expresse in this point I would they were cut off that trouble you Gal. 5. 12. I pray do not the fore-named false and lying spirits preach another Gospel another God another Christ and so fall within that rule of Moses Deut. 13. 5. that Prophet and that dreamer of dreames that perswadeth from our true God to a false shall be put to death according to that holy Prophets commission Ezra 7. 26. that whosoever would not do the Law of God and the King execution shall be made upon them whether unto death or unto banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment Oh remember Gods own hand against such blasphemous gain-sayers and withstanders of God and man Numb. 6. the earth opened its mouth and buried them alive their tents wives children cattell and all that pertained to them Wherefore give unto God the things that are Gods and to Cesar the things that are Cesars do not build Babel again under pretence of conscience and learn this truth that you must needs be subject to all lawfull rules lawes and orders not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. Now for as much as upon true triall all of you of all sorts that are not born of God are plainly proved to be none of Gods house none of Christs Church nor the Temple of the Holy Ghost therefore that she may more apparently appear to your understanding I shall indevour to make a brief description of her her children The Scripture speaks of her sometimes by the name of a man and sometimes under the name and appellation of a woman and at other times in the Neuter gender either he or she in these words They overcame him with the blood of the Lamb c. They loved not their lives unto the death hee said unto them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father c. and abundance the like Scriptures by which terms either sex is to be understood now where the Scriptures set forth unto us the Saints and Church of Christ in the Feminine gender under the name and title of a woman then it notes unto us her fruitfulnesse in bringing forth unto God as well as unto men Jerusalem from above is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. Of us all that is of all those that are born of God which birth is spirituall and heavenly as before hath been shewed and in this sense she brings forth fruit unto God also Rom. 7. 4. And to men Gods elected servants shee is a nursing mother with bowels of compassion she hath two breasts full of sincere milk for her little ones that are young and for her strong and elder children shee hath stronger meat she killeth for them her beasts she hath wine and bread she furnishes her table Prov. 9. with a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow Isa. 25. 6. The fruit of the rightous is a tree of life and they that turn souls unto God are wise Prov. 11. 30. The children of this woman are the children of Wisdome our Lord speaks of who only are they that can testifie to the truth These are the wise that shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and these are they that turn many unto righteousnesse who shall be hereafter as glorious as the stars for ever and ever this is she whom God calls Sion and Jerusalem that bringeth glad tidings even the joyfull voyce the people in whose heart is Gods Law and covenant of life for ever in and by them preserved for they are the keepers of his truth and as they know the truth so they preach it and declare it it is a fountain in them Out of their bellies do flow rivers of water of life so also it is a store-house a magazine of the Lords provision abundance a plenty of things old and new this good man out of the treasury of his good heart bringeth forth that which is good this housholder is the Scribe instructed unto the kingdome of heaven who bringeth forth of his treasury things new and old their fountain is their own and not anothers it is only this spirituall and heavenly woman the Church of Christ who unfoldeth and maketh known to the world the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3. 10. which woman sometimes according to the grace given her is called a holy woman a pure undefiled chast virgin behold these are my mother saith the Lord himself and sometimes gloriously described there appeared in heaven saith St. John a great wonder a woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars great with child travelling in birth with pain ready to be delivered Rev. 12. 1 2. Observe this woman is continually fruitfull still increasing still big travelling and bringing forth unto God and as she is thus glorious in regard of her graces so in regard of her sorrows and sufferings she is called a barren woman by such harlots as call themselves the wife of Christ who not knowing the low the spirituall the humble penitent poor condition of the true Spouse despise her hate and contemn her as Hagar the bond-māid did her Mistress Sarah the free-woman and report of her that is the Lords love and delight as desolate and forsaken of her husband even a despicable and forlorn widow and shall so be accounted of all that are filthy till her sufferings are ended even as the off-scouring of the earth This holy Church of Christ is also described unto us in the Scripture under the Masculine appellation a man the first-born a man-child Israel saith the Lord by the Prophet is my first-born Deut. 4. 23. Let my son go saith the Lord for Israel is my son my first-born vers. 22. I am a father to Israel saith the Lord and Ephraim is my first-born Jer. 31. 9. where by Israel and Ephraim God means his faithfull chosen people his Church so the first and primitive fruit of the Church under the Gospel is called a man-child Rev. 12. 5. And shee brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron Now this name or appellation of the Church notes out unto us two things First the honour and dignity of the Church that although now in this life they suffer and go by the worst of all carnall and outward Christians yet in the time to come they shall receive the self-same honour which to their Lord alone and in chief belongeth And as they shall have the same honour with their Lord Mat. 19. Rev. 2. so the Lord is pleased to be called by their title also Psal. 89. 27. I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth and then he speaks of his Church vers. 29. His seed also will I make to indure for ever and his throne as the dayes of heaven where he will place his Church with himself for evermore Mat. 9. 28. Rev. 2. 27.
truth revealed and given from heaven by God assuredly received and believed by the elect acknowledged and obeyed by the believer to salvation this is the spirituall house or Church consisting all of living spirituall stones Christ Jesus being the foundation or chief corner stone and the great Master workman and builder of it himself as the Scriptures testifie 1 Pet. 2. 2 3 4 5 6 7. Heb. 8. 2. of this Assembly and Congregation doth our Lord say Yee are the salt of the earth yee are the light of the world Mat. 5. 13. 14. And I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing they shall aske it shall be done c. Matth. 18. 19. and to these only is the promise made to receive the Spirit of God to lead and guide them into all truth Joh. 16. 13. And again I will pray the Father and hee shall give you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for ever Joh. 14. 16. which Spirit of truth is the great Substitute and Advocate that Christ hath left with his Church all the while of his personall absence through whose grace and wisdome they are they only that make use of the keys of the kingdome of heaven according to Matth. 18. 18. Joh. 20. 13. Therefore Pope I say unto thee thy vicardome is blasphemy thy keys arrogancy thy chair heresie thy succession vanity thy Cardinals and chief Priests Pharisees thy imposition impurity thy washings uncleanness thy holy unction extreme pollution thy crossings Idolizings thy confessions absolutions abominations you say you are the Church of Christ and that your succession is from the Apostles where hath Christ and his Apostles prescribed to you that trash and trumpery which you call pure holy divinity your breaden god your unbloody sacrifices your golden pardons of all rates and prizes your pilgrimages your purgatories your baptizings to convey grace and wash away all manner of original sin your idols your altars your masses your dirges your execrations by bell book and candle your Avie maries and your babling prayers by numbers in an unknown tongue your silken copes your shaven crownes your vowed chastitie and poverty and a thousand more such fables and heathenish imitations of the Heathens and wicked mens inventions which now Gods Word by the testimony of his faithfull regenerated children of truth have for ever discovered you and your Religion to be but a filthy heap or wall of mud and dirt whited over a painted Sepulchre though outward to the shew and appearance of men beautified trim'd and adorn'd with silver gold and all manner of rich and precious things under the mask of the Spirits ornaments yet within nothing but stinking noysome carrion rottennesse filthinesse and uncleannesse and all your abominable worship of the Heathens that you were to maintain for a day a moneth a yeere the whole amounting to two and forty moneths that is so many yeers of dayes even an 1260. yeers which is the antiquity you so much brag of yet do not consider the older you are the neerer your dissolution notwithstanding your Religion be made and woven of all the glorious matter of the gods of the Heathenish Monarchs that were before you which were worshipped with such vain pomp varieties of voyces and musicall Instruments as Rimmon and Baal Ashtaroth and Milcom and the rest of abominations that had Priests and Altars hesaints and she-saints of their own makings like unto you as also your devillish doctrines just after the manner matter of the heathens idols Oracles which vain worldly glory hath so lifted thee up with pride that thou hast advanced thy self above the stars of God yet let us wait now but a few dayes and we shall see thy glory shame thy greatnesse contemptuousnes thy gorgeous apparel nakedness thy life death thy habitation destruction and as you have done cruelly to others so shall others deal cruelly with you your name and generation shall be utterly forgotten and your judgement shall seise on you so that your place shall be no more found Rev. 17. 46. And you may as easily keep the Sun from shining the wind from blowing the Sea from motion and the earth from springing as to divert this judgement of God determined against thee therefore all you that will escape her judgements come out of her and separate your selves from her lest you partake of her sins and be made partakers of her plagues 2 Cor. 6. 16. And what I say unto you the head of Sects I say unto all the rest Come out of Babylon and submit to Sion of which universall mother Gal. 4. 26. wee shall often have occasion to describe and discover Heres This man is not for our turn hee is clear contrary to our doings he upbraideth us with our offending the Law and objecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education What will you call the holy Church of Rome to question the Pope the holy Father who I am sure is not Antichrist for the Antichrist is sin and not a man but the Pope of Rome is the Father of the Church holy and good and teacheth the world the Gospel of Jesus Christ now by Images as the Prophet Moses taught the Jewes in Gods holy Law by Ceremonies heretofore Truth This man that speaketh now is a Familist who as he saith Sin is Antichrist so hee believeth and teacheth that righteousnesse is Christ and so turns both Christ and Antichrist from persons to qualities and the whole Scripture into Allegories who by cunning and crafty expressions exceeds all others in fulfilling that saying of our Lord Matth. 24. 24. And there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and this is such a false Christ and false prophet as there is not the like in the world making Christ a phantasie a meere fiction a righteousnesse of their own invention and so they conceive of Antichrist to be Sin which things of themselves are not persons and yet they confesse and preach that Christ is the seed of the woman and sin the seed of the Serpent and to deceive mens understandings sometimes they will call Christ the new Man and sin the old man or humane nature of Christ and so in their preachings writings and conferences use the Scripture terms and phrases yea their creed or confession of their faith runs word for word with ours only differing thus for they make all their Articles to expresse the present time in those things wee believe to be past and to come they do acknowledge Jesus of Nazareth but he to be no more Christ the Saviour of the world then they are that have taken in the light as they use to speak and upon this ground confesse that every one of their illuminated ones are conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate are crucified dead and buried risen from the dead the third day and ascend into heaven and there sit on the right hand
of God contained in his word Rev. 20. 4. and in this spirituall sense they lived and reigned with Christ the whole time meant by the thousand yeares And lest the inconsiderate Reader should mistake this spiritual resurrection for a corporall as the Millenarians doe the holy Ghost gives marks and bounds to his Disciples as evident distinctions between the one and the other in these words Marvell not at this John 5. 28. for the houre is coming hee doth not say as before and now is in which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyce which all contains every one good and bad at the general resurrection and therefore your doctrine is contrary to the truth the Scriptures hold out to us for the Thrones and they that sate upon them which you expound to be Christ and his Saints the holy Ghost discovers the quite contrary even to bee the power and authority of Antichrist himselfe who had a Charter granted him of God and under his own hand for the whole time limited to desolate and consume the Saints who for their sinnes sake the Lord doth often give them up to the pleasure and rage of such heathenish murtherers and persecuters for a season to enter into the Sanctuary and spoyle the heritage of the Lord Jerem. 9. 16. Lam. 1. 10. And if you had but lookt upon the Text with cleane eyes washed â—ith the water of repentance and had learnd the song of sorrow of the mourner you would not have been so blear-eyed as to have taken the abomination forespoken of by Daniel the Prophet to be the Kingdome of Christ that all Gods servants witnesse to and give testimony of And that if it may be possible for you to apprehend the meaning of this Scripture wash your eyes with teares and wipe them with the love of the truth and look upon the Text once again and compare the 20 chapter verse 2. with the 12. chapter verse 3. and you shall see the same Dragon in the one place in the Ethnick Heathenish power of the Roman Emperour with all fiercenesse and unbridled cruelty to havock destroy and kill the Saints and children of God exercised in a tenfold persecution to obliterate wipe out of the earth the name of Christ the woman his Spouse and her first and primitive fruit which was born to reign with Christ for ever which power and authority the Devill instigated and stirred up with all their malice and hatred as with a flood caused as it were by the breach of the Sea so that the wife of the Lord had no way to escape drowning and devouring but to flie into the wildernesse there to preserve her selfe and so many of her children as she had preserved from death where she was assigned to stay an houre a month a day and a yeare Rev. 9. 15. The same Dragon in the 20. Chapter you find to be bound and yet in all and every day of his religation to kill and destroy the Saints just as he did before onely differing in the manner for now it is with a restraint secretly and cunningly by guile and craft pretending Christianity and taking on him the name of a Christian and never the lesse Devill then hee was before onely a pretence makes the difference for ever since the great battell that he fought and lost the field for Michael and his Angels prevailed then against the Drágon and his Angels so that ever since all along Popery the Devill hath turned Christian and herein by a bounded and restrained way effected his enmity to the full as he did before in the Heathens in an open professed opposition to Christ and Christianity And it is to bee observed that when the Devill turned to be a Christian then hee put on Jupiters coat upon Christs back and made the modell and platforme of Christian Religion just after the fashion of the Idoll Gods of the Heathen and like a Juggler and deceiver playes the same game divers and several wayes sometimes amongst men sometimes amongst the Angels of light sometimes on horseback sometimes on foot he rides on a red horse with a great sword among the Heathens in the Imperiall persecution and took outward peace from the primitive Christians as well as from the earth it selfe In the time of Papacie among carnall Christians he rides on a pale horse where the Devillish Dragon his rider is called death it selfe and hell followed with him Rev. 6. 4. 8. So then let him have liberty freèdome or bind and restraine him in all conditions he effecteth his work of envie hatred and malice against the Church of God Now there is one thing more in the Text and when I have spoke a word or two of the meaning thereof I hope then you will see this Scripture proves not your error And thus it followes After that he must be loosed a little season And in the seventh verse And when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison which words sound as if the Devill should become the great red Dragon again after the reigne of Antichrist and fall to act his first part the second time to deny the Lord Jesus whom all this while he hath confessed and to set himselfe to doe the utmost he can to oppose the very name of Christ and Christians and in this sense doth the holy Ghost clearly expound these words in other Scriptures as our Lord himselfe Matth. 24. doth clearly describe and discover the whole time of Antichrists abomination and persecution as Daniel did prophesie of it which is the whole and every part and season of the bound and restrained condition of the Dragon before mentioned And immediatly saith our Lord after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sunne be darkned the Moon shall not give her light and the Starres shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken vers. 29 In all which termes our Lord speakes figuratively and that another power after the end of Antichrists tyranny shall arise and fulfill these sayings of his which things were prophesied of before by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 38. 2. 39. 1. and afterwards so understood by the Apostle John Rev. 20. 8 9 10. which Gog and Magog Saint John understands to bee the Kings of the East and the whole world Rev. 16. 12 13 14. where in a vision he saw the Devill come out of the mouth of the Dragon that is he left the Ethnick Imperiall power and also the power of the Beast and beastly Clergy he will deceive by that false Prophet no longer but as he left all his old instruments so he goes on to make use of a new one these spirits of Devils goe forth unto the Kings of the earth that is they goe unto them that are of the greatest power at this time even the Kings of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great day of God Almighty which Kings of the East and of the
And lastly for the space of this long season neer unto the time of seventeen hundred yeers that great and huge Monarchy of the Romans our universall and mighty oppressors have dealt very cruelly with us even worse then all that were before them for their sword hath had a double edge called Force and Deceit cunning and cruelty and for power worse then all that were before them as Iron is the basest for value and hardest for strength for it breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things as one of my deare sons affirmeth Dan. 2. 40. which I and mine have found by dolefull experience all their tedious wofull and odious raign of the Iron legs and durtie toes how dolefull was it in the dayes of our blessed Saviour that that holy Prophet John the Baptist that takes his name from his office the harbenger the forerunner and preparer of the Lords own way that he should be killed and our innocent Lord grievously abuseded wounded crucified also and how was I and my children havocked and cruelly destroyed and wasted presently after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord in those numerous and unparalleld ten persecutions and all wrought and prosecuted against us by those legs of Iron all which power and authority of the legs are now gone and past as a storme that 's over and a tale that 's told and as a great fire that 's quenched excepting only the feet and toes consisting of Iron and Clay matter of two contrary natures in them the solidness and strength of Iron and the weaknesse or bricklenesse of Clay and yet such a powerfull enemy whose cunning craftinesse is managed by deceit and policy in which time iniquity hath and doth abound under the pretence of verity this fourth Monarchy from the first to the last in all the parts of it is deciphered by a strange beast diverse from all the beasts that were before it dreadfull terrible and exceeding in the greatnesse of power and strength it had Iron teeth saith the Prophet and they were great ones to tear and kill by and it devoured saith the Text and brake in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it and it had ten horns Dan. 7. 7. Heres But let us prove if his words be true for what is the Babylonian Assyrian Grecian or Roman Monarch to us for we have been and are the spirituall seed of Abraham by faith wee are Christians who have believed are baptized and communicate in all the Ordinances of God we are warranted in the Scriptures for our Church-discipline and government and wee walke in a Church state and Church way in constituting our Congregations in ordaining our Ministers our Pastors our Deacons and Elders Widowes Eunuches and divers holy orders as that of Jesus and John the Baptist Mary Magdalene and abundance more orders of men women and Angels and all these by authoritie of Scriptures and yet will you rank us amongst the Heathens and compare us to the four Ethnick Monarchs long ago past we doubt not but upon further discovery to prove your self to be untruth Truth What ever you are whether Papists Familists Arrians Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Antinomians Millinarists or Monarchists of all sorts and although all and every one of you of each sort gird and bind your selves with the new found common With of Independency yet my self and my little children are able to prove against you all even against the oldest and strongest of you and therefore observe and take notice of it even of the charge it self that so many of you that are not born of sorrow and comfort and have not your parts in mourning and rejoycing of water and the Holy Ghost as the Scripture speaketh I tell you plainly notwithstanding all your outward names and distinctions your affirmed Christianity your Church-way and state your participation in the Word and Sacraments your ordinations and orders and what discipline you are of or any kinde or manner however except I say you be separated or dissevered from naturall men by the vail of regeneration as the Temple of God the Altar and them that worship therein were separated by a vail from the outward and common court erected for the multitude of the house of Israel to offer and sacrifice yea again because the matter I speak of is of such great concernment I speak it the third time except you are by true repentance and assurance of mercy made capable spiritually to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood thereby to have eternall life in you except you be thus gracious and made spiritually living by regeneration Gods Word I say and the Spirit of truth denominates you reckons and accounts you all among the Heathens and Gentiles Rev. 11. 1 2. and notwithstanding all your outside and overcast Christianity the whole wicked cursed defiled and unregenerate world and you make but one cast-away part one flock of goats for ever to be excluded from the sheep of Christ their sweet and pleasant pastor that flock and fold also Heres This fellow condemnes us all wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits or false coyne he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse yet we marvell how he can prove that we that are Christians are a part of those Monarchs whose severall times and powers are wholly expired consummated and gone Truth As I have in generall proved it already in shewing that all the wicked party in the world make but one fort one cursed side on the left hand so also I prove it further by our Saviour Christs words to the Pharisees in his dayes Matth. 23. 35 That upon you saith hee may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom yee slew between the Temple and the Altar Here our Lord layes the murther of Abel and Zacharias to the Scribes and Pharisees charge although the personall actors were dead many yeers before saying to them present whom ye slew and the reason is because all murtherers from the beginning of the world to the end thereof make but one generation all of them even one generation of Vipers persecutors and destroyers Secondly as yet the whole Monarch of the Romans is not expired and past but still in being the feet that were partly iron and partly clay are not wholly consumed nor the mixt matter is not yet abolished for yet craft policy doth prosper in wicked practices to destroy the mighty the people of the holy One by standing up and opposing the Prince of princes who notwithstanding shortly shall be destroyed without hands Dan. 8. 24 25 even that man of sin that son of perdition even that opposer and exalter of himself above all that is called God and as God sitteth in the Temple of God whom the Lord that he opposeth shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming notwithstanding all his serpentine working his
of God the Father descend from thence and now judge the world and all these things in a mysterie a Metaphor and Allegory You read say they of these things in the letter 1600. yeers ago but now they are in the newnesse of the Spirit and according to these principles expound all the Scriptures both of the old and new Testament Now say they is the wedding of Cana of Galilee fulfill'd in the spirit where righteousnesse is the Jesus the union between God the Father and the Son the Bride and the Bridegroom the mother of Jesus they say is the word of truth that brings to passe this holy marriage and the turning of water into wine is the oldnesse turned to newnesse flesh into spirit so that thereby the new man becomes co-deifi'd with God and God again co-hominifi'd with man and that now Christ whips out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple meaning by Christ righteousnesse and by the buyers and sellers sins and corruptions and by the Temple mens bodies expounding that Text Hebr. 1. 13. Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool to be meant of their holy anointed ones and when Christ which is righteousnes is risen in them by regeneration then that saying is brought to passe that is written Hos. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54. Death is swallowed up in victory they say they are Moses and the children of Israel and all naturall men are Egyptians which by conversion become Israelites and that now Moses is contending with Pharaoh the Devill to bring the chosen of God through the red Sea and barren hard and desolate wildernesse into Canaan the land of rest the peace of conscience and favour of God and that now God calls Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldees making it the land of devills as the Hebrew word signifies to set forth to us every unregenerate mans dark and sinfull estate naturally and Gods calling of Abraham out of it to go to a land he would give him to signifie unto us the conversion of a sinner to God and Davids killing Vriah to signifie the quenching the Spirit the Apostle dehorts from and Reubens going up to his fathers bed the weaknesses of such as are babes in Christ as St. John speaks of calling them little children and young men 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. And that in this nonage this youth of theirs it is with their anointed ones as it was with Christ which signifies anointed Mat. 3. 4. who as soon as God testified to him from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and when he had fasted and separated himself from his naturall wayes and sinfull affections forty dayes and forty nights as Moses was fortie dayes and fortie nights in the holy mount where hee received the covenant of perfection in a figure And the Text saith afterwards he was an hungred that is this new man hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse and as the Text saith The tempter came to him the meaning is say they the sinfull flesh the enemy to the Spirit said to him If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread but the new man answereth it is written the man Christ shall live by the truth the Word of God then the tempter uses other means to have him to be a self-justifier and account of himself as the holy Citie of God makes him to be advanced in his own thoughts as the highest of all as a pinacle is above the rest of the building and then to presume in his infancie as if he had the experience of old age and perfection it self and so the holy childe answers thou oughtst not to tempt but to wait patiently on thy Lord thy God His third and last temptation is the proffer of the whole world unto this young man in Christ but being now grown in strength in righteousnesse makes a speedy answer Get thee behind me Satan God is only to be worshipped and served so the tempter left him and the Angels ministred unto him in all passages of service till they brought the holy One from one degree to another to sit down at the right hand of the Father and to come to judge the world And of this spirituall estate do they understand all the Scriptures that speak of the resurrection of the body understanding it this spirituall body and this spirituall resurrection and that Christ is dead or alive in every man in the world dead in the naturall or sinfull estate and made alive and raised in the illuminated estate and the terms in Scripture of this present world to be the sinfull estate and the world to come the regenerated estate which they call perfection eternall life and the glory of the Father the world without end affirming there shall be no end of the heavens and of the earth the whole creation but that it shall continue for ever successively one generation after another and as man comes from God so he goes to God in matter and time infinitely These and a thousand grosse and blasphemous doctrines are the tenents of the Familists which are the very depths of Satan from which I wish thee to repent if it may be by any means obtained and learn to leave off your scorn and contempt of Scripture-learning and labour to be taught by the Spirit of truth in the true meaning of Gods Word Heres These doctrines which you call Familists are the tenents of N. H. that is Henry Nichols who lived in Germany and writ divers small books as The Gospel of the kingdom The Prophecy of the spirit of love The Glasse of righteousnesse and divers others but although he be a seducer and grosly deceived to the overthrow of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in affirming holinesse and righteousnesse to be Christ the Lord now I am so far from his opinion that I think Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth to be only man that is meere man and not God and man and to partake of the Deity no more then any other naturall man doth Truth You expresse your selfe to be an Arrian for Arrius that proud Bishop whose time was above 200. yeeres after the Apostles and did then fall from the truth of the Scriptures as they clearly set forth our blessed Saviour in his divine nature as well as in his humane and invented and broacht divulged and published this heresie that Jesus Christ was only man and not God which heresie backt with his authority proved a great and cruell persecution against the faithfull and true Christians 150. yeers together as Ecclesiasticall Histories according with the plain and holy Word of God do declare as it appeares in the first of John compared with Genesis 1. and Prov. 8. 22 23 24. and John that beloved of the Lord Revelations the 9th chapter makes a full and plain description of the person of Arrius his power authority and the compleat time of his persecution and false doctrine where
he deciphers his person by the appellation and name of a star vers. 1. thereby signifying hee was a high and great light in the Church even in the rank and course of the Apostles for so are they compared and called Rev. 12. and that this star was great in the outward office of the Church is farther intimated in these words in saying hee fell from heaven that was from the purity of the doctrine of the Saints preached and planted by Christs faithfull Apostles and Evangelists and in that it is said hee fell unto the earth it sheweth that as he fell from the light of the truth so he fell into grosse corrupt hereticall darknesse apostatizing and as opposite to the sincerity of the truth he formerly professed as the cursed polluted earth is to the pure undefiled heavens and as it is said To him was given the key of the bottomless pit it shewes the permissive power that should be granted and given to him that as hee loved lies more then truth so he that is the God of truth should give him up to strong delusions to believe lies and having in himself an adulterous evill heart a fit receptacle for an error so abominable doth with as great a longing desire preach and publish it to corrupt others like himself by all wayes and means whatsoever as first his own thirstie deceit was not satisfied proved in these words vers. 2. And hee opened the bottomless pit and there arose a smoak out of the pit as the smoak of a great furnace declaring hereby the nature of their corrupt doctrines even such as smoak soot and filth compared to the pure air and wofull darknesse to the glorious Sun-light The truth of God whose shining purity was obscured and darkned as it followes in the next words by reason of the smoak of the pit and the Text saith vers. 3. And there came out of the smoak Locusts upon the earth which shewes the great successe and large increase of false doctrines which are no sooner conceived and borne but presently it brings forth abundantly a viperous and wicked brood good for nothing but destruction it self and their great power is to hurt as a Scorpion which is the most cruell and venimous of all creeping things vers. 5. And as they are cruel so they are cunning crafty and unavoidable by which being once bit or stung it is incurable of such dangerous nature was this heresie of Arrius see the cruelty vers. 6. their power cunning and deceit vers. 7 8 9 10 11. The Apostle also by divine inspiration sets down the full and compleat time of this Arrian persecution saying It shall be five moneths that is moneths of yeers accounting as before in the audit of Antichrist thirty dayes to a moneth which multiplied by five amounts in the totall to one hundred and fifty yeers prophetically reckoning a day for a yeere as Ezek. 4. 6. which heresie was grown to such a height of esteem and applause that the then Christian Emperour call'd a generall Councel of all the Bishops in Christendome to confirm and establish this abominable false doctrine by a canon or Ecclesiasticall decree to be an unquestionable verity from which conclusion not any one of the learned Doctors did dissent but only godly Athanasius who by his alone wisdome and great knowledge in the Scriptures did protest and declare against this dark and smoakie error and he managed and maintained the truth so clearly by the authoritie of holy Writ that as Christ was perfect man so hee was truly God God and man our alone Saviour through which his grave and solid arguments raised from the beginning of the Evangelists of St. John and other holy Scriptures he gained the most of the generall Councel to be of his side and judgement whereupon they prevailed with him to make and write that famous and excellent Creed call'd after his own name even the Creed of Athanasius which then and ever since hath been imbraced approved honoured confessed of all Christian Churches although it is now neglected as gold in the dust and pearles by the ignorant Cock in the dunghill and fables in comparison even husks preferred before the verity thereof through the blindnesse of this present generation Heres Although the Popes universall supremacie in and over all persons and causes Ecclesiasticall and civill be an error and also heresie to deny the humane nature of Christ as doth the Familists and as bad in Arrius to deny the divine nature of our Lord and Saviour for I am of Athanasius his mind That hee was God of the substance of the Father begotten before the world were made and man of the substance of the mother born in the world perfect God and perfect man for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ And also I believe and maintain that every man naturally hath free will to do good as well as free will to do evill and that a Christian mans standing in the grace and favour with God depends upon his obedience in keeping the commandments and that there is no more or other certainty of salvation then that man by his own free good will continues obedient to Gods Word so that a man may be the childe of God to day and the childe of the Devill to morrow Truth You that did last speak shew your self to be an Arminian for although you confesse many truths yet indeed you differ no more from a Papist then Arminius that wicked heretike did and in your false doctrines of free will and falling from grace you agree with the ancient Anabaptists also for you all three are but one in these two errors And first for your tenent of Freewill that all men naturally have as great freedome and power of will to do good as to do evill this is a grosse error and directly opposite to the clear and plain Scriptures for the Apostle saith It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And the truth speaks thus 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God and this is the faith and confession of the whole Church of God Isa. 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us and for us The error of Free will is a carnall opinion and naturally men are inclined to it and the holy Apostle St. James reproves it in his dayes who writing to the scattered Tribes saith you ought to say if the Lord will and not to say as you have affirmed your faith to be Wee will go c. James 2. 13. 15. So that it is plain no man of himself hath freedome of will to do good but there is no question but every man hath freedome of will to do evill as saith the Prophet Jerem. 4. 22. Secondly your doctrine of the uncertainty
was not hindred nor prevented but the broken penitent heart understands retains and keeps the Word and bringeth forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. when as the other three sorts of grounds brought nothing to perfection vers. 14. Now these severall grounds briefly shew us how all your mentioned Scriptures are to be understood even as the Parable sets forth unto us the differing estate of men under the means of the Gospel and so also doth the branch in Christ that is fruitfull which God purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit and the fruitlesse branch in the Vine Christ which God cutteth off to be burned in this distinction doth the Prophet Ezekiel speak calling that man righteous in the Scripture you first mentioned who was so made righteous by the common gifts of the Spirit as the three bad grounds and in this distinction we are to understand that a man may become sanctified by the blood of Christ and yet afterwards tread it under foot as Judas when he was a preacher and yet afterwards fell to be a Traitor to kill the Lord that formerly in some respect he served and differenc'd from other men by his holy imploiment of his Apostolicall office as hee was that took the Plough by the hand and afterwards looked back thereby making himself uncapable of that estate in which before hee stood in Luke 9. 62. and the Apostle makes this clear to the Corinthians speaking that the Gospel to some is the savour of life unto life and to others the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. not that it is so of it self but occasionally as the Sun in the Firmament that is one and the same in it self yet through accidents in the subject it softens ice and hardens clay so likewise is the administration of the Gospel salvation to them that receive and obey it and damnation to those that neglect and contemn it as in prophane Esaus case and the blessednesse of Jacob both sons of Isaac the one selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage the other seeking and striving for it with prayers and tears so that it appeares plainly that the Scriptures rightly understood are against your erroneous opinion and all of them affirm that truth of God which before I have proved to you that whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved as hereafter I shall open more at large for hee is the wise Christian that heareth and doth build on a rock of a deep foundation so that it stood still notwithstanding the great billowes of the flouds the huge storms of the winds and showers when the foolish Christian the fine built house was overthrown thereby having no foundation and great was the fall of it Mat. 7. 25 27. Heres Of late through the knowledge of the Scriptures men have come to see and understand the superstition of Popery the blasphemy of Familists the grosse errors and absurdities of Arrius and Arminius and that they are all seduced and deceived But we have found a rule of truth in Gods Word plainly directing us to the making matter of the Church of Christ and none but such as are quallified by faith are fit subjects for baptisme which faith is wrought by teaching and then baptisme or dipping admits and gives entrance unto such believers to have communion in Church-fellowship with us in all the other holy ordinances of God which Church and ordinances are not understood but neglected and contemned of all the Heretikes you have named and conferred with before therefore we are the true Church for we professe but one Lord one Faith and one baptisme Ephes. 4. 5. Truth Sir I perceive you are an Anabaptist and therefore I shall speedily make good my late promise and indeed some thirty yeers since Mr. Morton a Teacher of a Church of the Anabaptists in Newgate then his confession comprehended all the errors of the Arminians which now of late many that go under your name in and about London dissent from as it seems you do And therefore in Answer to you I say that the terme baptisme in Scriptures as well as faith and Lord hath divers significations sometimes to signifie sufferings as Matth. 22. at other times outward baptisme as John baptizing our Saviour a holy subject Mat. 3. 16. and Simon also believed and was baptized Acts 8. 13. which was an evill unregenerate man and yet admitted and continued in the common fellowship of the Church with Philip so also by baptisme we are to understand inward baptisme sometimes repentance and sometimes remission of sins for so faith the Baptist himself Matth. 3. 11. I baptize you with water unto repentance by which indeed he wrought repentance in them but he that comes after me c. he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is hee should pardon the penitent which two speciall administrations are the two parts of regeneration according to that in Luke 24. 47. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name of Christ so likewise by baptisme we are to understand both the parts of regeneration together where the Apostle saith as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. and in this sense it is called the laver of regeneration or the washing of regeneration Tit. 2. 5. These differing significations being plain I marvelled to find some of your company to maintain the contrary of purpose I suppose to avoid the distinction that so clearly discovers your error You affirm you have found a rule in the Scriptures plainly directing how the matter of the Church is made and that is say you by teaching and baptizing and yet you not distinguishing of either say nothing truly in neither or both for a man may be taught and baptized and thereby be made a Disciple in the outward profession of the truth as the high-way stony and thorny ground as Simon Magus Demas Hymineus Philetus Ananias and Saphira the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth and such whose belly was their God in the Church of Philippi who notwithstanding they were all taught and baptized yet not any one of them any part or portion of the Church of Christ against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail therefore the ground and foundation of your Church is sand and that will fail you and it is very false and contrary to the matter of the true Church for the Scripture saith Though Israel be as numerous as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant shall repent and be saved Rom. 9. 27. and yet they are called the people of God Isa. 10. 22 23. and so all taught and all circumcised and the same distinction the Scriptures make of baptisme the very same is said of circumcision for the self-same operation that circumcision had in the Church of the Jewes outward carnally in the flesh and inward spiritually in the heart of the same distinction and operation is baptisme in the
Christian Church the washing with water or dipping in water is the doing away the filth of the flesh which saveth not for this a man may have and perish as those Disciples that fell away from Christ and walked no more with him Joh. 6. 66. but the washing or baptisme that saveth 1 Pet. 3. 21. is the answer of a good conscience unto God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ not the washing of the flesh but the purifying of the heart by faith and this spirituall baptisme or washing it is that works that full assurance of faith having our hearts strinkled from an evill conscience by the blood of Christ and our bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10. 22. that water that Christ giveth his Disciples Joh. 4. 14. and washeth his Apostles with John 13. and this is that which maketh the truly faithfull Jew by vertue of the circumcision of the heart and the truly faithfull Christian by vertue of the baptisme of the heart all one as the holy Apostle saith and that God did beare witnesse with him also to the truth of it that there is no difference between us and them that is us Jewes and them Gentiles purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. 8 9. and the Scriptures shew that the Jewes did well know that when the Messiah should come that then baptisme or washing should be the distinction of Christians from others as circumcision by Gods own ordinance was the distinction the Jewes had from all the people of the whole world and therefore it is written that when the Jewes sent Priests and Levites of the Pharisees from Jerusalem to John the Baptist to Bethabara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing the messengers askt him whether he were the Christ or Elias or the Prophet and upon his answer no that he was not they then asked him why hee did baptize then hereby cleerly shewing that they understood by the Scriptures that when Elias Messiah and the Prophet foretold of should come that then baptisme should be in use in the Church and accordingly it was so practised by John the Baptist Christ and his Apostles and ever since continued and of the very same use to Christians both outwardly and inwardly as circumcision was to the Jewes And the Apostle to the Church of Colosse useth both the terms baptisme and circumcision to set forth and teach unto us one and the same thing in Jesus Christ Col. 2. 10 11 12. You are compleat saith he in Christ which is the head of all principalities and power in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God c. Mark now friend Anabaptist the truth of this doctrine of the cleer distinction the Holy Ghost makes of baptisme and circumcision and in both double and two-fold as in circumcision the one outward the other inward so in baptisme both in the flesh and both in the heart both made by hands and both without hands a man may partake of both in one distinction and perish but whosoever doth receive one or both in the speciall sense hee shall be saved and as the terms in the meaning do agree so they do both agree in their administration for as Abraham received the sign of circumcision a seal or signe of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had before be was circumcised in the flesh Rom. 4. 11. so the regenerate and faithfull servants of God Nathaniel in whom was no guile the Eunuch Lydia and Cornelius of whom the Holy Ghost bears witnesse that they were true worshipers of God these all as Abraham had the inward baptisme of the blood of Christ through faith in the promise before they received the outward baptisme the washing their bodies with water a lively representation of the washing their hearts by the blood of the Lamb Christ And for the generall use of Baptisme as in the Jewes Church all that believed the Law of God were to be circumcised and so admitted into the Congregation and communion of all the holy ordinances of Gods worship and service so now who ever believes that Christ is come in the flesh and acknowledgeth the glad tidings of the Gospel the Ministery and Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles to be the truth they upon this generall or historicall faith ought to be baptized and to be admitted to communion in the Word and Sacraments as Simon Magus Demas the faulty Christians in the Church of Corinth and a thousand more had as the Scriptures shew so that now you see Gods Word forces you to distinguish of baptisme and so also of the terme Faith and the name Lord and yet but one baptisme one faith and one Lord to salvation Now the Scriptures plainly set forth unto us a three-fold faith which may be truly distinguished by these termes historicall miraculous or justifying faith and all these a full assurance and are to be believed with all the heart of the two first sorts wicked men devils may partake of them as well as the Saints yea sometimes exceed therein for Judas wrought miracles among the twelve but John the Baptist did no miracle saith the Text so many are called to believe the truth to work in the Vineyard but few are chosen unto salvation and rewarded with eternall life that is the speciall peculiar faith Joh. 7. 38. that whosoever believeth shall not perish but have eternall life And there is a great deal of difference between him that by faith eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood to eternall life Joh. 6. 54. and their faith by which they are baptized preach and communicate in the other ordinances and boldly pray and call upon the name of Christ and yet notwithstanding are not acknowledged by him but shut out and excluded from eternall life and assign'd and sentenced to everlasting destruction and to be rewarded as the workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. Now considering how cleare the Scriptures are in distinguishing between faith and faith I did admire when I was in company with you to see you all so earnest as in baptisme so in faith to maintaine but one sort under either term wherefore I would here make the severall definitions of faith thereby to make the distinctions the more clear but that I shall do hereafter when I come to speak of the Antinomians mistakes in these things also and I much marvell at your ignorance in Scripture distinctions for as much as you all professe you read them much in which except you distinguish rightly you can understand no truth cleerly nor fully for the letter of the Scriptures are but the body or corps but it is the intention and meaning of the Holy Ghost by the words of the Text which is the spirit and life of them therefore it doth behove us and stands us
in hand to take heed we do not mistake the meaning of Gods Word nor to give any other sense or exposition then that which is its own lest we be found such as fight against the Scriptures and by false and lying interpretations violate Gods Law and wage war to kill and slay the two witnesses the old and new Testaments the lamps and light of truth Rev. 11. 7 8. let us take heed of this brethren for the judgement against this sin is written and revealed already to adde or diminish from the Word of God to be a heavie inevitable dismall cursed sentence Deut. 4. 2. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18. And if you had considered the Scriptures concerning the name of God and Lord you should have found even the Apostle himselfe to expound to the Church of Corinth what he meant by his speaking or writing to the Church of Ephesus One Lord c. for hee saith there be many Lords and many gods so call'd both in heaven and earth but to us saith he there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. there is but one such a Father and Lord and holy Spirit who is the giver the purchaser and worker of the grace by which we are called in the same one hope of our holy calling Eph. 4. 4. but in other respects the Heathens Idols and the Gentiles gracious Lords are called God and Lord for so did the Gentiles speak of Herod deifying him with a shout saying The voyce of God and not of man and Christian Emperors Kings States and Potentates in regard of authority and jurisdiction are called Lords and Gods in which they do represent God I have said you are gods saith the Scripture but you shall die like men Heres But wee have a plain word for our teaching and baptizing Matth. 28. 19. but you baptize infants for which you haue no word for and therefore it will be said at last Who hath required these things at your hands for indeed you do but continue the mark of the beast in all your babies baptizings Truth Whereas you say Christs words in the last of Matthew proves your preaching and baptizing you say more then you can make good or that I can believe from that Scripture and although there be no expresse words in the Scripture for the baptizing of Infants yet there is as sufficient warrant for it as for most things you practise your selves for what plain word have you for the time of publike assembling or generall meetings what word have you for your people to ordain their Minister what command doth authorize you your self to baptize what word have you when to receive the Lords Supper when to administer it and where who to provide the bread and wine and what bread and of what grain and the wine of what grape you have not a word for women to receive the Sacrament and abundance other particulars practised by you Will you therefore say you do that which you sin in doing so as you say we do I think not The truth is we need not a word for there are generall rules in the Scriptures that include particular practices and divers things under the Gospel being of the same nature under the Law the rules given under the Law serve under the Gospel so the Apostle proves to the Church of Corinth from the Law of Moses Deut. 25. 4. That Ministers of the Gospel should have maintenance that as they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. compared with Deut. 18. 1. So we may truly say it is ordained that as the children of believers before Christ both Jewes and Proselytes were to be circumcised Gen. 17. 11 12. Exod. 12. 48 49. so believers and their children since Christ are to be Baptized as St. Peter speaketh the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far of even as many as the Lord our God shall call I beseech you observe this place St. Peter here spake to the Jews the men of Judah and Jerusalem vers. 14. Yee men of Israel hear these words saith he vers. 22. so preacheth to them that Jesus was the Saviour of the world whom yee have taken by wicked hands and have killed and being dead was buried who was raised again and now sits at the right hand of the Father and is made the Lord and Christ the alone Saviour of the world and they that gladly receive this doctrine of salvation by Christ were baptized vers. 41. who before had been circumcised Now as the promise did onely belong to Abraham and his Spirituall Seed and yet all his naturall children and the children of believing strangers were to communicate of circumcision which was the outward signe of the Covenant of the righteousnesse by faith as before is proved So likewise under the Gospel the same covenant of life and salvation is made only to Gods chosen faithfull regenerated servants and their spirituall seed yet the naturall children of these faithfull Christians may partake of the outward baptisme which is the outward signification of the baptisme of the heart as circumcision in the flesh was a signe of the circumcision of the heart and according to this rule the place before mentioned and divers other Scriptures speak as Acts 16. 15. that Lydia and her houshold was baptized so the Jailor was baptized and all his that is his houshold and the Apostle Paul baptized the houshold of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. And our Lord Jesus laid his hands on little children and blessed them and rebuked his Disciples for forbidding them to come Luke 18. 16. and the Apostle is cleer in the resolution of this question to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 7. 14. saith he the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy that is in respect they have right unto the outward covenant being born of one that believeth But some of you Anabaptists would have these words holy and unclean to mean bastards or unlawfully born which is such an exposition as was never heard nor read of before and this exposition admits of much absurdity for it nullifies the law of marriage amongst the Heathens who have as certain rules for marriage according to their manner and custome as Christians have for the Scripture prescribes no form Secondly this exposition makes Abraham himself and most of the Patriarchs wives to be bastards for they were the children of Heathens by father and mother as holy Sarah Rebecca Rachel and Josephs wife the mother of Ephraim and Manasses a bastard and that holy
the rule of Gods Word by expresse words or necessary consequence and therefore your separation from us is groundlesse and not warranted in the Scriptures for consider how the rule of truth would direct you and observe how it was with those that were effectually called by the ministery of John Baptist and our Lord himself and truly converted unto God from amongst the Jews in such times when those in the outward state of the Church were most corrupt for they preached for doctrine the commandments of men nor would not receive the truth themselves nor suffer such as would receive it against which doctrine our Lord exhorts his hearers to take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees but never taught the Disciples to separate from the Church of the Jewes nor to enter into a formed covenant among themselves as you do but on the contrarary hee commanded them to continue hearers and doers The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair or seat whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do c. Mat. 23. 2 3. And himself as his Disciples continued still repairing to the Temple and Synagogue and participated in the service and publike worship of God making no separation for when our Lord gave his account to the high Priest of his Disciples and doctrine Joh. 18. 19 20. he saith I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jewes alwayes resort and in secret have I said nothing And for the Apostles practice in many Churches mentioned in the Acts both in Judea and among the Gentiles therein is no separation in your sense spoken of although many things were reprovable and admonished against both in doctrine and practice the truth is the good seed in the field are the Saints the Church of Christ the tares the wicked but both must grow together in the same field till the harvest Matth. 13. 30. As the lilly growes amongst the thornes so the chaffe lies in the same floor with the wheat the Goats feed in the same pasture with the sheep and the crafty Wolves among the harmlesse lambs and cannot be separated till our Lord comes to judge and part them never again to participate afterwards together Heres I pray heare mee all those that have already spoke are old like their doctrine and it is high time their errors should be thus discovered but I pray take notice of mee for I have received a new cleare light of heavenly doctrine a light of free grace and justification in and by Christ from all eternity so that the elect cannot properly be said at any time to be unrighteous ungodly or unholy for they are justified before they beleeve even before the foundations of the world even then when God elected them Truth Free grace rightly understood as the Scriptures declare it is a heavenly and comfortable Doctrine but me thinkes by your confession you should be an Antinomian who speake very much of free grace but doe not at all understand it for they say the free grace of God towards his elect that are justified before the world was is like unto the Sun-beames in the morning when she rises that enlightens the dark earth in which there is no preparation to the enlightning so the Lord shines into the hearts of his elected justified ones in the very time of their wickedest workes of darknesse And then in the midst of their sinnes as in the very acts of adultery and murther even then God lifts up the light of his countenance upon them and gives them peace the effect of their justification with God from all eternity These slight and contemne repentance and call it a worke of the Law and the preparation to justifying faith they call a munkish Popish doctrine and their own fancie or presumptuous conceit they call that justifying faith or free grace by which say they the justified before God come to understand and know their justification from all eternity Oh what a grosse seducement and delusion is this even a generall mistake of the whole Gospel in every part of it Therefore now I will first shew you what free grace is which the Scripture sets forth to us And then shew you how clearly and fully Gods word declares the justifying the elect by faith in Jesus Christ Now this is a written and a certain truth that God loves his Israel his chosen freely Hosea 14. 4 5 6. I will heale their back-slidings saith the Lord I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon Also it is written Ezek. 16. 6. When I saw thee polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee Live when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live and have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field Observe how abundantly the free grace of God is manifested to his elect that of themselves are quite contrary to deserving for they are polluted with the most abominable pollution and that is with blood and not a little but extreamly in the third degree blood three times repeated by the holy Ghost And that this threefold uncleannesse should bee washed and made pure and that this exceeding deadnesse should be made to live and so to live as the bud of the field to multiply and increase and bring forth fruit unto God and man even holy grapes to refresh the hearts of both this shewes the wonderfull freenesse of Gods grace so to love as there is none like it nor to be compared to it Now because you have spoken of this free grace in a fancy I shall endevour to shew it you in reality And that we may know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. that is of his own will free grace and goodnesse and eternall love Let us consider it in these foure particulars which onely and alone are peculiar to the Saints and Church of God that is their election and predestination before all times their effectuall calling and justification in time and their eternal glorification for ever in the world to come which world shall be endlesse deathlesse and sinlesse for evermore And all these in all the causes the free grace of God And therefore it is said by S. Peter that the Saints and Church of God are elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father 1 Pet. 1. 2. And S. Paul saith According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4. And the Apostle to the Church of Thessalonica testifies that God had from the beginning chosen them to salvation 2 Thess. 2. 13. so then it is cleare that the electare chosen in Christ to salvation Which secret purpose and foreknowledge of God towards his elect before all time is made good and effected in and upon his elect in all times being called
thereunto by the Gospel vers. 15. Now the Gospel as I touched before consists of two parts repentance and remission of sinnes Luke 24. 47. which comprehends the two next particulars our effectuall calling by the work of repentance and whose sinnes whosoever is remitted that soule is justified in the Apostles meaning and both these effected by the Gospel and covenant of life and therefore called in Scripture the grace of God the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. the word of his grace verse 32. the word speaking peace by Jesus Christ Acts 1. the word of the Gospel Acts 15. 7. And these two effects which the Spirit of God works by his word in his elect to life and salvation are called in Scripture regeneration conversion a renewing a birth from above a new making and such like not in a naturall but a spirituall sense not as the first birth of our parents which procreated and produced us out of their bowels but by way of similitude and likenesse that as by nature we are born carnall unclean and children of wrath so by this spirituall birth we are born of God from above holy spirituall free even the sons of God as the Scripture saith for as that which is of the flesh is flesh so that which is of the spirit is spirit Now as by Adam came the offence and by Moses came the Law through which the offence abounded Rom. 5. 19 20. to mans greater misery so grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. Adam was the authour of sin to his posteritie Moses was the Minister of the Law that condemned that sin but the grace and mercy of God the means of salvation both from sin and death that is only by Jesus Christ blessed for ever Now the manner and order the Holy Ghost taketh in working this grace in the hearts of Gods elect is plainly laid down in Scripture for him that is Christ saith St. Peter with the rest of the Apostles hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins Act. 5. 31. And these two parts of the Gospel which is the free grace of God to man-kinde are plainly and generally observed and preached by all the Prophets and Apostles and our Lord himself I will take from you saith the Lord your stony heart and give you a heart of flesh there 's the first part and in that new heart that I shall give you saith the Lord I will write my Law that is his Statute and love mercy and forgivenesse even a new and holy Spirit and that 's the second part of the Gospel Ezek. 11. 19. Chap. 26. 36. The baptisme of John that 's the first and the baptisme of Christ that 's the second part and both parts our Lord joynes together Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit hee cannot see the Kingdome of God neither to mourn with the Bridegrooms friends nor rejoyce with the Bridegroom himself and for as much as these making parts of a Christian are not of our selves but both the gifts of God it doth abundantly set forth unto us this excellent doctrine of Gods free Grace as the Apostle St. James saith who of his own will begat us with the word of trub Jam. 1. 18. And the grace of God saith holy Titus that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men and teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lnsts c. Tit. 2. 11 12. Yea it is Gods free Grace and abundant compassionate goodnesse to finde out this new and living way to happinesse through Christ Jesus for hee himself is the way the truth and the life and God so loved the world that hee gave his Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternall life Joh. 3. 16. and none can so believe but hee that is regenerate John 1. 12 13. And the Lord is the spirituall bread that every one must eat of that shall be saved but none can so eat his flesh and drink his blood but by faith and none can believe but to whom it is given and it is given to comfort none but to the broken hearted and none are made penitent and humble thirsting and desiring Christians but to such as God gives repentance for this is the nature and method of this free Grace of God which the Scriptures set forth to us even that free Grace that Christ gives to him that is athirst freely to drink of Rev. 21. 7. hee gives the thirst and hee freely gives the water of life that so quenches that whosoever drinketh shall never thirst again Joh. 7. 37 38. And the Lord saith Come and drink but this coming is by repentance and this drinking is by faith Whosoever saith the Lord believeth in mee as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of the water of life yea to set forth the excellency of this doctrine of free Grace the Spirit of God takes upon him the office of a cryer in a court of Records Ho every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters come yee buy and eat yea the third time he cries come buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa. 55. 1. Heare now you Antinomians if any of you have an eare to heare the wisdome of God in the truth of the free Grace purchased and preached by Jesus Christ that it is not phantasticall as you have exprest it but that reall and substantiall grace that gives being to the new and spirituall man the very regeneration of the elect of God and as they are born of the Spirit so they are taught led and guided anointed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in none of the bodies of the elected ones but where he hath wrought this heavenly work of grace there he dwells there he witnesseth there is but three that bear witnesse for God to the truth in the whole world and the Apostle tells us 1 Joh. 5. 8. it is the Spirit that 's the Spirit of God water that 's his first work and beginning of regeneration and blood that 's the finishing and accomplishing the new birth the sanctifying the binding up the broken heart by faith wherefore blush and be ashamed of your blasphemy against the truth in calling repentance a work of the Law and the preparation to faith a Popish doctrine and for ever hereafter take notice that the way of Christs free Grace is by water and blood 1 Joh. 5. 6. And that repentance is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Mark 1. 1 2. Now I should have spoke of the fourth particular of free Grace which is glorification but of that hereafter Heresie I beare you witnesse you have a zeale but it is not according to knowledge for if you did understand that excellent doctrine of justification before beleeving you would not speak so much of
any preparation to justifying faith for by Christs stripes we are healed from the beginning of the world And to prove this truth I argue thus First all the elect of God are justified before God but some of the elect of God doe not yet beleeve therefore some that doe not beleeve are justified before God Secondly he that is in Christ is justified But we must be in Christ before we can beleeve therefore we must be justified before we can beleeve Truth I answer the due observation of terms is the true preservation of proprieties and except you justly distinguish of the terms before God himselfe and Gods grace by which he doth justifie his elect you cannot understand truly but you must confound heaven and earth together and make God Man and Man God concluding such blasphemies as the Familists doe to whom hundreds of you are fallen within this two yeares who affirme of the Trinity that God the Father is the Minde the Sonne is the Word and the Spirit is the Word made knowne And under these termes mistaking the verity of the mystery of the Trinity conclude such gross blasphemies as these conclusions hereafter specified making God the Father the Mind God the Son the Word of that Minde God the holy Spirit the effect or revelation of the Word And as these are three so they are one as you say so it is and was at first in the creation God the Father was the Mind of God God the Son was the Word of that Mind and God the Spirit was the working meaning or manifestation of that Word so that in that which God said Let us make man and he spake and the Heavens and the Earth was made the Firmament the Sun Moon and Starres the Sea and the Fish therein the Aire and the Fowls therein the Earth and the Beasts Herbs and Trees therein as God spake the word and all these were created so that as they were made by the Word so they are the Word and as the Word and the Father are one and as the Father the Word and the revelation of it are one so whatsoever the Word made is one with the Father the Sonne and the Spirit And then the conclusion must be this The whole creation is God himselfe Now to avoid such blasphemous consequences we will distinguish of the terms and therein shew the fallacy of your Arguments and then I will discover and establish the truth against your doctrine which by this means will easily appeare to be false First for the terme that concernes God justified before God you say which if you meane as it concernes God in his infinitenesse it is so farre above our line or the capacity of the elect in point of reconciliation with God as the highest heavens are above the center of the earth for with God himselfe there is nothing before nor after For the Scripture speaks thus of God in this respect that he calleth those things that be not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. And again one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day 2 Pet. 3. 8. Thus you see Gods thoughts are not our thoughts nor his wayes as our wayes saith the Lord but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are his wayes and his thoughts higher then ours Isai. 55. 8 9. But when the Prophet comes to speak of Gods work in the creature to salvation then he speakes in the creatures language and capacitie so that except man obey the voyce of God he is left without excuse in these words Seek the Lord while he may be found call yee upon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his was and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord God and he will have mercy upon him and abundantly pardon verse 6 7. Thus as the Prophet we must distinguish between Gods eternall purpose and decree which is a secret known to himself only towards his elect before all times and his calling and justifying of them in time which is the effect of his foreknowledge and predestination and that which makes known to the elect Gods secret purpose And although it be said Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect the Apostle there doth not understand the justification of the elect before time as you doe but the justification of his elect in time called and justified And although there can be nothing laid to such an elect justified to his condemnation yet many things may be laid to his charge in regard of his weaknesse and frailty If any brother be fallen through weaknesse you that are spirituall restore such a one by the spirit of meeknesse Thus Nathan charged David and David chargeth himselfe Against thee onely have I sinned So our Lord chargeth his faithfull servant Peter and Paul withstood him to his face and saith He was to be blamed And so that holy Apostle blameth himselfe also Oh wretched man that I am saith he And the Scripture saith There is not a righteous man that liveth and doth good and sinneth not And again If any man say he hath no sinne he deceiveth himselfe and the truth is not in him And the elect of God are renued again after sinning by repentance as the Church of Ephesus is admonished by Christ to repent and do her first works Rev. 2. 5. And however the Saints do daily sin after justification yet through Gods grace they are recovered again daily by repentance and maugre the malice and temptation of Satan the snares of the world and the concupiscence of their own natures yet the Lord that loved them once doth still love them for ever and doth wash off their filthinesse and ownes them so for his own that neither their sins nor any power or any creature whatsoever shall or can condemn them Secondly you say some of the elect of God do not believe and therefore they are justified before they believe I pray where did you finde or learn this Logick which is so contrary to the wisdome of God which teacheth thus by Christ all that believe are justified from all things Act. 13. 39. And again those that he calleth hee justifieth but your doctrine saith they are justified before they are called see in a word how directly your preaching is against truths doctrine And of the same nature with your former is your second Argument which runs thus he that is in Christ is justified but wee must be in Christ before we can believe therefore we must be justified before we believe which in the very terms is another doctrine then St. Paul teacheth us who saith plainly wee are justified by faith Rom. 3. 28. And he justifieth the ungodly but I question your knowledge of justifying faith which if you did truly know you durst not teach that men are justified before they believe it is true hee that is ingraffed into Christ is justified but it doth not follow therefore a man
subordinate is the salvation of the Saints the chosen ones of God from the beginning of the world And this is the faith that justifieth that comforteth that overcommeth that excelleth whose dignity and excellencie every where shineth throughout the Scriptures the ignorance of which this very age yea I say it again this very age of ours deserves all these present judgements and more also then lie upon us at this time we having had from God afforded us so great meanes to come to the knowledge of it which sort of faith whosoever hath shall never perish but men may partake of both the other sorts to their condemnation Other acceptations the terme Faith hath in the Scriptures also having reference sometimes to God himselfe and therein importing the stedfastnesse and unchangeable truth of his decree and promise And in other places it is to be understood of the doctrine of the Gospel and so also of their faithfull discharge of their office that are gifted to declare and preach the glad tidings of peace and salvation Of which office it is hard for an Antinomian holding such principles as he doth to come to understand wherefore repent in time lest at last you turn all Familists which you cannot avoid if you continue in your principles Her We have had the experience of this new found conceited light that such as have been dazled with it have been staggred in the truth and some have been so blinded therewithall that they have fallen from the faith But what say you to us We have the doctrine of the Gospel pure and cleare we hold faith and repentance to be the first works to life and salvation and that the Church of God are a company of holy beleevers and that now the time is come that the Church shall bee delivered from all her sufferings according to the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles the purity of Christs Ordinances shall be established Christ shall bee set up upon his Throne and his Church shall have the rule and preheminence in the world in greater power dignity and externall authority then all the Monarchs that ever have been in the world before And in this outward glory shall shee continue till her Lord come to translate her Truth You speak like those that maintaine that the Church of Christ shall now so flourish and prosper as that it shall extend its bounds and borders all Christendome over and most part of the world besides into a Monarchy and as formerly the temporall power in Christianity hath had the rule and greatnesse so now the Ecclesiasticall power shall take place and the Scepter of Christ in the censure of the Church shall be advanced and bear rule above all other government And that now already it is begun that God makes the kingdomes of this world our Lords and his Christs and that now it is come to passe that the godly shall rule over the wicked for now they are given to be captives to Gods people whose captives Gods people were before this time Wherefore I answer Great are the privileges and prerogatives that the Scriptures speak of Gods Church and people in the world to come after the resurrection is plain and evident in holy Writ but to apply those prophesies and promises to the Church in this present evill world it is not well considered of you for the Lord by his servants speaks of his Church in a double consideration as oppressed afflected and suffering here in this life and as delivered perfected and saved in the life to come then to rule but here to suffer then to bee advanced into Christs Throne but now and here to submit to the Crosse now his house is a house of mourning but then it shall be a palace of glory Jerusalem the Citie of the great King shall be set up the praise of the whole earth And in regard of his Churches present suffering her Lord himselfe thus speaketh to her Feare not little flocke and comforts her with the grace and favour of God for the time to come in these words For it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom And it is a truth concluded of by all if we follow Christ in the estate of regeneration we shall be made partakers of his glorification if wee suffer with him we shall reigne with him the one condition is here the other hereafter the one in this world the other in the world to come This is the testimony of our Lord and all his servants Matth. 19. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 12. And that short time or while of suffering Saint Peter speaks of is this present life and the time of making such sufferers perfect is the life to come 1 Pet. 5. 10. agreeing with his brother Paul who according to the wisdome of God given to him had cast up his accounts in these words I reckon saith he that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Even then saith S. John when Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him then shall we be like him in his dignity as in this life we are like him in his ignominy 1 John 3. 2. And friend looke into the Scriptures and you shall find the Church the blessed assembly described now to suffer to mourn to bee hated to weep to be persecuted for righteousnesse sake and the contrary estate to be none of Gods Church or inheritance Woe be to yee that laugh and rejoyce that are full and enjoy greatnesse and prosperity those that are rich here have received their consolation those that are full in this life shall hunger in the life to come those that are merry laugh and want not here shall weep and waile when the day of redemption comes then shall be fulfilled to him that suffers not here these words Thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and to him that suffered here these words He his evill things therefore thou that sufferedst not art tormented but thou that didst suffer thou art comforted Matth. 5. Luke 6. and Luke 16. When Gods suffering people shall bee rewarded then such as have enjoyed their prosperity here shall be condemned I beseech you as you love the truth decline this doctrine of yours for by it you doe revive againe that old tenent of Popery For what ever you affirme in your confession they have maintained it with fire and sword execration and excommunication for they would prove that their Church by Christs appointment was to have supreme authority power and jurisdiction over all they place themselves above the starres of God And as in power so in title he must be called and stiled the Lord God the Pope And so he challenged worship also that Kings and Emperours must kisse his stinking feet and toes in token of their slavish subjection in honouring him with the power of heaven and earth to kill make alive to pardon and retain sins falsly
proving this his abomination and whorish power from Gods divine Oracles in these words To execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron This honour have all the Saints Psa. 149 8 9. avouching this Scripture to be fulfilled in the holy Church of Rome and that they were the Saints which by this prophesie were foretold of to depose and disthrone Kings and to cloak colour their covetousnesse which set all their trickes awork as Bulls and Pardons at all rates and prices whereby their coffers were filled with gold and silver from all countries and people And this hee affirmed was prophesied for his filthy holinesse maintenance and ungodly revenue in these words The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him Psal. 72. 10. And notwithstanding their grosse abusing the Scriptures and false claims to Titles as Holy Father and holy Mother the Church time hath now proved him to be Antichrist the Man of sinne and capitall enemy to the truth of God And indeed this conceit that the Church of God should enjoy temporall peace and outward glory and authority hath been alwayes the opinion of carnall Christians and the Jewes to this day cannot see otherwise then when their still lookt-for Messiah should come that then they shall bee gathered to be a great people againe and made a worldly Monarchy to rule over all Nations as now all Nations rule over them But their groundlesse hope will prove but as the Spiders web and so it will be with all others of their mind for see how the Scripture resolves the question that the Saints the Church of God shall still suffer to the worlds end the question is made with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth And the answer from heaven saith that they should rest yet a little season untill their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Rev. 6. 10. And the clad and washed with the righteousnesse of Christ and the blood of the Lamb are those that goe through great tribulations Rev. 7. 13 14. Finally of this doctrine we have a double witnesse two brethren and Apostles whose praise is in all the Churches Acts 14. 22. who both as one man conclude this truth as a Decree for ever That such as continue in the faith must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of God which Kingdome is that which all the Prophets and Apostles in all times have spoken of which in its due place I shall briefly unfold Heresie I pray you give us leave to speak Have we not clear Scripture for the glorious reigne of Christ upon the earth and that all the Martyrs and holy Prophets shall rise from the dead and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares in all prosperity peace riches plenty wealth and glory with such supreme power and Majesty as never any Monarch in this world had before nor ever shall have after for when the thousand yeares are expired then comes the generall resurrection Rev. 20. Truth Your confession shewes you to be a Millenarian which error as it hath been ancient so of late as of many other errors there is a reviving of this amongst the rest And as you say the summe of it is that now or they know not when Christ shall descend personally from heaven and then cause all the bodies of the Saints that have suffered martyrdome from the beginning of the world to be raised and Christ and his Saints to live in this cursed earth and corruptible world in the enioyment of riches wealth power and authority majesty and Emporality as no heathen nor Christian Monarchy ever had in this world before and you ground your mistake on Rev. 20. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Now I answer that the whole position is directly against the Scripture you alledge rightly understood for the Apostle Peter affirmeth it plainly that the heavens must containe and receive Christ personally untill the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 2. 21. Here are such witnesses as cannot be excepted against even all his holy Prophets and then and not sooner shall the Lord Jesus come which before was preached unto you verse 20. And the place you instance Rev. 20. proves no more the Millenary fancie as you describe it then it proves a new world in the Moon or that men may plow the floods of the Sea to sow and plant on them And because the true understanding of that Scripture will overthrow this error at once wee will shew you that the resurrection there spoken of is the spirituall and first resurrection which our Saviour Christ clearly layes down both in nature and order John 5. 25. And because it is a mystery therefore his expression is more then ordinary Verily verily twice affirming it I say unto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall live This is the spirituall resurrection from sin through the grace of regeneration and these are they only that live and reigne with Christ having sought and gained the Kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6. 33. And those only that are risen with Christ through regeneration are born of God and those that are born of God through faith are victors and overcome all opposition even the whole world and the Prince and King thereof 1 John 5. 4. and in this sense they reigne with Christ in their estate of temptation and regeneration who in their teares and sorrow are happy in the enjoyment of their Comforter who anointeth them with the unction of truth and teacheth and instructeth them so sufficiently that all the powers and thrones of Antichrist the subtilties crafts and deceits of him and all his learned Clerks who have endevoured and used all means possible to couzen and cheat the people of God for almost the space of this thousand two hundred and fourty yeares here expressed by the Millenary number onely because it shall not exceed more thousands then one in which cloudy and dark day the holy Ghost hath so led and guided the sonnes of truth that all the Jugglers at Rome and Babylon could not make them to mistake the mark of the Beast for the mark of the Lamb nor to worship the Beast and his image in stead of the Lord and his Christ yea rather then they would defile themselves with the adultery of the Whore they would die a thousand deaths for so saith the Text they lost their lives and their heads for the witnesse of Jesus for the pure worship
Earth and of the whole World cannot be understood of any but of him that writes himselfe God of Gods and King of Kings and Emperour of the Universe the whole world who giveth for his Ensigne the Moon the very Embleme of the world Observe how the Holy Ghost hath deciphered him for his reigne and residence the East for his religion the earth earthly and sensuall even the idle fancy and corrupt deceit of Mahomet himself mingled and composed of the parings out-side and offall of the profession of Christians Jewes and Heathens and lastly his unparalleld power and jurisdiction to be no lesse then the force and strength of the whole world Now me thinks the meaning of our Lords words doth agree with his servant Johns for by the term Sun our Lord doth mean himselfe the Sun of righteousnesse the truth of the Gospel and it must be a great power that must so oppose the doctrine of the Gospel in Christendome as to turn our light that is the light of men into the darknesse of Mahometisme and that that Egyptian darknesse that hath overspread the greatest part of the world where the Turk hath dominion should darken Christendome also that is the Land of Goshen if the true light should thus be made dark then the Moon that hath no light but from the Sun shall not give her light in our Saviours words and in his meaning also men that are inlightened by him as the Moon is by the Sun shall not give their light for how can they possibly when Christ which is their light is darkened and when the Sun and Moon thus fail then must needs the Stars whether Ministers or Professors all such as are not the faithfull indeed shall fall from heaven to the earth that is from the truth to Mahometisme and in this great storm the powers of Heaven elect and faithfull from which condition it is impossible they should fall yet saith the Text these shall be shaken with the terrible storm which compared with Rev. 6. 12. makes it more cleare for the Sun became as sackcloth of haire saith the Apostle and the Moon became as blood and the Stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a Fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when shee is shaken with a mighty wind here the Apostle is cleare in understanding the Stars to be not true born Christians but untimely and as St. Jude speaks and calls them wandering stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever vers. 13. But blessed be God for ever that hath bounded and limited this last and great storm that shall fall upon his Church so as the very powers thereof shall be shaken with these comfortable words immediately quickely it shall be over it shall continue but a little season Heres For the opinion of the Millenaries the truth is there is no shew of ground for it in the Scriptures but wee have of late gathered our selves into a Church communion and fellowship and walk together in that order that Christs Word holds out to us finding in our practice the Scriptures true that as Moses was faithfull in all his house as a servant so Christ as a son is faithfull in his house so that we order all things according to the Word and advance Christs Kingdom his Scepter and Law in the purity as the Scriptures do declare believing also that every congregation is independent and that none but Christ hath power to command each congregation and that none ought to be constrained or in the least measure opposed or punished as touching their consciences but every man ought and should live as the light of his conscience leads him Truth By what you express you should be an Independent as some call you and as some of your judgement call or term themselves wherefore I demand of you all that would have generall liberty for every mans opinion whom I mean by Independent where you find it written in Gods Word that you should gather or congregate your selves in that manner as you do you that have been Ministers to leave your pastorall charges and others to forsake their fellow-member-ship in each Congregation for as much as the Law of this Christian Church as touching matters for publike worship and meeting doth incorporate every Congregation or Parish and of many members makes them but one body and yet you from this body schisme and rent your selves and so of divers torn pieces remnants and broken members to patch up a body or congregation of your own invention contrary to the publike order the Statute lawes and ordinances of this Christian Church and against the meaning of the holy Scriptures also and when you your selves have made a body of your own making then to have peculiar priviledges to do what you please with the consent of your members and whatsoever you shall do to be beyond all power or magistracy whatsoever to either question you or punish you although by the rule of Gods Word there be cause and all that all of you have done yet is but outward and externall Now I demand if there be precept or president for any or all these things you do if there be then shew it if you can shew none for so I am sure you cannot then how can you clear your selves but that your practice is of your own inventions For this is your doctrine that those rules and orders which are prescribed by men for the publique worship and service of God being not plainly expressed in Gods Word such lawes and directions are Idolatry and yet will you devise rules and order 〈◊〉 practise them your selves of your own ordaining for which you can bring no expresse word nor true consequence I pray see the conclusion therefore your way of Religion is a wil-worship and therefore Idolatrous and aggravated because it is against the lawfull demands of Christian authority Here I would not be mistaken by what I have said to oppose the private spirituall communion of the Saints according to the Apostles practice and the Holy Ghosts direction Hebr. 10. 25. But you say this Text proves your Church-way Hebrews Chap. 3. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. the substance of which Scripture is this that as Moses was faithfull in all his house as a servant so Christ as a son is faithfull over his house you making Moses his faithfulnesse to consist in those prescripts and rules he gave for the Temple or Tabernacle in the form and structure for Priests and their habits for the time of incense sacrifices divine services in the Oracles and Ordinances of God even all the externall form and manner of Gods publike worship and you say that Christs faithfulnesse in his house under the Gospel is not inferiour to Moses under the Law in all externall lawes rules and directions in every particular for as much as Christ is the Son of his own house and as Moses had a word for every thing so Christ hath left a word for every thing It