a difference betwix the kingdome and the people otherwise where was the kingdom before your â—irst begininge was there no kingdome for your first beginners to enter into did they make a kingdome and enter into it and all of themselves then sure it was not the kingdome of God and it stands you vpon to looke it be for if they set vp a new kingdome they entred not into Christs kingdome for Christs kingdome was and is an everlasting kingdome and cannot be shaken as the Author to the Hebrewes sheweth Heb. 12.22 speaking of mount Syon the Cittie of the liveing God the Celestiall Ierusalem Vers 28. Seeing wee receive a kingdome that cannot be shaken let vs have grace whereby wee may so serve God that wee may please him with reverence and feare VVee have endeavoured with our best abilities wch you may see are smale to speake the larger of this point because wee our selves have bene formerly misledd with this error that the Church is the kingdome of heaven and monut Syon and because wee knowe some others are strongly possessed therewith which not with standing hold not Succession but indeed it is the ground of all Succession for if the Church be Ierusalem then must there needs be Succession for there musâ— needs be adue proportion of all thinges betwene the Tipe the truth betwene the old Ieru the new Ieru betweÌ„e the shadow the substaÌ„ce And there being therfore SuccessioÌ„ in the old TestameÌ„t there must of necessitie be Succession in the new If therefore you can prove your selves Ierusalem wee yeild you all the Prerogatiue of Ierusalem Then must all people nations come to you and receive all the holy ordinaÌ„ces from you Then must all sacrifices be offered vp in you And then they that are not in you are not in Christ And all that are borne of water of the spirit must enter into you and all that are saved must walke in the light of you And then are you the ioy of the whole earth TheÌ„ must you be perached to other Cities and then can you not be shaken for Christes kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome which shall never be taken away nor be destroyed Dan. 7.14 But you may be shaken taken away and destroyed though you were as excelent a Church as Corinth Ephesus Phillippi Thessa Smyrna Philadelphia for all they are shaken taken away destroyed which were much more excellent Churches then you euen so may you much more be Therefore you are not the kingdome of heaven nor that heavenly Ierusalem and so those previleges belong not to you which you challenge and some wretched men have given you whose condemnation sleepeth not and all vnder that culler of your being Ierusalem And let vs now bring to trial your other ground concerning this cause which is That the ordinances of Christ being as you call it once raised vp againe they are not to be raised anie more but all men must fetch theÌ„ from those that raised them vp or from them that have received them at their handes by Succession First wee say vnto you that which some of you could not nor you all shall ever be able to annswere whilst the world endureth How knowe you of faith that he or they from whome you received your begininges were the first This can you never prove to anie mans conscience that hath anie conscience except you can shewe Prophecie of scripture perticulerly that such a man should first raise up to speake your owne vvord the ordinaÌ„ces of Christ and that he hath done it and that you haue it from him All these must you prove by scripture if your rule be true and that men must have faith in it but not anie one of these can you prove by scripture â—nd therefore your rule is not true and no maÌ„ can have faith in it and then not to be hold and practiced by anie that wait for salvation by Iesus Christ vvho must have faith in all that they hold professe practice or els they sinne ffor vvithout faith it is vnpossible to please God Rom. 11.6 Let us by the mercies of God intreat all you that professe the name of Iesus not to stand vpon such vncertaine and vnfound groundes For wch vvay shall you ever be able to prove that he or they from vvhome you by Succession have your begining vvere the first No man can ever prove it the vvorld is too vvide for man to comprehend or knowe all that is done in it It is avaine invention cast it away seeing there is no vvarrant in Gods vvord to vvarrant it vnto you that he or they vvere the first And if he or they vvere vvhat then Must all the vvorld come to them By vvhat rule of Gods word There must be a speciall commaund for him or them to beginne And a restraint or forbiddinge comaund to all men for doeing the ltie after ffor God is as mercifull to his people now as ever he vvas and he hath not left them without rule of direction that they should sinne and fall was the lord so carefull for his people Israell for whome he had wrought so great wonders and yet they were continually rebellious against him as to give Moses twice warning at one time Ex. 19.21 and 21. Goe downe charge the people that they breake not to the lord to gaze least manie of them perish And againe lett not the Preists and the people breake to come vpto the lord least they be destroyed And did the lord most carefully appoint Aaron and his sonnes their severall Offices and services about the Tabernacle as is shewed Numb 4. where the lord chargeth Moses and Aaron that they should not cutt of the Tribe of the familiâ— of the Kohathites But this do vnto them saith the lord that they may live and not dye let Aaron his sonnes come and appoint them every one to his charge least they touch or see those holy thinges they ought not to touch and see and dye was the lord out of his great grace mercie and love so carefull for his people then to give such strait rules of direction to them least they should come neare handle or see those thinges which apperteyned not to them to handle or see and so sinne and dye And hath the lord left to beg 〈◊〉 now in leaveing his people no directions nor directors to appoint them to their â—ffice and shewe them what iâ— comaunded and what is for bidden Surely you will not say but the lord is as mercifull to rebellious Israell as ever he was then wee require you to shew where the lord hath now comaunded some especially to beginne and meddle with the holy thinges and for bidden all others except by their appointment they be permittd appointed therevnto If you will thus sett vp a speciall Temple and Preist hood of your owne shewe your warrant from the word of truth which seeing possiblie you cannot do let God have the glorie and see
denie and vvee speake to men of vnderstanding And came your first beginner in the power of the spirit in this measure and was all warantable and according to the truth that he did in his ministery will anie affirme that all was warrantable that he did or can anie affirme it and that he could not err-God forbid that anie fearing God should be so foolish nay was he not a man coming furth in some smale measure of the deepe mist of the mistery of iniquitie being then in much error and ignorance yea even in that administration of baptisme orels you haue bene vnprofitable disciples of his And would you tye all the world from the East to the west to come fetch the holy ordinances of Christ from him you his successors through all your errors ignorances and grevious corruptions where of wee knowe so manie and have cause to be jealous of you for maine moe VVhat truth pietie or godlines is there in this that you should seeke to make men either presently swallowe vp all your errors ignorantly to be washed of you with water or els stay vntill they have learned them otherwise they must not be baptized at all And further that men must be forced to learne your language and so vntill the poore disciples of Christ that would followe him English men or aine other nation can speake dutch they are debarred from the holy ordinances of God the meanes of their salvation by this your rule a fearefull mistery of iniquitie Hereby you have wrought such wickednes amongst vs and brought such desolation vpon vs the poore people of God as wee have cause to wish that in our heades were floodes of water and our eies were fontaines of teares that wee might power out a complainte against you for this your abhomination wich you have set vp whereby you have wrought such destruction and ruine in the Church of God seeking to pull it downe to build vp your selves Hereby have you glorified your Church sett hir vp to sitt as a Queene takeing vnto your selves all power authoritie yea even to shutt the gates of the holie Cittie the heavenly Ierusalem saieing that none may enter but by your authoritie Oh that you could see your great sinne herein the lamentable evill that you have wrought First against God in destroying his Temple which is built truely though exceeding weakely vpon the foundation the word of God And you have caused the enimies of God to blaspheme to make a mock at the profession of Iesus Christ And you have caused them that were more indifferently mynded to doble their doubtings and rather stepp backward then come forward Thus have you sinned with an high hand against the God of heaven who is able and will fill you the duble for this your iniquitie if you repent not And for vs you have brought much sorrow greife vexation of soule spirit vpon vs. The Lord doth knowe wee speake truely and great hath bene our cause of greife to see the Church of Christ which is his body whereof wee are though vnworthie members thus rent and torne in pecces and our profession and wee made a scorne of men who have wished and wayted for our overthrow and have taken vpon them to foretell of these evills that have come vpon vs which being come to passe according to their foretelling they have triumphed against vs blessed themselves as though their foresaâ—eings must needs come to passe Thus have our enimies reioyced at our miseries but the Lord hath wounded them vpon their right eie and made them a reioyceing to their enimies VVere this all our woe it were at full enough but you have by this your great sinne brought a further evill vpon vs then to make our enimies reioyce over vs saying there there so would wee have it for you have made our frends our enimies yea our familier frends with whome wee tooke sweet counsell went together to the house of God And such is the enmitie betwixt vs and them whereof you have bene cheife instruments as it can neuer have end whilst anie of vs live for it is that enmitie which the Lord put betwene the seed or the woman and the seed of the serpent which can have no end in them except wee fall into the same destruction for there is no pâ—ace to repentance to be found for their trangression For they were once enlightned and had trusted of the heavenly gift and were made partâ—â—â—s of the holy ghost And had tastied of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come and are fallen away it is impossible they should be renewed againe by repentance seeing they crucifie againe to themselves the sonne of God and make a mock of him Heb. 6.4.5.6 Now to shewe how they were once enlightned First Mr. Iohn Smyâ—h 〈◊〉 vpon whose head the blood of all this people shal be hath by his profession in all his practice and by word and in his sundrie writings with such force of argument and strength of protestation with ground of truth as his writings shewe manifested himself to be enlightned with this truth of God That wheresoever two or three are gathered to gether into Christs name there Christ hath promissed to be in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 and therefore they are the people of god and Church of Christ haveing right to Christ and all his ordinances and need not seeke to men to be admitted to the holie thinges but may freely walke together in the waies of god and enioy all the holie thinges From this truth of god wherewith he was enlightned is he fallen denying the words of our Saviour Christ That saith wheresoever two or three are gathered togither c. And holdeth that the first two or three that are gathered togither have onely right to Christ and all his ordinances and that after all men must come to them restraning the wordes of Christ wch are generall so anie two or three onely to the first two or three and so hath sett vp a SuccessioÌ„ against the wch he hath formerly by all wordes writinges practice sett himself with all detestation And this man like Balaam hath consulted with you and hath putt a stumbling blocke before the people of God who were also enlightned and so are manie as you knowe fallen with him to the same sinne and vnder the same condemnation And M. Iarvase Nevile haveing witnssed not onely this but divers other truths for the which he hath bene long imprisoned and condemned to perpetuall imprisoment yea expecting death for the ame yet notwithstanding all his former fidelity and constancie whereby his bondes were famous through the whole land falling with M. Smyth vpon this your blind Succession forsakeing the rock whereon he stood is now returned beyond his vomytt exclayming against your Succession and strives to build vp the Succession oâ— Rome which he hath formerly with all zeale and holines pulled downe so is
to do all thinges if your rule of particuler proportion be good there is no such course nor proportion in the scriptures Iohn his example will not serve your turne for Iohn planted no Churches If you will have planters of Churches and that all men must come to them then must they needs be endued with like gifts as the first â—lanters were speake all languages as Th-appostles did worke miracles and not err in doctrine for the Lords hand is not shortned nor his grace and mercie lessned to his Church and people But if he send men with the same office and aucthoritie that he sent his Appostles he will for the honor of his owne name the advancement of his truth and good of his people give them the same gifts and not bring his truth and people in bondage to men full of errors ignorances and blindnes as you and all men are therefore be content to be biulders vpoÌ„ the foundation layd and forbid not others to build thereon but let every man take heed how he buildeth vpon it 1. Cor. 3.10 This may suffice for this point and so wee come to that to the which the best approved amoÌ„gst you have had no word of annswere hetherto wee knowe you caÌ„ say nothinge for it holding your rule of SuccessioÌ„ according to your course and proportion except you wil be so very vnadvised as to hold proportion in one thinge no proportioÌ„ in another and this that wee intend to speake of is your ministry How come you to raise a ministry where is your particuler example your rule is that Elders must make Elders and none but Elders must administer in the holie thinges You raise baptisme after Iohns examples but how will you do to ordeyne Elders seeing you have no such exaÌ„ple when you have done what device will you have to keepe this auctoritie to your selves This is your ground for your Succession as all had baptisme from Iohn the first baptizer so all must have baptisme from your first baptizer As all Churches proceeded from the first Church at Ierusalem so all Churches must proceeded from Ierusalem your first Church As Elders proceeded by ordination from the first Elders so all Elders must proceed by ordination from your first Elders heere is your proportion But how came your Elders by their ordination did they ordeyne themselves where is your example and proportion for that Did the Church ordeyne them then your proportion is gone for the first Elders were not so ordeyned Thus are you overtaken in your ground not seeing whether it ledd you Forsake it it shal be no disgrace for you to forsake error you shall therein shewe the true grace of God to be in you in denying your selves and your owne waies and advancing the way of the Lord. Hold you to the perfect rule that all gaynsaiers are not able to withstand which was given by the law giver and that is VVhere two or three are gathered together into my name there am I in the midst of them and whatsoever they bind on earth shal be bound in heaven and what soever they loose on earth shal be loosed in heaven Mat. 18.20.18 And 1. Cor. 3.16.21.22 Knowe you not that yee are the Temple of god Lett no maÌ„ reioyce in men for all thinges are yours and 2. Cor. 6.15.16.17.18 what CoÌ„cord hath Christ with Beâ—all or what part hath the beleever with the infidell and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols wherefore come out from amongst them and seperate yourselves saith the Lord touch none vncleane thinge I will receive you I wil be a father vnto you and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie These three places of scripture proves thus much First that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in Christs name Christ is in the midst of them and they have power to bind and loose which is to receive in cast out to appoint Officers and to discharge and to administer in all the holy thinges for haveing Christ they have wiâ—h him all thinges also Rom. 8.32 Christs power cannot be devided from him therefore where he is his power must needs be he is a kinge where he is he gives power to his servants to serve him in all his ordinances The second place alleged confirmes this where it is said Let no man reioyce in men for all thinges are yours and in the 5. vers of this 1. Coâ— 3. saith The Appostle who is Paul and who is Appollos but the ministers by whome ye beleeved sheweing that the Cornithians were not the Temple of God neither had interest vnto all thinges because of their persons but because they beleeved their doctrine And wheresoever a compaine of men now shall beleeve their doctrine even they are the Temple of god and all thinges are theirs aswell as all thinges were the Corinthians The third place â—ore alleged proves who they are that Christ hath promissed to be in the midst of that is those that seperate themselves from Behall which are men without a yock from vnbeleevers from Idolls and which touch no vncleane thinge these are they that God will receive and amonge whome he will dwell walke and he wil be their God and father they shal be his people children they shall not need to respect the persons of men as hath bene shewed for by the free gift of Gods grace through their faith in Christ all thinges are thens Will anie men not withstanding all this say that anie people or congregation seperated from all vncleannes may not enioy Christ and all the holy ordinances without they be admitted there vnto by other â—en Did Th-appostle Paule disclayme both for himself and Cephas Appollos from all previlige vnto their persons teach the corinthians that their persons gave not them interest vnto the holie things but their doctrine through their owne faith and dare anie challenge previlege vnto their persons so take away the the aucthoritie of Th-appostles doctrine ministerie that is still in as good force aucthoritie as ever in the scriptures And by whose ministerie doctrine what people soever beleeves at this day all thinges are therin by faith in the scriptures not by Succession from men Heere wee desire that all men that have anie vprightnes of â—art would enter into a due consideration of the depth of 〈◊〉 error of Succession from or by the persons of men And through gods assistance wee will endeavour to speake what wee are able for the discoverie of this error which is so great dangerous of the sharpe bitter fruites whereof wee have deepely taisted our vvounds are yet fresh greene but not vvithstanding by the grace of God vvee vvill not be provoked to speake beyond the bounds of sobrietâ—e herein and to proceed herein by the most easie plaine and evident vvay to our best vnderstandings VVee intreat you and all men vvith all holy
Magistracie is sinne and that Magistrats by reason of their office and aucthoritie are sinners For although a Magistrat should manifest never so great faith and repentance yet these men will not yeild that he may be of the Church of Christ for except be cast away his Magistracie his saith and repentance is nothinge This vnholy Office vnsanctified and horitie doth vtterly overthrowe faith and repentance Let it not displease you that wee write thus plainely set if it be a holie Office and Sanctified aucthoritie then it cannot debarr anie froÌ„ being members of the church of Christ Thus may you all see that these among you which teach that Magistrats may not be of the Church And that it is not lawfull for them to punish evill doers with the sword nor by the sword to mainteyne warr for the preservation of their contries people these are they that privily bring in damnable heresies despising goverment and speaking evill of these that are in dignitie and aucthoritie in that hereby they seeke the vtter overthrowe of all goverment and accâ—â—pt aucthoritie and magistracie most vise because evill doers are punished thereby which you teach ought not to be but is sinne wickednes to be done And if all men in these Provinces vnder the goverment of the lords stats generall were of your mynds as you would have them where were goverment and magistrats were it not all in the dust Thus is it evident that you would have Kings Princes magistrats vtterly abolished Is not this heresie privily brought in vnder so great a shewe of godlines to destroy the holy ordinance of god and how manie of you vnderstand that this heresie leads you to accompt magistrats the ministers of god but as the devills are wee hope there are thoÌ„sands of you that have no such thoughs and yet it is most evident and cannot be avoyded but it is the end of your ground rule is not this privily brought inâ—â—e not therefore deceived by fâ—re humble speaches for weepâ— feste vnto you that it by this that is already said it do not plainely appeare to anie indifferent reader that your ground leads you to this that all that magistrats do by vertue and power of their Office in punishing evill doers is sinne in them if anie thinke good to oppose wee wil by gods assistance make it most clere that all may see it that wincke not with their eies If therefore you like not to hold that magistrats are no otherwise the ministers of god but as the devils are then leave of also to hold that magistrats by reason of their magistracie are to be debarred out of the kingdome of Church of Christ And also it shall appeare that this your ground doth evidently overthrowe all Magistracie in the whole earth for if God would have all Kings Princes saved and come to the knowledg professioÌ„ of his truth which Th-appostle saith he would 1. Tim. 2.2.4 and you confesse the same and if they cannot come to the knowledg and profession of the truth except they cast away their Magistracie as you say and hold then must all Magistracie be cast away in the whole world for God would have all the Kings Princes and Magistrats vpoÌ„ the earth to come to the knowledg of the truth be saved And if you like not to overthrowe all Magistrats and Magistracie in the earth then leave of to hold that they may not be of the kingdome church of Christ One other marke that shewes you are the false Teachers Th-appostle speakes of is that you stand in your owne conceite this wee have found in some of you and wee require wee may not now find it in you all for then shall it appeare evidently vnto all men Thus have wee in these pointes wherein wee differ from you spoken so farr as God hath enabled vs beseeching you all with singlenes of hart to try your standing in these thinges wee have spoken of and that you would not hold these opinions because you have held them long but that you will loveingly be advised to search the Scriptures and see whether you have any Good warrant thus to hold and professe and teach men so Approve your selves now vnto vs and vnto all men that you walke not blindly in the stepps of them that have gone before you but that you disire and endeavor to walke by true sanctified knowledg from the Scriptures and that you do not so much seeke to heape multitudes together and build vp great Churches and congregations as to gather together a holy people and biuld vp pure Churches in the profession of the true faith that you may be approved of God which neither you nor anie people can ever do except you first make sure that your doctrine be pure and vndefiled for though a people should never so much excell in all holines of conversation yea though they should excell in works in love service in faith patience that their workes should be more at laste theÌ„ at first Reuel 2.19 yet if they suffer false doctrine false teachers they are impure polluted churches for a little leaveÌ„ leaveneth the whole lumpe Gal 5.9 the lord will not approve of them but will certenly come against theÌ„ with the sword of his mouth will remove their candle suckes out of there places This the Lord saith but who beleeves the word of the lord herein If Churches and Congregations did beleeve these words of the lord it would make them try their doctrines by the word of the lord go vpon sound grounds with knowledg vnderstanding from the word of truth being testified vnto them by the teaching of the spirit of God and not receive doctrines vpon the good opinion they have of their Teachers knowledg holines faithfulnes although they should excell in all these thinges neither would the people of God be carried away after anie doctrines by the stronge working affections of their mynds judging it to be the working of the spirit of God when it is nothinge but the spirit of their owne affections wherein they may have great motions and feelings with much zeale but not according to knowledg Rom. 10.2 Therefore are wee comaunded not to beleeve every spirit neither in our selves nor in others but to try first whether they be of God And hereby shall wee knowe the spirit of error If wee heare Gods woâ—d 1. Ioh. 4.6 That is if wee search and try everie thinge thereby 〈◊〉 that Churches and congregations would thus looke vnto their waies and not hold errors for companie sake nor walke in by pathes by affections It is better to hold the truth alone to walke in the waies thereof coâ—rary to all the affections of the hart which is deceitfull but this is a hard doctrine who is able to heare it It is a pleasing thinge to walke in a profession of Religion with a multitude and especially it but some of the grounds of
your owne shame and humble your selves repent of this error VVill you now with patience suffer vs a little to declare and try your best ground fâ—r these thinges wich wee have received from some that are greatest amongst you wee could repeat divers of your arguments and reasons but wee spare you wee will take your strongest ground which if wee can by the ground of truth shewe to be most vnsound wee will hope that they amongst you that seeke the lord in singlenes of hart will forsake it first knowe this and let all knowe that you have never bene able at anie time to produce anie one scripture and mainteyne it for your Succession although wee have had divers conferences with the cheifest amongst you but you reason by simelies and proportions of your owne devisings for the most part To come to your ground this is the some of that you saie That baptisme being once raised vp by one vnbaptized after none did neither was it lawfull for anie vnbaptized to baptize but all must have it from him so you follow on with your proportion from baptisme to the church and ministry And this is the waie you runne not knowing whether it leads jou wee praie you marke what the wiseman saith Pro. 4.19 The waâ—e of the vngodlie is as the darknes they knowe not vvherin they shall fall even so little do you knovve into vvhat pitt you shall fall or vpon what rock you do cast your selves others in this your way first whereas you say that when baptisme was once by one vnbaptized raised vpon 〈◊〉 none after being vnbaptized did or might This John never taught you nor 〈◊〉 of Thâ—appostles where els you have learned it wee know not but you 〈…〉 in it and say it is the course order of the scriptures But wee require you with godly consideration to consider that heerein vnder a 〈◊〉 of binding to the due 〈◊〉 course of the matter manner of the scriptures which all ougâ— to follow you bring men to a due perticuler courseâ— persoÌ„s vvhich none are bound to follow except anie daâ—ie say of themselves as that excellent vvorthy Appostle Paul said Phil. 2.17 Brethren be followers of me In short see if you would not be blynd vvhether you rule leades you if you wil tye the vvord ordinance of God vnto men Prist for baptisme you must bring man prophecied of as Iohn vvas that shalle able tâ— annsvvere as Iohn did to them that asked him vvhaâ— art thou that vvee may giue aunswere to them thaâ— sent us vvhat saiest thou of thy self vvhy baptizeâ— thou Iohn aunsweres I am hee that the Prophet Esaiaâ— prophecied of c. I am the voice of him that crieth iâ— the vvildernes make straight the vvay of the lord Thus doth Io prove his office ministration to be lawfull and therefore might Ierusalem all Iudea of faith come faith to him to be baptized And this man vvas sent in the power of the spirit of Elias Therefore vvhatsoever he did in his ministry vvas true and vvarrantable so that men might safely joyne themselves to his baptisme Neither could men learne baptisme the maner thereof but of Iohn of them that received it from him vvil you now in the behalf of your first beginner aunswere us that aske vvho art thou that baptizest And saiest all men must have their baptisme from thee VVhat saiest thou of thy self VVhere is thy vvarrant VVil you aunswere vs as you have done that Io his example is your vvarrant VVee vvil aunswere you as vvee have often done wee also do the like by the same example And wee say farther that Iohns example and al the examples rules in the scriptures to be followed are generall and there is no one perticuler example or rule in all the new Testament wch is onely to be ymmitated observed by anie one man anie two Tenn twenty or a hundreth but what soeuer example in the scriptures anie one Man may followe and what soever rule or commaundmeÌ„t anie one man may observe kepe even so another man may followe the same example keepe the same comaÌ„dmeÌ„t so of two men ten twenty or an hundreth And the like may be said of time place for there is no example or rule in the new Testament that is onely proper or appirteyning to anie one person or persons time or times place or places for the new testament is the Covenant of Grace which Christ hath purchased with his blood and there is no part of it can be abolished till he come to iudgment But if anie part of it anie example or rule in it be tyed to anie particuler person or persons time or times place or places these al may be abolished before Christes coming and therefore no part of the new testament can be particulerly tyed to anie one of them To shewe for example the question in hand If Iohns example of Baptizing being vnbaptized or rather not being of anie other first baptized If his example be a particuler exaÌ„ple for one man onely as you say theÌ„ jt follovveth was it abolished when your predecessor had once begun to Baptize and so is that example now of no vse and it may be for anje thinge you knowe or ever can knowe that he was not the first and then if your rule be true how wretched is your case that challeng apreregative that by your owne rule apperteynes not vnto you and your best advantage is that you can but jmagine that you are the first and you would have vs jmaigine so with you VVell wee beseech you consider throughly this one point especially That the new testament nor anie part of it neither rule nor example doth perticulerly apperteyne to anie one person or serve onely for anie one person or serve onely for aine one time or place wch if you deny you abolish 〈◊〉 and the Testament purchased with his blood and makes it a carnall covenant for no spirituall covenant can eveâ— be abolished And if you confence that the new Testament and all the rules examples therein are generall to all Then may all men in all places whome the lord by his word and spirit shall stirr vp and indue with gifts and grace preach the goâ— and men being converted baptize them so is your Succession fallen to the grouÌ„d And therein have you no 〈◊〉 if you love the lord his holy truth for thereby shall the holy ordinances of Christ be sett at 〈◊〉 which you have kept in bondâ— to the great 〈…〉 of God and to the 〈…〉 divers soules whose blood wil be required 〈◊〉 your hands though they be perished in their owne sinnes if you repent not Moreover as wee have shewed before Iohn came in the power and spirit of Elias therefore what soever he did 〈◊〉 office and ministrie was warrantable and according to truth and he could not 〈◊〉 therein This no man that knovves anie truth vvill
become a hissinge of men and a reproach vnto all the godly and is made a scorne of the wicked a iust reward for all that fall away More over this wicked man Mr. Smyth hath professed and maintened with all manifestation of faith and confidence that Christ tooke his flesh of Mary affirming that all the world was not able to aunswere that place to the Hebr. 2.14 where it is said forasmuch as the childeren are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise tooke part with them as also that place Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head but now he is fallen from this following a device of some of you He cannot find in all the scriptures where Christ had the first matter of his flesh but the second matter which is his nourishment that he had of Mary saieing further that if he had the strength of many men he would labor to cast the contrary out of the Church for being aÌ„ article of faith he hath taught that Christes myracles sufferinges and death yea his hanging vpon the crosse were all typicall and Carnall Comparing Christ flesh to his garments and therefore not to be striven about So like wise is he fallen from the faith of justification by Christs righteousnes onely to inherent righteousnes in himself so wiâ—l he be justified partly by his owne righteousnes either not standing need of all Christs righteousnes orels not holding his righteousnes sufficient for him And he is also fallen from the faith in the point of Magistracie professing he knew not that he differed from you in anie thinge Further more this wicked man Mr. Smyth hath professed and taught and his confederates had learned That God is a spirit and that he wil be worshipped wholly in spirit and truth And he and they knewe that the Appostle 1. Cor. 14.14.15.16 saith If I pray in a strainge toÌ„gue my spirit praieth but myne vnderstanding is without fruit I will pray therefore with the spirit but I will pray with the vnderstanding also I will singe with the spirit but I will singe with the vnderstanding also Els how shall they that vnderstand not say Amen and vers 11. Except I knowe the power of the voice I shal be vnto him that speaketh a Barbarian This man not with standing when he had himself but a little vnderstanding of your language and the rest of his confedracie when some of them had not anie vnderstanding to be spoken of and divers none at all neither yet have have and do come to worshipp with you being barbarians vnto you and say Amen els what do they there not knowing whether you blesse or curse The ignorant Papists shall stand vp in judgment against these men yea the Idolatrous Heathens who have not knowne heard the thinges that these men have knowne and hard Of such men as this and they that are fallen with him speakes Th-appostle Iude. VVoe be vnto them for they have followed the way of â—ayne and are cast away by the deceipt of 〈…〉 in the gaine saying of â—ore 〈…〉 your persons in admiration because of advantage which you might all right well see â—ee doubt not but some of you do see for you knowe then vnderstanding in your language and for what cause can you ymagine that they should â—unne to gaze at you Th-appostle 1. Cor. 14.19 saith I had rather speake to the Church or congregation fyve words with myne vnderstanding that I might also instruct others then Ten thousand words in a â—â—â—aâ—nge tongue And doth not The-appostle reach heere that it is better to heare fyve words in the Church or congregation with vnderstanding then Ten-thousand words in a straiâ—g tongue But these men with a sort of ween on that are void of vnderstanding had rather heare in your Church or congregation fyve words without anie vnderstanding then Ten thousand with vnderstanding in a congregation or Church gathered together by the preaching of the gospell of Iesus Christ and baptized into his name vpon the confession of their faith and sinnes This they knewe was our begininge but your begining they knewe not neither can knowe and if you had anie other begining it is not according to gods word but that is all one to them they have not regarded how you began in the faith nor how you stand in the faith which if they had not forsaken all religion they would have had regard of but religion was not nor is not theire marke that they aymed at as you may easilie descerne by these their wilfull bâ—ind courses where into you have ledd them by your blind Succession Now you and betwixt you and vs and let all the godly on earâ—n consider whether you have walked vprightly herein or no and whether you have not sought your selves and not the glorie of god nor our building vp in the faith And thus wee leave the Succession of your baptisme putting you in remembrance that vvee have shewed you that by this your opinion you make Iohn baptist his example a perticuler example for one man for what man you cannot tell but whose ever can first light of it he hath the pre heminence and this you ymagine was your first beginner which you shall never be able to prove except you can knowe all thinges that are done vnder the sunne but all this in you is vanitie of vanities as wee trust manie of you will easilie see and wee wish all may And for this people who have â—unne after your inventions of whome wee would not once have made mention but the better to bring you to the sight of the greatnes of your sinne and to sett them out for an example that others might be warned thereby which vvee desire that they may be vvhen they shall heare of such a people vvhose knovvled gifts and graces vvere great and vvho vvalked preferred to vvalke strictly by the rules of Christ vnder his â—â—â—k and now are they Behall walking by no rule of Christ not being vnder his yock haveing disclaymed themselves for haveing anie power to the hoâ—â—e thinges and have given all to you all their religion being onely to come and gaze at you vvho speake to them in a stâ—aing tongue vvhich is given for a signe nâ—t vnto them that beleeve but vnto them that beleeve not 1. Cor. 14.22 And in that they are thus left in confusion not knovveing nor careing vvhether to go vvee have cruâ—e to magnifie the name of god in that he hath confounded them in their vvaies that vvould have confounded 〈◊〉 vvay of truth and vvee have cruse to blesse god that hath prevented you and kept you from makeing them to be one with you whereby you had strengthned theÌ„ in their evill enlarged your owne sinne excedingly Let vs now proceed to the Succession of your Church and ministry for wee cannot conceive which way you wil be able ever to make anie shewe or cullor that this vnbaptized man should have commission