Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	profession_n	true_a	4,447	5	5.8085	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89056	A further discovery of the mystery of the last times; as an addition to a little book, called Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus. Set forth for the good of all men; but especially of those who in these dissenting times (wherein Ephraim envieth Juda, and Juda vexeth Ephraim) know not where to settle themselves, or to what society of Christians to joyn themselves: wherein is (as simply and plainly, as the author was able to open those mysterious scriptures quoted in this following treatise) shewed the cause of all our divisions and contentions about matters pertaining to form and order in the church of Jesus Christ; and wherein is moderately proved from those scriptures these particulars. 1. The flourishing and building condition of the church of Jesus Christ in the time of the gospel. ... 7. Lastly, that the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those enemies, and deliver his people, when the restoration of all things shall be.	Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651.; Mercer, Richard, fl. 1649-1651. Some discoveries of the mystery of the last times, bordering upon the coming of the Lord Jesus].	1651 (1651)	Wing M1732; Thomason E637_16; ESTC R206616	80,538	60

content with the Earths helping the woman that is in swallowing the floud up which the serpent had cast out of his mouth to carry the woman away which is now well aswaged blessed be God therefore that it is to be feared that our Contentions will be a means to ruine our selves and so the beast rise and bring us into bondage to worship his Image or else to be killed for the Lord may for a punishment unto us for our dissention in matters perteining to outward order stir up such as may give power to the Image of the beast that the Image of the beast may both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed Seventhly gentle Reader If none of these Scriptures move thee which I have quoted in this following treatise to believe the people of the Lord Jesus must lie in these severall dispensations before the generall Restoration of all things by the Lord Jesus himself then let the experience of the times perswade thee For if thou diligently consider of the times thou shalt find that the Church flourished for a time it then declined or slumbred for another time the servants have been awake for another time and for the Jews they have been asleep or dead in respect of any temple and worship for many ages and there is a time for the people of the Lord Jesus to be asleep or dead Matthew 25. 5. in respect of Gospel order before the great restoring which we ought with much earnestness to cry unto the Lord for and this the Scriptures which I have alledged do abundantly prove in my sense which I am forced to believe untill I see a better given Eightly all that I shall desire of thee will be but this all those Reasons considered in this following Treatise that it may but worke some moderate conformity among Christians or at least that enmity and bitterness may be laid aside among Christians in profession and the edge of hatred abated amongst them in resisting one another unto bloud for matter pertaining to form and discipline in the Church of Jesus Christ and let Christians remember that if what they profess be truth that it is of a prevailing nature and will stand when Errour falls and let them remember that Gamaliels Counsell will prove true that if it be of God it will stand in spite of all opposition and if it be not it will fall though we strive never so much to hold it up Ninthly Christian Reader I shall desire thee that if thou find any thing of God in this following treatise then let him have the glory which is worthy of it and let me have thy prayer that have need of it and if in this worke God be but so much glorified as it be but to the setling of our soules that were distracted by means of our distempers and contentions about Religion I have my reward Lastly I desire thee Christian Reader whosoever thou art though the greatest lover of order in this time of disorder that if thou see that I have erred in the body of this Treatise or in any branch thereof that if thou know my face or canst with conveniency come to the knowledg of me that thou wouldst admonish me of it and if thou know me not that thou wouldest make it appear wherin I have erred and if it arise to such a sum as thou thinkest is worthy of an answer I promise thee by the word of a Christian that I will to use Job's expression in Job 31. 36. take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a Crown unto me and if it weigh too heavy for me that is if I be not able to reply to it by arguments drawn from Scripture Rule then I promise thee by the same word that I wil God assisting me as publickly revoke what I have done as I have now publickly divulged this in print however I shall take thine admonition as an oyntment to my head and count the stripes of a friend better then the kisses of an enemy And so leaving thee to the protection of the Almighty and wishing thee as much happiness both of body and soul as I would wish my self I remain thine in the Lord in the duties of Christianity RICHARD MERCER A further Discovery of the Mystery of the last Times c. THat great Creatour and Governour of all things the mighty God which hath in diverse manners and Administrations spoke unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in this last age spoken unto us by his Son this Son which is the Lord Jesus hath also spoken unto us by himself and by his Apostles in these last ages in divers manners and administrations which is that Prophet which we ought to hear in all things Deut. 18. 15. and to observe his word revealed unto us and to follow him in all his wayes and dispensations in which he delivereth himselfe unto his people For the cleering of which and to shew the divers wayes of the Lord in his making out of himselfe unto his people I shall propound these severall particulars unto the consideration of all men First That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel Secondly That there is a declining and falling off or slumbring condition of the said Church Thirdly That there is a sleepy or dead condition of all the outward face of the said Church Fourthly That there is to be a most glorious restoring of the said Church by the Lord Jesus himself Fifthly That this Restoring will be most sudden and unexpected Sixthly I shall shew according to the light I have received the severall formes and goverments in severall ages which shall be enemies unto the people of the Lord Jesus in these severall administrations which the Lord Jesus doth suffer his people to ly under Lastly That the Lord Jesus will by himself destroy all those Enemies of his people at his next appearing without the help of any humane power Now for my more orderly proceeding in the cleering of the truth of these particulars I shall handle them as they ly in order and shall answer all the objections I have heard made against any of them And therefore of the first That there is a building and flourishing condition of the Church of Jesus Christ in the time of the Gospel is a truth so cleer as it needs no cleering for all men know that it did abundantly flourish in the first Gospell times but for time how long it will be necessary to treat of therefore pray note I conceive the Church did flourish and spread during the time of our Saviour and his Apostles and during the time of the ten persecutions untill the time of Constantine the first Christian Emperour in all which time notwithstanding the Church was persecuted and afflicted with sundry miseries yet by the grace of Christ Jesus she did continually flourish to the spreading of her self to

and the Calf the young Lion and the fatling together and a little Child shal lead them and then there will be such a judg as shall not execute Judgment after the sight of the Eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his Eares but with righteousness shall he judg the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth and he shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Isaiah the 11. 1 3 4 5 6 9 13. untill which time the defenced City shall be desolate and the habitation forsaken and left like a wilderness there shall the Calfe feed and there shall he lie down and consume the branches thereof Isaiah 27. 10. Now to both the wise and unwise I say First what I have done is in love to the truth and to all men not envying the happiness of any in their wayes of worship if they find what they professe but I fear they build again the things which God will have destroyed and secondly to be true to the principles within me that is to discover the talent which God hath lent me and put it out to profit that when the Lord comes he might have his own with vantage And to cleer my self that I have done it in love I appeal to the men of every profession that have any commerce with me if they find any spirit of evill against them in my carriage towards them but alwayes loving the Image of God in any of them I write not this to advance my reputation but to take off all prejudice from my person that so my worke may take the better effect Thirdly in the following Treatise I have not built upon another mans foundation that is discoursed of things made ready to my hand but I have for the most part opened such Scriptures as I never met with any exposition to my best memory of them and though I could have wished some abler pen might have opened them that had been better furnished with gifts and learning and time convenient for the performance of so weighty a task being exceeding unfitting for such a labour yet nevertheless considering the great necessity of the matter being a thing of great weight and not looked into namely how the Lord would have his people walk in their waiting for his coming in the last times wherein I beseech thee to consider that I have not laid down my grounds and Reasons as infallible verities but propounding them to the Judgment of all men to examine with all the meekness I could fearing to give offence either to God or to the Christian in any dispensation and I hope it will be accepted accordingly Thus I have made an Apology for my person and practise Now I come to make an Apologie to the entrance of the matter of my Treatise therfore Christian Reader I desire thou wouldst seriously consider these few particulars First that the Lord having establish'd Circumcision in the generation of Abraham and upon this penalty that the soul whose foreskin was not circumcised should be cut off from his people Gen. 17. 14. yet nevertheless in case of necessity the Children of Israel were tolerated touching this duty during their travell in the wilderness for the space of forty years as may be seen Joshua 3. 5. So likewise though the Lord Jesus did establish the ordinances to be continued in his Church by way of succession yet nevertheless they being polluted and in case of necessity he will doubtless bear with his people though they cannot practise ordinances in their purity especially there being no word for their restoring in that pure way wherein they were delivered Secondly the Lord having commanded Moses to make all things after the pattern shewed to him in the mount touching the sanctuary Exodus 25. 40. And also the pattern of the temple unto David 1 Chron. 28. 11. and commanded the practice of the worship unto the Children of Israel in their generations yet in case of necessity when the temple was destroyed and the people captivated he bears with them touching those things even now doubtlesse though the Lord did command his people to walk in Gospel order untill his Appearing yet nevertheless they being captivated and having lost their power to Reform he bears with them though they cannot practise ordinances in their purity Thirdly that as the fews in the time of the standing of the temple did presume upon the promise of Gods presence unto that place yea though their works were most wicked Crying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord Jeremiah 7. 4. Even so it is well known how the Catholicks have boasted of the Church of Jesus Christ that the gates of hell should not prevail against it applying it to the Church of Rome yea though their works were most wicked And I fear me in all our Reformations we are apt to stick too much to outward order contenting our selves if we have but the form and want the substance and so suddenly fall to loosnesse as the experience of these few years have made apparent Fourthly as the Jews in the time of the standing of the temple were exceeding zealous of their outward ceremonies and neglected the weightier matters of the law as Judgment and mercy as may be seen Mat. 23. 23. Even so it is to be feared that in the time of the Gospel we are more zealous of form and order then of that great commandment of love which is the fulfilling of the Law Fifthly that as the Jews were reproved by our Saviour Mat. 16. 3. Saying O ye hypocrites you can discern the face of the skie and cannot you discern the signes of the times Even so we in this age are better able to discern what was done in the first age of the Church in respect of outward order yet neglecting the inward graces of the spirit as it was then but noting the order that was among the Christians in that time and contending for it now unto bloud and never regard the diverse dispensations wherein the Lord is pleased to shew himself unto his people in these last ages nor once to examine the prophesies of the last times what shall be done then but still urging for forme and order in outward things till we endanger losing the life of Religion namely Faith and a good Conscience Sixthly that as the Jews in contending to keep up their Sacrifices and Ceremonies and temple when the glory was departed from that ministration and in striving so long about it untill their City and Temple was destroyed and themselves scattered among the nations the prophesies being fulfilled upon them Even so we in this age strive so much for form and order in outward things when we may plainly see the glory to be departed from it as it was in the first Gospell times until we shall give such an encouragement to the rising of the beast out of the Earth For we not being

the utmost parts of the world and this is that time as I conceive of that battell which was in heaven in which the great dragon was cast out that old Serpent called the divel which deceives the whole world he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast out with him Rev. 12. 9. and this flourishing condition of the people of the Lord Jesus is fully set forth in those severall places Rev. 6. 2. 11. 1. 12. 1 2. in all which places there is mention made of a building and increasing condition of the Church of the Lord Jesus and to this particular I have met with no objection But secondly That the Church did by degrees decline and fall into a slumbring condition is a truth which needs some cleering therefore pray mind our Saviour Mat. 13. 25. speaks of the servants being a sleep and in his 25 Chapter and 5th verse he speaks that while the bridegroome tarried all slumbred and slept which cleerly shews that there was a time in which the peace and tranquility of the Church by that Riches which did come into her by means of Constantine the first Christian Emperour did cause her to be negligent and to forget her watchfulness and by degrees to suffer Antichrist to get possession of her and this is set forth by Saint Paul 2 Thes. 2. 3. where speaking of the day of Christ he saith that that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition and is further set forth though mystically Rev. 8. in the sounding of the 2. 3. 4 and 5 trumpets I shall speak of the trumpets as they ly in order where in the 8. verse it is said And the second Angel sounded and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the Sea and the third part of the Sea became bloud and the third part of the Creatures which were in the Sea and had life died and the third part of the ships were destroyed which as I conceive at the sounding of the second trumpet the Roman Empire under Constantine being the great mountain which is a phrase usuall in Scripture was cast into the sea that is as I conceive into the Church which is compared unto the sea by reason of the many afflictions which like waves follow one in the neck of another burning with zeale like fire and the same Emperour granting such priviledges unto the Churches as immediately the third part of the Creatures which were in the sea and had life died and the third part of the ships were destroyed that is the third part of the particular Churches of Jesus Christ began to fall away and decline from the truth of the Gospel by means of that outward peace and riches which now they had gained in the world by favour of Princes towards them But it may be asked this question what proofe I have to compare the Churches to ships To which I answer that Isaiah in the 33. Chapter of his prophesie compares the Church to a ship which will be a sufficient answer as I conceive And then in the tenth verse it is said And the third Angell sounded and there fell a great star from heaven burning as it were a lamp and it fell upon the third part of the Rivers and the fountains of water and the name of the star is called Wormwood and the third part of the waters became wormwood and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter which as I conceive the starr was the Bishop of Rome beginning to apostate and by degrees to corrupt the Scripture with his false glosse and corrupt doctrine in so much as many seeming Christians died of the waters that is of the corrupt glosse and false interpretation of the Scripture And then at the sounding of the fourth Trumpet it is said And the third part of the Sun was smitten and the third part of the Moon and the third part of the stars so as the third part of them was darkned and the day shone not for a third part of it and the night likewise that is as I conceive the third part of the spirit began to be darkened in respect of its operation unto the Lords people as it was in the first Gospel times that is in respect of those miracles and gifts of the spirit which the former Christians were indued with and the ordinances like unto the Moon which received their light from the sun or spirit began to be corrupted with mens traditions for a third part of them and the third part of the eminent Christians began to lose their beauty and luster wherein they shined unto the Church and the day and night not shining for a third part I take to bethe Church in generall losing the third part of her beauty in all which places is laid down though mystically the declining condition of the Lords people and how by degrees the people of the Lord Jesus did fall to a slumbring condition and did suffer themselves to fall off from the integrity of the Gospel And to this also I have met with no objections being so known as that it is scarce denied by any man except it be by Chatholicks I shall now come to speake of that third particular namely That sleepy or dead condition of the people of the Lord Jesus and for proof of this pray take notice of these places for to this condition almost all the Prophets bear witness namely Isaiah 6. 13. the Prophet compare the Church unto a teyl-tree or an oak in winter time when they cast their leaves shewing that the deadness of this condition of Gods people will be such as it will have no outward beauty but be like a tree in winter time without leaves yet nevertheless it shall have its substance in it for the holy seed shall be the substance thereof So likewise Isaiah the 10. 25. and 28. 22. the prophet fore-tels that there shall be a consumption in the midst of the land that is as I conceive a sleepiness or deadness upon the outward face of all the Administrations Likewise in Cha. 32. 13 the prophet foretels that upon the Land of my people speaking in the person of God shall come up bryers and thornes yea upon all the houses of joy in the joyous City and then in the 14. verse he shews how it shall come to passe that is because the palaces shall be forsaken the multitude of the Cities shall be left the forts and towers which I take mystically to signifie the Churches shall be for dens for ever a ioy of wild asses a pasture of flocks And in the 15. verse he shews the time how long it shall be which is untill the spirit shall be poured upon us from on high and the wilderness be a fruitfull field and the fruitfull field be counted as a forrest thus much for Isaiah Now let us here what the Prophet Ezekiel doth

and upon her head a crown of twelve starrs now I think no man will deny but the Church which undoubtedly was the woman which was cloathed with the sun when she had such abundance of the spirit that it sat upon them as fire and they were filled with the holy Ghost and spake with tongues and were enabled with power to distribute the ordinances of the Gospel unto whom they did appertain and when the Church was crowned with twelve stars namely the twelve Apostles But it is yet objected Be it so that this is true yet is there no workings of the spirit are all things so dead as there is no appearance of God by gifts and ordinances I answer I do beleeve that there are some breathings of the Spirit in the Saints for it is not said the sun is wholly darkened but darkned that is doth not give that light as it did in the first Gospel times and this the very experience of times doth evince but for the ordinances which are likened to the moon they are in a manner wholly darkened from that they were in the first times and as for the stars the third part of them was darkned in the sounding of the fourth trumpet Rev. 8. 12. and 12. 4. and they which persisted in the faith are killed by the beast Rev. 11. 7. It is further objected that though it be said The powers of the heavens shal be shaken yet it follows not that they are removed no more then trees that are shaken of a mighty wind are removed To which I answer that shaking in Scripture sense is removing and this is cleer from that of Haggai 2. 6. where it is said for thus saith the Lord of hoasts yet once it is but a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land which shaking is expounded by the Authour to the Hebrews to be a removing Hebrews the 12. 27. And thus I hope I have fully answered these objections Another objection is made against that exposition which I make upon that text Luke 17. 34. where it is said In that night there shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left which say they is meant when the Lord appeareth then shall one that is a Christian be at work with an unbeliever and where it is said There shall be two in one bed the one shall be taken the other shall be left say they it is meant the husband may be a believer and the wife an unbeleever as it was in the first Gospel times To which I answer That the text saith it is two men and two women and therefore it cannot be meant of that matrimonial coupling of man and wife and touching the two men being in the field together as it is Matth. 24. that it may be expounded at work together the one a beleever the other an unbeleever this the words going before will cleer for it is said Luke 17. 26. As it was in the dayes of Noe so shall it be in the dayes of the Son of man likewise as it was in the dayes of Lot they did eat and drink they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them all Now we all know there was no difference between Noe and the world and Lot and the Sodomltes in any outward worship but onely they were preachers of righteousnesse which is cleer by that speech of Abraham where he prayeth for Sodom Gen. 18. 24. and saith Peradventure there be found fifty righteous so likewise in the dayes of the coming of the Son of man those that are truly Christians and watch and pray cannot but be preachers of righteousnesse forasmuch as that man that is addicted to sin and uncleannesse cannot be said in reason to watch over his actions and he that is praying or prepared alwayes to pray cannot be voyd of righteousness towards man Another Objection is made touching the raising of the Witnesses for say they It is true the Witnesses are to lie dead but there is a time for their raising again and this is our practice sor we are raising the Witnesses from death to meet the Lord in Sion To which I answer That it is true that the Witnesses are to rise and to stand upon their feet but the question is when this should be which I beleeve upon examination will appear to be when the Lord appears from heaven which I shall prove thus as it is said Rev. 11. 11. and after three dayes and a half the Spirit of life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and great fear fell upon all that saw them which compared with Ezekiel 37. and Rev. 20. 5. will appear to be that resurrection spoken of in those two places But it may be said Those places speak of the raising of the dead out of their graves to meet the Lord in Sion but this of Revel 11. must be meant of the raising the people of the Lord Jesus out of that darkness wherein they lay in the Antichristian state To which I answer It is true it seems to be so but mark well the sense of the place and you shall finde it is at the Lords appearing as to mee it seems cleer from the 12 verse where it is said And they heard a great voice from heaven saying Come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them which compared with 1 Thes. 4. it will appear to be when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven with a shout and the voyce of the archangel as it is in ver 16. besides mark the effects that did follow upon the rising of the witnesses for it is said verse 13. And the same hour there was a great Earth-quake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earth-quake were slain of men 7000 and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven so that I think no man will affirm there is any such effects wrought by any arising from death of the witnesses in these our days and thus I hope I have answered this objection It is yet further objected that the changes that are wrought in this nation are some tokens of the Lords hand for we may plainly see that there be many men that were before wicked persons both swearers and lascivious in their lives and conversations that upon their coming in are changed in their lives likewise there are many young men that were of no gifts and parts in the sight of the world are now able to dispense the word and to pray very heavenly somtime to the admiration of the hearers insomuch as they are forced to say God is in you of a truth and therefore this must needs be a testimony that the hand of God is in this work and that he will prosper it To this I answer

and do acknowledg that this in part is true and I do acknowledg there are precious Saints among all our professors neither is it the personall holiness of the men of any profession that I have any thing to say against but it is the tying and confirming the presence of God to this or that Administration out of a good zeal I hope but I suppose not according to knowledg and therefore I would desire all men to consider that if God be in one profession he is also as powerfull in another in those things which are alleaged for I am able to see no difference in one profession more then in another but according as men excell one another in parts education wit or learning so they excell one another but no otherwise yea those men whose principles are in esteem of most of our professours damnable have many men amongst them of excellent parts outwardly besides take notice at the most this is but the day of small things and the Church is to increase in glory as it is confessed by all but I finde no text tending to any encreasing condition before the Lord appear which will be most sudden and unexpected which I shall the Lord enabling mee prove in its due place Besides I pray mark the first annointing was with abundance of successe insomuch as thousands were converted at times but this is no way comparable to that for gifts and graces neither for powerfull conversion and therefore it falls short of the first annointing whereas the later glory is prophesied to exceed the former as is plain from these Scriptures Isa. 24. 23. and 60. 20. 66. 11. Zech. 12. 8. Rev. 14. 1. and 18. 1. with divers other the like places which I could produce for proof if my leisure would permit Therefore I conclude that the times of the Reformation of the Church as they call it which have happened since the servants have been awake out of their slumbring condition wherein they have endeavoured with much heat to weed out the tares out of the Church of Jesus Christ sometimes by the sword of the spirit when they had no other means sometimes with the temporall sword by which occasion hath followed all those miseries which have besell the Christian world since the first falling off from the Church of Rome which if they had on both sides followed the housholders direction to have let the tares and the wheat grown together there would not have been so much good wheat rooted up with the tares in that manner nevertheless this hath happened by the Lords permission so that by this meanes the mountains of the protestant Churches are established which though it must needs be acknowledged that as touching their ministry and in respect of their ordinances they fall short of that purity which was in the first Gospel times they retaining their office of ministry and ordinances through that corrupt channell of the Church of Rome yet touching their doctrine which are the things to be believed they come neer unto the first times unto which the people of the Lord Jesus are exhorted to flee unto though mystically when once the abomination of disolation standeth in the holy place It hath further been objected against me how I being a man of such weake parts and having no other learning then my Mother was able to teach me dare meddle with the opening of those darke prophesies in the Prophets and Revelation To such men I answer and desire all men to consider to what end those prophesies were unsealed Revel the 22. 10. and left as a monument to the people of the Lord in all ages and whether they were to lie as a dead letter or for Gods people to examine and with humilitie to gaine the sense of them And if all Scripture were given by inspiration and is profitable to instruct then doubtless the prophesies are given to the same end as well as the other more plainer places of Scripture especially in those last times when the prophesies are in part fulfilled and therefore the more easie to attain the sense of them besides take notice the Lord is pleased to give encouragement unto his people to search them that so they may understand the meaning of them as may be seen Isai. 8. 20. Habak 2. 2. Rev. 13. 18. and 17. 9. upon which accompt I took encouragement to open those places of Scripture quoted in this Treatise neither can any man I hope accuse me with arrogancy in delivering the sense of them for I have done it with humilitie and much modesty still considering the depth of those places and the mysteriousnesse of them so that I have been fearfull in a great measure lest I should happen to be deceived in the sense of them And this I hope will satisfie those men It is further objected against me that the matter is high I treat of and beyond the reach of ordinary sense and say they there is no end of making of many books And this objection is made by such men as have been very forward to open their principles in this way of weiting in the beginning of these dividing times To such men I answer that the more hight there is in the matter treated of so much the more we ought to search into it provided it be with humilitie especially the matters being such as are not hidden things but things revealed to us and our children and encouragement given unto us to search them moreover if the Scripture be the rule by which we ought to square all our actions and this Scripture containes some dark and mysterious prophesies whereof it is full if we will have none of them then sure we will leave out some part of our direction and make use of no more then sutes with our affection and will be guided but with part of our duty which we pretend to follow and then this is no sure way but our practice which we pretend we fetch the rule from the word for it may haply it further searched into I mean the Scripture speak against and so we may be deceived therefore it is most sure and certain if we will have our practice warranted by the word to search into the whole will of God yea though the places be mysterious and doubtfull But I have observed in some men and those eminent too that what they professe they labour with much diligence to propagate and to gain disciples to and when once they have obtained to any considerable number and have gotten possession and footing then whatsoever crosses their practise and doth not suit with their principles is matter of height or else frivolous and not worth the looking on Whereas those very men in their beginnings were the greatest setters on of others to search the Scriptures It is yet further objected that this is strange doctrine what are you a man alone hath God hidden those things from all and onely revealed them unto you this is most strange and contrary to