worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God According as the Prophet had spoken of him long before prophesying also of his destruction saying How art thou falne from heauen O Lucifer sonne of the morning how art thou cut downe to the ground thou that didst weaken the nations and saidst in thine heart I will ascend into heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the starres of God I will sit also vpon the mount euen the holy mount of the congregation of God in the sides of the North I will ascend aboue the height of the clouds I will be like the most high So that the great Antichrist was to sit and doth sit euen in the Church in the Temple of God in the place where indeed he ought not to sit If then all these things be so as these Scriptures doe declare If it be not the outward calling ordination or succession in the offices and places of the true Elders and Ministers of God in the outward state of the Church of God that can either make them true faithfull Ministers of God such as come by the doore as Christ speaketh Or the Church of which they are ouerseers and ministers the true holy Church of Christ but that these Elders and Ministers may yet neuerthelesse proue false Prophets false teachers grieuous rauening wolues in sheepes cloathing Antichrists c. And the Churches be corrupted by them robd and deuoured both outwardly and inwardly and become euen heathenish and Antichristian And that these deceiuers shall rise in the Church of God and be such as haue had their outward ordination and succession from hand to hand as it were euen from the Apostles And that the great Antichrist himselfe shall sit in the holy place in the temple of God vpon the holy mount of the congregation of God aboue and besides the starres of God What reason haue we then to thinke I say this being so that the outward calling or ordination which the Elders and Ministers of the Church of England receiued at first from the Church of Rome should make either them or the Church false and Antichristian It was not the outward ordination or succession in the offices and place of the Elders that did corrupt any of them before mentioned Nay The Bishop of Rome himselfe might haue beene Bishop of Rome long enough to this day to the day of Christs comming in the cloudes of heauen and haue done his master Christ good seruice If he had kept the first faith If he had liued the first life If he had successed the Apostles and Elders in faith in doctrine in exhortation in patience in temperance in meekenesse in mortification in loue in good workes in feeding the flock of Christ and giuing them their meate in due season as he did succeed them in outward place he had then beene a Scribe well taught in the kingdome of God A faithfull Bishop an Elder worthy of double honour and happy had that flock beene of which he had beene an ouerseer and his master at his comming would haue said Blessed be this seruant But seeing he failed in all these things and did not succeed his Elders in this way and order of succession as all their true successors to this day haue euer done seeing his heart was euill and vnfaithfull ambitious couetous and loued pleasures and voluptuousnesse more then God and said in his heart My master will deferre his coming and therefore take vpon him to smite his fellowes to eate and drinke with the drunken his Lord will come in a day which he thinketh not on and in an houre that he is not aware of and will hew him in peeces and giue him his portion with the hypocrites and vnhappie is the flock that hath him for their shepherd The Church of Rome was once a glorious Church not in regard of any such pomp and princely state as she that now is sits in which poore virgin she was neuer acquainted with but in respect of the light and brightnesse of her faith as Saint Paul testifieth which by reason of the fruite it did effect and bring forth in her shined and made her face to shine throughout the world She was a sister and daughter of that woman which Iohn saw so wonderfully and heauenly deckt and adorned and which he describeth saying And there appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the Sunne and the Moone vnder her feete and vpon her head a crowne of twelue starres that is to say she had put on Christ he dwelt in her heart by faith she was clothed with him his righteousnesse couered her nakednesse and all her defects and made her beautifull within and without she had the earth and all earthly glorie vnder her feete as transitorie and vaine she was mortified to sinne and to the pleasures thereof and her soules delight was with her Lord in heauen where he was ascended and yet remaineth and her crowne of state which she had on her head in those days was the Lambs twelue Apostles whose doctrine and example of walking were her guide and patterne and who as they had receiued of the Lamb the word of God so they left it with her to be her light and leader in the desart when her publique guides should faile her of which word of truth not so much the letter as the spirituall true intent thereof she and her children her true successors haue been the sustainers and pillars of to this day This was once of a truth the estate of the Church of Rome as also of other Churches elsewhere but alas it lasted but a while it fared with her as with the rest for by the bloody persecution of the great red Dragon her outward beautie was defaced she was dispersed and forced to flie with them into the wildernesse and then after a while when the storme of persecution was ouer and that a calme began to be settled so as she began to conceiue some hope of recouering her first estate heresies sprang vp and were maintained with great force on the one side and carnall securitie grew on the other and that iniquitie might be increased according as the Lord had foretold the loue of many waxed cold The mystery of iniquitie which began to worke in the Apostles times they being departed took now faster footing according to their words and stroue daily to perfection and at last he that letted was taken away and the man of sinne Antichrist was reuealed and set vp in the throne of the Dragon and the Dragons religion was by him and his so commanded and commixt with the external profession of the name and religion of Christ as that no man could partake of the better but he must partake of the worse For after that the Bishop of Rome had obtained at the Dragons hāds that his Church should be the Mother of all other Churches and that all must
enquiry from whence he came or who ordained him he could not doe such a worke except God sent him though he came from Rome If thou saist Euangelists may preach the Gospell to the people and ordaine Elders as Timothy and Titus did It is true but where be they who shall ordaine such and send them to doe this Apostles we haue none If thou saist disciples may preach as the seuentie did c. I aske still who made those disciples Didst thou euer know a field beare good wheate that was neuer sowne If thou hast found good disciples doubtles there was one or other that did first informe them So that thou mayst see thou art still in the same case thou wert in and that of necessitie it will follow that if there can be no true Church till there be a new outward ordination then there will neuer be a true Church Wherefore we conclude against thee and against all that are of thy iudgement that as you erre greatly in all your former points so in this and as many of the former do agree with the ancient errors of the Antichristian Church of Rome so doth this for they deny Gods predestination and election of some particular persons in Christ to grace and life from the foundation of the world and so doe you They teach free will and falling away from the best grace and that the certaintie of mans saluation doth depend vpon his acts of faith obedience and continuing therein and so doe you They teach that outward ordination and succession doth make constitute and proue a true Church and so say you in part if not in the whole That whereas you charge others to be of Antichrist and his Church it is euident you are more neerely allied to her by these deceitfull doctrines of hers then they can be with the things ye charge them with Nay they may notwithstanding be free from her when you shall by this meanes be found children of her If outward ordination and succession in that kind doe make constitute or be an Argument sufficient to to proue a true Church a Church wherein Christ dwelleth against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile to which Christ hath giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and power to bind and to loose to remit and to retaine sins which is the pillar and ground of truth which hath the spirit of truth which Christ promised to be with vnto the end of the world and that wheresoeuer two or three of them should be gathered together in my name he would be in the middest for all these treasures and many more do belong to the true Church which is the body and spouse of Christ then the Chuch of Rome hath as good ground for the proofe and confirmation of her selfe to be the same true Church as any Church else whatsoeuer nay better ground then any other can shew And therefore her children which stands for her and doe pleade her cause take this to be and doe vse it as the strongest and most inuinciblest argument they haue to proue their Church to be the onely true Church this day extant and that all Churches and Christians ought therefore to come vnder her gouernment to be taught and nurtured by her to submit to her counsels ordinances canons decrees doctrines of faith rules for manners ceremonies censures and whatsoeuer she shall impose because what such a Church which hath those forenamed priuiledges shall agree vpon teach or command is truth and may not be questioned or opposed and therefore it is said For it seemed good vnto the holy Ghost and to vs. But we vtterly deny any such ordination or succession to make constiture or to be an argument sufficient to proue such a true Church and affirme that a Church may be false and Antichristian notwithstanding the same For although there be such an ordination and succession a Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile as the Lord himselfe declareth saying And vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it to which all those former priuiledges do belong and are to continue with vnto the end of the world yet we denie that kinde of ordination and succession to be it or to haue any of those priuiledges belonging thereunto but that it may be notwithstanding an vtter aduersary to the true succession and to all those her treasures which wee proue thus That kind of ordination and succession which haue opposed the word and truth of God that haue persecuted and murdered his seruants from time to time for the preaching and maintaining of the same truth and word of God is not nor can be that ordination and succession or church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile nor to which any of those treasures do belong but may be an aduersary both to it them But the outward ordination and succession in the roomes publique offices and seates of the true Elders and Priests of God which is the best ordination and succession the Church of Rome that now is hath or can pleade for her selfe and which the separations doe contend for haue opposed the word and truth of God haue persecuted and killed the seruants of God which preached and maintained the same his word and truth and for the same cause Therefore the outward ordination and succession in the roomes publique offices and seates of the true Elders and Priests of God is not nor can be that ordination and succession or church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile or to which any of her priuiledges do belong but may be an vtter aduersary both to her and them And that such an ordination and succession as the Church of Rome and our Separatists pleadeth and contendeth for haue done and may doe all these euils against the truth and true seruants of God is euident by those Priests Elders and Scribes of the Church of the Iewes who had their outward ordination and succession from the former Elders and Priests yea from Moses and Aaron and sate in their seates and supplied their places and yet neuerthelesse were the great opopposers of Gods word and truth and the persecuters and murderers of the Prophets and righteous men of God which preached the same his word and truth from time to time as Christ himselfe often affirmeth to their faces and foretelleth them in a parable that they would be the betrayers and murderers of him also which shortly after came to passe And the Church of Rome for her part hath shewed herselfe in enmitie to the truth and bloody proceedings against the maintainers thereof for aboue a thousand yeares not onely to equall but to out-strip Ierusalem and to be euen the perfection and full accomplishment as it were of all abhominations cruelties against the truth of God and his Church according as Christ by the ministery of his Angell vnto his seruant
crouch and bend to her and that he became Lord and master of all then did he among the rest of his requitals entertaine and command such part of the Dragons religion and Church-seruice as might giue him the best content and most aduance his owne temporall state of glorie So that hauing once obtained the Dragons seate and that all his heads hils and hornes were his he thought he might now do what he list fell to desolating of the true worship of God and to consuming of the Saints of the most high the remnant of the true Spouse the children of the woman before described and pulled downe the daily and spirituall sacrifice which they the spirituall house of God offered vp acceptable to him by Iesus Christ cast the truth to the ground as the Prophet had foretold of him brought in and set vp the abhominable and most execrable religion of the heathen compounding it and dignifying the parts practise and practisers of it the more to delude the world with the names and titles of God Christ holy Spirit the word of God his holy Church his worship Seruice his holy Sacraments and Saints And that he might haue all in obedience made such lawes by the aduice of his priuie councell that whosoeuer would not worship the Beast and this image of the Beast the idols and abhominations of the heathen and pagans should by the executioners of his will be taken and killed And because he would be sure to know his own and to find out all that would not submit caused all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue a marke in his right hand or in his forehead and that no man might buy or sell saue he that had the marke c. Now when once things were come to this passe it was no longer time for any soule that would be saued to stay and for this cause it was that Christ commandeth saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partaker of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues for her sins haue reached vnto heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities And these were the very reasons why at the first the Church of England separated from her and also why so many of other nations did forsake her When Wickliffe Husse Tindal Luther Cranmer Latimer and others forsooke the Church of Rome and came out of her they stood not to make question about their outward calling or ordination they had receiued before of the Church of Rome but God hauing called them now by a more speciall heauenly calling to preach his truth they staid not for neither did they look after another Nay if they had the truth might haue lien hid we might haue sat in darknesse vntill this day but they finding the approbation of God and his people It was enough Let me aske If God should vouchsafe to call the Bishop of Rome the Pope that now is and that he should forsake all those abhominations which he now liueth in and become such a Scribe Bishop or Elder as before we haue described who would condemne him or call him Antichrist for that he was once the Pope of Rome though he had neuer other outward ordination more then the approbation of God and his people or who would call the people that should imbrace him Antichristians doubtlesse not any of the children of wisdome Agiane presuppose that the state of all Europe were now as it hath beene heretofore all vnder Antichrist and his Church and that God should call one of the Bishops of that Church out from them and in due him with the knowledge of his truth by his word Spirit and that there be a necessitie as thou saist that he must haue another outward ordination before he can Minister the word of God vnto any people so as to be a Bishop or Elder vnto them whither wouldest thou haue him to goe for it or where wilt thou finde an Eldership to ordaine him In Europe there be none all are Antichristians Wilt thou haue Apostles againe to lay a new foundation and must they ordaine new Elders before their can be a true constituted Church with her offices and ordinances as thou termest them Is this thy iudgement It may be if it be not Nay it must be if thou hold thee to thy former It hath beene the opinion of some of thy predecessors that held themselues as wise as thy selfe whatsoeuer thou art as for instance there were among others three Brethren ancient Separatists from the Church of England liuing sometimes in the Cittie of London their names were Legat these held it stifly that their must be new Apostles before their could be a true constituted Church and they drew it from this their ground the one was called Walter Legat who about twenty yeares since was drowned being with one of his brethren washing himselfe in a riuer called the Old Foord Another of them called Thomas Legat died in Newgate about sixteene yeares since being laid there for the Heresie of Arius The third called Bartholomew Legat was burnt in Smithfield about ten yeares since being condemned for the same Heresie of Arius for they all held and stood stoutly for the same also These Legats had a conceit that their name did as it were foreshew and entitle them to be the new Apostles that must doe this new worke but you see what became of them There was also one Iohn Wilkinson another ancient stout Separatist who with diuers that followed him held the same likewise drawing it from the same ground as a necessary consequence thereof who also came to naught But if there be any yet that will needs haue new Apostles as no doubt there be for their carnall contentions worke still to that point then let me aske thee whence must they come who shall send them Christ is ascended and he doth not now appeare to call and send any as he did the Apostle Paul and Apostles must be such as come from the presence of the Lord and haue seene him For which cause Saint Paul saith in the defence of his Apostleship Haue not I seene the Lord c. And he that was to be in Iudas his roome must be one that had bin conuersant with the Apostles the time of Christs being then on earth an eye witnes to publish that which he saw and beleeued So that Apostles thou canst not vpon any good ground expect If thou saist the Church may ordaine nâ—â— Elders I aske whence came that Church who plant 〈◊〉 first can there be an Orchard of fruitfull trees and was there not a husbandman that planted it Can faith be without preaching or can there be a Church without faith If thou hast found a true Church find but out him that planted it that first preached the word of God vnto it whereby it beleeued and became his Church thou hast found an Elder feare it not thou needest not make further
the diuell deluding them through pride vnder pretence of some excellent way of truth which he makes them beleeue is reuealed vnto them As first for the Church of Rome all the world seeth what confusion what fearfull delusions are therein what multitudes of sects of new deuised orders of Priests of Friers each drawing a traine after him and now since the light of the truth hath broken forth what strange contentions haue beene raised in the Church of God about things of no moment when great and weightie matters haue been neglected and what emulations diuisions and separations haue bred thereupon and then how after this people being in distraction haue runne from one sect and error to another from separation to separatioÌ„ diuiding themselues into many seuerall sects to Anabaptistry wherein a-againe are diuided into fiue or six sundry sects each hatefully condemning other holding also many dangerous errors some to expect new Apostles some to the heresie of Arius and some others who being as it were distracted with these things haue fallen to another the most blasphemous and erronious sect this day in the world commonly called by the name of the Family of loue whose author was one Henrie Nicolas or H. N. for so they will haue him called that is as they expound it Homo Nouus the new man or the holy nature or holinesse which they make to be Christ and sin they will haue to be Antichrist because it is opposite to Christ They say that when Adam sinned then Christ was killed and Antichrist came to liue They teach that the same perfection of holinesse which Adam before he fell is to be attained here in this life and affirme that all their Family of loue are as perfect and innocent as he And that the resurrection of the dead spoken of by Saint Paul in the 1. Cor. 15. and this prophesie Then shall be fulfilled the saying which is written O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory is fulfilled in them and denie all other resurrection of the body to be after this life They will haue this blasphemer H. N. to be the sonne of God Christ which was to come in the end of the world to iudge the world and say that the day of iudgement is already come and that H. N. iudgeth the world now by his doctrine so that whosoeuer doth not obey his Gospel shall in time be rooted out of the world and that his Family of loue shall inherite and inhabite the earth for euer world without end only they say they shall die in the bodie as now men do and their soules go to heauen but their posterities shall continue for euer This deceiuer describeth eight through breakings of the light as he termeth them to haue beene in eight seueral times from Adam to the time that now is which as he saith haue each exceeded other the seuenth he alloweth Iesus Christ to be the publisher of and his light to be the greatest of all that euer were before him and he maketh his owne to be the eighth and last and greatest and the perfection of all in and by which Christ is perfected meaning holinesse He maketh euery one of his Family of loue to be Christ yea and God and himselfe God and Christ in a more excellent maner saying that he is Godded with God and codeified with him and that God is hominified with him These horrible blasphemies with diuers others doth this H. N. and his Family teach to be the euerlasting Gospel which the Angell is said to preach in Reuelation 14. 6. and himselfe to be the Angell yea and the Archangell which is said to sound the great and last trump Reuel 11. 15. They professe greater loue to the Church of Rome and to all her idolatries and superstitions then they do to any Church else whatsoeuer except themselues They wickedly abuse these words of Christ I must walke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected and say that by to day is meant the time of Iesus Christ and his Apostles and by to morrow all the time of the religion of the Church of Rome and by the third day this their day of H. N. and his Family wherein they wil haue Christ to be perfected And they doe compare all the whole religion of the Church of Rome to the law of Moses affirming that as God did teach his people by those shadowes and types till Iesus Christ came so he hath taught the world euer since by the images sacrifices and filthy heathenisme of the Church of Rome till this wretch H. N. came and now he must be the onely chiefe teacher Gods obedient man yea his sonne as they blasphemously call him he by his Gospell must make all perfect They will outwardly submit to any kind of religion and to any idolatrous seruice whatsoeuer pretending it is not the bodie that can sinne but the soule They will be Priests in the Church of Rome and act their Seruice after their maner of deuotion and as Satan can transforme himselfe into an Angell or light so they can thrust themselues likewise â—o be publike Ministers and Preachers in the Church of England yea into the Kings Chappell and to be of his officers and messengers so bold they are euen at this present and so close and cunningly they can carry themselues being directed thereto by their Master H. N. that yee shall hardly euer find them out They will professe to agree in all points with the Church of England as also with the Church of Rome if they should be examined by them onely this they will not lightly deny their Master H. N. nor speake euill of him or his writings if they should be put to it and there is no way but this whereby to discouer them I say to put them to the deniall and abiuring of him and his writings and to pronounce him a blasphemer and his doctrine blasphemous this they will hardly doe vnlesse they be not yet his full disciples These horrible blasphemies wicked actions which I hate to describe but that I desire Christians should take notice of them and beware doth this blasphemer and his blasphemous sect teach and practise But I cease sighing and sorowing in my heart God doth know to see that the deuill should worke such mischeife now in this last time wherein I know God will haue his truth to prosper and most of all because many silly soules are taken in their snares like poore vnwary birds in time of winter when foode is scarse seeking for releife Alas what may be the cause of this Is there not some great fault in those that should giue light to the world who sit in the places of the starres of God Doth not their negligence coldnes driue the people into these extreames or are the violent courses and carnall contentions of some other the cause thereof or is it both doubtles they are both great causes
A DISCOVERY OF THE ERRORS OF THE ENGLISH ANABAPTISTS As also an Admonition to all such as are led by the like spirit of error Wherein is set downe all their seuerall and maine points of error which they hold With a full answer to euery one of them seuerally wherein the truth is manifested By Edmond lessop who sometime walked in the said errors with them PSAL. 40. 1. I waited patiently vpon the Lord and he inclined vnto me and heard my crie He brought me also out of the horrible pit and mirie clay and hath set my feete upon the rocke and ordereth my goings And he hath put in my mouth a new song of praise vnto our God many shall see it and feare and trust in the Lord. Therefore haue I not hid thy righteousnes within my heart but haue declared thy truth and thy saluation and haue not concealed thy mercie and thy truth from the great congregation ver 10. LONDON Printed by W. Iones for Robert Bird and are to be sold at his shop in Cheapside at the signe of the Bible 1623. Their principall points which are handled in this Booke viz. 1 That God did predestinate all men to be saued vpon condition that they repent and beleeuè the Gospell 2 That God did not elect before all time to grace and life any particular persons but in time he doth elect qualities as faith and obedience and then finding these qualities in men he doth elect their persons for the qualities sake 3 That all men haue free will in themselues as well to repent of their sinnes to beleeue the Gospell and obtaine saluation as they haue to remaine in hardnesse of heart and vnbeliefe and in the estate of damnation 4 That the stedfastnesse of mans iustification and saluation doth depend vpon his owne will in continuing in the act of beleeuing and works of righteousnesse and that such as haue faith in Christ Iesus regenerate persons hauing their names written in the book of life may fall away from all may become vnregenerate and haue their names rased out of the booke of life againe and perish and that God doth alter and change his purpose and promise and come to hate and reiect such as he hath formerly loued and iustified 5 That there is no Originall sinne but that all children of all maner of people in the world as well heathens Infidels Idolaters worshippers of Diuels all kind of blasphemers fornicators vncleane persons whatsoeuer as of the faithfull are free from all pollution of sinne both in the conception and birth and dying before they commit actuall sinnes are saued 6 That none ought to be baptized but such men and women of yeares onely as haue attained to true repentance and iustifying faith being both in the account of the Church and in the sight of God regenerate persons and that the baptisme of children vsed is no baptisme at all but is the marke of the Beast spoken of in Reuelat. 13. 7 That the Church of England is a false and Antichristian Church and ought to be separated from As also a touch of the errors of the Familists 8 And that a King or Magistrate cannot be a true Christian except he giue ouer his kingly office or Magistracie AN ADVERTISEMENT to the Christian Reader WHereas Beloued there hath risen and sprung vp from amongst vs many dangerous and erronious opinions in these our last dayes about the subiect of Religion let it not therefore seeme strange vnto you being the Spirit of God did not onely foresee but also foretold of the same long before they did appeare euery one being diuided into sundry and seuerall factions all pretending to worship the true and euerliuing God in spirit and in truth speaking peace vnto themselues when as the most of them do yet lie wallowing in the puddle of iniquity and cradle of securitie being not purged in heart all which doe rise two sundry wayes being branches of one stocke deriued from one principall head namely the spirit of error The first is in that they contemne or so little or lightly esteeme that meanes which by Gods prouidence is affoorded vnto vs vnder our peaceable dread Soueraigne Lord the King Secondly they being selfe conceited or as Saint Paul speakes aduancing themselues in those things they neuer saw rashly puft vp with carnall mindes supposing they know some thing more then others vnderualuing all and ouerualuing themselues the conceit whereof causeth them to fall to Schisme and seperate from all others when as indeed and in truth they being examined by the word and Spirit of God it will appeare to the godly wise that as yet most of them know nothing aright or as they ought to know if euer they expect the saluation of their soules For if they were but possessed with the true knowledge an liue of God in Christ and so were of a sound mind at Saint Paul exhorts all to be it would rather cause humiliation then exaltation which would truly teach euery one how to dâ—meane carry himselfe about so weighty a subiect The neglect hereof doth bring them into a labyrinth of errors following after a forme of godlinesse through the wisdome and knowledge of the braine onely without the power thereof contenting themselues in the out side of religion blessing themselues in what they can doe and measuring the loue of God to themselues by their owne doings as of old their predecessors the Scribes and Pharises did following shadows insteed of substances dreaming of a kind of felicitie in this forme and in that seeking peace and rest to their soules where it is not to be found which condition of theirs I cannot but condole desiring with the Prophet That my head were water and mine eyes a fountaine or well of teares that I might weepe day and night for their misery And in speciall for them who are neere and deere vnto me in the bonds of nature For poore soules they couer their spirituall misery with Adams fig tree leaues or with the spiders web striuing for an outward separation in the flesh when alas it is much to be feared that with many of them there is litle or no care at all for a separation of the soule from sin challenging and assuming vnto themselues soundnes of religion and assurance of Gods loue euer measuring themselues by themselues and not by that eternall wisdome which is Iustified of her children being blinded through selfe-loue not willing to iudge themselues and so become low in their owne eyes that God might be all in all but contrariwise iudging and condemning all but themselues after this maner doe they follow the vision of their owne hearts deceiuing and being deceiued running and flitting from one opinion vnto another being vnstable in all their wayes Which practise of theirs may well be compared vnto certaine flies feeding on the backe of a gald horse which is euer flitting or remouing from one place to another vntill at last they come to sucke so much
him be euer remoued from them as the Prophet testifieth Nay what shall or can possibly separate them from the loue of Christ or froÌ„ the loue of God the Father towards them in him Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword As it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Nay saith Saint Paul In all these things we are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus as God did predestinate call iustifie and sanctifie them so it is he that keepeth defendeth them and the stedfastnes of their estates in him doth depend vpon the stedfastnes and immutabilitie of his purpose promise loue and on the loue and life of Christ and all is free without any respect of will faith or works of ours in him and of him to whom be all power and glorie praise and thanksgiuing for euer Amen But some will obiect and say What then meaneth the Scriptures which so often speake of falling away from righteousnesse from faith from Christ from God as where it saith But when the righteous man turneth away from his righteousnes and committeth iniquitie and dieth in them for the iniquities that he hath done shall be die And againe it is said that he which taketh the plough by the hand and looketh behind him is not meete for the kingdome of God And againe When a soule spirit is cast out of a man and he walking in drie places findeth no rest but returneth to the house from whence he came out and finding it swept and garnished entreth therein with seuen more worse then himselfe and the end of that man shall be worse then the beginning And again some are said to beleeue for a time to be offended when tribulation cometh And some branches are said to be taken away from the vine Others to withdraw themselues and to depart away from the liuing God to be made partakers of the holy Ghost and to taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come and to fall away not to be renewed againe by repentance That a man may be sanctified by the blood of the testament and afterwards tread vnder foote the Son of God and count the same blood as an vnholy thing and despight the Spirit of grace Some to be cleane escaped from the filthinesse of the world and after this to be entangled againe whose end also is worse then the beginning likened vnto the dog that returneth to his owne vomit and to the sow that is washed and turneth to wallow in the mire againe And some that do make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience with diuers other sayings to this purpose Also these doubtfull speeches He that endureth to the end If ye hold fast vnto the end Whose house ye are if ye continue He that ouercometh and keepeth my words vnto the end And againe Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing I will take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie These Scriptures seeme to contradict all that is said before and to proue that there is no estate to be attained vnto but may be fallen from lost and vndone againe These Scriptures may seeme with men not instructed of God to contradict all what haue been mentioned before and to proue a falling away from all grace whatsoeuer but with such as God hath been pleased to instruct it is otherwise and although not only your sects but the Antichristian Church of Rome the Arminians and others doe conceiue and teach from these Scriptures that there is no estate to be attained vnto in this life but men may fall therefrom and perish and because you will not admit as it were too grosse yee should of contradiction in Scriptures wrest wring all the former Scriptures which doe cleerly proue the contrary either to make for this your erronious conceit or else at least not to oppose the same yet I say neuerthelesse the truth is that ye are deceiued not only in this but in the other of your points being most of them of the same nature but all tending to the wrong marke It is true these Scriptures do plainly shew that men may attaine to many excellent graces and gifts of the holy Ghost they may receiue the word with ioy take the plough by the hand be enlightned beleeue and be baptized they may be branches in the vine they may haue a foule spirit cast out of them and be swept and garnished they may taste of the heauenly gift and be made partakers of the holy Ghost and taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come they may be in some respects sanctified by the blood of the testament and be cleane escaped from the pollutions of the world they may haue a kind of righteousnes and be in some sort termed righteous men they may haue faith to cast out diuels and doe many great works all this they may attaine vnto and yet come short of the chiefe things fall away from all lose all and Christ may notwithstanding all these things iustly and truly say vnto them in the day of account Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie I neuer knew ye And it is as true that there be greater and more speciall things then all these which whosoeuer can attain shall as certainly abide in Christ and be saued as Christ abideth in the Father and liueth But the greatest difficultie lieth in this to distinguish these things rightly asunder according to the meaning of the Scriptures that so their true difference being discerned of vs we may not only auoide the great confusion which the want thereof hath caused in the mindes of many and the sundry errors they through their ignorance haue fallen into but may be brought to examine and proue our selues by the rule thereof whether our estates be yet such as will abide the triall in the day of account or no. If we find that they be we haue then great cause of comfort if not then haue we great reason to feare and with all speed to humble our soules before God and earnestly â—o desire him that he would be pleased to forme his sonne Christ in vs and to conforme vs vnto his image which is the estate that will giue vs boldnes in the day of his appearing Now that we may rightly vnderstand these things and discerne their true difference let vs obserue that as the Gospel hath two seuerall operations in the hearts and consciences of men to some it is the sauour of life vnto life and
The faith which worketh by loue c. And it is so called in regard of the special grace mercie loue of God in Iesus Christ which is shed abroad and sealed by the Spirit in the heart of him that possesseth it and also in respect of the excellent fruite it doth produce and cause to come forth of the same heart which is now truly sanctified by it and in which Christ being now formed dwelleth as mortification to sinne and to this present world loue to God and to Christ the Lord who hath so truly loued them loue to the truth loue to the children of God loue to all men which fruite we will also search for the true nature of and enquire how the Scriptures doe seuer it from all outward appearances and shewes which come neare vnto it hauing the forme thereof but is not the same in truth and power Like as the trees that are planted by the riuer side do bring forth their fruit in due season and as the good ground which hauing receiued the seed that is sowne therein bringeth forth fruit a hundred sixtie and thirtie fold and as the earth which drinking in the raine that cometh oft vpon it bringeth forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed so do these righteous trees and branches of the Lords owne planting his good ground and earth which he hath thus dressed and watered bring foorth fruite meete for him their Lord the good husband-man that hath planted dressed them First as they haue receiued mercie at the hands of God by faith and are assuredly perswaded in their hearts of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes so doe they now perfectly and truly euen from their very hearts hate all sin yea and the garment that is defiled therewith and abstaine from all appearance of euill mourning and lamenting when at any time they do but think thereon and mortifying their members and affections of flesh do restrain them frō their old accustomed wayes remēbring that they are washed and redeemed with a great price euen with the blood of the Lamb of God that they should now be holy as their heauenly Father is holy that hath chosen them And though they finde the law of their members to rebel and fight against the law of their minds enticing them night day with strong motions and perswasions to regard and giue entertainment againe to their former lusts and pleasures yet they remembring the day of their feare and great distresse sigh and weepe in soule to thinke that they should yet be constrained by the force of their owne flesh members thereof to cast but an eye or once to thinke vpon that which now their soules do loathe and from which they haue been so graciously deliuered And therefore remembring Lots wife and the end of those that hauing taken the plough by the hand looke behind them by whose examples their Lord hath forwarned them dare not presume to turne aside and grieue the holy Spirit whereby they are sealed vnto the day of redemption but if they should through the strength of temptation and their owne weaknesse fall they go foorth and weep bitterly till they be restored by faith to strength againe and neuer fall or looke behind them so as to giue entertainment in soule to their old delights of sin againe or to embrace this present world or pleasures thereof as aforetime nay though they be hated reuiled and scorned of all men and made a gazing stocke both to men and Angells yet still they go on their way out of the camp following their Lord and willingly bearing his reproach counting his rebukes greater riches then all the pleasures of the Egypt of this world which is now crucified to them and they to it And so in patience possesse they their soules hauing an assured hope that though now they goe on their way weeping sowing precious seed yet there will come a day wherein they shall returne with ioy reape the fruit of their labours and bring their sheaues with them Secondly as they doe hate sin and mortifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and crucifie vnto themselues this present world and themselues vnto it so doe they now on the contrary part loue God with all their heart and with all their soule and delight in him and in his wayes and this their loue vnto him is caused by that loue wherewith he first loued them which he hath shed forth and sealed in their hearts by his holy Spirit and wherEof they are now assuredlie perswaded as it is written Wee loue him because he loued vs first And as to be beloued of God is a blessing beyond all comparison a treasure not to be vttered so their loue to him is a fruit which no man is able to conceiue the nature of but they alone in whose hearts his loue is first shed forth and they certainly perswaded thereof And as they loue God the Father so doe they loue Christ his Sonne who hath redeemed them from the thraldome of their sinnes and their loue to him is likewise caused by his loue which was first made knowne to them and is exprest in this that while they were his enemies he died for them that they should be reconciled to God his Father and be made the Sonnes of God by adoption in him And greater loue then this hath no man that one should die for his enemies and specially such a one to bring them to so great honour therefore their loue to him is also vnspeakeable And as they loue God the Father and Christ the Redeemer so loue they the children of God who are borne of him and made partakers with them of his grace and loue in Christ As it is written He that loueth him that begetteth loueth him also that is begotten of him And this their loue vnto the children of God as it is not now for naturall respects though in that regard they also loue them but because they are in grace and loue with God and do belong to Christ whom they serue and belong vnto So their loue vnto them is heauenly and spirituall and such as no man hath nor can attaine vnto vnlesse he be borne from aboue of water and the Spirit as they are For the children of this world who are borne but of flesh as they know not the children of God that are borne begotten of him because they know not him that hath begotten them nor Christ whom they serue and follow so neither doe nor can they loue them for his sake nor haue part and fellowship with them in their spirituall and heauenly communion They pray together as children of one Father the Lord of hosts and praise his name with one accord they suffer together as members of one bodie euen that body whereof Christ is the head they weepe together and they reioyce together and are of like
life is by one euen Christ and none shall liue but by him And that not any one man whatsoeuer old or yong male or female shall euer enter into life except he be changed from that he is by nature by a heauenly power of grace through the Spirit Christ himselfe fully ratifieth and confirmeth saying Verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God And againe the second time Verily verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Meaning by a man euery child of man without exception of what age or sex soeuer if he be one conceiued and borne of flesh he must be borne againe of water and of the Spirit or else he cannot be saued Meaning by water a heauenly power whereby the heart which is naturally euen from the birth hard and stubburne being seasoned with Adams sinne euen from the conception is dissolued and made meeke and tender as water and by the spirit a heauenly gift of the holy Ghost which comforteth his tender heart and brings vnto it from God in and through Christ peace and ioy vnspeakable and that children are capable of this in and from the womb let the babe which sprang in his mothers wombe for ioy giue testimonie And if any shall say Christ doth not call a child new borne a man let him reade these words of Christ A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow because her houre is nigh but as soone as she is deliuered of the child she remembreth no more the paine for ioy that a man is borne into the world If children dying before they commit actuall sinne are saued because they haue no originall pollution of sinne as these silly men say then Christ died not for children neither was he promised vnto them nor yet are they saued by him but by their owne innocencie and so this promise The Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head belonged only to Adam and Euah and not to any of their children because they were to be borne all innocents without sinne These with many other absurdities will follow from this their doctrine But it is an error as their other points are and therefore error must needs be the consequence of it If one should aske these men at what age a child may commit an actuall sinne whereby it doth lose it innocencie and perfection of nature and then at what age it is capable of the new birth and also why the lust or thought of euill in the heart as well as an act of euill may not take their innocencie and vertue of nature from them It is much to be maruelled what answers they would make But to leaue them to better conderations hoping they will now see their folly and learne to be wiser for time to come Their sixt point That none ought to be baptized but such men and women of yeares onely as haue attained to true repentance and iustifying faith being both in the account of the Church and in the sight of God regenerate persons and that the baptisme of children vsed is no baptisme at all but is the marke of the Beast spoken of in Reuelat. 13. Answ THe doctrine of the Church of God is that not only such men and women of yeares as haue true repentance and iustifying faith but that all which do beleeue Iesus to be the Christ and acknowledge him submitting themselues to be informed and guided by his word and Gospell may be baptized though as yet they neither haue true repentance nor iustifying faith and that the children of all such may be baptized That such as haue true repentance iustifying faith may be baptized it is granted of all men without any further consideration to be past all question but it is euident there may be such who yet notwithstanding may not lawfully be baptized Cornelius Lydia and the Eunuch were true worshippers of God as the Spirit testifieth of them and therefore had both true repentance iustifying faith before they knew Christ to be come in the flesh yet these might not be baptized till they did know and acknowledge Christ to be come in the flesh and that Iesus Christ was he but Christ being manifested vnto them the Scriptures concerning him being vnfolded and God opening their hearts to attend vnto the same and they beleeuing the truth thereof were baptized being now of all other the meetest persons therefore For we are to know that when Christ came into the world he found the people in seuerall conditions some though but few very true Israelites who had both repentance and iustifying faith before Christ as touching his personall appearing in the flesh was known vnto them as Simeon Nathaniel those before named and others For the same way to saluation that is now was euer euen from the dayes of Abell and shall be to the end as repentance from dead workes and faith towards God c. And some poore repentant sinners and these were few also which had not yet Iustifying faith but onely trauelling vnder the burthen of their sins did much desire to be releiued Such were those poore which are spoken of the bruised and heauy laden Sicke lost dead c. And others were they that had neither repentance nor faith as the multitudes of the Iewes and of the whole world and to these seuerall sorts of people the Gospell was preached in seuerall maners To the first sort that Christ was now come euen the messenger of the couenant whom they desired in their hearts to see and heare as one that did spiritually dwell in their hearts already these beleeuing were baptized To the second was preached that Christ is come and also that the glad tidings of peace and reconciliation with God in him did belong to them in particular and therefore Christ calleth these particularly saying Come vnto me all ye c. Againe The Sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which is lost c. The poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them and these beleeuing and acknowledging Christ were baptized And to the other third sort Christ was not to be preached in any such special peculiar manner as to the former but more generally as namely that Christ is come in the flesh c and that repentance and remission of sinnes is granted in his name so that whosoeuer doth repent and beleeue the Gospell shal be saued Now they that did beleeue and accknowledge the truth of these things as Iudas the many disciples mentioned in the fourth and sixt of Iohn the thornie and stony ground Simon Magus with many others were and might lawfully be baptized though they had not yet true repentance nor iustifying faith Nay it is manifest that neither Christ nor his Apostles did reiect any from the outward baptisme for the want thereof so as they did beleeue and outwardly submit themselues to the
the heart by faith So then if they both aimed at one thing or end as shall appeare they did then it will euidently appeare also that by vertue of what precept the one was practised by vertue of the same precept the other is to be performed and practised It is also said that whosoeuer did omit the practise which that precept required was to be cut off from among the people that is to say that such a person ought not to be acknowledged as one in the outward estate of the Church then vnder the law so proportionably it will follow that what person soeuer yong or old that is not baptized he is also to be cut off that is not to be accounted or numbred in the outward estate of Christians now vnder the Gospell May such beleeuers as are not sanctified in heart be baptized as before is proued and may not the children of beleeuers be baptized Why are the children of beleeuers said to be holy the children of vnbeleeuers throwout the whole Scriptures are neuer said to be holy doubtlesse it is because they are in heart holy or else because they being the children of the faithfull haue some promise as touching the inheritance of life belonging to them as the children of the faithfull had formerly and so haue right to enter into the Congregation where the wayes of life are taught as they then by circumcision so these now by baptisme that they may be informed in the wayes of the Lord else would there be no difference betweene the children of the faithfull and the children of infidels So that to this end is the vnbeleeuing husband said to be sanctified to the beleeuing wife and beleeuing wife to the vnbeleeuing husband because otherwise if the vnbeleeuer in this regard were not sanctified to the beleeuer then were their children vncleane that is to say as the children of infidels that haue no promise belonging to them but rather a curse and therefore are vncleane and may not enter It is therefore meete seeing God hath put difference betweene the children of the faithfull and the children of infidels that they should be distinguished from them by some outward signe concerning the same And what can they haue lesse then baptisme which can giue to no man any more then the outward name of a Christian as circumcision did the outward name of a Iew. It doth neither confer nor confirme grace to the heart of any no more then circumcision did It proueth that a man is a Christian outwardly and it teacheth that he should be so inwardly and so did circumcision It proue a man to be a Iew outwardly and it taught that he should be a Iew inwardly yea a Christian inwardly to speake fully as the truth is for euery true inward Iew was a true inward Christian And to be circumcised in heart was to be baptized or purified in heart by faith through the Spirit as also to be baptized in heart by faith through the Spirit is to be circumcised in heart for so doth Saint Paul in plaine words affirme writing to those Christians whose hearts were sanctified by faith saying And ye are compleate in him which is the head of all principalities and powers In whom also yee are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him vp from the dead In which words I say he setteth downe expresly that the baptisme which saueth the baptisme whereby we put on Christ the baptisme whereby our hearts are purged and sanctified and the sinnes of our flesh done away whereby we are buried with Christ and doe rise with him euen that which is through the faith and operation of the Spirit is one and the same with the circumcision of the heart which he therefore calleth the circumcision made without hands the circumcision of Christ whereby also it appeareth clearely and beyond all contradiction that the circumcision or the cutting off the foreskin of the flesh was a signe and true representation of the doing away of their sinnes of the clensing of the heart by faith as now the doing away of the filth of the flesh with the baptisme of water is for which vse and end it was also giuen to Abraham at the first as this Apostle also declareth in an other place saying And he receiued the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had being vncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that beleeued though they be not circumcised that righteousnes might be imputed to them also Where he I say fully declareth that the circumcision of the flesh was giuen not to that end and purpose as the carnall corrupt Iews imagined to teach righteousnes to be by the Law which was to make the promise voide which is to be attained onely by faith and not by workes but is taught and directed to the righteousnes which is by faith through the promise in the circumcision of the heart which Abraham had and which all their seed of whom God made him the Father were to haue and that the circumcision of the flesh was a signe of and did teach the circumcision of the heart if any yet question it the same Apostles words a little before proueth it where he saith For he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the Spirit not in letter whose praise is not of men but of God Where we see that there was a Iew outwardly and a Iew inwardly a circumcision outward in the flesh and a circumcision inward of the heart in the spirit The outward had but the name and did onely signifie and teach what should be inwardly in the heart and that in the heart was the thing it selfe All these things being now thus cleere we reason thus That if children might once receiue the signe of circumcision of the heart after the old forme of the Law then may they now after the new forme of the Gospell But they might once after the old forme of the Law Therefore also now after the new forme of the Gospell That they might once after the old forme is past all question And that they may now after the new forme we proue thus That which was once for good ends in the time of the Law appointed and is not by the Gospell disanulled it is lawfull still But it was appointed for good ends that children should receiue the signe of the circumcision of the heart and it is not by the Gospell any way disanulled Therefore it is lawfull now still But these men obiect and say that there is no plaine commandement nor example in the new testament
Iohn testifieth where he calleth he The Mother of Harlots and the abhominations of the earth and foresheweth how drunke she would be with the blood of the Saints and with the Martyrs of Iesus And as he laid to the charge of the Scribes and Pharisees of his time the blood of the righteous that had been slaine from Abel to Zecharias so he chargeth these with the blood of all that euer for the truth should be slaine vpon the earth and with his owne blood also because they and those that crucified him are all of one house and generation euen from Cain to this day being the right and true successors of one another in euill So that their maine argument of succession in the roomes chaires of the righteous seruants of God auaileth them nothing to the purpose they aime at seeing this not only may be but is their condition notwithstanding For as they were not of Abrahams seed which came of Abraham after the flesh nor they all Israel that came of Israel and as that was not circumcision which was outward in the flesh nor that baptisme which washeth away but the filth of the flesh so neither is that the true heauenly and spirituall succession which is outward by an externall ordination and succession in the roomes and seates of the righteous seruants of God but the true and heauenly succession which haue all those heauenly treasures belonging to it is that which Christ hath built vpon the rocke are they that haue the faith of Peter of Iohn and the rest of the Apostles euen those liuely stones which Saint Peter speaketh of who are by faith built vpon Christ the chiefe corner stone like as Peter was and so are made a spirituall house by this meanes and do offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and are that chosen generation that royal priesthood holy nation and peculiar people which he describeth who haue receiued spirituall gifts from aboue as Saint Paul testifieth saying Wherefore he saith when he ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts to men According as Saint Iames saith Euery good and perfect gift is from abouâ— and cometh downe from the Father of lights with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning That as they only are the seed and children of Abraham that haue the faith and works of Abraham and as the circumcision of the heart is the true circumcision and as to haue the heart sanctified by faith through the Spirit is to be baptized with the baptisme which saueth to put on Christ by baptisme and to be a true Christian so likewise to be a true Pastor or Elder is to enterâ—â—in by the doore first euen through Christ by faith for he is the doore the way whereby euery true Pastor must enter and to be called and ordained of God by those heauenly gifts of Christ whereby they are made able Ministers of the new Testament and then in the second place to be approued and iustified of his Church and children of wisedome For the calling of a true Minister of God and that which maketh him so to be is as heauenly and spirituall as that which maketh a true Christian else euery true Christian had a greater priuiledge then euery true Minister of Christ which doubtlesse is not so but rather euery true Minister hath a greater yea such are the gifts of the Spirit which Christ since his ascension hath giuen to his Church for the administration of the Gospel of peace that whereas he gaue this testimonie of Iohn that in regard of the gifts of the Spirit which were giuen him for the administration of repentance a greater Prophet then Iohn was neuer before him borne of women yet neuerthelesse he saith that he which is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he meaning the least true Minister of the Gospell the word of reconciliation And if yet they alledge for their separation as their maner is to doe That in the Church of England there be many very superstitiously minded many vngodly proud couetous and vnclean persons both in the publique office of the ministery as also of the people who do partake as well in the Sacrament of the Supper as in the administration of the word let them remember what hath been manifested before as touching the estate of the Churches in the Apostles times how that there were then in the Churches false Apostles false teachers deceiuers some that preached Christ through enuie some that had eyes full of adulterie and that could not cease from sinne some that made merchandize of the people some who went to law one with annother and that amongst the infidels couetous wicked proud lasciuious persons which had not repented of their wickednes some that made their belly their God whose glory was their shame who minded earthly things and some that at the Sacrament of the Supper were drunken and despised the poore these and diuers other euills were in the Churches and yet no separation to be made from any of them onely the Apostles sharply reproued those deceiuers as euill doers and warned the people with teares to take heed of them and of their euills and to shun them Againe there were some that with conscience of the very Idols of the heathen did eate things in sacrifice to the Idoll as Saint Paul affirmeth saying For some with conscience vnto the Idoll vnto this houre eate it as a thing offered vnto an Idoll Declaring vnto them that the things which the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed to Deuills and not to God and said I will not that you should haue fellowship with Diuells yee cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord and of the cup of the deuills yee cannot be partaker of the Lords table and the table of deuills Do yee prouoke the Lord c. And by this it appeareth they came also to the Lords table though as Saint Paul told them they could not truly and spiritually partake thereof so long as they did partake of the other Yea it is euident that these corinthians were much adicted to their old heathenish superstitions For Saint Paul in his next Epistle doth againe call vpon them saying Be not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes what communion hath light with darknes and what concord hath Christ with Beliall and what part hath he that beleeueth with an Infidell and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idolls for yee are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them and will be their God and they shall be my people wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate from them and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you and will be a Father vnto you and yee shall be my Sonnes and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty
Here we see by the plain commandement of God exhortation of Saint Paul that a separation ought to be made from all kind of Idolatry and vnrighteousnes of the heathen and from all fellowship with them in their vncleane things But here is no separation from the Church though these superstitious Christians were in it Nay it is euident there was neuer any separation admitted either by word or by example except by those that separated themselues to make sects which are reproued by the Apostles vntill such time as by the mallice and subtiltie of the Diuell and through the pride and wickednes of the Bishop and Church of Rome after they had gotten Iurisdiction ouer all that they had brought into the Church the Idolatries and abhominations of the Pagans and so cunningly compounded them with the name and religion of Christ that no man could pertake of any good among them but he must pertake of the euill also Then and not till then I say the Lord commanded saying Goe out of her my people that ye be not pertaker of her sinnes and that you receiue not of her plagues This was not because there were many offenders in the Church of Rome nor because of their personall presence in the Assemblies but because the Lord would not haue his people partake in their owne persons of their sinnes which if they continued with them could not be auoided Neither was there a separation to be made from the Church of the Iewes as bad and as cruell as it was but Christ and his Apostles did alwayes both by word and example teach the contrary onely the false doctrine and hipocrisie and wickednes of the Iewes they warned the faithfull to take heed of And as concerning the Church of England which thou so much contemnest although there be many euill workers vngodly and vnregenerate persons superstitiously minded as well of the Ministery as of the people as out of all doubt there are For if of but twelue Apostles one was a Diuell and that there were false Apostles and false teachers proud and couetous in the primitiue Churches and false brethren belly gods and such like when Christians were but few in number How should it be but there must now be many yet this is not sufficient ground for thy seperation Nay suppose as the truth is that the faithfull be but few in number and rare as the dust or oare that gold commeth of and the vngodly as common as the clay that men make pots of as the Prophet speaketh For doubtles if God said of the Israelites that though their number were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them should be saued we haue no reason to thinke it should be otherwise with vs Nay Saint Paul sheweth plainly that God will finish the worke and cut it short in righteousnes because a short worke will the Lord make vpon the earth Yet what of this thou hast no ground from hence to proue a separation Nay vnlesse thou canst proue that the Church of England hath set vp and doth command the Abhominations of the heathen as doth the Church or Rome and so mix them and Christian religion together as thou couldest not partake of the good but thou must partake of the euill and so sinne against God in thine owne person thou hast no ground at all for thy separation Art thou offended because God hath beene so gracious to this kingdome aboue all other nations in causing the Princes and Kings thereof now in these latter dayes to set their helping hands to the repairing and building vp againe of the decaied walles of Ierusalem and to the restoring of the morning and euening sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing as it was in former time and in the dayes of old Dost thou not know it was the word of truth the sword which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord ministred by his faithfull seruants whom he raised vp in these latter times which hath beene the cause of the reuolt of the Church and Kingdome of England from the abhominations and tyranny of the Church of Rome and that God hath done it for his chosen sake according to his word art thou not bound to be thankefull vnto God for the same and with gladnesse of heart to imbrace all the good he hath vouchsafed yet so as not therewithall to iustifie any of the present euills nor yet to rest thy selfe secure in that good which is in being as if all things were already come to their full measure and so exclude thy selfe from all future grace and truth which God hath decreed in and by his word to bring to light For as the truth and dayly sacrifice which Christ and his Apostles did erect were not all wholy in a moment cast to the ground nor the abhomination of desolation set vp at full in one day but that the one increased by degrees and the other wasted accordingly so must it now be in the restauration as then iniquitie and falsehood increased and truth and loue faded and waxed cold so now on the contrary iniquitie and falsehood must consume and be expelled and truth and the loue thereof must increase and come to their place againe Iudgement was to begin at the house of God but it must end in the house of iniquitie Learne therefore now to be a wise let the confusions which the heady extreams of those carnall contentious times haue brought forth admonish thee to take better heed embrace thankfully and make right vse of the present good thou seest in place shun the euils and labour to increase in the wisdome which is from aboue doubtlesse there are great riches and treasures with God to be attained such as the carnall mind shall neuer see nor know conuerse with the wise and holy in heart such as are spirituall and heauenly minded haue speciall fellowship with them pray weepe and reioyce dayly together with them call often to minde the hope of the ioy and glory ye shall receiue in the world to come in the day when Christ your Lord shall appeare hope loue and long for his appearing and edifie your selues with these things pray vnto God and vse all good meanes according to your measure and place to redresse what is amisse in others labour thorough patience and meeknesse to winne them to the truth and loue thereof so shall ye be profitable members of the Church of God diligent and faithfull seruants of Christ You are not ignorant I suppose of the manifold mischieues that men haue fallen into by reason of the fleshly wranglings which haue been in these late times what confusion diuision and distraction there is among the people what and how many sundry opinions and seuerall sects there are yea sects vpon sects diuision vpon diuision error vpon error hath been bred and brought forth Many haue risen in these latter times speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them to get themselues a name