such a spirit is not altogether without president Observe the temper of Paul against him who would have perverted the Truth Acts 13.10 11. Not that from hence I would go about to justifie what flesh and blood may sometimes do through frailty but to let you see in some cases it is lawfull to speak with Authority And if you will but cleare your eyes and look on things and persons impartially you shall behold as formerly you might leading presidents from men of your own spirit before Master Pryn did undertake to engage himself in this controversie at which willing and wilfull ignorance I stand amazed 3. The third thing that comes next to hand is M. Pryn's great confidence weak and unsound Arguments thus you To which I say that whereas you would make void and of no effect those valid assertions of M. Pryn's which are esteemed at so low a rate in your judgement till I find that you or any of yee produce others of more weighty consideration you shall give me leave to spare my weapons in this encounter 4. The fourth Complaint making it's way is the robbing you of your liberty in the publique use of the Presse This I judge an act of wisdome and not of bondage as you insinuate For might every one speak in publique what the madnesse of his brain and his deluded phansie leads him to there would be no end of strife but a world of confusion who would not plead conscience if that might protect them yea even for the most 〈◊〉 opinions as well as you backt with Scripture and reason as they suppose 〈◊〉 perverted to their own destruction till you can assure me of divine Writ for this your bare word will never satisfie nor prevaile for such licentiousnesse 5. The fifth Enemy with which you contend is the Black-coats who endevour to lay lower than the dust a rare secret a generation of men whom they falsely call Sectaries you fight against your own light were there that aboundance of knowledge in you as you pretend to this Word would have been received without damnation but to remove that scruple let me tell you your tenents and practice and the doctrines of many in your way is schismaticall how far short it fals of hereticall time will demonstrate To proceed you say men that have in the uprightnesse of their hearts without Synodian-like ends ventur'd all for the good of the Parliament How I shall be assured of all this or any man else my soule enters not into this your secret but gladly would find some satisfaction that I may be able to beare witnesse to the truth of this now delivered Let me expostulate the case a little with you What have yee done more than yee shou'd nay then in conscience yee ought to do wherein have you or any of yee excelled others that none can reach up to the height of those sufferings yee lye under shew it me Are there not thousands that are equall with yee in this lot and as many that excell yee whose silence speaks them praise-worthy worthy men that for religion are but babes in Christianity in respect of what yee seem to have ascended to Is this for the honour of Christ whom you professe to be your Lord and Master thus to complain and bespeak the compassion of men from an argument of misery felt or feared as the five Independant Members have done before you Have you thus learned Christ What though yee have cast all into the banck must yee receive it presently with usury or yee are undone have yee not the same God the same cause to manage as at first Why grow yee weary in well doing dare yee not trust God with his own or with what yee charge upon him as his Which yee are so confident of for the rightnesse and onlinesse of the way and have extolled even to the heavens for the justnesse of it Verily this presages a large measure of selfishnesse in all your actions that self stands so long upon the stage in so few lines to justifie its masters integrity And for your more than a third part of this Epistle that fals so heavy upon the Tribe of Levy wherein have yee received prejudice by them or heard words from them are they not rather become your enemies because they speak the Truth If the Truth have suffered through their unfaithfulnesse it will speak its own priviledge in Gospell language and not in bitter invectives beside reason Doubtlesse arguments with wise men are the way to conquer but with simple ones the language of fooles had you charge against them proceeded from judgement your paper had not been so empty of accusations nor so froughted with froth and vanity 6. The sixth Accusation fals heavy on the Synod whom you compare for tyranny to the Spanish Inquisition Here your bare affirmation must stand up in the place of Arguments an easie confutation Ipse dixit must suffice for the subjecting my faith to this or the other mans phansie when by cleare demonstrations you shall resolve my judgement in this particular I shall answer as becomes Christianity till then my determination is that of Solomon Prov. 27.22 7. The seventh particular is matter of Complaint on your part for being reckoned amongst the number of State and Church molesters I conceive this charge stands upon a sure foundation if disobedience to the lawfull power of civill Magistrates and those Ordinances by them enjoyned to be observed for a regular proceeding in matters Ecclesiasticall as well as Civill having the advice of godly and learned Divines so far as they are not dissonant from the Word and rests not in their power of necessity to command and presse the performance of if they will discharge the precepts of God In this case yee are both Church and State disturbers which hath been excellently proved by Master Rutherford Doctor Steuart and of late by William Pryn as yet not answered which charge against you and men in your way and of your spirit hath not falne so heavily as deservedly Now to your Propositions which come next to be toucht at for I intend no large reply 1. To the first I answer that your contestation will be nothing lesse than beating of the ayre strife about words contention without a ground because I find not any one to have denied ought in that Position whereupon you can ground a challenge of controversie This is but the first peele of the Onion the second will smell more strongly And for that 2. I desire your proofes and arguments your Scriptures heaped up in abundance engage themselves but not in your war I desire to be informed of your meaning when you tell us of compleat and perfect Lawes Where are they to be found and what Kingdom of Christ it is you contend for whether heavenly or earthly spirituall or temporall And what kind of Governing and ruling of Christ in this Kingdom your soules so much long after Your Scriptures speak of a glorious
A REVIEW Of a certain PAMPHLET Under the name of one JOHN LILBVRNE By a well-willer to the Peace of Sion 2 Corinth 10.12 18. verses For we dare not make our selves of the number or to compare our selves to them which praise themselves But they understand not that they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with themselves 18. For he that praiseth himselfe is not allowed but he whom the Lord praiseth Galath 6.3 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Proverbs 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a foole or a man may expect better than of him Imprimatur JOHN DOWNAME LONDON Printed for Thomas Vnderhill dwelling at the Bible in Wood-street 1645. TO THE HONOVRABLE AND HIS VERY GOOD FRIEND WILLIAM PRYN Esquire SIR HAving cast my eye into the world to observe the occurrences and take notice of the Controversies of the time there fell into my hands some of your writings disputing the case of Presbyterie and Independency which having perused with consideration I received much satisfaction though I met with many cavils fallen from the pens of severall Writers of differing spirits seeking to destroy the fruit of your endevours But I found none that were of sufficient strength to overthrow those positive truths by you asserted In particular there came to my hand a Pamphlet of somewhat a later edition than the former full of bitter invectives against the Truth and all government but what private phancy shall exalt And this under the hand of one John Lilburne in an Epistolary way directed to your selfe At which being fil'd with indignation to see the strangenesse of that spirit that wrought in its endictment and is now working in the world excellently set forth by Jude in his Epistle 19. verse Makers of Sects 〈◊〉 having not the Spirit clearly demonstrating what they would do might they prevaile for that liberty so much contended for I was compelled after much striving within my self to review what he had done and to give in my judgement for the benefit of the Church of God which I have finished by way of Epistle I recommend to your Patronage which if I obtain I having the happinesse I sought after who am not my own but the Truths and yours in all Observance From my Study this 27. of January 1644. SIR That I have not declared my self unto you I hope you will dispense with many reasons have induced me to silence herein hereafter if God will I shall take occasion to tender my service and acknowledge my engagement and not mine alone but the engagement of the whole Church of God for your faithfull endevours Fare you well The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader HAving taken a short view of a certain Pamphlet that is cast abroad under the name of one John Lilburne Directed to Master Pryn which is stuft with so much gall and bitternesse and so little of that sweet ingredient of love of which I find not one dram in 189. lines against the State Parliament and all Synods c. I judge it to be of very evill consequence and might produce dangerous effects amongst weak soules that are apt to take all for Gospell such men speak how wide soever it be from it I conceived my selfe upon this consideration bound in conscience to speak a word if I were able to satisfie weak and unstable soules And for unmasking the subtilty of men deciphered in the tenth verse of Judes Epistle But these speak evill of those things which they know not and inverse the eighth likewise notwithstanding these dreamers also defile the flesh And despise Government and speak evill of them which are in Authority If any thing be added for thy establishment in the Truth let God have the glory and let him have thy prayers who is Thine in the Lord Jesus TO IOHN LILBURNE Lieutenant Colonell These SIR HAving perused a paper in forme of an Epistle subscribed a Letter written by John Lilburn c. to William Pryn Esquire wherein you take occasion in your Exordium to intimate that honour God vouchsafed you to be a witnesse to the Truth with Master Pryn under the reign of Episcopall tyranny Yet there is a vast difference between the grounds of suffering on the one side and on the other Paul tels us of suffering as busie bodies God grant this charge fall not upon you And indeed it is not so much the suffering as the suffering like a Christian that is acceptable with God or esteemed worthy of honour before men from whence you draw an Argument to prove an affection in people towards you to the misleading of their judgements causing them to build with too much confidence on what shall be spoken or written by you without due examination never eying or considering what is said so much as the persons speaking who they be you give me not to understand except in Generall your constant practice in cases subject to doubts as if your charge did reach to all and not unto particulars the latter of which I conceive comes nearest Truth It being the weaknesse of some not able to judge and determine of these things or the wilfulnesse of others that have judgement yet willingly permit the mists and fogs of darknesse to over-cloud it when as the more learned and instructed receive things not upon bare affirmation a mighty pillar for upholding your foundation but with judgement what they find is most agreeable to Truth in their understandings setting by what upon search not upon phansie they find not consonant to the Word and this is done without any prejudice to or pre-judging of the abilities of those that excell them How ever you are pleased to conceive of others in this particular I heartily wish you were not or would not be ignorant of one thing To consider how much of this spirit rules in those that are contrary minded to Master Pryn or any adhering to him in judgement and if I mistake not presumption laid aside your self is not a little guilty in this charge 2. The second particular I find in order to be spoken of is Master Pryns bitter and unsavoury language as you say against the Saints of God and the unspotted wayes of Jesus Christ To this I reply That what bitternesse c. you may meet with exceeding your own was not I dare affirme against the Saints of God truly so walking in the unspotted wayes of Jesus Christ neither can be collected from any thing by him written But against those phansies and strange Enthusiasmes which those that call themselves Saints by way of priviledge and prerogative which yet I see them not to be and under that notion take a liberty to vent and broach Doctrines and conclusions contrary to faith and good manners tending directly to Anarchy and confusion against these his zeale was powred forth as it were without measure that he might oppose these tenents and doctrines of novelties which creep in upon us daily by succession And that
of the Apostles to have ended this controversie acting by a spirit inspired from on high what means that consultation of the Apostles and Elders verse 6. Unlesse to give us to understand that though they had a power as they were inspired by God yet they did not put forth that power but referred it to publique disputation with the Elders as more authontique and as a way more effectuall to draw the Churches to yeeld submission to what should be determined of which you may see came to passe afterwards verse 21. and if they had sate in the capacity of Apostles I demand what light the Elders could adde to them that they by immediate inspiration did not decide the controversie but to hold forth a patterne for after ages to look upon and to be guided by and to let us know that though there be a power in particular congregations in suo ordine yet publique determinations of a Synod of godly men is the surest way to end strife in the Church of God 9. The ninth charge flies in the face of Mr. Pryn who you say hath incited men to wage warre against the King of Saints and his redeemed ones My soule is at strife within it selfe to find out whom you mean by this King of Saints and redeemed ones whether it be all or any one of the quinque ecclesian Ministers and the people belonging to there independant Churches these redeemed ones If this be your meaning as I cannot imagine other wayes against these and yet not properly against these but against their tenents and notions is Master Pryn entred into battaile to plead true Christian lierties part in behalfe of those that are unjustly charge as fighters against it But if you intended it of Jesus Christ God and man who truly is King of Saints and no other my soule longs for a manifestation of this warfare that I may know as well as you when it was begun against Christ and his redeemed ones where and after what manner this warfare is carried on And let me know by what means I may be assured these whom you stile redeemed ones are his and none besides them for your words be are this construction without straying I have looked into their lives their conversations and beheld their outward commerce and trafficking in the world for take them amongst the communion of Saints and know them no more nay in a lesser measure than Judas was known for a traitour while he remained with the twelve and I cannot see how you can stampe this impression upon them by way of priviledge and prerogative before many of those on whom your eye is sixed with indignation For love faith obedience and selfe-deniall wherein do they excell others that their superiours may not be brought to termes of equality with them nay wherein have many of them if any of them out-stript the very blindnesse of our progenitours who will certainly rise to judge and condemne this Generation of Professours for the neglect of and the not conscionably practising according to that light they professe themselves possessed with and to have exceeded all mon in Surely 〈◊〉 darknesse which overshadows light is comprehended of the light much more will light that is of genuine nature dissipate and annihilate the false rising of fading vapours that for a season to outward view are glorious and excellent 10. The tenth charge against Mr. Pryn runs thus In that he hath stirred up the Potentates of the earth to pluck the Crowne of Christ of his head his Scepter out of his hand and himself out of his Throne Weightier accusations criminations and criminations were never laid on any mans shoulders then this you would make Mr. Pryn to beare where is your proofe for this I professe I want light to dive into the bottom of this work of darknesse and none am I able to procure from you but ten degrees more of obscurity I am not satisfied in your menning when you speak of the Crown the Scepter and the Throne of Christ glorious yea and transcendently excellent they be but where shall I find them let me see And when Scripture hath spoken and reason hath given in its voyce you can prove that these are to be found in the way of Independency and in no way else or that they have more excellency cast upon them by reason of that glorious in manifestation of them in this way above others And if my Arguments when weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary shall be found too light and unable to gain-say yours my heart hand and all shall give place to you and you shall have the right-hand of fellowship in procuring a blessed and happy union For my own particular I have examined as I am able what ever Mr. Pryn hath done and have not met with any grounds or reasons of this your judgement This I find that to the utmost of my endevours human frailty excepted he hath exalted Christs Kingdome and laboured with the strength of his abilities to keep the Crown on the head of Christ and to make his Scepter an everlasting Scepter But whereas you give us to understand what you have done and do for Christ in exaltation of him and him alone yet I find you and all of yee are silent of your failings in the right performance of it as if yee were already deified I beseech yee to examine well your inward man and then tell me whether much of the glory of God be not eclypsed through your infirmities how have yee sought the honour of God and preferred it above all things when your own honour steps in and robs God of his due Is there not an eye looking too much to private advantage destitute of that singlenesse of heart which of right should take place in those that assume the priviledge of being Christ exalters What else portends that daily apostasie of so many of yee that from glistering stars of light as I have judged yee are descended almost to an expiring glimmering 11. The eleventh Charge against Mr. Pryn stands thus That he should affirme Christ hath left no rule in his Word for the government of his Church I affirme the same in that sense by him delivered but so speaking as you have laid it down there is not to be produced any one passage so much as looking that way This he hath laid down as a Truth which never was nor can be disproved that Jesus Christ in his Word hath left a rule for the substantiall part of worship and discipline and some few circumstances yet left many things which belong to the well-being of a Church as they relate to circumstantials whether of time or place c. which are to be ordered in the severall ages and successions of the Churches of Christ according to the state and condition thereof then existing as may best conduce to the glory of God the Churches peace and the good of the Common-wealth But if you would have perfection in all things