in the day of the Lords visitation he will visite our sins upon vs let Baal plead for Baall and wickednesse proceed from awicked man let him defend it it will find him out at length and in due time the foote shall slide And it shall be bitternesse in the end that the Priests whether yours or ours haue made the Sacrifice to bee abhorred and for the professors too that they have caused the name of the Lord to be blasphemed and his holy wayes to be spoken against nay I tell thee some of these ministers and professors too that have thus profaned the covenant and dishonoured that holy thing they have taken upon them are made contemptible and base before all the people Oh that they were wise then would they understand they would consider their latter end Now againe to theâ— my Child it is no matter how my wordes come forth for their method so none be lost thy Mother hath no Art And first for thy better information concerning our doctrine Yet as an introduction thereunto because there is no end of writing heare thy Mothers doctrine first Call it Salamons summes Feare God keepe his Commandements And consider this with it that these are Evangelicall precepts which are not dead like those of the law but lively in operation Take this also with it which thou findest in many places The Lord gives his Spirit to them that obey him and his secret is with them that feare him Thus much to prepare thy care it is the Lord that must circumcise it that must borâ— it The doctrine followes Love God with thy whole heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe there is the Law and the Prophetts and in that the Churches doctrine and thy lesson Thou wilt say with the young-man All this I doe performe Therefore thy Mother conceaves the lesse hope I would rather thou could'st have confe'st thy selfe an unprofitable servant that so thou mightst have beene capable of that which followes for thou hast but halfe yet Christ came into the world to saue sinners There is the Gospell And if in thy owne apprehension thou art one yea the chiefe of sinners there is the comfort only there Thus thou hast the summe of the Law and the Gospell take it together in Paules words 1. Tim. 4. 6. 2 3 4 5. It teacheth the wholesome words even the words of our Lord Iesus Christ the doctrine which is according to godlinesse and if any man teach otherwise he is proud knowing nothing from such with draw thy selfe 1. Tim 6. so much for the generall Now more particularly thou shalt see how this doctrine ariseth out of the Scriptures the ground of it as the sap soaketh out of the tree and thence spreadeth it selfe into severall branches then unites it selfe upon it's disciple man to whom it is more particularly made knowne by the inward worke of Gods spirit The Doctrine is holy according to the Scriptures avowing them to be a most perfect rule neither crooked any way nor short in any thing requisite which must bee received for the testimonie of God because wee must set to our seale that he is true and not for the testimonie of the Church which were to set to our seale that men were true Thence concluding that there is one God one Christ one Faith one Church one Baptisme That this one God is to bee worshipped purely as a spirit in spirit and in truth according to the three substances soberly and wisely according to all his Attributes piously religiously That Christ is to be rested upon wholly by a precious faith whereof God is the Author God is the Finisher for it pleades not the power of mans free-will in spirituall things against the free grace of God who will bee admired in all that believe not immediately when he giues the meanes but upon the conscionable use of the word and Sacraments according to the patterne and primitiue Institution set apart for that end and sanctified thereunto by which faith euery soule gets vnion with and interest in Iesus and hereby is only perfectly iustified both in respect of degrees parts and sanctified also in respect of parts and all this not by perfection of the instrument Faith that is a creature but of the obiect it apprehendeth Christ and so may with a true though palsy hand receiue and keepe both Christ and his benefits which doth evidence to the soule now not walking by sight that he hath vnion with the vine and Communion with the branches having now the Baptisme of the Holy Ghost even cleane waters poured upon him whereof the outward element was more then a bare signe And now being thus washed thus purged he cannot be unprofitable but beareth much fruite to the glory and praise of him who hath called him out of darkenesse into his marvelous light and this fruite comming from a lively root is lively also evedencing outwardly what the Spirit hath sealed inwardly So putting to silence the mouthes of wicked men and his owne mouth too from glorying in any thing but in him that raised the dead who prevented him with grace and followes him with grace thereby giving him assurance that he will perfect what iâ— begunne to him therefore is ascribed the glory whose power was and iâ— so gratiously manifested in weakenes Hence ariseth a Ioy inexprâ—â—sible yet till this warfare be accomplished many waies and divers times interrupted never quite lost in the ground of it be walkes by faith but the fulnes is reserved in the heavens which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give him for the praise of the glory of his grace according to the dispensation of his will purposed before all time sealed unto him iâ— time and shall bee perpetuated â—â—to all eternity This is a light Child though darknes apprehend it not this is a good seed whereof iâ— given thee but a little handfull though tares be sowen with it This is a Treasure what vessell is fit for it yet it is but in an earthen one that the glory may be of God SONNE What should you be medling with the Scriptures and the Churches doctrine rather according to sobrietie walke in un Implicit Faith resigning your selfe to the holy Church and the holy Church to his Holinesse I pray you what say you for your practise your capacitie may master that MOTHER Take heed the tongue is an unruly member Search the Scriptures it an indefinite iniunction Timothie knew them of a Child and by them was made wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesus 2. Tim. 3. 15. the neglect of them is the ground of error yee erre because ye know not the Scriptures It is our happines that wee have them our sure instruction that wee read them our condemnation if wee seeke for truth from any els though he who is translated into an Angell of light nay though an Angell from heaven should bring it Wee looke unto the Scripture to seeke counsell from them as
acknowledgement it is the same of thine owne hand haue I given backe unto thee for who hath first given to the Lord And with Paul yet not I but the grace of God which is in me And with the Church the Lord hath given me dominion over the strong Iudg. 5. 13. The Lord hath wrought all my workes for me and so to hang on God as the finisher and perfecter of what he hath begun yet in an assured confidence of this very thing that hee who hath begun a good worke will performe it til the day of Iesus Christ Phil. 1. 6. I know I haue transgressed the bounds of an Epistle which must not fill the hand I know not also whether the gate the house are proportionable I mean the Epistle the Booke I am sure they are both to big Let not that trouble thee it was neither thy labour nor thy cost why should'st thou complaine It falls out in matters of this nature as in building this roome is not light enough nor is that large enough the third would have some addition by that time all is done the paines cost and building farre exceedes the Idea or first proportion so here It is true he that would say all must needes say too much yet I beseech thee spare thy Censure this once I will never venture it againe nor had I now unlesse there had beene a cause what have I now done is there not a cause I leave thee now to the power of his Grace who can build further we have a barren mould though the Lord hath had long patience how soone hee will come to require fruit wee know not Pray we that hee would husband us yet one yeare by his servants give unto us the springs of water the upper and the nether springs then cause his winds to blow upon it so shall we have a goodly portion Pray wee that hee would open our mouthes wide then fill them as with marrow and fà tnes so shall wee fare well A LETTER WRITTEN FROM DOWAY 6 OF MARCH 1627. VNTO HIS MOTHER DEARE MOTHER It is not the first time since my departure that I have writ unto you neither shall it be the last Nature will finde a way to vent her duty were shee never so hard opprest Out of sight is not out of mind for were you but as mindefull of your selfe as I am of you I doubt not but by the effects you should finde mee a dutifull Sonne But as the blinde who see not themselues thinke all others not to see them likewise so you forgetting your selfe thinke mee forgetfull of you to God knowes before whom one day I am to give an account of my duty towards you how that there passeth not a day or night either when you and yours take your rest wherein there is not intercession made for you If I knew what els in this my state a Child 's naturall obligation could effect in the behalfe of a Mother I would with what indeavour I could accomplish it But alas Deare Mother when your request is unreasonable nay unnaturall as the forsaking my Religion Gods Church his truth nay himselfe it stands not with the duty of a Sonne any way to yeeld in the least to so uniust demaunds of a Mother O that your desires were but of that nature of that good Mother wee reade of in the Maccabees was who did encourage her Children to suffer even to death for God I doubt not but God would so strengthen mee with his grace that you should find my duty as ready to obey as your piety would bee willing to command Though it bee not common for a Sonne to teach his Mother but rather to follow her in what shee should direct him yet when parents misled from the way of truth shall without knowledge command what is contrary to Gods will and their Childrens conscience It may be nay it is the part of a dutifull Sonne to remember that their command is amisse and cannot bee followed All I here now doe is no more I doe but informe you that the happinesse you wish mee is not true and reall happinesse That not longer I now but your owne soule might bee the obiect of your thoughts That you would from henceforth no longer be a stranger from the truth But submit your selfe to her who as a loving Mother would receive and embrace you with all affection within the armes of veritie first be instructed by her Deare Mother and then shall you learne to governe and guide your owne Children in thinges that are good And then I am sure they will bee ruled and guided by you And this is all should I doe lesse I should thinke with the Apostle that I were farre worse then an Infidell For how can I behold wolves which pray not for you but prey upon you and hold my tongue Where were my duty I perceiving you tost up and downe in the waves of heresie as you are and your selfe ready to suffer shipwrack and I not so much as offering you my hand to draw you into the Arke Which of all those blind guides that now pervert your soule will affirme that the foundation on which your salvation purchased so dearly by the blood of your Saviour on which your faith is built is unfallable If fallable why doe you hazard your salvation purchased so dearely by the blood of your Saviour upon sand Deare Mother I as a poore Child of your owne bowells as upon my bended knees in all duty of a Sonne doe desire you consider your owne declining age tho last iudgement and if you doe not now here in time worke a prevention of that fearefull sentence which otherwise must passe upon you that so you may avoid the wrath to come endeavour somewhat to examine whether all be true your false prophets preach unto you or at least whether they practise what they preach First try and then trust And because your capacity cannot master a better argument then to examine the lives of your professors of your owne sect There begin See first whether your new upstart ministers do not like stage players trickt up in their neat apparrell onely and barely act and talke and practise nothing they will tell you of Christs passion his povertie his want his hunger and thirst his humility his patience his labour and travell his ignominie in being apprehended scourged spit on in bearing his crosse they will also tell you of the Apostles povertie their sufferings their wrongs and afflictions but who is he either of your Ministry or Laity will follow your Saviour in these his passions who is there among you that in your selves allow either of fasting or watching or voluntary poverty or good workes or afflicting your selves for Gods sake to be despised to forsake the world live for ever austerely in pennance for sins they can commend these things in Christ and his Apostles and yet forbid to be practised by themselves They will tell
whose office is to stand betweene the living and the dead Hee thou prayest unto is a Spirit thou must worship him in spirit and in truth Againe doth he put no confidence in the flesh What meanes then his knowing of Christ after the flesh his will worship all his carnall services Doth he renounce his owne righteousnes is it as filthy raggs What meanes then his meritts his satisfaction his worke of supererrogation Doth he forgetting those things which are behind reaching forth unto those things which are before presse toward the marke that he may apprehend that for which hee was apprehended of Christ Iesus What meaneth then his fancy of perfection in this life This man cannot frame to pronunce Christ aright yet scales are before his eyes let him looke to it It will prove as deadly as Sibboleth to the Ephramite then they tooke him slew him at the passage of Iordan Iud. 12. I haue beene long about this yet I know no parent will blame me The Mother hath beene looking into hir Childs Eye and she feares it will be lost now you know the Eye is to this little body as the Sunne to the great the light of the body is the eye if that be darke the body lives in a continued night then if there be any remedie the Mother bestirres hir selfe how much more then if the inward eye bee in danger for when that is darke how great is that darkenesse A man knowes not where hee shall fall O the Mother would fame have that cleare because the loue of an outward sense may be supplied by the strength of another but if the light within a man bee darknesse what can recompence that losse I cannot then leave my Childs eye thus the counsaile is behind so is the eye salue thou shalt find them both if of what hath beene said thou shalt make this use Trust not my sweete Child thine owne eye it will present unto thee shaddowes for substances that is one grosse mistake for what is the shaddow to the substance no more then is the Chaffe to the Wheate It will tell thee it sees clearly when it is not onely dim and darke but quite put out that is another and can there be a greater Goe then my deare Child in the sense of this thy blindnesse for thou art blind also there is no question of it to him that is the Light the effect of whose comming is that they which see not to wit in the conscience of their owne blindnesse might see and that they which see might be made blind Ioh. 9. Go I say unto him it is not my counsell onely and say Son of David have mercie upon me that I may receive my sight and bee instant with him give him no rest till he make darkenesse light before thee and crooked things straight Till he bid the Prisoners come forth and say to the blind receive sight Isai 42. 16. Then and not till then shall thine eyes bee cleared then and not till then shall thy tongue bee loosed then not till then shalt thou frame to pronounce Christ right SONNE God knowes before whome I am our day to giue an accompt of my duty towards you that there passeth not a day or night either when you and yours take your rest wherein there is not intercession made for you MOTHER And dost thou begge vs of the Lord my sweete child Now the Lord unfold thy vnderstanding he cure thy zeale he adde knowledge to it he can doe it But all this while thou hast not fulfilled my ioy I reioyced greatly that I found of my children walkeing in the truth as we haue receiued a commandement of the Father they are Iohns words to to the elect Lady v. 4. Heare what he wâ—â—ts to Gaius I reioyced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the Trueth that is in thee even as thou walkest in the Trueth I haue no greater ioy then to heare that my children walke in the truth Beloued thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren to strangers I restraine this now to the matter in hand prayer though whatsoever a man doth that he doth it faithfully Crownes the worker the worke thou doest pray for thy Mother and her children doe it faithfully my deare child Faithfully in respect of those things that must be requested Faithfully in respect of that heart by which this Sacrifice must be presented Faithfully in respect of him to whom only it must bee directed Psal 65. 2. Faithfully in respect of that mediation through whom only it must bee accepted So pray on and begge vs of the Lord. Behold he prayeth Acts 9. 11 It is the spirits testimony of Paul after hee had left Gamaliels feete and his owne righteousnes and had attained to the knowledge of Christ and to the power of his Resurrection then behold he prayeth it yeldes a notable consideration no question Saul had prayed long and often while he satt at Gamaliels feete yet as if his prayers then had ben rather an houling then praying the spirit giues this testimony of him after the light had shined unto him behold he prayeth then and not till then Pray thus and pray on so begging vs of the Lord. I should haue no greater Ioy then to heare that my child walks in truth Beloved child thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to thy Mother and her children Oh what joy were here doe this and thou fulfillest my joy and thy owne for else thy labour of loue will be lost thy watching lost thy prayers lost thy selfe lost all lost looke to thy selfe then it is Iohns caveat that thou loose not the things that thou hast wrought but that thou receiuest a full reward In the meane time the Mother will pray for the child too that his loue may abound yet more and more how In knowledge and in all iudgement Philip. 1. 9. then shall we loue both in the flesh in the Lord Phil. 16. SONNE What more to doe in this my state I know not when my Mother is misled from the way of truth without knowledge and I must obey her but in the Lord in this thing then I must be excused and she must be plainely told that it stands not with the duty of a sonne to yeeld the least to so uniust demaunds of a Mother yet that she may know how duetifull a Sonne shee hath and how couragious for the witnessing of that which hee professeth were it with his owne blood Oh! that the commands were of the same nature with hers in the Maccabees who did incourage her children to suffer euen to the death surely I should be as ready to obey as shee to command but alas my Mothers commaunds are unreasonable nay unnaturall tending to the forsaking my Religion Gods Church his trueth himselfe MOTHER And is it so my Son an unreasonable request indeed and unnaturall O but hearken my Child and if it bee so let thine owne Mother bee hated O
hearken my Child I beseech thee even by the throwes of thy first birth hearken and the Lord give thee an open eare while the true Mother pleads with the Harlot for hir Sonne and he that is wiser then Salomon bee judge betwixt us even he be judge He ease me of my adversary even he ease me of my adversarie who vexeth me very sore and makes me goe heavily all the day troubling me and breaking my heart The Lord looke on the trouble of his handmaid and remember hir and give hir hir Sonne againe as I have desired and to my power laboured to give him to the Lord againe all the dayes of his life by keeping his Religion his Church his Truth and rather then to forsake these or any of these to lie in the fetters untill the iron enter into his soule and after to give up his breath in the flame to resist even unto blood O my Child consider it is neither the chaine if not Paules nor the prison if not Silaces nor the flame if not Bradford's that makes the Martyr indeed Child it is not But is it Pauls chaine no reason the bearer should be ashamed A Prisoner in the Lord sure there is great cause of rejoycing At the stake for a good cause now there is cause of singing of clapping the hands But the body may bee given to the fire my Child and love may be wanting 1 Cor. 13 the crosse may be taken up yet not Christs nor he followed The body may be strip't and whip't pinc'ht nay almost starv'd and yet who required these things at your hands But let the cause bee such as these Saints were and then let the sufferers glory for to such is it given not onely to beleeve but also to suffer for the name of the Lord Iesus Phillip 1. 29. And now let the Harlot speake for I know shee told thee what thou shouldest say what could I have done unto my Sonne that I have not done for his better keeping of these even all these Yet would I not seeme a proud Iusticiarie for how few are those Hannah's who give their children backe to the Lord who present them first in the Temple who breed their children as they ought as they are bound to doe as the Grandmother Lois and the Mother Eunice bred Timothy I cannot say I did in how many things might I faile I know in many But let the Harlot accuse me Child canst thou speake nothing for thy Mother my good Child speak I know thou canst Wherunto hath the deare affection of thy parents tended whitherto all their care cost their pains their prayers their feares their hopes Their hopes here it was indeed here it was I thinke I know we offended for surely wee doted upon thee Child forgive as that wrong We thought thee our possession the sonne of our right hand the staffe on which our old age might leane But how often do parents hopes deceiue them how soone may a hopefull blossome die in the bud a forward spring be nipped with a coldwind or a sharp frost Doe not parents I pray you doe not doat upon your children or thinke of them above what is meet There are many moneths yet unto your harvest and a little time makes great alteration I tell you parents I tell you weeping our extraordinary expectations on earthly things ordinarily disappoints us sometimes our ordinary but that doth lesse trouble us Marke this I pray you it falls out many times that a beloved Rachel proues barren and hated Lea fruitfull It falls out so with me and I am sure I was not the first neither can I be the last we have so many doters my possession is become â—â—â—ity my Beniamin a Bennons the Lord hath knapt my staffe asunder But why should my adversary boast against me I thinke he will not least his Rachell also prove barren so the Lord can make him or hir when wee bottome our selves upon them or set our affection on them too much but come what would the Harlot say HARLOT Why hee suckt in herisie with his very milke and his stronger meate was mingled with it And when you sent him to the fountaine and as you thought to the spring head you were quite mistaken for they are but bitter waters uncleane and muddie MOTHER Mistaken indeed I was and much deceived for had not the fountaine beene impure or had not the Beasts foote mudded iâ— I had not beene robbed of my Child nor at this time beene pleading for him But there was a bad hearbe in the good pottage a dead flie in the sweet ointment a subtill Serpent in the pleasant garden Thus wee Parents drunke with our owne hopes little foresee our Childrens danger how soone they may fall vpon a shelfe and there make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience and all A Parent art thou when will thy doubts thy feares have an end And now what shall I say to thee my adversary I must not I dare not give thee reviling words but the Lord rebuke thee even hee rebuke thee and be iudge betwixt us whether in that way which thou callest heresie wee doe not worship the God of our fathers beleeving c. HARLOT What and not to submit to our holy Church not come within her armes for instruction What is this but to bee as a Dove without the Arke to be tossed up and downe upon the waues of herefies still ready to suffer shipwracke let your Sonne then have your hand Mothâ—r who so piously reacheth forth his whereby to drawe you into our Arke MOTHER I thanke my good Child knowing his simple heart and tender child like affection for I beare him witnesse that he hath a zeale though not according to knowledge the time of his ignorance O Lord remember not and find out a time to take away the scales and be mercifull to all such as sinne not of malicious wickednes Now my good Child consider with me that there was a Dove which was out of the Arke but found the way to it and rested in it that was a wise Dove sure it had an heart That was a true Arke sure that could keepe from drowning There was a Dove o be not ignorant of it a silly seduced Dove Hos 7. 11 without an heart and that gott into an Arke of its owne framing which held during the calme but when the winds rose and the flouds of great waters came the workman could not defend the worke nor the worke the workeman both perished together This is spoken by an Allegory This wise Dove is every soule that is incorporated into that house whose builder and founder is Christ or which as a spirituall stone is rooted into that building whose foundation is that chiefe corner stone elect and pretious and he that believeth in him shall not be confounded 1. Pet. 2. 6. By this silly seduced Dove wee all know who was meant even Ephraim and by Ephraim that brave stomackfull tribe is meant Israell
it in the time of prayer but to make the mind as sensuall as the Image which should be quire drawne from the senses Call ye this a serving God in Spirit SONNE Yes for marke my Leaders words wee use them but as a devout representation of the Churche Triumphant which is fit to bee made in the time and place of prayer MOTHER I say nothing of the Church Triumphant or of that proportion which is betwixt the the representation and the thing represented turne we to Deut. 4. 15. Take good heed for ye saw no manner of Image lest yee corrupt your selves and make the representation of any figure See here ye saw no Image ye shall make the representation of no figure wee doe use Images as a representation What call ye this but with a whores forehead to walke in the stubbornesse of your owne hearts yee shall not yet ye will doe contrary to the expresse charge of God therefore as theirs so your services are accompted no better then sacrificing to Divells Deut. 32. 17. Whosoever walkes contrary to Gods revealed will shall find the Scripture an adversarie and contrary to his way in every page Agree then with thy adversarie while thou art in the way For ye can no more wash your hands from Israels sin then their following generation could theirs from innocent blood Therefore that thou may'st be pricked in thy heart I returne to the second of Isaiah where we find the burden of Idolatry The meane man boweth downe and the great man humbleth himselfe therefore forgive them not wherefore they bowed they humbled Marke it the iudgement is tied to bowing and humbling Forgive them not had thy Mother some rhetoricks now what could shee doe with it Elocution thrice repeated could do no good here This is a iudgement beyond expression It is the utmost of all Iudgements Why The horse may trample out the braines of a man and stamp his body to pieces yet there is hope in that death The Canon may dash the body like a snow ball throwne against the wall yet there is hope in that death The sword may bee made fat with the blood of the slaine there may be wailing in all streetes and crying out in all high wayes Alas Alas yet there may be hope all this while for these things fall alike to all and no man knoweth love or hatred But forgive them not What think you A man might here enquire with sobriety too why the Prophets tongue was thus steel'd against the people he seem'd more then a Son of thunder his words were swords even bitter words Lord forgive them not on would haue thought that he should have stood in the gap and have said Lord forgiue them Yea but the Prophet that hath a dreame may tell a dreame Ierm 23 but he that hath the word he saw concerning Iudah and Ierusalem Isaiah 2. 1 must speake the word faithfully and when the people shall aske what is the burden of Lord the Prophet must answer I will euen forsake you saith the Lord. Iere. 23. 33. Consider we now here is an heavy iudgment can the exalting of a peice of wood procure such a punishment Consider wee againe that sillie man would not be compared to a block and that iealousie is the rage of a man he will not spare in the day of vengeance Prov. 6. 34. Consider also that the name of the Lord is dreadfull he will bee sanctified of all that come neere him for hee is a consuming fire This puts vs upon Dauids words let vs call for his spirit my flesh trembleth for dread of thee and I feare for thy Iudgements Psal 119. 120. But if thy heart continue yet stiffe thou hast made thy selfe liable to Belshazzars sin which brought destruction upon him like a whirle-wind The Lord hath done thus and thus to Ephraim and thou hast not humbled thy heart though thou knewest all this But hast praised the gods of silver and gold wood c. and the God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy wayes thou hast not glorified Dan. 5. 22. Good Child consider it and since I cannot give thee my right hand of fellowship yet the Mother and Child would faine bee together they would not a few miles should part them much lesse such a gulfe let us before thy hand bee pluck't backe seriously debate this thing by what hath beene said by what shall be said which is safest which surest my comming over unto thee or thy comming over unto us that if it may be we may be together here and hereafter for ever with the Lord. Attend then further to what I have learn'd from Pauls planting and Apollos watering God giving the increase we acknowledge but one Church firme and stedfast as the foundation of the everlasting Hills compared to Noahs Ark as in many respects so also for this because as out of that there was nothing but death so out of this there can be no salvation And therefore as Noah having Gods speciall order for the matter and forme of it had also his invisible hand to guide it So likewise hath this Church that watchman of Israel for its Pilot therefore though it be in continuall dangerin yet shall it be preserved from the raging waves of this sea be safely brought to the haven where it would bee And for its more sure direction this keeper of Israell hath appointed at a most certaine and infallible oracle whereunto all the Prophetts and Apostles give witnesse and thereunto it doth give diligent heede and firme assent because the Authority and testimony therof is alwaies the same being grounded upon Gods unchangeable veritie As for the Popes succeeding Peter the Church findeth not the truth of it in hir Genealogies and it may be as doubtfull as the succession of Peters Cocke whose Pedegree notwithstanding they say hath beene lineally drawne from generation to generation and it is Cock-sure But yet call your Pope what you will Iohn or Ioane you know it was doubtfull once yet is hee of the same mould with Peter and may erre as hee did whereupon Paul resisted him to the face for hee was to be blamed Gal. 2. 11. And therefore whatsoever he saith challengeth no other then an humane consent unto it for if all the men in the world not immediately directed as were extraordinary Prophets Apostles in whom the spirit spoke and testified by them should consent in one as they notwithstanding their multitude were but men though many so were their testimonie but humane It was not then of old time that they asked councell of your holy Father and so ended the matter but search the Scriptures they testifie of me There is our oracle hearken to what they say The Church of the living God I call it neither ours nor yours but blessed is the man that hath his name written therein is the pillar and ground of trueth no foundation whereon the building must relie but as it is
from our Oracle our Pillar our Rule but wee resignelour waies to the Lord by whom our thoughts are established And this shall aggravate your Iudgement that whereas the Lord hath written unto you the great things of his law ye have accompted them a light thing And further thy Mother is perswaded that so long as thou hast neglect of such a treasure and wilt hearken to the traditions of men thou wilt continue a foole though thou shouldest bee braid in a morter Concerning our practise I have something to say for it something against it thou shalt have it presently First I thinke it fit in the way to remove some strawes call them so comparatively thy Mother would not have a straw lie in her Sonnes way homewards a and herein I am the more warie because it will plainly appeare that thou hast stumbled at a straw and leap't over a blocke Consider then with mee that there may be some errors in points of doctrine not Fundamentall not trenching upon that onely and alone sacrifice once offered for sinne since which all sacrifices must cease whether bloudie or vnbloudie which errors not fundamentall the fire may consume yet the person bee saved Againe that there may be some faults in practise and those foule ones too which Charitie should helpe with both hir shoulders but if strength be wanting that way or the mantle too short yet Charity hath done it's part That all this may bee and is I gather it thus A wide doore was opened what did follow then many adversaries saith Paul The Husbandman was sowing his seede where was the enuious man As neere unto him aâ— Satan was to the Priests right hand to resist him Zech. 3. and he casts his hand as well as the seedes-man and perhaps faster too because the seedes-man sleepes sometimes but the envious man is wakefull and he bestirâ— himselfe In this place he throwes a handfull and in that a handfull yet it is a field still and the great Landlord saith let them grow up together untill harvest then they shall be seperated Now Child that I may bring this to oâ—â— purpose and thereby shew thee how thou hast stumbled at a straw and loap'â— over a block I returne to the first againe and say that as there are certaine principles of the doctrine of Christ and of faith which must first be laid and upon which other truthes are to be built so must not the foundation be confounded with the wall or roofe nor light errors bee made fundamentall From hence thou art to take this into thy consideration yet there is time That the errors of the Antichristian Church whereunto thou art joyned as Ephraim to Idolls doe trench upon the carner-stone elect and pretious than which none must lay any it be a foundation thus thou didst leape over a blocke Againe thou hast seperated from us I hope but for a season that wee may receive thee for ever at the ten Tribes if I may compart small things with great rented from Ierusalem the onely true instituted Church in the world which was then on individuall not many as now and this by Idolatry thus thou didst leape over a block To the second faults in practise they are confe'st I thinke the Harlot heard me plead guilty It was the best way sure unlesse one could have proved that the envious man had done nothing Be it granted then yet what is the Tares to the good soedes what is the chaffe to the wheat Good seed is good feed for all the tares wheat wheat notwithstanding the Chaffe Be it that we have both of our Shepheards and of their flocke to such whose walking is no whit answerable to that it should be Then the Scripture calls them Idolls Zech. 11. 17. And wee know an Idoll is nothing What can be inferred thence what though an Idoll hath nothing but the superficies outmost proportion of a man it sees not it heares not it speakes not It will not follow that therefore the living doe not praise God Though a lye bee nothing truth is something Thy questioning hereof puts me in mind of a strange speech that was uttered by one whose conceit was stronger then his reason and his love weaker then either He was once as hee thought over-reach't by a minister well said he for this tricke I will never trust a black-coat againe A good Item to those of that Coate that they walk circumspectly as examples in word in conversation in spirit in faith in puritie â— Tim. 4. 12. Considering their profession will take soyle as soone as their cloth so that the one as much requires a wakefull eye over it as the other a brush yet still offences will be taken But let us examine the former speech If so be that words make a Commentary on the heart as well as actions they say they doe and the one bewrayes a man as well as the other then I can discerne no difference betweene that man we now heard of and this I am now telling you of who very wisely put his drink into a sive and because the sive deceaved him and let his drinke out would not bee perswaded afterwards to trust his dish no that he would not Think you as you please of the one and the other I am sure here was an extreame The dish would have held it though the siue did not I must not lay the blame upon all because some walke not as they should doe The faults of a counterfeit must not cast dyrt into the face of a gracious profession no nor may any mans faults though never so scandalous bring contempt upon the doctrine As it was under the Law so is it now under the Gospell Aarons Priesthood was holy though Nadab and Abihu did that the Lord commanded them not The sacrifice holy though Elies sonnes were wicked That the offering of the Lord was abhorred was the peoples fault Yet woe befell them who gave the offence and it shall certainly overtake all such as goe on in their steppes But all this while there is no warrant for abhorring the offering There is a treasurie in earthly vessells the treasure sanctifies not the vessell nor the vessell pollutes the treasure Moses Chaire cannot make the Scribe the holier nor can the unholinesse of the Scribe pollute Moses Doctrine No mans sinnes should bring the service of God into dislike SONNE Yea but you have been speaking of your doctrin and you haue I know not how fitly compared it to a treasure and to wheat and I know not what this makes against you For we say sow wheat and reape wheat MOTHER It is most true For what a man sowes that shall he reape but you know the envious man sowed Tares then by the same reason there will bee tares too As envious as the man is he must have his crop SONNE This doth not satisfio mee we have read that Truth is strongest and doth preuaile it brings a power with it MOTHER That it
Passeover the very ingredients which make up our austere penance the soules medicine MOTHER I might say of this medicine as they of the pottage Death is in the pott wee cannot eate of it But I leave the figure and speake plainely wee haue no such custome nor the Churches of God It is a truth A man ought to be a martyr in affection Hee must deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily And yet he must take his life goods and libertie from Gods hand as Talents intrusted to him to use to improue Nor must hee part with them till they stand in competition with the puritie of the Gospell and now that they doe he hath his warrant what to doe and his wo too if he doth it not and to the Saints the choyce is easie neither are their liues deare unto them it is necessary say they the trueth of Christ constrayning them that wee goe not that we should liue Wee shall loose our goods No matter wee will take it ioyefully knowing we have in heaven an induring substance Heb. 10. 34. we shall loose our libertie No matter the word of God is not bound Christ hath set us free we are free indeed Life is sweete the other life is sweeter But Death is bitter the second death is more bitter Come prison come death all is advantage The choyce is made but still they have their warrant Esau hath a sterne looke the true Israel will goe to meet him warrantably preparedly they looke to haue kisses from him The Crosse is a heavie thing the Head fainted under it much more the member therefore they will forecast the Crosse at all times they will cast it in their way at no time It shall meete the Saints as it did Simon of Cyren and as the Lyon mett Sampson in their way They will not thrust themselves into danger as they will not cowardly avoid it They will pray to be delivered from the mouth of the Lion but if the Beast will bend them or breake them their breaking hath and shall be like the breaking of a box of pretious oyntment it shall fill the whole house with a sweet perfume And the Beast shall bee forced in spite of mallice to yeeld them honey which proves so sweete that they shall take pleasure in infirmitie in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ his sake whose power is so upon them that when they are weake then are they strong How sweet shall the waters bee when the Lord hath healed them What pleasant fruit shall grow from a bitter root when the Lord hath watered it or hath changed his nature Tribulation shall worke patience patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed see what kisses are here SONNE You have said something to our sufferings in geuer all what say you to the particulars first to our austere penance wee are content to whip our selves because Christ was whipped by the Iewes and we thinke we haue ground for it if not a direct precept yea what clearing of your selues there is ground for our auricular confession yea what indignation yea what revenge 2 Cor. 7. there is ground for our pennance There cannot be a greater token of sorrow to repentance then to take revenge of our body for the sinne of our soules Againe we haue patterne for it too The Publican smote upon his breast Luke 18. MOTHER Trueth is an excellent thing if we haue it not yet we would haue some thing like it Your letter doth not mention Auricular confession therefore I will but touch upon it because it goes before Penance If you will take the Apostles clearing for Confession let Ezra Nehemiah and Daniell expound it in their three excellent chapters the 9 of their books where you haue the forme of clearing your Confession where you must marke by the way that it was accompanied with astonishment with trembling For that indignation and revenge the Apostle speaks off it cannot be meant of whipping your selues For what is a little smart of the body a yery flea biting to make satisfaction for sinne when as the sinne of the body cannot satisfie for the sinne of the soule For the Publicane smiting his breast It is a wonder to me you dare come so neere that Scripture because the Pharesiâ— is hard by and meeteâ— you at every turne staring you in the face It is true the Publican smot his breast hee lookt upon the ground too Christ doth not deliver a generall rule but tels me and thee the inseparable marke of a true penitent shame or loathing He lookt on the ground acknowledging that mercy kept him from being beneath for his iniquity he smott his breast so pleading with his heart the mother of sinne Take it tohetger and let indignation and revenge be put to it too the Prophet Ezech. comprehends all and expoundâ— it fully They shall loath themselves for the evills which they have committed Cap. 6. ver 9. They shall be on the mountaines like Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity so cap. 7. ver 16. They shall remember their wayes and be ashamed so cap 16. ver 61. And ye shall loath your selves in your owne sight so cap 20. ver 43. Whether this were not a smart within the skinne let the indifferent Reader judge So then I conclude against you wee haue no such custome nor the Churches of God We have no precept for it rather against it rent your hearts and not your garmens This shadow hath devoured the substance we have no patterne for Baalls Priests must not be our examples we follow Paul for he followed Christ Paul received from the Iewes forty stripes save one we read not that he gave himselfe one Your heretickes you will have it so were whipt by Boner as long as his breath would hold wee find not that they gâ—ve themselves one stripe A man may bee too unmannerly bold with his bodie Certainly the Saints have a reverent esteeme of it It is the Cabinet of a rich Iewell nor is that all it is the temple of the Holy Ghost A temple made with hands wee know is of much esteeme The temple of the Holy Ghost much more I find it used by the Apostle as a maine Argument against uncleannesse It may serve also as a buckler to keepe off the blowes Are the bodies of the Saints the temples of the holy Ghost they dare not whip them nor scorch them nor pine them these are not the markes of the Lord Iesus who required them at their hands They know that the sufferings of Christ must abound in them if they look to have the consolations abound through Christ They know that they must heare about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus may bee made manifest in their bodies knowing well that there is a false penance and a counterfeite Martyrdome my sweete Child they never vvere nor never will bee their owne