the Holy Ghost his Deputy The Kinges of the Nations Raigne ouer them but you shall not bee so c. Lu◠22. Christ when he ascended left not Peter with them to direct them into all Truth but promised to send the Holy Ghost vnto them for that end These are his Highnes wordes But the Familists answer vs That Gods worship consisteth not at all in any outward obseruation the which saying of theirs if we ouerthrow a great part of their tottering profession will fall for they cannot deny but we must worship the Lord our God and him onely must wee serue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoro is not onely taken for to Pray vnto or to beseech but also to Honour with bowing of the Body and the Scripture expresseth the same First Math. 14.10 saith If thou wilt fall downe and worship me Luke saith of the same Luk. 4.10 If thou wilt fall downe before me Math. 8.2 And loe there came a Leper and worshipped Marke saith of the same Mark 1.40 And there came a Leper beseeching him and kneeling down vnto him Luk. 5.12 Luke of the same And hee fell on his face and besought Math. 9.18 It is onely said There came a certaine Ruler and worshipped him Marke explaines it saying Mark 5.22 Hee fell downe at his feete and besought him instantly The same saith Luke Luk. 8.41 not speaking of any other worship Againe it is said Math. 15.25 of the Cannanite shee came and worshipped him saying Lord helpe me Mark 7.25 Marke calles this worship And she fell at his feete Further Marke saith The man possessed when he saw Iesus ranne and worshipped him Mark 5.6 Luke calleth this worship onely this Luk. 8.28 And hee cryed out and fell downe before him Also those wicked Soldiers are said to worship our Sauiour when bowing their knees before him Mar. 15.19 they mocked him By all which and much more that might be alledged it may most euidently appeare that the wisedome of God that knoweth best how to speake and to teach vs accounteth bowing of the Body kneeling or falling downe to be worship Further it is said And there were certaine Greekes that came to Ierusalem to worship Ioh. 12.20 at the Feast Act. 8.27 And the Euunuch is said to come out of Ethiopia to worship And Paul doth say he came to Ierusalem to worship All which teacheth Act. 2◠11 that the performance of those serulces and Sacrifices that with their Bodies were to be performed are counted Gods worship and not only a Spirituall reuerence or adoration which they might haue performed not haue come to Ierusalem This may suffice to proue that any bodily reuerence in matters of God and bodily seruices or Sacrifices are called Gods worship and therefore vtterly forbidden in any Spirituall seruice but onely in the true seruice of the true God Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue This therefore is to giue vnto God thinges which are Gods euen subjection with our soules and with our bodies to those parts of his Spirituall worship which he hath commanded in these last dayes by his Sonne Esa 2 8. This is his Honour which he will not giue to another This the seruants of God knew so well that they would not giue it to others to the greatest Potentates of the Earth notwithstanding all their commands and threats And this through the power of God wee will maintaine vnto the Death and approue our selues to God and all good men to bee neither Rebels to Caesar nor deserue iust taxation but commendation herein of all but hypocriticall and Atheisticall Familists And for what is Caesars wee vprightly acknowledge that all ciuill authority of Magistracy is the blessed Ordinance of God That all ciuill reuerence Honor ought to be giuen to it That Tribute and all other duties are to be payed vnto it Rom. 13. c. That all ciuill commands of it ought to be obeyed And that of Conscience to God whose ministers they are euen from the King to the most meanest Constable And that they may so execute their iust offices that they may notwithstanding walke with Iesus Christ be members of his Church and be faued That they haue a Sword giuen them of God to take vengeance on them that doe euill and are ordained of God for the wealth of all wel-doers And this is all that can be Caesars or that wee dare giue vnto any mortall man whatsoeuer So that hauing now shewed what is Gods what is Caesars we confidently affirme that the body may not be seuered from the foule or heart in our obedience to both as these hypocrits the Familists doe suggest In our obedience to man in all Ciuill things that which we doe we must doe of Conscience and not for wrath onely Rom. 13.5 And Seruants and so Subiects be obedient to your Masters according to the Flesh in all thinges not with eye seruice us men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearing God and whatsoeuer yee doe Col. 3.22.23 Ephe. 6.5.6 doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Also with singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ All which teacheth That all our seruice to euery Superiour must be with the heart and of Conscience and not with our Bodies onely and for our obedience to God with our Bodies aswell as our Spirits in all Spirituall or Diuine seruice and that they may not be seuered therein is proued We are bought both soule and Body with a deare price 1. Cor. 6.20 and therefore are commanded to glorifie God with both For our bodyes are the Temples of the Holy Ghost and they are not our owne Vers 19 And the bodyes of Christians are the members of Christ Vers 15 and these members of Christ our bodies must not be coupled to any Harlot whether materiall or Spirituall And wee are commaunded to giue vp our Bodyes a liuing sacrifice Rom. 12.1 wholy and acceptable which is our reasonable seruice of God This is plaine to him that will vnderstand And the Familists teaching the contrary it shall plainely appeare they are not onely most notable hypocrites but also Rebellious against the power of Magistracy Magistrates that take vpon them to Commaund in matters of Gods worship they doe not onely require bodily falling downe but also Reuerence with the soule of heart Dan 3. Did not Nabuchadnezzar require falling downe and worshipping And doe not the Magistrates in Popery and elsewhere where constraint to worship is doe they not require Diuine adoration to their diuine Seruice as they call it let all their Orders for their constrained and stinted seruice be looked into and this cannot be denyed And this being the Ordinance of the Magistrate if it be rebellion not to submit with the body in such diuine worship as they require because they commaund it as the Familists affirme then they are rebellious because they submit not
the riches of God Illuminated in the Spirit with the heauenly truth the true light of the perfect being elected to a Minister of the gracious word which is now in the last time raised vp by God according to his promises in the most holy Seruice of God vnder the Obedience of his Loue. The blasphemies of whose writings are so grosse as these wretches are very strait to whom they affirme that this euerlasting Gospell is H. Ns. the Light which God hath manifested in these last dayes yet apparantly it is it and no other For they speake plainely to whom they dare trust as they know wee well know and disperse his Bookes to those in whom they haue some hopes requiring most solemne protestations that they shall not let any see them who they know to be aduerse * For often they write keepe secrets from vnbeleeuers So that it is plaine this light which they much boast of and haue tolde many of vs of is this Gospell of H. N. which is so farre from light being compared with the holy Scriptures that it is damnable darknes from which we trust our God will alwayes keepe vs. But they tell vs much of it is in the Booke of Common prayer in the Booke of Homilies and in the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons wherein all may see these hypocrites still would shelter themselues vnder Authority though it be a manifestation to all of their owne hypocrisie and of the horrible defamation of the Common prayer Booke for as wee said before they respect the Common prayer booke and the rest no more then they respect the Popish Masse-booke nor the Turkish Alchoran to wit in respect of the Magistrates commaund being farre from thinking in their hearts that any of them containeth the worship of God which they affirme to be onely inward and not in any outward obseruation whatsoeuer wherein they are most notable dissemblers in making men beleeue they respect that which they doe not And what a defamation is it vnto the Common prayer Booke and the rest that they affirme much of this new Light to be contained therein Is any such thing contained in any of these Bookes as that men euer had or can haue One Nature Being Life order and Spirit with God That God is all that Man is and that man is all that God is That Christ is the Perfection in the louely being whereunto H. N. and his fellow Elders doe attaine That Regeneration or the true Baptisme is the captiuating of men into H. Ns loue and her seruice That the Resurrection of the dead is the rising to H. Ns Doctrine That the Eternall iudgement is in this Day of the Loue of H. N and the life euerlasting the liuing in the Doctrine of H. N. after which there is no life more to bee waited for That any Idoll may haue all reuerence performed to it with the body that a man being tempted to any sinne if vpon crying helpe come not hee is free from the transgressing though he commit the fact That in this Citty or Communialty there is no more euill nor euill suspition nor yet sight of euill in them For within the same one doth neither see nor thinke any thing but all good c. That this Family should make manifest their whole heart with all their counsels mindes willes and thoughts together with all their doings 1. Exhor cap. 13. sect 12. dealings and exercises naked and bare before the Eldest in the Family of Loue and not couer nor hide any thing be it what it is before him also all whereunto their inclination kinde and nature draweth them vnto and all wherewith they become tempted or assaulted in their hearts And in their louely society Spirit land Cap. 37. sect 3. they doe not vow or binde themselues in the matrimony of men nor yet suffer themselues to be bound therein but are like the Angels of Heauen And there is no man that claymeth any thing to bee his owne as to possesse the same to his owne priuate vse for no man and that out of euery ones good disposition can desire any thing to bee his owne or yet to make any thing proper to himselfe from another But also whatsoeuer is there is free and is left free in his vpright forme There is also no man denyed to vse any thing in freedome of all that is profitable and needfull for him for they stand all in equity as one in the Loue c. Oh who would haue thought that so many abhominations had lurked in this wicked Family though alas these bee not all that are knowne and how many moe are vnknowne Pro. of H.N. Cap. 22. sect 16. and keepe secrets from vnbeleeuers men may imagine by H. Ns teaching his fellow Elders not to reueale their secrets no not to their owne young ones This is H. Ns. light brought into the world in these latter times but wee hope none of this new light or rather darknes will be sheltred in the Cōmon prayer Booke It will not patronage any of these fearefull blasphemies and therefore the hypocriticall boldnes of these Familists will haue little thankes for this their affirmation but before they come to this Light obserue what they must doe Looke who so will know these thinges must depart from all the wisdome of the Learned from the steps of the graue Fathers and from the religious walkings of all the Deuout persons euen all the knowledge men haue must away by little and little from euery one that shall be saued M. P. burning light cap. 7. sect 23 but before a Wise man can let slip all there must rise many agonies anguishes striuings and Earthquakes c. For before the Truth shall appeare the Destroyer must come and make all waste All light of Truth must bee put out before they can come to these thinges Oh fearefull wickednes Tenthly yee are voyde of the Christian Faith Answ OF the Faith of H. Ns. Christ we confesse our selues vtterly voide and doe blesse our God for the same but wee hauing manifested our Faith in the true Christ none will iudge vs to be voyde thereof but Atheisticall Familists Eleauenthly yee seperate from the holy Catholike Church Answ FIrst let it be obserued what these Familists iudge of all that beleeue not the Loue. Thus they write All such as beleeue not the Loue nor are Baptised into the name of the Father it is not meete to account such vnbeleeuers and vnbaptised ones for Christians at whose hands wee should looke for any word of truth let them esteeme themselues as holy as they will they are a false Christianity and deuillish Synagogue or Schoole now this being their censure of all but themselues If they meane the holy Catholike Church to be the Family of Loue as indeed H. N. saith then we must beare this accusation For as wee neuer were of it so we purpose to be deuided from it for euer If they meane any
Hee did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth hee was that iust one Cap. 3.18 who appeared to take away our sinnes and in him is no sinne That he suffered for the sinnes of others although what is said be proofe sufficient yet if any thing might bee accounted plaine with these wofull men manifold testimonies might be added Esa 53.5.6 you see Christ appeared to take away our sinnes hee was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes are wee healed Vers 12 and the Lord laide vpon him the iniquity of vs all hee powred out his soule vnto the Death hee bare the sinnes of many and payed for the trespassers hee dyed for the vngodly Rom. 5.6.8.9.10 for Sinners his Blood iustifies others his Death reconciled vs when wee were his enemies hee was giuen to Death for vs for our Sinnes Rom. 8.32 2 Cor. 5.15 Gal. 3.13 4.5 1. Pet. 2.21.24 hee dyed for all that were Dead Christ redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law by his suffering euen the cursed Death of the Crosse that he might Redeeme them that were vnder the Law who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his Body on the Tree 1. Pet. 3.18 4.1 1. Tim. 2.6 1. Ioh. 2.2 c. Christ the Iust suffered for the vniust and he hath suffered for vs in the Flesh hee gaue himselfe a Ransome for all men and hee is the reconciliation for the Sinnes of the whole world Secondly it is manifest that none can haue saluation but by Faith in those Sufferings of that man CHRIST IESVS Mar. 16.16 Hee that beleeneth and is Baptized shall be faued as many as receiues him to them Ioh. 1.12 hee gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen as many as beleeue in his Name Ioh. 3.16 And whosoeuer Beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue euerlasting Life hee that beleeueth not is Condemned already Vers 18 Be it knowne vnto you men and Brethren that through this man is Preached vnto you forgiuenes of Sinnes and from all thinges from the which yee could not be iustified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.38.39 by him euery one that Beleeueth is iustified The righteousnes of God is manifest vnto all and vpon all that Beleeue Rom. 3.22 And Abraham the Father of the Faithfull he beleeued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Rom. 4.24 And to vs also shall it bee imputed for Iustice which beleeue and the Iust shall liue by Faith Gal. 3.11 And wee are the sonnes of God by Faith in Christ Iesus Vers 26 What shall we need to alledge more testimonies who will not wonder that any mortall man professing the Scriptures should dare to set his face against God in these his euident testimonies when God saith The iust shall liue by Faith in his Sonne Christ Iesus who dare say this is a fable to seeke Iustice in another then in our selues and that by the Law men may bee justified before God as after it shall appeare they doe From all which testimonies we confidently affirme that neuer any Sinner was saued but by Faith in Christ either beleeuing him to come by the Promise of God to pay the ransome for mans sinne Or that he is come to performe the same For they that were saued before his Comming did beleeue in him according to the promise of the Father but after he is come all must beleeue as himselfe saith That I am hee Ioh. 8 24. or else they shall dye in their sinnes All which is so euident that it may be maruailed at that the Deuill should so besot men with blindnes as that they should contradict so euident a Truth and the rather because in wordes they acknowledge the Scriptures and in their Writings plentifully quote them but indeed it is certaine it is but to blinde the eyes of the simple For as the Master saith Therefore it is assuredly all false and lyes H.N. Dialog cap. 16. sect 16. seducing and deceitfull what the vngodded or vnilluminate men out of the Imagination of their knowledge and out of the learnednes of the Scriptures bring forth institute Preach or teach They Preach indeed the Letter but not the worde of the liuing God Let them esteeme themselues as holy as they will they are all a false Christianity and a deuillish Synagogue or Schoole So say his Disciples That wee out of the Family of Loue vnderstand not one word in all the vniuersall Bible and that wee are in the way of infernall darknesse So that pretend what they will they reiect all Scripture further then may stand with H. N. and his fellow Elders in the Family of Loue. For thus further they write They ought to beware that that they distrust not the Eldest in the Family of Loue H. N. in 1. exhor cap. 13 Diuis 11. fol. 31. nor suspect any manner of euill or vnwisedome by him nor yet in any wise perswade themselues that the Exercises documents or Instructions which are taught or set forth before them by the Father of the Family of Loue or oldest Elder are too sleight too childish or too vnwise for them to follow after or to obay but with perfect hearts humbly and singly minded as good willing Children to receiue the same instructions proceeding out of the wisedome and Councell of the Eldest and to stand euen so submitted till they come vnto the manly oldnesse in the Loue. Againe he saith The Scripturely learned man hath no knowledge of Gods matters In the Prophesie cap. 8. hee cannot vnderstand any tittle much lesse interpret or expound the same to others it is giuen onely to the Family of Loue to vnderstand the secrets thereof Againe thus My Children and you Family of Loue giue eare to mee your Father liue according to my Doctrine Jn his 1. exhort cap. 11. sect 1.2 that it may goe well with you take heed to my Doctrine and what I doe set forth and teach that it may bee a Seale of life and a witnes of truth in your hearts for it is your Life And againe thus Let your selues now in all your being nature minde and disposition Crying voyce cap. 3. sect 11 become renued through the loue in her seruice and giue all your vnderstanding captiue vnder the obedience of the Loue. And so teacheth his Children to say O my Father in the Loue 1. Exhor cap. 13. sect 2. I submit my selfe and all my vnderstanding vnder the wisedome of thy Doctrine Let all iudge if these wretches abolish not the Scriptures to set vp their owne deuillish inuentions what shew of the Scriptures soeuer they make But they obiect against this strict Faith in this man Christ and his sufferings Rō 2.14.15 For when the Gentiles which haue not the Law doe by Nature the thinges contained in the Law hauing not the Law are a Law
walking vprightly as farre as they see when indeed their walking is so farre from vprightnes that when God calls and cryes vnto them and stretches out his hand vnto them all the day long by that measure of means which he affoordeth them Rom. 10.21 they still gaine-say him and are rebellious against him But their obiection is That all they that are ignorant and either by wordes or workes deny Christ and worship Idols and see no further but thinke they doe well they shall be excused to which ignorant conceit wee must say something Ignorance shall not excuse any that liue in Idolatry and doe not obey the Sonne of God THough it be sufficient that the Lord hath pronounced these Iudgements against such as beleeue not in and obey not his Sonne but are Idolaters without exception of ignorant or not ignorant yet that the truth of the Lord may shine herein as the light at noone day wee haue endeauored to take away this their obiection also that in particular words That ignorance is sinne it appeareth by those ceremoniall sacrifices of attonement which were offered for it Leuit. 4.13 c. 22.27 5.2.5.15.17 Heb. 9.7 and the wages of all sinne is Death Also the Lord saith Harden not your hearts as in Meribah and Massah where your Fathers tempted me c. though they had seene my worke forty yeares haue I contended with this generation and said they are a people that erre in their heart for they haue not knowne my wayes therefore I sware in my wrath Psal 95.8 c. Hosea 4.6 surely they shall not enter into my rest And my people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And our Sauiour teacheth That if the ignorant lead the ignorant Mar. 15.14 both shall fall into the ditch And hee that knew not his masters will Luk. 12.48 and yet did thinges worthy of stripes hee shall be beaten And they that kill Christs Disciples Ioh. 16.1 shall thinke they doe God seruice because they neither knew God nor Christ which to know is Eternall life Ioh. 17.3 Peter through his ignorance aduised Christ not to suffer for which he had a most sharp reproofe Get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.23 thou vnderstandest not the thinges of God Againe I know Brethren yee did it through ignorance Repent Act. 3.17 that your sinnes may bee put away The Gentiles that regarded not to know God by his wonderfull workes the Heauens and Earth Psal 19. which preach and teach day and night to euery speach and language and giueth euery reasonable soule vnder Heauen a measure of knowledge because they regarded not to know God Rom. 1.28 God deliuered them vp to a reprobate mind And the Iewes had the zeale of God yet not according to knowledge for they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God Rom. 10.2 they found it not And Christ Iesus shall render vengeance in flaming fire vnto them that doe not know God and obey not the Gospell 2. Thes 1.8.9 And those that through the signes and lying wonders of the man of Sinne are deceiued 2. Thes 2.10 c. they shall perish and bee damned because they receiued not the loue of the Truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes What store of testimonies are in this thing If men doe euill though of ignorance for the same shall not enter into Gods rest but be destroyed fall into the pit be beaten be deliuered vp to a reprobate minde haue flaming Fire rendred vpon them and be damned all which the mouth of the Lord hath spoken If any notwithstanding all this will yet say Ignorance shall excuse any 1. Cor. 14.38 wee will answer with th'Apostle If any bee ignorant let them be ignorant and taste the reward thereof The cause of Ignorance is hardnes of hart and vnbeliefe and not the want of means as is plaine If our Gospell be hid that is if any be ignorant of it it is hid to them that perish 2. Cor. 4.3 c. in whome the God of this world hath blinded their mindes that is of the vnbeleeuers c. And they being strangers from the life of God Ephes 4.18 through the Ignorance that is in them because of the hardnes of their hearts So that vnbeliefe and hardnes of heart is the cause of Ignorance and ignorance maketh men strangers from the life of God Paul did it ignorantly through vnbeliefe 1. Tim. 1 13 All haue or might haue meanes enough had they vsed that well which they had And whereas they affirme it to be iniustice in God to condemne all the Nations of the earth that haue beene or are ignorant of Christ Wee answer though it be plaine that Christ is manifest by a measure of meanes to euery reasonable Creature vnder Heauen Col. 1.6.23 For haue they not heard Rom. 10.18 yet in this th'Apostle affirmeth Gods iustice appeareth that such as had but the inuisiblenes of God declared in the Creation of the Heauens and the Earth Rom. 1.19 c. which teach knowledge Day and Night whose voyce is heard in euery Language vnder Heauen they regarded not to know God by the same Psal 1.1 c God deliuered vp to a reprobate minde If any yet demaund why the Cannibals know no more the Apostle answeres Because they regarded not to know God by that they had Hath not God promised that if any seeke they shall finde Math. 7.7 What made the Wise men of the East to finde the Babe Christ but their diligent seeking Math. 2.1 Men finde not because they seeke not Iam. 4.2 wee need not goe amongst the greatest Pagans we shall find too many who know not God nor Christ in our owne Nation now the same cause they haue no knowledge that is the cause why the Cānibals haue no knowledge namely because they seeke not The Iewes had meanes enough yet were they ignorant of the way of God and God was found of those that in comparison sought not after him Rō 10.20 That none need be ignorant read these Scriptures Deut. 30.11 Rom. 10.6 c. 18.20 Math. 7.7 Iam. 4.2.3 Some also obiect Act. 17.30 In the time of that ignorance God regarded not c. From hence they conceiue that God regarded not to punish Ignorance but let the place be considered and it doth effectually conuince that conceit Th' Apostle Paul cōming to Athens and beholding the blinde Deuotion of the Athenians and reprouing them for the same enformeth them of the true God whome saith he you ignorantly worship him shew I vnto you and hauing shewed them what that God was and what he was not how he would be worshipped and how he would not concludeth with these words In the time of that Ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent c. In the time of Ignorance God had no regard of your blinde Deuotion but now in
no lesse abhorre to seeke Iustice in our selues by keeping the Law for then Christ dyed for nothing and all that are bewitched with that cursed conceit are abolished from Christ are fallen from Grace But if they meant no more but that euerlasting Godlines were to doe Iustice loue mercy and humble our selues to walke with God Micah 6.8 Mat. 22.37 c. the somme of all which is to loue God aboue all by beleeuing to haue Iustice by the Death and bloodshed of his Sonne and obaying his Commandements for his worship and louing our neighbour as our selues wee vnfainedly desire to striue after these and doe according to our vttermost ability And the Consciences of diuers of these men if they were not past feeling will not deny this hauing formerly acknowledged the same by words and writings not onely that our profession leadeth to a holy life in our entrance in our not admitting any but such as manifest themselues to vs to be new Creatures but also in our progresse wherein if any sinne appeare in any we haue power from the Lord Iesus and doe execute the same power either to cast the sinne out of the party by Repentance or to cast the party out of our spirituall fellowship by Excommunication as we are cōmanded * Math. 18.17 c. 1. Cor. 5.13 And for our dealings and carriages among men we leaue that to the testimony of them among whom we liue wee had rather our actions should speake then our mouthes Men full of weaknesses we are we freely confesse with vnfained humility desiring to striue towards perfection wherein when we haue done what we can wee seeke our perfection in and through the perfection of CHRIST who is vnto vs all in all thinges without whom wee can doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 And this euerlasting righteousnes both towards God and man the Ordinances of Gods worship leadeth vs vnto though contemned of all Familists in which the more zealous we are the more doe we attaine to euerlasting righteousnes To the last that we contend against Godly ceremonies Their meaning is as afterwards they haue explained it in that wee contend against and submit not with our bodies vnto such obseruations for such Spirituall worship as the Turke the Pope or any other Superior power where we liue commaundeth That we should contend against all vaine inuentions for Gods worship and loue Gods Law Psal 119.113 The Holy Ghost teacheth vs For if wee should worship God by mens precepts God would account vs hipocrites Math. 15.9 and our worship vaine but of this at large in his due place in answer to their third taxation of vs for not submitting with our bodies to any outward seruice keeping our hearts to God This may suffice to cleare vs of the first Secondly you are without the Charity described 1. Cor. 13. Chap. FOr answer to which we say The particulers of Loue are many in that place and therefore till we are accused particularly wee can giue no answer We trust if they come to particulers we should rather proue them to bee lyers and false accusers then that they should proue such things against vs we know nothing herein by our selues that men can iustly taxe vs but we are not hereby iustified with God But thus much we may truely say that when our walking was no better then now it is some of these younglings in or towards the Family haue solemnly protested they neuer found the like loue as among vs with any people that euer they knew Thirdly you submit not to euery Ordinance of the Magistrate 1 Pet. 2.13 TO which we answer they are false accusers wee giue vnto Caesar thinges which are Caesars Mat. 22.21 but Christ commaundeth vs also to giue vnto God thinges which are Gods Now if we take away from Caesar either by words or practice any thing that is his we may iustly be accounted Rebels against Caesar And so all they that take away from the most high God the thinges which are his shall be accounted Rebels against the King of Kings who although hee be patient and long suffering and deferreth his wrath yet if once it burne Psal 2.12 Oh blessed are they that trust in him The right knowledge of what is Caesars what is Gods will be the best way of clearing our selues of this imputation for concerning this we not onely suffer the reproches of this wicked Family and all their wel-willers but also all our persecutions are inflicted vpon vs for this cause And without the distinct knowing of what is Gods what is Caesars men shall greatly doe amisse It is written here in Peter Submit your selues to all Ordinances of Man for the Lord So also in 1. Cor. 7.23 it is written Yee are bought with a price be not the seruants of men In some thinges we must submit vnto them and in other thinges wee must not submit vnto them for the Lord hath commaunded both therefore it is meete we should know the difference If there were no more but these places of Scripture they would sufficiently decide the controuersie Peter saith Submit your selues to all humane Ordinances or to euery ordinance of Man a humane or worldly Ordinance it must be that wee must submit vnto Paul saith yee are bought with a price be not the seruants of men Christ hath bought vs and therefore wee must be his seruants This is confirmed in diuers Scriptures Rom. 7.4 That we should be vnto him that dyed for vs and rose againe Mat. 10.37 For if we loue Father mother wife magistrate or life more then he wee are not worthy of him And therefore did his seruants in the commaunds of God when they were contradicted by the Magistrates say Dan. 3.16.18 We are not carefull to answer thee O King in this matter Be it knowne vnto thee we will not fall downe nor worship Act. 4.19.20 c. And we cannot but speake the thinges we haue heard and seene Whether is it better to obey God or men iudge yee In matters of God wee must submit vnto Christ alone I am 4.12 hee is the one Law-giuer able to saue and to destroy The Father hath spoken by him in the last dayes giuing him all power in Heauen and in Earth Confirming it by voyce from Heauen This is my beloued Sonne heare him and he that will not that he shall raigne ouer him let him be brought and slaine before him The truth of this most euident not onely by the Scriptures but also acknowledged by many Superiours the chiefest ouer vs on Earth acknowledgeth the same The Kings most excellent Matie saith Apol. for the Oath of Allegiance pag. I vtterly deny that there is any earthly Monarch ouer the Church whose word must be a Law and who cannot erre by an infallibility of Spirit because earthly Kingdomes must haue earthly Monarchs it doth not follow the Church must haue a visible Monarch too Christ is the Churches Monarch and
impiety for any of that said members to seek edificatiō of false Prophets in that it giueth that Honor and Matie that belongeth to Christ in his Church to the Deuill* by whose power that false Prophet teacheth and the Lord commanded his people of olde that they being seperated from other people to be the Lords should beware least they be taken in a snare after them Deu. 12.30 c. and least thou aske after their Gods saying how did these nations serue their Gods c. So that Gods people may not go heare which is to enquire of any false Prophet least they be taken in a snare by submitting to that God or that manner which that false Prophet teacheth 8. As the word of God is holy as other Ordinances among the Saints for it sanctifieth Church and all * Ioh. 17.17 Ephe. 5.26 1. Tim. 4.5 so the word of God is more prophaned among and by the wicked then other Ordinances because they take it to warrant their prophane practices and if the Saints of God may not joyne with them in soule or body in any of their prophane courses as before hath bene proued much lesse in soules or bodies may they joyne with them in vsing the word which is most of all prophaned by them Luk. 10.16 Ioh. 13.20 Ioh. 8.44 Rom. 6.16 9. As they that heare Christs Prophets heare Christ and they that dispise them dispiseth him euen so they that heare false Prophets which are the Deuils heare the Deuill and they that dispise them dispise the Deuill Therefore let all that hate the Deuill and would flye from him so doe vnto his Ministers 10. It is the grieuous sinne of any false Prophet to meddle with the word of God and his punishment is fearefull it is no lesse sinne Ezek. 13.9 and 14.10 and shall haue no lesse punishment in any that shal goe to aske or enquire of him for God Vers 7.10 the punishment shall be both alike For it is apparant Gods people may not goe to aske or enquire for God of any false Prophet which they doe that goe to heare with silence else hypocrites that they are what doe they there 11. False Prophets are strangers from God and we are commanded not to heare strangers but to flye from them and it is the commendations of the Saints Reuel 2.2 to examine false Apostles and to finde them lyars the Lords anger is against his people Ezek. 44.8 when they suffer Strangers to take the charge of his Holy things especially of handling the Word which halloweth all the rest and God demaundeth of his Sonnes Pro. 5.20 why they should embrace the bosome of a stranger And what doest thou in the way of Aegipt or what makest thou in the way of Ashur as before 12. Gods people must not goe to the dead to enquire * Deu. 18.11 1. Sam. 28.7 c. Esa 8.19 which false Prophets are * Ephes 1.2 Esa 29.9 c. yea God hath couered them with the Spirit of slumber they are blinde make such blind as heare them and their vision is as the wordes of a Booke sealed vp c. And shall any seruant of God goe to them to aske of God seeing their estates is such and that such thinges are an abhomination to the Lord Deu. 18.12 which will cause him to cast vs out of his sight 13. A false Prophet medling with the Holy word of God poluteth it Hag. 2.13.14 and the Lord will stretch out his hand to cut them off euen all false Priests and Prophets that worship sweare by the Lord Zeph. 1.4.5 and that sweare by Malcham and cōmaundeth his people to cast away all pollutions Esa 30.22 as a filthy cloath and to say get thee hence which doing this controuersie will be ended 14. It is as high iniquity for a false Prophet to meddle with the holy things of God which appertaineth not to him but only to the Saints as it was for Corah and his wicked Company Num. 16. c. to meddle with those thinges of God which appertained not to them but to Aron and his Sonnes and the Lord will no lesse punish false Prophets for their iniquity therein then he did Corah and his Company and as he cōmanded all to depart from the Tents of those wicked men and to touch nothing of theirs least they perish in all their sinnes euen so hath he commanded all to flye from Strangers and false Prophets and not to heare them as at large before hath bene proued least partaking in their sinnes Reuel 18.4 they partake in their plagues And whereas vsually hearing the Scribes and Pharises is alledged for justifying of hearing false Prophets which is formerly taken away yet thus much we heere adde Moses seat was the Chayre of Iudgement Moses was Iudge not Priest and the Pharises were some of them of such Tribes as might not be Priests although some Scribes were Priests sometimes Nehemia 8. And some Priests now are Magistrates which shewes that although Magistrates who of God haue the Chayre of iudgement be corrupt and walke not as they teach yet the people of God must hearken vnto the Law deliuered by them and doe as they say but not as they doe and serueth nothing to proue the hearing of false Prophets For these Scribes Pharises are said to teach truth but not to doe accordingly but false Prophets teach falshood therefore are called false Prophets with plainely sheweth these were no false Prophets Math. 23. for false Prophets may not be heard as is before largely proued And for Phil. 1.15 Some preach Christ through enuy supposing to adde affliction to Pauls bands which was the Apostles ioy that he was counted worthy to suffer for Christ as Mat. 5.12 Act. 5.41 not that he ioyed in the enuious preaching of Christ that was miquity which hee ioyed not in 1. Cor. 13.6 If any obiect that false Prophets preach many excellent truthes therefore may be heard we answer If they were Prophets of Israell speaking sweet words in the name of the Lord and teaching also in some thinges the vision of their owne hearts and not out of the Lords mouth the Lord affirmeth they bring no profit to his people and therfore cōmandeth them not to heare them Nay they bring hurt for they bring themselues and all that aske of them for the Lord to confusion as before is proued Further we say and it is found most true that the more truthes they bring they deceiue the more and inthrall their hearers vnder their bondage For the lesse truthes that false Prophets haue the lesse they deceiue as all may see are most rejected of those that haue any Religion euen so should the cunningest false Prophet be if they should teach falshood only These are their stollen waters Pro. 9.17 7.21 c. and hid bread that allureth the passers by to runne after them and herein is the