in hand let it bee truely observed whether those that are off the Romish profession servants of the first beast coming in question before this Hyrarchy have not found much more favour then those that have stood most for reformation and hath there not beene gnashing of teeth and gnawing off tongues with al extreame perversnes and contempt against the one when there hath bene good myld and eeven carriage towards the other Which good carriage towards them wee disaprove not nor envye not but could wish that the holesome word of doctrine withall the cords off love were applied and vsed vnto them for their information and drawing them from their blind errors But wee mention it to this end to shew what vprightnes there can bee to God or the King in this For first it is not possible but this whole Hyrarchy wil confesse that those which seeke reformation have much more light of truth and gifts of knowledg for the building vp of a people vnto God then the other and that the first and they are al of one iudgment concerning the doctrines off the Scriptures in the foundamental points of Religion as they speake and yet there is no comparison betwixt their pacient enduring them of the Romish professioÌ„ aÌ„d there impacieÌ„t not enduring of the other is this vprightnes to God Secondly touching the King and State the ChildreÌ„ in the streets knowe the treachery and infidelitie that hath beene found in divers of the one profession aÌ„d they themselves knowe the ever vntouched fidelitie of the other what vprightnes is this to the King and State the evident reason of this may appeare vnto the wise and may not this appeare to beâ— it That the Romish profession is but cheifly an enemy to the Kingdome of Christ and but dangerous in some of them to the Kingdome of the King approving of ArchBishops and Lord Bishops and could wiâ—h they were Cardinals But those of al sorts that seeke reformation are most cheifest enimies to the Kingdome off ArchBishops and LordBishops and would have them humble and faithfull Pastors to feed the fâ—oth and therefore in no wise are to bee suffered how true soever they bee to God and their King And doth not all this shewe the affinitie and nearnes betwixt the first and second Beast But least anie should stumble at this part of the prophesie Revel 13. vers 12. Where it is spoken that the second Beast causeth the Earth and them that dwel therein to worship the first Beast and therefore the Romish Beast being the first this Hyâ—archy cannot bee the second in that it doâ—h not cause men to worship the Pope off Rome Wee pray it may be observed how that it is shewed 2. Thess 2.7.9.10 That the mistery of iniquitie is a working power of sathan which working power according to the degrees there of is set furth vnto vs in the booke of the Revel after divers maners aÌ„d discribed vnto vs in divers shapes or similitudes aÌ„d named vnto vs after divers names and in the hight off the exaltation thereof this power is set furth aÌ„d discribed vnto vs vnder the two names and similitudes of the first and second Beast both which exercising one power though in divers likenesses do bring al both smale aÌ„d great vnder the subiection of that one power both their harts being set to do mischief talking of deceipt at one table Dan. 11.27 And so doth the second beast cause al to worship the first in that it is al one power building vp one kingdome And the Popes person is not the mistery of iniquitie for then when the Pope were dead the mistery off iniquitie and the Beast were dead vntil another Pope were set vp and iff the Popes person were the man off sinne then the Lord by the spirit off his moueth should abolish and consume the Popes person but there is no such prophesie of scripture And then should the prophesies of the fal off Babylon bee vnderstood off the overthrowe and consumeing of the earthen or stone wals and timber houses off a Citie But this were too carnal an vnderstanding to conceive that the spirit off Gods mouth which shal consume the man off sinne spoken off 2. Thes 2. and shal shake in sunder the Citie which spiritually is called Sodom Egypt It were to carnal to vnderstaÌ„d this to be of earthly houses and Cities aÌ„d fleshly persons they are not the matter aÌ„d substance that shal be abolished by the brigtnes of this his comeing here spokeÌ„ off as we doubt not but wil easily appeare to the wise though some have bene and are much mistaken herein And that we may come to the true vnderstanding of this part of the prophesie Chap. 13. vers 13. And he did great wonders speaking of the second Beast so that he made fire come downe from heaven in the sight off men And to see how it is fulfilled in the second Beast wee must remember as we have formerly said that this is a spiritual prophesie of a spirituall mistery of iniquitie which none may deny and then doth it appeare that these wonders wrought by makeing fire come downe froÌ„ heaven are lying spiritual wonders and the fire is a false spiritual fire The which even as the true spiritual fire which is the holy Ghost doth truly worke woÌ„derful powerfully vpoÌ„ the harts and affections of them that beleeve the truth even so this false fire which is the spirit and power off Sathan doth worke effectually vpon the harts and affections off those that receive not the love off the truth and that after a wonderful manner off deceivablenes off vnrighteousnes so that men are strongly perswaded and beleeve that it is the true Fire from heaven even the spirit off God And this Fire hath the Hyrarchy off ArchBishops and Lord-Bishops made come downe from heaven especially in their former times when men had their word and power with their praier booke and al their Cathedral abhominatious in such admiration and with such zeale were affected vnto them and as yet some are to this day zealously perswaded off the holines and goodly order off these things al which in the Beast that hath two hornes like the Lambe made such a glorious shewe being compared to the former thinges as men were ravished in their spirits and thought and yet some fewe do thinke that their harts and affections were kindled with fire from heaveÌ„ By this false fire which is by an effectual working power in al deceivablenes of vnrighteousnes even hereby hath and doth the first and second Beast worke all their signes and lying wonders and whilst men through great ignorance have and do looke for some straing seights from heaven to knowe the two Beasts by their harts have bene are with the pleasures of vnrighteousnes stolne away This can all that are of anie vnderstanding who now remaine vnder the power of the second Beast easily discerne how by a wonderful fiery blind zeale all those that
spirituall povver and Gouerment That the Prophesie of the Second Beast is fulfilled vnder the spirituall povver Gouerment of Arch-Bishops lord Bishops Hovv Kings shal hate the vvhore make hir desolate VVhat Great Povver and authority vvhat honor names titles God hath given to the King That God hath givē vnto the K. an earthly kingdome vvith all earthly povver against the vvhich none may resist but must in all thinges obey vvillingly either to do or suffer That Christ alone is K. of Israell sitts vpon Davids Throne that the K. ought to be a subiect of his Kingdome That none ought to be punished either vvith death or bonds for transgressing against the spirituall ordināces of the nevv Testamēt and that such Offences ought to be punished onely vvith spirituall svvord and censures That as the Romish Hyrarchy say in vvords they cannot err so the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. shevve by their deeds they hold they cannot err herein they agree in one The false professiō of Puritan-isme so called the false Prophet is thereof discovered Their tvvo deceitfull excuses for their vndergoeing of all those thinges they cry out against made manifest The false professiō of Brovvnisme so called plainely laid open vvith their false Prophetts and vvith their false supposed seperatiō from the vvorld The vanity of their most deceitfull distinction betvvixt a false Church and no Church vvherevpon their vvhole false building stands made evident Some perticuler errors in Mr. Robinsons booke of iustification of Separatiō laid open That no mā iustifying anie false vvay or anie one error though of ignorance can be saved The perverting of those vvords of our Saviour Christ Mat. 10. vvhen they persecute you in one Citie flee into another contrary to all the meaning of Christ plainly shevved What Godly Reader can without mourninge affections read the great destruction and overthrowe of Ierusalem ◠with the house and people of God Prophesied of by the Prophett Ieremyah And what hart is not much affected to see the exceeding great sorrowe of the Prophett when he uttereth the prophesie thereof and declareth the sinns of the people Ier. 9. And when al these thinges were come to passe according to the word of the Lord and that the Prophet saw it with his eies who could not yet sit downe and lament to heare the most greivous lamentations that he poures out for that so great desolation and destruction wherewith the Lord had destroyed and made desolate that his owne Citie House and people Lam. 1.2.3 chap. Nay they that gave no regard to the wordes of the Lord spoken by the Prophet concerning these thinges Ier. 37.2 Yet when they saw the prophesie accomplished thē deepe sorrowe tooke hold vpon them then the Elders of the Daughter Syon sate vpon the ground kept silence cast dust vpon their heades girded themselves with sackcloth the virgines of Ierusalem hanged downe their heades to rhe ground Lam. 2.10 And who so readeth cannot deny but their was iust cause of al this sorrowe and therefore wel might the Prophet say Behold see if there bee anie sorrowe like vnto my sorrowe Lam. 1 1◠And if it cannot bee denyed but that the hearing and seing of this prophesie of so great desolation fulfilled was iust cause of this so great sorrowe Where are then the eies and eares of men that might heare and see farr greater tribulations and desolations then these prophesied of by a greater Prophet then Ieremiah and even now fulfilled in the feirce wrath of iudgment by the most Highest and that in the sight of al men and yet who considers of it Or who takes vp a lamentation for it are mens hartes vtterly voyd of mourning affectons or are they destitute of vnderstanding in the cause off sorrowe or do men thinke the danger is past Surely one of these must needes be the cause or els mens hartes would abound with sorrowe and their eies would power out floodes of teares and they would vtter with their tongues and penns lamentations of great woe Now if it can bee shewed by the word of truth that deepe error of darknes doth possesse the two last that is those which through ignorance thinke in themselves there is no such cause of sorrowe and those that through ignorance do thinke that the danger is already past then the first that cannot mourne must needes fall vnder the sharpe censure of great hardnes off hart and incensible deadnes of all affections Wee in the humilitie off our soules confesse that this worke is too great for our abilities but our strength is off the Lord who is able to make vs sufficient for these thinges iff wee by faith in Christ depend vpon him the which our faith being so full off infidelitie it must needes followe that our strength is full of all weaknes which would beate vs to the ground for vndertakeing this or anie such worke off the Lord but that the Word off God compells vs. which commaundes vs strickly to shewe our selves faithfull in a little Mat. 25 19-30 From which ground by the grace off God wee have beene drawen to doe that little wee have formerly done and vndertake through the Lordes gracious assistance now to doe that wee shall doe beseeching and trusting off his mercie towardes vs herein that all the praise may bee given onely to the glorie of his name First then to shewe vnto them their error that through ignorance doe not see there is great cause off lamentation and woe we require them to turne their eares to the prophesie of that great Prophett Christ Jesus Mat. 24 4-28 and Luke 21 8-31 Where hee foretelleth that when men shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophete set in the Holy places then shall bee great tribulation such as was not from the begining off the Creation to this time nor shall bee And except those dayes should bee shortned there should no Flesh be saved Hath the like Prophesie ever bene heard off Or can there bee anie desolation like vnto this desolation Wherein no Flesh shall bee saved No from the begining off the World there hath not bene the like nor shall bee saith our Saviour Christ Who can remaine ignorant off these daies and times and what ignorance is it not to knowe that these are even the dayes and times here Prophesied off Have not warrs and rumors of wars beene heard off Hath not Nation risen against Nation and Realme against Realme Hath there not beene famines and pestilence and earth-quakes in divers places And have not manie beene offended and betrayed one an other and hated one another And have not manie false Prophets arisen Doth not our Saviour Christ say these are the begininges of sorrowe Now all these thinges being come to passe which are the begininges of sorrow it must needes bee that the dayes of the hight of sorrowe are now come And doe not men now see the abhomination of
it in that the whole cause depends thereon And wee repeat it vnto the King in these few words which shall never be disanulled or made void whilst the heavens and earth endure not because they are our words God forbid anie such arrogancie should possesse our harts but they shall never be made void neither shall anie ever be able to gain-say them with anie shew of truth because they are the words of the everlasting God of truth whereby wee shew vnto the King that the King cannot have that power in respect of Religion to God in the kingdome and over the house and Israell or people of Christ now that the Kings of Israell had in the old Testament or in the tune of the law The ground wee repeat vnto the King is this That the kingdome of Israell was an earthly or worldly kingdome an earthly or worldly Temple Tabernacle or house an earthly or worldly people and the King an earthly King who in and over all that kingdome Temple and people could require onely earthly obedience But the kingdome of Christ now is an heavenly kingdome not of this world his Temple Tabernacle or house an heavenly Temple Tabernacle or house his people a heavenly or spirituall people not of this world and the King Christ Iesus a heavenly spirituall King requiring spirituall obedience Therefore our lord the King can not as a King have anie power over this kingdome Temple Tabernacle house and People of God in respect of the Religion of God because our lord the King his kingdome is an earthly kingdome and to our lord the King belongs onely all earthly obedience service and duty which ought to suffice anie earthly man And the God of all Grace give our lord the King a gracious hart fully to be satisfied and contented with that great honor power and dignity that belongs vnto the King and to give glory and honor to God for it that it may go well with the King and his posterity for ever And the God of heaven deliver the King from all such enchanters of Egipt as shall perswade the King to take vpon him the power of the Kings of Israel over the Church of Christ onely for the setting vp and supporting of their High Priest hood with vrim and Thummim with Pompe and power and the Leviticall revenewes of Israell which they challeng and hold as apperteyning thervnto forceing the Kings people by cruelty to obey them as though with them onely remayned the oracles of God And now if they will shew anie manner of vprightnes vnto God or faithfulnes to the King or anie regard to Gods people let them not mainteyne their kingdome which they have obteyned of the King by deceit and flatteries as is prophesied Dan. 11.21 Let them not mainteyne it by the Kings sword and power but let them come furth with that sword and power whereof they glory so much and vse so little and mainteyne their names power cruelty with it and wee professe before God the whole hoast of heaven before our Lord the King and all his people that if they can prove evidently to our consciences by the holy word of God that wee may obey them in all their Canons and decrees and give them those names and titles without the everlasting destructiō of our soules and bodies in hell yea if they can but prove that wee ought to rest or depend vpon their iugdments vnderstandings in the exposition of anie one part of Gods word or that they have power to ordeyne and appoint anie one Ordinance or the manner of administring anie one Ordinance in the worship of God and Church of Christ wee profess vnto our lord the King wee will yeild them all the obedience they require But if they will prove these thinges onely by Conuotation Canons how can our lord the King require that the Kings servants should dishonor God by casting his holy truth away and with it the salvation of our soules and depend vpon their Canons and yeild them obedience and perish both in soules and bodies Wee have rather chosen thus to say downe our lives at the feet of our lord the King in presenting the cause into the Kings presence Saying with Ester If we perish we perish for coming thus boldly vncalled into the Kings presence but we will wait with hope and expectation that through the gracious worke of the lord the King will hold furth his golden rod that wee may live and not so onely but also that by the Kings meanes comfort and delivrance shall appeare vnto Israell And that our lord the King will say as that great King of Persia said Ezra 1.2 The lord God of heaven hath given me many Kingdomes of the earth and hath comaunded me to build him an house in Ierusalem who is he amongst you of all his people with whome his God is let him go to Ierusalem build the house of the lord God of Israell And as King Darius said Ezra 6.7.16 Suffer the worke of the house of God that the Israelites may build this house of God in his place that they may offer sweet odours vnto the God of heaven and pray for the Kings life and for his sonnes And as Artahshashte King of Persia said Ezra 7.23 what soever is by the comaundement of the God of heaven let it be done spedily for the house of the God of heaven for why should he be wroath against the Realme of the King and his children Thus beseeching the director of all harts to direct the Kings hart in these thinges wee continew praying for the King and his Sonne and the Kings Realmes and children That the King and his seed to Gods glory may sitt vpon the throne of Great Brittane whilst the earth endures possessing from God wisedome and Riches and Honor befitting the dignity of their high Renowne that they may walke in the waies of god that god according to his promisse may prolong their dayes And the Lord give all the Kings people faithfull vpright and honest harts that they may all with one hart as one man Feare God and Honor and obey the King with all the honor and obedience that hath or can be due to anie earthly King or Prince which is all earthly and worldly obedience with lands goods bodie and life And wee most humbly supplicate our Lord the King and all the honorable and worthy Gouernors vnder the King that they will not suffer them selves to be missed in judgment in condemning vs as movers of Sedition and our bookes for seditions bookes because wee differ from the recieved profession of Religion in the land but that they will according to that great gravity and wisedome that is vpon them wey what Sedition is and they will easly find that to professe and teach a differing judgment in Religion to the State cannot be proved Sedition for then had our Saviour Christ and all his Disciples bene found seditious persons which neuer could be proved against
wherein you are by great and marvelous signes and wonders as the spirit of God hath declared Revel 15. and 16. Chap. by the seaven Angels which powre out the seaven vialls of the wrath of God vpon the Earth But you must knowe that this is a spirituall Prophisie and al these are spiritual signes and wonders which the lord hath graciouslie promissed to shew vpon Babilon Egipt and Sodom spirituallie so called to the destruction and everlasting overthrowe of the Scarlet cullored Beast and the Woman that sits vpon him which woman is that great Citie Babilon and vpon all the people that come not furth at the call of his voice Revel 17.18 Chap. But take heed you bee not deceived by lookeing for their things with carnal eies as the Iewes did who looked for an earthlie King to deliver them so that whē their spiritual king came they knewe him not but hated him dispised him persecuted him killed him and cast him out and so remaine in transgression and vnder condemnatiō vnto this day by the iust iudgment of God Take heed least you do so in sueing after and seeking by earthlie meanes to be delivered out of your spiritual bondage and when the spirituall meanes and way is shewed you you contemne it dispise it hate it persecute it speake al manner of evil against it oppose it reiect it and condemne it and so remaine stil in your transgression and vnder the condemnatiō of the iust iudgment of God which the Lord hath pronounced against all those that come not furth of Babilon partaking thereby with hir in hir sinnes and so shal be made pertakers of hir plagues which plagues you cannot escape if you come not furth but beleeve those false Prophets that prophesie lyes vnto you Be not deceived by your good intents ād meanings and good desires whereof you are full Nor by your great affections of zeale wherewith you abound above al people that we knowe or have heard of that have anie knowledg of the Gospel wee speake not of the ignorant zealous Papists that go before you and all the earth that knowe the name of Iesus in these things which makes them thinke their estates most happie Take you heed least you bee also still hereby deceived Wee confesse these are excellent things if knowledg and faith go with them Furthermore your obedience vnto the second and great comaundement which is Love thy neighbour as thy self and al the particuler dueties thereof as Honor Parents do not comit adultery Kil steale beare false witnesse Covet nothinge that is thy neighbours In these excellent duties verie manie of you greatly abound and wee cannot but with great affections looke vpon you and love you for them yet knowe that manie Papists are nothinge behind you in these thinges Therefore let not these things deceive you as though you had all things because you have these You see it testified by our Saviour Christ that a man may have or do all these things and yet not follow Christ as is shewed in the example of that excellent Ruler whome Christ looked vpon and loved for those excellent things in him Mark 10.21 And therefore please not your selves so much in those things although wee acknowledg they are worthie of great comendations in you and our soules are much affected to you for them But iff you followe not Christ in the regeneration that is if you bee not borne againe of water of the Spirit so enter into the Kingdome off Heaven all is nothinge as you see by the example of this Ruler And Cornelius Act. 10. If he had not bene baptized with the holy ghost and with Water for all his praiers and almes he had not nor could not have entred into the Kingdome off Heaven Thus entered all the people off God of whose entrance the Scriptures give testimonie either by rule or example and therefore if there bee anie other entrance found out it is not nor cannot bee of God this onelie is the doore which Iesus Christ hath set open for all to enter in at that enter into his Kingdome Iohn 3.5 and the Lord sanctifie al your harts with grace that you may enter in thereby For no other way off salvation hath Christ appointed but that mē first beleeve and bee Baptized Mark 16.16 Thus have wee freely spoken the truth vnto you from our harts suspect vs not of the least contempt or dispite iff wee seene sharpe There are multitudes of you of that Puritane profession so called that knowe our love is most true and vnfained to you all and that wee cannot but love and reverence you and therefore wee cannot but the more seeke your reformation wish it and pray for it and wee will not give the Lord rest therein vntill hee heare vs that wee may see your salvation accomplished THe next false profession off Christ and false Prophets amongst you that wee will by Gods assistance speake of is that false profession and those false Prophets which are vsually called Brownists you are they that say you are Iewes but are none and have made your selves a name to bee the Seperation and are falsly so called but are not as through the helpe of our God we shal make it plaine by the Word of the Lord both to your owne consciences if you wil not alwaies resist the truth and also to the consciences of al others And this we will do by those grounds of truth which you acknowledg which you must be forced either to forsake or els be cōvinced by them And the first ground is this in your Booke called the Apologies the first part of your third position stands thus set downe A true visible Church is a Companie of people called and seperated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel And by this meanes that is by the word of God and by thus doeing that is seperating themselves from the world and ioyning together say you they are become a true visible Church Now to come to a full discoverie off your false profession off Christ Let it be observed that you confesse you were off the World before you seperated Which when you were then were you Enimies vnto Christ for Christ testifieth the World hates him Iohn 7.7 Then were you none off Christs for those that are Christs or off Christ are not of the world Ioh. 17 1◠and now to be come Christs you say you are called and seperated from the World by the word of God and ioined together by voluntarie profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship of the Gospel This is your constitution wherein you have erred as may plainlie appeare for when you were called and as you say seperated you should have ioined to Christ and have entred into his Kingdome which seing you have not done you are not seperated from the world nor have no fellowship in the Gospel Wee confesse the
hath so long bewitched you who lies in wait for you knowing that you cannot stand vpon these grounds but you must bee forced either to cast away your baptisme or els returne from whence you had it except you wil bee the most wilful blind people vpon the whole Earth that have anie knowledg off Christ of the which you give iust cause off iealousie Therefore in Gods feare take heed and perish not in your stifnecked perversnes To shew yet further that you are false Prophets and prophesie lies wee produce out of your Booke subscribed with general subscription your Apology Pag. 110. Where you gainsay Mr. Bilson for saying you affirme by consequence their Sacraments no Sacraments Church no Church To cleare your selves of this imputation you teach that wee must bee careful in al such causes alwaies to discerne and distinguish betwene a true Church a false Church and no church Betwene true Sacraments false Sacraments and no Sacraments Your proofe and example is Iudah a true Church The Ten Tribes of Israel a false Church The Philistimes and others the like no Church and so at this day the Turks and Pagans may be reputed no Churches The Romish Synagogue and al hir daughters false Churches The Christians which bee set in the true faith and order true Churches Thus you say the difference may bee put but you are al false Prophetts herein and teach lies these are but the devices of your owne harts these are your schoole distinctions where by you pervert the holie word of truth and we exhort all the people of God to take heed of you when you distinguish and when you bring your matters about with in a respect and in a duble respect not but that we hold it lawful to vse distinctions and to shew respects but because you vsually deceive thereby there is no truth off God so evident but with your distinctions and respects and twofold respects you wil pervert it and when you are not able with evidence off truth to mainteyne your false waies then your distinctions and respects must make it good whereby you insnare the simple and compasse them about as with a thick mist wherein they cannot see which way to go but are faine through hardnes of hart and infidelitie which are the causes of their ignorance and blindnes to give their harts to you to be led and you like deceiptful blind guides lead them into the pit as in this pecticuler in hand wherein if you bee overthrowne and discovered your whole cause is thus far destroyed as you are al yet once againe proved infidels and vnbeleevers And wee doubt not but by the gracious aid and helpe of our God we shal bee able by his word to convince you al herein without whose great helpe and aid wee in humilitie confesse we are not able to withstand such stronge and wise adversaries of his truth as you are who do exercise your selves to deceive our owne experiences and knowledg of you causeth vs thus to speake wee hope you do it ignorantlie or els there were no hope of your repentance and salvation To the point in hand wee say and prove by the word off God that you can in no ordinance of God distinguish or put difference by the warrant of Gods word betwixt false and none and your vaine distinction will hold onelie in worldlie things and you are carnall herein and sold vnder sinne blame vs not though wee reprove you sharplie for this because you have deceived your selves and the whole World hereby so far as your voices have sounded and you have and do daylie destroy the faith of manie Wee proceed to prove that you cannot by Gods word distinguish nor put difference betwixt false and nons in Gods ordinances and this the eternall word of truth doth shew Revel 2.2 Where the holie ghost speaking of false Appostles comends the Church off Ephesus for examining them which said they were Apostles but were none and were found lyars And vers 9. I knowe the blasphemy of them which say they are Iewes but are none but are the Synagogue off Sathan And Revel 3.9 The same words are vttered by the holie Ghost Thus doth the spirit of God teach vs that a false Church is no Church but a Synagogue of Sathan and false Appostles are no Appostles so then are false Sacraments no Sacraments and so false and none in Gods ordinaÌ„ces are al one and you cannot distinguish nor put difference betwixt them And for further manifestation of the truth hereof let vs referr the thinges that are of God to God and so shall it appeare to all but those that will not see that there is no difference nor distinction to bee made in Gods ordinances betwixt false and none as thus A true Church of Christ a false Church and no Church of Christ if now a false Church bee not no Church of Christ then it is a false Church of Christ so is there two sorts or kinds of Churches off Christ and so should Christ have two bodies a true bodie and a false bodie what blasphemie is this when thapostle saith there is but one bodie so likewise iff you say there is a true faith of Christ a false faith and no faith of Christ if a false faith and no faith bee not all one then there are two faiths of Christs a true faith and a false faith of Christ but Thapostle saith There is but one faith In like manner if you wil say as you doe that there is a true baptisme a false baptisme and no baptisme if a false baptisme and no Baptisme bee not al one then is there two baptismes but Thappostle saith there is but one baptisme and of all these there is but one as there is but one God and Father off al which is above all and rhrough all Ephes 4.4.5.6 Who if he were in you all you would submitt to this his truth and never open your mouthes more against it Cast away these your logical distinctions which are fit to distinguish betwixt a false houreglasse and no houre glasse and a false looking glasse and no looking glasse and not fitt to distinguish betwixt a false Baptisme and no Baptisme a false Church and no Church betwixt which the holie ghost admits of no distinction nor difference Wee conclude therefore with the word of truth against al these your deceitful distinctions and lying prophesies that a false Church is no Church of Christ at all for Christ haâ—h no false Church Therefore you holding EnglaÌ„d a false Church it is no Church of Christ and so your false Baptisme is no Baptiâ—me off Christ and so are you all infidels vnbelevers and false Christians that is no Christians and you are they that say you are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogues off Sathan And lett this suffice for the overthrowe of your most false and deceitfull distinction And whereas you bring for your proofe of a true Church a false Church and no Church
Iudah a falfe Church Iff therefore you hold or account England as Israell then must you hold aÌ„d account England a true Chur. for it is but your devisings to say Israell was a false Church and iff England bee as Israel a true Chur. then are al your sinnes exceeding great who have made such a seperation as you have And if you bee come from Babilon then looke the whole booke off God throughout and you shal find that no Babilonian circumcision could be admitted into the house of the Lord. And let all behold in the booke of the Revelation what the estate and condition off Babilon is and of al them that are in hir and how the voice off the Lord is come out of hir my people and if any shal worship the Beast his image receive his marke in his forehead or in his hand or receiveth the print of his name he shal drinke of the wine of the wrath of God Therefore there may nothinge bee reteyned that is brought from Babilon no marke nor print off name And will you bring the Print seale and name of your Christianitie from thence what vaile of darknes overspreads your harts herein you are deceived through the vaine ymaginations of your owne harts supposing that although you come out of Babilon yet you were not Babilonians but if you hold the assemblies of England Babilon as you declare you doe then except you can shew your genealogie that you with your vessel of baptisme which is your baptizing were brought from Ierusalem and out of the house of the Lord iff you cannot prove this which were duble follie to go about â—hen must you be conâ—ent to knowe your selves that you were Babilonians aÌ„d yet are in that your seale of Christianity is the seale of Babilon and so are you but Babilonian Christians and servants of the Beast bearing the beasts marke title and name in your foreheads And whereas you and all the rest of the false Prophets of your professioÌ„ do in flatterie aÌ„d dissimulation not knowing the misterie of Godlines affirme and acknowledg of the assemblies in England that there are thousands amoÌ„g them that truelie feare God alluding to the seaven thousand in Israell you make them beleeve thereby that they stand in the estate of grace and salvation so do you prophesie peace and salvaâ—ion where the lord prophesieth destruction for the Lord prophesieth that al that come not furth of Babilon shal be partakers of hir plagues and that whosoever yeilds anie obedience or braces anie marke of the Beast shal bee tormented with fire brimstone Reve. 14. but you prophesie that there are thousands in England which you acknowledg to be BabiloÌ„ who receives not the beasts marke and that are careful to keepe the comaundements off God and faith of Iesus and that truelie feare God if such bee not in the estate of salvation then no flesh is or can bee but this cannot be the estate of anie one in Babilon which if you vnderstood the misterie off Godlines you might easilie see for the bondage of Babilon is spiritual bondage and all that are in Babilon are in spiritual bondage aÌ„d none that are in spiritual bondage can bee in the estate of grace and salvation For all that are in the estate of grace and salvation must stand faâ— in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made them free and may not bee intangled with the yock of bondage Gal. 5.1 And where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3.17 Add vnto this that which is formerlie shewed that al that come not furth of Babilon must perish with Babilon Deceive not your selves therefore and flatter not them off England for there is no one person either of them or you we speake off persons of vnderstanding that are in the estate of grace or salvation or shal ever bee saved if you come not furth of Babilon and cast away the marke of the Beast wherewith you are al marked Revel 19.20.21 Wee exhort you all therefore that by grace in Christ you worke out your salvations with feare and trembling or els you perish from the highest to the lowest The King off Kings the Lord of Lords hath said it that Babilon shal bee destroyed withall that are found in hir Ier. 51.6 Revel 18.4 Wee wil now conclude with you putting you in remembrance that seeing no distinction nor differeÌ„ce can be made betwixt a false Church and no Church but they are both one For a false Church are they that say and make shewe they are a true Church but are not as false Apostles are they that say and make shewe they are Apostles and are not 2. Cor. 11.13 and false Iewes are they that say and make shewe they are jewes aÌ„d are not Re. 2 This your distinction being vtterlie overthrowne so as you shal never bee able to open your your mouthes to maintaine it But the simplest soule amongst you shal bee able to discover your deceit Your whole false building is at once fallen to the ground for a false Church being no Church then England being by you all adiudged to bee a false Church is no Church so is your baptisme brought out of no Church aÌ„d your false Baptisme is no Baptisme and thus shal the simplest amongst you bee able to say to you is our baptipsme that wee had in England a false baptisme then is it no baptisme then are we not Baptized and to this you shal never bee able to answere them although you should set your selves to vercaie Gods truth and their soules so likewise if you tell them that England is a false Church they shal say vnto you then is it no Church and you shal not knowe which way to contradict theÌ„ in that the scriptures do teach that a false Church is no Church as a false God is no God a false Christ no Christ a false Appostle no Appostle so is a false Ordinance no Ordinance off Christ a false Baptisme no Baptisme off Christ Thus wee doubt not but through the grace of God wee shall see by the brightnes of Christs coming that your darke deceitful waies wil be discovered to the simplest and you shal bee ashamed to speake of a false baptisme and to say it is partlie the true baptisme of Christ and partlie the baptisme of the Devil and so ioine Christ and Beelzebub together and make them partners in one baptisme Wee hope the feare off God wil teach you better wisedome â—hen thus still to blaspheme for the supporting of your kingdome off darknes And if you were not a stifnecked people aÌ„d of vncircuÌ„cised harts and races you would not thus long with contempt and violence have resisted the truth of God as you have done and do persecuting it with bitter envyings and raylings for the which the Lord may iustlie give you vp to hardnes of hart but the Lord in great mercie shew mercie vpon you al that do it ignoratlie we haveing from the word of the
be found fulfilled vpon the whole earth First the prophesie off Christ Mat 24. Off the Abhomination of desolation set in the holie place is not to bee seene the days of such great tribulation as was not from the begining of the world in which daies no flesh shal bee saved except they should bee shortned al flesh should bee condemned these daies are not yet heard of And the Prophesie off Daniel the Prophet 9.27 and 12.11 Who prophesied that the Sacrifices and the oblations shal cease and the daylie sacrifices shal bee taken away this Prophisie cannot yet bee come to passe if Rome bee beleevers in Christ and that their sacrifices and oblations bee the true sacrifices and oblations for Romes sacrifices ād oblations have never ceased and the Prophisie of thapostle 2. Thes 2. Who Prophesieth that there shal come a departing this prophesy is in no part fulfilled if Rome bee beleevers except it be fullfilled in them that have departed from Rome and then the Church off England and all the Presbitarie had need to looke to it who first departed But iff Rome and England and the Presbitarie and the Brownists bee al beleevers and of the faith of Iesus then hath there bene yet no departing from the faith but a great increasing far beyond the primitive times in that the scriptures no where shewe of whole Nations Kingdomes and Countries to bee of the faith off Iesus as now there is yea a great whole part of the world the like was never heard off nor Prophesied of iff all you bee beleevers as you either are all beleevers or al infidels for you are al of one faith ād baptisme But iff you bee beleevers there is no departing yet heard off neither is the man off sinne yet disclosed or reveiled nor exalted nor sits or hath sitten as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God there is no such prophesie yet come to passe And iff Rome bee al beleevers in Christ that prophesie Revel 11. Where it is prophesied that the people and kindreds and tongues and Gentils shall see the Corpes of the two witnesses of the Lord killed and lye in the streets of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome Egypt and that the inhabitants of the earth shal reioyce over them this prophesie cannot yet bee accomplished nor begun And if Rome bee beleevers then that prophesie of the first beast to whome is given a mouth to speake great thinges and blasphemies and to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and to whome power is given over every kindred and tongue and Nation so that all that dwell vpon the earth shal worship him And that Prophesie of the where that sits vpon many waters with whome have comitted fornication the Kings of the earth all the inhabitants of the earth are made drunck with the wyne of hir fornication All these prophesies ād manie moe cannot in anie measure bee fulfilled or begun iff the Church of Rome be beleevers and of the faith off Iesus And if these prophesies be not fulfilled nor begun then hath the misterie of iniquitie that began to worke in Thapostles daies to the exaltacion of the man off sinne givē ever working which were contrarie to the prophesie of Scripture and that may not bee Let Rome therefore and al that profession see and consider that al these prophesies of exaltations are fulfilled in that profession ād thus is their glorie their shame for they glorie in nothinge more then in their exaltation and great power aucthoritie and magnificencie of their Church and al that is true and thereby is this also true that all these prophesies are fulfilled in that their exaltation the which you of the Church of England and the whole Presbitarie confessing and protesting against them for the same you must needs hold them al infidels and vnbeleevers except you wil fal into great blasphemie and say that they are beleevers who execute the power of the man of sinne and cause the sacrifices and oblations to cease and to be taken away from the alter of the Lord so as there are no sacrifices offered vnto him Wil anie say that these are beleevers that take from the Lords alter his daylie sacrifices causing that none shal be offered vnto him if these be beleevers that vtterlie overthrowe the worship of the lord then can there be no infidels Further you cannot say the church of Rome are belevers except you wil say they are belevers that depart away frō the faith and are the ministers of the man sinne exalting a power above the power of God and setting vp this power the ministers whereof they are to sit as God in the Temple of God makeing shewe of that power that it is the power of God when it is the effectual working of Satā with al his power and signes ād lying wonders and they that are subiect in this power are such as the holy ghost testifieth receive not the love of the truth which beleve not the truth Cā you of the church of Englād ād you of the Presbitarie and you that are called Brownists that hold this Prophesie is fulfilled in that exaltation of the Romish profession can you hold these to be beleevers in Christ of whome the Lord saith they receive not the truth nor beleeve nor the truth but have pleasure in vnrighteousnes and exalted a power against God to bee worshipped as God wha◠wickednes and blasphemie is this to say these are Christians and beleevers in Christ Moreover you cannot say that the Romish Professors are beleevers except you wil say they are beleevers that set vp the first Beast and are the ministers off that power or Beast which Beast or Power hath 7. heads and 10. hornes and vpō his hornes 10. crownes and he is like a Leopard and his feet like a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon to whome the dragon gives his power throne authoritie all this doe they of that profession and not this onelie but they also worship the dragon which giveth power to the Beast they worship the Beast saying who is like the Beast who is able to feight with him and they being the ministers off this Beast or Power do in their ministration opē their mouthes to blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwel therein and by this Power they have made warr with the Saincts and overcome them Can you without great blasphemie against the holie one off Israel the most high God say that these are belevers in Christ Iesus and Christians That do these fearfull thinges seeking to destroy God and the faith of Iesus and all his Saincts that hold the faith of Iesus if you cannot say that they which do such thinges are beleevers and Christians then cannot you say that they of the Romish profession are beleevers or Christians but that they are infidels and vnbelevers seeing you confesse this Prophesie
diligentlie with your whole harts the law and statutes off the Lord that you may keepe them which lovâ— when you shal diligentlie aÌ„d faithfully search into through out you shal no where find it once mentioned that anie infants are to be Baptized and therefore it is but the meere vaine invention and tradition of men which who so followeth can never have favour nor acceptance with God because they make the Law off God of no authority Mark 7.13 In this great and waighty cause wee wil not through the grace of God burden you with manie grounds or arguments but lay downe before you some few things withall the plainnes and evidence of truth wherwith God shall make vs able And first wee pray al those whose harts God hath inclined to seeke his truth and who desire in vprightnes to walke in the light that they wil duelie consider what the CovenaÌ„t of the Gospel is and with whome it is made and thus hath the Lord set it downe This is the Covenant saith the Lord that I wil make with the house of Israel I wil put my law in their inward parts and write it in their â—aâ—ts and I wil bee their God and they shal bee my people Iere. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 And our Saviour Christ declares this more fullie Mark 16.16 Where he saith Go ye into al the World and preach the Gospel to everie Creature he that shal beleeve and be baptized shal bee saved Thus doth the Lord by his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel put and write his law in the harts of men according to the Parrable of the sower Mat 13.23 And they shal beleeve in him and bee Baptized Thus they shal be his people and he wil save them and so is he their God Here is the new Covenant set downe by the Holie ghost both on Gods behalf and on their behalf with whome it is made and here is it plainlie declared and expounded by Christ himself The Lord on his behalfe doth Covenant that he wil put and write his law in mens hâ—res by the power of his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel and he wil bee their God and save them and the Covenant on his peopls behalf which they are to keepe and performe is to beleeve the Gospel and bee Baptized Let al men now that have anie willingnes of hart to bee enformed by the word of God and whose harts are not wilfullie set to go on in their igno◠〈◊〉 â—old waies without trying their waies whether they bee of God or no let them wee say search examine and try by what shewe of truth it can possibly bee conceived that vnder or by this Covenant of the new Testament infants should be baptized where the Lord requires no such thinge in this Covenant of men to baptize their infants and if you wil but see and consider with wise and gracious harts how the Lord doth set downe the Covenant which he made with Abraham Gen. 17. You shal see with what evidence the Lord in mercie doth set it downe Thus saith the Lord to Abraham I wil establish my Covenant betweene thee and me thy seed after thee in their generation for an everlasting Covenant to bee God vnto thee and thy seed after the and I wil give to thee and to thy seed after thee all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I wil bee their God this is on the Lords behalf and saith the Lord This is the Covenant that thou and thy seed after thee shal kepe Let every man-child amonge you bee circumcised yee shal circumcise the foreskinne of your Flesh and every man-Child at eight days old aswel he that is borne in the house as he that is bought with monie this is the Covenant on Abrahams behalf and his seed Thus doth the lord declare in every perticuler his Covenant with his people aswel what he wil do for them as also what he requireth them to do in obedience to him aÌ„d here wee see God hath comaunded Abra aÌ„d his seed to circuÌ„cise al the males in their house And now this Covenant is disanulled and all the Ordinances thereof as is shewed Heb. 7.18 And the Lord saith he wil make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not like the old teaching vs that wee should not forme and frame it according to the old but that wee should receive it according to the new forme and frame wherein he delivers it vnder which Covenant the Lord doth not commaund or require of his people that they should Baptize all their houshold and infants both borne in their house and bought with monie according as vnder the old Covenant he commaunded that they should circumcise them How dare you then thus contend against the Lord and whereas he saith he wil make a new Covenant not according to the old you wil say and have it according to the old for you wil have it that according as infants were circumcised vnder the old Covenant so you will haue infants Baptized vnder the new is not this to set yourselves against the lord and to change his Covenant which he hath sealed with his blood and after your owne wils in what you thinke good to make it according to the old Covenant directly contrary to the Lords owne word aÌ„d saying and you have no way to mainteyne the baptizing of infants but by saying the new Covenant is according to the old and this is to say directly contrary to the saying of the Lord who is the Covenant maker and who saith in plaine words the new Covenant which I wil make with Israell shal not bee according to the old Here it is made evident to al that wil not resist the truth that your baptizing of infants is contrary to the new Covenant of the Lord. Thus do you to make your owne tradition good make the new Covenant like the old which the Lord saith is not like the old how can you possibly oppose the word of the lord more directly Furthermore the holy ghost by the Author vnto the Heb. Chap. 9. endeavoring by al evidence to prove that the new Covenant is not like the old sheweth that the old Testament or Covenant had a worldly Sanctuary and that the service of that Tabernacle onely stood in meates and drincks and divers washings and Carnall rites which purified the Flesh but purged not the Conscience and the holie Ghost sheweth there that the new Testament or Covenant hath not a worldlie Sanctuarie and that the service of that Tabernacle stands not in carnal rites which purge not the conscience but 〈◊〉 is a perfect Tabernacle the sacrifice where of doth purge the conscience from dead workes to serve the ljveing God Thus doth the scripture shew that the ordinances of the new are not according to the ordinances of the old and for this cause saith the holy ghost Christ is the Mediator of the new Testament that is because the new Testament or Covenant and Cabernacle
God and breake his comaundemeÌ„ts you al confesse with the Prophet Eze. 18.14.17 notwithstaÌ„ding these words in Exo. 20. That if a wicked man begett a sonne that seeth al his Fathers sinnes which he hath done feareth neither doth such like he shal surely live then must you grant that the infants of wicked parents that do not such like sinne as their pareÌ„ts do shal not dye Thus much to stop M. Ro. for the preseÌ„t in his speedy courses who runnes his race as though he were stronge and none could stay him but the lord and his word wil overthrowe him in these his waies if he repent not whose repentance we much disire to Gods glory and for his owne good And now let the covenaÌ„t of the lord staÌ„d firme and good against al the adversaries thereof which Covenant is they which beleve are baptized shal be saved the words whereof being spokeÌ„ by him that made it do with authority convince to the Consciences of all that will heare them that this Covenant is made onely with them that are beleeve and are baptized which is with them that of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4 12-16 And not they that are of the Flesh of Abraham there are saith thappostle Children of the Flesh and Children off the promisse but the Children of the promisse are counted for the seed Rom. 9.8 How ignorant and obstinate are men become whome no word of God can perswade but they wil have the Children off the Flesh to bee the Children off the promisse and the seed for they wil have the seed of the faithful that is al the Children begotten off their bodies to bee the Children of the promisse and the sead with whome the Covenant is made saying the Covenant is made with the faithful and their seed meaning all the Children begotten of the Flesh yet â—happostle faith the Children of the flesh are not the seed but thapostles testimony wil not serve the turne the Pope saith it is not so and the Bishops and Presbitary haveing learned it of the Pope say it is not so And thâ— Brownists haveing learned it of the Bishops say it is not so Here are manie witnesses and they have long and ancient custome and the fcuyt is faire to looke vpon and pleasant to the eie and mynd that infants are begotten and borne Christians the most wicked and prophane parents that are like this wel that they may bee accounted to beget Christians and that their Children may bee made members off the body off Christ when they are new borne the best men like this wel and the worst like it wel This pleaseth al Flesh in these parts of the world there was never anie one doctrine of Christ nor of thappostles that ever was so acceptable to all men it must needs be acceptable because so good a thinge is so easily come by what a geevious thinge would it bee if one might not bee a Christian and member of Christs body before they had learned Christ and to beleeve in him this would troble Children if they should bee forced to learne to knowe Christ before they could be admitted to bee his Disciples and to be Baptized and this would bee a great troble to parents that there Children should not be baptized before they had carefully brought them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord and this would bee a great burden to Bishops and Preists if they should have none admitted members of heir Church vntill by their diligent aÌ„d faichful preaching of the gospel they were brought to knowledg faith and repentaÌ„ce and to amend their lives and bee Baptized If these old doctrines of Christ and his Appostles should now bee put in practice it would troble and offend all the world being so contrary to al custome and Counsels and affections off men O crooked and foolish generation how long shal the Lord beare with you how long shal he suffer you wil you make the way broad and wide which he hath made strait and narrow wil you stil walke in the traditions of meÌ„ after the lusts of your owne harts and treade his statutes vnder your feet shal the long evil custome and false testimony of men agreable to your owne affections overthrowe the divine and true witnes of our Lord Christ and his Apostles Doth our Saviour Christ say that those with whome he hath made the new covenaÌ„t are they in whose mynds and harts he hath written his Law whome hee declares to bee those that beleeve and are baptized and wil you add vnto the Covenant of the Lord and say it is made with the faithful and their seed before they can beleeve and doth Thappostle say that the seed to whome the promisse is made are they which are off the faith of Abra aÌ„d not they that are of the flesh of AbrahaÌ„ and wil you say that they that are of the flesh of the faithful are the seed with whome the Covenant is made can you device in your harts more directly to oppose the Lord and falsefie his truth theÌ„ you do herein Wil you thus contend against the lord and dispite the Spirit of grace and trample vnder foote the blood of the new Testament and thinke that you shal escape much more punishmeÌ„t theÌ„ they that dispised Moses law deceive not your selves aÌ„d do not thinke that God careth not for these things and that he regardeth not the breach of his holy ordinances because he seemes to hold his peace in that he strikes you not with bodily iudgments but except you repeÌ„t he wil reprove you and set al these thinges in order before you and teare you in peeces when there shal be none that can deliver you Oh consider this aÌ„d forget not God what shal it profit you to have your infants washed with water and a few words whereby the name of the Lord is blasphemed and you perish for so prophaning his Ordinance the infant is never the better it shal not be saved thereby aÌ„d there is no such obedience required at your hands let the word off the Lord be your guid in these thinges and not the word of man nor long custome although it be in a thinge that is most pleasing to your carnal mynds Thus leaving to your remembrance that AbrahaÌ„s faith could not bring his Children vnder the CovenaÌ„t in that it did not bring Ismael nor anie one of his six sonnes that he had by Keturah his Wife vnder the Covenant Gen. 25. and therefore that is a most deceitful and false ground to say that they were circumcised because they were vnder the Covenant and that they are vnder the Covenant by Abrahams faith for then had al Abrahams bondmen and houshold bene vnder the Covenant and Ismael whome the Lord denyes to bee vnder the Covenant and yet he and they al were commaunded to bee circumcised This then is the ground of truth which cannot be gainsaied that al the males free and bond that were borne in Abrahams
off the Mone shal be as the light off the Sunne the light off the Sunn shal be seaven fold like the light of seaven days in the day that the lord wil bind vp the breach of his people heale the strooke of their wound And Esa 32.19 thou shalt not see a feirce people a people of dark speach that thou canst not perceive of a straing tongue that thou canst not vnderstand Al this teacheth the people of God to looke for plaine pathes to walke in which do shine with brightnes as also that the witnesses of the lord shal be a people that shal speake plainly to the vnderstanding of the simple therefore the Lords people must not walke in blind and secret wayes nor desert pathes which are not light and plaine nor be seduced by false Prophets and deceitful people that speake in their feirce heate dark and obscure thinges who are ful of deceitfull distinctions blind consequences and al turning of devices to deceive the simple saying loe here is Christ loe there is Christ of such our Saviour forewarnes his people that they beleeve them not although they shal shewe great signes and wonders but that they shal set their harts aÌ„d turne their eies vnto the cleare light of truth which is the everlasting gospel that the Angell flieing through the midst of heaven preached vnto them that dwel on the earth to every nation kindred tongue people Revel 14.6 This is the spirit off the Lords mouth wherewith he wil consume the man of sinne and abolish him by the brightnes of his comeing 2. Thes 2. By the ministery of the seaventh angel who when he hath poured out his viall their shall bee sounds lightnings thunders a great earthquake such as nevers was the great Citie shal be rent in three parts the Cities of the Nations shal fal that great Babilon shal come in remembrance before God hee shal give vnto hir the Cup of the wine of the feirenes of his wrath Rev. 16. Thus by the glorious light off the Gospell shall the misterye off iniquity be abolished And whereas our Saviour Christ saith that this his comeing shal bee as the lightning cometh out off the East and is seene into the west this makes it manifest vnto vs that the glorious overspreading off the gospel againe shal be as at the first General over all and that men shal seeke after and resort vnto the light of the truth of God as Eagles do to their pray according to the prophesie of Esa 60.4 Lift vp thyne eies round about and behold all these are gathered come to thee thy sonnes shal come from farr Esa 66.18 The Lord saith it will come that I shal gather all Nations and Tongues and they shal come and see my glory And the Lord by the Prophet Amos. 9.11 12. saith In that day wil I raise vp the Tabernacle of David that is fallen downe and close vp the breaches thereof will raise vp his ruins and I wil build it as in the dais of old and Esa 11.11.12 In the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people and he shal assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scatered of Iudah froÌ„ the fower corners of the world And herevnto agreeth the Prophesie Revel 19.17 Where the Angel that stands in the sunne cries with a lowd voice to al the foules that flye through the midst of heaven come gather your selves together to the supper of the great God and Revel 21. The Holy Spirit speaking of the glorious exaltation of the Holy Citie after the destruction off Babilon saith The Kings of Earth shall bring their glory and honor vnto it the glory and honor of the Gentils shal bee brought vnto it And this yet â—s the hope comfort of the Saincts of God that it shal come to passe that they which now come against Ierusalem shal go vp from yere to yere to worship the King the Lord of hoasts and to kepe the Feast of Tabernacles Zach. 14.16 Therefore saith the voice out of the Throne praise our God all yee his servants and ye that feare him both smale and great for the Lord that almightie God doth now raigne let vs bee glade and reioyce and give glory to him for the marriage off the lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hirself Revel 19.5.6.7 These words are faithful aÌ„d true which must shortly bee fulfilled blessed is hee that observeth the Words of the prophesie off the booke Revel 22.6.7 But woe woe woe then bee vnto all that doe not marke and observe them and faithfully and carefully keepe the Words off the Prophesie off this Booke But wee demaund in all these daies of tribulation which are such as never were nor ever shal be where shal the ignorant appeare iff in the daies of so great danger when there shal bee as there now is so manie false Prophets shewing such signes and wonders so as if it were possible they should deceive the very elect if in these daies the ignorant bee seduced through their ignorance shal they drinck of the Cup of the wine of Gods wrath The word of the Lord is perfect and plaine they shal al perish that are ignorant and are deceived because they receive not the love of the truth therefore God shal send them stronge delusions that they should beleeve lyes and bee damned 2. Thes 2. And it is iust with the Lord their ignorance being declared to be for want of the love of the truth Thus then is this ground off truth most evident aÌ„d plaine they that through grace in Christ receive the love off the truth they are the Elect of God and shal not bee deceived but shal bee saved But they that through the effectuall working of Sathan withal his signes and lying wonders receive not the love of truth they shal bee deceived and beleeve lyes and bee damned Moreover our Saviour Christ saith if the ignorant lead the ignorant they shal both fall into the pit Mat. 15.14 let al therefore take heed and learne to knowe the truth of God and to love it and to vnderstand his word themselves seeing the Lord hath comaunded them not to followe such as say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but to looke vnto the shyning light of truth whereof if they bee not able to iudg and deserne of themselves by the direction of Gods spirit they can never have faith nor assurance in the way they walke so shal they runne blindfold to destruction not knoweing whether they are sedd False prophets or true Prophets are al alike to them they being ignorant of the scriptures whereby they should examine them and find them out and try their doctrine such must needs bee carried away with every blast off vaine doctrine wheÌ„ they are not able to try the spirits whether they be of God these
seing they iustifie themselves in them and say they sinne not therefore their sinne remaineth and cannot bee taken away by Christ As for example You all iustifie the baptizing of infants now when you repent of all your sinnes of ignorance have you anie thoughts to repent of that and if you were asked would you not with your last breath iustify that you have done wel therein and that the baptizing off Infants is a holy ordinance of Christ but if it be no ordinance of Christ and that you sinne therein cā you be so simple as to imagine that this sinne shall come within your general repentance Wherein you blesse and iustifie your selves You can no more bee forgiven at Gods hands then they that ignorātly set vp a false Christ ād iustify him to be the true Christ or thē they that put the true Christ to death and iustify he is a false Christ We know your answere in this willbee that if you could see it to be your sinne to baptize infants and to mainteyne it to bee a holy ordinance off God you would repent of it but before you cannot wil not God answere you that when hee can see you repent he wil forgive you but before he cannot Ezek. 18.21.27 Wil not the Pope make the same answere for al the bloody persecutions wherewith he hath and doth persecute al Protestants so called Wil not the lord Bishop make this answere for all their wicked and cruel persecutions against the Puritanes ād Brownists so caled but shal they be pardoned they iustifying thēselves in al these wickednesses wherein they think they doe God service because they repent of al their sinnes of ignorance whereof they iustifie these to bee none wil God pardon thē in al this their wickednes because they cannot see it to be their sinne You al wil grant they cannot be pardoned of these sinnes they iustifying themselves therein neither can anie be pardoned of anie sinne they iustifying themselves therein If this were duely considered it would make men take heed what they professe or practice in the profession of Christ seeing if they professe or practice anie thinge that is not according to the word of God and iustifie it for good they must perish and cannot be saved it stands therefore al men vpon the peril of their soules to looke to their waies and to bee vpon a sure ground from Gods word what they condemne for evil or error ād what they mainteyne and iustifie for truth for if they that iustifie the wicked they that condemne the iust be an abhomination vnto the Lord. Pro. 17.15 Then they that iustifie error and wickednes and condemne truth and righteousnes calling light darknes darknes light such must needs bee an abhomination to the Lord. If al the learned Scribes and Pharisies and false Prophets in the world had harts to beleeve this and confesse it it would make them take heed what they iustified for truth ād what they condēned for error and how they taught others to do so If al the careles professors of Christ that professe him in word would beleeve this word of the lord to bee true it would make them looke more circumspectly to their waies and not thinke that anie profession of Christ is sufficient and that they may professe Christ after that manner that is best pleasing to their owne mynds makeing the way large that they may walke therein at liberty according to the vanity and excesse of their owne harts If the simple harted who in manie things are weyued from the world and who have manie zealous disires in them did faithfully beleeve the Lord herein that if they iustifie anie false waies vntruth or error and condemne anie way off light and truth their sinne remaineth they are an abhomination to the Lord if they did beleeve God herein it would make them take heed how they went on in their ignorant zeale being led by their Teachers approving and iustifying what they teach thē and disapproveing and condemning what they reach them to disaprove and condemne Forsakeing the teaching off Gods Spirit not thinking it possible for themselves to attayne to the vnderstanding off the Scriptures but by the teaching of their learned and good men as they falsely cal them but if they did beleeve this word off the Lord that they must perish if they iustifie anie one error or false way and condemne anie one truth it would make them with feare and trembling to seeke wisedome knowledg and vnderstanding of God that they being taught off God might bee able of themselves by the helpe of the holy Spirit the onely true Teacher and leader into all truth to discerne and iudg betwixt good and evil light and darknes truth and error least they relying vpon men be seduced and led to iustifie false waies and condemne the way of truth in anie perticuler and so fal vnder the iust iudgment off the Lord evē the iudgment of eternal death and condemnation a right recōpence of reward for al that wil of ignorant simplicity out of their good meanings ād zealous affectiōs falsly so called submit themselves to be led ād taught onely of men seeking for knowledg at their mouthes ād not wholly depēding vpō the scriptures for instruction and the spirit of God to teach thē the vnderstanding thereof neclecting of faith the reading and searching and meditating of the scriptures day and night and earnest praying without doubting that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisedome to direct thē to the true vnderstanding ād meaning of God in the Scriptures that they might be able if an Angell frō heaven should come and teach them anie other doctrine then Christ and his Apostles hath taught to iudg him accursed when this way shal be once truely learned ād faithfully practized of Gods people to attayne to true knowledg then shal all that seeke after Christ strive to enter into his kingdome by regeneration and new birth being borne againe of water the Holy Ghost then shal men learne to knowe the true baptisme of Christ which is the baptisme of repētāce for the remission off sinnes and be therewith Baptized and put on Christ and not satisfie themselves with childish baptisme in which baptisme they have not nor could not put on Christ and without which baptisme of repentance for the remissiō of sinnes they cannot put on Christ and then shal the elect of God not be deceived by the multitude of false Prophetts with al their lying wonders that say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but they shal take heed to the glorious brightnes of his coming which shal be in the shining light of his truth vnto the which the chosen of God shal flie ād come from far as Eagles to their pray And to this clere light of truth the Lord that hath bought you all with his blood raise vp your harts that you may seeke his face and be filled with the fulnes of his presence
themselves vtterly pervert the meaning off our Saviour Christ in these words and say he gave it for a rule to his disciples to teach theÌ„ to flee to save themselves from persecution and so by this their vnderstanding when the disciples of Christ had found a Citie of most safetie there they should hide theÌ„selves as these men do and let the publishing of the gospell alone except any would follow after them or come to them where they might be in safetie How doth the ignorant blind corrupt harts and tongues of these meÌ„ conceive and speake against God and his truth and pervert it to their owne destructioÌ„ overthrowing the whole doctrine aÌ„d meaning of Chr. in this place of Mat. 10. from 16. vers to the 39. vers where Christ withal the wisedome of the spirit doth set himselfe to teach his disciples to suffer persecution shewing them what persecutions they should suffer and what persecutors they should have and how far they should suffer persecution even to the loosing off their lives Thus doth our saviour Christ teach his disciples to suffer persecution exhorting them not to feare them that kil the body and declareing vnto them for their vnspeakable comfort his providence and protection over them telling theÌ„ that al the haires of their head are numbred in his sight And these deceivers they teach their disciples to flee persecutioÌ„ and persecutors and to spare and save theÌ„selves that it may not come so vnto them but when the worthy disciple of Christ Peter advised his maister so Christ bad him come behind mee Sathan thou art an offence vnto me and taught him saying If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe take vp his crosse follow me maâ—r 16. Iudg then what Christ wil say to these false prophets that are the disciples of the man of sinne supporting and preserving his Kingdome by this their doctrine for the disciples of Christ cannot glorify God and advance his truth better theÌ„ by suffering al manner of persecution for it and by witnessing it against the man of sinne with the blood of their testimony we must leave this point to Godly consideration It had bene much fitter we confesse to have bene part off a booke then such an addition and wee leave these men withal their disciples if they wil not be enformed here in to be a reproach to al men who shal say vnto them where have you learned to fle into forraine countries and not to suffer persecution for Christ of your owne countriemen where have you learned for feare of meÌ„ to flee from your owne countrie aÌ„d fathers houses to whome you ought and where you might best publish the gospel and where have you learned to drawe parents from children and children from parents to whoÌ„e they are especially bound to witnes Gods truth and to be as lights vnto theÌ„ You have not learned it of Christ who would not suffer him that had bene possessed when he prayed him that he might bee with him but Christ said vnto him Go thy way home to thy frends shewe them what great things the Lord hath done vnto the he went published theÌ„ Mark 5 18 Yea all men shal say vnto them where have you learned to set vp your light in secret plaees and where have you learned to pul your shoulder from the yock and to seeke to save your lives but therefore saith Christ surely you shal loose them except you repent Furthermore if Christ gave this for a rule or precept to his disciples to flee persecution to save themselves then was it an absolute comaundement and so did al thapostles and disciples of Christ breake his comaundement aÌ„d sinne in that they did not flee to save themselves alwaies when they were persecuted and hereby do these men condemne all their brethren that flee not as they do except they wil ad error to error aÌ„d affirme as some of them do that it is indifferent to flee or not to flee makeing hereby this precept of Christ indifferent to be obeyed or not to be obeyed which can not be affirmed of anie one precept of Christ for nothing can bee both comaunded and indifferent to bee obeyed or done and those words of Christ wil no way permit such indiffereÌ„ci for they are an absolute precept for that end for the which they are given which is not to flee to save themselves but to flee or go to another Citie to preach the gospel And we put these seducers in remembrance that our Saviour Christ gives this rule also vnto his disciples that if they shall enter into anie house or Citie that shal not receive them nor heare his word wheÌ„ they depart thence they shal shake of the dust of their feet for a witnes against that house or Citie But when wil these men according to this rule of Christ â—hake of the dust of their feet for a witnes against Amsterdam and Leyden which Cities neither receive them nor the word they bring otherwise then they receive Turks and Iewes and all sorts who come onely to seeke safety and profit It should seeme this rule of Christ apperteynes not to these meÌ„ but let them and al mense that this rule apperteynes to whomesoever the other apperteynes they being both given at one time and vpon one and the same occasion and to one and the same persons and when these great deceivers have learned not to devide Christ they wil learne also not to devide his precepts and ordinances takeing what is agreable to their corrupt mynds and forsakeing what is contrary to them We wil passe by the lamentable fruits and iudgmeÌ„ts that we have and doe see with our eies followes this damnable error when manie yea the most men that had in a great measure forsakeÌ„ the love of the world and began to be zealous of some good thinges being drawne by this opinion and these seducers into forreyne Countries not knowing which way to support their outward estate have turned againe vnto the world aÌ„d are fayne to hunt too and froo far aÌ„d neare after every occasion and al is too little to satisfie most of their wants and nothinge wil satisfie some of their disires al these thinges and manie mo these hirelings their shepherds can welbeare withall so that they returne to the hive that their portion may not be reproved And those of best hares and some of best quality that cannot runne aÌ„d rove and set their harts to seeke the world consume that they have and fal vnder hard conditions and by littel and littel loose their first love also It is the general iudgment we ayme at in al this in that by these meanes former zeale aÌ„d the best first beginings that were in these men do vanish fade away and come to nothinge to the vnfained greife of our sonles to see it how much better had it beene that they had given their lives for that truth they professe in their owne Countries Now as wee through the grace of God and by the warrant of his word as we have here manifested cast away these perverters of the holy scriptures and their doctrines so we wish al to do that feare God and seeke the glory of his name and come and lay downe their lives in their owne Countrie for Christ and his truth And let none thinke that we are altogether ignorant what building and war fare we take in hand and that wee have not sitt downe and in some measure throughly considered what the cost and danger may be and also let none thinke that wee are without sence and feeling of our owne inability to begin and our weaknes to endure to the end the weight and danger of such a worke but in al these thinges we hope and waite for wisedome and strength and helpe from the Lord Who is able to establish vs that we may stand and by weake meanes to confound mighty thinges 1. Cor. 1. Lett none therefore despise the day of smale thinges Zach. 4.10 Nor bee greived and say with that scorner Nehem. 4.24 What wil these weake Iewes doe Thus comending all our poore endeavors to the best acceptance of every wel disposed reader beseeching the Lord to make his grace to abound to you al for the glory of his name and the salvation of every one of your soules Amen