Prince m Obedience to the Kings laws to the effusion of their blood can have no orher sense but they will raise bloody wars against Puritans if the K which I hope shall not be command them I pray God it be not fulfilled in their children this day in England they promise they have been and ever will be obedient to the Kings laws which respecteth the time to comâ— so as if the King and Parliament should againe establish Popery they say for all time to come they shall be ever truly obedient and adde no limitation condition of obedience in the Lord. You may see the consciences of Familists that as after ye shall heare they prostitute themselves to avouch or deny take or leave all Religions as the times and mens lawes shall 〈◊〉 prove them or not n What Pharisees bee these doth not Paul judge himselfe the chiefe of sinners is not Elias a man compassed with infirmities No wonder it bee hâ—rd to prove any wickâ—d doctâ—ine or practise for H. Nichoâ—as in his Epistle to the two daughters of Warwicke would prove men may bely and dissemble and deny their Religion and Christ before men so the heart be good o Shall wee then beleeve that Familists now in England will not be deadly persecuters of Puritans p Puritans are against all religious ceremonies of mens devisings so that tything of mint is unjustly ascribed to to them q To Familists all outward worship and ordinances are traditions they live only upon love within and are swine without and yet sinne not q There is to Familists no judgement and mercy but that which is inward let men as touching the outward man be swine for filthinesse Lions for blood and rapine they may have inward righteousnesse and that is all and enough r Then Puritans only none or few of the prelaticall way or other Sectaries refuted Familists s Familists count all Religions popery or any thing as they come out to the view of men neither up nor downe t But the Saints of love say Familists are above and beyond all laws and Rulers Magistracie is but for fleshly men t Familists by their principles may professe or deny any Religion as the Market goes t This is no little exception in which they swerve from the Religion of England in that they are Familiâ—ts and of a sect destructive to all Christian religion to Châ—ist his person office righteousnesse imputed faith repentance Scriptures heaven hell judgement resurrection c. w He that doth evill hates the light H.N. was once thought to be homo novus But H. Nicholas was a fleshly abominable seducer and false prophet a Mercer in Amsterdam x Neithâ—r Calvin nor Luther knew any thing of God but only H Nicholas is the Catholick Apostle of the world and cannot erre y Nothing here of Christ by whose name only we are saved Act. 4.11.12 dutifull obedience to God and Magistrates and to love â—ur neighbour are such Law-â—ighteousnesse as pagans doe diefie as highest devotion in all this petition nothing smelleth of Christ his Spirit eternity nothâ—ng of Scripturall or spirituall communion with God in Christ Jesus z All hereticks make the Scripture their rule and only judge but not simply but as they understand them which is to make their owne understanding only umpire and judge in the matters of God a They afterward tempt the King to forsake the Protestant Religion and to turne Familist b It s a pure commendation that H Nicholas wrote much the more the worse since he writeth against the Prophets and Apâ—stles c Christ and his Apostles name false teachers Saduces Hymeneus Philetus Simon Magus Elimas c. but though hee name neither Calvin nor Luther yet their doctrine he calleth often carnall fleshly false ceremoniall wisdome the letter the flesh the devill hypocrisie d Thâ—se men that cry out aâ—gainst Scripture-wisdome as carnaâ—l ceremoniall â—evilish selfie as H. Nicholas and his cannot speake hâ—nourably of the perfection of Scriptuâ—e d The family of love have no heads or Kings that are borne oâ— the flesh and blâ—od of sin spirit lauâ— c 4. sect 8. they themselves reigne as only Kings on earth everlastingly fideâ—itâ—s decl c. 4. sect 18. e Of all the meanes by which men are saved through Christ they speake only of the works of the Law of inherent righteousnesse and repentance not one word of free grace faith in Christ and the impuâ—ed righteousnesse of Christ. Familists then are the legall Pelagians not we no reformation is knowne to Familists but inward that of the heart f Not more said then truth can beare for H Nicholas his doctrine is a seâ—tina a pumpe dunghill and a sea of many fleshly errors and heresies f The due fruits of repentance and newnesse of life are here made antecedent meanes and wayes going before our saving in Christ or our free redemption that is in Christ Jesus so as we must be justified by workes otherwise let any man make sense of these words g Our Saviour saith yee shall know thâ—m by their workes h The foulest of the bookes of H. Nicholas containing the mystery of Familisme and fleshly loosenesse are only to be seene by the wise and experienced Eldeâ—s who can digest them â— It is hard to prove any thing against them who profâ—sse it lawfull to deny their Religion before men H.N. Epist to the daughters of Warwicke h It is not likâ— but Q. Elizabeth heard of these bookes and saw them since many of her and K James his Court favoured them i Ioh. Knewstuâ— M Microniâ—s H. Amswâ—rth wrote against thâ—se filthy errors and set downe their own words to the world k The Prelates the Popish Magistrates never troubled these licentious men because they tooke part with them agâ—iâ—st the Puritans only some godly Magistrates nick-named Puâ—itans cast some of them in prison l Neither by oath or any other way could they be brought to make confession of the secrets of unpure Familisme l They say they will take or leave their Religion of love as the Laws thinke fit but they lie fâ—r here being cast in prison by the inferiour Magistrate they persist then the infeâ—iouâ— Magistraâ—e to them is no Magâ—strate the Law is no Law m All heretickes and impure sectarâ—es say they dâ—e wilfully maintaine no heresie and therefore plead for liberty of conscience and a toleration of all religions The Familists defame the doctrine of the Apostlâ—s and Scriptures and have nothing to doe with the martyrs of the primitive Church for H. N. as I observe taught that Christ never had any man lay down his life for him or his truth his meaning was only allegorically to renounce his lusts for Christ otherwise Christ rejoyceth not said he in our death or blood o The Puâ—itans refusing the Popish ceremonies and the Romish denomination of Prelates are branded by those men as disobedient to Magistrates p They desire the Popish Laws against hereticks to be used against
all your owne errors if they be errors to be vailed with meere weaknesse measure out to us some scruples and graines of charity if you would have pounds and talents of meeknesse and forbearance weighed out to your selves You will not buy and take in with a little weight and sell and give out with a great measure Double weights are abomination to the Lord. Give us but quarter measure and charge us not with persecution and slaughtering of the Saints because we judge a toleration to all even to such as will not come up to the unity of one faith and confession thereof that is Socinians Anabaptists fleshly Familists Antinomians Arrians Arminians Antiscripturians Enthusiasts Seekers and the like to be right downe Atheisme we conceive the godly Magistrate does not persecute the Saints if he draw the sword against adulteries murtherers rapts robberies even in Saints and we hope you at least some of you are of the same minde with us now spirituall whoredome perverting of the right wayes of the Lord Socinianisme professed and taught to others even in Saints to us is worse and more deserves the sword then adulteries for false teachers are evill doers and so to be punished with the sword Rom. 13.3 4. and called evill workers Phil. 3.2 such as rub the pest of their evill deeds upon others and therefore not to be received into any Christian society house or Army 2 Joh. 10. such as the Holy Ghost said under the Kingdome of the Messiah when the Spirit was to bee powred on the family of David and the fountaine opened should bee thrust through wounded and killed because they prophesie lies in the name of the Lord Zach. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6. c. 12.10 all the godly thinke of Antitoleration as a truth of God they are perswaded of in conscience must stand when the hay and stubble of Liberty of conscience Antinomianisme and the like shall be consumed with fire so doe the godly in the Churches of N. England thinke with us refute this opinion of ours and of these whom you esteem to be Saint-murtherers with reasonings and not railing nicknaming us Antichristians Babylonish Lords over the conscience to shame us out of this opinion which is the truth of Christ with the odious and bloody charge of persecuters of the Saints sonnes of Babel Tyrants over the consciences of the godly this is the heaviest club-law on the conscience and the saddest tongue-persecution we know else the sharpe arrows of the mighty and coals and firebrands of Juniper with which M. Burtons writings are salted against his sometimes dear brethren the Presbyterians the sometime Saviours and Redeemers of the oppressed and crushâ—d Saints are not persecution contrary to Psal 52.1 2 3 4. Ps. 120.2 3 4. Jobs friends persecuted him Job 19.20 sure they lifted neither sword nor speare against him whether our Brethren did counsell in private and publicke to send an Army against their brethren of Scotland to destroy them who in the sincerity of their hearts did sacrifice their lives for their safety peace liberties and Religion or no I leave to their owne consciences As for the forcing of our opinions upon the consciences of any It is a calumny refuted by our practise and whole deportment since wee came hither Our witnesse is in heaven it was not in our thoughts or intentions to obtrude by the sword and force of Armes and Church-government at all on our brethren in England but wee conceive that Master Burton and the renowned Kingdome of England are engaged by the oath of God to receive such a Government as is most agreeable to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and are obliged sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God to endeavour in their severall places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in doctrine worship discipline and government against our common enemy Now if M. Burton have sworne the covenant he hath ingaged himselfe in the first Article thereof really sincerely and constantly to endeavour in his calling the preservation of the like supremacy which the Pope himselfe claimeth over Kings Princes States Kingdomes commonwealâ—hs the preservation of infallible Generall Assemblies on earth of that spirit of Antichristian pride and tyranny of Rebellion and Treason in lifting up a Papall throne above Kings and Kesars above Kingdomes and Commonwealths to the enslaving of the whole Nation of England in their soules bodies and estates whereby the fundamentall Laws priviledges and power of Parliaments liberties and freedome of all true bred English subjects are brought under perpetuall bondage worse then that either of Egipt or Babylon Now I desire Burton to awake and all our brethren of the way of Liberty of conscience in England who I suppose have sworn the Covenant sincerely and really if a Preacher of the Gospel and Saints who preach cry print that the government of the Church of Scotland and of all the Reformed Churches is Antichristian Tyrannicall rebellious treasonable destructive to the liberties laws and freedome of the English subjects worse then that of Egipt and Babylon doe in their callings of preaching the Gospell professing the truth sincerely really and constantly indeavour the preservation of the government and discipline of the Church of Scotland O but they doe endeavour its preservation onely in their callings against the common enemy What is this but they sweare to defend Antichrist in the Presbyterial government against Prelates that is against Antichrist in Prelacie and yet blacke it as Antichristian and how in your severall callings now M. Burton and our brethrens calling is to preach and write for the truth then must their calling bear them to preach and print to the Prelaticall party and to Cavaliers that the government of the Church of Scotland is lawfull Apostolicke and of Divine right otherwise they cannot in their severall callings defend it against the common enemie for it is not Pastors calling nor I suppose a lawfull calling in our brethrens minde to defend it with the sword and must the preaching and printing to Antinomians Socinians Arminians to Saints hold forth an Antichristian a worse then Egiptian and Babylonish government exclame against it as undefendable and yet defend it against the common enemy the Prelates But whether our Brethren did sweare the Covenant with a purpose to keep it or no and whether they have not endeavoured not to preserve but to destroy and extirpate the Reformâ—d Religion doctrine worship discipline and government in Scotland and persecuted us because we assert it or if more can be done then the proposalls of the Army and the Parliament hitherto have done if they doe no more to promove all heresies and errors contrary to sound doctrine wee must remit in silence to the only finall determination of the most High They are stronger then we but I am confident the earth shall not cover the blood that is shed in Scotland but it shall
Then Familists who seeke no more but love in the heart will be glad that all externals be cut off now there is nothing then of Religion but Opinions knowing beleeving hoping fearing loving for bowing to Idols perjury adoring of the Devill vocall covenanting with Sathan these have nothing to doe with Religion for they are not things of the mind I observed before that H. Nicholas epistle to the two Daughters of Warwicke said Christ gives leave to any man to deny his Religion before men if the heart be good Christ is not so cruell nor taken with the blood of men as to will any to lose his life his houses children brother sister lands for him and the Gospel Hee may deny God and Christ and both Law and Gospel before earthly Judges if hee keep a good heart to God he failes not against Religion or any of the first foure commands for Religion is fettered within the circle of the minde 2. If all Religion be a thing of the minde If any think and beleeve he may take fifteene wives and offer his childe a sacrifice to God as Abraham did and that hee may take his neighbours goods because the Saints are the owners of the earth and may marry his wives sister his owne mother in law he cannot act according to his faith because he may be compelled to unact and abstaine from such things of the mind by the power of the sword Now this is great compulsion to things of the minde 3. I know not any that ever I read or heard said the sword of men can compell the minde or compell men in things of the minde for let the persecuting Emperors and all the Tyrants on earth armed with the fury and power of the Prince of the bottomlesse pit torture torment or kill they cannot reach soule minde will conscience and affections we never said that the sword is a meanes of converting soules to Christ or that Religion is or can be compelled but wee hold that the sword is an externall though not simply necessary meanes to hinder wolves and grievous foxes to destroy the soules of others by bringing out of their corrupt mindes in word writing teaching professing another Gospel such as fleshly and abominable familisme now the not perverting of the soules of others the only object of the Magistrates sword is not the conversion nor any signe that the false teacher thus hindered to hurt the flocke is converted to the faith The Magistrate then defendeth only and guardeth the Law of God and Church from pestilent heresie but neither he nor his sword is hereby made a means way or cause of conversion of soules or propagating the Gospel who ever usurpe the sword to defend ravening wolves that with such doctrine destroyes the flocke of Christ they give their power to the beast and their hornes and strength to the false Prophet and I writ it God shall deliver soules out of their captivity for the elect cannot finally be seduced Matth. 24.24 and shall make their carcases fall as dung upon the open field and as the handfull after the harvest man and none shall gather them and make them as a wheele and as stubble before the wind and fill their faces with shame But if conscience ought to bee the ruling principle in all we doe in acts of the second as well as the first Table of the Law yea in eating and drinking 1 Cor. 10.31 the sword hath no place at all over Christians or any at least professing Christ these that marry many wives at once and sacrifice their children to devills and thrust men out of their possessions and take them to themselves because they being Saints are the only just owners of the earth and the meeke shall inherit the earth these that sweare a Covenant when they are low as Familists doe professe they may and deny their Religion before men as H. Nich. taught and divers Anabaptists and Nicodemits in Calvins time and then unsweare and perjure and breake their Covenant with God and men when they have the sword in their hand will sweare and suffer for it that they doe all these from meere conscience and upon Religious grounds in the minde and the Magistrate is as much obliged to beleeve that conscience leads them in all these as he is to beleeve all Religions are to be suffered and the justified man cannot sinne cannot steale murther swear whore blaspheme cosen and he ought not to compel with the sword godly men in some things of the minde and not in all things except he be partiall in the Law In other things God hath put the sword in the Parliaments hands for the terror of evill doers If any plead exemption from it he knows not the Gospel Answ. If for the terror of evill doers then for the terror of false teachers who are grievous wolves not sparing the flock Act. 20.29 evill workers Phil. 3.2 and make these that receive them in their houses and farre more in an Army of Saints partakers of their evill deeds 2 Joh. v. 10 who subvert whole families Tit. 1.11 make their followers twofold more the children of hell then themselves Matth. 23.15 2. If by other things the Author meane all things but Religion then Parliaments have no place to be Nurse-fathers to the Church they have done usurpingly to sweare to defend the Reformed Religion of the Church of Scotland to extirpate heresies and what is contrary to sound doctrine that is to root out Familisme Antinomianisme Socinianisme Arrianisme Antiscripturisme Papists Prelates Seekers Arminians 3. If any plead exemption from the Parliaments sword he knowes not the Gospel that is a poor punishment vale at totum many of the Authors way subvert the doctrine of the Gospel as all the familists But the Author saith not hee shall feele the weight of his sword but only he knowes not the Gospel then many Anabaptists who hold this thing of the minde under the new Testament there ought to bee no Christian Magistrate no Christian ought to beare the sword cannot know the Gospel there are of these that thinke they know the Gospel as well as this Author And Saltmarsh the prime Chaplaine of the Army professeth he knowes more of the Gospel then Wicklef Calvin Luther and all Protestants generally Yet he sets the Magistrates up for worldly societies and more principally for the people of God in the flesh Sparkl glo p. 138. but the Saints in this life saith he attaine to all Spirit pag. 71 72 198 206 207. and are above the flesh and Ordinances and to returne to a dispensation of the flesh that needeth Magistracie is to come backe and remaine in Sodome pag 75. when the Lord hath bid you come out pag. 121.122 The Author and M. Saltmarsh must herein renounce H. Nicholas and they are so neare of kin that all the water in Thames cannot wash their bloud asunder the one from the other for H.N. saith Spirit Laud. c. 34. s. 8.9 The family of
the Lord against the mighty for sure God onely and Christ gives a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty to his Church as well as God onely Redeemeth onely Governeth onely Protecteth his Church and so we are not to pray for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life under them in all godlinesse as the Word saith 1 Tim. 2.2 3. then away with Magistrates Swords Gunnes warres yea away with Castles Houses Forts for if the Church bee to bee protected Christ onely must protect it So if the Church be to bee fed in Egypt or on earth by bread away with Joseph and his victuall away with tilling sowing earing trades labouring with our hands Let the Millinaries fleshly Paradice or the Adamits world returne for sure Christ onely in his way feedeth cloatheth protecteth saveth his Church 2. So Anabaptists Libertines argue God onely teacheth the heart Christ onely breaketh not the bruised reede then preaching of the Gospel and the sweet comforting promises thereof are not lawfull Let there be no Watchmen no Pastors under the New Testament for sure the Watchmen that goes about the walles will wound and smite the weake ones seeking Christ and the Letter of the Scripture is dead carnall lifelesse Christ is a quickning Spirit 3. And just so reasoned the Libertines to prove That sinne was nothing but an opinion and that wee should not rebuke any for sinne nor praise any for wel-doing Quia Deus efficit omnia in omnibus because God worketh all in all things and the sinner the Creature doth nothing Christ reformeth onely and in a better way then all the Preachers of the world and therefore none are to be rebuked for not reforming nor doe any sinne in not Preaching Law and Gospel For M. Del saith p. 12. As none can redeeme but Christ onely so none can reforme the Church but Christ onely for he onely takes away transgression and is made righteousnesse and wisdome to his people and he onely Esa. 2. Layeth low the loftinesse and hautinesse of men So he onely reformeth inwardly Angels and men cannot doe that but it followeth not therefore men by preaching the Gospel doe not reforme outwardly for then if Pastors turne dumbe dogges and reforme not outwardly they no more sinne nor are they more under any woe if they preach not contrary to 1 Cor. 9.16 Act. 20.28 2 Tim. 4.1.2 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3 then they sinne or are under a woe because they redeeme not the world and take not away transgressions and are not made to the Church righteousnesse wisdome and redemption And M. Del layeth no lesse blasphemy on the Parliaments of both Kingdomes and on the three Kingdomes when they sweare to endeavour in their severall places and callings the reformation of Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches then that they have sworne to usurpe the worke of Redemption and the offices of the Mediator By Dels way and the Antinomians in our callings and places wee shall bee Kings heads of the Church Redeemers great high Priests to offer a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World Prophets by the Spirit to open one anothers heart and inwardly reforme the Churches of Christ in these three Kingdomes which all are onely incommunicable and proper to Jesus Christ the onely reformer as he is saith Del the onely Redeemer and then how durst Del usurpe Christs office in Preaching to the Parliament of England what way they should redeeme the world For sure preaching touching the right of reformation is an act of outward reformation but he did in this in the name of God as a Nathan forbid them to reforme the House of God or build the Temple because they were men of bloud But 1. knowes M. Del of a Parliament of peaceable Salomons that shall arise and build the Temple and intrude on Christs sole prerogative to redeeme and reforme inwardly 2. It was both Typicall Positive and Temporary for Salomon to build and for David not to build nor reforme that way But I hope Gospel-reformation is Morall Perpetuall not Typicall for Salomon was in that a Type of the Prince of Peace 3. He knows the Ministers of the Gospel and the Assembly of Divines by Preaching and Synodicall conclusions doe reforme as did the Apostles and Elders Acts 15. should he not say the Apostles and Elders who reformed externally were either men of bloud or intruded on Christs chaire of Lord Redeemer and the great and true and onely high Priest and that the Divines are men of bloud also and bee they men of peace or men of bloud they must bee too bold to sit in an Assembly as so many sacrilegious intruders and usurping Lord-Redeemers and that by Authority of Parliament For Del applyeth to himselfe in preaching Familisme Socinianisme Popery Libertinisme calling them all the props of the Antichrist who are not Familists Socinians with himselfe that which is peculiar to Christ Joh. 7.12 That some will say Del in Preaching thus is mad as they said of Christ and hee is more then a Nathan but I thinke the truely godly will confesse Christ to be the wisdome of God and thinke him spiritually mad as other Familists and Antinomians are Del Ser. pag. 13. I doubt not saith hee of the Churches Reformation because it is Christs owne worke and hee hath undertaken the doing of it As none can helpe him to redeeme so no power of hell shall bee able to hinder him to redeeme and reforme by his Spirit all belonging to his care and charge the rest of the world he lets lye in sinne as not belonging to his charge so I am at rest and quiet Christ will reforme Answ. So doe the New England Familists who abusing the absolute decrees of grace say None are to bee exhorted to beleeve but such whom we know to bee the elect of God or to have his spirit in them effectually Then the reprobate because absolutely reprobate are not to heare the Gospel nor should the Gospel be preached to them who stumbled at the stone laid on Zion contrary to the expresse Word of God and Gods absolute decrees must take away all industry care paines praying seeking of God for if we be chosen to life Christ hath undertaken to redeeme us if not we must lie and perish in sin M. Del saith He is at rest and quiet because Christ is as able for the reformation of his Church as for the redemption of it Now he meaneth inward reformation and conversion to God then may we all say we are at rest and quiet and will not study inward reformation and conversion of our selves or others and will no more heare the Word pray repent beleeve or preach the Word to others nor labour to bee converted or to convert others then to redeeme them with our bloud we will be at rest and quiet what Christ
of these three and it is that the sinlesse creature should yeeld its beeing lust will and desires rather to be trampled on dispised or turned to nothing before God be dishonoured All the essentiall attributes of goodnesse holinesse wisdome grace justice power soveraignty c. that are all infinite in God proclaime that there is an infinite distance between the Creature and the Creator but if we speak of a borrowed beeing and a borrowed working at the second hand and by loane then it is no sin for creatures to say they are creatures for the Holy Ghost saith it and biddeth man say that he is clay and a living soule nor is it sin to the Creature to ascribe doing of good to it self as the Church saith I have sought thee O Lord Isa. 26. and David I love thee O Lord and Paul I have laboured more abundantly then they all though it was a labouring borrowed from grace and sure the Creature acts sin and against a law and not in subordination to God as Law-giver acting him against a Law 4. Error Obedience is to deny selfe The creature is all good in the Creator and to value and esteem all beeing and all good God himselfe Theol. Ger. c 13. 5. All creatures the body and soule of man were hid potentially in God and shall returne to silence and to nothing after This is cleare against the immortallity of the soule that Scripture saith seeth God injoyeth his face goeth to Paradise or torment after death 6 Hell standeth in these 1. when a man seeth himselfe worthy of all ill 2. Perpetually damned and lost 3. Neither wils nor conceives comfort from any â—â—eature 4. Yet he waiteth for deliverance 5. Beares nothing waywardly but sin 6. And when he cannot think ever to be delivered or comforted He is in heaven when he regards nothing desires nothing but the eternall good so this becomes his he may often in one day passe from heaven to hell and from hell to heaven and is safe in both This is a hell and a heaven unknown to Scripture 1. They are within the bounds of this life hell and heaven are after death and buriall Luk. 16. 2 There is a marcet way between this heaven and this hell But Luk. 16. there is a gulf and no passage between the right-heaven and Scripture hell Luk. 16. 3. These may end the true hell and heaven are eternall Mat. 25. last Psal. 16.11 7. When God alone works in man and leaves undone in him without any I to mee or mine there is true Christ and no where else Theol. Germ. c. 22. Christ crucified in Mount Calvary is but an imagination to suffer with Christ is Christ crucified Our sufferings and Christs are one by union of will and Spirits Bright star c. 18 â—89 190 191. c. 200. Then is Christ not true man 2. nor dyed he really but only Spiritually in us when we suffer with the like meeknesse and patience as he dyed and suffered and yet he is but an Allegorick or phancied man to the Familist The like Familists say of his Resurrection Ascention and judging the world It s but to doe what is already done to open these rotten graves any farther These two pieces so fleshly and abominable agree well with the Tenents of H. Nicholas and are now set out An. 1646. by the Familist Randel to the insnaring of the soules of many thousands in London In the yeare 1â—75 the Familists of England published a confession before King James came to the Crowne of England but laxe and generall I know not what for H. Nicholas wrote bookes of sundrie sorts As his exhortation 1 c. 6. § 5.7 8 9. His instructions of the upright and Christian baptisme his crying voyce his first exhortation and these saith hee may bee confessâ—d among the adulterous and sinnefull generation and the false hearts of the scripture learned for so hee called all the godly in England and all that are not of his way But for his love-secrets hee saith yee shall not talke of your secrets either yet utter your mysterâ—â—â— openly or nakedly in the heaâ—ing of your young children or disciples but spare them not in the â—ares of your Elâ—â—rs which can understand the same or are able to beare or away with the sound thereof But they have their private Traditions and unwritten verities saith H. Nichol. in his Elidad § 5. By which they grow up in love according to the requiring of her service where all things needfull to bee knowen or declared are alwayes according to the capacity of their understanding brought and declared to them to the § 17 young or new borne children according to their youngnesse to the weak according to their weakenesse and to the eldâ—râ— according to their driednesse or old age where § 18 neither some heare all nor all heare some private mysteries but the confession might have a sound meaning Though as they ment there is nothing sound in it About the yeare 1604. the Familists of England presented with this fraudulent confession a supplication to King James which was printed at Cambridge anno 1606. And answered by one of the Universitie in the supplication they hid their soul tenets and say Wee doe beseech your Princely Majesty to understand that the people of the Familie of love or God doe utterly disclame all obsurd and selfe-conceited opinions and disobedient and erroneous Sects of the Anabaptists Browne Penry Puritans and all other proud-minded Sects and Heresies whatsoever protesting upon pain of our lives that we are not of consent nor agreeing with any such brain-sick Preachers nor their rebellioâ—s or disobedient Sects whatsoever but have beene and ever will be truely obedient to your highnesse and your Laws to the effusion of our blood and in this part of their supplication the Reader may see the bloody persecuting minds of Familists for they exhort King James to persecute all the truely godly that were non-conforme to Prelates and went under the name of Puritans and tacitly praise King James for executing the Laws against such as in conscience durst not bow to the then Prelaticall Baal and the Familists principles carry them to esteem any Religion indifferent yet half an eye may see how desirous they are the Sword should be drawn against the godly whom they all Puritans and therfore judge if Antinomians and Familists now in England who cry out against the use of the Sword for matters of Religion and plead for a Catholick licence and tolleration to all Religions that themselves may be tollerated also if they had the Sword and Power if they would not be most bloody Dragons in cutting the flesh and drinking the blood of those they call Presbyterians and Puritans for thinke not their doctrine is different from that doctrine of their fathers So here they quit the Protestant Doctrine maintained by those that are called but unjustly Puritans and promise to conforme to all Popish Ceremonies to Arminianisme
wonder then this Author cry downe outward formes and cry up inward spirituall unity For the same Spirit of faith they cannot 〈◊〉 that beleeve contradictorie articles of faith But many that goe under the name of Independents and Presbyterians beleeve with Familists that Jesus Christ dyed not as true man for sinners and that he dyed as true man for sinners that the justified can sin that the justified cannot sinne that the justified are perfect in this life that the justified are not perfect in this life that the justified ought to confesse and crave pardon for sinnes that they ought not to confesse and ought not to crave pardon for sinnes For Saltmarsh telleth us there are contradictions between the faith of Protestants touching Christ his birth dying crucifying buriall ascending to heaven c. and of others hee meanes Familists and Antinomians who have attained the highest and most glorious discoveries of the Spirit Sparkles of glory p. 185 186 187 190 191 192 198 199 c. then such Independents and Presbyterians as the letter intendeth cannot have the same faith except also we hold every mans conscience within to be his rule and faith if he have love as the Familists say and that all faith or Religions without are indifferent as Familists in their Petition to K. James An. 1604 professe they will take or leave Familisme as the King and his Laws thinke fitting it may be for State intereâ—â—s â—heir practise now is a little eccentrick to their faith 2. Nor can they have the same Spirit of prayer the same prayer or answer for Presbyterians pray for the nearest uniformity in Religion faith worship government And for all the ends in the Covenant extirpation of heresie of Famiâ—iâ—me Antinomianisme Scepticisme aâ—ominable Liberty of conscience I should be glad if Independents and the Author of this Letter would pray and indeavour the same for William Del and John Saltmarsh have preached and printed to the world the grossest points of Familisme and they are ordinary Preachers to the Generall and the rest of the Commanders when Arminians and Socinians and men not halfe so absurd and monstrous in the faith as they did preach before the King the godly in both Kingdomes mourned for it to God and prayed against these things and I conceive the godly Presbyterians doe the same yet and have not forsaken their principles or the truth in a jot If the Presbyterian pray as they doe that God would avert that Athesticall plague of Liberty of conscience extirpate Familisme Socinianisme c. And Independents pray that God would grant them the grace of Liberty of conscience that Familists Socinians c. may be tolerated and promoted to highest places Can the Spirit bestow the same accesse and presence to the praiers of the one as to the other Have contradictory prayers the same answer from God Will God heare and satisfie both But I observe here that Saltmarsh and Familiâ—â—s father all their new lights on the Spirit and make the holy Spirit the author of Scepticisme and contradicent truths for Saltmarsh saith if there be not a toleration of all Religions all the glorious discoveries of God above or beyond that systeme or form of doctrine c. established and concluded by the Assembly of Divines according to the word shall be judged and sentenced as heresie and schisme and so God shall be judged by man Why because God himselfe speakes Familisme Arrianisme Socinianisme and all heresies in these that now goe for Independents and God speaks the juâ—t contrary in Presbyterians and if men udge either because the same Spirit of faith is in both then God must be judged by men 3. Are not many Independents now turned Familists and so beyond any neceâ—sity of Ordinances praying reading Sacraments Scriptures and live upon only all Spirit pure glorious revelations 4. Wee know no names of difference True wee did all with one minde as we beleeved in the simplicity of our hearts with lifted up hands to the most high God swear to endeavour according to our places to defend the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland to endeavour the extirpation of superstition heresie schisme prophanenesse who hath left this oath of God Know we not Presbyterians now by their names Are they not now the most persecuted men in England Can God suffer persecution and blood in Independents because Independents All that beleeve have the reall unity which is most glorious because inward and spirituall in the body and to the head for being united in formes commonly called uniformity every Christian will for peace sake study and doe as farre as conscience will permit Answ. No union to this Author is reall and most glorious and spirituall but the inward union externall union is excluded from being a reall union Why this union in hearing the same word of faith receiving the same seales of the Covenant bowing our knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. is at Troas Act. 20.6 7 8 9 10. Drinke yee all of this Eat yee is an unity in the externall visibly acted and performed worship of God is it not both commanded and reall it is no notion of the braine but externall worship commanded True but not in the same forme manner way time place but we disclaime an uniformity in the Physicall circumstances of time place and never tye any but to the generall naturall simple conveniencie of time place persons But the Author hath a higher aime then to exclude this uniformity for I finde Mr. Del and Saltmarsh professed Familists speake to the minde of this Author most grosse Familisme for Mr. Del preached a Sermon before the Commons against outward Reformation and outward formes all his arguments conclude against the written word of God against the preached word by men Paul or Apollo because Gospel-Reformation is a worke not of the creature but of God and as proper to God as to redeem or create the world Now Preachers can have no hand in redeeming or creating the world and when this Author saith inward unity is the reall unity Observe he calls it the unity the reall unity then that we all speake the same thing 1 Cor. 1.10 is no unity not any reall unity and that we all walke according to this rule of the new creature in our conversation and Christian practice before men as Gal. 6.16 and according to the same rule as we are commanded Phil. 3.16 that we all walke in love and as children of the light abstaining from fornication uncleannesse coveteousnesse as Eph. 5.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. And that we all walke in Christ as we have received him Col. 2.6 7. c. honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying Rom. 13.12 13. 1 Thess. 5.1 2 3 4 5. 1 Pet. 2.11 12 13. is neither a part of the unity nor reall