Lord Archbishop the Lordbishop the Commissarie Chancellor Archdeacon Official c. and their traffique they bring with them Let them withdraw themselves from under their iurisdiction they shall see how long they can have quietnes within these tents But if they think as it is the practise of all that they may also be at the commaundement of these forenamed Corahs Dathans and Abirams then have they nothing to cover their wicked hypocrisie but they must be inforced to confesse that they are not perswaded in their consciences but that they may be members of those assemblies which conspire against Christ Jesus Whereas they durst not presume to continue within the tents of those that assembled themselves against Moses the servant And so they rest in undoubted expectation of a more fearefull judgement against them then fel vpon those that would not depart from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram And what they speak of the word sacraments is before answered in as much as they of Corahs conspiracie might as well hav staied within their tents for these respects as they may within the assemblies of England And the point is not what they may have in these assemblies but whether they may stay there or not whatsoever is there to be found We say they ought not to stay They seeme not to deny it in that they bring no reason out of the word to prove the lawfulnes of their abode there but onely reasō frō that which they may have there Wheras first they should prove that they may stay in a cōspiring pestilēt assēbly before they tell vs what it is that they may have in the same They are simply instructed in the truth which is according to godlines that have not as yet learned that the whorish synagogues are decked with many of the Iewels that belong to the true spouse But touching the word and Sacraments which they seem to possesse there I say that within the tents of Corah though the Levites do teach the truth and administer circumcision yet is not this that truth or that circumcision which hath the promise annexed vnto them and therefore not that truth or those sacraments wherewith any of the children of God may participate as long as they are administred in that gainsaying Assemblie Let those truthes which they teach and those sacraments which they administer be brought out of these wicked tents and brought before the Lords Tabernacle as he commandeth and then are they to be received to be embraced and accounted more pretious then much fine gold and sweeter then the hony or the hony combe Otherwise the Saints of God are not to tast of them Not that they should reiect the truth at any tyme but that they may not be deceived by an abused truth and an abused ordinance to pollute the holy things of God and to violate the commaundements of Iesus Christ. The like is to be said of the truth taught and the Sacraments administred in the assemblies of this Land they are abused truthes abused Sacraments even such truthes and such Sacraments as wherby Satan would draw vs to be of the conspiracie which is raised vp mainteyned here against Iesus Christ They are such truthes and such Sacraments as are within the tents that is vnder the iurisdiction of the kingdome of Antichrist administred onely vnto such as will receive the marks and badge of that kingdome and vnto none other For he that will not confesse himself even by his deedes to be a member of that assemblie wherin an Archbishop is an Officer a Lord Bishop is an Officer a Chancellor is an officer an Archdeacon is an Officer a Cōmissary is an Officer a Preist is an Officer c. he cannot receive them And these abused truthes Sacraments are by the vnspeakable subtiltie of Sathan reteyned in these synagogues to the end that they may be made a bait to draw men a grin to ensnare them to be subiect vnto Antichrist in these his Ordinances before named And therfore whereas men and women do pretend that they have the word and Sacraments here it is but the net of delusion which they weave to catch their owne soules and to keep themselves subiect vnto Satan For it is not a bare truth and a bare Sacrament that we are to seek after but a truth and a sacrament that hath the warrant of the word with it But as the outward man liveth not by bread but by the word and promise of God that sanctifieth bread vnto his vse So doth not the inward man of the soule live onely by the truth made knowen or by the Sacraments administred but much more by the word and promise of GOD which make these effectuall when they are administred according to the ordinances of GOD. Theeves and robbers are fed we know to their sacietie with the bread of violence and robberie but they have no warrant of the word to eat any such bread So I know that the truth of God may be taught and the Sacraments administred I meane the sacraments which he appointed and none other among those which are fallen away from him which have conspired against him And the people of these assemblies may esteem of them think themselves highly favoured that they have them and yet in the mean time have they no warrant that any such truthes or Sacraments wil be sanctified vnto them and so no warrant to receive them And therfore when we speak of the word and sacraments we must first of all lay downe the promises of God and the commandement of God wherby we may assure our owne soules that this word and these sacraments are sanctified vnto vs. Be it then that the word and sacraments may be had in the assemblies of this land yet is not that the point that we call in question but whether this word and these sacraments may be had here according to the ordinances of God