Magistracie is sinne and that Magistrats by reason of their office and aucthoritie are sinners For although a Magistrat should manifest never so great faith and repentance yet these men will not yeild that he may be of the Church of Christ for except be cast away his Magistracie his saith and repentance is nothinge This vnholy Office vnsanctified and horitie doth vtterly overthrowe faith and repentance Let it not displease you that wee write thus plainely set if it be a holie Office and Sanctified aucthoritie then it cannot debarr anie froÌ„ being members of the church of Christ Thus may you all see that these among you which teach that Magistrats may not be of the Church And that it is not lawfull for them to punish evill doers with the sword nor by the sword to mainteyne warr for the preservation of their contries people these are they that privily bring in damnable heresies despising goverment and speaking evill of these that are in dignitie and aucthoritie in that hereby they seeke the vtter overthrowe of all goverment and accâ—â—pt aucthoritie and magistracie most vise because evill doers are punished thereby which you teach ought not to be but is sinne wickednes to be done And if all men in these Provinces vnder the goverment of the lords stats generall were of your mynds as you would have them where were goverment and magistrats were it not all in the dust Thus is it evident that you would have Kings Princes magistrats vtterly abolished Is not this heresie privily brought in vnder so great a shewe of godlines to destroy the holy ordinance of god and how manie of you vnderstand that this heresie leads you to accompt magistrats the ministers of god but as the devills are wee hope there are thoÌ„sands of you that have no such thoughs and yet it is most evident and cannot be avoyded but it is the end of your ground rule is not this privily brought inâ—â—e not therefore deceived by fâ—re humble speaches for weepâ— feste vnto you that it by this that is already said it do not plainely appeare to anie indifferent reader that your ground leads you to this that all that magistrats do by vertue and power of their Office in punishing evill doers is sinne in them if anie thinke good to oppose wee wil by gods assistance make it most clere that all may see it that wincke not with their eies If therefore you like not to hold that magistrats are no otherwise the ministers of god but as the devils are then leave of also to hold that magistrats by reason of their magistracie are to be debarred out of the kingdome of Church of Christ And also it shall appeare that this your ground doth evidently overthrowe all Magistracie in the whole earth for if God would have all Kings Princes saved and come to the knowledg professioÌ„ of his truth which Th-appostle saith he would 1. Tim. 2.2.4 and you confesse the same and if they cannot come to the knowledg and profession of the truth except they cast away their Magistracie as you say and hold then must all Magistracie be cast away in the whole world for God would have all the Kings Princes and Magistrats vpoÌ„ the earth to come to the knowledg of the truth be saved And if you like not to overthrowe all Magistrats and Magistracie in the earth then leave of to hold that they may not be of the kingdome church of Christ One other marke that shewes you are the false Teachers Th-appostle speakes of is that you stand in your owne conceite this wee have found in some of you and wee require wee may not now find it in you all for then shall it appeare evidently vnto all men Thus have wee in these pointes wherein wee differ from you spoken so farr as God hath enabled vs beseeching you all with singlenes of hart to try your standing in these thinges wee have spoken of and that you would not hold these opinions because you have held them long but that you will loveingly be advised to search the Scriptures and see whether you have any Good warrant thus to hold and professe and teach men so Approve your selves now vnto vs and vnto all men that you walke not blindly in the stepps of them that have gone before you but that you disire and endeavor to walke by true sanctified knowledg from the Scriptures and that you do not so much seeke to heape multitudes together and build vp great Churches and congregations as to gather together a holy people and biuld vp pure Churches in the profession of the true faith that you may be approved of God which neither you nor anie people can ever do except you first make sure that your doctrine be pure and vndefiled for though a people should never so much excell in all holines of conversation yea though they should excell in works in love service in faith patience that their workes should be more at laste theÌ„ at first Reuel 2.19 yet if they suffer false doctrine false teachers they are impure polluted churches for a little leaveÌ„ leaveneth the whole lumpe Gal 5.9 the lord will not approve of them but will certenly come against theÌ„ with the sword of his mouth will remove their candle suckes out of there places This the Lord saith but who beleeves the word of the lord herein If Churches and Congregations did beleeve these words of the lord it would make them try their doctrines by the word of the lord go vpon sound grounds with knowledg vnderstanding from the word of truth being testified vnto them by the teaching of the spirit of God and not receive doctrines vpon the good opinion they have of their Teachers knowledg holines faithfulnes although they should excell in all these thinges neither would the people of God be carried away after anie doctrines by the stronge working affections of their mynds judging it to be the working of the spirit of God when it is nothinge but the spirit of their owne affections wherein they may have great motions and feelings with much zeale but not according to knowledg Rom. 10.2 Therefore are wee comaunded not to beleeve every spirit neither in our selves nor in others but to try first whether they be of God And hereby shall wee knowe the spirit of error If wee heare Gods woâ—d 1. Ioh. 4.6 That is if wee search and try everie thinge thereby 〈◊〉 that Churches and congregations would thus looke vnto their waies and not hold errors for companie sake nor walke in by pathes by affections It is better to hold the truth alone to walke in the waies thereof coâ—rary to all the affections of the hart which is deceitfull but this is a hard doctrine who is able to heare it It is a pleasing thinge to walke in a profession of Religion with a multitude and especially it but some of the grounds of
AN ADvertisement or admonition unto the Congregations vvhich men call the New Fryelers in the lowe Countries written in Dutche And Publiched in Englis VVherein is handled 4. Principall pointes of Religion 1. That Christ tooke his Flesh of Marie haveing a true earthly naturall bodie 2. That a Sabbath or day of rest is to be kept holy everie First day of the weeke 3. That ther is no Succession nor privilege to persons in the holie thinges 4. That Magistracie being an holy ordinance of God debarreth not anie from being of the Church of Christ After these followes certen demandes concerning Gods decree of salvation and condemnation Pro. 9.8 Rebuke the wyse and they will love thee Pro. 29.1 They that harden their neck vvhen they are rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured Printed 1611. To Hans de Ries Reynier VVy-Brantson and the Congregations where of they are HAveing long desired to publish our Faith vnto this nation and in perticuler vnto those congregations wherof you are as wee have formerly done to our owne Nation and also to make knowne the thinges wherein you and wee differ and are opposite VVee have now through the mercie of God thus farr brought our desires to passe being onely vnsatisfied for our owne insufficiency that wee are no better able to manifest your errors unto you wee have divers causes from good grounds to do this wee have done First because we are bound to discover the misterie of iniquitie by all good meanes that wee can and in the cupp that she hath filled to vs to fill hir the duble Secondly that wee might through the grace of God if your willing minds be thereunto be instrumentes of good vnto you herein the rather because you haue bene instrumeÌ„ts of good in discovering divers of our erors unto us which wee acknowledg to the praise of God with thaÌ„k full harts to you Now in that wee do this by way of opposition and reproofe publiquely wch you did by instruction privately for our defence herein wee answere you came publiquely amongst us and advanced your error of Succession and order From the proportion of the scriptures and have destroyed the faith of manie therbye who for sinister respect were willinge to followe you wee have dâ—ltt divers times with divers of yoe privately but you have lightly regarded our loveing admonitions esteeming all as nothinge wee have faced some of you goeing on in your sinne seeking to make this people one with you who are iustly cutt of From God and his people for their falling avvay from Grace VVe have writteÌ„ privately to the vvhole congregation you are of to prevent you in that evill vvee have vvritten particulerly unto you H. de R. but all is in vaine in that you esteeme the truth vvee professe and us herein as vaine Thus are wee constrained for the defence of the truth of God wee professe and that vvee may not seeme to justifie you in your evills and to make it knovvne unto all that vvee have good cause to differ From you to publish these thinges in this manner as vvee do and that it may appeare vnto all and to your consciences that vvee have stronge grounds for châ—â— thinges vvherein vvee differ From you though vvee be vveake to the mainteynance of them If anie shal oppose part or all of that is Heere vvritten vvee dâ—â—e this equal kindnes that it may be set over into â—lish For all our understandings as vvee have caused 〈◊〉 to be set over into dutch for all yours and if there because of Replye vvee vvill by the assistance of God 〈◊〉 were vvithall the abilyty vvherevvith God shall make us able Fare you vvell Peace and love vvith Faith From God and From our Lord Iesus Christ be with all â—m that are in Christ Iesus Amen Thomas Helvvys THe Holie vvriter Iohn in the second of the Revelation vvritinge to the Church of Pargamus one of the Seaven Churches in Asia vvriteth thus vers 14. I have a fevv thinges aganist thee because thou â—aist them there that mainteyne the doctrine of Baalam and Vers 15. Even soo haist thou also them that maintayne the doctrine of the Nicholaitanes vvhich thinge I hate And vvriting to the Church of Thyatira ver 20. he saith I have a fevv thinges against thee that thou sufferest the wooman Iesabell In all vvch the holy man of God teacheth this that it is great impietie for anie Church of Christ to suffer anie false Teachers or anie False doctrine to be mainteyned by anie that are amongst them and if they do and repent not the lord that hats wickednes asmuch now as ever vvill certenly come against them vvith the same iudgments there threatned in his vvord And there fore wee in love fore-warne you that professe your selves to be the Church of Christ and yet have heare us with patience so manie doctrines of devills professed and mainteyned amongst you that you repent least the Lord rise up in wrath against you vvee speake not by reports but of our ovvne knovvledg haveing heard vvith our owne eares and seene vvith our owne â—eâ—es the thinges vvhereof vvee shall by Gods assistance speake Of Christs Flesh The First matter wee will speake to you is wherein your iniquitie doth greatly abound that you have amongst you that deny Christ to have taken Flesh of Mary some holding that he brought it from heaven and some not knowing from whence hee brought it both wâ—ich destroy the Faith of Christ who are such as Thapostle 2. Pet. 2 1. Speaketh of which privily bring in damnable herisies even denying the Lord that hath bought them To say somethinge to the First that hold that he brought it from heaven that the grossnes of their black error may appeare The ground of scriptures testifie that that which is from heaven is heavenly therefore if Christ brought his Flesh from heaven theÌ„ he must have had a heavenly body in that there can come nothinge from heaven but that which is heaveÌ„ly and Thapostle 1. Cor. 15. saith of heavenly bodyes They are glorious they are not weake but of power they are spirituall they are â—mortall Now in that Christs bodie was mortall and died it was not a heavenly glorious spiâ—ituall powerfull bodie but was an earthly naturall weake body and had the same infirmities that our bodies have sinne excepted as is shewed Heb. 4.15 For wee have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmeties but was in all thinges tempted in like sort yet without sinne as also Chap. 5.2 which is able sufficiently to have compassion on them that are ignorant aâ—d that are out of the way because that he also is compassed with infirmitie And his infirmities appeare in that he was hungrie Mat. 4 2. He was weary Ioh. 4.6 He was trobled and his soule was in great heavinâ— Mat. 14.33.34 And he confesteth his Flesh is weake Mat. 26.41 All these infirmieties nor anie infirmitie could not come from
able to stand before 〈…〉 their spirituall gracious lordshipps and dignities so called and so directly against his word and will Oh that these thinges were not hid froÌ„ their eies And they that professe a Prebitarie who though they beare not such high names and titles as the rest et by their ruleing power auctoritie which by all meanes they seeke to enlarge if they take not â—eed their sinne against this rule of Christ wil be found little lesse then anie And if wee speake sparingly of you that professe an Eldership thinke not you nor lett it be thought of anie that wee do it either because wee are partiall or because your deserts are not fullie evill enough for the lord knowes wee knowe in part and would to god you knewe your selves that your iniquitie is great herein in your seeking and holding superioritie over the congregations whereof you are and that partly by auctoritie partly by humblenes of mynd seekeing to beare rule over the people of god If by this our loveing advertisement anie of all you of whome wee have spoken be provoked to evill you shall therein greatly increase your owne judgments for the lord knowes wee speake it not to provoke you to evill but to provoke you to repentance before the great evill day come wherein as for all sinne so perticulerly especially for this sinne the lord will have astâ—ct accompt if there be not repentance wee say especially for this sinne because this sinne of seeking superioritie rule auctoritie hath doth vtterly destroy all sincere and holy profession of the gospell keeping in captivitie bondage the consciences of men overthrowing the strongest that resist and treading the weake vnder foote stopping vp the way of life and men hereby takeing vpon them to have in their bâ—ds onely the keyes of the kingdome of heaven To retaine perticulerly vnto you to whome wee first intended to speake take you heed least whilst you set your selves by your opinion against Magistrats being of the kingdome of Christ you have in the meane time set vp a power and aucthoritie of your owne and so your second error be as evill as your first To put an end to this your first ground If this example which our Saviour Christ bring of Kinges Rulers and great men because he saith it shall not be so amongst you that is you shall not be like them It from these words you will yet hold that Magistrats may not be of the kingdome of heaven and of the Church Then you must also hold except you will shewe your selves void of all vnderstanding that our Saviour Christ in the same cause and vpon the same occasion bringing an example of a little child and saieing it shall be so among you you shal be like this little child you most then hold that little children may be of the kingdome of Christ and of the Church ffor if where Christ saith Be not like debarr out them that are brought for the example then where he saith Be like must needs admitt in them that art brought for the example So then they that from this ground will admitt infants in let them see if they have anie sight that they debarr Magistrats out And you that debarr Magistrats out by this ground must admitt infants in ffor they are examples of direct coÌ„traritie produced for one the same thinge Therefore they that debarr out both and they that admitt both make thinges that are direct contrary to be a like which is the most vniust and false vnderstanding that can be in men Let vs therefore the rather prevaile with you to looke to your waies herein and reconcile your selves to the word of truth And marke well the words of our Saviour Christ concerning this point Mat. 18.4 who soever shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdome of heaven and vers 3. they that are converted and become as little children shall enter into the kingdome of heaven heere is no exception of persons but Kings and Princes and all great men if they be converted and become as little children and humble them selves they may enter in and be greatest in the kingdome of heaven not by their princely power but by their humilitie which wee vnfainedly wish that all Kings Princes and Rulers would see that not their greatnes power nor aucthoritie doth anie thinge at all advance them to or in the kingdome of heaven but it is their convertion and humilitie But your opinion leads you to this that they cannot be converted except first they cast away their Magistracie This is of truth your ground a most woefull ground if you could see the footestepps of it for if it be so that they cannot be converted except they cast away their Magistracie then is their Magistracie sinne and if their magistracie be sinne then is all their administration wherein they administer by power and vertue thereof sinne who shal be able to contradict this which way shall all the device of men Angells be able to avoid it but that if Magistrats cannot be converted to God that is Repent and beleeve except they cast away their Magistracie then is their magistracie sinne for their is nothinge but sinne that hinders faith and repentance Do you that hold this fearefull opinion yet see into what straytes you are brought that you have no way to turne yourselves if there be anie grace or love of God in you humble your selves vnto the dust before the lord and his people and proclame your repentance which that you may yet further be provoked vnto see the hight of your sinne so farr as wee in our great weakenes are by the mercie of god able to shew you wherein by reason of our so great weaknes wee must needs exceedingly faile and come short but yet to the vttermost that by the grace of god wee shal be able wee will endeavour to be faithfull to god and you heerein wee demaund cannot Magistrats Repent beleeve so be received or enter into the kingdome of heaven except they cast away their Magistratie you professe hold they cannot why then is their Magistracie sinne all that they do by the power thereof is sinne If this be so then hath the most holy righteous mercifull iust god the god of all power geven power from himself appointed an ordinaÌ„ce of Magistracie by vertue of which power given from god Magistrats do administer and are comaunded of god to judg righteous judgment To punish the wicked in justice to reward or praise the wel doers in mercie and all this say you is sinne And all this doth god give them power aucthoritie and comaundement to do and in all this they are his ministers doeing his will yet not with standing all this is sinne for if by reason of their Magistracie retayning it they cannot be converted that is Repent beleeve then is their Magistracie sinne and then all that
and allowe of some that hold and mainteyne no faith concerning where Christ had his Flesh and so do you approve and mainteyne them in their sinne for whatsoever anie holds or mainteynes not of saith is sinne and to be ignorant of anie part of that the scriptures hath manifested is sinne and to determyne to remaine ignorant and so to continewe unto the end is death for without repentance anie one sinne is death as Thappostle Iames sheweth Iam. 2.10 VVho soever shall kepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is giltie of all Deceyve not simple soules then by noriushing them in their sinne which you do in saying it is not needfull to salvation to knowe whence Christ had his Flesh as though there were anie part of the law or gospell not needfull to salvation And if there be anie part of the law not needfull then Christ need not to have come to fulfill the whole law which he did as he saith Mat. 5.17 And if there be anie part of the gospel of salvation which Christ hath purchased with his blood Ephe. 1.13.14 not needfull to salvation then Christ hath purchased more then is needfull In the feare of God walke not thus by your owne inventions leading and suffering simple soules to walke in the waies of death and condemnation Of the day of rest The second is that manie among you and how farr you are all poluted wee knowe not but have great cause to feare do professe practice not to kepe the seaventh day a day of rest holy vnto the lord abolishing herein the law which was given in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assemblie and which was written in the Tables with the finger of God as is shewed Exod. 20.8.9.10.11 and Deut. â— 10 Of all wch whole law our saviour Christ saith Maâ— 5 17.18 I am not come to distroy but to fulfill for truely I say vnto you till heaven and earth perish one jotâ— or one title of the law shall not scape till all thingeâ— be fulfilled not with standing all the spoken by God the father Iesus Christ his sonne manie of you with an high hand 〈◊〉 out and distroy one of these Ten Commandements written by the finger of God Exod. 34.28 and you will have but Nyne renâ—g a sunder the law of God and casting away what is not pleasing vnto you Not holding the examples of the disciples of Christ a sufficient rule of direction for you who as is shewed Act. 20.7 and 1. Cor. 16.1 2. The first day of the weake came together to breake bread Vpon euery vvhich first day of the weeke when they were come together Paul ordeyned in the Churches that every one should lay aside for the necessitie of the Saincts that there might be no gathering when he came How will you be able to stand before the lord hereinâ— Hâ— hath established a law the which it is more easie that heaven and earth should passe away then that one title of the law should fall Iuc 16.17 And if you now be able to shewe which God forbid that anie should be so wicked as to enterpâ—ise that all these words spoken and written by God himself Remember the Sabath day to keepe it holy be no part jot nor tittle of this law then you have some cullor for the evill you practice and professe herein but dare anie moueth of blasphemy speake it or anie hand of blasphemy write it wee hope no why then give glory to God repent of this your sinne and pray the lord that if it be possible the thoughts of your harts the blasphemy of your mouethes and the wickednes of your hands may be forgiven you And sinne not as you do against God in turning away your feet from the Sabath of the lord and doeing your owne wills on his holy day wherein also you do wronge to man and beast to whome the lord hath in mercie given a speciall day of rest But yet further to shewe you that wich you shall never be able to annswere Our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24.20 speakeing of the distruction of Ierusalem which was to come to passe did long after his death saith Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabath day sheweing vndenyably that ther should still remaine a speciall day of rest for the people of God to worship him on vpon which day Christs bidds them pray that their flight be not that they might not be forced to flie wheÌ„ they should rest and worshipp God And if our Saviour Christ had ment that his disciples should have bene of your iudgment it had bene all one vpon what day their flight had bene God give you grace to see your great error herein that you may not still be hate full to God and men and Beasts And thus much of this except further occation be offered Omitting to shewe you all the confusion you bring into the Church when there shal be no day certen whereon the disciples ought to come together to edifie one an other to breake bread to pray and to gather for the Saincts if your rule be true which is as false as God is true they chuse whether they will come at all except you have authoritie to make a law to bind them which sure you have not from God even so do you confound hereby all due proceeding in the rule of admonition by the Church if there be no certen day when the Church are bound to meet But wee wiâ—l passe by this hopeing you will fall vnder the former ground and then you will easily see through the grace of God all these thinges and manie moâ—e which accompanie that your error that do vtterly destroy all godlines Religion and the holy communion of Saincts Therefore repeÌ„t and forsake this your error for if you do thus distroy the lawe of God there can be no Religion of God in you Of Succession T◠〈…〉 your Leaders are 〈…〉 them that mainteyne a Succession and that 〈…〉 and you will have all 〈…〉 and tongues to come to you and 〈…〉 Ordinances of Christ and 〈…〉 administer in the holy 〈…〉 to you and 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 power and all the holy 〈…〉 with the man of sinne 〈…〉 called oâ— God and 〈…〉 vnder the 〈…〉 vnder the 〈…〉 Rom. 3.1.2 〈…〉 because 〈…〉 of God 〈…〉 your 〈…〉 manner of way 〈…〉 of credit to 〈…〉 but 〈…〉 confess◠〈…〉 and the 〈…〉 vnto 〈…〉 proceed from 〈…〉 Ierusalem 〈…〉 call your 〈…〉 you and 〈…〉 do to your 〈…〉 them to it and to them everlasting distruction in so dâ—ing and suffering them selves to be to draâ—n Thus then 〈…〉 speake of the heavenly 〈…〉 And 〈◊〉 people shall 〈…〉 vp to the mountaine of the 〈◊〉 to the 〈…〉 of the God of 〈…〉 will 〈…〉 Sâ—on and 〈…〉 manner speaketh 〈…〉 â—rd shall send the 〈…〉 these Prophecies 〈…〉 〈…〉 become 〈…〉 you this 〈…〉 〈◊〉 taught the 〈…〉 when he said 〈…〉 word of
a difference betwix the kingdome and the people otherwise where was the kingdom before your â—irst begininge was there no kingdome for your first beginners to enter into did they make a kingdome and enter into it and all of themselves then sure it was not the kingdome of God and it stands you vpon to looke it be for if they set vp a new kingdome they entred not into Christs kingdome for Christs kingdome was and is an everlasting kingdome and cannot be shaken as the Author to the Hebrewes sheweth Heb. 12.22 speaking of mount Syon the Cittie of the liveing God the Celestiall Ierusalem Vers 28. Seeing wee receive a kingdome that cannot be shaken let vs have grace whereby wee may so serve God that wee may please him with reverence and feare VVee have endeavoured with our best abilities wch you may see are smale to speake the larger of this point because wee our selves have bene formerly misledd with this error that the Church is the kingdome of heaven and monut Syon and because wee knowe some others are strongly possessed therewith which not with standing hold not Succession but indeed it is the ground of all Succession for if the Church be Ierusalem then must there needs be Succession for there musâ— needs be adue proportion of all thinges betwene the Tipe the truth betwene the old Ieru the new Ieru betweÌ„e the shadow the substaÌ„ce And there being therfore SuccessioÌ„ in the old TestameÌ„t there must of necessitie be Succession in the new If therefore you can prove your selves Ierusalem wee yeild you all the Prerogatiue of Ierusalem Then must all people nations come to you and receive all the holy ordinaÌ„ces from you Then must all sacrifices be offered vp in you And then they that are not in you are not in Christ And all that are borne of water of the spirit must enter into you and all that are saved must walke in the light of you And then are you the ioy of the whole earth TheÌ„ must you be perached to other Cities and then can you not be shaken for Christes kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome which shall never be taken away nor be destroyed Dan. 7.14 But you may be shaken taken away and destroyed though you were as excelent a Church as Corinth Ephesus Phillippi Thessa Smyrna Philadelphia for all they are shaken taken away destroyed which were much more excellent Churches then you euen so may you much more be Therefore you are not the kingdome of heaven nor that heavenly Ierusalem and so those previleges belong not to you which you challenge and some wretched men have given you whose condemnation sleepeth not and all vnder that culler of your being Ierusalem And let vs now bring to trial your other ground concerning this cause which is That the ordinances of Christ being as you call it once raised vp againe they are not to be raised anie more but all men must fetch theÌ„ from those that raised them vp or from them that have received them at their handes by Succession First wee say vnto you that which some of you could not nor you all shall ever be able to annswere whilst the world endureth How knowe you of faith that he or they from whome you received your begininges were the first This can you never prove to anie mans conscience that hath anie conscience except you can shewe Prophecie of scripture perticulerly that such a man should first raise up to speake your owne vvord the ordinaÌ„ces of Christ and that he hath done it and that you haue it from him All these must you prove by scripture if your rule be true and that men must have faith in it but not anie one of these can you prove by scripture â—nd therefore your rule is not true and no maÌ„ can have faith in it and then not to be hold and practiced by anie that wait for salvation by Iesus Christ vvho must have faith in all that they hold professe practice or els they sinne ffor vvithout faith it is vnpossible to please God Rom. 11.6 Let us by the mercies of God intreat all you that professe the name of Iesus not to stand vpon such vncertaine and vnfound groundes For wch vvay shall you ever be able to prove that he or they from vvhome you by Succession have your begining vvere the first No man can ever prove it the vvorld is too vvide for man to comprehend or knowe all that is done in it It is avaine invention cast it away seeing there is no vvarrant in Gods vvord to vvarrant it vnto you that he or they vvere the first And if he or they vvere vvhat then Must all the vvorld come to them By vvhat rule of Gods word There must be a speciall commaund for him or them to beginne And a restraint or forbiddinge comaund to all men for doeing the ltie after ffor God is as mercifull to his people now as ever he vvas and he hath not left them without rule of direction that they should sinne and fall was the lord so carefull for his people Israell for whome he had wrought so great wonders and yet they were continually rebellious against him as to give Moses twice warning at one time Ex. 19.21 and 21. Goe downe charge the people that they breake not to the lord to gaze least manie of them perish And againe lett not the Preists and the people breake to come vpto the lord least they be destroyed And did the lord most carefully appoint Aaron and his sonnes their severall Offices and services about the Tabernacle as is shewed Numb 4. where the lord chargeth Moses and Aaron that they should not cutt of the Tribe of the familiâ— of the Kohathites But this do vnto them saith the lord that they may live and not dye let Aaron his sonnes come and appoint them every one to his charge least they touch or see those holy thinges they ought not to touch and see and dye was the lord out of his great grace mercie and love so carefull for his people then to give such strait rules of direction to them least they should come neare handle or see those thinges which apperteyned not to them to handle or see and so sinne and dye And hath the lord left to beg 〈◊〉 now in leaveing his people no directions nor directors to appoint them to their â—ffice and shewe them what iâ— comaunded and what is for bidden Surely you will not say but the lord is as mercifull to rebellious Israell as ever he was then wee require you to shew where the lord hath now comaunded some especially to beginne and meddle with the holy thinges and for bidden all others except by their appointment they be permittd appointed therevnto If you will thus sett vp a speciall Temple and Preist hood of your owne shewe your warrant from the word of truth which seeing possiblie you cannot do let God have the glorie and see
to do all thinges if your rule of particuler proportion be good there is no such course nor proportion in the scriptures Iohn his example will not serve your turne for Iohn planted no Churches If you will have planters of Churches and that all men must come to them then must they needs be endued with like gifts as the first â—lanters were speake all languages as Th-appostles did worke miracles and not err in doctrine for the Lords hand is not shortned nor his grace and mercie lessned to his Church and people But if he send men with the same office and aucthoritie that he sent his Appostles he will for the honor of his owne name the advancement of his truth and good of his people give them the same gifts and not bring his truth and people in bondage to men full of errors ignorances and blindnes as you and all men are therefore be content to be biulders vpoÌ„ the foundation layd and forbid not others to build thereon but let every man take heed how he buildeth vpon it 1. Cor. 3.10 This may suffice for this point and so wee come to that to the which the best approved amoÌ„gst you have had no word of annswere hetherto wee knowe you caÌ„ say nothinge for it holding your rule of SuccessioÌ„ according to your course and proportion except you wil be so very vnadvised as to hold proportion in one thinge no proportioÌ„ in another and this that wee intend to speake of is your ministry How come you to raise a ministry where is your particuler example your rule is that Elders must make Elders and none but Elders must administer in the holie thinges You raise baptisme after Iohns examples but how will you do to ordeyne Elders seeing you have no such exaÌ„ple when you have done what device will you have to keepe this auctoritie to your selves This is your ground for your Succession as all had baptisme from Iohn the first baptizer so all must have baptisme from your first baptizer As all Churches proceeded from the first Church at Ierusalem so all Churches must proceeded from Ierusalem your first Church As Elders proceeded by ordination from the first Elders so all Elders must proceed by ordination from your first Elders heere is your proportion But how came your Elders by their ordination did they ordeyne themselves where is your example and proportion for that Did the Church ordeyne them then your proportion is gone for the first Elders were not so ordeyned Thus are you overtaken in your ground not seeing whether it ledd you Forsake it it shal be no disgrace for you to forsake error you shall therein shewe the true grace of God to be in you in denying your selves and your owne waies and advancing the way of the Lord. Hold you to the perfect rule that all gaynsaiers are not able to withstand which was given by the law giver and that is VVhere two or three are gathered together into my name there am I in the midst of them and whatsoever they bind on earth shal be bound in heaven and what soever they loose on earth shal be loosed in heaven Mat. 18.20.18 And 1. Cor. 3.16.21.22 Knowe you not that yee are the Temple of god Lett no maÌ„ reioyce in men for all thinges are yours and 2. Cor. 6.15.16.17.18 what CoÌ„cord hath Christ with Beâ—all or what part hath the beleever with the infidell and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols wherefore come out from amongst them and seperate yourselves saith the Lord touch none vncleane thinge I will receive you I wil be a father vnto you and you shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord almightie These three places of scripture proves thus much First that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in Christs name Christ is in the midst of them and they have power to bind and loose which is to receive in cast out to appoint Officers and to discharge and to administer in all the holy thinges for haveing Christ they have wiâ—h him all thinges also Rom. 8.32 Christs power cannot be devided from him therefore where he is his power must needs be he is a kinge where he is he gives power to his servants to serve him in all his ordinances The second place alleged confirmes this where it is said Let no man reioyce in men for all thinges are yours and in the 5. vers of this 1. Coâ— 3. saith The Appostle who is Paul and who is Appollos but the ministers by whome ye beleeved sheweing that the Cornithians were not the Temple of God neither had interest vnto all thinges because of their persons but because they beleeved their doctrine And wheresoever a compaine of men now shall beleeve their doctrine even they are the Temple of god and all thinges are theirs aswell as all thinges were the Corinthians The third place â—ore alleged proves who they are that Christ hath promissed to be in the midst of that is those that seperate themselves from Behall which are men without a yock from vnbeleevers from Idolls and which touch no vncleane thinge these are they that God will receive and amonge whome he will dwell walke and he wil be their God and father they shal be his people children they shall not need to respect the persons of men as hath bene shewed for by the free gift of Gods grace through their faith in Christ all thinges are thens Will anie men not withstanding all this say that anie people or congregation seperated from all vncleannes may not enioy Christ and all the holy ordinances without they be admitted there vnto by other â—en Did Th-appostle Paule disclayme both for himself and Cephas Appollos from all previlige vnto their persons teach the corinthians that their persons gave not them interest vnto the holie things but their doctrine through their owne faith and dare anie challenge previlege vnto their persons so take away the the aucthoritie of Th-appostles doctrine ministerie that is still in as good force aucthoritie as ever in the scriptures And by whose ministerie doctrine what people soever beleeves at this day all thinges are therin by faith in the scriptures not by Succession from men Heere wee desire that all men that have anie vprightnes of â—art would enter into a due consideration of the depth of 〈◊〉 error of Succession from or by the persons of men And through gods assistance wee will endeavour to speake what wee are able for the discoverie of this error which is so great dangerous of the sharpe bitter fruites whereof wee have deepely taisted our vvounds are yet fresh greene but not vvithstanding by the grace of God vvee vvill not be provoked to speake beyond the bounds of sobrietâ—e herein and to proceed herein by the most easie plaine and evident vvay to our best vnderstandings VVee intreat you and all men vvith all holy