out one single Truth And then opposite to Truth and Reason are Falshood and Imagination We may evidently perceive that all things are Gods and that his Word is perfect and true for that speaks of every thing according to its Nature either in express Words or just Consequence though this is many times hidden and not discernable which belong to mankind from the greatest to the least except what may be known from our selves and the most common observation So all is but vain and deceitful Words which do not spring up nor may be gathered from this ground of Truth This is left as a standing Rule to try the Doctrines whether they be of men or no. And we may further know Truth by the Understanding which is given us for Truth if it be clearly apprehended hath a full conviction over the Heart and Conscience Notwithstanding the shifts and tricks the disputing and crafty eluding â—et there doth remain a firm perswasion in the mind which cannot be â—â—t off When the Spirit of the mind suggests to the man This is the verâ— Truth it is exceeding dangerous to resist or do despite to that to be â—â—â—bborn against or despise it to forget or be willingly Ignorant And hence we may learn to take a judgment and estimation of the Wisdom of man's Words fine Flourishes smooth Language or of notional unnecessary things which may delight a little but perish in the Reading there is nothing in them and it is all blown away as Chaff But more especially are we to take heed of the Leaven of the Pharisees which they mingle amongst and thereby corrupt the Bread of Life viz. their several kind of Glosses Distinctions and their own Inventions meer human Expositions and Traditions Many ignorant People give more regard to the Opinions and Sayings of such a Rabbi or Teacher than to what Christ the Prophets and Apostles speak or even what God himself speaketh by them Indeed there was at first appointed a Peculiar and distinct Office of Men to turn his People away from Iniquity Mal. 2. 6. and to turn them to Righteousness Dan. 12. 3. But instead thereof They strengthen the Hands of Evil-doers that None doth return from his Wickedness Jer. 23. 14. And either conceal or flatter them in Unrighteousness and sooth them up in the committing of those things of which God hath said The Soul that sinneth it shall dye Ezek. 18. 4. They are rather Men-pleasers and yet that is a sad way of pleasing men to lead them blindly on to eternal Misery then the Servants of Christ for as he taxed the Pharisees of old time so do these now reject the Commandment of God that they may keep in favour with the chief Princes of this Nation For Moses said Honour Mâ—rke 7. 10 11 12 13. thy Father and thy Mother and whosoever curseth Father or Mother let him dye the Death But ye will excuse and vindicate and justifie if the Children shall not only take away the Right and Inheritance of the Father but after they have taken Possession they proceed to Kill and Murder as carrying on unjust Wars is intentional Murder all along And this is that they may be profitted though the outward pretence is for the Protestant Religion against Popery Whereas if it were really so yet if ye had a right knowledge of the Glory and Work of the Lord The One is not to be advanced nor the other carried on by sinful means It is a wrong and contrary Method to build up Zion with Blood and Jerusalem with Iniquity Micah 3. 10. But our Priests and Prophets do not exhort them to do Right and Equity to their Father Making the Word of God of none effect through your own Expositions which ye have delivered and many such like things doye God is my Witness whom I serve in â—he Gospel of his Son and as I hope for any Mercy at his Hand I do here declare That what I have already and do now hereâ—â— is also out of a greater Zeal and Emulation for the Truth and â—xcellency of the pure Reformed Religiâ—â— which at this day â—eâ— under much Scandal and Reproach by falsification of an Oath and manifest Unrighteousness This Zeal of mine is according to Knowledge and the certain direction of God's written Word both of the Old and New Testament For we are not to use Oppression nor exercise Robbery nor oppress the Stranger wrongfully Ezek. 22. 29. See the next Verse I will be a swift Witness against the Strangers and against those that Oppress the Fatherless and that turn aside the Stranger from his Right Mal. 3. 5. We ought to give no occasion that the Way of Truth be evil spoken of We are to have our Conversation honest amongst the Gentiles and to walk as the Children of God without rebuke Recompence to no man Evil for Evil Be not overcome of Evil but overcome Evil with Good Rom. 12. 17. 21. as such is the design of the Law and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles If our Ways and our Doings are contrary God sees it and it displeased him that there was no judgment Isa 59. 15. And some one or more should appear forth publickly to testifie against this National Sin and Corruption What I have done herein was to clear a great point which is to manifest the Most perfect Holiness and Vprightness of God who doth not allow to do Evil that Good may come As God is Righteous in all his Ways and Holy in all his Works so according to his certain promise Judgment shall return unto Righteousness and all the Vpright in Heart shall follow it Psal 94. 15. So that it is not a matter of Indifferency what any one thinks or speaks or doth herein but we are to side with the King Immortal Invisible and only Wise God against this Transitory World the Folly Falshood and Corruption which are seen therein We ought to search and enquire diligently what is written and to speak and do as We that shall be judged by the Law of God in Scripture Not giving so much heed to them whom the Word saith and Experience confirmeth But ye are dâ—parted out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lords of Hosts Mal. 2. 8. whose assertion may soâ—â—er be believed than their own Vindication They may be more properly stiled followers of Mahomet than of Moses or Christ for these were faithful in all their House But they according to the Impostors Doctrine will call such a thing an especial Providence and Immediate Deliverance sent by God though the means by which it came to pass are against his express Word and written Revelation But what if some that handle the Law know not God shall this diminish from the Righteousness of God or take away from the Purity and Uprightness of his Law God forbid yea let God be true and every man a Lyar as it is written That thou
one another And though in these days of Wickedness and Ignorance there is such trusting in the Arm of Flesh and Children do rise up against their Parents to cause them to be put to Death and sanctifie it with a Fast and then again after the Turkish manner conclude of the Righteousness of their Cause by the Success and event thereof Or think to escape because they fulfill the Scriptures whereas Judas did the same But the same Word saith It would have been good for him if he had never been born We are not to be surprized or doubtful as to this for it was the Question of old time Wherefore doth the way of the wickâ—d Prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit Jer. 12. 1. 2. And they keep for a while what they obtain by lying Flatteries Dan. 11. 21. Dissimulation Carnal Policy and Wisdom But if these were detected the other would not stand and endure As may be gathered let him that readeth understand from what is spoken of in the Prophet Daniel It cast down the Truth to the Ground and it practised and prospered Dan. 8. 12. And then indeed Transgression may prevail and spread abroad But if Truth were not fallen in the Street and Equity could enter if Truth might once maintain its Ground and Righteousness take place if as soon as the Lord gave the Word great would be the company of those that published it Psal 68. 11. The next immediate consequence is Kings of Armies did flee apace Vers 12. And in a little process of Time it would be fulfilled all the World over for lo the Kings were assembled they passed by together they saw it and so they marvelled They were troubled and hasted away Fear took hold upon them there and Pain as of a Woman in Travail Psal 48. 4. 5. 6. And though now the Kings set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed yet his single Word and Truth if it had a free course and universal spreading would scatter them all As of old Time when the Lord looked into the Host of the Egytians through the Pillar of Fire and of the Cloud he troubled the Host of the Egyptians so it is now at this very day When he sends forth a Manifestation of his Word and displayes a Banner of Truth which is always done by some outward Instrument it doth cause Disturbance in the Minds of Men and is thought to break their Peace because it doth somewhat interrupt their security and ignorance in Sin It doth fill their Souls with fear and doubt and there is a worse restlesness within then Swords and Staves do cause among the multitude And this is but a flight and transient forerunner of that Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish which shall be upon those who are Contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Indeed such may be mad or foolish and inconsiderate but they can never be truly couragious unless they are stupefied and made blind by Drunkenness Pride Unbelief gross Ignorance And when this last a little wears off they are furnished with strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye They receive in false and mistake Notions or they are feared by the close hidden acts of Hypocrisie For they cannot endure to consider of throughly what is commanded That no man of whatever rank or degree go beyond and defraud his Brother muchless a Father in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such as we have also fore warned you and testified 1 Thes 4. 6. now this third time And they being upon the brink to appear before that God and as we are here told subject to Evils from the World to come It is a marvellous Policy and destructive Mischief so to beguile that they fall in before they took any care to prevent or were throughly put in mind and truly informed hereof It must be barbarous and a fiding with the Deceiver of mankind to contrive on set purpose to keep People ignorant and as they think for the better accomplishment of a present Design to suffer so many to fall into the future misery and to let them perish and be destroyed for want of the right knowledge of things A report and glimps of Eternity will more startle than the flashing and noise of Guns and the doubtful uncertainty of what kind of endless Life they are just entring upon will cause great Thought and searching of Heart which is more sensible than Wounds and Blows to the outward Man For it is at their Peril without foolish Jesting or meer outward Laughter or a proud contemptuous Smile if the Kings of the Earth and the Great Men and the Rich Men and the Chief Captains and the Mighty Men should not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ for such will hide and fear as much as they brave it out and seem resolute now But if they would indeed be preserved from the Wrath of the Lamb they must yield Obedience unto what He hath commanded in the Gospel Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. Render therefore to all their Dues Rom. 13. 7. All fair and honest means ought to be used first to prevent those mischievous effects of Bloodshed Poverty Sickness continual Fears which may terminate in temporal Desolation and eternal Destruction And even now these Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores are broke out they may yet be closed and bound up and mollified with Oyntment instead of the long severe and destructive Remedies And if men will not do according to the Will of God and of Christ take heed lest that also come upon you which is spoken of in the following Verse Your Country is desolate your Cities are burnt with Fire your Land strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate as overthrown by Strangers Isa 1. 7. When a Fire or Plague is begun People do endeavour to extinguish and stop it as soon as they can The drawn Sword may be put up in its Sheath and the grievousness of War might cease and as aforesaid Things should be done by way of just Treaty and prudent Accomodation I am for Peace but when I speak they are for War Nay They will do purposely and more violently against what is here said because These things are laid together by a small and despicable Person whose Spirit God hath stirred and raised him up as an Instrument to convey forth his Truth unto Men for I speak nothing of my self but from his Word only And therefore their Murmuring and Despising and Rebellion are against the Lord. This ought to be done by some one yea and by
Liturgy in the Exhortation before the Communion Therefore if any of you be a Blasphemer of God an hinderer or slanderer of his Word repent you of your Sins or else come not to that holy Table But because ye have the outward Administration thereof in your own Power and your Bishops Priests and Deacons are involved in and carried away with the same corruption They will nevertheless dispence the Holy Sacrament unto you though ye do still continue in and practice the same Sins But yet be ye assured and forewarned from the truth and determination of God that notwithstanding ye do still partake of the outward part or sign yet ye will be deprived of the thing signified thereby That is now of the true Grace and Spirit of God and hereafter to speak in plain terms ye will be excommunicated and shut out from Heaven And ye can no more enter there against his Decree and Will than now ye can flye up and of your own strength cause the Heavens to be opened to receive you God will not admit them there who would not suffer him to reign over them here on Earth by his Word and the Messengers appointed to publish and make it known who are necessary for the exercise and administration of his Kingdom and Dominion over Men. I speak to our Rulers judge ye in your selves How would any earthly King receive it to have his Ambassadors and Officers yea an inferiour Herald or Poste disturbed and interrupt and stopt in the execution of his business We are his Servants and must do according to what our great Lord and Master sends us and if any Injury is offered us he takes it upon himself and will punish according to Mark 12. 4 5 9. And if my self should be killed or scourged or persecuted from place to place whosoever shall presume to do it either secretly or openly God knows it all one they must also take what follows That upon you may come all the Righteous Blood shed upon the Earth Mat. 23. 35. The greatest Emperors Kings Princes and Potentates will find one higher than they The inferiour Judges Magistrates and Officers will meet with one whom they were as much bound to obey as their respective Masters Great swelling Words will be changed into doleful Cries and Lamentations Instead of domineering and insulting over those whom they had once Prisoners before them will succeed trembling at their presence and such will be strangely abashed to see them become their Judges God will arise and maintain his own Cause and the boldest Persecutors of them all shall at length find He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his Eye Zech. 2. 8. He had better run his own Finger into his own Eyes and bore them out rather than do those things to be cast into Hell-Fire This harsh but true expression may be further gathered from Mat. 18. 6 7 8 9. And though it is in a less degree of Reproach Slander or Reviling Curses or hard Speeches against the Person of such an one Surely men know not nor consider what they do herein Because for thy sake I have born Reproach Shame hath covered my Face I am become a Stranger unto my Brethren and an alient unto my Mother's Children For the Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up and the Reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Psal 69. 7 8 9. To speak against or evil of any one who doth not handle the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth commending himself to every man's Conscience in the fight of God and to recriminate upon the Instrument which conveys it forth because the Word convinces of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment This doth first manifest their own guilt and contrary practice and to reply against it is to reply against God Rom. 9. 20. It is answering again and disputing and a kind of blaspheming the Holy One of Israel For such are resolved not to do the thing and are so far from coming to Repentance and turning from their Iniquities that they harden and confirm themselves yet more in their sinful ways They will utter and speak hard things and the Workers of Iniquity boast themselves Psal 94. 4. see vers 20. And these are the hard Speeches which Vngodly Sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. This shews the exceeding sinfulness of Reproach which hath more or less aggravation according to the particular kind of * Jer. 18. 18. sayings which were invented and promoted by the Father of Lyes who is suffered to resist the Servants of God and doth it with an intent and purpose to make them as Lyars and through them to derogate from God's Glory and Truth that if possible the Word which goeth forth out of his Mouth should return to him void and not accomplish that which he pleases nor prosper in the thing whereto he sends it for to this tend the Devices and Wickedness of Satan the adversary of God's Kingdom But let those who have any reverence or fear of God take heed how they speak of him and his Truth which appears forth through his Servant for that indeed and not so much the outward Person is the Thing chiefly admired at I am as a Wonder in the new Translation it is Monster unto many but thou art my strong Refuge Psal 71. 7. For whether we be besides our selves it is to God 2 Cor. 5. 13. Christ himself had the imputation of Madness And when his Friends in the Marginal Reading it is Kinsmen heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said He is besides himself Mark 3. 21. The Scribes who understood a little more did blaspheme against the Holy Ghost because they said he hath an unclean Spirit Vers 30. And to say such an one is an But busiast or Fanatick in the plain and proper signification is to affirm He is possest with the Spirit of the Devil such as did reside amongst the Oracles of Old or in the Heathen Temples And therefore though it be a gentile and hasty Word People should be exceeding cautious on whom they affix it For we must expunge many places out of Scripture confirmed by experience if we deny the workings of God's Spirit in these dayes but it is subject unto keeps within the bounds of his Revelation And then if this or that Person should have the true Spirit of God and of Christ it would be the very same Blasphemy But if they have called the Master of the Houshold Belzebub much more will they call those of the Houshold We read again that Himself hath the same double Reproach cast on him And many of them said He hath a Devil and is mad why hear ye him John 10. 20. If we go back to the Old Testament we shall find somewhat to the same purpose The young man the Prophet was thus stiled by one of the Captains of the Host that were sitting Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee
2 Kings 9. 11. A short question and exactly agreeable to the Language of the proud men of these dayes Again we read of one who sent Letters unto all the People who are at Jerusalem and to Zepheniah the Son of Masaiah the Priest and to all the Priests to put them in mind whereas they were Officers in the House of the Lord for every man that is mad and maketh himself a Prophet that thou shouldst put him in Prison and in the Stocks Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anâ—thoth which maketh himself a Prophet to you Jer. 29. 25 26 27. But it may be afterwards seen in the following Verses what is pronounced on Shemaiah the Nehelamite because he thus taught Rebellion against the Lord. Again it is written The Prophet is a fool The Spiritual Man is mad for the multitude of thine Iniquity and the great Hatred Hos 9. 7. Here is added the very reason of throwing out such a false Reproach viz. Multitude of Iniquity and Great Hatred for sin when it is committed doth leave guilt behind And when it comes to be reproved and manifested that is stirred up And then there is Conviction Shame Fear and Anguish of Spirit all which are very troublesome and disquieting and thence doth arise an hatred and enmity against such who do this Office Saith our Lord and Saviour The World hateth me because I Testifie of it that the Works thereof are evil Joh. 7. 7. But they deserve more to be hated who do the evil then Christ who Testifieth of it Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall reproach you and cast out your Name as evil for the Son of Mans sake for doing so as we have him and them for an Example In the like manner did their Fathers unto the Prophets Luk. 6. 22. 23. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake Mat. 5. 10 11. for being faithful in that Ministry to which he hath called us Here it is most comprehensively expressed and extends unto all manner of evil and falshood which the utmost wit and malice of limited Creatures can invent and speak forth And therefore if such an one it of a sound mind and clear understanding I speak of my self and of the Things which I have written touching the King It is a contradiction and abominable lie to say he is non compos Mentis But yet a malicious and false imputation may be cast and endeavoured to be fastened on any one And also what is a little new or unusual or doth somewhat exceed common apprehension may seem to the vulgar sort yea and be called by them madness but this is so trivial that it is sufficient answer only to take notice of such an Ignorant Calumny I am liable to be represented as one of different Notions because of a different shape by reason of my personal Deformity and Lameness whereby I do vary somewhat from the rest of mankind But the Lord is the Maker of us all And he who fashioned me in the Womb and took me out of my Mother's Bowels might have so formed them who either have already or shall reproach me in this wise They are to remember that themselves also are in the Body subject to sickness from within to Hurt and Casualty from without I was not born so for mine own Sin nor for my Parents but that the Works of God should be madâ— manifest And it may be the more remembred I hope not for a Witness and Testimony against them that such an one came down to the place of the whole Assembly of this Nation with the Truth which God bad shewed unto his Servant and with his Staff in his Hand He had no other Gen. 32. 10. Weapon and would not have had that but he went Halting as did the Patriarke whose words are here made use off And this will be a further sign and token that they cannot pretend Ignorance of the man or his business in the day of Recapitulation of all things But the greater strangeness is imagined to be within me I have written the great things of thy Law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8. 12. said the Prophet in his time and within the compass of this year the like imputation hath been cast upon my particular Person for what I have brought out of the same Book of Scripture But to cause the Reproach offered by them to cease and to turn their own reproach upon them Dan. 11. 18. I will tell any one that thinks so where the strangeness of all lieth even in Mans Transgression Either the not observance of what is commanded or doing those things which are contrary to the Laws of God and Truth In Transgressing and Lying against the Lord and departing away from our God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the Heart words of falshood By not doing of Righteousness but forsaking the Ordinance of their God nor taking heed to the Ordinances of Justice It is Mens strange kind of actions which do draw and necessitate from my Tongue and Pen what may seem strange kind of expressions For I do only speak of them according to their very nature and as they are done But more especially when the Thoughts of their Heart come to be revealed and those secret imaginations are made known by that Word which is a discernes of the Thoughts and intents of the Heart there must be yet more strange kind of expressions odd pastages uncouth uncommon they know not what to make off or term them If one should mention how they fret themselves and are apt to curse their God and their King It would pass for an hard saying when all this is far worse in them that do it then in those who only take notice thereof in order to admonish them to stand in aw and Sin not All the strangeness is in themselves and accordingly the Spirit who searches all things and speaks the very Truth calls them strange Children Psal 144. 11. For nothing can be more strange then that Man should be Disobedient to his God that the Children which the Lord hath brought up should rebel against him But further they must be known and also spoken forth in order to the casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ When these Imaginations and Thoughts are clearly and truly brought out to publick view they quite fall to the Ground and never rise again I appeal to any one who knows Truth and can apprehend common sence that in the several things I have published to the World I have all along delivered my self in plain common obvious familiar and intelligible Expressions I have spoken
in the midst of us he will not do Iniquity Zeph. 3. 5. and we ought to suffer himself according to his own Gracious Promise to direct our Work if we sincerely intend it for him or otherwise it is damnable Hypocrisie in Truth Isa 61. 8. If we would indeed ride Prosperously It must be because of Truth and meekress and Righteousness For whosoever doth the Work of the Lord must do it only in the Good and right way which himself doth direct all along and chalk out in his Word And this doth strictly forbid all manner of Sin and falshood They also do no Iniquity they walk in his wayes thy Word is very pure Psal 119. 3. and vers 140. Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth John 17. 17. neither is the least evil to be done for the best end Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Job 13. 7. and to the same purpose is Rom. 3. 7. 8. Here I have not so much to do with the clamours of the Multitude but I ought to give an account to the Saints that are on the Earth and the true Servants and Worshippers of God who can better understand and judge of these things But ye know that every Scribe instructed in the Kingdom of God if he would be faithful in all his House ought to speak out all that 〈◊〉 is commanded and made known from the whole Scripture according to Deut. 18. 8. Psal 18. 22. Jer. 26. 2. Mat. 23. 20. and so ye ought to receive and give attendance unto all Deut. 27. â—â— Gods Word and to diminish nothing nor lose ought of it And then If ye mark diligently what is here and all along said ye will find that I speak not these Things as a man but both Law and Gospel say the very same I speak nothing of my self nor do I use meer Human Arguments but I make mention of Gods Righteousness even of thine only Psal 71. 16. And therefore I do use according to that disdâ—iâ—fâ—l term of Reproach such a farrago of Scriptures hodge podge as they are tagged together If the same imputation is endeavoured to be fastened on me as was on those Jer. 20. 7. Mat. 27. 63. 2. Cor. 6. 8. My answer is the same for I speak all along out of the Word of Truth and make use of the Armour of Righteousness on the right Hand and on the left Do not blame me but let the Prophet Ezekiel arise forth and answer for himself as one that would bring in Heathenism and destroy the true Worship of God for what he saith so emphatical in his seventeenth Chapter on behalf of the King of Babylon according to humane apprehension but in Truth he speaks for the Oath and Covenant of God In vers 15. the matter of fact is recited particularly which may in like manner be applyed by one who knows the exact series of the affairs of our Time and three Questions are asked in short which imply a strong Negative as it accordingly fell out so that they did not prosper nor yet escape who did such things nor were they delivered There was some mean time between the Prophets speaking this and it being accomplished Nay do ye not accuse him neither least your Murmurings are against the Spirit of God which spake by him Who for further Illustration and Confirmation of this point doth in several other places speak expresly against a false Oath And there was not to be any breach nor absolution from it for outward conveniency or temporal advantage as in case of the Gibeonites Jepthas Vow and what may be gathered from Judges 21. 5 7. concerning the Tribe of Ephraim And then further let People take heed of provoking God to Anger by limiting the Holy One of Israel as if Deliverance was begun already and must be accomplished by such an Instrument only for herein they speak without the Book of the Lord why what saith that Wilt not thou O God which hadst cast us off And thou O God which didst not go out with our Armies Give us help from Trouble for vain is the help of man Psal 60. 10 11. And so likewise false and sinful is our fear or if it were true and reasonable yet vain is the Opposition of Man For if things were done as they indeed ought only according to the Principles of Restitution and Justice the exact rules of Righteousness and Wisdom purely out of Obedience to God and the Word of his Grace we should be all safe under the Divine Providence and Protection so that we may be bold to do Righteous things and trust our God with the event of all Psal 4. 5. This is better and more safe than to venture upon evil and unlawful means and so subject themselves to present confusion and future Punishment for if such an one is restored to his civil Right he may see the Work of the Lord how Judgement is returned to Righteousness and hereby he may be brought over to the pure and uncorrupt Religion to which he may be the sooner won over by the honest dealing of the true and sincere Members thereof But if his Heart be to do Mischief Dan. 11. 27. and to practise Revenge and Cruelty there is a God above who according to his workings and methods of old may suffer his People for a while to be minished and brought low through Oppression Affliction and Sorrow He poureth contempt upon Princes yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction Psal 107. 39 40 41. It is said in the plural number and he may so over-rule it by a clear ordaining Providence pursuant to his revealed Word The Land shall be forsaken of both her Kings Isa 7. 16. And then also will this be found true so that we our selves glory in you in the Churches of God for your Patience and Faith in all your Persecutions and Tribulations that ye endure which is a manifest token of the Righteous Judgment of God that ye may be accounted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer seeing it is a Righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you 2. Thes 1. 4 5 6. so that admitting it should be thus Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints that they will rather choose affliction than to commit Sin and will not refrain from doing Righteous Things though they did know and were assured it would bring suffering on them for such indeed and none else will be accounted Worthy of the Kingdom of God for which they suffer But if Men will trust to the methods of their own Wisdom till they are run out and themselves are confounded and bafled And will either before or afterwards use some unlawful Means to preserve themselves from or get out of Persecution God will proceed to do a marvelous Work amongst this People even a marvelous Work and a Wonder that the Wisdom of these wise Men shall Perish and
How will your selves look Christ in the Face the great Preacher of Righteousness if ye should offend one of those little Ones that belongs to him And proceed in the same manner as those did who Slew him and hanged him on a Tree How will ye answer it before God the Judge of all And excuse your selves to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Who then will be without partiality and respect of Persons Who will not in the least savour of what belongs unto Men and also have a right knowledge of both sides the want whereof doth hinder the Saints on Earth from giving a righteous judgment But yet further your own self-conviction which is now stifled shall break forth And your own thoughts which now a little accuse you shall appear fully out and get the Dominion as before did the Thoughts of Iniquity and shall recoil upon your selves This know and be assured of in the mean while that the Persecuting Spirit is the Work of the Dragon who hath so long made War with them which keep the Commandments of God Rev. 12. 17. and Persecution or Prosecution of his Servants even as its first beginning to the last wicked act doth arise and continue from want of the true knowledge of God as is evident from these following places of his Word For Strangers are risen up against me and Oppressors seek after my Soul They have not set God before them Psal 54. 3. O God the Proud are risen against me and the Assemblies of Violent Men have sought after my Soul and have not set thee before them Psal 86. 14. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain Why so For the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11. 9. They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the Time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me Joh. 16. 2 3. Which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. He prayed for his Murderers Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. But â—ow men have no such excuse for their Sin neither will God hear nor are we allowed to pray but according to Truth Paul gives the Reason-why he who was a Persecutor obtained Mercy Because I did it ignorantly and in unbelief 1 Tim. 1. 13. which implies the contrary if it had been knowingly done And here again to be willingly ignorant and to make haste to shed Innocent Blood Isa 59. 7. because they hope to have this excuse for their Sin This is to seekdeep to hide their Counsel from the Lord Isa 29. 15. Shall not God search this our for he knoweth the secrets of the Heart Psal 44. 21. Or whatever pretence or vindication they may have before the world can they conceal from his Eyes before whom all things are naked and opened with whom we have to do Heb. 4. 13. and are to be judged by him only For it is a small thing or nothing to be accountable one to another But it is a further degree of Sin and Iniquity will bring on greater Guilt and Condemnation when People are not only contented not to obey the Laws and Truth of the Most high God but also as their Fathers did to the Prophets Persecute and Kill such who are appointed to make it known And all those who are even now for filling up the measure of their Fathers Have they not so much knowledge and reason to reflect for their own safety Do ye not think it would have been better for them if they had not touched God's Prophets and done his Anointed no harm My Authority and Commission for doing these things is as aforesaid from the 23d Chapter of Matthew and Vers 34. And also what I can make evident from the 14th Chapter of John and 17th Verse Even the Spirit of Truth which by some is hard to be rightly apprehended for the same Reason as the World cannot receive him because it seeth him not But yet they may conceive thus much What is that common sence and reason which is within themselves May it be felt or seen And is it not only to be Understood That Discourse and inferring of one thing from another is in order to bring out something that is Truth The pure acts of the mind may give a Light and glimmering to natural and reasonable Souls that there are higher and Spiritual things which shall shortly be revealed before us with open Face as these low and Earthly things are among which we now dwell I speak unto wise Men Judge ye of what I say The Truth which I speak that is my Commission And though it is not seen yet it may be sensibly felt and evidently perceived within your own Consciences I will put my Words in his Mouth Deut. 18. 18. Behold I have put my Words in thy Mouth Jer. 1. 9. and such Words only are a good and sufficient Commission of themselves God hath been pleased to try many of his Servants even unto the Death to see what they will endure for him and to let the wickedness of Men go on that he may behold what they will do against him For my part I know not what or when is determined with me but I trust on that God who gave me and all mankind Life and Breath Though my Faith may a little doubt it wâ—ll not altogether fail if I should be conformed to the Example of Christ or Isaiah to whom that particular Phrase was Behold my Servant whom I uphold Isa 42. 1. Yet both of them fell by the Hands of wicked Men. I have had the application of some Promises which encouraged me to this great Work but yet if I should be cut off in the midst of my dayes I do believe and am assured for I utterly renounce the persons of Men that seeing the thing is Government and Peace which must be laid on an Holy Righteous True and lasting Foundation to bring in Christs Kingdom and it is to Order it and to Establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even forever The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this Isa 9. 7. Now God doth send that into the Hearts of his Servants And it is an active Principle which will still reach forth where it can apprehend any thing more until it be firmly and throughly Established He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set Judgment in the Earth Isa 42. 4. That is the thing we go upon only And here if one simple weak and unworthy Instrument should be stopt and hindred or shut up and killâ—d I nothing question but as the Lord spake thus to me with a strong Hand and instâ—ucted me that I should not walk in the way of this People so
A Clear APOLOGY AND Just Defence OF Richard Stafford For Himself With a Rehearsal and further Explanation of what he hath done concerning National Affairs But truly I am full of Power by the Spirit of the Lord and of Judgment and of Might to declare unto Jacob his Transgression and to Israel his Sin Hear this I pray you ye Heads of the House of Jacob and Princes of the House of Israel that abhor Judgment and pervert all Equity They build up Zion with Blood and Jerusalem with Iniquity The Heads thereof judge for Reward and the Priests thereof teach for Hire and the Prophets thereof divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Micah 3. 8 9 10 11. But Judgment shall return unto Righteousness and all the Vpright in heart shall follow it Psal 94. 15. All the Words of my Mouth are in Righteousness there is nothing froward or perverse in them They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find Knowledge Prov. 8. 8 9. Printed in the Year 1690. TO THE READER A Preface may seem unusual and impertinent before an Apology But it is necessary to advertise the Reader somewhat before lest when he comes to see such serious Truth applied so exceeding close and forceably He be frightened quite away that he cannot endure to see what here is Published And there will arise a secret Prejudice why I should not seek out smooth Things and Soft Words as do others but the Land is not able to bear all these Words Why then doth the Land act and commit such Things which are here spoken of with more Peace and Gentleness than they are done Indeed I am naturally averse from tormenting the Minds of Men and also I do understand what becomes Education Civility and Custom of the world as do others But it being my Duty and Business according to the Grace and Knowledge intrusted with me to endeavour to turn People from Iniquity unto Righteousness I ought or otherwise I am not faithful in my Office to use the most cogent Arguments and to press them with the utmost force and power which I can The Words of the Wise are like Nails fastened by the Master of Assemblies so whoever doth not drive the Nail of Exhortation home to the very head and fasten it as much as he can on every side He doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully It is gross Ignorance and foolish Imagination to be frightened at Words for they do express Things which have been or are now transacting and passing on or shall be hereafter and these not the bare Picture and visible Representation of them we should indeed fear and endeaevour to avoid VVe think it better and more safe to read of a pitcht Battel a bloody Sea-fight a consuming Fire Plague or such like than to be in the midst thereof yea We would willingly know thereof and be shewed the way how we may keep out escape and prevent such evil things So likewise every one doth desire to hear and know of Good Things and how themselves may obtain and partake thereof It is the same yea more Danger and Loss to be willingly Ignorant of what is contained in the Word of God For as sure as things were first made are now upheld have their beginning and end increase and decrease and every Thing is according to its Nature and Kind and moves and goes on as we now see with our bodily Eyes we look upon and our Hands handle and we conceive in our minds so the same Word will be to every tittle fulfilled as we are warned and foretold of But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3. 7. It is the worst sort of Vngodliness not to like to receive God into their knowledge It is Rebellion which is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness which is as Iniquity and Idolatry to reject the Word of the Lord 1 Sam. 15. 23. as was said to Saul the King for even the Kings and Judges of the Earth do commit Rebellion against God We will here assert the Government of God over all Nations and Rulers come what will of it to my weak and frail Person as themselves must acknowledge cannot gain-say the same Nor yet do they well to be angry with one who is a Worm and no man a Reproach of men and despised of the People for as they are Reasonable Creatures Themselves would not have destruction come upon them at unawares and notwithstanding the secret excuse they have now every man in the deep of his Heart yet then they will think it hard but just to be condemned for what they knew not but might have known if they would If they will Still Despise and Wonder and Perish it is to themselves If they think such an one is mad only because he would prevent their own Misery then indeed their Eyes are darkened that they see not It happens here according to Christ's Method and Prediction that they which see not might see and they which see might be made Blind John 9. 39. Poor and Ignorant People do discern the Truth when it is hidden from the Wise and Prudent whom it most concerns In the latter dayes they shall consider it perfectly VVhen for Despising will be Anguish and sad Reflection for Stubbornness Pain and Misery VVhatever kind of reception these VVords shall meet with in the world The best Apology for them is their own Truth and Signification A Clear APOLOGY and Just Defence of Richard Stafford for himself c. THe Word Apology in common apprehension seems to presuppose fault or inferiority and doth often come by way of Excuse mitigation or begging Pardon Whereas the Compiler of these following Lines is not conscious to himself of any Crime or Offence he hath done to his own Nation And also as he stands in the rank of Creatures hâ— will not acknowledge so much of the other as the Pride of Man and Arrogancy of Tongues would imagine and speak forth But to get out from the Perplexity and Labyrinth of Words and Persons come we to Things and we would no otherwise consider the several Thoughts Words and Actions of mankind but with relation to them Indeed we cannot know as God knows for that we may take the more notice of it it is thrice asserted and repeated The Lord looketh from Heaven He beholdeth all the Sons of Men from the place of his Habitation he looketh upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth He fashioneth their Hearts alike He considereth all their Works Psal 33. 13 14 15. whether Good or Evil to Reward or Punish And give to every Man according to his Ways whose Heart thou knowest for thou even thou only knowest the Hearts of all the Children of Men 1 Kings 8. 39. This
Tongue and they boast of their understanding thereof But yet the Prophet saith peremptorily of his time when they had the same priviledges Therefore my Pâ—ople are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge Isa 5. 13. He doth elegantly hint of the sottish ignorance of former his own aâ—â—â—â—ccessive Generations Have ye not krown Have ye not heard Hath it not been 〈◊〉 you from the beginning Have ye not understood from the Foundations of the Earth Isa 40. 21. And then doth as it were point him out in the following verse It is He c. So it is said further down There is no knowledge of God in the Land Hos 4. 1. And what Paul witnesseth of his time Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame 1 Cor. 15. 34. The same is affirmed at this very day The chief and who call themselves the wise Men of this Nation in this they are found wanting They have not the knowledge of God This is the manner of the People of England that dwell carelesly that say in their Hearts We are and none besides us Here is a secret disowning of God above Or if they acknowledge him by a few acts of outward Worship yet they confine all to that But they have not to do with him in common actions and general course of their Life Here they conclude they are lest to themselves who is Lord over us some others will have respect unto God in little trivial concerns But for those of Greater Moment They do not take counsel of him that walk to go down into Egypt and have not asked at my Mouth Isa 30. 1 2. They have first invaded this Nation which occasioned and raised Wars in the Neighbouring Kingdoms But they did not seek out of the Book of the Lord whether such enterprises at first were just and lawful Why Ramoth in Gilead was ours before 1. Kings 22. 2. and under the subjection of the same King of this Nation And though now it be in danger to fall into the hands of the King of Syria yet they should have done well at the very beginning of all to have enquired at the Word of the Lord. verse 5. and then all this might have been prevented at the very first rise And now the Land is moved and divided and by reason of the sores thereof it shaketh yet it may be made up and healed by our God Now Vrim and Thummim are ceased neither have we Warrant for additional Immediate Revelation But God hath given us his standing Word in the Bible which was confirmed by Signs and Miracles and divers Giffts of the Holy Ghost whereby God himself did bear witness to it and did enact and confirm it as a Law and Direction to our fore-Fathers and to us their Children and to our Posterity for evermore He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and love Mercy Mic. 6. 8. By this way and method of Righteous and prudent accomodation Ireland might be sooner recovered and utterly disentangled from out of the hands of the French King then by all the Multitude of Men and Horses Ships and Carriages the several Instruments of Death and Cruelty all which only make a meer noise and outward shew but there is nothing more in it besides Destruction and Mischief But our Goâ—ernoâ—â—â—ate not Governed by the Law of the most High God and so they do not walk Humbly with him They do not consider that in the Thing wherein they deal Proudly he is above them they do not consult aright for his Glory nor will they obey him so far that he may direct their work in Truth They have set up Kings but not by me They have made Princes but I knew it not Hos 8. 4. which hath been particularly shewed with such Evidence and Demonstration of Divine Truth that the sinners resort only to their old accustomed method of stubbornness despising and bare contradiction but still it remains firm and unanswerable And this hath been already done in two distinct Sessions of Parliament in two short Printed Festimonies of Truth the first entituled a Supplemental Tract of Government c. bearing date Jan. 4. 1689 90. The second Things Plain and Weighty referred to the consideration of both Houses March 25. 1690. That peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established among us for all Generations For themselves 〈◊〉 â—ay in the same words in the place where they are assembled every morning before their solemn consultations and therefore it may seem strange unless an unseen Enemy did blind their Eyes and Hearts or hinder from discerning or turn them aside from the Truth that when God hath shewed them a way in his Word and left the means in their Power yet they did not go the right way to preserve make better and perpetuate the Government nor to Restore Peace nor make Wars to cease all which by the direction of Gods Word will be done to the end of time and to the ends of the Earth when they sball fear the Name of the Lord from the West Isa 59. 19. and other Nations will also do the same as they have from this understanding People a right example And further there is the Promise of God that future Generations shall * Psal 102. 28. â—ct â—2 5. Continue what we have happily begun It is only to order things and to establish them with Judgment and with Justice from hence forth even for ever To observe and do according to those Laws Rules and Directions which the Lord hath shewed and appointed in his Word and then there would be continued peace and firm settlement throughout these three Kingdoms which are united one to another and the like might be successively estaâ—lished throughout the whole Earth Let us â—â—â—e come and fix upon the sure Foundation of Righteousness But otherwise there will be confusion disturbance and unsetledness of Times with the manifold evils and Inconveniences thereof now in this place besides the Wrath of God which hereafter cometh upon the Children of Disobedience If People will go on still in their own Wayes and according to their own Thoughts this is Sin Iniquity and Transgression all which the Lord God of Recompences shall surely requite None calleth for Justice nor any pleadeth for Truth they trust in vanity and speak lies They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity they hath Cockatrice Eggs and See Isa 59. throughout weave the Spiders Web. He that eateth of their Eggs dieth and that which is crashed breaketh out into a Viper What is done by way of Violence Humour and Stubâ—ornness will recoyl with greater force and smart upon themselves notwithstanding they die as other men and we see nothing as yet to befall them Again sometimes it is here seen that what they would suppress doth rise up with greater strength and danger against them Or if with much subtlety and contrivance
forth the Words of Truth and Soberness though it is hard to express the mad and foolish Actions of mankind to the very Life and Reality and not to be reputed so ones self All those that fear God and those that have known his Testimonies Psal 119. 79. can also judge of these things And though what I have more lately done in opposing the High and Universal Corruption of this present Time hath met with Strife and Contention Sâ—ubbornness and despising all kinds of Reproach and contrary Usage yet the Reason of all is because People are Contentions and do not obey the Truth but obey Vnrighteousness Rom. 2. 8. They have made void God's Law Psal 119. 126. and his Commandments of none effect Therefore the Law is slacked and Judgment doth never go forth for the Wicked doth compass about the Righteous therefore wrong Judgment proceedeth Hab. 1. 4. For they have indeed acted contrary to what the Law commands and requires Nevertheless all knowing People may yet judge of whatever I have here said or in the two forecited Treatises concerning our Great National Sin and Transgression by this certain and infallible Rule of the Prophet That we might turn from our Iniquities and understand thy Truth Dan. 9. 13. Then it will appear unto them as clear and evident as the most plain and simple proposition now doth If People will not do this but go on still with all deceiveableness of Unrighteousness there is no Remedy but they shall perish Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had Pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thes 2. 10 11 12. All which Words are observable and very terrible To unfold the Mystery of Iniquity a little and somewhat to lay open the working of Satan with all deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness It will be necessary to observe with what kind of words he tempted our Parent in the first Transgression and hath all along and doth yet continually set himself against God's ways to keep up the mist of Ignorance and Unbellef to hold people in their Perplexity and Confusion of Disobedience and Transgression and he doth use all means to hinder men from coming to Repentance and the Knowledge of the Truth And as God would accomplish that by right Words so he doth endeavour to imitate in like things by tempring Mankind to do after their own Thoughts and after the Imaginations of their own Evil and Corrupt Heart And also his Emissaries go about subverting People with false corrupt and deceitful Words which are and may be published with Licence and Authority But the Inhabitants of his Earth are ashamed or afraid to receive the Truth of him who is Lord and Governour of the World who filleth all Places and all Things with his presence Poor Creatures Your Hour will quickly be at an end and the Power of Darkness will be suddenly gone off and then ye shall remember and discern which Master it was better to have served God or the World As the Man of Sin doth so mightily beat off People from the Scriptures because his own Ways and Corruption are so much condemned therein So do others at this day for the very same Reason put an opprobrious term upon the Language of the holy Ghost or it is not so gentile and fashionable nor agreeable with the Humor of the Age. They cry it out for impertinent and foolish yea there are an hundred kind of Surmises and like sayings whereby the Word of the Lord is made a Reproach to me and a Derision daily Jer 20. 8. They reject and will have none of it But what saith the answer of God unto them Hear O Earth Behold I will bring Evil on this People even the Fruit of their own Thoughts because they have not hearkened to my Words nor to my Law but rejected it Jer 6. 19. All their other Religion is vain their Worship and Devotion is to no purpose for it doth not please God Your burnt-Offerings are not acceptable nor your Sacrifices sweet unto me Vers 20. He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be abomination Prov. 28. 9. Even at this day and in this Nation The Wise Men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 9. It would be Nonsence and a Lye to say if one heard a Lawyer cite several express Acts of Parliament according to the very Sence and the plain and common Understanding of the same Words yet such an one did not argue to the Purpose for all is forreign and impertinent besides what is thence alledged And so our Great Lawmakers and Counsellors are very fond of theâ—â— own Constitutions to do all things exactly according to the form and direction thereof But they did not attend how in the late Revolution they did at once strike at all the Statute and common Laws of this Kingdom which are said to be vested in Scrinio Regis and also they did unhinge those very Laws which do give and adjust to themselves their own respective Honours and Estates and establish Property And therefore they should do well to lift the right Door again upon the Hinges This is Truth though is may seem a kind of Human Reasoning but yet doth shew how Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off and Equity cannot enter If our Proud Men think themselves too good to be Subjects and Jer. 13. 1â— Servants unto God yet whether they will or not they are his Creatures He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords There is no removing the Government off from his Shoulders nor getting themselves from under it as may and hath been done to the Son of Man And whosoever are so stout as not to mind Scripture God's revealed Law are at this time Transgressors against the same and shall be at the last day condemned by it This would be alike sensible if we had the same knowledge of him that is invisible and consideration of Futurity as we have now regard to our Kings and Governours after the Flesh and take care for the present time for as before intimated the Law of our God is written in a Book and may in like manner be understood as the Laws Customs and Manners of this or that Country we live in There are many Words in the World and none of them is without Signification for they have respect unto Things and what expresses things as they are the very Nature and Connexion of them together That is Truth Now because many of them are hidden afar off unseen and not heard it is the office of Reason to search them out and to bring them near by Probability and Witnesses So there may be many Words and a long course of Reasoning to bring
mightest be justified in thy Sayings and overcome when thou art judged We are sure that all Scripture came by Inspiration from God and therefore all is Truth what that saith And whatever the Practices of others are to keep their places or to make a gain of Godliness so called but rather Hypocrisie or procure and retain the favour of the great Ones yet such will be the greatest losers in the end for there is a real Truth and Signification in these Words Blessed are they that keep Judgment and He that doth Righteousness at all times Psal 106. 3. And though at this present short time There is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked to him that sweareth or he that feareth an Oath Yet it will be certainly better with those who have continued whole and stedfast in the Covenant of their God and have preserved a good Conscience in all things So it will be seen and experienced when of this and every day of our Life after years of discretion we shall be called to Account which will also extend to every Idle and false word that men do now speak The time place circumstances and aggravations of such wilful Sins and deliberate Acts of Disobedience will be manifested as they were day by day committed And then it will be no excuse to have justified the wicked for Reward or for fashion or because they had the greatest number of their side or out of any wrong or indirect Principle They act foolishly and are ignorant who flourish over and vindicate the Violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province for they may now Read and Understand that the Most Highest regardeth the Matter and there is Higher than they who will set things at right again That wo which is now denounced against them who call Evil good and Good evil shall at length terminate in execution and misery It is a sad Thing to consider that any People for profit and advantage for pride and pleasure to get or keep the good will of their superiour fellow Creatures should whilst they live do those things for which after Death they shall suffer punishment And they should be more careful fearful to humor and comply with a parcel of Dying Men whose Gifts perish with them and their Fury vanisheth into nothing then they are to please an Almighty Father and Everliving God Do ye think the Scripture saith in vain Trust in him at all times ye People pour out your Heart before him God is a Refuge for us Selah Surely Men of Low degree are Vanity and Men of High degree are a Lye To be laid in the Ballance they are altogether lighter then Vanity Trust not in Oppression and become not vain in Robbery If Riches increase set not your Heart upon them God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that Power belongeth unto God Also unto thee O Lord belongeth Mercy for thou rendrest to every Man according to his Work Psal 62. 8 9 10 11. God hath wisely established things for a Life of Tryal and an Obedience of Faith and to exercise our Trust on him He hath given us the Law and the Testimony and the Light that is in them to discern and know Good and Evil Truth and Falshood Right and Wrong Substance and Vanity And the Salvation which we expect from our God should always keep us in that stedfast purpose of mind as not to commit any deliberate Sin nor to continue in any known Transgression nor to practice Hypocrisie nor to leave Duty undone for to accomplish present things If men did not talk of it as a Word of Course but do really desire to get to Heaven as now they see the outside and they must certainly go off from this Earth then they must not do those things that lead a contrary way as that Word which reveals the invisible things within and the necessary means to obtain doth expresly declare It is no jesting matter but rather a sad sign that the Curse of God which is a fore-runner of his punishment is fallen upon people when they add Iniquity to their Iniquity and not come into thy Righteousness Psal 69. 27. For the next thing which succeeds is to be blottâ—d out of the Book of the living and not be written with the Righteous Vers 28. and that is ten thousand times worse then to lose their Lives Liberties and Estates And whereas it is further surmised our pure Reformed Religion is more dear and that would be endangered It is here deliberately and advisedly affirmed That the Doctrines and Practices of these corrupt Times are more dangerous and prejudicial to Souls than all the Errors and Superstiâ—ions of Popery for that same Word which instructs in the way of Salvation and makes known what is the pure and undefiled Religion before God doth speak much more against Perjury Lying Unrighteousness Disobedience to Parents Revenge false Accusation Hipocrisie and an Hypocritical Nation and such like then it doth against Idolatry Superstition and false Worship But the Will of God is which we must also do if we would be saved that we abstain from them all Thou declarest upon Oath that the Pope cannot depose Heretical Princes and that neither he nor any Person whatsoever hath Power to absolve thee of this Oath or any part thereof but what if God should judge that Protestant Lay-men cannot absolve subjects from their Oath and Allegiance to a Popish King In Truth neither can one do it nor yet the other The same God who commands that we keep from Idols doth likewise enjoyn that we do no wrong and that we abstain from all appearance of evil It is both folly and Wickedness to run from one unlawful extream to another and God will shew and manifest that there is no necessity to proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the Lord Jer. 9. 3. It is impertinent and irk some to explain things so every particularly but People are dull of apprehension fears and jealousies are endless and more especially a consciousness of guilt and wrong is not easily satisfied for it hopes to have this excuse for their Sin a surmise of Danger and they venture upon these doubtful things to make more sure against it for so they call such things which are as evidently a breach of the Law as Adultery and Fornication are against the seventh Commandment and are more certainly Sins then Drunkenness is one as themselves may know for compare their Actions with the Law and their own Thoughts will accuse them When the Soul hath departed from the Law of the most High she seeks out for this or that Imagination to pacifie but it cannot satisfie the grumblings with in at this present time and which she vainly and falsly hopes will save harmless as to the future But notwithstanding all the Deceiveableness of Vnrighteousness strong Delusions and human Allegations Yet Gods Glory is not nor can be advanced by sinful means For The just Lord is
they shall justly suffer as Evil-doers Then they will wish they had done otherwise when it is too late for such Repentance is the same with that of Judas or Esau and the damned in Hell who when they come to be fully sensible of what they have lost and are to suffer then only they would have done otherwise when before they were proved the same thing but did it not It would be looked upon as vain Arrogancy and Proud Boasting if I should repeat at length and apply what is written and afferted thrice Psal 119. 98 99 100. Yet it is thankfulness to God the given to speak out and acknowledge the same and also it is a benefit and instruction Eccles 9. 15. 16. to others to assign the very reason how such an one came to that Wisdom and Understanding And likewise great heed is to be taken all along that this is confined within the bounds of God's Law I am doubtful whether I shall not Transgress my Commission to insert one Human saying Inter detiria senum et prejudicia juvenum cadit Respublica but sometimes we are allowed to speak the words of Man's Wisdom 1 Kings 12. 8. and common observation And notwithstanding the contempt prejudice and disdain which may arise against me because of my Youth 1 Sam. 17. 28 29. 1. Tim. 4. 12. and seeming forwardness I will add this yet further and do here take Liberty to make a publick and solemn Protestation that according to the Grace Knowledge God shall be pleased to continue and further endue me withal I will as soon stand in the gap to prevent the coming in and overflowing of Popery with my Life Liberty and younger Brothers Portion as now I expose them all against falshood and unrighteousness If at any time either now or hereafter I should recede and draw back from this deliberate Resolution of mine here made then let me be made an object of the utmost fury of the Multitude I would undergo all Ravilliacs Torments and quietly submit to the most cruel and lingring death that ever yet man endured since the World began This is here published and recordâ—â— to stand against and be executed upon me and that it may be done with me according to mine own words I am as it were necessitated to use this confidence of Boasting for it hath been surmised against me as if I plead for Baal and his false Worshippers that I have displayed a banner for Antichrist in this Kingdom and that I am a Minister of Satan transformed into a Minister of Righteousness which last is more supposed of me because I do discover Iniquity to turn away our Captivity Lam. 2. 14. and that other threatning manifested under the Gospel And also in order to turn away Iniquity from Jacob it is necessary to lay open the full aggravation and sinfulness of Sin and also to cite the Scriptures but for doing these things I am thought to be like him that accuses our Brethren before God day and night Rom. 11. 2. 3. But then this charge must also fall upon Elias and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and all faithful Teachers down ever since and at this day for they according to their Duty and Office did the very same We cannot inform God of any thing nor make the Sins of Men known unto him nor recorded before him for he knows much more himself The Sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and Graven with a point of a Diamond though no mortal Man did in the least Speak or Write thereof But our God commands that they be shewed and told thereof in order to which it is necessary to do both We have no way to convince of Sin and turn unto Righteousness but by the Scriptures And when the Devil quotes them as we read that once he did he leaves out the material Words To keep thee in all thy Wayes which is in Psal 91. 11. but quite omitted Mat. 4. 6. and in Luke 4. 10. to keep thee is added but the last Words are again omitted So that the Allegation is the more subtle and fallacious But our Lord did confront Scripture to Scripture and let this be shewed and done by my Adversaries and not think it sufficient barely to object the same against me Let the Learned but Vnstable of our days shew where the Scriptures have been any where wrested for there have been cited those places which are easie to be understood according to the plain and common signification But when there is a Comment added to hinder from coming into the way of Righteousness then this Imputation will truly fall back upon themselves as God will judge and determine at last the now they justifie themselves before Men and have the fashion and multitude on their side If Satan doth once cite Scripture not in generals or by halfs but particularly and fully to turn People from Iniquity unto Righteousness then He doth rise up against himself and is divided He cannot stand and hath an end And if my self have done that under all as I can think of the principal heads of â—ood and Evil as may be seen in the Book of Happiness c. to which I have prefixed my Name then it may be judged whether I am a true Minister of Righteousness tho' by the Impositions and Restraints of Men I am as yet debarred from the publick and outward Administration of that Office by reason of contradictory Oaths and to me doubtful Subscriptions And if my self have wrote against Popery more than my Equals as may be seen in the above-cited Book page 75 120 121 160 190 212 243 253 411 460 461 462 487 586 618 691 700. And yet am a Papist then also Popery is divided against it self and that hath an end and cannot stand I shall never be able to do any thing to advance the Cause but subject my self to present shame eternal confusion If I do once speak or act contradictory to mine own printed words in the least considerable instance then I am a Lyar Deceiver false Prophet Traytour heady and high-minded and then I may be justly and safely proceeded against as such That Book was indeed compiled in the late King's Reign but came out of the Press after his departure And there is one single page therein viz. the hundred sixty second which if he had been put in mind of and throughly observed the Truth contained therein would have preserved him in his Throne to this day and the enemies of our reformed Church had got no advantage over us And also that Sin Disturbance Confusion the bloody doubful events of War might have been prevented which we have been since involved in If I have spoken the Truth it ought to be believed and received if I am all along consonant and agreeable to my self which others may examine as strictly as they will then it is Truth And if my only drift and design is to teach transgressors thy
wayes and that Sinners may be converted unto God then the Truth of God is come unto you Though according to the Divine Method it may spring up from an obscure press and compiler and remain for some time hidden and concealed from the World for People are ashamed of such Words in an adulterous and sinful Generation and they hate the Light neither come they to the Light lest their deeds should be reproved The Light shineth in Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not John 1. 5. It doth not see and perceive and also it is afraid and shrinks thereat And also there is the whole Truth spoken out without fear and respect of Persons and without favour of and siding with any Sect or party and also the time is come when they will not endure sound Doctrine for these and such like Reasons only it hath been universally rejected and not received I have all my Life time kept constant Communion with the Church of England and have daily frequented its publike Worship as I have opportunity and do at least thrice in the Year receive the Holy Sacrament according to the appointed Institution I have been also some few times since the Established Liberty at the Congregations of Protestant Dissenters and herein I do act pursuaâ—t to that Truth Manifested in the fifth Chapter of my afore-cited Book under the head of different communions But I did never in the least joyn with the Popish way of Worship nor did ever so much as see it which I have had the curiosity only to incline me so far but I thought even that to be a sin and unlawful because of their Superstition and Image Worship and therefore I did utterly refrain I do desire and would endeavour after a Greater degree of purity and reformation even in our established Church for it should be yet more freed from the Ordinances and Commandments of men Though I do withal consider that the Restorer of Paths to dwell in Isa 58. 12. is only to take away that rubbish and corruption which hath so long laid in them that they may be smooth right and plain as they were at first and they are to remain the very same for we are to come up again to the old Paths where is the good way Jer. 6. 16. The Wall is in no wise to be removed nor yet the Foundations altered but the old waste places are to be builded and they are to be raised up and the breach is to be repaired and all is to be done in the very same place We would not willingly bring a Scandal or Odium or Dishonour them in the sight of their several Congregations but yet the Sons of Levi are to be purified that they may offer unto the Lord an Offering in Righteousness and that they might be the same as in the dayes of Old and in former Years when they did Teach Jacob thy Judgements and Israel thy Law and the Lord did accept the work of their Hands When they did walk before him in Peace and Equity and did turn many away from Iniquity And now the fault is only in themselves for why should they do those things as to be contemptible and base before the People As their office is to admonish the People of their Sin and Errour so God in his abundant Care and Provision for his Church hath all along instructed and raised up others who were not of the Levitical Priesthood to do the like unto them also It seems to be Ignorance or Interest that People are so over zealous for and confined within a particular Church or such a Congregation whereas we should acknowledge and answer to no other Name than that of a Christian not according to the common notions thereof but as it is written in the Word of God by living according to all the Rules and directions there And then we might all agree to the same manner and meet at the same place of Worship A summary of the proceeding Discourse Both the secret Thought and open accusation of the World are affixed on Me for Publishing such Words unto them This man seeketh not the welfare of this People but the hurt Jer. 38. 4. He that conquers Kingdoms and enlarges Territories is reputed a Great Instrument of Mens Happiness though it is accomplished with the Price of Blood and by unlawful means and the utmost hereof is a shadow only of Good which just passeth by and is gone for ever But they are the only unacceptable Persons to the World who instruct People how they must live and do that they may be saved and lead them into the right way that they may live as Peaceably and comfortably here as can be well desired in this World and at last be Happy and Blessed throughout all eternity Men need not be in the least scrupulous and fearful as to this present time for these Words if understood aright would prevent that further effusion of Blood in our neighbour Nations And one Mans Life if he knew how rightly to esteem it is more valuable to himself than two Kings and their Kingdoms They according as is was long since foretold of them 1 Sam. 8. do turn their Subjects into Servants and make use of the lower sort of People for their Wars but they have not so learned of Christ for of him it is written He shall spare the Poor and needy and shall save the Souls of the needy He shall redeem their Soul from Deceit and Violence and precious shall their Blood be in his sight Psal 72. 13 14. The same eternal Word and Truth would put a stop to the further impoverishment which is likely to fall on our own Nation through continued taxes and charge which would some what take off from the Oppressi-of the Poor and the sighing of the Needy for that is drained out which should carry on Trade and Commerce The Spirit of God doth take notice of such things as may be seen Isa 23. 18. And then the Seas might be set open again that People may follow their lawful Merchandize with less fear and Danger And then again the like Way and Method may be found out to restore unto all Natiâ—ns Vnity Peace and Concord which we pray for as a Blessing so we should likewise endeavour after out of a mind to the publick good That there be no breaking in nor going out That there be no complaining in our Streets Psal 144. 14. Which would be in Deed and in Truth accomplished If as they do already own and profess him so the Kings and Princes and Lords and Counsellers and Pastors and Teachers of all sorts would obey the Lord our God and do according to all his Laws and Statutes If they do not their Sin will find them out severally and as they are joyned together in a community for the time draws near when He will fulfil his Word for the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall Perish Yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Isa
60. 12. The Lord executeth Righteousness and Judgment for all that are oppressed Psal 103. 6. How is this true for many are oppressed throughout their Life and dye so But it is to be understood from the words following He made known his ways unto Moses Vers 7. He hath commanded and shewed in his Word how it should be done And if People will not do it freely and willingly we his Servants have no more to say but we leave it to God himself to perform fulfil and execute his Word They may believe and tremble that the same Almighty God who spake the World into Being and commanded his Word to a thousand Generations will also give forth the executive Sentence And I will punish the World for their evil and the Wicked for their Iniquity and I will cause the A rogancy of the Prondro cease and will lay low the Haughtiness of the Terrible Isa 13. 11. which last hath been already fulfilled in foregoing Generations and there is a fearful expectation of the other The like doth haste to be accomplished and determined upon the present Generation unless they agree with their Adversary quickly whilst they are now in the way Consider of it seriously Had ye rather die in your Sins and utterly Perish in your own corruption then be told thereof and be put in a way how you may escape Now it is high time to look about your selves for now ye are nearer to Death and Immortality then ever ye were yet and so ye approach nearer from Day to Day till one drop away after another into the future state And then do appear forth the things contained in Scripture out of which I have spoken all along and are manifested to our separated Spirits all one as the Things we now here in the Flesh do see handle and converse withal God will take care that what he hath said shall come to pass And those who are now so stout and disdainful to value his Words as an empty sound or a dead impertinent letter which may be laid aside and not minded suppose there is not much more in it then waste Paper with some impressions of Ink Or if it is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged Sword then out of the Spirit of opposition and revenge they may do as Jehudi did Jer. 36. 23. Cut it with a Pen-Knife or cast it into the Fire or some other way embezil and lose it such People may at length find and be sensible of an hideous lamentation in themselves and that it is become a Savour of Death unto Death As the words in a statute Book do now cause several te suffer loss of Liberty Life or Member and other wayes of punishment and that aforementioned is as silly a device as for a guilty offender to tear the Record or Statute by which he is to be judged for this doth only argue a greater contempt and provocation to God who did send forth his Word to bring them to Repentance that he might forgive Jer. 36. 3. and Pardon them And it remains still the same in the purpose and determination and Book of the Lord From Scripture all that is truly inferred will be in like manner fulfilled Let there go about never so many like Elymas the Sorcerer to defeat what is here said or as Jannes and Jambres of old time So do too many now resist the Truth 1 Tim. â— 8. or disregard it still that remains And however in the mean while stifled or prevaricated nevertheless it will rise up at the Judgment of the great Day Whether they will hear or forbear whether they will read or not these Words are laid before them that they might have turned from Iniquity unto Righteousness And not in Hypocrisie or outward shew but in sincerity and Truth seek their God daily and delight to know his Wayes The Compilers Defence for himself And now methinks I hear the whispering and secret Counsel of those which may arise yet higher and it shall be done in a solemn Judiciary proceeding Away with this turbulent Fellow it is not fit he should live for he doth exceedingly disquiet this Nation we will send him away before to prove whether the words he hath here laid together be true or else do it according to the subtlety of the old Serpent in the luâ—king Places of the Villages and Murder the Innocent in secret Places or by administring some deadly thing for this will not make much noise and we shall be thus happily rid of one who doth and will continue to Torment the Inhabitants of the Earth and therefore one way or another let him be Slain Ye may indeed Kill my Body but ye cannot Kill me for there is an Immortality Resurrection of the Dead and eternal Judgment If that should be which God forbid and yet it may be supposed for the like hath been fulfilled in our Brethren who were Slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held Rev. 6. 9. yet I shall see again and meet with my Murderers But the safer way is to forewarn you all of these things Hear my Voice O God in my Prayer Preserve my Life from fear of the Enemy hide me from the secret counsel of the Wicked and from the Insurrection of the Workers of Iniquity fear was on every side while they took counsel together against me they devised to take away my Life But yet with all their secresie violence and consultations they cannot do it in that place and after that manner where God may not see it and know it And the Lord will find it out when he maketh Inquisition for Blood this and that man was put to Death after such a manner by the Hands of such Persons and for such a cause God sends me as a Messenger to his Subjects to acquaint them of their Violation of his Laws and to testifie against them to turn them to God and Righteousness And I put them in mind to live under his Government and to obey his Laws for the future But for doing of this they seek to Kill me Help me O Lord my God O save me according to thy Mercy that they may know that this is thy Hand That thou Lord hast done it If they should send me before there is no calling of me back again and so no Restitution nor yet will the Crocodiles Tears afterwards wash away the guilt of my Blood The building the Tombs of the Prophets and garnishing the Sepulchers of the Righteous will not make an attonement for the Sin of killing them And moreover it will be but a very small advantage and short respite for your Spirits also in a little time will fly out one after another And if they are so impatient now that they cannot endure a single Troubler of Israel how then will ye endure to meet with the whole Company of Prophets and Apostles who were the very same to their Age and Country what I am accused of now