be found fulfilled vpon the whole earth First the prophesie off Christ Mat 24. Off the Abhomination of desolation set in the holie place is not to bee seene the days of such great tribulation as was not from the begining of the world in which daies no flesh shal bee saved except they should bee shortned al flesh should bee condemned these daies are not yet heard of And the Prophesie off Daniel the Prophet 9.27 and 12.11 Who prophesied that the Sacrifices and the oblations shal cease and the daylie sacrifices shal bee taken away this Prophisie cannot yet bee come to passe if Rome bee beleevers in Christ and that their sacrifices and oblations bee the true sacrifices and oblations for Romes sacrifices ād oblations have never ceased and the Prophisie of thapostle 2. Thes 2. Who Prophesieth that there shal come a departing this prophesy is in no part fulfilled if Rome bee beleevers except it be fullfilled in them that have departed from Rome and then the Church off England and all the Presbitarie had need to looke to it who first departed But iff Rome and England and the Presbitarie and the Brownists bee al beleevers and of the faith of Iesus then hath there bene yet no departing from the faith but a great increasing far beyond the primitive times in that the scriptures no where shewe of whole Nations Kingdomes and Countries to bee of the faith off Iesus as now there is yea a great whole part of the world the like was never heard off nor Prophesied of iff all you bee beleevers as you either are all beleevers or al infidels for you are al of one faith ād baptisme But iff you bee beleevers there is no departing yet heard off neither is the man off sinne yet disclosed or reveiled nor exalted nor sits or hath sitten as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God there is no such prophesie yet come to passe And iff Rome bee al beleevers in Christ that prophesie Revel 11. Where it is prophesied that the people and kindreds and tongues and Gentils shall see the Corpes of the two witnesses of the Lord killed and lye in the streets of the great Citie which spiritually is called Sodome Egypt and that the inhabitants of the earth shal reioyce over them this prophesie cannot yet bee accomplished nor begun And if Rome bee beleevers then that prophesie of the first beast to whome is given a mouth to speake great thinges and blasphemies and to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and to whome power is given over every kindred and tongue and Nation so that all that dwell vpon the earth shal worship him And that Prophesie of the where that sits vpon many waters with whome have comitted fornication the Kings of the earth all the inhabitants of the earth are made drunck with the wyne of hir fornication All these prophesies ād manie moe cannot in anie measure bee fulfilled or begun iff the Church of Rome be beleevers and of the faith off Iesus And if these prophesies be not fulfilled nor begun then hath the misterie of iniquitie that began to worke in Thapostles daies to the exaltacion of the man off sinne givē ever working which were contrarie to the prophesie of Scripture and that may not bee Let Rome therefore and al that profession see and consider that al these prophesies of exaltations are fulfilled in that profession ād thus is their glorie their shame for they glorie in nothinge more then in their exaltation and great power aucthoritie and magnificencie of their Church and al that is true and thereby is this also true that all these prophesies are fulfilled in that their exaltation the which you of the Church of England and the whole Presbitarie confessing and protesting against them for the same you must needs hold them al infidels and vnbeleevers except you wil fal into great blasphemie and say that they are beleevers who execute the power of the man of sinne and cause the sacrifices and oblations to cease and to be taken away from the alter of the Lord so as there are no sacrifices offered vnto him Wil anie say that these are beleevers that take from the Lords alter his daylie sacrifices causing that none shal be offered vnto him if these be beleevers that vtterlie overthrowe the worship of the lord then can there be no infidels Further you cannot say the church of Rome are belevers except you wil say they are belevers that depart away frō the faith and are the ministers of the man sinne exalting a power above the power of God and setting vp this power the ministers whereof they are to sit as God in the Temple of God makeing shewe of that power that it is the power of God when it is the effectual working of Satā with al his power and signes ād lying wonders and they that are subiect in this power are such as the holy ghost testifieth receive not the love of the truth which beleve not the truth Cā you of the church of Englād ād you of the Presbitarie and you that are called Brownists that hold this Prophesie is fulfilled in that exaltation of the Romish profession can you hold these to be beleevers in Christ of whome the Lord saith they receive not the truth nor beleeve nor the truth but have pleasure in vnrighteousnes and exalted a power against God to bee worshipped as God wha◠wickednes and blasphemie is this to say these are Christians and beleevers in Christ Moreover you cannot say that the Romish Professors are beleevers except you wil say they are beleevers that set vp the first Beast and are the ministers off that power or Beast which Beast or Power hath 7. heads and 10. hornes and vpō his hornes 10. crownes and he is like a Leopard and his feet like a Beare and his mouth as the mouth of a Lyon to whome the dragon gives his power throne authoritie all this doe they of that profession and not this onelie but they also worship the dragon which giveth power to the Beast they worship the Beast saying who is like the Beast who is able to feight with him and they being the ministers off this Beast or Power do in their ministration opē their mouthes to blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwel therein and by this Power they have made warr with the Saincts and overcome them Can you without great blasphemie against the holie one off Israel the most high God say that these are belevers in Christ Iesus and Christians That do these fearfull thinges seeking to destroy God and the faith of Iesus and all his Saincts that hold the faith of Iesus if you cannot say that they which do such thinges are beleevers and Christians then cannot you say that they of the Romish profession are beleevers or Christians but that they are infidels and vnbelevers seeing you confesse this Prophesie
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
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
desolation set vp in the high places Is it not deepe error off ignorance then for men not to see that there is now the greatest cause of sorrowe and lamentation that ever was And next to shewe in fewe wordes the error of them that thinke the danger of the daies is past Let them looke vpon the wordes of our Saviour Christ when he speaketh off the shorting of those daies he saith in Mat. Then if any shal say Loe here is Christ or loe there is Christ beleeve it not And in Luke Take heed bee not deceaved for manie will come in my name c. Is not this instant these daies was there ever so manie saying Loe here is Christ loe there is Christ And was there ever so many false professioÌ„s of Christ aÌ„d false Prophets shewing great signes and wonders if it were possible to deceave he verie elect who can then denie but that these are deepest daies of danger whereof Christ gives such warninge to take heed Therefore easilie may they heare see their error into whose harts that ymagination hath once entred to thinke that these dangers here prophesied of are past Why then if the end of these sorrowes be not past and the beginings bee past as is shewed then must it needes bee confessed that the daies of greatest tribulation are present But who considers these thinges Or who regardeth the words of this great Prophet If men did consider and carefully behould these thinges what hart could conceave sorrowe enough and what head could conteyne teares or tongue have sufficient words to expresse and vtter the sorrowes fittinge these daies If Ieremiah complayned for want of teares and could not bee satisfied with sorrowing for the slayne of the daughter of Syon that perished by the sword and famyne which was but bodily death how much more cause have men now to sorrowe to see men poysoned with bitter waters killed with fire and smoake and brunstone stung with scorpions hurt with Servents Revel 9.5 and 8.11 And cast into the great winepresse of the wrath of God rev 19.20 which is the everlasting destruction of soule aÌ„d bodie in Hel to suffer al the plagues torments and judgments off wrath for ever Was the famine of bread and the sword of Nabuchad-nezzar and the seaventie yeres captivitie a ful sufficient cause to make Ieremiahes eyes faile with teares his bowels swell his hart turne within him his liver to bee powred vpon the earth And are not al the woes vttered by the seaven Angels from the sound of seaven trompets whereof an Angel flieing through the midst of HeaveÌ„ said with a lowde voice woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth from the soundes remaining of the trumpets of the three angels which yet must blowe their trumpets And have not these three last Angells blowen their trumpets aÌ„d doth not the sound thereof yet sound in our eares and are not al the woes thereof yet in the sight of our eies are not al these woes which are woes of everlasting death and destruction sufficient to breake mens harts al into peeces What stony hardnes of hart possesseth men in these daies that their harts do not melt for these woes A maine aÌ„d general reason of al this is because this prophesie is of spiritual desolations distructions and woes and cannot bee vnderstood but with spiritual harts nor sene but with spiritual eyes and the harts and eies off men are naturall and carnall and therefore these thinges cannot affect them 1. Cor. 2.14 Another special reason is because men do not consider how far these thinges concerne themselves but everie Nation and everie people and everie Man puts these daies farr from them as no waie apperteyning to them If wee therefore could prevaile Oh that wee might prevaile by al the feare and love off God to perswade men and by the compassionate pittie of the salvation of their owne soules move them with deepest consideration to consider how nearely those thinges concerne them least they bee vnder these woes and bee not aware thereof which men may easilie be by reason of the great ignorance that is in all men perticulerly in the vnderstandinge of the Prophesie of this booke off the Revelation Which most men though otherwise accompted mightie in the Scriptures doe passe by seldome or never touching them in their Teachings or writinges being taynted wee doubt not with their owne insufficiencie therein which if they would acknowledg it were comendable their acknowledgment wee meane not their ignorance But yet their â—ourse is much more comendable then all theirs that have busied themselves to bring furth so manie ymaginarie expositions of that holie writt wee say ymaginarie expositions because they are for the most part but according to the vaine ymaginations and fancies of mens myndes without the warrant of the word and spirit Wee confesse in humility to our owne shame we are better able to reprove this then to correct it acknowledging vnfainedly and growning daily vnder the burthen of our owne great ignorance and blindnes in the vnderstandinge off the prophesie off that booke All this may further provoake vs with you and you with vs to take heed least we bee vnder anie part of this desolation and woe vnder which whosoever is and remaines he must perish as by the grace of God wee shall make evidently appeare from the Scriptures therefore let al People and nations and Tongues take heed and beware And first to proceed in this cause wee will endeavor to prove by the witnes of the vndoubted word of truth that all Nations and Peoples vpon the earth that have or doe professe Christ for of them onely is this prophesie have beene vnder this abhomination of desolation The words of the prophesie thereoff by Daniel makes is most plaine where he saith In the middest of the weeke hee shall cause the sacrifice oblation to cease for the overspreading of the abhomination hee shall make it desolate Daniel 9.27 Agreable to this prophesie is that Revel 11. Where it is said That the two witnesses off God which are the spirit of truth and the word of truth in the testimonie of thapostles Ioh. 15.26.27 act 5.32 Which are two Olive trees two candlestickes standing before the God of the Earth haveing power to shutt heaven that it raine not to turne the waters into blood and sinyt the earth with all manner of plagues as often as they will Their Corpes shall lie in the streets off the great Citie spiritually called Sodome Egipt Three daies an half after three daies a half the Spirit of life from God shall enter into them they shal stand vp on their feet And with these two prophesies agrees also the prophesie Revel 12.14 Of the woman flieing into the wildernes into hir place where she is nourished for a time times half a time Let vs compaire these prophesies together Daniel saith the sacrifices and oblations cease in the midst of the
weeke which are three daies and a half Iohn saith Revela 11. The two witnesses the Word and Spirit off Truth lye killed in the streets three daies and a half And Reve. 12. The Woman which is the Kingdome of Christ the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of al the faithful Gal. 4. fleies into the wildernes for a time times and half a time which may with good warraÌ„t according to these prophesies be expounded to a day two daies aÌ„d a half Thus then we coÌ„clude The true sacrifices and oblations of the people of God The word and spirit And the Heavenly Ierusalem the spowse of Christ Ceasing speing dead in the streetes and being fleed into the wildernes it must needes followe that there was an vtter desolation off all the holy thinges and of all the meanes of salvation For further confirmation of this see the wordes of Thapostle 2. Thes 2.3 speaking of the last day where he saith That day shal not come except there come a departing first It were much weaknes in anie to thinke that this is not spoken of a general departing in that there were manie particuler departings in Thappostle times But here he speakes of a departing from the truth and an exalting of an adversarie the man of sinne to sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God whome the Lord shal consume with the spirit of his mouth abolish with the brightnes of his cominge These wordes shewe to the vnderstanding of the most simple that there is an vtter departing in that there must bee a comeing againe for the abolishing of this wicked man And here may bee discovered by the way the damnable heresie of those men which are twice dead and plucked vp by the rootes and those are they which are fallen from grace which were once dead and have beene quickned by the word and Spirit of God aÌ„d are dead againe which now hold aÌ„d say that the man of sinne sitts and rules in the Church off Christ In this place it is shewed that the spirit of the Lords mouth consumes the man of sinne and the brightnes of Christs coming abolisheth him Now wee confesse if there can bee a Church of Christ where the spirit of the Lords mouth is not and where his brightnes shineth not in such a church the maÌ„ of sinn may sit and rule as God and these men are onely fitt subjects for such a Kingdome but let the children off God learne to knowe and professe that in the Church of Christ there is the spirit of the Lords moueth and his shininge brightnes which consumes and vtterly abolisheth the man of sinne and therefore they cannot both cule in one house Now for the bare words about which they contend thus much wee say not to them but to such as may bee in danger to be seduced by theÌ„ These are the words Thappostle speaking of the man of sinne who exalteth himselfe against al that is called God or that is worshipped saith thus So that he doth sitt as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God Now as it is said he sits as God shewing himselfe that he is God even so doth he sitt as in the Temple of God shewing it to be the Temple of God This exposition is agreable to the ground of the scriptures and according to the proportion of faith for the scriptures teach vs every where and wee beleeve that Christ is the head of his Church And he walkes in the midst of the seaveÌ„ goldeÌ„ câ—ndlestickes he sits in his church being God aÌ„d the maÌ„ of sinne caÌ„not sit with God as God in the teÌ„ple of God Therefore we say vnto these meÌ„ as our saviour Christ said vnto Sathan hence from vs. It is written 2. Cor. 9.15.16 What concord hath Christ with Belial And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols etc. and 1. Cor. 10.21 Ye cannot drinck the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils yee cannot bee pertakers of the table of the Lord and the tâ—ble of Devils But seeing these men can find no better a pretence to followe and to helpe to heale the deadly wound of the head of the Beast then by pretâ—ding that they have found him sitting in the Temple off God they looking with the same eie may find also in the same place that he sheweth himselfe that he is God and if they wil abide by the letter of the Scripture herein likewise then have they found a new temple and a new God most fitting for them because that their Temple and God and they shall all perish together wee meane those onely that have bene enlightned with this truth that Christ and the man of sinne cannot rule and reigne or dwel together in one house aÌ„d now have they found as they most blasphemouâ—â—y affirme Christ and the man of sinne exalted both in one Temple In al this we have not digressed from the matter in haÌ„d in that we have shewed that by the departing the man of sinne was exalted aÌ„d therefore the departing was general and the maÌ„ of sinne his exaltation general as doth further appeare by the words of Daniel 9.27 where he saith speaking of the sacrifices for the overspreading of the abhominations he shall make it desolate Answerable to this prophesie is that prophesie in the booke of the Revel 13.7 where it is writteÌ„ it was giveÌ„ vnto him speaking of the Beast that had 7. heades and 10. hornes to make warr with the Saâ—cts to overcome them power was given him over every kindred tongue nation Who can deny but this is general eveÌ„ a general desolatioÌ„ wheÌ„ the Sainctes are overcome And wheÌ„ al that dwel vpoÌ„ the earth as followeth vers 8. Shal worship the Beast All our perticuler knowledg of the fulfilling of this prophesie wil make it more evideÌ„t And who doth not knowe and see that this prophesie is fulfilled in that Romish misterie of iniquitie who yet sits vpon manie waters with whome have comitted fornication the Kinges of the Earth the inhabitants of the earth are dranken with the Wine of hir fornication Revel 17.2 Wee doubt not but manie will agree with vs in this vnderstanding and wee that wish vnfainedly the salvation of al and that they would come to the knowledg of the truth do earnestly desire that those that are over-whelmed in this misterie of iniquitie and vnder the power of this deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes would but consider which way it can bee avoided but that this prophesie is fulfilled in that great exaltatioÌ„ of the man of sinne in that Romish profession and if they would come out to the Scriptures and perticulerly vnto this booke of the Revel they should be forced either to deny the prophesies of this booke to bee true or els they must needes yeild that they are fullfilled in that their profession for how shal they bee able to point our vpon the face of the whole earth
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
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
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
cruelty thereof executed by the Ks. power whereby they make our lord the K. gilty of all the imprisoment banishment persecution which by the Kings power they impose vpon all the faithfull subiects of the King who with stād their abhominations But aboue all let our the King for the glory of God and for the salvation of the Kings owne soule suffer vs the Kings servants thus far to prevaile with the King that our Lord the King would but search the scriptures whereby the K. knowes he must be directed if he wil be saved and let the King see with his owne eie what showe of warrant can be found that the King should take vnto himself power to Elect Bishops Oh wee beseech the King that the successive possession and the goodly apparence of this power may nothinge sway with our lord the King herein but let the King set before his eies the worthy recorded remembrance by the spirit of God of Cyrus King of Persia who brought furth the vessells of the house of the lord which Nabuchadnezzer had taken out of Ierusalem had put them in the house of his God Ezra 1.7.11 Not regarding the monuments of his predecessors great cōquest nor the dispoyling of his Gods of such bewtifull ornaments nor the departing with treasure of so great value All these respects could not hinder this King for restoring the vessells of the house of the Lord. Let our lord the K. be no lesse mynded to the house Church of God but let our lord the King freely restore at once to the Church and house of God the whole glorious power of Christ the onely King thereof and perticulerly that most bewtifull ornament of Election and ordination of the Bishops and deacons thereof who ought to be elected ordeyned according to the rule of the holy ghost Act. 14.23 6.3 and who ought to be qualified withall and every one of those gifts and graces set downe vp Th-appostle 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. yea their wives childrē also or els it is grevious iniquity to chuse them And who must onely by their Office beare those names titles which the holy ghost hath given them and lead or rule by that power which Christ hath appointed and by those lawes and ordinances and live by those maintenāces if they stand need And will our lord the King change all these and manie mo lawes statutes and ordinances which Christ Iesus the mediator and King of the new Testament hath appointed and ordeyned in his Church Will the King take this power to himself to Elect in such manner and such men as the King thinkes good And give names titles and power such as best pleaseth the King Hath Iesus-Christ with his blood purchased to himself this honor to be the head of his Church Ephes 5. And hath he shewed himself a faithfilll Mediator And hath he bene accounted worthy of more glory then Moses And hath he builded his owne house himself Heb. 3. And shall he be dispoyled of all his honor And will our lord the King be entised by evill men to enter vpon the inheritance of the Sonne of God in appointing and by the Kings power suffering to be appointed Lords and lawes in and over the house of God which are not according to the patterne Which lords because Christ is not their buckler nor faith their sheild nor the sword of the spirit the weapon of their warfare they have deceitfully seduced our lord the King bringing themselves vnder his protection for their defence and getting the Ks. sword into their hands to destroy all that speake or write against them preferring their owne Kingdome before either Christs Kingdome or the kingdome State of our lord the King as wee have already shewed vnto the King in that they with such loveing patience suffer and permitt so manie thousands of Romists who by their profession and the practices of some of them are dangerously opposite to the Kingdome of Christ and to the King and State But these Lords Bs. Cannot in anie wise endure one that doth faithfully seeke for reformation because such are onely adversaries to their kingdome Wee still pray our lord the King that wee may be free from suspect for haveing anie thoughts of provoking evill against them of the Romish religion in regard of their profession if they be true faithfull subiects to the King for wee do freely professe that our lord the King hath no more power over their consciences then over ours and that is none at all for our lord the King is but an earthly King and he hath no aucthority as a King but in earthly causes and if the Kings people be obedient true subiects obeying all humane lawes made by the King our lord the King can require no more for mens religion to God is betwixt God and themselves the King shall not answere for it neither may the King be iugd betwene God and man Let them be heretikes Turcks Iewes or what soever it apperteynes not to the earthly power to punish them in the least measure This is made evident to our lord the King by the scriptures When Paul was brought before Gallio deputie of Achaia and accused of the Iewes for persuading men to worship God contrary to the law Gallio said vnto the Iewes if it were a matter of wronge or an evill deed o ye Iewes I would according to right mainteyne you he drave them from the iudgment seat Act. 18.12.17 shewing them that matters of wrong and evill deeds which were betwixt man man apperteyned onely to the iudgment seat and not questions of religion The like is shewed by the Twne clerke of Ephesus in Act. 19.38.39 And further Paul being in like case accused of manie thinges Act. 24. in the 25. chap. he appeales to Cesars iudgment seat where he saith he ought to be judged approveing and justifieing thereby that Cesars power judgment seat was the holy Ordināce of God and our Saviour Christ is himself obedient therevnto comaunds teacheth his Disciples obedience but this judgment seat power which was of God had nothinge to do in the causes of the Religion of God as our lord the King may see for if it had then could not our Saviour Christ have comaunded obedience therevnto but he must have vtterly overthrowne his owne kingdome and power Neither could Th'appostle Paul have said he ought to be judged at Cesars judgment seat if Cesar had or might have judged in causes of Religion to God for then had he vtterly overthrowne the Office of his Appostle-ship and then had he submitted his Appostle-ship wholy to the judgment of Cesar and so had the power and aucthority of it bene altogether destroyed made of no effect which might in no wise be Now let our lord the K. whose honor it is wisely to judg in thinges that differ judg whether there be in these daies anie other earthly power or anie other spirituall power
is this to take vpon you to dispence with the false administrations in the ordinances of Christ thus do you runne into darke places whilst you forsake the lanterne that should light your pathes which light of truth teacheth you and all men that the baptisme of Christ is the Baptisme of amendement of life for the remission off sinnes Mark 1.4 And our Saviour Christ saith Except a man bee borne off water and off the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3. and Heb. 10.22 Let vs draw neare with a true hart in assurance of faith our harts being pure from an evill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Here is the true Baptisme set downe which is the Baptisme off amendement off life for the remission off sinnes And here is the true matter where with men must bee washed which is water and the Holie Ghost that is pure from an evill conscience and washed with water Therefore can you not devide the water and the spirit in this Baptisme Christ hath ioyned them together and he that denies washing or is not washed with the spirit is not baptized and hee that denies washing or is not washed with water is not Baptized because wee see the Baptisme of Christ is to bee washed with water and the Holie Ghost And to take away a subtile exception if a man bee in prison or anie place and bee coÌ„verted to the lord aÌ„d would be baptized with water but cannot he is accepted with God who accepts the will for the deed 2. Cor. 8.12 and herein is the Lords mercie equal with his iustice for if a mans hart consent to evil he is giâ—â—ie before the Lord although he do it not Mat. 5.27.28 Thus much to discover the great deceitfullnes off your waie in the first respect of your false distinction wherein you would prove onelie the essential matter water and washing with water and words he essential forme Wee passe by your forme of words because wee thinke you wil not stand vpon it in that you see there is no certen forme of words held Act. 10 48. and 19.5 And take this with you to consider of that if there were anie truth in your distinction and respect then were anie washing with water with those words the true matter and forme of Christs Baptisme and so if one Child baptized another with water and those words it is true baptisme in that respect and let that Child come aÌ„d ioyne to you ad you can make it good in al respects Passe not these things over as you have done for you are not able to answere them with anie true vnderstanding from Gods word and so wee come to your second respect Secondly you say baptisme is to be considered clothed with such appurtenances as wherewith the Lord hath appointed it to bee administred as for example a lawful person by whome a right subiect vpon which a true Comunion wherein it is to bee administred dispenced in which regard you say you do not approve it to bee true Baptisme either in Rome or England If darkest error did not possesse your hart you could never have written such thinges but that wee knowe your stifnes in your false waies wee should pittie to point out your palpable ignorance in these thinges did ever man of anie vnderstanding in religion write thus You are lighter then vanitie herein Will anie man that hath anie knowledg of God bee so blind as not to see how the spirit of error doth lead you to iustifie that a baptisme where there is neither the spirit off God lawful minister right subiect nor true comunioÌ„ is the true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in the essential parts thereof Hath the like ignorance appeared in these daies esspecially amongst men that will â—rie out for proofe by Scripture in all things If this your ground were true then a Turk baptizing a Turk with water and those words in anie assemblie whatsoever is the true Baptisme of Christ in the essential parts thereof see what rocks you runne vpon whilst you forsake the waie of truth it may now appeare no marvil though you would have baptisme to bee nakedlie considered you have made a most naked baptisme and ordinance of Christ of it First where there is no spirit of God no lawful minister no right partie to bee baptized no true comunion it may wil be called a naked baptisme and you a naked man of al grace and godlie vnderstanding to maintaine it for a true baptisme and ordinance of Christ in anie respect If al this wil not serve to convince you wee will yet smite you with the rod of froÌ„ aÌ„d breake you like the potters vessel in this point You professe and acknowledg that Baptisme comes in the fâ—ead off Circumcision then let all men iudg whether if Circumcision being administred by an vnlawfull person vpon no right subiect and in no true Comunion could ever have beene approved for the true ordinance of God in the essential causes thereoff and whether one so Circumcised could vpon anie conditioÌ„s have bene admitted to the passover you wil we hope be destitute of al devices to aÌ„swere this al those that are anie waie indifferent betwixt you and vs wil see your great error herein that iff a Babilonian had circumcised a Babilonian in their babilonish assemblies that Circumcision had not bene in anie respect the Ordinance of God and such a one could vpon no condition have bene admitted to the passover by that Circumcision Now to shew that you hold England Babilon in your booke throughout it appeares but wee especiallie hold you to these Pag. 277. and 338. where you affirme that Rome and England were never within the covenant of God as Iudah was So have you debarred your selff from bringing your circumcision and so your baptisme from Apostate Israel and therefore you must hold your selfe to this to prove circumcision administred in BabiloÌ„ by an vnlawful person vpon a wronge subiect and in no true Comunion you must prove such a circumcision the Ordinance of God in anie respect aÌ„d that one so circumcised might bee admitted to the passover prove this and wee will confesse that your skill is above all mens herein and Ezra and Nehemiah shall bee reproved off you for causing the people to put away the Children that were borne off the straing Wives in Babilon Ezra 10.3 Nehem. 13.23.24.25 Off whome if you make question whether they were circumcised you cavell without cullor for then had the Israelites bene giltie of the breach of the Lords covenant whereby they were commaunded to circumcise all their males in their houshould But wee will leave you to prove your Babilonian Circumcision to bee in anie respect the Ordinance off God and prove it by Scripture and by sound reasoning from the ground off Scripture and not by Lodgick and Naturall Philosophie shewing things in nature to bee true which will not in Spirit bee proved true And thus do you deceive
Lord shewed you with all the evidence of truth that wee are for the present able to do that your distinction betwixt a false Church and no Church is vaine and fained aÌ„d that the word of God admits of no such distinction in the Lords Ordinances but that which is a false Ordinance is no Ordinance off God for God hath no false Ordinances You must therefore now be forced to hold and say off the assemblies off England that they are either true Churches of Christ or no Churches of Christ and if you hold them no Churches of Christ then can you not with anie manner of shew of truth say that you may retaine your baptisme which you have received in no church of Christ but in a church or congregation of infidels and vnbeleevers which you must needs account them if they be no Church of Christ for now al people in the world are either of the world or chosen out of the world and those are Christs disciples Ioh. 15.19 And al people are either with Christ or against Christ He that is not with me is against me saith Chr. Mat. 12-30 It is now high time to leave of halting betweene opinions and â—aâ—â—ering one another in our sinnes It is time now to leave of talking of Seperation and to seperate indeed and to tel the people of God their sinnes and shewe them their transgressions and not to account them Christians that by the hearing of the word doe become almost Christians as King Agrippa did but to shew theÌ„ that if they do not become altogether Christians they must bee content to be accounted infidels as Agrippa was for al the world are either beleevers or infidels If there be anie knowledg of God in men they wil graÌ„t thus and who will not grant that all that beleeve in Christ Iesus are holy and Elect and shal be saved if they continew to the end Concerning England therefore you must either make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree evil and the fruit evil If the faith off the Church of England be a true faith then is the Church of England a true Church and if the faith bee a false faith then it is a false Church that is no faith of Christ and no Church of Christ and if their faith be no faith of Christ theÌ„ are they al infidels and vnbeleevers of whome although you have so accounted by your walking towards theÌ„ yet by your words you declare them to bee otherwise wheÌ„ you are vrged to speake plainelie though in your writings you shew them to bee infidels when you affirme that God never made Covenant with them But you have too long walked deceitfullie in this point therefore wee presse you to it if you professe vprightnes either to God or men to manifest in all plainenes whether you hold the assemblies off England beleevers in Christ Let vs have no respects no duble respects nor no putting off difference off persons for all the Church off England are one body seeing they all drink of one Cup 1. Cor. 12 And if you hold them beleevers in Christ and truelie baptized into his name then are they your brethren aÌ„d you may not account them as enimies but admonish them as brethren 2. Thess 3.14.15 Then is your seperation most wicked and your building of new Churches contrarie to all rule of Scripture and you have falslie appiâ—ed the voice of the Angel Crieing against England Babilon is fallen she is fallen Come out of hir If they bee beleevers in Christ Iesus the voice of this Angel can not bee applied vnto them you must walke towards them by an other rule even by that rule which Christ hath appointed that all should walke by towards their brethren iff they sinne Mat. 18. and not seperate from them and build Churches vpon new foundations If in this our writing concerning you called Brownists wee bee iudged to convince sharplie wee hold it lawfullie done because you are a froward generation and great deceivers of mynds makeing a glorious vaine shaw to come out of Babilon but do not and notwithstanding that we have written in some thinges sharplie we could desire to be feâ—ed from froward suspects which you might free vs from the rather because there are divers off you both neare and deare vnto vs whome we require in love as wee do all to applie the sharpest reproofes to themselves for they had need And touching you Mr. Ro. remember that you have a letter of most loveing respect in your hands concerning these thinges to which you have not made answere whereby to prevent the publishing of this that especiallie concerne you Now as we have said vnto you called Brownists in this point so say wee to England and to the Presbitary If the Pope and they off that profession bee beleevers in Christ Iesus and bee truelie baptized into his name then have you of England and all the Nations off the Earth sinned greatlie to seperate from Rome in that you were al off one bodie and members one of another and being beleevers in Christ Iesus they are your brethren and you ought to walke towards them as brethren and ought not to seperate from Rome as you have done and do and build new Churches everie one vpon several foundations Iff you of England and the Presbitary and you called Brownists did make anie conscience to walke by the rules of Christ herein you would not walke towards Rome as you doe Iff you hold them beleevers in Christ Iesus and truelie baptized into his name which if they bee then are al the scriptures that are applied against Rome to prove hir Babilon and that Great whore that sits vpon manie waters and vpon the scarlet cullored Beast and Antichrist al these scriptures are misapplied to Rome these cannot bee applied to anie Persons or People that are beleevers in Christ Iesus and have put on Christ by baptisme And there is no voice of the Lord that cals to come out from beleevers in Christ Iesus the scriptures teach no such thinge Therefore Brownists must returne to the Church of England and the Church of England and the Presbitary must returne to Rome and bee al Sheepe of one sheepfold and repent of your vniust seperation from the bodie whereoff you were and are all members wee say are all members because by one spirit you are all Baptized into one bodie and though you say you are not off the bodie with the Church of Rome are you therefore not of the bodie 1. Cor. 12.13.15 You have and do al by one baptisme put on Christ aÌ„d you al have brought that your baptisme from Rome and so are you all Christians and beleevers by succession from Rome and you al account Rome beleevers in Christ Therefore though you say you are not off one bodie with Rome yet you are all members of one bodie with Rome Furthermore if Rome bee beleevers in Christ Iesus then are these Prophesies of scripture no where to
and ordinances are not carnal but spiritual But if you wil have infants Baptized that is washed with water and certen words then you bring in a carnal rite which purgeth not the conâ—cience for you do not hold that the Infants consciences are purged thereby and so doe you make the new Covenant and ordinances carnal like vnto the old which may not bee except you wil directlie oppose the evident word of the Lord as you have long herein done to your vtter destruction except you repent Wee disire moreover the people off God whose harts are sect to seeke his face that they wil search the Scriptures to see what the baptisme of the new Testament is declared to bee which being faithfullie searched into shall convince vnto all the Earth that it cannot apperteyne vnto infants And first in the gospel according to Mark. 1.4 It is preached by Iohn to bee Baptisme of amendement of life for the remission of sinnes And Thapostle Rom. 6.4 saith Baptisme is a burieing into the death of Christ that wee should walke in newnes of life and Gal. 3.26 27. Thapostle saith Baptisme is the putting on of Christ by faith How should this Baptisme belong vnto infants can there be amendemeÌ„t off life for the remission of sinnes in Infants and can Infants bee buried into the death of Christ to walke in newnes of life and can infants put on Christ by faith if they can do none of al these thinges which is most plaine they cannot then may they not bee Baptized What were sufficient to give satisfaction in this long conceived error of baptizing infants You may see by the ordinance it selfe they are not capeable of it and you may see that the lord by the covenant doth not commaund nor require anie such thinge at the hands of parents to Baptize their Infants and all their houshould The Covenant is that men should beleeve and bee Baptized but their is no one word to comaund them to baptise their infants and all their hous hould Oh that you would bee wearie of this your great ignorance to say that baptisme is the seale of the Covenant and yet you wil seale them that cannot receive the seale and them that are not once mentioned in the Covenant bringing in vnder the Covenant whome you wil without the wil and mynd of the Lord and although the Covenant shall still overthrowe you that there can none bee vnder the Covenant but they which beleeve and are Baptized for the Lord wil admit of no other then he hath mentioned in his Covenant though you seale never so manie with water and words although this might suffice yet wee will endeavor by the Lords assistance to convince you by your owne ground You cannot denie but that there is neither rule nor example in al the new Testament for the Baptizing off infants whereby you confesse that the Mediator off the new Testament hath not appointed it therefore you are driveÌ„ to prove it by consequence makeing your selves and the simple beleeve that it must needs follow by a necessarie consequence that as infants were circumcised so must they bee baptized Iff you will have a necessary consequence of this then must you make it off the whole matter and not of part as you thinke good as thus Hee that wil bee a Proselite must bee circumcised and all the males in his houshould so then if your consequence from this ground be necessary he that wil be a Disciple of Christ must be baptized and al his houshold it followeth he vpon your consequence that no man can be admitted a Disciple except al his houshold wil bee baptized for no man could be admitted a Proselite except all his males were circumcised If then a Iew that hath a wyfe and divers Children and bondmen as they have come to the faith of Iesus iff his Wyfe or anie of his Children or bondmen will not bee Baptized then cannot he bee admitted to bee a disciple of Christ except you will allowe him by his authoritie to cause them to bee Baptized whether they beleeve or no as they did by their authoritie circumcise their hous hold Thus must your consequence stand iff you will not bee willing to deceive your selves in the meanes off your salvation Deale Faithfully therefore with God and his truth and his people you that take vpon you to bee guids and lead not Gods people to destruction by such deceits as this that when you have neither rule nor example to prove that infants must be baptized yea and when the Covenant of the Lord doth evidently debarr them and the Ordinance off Baptisme considered in it selfe also yet you will to bring in and mainteyne he tradition off your Elders prove it by a consequence from the Covenant of the old Testament and make the new like the old When the Lord saith it is not like nor shall bee according to the old And if the people off God would but with vpright harts read diligently the whole Epistle to the Hebrewes they should through the grace off God find to their ful satisfaction the difference betwixt the old Covenant and the new and the Preisthood and the Tabernacle aÌ„d the Ordinances Services and Sacrifices set downe so plainly as it would make an end of this controversie and manie moe to the advancement of Gods truth and the salvatioÌ„ of the soules of his people that shall follow him in the regeneration or new birth which is to bee borne againe of water and of the spirit In which regeneration or new birth who so followeth him not cannot enter into the kingdome off Heaven In that Epistle to the Heb. they that read shall find as wee have formerly shewed that the old Covenant was a carnall Covenant and commaundement Heb. 7.16 and as the Lord speaketh to Abraham Gen. 17.13 speakeing of the Covenant off circumcision saith my Covenant shal be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant and as the Covenant was so was the Preisthood and the Tabernacle aÌ„d the sacrifices and service al carnal and worldly 〈◊〉 is withal evidence and plaines in that Epistle set downe but the new CoveÌ„ is not a Cove in the flesh but is a CoveeÌ„ in the spirit a spiritual CoveÌ„ written in the harts mynds of Gods people established vpon better promisses then the first Covenant and all this is evident by the words off the Covenant which are They that beleeve and are Baptized shall bee saved And as this Covenant is spiritual so is the Preisthood so is the Tabernacle and all the Ordinances Sacrifices and services there off and al this is most plainly set downe in that Epistle to the Hebrewes Which difference betwixt the old and the new Covenant if it were carefully searched vnto and found out it would overthrowe your deceitfull consequence which â—yoâ— drawe from CovenaÌ„ts that are dislike or not a like in substance contrary to al vnderstanding and it would make you cast away your carnal baptizing of infants and to
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
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
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