wonder you wold not receiue your baptisme first from some one of the Elders of the Dutch Anabaptists but you will be holyer then all and see how you haue marred all And you Church your selues you say and put a Church vpon your selues What strange doubtfull speech is this What kind of Church is that you put vpon your selues and Church your selues withall Doe you meane a Church of lime and stone made by mens hands Such a Church you may Church you withall and put vppon your selues when you will But that is not your meaning I dare say that is an abhomination in your eyes Your meane If I mistake not Two or three gathered together Doe pull Christ vnto them and so Church Christ and not themselues to speake sensiblie And is this your meaning indeede sir where read you or euer heard you of the like Christ saith to as good men as you none dispraised you haue not Chosen me Iohn 15.16 but I haue chosen you And vpon this Rocke will I not Master Smith and his company build my Church nor any company in the world else And the gates of Hell shall not prenaile against it And will yee know now to what Church he giueth these rules if ye call them so And I giue vnto it saith hee the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen And where two or three be gathered together in my name I would you knew what this In my name doth intend there am I in the middest of them as if he had said where two or three of these little returned ones that beleeue in me whom my Fathers will is shall be saued doe at any time or in any place gather together in the same faith and considence put in my name there will I be in the middest of them that is there will I make my habitation my Church and my dwelling place Psal 95.7 This is the spirituall Canaan and land of rest and this is the little house whose vessells are all of gold and siluer Heb. 3.8.12.13 But in the groat house there are vessels of gold siluer wood and clay and they are but one in commons together but two in the speciall peculiar things Which are not distinguished by baptisme but by regeneration 1. Cor. 12.13 the birth of water and of the holy Ghost and other such like great and peculiar things And tell me are ye all entred into that rest Are ye all the free womans Children Are yee all borne of God 1. Iohn 29. Is there not one amongst you that loues not his brother 1. Cor. 11.19 Is there not one among you that maintaines Heresie which is a thing necessary that those which are approoued might bee knowne Is there neuer a one weake amongst you are yee all strong men in Christ Iesus Heb. 4.1.7 Is there none of you carnall and yet in your sinnes that had need be exhorted to vnharden his heart and to study to enter into that rest least he be depriued of his expectation Is there not one of all the to amongst you Are ye all as one one as alâ—â—s there neuer a better nor worse are ye al baptised with that one Baptisme spoken of pertakers of that first resurrection Is this your saying indeed Hath the water of Holland washed ye all so cleane ils Indeede if all these things be so then there is no toÌ„parison between the Iewes Church yours nor yet betweene the Church of the Apostles dayes and yours but great difference Though yet betweene the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes and the Church of Christ vnder the law there was neuer any such difference as ye pretend For they had all the same Gospell and faith Heb. 4.2 Heb. 3.18 1. Cor. 10.2.3 Heb. 3.17 preached the same baptisme of repentance and purging of the holy Ghost euen the very same way of entring into his rest and some were made pertakers thereof and entred thereinto had the same keies committed vnto them that are still giuen to Christs Church Although with many of them that did pertake in Commons with them God was not pleased I meane those that were baptised in the Sea and circumcised in the skin and offered their sacrifices in common with them as did Cain and Abel And who might for bid Cain to offer or Ismael to be circumcised or the hard-hearted Isralites their baptisme in the Sea or the whole house of Israel to come and offer vpon the brasen Altar that stood in the Court of the temple So now likewise and in all times were and shall be common things for all and peculiar things for the peculiar The least grace is to be cherished none ought to be discouraged Act. 8.22 Simon Magus was exhorted to pray They that beleeued the Gospels truth were baptised Acts 2.41 and receiued the signes of Christs bodie and bloud also 1. Cor. 11.21 In these common things they did pertake with Christs holy Priesthood his peculiar Church But you say these things are not common now They were common once when trueth tooke place as the Scriptures by examples proue I meane to such as did beleeue the Gospell and did not professe the practise of iniquity but professed the Gospel and the truth thereof though they were not circumcised in heart regenerate and become as little children Ioh. 6.66 any more then the Disciples were that fell away from Christ and those who asked who should be the greatest and many other moe which the new Testaments examples proue Mat. 18.1 For tell me shall euery one that is baptised in the right forme and manner for that ye stand much on vpon the skinne bee saued And euery one that receiueth the Communion of the Lords body and blood I meane the signe thereof be saued I thinke you will say no then say I they are common As on the other side to beleeue in Iesus Christ to put our trust in God through him to eate his flesh and drinke his blood is eternall life and is peculiar to his Church alone Iohn 6.54 in the middest of whom he dwelleth Obiection But you say we iudge all so that are baptised though God iudge otherwise Doe you so indeed doth God iudge one thing and iudge you another doth God say one thing and say you another And doe you know one thing when God knoweth the contrary or dare yee affirme that which yee know not Answere I perceiue I must speake plainely vnto you you are so dull of hearing Tell me I pray you did euer Christs Apostles and true Church affirme any to be borne of God that prooued otherwise Did they euer iustifie whom God condemned or condemne whom God iustified Indeed the Lord saith to the Pharisees you iudge after the outward appearance Iohn 7.24 but iudge righteous iudgement Yee make cleane the outside saith he but if you would make cleane the inside Mat. 23.26 the outside should bee cleane also Luk. 11.42
They were strict in all small common things but the weightie matters they left vndone mercy and iudgement they ought to haue looked into 1. â—win 11.31 Mat. 5.7 which proueth men blessed as it is written If you would iudge your selues you should not be iudged And blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy But you say Obiection A man may be borne againe to you though he be not borne againe to God for we iudge as farre as we see by his fruits If we iudge him worthy of baptisme he is then borne againe to me you say I pray you is there one new birth to you Answere and another to God will ye haue a man borne againe and againe will ye haue two regenerations one to you and another to God one essentiall another in shew Ioh. 3.3 The Lord saith Except a man be borne againe meaning once of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Not twice once to you and once to God But you iudge as far you see you say but why iudge you farther then you see tell me that For you say without exception that all those whom you haue rebaptised are reborne of repentance and of the holy Ghost Mat. 3.11 according to the meaning of the Scriptures And yet you say that some of these may fall away and perish for euer Is it possible that a man may bee borne of God and perish for euer It is as possible the word of God should perish which saith blessed and holy are they that haue their parts in the first resurrection for they shall not be hurt of the second death Reu. 20.6 I beleeue that some of those whom you affirme borne againe shall perish for you affirme you know not what If ye were guided by God and his trueth which is his word you would not affirme any man to be borne of God except ye were sure of it verily nor yet deny any to be borne of God except ye were as sure they are not But you boldly affirme some to be borne againe which are not and as boldly denie many that are in that you iustifie your selues and exclude all others from beeing to you borne againe Wisedome if you had harkened vnto her Pro. 2.4.5.6.7.8.9 would haue taught you to haue iudged better For she giueth great vnderstanding to her children both sound and sure They doe not iustifie that which shee condemneth nor condemne that which shee iustifieth Neither dare her children condemne though shee condemne except she reueale it vnto them nor yet iustifie though she iustifie except shee declare it vnto them But if she reueale it then they dare speake Joh. 20.23 Mat. 18.18 and what they say is done what they bind is bound and what they loose is loosed But this error of yours doth arise from this false ground which you haue laid namely that no one may be baptised that is not first a new creature reborne of the spirit and sealed therewith vpon which ground also do almost all your other errors depend but I think it is sufficiently proued already that baptisme hath beene administred by Christ and his Apostles to many Disciples who were not born again yet because I will make it more plaine I will set downe some more examples for that purpose It is written Act. 20.41 As many as gladly receiued the word were baptised It is written againe the thornie ground receiued the word with ioy therefore the thornie ground was baptised It is euident also that the stonie ground was baptised Mat. 13. All these were or might be baptised and the high-way-side also for they both receiued the word in their hart And who is not glad of that which he receiueth in his heart And it is cleere as day but that men will be so wilfully blind that people were baptised presently as soone as they did beleeue and receiue the word to be a truth without any further testimonie of other fruits as appeareth by the Iayler Act. 16.33 who was presently baptised with all that did belong vnto him And who is so blind so much as to thinke that they were all instantly borne againe but he that neuer knew what it is to be borne againe I dare boldly say here are ten thousand in England that doe beleeue more Acts. 8.13 then the most of the Iaylers houshold did beleeue And what did Simon Magus beleeue more then the Gospell to bee truth and many thousand moe that were baptised by the Apostles themselues Actes 2. But if you did vnderstand one thing which was done by the Apostles you should easily bee deliuered of this error And that is this There was a second supplie made by the Apostles after the first preaching of the Gospel and baptising them whereby they were refined and purified such of them as in whom the first seed of the word tooke deepe root as appeareth by Peter and the Church of Samaria who were baptised of the holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands of the Apostle after they had beleeued and were baptised by Philip. Actes 8.17 Others also that came to the Apostles who had beleeued and beene baptised were afterwards baptised of the holy Ghost in the name of Iesus Actes 19.5 6. And this is it which the Scripture intendeth which saith Mark 16.16 whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued meaning by baptisme there the baptisme of repentance and of the holy Ghost As if the Lord had saide whosoeuer beleeueth the truth of the Gospel and is regenerate shall be saued Baptisme cannot be vnderstood in that place of earthly water for then Simon Magus must needes be saued for he beleeued and was Baptised with that water And also another time there came Certaine Disciples to the Lord asking him who shouldbe the greatest in the Kingdome of heauen The Lord answered them to this effect Doe you come to aske me who is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Matth. 18. and your selues are not so much as entred into it yet Meaning by the kingdome of heauen that little spirituall house whose vessels are all of gold and siluer where is ioy in the holy Ghost and great rest and peace not that great house which is before described for in that house they were already The Lord takes a little child and sets in the middest of them I tell you saith he though you doe beleeue the truth of my word and are baptised and be my Disciples yet except you become conuerted and reborne as this little child you shall not so much as enter into that kingdome of heauen wherein I bestow my secrets and greatest treasure Whereby it is euident as also by the other examples and many moe that might be shewed to this purpose that many did beleeue and were baptised before they were returned and became as little children contrary to your false ground Master Smith whereon dependeth the whole frame of
of cold water to any one of the lest of these Marke 9.41 in my Name saith the Lord shall not leese his reward but shall haue eternall life As it is written Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was an hungrie and you gaue me meate I was a thirst and you gaue me drinke c. Yee did it to these saith he if but to the least of these my brethren yee did it to me Mat. 25.34 35 36. And againe Whosoeuer receiueth one of the least of these little ones in my Name saith the Lord receiueth me and with me him that sent me O happie man therefore that can perceiue and doe these things But hee that despiseth you despiseth me and him that sent me And this is it which Iohn meaneth He that saith he is in that light 1. John 2.9 and hateth his brother is in darkenes vntill this time But he which loueth his brother abideth in that light and there is none occasion of euill in him And againe Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3.16 meaning the Lords brethren the little Sheepe to whom he will say Come yee blessed inherit the Kingdome for euer These loue their enemies Matt. 5.44 If they hunger they feede them if they thirst they giue them drinke if they curse they blesse if they persecute they pray and weepe for them And these are the light of the world Matt. 5.14 15. the Candle on a Candlesticke the Citie set vpon a Hill whereof Dauid spake when he said Glorious things are spoken of thee Psal 87.3 thou Citie of God and this if one will he may visibly see for a Citie set vpon a hil cannot bee inuisible And to this alone is power giuen to binde and loose Ioh. 20.23 to remit and to retaine sinnes euen to these I meane are these Keyes giuen whom God approueth and will approue for euer Indeede many are called but these are they that are chosen these loue one another and thereby doe they know each other to bee borne of God and to be loued of God and that they doe loue God I say for that they loue those that are borne of God 1. Iohn 2.5 As it is written Hereby we know that yee are in him And this is the kingdome which the Lord saith Iohn 3.3 No man can see but he that is borne againe And this is that house of Leui 1. Peter 29. Hebrew 12.23 that royall Priesthood spoken of the peculiar people the congregation of the first borne who are all written in heauen The chosen generation and people set at libertie If you will receiue it Mat. 18.4 Reuel 3.12 these are they that haue the preheminence these are all the Priests of God and serue in his Temple for euer These he hath made pillars in his house and shall goe no more out these are blessed and holy and haue al their parts in the first resurrection and shall not be hurt in the second death These are they that are risen with Christ Reuel 20.6 Reuel 2.11 and seeke those things which are aboue who are dead to sinne and crucified to this world these are they that haue ouercome the world and haue receiued the white stone and the new name of the Lord. And this is the little flocke to whom he saith Luke 12.32 Be of good cheere for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome And this alone is that Citie of God Reuel 3.11 which onely is named the new Ierusalem and these are the Citizens and of these the scripture meanes which saith Where two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them And behold I am with you saith he vnto the end of the world But perhaps you will say if this bee the Church of Christ which you haue here described Obiection to whome the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and all those titles and priuiledges doe onely belong then was there neuer such a Church in the world in one fellowship congregated and constituted by baptisme pertaking together in the Lords supper and all other exercises of Religion consisting onely of such vnmoueable stones as you speake of For with the Lord himselfe and with his eleuen Apostles one was who did prooue a diuell And many also were with Christ before and were Baptised which fell away and afterwards with his Apostles also which fell away and were offended It is true indeed but what saith it Answere Ioh. 2.19 If they had bin of vs they would haue continued with vs but of that Church they neuer were that hath the preheminence and vnto whom those excellent titles and treasures of God doth belong for although they did partake with them in receiuing the word and beleeuing the truth thereof and of the elementish Baptisme and the signes of the Lords bodie and blood and all other such like common things yet were they neuer baptised in heart returned and became as little children neither yet did euer eat his flesh and drinke his blood Mat 18.3 truly and indeed by faith for want wherof they could neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen nor yet had euer life in them as it is written And therefore of that Church and kingdome they neuer were Iohn 6.53 nor yet did euer partake with them in their peculiar things nor neuer came into their courts of rest nor Citie of peace But to the returned little ones doe all those great things belong those excellent priuiledges euen to them that eate his flesh Iohn 6.54 and drinke his blood who haue all of them eternall life abiding in them whom the Lord Iesus will raise vp at the last day as he himselfe saith But how then did that Church iudge of them Question you will say while they were with them did they not beleeue that they were returned and did they not accompt of them as they did of those that were returned and borne againe that had eaten Christs flesh and drunke his blood vnto eternall life seeing they were baptised with them and did eate the same bread and drinke the same wine with them also did they not iustifie them and approue of them as of the rest That Church did neuer so approue of them Answere they were neuer so blind and desperatly bold as your Master Smith to iustifie and approoue of those whom God doth condemne they are not so rash as you and your Church to affirme they know not what They are better aduised and better taught then so That Church kingdome which we speake of was neuer so deceiued in her entercōmoners to account and approue them as borne againe because they did partake with her children in all these common things But she and her children iudged alwayes the truth of them and neuer were deceiued
Cor. 13.4.5.6.7.8 And waite with patience laboring to see it by any means they will bring forth fruit euen the fruit of the good tree The good fruitwhich when they see they do reioice imbrace them knowing thereby that they are borne of God their owne father as Children of that holy Church Ierusalem their mother purged and purchased through his eternall Testament in the bloud of that one Lord the Lambe 1. John 3.14 to be an holy habitation to himselfe for euer And here is no loue lost betweene these brethren such loue betweene them as neuer was betweene earthly brethren As the stocke they came of in their new generation doth excell in glory inriches in power 1. Iohn 5.1 in wisedome in bounty in mercy and loue all Fathers and Mothers in nature be they neuer so high in place of this world euen that they can giue Kingdomes and thousand thousands of Gold and Treasure to their Children and possesse them of all the pleasures that the world can afford and with all the signes of loue that nature can expresse I say as the great God of Heauen doth excell the greatest that euer was on earth And as his loue is infinite beyond theirs and his abilitie also to performe the same So doe the gifts the signes and seales of his loue excell theirs And as his children doe come of a more noble stocke then theirs and are more honourablie descended euery way So doe they excell in loue ten thousand degrees for ehey loue for other and greater respects And as loue was the beginning and cause of this happinesse 1. Iohn 4.19 euen the loue of the eternall God as the Scriptures witnesse So loue is the end of their conuersation Heb. 13.8 in and through Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for euer This is that name so secretly written vpon them that no man can Reade or know it but they alone which haue it Reuel 3.12 and vpon them onely is his Name written New Ierusalem as it is written Him that ouercommeth will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God And he shall goe no more out And I will write vpon him the name of my God and the name of the Citie of my God euen the newe Ierusalem which commeth downe from heauen from my God And my new name And this is the ende which whosoeuer endureth vnto is faithfull to the death and shall receiue the Crowne of life Many false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many Mat. 24.11.12.13 and because iniquitie shall abound the loue of many shall bee cold but he that endureth to the end euen this true and perfect loue the contrarie to iniquitie and to loue that is cold he shall be saued And this is the Baptisme of the holy Ghost and fire Matth. 3.11 euen the fire of Gods loue the coals wherof are fiery coales and a burning flame which much water cannot quench neither the flouds drowne But it breaketh foorth and returneth such a loue to his God and Father â—an 8.7 and to his Lord and redeemer as no man knoweth but he that hath it And such a loue to his fathers Children those little ones his and his Lords brethren as they neuer know nor shall know who are neuer borne againe Yea he returneth loue to al men euen to his enemies Prou. 21.22 Rom. 12.20 21. Psal 15.2 4. If he hunger or thirst he feedes and giues them drink and so heapes coales of this fire vpon his head Hee speaketh the truth from his hart and with his tongue vseth no deceit Hee esteemeth not himselfe but is vile in his owne eyes Hee enuieth not 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6. The Sunne goes not downe vpon his anger Hee reioyceth not in iniquitie but alwayes in the trueth and in doing good to others Loue seeketh not her owne And are not these fruits which may distinguish betweene the good tree and the bad These fruites those righteous men neuer brought foorth which fell away Heb. 3.14 Their blade was neuer like this fruit Their beginnings were neuer like these endings Those first were neuer like these last Matth. 22.14 which are the first euen the first borne For many are called but fewe chosen And this is Ierusalem that poore little sweete holy Citie Reuel 11 2. which hath bene troden vnder feete of those heathen Gentile Courtiers and outside Christians not worth the measuring these many hundred yeres And this is the Hill which once stood vp aboue the Hils whose light did shine from East to West Rom. 1.8 euen to the worlds end To it the Nations flocke to heare and see the things that were of her so famous throgh the world To whom shee cried saying Come whosoeuer will and take of the water of life freely Reuel 22.17 whereat many reioyced beleeued and were Baptised Of which some were made pet takers of her peculiar things And were not onely beleeuers of the trueth and Baptised with the Baptisme which thereunto belonged but were Baptised in heart broken and dissolued into a thousand teares And beleeued in him who also Baptised them with the holy Ghost and fire The other hard and vnbaptised in heart refusing that graceso freely offered them Iudging the common Faith and Baptisme which they had receiued sufficient to serue their turne Supposing that one Talent safely kept would stand them enough insteede when the day of account should come despised the little ones that were borne and Baptised from aboue Acts 20.29 And thus began the mysterie of iniquitie to worke and grew vp in time aboue the Hill of God and like Wolues spared not his flocke tooke possession indeede of the outward Court gathered strength got a head And trode downe that liberall free Citie the true mother and nurse to the Lords lambes and babes This head of theirs is that great Antichrist Reuel 13.1 that beast which rose out of the sea with seuen heads and ten hornes who hath reigned now twelue hundreth and three yeeres and yet still reigneth and shall till seuen and fiftie moe be come And then his dayes his times Reuel 11.3 moneths and yeeres shall be accomplisht euen one thousand two hundred and sixtie and his Crownes puld from his head his Citie burnt with fire and vpon that woman which saith I sit being a Queene am no widow and shall see no mourning shall come shame and confusion howling and crying and vtter desolation euen she which now calleth her selfe by the name of the true mother and like an harlot challengeth the husband of the true spouse to bee hers Mat. 23.35 And these are the ofspring of Caine the race and line of those Pharasies at whose hands the Lord said should be required the blood of all the Prophets from righteous Abell to Zacharias yea these are all one house with them And so are all the assemblies and congregations in the world be they neuer so cleane without doing
ought to learne to be baptised in heart be mercifull to all and bountifull as God is bountifull who giueth his sunne to shine vnto the good and the bad and the raine of his worde to fall vpon the iust and vniust To teach you and me and all of vs what we should doe The spirit saith Reuel 22.17 whosoeuer wil let him come Take you heed adde not to nor diminish from his word giue to all that come whatsoeuer you haue power to giue Christ gaue a greater thing to little children laying his owne handes vpon them seeing their parents came so willingly requested him them parents can now looke for at the hands of baptisme when they come bringing their children and request it Imbrace little children therefore and though you cannot giue them the greater giue them the lesser Did the Lord compare his little returned ones to a little child and dare you compare that child to a stone and a stocke a tree a mad man and a foole and say it is as lawfull to baptise the one as the other If you had liued in the Apostles daies had bin one of them you wold haue bin glad if the Iewes or heathen had come to you with willing minds to haue their children baptised to this end that they might loose the name of a Iew or heathen and be called a Christian But now it is so stale it stinckes with you Master Smith you are so bewitcht with this opinion that baptisme with water doth giue an entrance into the speciall kingdome of Heauen Mat. 18. which the Lord speaketh of when he saith Except ye returne and become as little children yee shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen that you runne into a hundred errors Iohn 3.5 Whereas regeneration onely is the entrance into that kingdome of heauen where into none come but such as shall bee saued And whereas baptisme of water giues but an entrance into the common Kingdome of heauen Mat. 13.47 compared to a net which catcheth fish of all sorts good and bad Mat. 5.45 and the bad haue as much grace conferred vnto them by that baptisme as the good Mat. 7.22 as they haue of his Sunne and raine for the bad are oftentimes more ful of knowledge by the light and can discourse more redily vpon the word of God then the good Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God by the Spirit of regeneration 1. Cor. 3.6 that giues the increase Are you Master Smith and your company the children of wisedome and discerne ye not neither do ye iustifie these things Are you a teacher in Israell and know not what it is to be borne againe Are ye those wise and prudent men of vnderstanding from whom these things are hidden that are reuealed vnto babes Is it not giuen to you to know the secrets of the kingdome of heauen what hath God forgot himselfe Mat. 11.25 Mat. 13.11 are you that Ierusalem from aboue and are these things hidden from you doth he not giue to his little ones great things Is hee not the same to day that hee was yesterday and shall he not be the same to morrow againe Yea hee is the same for euer and beholde I am with you saith he vnto the worlds end Mat. 28.20 John 14.16 Mat. 5.18 though Heauen and earth doe passe away yet his word shall not passe away vnfulfilled Beleeue ye not this I know ye beleeue it And I hope better of you though I so speake for God hath enlarged my heart and opened my mouth vnto you which putteth me in great hope that you are of that remnant which shall be saued But yet a little further for I haue somewhat more to say vnto you which is hard to be vttered because I say ye are dull of hearing and because it would take vp much time to set downe all wherein you misse and also it being a course wherin I take no pleasure I wil rather set downe what is the truth then tell of your falshood that by the grace of God beleeuing the one we may escape the other Now if you will know what difference there is yet more betweene the true Spouse and Church of Christ which he doth build himselfe against which the gates of hell shal not preuaile nor yet the second death to whom he hath giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and those her entercommoners I will tell you First let vs consider how things were in the Apostles dayes on earth for then I am sure truth was in place and practise both and I wil not labour to make it agree with these weake times but much rather labour and desire that we which liue in these corrupt times might agree with and become like it I say whosoeuer then gladly receiued the word as it is written were baptised Heb. 3.1 and were called of the Apostles generally by the names of holy brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation c. Insomuch as they were made partakers of the holy Ghost and consented to that heauenly calling Heb. 6.4.5 6 Heb. 10,29 being enlightened tasting of that heauenly gift were called holy in regard of these good beginnings which was wrought in them whereby their olde life was reformed And therefore the Lord compareth them that receiue the seed of his word some to the high way side some to stonie ground and some to thornie ground some to good ground which brought forth fruite Insomuch as they were sanctified and purged of some vncleannesse of spirit wherefore they are said by the Lord to be swept and garnished and by Peter said to be washed and to the Hebrewes sanctified and all this is wrought in them by the ministration of the good word of God which they had tasted of and by the operation of the holy Ghost whereof they were made partakers whereby also some of them wrought miracles and some cast out diuels Now these things are all cōmon Except the good fruite as well to those vncircumcised in heart the vnregenerate As to the circumcised in heart the little ones borne againe And although these things be effected by the Ministerie of the word and of the holy Ghost and do tend to his kingdome for the Lord doth nothing against his owne kingdome any more then Sathan doth worke against his kingdome yet it is not regeneration Mat. 1◠26. Ioh. 3,5 the birth of water and the holy Ghost spoken of nor yet the first resurrection And though this sowing of the word of the Lord and these effects of the spirit do tend to the kingdom yet is it not sowen in the high wayes nor in the stonie ground nor in the thornie ground to the end it should bring forth fruit like the good ground Thirty sixty and a hundred fold And although these foure sorts of ground are Communicants in these commons together and little difference can be discerned betweene them by these first
thy brethren and seeke his loue as before with all courtesie and meekenesse of exhortation and if he still resist thy loue and vtter wordes of scorne against thee or reuile thee as enuie cannot hide it selfe Then can that one or two witnesse against him and will if that he will not heare them neither but first let them also admonish him that so euery word that he speaketh euill against thee or the light in thee may be confirmed And if he refuse to heare them tell it vnto the Church if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican that is If hee still like a scorner refuse to giue eare and to receiue instruction at the handes of that one witnesse with thee or two tell it to the Church These he hath made Pillars in his house and they shall goe no more out Reu. 3.12 that is to those little ones borne of God being gathered together in my name who onely haue this priuiledge to be my Church and Pillar of truth for if there were fiue hundred brethren more beside the little humble ones yet none can iudge this cause but they This Church doth neuer condemn the inocent and let the guilty goe free This Church neuer decreed lies and condemned the truth And if he refuse to heare this Church let him bee vnto thee no longer as a brother and a fellow partaker in the common things of the kingdome wherein before he did and might take part with thee as a disciple of Christ but let him be vnto thee and vnto all the Church euen as a Heathen that beleeueth not the truth of the Ghospell and as a Publican that professeth the practise of sinne Verily I say vnto you Ver. 18 whatsoeuer you binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen for to you it is to whom I haue giuen the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen as well to binde them that sinne against you and the Conenant of loue written in you with the bond of death and to shut the gate of mercy and loue against them as also to lose the bonds of iniquity and the cords and chaines of their sinnes that do repent and to open the gates of my kingdome of mercy life vnto them so that whatsoeuer ye binde on earth is bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye lose on earth is losed in heauen For if he escaped not that despised him that spake on earth how should he then escape that despiseth him that speaketh from heauen And as he died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses that despised Moyses law Much more lamentable and fearefull is the condition of him that despiseth that law and couenant of grace whereby his soule should liue resisting the voice of the bride and of her children which sought his good How much greater is his bondage and sorer shall his punishment be that is condemned by that Church where the Prince of the couenant doth sit of treason against his bloud by the testimony of two or three witnesses It had been good for that man if he neuer had beene borne And better for him after hee was borne that a milstone had beene hanged about his neck and throwne to the bottome of the Sea before he fell to despise the Lord in his Sanctuarie and to resist his spirit of grace in his little ones Againe verily I say vnto you That if two of you my brethren that beleene in me Ver. 19 agree in earth vpon any thing concerning my word and the meaning thereof either for the sentence of death to the disobedient or mercy and life to the returned sinner whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name if it be life for him that sinneth not vnto death or whatsoeuer else is necessary and good for the kingdome he will giue it you For Ver. 20 where two or three be gathered in my name there am I in the middest of you what will hee not therefore giue you for my sake Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may be full These are priuiledges belonging only to those little ones that are born of God who haue their parts in the first resurrection against whom the gates of hell shall not preuaile nor yet the second death But there was euermore an Israell after the flesh which persecuted that Israell which is after the spirit and shall be to the worlds end For this generation shal not passe away till the Lord himselfe come Mat. 24.34 And if there were not an Israell not of God Paul would neuer haue said To the Israell which is of God And if there were not an earthly Ierusalem he would neuer haue told vs of a heauenly Yea there were two Ierusalems in all times Two Israels in all ages two mothers two test aments two seeds euen from the beginning As Caine and Abell Ismaell and Isaack Esau and Iacob Two lands of Canaan heauenly and earthly Two rests carnall and spirituall As it is written saying To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts least ye enter not into this rest Euen then while they were in possession of the earthly rest Heb. 3.15.16.17.18.19 which by vnhardning their hearts and hearing his voice they might haue entred into Euen the same way which euer was still remaines and shall doe to the worlds end Euen the same rest the same heauenly Ierusalem the same congregation of the first borne the same holy City the same Church which hath had in it at all times the same power from God to binde and loose to remit and to retain sinnes And this is the bride the Lambs wife This is she to whom is granted to be cloathed in white aray And these are they that watch and are sober attending with their Lampes burning to meete the bridgeroome their husband These all vnhardened their hearts and heard his voice and entred into his rest The rest and peace with God rest to their soules euen that rest which is said to remain to the people of God Heb. 4.9 And whosoeuer entred into that rest did first heare his voice that is receiued the word of faith And whosoeuer receiued that word of faith did first vnharden his heart that is did first repent was lost and dead crying and bewailing with an vn-vtterable desire of life his sinnes death and these are the dead which heare the voice of the sonne of man and liue Ioh. 5.25 And this is that one baptisme spoken of and is called the baptisme of repentance Acts. 19.4 Mark 1.1.2.3.4 and the beginning of the Gospell the preparation to the word of faith That one faith spoken of and they that are borne againe of these two Mat. 3.3 Ephe. 4.5 haue all receiued that one spirit spoken of euen the spirit of adoption and are all seruants vnto that one Lord and children to that one God their
Father who is aboue all and through all and in them all And these are entred into the kingdome of heauen Rom. 14.17 which is not meate and drinke and apparrell but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Now let vs speake a little of the liberty and freedome of this kingdome This kingdome is free not in bondage but at liberty wheresoeuer she liueth in any kingdome or common-wealth and if the Magistracie thereof say eate they eate or drinke they drinke or put on they put on obserue and keepe touch or tast or handle or pay they obey If they forbid they also heare and forbeare both in these and all other things of the like nature And so are they obedient to all manner ordinances of man for the Lords sake against whose commandement else they should sinne Luk. 20.25 who saith Rom. 13.7 Giue vnto Caesar those things that are Caesars And there is no kingdome or state whatsoeuer where Christians are not in bondage if it bee a bondage to some of these And if there were which is vnpossible then were it left to their choise to take or leaue with moderation as please them as it is also vnder a gouernment where many things of the same nature are so left neither commanded nor forbidden And herein consisteth their liberty in that it toucheth not their conscience For whether they eate or eate not they sinne not for God requireth neither the one nor the other wherfore if we giue these things to Caesar we do wrong neither to God nor yet to our consciences but rather if we giue not being required as the Lord himselfe said in the like case Mat. 17.27 Pay it to them least wee offend And as Caesar must haue and be obeyed in whatsoeuer belongs to him so wee must giue vnto God whatsoeuer he requires and obey him in whatsoeuer he commands Now the greatest difficulty lieth in this to distinguish betweene the things of God and the things of Caesar that knowing them asunder we may the better know how wherein to obey both God and Caesar And herein by the grace of my God I will not say any thing for any respect in and of the world whatsoeuer but Gods truth and his Church seeing that I know it shal come to the tryal of such a touchstone which cannot erre Who will waigh it try it and condemne it if it be found corrupt or too light And although it be a common fault in men to respect the present and generall affection and the approbation of the most and greatest sway they as they will Yet insomuch as I know that God is in all times and seeth in al places be they neuer so secret and also that he hath eyes abroad that can see though many be blind and lyes goe as current as truth with many and seeing I know not onely this time but a better time shall try it I will therefore bee aduised and take heede what I say for assuredly there is no lye made by the cunningst inuenter of lyes whatsoeuer but shall once eyther sooner or later suffer death at the hands of truth And there is no stubble or straw whatsoeuer but shall bee consumed with the flame thereof Now let vs see first what are the things of God which doth belong to him And then we shall the easier see what are Caesars thinges that belong to him Iohn 4.23.34 The things of God are truth and spirit John 17.17 his truth is his word his worde is his law his law is of two sorts and therefore is called two Testaments Ioh. 4.23.24 17.17 The Testament and law of death and the Reuelation and Couenant of life All the Scriptures are true but all that is written therein is not the word of God For sometimes the holy Ghost sets downe the sinnes and practises of euill men Ier. 28. And sometimes he describeth vnto vs the lying wordes of the false prophets which when wee read we must not take it for the word of God but that it is true we must beleeue for they which wrote it could not erre therein and therefore truth it is but not the truth The word of God then and the truth we meane Is that which came from heauen whether that iust and holy law of commaundements which is called the minister of death because we could not fulfill it and therfore it could not giue vs life but the iust sentēce of death or that perfect law and testament of life Psal 19.7 which conuerteth soules I meane the Gospell which is in a more speciall and peculiar maner called the word of God then the law is or can be as where it saith Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 2. Pet. 1.19 and hearing by the worde of God And againe we haue a most sure worde of the Prophets vnto the which ye doe well that yee giue heed c. And in diuers other places both in the new and old Testament whereby nothing is meant by any meanes but the promise and word of life And therefore he saith Iohn 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy word thy word is the truth Now in these two Testaments is declared whatsoeuer God requireth eyther due to himselfe from vs whether it be faith or obedience And also our duetie to our neighbours of all sorts high and low good and bad and all the holy Prophesies Reuelations which came frō aboue and sacrifices and shadows whatsoeuer which 〈◊〉 scriptures do set forth vnto vs do tend to one or other of these two and both and all doe tend eyther to shew forth the riches of God in his bounty and mercy and the condition of those that turne obey his Gospell and loue his law or his seuerity and iustice in the condition of those that disobey both lawe and Gospell That the end of all might bee the glory of God and of our Lord Iesus Christ Now the speciall things of God that doe belong peculiarly to him alone are they that we must speake of His peculiar things are these first as from him we are gone astray and by his holy law pronounced dead so to him alone we must returne to seeke life for he alone can giue it vs In him alone we must beleeue and put our confidence to him alone wee must pray and hee onely must be our God and chiefe delight Him onely we must feare as God him only we must loue as God him onely wee must acknowledge for our Sauiour and Redeemer his commandements must be obeyed onely aboue all and hee onely worshipped with our whole spirits For he alone must haue our hearts and this is spirit ioyned with truth John 4.21 Neither this mountaine nor that doth hee require nor yet forbid what he commaundeth not Cesar may forbid what he forbiddeth not Cesar may command God requireth euery place alike Cesar may commaund a place for the publike so he doe forbid none in priuate God requireth
it the part of an humble daughter to aunswere her mother with mildnes and not disdaine And now Master Smith where you triumph and praise God you say in the end of your answer publisht against the obiections of one Master Clifton assuring your selfe of the trueth of your opinions so that neither he nor all the earth shall euer be able to wring them out of your heart and hands So and more then so I praise the Lord my God for that he hath assisted me against you and your lies and I haue receiued so much more assurance of the trueth of that which I haue written vnto you then you haue of that which you haue said as there is difference betweene a truth and a lie And I boldly in the name of my Lord and for his chosen sake chalenge not all the earth but you and all or any one of your company to answere directly and without colloring or painting to that which hath beene said or else to subscribe vnto it according to your promise Though these things be not ratified by you nor written in your bookes yet behold they are true and although they be but few and goe but simple yet they shall stand and be had in honour when much and many things shall faile not that I presume vppon the strength of mine owne arme for it is like a broken bow but my strength is the Lord and in him I will reioyce and that hee hath written my name in his booke of life for which grace and all other his mercies his name be praised for euer AMEN And thus Master Smith I thought Good to write vnto you and to the company with you of whom I haue great hope God wil deliuer them frō the errors and distractions of these times and that others falles will driue you to looke better about you and although I haue beene somewhat bould with you yet I pray you take it not in the euill part for truly God is my record that for his truthes sake and for his childrens sakes and for your sakes haue I written that you and we and all might perceiue the trueth and walke therein and for no other respect and howsoeuer these things may seeme strange vnto you yet if you consider them well you shall finde them not so strange as true And although those little ones be now more rare and more seldome seene then the truth in the fielde yet that which hath beene saide of them is true And let vs not labour any longer to cut and fashion the truth like our selues but let vs studie and striue to become our selues both in vnderstanding and in doing like the truth Let vs not deceiue our selues with shadowes for they fly away but let vs take hold of the su bstance and roote it selfe which is able to defend vs in the stormy day let vs stoope and put on the yoake of the Lord for he was meeke and of a lowly heart his dwelling was among the little ones and the least was the greatest with him yea he tasted his teares with them and wept also for those whose hearts could not affoord a teare for themselues hee sought out that which was lost and the broken did he binde vp This was our Lord let vs learne of him and these were his companions and on earth his dearest friends But now alacke where are these litle ones become Doe the high looke of these proud times make them ashamed to shewe their cast-downe eye Oh come forth ye habitation of the Lord althogh indeed there boldnesse may make you blush and shew your face for we haue heard that he which is with you is greater then he that is with them And what is the cause they are so seldome seene this day One thing is they are few Another thing is they that sought them mist the way that ledde to their Tents They sought them vpon the Mountaines and in the drie places but they were in the Valleyes among the water plashes filling the Lords bottle with Teares They sought them among the great but they were of the little ones They sought them among the learned and men of great study and long experience but they were sitting among the little children weeping with the tender babes And thus they sought but found not How hard a thing it is to suppresse those harts of ours Ah let vs teare them in peeces and intreat the Lord with thousand of teares to dissolue the drowsie fatnes that droppeth vpon them that we may find the way to the dwellings of his little ones where also his owne habitation is and see and enter into his Kingdome of heauen where also we may behold these his brethren and loue them and be knowne and loued of them whereby we shal all know that our names are written in the booke of life These things let vs striue for it is time now we should be established in the truth and not be carried about still with euery winde Let vs build vpon the Rocke and then though the floods come and the winde blow our building shall stand we haue pretended Discipline and Gouernement a great while but where is he that is corrected Where is the man that hath crucified the world to himselfe and himselfe to the world and hath mortified the flesh with the workes thereof Pharisees and Hypocrites can make cleane the out-side but let vs make cleane that which is within Wolues oftentimes goe in Sheepes skinnes but Sheepe neuer in Wolues skinnes There is a Controuersie this day in the world where Christ should be whereof he hath also foretold vs saying Many shal come in my name and say here is Christ and there but beleeue them not One saith I am the first and I haue beene of olde I haue kept the saith and haue not erred to this day Another saith Nay thou liest thou hast lost the faith and hast erred from the right way and art become a Cage of vncleane Birds this day but I haue recouered that which thou hast lost and I haue the right vse of the Word and Sacraments which thou hast polluted therefore he is here The third comes and saies Ye are both liers and Harlots and thou that spake last for thou art not gouerned by his lawes he is a King aswell as a Priest and a Prophet and therefore thou liest also but he is here with vs we haue his Ordinances and lawes and are ruled by them we haue also the word and the Sacraments in their right kind and so he is to vs a King a Priest and a Prophet The next stands vp saying Who is this that boasteth thus and reteyneth the baptisme of the Whore Must they not needes bee her children seeing they hold her baptisme sufficient and refuse to be baptised aright What Can their baptisme bee good and their Church and Gouernment nought Not possible wherefore ye are also deceiued and he cannot be in the middest of you as you suppose But hee is where Antichrist
concerning them They receiued the word with ioy and gladnesse Mat. 13.20 Acts 2.41 Luke 9 62. They tooke the Plough by the hand indeed The foule spirit was gone the Sowe was washt the blade sprung vp These things the Church did see and know was true in them and so farre it did approoue of them did yeeld vnto them the common things and were of one accord therein together The Church stones of life looked for fruit from them but fruit they neuer saw They hoped the best till they saw the worst They knew not the tree but by the fruit and that not till it had brought forth either good or bad But by their fruit they do know them as it is written Doe men gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of Thistles can a good tree bring foorth bad fruit or a bad tree good fruit no not possible A good tree cannot bring foorth euill fruit Mat. 7.16.17.18.19.20 neither can a bad tree bring foorth good fruit euery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire The Scripture doth neuer any where teach or speake like your Master Smith That euill trees may be knowen to be good trees by bearing of good fruit and yet be cut downe and cast into hell fire for bearing of euill fruit for you say that a tree which shall be hewen downe one that may fall away doth bring forth as good fruit as the good tree or good ground doth and that there can no difference be discerned by their fruits between them contrary to the Scripture which saith to the children of the kingdome Mat. 12.33 Yee shall know them by their fruits Meaning the good trees by the good fruit which they bring foorth from the trees that bring not foorth good fruit and from the euill trees which bring foorth euill fruite And as they knowe certainely the good tree by his good fruit and the euill tree by his euill fruit so they doe also know that those trees which growe in the Lords field Luke 13.6.7.8 standing as branches in the vine Iohn 15.2 and bring not foorth good fruit are accursed like the figge tree Mat. 21.19 Mat. 3.10 must be hewen downe with the euill trees and cast into euerlasting fire But perhaps you will say Obiection these trees cannot be so distinguish't and knowne till the end for the Lord saith Mat. 24.13 He that endureth to the end shall be saued And the righteous man may fall from his righteousnesse as testifieth the Prophet and die Eze. 18.24.26.27 And the vnrighteous man turne from his vnrighteousnesse and liue So that there can be no such certainty as you speake of vntill the end Heere I would first know of you Answere what ende you thinke the Lord doth meane whether the end of the world or the end of their life in the flesh If you mean the end of the world then Moses Elias the Prophets and Apostles might yet perish for to that ende they are not yet come But they are and shall bee saued therefore that end it cannot be what then the ende of their life in the flesh that end is it which you intend I dare say Then indeed there is no certainty in this world to be had till the houre of death then is the Doctrine of your fellowes the Dutch Anabaptists true who affirme that the most righteous man lustified and borne againe from aboue may fal away and perish at any time euen till his last howre then should mans saluation depend vpon his last gaspe Then no man can reioyce that his name is written in the Booke life till he be dead or else they may haue their names blotted out againe after they be written therein as indeede they doe affirme But man may be certainely assured of reconciliation with God Rom. 1.38.30 and that his name is written in the booke of life and sealed there by an indelible couenant before the moment or houre or day of his death therefore that end it cannot be But stay Obiection may not the righteous man fall from his righteousnes then Such righteous men as I told you of before Answere may fall from their righteousnesse Euill Trees and euill ground which neuer brought foorth good fruit As from some the foules of the Aire catch away the seed that is sowne in their harts and they fall away Mat. 13.19.20.21.22 some by persecution are offended some the cares of this world doe choake And so the righteous man doth fall from his righteousnesse The washed sow is turned to wallow in the mire againe 2. Pe. 20.2 The dogge to his vomit againe He that tooke the Plough by the hand hath looked behind him and is made vnmeete for the kingdome of heauen for euer The vncleane spirit that was cast out Mat. 12.45 is returned with seauen worse then himselfe and re-entereth the house swept and the ende of this man is worse then his beginning It had beene better for him that he had neuerknowne the way of truth his condition was better before hee tooke the Plough in hand then it is now in this end of his wherein he hath giuen it ouer turned backe entertained his euill companion againe with seauen more worse then he Question But what is then the end which whosoeuer endureth vnto and doth attaine shall be saued The end therefore is the fruit as reaping is the end of Ploughing Answere And as wee looke for fruite after wee haue sowne our Corne in the earth So doth the Lord looke for fruit of the seede he hath sowne in vs. Such fruite as whosoeuer bringeth forth shall neuer be hewen downe and giuen to the burning fire But is like the tree planted by the riuer side Psal 1.3 which bringeth forth his fruit in due season whose leafe shall not fade And this is the plantation of God and these are his trees and the branches of his owne Vine Christ Iesues and euery branch that berareth fruit in him hee purgeth like a good husbandman Ioh. 15.1.2 that it may bring forth more fruit And if you aske what fruit that is I tolde you before yet if you will haue it againe It is Loue euen that new commaundement the perfection which the Lord commaundeth Mat. 5.48 saying Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect It is the first resurrection which whosoeuer attaineth is blessed holy for euer They that attaine to this end are blessed in their life Deut. 28.3.45.6 Mat. 9.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 and blessed at their houre of death and blessed at the end of the world and blessed for euermore These righteous men neuer fall from their righteousnes their names are neuer rased out of die booke of life Mat. 18.14 but vnrighteous men may turne to their righteousnes And therfore these righteous men encourage all exhorte all hope all things endure all things forbeare and are gentle vnto all 1.