well God saith covet not any thing that is your own neighbours but love all men that command was not kept by these that coveted and purloyned other mens estates and how did they walk in the light of Christ that did so yet were as great professors as the Pharisées were and him who stood up Math. 18.7 in the Gospell saying O God I thank thee I have done this good work and that good work justifying himself but the poor Publican smites on his breast saying Lord forgive me a sinner who was rather justified then the other No my Friend I tell thée béest thou of what opinion so ever never justifie thy self yea examine thy self and endeavour thy self to kéep the commandes of God and then thou mayest assure thy self to be in the light of Christ Iesus So now touching the Church as I have told you already in part the Church is a Temple and in the world there is several Churches therefore I write to you all of what Church soever you be to lay sure hold on Christ Iesus for he is the root and foundations of all our Ioy and Comfort yea keep his Commandements and live which are not grievous but if you professe your selves to be truly Saints you must be truly perfect the Apostle Paul saith to the Bishop be you blamelesse otherwaies you are not fit for that office so that man that taketh upon him to be a Priest a Teacher or a Prophet must be blamelesse not denying the Ordinances of God for god requireth us to be subject to higher powers to obey Magistrates to own Bishops and Church Government with decency and order to hearken to the Priests to pay Ticke of all given Tribute to whom Tribute is due to waite at the Table and be partakers of the Lords Supper if worthy receivers to hinder not Children of receiving the signe of Grace called Baptisme and none of these will be any hindrance to your godly living Christ hath not given us any strickt order to refrain any of these things if the reason of the mind will not give assistance to doe it let cautions for quietness sake do it for we are commanded to live peaceable withall men did our Priest not preach Christ no matter to hearken after him but Christ is fréely preached to the healing of our souls yet will we not regard it and lose that opportunity of grace fréely offered from Christ by the mouth of the Ministers we ought not to give any further ear to any other doctrine yet may we try the Churches and stick to that which is good but my delight is this with holy David I had rather sit in the Church door then to be the Teacher of a sedicious people And better it is to be the Door-keeper of the House of God then to sit in the throne of an earthly Tabernacle But you who are called divided Sectaries do in abusable manner cry down our Church Government calling a Stéeple-house a Popish Cathedral and several other disgraceful speeches you use When Christ and his Apostles approves of the Temple of Jerusalem to be a better place of decency than any other and tell us what hurt you find in the appointed House of God for Divine Service that is an abominable action in you disdaining of Gods Worship in any order but your own and the Priest that is chosen by our Government let him be never so good a man and gallant Teacher you despise him if he hath the name of a Priest when there must be a Priest after the Order of Melchizedec for ever that is to administer the two outward Signs of grace called Baptism and the Lords Supper for his order was such to Abraham to receive Tyth of all so long as our Priests which is chosen by authority preaches Christ they may exhort people may hearken and be edified by their teaching and I pray you in Christ Iesus to be reconciled to God and not refuse to hear for certainly without deceit so long as you remain at variance using contention of words having evil surmisings about the Truth God is displeased with all such heresie Examine your own selves and do not have such presumptuous minds thinking your own merits cannot be equalled by any Every one hath a measure of grace and a gift of the holy Ghost onely to use it as a Talent is lent for a time some wealthy some poor and according as is meet the administration is rewarded at the last day what néed we to have so many Books made which is but a weariness to the flesh 't is the kéeping of Gods Commandments that directeth us to Christ the Light of the world which is not hid from men that séek him Seek and you shall find if you never séek you never can find Do you think Christ is not worth the seeking for is not his mercy worth knocking for nor is his glorious Throne worth asking for O he not so blinded but open your eyes to the Truth nor give no heed no new fangled Teachers so long as Christ is preached to you give attendance at the House of God and pray night and day that you may reap eternal salvation The next thing I touch is the Office of Bishops because they are so much cryed down by all the ignorant sort of people but you may read in Titus chap. 1.4 what St. Paul saith to his son For this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order those things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee that is Bishops as is ordained to continue in every Bishoprick for the following Verse makes it appear the 6 Verse If any be blameless a husband to a wife having faithful children not accused of riot nor unruly Then go to the 7 Verse And it names you the Bishops saying the Bishops must be blameless as the Stewards of God not self-willed no striker not given to wine that 's excessive drinking not soon angay nor covetous Now Covetovsness is this to covet any thing that is your neighbours but a lover of Hospitality that 's charitable to the needy a lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding forth the faithful Word that it may be able to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers not giving heed to Iewish Fables and Commandements of men that turn from the Truth who profess they know God but in works they deny him Titus 1.17 And Timothy saith He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a good work 1 Tim. 3.1 But first let him he proved then let him use the Office being found blameless v. 10. Read 1 Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father that is a Bishop ought not to be rebuked for thou maist know how thou oughtest to carry thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar of the truth 2 Tim. 3.15 and let the Bishops or Elders that rule well be counted worthy of
Truth Reignes Conquerour OR The Light of Hidden Secrets REVEALED SHEWING How all men erre from the waies of God and what false Prophets are and how they are come into the World if it were possible to deceive the Elect. Being a vindication of the Truth against Popery Heresie or Schisme And many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the Truth shall be evill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.2 Ye blind Guides which strain at a Knat and swallowes a Camell Math. 23.24 Whereunto is annexed both Exhortations and Instructions to all those who desire to stand in the Doctrine of the Truth By William Knowles B. of P. London Printed for Fr. Coles at the signe of the Lamb in the Old-Baily 1662. To the Reader CHristian Reader I salute you here with several truths of Scripture beseeching all men to take advisement by my words they are no invented conceits but real truths to reach you a Religious way of Divine worship established by the power of God and therefore not to be resisted by humane nature for how dare you profess your selves the Saints of God when you do not own the Ordinances of God as I will prove it and make your own tongues confess it you cannot deny it except ye be reprobates Paul Rom. 18.18 saith Let every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation for Rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power do that is good and you shall have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for good for if thou do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain therefore you must be subject not onâ—y for wrath but for conscience sake For this cause pay you tribute also tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour is due owe no man any thing but love one another for this is fulfilling the Law and Gospel So hoping the same shall work spiritually in you I for the same shall pray and rest Your friend in Christ W.K. B. of P. Hearken I beseech you to my Text of Scripture written in 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 verses to the 8. 1. This know also that in the last dayes perillous Times shall come 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankeful unholy 3. Without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good 4. Traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away 6. Of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins and led away with divers lusts 7. Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth MY dear and well beloved in Christ Iesus I am here as one that is at all obedience at any of your civil Command according to my weak knowledge and that gift of grace that God is at present pleased to bestow upon me to dispence the same so to you and to do not any thing to the pleasing of man in my work that may disbelieve in it but to the honour and glory of God and to the advantage of true believers of this light for this is a light even able to carry you out of any darkness or misbelief for all you that acknowledge you love God are lyers except you love your poor neighbours for how can you love God whom you never saw when you cannot love your well acquainted brother 1 John 4.20 Love is the fulfilling of the Law and the light of God is to keep his Commandments which are not grievous 1 John 5.3 And whosoever keeps the Word of God his love there is perfected t is no new Command but the Old and the darkness is now past and the true light now shineth for he that professeth himself to be in the light and hateth his poor brother is in darkness till now 1 John 2.9 Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirit whether he be of God or of Man if he be of God he will keep the commands of God to his uttermost power and then doth the true light dwell in him For according to my Text In the last dayes will come men which are seducers and lovers of their own selves and have these failings Covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient unthankful unholy without natural affections truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God shewing themselves godly yet denies the power of God and of such sort they be that lead silly Women Captive to destruction 2 Tim. 3. Chap. from the 1. to the 7. Creeping into houses and makes the houses of God a Den of Thieves out of these words proceedeth streams of justifications against that person that creepeth into houses despising God to be worshipped in any form and order for what saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order for God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints ver 33. but mark the opinions of those men that will not worship in reverence nor in order according to the truth you desembling hypocrites is not this a command of God which you disannul O your light is grosse darknesse next you 'l use no persons no prayers but pray by your spirit and the light within you when St. Paul saith brethen when you come together hear a Psalme or a Doctrine let things be done to edifying as sparks in a known tongue as beaten Greek or Hebrew or English yet keep you silence in the Church and speak to your selfe and to God 1 Cor. 14.26,27,28 Next you hold it lawful for a woman to exhort in your Churches which the Apostle Paul condemns your Heresie saying let your women keep silence in the Churches for it is not permitted for them to speak for they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law Gen. 3.16 1 Cor. 14.34 and if she will learn any thing let them ask their Husbands at home for it is a shame for Women to speak in the Church and if any man amongst the people thinkes himselfe to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things which I write unto you are the commandements of God and they that deny these things hath none of the light of Christ and they are in darkness till now you tell us when our Priests talk Latine how can the Church be edified I answer if it be Latine first and revealed in our kown tongue the Church may
the Kingdom of Heaven as this 〈◊〉 Child you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 18.16 Which of you that denies Baptisme in Infants that ever receiveth the Kingdome of God are fréer from sin then a little child besides know you not that the old Circumcision was a Figure of our Baptisme which ought to be administred on the eighth day did not Paul Baptize whole Housholds yea whole Nations whereof Gentiles were a part and the reason 〈◊〉 Circumcision was turned to Baptisme was because that every thing containing to godlinesse should be done in the Name of Christ the Son of God as there was a change of the Order of Priesthood so there was a change of the old Circumcision to Baptisme and why men and women were baptized was because they had received but a Figure of so great a solemnity and why Christ was baptized after circumcision was because he accepted if as pleasing to God the Father and far more excellent then circumcision and to fulfill all righteousnesse what good Baptisme doth is this only a sign of grace of Gods holy Spirit ascending on a creature according to his external conspiration for 't is not the washing of the body in water that washes away sin but of Christs onely Blood that purifies the creatures circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing 't is the nâ—wnesse of life and the continuing therein for he that is a believer when he is baptized if he doth not perfectly serve God is in a far greater errour then a little child Much more I could have spoke but this shall serve for the proof of Baptisme of Infants Now coming to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Christ said at his last Supper to his Disciples Take eat this is my Body the outward visible sign was Bread Christ brake but his pure Body is the saving grace and health of our soul And as often as it is done it is done it is in in remembrance of Christ In the same manner he also took the Cup saying This Cup is the New Testament in my blood and as often as you eat this Bread and drink of this Cup you do it in remembrance of me to shew the Lords Death till he come Matth. 26.16 Mark 14.22 Luke 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24,25 26. Now against all opposers of this Truth that denyeth whatsoever in this Book I have writ both of the Church and her Worship the Apostle Paul approveth of the Church being abovesaid saying to unworthy Receivers Have you not Houses to eat and drink in or despise you the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 and in the next Verse as much as the Apostle should say You are a shame to good men shall I praise you in this nay I praise you not the type of the same worship was administred to Abraham by Melchizedec and established for ever Jesus Christ the eternal Priest governeth this Church and people according to his will So desiring all people to be stedfast in the doctrine of the Truth and give no heed to every spirit for that spirit that denyeth the Ordinance of God cannot be a stable spirit by the will of God and I hope I have said enough to convince the gainsayers of this truth And so to draw to my Exhortation and to the end of my Book I beséech our Men in Power as our King his Council and Parliament to execute all judgement and justice according to equity and right and let no honour no bounty no wealth no greatness nor no tall Ceder have any friendship or favour in an unjust cause then the poorest raggedst meanest and simplest shrub But that vice may be punished and evil works to the everlasting establishment of Truth O look upon the poor of these Kingdoms whom the rich man inslaves and let the flourishing Gospel have a frée passage O let it be poured out as Oyl to our festring sores send out chosen and skilful Doctors of our poor souls that may shew us a light by their zeal and rehearse the truth with boldness from that fountain which ever springeth O you Bishops Ministers be you qualified with all the properties of godliness that by your teaching and well grounded exhortations we may reap profit and be edifled to the redressing of our perplexed souls and as you have the charge of the peoples souls in your tuition as the sower should sow his séed to be fruitful so should the well-grounded Word of God be preached abroad to the profit of all hearers And you professors and people that make such a great doe about Religion God will punish your ignorance and not let your false interpretation go unpunished for know you not what Paul saith There shall come such as shall speak evil of Dignities Jude 8. O friends speak not evil of Dignities but be in obedience to all men as God hath commanded Lot was obedient to the Angels at the gate of Sodom when he rose and met them bowing himself to the ground Gen. 19.1 The Apostle of Christ hath commanded several times all people to obey Magistrates and to submit to all men that fulfills the word that saith Have no respect no persons feast not the rich and send the poor empty away Though Haman was hangd for acting evil against Mordecai because he would not obey him and as he would have serv'd himself so was he served yet this was no example for any to continue unobedient but an example for men not to séek a mans life because he will not honour them as for all such as goes on in these things I durst not bring in railing accusations but to say the Lord rebuke them Jude verse 9. Esther 7.10 And indéed contrarily to the Word of God they go and speak evil of things they know not yee say they have the Light of CHRIST which I have proved so be darknesse they know not but naturally as bruit beasts in these things they corrupt themselves but wo unto them for they run gréedily after the errours of Balaam Clouds they are without water raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandring Stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse and darkness for ever Jude 10 11 12 13 verses Christian Friends withraw your selves from those men and hearken to the Ministers and walk before God as in purity unto honour and live under this established Government the Church and her Worship worthily as Christians ought to doe disowning of nothing in Scripture but ful what I have subscribed And if you will but learn to walk thus perfect in Love and Charity 't will bind your hope to a perfect assurance of Eternal SALVATION So the whole Trinity enabling you as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost inlighten you in the Truth through this evil world to Everlasting Glory Amen FINIS