fact and practice to which I replyed you say the Court condemned me for matter of fact and practice be it so but I say that matter of fact and practice was but the manifestation of my judgment and conscience and I make account that man is void of judgment and conscience with respect unto God that hath not a fact and practice suitable thereunto and for the things contained in my Sentence they are rather collections which the Court was pleased to make and draw from my words than my words themselves nevertheless I do not say they were unduly collected for in truth if the Faith and order which I profess do stand by the word of God then the Faith and order which you profess must needs fall to the ground and if the way you walk in remain then the way that I walk in must vanish away they cannot both stand together to which they seem to assent therefore I told them that if they please to grant the motion under the Secretaries hand I would draw up the Faith and order which I hold as the sum of that I did deliver in open Court into three or four Conclusions which Conclusions I will stand by and defend untill he whom you shall appoint shall by the word of God remove me from them in case he shall remove me from them then the disputation is at an end but if not then I desire like liberty by the word of God to oppose the Faith and order which he and you profess thereby to try whether I may be an instrument in the hand of God to remove you from the same they told me the motion was very fair and the way like unto a disputant and thereupon concluded in my hearing and directed also their speech to me saying because the matter is weighty and we desire that what can may be spoken when the disputation shall be therefore would we take a longer time whereas therefore the time appointed was the next fift day by reason of the commencement which will be the next week and the meeting of the Elders we must defer it now untill the fift day come fortnight and so I told them to be brief I was their prisoner and should at-attend their pleasure so I returned with my keeper to prison again drew up the Conclusions which I was resolved through the strength of Christ to stand in defence of and through the importunity of one of the Magistrates the next morning very early I shewed them to him having a promise I should have my motion for a dispute granted under the Secretaries hand The Conclusions were as followeth The Testimony of Iohn Clarke a prisoner of Iesus Christ at Boston in the behalf of my Lord and of his people is as followeth 1 I Testifie that Iesus of Nazareth whom God hath raised from the dead is made both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say is the Christ in English the Anointed One hath a name above every name He is the Anointed Priest none to or with him in point of attonement The Anointed Prophet none to him in point of instruction The Anointed King who is gone unto his Father for his glorious Kingdom and shall ere long return again and that this Iesus Christ is also The Lord none to or with him by way of Commanding and ordering with respect to the worship of God the household of Faith which being purchased with his Blood as Priest instructed and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet do wait in his appointment as he is the Lord in hope of that glorious Kingdom which shall ere long appear 2 I Testifie that Baptism or dipping in Water is one of the Commandements of this Lord Iesus Christ and that a visible beleever or Disciple of Christ Iesus that is one that manifesteth repentance towards God and Faith in Iesus Christ is the only person that is to be Baptized or dipped with that visible Baptism or dipping of Iesus Christ in Water and also that visible person that is to walk in that visible order of his House and so to wait for his coming the second time in the form of a Lord and King with his glorious Kingdom according to promise and for his sending down in the time of his absence the holy Ghost or holy Spirit of Promise and all this according the last Will and Testament of that living Lord whose Will is not to be added to or taken from 3 I Testifie or Witness that every such believer in Christ Iesus that waiteth for his appearing may in point of liberty yea ought in point of duâ—y to improve that Talent his Lord hath given unto him and in the Congregation may either aske for information to himself or if he can may speak by way of Prophecie for the edification exhortation and comfort of the whole and out of the Congregation at all times upon all occasions and in all places as far as the jurisdiction of his Lord extends may yea ought to walk as a Child of light justifying wisdom with his ways and reproving folly with the unfruitfull works thereof provided all this be shown out of a good conversation as Iames speaks with meekness of wisdom 4 I Testifie that no such believer or Servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty much less Authority from his Lord to smite his fellow servant nor yet with outward force or arme of flesh to constrain or restrain his Conscience no nor yet his outward man for Conscience sake or worship of his God where injury is not offered to the person name or estate of others every man being such as shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ and must give an account of himself to God and therefore ought to be fully perswaded in his own mind for what he undertakes because he that doubteth is damned if he eat and so also if he act because he doth not eat or act in Faith and what is not of Faith is Sin These Conclusions being seen at least by one of the Magistrates notwithstanding the Message to the prison answer to my self in the Chamber promise by him that came for the Conclusions common report abroad that a disputation was granted the Court broke up and did nothing and the next second day following a Messenger was sent to the prison from the Magistrate with a release to the keeper which having received he speedily put me forth The words of the release follow To the Keeper of the prison BY Virtue hereof you are to release and set at liberty the Body of Mr. Iohn Clarke and this shall be your discharge for so doing Given under my hand the 11th of the 6th Month 1651. WILLIAM HIBBINS To be brief c. Vnderstanding that some friends had laid down the Money although contrary to my Counsell when formerly at severall times and by severall persons I was moved thereunto and perceiving now that the Countries expectation which was not a little raised touching a disputation was utterly frustrate and being
therein they that cannot interpret it by the other four nor yet by the Commission it self nor by the Commissioners faithful observance thereof in all other instances let them prove if they can these three particulars 1. That Lydia ever had a husband 2. In case she had that ever she had any children by him and if so then in the 3. place that they were not dead or so grown up that they might hear and receive the word gladly as well as their mother 3. A third argument to prove that a visible believer is the person that according to the mind of Christ is to be baptized in water may be taken from the order which the Spirit of Christ laies down faith and baptism in the scriptures of truth putting faith still in the first place witness Mark 16. 15 16. Mat. 28. 19. Heb. 6. Eph. 4. A 4 argument may be taken from the nature of the ordinance and a 5 from Johns Baptism Yea much more might be said to this point but this may suffice And also the only person that is to walk in the visible order of his house and so to wait for his comming the second time in the form of a Lord and King with his glorious Kingdome according to promise That he is the only person that is to enter into and walk in the visible order of his house will evidently appear if the order in which our Lord left his house when he went to his Father to receive his kingdome be duly considered for in his last will and testament we shall find it thus recorded when our Lord was about to be gone he gave order unto his Apostles whom he made stewards in his house of the mysteries of God to make him Disciples of all Nations and that such as were so made should then be baptized and so visibly planted into Christ and put on Christ and having so received him should walk in him observing all things whatsoever he had commanded the first thing wherof as touching order was to be added or joined one to another in the fellowship of the Gospel by a mutual professed subjection to the Scepter of Christ and being a company thus called out of the world from worldly vanities and worldly worships after Christ Jesus the Lord which is the proper English of these words the Church of Christ and is in other terms called the Houshold of faith should steadfastly continue together in the Apostles doctrine sci the consolation reproof and instruction thereof in Fellowship sci mutual support both inward and outward in Breaking of bread thereby remembring the death of our Lord whose soul was made an offering for sin as his flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed by the help of the Spirit to nourish our souls and spirits up unto eternal life and in prayer one with and for another And that this is the absolute order which the Lord hath appointed in his last Will and Testament doth evidently appear both by his own precept and command and by the practice of such as first trusted in him and if so then neither infants of daies nor yet such as profess themselves to be believers in Jesus but refuse as a manifestation thereof according to the practice of such as first trusted in Christ to yield up themselves to be planted into the death burial and resurrection of Christ and so visibly to put Christ on as did the Christians of old I say such have no visible right to enter into or walk in the order of the Gospel of Christ and to conclude the point the argument stands thus They and they only have visible right to enter into and walk in the visible order of Christs house and so to wait for his comming whom Christ Jesus himself being the Lord of the house hath appointed and his Apostles being his stewards have approved of But such as first have been taught and made disciples or Scholars of Jesus and believers in Christ and afterwards have bin baptised or dipped and therby visibly lively planted into the death burial and resurrection of Christ are they and they only whom Christ hath appointed and the Apostles have approved of See his Commission peruse their practice Ergo They and they only have visible right to enter into and walk in the order of Christs house and so to wait for his comming the second time in the form of a King with his glorious Kingdom according to promise See for a farther confirmation of the last clause in the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. 7. 1 The 1 10. 2. The. 3. 5. But to proceed He is the person that is also to wait for his Lords sending down from the right hand of his father in the time of his absence the holy Ghost or holy Spirit of promise and all this according to the last will and testament of that living Lord That this living Lord did promise when he left this present evil world that is in a great measure subjected to devils and went to his Father not only to return again but in the time of his absence as a testimony of his great love unto such as are called to be his disciples manifest the same by loving him keeping his commandments and as a teâ—â—imony of his loving acceptance at the right hand his Father to send down the holy Spirit which should be in them as a well-spring of living water flowing forth unto eternall life who being a Spirit of truth and sent by Christ who is the truth which God will exalt shall glorifie him take of him and his and shew unto them and so lead them from truth to truth until he hath brought them into all truth as a comforter or Spirit of comfort shall fill their hearts with joy in believing by bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God and by revealing unto them the precious things w ch God hath prepared for them that love him which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive and as a holy Spirit shall set them apart that are justifyed by the blood of his Son unto the holy God and sanctifie them throughout in soul and spirit and body and as a Spirit of supplication shall help them to speak unto God and as a Spirit of prophecy to speak unto men that this Lord I say did promise unto his disciples who love him and keep his commandments in the time of his absence the presence of such a Spirit as this which hath supplies in him beyond what the â—oul lacks and that therfore they are to wait for this promise and for these supplies in his appointments will clearly appear 1. Out of the words of the Lord himself See Iohn 14. 15 16 17. so v. 26. chap. 15. 26. chap. 16. 7 8. so v. 13 14 15. five times in that night in which he was betraied doth he repeat that promise to his Disciples
that may be presented for the preservation of the whole And this in brief is the sum of that administration of Christs power in earth so far as it meerly concerns the outward man with respect to others that may uphold it or molest it and is managed by that sword of steel which in reference unto him is called in scripture the rod of iron by which he rules the nations and breaks them to peeces like a Potters vessel and with this administration of his power on Earth Right Honourable hath he who is the Lord of Lords and shall ere long appear as King and Judge of all betrusted you in these three Nations having as a manifest token thereof put into your hand that iron rod and to admiration hath strengthened and upheld your arm for the subduing and ordering of the same There is yet besides this another administration of Christs power on Earth which compared with this may be truly termed heavenly and spirituall it being that which suiteth with and principally is exercised about the spirituall or hidden part of man to wit his spirit mind and conscience which is indeed the most naturall Lord and commander of the outward it and all things belonging thereunto being but naturally subject and readily obedient from which very consideration it is that it is more safe and also more honourable for the powers on earth to have one thousand souls to be subject to them for love and conscience sake than to have ten thousand times ten thousand bodies seemingly subject for wrath sake and for fear of revenge this spirit and great commander in man is such a sparkling beam from the Father of lights and spirits that it cannot be lorded over commanded or forced either by men devils or angels but onely leaving its first station wherein it came so neer to the light and glory of God it is now caused to possess death and darkness and by that means is in a capacity by men and devils to be deceived and so by perswasion to be mis-led This spirituall administration of Christs power in and over the spirits and consciences of men as it extends to all the inward and hidden motions and actings of the mind so to all the outward manifestations of its powerfull commands in the outward man in reference unto God and especially unto such as appertain to the visible worship and service of God who hath declared himself to be a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and seeks such and onely such to worship him This spirituall administration so far as it concerns the outward man is managed not by a sword of Steel which cannot come neer or touch the spirit or mind of man but by the sword that proceeds out of the mouth of his servants the word of truth and especially as to the efficacy and to the inward man by the two-edged sword of the Spirit that spirituall law and light with which these candles of the Lord are enlightned and that by himself who is that light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world and this spirituall administration of Christs power on earth in and over the spirits minds and consciences of the sons of men and also over the outward man as to worship meerly is committed into the hands of the Spirit of Christ who is his vice-roy here on earth and is only able to deal with spirits by way of convincing converting transforming and as it were a-new creating of them and so to translate them out of the Kingdome of darkness in which they are by nature into the glorious â—iberty of the Saints in light Who is pleased also to make use of the mouths of his servants and through them as empty reeds and crooked rams-hornes to overturn the spirits and spirituall strong holds of men and devils and by them to convict avenge and execute the sentence written which upon such as manifest the emnity that is in their minds in the highest degree even against the holy Spirit himself the only sin unpardonable for all other sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven I say the written sentence that is to be executed upon such is anathema maranatha that is accursed with this intimation our Lord cometh leaving them untill he meet with them and otherwise than thus the servants of Christ cannot proceed having express command not to strive but to be patient apt to teach in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves to wait if God at anytime wil give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth Thus if it please the Father of lights to give you Right Honorable to distinguish between these two administrations of Christ's power here on earth and to leave that part to himself in the hand of his Spirit which cannot be conferred on others nor yet rightly managed but by the two-edged sword of that Spirit and wholly give up your selves to improve that part which belongs unto and well suits with that sword which you are now betrusted with it will much conduce to his glory your own praise and the peace and settlement of these three Nations over which the Lord hath set you And whereas Right Honorable it is in your hearts to propagate the Gospell of Jesus Christ the thing is excellent that is in your hearts and I hope the way to effect it is before you which is sith the Lord of hoasts hath said that works of this nature are carried on not by might nor by power but by his Spirit therefore to give way to his Spirit for the effecting thereof and to this end I humbly propose that your way to further this glorious design as to the might and power this Lord of Hoasts hath betrusted you with is 1. Not so much as to touch his Anointed and to do his Prophets no harm their ointment being the Spirit of prophecy and this Spirit of prophecy the testimony and witness of the Gospel of Jesus And 2. As obedient and dutifull servants to that Lord of Lords to suffer the Tares which being by the adversary sown after the Wheat must needs be ment erronious hereticall and antichristian persons professing the Gospel I say to let these tares alone in that part of the field or world over which the great Lord of the harvest hath placed your Honors sith it is his pleasure they shall there remain to the time of the harvest being the end of the world and that out of his tender respect to the Wheat lest in plucking up the tares though evidently discerned by his servants the Wheat should be rooted up also And 3. To the same end not to give your sword or power to the beast nor yet to suffer your power neither in these three nations nor yet in any forreign part of the world to be so misused by any to whom 't is committed as by vertue thereof out of an ignorant zeal and blind devotion pretending to pluck up the tares which yet is contrary to the express
who are such worshippers as he seekes for who as a Lord faithfull over his house before his departure gave order thereto commanded his Servants to watch and to hold fast till he come and in his absence being at the right hand of his Father is mindefull to shed abroad of that holy Spirit of Promise whereby the true worshippers shall be led from truth to truth untill they be brought into all truth And if the nature of the commanding and ordering power that suits both with the worship and with the worshippers which the Father of Spirits seeks for be also considered which is not a law of a carnall commandment seconded with carnall weapons or an arm of flesh but a spirituall law or as the Apostle cals it Rom. 8. a law of the Spirit of life from Christ Jesus spoken unto or rather written in the heart of a Christian by the Spirit of Christ by reason whereof he obeyes from the heart readily willingly and cheerfully that form of doctrine which is engraven and laid up therein Heb. 8. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 3. Rom. 6. 17. If this I say be considered that the worship is spirituall such as must begin in spring up and rise from the heart and the spirit and so be directed to the Father of spirits and so the commanding power that suits herewith must speak to the heart and spirit of a man then is there no Lord in this matter to Christ Jesus the Lord who speaks to the heart in the Spirit and his words are as commands from the head to the members which conveigh together spirit and life to obey them by reason of which his commands are not grievous for where the Spirit of this Lord is there is liberty and they by beholding the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same Image from glory unto glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. And that there is none with him he is the onely Lord and law-giver of this spirituall building and so of the spirits in this sense appears by such scriptures as say One is your Lord and law-giver James 4. 12. Ephes 4. 5. Mat. 23. 8. 10. and by such as say ye are bought with a price be ye not therefore the servants of men and the Apostles that had greater authority in this point than any men living yet they acknowledge they had not Dominion over mens faith and therefore declare this to be the express mind of God that the servants of this Lord must not strive as if they were Lords but be patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves or as the word imports that set themselves by covenant in opposition to that living Lord. And whereas it is declared in the testimony that this houshold of faith was purchased by his blood as Priest instructed and nourished by his Spirit as Prophet c. this will all evidently appear to be true Acts 20. 28. John 16. from the 7. to the 16. 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. Rom. 8. John 1. 2. 26 27. Rev. 2. 11. 17. 29. 2 Thes 14 15. 1 Cor. 11. 2. and 1. 7. And so is the first part of the testimony by the word of God confirmed and justified 2. I testifie that Baptism or dipping in water is one of the commands of this Lord Jesus Christ That this commandment of Jesus is by way of dipping and as it were by drowning overwhelming or burying in water and not by sprinkling with water appears many waies 1. In that although there be frequent mention made of that appointment of Christ in his Last Will and Testament yet is it never expressed by the word that may be rendred rantism or sprinkling but by the word that is rendred baptism or dipping 2. In that the word by which it is so frequently exprest doth in proper English signify to dip to plung under water and as it were to drown but yet so as with safety so that the party as to the manner may be drowned again and again see the instance of Naaman he dipp'd himself seven times in Jordan 2 Kings 5. 14. and to this sense of the word at least in that place both the Greek Latine and English Churches agree 3. In that the phrase in which there is mention made of such an appointment of Christ doth necessarily import such a thing and therefore when mention is made of baptizing there generally followeth that word the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commonly translated in or into which suits with dipping and not the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies with and so suits with sprinkling And therefore it may be as well rendred I baptize you in water and he shall baptize you in the holy Spirit Mar. 1. 8. as it is rendred Iohn did baptize in the wilderness and in the River of Jordan verse 4 5. or that Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. and they were baptized in the cloud and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10. 2. yea it may as well be rendred I baptize or dip you into water as it is rendred they were casting a net into the Sea Mar. 1. 16. for the words are the same and it would be an improper speech to say Iohn did baptise with the wilderness and they were casting a net with the sea 4. That this appointment of Christ is by way of dipping and not sprinkling appears in that for the resemblance and likeness hereunto the Israelites passing under the cloud and through the sea where the Aegyptians that were their Lords and commanders their pursuers and enemies that sought their destruction were drowned left behind and seen no more is by the holy Spirit called a baptism 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. they were baptized in the cloud c. Where observe it is not here rendred with the cloud and with the Sea as in the other place Mark 1. 8. with water because it suits with sprinkling although the word be the same but in the cloud and in the Sea which suits with dipping or overwhelming and so with the appointment of Christ they passing through the midst of the red or bloudy Sea on dry land which stood on both sides as a wall and being under the Cloud were as men in a carnall eie overwhelmed and drowned and yet truly saved and safe from their enemies 5. That this appointment of Christ was not by sprinkling but by dipping or putting the person into or under the water appears by Philips baptizing the Eunuch It is said They went both down into the water both Philip the baptizer and the Eunuch that was the person to be baptized and being there in the water Philip baptized or dipper him in that water as John did Jesus in the river of Jordan and then it is said as they descended or went down into the water so they ascended or went strait way up out of the water see Acts 8. 38 39. Mat. 3. 16. mark the expression And Jesus when he
act either out of the words of the Lord himself or out of those that were spoken or writ by the Apostles which were his Ambassadors and were furnished from their Lord with commands for his Servants observance until he come again But no servant of Christ I suppose is able to shew either out of his own words or out of the words of the Apostles any such liberty or authoriâ—y from the Lord as that which may be his warrant so to do Therfore The first Proposition cannot be denyed which is this If any servant of Christ Jesus have any such authority from his Lord he is able to shew it either out of his own words or from the Apostles And indeed for a man to act in the name of the Lord and not to have a word or warrant from him is high presumption and so will it appear if these these things be considered 1. In that it is plainly declared That all power in heaven and in earth is given unto Christ and therefore must all authority in heaven and in earth be derived from him and hence it is that it concerns the feet and the toes of that great image if it be possible to stand clear of him who is that little stone cut out without hands and shall ere long become great mountain and fill the Earth 2. In that it is as plainly declared that the living God hath in these last daies spoken by Christ Heb. 1. 1. hath made him the heir of all things and thereupon hath called upon every one that hath an ear to hear him hath threatned that soul that will not hear him that he shal be cut of therfore it concerns every servant of his to take heed he use no such authority over another which he hath not heard and received from Christ 3. In that it is declared that Christ Jesus the Lord is that one law-giver and that they are blessed that do his commandements yea so blessed that the Apostle saith he is become the author of eternall salvation to those that obey him and that he is also the Judge unto whom the living God hath appointed a great and notable and terrible day in which and by whom he will Judge the world in righteousness yea the very secrets of mens hearts according to his gospel See James 4. 12. Rev. 22. 14. Heb. 5. 9. Acts 10. 42. and 17. 31. Rom. 2. 16. From which consideration it also appears that it concerns the servants of Christ that they despise not such a Law-giver and such a Judge as he is in taking such liberty or exercising such authority over other mens consciences which cannot be made out from his words that he hath given them all which as so many arguments will prove the first proposition And as for the second which is this sci No servant of Christ can shew a warrant from Christ for such an authority either out of his own words or his Apostles if that be denied we must then call for the warrant which must be shewed either out of the Evangelists the book of the Acts of the Apostles the Apostles Epistles or the Revelation of Jesus but I suppose it cannot be shewn out of any of these If the 13. of the Romans be produced for a warrant no man can deny that the power there spoken of was such as belonged to a heathen and I think no man will acknowledge that he had such an authority from Christ to order mens consciences or outward man with respect to the worship of God and therefore that word cannot be their warrant If the words of Paul Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off that trouble you be produceed for a warrant let the words be considered and in the first place there is no mention made of outward force or outward affliction and therefore no warrant for any outward or carnall hand so to afflict but 2. The words were spoken to the Churches in Ga atia which were spirit all societies and concerning spirituall transgressors and therefore their cutting off must be from that spirituall relation and union which hitherto they enjoyed and how that is done compare 3. Acts 23. with Mat. 18. 8. 17. Rom. 11. 17. 19. 20. 22. And the carnall cutting off from the carnall Israel before the time of reformation was but a type of this spirituall cutting off and casting out from the spirituall Israel of God since And thirdly consider the words were spoken by the Apostle Paul who would have us to know as he declares it 2 Cor. 10. 4. that the weapons of his warfare were not carnall he was not wont to strive with them that opposed themselves with carnall weapons and therefore if he speaks to such persons as these Galatians were that had received such power from the Lord touching a cutting off which is a business that belongs to a sword it would be too carnall an understanding of the place to conceive that this should be done by any other sword than by the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God and can reach to their Spirits and is the only offensive weapon the Saints are to take in such cases as this against their spirituall opposers and so have I done with the first Argument A second to evince this is taken from that law wherewith Christ Jesus that Sonne of Righteousness hath more or less enlightned the Nations which I may therefore call the law of Nations being that law by which the Lord will Judge those which may otherwise be said to be without law the Law is this Do as thou wouldst be done unto which is also as Christ speaks the Law and the Prophets The argument standeth thus 2. Arg. If every servant of Christ Jesus have a commandement from his Lord as he will answer it before him when he shall appear as Judge to do to others as he would have others to do unto him then no servant of his can have either liberty or authority from him thus to force another mans conscience or his outward man meely for conscience sake But every servant of Christ hath this command from his Lord viz. Do to others as ye would that others should do unto you Therefore c. The second proposition is undeniable See 7. Mat. 12. Luk. 6. 31. The consequence of the first proposition can scarce be denied but if any should rashly deny it then I appeal to that mans conscience not being seared which also knows but in part in the fight presence of God whether he can be willing that another who is further informed in the things of God and is also stronger than he whether he can be willing I say that he should by such a force constrain or restrain his conscience although in smaller differences but how much less in things that do so vastly differ 3 Arg. The third argument standeth thus If Christ Jesus the Lord instructed his servants to be meek lowly and gentle yea kind and curteous to all sent forth