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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76289	A briefe ansvver to R.H. his booke, entitled, The true guide, &c. Wherein are occasionally declared and proved by Scripture these particular things following: [brace] first, that the baptisme of water is a distinct baptisme from the baptisme of the spirit. ... Sixthly, in what sense some things related in Scripture are not Scripture, with divers other particulars occasionally spoken of. / By R.B. a well-wisher to the truth, and R.H.	R. B., Well-wisher to the truth.	1646 (1646)	Wing B159; Thomason E357_2; ESTC R16628	31,113	40

A BRIEFE ANSVVER To R. H. His Booke ENTITLED The True Guide c. Wherein are occasionally declared and proved by Scripture these particular things following First That the Baptisme of water is a distinct Baptisme from the Baptisme of the spirit Secondly That the Baptisme of Water doth not by Scripture expression signifie the Baptisme of the Spirit Thirdly What is signified by the Baptisme of Water Fourthly In whom the true Right of Church-power resides and how typified in the Law Fifthly The State of the Church and Ministry in Babylon typicall and mysticall Sixthly In what sense some things related in Scripture are not Scripture with divers other particulars occasionally spoken of By R. B. A well-wisher to the truth and R. H. Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his owne cause seemeth just but his neighbour commeth and searcheth him Prov. 30.12 13 14. There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse Read Ezek. 43.7 8 9 10 11. LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at his Shop at the West end of PAUL● 1646. The Epistle to the Reader ALL men are naturally addicted to take up that Religion for the true Religion which they find to be received and allowed in that Nation wherein they are borne those that are borne in Turkey take up the Mahumetan Religion those that are borne in Rome the Popish Religion and yet neither of these the true Religion and Worship of God so that it plainly appeares that whole States have been deceived in matter of Religion and Worship and what State can be instanced that the Successors haue not in many particulars contradicted their Predecessors and both of them cannot be in the right for the Truth is but one us God is one the cause of this chiefly is because men rather take up Religion then are taken up of it men commonly take things upon trust untried doing as other of their Neighbours do even live in men in matters of Religion and Worship more than in God contrary to that Matth. 15.9 Col. 2.20 22. most men dreame of a worldly Sanctuary still in being whereas Gods house in the time of the Gospell is Spirituall The Apostacy from the Faith under Antichrist is a meere Riddle to thousands yea and thousands that are convinced of that Apostacy confine it to the Popish Church and plead a restitution from Luthers time but point blanke from Queene Elizabeths And yet we see much of that corrected of late and must it needs be there are no Truths left behind still undiscovered Prophecying in Sack-cloath God is not bound to restore all Truth at once nor to a multitude but even a few and they perhaps despised ones 1 Cor. 1.27 28. even like those Fisher-men which Christ chose It is well known the decay of Truth was graduall from the Apostles times as may be seene 2 Thes 2.3 7. and Rev. 8 and 9. Chapters And the restitution is likewise graduall as may appeare Revel 14. and 16. Chapters Where we may observe the Truths increase and Antichrists decrease by degrees contemporising so that the rise of the one is the decay of the other which being well considered may serve to convince many of a too common errour amongst us for most men yea even many Professours are resolved as by their practice may appeare to receive nothing for Truth but that which hath the stampe of a State Approbation Had such Professours lived in the Apostles times the Truth and such would have had little acquaintance for Christ saith plainly Luke 17.20 The Kingdome of God cometh not with observation And I suppose Christ will come with as little worldly state and pompe at the restoring of the Truth from under Antichrist as at the first publishing of it to the Gentile world Matth. 12.19 But because Christ hath none of this forme or beauty among men Esay 55.1 2 3. He is despised rejected and not esteemed the lesson of bearing the crosse Luke 14.26.27 is a hard lesson and yet true Disciples learne it I will only premise two cavets to the Christian Reader and so conclude The first is this take heed of rejecting true light under a pretence of reproached new light least in so doing thou reject Christ Secondly take heed of receiving older new light from any men whatsoever upon trust untryed by the Word and Spirit least that curse light upon thee Jer. 17.5 Thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme such are said to depart from the Lord in their hearts If any thing I have written in this ensuing Tract come in evidence of Truth receive it as those Samaritans John 4.42 because of Christs owne Word If any thing I have written appeare otherwise to thee upon tryall reject it and so will I through Gods grace any mans Sayings or Writings dissenting from the Word of Truth but let thee and I receive and reject in Love and the God of Peace and Love shall be with us and make us one in Truth also in his own time Phil. 3.15 Joh. 17.17 19 21. R. B. TO speake a word or two and so to let passe this Epistlers invectives and reproaches we being frequently used to beare them from the Pulpit can the easier beare them from the Presse and we having experience of his fallibility in judgement ever since the Bishops impositions conceive them to be more prejudiciall to themselves then to us they being evident discoveries of the bitternesse of his spirit against us that differ in judgement from him but being so void of Truth from Scripture to backe them we shall esteeme of them but as the Ignis fatuus of his own braine for he hath only three quoted Proofes from Scripture not to make good his reproaches but to prove two things namely that there must be Heresies and false Prophets both which we easily grant having had so long experience thereof for we find that Antichristian Spirit to have begun and continued ever since the Apostles times till this day and that with no small esteem in the world for honour and greatnesse amongst men they chiefly hunt after the Disciples of Christ were infected with it but durst not own it before Christ Mark 9.33 34. for he expresly forbids it Matth. 20.25 26 27. Luke 22.25 26 27. This lofty Spirit began in Diotrephes 3 John 9. and ever since this Episcopall generation have loved and endeavoured to have the preheminence these false Prophets are very covetous 2 Pet. 2.3 2 Cor. 11.20 The true servants of Christ were not so 2 Cor. 12.17 The false Prophet and the Antichristian Beast aspire and expire live and dye together 1 Joh. 4.1 3. Rev. 20.10 They came to some height even in the Apostles times for they raigned like Kings whereas the Apostles the true servants of God were in disgrace and reproach they were at peace while the true servants of God were persecuted 1 Cor. 4.8 9 10

in Babylon of old there was confusion of tongues Gen. 11.4 7 9. and from that confusion Babell tooke its name verse 9. so in this spirituall Babylon the Church of God came into confusion loosing that Apostolicall and first order of the Gospell yea and take notice that that gift of tongues was one of those gifts Acts 2. that in spirituall Babylon was againe confounded yet some enjoyment of God was even there to the Saints though not according to the former way But even as Israell of old was extraordinarily nourished in their captivity in heathen Babylon Zach. 4.11 12 13 14. so in mysticall Babylon as hereafter shall appeare Then I said unto him what are these two Olive Trees upon the right side of the Candlesticke and upon the left side thereof and what are those two Olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oyle out of themselves and he said these are the two annoynted ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth There is mention made but of one Candlesticke because their Church was Nationall they were extraordinarily preserved for the pipes emptied the golden oyle out of themselves they could not be provided for in the ordinary way as that place before quoted proves and may further appeare by the reinvesting againe of the Priests after their Captivity Ezra 6.20 For the Priests and Levites were purified together all of them were pure compared with Zach. 3. all along that Chapter for what needed a restoring where was no losse Moreover after some degree of restoring some difference about the Priests Office could not be decided till a Priest arose with Urim and Thummim infallibly to determine it Ezra 2.62 63. Nehem. 7.64 65. The Tirshatha said unto them that they should not eate of the most holy things till there stood up a Priest with Urim and Thummim Even so I say in this mysticall Babylon the two Candlesticks called two because the estate under the Gospell is Congregationall were likewise extraordinarily nourished Rev. 11.3 4. I will give power to my two witnesses and they shall Prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore daies in sacke-cloath These are the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth Yet also some communion among themselves there was it may be somewhat like that Mal. 3.16 For else how could the enemies find them out to persecute them yet a perpetuall visibility of a Church in that estate all the Reformed Divines are contrary to as Mr Saltmarsh declares in his Divine Right of Presbytery Pag. 2. And it is lesse probable that they should have a visible Ministry than a visible Church the Scriptures being so plaine against that of the Ministry but rather for that of the Church and it is well known a Church may subsist at least for some time without Officers though not so well which induces me to thinke that those Divines before spoken of do understand that visibility of Church they speake of chiefly of a visibility by true Officers and Ordinances and my reason is because I find two Candlesticks Rev. 11.3 4. and no stars but earthly ones all the time of Antichrists raigne Prophecying although it was in Sacke-cloath Some light they had as I said before whereby they lived by faith according to that Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith c. And witnessed to the truth against Antichrist Now the visibility of the Church taken in this latter sense I conceive to be neither in the desart nor in the secret chamber that is the most retired assemblings of the Saints for in neither of these is Christ enjoyed but when the Lord Jesus shall repaire these losses it shall be like that lightening from East to West which shall be obvious to all his people and put an end to these Ordinance Controversies It followes In the same Page he quotes Rom. 16.17 Marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them This is very good counsell indeed when it is rightly understood but the Papists bring this place against the Protestants and the Protestants against the Papists the Bishops bring it against the Non-conformists and they against them and R. H. he brings it against his opposites and they against him But the question is how shall we know when it is rightly brought I answer when the Church of God is restored againe from under Antichrist to that Primitive purity and first patterne of Truth and he that maketh use of this Scripture is in a Church way answering that patterne and is infallibly assured of it then he may infallibly make use of this place and declare who they are that make divisions and this sense the latter part of the words include for he adds Marke them that cause divisions contrary to the Doctrine that ye have learned that is of the Apostles and not any other Doctrine whatsoever 2 Tim. 2.2 The things which thou hast heard of me commit to faithfull men that they may be able to teach others Now if R. H. meanes them that cause divisions from the first patterne of Truth we agree with him that such are diligently to be marked But he doth not declare and prove from what Church it is meant that this division is to be understood of whether Nationall or Congregationall Primitive or since the Apostacy under Antichrist and so he contends to no purpose It followes Acts 7.37 and Marke 3.28 All sins and blasphemies shall be forgiven to the Sons of men but he that sins against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven This is good counsell because it comes from Christ but who are the subjects this principally lookes upon we shall see anon For most plaine it is that it was directed to the Scribes and Pharisees that adulterous generation Mat. 12.39 that could dance after no Musicke but their owne pipes Mat. 11.16 17. that could learne no truths but such as were brought to them in their owne way who being affraid that Jesus Christ was come to overthrow their Church Constitutions and Traditions and all their false waies made Christ as odious as they could to all the Jewes by their invectives as R. H. endeavours to do us to the world declaring that he was a glutton a drunkard a friend of wicked men Mat. 11.19 yea a conjurer which occasioned this speech of our Saviour which he quotes Now these men being so bewitched to their humane inventions and Constitutions would say any thing against Christ to make their owne cause seem good Now whether we or our opposites oppose Christ most in matter of humane Constitutions and Inventions in Gods Worship we leave to all Christians to judge and so consequently whom that speech of our Saviour most concernes Next follow two Objections Page 8. The first is this 1 Thes 5.21 Try all things and keep that which is good But if the Reader marke his answer he shall find that he scarce gives leave

made Hereticks But if it be so that he himselfe useth to make all Scriptures speake what he would have them speake let him not conclude others do so because he doth so but let him remember his owne lesson and learne it Page 11. he saith there They that profit by the Word are more humble and low in their owne eyes and thinke every Christs 〈…〉 then themselves Phil. 2.3 and that at here know more of God then they do as Elihu Job 32.6 Who saith I am young and ye are old wherefore I was affraid and durst not shew you mine 〈◊〉 But seeing R. H. hath first spoken and published his opinion and that in a rigid and censorious way I am induced to take Elihu's further counsell verse 9.10 where he saith Great men are not 〈◊〉 wise neither do the aged understand judgement therefore I said hearken to me I will also shew you my opinion And so may I to R.H. though he be somewhat more aged then I declare my opinion for possibly R.H. may erre he is not a man infallible he may pervert the Scriptures as well as another man and so be liable to tryall unlesse it be lawfull for him to Stigmatize others without controule A little further in Page 12. he saith Some of them have denyed the truth of some Scriptures Answ This one expression the truth of some Scriptures plainly declares who he meanes as shall by and by appeare and verily had he been charitable and not malicious he would not have mentioned this about the Scriptures it being openly among all our opposites at that meeting where the difference about some Scriptures arose agreed upon as all can witnesse that were then present and this it was it was about Jobs three friends that came to visit him and I then spake to this effect that though the speech of Jobs three friends was in the Scripture and was a true relation of it and so in that sense is Scripture ye it is not positively the truth and mind of God as it came from them in relation to God Job and so in this latter sense it is not the Scripture Word or Truth of God my reasons are not only because Job disclaimes their speeches but even God himselfe Job 42.7 8. Saying ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right Now if it be not right it is falshood and so none of Gods Truth but only in the sense afore said that is to say a true relation Object But you are not the p●●●●● meant in the True Guide Answ Truly I wonder how he dares in the least to deny it the things being so plainly spoken which for the greatest part have passed betwixt us in this place from Page 11. the foure last lines and almost halfe way in Page 12. but especially this about denying the truth of some Scriptures I heare indeed a rumour of some men in the world that deny the Scriptures but they deny all alike and not some only and so cannot be the parties here intended for those intended here deny but some only Besides I sent him word by a friend of his that if we were none of them he aimed at in his Booke if he would but cleare us by declaring who they were it might give satisfaction to us but we have no answer to this day therefore it is plaine to me and others that all his faire glosses and guilded shewes to the contrary were but figg leaves to delude us that he might render us odious unobserved and this his cunning evasion is but a new tricke of the old Serpent to deceive us by faire words and foule deeds but let him read that place Rev 9.7 8 and consider it well those Locusts there spoken of are said to have faces as the faces of men reasonable and modest in their words and outward appearance but they had teeth like Lyons to bite withall And I am perswaded that the new persecution of the Saints that is to come by the old formall Professours shall be most bitter for who were greater enemies and persecutors of Christ and his Disciples then those formall Professors the Pharisees who were the strictest in the Jewish Religion Acts 26.4 5. even as those who were formerly called Puritans in the Protestant Religion Yet I speake not this of all that are our opposites in judgement for I put a wide difference betwixt those whom God hath endewed with the Spirit of brotherly love and concord and those who remaine still bewitched with the Antichristian spirit of persecution But it may be R. H. will say you plead for Christian Liberty and will not suffer us to enjoy ours Answ If R. H. say his Christian liberty consists in persecuting his brethren who are as deare to Christ as himselfe I utterly deny such Christian liberty both in judgement and practice and desire him to cleare and prove that to be lawfull which he hath done already namely to publish the grievances and differences among the Saints to the world contrary to that of David 2 Sam. 1.20 except he thinke that God as little regards the credit of his people as he or lesse now then in the time of the Law Certaine it is that God will have a time to vindicate his peoples reproach Zeph. 3.19 Behold saith the Lord at that time I will undee all that afflict thee c. And I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame and ver 10. I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turne backe your captivity c. Truly Gods people are yet in their Spirituall captivity reproached not only from the world but even of them who thinke themselves no small Christians And because R.H. cites Doctor Sibbs on the Canticles I also desire him and others to read his notes upon those words Cant. 5.7 Page 298. who in those times he lived in was not altogether unsensible of the reproaches Gods people found then even as we find now abundantly as if that Prophesie in Cant. 5.7 were now fulfilling I will deliver it in his own words at large It should teach us saith he not to thinke the worse of any for the differences of the times the watchmen that is the Ministers as he interprets it here take away the vaile of the Church and her forwardnesse is disgraced by them And is it not so now are not our waies accounted mad zeale whimseys and doth not R.H. call it new light dealing with us as those did with Saint Paul Acts 17.19 20. May we know what this new Doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest certaine strange things to our eares Doctor Sibbs saith further Take heed therefore we entertaine not rash conceits of others upon the entertainment they find abroad in the world or even among those that have a standing in the Church for so we shall condemne Christ himselfe saith he how was he judged of the Priests Scribes

administred by any without such calling and commission from Christ To his fourth which is by asking three questions to which I answer by asking them other questions First whether the inward call without the outward be sufficient or whether God joyned not the inward and outward together to make it a sufficient call Secondly Whether God allow of any calling besides his own whether inward or outward and whether either of these allowed of by God being corrupted whether then it be Gods or no Thirdly Whether there be any difference betwixt a man that hath a corrupt calling to an Office not warranted by God and a man that hath no calling to an Office but suppose he that hath a corrupt calling and he that hath no calling should preach by vertue of a true calling before they have it should I be guiltlesse and yet constantly by my presence and practice allow of that which God allowes not of should not I be guilty of all corrupt Officers standing ever since the time of Antichrist and so come under that Sentence of Christ Luke 11.48 Truly saith he ye beare witnesse that ye allow the deeds of your Fathers and doth not a litle leaven leaven the whole lump being unpurged 1 Cor. 5 6 7. or may some corruption be let alone unpurged or may we in some things be guilty of allowing the deeds of our Fathers and not in others To conclude If men may remaine lawfull Ministers notwithstanding their corrupt calling from men and cannot as R. H. saith corrupt the Word of God Whether are not they lawfull Ministers that have their calling in the Church of Rome and so may lawfully be heard But marke how he reasons Why saith he were not Martin Luthers workes rejected but embraced Answ Why must R. H. needs be allowed a true Minister of those that embrace his Booke Do but take notice here how he also labours to justifie the Popish calling which I made mention of for Luther had his outward calling there Next he brings in Balaam a false Prophet to prove a true Minister Num. 23.21 but as Balaams speaking some truths from the mouth of the Lord made him not a true Prophet even so many truths delivered by others doth not make them true Ministers for Balaam had as good and better will to curse than to blesse Gods people he was very desirous to make them miserable for filthy lucres sake even as there be many in these daies too like Balaam in this witnesse their railing Bookes and Sermons against Gods people as if they were unwilling they should live in the world by them but it is but the old Antichristian practice Rev. 15.17 In his last Page he pleads earnestly for and encourages people to the Ministry of the Word and so do I also but that is not the difference betwixt us but our difference lies here he would have people beleeve the true Ministery to be no where else but with them in their way as if they only had this open doores he speaks of Rev. 3.8 10.11.12 he leaves out the 9. verse for feare it would have beat hard upon his quarters but certainly the Word of God in the publike Ministry as he calls it neither came to them only nor from them only 1 Cor. 14.36 Besides he must first prove his Church and Ministry to be the Philadelphian State before he lay claime to the open doore for that is the Philadelphian Churches promise for each Church had its peculiar promise as may be seene Rev. 2 3. Chapters And truly I conceive R. H. to be yet a stranger to the glory of this Philadelphian State but I desire that both he and I may see the right sense of that place who they are that God hath or shall betrust with that open doore but sure I am it is a doore to the new Jerusalem and not the old nationall earthly one These things I thought good to returne in answer to R. H. his True Guide in the behalfe of our selves and others for our just vindication and desire the Lord to indue him and the rest of our opposites with the spirit of Christian wisdome moderation and peace and for this purpose let them mind that experimented Counsell of Gamaliel Acts 5.35 Take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men and so ver 38 39. Refraine from these men and let them alone for if this Counsell or worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it least happily ye be found even to fight against God Let them I say consider these things that so we may live at peace by them and they by us untill the God of peace truth and love draw up all the Saints to himselfe in him who is truth it selfe the Lord Jesus by a fuller making out of Truth so long obscured that so we may become one in Truth and in the meane time one in peace and love and this shall be the constant desire of him who earnestly follows after the enjoyment of Peace Truth and Love in one Lord Jesus Christ FINIS