A SHORT DECLARATION of the mistery of iniquity Ier. 51.6 Flee out of the midst of Babell and deliver every man his soule be not destroyed in hir iniquity for this is the time of the lords vengeance he vvill render vnto hir a recompense Hosea 10.12 Sovv to your selves in righteousnes reape after the measure of mercie breake vp your fallovv ground for it is time to seeke the lord till he come raine righteousnes vpon you Anno 1612. To the Reader THE feare of the almighty through the vvorke of his grace having novv at last over vveyed in vs the feare of men vvee have thus farr by the directiō of Gods vvord and spirit strecthed out our harts and hands vvith bouldnes to confesse the name of Christ before men and to declare to Prince and People plainly their transgressions that all might heare see their fearefull estate and standing and repent and turne vnto the lord before the decree come furth and before the day of their visitation be past and that the thinges that belonge to their peace be altogether hid from their eies and vvhereas in this vvriting vvee have vvith all humble bouldnes spoken vnto our lord the King our defence for this is that vvee are taught of God especially to make supplications praiers intercessions and give thankes for our lord the King and wee are taught that the gracious God of heaven by whome the King reignes would that the King should be saved and come to the knowledg of the truth and therefore wee the Kings servants are bound especially by all the godly endeavors of our soules and bodyes to seeke the salvation of the K. although it were with the danger of our lives for if vvee savv our lord the Ks. person in dāger either by privy conspiracie or opē assault wee vvere bound to seeke the Ks. perservation delivrance though it werewith the laying downe of our lives which if wee did not wee should readily and most worthily be condemned for traytors hovv much more are wee bound to seeke the preservation and delivrance of the soule and body of our lord the King seeing wee see him in such great spirituall danger as wee do And if anie shal be offended at vs for so doeing they therein love not the King and if our lord the King should be offended at vs his servants for so doeing the King therein loves not himselfe and if all men and the King should for this be offended vvith vs which God forbid yet herein wee are sure our God wil be well pleased with vs in that wee have with our best strength and faithfullnes obeyed him who comaunds and teacheth vs to admonish all men every where to repent and this is our sure vvarrant and our assured hope and comfort Now as wee have according as wee hold our selves bound thus farr confessed Christs name before men by writinge so wee shall the lord assisting vs be ready as wee hold our selves bound to confesse Christ before men by vvord of mouth not fearing through Gods grace them that kill the body and after that are not able to do anie more In this duty to God and his people wee must needs confesse wee have hitherto greatly fayled but wee will novv be ready the lord strengthning vs rather to be sacrificed for the publishing of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and for the service of your faith then to faile as vvee have done both in our dutyes to God and you This vvee readily vovve to God and promisse to you and to vvill to do this good is present vvith vs but vvee find no meanes in vs to performe this duty and service vvee see a lavv in our flesh strongly rebelling against the lavv of our mynds but our assured trust confidence is that Gods grace alone is sufficient for vs to make vs every vvay able vnto these thinges vnto the vvhich of our selves vvee are no vvay able yet wee vvill say with the holy Appostle Paul If God be on our side vvho can prevaile against vs vvho shall seperate vs from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecutiō or famin or nakednes or perill or svvord no the lord vvee trust in these thinges vvill make vs conquerors and though our outvvard man should perish or suffer many afflictions vvhich vvee vvere most folish if vvee should not vvait for yet let the people of God looke vnto the truth vvee vvitnes consider vvith holy and vvise harts vvhether vvee have not good vvarrant yea direct comaundement to do that vvee do though vve be vnfitt and vnvvorthy for such a service Shall vvee heare the lord say Come out of hir my people and shall the Spirit of God comaund him that heareth say Come and shall not vvee say Come Shall the vvord of the lord comaund to Call vp Archars against Babell and all that bend the bovv to beseig it round about and let none escape to recompence hir the dubl Ier. 50.29 Reuel 18. And shall vvee spare our arrovves though they be vveake and shall the Spirit of God say All yee that are myndfull of the lord kepe not silence Esa 62.16 And shall vve hold our peace because vvee are not eloquent No no vvee have too long neclected our duties herein and novv through Gods grace vve dare no longer do so and therefore do vvee thus cry vnto you the people of God saying Babilon is fallen she is fallen Come out of hir Come out of hir for if you still partake with hir in hir sinnes you shal certenly be partakers of hir plagues and therefore also vvee say Let him that is a thirst Come and let vvhosoever vvill take of the vvater of life freely and vvee call vnto all valiant Archers that bend the bovv to come to the seige against this great Citié and vvee pray all that are myndfull of the lord not to kepe silence nor to give the lord rest till he repaire and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the vvorld And our continevvall praiers vnto the lord are and shal be that the lord vvill enlighten your vnderstandings and raise vp all the affections of your soules and spirits that you may apply your selves vnto these thinges so far as his vvord and spirit doth direct you and that you may no longer be deceived and seduced by those false Prophetts who prophesie peace vnto you vvhen vvar and destruction is at the doore vvhich the lord give both you and them to see that you may all flie vnto the lord for your delivrance and salvation Amen Tho Helvvys The principal matters handled in the Booke A Declaration vvith proofe that these are the days of greatest tribulation spokē of by Christ Mat. 24. vvherein the abhominatiō of desolatiō is seene to be set in the holy place That there hath bene a generall departing from the faith and an vtter desolation of all true Religion That the Prophesie of the first Beast Reuel 13. is fulfilled vnder the Romish
are vnder the power of the first Beast are misledd but they cannot discerne their owne estates which are one and the same vnder the second Beast who is more deceiveable because of his two hornes like the lambe and therefore men had need more carefully to looke vnto thēselves least they be still deceived except men wil rest in security and perish to destruction which all must do that obey the power either of the first or second Beast as is withal evident plainnes shewed Revel 14.9.10.11 where it is written If anie man worship the Beast and his jmage and receive his marke in his fore-head or in his hand and whosoever receiveth the print of his name he shall drinke saith the spirit of the lord of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred into the cup of his wrath and shal be tormented with fire brimstone they shall have no rest day no◠night What will prevaile with men if neither the fore warning prophesies nor threatning iudgments of the lord will move them to consider and flee the feirce vengance that is already come Doth our Saviour Christ tell that the abhomination of desolation shal be set vp in the holy places and doth Thappostle Paule shew that the man of sinne exalts himselfe and sitts as God in the Temple of God and doth the prophesie of the Revel so duely set downe and declare the manner of the workeing of the misterie of iniquitie according to the severall degree thereof vntil it come to that hight of exaltation before spoken of by Christ by Th-appostle in the similitude of the first and second Beast who beares the names of blasphemy in takeing vpon them the names and attributes of God as is before shewed causing all that dwell vpon the earth to worship the Beast and his image and so sitts as God in the high places and in the Temple of God which is in the harts of men 1. Cor. 3.16 and 2. Cor. 6.19 and do wee see all these things fulfilled before our eies and will not he that readeth consider And doth our Saviour Christ showe the greatest iudgments of the lord to be vpon men in those days in so much as no flesh shal be saved and except those days should be shortned no flesh should ever be saved doth th-Appostle Paul shew that because men will not receive the love of the truth the lord shall send them strange delusiōs that they should beleeve lies that all might be damned which beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in vnrighteousnes And doth the spirit of God in the Reuel by Iohn say that all who worship the Beast or beare the least marke of the Beast and his jmage shall drincke even of the meer wine of Gods wrath out of the cup of his wrath And wil not all this move the hardned harts of men to looke about and carefully to search out the prophecies of scripture concerning these things compare them with these times and seeke and find out how they are fulfilled which through the grace of God every faith fuil hart seeking shall now easily discerne seeing the first Angell Revell 16. hath powred out his viall so that noysome grevious sores do appeare vpon the men which have the marke of the Beast and vpon them that worship his image yea Glory and honor and praise be given to our God the fifth Angell hath also powred out his viall vpon the throne of the Beast and his Kingdome doth already wax darke who doth not see this that lookes but with anie seeing eie after religion Doth not now more then ever the noysome botches of manye grosse absurdities appeare in the bewitched vnderstanding of those men that beare the marke and worship the Beast and his jmage and is not the palpable darknes of blind ignorance openly discovered vpon the throne of the Beast And doth not the bewty of his image fade Is not the baptizing by midwives quit vanished And doth not Bishoping of yong and old much decay Doth not the duely reading of Iniunctions and homilies growe to forgetfulnes and are not prophane perambulations well layd aside and do not holy evens and days and ember wekes almost passe out of mynd and is not the booke it selfe become much out of vse Hath not whole conformitie received a blowe and will not anie halting subscription serve the turne Oh that the spirituall Lords of this spirituall Kingdome could see that the smoake of the burning there of is already deeply begun and doth highly ascend that they themselves might helpe to heape coales vpon the throne thereof and flee from the burning therewith Let them not fore cast to preserve it nor seeke to deliver it out of the hand of the Almighty they may more easily pull the pray out of the lyons mouth or dravve out leviathan vvith an hooke then prevent the mighty one that hath iudged these things Revel 18. vvho is clothed vvith a garment dip◠in blood and his name is called The. vvord of God And vvho hath vpon his garment and vpon his thigh a name written The King of Kinges and Lord of Lords Reuel 19.12.16 Thus have wee according as wee foretold of our selves set downe these thinges with great jnability but yet with all fidelity according to our consciences in the best measure of vnderstanding concerning the second Beast who hath caused to make the jmage of the first And wee disire the Godly wise that seeke salvation by the Lambe that they will compare the Beast which wee all agree to be the Romish Hyrarchy and his jmage which how can it be ymagined but the Hyrarchy of Arch. Bishops and lord B. must needs be compare them together in their spirituall Pomp spirituall names of blasphemy spirituall power and Cruelty and cast but a partly indifferent eie vpon their administrations in their Offices Officers Courts Canons and decrees and then let the word and spirit of God direct the to judg righteously of the Beast and his jmage to knowe them that thou mayst not submitt to the spirituall power of the Beast and his image neither receive his marke in thy forehead nor in thine hand or the least print of his name for if thou dost thy portion is to drinke of the Cup and vvine of Gods wrath and to be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angells and in the sight of the Lambe The word of the lord hath spoken it and his word is true and not lieing BVt shall wee now thinke wee have fully discharged our selves to God and men in speaking generally vnto all and shall wee not in humility perticulerly call vpon those servants of the lord of whome he hath especially prophesied that they shall hate the whore and make hir desolate and naked shall eate hir flesh and burne hir with fire this shal be done saith the lord by the Kings of the earth Reuel 17.16 of whome wee could be content not once to speake for feare of
kingdome of Christ which is heavenly and endureth for ever the sword of whose kingdome is spirituall by the power of which sword onely Christs subiects are to be ruled and kept in obedience to him by the which sword our lord the K. must be kept in obedience himself if he be a disciple of Christ a subiect of Christs kingdome And this takes away with out gain-saying all the Kingly power authority of our Lord the K. in the kingdome of Christ for he cannot be both a King a subiect in one and the same kingdome the Kings vndestanding hart will easily deserne this Then let our lord the K. in all happines prosperity sitt in his owne Princely throne of that mighty Kingdome of Great Britanne Which God hath given to the King and to his posterity and the lord give the K. a most wise hart to rule iudg his people and the lord give all his people faithfull harts to love obey him and let all those the K. enimies that would not that he should reigne over them bestayne before him And let our lord Iesus-Christ in power and Maiesty sitt vpon Davids throne the throne of the Kingdome of Israell which his father hath given vnto him let Christ according to his owne wisedome iudg his people Israell and let our the K. be his subiect the which our lord the King yeilding himselfe to be the K. must needs grant that as he is an earthly King he can have no power to rule in this spiritual Kingdome of Christ nor can compell anie to be subiects thereof as a King whilst the K. is but a subiect him self for there may be but one King in Israel And let not our lord the King be now angry and his servants will speake but this once Will our lord the K. being him self but a subiect of Christs Kingdome take vpon him by his Kingly power to make Primats Metropolitans Arch. Bishops and lord Bishops to be lords in the Kingdome of Christ and over the heritage of God And will our lord the K. do this against the whole rule of Gods word wherein there is no one tittle to warrant our lord the K. thertoo Will not our lord the K. be supplicated by the humble petition of his servants to examine his power authority herein Farr is it from the harts of vs the Kings servants to move the King to depart from the least tittle of his right that belongs to his Royall Crowne dignity and farr be it from the King to take from Christ Iesus anie one part of that power honor which belongs to Christ in his Kingdome Let our lord the King pardon his servants for medling in this matter for wee professe our selves bound vpon the perill of our soules to be faithfull subiects both to Iesus Christ our K. to our lord K. there fore it stands vs vpon to know what belongs vnto Christ our heavenly K. and vnto our earthly K. and Christ our spirituall K. hath freely spoken vnto vs coÌ„maunded vs to give vnto our K. that which is our Ks. will not our lord the K. say as freely vnto vs give vnto God that which is Gods Wee doubt not but our lord the King will say so why then we appeale vnto our lord the K. that is our earthly K. lett the K. speake according to the true iudgment of his hart will the K. say that it belongs to him to make spirituall Lords over the house of God And will the K. warrant his saying to be Good And if the King warrant it onely by his Princely prerogative may wee therepoÌ„ give vnto the King this power in submitting our selves to such spirituall Lords and to their power were not this to take from our Spirituall Lord and King that which is even his owne name title and power and give it to another what greater evill can be comitted against Christ then to take his honor and power from him and give it to earthly meÌ„ who should feare tremble before him in giveing to him glory honor and not takeing from him Let not our lord the King be partaker in such great evill to suffer a power and name of blasphemy to be set vp so directly against the expresse comaundement of Christ who forbidds all Lordly titles and ruleing power one over another in his Kingdome we dare not but thinke it is done ignorantly both by our lord the K. who suffers this and by them that administer in this greatest evill wee the Kings servants say this greatest evill in that it is the abomination of desolation set vp in the high places which are the dayes of greatest tribulation that ever was or shal be the which dayes except they should be shortned no flesh should be saved And if it shall not yet appeare vnto our lord the that this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishops and lord Bs. is this abhomination of desolation set in the high places then wee beseech the K. vpon our knees by his highest honor and renowne by his truest justice most righteous iudgmeÌ„t by his most Godly Princ-like care of the salvation of al his subiects and lastly above all by his cheifest love vnto God to his holy truth That our lord the King will with his Royall coÌ„sent give way that this cause may come to an equall tryall but thus farr that the K. will but take hold his sword of iustice from this Hyrarchy that they may not smite the faith full true loyall subiects of the K. therewith neither to death nor to imprisoment nor to banishment for speaking or writing onely against their Kingdome And let our lord the King by the humble supplication of vs his servants be intreated to leave them to defend their spirituall power and names by the sword of the spirit which ought onely to be the weapon of their warefare if they be spirituall Lords as they pretend and then shall â—ur lord the K. see this cause truely decided to the Ks. honor and great comfort for the K. knowes that this Hyrarchy withall their learned dependancy if their cause be good they cannot lose it for want of learning in that they have wisedome learning if it be according to godlines sufficient to convince the whole earth and if they can with all that masse of learning mainteyne their Primacie and Prelacy Arch-Bishopry and spirituall Lordships then may our lord the King let them enioy it with comfort but if they cannot with all the spiritual weapons and armor they have vphold it then let it fall and go into the bottomles pitt from whence it is come Revel 9.2 and whether it must go though all the Kings on the earth should strive to vphold it Revel 20.1.2.10 Let not our lord the K. therefore give the least support therevnto by the power of his sword The lord grant that wee may find fauour in the Kings eies in this so iust and equall a cause which
it in that the whole cause depends thereon And wee repeat it vnto the King in these few words which shall never be disanulled or made void whilst the heavens and earth endure not because they are our words God forbid anie such arrogancie should possesse our harts but they shall never be made void neither shall anie ever be able to gain-say them with anie shew of truth because they are the words of the everlasting God of truth whereby wee shew vnto the King that the King cannot have that power in respect of Religion to God in the kingdome and over the house and Israell or people of Christ now that the Kings of Israell had in the old Testament or in the tune of the law The ground wee repeat vnto the King is this That the kingdome of Israell was an earthly or worldly kingdome an earthly or worldly Temple Tabernacle or house an earthly or worldly people and the King an earthly King who in and over all that kingdome Temple and people could require onely earthly obedience But the kingdome of Christ now is an heavenly kingdome not of this world his Temple Tabernacle or house an heavenly Temple Tabernacle or house his people a heavenly or spirituall people not of this world and the King Christ Iesus a heavenly spirituall King requiring spirituall obedience Therefore our lord the King can not as a King have anie power over this kingdome Temple Tabernacle house and People of God in respect of the Religion of God because our lord the King his kingdome is an earthly kingdome and to our lord the King belongs onely all earthly obedience service and duty which ought to suffice anie earthly man And the God of all Grace give our lord the King a gracious hart fully to be satisfied and contented with that great honor power and dignity that belongs vnto the King and to give glory and honor to God for it that it may go well with the King and his posterity for ever And the God of heaven deliver the King from all such enchanters of Egipt as shall perswade the King to take vpon him the power of the Kings of Israel over the Church of Christ onely for the setting vp and supporting of their High Priest hood with vrim and Thummim with Pompe and power and the Leviticall revenewes of Israell which they challeng and hold as apperteyning thervnto forceing the Kings people by cruelty to obey them as though with them onely remayned the oracles of God And now if they will shew anie manner of vprightnes vnto God or faithfulnes to the King or anie regard to Gods people let them not mainteyne their kingdome which they have obteyned of the King by deceit and flatteries as is prophesied Dan. 11.21 Let them not mainteyne it by the Kings sword and power but let them come furth with that sword and power whereof they glory so much and vse so little and mainteyne their names power cruelty with it and wee professe before God the whole hoast of heaven before our Lord the King and all his people that if they can prove evidently to our consciences by the holy word of God that wee may obey them in all their Canons and decrees and give them those names and titles without the everlasting destructiō of our soules and bodies in hell yea if they can but prove that wee ought to rest or depend vpon their iugdments vnderstandings in the exposition of anie one part of Gods word or that they have power to ordeyne and appoint anie one Ordinance or the manner of administring anie one Ordinance in the worship of God and Church of Christ wee profess vnto our lord the King wee will yeild them all the obedience they require But if they will prove these thinges onely by Conuotation Canons how can our lord the King require that the Kings servants should dishonor God by casting his holy truth away and with it the salvation of our soules and depend vpon their Canons and yeild them obedience and perish both in soules and bodies Wee have rather chosen thus to say downe our lives at the feet of our lord the King in presenting the cause into the Kings presence Saying with Ester If we perish we perish for coming thus boldly vncalled into the Kings presence but we will wait with hope and expectation that through the gracious worke of the lord the King will hold furth his golden rod that wee may live and not so onely but also that by the Kings meanes comfort and delivrance shall appeare vnto Israell And that our lord the King will say as that great King of Persia said Ezra 1.2 The lord God of heaven hath given me many Kingdomes of the earth and hath comaunded me to build him an house in Ierusalem who is he amongst you of all his people with whome his God is let him go to Ierusalem build the house of the lord God of Israell And as King Darius said Ezra 6.7.16 Suffer the worke of the house of God that the Israelites may build this house of God in his place that they may offer sweet odours vnto the God of heaven and pray for the Kings life and for his sonnes And as Artahshashte King of Persia said Ezra 7.23 what soever is by the comaundement of the God of heaven let it be done spedily for the house of the God of heaven for why should he be wroath against the Realme of the King and his children Thus beseeching the director of all harts to direct the Kings hart in these thinges wee continew praying for the King and his Sonne and the Kings Realmes and children That the King and his seed to Gods glory may sitt vpon the throne of Great Brittane whilst the earth endures possessing from God wisedome and Riches and Honor befitting the dignity of their high Renowne that they may walke in the waies of god that god according to his promisse may prolong their dayes And the Lord give all the Kings people faithfull vpright and honest harts that they may all with one hart as one man Feare God and Honor and obey the King with all the honor and obedience that hath or can be due to anie earthly King or Prince which is all earthly and worldly obedience with lands goods bodie and life And wee most humbly supplicate our Lord the King and all the honorable and worthy Gouernors vnder the King that they will not suffer them selves to be missed in judgment in condemning vs as movers of Sedition and our bookes for seditions bookes because wee differ from the recieved profession of Religion in the land but that they will according to that great gravity and wisedome that is vpon them wey what Sedition is and they will easly find that to professe and teach a differing judgment in Religion to the State cannot be proved Sedition for then had our Saviour Christ and all his Disciples bene found seditious persons which neuer could be proved against
the new Testament which he hath purchased sealed vnto vs with his blood to stand for a law of Election and Ordination for ever vnto which who soever addeth or taketh away either in word or action by Doctrine or example the Lord will add vnto them all his judgments and take away all his mercies Reuel 22.18.19 You being thus by the word of truth all declared and proved to be false Prophetts not haveing entred into the shepefold by the dore it must needs follow according to the words of the Lord that all the great signes and wonders that you shew in this your false ministery are lying signes and wonders Let it not be grevious vnto you to heare of these thinges whereby to provoake you to wrath but let it be grevious to you that you thus sinne and so be provoaked to indignation against your selves that you may come to repentance Here is all your Zeale of wonder and signes of so great fervency whereby you worke vpon the blind consciences and ignorant affections of the simple deceaved soules proved to be false and deceaveable all your fire wherewith you kindle the harts of men and seduce simple woemen makeing them beleeve you have brought it from heaven all this is but the false enlightning and heat of a false spirit even of that spirit which your spirituall Lord breathed vpon you when you kneeled on your knees before him and he laid his hands vpon you and most blasphemously even in the high dishonor of the spirit of grace bad you receive the holy ghost by and in the power of this spirit do you preach and pray and do all your great wonders and other spirit have you none for this is the spirit to which you have submitted and by this spirit onely are you sent and therefore are you all false Propheets and you have not the spirit of God abiding in you ye are gone out of the way ye have caused manie to fall ye have broken the Covenant of levi in that you are admitted to the Order of Priesthood by the Man of sinne who is an adversary against God to whose blasphemous consecrating of Preists directly contrary and opposite to the holy established ordinance of Iesus Christ in the Gospell â— the spirit of God can give no approbation 〈◊〉 neither admitt of such to be the Prophetts of God that have not entred by Christ the true doore and way but have entred by him that sitts as God in the Temple of God but adiudgeth you all to be false Prophetts Leave of therefore your great daies of humiliation by fasting and praier wherein sometymes you make the people to Cover the Alter with teares and whereby some of you have taken vpon you to cast out manie Devills goeing on to the hight in shewing signes and lying wonders to deceave if it were possible the very Elect according to the prophesie of Christ which is thus fulfilled in you Kindle fire vpon the alter of the Lord no more in vaine the Lord hath no pleasure in you neither will accept an Offering at your hand but will curse you as deceavers who vow a holy Offering but bring a Corrupt Sacrifice vnto the Lord Mala. 1.14 and all this you do and shall do so long as you serve in your Office and Ministery received by the power and authority of the Man of sinne contrary to the holy Ordinance of Election and ordination appointed by Christ in the new Testament And now al these thinges we dare not but thinke you have done and do through ignorance Amend your lives therefore and turne that these your great and grevious sinnes may be put away when the time off refreshing shal come from the presence of the Lord. And take heed both you and al the people that do with such admiration runne after you as wee our selves have done wee speake it to our owne shame take heed least that now your ignoraÌ„t zeale and fiery spirits of error wherewith you have enflamed the harts off the simple being discovered take heed least you boyle in great heat gnawe your tongues for sorrow blaspheme the God of heaven for your paines for your sores repent not of your works as is prophesied men shal do Revel 16 9-11 From which hiest measure off sinne the Lord for his Christs sake deliver you and through Gods grace wee wil hope better thinges off you which the Lord grant we may find in you for the Lord knowes our vnfained harts disire is that you might al be saved And we exhort the people off God no longer to harken to the voice off straingers but that they flee from them according to the Counsel of our Saviour Iesus Christ Ioh. 10.5 And let the people see with their owne eies how you have al shewed your selves to bee hirelings which are not the Shepherds neither the sheepe are your owne in that seing the wolfe coming you have fledd and left the sheepe nay manie of you even of those that are accounted most faithful and holy have and do go your selves and lead Your flocks to heare the voice of strangers that are set vp and stand vp in that Office and publique place which you challeng for your owne and are glad your selves to preach in corners Others of you make a secret composition with the Hyrarchy which you professe to abhor and then heir some wretched maÌ„ vnder you to surplice aÌ„d crosse and sinne for you Oh how hateful and abhominable are the works off darknes of this kind which are done off you in the light and al this vnder a great seeming shew off holines but is meere hypocrisie aÌ„d dissimuâ—ation because you are hirelings and not good shepeherds who would lay downe their lives for their sheepe rather then lead them into the hand of the destroyer and if you deny them to bee theeves and robbers that come into your places aÌ„d are made pastors over your flocks against your wils and against the mynd off the flock then must you needs acknowledg them true shepeherds over the flock and that they have come in by the doore aÌ„d acknowledg your selves iustly thrust out seeing you in your iudgments hold but one Pastor over a flock Wee wil not follow you in these perticulers except further occation be offered But remember how you compare your fellow Preists to Circumcellions or Fryers goeing vp and downe with the bishops bulls like beggers to see where they can get entertainment and see not al this while your selves yea some of your cheife spirits for working lying wonders stand in the market place to be hired from the East to the west aÌ„d to be transported froÌ„ North to South wheresoever you can get a good Towne pulpit or a privileged Chappel a great Chamber or dyning parlor to administer in how prophane soever the Towne or houshold be you wil not let to make theÌ„ all partakers of the holy thinges at first before you knowe your shepe or your shepe knowe you contrary to
off the Mone shal be as the light off the Sunne the light off the Sunn shal be seaven fold like the light of seaven days in the day that the lord wil bind vp the breach of his people heale the strooke of their wound And Esa 32.19 thou shalt not see a feirce people a people of dark speach that thou canst not perceive of a straing tongue that thou canst not vnderstand Al this teacheth the people of God to looke for plaine pathes to walke in which do shine with brightnes as also that the witnesses of the lord shal be a people that shal speake plainly to the vnderstanding of the simple therefore the Lords people must not walke in blind and secret wayes nor desert pathes which are not light and plaine nor be seduced by false Prophets and deceitful people that speake in their feirce heate dark and obscure thinges who are ful of deceitfull distinctions blind consequences and al turning of devices to deceive the simple saying loe here is Christ loe there is Christ of such our Saviour forewarnes his people that they beleeve them not although they shal shewe great signes and wonders but that they shal set their harts aÌ„d turne their eies vnto the cleare light of truth which is the everlasting gospel that the Angell flieing through the midst of heaven preached vnto them that dwel on the earth to every nation kindred tongue people Revel 14.6 This is the spirit off the Lords mouth wherewith he wil consume the man of sinne and abolish him by the brightnes of his comeing 2. Thes 2. By the ministery of the seaventh angel who when he hath poured out his viall their shall bee sounds lightnings thunders a great earthquake such as nevers was the great Citie shal be rent in three parts the Cities of the Nations shal fal that great Babilon shal come in remembrance before God hee shal give vnto hir the Cup of the wine of the feirenes of his wrath Rev. 16. Thus by the glorious light off the Gospell shall the misterye off iniquity be abolished And whereas our Saviour Christ saith that this his comeing shal bee as the lightning cometh out off the East and is seene into the west this makes it manifest vnto vs that the glorious overspreading off the gospel againe shal be as at the first General over all and that men shal seeke after and resort vnto the light of the truth of God as Eagles do to their pray according to the prophesie of Esa 60.4 Lift vp thyne eies round about and behold all these are gathered come to thee thy sonnes shal come from farr Esa 66.18 The Lord saith it will come that I shal gather all Nations and Tongues and they shal come and see my glory And the Lord by the Prophet Amos. 9.11 12. saith In that day wil I raise vp the Tabernacle of David that is fallen downe and close vp the breaches thereof will raise vp his ruins and I wil build it as in the dais of old and Esa 11.11.12 In the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand againe the second time to possesse the remnant of his people and he shal assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scatered of Iudah froÌ„ the fower corners of the world And herevnto agreeth the Prophesie Revel 19.17 Where the Angel that stands in the sunne cries with a lowd voice to al the foules that flye through the midst of heaven come gather your selves together to the supper of the great God and Revel 21. The Holy Spirit speaking of the glorious exaltation of the Holy Citie after the destruction off Babilon saith The Kings of Earth shall bring their glory and honor vnto it the glory and honor of the Gentils shal bee brought vnto it And this yet â—s the hope comfort of the Saincts of God that it shal come to passe that they which now come against Ierusalem shal go vp from yere to yere to worship the King the Lord of hoasts and to kepe the Feast of Tabernacles Zach. 14.16 Therefore saith the voice out of the Throne praise our God all yee his servants and ye that feare him both smale and great for the Lord that almightie God doth now raigne let vs bee glade and reioyce and give glory to him for the marriage off the lambe is come and his wife hath prepared hirself Revel 19.5.6.7 These words are faithful aÌ„d true which must shortly bee fulfilled blessed is hee that observeth the Words of the prophesie off the booke Revel 22.6.7 But woe woe woe then bee vnto all that doe not marke and observe them and faithfully and carefully keepe the Words off the Prophesie off this Booke But wee demaund in all these daies of tribulation which are such as never were nor ever shal be where shal the ignorant appeare iff in the daies of so great danger when there shal bee as there now is so manie false Prophets shewing such signes and wonders so as if it were possible they should deceive the very elect if in these daies the ignorant bee seduced through their ignorance shal they drinck of the Cup of the wine of Gods wrath The word of the Lord is perfect and plaine they shal al perish that are ignorant and are deceived because they receive not the love of the truth therefore God shal send them stronge delusions that they should beleeve lyes and bee damned 2. Thes 2. And it is iust with the Lord their ignorance being declared to be for want of the love of the truth Thus then is this ground off truth most evident aÌ„d plaine they that through grace in Christ receive the love off the truth they are the Elect of God and shal not bee deceived but shal bee saved But they that through the effectuall working of Sathan withal his signes and lying wonders receive not the love of truth they shal bee deceived and beleeve lyes and bee damned Moreover our Saviour Christ saith if the ignorant lead the ignorant they shal both fall into the pit Mat. 15.14 let al therefore take heed and learne to knowe the truth of God and to love it and to vnderstand his word themselves seeing the Lord hath comaunded them not to followe such as say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but to looke vnto the shyning light of truth whereof if they bee not able to iudg and deserne of themselves by the direction of Gods spirit they can never have faith nor assurance in the way they walke so shal they runne blindfold to destruction not knoweing whether they are sedd False prophets or true Prophets are al alike to them they being ignorant of the scriptures whereby they should examine them and find them out and try their doctrine such must needs bee carried away with every blast off vaine doctrine wheÌ„ they are not able to try the spirits whether they be of God these
lord Bs. say this is not to be vnderstood generally of every sinne against God but perticulerly of some and herein must wee be subiect to the spirit of their vnderstanding and that rule of Christ must be made no sure nor perfect rule Next let vs shew the K. that if there be such a sin comitted as the Bs. do iugd to be a sin according to their rule which let the K. give his servants leave to suppose to be adultery that it proceeds or comes to this degree that it must be told vnto the Church which wee vnderstand to be the whole congregatioÌ„ moe or lesse The lord Bs. by their spirit of vnderstanding say tell the Church That is to be vnderstood tell the Ordinary which is either the Bishops chaÌ„cellor or the Archdeacons Officiall they are they that have power to bind in earth it shal be bound in heaveÌ„ their fees being paid theÌ„ they have power to loose on earth it shal be loosed in heaven Oh that the Ks. eare would but heare half the depth of this iniquity the Ks. servants knowe the Ks. hart would never endure it that his peoples consciences should be thus wounded and their soules destroyed by being coÌ„pelled to submitt to such spirits of vnderstanding Furthermore let our lord the King knowe that whereas the Holy ghost testifieth Act. 14.23 saieing that they had ordeyned Elders by Election in every Church and praied and fasted this wee vnderstand was the whole Congregations fasting and praying and Election and that the Church hath power to appoint some to ordeyne or lay on hands if there be no Elders as they did Act. 13.2.3 but all this say the Lord B. by the spirit of our vnderstandings doth belong vnto vs and the Patron and the people have nothinge to do but must be content to have such a Pastor as wee appoint though they never heard him knewe him nor saw him and although the congregation after ward should like neuer so well of him yet the Lord Bishops they have power to take him away from them to deprive him and silence him punish them if they heare him although he be never so well approved amongst them Thus must the Kings peoples be compelled to vnderstand the scriptures for the advancement of their power of Ordination and deprivation And whereas wee the Kings servants vnderstand according to the best vnderstanding that God hath given vs that Th-appostle Paul giving a rule of direction for the people of God how to worship God when they come together 1. Cor. 14.26.33 That every one as he hath a Psalme or a doctrine or a tongue may speake to edification and if anie thinge be revealed to another that sitteth by the first is to hold his peace for all that have gifts may prophesie one by one and in all this God is noe the God of confusion but of Order Thus do we hold the disciples of Christ ought to come together to worship God and edifie one another in the libertie of the spirit according to the gifts and graces that are given to every one Rom. 12.6 And that every man as he hath received the gift may administer the same one to another 1. Pet. 4.10 The lord Bs. vtterly deny the substance of all this vnderstanding and their spirit of vnderstanding directs that when the Congregation is come together the Preist or Curate that is licensed by them onely must performe the worship and must beginne their worship with their booke strictly tying them to such sentences and then to that which is written after then a Confession then an absolution with virsickles and answeres and Psalmes and lessons and Te Deum and the Latany 3. daies a weeke and at other times when the Ordinary shal comaund Thus may our lord the King see how his peoples spirits are in bondage to the lord Bs. spirit in the vnderstanding of the scriptures and they must of force against their consciences vnderstand them as they comaund or els go to prison And our lord the King may also see that whereas neither Christ nor his Appostles ever commaunded or practiced anie set forme of worship whose spirit had bene most fitt to have ordeyned such an order yet the Lord Bs. in the perfect jmage of the first Beast have composed a proportion and framed an order of praiers and readings for the worship of God comaunding absolutely the observation thereof forceing the spirits of the Kings people to be subiect to ther limitations herein and so deliuer Gods people their bread by waight and their water by measaure not suffering the hungry to be satisfied with the bread of life nor the thirsty to be quenched froÌ„ the rivers of waters but forceing the vnwilling to drincke stolne waters out of their Cesexons and eat hidden bread out of their store-houses but the simple that eat and drinke thereof knowe not that the dead are there that their ghests are in the depthes of hell Pro. 9.17.18 Let not our lord the K. be despleased seeing his servants speake but the words of sobriety and if the K. shall thinke wee misapâ—y theÌ„ that is the thinge which wee so humbly earnestly beseech the K. may come to tryall by the Ks. free consent and that the Kings hand of power may not be against the iust and due tryall thereof Now when wee the Kings servants do sue for a tryall wee disire our lord the King not to conceive that his servants meane a day of dispute and so to handle the cause of the lord as men that contend for prizes who submitt their cause to private censure for that it is private and concernes but themselves but our humble and most equall sute to our lord the K. is that seeing this Hyrarchy of Arch. Bs. lord Bs. do challenge such power prerogative over our consciences that all who cannot of consciente yeild it vnto theÌ„ may walke according to their consciences and publish their defence against them that these that beare the names of spirituall lords may by spirituall power onely convince their gain-sayers and not pretend to be spirituall Bishops and vse onely the Kings temporall sword to rule and convince men with And that our lord the King would suffer vs his servants to demaund of them that take vpon them to be lord Bs. of whome they have learned to rule by such power and who hath taught them to put the contrary mynded in prison how they wil be able to answere him that will bring the greatest of them to answere who taught all his disciples to 〈◊〉 not the contrary mynded with meeknes proveing if at anie time God will give them repentance and hath taught them to be gentle suffering the evill 2. Tim. 2.24.25 And let our lord the King give vs his servants leave to ask these Lord Bs. whether they thinke that God hath forgotten this his comaundement or that he wil quite forget to put it in their accompt because
they have al together forgotten to keepe it Oh that our lord the King would but take his sword out of these lord Bs. hāds to whose Officie it doth in no sort apperteyne if they were Christs Bishops and that the K. would let them onely vse that sword which is sharper then anie two edged sword which onely belongs to Christs Bishops in their Office let the King turne them out and let them if there be anie māner of vprightnes in them come furth with that sword and armor onely which the holy ghost hath appointed them if they be Christ disciples Ephes 6.11.17 And wee wil come to them through Gods grace in the spirit of love and meeknes but when they smite vs with the Ks. sword of justice maynteine their aucthority onely by that power and yet wil be spirituall lords how can wee with faithfullnes to the cause of God but shoot them thorow with the arrowes of the Almighty filling them the double Revel 18.6 Discover by the word of truth the height of their iniquity for if it may please our lord the K. to consider there is no other way to try and discover them whether they be spirituall or no but to apply the word of God vnto them examine compare them by it as the Church of Ephesus did them which said they were Apostles but were not found thē lyars Reuel 2.2 if this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. will not nor may not be tryed by the word of God but will still cause by all the meanes they can as many as will not worship it should be killed so that none may speake or write against it but they shal be by death by imprisoment or by banishmēt destroyed thē our lord the K. cā iudg that knowes the practice of the first Beast in all these things that where the first Beast hath full power none may write nor speake nor looke amisse but they dye the King can iudg whether this Hyrarchy of Arch B. and Lord B. be not the second Beast who hath thus caused to be made the jmage of the first Beast And if the Kings people may not thus say and write and by the word of God prove this Hyrarchy so to be but must without gainsaying beleeve the scriptures worship God as they comaund then are they Lords over our faith and the people of God have no power from God to vnderstand the scriptures but all power is given to them and then must wee beleeue they cannot err And wee beseech our lord the King that is a man of wisedome to give righteous iudgment herein whether the Lord Bs. do not challenge onely to themselves all power to vnderstand the scriptures and not to eer when they will by force and violence of imprisoment banishment or death Compell the Kings people to yeild obedience to their vnderstanding onely for if the Kings people must not beleeve that they onely have the power of the spirit and cannot eer how comes it that the Kings people must be compelled onely to obey them in all their vnderstandings and practices Except the Kings people must obey them though they do err And if our lord the King will not altogether turne his eare from the deepe complaints of his servants then let the King heare his servants in this point which is so hatefull to the King and is of all estates that have anie vnderstanding in the mistery of godlines so much detested yea the Lord B. themselves do in words professe great detestation thereof and that is that presumptious sin of blasphemy of that Romish Beast who holds he cannot err and therefore thinkes that he may change times and lawes as is prophesied of him Dan. 7.25 and this he doth as our lord the King well knowes appointing or comaunding lawes days and times forceing obedience and saying he cannot err so that what soever he doth it must be obeyed as holy and good Oh that our lord the King all his people would see that the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs and Lord Bs. do no lesse although in word they deny it yet in deeds they practice and hold the same thinge that they cannot err And this can never be denyed neither shall they ever be able to open their mouth to deny it if they might but be brought ta answere for shall they ever be able to anniswere it that they should expound the scriptures make spirituall lawes Canons and decrees comaund absolute obedience and in divers of their Canons decreeing excommunication ipso facto but that they shal be forced to shew by their deeds that they cannot err men must obey them vpon that ground because they cannot err or els vpon this ground that they must be obeyed although they do err for they must be obeyed vpon which last ground thausends do obey them But wee beseech our lord the King that it may be lawfull without offence vnto the King to try the Hyrarchy vpon the first ground which is that as the Hyrarchy of Rome say in words they cannot err that so in their deeds this Hyrarchy do absolutely professe they cannot err Wee with our best ability make it plaine to our lord the King and to every eie and eare thus The Hyrarchie of Rome expounds the scriptures makes lawes Canons and decrees and binds all mens consciences to obey forceing them therevnto by excommunication imprisoment banishment death none may examine the power aucthority or warrant thereof by the scriptures but all must be received for holy and good because the Hyrarchy of Rome say in words they cānot err And wee beseech our lord the K. to see that the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs and Lord Bs. do all the same thinges they expound the scriptures make lawes Canons decrees bindes all mens consciences to the obedience thereof forceing the Ks. true obedient subiects therevnto by excomunicatiō imprisoment banishment the K. in mercy justice restraning them of blood none may examine the power aucthority of anie of their decrees by the scriptures but all must be received for holy good Doth not the K. in the wisedome of his hart see may not all the K. people see that this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs and lord Bs. in all their deeds do shewe they challeng to have the same power not to err which the Hyrarchy of Rome do say in words they have thus do they absolutely in deeds professe they cannot err which the Hyrarchy of Rome professe in words and herein the Hy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. are the more deceipt full deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes And now wee beseech the Creator of harts to give our lord the King a new hart to consider of all the exalted abomination of desolation executed practiced by this Hyrarchy of Arch Bs. and Lord Bs. and let our lord the K. know that it concernes the King highly on to consider of it in that it is set vp and supported and all the
diligentlie with your whole harts the law and statutes off the Lord that you may keepe them which lovâ— when you shal diligentlie aÌ„d faithfully search into through out you shal no where find it once mentioned that anie infants are to be Baptized and therefore it is but the meere vaine invention and tradition of men which who so followeth can never have favour nor acceptance with God because they make the Law off God of no authority Mark 7.13 In this great and waighty cause wee wil not through the grace of God burden you with manie grounds or arguments but lay downe before you some few things withall the plainnes and evidence of truth wherwith God shall make vs able And first wee pray al those whose harts God hath inclined to seeke his truth and who desire in vprightnes to walke in the light that they wil duelie consider what the CovenaÌ„t of the Gospel is and with whome it is made and thus hath the Lord set it downe This is the Covenant saith the Lord that I wil make with the house of Israel I wil put my law in their inward parts and write it in their â—aâ—ts and I wil bee their God and they shal bee my people Iere. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 And our Saviour Christ declares this more fullie Mark 16.16 Where he saith Go ye into al the World and preach the Gospel to everie Creature he that shal beleeve and be baptized shal bee saved Thus doth the Lord by his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel put and write his law in the harts of men according to the Parrable of the sower Mat 13.23 And they shal beleeve in him and bee Baptized Thus they shal be his people and he wil save them and so is he their God Here is the new Covenant set downe by the Holie ghost both on Gods behalf and on their behalf with whome it is made and here is it plainlie declared and expounded by Christ himself The Lord on his behalfe doth Covenant that he wil put and write his law in mens hâ—res by the power of his spirit in the preaching of the Gospel and he wil bee their God and save them and the Covenant on his peopls behalf which they are to keepe and performe is to beleeve the Gospel and bee Baptized Let al men now that have anie willingnes of hart to bee enformed by the word of God and whose harts are not wilfullie set to go on in their igno◠〈◊〉 â—old waies without trying their waies whether they bee of God or no let them wee say search examine and try by what shewe of truth it can possibly bee conceived that vnder or by this Covenant of the new Testament infants should be baptized where the Lord requires no such thinge in this Covenant of men to baptize their infants and if you wil but see and consider with wise and gracious harts how the Lord doth set downe the Covenant which he made with Abraham Gen. 17. You shal see with what evidence the Lord in mercie doth set it downe Thus saith the Lord to Abraham I wil establish my Covenant betweene thee and me thy seed after thee in their generation for an everlasting Covenant to bee God vnto thee and thy seed after the and I wil give to thee and to thy seed after thee all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I wil bee their God this is on the Lords behalf and saith the Lord This is the Covenant that thou and thy seed after thee shal kepe Let every man-child amonge you bee circumcised yee shal circumcise the foreskinne of your Flesh and every man-Child at eight days old aswel he that is borne in the house as he that is bought with monie this is the Covenant on Abrahams behalf and his seed Thus doth the lord declare in every perticuler his Covenant with his people aswel what he wil do for them as also what he requireth them to do in obedience to him aÌ„d here wee see God hath comaunded Abra aÌ„d his seed to circuÌ„cise al the males in their house And now this Covenant is disanulled and all the Ordinances thereof as is shewed Heb. 7.18 And the Lord saith he wil make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not like the old teaching vs that wee should not forme and frame it according to the old but that wee should receive it according to the new forme and frame wherein he delivers it vnder which Covenant the Lord doth not commaund or require of his people that they should Baptize all their houshold and infants both borne in their house and bought with monie according as vnder the old Covenant he commaunded that they should circumcise them How dare you then thus contend against the Lord and whereas he saith he wil make a new Covenant not according to the old you wil say and have it according to the old for you wil have it that according as infants were circumcised vnder the old Covenant so you will haue infants Baptized vnder the new is not this to set yourselves against the lord and to change his Covenant which he hath sealed with his blood and after your owne wils in what you thinke good to make it according to the old Covenant directly contrary to the Lords owne word aÌ„d saying and you have no way to mainteyne the baptizing of infants but by saying the new Covenant is according to the old and this is to say directly contrary to the saying of the Lord who is the Covenant maker and who saith in plaine words the new Covenant which I wil make with Israell shal not bee according to the old Here it is made evident to al that wil not resist the truth that your baptizing of infants is contrary to the new Covenant of the Lord. Thus do you to make your owne tradition good make the new Covenant like the old which the Lord saith is not like the old how can you possibly oppose the word of the lord more directly Furthermore the holy ghost by the Author vnto the Heb. Chap. 9. endeavoring by al evidence to prove that the new Covenant is not like the old sheweth that the old Testament or Covenant had a worldly Sanctuary and that the service of that Tabernacle onely stood in meates and drincks and divers washings and Carnall rites which purified the Flesh but purged not the Conscience and the holie Ghost sheweth there that the new Testament or Covenant hath not a worldlie Sanctuarie and that the service of that Tabernacle stands not in carnal rites which purge not the conscience but 〈◊〉 is a perfect Tabernacle the sacrifice where of doth purge the conscience from dead workes to serve the ljveing God Thus doth the scripture shew that the ordinances of the new are not according to the ordinances of the old and for this cause saith the holy ghost Christ is the Mediator of the new Testament that is because the new Testament or Covenant and Cabernacle
house or bought with his monie which were not of his seed were al to bee circumcised because it was the Covenant that God comaunded Abraham to kepe to circumcise al his males and not because they were al vnder the Covenant of circumcision by Abrahams faith this is but a vaine invention of the man of sinne and a mistery of iniquity to deceive them that have pleasure in vnrighteousnes haveing no shewe nor warrant of scripture to say they were circumcised because they were vnder the Covenant by Abrahams faith al evidence of Scripture is against it in that the lord doth plainly declare in his word that they were to be circumcised that were noâ— vnder the Covenant even all Abrahams houshold whereoff there was no one vnder the Covenant but himselff when the commaundement was given Now theÌ„ you haveing no cullor shew nor warrant from the scriptures for the baptizing of infants but a deceitful consequence from the example off circumcision we beseech al that hope for salvatioÌ„ by Iesus Christ to see the deceit of your consequeÌ„ce thus you say and this is all your hold that as the seed off the faithful were circumcised so the seed of the faithfull must be baptized proofe for this your ground you have none but your strong perswasions and long custome wherein no one of you have faith but to shew yet againe the deceit of your consequence First it is not drawne by due proportion which is a most deceitful way to deceive the simple for thus ougt your consequence to be drawne as Abraham beleving was circumcised aÌ„d al the males of his houshold both meÌ„ and childreÌ„ of eight daies old bond aÌ„d free so now anie man beleving must be baptized withal his houshold both men and childreÌ„ of eight daies old bond aÌ„d free Secondly the deceit of your consequence is because it is not a necessary consequence for you must prove nothinge by consequence but that which must off necessity followe but this doth not off necessity followe neiâ—her can it followe that because infants were circumcised with circumcision in the Flesh vnder the Law therefore infants must of necessity bee baptized with the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes vnder the Gospel with which baptisme they cannot be baptized as all of anie vnderstanding must needs confesse aÌ„d there is but one baptisme and therefore most blindly ignorantly and deceitfully is this consequence drawne being neither draweÌ„ by due proportion neither can the rule possibly follow by true consequence neither shal you be able to tel what to say when you shal bee required to prove it a necessary consequence If therefore you will not wilfully go on in the waies of everlasting destruction forsake this roote off error which overthrowes the Covenant of the Gospel of Iesus Christ in the first foundation thereof bringing in the seed off the flesh off the faithful by carnal generation for the seed of the promisse in steed of the seed of the faith of Abraham by spiritual regeneration making the infants that are begotten of the faithful after the flesh members of the body of Christ and heires of the Covenant of the new TestameÌ„t which is the Covenant of faith and repentance through the faith of their parents and by this meanes you have and do daylie bring all the wicked and vngodlie in these parts of the World to bee members off Christs bodie and heires off the Covenant by natural birth which our Saviour Christ saith Ioh. 3. Can no way be but by new birth that is by being borne againe of water and the Spirit which is by beleeving and being Baptized Thus do you vtterlie destroy and overthrowe the holie Covenant of the Lord the holy baptisme and the body off Christ makeing them Comon to all yong and old wicked and prophane blasphemers persecutors murtherers adulterers and witches and al their ChildreÌ„ but let all knowe this such as the members are such is the body and such is the baptisme aÌ„d such is their Covenant the Covenant of death and condemnation vnto al that are vnder it and not the Covenant of life and salvation which is onely made with them that beleeve and are baptized and the Lord perswade every honest hart to ground their faith vpoÌ„ this rock that as vnder the Law none were circumcised but those that were expresly commaunded by rule or exaÌ„ple so vnder the Gospel none may bee baptized but those that are expresly commaunded by rule or example and keeping to this true ground no simple soule shal bee deceived and so wee leave this point with Godly care to be considered of beseeching the Lord to give you vnderstanding harts Thus have we with our most willing though most feeble endeavors manifested vnto you these two salse professions of Christ and the false Prophets that mainteyne them amongst you with divers perticuler errors and strong delusions whereby they deceive you transforming themselves as though they were the Prophets off God but they are all deepe deceivers and Prophesie lyes as wee have proved wherein they shal never bee able to iustifie themselves neither before God nor his people and wee much rather disire their repentance then that they should go about to approve themselves in their evil whereby they shal heape sinne vpon their owne heads and bring shame to their owne faces seeing the time is come that the lord wil reprove the foolishnes of such false Prophets who make shewe off Godlines but denie the power thereoff who lead captive simple wemen which are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg off the truth These are they that Thappostle foretold of 2. Tim. 3. Who like Iannes Iambres resist the truth who are proud boasters in exalting themselves and challenging to themselves speciall power to knowe and vnderstand the counsels of God when they are meÌ„ of corrupt knowledg aÌ„d mynds and to be reproved concerning the faith but saith Thappostle they shall prevaile no longer for their madnes shall bee evident vnto al men aÌ„d we exhort you with the words of thapostle turne away therefore from such It followeth that we speake some few words of the second prophesie which is of the days of the Sonne of maÌ„ in the brightnes of his comeing for the consuming of the man of sinne spoken of 2. thes 2. the which days our saviour saith shal be as the lightning that cometh out of the East is sene into the west mat 24. wherein is set furth vnto vs that the Lord shal make his truth to appeare with vnspeakeable evidence of light so as his people shal plainly see the way and light thereoff according as the Lord by the Prophet Esa speaketh 42.16 I wil bring the blind by a way they knew not lead them by pathes they have not knowne I wil make darknes light before them crooked thinges straight and the lord wil not speake in secret neither in a place of darknes in the earth and Esa 30.26 the light
seing they iustifie themselves in them and say they sinne not therefore their sinne remaineth and cannot bee taken away by Christ As for example You all iustifie the baptizing of infants now when you repent of all your sinnes of ignorance have you anie thoughts to repent of that and if you were asked would you not with your last breath iustify that you have done wel therein and that the baptizing off Infants is a holy ordinance of Christ but if it be no ordinance of Christ and that you sinne therein cā you be so simple as to imagine that this sinne shall come within your general repentance Wherein you blesse and iustifie your selves You can no more bee forgiven at Gods hands then they that ignorātly set vp a false Christ ād iustify him to be the true Christ or thē they that put the true Christ to death and iustify he is a false Christ We know your answere in this willbee that if you could see it to be your sinne to baptize infants and to mainteyne it to bee a holy ordinance off God you would repent of it but before you cannot wil not God answere you that when hee can see you repent he wil forgive you but before he cannot Ezek. 18.21.27 Wil not the Pope make the same answere for al the bloody persecutions wherewith he hath and doth persecute al Protestants so called Wil not the lord Bishop make this answere for all their wicked and cruel persecutions against the Puritanes ād Brownists so caled but shal they be pardoned they iustifying thēselves in al these wickednesses wherein they think they doe God service because they repent of al their sinnes of ignorance whereof they iustifie these to bee none wil God pardon thē in al this their wickednes because they cannot see it to be their sinne You al wil grant they cannot be pardoned of these sinnes they iustifying themselves therein neither can anie be pardoned of anie sinne they iustifying themselves therein If this were duely considered it would make men take heed what they professe or practice in the profession of Christ seeing if they professe or practice anie thinge that is not according to the word of God and iustifie it for good they must perish and cannot be saved it stands therefore al men vpon the peril of their soules to looke to their waies and to bee vpon a sure ground from Gods word what they condemne for evil or error ād what they mainteyne and iustifie for truth for if they that iustifie the wicked they that condemne the iust be an abhomination vnto the Lord. Pro. 17.15 Then they that iustifie error and wickednes and condemne truth and righteousnes calling light darknes darknes light such must needs bee an abhomination to the Lord. If al the learned Scribes and Pharisies and false Prophets in the world had harts to beleeve this and confesse it it would make them take heed what they iustified for truth ād what they condēned for error and how they taught others to do so If al the careles professors of Christ that professe him in word would beleeve this word of the lord to bee true it would make them looke more circumspectly to their waies and not thinke that anie profession of Christ is sufficient and that they may professe Christ after that manner that is best pleasing to their owne mynds makeing the way large that they may walke therein at liberty according to the vanity and excesse of their owne harts If the simple harted who in manie things are weyued from the world and who have manie zealous disires in them did faithfully beleeve the Lord herein that if they iustifie anie false waies vntruth or error and condemne anie way off light and truth their sinne remaineth they are an abhomination to the Lord if they did beleeve God herein it would make them take heed how they went on in their ignorant zeale being led by their Teachers approving and iustifying what they teach thē and disapproveing and condemning what they reach them to disaprove and condemne Forsakeing the teaching off Gods Spirit not thinking it possible for themselves to attayne to the vnderstanding off the Scriptures but by the teaching of their learned and good men as they falsely cal them but if they did beleeve this word off the Lord that they must perish if they iustifie anie one error or false way and condemne anie one truth it would make them with feare and trembling to seeke wisedome knowledg and vnderstanding of God that they being taught off God might bee able of themselves by the helpe of the holy Spirit the onely true Teacher and leader into all truth to discerne and iudg betwixt good and evil light and darknes truth and error least they relying vpon men be seduced and led to iustifie false waies and condemne the way of truth in anie perticuler and so fal vnder the iust iudgment off the Lord evē the iudgment of eternal death and condemnation a right recōpence of reward for al that wil of ignorant simplicity out of their good meanings ād zealous affectiōs falsly so called submit themselves to be led ād taught onely of men seeking for knowledg at their mouthes ād not wholly depēding vpō the scriptures for instruction and the spirit of God to teach thē the vnderstanding thereof neclecting of faith the reading and searching and meditating of the scriptures day and night and earnest praying without doubting that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisedome to direct thē to the true vnderstanding ād meaning of God in the Scriptures that they might be able if an Angell frō heaven should come and teach them anie other doctrine then Christ and his Apostles hath taught to iudg him accursed when this way shal be once truely learned ād faithfully practized of Gods people to attayne to true knowledg then shal all that seeke after Christ strive to enter into his kingdome by regeneration and new birth being borne againe of water the Holy Ghost then shal men learne to knowe the true baptisme of Christ which is the baptisme of repētāce for the remission off sinnes and be therewith Baptized and put on Christ and not satisfie themselves with childish baptisme in which baptisme they have not nor could not put on Christ and without which baptisme of repentance for the remissiō of sinnes they cannot put on Christ and then shal the elect of God not be deceived by the multitude of false Prophetts with al their lying wonders that say Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ but they shal take heed to the glorious brightnes of his coming which shal be in the shining light of his truth vnto the which the chosen of God shal flie ād come from far as Eagles to their pray And to this clere light of truth the Lord that hath bought you all with his blood raise vp your harts that you may seeke his face and be filled with the fulnes of his presence
spirituall povver and Gouerment That the Prophesie of the Second Beast is fulfilled vnder the spirituall povver Gouerment of Arch-Bishops lord Bishops Hovv Kings shal hate the vvhore make hir desolate VVhat Great Povver and authority vvhat honor names titles God hath given to the King That God hath givē vnto the K. an earthly kingdome vvith all earthly povver against the vvhich none may resist but must in all thinges obey vvillingly either to do or suffer That Christ alone is K. of Israell sitts vpon Davids Throne that the K. ought to be a subiect of his Kingdome That none ought to be punished either vvith death or bonds for transgressing against the spirituall ordināces of the nevv Testamēt and that such Offences ought to be punished onely vvith spirituall svvord and censures That as the Romish Hyrarchy say in vvords they cannot err so the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. shevve by their deeds they hold they cannot err herein they agree in one The false professiō of Puritan-isme so called the false Prophet is thereof discovered Their tvvo deceitfull excuses for their vndergoeing of all those thinges they cry out against made manifest The false professiō of Brovvnisme so called plainely laid open vvith their false Prophetts and vvith their false supposed seperatiō from the vvorld The vanity of their most deceitfull distinction betvvixt a false Church and no Church vvherevpon their vvhole false building stands made evident Some perticuler errors in Mr. Robinsons booke of iustification of Separatiō laid open That no mā iustifying anie false vvay or anie one error though of ignorance can be saved The perverting of those vvords of our Saviour Christ Mat. 10. vvhen they persecute you in one Citie flee into another contrary to all the meaning of Christ plainly shevved What Godly Reader can without mourninge affections read the great destruction and overthrowe of Ierusalem ◠with the house and people of God Prophesied of by the Prophett Ieremyah And what hart is not much affected to see the exceeding great sorrowe of the Prophett when he uttereth the prophesie thereof and declareth the sinns of the people Ier. 9. And when al these thinges were come to passe according to the word of the Lord and that the Prophet saw it with his eies who could not yet sit downe and lament to heare the most greivous lamentations that he poures out for that so great desolation and destruction wherewith the Lord had destroyed and made desolate that his owne Citie House and people Lam. 1.2.3 chap. Nay they that gave no regard to the wordes of the Lord spoken by the Prophet concerning these thinges Ier. 37.2 Yet when they saw the prophesie accomplished thē deepe sorrowe tooke hold vpon them then the Elders of the Daughter Syon sate vpon the ground kept silence cast dust vpon their heades girded themselves with sackcloth the virgines of Ierusalem hanged downe their heades to rhe ground Lam. 2.10 And who so readeth cannot deny but their was iust cause of al this sorrowe and therefore wel might the Prophet say Behold see if there bee anie sorrowe like vnto my sorrowe Lam. 1 1◠And if it cannot bee denyed but that the hearing and seing of this prophesie of so great desolation fulfilled was iust cause of this so great sorrowe Where are then the eies and eares of men that might heare and see farr greater tribulations and desolations then these prophesied of by a greater Prophet then Ieremiah and even now fulfilled in the feirce wrath of iudgment by the most Highest and that in the sight of al men and yet who considers of it Or who takes vp a lamentation for it are mens hartes vtterly voyd of mourning affectons or are they destitute of vnderstanding in the cause off sorrowe or do men thinke the danger is past Surely one of these must needes be the cause or els mens hartes would abound with sorrowe and their eies would power out floodes of teares and they would vtter with their tongues and penns lamentations of great woe Now if it can bee shewed by the word of truth that deepe error of darknes doth possesse the two last that is those which through ignorance thinke in themselves there is no such cause of sorrowe and those that through ignorance do thinke that the danger is already past then the first that cannot mourne must needes fall vnder the sharpe censure of great hardnes off hart and incensible deadnes of all affections Wee in the humilitie off our soules confesse that this worke is too great for our abilities but our strength is off the Lord who is able to make vs sufficient for these thinges iff wee by faith in Christ depend vpon him the which our faith being so full off infidelitie it must needes followe that our strength is full of all weaknes which would beate vs to the ground for vndertakeing this or anie such worke off the Lord but that the Word off God compells vs. which commaundes vs strickly to shewe our selves faithfull in a little Mat. 25 19-30 From which ground by the grace off God wee have beene drawen to doe that little wee have formerly done and vndertake through the Lordes gracious assistance now to doe that wee shall doe beseeching and trusting off his mercie towardes vs herein that all the praise may bee given onely to the glorie of his name First then to shewe vnto them their error that through ignorance doe not see there is great cause off lamentation and woe we require them to turne their eares to the prophesie of that great Prophett Christ Jesus Mat. 24 4-28 and Luke 21 8-31 Where hee foretelleth that when men shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophete set in the Holy places then shall bee great tribulation such as was not from the begining off the Creation to this time nor shall bee And except those dayes should bee shortned there should no Flesh be saved Hath the like Prophesie ever bene heard off Or can there bee anie desolation like vnto this desolation Wherein no Flesh shall bee saved No from the begining off the World there hath not bene the like nor shall bee saith our Saviour Christ Who can remaine ignorant off these daies and times and what ignorance is it not to knowe that these are even the dayes and times here Prophesied off Have not warrs and rumors of wars beene heard off Hath not Nation risen against Nation and Realme against Realme Hath there not beene famines and pestilence and earth-quakes in divers places And have not manie beene offended and betrayed one an other and hated one another And have not manie false Prophets arisen Doth not our Saviour Christ say these are the begininges of sorrowe Now all these thinges being come to passe which are the begininges of sorrow it must needes bee that the dayes of the hight of sorrowe are now come And doe not men now see the abhomination of
of vnrighteousnes above it in that there is in it the hight and power of al pride aÌ„d crueltie reigning and ruling over mens consciences as God vnder a most glorious shewe of godlines where by al Nations have bene made drunke with the wine of that Cup of fornication and whereby the whole power of Christ in his lawes statutes and ordinaÌ„ces hath bene aÌ„d yeâ— is abolished vtterly aÌ„d in the streets of this great Citie we meane nâ— perticuler place but the whole misterie of iniquitie spiritually called Sodome aÌ„d Egypt hath the corpes of the two witnesses of the Lord his word and spirit in the doctrine of the Apostles â—yen dead For who doth not knowe that they have altogether taken the word of God from the people that they migh not have it â—o much as in their owne language neither may they meddle with the spirit of knowledg and vnderstanding of it but from thâ—â— as they thought and yet do thinke good to deliuer it vnto them and that must stand for the Word and spirit of God without trying And this may suffice for a plaine and general discoverie of that BabiloÌ„ Sodome Egipt spiritually so called and of that Beast wiâ—h â—eaven heads and ten hornes and the rather seing there are so manie excelleÌ„t discoveries written thereof And shal we now sit downe as though our danger were past in finding out the first Beast and so make the prophesie of God Rev. 1â— 11 of no effect which so plainely sets furâ—h and describes a second beast off no lesse danger then the first shal we so betray the cause of God and the soules of thousands and ten thousaÌ„ds of meÌ„ God forbid and wil anie of you that frely approve of al the findings out aÌ„d discoveries of the first Beast not with willingnes consent to the finding out off the second far be it from you to have so little love to Gods truth and the salvation of men Wel we wil do our endeavors to diâ—cover the secoÌ„d beast leaveing it to the coÌ„sciences of whoÌ„soever it may most concerne to judg whether we deale faithfully or no and we wil forejudg our selves to deale most weakely Revel 13. FroÌ„ the 1. vers to the 18. It is written I saw another Beast comeing vp out of the earth which had two hornes like the lambe but hee spake like the dragon doth exercise the power of the first Beast saieing to theÌ„ that dwel on the earth that they should make an image of the first Beaste causeth as manie as would not worship the image of the Beast should bee killed made all to receive a marke in their right hand or in their fore heads that no man might buy or sell save he that hath the marke or the name of the Beast or the number of his name Which way now in finding out the second Beast shal we bee able to looke besides that great Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishops and Lord-Bishops are not you they that pretend in meeknes and humilitie the word and power of the Lambe who saith Learne of mee that I am meeke lowly c. But exercise the power of the beast and speake like the dragon have you not made and set vp the image of the Beast is not your pompe and power like his and hath there not beene much like crueltie vsed by that power Doth not the blood of the dead crie and have not the imprisoned groaned vnder that crueltie and do not the silenced at home and the banished abroad dayly complaine may not all these crie How long Lord how long when wilt thou revenge Are not your Canons and Consistories and all the power that belonges vnto them with al the rest of your Courts Offices and Officers are not these parts of the image are they not like the Beast wil you say they are like the lambe or like his Apostles it cannot bee that you should say they are the feare of the Almightie would astonish you And if you cannot possibly prove that power that Pompe that crueltie those Canons and Courtes with the belongings and belongers therevnto to bee like the laÌ„be Then let the terror of the Almightie possesse you and make you afraide to vse and possesse al those thinges vnder the pretence of the power of the Lambe Have you not soules to save pittie your selves aÌ„d perish not there is mercie with the Lord if you wil feare him What will it profit you to enioy these thinges for a little while as manie of your predecessors have done before you even a little while and then be condemned and fal vnder the feirce wrath of God had you not much better a thousand times better yea ten thousand times better and more too be ministers of Christ abounding in labors in wearines painfulnes in watchings often in hunger thirst in fastings often in cold in nakednes that you might say at your last ends not as Apostles but as thapostle saith Wee have fought a good feight have finished out course we have kept the faith Hencefurth is laid vp for vs the Crowne off righteousnes But if this bee your feight as it hath bene the feight of divers of your predecessors to cause as manie as would not worship the ymage of the beast your Hyrarchie should be killed aÌ„d to make al both smale and great rich aÌ„d pooer bond and free to receive a marke in their right hand or in their forehead and that no man may buy or sell save he that hath the marke of the beast or the number off his name if this bee your feight it is evidently the feight of the second Beast and not the feight of Thapostle Paul And there is no Crowne off righteousnes laid vp for such a feight And do you not al these thinges when you force and compel men to submit to your whole conformity which is the perfect image of the beast Not to speake of your surplice and Crosse and Churchings and Burials and Coopes and Chauntings and Organs in your Cathedrales and how manie mo such abhominations wee cannot recken vp neither need wee seeing so many writings are ful off them but whosoever shal looke vpon them with an eie of lesse then halfe vprightnes shal easily see them to come out off the bowels of the beast and to bee the deformed image of his vgly shape To let al these passe the least whereof shal be called to account in the day of the Lord wee come to your Common Booke not medling with everie perticuler of it but with the most general By what power do you make praiers and bind men to them and appoint the order of them in time and place Whereoff two you appoint to be read everie evening without alteration some praiers to bee said after the Curate bee paid his due some on the North side the Table some in one place some in another Will you see a speciall ground of these four abhominations in appointing your Preists what to
pray when to pray and where to pray and what to put on when they pray Because you made â—o manie Preists and have so manie yet among you as niether knowe what to pray where nor when to pray nor what to put on when they pray in so much as if you did not allowe them a sume of made praiers they had beene and yet would bee altogether without praiers and this doth the misterie of iniquitie with the deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes hide from the simple and from the great and wise by your made order of praiers For take your Common booke from them and then would the impudent bee ashamed of such a ministery Oh that ten of the best and cheifest off a thousand of those your Preists might bee debarred from you booke and bee set in a Congregation off verie partial herers of their side to shewe their best abilities for the Office of the ministery Baals Preists were not more discovered 1. King 18. Then they would bee for the fault was in their God in that hee had no care to heare But your Preists fault would be found in themselves in that they would have no one word to speake to Gods glory nor to edification How can you but knowe this as well as you knowe your right hand from your left How will you aunswere this when you come before the righteous iudg shal you be able to staÌ„d in his presence the Lord give you harts to repent otherwise how shal you thinke to escape the feirce wrath of the Lord. Did the Lord bring evil vpon the house of Ieroboam swept it away as a man sweeps away doung til al bee gone and did The doggs eate him of Ieroboams house that died in the Citie the foules of the aite eate him that died in the feild Because hee set vp Calves to worship and make Preists of the meanest of the people which were not of the sonnes of Levi. 1. King 14.10.11 and 12.31 And do you thinke to escape with lesse iudgments that set vp the image of the Beast and such a blind Preisthood to support it For you knowe that it is blind ignorance that supports the misterie of iniquitie And therefore shall the Lord by the brightnes of his coming abolish it What shall wee say of your bare-headed and bare-footed white sheet pennance wherevnto to mocke the Almightie is ioyned a written repentance Thus do you device mens praiers and device mens repentances and they must pray and repent as you by your power appoint them Have you power also to appoint the Lord to accept these praiers and repentances Or do you not care whether the Lord accept them or no so that you bee submitted vnto therein then do you seeke your owne Worship and not the Lords Iudg your selves and let all iudg betwixt the most Holy Lambe and the most poluted Beast and confesse and testifie whether these thinges bee of the Lambe or off the ymage of the Beast The like off these thinges are without our numbring and there would bee no end made iff wee should followe them But wee wil drawe to an end hopeing that they that see these wil see al. Yet let vs speake some thinge of your excomunicatioÌ„ by the power whereof are cast out those that most seeke to serve God in sinceritie and if the most wicked fal vnder it â—hey may bee remitted submitting to the power by paying large fees especially iff they bee rich and simple or meane off degree And whosoever withstands the power off this fortie days then vpon a writt off signification hee is to bee cast into prison without bale or maynprise Is this learned off the Lambe or off anie off his Apostles Wee read that Thappostles suffered such violences and tiranies but the word off God teacheth not the Disciples off Christ anie such administrations and this is not the meekenes off the Lambe but the ymage off the cruel power off the Beast The power off this excomunication is off another especial vse off profit in that by the power thereof are brought in al duties Tithes and Court fees What horrible prophanation off the holy ordinance of Christ is this to make it an instruement to compell men to bring in exacted fees and dueâ—ies and tithes Wee read 1. Cor. 16. That Paul appointed in the Churches gatherings for the Saints and 1. Tim. 5. giveing direction for the releife off widowes hee also gives a speciall charge for providing for the Elders and especially for those that labor most The Elders saith Thapostle that lead go before or rule well let them bee had in duble honor especially they that labor in the word doctrine First here is shewed the power whereby they must lead go before or rule that is by the word and doctrine TheÌ„ thapostle proves by two reasons from the scriptures that such Elders are worthie off duble honor because the Scriptures say 1. Thou shalt not mousell the mouth off the Oxe that treadeth out the corne 2. The laborer is worthy of his wages And here is shewed what thapostle meanes by honor that is mainteynance But al this is from a voluntary liberal distribution as is shewed 2. Cor. 9.13 How vnlike is this â—o your ruling power and to your duble honor and maintenance Here is no imprisoning by power nor excommunication for feeâ— tithes and duties Wee confesse our Lord the King may give you what his pleasure is but it were to be wished that al those goodly Pallaces and possessions with al the previleges and prerogatives belonging to them were preserved for the maintenaÌ„ce of the Kings State and dignity and they were much more be fitting for the King and his posteritie to support them in their due pompe and Royalty then to support the pride and pompe of such as pretend to be ministers of the Gospel Thapostle Paule was better worthy off duble mainteynance then you and al the Preists in al your Provinces and dioces aÌ„d yet he labored with his hands although he had the care of mo and more worthy churces theÌ„ are now vpoÌ„ the earth that would willingly have administred vnto him but he would make the Gospel free Oh that we might live to see al them that preach the gospel if they stand in need to live off the gospel that is of the free liberalitie off the Saincts those Pastors would not devoure the flock but feed it And wee pray that the Lord would put into the hart of the King to take into his owne hands al those possessions and tithes wherewith those devouring shepherds that destroy the flock feed themselves That day shal be the most happiest day to the whole Land that ever was since it was a Land and that in these 4. thinges First it would overthrowe that high pride and crueltie off the image of the beast and misterie of iniquitie Secondly it would make a way for the advancement of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ in the sincere and humble profession thereof Thirdly
offending but therein is infirmity in vs and no faithfulnes to God nor them The wise King that knew right well the power and aucthoritie of a King adviseth not to stand in an evill thinge before the King for he will do what soever pleaseth him Eccle. 8.3 But in a good cause why should wee feare to stand before Kings seeing their thrones are established by justice Pro. 16.12 Our cause then being good for it is the cause of God as all shall confesse Thus much is it that wee do in all reverend humility beseech of all Kings Princes that they will performe this service vnto the lord according to this prophesie prophesied of theÌ„ in the performance whereof the lord requires their ferveÌ„t zeale which they ought to shew by their perfect hatred detestatioÌ„ of the whore by which zealous hate they are to be provoaked to make hir desolate naked to eate hir nesh burne hir with fire after this manner with these great ferveÌ„t affections shall these Kings that obey the lord in this worke serve him In all this wee beseech that wee may not be vnderstood as though wee ment that Kings should do this by their temporall sword of justice no nothing lesse the lord requires no such meanes in this busines for he hath testified by Prophesie as wee have formerly shewed 2. Thes .2 that he will abolish consume the man of sinne the mistery of iniquity which is this Beast and whore and citie by the spirit of his mouth by the brightnes of his comeing and therefore this prophesie may not be vnderstood that Kings ought to do this by their temporall power but by the word and spirit of the lord in their testimony withall holy zeale and this cannot be done except they first take all their power and authoritie from the Beast for no man can serv two Masters but he shall please the one and displease the other Kings cannot serve the lambe and the Beast but they must needs hate the one and love the other and this is most plainely set downe in this Prophesie Revel 17. for in the 13. and 17. vers it is said of Kings that they shall have all one mynd be of one consent with the Beast shall give their power aucthority vnto the Beast shall feight with the lambe vntill the words of God be fulfilled And in the 16. vers They shall hate the whore make hir desolate for God hath put in their harts to fulfill his decree Thus wee see these Kings propresied of by the spirit of the lord to do this great worke of God when they shall take it in hand they shall not halt betwixt two opinions they shall not be neither hote nor cold but they shall be most zealonis for the glory of God and shall no longer retayne anie frendship with the Beast alwaies our meaning is spiritually now â—â—en those Kings and Princes that will in this service obey the most high God and advaÌ„ce his glory that hath so greatly advanced them to high honor and dignity let them take all their power and aucthority from the Beast and with drawe all the affections of their harts and soules and turne them to hatred and to an vtter abhorring of the Beast and whore and so shall they make it manifest vnto all the world that they are true lovers of the lambe and perfect haters of the Beast and that they are they in whome this prophesie is fulfilled Oh that Kings and Princes would strive to go one before an other in giveing honor to God herein And amongst all the rest of the great and mighty Kings and Princes of the earth loyalty nature and grace doth bind vs with disires of exceeding dutifull and reverend affections to wish and desire that our lord and K. might be with the foremost in this great and acceptable service of the King of Kinges and lord of lords which were a worthy service most well beseeming our lord the King for whome the King of heaven hath done so great things and if our lord the King will do this service for his God then must he not by his power support the Beast nor his image which are one and the same power And seeing our lord the King hath seene the deepe iniquity of the peremptory ruling Presbitery let him much more see the high iniquity of the proud ambicious cruell ruling Prelacy which is a power set vp in the place of God bearing the names of high blasphemy Oh let it be far from our lord the K. to give his power which God hath given him to punish evill doers and to reward them that do well 1. Pet. 2.14 Let it be far from our lord the King to give this power to the Beast or his image for that advanceth the mistery of iniquity and smiteth downe the mistery of godlines God hath not comunicated his owne power to Kings and Princes for this end And seeing wee have begun to speake to our lord the King let vs declare what power and aucthority God hath given to him wherevnto his subiects ought of conscience to obey Our lord the King hath power to take our sonnes our daugthers to do all his services of ware and of peace yea all his servile service what soever and he hath power to take our lands our goods of what sort or kind soever or the tenth thereof to vse at his will and he hath power to take our men servants and maid servants and the cheife of our yong men and Cattle and put them to his worke and wee are to be his servants 1. Sam. 8.11.18 in all these thinges our lord the King is to be submitted vnto and obeyed Also he hath power to make all manner Gouernors lawes and ordinances of man 1. Het 2.13.14 Thus doth God give our lord the King power to demaund and take what he will of his subiects it is to be yeilded him and to comaund what ordinance of man he will and wee are to obey it And in all these things wee acknowledg before God men wee ought to be subiect not for feare onely but also for conscience sake â—oâ—n 13.5 Wee meddle not with anie conditions or contracts made betwixt the King and his people whereby our lord the King in fauour may or doth abridg himselfe of his prerogative and so make himselfe subiect to his owne covenants or conditions which our lord the King ought to keepe though it be to his disadvantage if they be not meerly vnlawfull but wee speake onely of that power which God hath given to the King all which our lord the King ought to vse lawfully but if he should do otherwise which God forbid he is in these things to be submitted vnto Eccl. 8.3.4 and 1. Pet. 2 18.-24 who soever resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God shall receive to them selves condemnation Rom. 13.2 Thus hath God given our lord the King all worldly power which
is that wee may but try the power of these called Spirituall Lords and that by earthly power they may not force men to yeild vnto their spirituall aucthority How can it but seeme equall in the Kings seight that spirituall lords should have no more spirituall authority then they can gett and mainteyne by spiritual power And if the Hyrarchy themselves thinke it vnequall that the doctrine of their power should be tryed be not most willing ready therevnto but shall by pollicie secret intimations shift it of then shall our lord the K. that is wise easily deserne that their deeds are evill and they hate the light neither cometh to the light least their deeds should be reproued Ioh. 3.20 But they that do truth come to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought according to God Thus shal our lord the King all the world have a ful tryall of them whether their deeds are wrought according to God or no for if they will now come to the light of Gods word in the sight of all men and manifest their deeds to be wrought according to God then have they approved them selves but if they do not then hath our Saviour Christ here condemned thē with his owne mouth and let our lord the King also condemne them in his owne wisedome Shall wee need to be importunate with our lord the King in this cause of his poore people which concernes the condemnation of all their soules what need wee seeing our lord the King knowes that a King that iudgeth the cause of the poore rightly his throne shal be established for ever Pro. 20.14 Then let our lord the King here the cause of the poore and the rather in that the Kings most noble Predecessor hath before iustly adiudged the same cause and freed his people so far of the bondage wherein they were King Henry the 8. that Prince of great renowne freed his people from the bondage of the first Beast especially in these two great and maine perticulers in causing the scriptures to be set over and printed for the people in their owne language that so they might heare the word with their owne eares and also that their worship should be in their owne tongue that they might speake to God with theyr owne tongue and not in a straing tongue as they did Let heaven and earth iudg and let our lord the K. iudg let all the Kings people iudg whether this was not the depth of all darknes when men might not knowe what God speake vnto them nor knowe in their publique worship what they speake vnto God Let our lord the K. iudg whether ever there was such spirituall cruelty vpon the earth when the poore people of God for whome Christ died were debarred from the presence of God in their publique worship might neither heare god nor speake to God with their owne outward cares tongues but as the Ministers of the mā of sinne appointed and in astraing tongue as they taught them Wee knowe our lord the K. doth see that heere the abomination of desolation was set vp in the high places as also that the Corpes of the two witnesses of God prophesed of Reuel 11.8 which are the word and spirit of God lay dead in the streets of that great Citie there being no true vse at all of them and the people being deprived of the life of them for the word was a dead letter vnto them and the spirit a dead spirit The Kings predecessor of famous renowme thus freed his people from that bondage of the first Beast but there is risen vp a second Beast which exerciseth the power of the first Beast and now our lord he Kings people cry vnto the King with the sighes and groanes of their spirits and would cry also with a lowd voyce but for feare of the Beast and humbly besech the King that he would put too his helping hand to free his people from the bondage of the second Beast that their soules may not perish to everlasting perdition which all must do which are vnder the bondage of the same and so continewe And now let the King heare with an eare of compassion and see with an eie of pittie the cruell spirituall bondage that his poore people are kept vnder by the second Beast in these perticulers The Kings people have the word in their owne language and may pray in their owne tongue But they must not vnderstand the word but as the Lord Bishops will have it vnderstood and they must not pray nor administer in the holy things but as they appoint Now let the King with a godly wise hart consider in what woefull Spirituall bondage Gods people and the Kings are kept by this Hyrarchy Now plainely would our lord the King see the cruell Spirituall tyrany hereof if the King would make it but his owne cause Would not the King thinke it a must cruell tyranny if the King should be by force compelled to vnderstand and beleeve the scriptures as the Hyrarchy of Rome would have him And to worship God and administer in the holy thinges as that Hyrarchy would appoint And if the King would not so do that then that Hyrarchy should have power to put the King in prison and if that would not serve the turne to procure or cause the Kings life to be taken from him or at least to banish the King from his Kingdome nation would not our lord the K. thinke this great tyrany cruell bondage Wee knowe the King would for which cause the K. and his predecessors have cast of this bondage Then let the King see that the Kings people are vnder this same bondage for if they will not vnderstand the scriptures and worship God as the Hyrarchy of Arch. Bs. and lord Bs. comaund appoint they straight send a pursivant apprehēd them by violence and force imprison them sometimes divers yeres manie times not suffering so much as their wives to come at them and if their lives cannot be gotten then procure their exile or banishment The lord give the King a hart to pittie his people herein the King is ignorant of these dealings and none dare tell the King thereof the Prelacy have bene so mighty and so cruell And will it please the King to veiwe the cause of his people being true and faithfull subiects yet further what doth it profitt the Kings people to have the word of God to heare and read it seeing they are debarred of the spirit of God to vnderstand it but according to private interpretation by the the lord B. as though they had the spirit and could not err Oh that our lord the King that is a man of excellent wisedome would but bēd his wisedome to behold how that herin wherein the whole power of the Beast consists this Hyrarchy of Arch-Bs lord Bs. doth nothing differ from the first Beast for the first Beast kepes both the word and spirit
from the people and they kepe the spirit of God in bondage then is the word of God of no effect debarring the people of God thereof tying them to their spirits in the vnderstanding of the scriptures which none may try whether they be of God or no but must beleeve and obey or els go to prison and if they will not yeild either he hanged or banished Iudg O King is this a rule of direction and ordinance of the Lambe That comaund Bishops to be gentle towards all men apt to teach suffering the evill men patiently instructing them with meeknes that are contrary mynded proveing if God at anie time wil give them repentance that they may acknowledg the truth and come to amendment c. 2. Tim. 2.24.25.26 By these fruits may our lord the King his people knowe the Bishops of the lambe that is lowly and meeke and bids learne so to be of him Mat. 11.29 but to pull men that are contrary mynded out of their houses by Pursevants to cast them into prison and cause them to lye there at excessive charges vtterly vndoeing them their wives and children and bringing them to all out ward misery and causing them to be banished from vnder their natural Prince to whome they are most true subiects furth of their native country and from their fathers houses and all their frends and familiars Will not our lord the King say that these are the Bishops of the Beast who is like a leopard and his feet like a Beares and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon Reuel 13. of whome they learne to be proud and cruell And all these eviles and manie moe have come vpon the Kings people because they will not vnderstand the scriptures by the spirit of the lord Bs. and pray in their worship to God by the direction of their spirit Will our lord the K. heare the earnest complaint of his people herein and grant redresse that as the Ks. people by the meanes of the Kings most noble predecessor enioy that blessed liberty to read and heare the word of God in their owne language and to pray in their publique worship in their owne tongue that so by our lord the Kings meanes the Kings people may enioy this blessed liberty to vnderstand the scriptures with their owne vnderstandings pray in their publique worship with their owne spirits and then if men err their sinne shal be vpon their owne heads the Kings hand shal be innocent cleare from their transgression which it cannot be if the K. shall willingly suffer his power to be vsed to compell men to pray and vnderstand by the direction of the Lord Bs. spirit and if the King shall give his power to the Lord Bs. but to compell meÌ„ to eat meates which through our lord Iesus Christ are all cleane yet to him that iudgeth them vn cleane to them they are vncleame Rom. 14.14 in which case if a man freely of his owne accord do eat and doubt he is condemned because he eateth not of faith why then if a man in this case be forced by the Kings power whether he will or no to eat when he doubteth and so he be condemned vers 24. is not this to wound the weak conscience and to sin against Christ 1. Cor. 8.12 and can our lord the Kings hand be innocent herein When by the Kings power men shal be compelled to sin Oh that the King would then see that if he may not give his power to rule mens coÌ„sciences in the least things that are indifferent much lesse hath the King power to comaund mens consciences in the greatest thinges betwene God and man This being so wee the Kings servants with all the humility reverence that can or may be given to anie earthly Prince do out of the true Loyalty obedience faithfulnes of our harts thus speake vnto the King Let it suffice our lord the King and let it not seeme a smale thinge that the God of Gods hath made our lord the King a mighty earthly K. over divers nations and hath given our lord the King an earthly power to make lawes ordinances such as the King in his owne wisedome shall thinke best and to change alter them at his pleasure to rule and governe his people by and to appoint Gouernors Officers to execute the Kings will and all the Ks. people are bound of conscience to God and duty to the King to obey the King herein with their goods bodies lives in all service of peace warr and who soever shall resist the King herein they resist the Ordinance of God and shall receive iudgment from God besides the punishmeÌ„t with the sword of iustice which God hath given to the K. to punish evil doers that traÌ„sgresse the K. lawes And God hath also honored the K. with titles and names of Maiesty that are due vnto himselfe Psal 82.16 Dan. 5.18 hath comaunded honor to be given vnto the K. 1. Pet. 2. â—7 And God hath comaunded all his people specially to pray for the K. 1. Ti. 2.2 Let this Kingdome power honor fully satisfie our lord the Ks. hart let it suffice the K. to have all rule over his peoples bodies goods let not our lord the K. give his power to be exercised over the spirits of his people for they belong to another Kingdome which can not be shaken Heb. 12.22.23.28 differing from all earthly Kingdomes for our lord the K. knowes that the cheife of earthly Kingdomes are compared to gold silver brasse iron Dan. 7.37.46 But this is the Kingdome which the God of heaven hath set vp which shall neuer be destroyed this Kingdome shall not be given to another people but to the holy people of the most nigh God all powers shall serue obey him daÌ„ 2.44 7.27 Therefore in this Kingdome let our lord the K. give vs his servants leave againe to tell the K. that he must be a subiect that our lord the K. hath no power nor prerogative as a King to make lawes for in this Kingdome there is but one law-giver who is able to save to destroy Iam. 4.12 neither hath our lord the King power to appoint Officers in this Kingdome and much lesse to make spirituall lords over this Kingdome to bring all mens spirits in subieccion to their spirits in the vnderstaÌ„ding of the scriptures and worshipping God Wherein least wee may seeme to speake vntruely to the K. wee humbly beseech our lord the K. that it may be law full for his servants with his Princely fouour to shew the K. some few perticulers out of a multitude And first wee shew the K. that whereas our Saviour Christ Mat. 18.15 â—0 gives a rule of direccion to admonish a brother if he sin not speaking perticulerly of some sinnes but generally of all or anie one sinne as wee the K. servants vnderstaÌ„d with all the vnderstanding that God hath giveÌ„ vs. The
but the same that was in Christ and his Appostles times in which times all earthly power was in the hands of earthly Kings and Princes and them that were in aucthority vnder them and Christ and his Appostles diminished not Kings and Princes of the least tittle thereof And all spirituall power was in the hands of Christ and his Appostles that were in aucthority vnder him of which spirituall power aucthority Christ nor his Appostles would suffer no earthly K. to diminish them of the least tittle thereof but rather gave them their lives if then our lord the K. do deserue that earthly Kings and Princes had the same power then that Kings and Princes have now and that Kings Princes had no power then over mens religion which was spirituall and belonged to Christ men were then to give vnto God that which was Gods and vnto Cesar and so vnto all earthly Princes onely that which apperteyned to them Then let our lord the King judg by what warrant of Gods word the King can now take to himself a spirituall power and set vp an Hyrarchy of Arch Bishop Lord B. and give aucthority to them to make lawes and Canons of Religion and to give them power to compell men vnto the obedience there of by such seveer courses as they have done Let our lord the King consider and the Lord give the K. wisedome therein that if no King nor Prince could have set vp such an Hyrarchy with such power and titles then but they had vtterly troden vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles for Christ and his Appostles must have bene subiect therevnto neither may anie King set vp such an Hyrarchy now because it doth vtterly tread vnder foot all the dignity and power of Christ and his Appostles as well now as it had done then for wee have now Christ and his Appostles in all their power dignity as well as they had in those dayes according to that saying of our Saviour Christ in the parable They have Moses and the Prophetts And wee humble beseech our lord the K. a little to suffer the foolishnes of his servants although wee may seeme as fooles vnto the king herein If there had bene such a steaing Hyrarchy set vp in Christ and Th-appostles daies would the Hyrarchy have suffered vs that are thousands of the K. of great Brittans subiects to have gone to Christ his Appostles to have asked them whether wee should have obeyed them or no in all their Canons and ordinances And whether wee should have given thē those titles of superiority and all that ruling power which they challeng over vs the Kings subiects sureby they will say they would not have denyed vs that liberty to have gone in so waighty a cause and being so manie to have asked Counsell of Christ and his Appostles what wee should have done 20. thousands being ignorant and 10. thousands being doubtfull whether anie such power might be submitted too or no and thousands being out of all doubt that it might not be submitted vnto they will say they would not have denyed vs but wee knowe what their Canons would have made of it and wee may suspect justly that they would have enformed the King that it were very dangerous to suffer so manie to go vnto Christ and his Appostles for counsell and that it were not fitt to suffer such giddy heads to have that libertie for makeing rents and divisions and that it were much more safety for the King to suffer them to make all whole by their power and to subdue such busie refractary spirits Let the King with fauour suffer his servants thus to speake by the way least peraduenture anie such thinges come in the way And wee the Kings servants now takeing it for granted that the Arch Bs. and lord Bs. that professe such great holines would not have deneyd vs to have gone to Iesus Christ and his Appostles to be directed And if Christ and his Appostles had in the hearing of all our owne eares being so ma witnesses comaunded vs absolutely not to yeild the Arch-Bs and lord Bs. anie such power or names could wee yeld it them Although the Arch-Bs and Lord Bs. should with 20. thousands of witnesses affirme that Christ and his Appostles spake otherwise to their hearing Would our lord the King thinke it equall that wee should be forced to beleeue their hearing because they are lord Bs. contrary to the hearing of our owne eares being so manie witnesses of one Nation and tongue besides hundreth thousands of witnesses of other Nations tongues Wee knowe our lord the K. would thinke it no more equall if the case were so that wee should be forced to beleeve the lord Bs. hearīg then that they should be forced to beleeve our hearing Then iugd O King for the case is all one and the same for wee have Christ and his Appostles in their writings and they do absolutely speake to our vnderstandings that in no wise there ought to be anie such Hyrarchy of Arch Bs. and Lord Bs. in Christs Church And the Lord Bs. say that Christ and his Appostles speakes to their vnderstandings that there power and names are not cōtrary to Christs words Can our lord the King that is accompted a most wise and iust Prince in his iudgment iudg that wee are all bound to cast away our owne vnderstandings of Christs speaking and are to be compelled to beleeve and vnderstand Christ to speake as the lord Bs. vnderstād Christs speaking Oh let our lord the King with compassion consider whether ever since the heavens and earth were created there was a more vnequall extreame cruelty then this that the Kings people should be compelled in a cause that concernes the everlasting condemnation of their soules bodyes to Hell of force to submitt their soules and bodies to the vnderstanding of the Lord Bs. that are not able to direct themselves from the waies of death but are perished every man that ever bare that Office with those names and power if they repented not thereof although they had no other sinne and they also that do now beare that Office with those titles power shall likewise all perish to everlasting destruction if they do not repent thereof and cast it away the spirit of the lord hath spoken it Reuel 19.20 the Beast was taken and with him that false Prophet that wrought myracles before him whereby he deceived them that received the Beasts marke and them that worshipped his jmage these both were cast aliue into a lake of fire burning with brimstone And thus manifesting to our lord the K. that Iesus Christ is onely K. of Israell that sitts vpō Davids throne therefore onely hath the power of the King of Israel and none may partake with him in that kingdome and power who had the Spirit without measure and yet neither he nor his Appostles that had the Spirit without error to deliuer the Counsels
them neither could Tertullus with all his Oratory prove Paul a mover of Sedition to Felix the Gouernor who was willing to pleasure the Iewes in this matter Act. 24. if he could have found anie advantage against Paul but vnder all that excellent and mighty Gouerment of Cesar vnder whome there was so manie wise Kings and noble Gouernors difference in Religion could never be proved Sedition against the Sâ—ate Neither could it ever be proved Sedition in all or anie of those that differed from the professioÌ„ of ReligioÌ„ established in Q. Maries daies although they taught and professed the same as even the Lord B. them selves will confesse And it is neither accounted nor found Sedition in divers excellent well Gouerned Nations round about to professe and teach a differing judgment in Religion from the profession generally established as our Lord the King and all his worthy Gouernors see and knowe It is but the false surmise and accusation of the Scribes and Phariseis who feared their owne kingdome and of Demetrius the Silver-smith with the Craftsmen whose Craft was in danger whereby they gott their goods Act. 19. they them selves raised tumults and moved Sedition and ever laid the blame vpon the Disciples even so is it now and ever wil be that such as feare their owne kingdome and private gayne do and will falsly accuse the Disciples of Christ as movers of Sedition against the State And if the lord Bs will not be found false accusers herein as their predecessors have bene theÌ„ lett theÌ„ if they can forbeare to accuse before they have cause But let them take heed least when they shall see fyve in one house devided three against two and two against three the father devided against the sonne and the sonne against the father ect let them take heed they call not that Sedetion if they do they shall call Christ a sower of Sedetion for what was his disire but that the fire of such Sedetion should be kindled Luk. 12.49.52.53 And may it please our Lord the King and all that are in authority of Gouerment vnder the King with their wise judgment to consider that it wil be a straing thinge to condemne men for Sedetion who professe and teach that in all earthly thinges the Kings power is to be submitted vnto and in heavenly or spirituall thinges if the King or anie in authority vnder him shall exercise their power against anie they are not to resist by anie way or meanes although it were in their power but rather submitt to give their lives as Christ his Disciples did and yet kepe their consciences to God and they that teach anie other Doctrine let them be held accursed VVE being yet through the helpe of our God most disirous to a wakeÌ„ all you of our owne Nation out of that dead securiy and spirituall slumber wherein as in the Sea you are all over whelmed and finding no better nor anie so fitt portion of Gods word to effect these our vnfained disires as this prophesie of our Saviour Christ Mat. 24.15 which prophesieth of daies of so great tribulation and it is repeated Mark 13. and Luk. 17. and Luk. 21. all which places of the Evangelists must be most carefully and diligently compared together because the wise reader shall find by good observation that there are 4. Prophesies of our Saviour Christs by the Evangelists set downe together which are 1. the destruction of Ierusalem 2 ly the daies of the exaltation of the man of sin sene and discovered 3. ly the days of the Sonne of Man in the brightnes of his coming for the consuming and abolishing of the Mistery of Iniquity the abhomination of desolation the Man of sin And lastly the day of Christs coming to judgment Every one of these Prophesies must be diversly considered of with their proper apperteynings for the true and holy vnderstanding thereof and not confounded together Two whereof wee have and shall by the grace of God speake of as God shall enable vs 1. the exaltation seene and discovered and the dangers of those daies 2. ly of the days of the Sonne of Man in the brightnes of his coming for the consuming of the Man of sinne as being most fitt Scriptures to stir you vp to the consideration of your spirituall estates and standings and to direct you therein the Scriptures wee meane not wee if you will not harden your neckes and perish in the waies of death and sinne And as wee have endeauored to proboake you to looke vp that you might see the abhomination of desolation set vp in the holy place how the kingdome of the Man of sinne is even within you all that submitt your selves in anie obedience to the power of the first or second Beast bearing the Beasts mark or the print of his name so shall wee also be willing with the helpe of our God to stir you vp to consider of the great daÌ„ger that our saviour Christ hath fore-shewed shal be in these daies when men see the abhomination of desolation set vp and according to our Saviours exhortation begin to flee as all that have eies may see men now begin to do The danger that Christ foretold of is that in those days which are these daies manie shall come who now are come in Christs name and say Loe heere is Christ Loe there is Christ and manie false Christ shall arise and manie false Prophetts and shall shewe great signes and wonders so as if were possible they should deceive the very elect Way then with your selves whether you had not need to consider when the daies are so dangerous perillous as if it were possible the very elect should be deceived such is the danger of these daies by reason of the false professions of Christ and false Prophetts that do arise And seeing the false Prophetts are the Teachers and mainteyners of the false professions wee shall endeauor to discover them both vnder one and will onely speake of such false Prophetts and professions as are amongst you and knowne to you not burthening you with the multitude of straing and forreyn false Prophetts and false professions that are in the world whereof wee generally admonish you to beware of but it is full time that you tooke to those false professions and false Prophetts that are amonge you if you have anie regard at all of Gods glory or the salvation of your owne soules And seeing wee cannot speake of the false Christs or false professions of Christ that are amongst you but wee must name them wee pray it may not be offensive that wee tearme them by such names and titles as men distinguish them The first where of is that great and so much applauded profession of Puritanisme The which profession to prove it is a false profession yea and such a false profession as wee know not the like vpon the earth wee shall not need to produce anie testimony but your owne for whereas in your so manie bookes you
cry out of the thinges that are amisse among you and sue and supplicate and yet still continew in your former waies you testifie hereby against your selves that you are vnreformed and that there is a way of reformation wherein you would be if you might have leave or license to enter thereinto which seeing you cannot obteyne you iustify it lawfull to walke in an vnreformed profession of Religion vpon this ground because you may not have leave by act of Parliament to reforme What falser profession can be found vpon the earth then this of yours who professe that you knowe a way of much truth where in you would walke but you do not because you cannot by the superior power be permitted Let this suffice in this place to prove that you walke in a false profession of Christ by your owne acknowledgment calling dayly for liberty that you might reforme your selves but seing it will not be granted you go on in the false way you disaprove of Your grounds and reasons wee shall hereafter by Gods assistance try but in the meane time let Gods people knowe that there will never warrant be found to give men liberty for anie time to deferr to eschew evill and to refrayne to do good for feare of men or in obedience vnto men or vnder anie pretence what soever Most wicked and false is that profession and most false Prophetts are all those that professe and teath such a doctrine that men are not bound without anie delay al respects laid aside with all speed to eschew evil and do good as that true Prophett David did and taught who saith Psal 119.60 I made haist and delayed not to keepe thy comaundements And so wee proceed to shew that all your Puritane Prophetts so called are false Prophetts and such as our Saviour Christ fortells of who say Loe Here is Christ but comaunds beleeve them not And although wee might prove you all false Prophetts because you teach manie false doctrines yet wee hold it the most easy and plaine way for the vnderstanding of all to shew you to be false Prophetts because you are not sent nor called of God herein shall you have the least deceaveable shewe for your selves But before wee speake of your not being called sent of God which must appeare by your Election and ordination vnto the Office or worke of a Bishop or Pastor for other Prophetts wee knowe none amongst you wee will set downe the gifts and graces wherewith they are to be qualified that are to be elected and ordeyned and vndertake that Office as also how their wives childrē are to be qualified And these are the words of him that said Let there be light and there was light And of him that said thou shalt have no other Gods before my face and of the Law-giver all whose lawes are perfect lawes These are his words and this is his law Let a Bishop or Pastor be the husband of one wife watching temperate modest harborous apt to teach and able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and to convince them that say against it nor given to wyne no striker not given to filthy lucre but gentle no fighter not covetous one that can rule his owne house honestly haveing children vnder obedience withall reverence Let him not be a yong Disciple or newly planted in Let him be well reported of even of them that are without Let his wife be honest no evill speaker sober faithfull in all thinges This is the law of God 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. according to this law in every perticuler must a Bishop or Pastor and his wife and children be qualified for it is the law of the perfect law-giver And thou shall have no other Bishop or Pastor before his face This wee set downe to put you and the people of God in mynd to looke first that you their Bishops or Pastors be thus qualified for all that are not so both in them selves and their wives and children are not sent of God to be Pastors of his flock but are false Prophetts in the first degree for God sendeth none but those that are according to his owne rule and hereby may you see that every holy man and excellent preacher may not be a Bishop and Pastor over the house of God And now Election and Ordination which is the doore and way whereby the true Bishops and Pastors of the flock do enter The holy ghost doth teach Act. 14.23 that election and Ordination were performed in and by the Church or Congregation with fasting and praier this is the doore way and all that have entred by anie other way are theves and robbers as our Saviour Christ testifieth Ioh. 10. Are you not all now at once convinced and must you not all be forced to confesse that you have no such Election nor Ordination is your purchased Election of Patrons either perticuler men or of deane and Echapter or some Colledg or the private Election of some frend like vnto this holy order of Election which Christ hath appointed in his Church to be made with the gracious free full consent of every hart tongue in the whole congregation how woefull and wretched is the estate of you all if you repent not that joyne in this great wickednes to deprive the Church of Christ of such a blessed and comfortable ordinance of Christ how blessed and confortable a thinge were it for a holy people so to Elect their Pastors that should lead them and feed them with the wholesome word of doctrine and Exhortation and watch over their soules in the lord And what a blessed comfort were it for a holy man to be so elected of a holy people so should a Godly people have holy Pastors over them whom they would all love and reverence and so should Godly Pastors have a holy people to followe them whome they would carefully feed and cherish and this is the Ordinance of God and law of Election but to get an Election for monie either of a mans owne or of his frends or by private favour or frendship or beholdinges to men and so corruptly to become a Pastor over a flock of people diversly affected and manie openly prophane and wicked here is an vnholy Election of an vnholy Pastor over a corrupt and vnholy flock this is not to enter in by the dore but to clyme vp another way which seeing you all do not anie one of you entring by that holy Election which Christ hath appointed Christ him selfe hath adiudged you all not to be the shepherds of the sheepe but to be theeves and robbers And thus are you all false Prophetts how shall you be able to stand before the lord in this matter or how can you iustifie your selves before men will you make the word of the lord of no effect and blesse your selves in your owne waies if you shall still do so as you have long done yet shall you not be blessed of the lord in that you do herein
violate and vtterly abolish that holy law of Election which Christ hath ordeyned in his Church for the chusing of the true shepherds of his sheepe and for the keeping of theeves and robbers out of his shepefold Next in order to be spoken of is Ordination a holy ordinance of God comanded by the holy ghost Tit. 1.5 and the example of the administration thereof given vs by th-Appostles in the church of Christ Act. 6.6 practiced by the disciples Act. 13.1.3 And taught vs to be a doctrine of the beginings of Christ and of the foundation Heb. 6.1.2 being called the Doctrine of laying on of hands And this Ordinance was performed and done in the presence of the Church or congregation by fasting and praier and laying on of hands ordeyning and appointing and seperating thereby those that were Elected and chosen to Office Act. 6.6 and 13.2.3 and 14.23 And all this was performed and done by and in that Congregation whereof they were chosen Officers the Church or Congregation being in this holy māner assembled together to performe this 〈◊〉 ordinance all fasting and praing to the lord with one hart and soule to give a blessing vnto that his owne Ordinance Is your Ordination like vnto this which the best of you all are fayne to get by sute and service by riding and runing by attending and wayting by Capping and curtseing and at last by prostrating your selves on your knees at the feet of an Arch-Bishop or lord Bishopp receiving your Ordination from him who herein exaltes him self above God exercising the power of the beast dispoyling Christ and his Church of this holy Ordinance takeing it wholly into their owne power and disposing of it onely to such as promisse faith full obedience vnto the Hyrarchy of Arch-Bishop and lord Bishop which is the second Beast and which your selves say both in words and writings is an Antichristian Hyrarchy The lord give you eies to see how you have broken the Covenant of the lord in polluting and abolishing this his holy Ordinance and be ashamed to remember the Covenant you have made with this Hyrarchy by which Covenant of obedience you have gotten your Ordination and so are the Prophetts of the Beast for to whome soever you give your selves to obey his servant you are to whome you obey Rom. 6.6 although you deny him in words as you do Have you gotten an Office of the Hyrarchy and vnder the Hyrarchy and will you in words and writings protest against the Hyrarchy and yet reteyne your Office which you have gotten by promissing obedience therevnto and thinke you to serve Christ with this your stolne Office Halt not so betwene Christ and the Man of sinne but if you will deny your lords that have preferred you to Office deny their Office also in both which you shall do well but if you will reteyne your Office reteyne your Lords also that have preferred you in both which you shall do evill What conscionable answere will you make to these thinges dare anie affirme that Christ hath appointed such an Ordination either in the manner of administration or in the meanes of coming by it hath Christ appointed you to sue and make meanes to a Prelate and ride manie myles with letters of comendations pay all fees that are due wee speake within our compasse to get Ordination Did Th-appostles ever ordeyne Pastor but before or in the presence of the flock did anie ever go and sue or seeke to Th-appostles to be ordeyned and when anie were ordeyned did they kneele downe at Th-appostles feet and did Th-appostles bid them receive the holy ghost is this the manner and meanes set downe in the scriptures of coming by Ordination and if it be not how dare you seeke and submitt your selves to it Will you say that Christ hath appointed no certen due order and meanes of Ordination then do you blaspheme in saieing the rules and examples of the new Testament are vncerten rules of direction and so make you Christ not so faithfull as Moses Is the holy Ordinance of laying on of hands one of the doctrines of the foundation Heb. 6.1.2 and may it be come by by anie meanes or from anie persons yea even from the Pope and you approve of it as you do seeing you have no Ministery but from Rome it is the roote from whence all your Ministery is sprung and the Wild Olive wherein you are all by your Ordination engrafted and therefore as the roote is such are the branches and the roote you all confesse is most vnholy and so doth the lord judg you you evill servants out of your owne monethes you are all most vnholy and false Prophetts the Prophetts of the Beast and not of Christ in that you are not Elected and Ordeyned by the rules of Christ and have not the word of God nor testimony of your flocks for your true entrance What can you now have to say for this your Office thus vniustly come by except you will plead possession how vniustly soever it be come by for a good title and so justify Ahabs possession of Naboths vineyard when Iezabell had slayne the right owner thereof As the lord liveth no lesse but much more is the wickednes of your possession in that the Beast hath troden vnder foote and crucified the Sonne of God Reuel 11.8 and sitts as God in the Temple of God and hath appointed you his Preists to serve at the Alter and thus have you consented together in evill and trample vnder foote the Testament which Christ hath purchased with his blood and have broken into the sheepfold of the lord like theeves and robbers and do nothing but steale kill and destroy for you distroy all the people that submitt to your Ministery in that you bring them thereby vnder the power of the Beast you haveing fallen downe on your knees and worshipped the Beast receiving your spirit and Office from the Beast and the people are all partakers of this sinne in that they admitt of you in your Office and thereby yeild that power which Christ hath reserved in his owne body which is his Church vnto the Beast so are you all dispisers of the law of God and have given away his holy Ordinance of Election and Ordination which he hath by his owne word and Spirit appointed in his Church you have given Christs honor herein vnto the Beast and so are all both Preists and people worshippers of the Beast and his jmage and have received his marke and therefore shall you all drinke of the mere wyne of the wrath of God if you repent not Reuel 14.9.10 And thus much to the ministery of the Puritane profession to prove them all false Prophetts as those that runne and God hath not sent them their Election and Ordination to their Office and their possession of their Office being most vnholy and vniust not being according to the exact rule of the law of Christ Iesus distinctly and most perfectly set downe in
Moses is worthy off more glory honor Heb. 8.5.6 and 9.11.23 and 3.2.3 and he wil punish with much sorer punishment those that dispise his Law then Moses could Heb. 10.28.29 Therefore take heed to your selves for you have brought an vtter confusion vpon the house of God by submitting vnto another goverment and other Officers then Christ hath appointed in his Church and so are al your sacrifices and services polluted as theirs would have bene in the Temple iff they had permitted anie such thinge and if the Goverment of the Temple was fundamental how much more the goverment of the Church of Christ Bee wise in spiritual wisedome and then you wil yeild that true goverment is of as absolute necessitie in the Church of Christ vnder the Gospell as it was in the Temple vnder the Law And if you will bee of vnderstanding according to all the vnderstanding off men you wil confesse that a kings owne goverment by his owne lawes and Ordinances is fundamental and of absolute necessitie in his owne kingdome and over his owne subiects or els he is a king but onely in name and not in power then must you needs confesse that Christs Goverment is of absolute necessitie and fundamental in his Kingdome or els you make him but a king in name and how can you in all true iudgment but acknowledg that it is much better to have the power and goverment of a King without the name of King then to have the name of a King and not the power and goverment of a King And therefore you might as well submitt to the Lord Bishops to take away Christs name of a King as submit to take away from him the power and govermēt of a King but therein lyes the depth of the misterie of iniquitie in the man of sinne in takeing wholly from him his power and yet professing his name and here by are al the Nations of the Earth deceived and this it is that blinds you al because you have the professiō off Christs name amongst you saying he is your king this makes you rest satisfied although you yeild vnto him no one thinge els that apperteynes to his Kinglie Office but onelie the name and title off a King That wee may make this plaine vnto you for you see it not that you give Christ onelie the name off a King in your Church wee shewe it vnto you thus all that can bee given to a King off his subiects is to give vnto him all the titles off honor due vnto his name and to submitt in obedience vnto his power This is al that God requireth to himself in the 1.2.3 and 4. Commaundements And this must everie King have their name and power and especially Christ our King Now the name of a King you give vnto Christ but no power of a King The which that it may appeare evidentlie vnto the simple wee pray you to consider that all the power of a king cōsists in punishing the evil doers rewarding the wel doers as is proved Rom. 13 1-4 where Thappostle shewes that al the powers that are they are of God ād they are to this end onely to punish the evil reward the good Speake now vprightly before God ād men hath Christ this power in your Church and are his Officers and people permitted to execute it are the good by Christs kinglie power cherished cōforted ād rewarded and are the evil by the power of Christ corrected and punished hath Christ power by his owne ordinances lawes and officers to receive ād keepe in the good and to cast out and keepe the bad out off the Church if you should say Christ hath his power in your Church you al called Puritanes are condemned at once for the most evil doers in the whole Church because you above al are most evil spoken of mocked contemned hated Cited silenced excomunicated ād imprisoned is al this done by the holie kinglie power of Christ then are you the most evil doers and thē are al the proud boasters cursed speakers malicious covetous and flatterers that have peace and prefermēt in the church weldoers is this the power of Christ if it be not as we knowe you wil al confesse it is not thē must you needs cōfesse that Christ hath not the power off a King in the Church For if he have no power to punish the evil doers ād reward the weldoers thē hath he no manner of power by his Kinglie Office among you and then do you give him but onelie the name of a King and so do you give him no more then Pilate gave him when he wrote a title and put it on the Crosse This is Iesus the King off the Iewes But in all this you thinke to excuse your selves in that you are innocent in these thinges and protest and seeke much to have it otherwise even so was Pilate he washed his hands and would bee innocent from the Blood off that iust Man Hee protested he saw no evill in him And he sought to loose him but when he saw hee availed not he belivered him to the high Preists and Elders to bee Crucified And thus doe you the best of you all that when you cannot prevaile that Christ might have his power sett vp as you pretend you deliver it into their hands that destroy it and submitt your selves vnto them also Wil you yet say Christ is your King When it is thus evident that he hath no power to rule over you wil Christ be such a King be not deceived God is not mocked he wil comaund you his enemies which would not that he should reign over you to bee slayne before him if you repent not no pretence of excuse shal bee admitted for comitting of evil neither excuse of feare nor of ignorance the Lord doth teach al men every where to repent they that beleeve obey shal bee saved they that do not beleeve shal bee damned which you shall all bee every one of you that submit to anie other goverment then that most holy and blessed goverment which Christ hath established in his Church whereof he is the Head King And therefore the Church of Christ is in subiection in every thinge Ephes 5.24 And our Saviour Christ wil no more bee the head nor savioux of such a Church that submits it selfe vnto the power of a stranger his ennimie then anie Godly wise husband wil bee the head of a wife that submits hir bodie vnto the power of another man although she make never so manie faire pretēces of excuses ād for this ēd and to shew al other love and duties hath the H. ghost aptlie heere by Thapostle compared Christ and his Church and a husband and a wife together to teach thereby al the love and duties of Husband and Wife one to another and to declare all Christs love to his Church and the duties of his Church to him againe how can the holy Ghost by more fit and plaine
comparisons to the capacitie of man shewe and declare the power and love of Christ over and to his church and the subiection that the Church is to yeild to him in everie thinge which subiection seeing your church wil not yeild to Christ but denies him the whole power off Goverment over it Christ cannot be head off such a Church neither can your Church bee his bodie for everie bodie is guided and Governed by it owne head and none of aâ— you that are members off that bodie are members of the bodie of Christ But the spiritual lord Arch Bishop and Lord Bishop are head of your Church in that it is in subiection to theÌ„ in everie thinge as you well knowe and therefore is it their bodie for everie head hath it owne bodie and you al are members of their bodie whereof Christ is not the Saviour but he is the Saviour of his owne body which is his Church whereof he is head Ephes 5.23 The God of grace give you grace to consider your feareful estates and standings herein and deliver you froÌ„ that daÌ„gerous delightful securitie wherewiâ—h your harts are so overipred all your sences and affections being bewitched aÌ„d ravished by that ware of Gold Silver al excellent mettales of pearles al precious stones of silke scarlet al costly vestures of vessels of yvory and of al most precious wood off Cinamon and odours and oyntments frankincense and Wyne and Oyle and fyne floure and wheat and Beasts and Sheepe and Horses and Charetts and Servants and Soules of Men and Apples that your Soules lust after All these things hath the Holie Ghost set downe most larglie Revel 18. to discover the deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes in al the precious delightful sweet and pleasant spiritual baites and snares that are in that your glorious professioÌ„ of Puritanisme whereby your soules are bewitched and ravished as also in al other professions amongst those people that are the waters wherevpon the woman arayed in purple and Scarlet doth sit Revel 17. Of which people you are in that you are in subiection vnto the power of the Beast and his image and therefore are al your sacrifices oblations aÌ„d incense in vaine your Prophesieings or preachings your praiers and praisings of God are an abhomination vnto the Lord your silver is become drosse your wine is mixt with water The Lord hath covered you with a spirit of flumber and hath shut vp your eies Your Prophets and your cheife Seers hath he covered because you come neare vnto him with your mouth and honor him with your lips in calling Christ your King but you have taken Goverment from his shoulder who is called wonderful Councellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the increase of whose government peace shal have no end Esa 9.6.7 and here doth the Prophet shewe likewise that he sits vpoÌ„ Davids throne vpon his Kingdome to order it but al this power you give vnto your strange Lords and yet you crie and say that Christ is your King Thus do you flatter with your lips dissemble with your tongues and your waies are not vpright before the Lord. What might we say to provoake you to set your harts to seeke the lord and to turne your feet to walke in his pathes and your eares to harken to his voice which seing you wil al with earnestnes professe to do do it with faithfulnes and cast away al ignorant hipocrisie and now that the abhomination of desolatioÌ„ is set vp before your eies heare this voice of the lord flee into the mountaines aÌ„d Come out of hir my people and turne not back to that which is left behind Remeber Lots wife Math. 24.15.16 Revel 18.4 Luk. 17.31.32 Wee will vse no more reasons to prove you are not come out of Babilon but you owne confessioÌ„ shal witnes against you in that you daylie complaine of your bondage therefore you may see you are in the house of bondage but there is no bondage in the house off God where the Children off the free Woman standfast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free Galat. 4.31 and 5.1 Why are you then stil in bondage vnder all those Ceremoniall Traditions which you say your soules abhor iff you be off those that Christ hath made free Shall we intreat you with Godlie advisednes to consider what the bondage is and see how you looke to bee delivered is not your bondage you complaine off a spirituall bondage in that you are restrained of spiritual libertie in the holie things Haveing Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Canons pressed vpon you which of Conscience you cannot obey so is it plaine your bondage is spiritual And how would you bee delivered from your spiritual bondage aÌ„d who should bee your deliverer Can you bee delivered but by a spiritual power and caÌ„ you have anie deliverer but a spiritual Lord if you seeke to and depend vpon anie other Lord to bee delivered from spirituall bondage you take vnto yourselves another God and set vp a spiritual power against the power of God And whereas you should put on the whole armor of God and wrestle against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses which are in the high places and stand fast you have shrunck in the day of batâ—le and have not faithfully contented for the maintenance off the faith given to the Saincts But have and do yeild to the Spirituall wickednesses which are vnder the power of those spirituall Lords the Arch Bishops and Lordbishops and have cast of the armor and sword off the Spirit wherewith you should resist and overcome and wherby these spiritual wickednesses shal bee consumed and abolished and you have taken vnto your selves a direction after the device off your owne harts seeking and sueing by petitions not to God but to meÌ„ that you might have leave as you pretend to sett vp Christ for your King and Governor and if you could get leave you make shewe as though you would reforme matters that are greatlie amisse but seing you cannot you are content to let them alone and grone vnder them for so you speake and not to bee too busie least you should make matters worse Of this same condition were the people of Israel when Moses was sent to bring them out of Egipt for when they saw that leave would not bee granted but that more worke was laid vpon them and that there was danger and trouble they would have made their peace and have groned still vnder their burthens as they had done and so have continewed in that their bondage as you do in your spiritual bondage but the Lord was merciful vnto them according to his owne promisse and brought them out by a mightie hand and with great signes and wonders and even so hath the Lord promissed to bring his Elect which are those that harkeÌ„ to the voice of his Call out of this spiritual bondage of Babilon Egipt and Sodom
naturall men and your selfe as in this point in hand because with your carnall eies and eares you see and heare water and washing with such words to bee vsed in the administration off the Lords Baptisme therefore you according to your naturall vnderstanding iudg these thinges to bee the essentiall causes of spirituall Baptisme and teach simple soules that these things being once truely done they are not to bee repeated or done againe when they are whollie natural actions and prophanelie done as you confesse and therefore can in no respect be said to be the Baptisme off Christ which is whollie a spirituall action aÌ„d ought holilie to be performed and done Thus do you make the ignorant beleeve that you can put the spirit off grace into naturall actions formerlie prophanelie done and make the same actions Spirituall and acceptable to God Thus do you make Mid-wives baptisme good and the holie ordinance of God in the essential causes so can you make al the prophane praiers and sermons in playes which are vsuall holie and good actions and the Ordinances of God This then is your rule denie it if you can everie washing with water into the name off the Father etc. is the true Baptisme and Ordinance of Christ in the essential causes thereof by whome soever administred and vpoÌ„ what person or thinge soever This may bee good in lodgick and Philosophie but this is blasphemous cursed doctrine in divinitie and woe are wee for you that ever such abhominations should bee vttered by you wee are a shamed to follow you in the perticuler application of these things which if they should be vrged to the ful it would make everie hart that had anie grace and knowes you tremble and greive for you This hath your Lodgick and Philosophie brought you to whereby you have confounded manie a simple hart and weake vnderstanding and whereby you thinke you have a Privilege to vnderstand the meaning off God in the Scriptures before them that are ignorant of these Arts But now hath the Lord confounded you in them glorie to be his Name and the Lord give you a hart to acknowledg it and to repent and denie your selfe and give glorie to God Wee will omit to speake off your vnproper speach saying that Baptisme must be clothed with a right person vpon whome it must be administred Thus to make your maâ—ters to agree you speake preposterous things for the party must put on and bee clothed with baptisme and not baptisme bee clothed with the partie The next thinge that by the helpe of our God wee will endeavor to discover you to bee a false Prophet and a deceaver in is in a stronge ground you have wherevpon you much relie and often repeat it in your booke and that is this You say Baptisme is the vessel off the Lord as when the house of the Lord was destroyed the vessels thereof together with the people were caried into Babilon they remained stil the vessels off the Lords house in nature right though prophaned by Belshazzar and made quaffing bowles being brought againe out of Babilon to the house of the lord were not to bee new cast but being purified might againe be vsed to holie vse So this holie vessel Baptisme though prophaned in Babilon being brought againe to the house of the Lord remaines stil the holie vessell off the Lord. This is a strong doctrine from example both with you and al the rest of the false Prophets off your profession and no marvil though you deceive greatlie hereby because the doctrine and example is good but most deceitfullie misaplyed of you for you preteÌ„d hereby as though your baptisme were brought from the house of the Lord as the holie vessels were will you iff there bee anie vprightnes in you shew how and from what house of the Lord your holie vessel of baptisme was brought you shew vs plainlie from whence you have brought it againe out of Babilon that is England But out of what house of God came it before it came into Babilon that is England that is not shewed how deceitfully do you faine these things These are the imaginations off your owne vaine harts far have anie of you brought your Baptisme from the house of the Lord into England have you anie other roote or foundation for your baptisme then England do not all men knowe that your vessel off Baptisme was composed formed framed and made there How shal anie man bee able to open his mouth to denie this Why then your holie vessel falflie so called was made in Babilon Thus are you found false dissemblers to say and faine that your baptisme is a vessel brought out of the house of the Lord into Babilon as the vessels of the Temple were wheÌ„ it is most evident that it was molded and made in the Church of England which you confesse is Babilon Mr. Rob. had not you and al your Congregation the true matter as you cal it and true forme of your baptisme in England and was it not administred vpon you al in the assemblies of England then was your vessel off baptisme made there see your deceit herein if there bee anie grace or vnderstanding in you How have you blinded the eies of the simple herein and how hath Sathan seduced you and your owne hart deceived you Now the Lord Iesus give you a hart to repent and in the name of the Lord wee beseech you repent for you have bene and are a malicious adversarie of Gods truth and you lead manie soules in the way to destructioÌ„ The lord for his Christs sake deliver you out of these and all the snares â—f Sathan and the Lord deliver his people out of the net wherein you have like a cuning fowler taken theÌ„ and overthrowne them And wee pray you that you wil with patience suffer vs to shew you how you are al deceived in this point in saying baptisme is the vessel off the Lords house and brought from thence and so applie it to your owne baptisme which you may see iff you do not both winck and cover your eies never came out of the house of the Lord except you wil say The Church of England is the house of the Lord which wee hope the Lords word hath convinced to al your consciences that it is not therefore your baptisme can not be the vessel of the Ls. house but it is the true doctrine or Ordinance of baptisme that may bee said or called by way of comparison the vessel of the Lords house and this we and al must needs confesse is the vessel of the Lords house whether soever it is carried either to Rome or England and though it be polluted and prophaned there as both it and manie other doctrines and ordinances of the Lord are yet being purged from those errors aÌ„d abuses wherewith both they and you have and do pollute theÌ„ they may aÌ„d ought to bee brought into the house of the Lord againe and remaine holie vessels
vnto the Lord for ever but the corrupt pollutions and administrations in this holie vessel or ordinaÌ„ce of baptisme wherewith it hath bene defiled and prophaned these may no more be brought into the house of God then Belshazzars quaffings or anie other prophane administrations wherewith he did abuse and pollute those holy vessels yea although he had vsed them to the same vses vnto the which they had bene vsed in the house of the Lord as if he had set shew-bread vpon the vessels and had kindled and made the same lights for the candlesticks al must bee cast away as abhominable withall the vses that hee had vsed them vnto and the vessels must bee purified and brought againe into the house of the Lord onelie as they were carried furth therefore even so must this holie vessel the true doctrine or ordinance of baptisme he brought againe into the house of the Lord onely as it was carried furth aÌ„d al the corrupt vses aÌ„d abuses wherevnto it hath bene vsed and al the prophane administratioÌ„s in this holie ordinaÌ„ce must be cast away as being al abhominable before the lord and none off those vses and prophane aÌ„d false administratioÌ„s may be admitted into the house of the Lord. This now is the some of al that we have spokeÌ„ of this ground the vessels of the Lords house are carried into Babilon and Belshazzar and his Princes his wives and Concubines drinck in theÌ„ aÌ„d prophane theÌ„ the vessels off the Lord are brought againe to the house of the lord and are sanctified but Belshazzars drinckings in them and prophaning of theÌ„ is cast away as abhominable So the like may be said following your owne exaÌ„ple of comparison The vessel of the Lords house the holie ordinance of baptisme is carried into Babilon and the Babilonians they wash or baptize in this ordinance and prophane it this vessel of the lord the holie ordinance of baptisme is brought againe to the house of the Lord but the Babilonians washing or baptizing aÌ„d prophaning it must be cast away as abhominable aÌ„d thus must your baptizing be cast away and may not be permitted in the house of the Lord you confessing England to be Babilon where you received it except you wil also admit Belshazzars drinckings and quaffings Do not stil deceive your selfe aÌ„d delude others in saying baptisme is the vessel off the lord makeing a deceitfull shew as though therefore your Baptisme were the vessel of the Lord aÌ„d by an example of the vessels of the lord that were brought furth of the house of the lord and carried into Babilon and polluted there in vse onelie and being sanctified from that polluted vse were brought againe into the house of the Lord by this example to bring in an ymagination as though your Baptisme were brought out of the house off the Lord when it is brought furth off the assemblies off England with whome you iustifie God never made Covenant and that they never were his people nor God their God pag 338. You er not knowing the scriptures or els wil fullie misaplie them for your purpose which God forbid for it is the Ordinance of Baptisme that is the vessel of the Lords house which hath bene aÌ„d is carried into Babilon and hath bene polluted in vse in Baptizing of you and al of your profession which vessel or Ordinance of the Lord is to bee brought againe into the house of the Lord and to bee sanctified from that polluted vse of your Baptizing which it cannot bee if it bring that polluted vse which is your baptizing into the house of the Lord with it no more then the vessels of the Lord could have bene sanctified if Belshazzars quaffings had bene brought into the house of the Lord with them and this is a due proportion according to your owne example of comparison Wee will passe by manie things in your booke wherein their is great falshood and deceit because it were an endlesse worke to follow you you are so intricate tedious and ful of turnings and windings loosing your selfe and loosing such simple Readers as we are and that is one hope we have of your booke that the simple wil not read it because they are not capable of vnderstanding you and amongst them that are as ful of art as your selfe wee thinke it wil do smale hurt Wee cannot denie but there are manie worthie truths in it but mixed with so much falshood as the reader had need to bee wise harted and in that you and all the false Prophetts of your profession do mixe your falshood with divers truths all Gods people had need to beware of you for that is but your Sheepes clothing by the faire shew whereof you in snare and worke your lying wonders as when you smite mens harts to the ground with laying out the deformities off Babilon and caâ—â—sir their affections with the discriptions of your Syon falslie so called declaring the bewtie and supposed comelie order thereof and setting furth the comunion of Saincts as with the tongue of an Angel of light Thus do you deck your bed with ornaments Carpets and laces perfume it with mirrhe aloes and Cinamon and so with your great craft cause men to yeild and with flattering lips you entice manie straight following you as an Oxe that goeth to thâ— slaughter as a foole to the stocks for correction and they are stricken thorow as a bird that hasteth to the snare not knowing he is in danger of such hath the wiseman by the wisedome of the spirit forwarned vs. Prov 7. Wee have endeavored to shew you your halting betwixt Babilon and Israel wee exhort you to tread straight stepps before the Lord and that men may see your pathes to bee right shew vs the writing of your Genealogie that wee may see certenlye from whence you are come if you bee come from Israel and bee Iudah then warr not against England as against Babilonians but remember they are the Ten Tribes your brethren 1. King 12. 24. Which Ten Tribes were no falfe Isralites but the true seed of Abraham and so true Isralites for the two Calves set vp at Dan and Bethel did no more make them false Israelites then the Calfe which they made in Horeb and this wickednes of Ieroboam did no more make Israell a false Church the Solomon his wickednes made Iudah a false Church when he followed Ashtaroth the God of the Zidonians and Milcom the abhomination of the Amorites and builded high places for Chemosh the abhomination of Moab and to Molech the abhomination of Ammon in the mountaine over against Ierusalem And who knowes not that reades the scriptures that Iudah abounded in abhominations in so much as the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel 16. saith of Iudah Samaria hath not comitted halfe they sinnes but thou haist exceeded them in all their abhominatioÌ„s and vers 35. The Lord by the Prophet called Iudah an Harlot because of the greatnes of hir fornications and yet al this made not
is fulfilled in the Romish profession so are al these thinges done by theÌ„ And moreover to these the prophesie Revel 17. of the woman and the Beast and the Ten Kings that give their power and authoritie to the Beast these feight with the Lambe Can you say that anie of theâ—e are beleevers and Christians that feight against the lambe No the Spirit off God testifieth in this place that they which are called and chosen faithful are on the lambes side They then that feight against the lambe are those that are not called nor chosen nor faithfull therefore must they needs bee infidels aÌ„d vnbelevers Al these prophesies being confessed of you to be already accomplish by and vnder that Romish profession how shal you of the church of England and the Presbitarie bee able to say that they of the church of Rome are beleevers and Christians and if they bee not beleevers and Christians then are they infidels and vnbeleevers and so is your baptisme and ministâ—rie off England and the Baptisme off the Presbitarie and al the ordinances that you have received from Rome to be cast away as the markes of the Beast and most abhomâ—nable to the Lord. But it shal not bee a misse seeing there ariseth so iust an occasion to shewe the Lord directing vs the ground and roote of all this evill and sinne against the maiestie and holines of God against all which you off England and the Presbitarie sinne in accounting Rome and all them of that profession Christians although all these abhominations which wee have shewed in al these prophesies and might be shewed in manie moe bee committed and to this day maintained by them to the highest dishonor of God in exalting the man of sinne to sit as God in the Temple of God and to the vtter polluting of al the holie ordinances of God in abolishing the witnesse of the Lord his word and Spirit and killing the Saincts feighting against the Lambe makeing all the Nations of the earth to worship the Beast and to drincke of the wine of hir fornications that sits vpon many waters notwithstanding al this these you account Christians vpon this ground and from this roote because when they are infants they are washed with water in the name off the Father ere and you approve that they are Baptized when they are infants because they are the seed of Christians and of the faithful What words might we take to our selves to make your madnes and the madnes of al the world herein to appeare who pretend that al the seed of Christians and of the faithful are to bee Baptized onely aÌ„d vnder this preteÌ„ce baptize aÌ„d approve of the baptizing of the seed of al the wicked and vngodly in these parts of the World yea those that have beene wicked to the third and fowrth generation and to the tenth generation enimies of God and bloody persecutors of his truth destroying the faith of Iesus and advanceing the man of sinne The seed of all these are baptized and by reason of this Baptisme they are all held and accounted Christians by you although they walke in the stepps off their fore-Fathers Is there anie knowledg of God in these thinges Or do men thinke that now vnder the Gospel they may doe and approve off what they wil will men neither walke by the Law of God nor by the law they propound vnto themselves Do you set downe a Law to your selves that the infants off the faithfull are to bee Baptized and do you approve off the Baptizing of the infants of the enimies of God that feight against the lambe and the infants of some also that have not so much faith as the Devils who beleeve and tremble In the word of vnspeakable wisedome hath the holy Ghost said that the Nations shall bee drunck with the Wine of hir Fornications Who may not see this Prophesie fullfilled For if men were not druncke so as they can neither see their way nor tell what they say they would not walke thus and speake thus like druncken men The Church of England and the Presbitarie doe allowe of the Baptizing of al the Infants of Rome whose Pope aÌ„d Cardinals aÌ„d al their whole ministery that administer the baptisme and the parents of the infants that are baptized and those infants being alreadie come to be men of yeres would destroy their Kings and Princes and Countries and al them for professing Christ as they do are these the seed of the faithful and is this to baptize and allowe of the baptisme of the seed of the faithful Wey wiâ—h your selves what truth their is in this And the Brownists they approve of the baptisme and baptizing of theÌ„ whose parents persecute their owne children for walking in their way are these the seed of the faithful What blindnes and invprightnes is this to professe a ground and walke by no ground You must agree iff you can among your selves aÌ„d make a new law this you se wil not serve your turne for if you allowe none to bee baptized but the seed of the faithful you wil not have whole Countries and Nations all Christians as you have It is apparant therefore whatsoever you say that you hold that al infants whether their parents bee faithful or vnbeleevers shal be baptized your rule then is that both the seed of the faithful and vnfaithful shal bee Baptized and that is your practice what warrant caÌ„ be found for this or it is no matter whether there be warrant or no You alledge circumcisioÌ„ for your ground that because infaÌ„ts were circumcised therefore infants must be Baptized but yet you cannot find that the infants off anie people were to bee circumcised and if anie were circumcised but those that God commaunded he Lord nor his faithful servants never approved off it And wil you now approve of anie Baptisme and make it good aÌ„d yet make circumcision your example The Lord perswade your harts and the harts of all men to begin while it is day to examine the grouâ—d of your pâ—actice herein that you may stand before the Lord in the last day and through Christ be able to approve that you have walked by the strict rule off Gods word and not by the vaine inventions of men which God hates and let al Gods people hate but his law let them love which is a perfit Law and converteth the soule and it is pure and giveth light to the eies Psal 19. But by this your practice it is made a most inperfect law when you say that the infants of the faithful are to bee Baptized onelie and when you have laid that downe for your law you both Baptize and approve for good the Baptisme off the infants of he vnfaithful and vnbeleevers and enimies off God and his truth this is neither perfect nor pure law therefore it is not the law of God You ther that wait for salvation by Christ Iesus may not walke by that imperfect and impure lawe but must seeke
this the Covenant of the new Testament is a Covenant of life and salvation onely to all that beleeve and are baptized Mark 16.16 The seale off the CovenaÌ„t must needs be aunswereable to that holy Covenant a seale of life and salvation onelie to them that beleeve and are Baptized Ephes 1.13.14 Revel 2.17 and 28. Thappostle here to the Ephes doth shewe that after they beleeved they were sealed with the holie Spirit of promisse Let all then confesse with whome there is anie vprightnes that infants who cannot beleeve for Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 cannot bee sealed with the seale of this Covenant it is not in the power of parents to set this seale vpon their infants as it was in their power to set the signe of Circumcision vpon their Flesh Therefore is it not required of them by the Lord and it is altogether impietie and wickednes and a prophaning of the holie ordinance of God to take in hand to administer it vpon infants and the Lord will revenge himselfe for such wickednes if it bee not repented of But against this ground of truth that the Covenant of life and salvation is made onelie with them that beleeve and are Baptized it is obiected that the Covenant is made with them and their seed and though manie writers write thus and most men affirme it yet Mr. Robinson being next hand wee will produce his warrant for this ground being as good as anie others and he as vnadvisedlie overseene in the setting it downe Thus speakes he in his Booke Pag. 282. The Scriptures everie where teach that parents by their faith bring their Children into the Covenant off the Church intitle them to the promisses litle doth Mr. Rob thinke how suddenlie in his accustomed haist he hath brought in a meritorious faith it were to bâ— wished that he and al meÌ„ did see and feele that their faith is little enough to bring themselves vnder the Covenant of God if it were not for the gracious and most mercifull acceptance off God in Christ But God hath not promissed anie where to accept to salvation of the parents faith for their Children nor to condemne them for their parents infidelity this is but one among manie of Mr. Ro. doctrines of Devils which he hath heaped vp in his tedious booke his proofe for his doctrine is Gen. 17. And wee prove his doctrine most false by Gen. 17. where AbrahaÌ„ his faith and earnest praier to God could not bring Ismael his Child of 13. yere old vnder that Covenant vers 18-21 Thus is Mr. Ro. altogether overseene in the scripture that he himself allegeth Add moreover to this Gen. 25.23 Where Izhaks faith could not bring Esau vnder the Covenant Thus may all see that Mr. Ro. doth but quote scripture for his proofe and not shewe how it proves his ground The next proofe for this ground is Act. 2.39 Where Thappostle speaking to and of al the vnbeleeving Iewes and Gentils saith the promisse is made to you and to your Children even as manie as the Lord our God shall call How Mr. Ro. will apply this to his purpose we knowe not but wee confesse that this promisse They that beleeve and are Baptized shal bee saved is made to al the vnbeleeving Iewes and Gentils and their Children to this day but this doth no way prove that the faith of the parents in titles children to the promisses nor that the promisse of salvation is made to the vnbeleeving Iewes and Gentils or to their Children except they and their children amend their lives and be baptized And whereas Mr. Rob. as it should seeme vnderstands children in this place to bee infants wee wil first leave that to him to prove that thappostle speakes heare concerning infants and then wee will require of him how he proves that the inheritance off the Kingdome of heaven goes by succession of generation as the land of Canaan did For the second part of his vniust and vngodly affirmation that God takes occasion by the sinnes off the parents to execute his iustice to condemnatioÌ„ vpon the children herein Mr. Ro. dubles his sinne in that as he hath before made the parents faith the cause of blessing to salvation which he saith is every where to be found in the scriptures but shewes no where so now he affirmes that parents infidelity is the cause of Gods iudgment to condemnation vpon their children Mr. Ro. propounds his doctrine and rule for a general rule and doctrine To prove him a falfe Prophet in this also wee refer the Godly reader to the 1. King 14. where it is shewed that Abyah the sonne off most wicked Ieroboam being but yong was not cursed for his Fathers sinnes and Iosiah being but eight yere old when his Father died the Lord blessed him aboundantly in his infancy notwithstanding al the grevious transgressions of his Father Ammon 2. Chro. 33. and 34. Chap. Neither did the Lord punish the people of Israels children for that their great transgression Num. 14 27-39 when they murmured because of the spies by which sinne although they so provoked the Lord to wrath as he caused al their carcasies to fal to bee waisted and consumed in the wildernes not suffering anie one of them to go into the Land of Canaan save Ioshua and Caleb yet eveÌ„ then in his anger he declared his mercie to al their Children promissing to bring them into the Land Now wee confesse with Mr. Ro. that wee are al by nature the Children of wrath conceived and borne in sinne but wee disire to knowe of Mr. Ro. whether he hold not that al Children are alike the Children of wrath and alike begotten in sinne or that some parents confer grace by generation more then others and if they do not as wee assure our selves you wil confesse but that all Infants are alike in themselves the Children off wrath then let vs see not after a sort but directly by what evideÌ„ce of scripture it can be proved their sinnes being al alike in themselves that God should execute his justice to condemnation vpon some children for the sinnes of their paâ—ents and shew mercie to salvation vpon others for the faith of their parents seeing the iust God hath said that every one shal receive salvation or condemnation according to that which hee hath done in the flesh and not acording to that which his parents hath done And let al se Mr. Ro. great iniquity in this his affirmatioÌ„ in that he blaÌ„sphemously chargeth the most holy and iust God to punish infaÌ„ts to condemnation for the actual sinnes of their pareÌ„ts when they themselves have not sinned after the same manner of transgression Rom. 5.14 and we pray M. R and al men to consider the words of the lord Exo. 20. who saith he wil visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the childreÌ„ of theÌ„ that hate him which hatred is shewed by the breach of his comaundemeÌ„ts but do infaÌ„ts hate
ready to enforme them that they might repeÌ„t iff they would but aske to bee enformed but they would not bee informed before they breake the commaundement of the King neither after they have offended wil bee enformed to repent thereoff but iustifie themselves that they have not offended Can a iust King breake his Oath and pardon and forgive the wilful ignorance of such careles subiects and advance them to the same honor wherevnto he advanceth his dutiful subiects But he shal dishonor himselfe aÌ„d make his oath and law of no effect No wise and iust earthly King will ever so dishonor himselfe How shal then the most glorious King of Kings who is most wise iust and Holy haveing made most righteous holy aÌ„d perfect lawes aÌ„d to shewe the stabsenes off his counsel hath bound himselfe by Oath aÌ„d promisse Heb. 6.18 Without respect of persons that whosoever shal breake anie one of those lawes he shal certenly bee damned except hee confesse his sinne and repent Mark 16.16 Luk. 13.3 and whosoever shall kepe them shal in herite glory honor imortallity and these lawes hath he caused to be written by inspiration that al men may have them aÌ„d yet to make his mercie further to appeare that he would not anie off his people should perish for want of the right vnder staÌ„ding thereof hath seÌ„t the coÌ„forter giveth the holy ghost to every one that asketh him to teach lead theÌ„ into al true vnderstanding Io. 14.26 Luk 11.13 charging them to be directed by no other Iam. 1.5 for the vnderstanding thereof If notwithstanding the commaundement and al this love and care of the King of heaven over his people to preserve them from falling vnder the iust iudgment of eternal death his people aÌ„d subiects shal either carlesly neclect to be enformed or shal thinke they are wise enough to enforme them selves or shal go to anie other to be enformed off the vnderstanding of those lawes then the Lord hath appointed and relying and trusting vpon their information breake anie one of the lawes of the King off heaven and do not acknowledg their sinne and repeÌ„t shal their ignorance excuse them when they might alwaies have had the holy Ghost for asking to have enformed them before they offended as also after they have offended that they might repent Can the most holy and iust God and King contrary to his Oath pardon and forgive the wilful ignorance of such careles subiects as breake his lawes and wil not acknowledg their sinne and repent and give them eternall glory and honor with his servants who though they have offended yet they have repented but he shal dishonor himselfe and make his Oath and lawe of none effect Oh that men would consider that the most holy wise and iust God cannot do so against his Oath and make himselfe vniust and vntrue If men would consider what God is as he declares himselfe to bee that is a Iealous God not makeing the wicked inocent visiting iniquity to the third fowrth generation of theÌ„ that breake his comaundements A God of severity against them which fal through vnbeleeife Rom. 11.22 A God that wil certenly take away their part out of the booce of life that takes anie thinge away from his word And that wil add all the plagues written in his word vnto them that add anie thinge vnto his word Revel 22 If men would beleeve God to bee such a one as he declares himselff to bee they could not bee so vaine as to perswade themselves that God would forgive them their sinnes of ignorance their ignorance being through their owne wiâ—full neclect and when through such their ignorance they overthrowe the ordinances off Christ and abolish the Lawes off his Testament and repent not but iustifie themselves in those their sinnes saying they sinne not therein What were sufficient to say in this great deceiveablenes of vnrighteousnes wherewith men are seduced to thinke that if through ignorance they iustifie sinne it shal be forgiven them they knowing no better although they repent not which they cannot do in any sinne wherein they iustifie themselves for men cannot both iustifie and repent of one and thesame sinne at one instant If men wil be so far void of al grace and vnderstanding as to hold and thinke that anie sinne comitted through ignorance and through ignorance iustified because they knowe no better shall bee pardoned then it cannot be denyed but that they that put Christ to death through ignorance and through ignorance iustified they had not sinned but that they had done wel aÌ„d according to the word of God in putting a blasphemer to death that said hee was the Sonne off God they shal also bee pardoned for they did it ignorantly and knewe no better as our Saviour Christ testifieth when he saith Father forgive them they knowe not what they doe And Thappostle Peter acknowledgeth the same Act. 3.17 saying Brethren I knowe you did it through ignorance as also your Governors Now let vs compare things together so shall wee through the grace of God the better see the deceith of this ground as it is misapplyed The ground wee are to remember is this That if men walke conscionablie as far as they knowe and disire better knowledg yet through ignorance comit much sinne there is mercy with God and they ackowledging and repenting of their ignoraÌ„ces shal be pardoned by grace through faith and repentance Ephes 2.8 This ground is misapplied as wee trust wil easily appeare being brought to prove that if men walke conscionably as farr as they knowe and commit some sinnes through ignorance and through ignorance iustifie the same thinking they do wel and knowing no better their sinne shal bee pardoned which if they be it must bee by grace through perswasion and ignorance for their is no faith in ignorance where is there anie warrant for such a ground Who is so blind that cannot see the grevious error off this ground thus misapplyed this is to excuse sinne by sinne that is by ignoraÌ„ce We conclude this point by the word of truth that none can deny that have anie knowledg of the meanes of salvatioÌ„ there is no salvatioÌ„ but by grace in Chr through faith repeÌ„taÌ„ce so is there theÌ„ no pardoÌ„ for any sinne but by grace in Christ through faith repentance This being an vndenyable ground none then can be saved nor have their sinne pardoned by grace in Christ through ignorance iustifying any one sinne for there cannot be either faith or repentance in ignorant iustifying any sinne therefore no such sinne can be pardoned but al such sinners must be coÌ„deÌ„ned And for this end and purpose have we spoken al that wee have spoken in this point to shewe vnto al men that if they iustifie any one sinne or evil though it bee of ignorance they can never bee saved but shal periâ—h to everlasting destruction such sinnes cannot come within mens generall repentance of al their ignoraÌ„ces
themselves vtterly pervert the meaning off our Saviour Christ in these words and say he gave it for a rule to his disciples to teach theÌ„ to flee to save themselves from persecution and so by this their vnderstanding when the disciples of Christ had found a Citie of most safetie there they should hide theÌ„selves as these men do and let the publishing of the gospell alone except any would follow after them or come to them where they might be in safetie How doth the ignorant blind corrupt harts and tongues of these meÌ„ conceive and speake against God and his truth and pervert it to their owne destructioÌ„ overthrowing the whole doctrine aÌ„d meaning of Chr. in this place of Mat. 10. from 16. vers to the 39. vers where Christ withal the wisedome of the spirit doth set himselfe to teach his disciples to suffer persecution shewing them what persecutions they should suffer and what persecutors they should have and how far they should suffer persecution even to the loosing off their lives Thus doth our saviour Christ teach his disciples to suffer persecution exhorting them not to feare them that kil the body and declareing vnto them for their vnspeakable comfort his providence and protection over them telling theÌ„ that al the haires of their head are numbred in his sight And these deceivers they teach their disciples to flee persecutioÌ„ and persecutors and to spare and save theÌ„selves that it may not come so vnto them but when the worthy disciple of Christ Peter advised his maister so Christ bad him come behind mee Sathan thou art an offence vnto me and taught him saying If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe take vp his crosse follow me maâ—r 16. Iudg then what Christ wil say to these false prophets that are the disciples of the man of sinne supporting and preserving his Kingdome by this their doctrine for the disciples of Christ cannot glorify God and advance his truth better theÌ„ by suffering al manner of persecution for it and by witnessing it against the man of sinne with the blood of their testimony we must leave this point to Godly consideration It had bene much fitter we confesse to have bene part off a booke then such an addition and wee leave these men withal their disciples if they wil not be enformed here in to be a reproach to al men who shal say vnto them where have you learned to fle into forraine countries and not to suffer persecution for Christ of your owne countriemen where have you learned for feare of meÌ„ to flee from your owne countrie aÌ„d fathers houses to whome you ought and where you might best publish the gospel and where have you learned to drawe parents from children and children from parents to whoÌ„e they are especially bound to witnes Gods truth and to be as lights vnto theÌ„ You have not learned it of Christ who would not suffer him that had bene possessed when he prayed him that he might bee with him but Christ said vnto him Go thy way home to thy frends shewe them what great things the Lord hath done vnto the he went published theÌ„ Mark 5 18 Yea all men shal say vnto them where have you learned to set vp your light in secret plaees and where have you learned to pul your shoulder from the yock and to seeke to save your lives but therefore saith Christ surely you shal loose them except you repent Furthermore if Christ gave this for a rule or precept to his disciples to flee persecution to save themselves then was it an absolute comaundement and so did al thapostles and disciples of Christ breake his comaundement aÌ„d sinne in that they did not flee to save themselves alwaies when they were persecuted and hereby do these men condemne all their brethren that flee not as they do except they wil ad error to error aÌ„d affirme as some of them do that it is indifferent to flee or not to flee makeing hereby this precept of Christ indifferent to be obeyed or not to be obeyed which can not be affirmed of anie one precept of Christ for nothing can bee both comaunded and indifferent to bee obeyed or done and those words of Christ wil no way permit such indiffereÌ„ci for they are an absolute precept for that end for the which they are given which is not to flee to save themselves but to flee or go to another Citie to preach the gospel And we put these seducers in remembrance that our Saviour Christ gives this rule also vnto his disciples that if they shall enter into anie house or Citie that shal not receive them nor heare his word wheÌ„ they depart thence they shal shake of the dust of their feet for a witnes against that house or Citie But when wil these men according to this rule of Christ â—hake of the dust of their feet for a witnes against Amsterdam and Leyden which Cities neither receive them nor the word they bring otherwise then they receive Turks and Iewes and all sorts who come onely to seeke safety and profit It should seeme this rule of Christ apperteynes not to these meÌ„ but let them and al mense that this rule apperteynes to whomesoever the other apperteynes they being both given at one time and vpon one and the same occasion and to one and the same persons and when these great deceivers have learned not to devide Christ they wil learne also not to devide his precepts and ordinances takeing what is agreable to their corrupt mynds and forsakeing what is contrary to them We wil passe by the lamentable fruits and iudgmeÌ„ts that we have and doe see with our eies followes this damnable error when manie yea the most men that had in a great measure forsakeÌ„ the love of the world and began to be zealous of some good thinges being drawne by this opinion and these seducers into forreyne Countries not knowing which way to support their outward estate have turned againe vnto the world aÌ„d are fayne to hunt too and froo far aÌ„d neare after every occasion and al is too little to satisfie most of their wants and nothinge wil satisfie some of their disires al these thinges and manie mo these hirelings their shepherds can welbeare withall so that they returne to the hive that their portion may not be reproved And those of best hares and some of best quality that cannot runne aÌ„d rove and set their harts to seeke the world consume that they have and fal vnder hard conditions and by littel and littel loose their first love also It is the general iudgment we ayme at in al this in that by these meanes former zeale aÌ„d the best first beginings that were in these men do vanish fade away and come to nothinge to the vnfained greife of our sonles to see it how much better had it beene that they had given their lives for that truth they professe in their owne Countries Now as wee through the grace of God and by the warrant of his word as we have here manifested cast away these perverters of the holy scriptures and their doctrines so we wish al to do that feare God and seeke the glory of his name and come and lay downe their lives in their owne Countrie for Christ and his truth And let none thinke that we are altogether ignorant what building and war fare we take in hand and that wee have not sitt downe and in some measure throughly considered what the cost and danger may be and also let none thinke that wee are without sence and feeling of our owne inability to begin and our weaknes to endure to the end the weight and danger of such a worke but in al these thinges we hope and waite for wisedome and strength and helpe from the Lord Who is able to establish vs that we may stand and by weake meanes to confound mighty thinges 1. Cor. 1. Lett none therefore despise the day of smale thinges Zach. 4.10 Nor bee greived and say with that scorner Nehem. 4.24 What wil these weake Iewes doe Thus comending all our poore endeavors to the best acceptance of every wel disposed reader beseeching the Lord to make his grace to abound to you al for the glory of his name and the salvation of every one of your soules Amen